Umno leaders clueless of Malaysians’ desires

September 24, 2008 in Uncategorized

Umno leaders clueless of Malaysians’ desires

COMMENTARY

SEPT 24 – With each passing day, it gets clearer that Umno politicians are clueless about what Malaysians desire.

Everyone of them – Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib Abdul Razak, Muhyiddin Yassin, Syed Hamid Albar, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Hishammuddin Hussein – speaks about the need for the ruling party to adapt to the new environment and aspirations of better educated Malaysians.

Some of them even toss around the word reform like a six-letter Frisbee. But their idea of reform in anchored firmly on their world view and their value system.

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Malaysia should move past Mahathir’s tactics

SEPT 24 – Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is, in one respect at least, no different from his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He claims to represent change, but there has been precious little.

Instead of moving his country forward by allowing genuine democracy and rule of law, he has given priority to his party’s battle to maintain its grip on power. The situation, for Malaysia’s sake, cannot continue.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim appears in court today to face sodomy allegations, just as he did 10 years ago. There are, again, suspicions the prosecution is politically motivated. The Internal Security Act, the law that allows detention without trial for up to two years, has been used this month to again intimidate and silence critics. These are tactics Dr Mahathir used so effectively to hold on to power. But Malaysia has, surely, moved on from those days.

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No holds barred to shut RPK up

ANALYSIS

SEPT 24 – Raja Petra Kamaruddin holds almost nothing sacred and has had almost everyone scared with his writings.

That writings – a heady brew of facts, innuendos, speculation and hearsay – has now landed the Malaysia Today news portal editor two years in the Kamunting Detention Camp, sparking outrage for most and relief for those at the end of his scathing articles.

His detention is ostensibly for articles that have ridiculed Islam, Malaysia’s official religion, leading the police to recommend incarceration under the Internal Security Act. “His articles could arouse anger among Muslims,” Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying by local newspapers.

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Opposition wants to acquire Kamunting camp to end ISA

By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng last night floated the possibility of Perak acquiring the Kamunting ISA detention camp as a start to ending the tough security law.

Lim, himself an ISA detainee in the 1987 crackdown, said the Pakatan Rakyat states can start a donation drive among Malaysians to help acquire the colonial-era camp in northern Perak.

“The state can acquire land for two reasons; economic development and for public purposes, but we have to study the law first,” Lim told the Abolish ISA forum held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here.

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‘We must unite to overcome political and economic crisis’

By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

SEPT 24 – I write this as a Malaysian, as someone who, over 47 years of political life, has had the privilege of playing some small part in the formation our country, the building of its institutions, and our achievement of a degree of economic sufficiency. I write out of deep concern about the present state of our country.

In the lives of nations as of individuals, there come moments of profound possibility, when the potential for self-transcendence and for self-destruction are simultaneously present.

As before some critical examination in our youth, we come to the daunting realisation that we hold our future in our hands, when how we will fare many years hence, and whether we shall flourish or languish, will depend on how we conduct ourselves now, in this small window of time.

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Anwar: No contact with PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 – Opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he was unaware of any negotiation between the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Yesterday, PKR information chief, Tian Chua reportedly said that the federal opposition has been negotiating with Abdullah through intermediaries; the Prime Minister later issued a denial.

“I am not aware of any negotiations taking place between Pakatan Rakyat and the Prime Minister-statements made yesterday suggesting that a line of communication was open were misinformed,” said Anwar in a statement.

However he is confident that the Pakatan Rakyat will soon form the federal government but did not provide any deadline.

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Samy Vellu: PM to consider release of Hindraf 5

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has promised to consider the MIC appeal for the release of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since Dec 13, last year.

“The prime minister promised to discuss the matter with the home minister (Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar) and come to a decision,” Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said in a statement here today.

Earlier, the MIC president held a 30-minute discussion with Abdullah at the latter’s office, to seek the immediate release of the five, dubbed the ‘Hindraf 5’.

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