27 Dec 2016

文告:社会爱心基金会主席丹斯里彭茂燊太平局绅呼吁政府和各政府成员党诚实面对现状

感谢中国报对“有多少先拿多少”课题的报道。

社会爱心基金会主席丹斯里彭茂燊太平局绅
呼吁政府和各政府成员党诚实面对现状

对于近日闹得不可开交的华文小学拨款的问题,让人觉得莫名其妙;一个部门一句,一个政党一个说辞,使到原本单纯的教育拨款,演变成复杂的政治课题。这只是凸显当今的执政当局越来越杂乱无章。

身为关心华文教育一份子的我,则衷心希望各方,尤其是政府各部门和政府成员当,能够诚实地面对问题。我相信,大家要求的,也是当局能够坦承的解决问题!

至于教育部和财政部各有各的说辞,不仅让觉得大家在互相推搪,更让感觉大家似乎在找托词藉口掩饰政府日益恶化的状况。对于许多政府以外的人士而言,这种情况是不可理喻的。

整个事件引发了更多疑问,让人不禁要问,到底这是偏差还是拨款被滥用?或到底政府有没有这笔拨款?而那大选“一诺千金”的“千金”成分到底有多纯?还是为了选票所推出的方便说法而已?

无论那一种推论,对政府而言都是一种负面印象,也将导致外资质疑我国诚信度,这对我国目前的环境,无论是政治还是经济状况,都是雪上加霜。

让人遗憾的是,对今日华文小学所面对的拨款问题,许多所谓华社领袖、华教斗士,包括董教总各领导人都静若寒蝉。但有时候“沉默不是金”,该发言的时候就要发言。

即使不提出他们的关心,至少也应提出建设性教育,协助政府两全其美的解决问题;即解决财源问题,也让华小安度没有拨款的一年,如果真的必须“有多少就拿多少”,那就必须照拿多少。
这就是我所谓的诚实面对现状!否则,一旦创造了一个谎言,我们就必须创造更多的谎言来掩饰之前的谎言。

华小拨款是去年度财政预算案下的一笔预算,早在去年十月已经提呈国会批准,而且都已经过辩论批准,如今,一年即将结束,不但分文未得,我们还在找问题根源,如此的处理态度真的令人不敢恭维。


所以,我要特别强调,当局必须诚实面对现状和人民,别再拖泥带水了。(KKT)

23 Dec 2016

Amazing how some are willing to kowtow to Najib, says Dr M

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is amazed by the willingness of certain individuals, including those who are educated and knowledgeable, to kowtow to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"...To even kiss his hands as their anointed leader, democratically elected,” Mahathir said in a blog post.
Citing the US Department of Justice civil suits, the former prime minister claimed these individuals must know there is "ample evidence" to link Najib to the 1MDB scandal.
"But they continue to accept him as their leader, crowding around him to shake and kiss his hand. Even the highest elites stand by him," he added.
In other countries, Mahathir said, leaders would have been removed, or at least suspended, while investigations are carried out to ascertain the truth of the allegations.
"But in Malaysia, the people, including elected leaders of the parties in the coalition government and very, very important people, are still supporting Najib's administration and premiership.
"When asked, a few aver that although there are charges of corruption and massive fraud levelled at him, in the country and throughout the world, he has not been convicted on such charges. Until he is found guilty they would continue to regard him as their legitimate leader," he added.
Alleging a cover-up by the authorities, Mahathir claimed this excuse is therefore untenable and reminded them about being guilty by association.
"They really should be ashamed of themselves... Truly, they have betrayed the rakyat who elected them to rule in accordance with the laws of the country and democracy," he added.
Najib has denied abusing public funds for personal gain and blamed such allegations on Mahathir and those conspiring to topple him from power to further their respective agendas.
Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali has also cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing.
The authorities have also denied any cover-up in the matter.


Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/366960#ixzz4TdqidFqM

21 Dec 2016

Answer these first, Kit Siang bombards Salleh with questions

Lim Kit Siang has bombarded Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak with a barrage of questions
This is after the minister questioned whether the opposition could come up with a shadow cabinet and also asked that the opposition explain what it would do if PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim cannot become prime minister.
However, Lim pointed out that Salleh was raising a spree of questions when the minister himself has not been answering for the government's alleged scandals and failings.
"If there is any ministry which is assigned the responsibility of defending the government, it is Salleh’s ministry.
"But realising that much as he wanted, he is just incapable of defending the indefensible, Salleh is subtly trying to transform his ministerial portfolio of answering questions on behalf of the government into one of asking questions about the opposition.
"If Salleh expects answers to his questions, let him perform his ministerial duty to answer questions about government scandals and failings," he said.
The veteran leader then proceeded to bombard Salleh with questions on a daily basis since last Sunday.

13 Dec 2016

What’ll Umno do to end abuse of Bumi policies?

KUALA LUMPUR: A social activist has congratulated an Umno top gun for criticising Malays who abuse pro-Bumiputera policies but questions whether there’s any political will to correct the situation.

“This realisation is welcome but it is a bit too late,” said lawyer Azhar Harun in a comment on remarks by Umno Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Mansor.

According to a news report on Friday, Tengku Adnan attributed the failure of some Bumiputera entrepreneurs to the government’s tendency to spoonfeed them. He said this had robbed them of the competitive spirit.

He also criticised Bumiputera entrepreneurs who took government assistance for granted, saying they had not bothered to repay their loans or develop pieces of land given to them, choosing instead to sell them for profit.

“To a large extent, what he said is correct,” said Azhar, better known as Art. “The Bumiputeras have become heavily reliant on subsidies and government aid.”

He said Bumiputera entrepreneurs had become addicted to policies that were originally meant as weapons for the eradication of poverty.

He alleged that these policies had instead become a means to give preferential treatment to rich Malays.

“They have become an economic opium,” he said. “Without this opium, they will die. So how? What’s next? Is there the political will to correct this?”

He said the government had long known that many Malays were abusing the policies but had nevertheless continued with them.

It was therefore not quite fair for Tengku Adnan to blame the Bumiputera entreprenuers alone, he added.

“If I keep feeding my two-year-old child with sweets every day and she does not want to eat anything that is not sweet, do I blame her? Partly, yes, you can blame her for eating. But I should be blamed too for supplying the sweets to her.”

He said the nation as a whole was in fact losing out from the abuse of the policies, and not just the Malays who deserved help.

“The people who are entitled to this are not getting the help they need, but those who are not entitled are benefiting and abusing it.”

Art said the New Economic Policy launched in 1971 was to eradicate poverty among all races and not just the Malays.

“The Bumiputera policy now has turned into a political weapon for support,” he said. “It has become a sensitive issue.

“Now that Tengku Adnan has raised the issue, will the government take measures to stop the decades-old abuse?”


Source :  http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/12/10/whatll-umno-do-to-end-abuse-of-bumi-policies/

6 Dec 2016

UN special rapporteur: Aren't funding from Saudi princes dangerous?

Urging a common international standard to be applied for foreign funding, a United Nations special rapporteur drew a comparison between the funds from Saudi princes and the George Soros-linked Open Society Foundations (OSF).
"Civil society organisations receive foreign funding for their operations. So why is it a problem when NGOs get foreign funding and not businesses or governments?
"If everybody gets foreign funding, why pick on one and say it is wrong but another is okay?" asked Maina Kiai in his lecture at the Integrity Institute of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
"For all we know, even individuals gets foreign funding from princes.
"Why is that okay and for others, not okay? The question here is that there must be a common standard," added the special rapporteur on the rights to peaceful assembly and association.
For example, Kiai said it should not be a case of where receiving funds for OSF is considered to be more "evil and dangerous" compared to other sources.
"What about those Saudi princes who are giving money? Are they not dangerous? Are they not influencing people? These are the questions which we must ask," he stressed.
When it was revealed that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had RM2.6 billion in his personal accounts, he claimed it was funding from a Saudi royalty, given with no strings attached.
Detractors however claimed that the sum originated from 1MDB.
The prime minister has denied abusing public funds for personal again and was cleared by the attorney-general.
In its suit on the alleged abuse of 1MDB funds, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) claimed US$731 million flowed into the accounts of an individual it named as "Malaysian Official 1" or MO1.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan confirmed that MO1 was Najib, but claimed that since the documents did not name the prime minister, he was not part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Kiai said concerns over foreign funding is not unique to Malaysia and the goal should be for all countries to adopt a common standard to deal with the issue.
"If it is okay for the Malaysian government, or for the Kenyan government to receive funding, then everybody should be able to receive funding," he added.
The police are investigating electoral reform movement Bersih, the Bar Council and Malaysiakini over the OSF funds under Section 124C of the Penal Code for attempts to undermine parliamentary democracy.
Malaysiakini has provided a detailed explanation on the funding.
Over the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a special task force has been set up as well comprising the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Attorney General’s Chambers.


Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/365203#ixzz4S2nTB44v

1 Dec 2016

特稿:社会爱心基金会主席丹斯里拿督彭茂燊太平局绅后净选盟5.0的观想



社会爱心基金会主席 丹斯里拿督 彭茂燊太平局绅
后净选盟5.0的观想

过了1119日,净选盟5.0大集会和平解散之后, 大集会的参与者宁静的退场,吉隆坡恢复平时的繁忙,国家的政局依旧,而净选盟2.0主席玛丽亚陈经过十天拘留方获释放。

社会继续出现零星的党性突发事件,包括副部长孩子以护父的名誉到国会追打国会议员、州巫青团团长率团破坏漫画展览会,还有执法团体的不力等。

令人担忧的是,这一些事件都在反映着支撑我国迈向强盛、民族走向兴旺和社会跨前进步的价值体系正在崩坏;政治的腐败、道德的沦丧及法制的破坏。
让人深深的感受到的是,凡是有官位的,就好像他们所讲的话都是“真理”,“道理”总是站在官爷的这一边,即使信口开河也不容杯挑战,否则,批评者就是大逆不道,都成了国家、民族和社会的罪人。

让我感觉到可悲的是,这些官爷打击政敌无不用其极,不仅采取他们自认为“合法”的手段,也利用语言的骚扰,使到国会政治把戏的场所,民主沦为“官本”,不但文过饰非,更甚的是谎报“实情”,让国家形象严重受损,甚至被搬上喜剧舞台任人消费,成了名副其实的笑话。
马来西亚人可以从社交媒体看到这些表演片段,不知道大家在狂笑之余,会有什么感想呢?至于我个人而言,则愈觉悲哀。

近一、两年的局势发展,让我们深深体会,我国所推崇的崇高法治原则“在法律面前人人平等”,不仅流于空谈,甚至是谈不上。如果这种局势继续发展下去,这是否意味着,我国将从文明开始倒退到蛮荒时代?

有许多事件都凸显出,政治人物都在有意识地自我欺骗,达到了自我陶醉的境界。如果后果仅是麻醉而已,然后懂得醒来,那就算了,问题是,一旦这种阿Q精神根深蒂固之后,人民麻痹了,思维迟钝了,那就是误国误民,害人害己了。因为,一个国家的发展,有赖于整体人民的素质,不能单凭一两人之力,就能把国力提高至先进国家的水平。

虽然许多人对当前的局势不以为然,但我这一位经历第二次世界大战、国家独立和种族乱局时代的七旬老叟就特别的感慨,我正感觉到,我国似乎在走回头路。当年的慌乱,今时今日的我依然历历在目。难道历史真的没有教训,还是人们都不曾从历史中吸取教训。

我情愿这些鲁莽的政治人物是法盲,而不是目中无法。如果是法盲,就是无知,至少他们应该懂得尊重法律,“尊重”就是他们的基本责任和义务,也是我们大家的基本责任和义务,“尊重”是奠定社会稳定的基石。

对于净选盟5.0和平大集会,它的确让我另眼相看,不仅证明一个上十万人的大集会也能很自律,同时,可以有效地控制场面。同时,我亦相信,全马人民对于玛丽亚陈获释放感到高兴。我也一直坚持,她是一位发动推动选举改革的民运份子,并非恐怖份子,因此,从一开始她就不应该在国安法下被逮捕扣留长达十天。

警方在净选盟大集会前夕采取逮捕行动,原本作为防范行动,本是无可厚非,但以国安法扣留玛丽亚陈似乎于理不顺,因为,在制定法令时言之凿凿,说是以应付日益猖獗的恐怖活动。
但是,玛丽亚陈并非恐怖份子,也没有采取暴力行动,以此法令拘留她。反而恫言即将采取暴力行动的人物则在被扣留4天后获得释放,这就有违平等的原则。更何况联邦宪法也赋予人们举行和平集会。

由于诉求下情上达之后,当局就采取回避、护短、隐瞒之类的行动,诚意无法被感受到,更没有被看到,使到玛丽亚陈所领导的净选盟能够轻易的获得民众热烈响应,原因无他,就是因为民众改革的期待已经变成一种伤害,民意已经开始沸腾了,人民也越来越勇于站出来。

经过了这一轮的扣留风波, 玛丽亚陈的威望更高了,俨如英雄。但是令人关注的是,净选盟5.0之后,我们的路在何方?既然来到了目前的情况,国家的局势,无论是政治或是经济形势都越来越严峻,因此,改革的路就必须走下去,我想我们不能再回头了,前面的风景一定会更美。

我已经年近八十了,对于期待,我也不再怕伤害,因此,我热切期盼我国可以经历一场和平的改革,就如印度圣雄甘地推崇的无暴力抗争一样,在不需要任何损害的情况,达到改革的目的。但当局必须拿出诚意,最理想的方式,就是圆桌解决问题,不然,我相信人民会继续和平走上街头表达他们的诉求。

当各方对我国局势似乎显得“老鼠拉龟,无从下手”之际,净选盟的表现特别突出,继续保持高昂的斗志,以完成其使命的诉求。我的看法是,在国家体制的改革上,净选盟依然可以占一席重要地位。

中国报》(夜报)特稿 1/12/2016

感谢《中国报后净选盟5.0的观想之报道