Karpal Singh’s Advise To Badawi And Hamid – Malaysiakini

What a relief, there is still Karpal here who can admonish the leaders and advise them not to volunteer unsolicited comments on the alleged sodomy case of Anwar Ibrahim. As an old timer my thoughts go back to the Ipoh Seenivasagam brothers in the fifties, exemplary lawyers who brooked no nonsense when legal matters are concerned.

Karpal in his first argument says that the Prime Minister has no say in how the results of the investigation should go, this is purely between the Police and the Attorney-General. As a layman if the Prime Minister gets involved then the Police and the Attorney-General are influenced and indirectly directed by the comments and therefore are not allowed to make their own decisions. Simply it means let the Police and Attorney-General do their work.

Even the comments by the Prime Minister that the DNA samples are old, is out of context as experts say no change will take place in your DNA after many years.

At one stage when Anwar was in custody, I read that the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that the PKR de facto leader may have to stay overnight in custody. The first impression was the Home Minister was leading the investigation and not the Police. True enough, although the Police had agreed to release him the same day, at the last moment he was told he is being detained over night. The next morning after a short interrogation he was released.

Karpal has also taught Hamid an elementary requirement of obtaining DNA is left to the discretion of the person arrested.

I hope the leaders don’t make statements that are contradictory.

Let cops decide, so shut up Pak Lah!

MP Assaulted – Malaysiakini

I read what the Star had said about this incident, and the reply given by Khalid the Mentri Besar. Obviously Star failed to mention the following,

• It was a dispute about a place of worship, nothing about a surau was mentioned.

• No one is sure who originated the construction

• There was no permit

• The residents wanted a children’s playground and not another surau

• The name of the assailant is Azam

• The project is put on hold for further consultation with the people

I don’t see why Star must be paranoid not to report the issue as it stood. In any case the matter will come out and even if it is about a surau, what is wrong in people knowing about it. Somebody has done ground breaking ceremony without proper permit, it is wrong whether it is a surau, temple or church. The people were not happy, why was not something done to talk to them, rather than proceed with the ground breaking – is it because PKR is involved and there would be no problem. Did not the previous Mentri Besar did all these without worry about the welfare of the people.

Any way my posting  reads as follows. The Star report is at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/19/nation/20080719143447&sec=nation

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had better be careful if he wants to treat the incident that involved PKR Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne as an internal matter. Anwar Ibrahim is in a precarious situation of having to give DNA and was arrested all because he trusted his aid beyond normal expectancy. If Khalid treats this assault case as an internal dispute, I won’t be surprised if all assistants of PKR politicians will, I dare say, commit various types of irregularities, and as Khalid has set a precedence, use the same argument that it is an internal matter. Assistants must behave like assistants you cannot assault a MP and get away with it. If Khalid had been slapped by another assistant, would he say the offender is young and perhaps wanted to know what happens when he slaps a Mentri Besar. Come on Khalid, you were a CEO and if you had decided on a matter of wrong with a calm remark like ‘internal matter’ you would be laughed at and your position will be ridiculed. Show discipline.

I can see why you perceive this matter light; it involves your political secretary, but sentiments aside, are you doing the right thing. Remember your Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri, another PKR man whom you said had no case to answer, and would have carried on as usual in spite of the using of your letter head and the garbage collecting mystery, if not for the information of the ACA. You cannot play partisan politic in Pakatan Rakyat. A mistake is a mistake and the man must be punished.

Difference of opinion can exist, but it should be verbal. When it comes to fists and this in the presence of the public, the reputation of PKR goes down a few notches.

Sorry to say your philosophy of that it is all right that party members are involved in the field with the people and better understanding is achieved between the leaders and people is just pure bunkum. Take the easy and right way out, punish the Mike Tyson, it will be a lesson for others, and you would have set a good example.

As to the root of the problem, building a place of worship, are you not taking action as somebody has built it without approval from the local authorities. Are you just going to push it under the carpet with your valuable advice, ‘construction of all places of worship must obtain approval from the respective local authorities.’

Two mistakes in a day, and for a Menteri Besar, this may not look good. BN politicians are already at your throat for this incident.

I don’t see much difference from you and Toyo.

Khalid Don’t Do A Toyo

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had better be careful if he wants to treat the incident that involved PKR Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne as an internal matter. Anwar Ibrahim is in a precarious situation of having to give DNA and was arrested all because he trusted his aid beyond normal expectancy. If Khalid treats this assault case as an internal dispute, I won’t be surprised if all assistants of PKR politicians will, I dare say, commit various types of irregularities, and as Khalid has set a precedence, use the same argument that it is an internal matter. Assistants must behave like assistants you cannot assault a MP and get away with it. If Khalid had been slapped by another assistant, would he say the offender is young and perhaps wanted to know what happens when he slaps a Mentri Besar. Come on Khalid, you were a CEO and if you had decided on a matter of wrong with a calm remark like ‘internal matter’ you would be laughed at and your position will be ridiculed. Show discipline.

I can see why you perceive this matter light; it involves your political secretary, but sentiments aside, are you doing the right thing. Remember your Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri, another PKR man whom you said had no case to answer, and would have carried on as usual in spite of the using of your letter head and the garbage collecting mystery, if not for the information of the ACA. You cannot play partisan politic in Pakatan Rakyat. A mistake is a mistake and the man must be punished.

Difference of opinion can exist, but it should be verbal. When it comes to fists and this in the presence of the public, the reputation of PKR goes down a few notches.

Sorry to say your philosophy of that it is all right that party members are involved in the field with the people and better understanding is achieved between the leaders and people is just pure bunkum. Take the easy and right way out, punish the Mike Tyson, it will be a lesson for others, and you would have set a good example.

As to the root of the problem, building a place of worship, are you not taking action as somebody has built it without approval from the local authorities. Are you just going to push it under the carpet with your valuable advice, ‘construction of all places of worship must obtain approval from the respective local authorities.’

Two mistakes in a day, and for a Menteri Besar, this may not look good. BN politicians are already at your throat for this incident.

I don’t see much difference from you and Toyo.

MB: ‘It’s an internal dispute’

MB: ‘It’s an internal dispute’
By EDWARD RAJENDRA

SHAH ALAM: Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has brushed off the incident that involved PKR Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne who alleged he was punched in the right eye by a man believed to be the personal assistant of Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad from the same party as an internal dispute.

“It’s among the young ones of PKR. We see it as an internal dispute that has been solved between both individuals. Both men have apologised and it’s a neighbourhood issue that will be resolved in an amicable manner with the help of Kelana Jaya division chairman Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud,” he said.

It is learnt that the police report lodged on the incident had been withdrawn.

Khalid said no disciplinary action would be taken on either individual as it was just a difference of opinion.

It is learnt that the alleged incident occurred during the groundbreaking ceremony for a place of worship at Desa Mentari on Friday afternoon where residents living in the area had protested against the construction of the building there.

Loh who was present had approached the organisers to discuss the matter when he was punched in the face by a man believed to be an aide of Nik Nazmi.

Nik Nazmi who is currently in Britain attending his wife’s graduation is the political secretary to Khalid.

Khalid said, “the young ones are eager to do their best for the people, express the people’s views but it has to be done through constructive consultation and must not get physical at any moment of time.”

“One good thing that has come out of this is the high level of transparency, accountability and the presence of the people’s representatives in the neighbourhoods to solve issues,” he said.

Asked how it could be an internal dispute when the incident occurred in public, Khalid once again played the matter down by saying that it was all right as it shows that the party members are very much involved in the field and are with the people.

“Differences of opinion take place but we encourage constructive consultation and views shared. It also fosters a better understanding among the leaders and its people in a particular neighbourhood,” he added.

Khalid said to avoid future misunderstandings; construction of all places of worship must obtain approval from the respective local authorities.

Earlier he officiated the Astronomy Convention at Sirim here where he announced that an observatory centre would be built at Sungai Lang in Sabak Bernam costing an estimated RM2mil to further the study on astronomy.

Najib Starts Sharpening Keris

This coming from Pekan, the stronghold of Najib, the recipients of Felda goodies, comes not as a surprise. I think now Badawi will/must press the horn, er…. not the present electric type, but the older one with a rubber bulb attached to a horn. It will pain, but then Badawi holds it very close to his heart, and from time to time exercises his fingers to blow a blast murmuring ‘don’t you forget’.

State News

July 18, 2008 20:01 PM

Kampung Ubai Branch Nominates Najib For Umno Presidency

PEKAN, July 18 (Bernama) — The Kampung Ubai Umno branch in the Pekan division on Thursday night passed a motion proposing Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the post of president in the party election in December.

The motion was unanimously announced by the branch head, Mohammad Hanapi Salleh at the meeting which ended late Thursday night and attended by 42 of the 123 branch members.

The Kampung Ubai branch was the first branch to meet in Pahang and also the first to nominate Najib, who is the Pekan Umno division head and Member of Parliament, to contest the post of Umno president.

There are 139 branches in the Pekan Umno division which has the largest membership in Pahang with 32,087 members.

Mohammad Hanapi, when contacted, said all the members present including the representatives from the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings supported the motion.

He said the branch had decided on the move to table the emergency motion based on several factors: “These included the two-year duration of the power transition agreed between the Prime Minister and party president, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy, is considered too long,” he said here Friday.

In addition, he said, the branch had also taken into consideration the defeat of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in five states in the 12th general election under Abdullah’s leadership.

“The other factors are the failure of the current leadership to resolve the issue on the price increases for petrol and food,” he said.

The branch meeting was opened by Pulau Manis state assemblyman Khairuddin Mahmud.

The branch, however, did not name the candidate for Umno deputy president in the December party election.

A total of 1,021 branches in 14 divisions in Pahang will hold their branch meetings in stages from July 17 until Aug 24.

PAS Religious Police

There they go again. The last time it was Muslim women wearing lipstick and high heel shoes. This time it is non-Muslim women scantily dressed. But unfortunately these so called scantily dressed women are from a Chinese Taoist group and so can we assume PAS has become the Religious Police for all religions, Christianity, Hinduism etc. Wow, all the religious teachers, the preachers, priests, of all other religion excluding Muslim ones are going to be unemployed. Perhaps PAS will start a fund for all these unemployed and displaced religious leaders.

Whatever it may be, the only weakness PAS exhibits is they inability to teach, instil, practice Muslim religious principles among their own group. I think it is just a logistics problem, a shortage of man power, now that the enforcement goes beyond Islam to cover other religions as well. Given time and more enforcers, all Muslims in Kelantan will be taught and what happened in Pasir Mas will be a thing of the past.

Bid to ensure temple concert watched only by non-Muslims

PASIR MAS: Organisers of a concert held as part of the celebrations at a small Taoist temple here were told to “cover up” so that the shows were only watched by non-Muslims.

Apparently, some Muslim men and women had been seen among the audience on Tuesday, the first night of the two-day concert with male and female artistes, and the district council was informed about it.

On Wednesday night, the council sent officers to prevent Muslims from watching the shows and told the organisers to put up a curtain to block the view of passers-by.

The event, to celebrate the birthday of the Gods, was held with an outdoor community concert organised by members of the Tao Tin Hu Keng Association.

MCA vice-president Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai, who was here for another function, said some people would interpret the action of the council as distasteful as it was only a two-day religious festival.

He said many such events were held at temples previously and no action were taken by the authorities.

In the incident, although the organisers received a permit, the local council found that they were flouting guidelines by allowing Muslims to view performances by female artistes, some of whom were “sexily” dressed.

Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the guidelines on outdoor performances clearly stated that female artistes were barred from performing. He said that although the concert was within the temple compound, it was held in an open space where others could watch.

He said any permit given by the local authorities were subjected to the same bylaws and should be respected by all.

State Gerakan chairman Datuk Ng Chiang Chin, whose house is in front of the temple, said it was the second time that a religious celebration at a temple was disrupted.