Development only part of Opposition struggle

By Daniel John Jambun

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman makes it seem as if only he and his party, Sabah Umno, can champion the development agenda for the state.

There’s more to life than the so-called development, or patchwork development, flogged by Umno.

Patchwork development is not the people’s idea of development.

Musa, as everyone knows, gets chicken feed from Putrajaya by way of development funds.

Bumburing bidding his time, ‘still with Upko’

By Luke Rintod of FMT 

KOTA BELUD: If not for the heavy rains on Sunday, many Barisan Nasional leaders on either side of the South China Sea separating Sabah from the Peninsular Malaysia would have been squirming.

The reason for all that twitching and wincing was that had the weather permitted, Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of PKR, would have been sitting side by side with a senior Sabah Barisan Nasional leader at a Harvest Festival celebration here.

Scorpene probe not a serious matter, says Anifah

The probe by French prosecutors into the alleged corruption over the purchase of the two Scorpene submarines is not a serious issue that Malaysia should now focus on, said Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

“This is not a serious matter that we need to follow, and it is being played up by certain parties,” he told reporters after attending a luncheon with representatives of Asean nations in Kuala Lumpur today.
He was asked about Malaysia’s preparations to face the case currently being investigated in Paris.

Anifah said that Malaysia will make the necessary preparations to face the trial when they are needed.

“So far we have not received any information from the (French) embassy. But if necessary, we are ready to defend ourselves,” Anifah added.
Local human rights NGO Suaram had filed a suit over alleged kickbacks from French defence contractor DCNS to Malaysian parties in the two submarine purchases.

Sabah MyKad Scam a la NRD a RCI Red Herring

By Joe Fernandez

The on-going probe into a bogus MyKad scam at the Tawau National Registration Department (NRD) has been touted as a timely curtain-raiser to the proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the illegal immigrant phenomenon in Sabah.

It has been hailed as proof enough that the Federal Government means business on national security.

In fact, it’s nothing of that sort.

The RCI is not about bogus MyKads flooding the state, or the “rampant” issuance of citizenships which has emerged as another red herring, but rather the alleged circumvention of the Federal Constitution article on citizenship by operation of law.

Sarawak Is the Future For Papa Orangutan

An open letter by Peter John Jaban (Papa Orangutan)

One week after the recent debacle with the Police in Miri, I am happy to be home, here in Sarawak.  I’ve been resting after going to ground and planning for the future.  I’ve decided that my future is here.  I was born here and I intend to remain here!  There is so much work to be done especially with crucial elections just round the corner.  This is our chance is to bring about real change in Sarawak politics.My struggle for Sarawak will continue where it’s needed most.

The events of the last week have revealed many things.  The first is just a reminder of how much I love this country, how much I love Sarawak.  As the Malay saying goes: ‘Hujanemas di negeri orang, hujanbatu di negerisendiri.’  I am a Sarawakian!  I need to be here among my people to work effectively.  I started Radio Free Sarawak and moved to London mainly because freedom of expression here in my own country is lacking – something that I am trying to change.  But, I just couldn’t stay away.  Now, I feel that I can best continue my struggle for the future of Sarawak here. 

Non-citizens warned against 'hijacking' elections

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today warned foreigners allegedly roped in to vote in the next general election that they would be committing a crime, and they may face action if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government.

“We are coming out to warn those who are non-citizens who have been voting illegally, we are warning them, you cannot hijack this election.

“You can take the money given to you by Umno or take whatever (that has been given), but you are not entitled to vote,” he said during a dialogue with some 1,000 business leaders and professionals in Petaling Jaya today.

Prime Minister's post a bridge to cross at the right time!

By Joe Fernandez
Pas President Hadi Awang should not have said that only a "Malay" Muslim -- probably "determined" by a DNA test a la Pas -- will be Prime Minister if and when Pakatan Rakyat (PR) seizes the reins of power in Putrajaya and initiates, forms and leads the Federal Government.

Is he implying that a "Malay" Muslim is not the Prime Minister now and that "Malay" Muslims have never held the post?

What he said is not unlawful in a Court of Law.

Lim Guan Eng to be the next Prime Minister of Malaysia

written by Fernz, June 08, 2012 02:42:40

 

Professor Khoo has been educated beyond his intelligence. His statements about Malaya belonging to the so-called Malays do not hold water.

 

Tanah Melayu refers to Malay reservation land and wherever the Malays stayed. In Sarawak, they refer to Tanah Dayak wherever the Dayak communities stay. So, do we rename Sarawak as Persekutuan Tanah Dayak?

 

The Malay-speaking communities in Peninsular Malaysia are not the Orang Asal or Natives. Read the Constitution.

 

Include issuance of Bumiputera certs scandal in the RCI, says veteran

By Ezra Haganez
PENAMPANG : The proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the illegal immigrants in Sabah and the issuance of Malaysian documents to them, shall include investigation on the rampant issuance of Bumiputera certificate to those unqualified to get it, said a veteran activist, Fred Lojingki

"Being a 71 year old activist, i have seen with my own eyes documents whereby granting even pure Chinese the status as Bumiputera when they could not even trace indigenous blood in their family tree," he claimed in a statement here Thursday.

STAR leaders pay respect at Double Six Monument

REMEMBRANCE... Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan yesterday led a group of State Reform Party (Star) leaders to pay respect at the memorial monument of the 11 state leaders and officers who perished in a Nomad air crash in Sembulan 36 years ago.

They bowed and laid two wreaths at the "Double Six monument. Dr Jeffrey in a short speech said yesterday Sabahans remembered the good deeds of leaders like Fuad Stephens, Peter Mojuntin, Salleh Sulong and Chong Thain Vun and all the others.

Be humble, Star leaders reminded

KOTA KINABALU : Grassroots leaders of the State Reform Party (Star) were reminded to be humble and never ever get arrogant with the swelling support for the party in many parts in Sabah.

Star Sabah deputy chairman, Paul Voon, made the call in his speech closing a one-day crack training for its divisional secretaries and information officers at its operation room at Kepayan Perdana near here today.

"Keep being humble and give the right information to the people. Be always humble..." said Voon to the about 70 participants.

Is it true Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring now under Singapore company?

By Ezra Haganez
RANAU : The Star Reform Party (star) head for Ranau division, Jalibin Paidi, had asked the Barisan Nasional state government if it is true that management of the two popular tourist attractions in Ranau had been "surrendered" to Singapore !

Jalibin said it has been a hot topic among people in Ranau that the Kinabalu Park, whole or part of it, and the popular Poring Hot Spring near here had its management "transferred" or "surrendered" from Malaysian authority to Singapore companies.

Star upset with Sapp ‘dirty tactics’ mulls options

By Joe Fernandez 

It appears that ties between the Sabah chapter of the Borneo-based State Reform Party (Star) and the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) could be “much better” if not for the latter’s insistence on contesting in 40 state seats and almost a third, about five to seven, of the parliamentary seats in Sabah. The party reiterated this stand at its meet on Sun in Kota Kinabalu.

Before the 40/5-7 Sun announcement by Sapp, Star had been publicly toying with the “goodwill gesture” of conceding two state seats -- Likas and Luyang -- and one (Tawau) of the two parliamentary seats it (Sapp) won in 2008 as a member of the ruling BN. Star itself had announced in mid-April that it would go for all 60 state seats at stake in Sabah and 26 parliamentary seats including Labuan.

The Last Colony: On The Moroccan Occupation Of Western Sahara

By Malainin Lakhal

The West often portrays itself as the champion of democracy, rule of law and human rights. Yet, when we look at Western Sahara, the hypocrisy and dishonesty in such portrayals are laid bare. The story of Western Sahara – the plight of its people and their struggle for freedom – is willingly and deliberately ignored by Western powers and mainstream international media despite the fact that it is the last colony standing in the African continent.

Western Sahara – bordered by Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Atlantic Ocean – first fell under Spanish rule in 1884, becoming a Spanish province in 1934. In 1975, the colonial master signed an illegal pact – known as the Madrid Agreement – with Morocco and Mauritania abandoning the North African territory to invasions. Following the pact, Morocco and Mauritania moved to annex the territory while Spain ensured its interests in the exploitation of natural resources in the region.

Haramkan DPPIMS Untuk Jayakan RCI!

Oleh : JAYANTHI GEETHA SUKUMARAN

KERAJAAN Persekutuan digesa mengharamkan Dewan Perniagaan dan Perindustrian India Muslim Sabah (DPPIMS) yang selama ini menjadi pelindung kepada pendatang haram India yang mendapat kerakyatan songsang di Sabah.

Aktivis Masyarakat dan Hak Asasi Manusia, Datuk Patrick Sindu membuat gesaan demikian sebagai mengulas keputusan Perdana Menteri untuk melaksanakan penubuhan Suruhanjaya Siasatan DiRaja (RCI) bagi mengatasi isu PATI dan kerakyatan songsang di Sabah setelah terma rujukan (TOR) diselesaikan dalam masa yang terdekat.

Menurut Patrick, 99 peratus ahli DPPIMS adalah pendatang asing India yang mendapat atau membeli Mykad Projek daripada Sindiket Kad Pengenalan; termasuk daripada pegawai dan kakitangan Jabatan Pendaftaran Sabah.

Sebagai contoh kata Patrick, Setiausaha Agung DPPIMS, Mohd Ansar Bin Maidin telah dikenalpasti sebagai PATI daripada India yang memalsukan dokumen pengenalan diri untuk mendapatkan kad pengenalan merah bernombor H6033634 sebelum mendapatkan Mykad 620617-12-5063 menggunakan dokumen orang mati tanpa proses Warganegara.

Ghost of 666 yet to be buried

By Philip Golingai

Peter Mojuntin, the then Sabah Local and Housing Minister, was a living legend. Even today, 36 years after his death, his name is spoken with reverence.

HERE’S my recollection of the “Triple Six” tragedy which struck Sabah on June 6, 1976. That year, I was nine years old. It was a Sunday and I was at a wooden house that was my family’s weekend getaway in Kampung Pogunon, Penampang.

News – probably from the radio – trickled through that a Nomad aircraft had crashed in Sembulan, about 16km from my village, as it was about to land at Kota Kinabalu airport at around 3.30pm.

There was talk that some Sabah ministers were onboard the aircraft and they had been rushed to hospital.

Prayer answered

A man worked in a post office. His job was to process all mail that had illegible addresses.
One day a letter came to his desk, addressed in a shaky handwriting to God. He thought,
"I better open this one and see what it's all about." 

So he opened it and it read:

"Dear God, I am an 83 year old widow living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse.
It had a hundred dollars in it which was all the money I had until my next pension check." "Next Sunday is Easter,

Star: Opposition manifestos must match expectations

KOTA KINABALU: The manifesto revealed by the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) on Sun in the Sabah capital, to cite an example, leaves a lot to be desired since its conveys the impression that “the party leaders continue to be in a state of denial and are sitting on another planet and making plans for the state”.

This is the dismissive note, albeit reluctantly, from the State Reform Party (Star) on the Sapp Manifesto unveiled amidst much fanfare. The party hopes that others in the opposition will take heed of the lessons and do a better job on their respective manifestos “while Sapp goes back to the drawing board”.

" Bah! Tunggu apa lagi!" Slogan SAPP PRU-13

Oleh: GONOD SUNDA
KONGRESS SAPP 2012 yang dihadiri perwakilan dan pemerhati hampir 3,000 bertempat di Star City pada Ahad telah merintis jalan baru parti itu apabila 17 Perkara Manifesto yang diumumkan parti itu sebagai janjinya kepada rakyat untuk ditunaikan sekiranya SAPP membentuk kerajaan selepas PRU-13, menandakan keseriusan kepimpinan SAPP merubah wajah kesuraman Sabah ke era baru.

Antara perkara yang diberi tumpuan terkandung didalam Manifesto itu ialah pengwujudan Kad Pengenalan Sabah (Sabah IC) sebagai usahanya membasmi keraguan kerakyatan dan pemberian Kad Pengenalan secara songsang yang meletakkan jumlah kependudukkan Sabah mencecah kepadatan penduduk yang luar biasa berbanding negeri negeri lain yang tidak ada PTI seperti Sarawak.

Selain itu, Manifesto tersebut turut meletakkan pembangunan sosial sebagai agenda terpenting kerajaan baru SAPP , terutamanya masa depan belia beliawanis dan keperluan tenaga kerja untuk diperkasakan dan diperbetulkan supaya tidak akan berlaku penghijrahan belia belia Sabah ke Semenanjong untuk mencari pekerjaan.

Britain stops to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee with river pageant

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip watch the flotilla fromthe royal barge during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the
River Thames in London. Source: AP

THE BOATS appeared, scores of them stretched across the river from bank to bank, and as they did a monochrome world turned into a blaze of colour.

A Thames murky and brown, a sky drab and grey, all transformed in the space of a few moments into a Canaletto for the 21st century.

Pope criticizes profit-seeking, says his image of heaven is his childhood in Bavaria

By Colleen Barry of Associated Press

MILAN - Pope Benedict XVI celebrated an open-air Mass on Sunday for a million followers, capping three days of activities in Milan aimed at showing support for the family.

Fitting his theme of strengthening the institution, the pope recalled the night before his own childhood in Germany in a house filled with music, big Sunday lunches and shared liturgical readings to strengthen the family faith.

"To tell the truth," the pope said, responding to a question about his youth from a young Vietnamese girl during a meeting with families Saturday night, "if I try to imagine a little how it will be in heaven, it seems to be the time of my youth, of my childhood."

PM told to explain Terasasi's role in Scorpene deal

The government must explain the role of Terasasi (Hong Kong) Sdn Bhd that has allegedly sold Malaysian state secrets to a French company in the RM4 billion Scorpene deal, said Suaram.

"So far, the role of Terasasi has not been explained in the Malaysian Parliament.

"The Malaysian government must explain this and the role played by Abdul Razak Baginda in this transaction (related to the Scorpene evaluation papers)," said Suaram director Kua Kia Soong (right).

Abdul Razak and his father are directors of Terasasi, a company whose name has surfaced in a French corruption investigation filed by Suaram against Paris-based shipbuilder DCNS into its sale of two Scorpene submarines to Malaysia.

Star wants Harris to ‘redeem’ himself in time

By Daniel John Jambun
KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh has been advised to stand up for Sabah, if not for Sarawak as well, and thereby redeem himself in time finally in the eyes of the people instead of continuing to defend Putrajaya, for no rhyme or reason, “in defiance of the longterm interest of the state”.

This is the best advice that the State Reform Party (Star) can give Harris “who appears determined to commit political suicide a second time, the first being in 1985”.

Claimants to defunct Sulu sultanate have hidden agenda

By Joe Fernandez
The only reason Muslim Sultans in southeast Asia claim to be royals is because they were previously Hindu rajahs. Example: Parameswara in Malacca.

In Islam itself, a Sultan is not royal but was democratically elected by the local ummah to be their spiritual head. These democratic elections in the Middle East were subsequently stopped somewhere along the way and/or partly by western intervention and colonialism which wanted puppet rulers.

Anyone who claims to be the Sultan of Sulu is the Father of All Liars ... Even if any claimant produces a DNA report to trace direct descent as heir to the so-called "throne", the "territorial" claim is sheer nonsense under international law. It's also a distortion of history, the concept of democracy, the rule of law and sovereignty.

Popular RFS deejay John Jaban ‘abducted’

KUCHING: Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) deejay Peter John Jaban managed to “escape” police at the Miri International Airport this morning, but was “abducted” by unidentified plainclothes individuals believed to be linked to the Special Branch.

Jaban, 48, had earlier been detained, photographed and his documents photocopied by Kota Kinabalu police while waiting to board his flight to Miri to join his family for the Gawai celebrations.

In a text message to FMT, sent via a friend, Jaban said he was “ready to be arrested by Special Branch in Sarawak”.

Although he was met on arrival by a group of policemen no arrest was made as they were “still awaiting instruction from the top”.

Isu Perjawatan Awam Di Sabah

Saudara Pengarang,

DI SINI saya ingin mengutarakan fakta isu perjawatan awam sekali lagi walaupun telah banyak blog, individu atau kumpulan yang sudah pernah menyuarakan perkara ini di dalam internet.

Tujuan saya supaya kita sedar dan semakin matang ke arah perubahan, lebih-lebih lagi menjelang PRU 13 ini. Saya juga tidak berniat untuk menguris hati kaum-kaum yang lain cuma saya ingin menegakkan hak kami kaum bumiputera dan Anak Negeri Sabah.
Di Sabah, lebih kurang 60 peratus demografi kumpulan etnik adalah terdiri daripada kaum bumiputra dan anak negeri sabah seperti berikut:

June 10 ‘victory’ for Lajim-Anwar?

By Luke Rintod of FMT 

KOTA KINABALU: Lajim Ukin, the influential Umno warlord in the south-interior of Sabah, is said to be “definitely” ditching the party to join not the Sabah People’s Front (SPF) as rumoured, but PKR.

Reliable insiders claimed that the Umno supreme council member and MP for Beaufort is preparing for a June 10 exit and that Pakatan Rakyat coalition de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim himself would fly to Sabah to receive not only Lajim but also scores of other Sabah Umno and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation leaders.

Only Muslims can be PM: Why would other faiths want to be Malaysians then?

By Joe Fernandez

Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz is not the last word on the Constitution or Islam, a religion which invariably gets a bad press for no rhyme or reason. Blame all the Nik Aziz in the world!

Is it any wonder therefore that a US Army training manual recently -- surely it went through the usual screening process! -- spoke of destroying Mecca and Medina and reducing the religion to a sub-culture, presumably for no other reason than the insane fact that it can be done, or must be done, in the wake of various justifications bordering on paranoia.

Star: Forget internal colonization, self-determination the way out

By Daniel John Jambun

KOTA KINABALU: The polemics on Putrajaya’s internal colonization policies in Sabah and Sarawak appears to be getting increasingly shrill and out of hand and needs to be brought to a swift end and buried for good. Instead, it’s felt that it’s best to let bygones be bygones and “focus on regaining self-determination along the lines of 31 Aug 1963” for Sabah and Sarawak.

Self-determination in this form for Sabah and Sarawak would be “the best way forward and out from internal colonization”. Self-determination, in international law, “has come to mean the free choice of one's own acts without external compulsion”.

Finalist Unduk Ngadau 2012

Here are the finalist of Unduk Ngadau 2012. Who do you think will be crowned this year?

BANGGI

INANAM

Sabah BN leaders clash over 20-point pact

By Raymond Tombung

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Legislative Assembly Speaker Salleh Said Keruak is in hot water for claiming that the 20-point Malaysia Agreement “doesn’t exist anymore”.

In what many see as an amusing development, two Barisan Nasional leaders are now fighting over the issue of 20-point Malaysia Agreement.

Last Sunday, Salleh had reportedly dismissed the 20-point Malaysia Agreement, saying it was no longer valid.

He stirred an old hornets’ nest over Sabah’s rights, sparking reactions from both BN leaders as well as Sabah STAR (State Reform Party).

Salleh had said that the 20-point agreement was no longer valid because it is already part of the Malaysian Constitution.

UN right body on 'internal colonization' dispute in Sabah

By Joe Fernandez

The United National Security Council, acting through its previous 24-nation Decolonization Committee, would be the right body to resolve the renewed controversy in Sabah on whether it and Sarawak, the neighbouring sister state in Borneo, have been effectively colonised by the Federal Government in Putrajaya and/or Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia) since Malaysia on 16 Sept 1963.

The controversy reached its zenith when former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh, a one-time blue-eyed boy of the Federal Government, challenged United Borneo Alliance (UBA) chairman Jeffrey Kitingan in recent days to a public debate on the issue.

SAPP dragged into logging flap in Papar

A SAPP leader is allegedly linked to a logging operation near
a controversial state government "mini estet sejahtera"
(MESEJ) project in Kg Kinolosodon.

By Luke Rintod of FMT

PAPAR: A Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) leader is allegedly linked to a logging operation near a controversial state Barisan Nasional government “mini estet sejahtera” (MESEJ) project in Kg Kinolosodon, Papar that is being investigated.

According to a police report lodged at the Papar police station on May 19, the landowner of the site where the logging took place named one Jamil William Corie as the person who instructed timber be extracted from the area. Corie is reportedly SAPP’s Bongawan Constituency Liaison Committee (CLC) vice-chairman.

‘Borneonisation’ suit to go ahead

By Luke Rintod of FMT

In dismissing the government's application to throw
out the case, Justice David Wong rules
that Sabahan duo have the right to bring the suit

KOTA KINABALU: The “Borneonisation suit” brought by two Sabahans against the Federal and State governments, for failing to Borneonise federal agencies in Sabah passed its first test yesterday when the High Court rejected a government application to throw out the case.

Justice David Wong Dak Wah dismissed the application of both the first and second respondents’ to strike out the suit brought by the duo last year. He fixed June 18 as a new mention date for the case which will test the relevancy of Sabah’s special rights and autonomy in the Federation of Malaysia.

Labuan handover suit needs serious re-think

By Joe Fernandez

Everyone involved should perhaps seriously rethink -- from all angles and sides -- the suit pending in Court on the legality of the handover of Labuan to the Federal Government. They should consider leaving the matter in the hands of the politicians. They are the right party to take the issue to the people and the Court of Public Opinion to help resolve it.

Or do we want to merely flog the issue in Court for all it's worth and then deftly restrain the Court from ruling against the people? That will be like spinning a sob-story in Court and running away bawling loudly for all to hear.

If so, perhaps there are some who just want to make political capital out of it.

However, people always remember winners and heroes.

Star says no Malaysia without 20 Points

By Daniel John Jambun

Daniel John Jambun

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) is taking the position that there's no Malaysia without four important constitutional documents and/or conventions viz. the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63), the 20/18 Points, the Inter Governmental Committee Report (IGCR) and the Cobbold Commission Report (CCR).

It's not possible to ever ignore, drop, do away, annul and/or amend these documents or claim that they have already been incorporated in the Malaysian Constitution and/or alternatively overtaken by events, whatever that means, said the party in a statement.

Perjanjian Malaysia Dan 20 Perkara Masih Relevan Disabah

Oleh: Mail Mathew

Datuk Yong Teck Lee berucap pada sambutan Pesta Kaamatan
di Kg Pulong, Tenom.

TENOM: Presiden Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP) Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee menyifatkan kenyataan Speaker DUN Sabah Datuk Seri Salleh Tun Said mengenai isu 20 Perkara  sebagai tidak menghormati kedaulatan serta menyisihkan hak asasi rakyat negeri ini dan menganggap isu tersebut tidak sah kerana kononnya sudah menjadi sebahagian daripada Perlembagaan Malaysia.

Beliau berkata, kenyataan Datuk Salleh itu amat mengecewakan segenap lapisan rakyat kerana sikapnya yang tidak patriotik untuk mempertahankan hak asasi rakyat negeri ini malah sanggup memperlekehkan perjanjian 20 perkara sebagai tidak wujud lagi.

10 Easy Ways to Master the Grill

Spicy Thai SteakSteven Raichlen, host of TV's Barbecue University, has written dozens of books on grilling. Here, he distills a library of advice into 10 simple tips to mastering the grill. 

Plus: Quick Grilling Recipes 

1. Grill over wood 
Forget about the gas-versus-charcoal debate: Wood is the only fuel that adds real flavor to food. If possible, use whole hardwood logs in a wood-burning grill. The next best option is to burn hardwood chunks in a regular grill. (Light them in a chimney starter as you would charcoal.) As a last resort, toss some wood chips onto the coals of your charcoal grill--you use hardwood charcoal, right?--or in the smoker box of your gas grill just before you begin grilling.

Nik Aziz, Karpal spat on PM's post the pits

By Joe Fernandez
Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz is not the last word on the Constitution or Islam, a religion which invariably gets a bad press for no rhyme or reason. Blame all the Nik Aziz in the world!

Is it any wonder therefore that a US Army training manual recently -- surely it went through the usual screening process! -- spoke of destroying Mecca and Medina and reducing the religion to a sub-culture, presumably for no other reason than the insane fact that it can be done, or must be done, in the wake of various justifications bordering on paranoia.

10 RESOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER MALAYSIA

Pakatan Rakyat Convention - 10 resolutions You won't get this in the newspapers Racial policies rejected, preliminary 10-point manifesto unveiled. In a rousing opening address, Guan Eng warned Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party not to 'hijack' the federal constitution and misinterpret the controversial Article 153 to divide the ethnic groups in the country. "Somehow Umno always fails to mention that Article 153 also states that the legitimate interests of other communities must also be protected, Guan Eng said.

4,800 teachers for 1,800 vacancies.

KUCHING: Some 800 teachers have apparently been sent to Labuan and Miri to assume positions which currently do not exist.

The teachers are among 4,800 new recruits who have received letters of appointment over the last two weeks.

Strange, however, is the fact that there are only 1,800 vacancies for teachers across the country. Which means that for every one teacher on duty two will be on standby!
The decision has left Education Ministry officials bewildered.

Star denies lacking in vision and mission

By Joe Fernandez

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) has denied allegations by the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Ronald Kiandee, that the party “has no vision and mission, lacks ideas and is struggling to the extent of harping on the same old ideas”.

Star, in a press statement, clarified that it’s a party of the young generation with a clear vision, mission, objectives, and goals and “this is reflected in its calendar of activities” or the Vimoga concept.

“The young leaders of Star want to address important issues in Sabah and Sarawak which the previous generations were unable to resolve,” said Star deputy chairman Awang Ahmad Sah. “We need to get our politics and relationships right before talking big about other things. The older generation in Star is helping to lay the foundation for the young to continue the struggle.”

Sabah villagers outraged by road to nowhere

By Luke Rintod of FMT

The current government has done poorly in terms of maintaining Sabah's roads and rural infrastructure, unlike their predecessors, Usno and PBS regimes claim villagers.

PAPAR: Outraged Dusun villagers from kampungs within the vicinity of the controversial Mini Estate Sejaterah (MESEJ) project in Kg Kinolosodon are demanding to know why the government has neglected to maintain the roads in the villages but see it fit to build a new road to nowhere.

Villagers stormed the MESEJ site a few days ago despite police guarding the access road following a police report by a landowner over logging activities in the MESEJ area, which is allegedly the site for houses for the hardcore poor families.

The villagers wanted to have a look at the ‘beautiful’ new road and at the same time check the felled logs believed to have been illegally extracted from a privately owned site nearby.

Jeffrey accepts ex-CM’s challenge but…

By Raymond Tombung of FMT

Jeffrey Kitingan has welcomed Harris Salleh's challenge to debate the issue of Kuala Lumpur colonising Sabah on condition it is open to the international media, among others.

KOTA KINABALU: State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chairman Jeffrey Kitingan is willing debate with former chief minister Harris Salleh if the latter is “formally appointed” by the federal and state governments to represent their viewpoints.

Describing Harris’ invitation as “a golden opportunity”, he said the debate would be a “historic” one and should be open to the international media.

“As far as STAR is concerned, this will be our golden opportunity to publicise the whole issue of Sabah’s position in Malaysia to the global community.

“So let’s not do it half way. Let’s make this a historic debate which will be judged not only by Malaysians but by other governments and peoples of the world,” Jeffrey said.

Putrajaya will not win stand-off with Bar Council

By Joe Fernandez

It appears that the current Najib Administration has forgotten the bitter lessons learnt during Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's long innings in office when he, the frightened little man he was by default in office, openly and shamelessly rooted for extreme coercion as his preferred modus operandi.

It's not so much that Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak is calling the shots in the current stand-off with the Bar Council of Malaya on the proposed Law Academy in the wake of Bersih 3.0.

First round victory to Borneonisation suit against the governments

KOTA KINABALU: The "Borneonisation suit" brought by two Sabahans against two respondents, the Federal and State Governments, for failing to Borneonise Federal agencies in Sabah tasted a first-round victory at the High Court Friday (May 25).

Justice David Wong Dak Wah dismissed the application of both the first and second respondents' to strike out the suit brought by the duo last year. He had now fixed June 18 this year as a new mention date for the case which many see a test to Sabah special rights and autonomy within the Federation of Malaysia.

The judge in dismissing the respondents' application ruled that contrary to the respondents' contention, the Sabahan duo do have locus standi to sue the government in regards to their rights in relation to non-compliance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963. 
     

Datuk Yong Teck Lee Lancar Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Ditenom 27 Mei

Oleh: Mail Mathew

TENOM:  Presiden Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP) Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee dijangka akan merasmikan Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Sabah anjuran SAPP bertempat di Kg Pulong kira kira 12 kilometer dekat sini ada 27 Mei 2012 bermula jam 12.30 petang.

Demikian dinyatakan Pengerusi Penganjur yang juga merupakan Naib Presiden SAPP Jimmy Jawatah (gambar), ketika memberitahu  media dalam satu kenyataan disini pada Jumaat.

Pelbagai acara telah siap diatur seperti Unduk Ngadau, Sugandoi, Bolasepak, sukan tradisi, persembahan muzik tradisi, selain persembahan nyanyian oleh penyanyi penyanyi jemputan.

Open Letter to Yayasan Islam Sabah on "theories"

YIS contradictions on citizenship, no locus standi


Dear YIS,

The Yayasan Islam Sabah (YIS) appears to be getting way ahead of itself in pontificating sanctimoniously on its four "theories", for want of a better term, in the Daily Express report, "YIS: Those already having documents need not worry", on Wed this week.

The first YIS theory is that Malaysian citizens in Sabah need not fear about their citizenship rights as long as their identity card was issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).

This is a fallacy in law.

The Federal Government cannot issue Special Passes, temporary residence permits (green cards), permanent residence status (red cards) or citizenships to foreigners in Sabah without the prior written recommendation and consent of the state government, which must be the initiating party, on a case-by-case basis.

Ambiga a victim of race and religion, says Pak Samad

Today, as Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s Bukit Damansara residence is turned into a bizarre combination of a mini market, crime scene and conflict zone with pro- and anti-Ambiga groups taking their positions under the watchful eyes of the authorities outside her house, it is business as usual at the Bangsar Utama flat of her fellow co-chairperson A Samad Said.

Since the Bersih 3.0 protest on April 28 which organisers claimed saw some 250,000 participants taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur, anti-Bersih groups have taken their counter-protest to the doorstep of Ambiga’s residence with burger stalls, butt exercises and now, a mini-market.

Socio-political view on the Felda Global IPO

Khor Yu Leng is an independent analyst and the writer of Khor Reports, specialising in agribusiness in Southeast Asia and frontier markets for global corporate clients. She was trained as a political-economist at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. Recent client reports include updates on large-scale oil palm projects in West and Central Africa and on Myanmar’s mineral processing and port facilities. Yu Leng is also working on a book project on the history of agriculture frontier developments in Southeast Asia.

Q: With the IPO, how do you think this will benefit the settlers? What are the risks of the IPO?

Khor Reports answer: The market considers the Felda Global listing to be a Malaysia general election play which promises gains to those who hold IPO shares. It is touted as the second largest listing this year after Facebook. Many view the Felda Global IPO as being “designed to succeed.” Malaysian institutional investor support (dominated by state-controlled pension and investment funds) is expected to be strong. There is market chatter that pins hopes on the traded price reaching the RM5.50-6.00 per share range. Thus, there could be potential handsome gains for those subscribing for the shares, priced at RM4.65 each; but the medium to longer term market views are more cloudy.