Ministry seeks to raise salaries, allowances of prisons staff

Bernama (2/7/08): The Home Ministry has applied to the Public Service Department for an increase in the salaries, allowances and incentives of officers and staff of the Prisons Department to adjust them with those of the police force, Deputy Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said today.

He said there was a vast difference in the salaries of prisons officers and police officers though both were categorised as being in high-risk jobs.

“For example, the new basic salary for a Grade KX17 prisons officer is RM827.94 while a police officer in a similar grade earns RM1,100, he said when replying to a question from Nasharudin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok) in the Dewan Rakyat.

Chor said the government was also considering providing housing to prisons staff so that at least 80 per cent of them enjoy this facility.

Replying to a supplementary question, from Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau), he said there were 14,809 foreigners in prisons throughout the country. He said this large number of foreigners also contributed to the congestion in prisons which held altogether 37,446 inmates.

Chor said the total number of prisoners was 28 per cent in excess of the ideal capacity of prisons in the country, thus causing the congestion. "Under the parole system and through the building of new prisons, we can ease the congestion," he said.

Parliament: Witness protection Bill almost ready

The Star (2/7/08): The Government has completed the first draft of the Witness Protection Bill, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said.

He added the Bill was supposed to be tabled during this Parliament session.

"However, there are many issues that needed to be settled first before the Bill is presented to the Cabinet for official approval and sent to the House.

"The Government stands by its commitment to ensure that this Bill will be tabled during this session," he told Mohd Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak).

Nazri said the Prime Minister had announced recently four measures to deter corruption and instil the people's confidence in the country's institutions and anti-corruption efforts.

"The third measure is that the Bill, which is being drafted now, will include comprehensive laws which will provide protection to both whistle-blowers and witnesses," he added.

Nazri told Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) that the Anti-Corruption Act could use the contents of poison-pen letters as a basis for investigations on wrong-doings.

"But the letters cannot be used in the courts as evidence," he added.

Youth associations must be re-registered

Youth associations already registered under the Societies Act 1966 must be re-registered under the newly-gazetted Youth Associations and Youth Development Act 2007.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all youth associations, whether they were already established or newly-formed, have until December to register.

He also said the most significant requirement stated in the new Act was that the age of leaders of youth organisations should not exceed 40 years.

"As of July this year, the ministry had received 417 applications, of which 212 were approved while 29 were rejected because they were based in Sabah and Sarawak, which don't come under the purview of the Act.

"The Ministry expects to receive 1,500 applications by the end of the year," he told Datuk Ismail Muttalib (BN-Maran).

Ismail said the number of racial-based umbrella youth associations comprised six Malay associations followed by Chinese and Indian associations with four each.

Asked why there were quite a number of associations which had not registered themselves with the ministry, Ismail said many of the main stakeholders of the associations had yet to register because they were above 40 years old.

Ismail Sabri said a 12-month window has been given to the youth associations (from the date the new Act came into force in December last year) to register to give the older leaders time to hand over the leadership to younger ones during their annual general meetings.

Nga chided for asking too many questions

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia chided Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) for asking too many supplementary questions during Question Time.

In his original question, Nga had asked Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong whether there were 131 Chinese schools which were classified as unsafe.

Dr Wee gave a comprehensive reply on the ministry's efforts to rehabilitate Chinese and other national-type schools, while also denying the allegation that there were 131 Chinese schools classified as unsafe.

However, in his supplementary question, Nga took a few minutes to ask Dr Wee four questions, which raised the ire of backbenchers and brought the attention of Pandikar Amin.

"I've told all of you (MPs) many times not to make speeches and have debates during Question Time, and it's clear you are not listening to my advice," he added.

Pandikar Amin told Dr Wee to limit his reply to Nga's query on whether the widow of a teacher Chan Boon Heng, who fell to his death when the floor of a school in Kedah collapsed in 2005, had received compensation.

To this, Dr Wee said he would have to check the matter and submit a written reply to Nga to avoid any misunderstanding.

Earlier, Dr Wee said national-type schools which needed repairs must be confirmed first through an inspection process conducted by the Public Works Department before funds are allocated to carry out the repair works.

"We have checked the ministry's records and we found that there aren’t 131 Chinese schools that had been classified as dangerous.

"However, ministry officials will visit schools which need repairs to ensure that money is channelled to finance repair and rehabilitation work," he said.

Dr Wee also told Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu) that students of Chinese and Tamil schools which had low enrolment would be transferred to bigger schools.

Review salaries of Prison Dept officers

The Prisons Department has asked the Government to review the salaries and emoluments paid to department officers, Deputy Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said.

He added that civil servants had been given a pay rise on July 1 last year, in which Prison Department officers received an average raise between RM274.49 and RM829.73 each.

Chor said there is a slight difference between the pay scale of Prisons Department and police officers.

For example, the new basic pay scale of a prisons officer in the KX17 grade is RM827.94 compared to a police officer who receives RM1,100.

"The Ministry has asked the Public Service Department to make a review of the prisons officers salary and introduce incentives and allowances such as RM200 for control and prevention unit officers because their duties involved higher risks," he told Nasharuddin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok).

Chor added the ministry was seeking increased incentive allowances for officers taking care of prisoners with serious diseases and new housing for at least 80% of all officers.

He told Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) that there are now 37,446 prisoners in the country's prisons, which is 28% more than capacity.

Chor said the parole system, which was introduced recently, would help to settle the problem of overcrowding in the prisons.

Bank Islam, BSN given RM50m allocation for housing loans

Bank Islam Malaysia and Bank Simpanan Nasional have been given an allocation of RM50mil to provide loans to house buyers from the low-income group to buy low-cost houses, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Ong Ka Chuan said.

He added these buyers, who didn't have adequate qualifications to ask for ordinary housing loans, could submit their applications to the two banks to buy their houses.

Ong told Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) the Government was aware of the difficulties faced by the lower income group in buying low-cost houses.

Their problems could be solved by applying for the RM50mil loan facilities offered by the two banks, he added.

Ong also said that as of March 31, a total of 30,072 squatters have been moved to people's housing projects (projek perumahan rakyat) implemented by the ministry.

"The squatters are required to pay only RM124 in monthly rental.

"There is no risk of their houses being seized or auctioned due to non-payment of rental because they are only renting from the Government," he added.

Ong told Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique (BN-Tenggara) that among the problems faced by the ministry in helping to overcome the squatter problem was the lack of census data on the number of squatters.

"We also need to study the right locations to build low-cost housing for them.

"Many of the squatters also want to stay near their workplaces," he added.

Nasharuddin puts down steps taken by Government

The Star (2/7/08): The recent government measures to stem the economic fallout due to the rise in world oil prices are weak and unacceptable, Nasharuddin Mat Isa (PAS – Bachok) said.

He said the Government had not been listening to the worries stated by the people on the hardship they were facing following the recent hike in fuel prices.

For example, Nasharuddin said the Mid-Term Review of the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) had not taken into consideration the recent rise in global oil prices.

“What is the value of development to be paid for with RM230bil when the low-income groups and the government servants cannot enjoy this wealth and are living from hand-to-mouth daily?,” he said.

“The Prime Minister had stated that the recent measures to raise fuel prices couldn’t be helped due to pressure from outside forces.

“For us, this reasoning is weak and negative.

“We are sure that the Government can do something better than this. Unfortunately, it has not been listening to the people.

“In fact, more people will hold a protest this Sunday to express their unhappiness on the situation,” Nasharuddin added in his speech during the debate on the Mid-Term Review of the 9MP.

Nasharuddin also questioned why the country was contributing money to the Commonwealth Endowment Fund in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth when the money could be used to finance the repair of schools.

He also questioned how much was given to the fund.

Teachers the key to truly 'smart' schools

More urgent measures are needed to make national schools
the preferred choice for pupils of all races.

The Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan restated the government’scommitment to make national schools the school of choice for all Malaysians. That will take much more than the proposals stipulate, writes Chok Suat Ling.

NST (30/6/08): Attracting Malaysians of all races to national schools is turning out to be a persistent thorn in the flesh for the Education Ministry.

Several assertive attempts and rousing statements later, the results on the ground are hardly palpable. The Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan revealed that the enrolment rate of Chinese and Indian pupils in national primary schools last year was only six per cent and 40 per cent, respectively.

Recognising the importance of increasing the enrolment of pupils from the various ethnic groups in national schools, several recommendations were made to enhance their appeal.

Unfortunately, nothing substantially new or innovative was offered in the review. It will take more than adequate information and communication technology facilities in classrooms, technological training for teachers and improved teaching and learning methods to bring in the pupils.

Indeed, if these are the measures the ministry is relying on, it will only be skimming the surface of the problem. Consequently, it would be unrealistic to expect tangible results by the end of the 9MP period.

The problem stems from the perception that national schools do not offer a quality of education as high as Chinese schools, or that they are Malay (and thus, by extension, "Islamic"), or that teachers are not adequately skilled or up to desired standards.

The characteristically slow implementation of educational policies and worse, the flip-flops in decisions made and enforced, have not helped.

It has been argued that the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English has helped make national schools more attractive. Consequently, reversing it would be imprudent.

The government has said it would wait for the Primary School Assessment Test (UPSR) results at the end of the year before deciding whether to revert to Bahasa Malaysia the teaching of the two subjects.

An educationist says the ministry cannot use the UPSR as a yardstick: "It is absolutely the wrong barometer."

He says pupils, especially in vernacular schools, cannot be expected to perform well in both subjects in the upcoming UPSR.

"They are adjusting, especially the teachers. In Tamil schools, for instance, of the 7,800 teachers, fewer than 500 are trained to teach in English."

For several years since the introduction of the policy, Tamil schoolchildren have averaged only 30 per cent passes in their school tests for both subjects, he notes. If the ministry uses the UPSR results as the basis for its decision, it would a foregone conclusion that the policy will be reversed.

"That would be a shame because there is essentially nothing wrong with the policy," he says. "It just needs more time to mature. The weak link here is the teachers, not the policy."

Kamariah (not her real name), a Science teacher in a primary school in Petaling Jaya, admits that her command of English could be better. She struggles to teach in English but is keen to learn and does not mind pointers, even if they come from her pupils.

"I am very open with my pupils about my command of the language. I told them they should correct me if I make a mistake and they do. I once pronounced the word 'stomach' as 'store-much' in class and a few students diplomatically told me the correct pronunciation."

She points out that despite the initial difficulty, many teachers like her are finding things easier now. "We are adapting and getting used to teaching in English. But now, there's talk that we may go back to the way things were before. It is very disruptive. All the time we spent attending courses will be wasted."

Introducing Mandarin and Tamil in national schools would undoubtedly help bring in more Chinese and Indian pupils, but this has not materialised in most schools.

The excuse is either there are not enough pupils, or no available teachers. Ironically, Arabic, which is not the mother tongue of Malaysians, is compulsory for Muslim pupils, and even non-Muslims in some schools. This despite some schools acknowledging a shortage of teachers for the subject.

Mursyid Ikhwan says his son in Year One scored only 23 per cent for Arabic in the first-term test. "Most of his classmates failed the subject, too. Imagine, these children are barely able to form sentences in Bahasa Malaysia or English but are already subjected to a completely new language."

The Mid-Term Review also stipulated that the J-Qaf programme, which involves Arabic, khatam Quran (memorising the Quran), jawi and fardhu 'ain (basic religious knowledge for Muslim students), will be expanded to all schools nationwide. This is disconcerting when scheduling and the availability of teachers have yet to be sorted out.

The review mentioned that national schools will be made "smart" via the establishment of Internet centres. This commitment, while praiseworthy, does not address a more pertinent issue: how schools can evolve from institutions that merely use a lot of information technology to ones with a "smart" way of teaching and learning.

For schools to be "smart" in the intended sense of the word, the entire education system would need to be less focused on examinations and academic achievement.

Says Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Azizah Yaacob: "Smart schools are about letting go of the old ways of teaching and giving more autonomy to students."

What is indisputable is that teachers are the most important element in making national schools the preferred choice. Laudably, this was acknowledged in the Mid-Term Review.

In seeking to attain the target of a 25 per cent complement of graduate teachers in primary schools and 100 per cent in secondary schools by 2010, the right sort of people must be drawn into the teaching profession -- those who want to be teachers; not those who have to be.

Bachok member of parliament Nasharudin Mat Isa thinks teacher training should be intensified as there is ample room for improvement in producing teachers of high calibre. "Something is obviously wrong with national schools for the non-Malays to have abandoned them."

The minuscule minds behind a regressive newspaper boycott

NST (27/5/08): It’s a defiant charge but there is little to discern between the Nazis who celebrated the burning of books 70-odd years ago and the Malaysian politicians of the Opposition variety fond of calling for the boycott of certain national newspapers just because the reports/commentaries upset their ideological and existential scheme of things.

While the difference between Nazis and Opposition politicians is humongous, the difference between fascistic mass killers and mass humaneness, there is, unfortunately, a common strain bonding them: the feeblish minds quick to call for a boycott of reports, features, commentaries and analyses – tangible or tenuous – that criticise and humiliate them beyond shape.

Today’s expression of protest stems from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, their turn in as many years since the last demand was inaugurated. There was a grand initiative they organised in 1999 when they also threw in a TV station as part of their targets of abstention. Pas would regularly stage boycotts of certain Malay dailies in a pique of disgruntled outrage while the DAP committed environmental denigration by burning copies of a national tabloid during a paroxysm of moralising, led by the now stately Lim Guan Eng during his “tempestuous” years in the mid-1990s.

The boycott charges between the three political parties usually resonate in a universal montage of stark accusations – “gutter journalism, “lies”, “biasness”, “smear campaign”, etc. Today, add “criticising and painting PR members in a bad light as if still on an election campaign”, as articulated by PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at a press conference in Parliament House.

She and her opposition cohorts – Lim, Pas deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and PKR treasurer/Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim – announced the boycott of Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia after accusing the mass circulation junior broadsheet of running a smear campaign against the Opposition. She also charged that Utusan Malaysia “stoked narrow-minded racial sentiments to incite the anger of the Malays against PR leaders” but after reading the statement, she and the other three refused to field questions from the media.
That’s one chunk of a charge but can it be queried: on which day and on what page did Utusan Malaysia commit those heinous journalistic crimes? Nothing specific came out of the PKR leader’s indignant stance. Perhaps we will know in the days to come.

Nobody, most of all politicians, likes bad press and it’s understandable that the PR politicians hyperventilated over Utusan Malaysia’s reports, but is staging a boycott of the newspaper the sensible call? Is it even answered by their readers in the first place? Is it the most effective way to procure good press? Why the focus on national newspapers bounded under the collective label of mainstream media? Why not on alternative publications or mediums like the online news or blogs?

Raja Petra Kamarudin, he of the martyred kind after his untamed altercation with the police and the courts, has taken vicious digs against PKR’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on top of his Stinger-like missives against DAP leaders and also several senior Cabinet Ministers. Why hasn't PKR launch a boycott of RPK’s extremely popular website, given that his condemnation of Anwar was tougher than any mainstream media could ever imagine reporting?

The answer smacks of commercialism: Raja Petra doesn’t make any money from his website and there’s no way of piercing his Teflon shield or emasculating his parables/writings. The mainstream media, on the other hand, are public companies sensitive to shareholder flip-flops and the buying sensibilities of the retailing public. In PKR’s terms, they will soon enough declare a moral victory even if ONE reader decides to answer the boycott. (Believe it or not, boycotts have little or no impact on newspapers’ circulations, which had either declined or stagnated by other “natural” occurrences, chiefly by the advent of the Internet, instant messaging, 24/7 online news, free-for-all blogs, non-stop RSS news feeds, viral social networking, and the “dying” of older readers but a dearth of replacement from the young).

Nevertheless, for the sake of argument, let’s concede to all of PR’s boycott reasonings, that there had been a damning effect on newspaper circulation and henceforth on newspaper advertising that compelled editors to roll over and capitulate to PR’s demands for a more flattering coverage. For the opposition, this would mark as a successful political campaign.

But that still doesn’t take away the fact that the Opposition had failed or refused to engage the Press by writing to them, lobbying editors and reporters, and owners, hectoring shareholders, some of them well-known CEOs leading major public corporations and institutions, picking out the contentious reports and debunking them one by one, engaging in written or oral debates while rallying a mass audience. It could have been a win-win situation, especially in this age of marvellous communications where there are many platforms to choose from to construct a confrontation with the media.

By all means, get entangled with the media where it matters most: words and meaning, ideas and concepts, abstracts and notions in the hues of black, white and grey by employing every form of democratic expression. Demonstrate in front of the newspapers’ premises if you feel feisty enough. Hand out leaflets and pamphlets on the streets or on the Net. It has been done before and it was praiseworthy. What happened to your free speech, free expression and free association idealism?

That’s why the argument that only a minuscule mind would prick a politician to shout the word “boycott” still holds true. Boycotting is just too convenient. Too pat. But here’s the speculative rub: if the situation had been reversed, and it looks like a possibility…if Anwar’s bragging that he has the “numbers” is true, would the PKR, or Pas, or the DAP – with the weight of government and governance on their backs and their souls – have not shot for a boycott but an outright ban of the publications? Just like what the Home Ministry would enforce if any publication runs foul of the variety of Press and sedition laws. The answer is moot but the possibility will always nag the mind.

And using this same perspective, would Suara Keadilan, Rocket and Harakah denounce their own leaders, expose all negative aspects of their leadership the same way they dissed Government leaders? Most likely not. So, why didn’t the PR leaders announce a three-prong attack using the three parties’ organs to rebut Utusan Malaysia? They don’t have the numbers perhaps, in influence and circulation. But we’ll see if Suara Keadilan, now that it has secured a Home Ministry permit for mass circulation, can stand toe-to-toe with the mainstream media and give them a pasting in the marketplace.

In any case, what the PKR or Pas or DAP is doing or had done in the name of boycotts over the decades is simply a form of populism, a virulent political philosophy no less; more anti-intellectual than anything else, while it baits the common guy and the gullible voter into supporting the parties’ cause. It’s also cheap for the parties.

On hindsight, the intellectual prowess the opposition so touts when it goads government leaders to enter into public debates or setting up commissions of inquiries becomes a sodden fallacy because in truth, a boycott of a newspaper, or any form of publication, including Suara Keadilan, Rocket and Harakah, will be entrenched as an exercise in intellectual idiocy.

Pakatan Rakyat announces boycott of papers

NST (27/5/08): The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today announced it was boycotting Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia for allegedly running a smear campaign against the opposition.

Reading a prepared statement, opposition bench chief and PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the two publications have been criticising and painting PR members in a bad light as if "still on an election campaign".

She also charged that Utusan was stoking narrow-minded racial sentiments to incite the anger of the Malays against PR leaders.

Wan Azizah announced this in a brief press conference, attended by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

However, after reading the statement the PR leaders refused to take questions from the media.

Opposition: Boycott Malay papers for fanning racial hatred

The Star (27/5/08): The Pakatan Rakyat alliance has called for an immediate boycott of Malay newspapers Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia for what it said was unfair reporting and for allegedly fanning racial sentiments.

In a joint statement issued at a press conference in the lobby of Parliament, Opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the mainstream media had shown signs of opening up since the results of the March 8 polls.

However, many publications still gave wider coverage to Barisan Nasional and its component parties, while stories on Pakatan Rakyat tended to be full of distortion and misinformation to discredit the alliance parties and their leaders, she claimed.

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat president was accompanied by alliance members DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa in reading out the joint statement.

Dr Wan Azizah said the worst were the two aforementioned newspapers, which she claimed unfairly criticised and demonised Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

She also alleged these publications were always trying to provoke narrow ethnic sentiments, "clearly with the intention of creating anger among Malays against Pakatan Rakyat component parties."

Island lost because of weak team, says PAS

The Star (27/5/08): PAS has expressed dissatisfaction with the “weak” arguments of the Malaysian lawyers over the claim of Batu Puteh at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Its vice-president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said the weak arguments had resulted in Malaysia’s sovereignty of the island being taken over by Singapore.

“There was a lack of evidence to prop up our claims. Singapore, being awarded the island, will certainly bring a lot of hardship for our fishermen in Johor waters.

“We had a weak team of lawyers to fight our case,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

PAS, he added, would be explaining this issue to its members and rakyat all over the country.

Nasharuddin said PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub would attempt to table an emergency motion under 18(1) of the Parliament Standing Orders on the issue.

On another matter, Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan urged the Government to move into another island, where Singapore still maintains a lighthouse, and develop it.

This, he added was to avoid “banana trees from fruiting twice” as Singapore could move to stake a claim to Pulau Pisang, located some 5km from the coast of Pontian, Johor.

“Why should Singapore be allowed to keep the lighthouse there? Wisma Putra told me that under the present agreement, Singapore is allowed to maintain the lighthouse as long as it is still being used and for as long as there are stars and moon.

“But in this day and age, no ship uses a lighthouse and all of them now rely on global positioning system and radar to guide them. So what’s the use of the lighthouse?” he said.

PAS unhappy with 'weak' arguments in Batu Putih case

The Star (26/5/08): PAS has voiced its dissatisfaction with the “weak” arguments forwarded by the Malaysian lawyers involved over the claim of Batu Putih in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Its vice-president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said the weak arguments had resulted in Malaysia’s sovereignty over the island being taken over by Singapore.

“There was a lack of evidence to prop up our claims. Singapore being awarded the island will certainly bring a lot of hardship for our fishermen in Johor waters.

“We had a weak team of lawyers to fight our case,” he told reporters Monday in the Parliament lobby here.

PAS, he added, would be explaining this issue to its members and rakyat all over the country.

Nasharuddin also said PAS youth chief Salahuddin Ayub would be tabling an attempt under 18(1) of the Parliament Standing Orders for an emergency motion on the issue.

On another matter, Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan urged the Government to move into another island, where Singapore still maintains a lighthouse, and develop it.

This was, he added to avoid “banana trees from fruiting twice” as Singapore could move to stake a claim on Pulau Pisang, located some 5km from the coast of Pontian, Johor.

“Why should Singapore be allowed to keep the lighthouse there? Wisma Putra told me that under the present agreement, Singapore is allowed to maintain the lighthouse as long as it is still being used and for as long as there are stars and a moon.

“But in this day and age, no ship uses a lighthouse and all of them now rely on global positioning system and radar to guide them. So what’s the use of the lighthouse?” he said.

The Government, Ahmad added, should develop the island into a tourist and recreation area.

“In fact, I have proposed for the island to be included into a national park nearby,” he said, adding that besides the lighthouse, Pulau Pisang - comprising four smaller islands - now housed some fruit orchards and two small houses.

Question on Social Contract unanswered

Islamic Studies graduates less marketable, the reason for withdrawing MoU

The Sun (21/5/08): The Higher Education Ministry clarified that the Memorandum of Understanding with Al-Azhar University was withdrawn because Islamic Studies graduates were less marketable.

Nasharuddin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok) in a supplementary question in Parliament today asked why it was withdrawn, while pointing out that many colleges, including the Selangor Islamic University College, had suffered from this decision.

Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin explained that Islamic studies were amongst the less-marketable courses.

"To control the volatility of the market, we have limited the courses applied for, including Islamic studies and courses like ICT," he said.

To another question, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim agreed with Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) that the Judicial Appointments Commission will not solve all the judiciary issues and weaknesses, including the backlog.

"However, I give you my guarantee on the backlog cases. We have set up an Implementation Committee that I chair to draw up actions to solve this problem.

"On the performance of judges, we have a Code of Ethics that judges are bound to and the senior judges and the Chief Judges ensure adherence to the Code.

"We will monitor the effectiveness of this. It's too early to say the code is ineffective, so let us allow the Chief Judges to watch this closely," Zaid added.

Tan also asked if the government was considering setting up a Commission to study the weaknesses in the judiciary.

Zaid said he didn’t see the need for another Commission for this.

To the original question by Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (BN-Sepanggar) on the duties of the Chief Judge Malaya and Chief Judge Borneo, and if the government plans to merge the two judicial bodies, Zaid said: "The judiciary is a single body."

Zaid said the Chief Judge Malaya was tasked to the High Courts and lower courts in the peninsula while the Chief Judge for Sabah and Sarawak was in charge of the courts of the same levels in East Malaysia.

"Their positions are on par and the question of the merging does not arise because there is only one judiciary," he said, affirming a supplementary question by Eric Enchin (BN-Sepanggar) that judges from both the peninsula and East Malaysia had equal opportunity to assume the position of Chief Justice.

Building revival

The Star (5/5/08): A total of RM356.2mil has been given out to housing developers to revive abandoned projects since a rehabilitation fund was formed in 1990.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the funds were used to help financially-troubled housing developers to complete 74 housing projects, involving the construction of 17,730 houses which were earlier abandoned.

Thirty percent of the houses were low-cost units, he told Nasharudin Mat Isa (PAS - Bachok).

Nor Mohamed said the fund was replaced by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) in 1992 but continued to help complete abandoned projects.

He added that the agency had helped to complete 9,208 abandoned projects.

Nor Mohamed said among the major problems faced in the abandoned housing projects was misunderstandings between the developers and land-owners.

"Some developers were also over-optimistic in their evaluation over demand for housing and also the operational costs.

"The Housing and Local Government Ministry has taken several modes of action, such as tightening supervision of housing projects, and giving approval of not more than six months for housing projects to start operations," he added.

Nasharuddin ignores Khairy’s query on discord

The Star (8/5/08): An opposition MP refused to reply to his Barisan Nasional counterpart on political differences that occurred between the parties in Pakatan Rakyat.

Debating the motion of thanks on the royal address, Nasharuddin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok) said that the people would not be hoodwinked by Barisan’s method of implementing “instant-mee” projects to gain support.

He said Barisan representatives were made to swallow a bitter pill now for being arrogant, adding that was how they lost the support of the people.

“If the arrogance of Barisan representatives continues, it will not be impossible for Pakatan to win the next elections,” he added.

At this point, Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) said Pakatan should not be so sure about taking over the Federal Government, pointing out that differences had already existed within the Opposition.

“Ipoh Timur (Lim Kit Siang-DAP) himself had said that the Islamic nation concept is not acceptable to a multi-racial Malaysia. Do you agree to this?” he asked.

Nasharuddin, however, ignored Khairy’s query and continued with his speech. Khairy continued to pin Nasharuddin down, demanding he reply but the latter said that he would reply at the end of his speech.

New MPs take oath in Parliament

Malaysiakini (28/5/08): Newly elected lawmakers took oath of office in parliament today after March 8 general elections which changed the political landscape.

The election saw unprecedented gains by a resurgent opposition, led by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, who formed an alliance to challenge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Barisan Nasional coalition.

Abdullah's coalition has ruled Malaysia for more than half a century since the former colony gained independence from Britain but its showing in March was the worst in Barisan Nasional's history.

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance claimed more than a third of parliamentary seats and five states in the polls, putting Abdullah under heavy pressure with calls from within his party to quit.

Abdullah was the first one to be sworn in parliament, followed by his deputy Najib Razak and other cabinet ministers.

"I, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, being chosen as a member of parliament, vow to honestly fulfil my obligations with all my strength.

"I pledge my true loyalty to Malaysia and vow to preserve, protect and defend the constitution," Abdullah, who wore a black and gold traditional Malay outfit, said (Full story).

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Call for specific law to deal with apostasy

NST (7/5/08): A Barisan Nasional backbencher has called on the government to draw up a specific law to deal with apostasy and his proposal received immediate support from Pas MPs.

Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) made the call following a suggestion in the House last week by MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting (BN-Kulai) to allow non-Muslims who had converted to Islam leave the faith if their marriage to Muslims ended in divorce.

Mohd Puad, who is the Batu Pahat Umno division chairman, said there should be a law to deal with the issue in view of the increasing number of apostates.

Speaking during the debate on the King's speech, he also called on the authorities to streamline the functions and role of the centres that were rehabilitating Muslims who had strayed from the faith.

"This will enable these centres to play their role in a more effective manner."
His proposal found agreement among some members of the opposition, particularly those from Pas.

Nasharuddin Mat Isa (Pas-Bachok) in agreeing with Mohd Puad, said besides having a law on apostasy, the authorities should make clearer the syariah on the subject.

"There is now much confusion surrounding it."

The Pas vice-president said although the civil law stated that one could not force a person to convert to another religion, the syariah on the other hand did not allow a person to leave Islam.

As such, Nasharuddin said clarity should be sought over the issue.

"We are still not clear as there are insufficient procedural laws when it comes to syariah. This must also be looked into."

Taib Azamudden Md Taib (Pas-Baling), a former Masjid Negara imam, said when a person converted to Islam, the person would be totally immersed and bound by the provisions as contained in the Islamic law.

"I agree with the member for Batu Pahat on the need for such a law. We need to look at the reasons why there are cases of apostasy," he said.

"With such a law in place, it will make it essential for all Muslims to understand the full nature of the religion," he said.

Opposition backs judicial amendments

NST (9/5/08): The parliamentary opposition has come out in support of constitutional amendments to set up the Judicial Appointments Commission.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the party would support the constitutional amendment if it was for the good of the judiciary.

"I do not think it should be turned into a political football. Anything which will lead to the creation of an independent judicial system should be supported without condition," he said, brushing aside talk that the opposition would try to scuttle the amendment by refusing to vote for it.

Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said as long as the government made the terms of reference clear and the right people were nominated for the commission, the party would support it.

These were the immediate responses from opposition leaders following the announcement yesterday by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim that the Constitution would have to be amended to create the commission.

Zaid said the government was aware that it did not have the two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat needed to pass the amendment but expressed hope the amendment would have the support of opposition MPs.

"Sensible politicians will agree if it is for the good of the country."

Zaid said the structure and composition of the commission would be finalised in three weeks.

A draft of the amendment to the Constitution will be tabled at the second sitting of Parliament next month.

Zaid he was inclined to adopt the British model in setting up the commission.

He said the commission members would be representative and would number between 12 and 14 people.

"But these numbers are fluid. It is not going to be too small or too big."

He indicated that membership would, among others, come from political parties, including the opposition, the Attorney-General's Chambers, lawyers and retired judges.

On April 17, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the setting of the commission to identify and recommend candidates for the judiciary.

Abdullah had said that the constitutional prerogative of the prime minister to put forward names to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would remain.

The commission will evaluate and vet candidates in a systematic and credible manner for the prime minister based on clearly defined criteria.

On the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the Lingam video clip, Zaid said the cabinet would decide whether to make it public.

He said this in response to questions that the government should make available the much-awaited report immediately.

The five-man commission, chaired by former chief judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor, will present the report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara today.

The cabinet will meet later in the day.

Miti incentives are for all states, says Muhyiddin

The Edge Daily (6/5/08): The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) has given an assurance that all its existing initiatives and new ones will continue to be channelled to the five non-Barisan Nasional-governed states.

Its minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government encouraged the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) to all states.

“FDI is an important factor that contributes to the country’s development. The federal government will not discriminate against any state government.

“Hence the five states are encouraged to continue with their existing pro-business policies. They should continue the good track record that they have inherited in attracting FDI,” said Muhyddin in a reply to a question from Teresa Kok (Seputeh-DAP) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. Kok asked if the ministry would cooperate with the five states in their effort to attract FDI and also provide the necessary incentives.

Muhyiddin said he hoped the five states would not introduce new policies that are not proactive and against federal legislation.

Kok also said she had not been able to secure an appointment with the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida), to which Muhyiddin said he had directed the various agencies to give briefings to the states in an effort to increase FDI.

“We will continue to cooperate,” said Muhyiddin.

On Kelantan’s lack of FDI, he said that location and infrastructure were a problem. “The state should also take the initiative to go on foreign business trips. It should also have clearer policies in attracting investments,” Muhyiddin said.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, when met at the parliament lobby, welcomed the minister’s assurance but said that the federal government should provide the necessary infrastructure.

“One of the critical areas is gas. We have all the gas pipelines (in Penang), and yet there is no gas supply.

“We were told there was about RM6 billion of investment lost in the country because there was no gas supply. We are the largest gas exporter but we don’t have sufficient gas for own consumption,” said Lim, who is also MP for Bagan.

He said Penang would continue with its business-friendly policies and work with the federal government to boost investment.

“The federal government also realises that for any investment that comes to these states, they (federal) would be the biggest beneficiary as taxes are not paid to the state or local authorities but to federal (government).

“Whether foreign investments come to the BN state or the opposition state, it is in everyone’s interest. Let’s go for triple win solution. The investor wins, the state wins and the federal (government) wins. Once all three parties win, the people of Malaysia win,” said Lim.

Lim also said that a notable investment would be coming to Penang as a result of close cooperation with Mida and Miti. He, however, refused to name the investor or sector.

“Our policies have been very pro-investors but at the same time we must look into the infrastructure that we can provide. Supply of gas is one of the important inputs required in some industries. We have to discuss with Petronas,” said Muhyiddin in response to Lim’s complaint on gas supply.

Meanwhile, Nasharuddin Mat Isa (Bachok-PAS) refuted Muhyiddin’s statement on Kelantan.

“Trips have been made by our state government (Kelantan) to places like China to attract investments. The problem that we always had was the rules and regulations and restrictions from Miti that do not help to ease the way for the FDI to come straight to Kelantan,” he said, adding that location was not a problem.

He also said that the state government had asked for a port to be built in Kelantan to facilitate the flow of goods from Vietnam and southern China, but the request had been rejected.

However, Nasharuddin said he was now optimistic that the problem could be resolved with a new minister at the helm of Miti.

Build-then-sell concept can help solve problems of abandoned projects, says Nor Mohamed

Bernama (5/5/08): The use of the build-then-sell concept can help solve the problems of abandoned housing projects, said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

"The government is thinking of this alternative to help end the problems of abandoned housing projects," he at a question-and-answer session in Parliament here Monday.

He said the concept was still new in the country compared to other countries.

Nor Mohamed said this in reply to a supplementary question by Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang) who wanted to know about the government's plan to save the Plaza Rakyat and Nas Pavillion projects which had been abandoned for over twelve years and many buyers faced problems paying loans to banks and financial institutions.

He said the two projects would be completed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

Meanwhile, Nor Mohamed said the government has also taken various steps to ensure that problems of abandoned projects would not be repeated.

"Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd, which was set up to help resolve the problems of abandoned projects, has up to now completed 9,208 abandoned units.

"The Ministry of Housing and Local Government has also allowed applications for housing projects to get approval within six months," he said.

Meanwhile, replying to Nasharuddin Mat Isa (Pas-Bachok) who wanted to know how the rakyat could benefit from the Fund to Revive Abandoned Projects (TPPT) which was set up in 1990, he said it had so far revived 74 housing projects nationwide.

"Overall, TPTT has helped to revive projects worth over RM356.2 million involving 17,730 houses of which 32 percent, or 5,717 units, were low-cost houses," he said.

The TPPT, tasked to provide financial assistance to developers to revive abandoned projects, has ceased to accept applications since 1992, he said.

PTPTN loan not burdensome, says Khaled

Bernama (6/5/08): The Higher Education Ministry has dismissed a claim that the National Higher Education Corporation (PTPTN) loan is burdensome.

Instead, it was an effective financial facility for those eligible, Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin told the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.

He said the government had no plans to abolish the PTPTN because it wanted to ensure no students were unable to further their studies due to lack of funds.

"The PTPTN is not burdensome because the borrowers only need to start paying back six months after completing their studies as low as RM70 monthly, depending on the amount borrowed," he said in reply to Taib Azamuddin Md Taib (PAS-Baling).

If the borrowers had yet to obtain a job or decided to further their education to a higher level, they could apply to postpone the repayment, he added.

In addition to the PTPTN, the government also offered scholarships to Bumiputera students in certain fields through the Public Service Department (PSD), Mara and other agencies, Khaled said.

"This year alone, the government has sponsored 2,000 students to further their education overseas and 10,000 students locally.

"Besides that, the PSD will also sponsor all Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia holders with 9As to further their studies either at Form 6 in government schools or matriculation centres," he said.

He said that to ensure the PTPTN loan was not burdensome, the ministry was reviewing its operations including imposing a three percent interest on the borrowers to cover the costs.

"The ministry will also study some changes to the repayment system by taking into account all views," he said in reply to Nasharudin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok).

MPs don’t want end to broadcasts

The Star (2/5/08): The telecasts must continue – that is the consensus of many MPs, be they from the Barisan Nasional or the Opposition, or minister or backbencher.

They said Wednesday’s “circus” in the august House should not result in live telecasts of proceedings being scrapped.

Even Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Government must be flexible on the issue as it was too early to make a judgement on the telecast.

“I feel the Government should determine if this is a first day phenomenon or if it will continue,” he said at a news conference in Kuching yesterday.

Wan Junaidi, who does not agree that the live telecast be reviewed, said the parliament session had just began and there was a possibility that the attitudes of the members would change in the coming sittings.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said live telecasts should continue as currently it is only a trial period. He said he was, however, disappointed with the Opposition for playing to the gallery.

“I don’t think the electorate voted in clowns and comedians to turn Parliament into a circus,” said Nazri, who is in charge of parliamentary affairs.

On Wednesday, the Dewan Rakyat’s Question Time which was being broadcast live for the first time in history was delayed by more than 30 minutes because of bickering over procedural matters and arguments over trivial issues.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister and Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad said the experiment of using live telecasts should continue to “see what happens”.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said the move to broadcast parliament proceedings live was not only to show who was asking questions but also for answers to be made known to the people.

“If the live telecast continues to show the MP’s rowdy behaviour, it defeats the purpose of doing so,” said the Pasir Gudang MP.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen was all for the live telecast to continue to show the public how the MPs behaved in the House.

The Raub MP said it was important for people to know how their MPs were working for their benefit.

Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said any decision to scrap live telecasts should not be based on just one sitting while Deputy Higher Education Minister and Kluang MP Dr Hou Kok Chung said the first day of Parliament would be messy.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department K. Devamany said the live telecasts should continue as the public would like to know where issues were discussed in Parliament.

He said Wednesday was not exactly what Parliament was all about and the Opposition had gone too far to prove that they were noisemakers.

Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman and Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the live telecast should go on for at least one more day. “Let’s try again. Monday should be the last chance. If the mindset of MPs from both sides do not change, then we should not continue with it,” he said.

Marang MP Nasharuddin Mat Isa said live telecasts should not only continue but be extended from 30 minutes to “at least an hour, if not throughout the day”.

“Personally, I don’t agree with what happened. I think it won’t happen again in the next proceeding. It was sparked off by the Speaker not allowing supplementary questions, which was unprecedented in Malaysia’s history.”

Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution, who is from PKR, said MPs “misbehaving” should not be the sole reason for the Information Ministry reconsidering live telecasts.

PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat called for a comprehensive live telecast of Parliament so the people could judge for themselves the performance of their elected representatives.