What Merdeka means to me

Everyone has their own respective definition of what 'Merdeka' means to them. How it touches them, how it affects them. I also firmly believe that the raison d'etre for each Malaysian differ and that they may not be the same with everybody else. So, it was very upsetting (though pathetically expected) when those in the 'Corridors of Power' saw it fit to delete my comments on what Merdeka means to me. It would seem that these people have not 'Merdeka' or liberalised their minds when doing so and are merely doing so to evade embarassment to their political masters.

How can you expect to be a 'Global Champion' if you cannot embrace differing opinions? How can you address the major challenges in the world ahead when you cannot even handle divergence of opinions? I wish you all the best and maybe the ECER Development Corridor will be better governed by a one-sided authocratic regime? Good luck to you.

Anyway this time around I would like to wish all Malaysians a great Merdeka and to the Muslims, Mabruk e-Ramadhan. May this year our convictions in Allah SWT remain strong and that we remain steadfast in fighting in his name. May justice reign supreme and may all evils be estopped.

My special prayers are with those on MISC Tankers Bunga Melati 2 and 5. I hope MISC Berhad will do the logical and reroute the lines to exclude the Gulf of Aden. My heartfelt condolences go with their families and may Allah SWT protect the hostages.

I also wish to congratulate the learned Attorney General on his report which effectively neutralises or even negates the so-called 'populist' 'band-aid' budget released by the Prime Minister. The inference is that the goodies were brought on to silence the rampant corruption, ineffective management, cronyism and nepotism of the current administration. Many weaknesses appear, for example only a one percent (1%) drop in income tax relief? RM150 for the disabled? truly the BN has lost touch with the people. An opportunity to neutralise the effects of the by-election in P44 - Permatang Pauh, by retouching the Budget, was left untouched - leading to further erosion of support.

And here was I thinking that Pak Lah's early return to KL before the announcements of the results of P44 was because he had to 'fine-tune' the budget!! Then what did you do laa Pak Lah?? sleep as usual?

All in all I cannot wait to see Malaysia finally and conclusively 'Merdeka' from the clutches of the BN and deliver the rakyat from suffering to content. May Allah SWT realise the dream of Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his allies in getting those ear-tagged BN defectors to declare themselves ASAP.

Mabruk e Ramadhan! MERDEKA!!

Oil Prices: UMNO Deflecting Criticism to PETRONAS

SALUTE TO PETRONAS of whom without them and their tireless antics this beloved country of ours would be left to rot on the side of Jalan Raja Bot.

In the Rakyat's eagerness to find the seemingly unidentifiable culprit we see efforts being undertaken to deflect the issue and a good number of the Rakyat - be they from the ruling party or the opposition - are convinced that PETRONAS is to be blamed for the single highest petrol fuel price rise anywhere in the world.

Boycotts were arranged and debates were ensued, all demanding PETRONAS to either give up their lifestyle as kings (which left many PETRONAS employees confused) or to reveal detailed accounts. So much so that Tan Sri Hassan Merican himself felt compelled to come forward in his effort to calm the situation.

Like it or not, these actions are demotivating and destroying the very people that have worked so hard to turn PETRONAS from a RM10 million company at its inception to a multi-hundred-billion megacompany with tens of thousands of employees.

In MalaysiaKini, the President of PETRONAS have explained that PETRONAS is governed under the Petroleum Development Act of 1974. Since then a total of RM570 billion in profits were gained and from that RM336 billion (almost 60%) were paid to the government. The rest were used as revolving capital for investment purposes, which would translate into bigger profit hauls for the country in the future.

Now, PETRONAS have proven that they are adept at investing. Personalities such as Allahyarham Tan Sri Azizan and Tan Sri Hassan Merican himself are people who should be applauded by the Rakyat and not victimised. The question should be pointed at that government which had ruled Malaysia since 1975 (the date PETRONAS first contributed to the government's coffers) namely the BARISAN NASIONAL. The question is why are we targetting PETRONAS? why are we so ANGRY with PETRONAS? shouldn't we bear our bayonets to the correct culprit (in Malay: Keparat)?

Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, in his vain efforts to revive a flagging political career, demanded PETRONAS to reveal details of its accounts. No doubt to insinuate the bailout of Konsortium Perkapalan Berhad against Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Even if this were to be the case, it shows (among many examples) the utter lack of respect and disregard the BN government have shown towards PETRONAS and further amplifying in earnest the blatant misuse of moneys received from PETRONAS by the BN Government. Mega Projects were approved which led to richer UMNOPuteras and BN Cronies but to the detriment of the majority Rakyat.

How did the BN government administer their monies? one needs only to look at the Financial Report of Selangor and Perak where the annual allocation for all representatives were finished barely 3 months into the new year - all for the purchase of T-Shirts, appointing contractors and celebrations.

We should be objective and be wise enough to detect the actual culprit from the innocent. For me, the age-old conundrum that BN is the only experienced body to administer Malaysia has, in terms of managing PETRONAS, effectively gone down the drain.

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA

http://puterabatu.blogspot.com/

Rakyat Dibebankan Dengan Kenaikan Keterlaluan!

Rakyat pastinya dirundung kehidupan rumit. Bermula dari harga minyak, menjalar ke bil eletrik, tertekan parah dengan kos pengangkutan dan harga barang keperluan lainnya.

Arakian subsidi minyak dikurangkan, tetapi persoalannya keuntungan Petronas yang jenuh melimpah tertiris dan bocor kemana? Tidak ada pertanggungjawaban waima kepada Parlimen sekalipun. Yang arif mengenai kedudukan kewangan Petronas hanya Perdana Menteri dan yang terserlah adalah Projek mega dan Koridor!

Rakyat bukan sahaja dinafikan maklumat malah limpahan dan habuan dari khazanah utama negara tidak dirasakan. Kemanfaatannya adalah buat keluarga dan kroni yang sekonyong-konyong dianugerah kontrak dan projek.

Inilah yang kami sering ungkapkan sebagai pengurusan ekonomi yang lembab dan tidak bertanggungjawab!

Amalan hidup pimpinan negara terus boros, pembaziran dan rasuah terus berleluasa.
Justeru itu kami membantah keras dasar Kerajaan UMNO-BN yang mengabaikan tanggungjawab dan membebankan rakyat. Setelah gagal mengurus ekonomi dan menjamin keselesaan hidup rakyat, pimpinan UMNO-BN seharusnya berundur!

Saya ulangi pendirian saya dan Pakatan Rakyat untuk menurunkan harga minyak dan meletakkan asas ekonomi manusiawi. Dasar tersebut harus menjurus kapada pertumbuhan segar dan pantas, namun tetap prihatin terhadap kehidupan rakyat.

DATO' SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

Kenapa saya berubah? oleh Ezam Mohd. Noor

(Ihsan SongkokPutih daripada TranungKite)

PAGI 28 Mei dalam diari Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor bermula begini –dalam catatan saya yang tiba ke rumahnya kira-kira jam 11.00 pagi di Seksyen 7 Shah Alam. Ada deretan kereta diletakkan di tepi pagar rumah banglo dua tingkat itu. Sebaik melangkah masuk dan memberi salam, nampak kelibat ayah Ezam, Pak Cik Mohd Nor, dan ibu Ezam, bonda Aisyah tersenyum.

Selepas bersalaman dan beramah tamah, saya dijemput masuk ke rumah, di ruang tamu itu, sudah siap menunggu, rakan-rakan karib Ezam ketika menerajui Angkatan Muda PKR, Abdul Ghani Harun, S D Johari, saudara Nazmi, Syed, dan Azwandin Hamzah.

Ezam, tidak kelihatan, kata isterinya, Bahirah, beliau masih di bilik menghabiskan bacaan Al Quran -rutin pagi yang diamalkan beliau sejak di penjara Kajang lagi.

Jam 11.30 pagi, Ezam keluar, dengan baju lengan panjang berwarna biru air, seluar slack berjalur halus berwarna kelabu kehitaman, dan kot.

“Dah minum?” katanya ramah, sambil bersalaman. Tenang, memang gaya Ezam dari dulu lagi. Biarpun hari ini, beberapa jam lagi beliau akan berdepan dengan orang yang pernah diserangnya bertahun-tahun.

“Kenapa abang berubah?”

Beliau dalam kiraan jam, akan mengumumkan sokongannya yang tidak berbelah bagi, kepada parti dan orang yang pernah menjadi musuhnya dahulu. Dan saya mencuri kesempatan untuk bertanya, “Kenapa abang berubah?”

“Kenapa saya berubah? Saya tidak berubah, saya menyokong dasar, bukan parti atau individu, dasar UMNO kini berubah, jadi saya kembali menyokong UMNO dan sudah tentulah menyokong kepimpinan yang berani mengubah dasar tersebut,” kata Ezam.

“Saya yakin agenda perubahan yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri sekarang ini, termasuk soal memperkasa BPR, memulihkan institusi kehakiman dan banyak lagi merupakan agenda perubahan yang besar dan wajar disokong,” katanya.

Sambil berbual ringan, Ezam melihat jam di tangan yang waktu itu sudah menunjukkan jam 11.55 pagi.

“Kita pergi dua kereta, empat orang satu kereta, dari sini kita singgah di Bandar Sunway, ada restoran Bakso, jumpa Hamdan, saya hendak isi borang di situ, dari situ kita bergerak ke KL Sentral, Datuk Wan Farid tunggu dan dia akan bawa kita masuk ke Parlimen,” kata Ezam pada semua yang hadir.
Arahannya jelas dan tegas. Itulah ciri Ezam yang menarik minat saya sejak dulu. Dan ramai lagi, satu ketika dalam Angkatan Muda PKR, gaya Ezam berceramah menjadi ikutan pemimpin pemuda lainnya. Termasuklah gaya sebutan khasnya bila berkata “Kerana apa?...” yang intonasinya ditekan, sedalam-dalamnya, berhenti senafas dan disambung semula.

Doa keluarga iringi langkah Ezam

Selepas berdoa, dan Ezam mengucup pipi kedua ibu bapanya memohon restu, bersalaman dengan isteri dan adiknya, Illa. Kami bertolak tepat jam 12.10 tengahhari. Mengikut arahan yang jelas tadi. Di dalam kereta, Ezam yang duduk di kerusi penumpang sebelah depan, sibuk melayan sms dan panggilan telefon.Saya kira berita beliau akan bertemu Perdana Menteri sudah heboh. Bermacam-macam orang yang telefon, kebanyakkannya wartawan, Ezam melayan satu persatu panggilan tersebut.

Bila sampai di Restoran Bakso itu, Hamdan Taha, rakan karib Ezam bersama seorang lagi sudah menunggu. Sudah ada beberapa helai borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup.

Satu yang kosong diserahkan. Ezam ambil dan membacanya, “Ada Pen?” katanya, pen di ambil, dan tanpa rasa gementar, beliau mengisinya, satu persatu. Dan menandatangani borang tersebut.

Selesai bab borang, kami bergegas ke KL Sentral, sepanjang perjalanan, Ezam kembali melayan panggilan telefon.

Kami sampai di KL Sentral jam 2.15 petang, sambil menunggu Datuk Wan Farid, Timbalan Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, yang akan membawa Ezam ke Parlimen.

Sebaik Wan Farid muncul dengan kereta Perdananya, Ezam berpindah kenderaan. Beliau bersama Wan Farid, dan kami mengikuti dari belakang.

Terus ke Parlimen, dan terus ke pintu VIP, di sana setiausaha politik Pak Lah, Datuk Reezal Marican, sudah menunggu. Kebetulan ada juga Bendahari Umno, Datuk Azim Zabidi, dan Ketua Pemuda Umno Datuk Hishamuddin Hussein.

Wartawan rasmi Parlimen

Ezam bersalaman dengan semua, bergurau dengan Hishamuddin, yang beberapa hari sebelum itu memberitahu wartawan beliau ada tiga soalan kepada Ezam sebelum masuk Umno. Ezam bersalaman, dan berjalan beriringan dengan Hishamuddin. Gaya orang politik.

Dari situ kami menaiki lif ke tingkat dua. Bilik menunggu Perdana Menteri di Parlimen. Di sajikan air teh o kosong, sambil Ezam, Wan Farid, Reezal Marican dan seorang lagi setiausaha politik Abdullah yang baru dilantik, Datuk Alwi berbual.

Tidak ada wartawan dibenarkan masuk, kecuali dari Agendadaily.com, Hanafiah Man dan Lukman Abdullah yang sudah boleh dianggap wartawan rasmi Parlimen. Saya sempat menghantar beberapa sms kepada Jeff, dan Epul rakan yang bertugas mengemaskini KLpos.com.

Kira-kira jam 3.40 petang, Ezam bertemu Abdullah. Entah apa yang mereka bualkan. Saya tidak masuk. Cuma menunggu bersama-sama lebih 50 wartawan di bilik sidang media yang bakal diadakan. Bersebelahan dengan bilik menunggu.

Sambil berbual-bual dengan penganalisis politik terkenal Mohd Sayuti Omar dan Zubaidah Abu Bakar yang hadir untuk merakam detik bersejarah itu.

“Bismillah...”

Selepas 40 minit. Abdullah dan Ezam keluar. Sidang akhbar diadakan. Abdullah seperti biasa menjawab semua soalan. Dan pada soalan, apa peranan yang akan dimainkan oleh Ezam di dalam Umno, beliau dengan selamba berkata, “Itu biar Ezam yang jawab”.

Ezam sendiri, memilih untuk mengadakan sidang akhbar sehari selepas pengumuman rasmi tersebut. Hari ini. Ezam bersama penyokongnya akan mengadakan sidang akhbar di sebuah hotel di Petaling Jaya kira-kira jam 11.00 pagi.

Ada detik yang penting. Yang saya sempat catatkan. Tatkala Ezam menyerahkan borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup kepada Abdullah.

Ezam bersalaman, sambil berkata, “Bismillah...,” Abdullah yang sebelum itu senyum, bertukar serius. Diambilnya borang Ezam itu, dengan kata-kata yang sama, “Bismillah...” Tangan Ezam digengam erat. Abdullah kembali tersenyum. Lebih manis dari biasa. Kilauan cahaya kemera tidak henti-henti merakamkan satu lagi saat bersejarah kepada bangsa dan negara.

Semalam. 28 Mei. Abdullah, menerima seorang hulubalang baru dalam perjuangannya untuk perubahan.

Dan seperti kata Ezam, “Saya tidak berubah, dasar UMNO yang berubah, jadi saya kembali menyokong UMNO dan sudah tentulah menyokong kepimpinan yang berani mengubah dasar tersebut,”.

Sidang media Abdullah di ParlimenDatuk Wan Farid yang banyak memainkan peranan disebalik kembalinya Ezam ke dalam Umno


Reezal Marican (Kanan) menyambut kedatangan Ezam Mengisi borang Umno di restoran Bakso...Turut kelihatan Hamdan Taha.







Inilah borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor

When will Johor apologise to the Rakyat?

Maybe it was too much work to administer Pulau Batu Puteh or the Horsburgh Lighthouse, maybe it was because there was no obvious substantiation to the rock formation, which has no room for agriculture, meaningful buildings and infrastructure, but the fact remains that Johor regards the outcrop as useless enough when its State Secretary decided to send a letter of disclaimer to the island in 1953.

Although I am a Johorean, I echo the sentiments of the Rector of Kolej Yayasan Melaka, Dr. Ramlah Adam that this was a weakness of the then Johor administration. Research was not properly done and the result was that key letter that doomed Malaysia to reluctantly accept a 'new Singapore' by adding potentially one hundred square kilometres of new territory of which Singapore would now gratefully convert from being underwater to a spanking reclaimed land.

Singapore already has an utter disregard for Malaysian interest especially in Malaysia's efforts to lead the region in exploring the oil and gas industry which would soon rival their own. The Johor Strait, already a loser in the 'crooked bridge' issue is now under further jeopardy with this development - any new reclamation there will further shallow the passage of ships entering the already hardly navigable strait heading towards the Pasir Gudang Port and the surrounding facilities.

I sincerely think that the Johor Government, though it was done before Merdeka, should apologise for this loss and find out how can we mitigate this loss.

Amir Hamzah Amha
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

Awas!

Sama ada kita sedar atau tidak salah satu cara pemimpin-pemimpin umno atau kerajaan BN menipu rakyat ialah bila ada bencana besar, bila sahaja ada bencana besar maka akan timbul lah ,parti parti politik,persatuan,ngo atau badan-badan kerajaan kutipan derma sama ada melalui akhbar dan sekarang yg paling popular ialah melalui sms. memang bagus semua itu,demi membantu mangsa-mangsa yang di timpa bencara. tetapi betulkah sumbangan-sumbangan itu akan sampai kepada mereka-mereka yang susah, atau mungkin hanya sampai separuh sahaja.



Banyak dah kita dengar setahun lepas bencara apa-apa pun terutamanya yg berlaku dalam negara akan ada orang membuat komplain yang mereka tidak mendapat itu dan ini. Habis kemanakah sumbangan-sumbangan terutamanya wang ringgit. saya tidak membuat tuduhan tetapi saya meminta rakyat menilai atau memikirkanya, dah banyak kali dah kita dengar kelohan orang. dalam bab cuba menunjukan baik,menunjuk bagus, menunjuk perihatin serahlah kepada pemimpin,ahli-ahli umno. akan keluarlah muka-muka tempayan di dada akhbar, cuma betulkah mereka perihatin,betulkah mereka jujur menjalankan amanah. hanya tuhan sahaja yang tahu. contohnya di adakan kutipan untuk mangsa bencana Mynmar ,katalah dapat rm 50 juta,adakah rakyat malaysia pasti rm 50 juta tu sampai sepenuhnya kepada rakyat mynmar.itu di negara lain yang kita tak tahu.



Television Malaysia pasti akan mengiyakan. saya harap rakyat malaysia fikirkanlah sendiri. cukuh selama ini kita di tipu.kalau beri berilah melalui persatuan persatuan agama. kalau nama orang politik atau persatuan di bawah kerajaan fikirkanlah sepuluh kali. kita bukan orang kaya

MalaysiaKini Report

MALAYSIAKINI SPECIAL REPORT: The Grand Saga in Cheras

They have been protesting over the past few years. A number have been arrested, some alleged they were beaten by the police.But it appears that no end is in sight in the stand-off between the determined Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) residents and an equally determined highway toll operator Grand Saga Sdn Bhd.





















Grand Saga has built a three-feet high concrete barrier to block an access road to the township. This resulted in commuters having to travel an additional six kilometres and pay Grand Saga 90 sen toll for every trip.

Emboldened by the victory of the new Pakatan Rakyat state government in Selangor, the residents have taken it upon themselves to demolish the barricade. But every time it was destroyed, the wall was rebuilt by Grand Saga. The barricade has since been erected and torn down no fewer than three times.

Malaysiakini, which has been reporting on the row since 2006, has the following stories: 2008

Barricade row: Court throws out residents' injunction l May 12
Minister wants cool heads over BMC saga l May 12
Lim Lip Eng - another 'street style' MP l May 10
I would do it again, says assaulted MP l May 10
BMC residents doused and gassed l May 9MP hospitalised after Cheras fracas l May 9Barricade row: Pakatan state gov't 'weak' l May 9Police fire tear gas at Cheras residents l May 8Cheras residents in stand-off to protect toll-free road l May 7Grand Saga 'advised' to re-erect concrete barrier l April 30Confirmed - residents can tear down concrete barrier l April 29Barricade row: Answers next week l April 232007Trio sues cops over ‘assault’ during protest l Oct 2421 arrested in anti-toll hike protest l Jan 212006Vexed residents protest against toll hike l Dec 18Seventh protest against barricade l Aug 22VIDEOS12-min video of the scuffle l May 910-min video of stand-off between residents and police l May 8

Raja Petra Kamaruddin dan Candlelight Vigil - Solidariti with RPK

Assalamualaikum Wrt. Wbt. / Salam Reformasi.

Parti KeADILan Rakyat Bahagian Batu membantah sekeras-kerasnya tindakan Peguam Negara dan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) berkenaan episod penangkapan Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK).

Pihak Bahagian merasakan bahawa penangkapan ini bermotifkan politik dan seharusnya Najib Tun Razak disiasat rapi berkenaan tuduhan-tuduhan yang sudah sampai ke pengetahuan umum berkenaan kes Altantuya Shaariibuu.

PDRM harus diingatkan kes Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) yang dimana satu-per-satu tuduhan mendiang Khalid Jafri disiasat dan DSAI dipaksa membuktikan beliau tidak bersalah. Konsep 'guilty until proven innocent' ini perlu dilaksanakan juga ke atas Najib Tun Razak dan Rosmah Mansor.

Untuk mengingatkan pihak PDRM lagi, siasatan terhadap Khir Toyo dan Zaharah Kechik perlu juga digerakkan menggunapakai kaedah songsang di atas.

Kepada rakyat yang mahukan keADILan untuk saudara RPK, saudara dijemput ke Malam Solidariti bersama RPK di Pintu Utama Penjara Sungai Buluh malam ini (7 Mei 2008) jam 9:00 malam.

Jazakallahu Khairan Kathira,

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA
Ketua Penerangan
Parti KeADILan Rakyat Bahagian Batu
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

The Cheekiness of Ahmad Shabery Cheek

No, the last 'Cheek' is not referring to his facial tissue, and the first Cheek does not refer to his father. But as the topic reads, this fella has to learn a few things in his inaugural stint as the Informations Minister. Things such as sincerity and accountability.

Acting like a senior statesman, his threat to call-off the televised live feed of the proceedings in Dewan Negara due to opposition antics smacks of an insincere gesture to reform. As with all BN promises, this one too will soon bite the dust.

Can he elucidate to me on which godforsaken Parliament has no similar actions? questions as to rules, verbals blasts and sometimes irrelevant questions? are the Pakatan Rakyat MPs solely responsible for dressing the Dewan Rakyat with courtesy?

One question sir, Are not the BN MPs happy with the increasing democratisation and transparency of the proceedings with the televised events? Don't they feel that it is a small step for the betterment of Malaysia?

Ever since I knew this whippersnapper I have always thought that this bloke is nothing but hot air. He is intelligent though, intelligent enough to bait Malaysians over this 'reform' gesture to air proceedings and then his next (but always premeditated) move to censor it and linking the basis to Pakatan Rakyat.

You think you are smart bro. We are smarter. And we will always see through your gestures, no matter how enticing they may be. Remember, the real losers who refuses to reform will be yourselves.

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

A Salafi in Malaysia

I am perplexed with the current situation in my country, where many questions are being discussed regarding Islam and its application to mu'amalah or daily transactions as well as the Syari'ah or Islamic Law.

However, in a country that does not regard the Qur'an and Sunnah of Muhammad (SAW) as being the utmost in authority, I cannot even begin to imagine the disaster waiting to happen when decisions are passed out. In Malaysia, customs ('Urf) and the Syari'ah are intertwined to such an extent that there are state bodies governing the two together. This mix usually results in the Syari'ah being subservient and secondary to the requirements of customs or in Malay it is called 'adat'.

It is an unusually common understanding here that Syari'ah must always give way to local customs. Whilst it is trite that nothing ever shall overide the Syari'ah.

When inappropriate tools are used to fix a specific problem you would expect to find the fault being unfixed. It may even get worse! Therefore I submit that in order to fix something relating to Islam, the appropriate tools must be used which in this case is the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com