MB: Duit S'gor masuk akaun PKR

Interestingly Malaysiakini has posted the article above (link on the title to read). The article stated that they is a small amount of money going to into the PKR account and this is just for the purpose of organzing events related to party. Clearly, this is normal, because once a party have power they will try to increase thier financial status so that they can remain in power. However, it seems very odd that PKR is doing the same thing and it has only been about 100 days after they came into power. Truth be told, the opposition have the chance now to prove the the 'rakyat' that they are different and they must fully utilise this chance in order to have any chances of remaining in power for the next term.

I can't say that the Selangor state goverment (PKR) have been good or bad. At this point I am just giving them a chance with an open mind. So that I can see whether these people live up to the promises they made and whether they can get things done. But it seems like they have more internal politics/problems going on. This is clearly reflected by the suspension of Selangor's MB officer Yahya Shahri on his recent misuse of power.

If I can say one thing to all the opposition led state goverment, it would be that take this time to plan what you and this is the only chance that you are getting. If people see the opposition cannot handle the task given to them then most probably the voters will vote for BN and its coalition in the next rounds of elections.

Tenaga’s high employees’ benefits

Finally I found a blog that shed some light into this TNB issue, clearly that this problem has be drowned by the ripple effects of the increased fuel price. This article cab be found here:

Tenaga’s high employees’ benefits

The article stated that Tenaga’s employees’ benefits have increased by 81 per cent over the last two years, compared with only a 14 per cent rise in wages and salaries. This damn shocking, TNB is suppose to be a GLC and just like any other company it is understandable that they want to make a profit but at what costs?


The article highlighted that they are financially stable and in order to increase the benefits to its staff TNB must be making a reasonable amount of profit. Yet the question remains why did the electricity tariff increased? Have any of you seen the tariffs or you have just been to busy complaining about the fuel price? The new tariff is ridiculous, basically if are using electricity less that 200kW per month than it is cheap. But honestly to use that much is almost impossible. With the amount of electronics and things we have it is extremely hard to keep power consumption below that rate. Why did they increase the price? Well BEATS ME. I HAVE NO CLUE why they have done this. The fact is that they are buying gas for electricity generation from Petronas at a subsidised price (RM 2 cheaper that the market price). That is alot of saving for TNB and it the end it comes to bite us in the ass..........

WHERE ARE WE HEADING WITH BOYCOTTING PETRONAS?

So lately there are alot of news and accusation towards our National oil company PETRONAS. Surely I have posted a few things and I am sure that you have heard alot of these things on the news. In any case I received an email today (attached below) and I think this is worth sharing with all of Malaysians. I completely agree with this email. The only thing that comes out from boycotting Petronas is just hurting our own economy and people. I am willing to receive and post any comments from people who disagree with me.

Dear all,



After reading all the chain mails and blogs, I feel called to reply, because of the relentless attacks and allegations -- most of which are inaccurate or baseless -- against PETRONAS.





PETRONAS' STAFF SALARY & BONUS

1) The salaries paid to PETRONAS' employees are not as high as people think. At best, they are just industry average. And these are not attractive enough for some who left PETRONAS to find work at other companies (mainly from the Middle East) which are willing to pay more. Why do they pay more? The oil and gas industry worldwide has been facing acute shortage of qualified or experienced personnel, so most companies are willing to pay lots of money to entice and pinch staff from their competitors.



Bonus? There has NEVER been a bonus amounting to 6 months or 12 months throughout the 33 years. On average, it is 2 months. But don't ever think we don't deserve it. We more than deserve it. A lot of us work really hard, some in the most extreme of conditions. Those who have been to and worked in northern Sudan, for example, would testify that it's like working in a huge blower oven. Southern Sudan, on the other hand, is almost all swamps and mud. Imagine having to go through that kind of heat, or waddling in muddy swamps, day in and day out.





QUALITY OF CRUDE & REFINED PRODUCTS

2) Malaysia produces about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day (and about 100,000 barrels condensate). Of this crude volume, 339,000 barrels are refined locally for local consumption. The rest is exported (and yes, because it has lower sulphur content it fetches higher prices).



Malaysia also imports about 230,000 barrels of crude oil per day, mainly from the Middle East, to be refined here. This crude oil contains higher sulphur and is less expensive (so the country gains more by exporting our crudes). In Malaysia, this crude is processed by PETRONAS at its second refinery in Melaka, and also by Shell at its Port Dickson refinery.



Different refineries are built and configurated to refine different types of crude. And each crude type yields different percentage of products (diesel, gasoline, kerosene, cooking gas etc) per barrel.



But most importantly, products that come out at the end of the refining process have the same good quality regardless of the crude types. That's why PETRONAS, Shell and Exxon Mobil share the same pipeline to transport the finished products from their refineries to a distribution centre in the Klang Valley. The three companies collect the products at this centre accordingly to be distributed to their respective distribution networks. What makes PETRONAS' petrol different from Shell's, for example, is the additive that each company adds.





PETRONAS' ROLE, FUNCTION & CONTRIBUTION

3) A lot of people also do not understand the role and function of PETRONAS, which is essentially a company, a business entity, which operates on a commercial manner, to mainly generate income and value for its shareholder. In this case, PETRONAS' shareholder is the Government.



In 1974, when PETRONAS was set up, the Government gave PETRONAS RM10 million (peanuts, right?) as seed capital. From 1974 to 2007, PETRONAS made RM570 billion in accumulated profits, and returned to the Government a total of RM335.7 billion. That is about 65% of the profits. That means for every RM1 that PETRONAS makes, 65 sen goes back to the Government.



Last year, PETRONAS made a pre-tax profit of RM86.8 billion. The amount given back to the Government (in royalty, dividends, corporate income tax, petroleum products income tax and export duty) was RM52.3 billion. The rest of the profit was used to pay off minority interests and taxes in foreign countries (about RM7.8 billion - PETRONAS now operates in more than 30 countries), and the remaining RM26.7 billion was reinvested. The amount reinvested seems a lot, but the oil and gas industry is technology- and capital-intensive. Costs have gone up exponentially in the last couple of years. Previously, to drill a well, it cost about US$3 million; now it costs US$7 million. The use of rigs was US$200,000 a day a couple of years ago; now it costs US$600,000 a day.



A lot of people also do not realise that the amount returned by PETRONAS to the Government makes up 35% of the Government's total annual income, to be used by the Government for expenditures, development, operations, and yes, for the various subsidies. That means for every RM1 the Government makes, 35 sen is contributed by PETRONAS.



So, instead of asking what happens to PETRIONAS' money or profits, people should be questioning how the money paid by PETRONAS to the Government is allocated.





CRUDE EXPORTS & FUEL PRICES

4) A lot of people also ask, why Malaysia exports its crude oil. Shouldn't we just stop exporting and sell at cheaper prices to local refiners? If Malaysia is an oil exporting country, why can't we sell petrol or diesel at cheaper prices like other oil producing countries in the Middle East?



I guess I don't have to answer the first couple of questions. It's simple economics, and crude oil is a global commodity.



Why can't we sell petrol and diesel at lower prices like in the Middle East? Well, comparing Saudi Arabia and other big producers to Malaysia is like comparing kurma to durian, because these Middle Eastern countries have much, much, much bigger oil and gas reserves.



Malaysia has only 5.4 billion barrels of oil reserves, and about 89 trillion cubic feet of gas. Compare that to Saudi Arabia's 260 billion barrels of oil and 240 trillion cubic feet of gas.



Malaysia only produces 600,000 barrels per day of oil. Saudi Arabia produces 9 million barrels per day. At this rate, Saudi Arabia's crude oil sales revenue could amount to US$1.2 billion per day! At this rate, it can practically afford almost everything -- free education, healthcare, etc, and subsidies -- for its people.



But if we look at these countries closely, they have in the past few years started to come up with policies and strategies designed to prolong their reserves and diversify their income bases. In this sense, Malaysia (and PETRONAS) has had a good head start, as we have been doing this a long time.



Fuel prices in Malaysia is controlled by the Government based on a formula under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism introduced more than a couple of decades ago. It is under this mechanism that the complex calculation of prices is made, based on the actual cost of petrol or diesel, the operating costs, margin for dealers, margin for retail oil companies (including PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd) and the balancing number of duty or subsidy. No retail oil companies or dealers actually make money from the hike of the fuel prices. Oil companies pay for the products at market prices, but have to sell low, so the Government reimburses the difference -- thus subsidy.



Subsidy as a concept is OK as long as it benefits the really deserving segment of the population. But there has to be a limit to how much and how long the Government should bear and sustain subsidy. An environment where prices are kept artificially low indefinitely will not do anyone any good. That's why countries like Indonesia are more pro-active in removing subsidies. Even Vietnam (which is a socialist country, by the way) is selling fuel at market prices.





PETRONAS & TRANSPARENCY

5) I feel I also need to say something on the allegation that PETRONAS is not transparent in terms of its accounts, business transactions etc.



PETRONAS is first and foremost a company, operating under the rules and regulations of the authorities including the Registrar of Companies, and the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia for its listed four subsidiaries (PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd, PETRONAS Gas Bhd, MISC Bhd and KLCC Property Holdings Bhd.



PETRONAS the holding company produces annual reports which are made to whomever wants them, and are distributed to many parties and places; including to the library at the Parliament House for perusal and reading pleasure of all Yang Berhormat MPs (if they care to read). PETRONAS also makes the annual report available on its website, for those who bother to look. The accounts are duly audited.



The website also contains a lot of useful information, if people really care to find out. Although PETRONAS is not listed on Bursa Malaysia, for all intents and purposes, it could be considered a listed entity as its bonds and financial papers are traded overseas. This requires scrutiny from investors, and from rating agencies such as Standard & Poor and Moody's.





BOYCOTT PETRONAS?

6) The last time I checked, this is still a democratic country, where people are free to spend their money wherever they like.



For those who like to see more of the money that they spend go back to the local economy and benefiting their fellow Malaysians, perhaps they should consider sticking to local products or companies.



For those who like to see that the money they spend go back to foreign shareholders of the foreign companies overseas, they should continue buying foreign products.





FINAL WORD (FOR TODAY)

I'm sorry this is rather long, but I just have to convey it. I hope this would help some of you out there understand something. The oil and gas industry, apart from being very capital intensive, is also very complex and volatile. I'm learning new things almost every single day.





Appreciate if you could help to forward this response to as many contacts as possible to counter the subversive proposal out there.



Thank you.

Malaysiakini Letter

Gov't gives you a rebate but robs you on taxes
PSP | Jun 13, 08 4:16pm


The mainstream media should realise that the average per capita income in Malaysia is US$5,000 compared to Singapore’s US$25,000 when they make fuel subsidy comparisons with our neighbours south.

Thais do pay RM3.90 per litre of petrol but they also pay RM10,000 less for new cars over there. Driving licenses do not need to be renewed and they have no road tax. Plus you can drive from Hat Yai to Bangkok on a six-lane highway without paying any toll.

Malaysia has driving license renewals, road taxes and tolls everywhere. Singaporeans pay in their currency, so it is distorted when you keep quoting in the ringgit. Oil is still relatively cheaper for the Singaporean and they are not crude oil exporters.

Compared to oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia at 38 sen and UAE at RM1.19, our oil prices here are indeed high. On top of that , a Toyota Vios cost RM89, 000 here while only being RM62,700 internationally. Malaysian Vios owners are coughing up an extra RM26,300.

So the government gives you RM625 as a rebate but robs you of RM26,300 in taxes they collect when you buy the car. Where is the fairness in that? We should feel penalised.

Car taxation is government profit, fuel sales is Petronas' profit which also translates into government profit. The government is ridiculing Malaysians by continuously pointing at the global fuel price changes. Malaysians are not stupid.

And which idiot economist pays rebates using the cubic capacity of the vehicle? An average office clerk may own a second hand 1300cc Proton Iswara costing RM7,000 (rebate = $625) while the ‘Datuk's’ children can own a fleet of 10 new cars of BMWs, Audis and Volvos all less than 2000cc costing RM2 millions and get a total rebate of RM625 x 10 = RM6,250!

The word ‘subsidy’ has been brandished by the BN government as if it has so generously helped the rakyat and in doing so incurring losses. The BN government claims that it is a ‘subsidy’ because the oil is kept and treated as somebody else's property.

By right, the oil belongs to all citizens of the country and the government is a trustee for the citizens. Thus, the BN government cannot claim that it has subsidised the citizens.

This guy has just said the right things, I mean the media and goverment are blinded the rakyat with facts that used for their advantages. Of course there are countries that have really cheap oil but look at them as a country not at their fuel prices. Countries like Sudan, egypt do not have a stable economy and their most of their population are poor. Compare their development to Malaysia? WE ARE WAY AHEAD OF THEM. Secondly, the media is twister the whole story and the raykay have very poor understanding of the oil issue, this is all related to Petronas. If Petronas makes money then it is good for the country!!!! This is a fact do body can deny. Of top of giving money to the Goverment, Petronas is also paying tax. The articles posted earlier shows clearly how much money the goverment is making from Petronas. Petronas has nothing to do with the fuel price. Petronas have been selling fuel to international market based on the world's oild price which is usually set by the Americans. The fuel sold locally are controled by the goverment, Petronas sell at the price which is set by the goverment. The price increased is termed to give a wrong idea, the truth is Petronas DID NOT INCREASE THE PRICE it is just that the goverment reduce subsidy. Meaning the 78 cents are not being paid by the goverment anymore. So this all conclude to Petronas are not gaining any extra profits from the "fuel increase".

There are few things that needs to be done to help this situation. People understand that the price will soon increase but the sudden change made it worst because people are not prepared for it. Hell! I wasn't prepared for it. Fuel price increases = everything else increases. What the goverment needs to do is to reduced the taxes or increase the minimum wage in Malaysia. Look at UK, fuel price is higher than Malaysia, taxes are way off the charts too. We need to balance things out, if something increases then everything else must increase. IE the cost of living now has sky rocketted and yet the salary is still maintained, those in low-income group can't make a living. In the UK even is you work as a security officer (pak guard) you can earn a decent living, but in Malaysia guards usually have 2 or 3 other part time jobs. This is insane.

Fuel Price Increase, End of Malaysia?

Protes lancar bantahan Sabtu ini

Abdul Rahim Sabri | Jun 11, 08 6:51pm
dikemaskini Gabungan Anti-Inflasi (Protes), yang menjanjikan demonstrasi besar 12 Julai di Kuala Lumpur, akan memulakan siri pertama bantahannya di Seremban berhubung kenaikan mendadak harga minyak.

Selain penyelarasnya Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, program selama sembilan jam yang bermula pukul 3 petang Sabtu ini turut disertai naib presiden PKR Tian Chua, naib presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu dan setiausaha agung Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) S Arutchelvan.

Program itu yang dimulakan dengan pengedaran risalah anti-kenaikan harga minyak dan sidang media di hadapan bangunan Umno Negeri Sembilan berakhir dengan ceramah umum yang disampaikan barisan pemimpin tersebut.

Turut serta di acara itu yang diadakan selepas solat maghrib di masjid Senawang, ahli parlimen DAP di Rasah, Anthony Loke Siew Fook dan wakil rakyat PAS di Paroi, Mohd Taufek Mohd Ghani.

Bantahan 14 Jun ini dalam siri jelajah Protes ke seluruh negara berhubung isu tersebut, kata satu kenyataan sekretariat Protes hari ini.

Sejak 2006, Protes - dianggotai 57 badan bukan kerajaan dan lima parti politik pembangkang - mengadakan beberapa siri kegiatan menentang kenaikan harga utiliti, minyak dan tol.

Sepanjang siri jelajah keseluruh negara, Protes bercadang mengumpul 100,000 rakyat untuk menyertai demontrasi besar-besaran di ibu kota bulan depan bagi menetang kenaikan terbaru harga minyak Rabu lepas.

Harga petrol naik 78 sen, manakala diesel pula RM1. Tarif elektrik turut naik mulai 1 Julai - dianggap keputusan kenaikan yang paling besar dan mengejutkan negara.

Sementara itu, Angkatan Muda PKR Wilayah Persekutuan membatalkan hasrat berdemontrasi pada 5 petang Jumaat ini di masjid jamek Jalan Tun Perak.

Pembatalan itu selepas arahan AMK pusat dalam mesyuarat malam tadi yang melibatkan Pemuda Pakatan Rakyat, kata naib ketua AMK Wilayah, Rozan Azen Mat Rasip hari ini.

Pemuda Pakatan merancang mengadakan perarakan besar-besaran sejauh hampir dua kilometer 13 Jun berhubung isu minyak, sehari sebelum siri pertama bantahan Protes.

Pergerakan Pemuda PKR, PAS dan DAP akan bergerak dari masjid Kampung Baru ke Suria KLCC selepas solat Jumaat.

Perhimpunan ini dipercayai yang terbesar pernah dianjurkan oleh parti-parti pembangkang selepas pengumuman kenaikan mendadak harga bahan api.

Penganjurnya menganggarkan kira-kira 3,000 orang akan hadir bersama ketua-ketua pergerakan Pemuda Pakatan - Salahuddin Ayub, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin dan wakil Pemuda DAP.

Sejak minggu lalu, beberapa demonstrasi kecil diadakan di beberapa lokasi seluruh negara, antaranya di Kuching, Ipoh, Sungai Petani, Pulau Pinang dan Kuala Lumpur.

The article above is taken from Malaysiakini, the article calls for all Malaysian to unite and protest against the fuel price increase. It is truly shocking to understand and see that the only way out voices can be heard is through protest. However, even the protest might now work because it is illegal and all the goverment care about is stoping the protest by mobilizing the police. They don't care about what the people are saying and what the protest is about. The people protesting will just end up in ISA or some other prison. If more and more protest are being held then more and more people will be held. All the Malaysians will be gone, most of them that protest are intellectual people with strong opinions, without them I can't think of a bright future for Malaysia.

I am having a hard to time digesting it all in, why it is so hard to make the politicians/ goverment to hear our opinions and voices. Are they so arrogant that they have forgotten who gave them the power in the first place? This is a question that does not have a straight answer.

After the fuel increase I have heard and seen so many accusations toward Petronas. This is truly another matter that must be addressed. Petronas has nothing to do with the price and they are not making money from the increase. The profits gain from the increase goes to the goverment. Period that is the end of the story. Petronas do not have control on the fuel price. They are just a tool being used by goverment to generate large sums of money. The fact is that Petronas contribute 35% to the budget and truly with Petronas's money the goverment will go broke.

Honestly, I do not know why the goverment needs more money. I am sure that they have plenty of it and I also sure that alot of money are being spend recklessly.

Raped by dad - Who to BLAME?

Four-year-old raped by dad

JOHOR BARU: A 27-year-old man allegedly raped his four-year-old daughter repeatedly at their home in Kangkar Pulai.
The contract worker’s heinous act was uncovered when the victim complained of pain in her private parts.
When the mother, in her 20s, inspected her, she found blood in her daughter’s private parts.
The girl then told her that her father had done things to her, which prompted the mother to lodge a police report.
Nusajaya OCPD Supt Abd Aziz Ahmad said police picked up the suspect on Tuesday.
“Initial investigations revealed that the suspect committed the offence repeatedly at their home while the wife was busy taking care of their two other children.
“The victim has been sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital for treatment and a medical check-up,” he said.
Supt Abd Aziz said the suspect might have committed the offence since early this month.
He added that the suspect also has a six-year-old son and a three-month-old baby.


The article above is from The Star Online, as I read it for a few minutes my mind just blacked out. I have no idea what to think and I cannot comprehend what I was reading. I was truly shocked to by bones, how can this happen?

A father whose responsibility is to protect your children from all the bad and evil things in this world raped his own flesh and blood. Even worst is that this man forced himself onto an innocent, clueless little girl. For god's sake she is 4 years old. They don't know anything, they are pure, innocent and they represent all the goodness in this world; and this man the so called father had the heart to do that to her. I just don't get it, what do you see in a 4 year old girl? What is there to be sexually attracted you to her? If it was a teenager or someone who has reached puberty then it is a different story. The question is who do you blame?


Is the wife/mother responsible for not satisfying the husband? Or the community and religion for the lack of education. Should we blame the media for showing too many sexual related movies? Honestly, the only person you can blame is the father, a sick twisted pervert who cannot control himself.

Whenever, I read these kinds of news my heart dies a little. Our world has already been tainted by so many evils and now we have rape of a 4 yr old girl happened in out own country.........what is wrong with people these days?

Internal Security Act Should be Known as Internal Oppression Act

Some of you may know that today is Blogger's Unite for Human Rights. So I have thought about many many things that I wish to write about. Finally I decided why should I write something that is happening miles away in another country, when we have humans rights violation happening in our own country. As you all may know or not, is that recently they have been so many talk about the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia. Supposedly ISA is to protect the country and its people but if look at it from a humanitarian point of view then you will understand that it violates human rights.

Recently, the Hindraf 5 and so many other people have been jailed under the ISA this include the beloved Anwar Ibrahim. So why is this human rights violation?

Well firstly, I think it is very unfair for anyone to be held for whatever reasons without the rights to defend themselves. Without a hearing to defend themselves, they are just kept in the prison where their health and living conditions are not taken care of. Everyone should have the rights to freedom and to defend themselves. I can't image myself being held, your freedom is taken for granted.

The reason that I think that this a severe case of oppression is due to the Hindraf case. These people organised a 'peaceful' rally to voice their concern to the government but instead the 5 leaders are held under ISA apparently for rebellion. So the way I see it is that you voice your concern through public rally then you will end being held under ISA (clearly proven since the same thing happened with the BERSIH rally). Is this not oppression? where is our freedom to express ourselves? I thought that Malaysia was a democratic country where each individual needs are taken care.

However, this law exists in so many many countries in many different variation, in United Kingdom there is Terrorism Act 2000 and a similar act exist in USA. Everyday many people are held under these kinds of law which imprison for indefinite amount of time so something they may or may not be guilty of. The thing that saddens me even more is that the people in our government (ie all the ministers) are given the power by the 'rakyat'. We voted them in, we gave them the power, we made them to be who they are and yet they continuously do whatever they wish. Clearly the Malaysian 'rakyat' have spoken out, I have seen posters, blogs and website that called for the freedom of ISA detainees. IF ISA is really necessary the please treat those people with some humanity, they are people and not animals. Finally to conclude this article I include a letter send to Pak Lah by K Kalaivaniy (mother of P Uthayakumar ):



YAB Dato Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi,
Dear Mr Prime Minister,

I am the 67-year-old and proud mother of P Uthayakumar one of Hindraf leaders detained by your goodself under the Internal Security Act. I write as the mother of Uthayakumar and on behalf of all Malaysian mothers who have been deprived of the love, care and attention of their sons detained under the ISA.

Only a mother who had raised and nurtured her son would understand the torture of forcefully being separated from him. Like me, there are many other mothers in this country currently being denied to be freely with their sons. On behalf of them, I write to appeal to you as a father figure of this beautiful country to immediately release them.

No mother on earth would condone her son committing an unlawful act and going unpunished but no mother would be able to digest the fact that her son is held for his political beliefs without being charged with any offence.
Like my son, many sons are being held under the law for their political beliefs or held on mere suspicion and without proof that they have committed offences. I wish to state that, like me, many mothers are suffering every day thinking of the uncertainty and unjust punishment and torture their sons are going through.

Many mothers are older than me and their days may be numbered. Every other day in detention is an eternal punishment to the mothers meted out by the country. Dear Prime Minister, let not a single mother leave this earth not being able to cuddle and hug her son for one last time.
I beg you on behalf of all mothers - be he a JI suspect, Hindraf leader or anyone - no mother would want to leave this earthly life with the burden of not speaking to her son one final time. On behalf of all I pray to the Lord Al-mighty to give you the utmost wisdom to see this great unjust committed on our sons.
I beg and appeal to you. Please release them and shut down the Kamunting detention camp.




This is a plea where we all should respect and join, let us be humans and free those ISA detainees. Think about the thousands of people world wide that have been held in similar situation. Their freedom and rights just taken from them just because they have a different political idea, or may be guilty of something or for just standing up against those who oppress them. I can't begin to imagine the feeling of those people and how they survive in those horrible detention camps. Power hungry politicians abuse their power and detain people under ISA in the name of freedom, security and democracy, but they forget one thing people will always be people. Treat others with some humanity. Let us unite and speak up against those that oppress us.

Malaysian Seks Scandal a.k.a Aksi-Aksi Seks Melayu

'Skodeng' couple dating in a park

So interestingly, the internet and web have always been subjected to the use of viewing illegal materials such as porn, gambling, sex and other stuff. Harian Metro Online featured this article "4,000 klip tersebar", the article highlighted that over 4 thousand porno clips were distributed through a number of websites. These clips include teenagers in school uniforms making out and having sex. Other extreme clip featured Malay Women wearing 'tudung' in action.

Clearly that this problem is not new and have always been haunting our community and culture. The article stated that the action of those women are bring very negative and shame to the image of Islam. Well of couse it does, but what you must remember is that these are all human beings. No matter what religion, they will sometime secumber to their desire ie making out in public places.

They is no easy way to handle this, the law in Malaysia has always been specific against porno and oviously the Islam law is also very strict.

But what is interesting is that there are some many Malaysians that are interested in watching naked or 'aksi-aksi' of other Malaysian. Truly there must be a fundamental reason for this? Is it because illegal or taboo activities draws interest? Maybe so, the only thing I can relate it to is that 'if you tell a teenager dont' make out with you girlfriend (ringan-ringan) then surely he will do it and furthermore he/ they may even do it in public places to experience the thrill. Well I don't know what that 'thrill'. I have always thought that being intimite with a loved one should be done in privacy and not in some random places.


Well I guess this is where we are heading to, teenagers engaging in sexual acts is nothing new these days. I guess the only thing left for me to say is that the fundamental reason behind this is our culture and our education system. The culture and education system have made 'sex' to be so illegal and taboo that the curiosity is drawing teenagers to try.

Thirty-Nine Years Later- Malaysia Kini

May 13 2008 - Today marks the black day in Malaysia history. As many of you have heard, read and experienced the tragic day of May 13 1969. I truly feel very sad and horrifed as I learn about the events that took place that day. I cannot begin to imagine how some of you must felt that day and I truly feel that what happened in our beloved Malaysia was science fiction. But the truth is that the black day will always remain in out history regardless of preventive actions taken.

However, I must stressed that those of you who experienced that day must teach and educate the younger generations so that things like that remains in the past and does not repeat it self. We are a a proud multi-racial country, withtou one race in this country we will not be known as Malaysia. Honestly, when I tell foreigners that I am from Malaysia the first thing they usually ask is that it is true Malaysia has so many races? and then they ask how do you guys live in peace and harmony with so many different races? The only thing that I tell them is that "We are Malaysian, one proud nation that is made of many races". Obviously, the foreigners are ignorant about the events of May 13. However, I think that we must use that black day to our advantage and learn from it so that history does not repeat itself.

The country's economical and cultural stability is contributed by everyone in this country; this is a fact. Look at our neighbouring country such as Thailand, Sountern Thailand is a mess, they are fighting about themselves, killing their own brothers and sisters. I am just thankful that the situation in Malaysia does not reach that level.

WE must all work together to ensure that 'Malaysia is Truly Asia', we must put our diferences aside; be it religion, culture or political views and work for a peaceful and prospefous future; not for out sake for our childrens sake and their children. I do not want my children to endure May 13, I certainly did not go through it.

Let us put our differences aside and take a minute to pray for those who suffered on May 13 1969.

Malaysia's Politics

Malaysia's politics is currently very unstable. There so many things going wrong and so many new developments are seen in the world of politics. To make things worse the 'rakyat' have to just sit and watch. There are very limited option for the rakyat to voice their concern and views towards the politics of Malaysia. Undoubtedly the most annoying thing is that he politicians are playing games of blaming each other for the result of the 12th general election. Rather than doing this they should do what is best according to the situation rather than blaming other people from their own party.

Well for now I am just going to sit and watch and see how this new government will run. Granted that it is still BN government but there are so many oppositions waiting to set their mark is this new world of Malaysian Politics.

I just pray and hope that the situation in Malaysia will remain calm and peaceful so that the rakyat can continue to survive and live in harmony.

Malays Under Threat

So getting back to the office after a very short and quick lunch; I discovered an interesting article sitting in my Inbox sent to me by a friend. After the 12th General Election in Malaysia I am sure that many have you have heard the phrase that Malays are under threat, malays are special, we have to protect the Malays rights and so on and on. What seems to me is that people don't truly understand what they are claiming. Malays are not under threat and nobody is trying to take their rights away. The phrases mentioned above and so many other ones seen/heard in the media is just used by the politicians to their own benefits. For example: Lim Guan Eng annouced that the state of Penang will not follow the DEB (New economic policy), he did not mean that he wants to abolish is. He simply means that policies regarding goverment tenders will be changed and he in fact did change to an open bidding system. After that annoucement was made they were a huge protest in front of Komtar. In fact these were all UMNO members and their friends.





Anyways going back to the article I receive, the article is posted below:
Article is posted on The Star website.

Thursday April 17, 2008
Under threat? What threat?
BRAVE NEW WORLD
By AZMI SHAROM

Since the recent general election, voices have risen up in a shrill warning cry that the Malays are now ‘under threat’. But perhaps the real threat is the threat to Umno hegemony.

AND so it begins. Race-based rhetoric has raised its ugly little head in response to a democratic process. Over 49% of the people of Malaysia have voted for parties that have rejected race-based affirmative action in favour of a needs-based platform.

It did not take very long for voices, both common and royal, to rise up in a shrill warning cry that the Malays are now “under threat”.

“Under threat” from what, may I ask? Let’s take a bit of time to look at this so-called “threat”. Firstly, Malays are given special protection under Article 153 of the Constitution.

Article 153 is titled “Reservation of quotas in respect of services, permits, etc, for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak”. Article 152 states that Malay is the National Language. The Supreme Head of the Federation, according to Article 32, is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Malay ruler.

This is the foundation of Malay “special privileges”.

None of the Pakatan Rakyat component parties, including the DAP, have said anything about removing Articles 153, 152 and 32. They remain safe and secure with no sign whatsoever of any sort of threat.

Besides, in order to change it, you would need a two-thirds majority in the lower and upper houses of Parliament plus the support of the Conference of Rulers. The last time I checked, no one has a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

Secondly, due to simple demographics, it is unlikely that a totally non-Malay party is ever going to win absolute control of the government. Of the five state governments in the hands of the Pakatan, four are led by a Malay Mentri Besar.

Penang is an exception, but Penang has been led by non-Malays since the 60s. Why was there was no outcry before this?

Thirdly, the proposed doing-away with the NEP (or whatever it is called nowadays), I suppose, can be seen as a threat to the Malays.

But how it can be a threat is beyond me, because the replacement suggested by the Pakatan is not some sort of laissez-faire capitalist economy. Instead, it is an economic system with affirmative action promised to those in need.

If the Malays are the largest group of people in Malaysia who are in the most need, then they will get the most help. If they are not in the most need, then why on earth do they need help then?

This is the point where I will get angry letters about how the NEP is needed; because in the business world – the real world which I know nothing about because I am just a lowly-academic trapped in my ivory tower – Malays are discriminated against by the Chinese. So we need a policy like the NEP to provide some balance.

I disagree.

If there are racist business policies being conducted against the Malays, then you face it head on with anti-discrimination laws.

If some person feels he is being discriminated against, no matter what his race, then let there be a law to help him, and let us punish the racists with a hefty fine or jail term.

You do not meet racism with racism; you challenge it by destroying all traces of it.

The problem with the NEP, as I see it, is that it breeds a mentality of entitlement based on race and not merit. This mentality seeps into governance, and it creates an atmosphere of mediocrity. One example of this is how the Constitution has been disregarded in relation to employment issues.

The Federal Constitution states that you can set quotas at the entry points of government services, for example, the civil service and public universities. However, this is counter-balanced by Article 136 that says all federal employees must be treated fairly regardless of race.

This means that once inside a service, everyone is to be treated equally based on merit. In such a situation, only the cream will rise to the top.

However, since the introduction of the NEP, the practice in government services has been to promote Malays mainly. This has in turn led to a drop in the number of non-Malay actors in the service of the public.

Taking my profession for example, the closeted unrealistic world of academia, I look down south and I see that 30% of the staff in the National University of Singapore Law School are Malaysians.

How come these clever fellows who are good enough to teach in a university that is among the top 20 in the world are not here in the land of their birth? Why are the blinking Singaporeans enjoying our talent? Is it because that talent is all non-Malay and they feel they have better opportunities there than here?

This is a complete waste, and in the end this loss of talent means a loss for the university, the country and the people of this country, including the Malay students who miss out on the best possible teachers.

Perhaps the real threat is the threat to Umno hegemony, in which case my answer to that is this: clean up your act, live up to your promises and listen to what the people are saying.

Make yourself electable by proving that you can create good government.

That is called democracy.

Dr Azmi Sharom is a law teacher. The views expressed here are entirely his own.

FITNA by Geert Wilders

'FITNA' one of the most controversial movie released this year, I am sure that most of you have heard about it on. Of course this is because the movie sparked many boycotts and outrage by the Muslim community world wide. Fair enough the movie is disrespectfull to Islam but does it mean that Muslims should react the way they've reacted? Doesn't this show how shallow we are? To react vulgarly using violence and racial slurrs against the movie will just make the creator happy; this is because he is expecting this reaction. Just to share some interesting view, below is a letter sent to malaysiakini.com:

'An eye for an eye' will see us all blind
Lucy Ahmed Apr 8, 08 4:23pm
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Dutch Lady condemns 'Fitna' amid boycott.

I disagree with all those carrying banners, burning effigies, shouting ‘Infidels’ etc, toward the movie maker Geert Wilders. I wonder how many of those people who were demonstrating against the movie maker really know his name. Maybe many of them read somewhere or heard through word-of-mouth that there's a Dutch person producing 'Fitna', which has shown disrespect towards the Koran and against the Muslims.

Why should we bother to demonstrate, and give this disrespectful and undeserving person the satisfaction? Why should we show proof to his hateful thoughts? Don't we know that he is just seeking and wanting to be proved that all his thoughts and beliefs are true? In his hiding, he is actually waiting and anticipating the reactions of the Muslims all around the world. This person, Wilders, is actually laughing away at each and everyone of us, who in his mind are retarded and who he has proved beyond any doubt, are uncivilized and terrorists.

I think we should simply ignore him. And, of course, by all means, we should ban his disrespectful film for he deserves no attention from any of us at all. To be able to produce such disrespectful film, this person is actually a very angry person, very frustrated and living in hell with his hateful thoughts. On another positive perception, may be there are something that we could learn from his thoughts. Why is this person very angry?

First we have to calm down. Whatever he shows in his film is nothing new. It has happened before. It has been years, since Sept 11, that some people equated Islam with violence. Now here, the positive way is, we shall show them that Islam is truly a peace-loving religion. That we shall not go for ‘an eye for an eye’ for it will only leave the world blind. And what shall begotten of a blind world is nothing but chaos - and chaos produce sa chaotic world., a completely disordered and confused world.

So when this person shows his anger, we shall not go for ‘an eye for an eye’ but instead we shall show him our disagreement, and prove him all wrong. We instead go for peace and love to humanity. We shall instead demonstrate against all those who killed in the name of Allah. We shall go against all those who show an act of terrorism against humankind. We shall condemn Al-Qaeda for terrorising the whole world. Just look at how the group has terrorised the people, particularly the women of Afghanistan. Are not those women their mothers, sisters and daughters? What do we do about such an act?

For once, shouldn't we stop and give a thought about such behaviour? Shouldn't we instead demonstrate against such these monstrous, most hideous and frightful acts? The worst thing they did was doing all those barbaric acts in the name of Allah. This, I strongly believe, we shall never allow. It is the highest 'haram' act to do.

What I mentioned above is just one example that we should not allow anyone or any group to do. No one should install in anyone's mind any hatred with the intention to cause harm or to kill another human being. Insinuating negatively (as to cause harm) into another's mind and worse, by using the name of Islam, is haram - not allowed and very wrong. Killing in the name of Allah should be condemned.

Islam should be about peace, harmony and love. We shall praise all those who do good to humanity. We shall volunteer our free time to help others, who not only our brothers and sisters, but to all humanity. We are not living in a tribal era anymore. In this era we need each other. What affects other parts of the world, would also affect us. When the economy of America gets jolted, we too feel the result. When the food-producing countries fail to produce a good harvest, we, too, have less food on our table.

I believe everyone has their own opinions and beliefs, but I shall stand by my belief. I shall not carry a banner and march in protest against this one person, who is frustrated and full of anger, but I shall show an act of humanity. I shall carry my Koran in a positive manner for the good and tolerance of all humanity disregarding their gender, color and belief. And, I shall end my thought here with, ‘This earth is truly our world’.


I would like to thank Lucy on her very strong beliefs, I too think that there is some truth in her letter. We now have the task to prove to the world that Islam has nothing to do with violence but it is a teaching, a religion that promot peace and harmony.