Eight to stalk Selangor MB in show of protest

SHAH ALAM: Eight members of Gerakan Reformasi Rakyat Malaysia (Reformis) will stalk Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and strip naked when they come face to face with him.

The men, aged 33 to 50, are from the movement’s Dare to be Nude Squad.

They have decided to go ahead to bare all in protest against the state government’s decision to raise the rental of low-cost houses.

“Our struggle is to keep the rental rate for government low-cost houses under the People’s Housing Scheme from going up.

“We wanted a police permit to strip in front of the State Secretariat as a sign of protest but we were denied it, so, now we will stalk the Mentri Besar and go butt naked when we get the chance,” said movement president Ramlan Abu Bakar.

He said the movement could not accept the state executive council’s decision in July to raise the rental from RM124 to RM250 a month for about 6,200 homes.

“We will go naked to get the message across. Our act is to humiliate or embarrass the Mentri Besar for not keeping to his general election promises to help the low-income earners,” he said.

On Nov 29, Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said that the police would reject applications for permits of such nature.

Ramlan said the act of going naked was similar to pie throwing, where pies are thrown at politicians or others as a means of protesting against political beliefs or against a perceived arrogance in the person.

Yesterday, Ramlan, together with nine other members, lodged a police report and also filed a report at the state Anti-Corruption Agency here against Khalid for alleged misuse of funds in organising a Rakyat’s dinner at the PKR national congress last week.

“We want Khalid to vacate his post while the investigations are going on,” he said.-The Star

By EDWARD RAJENDRA

MCA will ensure BN wins

GEORGE TOWN: MCA will go all out to capture the hearts of new voters in Kuala Terengganu to ensure a Barisan Nasional victory in the forthcoming by-election.

Acknowledging that the task ahead was arduous with BN having to work harder, MCA vice-president Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the party would cooperate with other component parties to ensure victory for the coalition.

He said the Chinese, who made up about 11 per cent of voters in the state, had been supportive of the party.

“They showed this in the March 8 general election. I am sure they will continue to be with us, based on our track record,” he said, after chairing the first state MCA liaison committee meeting at the MCA headquarters in Jalan Pahang here yesterday. “It is my hope that the voters will give us another chance to serve them.”

Kuala Terengganu member of parliament Datuk Razali Ismail, who was also deputy education minister, died of a heart attack on Friday during a game of badminton at Institut Aminuddin Baki in Genting Highlands.

Liow, who is also state MCA liaison committee chairman, extended the party’s condolences to Razali’s family members.

“He was a very dedicated leader and contributed tremendously to his state and the country,” he said.

In Kuala Lumpur, MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng would coordinate the party machinery in the by-election.

He said Wong would oversee party operations at the national level to ensure a BN victory.

The party’s Terengganu liaison committee and Kuala Terengganu division will handle preparations at the local level.

“Wong has the advantage as he is an anak Terengganu,” he said after launching the Chung Shan Association’s new building yesterday.

Ong said local leaders were needed to assist in the by-election as they had better knowledge of local conditions and voters.

“But at the same time, we are mobilising our grassroots from all states to lend a hand in the by-election. So, a federal leader is needed to coordinate things.”

He said the party machinery would be launched as soon as the Election Commission had made its announcement on the by-election.

On Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s ambition to take over Sarawak as the sixth Pakatan-Rakyat-controlled state, Liow said the coalition was free to make such claims.-nst

Arif Shah: I can’t take this abuse any more

BUTTERWORTH: A month after losing the Umno divisional chief battle, Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, who was the Barisan Nasional candidate in the Permatang Pauh by-election in August, admitted yesterday that he was facing the biggest dilemma in his political career. The Seberang Jaya assemblyman (pictured right) said he was now at a crossroads between staying in Umno or joining the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Arif Shah said he was seriously considering his future in Umno following what he described as the “blatant power abuses” by the Umno Permatang Pauh division leadership.

The two-term assemblyman, the only Yang Berhormat with an ISO 9001-certified service centre, is the only Umno candidate in the division who survived in the March 8 general election.

In a tell-all telephone interview with the New Straits Times yesterday, Arif Shah said he could no longer stand the alleged abuses by division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid.

Jalil had lost his Penanti state seat in the general election. Umno had also failed to wrest Permatang Pasir, the other state seat under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency, from Pas.

Jalil, however, retained his Permatang Pauh division chief’s post in a three-cornered fight in October against Arif Shah and former division deputy chief Datuk Pirdaus Ismail, by a mere 18-vote majority.

Arif Shah, who shot to fame after being picked to face Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat but lost, said he was still an Umno loyalist but was deeply disturbed by the behaviour of the division leaders.

“I acknowledged his (Abdul Jalil) victory in the division election but the oppression and abuse against me as a branch chief and an Umno assemblyman is despicable.”

Arif Shah claimed that Jalil and certain leaders at the divisional level had taken measures to demoralise him and denied his position as an Umno assemblyman.

“After retaining his post, Jalil and his team have become very arrogant by adopting a ‘winner takes all’ attitude.

“They are behaving as if Umno belongs to them and not the members and they have gone to the extent of turning the division into Umno Sdn Bhd, with Jalil playing the role of a chief executive officer.”

He said at a recent Permatang Pauh division committee meeting — of which he was not invited to attend — it was decided that an Umno assemblyman did not need to attend the meeting unless he was asked to do so by the division chief.

“This is a blatant violation of power as the Umno constitution clearly states that an Umno assemblyman is required to attend divisional committee meetings.”

Arif Shah claimed that the last straw was when he received a letter from the division office last week informing him that Umno assemblymen were barred from making contact with branch leaders in the division without the knowledge of the division chief.

“How can I function effectively as an assemblyman under these circumstances?”

Arif Shah hoped the Umno disciplinary committee and state Umno liaison committee would thoroughly investigate reports on power abuse in the division.

He claimed that he had been previously deprived in many ways by Jalil but the recent “abuses” had forced him to reconsider his future in Umno.

Arif Shah admitted that he had been approached by PKR leaders. Rumours are rife that he had been offered the deputy chief minister’s I post.

“I am an Umno loyalist and I have been with the party through thick and thin in serving the rakyat.

“However, the abuses and oppression of power by certain leaders at the divisional level are blatant insults to me, as a party member, an assemblyman as well as an individual.”

On rumours that he was spotted at the PKR convention in Shah Alam, Selangor, Arif Shah admitted that he was in Shah Alam but only to visit his son who was studying at the Universiti Teknologi Mara main campus.

Meanwhile, state Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah advised Arif Shah to write to the state leadership if he was unhappy.

“At least, we will have some basis for investigations,” Rashid said.

Asked if he was aware of any problems in the Permatang Pauh Umno division, Rashid said: “As far as I am concerned, I do not see any major problems which ought to be investigated.”

Rashid also warned Arif Shah to abide by the rules.

“If he is asked not to attend meetings, he should abide by it and understand the situation. I do not see any problems with that.”

When contacted, Jalil said he was not aware of any problems in the division.

“I don’t know anything. All I want to say is that he (Arif Shah) is an Umno member and an assemblyman… as if he doesn’t know the rules.”

Jalil added that Arif Shah was free to make any allegations.-NST

Nik Aziz: Pakatan young and immature

KOTA BARU: PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat described the Pakatan Rakyat as immature and still in its infancy in handling conflicts and differences of opinions between PAS, PKR and DAP.

Nik Aziz, who is also Kelantan Menteri Besar, said there were bound to be differences in opinion between the three partners because the coalition was still young.

As such, he told reporters it was not proper for those outside the coalition to pressure it excessively.

Nik Aziz said this when asked to comment on Pakatan’s cooperation policy following an internal crisis between the three parties in Selangor that led to the dismissal of Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad as PAS Deputy Commissioner II.

The Agenda Daily website reported yesterday that Selangor PAS Commissioner Datuk Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali had dismissed his deputy because “Khalid is seen as frequently defending the actions of Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and would disagree on any protest made by Selangor PAS against the actions of the Mentri Besar”.

Nik Abdul Aziz, however, refused to comment on Dr Hassan’s move to drop Khalid. — Bernama.

Najib vows BN comeback

LIMA (Peru): Mass defections of MPs from the Barisan Nasional as threatened by the Opposition now appear remote, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

As such, he said the Barisan should be in power until the next general election.

“Unless there is a mass defection which appears to be remote, we should be in power until the next general election when we have to face the public,” he said during an exclusive interview with AFP on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit here.

Najib said the Barisan was also determined to do well in the next elections, which must be held by 2013.

“We’ll try to recapture our two-thirds majority that we have traditionally enjoyed, God willing.” he said. During a press conference with the Malaysian media on Sunday, Najib said that Umno would come up with more measures to combat money politics. He said political will and commitment were needed to combat the scourge.

Najib was asked about comments by former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said that money politics would continue to “haunt” Umno even after Najib takes over the party presidency in March.

“However, we have to be realistic that it will take some time to get rid of this practice in Umno.

“We must realise that fighting this problem will require a comprehensive programme.

“All this will take time. Even when Dr Mahathir was the party president, he tried to rid the party of corruption but it is still continuing until today,” he said.-The Star

Nine anti-ISA protesters freed on bail

PETALING JAYA: Police have released nine demonstrators detained on Sunday for taking part in an anti-ISA gathering in Ampang Jaya.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said they were released on police bail.

“I just cannot understand why they do not want to hold such gatherings indoor or in enclosed areas for their own comfort.

“They don’t even apply for a permit. I urge all political parties and NGOs to obtain permits first before holding any gatherings,” he said, adding that it was vital that such gatherings be held in a peaceful manner without posing a threat to public safety.

In a related incident, Petaling Jaya deputy police Chief Supt Muhamad Shukor Sulong said police had withdrawn the police bail of 23 demonstrators who took part in a candlelight vigil for the same reason on Nov 9.

Among those arrested during the demonstration held near the Amcorp mall were state exco member Ronnie Liu and PJ Utara MP Tony Pua.

Abdullah to intervene in tussle

TASHKENT (Uzbekistan): Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will meet Wanita Umno leaders upon returning from his working trip abroad to find an immediate solution to the power transition plan in the women’s wing.

The Umno president, who returns on Friday, expressed concern that there might be a split in the wing if its top post was contested.

He said he had been told that Wanita Umno was facing problems with a leadership transition issue and seemed to be in a dilemma because there were many members apparently unhappy that there would be a contest for the wing’s presidency.

“I do not want to see infighting in the wing. I do not want to see a divided Wanita Umno,” he told Malaysian reporters on Monday at the sidelines of his three-day official working visit to Uzbekistan.

Abdullah, who is also Prime Minister, was asked to comment on the leadership transition plan mooted by Wanita chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who said she would hand the top post over to her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in June next year, three months after the party’s annual general assembly.

But the wing’s executive committee member Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim announced her bid for the post of deputy after qualifying for it.

Kamilia had said there was no provision in Umno’s constitution for leadership transitions and neither was it a party practice.

On Sunday, Shahrizat made an about turn when she urged Rafidah to hand over power in March.

The wing’s executive council rejected this and urged Shahrizat to stick to the earlier plan.

Abdullah said he was not throwing his support behind any candidate.

“I do not want members to speculate that I am supporting a particular candidate. I am doing this because I want the wing to remain united,” he said.

Abdullah said he was also saddened by what was happening in the wing and hoped to find an amicable solution quickly.

He said that initially he did not wish to get involved in the power transition issue and hoped that the wing’s members would solve matters on their own but that did not happen.

On other matters, Abdullah said he had asked AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes to look into the viability of providing a direct air link between Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent.

“I told him of the opportunities here and he said AirAsia would study this immediately.

“It will be good if a Malaysian carrier can also provide air services to this part of the world,” he said.

The only direct link between both capitals is provided by Uzbekistan Airways, which has been flying the route twice weekly since 1996.

Abdullah said Malaysia was also prepared to take in more students from Uzbekistan for tertiary education. At present, there are some 70 students from here studying in Malaysia.

WANITA UMNO TRANSITION WOES: Solution lies with Kamilia, Rafidah

JOHOR BAHARU, JOHOR, TUES:

The solution to avoid a contest for the Wanita Umno leadership post in the coming March party elections lies in the hands of movement leader Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and executive council member Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim.

Johor Wanita Umno deputy chief Senator Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain said either Rafidah or Kamilia would have to sacrifice to resolve the leadership controversy facing the movement.

“I don’t see why (vice-chief Datuk Seri) Shahrizat (Abdul Jalil) should be the one to sacrifice in this matter,” she told Bernama here today.

She hoped Rafidah and Kamilia could discuss the matter and work out a compromise.

“Both are from Kuala Kangsar. So, there is not much of a problem for them to discuss,” she added.

The ketua pemuda race.

Strangely, the current ketua pemuda, Hishamudin Hussein (HH) has not displayed his hands. Who does he prefer to succeed him? His Sembrong Pemuda division of course nominated KJ. If KJ’s people insist that nominations do not necessarily translate into actual votes, we will likewise, hold our judgment on the nomination by Sembrong.

HH may have instructed his Pemuda to nominate KJ. That was a most civil thing to do. How can you not support your own deputy? Possibly it was just a face saving gesture. HH could not afford to be seen to backstab KJ when he must grudgingly acknowledged the young man has slaved and slogged for Pemuda during the 4 years as deputy Pemuda Chief. Where KJ was here, there and everywhere, HH, like the male lion in the pride, sauntered in to grace the finishing touches. No big deal.

Can KJ trust HH? Sakmongkol thinks not. Better not. HH’s preference for KJ is proportionate to the tenure of Pak Lah. While Pak Lah stays in power, HH will play the poodle lapping up everything that Pak Lah says.
KJ must face the reality, that HH will seek the first chance to settle old scores. What old scores? Whether one likes it or not, for the 4 years deputising for HH, KJ has overshadowed the ever grinning Pemuda chief Jock. Measure it any way you want- articulation, mental capacity, bravado, fighting spirit- KJ outshines HH in every department. Now that Pak Lah is leaving on a jet plane and wont be back again, HH will play, see no evil, here no evil routine. By refusing to endorse an open debate, would have reveal a few things to KJ. He cannot count on HH.

Who will win the race? If it was a sprint, maybe Muhriz could have been the winner. Now that the race has turned into a marathon, winning requires different set of skills and techniques. You cant sprint in a marathon. You will drop off dead. A marathon man requires stamina. Now, stamina is a generic term. It can mean physical stamina. Khir Toyo can consume a lot of tempereputed to be high in protein from which he can develop muscles and cardio vascular strength. Muhkriz can rely on his own source of strength, that will include his fortune of not holding any public office before and therefore relatively immune from criticisms. KJ can do likewise. He has a track record as deputy, but he is also burdened with a perception of unofficially holding public office and therefore susceptible to more criticisms. Of course, as will be obvious in the coming months, lots of money will be involved.

Sakmongkol can put it in other terms. Mukhriz who has no record of holding public office is an angel we don’t know. KT and KJ had official and unofficial public offices and are therefore the devil we know. Who do you trust? Sakmongkol will want to trust the devil we know. On these terms, the race will actually be between KT and KJ, notwithstanding the number of nominations received by MM.

Can we make anything of the number of nominations? The rate of their increase? Perhaps, the number of nominations as they say in statistics and econometrics, are spurious. The nominations received by KJ so far have been steady, growing at a rate around 30-32% and capturing similar magnitude of 27-29% share of nominations. Statistically, the nominations by Mukhriz appeared to be troubling because they suffer from random disturbances- experiencing volatile variations. His nominations grew at the rate of 43% and suddenly dropped to 10% in the 3rd week. His initial burst in speed would fit very well, if the race were a sprint. KT’s nominations on the other hand, started at a slower pace in the initial stages and then escalated in the later stages. . .

What can we deduce from these trends? Mukhriz has not been able to sustain his consistency. Why? His initial bursts may be attributed to the fact the early nominations came from Mukhriz-friendly bahagians. Therefore his nominations cannot be treated as conclusive. Contrast Mukhriz’s performance to that of KT, the former Selangor MB. Khir enjoyed spectacular increase in the later stages precisely when MM’s fortunes were tapering down.

How do we account for this reversal of fortunes of the two men? Let us introduce the factor of MONEY. How can we use money to explain the fall and the rise of Mukhriz and KT respectively? People! Please remember, sakmomngkol is using a hypothetical variable here- MONEY.

Assume the law of economics is working here. Supply increases directly to increases in price. Convert the nominations received by both MM and KT as positions of the upward sloping supply curves. Then, the lower location of MM on the upward sloping supply curve would suggest, that the supply of nominations he received, were compatible with lower prices. Or in simple terms, less money is offered and so supply of nominations is correspondingly slowed.

On the other hand, KT appears to occupy a higher location on the upward supply curve, over the same period. This would then suggest, the higher supply of nominations KT received can only be induced by higher prices. Which means, more money is offered.

KJ on the other hand, seems to occupy a more or less stationary position on the supply curve. Which means, the price associated with the supply of nominations accruing to him, remains consistent.
Which means what? Assuming money is used by all 3 contestants, we can make the following observations- not empirically verified of course.

1. In the initial stages, MM used more money than all the other contenders.
2. In the later stages, KT used more money than MM and was able to overtake MM’s rate of increase in supply of nominations
3. KJ used money too- but his usage, over the period in question, is not as much as the other two contestants.

The above hypotheses, would solve the mystery of who actually used more money in the race. The more important observation will be, a marathon race favours consistency. MM and KT’s nominations exhibited erratic behaviours while KJ’s showing is steady and consistent. Like Sakmongkol says, a marathon race is usually won by a consistent pacer who speeds towards the end.

But people, supporters of Mukhriz, Khir Toyo and KJ, don’t read too much into Sakmongkol’s flight of fancy.

Source: Sakmongkol

PM: Islamic Finance looks promising

KUALA LUMPUR: There are many opportunities for Islamic Finance to lead the financial fraternity into a new growth era, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said Islamic Finance needed to quickly integrate itself with the international financial system and prove itself a viable alternative to the conventional financial system practised in most parts of the world.

“Many observers are increasingly considering the Islamic Financial system with renewed respect and admiration, as such, Islamic Finance must be prepared to take on a new dimension to meet the changing demands of business in an increasingly globalised environment,” he said at the launch of Standard Char–tered Saadiq Berhad yesterday.

Abdullah said Malaysia was prepared to lead any attempt to reform the global financial system by infusing concepts and themes borrowed from Islamic Finance.

The recent global financial meltdown illustrated a desperate need for a system based on the principle of profit-sharing, where both parties in the contract are subjected to potential losses and returns.

“It is a system that is both fair and equitable as both parties are presented with a win-win situation where losses would not burden one party only,” he said.

He said by transforming into an essential element of global finance, Islamic Finance would surely end its perceived position as a niche or boutique financial service.-NST

By Ng Cheng Yee

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