Ex-convicts Rob and Rape..

I'm so sure that many ex-convicts -- those released when the Emergency Ordinance was repealed - are roaming our city and country roads.

Day in day out, you read all these chilling stories of people being robbed.
In Kajang, a factory worker was robbed by a taxi driver and his accomplice after she had boarded the vehicle to get home to Semenyih.

Police managed to nab the two perpetrators after the woman made a report. The two have a criminal record.

Now, this other case is even worse. So, ladies, please please take care.


A 26-year-old saleswoman was abducted, robbed and taken on a terror ride before being raped by one of her assailants in Kuala Lumpur early yesterday(Wednesday).

Here is The Sun report:

Her ordeal began when she was parking her car outside her apartment compound in Taman Desa Jaya, Kepong at about 11pm on Tuesday.
As the victim, who works for a jewellery outlet in Sungai Buloh, was parking her car, a van suddenly drew up alongside.
Four men then rushed out and began smashing the windscreen and windows of her car, before dragging her into their van.
According to police sources, the woman was then blindfolded while one of the men went through her handbag for cash and valuables.
Apparently dissatisfied with the small amount of cash and her cellphone that they found in the handbag, the robbers forced her to reveal the personal identification number (PIN) of her bank automated teller machine (ATM) card.
They then went to an ATM machine from which they withdrew several thousand ringgit.
Her ordeal did not end there as the men then drove the victim to a house.
There she was threatened with harm if she did not give in to the sexual demands of a member of the gang.
It is learnt that the victim, who was blindfolded throughout the ordeal, was raped by the man while his accomplices watched.
At about 3am, the gang members dropped the victim off at an undisclosed location in Segambut.
The woman then sought the help of passers-by who took her home before she called the police.
Gombak police chief ACP Abdul Rahim Abdullah said police are on the trail of the gang members.
He said police are confident of identifying the men, who are believed to be ex-convicts.
"We are trying to trace from which bank branch they withdrew cash with her ATM card, and where she was raped.
"We believe this is the same group we busted last year and sent away to the Simpang Renggam detention centre, but they were freed following the repeal of preventive laws.
"We are working round-the-clock to track them down," Abdul Rahim said.

Relooking Cold Cases Of Missing Children

This is encouraging news - Bukit Aman has set up a federal police task force  to probe into cold cases of missing kids to determine if there are  links between past and present cases.

I've always believed that we should have had such a body by now seeing that there are just too many unsolved cases of missing kids. And those found -- turned up dead.

Already NUR (National Urgent Response) Alert is in place, although I can tell you that it is not being used as it should but that is another story, (not entirely the police's fault because NUR alert landed on their lap without any prior briefing or training or anything of that sort. One main reason is that it is called NUR -- people confuse it with The Women's Family and Community Ministry's Talian Nur, All  can say is -- I told you so)

Also read THIS.

and THIS, THIS

Inspector-General of Police  Ismail Omar told the New Straits Times the findings of the task force would be used by investigating officers in new missing persons' cases.

Read the rest of the report HERE.

My interest in children's welfare, protection, safety and wellbeing is deep. 

William Yau's case reminds me of the horrors of child abduction. Of course, until today, we are not sure what happened to the six year-old that led to his death -- his body was found in a river at Port Klang on Jan 25.

In my Saturday column in the NST on Feb 2, I wrote that the authorities should rethink the way they do things because their SOP has not helped in solving child abduction cases i.e. the killers -- except for a handful -- have never been caught.

Here is my article.

WE all want some closure in the death of 6-year-old William Yau Zhen Zhong. We had hoped for his safe return. We mourned when he was confirmed dead on Jan 24.
So now we wait anxiously as the police try to piece together details of his disappearance leading to his death and recovery of his body in a river.
His case -- as that of other children before him -- has affected not only his immediate family but our community because these cases are often emotionally-charged and with which people can relate to.
We are once again reminded of the horrors of child abduction.
William was found missing on Jan 16. But it was only on Jan 20 that his disappearance was made public. Immediately, the police, with the help of the community, launched a massive search for him.
The names of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin who was abducted in August 2007, 5-year-old Nurul Nadhhirah Abdullah or Dirang as she was fondly called (March 2012), Tin Song Sheng, 7, Ang May Hong, 10, (April 1987) and Nurul Huda Abdul Ghani, 10, (January 2004) are all familiar names of missing children. These kids, except for Song Sheng, were later found murdered.
Song Sheng who went missing in Jan 12, 1996, was believed to have been abducted from SR(J)K Taman Rasah. He was never found.

(I should have also mentioned the names of these little angels -- five year-old Nini (Sharlinie Mohd Nashar) and 2 year-old Nisha Chandramohan.

Nini went missing while playing with her elders sister about 200 metres from their house in Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya on Jan 9, 2008 while Nisha was last seen on June 4, 2010 in Mentakab, Pahang.

Neither has been found.

Read my column HERE.

Refresher...

Blogger Helen Ang asked this: if Penang had 84 per cent Chinese voters, would DAP be willing
to grant instant citizenship en masse to Malays – which then within the span of two short years – reduced the Chinese voting strength to 57% while at the same time increasing the Malay electoral power in an inverse and corresponding proportion?

Helen said that that was what Umno did.

• In 1955, Malays made up 84.2 percent of registered voters in Malaya.

• Two years later was Merdeka which allowed close to one million non-Malays to become citizens between the period of 1957 and 1960.

• Two years after Independence was the 1959 general election. This time, Malays made up only 57.1 percent of the electorate.

Through its own actions, Umno diluted its Malay voter base advantage by a whopping (84.2% -57.1% =) 27.1 percent in one fell swoop.
Now if the shoe was on the other foot,
Would the PAP-DAP — hypothetically as the ruling party — be willing to absorb and enfranchise Malays residing in the Republic of Singapore North en bloc so that as a result, Chinese voting strength suffered a drastic drop from 84 percent to 57 percent within a single election interval?

Read the rest of her posting. 

RIP - Claudia Theophilus

I really only got to know Claudia  in 2006 after I had left the New Straits Times and had begun to blog actively..
I would usually meet her at the National Press Club.
She was such a pleasant person...and really great to talk with. And that time there was so much to talk about...so much she wanted to know ...

What a shock it was when I saw the news flash yesterday of her untimely demise.

Claudia was killed in a firearm mishap in Lebanon on Saturday. She was 42.


She was most currently working as  web producer  with Al-Jazeera English news agency in Doha.

She died after a rifle -  which she was taking a look at, went off accidentally at about  2.30am local time (about 8.30am Malaysian time).

 The incident happened in Baakleen - located about 45km  southeast of Beirut.

 Malaysian ambassador to Beirut Ilango Karuppannan said shes died shortly after she arrived at a general  hospital in the district.

The New Straits Times quoted Karuppannan as saying that  Claudia and two Lebanese  friends were taking a look at several rifles, when one of it  accidentally went off.

 “She was rushed to the hospital, but attempts to save her  life were unsuccessful,” he told the New Straits Times.

He said an initial police report did not indicate any criminal  element in the incident.

 Ilango said the embassy was informed of the incident about  noon the same day, before it sent officers to the hospital.

 He said Wisma Putra had informed Claudia’s family in Malaysia and preparations are being made to fly her body home  as soon as possible.

 He said her body will be taken to Beirut before  it is flown  back to Kuala Lumpur.

 Claudia  began her journalism career at The Sun newspaper and  Malaysiakini news portal here.
 She arrived in Lebanon on  Jan 28 to meet her friends.

May you rest in peace, dear Claudia.

Take Care Of Your Kids. It Only Takes Seconds..

..for a kidnapper to grab your child. Your life will forever change..

Child activist Hartini Zainuddin says there are  kidnappers are out there waiting to grab your child at the first opportunity.

She told The Star that she has a list of horror stories of children being abducted when parents take their eyes off their kids.Kidnappers are out there waiting to grab your child at the first opportunity. C

When Hartin is with her children in a public space, such as a supermarket, she always makes sure she’s holding her four-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son’s hand.

“And I will never take my eyes off them,” said the child activist.

“I’m also mentally prepared to scream and hold on to them (as they’re within arm’s length) if someone tries to grab them.”

Read the rest of the article HERE.

Little William : May You rest In Peace...

...and I pray that your murderer or murderers will be caught and punished....

This evening, it is confirmed that the body fished out of Sungai Sireh in Klang is that of a child -- that of missing boy -- 6 year-old William Yau.

His parents identified the body and confirmed that it is their beloved son.
(Our deepest and heartfelt condolences....)

William, we tried but we have failed you,,,like we failed all the other little angels.

We are sorry, dear William.

Rest in peace.

Dear PDRM,

It is your duty now to hunt for the killer/killers. Don't rest until you get him/her/them!

Meanwhile...here's my column on William in the NST.

Body of A Child Found in River...

The body of a boy with a fair complexion, believed to be about 7 years old, was fished out of Sungai Sireh, in Klang, yesterday.

I want to say that I pray it is not that of 6 year-old William Yau who went missing last week in Putra heights. But the body is of a child ..it is somebody's child. My heart goes out to the family of this child.

 For now, police believed it to be William because there has been no report of a missing child in the area.

William's parents have gone to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital to.identify the remains.

Klang Selatan police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Mat Yusop said a post-mortem examination is being  done today.


The story HERE

Whoever the child is...was he murdered?

Whoever he.may be, may he rest in peace.

Salam Maulidul Rasul

Selamat menyambut Maulud Nabi to all Muslims and have a happy holiday, everyone.

Peace!

NUR Alert out for William Yau

People -- we have failed Nurin,  Nadhirah and other little angels. Let's not fail 6 year-old William Yau who went missing on Wednesday (Jan 16) at Jalan Putra Mahkota 7/6c in Putra Heights.

Let's join the search for him. His distraught parents Yau Kok Kang and Goh Ying Ying are praying for his safety and safe return. The nation joins them.


William went missing after he and his family -- parents, older brother, Eric, 7 and younger sister Cindy, one  - had dinner in Puchong to celebrate Eric having been made class monitor.

According to The Star - on the way home, Yau and Goh stopped at an electrical shop in Putra Heights  to look at some washing machines.
They locked their children, including  in the car, leaving the windows open.
When they returned about 15 minutes later, William was nowhere to be seen.
According to Eric, William had gone looking for their parents because Cindy had started crying non-stop.

Of course, Yau and Goh are beside themselves for leaving their kids in the car. But you know, nothing is more punishing for your action than your child disappearing...


Help has come in a huge way for the family, with the political parties, NGOs and the community helping the police search for William.

The police has triggered NUR Alert but I'm not sure when they did that. Let's hope it was within 48 hours of the missing person report on William.

Let's hope William is in safe hands. Let's hope he will be returned safely to his family.

Let's hope too that this kind of help goes to the next missing child.

Remember, people -- Nurin's rapist and murderer is still at large.

Crime Index Down, But....

I am so sorry to say that THAT does not make our streets , our neighbourhood  etc..safe.

Here's the IGP:

(source;NST)

 KUALA LUMPUR: THERE was a notable decrease in the number of violent and property crimes last year, crime index figures released show.

The crime index dipped 7.6 per cent last year, with street crimes dropping by 3.6 per cent.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said despite these successes, the public remained unconvinced.
"That is why I am not going to focus on the figures, but rather work on new initiatives to combat crime and win the public's confidence.

"We have set our targets for this year. Let the people decide after they see the results of our initiatives
later."

The IGP was commenting on a report that crime watchdog, the Malaysian Crime Watch Taskforce (MyWatch), had questioned an alleged attempt by the police to "manipulate" crime figures by suppressing data on non-index crime.

MyWatch claimed that the overall national crime rate was 30 per cent higher than what had been presented by police.

Its chairman, R. Sri Sanjeevan, claimed that the latest figures did not take into account non-index crimes and that it was an attempt by the police to instil a "feel good" feeling among Malaysians.

He also revealed two letters, allegedly issued by Criminal Investigations Department director Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin to state police chiefs, with breakdowns on occurrence of non-index crime between 2011 and 2012.

Sri Sanjeevan claimed that the two letters were obtained from "internal police sources" and challenged the authorities to dispute their authenticity.

Ismail countered that the crime index was not something fanciful drawn up overnight.

"It was designed based on a comprehensive crime index published by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations in 1960.

"There is no controversy here and no hidden agenda about index or non-index crime. Those within the police force understand it."

Ismail said the classification of index and non-index crime had not been drawn up to suit the National Key Result Area (NKRA).

"It was drawn up long before my tenure as IGP, or for that matter, my predecessor. It (MyWatch) just collected bits and pieces of information before coming up with its own conclusion.

"All I will say about last year's crime index was that violent and property crimes were reduced."

Elaborating, Bakri said the practice of collecting and classifying crime statistics was adopted from the

Uniform Crime Reports of the United States and this was an international standard adopted by other countries.

He explained that the crime index was the title used for a aggregation of classification of seven main
offences, namely homicide, forcible rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny/theft and vehicle theft.

"We adopted this practice and further sub-divided certain offences. For example, vehicle theft is sub-divided into theft of vans/lorries, theft of cars and theft of motorcycles.

"Only these seven types of offences are used as an index to measure the degree of criminal exposure because they are most likely to be reported and most likely to occur with sufficient frequency to provide an adequate basis for comparison."

Bakri said police maintained statistics on all types of crimes.

"Only index crime is used as an indicator of the overall crime situation. Speaking from experience, the trend of overall crime (index plus non-index) is quite similar to that of index crime alone."

On his letters being made public, Bakri said they were sent to inform all police chiefs to focus on what needs to be done to bring down the number of non-index crimes.

Bakri said the increased number of non-index crimes might be small but appeared alarming when percentages were used instead of figures.

"For instance, if there was no kidnap case last year and there is one this year, that would make for a 100 per cent rise, but we are only talking about one case."

Reforming Legal Education...

...because they don't make lawyers like they used to..

Reported in The Star (Wednesday, Jan 16) that the Attorney-General and Bar Council have agreed to set up a high-level task force to reform legal education because they are so concerned  over the quality of law graduates.
Their grave concern, it said
.
“Both A-G Tan Sri (Abdul) Gani (Patail) and I are extremely concerned about the quality of law graduates,”  council chairman Lim Chee Wee  was quoted to have said.

It seems this stemmed fron the outcome of an employability survey of new graduates and feedback from the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examiners and evaluators of three local universities .

“The A-G's view is also based on the examiners' and evaluators' feedback, and because the A-G's Cham-bers is the largest employer of local graduates,” he said in an interview with The Star.

Here's the rest of the report:

During his speech at the Opening of the Legal Year on Saturday, he disclosed that they had agreed to the setting up of a high-level task force to “review the state of legal education in Malaysia, and to recommend how to raise standards to a level of excellence”.

“Whilst the top local lawyers are as good as, if not better than, those elsewhere in the region, the Bar is concerned with the standard of the average lawyer, which is largely dependent on the capability of the graduates from local and foreign institutions.”

Gani is chairman of the Legal Profession Qualifying Board which administers the CLP and Lim is a member by virtue of his position as council chairman.

Asked whether the council had expressed its concerns to the public and private universities offering local and foreign law programmes before this, he replied: “We have done so privately, not officially.”
Lim said most of the earlier meetings were about other concerns and the need to have a Common Bar Course (CBC).

“We will meet them specifically on this now.”

As to whether the CLP would be abolished and the CBC introduced as the sole line of entry to the legal profession, he said: “The task force will work on a recognising institution for admission to the Bar.”

“The CBC is part of the solution but it needs to be examined further.”

On Jan 13, Sunday Star reported the overall pass rate for the CLP had plunged from 94.79% at its inception in 1984 to 40.81% last year, and that the survey showed a gap between what law firms wanted and the new lawyers they were getting and the wide disparity in the quality of the new entrants themselves.

Maids Issue To Be Resolved by April..

I've said it many times before and I'll say it again -- have a long-term plan on reliable and affordable domestic care support services for working women and households across the country so that we are not affected by this kind of situation.

The latest is a report quoting the Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) that maids from Indonesia will start arriving within three months.
 Mama, according to the NST,  described as "successful" its meeting with Indonesia's Labour Supplier Association (Himsataki) on Monday.
Mama president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said both sides had agreed to find common grounds to end the long-standing issue.


This issue is close to my heart and I have written a lot about it.
Below  is my column that was published in the NST on Saturday Jan 11.

*****

IN this current deadlock with regard to the recruitment of foreign mai
ds, I feel lucky that I don't need one to help in the management of my home and life.

That's because both my children are above 18 -- one is studying in Ontario, Canada, and the other at a local university -- and no longer need supervision or care while I am at work.
But I remember the time when I needed a maid to care for them. Although I had an extended family -- parents and siblings living within an 8km radius -- having a maid was a necessity if only to better manage my life.

Sure, I could function without a maid but it meant some hardship as I would have to organise my schedule as well as my children's. A tough balancing act. Those days, you could get a maid easily but the recruitment procedures were embryonic and, therefore, tedious.

Read the rest of the article HERE.

A Musical Tribute To Arshad Ayub...

Universiti Teknologi Mara is presenting a musical -  "Tan Sri Arshad Ayub" as a tribute to his contributions as the founder of the university and in bringing it to the level it is today.

The performance will be from Jan 25  to 28  at Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor at the UiTM main campus in Shah Alam..
Arshad, was appointed the university's (then known as ITM) first director in  1967 and is fondly remembered as  'Bapa Pembangunan ITM' .
Performing in the musical are well-known actor Tony Eusoff as well as  UiTM lecturers and students.
It is directed by Mazlan Tahir, an arts activist and lecturer at the Film, Theatre and Animation Faculty. .
The musical depicts Arshad's journey from the time he was a 16 year-old in Muar, Johor during the Japanese occupation to his appintment as ITM director. It follows his trials and tribulations.

 Tickets costing RM15 to RM100 are already on sale. They are available at the faculty. You can also  contact 019-2121328 to purchase.

Why Such Hatred For The Jalur Gemilang?

Did the supporters of the Jan 12 rally put up this banner calling for the Malaysian flag to be replaced by another?
If they did, they've got another think coming.

Trying your damnest to bring down the government through lawful and democratic means is one thing...heck, some people go overboard, spewing vile  and vitriol. We close one eye.

But trying to have the national flag replaced....that is going overboard.

This banner was seen along Jalan Bangsar.

Unpatriotic? Bah..too mild.

Kalau berani, I dare you to come forward and wave smeared and defaced Malaysian flags...

Malicious Sarawak Report

It is as clear as day that Sarawak Report's raison d'etre is to bring down Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and anything Barisan Nasional.

Nothing new about this. So clear.

I suppose it is not new then they also have a strong tendency to publish lies.

You hate a leader, you try your damnest to bring him down. You hate the government, you try your darndest to bring it down.

Including publishing lies.


You can say that to each his own. To each, his own lie.
Sarawak Report's hatred for Taib and the BN is only matched by its propensity to tell lies.

Like posting a report that PM Najib Razak had suffered a stroke over the weekend.

Such a liar. 

Do read this commentary by The Mole. 

"A crass, cruel and crude attempt at political assassination" - yep. True.

We Are All Living In Fear...

The NST report is HERE.

This is all so sad that it is the same old story over and over again... and this kind of crime has happened in many locations around the Klang Valley, notably near or at junctions with traffic lights.

In this incident, Capt Gurcharan Singh Sidhu, 63, and his wife Datin Arunee Dee, 38, were in their car at a traffic- light junction in Jalan P. Ramlee on Sunday evening when they were attacked and robbed by two men on a motorcycle.

 According to the report, the pillion rider smashed the front passenger window with a metal object and tried to grab Arunee's handbag. She put up a fight, but was knocked unconscious by a punch to her face. The pillion rider then grabbed the bag and the two escaped in heavy traffic.
Gurcharan said he was too stunned to react.
"My wife was unconscious. She was bleeding from her arms and legs after the window's shattered glass cut her," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
"Motorists behind us kept honking thinking I was purposely holding up traffic.
"No one came to our aid. They were probably afraid for their own safety."

You can read the rest of the story on the link I have made above.

Here's the thing -- you and I know that this is not the first such horrific incident. You and I know someone who has been robbed viciously like this.

I know of two people -- my youngest sister, Nina and her daughter, Sara. Worse, it happened right in front of the gate of their house.

Why is this still happening?

Why are these criminals still going about their merry way robbing and hurting people at traffic lights, at their homes and everywhere?

Why are they still so bold?

Let me tell you why -- because THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH  IT and NOBODY IS STOPPING THEM OR CAN STOP THEM ..or WANT TO STOP THEM.

I'll be honest -- I am living in fear. My family is living in fear.  And we are not the only ones.

Not only residents of housing estates fear of being attacked anytime, anyday.

People...people driving in their cars..people walking...

You fear when you arrive at the gate of your home -- if anyone has been following you or lying in wait.

You are just so fearful.

In Section 16, PJ where my sister and her family live, occupants of nearly every household along the surrounding roads, have been attacked in one form or another.

Police reports have been made..and yet...the attacks went on unabated.

I'd like to ask the police this -- what are our men in blue doing to prevent/deter these criminals from their vicious spree?

I mean, really really seriously deterring them.....

Yes yes yes...they've bought more motorcycles for policemen to patrol the streets...Visibility does help to reduce crime.

But...then, these vicious attacks have continued and they happen when the policemen are not around.

Let me ask -- how many of these criminals have been nabbed?

You feel the threat of attack near or at your home, you feel unsafe outside your home. You feel unsafe anywhere. No place is safe ...

Just going out in your car is no longer safe. You worry when you arrive at traffic lights. You worry when you cross the road..

Although I did understand why residents felt the need to block the exits and entrances of their neighbourhood roads, I had thought that there were other security options and felt that the police should not happily approve of this kind of measure.

After my sister and my niece were viciously attacked right in front of their home, I threw all my scepticisms aside ...

Still...I feel that the police could do better and more. think outside adn beyond the box.

For instance, in Section 16, PJ..alarm bells should have rung strong and hard given the regularity of attacks and robbery -- some in broad daylight..

Yet..yet..

I despair looking at out neighbourhoods all guarded.

This is not normal at all. 

This sense of fear is not normal.

These are critical times. Dangerous times.

The MISperception On Guan Eng....

...and perpetuated by DAPsters and pro-DAP bloggers, says tenacious pitbull of a blogger Helen Ang.

Her fangs sink ferociously into Guan Eng's and Hannah Yeoh's asses...oh for good reason.

I can't resist re-publishing her posting on Guan Eng titled "Guan Eng Went To Jail for a Malay Girl -- oh Puhleez- lah".

Helen writes that Lim Guan Eng was sent to jail because the court found him guilty of promoting hatred.
In a High Court decision delivered on 28 April 1997, Guan Eng was found guilty under Section 4(1) (b) of the Sedition Act.
He was also found guilty under Section 8A of the Printing Presses and Publications Act for maliciously publishing false news.
The Court of Appeal found that the pamphlets printed by Guan Eng had “the effect of bringing the administration of justice into hatred and contempt” and that his allegations amounted to “denigrating and undermining the administration of criminal justice” — both offences which are deemed seditious under Malaysian law.

She also says thatLim Guan Eng was not jailed for “defending the honour” of a Malay girl.
It is perfectly in character that Guan Eng – then MP for Kota Melaka – had chosen to attack and defame the then Umno Malacca Chief Minister.
He is a politician who attacks Umno every chance he gets.
The still (photo above) captured from a recording of the Penang state assembly sitting on 7 May 2012 shows him attacking Umno, as usual.

Read her posting HERE....

Oh DAP...

Here's the thing...it's good that you have owned up to your mistake and offered explanations...
I mean...crap can happen in elections.. even  party elections...a simple one like yours to elect 20 people from 68 candidates can be quite a, er,.. monumental task in which slips can happen...

Handling a general election....tough, huh.

Cease and Desist Politicizing Water..

This prolonged and protracted war between the PKR-led Selangor government and the Federal government over the construction of the Sungai Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (Langat 2) is beginning to wear me thin, if it hasn't already.
Frankly, I'm getting so tired of it.

The Selangor government has rejected the project as being too costly. It has proposed a project using  membrane technology instead because it is cheaper. MB Khalid Ibrahim also said his government  wants to carry out its water supply restructuring plan. It also has  issues with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas),since forever.

And of course, Langat 2 is a federal project.

The Langat 2 mitigation project was among several programmes planned before the 2008 general election to cope with the high demand for treated water due to the mushrooming of factories and business parks in Selangor and to prevent a recurrence of the 1997-98 water crisis.

Under the Langat 2 water transfer project between Selangor and Pahang, 1,890 million litres of raw water will be pumped daily from Sungai Semantan in Pahang to the Hulu Langat water treatment plant in Selangor. It has been reported that Selangor only has enough water to meet demand until 2014 and by 2017 the situation will worsen if measures are not taken to increase supply.

The Selangor government claims that Langat 2 project will burden the rakyat while the Federal Government says that the Selangor government's plan would only serve as a short-term solution and would not be practical in the long run.
The Federal Government insists that Langat 2 project is more economical and will avert a water crisis in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

I don't for a minute believe that the Selangor has the interest of the rakyat at heart in this case. It's just politics.As I have said, langat 2 is a federal project.


At this point, the Selangor government can present whatever argument against Langat 2 , I don't quite care. Go sue Syabas. Go sue the federal government if you think they all are cheating the rakyat. BUT DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF a water treatment plant that can benefit the rakyat.

You know the rakyat may even sue the Selangor government for being in the way.. or  for just being an ass..

The fact is Selangor's population has grown and is growing. There a lot more industries and factories.

You want to be at war with the federal government, go ahead -- that's what politics is all about, after all.

But, I'll be damned if you politicize water.

I am a registered voter in Selangor. I have a huge extended family in Selangor -- around Banting and Kuala Selangor.

We discuss politics a lot.

In the last elections, my vote counted. Oh yeah it did.

And this year, my vote will definitely count.

Here's my column in the NST.

WHAT a start to the new year for some 500,000 people in Gombak and Kuala Lumpur who have been without water supply for a few days.

The disruption was caused by two faulty pumps. The good news, according to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), is that the pumps have already been "successfully repaired".
The not-so-good news is that water supply will only be fully restored within a week.

Continue reading here.

The Asinine Game Of The Opposition..

NST columnist Azmi Anshar unabashedly bashes the shenanigans of the opposition in their dissing of Prime Minister's Najib's non-announcement of the general election date.

Here's his commentary that was published yesterday (Friday Jan 4).

THE asinine parlour game of general election date prediction manufactured by opposition leaders (and some reputable pundits) -- parliamentary dissolution at nearly every quarter since 2009 -- turned out to be an embarrassing gambit illuminated by this loud finale: they were all wrong, wrong and wrong.

Let's put it in simpler terms: predictions peppered from the time Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over the premiership, the last date bandied about was November/December of last year, could easily have been extrapolated by your average taxi driver, karaoke guest relations officer or shaman.
Which means, anyone claiming to know the actual date of parliamentary dissolution was bluffing or staging a scenario where they tried to coercively rattle a sitting PM to prematurely call for polls, which was the original intent.
Like they say, give them enough rope and they'll hang themselves, the rope being the length of time Najib applied to good effect to hold the general election within shaman months, which is the obvious final stretch parallel to the Barisan Nasional's term that expires anyway by April 28.
Now, no opposition leaders are predicting a "March 28" polling date or any date of the sort because they have been soundly thrashed by their own silly game.

Read the rest of the article here.

Robert Phang Vs Musa Hassan

This is going to be an interesting case .
 Robert Phang has filed a RM100mil-defamation suit against former IGP  Musa Hassan.
The suit was filed at the Shah Alam High Court registry on Friday through the firm Messrs S.N. Nair & Partners.
Phang claimed Musa uttered defamatory words at a press conference held by MyWatch which implied he was a dishonest, untrustworthy, unethical and a corrupt person.
He claimed Musa's words were pre-meditated to tarnish his image.
Phang is claiming compensatory and aggravated, exemplary damages, and other costs and relief deemed fit by the court.

Promises, Promises...

Everytime a landslip occurs, we get the powers-that-be ordering a review of hillside projects and so on.
After Highland Towers, you'd think that they'd stop trying to make big bucks  from these projects (two-storey luxury homes on hilltops located by hillsides) and they'd not approve these prjects and people would not buy them.

Well..folks its economics -- demand, supply and profits.

That's why I hate most developers (so few good men among them) and always suspicious of local authorities that approve these projects.

And if you buy homes in these projects....well...what can I say?

You think things will change after the Puncak Setiawangsa landslip?

PS: During my active blogging days, a blogger and I used to go to this area to conduct an interview with someone. We used to have breakfast at one of the kedai makan..at the foot of the hill.

We used to never fail to  look up at one house atop the hill -- always a good topic of discussion.  You can't help but be distracted by the very presence of the house up there.

I have always been against the building of houses or any structure at hillside or on hilltop.

It is not a matter of whether you can, but whether you SHOULD build these structures...

Happy New Year!

What a year 2012 was...

What's in store for 2013?
Are you ready for the biggest event of the year? One that can change your life? Or not...

I'm all ready...although the fever came and went...and will start again.

Yep..get ready to vote.

The general election aside, what have YOU resolved to do this year?

Anyway...Happy 2013, everyone.

Punishing Bad Neighbours

THE HAGUE: Amsterdammers guilty of really unacceptable behaviour towards their neighbours will from next year be removed from their homes and made to live together in special housing complexes, the city said on Friday.

"It happens that people are intimidated, persecuted by their neighbours and find themselves in such an unbearable situation that they decide to move," said Tahira Limon, spokeswoman for Amsterdam's Labour mayor Eberhard van der Laan.

"That's an upside-down world," she said.

"We feel that it is the people behind the intimidation who are really unacceptable, and not the victims who must leave their homes," she said.

This city has around seven cases of such extremely anti-social behaviour each year from the 13,000 complaints that police receive.

"We're talking here about really extreme cases that cannot be resolved any other way," Limon said.

The anti-social residents will be housed in shipping containers or caravans that will be placed in sparsely populated parts of town so that they can easily be monitored.

They will have to stay in the cooling off units for six months at most after which they can move into another normal home, but not in the neighbourhood they came from, said Limon.

"The aim of this project is to be able to reinsert people in society, not to isolate them for life," she said.

"The ultimate aim is for them to go and live normally in traditional housing," she said.

The so-called reception centres will consist of a maximum 10 housing units, city hall said in a document outlining the project and seen by AFP.

The city wants to set up two such centres, one for people living alone and one for extremely disruptive families with multiple problems.

While evicting someone from a rented property would apparently not pose much of a legal problem, evicting someone from a property that they own may prove problematic, the city said.

Temporary reception sites will be set up in the coming weeks and permanent sites chosen during 2013.
(source:AFP report)

Sitar Legend Ravi Shankar Dies

(AFP report)
Legendary Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, a major influence on musicians ranging from The Beatles to violinist Yehudi Menuhin, has died at the age of 92 after surgery in the United States, his family said..

Shankar, the father of the American singer-songwriter Norah Jones, died Tuesday in a hospital in San Diego, California, where he had recently undergone heart-valve replacement surgery.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hailed Shankar as a national treasure and global ambassador of India's cultural heritage.

"An era has passed away... The nation joins me to pay tributes to his unsurpassable genius, his art and his humility," he said.

Shankar, who had houses in both California and India, was born into a high-caste Bengali Brahmin family in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi in northern India on April 7, 1920.

He taught close friend the late Beatle George Harrison to play the sitar and collaborated with him on several projects, including the groundbreaking Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. The Beatles called him "The Godfather of World Music".

Shankar, a three-time Grammy winner, also played in front of nearly 500,000 people at the Woodstock Festival in New York state in 1969 -- one of the most iconic cultural events of the century, which also featured Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

In a statement released from New York via his official Twitter feed, Shankar's wife Sukanya and his daughter Anoushka described him as a husband, father, and musical soul.

"His health has been fragile for the past several years and (last) Thursday he underwent a surgery that could have potentially given him a new lease of life," they said.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery. We were at his side when he passed away.

"Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives."

His family and the Ravi Shankar Foundation said he had been suffering respiratory and heart problems.

The statement said that Shankar performed his last concert on November 4 in Long Beach, California, with Anoushka, also a sitar player.

Memorial plans would be announced shortly, it said.

"Mourn (the) passing of a musical genius and gentle soul," Nirupama Menon Rao, the Indian ambassador to the United States, said on her Twitter feed.

Sanjay Sharma, whose family made sitars for Shankar for more than 30 years, told AFP that their client was demanding but appreciative.

"He was the biggest innovator in music," Sharma told AFP. "He wanted to revolutionise the sitar as an instrument. It was very challenging to work with him but every moment spent with him will be god's valuable gift for our family."

A Changing Britain

 (AFP Report)

LONDON: The population of England and Wales swelled between 2001 and 2011 after an influx of 2.9 million people born abroad, while the number of Christians plunged, according to census data published Tuesday.

The figures from the March 2011 census paint a picture of a changing population, with more foreign-born residents and fewer people of faith.

The population of England and Wales was 56.1 million, an increase of 3.7 million or seven per cent since 2001.

The number of foreign-born residents rose by 63 per cent from 4.6 million in 2001 to 7.5 million a decade later. They now account for 13 per cent of the population, up from nine.

White Britons now make up 80 per cent of the population, at 45.1 million people, down from 87 per cent in 2001. Some 2.5 per cent are ethnic Indian, 2.0 per cent ethnic Pakistani.

Indians accounted for the biggest number of those born abroad, rising 52 per cent to 694,000.

The number of Poles saw a 10-fold increase from 58,000 in 2001 to 579,000 last year and they now make up one per cent of the population.

The Pakistani-born population rose by 56 per cent to 482,000. Ireland, Germany, Bangladesh, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States and Jamaica made up the rest of the top 10.

Forty per cent of all foreign-born individuals arrived since 2004, when the European Union expanded to include eastern European countries.

Foreign-born women have a higher birth rate and the percentage of total births to non-UK-born mothers rose from 18.3 per cent in 2004 to 24.3 per cent in 2011.

"These statistics paint a picture of society and help us all plan for the future using accurate information at a local level," said census director Guy Goodwin from the Office for National Statistics.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg of census statistics," he added.

The percentage who identified themselves as Christian dropped from 72 per cent to 59 per cent, while atheists rose from 15 per cent to a quarter of the population.

The fastest-growing religion was Islam, which increased by 75 per cent in 10 years to 2.7 million adherents, or 4.8 per cent of the population.

Some 1.5 per cent of the population said they were Hindus, while 0.8 per cent said they were Sikhs.

In London, white Britons are no longer the majority. They now account for 3.7 million Londoners, or 44.9 percent of the capital's population.

Other whites account for 14.8 percent of Londoners. Asians make up 16.9 per cent, while people who identified themselves as black account for 11.2 per cent.

Some 61.1 per cent of London residents were born in England, followed by 3.2 per cent born in India, 1.9 per cent in Poland and 1.6 per cent in Ireland.

Twenty-six per cent (848,000) of London households contained a resident whose main language was not English.

The percentage of married people dropped below 50 per cent, from 50.9 to 46.6, while the percentage of people divorced rose from 8.2 to 9.0 per cent.

The wealth held by the richest 10 per cent of households accounted for 44 per cent of overall wealth. The entry bar was £967,000. That held by the poorest 50 per cent of households accounted for 10 per cent.

Among the more curious statistics, around 177,000 people claimed to follow the Jedi religion from the Star Wars films. Some 6,242 identified their religion as heavy metal, while 1,893 claimed to be Satanists.

Despite having two cathedrals and more medieval churches than anywhere north of the Alps, some 42.5 per cent of people in Norwich, eastern England, said they had no religion, the highest proportion in the census.

The Gaza Resistance..

"Resistance for us is a means and not an end. I am speaking to the whole world through the media.
If the world finds a means, without resistance or bloodshed, to return Palestine and Jerusalem to us, and the right of return, and to end the Zionist occupation then we welcome it.
We tried you [the world] for 64 years and you have done nothing. So if we resort to resistance do not blame us. 
If we found another way without war we would have seized it, but the history of nations shows that there is no victory or liberation without resistance, without battles, without sacrifice." - Hamas leader Khaled Meshal’

Taylor's University's Shame..

By Juana Jaafar

I was at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus a week ago for the World Universities Peace Invitational Debate (WUPID).

The four day event was proudly hosted by Taylor’s University which opened its doors to debate teams from Malaysia and abroad. Sadly, the organisers and participants witnessed a most unfortunate incident during our lunch break on the very first day of the event (Saturday, 1 December 2012).

I was dining with other debate adjudicators at around 2:15pm when, from the corner of my eye, I noticed a woman sitting alone at a nearby table. She looked quite ill. I quickly walked over to check on her and found that she was very weak and salivating from one side of her mouth. I immediately thought she must have had a stroke.

She was a worker at the campus food court, Recezz, and her uniform was drenched in sweat and saliva.

Her colleague soon came along and said the woman had collapsed in the wash room. She was carried out to the food court to rest.

When the adjudicators and I asked how long she had been in that state, and if anyone had called for an ambulance, we were told the poor woman had been sitting there since about 10:00am. We were also told that her employer promised to take her to the hospital, at some point. My colleagues and I were outraged!

Apparently it was the third time the woman collapsed on the job, and this time the right side of her body was completely paralyzed.

One of the adjudicators telephoned for an ambulance while a couple of us sought after the employer.

He was on site and aware we were tending to his worker. Not once did he check on on her, rather he watched from afar while the rest of us tried to help her.

When approached, he merely stirred his drink and nonchalantly told us he would take her to the hospital when he was not busy. He certainly was not busy at the time we confronted him and seemed quite disinterested in the commotion.

The other workers told us they had urged their employer to take the woman to hospital quickly, but he refused. With help from other sympathetic workers we tried to keep her as comfortable as possible while waiting for the ambulance. She was in fact in pain from the fall in the wash room.

Her colleague helped gather her things and prepared her documentation—she is an Indonesian citizen. What happened to her was really tragic, and I hate to think she was not given immediate help because she was a foreign worker.

The ambulance came about half an hour later. It was terribly embarrassing having to tell our Australian colleague it was common for an ambulance to take that much time to arrive. It was even more embarrassing that he, and other guests from abroad, found out that the woman had been sitting there in the food court for more than four hours without help from a single soul.

Is this who we are as Malaysians?

Are we so oblivious to the suffering of those around us? Or are we just cruel? I direct these questions particularly to the students and staff who were at the food court during the four hours the woman was sitting there. What exactly is being taught at Taylor’s University?

The management of the University has a lot to account for. What happened to that woman is a clear sign of negligence by the University; one that boasts state-of-the-art facilities but with abysmal surveillance.

The incident suggests that someone could very well drop dead on campus without anyone noticing.

The seriousness of the case above could in fact have led to death.

The woman could have died in the wash room or at the food court, in full view of everyone there.

This also raises questions about the University’s health and safety training for campus workers.

There are signages indicating a Health Service Centre that operates from 8am to 6pm but not one worker on that day thought of getting help from the Centre, or the security services.

Do they not know these services exist on campus? Why were the workers so disempowered to take action in an emergency situation? Were they not given basic training?

I note again that it was the organisers and volunteers of WUPID, an external organisation, who called and waited for the ambulance at the campus entrance; not any of the security personnel or the woman’s direct employer.

Her employer did not even escort her to the hospital.

I urge Taylor’s University to look into this case. The woman is a victim of negligence and the University must be held accountable.

 Not only should the University be responsible for her medical care and expenses at the University Malaya Medical Centre where she was taken, it must see that her employer’s contract at the food court is terminated.

 He is certainly not fit to be an employer nor a member of the Taylor’s campus community.
Or is he?


Juana Jaafar is a Taylor’s College alumnus (American Degree Programme). She was a member of the WUPID adjudicating core.

Not Compulsory For Muslim Pupils to Wear The Tudung...

This is what  Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, said.
 These girls should not be forced to cover their heads in school.
 They are, however, encouraged to wear tudung and baju kurung but are still given an option to wear the pinafore.

The wearing of tudung shouldn't be an issue, Puad said.


In a circular issued by the Education Ministry in 1993, it stated that schools didn't have the authority to enforce their own uniform code on students.
Under the circular, three uniform options were given to students pinafore and blouse, baju kurung, kain sarung and tudung, baju kurung and kain sarung.
The circular also mentioned that students were required to follow the uniform code set by the ministry and that they should not be pressured into donning the tudung.

Read the rest of the Star report HERE.


It's all so nice in theory but the the truth is that some (could be many) non-religious national schools have their own interpretation of "encourage to wear".
I tell you,  some of these schools are run by religious zealots. Some principals are holier-than-thou. In some schools, the ustaz  calls the shot.

No no no..I am not talking rubbish here. Do a survey and you'll see that I'm not talking ****.

Muslim girls are not forced to wear tudung, you say?  Like I said, it depends on who runs the school.

You see,  some principals and teachers are known to shame these girls into wearing the tudung. Or they put the fear of God and religion on them.
Harassing constantly and relentlessly.
It's an unfair and one-sided battle of wit, patience and will in which the pupils usually lose.
Of course, there are some pupils who put up a strong resistance.

Many Muslims believe (citing hadith and quranic verses) that it is their responsibility and duty to remind others to be good Muslims - by pointing out sins such as not wearing tudung or not performing prayers or not fasting.

So, I suppose when you are a principal holding this belief and you are in position to make rules consistent with your beliefs, then you will "enforce" a ruling compelling Muslim girls to wear tudung.

Under such circumstances, some girls are known to wear  tudung only in school, dismissing it as part of the uniform.

The problem arises when pupils refuse to wear and are subjected to ridicule, shame and constant pressure from the school authorities as well as their own holier-than-thou peers.

That is why many Muslim parents send their daughters to private schools.

It may seem such a triviality but some girls just cannot take that kind of "torment". And in this day and age, private education is not unreachable or inaccessible.

People do have choices.

Superbikers Reply...

"Everyone of us,  Superbikers club Malaysia members are very experienced riders where we have toured many countries on our motorcycles according to the law and our slogan from the beginning has always been "SAFETY, COURTESY & HONOR" - Iskandar Zurkanain Mohamed of Superbikers Club Malaysia.

On Dec 3,  I posted "A Citizen Against Big Bikes On Highways", featuring a letter from a reader of the NST.

I got in touch with the Superbikers Club Malaysia on this and they responded.

Iskandar further said big bikers always strive to achieve zero mishaps on every trip or adventure.

"We think what Mohd Ghazali Osman wrote was totally from his opinion. Accidents happen and can occur to anyone/motorist, whether it's on 2 wheels or 4 wheels.

"We, as motorists can be as cautious as we can but there are still times that accidents cannot be avoided.

"This is a very subjective matter as we know that accidents on the road does not only happen to big motorcycles on highways only, it can happen to anyone, anywhere.

"For Mohd Ghazali Osman, I don't know why he is so upset with big bikers and why he wants us to be banned from using the highway.

"It's a pointless debate and he should at least look at the whole situation and not just big bikes.
We have seen and heard of so many accidents involving all kinds of vehicles and we never blamed any of them as accidents can happen anytime and anywhere."

******

Selangor Against AES

This I totally disagree with the Selangor Government.

Tomorrow,  speed cameras that were installed at the Km6.6 of the South Klang Valley Expressway and at the Km301.6 of the North-South Expressway, will be removed.
State executive councillor in charge of local government Ronnie Liu said this yesterday.

 Read it here.

 Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim said the Selangor government has decided to "cover" two Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras in the state tomorrow.

He said the government was left with no choice as the Transport Ministry had not responded to letters sent by the respective local councils asking the ministry to follow procedure and apply for a development order to install the cameras.

"We have passed the first stage, which was to write letters. The second is to cover the cameras so that it will not function and if there is still no application by the Transport Ministry within 14 days, we will make several decisions, including the possibility of dismantling the cameras," he said after presenting appointment letters to some 400 village chiefs yesterday.

*******

Okay, here's the thing...you want to attack the federal government over the contract and the payments made to the company, go ahead. Really. If you are convinced that there was so much abuse and so on, do what you have to do.

But let the AES run its course.

I am tired of expressing my views about why I'm okay with these cameras and catching speeding cars.

It doesn't matter whose idea it was for the AES -- if the Selangor Government was the one that had come up with it, I'd support it as well.

As I have said, it is about saving lives, stupid!

Here is what Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha said.

 It's a Provocation!!!

I say it's a cheap political gimmick and outright vandalism. Shame on you, Pakatan! 

A Citizen Against Big Bikes on Highways

Encik Mohd Ghazali Osman from Ipoh, Perak wrote to the NST calling for big bikes to be banned from our highways and for big bikers to pay toll (Dec 3 2012).

I think what Encik Mohd Ghazali is really against are convoys of big bikes on highways . He has a point there and I do agree because convoys of big bikes, no matter how well-managed they are on highways do present some nuisance to motorists although I understand that convoys are usually organized in the name of charity.

I do not, however agree that they should be banned from highways because in all those cases mentioned by Encik Mohd Ghazali,  the bikers were not at fault.

The thing is big bikers are generally careful riders and are very safety-conscious -- for themselves and other road-users..

They don't ride and make a nuisance of themselves on the highways, putting others in danger.

I understand his concern, but I don't quite agree.

Here's his letter:

Big and powerful motorcycles are not safe or suitable for Malaysians. You may think I am just making two sweeping statements in one sentence but the facts are there for all to see.

A super biker was involved in a fatal accident. About two weeks ago, another fatal accident happened in the east coast.
Over the years, there have been a number of fatalities involving big bikes. The statistics may be low but even one fatality is a loss to everybody.
Riding in a convoy is a dangerous practice. If the mistake does not occur from outside the convoy, it can happen from within the convoy.
All it takes is for one rider to be careless and a fatality can happen. Since convoys tend to travel very fast there is no way a biker can take evasive action to prevent himself from hitting the bike in front of him.
The size of the bike makes it unsuitable for the physical features of a Malaysian. Most of us have small physiques compared with Americans and Europeans. Although we look smart and macho on these mean machines, that is exactly what they are -- mean machines.
With such powerful engines these bikes can roar off to an explosive start that no ordinary person can handle.
In China, all types of motorbikes are banned from using super highways. They are allowed only on old roads which are equivalent to our old federal roads.
We should do the same, too, as this may reduce accidents among motorcyclists and we know that the highest rate of fatalities involve motorcyclists.
Besides, since they don't pay toll, why should they enjoy the same kind of facilities as those driving cars who pay high toll rates.
I believe that motorists are made to pay a small amount to toll operators for the loss of revenue from motorcyclists.
It is about time motorcyclists are made to pay if they want to use the highways. They may protest against this idea but, it is not fair they get free rides on the highways.

The President's Speech

Predictably, Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak  delivered a fierce and highly-charged speech at the opening of the party's general assembly in PWTC this morning.

Firing the troops for war, as it were.

His voice was two decibles higher, I think.


Umno must win and be given the mandate to lead. In order to do that it has to be strong. So let's cut the chase -- stop all this politicking and sabotaging. Step in line, be disciplined, be loyal
 if you want to win this war.

The dynamics and demographics of Malaysia has changed -- so Umno has got to win the hearts and minds of not just the Malays but the non-Malays -- the rural and urban rakyat. The young. The fence sitters and the new 2.9 million new voters.

Umno is the rakyat's champion and together with its coalition partners -- is the choice for a better future for the rakyat,

It was not lost on so many people when the secretary-general (who spoke just before Najib) ended his speech with "Hidup Umno, Hidup Barisan, Hidup Malaysia!".

And then the party president ended on the same note.

My imagination, perhaps. But didn't it use to have "Hidup Melayu" in the past?

He certainly set the tone.

Here is the full text of Najib's speech..

Umno's Biggest Challenge..

THE Umno general assembly this time will be the last before the general election. I'm saying it because analysts said the same thing of the party general assembly last year. But there was no general election.

This assembly is therefore crucial. Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak has already made it clear ahead of the assembly that Umno has to show not only to the Malays but the rest of the country that it is stronger and more solid now to face the general election.

"What is this general assembly about? Simple, it is about the general election and it is about making sure Umno remains in power," a senior Umno leader  told this blogger...

Najib has been in full gear the past three years touring the country, going to the ground to meet the people and at the same time implementing the government and economic transformation programmes. Besides fulfilling his international engagements, including buttressing relations with the US in 2010.

This is the final home stretch for Umno. Now it is up to Umno delegates to take it up from there.

Some Umno leaders this blogger spoke to said they hoped the Umno president will be forthright in his address which will set the tone for the assembly,

"I think his forthrightness will be appreciated", said former Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.

"It is a bitter medicine that we have to swallow. At this time, he has to be cruel to be kind. For Umno, it is make or break. We have to regain our lost ground", she added.

In previous assemblies, the party president had always called for the party to close ranks, to be united, to put party interst above self and so forth.

After 1999, when the party  faced losses in the general election,  a recurring message had been reform reinvention, re-engineering, renewal, rejuvenation and revival.

Political observers and analysts had a field day making their assessments -- protest against Anwar Ibrahim's sacking, rejection of Umno by Malays and so forth.

But in 2004, Umno and the BN swept the general election with a landslide victory and increased popular votes.

This was after Tun (then Datuk Seri) Dr Mahathir passed the premiership to Tun (then Datuk Seri) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Again analyses abound -- feel good factor, Pak Lah being the benign face of Umno, rejection of PAS Islam,  endorsement of Umno's moderate brand of Islam, Pak Lah's promises to fight corruption and so forth,

BN won 198 of the 219 seats in parliamnent with Umno 109, increasing its number from the last elections. MCA and MIC too gained a few more seats.

PAS won only seven (Opposition leader Hadi Awang lost his parliamentary seat), DAP got 12 and Keadilan lost four of the five seats contested (Dr Wan Azizah Ismail was the sole Keadilan MP in parliament).

Then, four years on, it was a drastic change, a shocking scenario.

In 2008 general election which everyone calls a political tsunami, the  BN lost five states.  It won 140 of 222 parliamentary seats - (Umno 79, MCA 15, MIC 3 and Gerakan 2).  Keadilan won 31, PAS 23 and DAP 28. With a total number of 82, they quickly cobbled up a "pakatan".

So many factors conspired to bring down the BN. Many said the oppositon won by default because the BN was arrogant,  because of the son-in-law (Khairy Jamaluddin who is Pak Lah's son-in-law), Hindraf and so forth.

Whatever.

It is no different this time. Najib's message is for Umno to be stronger and more united. But circumstances are not the same.

After the devastation in 2008, it is not, and cannot be,  business as usual for Umno although Umno, pointed out an observer, had always delivered. It is clearly the strongest component in the coalition.


"We are facing a different Malaysia. Umno cannot be rallying for the Malays only. It should appeal to the non-Malays as well. More so now, with MCA and MIC in a weakened position," said a senior Umno leader.

Najib has set the tone since he took over as PM and party president.


"He is the face of Umno and he is the face of the BN. He is a popular leader. Anywhere he goes, people support him. He has convinced people that he is the leader and the champion of Malays and non-Malays. If this were a  prime ministerial race, he will win. But I cannot say the same about Umno," said a senior MCA leader.

The rest of the country will be keenly following -- as always -- proceedings in the Umno general assembly which begins on Thursday at the Putra World Trade centre in KL.

 Malays and non-Malays will want to know what Umno is made up of, Has it reformed? Is it sensitive to changes in the country.

For one thing, Umno has got to convince the Malays-- who are so divided that it is the only party that can represent and protect their interests. And we're not talking just about rural Malays but also those in ubran areas.

For another, Umno has got to strike a balance -- promoting Malay interest but at the same time convincing non-Malays that it is also there for them. That is a just party for all.

"The history of Umno is one of inclusiveness, as evident since we achived independence when the Malay leaders invited the non-Malays to be part of the Malayan government in power-sharing and guaranteed their rights and interests.

"People have forgotten this and the opposition has exploited this and have kept smearing Umno with a racist label, relentlessly pushing that perception.

"This is the time for Umno to remind Malaysians that the party looks out not just for the Malays but everyone else, that proposals and propositions in the assembly translate to national policies for everyone's interest," said an Umno veteran.

Umno should be reminded of the 2006 general assembly when it for the first time it was telecast live.

Passionate debates on driving the Malay agenda spooked non-Malays who perceived them to be extremist.

All said and done, post assembly, Umno leaders and members have got to work hard for Umno to be returned to power and for the mandate from the rakyat.
They have to reach out to the people because that was how PAS, DAP and PKR did it in 2008.

Truce In Gaza

After eight days of fighting --punishing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and a barrage of Hamas rocket fire on Israel -- a ceasefire was invoked.

So far 161 Palestinians, including 71 civilians, 37 of whom were children, were killed. Thousands others were injured.

On the Israeli side,  two soldiers and four civilians, were killed and dozens others wounded by rockets fired into residential neighbourhoods.

So far five Israelis and 162 Palestinians including 37 children children were killed.  Thousands of Palestinians were injured.

But how long the Egyptian-brokered truce will last remains to be seen. But for now, let's hope everyone abides by the truce.

It Is Not A War. It Is Murder...

says author Noam Chomsky

Chomsky Statement on Israel's War on Gaza

Prof. Noam Chomsky
November 17, 2012
(WASHINGTON DC) - The following statement by Noam Chomsky indicates a different stand toward Israeli aggression than Prof. Chomsky has revealed in the past:

"The incursion and bombardment of Gaza is not about destroying Hamas. It is not about stopping rocket fire into Israel, it is not about achieving peace.

The Israeli decision to rain death and destruction on Gaza, to use lethal weapons of the modern battlefield on a largely defenseless civilian population, is the final phase in a decades-long campaign to ethnically-cleanse Palestinians.

Israel uses sophisticated attack jets and naval vessels to bomb densely-crowded refugee camps, schools, apartment blocks, mosques, and slums to attack a population that has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no artillery units, no mechanized armor, no command in control, no army… and calls it a war.

 It is not a war, it is murder.

When Israelis in the occupied territories now claim that they have to defend themselves, they are defending themselves in the sense that any military occupier has to defend itself against the population they are crushing. You can't defend yourself when you're militarily occupying someone else's land. That's not defense. Call it what you like, it's not defense.”