Abdullah On Way Out

He is our Prime Minister, hence so much talk about his intentions. Is he going to defend the UMNO President post? If not, he will soon not be our Prime Minister.

Malaysians were “happy” that there was a “Mr Clean” to lead our country, after the decades of rot by the former administrations. But we were all disappointed. Mr Clean Abdullah could not produce a clean administration. He was weak and incompetent. He became a lameduck PM when UMNO besieged on him over the March political tsunami.

The Star online carried a headline a while ago, “PM to announce decision on Tues or Wed”.

That relates to whether he would contest the UMNO President post. That will come in less than 48 hours. It is a meteoric rise culminating in a meteoric fall.

In fact, Abdullah does not have to take the trouble to announce. We all know it.

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Forum on New Land Policy Held

The Forum on New Land Policy that was organized in my name as an elected representative was held at the United Chinese Association (UCA) Hall this afternoon. It lasted 3 hours. I invited 8 Speakers, with 3 of them not attending for their own reasons. Michael Tiang told the press earlier that he would not attend the Forum though having initially agreed, on ground that I misled him into the Forum to be placed on the altar. I had publicly called his excuse a lie. The Superintendent of Lands and Surveys had referred my invitation to the HQ, and she did not receive any reply by the last working minute on Friday. The UCA decided that it would be more convenient for it to remain neutral. I respect that.

Ngeh Koo Ham, Perak’s senior exco, provided a short discourse into the land policies implemented by the Perak Government, of which the DAP is part of the Pakatan Rakyat Government, including issuing perpetuity titles to New Villages.

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Selamat Hari Raya

It is Raya times. We paid Raya visit to our staff who is a bit shy in front of the camera. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Malay/Muslim friends

Zaid Ibrahim writes open letter to PM
Sep 30, 08 1:53pm

(from Malaysiakini)

In our proclamation of independence, our first prime minister gave voice to the lofty aspirations and dreams of the people of Malaya: that Malaya was founded on the principles of liberty and justice, and the promise that collectively we would always strive to improve the welfare and happiness of its people.
 
Many years have passed since that momentous occasion and those aspirations and dreams remain true and are as relevant to us today as they were then. This was made possible by a strong grasp of fundamentals in the early period of this nation.

The federal constitution and the laws made pursuant to it were well founded; they embodied the key elements of a democracy built on the rule of law. The Malaysian judiciary once commanded great respect from Malaysians and was hailed as a beacon for other nations.

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Bystander No More

When our Selangor Exco and DAP MP for Seputeh cum ADUN for Kinrara, Teresa Kok, was arrested under the ISA, some people immediately reminded me to be careful. They came from my Party as well as from outside.

It is not easy to be in the Opposition, they said.

It is even harder when I am occupying the first seat in the Opposition bench, facing the Chief Minister, they said.

They reminded me that I could be twisted and misquoted from words that I uttered, or planted for words which I did not utter, or even persecuted for the truths that I uttered.

I am thankful for their reminders.

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The Importance of “916”

916 (September 16) passed and went. The much promised sky-change did not materialize.

Before that date finally arrived and passed, I had said that I had been asked pretty often in the past months, “Is 916 a reality?”

I had said that it is a “semangat”. It is also a starting point, where there is a consensus for change among many Malaysians.

I had also said that it is not about whether the present BN Government will be toppled on September 16, 2008, but the date is the focal point for national pride. This is the date which all Malaysians and leaders must be made aware that apart from the celebration of Merdeka on August 31 every year, there is yet another more important date where the federation of Malaysia came into being. That was on September 16, 1963.

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Abdullah Under Siege

I had read with dismay the accusation against Anwar that his plan to topple the BN Government by luring the BN MPs to jump to Pakatan Rakyat had driven away foreign investments and brought political instability.

The culprit who drove away foreign investment and the source of political instability is not Anwar but the people in UMNO who were planning to push Abdullah to vacate his seat!

I had anticipated that Abdullah will be forced to exit as Prime Minister even earlier than June 2010 which Abdullah and his Deputy Najib planned earlier (see my blog on “Abdullah May Exit Early” dated 10th September 2008).

It now looks like a certainty that Abdullah will have to vacate his seat very soon, even as early as March 2009.

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Forum on Land Policy

In view of the fact that problems have recently arisen on land renewal premium, I (NOT DAP) am holding a Forum concerning land lease renewal on 5th October 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Chinese Association, Jalan Alan, Sibu.

The confirmed panel speakers include:

(1) Ngeh Koo Ham, DAP National Vice Chairman, Senior Exco Member, Perak
(2) Louis Jarau, practising lawyer, Sibu
(3) David Kuok, practising lawyer, Sibu
(4) Michael Tiang, practising lawyer, Sibu, person in charge of land lease renewal, SUPP, Sibu
(5) Wong Ho Leng, ADUN, Bukit Assek (also Moderator)
(6) Joseph Tang, practising lawyer, Sibu

I have invited the Superintendent of the Lands and Surveys, Sibu, to speak at the Forum too. She has yet to confirm.

Each Speaker will speak for not more than 15 minutes and the forum will then be open to the floor.

The forum will be conducted in English, Chinese and Iban/Bahasa Malaysia.

All are welcome to attend.

26/9/2008

Fuel Price Cut, Again

As if it is a big deal.

Bernama carries a new headline today: “Reduction In Oil Price: A Relief To Consumers”.

Malaysiakini reports Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad as saying that the reduction of petrol and diesel prices was made ahead of the Hari Raya celebrations next week.

As if this was a show that Abdullah’s BN Government is caring and loving.

Far from it!

Abdullah became Prime Minister on 31st October 2003. Since then, fuel price has increased 6 times. Diesel price has thereby increased by 207%. Petrol price by 79%.

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My in-law sent me this, and I feel that this is a MUST READ:

Below is an article from our Shell magazine which I think is very useful, especially as we will be staying in hotels at some time in our lives.

Hotel fires? In this day and age it seems almost preposterous. But while smoke alarms, Shell HSSE-approved rooms and airtight building regulations may all be de rigueur, three EP employees recently experienced a midnight evacuation when the building they were staying in caught alight. Want to know what it’s like? Need to know how to get out? Goal Zero is not just about safety on rigs, roads and handrails. Read on.

It’s 3am. Your wake-up call isn’t till 7am, so what’s that ringing? You hear a bang on your hotel door, “The building’s on fire!” You need to get up and get out. Where are your clothes? What do you take – your phone, your laptop, your watch? Smoke is starting to puff under the door; you wrench it open and are confronted by a choking black fog. Deafened by the scream of the fire alarm, people are shouting, panicking, pushing to find the exits. What do you do? You’re suddenly plunged into darkness as the hotel wiring overheats. Choking, you turn to go back into your room, but the door has locked itself behind you…

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