Aarvidi’s Weblog

I am not too sure of Zimbabwe and the political turmoil there. But, I know Mugabe is a good friend of Mahathir, and in exchanging gifts they are the best of buddies. Some talk of secret funds, maybe Mahathir can clarify, but then in the present he may want to forget that he ever helped Mugabe. A note of interest, exchanging of gifts is reciprocal, er..did we get anything. Punch Cumarasamy can surely comment on this. Legalities is not my cup of tea.

But I like Mugabe’s bargaining, it is like , ‘I committed crimes, good for Zimbabwe, I killed, tortured people and all this was done for the good of the country (inflation 165 000 percent), surely you are not going to imprison me and throw away the keys, where is your sense of human life and suffering, let me run away to Malaysia my good friend the gift man is there, and also I got lot of business connections there’

Anybody in the welcoming party for Mugabe.

Mugabe: I will quit, as long I do not face prosecution

· Opposition in secret talks with president’s aides
· MDC fears refusal of offer will end in emergency rule
Chris McGreal in Harare
The Guardian,
Friday April 4 2008
Robert Mugabe’s aides have told Zimbabwe’s opposition leaders that he is
prepared to give up power in return for guarantees, including immunity from
prosecution for past crimes.
But the aides have warned that if the Movement for Democratic Change does
not agree then Mugabe is threatening to declare emergency rule and force
another presidential election in 90 days, according to senior opposition
sources.
The opposition said the MDC leadership is in direct talks with the highest
levels of the army but it is treating the approach with caution because they
are distrustful of the individuals involved and calling for direct contact
with the president, fearing delaying tactics.
Those fears were reinforced last night when at one point Zimbabwe’s election
commission abruptly halted the release of official results from the
Saturday’s election for “logistical reasons” and the police raided
opposition offices.
The MDC’s presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, has already claimed
victory on the basis of his party’s tally of the count at polling stations.
The police arrested at least two foreign journalists, one from Britain and a
New York Times correspondent, who are banned from Zimbabwe under draconian
media laws.
A senior MDC source said “the ball is rolling” in persuading Mugabe to
recognise defeat in the presidential election after negotiations with the
security establishment and contacts with high levels of Zanu-PF.
The source said the party was approached by senior Zanu-PF officials who
said they were speaking for Mugabe and that he is prepared to resign if
there are guarantees that he and senior aides would not be prosecuted.
He said there were other demands which he did not specify but the approach
was being treated with caution because officials who negotiated for Mugabe
in the past had offered commitments which the president had not fulfilled.
The MDC wants to talk to Mugabe directly.
Another MDC official said the party is maintaining a tough negotiating
stance in contacts with other elements of the ruling party and had refused a
Zanu-PF demand for up to four seats in the cabinet.
He said the MDC had rejected power sharing offers because it had won the
presidential race outright even though the electoral commission has yet to
start releasing results.
“We cannot share power when we’ve won. If you’ve won the cup you don’t share
it,” the opposition official said.
But senior Zanu-PF officials are attempting to pressure the opposition with
the threat of a run-off presidential election by ensuring Tsvangirai’s
proportion of the vote falls below 50% and then delaying the second round.
It should be should be held within 21 days but the ruling party is
threatening to postpone it for three months during which Mugabe’s term in
office would expire and he would extend his rule by emergency decree.
The MDC’s leadership has also opened direct talks with the “top, top” of the
army according to the source.
The source said that the military leadership is looking for “guarantees for
their conditions of service” and to keep farms confiscated from whites
provided they are productive. The MDC said it has no problems with those
issues.
Another MDC source said the party had assured Zanu-PF and security officials
they would not be prosecuted for past crimes.
The opposition believes the approaches mark a recognition by Mugabe that
support for him within Zanu-PF has eroded since the election. Now, important
elements of Mugabe’s party are willing to do a deal because they realise the
election results could not be manipulated to overturn a clear opposition
victory and that there is little hope of winning a second round of
presidential elections without resorting to violence or fraud.
Mugabe’s position was further undermined on Wednesday when Zanu-PF lost
control of parliament for the first time since independence in 1980.
Publicly Zanu-PF has vowed to “fight on” and the opposition said it was
still preparing for a second round of elections if Mugabe did not bow to
pressure to go.
Bright Matonga, Zanu-PF’s deputy information minister, took a defiant
position, saying that the party had “let the president down” by not winning
Saturday’s election.
“Zanu-PF is ready for a run-off, we are ready for a resulting victory,” he
said.
“In terms of strategy, we only applied 25% of our energy into this campaign
… (The run-off) is when we are going to unleash the other 75% that we did
not apply in the first case.”
The MDC fears that what will be unleashed is an extremely violent campaign
because that is its last hope Zanu-PF has of curbing support for the
opposition.

The Zimbabwe Situation

Nazri is at his best. After a hiatus that lasted for nearly a month, he comes out with new theories on why the ruling party Barisan Nasional failed miserably at the polls. Let me summarise; 

• his outbursts in Parliament did not affect the bad performance
• proof is his winning at Padang Rengas
• UMNO did not lose
• some seats were lost because of seat allocation to component parties
• particularly MIC, knowing it would lose, yet seats were allocated
• had it not been for MIC the ruling Barisan Nasional would have worn these seats

I am more than surprised at the way he is trying to wrangle his way out of the situation. Those who view You Tube, will know, the antics of this ex de facto Law Minister. His uncouth rage, his inappropriate language not befitting his training as a student of law, and his arguments which had no rhyme or reason. Bluntly put, he behaved like an unschooled tyrant, out of place in  a reputable entity, parliament house. He was responsible, with a few more others, to drag parliament to a low level of existence, treating not only parliamentarians and the people at large as school boys who need to be told how parliament must conduct its affairs. Having created a ruckus, he quietly claims he is blameless. So much so, he had the privilege of being shown as a comedian and nothing else. The people were not impressed. Parliament became a mad-house and he assumed the lead. Badawi showed him the exit by bringing in Datuk Zaid Ibrahim making him a Minister. Is this proof enough.

He won at Padang Rengas. Here I guess he could gaze at the crystal ball well Read this Bernama report. He met the Indian community and perhaps they were charitable.

He must be crazy to suggest UMNO did not lose. If UMNO had won, why are 5 states under opposition. Somebody has to pinch him to wake him up.

Seat allocation is another matter raised. Yes the component parties which includes UMNO as well, lost, but this did not happen due to his antics in Parliament. Correct,correct,correct. His action was only a drop in the ocean that caused the tsunami, how could he be blamed.

MIC is the main culprit. What about MCA, Gerakan and PPP, are they blameless.

The fact remains he was in the losing team and whatsoever he may say, to calm his nerves, he is partly to blame for the tsunami.   

Nazri denies he’s quitting, says not to blame

By CHAN LI LEEN

PARIT BUNTAR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has denied talk that he is quitting his ministerial post.

He dismissed talk that he would resign to take responsibility for hard-hitting remarks he had made in the past that could have cost Umno and the Barisan Nasional support in the recently-concluded general election.

Nazri said the losses suffered had nothing to do with anything he had said.

Stressing that his victory in the Padang Rengas parliamentary seat was proof of that, Nazri said: “I won, I didn’t lose. If it had been any statements that I made, I would have lost.”

“Remember, Umno did not lose. Don’t talk as if we lost.”

However, he noted that the Barisan did lose some seats because it had stayed true to its promise on seat allocations among component parties.

“For example, we already knew that the Indian community did not support the MIC but still we kept to our promise.

“Umno did not take back the Malay-majority seats but allowed the MIC to contest although we could have won them,” he told reporters after handing out aid to 124 storm victims in his constituency here on Friday.

Nazri denies he’s quitting, says not to blame

A doctor must  have highest standards of professional conduct, and one of that is to save lives. A child with congenital heart disease requires immediate medical attention, and if this cannot be provided in this country, the next best thing is to send the child to a place where such medical attention is available. Dr Khoo is concerned about the move which he claims is detrimental for the development of comprehensive cardiac care in this country. If a child dies for want of treatment, will the MMA president be liable for that death. He is treating the sick child as a commodity.

Sending Patients To India Not A Very Wise Move, Says MMA

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) — The Health Ministry’s plan to send patients to India for heart surgeries would only hamper the local cardiac and healthcare industry, the Malaysia Medical Association (MMA) said Thursday.
Its president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin in a statement here said the move was retrogressive and contradicted the government’s aim to promote the country as a health tourism destination.
“Sending patients overseas might solve the immediate problem for a while but will be detrimental for the development of comprehensive cardiac care in this country.
“Malaysia has been working hard to position itself as a health tourism destination. “This move of sending our citizens overseas is going to send the wrong signals and hurt the efforts grievously,” he said in response to Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai’s statement on Wednesday that children born with congenital heart disease would be sent to India for treatment as a last resort if it is not possible to schedule for their treatment here.
It was reported that the cost per child in India, including surgery, airfare and treatment would only amount to RM10,000 compared to about RM17,000 at the National Heart Institute (IJN) here and up to RM45,000 at private hospitals.
Dr Khoo said instead of making the relative cost an excuse, the government itself should be working on ways to come up with competitive cost packages for such surgery.

Sending Patients To India Not A Very Wise Move, Says MMA :: Bernama.com

What no Rashid, the Chairman. Is there any way to insist that this renowned and experienced election chairman should go. The Nepalese can benefit a lot with Rashid’s presence. They may even pick up a few pointers from Rashid, far beyond their wildest dreams. Signature campaign anyone?

Malaysia Officials To Observe Nepal Elections

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) — Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar will lead a three-member delegation to observe Nepal’s Constituent Assembly elections on April 10.
The Embassy of Nepal here said the other members of the delegation were EC Deputy Secretary Ab.Rahim Ahmad and EC member Datuk Dr P.Manogran.
“The observer team from Malaysia is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on Sunday,” the embassy said in a statement Thursday.
The Constituent Assembly polls, the first in Nepal, is expected to be observed by more than 1,000 international elections observers and monitors from various countries and non-governmental organisations,” the statement added.

Malaysia Officials To Observe Nepal Elections :: Bernama.com

See Samy in action.

Funny is it not, that anything that now comes out from Samy Vellu’s mouth, is not taken seriously, dismissed with a laugh, confirms his character as a non-entity, and his inability to speak with sincerity. This man has lost his integrity with the Indians and leaders of UMNO, and now whatever statement he makes is like a dog howling to the moon, the people hear it, different reactions come to mind, fear, amusement, inquisitive thoughts, but after a moment nobody cares as if the howling is part of the environmental noise. So Samy has passed on to that category of being insignificant.

Samy in the past, cannot be said to be a leader well liked, but tolerated and anger arose in individuals when he talked about tolls, why people must pay high tolls and I remember there was a caricature of him sitting in a toll booth and collecting toll after he was defeated in the elections.

MIC was his territory, there the people revered him, kow-towed to him, only short of lying prostrate at his feet - a feature well documented in the Tamil Nadu government of ex Jayalalitha.

A newspaper advertisement before the elections warned the Indians, you are about to disintegrate, pay a heavier price, and do you want PAS.

But today we hear a different Samy, a God for the Indians -what a fast transformation from night to day; a total turn around and so fast. While thinking about this I read the following in Tamil:

உள்ளம் தீ எரிய உதடு பழம் சொரிய

‘Ullam thee eria, uthadu palam soriya’ The translation is, the heart burns like fire, but without showing it out, the lips sound sweet words. The irritation of the heart is not exposed - hidden, speaking good to hide the original intentions.

Is my assessment of Samy correct?

Indian Community Back With BN If Govt Meets MIC’s Requests, Says Samy Vellu

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) — The Barisan Nasional (BN) will get back the support of the Indian community if the government meets some of the requests made by the MIC under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
Party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the requests included expediting measures to increase equity for the Indians through provision of a fund and the setting up a foundation like Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).
“This is crucial because MIC feels the Indian equity has dropped to 1.2 percent from the previous 1.5 percent,” he told reporters after chairing an MIC meeting at the party headquarters here Thursday.
He said the move was to help increase the Indian equity to three percent by 2010.
On loans for small and medium enterprises (SME), Samy Vellu said he was disappointed that many applications from Indians were either rejected or not entertained.
He said he would lead a delegation to meet Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Datuk Amirsham A. Aziz to discuss MIC’s requests.

Indian Community Back With BN If Govt Meets MIC’s Requests, Says Samy Vellu :: Bernama.com