Screenshots

Now we may have the reasons why we can't find parking lots around the Parliament House.

There are many visitors to the Parliament. And there are too many lobbyists who have parked themselves in the Parliament House to start campaigning though Umno party election, and the EGM that Ku Li is trying to lobby for, are still far-fetched in the calendar.

This Umno phenomenon was testified by NST's Zubaidah Abu Bakar yesterday. Quote:

CAMPAIGNING for the Umno elections has found its way to Parliament.

While aspirants do not openly campaign there, a handful of self-proclaimed "lobbyists" are now often seen in the building whenever the Dewan Rakyat is in session.

For those who are familiar with these faces, they are quite easily spotted -- in the cafeteria for instance -- trading information, cross-checking facts with one another or merely mingling with aides of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers.

While those already "working for someone" could be seen playing their roles in earnest, the others were simply pitching for potential "employers". And they tend to be quite choosy as to who they would work for as there are many among the Umno lawmakers who are keen to contest in the December party polls.

Using the services of these lobbyists or campaign managers, as some prefer to call themselves, is an acceptable practice in Umno. It has been going on for a long time although some say this norm breeds money politics in the party.

These lobbyists are also widely recognised in Umno circles as people who can make or break aspirants, being quite adept in pushing for certain candidates to get elected, or equally skilled at thwarting the rise of ambitious leaders by destroying their credibility.

And, of course, they work for money.

The more they change, they more they remain the same.

NOTE: On Monday (May 5, 2008), since my complaint, new parking lots have been drawn along the kerbs formerly demarcated by non-parking white lines to take in more cars.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Parliament Round-ups...

Government Blogs. The Information Minister told MP from Alor Gajah in an oral question that the government will engage bloggers and use blogs as a platform to disseminate information. The Speaker did not allow my request to ask a supplementary question, through which I intended to get a response to the current episode of threatened charges for sediton on RPK and Syed Akhbar Ali. MP for Ipoh Timur described the action on the two and act of "empire strikes back" by the BN government.

Space Traveller. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili told the Parliament that the BN Government paid RM39.11 million for the Angkasawan aka Space Traveller programme.

Rice Shortage. The Deputy Speaker allowed an emergency motion put forward by the MP from Kubang Krian to debate on the issue of rice shortage and related drastic price hike.

Investigating Investigative Journalists. MP from Ipoh Timur told the Parliament that two award-winning investigative journalists, namely theSun's R Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandes, are now being questioned by the Police over their reports on controversial multi-million ringgit fund transfer to Bakti by Balkis.

Ali Rustam. Two Umno MPs from Malacca, including a deputy minister, interrupted MP from Ipoh Timur when the latter mentioned about the use of force on three DAP assemblymen over investigations into damage caused to an abandoned lamp-cum-telecommunication pole in Bachang, recently. The Umno MPs rose to protect Ali Rustam, who is not a member of Parliament.

BBC Leader Grilled on PKFZ Bail-Out. When the MP for Ipoh Timur took to the floor after the lunch break, names of three Transport Ministers, past and present, were invoked when the MP for Bintulu, also the Chair of BN Back Benchers Club (BBC), was quizzed on his involvement as a stakeholder of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ). Ipoh Timur also quoted media reports that said the present Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, and the new Port Klang Authority chairman Lee Hwa Beng, will appoint an independent accounting firm to conduct an overall audit on the accounts of the PKFZ project. [ For context, Minister Ong had previously promised to reveal how the RM4.6 billion soft loan to the PKFZ was spent after costs of the project were said to have ballooned from RM1.845 billion. ]

Dismantle Bernas Monopoly. Opposition MPs from Kubang Krian, Kuala Selangor, Selayang, Pasir Mas, Kepong and Pokok Sena called for the dismantling of rice monopoly now enjoyed by Bernas to facilitate better management of rice supply.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Two consortia led by foreign-owned players, namely Canada-based Axia NetMedia and Hong Kong's City Telecom, will bid for the rights to build a new ultra-fast national broadband network in a progressive country.

Unfortunately, the progressive country is not the seemingly xenophobic Malaysia.

Again, the leading country is Singapore. The bids by foreign players came two years after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled plans for the network, which promises to put Singapore on par with regional rivals such as Hong Kong.

Another new thinking is that the new broadband network does not aim to open up just the Internet speed. It promises to open up access and breakdown monopolies.

As understood from the Request for Proposal (RFP), any operator, such as a true-blue telecoms company, can use the network to provide Internet, cable TV and telephony services to its customers. It also indicates that, as reported by the Straits Times, no single operator will be allowed to own the network and block newcomers from accessing it, paving the way for more choices, and possibly lower prices, for consumers.

To facilitate the plan that aims to improve Internet connection speeds by up to 10 times faster than the best connection speed available today, the Singapore government will provide up to S$750 million in funding for the laying of cables in the network.

Another surprise in corporate moves. Singapore Press Holdings, a major media group and publisher of Straits Times Singapore, had teamed up with SingTel, SP Telecommunications and Axia NetMedia to form the OpenNet consortium that submitted the bid. The consortium will use fibre-optic cables rather than the traditional copper wires used today.

On the other hand, the rival bid called the Infinity team and led by City Telecom - which recently rolled out an ultra-fast network in Hong Kong boasting 1 Gbps speeds - and includes local heavy-weights StarHub and MobileOne.

This consortium will also be building an open-access network using fibre-optic technology.

May the best team win.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Crude oil futures surged yesterday (May 5, US time) to above $120 a barrel for the first time on concerns about supply disruptions in Nigeria and weakness in the U.S. dollar.

Petronas will benefit from the price hike, but our government will say fuel subsidy for the people will also increase.

How about fuel subsidy to the Independent Power Producers (IPP) by means of pass-through costs to the government (and TNB) stated in their 21-year agreements? Ask Malakoff, PowerTek, YTL, and Genting Sanyen?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Political commentators Ong Kian Meng and Oon Yeoh are questioning if the Opposition could come up with a Shadow Cabinet any time soon.

They suggested an obvious approach that could be based on the UK model where every minister on the government bench will have a counterpart on the opposition bench.

This would give the public a basis for comparison between the Opposition and the BN cabinet.

More so, the duo say, as the public has a right to know whether the Opposition MPs are capable of meeting the challenges at hand, and there is no better way to let them know than by having a shadow cabinet -- sooner than later.

I think the Opposition is still struggling for one reason or another, some of which Kian Meng and Oon had articulated fully.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The MP for Gombok just introduced Anwar Ibrahim, in his impromptu speech in the Parliament, as 'bakal Perdana Menteri Malaysia' (Malaysia's Prime Minister in waiting) when he stood up to speak on Abdullah Badawi's political rhetorics in fighting corruption.

This was in response to MP from Pasir Salak who said he was 'sacked' from Umno by Anwar for unexplained reasons. The moods in the House turned into something that resembled an Umno general assembly.

Pasir Salak also challenged Gombak to repeat his allegations about him outside the Parliament and he (the former) will sue.

Read the transcript in the Hansard?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. There is a Letter to Editor in theSun (May 5, 2008 Page 21):

The news item in context is pointed to theSun, May 2.

However, the core issue, to me, is about the repatriation of money held in trust by a group of people who had ceased to be valid members of Bunga Tanjung -- de jure and de facto -- the moment the former Chief Minister of Penang conceded defeat on the night of Polling Day, March 8. Nevertheless, the record shows, and Bunga Tanjung did not deny, that monies were repatriated elsewhere after that crucial date of March 8.

To justify their respective beings in the system, the RoS and ACA should move in to investigate on the issue of impropriation, and even possible criminal breach of trust, in this controversy. That's the core of governance, good or bad, and there must be due respect for the rule of law by all parties, victors or the vanquished.

Only then could we see the intellectual basis for a public debate, which is sorely missing for now despite the show of sheer tantrums. The core issue on the interpretation of the constitutional provisions of Bunga Tanjung -- de jure and and de facto -- mustn't be hijacked with sideshows that are hallmark of TV series like Desperate Housewives.

A gesture of sincerity to Penangites is for the relevant parties who were instrumental and responsible in repatriating the reported sum of RM350,000 to Bakti, a Kuala Lumpur-based elite organisation, to be returned to coffers in Penang.

I shall reserve my further action till an appropriate time from now till GE2013. We have ample time.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0)

It has been two months I laid off photography to campaign in GE2008 and subsequently to give a helping hand to the new Penang state government. Itching to claim back the cultured part of me, I went trigger happy as a private citizen in an alien land. Here are some images I captured on the streets of Ho Chi Minh city.

Street barber along Ly Tu Trong, District 1... LensaPix by Jeff Ooi

Street barber with different customer... LensaPix by Jeff Ooi

Ben Thanh bazaar, District 1 Saigon... LensaPix by Jeff Ooi

Jumping the gun at traffic light is quite a norm... LensaPix by Jeff Ooi

MORE!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. According to The Star, Chui Kah Peng, wife of former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon, was quoted as saying that Persatuan Bunga Tanjung, the state organisation for wives of Barisan Nasional assemblyman and MPs which Chui chaired, has been dissolved and the remaining funds donated to charity organisations and Bakti.

Chui was further quoted as saying that RM350,000 were donated to Bakti while the remainder were given to the charity organisations.

She was reported to identify the organisations which received the money, totalling amounting to RM590,665, to include the Bureau of Learning Difficulties, Penang Cheshire Home, Penang Mental Health Association and Mount Miriam Hospital.

I just checked with the Mount Miriam Hospital, which specialises in cancer treatment, had yet to receive any amount greater than RM2,572.63, which was paid cash on April 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Cheshire Home and Penang Mental Health Association said the two charity organisationbs only received RM1,000 each.

What happened to the balance of RM590,665 purportedly "donated" to these charity organisations? Can Madam Chui clarify for the benefit of the Penang people?

For the benefit of the public, can other recipient organisations Chui mention please confirm if they had receive the money as reported in the media?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

SPEAKER'S FIRST DAY IN OFFICE. The Speaker slipped by first stating he wouldn't allow supplementary questions (soalan tambahan) due to time constraint.

When cornered by the Opposition, the Speaker changed tune by saying he did not say supplementary questions are banned (diharamkan).

The PM asked the Speaker to consider one or two supplementary questions to be allowed. The Speaker gave in.

Later, the Speaker slipped again by disallowing more than one supplementary question, quoting "convention" (which convention?) when he made the ruling for no supplementary question. Karpal said the House should follow "Point of Order" as instituted, and not "Convention". Jangan main-main, Karpal warned.

The point in contention Karpal referred to was contained in Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat 24(3) which states "Tuan Yang Di-Pertua boleh membenarkan ahli-ahli mengeluarkan tidak lebih daripada tiga pertanyaan tambahan bagi setiap pertanyaan..." to which the Speaker said it was trivial and technical by nature.

The Opposition insisted it involves the Point of Order.

UPDATE: I was just officially informed that one of my Oral Questions had been rejected. I wanted to ask questions on conflict of interest involving a former minister who had the power to issue WiMAX license. The Legal Division of Parlimen Malaysia is of the opinion that it involved "business of private companies". I will consult on the matter.

UPDATE: The Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat stated in earlier circulars that all Oral and Written Questions must not exceed 40 words. However, the Opposition pointed out that the question submitted by the member from Kinabatangan (PR-1211-L12189) and accepted by the Setiausaha exceeded 40 words.

When the fireworks ensued, Member for Rembau said the question submitted by the Opposition Leader (Permatang Pauh) -- PR-1211-L12049 -- and accepted by the Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat also exceeded 40 words.

An Umno backbencher proposed both MPs from Bukit Gelugor and Puchong to be dealt with in accordance with the Standing Order. The Speaker declined to invoke the penalty clause.

The Speaker said questions allowed for the current session, no matter they had exceed 40 words as stipulated, should be proceeded with as scheduled.

In the cross fire, Kinabatangan was referred to as Big Foot, and Bukit Glugor was referred to as Big Monkey, while Pasir Mas (Independent) asked Batu Gajah to 'Shut Up'. Please check the Hansard tomorrow.

Is this First World Parliament for you?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Abdullah Badawi looks more a cool cucumber compared to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, as far as I could see in the last two days.

On March 28, Dr Shaariibuu, the father of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered on Malaysian soil, made an appearance at the Parliament House, trying to meet Najib. Of course, he failed.

Yesterday, when the Agong was about to deliver the Royal Address in the House, a letter of appeal from the Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs was circulated to all Members of the Parliament.

The minister, S. Oyun, said the government of Mongolia, in accordance with its objective to protect the legitimate rights of its citizen abroad, is following "this severe criminal case with particular attention from its early occurence and along the legal procedures". By the letter to all Malaysian MPs, the minister again appealed to us to "continue observing this case and insure the court procedures to be fair and free from any political influence".

When I shook Najib's hand after greeting the Agong and the PM, he still looked tensed.

Karpal Singh spoke on the Mongolian minister's letter at a press conference yesterday. (I am not sure if it saw the daylight on the mainstream media.)

Is Muhyiddin also observing all this?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Did I say Bunga Tanjung?

Grab a copy of theSun and The Star today. Penang now equals Khir Toyo.

By the way, Balkis' accounts were not finalised before the RM9.9 million funds were transferred out to Bakti, The Star reported.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

As a result of the judgment delivered by the SAR on January 22, the plaintiffs in the NSTP & Others VS Jeff Ooi defamation suit had wanted to seek an interlocutory judgment against me.

My lawyers and I have come to the decision to file a holding defence, among other things.

Today, as the Parliament starts we will start to serve the relevant papers to the relevant parties.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Looking around the BN side of the House, with 140 members over there, I gather that BN is aging with a majority of old cocks. Where are the Youth Wing members?

I have Charles Santiago on my left, and Tony Pua on my right. Our block should be lively. Charles will take waterissues while I will focus on energy and Communications (IPP and MCMC). We want to learn a thing or to from Minister Shaziman, who made 'penembak curi' an infamous label for bloggers in Malaysia.

Tony will most probably partner me in Finance (Petronas Revenue and Abdullah mega corridor projects), I believe. For a start, we blogged live together this morning.

HINDRAF 5 & Other ISA Detainees. Today, Saudara Lim Kit Siang issued a notice to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker under Standing Order 18(2) to move an urgent motion under Standing Order 18(1) on the Hindraf 5 and other ISA detainees on Wednesday. The motion sounds like this:

28 April 2008

Menerusi Faks

Yang di Pertua,
Dewan Rakyat,
Parlimen.

YB Tan Sri,

Per: Notis Peraturan Mesyuarat 18 - Hindraf 5 dan lain-lain tahanan ISA

Ini adalah untuk memberikan notis di bawah Peraturan Mesyuarat 18(2) untuk mengusulkan perkara tertentu berkenaan kepentingan orang ramai yang berkehendaki disegerakan pada hari Rabu, 30 April 2008, seperti berikut:

“Bahawa Dewan mengizinkan YB Lim Kit Siang untuk menangguhkan Dewan mengikut Peraturan Mesyuarat 18(1) untuk merundingkan perkara tertentu berkenaan kepentingan orang ramai yang berkehendaki disegerakan mengenai penahanan Hindraf 5 serta lain-lain tahanan di bawah ISA.

“Bahawa Dewan ini mengesa pentadbiran YAB Perdana Menteri menghormati dan mematuhi kehendak rakyat yang digambarkan dalam tsunami politik 8hb Mac tahun ini yang mahu melihat satu masyarakat Malaysia yang lebih demokratik, akauntabel dan maju dan membebaskan lima pemimpin Hindraf (Hindraf 5) - M Manoharan iaitu ADUN DAP kawasan Kota Alam Shah, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan dan T. Vasantha Kumar - yang berada di bawah tahanan ISA sejak Disember 2007 serta lebih dari 60 tahanan ISA lain, ada antaranya yang telah berada dalam tahanan ISA lebih dari enam tahun.

“Penahanan Hindraf 5 Disember lepas yang berdasarkan dakwaan bahawa mereka adalah ‘pengganas’ telah dibuktikan langsung tidak berasas. Pemimpin MIC, Datuk Seri Samy Velu sendiri telah mengakui fakta in semasa diwawancara oleh media negara India dalam bulan Januari tahun ini.

“Dalam kes Hindraf 5, ISA digunakan untuk menafikan peluang masyarakat India menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati mereka kerana gagal dilayani secara adil oleh kerajaan BN sejak 50 tahun merdeka. Apa yang diminta adalah ruang menyertai pembangunan negara yang saksama, serta peluang menikmati pendidikan yang berkualiti dan kebebasan agama yang selaras dengan hak-hak seseorang rakyat yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia.

“Sama juga dengan penahanan ISA yang lain, yang sekiranya didapati memang mengancam keselamatan negara, sepatutnya dibicarakan di mahmakah terbuka dan bukannya menafikan kebebasan para tahanan dan membiarkan mereka menderita di bawah ISA.

“Keengganan kerajaan membebaskan Hindraf 5 serta berpuluh-puluh tahanan ISA yang lain menunjukkan kehendak rakyat supaya kerajaan mengubah sikapnya yang angguh, menghapuskan dasar-dasar yang tidak demokratik dan tidak adil masih tidak diendahkan.”

Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang benar,

Lim Kit Siang
Ipoh Timur

Let's see how the Abdullah Administration reacts.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Balkis' equivalent in Penang is called Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung, which used to be chaired by the former Chief Minister's wife before the change of state government after March 8.

Bunga Tanjung has in its coffers about RM350,000. Is it also gone?

theSun's frontpage story today is about "globe-trotting VIP wives'.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

No, we are not talking about the popular TV series.

We are talking about Khor Toyo's wife, Zaharah Kechik, and wives of other former politikus of the Barisan Nasional government, as narrated by Citizen Nades and Terence Fernandez today, titled: RM10m gone in 3 days.

The duo exposed that three days after their husbands lost power to rule Selangor, the wives got into the act – plotting to dissolve the Association of Wives of State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament in Selangor (Balkis) -- touted as a welfare body -- and remove almost RM10 million from its bank accounts.

According to documents sighted by theSun, Khir Toyo's wife had on March 11 -- three days after the GE2008 Polling Day -- convened an extraordinary general meeting of the committee to dissolve Balkis and close its bank accounts.

The following day, the accounts were closed, with the money transferred to another account and then to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers which Balkis is affiliated to.

Subsequently, on March 13, the former exco members of Balkis issued a notice of dissolution to the Registrar of Societies (ROS), which included amending the constitution of Balkis and establishing a new organisation – Balkis-BN, is among the names suggested.

“This was to prevent the Balkis premises (Kompleks Wawasan Balksi - KWB) and the association itself from being taken over by the new state government,” said theSun quoting an insider. “Once this was done, then the money will be transferred back to the new organisation,” the insider added.

However, the ROS in a letter stated that Balkis' application for dissolution was incomplete and gave it 30 days to furnish additional information.

When that surfaced, Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim intervened and wrote to the ROS to question the validity of the decision to dissolve Balkis.

Legal experts quoted by theSun are saying that, by right, following the events of March 8, the exco headed by Zaharah should have convened an emergency meeting to discuss the handing over of Balkis to a new exco – with the new president being Abdul Khalid’s wife Salbiah Tunut.

As it is, sources in the state government argue that since Mohamad Khir is no longer MB, Zaharah is no longer the president and has no power whatsoever to dissolve the association or liquidate its funds. Incidentally, the constitution also states that the organisation must remain apolitical.

I am now checking if there are also Desperate Housewives in Penang.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0)

The Bar Council website uses theSun story about a molest report lodged against ex-minister who served in the 2004 Abdullah Administration. Crime scene was reported to be at a hotel restaurant in Brickfields.

The ex-minister is still an MP for the current term. He is a Muslim and he can't be drunk in a public place, can he?

How long is the arm of law in Malaysia, if we may ask?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

Rustam A. Sani passed away at 3am this morning, April 23, at his home in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur. He was 64.

The funeral will be held this afternoon after Zohor prayers.

I will remember him as a noted academician (he has served on Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies), newspaper columnist, poet/writer (he was awarded the prestigious Hadiah Sastera Negara in the late 1980s), political commentator and a blogger (Vox Populi and Suara Ku).

He also dabbled in politics, having served as the vice-president of PRM when it merged with Parti Keadilan Nasional to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and then served as a member of the central leadership council of the new party. It must have been due to poor health that forced him to be less active in recent years.

Al-Fatihah.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. Former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas. Former Supreme Court judges Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin, Tan Sri Wan Hamzah Mohamed Salleh, Datuk George Seah. And former Supreme Court judges, the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawan Teh and Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader.

These are the six senior judges who were suspended -- three were ultimately sacked with three reinstated. The chapter took place in 1988 when Barisan Nasional was the government.

Twenty years later and two nights ago, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced "goodwill ex-gratia payments to the six sacked judges and their surviving families as recognition to th country.

And Abdullah said: “I do not presume to equate your contributions, pain and loss with mere currency, but I hope that you could accept this as a heartfelt and sincere gesture to mend what has been.”

Now, there is a strong disquiet that says no amount of money could compensate the pain and suffering endured by the fallen members of the Bench.

More so when the money came from the party that thought money could buy people's votes and hearts.

Sorry seems such a difficult word for Putrajaya. Correct, correct, correct?

Judicial Appointments Commission. Now that Malaysia is said to be setting up an independent panel to help appoint new judges as part of legal reforms in the wake of high-level judicial scandals, I will wait and see.

Thursday, Abdullah borrowed a Bar Council platform to announce the plan as part of his pledge to clean up the judiciary, which has been plagued by allegations of favoritism, corruption and influence-peddling, the IHT reported.

I need to see how the members to the Commission will be selected. If Haidar, a key player involved in the 1987 judicial crisis, can be appointed to head the commission to investigate the Lingam Tape scandal with sanitised framework of reference, you need to let imagination run wild a little when you deal with Malaysia.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Remember Francis Yeoh, who got one of the first Independent Power Producer (IPP) licenses -- Terengganu and Johor -- during Dr Mahathir's time? Remember the Francis Yeoh who swiftly dumped Dr Mahathir soon after Abdullah took the helm in 2004? Remember the Francis Yeoh who proposed the RM10 billion "bullet train to reach Singapore in 90 minutes"?

Citizen Nades had an earful for this Francis yesterday. Quote:

Yeoh was quoted by the NST as saying: "This project is economically viable, so I think the government will listen to the people and put this project an urgent basis again."

Well said! The key phrase is "listen to the people". There were also other clichés like "environment-friendly"; "save the government billions in fuel subsidies"; and "the government is supportive of this project". Anyone can give a thousand and one reasons for the project to go ahead, but very importantly, two questions have to be answered: One, do we need such a link, and two, can we afford it?

The people, I dare say, do not want their hard-earned money to go into land acquisition, soft loans and one-sided contracts and agreements. The people, I dare say, want their money to be used prudently to meet their needs – not those of businesses. The people, I dare say, want an efficient public transport system and not some form of luxury travel which they cannot afford and to which they become unwitting and unwilling contributors to a monopoly.

I think I speak for the majority – We would rather spend six hours on a slow train than watch fellow citizens suffer, unable to pay for medical treatment. How many hospitals and how many rural clinics can we build with that kind of money?

If Yeoh and YTL still want to proceed with it, please go ahead without touching our money. You do the feasibility study; you acquire the land at your cost and pay the prevailing market price; you don’t ask for soft loans or handouts from the government, or letters of guarantee for that matter and don’t even ask for protection by asking the existing efficient bus service to be restricted to keep you in business.

After all, Yeoh himself has said that "nobody looks at it as a mega project, an artificial project that you do for prestige". If that’s the case, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.

Remember this Francis Yeoh? I ain't. But I do remember the quo pro quo in the rich KTM land bank around the Tanjung Pagar train station.

Follow the money! And the gravy train.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

I need to see Si Pin pinned down for his blatant errors. He is the son of Lim Keng Yaik, the ex-minister in charge of Internet governance in Malaysia. He lost to Tian Chua by over 9,000 votes in the Batu parliamentary seat during the recent general election.

This is what was printed on Page 6 of theSun yesterday (April 14, 2008):

It's factually wrong for Si Pin to imply that my blog -- Screenshots -- was "only set up three years ago", or circa 2005.

And for that matter, Shahrir Samad, when he started to have a web presence as a laundryman-turned-golf-equipment supplier, he didn't have a blog. He just had a personal website. Online observers all know this.

Social-political blogging started in Malaysia on January 1, 2003 with Oon Yeoh taking the lead. I started mine one day AFTER his, on January 2, 2003. Oon is still alive to testify this.

I first started Screenshots on blogger.com, then migrated to my own server in May the same year, after visitor traffic increased tremendously.

Umno mouthpiece Berita Harian was swift to hammer me the blogger in October 2004. Blogosphere then took to a new dimension in 2006 when journalist started to blog with eyes open, and names open. After GE2008, even monkeys who used to call bloggers monkeys are now monkeying with blogs.

The rest, like they say, is history, but Si Pin is not part of it.

Just a wild thought. Perhaps, one way to make this son-of-an-ex-minister look smart is to, as soon as possible, get someone throw him a 20% shareholding in one wireless WiMAX company, and another 30% in another wireless WiMAX company, plus perhaps a business radio license to boot. Then we talk blogs.

See pinned?

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The defamation suit against me, the blogger, is over one year old and no new grounds had been made to face off the plaintiffs -- NSTP & Others -- in the open court.

With or without judiciary reforms in Malaysia, I have decided to take the offensive and take them on, one by one, big man or small man.

I have been asked to set aside another RM12,000.00 for the out-of-pocket cost (paperwork, photostating, filing expenses etc) in defending myself, and I am determined to clear my name. Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan, Hishamuddin Aun and Brendan Pereira, who sued me alongside the listed company, the NSTP, must be prepared to see me to the last drop. It's also time to say all that should be said in the court, with evidence.

Ketuanan Rakyat

Yesterday, April 14, Anwar Ibrahim completed his political jail sentence. One of his keynotes is that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition will be championing people's supremacy (ketuanan rakyat) and will bring about changes to the economy, education and political systems.

People's Power crushed Umno supremacy in five states. Tell me, what else People's Power cannot do to crush Umno's mouthpieces in the print media in this blogger-Internet epoch?

WALK WITH US and watch this space.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

It's stressful to visit Singapore every now and then. Distressing news are bountiful when I dropped in again earlier this week. Harry Lee looks rather bearable as his speed of thoughts has slowed somewhat compared to surfing speed in the broadband world inthe Little Red Dot.

As I am struggling with my sometime-good-sometime-bad broadband (wireless and fixed copper, browned out at below 1Mbps), SingTel just made this shattering news April 9 that it is upgrading its network, and within two years, it will offer wireless broadband speeds of 40 megabits per second -- read FORTY -- which is six times faster than what Singaporeans are enjoying now.

Importantly, the upload speeds, essential for YouTube and rich content auteurs, will also be faster.

The announcement was made by SingTel CEO Allen Lew at the WiMAX Forum Congress Asia. He said the speeds would put Singapore on par with countries like South Korea, which currently has an 18.4Mbps wireless service.

It was also disclosed that, as a trans-regional operator, SingTel would guinea-pig Australia in its new-speed wireless broadband roll-out, to be followed by the Philippines and Singapore. It will then go to India, Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan.

Had SingTel been allowed to get a license from MCMC, can I safely say that Malaysia will enjoy 40Mbps by 2010 too?

By the way, wireless broadband aside, Singapore is almost ready with its residential fibre-optics network.

By the way again, hot on the heels of Maxis guys, Celcom did send their engineers to meet me at 28th Floor Komtar to sort out the (cellphone-based) HSDPA wireless broadband speed issue in Georgetown area. They must have read my blog. No?

There was a service outage of Maxis wireless broadband on Thursday, actually.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

There are 467 responses to my call for the Research Assistant position to help me in my Parliament work.

I am sieving through the CVs, many of them are excellent ones while a few are long shots. I will get back to the shortlisted ones next week.

Many, many thanks.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the aftermath of unprecedented and humiliating defeats in five states and the Federal Territory, will Umno resort to fascism to revive?

That's the concern of author and researcher Dr Ooi Kee Beng at the launching of his new book entitled ‘Lost in Transition: Malaysia under Abdullah’ in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Quote:

“Umno is like (Taiwan’s) Kuomintang (KMT) and other parties in the region who were responsible for independence and a lot of these parties had to reform itself like the KMT - a once dictatorial party is a totally a new party today with the same name.

“It is not given that if Umno reforms itself, it would reform like how KMT did - meaning liberalise and play the democratic game. Fascism is always close at hand.

“We don’t want that to be encouraged. We should work to not crush Umno but help it along in its reforming process,” he told the audience.

Kee Beng is a fellow at the Institute of South East Asian studies in Singapore.

The book is a compilation of articles he wrote on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s governance in the last two year. It is a follow up to his 2006 book, ‘Era of Transition: Malaysia After Mahathir’, which analysed Umno and tests faced by Abdullah after taking over his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

FASCIST. Look out for potential fascists here, and while the Abdullah Administration is attempting to prosecute non-Muslims for khalwat, lawyer/blogger Malik Imtiaz Sarwar has a piece: A test for the Reform Cabinet.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

I wrote in passing on March 15 that Maxis' Huawei-powered wireless broadband didn't give me the HSDPA speed. I noted that, de facto running at UMTS via Network 50212 particularly on March 12 and 13, the service couldn't move the packets at my office which is located on the 28th floor of Komtar, Penang. In desperation, I bought a Celcom/Vodafone version of the same 3.6Mbps application, and the packets did fly!

To my surprise, Maxis folks did read my blog and sent their engineers -- within a week of my blog -- to take the reading of throughput in my office, not once but thrice!

That was because I said reading throughput is like taking readings of blood pressure, once is never accurate. So the guys came back -- with the second and the third time armed with a product of their rival, a Celcom/Vodafone Huawei unit.

The insult is that performance of Celcom/Vodafone tanked at the material time Maxis engineers took comparative readings in my office, in front of my own eyes. Thus far, I have gone back to Maxis and two-time Celcom on on redundancy basis.

And surprisingly again, on the quiet, Maxis has started pumped up to HSDPA in Komtar and Burmah Road areas in Penang last Sunday, though the service was intermittent the whole last week and back to normal now.

I am obligated to give Maxis credit when credit is due.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 05:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

I want to claim back my life as a blogger.

For a start, I will be speaking at a roundtable organised by the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore on April 9, 2008.

The roundtable discussion is titled 'Impact of ICTs in the Malaysian Election - Lessons for Singapore'.

The organisers told me that GE2008 had been described as one in which the Internet and other technologies played a crucial role in triggering a political tsunami in Malaysia. On the other hand, Singaporeans have been engrossed by our general election results and started to have wet dreams... which is not a bad thing in an open society.

Frankly, I am having wet dreams, too, but with eyes wide open.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (26) | TrackBacks (0)

My comrade Liew Chin Tong, now the MP for Bukit Bendera, thought that Penang was included in the Northern Region Economic Region (NCER) as an after-thought. Penang's role of a logistic hub for an agro-based economic region was squeezed in in the last minute as the island has little to offer in vegan terms.

A while ago, Penang Chief Minister announced that he will see the PM on April 3 to discuss state-federal relations, and to request Putrajaya to proceed with infrastructure projects contained in the NCER blueprint.

As it is, the NCER came into being as a result of a parliamentary act. The federal government can't run away from its own commitment.

Chun Wai says it aloud today that, at a time when the PKR-DAP-PAS governments are making populist changes in the states they control, the Federal Government must be prepared to show it is more open and ready to make radical reforms.

For NCER to work, there must be a change in mindset in the aftermath of the March 8 political tsunami. NCER must not be about feeding the gravy trains and allowing BN cronies to grab land and monies. Or BN will lose the entire country in 2013.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

UPDATED VERSION. UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It's only March 23 that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the appointment of anyone but Idris Jusoh as Terengganu Mentri Besar is unconstitutional.

Last night, after four days and after a four-hour supreme council meeting, Abdullah and Umno decided to declare its support for Kijal state representative Ahmad Said -- not Abdullah's choice -- as the new Terengganu menteri besar.

That's being consistent -- for not running away from being a flip-flop.

Monsoon Cup and Pulau Duyung bungalows wouldn't run away either. But would the wang ehsan Petronas for Terengganu folks? Follow the money.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Talk of petrol money, Dr Mahathir has a lot to tell in theSun, now that his 'good friend' has taken full control of the free paper:

There must be a reason why the Ruler refuses to accept the candidate named by the party. But the Ruler chooses not to reveal the reasons and indulge in public debates. He merely expresses his displeasure by refusing to do what normally the Rulers would do.

Concerned Malaysians must ask what has the particular candidate done which is so wrong that it incurs the displeasure of the Ruler.

There are lots of talks in the town. Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earning from oil production. The Federal Government; fearing the previous PAS government might use this money wrongly had withheld payment.

But when the Barisan Nasional (BN) regained Terengganu the money, now called "Wang Ehsan", was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years "Wang Ehsan" totalled several billion.

We know that since the BN regained Terengganu in 2004, all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university, etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful.

But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing.

But additionally, they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family.The rumours also say that the previous Mentri Besar was responsible for these things happening and of course, they think that he might have benefited financially.

The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things. These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves.

This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name, an investigation should be made.

Apparently, Terengganu folks know what khianat and derhaka means in their inherited culture.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Just heard that P. Gunasegaram and Leela Barrock, two hard-rock pillars of The Edge weekly, have both left newsroom for greener pastures.

Rest assured, they ain't joining Wong Sulong and Fox Communications. A blue-chip GLC perhaps.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Land is scarce on Penang Island, and it's a finite resource in Seberang Prai.

Land is also the source of improprieties and bad governance in the state.

The two-week old new state government has just uncovered severe land improprieties that happened during the previous state administration.under Koh Tsu Koon.

The dubious land deals will pose a huge contingent liability for the state. In layman's terms, the land frauds will cost tens of millions of ringgit in losses for Penang through defeats in the high courts.

Sorry, we can't give further details due to legal restrictions, but what we have discovered may only be the tip of the iceberg.

In the interim, we have formed a three-member panel headed by deputy chief minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, deputy CM II Dr P. Ramasamy and exco member Phee Boon Poh to investigate the cases. The panel will start investigations this Monday-week.

The Yang di-Pertua Negri, Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, was informed of preliminary findings last week.

No land deals for DAP reps

Meanwhile, it was decided at a meeting of all DAP elected state representatives yesterday that all DAP MPs and state assemblymen are banned from applying for land in Penang.

With that decision, any DAP MP or assemblymen who applies for state land will be breeching party discipline and action will be taken against him or her.

We are hopeful that PKR and PAS elected representatives in Penang would also adopt similar practice.

Previously, the Land Committee (LandCom) of the state government was chaired by Umno though it had a Gerakan-nominated Chief Minister.

Under the current DAP-PKR coalition state government, land matters and land development are now placed under the portfolio of the new Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng.

As for the current-term Barisan Nasional representatives -- all of them from Umno -- they could apply for land but the final approval rested with the state government.

It must be made known that we are proposing to place all future alienation of land under public auction and not through closed door deals.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

Five states in non-BN hands. Two states (Perlis and Terengganu) have non Abdullah-endorsed menteris besar. Dr M endorses Ku Li to take on Abdullah.

UPDATES: Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said, who was supposed to have been sworn in as Terengganu Mentri Besar Sunday, has been stripped of his Umno membership for disobeying the party's leadership. The proposed swearing-in ceremony has been postponed indefinitely.

Is this the start of Umno implosion? That someone should seriously think about migrating as the Son-in-Law is having hands, and ears, full.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 08:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

This is bad governance at the local government, and it cost millions to those affected.

It has been hailed as the worst floods in recent years that has hit the Seberang Prai Industrial Zone.

A total of eight of the 12 pumps malfunctioned -- due to lack of maintenance by the Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Jaya (MPSP) -- and it had caused flash floods that disrupted operations at about 140 factories with TORAY-PenFiber group and Mattel as the hardest hit.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy was on the site by 8.30am, but the chief engineer of MPSP couldn't be located until 10.00am, and the YDP couldn't be contacted until 12.30pm -- though they have yet to tell their side of the story.

I was coordinating with Prof and my staff to get the first hand information. None of us should be happy with what we saw.

Rubbing salt to the wound, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) northern branch vice-chairman Datuk Muhammad Ismail said the problem had existed for a long time and had been highlighted to the council in several meetings.

We should leave no stones unturned. MORE!

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBacks (0)

I was made to understand that a spin doctor was heard murmuring in the newsroom in the evening of March 8, as poll results started to stream in and that BN appeared set to lose control over states that dictate the bulk of the national GDP.

"I think I should migrate," he said.

Let's dig into his closets of skeletons, and may God help us.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Half-past-six, or 6.30, is how Dr Mahathir described the previous Abdullah Administration.

After four years of flip-flops, is it any better this time after losing the state governments in Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak, and Selangor to non-BN coalitions?

The casualties among former ministers who won in GE2008 but dropped from the cabinet line-up are Rafidah Aziz, the quarrelsome duo from Perlis namely Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Azmi Khalid, Adnan Mansor, Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, Ong Ka Ting, Dr Fong Chan Onn and Dr Abdullah Md Zin. It just means their shelf life have expired -- no big deal to the rakyat.

UMNO POLITICS. There are three Malay names who made it to the Cabinet via back door listing, namely lawyer Zaid Ibrahim, banker Amirsham A. Aziz and RPK's favourite Mohamad, Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Thery didn't contest in GE2008 but were anointed ministers after being appointed Senators. That's back-door democracy ala Malaysia for you.

There are no more Parliamentary-Secretaries as the headcount of the Cabinet had been slightly reduced, and Abdullah slashed his portfolios from three to two. Obviously it's a confession that he had been wearing one hat too many.

Interestingly, geo-political representation from Selangor Umno are notorious rejects, namely Noh Omar of the 'nude squat' infamy and the excessive cash-carrying former MB (yes again, RPK's favourite Mohamad).

Devastatingly, there's serious mismatch of new ministers' known competency and previous track records against the challenges in their respective portfolios. Imagine Muhyiddin for MITI, Shahrir Samad for domestic trade, Khaled Nordin for higher education, and a penembak curi (blog-snipper) for Energy, Water and Communication?

MCA POLITICS. Let's see if the new Health Minister can break the "last station" curse of the ministry that Chua Soi Lek couldn't.

GERAKAN POLITICS. Nothing to say.

MIC POLITICS. Nothing else to say.

Appointing people into the Cabinet is the PM's prerogative. Willing acceptance of the posts is the privilege of the appointees. With such mismatches, will there be a revolt within Umno?

REALPOLITIK... New Podcast

Oon Yeoh has come up with a new podcast with political analyst Ong Kian Ming. It's called Realpolitik. The first episode is about the new Abdullah Cabinet. It's available on www.oonyeoh.com.

Keep watching. Things will get more exciting after April 15. Mark my words.

Posted by Jeff Ooi at 07:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)

All leaders in states not controlled by Umno dominance must be careful.

In the aftermath of the Abdullah debacle in GE2008, Utusan Malaysia and Bernama became the two media organisations that stoked political hatred, pitting Malays against non-Malays.

Both the media gro