IBULLSHIT

This more like it.....BULLSHIT!

The Chairman of the ruling coalition once again reiterated that his 1Malaysia slogan is no political tool, instead it is a unifying battle cry to all Malaysians.Reading at his 1Malaysia booklet, one cannot argue with him but what concern all is how 1Malaysia is being implemented particularly those people whom he claimed to champion.

The people of Sabah, Sarawak and those who feel themselves being unjustly treated by the majority or rather by the Umnoputras are the ones who better understand what 1Malaysia really is. All these while, Malaysians in Sabah particularly have been calling for the Federal government to appoint Sabahans as head of Federal departments in Sabah as per the Malaysian Agreement but more or less their pleas fall on deaf ears or those Malayans (Read Umnoputras) never bothered to listen.

Being a state of abundant resources too is not helping the state to achieve greater height, mainly because of certain unscrupulous local leaders who are bent to enrich themselves rather then dispersing their responsibility rigtheously. Their greed is sadly abetted by the Federal government by returning a minuscule of what the state gives or contributes to the nation's coffer.

Oftentimes, the ruling coalition keep on labelling and calling Sabah as their fixed deposit but instead of repaying the contribution, they keep on ignoring pleas from aggrieved Malaysians in the state. There are many areas particularly in the rural parts of the state where many are still poor with little or no amenities like electricity and good road and transportation while folks in Kuala Lumpur are enjoying all the perks and latest facilities money can buy. Once the government claimed to have saved billions from subsidy cuts but instead of spreading the wealth to all parts of the nation they chose only to concentrate on upgrading the transportation system in the nation's capital. Yet, Kuala Lumpur today is still suffering from acute traffic jams all over, all the time!

The Penans and other indigenous in Sarawak are being silently uprooted from their ancestral lands but yet again the ruling coalition turn blind to that and various other abuse of power and misconduct of the nation's longest serving Chief Minister. As far as Malaysians are concerned the Sarawakians are left to their own device to fight the regime of CMS in the land of hornbills. However, the Sarawakians are better off compared to their fellow Malaysians in Sabah who despite being the second largest state with equally abundant natural resources, continues to languish behind other state half of its size.

Is this what 1Malaysia? Perhaps not but that is the reality that everyone has to admit as 1Malaysia really means 1Umno/BN!

NO TO NUCLEAR!

NO to NUCLEAR PLANTS!

Invigorated and justified by the 'fact' that oil and gas are getting scarce and thus expensive Malaysia despite knowing its risk and having no expertise or more correctly lack of expertise has decided to go for nuclear energy. The Minister responsible for energy declared that Malaysia will be building two nuclear powered plants which location is yet to be known.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said the government would engage an international consultant to evaluate the location and requirement for such plants to be built. He who survived a pay cut motion in the Parliament and attracted criticism particularly from Sabah due to the lackadaisical attitude of SESB in solving power woes in the state again is inviting opposition and criticism since nuclear power is too risky though there are obvious benefits.

Time and again, Malaysians have come up with suggestions to develop more eco-friendly source of energy but the government seems not interested and usually make light of such suggestions. Perhaps they are drawn back by the initial cost but every initiative or venture usually requires higher cost in the beginning especially if it is eco-friendly but in the long run it is cheaper and most importantly it is safer not only to the environment but all living organisms as well.

If they are bent on their so called austerity drive then what about some costly yet lowly beneficial projects like the proposed renovation of Seri Perdana, the 100 storey Wawasan Tower and many more projects which are least beneficial to the majority of the mass. The hazard of having such plants though they may be located far away from residential areas, is greater as what had happened to Chernobyl more than two decades ago. Only after 24 years, the Ukranian government dares to reopens Chernobyl to human populations.

Being the Safe Deposit of the ruling coalition gives me the jitters since they might be thinking of building the plants here since the state is sparsely inhabited as compared to the Peninsular and of course by virtue of their label of the state as being their fixed deposit. Being the fixed deposit does not means that the state is their favourite but rather they are able to do whatever they please since in their twisted mind, the people in the state will adhere whatever they tell them.

I am not insinuating anything but being the poorest state in the nation after years of achieving independance must certainly adds to strengthen my point that they will do whatever they feel like to do. Fortunately, their plan to build coal powered plant in state has so far not materialised because of some oppositions from the people.

These groups of people are our only hope that both the coal and nuclear powered plants will not be built on our soil and in fact any so called developments which endanger every single life in Sabah.

Buta Sejarah

Negeri kaya, rakyat miskin

"Rupanya masih trdapat masy yg xmemahami bahawa keistimewaan org melayu merangkumi hak2 istimewa kaum bumiputera sabah/sarawak. Mungkin ini juga salah satu faktor mengapa kaum bumiputera di sabah khasnya, ada segelintir yg agak emosional a/bila org Melayu lantang mempertahankan hak yg telah dipersetujui sebelum kaum imigran diterima menjadi warga Persekutuan Tanah Melayu & akhirnya Msia.Perlu diberi penjelasan."

Pernyataan di atas diambil daripada komen dalam FB yang jelas lagi nyata menunjukkan kedangkalan empunya komen tentang situasi terkini dan kedudukan sebenarnya mereka yang dianggap sebagai kononnnya teermasuk dalam istilah Melayu. Dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan Perkara 153 menyebut secara jelas dan mengasingkan Melayu dengan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak dan bukannya seperti yang terkandung dalam komen di atas.

Ketika mereka menuduh sebahagian besar terutamanya mereka yang kritikal terhadap parti memerintah, sebagai tidak memahami atau cuba mengubah Perlembagaan nyata mereka sendiri dangkal tentang Perlembagaan hingga berlaku kesilapan yang memalukan seperti yang tertera dalam komen di atas. Melayu dalam Perlembagaan [Perkara 160] adalah mereka yang beragama Islam, mengamalkan cara hidup dan budaya Melayu dan lahir di dalam Persekutuan pada atau sebelum Kemerdekaan. Hal atau tafsiran ini jelas membezakan Melayu dengan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak yang tidak semestinya beragama Islam. Oleh yang demikian maka Perkara 153 dengan jelas membezakan Melayu dan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak yang mungkin bukan beragama Islam.

Perkara 153 secara jelas turut menyatakan bahawa YDPA bertanggungjawab memelihara dan memastikan kepentingan - kepentingan sah kaum bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak dan kaum - kaum lain. Kepentingan - kepentingan yang sah inilah yang menjadi isu tatkala pelampau nasionalis asyik dan tegar melauangkan konsep 'Ketuanan ' yang nyata menyimpang jauh dari initipati dan roh Perlembagaan, yang kononnya mereka dukung. Bahagian terkemudian dalam Perkara 153 ini sering diabaikan apabila mereka ghairah menegakkan 'ketuanan' mereka.

Pada masa yang sama, sekiranya kita andaikan Melayu itu termasuk bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak seperti yang terkandung dalam komentar di atas sekali lagi empunya komentar gagal memahami atau sengaja menidakkan hakikat bahawa bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak masih jauh ketinggalan berbanding rakan atau saudara Melayu mereka di Semenanjung termasuklah mereka yang beragama Islam sendiri seperti yang kita ketahui semasa PRK Batu Sapi sedang hangat berlangsung. Kaum bumiputera Islam di sana masih ramai yang miskin malah mungkin ramai yang masih tergolong sebagai miskin tegar.

Justeru, apakah atau tidakkah wajar mereka ini gelisah dan emosional tatkala mereka masih terpinggir dan jauh ketinggalan walhal mereka (mengikut empunyakomentar) termasuk dalam definisi Melayu? Di mana keadilan sekiranya dalam RMK 10 ,peruntukan untuk Sabah dan Sarawak jauh lebih kecil berbanding dengan peruntukan untuk negeri - negeri lain ketika Sabah dan Sarawak umum mengetahui merupakan antara penyumbang terbesar pendapatan negara? Adakah wajar sebuah negeri yang kaya dengan hasil dan menyumbang kepada pendapatan negara masih antara )menurut Bank Dunia masih yang termiskin) yang termiskin di Malaysia?

Isu ini tidak berbangkit sekiranya Sabah, Sarawak dan kaum - kaum lain memperolehi apa yang wajar mereka perolehi sebagaimana yang termaktub dalam Perkara 153 dan bukannya atas dasar ehsan seperti yang sering digunapakai oleh parti memerintah tatkala mengagihkan sesuatu walhal Sabah, Sarawak dan kaum - kaum lain turut menyumbang ke arah pendapatan yang kemudiannya diagih kepada mereka atas 'ehsan' parti memerintah. Inilah akibatnya mereka yang mengaku bijak tetapi hakikatnya mereka dangkal!

Pluralism According to THEM

Bravo Sahibus Samahah!

I salute the Perlis Mufti for his excellent insight when he openly condemned those who were accusing others of practising or promoting pluralism. According to him , such rushed and harsh accusations is just like the Talibans did in Afghanistan not too long ago. He added and I totally concur with him that such extremity is bad for this country where we have multi races and faiths.

Those people seemed to forget the practices of Prophet Muhammad SAW and many of his companions of practising respect and tolerance when it comes to religion. What is more appalling is that the seminar in which those people uttered such criticism or rather accusations seemed to forget or deliberately skipped some practices of leaders from the ruling coalition which was clearly against the teachings of Islam like what the Perak coup leader did few weeks ago and how the self proclaimed First Lady of Malaysia organised a fashion show purportedly to promoter Islamic fashion when it was clearly the opposite. How about some leaders who indulged themselves in things that are clearly against the teachings of Islam like bribery and drinking liquor? These are the things rightly pointed out by the Perlis Mufti, which I am sure will be facing the brunt later on since he is actually an outsider being a Sarawakian himself.

One of the speaker in the forum or seminar was once a supporter of DSAI but out of the blue he suddenly criticised and accused him of pluralism. In a way, that is commendable since he is trying to correct something that in his opinion is wrong but he is being unfair when obvious misdeeds by leaders from the ruling coalition went missing in his criticism and furthermore he did not do a thorough check on the history of the Prophet SAW and the companions on the same matter.

Selective and unfair criticism have been practised widely by the ruling coalition against the Opposition or others who have dissenting ideas. Such conduct in the end deprives the mass of the truth or at least the other side of the story causing them to blindly agree and follow what the leaders of the ruling coalition are saying making them to make mistake of retaining the people who have for all the years cheated them not only of their wealth but also their freedom and sanity as well!

Al Fatihah untuk Demokrasi

Rampasan kuasa telah berlaku di sini

Sebelum ini PM didakwa berkata sekiranya BN gagal untuk memerintah semula maka tiada siapa dibenarkan untuk menggantikan tempat BN. Pada hari ini lebih ramai Ahli Dewan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat digantung sekaligus membolehkan BN memperolehi majoriti dua pertiga yang selama ini didambakan. Dengan kata lain, demokrasi berparlimen telah mati! Rampasan kuasa secara halus telahpun bermula...

Dengan kelebihan dua pertiga, BN boleh dan mampu melakukan apa sahaja yang mereka inginkan tanpa sebarang halangan dan inilah yang ditakuti oleh seluruh warga Malaysia yang rasional. Mereka bukan sahaja telah membunuh demokrasi tetapi yang lebih malang perwakilan ataupun suara rakyat yang telah memilih ADR - ADR berkenaan telah dinafikan dengan suatu keputusan autoktatik Speaker Dewan Rakyat.

Menggantung kehadiran ADR walaupun merupakan kuasa prerogatif Speaker perlu berlandaskan Peraturan Mesyuarat Dewan dan yang lebih penting kepentingan rakyat yang diwakili tidak terjejas. Penggantungan selama setengah tahun ini bermakna, ADR - ADR tersebut tidak boleh menghadiri sebarang sidang Dewan sehingga April atau Mei depan. Dengan ketiadaan mereka maka rakyat tidak akan memperolehi representasi yang sepatutnya terutama bagi mengutarakan persoalan ataupun masalah yang mereka hadapi.

Kemungkinan besar sidang kali ini merupakan sidang Dewan yang mereka hadiri memandangkan desas - desus kuat mengatakan Dewan Rakyat akan dibubarkan seawal Mac depan. BN kini kelihatan giat melakukan apa yang terdaya untuk mengekang dan seterusnya melupuskan suara - suara yang menentang tindak tanduk mereka yang kian hari kian menunjukkan kelibat diri mereka yang sebenar.

Penggantungan itu juga bermakna mereka tiada kurangnya dengan junta tentera Myanmar yang menidakkan kemenangan Aung San Suu Kyi dan partinya pada pilihanraya tahun 1990 dahulu walaupun kelihatan seperti mereka menentang keras perlakuan junta tentera berkenaan. Benarlah seperti yang ditulis Harakah bahawa kini rakyat bukan didahulukan tetapi lebih kepada rakyat dahulu kena. Al Fatihah untuk demokrasi Malaysia...

THE FATE OF A FIXED DEPOSIT STATE

Evidence of Sabah being a 'FIXED DEPOSIT'

PUTRAJAYA: Ten national schools have been selected for a pioneer project under the Trust School programme to help improve teaching and learning methods. The schools, located in Johor and Sarawak, comprise high, average and low-performing schools.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Yayasan Amir, a foundation under Khazanah Nasional Berhad, would monitor the schools to find out what they were lacking in and how they could improve their teaching methods.

The schools are SK Bandar Baru Uda (2), SK Kampung Layau, Kota Tinggi, SJK (T) Kangkar Pulai, SMK (FELDA) Semenchu, Kota Tinggi and SMK Gelang Patah in Johor; and SM Sains Kuching, SK Kg Empila, Samarahan, SK Combine, SK Tabuan and SMK Bandar Kuching (2) in Sarawak.

"This project is still in its early stages, and monitoring of the schools is required. If implemented nationwide, there might be problems in monitoring them and determining the standard, quality of teaching and management.

"That is why only two states were chosen in the initial stage," he said after launching the Yayasan Amir Trust School Chain yesterday.

Also present were Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Yayasan Amir chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said the programme was to improve the students' academic and non-academic performances.

He said of the 10 selected schools, five were low-performing schools, three medium and two high-performing schools.

He said besides Khazanah, there were a few other companies and banking institutions that were interested in participating in the programme by adopting other schools as their Trust Schools.

However, he said this could only be done after the implementation of the pioneer project, which would be used as a benchmark.

Muhyiddin also said the schools under the programme would continue to receive government aid.

"For example, for low-performing schools, we will provide assistance, but Yayasan Amir will look into what can be done, like providing computers.

"To improve the learning of English, Mathematics and Science, an expert could be hired to coach students.

"This way, the selected schools will have an edge and we hope there will be improvement in performance."

Earlier in his speech, in line with a decision reached at the National Economic Action Council meeting, chaired by the prime minister in June last year, he said the Education Ministry had been given the mandate to develop the Trust School initiative with Khazanah.

He said the Trust Schools were not elite schools, but selected government or government-aided schools jointly managed by the private sector and the school administration, under the Education Ministry.

"In terms of school management, the ministry will give freedom to the administration, teachers and the private sector to decide on certain matters, like curriculum, finance and acquisition, staff management and flow chart report, apart from preparing guidelines on accountability to avoid over-lapping of function and duties."

Meanwhile, Azman said Khazanah had allocated RM100 million for a five-year period to carry out the programme.

While it somehow a relief to see that the school selected were at the top and bottom extreme which might have meant that there are no such schools in Sabah but it still raises few eyebrows. Sabah, which they always claim as their Fixed Deposit is once again left out in the list and thus is deprived of the much needed help to elevate the level of education.

Being one if not the poorest state in the nation necessarily means that Sabah is in dire need of any assistance from both the government and the private to improve on the level of education which is part of many reasons why Sabah though being the second largest state, is still languishing behind the rest.

Oftentimes, we have heard, read and watch the dire condition of many schools all over the state making learning process a very appalling and onerous experience. This certainly contributes to Sabah being at the lower rung of many if not all public examinations. The students are finding it hard even to go to school and now they have to endure inconducive learning environment. Yet, Sabahans have been returning them time and again to power.

Sabahans should think about their unconditional and in some parts, unwavering support to the ruling coalition. They need to be adventurous and be like their Chinese counterparts when it comes to electing the next government. They have been on the losing end far too long!

The Ketuanan Myth and Justice

Everyone should understand the Constitution for his or her own sake

Justice, fairness and accountability of the rulers are part of the requirements of being a developed nation of which unfortunately and sadly we severely lacked. This is particularly true when it comes between the ruling coalition and the opposition.

Whether we realise it or otherwise, that is the appalling side of our so-called democracy. If we do not belong to the ruling coalition then any dissenting views are construed as belonging to the Opposition or at least pro Opposition, though there is truth in those dissenting opinion. As long as one is affiliated to the ruling coalition then whatever statement, declaration or view coming from their mouth will not be severely criticised and prosecuted by both the ruling coalition and their mouth pieces including majority of the mass media.

While delivering his policy speech at the 2010 National Convention, Tan Sri Bernard G.Dompok openly declared that the term Malay Supremacy (Ketuanan Melayu) should no longer exist. He averred that the 'Tuan' had left Sabah and Sarawak in 1963 and in 1957 for the Peninsular Malaysia. Indeed, his concept , understanding and views of Ketuanan Melayu is shared by majority of Malaysians especially those who feel and experience that they are being sidelined and treated unfairly though they are truly Malaysian citizens.

The UPKO President further cemented his argument by saying that even if the concept of Ketuanan Melayu is actually referring to the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers, the Rulers should therefore are perceived and in reality should look after the well being of other citizens not exclusively those Malay from which the Rulers belong to. Indeed, as Professor Emeritus Khoo Kay Kim had rightfully observed that the concept is nowhere to be found in the Federal Constitution. However, he had differed from Dompok as he opined that the supremacy or ketuanan actually means loyalty to the Rulers.

This is enshrined in Article 32 which stipulated that the Yang Dipertuan Agung is the Supreme Head of the Federation and he shall take precedence over all others. Nonetheless, Dompok rightfully observes that being the Supreme Head of the Federation and since the Federation consists of various ethnics therefore he too is responsible to look after the well being of all and not exclusively the Malays except for those clearly stipulated in the Constitution.

At the same time, the ruling coalition particularly those from Umno including those from Sabah in the like of Armani Mahiruddin were calling for PKR's President head for saying the same thing as that of UPKO President. They were urging that Dr.Wan Azizah be detained under the draconian ISA for 'directly challenging the provisions of the Federal Constitution. This is mind boggling and an insult to every Malaysians since as mentioned above there is no mention specifically about Malay Supremacy in the letters of the Constitution.

In fact Article 153 of which the proponents of the concept often referred to albeit erroneously is about the duty of the Yang Dipertuan Agung to safeguard the special position of the Malay AND natives of Sabah and Sarawak AND the legitimate interests of OTHER COMMUNITIES. Under the law, the word 'and' should be interpreted conjunctively and not otherwise. To interpret the word disjunctively or separately will certainly bring grievous injustice to all Malaysians since under the same Constitution (Article 8), everyone is equal before the law and thus accorded equal protection under the law. Under the 1Malaysia concept, the differences among various ethnics are accepted wholeheartedly and therefore should be celebrated. None should be above the rest as justice for all is the core of the concept promulgated by Datuk Seri Najib himself under auspices of Vision 2020.

Many prefer to ignore the later parts of Article 153 which specifically mention the rights of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and other communities including the Chinese and the Indians. This is actually what we and our brothers are calling for- Our legitimate rights provided under the Constitution and not what others deem as trying to take way what they have been accorded to as rightfully theirs. I could not find anything wrong with asking for what initially and originally are our rights,could you? We understand that the Malays have certain privileges being the natives or sons of the soil, so do we us natives of Sabah and Sarawak like Borneonisation of Federal posts in Sabah which enviously is tightly and steadfastly uphold in neighbouring Sarawak!

Returning to the issue of Malay supremacy, we could see clearly how Dompok's and Azizah's statement shared their common feature - the term should no longer be used or exist. Sadly, though they share the same feature, only Wan Azizah has to face the brunt from the ruling coalition! This is what many are dissatisfied and even feel insulted. I am pretty sure that many will try to uphold Dompok since he belongs to the ruling coalition by offering countless excuses blurring his own intention.

Being a Muslim and a native of Sabah, I am thoroughly appalled by the double standard and unjust treatment that we have to endure as citizens of this land of ours that we call Malaysia. Everyone should instead remember the provision of Article 8 that we are all equal before the law and of course the preamble to the 1Malaysia concept that our differences should be accepted and celebrated and not otherwise!

IGNORANCE IS THE ROOT OF EVIL