B e n s t a k e s

PM: Don’t allow naysayers to wreck our identity and unity
"Malaysians should not allow those out to provoke confrontation and fan the flames of chauvinism and mistrust to wreck the country's precious identity and national unity," the Prime Minister said. TheStar

Mr Prime Minister, does 'Malaysians' in your vocab include the UMNO members, especially the UMNO president at the last general assembly? It seems YOU ALLOWED your stooges a free rein.

Peace

This comment by V K Chin was published on 10 August 2007.

THE Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) plans to hold more pickets to press for a minimum wage and cost of living allowance for workers.

Instead of helping the workers, it may do more harm than good in its campaign. It is in fact fighting for a lost cause since noisy demonstrations have little effect on either the Government or private sector employers.

V K Chin, you have not explained what 'harm'. Is it a threat? Fighting a 'lost cause'? How? 'Little effect'? Are you sure?

The congress says it has no choice but to continue with its protest since it did not get the appropriate response from the Government.

And what is the response it wants? A commitment on a minimum wage of RM900 and RM300-a-month COLA. If this is the case, then its leaders will have a long wait.

Haven't they been waiting a long long time?

No responsible Government is going to force the private sector to meet this mind-boggling demand because of the serious economic implications on the nation.

Do we have a responsible government?

The congress should stop its wishful thinking. While it is running on empty, its leaders are intelligent enough to realise the scale of its request.

'Wishful thinking', 'running on empty'? Huh?

If their claim that the majority of those in the low-income group are getting RM600 a month, then the employers would need to pay an additional RM600 or a 100% increase to meet their needs.

And that is not all. Employers will have to fork out another 12% in compulsory EPF contributions to each worker, thus bringing the total to 112%.

Even an illiterate can compute this figure and can determine whether the workers can expect to receive such a financial bonanza without a commensurate increase in productivity.

You just computed the figure. No, I shall refrain from calling you an illiterate.

Employers will also have to review the salary scale of those higher-paid employees who will not be ready to lose out on this windfall.

It is worth reminding congress leaders that granting their asking price will have two unpleasant endings – not that they are unaware of the consequences.

What is YOUR 'worth' in reminding?

First, those employers without the financial muscle to pay the new wages will have to shed workers, thus leading to people losing jobs. Or companies will close because they can no longer survive, due to the high cost of doing business.

Others will recruit fewer workers to reduce expenditure and school leavers will find it harder to look for jobs, thus adding to the unemployment situation.

'Shed workers' 'recruit fewer workers'? Are the companies you have in mind in business or doing charity?

Businessmen are practical and if they are forced into a corner, they will either close their companies and factories or relocate to areas where labour is cheaper, such as Vietnam, Indonesia and, for the time being, China.

Shouldn't practical businessmen be looking at ways to reduce the cost of production rather than seeking CHEAP labour?

These are serious issues that the Government and union leaders have to consider. Instead of indulging in wishful thinking of a starting salary of RM1,200, unions should desist in asking for the moon.

Ahh, there you go again, 'wishful thinking', why think, if it is not wishful?

The only way to justify a higher starting salary is for workers to be equipped with skills to make value-added products that can fetch higher prices locally and overseas.

And whose job is this?

Union leaders too should encourage workers to upgrade their skills so that they can compete. Employers will only be prepared to pay more if they are convinced that they can still make a profit. thestaronline

V K Chin, how much do you pay for a plate of fried noodles? How much do you pay for a roti canai or nasi lemak? How much do you pay for a litre of petrol? How much do you pay for a unit of electricity you consume?

How much does a someone earning RM600 pm pay for these items?

If a low wager earner or his child falls ill, does he not have a RIGHT to adequate medical treatment? How is he going to pay for it? Have you ever been to a plantation and seen how they work?

Usage of Words and phrases like "do more harm" "lost cause" "noisy demonstrations" "going to force" "mind-boggling demand" "should stop its wishful thinking" "worth reminding" "unpleasant endings" "indulging in wishful thinking" "unions should desist" "asking for the moon" would seem to show WHO, not WHAT VK Chin stands for.

If Ben were to ...

... write a comment like that, it would certainly qualify as a "pay-per-post" and could probably be paid for by the MEF and MAPA.


Peace

I first got wind of this a month ago here. Checked it out on YouTube, but did not proceed to view the whole clip because 1) it was in a language I did not understand and 2) and most importantly it appeared to be mocking our National Anthem. I just did not want to give it any credence and the best way was not to watch it or talk about.

Then later the whole hype started and everyone jumped on the bandwagon either for political mileage or higher traffic. The MCA showed their chauvinism by defending the rapper and the cabinet had nothing better to do than 'bincang lama' (long discussion) on this issue and made a mountain out of nothing.

Looking at a transcription of the rap wordings, I could not find anything sensitive or seditious. It was just an expression of ones perception, nothing more. But I must agree that it was dishonorable in the choice of the tune and that he must face the consequences of his actions.

Just rap him on his knuckles and lets get on with real issues like the Port Klang fiasco.

Peace

This was reported in the HERALD the Catholic Weekly dated 12 August 2007.

Ipoh: The persons arrested in connection with spreading a false SMS resulting in an illegal assembly at the church of Our Lady of Lourdes on November 5 last year were released due to insufficient evidence.

This was informed to Fr Bernard Paul, parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in a letter dated July 10, 2007 from Dato Hadi Ho Bin Abdullah, SAC I.

In the letter, Dato Hadi who is the Pmg Ketua Polis Perak said that there was no evidence to show that the suspects were the ones who started the SMS. Due to this fact, there is no proof that the suspects were the ones to get the people to gather at the front of OLOL.

However, OLOL was not informed about the updates of the case and parishioners were left in the dark.

Fr Bernard said that now, they are planning to write another letter on the illegal gathering itself. Since the incident has brought shame and anger to parishioners, something has to be done and this time, OLOL will want a better response.

Dato Hadi,

Please enlighten us, Malaysians.

1. Who were the suspects arrested?
2. What evidence were you looking for?
3. Didn't someone by the name of Harussani Zakaria say that one Raja Sherina was the one started the whole issue?
4. Didn't this same Harussani Zakaria, say that he 'passed' on this information to others without verifying the same?
5. The Special Branch has no knowledge of this?
6. A mob had gathered that day in front of the Church, and you don't even know a single one of them?
7. Your photographers did not take any pictures of this mob?
8. This news item - Couple faces long jail terms for SMS
"IPOH: The couple caught in the middle of the SMS controversy is facing lengthy jail sentences under the Sedition Act. Police have completed investigations and have sent their recommendations to the deputy public prosecutor's office..." was reported on 28/11/2006 and only in July 2007 you find you have no evidence?

Some news items extracted from the archives of NSTP's E-media at Read More ...

06/11/2006 - Police: Be wary of hoax SMS
IPOH: Perak Police Chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Bulat yesterday expressed regret over the irresponsible acts by individuals who spread sensitive racial and religious messages via the short-messaging-system (SMS). He said their acts could jeopardise the social and religious harmony in the country.

07/11/2006 - Perak mufti to be quizzed over SMS
IPOH: Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria will be questioned by the police over an SMS which alleged that several hundred Malays were to have been baptised at a church in Silibin on Sunday. The baptism was supposed to have been led by Datuk Azhar Mansor, the man who sailed solo around the world.

07/11/2006 - Ignore `naughty' messages, says PM
ISLAMABAD: Malaysians should ignore "naughty" mobile text messages that could lead to racial tension. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said action would also be taken against the author of the SMS, who claimed that a group of Malays would be baptised at an Ipoh church.

08/11/2006 - Azhar: I'm a victim of nasty rumours
LANGKAWI: The man at the centre of the rumours of a mass baptism of Muslims at a church in Ipoh said yesterday he was not surprised over allegations about his religious status. Datuk Azhar Mansor said he had been a victim of malicious accusations, including claims that he had converted to Christianity, seven years ago.

08/11/2006 - Musa: ISA can be used against SMS culprits
KUALA LUMPUR: Police will use the Internal Security Act (ISA) against anyone disseminating libellous or false news through the short messaging service (SMS) or email. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, who issued this warning yesterday, said such people were a threat to public order and national security.

08/11/2006 - Saying sorry for `ill-informed group of Muslims'
KUALA LUMPUR: Sisters in Islam (SIS) said yesterday the protest in front of a church in Ipoh on Sunday only brought disrepute to Islam. "Islam, like other religions, does not in any way condone any form of violence," said SIS programme manager Zaitun Kasim.

09/11/2006 - IGP briefs Perak Sultan over SMS issue
IPOH: Police yesterday raised their concerns over the SMS issue in an hour-long audience with the Sultan of Perak. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan flew in by helicopter just after noon and briefed Sultan Azlan Shah on the investigations and on the tension the SMS has caused between two religious groups in the State.

10/11/2006 - No room for leniency
Civil libertarians have long bewailed the Internal Security Act as the stomping boot of the country's authoritarians. But even the bleeding hearts among them would be severely challenged to dispute Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's and the Internal Security Ministry's resort to the "draconian" law on the purveyors of the SMSes that caused a near riot at an Ipoh church last Sunday. As cogently as Malaysia's time-worn emergency regulations have been railed against, it is hard to think of another example for which such measures ought to be used. The text messages, distributed with electronic speed since last Thursday, were hateful and clearly an incitement to racial and religious violence.

10/11/2006 - Police identify source of SMS, seven quizzed
IPOH: Police, looking for the sender of the SMS that alleged several hundred Muslims would be baptised at a church in Silibin here last Sunday, have found out where the text message originated. But they have not uncovered the culprit.

11/11/2006 - Perak Mufti to meet Sultan over SMS
IPOH: "I am tired. I am not giving any comments until I meet Tuanku ." This was the response from Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria on his name being implicated in an SMS alleging mass baptism of Muslim students in a church in Silibin.

12/11/2006 - Mufti: I'll co-operate with police
IPOH: Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria said he would co-operate with police in their investigations into the SMS alleging a mass baptism of Muslims at a church in Silibin last Sunday. He said he was waiting for police to call him. He said certain remarks over the SMS were made at a meeting, but refused to elaborate. Harussani said he had called the palace secretary to fix an appointment to meet the Sultan of Perak but had yet to receive a response.

13/11/2006 - Identity of SMS sender revealed
IPOH: Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria has revealed the identity of the sender of the text message which he received alleging that a group of Muslims would be baptised at a church in Silibin here on Nov 5. It was a woman and she sent the message on Oct 21 at 9.33am, he said.

15/11/2006 - Woman who sent SMS urged to contact police
IPOH: Police want the woman responsible for the "Datuk Azhar Mansor" SMS to contact them in the next 48 hours to facilitate investigations into the issue. They will publish Raja Sherina's photograph if she fails to do so.

17/11/2006 - Recording of meeting given to cops
IPOH: Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria said he believed the claims by a woman, that there would be a mass baptism of Muslims, as the woman had agreed to have their meeting recorded. He said the Perak Mufti Department recorded his meeting with Raja Sherina and copies of the VCD were later handed over to Special Branch, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali, the Prime Minister's Department and the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) for further action.

20/11/2006 - Raja Sherina's photo to be released today
IPOH: Police will release the photograph of the woman implicated in the Datuk Azhar Mansor SMS to the Press today as she has failed to contact them. Perak police chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Bulat said Raja Sherina had failed to do so even though police had given her ample time to come forward and have her statement recorded.

21/11/2006 - Woman dares not face cops over SMS
IPOH: The woman sought in connection with the Datuk Azhar Mansor SMS is believed to be on the run. Raja Sherina could not be found at her houses in Sitiawan, some 80km from here, or in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

22/11/2006 - Raja Sherina held in Alor Star
IPOH: The elusive Raja Sherina has been detained along with her husband. They were picked up in Alor Star on Monday.

23/11/2006 - Cops want more time with Raja Sherina, husband
IPOH: Police will seek an extension of the remand order against Raja Sherina and her husband once their three-day remand ends today. Perak CID chief SAC II Patrick Jijes Sijore said this was because investigations pertaining to several parts of the "Datuk Azhar Mansor SMS" were still being carried out.

24/11/2006 - SMS case: Court extends remand
IPOH: The remand order against Raja Sherina and her 38-year-old husband has been extended for five days until Monday. Magistrate Syamsul Rezal Md. Ariff granted the application yesterday after police applied for the extension on grounds that they needed more time to complete investigations into the "Datuk Azhar Mansor SMS" case.

27/11/2006 - SMS woman, hubby out on bail today
IPOH: The two suspects implicated in the Datuk Azhar Mansor SMS controversy will be released on police bail at the expiry of their remand order today. Raja Sherina and her husband, both in their 40s, have been under detention since Nov 20.

28/11/2006 - Couple faces long jail terms for SMS
IPOH: The couple caught in the middle of the SMS controversy is facing lengthy jail sentences under the Sedition Act. Police have completed investigations and have sent their recommendations to the deputy public prosecutor's office.


Peace

It was a sad start to the morning to read this piece of news.

"A couple and three of their children were killed when their house was destroyed in a pre-dawn fire that is believed to have been caused by a lit candle.

They were using candles because the electricity to the house had been disconnected as they could not pay the bill. ..." (Emphasis added)
TheStaronline

Electricity is a basic need of life. They did not want it for business, they needed it to live. Where is the compassion of TNB?

Fair, TNB is in business and is not a charitable organisation. But can a mechanism be implemented whereby instead of disconnecting the supply, the defaulting household is allocated a bare minimum of power, say to light two bulbs, to show some respect and value to life?

A more important question Ben has is ...

... why should this happen if the NEP is available to them?

Peace

Attention: Those who want to join Barisan National, it would appear the main criteria for membership would be 'You should not be a person with principles'.

At the Altantuya trial

... Karpal Singh also took the opportunity to complain to the judge about a remark made by C/Insp Azilah Hadri’s counsel Hazman Ahmad during a break on Wednesday.

“He said in front of my assistant, Mr Daniel Abishegam, that ‘he (Karpal Singh) has to be with us on this issue (of whether a trial-within-a-trial is necessary) because this is what he (Karpal Singh) said in the case of Francis Antonysamy. If he (Karpal Singh) doesn’t, then he has no principle and ask him to join Barisan Nasional."... (Emphasis added)
TheStar

Now, who's the government in power?

No wonder we are in ...

... this shit.

Peace

Hey Ka Ting, Samy, Keng Yaik, KVS et al, the young fart is warning you. What are you going to do about it? And mind you, he is not the leader of any component party.

In Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Khairy said there should be no more statements from any Barisan Nasional component party leaders concerning demands for extra seats for the parties. ...

"Umno Youth will not accept threats from the component parties ...
... “That’s unfair and it’s not the Barisan style. We always share and discuss, and we make compromises. ... (emphasis added)
TheStar

Share? Discuss? ...


... Get real.

Peace