Umno Youth says it will not tolerate those who touch on national harmony …

“Umno Youth warns that freedom has its limits and we will not tolerate those who touch on the issues of national stability, harmony, cultural values and the personality of national leaders,” he said when opening the Subang Umno divisional delegates conference here.
Hishammuddin related how irresponsible bloggers had victimised him and his family by spreading slander and even published the picture of an indecently attired young woman whom they claimed to be his daughter.
On Malaysian mass communications student Wee Meng Chee, 24, in Taiwan who rapped to the Negaraku in a video clip, Hishammuddin, who is Education Minister, said the student had discarded the cultures and values of Malaysian society.

Source: Bernama

Read:

Delegates at Umno General Assembly 2006 discarded cultures and values of Malaysian society

Let all races benefit from govt funds, DPM tells reps

Barisan Nasional state assemblymen must share development allocations given to them with all communities, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

The practice of looking only after one’s own community should be discarded for the good of the country, the Deputy Prime Minister added. 

“For example, allocations given to assemblymen from Umno are not to be shared with just bumiputras. 

“We must distribute the amount in a fair and just manner to those of other parties, like the MCA, the MIC, Gerakan, the PPP and even the IPF (which is a non-coalition member). 

Source: The Star

Malaysia’s Anwar hits out at Internet suppression

Outspoken opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Friday hit out at Malaysian authorities for their crackdown on free expression on the Internet.
“This is an intimidation tactic on all bloggers and Webmasters,” Anwar said in a statement, referring to sedition investigations against Raja Petra Kamaruddin, founder and editor of the popular Malaysia Today political Web site.
He called on police to instead use their time to investigate alleged corruption involving government leaders as revealed in Malaysia Today, as well as focusing on solving a wave of street crimes.
“Various reports have been made on present and former government leaders that have not been followed up, yet a report against a Webmaster is immediately investigated by the police,” Anwar said.
He said that Malaysians needed “open minded and forward thinking leaders,” not those still “trapped by outdated political culture and unable to grasp the technological realities of today.“

Source:  Middle East Times

Read:

Malaysia PM’s Web Site Accused of Racism

MALAYSIA: Umno officials ‘behind seditious postings’

Attacks against media, bloggers could be move to secure control before elections

Malaysia cracks down on bloggers

Bloggers are terrorists, Malaysian government claims

Port Klang Free Zone, a MYR4 billion white elephant ?

On record, Dubai-based Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) pulled out of the management of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) on July 18, for “strategic purposes”.

However, the separation was acrimonious, documents obtained by theSun reveal. The correspondence, which include strongly-worded e-mails, disclose that Jafza bailed out because of bureaucracy, interference by politicians and others with vested interests, deliberate incorrect minuting of meetings and even attempts at tax evasion by the Malaysian negotiators.

…

The dossier, which borders on deceit and lies, points the cause of the collapse of the deal between Jafza and PKFZ at the government machinery and one woman – PKA chairwoman and general manager Datin Paduka O.C. Phang.

…

… a draft report from Ernst & Young Malaysia on a meeting between PKA, PKFZ and Jafza at Jafza’s Dubai headquarters on Nov 29 last year over the funding of the PKFZ also raised concerns.

Ernst & Young indicated that the details of the payment schemes involved tax evasion.

The Ernst & Young report was submitted by Graham Lovett, Gulf Managing Partner of Clifford Chance, to Heath.

…

On Dec 12, Lovett in an e-mail to Heath further expressed his distrust of the Malaysian negotiators, which included Phang. He noted that there were stark contrasts between minutes of a meeting taken by his firm and that by PKA/PKFZ.

One example was the service and operation agreement (SOA), where PKA/PKFZ’s minutes indicated that Jafza had agreed to details of the SOA, which included a tax structure that provided loopholes to side-step Malaysian tax laws.

Clifford Chance’s minutes, meanwhile, showed that Jafza was unwilling to do so.

The meeting notes added: “Graham Lovett expressed his grave doubts as to the propriety of the tax structure and expressed the view that the more he heard the less he liked …

“Jafza did not and does not want to be a party to any tax problems with the Malaysian government …”

In the e-mail to Heath, Lovett added: “The differences are so pronounced it is pretty clear to me that they are not acting in good faith … there is no way that they could have got the key discussions at the meeting so badly wrong …”

The whole mess that is the PKFZ is also a testimony as to why foreign investors shy away from Malaysia.

In a letter to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy dated May 29 last year, Heath said red tape had hampered the progress of the free trade zone as among others, Jafza had to deal with 27 government departments that were involved in the client approval process.

Heath wrote: “There has been a total lack of government planning … which has seen the most fundamental issues being considered and resolved only after the event rather than before.”

He added that the lack of transparency from the start had also hampered the development of the free trade zone, with Jafza not having access to relevant details of the main development contract.

“The Board of directors structure has not provided any fundamental support and in fact has drawn us into political issues that have a negative impact on the development,” Heath wrote.

“The Malaysian political and economic landscape has too many vested interests seeking involvement and control in this project. …” he said, taking a swipe at the Finance Ministry for placing obstacles in the form of obsolete regulations as well as the non-issuance of licences and financial incentives.

“Unfortunately,” Heath added, “without radical surgery in cutting out the above obstacles, we feel this project is doomed to failure.”

Jafza CEO Salma Ali Saif Hareb, in a letter to Chan, said the final version of the SOA “had never been presented to Jafza management for final approval”.

Perhaps in desperation, Salma threw in the prime minister’s name for good measure to ensure that PKA kept its side of the bargain.

He wrote on the need for an ” … immediate review and implementation of a program to deliver a competitive and attractive business environment within the PKFZ that mirrors that of Jebel Ali Free Zone as per the instruction of the Prime Minister of Malaysia on March 14, 2006″.

It is learnt that Jafza officials met Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to express their concerns on the success of the project and other anomalies and shortcomings in the setting up of PKFZ.

Source: The Sun

Sultan expresses concern over host of issues

Immediate action must be taken to check corruption, bureaucratic red tape, race problems, religious intolerance, the brain drain and crime, the Sultan of Selangor said. 

….

“Corruption is still a problem, which the people are very concerned about, and more effective action needs to be taken,” he said. 

Describing corruption as a cancerous cell, the Sultan said if graft could not be wiped out, it should be checked effectively. 

He also took to task government agencies that continued to slow down approvals for foreign investors, saying the lackadaisical attitude of some government servants had affected the investment momentum. 

“They must change their mindset because delays mean escalating costs and lost job opportunities, which may even lead to corrupt practices,” he said. 

The Sultan said he was upset because the mindset of some people had not changed, saying he feared investors may move to neighbouring countries which were very competitive in attracting investors. 

Selangor, he said, was one of the country’s most important states and he needed to emphasise this. 

In a strongly worded interview, the Sultan said he had given Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo a deadline for applications after the end of an investment promotion trip. 

He acknowledged the Federal Government had set up the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) to fast-track procedures and transactions between the Government and private sector. 

“That is good but more needs to be done because the feedback from investors is that there is a greater need for a bigger push. Time waits for no one. We do not want investors to be discouraged from investing in Malaysia, as our neighbouring countries would also be willing to accept them.” 

The Sultan also expressed his concern over the country’s brain drain, saying talented young people were leaving the country. 

“No one, irrespective of his race, should be denied any opportunities. I am sad to see good people being lost to other countries,” he said. 

He said Singapore was the greatest benefactor and that even the Singapore National Library was designed by a Malaysian. 

In another case, he said, a highly qualified Malaysian academic was not accepted by local universities but was invited by the National University of Singapore to head a department. 

The Sultan feared talent from the tourism and hospitality sectors would be affected when the island republic’s integrated entertainment resorts opened. 

On race relations, he called for the young to have friends from other races, saying this was important. 

He said Tunku Abdul Rahman was very particular about national unity and as the nation celebrated Merdeka, no one should forget his legacy of insisting on racial harmony. 

The Sultan urged the people in Selangor to reject any form of racial and religious intolerance. 

“Islam respects other religions and other religions must also respect Islam,” he said, adding multiracialism must be instilled at primary school level. 

“If there is a need to re-evaluate our school system, then our authorities must do so to promote better racial harmony,” he said. 

…

He said he was aware Selangor had the highest crime rate because of the influx of people from other states and foreigners to work in the state. 

Source: The Star

Read:

Najib ignores Malaysia’s constitutional history, social contract and says Malaysia was never a secular state, is an Islamic nation, Islamic state

Malaysia: Racial division sharper after 50 years

Khir Toyo says Umno must continue NEP to stay relevant

Khir Toyo says Umno leaders must FIRMLY and UNAPOLOGETICALLY protect Malay rights

Malays Have To Change Their Ways For The Better

Badawi believes Malays can rise to the challenge of meritocracy

A Malay to make us proud

Selangor Sultan tells politicians to keep politics out of N-Day celebrations

The Sultan of Selangor wants politicians in the state, regardless of which parties they belong to, to put politics aside and refrain from bringing up contentious issues ahead of the 50th National Day celebrations. 

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said he did not want anyone to dampen the mood of the celebrations but to instead instil the Malaysian spirit. 

“The celebrations are a once-in-a-lifetime event, keep the politics out for the time being. I want the people to focus on the common issues and be proud of Malaysia as one people. 

“The politicians, regardless of their parties, can have all the time they want to talk about politics after National Day but for now, I do not want to hear any issues that can hurt the feelings of any community,” he said. 

…

The Sultan expressed his unhappiness over statements brought up by various politicians of late on race and religion, saying these were issues that no one should harp on. 

…

“This country belongs to all Malaysians regardless of their race and everyone has a right to feel as Malaysians. This should be emphasised, particularly as we celebrate the National Day together,” he said. 

Source: The Star

Read:

Politician ignores Malaysia’s constitutional history, social contract and says Malaysia was never a secular state, is an Islamic nation, Islamic state

Malaysia: Racial division sharper after 50 years