Putrajaya will not win stand-off with Bar Council

By Joe Fernandez

It appears that the current Najib Administration has forgotten the bitter lessons learnt during Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's long innings in office when he, the frightened little man he was by default in office, openly and shamelessly rooted for extreme coercion as his preferred modus operandi.

It's not so much that Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak is calling the shots in the current stand-off with the Bar Council of Malaya on the proposed Law Academy in the wake of Bersih 3.0.

First round victory to Borneonisation suit against the governments

KOTA KINABALU: The "Borneonisation suit" brought by two Sabahans against two respondents, the Federal and State Governments, for failing to Borneonise Federal agencies in Sabah tasted a first-round victory at the High Court Friday (May 25).

Justice David Wong Dak Wah dismissed the application of both the first and second respondents' to strike out the suit brought by the duo last year. He had now fixed June 18 this year as a new mention date for the case which many see a test to Sabah special rights and autonomy within the Federation of Malaysia.

The judge in dismissing the respondents' application ruled that contrary to the respondents' contention, the Sabahan duo do have locus standi to sue the government in regards to their rights in relation to non-compliance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963. 
     

Datuk Yong Teck Lee Lancar Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Ditenom 27 Mei

Oleh: Mail Mathew

TENOM:  Presiden Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP) Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee dijangka akan merasmikan Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Sabah anjuran SAPP bertempat di Kg Pulong kira kira 12 kilometer dekat sini ada 27 Mei 2012 bermula jam 12.30 petang.

Demikian dinyatakan Pengerusi Penganjur yang juga merupakan Naib Presiden SAPP Jimmy Jawatah (gambar), ketika memberitahu  media dalam satu kenyataan disini pada Jumaat.

Pelbagai acara telah siap diatur seperti Unduk Ngadau, Sugandoi, Bolasepak, sukan tradisi, persembahan muzik tradisi, selain persembahan nyanyian oleh penyanyi penyanyi jemputan.

Open Letter to Yayasan Islam Sabah on "theories"

YIS contradictions on citizenship, no locus standi


Dear YIS,

The Yayasan Islam Sabah (YIS) appears to be getting way ahead of itself in pontificating sanctimoniously on its four "theories", for want of a better term, in the Daily Express report, "YIS: Those already having documents need not worry", on Wed this week.

The first YIS theory is that Malaysian citizens in Sabah need not fear about their citizenship rights as long as their identity card was issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).

This is a fallacy in law.

The Federal Government cannot issue Special Passes, temporary residence permits (green cards), permanent residence status (red cards) or citizenships to foreigners in Sabah without the prior written recommendation and consent of the state government, which must be the initiating party, on a case-by-case basis.

Ambiga a victim of race and religion, says Pak Samad

Today, as Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s Bukit Damansara residence is turned into a bizarre combination of a mini market, crime scene and conflict zone with pro- and anti-Ambiga groups taking their positions under the watchful eyes of the authorities outside her house, it is business as usual at the Bangsar Utama flat of her fellow co-chairperson A Samad Said.

Since the Bersih 3.0 protest on April 28 which organisers claimed saw some 250,000 participants taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur, anti-Bersih groups have taken their counter-protest to the doorstep of Ambiga’s residence with burger stalls, butt exercises and now, a mini-market.

Socio-political view on the Felda Global IPO

Khor Yu Leng is an independent analyst and the writer of Khor Reports, specialising in agribusiness in Southeast Asia and frontier markets for global corporate clients. She was trained as a political-economist at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. Recent client reports include updates on large-scale oil palm projects in West and Central Africa and on Myanmar’s mineral processing and port facilities. Yu Leng is also working on a book project on the history of agriculture frontier developments in Southeast Asia.

Q: With the IPO, how do you think this will benefit the settlers? What are the risks of the IPO?

Khor Reports answer: The market considers the Felda Global listing to be a Malaysia general election play which promises gains to those who hold IPO shares. It is touted as the second largest listing this year after Facebook. Many view the Felda Global IPO as being “designed to succeed.” Malaysian institutional investor support (dominated by state-controlled pension and investment funds) is expected to be strong. There is market chatter that pins hopes on the traded price reaching the RM5.50-6.00 per share range. Thus, there could be potential handsome gains for those subscribing for the shares, priced at RM4.65 each; but the medium to longer term market views are more cloudy.

Star: One to one fight ideal, but not necessary

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) shares the sentiments of the Democratic Action Party (Dap) that the possibility of one-to-one fights in Sabah to take on the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) at the forthcoming 13th General Election is non-existent.

It also agrees with Dap that the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) was out of synch with local politics but thinks “it would be kinder not to comment further on an irrelevant party”.

However, Star begs to differ with the Peninsular Malaysia-based national opposition party on why “it’s not possible to strike a deal with the self-glorified and unrealistic Star”.

Who Is Fickle-Minded ? Psm Slams Human Resource Minister

Once again it is clear that the Malaysian cabinet lacks a minister to adequately represent the interests of workers, and that the Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Subramaniam and his ministry are biased in favour of employers.

Dr Subramaniam’s statement yesterday echoing the claim of employers that a job-hopping young Malaysian workforce was what drove employers to hire foreign labour is disappointing. He took it upon himself to chide these young workers calling them fickle-minded for ‘liking’ to jump from one company to another and advised that they should be educated on the consequences.

Civil Suit against Ambiga and several members of the BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee

This evening (23. May 2012), a civil suit by the government has been served on Dato’ Ambiga, including eight more members of the BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee an a former committee member. The government claims RM 122,000 for demages during Duduk Bantah.
See the documents here:
Saman
Writ_Saman_&_Peryataan_Tuntutan

Borneo-based and led national 3rd Force in Parliament

Open Letter to Hindraf Makkal Sakthi

Dear Waytha and Uthaya,

Johore may be set for interesting times as it faces an uncertain future as an Umno bastion.

Muhiyiddin is reportedly trying to do a number on Najib here by planning to get rid of Ghani in a bid to prepare for the post-13th General Election period. He must think that Johore's and Mahathir's support alone are sufficient to help him mount a successful challenge against Najib for the Umno presidency.

The Sultan should continue to remain above politics and not agree to bring in, as rumoured, Khalid Nordin.The MB should be free of palace control.

The national Opposition alliance meanwhile is spreading any number of rumours on its political foes.