Diracun 2 kali masih hidup, janda kaya akhirnya dicekik hingga mati

Astro Awani, Agensi |  Diterbitkan pada Januari 20, 2018 10:56 MYT

Suspek ketika lakon semula menunjukkan bagaimana dia menghidangkan bakso dan bubur yang dicampur racun kepada mangsa. -Gambar pewarta-madiun.net

NGAWI: Kejam! Itu saja perkataan yang dapat menggambarkan perlakuan keji dua lelaki di Ngawi, Indonesia yang bertindak meracun seorang wanita yang juga majikan mereka.

Mangsa yang dikenali sebagai Sulasi, 53 tahun, merupakan janda kaya di kawasan itu diracun sebanyak dua kali sebelum suspek nekad mencekik mangsa hingga mati setelah racun diberi tidak mendatangkan kesan kepada mangsa.

Mayat Sulasi kemudian dibuang ke Sungai Balawong di wilayah Magetan.

Suspek yang dikenal pasti sebagai BR dan NI pada awalnya hanya merancang untuk menculik Sulasi. Namun mereka kemudian bersepakat pula untuk membunuh mangsa dengan cara memberi racun.

Suspek BR, yang merupakan pemandu peribadi janda kaya itu, pada percubaan pertama didakwa menghidangkan bakso yang dicampur racun tikus kepada mangsa. Namun, mangsa langsung tidak terkesan.

Berang melihat Sulasi masih hidup, BR dua hari kemudian menyajikan bubur yang dicampur racun jenis tirex kepada mangsa. Namun percubaan kali kedua ini juga gagal.

Putus asa dengan kejadian itu, kedua-dua suspek nekad datang ke rumah Sulasi lalu mencekik mangsa hingga mati.

Mayat mangsa yang dibuang ke dalam sungai ditemukan tidak lama kemudian dan kedua-dua suspek kini ditahan.

Polis Indonesia yang menjalankan proses lakon semula kes pembunuhan pada Jumaat mengesahkan hanya dua suspek terlibat.

Motif kejadian dipercayai akibat dendam membabitkan hutang.

Beberapa fakta menarik di sebalik sidang media pengerusi Felda

Ali Imran · Diterbitkan pada 19 Jan 2018 2:13PM

"SAYA tunjuk dulu semua dokumen ini pada semua, kalau tidak nanti ada yang tak percaya pula."

Begitulah cara Shahrir Samad, pengerusi Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (Felda) memulakan sidang media “Perkembangan Terbaru Berkaitan Tanah Felda di Jalan Semarak” pada 15 Januari lalu.

Berbanding cara konvensional sesebuah sidang media yang dimulakan dengan ucapan, beliau terus “lompat” kepada isi utama hari itu iaitu pemulangan semula tanah milik Felda yang dipindah milik melalui beberapa transaksi meragukan.

Wajahnya yang tersenyum sepanjang majlis berlangsung sudah cukup untuk menggambarkan kepuasan melihat kontroversi terbesar organisasi itu dapat diselesaikan dalam masa satu tahun sembilan hari selepas mengambil alih jawatan pengerusi daripada Isa Samad.

Dalam tempoh sama, beliau turut mengambil beberapa tindakan lain demi mengukuhkan Felda seperti menyusun semula barisan pengurusan, penstrukturan semula aset serta mengukuhkan kedudukan kewangan organisasi itu.

Antara tindakan drastik yang diambil ialah mengarahkan peletakan jawatan semua ahli lembaga pengarah Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) pada Januari serta penjualan aset seperti kereta mewah dan hotel Grand Plaza Service Apartment di London.

Dua aset milik FIC di London dan Kuching juga sedang disiasat SPRM atas dakwaan pembelian pada kadar jauh lebih tinggi daripada kadar pasaran yang mengakibatkan kerugian kepada anak syarikat Felda itu.

Bagi Shahrir, sasaran beliau untuk tahun pertama menjalankan tugas sudah pun berada di landasan yang tepat.

Sidang media yang dianggap paling panas dalam sejarah penubuhan Felda sepanjang penubuhannya 62 tahun lalu dibuat tidak sampai tiga jam selepas pihak Synergy Promenade Sdn. Bhd (SPSB) menandatangani dokumen penyerahan semula tanah Felda di Jalan Semarak.

Dengan gaya beliau yang bersahaja, ahli Parlimen Johor Bahru ini mengemudi sesi yang berlangsung di Menara Felda dihadiri puluhan wartawan mewakili akhbar, portal berita, stesen TV dan radio baik daripada yang pro kerajaan mahupun pro pembangkang.

Shahrir turut menggunakan perkataan "let's start the magic" untuk memulakan sesi tayangan gambar dokumen yang ditandatangani kedua-dua pihak. Penulis melihat ia sebagai satu penggunaan perkataan yang “makan dalam” kerana ia ibarat memberi gambaran keseluruhan kemelut ini.

Jika diamati betul-betul, setiap rentetan melibatkan isu ibarat satu pertunjukan magis. “Persembahan” pertama adalah bagaimana beberapa keping tanah milik negara (melalui Felda) boleh dipindah milik dengan sebegitu mudah.

Shahrir sendiri beberapa kali meluahkan kekecewaan beliau kerana sewaktu Felda berniat mahu meletakkan kaveat persendirian ke atas tanah, ia tidak mendapat kelulusan daripada Jabatan Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan sehingga beliau perlu memohon campur tangan Ketua Setiausaha Negara Ali Hamsa barulah ia berjaya dilakukan.

Satu lagi “silap mata” adalah pemberian status wakil penuh (PA) yang dibuat tanpa dilaporkan kepada lembaga pengarah.

Mengikut rekod, PA itu dianugerahkan pada 3 Jun 2014 dan hanya dilaporkan kepada lembaga pengarah pada 2 September tahun yang sama.

Magika yang paling agung adalah bila PA melaksanakan beberapa transaksi jual beli tanah dan melalui transaksi inilah pemindahan hak milik tanah dipindahkan menjadi hak milik SPSB.

Menurut Shahrir, ini hal paling aneh ialah penjual (atas kapasiti sebagai PA) adalah SPSB dan yang membeli juga adalah SPSB. Kerana itulah penulis meletakkan transaksi ini sebagai silap mata terbesar atas semua silap mata yang berlaku.

Maka apa cara terbaik untuk melawan magis? Caranya adalah mendedahkan helah sang ahli silap mata.

Bila orang ramai sudah dapat tahu helah si ahli silap mata, secara automatik dia tidak lagi akan dipanggil ahli silap mata.

Orang ini pasti tidak akan selamanya mahu dikecam masyarakat. Justeru dia pasti mahu membersihkan namanya dengan apa sahaja cara yang terdaya.

Bila hal ini berlaku, persepsi lain pula akan timbul. Sebahagian masyarakat akan percaya ini benar-benar pertarungan menegakkan kebenaran manakala sebahagian lagi akan melihat ia hanyalah sebagai lakonan pentas yang siap dirangka skrip dan jalan ceritanya.

Shahrir sedar hal ini. Kerana itulah bagi beliau, persepsi negatif bukanlah hal yang akan diendah kerana beliau ada tanggung jawab yang lebih besar untuk memastikan hak Felda terpelihara.

Boleh dikatakan sesuatu yang agak pelik dalam sesebuah sidang media apabila inti dokumen yang ditandatangani dipaparkan kepada warga media tanpa sebarang tapisan.

Namun bagi Shahrir ini sesuatu yang amat penting untuk dilakukan. Beliau mahu rakyat percaya bahawa situasi ini satu perkara yang serius dan ia benar-benar berlaku demi kepentingan negara.

Bukan setakat menunjukkan isi dokumen, Shahrir turut menggunakan peluang ini untuk mengulas butiran dokumen itu.

Bahkan beliau turut menunjukkan persetujuan dua ahli lembaga pengarah SPSB lengkap dengan tandatangan mereka yang beliau sifatkan sebagai “sangat penting” untuk memastikan proses pemindahan semula pemilikan tanah berjalan lancar.

"Kalau ikutkan saya nak tunjuk (dokumen) yang ‘original’ tapi kita lepas tanda tangan cepat-cepat hantar ke peguam," jelas beliau.

Bagaimanapun, apabila cuba diperangkap dengan soalan “siapa pemilik SPSB?” pantas beliau menjawab: "Saya tidak tahu siapa pemilik sebenar tetapi ahli lembaga pengarahnya adalah seperti dalam dokumen itu, yang dua orang itu."

Jika ada yang fikir sidang media yang diadakan itu satu bentuk “tutup buku”, sebenarnya kisah ini belum selesai.

Di pihak Felda, laporan polis tidak akan ditarik balik serta audit forensik yang sedang dijalankan akan diteruskan seperti biasa.

Apa yang penting, Felda mahu tangani isu ini dengan telus. Shahrir sendiri tidak mengelak sebarang soalan yang dikemukakan wartawan sepanjang berlangsungnya sidang media.

"I could just issue a press statement and walk away, you know," jawab Shahrir bila ditanyakan sejauh mana Felda telus menangani isu ini.

Sebaliknya dapat dilihat sejak mula isu tanah Jalan Semarak dibangkitkan, pihak Felda dan Shahrir sendiri tidak pernah lokek masa mahupun tenaga menjawab segala persoalan yang dibangkitkan baik melalui sidang-sidang media mahupun soalan secara bertulis.

"Transparency is now...saya jamin integriti di Felda akan jadi budaya Felda. Tidak akan ada isu yang disapu ke bawah meja," ulas Shahrir lagi.

Bagi beliau, Felda kini mahu “balik ke asal”. Beliau mahu muafakat peneroka kembali utuh, dan para peneroka bersama Felda terutamanya dalam aktiviti penghasilan.

“Bersama Felda” diertikan Shahrir sebagai kesudian seseorang peneroka menjual hasil kepada Felda tidak kiralah sama ada penanaman dibuat menggunakan modal sendiri mahupun modal yang dipinjam daripada lembaga.

Dalam pertemuan khusus penulis dengan Shahrir pada Disember lalu, beliau ada menyebut aspirasi beliau menjadikan lebih ramai peneroka yang menanam menggunakan modal sendiri tanpa perlu berhutang dengan Felda untuk mendapatkan modal usaha tanah.

"Kita mahu lahirkan lebih ramai peneroka bebas hutang. Sekarang baru ada dalam 9,000 daripada lebih 100,000 peneroka. Jumlah ini kita perlu tingkatkan,” katanya.

Bagaimanakah aspirasi ini akan dapat direalisasikan? Sama-sama kita nantikan gerak kerja Felda yang seterusnya. – Bernama, 19 Januari, 2018.

* Ali Imran ialah wartawan Bernama.

Pandikar violated MP’s freedom of speech

Pandikar violated MP’s freedom of speech, court told

Ho Kit Yen  | January 8, 2018

Lawyer N Surendran cites Federal Constitution on freedom of speech in Dewan Rakyat in PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian's suit against speaker for rejecting questions.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian told the High Court that the Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had breached freedom of speech in Parliament when he rejected questions related to 1MDB.

In the hearing before Justice Kamaluddin Md Said in chambers, Hee’s lawyer N Surendran said that Pandikar had violated Article 63(2) of the Federal Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech in the Dewan Rakyat.

“We said that several Federal Court decisions have stated that courts can inquire into the Dewan Rakyat’s decision when the Speaker had exceeded his jurisdiction.

“Everyone including the house of representatives is subordinate to the Federal Constitution,” he told reporters after the hearing.

Meanwhile, senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan representing Pandikar, argued that courts cannot question any proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Any decision made by the Speaker is an integral part of the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Two recent Federal Court decisions had affirmed the legal principles in parliamentary privileges and non-justifiability of its’ proceedings,” Shamsul said, referring to two cases related to former Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim’s decision in the state assembly.

In a recent ruling by the Federal Court on Aug 2017, it was decided that the courts cannot interfere into the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat or state legislative assemblies.

The apex court had previously allowed Teng’s appeal to challenge two lower court decisions that did not rule in his favour.

He had declared the Port Klang state seat as vacant in 2011 after its former assemblyman, Badrul Hisham Abdullah was absent in the state assembly for six months.

Badrul later filed a lawsuit to nullify Teng’s decision.

Justice Kamaluddin had fixed Feb 19 for a decision on whether Hee’s suit should be struck out.

Pandikar had previously applied to strike out Hee’s suit on the grounds the suit had encroached into parliamentary privileges.

Hee took Pandikar and Dewan Rakyat secretary Roosme Hamzah to court last year for rejecting his questions related to 1MDB.

The PKR MP is seeking a court declaration that Pandikar’s decision to reject his questions related to 1MDB dated July 21, 2017 be made null and void.

Hee had requested to ask the government whether it had raised any objection on the United States Department of Justice’s (DoJ) forfeiture suit.

He also wanted to know the whereabouts of businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) as well as the status of Low as a Malaysian citizen as he was alleged to have obtained citizenship in one or more other countries.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said had said Hee’s action had tarnished the good name of the Dewan Rakyat.

“As a lawmaker, the PKR MP must be aware of what the Federal Constitution says about the rights and privileges of parliament.”

Kita akan menang semua, dapat kerusi gred A

Kita akan menang semua, dapat kerusi gred A, kata AMANAH selepas dapat kerusi paling sikit
ARIF ATAN  -  January 7, 2018 9:59 pm

Pemimpin PH dalam konvensyen menjelang PRU 14

Rata-rata pimpinan AMANAH yang ditemui selepas berakhirnya Konvensyen Pakatan Harapan hari ini mengambil sikap berlapang dada selepas menerima keputusan agihan kerusi Parlimen di Semenanjung yang paling sedikit.

Presiden AMANAH, Mohamad Sabu yakin akan memenangi kesemua 27 kerusi Parlimen yang diperuntukkan kepada parti berkenaan pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 (PRU-14) nanti.

“InsyaAllah, kita akan menang semua (kerusi),” jawabnya ringkas sejurus turun dari pentas utama selepas selesai sidang media.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Komunikasi AMANAH, Khalid Samad pula memberitahu parti berusia dua tahun tersebut berjaya memperoleh kerusi Parlimen yang sebelum ini dituntut.

“Kita dapat kebanyakan kerusi (Parlimen) yang kita mahu. Dan kerusi yang AMANAH dapat adalah kerusi yang berpotensi tinggi boleh menang,” katanya.

Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam berkenaan menafikan kononnnya AMANAH terpinggir dalam proses rundingan agihan kerusi dengan tiga sekutunya yang lain.

Sebaliknya, beliau berpendapat keputusan tidak semestinya menyaksikan kerusi yang banyak ditandingi akan mampu dimenangi.

“Daripada jumlah kerusi yang banyak, belum tentu boleh menang. AMANAH dapat kerusi yang terbaik,” tegas Khalid lagi.

Perutusan yang diberi nama ‘Muafakat Pakatan Harapan’ itu menyaksikan Bersatu membolot paling banyak kerusi Parlimen di Semenanjung iaitu 52 daripada 165 kerusi dan diikuti PKR sebanyak 51 kerusi.

Sementara itu, DAP diperuntukkan 35 kerusi manakala AMANAH hanya memperoleh 27 kerusi.

Tawar-menawar 

Ditanya tentang peranan tawar-menawar AMANAH bersama rakan Pakatan Harapan, Ketua Pemuda AMANAH Nasional, Sany Hamzan pula berpendapat partinya tidak hilang kuasa rundingan tersebut.

“Kita tidak hilang kuasa tawar menawar. Soal pembahagian kerusi ini bergantung pada kekuatan parti. Kita tahu PRU-14 ini, undi Melayu adalah undi penentu.

“Jadi, sudah tentu kita memberi peluang yang agak luas kepada Bersatu sebab kita tahu Bersatu ditubuhkan berteraskan Melayu.

“Oleh itu, sudah tentu Bersatu boleh menggantikan tempat Umno-BN untuk menarik sokongan pengundi Melayu khususnya yang tinggal di luar bandar,” jelasnya.

Sany turut menyifatkan rundingan pembahagian kerusi di peringkat Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) dijangka akan memberi lebih ruang kepada AMANAH.

“Ada satu lagi perbincangan kerusi di peringkat Dun. Saya difahamkan di sinilah AMANAH akan memainkan peranan sangat penting berdasarkan kekuatan jentera (pilihan raya) kita di peringkat akar umbi.

“Selama dua tahun ini, AMANAH bekerja kuat dan kekukuhan Pakatan Harapan banyak digerakkan AMANAH. Peranan AMANAH terus di akar umbi sekali gus membantu kemenangan calon Pakatan Harapan di peringkat Parlimen,” jelasnya lagi.

Dr. Mahathir kembangkan hidung Amanah

Yang menjayakan agihan kerusi PH adalah AMANAH, kata Tun M
MALAYSIA DATELINE  -  January 7, 2018 7:16 pm

Pengerusi Pakatan Harapan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata, yang menjayakan agihan kerusi PH hari ini adalah AMANAH.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapan beliau di Konvensyen Pakatan Harapan yang diadakan di IDCC Shah Alam hari ini.

Semalam dalam satu rundingan yang diadakan, pemimpin kanan Pakatan Harapan (PH) telah mencapai kata sepakat berhubung pembahagian kerusi Parlimen untuk ditandingi dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU14) nanti untuk Semenanjung Malaysia.

Persetujuan yang dicapai menetapkan PKR akan bertanding 51 kerusi, Bersatu 52, DAP 35 dan AMANAH 27. Jumlah kerusi Parlimen untuk dipertandingkan di Semenanjung Malaysia ialah 165.

Butiran keputusan kata sepakat berkenaan kemudian telah diumumkan oleh Ketua Sekretariat PH, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah melalui perisytiharan Muafakat Pakatan Harapan pada Konvensyen PH itu hari ini.

Turut diumumkan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad telah dinamakan sebagai calon Perdana Menteri (PM) PH sekiranya PH berjaya mengambil alih Putrajaya dan Presiden PKR Dr Wan Azizah Wan pula diumumkan sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri (TPM).

Pakatan confirms Dr Mahathir as PM choice, Anwar to follow

FMT Reporters | January 7, 2018

The decision ends months of speculations about the coalition's choice to head the government.

SF: The decision ends months of speculations about the coalition’s choice to head the government.

SHAH ALAM: Pakatan Harapan (PH) today confirmed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime ministerial candidate should it win the next polls, the coalition chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah announced today.

Meanwhile, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be made the deputy prime minister.

The announcement made at the PH convention here ends all specualtion about the coalition choice to head the government.

The coalition also announced it would pursue all legal avenues to free jailed leader Anwar Ibrahim, with the aim of making him the eighth prime minister of Malaysia.

Saifuddin said the decision was reached yesterday by all the top leaders of the four parties making up the coalition.

The leaders also agreed the seats distribution among the four PH parties in Peninsular Malaysia for the next general election as follows:
PPBM: 52 seats
PKR:    51 seats
DAP:    35 seats
Amanah: 27 seats

Saifuddin also read out 13 major reforms the coalition said it would implement immediately once it comes to power.

Among others, PH promises to:

* reform the Parliament to make it into an independent institution
* take immediate steps to restore the economy
* undertake comprehensive institutional reforms including educational and social reforms
* limit the term of the prime minister
* make top public posts such as the chiefs of the police, Election Commission, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as the auditor-general and attorney-general answerable to Parliament, and appointed directly by the Agong.
* Ensure agencies such as Felda, Tabung Haji, Employees Provident Fund and MARA are transparent and efficient
* Close the gap between rural and urban development, and fulfil the rights of Sabah and Sarawak based on the Malaysia Agreement.
* Uphold the constitution, the status of Islam and the Malay language, and guarantee the rights of all religions.

Donald Trump - Some Facts

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sections of the American mainstream media is on a witch hunt to take down President Donald Trump. Talk show hosts, late night commentators and others are leading the charge as well.

The latest is a book Fire And Fury written by a Michael Wolff (two fs) that says  Trump is insane, mentally unstable, psychologically disturbed, deranged etc to hold the office of the US President.

This book is coming out AFTER an almost year long quite ridiculous effort to prove that Donald Trump is a Russian agent. To be more exact - an agent of Vladimir Putin - who is of course another Darth Invader bad boy of the pro-blood-shedding Western death cults.

Anyway here are some simple Sunday morning facts about Donald Trump that may be useful.

Donald Trump finished high school circa 1964 as a military cadet at the New York Military Academy. 

Here is a picture of Trump at the military academy.  He is 2nd from the left.

After that in 1968 Donald Trump graduated from the super Ivy League Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics. 

Donald graduating from Wharton 1968. Here with his multi-millionaire father

Other people who have graduated from the same Wharton School of Finance include Elon Musk, Mortimer Zuckerman, Additya Mittal, Anil Ambani and one fatty boy char kway teow seller from Penang.  Some say Warren Buffet is also a graduate of the Wharton School.

Elon Musk : Tech genius, entrepreneur extraordinaire and billionaire

Billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman : Owns FIVE MILLION square feet of office buildings,  owns US News and World Report and was a Harvard professor.

Aditya Mittal, son of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and heir to the Mittal Steel empire, the largest steel producer in the world.

Anil Ambani - Chairman of the Reliance Group, billionaire industrialist

Trump graduated from the Ivy League Wharton School,  the alma mater of some of the greatest industrialists, businessmen and billionaires in the world.  These are facts.

Donald Trump then went ahead to build his business empire.  The less informed identify Trump as a TV personality but that was just Trump's pre-planning to position himself for his run for the presidency. He wanted to become a household name first.

Trump's greatest success is his multi-billion dollar business empire. Trump says he has made over US$8 billion from his business. And he is still making more money. These are facts.  That is indeed a clever businessman. 

In politics, Trump has no experience. Hence his rookie outing as a presidential candidate had to be a cleverly thought and well prepared move. He has won the presidency as the 45th president of the United States, with no previous record in politics, defeating not just 'deep state'candidates but also the mega media machinery that was against him. This is another humongous achievement. These are facts.

Within the first 12 months of being in office, Trump has become the first and most decisive US President yet to cut off US$2.0 billion military aid to Pakistan. These are facts.  

This means US$2 Billion less human blood shed, killing and destruction in Pakistan and elsewhere where Pakistan sends its terrorists.  Trump is now pondering  cutting more aid to Pakistan.

In my view, Trumps greatest achievement thus far is the revamping of the US tax regime, particularly cutting corporate taxes from a whopping 35% down to a more sensible 20%.  

This will free up TRILLIONS of dollars for American companies - to reinvest, to expand production, to employ more workers, to pay dividends to shareholders, to buy yachts, to buy Rolls Royces etc.  Their country is about to take off.  

Since Donald Trump became President less than 12 months ago, the US economy is taking off. Wall Street has gone skyrockets. The Dow Jones has breached 25,000 for the first time. When I lived in the US in the mid 80s, the Dow was at around 1400.

Here is the Dow Jones chart from March 2017 until 5th January, 2018.

When Donald Trump became president, the Dow Jones was around 20,000. Now it has reached 25,295. That is an explosion of over 26 % in under 12 months !!

The NYSE (where the Dow Jones is computed) now has a market capitalisation of almost US$20 TRILLION !!

In 12 months of Trump's presidency the NYSE has added ALMOST US$5 TRILLION to their wealth !!

All these are facts.  

It does not sound very insane or deranged or psychologically disturbed.

Posted by Syed Akbar Ali at 11:31:00 AM 

Mahathir has apologised, let’s rebuild Malaysia now

Mariam Mokhtar - January 4, 2018

When you do wrong, you apologise. This is what former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has done. It takes a lot of courage for a person to humble himself and say the three magic words, “I am sorry.”

He could have done this ages ago, but at this stage, it is irrelevant. Malaysia is suffering and the ordinary man in the street fares the worst. Mahathir has apologised for the deeds he committed while in politics, and we should move on to rebuild Malaysia.

Usually, a person who apologises is seen as magnanimous, but what if the people to whom the apology is directed demand more than a mere apology?

Like it or not, each and every one of us has been affected by Mahathir’s policies in one way or another. You could say, that we are all Mahathir’s children, some treated more preferentially than others. Those who could not bear his authoritarian ways, simply left or rebelled. His favourites excelled.

Mahathir became involved in politics in the 1940s but stamped his mark on Umno, twenty years later. He could never see eye to eye with Tunku Abdul Rahman and an open letter in 1969 purportedly coming from Mahathir, which demanded Tunku’s resignation, prompted Malaysia’s first PM to expel him from the party.

Mahathir was a good teacher. He told us to jump and we asked, “How high?” We obeyed him without question.

His book, “The Malay Dilemma”, gave the Malays a new sense of identity and an ego to match. He dared to defy the white masters, and this increased his stature in the eyes of the Malays. One of his students is the current PM, whose father plucked him from the political wilderness and made him a senator in 1972. The rest is history.

Today, Malaysia reaps what Mahathir has sown. We marvel at the skyscrapers, in the Mahathir-tropolis, but it was built at great cost. Malays who were dirt poor, were lifted out of poverty. He created a massive Malay middle-class, who enjoyed many perks and opportunities previously denied them.

The only problem was that many people lived in a moral vacuum. Greed and selfishness triumphed, just like Mahathir’s Petronas twin-towers. Today, he must be aware that he created a monster. He has admitted that removing Najib Abdul Razak is not enough and that Umno has to go.

Before, struggling non-Malays did not hesitate to settle and work abroad, whilst the Malays prevaricated about change. This is no longer true. Malays are now part of the brain drain.

The wealthy non-Malays are also part of the problem. They do not know the suffering of their poorer cousins. They keep their noses clean, and avoid upsetting the ruling party, for obvious reasons.

Mahathir has apologised, but that is not enough for some people. Nothing in this world is perfect. No marriage, spouse, house, car, holiday or medical treatment is perfect. We make the best of what we have.

Mahathir’s critics accuse the opposition of being fragmented. They claim that Mahathir is only interested in continuing his legacy. They refuse to accept a woman PM. They refuse to accept a non-Malay PM. They refuse to use Mahathir and tap his skills to overthrow the present government. They do not offer an alternative solution, or alternative candidates, and yet many of them would rather spoil their votes in GE14.

Talk about cutting off their noses, to spite their faces.

If you really want change, go and vote, do not spoil your vote. If you do that, you will give Umno another five years of rule. In those five years, Malaysia may deteriorate to a state that would be unrecognisable to the rakyat of Malaysia, today.

* Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.

Read more: Mahathir must state what he is sorry for

Isu letak jawatan: Ini jawapan Mahfuz...

Diminta letak jawatan ini jawapan Mahfuz...
MUHAMMAD SHAMSUL  ABD GHANI  -  2 JANUARI 2018

Mahfuz Omar

SHAH ALAM - Ahli Parlimen Pokok Sena, Datuk Mahfuz Omar mendedahkan bahawa beliau mengambil maklum sebarang 'serangan' ke atasnya selepas beliau keluar daripada Pas.

Ini termasuklah kenyataan daripada pemimpin Pas yang meminta agar beliau melepaskan jawatan sebagai Ahli Parlimen Pokok Sena.

Katanya, beliau hanya tersenyum tatkala mengetahui mengenai perkhabaran tersebut.

"Saya tunggu lagi apa orang nak kata, biar diorang keluar habis.

"Saya senyum sahaja baca surat khabar hari-hari," katanya kepada Sinar Online.

Dalam pada itu, mengulangi kenyataan beliau semalam, Mahfuz berkata beliau akan mengulas semua isu berkaitan pengundurannya daripada Pas dalam masa lima hari daripada sekarang.

"Seminggu selepas ini saya akan isytiharkan semua perkara," katanya lagi.

Sinar Harian hari ini melaporkan kenyataan Setiausaha Agung Pas, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan yang menyarankan agar Mahfuz melepaskan jawatan selaku Ahli Parlimen  selepas menghantar surat pemberhentian menjadi ahli Pas kelmarin kerana dibimbangi pendapatannya sebagai wakil rakyat adalah haram.

Takiyuddin berkata, ini memandangkan bekas Naib Presiden Pas itu masih terikat dengan baiah atau lafaz sumpah sebagai calon Pas.

Malah menurutnya, jika Mahfuz melanggar baiah itu, beliau juga berdepan laknat ALLAH SWT dan seluruh umat Islam.

[ARTIKEL BERKAITAN:Mahfuz perlu letak jawatan, dikhuatiri gaji haram ]

Gunakan modal agama untuk menegakkan kebatilan

PAS DAN AGAMA

Agama bukan senjata untuk disandiwarakan, bukan untuk dipolitikkan, bukan untuk digunakan untuk kepentingan pemimpin agama atau politik, dan lebih-lebih lagi bukan untuk orang agama sendiri gunakannya sebagai senjata politik demi kepentingan mereka.

Hari ini jelas pemimpin-pemimpin PAS secaran terang-terangan menggunakan modal agama untuk menegakkan kebatilan.

Masih segar di ingatan kita, ucapan dari Presiden PAS Hadi Awang sewaktu kempen PRU 13 “... PAS mendokong fikrah yang jelas, bahawa kerjasama bersama (Pakatan Rakyat pada waktu itu)adalah dibina dengan berpegang kepada dasar bantu-membantu dalam menegakkan keadilan dan menentang kezaliman.”

Namun hari ini Hadi Awang berkata “...bahawa parti yang diterajuinya itu bersedia untuk menjadi pendokong kuat kepada Umno sekiranya parti tonggak BN itu mentadbir negara dengan ikhlas serta kembali kepada ajaran Islam.”

Bagaimana seseorang yang kuat  agamanya mampu berubah sekelip mata dengan menyatakan sokongan secara terbuka?

Jika ingin mentadbir negara ini dengan adil dan saksama rujuk dan khatamkan Piagam Madinah. Kembalilah pada ajaran Rasulullah (saw) dan bukannya perjuangan sesat yang membolehkan baiah sehingga menceraikan isteri jika tidak sehaluan dengan prinsip parti.

Lihat bagaimana Rasullullah (saw) memimpin,

Masyarakat Islam, Yahudi dan Nasrani yang mendiami bumi Madinah disatukan melalui piagam yang cukup penting dengan situasi dan keperluan mereka iaitu Piagam Madinah yang menghendaki setiap individu menjadikan keamanan dan kesejahteraan negara sebagai keutamaan.

Setiap anggota masyarakat tidak kira agama, bangsa mahupun kaum haruslah sentiasa menjadikan kestabilan dan keamanan negara sebagai satu keutamaan dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat.

Inilah yang menjadi antara inti pati kandungan Piagam Madinah yang digariskan oleh Rasulullah (saw).

Mahathir Mohd Rais
Ketua Bahagian PPBM Segambut
Ketua Biro Keselamatan Pemuda PPBM

Report: Will Anwar factor force Najib’s hand on GE14 date?

January 1, 2018
FMT Reporters

PETALING JAYA: Will Prime Minister Najib Razak’s hand in calling for the next general election be forced (GE14) by the likelihood of Anwar Ibrahim being released as early as April?

That is the argument posited by Ucanews when commenting on speculation that GE14 will be held in March or April.

The Bangkok-based news portal said Najib is likely to call for a general election after the Chinese New Year to capitalise on using the festive celebration to make inroads into regaining some of the votes from the second biggest ethnic group in the country.

The first day of Chinese New Year falls on Feb 16 and the festival ends 14 days later with Chap Goh Meh on March 2.

It was previously reported that Anwar might be released as early as April, though no reasons were given as to why this is so.

On Nov 6 last year, Anwar’s daughter, and Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah, had been quoted as saying that the family were hopeful that the former opposition leader would be out of the Sungei Buloh prison a month or two before his expected June 2018 release date.

Anwar was jailed for five years in February 2015 after being convicted of sodomy.
However, he could be released early as prisoners are usually given a one-third reduction on their jail term for good behaviour. He has so far served 35 months out of his 60-month sentence.

Though the former deputy prime minister would still be ineligible from standing as a candidate due to his conviction, the government is aware of his drawing power and eloquence.

Najib may also be advised on the timing based on the expected positive mood in the financial markets during the Lunar New Year festive period, according to Ucanews.

In 2013, Najib waited till the last possible month before Parliament would automatically dissolve, and elections would need to be called. He made the announcement on the dissolution of Parliament on April 3, and the general election was held on May 5.

This time around, he has until June 24, which is when the term of the current Parliament lapses. The polls must then be called within two months, but the prime minister has the prerogative to dissolve Parliament earlier.

The Federal Constitution states that a general election needs to be called when Parliament is dissolved or it reaches a maximum term of five years. The current Parliament kicked off its term on June 24, 2013.