Guna Peruntukan Kanak-Kanak Buat Jamuan Pejabat

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

BILA pegawai kerajaan belanja peruntukan yang ditujukan kepada kanak-kanak kurang zat makanan untuk jamuan pejabat, apa lagi yang kita  boleh kata?

Apatah lagi perkara bedebah itu dilakukan oleh pegawai-pegawai kesihatan diamanahkan menjaga peruntukan tersebut. Jangan bimbang, Menteri akan beri seribu alasan. Perkara biasa kan?

Kita tahu perkhidmatan awam Malaysia bukan kelas dunia. Tetapi kita tidaklah menjangka yang ianya seteruk itu.

Apa sudah jadi dengan perkhidmatan awam Malaysia? Apa sudah jadi dengan pegawai kerajaan Malaysia?

Tetapi itulah antara pelbagai musibah dan keburukan yang didedahkan oleh Ketua Juruaudit Negara dalam laporan 2013 yang dikeluarkan semalam.

Terima kasih kepada akhbar The Star kerana memukadepankan penemuan itu.

Inilah yang menyebabkan rakyat jelata makin kritikal terhadap pentadbiran negara. Betullah kata orang dulu kala, bapa borek anak rintik.

Itu jugalah sebabnya rakyat jelata semakin keberatan membayar cukai. Sedangkan buat sekian lama rakyat jelata Malaysia adalah antara yang paling setia membayar cukai.

Yang liat bayar cukai adalah tauke-tauke, pengimport dan pengeksport. Macam-macam helah dan kaedah mereka guna untuk elak cukai, termasuk menipu dan merasuah.

Rakyat tidak bantah GST seperti mereka tidak bantah cukai jualan dan perkhidmatan. Yang mereka bantah adalah pembaziran, pemborosan, salah guna wang negara dan ketidakcekapan.

The Star turut memetik laporan Ketua Juruaudit Negara mengenai kelewatan 18 bulan menyiapkan kompleks mahkamah di Kuantan yang menyebabkan kosnya meningkat RM19 juta dan mesin roti RM1.2 juta untuk Jabatan Penjara disimpan di tempat letak kereta.

Ada Skandal Lebih Besar

Itu cerita tahi gigi kalau dibandingkan dengan salah urus pembinaan terminal penerbangan ekonomi KLIA2 yang bukan saja terlewat dua tahun, tetapi juga menelan belanja dua kali ganda - daripada RM2 bilion kepada RM4 bilion.

Kontrak utamanya diberikan kepada usaha sama UEM-Bina Puri Berhad. UEM adalah GLC milik Khazanah Nasional manakala Bina Puri adalah syarikat pembinaan yang ada kaitan dengan MCA. Pengerusinya, Wong Foon Meng adalah bekas Setiausaha Agung MCA dan Speaker Dewan Negara.

Tidak hairanlah kalau pelanggan utama terminal baru itu, Air Asia Berhad mempertikaikan kesediaan dan keselamatan terminal yang dijadualkan beroperasi pada 2 Mei ini. Media massa, antara lain melaporkan keretakan landasan dan apron serta kesediaan sistem bagasi.

Dalam suasana di mana negara kita dilanda bala (ujian) demi bala – daripada kejadian alam (kemarau, jerebu dan kekurangan air) kepada kehilangan kapal terbang dan penculikan pelancong – kita wajib berhati-hati sebelum membuka KLIA2.

Ada orang kata bukan bala lagi, tapi sudah sampai peringkat pembalasan.

Bayangkan apa akan terjadi kepada imej kita sekiranya berlaku sesuatu yang tidak diingini atau masalah teknikal besar di terminal baru itu.

Kita wajib ingat, hari ini genaplah sebulan kehilangan misteri pesawat MH370 dan kalau tidak kerana bantuan negara-negara sahabat, kita masih ternganga dan terpinga.

Wajib Siasat Kelewatan KLIA2

Kembali kepada kontroversi KLIA2, saya masih ingat betapa sukarnya memindahkan operasi dari Lapangan Terbang Subang ke KLIA pada tahun 1998.

Kebetulan saya tiba dengan penerbangan pertama Cathay Pacific dari Hong Kong di KLIA pada hari pertama operasinya.

Kita mengalami kelewatan yang panjang untuk keluar dari pesawat dan mengambil bagasi. Saya menulis mengenai pengalaman saya itu dan disindir pada hari berikutnya sebagai tidak patriotik.

Dalam hal kelewatan dan pergandaan kos KLIA2, kita wajib menuntut agar penyiasatan rapi dan bebas dilakukan ke atas pihak-pihak yang terbabit, termasuk Kementerian Kewangan, Kementerian Pengangkutan, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad dan kontraktor utama.

Mesti ada pihak yang tidak cekap, tidak teliti dan tidak telus sebaliknya korup sehingga berlaku kelewatan, pergandaan kos dan mutu kerja yang dipertikaikan.

Kita tidak memilih kerajaan, membayar cukai dan mematuhi undang-undang untuk diperkotak-katikkan oleh orang yang kita beri mandat dan kepercayaan. Barang dijauhkan malapetaka dan musibah seterusnya.

Trouble in Paradise - What Paradise?

A Kadir Jasin

[NO anonymous comments. Please use Google Account, OpenID or Name/URL. Pseudonym accepted. Thank you]

INITIALLY I had not wanted to comment on the kidnapping of a China tourist from a diving resort off the eastern coast of Sabah on April 2.

With so many tourists from China now roaming the globe and kidnapping being such a common criminal activity in Sabah, I considered this latest incident as another stale news until I read in today’s Star the headline that reads: Trouble in Paradise Again.

Let me be very frank and open. I have lost confidence in our ability to defend the sovereignty of this part of the country and to protect lives and properties of its residents and visitors.

When the Filipino gunmen seized 21 foreign tourists and Malaysian resort employees from Pulau Sipadan in 2000, I went to see the rescue operations. The delegation was led by then Defence Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak. He was accompanied by the Tawau MP, Shafie Apdal.

We flew in RMAF helicopters, rode the Royal Malaysian Navy’s fast commando assault boats and had a briefing on the training ship, KD Hang Tuah.

The whole exercise was to assure the Sabahans and tourists that there would not be a repeat of the incident and that they were safe.

From bad to Worse

Thirteen years had passed. Mohd Najib has become the Prime Minister but the Sabah coast is no safer. On the contrary it has become more lawless and dangerous.

Incursions, kidnapping and outright attacks have become so common that assurances mean little or nothing at all anymore.

So what paradise is The Star talking about?

To save whatever is left our reputation and credibility, we should stop giving wrong impression to tourists that the eastern seaboard of Sabah is safe.

We stop promising them safety and security, when we have clearly failed miserably to secure the area decades after it become part of our sovereign territory.

If we are still hard up for the tourist dollar, we should at least be frank with them. Tell them that they are visiting these islands and beaches at their own risk.

Yes, God has given us many heavenly places, but due to our ineptitude, incompetence and lack of leadership at all levels – down to the local police and military commanders – these places have been turned into hell by gunmen and kidnappers.

It appears that the louder our leaders speak, the more money they spend on defence and security, and the more agencies they set up, the less secure and safe the country becomes.

Maybe we have never actually learnt how to govern Sarawak and Sabah. They are too dissimilar to the Peninsula. Recognising these dissimilarities and their unique position as British colonies, they were granted considerable autonomy when they joined the Federation of Malaya to become Malaysia in 1963.

Is Sang Kelembai Responsible?

What has been happening in the country in the last few years – topped by the disappearance of MH370 almost a month ago - reminds me of the Sang Kelembai.

This mysterious supernatural being in the Malay folklore is so evil and sinister that anybody who runs into him and anything he touches turns into rock.

Are we, figuratively speaking, in the grips of Sang Kelembai? Pray to God that we are not.

I do not want to go into the Malay traditional believe of “tuah” (good luck) and “sial” (bad luck).

But during my days in the village, a man or woman suspected of suffering from the latter had to go through ritual cleansing called “mandi bunga” (flower bath).

Today, pious Muslims would tell you that such a belief and practice is “khurafat” and therefore, forbidden. So are the beliefs in ghosts, spirits, orang bunian (elves), mantras, palm reading, tangkal, keramat and magic stones.

Have a good weekend.

Fire and Steel In Anwar's Ambition And Desperation

A Kadir Jasin

[NO anonymous comments. Please use Google Account, OpenID or Name/URL. Pseudonym accepted. Thank you]

                         Mary MacGregor - Torn Between Two Lovers

WHAT is happening in the People’s Justice Party (PKR) today reminds me of the song “Torn Between Two Lovers” above and the 1979 TV movie of the same name that it inspired.

The party’s Ketua Umum (General Leader), (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim is torn between his loyal wife, (Datin Seri) Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and his loyal aide, Mohd Azmin Ali.

Like Diane (Lee Remick), the woman in the movie, who was torn between her husband and her lover, Anwar is torn between Dr Wan Azizah and Mohd Azmin.

But whereas Diane’ s love of the two men was a private affair, Anwar’s torment is public and political.

Dr Wan Azizah is the PKR President and Mohd Azmin is her deputy. But events in the party has locked the three of them in what The Star newspaper dubbed “a game of throne” – after the TV series of the same title based on the work of US writer George R.R. Martin.

A Game of Throne - will the crown change at PKR

In this developing drama, Anwar is torn between the two of them. The antagonist in the drama is the Menteri Besar of Selangor, (Tan Sri) Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. He is Mohd Azmin’s mortal enemy, but somebody Anwar could not conveniently get rid off.

So, to avoid Mohd Azmin challenging Dr Wan Azizah in the upcoming PKR election, he has to challenge his wife and, hopefully, win the post.

The Trio - Anwar, Wan Azizah and Mohd Azmin

This is a political drama at it’s most ridiculous – if I can put it that way. Anwar fears that if Mohd Azmin is allowed to challenge Dr Wan Azizah, he will win and with that victory he can act on Abdul Khalid.

Mohd Azmin may continue to be loyal to Anwar but with the power that the job offers, he could gradually wean himself of Anwar’s influence, more so when the latter faces the prospects of spending four years in jail for sodomy.

So to stop that possibility, Anwar has to take on Dr Wan Azizah. The latter can withdraw and give her husband a walkover victory. But that would be undemocratic and hollow.

Being a democrat that he is, Anwar has to show a semblance of democracy by having the post contested and, the chances are, being a good wife, Dr Wan Azizah will lose gracefully.

But that may not solve the war of attrition between Mohd Azmin and Abdul Khalid especially if Anwar eventually goes to jail after the Federal Court appeal.

Anwar realizes this. After being disqualified from contesting the March 23 Kajang State Legislative Assembly by-election because of the sodomy ruling, he has to win the PKR President post in order to have a legitimate claim on the party.

If he goes to jail once again, he will go as President of PKR. For a man who was quoted saying, “jail holds no fear for me,” Anwar fears being forgotten.

He knows too that he stands to lose the post of PKR President if he is committed to the prison. But that’s ok because in spirit he can claim to be the leader of choice of the party.

Abdul Khalid has a healthy war chest

Whether he can end Mohd Azmin-Abdul Khalid War or stop it from festering is another matter. Remember, as MB, Abdul Khalid has a healthy war chest to fight Mohd Azmin. He is in control of official state funds as well as party funds in Selangor.

For Mohd Azmin, not fighting Dr Wan Azizah does not, however mean that he will be reelected Deputy President. He is facing five challengers including Abdul Khalid. Others are Batu MP Tian Chua, PKR secretary-general (Datuk) Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, (Datuk) K. Ramachandran and Murali Subramaniam.

Abdul Khalid is a formidable challenger. His sales of state land, mainly to (Tan Sri) Danny Tan’s Tropicana Corporation Berhad, had generated surpluses for the state and thereby fortifying his position in the state government and the party.

Anwar approach to solving his personal problems lacks moral latitude. He fights to stay on at all costs. In contrast, the DAP National Chairman, Karpal Singh, who faces a lesser sentence (for sedition) temporarily vacated the post while waiting for the outcome of his appeal.

Such are the plots in our political dramas. For Anwar, ambition and desperation, like fire and steel, have forged into one.

Survival Pemimpin Lwn Kelangsungan Rakyat Jelata

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

UPDATE, April 1- PERATUSAN rakyat Malaysia yang tidak berpuas hati dengan prestasi Perdana Menteri, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, meningkat kepada 44% pada bulan Mac 2014 berbanding 40% pada Disember 2013, demikian menurut hasil kaji selidik terbaru Merdeka Center.

Pengarah Eksekutifnya, Ibrahim Suffian berkata, penarafan Perdana Menteri bagaimanapun kekal pada tahap 52%.

Sementara itu, 49% berpendapat negara bergerak ke arah yang bertentangan berbanding 38% yang berasa sebaliknya. (Baca di sini).

ORIGINAL POST

RASANYA sudah cukup lama kita tidak mengulas dan menganalisis politik serta ekonomi tanah air kerana kita mahu memberi peluang dan ruang yang secukupnya kepada semua pihak, khususnya kepemimpinan negara, menangani misteri MH370 tanpa gangguan.

Kelembutan Hishammuddin Husein membantu proses komunkiasi, diplomasi dan mengubat hati. Prestasi beliau dalam krisis MH370 membanggakan.

Tetapi selepas lebih tiga minggu, misteri kehilangan pesawat Boeing 777-200ER MAS itu jauh daripada selesai dan kita pun sudah lihat dengan jelas buruk serta baik prestasi kepemimpinan kita menangani krisis.

Bukan krisis lesapnya MH370 sahaja. Serentak itu kita juga mengalami kemarau, kebakaran hutan, jerebu dan catuan air. Sebelum itu, wilayah kita dilanggar penjahat Filipina.

Kita sudah memberikan masa yang cukup lama dan panjang kepada mereka, khasnya Perdana Menteri, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak mengatasi krisis-krisis ini sehingga timbul tanda-tanda yang mereka berasa lega berselindung di sebalik tragedi MH370.

Saya tertarik dengan analisis sebuah portal berita yang mengatakan kedudukan Mohd Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri adalah selamat dan terjamin walaupun negara dan rakyat jelata menderita pelbagai krisis.

Kata portal berita itu, walaupun tahap keyakinan terhadap beliau mungkin berada di paras paling rendah sejak menjadi PM pada tahun 2009, beliau akan kekal sebagai PM.

Disember lalu, populariti beliau mengikut kajian Merdeka Center jatuh kepada 52%. Sebanyak 67% daripada orang yang dikaji menyebut peningkatan kos sara hidup dan inflasi sebagai punca mereka hilang keyakinan terhadap Mohd Najib.

Populariti beliau merudum di kalangan semua bangsa walaupun kejatuhan paling teruk adalah di kalangan orang India. Sokongan orang India terhadap beliau jatuh daripada 76% kepada 57% dan sokongan orang Cina jatuh 13% lagi kepada hanya 21%. Hatta orang Melayu yang menjadi penyokong utama beliau pun memberi penarafan yang lebih rendah – jatuh daripada 73% kepada 66%.

Main Selamat Baik Bagi Mohd Najib

Penarafan dan kritikan nampaknya tidak menjejaskan kedudukan Mohd Najib sebagai PM. Tidak nampak ada cabaran yang berwibawa agar beliau mengundurkan diri daripada kerajaan dan parti.

Tidak seperti (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang ditentang hebat oleh (Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad dengan bantuan Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin dan (Tun) Daim Zainuddin serta sekumpulan blogger pro-Umno selepas PRU 2008, Mohd Najib tidak menghadapi gerakan seperti itu.

Bukan itu saja. Malah tidak ada siapa pun di kalangan kepemimpinan kanan Umno sekarang yang berminat menjadi PM. Ini berbeza daripada zaman Abdullah apabila Mohd Najib cukup berminat untuk mengambil alih jawatan nombor satu itu.

Hal ini saya ulas dengan agak panjang lebar dalam buku terbaru saya “Mohd Najib Selepas Tsunami Cina”. Dalam erti kata lain, kelemahan Mohd Najib adalah kekuatannya.

Mohd Najib tidak popular. Penarafan beliau merudum. Tetapi beliau makin hari makin kuat. Malah cukup kuat untuk menutup mulut veteran Umno dan menggoncangkan mereka dengan menggunakan media arus perdana.

Baru-baru ini, dengan tidak semena-mena media arus perdana milik kumpulan Utusan dan Media Prima, memberi liputan luas kepada Ketua Pemuda PKR, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin apabila beliau membuat tuduhan terhadap Daim.

Wayang kulit media milik Umno itu menjadi lebih ketara apabila Mohd Najib membuat kenyataan ringkas menyesali serangan PKR terhadap Daim.
Soalnya, adakah keadaan di mana PM yang tidak popular, tetapi tidak mungkin digulingkan adalah baik bagi negara dan rakyat jelata?

Kesan Kemiskinan Akibat Inflasi

Kenaikan harga barang dan perkhidmatan akibat penghapusan dan pemotongan subsidi serta kenaikan tarif elektrik memberi kesan langsung dalam “memiskinkan” rakyat.

Umum sudah tahu kesan kemiskinan akibat kenaikan kos sara hidup di kalangan rakyat dalam kategori isi rumah (household) 40% terkebawah yang berpendapatan purata RM1,800 sebulan.

Malah Mohd Najib sendiri mengakui kesan kemiskinan yang semakin meruncing itu apabila beliau memberikan Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) kepada semua yang berpendapatan kurang RM3,000 sebulan.

Akhbar The Star terbitan 27 Mac menyiarkan laporan bahawa hatta golongan yang berpendapatan isi rumah kurang RM5,000 pun menghadapi masalah untuk mengimbangi belanjawan mereka. 

Jadi, ada dikotomi atau pemisahan antara pelantikan Mohd Najib sebagai PM lima tahun lalu dengan kesejahteraan hidup rakyat. Manakala kedudukan Mohd Najib semakin terjamin kerana tidak ada lagi usaha menjatuhkan beliau, kedudukan ekonomi rakyat jelata semakin lemah.

Kita boleh mengatakannya satu keanehan atau ironi kerana Mohd Najib adalah PM Malaysia yang paling buruk prestasi pilihan raya (sejak krisis 13 Mei 1969), tetapi tidak tercabar.

Adakah ini disebabkan oleh Umno ketandusan bakat kepemimpinan atau sudah menjadi begitu autokratik sehingga Presiden tidak boleh dicabar lagi?

Atau adakah negara kita sebenarnya lebih terkongkong dan tidak bebas walaupun diuar-uarkan sebagai terbuka, liberal dan sederhana?

Keadaan ini mungkin boleh diterima oleh majoriti ahli dan penyokong Umno, tetapi sama ada ia akan diterima oleh pengundi dan rakyat jelata amnya adalah persoalan yang berbeza.

Sekali lagi mungkin ada dikotomi antara kedudukan Mohd Najib yang kukuh dan selamat sebagai PM dengan sokongan pengundi terhadap Umno dan BN.

PM vs Kelangsungan Umno/BN

Mohd Najib kekal sebagai PM sehingga PRU akan datang, tetapi adakah Umno dan BN akan kekal selepas itu?

Kalau pun Umno dan BN kekal ia bukanlah kerana Umno dan BN kuat, tetapi kerana Pakatan Rakyat mungkin menjadi lemah akibat kemungkinan pemenjaraan ketua de faktonya, Anwar Ibrahim.

Sedikit sebanyak trend pengundian Pilihan Raya Kecil Dewan Undangan Kajang 23 Mac lalu memberi gambaran awal bahawa sokongan terhadap PR di kawasan bandar dan separa bandar semakin kukuh.

Natijahnya, Mohd Najib wajib menjaga pengundi Bumiputera dan luar bandar dari aspek ekonomi dan emosi. Tetapi beliau nampaknya terus cuba menggula-gulakan pengundi Cina dengan pelbagai janji dan pemberian.

Sebaliknya, Bumiputera dan penduduk luar bandar yang berupa rakyat paling miskin adalah yang paling teruk dihimpit kesan kenaikan kos sara hidup, inflasi dan kejatuhan harga barangan utama seperti getah dan kelapa sawit.

Cuma mereka tidak mempunyai saluran yang luas dan bebas seperti di bandar untuk menyatakan keresahan. Mereka masih bergantung pada media tradisional yang umumnya prokerajaan.

Kita tentulah tidak mahu negara kita jadi macam lirik lagu kanak-kanak “Lagu Tiga Kupang” di mana raja dalam rumah buat kira-kira, suri dalam dapur makan roti gula tetapi rakyat jelata tidak ada cerita. Kelangsungan negara dan rakyat jelata lebih utama daripada survival individu. Wallahuaklam.

Flight MH370 Ended in Southern Indian Ocean

A Kadir Jasin

[NO anonymous comments. Please use Google Account, OpenID or Name/URL. Pseudonym accepted. Thank you]

OUR sympathies are with families and friends of passengers and crew of MH370.

The Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, announcing the sad news.

 

 

O

PRK Kajang dan "Cult Politics"

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

MUTAKHIR - PAKATAN Rakyat, melalui Parti Keadilan Rakyat, mengekalkan kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri  Kajang apabila Presiden PKR, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, mengalahkan calon Barisan Nasional dari MCA, Che Mei Fun.

Wan Azizah memperoleh 16,741 undi manakala Chew Mei Fun mendapat 11,366 undi, memberikan kelebihan  undi sebanyak 5,379 kepada calon PKR.

Berbanding Pilihan Raya Umum 5 Mei 2013, pencapaian Dr Wan Azizah adalah lebih baik. Beliau memperoleh 59.57% undi popular berbanding 57.98% yang didapati oleh calon PKR ketika itu, Lee Chin Cheh.

Bagaimanapun, dengan ketiadaan calon-calon parti lain dan bebas, peratusan undi popular Chew adalah lebih baik berbanding PRU 2013. Chew memperoleh 40.42% undi popular berbanding calon PRU BN, Lee Ban Seng yang mendapat 37.77%. Undi popular PKR naik 1.59% dan BN 2.65%.

Bilangan keluar mengundi hanya 72% peratus berbanding 88.4% dalam PRU. Ini menunjukkan ada unsur protes di kalangan pemilih. Mereka mungkin berasa PRK itu tidak diperlukan dan kegagalan Anwar Ibrahim mewakili PKR mungkin menyebabkan yang lain tawar hati.

Kesimpulannya, PR, melalui PKR, masih kukuh di kawasan separa bandar itu dan sokongan pengundi Cina terhadap BN terus tidak menyerlah walaupun telah mengemukakan calon lebih terkenal dan berwibawa.

ORIGINAL POST

PILIHAN Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri kawasan Kajang, macam juga pilihan raya lain di negara kita, masih mirip kepada hal-hal berkaitan peribadi.

Esok, Ahad 23 Mac pemilih Adun Kajang akan keluar mengundi. Berpandukan aliran semasa dan sejarah pengundian, Pakatan Rakyat melalui PKR akan mengekalkan kerusi itu.

Berbalik kepada kecenderungan yang semakin menular ke arah “cult politics,” adalah tidak memeranjatkan yang agenda, dasar dan peruntukan kewangan tidak dapat mengatasi isu watak dan peribadi.

Jadi tidak hairanlah kalau Anwar Ibrahim menjadi “cult figure” dalam PRK Kajang.

Kalau benar sekali pun laporan bahawa Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Timbalan Presiden Umno dan Timbalan Pengerusi BN, Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, telah menggesa Puteri Umno supaya mengingatkan pengundi Kajang agar tidak terpengaruh dengan papan iklan yang memaparkan gambar calon PKR, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, sedang berdoa ia tidak akan memberi kesan besar kepada penyokong pembangkang.

Anwar sebagai bahan kempen PRK Kajang

Lagipun orang Islam digalakkan berdoa. Muhyiddin sebagai anak orang alim tentu mengakui dan menghormati doa dan hak seseorang berdoa.

Kalau PKR dan PR menggunakan perwatakan Anwar sebagai bahan kempen PRK Kajang, ia adalah perkara biasa kerana Umno dan BN pun melakukan hal yang sama.

Kita tentu masih ingat bagaimana pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) tahun lalu, Perdana Menteri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak begitu yakin bahawa beliau popular dan boleh memberi kemenangan besar kepada BN walaupun parti campuran itu lemah.

Maka beliau menjadikan diri beliau sebagai matlamat dengan slogan seperti “Sokong Saya Undi BN” manakala para strategis beliau meniru kempen pilihan raya presiden Barrack Obama.

Mohd Najib dalam poster PRU 2013

Tetapi tanggapan Mohd Najib meleset dan strategi pilihan raya ala-presiden Amerika tidak menjadi.

Sepatutnya, semakin maju pemikiran dan tahap sosial kita, semakin egalitarian pula pendirian kita. Kita akan memilih pemimpin yang berwibawa bukan yang dikenali kerana nama dan keturunan.

Sebaliknya kita masih dikhayalkan oleh nama dan keturunan walaupun kita tahu bahawa bukan semua anak rintik walaupun bapanya borek. Wallahuaklam.

Banyak Teori Misteri MH370 Masuk Akal

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

IMEJ satelit Australia menunjukkan serpihan di Lautan Hindi Selatan yang berkemungkinan daripada penerbangan MH370.

Usaha mengesan serpihan itu sedang dilakukan oleh Tentera Udara Australia, New Zealand dan Amerika Syarikat. Malaysia menghantar kapal dan helikopter ke kawasan berkenaan.

TEORI Diego Garcia

 

SELAGI misteri penerbangan MH370 tidak dirungkaikan, sama ada dengan penemuan pesawat Boeing 777-200ER itu atau serpihannya, selagi itulah teori mengenai kehilangannya akan dikemukakan.

Tetapi sebelum kita berbincang mengenainya, marilah kita mengucapkan terima kasih kepada setiap orang petugas, di darat, laut dan udara, dari negara kita dan lebih 15 negara lain di dunia yang terlibat dalam operasi raksasa mencari dan menyelamat (SAR) sejak 8 Mac lalu.

Sumbangan kemanusiaan mereka amat dihargai dan tentunya menjadi penawar kepada keluarga penumpang dan anak kapal penerbangan itu. Berbilion dolar aset ketenteraan dan awam sedang digunakan dengan memakan belanja yang besar.

Kita tolak cerita karut-marut bomoh dan orang bunian. Kalau radar, sonar dan satelit yang canggih pun belum berjaya mengesan secara tepat lokasi pesawat itu, masakan lukah, ruas buluh dan buah kelapa boleh mengesannya. Tapi, ada juga orang yang percaya dan amalkan hal-hal khurafat dan tahayul.

Antara teori dan ramalan yang telah kita baca dan dengar, sama ada berwibawa atau semata-mata khayalan termasuklah:

1. Rampasan udara oleh salah seorang atau beberapa orang penumpang. Teori ini dianggap berwibawa kerana terbukti ada dua orang penumpang warganegara Iran yang bolos pemeriksaan masuk MAS, polis dan imigresen dan menaiki pesawat menggunakan pasport curi. 

2. Perbuatan sabotaj libatkan Kapten pesawat, Zaharie Ahmad Shah atau pembantu juruterbang, Fariq Ab Hamid. Teori menjadi berwibawa apabila pihak berkuasa mengesahkan yang mereka sedang disiasat. Perdana Menteri, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, berkata sistem komunikasi pesawat itu dimatikan secara sengaja. Teori ini menjadi lebih sensasi apabila akhbar The Daily Mail,  London mengaitkan Zaharie dengan politik pembangkang. Beliau didakwa menghadiri sidang Mahkamah Rayuan di Putrajaya pada 7 Mac apabila Ketua Pembangkang dijatuhi hukuman penjara lima tahun atas kesalahan liwat. (Baca di sini).

3. Pihak-pihak di Amerika Syarikat meramalkan yang pesawat itu dirampas dan didaratkan di lokasi rahsia bagi digunakan untuk tujuan jahat pada suatu masa nanti.

4. Dirampas kerana antara penumpang pesawat itu adalah kakitangan syarikat pembuat komponen komputer Amerika Syarikat, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Kepakaran mereka sangat berguna bagi negara-negara yang sedang membina peralatan canggih tentera dan awam tetapi menghadapi sekatan perdagangan.

5. Dirampas oleh pertubuhan pengganas antarabangsa yang mengambil kesempatan daripada kelonggaran kawalan dan kurang profesionalisme di KLIA.

6. Akhir sekali teori tekanan jiwa dan sabotaj oleh kakitangan MAS akibat prestasi kewangan syarikat itu yang semakin buruk dan masalah antara pengurusan dan kesatuan sekerja. (Baca di sini).

Wallahuaklam.

MH370 Flew For More Than Seven Hours

A Kadir Jasin

FLIGHT MH370 with 239 on board, including crew members, flew for more than seven hours after taking off from KLIA on morning of March 8.

Whether it landed safely or crashed seven days ago, that could be anywhere between the southern end of the Indian Ocean and as far west as Kazakhstan in Central Asia.

This is according to details released by the Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, at a press conference today.

PM: The aircraft's movement consistent with deliberate action

He confirmed that the Boeing 777 did not crash in the South China Sea and search and rescue operations there had been called off. The search now moved decisively westward and towards the south.

Reading from a prepared text at a live press conference at 3pm today, Mohd Najib said the aircraft’s did indeed turned westward over South China Sea, crossing the Peninsula and onward in the direction of the Andaman Sea.

Its communication system was disabled after making the westward turn. According to the PM, new data showed its last confirmed location was at 8.11am (March 8), which indicates how far the plane had flown.

YAHOO’s BREAKING (3:05pm): Salient points from the Prime Minister's statement given at the press conference:
 

1. New data shows last confirmed location was Saturday, 8 March at 8.11AM which indicate how far the plane has flown.
 

2. Based on new satellite communication data, we can say with a high degree of certainty that the Aircraft Communications, Addressing and Reporting System or ACARS, was disabled just before the aircraft reached the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
 

3. Shortly aftewards, near the border between Malaysia and Vietnamese air traffic control, the aircraft transponder was switched off.
 

4. From this point onwards, the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s primary radar showed that an aircraft, believed to be (but not confirmed to be) MH370, did indeed turn back.
 

5. It then flew back over Peninsular Malaysia, before turning northwest into the Straits of Malacca, up until the point at which it left military primary radar coverage.
 

6. The PM also said that plane movement was consistent with "deliberate action" by someone on the plane.
 

7. There will be refocused investigation into the crew and passengers on board.
 

8. Despite news reports that investigators concluded it was a hijacking, PM Najib said "I wish to be very clear we are still investigating all possibilities as to what caused MH370 to deviate from its original flight path." Hijacking is not ruled out, however.
 

9. Based on the direction in which the plane flew, the plane could have headed in one of two possible corridors:
- Northern corridor: border of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan to Northern Thailand.
- Southern corridor: From Indonesia to Southern Indian Ocean.
 

9. Operations in the South China Sea will be ended and deployment of assets will be reassessed.
 

10. Malaysia Airlines is informing families of the passengers of the new developments.
 

11. "The search has entered a new phase... We hope this new information will bring us one step closer to finding the plane."

(PM's full statement here).

MH370 Disappears, Our Inaptitude Appears­­­­­

A Kadir Jasin

[Anonymous Comments will not be published]

ONE of the most disturbing bit of information (or hea rsay) about the missing MAS Boeing 777 operating as MH370 is that it turned back over the South China Sea.

The Star newspaper on March 9 reported:

“SEPANG: The RMAF confirmed the possibility that flight MH370 performed an air turn back.

This was according to a recording captured on the military radar, said RMAF chief General Tan Sri Rozali Daud.” (Read more here). 

Did it turn back or not? Yes or no, the search and rescue  (SAR) operations have been expanded to the northern end of the Straits of Malacca.

While the multinational SAR teams are scouring the South China Sea and beyond for the ill-fated jetliner, let us ask the following questions.

1. Is it not customary for a civil aircraft leaving the airspace of one country to inform the air traffic controllers of that country and, if the flight crew are nice people, to say thank you?

2. They would then change their radio frequency to the air traffic controller of the territory they are entering. Did the Captain or First Officer of MH370 say thank you and goodbye to the Malaysian air traffic controllers? Or they just disappeared.They did, according to a Sinar Harian report quoted by Malaysiakini (Read here).

3. Is the responsibility of the RMAF to monitor our airspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

4. Is it not the responsibility of the RMAF to identify every aircraft – military and civilian – entering and leaving our airspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

5. Is it not the responsibility of the RMAF to investigate any anomaly detected on its radar, including scrambling its fighters to intercept an aircraft that does not identify itself?

6. Have we not be told and assured that our air defence system is world class and is impeccable?

7. So did the RMAF radar detect or not detect flight MH370 as it flew in the Malaysian airspace towards Vietnam in the early hour of March 8?

My contention is, what the RMAF saw or did not see that morning is crucial in determining what had happened to flight MH370 while it was in the Malaysian airspace.

Let me be the devil’s advocate – rude and crude – and ask, who is telling the truth, who is not telling half truth and who is lying through the teeth?

We can’t wait until MH370 is found or never found before we seek the truth about the integrity our air defence system and the preparedness of our aviation, defence and security agencies.

Our prayers, hopes and deep sympathy aside, but we must also be realistic that with each passing day, the chances of locating the ill-fated jetliner are becoming less promising.

The conflicting reports, statements and arguments on live TV among the national and international agencies involved in the SAR do not help to calm nerves and build confidence.

Medium Is The Message

In the communication, public relations and propaganda, medium is in itself the message – quoting Marshall McLuhan.

If the medium is credible, the message it carries will also be credible. To be credible, it must be presented in a clear, thoughtful and considered manner. It must be consistent and coherent.

I leave it to the public to judge as all the press conferences were telecast live without editing - good English, bad English, crisp Bahasa, atrocious Bahasa, impeccable argument, flimsy argument were all there to be seen and heard.

To me, some aspects of the PCs sounded like dialogue from the TV comedy “Mind Your Language” or Borat talking about his sister. (“This is Natalya. She is my sister. She is number four prostitute in all of Kazakhstan.”)

What has happened to our dual language education system? All our Prime Ministers were once Education Minister.

The Muslims believe in the “balaa” (test or trial). There appears to be a bit too much “balaa” befalling us in recent times – draught, water rationing, haze, mounting crimes and now jetliner with 239 souls on board went missing.

More so we do not need all these during the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY).

And we do not need young female passengers telling a foreign TV station that MAS pilots invited them into the cockpit and they were smoking while piloting the aircraft. (Read the allegation here).

Now can you blame me for repeatedly saying that we may never get to become a developed nation? Rich maybe but developed no. For now, we are a laughing-stock and an object of ridicule.

Melihat Melepasi Tragedi MH370

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

PENERBANGAN MH370 sudah lebih dua hari hilang. Prognosisnya tentulah tidak positif. Jadi dalam kita berdoa dan berharap, kita juga perlu realistik.

Daripada aspek apa pun dan serapi mana pun kita mendalami tragedi ini, kita terpaksa mengakui bahawa kehilangan pesawat Boeing 777 di Laut China Selatan itu adalah misteri luar biasa.

Hatta sekiranya bangkai pesawat itu ditemui sekalipun, penyiasatan bagi memastikan punca tragedi itu akan mengambil masa.

Yang menjadi tanda tanya adalah bagaimana sebuah pesawat yang begitu besar, begitu canggih, dengan rekod keselamatan yang amat baik dan di tangan seorang juruterbang yang sangat berpengalaman boleh hilang tanpa kesan, tanpa pesanan SOS, tanpa signal dalam apa-apa bentuk pun.

Yang mengacau fikiran kita adalah hakikat ia hilang di satu kawasan yang semakin hari semakin tegang konfrontasi bersenjatanya.

Angkatan tentera Amerika Syarikat, China, Taiwan, Vietnam dan Filipina semua meronda Laut China Selatan. Mereka melakukan latihan di darat, laut dan udara.

Ingatan saya kembali kepada penembakan jatuh penerbangan 007 Korean Air oleh pesawat pejuang Rusia pada tahun 1983, tembakan peluru berpandu Tentera Laut Amerika ke atas penerbangan 665 Iran Air (1988) dan pengeboman pesawat Pan Am 103 ketika terbang di ruang angkasa Lockerbie, Scotland (1988).

MAS sendiri telah mengalami tragedi rampasan udara. Pada tahun 1977, pesawat Boeing 737-200 dengan nombor penerbangan MH653 dirampas oleh orang atau orang-orang yang tidak dikenali dan terhempas di Gelang Patah, Johor. Tragedi itu mengorbankan kesemua 93 penumpang dan tujuh anak kapal.

Dalam kita menunggu jawapan dan kepastian mengenai nasib penerbangan MH370, kita kena akui bahawa kawalan dan pemeriksaan keselamatan di lapangan-lapangan terbang kita, termasuk KLIA, boleh dikira cukup longgar dan santai berbanding di Eropah, Amerika Utara, Australia dan New Zealand. Hatta di lapangan terbang raksasa Dubai pun kawalan dan pemeriksaan keselamatan lebih ketat.

Apakah kita telah membayar harga yang sangat mahal kerana sikap dan standard Dunia Ketiga kita terhadap keselamatan dan pengurusan aset?

Atau apakah ini bala mutakhir akibat rasuah, penyalahgunaan kuasa dan keabaian yang berulang kali dilaporkan berlaku di KLIA?

Tengok saja penangguhan berulang kali pembukaan KLIA 2. Semua releks, semua nampak macam ok dan tidak siapa pun mengaku bertanggungjawab. Business as usual. Wallahuaklam.

Appeal Court Finds Anwar Guilty

A Kadir Jasin

[Anonymous Comments will not be published]

UPDATE, March 8 - THE Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, had his day in court. Backed by some of the most celebrated and feared lawyers in the country he fought to keep the High Court not guilty verdict in the so-called sodomy 2 case intact.

His defence needed only to create a reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case. After all, they had won in the first round at the High Court.

But they failed to convince the Appeal Court bench of three judges. They should be courageous enough to take responsibility for the failure to keep their client out of jail.

Now that Anwar had been found guilty and sentenced to a five-year prison term, they should reflect on the integrity of their argument as they prepare to appeal to the Federal Court.

As expected, Anwar's backers at home abroad rejected the verdict and continued to raise the spectre of political conspiracy. On trial was not political conspiracy.

The fact that the victim was his aide when the crime was perpetrated is immaterial to them. His right was not their concern.

The US State Department’s reaction is typical of its bias and disregard for the sovereignty of other countries.

To it, justice is done and the judicial system of a foreign country is credible if only the verdict is in favour of its ally.

And in Malaysia, Anwar has always been a US ally. The victim’s justice is unimportant to the State Department. Still there are many people in Malaysia, including some members of the government, who look up to the US as saviour.

What Happens Now To Reconciliation?

IF there indeed is a reconciliation talk involving Anwar in progress, would his forced departure from the political scene affect this highly commendable effort?

Hopefully others in the PKR and the opposition are capable to carrying on this effort. Hopefully Umno, on its part, will not step back simply because Anwar is no longer a bother.

It’s a mistake to assume that this is the end of Anwar. Already plans are afoot to capitalise on his jailing to revive the Reformasi Movement. The first Reformasi was held in1998 – more than 15 years ago.

The original followers of the Reformasi are getting older. Some have become jaded and left. After failing to wrest power, Anwar is losing his shine.

To keep his legacy alive and the PKR relevant, a new generation of Reformasi activists is needed. So those hoping to see Anwar rotting in jail should think twice. That was what many in Umno thought when he was shuttled to prison the last time in 1999.

UPDATE - THE Appeal Court sentenced Anwar to a five-year jail term. Stay of execution allowed. 

ORIGINAL POST

ANWAR Ibrahim was found guilty by the Appeal Court of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan - (The Star SMS Service).

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is looking at a long jail sentence after the Court of Appeal found him guilty of sodomising his former aide six years ago.

here was an uproar in the courtroom when the verdict was read out, overturning the High Court's earlier decision to acquit him for sodomy.

It was a unanimous decision.

Judge Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi, who is leading a three-man bench, has yet to pass sentence, which is a jail term of up to 20 years.

With this verdict, Anwar's political career looks to have ended. He will be disqualified from all his political positions and will not be the PKR candidate in the Kajang by-election to be held later this month - (The Malaysian Insider).

Malaysian court convicts opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of Sodomy – (Reuters).

Malays and Muslims Are Not Weak

A Kadir Jasin

REMINDER: No inflammatory comments will be published.

THE most ardent supporters of PAS are not necessarily the most pious. The most nationalists of the Malays are not necessarily members of Umno.

But these are the people who will most likely be in the forefront of jihad if the sensitivities of the Muslims continue to be insulted and the feelings of the Malays belittle.

Wrong to Underestimate Malay-Muslim Resolve to Defend Islam

Umno and PAS stand to lose further respect and trust of the Muslims and the Malays if they continue to "play wayang" over the Allah issue.

The Malay-Muslim NGO like Perkasa, JATI, ISMA, PEKIDA and PerTIGA will gain traction. They Malay-Muslim voice will become louder and less partisan. 

The Malays and Muslims benefit from the emergence of independent, non-partisan Malay-Muslim NGOs.

 

Muslim-Malay NGOs protesting in front of Palace of Justice in Putrajaya

The protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya today (March 5) is the manifestation of the growing impatience of the Muslims over the instigation by those bent challenging the status quo.

These people are taking advantage of what they perceive to be the weakness of the Malays and Muslims. They could be terribly wrong.

The Malay political leadership may be at its weakest. But this cannot be taken to mean that the resolve of the Malays and the Muslims too are weak.

On the contrary, the opposite could be true. To the Malays and Muslims, Allah is supreme.

May Allah protect us all and may good sense prevail.

[Read more here and here.]