Saturday, December 15, 2007

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DESCRIBE REAL PERILS OF GLOBAL WARMING


GEOFFREY YORK
From Friday's Globe and Mail
December 14, 2007 at 4:23 AM EST


NUSA DUA, INDONESIA — Indigenous people, including Canadian Inuit and Indian leaders, are emerging as some of the top stars of the Bali climate-change conference. From the Arctic to the South Pacific islands, indigenous people said they are among the first to suffer the worst effects of global warming. They drew connections between the planet's north and south, describing how the melting glaciers in the Arctic are jeopardizing the existence of small island states in the Pacific, and how severe ocean storms are imperilling people in both regions.

When the indigenous leaders spoke at a side event at the Bali conference this week, the room was packed with a standing-room-only audience of environmentalists and others. The leaders also spoke at other conference events, giving accounts of how global warming is threatening their traditional ways of life.

Arctic aboriginal villages are facing erosion, fragile ice is endangering their hunters, caribou herds are at risk from shifting weather and severe storms are becoming more frequent in the north and the south, they said. "Some Inuit have already made changes to the traditional times of the year which they travel on the land," said Violet Ford, a Canadian Inuit leader from northern Labrador and a vice-president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. "Some find themselves collecting their winter wood and other supplies in the spring when they only used to do so in the fall. Why? Because the fall freeze-up is later and more dangerous."


The shifting climate is interfering with ancient hunting patterns, Ms. Ford said in an interview. "We can't predict the weather any more, so it's very difficult to plan our hunting. It puts a lot of stress and fear into our communities." Similar threats are faced by the aboriginal people of the Western Arctic, who depend on caribou as their main source of food. "Over the last few years, the caribou have been very unpredictable," said Cindy Dickson, a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in a remote corner of the Yukon."Their migration routes are all over the map," she said. "It has led our people to go up river, down river, sometimes hundreds of miles, to look for the increasingly elusive herd."


Aboriginal leaders were not consulted when the Kyoto treaty was negotiated in 1997, but they are insisting that they must be consulted in future negotiations on how to cope with global warming. "We bring a unique knowledge to these discussions," said Patricia Cochran, an Alaskan Inuit who is chairwoman of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. "We have to make sure that our voice is heard." Because of global warming, Inuit people no longer feel safe travelling on ice where they travelled for centuries, and some Inuit communities are sliding into the sea, forcing their relocation to new sites, Ms. Cochran said. "It's a very frightening thing for all of us. It's the loss of our culture and livelihood. How can we remain intact as aboriginal people?"

Dave Porter, a Kaska Dene leader from northern British Columbia, came to Bali to tell delegates that his people are under massive pressure from a climate-induced infestation of the mountain pine beetle. "We are faced with our greatest threat ever," he said in a speech to a conference side event. "The area of dead trees in British Columbia is the size of Portugal or South Korea. It rivals the destruction of the Amazon and Indonesian rain forests. More than 100 First Nations communities are directly impacted. If the epidemic eats its way across Canada, the impacted communities could be in the thousands." Because winters are not cold enough to kill the beetle infestation, millions of hectares of pine trees have died, Mr. Porter said.

"It dwarfs any other insect epidemic ever seen before in Canada. The interior of British Columbia is now filled with immense regions of dead and dying forests, creating a massive tinderbox just waiting for a spark to literally set it ablaze. Left unchecked, this devastation could spread through Canada's boreal forests from coast to coast, a distance of nearly 9,000 kilometres." For centuries, aboriginal people were able to adapt to the environment, he said. But they have never faced anything like the current threat. "Now in a very short period of time, the industrial society has put us at risk."


KOLEKSI ALHSA

BALI CLIMATE TALKS REACH AGREEMENT

Associated Press .

BALI, Indonesia - World leaders overcame bitter divisions Saturday and agreed to reach a new deal on fighting global warming by 2009, turning a corner in mankind's race to stave off environmental disaster caused by rising temperatures.

The contentious, two-week U.N. climate conference on the resort island of Bali ended with the United States, facing angry criticism from other delegations, relenting in its opposition to a request from developing nations for more technological help fighting climate change.

The new deal does not commit countries to specific actions against global warming. It simply sets an agenda and schedule for negotiators to find ways to reduce pollution and help poor countries adapt to environmental changes by speeding up the transfer of technology and financial assistance.

Despite an aggressive EU-led campaign to include specific emissions reduction targets for industrial nations — by 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 — the final road map has none. The guidelines were eliminated after the U.S., joined by Japan and others, argued that targets should come at the end of the two-year negotiations, not the beginning.

The agreement, by consensus among some 190 nations, was nonetheless hailed as a crucial development in the world's struggle to come to grips with global warming, which scientists say will lead to widespread drought, floods, higher sea levels and worsening storms.

"This is a real breakthrough, a real opportunity for the international community to successfully fight climate change," said U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer. "Parties have recognized the urgency of action on climate change." Environmentalists welcomed the final agreement, though some complained the document lacked specific emissions targets and did not include strong commitments for rich countries to provide poorer ones with green technology.

"The people of the world wanted more. They wanted binding targets," said Marcelo Furtado of Greenpeace Brazil. Climate policy analyst Eliot Diringer, of Washington's Pew center, looked on the positive side. "It puts no one on the hook right now for emissions reductions," he said. "What's important, though, is that it lets no one off the hook either."

Now the U.N. will embark on at least two years of talks to fashion a more effective and widely accepted successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The process could determine for years to come how well the world will cut emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.The roadmap is intended to lead to a more inclusive, effective successor to Kyoto, which commits 37 industrialized nations to cut greenhouse gases by an average of 5 percent between 2008 and 2012.

President Bush has argued that the cuts required by Kyoto would hurt the U.S. economy and unfairly exempts China and other emerging economies.The marathon negotiations to reach the Bali accord appeared on the brink of collapse several times.Just when it appeared agreement was within reach Saturday morning, developing nations argued that their need for technological help from rich nations and other issues needed greater recognition in the document. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the group, urging them to overcome their differences.

In an apparent resolution, India and others suggested minor adjustments to the text, backed by the EU, that encouraged monitoring of technological transfer to make sure rich countries were meeting that need.But the United States objected, calling for further talks and drawing loud boos and sharp floor rebukes. "If you are not willing to lead, then get out of the way!" shouted one delegate. Others pleaded with the head of the U.S. delegation, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky, to reverse herself. "We would like to beg them," appealed Uganda's environment minister, Jesca Eriyo. Dobriansky's subsequent acceptance of the changes triggered applause — one of the few times that a U.S. action had won public praise at a conference studded with accusations that Washington was blocking progress. She told reporters after the adoption the appeals convinced the U.S. delegation that developing nations did not intend to dilute their commitment to take steps to stop global warming.

"After hearing the comments ... we were assured by their words to act," Dobriansky said. "So with that, we felt it was important that we go forward."
At one point, China also angrily accused the U.N. of pressuring nations to sign off on the text, even as sideline negotiations continued — triggering an emotional spat that ended when a tearful and exhausted de Boer was temporarily escorted out of the hall. For developing countries, the final document instructs negotiators to consider incentives and other means to encourage poorer nations to curb — voluntarily — growth in their emissions.

KOLEKSI ALHSA

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Five Hindraf leaders detained under ISA


The Star


From left: R Kengadharan, P Uthayakumar, K Vasantha Kumar, V Ganabatirau dan M Manoharan.

PETALING JAYA: Five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders have been arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The five are P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar. They were picked up at various locations in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Seremban.

It is learnt they were detained under Section 8 (1) of the ISA after Internal Security Minister Datuk Seri Abdulah Ahmad Badawi signed their detention order. Their detention is for two years. Uthayakumar and two others namely Ganabatirau and P. Waythamoorthy were charged under the Sedition Act on Nov 23 in Klang 23 for allegedly making speeches to incite hatred at a gathering in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor, on Nov 16. Waythamoorthy is currently overseas.

Under Section 73 (1) of the ISA, the police can detain any individual for up to 60 days without a warrant, trial and without access to legal counsel if he was suspected to have “acted or is about to act or is likely to act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or any part thereof or to maintenance of essential services therein or to the economic life thereof."

After 60 days, the Minister of Home Affairs can extend the period of detention without trial for up to two years, without submitting any evidence for review by the courts, by issuing a detention order, which is renewable indefinitely.

The five detained

1) P. Uthayakumar - The 46-year-old lawyer was called to the Malaysian Bar on Jan 23, 1993. He is the legal advisor to the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee and advisor to the Malaysian People's Reform Party (Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia or PRIM). He had been a secretary of the MIC Club in London and has appeared in a number of cases related to police abuse, deaths in police custody, police shootings and police inaction. He had also taken part in the reformasi campaigns in support of sacked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

2) M. Manoharan - The 46-year-old Manoharan has been a lawyer for 15 years and was a legal assistant to Karpal Singh for 10 years before branching out on his own. He has been in the DAP and had contested in a parliamentary seat in Federal Territory and was also the Selangor DAP chairman for a short term.

3) V. Ganabatirau - Advisor to the DAP's Sri Muda branch in Shah Alam.

4) R. Kenghadharan - He is a lawyer and was one of the counsels for Uthayakumar when the latter was charged in court for publishing a seditious letter in a website.

5) T. Vasanthakumar - The former bank officer resigned about a month ago after his employers asked about his involvement with Hindraf. He is in his 30s and single. He is now a full-time Hindraf activist and its organising secretary.

KES THE GODDEST OF THE SEA KE MAHKAMAH

Daily Express.

Kota Kinabalu: Tanjung Kapor Assemblyman Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat filed an appeal in the High Court here, Wednesday, against the Kudat Town Board's (KTB) withdrawal of an earlier approval to construct a multi-million ringgit statue of the Goddess of the Sea (Mazu) in Kudat. Chong, in his capacity as Kudat Thean Hou Charitable Foundation (Foundation) Chairman, named the Kudat Town Board (KTB) and the Central Town and Country Planning Board in the Local Government and Housing Ministry as the first and second respondents, respectively.
The originating motion was filed at High Court Registry at 11.10am by the former Chief Minister through his lawyer Haji Ansari Abdullah. In his motion, Chong is appealing for an order from the court: - That the letter of withdrawal of approval dated Nov. 15, 2007 by the first respondent be revoked, set aside and declared null and void; - That the letter of approval dated Feb. 8, 2006 be confirmed as valid and binding on all parties concerned; - The respondents pay compensation for loss suffered by the Foundation; - Costs for the two counsel be awarded against the respondents; - Such consequential further/or other orders and/or directions be made as the court deems fit and just.
His affidavit-in-support of the originating motion affirmed that the protem committee of the Foundation was established in early 2005 to take charge of the construction of the statue on 2.3 acres of private land in Kudat. TPM Konsultant Sdn Bhd as the technical and project management consultant of the project, who on instructions of the Foundation, submitted to the KTB the site layout plan and building plans of the project, together with a letter of consent from the registered owner of the land. Chong further affirmed that in December 2005, he came to learn that the plans had been approved by KTB and on Dec. 12, 2005, the Foundation held a ground breaking ceremony that was attended by, among others, Kudat Member of Parliament Datuk Rahim Bakri and Parliament Deputy Speaker Datuk Lim Chee Cheng. He certified that when the letter of approval was issued by KTB on Feb. 8, 2006 which was valid for two years, works on the project was commenced, including piling and construction of a 20 feet platform which was completed five months later at a cost of RM1 million.
Chong also affirmed that the Foundation made preparations for executing the project which include placing an order for the granite carvings of the statue through craftsmen from China. The granite carvings had been shipped from China and are now stored in a containers in Kota Kinabalu. The Immigration Department had also issued letter of approval of the application by Key Summit Sdn Bhd for visas to be issued to 11 craftsmen from China to assemble the granite carvings of the statue. Chong claimed that on May 25, 2006, he received a letter from KTB's Executive Secretary which stated that the Local Government and Housing Minister had directed that work project be temporary suspended pending further directive from the Chief Minister.
On June 6, 2006, the Local Government and Housing Ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Ujang Sulai, who is also chairman of the second respondent, issued a written directive to KTB to order suspension of works on the project pending approval from the Chief Minister. Chong affirmed that the directive (the heading of which wrongly described the site as being near to the Asy-Syarikin Mosque in Kudat) stated that the Ministry had received objections from various parties to the construction of the statue, as well as appeals for the statue to be sited elsewhere. He stated that on June 23, 2006, the State Secretary issued a letter to the KTB commissioner/executive secretary stating that the the government had, after considering all the circumstances, decided that works on the project should stop immediately.
Chong further affirmed that on July 7, 2006, the Mufti of Sabah purportedly issued a Fatwa (religious decree) advising that the construction of the statue would offend Islam and ordered that the construction be stopped in order to protect the sensitivities of the followers of Islam. On April 13, 2007, Chong affirmed that he tendered his resignation as a member of the Sabah State Cabinet. Chong further affirmed that by a letter dated Nov. 15, 2007, KTB withdrew the approval granted by their letter of Feb. 8, 2006, giving reason that the site layout plan and building plans had not been approved by the second respondent by reason of non-compliance with Section 15 of the Town and Country Planning Ordinance.
Chong affirmed that the Foundation, being dissatisfied with and aggrieved by the KTB's withdrawal of the approval appeals to the court that: @ The decision to withdraw the approval was made in breach of the rule of natural justice in that KTB in accepting the various directions of the Chief Minister, the second respondent and the Sabah Mufti, failed to give the Foundation an opportunity to be heard; @ The advice of the Mufti is bad in law because it was based on the wrong premise that the site upon which the statue was to be constructed was adjacent to Masjid As-Syarikin. It is unconstitutional and contravenes the provisions of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution; @ The respondents' conduct in withdrawing the approval in circumstances is mala fide, unconscionable and inequitable and that the second respondent has no legal authority to direct KTB to withdraw the approval. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after filing the appeal, Ansari said that Chong would be taking further actions besides the appeal.
"He (Chong) will be taking action, he will inform, he will know when it come and what further actions to be taken but he will taking further action beside the appeal," Ansari said.
Koleksi ALHS

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Hindraf Heads With Ties To Terrorists To Be Watched

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah at the meet-the-people session in Segamat yesterday.
From NST.

BATU PAHAT: The prime minister has instructed the police to monitor Hindu Rights Action Force leaders and followers who may have links to terrorist groups.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said should their action threaten national security, the Internal Security Act could be used.He said he was aware of Hindraf canvassing for support and help from terrorist groups and local gangsters."I was informed. My instructions to the police is that the group should be monitored. ISA is an option. I will decide when the time is right. If they are deemed (as a threat to national security) we will know what to do."Earlier in Segamat at a meet-the-people session attended by 3,000 people, Abdullah said he was puzzled by the actions of certain groups who are bent on berating their own country.

"They tell lies and accuse the government of cruelty and ethnic cleansing."He said the absurd and extreme actions of Hindraf had caused outsiders who knew nothing about Malaysia to believe those claims."Those who are not in the know may be taken in," he said, adding that the government practised power sharing to ensure there was peace and harmony in the country."This government has the support of the people. It has policies and implements plans for the benefit of the people. It allocates funds and has the machinery to implement those programmes."These are important elements that a government must have to develop the nation and its people."He called on the people to safeguard the political stability and peace they had been enjoying all this time.He said the government would always listen to the people when implementing development programmes, including consulting village development and security committees, farmers' organisations, fishermen's association and non-governmental organisations.He also called on the people to be thrifty, spend wisely and to make provisions for their children's education.
Collection by ALHSA

The Indian Government Refused to Met Waytha Moorthy of HINDRAF.

Pranab Mukherjee, The Foreign Minister of India.

FROM THE TIMES OF INDIA
India washes hands of Malay protest

8 Dec 2007, 0154 hrs IST , TNN

NEW DELHI: "A terrorist is a terrorist. He has no religion and his origin does not matter," said foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee. Reacting to a question on a reported comment by the Malaysian government that the protesting Indian community in the country were sympathisers of the LTTE, Mukherjee said this issue was not discussed with the Sri Lankan foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama who met him on Friday for bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the Saarc intersession meeting.


The Malaysian government's comments have introduced a twist to the raging debate on the issue of Indian minority in Malaysia who have rioted against discriminatory policies of the Malaysian government. Mukherjee said there were international conventions that governed how the issue of terrorism was tackled, and every government was committed to supporting it. The Indian government refused to meet the leader of the protesting Indian group Hindraf — Waytha Moorthy — on Thursday. Waytha Moorthy, in India for a day before heading to Geneva and Washington for support could only meet the leader of the Opposition, L K Advani. Speaking to TOI Waytha Moorthy said "the bureaucracy" made it difficult to meet the leadership. He said they were looking for Indian support and India to pressure Malaysia to give them a better deal. He said their ultimate aim was to have a better life in Malaysia. India is not going to give the protesting Malaysians more traction. This is clear from the recent actions of the government that they consider the protests to be part of an internal matter of Malaysia, because these were all Malaysian citizens. To the extent that they are persons of Indian origin, they would receive notional support from India. But, India will not place its relations with Malaysia on the line for them. This is a clear message. So even though there will be expressions of support for the protesters the government will not be seen to be backing any group that might have sympathies with the LTTE. This will complicate its relations not merely with Malaysia and Sri Lanka but could prove to be a legal hot potato — because LTTE is banned in India.


collection by ALHSA



Saturday, December 8, 2007

NEWS: IN INDIA VS IN MALAYSIA

MB Selangor, YAB Tan Sri Mohd. Khir Toyo
Gambar Hiasan: Bantu golongan ini dengan langkah-langkah positive. BUKAN dengan memperdaya mereka sepertinya untuk berdemonstrasi.


Rape, abduction increasing in Gujarat: Sonia - 8 Dec 2007, 2303 hrs IST , PTI KAPADVANJ(Gujarat):

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday targeted the Modi-government in Gujarat for the rising incidents of rape, kidnapping and corruption in the state. Addressing a huge gathering, mostly consisting of women, in Kapadvanj assembly constituency of Kheda district of Central Gujarat, Sonia came down heavily on the state government's failure at various fronts. "Nobody is safe in Gujarat under the present regime," Sonia remarked. "There has been an increase in cases of rape and kidnapping of children," the Congress president said, referring to the recent incidents of kidnapping in Surat district.

Large number of farmers have committed suicide and the interest of dalits and backward communities has not been protected, she said. Sonia also criticised Modi regime for the large-scale corruption which took place in the 'Sujalam Sufalam' irrigation project of the state government. Without naming the Chief Minister, Sonia Gandhi appealed to the people to throw out the Modi government from power for its failure to deliver on its promises. "The government talked about big projects but on the ground, implementation is negligible," she added. "If our party comes to power (in Gujarat), it will announce special incentives for reopening of closed industries and special packages for farmers," she told the gathering.

NST Online » Local News
2007/12/09
Move forward, Dr Khir tells Kampung Rimba folk
SHAH ALAM: Let’s put the Hindraf episode behind us and move forward to find a better life for all
.


This was the message Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had for the people, especially those in Kampung Rimba Jaya here, yesterday.Meeting the people here for the first time since the controversial demolition of a temple in the squatter settlement last month, the Selangor menteri besar said the people should not be taken in by the claims of the movement.He said the people of Rimba Jaya were now staying in council homes provided by the state in Shah Alam and they could continue to do so until their low-cost homes were built.The council homes are flats owned by the state in Section 26 and the tenants could stay there rent-free, he added.
“Do not worry. I will not let anyone sleep under the bridge. It’ll be a shame for me if that happens. The government will never neglect the Indians.”On the demolished temple, Dr Khir said the developer had given RM40,000 to the temple committee to build a new one at the site given by the developer.He said the people should not fret about having to move into low-cost homes, saying it was a first step towards better things.For those who were not eligible for bank loans, he said there were other avenues such as the Housing and Local Government Ministry, state Islamic Religious Council and other state agencies.

Speaking on the impact of the recent illegal rallies in the city, Dr Khir said two Taiwanese investors had put on hold their plans to come to Selangor.Later last night, during a 60 minute live interview over RTM1, Dr Khir clarified that the Kampung Rimba Jaya Hindu temple was demolished after the Deepavali festival.“There is a misunderstanding. A lot of people thought the temple was demolished before Deepavali. But, it was demolished on Nov 15,” he said adding that the temple was built on private land.He said the temple committee had agreed with the relocation and added that: “The temple issue had been settled.”“The problem is Hindraf followers instigated others to take the law into their own hands and did not allow the priest to go into the temple.” He said the squatters in the area would also be moving to their new homes by end of this year or beginning of next year.They will move to low-cost units with proper kindergartens, Hindu temple, surau, community hall and other facilities, he added.“So there is no issue of the temple or not helping the community. The state government helps all races,” he said. He also said the politics of hate should be rejected by all.


Collection: ALHS

PM BERHAK GUNA ISA-Samy


Dari Berita Harian Online.

PM berhak guna ISA bila perlu
Oleh Azman Mahmood


KUALA LUMPUR: Presiden MIC Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, berkata menjadi hak mutlak Perdana Menteri jika beliau mahu menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) ke atas pemimpin Barisan Bertindak Hak-Hak Hindu (Hindraf). “MIC tidak akan campur tangan. Ia terpulang kepada Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi untuk memutuskan bila akta itu dilaksanakan apabila sesuatu keadaan bahaya berlaku dalam negara,” katanya. Beliau memberitahu demikian kepada pemberita ketika mengulas gesaan daripada sebilangan veteran politik bahawa sudah tiba masa untuk kerajaan mengenakan ISA ke atas dalang dalam Hindraf.

Desakan itu dibuat berikutan pendedahan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan pada Khamis lalu bahawa pemimpin Hindraf sudah meminta bantuan dan sokongan kumpulan pengganas di Sri Lanka. “Bagi MIC, agenda Hindraf hanya diketahui kumpulan itu dan sudah tentu bukan memperjuangkan peningkatan taraf hidup masyarakat India di negara ini,” katanya selepas merasmikan Konvensyen Antarabangsa Nagarathars 2007 di sini, semalam. Ditanya sama beliau akan bertemu dengan pemimpin Hindraf jika mereka mahu berbincang dengannya, Samy Vellu yang juga Menteri Kerja raya secara menyindir berkata: “Mereka tidak akan melihat kami (MIC) kerana kita semua makhluk asing.”

“Banyak kali saya menawarkan diri untuk berjumpa mereka tetapi mereka enggan. Saya maklumkan kepada mereka jika mereka mahu berjumpa dengan saya, saya sedia bertemu dan berbincang. Mereka kata tidak mahu...hasrat mereka lebih tinggi daripada saya,” katanya. Samy Vellu berkata, sebagai pemimpin kaum India, beliau berhak menyuarakan bagi masyarakat India di negara ini. “Kami warga Malaysia sudah tinggal di negara ini untuk sekian lama. Saya dilahirkan di negara ini, ayah saya lahir di negara ini, hanya datuk saya berasal dari India. Jika ambil kira anak dan cucu saya, kami sudah berada di negara ini selama empat generasi. “Ini negara kami. Kami tidak pulang ke India, India bukan negara kami. India adalah negara nenek moyang saya. Saya adalah rakyat Malaysia. Saya mempunyai semua hak untuk tinggal di sini. Saya mempunyai hak untuk memperjuangkan apa yang diperlukan oleh komuniti India di sini,” katanya.

Sebagai negara berbilang bangsa, Samy Vellu berkata, pemimpin setiap kaum perlu menggunakan pemikiran betul apabila meminta kerajaan melakukan sesuatu untuk masyarakat masing-masing supaya tidak timbul salah faham antara satu sama lain. Beliau berkata, kerajaan sudah banyak menyediakan kemudahan kepada masyarakat India dan beliau akan terus berjuang untuk meningkatkan lagi taraf hidup masyarakat itu. “Bagi diri saya...saya mesti beritahu anda...apa jua yang saya mahu untuk komuniti India, saya akan berjuang dalam kerajaan,” katanya. Lebih 500 peserta termasuk separuh dari New Delhi dan Madras menghadiri konvensyen lima hari itu khusus bagi keturunan ceti. Turut hadir ialah Pesuruhjaya Tinggi India ke Malaysia Ashok K. Kantha dan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Undang-Undang India, Hakim Dr AR Lakshmanan.

DARI BERITA HARIAN: BATAL HINDRAF ENTERPRISE IKUT PERATURAN


Oleh Khirul Bahri Basaruddin dan Junita Mat Rasid


MUAR: Kerajaan menyokong tindakan Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) membatalkan lesen perniagaan Hindraf Enterprise selepas didapati digunakan untuk tujuan menyalahi undang-undang. Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, berkata SSM di bawah Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) melaksanakan tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan itu mengikut peruntukan sedia ada. "Saya tidak menghalang tindakan itu kerana adalah tanggungjawab dia (SSM) yang boleh laksanakan. Saya tidak ada halangan,” katanya pada sidang media selepas merasmikan Program Kesejahteraan Rakyat Peringkat Negeri Johor di sini, semalam.

SSM semalam melalui kenyataan akhbar membatalkan serta-merta lesen perniagaan syarikat Hindraf Enterprise yang dipercayai ada kaitan dengan Barisan Bertindak Hak-Hak Hindu (Hindraf). Menurut kenyataan SSM, tindakan itu diambil kerana perniagaan syarikat terbabit ‘tidak bersesuaian dengan keselamatan negara serta ketenteraman awam.’ Katanya, tindakan membatalkan pendaftaran perniagaan syarikat itu, yang berkuat kuasa semalam, dibuat mengikut subseksyen 5C(2) Akta Pendaftaran Perniagaan 1956.


Pendaftar Perniagaan di bawah suruhanjaya itu menjalankan kuasanya mengikut subseksyen 5C(2) APP 1956, selepas berpuas hati bahawa perniagaan Hindraf Enterprise digunakan bagi kedua-dua tujuan itu. Ditanya sama ada Hindraf juga perlu dibatalkan pendaftarannya, Abdullah berkata, soal pembatalan pendaftaran Hindraf tidak timbul kerana Hindraf bukan sebuah pertubuhan yang didaftarkan mengikut Akta Pertubuhan. Bagaimanapun, katanya, polis sedang memantau kegiatan Hindraf di luar negara dan akan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya, termasuk menarik balik pasport mereka jika didapati melakukan jenayah. "Rakyat Malaysia bebas pergi ke mana-mana kerana Malaysia bukan negara yang menyekat rakyatnya untuk keluar, tetapi jika mereka mempunyai masalah jenayah, tentulah pasport mereka akan ditarik balik dan tidak dibenarkan keluar," katanya.


Sementara itu, Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, berkata Hindraf sepatutnya diharamkan kerana membuat tuntutan secara luar biasa, melulu dan mencemar negara. Katanya, tindakan Hindraf yang tidak bersifat Malaysia dan tidak boleh dibenarkan bermaharajalela di negara ini. "Kita tidak boleh bertolak ansur dengan Hindraf dan perlu diharamkan kerana kita tidak mahu hal perpaduan yang terjalin sejak sekian lama ini dirosakkan oleh orang yang tidak bertanggungjawab," katanya. Katanya, perpaduan masyarakat majmuk di negara ini akan dirosakkan oleh kegiatan seperti Hindraf.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Hindraf Melampau


DARI: BERITA HARIAN ON LINE

Hindraf melampau
Oleh Misiah Taib dan Badrul Hizar Ab Jabar

PM marah tuduhan Hindraf kerajaan lakukan pembersihan kaum ALOR GAJAH: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi amat marah dengan tindakan Hindraf yang mendakwa Kerajaan Malaysia melakukan pembersihan etnik dan menyifatkan perbuatan itu pembohongan amat jahat. Perdana Menteri yang mengakui jarang marah, berkata beliau sendiri akan meletak jawatan jika perkara seperti itu berlaku di Malaysia, sebuah negara yang sejak merdeka hingga sekarang, kerajaannya memberikan keadilan dan kesaksamaan kepada semua kaum.

Tindakan Hindraf itu katanya, bertujuan mencetuskan perbalahan antara kaum, dengan cubaan memperdayakan majoriti masyarakat India yang tidak bersalah kononnya selama ini mereka ditekan dan ditindas. "Saya rasa marah, sebenarnya saya jarang rasa marah tetapi ini tindakan yang tidak boleh dilayan sama sekali. "Beritahu saya, apakah anda percaya pembersihan etnik berlaku di negara ini. Apakah ia berlaku di Malaysia? Saya akan meletak jawatan jika saya membenarkan ini berlaku. Ia tidak pernah berlaku di negara ini. Ini adalah satu pembohongan amat jahat," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang media selepas melancarkan Perkampungan Hadhari peringkat negeri di Dataran Pantai Perkelahan Tanjung Bidara dekat sini, semalam. Hadir sama Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam dan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin. Abdullah berkata, tidak pernah berlaku perbalahan antara penganut Islam dan Hindu di Malaysia dan mengapa harus perkara seperti itu ditimbulkan. Ia berbau perkauman dan bertujuan memporak-perandakan keamanan, kestabilan serta kesejahteraan rakyat. "Tindakan kumpulan ini bertujuan menggugat kepercayaan orang India terhadap kerajaan, terhadap Umno dan juga orang Melayu," katanya sambil menyifatkan Hindraf membuat pelbagai tohmahan tidak berasas sama sekali. Beliau berkata, penghapusan etnik adalah seperti berlaku di Bosnia apabila pihak Serbia menyerang dan membuat segala-galanya supaya orang Bosnia tidak lagi wujud, tetapi di Malaysia perkara seperti itu tidak pernah berlaku.

Tindakan Hindraf katanya, yang membuat aduan mengenai masyarakat India di Malaysia kepada Kerajaan United Kingdom, Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu dan pihak antarabangsa lain, semata-mata bertujuan menimbulkan keadaan tidak tenteram dan perbalahan antara kaum. "Sepanjang 50 tahun kita merdeka, orang India sudah menjalankan peranan mereka menjadi penyokong kuat Kerajaan Malaysia, kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN). Tentu sekali mereka tahu kita bersifat adil dan saksama. "Tapi hari ini nampaknya mereka (orang India) hendak diperdayakan oleh kumpulan Hindraf ini. Saya harap kaum India terutamanya, jangan benarkan diri diperdayakan mereka ini. "Saya harap kaum lain juga tidak menunjukkan simpati kepada kumpulan terbabit. Saya harap orang Melayu bersabar kerana kerajaan dan pihak polis akan mengawasi apa juga tindakan kumpulan terbabit," katanya.

Abdullah juga memberi contoh di kawasannya, Kepala Batas, terdapat ramai masyarakat India dan beliau sendiri membantu mereka, termasuk memberikan wang untuk mereka membaiki kuil. "Saya bantu sebab kita menghormati agama lain, dan mereka bukan bermusuh dengan kita, mereka duduk bersama-sama bermuafakat dengan elok dan bekerjasama, ini yang berlaku," katanya. Beliau bagaimanapun yakin rakyat Malaysia dan orang India sendiri tidak akan mudah terjebak dan percaya dengan pembohongan yang sengaja direka oleh Hindraf. Ditanya apakah tindakan kerajaan terhadap hasrat pelbagai pihak termasuk Majlis Peguam untuk mengadakan beberapa lagi perhimpunan bulan ini, beliau berkata, pihak polis akan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya mengikut landasan undang-undang. Sambil menyifatkan tindakan Hindraf sebagai cuba 'menangguk di air keroh' beliau berkata, negara ini mempunyai undang-undang dan perlembagaan yang mana semua pihak perlu mematuhinya dan tindakan undang-undang akan dikenakan terhadap sesiapa yang melakukan kesalahan.

"Kita berjaya sebab kita mematuhinya, kita pegang kuat pada Rukun Negara, Kedaulatan Undang-undang dan Keluhuran Perlembagaan," katanya. Abdullah berharap rakyat Malaysia akan membuat penilaian dengan kenyataan seperti ini (oleh Hindraf) terutama sekali bagi kaum India yang diheret dan cuba diperdayakan kumpulan berkenaan. Katanya, sejak sekian lama, kerajaan sentiasa memberikan perhatian kepada pelbagai permintaan Presiden MIC Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu untuk memperbaiki sosial dan ekonomi masyarakat India. "Sama ada permintaan untuk menjadi senator, wakil rakyat, semua kita beri perhatian, kita beri sokongan.

Orang India tahu ada kumpulan seperti Hindraf nak cucuk mereka dan nak buat bermacam kenyataan supaya mereka tidak seronok dengan kita," katanya yang tidak mahu Malaysia yang sedang membangun dengan baik digugat kumpulan itu. Ditanya sama ada kerajaan bercadang melucutkan kewarganegaraan anggota Hindraf, beliau menyerahkan kepada polis untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang. Perdana Menteri berkata, melakukan demonstrasi jalanan kononnya untuk membuat perubahan dan tuntutan adalah cara tidak betul termasuk oleh kumpulan yang bergelar "BERSIH" mengenai pilihan raya, bulan lalu.

Pada pilihan raya akan datang, beliau berkata, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya sudah menetapkan untuk menggunakan dakwat khas dan peti undi lutsinar bagi memastikan ketelusan. "Tong peti undi yang lutsinar, semua orang tahu bila bawa ada kertas undi di dalamnya. Begitu juga untuk undi pos, orang lain pun boleh datang tengok, apa yang dilakukan ketika undi pos, semua nak periksa seolah-olah tak percaya pada siapa pun, mereka saja perlu dipercayai," katanya. Perdana Menteri berkata, kalau Kerajaan Malaysia penipu, sudah lama ia diketepikan kerana rakyat bukan bodoh dan tidak boleh diperbodohkan.

Abdullah bagaimanapun mengakui masih ada kelemahan dan ada kerja yang belum dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan berkata: "mana ada pemimpin dalam dunia kata aku telah buat segala-galanya, semuanya sudah sempurna, tidak ada yang miskin, tidak ada yang melarat, tidak ada memerlukan bantuan." Pembangunan katanya, adalah proses yang mengambil masa lama dengan memberikan contoh dasar pembasmian kemiskinan yang dimulakan sejak wujudnya Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) dan masih dilaksanakan sehingga hari ini. "Ramai yang masih miskin, kita tidak boleh kata selepas 20 tahun DEB dilaksanakan maka berhenti segala-galanya, tak payah buat apa-apa lagi," katanya.




NOTE: (FROM One! International)

What is One! International?

One! International is a volunteer organization working toward the betterment of life in Mumbai (Bombay), India. It is a non-governmental (non-profit), non-sectarian organization that depends on financial support from individuals as well as businesses.

The main goal of One! is the future. And of course the key to the future is the children and the youth. Basic education for children is a must. However, in order to accomplish this, education must also be extended to the older population by conveying educations' necessity, and also to try and break the parent's dependance on their children for the food and money they get by begging.

In order to conquer education, other problems must be faced simultaneously. Basic needs, such as nutrition and medical attention as well as the problems faced by women: treatment by men and pregnancy. 47% of children between 0-59 months (0-5 years) in India are underweight - this figure is only matched or worse in three countries: Ethipoia, Yemen and Bangladesh.33% of the total population of India use adequate sanitation facilities.
UNICEF 2005

Thursday, November 29, 2007


BERITA HARIAN.
PENNY WONG, WANITA SABAH DALAM KABINET RUDD, AUSTRALIA MENERAJUI KEMENTERIAN PERUBAHAN IKLIM DAN AIR.
Penny was born in Sabah, Malaysia. She moved to Australia when she was eight and settled in the Adelaide Hills. She won a scholarship to Scotch College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Law Degree (Hons) from the University of Adelaide. Penny began working for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union when she was still studying and stayed with the union after she was admitted to the Bar. She became an elected organiser and industrial officer. She was then employed as a ministerial advisor to the Carr government in New South Wales, concentrating on forest policy. She later returned to Adelaide to practise law

SYDNEY: Seorang wanita kelahiran Negeri Sabah, Penny Wong dan seorang bekas bintang rock, Petter Garret adalah antara tokoh yang dipilih menganggotai Kabinet Perdana Menteri baru Australia, Kevin Rudd semalam, langkah yang dilihat bakal memperkukuh dasar alam sekitar kerajaan Parti Buruh termasuk pelaksanaan Protokol Kyoto mengenai perubahan alam sekitar.

Penny Wong, 38, yang dilahirkan di Negeri Sabah, Malaysia, telah dilantik menjadi Menteri Perubahan Iklim dan Air, Australia yang beranggungjawab mengenai rundingan antarabangsa, terutama mengenai perjanjian Kyoto yang bermatlamat mengurangkan penghasilan gas rumah hijau.

Pakar dan saintis mempersalahkan penghasilan berlebihan gas rumah hijau di seluruh dunia, terutama di negara maju sebagai punca perubahan iklim dan pemanasan global. Penny, berhijrah ke Australia ketika berusia lapan tahun pada 1977 dan dipilih sebagai senator Parti Buruh pada 2001. Beliau yang juga seorang peguam, adalah wanita kelahiran Asia pertama yang menyertai Parlimen Persekutuan dan mewakili wilayah Selatan Australia. Penny sebelum ini adalah 'menteri bayangan' bagi pentadbiran awam. "Cabaran dalam politik negara ini sekarang adalah untuk 'memperbaharui' Australia dan memberi keutamaan dalam soal keadilan kepada semua rakyat," katanya.

Bekas vokalis kumpulan Midnight Oil selama 26 tahun, Petter Garret, 54, dilantik sebagai Menteri Alam Sekitar yang akan bertanggungjawab mengendalikan program mengenai kesedaran perubahan iklim di Australia termasuk program solar, pengendalian air secara cekap dan beberapa bidang membabitkan sumber tenaga.

Isu perubahan iklim menjadi agenda utama dalam kempen utama pilihan raya baru-baru ini, selepas Australia dilanda kemarau paling buruk dalam sejarah negara itu. "Agenda utama Parti Buruh pada masa depan ialah menangani perubahan iklim, mengatasi masalah air dan mengekalkan alam sekitar yang sihat," katanya.

Sementara itu Rudd ketika mengumumkan barisan anggota Kabinetnya berkata beliau merancang membina 'sistem pendidikan kelas pertama' dan mahu Australia menjadi negara terbaik di dunia. Beliau berkata Penny dan Garret akan mengiringinya dalam mesyuarat antarabangsa mengenai perubahan iklim di Bali bulan depan. Rudd memberi jaminan untuk menukar dasar bekas Perdana Menteri John Howard dan melaksanakan perjanjian Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), meninggalkan Presiden Amerika George W Bush keseorangan dan menjadi satu-satunya pemimpin dunia yang menolak protokol berkenaan. AFP

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Tan Sri Pandikar Menghadiri Mesyuarat CPA di London

Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia bersama-sama Hashim Abdul Halim (duduk, dua dari kanan), Setiausaha Agung CPA, Dr. William F Shija (duduk kiri sekali); Bendahari CPA, David Marshall (duduk kanan sekali) serta pegawai-pegawai CPA di Ibu Pejabat CPA, London.


KOTA KINABALU: Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Tempasuk, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Haji Mulia, yang baru dipilih sebagai Naib Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Eksekutif Persatuan Ahli-Ahli Parlimen/Ahli-Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Negara-Negara Komanwel (CPA) menghadiri mesyuarat jawatankuasa penyelaras CPA di London selama dua hari berakhir kelmarin (Rabu). Beliau berangkat ke London pada Sabtu lepas bagi menunaikan tanggungjawabnya sebagai Naib Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Eksekutif CPA bagi penggal 2007-2008. Menurut kenyataan yang diemelkannya hari ini, Pandikar Amin berkata mesyuarat diadakan di Ibu Pejabat CPA di Westminster House, Mill Bank, London. CPA ialah sebuah persatuan menghimpunkan wakil rakyat termasuk Ahli Parlimen dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri dari semua negara anggota Komanwel. Ia beribu pejabat di United Kingdom jawatankuasanya mewakili sembilan rantau termasuk Afrika, Asia, Australia, Kanada, India, Pasifik dan Asia Tenggara. Jawatan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Eksekutif CPA bagi penggal kali ini disandang oleh Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Bengal Barat, India, Hashim Abdul Halim dan Bendahari, David Marshall (United Kingdom).



nota:

About the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association

The CPA is an Association of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, are united by community of interest, by respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy. Its stated purpose is to promote knowledge and understanding of the constitutional, legislative, economic, social and cultural systems within a parliamentary democratic framework. It undertakes this mission with particular reference to the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations and to countries having close historical and parliamentary associations with it.
The CPA was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association, with the United Kingdom Branch administering its affairs. The original member Branches were Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Evolving with the Commonwealth, the CPA adopted its present name in 1948, changed its rules to enable all member Branches to participate in the Association's management, and established a separate Secretariat to manage its affairs. Association Branches now exist in 171 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of over 16,000 Parliamentarians.
The Association provides the sole means of regular consultation among Members of Commonwealth Parliaments. It fosters co-operation and understanding among them and promotes the study of and respect for Parliament. Commonwealth Parliaments and Heads of Government endorse its role.
Programmes and Activities
Our Programmes and Activities promote parliamentary democracy and cooperation with other networks and organizations dedicated to good governance.
Programmes have been geared to the development of professional knowledge-based Parliamentarians through promoting knowledge and skills and by supporting efforts that improve effectiveness and sustainability, and to provide the financial resources needed to support the CPA’s activities including seeking funding from other organizations whether in a co-financing or a donor capacity.
Specific areas of work over the last five years have focused on:
Parliamentary Practice and Procedure including Post-Election Assistance;
The Interface between Parliament and other areas of Government, such as the Executive, the Judiciaryand Local Government;
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Oversight including Public Accounts and other Committees;
Post-Conflict Capacity-Building;
Combating Corruption;
Parliament and the Media;
Gender and Human Rights;
Electoral Practices and Election Observation, including Voter Education and increased Political Participation; Greater Participation by Parliamentarians in the debates on major global issues, and
Specific Interests that arise from time to time in the Commonwealth on a Regional or other Basis.

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,
SecretariatSuite 700, Westminster House,
7 Millbank London, SW1P 3JAUnited Kingdom

Tuesday, November 27, 2007


BERITA HARIAN ONLINE
BERITA UTAMA
Demonstrasi bermotif politik. Alasan Hindraf tuntut hak, keadilan untuk masyarakat India sukar diterima: Najib


Oleh: Amirullah Andi Nur

KUALA LUMPUR: Tindakan Barisan Bertindak Hak-Hak Hindu (Hindraf) meneruskan perhimpunan haram tanpa mempedulikan larangan mahkamah dan amaran polis di ibu negara kelmarin jelas bermotifkan politik, kata Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, dakwaan Hindraf kononnya tujuan mereka berbuat demikian adalah untuk memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat India yang masih miskin dan ketinggalan selepas 50 tahun negara merdeka adalah alasan semata-mata.
"Kalau kerajaan mengamalkan dasar yang berat sebelah seperti didakwa mereka, tidak mungkin selama ini kaum India menyokong kita dan tak mungkin Barisan Nasional (BN) mampu mencapaIkejayaan besar (dalam pilihan raya). "Ini dia tiba-tiba nak timbulkan isu seperti itu pula. Jelas ia bermotif politik," katanya selepas menyaksikan majlis penyerahan kepada Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM) di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Subang, semalam.
Pada majlis itu, tiga helikopter Dauphin bernilai RM145 juta diserahkan oleh syarikat pembekalnya Eurocopter, kepada APMM. Agensi itu diwakili Ketua Pengarahnya, Datuk Laksamana Mohammad Nik manakala Eurocopter Malaysia oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Pierre Nardelli.
Hadir sama Panglima Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM), Jen Tan Sri Azizan Hashim dan Naib Presiden Kanan Eurocopter, Philippe Harache. Kelmarin, Hindraf tetap berdegil dengan meneruskan perhimpunan haram di beberapa lokasi di sekitar ibu negara termasuk Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak dan Batu Caves tanpa mempedulikan larangan mahkamah dan amaran polis.
Susulan itu, polis menahan 136 penyokong mereka dan mengambil keterangan 105 orang lagi untuk membantu siasatan kerana menyertai perhimpunan haram itu selain bertindak ganas membaling pelbagai objek ke arah pihak berkuasa serta merosakkan harta awam.
Sekurang-kurangnya empat anggota polis cedera termasuk seorang menerima 11 jahitan di kepala kerana diserang dengan batu bata, tujuh kereta peronda rosak dibaling batu manakala sebuah bas terbakar apabila seorang penunjuk perasaan membaling bom api di Batu Caves.
Dalam satu temubual dengan stesen televisyen Al Jazeera selepas itu, seorang pemimpin Hindraf, P Uthayakumar, mengaku demonstrasi jalanan itu diadakan untuk memalukan kerajaan yang didakwanya meminggirkan nasib kaum India sejak 50 tahun lalu.
Selain itu, Ketua Penerangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Tian Chua dan pemimpin DAP, Ronnie Liu, turut dilihat berucap dalam perhimpunan itu di Jalan Ampang, berdekatan Hotel Maya kira-kira jam 10 pagi.
Jumaat lalu, Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Lumpur mengeluarkan perintah sebelah pihak menghalang tiga pemimpin Hindraf serta semua pihak yang menyokong badan itu daripada menganjurkan perhimpunan haram meliputi kawasan Pejabat Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Britain.
Perhimpunan itu diadakan bagi menghantar petisyen mengandungi 100,000 tandatangan mendesak Ratu Elizabeth II membantu menyokong permohonan masyarakat India negara ini yang memfailkan saman menuntut pampasan 4 trilion pound sterling (RM27.7 trilion) daripada kerajaan Britain.
Mengulas lanjut, Najib berkata, kerajaan BN tidak akan terjejas dengan tindakan seperti yang dilakukan oleh Hindraf itu sebaliknya yakin akan terus mendapat sokongan padu rakyat.
"Kita akan sahut cabaran ini dan kerajaan BN tidak akan tunduk sama sekali dengan pendekatan politik seperti itu," katanya. Najib berkata perbuatan Hindraf mengadakan perhimpunan haram itu memberi kesan buruk kepada ekonomi negara dan orang ramai selain menjejaskan pelbagai aktiviti harian di sekitar lokasi terbabit. Kelmarin peniaga di sekitar kawasan lokasi perhimpunan seperti Jalan Ampang, kerugian berpuluh ribu ringgit kerana terpaksa menutup premis bagi mengelak kemungkinan tidak diingini.
Sementara itu, Najib berkata, kaum India sudah lama tidak mendapat perhatian dan pelbagai peluang untuk memperbaiki taraf hidup jika Presiden MIC Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu tidak ada kuasa sebagai pemimpin parti dan membela nasib kaum India.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, kehadiran Presiden MIC dalam barisan Kabinet dan pemimpin sebuah parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) secara langsung menjelaskan status beliau dalam kerajaan. "Samy Vellu adalah rakan kanan dalam kerajaan, manakala MIC pula rakan kanan dalam BN," katanya.
Ditanya mengenai permohonan Parti Bersatu India Malaysia (Miup) yang dilancarkan kelmarin menyertai BN, Najib berkata, masih terlalu awal untuk memutuskan perkara itu.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Passage Of Bills in Order: Juhar.


Kota Kinabalu: Speaker Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin, when met after the Assembly adjourned Friday, said the passing of two Bills a day earlier than expected on Thursday was within the limits of power of the House.
He was referring to the passing of the Sabah Records and Archives Enactment 2007 and the amendment to the State Library Enactment 1988.
The Bills were tabled by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datu Nasrun Datu Mansor and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin right after the State 2008 Budget was passed late Thursday evening (see Page 7 for the Bills details).
During the question and answer session Friday, Tempasuk Assemblyman Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia raised several points of order in the Standing Order, basically on the importance of providing early notice for any changes in the House's daily agenda and schedule.
He said based on Order 13, the proceedings of the State Assembly sitting must be according to order of the agenda as well as on the need for at least a two-day notice to the House members if a Bill is to be tabled.
At that point, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan (PBS-Tambunan) stood up but was asked by Pandikar not to interrupt him as he was not finished yet.
Pairin said he was not standing up to object but only to ask him whether the issue being raised had something to do with today's (Friday) business or yesterday (Thursday) and the reason for it.
Juhar then told Pandikar that since it was question and answer time whatever being raised must be relevant and that he would not be able to make any ruling if Pandikar was referring to so many points of order, which was irrelevant to the Q&A session.
At this juncture, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman commented that the Tempasuk Assemblyman was being long-winded. This led to all three people - Musa, Pandikar and the Speaker - speaking at the same time.
Pandikar contended that he should be allowed to finish what he had to say.
Juhar then told Pandikar he would rule not to allow him to raise points of order anymore if it were not relevant to the Q&A session.
But, Pandikar reiterated he was raising the points of order to emphasise on the need for notice before the House decides on anything especially the two Bills that were supposed to be debated on Friday but which was brought forward to Thursday.
Juhar explained that in principle what Pandikar said was correct because it (the tabling of the Bills) was set in the agenda but that it was only a guideline.
Nonetheless, Juhar pointed out that Pandikar was not around when the House unanimously passed the motion (to debate the two Bills on Thursday). Pandikar sparked another round of verbal jousting when he said he saw ministers leaving when the House was in session "even the Chief Minister".
To this Juhar, who was once a Parliament Deputy Speaker, said that in Parliament even former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sometimes had to leave the House due to work. The Speaker then decided the matter closed and that the question and answer session proceed with nearly 20 minutes already lost from the allocated one hour.
Pairin then again stood to point out some matters in the Standing Order but Juhar requested him not to do so after Pandikar said: "I thought it is finished É I might as well as continue (if Pairin touched on the issue again)".
Speaking to reporters after the Assembly was adjourned sine die, Pairin quoted various points of order, among them, that the House could decide to proceed with government businesses if the House leader deems fit by communicating to the Secretary and that the decision of the Speaker was final.
At the same time, he said in any case under Order 50 (3) when there has been a failure on the part of the House or any committee thereof to comply with provisions of the Standing Order "in a decision leading to a situation like yesterday (Thursday)" such failure shall be treated as irregularity and not cause the proceedings or decision thereafter to be null and void.
"So it was done in accordance to the Standing Order," he said.
CM Datuk Seri Musa said later that exchanges such as the one between him and Pandikar were normal and nothing personal.
"It is only a small problem but after this we become friends again. It is normal, just to make the State Assembly lively if not it will be boring. I am not taking it seriously," he said.
Musa also commended Juhar for controlling the situation well and that it also showed the maturity of the House members.
Both Musa and Pandikar were seen hugging each other after the adjournment.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

BERITA YAHOO

Wajah-wajah pencinta peperangan.

Berita ini adalah yang terkini. Ianya menarik kerana dunia memperlihatkan kegilaan dan kerakusan Amerika sebagai satu kuasa besar dunia terhadap peperangan. Bagi yang mengikuti perkembangan krisis dunia tentu sekali terbaca mengenai Halliburton, Kellogs, Brown and Root, Blackwater yang mempunyai kaitan rapat dengan Naib Presiden Amerika, Dick Cheney. Syarikat tersebut menjadi pembekal dan pemborong binaan kemudahan perang dan perkhidmatan bekalan dari makanan, laundry, buruh upahan, senjata sehinggalah ke jentera berat. Rasuah menjadi amalan yang dihalalkan kerajaan Amerika.


Tambahan Bush dan Cheney kedua-duanya TEXAN atau berasal dari Texas. Ini baru kisah Afghanistan. Bagaimana pula dengan Perang Vietnam, Iraq, Balkan. Nafsu Bush dan Dick Cheney kini meluap-luap dan membuak-buak pula melihat Iran. Tuduhan membangunkan senjata nuclear sudah menjadi isu panas dan tegang dunia. Lepas itu mungkinkah Syria dan Pakistan dijadikan lubuk nafsu mendapakan keuntungan?. Ke mana US, Israel dan sekutu nak jual senjata buatan mereka kalau tak perang?. Kalau negeri lain tak beli ciptaan mereka, mereka terpaksa wujudkan perang demi perang dan akhirnya negera mereka sendiri yang membeli dengan menggunakan syarikat mereka.... Halliburton, Kellog, Brown and Root, Blackwater dan pelbagai subsidiari dan sub-kontraktornya.... sekadar melayari "Iraq For Sale" dan "War and Conpiracy", kita cukup sedar bahawa dunia sudah dinodai. Peristiwa yang tersembunyai lebih dasyat lagi bak kata mereka "just a tip of iceberg".. Ikuti lapuran ini dari Yahoo News 14 November, 2007.


Report Puts Hidden War Costs at $1.6Trillion

WASHINGTON - The economic costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to total $1.6 trillion — roughly double the amount the White House has requested thus far, according to a new report by Democrats on Congress' Joint Economic Committee. The report, released Tuesday, attempted to put a price tag on the two conflicts, including "hidden" costs such as interest payments on the money borrowed to pay for the wars, lost investment, the expense of long-term health care for injured veterans and the cost of oil market disruptions. The $1.6 trillion figure, for the period from 2002 to 2008, translates into a cost of $20,900 for a family of four, the report said. The Bush administration has requested $804 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined, the report stated.

For the Iraq war only, total economic costs were estimated at $1.3 trillion for the period from 2002 to 2008. That would cost a family of four $16,500, the report said.Future economic costs would be even greater. The report estimated that both wars would cost $3.5 trillion between 2003 and 2017. Under that scenario, it would cost a family of four $46,400, the report said. The report, from the committee's Democratic majority, was not vetted with Republican members. Democratic leaders in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., seized on the report to criticize Bush's war strategy. The White House countered that the report was politically motivated.

"This report was put out by Democrats on Capitol Hill. This committee is known for being partisan and political. They did not consult or cooperate with the Republicans on the committee. And so I think it is an attempt to muddy the waters on what has been some positive developments being reported out of Iraq," said White House press secretary Dana Perino. "I haven't seen the report, but it's obvious the motivations behind it."


The report comes as the House and Senate planned to vote this week on another effort by Democrats to set a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq as a condition for providing another $50 billion for the war.


Reid said the report "is another reminder of how President Bush's stubborn refusal to change course in Iraq and congressional Republicans' willingness to rubber stamp his failed strategy — has real consequences at home for all Americans." Perino, while acknowledging the dangers in Iraq, defended Bush's stance. "Obviously it remains a dangerous situation in Iraq. But the reduction in violence, the increased economic capacity of the country, as well as, hopefully, some continued political reconciliation that is moving from the bottom up, is a positive trend and one that we — well, it's positive and we hope it is a trend that will take hold," Perino said.


Israel Klein, spokesman for the Joint Economic Committee, took issue with the White House's characterization of the panel's report. "Instead of dealing with the substance of this report, the White House is once again trying to deflect attention away from the blistering costs of this war in Iraq," Klein said. "This report uses the nonpartisan CBO (Congressional Budget Office) budget estimates and was prepared by the JEC's professional economists using the same process this committee has always used, regardless of which party is in the majority."


However, the committee's top-ranking Republican members — Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Jim Saxton of New Jersey — called on the Democratic leadership to "withdraw this defective report." A joint statement from the two Republican lawmakers said the report is a "thinly veiled exercise in political hyperbole masquerading as academic research." White House Budget Director Jim Nussle accused Democrats of "trying to distort reality for political gain."



Oil prices have surged since the start of the war, from about $37 a barrel to well over $90 a barrel in recent weeks, the report said. "Consistent disruptions from the war have affected oil prices," although the Iraq war is not responsible for all of the increase in oil prices, the report said.


Still, the report estimated that high oil prices have hit U.S. consumers in the pocket, transferring "approximately $124 billion from U.S. oil consumers to foreign (oil) producers" from 2003 to 2008, the report said.

High oil prices can slow overall economic growth if that chills spending and investment by consumers and businesses. At the same time, high oil prices can spread inflation throughout the economy if companies decide to boost the prices of many other goods and services.

Meanwhile, "the sum of interest paid on Iraq-related debt from 2003 to 2017 will total over $550 billion," the report said. The government has to make interest payments on the money it borrows to finance the national debt, which recently hit $9 trillion for the first time. The report was obtained by The Associated Press before its release. An earlier draft of the report, which also had been obtained by The AP, had put the economic cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars slightly lower, at $1.5 trillion. "What this report makes crystal clear," said Joint Economic Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., "is that the cost to our country in lives lost and dollars spent is tragically unacceptable." Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panel's vice chair, said of the Iraq war: "By every measure, this war has cost Americans far too much."..

Monday, November 12, 2007

PANTUN PAK NAJIB SEMPENA PERHIMPUNAN AGUNG UMNO 2007
Kuat berusaha hidup senang
Bila kaya menabur jasa
Pilihan raya menang cemerlang
Untuk mengangkasa tamadun bangsa


Bila kaya menabur jasa
Fakir dibela miskin dibantu
Untuk mengangkasa tamadun bangsa
Yakin meneroka era baru


Fakir dibela miskin dibantu
Untuk moden mereka ditolong
Yakin meneroka era baru
Kepimpinan Presiden mantap disokong

DEMONSTRASI JALANAN

Amaran PM jangan cabar undang-undang negara

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menegaskan demonstrasi jalanan yang dirancang pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan parti pembangkang hari ini bukan cara untuk membawa perubahan, sebaliknya ia perlu dilakukan menerusi pilihan raya.Perdana Menteri berkata, Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) bersedia untuk menghadapi rakyat dengan dada terbuka serta berdepan parti pembangkang yang sering mempertikaikan proses pilihan raya yang adil.“Daripada dulu sampai sekarang kita ingatkan diri kita, kita tak lupa hadapi rakyat untuk dapatkan penilaian daripada mereka apakah kerajaan ini diterima dan diakui sebagai baik dan bawa pembangunan seperti yang diharapkan.“Kita tak pernah takut hadapi pilihan raya, kita sedia hadapi rakyat dengan dada terbuka... biar mereka (rakyat) buat perhitungan dan penilaian. Ini meyakinkan rakyat yang kerajaan kita bukan gila kuasa. “Bila tiba masanya kita bubarkan Parlimen dan temui rakyat untuk dapat mandat sekali lagi,” katanya yang juga Presiden Umno ketika menggulung perbahasan Perhimpunan Agung Umno 2007.
Katanya, beliau dimaklumkan per himpunan anjuran Bersih, sebuah gabungan NGO dan parti pembangkang di Dataran Merdeka hari ini yang diteruskan, walaupun tidak diberikan permit polis.“Saya dukacita, apakah ini mereka mencabar kerajaan dan kepemimpinan. Sebenarnya yang mereka cabar dan nak ketepikan ialah undang-undang. Mereka mencabar undang-undang dan peraturan, tetapi rakyat mahu negara ini aman, selamat dan stabil sepanjang masa.“Itu yang dicabar (undang-undang), bukan saya... tapi saya nak kata saya pantang dicabar,” katanya disambut sorakan tanda sokongan daripada perwakilan.

Dalam ucapan 55 minit itu, beliau meminta rakyat menolak demonstrasi jalanan kerana ia bukan cara dan amalan demokrasi di Malaysia dan tidak sepatutnya diterima.Beliau secara tegas dan lantang berkata, mereka yang mengadakan demonstrasi tidak akan bertanggungjawab terhadap sebarang kekecohan yang timbul apabila polis mengambil tindakan, sebaliknya meletakkan kesalahan kepada polis.“Lepas itu marah polis (dengan mengatakan) ini polis punya hal... supaya orang benci polis. Sebenarnya mereka yang sebabkan semua ini berlaku, bukan polis. Jika (mereka) ikut undang-undang dan peraturan, tak jadi macam itu.“Jika nak bawa perubahan, tunggu pilihan raya sama-sama kita hadapi dan tengok siapa yang rakyat mahu. Apa nak takut hadapi pilihan raya,” katanya.Beliau berkata, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) sudah bersetuju dengan permintaan pembangkang supaya menggunakan peti kertas undi yang telus cahaya dan dakwat penanda pada jari pengundi.Sehubungan itu, katanya, keadilan dalam pilihan raya tidak harus dipersoalkan kerana pembangkang juga menang dalam beberapa pilihan raya seperti di Kelantan, Terengganu dan Sabah sebelum ini.“Mereka boleh menang. Jika kita ‘control’ (kawal) semuanya tak ada harap boleh menang, tetapi itu bukan cara kita,” katanya.Sambil melahirkan rasa amat kesal dengan tindakan pihak yang merancang demonstrasi itu, Abdullah berkata, undang-undang dan kedaulatan negara mesti sentiasa dihormati.“Jika undang-undang pun tak boleh hormat, apa nak jadi. Inikah (cara) nak jadi kerajaan. Nak jadi pemimpin, undang-undang perlu dihormati... ini amat penting,” katanya.

Pada sidang media kemudian, Perdana Menteri yang ditanya bertubi-tubi mengenai pendirian kerajaan berhubung perhimpunan itu menegaskan ia perhimpunan haram dan polis meminta mereka yang berkumpul di Dataran Merdeka bersurai.Mengenai hujah pembangkang bahawa kebebasan berhimpun dijamin Perlembagaan Persekutuan, Abdullah berkata, negara juga ada undang-undang menjamin hak rakyat lain. “Kita ada undang-undang dan mesti memikirkan kebebasan pekedai, rakyat biasa dan peniaga... itu kita kena fikir juga, bukan kita fikir kebebasan satu kumpulan saja.“Kebebasan mesti yang tidak membawa kesusahan kepada orang lain yang mesti bebas berniaga... nak pergi sana sini tanpa gangguan,” katanya.

Ditanya sama ada beliau bimbang Malaysia akan dilihat seperti Myanmar kerana menghalang perhimpunan itu dan tidak demokratik, Abdullah berkata: “Malaysia bukan Myanmar, saya tidak fikir begitu.”Mengenai laporan siasatan panel khas mengenai kesahihan rakaman klip video perbualan didakwa mengenai pelantikan hakim, Perdana Menteri berkata: “Kita akan baca dan jika ia berkaitan kepentingan umum kita buat keputusan.”

REMINDER: FRANCHISE.



Government collecting data for franchise masterplan


KUALA LUMPUR: Data relating to franchising is being collected to formulate a masterplan for the industry’s development, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said plans for the development of the franchise industry could be accurately prepared if there was a detailed profile. Of the 321 registered franchises in the country, 205 are local. The industry has a 15% annual growth rate. Najib, who was speaking at the Franchise Awards Night, said the Government would continue to strengthen the industry, including reviewing certain aspects of the Franchise Act. He said the Government would also create a franchise mediation centre to handle conflicts between franchiser and franchisee while the Entrepreneur and Co-operatives Development Ministry was setting up a franchise enforcement unit. The ministry, he said, was also taking the necessary steps to further strengthen the Local Franchise Product Development programme to explore more “franchiseable” opportunities in sectors such as education, services, halal products and tourism. Najib said the Government encouraged the export of franchises because it could generate income in the long term. Malaysian Franchise Association chairman Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said to further develop the industry, support from financial institutions, preparedness of entrepreneurs and brand building were needed.

SERUAN MENTERI PERTANIAN DAN INDUSTRI ASAS TANI: BERIKAN PERHATIAN SERIUS.


Pertubuhan peladang diarah tubuh koperasi
Oleh Amirullah Andi Nur


KUALA LUMPUR: Semua Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan (PPK) di seluruh negara wajar menubuhkan koperasi bagi membantu meningkatkan taraf ekonomi petani, terutama di luar bandar yang masih ketinggalan. Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, berkata langkah itu selaras saranan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, baru-baru ini yang mahu petani meneroka pelbagai peluang ekonomi.
Katanya, penubuhan koperasi sangat penting kerana dijangka berupaya menjana modal pusingan yang besar berikutan pertubuhan itu di seluruh negara kini mempunyai 717,000 ahli mewakili 272 cawangan PPK. “Kita mengharapkan koperasi dicadangkan ini akan menjadi penggerak kepada pelbagai aktiviti perniagaan dan ekonomi petani di seluruh negara,” katanya selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Agung Pertubuhan Peladang Kebangsaan (Nafas) dan pelancaran Nafas Holdings Bhd, di sini, semalam. Hadir sama Pengerusi Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang (LPP), Tan Sri Abu Zahar Nika Ujang; Pengerusi Nafas, Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman dan Ketua Pengarah LPP, Datuk Abd Rahim Ahmad.
Mengulas lanjut, Muhyiddin berkata, penubuhan koperasi itu yang akan dilaksanakan dalam tempoh terdekat ini, bukan perkara baru kerana ia sudah diwujudkan beberapa PPK sebelumnya. Katanya, penubuhan koperasi itu juga bukan bertujuan menggugat operasi atau menjadi pesaing kepada PPK, sebaliknya mengukuhkan lagi kedudukan pertubuhan berkenaan. “Koperasi yang dicadangkan ini akan diletak di bawah PPK dan diurus sebagai sebuah badan perniagaan secara profesional. Teras perniagaannya menjurus kepada bidang baru atau kurang diceburi PPK seperti pemasaran hasil tani. “Bagi menjayakan cadangan ini, sokongan semua pihak perlu ada. Justeru itu, kita minta PPK mengadakan sesi penerangan kepada semua ahlinya bagi memastikan objektif penubuhan koperasi ini difahami sepenuhnya,” katanya.
Muhyiddin juga memberi jaminan akan membantu usaha penubuhan koperasi yang dicadangkan itu, termasuk mendapat bantuan daripada Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin “Saya sendiri sudah memaklumkan perkara ini kepada Khaled dan beliau setuju. Kita harap selepas ini, koperasi PPK di Malaysia akan setanding dan berjaya seperti di Jepun, Korea, Belanda dan Kanada,” katanya. Sementara itu, Abdul Rashid yakin Nafas mampu mencatatkan perolehan berjumlah kira-kira RM1 bilion tahun ini, berdasarkan pelbagai aktiviti ekonomi yang dilakukan, berbanding lebih setengah bilion ringgit tahun lalu. Katanya, setakat September lalu, Nafas mencatatkan keuntungan sebelum cukai RM923.54 juta dengan untung bersih sebelum cukai RM21.85 juta. “Antara aktiviti ekonomi yang bakal menjana perolehan kumpulan ialah hasil sawit yang dibangunkan di kawasan seluas 13,925 hektar di Aceh, Indonesia selain kilang baja pertanian di Gurun, Kedah. “Nafas juga kini menguasai kira-kira 30 peratus daripada pasaran jentera pertanian seluruh negara, selain pembabitan aktif dalam ternakan kambing, lembu dan ayam,” katanya. Tahun lalu, Nafas mencatatkan keuntungan bersih RM33.45 juta melalui perolehan sebelum cukai RM585.56 juta, berbanding RM19.42 juta (keuntungan bersih) dan RM517.05 juta (perolehan sebelum cukai) pada 2005.


Dipetik Dari Berita Harian Online. 12 Nov, 2007

Untuk Bacaan dan peringatan.