The Ball is In the Perak Sultan's Palace to Resolve the 3 month Perak Crisis

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1. Star headlined today, " No authority to fire. Counsel: Sultan can appoint MB but can’t remove him":
   Nizar’s lead counsel Sulaiman Abdullah submitted hat while the Sultan was conferred the power to appoint a mentri besar, he did not have the same power to remove a sitting mentri besar. Sulaiman said: “It is well and good in appointing, that is entirely up to the Sultan but getting rid of the mentri besar is no longer the Ruler’s function – it is now up to the state council. That can only be done through a vote of no confidence in the House.”
   
   
   
2. “Dr. M: Sultan has no power to remove MB” (Malaysiakini), “Dr M: MBs can only be removed through confidence vote” (Malaysian Insider), “Dr M: Ruler cannot remove head of govt” (Star online).
   
   
3. The Dewan Negara President Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh has called to resolve the Perak crisis by returning the mandate to the people. In the Star report, “Go back to the people, says senate head”, Dr. Abdul Hamid said “the political situation in Perak has reached a stage where it may be time to go back to the people”.

It is more than time for good sense to prevail to end the three-month-long constitutional and political crisis and stalemate, as an unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak is completely unacceptable and untenable.

More and more people in the Barisan Nasional are coming round to the view that the best solution to the Perak crisis is to dissolve the State Assembly and hold Perak state general election to return the mandate to Perakians to vote the state government they want, even though very few are brave enough to speak publicly.

For this reason, I wish to appeal to the Sultan of Perak to dissolve the Perak State Assembly BEFORE its sitting tomorrow to end the three-month constitutional and political stalemate in Perak so that the people of Perak and Malaysia can single-mindedly focus on a united strategy to tide the country through the worst global economic crisis in a century.

Pro-Mahathir Blogger "Rocky Bru" made CEO of UMNO-Controlled Malay Mail: His Hidden Ambition Has FINALLY Come True After March 2008 Election

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Mahathir-era newsman Ahirudin ‘Rocky’ Attan, known for his Rockybru weblog that was critical of the Abdullah Administration, has been named as chief executive officer of the 112-year-old The Malay Mail, which is jointly owned by the UMNO-controlled Media Prima Berhad media group.

With the former editor’s appointment as CEO, it is understood that current chief editor Tony Francis is expected to leave with immediate effect.

“Rocky was named CEO today and Tony Francis will leave immediately. Malay Mail will remain outside NSTP,” an editorial executive with the tabloid told The Malaysian Insider.

“Morale is a bit low as the staff are shocked,” he added, saying the staff had tried to prevent Francis from resigning.

Ahirudin was also president of the National Press Club between 2003 and 2007 and recently re-elected as president again. His former editor Datuk Ahmad A. Talib has just been appointed editorial adviser to the NSTP group which led to speculation that Ahirudin would return in a senior post.

Ahirudin was acting editor of The Malay Mail from 2001 and was later made the editor. He resigned from the newspaper in February 2006 and was said to have received a substantial pay-off.

He began blogging in May 2006 and was made pro-tem chairman of a blogger group, criticising then NSTP executives and is facing a lawsuit from them. The NSTP executives have since left the media company.

The Malay Mail, founded in 1896, was part of The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad until it sold its 100 per cent interest for RM5 million to Dynahall. The purchase did not include the newspaper’s archives, which is seen as a valuable commodity.

Simpletech’s owner Ibrahim is a politically-connected businessman with a stake in Blue Inc that owns a string of lifestyle magazines.

COMMENTARY

From MarGeeMar Blog

Excerpts:

"...What's really sad is that there are people like Rocky Bru who being a turncoat to The Rakyat's struggle against the oppression of the BN/Umno regime, chooses to hit RPK below the belt when considering that once Rocky Bru was standing as brothers in arms with RPK, Zorro, Haris et al for The Rakyat's struggle against the oppressive and BN/Umno regime.

Ahirudin Atan, you are one big disappointment! Hope Allah swt will show you the light to see through the present darkness enveloping Malaysia in what has become 1BlackMalaysia."

From Readers in Malaysia-Today.

Read here for more

Who say blogging has no reward?

If Dr.Spin is in the house, don't subscribe MMail.

Now it explains why this turncoat / traitor has been talking trash about RPK and the Barisan Rakyat Bloggers

wonder how much he sold his soul for?ame price as Hee the Bitch or same price as Saiful the male hooker?

Rocky, brew your own poison! Good for you lah! SLEEP TIGHT and hang on to all those RINGGIT!, your new found richness!

The paid blogger get double rewards.Its not Rockybru but he rock the keys for him to go in!!!

So.......ONCE THE HERO OF THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY SUDDENLY RUN AND HIDE UNDER MAMA'S SARONG? NOW YOU BLOGGERS LEARNT YOUR LESSON WHICH IS.."ONCE AN UMNO REGIME ASSSLICKER, ALWAYS WILL BE UMNO ASSSLICKER"

I don't go to his blog, apart from those posted in MT and Malaysiakini. But his appointment clears certain doubts I had about his articles and his "disappearance". I am not going pass judgement about him. We shall see his performance.

Most of us suspect something was up when he started to sing different tune. As far as Umno is concerned, everyone has a price. Just wonder how much is his.

Why do you think that rocky sold his soul? Why can't we just accept that some are just not like you. If he supports mamak kutty, let it be. Why can't you people just take it as it is ? some people never sell their soul because they were decendents from it. It's just family matters. If you don't believe, go ask the devil itself who were their children, grand children & great grand children...

BERSIH Calls for Malaysians to Wear BLACK on 7th May 2009, to commemorate "1BLACKMALAYSIA"

UPDATE (6th May 2009) : From Harakah Daily

"...Satu himpunan yang diberi nama 'One Black Malaysia' serentak dengan satu program solat hajat, doa munajat dan solat subuh akan diadakan di Ipoh, Perak pada 7 Mei, sebelum berlangsungnya sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri.

Orang ramai khususnya penduduk di Perak dan juga para penyokong diseru untuk turut serta di dalam program anjuran PAS Pusat sebagai tanda sokongan terhadap kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang dipimpin oleh Dato' Seri Nizar Jamaluddin sekaligus menyatakan bantahan terhadap kerakusan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang merampas kuasa tempoh hari.

Program yang telah mendapat persetujuan Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang akan diadakan bermula jam 5.00 pagi di Masjid Al-Ittihadiyah, Kampung Tengku Husin Baru, Manjoi, Ipoh, Perak. READ HERE FOR MORE

--- END OF UPDATE--------

LATEST!!!

Poll reform group Bersih spokesperson Wong Chin Huat has been arrested under the Sedition Act tonight by a team of police at his home in Taman Sri Sentosa in Kuala Lumpur.

According to his lawyer Edmund Bon, the activist was arrested at 8pm after a police report was lodged today. He said he received a call from Wong.Bon has since unable to contact Wong. It is learnt that Wong has been brought to Commercial Crimes Department headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.According to his lawyer Edmund Bon, the activist was arrested at 8pm after a police report was lodged today. He said he received a call from Wong.

Bersih spokesperson Wong Chin Huat urged the public to wear BLACK on May 7, to protest the Perak state government takeover by Barisan Nasional which has been seen as undemocratic and unconstitutional. Bersih is a coalition of opposition parties and NGOs who have been pressuring the authorities to improve election laws and administration.(READ BELOW BERSIH'S PRESS STATEMENT) READ HERE for more in malaysiakini




BERSIH'S PRESS STATEMENT

" We the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH) call upon all Malaysians to wear BLACK to work, to school, in play or at home the coming May 7th (Thursday) to present “1BLACKMalaysia” to Prime Minister Najib Razak as our strongest protest to the on-going Perak coup he has orchestrated.

Despite the court’s scheduled hearing on the legality of Zambry Abdul Kadir’s legality as the Menteri Besar on May 5th and 6th, a sitting for the Perak State Legislature has been scheduled to begin on May 7th bypassing the speaker V. Sivakumar.

A motion has also been tabled to replace the speaker, who has vigorously defended the Legislature’s rights and power throughout the coup, with R. Ganesan, a non-lawmaker from the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

To prevent the public from knowing what would happen in the assembly, a “media curfew” was imposed whereby only 13 selected media outlets are granted access, on top of a general lockdown of the city of Ipoh, where the Legislature is seated. While the Zambry regime had since retracted the "media curfew" under strong public outcry, the initial move reveals a regime that fears public scrutiny.

These latest developments show total disregard of Najib Razak on rule of law and constitutional democracy in Malaysia. He has also ignored the voters’ wrath on unconstitutional means of power grab, as showed in the Bukit Gantang by-election where the margin for the ousted MB Mohammad Nizar increased by over 2000 votes.

Najib’s slogan: “1Malaysia, people first, performance now” is now a cruel joke on Malaysians. Is this the old “1Authoritarian-and-CorruptMalaysia” getting worse? What “people first” when people are forced to be blind, deaf, mute and immobile with the media curfew and city lockdown? What “performance now” when the “performance” in law-breaking may never be known?

In response to all these, we urge all Malaysians to wear black on May 7th. It will be a peaceful but powerful message of civil disobedience that we the people are politicians' bosses and no politicians defiant of public opinion can escape punishment at the next poll. Civil disobedience is a peaceful act that every citizen can participate and make a difference. In history, civil disobedience led by Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King and the Polish people had successfully ended tyranny and injustice without bloodshed or disruption.

Let’s paint every state and territory, every town and village black with our clothes, headbands, hats, turbans, veils, armbands, ribbons and stickers on that day. Let everyone see a sea of black walking into an office, a market, a mosque, a temple, a church, a college, a park, a bus, a commuter or LRT car, a ferry or an aeroplane .

Let us be united in one BLACK colour and let show the world that the 1Malaysia under Najib Razak is “1BLACKMalaysia” living in darkness.

Let’s show the world that Malaysians will stand up against any invasion of democracy, freedom and peace by unscrupulous politicians. We will not allow coup be the way to power in Perak, or anywhere in Malaysia. No one shall take away our democracy, freedom and peace. Najib may hijack our unelected institutions like the judiciary, civil service, police and Election Commission, but he will never win our heart and mind. And he is no reformist until he dares to face elections in Perak.

Let us show Najib in one colour - "1BlackMalaysia!". Let us tell him in one voice for Malaysia: "Democracy First!" Let us pose him the one solution for Perak: "Elections now!".

Yes, Mr Prime Minister of Malaysia, and the World, listen to us: 1BlackMalaysia! Democracy First! Elections Now! "
-BERSIH

Related Article in Bahasa

7 Mei: Hari 1MalaysiaGelita

From SIASAH: Read here for more

Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) mengajak seluruh rakyat Malaysia untuk berkabung pada 7 Mei 2009 ( Khamis) dengan berpakaian hitam sepanjang hari yang dinamakan 1MalaysiaGelita.

Ini bertujuan untuk menunjukkan protes kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak terhadap apa yang berlaku di Perak.

Selain daripada itu, warna hitam itu juga melambangkan protes terhadap pengambilan kuasa oleh pihak Barisan Nasional di negeri Perak.

Pada sidang media di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina sebentar tadi, penyelaras program, Wong Chin Huat berkata bahawa slogan Najib sebagai "1Mmalaysia: Rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan" sebagai bahan lawak bagi rakyat Malaysia kini.

Ini kerana Najib sendiri tidak mempraktikkan slogan tersebut.

Bagi Bersih, kata Wong, Najib langsung tidak memperjuangkan rakyat dan tidak mementingkan hak rakyat terutama hak para pengundi di negeri Perak.

Beliau juga menyeru rakyat Malaysia supaya turut sama di dalam protes itu dengan memakai pakaian hitam dan menunjukkkan bahawa rakyat Malaysia menentang sebarang pencerobohan demokrasi dan sekatan ke atas media.

Selain daripada itu, wakil gabungan Bersih juga mencadangkan pembubaran DUN Perak dan adakan semula pilihan raya.

Turut menyokong 1MalaysiaGelita ialah Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) dan juga Anwar Ibrahim Club (AIC).

Sidang media itu juga disertai oleh Ahli Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Phua, Ahli Parlimen Serdang, Teo Nie Ching, Ahli Parlimen Kuala Selangor, Dr. Dzulkifly Ahmad, Ahli Parlimen Subang, S.Sivarasa, Li Yoon dari Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor dan Dr Lim Teck Ghee, pengarah CPI.

Dalam sidang media itu juga kesemua wakil Bersih mengecam tindakan sekatan media terhadap liputan Dun Perak serta mendesak Najib supaya menyelesaikan segera kemelut yang melanda negeri Perak.




(Images courtesy of Zorro-Unmasked Blog)

Tok Guru Nik Aziz Menyeru: "Jangan Buat Kacau Minta PAS Tanding di Penanti "

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Related Article:

• Ketua Pemuda PAS Penang, Mohd Hafiz Mohamed Nordin, Berlagak Macam Budak Tadika
  

Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata beliau TIDAK mahu anggota PAS membuat kacau dan membelakangi perjanjian dengan sekutunya dalam akatan PAS-DAP-PKR dengan menuntut PAS meletakkan calon pada pilihan raya kecil Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Penanti.

Nik Aziz yang juga Menteri Besar Kelantan berkata PAS perlu berpegang pada janji yang dibuat dengan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) berhubung pengagihan kerusi pilihan raya yang dibuat sebelum ini.

Katanya ketika ditemui pemberita hari ini:

"Kalau itu kawasan PKR, hak dialah. Kita kena balik kepada perjanjian. Kita orang Islam pentingkan janji, jangan buat kacau, janji mesti sempurna.

"Macam di Kelantan, kita ikut perjanjian. Kita beri (kerusi) kepada PKR, dia nak menang ke, kalah ke, itu dia punya pasallah."

Beliau mengulas desakan bekas Ketua Pemuda Pas Pulau Pinang, Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin supaya pimpinan parti itu menimbangkan untuk meletak calon PAS bertanding di DUN Penanti.

Semalam, Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang turut mengulangi pendirian parti itu untuk menyokong calon PKR, Mansor Othman dan keputusan itu adalah muktamad.

Related Article

Penang PAS State Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Yusof Rawa's Proposal for Nominating a PAS Candidate

Excerpts: Read here for more in Malaysiakini

PAS state deputy commissioner Mujahid Yusof Rawa dismissed speculation that he had been instigated by certain PKR leaders to propose that PAS should field a candidate in the Penanti by-election.

He said his proposal was based on moral principles in politics and not due to instigation.

Mujahid’s proposal to the PAS and Pakatan leadership yesterday was a shock to many, having come just a few hours after PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim had said that Pakatan leaders at all levels had set aside their differences to put up a united front for the by-election on May 31

When contacted, PKR state chief Zahrain Md Hashim said Anwar had announced the candidacy of PKR state deputy chief Mansor Othman after the Pakatan presidential council had unanimously agreed on this.

"I can assure you that, come nomination day, it will be PKR contesting Penanti on behalf of Pakatan. Whatever differences that exist now will be (resolved) by then and we will face our rivals as one coalition," he said.

Since the 1999 general election, PKR has traditionally contested Penanti. It falls under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat now held by Anwar.

UMNO's Desperate Gambit for an UnHoly Alliance with PAS to Save Itself

UPDATED !!!

Read here for more in Blog Amin Iskandar @ Black

Quote:

"...Objektif Umno hanyalah untuk memecahkan Pakatan Rakyat.

Cara yang paling mudah untuk memecahkan Pakatan Rakyat ialah membawa masuk PAS kedalam Barisan Nasional.

Oleh kerana PAS adalah parti Islam yang majoriti ahlinya adalah berbangsa Melayu, maka mudahlah Umno menyerapkan sentimen “kemelayuan” dalam PAS.

Ideanya mudah aja, Melayu kini lemah, PAS perlu masuk BN untuk kuatkan Melayu.

Kali ini tumpuan mereka ialah memecahbelahkan PAS dengan menyokong kumpulan Pro Muzakarah dengan Umno. Jika kumpulan tersebut menang, maka mudahlah untuk membawa masuk PAS kedalam BN sekaligus memecahkan kekuatan Pakatan Rakyat.

Apakah kesannya selepas Barisan Alternatif BERPECAH satu ketika DAHULU ( PRU 2004)?

• Pakatan pembangkang kalah teruk dalam PRU tahun 2004 dimana menyaksikan Barisan Nasional yang dipimpin oleh Abdullah Badawi menang besar.Kemenangan terbesar yang pernah mereka (UMNO/BN) perolehi dalam sejarah politik Malaysia.
  
  
• Negeri Terengganu yang dimenangi PAS pada PRU 1999 tersungkur dan
  

• Negeri Kelantan masih dipimpin oleh PAS dengan majoriti yang begitu kecil.

Lihat pula apa yang terjadi apabila pakatan pembangkang bersatu pada PRU 12.

• Lima (5) negeri jatuh ketangan pakatan pembangkang dan
  
  
• Majoriti 2/3 BN hilang. Satu kejayaan yang terbesar yang pernah diperolehi oleh pakatan pembangkang dalam sejarah politik Malaysia.

Senario PRU 2004 tidak mustahil akan berulang.

Jika Pakatan Rakyat rapuh, rakyat Malaysia TIDAK akan menyaksikan perubahan politik dinegara ini sekurang-kurangnya 50 tahun akan datang!
-Amin Iskandar

Lagi Percubaan Memecahbelahkan PAS

by

Amin Iskandar

Excerpts: Read here for more

Semenjak Tsunami politik 8 Mac 2008, Umno/BN hanya akan melakukan satu perkara, iaitu:

• Memecahkan Pakatan Rakyat.

Ini adalah kerana, apabila Pakatan Rakyat kuat, mereka akan tersungkur daripada pemerintahan negara pada pilihanraya akan datang. Usaha yang konsisten dilakukan tanpa henti sehinggalah hari ini.

Cara yang paling mudah untuk memecahkan Pakatan Rakyat ialah:

• Membawa masuk PAS kedalam Barisan Nasional.

Ideanya (UMNO ) mudah aja:

Melayu kini lemah, PAS perlu masuk BN untuk kuatkan Melayu.

Oleh kerana PAS adalah parti Islam yang majoriti ahlinya adalah berbangsa Melayu, maka mudahlah Umno menyerapkan sentimen “kemelayuan” dalam parti PAS.

Umpan tersebut “tersangkut” apabila ada beberapa golongan dalam PAS yang “terbeli” dengan agenda “Melayu” (Melayu lemah apabila Umno kalah. Bila Umno kuat, peduli apa dengan Melayu!).

Malahan golongan yang “terbeli” dengan umpan Umno ini mempertahankan agenda “perpaduan Melayu” ini secara bermati-matian.

Entah apa motivasinya, kita pun tak tahu!

Seperti biasa, Utusan Malaysia dan TV3 memberikan sokongan kepada golongan ini secara bermati-matian juga!

• Lihatlah Utusan Malaysia pada hari ini, dimuka hadapan pun mereka berikan promosi. Klik disini.

• Dibelah dalam lebih banyak lagi. Klik disini, disini, disini, disini, disini, disini dan disini.

Persolannya sekarang;

1. Semenjak bila pula Umno mahu Malaysia diperintah oleh Ulama?
   
   
2. Semenjak bila pula Umno mahu tutup kilang arak?
   
   
3. Semenjak bila pula Umno sokong calon PAS dalam pilihanraya?

Objektif Umno/Barisan Nasional hanyalah untuk memecahkan Pakatan Rakyat.

Sama seperti apa yang mereka pernah lakukan dengan memecah belahkan Barisan Alternatif selepas PRU tahun 1999.

Dan kali ini tumpuan mereka ialah memecahbelahkan PAS dengan menyokong kumpulan Pro Muzakarah (dalam PAS) dengan Umno.

Jika kumpulan PRO MUZAKARAH menang, maka mudahlah untuk membawa masuk PAS kedalam BN sekaligus memecahkan kekuatan Pakatan Rakyat.

1. Kesannya selepas Barisan Alternatif BERPECAH satu ketika DAHULU ?
   

   • Pakatan pembangkang kalah teruk dalam PRU tahun 2004 dimana menyaksikan Barisan Nasional yang dipimpin oleh Abdullah Badawi menang besar. Kemenangan terbesar yang pernah mereka (UMNO/BN) perolehi dalam sejarah politik Malaysia.
     
     

   • Negeri Terengganu yang dimenangi PAS pada PRU 1999 TERSUNGKUR dan
     
     
   • Negeri Kelantan masih dipimpin oleh PAS dengan majoriti yang begitu KECIL.

   
   
2. Kesan Selepas PR 12 (Mac 2008)
   
   
   • Lihat pula apa yang terjadi apabila pakatan pembangkang bersatu pada PRU 12, lima negeri jatuh ketangan pakatan pembangkang dan
     
     
   • Majoriti 2/3 BN hilang. Satu kejayaan yang TERBESAR yang pernah diperolehi oleh pakatan pembangkang dalam sejarah politik Malaysia.

Senario PRU 2004 tidak mustahil akan berulang.

Tidak mustahil juga Pakatan Rakyat akan mengambil alih kerajaan pusat dengan syarat pakatan tersebut terus kukuh.

Ini turut diperkatakan oleh Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad dalam temuramahnya dimajalah Off The Edge bulan lepas.

Jika Pakatan Rakyat rapuh, rakyat Malaysia tidak akan menyaksikan perubahan politik dinegara ini sekurang-kurangnya 50 tahun akan datang!


Related Article

Umno-PAS Together?

by

Karim Raslan

Read here for more

Here are a clutch of reasons why PAS is UNLIKELY to enter into any unity talks with Umno.

1. Public perception
   
   There was a time when Malaysians were fearful of the green tide and respectful of the ruling party. That time has long passed, and the roles have reversed.
   
   At least among non-Malays, PAS politicians are no longer ogres. While there remains residual concern over the conservative leaning of some of their politicians, Chinese, Indians and younger Malays view PAS politicians as sincere, clean and approachable. In contrast, the average Umno politician is viewed as corrupt, hypocritical and a chauvinist.
   
   Political pundits and even Umno leaders believe that if there is no seismic change in the ruling party, it will occupy the position of the Opposition after the next general elections.
   
   So why should PAS consider joining forces with a corrupting influence?
   
   
2. Remember 1978, remember 1986 and remember…
   
   There is an undeniable pattern which emerges every time Umno is caught in a squeeze: it reaches out to PAS and proposes unity talks. It happened in 1978, 1986 and 2008.
   
   PAS took the bait once and lived to regret the folly. Thirty-one years ago, PAS left the Barisan Nasional after a painful five years in the coalition. Haji Mohamed Asri and PAS – which was in control of Kelantan – were persuaded by Tun Abdul Razak join BN.
   
   Differences soon came to the fore in Kelantan and culminated in the federal government declaring a state of emergency in the east coast state. Asri was left with a divided party by the time he stepped down in 1982.
   
   Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reached out to PAS in 1986 at the peak of the gut-wrenching Umno split, once again to talk about Malay unity. There was no sustained move to bridge the gap between the two political parties when the economy recovered in the early 1990s.
   
   Working with PAS once again entered into the Umno lexicon after Election 2008. This time, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met several PAS leaders in a government house in Jalan Bellamy and broached the subject of Malay unity.
   
   Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang, Datuk Mustafa Ali and Nasharuddin Mat Isa were impressed with the interest and sincerity shown by Abdullah but other PAS leaders believed that Abdullah was only interested in getting PAS to decouple from Anwar.
   
   
3. The reality of Malaysian politics
   
   Yes, Chinese may be waving PAS flags and Indian men have turned out to be the most aggressive campaigners for the Islamic party but PAS leaders should not delude themselves into thinking that Malaysians love green and white.
   
   What Malaysians have fallen in love with is the idea of PAS being able to work with DAP and PKR and the willingness of PAS politicians to look beyond narrow racial and religious interests on a raft of issues.
   
   Working outside the Pakatan Rakyat umbrella may not guarantee PAS the continued support of non-Malays.

Utusan Malaysia's Hypocrisy on Unity

How nice. The one newspaper which has done more to vaporise good feelings among Malays towards each other; to drive a wedge between Malays and the rest of the country and to foster the them-versus-us sentiment in Malaysia, is suddenly interested in promoting unity.

For the past few days, the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has been devoting much space to the so-called fight for power in Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) between the religious scholars and the professional class, also known as the Erdogan faction.

Sensing that this could be a two-in-one opportunity (split the influential PAS into two groups and also lay the blame on Anwar Ibrahim for trying to dominate the professional class), the broadsheet has been charitable to the views of the religious class.

• It has adopted the position taken by the likes of Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz and others who believe that there should be an alliance between PAS and Umno for the sake of Malay unity.
  
  
• It has attempted to portray the professionals as nothing more than acolytes of Anwar, politicians who have strayed from the original struggle of the Islamic party.
  
  
• Utusan’s band of columnists has weighed in dutifully, arguing that at a time when the rights of Malays and the position of Islam are being challenged, it is important for Malays to unite.

This open invitation to PAS and, to a lesser extent, PKR, naturally entails checking one’s political ideology at the door and adopting the world view and value system of Umno.

With the PAS general assembly a month away, there will be intense focus on the different factions in PAS and manufactured groundswell for an alliance of sorts between Umno and PAS.

Manufactured because ground reports show that the rank and file in PAS are not in favour of a rapprochement with Umno and detests the fact that some of their leaders are on friendly terms with Umno ministers. They question the wisdom of their party, which is on the up and up, entering into an alliance with one that is viewed as corrupt.


COMMENTARY

From THE AISEHMAN Blog

Party Like It’s 2009

The PAS party elections are coming up.

It is going to be interesting, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really concern me who wins.

All I want to see is that NONE of the (PAS) party leaders ever again talks about some bullshit unity government with UMNO.

For as long as UMNO is the shithole that it is today, don’t even dream about it.

Because the day PAS strikes a pakatan with such an UMNO is the day, the party (PAS) heads back to the Stone Age.

See, some people in PAS are beginning to entertain this fantasy that the non-Muslim support the party in enjoying is unshakable, permanent, divinely-ordained even.

Such hubris.

The reality is that PAS is getting the support of non-Muslims because they see the party as defending THEIR interests.

If PAS betrays this trust, they will flush it down the political longkang.

WHAT about “perpaduan umat Islam”, some of you might ask?

Here’s the deal — the interests of the Ummah are not served by joining UMNO in some sham alliance that would only provide safe harbour for the perpetuation of the party’s excesses.

The interests of both Muslims and non-Muslims — the entire nation — are served by reforming UMNO.

Given the current state of the party, the only way to make that happen is to deal it a crushing defeat.

So don’t be stupid.

By all means, lets help UMNO. After all, the party’s members and supporters are Malaysians too.

But hugs and kisses will not work. It’s too late for that.

We need to employ The Conan Principles here, namely, crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women — in the political sense, of course.

Bak pepatah Orang Puteh, spare the rod, spoil the politician.

FROM MALAYSIA-WAVES BLOG

The Entire Conversion Issue is to Break Pakatan Rakyat

BY

"Tulang Besi"

Excerpts: Read here for more

I learned of a meeting organized by Zahid Hamidi with the help of Nuraina Samad and Rocky Bru in Pusat Islam along with several high ranking officials in Pusat Islam. The main issue discussed is the fact that Islam is under severe threat and Muslims need to unite under one banner by totally putting aside political difference.

The meeting was organized for several pro Islam blogger and a friend of mine attended (lets just call him Blogger X).

This blogger X was so hyped about the meeting that he bought the unity crap completely. He swallowed the bait hooked line and sinker. He was so high spirited about the whole idea that he even prayed for Tok Guru Nik Aziz to die soon because he views Tok Guru Nik Aziz as the main blocker of Islamic Unity.

He calls the DAP and Karpal Singah and Lim Kit Siang as the devil incarnate that is devoted towards permenant destruction of Islam (in so many words).

And the fact that PAS is making friends with DAP is an abomination.

He repeated the same lie that UMNO has repeated throughout the years, i.e, kafir mengkafir.

Anyways, the main issued played in the meeting is the fact that the Catholics are using the name Allah in their prayers and services. So, just this one main issue and a few others small ones, like blogger openly against Islam, he has decided to jump the Zahid Hamidi/UMNO bandwagon.

And like I said, he even prayed for Tok Guru Nik Aziz to die soon.

So, i decided to test his theory.

1. I asked him to show me one fatwa from Al Azhar banning the usage of the word Allah SWT by Christians. I am very sure there is none because the Church of Alexandria have been conducting their sermons and religous services in arabic for the last 700 years or so. And, they've been using the word Allah all the while in their rituals.
   
   
2. Also, I asked him, wasn't making mockery of Islam was done WAY before Pakatan Rakyat was formed. I mean people like Akbar Ali and Marina Mahathir and Zainah Anwar have been mocking Islam since i can remember. Why didn't UMNO make noise then?
   
   
3. Also, I asked him, why has Zahid Hamidi not make noise about liqour and gambling in Malaysia. I can still remember back in 1990 when the Sarawak state government ban gambling totally only to find the ban lifted by UMNO.

And even Guan Eng is planning to reduce number of gambling outlets in Penang.

Najib, on the other hand, awarded 10 more special draws the first month he became MOF and Terence Gomez wrote a book about complicity of UMNO, Daim, Dr. Mahathir with the gambling industry.

Noticed, when it comes to religion, people just put their brains away and use only emotion.

They think that by invoking their emotion, they have become a good servant of God.

Well, in Islam, the more one uses his reason, the better Muslim he/she is. Why? Becuase that's how the Prophet acted.

The recent Cabinet decision on conversion is actually an enticement for PAS to invoke their "dark side".

UMNO wants PAS to show their fundamentalist side to the Malaysian public and by making this decision, UMNO hopes that the ugly part of PAS will be exposed to the public.

UMNO then will come out to the Chinese saying that they are still the moderate party and the Chinese will lose out if they support PAS.

I pity my friend, Blogger X, for he has fallen into a hole he cannot climb out of. For all the flaks he has given to PAS, Tok Guru Nik Aziz, those in PAS against Malay unity, he had just been taken for a ride.

It's the UMNO he so wants to defend that has betrayed him. It's his UMNO that has become the enemy he has so much despised off.

That's why Islam doesn't advocate blind following. That's why Islam doesn't grant status of infallibality to anyone except the Prophet SAW. That's why Islam places so much emphasis on learning and argument and deduction and thinking.

When you get duped, don't come back to Islam and blame Islam. I really hope my friend, Blogger X, do not start blaming Islam for being duped by UMNO. I mean, who ask him to put his trust in a bunch of Munafiqeen like UMNO?

Tulang Besi

Altantuya Murder Case: Raja Petra Revealed Names on Allegations Najib's Wife was at the Murder Scene and the Attempt to Buy His Silence

Background:

On 18th June 2008, Raja Petra Kamarudin filed a Statutory Declaration (click HERE or read BELOW) at a Commissioner of Oath, registered under the jurisdiction of Kuala Lumpur High Court against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the Deputy Prime Minister alleging that she was at the scene when Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered.
Read here and here in malaysiakini and here for more

Today (4th May 2009), Raja Petra revealed his source of the information leading to his Statutory Declaration . He wrote that during his detention from 12th to the 22nd September 2008, the Special Branch tried to create doubts in his mind on his allegations that Rosmah was at the murder scene.

He said the Special Branch did not allow him to sign his statement/confession after the interrogation, instead sent him to Kamunting Detention Centre.

Read HERE the FULL Article.

Excerpts of the article published in Malaysia-Today:

"... Here is part of my interrogation by the Special Branch -- what they asked and what I replied.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
We find your Statutory Declaration very hard to believe. We don’t think what you said about Rosmah being at the murder scene is correct. It is highly unlikely. Rosmah is very rich. She has plenty of money. Why would she want to take the risk of going there personally? She can pay someone to do the job. No need for her to go there herself. We don’t think so. It doesn’t make sense for her to go there herself.

Raja Petra:
Well, that’s what I was told, that she went there personally. I know what I was told.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
Who told you?

Raja Petra:
Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin. He is the number two in the Special Branch of the Military Intelligence.

He is very close to Ku Li (Tengku Razaleigh). He is always in Ku Li’s office. And Anwar Ibrahim also knows him very well. I admit I don't know Lt Kol Azmi that well.

But the person who introduced us is a very old friend. I’ve known him for about 45 years, longer than I’ve known my wife. And I trust my friend. My friend gave me his personal assurance that the story is legit.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
Who is that friend?

Raja Petra:
Nik Azmi Nik Daud. We call him Bull. He works for Ku Li.

I also asked Din Merican to check with Anwar whether I can trust Lt Kol Azmi with my life. Those were the exact words I used. Anwar replied you should never trust anyone with your life. However, Lt Kol Azmi’s information is very reliable.

I also asked John Pang, who also works for Ku Li, to check with Ku Li whether Lt Kol Azmi’s information is reliable. I told John what Lt Kol Azmi told us and asked him to inform Ku Li about it.

John confirmed that Lt Kol Azmi told Ku Li the same thing and that the information is reliable.

Initially, I wanted to just write an article. But Bull (Nik Azmi Nik Daud) asked to meet first before I write anything. So we met early April at La Bordega in Bangsar. Bull suggested I should instead sign a Statutory Declaration, as that would be stronger. They can ignore my article but they can’t ignore a Statutory Declaration.

Bull called for a second meeting on the Sunday before I signed the Statutory Declaration. We met at the Selangor Club Dataran Merdeka for lunch. I told Bull I was a bit worried about signing a Statutory Declaration because the government will surely arrest and charge me if I do.

Bull said if anything happens to me they would go to court to testify that what I had signed is the truth. Bull assured me they would not allow me to rot in jail. So, on the 18th June, I signed the Statutory Declaration. I trust him. As I said, I’ve known him for 45 years.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
Didn’t Najib’s people approach you to make a deal?

Raja Petra :
You mean to buy my silence? Yes, they did.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
Who? When?

Raja Petra:
Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis (JJ). It was not long after I was charged for sedition, before I signed the Statutory Declaration.

JJ phoned and said he wanted to meet. I knew he was working for Najib so I agreed. We met at the car park outside Kelab Taman Perdana. My wife drove me there and waited at a distance.

JJ arrived about 6pm and asked me to get into his car. He was alone. I signalled (my wife) to go home and she wrote down JJ’s car number plate in case I disappeared or whatever.

We drove to a roadside stall in Jalan Ipoh and sat there and talked.

JJ told me that Najib had asked him to meet me to make a deal. I asked him whether Najib really knows we are meeting and whether he had endorsed or sanctioned the meeting and JJ replied that our meeting was on Najib’s instructions.

We spent about an hour talking. The bottom line is he wanted me to stop writing about Najib and Altantuya.

He also asked me whether I could delay my sedition trial until Najib becomes the Prime Minister. Once Najib is installed as Prime Minister they will drop the charges against me. I will also receive a monthly allowance of RM30,000 for my cooperation. He didn’t say for how long though.

I asked him how to delay the trial and he replied I can always get a medical certificate to confirm I am not fit enough to attend trial. I told him if I delayed the trial then the legal costs would increase and he offered to pay all the legal fees. He asked me to get my lawyers to issue an invoice and he would pay the cost, whatever it may be.

I told my lawyers about this incident so that at least some other people know about it.

SPECIAL BRANCH:
So, what happened to the deal?

Raja Petra:
Soon after that ( meeting with JJ) I signed my Statutory Declaration. That was my way of saying no deal.

After that they arrested me and charged me for criminal defamation. I suppose that was their way of replying to my reply.

The above is a small portion of my questions and answers session with the Special Branch over the five days of interrogation. This, plus a lot more, was compiled into a report, which I was supposed to sign on the morning of 23 September 2008 -- but which never materialised for some strange reason.

I am probably the first ISA detainee in almost 50 years who made a statement (confession) but was never asked to sign it."
- Raja Petra Kamarudin

RAJA PETRA'S STATUTORY DECLARATION: 18th June 2008

PAS Perlu Kekal Momentum Bukan Melayu - Mohd Hanipa Maidin

Read here for more in Harakah Daily

Related article:

• Husam Musa: The ONLY CREDIBLE PAS Leader Capable of Leading PAS and the Pakatan Rakyat to Win the Next Federal Election

Excerpts: Read here for more interview with Mohd Hanipa Maidin by Irwan Muhammad Zain in Harakah

Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Mohd Hanipa Maidin yakin untuk PAS terus menang, PAS perlu mengekalkan momentum bagaimana orang bukan Islam boleh percaya kepada PAS dan dasar PAS.

Beliau berkata dalam satu temubual dengan wartawan Harakah, Irwan Muhammad Zain. Mohd Hanipa Maidin memegang jawatan Pengerusi Lajnah Perundangan dan Hak Asasi Manusia PAS Pusat.

Mohd Hanipa Maidin berkata dalam temubual tersebut:

"Saya rasa sebenarnya BN selama ini memang tak pernah pedulikan tentang orang Melayu. Sekarang mereka cuba untuk tarik sokongan bukan Melayu yang condong kepada Pakatan Rakyat. Pada saya, dasar "One Malaysia" ini cuma 'lipstick', hanya hiasan semata-mata untuk menarik sokongan terutama bukan Melayu terhadap BN.

( Untuk PAS memperolehi kemenangan yang lebih besar dalam pilihan raya umum), bagi saya, kalau boleh, kita (PAS) terus mengekalkan momentum bagaimana orang bukan Islam boleh percaya kepada PAS dan dasar PAS.

Kenyataan-kenyataan pemimpin PAS dan tindakan-tindakan pemimpin PAS itu sendiri perlu dilihat atau diyakini oleh rakyat untuk melihat PAS layak untuk mengantikan Umno dan juga BN.

Pada saya momentum yang ada sekarang ini bukan sahaja perlu dikekalkan tetapi kita juga perlu pertingkatkan usaha untuk menarik lebih banyak sokongan masyarakat bukan Islam disamping tidak meminggirkan sokongan masyarakat Islam atau pun orang Melayu terhadap PAS.

Kita lihat sekarang ini pemimpin Umno masih lagi menggunakan isu perkauman dimana kalau kita lihat isu terbaru iaitu isu menukar status agama anak-anak itu.

Kalau kita tidak menangani dengan baik ada kemungkinan kita akan hilang sokongan bukan Islam.

Jadi PAS perlu bijak menangani masalah yang cuba ditimbulkan oleh Umno atau isu yang sengaja direka oleh Umno dan BN ini supaya kita tidak terperangkap dan hilang sokongan tak kira pengundi bukan Melayu dan juga Melayu."

RELATED ARTICLE

Why It is Essential to "Con a Stupid Chinaman"

by

"Hakim Joe"

Read here also related article, "How to con a stupid Chinaman" by Raja Petra Kamarudin

EXCERPTS: Read here for more in Malaysia-Today

The Chinese forms a minor segment of the legal residents of Malaysia, approximately 25.4% according to the statistical department.. Look at the Indians (7.5%) in contrast and one will understand why this race of Malaysian is accorded a different approach.

Not that many, but numbers adequately significant to elicit attention from the government and the opposition alike

There are other salient factors that make the Chinese vote so important in Malaysia. 25.4% really isn’t much but it is definitely the “deciding” aspect that makes it so.

• The 65.8% Bumiputeras consist of 50.6% Malays and 15.2% indigenous residents.
  
  
• The Malay votes are now split and the latter is basically pro-BN. Let’s assume 40% of the Malay votes and a third of the indigenous votes are pro-Opposition. That comes to about 20.2% and 5.1% respectively and makes it about 25.3% pro-Opposition and about 40.5% pro-BN (ballpark figure).
  
  
• Now we analyse the 7.5% Indian vote. Let us again assume a fifty-fifty share. The approximate figures are now about 29.1% pro-Opposition and 44.3% pro-BN.

As anyone will tell you, the Chinese vote suddenly assumes a significant role in the determination of the government, especially knowing the fact that these Cina Apeks are notoriously pro-Opposition.

BN needs another 6% out of the available 25.4% to form a simple majority government and it is really a simple job considering the fact that there exist such associations like MCA and Gerakan – hence the con job.

As with BN requiring the pivotal Chinese votes, the Opposition needs the commanding Bumiputera votes – a circle within a circle.

(In the) Federal Elections 2008, BN only garnered about 51% of popular vote when winning 63% of the total seats. If this is the case, it means that BN only obtained about 7% of the available 25.4% Chinese and Indian votes.

1. Fact Number One: BN only obtained 49.8% of the popular vote in West Malaysia. Pakatan actually got 50.2% but still only have 80 out of the 165 West Malaysian parliamentary seats (gerrymandering at its optimum effectiveness).
   
   
2. Fact Number Two: BN got 55 parliamentary seats from East Malaysia – about a quarter of the total available parliamentary seats.

That was the “big” picture.

It still does not effectively explain why the "CON JOB " was needed.

Here’s why.

The 222 parliamentary seats can be effectively segregated into:

1. Group A where the voters are predominantly Malays (about 70 seats);
   
   
2. Group B where the voters are almost equally race distributed (about 44 seats);
   
   
3. Group D (East Malaysia) – 57 seats.

In 2008, BN won:

• 45 seats from Group A (64%),
  
  
• 25 seats from Group B (57%),
  
  
• 15 seats from Group C (29%) and
  
  
• 55 seats from Group D (96%)
  
  making it a total of 140 seats.

With NEP still enforced, BN can expect a similar result from Group A and Group D (in the next General Election)

Group B and Group C are an entirely different can of worms. There are 95 seats available here or almost 43% of the total available parliamentary seats.

The Non-Bumiputera votes are extremely important here especially when the Malay votes are split.

Continue to lose the Indians and Chinese votes and this block of seats might end up in Pakatan’s hands.

With the Chinese populace three times the populace of Indians, their support are deemed more important.

MIC could still be relied to deliver quite a few parliamentary seats. But MCA and Gerakan are “up shit creek without a paddle”.

Now we know how essential it is to “con a stupid Chinaman”.

Ketua Pemuda PAS Penang, Mohd Hafiz Mohamed Nordin, Berlagak Macam Budak Tadika

Read here in Malaysia Waves blog

UPDATE: 4TH MAY 2009

Penang PAS Youth head Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin has stepped down as the wing’s head. Mohd Hafiz made way for the wing’s former council deputy head Yusni Mat Tiah, a religious scholar, at the wing’s annual “muktamar” assembly in Balik Pulau yesterday. Read here for more

---------------- End of update -------------------------

BUDAK TADIKA
(KAKI UMNO DALAM PAS)

KETUA PEMUDA PAS
PULAU PINANG

Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin, Ketua Pemuda PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang telah benar-benar:

• memalukan PAS
  
  
• memalukan Presiden PAS,
  
  
• memalukan AJK PAS Pusat,
  
  
• memalukan Perhubungan Negeri,
  
  
• memalukan Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri dan
  
  
• memalukan Islam.

Sikap kebudak-budakan beliau hanya melayakkan beliau memimpin Dewan Budak Tadika sahaja dan bukannya Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang.

Baru-baru ini beliau telah bersikap lebih kuah dari sudu dengan membuat tuntutan supaya wakil Dewan Pemuda Negeri bertanding di kerusi DUN Penanti.

Walaupun keputusan memberikan kerusi tersebut kepada KeAdilan telahpun dipersetujui di peringkat Pusat, namun beliau masih terus mengekalkan sikap muka tembok beliau dan membuat tuntutan tersebut.

Tuan Haji Mustafa Ali terpaksa membetulkan keadaan dengan berkata: (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/103465):
"(Keputusan) ini kerana PAS tertakluk kepada perjanjian yang telah dipersetujui dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

"Semua parti dalam Pakatan telah bersetuju, jika berlaku pilihanraya kecil, calon yang bertanding mestilah daripada parti yang bertanding pada pilihanraya umum sebelum itu," kata pengarah pilihanraya PAS Datuk Mustafa Ali.”

Apa masaalahnya pada Hafiz untuk bertanya kepada pimpinan Pusat berkenaan dengan keputusan yang telah dibuat bersama?

Sikap Hafiz ini menunjukkan bahawa Presiden dan AJK PAS Pusat tidak mampu mendisiplinkan ahli-ahli bawahan mereka dan akhirnya menyebabkan kontroversi yang sia-sia ini berlaku.

Kalaupun dah benci sangat dengan Pakatan Rakyat, janganlah sampai memalukan pimpinan sendiri.

Masih Ingat Peristiwa Memalukan Pesuruhjaya Penang Berkaitan I-Dance? Pihak Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang bercadang untuk menganjurkan program ”I-Dance” bagi remaja di Pulau Pinang.

Tetapi sebelum program itu dianjurkan, PAS Pulau Pinang telah dirujuk dahulu. Dan pada 10 Desember 2008, PAS Pulau Pinang telah memberi persetujuan kepada program tersebut dengan beberapa syarat.

Akhbar The Sun telah melaporkan(http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=28382) kenyataan Ustaz Saleh Man, Pesuruhjaya PAS Pulau Pinang berkata:

”After hearing the explanations of the campaign details, Penang PAS chairman Ustaz Mohd Salleh Man was satisfied that the campaign had positive values which are good for youths.

“We find that the activities in this campaign will be good and healthy for youths and could keep them away from drugs and alcohol,” he said, adding that the attire consisting of sports outfits and based on safety, is also acceptable.”

(Terjemahan bebas: Selepas mendengar penjelasan berkaitan dengan butiran kempen tersebut, Pesuruhjaya PAS Pulau Pinang, Ustaz Saleh Man telah berpuas hati dengan kempen tersebut yang mengandungi unsure-unsur positif kepada remaja.

Beliau berkata, Kami mendapati bahawa aktiviti dalam kempen ini adalah baik dan sehat bagi remaja dan kita sepatutnya menjauhkan mereka dari dadah dan alcohol”. Beliau juga menambah bahawa pakaian yang dicadangkan untuk dipakai adalah berasaskan kepada kesukanan dan keselamatan, juga diterima (oleh PAS)).

Tetapi, walaupun setelah dipersetujui oleh Perhubungan PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang, pada 19 Desember 2008, Pemuda PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang telah menganjurkan satu demonstrasi membantah program tersebut

Saya tak faham pemikiran Mohd Hafiz ini.Adakah beliau ini masih siuman ataupun beliau masih belum dewasa.

Tindakan menganjurkan demonstrasi itu jelas satu penghinaan kepada Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang, Ustaz Saleh Man, dan juga kepada keseluruhan Perhubungan PAS Pulau Pinang.

Dia Ini Memang Anti Kepada Pakatan Rakyat dan Menguntungkan UMNO

Sewaktu permulaan Pakatan Rakyat dahulu, beliau antara beberapa orang pimpinan pemuda yang giat membawa cerita bohong berkenaan Pakatan Rakyat. Kononnya Lim Guan Eng nak nak menyama tarafkan semua agama.

Rupanya, Lim Guan Eng melawat semua tempat sembahan untuk tujuan perlancongan. Itu pun beliau tuduh dulu baru bawa bukti.

Apa yang saya nampak, Mohd Hafiz ni patut minta duit kat UMNO kerana segala tindakan beliau menguntungkan UMNO.

Ia tidak menguntungkan PAS dan tidak menguntungkan Islam.

Rasanya, baik Mohd Hafiz ni ambil borang UMNO dan masuk UMNO.

Janganlah nak mengacau mereka-mereka yang hendak mengakhiri hayat UMNO macam kami.

Tulang Besi

Husam Musa: The ONLY CREDIBLE PAS Leader Capable of Leading PAS and the Pakatan Rakyat to Win the Next Federal Election

Read here for more in malaysiakini

We Say,

The recent successes of PAS in the 2008 General Election and the by-elections in Perak and Kedah have led some PAS leaders to believe in this swollen-headed fantasy that they can win the Federal Government with only Muslim votes or only Malay votes.

This seemed to be the thinking of those PAS leaders aligned to the Trengganu-based Pro-UMNO faction, led by the current PAS President, Haji Hadi Awang and his Deputy, Nasharuddin Mat Isa. They have not learnt from the trauma of Kelantan PAS of the betrayal of UMNO when PAS, then ruling Kelantan, joined Barisan Nasional to form a unity state government that went awfully wrong.

UMNO, MCA, MIC and GERAKAN are not popular especially among non-Malays. Any move by PAS to "share the same sleeping pillow with UMNO", will destroy all the gain PAS has made to win over non-Muslim/non-Malay voters since the March 2008 general election. It will be a retrogressive decision pushing PAS back by 25 years in its efforts to be a lead party in a coalition to win the next federal government. It will, instead, become a party of little consequence to the growing urban and suburban voting constituency and a party consisting of fundamentalist hacks harping on right-wing race-based conservative ideas about Islam to the clap-trap of the conservative rural voting gallery.

PAS is dreaming if it thinks UMNO will ever allow it be an equal partner of Barisan Nasional/UMNO. MCA, MIC, Gerakan and other parties were made to realise this to their political misfortune. UMNO will make sure PAS will always remain subservient to UMNO, as PAS Kelantan experienced over two decades ago.

Our electoral system makes it almost impossible for any one political party to win the two-third majority in the national Government based strictly on votes from one ethnic group. The numbers simply don't add up and UMNO knows it too well.

Even if it does happen, one can only speculate the dire consequences to our national economy and the depth of fractures in our fragile Malaysian society.

Should the Pro-UMNO faction wins influence and power in PAS in the coming party election in June, and if it chooses to part ways with Pakatan Rakyat to join up with UMNO, then PAS has basically cut its ties with non-Muslim/non Malay voters. And PAS can be rest assured it will never ever regain its hard-earned support of the non-Muslim/non Malay voting constituency.

First to go will be the dissolution of the non-Muslim-based "PAS Supporters Clubs" which had been highly instrumental in campaigning for non-Muslim/non-Malay votes for PAS. Likewise for many of the socio-political bloggers who are mostly pro-Pakatan Rakyat for they will campaign against PAS as an unworthy partner or "traitor" to the democratic cause.

For non-muslim voters, if PAS joins UMNO to form a unity government simply for racial reasons, the next general election or by-election would be one of " A Vote for PAS is a Vote for the much-despised UMNO," and a ' Vote for PAS is a Vote for a racist version of Islamic rule in Malaysia.'

Already, the attitude of non Malay voters today is that of " A vote for MCA or MIC or Gerakan is a vote for UMNO.". And we knew what the result was to MCA, MIC and Gerakan, after the March 8 General Election.

Some PAS leaders, especially those from the Trengganu PAS outfit, need to get out of this silly fantasy that it can be an equal partner with UMNO and the thought that it can achieve the level of success as it did in the 2008 General Election and in the recent by-elections by "going to bed with UMNO".

Today, UMNO needs PAS more for its own survival. PAS does not need UMNO to survive. If PAS stays on the same course it took prior to the March 2008 election, it can become, as Husam Musa said, " the anchor-party",within the Pakatan Rakyat to win the next federal government. But it can only do so if PAS leaders put substance into its clever slogan " PAS for ALL" while reining in the racially prejudiced conservatives in PAS who want to "sleep with UMNO."

For these reasons, we believe, and therefore support, leaders like Husam Musa to lead PAS to the next Federal Election and to realise the goal of PAS as an "anchor" party within the Pakatan Rakyat Coalition's next federal Government.

It is timely for PAS members to take a reality-check of the party's political fortunes. Come this June, non-Muslim/non Malay and Malay voters of PAS will know which road PAS members want the party to take.
-Malaysian Unplug

Excerpts:

PAS vice-president Husam Musa today said today PAS should aspire to win over the people who supported Umno instead of consolidating with UMNO.

PAS should concentrate on the next general election and win seats held by its rival Umno.

Husam said,

" PAS (can only) become the main anchor party in the future (of the PR Coalition) if PAS manages to win seats held by Umno representatives.

This means competition would be more critical between PAS and Umno .

However, as far as I know, PAS has never officially expressed its intention to share powers with the current (BN) administration.

Therefore, the wiser direction for PAS, would be to strengthen the party and reach for support in areas that are controlled by Umno."

Husam also said IF the party leadership can engage in a dialogue with Umno, “there is no reason for me not contest with others who are going for the top positions in the party.”

Husam is yet to confirm if he would be going for the party's deputy presidency against incumbent Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who has held the post for two consecutive terms in the upcoming party polls in June and who is believed to belong to the faction who wants closer ties with UMNO.

There is an on-going battle going on between the "Pro-Pakatan Rakyat' Faction which Husam is aligned to VERSUS the ‘Pro-Muzakarah' Faction, linked to Nasharuddin which wants closer ties with Umno." This however has been repeatedly denied by party leaders who claim that it is rumours spread by their political rivals.

Husam said that he wants to approach the grassroots and determine the reasons they have nominated him for the post of deputy presidency and if the their reasons are valid, he would consider contesting .

As of now, the Salor state assemblyperson has already received two nominations, the required minimum to run for the post. He is speculated to garner more nominations from the 14 PAS division in Kelantan.

RELATED ARTICLE

Kejayaan Besar (Untuk PAS) Bila BUKAN Melayu Tidak Takut PAS - Ustaz Nasrudin Hassan

by

Nyza Ayob

Read here for more in Harakah Daily

Kepimpinan Ulama mesti berkeupayaan menarik keyakinan rakyat dari PELBAGAI pihak, BUKAN hanya dari kalangan PAS semata-mata.

Ia perlu segera menempatkan diri di tengah-tengah masyarakat. Apa lagi kejayaan lebih besar selain orang Cina dan India kini tidak lagi takut untuk bersama PAS malah mulai memahami aspirasi perjuangan Islam setelah lebih 50 tahun mereka dimomokkan oleh Umno dan BN bahawa PAS adalah bahaya, parti yang ekstrim, ganas dan pelampau agama.

Itu antara pandangan yang diutarakan Timbalan Ketua Pemuda PAS Pusat, Ustaz Nasrudin Hassan mengenai perjuangan 25 tahun kepimpinan ulama dalam PAS. Wartawan NYZA AYOB mencungkil pendapat spontan beliau.


HARAKAH:
Bagaimana Pemuda PAS melihat setelah 25 tahun kepimpinan Ulama dalam PAS?

NARUDDIN HASSAN:

Gerak tindak pemerkasaan parti sememangnya menjadi agenda yang berterusan dan ia melibatkan kepimpinan ulama yang telah melalui pengalaman kepimpinannya sejak 25 tahun yang lalu. Meskipun kita tidak pernah berasa memadai dengan pencapaian, tetapi Alhamdulillah kepimpinan ulama dalam tempoh 25 tahun ini telah berjaya meletakkan PAS sebagai sebuah gerakan Islam kontemporari yang mampu memberi saingan dan tamparan hebat kepada kerajaan nasionalis bahkan berjaya mengatasi penguasaan mereka serta disegani bukan sahaja dalam negara bahkan di peringkat antarabangsa.

Pengalamannya ditimba oleh gerakan Islam antarabangsa. Kepimpinan ulama ini menjadi tonggak untuk PAS terus kekal bersama ketulenan manhaj perjuangannya membawa negara dan rakyat agar diredhai oleh Allah.

HARAKAH: Setelah berjaya mengalihkan kepimpinan terdahulu (kepimpinan Dato' Mohd Asri Muda) banyak kejayaan telah dikuasai parti selain memerintah Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak dan Kedah. Apa yang boleh diperkatakan di sebalik kejayaan ini?

Alhamdulillah, kejayaan ini menjadi khibrah (pengalaman) dan ibtila (ujian) yang besar dan bermakna buat PAS. Ianya telah berjaya menafikan persepsi negatif yang menjadi khurafat sekian lama kononnya PAS tidak mampu memerintah dan mentadbir negara. PAS juga telah berjaya keluar dari lingkaran imej 'parti pak lebai' dan 'parti kampungan' yang kononnya tidak mampu menyaingi tuntutan dan memenuhi keperluan zaman.

Kini PAS telah bersedia dengan segala upaya dan kemahiran yang dimiliki untuk diberi kepercayaan atau mandat oleh rakyat bagi memerintah dan mentadbir negara ini sebagai kerajaan alternatif.

Ya! kerajaan alternatif setelah rakyat sekian lama menderita di bawah kepimpinan parti perkauman dan tidak mesra kebajikan. Perkara kedua, suka saya tegaskan di sini bahawa kemenangan ini juga menjadi satu latihan praktikal kepada PAS untuk menghadapi suasana berbeza sebagai sebuah kerajaan yang memerintah bukan lagi pembangkang.

Tentunya berjuang dalam suasana menang dan senang sangat jauh beza dan cabarannya berbanding sewaktu kalah dan susah. Kita perlukan latihan praktikal ini untuk melahirkan kepimpinan yang bertaqwa dan berilmu, sederhana, amanah dan bijak memimpin serta benar-benar berkesan dalam melaksanakan tanggungjawab pemerintahan.

HARAKAH: Pada pemerhatian ustaz, apakah kejayaan terbesar yang telah memecah landskap politik tanah air sepanjang 25 tahun kepimpinan Ulama?

Saya melihat Islam yang menjadi dasar perjuangan PAS telah meresap jauh ke dalam hati nurani masyarakat. Betapa kini mereka memerlukan Islam untuk keluar daripada segala kemelut yang menimpa negara sama ada politik mahupun ekonomi.

Jika dulu sering kita dengar pemimpin negara menyebut bahawa 'politik suku agama suku', maka kini tiada siapa lagi berani berkata demikian kecuali mereka yang benar-benar jahil dan kufur. Ini adalah episod kejayaan yang ditempa oleh kepimpinan ulama yang menjadi teras kepimpinan PAS.

Malah kita berjaya mematahkan tongkat Umno dan BN yang selama ini membenarkan mereka tegak angkuh sekian lama. Tongkat yang saya maksudkan ialah MIC dan MCA. Kini masyarakat Tiong Hua dan India tidak lagi 'berkiblatkan' MCA dan MIC untuk terus mendokong BN tetapi rata-ratanya telah beralih menyatakan sokongan kepada KeADILan dan DAP sebagai rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

Sebahagiannya kepada PAS sendiri melalui Kelab Penyokong PAS yang kita tubuhkan di bawah Lajnah Perpaduan Nasional. Apa lagi yang lebih besar selain orang bukan Islam di kalangan bangsa Cina dan India kini tidak lagi takut dan bimbang untuk bersama PAS malah mulai memahami aspirasi perjuangan Islam yang dibawa oleh PAS setelah lebih 50 tahun mereka dimomokkan oleh Umno dan BN bahawa PAS adalah bahaya, parti yang ekstrim, ganas dan pelampau agama.

Apabila tongkat Umno dan BN ini patah, kini mereka mulai kenal tinggi rendahnya langit dari bumi setelah mereka dibelenggu perasaan angkuh dan bongkak di puncak kuasa sejak sekian lama.

HARAKAH: Sokongan bukan Islam terhadap PAS sejak akhir-akhir ini begitu luar biasa hebat. Bagaimana peranan yang dimainkan ulama dengan perkembangan amat positif ini?

Keistimewaan ulama ialah ketakwaan, keikhlasan dan keilmuan mereka. Berasaskan tiga faktor ini ulama telah memimpin gerakan membawa risalah perjuangan dengan cukup meyakinkan.

Bermula dengan maklumat yang disebar secara gigih tanpa jemu melalui penulisan, kuliah, khutbah, ceramah, berhujah di Parlimen atau Dewan Undangan Negeri dan kini melalui blog, laman web atau Facebook, ulama juga tampil dengan syakhsiyah (peribadi) dan watak serta 'skil' kepimpinan yang cukup mempesona dan meyakinkan.

HARAKAH: Ini bermakna rakyat melihat ulama sebagai 'role model' yang dapat menyelamatkan negara?

Ya! Setelah rakyat muak dengan rasuah, gelisah dengan penyelewengan kuasa dan benci dengan keruntuhan moral para pemimpin negara hari ini, para ulama kita dilihat sebagai 'role model' yang boleh menyelamatkan negara dari segala kerendahan aqal dan moral tersebut. Sentuhan spiritual para ulama mengisi kekosongan jiwa rakyat sekalipun dari kalangan non muslim setelah mereka ditinggalkan lompang oleh kerajaan Umno dan BN tanpa pengisian insaniah yang berkesan.

HARAKAH: Setakat ini bagaimana penerimaan Pemuda dan PAS khususnya tentang gerakan Kelab Penyokong PAS yang tumbuh bagai cendawan?

Melalui Lajnah Perpaduan Nasional Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat, kita juga menubuhkan Kelab Penyokong Muda PAS dan ini menunjukkan kita sangat peka dan gembira dengan perkembangan ini. Ia menjadi cabaran baru kepada PAS dalam meluaskan 'coverage' risalah perjuangan yang diperjuangkan oleh parti sejak sekian lama.

Selama ini, orang PAS sering bercakap tentang PAS kepada orang PAS dalam markaz PAS, akhirnya risalah perjuangan ini tidak lepas-lepas! Perkembangan ini membawa PAS menemui semua orang terutamanya 'non muslim' untuk mengenali hati budi dan aqal budaya mereka. Kemudiannya ia meletakkan PAS berjiwa besar untuk memimpin bukan sahaja di kalangan orang PAS tetapi juga rakyat pelbagai lapisan latar belakang agama, bahasa dan bangsa.

HARAKAH: Dalam pilihan raya umum yang lepas, bukan Islam dibenarkan bertanding sebagai proksi PAS. Hingga kini sejauh mana orang bukan Islam boleh bertanding menggunakan tiket atau lambang PAS itu sendiri?

Pengalaman dan suasana semasa yang didepani oleh PAS akan banyak membantu PAS dalam membuat keputusan demi kepentingan perjuangan yang didokong selama mana ia tidak bercanggah dengan kehendak syarak. Untuk meletakkan calon 'non muslim' bertanding menggunakan tiket PAS dalam keadaan tertentu seperti di kawasan majoriti 'non muslim', pada asasnya tidak bercanggah dengan prinsip perjuangan Islam yang didokong oleh PAS selama mana calon tersebut turut sama memberi komitmen untuk mendokong dasar perjuangan PAS.

HARAKAH: Sejauh mana keputusan Majlis Syura memutuskan keahlian bersekutu, ahli bukan Islam dalam PAS?

Untuk soalan ini, saya rasa wajar dihubungi 'direct' pengerusi atau ahli Majlis Syura .

HARAKAH: Berbalik kepada kepimpinan ulama, apakah ustaz berpuas hati dengan penyertaan ulama dalam hiraki kepimpinan PAS Pusat, Pemuda dan juga negeri-negeri?

Masih banyak perkara yang perlu diperbaiki, namun pada asasnya saya sangat berpuas hati. Malah kita mempunyai gandingan yang baik antara tiga unsur kepimpinan parti iaitu ulama, profesional dan aktivis. Cuma saya kurang senang apabila cuba digambarkan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu kononnya berlaku krisis antara ulama dan profesional dalam parti. Sememangnya dua pihak yang berbeza disiplin pengajian dan kerjaya ini akan dilihat berbeza pendekatan dalam banyak keadaan namun parti mempunyai mekanisme tersendiri yang mengurus gaya dan cara kepimpinan secara kolektif.

HARAKAH: Apa sikap Majlis Syura dalam hal ini?

Majlis Syura yang menjadi teraju parti akan terus meletakkan kepimpinan ulama sebagai tonggak kepimpinan kolektif ini. Saya juga mengharapkan ulama yang diberi ruang menyertai hiraki parti walau di mana posisi mereka benar-benar dapat berperanan bagi membukti kemampuan sebenar ulama dalam memimpin. Saya cukup tidak sedap hati kalau orang kata ulama lembab, tidak agresif, tidak peka, tidak pandai berorganisasi dan mengurus.

Apatah lagi, kalau apa yang disebutkan itu ada benarnya, maka para ulama mestilah memastikan mereka benar-benar mampu memikul amanah yang diberi. 'Title' sahaja tidak cukup dalam kita memimpin. Ulama mesti bekerja keras untuk memimpin dan mendokong cita-cita perjuangan agar ulama tidak menjadi bahan sendaan apalagi diperlekehkan.

HARAKAH: Akhir sekali, apakah Pemuda berpuas hati dengan pencapaian 25 tahun kepimpinan ulama dan apakah harapan Pemuda terhadap kepimpinan PAS pada masa depan yang menanti 1001 cabaran?

Kepimpinan yang optimis, senantiasa meletakkan diri mereka tidak berpuas hati terhadap pencapaian sebelum kerana mereka terus akan membina pencapaian yang lebih baik dari masa ke semasa. Kita belajar dari kelemahan dan kekurangan semalam untuk kesempurnaan di hari esok.

Sebagaimana saya sebutkan tadi, masih banyak perkara yang perlu diperbaiki dalam kepimpinan ulama setelah kita melalui tempoh pengalaman 25 tahun kepimpinannya. Apa yang pasti, kepimpinan ulama mesti dipertahankan dan diperkasakan dari masa ke semasa.

Kepimpinan Ulama mesti berkeupayaan menarik keyakinan rakyat dari pelbagai pihak, bukan hanya dari kalangan PAS semata-mata. Ia perlu segera menempatkan diri di tengah-tengah masyarakat terutama saat mereka diperlukan untuk membimbing dan memimpin masyarakat. Kepimpinan yang bersedia untuk memerintah dan mentadbir negara atau negeri, bukan lagi hanya memimpin organisasi, tetapi juga kepimpinan yang mampu merungkai kebuntuan negara dan rakyat dalam berhadapan dengan pelbagai polemik kehidupan pada zaman moden ini.

Justeru itu, kepimpinan ulama masa depan yang kita perlukan ialah kepimpinan yang mampu dan berani berijtihad, tangkas menangani isu, cepat bertindak dan menjadi kepimpinan yang memimpin bukan kepimpinan yang dipimpin.