Hisham cleared my name!

Monday August 17, 2009
Hisham: We’ll act against those who incite hatred on the Net


PETALING JAYA: Those who use the cyberspace to incite hatred or insult any race or religion or the monarchy, will soon find it increasingly difficult to hide behind the ‘mouse’.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said: “If we allow it to go unchecked, the attack on these pillars may jeopardise the safety of all Malaysians. It will then be too late if we act after a clash.

“We are not clamping or censoring the Internet. But when it comes to issues involving race, religion and our royalty, the Internet cannot be allowed to go on to de-stabilise the country and do whatever they like,” he said.

He added that three ministries, including his, plus the relevant agencies, including the police, the Attorney-General and Multimedia Commission personnel would meet and discuss this on Wednesday.

“What we are trying to do is to ensure that there are enough provisions for the authorities to take action, and not just the police,” he said yesterday after opening the Lembah Pantai Umno division meeting.

Hishammudin said a template would be created to protect the innocent and warned those who used the cyberspace to hide behind accusations that incite anger that action would be taken against them.

“We do not want the innocent to be prosecuted. For example, we did not take action against DAP’s Loke (DAP Socialist Youth head Anthony Loke Siew Fook) as he reported that the blog (which insulted Islam and Perak royalty) is not his,” he added.
On another note, Hishammuddin said they had yet to decide whether Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s contract would be renewed, adding that it was more important to ensure that the public accepted the police force.

“Whether it is extended for one year or not, to me it is not as important as getting the police force to be accepted in the minds of the public. And that is not just dependent on the position of one man,” he added. Read more!

Laporan Sinar Harian 11 Ogos 2009

Itu bukan kenyataan saya: Siew Fook

SEREMBAN – Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY), Loke Siew Fook menafikan beliau telah mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan menghina Islam, sebaliknya mengakui menjadi mangsa laman blog yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

Beliau berkata, kenyataan yang tersiar dalam laman blog www.sjsandteam.wordpress.com ternyata sengaja mahu menimbulkan api kemarahan masyarakat Islam terhadap dirinya, sekali gus untuk mengaibkannya.

“Memang saya terkilan kerana perkara itu saya tidak pernah cakap. Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya. Saya tidak pernah keluarkan kenyataan yang menghina Islam atau agama lain.

“Saya rasa ada pihak yang cuba mahu memburukkan dan mengapi-apikan keadaan kononnya saya anti Islam,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, laman blog berkenaan bukan miliknya, tetapi dibangunkan oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab dan sengaja mahu mencetuskan keadaan huru-hara.

“Itu bukan lama blog saya dan saya tidak boleh kawal dan bertanggungjawab terhadap laman blog itu. Tetapi yang jelas, perkataan keterlaluan menghina Islam itu sebenarnya adalah daripada komen pembaca laman blog berkenaan yang saya tidak tahu siapa,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, di sini semalam.

Siew Fook berkata demikian ketika ditanya mengenai dakwaan Ahli Parlimen Kulim-Bandar Baharu, Zulkifli Noordin yang kesal dengan kenyataan Pengerusi DAP Negeri Sembilan itu menyerang peribadi pendakwah Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah secara keterlaluan, biadab dan boleh mencetuskan ketegangan agama di dalam laman blog berkenaan.

Bagaimanapun, Siew Fook menafikan perkataan mencaci keterlaluan itu adalah kenyataannya, sebaliknya ia adalah komen-komen daripada pembaca laman blog berkenaan dan tidak menolak kemungkinan pihak tertentu cuba memutarbelitkan fakta.

Difahamkan, laman blog berkenaan telah pun ditutup sejak semalam.

Berikutan tersiarnya laman blog berkenaan, Siew Fook yang juga Ahli Parlimen Rasah membuat laporan polis di Balai Polis Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur kira-kira 3 petang semalam.

“Saya mengutuk siapa yang membuat komen sebegitu. Saya harap orang ramai menyiasat dulu fakta berkenaan dan jangan terpengaruh dengan dakwaan palsu yang berniat jahat,” katanya. Read more!

Laporan Polis Menafikan dakwaan palsu

Media Statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Monday, 10 August 2009 in Kuala Lumpur.

POLICE REPORT TO DENY UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS AND LIES THAT I HAVE INSULTED ISLAM AND THE SULTAN OF PERAK

I’ve just lodged a police report at Dang Wangi Police Station to deny unfounded allegations and lies which was spread by certain blogs and SMS circulation claiming that I have made statements insulting Islam and the Sultan of Perak.

I wish to deny strongly that neither DAPSY nor I have ever issued any statements that insult Islam or the Royalty. Those are lies spread by certain irresponsible parties out to tarnish the image of the DAP and tried to paint DAP as anti-Islam and anti-Malays.

My police report as below:

LAMPIRAN LAPORAN POLIS

Saya datang ke Balai Polis IPD Dang Wangi pada hari ini 10 Ogos 2009 untuk membuat satu repot polis untuk MENAFIKAN dengan sekeras-kerasnya bahawa saya pernah menulis beberapa artikel yang dikatakan menghina agama Islam dan DYMM Sultan Perak serta Raja Nazrin Shah. Dalam 2 hari ini, beberapa blog dalam internet dan sebaran SMS telah menuduh saya menulis tulisan yang dikatakan menghina Islam dengan kata-kata lucah dan kesat dan yang terbaru menuduh saya menghina Sultan Perak.

Mereka mendakwa saya telah menulis artikel-artikel tersebut dalam sebuah laman blog http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com/. Saya ingin menegaskan bahawa saya tidak tahu-menahu tentang kewujudan blog ini dan tidak tahu siapa pemunya blog tersebut. Saya hanya mengetahui bahawa ada orang yang tidak bertanggungjawab yang telah meletakkan satu kenyataan akhbar saya yang bertajuk “Ridhuan Tee must apologize to Teoh Bneg Hock’s family” ke dalam blog tersebut. Selepas itu, ada pemberi-pemberi komen yang saya tidak tahu siapa telah menulis beberapa ayat yang kesat terhadap Ridhuan Tee dan agamanya. Saya langsung tidak bertanggungjawab terhadap komen-komen tersebut.

Dalam blog yang sama, terdapat satu lagi artikel yang dikatakan saya menghina Sultan Perak dan Raja Nazrin yang didakwa oleh dua blog iaitu marahku.blogspot.com dan kitaanakmelayu.blogspot.com. Saya menafikan sekerasnya-kerasnya dakwaan tersebut. Saya TIDAK pernah menulis apa-apa tulisan berkenaan dengan Sultan Perak. Ini adalah satu dakwaan yang palsu dan fitnah terhadap saya.

Saya membuat laporan ini untuk menafikan dakwaan-dakwaan tersebut dan mengharapkan tuduhan yang palsu itu dapat diberhentikan.

Sekian laporan saya. . Read more!

Saya hina Islam?

Saya mendapat tahu bahawa ada beberapa pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab termasuk seorang Ahli Parlimen PR yang cuba menghentam saya kononnya saya menghina agama Islam. Mereka menggunakan pelbagai saluran; komen dalam blog saya, emel dan sebagainya untuk mencaci saya dengan perkataan-perkataan rasis dan menjijikkan.

Ya, memang saya mengeluarkan satu kenyataan beberapa hari lepas untuk mengutuk seorang penulis dalam Utusan Malaysia yang bernama Mohd Ridhuan Tee berkenaan dengan isu apa yang dikatakan olehnya sebagai "anak luar nikah" Teoh Beng Hock. Saya merasakan tulisannya cukup tidak sensitif terhadap perasaan keluarga Beng Hock dan tidak adil terhadap bayinya yang tidak berdosa. Yang pertama, Beng Hock bukan seorang penganut Islam dan beliau tidak tertakluk kepada hukum agama Islam. Saya tidak mempertikaikan hukum agama Islam tetapi adalah tidak adil untuk Ridhuan Tee untuk mengenakan "moral judgement" ke atas Beng Hock.

Yang keduannya, kenyataan daripada Ahli Parlimen tersebut mengatakan bahasa yang digunakan oleh DAPSY mencaci agama Islam (petikan daripada sebuah blog). Saya ingin menegaskan bahawa bahasa-bahasa yang tidak senonoh tersebut BUKAN sebahagian dari kenyataan saya tetapi adalah komen-komen daripada pembaca blog tersebut yang saya tidak bertanggungjawab. Saya tidak tahu samada YB tersebut sengaja memutarbelitkan fakta atau tidak faham baca kenyataan akhbar. Memang kita menyedari bahawa ada sesetengah pihak yang kerja mereka saban hari ialah cuba mengambarkan DAP sebagai parti anti-Islam. Agenda mereka cukup diragui dan sememangnya ada "udang di sebalik batu".

Rakan-rakan dan para penyokong PR khasnya dari PAS di NS yang pernah mendengar ceramah saya mengenali siapa saya dan cara pemikiran saya. Saya menghormati semua agama dan kaum. Saya tidak akan membalas orang yang menggunakan perkataan yang cukup rasis terhadap saya dengan perkataan yang sama. Kalau kita dalam PR mempunyai fikiran begitu, kita hanya akan jatuh dalam perangkap UMNO! Saya yakin majoriti orang Muslim di Malaysia menolak cara pemikiran yang rasis seumpama itu.

Saya "reproduce" kenyataan saya di bawah ini dan terpulanglah kepada orang ramai untuk menilai kenyataan tersebut.


Media Statement by Loke Siew Fook in Petaling Jaya on Tuesnesday, 4th August 2009:

Mohd Ridhuan Tee must apologize to Teoh Beng Hock’s family and two chinese language dailies!

It is sickening to see that a person with supposedly strong academic credentials and high religious stature can produce such cruel and heartless remarks over the issue of Teoh Beng Hock’s unborn child.

By twisting a dreadful tragedy with his zealous agenda against “bastard children” in his Utusan Malaysia article, Dr. Mohd Ridhuan, the vice-president of the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association, has caused immense emotional damage to Teoh’s family.

Whatever superficial sympathy Dr. Mohd Ridhuan has for Teoh’s family is lost when he chooses to harp on the status of the child, whom he labels as an illegitimate child. Dr. Mohd Ridhuan has also compared Teoh’s child to the children of “Malay-Muslim girls who have sex with Muslim or non-Muslim partners with or without consent”, who are born without taking their father’s names.

By comparing, with blatantly racist language, an unborn child of an engaged couple who is painfully separated by the fiance’s mysterious death, to children who are results of unplanned conception, Dr Mohd Ridhuan has shown everyone how low he can go to hurt other human beings with broken logic.

As if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Mohd Ridhuan produced another hurtful article to slam his critics, labelling two Chinese language dailies – China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau – as racist, for highlighting his own racist outbursts. You can’t get more hypocritical than that.

DAPSY condemns in the strongest possible terms, the decision by Dr. Mohd Ridhuan to produce such insensitive, racist, zealous and hypocritical writings and the decision by Utusan Malaysia to publish them. DAPSY calls on Dr. Mohd Ridhuan to immediately apologize to Teoh’s family and to China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau, for all they have done is to reveal and reject his nasty character. Read more!

Scrapping of PPSMI - What say you?

The scrapping of PPSMI - teaching of Science and Mathematics in English has sparked off another round of public discourse. It's a contentious issue from Day 1 and there are contrast opinions on this subject. Language activists irrespective of Chinese and Tamil mother tongue education groups or the nationalist Bahasa Malaysia "defender" hailed the decision as a moral victory as they have launched massive opposition to the policy in the last few years.

However, many urban parents seemed dissapointed with this flip-flop policy as they preferred the current method of using English in both subjects. DAP's position on this issue has always been clear. We opposed it, not that we are against the mastery of English but we do not believe that this approach is workable. We must strive to return to the standard of our English in the 70s, no doubt about that. But if even the teachers who teach Maths and Science can't master English, can we expect any success in such policy?

The other option is to let some selected schools which are well-prepared to continue the current method and give the parents a choice.

Well, we would like to hear your views on this issue. Read more!

Office Assistant urgently needed

I'm urgently looking for an Office Assistant to be based in my service center in Jalan Tuanku Munawir (junction to Lobak). The tasks are manning the service center from 9-5 daily (Mon- Fri, Sat 9-1), handling public complaints and general office admin.

If you are looking for an office job, well-versed in spoken and written BM, computer- literate and most important of all willing to listen and friendly, please contact me at 016-668 6165 for an immediate interview or email siewfook@gmail.com

If you have friend or relatives who are interested, please pass them this message.

No gender bias here, but I think a female can handle this job better. Read more!

DAPSY's resolution on Kedah and UMNO Youth

Media statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Wednesday, 8 July 2009, at Petaling Jaya:

Kedah State Government and Kedah DAP Must Find the Best Reconciliatory Solution; UMNO Youth Reaffirms its Status as the De-facto Party of Hooligans

DAPSY National Executive Council in its meeting last night at DAP headquarters discussed at length various current political issues and resolved that;

1) The DAPSY national leadership urges the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat state government to be serious about finding a reconciliatory solution for the ongoing rift between itself and DAP Kedah.

DAPSY understood the circumstances that led to DAP Kedah pulling out of the state Pakatan Rakyat but we are of the opinion that both sides shall seek the best solution to resolve their problems with each other, and that breaking up the coalition is not a solution.

DAPSY wishes to remind Pakatan Rakyat governments that they have been entrusted by the Rakyat to serve people of all religious, cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds as an effective coalition. Therefore, Kedah state government must be sensitive to the needs of the non-Malays community in Kedah.

2) The DAPSY national leadership also passed a unanimous resolution to condemn in the strongest possible term the UMNO Youth hooligans who assaulted a number of people including DAPSY NEC member and State Assemblyman for Ayer Keroh Khoo Poay Tiong, DAP Malacca Chairman and State Assemblyman for Kesidang Goh Leong San and a bystander at a DAPSY voter registration booth in Malacca when trying to stop the activity.

UMNO Youth members have no right to stop other parties from providing voter registration services and to resort to violence when they don’t have it their way. DAPSY will not bow to such barbaric act. We fully support DAPSY Malacca and all other state DAPSY to be even more active in our voter registration campaign as we are doing a national service for our democracy.

After rudely confronting Karpal Singh in Parliament, UMNO Youth members were once again putting their gangster roots on display in Malacca. UMNO Youth has hence reaffirmed its status as the de-facto party of hooligans in Malaysia.

UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaludin should make an open apology for its members’ unruly behavior and the police should immediately charge the culprits.

-Loke Siew Fook- Read more!

MCA = sour grapes

When I hold the press conference 3 days ago regarding the top SPM scorer who got JPA scholarship, I knew our friends in MCA will jump. They have always thought that they have the monopoly over the issue of JPA scholarship and gave the impression that all Chinese students who failed to get one must go through them to have any chance to appeal for it. Well, somehow when a parent came out openly to thank the DAP for helping her daughter, this must upset MCA people.

The local edition of Chinese press today reported that my counterpart from MCA who was also my rival in the last GE, Dr. Yeow Chai Thiam claimed that it was MCA who helped Mo Ye Vonn to get the JPA scholarship. He said that it was MCA's "effort" of fighting in the Cabinet to increase the number of scholarships and "systematically" placed those who failed to get overseas scholarship to study locally. In short, it was MCA's effort who helped the student. DAP and me has nothing to do with it. We were just out there to claim "cheap political mileage". Sour grapes, isn't it?

I held a press conference to rebut him and told him that if he wants to claim credit for it, then I can give him all the credits he wants. Take it. But don't pressurize the student and her poor mother for not thanking the MCA. This is MCA. They have yet to realize why the voters dumped them in the last GE!

And for the information of Dr Yeow, I actually helped another student who was in the same predicament like Mo Ye Vonn and she also got JPA scholarship to study medicine in AIMST university. Her father is a MCA member in Yeow's Rasah division. And he just treated me lunch this afternoon with his wife and daughter as a kind gesture to thank me :) Read more!

JPA scholarship

As an elected rep, the biggest satisfaction is when we are able to give hope to someone. Well, I held a press conference this morning with a JPA scholar Mo Ye Voon and her mother as she succeeded in getting a scholarship from JPA to study medicine in AIMST university. She was one of the many top students nationwide who failed to get JPA scholarships in the first round. She appealed through various channels but did not get it too during the appeal period.

However, she was very determined to be a doctor and did not give up for the scholarship and came back to seek my help. Again, I wrote and brought her to meet the JPA director in-charge of scholarship and even brought her to meet up with Minister in the PM's department Datuk Seri Nazri. Her determination paid off and finally she got an offer from JPA to read medicine locally. She's quite happy with that.

I'm happy for being able to help a young girl to be on the right path to realize her own dream - to become a doctor! Now, it's all depends on her own hard work in the years ahead to pass in all the exams and serve the society one day.

Even though i feel satisfied, i really hope that i need not do all these "appealing" work for top students in the coming years. If they deserved it, they should get it right away.

Our dear PM, it's time for you to show your political will to implement the "National Scholarships" based on merit now! Good luck to all the scholars. Read more!

DAP NS building

Finally, we have officially launched our DAP NS building last Sunday. This is a dream comes true for many DAP comrades and supporters in NS. We have launched the fundraising for the building 3 years ago and we managed to raise about RM400k. The cost of the building in Kemayan Square was RM345,000 and we have fully paid it. The balance was spent for some renovation, furniture, fittings and expenses for the opening ceremony.

Well, it was considered a grand ceremony for our standard. I saw many of you that day especially regular readers of this blog like wee tak, P130, etc. I'm sorry for not able to say hello to each and everyone of you. However, many thanks for your support.

I'm down with bad flu in the last few days and hopefully not that la... Read more!

Parliament: Old car owners can still buy 3rd party insurance

I have received many complains from the public especially old car owners in the last few months that they faced difficulties to renew their road tax as many insurance companies they approached refused to provide them with 3rd party insurance coverage. This is a problem for many car owners as they have to pay more for comprehensive insurance policy for their old cars.

I have brought up this issue in Parliament and the answer is below:

SOALAN:

Minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan mengapa syarikat-syarikat insurans tempatan enggan menawarkan perlindungan insurans kelas ketiga kepada pemilik-pemilik kenderaan lama dan apakah dasar Kerajaan terhadap insurans untuk kereta lama dan langkah-langkah untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini untuk meringankan beban pengguna.

JAWAPAN:

Untuk makluman Yang Berhormat, kadangkala penanggung insurans menolak risiko-risiko tertentu termasuk kenderaan lama, yang dianggap berisiko tinggi memandangkan pengalaman tuntutan yang buruk bagi kategori kenderaan jenis ini. Walau bagaimanapun, memandangkan insurans motor adalah diwajibkan di bawah Akta Pengangkutan 1987, industri insurans am telah menubuhkan "Malaysian Motor Insurance Pool" (MMIP) yang bertindak sebagai penanggung insurans terakhir. Sebagai penanggung insurans terakhir, MMIP wajib menawarkan perlindungan insurans seperti yang diminta oleh pemilik kenderaan. Pemilik kereta boleh mendapatkan perlindungan insurans daripada MMIP melalui cawangan-cawangan dua penanggung insurans, iaitu sama ada melalui Multi-Purposes Insurans Berhad ataupun Uni. Asia General Insurance Berhad. Industri insurans sedang dalam proses mengkaji penambahan jumlah penanggung insurans yang menyediakan khidmat MMIP.

Bank Negara Malaysia tidak membenarkan penanggung insurans memaksa pemilik kenderaan untuk membeli perlindungan insurans yang tidak diingini oleh pemilik kenderaan, sama ada perlindungan Komprehensif mahupun Pihak Ketiga. Pemilik kenderaan yang menghadapi masalah ini bolehlah berhubung dengan Pusat Hubungan Bersepadu Bank seperti di bawah:

Alamat:
Pusat Hubungan Bersepadu
Jabatan Komunikasi Korporat
Bank Negara Malaysia
Tingkat 14, Blok B,
Jalan Dato' Onn,
50480 Kuala Lumpur

Telefon: 1-300-88-5465

emel: bnmtelelink@bnm.gov.my . Read more!

Parliament: RM1 million yearly allocation for each Parliamentary constituency

Minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan sama ada pentadbiran baru akan mengubah dasar dalam pengendalian peruntukan khas kawasan Parlimen termasuk kawasan yang diwakili pembangkang dan berapakah peruntukan yang diberikan untuk setiap kawasan Parlimen untuk tahun 2009.

JAWAPAN: YB TAN SRI NOR MOHAMED BIN YAKCOP

Secara dasarnya, Peruntukan Khas YAB PERDANA MENTERI bagi kawasan Parlimen diberi pada setiap tahun kepada semua kawasan Parlimen walaupun kawasan tersebut merupakan kawasan Parlimen pembangkang. Jumlah peruntukan bagi setiap tahun adalah berbeza bergantung kepada kemampuan kewangan Kerajaan dan keperluan rakyat pada tahun tersebut.

Bagi tahun 2009, kesemua 222 kawasan Parlimen diperuntukan sebanyak RM1.0 juta oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk dibelanjakan bagi faedah rakyat di kawasan berkenaan.

For further reading and debate on this issue, pls click here Read more!

Letter to PSD Director General

I went to the Public Service Department headquarters in Putrajaya this morning to submit one specific appeal case from Seremban and submit another letter to the DG to solve the PSD Scholarship's problem. I felt great injustice to top students who failed in their application especially those who scored 12 A1 and yet did not able to get the scholarships.

To our dear Prime Minister, please prove us wrong that your "One Malaysia" slogan is just mere rhetoric!

My letter as below:


8 Jun 2009

Tan Sri Ismail Adam
Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia
JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM MALAYSIA
Blok C1-C2, Kompleks C
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62510 W.P Putrajaya

Tan Sri,

ISU BIASISWA PROGRAM IJAZAH LUAR NEGARA (PILN) JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM 2009

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas.

2. Seperti yang Tan Sri sedia maklum, isu biasiswa PILN JPA pada tahun ini telah menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi daripada ibu bapa dan pelajar-pelajar yang mendapat keputusan cemerlang dalam SPM 2008 namun gagal mendapat biasiswa JPA. Walaupun saya sedia maklum bahawa keputusan untuk kes-kes rayuan telah diumumkan beberapa hari yang lalu, namun masih terdapat ketidakpuasan hati dan keraguan dalam isu biasiswa ini.

3. Isu yang paling meragukan ialah mengapa ada di kalangan pelajar-pelajar cemerlang yang mendapat 12 A1 gagal mendapat biasiswa tersebut. Keraguan ini disebabkan bahawa pihak JPA telah mengumumkan 20% daripada 2,000 biasiswa PILN atau 400 biasiswa ditawarkan berdasarkan meritokrasi iaitu melihat keputusan akademik yang paling cemerlang dan tidak mengambil kira faktor-faktor lain. Namun, mengikut statistik Kementerian Pelajaran, pelajar SPM 2008 yang mendapat 12 A1 ke atas adalah kurang daripada 300 orang pelajar. Jadi, mengapakah masih terdapat pelajar cemerlang 12A1 yang gagal mendapat biasiswa tersebut dalam kategori merit? Kita menyeru pihak JPA mengumumkan penjelasan dalam perkara ini dengan sejelas-jelasnya.

4. Pergerakan Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY) ingin membuat 2 cadangan kepada pihak JPA untuk menyelesaikan isu biasiswa pada tahun ini iaitu:

a) Menyiasat semula semua kes pelajar yang mendapat sekurang-kurangnya 12 A1 yang gagal mendapat biasiswa PILN dan menawarkan biasiswa PILN kepada semua pelajar tersebut yang masih tidak berjaya dalam rayuan mereka.

b) Semua pelajar cemerlang yang mendapat sekurang-kurangnya 9 A1 ke atas yang gagal mendapat biasiswa PILN 2009 ditawarkan biasiswa Program Ijazah Dalam Negara supaya mereka boleh terus menyambung penggajian di IPTA atau IPTS tempatan.

5. Kami amat berharap pihak JPA akan menerima cadangan-cadangan ini untuk menyelesaikan isu biasiswa JPA ini yang telah menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi negatif daripada pelajar-pelajar dan ibubapa mereka.

Sekian dimaklumkan. Terima kasih.


Berkhidmat untuk rakyat,


LOKE SIEW FOOK
AHLI PARLIMEN RASAH merangkap
KETUA PEMUDA SOSIALIS DAP

. Read more!

Satu Malaysia dan Malaysian Malaysia

Apabila setiap Perdana Menteri baru mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan negara dan menduduki Seri Perdana, maka sudah pasti ada satu slogan baru yang dilafazkannya dan slogan tersebut akan digembar-gemburkan oleh agen propagandis Barisan Nasional seperti RTM dan Utusan Malaysia sebagai panduan falsafah pentadbiran baru. Sekiranya diimbas kembali, Tun Dr Mahathir mempopularkan slogan “Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah” yang ingin menyakinkan rakyat Malaysia bahawa pentadbirannya akan bebas daripada rasuah dan kecekapan jabatan kerajaan akan dipertingkatkan. Pak Lah pula menggunakan slogan “Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang”. Katanya, Malaysia mempunyai “Infrastruktur Kelas Pertama tetapi Mentaliti Kelas Ketiga” jadi adalah menjadi harapan beliau untuk memacu negara kearah kecemerlangan dalam semua perkara dan melahirkan “Towering Malaysian”. Semuanya slogan yang begitu sedap didengar tetapi hakikat samada slogan tersebut dapat direalisasikan dalam erti kata yang sebenarnya dapat dijawab dalam hati setiap rakyat Malaysia.

Apabila Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang keenam pada 3 April yang lalu, maka sudah tentu syarikat-syarikat “billboard” ada projek yang baru untuk menukar “billboard” di seluruh negara untuk menggantikan gambar Pak Lah dengan gambar Najib. Selain gambar, slogan pun kena diganti dari “Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang” dengan ayat baru “Satu Malaysia, Rakyat Didahulukan, Prestasi Diutamakan”. Namun, setelah 2 bulan berlalu tidak ramai rakyat Malaysia yang faham atau mengerti apa yang dimaksudkan “Satu Malaysia” ini. Adakah sebelum Najib menjadi Perdana Menteri terdapat dua atau tiga Malaysia di bumi ini?

Najib belum lagi memperincikan apa sebenarnya yang ingin dikecapi oleh beliau menerusi falsafah “Satu Malaysia” ini. Sehingga kini tiada seminar kebangsaan mahupun ucapan rasmi yang dibentangkan oleh Najib bagaimana rakyat Malaysia boleh bergerak seiring untuk mencapai destinasi “Satu Malaysia”. Yang telah dibuat ialah pertandingan fotografi “Satu Malaysia” dan pertandingan mencipta lagu “Satu Malaysia”. Sekali lagi, kita memperlihatkan Barisan Nasional mementingkan rupa (forms) daripada isi (substance).

Dengan kekurangan taksiran dan intipati kandungan apa itu “Satu Malaysia” maka janganlah Utusan Malaysia menyalahkan DAP dan pihak-pihak lain untuk cuba memberikan pengertian masing-masing bagaimana boleh mencapai objektif tersebut. Bagi DAP, pengertian “Satu Malaysia” agaklah mudah. Ia adalah manifestasi apa yang diperjuangkan dan dilaung-laungkan oleh DAP selama ini iaitu konsep “Malaysian Malaysia” atau Malaysia untuk rakyat Malaysia.

Sebenarnya konsep “Malaysian Malaysia” adalah agak mudah difahami. Ia memperjuangkan bahawa setiap rakyat Malaysia mempunyai tempat di bumi Malaysia ini. Setiap rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira latar belakang kaum, agama dan taraf sosial perlu mempunyai hak dan peluang yang sama rata untuk belajar, bekerja, berniaga dan mengejar impian mereka dalam kehidupan tanpa apa-apa batasan dan diskriminasi.
Impian ini perlu diterjemahkan dalam bentuk dasar-dasar kerajaan yang bersifat adil dan memberi peluang saksama kepada semua rakyat Malaysia. Prinsip ini tidak sesekali bertujuan untuk mengorbankan hak dan kepentingan orang Melayu. Apa yang dititikberatkan ialah sekiranya ada golongan yang tidak mempunyai kapasiti untuk bersaing dengan golongan yang lain maka syarat untuk mendapatkan bantuan kerajaan ialah menggunakan indikator taraf sosio ekonomi orang tersebut dan bukannya latarbelakang kaumnya.

Sebagai contoh, geran bantuan daripada kerajaan untuk usahawan. Sekiranya seorang anak muda yang tidak ada modal tetapi beliau mempunyai satu idea yang baik atau menemui satu hasil penyelidikan yang boleh dimajukan secara komersial, maka beliau sepatutnya mempunyai peluang untuk mendapatkan geran daripada kerajaan. Samada dia seorang Melayu, Cina atau India adalah tidak penting. Sekiranya ada 2 pemohon yang mempunyai idea yang sama baik, seorang Melayu yang tiada modal dan seorang lagi pemohon Cina dari syarikat besar, maka orang yang sepatutnya mendapat geran itu ialah pemohon yang pertama. Begitu juga sekiranya keadaan sebaliknya dimana seorang anak muda India tiada modal dan pemohon Melayu tersebut pula dari syarikat korporat, maka geran tersebut sepatutnya diberikan kepada anak muda India tersebut.

Ini yang dinamakan sebagai “kesamarataan peluang” iaitu semua orang mempunyai peluang yang sama rata dalam semua bidang. Peluang bukan hanya diberikan atas dasar kebolehan seseorang itu tetapi juga melihat kepada latar belakang sosio ekonominya. Kemiskinan tidak boleh dilihat sebagai tembok kepada seseorang untuk mendapatkan peluang untuk maju ke hadapan.

UMNO sejak dulu lagi ingin meracuni minda orang Melayu bahawa konsep Malaysian Malaysia yang diperjuangkan DAP bertujuan untuk menyekat kemajuan anak-anak Melayu. Ini adalah tidak benar sama sekali. Dalam Perisytiharan Setapak 1967 lagi, (dokumen dasar DAP yang pertama) DAP telah mengkritik Perikatan pada ketika itu dalam kegagalan mereka memajukan masyarakat Melayu. Saya memetik satu perenggan dokumen tersebut seperti di bawah:

“However, the economic and educational imbalance as between the urban and rural areas does lend itself rather easily to being clothed in a communal garb, and it must be part of any enlightened socio-economic policy to remove this imbalance.

The DAP charges the Alliance government with not doing anything significant towards this end. Indeed, one of the most striking commentaries on Alliance in this respect is the fact that the great majority of Malay students in our university do Malay language and religious studies, whereas the crying need is surely for more and more Malays to become qualified in the modern disciplines of science, medicine, technology, economics, etc, so that Malays may be able to compete on equal terms with their fellow-Malaysians of Chinese or Indian origin, who are not in the habit of sending their offspring to centers of higher learning in order to become experts in Buddhism or the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita.

But apart from occasional lip service, the Alliance leadership has been gravely delinquent in regard to the positive encouragement of Malay students to qualify themselves in the more productive and sophisticated disciplines of modern knowledge.”
Ini adalah pemikiran pemimpin-pemimpin DAP pada tahun 1967 lagi. Adakah DAP tidak ingin melihat orang Melayu maju? Sekiranya pemimpin UMNO menerima teguran DAP pada ketika itu, maka negara kita mungkin tidak perlu melalui sejarah hitam Mei 13 untuk mengetahui ketidakseimbangan antara kaum dan wilayah.

Secara kesimpulannya, konsep Malaysian Malaysia yang diperjuangkan DAP bertujuan untuk memajukan negara dan memberikan kesaksamaan kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Kita ingin melihat semua kaum maju ke hadapan terutamanya masyarakat Melayu. Objektif murni Malaysian Malaysia tidak akan tercapai sekiranya majoriti rakyatnya mundur di belakang. Sudah sampai masanya negara kita bergerak ke hadapan daripada retorik-retorik lampau yang melaga-lagakan perasaan dengki antara kaum. Kalau benar Najib ingin memacu negara kita ke arah “Satu Malaysia yang bersatu-padu dan setiap rakyatnya berasa bangga sebagai rakyat Malaysia”, maka beliau harus mengiktiraf dan menerima perjuangan DAP selama ini.


Loke Siew Fook, Ahli Parlimen Rasah dan Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY)
Emel: siewfook@gmail.com . Read more!

PSD Scholarships forum

Read more!

Parliamentary Questions for June sitting

SOALAN-SOALAN LISAN

1)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan mengapa syarikat-syarikat insurans tempatan enggan menawarkan perlindungan insurans kelas ketiga kepada pemilik-pemilik kenderaan lama dan apakah dasar kerajaan terhadap perlindungan insurans untuk kereta lama dan langkah-langkah untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini untuk meringankan beban pengguna. (15 Jun 2009)

2)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan bilangan penerima Biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam untuk Program Luar Negara tahun 2009 mengikut latarbelakang kaum, negeri, bidang penggajian dan negara yang dihantar. (16 Jun 2009)

3)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan apakah langkah-langkah kerajaan untuk merombak sistem pemilihan penerima Biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam dan samada kerajaan bercadang untuk menubuhkan satu Jawatankuasa Pemilih Parlimen (Parliamentary Select Committee) untuk mengkaji dan mendapatkan pandangan umum dalam isu tersebut. (17 Jun 2009)

4)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan samada pentadbiran baru akan mengubah dasar dalam pengendalian peruntukan khas kawasan Parlimen termasuk kawasan yang diwakili pembangkang dan berapakah peruntukan yang diberikan untuk setiap kawasan Parlimen untuk tahun 2009. (18 Jun 2009)

5)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan berapakah peruntukan pembangunan yang diberikan kepada SJKC Ladang Hillside, Batu 4 Labu, Negeri Sembilan setiap tahun dari tahun 2000 hingga 2009 dan samada kerajaan memberikan apa-apa bantuan kewangan kepada sekolah tersebut untuk menyelesaikan masalah bangunan diserang anai-anai putih baru-baru ini . (22 Jun 2009)

6)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KERJA RAYA menyatakan samada kementerian mempunyai rancangan untuk membina “flyover” di hadapan persimpangan tol Seremban sedia ada untuk menyelesaikan masalah kesesakan di antara Bandar Seremban dengan Seremban 2 dan sekiranya ada, bilakah projek akan dimulakan, kos projek dan butir-butirnya. (23 Jun 2009)

7)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan secara terperinci berapakah lesen yang telah dikeluarkan kepada syarikat-syarikat 4D untuk menjalankan "Special Draw” sepanjang tahun 2009, jumlah kutipan cukai untuk setiap “draw” yang telah diadakan dan rasional kerajaan membenarkan “special draw” ini. (24 Jun 2009)

8)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PERUMAHAN DAN KERAJAAN TEMPATAN menyatakan samada kementerian akan memberikan peruntukan untuk menaik taraf jalan di Kampung Baru Rasah dalam Parlimen Rasah dan sekiranya ada, berapakah peruntukannya dan bila ia dapat dilaksanakan. (25 Jun 2009)

9)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan samada kerajaan bersedia untuk mengiktiraf kelayakan “Unified Examination Certificate” (UEC) yang diduduki oleh pelajar-pelajar Sekolah Persendirian Cina. Sekiranya ya, bila dan sekiranya tidak, apakah rasionalnya . (29 Jun 2009)

10)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN PERINDUSTRIAN menyatakan jumlah pelaburan asing dan tempatan yang telah dilaburkan di Negeri Sembilan dari bulan Januari 2009 hingga Mei 2009 mengikut sektor, nilai setiap pelaburan tersebut, lokasi dan nama syarikat yang membuat pelaburan tersebut (30 Jun 2009)


SOALAN-SOALAN BERTULIS

1)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan senarai penuh semua pemohon yang berjaya memperolehi biasiswa Program Luar Negara Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) untuk tahun 2009 mengikut nama, keputusan peperiksaan, nama universiti, nilai biasiswa dan jumlah markah yang diperolehi dalam permohonan tersebut.

2)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI DALAM NEGERI menyatakan indeks jenayah secara terperinci setiap bulan dari bulan Januari 2008 hingga Mei 2009 untuk kawasan di bawah kawalan Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Seremban.

3)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan secara terperinci pecahan butir-butir dan amaun peruntukan pembangunan bagi tahun 2009 untuk setiap Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina dan Tamil di seluruh Negeri Sembilan.

4)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan secara terperinci senarai projek yang telah dilaksanakan di kawasan Parlimen Rasah untuk tahun 2008 di bawah peruntukan khas Parlimen yang berjumlah RM500,000 dan senarai penerimanya serta nilai setiap peruntukan tersebut.

5)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI BELIA DAN SUKAN menyatakan senarai semua program bantuan yang ditawarkan kepada usahawan belia, jumlah peruntukan untuk setiap program pada tahun ini, jumlah yang telah diluluskan kepada pemohon mengikut program serta jumlah peserta dalam setiap program mengikut pecahan kaum. . Read more!

Memo to PM on PSD scholarships

18 Mei 2009

YAB Datuk Seri Najib bin Tun Razak
Perdana Menteri Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA.

YAB Datuk Seri,

PEMBERIAN BIASISWA JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM KEPADA PELAJAR CEMERLANG

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas.

2. Seperti yang YAB sedia maklum, terdapat ramai pelajar cemerlang SPM 2008 yang gagal mendapat tawaran biasiswa JPA untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke luar negara mahupun dalam negara pada tahun ini. Masalah ini yang telah menjadi satu isu tahunan di negara kita amatlah mendukacitakan kepada pelajar-pelajar cemerlang ini yang secara keseluruhannya mendapat 10A ke atas.

3. Isu ini sekiranya tidak diselesaikan dengan cepat dan berkesan akan memberikan impak negatif kepada falsafah “SATU MALAYSIA” yang dilaungkan oleh YAB dan menampakkan bahawa kerajaan seolah-olah tidak menghargai modal insan yang cemerlang dalam negara kita.

4. Justeru itu, saya selaku Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY) dan seorang Ahli Parlimen yang mewakili suara rakyat Malaysia ingin menyeru kepada pihak YAB untuk mengambil beberapa langkah untuk menyelesaikan isu ini seperti:

a) Kabinet pada Rabu ini perlu membuat satu ketetapan untuk menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa khas yang diwakili oleh beberapa Menteri Kabinet untuk mengkaji semula dan mempertimbangkan setiap kes rayuan yang telah dikemukakan oleh pelajar cemerlang SPM 2008.

b) Kabinet perlu memastikan pelajar yang mendapat 10A1 ke atas mendapat pertimbangan yang sewajarnya dan sekiranya perlu kerajaan perlu menambahkan bilangan biasiswa luar negara JPA untuk tahun ini.

c) Kerajaan perlu membuat satu keputusan dasar untuk mengkaji semula keseluruhan sistem pemilihan penerima biasiswa JPA termasuk menubuhkan satu badan bebas untuk mengendalikan program biasiswa ini, kriteria-kriteria yang diambil kira, sistem temuduga dan setiap pemohon diberikan satu laporan yang lengkap samada mereka berjaya atau sebaliknya untuk memastikan ketelusan dalam keseluruhan proses pemilihan dan intergriti badan yang melaksanakan program ini berada pada tahap yang paling tinggi.

d) Kerajaan melalui Kementerian Pelajaran perlu membuat keputusan yang tegas dengan menghadkan setiap pelajar yang menduduki peperiksaan SPM untuk mengambil hanya 10 matapelajaran supaya semua pelajar dinilai dengan keputusan yang samarata dan tidak timbul masalah penilaian seperti mengapa yang mendapat 13A gagal berbanding dengan 9A dan sebagainya.

5. Kami amat mengharapkan pihak YAB akan menimbangkan beberapa cadangan ini untuk mengembalikan keyakinan rakyat Malaysia terhadap intergriti dan keadilan dasar-dasar kerajaan. Kami juga berharap YAB akan memberikan perhatian peribadi ke atas perkara ini kerana ia melibatkan soal masa depan anak-anak muda kita bersama.

Sekian. Terima kasih.


Berkhidmat untuk rakyat,



LOKE SIEW FOOK
KETUA PEMUDA SOSIALIS DAP
Merangkap AHLI PARLIMEN RASAH. Read more!

Public Forum on JPA Scholarship

Read about all the renewed controversy over the JPA scholarships recently?

Well, in the light of the neverending controversy over the award of government scholarships by Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) of the Prime Minister's Department, DAP will be holding a forum/dialogue session to obtain feedback from:

* aggrieved students
* current and former local and overseas scholars
* academics
* the general public

The forum/dialogue will be held as follows:

JPA Scholarships – Seeking A Fair & Equitable Policy
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Date: 19th May 2009 (Tuesday)
Time: 8.00 pm

The panelists will include:

* Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor,
* Anthony Loke Siew Fook, MP for Rasah and DAPSY Chief,
* Tony Pua, MP for Petaling Jaya Utara,
* Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, PAS Research Centre Director and MP for Kuala Selangor
* Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Selangor ADUN for Seri Setia

Dr Goh Cheng Teik, eminent academic, former deputy minister and interviewer for Harvard University admission programme in Malaysia will also be a special guest for the evening.

In addition, for students and scholars who are not able to make it for the forum (e.g., if you are overseas or if you live outstation, you are welcome to submit written submissions to the panel. Please write to: dapscholarship (at) rocketmail (dot) com.

Please forward details of the above forum to all parties concerned, especially those who have failed to secure scholarships despite outstanding results. We will be making a compilation of the complaints, appeals and suggestions made during the evening. Read more!

The season of "appeal"!

Dear folks..how are you guys doing? Am very sure many were elevated by joys of hearing the KL High Court judgement that Nizar is the rightful MB for Perak! Bravo...victory for democracy. Although Zambry just got a stay of execution this morning, the momentum for change is on our side. No matter what they do now, they just can't stop that momentum from the people. Just one way out - go back to the ballot box...period! Win or lose, Perakians should decide. BN should be thankful that they have a chance to be the rightful government again, if they can convince the people.

Put the Perak issue aside, there are many other issues that need our attention. Starting yesterday, it's the time again of the year - the season of "appeal" for top SPM students who failed to get the PSD scholarships. I used to joke that after you scored straight As in your SPM, you still have to sit for another paper - the paper to appeal! The "season" was "launched" by a complaint by 5 top SPM students from Malacca who told that one of the interviewer who interviewed them said the new policy is to keep the cream of the crop within the country. It means that if you are the top scorer, you will probably not get an overseas scholarship. I'm not sure is that the new policy but i'm pushing for an official answer from the government.

I highligted the plight of one of the top scorers from KGV Seremban through the media this afternoon. She scored 10 A1 and 1 A2, very active in extra curicular, went for National Service, her father served in TUDM before and answered confidently in the interview and yet she failed. Not even an offer to study in local universities. She reported for Form 6 but the school felt strongly that she should not be there doing Form 6.

I feel strongly for those students and are very willing to voice up their plights. I went through STPM and i know the pressure of it. I will personally bring up the cases to Nazri who is the Minister in-charge of PSD. . Read more!

State Assembly sitting report

First of all, i would like to apologize for not updating my blog for more than a week. Was a bit busy attending the assembly and running around. Even went all the way to Pekan last Saturday for a PAS ceramah. Unlike Parliament where i can easily update my blog during the proceeding, i can't do that in the state assembly for the simple reason that the chambers are not equipped with WIFI. Internet is still quite alien to most of the BN chaps. When i spoke on the need for the state government to make the proceeding live over the internet, i doubt few have any clues on what i was talking about.

I also like to thank all of you who have given your comments on the previous post. I have read every comment and took note of it.

Well, in this sitting, we scored a moral victory when we succeeded to force the Speaker to accept our proposal to have a rotation system for the Q&A. We have walked out twice in the past to protest the unfair system where non of us got a chance to pose question in the one and a half hour session. At last, they felt the pressure and make some changes.

I made a few points in my debate to thank the Royal Address.

1) The state have to diversify our economic sectors as we can't be over-dependent on the manufacturing sector anymore as demands for our exported goods have gone down due to the current economic climate. There are a lot of talks on the bio-technology and pharmaceutical industry in the Nilai area. Well, these are new sectors which we should develop. I stressed on the need to develop new supporting industries for this sectors among our locals. The state government should find ways to encourage more R&D to promote innovations and creativity among NS folks. We should not just be users of technology but we must strive to be creator of technology.

2) The state should create a job-matching center in all districts to make it easier for unemployed to register themselves with the Labour Department. I also acknowledged the dilemma faced by the government, ie; although we want to reduce the numbers of foreign workers but at the same time many locals refused to take up "dirty jobs" even jobs like restaurant workers.

3) I also called on the state government to liberalize the housing sector as it is an important sector in the economy. I urged the government to put in place an "auto-release" mechanism for unsold Bumiputra lots. That means after one year a project was launched, if there are still unsold Bumi lots, it should be opened automatically to other buyers. This is to speed up transactions in the industry and the faster the sales can be executed, the better for the government as there are revenues to be collected and the revenue can be channelled for welfare purposes for the needy. I mentioned that the government should look at the proposal as a "win-win" situation and not as a "zero-sum game" perspective at the expense of the Bumiputra.

As Opposition leader, I focused my debate more on policy issues and let my other colleagues to raise up problems faced on the ground and the poor delivery system. Of course, many of my colleagues gave a bashing to the various front line departments such as the Majlis Perbandaran Seremban, JKR, Syarikat Air NS and the Welfare Department.

The Royal Address is a policy speech to give a general view of the direction of the state government. Hence, the motion to thank the Royal Address is a forum for ADUN to debate on policy matters and criticize the government of the day on their various weaknesses. After hearing our debates, one new ADUN from UMNO (YB Chembong) started off his debate with the remark that he just want to focus on "thanking" the state government as it is a motion of thanks! Can you imagine the standard of BN YBs?

I'm taking a short break to Krabi, Thailand for 3 days starting tomorrow. Will be back by Thursday. Will give your more info from the assembly when i'm back. . Read more!

Negeri Sembilan DUN sitting

The Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly sitting for 2009 was officially opened by the new State Ruler Tuanku Muhriz this morning. Today's sitting was just for the opening ceremony and there was no Q&A session nor debates. Actual sitting will take place on Monday and Tuesday next week, 27-28 April.

If there are any issues that you want us to raise up in the DUN, please give your comment here or alternatively, you can email me at siewfook@gmail.com . Specific issues are most welcomed.

thank you Read more!

Point of View: National Service

I was invited by NTV7 to appear on the programme "Point of View" hosted by Florence Looi. The recording was done about 3 weeks ago and the show went on air last Sunday. The topic was about National Service Training programme and whether it shoud be scrapped. I have always taken a middle position on this matter that it should be reviewed throughly whether it is worthwhile to spend RM600 million a year on the programme. Is it the only way to achieve national unity? Is there no more problem of racial polarization among our youth after 5 years the programme was implemented? Well, catch my point of view on this subject by clicking here:

http://www.ntv7.com.my/Shows/Watch-Episodes.aspx?param=Lyu%2bzAUJzuEIAMmcdDTiESgDu%2bQ%2bA3HvGCruXEvdS%2bCas23z3FRPCvLM7eSbIM%2fz

source: www.ntv7.com.my Read more!

DAP NS Public Consultation and Dialogue

In line with our aims to promote a more participatory democracy, DAP Negeri Sembilan is organizing the 2nd Public Consultation and Dialogue with the people of Seremban since last year's general election. This is an avenue for us to update the public regarding the various important issues facing the country today especially the scenario under Najib's administration and the "One Malaysia" agenda. It's also a forum for the public to give us feedback or criticism to the performance of our elected representatives. DAP Parliamentary Leader Sdr Lim Kit Siang will be the keynote speaker. Admission is free and open to the public. Details as below:

Date: 21st April 2009 (coming Tuesday)
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Venue: Neighbour Grace Assembly hall, Jalan Temiang, Seremban
(opposite former Odeon cinema)

For enquiries, pls contact 06-7634525. Read more!

My ceramah speech in Bukit Gantang (2)

Part 1



Part 2

Read more!

DAP's social democracy at work!

Would like to share with you this interesting article in The Sun. I thought it was well written and someone who understood the DAP's history and its ideological roots. It's precisely what we as social democrats can offer to the Malaysian people. Not many, our own leaders and members included, can claim to understand the essence and values of the social democracy ideology. I think this article articulate it in a very practical way. A lot of people misunderstood the word "socialism". Many thought it is a "dirty word", outdated and linked it to communism. Being in the Left does not mean we have to kill off all private enterprises nor we have to be seen as the No 1 enemy of the capitalists. We only strive for a more just and fair society and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor! Happy reading!

The DAP’s socialist streak

WHEN the Penang government announced late last month that it had eradicated hardcore poverty within its borders, the news raised quite a few eyebrows. It seemed an incredible, if not impossible, task to achieve. On hindsight, however, when one looks at what the Pakatan Rakyat government executed, the solution seems common-sense.

But though it may appear simple, the move was instituted with such impudence and guts it could only come from a political element that is part of the origins and makeup of the DAP – its democratic socialism.

What the state did was to directly uplift every one of the 726 households registered with the welfare department as being in the hardcore poor category by giving them the money. Affected families were literally funded to ensure their incomes are topped up so that they get at least RM500 every month.

These poor souls whose lives, and statistics, seemingly changed overnight must owe their new fortunes to a political decision made way back in 1966. It was then that the DAP was first registered, following the Setapak Declaration, as an offshoot of the Singapore-based People’s Action Party (PAP). What marks the event as significant today is not just its history, but the fact that the party was registered as a democratic socialist entity.

Penang’s success in eradicating hardcore poverty is a fruition of a progressive post-modern socialist ideology. In fact, much of the state’s economic and social policies today can be attributed to a highly-evolved socialist streak in the DAP.

By socialism we do not necessarily mean the radical, anti-capitalist school that emerged in the early 20th century, influenced by the works of Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx. Democratic socialism surfaced as a splinter movement that envisioned the attainment of socialism not through a revolutionary process, but through an embracing, evolutionary one. It embraced civil liberties, free elections, parliamentary democracy and transparency in governance.

It is no coincidence then that the DAP is a long-time member of the Socialist International, whose origins can be traced to early international labour movements.

Now, some 43 years after the DAP was founded, Penang has to some extent become a test-bed of sorts for a modern socialist experiment in Malaysia. Hints of this new wind, blowing along a distinctly proletarian agenda, was already felt on the first day that the DAP took helm of the state by assuming the chief minister’s post, with Lim Guan Eng ordering all summonses for hawkers and parking be waived.

Lim had later even proposed to the federal government an “economic stimulus” plan worth RM48 billion that he said would have a “tidal effect” in directly benefiting 27 million Malaysians during the financial crisis. The plan included giving a RM6,000 annual “oil bonus” to all families earning less than RM6,000 a month, or a RM3,000 annual bonus to bachelors earning less than RM3,000 a month. The amount, Lim said, would cost RM35 billion or one third of Petronas’s 2007 gross profits of RM107 billion.

The idea to use national coffers in a massive way to alleviate the people’s burden is perhaps something that could only have come out with such brazen confidence from the DAP, due to the socialist element in its set-up.

For democratic socialism seeks to improve the rights and standards of the majority by directly increasing the powers of workers and consumers. It does place social welfare as a prime component in the governance of a society.

Any aid or subsidy, however, is not meant to be dished out as dole benefits to passive citizens without resourcefulness or personal enterprise; the aid is deemed necessary to empower people, by giving them impetus to be active participants in the greater economic community.

In one of the Penang government’s boldest moves, for example, all residential landed properties on state land were made freehold, and all industrial and commercial property owners had their leaseholds converted to the maximum 99 years. “We want to give ownership of land back to the people,” Lim had said.

Of course, in practice, the DAP’s style of administration is not so purely egalitarian; but its socialist roots do hold significant sway in how the administration has caught people by surprise, by making sweeping changes with unassuming audacity.

It remains to be seen then how many more surprises the DAP-led government will dish out, and exactly how well its socialist inclinations will work for the state over the remaining duration of its term in power.


Himanshu is theSun’s Penang bureau chief. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com. Read more!

My ceramah speech in Bukit Gantang by-election

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

Read more!

It's UMNO who are ungrateful to Malaysian Chinese

Media Statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Tuesday, 14th April 2009 in Petaling Jaya.

UMNO should instead be grateful to the Chinese community for prolonging their political survival in the 1999 general election.

DAPSY expresses the uttermost outrage over the most distasteful and divisive statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the Chinese voters were not grateful to the Barisan Nasional and wanted to be kingmakers in Malaysian politics.

Such an insensitive statement, coming from the No 2 leader in the country just barely a week after he took office, showed how out of touch the BN leadership were with the constituents on the ground and their failure to understand the sentiments and aspirations of the Malaysian electorate.

Muhyiddin thought that the Malaysian Chinese voters still subscribed to the old way of “beggar politics” where they would give their votes to the BN in exchange for tokens of allocations to Chinese schools and temples during election season. Let us tell Muhyiddin that their old trick no longer works. The people aspire for a fair and just government where their needs and basic rights to education and development are look into on a sustainable and structural basis, not tokenism.

Muhyiddin’s statement also exemplifies the feudalistic mentality of UMNO leaders who think that they are forever the political masters in the country and the people including the Chinese community are duty-bound to elect them into power. This is also an outdated idea and the people must teach the UMNO leaders that the rights and mandate to govern must be earned and won through good governance, fair policies and clean leadership. The people are the real masters and they have every right to determine who should be the government of the day.

Instead of calling the Chinese community as being ungrateful to the BN government, I would say that it is UMNO who are ungrateful to the Chinese community. It is a known fact that it was the Chinese voters who saved and prolonged UMNO’s political survival in the 1999 general elections where majority of the Malay electorate deserted UMNO during the height of the “Reformasi” movement. In fact, Muhyiddin’s boss, Prime Minister Najib escaped a humiliating defeat by a mere 241-vote majority in his Pekan constituency thanks to the Chinese votes.

Muhyiddin owed all Malaysians a public apology. . Read more!

DAPSY Orientation Camp 2009

DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) is having our orientation camp in Tiara Beach resort in Port Dickson from 10-12 April. More than 100 young DAPSY members from different states are here to attend this 2-days course. Different modules are being imparted to the members such as History and Introduction to the DAP, Party's ideology, DAP & Pakatan, DAP's organization and Introduction to Basic Political Science.

It's our hope that such political camp will strengthen the understanding of our political struggles among the members and in the process, build a better quality political movement. It's also important to impart good values and culture to the new members.

I'm glad that the camp is not only attended by our Chinese members but also a good number of our Malay and Indian comrades.


Opening speech by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook at the 2009 DAPSY Orientation Camp on 11 April 2009 in Tiara 3 Ballroom, Tiara Beach Resort, Port Dickson:

I welcome you, my fellow comrades, to the 2009 DAPSY orientation and training camp which is held in Port Dickson, one of the best beach resorts in Malaysia, especially in the west coast of the Peninsula. I’m extending this welcome to all of you on behalf of my home state, Negeri Sembilan, which can potentially become a Pakatan Rakyat state in the near future.

I’m pleased to see that DAPSY divisions across the country have sent such a large delegation to attend this camp, because this is a very important training camp. The objective of this camp is to instill a sense of understanding among members on the party’s ideology and struggle. We have organized such camps in the past, but we’ve never had such enthusiastic support. More than a hundred participants are in this hall waiting eagerly to kick off this camp – this is a fantastic sign that will provide great encouragement to DAPSY to organize a much larger camp is the future.

One of the reasons for organizing this camp is that we have not stressed enough on our party ideology. Some comrades have not understood our ideology, direction, organization and culture. If you could remember, during our DAPSY Congress last December, many questions were raised on the direction of DAPSY, including the question of whether we are a left wing or a right wing movement.

Therefore, I hope that all of you will pay full attention throughout the few modules of the training, from party ideology to party organization. We need to know what we’re fighting for.

This camp would not have been made possible without the support of the DAPSY National Executive Council, divisions and members. For the first time ever, the party headquarters also allocated a sizable amount of subsidy for DAPSY to make this camp possible. Deputy Chairman, Saudari Jenice Lee has also contributed some funds for this event.

I would like to stress that DAP is not an ‘eat, drink and be merry’ party. DAP is a party with strong principles and beliefs, which is serious about its struggles for fairness, justice and democracy in Malaysia.

After attending this camp, I hope that all of you can become trainers yourselves in your particular branches and states. I hope that you can go home and train your fellow members, especially those who are new, so that when we participate in a debate, or when we write statements, we can reflect the party’s positions in various matters. Our ideology is our guiding principle, so we must truly understand it when we’re making statements on behalf of the party.

I’d like to thank the organizers, namely Saudara Ooi Leng Hang, the DAPSY Political Education Bureau director, and Saudara Chua Yew Choong, the Chairman of DAPSY Pandan division, for putting in a lot of time and effort for this camp.

I hope all of you will pay attention and also enjoy the modules at the same time. Have a fruitful and meaningful camp! Thank you. Read more!

RM45,786 to thank Rosmah!

I saw this advertisement in Utusan Malaysia when I was checking out from the hotel in Taiping the day after Nizar won the Bukit Gantang by-election. Curious about the cost of a full-page colour advertisement in Utusan national page, I asked my PA to call up Utusan’s office to get a quotation. Guess how much the ad costs?

RM45,786!

Yes, the NS state government spent RM45,786 of taxpayers monies just to say “THANK YOU” to our First Lady, Dato’ Seri Rosmah Mansor for visiting Pusat Anak PERMATA Negara Chembong in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan on the 7th April 2009!

I held a press conference this morning and openly whacked the state government and the Menteri Besar for wasting taxpayers’ monies on such an unnecessary, unproductive and totally wasteful expenditure! What benefits the rakyat of Negeri Sembilan will get from such an advertisement? Wasn’t the state government talking about cost-cutting and tightening the belt during the current economic crisis? They asked the rakyat to understand the pain and cruise through this storm together?

Well, it is understood that the position of certain leaders in the state are very shaky and uncertain. Perhaps, they need to strengthen the “cable” with the PM through the throne behind.

Folks, now you decide whether you want to continue to let these people manage your tax monies… . Read more!

Same old faces in Cabinet!

There's not much excitement in the new Cabinet line-up. Most of the Ministers are still the same old faces. Just a swap of ministries among them. And a few of them went in through "backdoor" as they were rejected by the people in the last general election such as Koh Tsu Koon, Sharizat, Chew Mei Fun, etc.. Perhaps the boldest move by Najib was to exclude Khairy from the Cabinet even though he is the UMNO Youth Chief (you know who is behind it la)...and to add salt to his injury, his defeated opponent, Mukhriz Mahathir was rewarded a Deputy Minister of MITI! Even Khairy's deputy got a deputy ministership. It seems that the "most powerful" young man is no more powerful.

Anyway, as an MP, I welcome the dropping of the most unwelcomed minister in Parliament - Azalina Othman! And she can say goodbye to her political career.

The so-called "leaner, meaner and slimmer" Cabinet did not really materialize. It just shows that Najib do not have the political will to use the "axe" and succumbed to political lobbying and jockeying. Mahathirism has returned and the beginning of the demise of Barisan Nasional. Read more!

Confirmed: 2-1

Pakatan again thrashed Bn 2-1. We won in 2 bukit by convincing majority but lost in batang ai. referendum result... A big NO to najib as pm..And the voters in bukit gantang made it loud and clear, they want the state assembly to be dissolved and oppose the illegal bn goverment! So the score of the last 5 by elections stood at 4 to 1 in pakatan favour. Read more!

Bukit Gantang live: Pakatan winning

At the current rate, pakatan should not face any problem to defend bukit gantang. nizar is just steps away from parliament. As of now, pas 17427 while bn 15001. Majority 2426. Another 25 streams to go.. Is safe bet to predict a win for pakatan at around 2000 to 2500 majority! Read more!

Bukit Gantang live: pakatan lead widen

Latest result as of 7.15 pm. pas 10361 votes, bn 8117. Majority 2244. More to come Read more!

Bukit Gantang live: pakatan won big in chinese area

the results just came in from kuala sepetang. Majority chinese area.. We won more than 1000 votes majority in that area alone. We are leading by 1693 votes now. Live from pas main operation center. Read more!

Bukit Gantang live: Pakatan leading

Pakatan leading by 222 votes after 5 streams! Read more!

Chinese villagers campaigning hard for PAS!

I'm in kuala sepetang now, a chinese fishing village within the bukit gantang constituency. The political temperature is rising rapidly here, just 12 hours before polling starts. Hundreds of PAS campaigners are making their rounds and they were warmly welcomed by the locals. Some interesting development here is the fact that the local villagers are openly campaigning for PAS. As you can see in the picture above, they are waving the green flag with high spirits. Nobody pay them to do it but it is a clear expression of support to pakatan. This is something that will shake Umno to the core. Pakatan spirit is in full display on the ground, at least in kuala sepetang! Read more!

DAP dinner in Bukit Gantang full house

I just arrived in Taiping and currently attending the thousand people dinner organised by DAP near Simpang, a town located within Bukit Gantang constituency. I was told that the dinner sold 220 tables at RM380 a table and tables at the front sold at RM1000 per table. Yes, all tables are sold, not free dinner. And there are only speeches by pakatan top leaders, definitely no 'sexy dance' in between. Yet, the crowd are very supportive. That's the difference between pakatan and bn... Way to go! Read more!

One Malaysia.....how true?

Our 6th Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has come out with another catchy slogan...One Malaysia. He is trying to convince Malaysians that he will be an inclusive leader for all. Well, he has yet to spell out exactly what is it all about. But let us give him some parameters if he is serious about inclusiveness!

1) Education - The government should allocate equal resources to all types of schools in the country. All schools should be fully government-funded. It means that students studying in Chinese and Tamil primary schools and those in missionary schools no longer need to bring back donation cards to raise funds to build a new hall, canteen or computer lab.

2) Higher education - No more different system for post-SPM students who want to pursue a place in public universities. The end for both STPM and matriculation and replace it with a common examination system for all Malaysian students who want to study in public universities. Entry to public universities purely based on meritocracy with an exceptional small percentage reserved for marginalized groups such an indegeneous group in Sabah and Sarawak.

3) Government scholarships - Granting of scholarships purely based on merit and socio-economic background, no racial quota. High fliers from lower-income families should be given top priority, irrespective of race.

4) Pakatan Rakyat state government - fully respect the concept of federalism. Equal treatment to all PR states just like any other state government under BN. Development funds for those states should be channelled directly to state government. Immediate closure of all Federal Development Agency in all PR states.

5) Constituency development fund - All MPs, both BN and Pakatan have equal access to Parliamentary constituency development fund. MPs irrespective of party background are given the rights to determine how the annual funds are being allocated to their constituents.

6) Local government - Return the democratic rights to elect local government to the people. A commitment by Najib that come next General Election, all Malaysians will have 3 ballots in their hand - one to elect their MP, second to elect their state assemblyman and third to elect their local councillor.

7) Housing discount - All Malaysians who earned a household income of less than RM3,000 a month, irrespective of race are entitled to a 5% discount when they purchase their first house. Dismantle the system of giving discount based on race.

8) Government assistance - All government grants, loans or incentive are open for application to all Malaysians. Eligibility is determined by needs and not race. Lower-income groups are given priority.

9) Special economic policy - To draw up a new special economic policy to uplift the standard of living of the poor, both in rural and urban areas irrespective whether they are Malay, Indian, Chinese, Iban, Kadazan...

10) Government forms - To BAN the column of "bangsa" and "agama" in all government forms. All Malaysians are equal citizens.

The above list is not in anyway comprehensive but if Najib can achieve 80% of those issues, I consider him the greatest reformer in the Malaysian history.

Well, let's hear your wishes now.... Read more!

Sexy dance is "Chinese culture"?

I grown up in quite a traditional Chinese family. When i was kid, my parents took me to watch Chinese Kwangtung opera show because they are big fans of it. I did not understand what they sing but I know that it was part of our cultural identity and I appreciate that! During Chinese New Year, I enjoy watching lion dance performance, having reunion dinner, tossing "yee sang" and receiving ang pows. And come Cheng Beng (which is tomorrow), I will accompany my parents to clean up my grandparent's graveyard and offer prayers. These traditions are proudly our Chinese culture.

But never in my life that i was told "Sexy dance" (dance performance in sexy attire) is part of "Chinese culture"! Any of you out there heard that before?

Well, this is the understanding of "Chinese culture" of the newly elected most senior UMNO Vice President and Minister in the PM's Department in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi! Maybe this is something he heard from the MCA and Gerakan leaders.

This cheap gimmick used by MCA in a political function to attract crowd is a big insult to the Chinese community, both men and women. The MCA thought that these Chinese dancers who clad in sexy outfit can be used as "political tools" to attract voters. And they also thought that the Chinese Ah Pek in all Chinese new villages can be won over by just "washing their eyes" with some sexy dance.

By using "sexy dance" to pull the crowd, isn't this show that MCA and Gerakan have no confidence whatsoever in their leaders' ability to convince the voters by their speeches?

Shame on you...MCA and Gerakan! . Read more!

Kempen Balik Kampung Mengundi!

Video iklan ini merupakan sumbangan daripada DAP untuk membantu kempen Pilihanraya Kecil serentak 7 April 2009. Kami menyeru semua pengundi yang berasal dari Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau dan Batang Ai untuk pulang mengundi pada 7 April nanti. Setiap undi adalah penting dan jangan lepaskan hak demokrasi anda untuk membawa perubahan!

Hai rakan-rakan muda, Jom balik undi! Read more!

Karpal bersama Hadi di Bukit Gantang

Bak kata pepatah Inggeris "A picture tells a thousand words" atau "sekeping gambar menerangkan seribu kata". Ungkapan ini cukup tepat untuk menerangkan gambar di atas.
Saya yakin gambar ini cukup menyedapkan hati penyokong-penyokong Pakatan Rakyat. Perpaduan yang sejitu menghadapi musuh di "medan perang". Tidak dinafikan bahawa Pengerusi DAP Sdr Karpal Singh merupakan seorang yang mempunyai pendirian politik yang cukup tegas dan lantang mengkritik sesiapa pun dan menyatakan pemikirannya secara terbuka.

Ada kala penyokong PR sedikit keliru mengapa Karpal juga menyerang pemimpin-pemimpin PR sendiri? Namun, pada hemat saya inilah kekuatan Pakatan. Pemimpin-pemimpin tertinggi PR semuanya mempunyai pendirian yang tegas dan kredibiliti yang tinggi. Kita sesama sendiri boleh mengkritik dan dikritik. Namun, apabila berdepan dengan musuh iaitu UMNO/BN, maka kita sepakat dan bersatu dalam perjuangan. Impian kita adalah sama iaitu menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan untuk semua rakyat Malaysia.

Semoga perpaduan jitu yang ditunjukkan oleh kepimpinan DAP kepada rakan kami di PAS petanda awal membawa kejayaan kepada Pakatan di Bukit Gantang. . Read more!

Pakatan spirit flying high in Bukit Gantang

I'm currently at Taiping municipal council's building, the nomination center for the bukit gantang by-election. The dap's delegation marched along the main road in taiping to the center led by our secretary general lim guan eng. Tens of thousands of pakatan supporters mainly pas members lined up along the road to greet the leaders who marched by. The dap delegation numbering a thousand were warmly cheered by the crowd. The pakatan side were clearly outnumbered the barisan. This is a new phenomenon. In the past, it was always the other way round. The spirit are running high among our comrades. Everything are running smoothly except that the bn's tent where all the bn leaders sit were greeted by the shout of 'rasuah' by pas members just across the fence! I cant estimate the actual numbers of our supporters here because there are simply too many of them. Read more!

MB Negeri Sembilan patut melepaskan jawatan!

Kenyataan media oleh Pengerusi DAP Negeri Sembilan merangkap Ketua Pembangkang DUN Negeri Sembilan Loke Siew Fook pada Jumaat, 27 Mac 2009 di Seremban.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan patut melepaskan jawatan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan

Walaupun pemilihan pucuk pimpinan sesebuah parti sepatutnya tidak ada kena-mengena dengan pihak luar, namun oleh kerana kedudukan UMNO masih sebagai parti pemerintah maka ia memberi kesan kepada barisan kepimpinan Kerajaan Pusat dan Kerajaan Negeri yang diterajui oleh UMNO. Itu antara sebabnya pemilihan Timbalan Presiden UMNO menjadi satu persoalan yang begitu penting di kalangan rakyat kerana pemimpin yang terpilih juga akan menyandang kerusi Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Begitu juga jawatan-jawatan Menteri Kabinet.

Saya mengucapkan syabas kepada Datuk Shahrir Samad kerana beliau menghormati pendirian dan prinsip bahawa sekiranya beliau telah ditolak oleh perwakilan partinya sendiri, maka adalah tidak sesuai untuk beliau terus menyandang jawatan Menteri. Justeru, keputusan beliau untuk melepaskan jawatannya dalam Kabinet adalah tepat dan sesuatu yang patut dihormati oleh semua pihak.

Saya juga berasa terkejut dengan kegagalan Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan untuk mempertahankan kerusinya dalam Majlis Tertinggi UMNO. Sekiranya keputusan oleh perwakilan partinya ialah menolak peranan beliau dalam kepimpinan parti, maka ini ialah seolah-olah satu undi tidak percaya ke atas beliau.

Untuk mengelakkan sebarang perebutan kuasa dalaman yang akan menjejaskan kestabilan politik di Negeri Sembilan dan memberi impak negatif ke atas ekonomi, maka langkah yang terhormat untuk Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ialah mengikut jejak langkah Datuk Shahrir Samad untuk melepaskan jawatan beliau sebagai Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan.

. Read more!

Media Statement on Khairy's election as UMNO Youth Chief

Media statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Thursday, 26th March 2009 in Petaling Jaya.

Money politics triumph in UMNO Youth!

As a fellow Parliamentarian from Negeri Sembilan, I would like to congratulate YB Khairy Jamaluddin for being elected the new UMNO Youth Chief yesterday.

However, the election of Khairy as the UMNO Youth Chief proved that money politics have been openly endorsed by the UMNO Youth delegates. Although a person is found to be involved in the scourge of money politics, he can still lead the UMNO Youth.

That shows that all the talks about “UMNO must change or be changed” are mere political rhetoric to please the general public. What credibility is left for UMNO if a person found to be guilty by the UMNO Disciplinary Board on account of money politics can still be elected to lead the most important wing in the ruling party?

Khairy was of course being treated differently by just given a warning and was allowed to contest the post. This however did not erase the fact that he was found guilty on money politics by his own party leaders. Money politics is corruption, period.

By tradition, the post of UMNO Youth Chief will also come with a Cabinet position. Will Khairy be selected in the Najib’s administration? If it happens, then we will see a very tainted Cabinet line-up and we will be a major laughing stock in the world as a person found to be guilty of corruption by his own party can still be appointed as a Minister!

Was money the main factor behind the victory of Khairy? The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must be serious in finding the truth and act without fear or favor. I’m proposing to both my counterparts in PKR Youth and PAS Youth to lodge a joint report against Khairy Jamaluddin in the MACC headquarters next week.


-LOKE SIEW FOOK-
. Read more!

The most "powerful" young man!

He was the most "powerful" 28 years old!

He was the head of the "4th floor boys"!

He is the most famous son-in-law...still!

He wants to be the youngest Prime Minister!

He was found guilty of money politics!

He was given a "warning" but allowed to contest!

He won the UMNO Youth Chief post!

And now...he is on his way to Putrajaya as a Minister!

....Malaysia Boleh! Read more!

Parliament: Number of APs

TUAN LOKE SIEW FOOK minta MENTERI PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN INDUSTRI menyatakan statistik jumlah Approved Permit (AP) yang telah diluluskan untuk tahun 2008 dan nyatakan nama-nama syarikat atau individu yang mendapat AP tersebut serta bilangannya.

JAWAPAN

Tuan Yang Di Pertua,

Jumlah keseluruhan pemegang AP Terbuka adalah sebanyak 98 syarikat dan AP Francais sebanyak 81 syarikat. Pada tahun 2000, Jumlah AP kenderaan yang telah dikeluarkan oleh kementerian adalah sebanyak 40,886 unit iaitu 29,434 unit AP Terbuka dan 11,452 unit AP Francais Read more!

Parliament: Foreign Spouse

SOALAN:
Tuan Loke Siew Fook [Rasak] minta MENTERI DALAM NEGERI menyatakan jumlah permohonan bermastautin tetap yang diterima dan bilangan kelulusan mengikut kategori jantina, negara asal, kaum, agama, paras pendapatan bagi kedua-kedua warganegara Malaysia dan isteri atau suaminya dalam masa lima tahun yang lepas.

JAWAPAN:
Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, seseorang suami atau isteri asing kepada warganegara perlulah memohon Permit Masuk (Entry Permit) dari Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia di bawah seksyen 10(1) Akta Imigresen 1959/63 terlebih dahulu sebelum layak mendapat taraf pemastautin tetap.

Bagi golongan isteri kepada warganegara Malaysia jumlah pemohon Permit Masuk bagi mendapat taraf Pemastautin Tetap yang diterima dalam tempoh lima tahun dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah berjumlah 11,892. Daripada jumlah tersebut sebanyak 7,637 permohonan telah diluluskan. Manakala bagi golongan suami kepada warganegara jumlah pemohonan yang diterima ialah 4,673 pemohon dan sebanyak 1,693 permohonan telah diluluskan.

Walau bagaimanapun, Kementerian tiada rekod pecahan jumlah tersebut mengikut negara asal, kaum, agama dan paras pendapatan memandangkan dalam membuat sesuatu pertimbangan terhadap permohonan Permit Masuk, factor factor yang diambil kira adalah hubungan kekeluarga, tempoh berada dinegara ini serta sumbangan kepada negara Malaysia. Read more!

Machiavellian NAJIB!

Semasa saya menuntut di Fakulti Sains Pembangunan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lebih kurang 10 tahun yang lepas, salah satu kertas yang wajib diambil oleh semua pelajar di Fakulti saya ialah “Sejarah dan Falsafah Pemikiran”. Dan salah seorang ahli pemikir klasik yang perlu dikenali ialah Niccolo Machiavelli, seorang ahli falsafah politik Itali termashyur pada abad ke-15. Saya masih ingat dengan begitu terang apa yang dikatakan oleh pensyarah kursus tersebut kepada semua pelajar dalam kelas. Beliau berkata “Buku tulisan Machiavelli yang berjudul The Prince ialah kitab wajib kepada semua ahli politik”. Mengikut beliau, sesiapa yang ingin menjadi ahli politik yang berjaya, hayatilah prinsip-prinsip yang digambarkan oleh Machiavelli.

Machiavelli sendiri bukanlah seorang tokoh politik atau pemerintah namun kupasannya dan penghayatan beliau mengenai cara pemerintah untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka dengan apa cara sekali pun adalah begitu tepat sekali. Beliau mengupas bagaiamana puak pemerintah menggunakan gandingan unsur kekejaman, ketakutan dan kadang-kadang pula menggunakan daya pujukan untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka ke atas rakyat yang diperintahnya. Tulisannya mengatakan bahawa untuk menjadi seseorang pemerintah yang berjaya dan digeruni, isu moral adalah tidak relevan. Yang penting sekali ialah kuasa dan matlamat seseorang pemerintah. Apakah cara yang digunakan untuk mencapai kuasa tersebut adalah tidak dipedulikan sangat, yang penting kuasa tetap dipegang akhirnya. Ayat yang mengungkap pengertian ini dalam Bahasa Inggeris berbunyi “The end justify the means”.

Semasa saya membaca buku tersebut atau mengikuti kuliah mengenai subjek tersebut, ia adalah begitu abstrak sekali dan sukar difahami. Saya rasa tak ada seorang pun rakan saya yang benar-benar memahami tulisan dan ungkapan Machiavelli. Namun, mengikuti perkembangan krisis politik di Perak baru-baru ini dan melihat kronologi peristiwa yang berlaku, ia bagaikan membaca tulisan Machiavelli dalam bentuk praktikalnya. Mengapa saya kata begitu? Saya berpendapat bahawa Najib mengambil iktibar daripada buku The Prince bahawa apa yang paling penting ialah pengekalan kuasa, cara apa sekali pun tak penting. Kalau tak boleh menang, kita beli, kalau tak dapat beli, kita rampas. Bukankah ini yang berlaku di Perak?

Pada hemat saya, pukulan yang paling hebat buat Najib ialah kekalahan UMNO dalam Pilihanraya Kecil Kuala Terengganu pada 17 Januari 2009. Selama kempen dijalankan, Najib menjadikan KT seolah-olah Putrajaya 2 kerana beliau bertapak di sana dan beliau kelihatan dalam kaca TV dan majlis bersama rakyat lebih banyak daripada calon BN Wan Farid. Segala macam “senjata” yang boleh digunakan untuk memenangkan undi telah digunakan. Wang royalti dikembalikan, bantuan ehsan kebajikan ditaburkan, projek-projek untuk kontraktor Kelas F diagihkan, tanah dan peruntukan diberikan kepada pertubuhan Cina dan apa sahaja bantuan yang diminta diluluskan dengan kelajuan cahaya. Namun, keputusannya Najib dan UMNO ditolak bulat-bulat oleh pengundi di negeri yang ditakrifkan sebagai “Malay heartland” ini.

Untuk kem Najib, pukulan ini terlalu dahsyat dan kemungkinan akan menjadi “pukulan maut”. Jadi, sesuatu perlu dilakukan secepat mungkin untuk memadamkan bab Kuala Terengganu dalam minda pewakilan UMNO menjelang Perhimpunan Agung UMNO. Ketibaan beliau di Putra World Trade Center nanti perlu dilaungkan sebagai seorang wira unggul UMNO yang merampas semula sebuah negeri dalam tempoh singkat dan bukannya seorang pemimpin yang kecundang dalam 2 pilihanraya kecil berturut-turut. Sekiranya kita melihat dari perspektif ini, tidak sukar untuk memahami perkiraan Najib mengapa Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Perak mesti ditumbangkan dengan apa cara sekali pun sebelum bulan Mac 2009. Dan Perak menjadi sasaran paling mudah memandangkan kedudukan kerusi yang hanya dibezakan dengan 3 kepala.

Najib telah mencapai matlamat jangka pendeknya dengan pantas sekali. Kini, beliau akan menghadiri Perhimpunan Agung UMNO dengan autoriti seorang bakal Presiden yang hebat dan setanding dengan Tun Dr Mahathir dan memberikan kepercayaan kepada orang-orang UMNO bahawa beliaulah manusia tunggal yang boleh mengembalikan kegemilangan UMNO. Bagi Ketua-Ketua Bahagian, inilah sifat pemimpin yang mereka rasa gah. Samada cara yang digunakan adalah mengikut lunas demokrasi langsung tidak relevan dalam kamus pemimpin UMNO. Mereka tidak memerlukan seorang demokrat untuk menjadi ketua. Mereka memerlukan seorang ketua yang boleh mengekalkan kuasa pemerintahan UMNO supaya kepentingan mereka tetap terpelihara. Cara bagaimana melakukanya tak usah dipersoalkan. Inilah keadaan yang kita sedang saksikan dalam senario politik negara.

Mungkin ada yang menyatakan bahawa apa yang dilakukan di Perak hanya akan meningkatkan kemarahan rakyat dan terus melawan UMNO dan BN. Pada hemat saya, Najib mungkin melihat pilihannya adalah terhad dan beliau perlu memperjudikan nasibnya dan mengambil risiko ini. Prioriti utama sekarang ialah memenangkan orang UMNO dahulu. Rapatkan barisan dibawah naungannya dan tingkatkan semangat dan moral “askar-askarnya”. Lepas itu, baru melawan medan di luar. Beliau mengharapkan daya ingatan rakyat Malaysia masih cetek seperti dulu. Sabah pada tahun 1994 pernah mengalami apa yang berlaku di Perak pada hari ini. Namun, pada pilihanraya seterusnya, BN tetap berkuasa. UMNO hampir pupus pada tahun 1999 semasa era Reformasi, namun kemenangan paling cemerlang menunggu tahun 2004. Inilah pendulum yang diharapkan oleh Najib sekarang.

Persoalannya sekarang ialah samada rakyat Malaysia sanggup memaafkan Najib terhadap apa yang berlaku di Perak dan cara yang digunakannnya? Saya rasa tentu tidak. Namun, masih banyak usaha perlu dilakukan oleh Pakatan Rakyat untuk sentiasa mengingatkan mereka bahawa hak demokrasi mereka telah dirampas hari ini dan kuasa untuk menuntut semula harta mereka yang telah dirompak terletak dalam tangan mereka. Ujian pertama menunggu kita di Bukit Gantang namun ujian yang paling besar akan menjelang dalam PRU ke-13. Wahai rakyat Malaysia, buktikanlah bahawa ahli politik yang berjaya tak semestinya perlu mengikuti ajaran Machiavelli. Cukup sekadar dijadikan panduan strategi untuk melawan musuh.

….Loke Siew Fook

Artikel di atas diterbitkan dalam Akhbar Roket edisi bulan Mac 2009. Penulis ialah Ahli Parlimen Rasah dan Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY). Beliau boleh dihubungi melalui emel: siewfook@gmail.com . Read more!