The Malaysian Times

APS leaders mull forming political party

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:35:27 +0000

KOTA KINABALU, May 22: Sabah-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), which aligned itself with Pakatan Rakyat in the recent general election, is considering the possibility of registering the organisation as a political entity.

In disclosing this to reporters after chairing APS’ supreme council meeting, here today, APS chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing said its supreme council members felt that there was a need to register APS as a platform to continue their political struggle, reported Bernama.

However, Bumburing, who is the newly-elected state assemblyman for Tamparuli, declined to divulge the details including the probable name of the proposed party, saying the registration was one of the options mooted by its supreme council members.

More MIC support for Palanivel to win unopposed

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:31:37 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22: The MIC branches in Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Johor have given their consent and full support to the party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel to win unopposed, in the party’s internal poll which is to be held soon.

The Perak MIC deputy chief Datuk R. Ganesan told TMT all the 24 state division leaders together with the state Youth and Wanita wing have agreed that Palanivel, who is the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, should be selected as the party president for another term.

“Perak was the first state to support his leadership. Perak MIC is united and supports Datuk Seri Palanivel and has no doubt in it. We require his leadership to continue,” the former Perak speaker said.

Datuk R Ganesan

Ganesan, who is also the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) member, said that Perak MIC has been always behind Palanivel and will back him in the party election.

“Datuk Seri Palanivel has done a lot to uplift the Indian community and the party. He will take the party to a greater height in his next term,” Ganesan said.

Ganesan said that Palanivel had delivered all the pledges to the Indian community and he managed to win back the people’s trust.

“Compared to the 2008 political tsunami, the support from the Indian community for MIC has increased tremendously. He is a good planner, rational and a hard working leader,” Ganesan said.

Ganesan said that the MIC is a democratic party and anyone can contest without any objection.

“The party internal poll shouldn’t be a tough contest and we should focus more on strengthening the party as we just went through a crucial moment in the 13th General Election,” he said.

Ganesan urged all party members to be united and should not be divided apart in order for the party to survive.

While, Negeri Sembilan MIC chief Datuk T. Rajagopalu told TMT that the state will support Palanivel and also his deputy, Datuk Seri Dr. Subramaniam, to retain their respective post in the MIC’s internal poll.

Datuk T. Rajagopalu

“Both of them have been doing a good job in serving the community and also the party. They deserve another term to serve the party,” Rajagopalu said.

He said a MIC leader can retain the presidential post for three terms, and Palanivel should continue his leadership to strengthen the party.

“Datuk Seri Palanivel just took over the party for one term. It is fair to give him and Datuk Seri Subra another chance and I believe they will make good leaders,” he added.

Datuk K.S. Balakrishnan

While, Johor MIC chief Datuk K.S. Balakrishnan also told TMT his consent to the decision of making an unchallenged win for the party boss.

“We definitely support Datuk Seri Palanivel. An official announcement will be made after the state MIC meeting,” Balakrishnan said.

He said that the Johor MIC will hold a meeting after the party’s CWC meeting, which is to be held on the coming Friday.

Palanivel took over the presidency post as the acting president in 2010 when the former party supremo Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu stepped down.

However, Palanivel’s term has expired as the presidential term is for three years, which has already ended in March 2012.

The MIC postponed the party election to make way for their preparation for the GE13.

During the past party election, held in March 2009, Samy Vellu won the president post for his 11th term as the president since October 1979, unopposed.

Incumbent Palanivel retained the MIC deputy president’s post after defeating former deputy president Dr Subramaniam and former vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.

Dr Subramaniam was then chosen as the party vice president together with Datuk S K Devamany and Datuk M Saravanan.

When Palanivel took over the party leadership, Dr Subramaniam became the deputy president.

The 67-year-old biggest Indian based party has over 4,000 branches nationwide, consists of almost 600,000 members, who will be deciding the party leadership in the internal poll, which is soon to be announced. -TMT

PR leaders fighting over spots in Selangor state Exco – Yap

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:03:03 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22: The MCA Selangor Publicity Bureau chief Dato’ Yap Pian Hon said the naming of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) elected representatives for the Selangor Executive Councillors (Exco) is still at a deadlock as the parties in the Pakatan pact are still slugging it out.

Yap said it has been two weeks since the 13th General Election (GE13) concluded and yet Pakatan is still unable to come up with a list of Exco members for Selangor. This indicated that the internal feuds within the Pakatan tripartite cannot be resolved.

“The three Pakatan allies kept saying that they can perform better than Barisan Nasional (BN) and that they look after the welfare of all Malaysians irrespective of race. But now, the three Pakatan parties are competing for posts in the Selangor Exco has resulted with delays whereby the office bearers still cannot be determined,” said Yap.

Pakatan claimed that they safeguard the rakyat regardless of ethnicity, and especially during the recently concluded general elections where DAP had vouched for PAS, asserting that the hardline party takes care of all races including the Chinese and non-Muslims and accords fair treatment to all religions.

“Then why should DAP worry about party quotas based on ethnic lines for the Exco lineup? Why should DAP care if there are fewer number of DAP Excos?” queries Yap.

He added that DAP should be criticised for claiming that it, unlike the BN component parties, is not fighting over official positions. However, when the Selangor Menteri Besar tweeted that DAP’s allocation for Exco posts will be reduced by one seat, DAP big wigs have kicked up a storm.

“If DAP is not chasing after official positions, then why does it not yield to either PAS and PKR having an extra Exco post from previously?” asked Yap further.

If Pakatan really was concerned over consensus but still failed to reach an agreement on Exco posts, this showed that they cannot put aside the ethnicity factor when allocating Exco positions.

“Is this scenario not self-contradictory? Thus how can Pakatan claimed there has been “ubah” in administration of the state?” asked Yap.

Yap challenged DAP and PAS in Selangor which won more seats than PKR to put pressure on the Menteri Besar to allocate more seats for them, failing which, DAP should withdraw from Pakatan.

BN should merge into single multi-racial party, says Gerakan

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:52:15 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 : Barisan Nasional should merge into a single multi-racial party or risk fading away in the next five years, said Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn.

Chang said Barisan had to change its approach given the advent of more younger voters and urbanised areas over the next five years.

“In the elections, we saw that the trend of urban voters went across racial lines such as the Chinese voters who voted for PAS candidates and vice versa.

“Currently there are 40% rural voters and 60% urban but this will change in the next five years.

“The mindset is also changing. And we can no longer rely on race-based parties. It is getting out of fashion.

“We must seriously look at the issue of younger voters across racial lines. They are looking at transparency, governance, human rights and other issues,” he said yesterday at his first press conference as acting president.

Barisan, he added, must adept itself as old methods could not be used anymore.

“If we use the same methods, I am afraid that we will have a worse off result in the coming elections.

“We will face a tough challenge especially from the two more new million voters “We must look at the long-term benefit and Barisan’s survival.

“That is why I am appealing to component parties to open their doors to those outside racial lines,” he said, adding that Gerakan had always advocated non-racial lines.

Shahiruddin relinquishes post as Giatmara chairman

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:36:08 +0000

RAUB, May 22 : Pahang Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Shahiruddin Ab Moin relinquished his post as GiatMara chairman yesterday to focus with his new responsibility.

This will also enable a new face to take up the position, he told Bernama today.

Shahiruddin, who held the post for three years, retained the Dong state seat in the May 5 polls and was reappointed state executive councillor on May 16.

Penang UMNO Youth lodges police report against Serdang MP

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:33:43 +0000

GEORGE TOWN, May 22 : Penang Umno Youth vice-head Norman Zahalan today lodged a police report against Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming over the latter’s blog post that he alleged was seditious and carried a personal attack on him.

Norman made the report at the Sungai Nibong police station, claiming that Ong had linked him to a candle-light vigil organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) students on Monday night seeking the release of fellow student Adam Adli Abd Halim who was arrested for having allegedly made seditious remarks.

He claimed that he had arrived there late and had only intended to pacify the situation where a scuffle had broken out and did not act in an aggressive manner.

In the police report, Norman also stated that his car windscreens and windows were smashed by irresponsible people yesterday.

“I had parked my car in Sungai Dua in the morning and found the windscreens and windows smashed when I returned to fetch it in the evening,” he said, reported Bernama.

North East District Police chief ACP Gan Kong Meng confirmed having received reports from three individuals who claimed to have been assaulted during the vigil.

Thirty USM undergraduates had held the vigil in Sungai Dua in a symbolic gesture seeking the release of Adam Adli, but a group of men wearing crash helmets condemned the students’ action and angered them, leading to a scuffle.

Adam Adli was arrested on May 18 for having allegedly made seditious remarks during a forum organised on May 13 by Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), and which involved a call for massive street rallies to express unhappiness over the country’s electoral system and results of the 13th general election.

IGP promises to up fight against crime

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:28:37 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 : Newly-appointed Inspector-General (IGP) of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has promised to come up with effective strategies to fight crime and reduce the crime index nationwide.

He said the strategies would be drawn up in stages to ease anxiety among the people on crime.

“Reducing crime is among the three challenges currently faced by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). We are committed in focusing on the matter,” he said.

Khalid, 55, said this in his first interview with the media here today since succeeding Tan Sri Ismail Omar,60, as the new IGP Ismail’s contract ended on Friday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, when tabling the 2012 Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Annual Report in March, said PDRM had succeeded in reducing the crime index by 27 per cent in the last three years.

Bernama reported, Najib also outlined the second phase of the GTP to complete the mission of the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) to reduce crime from 2013 to 2015.

The NKRA initiative showed a major triumph since 2009 when PDRM’s move to eradicate crime resulted in Malaysia being recognised as the safest country in South East Asia and 19th in the world as reported by the Global Peace Index.

Khalid also promised to utilise all PDRM’s resource to reduce the crime rate including by cooperating with numerous security agencies, namely the Armed Forces, People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) and Civil Defence Department under the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).

He said police would also forge cooperation with numerous quarters to fight and prevent crime holistically including non-governmental organisations and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF).

Other than crime, Khalid outlined two other challenges of PDRM which must be tackled including a change in police approach in public order by respecting human rights and boosting police integrity.

He said police respected the question of human rights and had taken numerous approaches such as implementing the Peaceful Gathering Act 2012.

“But, all quarters must also understand, to ensure public order in the country every human right has a limit and cannot be exceeded,” he said, stressing that all quarters must respect the law to ensure peace was protected.

On the move to boost the integrity of PDRM, he said the role of the Disciplinary Department would be further expanded and closer cooperation would be sought with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission and a government agency, namely, Performance Management and Delivery Unit.

He also said a schedular integrity examination would be held for policemen to ensure they were free from corruption.

MOSTI to produce more techno-preneurs

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:56:16 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 : The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) will look into ways to encourage more commercialisation of products innovated by local inventors, said its deputy minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Md Diah.

He said the ministry would also look to train more technopreneurs who not only know how to invent but also to commercialise and market their inventions.

He said despite Malaysia having invested heavily in science, technology and innovation (STI) research and development (R&D) and its competitiveness also globally recognised, those products were not translated into commercial value.

“I think that should be the focus now. I will propose to my Minister about this issue. There is no use that we invented so many products and just get it patented, but (there’s) no money coming in.

“Those products ended up sitting on the shelves,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of the Intenational Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC) Fifth Anniversary Conference near here today.

Abu Bakar said for instance, the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2012-13 had ranked Malaysia 23rd out of 144 nations, while ranking it 28th for the quality of Scientific Research Institutions and 34th for its patents per population ratio, reported Bernama.

He added the Institute of Management Development (IMD) survey on the competitiveness of 59 economies released in 2011 ranked Malaysia 35th in private R&D funding as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) and 38th in total GDP expenditures on R&D.

Meanwhile, Abu Bakar said the ministry hoped to enhance STI curriculum in the national education system aimed at inculcating long-term interests among school students in STI.

He said currently the 40:60 ratio of science to non-science in the national school curriculum was insufficient.

Efforts to bridge the STI knowledge gap between students in rural areas and urban peers should also be stepped up, he added.

Police ban people from gathering at Melaka rally

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:35:57 +0000

MELAKA, May 22 : The police have advised the people against participating in a gathering scheduled here for Friday, saying it was illegal for not having met the required 10 days’ prior notice.

Melaka Tengah District Police chief ACP Salehhudin Abd Rahman said the notice for the so-called “Himpunan Blackout 505″ gathering at the Kampung Bukit Katil square was given to them on May 17 and did not fulfil a condition under Section 9 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

He asked the organiser of the gathering to postpone it. Bernama reported, the organiser had also failed to furnish a letter of approval from the land owner for the gathering to be held at the venue, he told a news conference.

Salehhudin also said that the police had opened an investigation into a gathering calling for the release of student activist Adam Adli held in front of the Stadhuys building in Jalan Gereja here last night.

Adam was arrested on May 18 for having allegedly made seditious remarks during a forum organised on May 13 by Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), and which involved a call for massive street rallies to express unhappiness over the country’s electoral system and results of the 13th general election.

Salehhudin said the probe was initiated because the gathering violated the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

“The police did not receive any notice of the gathering,” he said.

Only AGM can instruct Chua to resign

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:53 +0000

PETALING JAYA, May 22: Former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik said only the party’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) can force Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to step down.

Ling said that Chua was elected by the AGM and only an AGM can tell him to resign.

Asked what he thought of the 15 veterans who had asked Dr Chua to resign immediately following the party’s poor showing in the 13th general election, Dr Ling said “I have no idea who the 15 veterans are.”

“But that’s over. Let’s move on. Chua has promised to hold a clean and fair party election. Let’s get the election done and let the young leadership take over,” he said.

The veterans, represented by former president Tan Koon Swan, held a press conference recently and called on Dr Chua not to wait until the AGM to announce his retirement.

Dr Chua has said that he will not contest in the party polls scheduled later in the year.

On MCA not taking up any government posts, Dr Ling said the decision was made at the extraordinary general meeting and it was up to the meeting to review it.

He hoped, however, the party would maintain posts such as those serving at service centres, village heads and local councils.

“There are hundreds and thousands of them serving at the community level and they should carry on.

“If you don’t provide the services, you will deny the poor of the needed services,” he said.

Although many had resigned from their posts, Dr Ling said that it did not mean that their resignation would be accepted as the district officer would be the person to decide whether to accept the resignation.