‘If they have nothing to hide and are telling the truth, why not publish these and also the list of unsuccessful candidates and their grades and the criteria for having rejected them?’
On Wee: PSD scholarships should be given on merit
Voice of Hindraf: The PSD’s claim of 55% of the scholarships for the bumi’s and 45% for non- bumis is an outright lie by Umno. Indians get only about 2% of these scholarships. Get to the point Umno. If the above 45% figure is true, then publish the said names of recipients, their grades etc. Umno could have made this statement before the Nov 25 and the Indians may have believed the same. Umno has to move away from these obsolete cheap media propaganda and gimmicks. You cannot be hoodwinking all the people all the time.
Young Indians are struggling to get PSD scholarships and public university places. Yet, a young Umno graduate is talking about her profits already. Nur Azrin who holds a Bachelor of Science Biotechnology from UM has been issued a license by the government to produce biodiesel. Her company, Agro Biotechnology Technovation (M) Sdn Bhd (ABT), is building the country’s largest biodiesel plant in Kuala Lukut, Port Dickson for RM900 Million. With this kind of calibre, the last thing Umno should do is to deny 40,000 Indian children even their birth certificates (in Selangor alone) and giving only 2% of their scholarships to Indians locally and less than 1% for foreign universities. Tamil school pupils have to study in cabins, JKR stores and even under the trees as their schools are falling apart. How cruel can Umno be?
Umno and PSD are beating around the bush. If you have nothing to hide and are telling the truth, why not publish the names of the successful recipients, their grades and also the list of unsuccessful candidates and their grades and the criteria for having rejected them?
Murugesan Sinnandavar: Umno Youth’s statement against increasing PSD’s scholarship quota for non-bumiputera applicants from 10 percent to 45 percent is a step in a wrong direction. Whilst it is understandable that they have the interest of the Malay students at heart, leaders of BN should not forget that we represent all Malaysians and must place the interest of the nation first. The Malay students need not fear or worry as the government did not decrease the number of Malay students offered PSD Scholarship (1,100) compared to previous years. Nor did they increase the requirement to qualify for such scholarships. The government merely increased the number students that have been offered scholarships in keeping with the large number of non- Malay students that had obtained excellent results. This bodes well for the country and our brain bank.
The cry of non-Malay students that performed well above the minimum cut-off point but were turned down for PSD scholarships year after year is a clear indication that the 10% quota for non- Malays is grossly unfair and deprives many excellent students from pursuing their dreams. An increase to 45% is a step in the right direction and must be welcomed by all. We must not forget that all students, irrespective of race, are children of this nation and must be equitably nurtured. The government must work towards establishing our education system based on meritocracy to benefit from its best students. ( The writer is an MIC CWC member )
PT Tan: Looks like those in charge of uplifting academic achievements cannot understand the difference between a bursary and a scholarship. Scholarships are strictly based on merit, nothing more. Meaning the best gets it, period. Bursaries are for those who need financial help to carry on their normal studies and may not necessarily be for top students only.
New Dawn for Malaysia: I agree with Ong Kian Ming and Oon Yeoh that Pakatan Rakyat will do better in a new election than in the last one. Here are some more reasons to support this argument. For the next election, BN will not be able to depend on Sabah and Sarawak as their ‘fixed deposit account’ for parliament seats. It doesn’t matter whether the politicians there switch sides. The East Malaysians will vote for a change of government. after decades of being marginalised under BN.
Don’t expect the non-Malays to stomp back to BN. They have been given a shining new hope for a government which can treat all he races fairly and the PR state governments have not disappointed. Will they trust Anwar’s promise for an end to all racist policies? Yes, they will. It is far better than gnawing at the bones that BN throws them.With the ghost of May 13 laid to rest, there is no more the racial bogeyman to frighten them into voting for the status quo. Umno’s war-mongering on Malay rights and Ketuanan Melayu will help to push them to the other side.
How the Malays vote is crucial. If the 5% Malay swing in the last election remains, it will be enough to garner Pakatan Rakyat a victory. There is no good reason for them to swing back to BN on the fragile and false premise of ‘Malay unity’ and the even more deceitful threat of losing their rights. The Malays have become too diverse to be led by one party and too sophisticated to fall for the simplistic race-mongering that the BN politicians are fond of.
However, I do agree with the writers that a snap election is unlikely. It is unlikely because BN is likely to lose big if one is held.
On Project IC: PM's cabinet committee not new, says PBS leader
Mohd Jalil Sany: Believe me, problems are like locks and keys, you can only open the locks with the right keys. If you open them with the wrong keys, you will be struggling forever. So, as Malaysians (Sabahan or non Sabahan), why are we dragging our feet on this Project M issue? You must have the willpower as well as the political power to resolve this long outstanding problem in the interest of all including the future generations. Let everybody have a clear mind (not a muddled-up one) to resolve this issue. After spending a good part of my youth in Sabah and having two Bajau grandchildren now, I really feel sorry for all of my Sabahan friends. You and other Malaysians can find a solution to this seemingly intractable problem. Don't gamble with your future.
On Roa d show on controversial draft KL plan
Hisyam Halim: As a resident of Wangsa Maju, living near Bukit Dinding (the big steep hill in front of Carrefour), I am very concerned that the hill has been designated as an urban development area right up to the peak at 279m. The biggest issue is that the designation of development on Hill Land zones contradicts the guidelines stated in the plan. I've created a blog to document my findings on the plan.
The Draft KL City Plan 2020 has defined 10 Environmental Protection Zone (EPZ) in KL which includes Bukit Gasing and Bukit Dinding. Whilst this is a welcome move especially for KL folks starved for a green environment, the land use outlined in the plan for EPZ somehow contradicts the purpose of setting of the EPZ in the first place.
There are areas designated as Residential 1 and 3 within the EPZ categories of hill land and hillside (hill land is defined as areas above 200m at Bukit Dinding and hillside as areas from foothill to 200m). This clearly contradicts the list of allowed activities in the hill land area which explicitly forbids any urban development in the area.
This does not appear to be an oversight by DBKL as other EPZ areas such as Bukit Kiara and Bukit Batu Tabur (near Desa Melawati) also have designated residential areas within the hill land zones.
On Your say: Ezam rejoins Umno
Navina: Ezam Mohd Nor, the man who could have been the MP for Shah Alam or any seat for his picking lost out when he walked out of PKR. No one bothered. Ezam started Gerak, some others followed. Here was a man speaking against corruption. He had volumes of evidence against Pak Lah’s government. He spoke up against the corrupt Umno and BN. Many supported him. He was a champion in the making.
Now, he quits Gerak and goes back to Umno on the flimsy excuse that he loves Pak Lah’s reforms. We want to puke. Worse, he now speaks ill of those whom he was with. Does he deserve any respect? None from me and my friends. He joins Nallakarupan the traitor who left PKR because he was not given a seat (Ijok) last year. What a pair. Given time, Ezam will come to regret his move.
On Dr M's dare - set up three royal panels
With Clear Conscience: Dr Mahathir can say anything he wants about royal commissions of inquiry. He can just pusing here and there to convince some with his 'logic', make some confused and make some feel'miserable and helpless etc. At the end of the day, just let rakyat and history judge whether what Mahathir did was in fact 'right' or 'wrong'.
Xroy: Why is this man - who seemed to had a complete contempt for anything concerning independent commissions - now coming and crying out loud for royal commissions against everyone else but himself? He should first clear his name before asking us to appoint royal commissions for everything else.
He is void of any shame for he is hell bent on bringing Abdullah down for his own purposes.
He is afraid of being exposed. He lied to one royal commission when he said he could not remember. Now he seems to remember everything. In fact, his calls for these various commissions seem to be an admission of his own guilt.
This man is capable of doing anything. He is desperate and he is getting himself aligned with desperate people too. Abdullah has got to first identify who is the real Trojan horse in Umno.
Peter Ooi: Dr Mahathir being cornered has fought back like a boxer. For every ‘punch’ he received, he replied with two or three. In this episode he is implicted in the Lingam tape scandal and I fully support that he should be brought to stand trial together with the infamous five. If found gulity they should be sent to jail.
At the same time, this episode reminds me of the ongoing US presidential campaign. Look at the difficulties Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have to go through in just getting to be nominated. Every aspect of their lives and history is unearthed. In other words, to be a US presidential candidate one has got to have almost an umblemished record. Only then can they act without fear or favour. Once elected, no one can challenge him on his or her past record.
Since Pak Lah had vehemently denied his involvement in scandals, he should have no fear in taking action against those in the Lingam tape affair. Failure to do so would be bowing to Mahathir's challenge. At the same time, Pak Lah has to set up a really independent inquiry to investigate his own alleged involvement in the said scandal. He has to clear his name once and for all.
On Samy Vellu: MIC is sole representative of Indians
New Malaysian: The sudden unexpected pseudo-interest in the well-being of the Indian Malaysian community by Samy Vellu is seen as a last ditch attempt to save his rotting heritage. MIC's almost total obliteration in the recent elections is a clear sign that Samy Vellu took his leadership for granted. He underestimated the Malaysian electorate, especially the Indians. Any sane human being will know that Samy Vellu is a spent force at 72 after almost 30 years in power. He has now no time, no futuristic potential, vision or mission for the Indian community. Only desperate sycophants who patronise Samy Vellu will hesitantly vouch their support for MIC and its fallen leadership.
Race-based ideologies naturally do not fit into the new world of human unity. MIC’s attempt to salvage itself is an act of futility and works against the ideals of a united global human community. MIC is suffering from a serious ideological crisis that centers around a fallacious racist philosophy. The modern human mind and knowledge do not embrace such a narrow version of human unity. Samy Vellu and his erstwhile paid supporters will never ever again capture the imagination of the new mindset of an informed citizenry let alone secure their genuine support.
The best option for Indians is to abandon this outmoded party and find other avenues. One good approach is for the good-hearted leaders to move to other multiethnic parties which can serve the Indians better and fairly.
On 'Allah': Banning not the answer, educating is
Sulaiman M Ibrahim: In Christianity, Jesus is regarded as God, Son of God and Holy Ghost. Jesus, however, is a prophet in Islam. Allah is the creator of the world. The definition of ‘Allah’ is described clearly by Surah Al Ikhlas in the Koran: ‘The One and Only One. He does not procreate and is Himself not created’. Therein lies the explanation why Christians in Malaysia must not refer to Jesus as ‘Allah’. That will be an injustice to God Almighty - Creator of the world including Jesus 0peace be upon him). That is how Muslims refer to Jesus .
His place in Islam is as a prophet who was gifted with lots of miracles. He was a very strict prophet and was known to have raised a dead man to life. It is hard to fathom why Christians in Malaysia would want to upgrade Jesus to Allah, confusing the local Muslim population whose definition of Allah is central to the concept of faith or tauhid . I hope this simple explanation would throw some light as to the meaning of ‘Allah’ for all to use.
NJ: The Catholics in Malaysia wish to use the word ‘Allah’ in their publications in the Malay language. Their main justification in asserting their right to do so is their contention that Arab Christians use this word in referring to God. That makes for funny logic. It is understandable if they are publishing their material in Arabic, but why insist on an Arabic word when publishing in Malay? Muslims all over the world pray in the Arabic language. Likewise the call to prayer throughout the world is made in the Arabic language.
In all of these ‘Allah’ is used and Muslims throughout the world use ‘Allah’ in praying to and referring to God. Do the Christians in Malaysia use ‘Allah’ in their prayers? No, they do not. So why the fuss?
