Mahathir was right!

UMNO leaders are all arrogant, insensitive idiots!

A perfect example of this is Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin.

His “arrogant” tweet reaction to them (Demonstrators of PTPTN at Dataran Merdeka) being attacked by a mob last night has really pissed of a lot of students!

This morning, Khaled tweeted: “No one asked them to camp out at Dataran Merdeka. When something happens, don’t go asking for sympathy”.

Instead of condemning the attacked and asking the Police to make sure the perpetrators are arrested, he had to give such a sarcastic and arrogant statement. How is this idiot our Minister of Higher Education?!?

Not to be outdone, Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan has rubbished attempts to link UMNO to the thugs who attacked students protestors in Dataran Merdeka last night.

"If there is a car tyre punctured by the side of the road, that is Umno's fault. If there is a motorcyle punctured, that is also Umno's fault.

“If there is a bicycle tyre punctured on a deserted road in the middle of the forest, that too is Umno's fault," sniped the deputy minister.

Pressed further on eyewitnesses claims that the attackers were indeed Umno linked thugs and of apparent police inaction against the perpetrators, Ahmad brushed the allegations aside.

"I don't know, I was asleep last night. People sleep at home, not in the middle of a field," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

AGAIN another UMNO leader showing how to be arrogant and scarcastic instead of showing interest in justice or concern about the well being of the Malaysian youth!

How can these people be the leaders of our country?!

And so that everyone in UMNO are on the same page,

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today called on the public to be wary of claims that the student protesters camping out at Dataran Merdeka were attacked.

Falling short of condemning such attacks, he said such allegations can be spread through mobile text messages and online media to stoke public anger.

“There have been such cases where allegations of such nature have been used...to raise emotions, be it in the areas of race, religion and now involving students,” he said.

He added that it is important to differentiate between real and fake allegations, also advising the public not to react.

“Let the necessary agencies investigate, and at the moment the one who has control... of Dataran Merdeka is the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) and I don’t see it as a major security issue,” he said.

FOR A Home minister he has shown that he has absolutely no idea on how to do his job!

His statement shows lack of urgency or even an ounce of concern for those hurt by the attacks!

And as expected (MCA being good lap dogs for UMNO), MCA Youth education bureau chairperson Chong Sin Woon hoped that the opposition would discourage the public from holding frequent demonstrations.

“(We) hope the opposition now realises that in their feverish calls to Malaysians to participate in one demonstration after another be it in Malaysia or globally, reactions from their detractors may arise.

I think this idiot Chong should go and live in North Korea as he obviously do not understand or appreciate the value of living in a democratic country where people are free to voice their stand without the fear of being beaten by those who do not agree with their believes!

But I guess you can't blame him! As an MCA leader he must be use to just accepting what UMNO say without voicing out their disagreement for fear of being beaten up!!

IDIOTS!! We need to change the government!

This is a planned attacked on PTPTN demonstrators!

From malaysiakini!

Yesterday, a group of unknown assailants attacked the students occupying Dataran Merdeka in the wee hours of the morning, beating up several of them, with one ending up in hospital.

The assailants, many clad in black shirts, destroyed all the tents erected last Saturday at the iconic public square in the city centre.

Malaysian Youth and Students Movement (Dema) coordinator Heng Kiah Chun toldMalaysiakini that the incident took place about 2.45am and lasted around 15 minutes.

He said between 50 to 70 thugs encircled the students at the camp site, before provoking and beating them up.

They roughed up a number of students and dismantled all their 10 tents (right), which were set up as part of the push for free education.

Cameras, mobile phones damaged

According to Heng, the students remained calm and refused to react to the provocation.

However, attempts to document the attack through cameras, camcorders and handphones apparently angered their attackers, who destroyed some of the recording devices.

Heng added that there were about a dozen police officers in the area but none of them did anything until the students' leaders pleaded for help.

The thugs left the area when the police came in, and eyewitnesses said one or two of the perpetrators were arrested.

The 100-odd students who are campaigning for the abolition of PTPTN (National Higher Education Loan Fund) nevertheless appeared unfazed by the incident.

They held an impromptu meeting and voted to stay put at Dataran Merdeka.

"We will protect one another. We want action against the gangsterism," they said.

Breaking News! Major Cabinet shuffle!

Breaking News! Reports are coming in that PM Najib has taken over the Women Family and Community Ministry from the scandal hit Datuk Seri Shahrizat.

However due to his heavy work load, Najib has decided to pass on his finance ministry and prime minister portfolio over to his wife, Rosmah. Inside sources has confirm that Rosmah was more than happy to takeover Najib's job as she has been secretly doing Najib's job for him all along.

Sources close to the couple added that there will be no changes in their working relantionship as this will reflect their actual home dynamics. I.e. Rosmah is in charge of the family finances and makes all the prime decisions, while Najib's job is to be the homemaker!

That's a good boy. Listen to big mama!

With this cabinet change our government now has a Health Minister who is not even a doctor.

A doctor who is the tourism minister and an idiot for an Education Minister!

One has to wonder why is there such a shortage of quality leaders within BN?

Maybe Mahathir was right after all about UMNO accepting only stupid people into UMNO!

Hahaha! Not all information above is reliable or accurate, but it is definitely funny and sadly believable

I wish they will make up their minds!

UMNO tells Malays that if opposition wins, then DAP will control PAS and they will loose their rights!

MCA tells non-Malays that if opposition wins, then PAS will control DAP and turn the country into an Islamic State!

WHICH IS WHICH LAH!

But Mahathir has already declared Malaysia as an Islamic State already! So why didn't MCA say something about it then?

On 29th September 2001, in his opening address during Gerakan’s 30th national delegates conference, the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed announced that Umno wishes to state loudly and clearly that Malaysia is already an Islamic country. This is based on the opinion of ulamaks (religious scholars) who had clarified what constitutes an Islamic country. If Malaysia is not an Islamic country because it does not implement the Hudud, then there are no Islamic countries in the world.

Almost 11 years ago, Tun Dr Mahathir said very loudly and clearly: Malaysia is already an Islamic country. Country, state, nation, nation-state, kingdom, republic, or whatever, it all means the same. The long and the short of it: Malaysia is already an Islamic country. That was what Tun Dr Mahathir announced almost 11 years ago.

So why is the MCA youth secretary-general, Chai Kim Sen, now announcing that DAP wants to help PAS set up an Islamic State? Malaysia, according to Tun Dr Mahathir, is already an Islamic state, country, nation, nation-state, or whatever. How can you turn an already Islamic State into an Islamic State? Aiyah, can you see how bad Chinese mother-tongue education can be? It makes idiots out of these Chinese politicians.

If Malaysia is not yet an Islamic State, contrary to what Tun Dr Mahathir said almost 11 years ago, why did MCA keep quiet then? Why did MCA not foam at the mouth and call Tun Dr Mahathir a liar 11 years ago? Why only now, 11 year later, make so much noise?

What the former Lord President, Tun Salleh Abas, said back in 2002 is another interesting point. The Barisan Nasional government trapped itself when it declared that Malaysia is an Islamic state, said Tun Salleh.

"The statement has trapped BN and Umno. If they think Malaysia is an Islamic country, then why do they object against PAS' attempt to implement Islamic laws? If this is an Islamic State they should support the implementation of Islamic laws," he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview. (Read the Malaysiakini interview below).

That’s right. If Malaysia is already an Islamic State then why whack PAS? How can you accuse PAS of trying to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State, with the help of DAP according to MCA, if Malaysia is already an Islamic State?

There appears to be some confusion here. Well, actually there is no confusion. It is just that the politicians are trying to confuse us. They are hoping that we are stupid just like them and that we will not detect the lies and spins in what they are saying. That is all it is: lies and spins.

Either Malaysia is already an Islamic State or it is not. If it is, then MCA is lying. If it is not, then Tun Dr Mahathir was lying. The bottom line is, one of the two were lying. So who is lying: Tun Dr Mahathir or MCA?

Anyway, why are the kafir from MCA talking about Islam? Isn’t Islam a matter for the Muslims to sort out? Did not the Crown Prince of Perak say a few days ago that there should not be any debate/argument on Islam? And that means the kafir from MCA as well. You mean to say that Muslims like me must not talk about Islam while thekafir laknat from MCA can talk about Islam? Where got road one?

MCA is making Islam sound like it is something bad. Islam, Communism, Al Qaedah, Taliban, Jews, Israel, the IRA, corruption, AIDS, gays, porn, prostitution, China Dolls, free sex…they are all put into the same box. Isn’t it time that Islam not be treated as the pariah of society? When you want to whack someone you say he or she is gay, immoral, corrupted, a prostitute, or an Islamist.

If MCA is so against Islam or an Islamic State then they should have spoken up 11 years ago. They should have either protested when Tun Dr Mahathir announced that Malaysia is already an Islamic State or they should have called him a liar.

The Islamic State issue is a basi issue lah! Most Malaysians no longer buy this argument. Most Malaysians no longer care a damn. Most Malaysians are not worried whether the government cuts off the hands of thieves when those who will lose their hands would be the corrupt police officers, civil servants and politicians from Barisan Nasional. In fact, most of the leaders and ex-leaders of MCA would be the ones walking around without hands.

Bring on Hudud. I have no problems with it. I do not steal the rakyat’s money. It is the politicians who do. I am even prepared to volunteer to do the hand chopping. Chop, chop, chop…I just love Hudud. Thieves and corrupt politicians beware.

This is what they do to robbers and corrupt officials/politicians in China

************************************

‘DAP will help PAS set up Islamic state’

DAP’s real agenda is to pave the way for PAS to establish a hardline Islamic state, MCA youth secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen said.

He said the statement by DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke Siew Fook that Pakatan Rakyat could win 120 parliamentary seats in the coming general election to form the next federal government was in fact a cover for PAS to establish an Islamic state.

“It is an undisputable fact that should Pakatan Rakyat control Putrajaya, religion-based policies will follow soon after.

“PAS has already stated repeatedly that it will gradually implement Islamic policies once it has control over the Federal Government,” he said in a statement.

Chai said this is not the first time that the DAP has helped to boost support for PAS by hiding the truth.

He said the DAP’s plan to place Pakatan Rakyat in Putrajaya was actually an agenda to control the decision-making process to allow PAS to fulfil its ambitions of an Islamic state.

“DAP knows that should they control the Federal Government, Islamisation by PAS is inevitable, and the more they cover up the truth, the more the facts will be exposed,” he said. -- The Star, 5 April 2012

************************************

BN trapped itself with Islamic state declaration: Salleh Abas

The Barisan Nasional government trapped itself when it declared that Malaysia is an Islamic state, said former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas.

"The statement has trapped BN and Umno. If they think Malaysia is an Islamic country, then why do they object against PAS' attempt to implement Islamic laws? If this is an Islamic state they should support the implementation of Islamic laws," he told malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.

He said Umno put itself in a 'Catch-22' situation when Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced on Sept 29 last year that Malaysia is an Islamic state. "I think they got caught with the statement to counter DAP's claim that Malaysia is a secular country."

Asked if Malaysia is an Islamic or secular state, Salleh replied that the country was currently a secular state.

"At the moment, we live in a secular country. The Federal Constitution and the laws state clearly that we are living in a secular state.

"However, it is right to say that Malaysia is an Islamic country, population wise, because the majority of her citizens are Muslims. But it is wrong to say that we have an Islamic government," he said.

As long as U are connected to powerful people, U can get away with anything in Malaysia!

No! I am not talking about Abdul Razak Baginda and Najib with regards to the murder of Altuntuya case.

Today (as reported in Malaysiakini) is about our country's ambassador and a Minister's son!

1. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has been a secret beneficiary of lucrative timber licences in Sabah thanks to his elder brother, Chief Minister Musa Aman, said Sarawak Report.

The whistleblower website said it has in its possession leaked Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) documents showing its investigators had concluded that the Sabah chief minister had corruptly issued timber licences to his brother worth tens of millions of ringgit.

According to Sarawak Report, the documents form part of a major investigation by the MACC into timber corruption after an agent and nominee for Musa Aman, Michael Chia, was caught attempting to smuggle RM16 million out of Hong Kong in 2008.

“However, the investigation has been blocked at the highest levels and its findings kept secret, until now.

“Our informants say that the brothers’ relative and fellow Sabahan, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, has refused to allow charges to be brought and PM Najib Razak has scandalously turned a blind eye to the affair.”

Sarawak Report claimed that Abdul Gani (right), who is closely connected to the Aman family, has refused to pursue the case.

“Indeed the attorney-general has forced the MACC to shelve its entire investigation in Sabah, which was one of the largest and most extensive ever undertaken by that body, and involved sums amounting to billions of ringgit siphoned out of the state by corruption at the highest level.”

Last week, MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull lamented that Attorney-General's Chambers had refused to bring many “valid cases” the commission had investigated to court due to “insufficient evidence”.

2. Brickfields police have in their possession the closed-circuit television recording of the "affray" involving the son of a cabinet minister, his bodyguard and a security guard supervisor at a posh condominium in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Sources revealed that the CCTV recording involving Mohamad Nedim (right), a son of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz, Nedim's bodyguard and the security supervisor was now in the possession of the investigating officer.

People familiar with the matter also confirmed withMalaysiakini that the case was still being investigated despite earlier claims by the Brickfields OCPD (Officer in Charge of Police District) that it had been wrapped up.

Sources familiar with the incident said the police were surprised to find in the video footage that "more than two persons", including Nedim, were involved in holding and assaulting the 50-year-old security supervisor.

This may create complications in the police's classification of the case as a minor offence - ‘causing affray' under section 160 of the Penal Code.

Under this section, anyone found guilty faces a punishment of up to six months' jail or a fine of RM1,000, or both.

Malaysiakini reported on March 23 that the security supervisor of the high-end condominium in Mont Kiara was allegedly assaultedby Nedim and his bodyguard.

Nedim drove a Porsche sports car to the condominium, followed by a luxury MPV driven by his bodyguard.

The bodyguard alighted from his car to have personal particulars recorded on behalf of both drivers, but the condominium guards insisted that they did so separately.

An argument ensued, resulting in the supervisor being called in to mediate.

Argument and fracas at condo entrance

The bodyguard claimed that the person in the Porsche was a 'Tengku' (a member of the royalty), but the supervisor explained that condo management required the registration of drivers of all vehicles entering the compound.

This resulted in the VIP's son alighting from his Porsche, while the bodyguard and his friends assaulted the 50-year-old security supervisor, according to sources who had viewed the video footage. It is learnt that Nazri's son also struck the supervisor.

A police report was subsequently made by the supervisor, who was slightly injured during the altercation.

Mohamad Nedim's bodyguard had lodged a counter police report alleging that the security supervisor was rude and started the fracas.

A day after Malaysiakini reported the incident, Brickfields OCPD Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid denied that Nazri's son was involved in the fist-fight, with The Star quoting him as saying that the case involved just the bodyguard and a security guard.

Wan Abdul Bari also said then that the police have already completed their probe into the matter and that the investigation papers were sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers on whether charges would be laid.

PKR vice-president N Surendran and Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin had urged the police to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the case.

Shamsul Iskandar went further to claim that Nedim was also allegedly involved in an incident resulting in the death of a young man, Darren Kang, in 2004.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has also called on Nazri to cease issuing any statement on matters pertaining to the law, especially if it involved the attorney-general or the AG's Chambers.

"It could be interpreted as a clear case of conflict," said Gobind, who is DAP legal bureau chairperson.

Shocking revelation of Najib now comes with proofs!

By JOHN BERTHELSEN (Editor of Asia Sentinel.)

French investigating magistrates probing the US$1.2 billion (RM3.7 billion) sale of submarines to the Malaysian Defence Ministry are targeting, among other things, a Hong Kong-based company called Terasasi (Hong Kong) Ltd, whose key principal officer is Prime Minister Najib Razak's confidant Abdul Razak Baginda.

Investigators believe that at least some of the 36 million euro (RM144 million) funneled through Terasasi ended up in the pockets of Najib, who was defence minister and deputy prime minister when the two Scorpene submarines were purchased from Thales International or Thint Asia.

The state-owned defence giant DCN, later known as DCNS, and Thales established a joint company named Armaris to manufacture the submarines in 2002.

The two Armaris Scorpenes, named after the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak, are on duty in Malaysian waters.

Razak Baginda, the former head of a Malaysian think-tank who was at the centre of a 2006 investigation into the death of Mongolian translator and party girl Altantuya Shaariibuu, is listed as one of the two directors of the company, which was previously incorporated on June 28, 2002 as Kinabalu Advisory and Support Services Ltd, according to the Hong Kong Companies Registry.

The other director is Razak Baginda's father, Abdul Malim Baginda.

The Terasasi offices are located on the 19th floor of an office at 3 Lockhart Road in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong.

There is no indication in Hong Kong government records of what Terasasi's business is. It is only listed as a "local company." However, French authorities say Terasasi apparently received regular payments from Thint Asia.

One payment was for 360,000 euro (RM1.44 million) accompanied with a handwritten note saying "Razak wants it to be paid quickly."

The magistrates have documents that show that the money was funneled from Thint Asia to Terasasi - 3 million euro (RM12 million) of it when Terasasi was still domiciled in Malaysia, and 33 million euro (RM132 million) after it was incorporated in Hong Kong.

Money may have gone to Umno

There is no indication at this point where the money went. French investigators, however, theorise that it was part of 146 million euro (RM585 million) that may have been funneled to Umno officials and Najib, who traveled with Razak Baginda several times to France as defence minister at the time the Malaysians purchased the submarines from DCNS.

On at least one trip in 2004, Altantuya (right), then Razak Baginda's lover, accompanied him to France as a translator. He later jilted her, impelling her to come to Kuala Lumpur to demand US$500,000 (RM1.5 million) from him.

In a handwritten letter found after her death, she wrote that she was attempting to blackmail him, although she didn't say why. Two of Najib's bodyguards were convicted of shooting her in the head and blowing up her body with plastic explosives in September 2006, possibly to hide the fact that she was pregnant when she was killed.

Because her killing does not appear to be connected to the scandal, French investigators are not looking into the causes of her death or the reasons behind it.

Although Razak Baginda was charged with abetting her murder, he was released without having to put up a defence and left for the UK, where he remains. Najib's former bodyguards remain on death row in Malaysia. Their appeal against the death penalty has been delayed, presumably until after national elections expected in May or June this year.

It was previously revealed on the floor of the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia's parliament, that Perimekar received 114 million euro (RM457 million) as "support services" on the sale of the vessels.

Perimekar at the time was wholly owned by another company, KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, which in turn was also controlled by Razak Baginda and his wife, Mazalinda (left). Perimekar is now 20 percent each owned by the military retirement fund LTAT (Malaysian Armed Forces Fund) and Boustead Holdings.

Two years of police investigation at the behest of human rights NGO Suaram into the sale of the submarines culminated recently with the appointment of investigating magistrates Roger Le Loire and Serge Tournaire at the Paris Tribunal de Grande Instance, according toAgence France Press, which said the probe involves three contracts for the submarines which were signed on June 5, 2002.

According to the documents, the contracts had two components: the sale of two submarines built by Thint and the Spanish shipbuilding firm Izar, for 920 million euro (RM3.7 billion); and the delivery of "logistical support" from Perimekar Bhd - the 114 million euro (RM457 million) - to train the first 200 Royal Malaysian Navy personnel although there is no indication that the company had the wherewithal to train them.

Unexplained costs

Under the bribery conventions of the 32-member Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the French defence contractors could be liable for criminal sanctions if it is proven that no real services were delivered by the companies. Under French law, violators are liable for up to 10 years in prison.

Joseph Breham (left), a lawyer with Solicitors International Human Rights Group which was engaged by Suaram, said in October last year that DCNS often budgeted as much as 8 to 12 percent of its total receipts as "commissions" to grease sales of armaments in third world countries.

Breham said Perimekar had received the commission for "supporting the contract," which he said was a euphemism for unexplained costs, and also for "housing the crew" of the submarines in France.

In France, before 2002, any money used to bribe foreign officials was tax deductible. When the former finance director of DCN made a claim for 31 million euro (RM124 million) allegedly used to bribe the Malaysians for the purchase of the Scorpenes, Breham said, the budget minister questioned such a large bribe, although he did eventually authorise the tax break.

The contracts cited by AFP included the 114 million euro (RM457 million) one paid by the Malaysian government to Perimekar.

The second, called "C5 contract of engineering business," was concluded in August 2000 between DCNI, a subsidiary of DCN, and Thales International Asia worth some 30 million euro (RM120 million). The third was the "consulting agreement" signed in October 2000 between Thint Asia and Terasasi.

The French investigators are also studying one of the invoices issued by Terasasi in August 2004 for 359,450 euro (RM1.4 million) sent to Thint Asia. For investigators, "it appears that... the amounts paid to Terasasi ultimately benefited Najib, the defence minister, or his adviser Razak Baginda."

Olivier Metzner, a lawyer for Thales, told the French daily Le Parisienthat "we have already demonstrated to investigators that there was no corruption in this case."

However, a confidential memorandum made available to Asia Sentinel and Free Malaysia Today states that: "The beneficiaries of these funds are not difficult to imagine: the family clan and Razak Baginda relations. In addition, these funds will find their way to the dominant political party (Umno)."

What is the reason for Bersih 3.0? Kim Quek explains clearly!

By Kim Quek

COMMENT It is now confirmed - the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform report is a scam to hoodwink Malaysians into thinking that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is finally restoring democratic election.

While nothing concrete has been achieved to ensure the cleansing of the "phantom" infested electoral roll and the elimination of rampant corruption and abuse of power that has become the trademark of Malaysian elections, the main stream media has painted the town red with false propaganda that the PSC report is a reform agenda that will make any democracy proud.

Just look at The Starnewspaper of April 4. The entire front page was splashed with goodies from the PSC, headlined ‘Hooray for voters’.

Some of the prominently displayed items were: ‘Allowing citizens to vote by post or at Malaysian missions’, ‘Creating a caretaker government after the dissolution’, ‘Continuous cleaning of the electoral roll’, ‘EC to have its own budget and be answerable to Parliament’, ‘EC to be restructured to enforce election laws’, ‘Provide allocations to political parties and candidates based on the number of seats and number of votes obtained’, and ‘Have a balanced delineation election constituencies’.

Wah! Isn’t it wonderful. From now on, Malaysians can finally raise their heads to claim that they have a practicing democracy!

But, rejoice not. This PSC report is not a bearer of fruits but a messenger of false hopes.

The PSC report’s 22 recommendations are only a series of expressions of hope that the Election Commission (EC) will do this or that.

Knowing the deeply political partisanship of EC and its unashamedly pro-BN stance to resist reform, what hope is there anything meaningful will be done to alleviate the nightmare of Malaysians of another dirty election ahead - by all counts, the worst?

There was not a word in the report on the numerous cases of fraud uncovered in the electoral roll or on the blatant open bribery and abuse of power that have gone from bad to worse from one by-election to another since the 2008 general election.

Hypocritical participation

Without acknowledging and probing the existing flaws how can there be any remedy?

There was no concrete measure proposed or firm commitment made by any quarter in the BN regime that the serious flaws that have made a mockery of our election will be rectified before the next election.

In fact, the hypocritical participation of EC in the PSC reform effort is glaringly demonstrated through the continuing cheating in the electoral roll that was going on out right during the working sessions of the PSC.

This was exposed during the press conference of Bersih 2.0 announcing its impending mass demonstration on April 28.

At the press conference on April 4, two academicians with authoritative research on Malaysian elections revealed numerous cases of ongoing fraud in the electoral roll.

Wong Chin Huat (left) demonstrated four methods adopted by fraudsters to “clone” voters through variation of one or more of personal data like names, old and new identity card numbers, addresses and dates of birth.

Ong Kian Ming revealed irregularities in the postal voter roll that showed double registration and unqualified postal voters among the security personnel. These instances were described as only the “tip of the iceberg”.

From numerous previous revelations, it is now an established fact that our electoral roll is heavily infested with “phantom voters” - either through manipulation of the electoral roll or through illegal granting of citizenship to foreigners (which is particularly rampant in Sabah as proven in court).

It is therefore imperative and of utmost urgency that an independent body be commissioned to comprehensively audit both the electoral roll and the citizenship registry to flush out these “phantoms”.

But there was nothing in the PSC report to even remotely suggest that this cleansing process will proceed forthwith.

It is ironical that the PSC which is dominated by BN, instead of scrapping the notorious postal voting system as strongly demanded by reformists, has further expanded its scope.

This postal voting is a discredited system that has been profusely abused to give consistently more than 90 percent electoral support to the ruling BN.

Illegitimate advantage

Originally meant for the soldiers and police, it will now be extended to cover media workers and EC personnel, the latter, according to reports, has alarmingly increased from 140,000 to 240,000 personnel.

This decision by PSC which quickly acted upon by EC to gazette the new postal voters will no doubt add a major illegitimate advantage to BN in the coming polls.

Another major injustice that has rendered our election meaningless is BN’s stranglehold on the mass media (save the Internet), which while serving BN’s parochial political interests in ordinary times, is turned into full blast propaganda machines in election time to falsely glorify BN while running down or blacking out news of its opponents.

Electoral democracy being a game of perception, the existence of such a grotesquely lop-sided information dissemination system makes a total mockery of our democracy, not to mention putting BN’s opponents in grave disadvantage.

In recognition of reformists’ earnest requests for free and fair media coverage, PSC has, however, only given its lip service.

In recommendation No.9, PSC merely says it has “taken note” of the Information Ministry’s “readiness” to grant fair media access to all parties and candidates in the poll.

PSC further “recommends” that the EC take note of Article 115(2) of the federal constitution which stipulates that other authorities shall on request assist EC to discharge its duties as may be practicable.

If fair reporting is a serious undertaking by BN, why didn’t the ministry give a solemn pledge to honour this “readiness” instead of only the EC “taking note”?

Will this “note” taken by the EC lead to fair media coverage? Knowing the disposition of EC and BN, your guess is as good as mine.

It should be apparent by now that no real reform will come while BN is in power, for any reform - particularly electoral reform - would mean the reduction of the illegitimate advantage enjoyed by them in the contest of political power.

And the present fake reform as exemplified by the setting up of this PSC was only a grudging concession thought of by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to recover some of the electoral support lost during the ill-advised crackdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, 2011.

From that point of view, Bersih 2.0’s prompt call for another mass rally is a wise move. For only in the convincing show of strength could BN see the necessity to make some reforms, however disinclined it may feel towards them.

This guy should never be voted into power again for the sake of this country!

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz has been described as being a bully for branding Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull as weak.

Describing Nazri’s comments as “hitting below the belt”, former MACC adviser Robert Phang said the anti graft body is supposed to be independent.

“Do not hit below the belt of the officers as they do not have the recourse to rebut. Stop being a bully. Shukri is ‘strong and brave’ to expose attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail’s reluctance to prosecute the many MACC cases it investigated, including those involving holders of high public office. Shukri should not be discouraged or intimidated by Nazri’s bullying ways,” he said.

Instead, Phang said in a statement, Shukri must not be disheartened, and ask the MACC to investigate Nazri’s assets to determine whether his income can support his and his son’s lavish lifestyle.

On Sunday, Nazri was quoted in the Chinese papers as describing Shukri as having a weak character who should stop complaining about cases being rejected by the AG’s Chambers.

Shukri had on March 29, said the graft commission had accused the Attorney-General’s Chambers of refusing to charge people as had been recommended by the MACC. Nazri’s son and his bodyguard areembroiled in a police investigation over an alleged affray with a security guard of a condominium.

Phang asked why was Nazri defending the AG and attacking the MACC.

“Well, if Shukri is weak, then the AG is most definitely lame if he requires Nazri to defend him. This is again a classic example of interference by the executive in the affairs of the MACC.

“The AG has been cited for alleged corrupt practices and breach of ethics umpteen times and no one has dared to act on him. How powerful can the AG be?” he asked.

‘Nazri a disgrace’

He also sarcastically pointed out that Nazri’s explanation that corruption charges would cause great shame to the accused and hence, the AGC must act diligently and charge the accused in court only if there is concrete evidence, and asked whether this included ex-Commercial Crimes Investigation Department director Ramli Yusuff and his men.

“Nazri’s attitude is a disgrace to the Prime Minister’s Department by using threats against senior civil servants who have the courage to act, especially against graft by those holding public office,” he said, adding that Nazri has also defended the alleged collusion between former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan and Abdul Gani regarding the apparent influence over Musa by an underworld figure.

Ramli had since Feb 29 alleged that Musa, Abdul Gani and the MACC were used to fix him and his men in their investigations over the former IGP’s involvement with an underworld figure, identified as Goh Cheng Poh or Tengku Goh.