Hindraf Accuses Malaysia Of Racism At International Conference. MIC Says "Semuanya OK!"

The banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which had distributed pamphlets smearing Malaysia's image at an international conference attended by thousands of overseas Indians here, was flayed by MIC leaders today.

MIC secretary-general and Malaysian Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said he would raise the Chennai incident in the Cabinet next week, and added that he had also briefed several top Indian leaders about the status of Malaysian Indians during his visit to New Delhi last week.

"I will bring this to the Cabinet. I have also explained to several Indian leaders about the situation in Malaysia. All of them are committed to the good relations with Malaysia. They are aware of the tremendous progress achieved by Malaysian Indians," Subramaniam told journalists on the sidelines of the 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in Chennai.

Subramaniam met Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayal Ravi last week.

Several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy are in Chennai to attend the three-day conference which started today in this southern Indian city.

Several Hindraf members distributed their annual report to the local media and conference delegates at the Chennai Trade Centre where the meeting is being held.

A few local television stations also interviewed Waytha Moorthy who had flown in from London. It is believed that he does not hold a Malaysian passport anymore.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu described some of Hindraf's claims as "utter lies" and said the group disseminated incorrect information about the welfare of Malaysian Indians.

"That the 150,000 Malaysian Indians of the fourth and fifth generations are stateless is an utter lie. There are only 21,000 without birth certificates, and the Home Ministry has ordered that they be issued the birth certificates.

"Demolition of one temple a day is an old tune which he (Waytha Moorthy) is still singing. If one temple a day (is demolished), it means in the last 25 years there won't be any Hindu temple," Samy Vellu told Malaysian journalists.

On the calls by Hindraf to the Indian government to stop bilateral trade with Malaysia, Samy Vellu said the group failed to understand how two nations do business and that Indian leaders were wiser in dealing with such issues.

"We will reply to the Indian government on these utter lies. Indian leaders are very wise and they will not listen to this rubbish. They will go ahead with their arrangements," he retorted.

About 1,500 Indians from over 50 countries are attending the conference. (Bernama)

***** Who would you believe? MIC bosses who paint such a rosy picture of our country or Hindraf which got banned and had its leaders incarcerated for raising the evil practice of racism in Malaysia?

Social Contract Must Be Kept And Honoured, Says Rais

The social contract among the founding fathers should be kept and honoured, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

He said it would be tumultuous to unravel the understanding that had been reached among them and succeeding generations since independence.

"With strict observance and enforcement of the laws, our nation has been able to keep itself intact for half a century in spite the dire predictions of many word-twisting pundits.

"It has been said that a people who ignore the lessons of history are bound to repeat the same mistakes," he said in his speech at a United Nations Association of Malaysia (UNAM) dinner to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the United Nations (UN), here, Friday night.

Rais said there was no traditional mechanism, educational or otherwise that "educates the people on the rudiments of the Malaysian social contract".

"Due to this lack in educational guidance, some have even said that there is no such thing as the social contract in this country. This is frivolous and dangerous talk.

"The social contract is there. It is there through the laws of the land. It is there through the history pages of our country. It is there through the substratum of our cultural innates."

He said Malaysians tended to take for granted the peace and harmony that they enjoyed today.

"But peace and harmony did not come automatically. They were the result of painstaking efforts, sacrifice and compromise on the part of our founding fathers, particularly the UMNO leaders and the Malay Rulers who had the wisdom of sharing power instead of governing on their own.

"Many had preferred that UMNO could govern on their own but they didn't. Many ultras have harangued our leaders by saying that we hold power but we are not the majority rich," he said.

Rais said rather than taking one another for granted, Malaysians should work assiduously to strengthen inter-ethnic relations at all levels, from school to the work place, from the private sector to the civil service and beyond.

"Of course the stumbling block is that we still think and behave in racial or ethnic terms as Malays, Chinese, Indians and as Ibans, Melanaus or Murut-Kadazans and other ethnic groups that make up our blessed land.

"In such a milieu, the importance of showing respect for our people's cultural and religious values and heritage is of the utmost importance.

"There is a place for everyone of us under the Malaysian sun irrespective of racial, cultural or religious background. We should constantly remind ourselves of the vital importance of these ingredients which have guaranteed our political stability and have enabled us to achieve since we came together as a nation," he added. (Bernama)

***** "The stumbling block is that we still think and behave in racial or ethnic terms as Malays, Chinese, Indians and as Ibans, Melanaus or Murut-Kadazans," says Rais. But pray tell who is to blame for this? Which group of power hungry racists has been assiduously sowing the seeds of division for decades and ruling by wielding the strategy of fear and prejudice? Which political party has been demanding loyalty from those they have discriminated against repeatedly, in the name of a policy which is morally reprehensible and repugnant?

In practical terms isn't this frequent alluding to a 'social contract' merely an attempt to justify racial discrimination? What say you?

Keep Race Out Of Business In Private Sector, Says Najib. What About Government Sponsored Racism?

The Government does not want business in the private sector to be conducted along racial lines.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak however said that all private companies were encouraged to build up a local vendor system to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises.

“So, all big non-bumiputra companies, particularly those which have received licences or contracts from the Government, should give priority towards the development of local small firms, including those owned by bumiputras.

“Goverment-linked companies (GLCs) also have a role in giving opportunities and guidance to all bumiputra and non-bumiputra businesses,” he told Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid (BN - Padang Besar).

Najib, recently appointed Finance Minister, also said that he had recently met with a few small businesses involved in the local furniture industry, particularly those contracted to supply furniture to the Government.

“They have asked for the tender system to be reviewed so that they will be considered later when awarding contracts,” he said. (The Star Online)

***** When will we here from Najib that the government wants to halt race discrimination in the public sector? Not in a hundred years if he can help it. His prescription is simple - "Do what I say, don't do what I do." This man is never going to change. He's just as bad, perhaps even worse than some of the other umnoputeras who have led the country till now. Enough already.

Racial Quotas In Malaysia: Grim Warning For America

By Jared Taylor

Over the course of several trips to the South East Asian country of Malaysia I have been struck by how similar Malaysia’s race relations are to America’s—despite the obvious enormous differences. The official Malaysian policy of dispensing privileges by race may even be a warning of what the future may hold if our current policies and demographic trends continue.

Malaysia is about 60 percent Malay, 25 percent Chinese, and 8 percent Indian. In the 19th century, the British colonial government found that the native Malays did not want to work in tin mines or on rubber plantations, so they imported people who did: Tamils from India. The British also worried that smart Chinese immigrants would dominate the country. They therefore deliberately steered business to Malays and recruited them for government jobs. They feared—rightly as it turned out—that Malays would turn ugly if they thought Chinese were getting too far ahead. The British wanted Malays to keep getting a leg up even after independence in 1957, so when they drafted a constitution for the new country, they included Article 153 specifically to "safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives" through relatively mild preferences in education, the civil service and business licenses.

The races rubbed along without too much friction until 1969. That year, Chinese political parties nearly upset the ruling Malay coalition and held a victory parade through Malay neighborhoods in the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. The Malays didn’t like Chinese flaunting their power, and rioted, killing hundreds of Chinese. [Race War In Malaysia, Time Magazine, May. 23, 1969]

Violence works. The government responded with a new, stronger pro-Malay preferences program called the New Economic Policy (NEP), designed to increase the Malay share of national wealth. It is also known as the Bumiputra Program, from a Malay word that means "son of the soil" or "native."

All Malaysians are officially divided into bumiputras, who get preferences, and non-bumiputras, who don’t. "Bumis" must be Muslim Malay stock, though they need not be from Malaysia. This means an immigrant from Indonesia gets preferences over Indians or Chinese who have been in Malaysia for generations. Some of the specifics of the NEP are that Malays get a 60 percent quota at universities, discounts on real estate, and a guaranteed 30 percent of all new issues on the Malaysian stock market. The civil service became a bumi reserve, companies owned by non-bumis were barred from government contracts, and it became even harder for Indians and Chinese to get business licenses. The NEP set aside millions of dollars to pay for overseas training for Malay students and executives.

The Bumiputra Program does not take class into consideration, so the children of Malay millionaires get the inside track on boardroom posts, overseas scholarships, business licenses and plum government jobs. Minorities don’t like the system, but there is little they can do in a country that is majority Malay.

Read the whole report HERE

Gerakan Mulls Quitting BN If Umno's Racist Policies Not Curbed

A predominantly ethnic Chinese party threatened Monday to desert Malaysia's ruling coalition if it does not curb racial discrimination, just weeks after another minority party quit amid growing dissent in the government.

Leaders of the Gerakan party estimate more than half their members want the party to leave Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front coalition, largely due to frustrations regarding policies linked to racial issues, said party vice president Teng Hock Nan.

Abdullah has been struggling to keep the 13-party coalition together after it performed poorly in March general elections. The coalition retained power with less than its longtime two-thirds parliamentary majority and ceded five of Malaysia's 13 states to the opposition.

Gerakan has two lawmakers in parliament, and while the National Front would not lose its parliamentary majority if the party quit, the move would be a massive blow to morale — and could prompt more parties to desert the coalition.

Officials in Gerakan, which lost control of the northern industrial Penang state, believe leaving the National Front is "one of the options" if the coalition is "not willing to initiate drastic changes," particularly to curb racial discrimination, Teng said.

Minority leaders accuse the Malay Muslim-dominated government of neglecting their communities in economic, social and religious policies. Discontent over issues such as an affirmative action program for Malays spurred minorities to vote for the opposition in March.

Earlier this month, the Sabah Progressive Party, a small, largely ethnic Chinese party, deserted the National Front to become independent because of disenchantment with Abdullah's leadership.

Gerakan Secretary General Chia Kwang Chye said party officials are likely to discuss the possibility of leaving the coalition at their annual congress on Oct. 11. Teng said the party has set no deadline for a decision, adding that it has no immediate plans to join opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance.

The National Front, dominated by Abdullah's United Malays National Organization, has ruled Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957. It has been in turmoil for months amid persistent demands by many government members for Abdullah's resignation.

Coalition officials have also been jittery amid Anwar's claim that he has persuaded scores of government lawmakers to defect in a bid to topple Abdullah's administration. The ruling party has indicated Abdullah may step down by March and hand power to his deputy, Najib Razak. (International Herald Tribune)

***** Better late than never. The leaders in Gerakan who have the courage should get together and negotiate an exit as soon as possible. They should not listen to the opinion of people like Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who if he has his way would keep on grovelling at the feet of umnoputeras until he decides to retire or quit as party leader.

Umno Racist Ahmad Ismail Suspended For Three Years, Stripped Of All Party Posts

The Umno Supreme Council today suspended Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Ahmad Ismail for three years due to the racist remarks which he had allegedly made about the Chinese.

The decision was reached at a special meeting of the Umno supreme council held at the PWTC Wednesday afternoon. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chaired the meeting.

Abdullah told a press conference after the meeting that Ahmad would also be stripped of all party posts.

The meeting was held after Barisan Nasional component parties said they wanted “immediate and stern action” to be taken against Ahmad during a meeting of the coalition’s supreme council on Tuesday afternoon. However, because it involved a party matter, they left it to Umno to act.

The Prime Minister had said on Tuesday that the issue had caused uneasiness, worry and anger among the people.“Some (component parties) expressed their disappointment over what transpired while some showed anger.

“All of us are of the view that Ahmad’s comments are not acceptable at all. What he said has caused anger and concern among the people, non-bumiputras and bumiputras alike, not just in the peninsula but also in Sabah and Sarawak,” Abdullah told reporters on Tuesday.

Ahmad stirred a hornet’s nest recently when he said in a speech while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election that the Chinese were immigrants in the country and did not deserve equal treatment.

Despite criticisms from various community leaders, he refused to apologise. (The Star Online)

***** Keeping in mind the general sentiment of support within Umno for the racist, the three years suspension can be considered 'at least something'. Those who had expected him to be charged under the ISA are probably disappointed but given the present situation such a move would have been politically hazardous for Pak Lah. The PM has to walk a fine line here, taking care not to rile the Umnoputeras too much while at the same time placating the component parties.

Probably the racist bastard too knows that he cannot be dealt with more severely by the Supreme Council. And as if to prove that, the son of a bitch was reported to have just announced that he won't retract his statements, but urged his supporters to 'stay calm'. He's just itching to get his comeuppance and history shows that sooner or later such freaks will always fall and fall hard.

Muhyiddin Confirms Dr M Returning To Umno. Head For The Hills The Old Plague Cometh

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has confirmed that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is returning to the party.

He said that Dr Mahathir expressed his intention to return to Umno at a meeting last Saturday.

He added that he informed Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday of Dr Mahathir’s intention to rejoin the party.

Dr Mahathir, who has been a vocal critic of his hand-picked successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, quit Umno in May, saying that he would only return to Umno when there was a leadership change. (The Star Online)

***** As if we Malaysians don't have enough problems already! Now we have to dangerously add on the mother (father) of all racists into what is potentially a very serious scenario. Allowing Dr M to intrude or insinuate himself into the political equation at this point in time is to add the proverbial fuel to the fire.

He can do the nation a great favour by remaining where he is right now, retired and safely out of OUR harm's way. We need Dr Mahathir as much as we need the AIDS virus.

"I'm not A Racist," Says Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has defended himself from being called a racist after saying that Malay leaders should not have apologised over an Umno leader's alleged racist remark.

Dr Mahathir said he was not defending Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail's statement nor did he like what Ahmad had said.

He explained that he was merely expressing his "disgust" over the Malay leaders' inability to control racism and the culprit should face the Umno disciplinary committee if he refused to apologise.

He added that Ahmad's statement did not contribute to lessening the tension between the races.

"It is degrading for the second highest leader in the Government to be apologising for every instance of improper behaviour by Umno members," Dr Mahathir said in his blog www.chedet.com posted on Friday evening at 6.32pm.

He was referring to the apology by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made on behalf of Umno over Ahmad's remark.

Dr Mahathir however admitted that he knew he would be labelled a racist when he wrote that Malay leaders should not have said sorry.

The former prime minister came under fire after he wrote in his blog on Thursday that the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and ministers were constantly apologising to the Chinese and Indians due to purported racist remarks by some Malay leaders.

He said non-Malay leaders never apologised when similar racist remarks were made by members of their community such as the Hindraf group and Wee Meng Chee, who made a parody of Negaraku and poke fun at the call for prayers.

He also said the Malays were so scared of being labelled racist that they even wrote in Malay papers that the Malays were not racists. (The Star Online)

***** Frankly I wonder how many Malaysians especially non-Malays truly believe that Dr Mahathir is not a racist. He has over the years not given many indications of being fair to all. When push came to shove he had always come down unabashedly on the same side all the time.

Of course at this point in time it is academic whether he was, or still is, a racist. He is basically out of the main political equation and let us hope for the good of the country he continues to remain there in the periphery.

Made-In-Malaysia Racism

From the Letters To The Editor section in today's The Star with the title
Let’s shut out the racial instigators

"While we gasp in horror when we hear others talking bad about our race, some of us, particularly among family and friends, do practise racism without us realising it!

It is just like gossip – we pretend that it isn’t nice to gossip but we do try to eavesdrop or korek-korek when we hear people gossiping.

The Malays fear that the Malay culture will be diluted or, worse, be wiped out when one talks about Bangsa Malaysia while the Chinese fear that the Malays will impose their ketuanan on them, and the Indians and other minorities are staring at being left out of the development of the country.

And it doesn’t help at all when a politician utters racial slurs that another politician from a so-called multi-racial party from the same front or the opposition decides to hammer away instead of doing what our forefathers did, which was discussing the issue privately.

Each and every politician quickly pours fuel into the fire that in turn creates a pattern of both fear, anger and revenge.

And worst still, we now have bloggers writing articles that are deemed seditious by the government. Time and time again, reminders and warnings have been given, yet these bloggers are not only disregarding court summonses but are also openly instigating the public to turn against the establishment.

If they can ignore the law, perhaps so can we, the respectful public.

In my opinion, discussing behind closed doors whenever we have problems is the best solution and this will also shut out the kaki panas kepala-kepala as well as instigators.

Whether we like it or not, we are here to stay permanently and before we try to tell others how to clean their house, we must first clean our own house.

Diversity colours Malaysia and thank God we are indeed different. But instead of using diversity to bridge the difference, we are using differences to widen the bridge of diversity.

As far as people like me, the non-decision makers, are concerned we don’t have issue with other races at all.

Politicians and bloggers can come and see us any time but to do that, they have to leave their phalanx of politician buddies and their computers and feel the ground that is holding us all. That ground is called Malaysia and it is OUR home."

A COMMON MAN,

Kuala Lumpur.

***** 'Common Man' has a point when he says that some issues, especially the 'sensitive' ones, are better discussed in private. I can understand his concern that matters may get out of hand if 'too much' is debated publicly.

However one must hasten to add that this is the strategy which has been employed over the past few decades with no apparent improvement. Even a zillion years of negotiating privately will not yield results if the status quo is maintained and where an openly racist scum like the Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Ahmad Ismail is allowed to continue spitting his venom with impunity.

Just imagine if the roles had been reversed and a chinaman had been brave (and foolish) enough to speak in such tones about the Malays. Umno would have gone to town with that statement and demanded the full force of the ISA be brought to bear on him. And you know what? Pak Lah would have gladly obliged and may have even gone further and revoked the courageous and foolhardy sod's citizenship.

This is the racial politics which Umno has been playing all these years. It would not be surprising if the majority of Umno members share the views of the Bukit Bendera bastard. For that matter don't even be surprised if a large number of Malays generally agree with the racist diatribe of the bugger. By cunningly taking advantage of the fears and prejudices of the Malays, Umno has over the past few decades been continously feeding 'communal poison' to them and in a Pavlovian way, reshaping their psyche.

So successful has Umno's devious scheme been that attempts to even slightly alter Malay perception will prove refractory. Therefore would sending the Bukit Bendera bum to Kamunting really solve the issue? Is there any viable solution to our national disunity problem? I really don't know. Many have placed their hopes on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. For the sake of all Malaysians, DSAI will have to work hard and strive to achieve meaningful muhibbah which at least partly existed fifty years ago and which Umno totally destroyed in the intervening decades.

Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim Set To Win Parliament By-Election

After 10 days of racist insults, accusations of sodomy and oblique references to murder, campaigning drew to a close Monday in a key by-election to Malaysia's Parliament that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim looks set to win.

Anwar is pitted against Arif Shah Omar Shah of the governing National Front coalition in Tuesday's by-election in this semi-rural district in the industrial heartland of Penang state.

"God willing we will perform well. We will manage against all odds, unless there is massive rigging. Any independent observer will concede we have an edge," Anwar, 61, told reporters Monday.

A former deputy prime minister with an eye for the top job, Anwar sees his imminent entry into Parliament as the next step in his effort to topple the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by mid-September.

If Anwar succeeds and becomes prime minister, it would be a stunning political comeback for the man who was ousted from the ruling coalition in 1998 and served six years in prison for sodomy and corruption. Anwar has always said those charges were political frame-ups.

Few expect Anwar to lose, despite being charged anew with sodomizing a male aide in June, said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the independent Merdeka Center, which conducted a telephone poll of 544 voters from Friday to Sunday.

Ibrahim said 57 percent of those polled believe that Anwar is "capable of bringing change that will benefit the people regardless of race."

In general elections in March, Anwar's three-party opposition alliance won an unprecedented 82 of Parliament's 222 seats — 30 short of a majority — as well as control of five states.

Among the seats won by the opposition was Permatang Pauh by Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar could not contest the March elections because of a ban on holding political office stemming from a previous corruption conviction. It was slapped on him in 1998 when he was also charged and later convicted of sodomy. The sodomy conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2004, and the political ban expired in April this year.

In June, Wan Azizah resigned her seat to allow Anwar to contest it.

But his campaign received an early setback when his former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, swore on the Quran at a Kuala Lumpur mosque on Aug. 15 — a day before Anwar filed his candidacy papers for the election — that he was raped by Anwar.

Anwar said the ruling party "orchestrated the entire malicious, dirty campaign in time for this election."

The ruling coalition's campaign posters have also described Anwar as an Israeli agent who would allow American military bases in the country the minute he becomes prime minister.

The opposition has delivered a few punches under the belt too. Anwar has called ruling party leaders stupid, idiots, scoundrels and damned.

His party posters have shown images of slain Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu with the word "Justice" stamped on her forehead in red.

Shaariibuu, 28, was shot in October 2006 and blown up with explosives in a jungle. Abdul Razak Baginda, a close friend of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, is on trial for abetting the murder. Najib also has been linked to the woman with allegations that he had an affair with her.

Najib denies this vehemently, and recently took an oath in a mosque that he never knew the woman. (International Herald Tribune)

***** Many see an Anwar win as the first step to improved inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations and harmony. For far too long has Umno practised a divide and rule strategy which has deeply polarized the country. We need Umno as badly as the Americans need George Bush. 'Nuff said.

Malaysian School Teachers Beat Up Indian Kids Black-And-Blue, Call Derogatory Names

Over the past almost one year, incidents of school teachers physically abusing students of Indian origin have been on the rise in Malaysia, and in some instances, teachers even called the Indian students by derogatory names.

The school teachers have reportedly acquired the hate-Indian students attitude after the transfer of a school teacher from a secondary school in Banting, who is now facing an inquiry after she admitted to leveling racial slurs against Indian students.

Several parents of such children here have lodged police reports since November last year alleging that as many as five school teachers had physically and verbally abused Indian students.

R. Sathasnam (52) said that he and another parent had complained to the schools administration repeatedly, but the abuses still continue. He alleged that these five teachers regularly hit the students and told them to transfer out of the school, as they (the teachers) were fed-up of seeing their faces. One of the teachers called some Indian students derogatory names, alleged Sathasnam.

He alleged that many Indian students were slapped, kicked, punched and caned by these teachers for misdemeanours such as talking while lining-up to enter the classroom.

My 10-year-old son was lifted-up by the ears by a male teacher and slapped and kicked for talking before entering the classroom after recess in February, staronline.com quoted Sathasnam as saying.

He claimed his sons ears turned blue-black and his cheeks swelled after the beating. When he rushed his son to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital , the doctor there advised him to file a police report. Another parent R. Viganaspary, 40, said her son was repeatedly hit on the head with a rolled-up newspaper and caned on the legs for not having a particular exercise book.

Meanwhile, Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs secretary Gunaraj George, who met Sathasnam and Viganaspary recently, said the coalition would present a memorandum on the matter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi soon. These are young impressionable children and the alleged incidents will only teach them to hate, he said.

Malaysian Deputy Minister and Senator T. Murugiah promised to look into these cases and speak to the principal next week when school reopens. Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong also said that he would comment only after he had seen copies of the police reports. (ANI)

***** Are we really surprised or shocked? That racist and religious chauvinists, misfits and nutcases have infested the teaching fraternity is well known. However the irresponsible tidak apa stance and reaction of the education department is deplorable.

Imagine if the same thing had happened to students of the 'other' race. By now the minister and his officials would have paid televised visits to the home of those students, given them some financial compensation and heads would have rolled. But since the victims are 'only' Indians, the authorities could not be the least bit bothered. Which begs the question, are these education department buggers any less racist than the psychiatric screwballs perpetrating violence with impunity on their students?

M'sia Quietly Drops 'Pulau' From Pulau Batu Puteh As S'pore Claims Exclusive Economic Zone

From The Straits Times, Singapore

Malaysia has dropped 'Pulau', the Malay term for island, from its name for Pedra Branca.

The Malaysian government, which has always called the island Pulau Batu Puteh, is now calling it just Batu Puteh, reported the Chinese-language paper Oriental Daily News.

Announcing the change at a press conference earlier this week, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said it was doing so as it considered the territory as having failed to meet the internationally recognised criteria for an island, that is, land inhabited by humans that had economic activity.

He told reporters that the Singapore Government wanted to claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around it but said this was not possible because it did not qualify as an island.

In his view, it was a mere granite outcrop devoid of vegetation, water sources and human habitation.

Dr Rais said Malaysia had considered it an island in the past, but decided to abide by international standards after the dispute over it with Singapore was referred to the the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In May, the ICJ had awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore and the Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but ruled that the South Ledge outcrop belonged to whoever owned the territorial waters it sat in.

Dr Rais said the government will set up a research centre on the South Ledge, which he claimed belonged to Malaysia because of its proximity to Middle Rocks.

He also criticised Singapore's announcement about the EEZ.

'Singapore made the announcement without consulting Malaysia. In any case, Singapore's claim of up to 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as well as an EEZ around Batu Puteh was unreasonable and contrary to international law,' Oriental Daily News quoted him as saying.

***** Another case of Singapore outmaneuvering our foreign ministry mandarins. The problem lies in the sad fact that while Singapore recruits the best talents in its crucial departments, we are still hampered by racial quotas and the promotion of mediocre personnel. What pride can there possibly be in packing these offices with so many Malays if they can't get the job done?

Many stories abound about the government either not hiring top notch non-Malay experts or treating them so shabbily by denying them promotions that they have been forced to leave. We are now merely 'reaping' the effects of the racism our government has been sowing over the past forty years.

Najib: Govt Has Never Restricted Non-Bumis Pursuing Higher Education In The Country. Is This True?

From Bernama

Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) government have never restricted opportunities for non-Bumiputeras to pursue higher education in the country, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said Monday.

He said various changes have been made by the government over the last few years to make education in the country more liberal and open.

These more liberal and open educational policies benefited the non-Bumiputera communities, he told reporters after a visit to the BN election operations room in Sama Gagah here.

He said the picture portrayed by the Opposition on educational opportunities for Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras was incorrect altogether.

Najib said the issue of education could not be viewed from one angle but should be seen from the viewpoint of changes to the educational sector and the national education policy initiated by the BN government.

Najib said the government provided ample opportunities for all communities, including non-Bumiputeras, and the issue should not be politicised by the Opposition, especially in the Permatang Pauh by-election, polling for which is on Aug 26.

The BN deputy chairman was asked to comment on a statement by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his "ceramah" (talk) that he supported the proposal by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for a 10 per cent intake of non-Bumiputeras into Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Anwar, 61, is involved in a three-corner contest with Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, 51, of the BN and Hanafi Mamat, 61, of the Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akin) in the by-election.

The by-election has been necessitated by the resignation on July 31 of the member of parliament, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to pave the way for her husband, Anwar, to contest and become an MP.

Najib said the government had approved legislation providing for the setting up of private colleges and universities to open up opportunities for non-Bumiputeras to pursue higher education, replaced the quota system with a meritocracy system and extended the National Higher Education Loan Fund Corporation (PTPTN) scheme to all communities.

"We have also allowed private colleges, such as Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), to upgrade and recruit more students. Gerakan also has a university and, yesterday, MIC officially opened its Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) university," he said.

As such, he called on the Opposition not to politicise the issue of education in an attempt to garner the votes of the Chinese and Indian communities.

He said the issue was used as capital to draw non-Malay support for Anwar as the support of the Malays and Muslims was divided between Umno and PAS.

***** How many of you feel that Najib is accurate in his claim that the government has provided ample opportunities for all communities, including non-Bumis? The lack of tertiary education opportunities is one of the sorest points in the long list of non-Malay grouses and dissatisfaction with Umno. The non-Bumis have been given the short end of the stick for the better part of four decades partly because the so-called Chinese and Indian parties in the BN have remained deaf and dumb all these years.

But now in the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-elections, knowing that the non-Malays are extremely pissed off with Umno and its continous use of the race and religion card, Najib is making this empty claim. To be fair he has every right to claim what he likes just as the people have the right to give Umno the boot in this and other elections. Say no to racism.

"Succeed On Your Own Steam," PM Urges Malays. Fine, But Will You Let Them?

The Malays must cultivate the strongest will to succeed and achieve anything they want without having to rely on help or subsidies, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Abdullah said although Malays as a whole have improved their lot, there were still a lot more that needed to be done.

“We must value-add as I have said time and again. But there must be that something in us that will enable us to achieve that,” he said in his speech at the Gabungan Pelajar Malaysia Semenanjung's (GPMS') 60th anniversary dinner last night.

Abdullah said such an initiative was a challenge to the Government but said it was also up to the people to want it and do their part.

“We must, in the end, be able to walk unaided. That is the final goal. We must be able to move forward and develop without subsidies. Even if the goal is to reach the highest peak, we must believe we can do so on our own strength,” he said.

Emphasising that the world was changing quickly, Abdullah said the Malays also have to be quick to arm themselves with the latest knowledge to improve themselves.

On another note, Abdullah, who was a former president of the GPMS (1962-64), said the organisation had never been extremist.

“GPMS as it is, is the place to start to get involved in nationalism. But as far as I remember, then and now, we have never been extremist.”

Abdullah said the organisation was moderate in its approach in advocating the improvement of Malay education and culture.

“We have never held demonstrations to demand what we wanted and had instead lobbied those with influence in order to do so.” (The Star Online)

***** Pak Lah has clearly said what he expects and wants the Malays to do. But the tongkat-loving Malay students of UiTM have other ideas as this report tells us. Pathetic sods.
Image - Source

Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association: No Need To Open Up UiTM To Other Races

From The Star Online

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) is the last bastion for Malay and bumiputra students to further their studies and there is no need to open it up to other races, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) said.

In a response to the proposal by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim for UiTM to open up 10% of its intake to other races, PPIM said the move would be seen as challenging the special rights of the Malays.

PPIM project director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the government and its leaders had to be tougher in defending such issues because although the country was multiracial, there was "no need to sideline Malay special rights. If something like this is allowed to happen, then there will be a worrying situation where many Malay institutions will crumble and be 'Malaysia-nised'.

"It is hoped that the exclusiveness of UiTM is not undermined by anyone and it be allowed to continue as an institution that will strengthen the Malays," he said in a statement.

Noor Nirwandy said that UiTM has not only produced many excellent scholars but has also had many graduates who were able to compete with other races in the job market.

He added that the reason given by Khalid, which was to create more competition amongst students, was unnecessary because university students already competed amongst each other.

***** What this and other pathetic Malay groups are basically saying is, "just leave us alone and let us wallow in our own mediocrity."

In a roundabout way they are doing you non-Malays a big favour. Frankly do you guys want to go head-to-head and compete all year round with millions of Bumis who are exceptionally good? Luckily for you, the policies of this government and the attitude of those pro-Malay 'nationalists' have rendered the major race hamstrung and decrepit after fifty years of spoonfeeding. Mass lethargy has set in and these are not optimum conditions for the strive for excellence.

Given the current state of our race politics and the expressed desire by many Malays to continue to safely and securely reside, without hassle and competition, in government-sponsored tempurung till the day they croak, it would not be unreasonable to opine that most of these people are never going to be able to match up to you guys, not even in a hundred years. Many progressive Malays have voiced similar opinion to mine but alas their arguments have till now fallen on deaf ears.

So let them keep their UiTM and the other so-called 'last bastions' which perforce ensure that they remain firmly in last place. You are the real fortunate ones who should work that much harder and smarter and become truly world-beaters in this nation which through the accident of history is still being administered by tempurung vendors.

In Malaysia It Pays To Hurl Racial Abuse At Students. Racist Teacher Rewarded.

From AsiaOne, Singapore

It obviously pays to hurl racial abuse at students, going by what happened to the teacher who did so at a school here. The 35-year-old history teacher from SM Telok Panglima Garang was not only transferred to a smart school but to one located nearer her house.

To add insult to injury, no disciplinary action was taken against her.

It is understood that her letter of transfer stated that she was being transferred due to concerns for her security and not because she had committed an offence.

Several parents and non-governmental organisations gathered in front of the school yesterday demanding an explanation from the headmaster for letting her off with just a slap on the wrist.

However, the headmaster refused to meet them, saying the matter was no longer related to the school since the teacher had been transferred.

Coalition of Indian NGOs secretary G. Gunaraj said the transfer showed the teacher had got away scot-free.

"In fact, she even got a better deal. She is now in a better school and one that is nearer to her house."

He said this set a dangerous precedent as others may think they too can get away scot-free uttering racial slurs.

He said the Education Ministry should be serious in tackling the issue as what the teacher had done could affect racial harmony.

Gunaraj said some teachers in the school were blaming the affected students for lack of a history teacher.

"This should not be the case. Does it mean that students should keep quiet, no matter what a teacher does?"

In the incident last month, the teacher allegedly told students of a certain ethnic group in a Form Four class that she "wanted to test their level of patience" and then began abusing them with derogatory words.

She even wrote the words on the blackboard. Two students later lodged police reports against her.

Several days earlier, she had allegedly entered a Form Five class and called the students using a derogatory word. She also accused them of being gangsters and thieves.

She was also alleged to have ordered the boys to do push-ups. When some of them could not do so, she allegedly stomped on their backs.

Last Monday, nearly 500 parents and members of the public gathered to protest in front of the school.

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry had instructed the State Education Department to initiate an inquiry and that the teacher "had some explaining to do".

State Education director Ashah Samah said she had wanted to transfer the person out of the state but had acceded to a request from the teacher to remain in the district.

She said the transfer letter was issued by the district education department and that she would investigate claims that security had been stated as the reason for the move.

***** When the whole education department itself is bloody racial to the core, can we expect any meaningful and reasonable action by these people against a fellow racist? Just read the statement by the State Education director Ashah Samah. She said that she had wanted to transfer the person out of the state but had acceded to a request from the teacher to remain in the district! What compassion!

When the government itself practices open discrimination and racism can you expect something better from these nutcases? Malaysia Boleh!

Update: Samy Vellu: Why ‘reward’ racist teacher?

Malaysian Student's Mother Makes Tearful Plea Over Son's Assault In Melbourne

From THE AGE, Australia

The mother of a Malaysian student attacked by a group of men in Melbourne's CBD last Friday, leaving him in an induced coma for several days, has broken down in tears while speaking about her son.

Kevindra Joseph, 19, was lost and asking a friend for directions on a mobile phone when he was attacked by a group of men in Little Lonsdale Street, near the intersection of Russell Street, about 2.50am, police said today.

The engineering student, who had been in Australia for about a month, was found unconscious on the footpath and spent several days in an induced coma at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He remains in hospital.

Police today released images of two men they believe can assist them with their inquiries, and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

His mother, Rohini Devi, today made a tearful appeal for information about her son's attack. (You can read the full report HERE)

***** As early as May this year there had been many reports of racist assaults on foreign students including at least eight Indian students who were attacked in the month of May 2008 in Melbourne alone.

According to the news.com.au website, seventeen foreign students have died in Victoria in the past year from boarding home fires, murders, car crashes and drowning.

These incidents were well publicised and the serious risks involved in being out alone late at night is common knowledge. Vicious assaults especially in Melbourne’s central business district (CBD) are common after dark and police have issued warnings about walking alone at night. Therefore one must ask why this young man was so foolish in venturing out at the unearthly time of 2.50am?

Forget About Increase In Non-Bumi PSD Scholarship Quota

The Government will study the move by the Public Services Department to increase the scholarship quota for non-bumiputras to 45%.

"We will look at it first," Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told reporters Wednesday.

Najib was asked to comment on the move by PSD to increase the scholarship quota for non-bumiputra from 10% to 45%, which had created dissatisfaction among certain quarters including the Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS).

GPMS president Datuk Reezal Naina Merican called for the Government to review the move saying that it should be re-evaluated and scrutinised thoroughly.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin who is MP for Rembau questioned the move saying that the quota was determined at the discretion of Yang di-Pertuan Agong who had the absolute power over the matter according to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice chancellor Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Arshad, who is former education director also questioned the basis of the department's calculation when raising the quota and whether it considered the racial composition.

The department offers 2,000 scholarships annually. Previously, 90% of them were offered to bumiputra students but the under the new scheme, the number for non-bumiputras is increased to 45%. (The Star)

***** Reezal Naina Merican wants the proposal 'reviewed, re-evaluated and scrutinised,' possibly because his entire family tree here and in Tamil Nadu is now categorised under Bumi rather than Indian. So why worry about the 'kaum pendatang'?

The nation's first S-I-L, silly Khairy 'questioned the move,' the same way that we can question his credibility and qualification to be the MP for Rembau, other than the fact of being married to the PM's daughter of course.

The freebie-enjoying, rent-obsessed and out-of-turn promoted UiTM vice chancellor Abdul Rahman Arshad meanwhile 'questioned the basis'. Indeed he will. As one who won't stand a rat's arse of a chance of being a V-C in any other country in the world, he has his own axe to grind. But then again he's a pious 'nationalist' you see, and when he religiously prays the required number of times a day he will experience great solace, peace and comfort in knowing that he courageously and determinedly 'fought' to achieve his heart's desire - that even Malay millionaires' children will be given scholarships while the wretched offsprings of non-Malay rubber tappers, hawkers and others be forced to spend their own money for their education. For such is the disjointed thinking of those who subscribe to the racist ideas of eternal entitlement.

So what can we expect Najib to say but the obvious -- 'we will study the move'.

With those 'brave' statements by the nation's pejuang2 demi bangsa, agama dan negara, you can fully anticipate that the mini sandiwara initiated by the PSD will be allowed to run its course before being declared as either dead or stillborn.

Sorry brudder, the more things seem to change, the more stubbornly they remain the same. But don't give up hope. Meaningful change, for all you know, may be on its way sooner than many think.

Japan Firm Scraps Ad After Racial Controversy

A Japanese mobile phone firm has halted an advertisement depicting a monkey as a political candidate after bloggers said the commercial was a racial slur against U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

An ad aired by the mobile unit of eAccess Ltd showed the firm's mascot, a monkey, addressing a political rally in Japanese and surrounded by supporters brandishing placards with the word "Change".

Some bloggers said the eMobile ad was racist because it seemed to refer to Obama and his campaign slogan advocating change. Earlier this week Britain's Telegraph newspaper ran a story saying the ad "apparently portraying Barack Obama as a monkey has provoked a new row about racial depictions of the Democratic candidate".

Monkeys, while revered in parts of Asia, are viewed in the United States as a racial slur if used to depict African Americans.

eMobile said on Friday that the firm never meant to malign Obama but was withdrawing the ad after the outbreak of criticism in cyberspace.

"We have decided to stop the commercial," eMobile spokesman Takashi Igarashi told Reuters in an e-mail. "We should avoid every possibility of misunderstanding and unintentional reaction."

eMobile CEO Sachio Semmoto said the advertisement, which he said was produced by WPP Group Plc's JWT unit, had meant to underscore his firm's commitment to change.

"For two years I've been saying that Obama has the capacity to change America, the kind of capacity that Japan needs," said Semmoto, who has a reputation as a maverick and whose company has carved out a niche in Japan with a pricing model that differs from more entrenched competitors.

Monkey deities exist in Hinduism, Buddhism and Shintoism, and monkey figures are common in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan, including the famous 17th century carving of three wise monkeys on the facade of the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko. In Hinduism, Hanuman is a monkey god revered for courage and power.

Semmoto is a director and trustee of Reuters Founder Share Company, which is charged with safeguarding Thomson Reuters independence, integrity and freedom from bias. (Reuters)

***** Trust the Japanese to come out with a racist ad at the worst possible moment! There are many who have stayed in Japan who will vouch that they are among the most racist and chauvinistic people on the planet.

Another Desperate 'Malays In Danger' Umno Ploy To Stay Relevant

Malay unity is presently at its lowest level, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"Unlike previously, the Malays do not have a common direction and because of this, some groups have raised issues which are no longer relevant like Malay supremacy," Zahid told reporters.

He said the Malays were not asking more than what had been stated in the Federal Constitution nor did they want to deny other races of their rights.

"We just want to defend our rights," said Zahid.

He added that the Malays had also lost their political power, based on their representation in parliament and recent incidents in Selangor and Perak. (Bernama)

***** The things these buggers will do stay alive! Umno only recently whacked every citizen in the country with a crippling fuel price hike and so soon after the damage done this idiot speaks of ketuanan Melayu as if others are responsible for the predicament the once powerful political party is in. The fact is that many Malays have seen through the game these buggers have been playing and have realised albeit late that they have been duped over and over again. Now Zahid wants to pull the race card again hoping against hope that it will resonate. Sorry brudder, too little too late. The Malays have found a more genuine party and truly dedicated pemimpin2 Melayu to lead them.

Umno can't even keep the Melayu2 in the party united and happy, what more of those outside? To hell with hypocrites. Get a life Zahid.