Rabu, 25 Ogos 2010

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


Press Release: Malaysian Bar Disappointed With The Court of Appeal’s Decision On The Royal Commission of Enquiry’s Report On The VK Lingam Video Clip

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 05:35 PM PDT

From Malaysian Bar

The Malaysian Bar is disappointed that the Court of Appeal, by a majority, has decided to grant the appeal by V K Lingam, Tun Ahmad Fairuz and Tun Eusoff Chin for leave to quash the Report by the Royal Commission of Enquiry on the "video clip incident" in whole or in parts.

A Royal Commission of Enquiry's mandate entails the production of reports based on findings and recommendations. Hence, in essence, it cannot be a subject of legal challenge since the Royal Commission is not mandated to make decisions that can fall under the scope of judicial review. The Court inevitably refused or failed to consider the substantive arguments at the leave stage that the appellants surely had no arguable case.

The Bar urges the Honourable Attorney General to file an application for leave to appeal this decision at the Federal Court on this important question of law, which will have an impact on the success, effectiveness and credibility of future Royal Commissions. We look forward to the Federal Court to make the right decision.

At the same time, the Bar is shocked at the reprehensible threats made against certain individuals who were involved in exposing the "video clip incident" and were witnesses at the Royal Commission of Enquiry. We trust that the Royal Police Force will investigate these threats and provide adequate protection to these individuals immediately.

Meanwhile, the Bar continues with its disciplinary proceedings against V K Lingam.

Ragunath Kesavan
President
Malaysian Bar

25 August 2010

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Iftar Dan Tarawikh Bersama Aktivis NGO Islam

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 02:03 AM PDT

Majlis Iftar dan Tarawikh bersama aktivis NGO Islam anjuran Biro Perpaduan Agama akan diadakan dikediaman Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.Manakala Tazkirah akan disampaikan oleh Ustaz Sidek Fadhil diikuti dengan Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.Berikut adalah butiran program tersebut:-

Tarikh: 26 Ogos 2010 (Khamis)

Tempat: Kediaman Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
Bukit Segambut,Kuala Lumpur

Eh, Tun dah lupa?

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 01:53 AM PDT

From Malaysian Insider
By Art Harun

Every year, during the first two or three days of fasting, I suffer from headaches. That is because my blood sugar level drops. Thank God this will go away after the third day of fasting.

Low blood sugar level may cause hypoglycemia. In some cases, symptoms of hypoglycemia include impaired judgment; irritability; belligerence; confusion; combativeness and rage. Thankfully, as far as I know, I don't have those symptoms.

When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that meritocracy and "meritocrats" are racists, my first reaction was one of irritation. Then I was bemused. Later I was amused. And finally today I think it must have been the fasting month and the obvious low blood sugar level which was affecting him.

Meritocracy as I understand it is the act of rewarding or awarding an individual or a body of individuals or any entity with anything based on merit. Like awarding a student who has scored 13 As in SPM a place in the university. Or awarding X Sdn Bhd a contract to maintain a submarine because X Sdn Bhd has successfully maintained 15 other submarines before this without any problem at reasonable costs as compared to any other company who were bidding for the job.

Conversely, if someone becomes chief this or that just because he or she has good contact with the appointer, that is not meritocracy. It is also not meritocracy if a person obtains something just because he or she is of a particular race, religion or even has a particular sexual preference.

In the sporting arena, Datuk Nicole David has been a world champion for so long because she is so good at what she is doing that there is no other living creature who could be as good as her. Therefore, Datuk Nicole is a champion by virtue of meritocracy. God forbid that Tun Dr M thinks that the good Datuk is a racist or that the World Squash Championship people are!

The same thing with our badminton teams. We have won the Thomas Cup umpteen times just because we are the best. Are we racists or the organisers of the Thomas Cup racists?

The Spaniards recently won the World Cup because they played the best football. Are they or FIFA racists?

At King's College, London University, students who top their class are given a Merit award on their post-graduate degree. That is because those students qualify for the said award by being top students. They are not given a Merit just because they are of a particular race or profess a particular religion. In other words, the students get the award based on merit. Is King's College racist?

I believe Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar is the chief of Khazanah because he is really good at what he is doing. And he is appointed by the Prime Minister. The same goes with the new Petronas chief who replaced Tan Sri Hassan Marican. Recently, Datuk Mohd Bakke Salleh was appointed as the new Sime Darby chief because it is said that he is the most suitable person to be the chief of Sime Darby. He has done a great job at Felda. Again, the PM must have had a hand in his appointment.

The PM also chooses all the members of his Cabinet. I am sure the PM appoints all the Cabinet members because the PM thinks those people are the most qualified people to be in the Cabinet. Thus we have people like Idris Jala and Amirsham in the Cabinet. These are proven people from the corporate sector.

Tun, is the PM racist then?

Dear Tun, allow me to say this. Malaysia could be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society, infused by strong moral and ethical values, living in a society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant, caring, economically just and equitable, progressive and prosperous, and in full possession of an economy that is competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.

But we cannot be so until and unless we overcome the nine central strategic challenges. They are:

1. The challenge of establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny. This must be a nation at peace with itself, territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair partnership, made up of one "Bangsa Malaysia."

2. The challenge of creating a psychologically liberated, secure, and developed Malaysian society with faith and confidence in itself, justifiably proud of what it is, of what it has accomplished, robust enough to face all manner of adversity. This Malaysian society must be distinguished by the pursuit of excellence, fully aware of all its potentials, psychologically subservient to none, and respected by the peoples of other nations.

3. The challenge of fostering and developing a mature democratic society, practising a form of mature consensual, community-oriented Malaysian democracy that can be a model for many developing countries.

4. The challenge of establishing a fully moral and ethical society.

5. The challenge of establishing a matured, liberal and tolerant society in which Malaysians of all colours and creeds are free to practise and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs and yet feeling that they belong to one nation.

6. The challenge of establishing a scientific and progressive society, a society that is innovative and forward-looking.

7. The challenge of establishing a fully caring society and a caring culture, a social system in which society will come before self, in which the welfare of the people will revolve not around the state or the individual but around a strong and resilient family system.

8. The challenge of ensuring an economically just society. This is a society in which there is a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation, in which there is full partnership in economic progress. Such a society cannot be in place so long as there is the identification of race with economic function, and the identification of economic backwardness with race.

9. The challenge of establishing a prosperous society, with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.

Tun, with all due respect, we cannot run away from those challenges. We, as a nation and as a people, have to confront those challenges and by hook or by crook, overcome them in order to be a developed country.

What we are doing now is to forget those challenges. To assume that they are not there. To sweep them under the carpet and pretend that everything is okay when it is quite obviously not.

We are letting racism and communal interests rule the day. We are not working as one nor living as one. We are not even willing to attempt to do so. We have abandoned the ideals of this nation when this nation was at the brink of achieving independence. The ideals and aspirations of our forefathers have been betrayed, destroyed and consigned to our archives and treated as if they are not worth the paper they are written on.

Where is the nation at peace with itself, territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair partnership, made up of one "Bangsa Malaysia" stated above?

Have we even attempted to achieve a psychologically liberated, secure, and developed Malaysian society with faith and confidence in itself? How are we to be liberated if days in and days out we keep reminding a particular race that they are weak; that they are not good enough to compete; that they always need crutches to walk; that they should unite lest they would be destroyed and various other negativism?

Have we even thought of establishing a matured, liberal and tolerant society in which Malaysians of all colours and creeds are free to practise and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs and yet feeling that they belong to one nation?

What liberalism are we talking about when some headmistress who outwardly is a Muslim allegedly spouted racial hatred to her students, describing non-Malays as mere passengers in a car who can be asked to leave the car anytime and anywhere? Yet some hot shot Minister dismissed that incident as isolated and almost irrelevant? What liberalism are we talking about when cartoon books are seized just because some people are lampooned in it; when radio DJs are sacked just because he dares to speak out on sensitive issues; when candle light bearing people congregating to propagate the abolishment of a draconian Act of Parliament were met with batons and riot police? What liberalism?

What about establishing a fully caring society and a caring culture, a social system in which society will come before self? Sorry, but I am suddenly enveloped by this uncontrollable need to laugh. What caring society are we talking about when there are ministers who suggested that baby dumpers should be sentenced to death knowing full well that those who do so are mere children who have acted irresponsibly by having unprotected sex?

What about ensuring an economically just society. This is a society in which there is a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation, in which there is full partnership in economic progress? Have we even had a plan for this? Or are we in self denial mode still?

Have we realised that such a society cannot be in place so long as there is the identification of race with economic function, and the identification of economic backwardness with race?

I don't think we have. Because all I can see now is the identification of everything under the sun with the colours of our skin.

By the way, before you dismiss those nine challenges which I had referred to above as being the unachievable ideals of an idealist, allow me to remind you dear Tun, in case you have forgotten, that those are the nine challenges that you YOURSELF have identified for all of us to overcome if we ever want to achieve the status of a developed nation by 2020 in your Vision 2020 speech.

Yes. It is you who have said all those. Not me. Not Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Not Lim Kit Siang. Not Anwar Ibrahim. It was you who said it.

What has happened since you espoused those ideals Tun? What has happened to your plan for a Bangsa Malaysia? It's been hijacked by Harris Ibrahim, has it?

Mahathir Mohamad has qualms with the meritocrats now.
In addition, you also said the following:

1. Of the two prongs of the NEP no one is against the eradication of absolute poverty regardless of race, and irrespective of geographical location. All Malaysians, whether they live in the rural or the urban areas, whether they are in the south, north, east or west, must be moved above the line of absolute poverty.

2. This nation must be able to provide enough food on the table so that not a solitary Malaysian is subjected to the travesty of gross under-nourishment.

3. The second prong, that of removing the identification of race with major economic function is also acceptable except that somehow it is thought possible to achieve this without any shuffling of position. If we want to build an equitable society than we must accept some affirmative action. This will mean that in all the major and important sectors of employment, there should be a good mix of the ethnic groups that make up the Malaysian nation. By legitimate means we must ensure a fair balance with regard to the professions and all the major categories of employment. Certainly we must be as interested in quality and merit. But we must ensure the healthy development of a viable and robust Bumiputera commercial and industrial community.

4. A developed Malaysia should not have a society in which economic backwardness is identified with race.

Oh, what was it that you said about merit then? Yes, you said, "certainly we must be as interested in quality and merit."

Interesting. And yet yesterday you said meritocracy and "meritocrats" are racists.

What gives?

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Isu Doa Khutbah Jumaat:Ustaz Zakaria Pertahankan Pendirian

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 01:48 AM PDT

Dari Merdeka Review
Oleh Nazar Hashim

Khatib yang didakwa terlibat dalam isu doa khutbah Jumaat, Ustaz Zakaria Ahmad, mempertahankan pendirian beliau bahawa tiada kesalahan yang dilakukan semasa doa khutbah tersebut dibacakan bagi mendoakan kesejahteraan kepada Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng.

Zakaria Ahmad (gambar kanan) yang bercakap kepada media selepas menemui panel jawatankuasa Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (MAINPP) di pejabat MAINPP semalam, berkata bahawa tidak menjadi satu kesalahan untuk berdoa (kepada orang bukan Islam).

“Cuma caranya sahaja perlu diperbetulkan. Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pihak MAINPP yang telah membantu bagi memberi panduan mengenai keperluan yang ada dalam isu khutbah ini.”

“Namun begitu isu ini hanyalah satu isu kecil. Sebelum ini pun ada orang lain yang membacakan doa dalam khutbah Jumaat kepada pemimpin tetapi kenapa mereka tidak dipanggil?” tanya beliau.

Mungkin ambil tindakan saman malu

Zakaria juga berkata beliau tidak teragak-agak untuk mengambil tindakan saman malu kepada mereka yang telah melemparkan fitnah kepada beliau dalam isu ini dalam tempoh terdekat.

Tambah beliau lagi adalah suatu yang dikesalkan kerana isu sekecil ini telah dipolitikkan oleh mereka yang tidak memahami erti sebenar khutbah Jumaat sehingga sanggup menjadikan ia sebagai modal politik sempit mereka.

Manakala Yang Dipertua MAINPP, Ellias Zakaria berkata pertemuan dengan jawatankuasa siasatan MAINPP kali ini bertujuan untuk mendapat penerangan sebenar dari khatib yang terbabit sebelum apa-apa tindakan diambil. Beliau juga berkata perbincangan yang diadakan berjalan dalam suasana yang baik.

Tiada tindakan terhadap khatib Zakaria

“Tiada tindakan yang akan diambil terhadap beliau setelah adanya penerangan sebenar dari insiden yang membabitkan isu doa dalam khutbah Jumaat yang hangat diperkatakan sejak minggu lalu,” jelas Ellias Zakaria.

“Kita juga berharap dalam suasana ramadan ini tiada pihak yang akan mengambil kesempatan isu ini dan mengeruhkan suasana yang ada,” kata Ellias Zakaria (gambar kiri).

Katanya lagi jawatankuasa yang turut dihadiri oleh Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Pulau Pinang, Sazali Hussain dan Pegawai Tadbir Agama Daerah itu turut berpuas hati dengan penerangan yang telah disampaikan oleh Zakaria.

Sebelum itu Zakaria yang tinggal di Taiping, Perak telah disoal-siasat di Balai Polis Butterworth bagi diambil keterangan beliau setelah adanya laporan dibuat oleh Pemuda UMNO Pulau Pinang, baru-baru ini.

Isu doa khutbah Jumaat yang didakwa menyebut nama Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng telah disebut oleh Zakaria di Masjid Jamek Kubang Buaya, Butterworth dan Masjid Jamek Padang Menora,Tasek Gelugor.

Dakwaan oleh Ahmad Zahid

Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Pulau Pinang, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sebelum ini telah mendakwa terdapat khatib yang mendoakan Lim Guan Eng di beberapa buah masjid dalam kawasan Permatang Pauh, Tasek Gelugor dan Jelutong.

Namun begitu tiada pula nama kawasan Bagan yang dinyatakan sedangkan Masjid Jamek Kubang Buaya berada dalam kawasan Bagan. Begitu juga dengan dakwaan ianya berlaku dalam kawasan Permatang Pauh.

Nama masjid yang didakwa dalam kawasan Permatang Pauh belum dapat dikenal pasti sehingga ke hari ini.

Banyak pihak mempertikaikan tindakan yang diambil oleh UMNO dan Barisan Nasional dalam isu doa khutbah Jumaat ini. Sesetengahnya mendakwa isu ini sengaja dijadikan modal politik oleh UMNO dan BN setelah melihat kewibawaan yang ada pada kepimpinan Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) semakin mendapat dokongan rakyat.

Tindakan yang diambil oleh UMNO dan BN ini bukan saja menambahkan hilangnya keyakinan dan kepercayaan rakyat kepada mereka, tetapi juga membuka ruang kepada masyarakat khususnya orang Melayu untuk melihat setakat mana isu agama sebegini akan dimanipulasikan sebagai modal politik untuk meraih sokongan.

Sekiranya isu sekecil ini tidak dapat diselesaikan dengan cara musyawarah apakah akan menjadi kenyataan perpaduan dan penyatuan Melayu yang sering menjadi omongan bagi UMNO dan PAS untuk bersatu di bawah satu payung bagi membela nasib masyarakat Melayu dan Islam dalam negara ini?

Beri Ruang Pemimpin Baru Di Sarawak

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 01:42 AM PDT

Dari TV Selangor

Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sarawak menggesa Ketua Menteri Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud supaya melepaskan jawatannya dengan sesegera mungkin dan membuka ruang kepada lapisan pimpinan baru.

Pengarah Operasi Pilihanraya Nicholas Badwin menyambut baik kenyataan Taib yang menyataan kesediaan untuk berundur sekiranya khidmat beliau tidak diperlukan lagi.

Nicholas menjelaskan kerajaaan Taib Mahmud telah melewati tarikh luput dan tidak lagi mampu untuk menguruskan Sarawak dengan baik.

Taib sudah menerajui kerajaan negeri Sarawak selama 29 tahun dan menyatakan kesediaannya berundur jika beliau tidak diperlukan lagi bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) akan datang yang diadakan sebelum Julai tahun hadapan.

Nicholas berkata orang Sarawak sendiri mahukan perubahan tersebut kerana menurut mereka Taib sudah lama memegang jawatan itu dan selama ini beliau fikir Sarawak ini beliau yang punya.

"Ramai orang sudah buat aduan dan beliau sendiri tahu beliau sendiri pun tidak buat kerja" kata Nicholas.

Bagi Nicholas, hanya pemimpin yang lebih muda dan berwibawa mampu membawa Sarawak merentasi era politik baru. Generasi veteran seperti Taib Mahmud tidak mempunyai wawasan dan iltizam bagi mencapai matlamat itu.

"Saya setuju memang Sarawak memerlukan pemimpin yang muda dan bertenaga serta lebih faham masalah rakyat dan rakyat perlu tahu mengenai masalah rakyat dan macam yang kita sedia tahu sekarang ini semua dia mahu, balak pun dia mahu, pasir pun dia mahu, kuari, tanah pun dia mahu." Ujar Nicholas lagi.

Keluarga Diutamakan,Bumi Sarawak Rugi 300 Juta

Posted: 25 Aug 2010 01:38 AM PDT

Dari Malaysiakini
Oleh Aidila Razak

Sebuah syarikat yang dimiliki oleh anak-anak Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud berjaya memperolehi tiga bidang tanah di Kuching pada harga yang tersangat rendah. Tindakan itu menyebabkan kerajaan negeri itu kehilangan potensi pendapatan RM300 juta.

Ahli parlimen Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen yang membuat pendedahan itu berkata kerajaan negeri telah memperuntukkan seluas 269 ekar di bandaraya itu kepada Monarda Sdn Bhd pada harga yang jauh lebih rendah daripada harga pasaran iaitu pada kadar purata RM291,000 bagi setiap ekar.

“Harga pasaran adalah dalam lingkungan RM1.5 juta dan RM2 juta bagi setiap ekar. Jika dijual secara tender, kerajaan negeri akan memperolehi pendapatan antara RM400 hingga RM500 juta," katanya kepada Malaysiakini, hari ini.

Sebaliknya, Monarda, yang mempunyai modal berbayar RM100 hanya perlu bayar RM78.28 juta untuk tiga bidang tanah itu," katanya.

“Kami tuntut kerajaan negeri beri penjelasan penuh dan bertanggung-jawab kepada rakyat Sarawak," kata Chong yang juga adalah setiausaha DAP Sarawak.

Modal berbayar RM100

Tiga bidang tanah itu terletak bersebelahan lapangan terbang antarabangsa Kuching berhampiran Stutong. Terdapat pangkalan tentera udara di lokasi yang sama.

Monarda diterajui oleh ank sulung Taib – Abu Bekir, yang memegang 52 saham dan seorang yang dikenali sebagai Choong Sun Nam, yang memiliki 12 saham.

Pemegang saham lain termasuk, anak perempuan Taib – Jamilah dan Hanifah Hajar, serta menantunya Anisa Hamidah Abdullah, yang masing-masing juga memegang 12 saham.

Chong, yang mengesan kaitan keluarga Taib itu melalui semakan pendaftaran tanah dan syarikat berkata pengasingan tanah itu adalah yang terbesar pernah dilakukan.

“Tanah ini sekarang adalah kosong dan Monarda tidak menjalankan sebarang urusniaga sejak ia ditubuhkan," katanya.

Awal tahun ini, tiga aduan dibuat kepada Suruhanjaya Anti Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia yang mendakwa Taib dan keluarganya menggunakan kedudukan mereka bagi menguasai empayar hartanah bernilai RM3 bilion.

Dua dokumen didedahkan di laman sesawang Sarawak Report yang mendakwa Taib menggunakan proksi bagi mengawal kepentingan sebuah syarikat yang berpangkalan di Amerika Syarikat, Sakti International Corporation, yang ketika itu bernilai US$80 juta (RM250 juta).

Tiada ulasan: