Monday 28 May 2012

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, How Dumb and Ignorant Can You Be on Malaysia's Commitment to UNCAC

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The Scorpene scandal and the long arm of the law

by


WHEN it comes to an issue like corruption, nations have long since accepted that it cannot be combated single-handedly.  A significant milestone in cooperation was when the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) in New York passed the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on 31 Oct 2003.

Shortly after, Malaysia signed the UNCAC on 9 Dec 2003.  The UNCAC came into force on 14 Dec 2005. We then ratified it on 24 Sept 2008.

As a party to the UNCAC, how well do our government ministers understand Malaysia’s obligations under this international treaty and local laws on international cooperation on criminal matters?

 Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s recent snubbing of the inquiry by a French court into the Scorpene submarines scandal suggest ignorance, at the very least.

Scorpène Class Malaysian Navy submarine "Tun Razak" in the shipyard of Navantia-Cartagena (Spain) few days prior to its delivery. (© Outissnn | Wiki Commons)
Scorpène Class Malaysian Navy submarine "Tun Razak" in the shipyard of Navantia-Cartagena (Spain) few days prior to its delivery.

How UNCAC works

Under the UNCAC, state parties agree to cooperate with one another in every aspect of the fight against corruption, including prevention, investigation, and the prosecution of offenders. State parties are bound to render specific forms of mutual legal assistance in gathering and transferring evidence for use in court and to extradite offenders. 

There is a provision whereby state parties that do not have extradition treaties with each other may use their common membership of the UNCAC as the basis for any extradition request. They are also required to undertake measures which will support the tracing, freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of corruption.

Another over-arching trend in the international fight against transboundary issues is universal jurisdiction. A country can bring to trial and prosecute in that country, those accused of having committed a crime in another country. 

An area relatively new to Malaysia, we are only beginning to adopt universal jurisdiction through recent amendments to Section 4 of the Penal Code. This expands the scope of extraterritorial offences to include damage to property belonging to, or operated, or controlled, not just by a Malaysian federal or state government, but also to a Malaysian company or individual located outside Malaysia.

 This addresses our lack of laws to prosecute offences such as the hijacking of a Malaysian privately-owned (but foreign-flagged) ship by Somali pirates in international waters.

Ignorance or lack of political will?

Image of Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Zahid Hamidi 

Bearing this in mind, Ahmad Zahid’s response to the possibility of being subpoenaed to appear in a French court to answer questions about the Scorpene affair is surprising for a number of reasons. France is also a signatory to the UNCAC, having signed it on 9 Dec 2003, and ratifying it on 11 July 2005.

The investigation by the French courts into allegations of transboundary corruption in the purchase of two Scorpene submarines by Malaysia would be precisely the kind of issue that UNCAC and universal jurisdiction are intended to address. By ratifying the treaty, Malaysia has signified to the world our willingness to submit to an international framework of cooperation in this regard. 

The Defence Minister’s comments, then, seem totally out of line with our international obligations.
Ahmad Zahid reportedly said, “Why should I appear?  I am not a witness!  If I appear, who will pay for my expenses?  I don’t want to use my money and the government’s money.”

In so doing, he clearly revealed his lack of familiarity with the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2002.  Part II of this Act deals with requests to Malaysia by foreign governments. In particular, Section 27 of the Act deals with requests for attendance of a particular person in another country to give evidence or assist in a criminal matter there.  

Malaysia’s Attorney-General can be requested by foreign authorities to arrange for the person to attend such proceedings. Section 19 specifically requires the Attorney-General to confirm that “allowances” and “arrangements for security and accommodation for the person” are to be made by the requesting foreign authorities.

So really, Ahmad Zahid need not worry about spending his own money or that of the Malaysian Government. France would pick up the bill, merci beaucoup.

Ahmad Zahid’s own ignorance aside, Malaysia’s attitude towards the Scorpene probe is also an issue of political will. 

Even though France is not a “prescribed foreign State” pursuant to Section 17 of the Act, Section 18 of the Act allows the Attorney-General to give special direction in writing for the Act to apply to that state. There is room for ad-hoc cooperation with France, if the Attorney-General recommends it and if the minister in charge of law agrees.

International perception

Malaysia could still refuse to entertain a request from France and would have grounds to do so in Section 20 of the Act.  These include:
  • Section 20(1)(g): the facts constituting the offence to which the request relates does not indicate an offence of sufficient gravity;
  • Section 20(1)(h): the thing requested for is of insufficient importance to the investigation or could reasonably be obtained by other means;
  • Section 20(1)(i): the provision of the assistance would affect the sovereignty, security, public order or other essential public interest of Malaysia.
However, Malaysia should be cautious of how a refusal would be perceived by the international community in such a high-profile case. Care must be taken not to give a wrong impression.

No doubt, the Act contains complex provisions which include the voluntariness of a witness to travel to another country to assist in a criminal probe. The details of the Act’s provisions are beyond the scope of this article but suffice to say, the Minister of Defence should not have been so quick and glib in his reaction. 

Provisions do exist in Malaysian law to send him for an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris.  He should seek legal advice. 

Had he done so, he might have not been so glib again with his latest reaction — “Who are they to issue a warrant of arrest? We are not subjected to French laws.”

‘Red notice’ option
 
There is still the possibility that France could request countries, with which it has a mutual assistance in criminal matters agreement, to detain Ahmad Zahid and deliver him to Paris. 

This could happen should Ahmad Zahid travel to any such country or to any country which is a member of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. No doubt he would then have to fight it, just as, under different circumstances, Julian Assange is currently fighting his extradition from the United Kingdom to Sweden.

It is open for the French courts, if Ahmad Zahid refuses to answer a subpoena, to upgrade that subpoena to an international warrant of arrest, and to seek the assistance of Interpol to effect it.  

This is known as a “red notice”.  Whether the French would actually do that is a tale for another time. 

Sunday 27 May 2012

BOYCOTT "SEKINCHAN IKAN BAKAR" RESTAURANTS

BOYCOTT Sekinchan Ikan Bakar

 for Ambiga's sake

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 This is one of the hoodlums that had threaten a pasar malam outside Datuk Ambiga's house. 

You can see him painting the yellow lines on the road outside her house in the pictures (see below)

Datuk Jamal Md  Yunus

Photobucket
OWNER OF
SEKINCHAN IKAN BAKAR  RESTAURANTS


This is one of the hoodlums that had threaten a pasar malam outside Datuk Ambiga's house. You can see him painting the yellow lines on the road outside her house in the pictures (see below)


Photobucket
BOYCOTT his business! 

We do not need to eat Ikan Bakar at his outlets to survive but see whether he can survive without business patronage from the good supporters of Datuk Ambiga! 

You reap what you sow! Show support for Datuk Ambiga and BERSIH! BOYCOTT SEKINCHAN IKAN BAKAR! 

P.S. I wonder whether the Income Tax fellows know that ikan bakar business can be so lucrative that one can afford driving Ferraris and other sports cars from it!

 Or is he one of the privileged UMNO cronies receiving "favours" from a munificent UMNO! Sekinchan ikan bakar 

 The owner of the above restaurant outlet is the bloody moron who proposes to organize a pasar malam in front of Datuk Ambiga's house.

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Recollections of the Other History of Independence of Malaysia: 63rd Anniversary of the Formation of Regimen-10 (Tentera Pembebasan Nasional Malaya)

REJIMEN KE-10 TPNM

Artikel oleh Mat Amin

 Read here for more in "Kini Dan Silam" 

Hari ini pada 63 tahun yang lalu, tepatnya pada 21 Mei 1949, Rejimen Ke-10 telah dirasmikan di hutan Kerdau Daerah Temerloh, Pahang. 

Rejimen Ke-10 adalah sebuah pasukan gerila Melayu, terdiri dari putera puteri kaum buruh dan tani Melayu yang inginkan kemerdekaan penuh tanah air dan pembebasan rakyat.

Bapa Abdullah C.D. seorang anggota KMM (Kesatuan Melayu Muda) dan anggota Jawatankuasa Pusat PKMM (Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya) adalah penaja dan pemimpin pasukan ini dari awal sampai akhir. 

Berikut adalah petikan tulisan Abdullah CD berkenaan penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10.
 
Penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10

Rejimen Ke-10 adalah sebuah pasukan Melayu Tentera Pembebasan Nasional Malaya.

Rancangan untuk mendirikan pasukan gerila Melayu telah dirancang dan diperbincangkan dalam Sekolah Parti Kem Se-Malaya pada pertengahan Jun 1948 (lihat bab 35).

Mengikut rancangan asal, di Temerloh akan didirikan satu kompeni dipimpin Kamarulzaman Teh, satu kompeni di Jerantut dipimpin Rashid Maidin dan saya mendirikan satu kompeni di Benta. Akan tetapi, apabila Kamarulzaman dan Rashid Maidin ditangkap, semuanya telah berubah. Saya ditugaskan untuk menggantikan Kamarulzaman memimpin pasukan di Temerloh.
Abdullah C.D.

Masa penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10 tidaklah dirancang dari awal atau boleh juga dikatakan secara kebetulan sahaja. Ketika itu, saya sedang memimpin Platun 1 bergerak di Jerantut. Chen Nan mengirim surat melalui utusan meminta saya pulang ke Kerdau untuk bermesyuarat. Saya bertolak meninggalkan Platun 1 ke Kerdau bersama beberapa orang pengawal. Dalam perjalanan pulang, saya melalui Gong. Massa Tionghua di situ menghadiahkan saya sedikit sumbu badak (tanduk badak sumbu). Mengikut keterangannya ia menjadi ubat yang paling baik untuk pelbagai penyakit.

Sepeninggalan saya, dalam Platun 1 timbul pertentangan antara orang Jerantut dengan orang Temerloh. Orang Jerantut di wakili Wan Ali mahu pertahankan Jerantut manakala orang Temerloh diwakili Budin mahu pertahankan Temerloh. Kerana pertentangan itu, orang Temerloh dalam Platun 1 juga bertolak balik ke Kerdau mengekori saya dari belakang. Tak lama saya tiba di Kerdau, mereka juga sampai.

Dalam pada itu, satu platun di bawah pimpinan Musa Ahmad dan Wahi Anuar telah diserang tentera British. Dalam pertempuran itu Wahi berpecah dengan pasukan. Komander Platun, Hasan sangat marah terhadap Wahi. Hasan akhirnya memimpin platunnya pulang ke Kerdau. Dalam masa yang sama Wahi dan Musa yang berpecah dari pasukan juga tiba di Kerdau. Jadi secara tidak dirancang, kami semua telah berkumpul di Kerdau.

Kerana kami semua sudah berkumpul, Chen Nan mengadakan perbincangan dengan kami iaitu saya, Musa dan Wahi untuk mendirikan Rejimen Ke-10. Kebetulan pula hari yang kami tetapkan itu ialah tanggal 21 Mei 1949.

Rejimen Ke-10 dirasmikan dalam suatu perayaan yang penuh khidmat dan meriah. Perayaan itu dihadiri oleh Chen Nan, 3 orang pimpinan bahagian Melayu iaitu saya, Wahi dan Musa bersama 2 platun pasukan asas (Platun 1 dan Platun 3). Selain itu terdapat Kompeni Khas Rejimen Ke-6 di bawah pimpinan Hong Yi dan satu kompeni pasukan Tionghua yang baru datang dari Raub, kira-kira 200 orang semuanya.

Chen Nan selaku wakil Jawatankuasa Pusat mengisytiharkan berdirinya Rejimen Ke-10 TPNM dan menyampaikan ucapan. Yang penting ditegaskannya ialah Rejimen Ke-10 adalah tentera Melayu - dari komander hingga ke perajuritnya terdiri daripada putera puteri terpuji bangsa Melayu; Rejimen Ke-10 adalah lambang kemegahan kaum tani Melayu yang luas.

Kemudian saya membuat ucapan, pokoknya menyatakan keazaman pasukan Melayu untuk teguh berjuang demi kemerdekaan ibu pertiwi, memikul harapan nusa dan bangsa khasnya membangkitkan kaum tani yang luas untuk kemerdekaan tanah air dan pembebasan nasional. Sebagai pasukan tentera rakyat kami haruslah tegas mematuhi disiplin TPNM.

Johan telah mempersembahkan 2 lagu berentak march bertajuk TENTERA PEMBEBASAN NASIONAL dan BARISAN GERILA MALAYA. Lagu itu dipersembahkan dengan gaya yang amat menarik. 2 buah lagu ini menjadi lagu rasmi Rejimen Ke-10. Johan adalah seorang pejuang internasionalis dari Indonesia.

Badan pimpinan Rejimen Ke-10 pokoknya berdasarkan ketetapan di dalam persidangan kader di Sekolah Parti Kem Se-Malaya, cuma sedikit perubahan kerana Kamarulzaman dan Rashid Maidin masih di dalam penjara:
  • Komisar Politik Abdullah CD
  • Panglima Wahi Anuar
  • Pegawai Politik Musa Ahmad
Sebelum Rejimen Ke-10 didirikan, PKM telah mendirikan  Ke-9 rejimen TPNM, asasnya ialah 8 Rejimen Pasukan Tentera Anti-Jepun Rakyat Malaya yang dibubarkan apabila tamat Perang Dunia Kedua.

Ke-9 Rejimen TPNM tersebut didirikan semula setelah penjajah British mengisytiharkan Undang-Undang Darurat pada pertengahan Jun 1948
.

Pada 1 Februari 1949, PKM merasmikan Markas Agung TPNM atau Malaya National Liberation Army (MNLA). Sejak itu berbagai pasukan gerila anti-British disatukan di bawah Markas Agung TPNM.

Rejimen Ke-10 yang dirasmikan pada 21 Mei 1949
, masih peringkat dalam buaian. Tapi dengan adanya sokongan dan bantuan yang kuat dari kaum tani yang luas dan bantuan pasukan sesaudara, pasukan Rejimen Ke-10 telah tertempa dalam api perang.

Sebagai salah sebuah pasukan Tentera Pembebasan Nasional Malaya, Rejimen Ke-10 harus dengan teguh mematuhi 4 Asas Disiplin dan 10 Fasal Perhatian tentera iaitu:

EMPAT ASAS DISIPLIN

1. Segala tindakan patuh kepada perintah;
2. Tidak mengambil sebatang jarum atau seutas benang pun dari massa;
3. Sebarang rampasan perang harus dirasmikan;
4. Dengan ketat menyimpan rahsia tentera.

SEPULUH FASAL PERHATIAN

1. Pertuturan hendaklah ramah tamah;
2. Berjual beli harus adil;
3. Barang-barang yang dipinjam harus dikembalikan;
4. Ganti kerugian barang-barang yang dirosakkan;
5. Rumah-rumah yang ditumpangi harus dibersihkan;
6. Menghormati adat resam;
7. Jangan memukul atau memaki orang;
8. Jangan merosaki tanaman;
9. Jangan berlaku tidak senonoh terhadap wanita;
10. Jangan menganiayai tawanan perang.


Di samping itu, kerana keistimewaan Rejimen Ke-10 terdiri dari orang Melayu, Markas Agung menetapkan songkok khas berbintang lima yang boleh digunakan untuk sembahyang.

Manifesto Penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10

Selepas dirasmikan penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10, pejabat penerbitan yang dikendalikan oleh satu regu khas di dalam hutan telah mencetak MANIFESTO PENUBUHAN REJIMEN KE-10 dan diedarkan ke serata tempat.

Perisytiharan penubuhan Rejimen Ke-10 telah menggemparkan penjajah British dan memberangsangkan massa rakyat.
Pasukan gerila Melayu di berbagai negeri merasa sangat terdorong kerananya. Kaum tani di merata tempat di Pahang menghantar putera puteri mereka yang tersayang memasuki Rejimen Ke-10 untuk meneruskan perjuangan bangsa Melayu menghalau penjajah British. Mereka telah memberikan sokongan dan menjadi sandaran penting bagi Rejimen Ke-10. Oleh itu, Rejimen Ke-10 benar-benar bintang harapan petani Melayu yang luas.

Saya mendapat laporan dari organisasi bawah tanah dan unit pasukan bersenjata Melayu di beberapa negeri bahawa pasukan-pasukan Melayu di Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka dan Kedah sangat terberangsang setelah mendapat berita berdirinya Rejimen Ke-10. Mereka menghantar tahniah dan ada yang memohon menyertai pasukan Rejimen Ke-10.
Pada tahun 1950, Jawatankuasa Pusat PKM dan Markas Agung TPNM membuat penyusunan semula menetapkan pasukan bersenjata Melayu di berbagai negeri diletakkan di bawah riayah Rejimen Ke-10 di samping bekerjasama dengan organisasi Parti di negeri masing-masing.
- Abdullah CD

Dr Mahathir, So how can a Malay lose power when it’s another Malay replacing the UMNO reject?

Dr Mahathir and the selling of Oxymoronicracy

by

 Sakmongkol AK47

Read here for more

 Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reiterated his advice for Umno leaders to discard self-interest and acts of sabotage to ensure a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in the next general election.

 
There are two things that stuck out as very sore thumbs in the above statement. Both are never the hallmarks of UMNO. Indeed if they are practised, UMNO ceases to be UMNO. They are the elimination of self –interest and absence of acts of sabotage. Asking UMNO people not to sabotage and to disown personal interest is like asking a camel to go through the needle hole. 
 
Dr Mahathir does not only walk on water- he is also the chief spokesman of oxymoronicracy. 
 
Since the creation of UMNO Baru in 1988, every UMNO leader who has assumed the mantle of leadership has been motivated by self-interests. What’s more, they are motivated by the desire to perpetuate the self-interests, where self-preservation is top of the list. It will be interesting to investigate these fellers bank account when they are no longer in power. 
 
Sabotaging is second nature to UMNO people- by incumbents who are no longer chosen to stand or by aspiring candidates scheming and plotting to overthrow incumbents. What is absent from UMNO ? - A sense of purpose and a cause to fight for. So if we want an example of oxymoronicracy- Dr Mahathir is its foremost spokesman. 
 
Let’s dissect the substance behind the statement by Dr Mahathir in Jitra the other day. What do we make of this statement? 
 
This is a clear sign that all is not well in UMNO.  He has to reiterate. He has to remind. Someone asked me- the same question I posed some time ago, if UMNO is in dire straits, doesn’t that mean easy defeat of them?  So why bother writing about UMNO? Just ignore them. Let them destroy themselves by their won devices.
 
No can do. We write about UMNO to speed its demise. To hasten its exit from the seat of power so that the real interests of the people are taken care of. We bash UMNO because it has something that we want. Power to do good as opposed power having done evil. We are not power crazy, but we want to take away power from crazy people. 
 
All UMNO leaders and ministers are replaceable. Who can do worse than them? If Najib can become PM, this means anyone can too.
 
Now, Mahathir the man who I described as one who can walk on water- is giving out unsolicited advice. I am not sure if anyone cares to listen to him nowadays. He has contradicted himself so many times. During an interview with BBC, the interviewer read from a speech Dr Mahathir once spoke from; quoting passages from that speech, Dr Mahathir can cavalierly deny he said that.  He said that with a straight-face. Dr Mahathir is utterly honest even when he is lying.  Now that is an oxymoron. 
 
The polygraph machine doesn’t work on Dr Mahathir. Wasn’t he the one who was the chief saboteur to UMNO doing whatever he can to unseat Pak Lah? He even left UMNO as it was preparing for elections. 
 
Other than Dr Siti Hasmah, his constant companion is Ibrahim Ali. But then Ibrahim Ali’s most noticeable personal trait is his sycophancy. Ibrahim is a perennial rival to PAS’s Mat Sabu. The latter says while it’s true he isn’t good looking as Shahrukh Khan, he is a little handsomer than Ibrahim Ali. But Mat Sabu doesn’t know Ibrahim’s portrait is a best seller with padi farmers. His portrait, when placed at strategic points in padi fields scare the living daylights out of pesky birds, rodents and other pests. 
 
Just a little diversion folks. Let’s get back to the main issue. 
 
Dr Mahathir is back to the scare tactics for which he is an accomplished master. The intent of his exhortations and pleadings are clear- Malaysia is finished without UMNO and Malays are finished without UMNO. Nothing can be farther from the truth. 
 
When the Congress Party of India was defeated, that didn’t stop India from growing further, when LDP( Japan’s UMNO) lost, the Japanese rushed forward without missing a heartbeat. When Indonesia’s UMNO( Golkar) lost, Indonesia appeared to be placed on a better footing. UMNO and Malaysia is no exception. Malaysia does not depend on UMNO to survive and Malays can dispense with UMNO. 
 
We can’t depend on a party whose very future in turn depends on another person’s asshole. We can’t depend on a party whose survival depends on the continued peddling of pornographic material in the media. We can’t stake our future on a party led by a Larry Flynt. (He is the owner of the Hustler Magazine).  A most memorable quote from Larry Flynt:- wherever there is a scandal, we try to get involved. That’s UMNO for you. 
 
Now you have people like Ustazah Umi Hafilda, Ezam Mat Nor, Hassan Aqidah Ali and Zul Nordin fighting for UMNO’s cause. The dirty job by dirty people. 
 
He just doesn’t get it- people don’t want the continuation of BN administration in the country. People see BN as the perpetrator of empty promises, people see BN as the abuser of power. BN especially UMNO is the embodiment of corruption and deceit. UMNO is no longer the preferred choice as the political platform to advance the cause of the greater good. 
 
And his scariest statement of all- defeat of Umno would be akin to the Malays losing power in their own country. How can Malays lose power? If UMNO loses, the people replacing them will be other Malays. If Najib loses in Pekan, the person who defeats him is Malay. So how can a Malay lose power when it’s another Malay replacing the UMNO reject? 
 
Let’s take on Dr Mahathir in what he says? What are the elements that make up the constitution of the Malay? His religion? No one disturbs his religion. It’s enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution. It’s therefore protected by the laws of the land which no one challenges. DAP accepts that. Islam is the official religion. The position of Islam doesn’t therefore depend on the existence of UMNO. It’s protected not by UMNO but by the Constitution of Malaysia.
 
Is there anyone threatening the use of Malay language?  It’s accepted as the official language. We know language is an integral part of the Malay people. No one in their right frame of mind is against the use of the Malay language. 
 
The main ingredients that constitute the Malay- his language, his religion and his cultural make-up including the institution of the Malay rulers are protected by the laws of the land. They are not protected by UMNO. Whoever comes after UMNO are not going to disturb the provisions of the laws of the land. 
 
Just remember this – in 2004 when the Malaysian peoples gave Abdullah Badawi UMNO’s greatest victory, the people were actually rejoicing at the exit of Mahathir. Its downhill for UMNO ever since. That victory has proven to be the pride before the inevitable fall.

Monday 7 May 2012

UMNO's Gutter Politics: Using an Opposition Leader's Mother for Political Point-Scoring

LEAVE MY MUM ALONE, UMNO TOLD

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 Responding to the interview of his mother Che Tom Yahaya in Umno-linked TV channel TV3 over the weekend, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali wants Umno to stop dragging her into its dirty politics.

Unfazed by the onslaught against his personal life, Azmin (below) pledged to fight against the “ugly politics” nourished by Umno and its media.

azmin ali parliament pc 240609“I call on media not to disturb my mother and Umno not to drag my mother into Umno’s dirty and disgusting politics.Family institution including family relationships should be harmonised and not disgraced in the media,” he said in a statement today.

“I always love and care for my mother and father. I still pray that my mother always remains in the protection of Allah, receives His mercy and in good health.

“I still love and respect my mother. I am also thankful to be awarded a wife, Shida, who is loyal, and children who understand this noble struggle,” he said.

Despite the slander from Umno, Azmin stressed that he will focus on his duty as PKR’s election director to face the 13th general election.

In the past one week, Azmin has been the target of character assassination by Umno’s media.

One FB-owner commented:

 A dastardly act by an UMNO-owned TV. It is simply unbelievable that this UMNO-led Govt could even allow itself to STOOP SO LOW to bring a MOTHER of an Opposition MP to front the TV to score political points. Any decent Malaysian who values the integrity of the family-institution will find this action as UNACCEPTABLE on ANY account.

PM Najib and Rais Yatim must stand fully responsible for this unacceptable behavior. This is a ruling party which had been in Govt for over 50 years and acted without a decent conscience. Truly, THIS Govt is scrapping the bottom of the barrel to remain in power.

Surely, it remains to be asked: Do the ruling parties of the day deserve to be still in Govt- for bringing in the mother of a Opposition political leader to score political points? I just can't believe it, for a Govt which aims to be a civilised and developed nation by 2020 among the international community, to allow this to happen at all.

Disgusting, to say the least!!!!!