Of Chua Soi Lek and his "stronghold" in Tenang

As the nomination of the Tenang by-election had just concluded, MCA and its party president Dr Chua Soi Lek fired their first salvo against the Pakatan's PAS candidate Normala Sudirman for her gloved hand shaking during her campaign rounds.

Well, BN has two kinds of campaign in the Tenang by-election. Umno is dispatched to most Malay kampungs telling the folks there that if PAS wins the by-election, it is DAP and the Chinese would be the most powerful influence over the constituency and PAS would only be a puppet, while MCA is dispatched into Chinese and urban areas telling the community on the fear of a possible Islamic state and the Taliban agenda should PAS were to win in this by-election.

Well, let us focus on Dr Chua's words - he told the press of the PAS candidate's "extremist" view because she wore gloves when shaking hands with the voters. Isn't that is her right of her religious practices and views? Does that represent any intention of PAS wanting to impose the Islamic state ruling in the Tenang constituency should the said Pakatan component party win?

Yeah, he just said that in the Chinese and urban areas during his campaign rounds. That is just one of the BN's split agenda. Umno with its own, while MCA with its own, just like we mentioned earlier.

So, what about Dr Chua's previous sexual fantasies? That is a moral issue too! If he said Normala shoke her hands in public in gloves, how is Dr Chua going to explain the showing of his "kuku bird" in public during his tenure as minister of health?

Come on, this is about election, and let us talk about achievements and getting results, as well as putting things to order. Why go after other people's personality.

We supposed BN has nothing else to say anymore in the campaign. It is just "development" and race, religion and "raja", while corruptions and mismanagements get the go ahead. It is all just BN is always "good" and "true" while what Pakatan Rakyat is doing are all lies and false.

We hope voters there would vote wisely in the upcoming by-election.

Nizar: Pakatan risks Malay support in state secretary dispute

By Adib Zalkapli

Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin has warned that the Selangor government was in danger of losing popularity among the Malays and being accused of treason for disputing the appointment of a new state secretary.
The ousted Perak mentri besar said Umno leaders might accuse Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim of undermining the Sultan’s role by opposing the appointment Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the state’s top civil servant, which has received royal assent.

“Because [of] their control of the press, they will use this issue to accuse Khalid of committing treason against the Sultan like what happened to me in Perak. For the Malays this is very serious,” Nizar told The Malaysian Insider in a reference to Umno, which supported Khusrin’s appointment.

“That is why they keep saying the Sultan has consented to the appointment,” he added.

Nizar lost the post of mentri besar almost two years ago after the Perak ruler refused to dissolve the state assembly following the defection of three Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers. He was then accused of being a traitor after he insisted on calling for a fresh election.

The PAS central committee member also said despite strengthening PR’s traditional support base in urban Selangor, Khusrin’s presence in the administration would hamper the state’s efforts.

“This will strengthen Pakatan’s traditional support, but when Khusrin assumes office the government will be distracted. It is difficult for Khalid,” said Nizar.

“Khusrin is seen as the best candidate to challenge [the] MB and launch acts of insubordination,” he added pointing out that Khusrin, as the Selangor Islamic affairs department head, had on several occasions spoke out against the state government.

The country’s richest state has been in turmoil since Khusrin was handed the post after receiving the consent of the Sultan of Selangor.

The state government has maintained that it has not finalised a candidate list, saying Khalid has not been informed officially of the appointment.

Khalid had also formed a committee headed by Selangor Assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim, which shortlisted three names that were submitted to the palace.

Palace officials, however, have maintained the mentri besar was “late” in forwarding his candidate choices, with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s aide Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani saying that Khalid had sent in three shortlisted candidates on December 7, after the Ruler had already agreed to the federal government’s pick.

A swearing in ceremony before Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has also been scheduled for January 6 and is expected to be boycotted by PR lawmakers.

Nizar had claimed that the appointment of Mohd Khusrin was part of an attempt by the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration that controls Putrajaya to stage a coup in Selangor similar to what was done in Perak in February 2009.

Nizar has now advised the Selangor government to prepare for a prolonged crisis and to explain to the public the decision to reject Mohd Khusrin’s appointment.

“As the mentri besar, he has the power to stop Khusrin from entering his office. The best thing to do is to make Khusrin miserable,” said Nizar.

“There will be further turmoil, the crisis will continue, but at least the people can be made aware of the constitution,” he added.

Nizar said that the Khalid administration would win public sympathy if it handles the issue well.

“Previously nobody knew about the Perak Constitution, but now everybody remembers it,” said Nizar relating his experience after his removal from the state government.

He also predicted that the issue would not end in Khalid’s favour, as could be seen in Perak when he tried to get the State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim replaced.

“I tried twice, I approached the Sultan, I met Tan Sri Sidek Hassan twice to get replacement but the KSN did not bother,” said Nizar.

Portal publishes photo of victim of alleged rape by 'senior minister'

An online news portal focussing on East Malaysian politics has published a photo it claimed was Robengah, an Indonesian women said to be a victim of rape by a 'senior minister', as revealed by WikiLeaks and several blogs recently.

Sabahkini.net also named the minister, a staunch critic of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made a cabinet comeback during the premiership of Abdullah Badawi, and who is still serving in the current cabinet.

Accompanied with a statement by non-governmental organisation Migrant Care, which had earlier claimed that a cabinet minister was let off despite allegation of rape by his maid, the website quoted a Sabah PKR leader urging the minister’s resignation.

Since the news about the hitherto unnamed cabinet minister's rape case was first exposed through WikiLeaks, it has been making waves on the internet, with users posting comments on blogs and microblogging site Twitter

UMNO leader wants action

When queried by one Twitter user, UMNO Youth's new media chief Tun Faisal urged action to be taken against the minister.

Meanwhile, a prominent blogger Ahirudin Attan or 'Rocky Bru', who is also editor-in-chief of free daily paper The Malay Mail, made a sarcastic comparison by highlighting the news report about an Israelil minister found guilty for raping his assistant.

“We cannot let the people accuse our leaders of committing crime without investigation. But because we did not investigate and the case was closed, now it looks as if we are trying to blind the people,” he wrote.

The scandal immediately shot to become one of the most read stories in Harakahdaily. The incident allegedly took place in 2007, when Abdullah Badawi was the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Alex Ong, Migrant Care's coordinator, told Harakahdaily that his group had done a thorough investigation into the complaints in July 2008.

On August 1, 2007, Alex together with two leaders from Migrant Care issued a press statement calling for action. On December 27, local rights group Tenaganita republished the statement in the hope that the authorities will re-open the case following the WikiLeaks expose - Harakahdaily.