FMT News |  |
- Share prices close slightly lower on profit taking
- Surau Penjara Pudu ‘mangsa’ pembangunan
- 10 flat-belly tricks
- Takaful Malaysia declares second interim dividend of 10%
- Lynas residue: Govt won’t budge
- Why the frenzy over DAP polls
- Lim must not destroy spirit of democracy
- Deepak’s claims: Say something, Rosmah
- Jingga 13 desak polis siasat Deepak
- ‘Higher ups’ pull plug on Islamic law forum
- Apa pentingnya kongres DAP kali ini?
- ‘I leave my fate to party delegates’
- Clinton holds the key to 2016 White House race
- Protest rally: ‘PKR didn’t invite Indian nationals’
- Coca-Cola FEMSA to acquire Philippine bottler
- ‘Usah perjudi masa depan negara’
- DAP hopefuls in intense last minute lobbying
- ‘Manikavasagam is unprofessional’
- Wimbledon achieves record profits
- Lampard says this could be his last season at Chelsea
- Asian markets mixed, eyes on US fiscal cliff talks
- Salun: PAS tunduk pada DAP
- Powerful leaders attempting to oust Karpal
- Cops and robbers
- F1 team bosses vote Alonso as driver of the year
- Youths happy with Najib’s stewardship
- It’s OK to crank up the music
- Teen fashion blogger branches out with book
- ‘Lincoln’ leads Golden Globe movie nominations
- Mahathir’s meddling is helping Pakatan
- AirAsia adds another 100 Airbus A320s
- Justice for Altantuya: PM, AG must respond
- Frantic Najib in Sabah, again?
- Nurse in British royal prank was found hanged
- Merger nudges Axiata Group to market leadership in Cambodia
- Sabah needs real protection, not ‘show-piece’ defence
- Melewar plans exit with Siam Power sale
- Exam standards lowered to gloss results, DAP says
- Malaysian art searches for a voice
- EPF investment income hits RM7b on loans and bonds
- Videos ‘doctored’, says Manikavasagam
- Candidate, 94, uses funeral fund for Japan election
- Karpal backs Minority Affairs Ministry call
- New venture to boost KUB unit’s revenue
- OCBC poll finds most fund managers positive on 1H2013
- Why govt’s obstinacy on stateless Indians issue?
- MIC should focus on other pressing issues
- Harimau tumbang, nasib Rajagopal menjadi pertanyaan
- Naza aims to boost new Chevrolet Orlando sales
- Extreme weather is a hint of Apocalypse
| Share prices close slightly lower on profit taking Posted: 14 Dec 2012 02:04 AM PST
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 0.77 of a point weaker at 1,651.98, with losses seen in selected bluechips counters. The index moved between 1,644.53 and 1,652.87 throughout the day after opening 0.28 of a point weaker at 1,652.47. Maybank Investment Bank Bhd vice-president, head of retail research, equity markets, Lee Cheng Hooi, said investors looked to sell assets as the year was coming to a close. “There could be a possible technical correction next week as local window dressing ends and investors stop to buy,” he told Bernama. On external factors, he said investors were still cautious over the fiscal cliff solution by the US government. Volume shed to 766.45 million shares, worth RM1.33 billion, from the 881.12 million shares, worth RM1.54 billion, transacted yesterday. The Finance Index lost 18.24 points to 15,126.77, the Industrial Index slipped 0.73 of a point to 2,706.6 and the Plantation Index shed 14.18 points to 7,985.46. The FBM Ace Index dipped 11.5 points to 4,128.23, the FBM Mid 70 Index earned 0.95 of a point to 12,093.08 but the FBM Emas Index erased 4.35 points to 11,202.13 with the FBMT100 losing 4.01 points to 11,059.8. Among actives, Karambunai rose one sen to 12.5 sen, Asia Media added three sen to 45.4, Petaling Tin advanced 8.5 sen to 33 sen while Tiger Synergy was flat at 32.5 sen. Of heavyweights, Maybank was five sen lower at RM9.02, Axiata lost two sen to RM6.51, Sime Darby was flat at RM9.14 while CIMB improved one sen to RM7.58. Volume on the Main Market weakened to 624.61 million units, worth RM1.3 billion, from 707.03 million units, valued at RM1.51 billion, recorded yesterday. Turnover on the ACE Market eased to 115.73 million shares, worth RM27.88 million, from Thursday’s 131.15 million shares, worth RM19.82 million. Warrants narrowed to 24.58 million units, worth RM2.04 million, from 40.47 million units, worth RM4.51 million, recorded yesterday. Consumer products accounted for 44.35 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 154.24 million, construction 27.09 million, trade and services 203.87 million, technology 15.84 million, infrastructure 11.23 million, finance 38.58 million, hotels 865,000, properties 102.74 million, plantations 17.08 million, mining 51,100, REITs 8.67 million and closed/fund 10,000. - Bernama      |
| Surau Penjara Pudu ‘mangsa’ pembangunan Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:58 AM PST
Mengikut surat yang diwartakan pemaju, UDA Holdings Property Development (UDA) bakal melakukan kerja-kerja pembersihan di kawasan tersebut pada 10 Januari depan. Difahamkan, tapak itu akan dibangunkan sebagai tapak pusat beli-belah terkemuka serta kawasan perumahan mewah. Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Bertindak Mempertahankan Surau An Nur Penjara Pudu Zakaria Omar berkata, pihaknya kecewa kerana pemaju tidak pernah mengadakan rundingan dengan kariah surau. Malah, tiada sebarang tapak atau surau alternatif ditawarkan UDA bagi menggantikan surau lama itu. “Kami mahu surau ini dikekalkan sebagai rumah ibadat…sepatutnya surau ini diperbesarkan menjadi 2 tingkat kerana pertambahan penduduk semakin pesat di kawasan sekitar,” katanya. Click here to view the video on YouTube. Zakaria berkata, laluan lorong Hang Tuah menuju ke surau berkenaan kini mula ditutup namun pihaknya masih bertegas dan menjalankan aktiviti di surau tersebut seperti biasa. Sehubungan itu, beliau berkata jawatankuasa terbabit bersama beberapa NGO seperti Badan Bertindak Imarah Masjid dan Surau Wilayah Persekutuan, Pertubuhan Api Sejagat Malaysia (API), memohon kepada pemaju supaya lorong tersebut dibuka. Surau yang mampu menampung kira-kira 1,800 jemaah suatu ketika dulu pernah menjadi tempat bagi penghuni Penjara Pudu menjalankan ibadat.
Mengikut perjanjian antara UDA, Penjara Pudu, Surau An Nur dan JAIS, UDA tidak boleh merobohkan surau itu sesuka hati tanpa merujuk kepada JAIS. Namun isu perobohan mula timbul pada pertengahan Mei lalu apabila UDA mula giat menjalankan kerja pembangunan semula tapak Penjara Pudu sebagai kawasan komersil.    |
| Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:49 AM PST
Consult your GP Keep a food diary Take a probiotic Stay hydrated Avoid gas-inducing foods Concentrate on your meals Give your digestive system a helping hand Try natural bloating remedies Get active Relax LINKS    |
| Takaful Malaysia declares second interim dividend of 10% Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:38 AM PST
In a statement today, the company said it translated into a dividend yield of 4.62% based on its share closing price of RM5.41 as at Dec 13, 2012. The total interim dividend represented a payout ratio of about 60% of the net profits generated for the period ended Sept 30, 2012. The dividend declaration follows the group’s recently announced third quarter results, where it reported a 55% growth in profits after taxation and zakat of RM67.4 million, from the same period last year. The group's third quarter operating revenue, meanwhile, increased by 24% to RM1.29 billion. Buoyed by three strong quarters of improvement in profits and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the group is poised to achieve another record breaking year. The directors on Aug 7, 2012, declared an interim dividend of 15% or RM24.42 million single tier in respect of the financial year ending Dec 31, 2012, which was paid on Sept 21, 2012. This translates into an annualised dividend yield of 3.85% based on the closing price of RM5.20 as at Nov 19, 2012, solely based on interim dividend paid. - Bernama    |
| Lynas residue: Govt won’t budge Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:17 AM PST
“That is a Cabinet decision. The Cabinet decision is that all residue must be shipped out of the country,” Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said. He said there was no change in the government’s position despite certain news reports claiming that exporting the toxic waste was not a provision in the temporary operating licence (TOL) given to the Australiam mining firm. The reports claimed that Lynas was not bound to convert the waste into commercial products and that it was done on a voluntary basis. “We want to emphasise that whatever the conditions are in the licence, no residue can remain in the country,” he told reporters after witnessing the exchange of documents for biomedical partnership between Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd and various parties. Liow added that failing to comply with the decision could result in Lynas losing the licence awarded to them. He also said that the TOL for Lynas was published on the Atomic Energy Licencing Board’s (AELB) website on Sept 8 for public scrutiny. -Bernama    |
| Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:08 AM PST
Adding to the excitement of the occasion is the unprecedented frenzy of the competition. Observers agree that this can be attributed to two factors: the huge number of delegates who will be voting and the vacancy of a vice chairman's seat reserved for a Malay candidate, caused by the resignation of Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim from the party. Sixty-eight candidates are vying for 20 positions. Although the number of contenders is smaller than in previous elections, the competition is far more intense because the winners will have a good chance of being fielded in the 13th GE. Under the DAP system, delegates to the congress elect the 20 CEC members, who will then choose among themselves the key office bearers, who in turn will add 10 to 15 more members to the committee by appointment. DAP witnessed a surge in membership after the 2008 election, in which it won 28 parliament seats and 83 state seats. Party branches have been mushrooming across the nation, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of members entitled to attend the annual congress. There will be 2,576 delegates at this weekend's congress, compared to 1,750 during the last party polls. The hundreds of new delegates might produce a surprise by not following the traditional voting pattern favoured by party advisor Lim Kit Siang and secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. A first-time delegate told FMT that he expected some senior leaders to be dropped in favour of younger personalities. He speculated that the delegates would probably vote in 10 veterans and give the other seats to young blood. In the current CEC, 13 members would fit the description of veterans. Among them are figures who have served either as MPs or state legislators for more than 15 years. Some of them might be replaced by first-term MPs or state representatives who have gained popularity since the 2008 election. These include Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah. There have been reports that rival factions within Perak DAP might extend their fight to the CEC election. One faction is led by cousins Ngeh Koo Ham and Nga Kor Ming and the other by M Kulasegaran, who is currently a vice chairman at the national level. The Ngeh-Nga faction is backing former Perak state assembly speaker V Sivakumar against Kulasegaran. Media speculation has indicated that the Ngeh-Nga team will also vote against party chairman Karpal Singh, who is aligned to Kulasegaran. However, a party source told FMT that the majority of candidates were likely to support Karpal, principally because the GE is just around the corner. "There wouldn't be a change as far as his party chairmanship is concerned because it is election time," said the source. "If Pakatan is able to capture Putrajaya, we need people to take the ministerial posts. Karpal will be the perfect law minister." Another aspect of the polls to watch is how the Malay candidates will fare and who among them will occupy the seat vacated by Tunku Abdul Aziz. The contenders include Penang CEC member Zulkifli Mohd Noor, Senator Ariffin SM Omar, Johor vice chairman Ahmad Ton, Pahang vice charman Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji and Desa Manjung branch chairman Solaiman Op Syed Ibrahim. Pundits are placing their bets on Ahmad Ton, who has been active at the grassroots since the 1990s. He is a current CEC member.    |
| Lim must not destroy spirit of democracy Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:06 AM PST FMT LETTER: From Tan Tuan Tat, via e-mail Socialist ideals are meant to balance disparity and inconsistency in the distribution of wealth. Socialism is not capitalism but is against leaders stealing from the poor and the taxpayers. It is a theory or system of social organisation that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution of capital, upholds human rights, including land rights, housing rights and many others in the community as a whole. Socialism works better with democracy and not capitalism. One must, before passing any judgement, thoroughly examine the socialist governance of DAP based on the fundamental values. The Lim dynasty should not be seen as a conspiracy to an internal campaign to vote against Karpal and few good leaders. They should not campaign against Karpal or anyone just because they are vocal and bravely speak up for the benefit of the people. The good leaders did not switch to a silent mode when confronted or blame the previous government for their wrongdoings. Karpal is has been consistent in fighting for the people and for the country, unlike bogus leaders who deceive the people consistently. Grassroots members and public are unhappy that capable leaders like Ngeh Koo Ham, Nga Kor Ming, Boo Cheng Hau and Teng Chang Khim have not been included in the Lim dynasty’s list for the coming CEC election. The Lim family should let the spirit of democracy to work naturally and should not be seen as interfering just to bring up all their 'Yes Men’ aligned to them. They should also give their blessings to capable leaders who continue to speak up for the rights and benefit of the public. Although their voices may not be aligned to the Lim dynasty, they should least be given a chance for a proper check and balance inside the party. It is disturbing that after March 2008, those not aligned to the Lim Dynasty were unfairly sidelined and sacked. Former members like Yap Kon Min who spoke up against Lee Kee Hiong and Ean Yong’s corruption in Teoh Beng Hock’s case was sacked. Where is the freedom of speech, and how is Guan Eng to fight graft at the national level when the majority of his people in Selangor are tainted. Why must the corrupted and tainted leaders be protected? The entire Selangor state is upside down and who are you going to prosecute? Some may not agree with me now, but I’m sure time will tell that I was right after all. Then I’ll say, I told you so. The writer is a former DAP veteran    |
| Deepak’s claims: Say something, Rosmah Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:01 AM PST
On Wednesday, Deepak revealed the identity of his "female friend" who allegedly called up many people for favours on the day Balasubramaniam disclosed his first SD linking Najib to the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu. Since then, the female friend, Rosmah, has kept silent, but her detractors in the opposition coalition decry her move as being unfair to the contending parties as well as to the public. When asked to comment, PAS lawmaker Dzulkefly Ahmad pointed out that since Rosmah was the "First Lady of Malaysia", these were grave allegations and could demolish all that was left of her credibility as well as her husband's, the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. "We are coming this close to an election that is the most critical by the way of a possibility of regime change," the Kuala Selangor MP told FMT. "So I think it's only fair for all players that she immediately come out to challenge Deepak if she truly and honestly thinks that all these are a pack of lies concocted by him and whoever else contriving to bring her and her husband down. "This is serious because it involves the prime minister, the first lady of Malaysia, the brother of the PM and whatnot." Dzulkefly was referring to Deepak's claims that the latter had met with Nazim Tun Razak, who was representing Najib, and Balasubramaniam at a shopping mall after Rosmah had asked the carpet dealer for help. According to Deepak, Nazim asked the private investigator what he wanted in return for making the second SD, which retracts all references of Najib's purported link with Altantuya made in the first SD. The deal was eventually closed and Nazim allegedly called Najib to arrange for a lawyer to draft the second SD at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Deafening silence "It will only get worse by way of the revelation of the exposé coming this way," Dzulkefly said.
"Stop this deafening silence, because, in this case, it is definitely not golden," he stressed. He said neither Najib nor Rosmah would be able to sweep the issue under the carpet as Malaysians were a discerning, thinking lot. "You can't avoid the perception of the rakyat, especially the discerning, thinking rakyat on which this election stands on." He suggested that instead of ignoring the issue, she should pursue a legal case against Deepak to prove such allegations were untrue. "This is killing them softly, so if she truly feels this is downright lies, come out and say something to challenge Deepak… perhaps a legal suit," said Dzulkefely. 'Stop destroying your husband's image' Meanwhile, PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin called on Rosmah to fulfil her duty as a wife by clearing both her name and, just as importantly, her husband's name. "Rosmah needs to stop destroying her husband's image," the Ampang MP told FMT. "She has been destroying the prime minister's reputation with her past actions, and now it will be further destroyed with these serious allegations by Deepak." Zuraida said that, as the prime minister's wife, Rosmah should be building up her husband's image, but was instead smearing it. "We have not heard anything from Rosmah; no attempts to straighten the facts out, to respond on the matter. "It is a very serious allegation because it involves the murder of Altantuya, so Rosmah and the PM should come out with a statement."
According to Bernama, the 164-page book will be priced at RM150 and distributed next month. It is expected to negate the "unfounded allegations" against her. Meanwhile, DAP lawmaker Tony Pua also implored the duo to come out in the open, adding that they could not keep silent forever in the face of Deepak's unending exposé. "They must answer. They cannot keep silent, there have been too many allegations on the matter. "Tell us the truth," urged Pua. He said that while he had not been following the case completely, any allegations that could tarnish the prime minister's reputation as well as that of his direct associates must be dealt with immediately. 'Rosmah's denial won't change anything' But PKR vice-president Tian Chua went against the grain by saying that Rosmah's response was irrelevant as he already predicted she would deny everything. Instead, he said the onus was on the police force and the Attorney-General to take action on all the revelations coming forth from Deepak, as it involved criminal elements such as bribery, coercion and the issuance of false statements. "What do you expect Rosmah to do? She will of course come out and deny. What else can Rosmah say? Even if she says, 'oh yes, it was true that I was involved', it is meaningless until it is translated into action by the police. "Only the police can investigate and verify all these claims," the Batu MP told FMT. "If Deepak and Balasubramaniam are lying, charge them in court, if it's true Nazim and Rosmah are involved, bring them to court."
"What we have now is two men waiting in prison to be hanged, Balasubramaniam claiming he was victimised, and Altantuya's father crying for help. "These are the real issues," he stressed. "So to me, my biggest concern is, why are the police keeping quiet, why has the AG not come forward to charge Rosmah, Deepak and Balasubramaniam?" He added that even if Rosmah were to deny her involvement in the matter, it would not change his view. "My views will only change if the police enter, investigate and found conclusive evidence that it was a sham," said Chua. Also read: 'Rosmah told me to look for Bala'    |
| Jingga 13 desak polis siasat Deepak Posted: 14 Dec 2012 01:00 AM PST
Ketua Koordinator Jingga 13, Fariz Musa berkata, pengakuan Deepak bahawa beliau membantu Bala dalam membuat akuan bersumpah kedua ternyata relevan. Dalam akuan bersumpah pertama, Bala mengaitkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor dengan pembunuhan wanita Mongolia Altantuya Shariibuu. Manakala dalam akuan bersumpah kedua yang dibuat pada hari berikutnya, Bala menafikan penglibatan Najib dan Rosmah dalam peristiwa pembunuhan Altantuya. Fariz menegaskan bahawa pendedahan dan pengakuan dibuat Deepak ternyata serius dan turut melibatkan kredibiliti Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SRPM) yang didakwa bertindak menutup kes tersebut. “Kebanyakan orang melihat ada dua akuan bersumpah. Sebenarnya sama ada wujud akuan bersumpah pertama, kedua atau ketiga, itu tidak penting. Yang penting ialah kebenaran yang akan keluar,” katanya kepada pemberita di hadapan Ibu Pejabat Daerah (IPD) Polis Dang Wangi hari ini. Selain itu katanya, pihaknya juga mendesak agar Peguam Negara membuka semula perbicaraan kes pembunuhan Altantuya. “Ini kerana timbul elemen baru berkaitan dengan pendedahan Deepak bahawa wujud saksi terlibat secara langsung dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya,” jelas Fariz, sambil menambah, SPRM juga harus membuka semula siasatan kes tersebut. Menurut Fariz, pendedahan dibuat Deepak bukan sahaja bertujuan untuk menutup akaun bersumpah dibuat Bala tetapi untuk menyekat pembongkaran yang lebih besar. Turut baca: Bersihkan namamu Najib, desak AMK    |
| ‘Higher ups’ pull plug on Islamic law forum Posted: 14 Dec 2012 12:19 AM PST
According to co-organisers Islamic Renaissance Front [IRF], the forum, entitled “Di manakah keadilan dalam perundangan Islam?” [Where is the justice in Islamic law?] was supposed to be held tomorrow afternoon at the Universiti Utara Malaysia in Kedah. Speakers were Penang ulama association president Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor, human rights lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and Muhammad Afiq Noor from IRF. “I received a call yesterday afternoon from the dean of UUM’s College of Law, Government, and International Studies and she told me it was being cancelled due to instructions from higher authority,” said IRF chief Ahmad Farouk Musa, who said that no further explanation was given. Farouk expressed bewilderment at the university’s sudden move, saying that all the arrangements, including the booking of the hall, hotels and transportation, had already been made. He added that the event was planned two weeks ago, with confirmation via official letters sent. “Why the last minute cancellation? It does not show any respect to Prof Wan Salim, a very pious man. What is this? Why are they so scared? Why do they want to curtail students’ freedom in intellectual discussion?” asked Farouk. He said that last night, IRF had held a forum that might be deemed “more controversial” at University Sains Islam Malaysia in which hudud law was discussed but “nothing sinister happened”. Attempts to get a response from UUM were futile. IRF courted controversy last month when a forum it hosted saw PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar speaking about freedom of religion being a right for all, including Malay-Muslims.    |
| Apa pentingnya kongres DAP kali ini? Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:59 PM PST
Bagaimanapun, kongres DAP ini lebih menarik kerana ia ada pertandingan dan pemilihan jawatan-jawatan utama parti. Walaupun begitu, adakah pewakilan berani untuk bertanya mengenai hubungan parti itu dengan PAS dan dasar-dasar Islamnya. PAS dan DAP kerap memanas kerana parti Islam itu mahu melaksanakan hudud yang ditentang DAP. Isu terbaru ialah larangan Kelantan terhadap kedai salun di Kota Baru yang tidak membenarkan berlainan jantina mengguntingkan rambut. Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng enggan mengulas lanjut sama ada akan membincangkan isu tersebut atau tidak. Sebaliknya, Guan Eng menegaskan kongres DAP kali ini adalah penentu kepada kerjasama parti itu bersama rakan sekutunya PKR dan PAS di bawah Pakatan Rakyat. Tema kongres DAP kali ini ialah “Perubahan Di Tangan Mu”. Kongres ke-16 ini akan menyaksikan 68 calon bersaing untuk merebut 20 jawatan Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Pusat (CEC), dengan beberapa daripada mereka mempunyai pertalian keluarga. Antara calon berkenaan ialah orang kuat parti iaitu Pengerusi Kebangsaan parti Karpal Singh, dua anak lelakinya Gobind Singh Deo yang juga ahli parlimen Puchong dan Jagdeep Singh Deo, Adun Datuk Keramat. Guan Eng pula bersama-sama bapanya yang merupakan veteran DAP dan ahli parlimen Ipoh Timur, Lim Kit Siang. DAP gembira dengan PAS Turut tidak melepaskan peluang untuk merebut jawatan berkenaan ialah pengerusi DAP Perak Ngeh Koo Ham yang juga ahli parlim Antara calon Melayu pula ialah naib pengerusi DAP Johor Ahmad Ton, senator Ariffin S.M. Omar, timbalan pengerusi DAP Pahang Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, AJK DAP Pulau Pinang Zulkifli Mohd Noor, Roseli Abdul Ghani yang akan diletakkan sebagai calon di Negeri Sembilan pada pilihan raya umum ke-13, pengerusi DAP cawangan Desa Manjung Solaiman Op Syed Ibrahim dan Harun Ahmad. Setakat ini, DAP mempunyai kira-kira 150,000 anggota dari 730 cawangan. Sejumlah 2,576 perwakilan akan menghadiri kongres dua hari itu. Menurutnya, DAP sudah selesa dan gembira dalam hubungannya dengan PAS. “Mengapa mereka perlu membincangkannya kerana masing-masing gembira dengan hubungan yang sedia terjalin,” katanya.    |
| ‘I leave my fate to party delegates’ Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:41 PM PST
"I don’t think there is an attempt to remove me," he told FMT during a wide-ranging interview on current issues in Malaysian politics. "In any event," he added, "I leave it to the delegates to decide." DAP will have its national congress this weekend in Penang, where delegates will elect a new central executive committee. News about an attempt to oust Karpal came yesterday from Tan Tuan Tat, a former Selangor DAP auditor. He did not identify the plotters, but said some people were unhappy about Karpal's open criticism of the governance of states ruled by Pakatan Rakyat. Today, another Selangor DAP grassroots leader made similar claims. Karpal, 72, is known for his frankness in addressing political issues. Lately, he has been ruffling feathers in Pakatan Rakyat, with his reprimand of PAS for insisting on its Islamic state agenda and his call on the public to highlight the wrongdoings of Pakatan state governments. But perhaps it is his advocacy of a one-man-one-seat policy that would be the reason for any attempt to oust him from the DAP chair. The inside talk is that it has discomfited several powerful leaders in the party. Karpal defended his outspokenness, saying he had always been motivated by what he thought was best for his party and for Malaysians. However, when asked to comment on DAP's recent resolve not to pursue the one-man-one-seat matter, he declined, citing respect for the party’s decision. Speaking about PAS, he said: "When I speak out on hudud as a DAP member, it’s all about protecting the constitutional rights of the non-Muslims. "No doubt, we should not have unnecessary friction among Pakatan partners, but we cannot allow PAS to make a proposal that will impinge upon the rights of non-Muslims." He expressed deep respect for the Islamic party's political stand and admiration for its tenacity in struggling for the betterment of Malaysia. "Of course, PAS has its own agenda and we understand that. But there are larger considerations to things. So when you come up with laws that infringe upon the rights of a large section of the population, we have to speak out." He added that Malaysia's secular constitution did not provide an avenue for turning the country into a theocratic state. "We have secular laws, which is a legacy of the British legal system. In a country that has secular laws, you cannot claim it as an Islamic state." He said Malaysia could not have both hudud and secular laws together, and cited an example to show how a dual legal system would cause complications. "When a Muslim commits a crime against a non-Muslim, the Muslim will ask to be tried at the syariah court, but the victim can’t testify there. How do you go about it?" Nevertheless, he added, PAS and DAP could work together despite their differences because they could agree on large issues. "When it comes to good governance and economic progress, we can see eye to eye. And I believe our combination gives people hope that we can displace Barisan Nasional in the general election." Asked to name his favourite leaders in PAS and PKR, Karpal mentioned Mohamad Sabu and Anwar Ibrahim without hesitation. "Mat Sabu is a good example of a leader," he said. "He has a personality that draws people to him and is well liked by everyone." He said he became friends with Mat Sabu when they were both detained under the Internal Security Act following the infamous Operasi Lalang of 1987. "We were held in the same barracks. I think the government made a mistake by putting us together. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship."
Powerful leaders attempting to oust Karpal Ex-DAP man rallies support for Karpal Karpal backs Minority Affairs Ministry call    |
| Clinton holds the key to 2016 White House race Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:25 PM PST  WASHINGTON: Will she, won’t she, will she, won’t she, will she join the dance? To borrow from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” that’s the question on everyone’s lips about Hillary Clinton and the 2016 White House race.And just like Alice, who followed the White Rabbit down the hole into a strange and topsy-turvy universe, nothing is ever quite what it seems in Clintonland or the ever-shifting world of US politics. It doesn’t matter how many times Clinton rules out another White House bid. No one seems to believe that a woman who has proved a master at re-inventing herself will simply ride off into the sunset. “I’ve said I really don’t believe that that’s something I will do again,” she reiterated, referring to her 2008 bid, when asked by ABC’s Barbara Walters this week whether she will run in the 2016 presidential election. As Clinton prepares to step down as secretary of state, she can boast approval ratings of about 60 percent, higher than anyone in the cabinet of President Barack Obama — who beat her in a Democratic primary four years ago. “Every Democrat I know says: ‘God, I hope she runs. We don’t need a primary. Let’s just go to post with this thing,’” Democratic Party strategist James Carville, a friend of the Clintons, said Sunday on ABC. “The Democrats want her to run. And I don’t just mean a lot of Democrats. I mean a whole lot of Democrats, like 90 percent across the country.” Recent polls would seem to bear out his enthusiasm. A Washington Post-ABC poll last week said 57 percent of Americans would support her if she ran again, as well as some 60 percent of Republican women. And while four years is an eon in politics, Clinton, arguably the world’s most powerful advocate for women and girls, must still nurse the desire to smash America’s last elusive glass ceiling. Her husband, former president Bill Clinton, is said to want her to run, and as Hillary Clinton — or “The Boss” as she is known at State — returns to private life, America’s top political couple will wield formidable power. After helping Obama win a historic second term in November with their staunch backing, the Clintons will no doubt be able to count on his support. With few strong candidates lining up yet on the Democratic side, the race for the party’s nomination — and all-important donors and fundraisers — will be effectively frozen until her intentions are 100 percent clear. Vice President Joe Biden may want to take a shot at the top job, but he’ll turn 74 in late 2016. That would make him the oldest nominee ever. Other potential candidates, such as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Senator Mark Warner of Virginia lack the same status or political chops. Clinton’s potential candidacy is likely to also shape the Republican field, as it struggles to recover from its second decisive White House defeat in a row and shed its image as the party of older white men. A few Republicans are already jostling in the wings, including Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who would appeal to the Latino vote, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who won kudos for his handling of Hurricane Sandy. But former Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, who was defeated for the party’s nomination this year, warned it would be an uphill battle against the Democrats. “If their competitor in ’16 is going to be Hillary Clinton, supported by Bill Clinton and presumably a still relatively popular President Barack Obama, trying to win that will be truly the Super Bowl,” he said on NBC. “And the Republican Party today is incapable of competing at that level.” As a former first lady, a successful New York senator and an internationally-admired secretary of state, Clinton brings an unrivaled resume and “rock star” credentials to the table. And although she will be 69 in November 2016, she told ABC that, while she is exhausted now after 20 years in the public eye, her age would not be a factor four years down the line when she has had time to rest. “I am, thankfully, knock on wood, not only healthy, but have incredible stamina and energy,” she said. It is likely, however, that if Clinton were to enter the fray, her popularity ratings would drop. Once one of the most divisive figures in American politics, in part due to her clumsy efforts as first lady to instigate health care reform, as secretary of state Clinton has stayed above partisan politics. Pollster extraordinaire Nate Silver, who correctly predicted the outcome in 50 states in November, said on his New York Times blog that she would once again become a Republican target if she were to run. But he said Clinton would have some “unique strengths” as a candidate, and “she seems like Democrats’ best bet, perhaps by some margin, to extend their winning streak to three or more terms in the White House.” Perhaps Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness said it best last week during Clinton’s brief visit to the British province. “When we say goodbye to the Clintons, we also say, ‘We’ll see you again soon,’” said McGuinness, triggering one of Clinton’s trademark deep laughs. - AFP    |
| Protest rally: ‘PKR didn’t invite Indian nationals’ Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:20 PM PST
He, however, claimed that the “foreigners” at the protest rally could have been “planted by someone”, who was trying to tarnish the image of the party and its aim of helping Malaysian Indians without any documents to prove they were citizens of the country. Subang PKR division committee member S Bala Kumaran (photo), who is also known as PKR Bala, said the presence of Indian nationals at the protest was pre-planned by those wanting to tarnish PKR’s image. On Wednesday, an Indian national, Vengadeshwaran Subramaniam, who hails from Tamil Nadu and now resides in Kampung Kayu Ara, Damansara, alleged that someone claiming to be a PKR leader promised to help him get Malaysian citizenship provided he joined the protest. The Indian national said he received the “offer” through a telephone text message from a person identifying himself as PKR Bala. He said he called the number from which the message was sent and the mobile telephone was picked up by an Indian man who introduced himself as PKR Bala, who subsequently promised to get him a MyKad if he participated in the protest. The SMS, which was forwarded to FMT, reads: "To all Indian Nationals from India. Don't miss this opportunity. U can get Malaysian citizenship. Malaysian government giving u a chance now. Please go and register at Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (NRD), Putrajaya on 12-12-12 at 10am. Please pass a word to all our Indians friends." Bala, meanwhile, denied sending the text message inviting Indian nationals to the protest in return for a Malaysian citizenship. “I never sent such SMS to anyone. It could be a prank SMS by someone who is really in a dire position to win Indian votes at the 13th general election,” he said. ‘BN very scared’ He, however, refused to elaborate, when asked if he suspected anyone behind the text message. “Barisan Nasional is very scared, given PKR’s popularity among the Indians. So, I am not surprised with such incidents,” he added. He said there was no reason for PKR to bring Indian nationals to the protest. Meanwhile, MIC Youth chief T Mohan claimed that Pakatan Rakyat lied when the opposition coalition said there were 300,000 stateless Indians in the country. “Only 308 such stateless Indians registered at the NRD on Wednesday. Where are the remainder? Have they all gone into hiding? I challenge [PKR vice-president] N Surendran to show proof or resign. If he gets the 300,000 stateless Indians, I will resign from my position,” he said. He also alleged that PKR was pulling this stunt just to win a few Indian voters at the next general election. “Where were they all this while when the MIC was asking real Malaysian Indians without any documents to register with us? We have helped many and are still helping people. Suddenly over the last three months they come up with this allegation. “If it is true, why doesn’t PKR register the so-called stateless Indians and give the list to the NRD for verification? They just pluck this figure from thin air and make all sorts of allegations,” said Mohan. Also read:
SMS invites Indian nationals to Putrajaya rally    |
| Coca-Cola FEMSA to acquire Philippine bottler Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:18 PM PST
The transaction gives the Mexican company, the world’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, 51% of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc, with an option to acquire the remainder within seven years of the deal’s close. It also gives Coca-Cola FEMSA the option to sell the Philippine bottler back to the latter’s US parent The Coca-Cola Co after six years. “The Philippines’ market has one of the highest per capita consumption rates of Coca-Cola products in the region and presents significant opportunities for further growth,” Coca-Cola FEMSA said in a briefing paper. “The Philippines provides a unique opportunity to operate in a country with very attractive economic growth prospects, a private consumption-driven economy, an attractive socio-economic and demographic profile, and a cultural resemblance to Latin America.” The Mexico-based firm is the world’s largest publicly-listed bottler of Coca-Cola products, with operations across Central- and South America. It said it expects the population of the Philippines to grow at twice the rate of Mexico and Brazil for the next 40 years, during which a large middle class in the now still-economically struggling nation would emerge. It noted that food and non-alcoholic beverages account for 42% of private consumption in the Philippines. The Philippine bottler was acquired by The Coca-Cola Co from local conglomerate San Miguel Corp in 2007 for US$590 million. The Coca-Cola FEMSA deal now values the local bottler at US$1.35 billion, the Mexican firm said. The Philippine bottler is expected to post 2012 sales of US$1.1 billion, it added. Coca-Cola FEMSA said it would finance the purchase with short- and medium-term bank loans. - AFP    |
| ‘Usah perjudi masa depan negara’ Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:15 PM PST
Ketika membuat gesaan itu, Timbalan Menteri Pengangkutan Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri berkata ini juga akan menjejaskan keyakinan pelabur dan boleh mengakibatkan negara kehilangan serta ketandusan pelabur. “Jika ini berlaku, ia akan menjejas harapan Malaysia menjadi negara maju berpendapatan tinggi. Ketidaktentuan sudah pasti akan memundurkan Malaysia ke belakang kerana lebih banyak masa akan disia-siakan untuk bertelagah politik dan menjejas urusan merancang dan melaksana kemajuan. “Akhirnya rakyat dan negara akan rugi. Ini telah berlaku kepada kebanyakan negara dunia ketiga yang berakhir dengan kebankrapan dan akhirnya menjadi pengemis antarabangsa,” katanya. Abdul Rahim yang juga anggota Parlimen Kudat, berkata demikian ketika berucap merasmikan mini karnival dan seminar koperasi peringkat Parlimen Kudat anjuran Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM) di Dewan Perpustakaan Kudat, di sini hari ini. Beliau turut memuji usaha SKM menganjurkan aktiviti itu yang menurutnya mampu merintis minat terhadap perniagaan dan keusahawanan di kalangan penggiat koperasi. “Semangat kerjasama dan tolong menolong yang diutamakan melalui kegiatan koperasi mampu mewujudkan etika dan amalan baik dalam perniagaan. “Seseorang usahawan memerlukan kerjasama pihak lain untuk berjaya dan seseorang tidak boleh maju dengan hanya bersendirian,” katanya. Abdul Rahim berkata di Malaysia, koperasi turut menjadi penyumbang utama ekonomi negara dan membuka peluang pekerjaan. - Bernama    |
| DAP hopefuls in intense last minute lobbying Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:49 PM PST
Most of the campaign messages are coming from urban centres such as George Town, Ipoh, the Klang Valley, Seremban and Johor Baru. The campaign points boil down to one simple plea: "Vote for me and my team." Name dropping is common, with many of the 68 candidates claiming to have the blessings of party chairman Karpal Singh and the father-and-son pair of Lim Kit Siang and Guan Eng. Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi acknowledged that the campaign temperature had gone up high enough to boil one's breakfast egg, but he reckoned that the delegates would heed the leadership's call for compromises to ensure that the elected team would be one capable of leading the looming battle against Barisan Nasional. Indeed, the 13th general election and DAP's preparedness for it will be the central theme of debates during the two-day congress. There will be calls for a more efficient delegation of responsibilities, more attentiveness to grassroots concerns, better management of DAP's role in the governments of Penang and Selangor, and a more effective handling of PAS' Islamic demands. One interesting issue that has come up in the campaign for the CEC posts is the concern over lingering public perception that DAP is a party for the Chinese. There have been calls for the delegates to vote in a multi-ethnic team. This issue is likely to be brought up during the debates as well. Another issue that may come up is tied to the phenomenon of young rising stars in the party as well as its recent successes in recruiting people who had already made their names elsewhere. Some delegates are expected to remind the party that it needs to recognise the contributions and sacrifices of veteran members. Foundations Veteran Zulkifli Mohd Noor, speaking to FMT, cited the disastrous case of Tunku Aziz Ibrahim, who became a vice president of DAP as soon as he joined the party. He was made a senator, but soon afterwards resigned from the party and then went on to denounce the party in press interviews. “DAP must build itself from the bottom up," Zulkifli said. "Our foundations must be strong. Houses built from the roof down would only collapse." A Krishnan and K Gunabalan, also party veterans, agreed with Zulkifli. “I hope the leaders ascending to the CEC will also stand alongside the party veterans,” Krishnan said. Gunabalan said he worried that some new members might have joined the party for the wrong reasons. "They should be coaxed to attend our political training so that they can appreciate our socialist values," he said. Although the canvassing for votes in the CEC election has been intense, most observers expect Karpal, Kit Siang and Guan Eng to retain their positions. Insiders hope that the supporting cast will consist of a good mix of the young and the veterans. Factionalism likely to surface at DAP congress    |
| ‘Manikavasagam is unprofessional’ Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:46 PM PST
“It is unprofessional of a parliamentarian to make such a statement. The onus is on him [Manikavasagam] and the media to clarify the matter,” he said. He added that he has notified the party leadership on Manikavasagam’s unprofessional conduct. Jayakumar was commenting on MIC’s exposé of two video clips where Manikavasagam had uttered the words "bastard" and "idiot" when referring to the former. In the first video, Manikavasagam criticised Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, urging the latter to resign over the demolition of a shrine in Sepang. Click here to view the video on YouTube. Answering a question on whether the demolition of the shrine was correct, the Kapar MP replied: "Wrong! Cannot accept this! I'm telling you. MB must resign." In the second clip, he said: "I'm telling you, I already talk… Xavier is another bastard. First, he protected the Majlis [Sepang Muncipal Council], after that when we pressure him, and then he twist. I also don't agree to touch 'kuil' [temple], how many… already seven [referring to the number of demolished temples under the Pakatan Rakyat government]." He also claimed that three notices had been served to demolish a temple in his constituency. Manikavasagam added that Jayakumar was an "idiot" who was adamant in demolishing the temples and did not listen to the former. On Wednesday, Manikavasagam had joined a rally in Putrajaya led by PKR to protest the plight of stateless Indian Malaysians. Today, the first-term MP claimed that the video clips were doctored and denied using the deragoratory terms on Jayakumar. Manikavasagam has also lodged a police report against the MIC based on the FMT’s report. Also read: MIC exposes ‘MB quit, bastard’ video clips Videos doctored, says Manikavasagam    |
| Wimbledon achieves record profits Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:46 PM PST
The LTA, which organises the two-week grand slam, published its annual report and financial review which showed profits at the grasscourt tournament rose to 37.8 million pounds , up from 35.2 million pounds the previous year. The surplus is invested back into British tennis. The LTA also said it spent 12.3 million pounds on player development with 17.4 million pounds going on encouraging people to take up the sport. The governing body highlighted the impact of an excellent year for Britain’s Andy Murray, who claimed Olympic gold before taking the US. Open title, in boosting grassroots participation. -Reuters    |
| Lampard says this could be his last season at Chelsea Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:44 PM PST
The 34-year-old England international’s contract comes to an end this season and talks have yet to take place on a new deal. “Talks about a one-year extension, a two-year extension, don’t exist. The ball is in Chelsea’s court,” said Lampard. “Whatever happens I’ve had a great time with Chelsea – maybe things don’t last forever. Although I want it to last forever, you have to be big enough to know what the situation is.” Lampard, who has won everything there is to win in English football and also landed the European Champions League trophy in Munich in May, is desperate to prolong his 11-year stay at Chelsea. “I’m not the kind of player to just see out my time and sit on the bench. I want to be involved,” added Lampard who has just returned to the Chelsea side after a six-week injury layoff. “That’s my character. I will keep trying to do that whatever the circumstances.” Lampard has been linked by the media with a move to David Beckham’s former club, Los Angeles Galaxy, and to China where ex-Chelsea team mates Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka now play. “I can’t predict anything,” said Chelsea’s third highest scorer on 189 goals. “But I feel like I have two or three years at least in me at the top level. “It’s not for me to decide this one, it’s up to the club. I am determined to play for a few more years and see what pans out in the near future.” Calf problem “I wanted to be here,” he said after coming on to replace David Luiz in the second half against Monterrey. “I just wanted to be with the lads and in the competition. “It’s frustrating watching games for any player who … wants to play especially when the team are not playing so well,” said Lampard referring to Chelsea’s bad run of form last month. “You want to contribute. “Myself and (injured captain) John Terry have been sitting in the treatment room desperate to be involved. But with experience we know you have to wait your time. “I was ready to start tonight. It was the manager’s decision,” added Lampard who took the captain’s armband from goalkeeper Petr Cech after his introduction by interim coach Rafael Benitez. “People say when you’re older you shouldn’t play so many games but there is another argument saying if you don’t play so many games then you come in and it’s more difficult. “That’s why (Manchester United midfielder) Paul Scholes retired at one point. He felt he was sitting on the bench and as he got older he found it more difficult to sit there and be expected to come on and turn it straight on.” After becoming the first holders to exit the Champions League at the group stage, Lampard said Sunday’s Club World Cup final against Corinthians of Brazil would take on extra significance. “This is a final now, a very prestigious competition which the club have never won, which not many English teams have won,” he added. “It is important for us as a club – we have a number of trophies available this year – to make sure we get our first one.” -Reuters    |
| Asian markets mixed, eyes on US fiscal cliff talks Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:44 PM PST
Currency investors continue to sell the yen in the last working day before Japan holds a general election on Sunday that is expected to see the ruling party ousted. Tokyo fell 0.33%, Hong Kong added 0.10%, Shanghai rose 0.77% and Sydney was 0.17% higher, while Seoul eased 0.69%. Investors are also taking the opportunity to cash in recent gains as the Christmas break approaches. Markets are nervous that US lawmakers seem to be making slow progress on an agreement to avert the US$600 billion in spending cuts and tax hikes slated to come into effect on Jan 1 and which could send the economy into recession. President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner held what were described as “frank” talks yesterday but there was little sign they had found common ground on a more bearable plan to cut the country’s huge deficit. Wall Street ended in the red with the Dow off 0.56%, the S&P 500 retreating 0.63% and the Nasdaq dropping 0.72%. Adding to the sense of pessimism is the latest quarterly Tankan survey of manufacturers’ sentiment by the Bank of Japan, which showed a steep fall in confidence. The index came in at minus 12, a big fall from the minus three seen in the third quarter. Economists had expected a reading of minus 10. The figures, which represent the percentage of firms saying business conditions are good minus those saying they are bad, are a key measure used by the BoJ in formulating monetary policy. Japanese shares were given some support, however, by the continuing weakness of the yen, which has tumbled since last month when the ruling Democratic Party of Japan announced a general election for Dec 16. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s party is expected to be easily beaten by the Liberal Democratic Party headed by Shinzo Abe, a former premier who has promised to push for more aggressive monetary easing to jumpstart the economy. In early trade today the dollar bought 83.71 yen, compared with 83.64 yen in New York yesterday afternoon, while the euro bought 109.42 yen, from 109.38 yen and $1.3072 from $1.3073. Oil prices were higher, with New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January adding 38 US cents to US$86.27 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for January delivery gaining 30 US cents to US$108.21. Gold was at US$1,698.20 at 0230 GMT compared with US$1,695.60 late yesterday. - AFP    |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:42 PM PST
KOTA BAHARU: Satu lagi bukti terserlah, bagaimana PAS akan berbuat apa sahaja untuk akur dengan rakan pakatannya DAP, apabila kerajaan negeri menangguhkan serta merta penguatkuasaan syarat pelesenan kedai gunting di sini. Setelah lebih 20 tahun melaksana dan mempertahan peraturan pengasingan Pada Rabu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Kebudayaan dan Pelancongan Negeri, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan dilaporkan berkata keputusan dibuat untuk menangguhkan serta merta penguatkuasaan syarat pelesenan di bawah undang-undang kecil Majlis Perbandaran Kota Baharu-Bandaraya Islam (MPKB-BRI) yang melibatkan kedai gunting rambut milik orang bukan Islam. Ia diputuskan dalam mesyuarat mingguan Exco kerajaan negeri dan penangguhan itu sehingga kajian mengenainya selesai dijalankan. Ini belum lagi pelaksanaan hukum hudud yang diperjuangkan PAS, dan secara terang-terangan ditentang DAP, pelaksanaan undang-undang kecil begini pun PAS tidak dapat bertahan. Dengan penangguhan itu bermakna semua kedai gunting rambut milik orang bukan Islam dibenarkan beroperasi seperti biasa dan tidak terikat dengan syarat di bawah undang-undang kecil pihak berkuasa kerajaan tempatan. Isu kedai gunting rambut ini menarik perhatian umum terutama masyarakat Cina apabila akhbar baru-baru ini melaporkan seorang pengurus kedai gunting rambut di sini, Ong Lee Ting, mendakwa beliau disaman 11 kali oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan kerana pekerja wanita bukan Islam di premisnya menggunting rambut pelanggan lelaki bukan Islam sejak 2010. Akibatnya, dia didenda RM200 hingga RM350 dan mendakwa ramai lagi pemilik kedai gunting turut menghadapi perkara sama. Tindakan kerajaan negeri itu turut dikecam Pengerusi Kebangsaan DAP Karpal Singh yang dilaporkan berkata mereka yang bukan Islam boleh membawa perkara itu ke mahkamah. Walaupun Karpal Singh menyambut baik keputusan penangguhan selepas itu, , beliau sebenarnya mahu PAS meminda undang-undang kecil itu untuk menyediakan peruntukan yang tidak terpakai kepada orang bukan Islam. Langkah sementara Penangguhan itu sebenarnya langkah sementara, dan tidak menghairankan nanti bahawa PAS berkemungkinan pula akan akur dengan cadangan pengerusi kebangsaan DAP itu untuk meminda undang-undang kecil berkenaan. Bekas Setiausaha Dewan Ulama PAS Kelantan Wan Ismail Wan Ahmad berkata akibat daripada ‘berkawan’ dengan DAP, PAS telah menyimpang daripada perjuangan asalnya demi menjaga hati rakan pakatan. PAS sebenarnya sama-sama ghairah dengan pakatan pembangkang untuk menawan Putrajaya dan pemimpin parti itu tidak bersungguh-sungguh untuk melaksanakan hukum Islam sebagaimana yang dicanang selama ini khususnya hudud, kata Wan Ismail. Beliau menganggap ‘ulama politik’ dalam PAS hanya melihat kepentingan politik lebih daripada kepentingan Islam. Bekas anggota Jawatankuasa Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat Prof Madya Mohd Noor Deris berkata keputusan terbaharu kerajaan PAS Kelantan itu menunjukkan mereka tidak berani untuk bertegas dalam melaksanakan sesuatu undang-undang. “Keputusan menangguh pelaksanaan dan mengkaji semula undang-undang sekecil ini, menjadi bukti kepada rakyat di dalam dan luar Kelantan bahawa apa yang dicanang oleh PAS untuk melaksanakan hukum Islam, hanya semangat politik sahaja. “Usahkan hukum hudud yang besar tidak dilaksanakan…undang-undang kecil boleh dimain-mainkan pemimpin PAS,” katanya sambil menegaskan, rakyat boleh menilai keikhlasan perjuangan PAS pada masa kini. Mohd Noor berharap rakyat tidak terus terpengaruh dengan dakyah PAS yang kononnya berjuang untuk menegakkan Islam sedangkan ia boleh menukar pendirian jika apa yang diperjuang tidak menguntungkan parti. Bernama    |
| Powerful leaders attempting to oust Karpal Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:41 PM PST
Speaking at a press conference today, Taman Chi Liung Indah DAP chairman K Yogasigamany even claimed that one of the leader hails from Selangor. "A top leader from DAP Selangor had met party members from Klang and canvassed support for Lim Kit Siang (DAP adviser), Lim Guan Eng (secretary-general), for the leader and other unknown individuals, but not for Karpal," alleged Yogasigamany. Yesterday, former Selangor DAP auditor Tan Tuan Tat alleged that there are moves in the party to use the party’s central executive committee (CEC) election tomorrow to oust Karpal. Tan claimed that Karpal’s vocal stand against PAS’ Islamic state agenda and his “one man-one seat” calls had ruffled the feathers of some powerful leaders in the party. Yogasigamany said that the attempt was becoming obvious in the last one month when these leaders were proposing names for the party leadership posts, but left out Karpal’s name. "When I enquired about it, they just dismissed me by saying let the members decide," he claimed, Asked to name the leaders attempting to oust Karpal, Yogasigamany refused to divulge details saying, "I think you can guess." The DAP grassroots leader said that many members were unhappy with the situation and they made their grouses known during the Selangor DAP convention held on Dec 4. "Out of about 1,000 delegates, only about 300 tuned up for the event. Out of that, a substantial number left after registering their names," he claimed. People’s choice Yogasigamany, who is a businessman, defended Karpal’s "one man-one seat" formula, saying DAP has a lot of capable leaders. He also said that the "one man-one seat" proposal would also curtail certain leaders’ greed who want to monopolise everything for themselves. "These leaders are not only holding both parliamentary and state seats, but they also hold positions as state excos and in the state government linked companies. Left unchecked, they may even attempt to hold councillor positions and others. "If you want monetary gains, leave politics and venture into business," he said. He also cited an FMT’s online poll on Karpal’s proposal, saying that nearly 80% voted in favour of the "one man-one seat" formula. "So why can’t DAP leaders accept people’s choice? Why do you still need to discuss this?" he asked. The poll, which was conducted in November, showed that 2,612 out of 3,305 respondents supported it while only 558 people were opposed to it. Yogasigamany added that with the increase of new voters in many constituencies since the last general election, the service rendered by these leaders may be affected as they hold many posts. "And what will happen one of these leaders who hold two seats decide to jump ship?" he asked. He urged party delegates to back Karpal at the CEC elections saying it was not the time to destabilise the party so close to the general election. Yogasigamany also said that the top five posts at the CEC must be reserved for veteran leaders, particularly Karpal and Lim Kit Siang. "I ask all delegates to return Karpal to power with bigger majority," he said. Also read: Ex-DAP man rallies support for Karpal More back Karpal's 'one candidate-one seat' formula    |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:37 PM PST
This is in addition to the police being implicated in deaths in custody and the indiscriminate shooting of teenagers. The public complains that the police respond immediately to Umno politicians and their cronies, but are slow to come to the aid of the rakyat. Former IGP Musa Hassan has made accusations of meddling in the running of the PDRM and the improper conduct of its senior officers, but has anyone stopped to ask what the rank-and-file members of the police think? The police and Home Ministry have devised methods for the public to rate the efficiency of the police services, but has an internal audit been conducted to gauge what policemen think of their senior officers? Do they think their top cops are able leaders, with integrity? Do they feel that the PDRM has been politicised? Would policemen feel confident of receiving an efficient service, if they were to seek police help, as members of the public? Although the Malaysian public has experienced high levels of serious crimes and many have remained unresolved, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein soured relations between the rakyat and the police by stating that this was merely the rakyat's perception. The current IGP Ismail Omar attracted ridicule when he claimed that only 1% of policemen were corrupt. Musa alleged that gang leaders had a say in police transfers and promotions. He also alleged that senior politicians used to issue orders to junior police officers and bypass senior policemen. He poured scorn on his successor and called him ineffective. Despite the apprehensions of the rakyat, Hishammuddin claimed that the recently launched Short Messaging Service (SMS) rating system, whereby the public could leave feedback on the quality of police service, had been "overwhelmingly successful" and that in the first 10 months of 2012, over 90% of people who used the service were "very satisfied". Perhaps Hishammuddin and Ismail could conduct a similar survey for their own policemen. Open to abuse The picture painted by the Home Ministry differs from the experience of the public. In a recently conducted trial, which was reported in another online newspaper, Inspector Luther Nurjib of the Dang Wangi police station is alleged to have used the cover of his undercover work to sell drugs. He had also been implicated in the theft of a Rolex watch from a suspect in another crime. It was evident from the trial, that procedures for dealing with police informants were flawed and open to abuse. Entrapment appeared to be commonplace. Corruption seemed to be more widespread than the IGP had previously admitted. Musa's allegations are of an equally serious nature. He alleged that the attorney-general and the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) (now renamed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC)) were complicit in framing the former Commercial Crimes Investigation Department director Ramli Yusuff and six other police officers. If the AG's name cropped up, why has the law minister, the home minister and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak not ordered an investigation into these allegations and either quash them or bring those who responsible for perverting the course of justice to book? The same should be done to investigate the MACC, but no one appears to want to make the first move. Musa also alleged that gang leaders would "advise" him on which policemen to promote or have transferred and that the Internal Security Ministry was also complicit in the awkward decision making process. Are Najib and Hishammuddin not aware of these activities? This is disturbing; so, who runs the Malaysian police force? Do criminal syndicates call the shots? Does the PDRM have joint bosses – the politicians and criminal masterminds? Is the PDRM running along the lines of the Sicilian mafia? True, dedicated policemen know what their bosses get up to and this must be demoralizing. When they see their fellow officers being brought to trial but criminal gang-leaders being set free, the police must feel that they are not getting the support of their own government. Power struggle A policeman from Ipoh, who prefers to remain anonymous said: "My father was a policeman and I followed in his footsteps. I am sad at what is happening in the PDRM, and have discouraged my two sons from following in my footsteps. Morale is at an all time low and there is no more job satisfaction. Until our leaders do something to stem the rot, I fear that we will have lost the proud traditions of our force." Musa was reviled as a policeman and as an IGP, was called the running dog for Umno. He withdrew his suit against Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, a few months ago and recently made damning revelations about senior politicians, the AG and the MACC. Are his allegations a desperate attempt to reform the police, despite the fact that he is a person few trust? Or are his revelations a form of power struggle, to show that he can still do untold damage to Umno, which he feels has let him down? The government appears to be unaware of the problems faced by policemen. The unwillingness to investigate Musa's allegations or dispel them entirely, are undermining the police. The failure of the Home Ministry, which Musa has implicated, has caused a crisis of morale in the police force. No Umno politician has demanded that this matter be treated with the utmost urgency. When it comes to the crunch, Umno politicians will not hesitate to risk the lives of policemen to protect them; but when it comes to tackling the communication breakdown and low morale in the police, Umno politicians refuse to put their reputations on the line.    |
| F1 team bosses vote Alonso as driver of the year Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 PM PST
A poll of all the team heads carried out by Britain’s Autosport magazine, with each asked to list their top 10 and award points according to grand prix scoring, placed Alonso first with 269 and Vettel second on 198. Alonso lost out to Vettel by three points on the track after the season’s finale in Brazil last month. The team principals’ scores were kept secret but the magazine said eight of the 12 chose Alonso, who had the biggest winning margin in the five years since the top 10 was started, as the best driver. The Spaniard, who won his two titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, was also voted best driver in 2010 when Vettel took his first championship. Lewis Hamilton, who is moving to Mercedes from McLaren, finished third in the poll (177 points) with Kimi Raikkonen fourth for Lotus (176) and McLaren’s Jenson Button fifth (104). “I was pleased to be chosen by the team principals as the best driver of 2012,” Alonso told the Ferrari website (www.ferrari.com). “I think it will be very difficult to repeat what was almost a perfect season this year, but we will try…Of course, next year I would prefer to win the title, happy to leave this prestigious yet idealistic award to one of my peers.” -Reuters    |
| Youths happy with Najib’s stewardship Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:23 PM PST
According to a nationwide survey, 46% are happy with the way the prime minister is running the country while 17% had little or no confidence at all in him. His popularity could be attributed to the 1Malaysia Youth Fund which provides a platform for youths to channel their talent and energy in promoting development. "Malaysian youths are politically sensitive… they are aware of core government policies," said Nur Azrina Azhar, senior programme officer at The Asia Foundation, which conducted the survey. A total of 2,105 youngsters took part in the survey which was carried out in April this year. Five institutions, mainly the civil administration, the police, the legal system, the prime minister and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), were gauged. The police force and NGOs faired least favourably in the survey, with 29% and 24% having low confidence or no confidence in both respectively. An ethnic breakdown revealed that Malays and East Malaysia Bumiputeras along with Indian youths had the most confidence in the prime minister. Chinese youths, however, had the least confidence in all five institutions with only 48% having trust in Najib and his policies.    |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:30 PM PST
In a unanimous ruling, the state’s highest court affirmed a pair of lower-court opinions that a 2007 state law prohibiting loud music while driving violated the US constitution’s First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression. Catalano received a US$73 ticket in 2007 for violating the newly enacted law that prohibited motorists from playing music that is “plainly audible” 25 feet away. Motorists traveling by hospitals, schools and churches were subjected to even stricter standards. Catalano, a Clearwater lawyer, challenged the law as subjective, arguing that determining whether music was too loud was in the ears of the beholder. Further, the law provides listeners with fewer protections than drivers of vehicles emitting political or commercial speech, who have more explicit protections under the US Constitution. Calling the law overly broad, Justice Jorge Labarga wrote that noncommercial speech was also protected. Though rejecting the notion that the law was too vague, Labarga said the state showed no compelling interest in muzzling audiophiles who also prefer to feel their favorite music. “The right to play music, including amplified music, in public fora is protected under the First Amendment,” Labarga wrote. A message left with Catalano was not immediately returned yesterday. - Reuters    |
| Teen fashion blogger branches out with book Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:19 PM PST
Profiles of the young fashionista followed in the New York Times and the New Yorker, along with stories in French Vogue and in teen magazines. Gevinson has added editor to her credits with the publication of “Rookie Yearbook One,” a compilation of articles, photographs and drawings from her Rookie website, which she started about 15 months ago. “I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to do a print component. Each month on the site is a different theme. I eventually realized that to do a yearly book, and call it a yearbook, would be the best format,” she said. The second book, due next September, is already in the works. Despite its young audience, the yearbook claims it is not a guide to being a teenager. But with topics ranging from family, friends, relationships, to fashion and school its appeal is obvious. And Gevinson admits she started the website, which focuses less on fashion and more on teen life, because there wasn’t an online magazine for adolescent girls that respected its readers’ intelligence. “I decided to make a website and now a book that didn’t talk down to teenagers and had beautiful art, fine articles about TV and all of that.” From bedroom blogger to booming business With more than 300 pages, 80 contributors, and articles ranging from “How to Bitchface” to “Breakup Breakdown” and “How to Approach the Person You Like Without Throwing Up,” the book navigates teenage angst and a range of other topics and includes photos and graphics.
It has also attracted some star power, namely online interviews with “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm giving advice about love and guys, and wise words from actor Paul Rudd and producer/director Judd Apatow. When Gevinson started her blog at 11 she saw it as an outlet that helped her get through middle school. She never expected it to mushroom into a website and the business it is today with a huge fan base. The youngest of three children, Gevinson recently completed a tour to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Toronto and other cities to promote the book and still manages to keep up with her school work. Her father, a retired English teacher, oversees the business side of Rookie, and there is a staff of paid adult editors, photographers and designers who work on the website and manage its contributors. Despite it all, Gevinson seems unfazed by her success and the celebrity status that has come with it. “I’ve enjoyed feeling I make something and people understand it, and that there are other people going through the things that I go through,” she said. “That to me is the most valuable thing — being heard by people who understand it.” - Reuters    |
| ‘Lincoln’ leads Golden Globe movie nominations Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:05 PM PST
Steven Spielberg’s portrayal of one of America’s most revered presidents won a leading seven nominations, including best drama, best director, best screenplay and best actor for Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role. But “Lincoln” faces stiff competition at the Golden Globes from Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama “Argo” and Quentin Tarantino’s dark and quirky slavery-era Western, “Django Unchained.” The best drama nominees were rounded out by thriller “Zero Dark Thirty” about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, with four mentions, and the shipwreck tale, “Life of Pi,” with three. The Golden Globe Awards, which will be given out by about 80 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) on January 13, are among the most widely watched honors programs leading up to the Oscars in February, although their ultimate choices for best movie rarely coincide. ‘Lincoln’ seen as Oscar frontrunner “Lincoln” is already regarded as an Oscar frontrunner after picking up multiple accolades from US critics’ groups and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Producer Kathleen Kennedy said the film’s portrayal of Lincoln’s battles in Congress to get slavery abolished had struck a chord with Americans at a time of political gridlock in Washington.
Tarantino’s violent and sometimes comic “Django Unchained,” starring Jamie Foxx, has fared less well – until now. “This was a huge boost. ‘Django Unchained’ was very much SAG snubbed. But now they are really back in the game,” Thelma Adams, contributing editor at Yahoo! Movies, told Reuters. “It’s very gratifying to get this many nominations from the HFPA for a film I worked so hard on and am so passionate about,” Tarantino said in a statement. Unlike the Academy Awards, the HFPA has separate categories for film dramas and comedies. “Les Miserables,” the movie version of the worldwide hit stage musical, earned four Golden Globe nominations in the comedy/musical category, as did “Silver Linings Playbook,” about an unlikely romance between a man suffering from bipolar disorder and a young widow. The stars of both films – Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway for “Les Miserables,” and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper for “Silver Linings Playbook,” – will be among those competing for acting awards. From stage to screen “Les Mis” director, Tom Hooper, who failed to get a nomination for his work on the movie, acknowledged the challenge of translating the beloved musical to the big screen. “Millions of people hold this musical so close to their heart. I had to make a film that honors that experience…and I needed to find a way to work, which is why I chose to do all live singing,” Hooper told Reuters. The HFPA also opened the door to smaller, sometimes overlooked movies and performances, while largely snubbing high profile contenders such as the James Bond film “Skyfall,” which got just one mention, for Adele’s best original song. Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” and admired British senior ensemble film, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” were both nominated in the best musical or comedy category. “They are precious little films that now have to be taken seriously,” said Tom O’Neil of awards website Goldderby.com. In the acting race, Jessica Chastain’s CIA agent in “Zero Dark Thirty” will square off against Helen Mirren in “Hitchcock,” British actress Rachel Weisz in period drama, “The Deep Blue Sea,” France’s Marion Cotillard for “Rust and Bone,” and Naomi Watts in tsunami survival tale “The Impossible.” Chastain said that aside from being a true-life thriller, “Zero Dark Thirty” also aimed at asking questions about society. “To be involved in a movie that does that – the 9/11 hunt for Osama bin Laden pretty much defined this decade for us – and to be playing the woman who sacrificed so much to find him is such an honor,” the actress told Reuters. Day-Lewis’s performance as Lincoln will compete against Denzel Washington’s alcoholic airline pilot in “Flight,” Richard Gere’s role as a corrupt financial executive in “Arbitrage,” John Hawkes as a severely disabled man in “The Sessions,” and Joaquin Phoenix’s drifter in the cult tale, “The Master.” The Golden Globes also honor the year’s best TV shows. “Game Change,” the HBO film about Sarah Palin’s 2008 bid to become US vice-president, led the nominations with five, followed by post-9/11 psychological thriller, “Homeland,” with four. - Reuters    |
| Mahathir’s meddling is helping Pakatan Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:00 PM PST
He literally built his own power and legacy from a humble beginning as the son of a headmaster into the one of the most powerful warlords in the country. From that we know, Mahathir is not one who lacks in confidence. But he lacks in being able to think three to four levels deep. He convinces himself that what happens next after his intervention in a situation was planned right from the beginning, when in fact it is an emerging threat that could blow his plans apart. Mahathir has one additional weakness which he cannot fix. He is touching 90, he was born in a different era and he really does not understand how much the majority of voters dislike him right now. Mahathir failed in his personal quest to become a delegate from his own Kubang Pasu division and then his son failed to win the Ketua Pemuda post. Mahathir does not know of the whisperings of discontent in the government circles and how even some of the plans being hatched are DOA (Dead On Arrival) because we have already intercepted them. Why then is Mahathir being seen as relevant right now? Why is he watching over Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak like Roman Abramovich watching over one of the Chelsea managers? Because TSMY (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin – Deputy Prime Minister) is using Mahathir to do his dirty work in return for accommodating Mukhriz Mahathir. Mahathir is now planning the post-Najib coup d’état. This heaps, of course, more pressure on Najib than he really needs right now, but such is his role as the ultimate hatchet man – the political grim-reaper, so to speak. But that is on the assumption that Umno actually manages to sneak in a victory. Unappreciative local warlords This is becoming an increasingly remote possibility and right now what Mahathir is doing is counter-productive. In his obsession with quick fixes, Mahathir is now delivering the coup de grâce to Umno’s chances in the 13th general election. But right now, Mahathir has conspired to make Najib’s position untenable. Najib is being considered a lame duck prime minister because he lacks the power and the prestige. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think people dislike him; in fact, many may like him on Facebook, but when you have to convince a disappointed local warlord to rally his boys to fight Pakatan, you need to be able to offer something in return. Here lies the problem. Mahathir has convinced all the operators that Najib’s days are numbered, so how can his promises be taken seriously? The local warlords will be unappreciative and may take the money but then go on holiday. Contrast this mess with the Pakatan war machine. This war machine is now beginning to flex its muscles; no longer is Pakatan riding on the wave of hope, it’s now riding on the wave of anticipation. Pakatan is beginning to develop the aura of invincibility that will make it the default choice. That is when the regime change takes place, when people are programmed to think that voting Pakatan is not an exercise in making a protest vote but really the default choice to make. Pakatan is close to making that mind conditioning work in the minds of the people, partially helped by Mahathir’s meddling though. This is an excerpt of an article which first appeared on Pirates of Putrajaya blogspot.    |
| AirAsia adds another 100 Airbus A320s Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:56 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd has put in an order for 100 Airbus A320s as part of its strategy to add routes and increase flight frequencies to maintain profitability against intense competition. Its group CEO Tony Fernandes said with the new order, AirAsia has a record 475 narrow body aircraft on its order list with Airbus, making it the plane-maker's single biggest customer for such aircraft. Fernandes said with the expanded fleet, AirAsia will have ample capacity to build on its market leadership and dominance, especially in the Malaysia and Thailand markets. "We have three gold mines; in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. On the other hand, the Philippines and Japan have enormous potential growth," he told reporters after signing the order agreement in Broughton, Wales, yesterday. Fernandes said the company's attention to cost and business model has allowed it to maintain market leadership in Malaysia. "In the past 10 years we have seen competitors come and go while Air-Asia continued on its growth trajectory with increased margins, load factor and revenue per available seat per kilometre," he said. "This allows operations costs in Malaysia to remain the lowest against other airlines in the world and allows the company to maximise revenues through increased load factors, ancillary income and a stronger balance sheet. "With this key ingredient, AirAsia remains in a position to defend its margins, which remain the highest in the industry," said Fernandes. He said the airline's Thai operations, which have seen the fastest passenger growth, is about to become as profitable as the Malaysian operations and that the new capacity on order will allow AirAsia Thailand to dominate domestically as well as test waters in the bigger markets of China and India. He said with AirAsia as the anchor airline at the dedicated low-cost terminal of Don Mueang airport, the prospect for growth is bright. "This ties with our vision to secure more secondary markets in the region in order to support our rapid growth and not be hampered by overcapacity in any main airports," he said. AirAsia Thailand currently owns 25 aircraft, operating out of Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. In October, the company also launched routes to Wuhan and Xi'an in China. The new order unveiled yesterday is worth US$9.4 billion (RM28.71 billion). It consists of 36 current-generation A320s and 64 new generation variants. AirAsia said the aircraft will accelerate growth in its core markets as well as Japan and the Philippines. It will take delivery of the current-generation orders staggered over the next three years while the new generation engined A320s will be delivered beginning 2017. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Justice for Altantuya: PM, AG must respond Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:54 PM PST
Malaysia will forever remain in a dark cloud over the killing of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu because of the failure of our criminal justice system to secure complete justice for her. We have failed until now to explain why Altantuya was killed and more importantly who directed her killing. The recent claims by Deepak Jaikishan surrounding the making of a statutory declaration has added more fuel into a fire which just cannot seem to be put out. The Attorney-General, Abdul Gani Patail, should respond to the allegations made by Deepak that “justice has not yet been done ” in the case involving Altantuya Deepak was earlier reported as saying: “Whoever actually killed her, who actually instructed her killing, should be responsible. They must take the responsibility.” This question has been asked time and again. The AG should tell us, who ordered the killing and why? This is the most important aspect of the case which has not been answered. This angle ought to have been probed further during the trial of those who were charged with her murder. It is basic in all cases like this that motive is established. The prosecution owes the family of the deceased and the general public a duty here. The truth must prevail It is also surprising to note the prime minister’s silence on this matter. The prime minister has in past cases involving suspicious deaths, recognised the need for full ‘no stone unturned’ inquiries so as to get to the truth and to find justice and closure for the deceased and the families of the deceased. Why is it different with Altantuya? Why are we not pressing for answers to these most important aspects of the case? Isn’t the prime minister as head of the government interested to know what actually happened more so given the manner in which the murder was executed? It is said that “Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done”. I challenge the prime minister to direct a full inquiry into these aspects of this case. We must get to the truth. The truth must prevail. With the election looming, the prime minister cannot afford to have this problem hovering over his head. If he feels there is no need for further inquiry, and that the earlier investigations have answered all questions, then he should tell us, what does the investigation reveal? Who ordered the killing of Altantuya and why? The writer is DAP’s MP for Puchong    |
| Frantic Najib in Sabah, again? Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:52 PM PST
Najib is expected to arrive in Sandakan tomorrow (Dec 15) to open the annual congress of Sabah Barisan Nasional minor partner, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the following day. On Dec 28, Najib is expected to visit rural Pensiangan where another tiny BN component, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), is holding its own annual general meeting. Najib, who is also Umno’s president and BN chairman, is expected to meet with the Christian community in Sandakan during his weekend visit, in an effort to shore up BN’s standing among the marginalised community ahead of the Christmas celebration on Dec 25. He is also expected to be feted at a similar gathering when he visits Pensiangan on Dec 28 where PBRS president, Joseph Kurup, is also said to be facing an uphill task to retain the seat for BN. In 2008, Kurup won the Pensiangan seat unopposed by default when his contender from PKR, Danny Andipai, was controversially denied the opportunity to file in his nomination papers. Kurup and his wife Melinda barely escaped from an angry crowd at the nomination centre where he was punched. Few are aware of the prime minister’s visit and there seems to be no publicity about it so far either by the local media or the official government organ, the Information Department, and many politicians in the ruling party said they were unaware Najib would be here. If nothing goes wrong, the year-end visit will be his seventh trip to Sabah this year. The last one the prime minister made to the state was in October to Penampang and Ranau. No other sitting prime minister has visited Sabah so many times in one year, not even the longest- serving premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Such was the Umno-led BN coalition’s dominance at one time that Mahathir had even brushed aside the relevance of the number of parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak in his calculations to form the federal government. All that changed when the Malay votes in the Peninsula were finally divided in half between the ruling BN and the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition in the 2008 general election.    |
| Nurse in British royal prank was found hanged Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:52 PM PST
Jacintha Saldanha’s body was found last Friday, days after she put the call from an Australian radio station through to a colleague who disclosed details of the treatment of the Duchess of Cambridge, suffering from acute morning sickness. Detective chief inspector James Harman told the coroner, an official who certifies causes of death, at an inquest that Saldanha was found hanging by a scarf. “There were also some injuries to the wrist,” he said. Three notes were also discovered at the scene. The prank made headlines around the world, as did news that Saldanha, who was married with two children, had then apparently committed suicide, leading to widespread condemnation of the radio station involved, 2Day FM. Presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian had phoned the King Edward VII private hospital at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time, pretending to be William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth and his father, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles. Despite their unconvincing impersonations, Saldanha, who happened to answer the phone, transferred the call through a nurse on Kate’s ward who disclosed brief details of her condition. - Reuters    |
| Merger nudges Axiata Group to market leadership in Cambodia Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:43 PM PST
Axiata, which is the cellular arm of Telekom Malaysia Bhd, will emerge at the end of the US$155 million (RM473.42 million) exercise as the 90% shareholder of the merged entity as well as the largest cellular operator in Cambodia in both subscriber numbers and revenue. The transaction will be funded by internal cash and debt from existing facilities. The transaction will involve Axiata Investments (Cambodia) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Axiata, acquiring Glasswool Holdings Ltd, which will be the sole owner of Latelz upon completion of the transaction. The operations of Latelz will then be merged with Hello's. Latelz is owned by international telecom holding firm Timeturns Holdings Ltd, based in Cyprus, which owns several telecommunications operators and licences within Asia and Africa. Latelz owns licences to act as a mobile telecommunication operator and an Internet provider in Cambodia. In filings to Bursa Malaysia, Axiata said the merger will provide the group improved economies of scale, remove duplicate costs and enhance revenue potential. The merged entity will also facilitate synergies and the sharing of best practices between the two companies, which include increased spectrum and significant synergies across network coverage and infrastructure. After experiencing intense competition over the past three years with nine mobile players in Cambodia with approximately a population of 15 million, the market is primed for consolidation. Axiata is leading the consolidation, which is likely to evolve into three to five market players. The penetration rate in Cambodia is currently below 40% with an expected double-digit growth of around 10% over the next three years. The strengthened entity is likely to give Axiata a head start. AmInvestment Bank Bhd analyst Hafriz Hezry Harihodin said that from an industry consolidation perspective, there will be more opportunities for acquisitions in Cambodia or at any rate a weeding out of smaller players thus reducing the number of competitors. He said Axiata has a US$1.5 billion credit line compared to the deal's US$155 million equity value, which means it has room to acquire more companies in the region, particularly in an industry under consolidation. Public Investment Bank Bhd analyst Chang Hoe Leong said while the acquisition is a positive as it would allow Axiata to solidify its position in Cambodia, it will have minimal impact on its immediate earnings. He said the merged entity would take some time to break even as it had posted net loss of US$32 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2011. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Sabah needs real protection, not ‘show-piece’ defence Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:39 PM PST
Tawau MP Chua Soon Bui contended that the provision of more manpower and patrol vessels to combat piracy in Sabah waters was more pragmatic than having the French-made Scorpene-class submarine docked at Teluk Sepanggar in Kota Kinabalu. She said it was important to show government’s serious defence mission and not merely putting up a show of defence with a show-piece armament. Chua made the statement following a fact-finding visit to Kampung Indra Sabah, the site of a mysterious raid by a group of heavily armed men late last month. The puzzling incident which saw the men make off with a few hundred ringgit worth of anchovies happened a few days after the abduction of two hostages from a Felda estate in Tunku, Lahad Datu. The frequent unauthorised entry by lawless elements into Sabah waters, Chua said, had terrorised the people of Sabah and inevitably raised questions over the effectiveness of border security. She said the raids had caused consternation among those involved in Sabah’s tourism industry, especially in the east coast of the state. "Please bear in mind that there have been two incidents of kidnapping of foreign tourists in the past, one time at the Sipadan Island and another time at Mataking Island off Semporna," she said. Robberies at sea The porous coastline of Sabah has raised alarm bells over the ease with which firearms, narcotics and illegal immigrants can be brought into the state. Chua, who is also a vice-president of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), revealed that she had been informed by villagers in Kampung Indra Sabah that prior to this, there had been a few robberies at sea and one incident where a boat owner was forced to swim back to the shore. Criminal acts declined when the government stationed a General Operations Force (GOF) unit at the jetty but redeployed the force elsewhere two years ago. In 2010, a seaweed farm manager and one of his workers on the farm around Sebangkat Island, near Semporna, were kidnapped by a group of men armed with rifles and machete. They were later released after ransom money was paid by the victims' families. A small police base that was set up at the village to replace the GOF unit has been criticised as ineffective as the personnel are not equipped to patrol the waters where most of the crimes are taking place.    |
| Melewar plans exit with Siam Power sale Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:34 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Siam Power Generation Public Co Ltd, Melewar Industrial Group Bhd's energy utility in Thailand, may soon get approval to sell power to buyers other than the Thai state-run utility. This development is expected to make the company an attractive acquisition and help steel major Melewar to exit the energy business completely. The three stakeholders which are involved in the approval to allow Siam Power to sell energy to other buyers are Thailand's state utility monopoly, Elecricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Petroleum Authority of Thailand and the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC). While the EGAT and Petroleum Authority have approved the proposal, the ERC is yet to give a sanction to it. "We understand that all the other parties except the ERC have agreed to it [the permission to sell energy]. The ERC will be meeting on Dec 20, and hopefully they will approve it," Melewar's executive chairman Tunku Yaacob Tunku Abdullah (photo) said yesterday after the company's annual general meeting. Currently, the small power producers in Thailand cannot sell power freely to other buyers. Melewar had declared interest in the sale of Siam Power earlier, but currently there are no buyers for Siam Power due to the energy sale restriction. After the approval, the company will become more valuable for any prospective buyer. "This is the last remnant of the energy business that we have. We would like to exit the energy business completely. We want to focus on the steel business right now as we are good at it." Tunku Yaacob said. Melewar has a 98.4% equity interest in Siam Power currently through its subsidiary Mperial Power Ltd. Siam has been incurring losses for some time. The total revenue of the company for the financial 2011-2012 was recorded at RM260 million with net loss of RM116 million. The loss was primarily due to the temporary suspension of electricity supply to G Steel, which is currently undergoing a corporate restructuring exercise, resulting in impairment loss on its outstanding debts due to Siam Power. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Exam standards lowered to gloss results, DAP says Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:32 PM PST
The recently released 2011 Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) survey showed Malaysia's ranking in mathematics fell from 20th in 2007 to 26th in 2011 while our ranking in science fell by an ever greater margin, from 21st in 2007 to 32nd in 2011. But the party noted that Malaysian students continued to score in the two subjects annually despite the stark contrast in the TIMSS survey which placed the country as the worst performing nation out of the 59 countries surveyed since the study was first conducted in 1999 “Surprisingly our students continue to score better results annually for their mathematics and science examinations for the PMR and SPM papers,” said national publicity chief Tony Pua and chief strategist Dr Ong Kian Ming in a joint statement. The two said the PMR results over the years, as measured by the Average National Grade (or GPN) has been steadily improving from 2.83 in 2008 to 2.78 in 2009 to 2.74 in 2010 and mostly recently to 2.71 in 2011. Those obtaining As in mathematics increased from 26.7% in 2010 to 28.9% in 2011 and those obtaining As in science increased from 18.5% in 2010 to 21.7% in 2011. At the same time, SPM results in 2011 was reported to have been the best recorded in five years with the overall National Average Grade improving from 5.19 in 2010 to 5.04 in 2011. ‘Dumbing down’ The pass rate for math and science at the SPM level was said to have steadily increased since 2007. The TIMSS report however, pointed to Malaysia as the only country next to Jordan in the survey to have recorded no improvement in the two subjects. “One cannot help but to conclude that firstly, the Ministry of Education has been deliberately manipulating the math and sciences standards for the PMR and SPM examinations to artificially increase the pass rate. “In fact, this deliberate attempt to dumb down our syllabus and lowering the passing marks for the examination subjects is a key reason for the declining standard of our education system,” the two said. Putrajaya had recently announced a move to reform the country’s lagging learning system through the National Education Blueprint but the opposition said the ruling coalition admitted to only “some” weaknesses when an aggressive response is needed to put the country back on track. “The obvious outcome to such a skewed education policy is that our Malaysian young will learn less in school, while needing to know and understand even less to secure a pass or obtain an ‘A’ in the examinations,” Pua and Ong said. The two are also calling on Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to openly admit and address the deliberate "dumbing down" of the education system which they said the Preliminary NEB report had neglected.    |
| Malaysian art searches for a voice Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:28 PM PST
But in September, a buyer at one of a sudden spate of Malaysian art auctions spent RM30,800 for a wall-sized Haslin painting full of outlandish images including a large human foot without skin. “It’s still quite risky to become an artist… but actually there is positive development. It has changed a lot,” the soft-spoken 28-year-old said. New galleries have sprouted with works depicting traditional village scenes, cautious commentary on modern society, or the wild imaginations of artists like Haslin. “Prices have been rising and it has positively affected some of the younger artists,” said Ray Langenbach, an artist and art professor at Tunku Abdul Rahman University, who added that high prices in more established markets were stirring interest in Malaysia. “It’s the least-tapped of the region’s markets.” For much of Malaysia’s recent history, an authoritarian government focused on economic development — making it one of Southeast Asia’s most affluent nations, while religious and political constraints stunted the arts and culture scene. But since strongman ruler Mahathir Mohamad retired in 2003, society is gradually relaxing, with more people expressing themselves via art and some collectors looking for edgier works. In May, a vast 1984 abstract of interwoven, multi-colored lines by late painter Ibrahim Hussein sold for nearly 800,000 ringgit — a record high for a Malaysian art work at auction.
Buyers, meanwhile, also have snapped up paintings of ethnic Indian rubber tappers and portraits of Malay women in the country’s colourful batik fabrics — expressions of Malaysia’s multi-cultural make-up. But there are doubts over how long the current interest will last. The former British colony has no deep-rooted art tradition, having developed as an agrarian society that drew large numbers of Chinese and Indian immigrants more concerned with economic survival than art and leisure.
“For the moment, it’s very, very hot,” said Linda Leoni, business manager of Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers, which staged Malayia’s first auction in 2010 and has held three this year. “Can we sustain the level? We have yet to see.” But Langenbach said more daring art is slowly emerging. “I think new artists are definitely coming up… A more political art has come out recently,” Langenbach said. He cited as one example of such art Poodien, or Shaifuddin Mamat, whose dark works suggest a disillusionment with politics and the modern world. But government support for art remains limited and lacks the “vision” to encourage more experimental themes and art forms, Langenbach said. Auctions and other public sales steer largely clear of what little edgy content there is, and collectors are mostly Malaysians, with broad international interest elusive.
Bayu Utomo Radjikin, one of the country’s most established figurative painters, is part of a collective formed in 1989 by five Malaysian artists that today aims to encourage emerging artists. Bayu said many younger artists who came of age under Mahathir were still struggling to find their voices, adding that art will not truly develop until more artists find ways around the taboos. “Malaysia is safe and comfortable, so that shows in their art, and we (Malaysians) are easy to satisfy,” he said. Haslin says the current interest nonetheless makes survival easier for new graduates, and he lets buyers find their own meaning in his art. “I am not interested in political events or stories,” he said in his small home studio, crammed with large canvases and the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings action figures that he collects. “But I think it’s good if the audience can relate it to political (issues) because that is the power of the paintings. It can influence the audience to think,” he said. - AFP    |
| EPF investment income hits RM7b on loans and bonds Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:18 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) registered a 66% year-on-year income growth from its loans and bonds portfolio, pushing overall investment income to RM7 billion for the third-quarter ended Sept 30, 2012 (3Q12). In a press release on its unaudited results yesterday, EPF chief executive officer Azlan Zainol said: "Despite a challenging quarter, loans and bonds generated exceptional one-off returns due to a number of tactical capital market transactions, thus outperforming other portfolios during the same period." Overall, the social security organisation's investment income rose 3.24% to RM7.02 billion in the 3Q12 from RM6.8 billion in the 3Q11. EPF recorded an income of RM3.06 billion for the 3Q12 compared with RM1.85 billion in the 3Q11. The returns from Malaysian Government Securities in the 3Q12 stood at RM1.54 billion, reflecting a marginal decrease of 0.6% compared with 3Q11. Equities posted RM2.34 billion in income compared to RM3.18 billion in the 3Q11, due to stocks in certain sectors that had bucked the market trend during the quarter. Meanwhile, properties and money market instruments contributed RM54.62 million and RM23.85 million respectively for 3Q12. One of EPF's major investment transactions during the quarter under review includes the finalising of the purchase price of RM2.28 billion for 2,330 acres of Rubber Research Institute Malaysia land in Sungai Buloh. As part of its diversification strategy, EPF also teamed up with property developers SP Setia Bhd and Sime Darby Bhd to acquire the Battersea Power Station project in London worth £400 million (RM1.97 billion). As at Sept 30, 2012, EPF's investment asset stood at RM510.11 billion, an increase of RM58.3 billion from RM451.81 billion recorded in the same period in 2011. Total contributions received in the 3Q12 amounted to RM12 billion compared to RM8.47 billion of total withdrawals, resulting in RM3.53 billion net inflows of funds. "Given the continuing uncertainty in the economy and the low interest rate environment, it will be tough to sustain current investment performance in the quarters to come. Nonetheless, EPF continues to maintain a robust risk management framework with tactical investment strategies in place to ensure that it does not only preserve, but also enhance the value of members' retirement funds," said Azlan. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Videos ‘doctored’, says Manikavasagam Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:15 PM PST  PETALING JAYA: Doctored! This is Kapar MP S Manikavasagam’s response to the videos exposed by MIC, which showed him ranting against Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar. “The video was doctored by MIC. I never used the word ‘bastard’ against Jayakumar. I don’t use such terms on my party members. The context for Khalid to step down also was manipulated,” he said. The PKR leader told FMT that he was fond of using the word "celaka" (damn) and had used it against municipal councillors who did not toe the line. The recordings, made during Wednesday’s rally for stateless Indians in Putrajaya, were shown at a press conference organised by MIC Youth yesterday. The recordings showed Manikavasagam calling Jayakumar a "bastard" and urging Khalid to resign over his failure to protect Hindu places of worship. In his defence, the Kapar MP said: "Even [Opposition Leader] Anwar Ibrahim’s sex videos can be doctored, what more these videos." Click here to view the video on YouTube. Manikavasagam also claimed that MIC Youth chief T Mohan wanted to drive a wedge between him, Khalid and Jayakumar. "This is because they know I am vocal, especially when it comes to temple issues,” he said. Recounting the incident on Wednesday, the Kapar MP said two men, whom he presumed to be journalists, had posed the question on the recent demolition of a shrine.”I explained that Khalid would have to go if he did not investigate the demolition case in Sepang but he is investigating the matter and the Batu Caves case as well," he added.    |
| Candidate, 94, uses funeral fund for Japan election Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:15 PM PST
Ryokichi Kawashima is the oldest candidate in the race for the lower house this Sunday and says he felt he had to get involved in politics to stop the younger generation making such a mess of things. “I’m running on behalf of the weak,” Kawashima, one of 1,504 candidates vying for 480 seats in the House of Representatives, told AFP in Hanyu, north of Tokyo on Friday. He said he had been motivated to come out of retirement by worries over right-leaning candidates like former conservative prime minister Shinzo Abe and former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, who is 80. “The words ‘armed forces’ pop out of their mouths freely,” he told the Sports Hochi daily last week. “We surrendered unconditionally in the war. I was worried about what has become of Japan,” said the veteran of World War II, who spent seven years on the frontline in China, where he saw fellow soldiers killed. “I didn’t die in the war and I’ve had a lot of good times since. If I’d just gone on this way, I would feel guilty towards my comrades who died,” said Kawashima, who worked as an oven seller, a dealer in securities and bonds and held many other jobs before his retirement. Kawashima says his eyesight and mind are both still sharp for his battle against five candidates from established political parties. He has withdrawn three million yen ($36,000) from his savings to use as the deposit required for candidates in national elections. “I’ve saved my pension money as expenses for my own funeral,” said Kawashima who lives alone. “Honestly speaking, I may not (be) able to win but I want to state my case.” Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world, with more than 23 percent of people aged 65 or over, government figures show. In 50 years, that will rise to 40 percent. Many senior figures on the country’s political scene are older than their counterparts in other developed nations, including Ishihara, 80, the leader of the Japan Restoration Party and former governor of Tokyo. The youngest candidate in this Sunday’s poll is Kazuya Aoki, 24, a former aide to a member of parliament. -AFP    |
| Karpal backs Minority Affairs Ministry call Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:14 PM PST
"Why not? Such a ministry will definitely serve the interest of minorities in the country," he said. Hindraf had also vowed to back whichever political coalition that agreed to set up the ministry once it came into power. Asked if Karpal would be interested in helming the ministry should Pakatan Rakyat win federal power, the veteran MP paused for a moment before saying, "Frankly, I rather remain a lawyer." Karpal added that he loved his practice. "I’m not interested in ministries," he said. Sharing his views on Indian leaders in DAP, the Bukit Gelugor MP dismissed notions that there was a dearth of second echelon Indian leaders in the party. He added that DAP was a party of opportunity as it gave its young leaders time to grow in the fold. "We have upcoming leaders like V Sivakumar [former Perak speaker] and A Siva Subramaniam [Buntong state assemblyman]. There are others from Negeri Sembilan as well," he said. However, he reminded young leaders to be patient as it would take time for them to become prominent at the national level. "M Kulasegaran [Ipoh Barat MP] and I have been around for a long time. The party gives everyone the opportunity to grow but you have to be patient. "One way to get into the spotlight is by carrying issues close to the people’s hearts and how you project yourself to the masses," he said. Chinese chauvinist stigma However, Karpal admitted that DAP had problems convincing the Malays to join the party as there was a stigma that DAP was dominated by the Chinese. "We had a lot of programmes to attract the Malays but it’s tough. The government has managed to poison their minds that DAP is a chauvinistic Chinese party," he said. He also recalled the past, saying the party had good Malay leaders such as former Bayan Baru MP Ahmad Nor and former party vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz. "Unfortunately, Ahmad passed on while Tunku Abdul Aziz left the party," he said. But on the bright side, Karpal said that the lack of Malay leaders in DAP was complemented by PAS and PKR. "So both these parties help us in that way, to offer Malaysians a credible choice of a government in waiting," he added. Seniors must sacrifice For the coming general election, Karpal urged DAP leaders, especially seniors, to make the necessary sacrifices to gain a better chance of winning Putrajaya. "In a war, we must be able to make sacrifices for strategic purposes. Generals must be able to take the forefront," he said. He cited the 1990 general election, when then DAP secretary-general Lim Kit Siang and he had to sacrifice their safe seats in the Penang state assembly to allow new members to contest. "We decided to go for the Penang state government then. So Lim and I left our safe seats and contested in Kampung Kolam and Sungai Pinang respectively, which were BN strongholds. "While Lim won the state seat, I lost. But the strategy almost worked as we were only short of two state seats to form the state government. "In that spirit, we have to make sacrifices to make better gains," said Karpal, adding that he never contested a state seat after that. He also said that anything was possible after the 2008 general election, as no one thought Pakatan would be able to deny BN its customary two thirds majority and gain power in five states. "Some people say it’s a sign but the coming election will decide whether it was a sign or not. For the first time, a change of government is possible," he said. Karpal also confirmed that he would be contesting in the 13th general election. Asked if he would be contesting for the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat again, he laughed and replied: "I hope so."    |
| New venture to boost KUB unit’s revenue Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:12 PM PST
PETALING JAYA: KUB Malaysia Bhd's plantation unit, KUB Agrotech Sdn Bhd, expects an additional annual revenue of RM130 million as it goes into processing oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The new venture is through its strategic partnership with Sutracom Sdn Bhd to develop and operate a palm oil mill in Mukah, Sarawak. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding here yesterday to kick off the venture. The mill will be strategically located in KUB Agrotech's oil palm plantation in Mukah with FFB capacity processing of 45 metric tonnes (MT) per hour. It is estimated to cost RM50 million and is expected to be completed within a year. "We view the partnership with Sutracom as strategic, synergistic and complementary to KUB Agrotech. We wish to process 380,000MT of FFB per year with an estimated additional return of RM130 million per year," said KUB Agrotech's CEO Zainal Abidin Salleh. The FFB to feed the mill will be supplied by the company's plantations in Mukah, namely Ladang Sungai Buloh and Ladang Sungai Nape, as well as other estates and smallholders within the area. "We are determined to build and manage more mills in the future to facilitate the FFB's grading and to cater to the overflowing supply, and this is aligned with the company's mission to increase its landbank up to 70,000 acres for the development of oil palm plantations in the country," Zainal said. In a statement, the company said the partnership would pave the way for it to venture into downstream activities such as the production of palm oil-based products and into the production of biogas and biomass power plant segment. KUB Agrotech and its 60%- owned subsidiary, KUB Sepadu Sdn Bhd, currently own and manage over 6,000 acres of oil palm plantations in Johor and almost 12,000 acres in Sarawak with the product ion of 100,000MT of palm oil, which posted revenue of RM50 million in the financial year 2011. The amount is expected to increase by 50% next year due to a sizeable portion of its oil palm planted in Mukah reaching maturity. Sutracom has been engaged in the construction and engineering of numerous palm oil mills and holds the patent for the "Self Discharge Vertical Steriliser" patent. The system has been installed for its Malaysian and Indonesian clients. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| OCBC poll finds most fund managers positive on 1H2013 Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:11 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Most fund managers polled by OCBC Bank say they are upbeat about the investment outlook during the first-half (1H) of 2013. In a statement, the bank said 54% of 13 major fund management companies said they felt positive because the macro backdrop is positive; Asia, on the whole, remained the favourite regional equity market; the US dollar looks positive; and that gold is still strong. Fidelity Worldwide Investment sees growth picking up in early 2013 which would benefit equities, citing recent improvements in the US and Chinese economic data as well as the easing of monetary policies by central banks. However, some managers were more cautious about the outlook for next year. ING Investment Management said that its outlook for the period was "tepid", citing that the fundamental drivers in the developed economies have yet to be discovered and emerging markets are still in transition to being consumption-led economies. Many fund managers felt that the US quantitative easing measures put in place by the Federal Reserve and the ultra low interest regime would help lift the world's largest economy. The majority of those polled felt that the much feared "fiscal cliff" would not materialise and dent the US economic growth. While on China, 85% of the fund managers said that the economy would not be faced by a "hard landing". BlackRock's Asian Fundamental Equity Team said it remains optimistic that given the significant challenges facing China, the new leadership will follow through with implementation of key structural reforms which will help rebalance the economy. It expects corporate earnings to be upgraded in 2013, while 39% of the fund managers have chosen equity as their favourite asset class in the 1H of 2013. Asia ex-Japan and emerging markets were the top pick of the fund managers. Aberdeen Asset Management said it likes regional stocks because of robust governments and household balance sheets as well as Asian companies' strong finances and adoption of global best practices. Just 46% of the fund managers polled believed that the greenback would l ikely strengthen against other majors in the 1H of 2013 on the back of improving US economy and the slowdown in other developed economies. Some 77% of the managers feel that Asian currencies will appreciate against the US dollar as a result of strong liquidity flows into the region's equity and bond markets. An equal percentage said the eurozone crisis is the key risk for the 1H of 2013. Fidelity Worldwide Investment said uncertainties about the euro periphery are set to continue and much of the euro-area is still mired in recession. They expect economic weakness to persist despite the European Central Bank's (ECB) action to shore up these economies. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Why govt’s obstinacy on stateless Indians issue? Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:05 PM PST FMT LETTER: From Wong Mun Chee, via e-mail Recently Hindraf had appeared with a fine-tuned blueprint to uplift the institutionally marginalised segment of Malaysian Indians who had been perpetually neglected and amongst it was how to solve the stateless Indian issue. They have proposed a simple solution without much bureaucracy. The opposition seems to be receptive to the solution and have come forward in principle and even ran a campaign recently to address this issue in a politically motivated agenda. The government under the false tutelage of MIC, thinks that MIC is there to handle the situation and clamour on miniscule attempts to appease the Malaysian Indians. What fascinates me is that there are 12 other component parties within the BN faction and none has come forward to lend a voice to these truly pathetic grievances that faces a fellow Malaysian. The socio-economical state of the poorer and marginalised Malaysian Indians is so obvious that you don't need to be a rocket scientist to identify it. Why have the other parties within the component of the BN been silent? Is poverty, deprivation, and institutionalised discrimination exclusive only for the Malaysian Indians or rather a humanitarian drive across the board irrespective of the origin or what political ambition you represent? Why the component parties of BN continue to stay silent on a politically ingrained discrimination against the Malaysian Indians, like the state of the stateless Malaysian Indians, does not surprise me but casts a doubt on their sincerity as a genuine representative of the people. Why only MIC, in the eyes of Umno, needs to decide what is the true representation of the Malaysian Indian when the track records clearly shows how abysmal it has been at least for the poor and marginalised Indian communities and if that was not the case, there was no purpose for Hindraf to arise. The silence of component parties within the BN even when they are faced with basic human right issues like those stateless Indians resonance well with why Hindraf calls them all mandores of Umno. Whether Hindraf achieves it to eradicate the malfeasance is not the issue but on hindsight I think they definitely represent the people and their will as opposed to what is politically expedient for the lawmakers as and when it fits their own agenda.    |
| MIC should focus on other pressing issues Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:57 PM PST FMT LETTER: From S Param, via -mail It is heartening to learn that finally the MIC is taking a strong stance on several issues and events affecting the Indian population in the country. The peaceful demonstration held at the Selangor Menteri Besar's office by the MIC youth wing to protest the demolition of a Hindu shrine inside the compound of a house by the Sepang Municpal workers is understandable. The very act of sledgehammer swinging SMC officers trespassing into a private property has been condemned by practically all walks of people including PR elected representatives (MPs and ADUNS). I’m sure the Selangor government has learnt a bitter lesson and will take the necessary steps to prevent a similar embarrassing incident in the future. Having said that, I do not think it is a wise decision of the MIC youth wing to challenge the authorities to rebuild the alter. We should allow the law to take its course. We should wait for the outcome of the promised investigation by the authorities over the incident and what they plan to do next. As loyal citizens of our beloved country and true followers of the Hindu tenets and teachings, we should show respect for the law and the government of the day. Ideally MIC should advise the owner of the house to reapply to Sepang Municipal council to seek permission to build the alter in accordance to the stipulated guidelines. If it is turned down by the authorities then take them to court. Let the court decide. The MIC, representing a large portion of the Indian community should not be seen as a party that is encouraging civil disobedience in the name of safeguarding the religion and democratic rights. There must be a limit to our actions. Do not manipulate religious issues for political gains as it may backfire just like what happened to the Batu Caves Condo issue. All religious issues should be handled in a rationale way without arousing unwanted charged emotions. Although I condem the rash and insensitive actions of the Sepang Munipal authorities I for one do not subscribe to the notion that as Hindus we should champion blindly religious incidents of this nature. There is a need to thoroughly investigate the incident as evidence is slowly trickling down to show that ample warnings had been issued to the owner of the alter before action taken. It cannot be denied that there are individuals and groups out there who are taking advantage of the current political situation to manipulate and abuse the religious freedom in the country. The MIC and the Malaysian Hindu Sangam and other religious and social bodies should be careful of these people in our midst. Do not let emotions to run wild to the point that rationality is blurred or buried.The MIC should not spend too much time on this matter but continue to do a good job by focussing on other urgent social and economic issues that are close to the Indian community.    |
| Harimau tumbang, nasib Rajagopal menjadi pertanyaan Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:57 PM PST
Malaysia tunduk 0-2 atau 1-3 secara agreget sekaligus membawa Thailand ke final menentang Singapura. Skuad bimbingan Datuk K Rajagopal gagal mempertahankan kejuaraan Piala AFF yang dimenangi pada 2010. Pasukan negara terpaksa menunggu dua tahun lagi untuk merampas semula piala AFF. Kepada beberapa pihak, mereka menyalahkan pengadil Korea Selatan, Lee Minhu yang menyebabkan kekalahan itu. Mungkin juga akan menyalahkan Thailand kerana memberi padang latihan yang becak. Tapi apa yang berlaku dalam perlawanan itu, Harimau Malaya kurang mengaum. Bermain seperti seekor harimau yang patah gigi dan kaki terikat. Harapan dan impian telah berakhir, kini yang menjadi perbualan ialah mengenai masa depan Rajagopal. Adakah jurulatih yang memberikan negara dua kejuaraan – Sukan SEA di Laos pada 2011 dan Piala AFF setahun kemudian akan dikekalkan? Atau FAM akan mencari pengemudi lain untuk menghadapi kejohanan-kejohanan lain selepas ini? Sejak kebelakangan ini prestasi Rajagopal terumbang ambing sehingga dikritik pelbagai pihak menjelang piala AFF. Namun dalam pelbagai tekanan itu, Harimau Malaya berjaya layak ke separuh akhir. Prestasi Rajagopal dalam setahun terakhir adalah sederhana sahaja.    |
| Naza aims to boost new Chevrolet Orlando sales Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:56 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Naza Quest Sdn Bhd, the sole authorised distributor of Chevrolet in Malaysia, is aiming to sell 2,400 units of its multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the Chevrolet Orlando, in 2013. The Korean assembled MPV, touted as being "a seven-seater based on General Motor Co's global delta platform with a crossover styling that appeals to a wider range of drivers", is priced at RM118,888, thereby potentially generating additional revenue of about RM285.33 million for Naza. "The consumer response to the Chevrolet brand in Malaysia has given us tremendous confidence that the Malaysian market will warmly welcome the Chevrolet Orlando," said joint group executive chairman of Naza Group of Companies, SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin (photo), in his opening speech at the launch here yesterday. "We have the car segment, the sports-utility vehicle [SUV] segment, MPV segment and commercial segment. We are now present in all the segments," SM Faisal said. He said the company aims to grow its Chevrolet distributorship sales to more than 7,000 vehicles in 2013, up from expected sales of 2,500 vehicles in 2012. "We have always doubled the number of Chevrolet vehicles sold since 2010 and 2011. We expect to double the sales too in 2012," said Naza Quest's chief operating officer Maruan Mohd Said. The company sold 540 vehicles in 2010 and 1,280 vehicles in 2011. Maruan added that the company plans to increase its sales, services and spare parts centres to 30 from the current 26, by the end of the year. For 2013, it plans to open 10 more 3S centres especially in smaller Tier 2 markets and Sabah and Sarawak. The company plans to bring more Chevrolet models to Malaysian shores but would not divulge the models it plans to bring to the market. Naza Quest currently distributes five Chevrolet models namely Cruze, Captiva, Colorado, Sonic and now the Orlando. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    |
| Extreme weather is a hint of Apocalypse Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:54 PM PST  WASHINGTON: A third of Americans believe the intensity of recent natural disasters is linked to the Apocalypse described in the New Testament, according to a poll released yesterday.Many more blame global warming, the survey added. Seeking to explain floods and heat or cold waves, 36 percent of those surveyed, and 66 percent of Evangelical Christians, evoke the end of the world, said the poll by the Public Religion Research Institute/Religion News Service. But 63 percent of those polled blame climate change, and 67 percent say the US government should do more to address this problem. Some 15 percent of those polled believe the world will end during their lifetime, and two percent say it will happen on December 21 of this year as some believe was predicted by the Mayan calendar. A total of 1,018 adults took part in the poll, which was carried out between December 5 and 9 and had a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. - Reuters    |
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