Another PKR Turncoat, Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri Defects

Bagan Serai member of parliament Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri today became the third legislator to quit Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

The 65-year-old said he had been 'disappointed' with recent events in the party. (No means to cari makan?)

Among the reasons he cited were party infighting and the party's stance on the usage of the "Allah" term by non-Muslims. “In the name of Allah, I would like to announce my resignation from PKR. I hereby quit PKR and resign from all posts to become an independent member of parliament," said Mohsin.

Mohsin didn't take any questions from reporters but asked PKR's former secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim to answer questions on his behalf.

I suppose at the ripe old age of 65 years there is not much time or avenue to make a tidy fortune. What better way than to throw morals and principles to the ground and stomach a few months of shame and ignominy? It's worth it. After all Najib's millions will more than compensate for the 'hardship'. But using the name of Allah to justify his greed and betrayal is the height of hypocrisy and should be condemned. It is also pretty obvious that Salehuddin Hashim is the bapa ayam for all these political whores.

I wonder how the fence sitters among the public feel about Umno now? Do they truly approve this 'purchasing' strategy? Will they vote for such dishonest politicians again? Only time will tell.

The Plot Thickens - Pusrawi Hospital’s Dr Mohamed Osman Confirms SD, Says NO Evidence Of Sodomy

The doctor who examined Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan after the latter had lodged a police report alleging he had been sodomised by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has resurfaced to “set the record straight.”

Pusrawi Hospital’s Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, reaffirmed statements he had made in a statutory declaration he had filed on June 28, saying that he had found no evidence of sodomy in his examination.

His statutory declaration was leaked to Malaysia Today and published in the news portal on July 28, after which the Myanmar national took one month’s leave from the hospital and apparently fled the country.

At a press conference at the Bar Council auditorium here on Thursday, Osman said he wanted to set the record straight and end media speculation.

He reaffirmed the contents of the statutory declaration.

Osman said he went on leave as he came under pressure following a police investigation into his medical check-up on Saiful, but dismissed claims that he was worried for his safety.

He also said that he did not know how his medical report, protected by patient-doctor confidentiality, became public.

Anwar, now MP of Permatang Pauh, has been charged with the offence. He has denied the allegations, claiming it was part of a political conspiracy against him.

Pusrawi earlier said it had sacked Dr Osman for failing to turn up for work after his one-month leave had expired.

When asked if he was still employed, Dr Osman merely said he "was going back to work." (The Star Online)

***** So whom d0 you believe? The word of this doctor or that of our government, including Umno politicians, the police, the KL Hospital and the AG?
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Opposition Stage Parliament Walkout Over DNA Identification Bill

The opposition walked out in protest from parliamentary proceedings this afternoon, following the rejection by the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar to refer the DNA Identification Bill to a select committee. As a result of the walkout, the third reading of the Bill will be dealt with only after the tabling of the Budget tomorrow.

Earlier newly-appointed Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged the DNA Bill by saying, "don't Yang Berhormat agree with me that the one with no credibility is the corruption-ridden Government? This is the Government which tabled a Bill last Monday, giving no opportunity to MPs, including those of friends from the other side, to study it, and presented it with malicious intention.

"This is a Bill which has seen opposition from both the Bar Council and non-governmental groups," adding that the Opposition would support any Bill that would benefit the people. "But we are against the method employed by the Government to push this Bill through without taking heed of the public's voice," he said.

The Opposition had argued that the Bill was "politically motivated" in light of the sodomy case against Anwar.

944 Names Missing From List Of Permatang Pauh Voters? What Is The Election Commission Up To?

From Bernama

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) claims that 944 names of voters have 'disappeared' from the electoral list for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency which had been updated up to July 2008.

The PKR deputy director of elections, Fuziah Salleh, said a letter of protest had been sent to the Election Commission.

"We find that 944 names of voters who are eligible to vote have disappeared whereas they had voted in the March election this year," she said at a press conference at the Yayasan Aman building in Kubang Semang, here Sunday.

Fuziah, who is also the Kuantan Member of Parliament, claimed that of the number, six had been identified to have moved and changed their addresses, 81 could not be traced and 868 had been omitted from the electoral roll.

The Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency has 58,459 registered voters.

Meanwhile, State EC Deputy Director Ilyani Farha Mohammad refused to comment on the allegation and said that the EC would hold a press conference tomorrow pertaining to the polling day on Tuesday.

***** What the devil is the EC up to? Are they conducting a by-election for the nation or for Umno? How can so many names simply disappear? Would anyone like to take a guess for which party the 'missing' voters would have voted for?

We always knew that the ruling party would stoop to any level to triumph in this crucial electoral battle. I suppose having given up any hopes of winning it fairly, they have now resorted to using the EC to cheat their way to victory.
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Is Lee Chong Wei Being Manipulated By BN?

From The Star Online

Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei has clearly been "manipulated" by the Barisan Nasional when he agreed to receive his RM300,000 cheque in Permatang Pauh.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said there was no need to send Lee back to Permatang Pauh using an airplane provided by the Defence Ministry and landing at an air force base for the purpose of the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.

"In fact, I understand that he's back here today. Why can't the cheque presentation take place in Kuala Lumpur? "It's quite clear that he's been manipulated and Barisan is using the ceremony to their advantage for the campaign."

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also been using the ministry's facilities in his campaign by flying to Penang. "The use of the Defence Ministry's facilities for the by-election is improper, a form of abuse and a waste of public funds," he told reporters Thursday at the Parliament lobby here.

Lim said on the contrary, neither he nor any other DAP members use their official state cars when they go campaigning. "We drive our own private cars. This should be the way. Clearly, Barisan has not learnt its lesson from the March 8 general election," he said.

The badminton player received the cheque from Najib in a ceremony in Butterworth on Wednesday night. He also received RM3,000 being the pension reward the Government had promised for the feat. The payments which begin next month are for life.

Lim said Najib should differentiate between private political interest and his government posts.

Asked about the conferment by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas of the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) award on Lee on Aug 30, which carries the title "Datuk", Lim said the ceremony would take place after the polling date in Permatang Pauh. "This is because we don't want to be seen as taking advantage of him," he said.

***** Waah! Chong Wei terbang in Mindef plane and landed at an air force base brudder! I wonder if this is the manner in which future medalists of international sports competitions will be treated? Or will this privilege only be accorded during certain by-elections?
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Scandal of the Ages: Documents Reveal Underage Chinese Gymnast

What began as whispers among the media and gymnastics insiders weeks ago about the ages of three of China's female Olympic gymnasts -- Jiang Yuyuan, Yang Yilin and He Kexin -- has grown into ear-shattering, head-hurting shouts. Despite assurances by Chinese officials that all three are 16, the minimum age of eligibility for Olympic competition, newly discovered documents and records prove otherwise.

The New York Times first looked into the age of China's gymnasts with a story on July 27 that focused primarily on He Kexin, whose birthdate on numerous online records was listed as January 1, 1994, making her 14 when the Games began and ineligible to compete.

When the world was officially introduced to He Kexin this week, even those unwise to the ways of competitive gymnastics could tell that with He, something was not right. At 4-foot 8-inches tall and weighing 72 pounds, the Beijing native appears significantly younger than most of her Chinese teammates much less her American and European counterparts.

The world's foremost expert on female gymnastics Bela Karolyi has routinely referred to the 2008 Chinese team as "half people" and in his contributions to NBC as a commentator during the Games he has railed against the Chinese for engaging in age falsification. After China outscored the U.S. in the qualification round, Karolyi had this to say about the Chinese gymnastics officials:

"These people think we are stupid...We are in the business of gymnastics. We know what a kid of 14 or 15 or 16 looks like. What kind of slap in the face is this? They are 12, 14 years old and they get lined up and the government backs them and the federation runs away. There is an age limit and it can't be controlled."

Chinese Olympic officials have forcefully defended He's eligibility, maintaining that when asked, they submitted proper passport documentation to the IOC. He's passport says her date of birth is January 1, 1992, making her 16 and old enough to compete. However, as Karoyli told the AP, "passports mean nothing."

China has a rich history of age falsification in Olympics competition, especially in gymnastics. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, three years after the minimum age was raised to 16 in gymnastics, Chinese gymnast Yang Yun competed and won a bronze medal in the uneven bars (coincidentally this event is also He's specialty). Yang's passport said she was born on December 24, 1984 and turning 16 in the year of the Games, making her eligible. She later confessed in a television interview that she was only 14 at the time of the competition and that she and her coaches had lied about her age.

As in the case of Yang Yun, the existing records prior to the Olympics -- local registries, athletic records and news articles -- were all correct, whereas the documentation she showed Olympic officials to confirm her eligibility proved to be false. It is no coincidence that He Kexin's passport was issued on February 14, 2008, a mere 6 months before the Olympics.

What did the IOC have to say about the scandal? President Jacques Rogge said, "The IOC relies on the international federations, who are exclusively responsible for the eligibility of athletes. It's not the task of the IOC to check every one of the 10,000 athletes." Not every one Jacques, but maybe just the ones who look like they're ten.

So, for all of those who are still left unconvinced, (here is) a collection of evidence that will demonstrate not only that the Chinese gymnast in question was born in 1994 and underage, but that Chinese officials, over the last few weeks, have systematically tried to cover it all up.

Read the full report on the evidence from The Huffington Post HERE
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As Expected, Najib Has Denied Involvement In Anwar Sodomy Allegation

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has denied any involvement in the sodomy allegation against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “I am not involved in the case in any way,” the Deputy Prime Minister told reporters at Parliament lobby here on Monday.

On Saturday, Anwar's former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had lodged a police report alleging he had been sodomised by the PKR de facto leader. A day later, Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail released a picture of Najib's special officer Khairil Anas Yusof with Mohd Saiful at the Deputy Prime Minister’s office, implying that he was behind the conspiracy against Anwar.

Najib said the picture was taken three months ago when Mohd Saiful went to his office to apply for a government scholarship. “The accuser (Mohd Saiful) met with my officer (Khairil Anas) because he wanted to apply for a scholarship from the Government. The picture was taken three months ago.

“He was a student leader and met with my officer. He had also met other leaders. The main question is did the act take place. That is for the police to establish,” Najib said. (The Star Update)

***** Why not try sending a young man to the DPM's office on the pretext of applying for a scholarship and see if the person can get beyond the guardhouse. If he succeeds and also manages to get a photograph with some senior pegawai there, then we'll consider taking Najib's words as truth.

It is a sign of the times however that not many people will believe Najib's denial. For such is the credibility of our current crop of leaders.

Anwar Ibrahim Files Suit Against Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has filed a suit against his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan for allegedly lodging a false, malicious and libellous police report against him.

The suit was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court civil registry by Anwar’s lawyers R. Sivarasa, Ranjit Singh and William Leong at about 10.30am on Monday.

Saiful had on Saturday lodged a police report alleging that he had been sodomised by Anwar, a former deputy prime minister.

Anwar is residing at the Turkish Embassy here, saying that he fears for his life after receiving death threats. (The Star Update)

***** With the PM already convinced of Anwar's guilt it seems purposeless to file a suit. However it does publicize the issue and with the attendant publicity here and abroad, the government will perforce have to be restrained in the manner it plans to punish Anwar. Will the courts be able to provide him any relief? Doubtful, but worth a try.

Arrest And Prosecution Of Anwar Will Isolate And Further Weaken Umno

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he is leaving to the police to investigate to determine the authenticity of the sodomy allegation against Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by a 23-year-old youth claiming to be his aide.

He said investigations must be carried out and not merely rely on Anwar's denial as was the usual case in any criminal case the accused person would surely deny committing the offence.

"It is the police who should take appropriate action. Since a report has been lodged, the police should investigate to establish whether the allegation was true or otherwise. What Anwar has said is not for us to decide. He will surely deny. Normally, it's like that. The accused will normally deny the allegation," he told reporters today.

Abdullah was responding to a police report lodged at the Jalan Travers police station in Brickfields by a 23-year-old man that he was sodomised by the former deputy prime minister last Thursday at a luxury apartment in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar had denied the allegation, saying it was a "total fabrication" and a repeat of the methods used against him in 1998 when he was sacked as deputy prime minister over similar allegations.

Police are expected to question Anwar today.

Abdullah, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, denied claims that the BN planned to curtail the resurgence of Anwar's political career by hurling all sorts of allegations against him.

"Umno has no intention to disturb him in this way. BN also does not intend to give him problems, to disturb him, create problems like this or to do something bad to him.

"There is no intention like this...it never crossed my mind at all to betray him. I and my friends, Datuk (Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) also harboured no such intentions. The person concerned wants to lodge a report, what can we do, what else. He has the right to lodge a report. We cannot stop him from doing so. "We don't have any plan to do something to him (Anwar) because he said he has made a political comeback," he said.

Asked whether Anwar would be detained by the police, the prime minister said: "I am not going to say anything about it, enough...no speculation, nothing. All that I know is that a report has been made to the police and the police will decide what they want to do and how." (Bernama)

***** It is advisable that Umnoputeras don't take out their sirap glasses out too quickly for any premature celebration. On balance, even to the most Anwar-hating person, this sodomy accusation will clearly look like a set-up, the sole motive of which is to compromise the PKR leader. It has all the ingredients of a politically motivated hatchet job, replete with deceit and trickery, no matter how sincere Pak Lah's explanation may be. There is no lack of greedy and desperate scoundrels out there, who for a hefty 'compensation' will sell their souls and prostitute their reputation and dignity in order to satisfy the nefarious political intentions of certain government leaders.

This fact will not be lost on a large number of ordinary Malaysians. If their suspicion, that a legitimate candidate for the nation's prime ministership had been illegally struck down by foul means is even half-proven, the end result may well be a further 'haemorrhage' of public goodwill from Umno.

After all how many of our countrymen, except for those hard core specimens in Umno, would want to travel back to the bad old days of Dr Mahathir's tyranny? Even George W Bush's America is clamouring for change for the better. Why shouldn't we?

Expel Those With ICs, Too: Dr Jeffrey Kitingan

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on Thursday said the Government should not only flush out illegal immigrants but also those in detention centres and illegal immigrants in possession of Malaysian identity cards (ICs).

Its Vice-President Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan said the operation should take into account the mostly Filipino refugees and the alleged "Project IC" holders.

He said PKR is perplexed as to how the Government is going to deal with illegal immigrants who possess genuine Malaysian ICs.

"How is the Government going to deal with this issue? Is it through the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry or Special Task Force or Select Cabinet Committee?" he asked.

Towards this end, Jeffrey reminded the Federal Government that immigration in Sabah is a State matter as pointed out by Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman.

Under Article 161E(4) of the Federal Constitution, immigration matters in Sabah and Sarawak lie with the State authority, the Chief Minister, to regulate and control.

Jeffrey said the Government should have also explained in detail the specific steps and action they are taking in the exercise to flush out illegal immigrants from Sabah.

"We want the Government to explain who are the targets and who will be involved in the exercise such as the police and Immigration Department, among others," he said in a press conference at Sokid Villa. "It is very unclear what specific steps the Government will be taking although we welcome their intended move."

He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's announcement that the Government would soon be launching a massive operation to flush out illegal immigrants from Sabah.

He said the announcement was long overdue and that it came a little too late considering the seriousness of the situation in Sabah now.

Jeffrey questioned why the Federal Government was only now making the move, which he said reflected its insincerity and non-committal stance over the matter despite repeated calls from Sabah leaders.

He suggested the Government form state, district and village committees as well as task forces that meet on a weekly basis. "The State Government should work out a policy of issuing work passes on an annual basis or half a year basis," he said.

He also suggested the Government conduct a re-registration exercise to determine who among the identity card holders are illegal immigrants. And once the exercise is completed, he said the State Government should take over immigration. (Daily Express, Sabah)

***** It is indeed a terrible disgrace that the genuine citizens of this country cannot trust their own federal government to get rid of illegal immigrants! Especially since the government itself was in the first place responsible for this mess.

By deceipt and subterfuge from the time of Dr Mahathir's administration, the federal government with the active connivance of the civil service, for ethnic and political reasons, sought to fill the two states with illegal immigrants to bolster the ruling government's vote bank and to give a marked tilt to the demographics favouring Muslims and 'Malays'.

The unchallenged and unproven theory then was that Muslim, rumpun Melayu 'citizens' would be steadfastly loyal and eternally grateful to Umno even if they may be from countries other than Malaysia. That religio-racist belief and myth have of course now been blown to smithereens.

As Dr Kitingan said the government has no sincerity in dealing with this matter and is in actual fact playing for time by talking about action against illegals. As a result of getting walloped in the last GE, with their backs against the wall and finding that their immediate survival now depends on East Malaysian goodwill, they have started to play out this sandiwara.

Now who would be stupid enough to fully trust such a government to clean up after the act?
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Price Of Paper, Stationery, Printing & Packaging Go Up By 10% - 40%! The Greed Merchants Have Started Their Plunder

The price of paper, stationery, printing and packaging products will go up by 10% to 40% starting Sunday, and possibly by 50% by the end of the year.

The Malaysia Paper Merchants Association, Selangor & Federal Territory Chinese Printing Presses' Association, Malaysia Printers Association and the Selangor & Kuala Lumpur Stationers & Booksellers Association jointly announced the increase on Saturday.

Selangor & Federal Territory Chinese Printing Presses' Association secretary Alexander Lee told reporters at a press conference that the price hike was inevitable.

"There has been a tremendous increase in the global price of raw materials, especially pulp.

"The industry has tried to absorb the global raw material price surge without increasing product prices, but it cannot sustain this anymore," he said. (The Star)

***** These buggers had been waiting for an opportune time to screw the nation and now with the fuel price hike and with the government more concerned about trying to stay in power than worry about rising prices, these greed merchants have struck this weekend. This is just the beginning. Let us await the thousands of other avaricious bastards who feed off our economy and are now eagerly standing in line to take their turn at right royally pillaging us. I wonder what Shahrir Samad has to say about this?
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Abdullah's Reform Agenda Spurred Ezam To Join Umno!

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's efforts to reform the judiciary and combat corruption was what spurred former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor to rejoin Umno.

Speaking at a press conference here today to explain his decision to rejoin the party, Ezam said these latest developments "opened his heart" to get back into Umno, which he left in 1999.

"I join politics because I was ambitious about bring positive changes...I am now confident many more reforms will be made (by the Prime Minister) in future," he said.

On Wednesday, Abdullah, who is also Umno president, announced that Ezam would be re-accepted into Umno without any conditions after there were no objections from the party's Supreme Council (MT) and Umno Youth.

Prior to joining Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKR's predecessor) in 1999, Ezam was the Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Youth chief, from 1993 to 1996, Selangor Umno Youth secretary from 1996 to 1998 and Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno deputy head.

From 1996 to 1998 he was also the political secretary to the Finance Minister then and was a fellow of the Institute of Policy Studies from 1998 to 2005.

In KANGAR, Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin said Ezam's application to rejoin Umno would have to be deliberated by the MT.

"The MT has the power to accept or reject (Ezam's application). His case has to be brought before the MT," he told reporters after holding a briefing on Umno's code of ethics for Perlis Umno leaders here Thursday.

Muhyiddin, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said Ezam could not be given automatic acceptance because of his past political record. "If he did not have a past record it would have been okay. But his case (having a past record) must be brought up to the MT," he added. (Bernama)

***** Ezam has given his reasons for rejoining Umno. Whether people will believe him is of course another matter.

Khir Toyol's Temple Destruction Story - Samy Vellu Tells Toyol To Stop Playing Politics

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has told former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo to stop making baseless accusations as the reasons for the Barisan Nasional's loss of the state in the general election last month.

"He has said that I gave him the go-ahead to demolish a Hindu temple (at Kampung Rimba Jaya, near Shah Alam) on Nov 15. I wish to clarify that the temple was demolished in mid-October.

"Why didn't he mention that I was the one who pleaded to him and the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to stop the original planned demolition of the said temple. Don't blame others for your own folly and arrogance," Samy Vellu, the former Works Minister, said in a statement here Tuesday.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, an Internet-based news portal, Khir claimed that Samy Vellu had instructed him to demolish the temple as it was used for gatherings of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters.

"Samy Vellu called me on the night of Nov 15 and told me that the Hindraf people had infiltrated the temple and that it must be demolished that night itself," alleged Khir, who was Selangor menteri besar at the time.

"But the temple had already been demolished, with the deities already removed by the end of October and what is there to demolish anyway and why would I ask for a temple which has already been demolished to be demolished again," Samy Vellu retorted Tuesday.

He said Dr Khir should stop looking for scapegoats for the loss of the state to the opposition and take responsibility for "chasing away Indian votes from the BN".

"My request to him is to stop talking about all this and let us rebuild the BN and the component parties to get back the support of the people," he said, adding that he had great respect for Dr Khir's ability as a leader who had really turned around Selangor as a major developing state.

Meanwhile, MIC Information Chief Datuk M. Saravanan, who is also Federal Territories Deputy Minister, was more vocal against Dr Khir, telling the former menteri besar to stop making baseless accusations just to escape responsibility.

"We all know ... the whole world knows how Samy Vellu wanted to stop the demolition of the temple. We are not blind. He pleaded and pleaded but at that time the former menteri besar just refused to listen, not only to the MIC president but also to the prime minister.

"We wanted the demolition deferred but did he listen? He thought Indians were pushovers. He did not give it a second thought. If Samy Vellu has so much power that he could order the demolition of a temple, then why didn't Dr Khir listen to Samy Vellu when Samy Vellu wanted the planned demolition stopped in the first place," said Saravanan.

He said Dr Khir should first apologise to Indians in Selangor for his arrogance while in power and for treating the community as second-class citizens of the country during his tenure as menteri besar.

"We have it on record. Just look at the Tamil Nesan of Oct 31. In a statement, Dr Khir had said that he could not save the temple from being demolished because of a court order ... now he says Samy Vellu instructed him to do so," he said.

Having served as menteri besar of a state which has a multiracial electorate, Saravanan said, Dr Khir should have been more cautious in handling issues which involved race and religion but the former menteri besar was not so during his tenure.

He also told Dr Khir to stop dwelling on issues of the past and justify the wrongs of the past which he said were now haunting him.

Dr Khir had been blamed for the controversial demolition of the Kampung Rimba Jaya Hindu temple in Shah Alam, which caused Indian voters to turn their backs on the BN in the general election.

The incident has been cited by both opposition and BN members as a key factor in influencing the outcome of the March 8 polls.

The BN and Umno took the brunt of the voters' anger over this and other issues, resulting in the state government falling into opposition hands for the first time in election history. Dr Khir then resigned as Selangor Umno chief, and is now leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly.

"My advice to him would be for him to start afresh. Only we know the damage caused by Dr Khir because of his arrogance. We are the ones facing Indian voters day in, day out. He can talk, he can blame (anyone) but at the end of the day, the community looks at us for answers," said Saravanan. (Bernama)

***** On reading the report about Toyol's accusation I had a feeling that the Toyol's version of the temple demolition didn't quite add up. Samy Vellu's strong rebuttal merely proves it.

It is so difficult to believe that an arrogant umnoputera like Toyol could be ordered around by Semi Value. Either there is something seriously wrong with Toyol's memory or he is trying to push the responsibility for Selangor's humiliating defeat to others, while at the same time hoping to divert the focus of attention from the Balkis debacle by creating a new controversy.

When is the ACA going to get off its butt and investigate the Toyol couple?

"No Need To Question EC's Transparency," Says Najib. Do You Agree?

All quarters need not question the Election Commission's (EC) transparency in conducting the general election tomorrow, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

"The EC is an independent body which all this while has carried out its responsibilities well and fairly.

"No one should be worried that the EC would cheat or do anything that can deny any candidate from winning if he or she has the voters' support," he told reporters after handing out spectacles to 33 people under a community health project of Yayasan Rahah (Rahah Foundation) here today.

He was responding to PAS' spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat's allegation that the EC's cancellation of its planned use of indelible ink on voters would enable them to do multiple voting.

Najib said as proof, PAS had been winning the elections in Kelantan.

"Previously, the majority in Kelantan had chosen PAS to form the state government and the party won, so there's no reason to doubt the validity of the general election results, not only in Kelantan but nationwide."

He said the people should also not be worried about going out to cast their votes following security control by police.

"Throughout the years, the authorities had ensured freedom and safety for voters to vote and this situation will continue to prevail in this general election.

"If there are people who try to scare voters from voting, that means they are trying to deny them their rights to vote as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

"The people should also not feel that there are phantom voters, for there are no phantom voters. All this, to cause fear, is the work of the opposition."

Najib, however, advised voters to make a wise choice by considering the benefits they could enjoy when voting for a party.

On the chances of BN's new faces of being in government, he said it would be at the prime minister's discretion. (Bernama)

***** The arrogant and pompous tone of the DPM is quite irritating - "All quarters need not question the Election Commission"; "No one should be worried that the EC would cheat"; "There are no phantom voters."

If there is doubt that the EC is being one-sided it is because there are plenty of reasons for this misgiving. In any case people are entitled to harbour doubts. Or is that an offence for which the ISA can be used?
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More Election Bluff By Samy Vellu

Samy Vellu Hails Abdullah's Pledges
MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu says the pledges made by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the betterment of the Indian community showed the Barisan Nasional (BN) government looked after the interests of all races in the country.

Expressing MIC's appreciation to the Prime Minister, Samy Vellu said the pledges would also create more equitable opportunities for Indians.

" These are not mere promises but decisions that will be implemented with MIC's co-operation. We will ensure these decisions are carried our according to the Prime Minister's instructions in the next five years and thereafter," he said in a statement.

Abdullah made the pledges in advertisements placed by BN in Tamil newspapers today.

Among others, the Prime Minister promised that places of worship would be respected and protected, a pledge Samy Vellu said had given an "added assurance" to the Indian community.

The Works Minister said the party also welcomed Abdullah's pledge to take in more Indians into the civil service.

Other pledges include meeting educational needs of Indian children, further upgrading learning and teaching facilities in Tamil schools, increasing assistance for low-income and urban poor families and enhancing business opportunities for Indians.

" The Prime Minister's pledges have reinforced what the BN has been doing for the people for the past 50 years," added Samy Vellu who is defending his trade mark Sungai Siput parliamentary seat for the ninth term in Saturday's general election. (Bernama)

***** What Semi Value is trying to say is that NOTHING has been done thus far but Pak Lah has ASSURED that it will be done in the FUTURE! Period.

Assisting low-income citizens, meeting educational needs of Indian children, providing help for mostly dilapidated and totally ignored Tamil schools, enhancing business opportunities for the marginalised poor, ensuring equal opportunities in civil service intakes and promotions and the safeguarding of temples should have been done as a matter of course in the past years.

But after decades of criminal neglect, the MIC being branded as a useless, self-serving party and Umno becoming synonymous with neo-apartheid practices, to claim that this or that will be done after the elections is nothing but a bogus attempt at duping the public. No one will believe this Semi Value fairy tale.
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Activists Warn Malaysian Elections Will Be 'Dirtiest Ever'

Malaysia's weekend ballot could be the "dirtiest ever", activists said Wednesday after authorities dumped plans to curb fraud by marking voters' fingers with indelible ink.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch also said Malaysians will be denied a fair vote in Saturday's general election, accusing the government of muzzling the opposition and manipulating the electoral process.

The Election Commission (EC) said Tuesday it would not introduce indelible ink as planned because it had uncovered a plot to sabotage the polls by using smuggled ink to mark unsuspecting voters before they cast their ballot, which would cause confusion.

EC chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said in a statement that the decision was made to avoid problems with public order.

He added: "The EC views these issues seriously, as the election process and public order and security cannot be compromised. The EC deeply regrets its decision."

Opposition parties condemned the move as "ludicrous", saying it was designed to counter a groundswell of support for their cause, and accused electoral authorities of being in league with the government.

But Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi criticised opposition claims that the ink plan was dropped in bid by his ruling government to fix the polls.

"There is no such thing. We never cheat. We have been successful not because we cheated, we did well and we worked hard," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

"Now the opposition is happy because now they have an excuse to tell the whole world why they cannot succeed in the election. It's the best excuse for them," he added.

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), an alliance of opposition and civil society groups, said it would now be easier for "phantom voters" to alter the course of the ballot.

"Bersih warns Malaysians that the general election on 8 March could be Malaysia's dirtiest election ever as a result of the Election Commission's decision to cancel the indelible ink on polling day," it said in a statement.

HRW said the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled for half a century, was intent on retaining its two-thirds parliamentary majority and unwilling to allow reforms being demanded by Bersih.

"Once again, elections in Malaysia are grossly unfair to the opposition," the global rights monitor's deputy Asia director Elaine Pearson said in a statement.

"Voters in Malaysia deserve a chance for every vote to count and count equally," she added. "Given the vast array of anomalies in the electoral rolls, this looks increasingly unlikely."

HRW said that already tight control on the media had become even more glaring during the campaign, with state-run and government-linked outlets observing a virtual blackout on the opposition.

While the government held rallies with tens of thousands of people, dissenting voices were refused permission to hold public meetings, and peaceful protests were dispersed with the use of tear gas and water cannons.

HRW said that in the face of major irregularities in the election process, there were concerns the government will manipulate the voting in closely fought districts.

It cited research by electoral reform campaigners who said that almost 9,000 voters born more than 100 years ago -- including two reported to be 128 years old -- were enrolled to vote, raising suspicions about phantom voting.

***** "We never cheat," says Pak Lah. "Dirtiest election ever," says the opposition, Bersih and Human Rights Watch. Whom do you want to believe?
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Human Rights Watch Fears Malaysians Will Not Get A Fair Vote

An international human rights group said Wednesday it fears Malaysians will not get a fair vote in this week's general elections because of an uneven playing field favoring the ruling National Front coalition.

New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Malaysia to eradicate bias from the electoral process. Opposition and activist groups say the process is rife with irregularities.

Malaysian law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz denied the allegations, accusing Human Rights Watch of discrediting the elections because "they know the National Front will win."

"To me, Human Rights Watch is biased. They are not important at all. It's only their opinion," he told The Associated Press.

***** As long as chaps like Nazri are around (and there are plenty of his type in Umno), Human Rights Watch's fears or for that matter anyone's doubts and complaints won't bother the government. They will tout this election as they have done earlier ones as a 'good example of Malaysia's vibrant democracy' in action.

Rivals Cry Foul Over Election Tactics Of Malaysia's Ruling Coalition

If election results were a measure of popularity, Malaysia's ruling coalition would be one of the most adored governments in the world. But few believe popularity alone has kept the National Front in power continuously since independence in 1957.

Parliamentary elections on March 8 have once again fueled complaints that a subservient Election Commission, gerrymandering, vote fraud, a compliant media, misuse of government resources and massive vote buying gives the Front an unfair advantage.

The government "controls everything during election time," said Mohammad Agus Yusoff, a political science professor at the National University of Malaysia. "This is why it's very difficult for the opposition to win."

The head of the Election Commission rejects such accusations. "Cheating has never been proven anywhere in this country," said Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, who himself has been accused of being partial to the ruling coalition.

Regardless, the National Front is all but assured of remaining in power after this week's poll, because it offers a sense of stability that many voters find comforting. But critics say the alleged election irregularities unfairly increase its margin of victory and make a mockery of democracy. The National Front has become institutionalized to such an extent, they say, that people no longer see the opposition as an alternative.

Opposition leaders say the Election Commission creatively draws election districts to favor the government, so the National Front wins far more seats than its percentage of the popular vote. In the 2004 election, the National Front took 91 percent of the 219 parliamentary seats with only 64 percent of the popular vote.

"The election is far from a level playing field," said Dzulkifli Ahmad, the chief political strategist of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party. "We are really pushed to the wall."

Ramon Navaratnam, president of the Malaysian branch of Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, said such gerrymandering is his main concern. "It shows weaknesses in the democracy as it doesn't reflect the true aspirations of the people," he said.

Activists also allege the electoral roll includes the names of thousands of deceased people. They suspect 'phantom voters' use these names to cast ballots for the National Front, using fake identification documents. Until late last year, as many as 31,000 people above the age of 107 were on the electoral roll, according to Bersih, a watchdog organization made up of opposition parties and some independent groups.

The Election Commission has deleted some names, but more than 8,600 people above 100 years old remain on the list, the commission says, adding it cannot remove a name unless it has proof that the person has died.

Sharmila Thuraisingam, a 35-year-old housewife in Kuala Lumpur, found out in 2004 that she was on the electoral roll in Kelantan state, even though she had never registered to vote. "How are you going to ensure that no one votes on my behalf?" she said, adding that she complained to the Election Commission but is still listed in the northeastern Malaysian state this year.

Responding to critics, the commission has agreed to introduce a few reforms such as marking voters' fingers with indelible ink to prevent people from voting more than once. But the measure is voluntary, so voters can refuse to have their fingers dyed.

The opposition also complains that media coverage is biased. Most newspapers and television stations are controlled by or closely linked to parties in the National Front. The media often trumpet government achievements, especially during election season, while the opposition is portrayed as bumbling and hypocritical.

Abdul Rashid, the election commission's head, acknowledges that "there are media bodies that take only one side," but says the commission has no power to stop that.

Somsri Hananuntasuk, director of the Bangkok-based Asian Network for Free Elections, said Malaysia needs to curb prejudiced media reports. "There are so many things that need to be reformed," she said. "There are no checks and balances. In any democracy, you have to have checks and balances." (PR-Inside.com)

***** Welcome to the world of Malaysian-style democracy where the free media is free to report on government 'triumphs', where the Election Commission redelineates electoral boundaries at the behest of the major political party Umno, where overnight 'development programmes' are implemented at difficult constituencies and where the living dead steadfastly exercise their constitutional right to vote even years after their official expiry. Only in Malaysia.
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Malaysia Run According To 'Islamic Principles', Says Najib. Far Cry From The Earlier Islamic State Claim Isn't It?

The leadership and administration of the country in the last 51 years has been in accordance with 'Islamic principles', said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"Islam carries a wide meaning. For instance, welfare work is one aspect that is enjoined by the religion, so is the provision of job opportunities," he told reporters after attending a meet-the-people session at Sekolah Menengah Kubang Kerian II, here Sunday. Also present was Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin.

Najib added that the country's achievements had also gained recognition from well-known Islamic scholars including Egypt's Al-Azhar University's Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayyid Al-Tantawi, who was in Malaysia recently for the university's world alumni conference.

***** This is the most pathetic and laughingly wishy-washy back door declaration of an Islamic state I have ever heard. Being the true blue opportunist that politicians are, Najib has very cleverly avoided the term Islamic state for fear of putting off non-Muslims. But nevertheless in order to appeal to the Muslim electorate in Kelantan he has to be seen to say something linking Islam and the government. So you have this ridiculous description about Islamic principles.

If welfare work and provision of job opportunities is Najib's idea of governing in accordance with 'Islamic principles', then many western nations are more 'Islamic' than we are. The things these politicians will say to fish for votes!
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Anwar Ibrahim Accuses Government Of Postal Vote Fraud

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Sunday accused the government of perpetuating postal vote fraud as citizens prepare to cast their ballots on March 8.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government, which has led the country since independence, is expected to win the poll but lose more seats amid protests and rising prices.

However, reports of voting irregularities have cast doubt on whether the upcoming polls will be fair.

"(We) are profoundly disappointed, though not surprised, by the latest evidence of postal voting fraud likely to be perpetuated during the upcoming elections," Anwar told AFP.

"The untransparent process of postal votes will result in seats won by opposition candidates being stolen by the ruling coalition in a blatantly fraudulent manner," he added.

Postal voting is presently restricted to military troops, policemen and teachers who are based far away from their constituencies.

Anwar's comments come as his party colleague Ibrahim Yaacob, who is a candidate for a parliamentary seat in the capital, gave reporters the names of postal voters they say were issued with two ballot sheets.

"I was there when the Election Commission (EC) was packing voter kits for postal votes on Saturday and we spotted at least six people with the same identification card number having two ballots each," Yaacob said.

"This is voting fraud as each postal voter should have only one vote," he added.

Electoral reform activists say a number of seats that the opposition would win could be decided by postal votes and that those casting postal votes do not have the freedom to choose the candidate they want.

Activists from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) say each ballot is also attached to a letter identifying the voter along with the voting slip serial number, so it would be easy to trace who voted for the opposition.

The EC, which maintains the electoral rolls and administers postal voting, could not be reached for comment.

It has repeatedly denied accusations that it is in league with the BN to rig the process so the ruling coalition gets extra votes. (AFP)

***** Postal vote fraud has in the past been said to shore up the fortunes of unpopular ruling party candidates, and the Election Commission is apparently in no hurry to assure the people that such things cannot happen. Merely issuing denials is not very comforting.