Wednesday, 30 November 2016

Najib is the best president, says Wanita's Shahrizat

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is the best Umno president that the party's women's wing has ever served, said Wanita chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (pic).

Wednesday, 30 November 2016 | MYT 11:55 AM
BY RAHMAH GHAZALI


In all her years serving under three presidents, Shahrizat said Najib's visions, missions and intentions surpassed his predecessors.
“No other presidents have paid respects to grieving families, those who are ill regardless of men or women or (attend) a mass circumcision ceremony.
“I have high respect for our president,” Shahrizat told Wanita delegates at the general assembly on Wednesday.
She said the issues surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) were merely the Opposition’s political agenda to topple Najib and the Government.
“If Najib was not the president, this would not have become an issue,” she said, adding that Wanita, as the party’s backbone, should not be cowed by such attacks.
Shahrizat also took a swipe at former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for being friends with Opposition leaders whom he once condemned.
Without naming him, Shahrizat said she had “mixed feelings” when she found out that Dr Mahathir had ‘bercium mulut’ (cosied up) with DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
“It was one of the darkest days of my life. I felt so ashamed. We put him in the pedestal for over 20 years, but what happened now?
“This is all his agenda. We cannot accept it. He cannot use his own political interest to bring down the country,” she said.
Shahrizat criticised some movements and non-government organisations which accepted funding from billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
Soros was blamed for currency speculation that caused the ringgit to plunge in the 1997 financial crisis.
“Would you want him to come back to Malaysia? He is a speculator. A father of all speculators.
“But he has yet to meet Wanita Umno. As long as Wanita is with Najib, Soros or anyone else will not be able to penetrate our defences," she said.

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Najib: Mahathir a leader with a 'super ego'

PUTRAJAYA: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is a leader with a “super ego”, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic). "If he fights, he must win, tries to win. Now he is not successful, he will be more aggressive with his words ...
Monday, 28 November 2016 | MYT 10:50 PM

 

PUTRAJAYA: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is a leader with a “super ego”, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic).
"If he fights, he must win, tries to win. Now he is not successful, he will be more aggressive with his words," he said in a special interview held in conjunction with the 2016 UMNO General Assembly.
The one-hour session was moderated by Hamdan Ahmir, while Utusan Malaysia Editor Datuk Zulkefli Hamzah and RTM television personality Sayed Munawar Sayed Mohd Mustar also participated in the event.
Najib – who is also Umno president – said Dr Mahathir's efforts to topple him through the Mahathir Declaration failed because it was legally and constitutionally invalid and rejected by the Meeting of the Council of Rulers last month.
Najib added that Dr Mahathir had no choice but to attack him as he felt that to destroy UMNO, the party president must be toppled.
"When Dr Mahathir was the Umno president, the same people who are with him today said he was worse. If we look back at the tapes, their old videos, they said Dr Mahathir was worse. This is the process of politics and political games. So now that he has not succeeded, he will be more aggressive in his words," said Najib.
Asked to share how he faced the condemnation calmly, Najib said; "I understand leaders like Dr Mahathir, his methods and the message that he uses."
Najib also said the strong support from party members as well as Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament were also factors which helped him.
"I see that PAS is also not with him. During the tabling of the Budget 2017, PAS did not support the Opposition’s rejection of the budget," he said. – Bernama
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/11/28/najib-mahathir-a-leader-with-a-super-ego/

Maria: No idea where I was held

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah was kept in solitary confinement with no contact with the outside world.


Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Maria: No idea where I was held

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah was kept in solitary confinement with no contact with the outside world.

Each time she left her cell, she was blindfolded with large, blackened goggles. She also did not know where she was held in the first place.
Those were some of the conditions faced by Maria during her 10-day detention at an undisclosed location under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Maria was released late yesterday after she was brought to Bukit Aman.
“I didn’t really know where I was. This was meant to scare me because it is in an undisclosed place. The interrogations happened every day for long hours.
“But I think the saving grace was when Suhakam came and I want to thank them,” she told reporters at Dataran Merdeka.
Maria said the human rights watchdog helped reduce the type of tough interrogations that she had to go through.
She said she would continue with her work with Bersih.
“There is a possibility of another detention as they have started a second investigation on me.
“If they do it, they are really silly to continue harassing us. The rally went peacefully,” she said, adding that the whole money story did not hold water.
She said the police knew it and they had her organisation’s bank account statements.
“They have everything. We have even published them on our website,” Maria said.
Meanwhile, during her address at Dataran Merdeka, she denied receiving funds from the Soros Foundation.
“Bersih doesn’t take money from the Soros Foundation.
“They don’t believe me. They think we have an account with RM3.2bil,” she said, adding that her detention was meant to frighten them so that they would not go ahead with the rally but the people had become brave.
“They went ahead. I hope all of you continue to support Bersih and our demands,” she added.
“We want clean elections and to reform the institutions in our country.”
Her children – Azumin, Aziman and Azemi – said they were extremely happy now that their mother had been released.
“We really did not have any idea that she would be released today.
“When mum’s lawyer Datuk S. Ambiga called us and we heard her voice, we couldn’t contain our happiness.
“The whole family is overjoyed,” said Azumin Mohamad Yunus.

Non-Muslims warned to stay out of Hadi’s Bill or face consequences

KUALA LUMPUR: Non-Muslims have been warned to stay out of PAS’ proposed amendments to Syariah law, or face resistance on proposed amendments to stop the unilateral conversion of children to Islam.
Tuesday, 29 November 2016


PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said Muslims would oppose amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act if non-Muslims continue to interfere with the proposed amendments to Syariah law.
“We must play fair. Don’t interfere with the rights of Muslims and make it difficult for us.
“If you want to play this way, then we too can work against the proposed law reform,” he told a press conference at the party headquarters yesterday.
Takiyuddin said Muslim and non-Muslim communities should reach a compromise.
Amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act mainly concern the custody and conversion of children from a civil marriage where one spouse has converted to Islam.
Last Monday, the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016 was tabled in Parliament for its first reading.
If passed, it will ensure a child’s religion remains as that of the father and mother, prior to the conversion of either parent.
On Thursday, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang tabled a motion on a Private Member’s Bill, seeking to give Syariah Courts more power to mete out heavier punishments, short of the death sentence.
However, both the second reading of the law reform amendments and Abdul Hadi’s motion were postponed till the Dewan Rakyat sitting in March next year.
Takiyuddin chided DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for criticising MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s stand over Hadi’s Bill.
“The MCA president’s statement is very positive when he said that his party would consider reviewing its stand on the Bill if it was carried by the Government.
“It is disappointing that Lim Kit Siang blamed Liow for not having principles,” he said, adding that Lim was confusing the rakyat over the Bill.
MCA religious harmony bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said there was no such thing as quid pro quo arrangements on protecting Malaysians’ constitutional rights.
“This tit-for-tat threat against non-Muslims hits below the belt. It is clear that PAS’ intended maltreatment and oppression against ethnic and religious minorities, and women, will be no different from the likes of Islamic State,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/11/29/pas-threatens-titfortat-move-nonmuslims-warned-to-stay-out-of-hadis-bill-or-face-consequences/

Monday, 28 November 2016

Umno's enemy are those who question Malays' special rights: Salleh Said

KUALA LUMPUR
The Umno Supreme Council member said the party had the responsibility to ensure that the social contract, provided in the Federal Constitution, is not breached by other quarters.
He outlined the five rights which have been agreed in the social contract by the nation's founding fathers, which are on the the position of the Malay rulers, the the Malay language, special rights of the Malays and the Bumiputera, Islam and on citizenship.
"Four of the rights, excluding citizenship, cannot be shared with others and are only for the Malays," said Salleh who the Communications and Multimedia Minister.
"This is the basis of Umno's struggle, to ensure that the rights that cannot be shared must be defended. Our enemies are those who try to take away the four rights that cannot be shared with anyone," he said in his speech at the Information Convention 2016 at Putra World Trade Centre here organised in conjunction with the Umno general assembly.
He said Umno must not deviate from its initial struggle to remain as a party with a clear ideology.
"A party that can remain forever is a party with an ideology. Umno's ideology is for the 'bangsa, agama dan negara' (race, religion and nation). The basis is to defend the four rights in the social contract," he said.
However, Salleh noted that party members sometimes forget the basis of Umno's struggle as they were distracted by other matters.
Meanwhile, Salleh named former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as one of the threats and challenges that Umno needed to deal with in ensuring its victory at the next general election.
He said Mahathir's interference in Umno politics was the reason affecting the number of seats that the party had won in the previous national polls.
He added the number of seats won by Umno increased in 2004 after Mahathir stepped down from his position, but declined in 2008 when the latter launched an attack on the then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
"In 2013 GE when there was no interference (from Mahathir), Umno managed to improve the number of constituencies it won to 88 seats," he said.
"It is clear by just looking at the numbers that Tun (Mahathir) is one of the challenges for us to face," he added.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2078157

Thursday, 24 November 2016

Salleh Said Keruak: Obama was not targeting Najib in Lima speech

President Barack Obama was making a general reference on US policy and not about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in his speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, Peru

Wednesday, 23 November 2016 | MYT 8:22 PM

Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak
Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak

PETALING JAYA: President Barack Obama was making a general reference on US policy and not about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in his speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, Peru, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
Salleh said that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and those opposed to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak were bordering on wishful thinking and being delusional when they said that Obama was referring to the Prime Minister in his speech in Lima, Peru on Wednesday.
"What makes them think that with so many issues to worry about the whole world is focused on just one issue: 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)?
"They are suggesting that with the world facing conflicts and chaos at every corner of the planet, the US President has time for nothing else but for only one issue," Salleh said in a statement on Wednesday.
"First they say Najib is scared of leaving Malaysia for fear that the US will arrest him. Now they say the US President attacked Najib in his speech.
"President Obama actually made a general reference to US policy and was not, as Mahathir says, a direct reference to Najib," he said.
"In fact, what Obama said was that the US cannot interfere in the internal matters of another country. So maybe Obama was referring to Mahathir and not Najib.
"And this contradicts what Mahathir and his people earlier said: which is the US is going to take action against Najib in a US court," he said.
In his speech in Peru, Obama reportedly said there are limits to the US' reach into other countries, giving examples of oppression of people, not providing education to girls and mentioning those who siphon off development funds into Swiss bank accounts because they are corrupted. 
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/11/23/salleh-said-keruak-obama-speech-not-malaysia/

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Maria has links with CIA, claims Umno info chief

PETALING JAYA: Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pix) has claimed that Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah has links with the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

PETALING JAYA: Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pix) has claimed that Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah has links with the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
In his latest Facebook posting today, Annuar said Maria was linked to the CIA due to the works she had conducted with several US NGOs prior to her returning to Malaysia with her late husband, Yunus Lebai Ali, in the 1980s.
“Maria and Yunus returned to Malaysia around the 1980s and prior to that they were involved with several NGOs such as the National Institute for Electoral Integrity (NIEI), which is under the sponsorship of Asia Foundation.
“And Asia Foundation is a network under The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and Asian Network for Free and Fair Elections (Anfrel) to which former CIA agent Philip Agee had previously disclosed that both Namfrel and Anfrel were ‘CIA tools’ that masked behind the slogan of ‘people power’,” he said.
Annuar claimed that Maria was also involved in other human rights and feminist NGOs that were pro-LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender).
He added that clearly, Maria was not an ordinary person but someone whose background should be further examined.
Maria was arrested by the police last Friday, the eve of Bersih 5 rally, and is currently detained for 28 days under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).
She is being investigated under Section 1124C of the Penal Code for activities deemed detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2070672

Tuesday, 22 November 2016

'Misuse of Sosma law' over detention of Bersih chairman

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) strongly objects the use of Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) on Bersih 2.0's chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.
22 November 2016 - 12:03am

Its chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail said the usage of Sosma on Maria who has been detained by police without trial cannot be accepted by a "society that has a national conscience".
"The broad characterisation of "security offences" under Sosma now suggests that its scope extends beyond terrorism offences," he said in a statement today.
He pointed out that in 2011, the government had assured that no individual will be arrested merely on the point of political ideology.
"In this regard, Suhakam views the preventive detention of Maria is a misuse of law, an abuse of the legal system and of law enforcement," Razali said.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) also demanded the immediate release of Maria.
"We reiterate the call for all laws that permit detention without trial to be abolished or amended immediately as there can be no justification for laws that undermine the right to fair trial," Suaram read in a statement today.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail expressed surprise that Maria had been detained under Sosma.
"The arrest of the electoral reform group chairman under the terrorism preventive law is a breach of trust on what the government had promised when it enacted Sosma," she said in a statement today.
The PKR president urged police to release Maria immediately.
Under Sosma 2012, a person can be arrested without a warrant and be held for 24 hours for investigation.
The police may, however, extend the detention for up to 28 days for the purpose of investigations, and if the detained person is released before the end of the 28 days, the police may propose attaching an electronic monitoring device, through a court order, for the remainder of the 28-day period.
Maria was detained on Friday under Section 124C of the Penal Code that criminalises the attempt to commit activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Tun M attends candlelight vigil for Maria Chin

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the public to continue with the #BebasMaria #MansuhSOSMA protest until the release of Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.

Posted on 22 November 2016 - 12:12am
Last updated on 22 November 2016 - 12:51pm
Mahathir said this after he made a special appearance together with his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali at Dataran Merdeka at about 8.55pm today.
During his speech, he described Maria's solitary confinement as torture.
"We were told that Maria has been put into solitary confinement where she is kept in a small uncomfortable room.
"It is torture and against the law to put her in detention. I'm sad that she was put into that cell," Mahathir said.
"So continue with this protest until Maria is released," he added.
Maria's three sons, Azumin, Aziman and Azemi Yunus, were also present at the protest.
Aziman described his mother as a strong individual.
"My mother is a very strong person. If you're trying to break her will, no you won't," he said.
He also thanked lawyers who have given them advice during trying times like this.
Some 500 people, non-governmental organisations and politicians attended the daily candlelight vigil in solidarity at Dataran Merdeka.
The protest will continue every night at 8pm until Maria is released.
Earlier in a statement, Bersih 2.0 condemned Maria's detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) where she can be held up to 28 days without trial.
Bersih said it was shocked and outraged that the authorities have gone to such extreme lengths to silence their critics.
"The use of Sosma, which is intended as a terrorism counter-measure, against a civil society leader who peacefully champions institutional reforms and the crackdown on 16 activists and politicians are a horrific abuse of power," Bersih said.
Bersih demanded for the immediate release of Maria and also called for the repeal of such an oppressive law that is so easily open to abuse.
Maria was detained on Friday under Section 124C of the Penal Code that criminalises the attempt to commit activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2068622

Now Jamal wants to start Bersih 7

KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh from his release from remand, Red Shirts leader Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos (pic) announced that he would start a "Bersih 7" movement to "save Selangor" from the PKR-led government.

Tuesday, 22 November 2016 | MYT 1:18 PM
BY FARIK ZOLKEPLI

He said the movement would be launched at 3pm Wednesday at the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam.
"The movement will involve a roadshow at more than 700 locations in Selangor.
"We are adamant (about) saving the state," he said after walking out of the Ampang Jaya police headquarters on Tuesday after he was released on police bail.
Jamal, who is Sungai Besar Umno chief, congratulated Red Shirts supporters who took part in Saturday's rally, especially the ones arrested by the police, in opposing the Bersih 5.0 rally.
"They have shown dedication in rallying against Bersih," he said.
On Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's statement that action would be taken against Umno members who took part in Saturday's rally, Jamal said those who took part were NGO members.
"He must be senile (for implying Umno members were involved).
"I am an Umno division chief but I led the Red Shirts in my capacity as an NGO member," he said.
Jamal was detained at about 1.30am on Saturday at a hotel in the city and was remanded for four days.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/11/22/now-jamal-yunos-wants-to-start-bersih-7-against-selangor-govt/

Also:






Ku Li and Musa see nothing wrong with Bersih rally

KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has spoken out against the detention of Maria Chin Abdullah under a security law, while Tun Musa Hitam says the Bersih rally was the best thing to have happened.

Tuesday, 22 November 2016



Tengku Razaleigh, the veteran Gua Musang MP, said he could not understand why the Bersih 2.0 chairman should be subjected to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
“I’m puzzled. Seems as though the wrong law has been used for the purpose,’’ he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
Based on what he knew, Tengku Razaleigh who is fondly known as Ku Li, said Maria did adhere to notifying the authorities of the rally.
“They informed the authorities that they were having the Bersih rally and the Constitution allows for a peaceful demo. I don’t see why she should be detained,” he added.
Asked if he sympathised with Maria, the 79-year-old Kelantan prince said “yes”.
Maria was detained on Friday in a pre-Bersih swoop by police. She is being held under Sosma which allows for detention up to 28 days.
Musa, a former deputy prime minister who also headed Suhakam at one time, said he was pleased that the Bersih rally took place peacefully.
“By demonstrating peacefully, we have proven the naysayers wrong. As an Umno member, I’ve always been for peaceful assembly and still hold on to that view even if other party members don’t,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Women’s Institute of Management yesterday.
“I hope this culture of peaceful demonstration may soon be accepted by both the people and the Government.
“I think it’s part of a democratic process where people can let out steam and voice out their views in between the general elections.
“If people are allowed to demonstrate without fear or favour, it will be more than a huge plus for the Government,” he added.
Musa said the fact that the rally went ahead without any major incident also spoke a lot about the authorities’ capability and the psychology of the people.
In Petaling Jaya, Maria’s eldest son lodged a police report yesterday over the alleged inhumane conditions in which she is currently being detained.
Azumin Mohamad Yunus, 23, claimed that his mother was being kept in solitary confinement at an unknown location while suffering from hypertension and osteo­arthritis.
“She needs to take her medication to keep her condition under control,” he said.
“She had a check-up scheduled at University Malaya Medical Centre on Sunday for her osteoarthritis,” Azumin said.
“She was not able to make it to the appointment because she was arrested.”