Zaid ‘happy’ that Dr M quit Umno

Former Umno minister says the Malay community can now look to Mahathir in their search for a new political party.

PETALING JAYA: Zaid Ibrahim is “delighted” former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has quit Umno.

“I’m so happy. The Malays now will now look to Tun M in their search for a new political party that will serve the interests of the Malays and all Malaysians,” the former law minister told FMT.

Saifuddin Abdullah, who defected to PKR last year, also welcomed Mahathir’s decision.




Saifuddin, who was previously the deputy higher education minister, hoped that this time, Mahathir’s decision was done with the desire to bring down the Umno-BN government so comprehensive reforms could be implemented.

DAP’s Hannah Yeoh, meanwhile, tweeted that Mahathir stepping down would usher in the dawn of a “weaker Umno”.

Earlier today, Mahathir announced that he was leaving Umno as a sign of protest against the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He also accused Umno of being dedicated to protecting Najib.




-FMT NEWS-

Special MH370 session to be held in Parliament in March

No memorial service will be held but members of Parliament will deliver commemorative speeches, says Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will not be holding any memorial service for the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) MH370 which disappeared two years ago, except for a special session during the opening of Parliament sitting in March.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said at the Parliament session, members would be speaking to commemorate the incident.

“At the start of Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker will announce the item and invite members of Parliament to give commemorative speeches.”

He said this to reporters after performing the ground-breaking for a new block of Sekolah Tinggi Persendirian Chong Hwa, here, today.




The aircraft was carrying 239 passengers and crew when it went missing from radar screens while on a flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014.

It has yet to be found although massive search operations were conducted in the southern Indian Ocean, the place it is believed to have ended after diverting from its original route.

On July 29 last year, a flaperon found on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, was sent to France for analysis.

On August 6 last year, Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed the flaperon belonged to MH370.
— BERNAMA

-FMT NEWS-

Dr M wants to form core group, tells Muhyiddin to quit

He says the core group will comprise leaders from across the political divide.


PUTRAJAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad has mooted the formation of a “core group”, comprising leaders from all across the political divide wishing to see the country free from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s grasp.

Mahathir, who today announced his resignation from Umno, or as he called it “Najib party”, said the next step would be for all those who shared similar goals of ousting Najib to stand united.

“People are voicing the same opinion on different occasions, separately, and people are confused.

“We need to have a core group with a single objective.

“So if anyone wants to consult or object (to matters related to Najib), they can do so with this group which will also represent citizens who want to get rid of him,” he added at a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here today.




When asked if he would be the one leading the group, the former premier said: “I am not leading, but I will be one of the members.”

Mahathir also expressed hope that suspended Umno Deputy President Muhyiddin Yassin would follow suit and leave the ruling party to join the core group.

Moments prior to Mahathir’s announcement, he and several members of the opposition pact were involved in a closed-door meeting where they all agreed that Najib needs to go.

Among those in attendance were Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli, Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Batu MP Tian Chua.






-FMT NEWS-

Dr M keluar UMNO? Najib ukir senyuman

Najib tidak mahu menjawab soalan yang diacukan wartawan, berlalu pergi dengan senyuman terukir di wajah.

KUALA LUMPUR: Riak wajah tidak mengkhianati mahupun mendedahkan perasaan sebenar Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak ketika ditanya mengenai tindakan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad keluar parti.

Dikerumuni pemberita seusai satu majlis pelancaran buku di Hotel Royale Chulan, pahlawan Bugis itu sekadar tersenyum, dan kemudiannya berlalu pergi tanpa sebarang reaksi lain.

Sebelum itu, pembantu peribadi kepada Najib memaklumkan majikannya tidak akan menjawab sebarang soalan namun para pemberita mahu mencuba nasib.




Najib di majlis pelancaran buku yang dirasmikan oleh Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi – yang berjaya digulingkan oleh Tun Mahathir – mendeklamasikan sepucuk sajak “Coretan Empat Dekad”.

Sajaknya itu membawa hadirin menelusuri kerjaya politik dirinya sejak empat dekad lalu, termasuk nasihat yang dipesan kepada oleh bapanya, Tun Abdul Razak.

“”Tidak pernah ku tinggalkan parti keramat UMNO, ayahanda berpesan agar jagalah parti, dan padaku pula tiada yang lebih besar maknanya dari berkhidmat pada rakyat” tutur Najib.

Buku “Najib Berjiwa Besar: Empat Dekad Menongkah Arus Kepimpinan dan Politik (1976-kini)” menyentuh kerjaya politik Najib dan dikarang penasihatnya, Dr Khairil Jusoh.

Turut hadir di majlis itu, isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah; Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir; Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai dan timbalan, Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi; serta Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed dan timbalan, Datuk Ahmad Maslan.




-fmt news-

Muhyiddin lebih baik tutup mulut

Kalau kenyataan Muhyiddin tidak dapat merungkai atau menyelesaikan apa-apa kecuali tambah mengelirukan, lebih baik beliau tutup mulut sahaja.

Pergantungan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin daripada jawatan Timbalan Presiden UMNO mengundang ketidakpuasan hati dalam kalangan penyokong beliau, termasuk mereka yang merasakan proses tersebut sebagai tidak adil.

Kebanyakan orang yang mengikuti perkembangan politik pula sudah boleh menduga langkah ini daripada Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Apalah sangat jawatan Timbalan Presiden UMNO jika jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri pun boleh ditarik balik. UMNO, Melayu dan Johor ternyata ada hubungan rapat, namun ia tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa untuk Muhyiddin sejak digugurkan daripada jawatan nombor dua negara.




Sekarang tinggal Muhyiddin sebagai ahli Parlimen Pagoh (menggunakan tiket UMNO) dan ahli UMNO yang mana beliau sendiri pernah akui enggan meninggalkan parti Melayu itu.

Siapapun tidak mungkin lupa kata-kata Muhyiddin, “I am a Malay first” apabila dicabar oleh Lim Kiat Siang untuk menyatakan sama ada dirinya adalah ‘Malay first’ atau ‘Malaysian first’. Jadi, tidak mungkinlah Muhyiddin sanggup menggadaikan keanggotaanya sebagai ahli UMNO yang memperjuangkan keMelayuan walaupun dihimpit dengan pelbagai dilema politik dalam UMNO.

Namun, sejak beliau membuat pelbagai kenyataan yang kontra dengan Najib berkenaan syarikat pelaburan negara 1MDB hingga yang terbaru mengenai wang dalam akaun peribadi Najib dan SRC International, beliau dilihat belum membuat satu keputusan politik yang kukuh atau konsisten.




Ini kerana, jika Muhyiddin benar-benar mahu membuat pendedahan dan menyelamatkan negara ini, saya percaya ia boleh dilakukan secara berhemah dan mengikut prosedur. Tetapi lain pula ceritanya apabila Muhyiddin bertindak ‘melepaskan’ satu per satu tiap kali berdepan dengan situasi genting.

Ia boleh dilihat sejak hari pertama beliau ‘menyerang’ Najib, setiap kali Perdana Menteri bertindak, Muhyiddin memulakan serangannya, ini termasuk selepas digugurkan daripada jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri hingga digantung sebagai Timablan Presiden UMNO.

Selepas satu aksi (tindakan) oleh Najib, Muhyiddin tampil dengan reaksi (respon) dan saya berpendapat ia bukanlah pendekatan yang sepatutnya digunakan oleh seorang ahli politik yang berpengalaman. Kami tidak mahukan reaksi kepada setiap aksi tetapi penyelesaian. We dont want reaction to every action, we want solution!

Namun, apa yang dilakukan oleh Muhyiddin pula lebih membuatkan semua orang khususnya orang awam tertanya-tanya status sebenar skandal tersebut.




Jangan tutup buka, tutup buka dan tutup buka sesuatu perkara. Kalau benar anda tahu sesuatu ia sepatutnya didedahkan kepada pihak berwajib ketika penyiasatan dilakukan. Inikan tidak, setiap perkataan yang keluar daripada Muhyiddin dilihat sebagai bersifat ‘reaksi’ sahaja.

Oleh itu, kalau benarlah Muhyiddin atau mana-mana pihak tahu perkara sebenar, sila buat pengakuan kepada pihak yang sepatutnya dan usah tampil dengan kenyataan yang mengelirukan masyarakat. Cakap sekejap, selepas tu terus diam seribu bahasa. Ia juga menyebabkan pelbagai spekulasi dan andaian oleh pelbagai pihak. Kalau kesannya hanya pada UMNO, BN tidak mengapa tetapi apa yang berlaku sekarang ialah kepada seluruh negara!

Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai ada berkata bahawa rakyat Malaysia tidak mahu terbeban dengan polemik politik. Malah beliau akui kita perlukan sebuah kerajaan yang stabil bagi memajukan ekonomi, khususnya dalam situasi mencabar sekarang. Itu juga hasrat saya dan saya percaya seluruh rakyat.




-FMT NEWS-

Nazri: Saya pertahankan Muhyiddin daripada dipecat

Nazri dedah MT UMNO mahu Muhyiddin dipecat dan Mahathir, Shafie dan Mukhriz dikenakan tindakan tegas.

KUALA LUMPUR: Ramai ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) UMNO mahukan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dipecat daripada parti, kata Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Nazri mendedahkan bahawa mesyuarat MT Umno Jumaat lalu berlangsung agak lama kerana ahlinya membincangkan setegas mana tindakan yang harus dikenakan bukan sahaja kepada Muhyiddin, malah kepada beberapa rakan beliau.

Menteri Pelancongan itu yang telah mengusulkan agar Muhyiddin hanya digantung jawatan menyatakan beliau tegas dengan permintaan beliau yang setimpal dengan kesalahannya.




“Kalau saya tak cerita di bawah (orang akan spekulasi) macam-macam. Dua jam (ambil masa) hendak bincang (kerana) ramai nak pecat dia. Ada kata kenapa gantung sahaja. Kenapa tak pecat terus? Itu yang sampai dua jam tu. Bukan kerana tak setuju dengan (usul) saya. Biar orang luar faham. Orang ingat ada orang membangkang (tindakan ke atas Muhyiddin).

“Tapi saya pertahankan usul saya. Saya kata usul saya (adalah) kerana dia (Muhyiddin) tak menjalankan tugas dia (sebagai timbalan presiden),” kata beliau dalam wawancara bersama FMT semalam.

Jumaat lepas, Setiausaha Agung UMNO, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor mengumumkan MT UMNO sebulat suara menggantung Muhyiddin sehingga pemilihan parti berikutnya selepas gagal membantu presiden parti.

Mesyuarat dua jam yang berlangsung tanpa kehadiran presiden, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, pengganti Muhyiddin, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Muhyiddin sendiri dan rakannya Naib Presiden, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal menjadi tajuk perdebatan di media sosial.

Nazri, ahli MT yang setia dan lantang turut mendedahkan Umno turut mahu mengambil tindakan terhadap rakan subahat Muhyiddin, iaitu Shafie, bekas Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir serta bekas presiden Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad setelah mendapat aduan daripada ahli UMNO.




Malah Nazri mendakwa jawatankuasa displin UMNO telah mengutus surat kepada MT kerana tidak sanggup untuk mendengar kes tersebut kerana melibatkan ahli parti berprofil tinggi.

“Sebab, pertama sekali pada hari itu kalau nak ambil tindakan tegas bukan terhadap dia (Muhyiddin) sahaja. Shafie pun, Mahathir pun, Mukhriz pun. Hari itu kita hanya bercakap tentang Muhyiddin. Dan sebenarnya memang ada aduan terhadap Muhyiddin, Shafie, Mukhriz, Mahathir dan beberapa lagi untuk dihadapkan ke Jawatankuasa Displin. Tapi Jawatankuasa Displin tulis surat kepada MT, kerana orang-orang ni besar. Yang kita nak bincang ni Timbalan Presiden, Naib Presiden, yang ketika itu menteri besar, bekas presiden. Jadi mereka tak sanggup buat.

“Ketika itu yang jadi hangat soal Muhyiddin, jadi kita tak bincanglah. Jadi yang lain tu mesti ada dossier (fail dan dokumen) dia, kesalahan dia. Muhyiddin tu senang. Kita gantung jawatan dia. Itu sahaja,”





-FMT NEWS-

Mahathir quits Umno

He says it is in protest against the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak. 

PUTRAJAYA: Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has quit Umno as a sign of protest against the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

“I want to leave Umno because it is no longer Umno,” he said.

“It is a party dedicated to protecting Najib.

“The policies implemented are to ensure Najib remains as PM and as a result, Malaysia is going through a very bad period. Our economy  is down and while our per capita income may have increased a bit in ringgit terms, the devaluation of the ringgit has had a very bad effect on the economy.

“I can’t be a member of such a party,” he said at a press conference today.

Mahathir joined Umno in the 1940s and became Umno Kedah chairman in 1959.

He won the Kota Setar Selatan seat in 1964.

He was sacked from Umno in 1969 by then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, following which he wrote the book, The Malay Dilemma.

He rejoined  Umno in 1972 and was appointed senator by Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein.

He was elected Kubang Pasu MP and was appointed Minister of Education in 1974.

In 1975, he was elected as one of the vice-presidents of Umno and was made the acting deputy president and promoted to Deputy Prime Minister after the death of Razak in 1976.

Subsequently, he became prime minister  five years later at the age of 56, after Hussein Onn stepped down on July 17, 1981.

Mahathir stepped down in 2003 after 22 years as Prime Minister.

He  was a vocal critic of his anointed successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and resigned from the party for the first time in 2008. This is the second time he has resigned from the party.

At the same press conference Mahathir also announced the resignation of his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali from Umno.

“My wife has also left Umno.” he said.

Mahathir said he would be sending a letter to the party to formally announce his resignation.

-FMT NEWS-

RON95 at RM1.60, RON97 RM1.95, diesel unchanged in March

Petron Petrol Dealers Association president Datuk Alang Zari Ishak told Star Online that RON95 and RON 97 prices will be slightly lower in March, starting midnight.

RON95 is 15 sen cheaper at RM1.60 per litre while RON97 will be down 10 sen at RM1.95 per litre.

Diesel is still priced at RM1.35 per litre.




The float system was implemented by the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry since December 1, 2014. – February 29, 2016.

-The Malaysian Insider-

Nazri pours more scorn on Mahathir

He says Dr M is joining the March 27 gathering because he's ashamed over Mukhriz's sacking.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to join the March 27 gathering against Prime Minister Najib Razak has invited more caustic remarks from Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz, who has frequently treated the former premier with disdain.

In an interview with FMT, he said Mahathir was prompted by shame over the lack of public protests against the recent dismissal of his son Mukhriz from his post as Kedah Menteri Besar.

“He is ashamed,” Nazri said. “His son did not last even one term as the Kedah MB. This soiled his family name. Moreover, when Mukhriz was sacked, no one wanted to protest. To me, he wants to show that everyone was angry that Mukhriz was sacked.”

The March 27 gathering was proposed by former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, whom Nazri described as “another political failure.”

Mahathir on Friday confirmed that he would join the gathering, saying he could see no other way of voicing opposition against Najib’s administration.

Nazri, a fierce Najib loyalist, said he would not oppose the gathering as long as it was held lawfully. “We are used to it,” he said. “Gatherings like this have been done multiple times. As long as they adhere to the law, it’s okay. Let’s give them freedom.”

He pointed out that such gatherings were banned during Mahathir’s 22-year tenure as Prime Minister.
He speculated that the gathering would not gain traction. Neither could Mahathir on his own do anything to bring about Najib’s ouster, he added.

“I have said before he can do nothing,” he said. “He can’t even throw stones to break glass. Let him be.”

-FMT NEWS-

国际油价价格持续下跌！3月1日油价传将跌20sen

根据知情人士透露，今晚Ron95和柴油油价预计将会跌20sen。但是实际油价还是要等待Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) 当局作出正式宣布。

2月的油价是: 
RON 95 RM1.75 per litre
RON 97 at RM2.05 per litre
diesel at RM1.35 per litre 

油价跌这是因为国际油价价格继续下跌的趋势。

Tun M announces decision to quit Umno because of Najib

PUTRAJAYA: In a stunning development, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was leaving Umno, citing loss of confidence in the party’s top leadership. Dr Mahathir said he has decided to quit the party as he was “ashamed” of the party’s image, claiming that it was dedicated only towards protecting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president. 

“I am very ashamed with what had happened. There is no longer Umno, but only a 'Najib' party. “As such, I have decided to no longer be a member,” he told a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation this afternoon. He said both him and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, would be leaving Umno.

 Dr Mahathir said he would not be forming a new party, nor would he be joining another party. He denied that his decision to quit the party had anything to do with the dismissal of his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir from the Kedah Menteri Besar post. Mukhriz resigned on February 3 after losing the majority of support among the state assemblymen. He was replaced by Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.

 Tun Mahathir said the issue surrounding Mukhriz played no role in his decision. “If I wanted my son to be prime minister, I would have appointed him as a minister during my time as prime minister. But Mukhriz only joined politics after I resigned," he said. He said he would submit a formal letter to leave the party to the Umno secretary-general soon. 

\

Imports of Manuka honey products banned from today

No danger in food safety, says health ministry, but consumers should return the products to shops.

PUTRAJAYA: The government has banned imports of Manuka honey products by Evergreen Life Ltd of New Zealand following the withdrawal of the product in New Zealand as it may contain prohibited substances.

The director-general of health, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said the products by Evergreen Life were withdrawn in New Zealand as they may contain prohibited substances such as dihydroxyacetone and methylglyoxal used in its processes.

The Malaysian ban is effective today. Manuka honey is a monofloral honey produced in Australia and New Zealand from the nectar of the mānuka tree, and has been claimed to have anti-bacterial properties.




Dr Noor Hisham said: “Even though there is no danger in food safety, consumers who had consumed the product and have doubts about their health can refer to their doctors for medical advice,” he said.

Malaysian consumers who have bought Manuka honey have been advised not to consume the products and to return the items to the shop, he said in a statement here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry was taking follow up action after the withdrawal of products was reported in the New Zealand Primary Industries Ministry’s website.
-BERNAMA




-FMT NEWS-

Amaran kepada pihak yang cuba jatuhkan Najib

Rakyat Malaysia tidak mahu terbeban dengan polemik politik, selain Malaysia juga memerlukan kerajaan yang stabil bagi memajukan ekonomi, khususnya dalam situasi mencabar sekarang.

PETALING JAYA: Rakyat tidak mahu melihat situasi politik yang bercelaru di negara ini.

Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai memberi amaran itu kepada pihak yang cuba menjatuhkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak secara tidak sah.

“Rakyat Malaysia tidak mahu terbeban dengan polemik politik, selain Malaysia juga memerlukan kerajaan yang stabil bagi memajukan ekonomi, khususnya dalam situasi mencabar sekarang.




“Ini adalah masa untuk kita bergerak ke hadapan dan pastikan kerajaan tumpu kepada pembangunan negara. Kita kena kuatkan kerajaan dan tidak boleh kurang fokus serta pastikan tumpuan tidak dialih kepada isu terlalu polemik menggunakan isu tidak berasas.

“Apa yang penting kita tahu perdana menteri telah berusaha bersungguh-sungguh untuk membawa transformasi dan meningkatkan ekonomi,” katanya lapor Bernama.




-FMT NEWS-

Blaming the past will not solve our problems

We can't go back in time to undo what Mahathir, Anwar and others have done or not done.

by T.K. Chua

The country is in limbo while we are indulging in endless blame games of who was more responsible for the malaise we face today.

Mahathir, Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh, Anwar Ibrahim, Rafidah Aziz, Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib Razak have been mentioned as culprits on various occasions.




We often heard arguments as follow:

In politics there are neither permanent friends nor enemies. Self-interest and self-preservation are the rule of the day. We like to harp on how Mahathir disposed of his deputies and in the case of Anwar Ibrahim, how it has ended up with severe acrimony.

We also argue that many of those critical of the present administration were once the “insiders”. They have abused and benefitted much from the system they are now criticising. It is therefore hypocritical for them to claim that they are now standing on the side of the people.

Hence, the other day we had Musa Hitam and others blaming Mahathir and we have Mahathir and others hitting back. We have heard about Tengku Razaleigh still harbouring ambitions but we are never sure.

Then of course we have the evergreen Anwar Ibrahim remaining tenacious in his resolve.




Rafidah Aziz, once a powerful minister, is now being labelled as “a nobody” for her opinions.

Muhyiddin now wants to stand with the people fighting against tyranny although he once declared himself a Malay first DPM.

Even Mukhriz Mahathir, who hassled Penang over water and lease payments when he first became the MB of Kedah, now tries to seek sympathy and support among Malaysians.

Typical of most Malaysians, we love to go back in history. We love to blame and counter blame former leaders for causing the malaise we face today. We complain there was no inculcation of leaders to become worthy successors. We blame past leaders for allowing corruption, cronyism and ill-conceived privatisation to thrive. We blame past leaders for condoning racism, parochialism and bigotry.




I have a simple question: by blaming and analysing who was more responsible, can we ever solve an iota of the problems in 1MDB or SRC International today? Can we get closer to the problems of the donation, trust deficit, crippling leadership, depreciating ringgit and inflation we face today?

Why do we talk about all and sundry but keep missing the elephant in the room? We can’t go back in time to undo what Mahathir, Anwar, and others have done or not done. That is history and at most we can only draw lessons from it.

We are now confronted with a set of critical problems right here and right now which if left unattended would cripple all of us. I suggest we stop the blame game. It is time to be united and do whatever that needs to be done to solve the problems at hand.

If we do nothing, we will all be history. And then would it matter who among our leaders was most culpable?




T.K. Chua is an FMT reader
With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.

-FMT NEWS-

Artists, Aliran protest blocks on media

Online campaigns launched after government takes action against online media.

PETALING JAYA: Opposition to media restrictions has been stepped up, with an online petition being launched to protest against proposed new restrictions, while graphic artists have begun a media freedom campaign in the wake of action against a satirical poster of Najib Razak.

The online petition was opened on Saturday by Aliran, the Penang-based reform group. It is addressed to the communications minister, Salleh Said Keruak.

The petition demands removal of blocks on Internet access to the Malaysian Insider, Sarawak Report, Asia Sentinel and Medium.com; the repeal of the Official Secrets Act; opposition to registration of online news sites and blogs; opposition to proposed stiffer penalties for offences under the Communications and Multimedia Act.




Also on Saturday, a group of graphic artists launched a campaign calling for opposition to restrictions on press freedom.

The group, calling themselves Grafik Rebel Untuk Protes & Aktivisme or Grupa, urged Malaysians to express their views through art and creative works.

The campaign poster highlights previous government suspensions of the weekly magazine The Heat, and business newspapers The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, as well as last week’s blocks on access to The Malaysian Insider web site.

Last year, the government ordered blocks on the Sarawak Report web site, Asia Sentinel, and Medium.com because of reports about 1MDB and Najib Razak.

On Thursday, the Insider was blocked after it published a report quoting an anonymous source who claimed that there was enough evidence to charge the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, over the movement of funds in 2013 from government-linked SRC International, then a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.




Grupa described the block on the Insider as “another blatant attempt by desperate elites to stifle free speech on the pretext of national security.”

The group came together for the Bersih rally last year and issued publicity posters for the rally. Last month, they posted satirical images and posters of Najib in solidarity with activist and artist Fahmi Reza, using the slogan #KitaSemuaPenghasut (we are all seditious).

Fahmi has been called up by police after a report was lodged against he posted an image of Najib as a clown




-FMT NEWS-

“免費泊”照收錢‧非法看車員大過市局

非法看車員發現有空的泊車位就會指揮車主泊車，過後再和對方徵收泊車費。（圖：星洲日報）

（吉隆坡25日訊）非法看車員“代替”市政局收取泊車費，令原以為可暫時享有免費泊車優惠的車主大感無奈。

半山芭巴剎周遭出現非法看車員並非新鮮事。執法單位這邊廂取締，另一邊廂則再出現另一組非法看車員伺機收取泊車費。不少車主更因此被迫雙重付費，即繳付泊車費予市政局及非法看車員。

近來，吉隆坡市政局拆除該區的電子泊車售票機後，新的售票機卻也還未裝上，照理車主暫時可無需繳付泊車費。奈何非法看車員仍繼續向車主收取泊車費，未免惹禍上身，大部份車主唯有乖乖繳費。

半山芭巴剎周遭的泊車位，皆有看車員“站崗”以收取泊車費。（圖：星洲日報）

多數早上10時後才活躍
《大都會》社區報記者巡防半山芭佑路時，該處出現約兩名的非法看車員。他們在發現有車主準備泊車時，便會幫忙“指揮”，待車主泊好車後，即向車主徵收泊車費。

據附近商家透露，這些非法看車員在當地已“橫行”4年左右。為免愛車被破壞，車主一般都會額外繳付泊車費予該些非法看車員。不過他們不曾聽聞轎車被破壞的事件發生。

據瞭解，這些非法看車員一般是在早上10時過後才會活躍，大約5至6人左右，包括華、巫、印三大種族。他們的收費並沒有一定的標準，都是隨意開價，從數十仙至數令吉不等。

附近商家也透露，由於這些非法看車員多數為流浪漢、吸毒者或醉漢，而且並沒有聽過恐嚇事件發生，所以相信他們並沒有黑道背景，僅是為了混口飯吃，才會這樣做。

商家也說，執法人員曾展開取締行動逮捕一些非法看車員，惟事隔不久又會有另一批非法看車員出現，令人無可奈何。

半山芭巴剎周遭的泊車位包括佑路常年面對非法看車員“駐守”，讓前往購物的民眾在“多一事不如少一事”的無奈下付費。（圖：星洲日報）

蘇文彪（陶業塑料瓷器行業者）：多數車主會給錢
“曾有顧客申訴他們除了得繳付泊車費予市政局，還要被這些非法看車員徵收泊車費，不過多一事不如少一事，所以顧客還是會付錢給他們。

非法看車員以印裔居多，從早上10時後才會開始活躍，他們的收費也是隨意向車主徵收，從數10仙至數令吉不等。

不過目前還未曾聽過車子被破壞的消息。”

丘先生（茶室業者）：相信沒黑道背景
“這些非法看車員相信沒有黑道背景，只是一些流浪漢和吸毒者，他們也會擔心破壞別人的車子後會被車主找上門，所以至今還未聽過有人不付費而遭對付的消息。

雖然市政局的電子泊車售票機在去年11月已拆除，惟在新的售票機還未裝上前，車主們本應該能享有免費泊車，不過為了避免不必要的麻煩，他們還是會付給這些非法看車員。

我也曾看過執法人員前來取締，不過不久後又有另一批非法看車員出現，根本無法解決問題。”

韓國才（眼鏡業者）：看車員“駐守”多年
“非法看車員在這一帶｀駐守’約有4年。儘管早前曾有執法人員前來取締，不過在沉寂一時後，又會有另一批看看車員前來。

平時這裡約有6名非法看車員，包含三大種族，而且多數是流浪漢及吸毒者，相信他們是在收取泊車費後，用這筆錢來吸毒。”

陳國偉（行動黨蕉賴國會議員）：取締後又出現
“這是項老掉牙的問題，不僅是發生在半山芭區內，而是到處都可能會有（發生）。

有關問題是人為所致，半山芭一帶多年來都面對同樣的問題。我的服務中心也曾在接獲投訴後向吉隆坡市政局反映，當局也派出執法組展開取締行動。

惟當局在執法後，涉及的一批人或會暫時消失，但在過一陣下後他們卻再度出現，或是出現另一批人馬繼續收取泊車費。”

-SinChewDaily-

Indian man kills 14 members of his family with knife

The murderer attacked his family after apparently lacing their food with a sedative, according to several local media reports.

MUMBAI: A 35-year-old man allegedly murdered 14 members of his family including seven children with a butcher’s knife before committing suicide outside India’s financial capital of Mumbai, police said Sunday.

The attack happened after family members gathered late on Saturday at one of their homes in Thane, some 32 kilometres (20 miles) from Mumbai, for a family function, police said.

“The attacker, Hasnin Anwar Warekar, hung himself after slitting the throats of all other family members including his parents,” a Thane police spokesman, Gajanan Laxman Kabdule, told AFP.




The sole survivor of the attack — Warekar’s sister — was taken to hospital after neighbours heard her screaming for help after midnight and alerted police.

“We still haven’t been able to speak with the attacker’s 21-year-old sister, the lone survivor of the attack, who is in deep trauma at a city hospital,” Kabdule said.
Warekar attacked his family after apparently lacing their food with a sedative, according to several local media reports.

But the Indian Express newspaper said the chartered accountant stabbed his victims after they went to bed, having all decided to spend the night at the house.

“Prima facie evidence suggests that the accused bolted all the doors of the house and murdered his family while they were asleep with a knife that we found near his body,” Ashutosh Dumbre, joint commissioner of Thane police, was quoted saying.

Kabdule said he could not confirm whether the victims had been sedated, saying investigators were awaiting medical test results.




Television footage showed men lifting bodies wrapped in sheets in to the back of an ambulance, as crowds gathered outside the white-walled home.

Kabdule said details of the attack “are still sketchy” along with the motive.

According to the Press Trust of India news agency, a property dispute was behind the killings, but Dumbre said initial investigations have so far found no trigger for such an “extreme step”.

“In our inquiry so far, no one has yet been able to give the reason for this,” Dumbre told the ABP news channel.

“He worked with a private company in Mumbai. There were no known financial troubles or disputes and now we are hoping that the lone survivor can tell us something about the trigger,” he said.
– AFP




-FMT NEWS-

ASEAN says seriously concerned about rising South China Sea tensions

Land reclamation and escalating activity has increased tensions and could undermine peace, security and stability in the region, ASEAN said in the statement.
VIENTIANE: Southeast Asian nations expressed serious concern on Saturday about growing international tension over disputed waters in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the sea but Southeast Asian countries Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam have rival claims. Friction has increased over China’s recent deployment of missiles and fighter jets to the disputed Paracel island chain.

“Ministers remained seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments,” the 10-members Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) said in a statement after a regular meeting of the group’s foreign ministers in Laos.



Land reclamation and escalating activity has increased tensions and could undermine peace, security and stability in the region, ASEAN said in the statement.

The United States has criticized China’s building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to disputed territory to assert the right to freedom of navigation.

On Friday, the United States urged China’s President Xi Jinping to prevent the militarisation of the region. Vietnam, which accused China of violating its sovereignty with the missile deployment, echoed the US call on Saturday.




“We call for non-militarisation in the South China Sea,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told reporters after meeting his ASEAN colleagues.

“We have serious concerns about that,” he said, when asked about China’s increasing military activity in the region. The group agreed to seek a meeting between China and ASEAN’s foreign ministers to discuss the South China Sea and other issues, Cambodian Minister Hor Namhong said.

China’s maritime claims are ASEAN’s most contentious issue, as its members struggle to balance mutual support with their growing economic relations with Beijing. China is the biggest trade partner for many ASEAN nations.

Neighbours Vietnam and China compete for influence over landlocked Laos, which has no maritime claims but finds itself in the difficult position of dealing with neighbours at odds over the South China Sea. Laos is tasked with finding common ground on the issue as the ASEAN chair in 2016.

“The South China Sea issue is a headache that Laos would really rather not have to deal with,” said one Western diplomat in Vientiane.



Thongloun Sisoulith, Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, played down the challenge. “We are a close friend of Vietnam and China, we try to solve the problems in a friendly way,” he told Reuters on Saturday. “We are in the middle, but it’s not a problem.”

Barack Obama is set to become the first US president to visit the country in September to attend an annual summit hosted by the ASEAN chair.
– Reuters



-FMT NEWS-

Surendran: Absurd to call it a ‘coup’

MP slams Azalina, says carrying out official duties can never amount to illegal seizure of power.

PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Azalina Othman was derided by PKR’s N Surendran today for using the word “coup” to describe Muhyiddin Yassin’s criticisms of the Umno president and Prime Minister, Najib Razak.

He said Azalina’s claim of a “coup” was baseless and illogical, and “a clear abuse of the term”. Turning to the dictionary’s definition of the word “coup”, Surendran said it was absurd for her to suggest an illegal seizure of power lay behind a briefing that the attorney-general had given Muhyiddin, the then deputy prime minister.

Azalina, who is a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had said on Saturday that Muhyiddin’s statement about the briefing was proof that he was involved in a conspiracy to oust a democratically-elected prime minister.




Muhyiddin had said that Gani Patail, who was then attorney-general, had shown him evidence of what amounted to “a criminal act” regarding the flow of funds from SRC International, then a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and a deposit of RM24 million in Najib’s personal accounts.

Surendran, who is MP for Padang Serai, said: “Carrying out duties provided under the Constitution can never amount to an illegal seizure of power or coup.”

He said the attorney-general was obliged to inform the deputy prime minister, as the second-highest ranking government official, of any evidence of wrongdoing by a prime minister.

He also disputed Azalina’s claim that the briefing had breached the Official Secrets Act. “There is no such thing,” he said. Official secrets as defined by the act included papers of the cabinet and state executive councils and documents on national security, defence and international relations.




“Documents pertaining to any charge being drawn up by the attorney-general is not an official secret,” he said. “The minister must understand that not every official or government document is an official secret.”

He pointed out that a deputy prime minister was fully entitled by law to be briefed on matters involving any official secrets.

Muhyiddin was later dismissed from the Cabinet, and Gani Patail’s contract terminated on health grounds. On Friday, the Umno Supreme Council suspended Muhyiddin as deputy president for failing in his duties.





-FMT NEWS-

Remains of Kevin Morais finally laid to rest in Ipoh

Hundreds attend memorial mass, five months after government prosecutor was abducted and murdered.

PETALING JAYA: The remains of murdered government prosecutor Kevin Morais were laid to rest in his hometown of Ipoh on Saturday, five months after he was abducted and killed.

More than 200 people attended a memorial mass at the family’s regular church in Silibin, where they formerly lived, before the ashes were taken to the columbarium at the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ipoh.

Morais was cremated on Nov 23, soon after his body had been claimed from the Kuala Lumpur mortuary where it had been kept for more than a month, while the family sought a second post-mortem examination.

Morais, 55, was deputy head of the Appellate and Trial Division in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, after being seconded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for 10 years.




He was abducted on Sept 4 while driving to work in a government-issued Proton Perdana. Intense speculation arose about his role in the investigations into the 1MDB controversy, and his possible connections to articles about the case that appeared on the Sarawak Report web site, especially after an image of a purported charge sheet against the prime minister was published.

The burnt-out wreck of Morais’s car was found in Perak a day after his abduction, and his body found in a cement-filled oil drum in a secluded part of Subang Jaya on Sept 16 after police made several arrests.

Seven men, including a doctor, will go on trial in April on murder and abetment charges.




-FMT NEWS-

Pecat Muhyiddin: Khairuddin akan lapor kepada RoS

Majlis Tertinggi UMNO tidak mematuhi peraturan parti itu termasuk menggantung Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin sebagai Timbalan Presiden.

PETALING JAYA : Bekas Naib Ketua UMNO Bahagian Batu Kawan, Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan dijangka membuat laporan kepada Pendaftar Pertubuhan (RoS) pada 1 Mac ini atas dakwaan bahawa Majlis Tertinggi (MT) UMNO tidak mematuhi peraturan parti itu termasuk menggantung Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin sebagai Timbalan Presiden.

“Digantung jawatan Timbalan Presiden UMNO tanpa sebarang surat tunjuk sebab dan tidak dipanggil oleh jawatankuasa disiplin parti untuk Muhyiddin membela dirinya.

“Dulu saya dibuang dari jawatan Naib Ketua UMNO Bahagian Batu Kawan pun tak pernah dimaklumkan dengan sebarang surat tunjuk sebab dan tidak pernah dipanggil ke ibu pejabat UMNO untuk disoal siasat terlebih dahulu.

“Begitu juga dengan Datuk Hamidah (Osman) yakni Ketua UMNO Bahagian Gopeng pun sama juga dipecat tanpa sebarang tunjuk sebab dihantar pada beliau,” katanya menerusi status di Facebooknya.






Khairuddin berkata, UMNO kini tidak lagi menghormati keputusan pemilihan yang dibuat oleh perwakilan yang terdiri daripada ahli-ahli parti itu.

“Jawatan saya dulu pun menang melalui pemilihan oleh ahli-ahli UMNO di bahagian Batu Kawan. Begitu juga dengan Datuk Hamidah di bahagian Gopeng pun menang melalui pemilihan juga,” tegasnya.

Beliau turut mencabar Presiden UMNO Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan ahli-ahli MT UMNO agar menganjurkan pemilihan parti dalam masa segera.

“Jangan tunda sehingga tahun 2018. Kita tengok apa akan jadi pada kalangan kaki-kaki bodek minda lemah otak udang di dalam Majlis Kerja Tertinggi UMNO ini,” tegasnya.

-FMT NEWS-

Homeless want help to find regular jobs

Homeless at the transit centre appeal for permanent jobs so they do not have to depend on others to survive.

KUALA LUMPUR: To secure a better future, the homeless have appealed to those willing to help them find permanent jobs.

An inmate at the Kuala Lumpur Homeless Transit Centre, Ahmad Sazali Md Salleh said if he was given the opportunity, he would no longer want to lead his life as a homeless person, expecting help from others to survive.

“Who wants to live like this? If possible, I want to stay in my own house and have a family life.

“Indeed, my friends and I here (transit centre) are thankful there are those willing to provide us with food and drinks, but most of us who are jobless hope there are parties who are willing to provide jobs for us,” he told Bernama.

Ahmad Sazali, 35, was met during the opening of the Kuala Lumpur Homeless Transit Centre located in Jalan Pahang here Saturday.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak officially opened the transit centre.

Ahmad Sazali, from Perak, said he had previously worked as a cleaner in his home state. However, he was forced to quit his job about two years ago, due to ill health.




He said after leaving his job, he followed his friend and moved to Kuala Lumpur to get a better job.

“But all the work available is heavy-duty, which is not appropriate with the state of my health. I don’t even have money to go back (and live in) my hometown…I am thus, forced to live like this.”

His wish to secure a job was echoed by another inmate, Nor Faradilla Zakaria, also 35, who hoped to get a permanent job to change her fate.

The widow of eight years said she needed a job to take care of her nine-year-old daughter.

“My daughter has to stay with my parents. Her food and schooling fees are also borne by them. So, if I get a permanent job, I will be able to rent my own home and live with her,” said Faradilla, from Negeri Sembilan.
– BERNAMA

-FMT NEWS-