Another councillor who built without building plan

As the Klang municipal council prepares to demolish an illegally built satay house owned by a councillor, another restaurant – this time built by a state executive councillor – is in the spotlight for not having a building plan. 

The restaurant, specialising in banana leaf rice, is owned by State Unity and Plantation Workers Committee chairman Datuk K. Sivalingam. 

Sivalingam said the Shah Alam City Council had issued him a licence three years ago to run the restaurant.  

Teng had earlier claimed that it was impossible for Sivalingam’s restaurant to be legally built because records showed that he had only acquired the land last month. 

“Since there is no building plan, it is an illegal structure and the situation is similar to the DZ Satay House. The only difference is that the satay outlet was on government land while Sivalingam owns this land,” he said. 

Teng said that as a state executive councillor, the onus was on Sivalingam to explain why he had allowed the restaurant to operate in an illegal structure on his land.  

Source: The Star

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Umno delegates who got “carried away” by the occasion and ended up playing to the gallery:

Malacca delegate Hasnoor Sidang Hussein bluntly stated that “Umno is willing to risk lives and bathe in blood in defence of race and religion”;

Umno Youth exco member Azimi Daim, a veteran at Umno assemblies, said “when tension rises, the blood of Malay warriors will run in our veins”; and

Perlis delegate Hashim Suboh, also no newcomer to the assembly, directed his question at youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein: “Datuk Hisham has unsheathed his keris, waved his keris, kissed his keris. We want to ask Datuk Hisham when is he going to use it.”

Source: The Sun

Umno must be fair to all

Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has pledged that Umno will be fair and just to all communities. 

He reminded Umno members that being the largest party in the Barisan Nasional coalition came with heavy responsibilities. 

Abdullah said other component parties had willingly given Umno their trust to lead the coalition because they believed that the party would treat them fairly. 

“The younger generation must remember that the leadership role in the Barisan is a big honour for us,” he said. 

Umno, he said, was given the leading role because it had been proven that the party was moderate and responsible and that its leaders were trustworthy and fair. That strength should not be taken for granted and should be preserved, he said. 

“No one community gets 100% of all that it wants and neither does anyone get zero. All demands are discussed and debated together before reaching an agreement for the good of all. Balance is important,” he said, adding that it was not easy to come to a consensus, but it has been done. 

Source: The Star

“Otherwise, we would have been voted out,” he said, reminding some of the more outspoken delegates who had stated that Umno should use its power to seek a greater share of the country’s wealth for the Malays.
“Everybody wants fairness. They want fair leaders. Therefore, we must ensure that we, as leaders, can be fair so that there will be no reason for them (other races) to abandon us.”
The prime minister said fairness was a strength and Umno must use this strength to discharge its responsibilities in a trustworthy and responsible manner.
“We must be responsible not only to our race but also to other races who have accepted our leadership.”
Focusing on the other subject heatedly debated — Islam — Abdullah told the delegates that Islam decreed that its followers must be fair and just.
“Why does Allah order us to be fair to human beings — regardless of race and religion? There must be a wisdom behind it because Muslims may lead groups from different racial and religious backgrounds.”
Without referring to some of the more extreme demands made by some delegates — but making it plainly obvious that he was referring to them — Abdullah said Umno leaders must always make decisions which could be accepted by the non-Malays.
“We must never forget the rights of other races as stipulated under the Constitution. We must uphold the Constitution which was agreed upon by past leaders — both Malays and non-Malays.”
Abdullah acknowledged that Umno members had the right to debate issues relating to the Malays and to voice their aspirations. But at the same time, he cautioned, “we, as leaders of all Malaysians, must never forget their needs as well”.

Source: New Straits Times

NEP protects the upper class

The New Economic Policy does not protect racial interests but rather that of the upper class. 

That was the main thrust of a public forum titled “Is the NEP Still Relevant?” here, where a Gerakan and a Parti Keadilan Rakyat politician were the speakers. 

State Economic Planning and Education committee chairman Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon said economic discrimination was really a social issue. 

“Race is only a masquerade for the adoption of policies that serve the elite, especially those close to the wielders of power,” he said. 

Added Keadilan treasurer Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim: “The whole structure is geared towards internal distribution and even government servants are involved.”  

Source: The Star

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NEP benefits Umnoputras and cronies

Litany of broken promises

Ask the 418 families of Kampung Teluk Soiaun about the proposed coal-fired power plant to be built next to the village and they will tell a tale of broken promises. 

It is not the environment or heath concerns that are on their minds. Their worries are over something more basic – will they still have a place to call home? 

The villagers have been told to make way for the project that will bring light into their houses. Ironically, they wonder whether they will still have homes to light up. 

Even their elected representative has not been able to provide answers. 

“They have all washed their hands. I have become a football,” said Ahmad Ismail, who has been at the forefront pleading on behalf of the families with the state government to gazette the land on which they live as a village reserve.

“Our YBs made promises after promises, giving us  hope to our dreams of owning a house in a village reserve,” Ahmad said, showing copies of correspondence with state officials including the Governor and the Chief Minister.  

He also showed declarations signed by his MP and assemblyman promising to gazette the workers quarters into a kampung reserve after they won the 2004 general election. 

The next blow came when Ahmad saw a Yayasan Sabah letter dated Aug 18 to Pacific Hardwood notifying that the Lahad Datu District Council had agreed to the demolition of their houses.  

“I went to see my YB. He told me if they wanted to take the kampung, ‘what can I do. Even the Chief Minister cannot do anything’,” related Ahmad. 

Source: The Star

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NEP did not just benefit upper class ?

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NEP did not just benefit upper class ?

The Government has rejected any view that the New Economic Policy (NEP) benefited only the upper class; instead, it has helped alleviate poverty not only among the Malays but other races as well.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the implementation of the NEP had brought about changes in the socio-economic structure vis-à-vis the poverty rate, which had shown a tremendous drop.

Source: The Star

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Umno General Assembly 2006 – summed up

THIS has definitely been one of the most Malay of Umno general assemblies in years. 

It has also been one of the most fiery. Not only was the keris waved in the air and raised to the lips, but Malay interests have been articulated with quite little reserve. 

The non-Malays have been at the brunt of much of the criticism during the debate, be it about Malay equity, education or race relations. 

“Don’t be too disturbed, the Chinese are still our good friends. It’s just that when we come here, we wear a different hat,” said one delegate from Pahang. 

If one has to sum up the Malay Agenda debate, it would be that Malays are not ready to let go of affirmative policies, much less embrace meritocracy. 

There has also been too much blame and finger-pointing and not enough self-analysis. Only one speaker had the courage to say so. 

Datuk Mufti Shuib, Ampang division head and a former Selangor strongman, said: “Don’t just blame the leaders. If we had really tried our best at whatever we did, the Malay equity today would be 80.9%, not 18.9%.” 

But how many speakers actually made an impact with the content of their speech? 

Very few, which is a pity because the top guns on stage are listening, watching and taking notes. 

Wit, rhetoric and fire are great stuff at Umno assemblies. But it is content and credibility that separates potential leaders from speakers.  

Source: The Star

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Umno Youth chiefs call for emergency Exco meeting

State Umno Youth chiefs have unanimously called for an emergency Exco meeting to discuss the purported insult made by Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir against party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

Spokesman for the group, Ashakari Abu Noor, who is also the Malacca Umno Youth chief, said Mukhriz, who is an Exco member, had broken ranks. 

“We are taking his comments very seriously. He has belittled the president’s policy speech. We are calling collectively for him to review his post as Exco member,” he said at a press conference. 

All the other state Youth chiefs were also present at the press conference. 

Mukhriz had said on Wednesday that Abdullah’s speech at the Umno general assembly contained nothing new. 

Source: The Star

Bumiputra gets 20% of contract value for ?% effort

FOR every RM1mil contract awarded to a bumiputra, only 20% went directly to him, according to Umno Youth delegate Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican. 

“From a check done by Umno Youth, almost 80% went to non-bumiputras. 

“This is because the suppliers are (mostly) non-bumiputras,” he said when debating the motion on economy and education. 

Source: The Star

NEP benefits Umnoputras and cronies

KHAIRY Jamaluddin hit out at Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for saying that the New Economic Policy (NEP) was no longer needed. 

Without naming him, the Umno Youth deputy chief said there was a former deputy president who had said in an interview that the NEP was bad because only the cronies and the “Umnoputras” became rich from it. 

Source: The Star