Imigresen tiada hak rampas pasport mereka yang kritik kerajaan, kata PKR

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Mei — PKR mengecam Ketua Pengarah Imigresen Datuk Alias Ahmad ekoran kenyataannya yang mengancam untuk merampas pasport mereka yang mengkritik dan memprotes kerajaan di luar negara baru-baru ini.

Pengarah Komunikasi Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (gambar) menyifatkan tindakan tersebut adalah cubaan Putrajaya untuk menghalang hak asasi seorang rakyat Malaysia disamping tidak mempunyai hak untuk memantau rakyat Malaysia yang berada di luar negara.

“Kenyataan baru-baru ini oleh Ketua Pengarah Imigresen Datuk Alias Ahmad yang mengatakan rakyat Malaysia yang memprotes dan mengkritik kerajaan Malaysia di luar negara akan ditarik balik adalah tidak mempunyai asas moral, undang-undang atau pentadbiran sekalipun,” kata Nik Nazmi dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini.

“Jabatan Imigresen tidak mempunyai hak untuk mengulas mengenai apa yang rakyat Malaysia akan lakukan di luar negara dan menggunakan kuasa kerajaan untuk menyekat hak rakyat,” tambahnya lagi.

Menurut Nik Nazmi, kenyataan oleh Alias tersebut dilihat satu lagi cubaan kerajaan untuk menekan pemimpin pembangkang khususnya selepas tangkapan besar-besaran di bawah arahan Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Zahid Hamid kebelakangan ini dibawah Akta Hasutan.

“Kenyataan Alias ini menunjukkan corak yang mengelirukan dibawah regim Zahid yang sama sekali berbeza dengan apa yang dikatakan rekonsilasi kebangsaan yang dicadangkan oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” ujarnya lagi.

Dalam perkembangan terkini, Naib Presiden PKR Nurul Izzah Anwar semalam telah dihalang memasuki negeri Sabah oleh Jabatan Imigresen, malah pemimpin Umno di Sabah tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan tersebut dan menyifatkannya sebagai suatu yang tidak munasabah.

Naib Presiden PKR Chua Tian Chang sebelum ini turut dihalang masuk ke Sabah pada April lepas.

Mahkamah rayuan kekalkan hukuman penjara 12 bulan terhadap Dr Mohamad Khir

PUTRAJAYA, 30 Mei Mahkamah Rayuan hari ini mengekalkan hukuman penjara 12 bulan terhadap bekas Menteri Besar Selangor Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo atas tuduhan mendapatkan untuk dirinya dan isteri suatu barangan berharga iaitu dua lot tanah dan sebuah banglo di Seksyen 7, Shah Alam di sini empat tahun lepas.

Mahkamah juga mengekalkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada 23 Dis 2011 lepas yang memerintahkan agar tertuduh dilucutkan hak ke atas hartanah yang dimiliki itu dan diserahkan kepada kerajaan.

Tiga panel hakim yang diketuai Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin bagaimanapun membenarkan peguam perayu Datuk Seri Mohamad Shafee Abdullah agar menangguhka pelaksanaan hukuman sementara menantikan keputusan rayuan Mahkamah Persekutuan.

Hakim Datuk Azahar Mohamed yang membacakan penghakimannya selama hampir dua jam berkata panel tiga hakim yang turut dianggotai Datuk Aziah Ali telah sebula suara berpendapat bahawa tiada sebab untuk mahkamah rayuan mengganggu dapatan fakta serta penyabitan yang dibuat oleh hakim mahkamah tinggi pada 23 Dis, 2011.

Beliau berkata setelah meneliti semua rekod rayuan, serta hujah daripada kedua-dua pihak, panel bersetuju bahawa hakim perbicaran telah membuat keputusan yang tepat dan tidak terkhilaf dalam menyabitkan Dr Mohamad Khir dengan pertuduhan itu.

Bung Mokhtar: Halau Nurul Izzah dari Sabah satu ‘kesilapan besar’

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Mei — Penghantaran pulang Naib Presiden PKR Nurul Izzah Anwar (gambar) dari Sabah semalam semasa Pesta Menuai adalah “bencana” dan “kesilapan besar”, kata ahli Parlimen (MP) Umno Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin malam tadi.

MP Penampang Darell Leiking dari PKR juga mengkritik halangan masuk MP Lembah Pantai itu ke Sabah, mengatakan ia telah mencemarkan “reputasi negeri sebagai tuan rumah”.

“Saya percaya ini adalah kesilapan besar dan perlu diperbetulkan,” kata Bung melalui akaun Twitternya @MyKinabatangan turut menyebut  akaun Twitter Nurul Izzah dan Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman semalam.

“Saya tak faham mengapa Nurul tidak dibenarkan memasuki Sabah, kalau benar ini satu kesilapan dan malapetaka,” tambah ahli majlis tertinggi Umno itu.

Nurul Izzah dinafikan masuk ke Sabah selepas mendarat di Kota Kinabalu petang semalam.

Darell mengatakan Nurul Izzah datang ke Sabah untuk menyambut Pesta Kaamatan atau Pesta Menuai atas kapasiti peribadinya.

“Mengapa rakyat Malaysia yang mahu menyambut perayaan bersama rakyat Malaysia lain terutamanya Kadazan dari Sabah dan di Sabah, sekarang menjadi sebab untuk halangan masuk?” kata Darell dalam satu kenyataan malam tadi.

Darell mengatakan kerajaan negeri Sabah mempunyai hak untuk menghalang sesiapa untuk masuk akan tetapi hak tersebut tidak seharusnya disalahgunakan.

“Saya cabar ketua menteri dan semua anggota Kabinet negeri untuk menjelaskan kepada semua rakyat Sabah dan Malaysia mengapa ini semua berlaku,” katanya.

Naib Presiden PKR Chua Tian Chang turut dihalang masuk ke Sabah pada April lepas.

Exco S'gor isytihar harta sebelum sidang DUN

Exco kerajaan Selangor ditetapkan supaya mengisytiharkan harta sebelum sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) bermula, kata Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Selain itu, beliau juga berkata, setiap penambahan aset ketika seseorang exco itu bertugas juga perlu diisytiharkan.

"Boleh (isytihar harta). Tahun lepas kita sudah ada apa yang dikatakan sebagai pengisytiharan yang mana kita akan teruskan cara yang telah kita buat dahulu. Jadi setiap penambahan aset semasa exco itu bertugas juga akan dilaporkan.

"(Ia) Termasuk exco yang lama. Exco lama dan baru," katanya dalam sidang media selepas upacara Istiadat Angkat Sumpah Jawatan Dan Aku Janji Ahli Majlis di Istana Alam Shah, Klang hari ini.

Pada 21 Mei lalu, Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) menyarankan semua wakil rakyat di Parlimen dan Dewan Undangan Negeri supaya mengisytihar aset bagi setiap tiga tahun, "bagi memastikan integriti pentadbiran kerajaan".

Pengerusi panel itu, Datuk Johan Jaafar berkata cadangan itu bagi memperkukuhkan komitmen mereka memerangi rasuah, sekaligus mengatasi keraguan tentang aset mereka dalam tempoh menjadi wakil rakyat.

Sementara itu, dalam sidang media sama, Khalid juga memberitahu, upacara angkat sumpah bagi Speaker dan Timbalan Speaker serta Ahli DUN akan diadakan pada 21 Jun depan.

Menurut Khalid lagi, pada 28 Jun pula, sidang DUN negeri yang pertama bagi penggal ini akan diadakan.

Katanya, bagi sidang pertama itu, Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah akan merasmikan persidangan tersebut.

TMJ suggests the match should be played behind closed doors

Johor Football Association’s (JFA) president, Tunku Ismail Idris (TMJ) has suggested that the FA Cup second-leg of semi-final clash between Pahang and Johor Darul Takzim (JDT), to be played at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil this Saturday, should be played without the presence of a crowd.

TMJ insisted that it is necessary to ensure both Pahang and JDT’s fans' safety after the chaotic incidents that happened at Darulmakmur Stadium on Tuesday evening.

According toBernama, TMJ said: "For the safety of the fans, let’s not have any crowd because we want to avoid any unnecessary incidents.

"The safety of the fans is more important."

TMJ also said that he will write an official later to the Football Association of Malaysia regarding his suggestion.

According to him, the incidents that took place must be solved quickly because he does not want it to ruin the image of the nation’s football.

He also added that JFA will install metal detectors at the stadium soon to ensure that no weapons can be brought inside.

DAP MP says BN welching on promise to slash car prices

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 ― DAP federal lawmaker Tony Pua drew question marks today over Putrajaya’s plan to slash car prices by 20 to 30 per cent over five years by following “market forces”, predicting this meant zero reduction until after the 14th general election.

The DAP publicity secretary said this was as good as a broken promise by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), which had pledged in its Election 2013 manifesto to revamp the National Automotive Policy (NAP) to cut prices by 20 to 30 per cent, and increase the competitiveness of national cars.

But noting the announcement yesterday by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, Pua asked how using “market forces” would deflate car prices in the next five years when it had not done so over the past two decades.

“What ‘market forces’ are we talking about when the real reasons why our car prices in Malaysia are substantially higher than that of other countries are because government taxes and protection for the inefficient local car companies,” he said in a statement here.

“In effect, the BN government is telling Malaysians that they can stop dreaming of cheaper cars over the next five years, and if car prices were to drop at all, it’ll be after the 14th general election,” he added.

Mustapa announced yesterday that the reduction of car prices by 20 to 30 per cent, as promised by BN in its manifesto, would be gradual and staggered out over the next five years until 2017.

According to a report on Malaysiakini, the minister had said that the prices would come down in accordance with market forces, adding that reduction cannot be done at once.

He was also quoted saying that slashing prices by cutting car excise duties, which was a promise offered by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in its manifesto, would have a serious affect on the automotive industry and could lead to the loss of job opportunities and the closure of businesses.

But Pua rubbished the minister’s words, pointing out that PR had not planned to slash excise duties in one go but gradually reduce it by 20 per cent annually until the tax is completely phased out in five years.

“This gradual reduction of excise duties will in effect result in approximately 4-5 per cent reduction in car prices annually.  Hence the impact on the second-hand car dealers will be very limited,” he said.

Pua also rebutted the claim that jobs would be lost, pointing out that PR had never planned on asking car companies to cut their car prices, as this would eat into their profits and subsequently affect employment.

He said the plan was to cut excise duties, which is a government-imposed tax, and this would have “zero impact” on the profits of car companies and employment.

Instead, Pua pointed out that cutting the hefty tax burden would help increase the disposable incomes of the average Malaysian and generate economic activities across other key sectors in the economy.

The parliamentarian also criticised Mustapa for attempting to scare Malaysians into thinking that cheaper cars would increase traffic and cause the need to construct more tolled highways.

“Mustapa, who is typically more rational and intelligent when compared to his Cabinet colleagues, has seriously outdone himself here,” Pua said.

“The ownership of cars in Klang Valley has already exceeded the 1:1 ratio despite the substantially higher cost of cars, is entirely because the BN government has completely neglected the public transport sector over the past 50 years.”

He pointed out that at present, Malaysians have been forced to buy cars at exorbitant prices due to protectionism policies by BN for its “crony car manufacturers”.

“We believe that this breach of a key manifesto promise by BN, prominently highlighted during the election campaign by the mainstream media will only be the first of many broken promises to come from BN,” he said.

“There is no political will to transform the current crony economy which is suffering from excessive protection, inefficiency and corruption.”

Ex-minister says disgusted by ‘I love PM’ campaign

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 ― Those responsible for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s “I Love PM” campaign should be sacked, former minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin has said as he expressed disdain for the attempt to endear the prime minister to Malaysians.

Zainuddin, or “Zam” as he is popularly known as, said the campaign that depicted Najib eating in stalls and mamak coffee shops with voters during the just-concluded polls, only showed hypocrisy as the prime minister was understandably still flanked by his personal assistants and bodyguards.

“His advisors thought that these pictures would show the elitist Najib and his aristocratic family living like regular citizens... but to the people, this is ‘extraordinary’ because they never bump into Najib in places like these.

“Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin called (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim a clown (King of Comedians would be more appropriate). To me, I call Najib an imitator,” Zam wrote in his blog Zamkata yesterday in a posting titled, “I love PM. It is disgusting”.

“His advisors have their heads in the clouds without their feet touching ground. These are the advisor who should be sacked,” he added.

Adding that he had long hid this disdain, Zam quoted from a text message that he received recently from a friend of his from the corporate world, and said it reflected his exact sentiment.

“He said, ‘On Daim’s remark, I agree fully. Najib doesn’t need to compete with Anwar and try to imitate his style. It looks awful. Please tell them to stop showing the banner ‘I Love PM’. It is disgusting. Najib Should present himself as a serious statesman not as a student leader style’,” Zam wrote, quoting from the SMS.

Continuing his critique, the former minister also appeared to question the sudden talk among Barisan Nasional’s (BN) top party leaders on the possibility of morphing into a single, multiracial party.

He noted that the country was being wracked by the opposition-led post-polls upheaval but said this did not mean that the Umno leadership should be seen in a state of panic by entertaining such suggestions at a time of turmoil.

“A serious proposal should be made when things are calm,” he said. “If you want to test ground, now is not the time.”

He also pointed to the sudden clampdown on opposition party organs, calling the move both hilarious and odd as it had only come after the reins of the Home Ministry was passed on from Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“Are they only illegal because the ministry is now under Zahid Hamidi, and was legal because it was under Hishammuddin previously... or were there ministry officials who were pro-opposition who kept an eye closed before, or was it difficult to control?” he asked.

Zam said an explanation should be given to the people so that they would not be shocked in the future if these party organs again hit the market later.

“It looks as if there are laws that can make things legal in one moment and illegal the next,” he said.

The ministry had last week carted off over thousands of copies of PAS-owned Malay newspaper Harakah as well as DAP-owned The Rocket and PKR’s Suara Keadilan from shops and several distribution centres in was seen as a crackdown on the opposition.

The nationwide raid had come following the string of arrests and court charges slapped on opposition politicians and activists who were involved in the series of post-polls events organised by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to rally support in its protest against BN’s polls victory.

BOT EKSPRES DIPENUHI PENUMPANG KARAM DI BELAGA

SIBU, 28 Mei Sebuah bot ekspres sarat dengan penumpang yang

ingin pulang untuk sambutan Hari Gawai, karam di kawasan Jeram Tukok/Jeram

Bungan, kira-kira 40 minit perjalanan dari sini, hari ini.

Sehingga kini jumlah mangsa belum disahkan dan polis masih berada di tempat

kejadian.

Ketika kejadian yang dilapor antara pukul 8.30 dan 9 pagi ini, bot berkenaan

dikatakan membawa lebih 100 penumpang yang ingin pulang untuk sambutan Pesta

Gawai Dayak hujung minggu ini.

Anggota Majlis Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan Majlis Daerah Kapit Daniel Levoh

ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata ''Bot Ekspres Bakun Mas'' itu melepasi Belaga

pada pukul 8 pagi.

Daniel berkata beliau dimaklumkan bahawa hanya seorang wanita mengandung

yang maut dalam kejadian itu.

-- LAGI

BOT-KARAM 2 (AKHIR) SIBU

Beliau berkata bot yang datang dari Bakun itu membawa penumpang yang

kebanyakannya pekerja pembalakan dan ladang kelapa sawit di kawasan itu.

"Bot itu biasanya berhenti di Belaga tetapi disebabkan telah penuh, ia

meneruskan perjalanan tanpa berhenti di Belaga," katanya.

"Ramai penumpang dilihat duduk di atas bumbung bot itu," katanya sambil

memberitahu kapasiti bot itu ialah 67 penumpang.

Sementara itu ketua penerangan Parti Rakyat Sarawak Dannny Bungan berkata

polis dan petugas Lembaga Sungai Sarawak perlu ditempatkan di kawasan-kawasan

pedalaman seperti Bakun dan Belaga untuk memantau keadaan semasa sambutan

sesuatu perayaan besar.

"Terdapat terlalu ramai pekerja dari Kapit dan kawasan-kawasan lain di

kawasan Bakun. Apabila tiba cuti panjang orang ramai akan berpusu-pusu untuk

pulang ke kampung dengan bot ekspres," katanya.

-- BERNAMA

ESS ESS SN

Mereka yang memadamkan Umno adalah ‘pengkhianat’, kata Perkasa

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Mei — Perkasa telah menggelar mereka yang cuba untuk memadamkan Umno sebagai “pengkhianat”, walaupun Barisan Nasional (BN) memikirkan untuk mengubah menjadi sebuah parti politik berbilang kaum tunggal selepas suramnya prestasi dalam Pilihan Raya 2013.

Pemangku Presiden Perkasa Datuk Abd Rahman Bakar juga mengatakan Perkasa akan “lawan sehingga ke akhirnya” terhadap penjenamaan semula parti pemerintah, yang terdiri daripada berasaskan kaum Umno, MCA, MIC dan parti-parti komponen lain, sebagai sebuah parti tunggal di negara ini majoriti Melayu.

“Siapa yang memadamkan Umno atau mengubah dari tujuan asal penubuhan Umno — mereka adalah pengkhianat Umno,” kata Abd Rahman dalam satu wawancara eksklusif bersama The Malaysian Insider.

“Umno mesti memimpin. Mereka mesti kekal seperti sedia ada,” tambah Abd Rahman.

Akan tetapi BN masih lagi akan dipimpin oleh Melayu walaupun dijadikan sebagai satu parti kerana sokongan majoriti Melayu, kata Setiausaha Agung Umno Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor kepada The Malaysian Insider.

BN hanya menang 133 daripada 222 kerusi Parlimen dalam Pilihan Raya 2013, kurang daripada 140 yang mereka menang dalam Pilihan Raya 2008, oleh kerana pengundi bandar dan kelas menengah menolak gabungan itu, membenarkan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) untuk memenangi undi popular dan mempertahankan Selangor dan Pulau Pinang — dua negeri paling maju di Malaysia.

Kali terakhir BN kehilangan undi popular adalah pada tahun 1969 apabila mereka bertanding sebagai Perikatan yang terdiri daripada parti berasaskan kaum Umno, MCA dan MIC yang mewakili komuniti Melayu, Cina dan India.

Parti tunjang BN Umno mendapat 88 daripada 133 kerusi Parlimen gabungan pemerintah itu, meningkat berbanding 79 kerusi dari 140 dimenangi BN pada Pilihan Raya 2008.

MCA walau bagaimanapun, mendapat prestasi terburuk apabila hanya menang tujuh daripada 37 kerusi Parlimen yang ditandingi dalam pilihan raya umum 5 Mei.

Abd Rahman mengatakan Perkasa akan berubah menjadi parti politik untuk memperjuangkan komuniti Melayu sekiranya Umno sudah tiada.

“Melayu sudah tidak mempunyai parti. Jadi Perkasa akan mengambil alih,” katanya.

Kumpulan lobi Melayu itu dinaungi oleh bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan mempunyai 407,000 ahli di seluruh Malaysia.

Perdana menteri dan pengerusi BN Datuk Seri Najib Razak telah mengatakan pada Ahad gabungan pemerintah itu perlu adaptasi perubahan dalam lanskap politik untuk kekal relevan, menegaskan strategi sebelum ini tidak semestinya “resipi yang sesuai untuk masa depan”.

Pemangku presiden Gerakan Datuk Chang Ko Youn mengatakan Rabu lepas BN perlu mempertimbangkan untuk menggugurkan syarat kaum untuk menyertai gabungan berkenaan, sebaliknya menerima keahlian terus tanpa berdasarkan warna kulit.

Abd Rahman juga mengatakan kempen Perkasa untuk BN dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13 telah meningkatkan sokongan Melayu untuk gabungan pemerintah itu, membangkitkan tentang peningkatan kerusi Umno.

“Ini telah diakui oleh Tun Dr Mahathir yang mengatakan Perkasa telah melaksanakan tugas dengan baik untuk memastikan Melayu kembali menyokong Barisan Nasional,” katanya.

Beliau menambah program Perkasa diseluruh negara semasa Pilihan Raya 2013 kebiasaannya menarik hadirin diantara 1,000 dan 3,000 orang.

“Ini menunjukkan Melayu menyokong kita,” kata Abd Rahman.

Beliau mengatakan Presiden Perkasa Datuk Ibrahim Ali, yang kini bercuti daripada bertugas, gagal mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen Pasir Mas dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13 kerana tidak dapat bertanding menggunakan tiket BN.

“Beliau perlu bertanding sebagai calon bebas,” kata Abd Rahman.

“Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin telah mengatakan ‘jangan undi calon bebas’. Bagi orang Umno di Pasir Mas, mereka jadi keliru jika tidak menyokong calon bebas,” tambah beliau merujuk kepada timbalan perdana menteri dan timbalan pengerusi BN.

Ibrahim kalah dalam perlawanan satu lawan satu di Pasir Mas melawan Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz lebih 8,000 undi. Calon BN tidak menyerahkan borang pencalonannya, langkah dilihat sebagai sokongan secara tidak langsung BN kepada Perkasa yang kontroversi.

Abd Rahman juga mengatakan Naib Presiden Perkasa Datuk Zulkifli Noordin gagal untuk merampas Shah Alam daripada penyandang Khalid Samad dari PAS kerana Zulkifli tidak mempunyai cukup masa untuk bekerja di kawasan pilihan raya itu kerana pencalonannya diumumkan beberapa hari sebelum Hari Penamaan Calon.

Beliau menegaskan Perkasa masih lagi “relevan”, mengatakan kekalahan Ibrahim dan Zulkifli tidak menunjukkan penolakkan terhadap kumpulan pelobi Melayu itu.

Beliau juga mengatakan negeri BN seharusnya menjadikan sekolah pondok Islam sebagai sekolah agama seperti di Johor.

“Pelajar Melayu harus diberikan sekolah agama,” kata Abd Rahman dan menambah pengajian agama boleh diadakan pada sebelah petang.

Anwar Ribuan laporan setakat ini terhadap pertikaian dakwat kekal

PETALING JAYA, 27 Mei — Ribuan orang ramai membanjiri balai polis seluruh negara untuk membuat laporan terhadap kegagalan dakwat kekal, ia bukti orang ramai menyahut gesaan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) bagi membuktikan penipuan pada Pilihan Raya 2013, kata Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini, .

Ketua Umum PKR tersebut bersama isteri  Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang juga membuat laporan sama di balai polis Tropicana berkata laporan tersebut adalah bukti wujudnya manipulasi oleh pihak berkuasa ke atas keputusan pilihan raya 5 Mei lalu.

“Kami mempunyai ribuan laporan setakat ini... Saya tidak mempunyai angka rasmi, tapi hari ini saya dimaklumkan seluruh negara telah membuat laporan rasmi,” kata Anwar dalam sidang media disini.

Dalam perhimpunan besar-besaran Sabtu lalu yang dianjurkan oleh pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), Anwar telah telah menggesa orang awam untuk membuat laporan polis jika mereka berhadapan dengan insiden dakwat kekal tanggal daripada jari mereka sebaik mengundi pada 5 Mei lalu.

Beliau berkata orang ramai boleh melakukannya bermula Ahad hingga Isnin ini dan menghantar salinan kepada PR.

“Ini bagi menunjukkan kuasa dan tekad orang ramai. Kami cabar kamu menerusi proses yang ditetapkan. Kami juga menghormati undang-undang negara,” kata Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh itu.

Beliau berkata PR mahu membentangkan sejumlah besar laporan polis oleh orang ramai ke atas Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) yang didakwanya menipu di dalam kamar mahkamah.

PR akan melakukan petisyen untuk mencabar pelaksanaan pilihan raya dan keputusan di lebih daripada 25 kerusi Parlimen, langkah yang perlu dilakukan dalam 21 hari selepas keputusan pilihan raya digazetkan pada 22 Mei.

Anwar juga menggesa rakyat menyokong langkah Bersih untuk mengadakan “Tribunal Rakyat”, inisiatif yang akan digunakan bagi menyiasat dakwaan orang ramai terdapat penipuan pilihan raya.

Walaupun SPR mengatakan Tribunal Rakyat tidak sah disisi undang-undang, Anwar mengatakan ianya mempunyai legitimasi.

Barisan Nasional (BN) mempertahankan kuasa dalam pilihan raya 5 Mei dengan hanya 133 kerusi Parlimen, lebih 21 daripada syarat  112 kerusi Parlimen untuk menang majoriti mudah.

Walaubagaimanapun, kemenangan BN kali ini lebih kecil di Parlimen sejak negara Merdeka pada 1957.

Pembangkang PR enggan menerima kekalahan tersebut, sebaliknya mempertahankannya dengan kemenangan undi popular sebanyak 51 peratus berbanding BN 48 peratus — keputusan sama yang diperoleh pemerintah pada 1969 selepas kehilangan undi popular.

PR juga akan memfailkan petisyen pilihan raya untuk mencabar keputusan di dalam 27 kerusi Parlimen di mana BN menang dengan  majoriti kecil, yang didakwa mereka hasil penipuan semasa pilihan raya.

Walaupun tedapat bantahan besar ke atas pengendalian PRU13, SPR menegaskan mereka telah menjalankan pilihan raya secara adil  dan berjaya, serta memberikan jumlah tinggi yang keluar mengundi sebanyak 84.84 peratus sebagai bukti keyakinan terhadap  sistem pilihan raya di Malaysia.

BN sebagai satu parti masih akan dipimpin Melayu, kata Ku Nan

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Mei — Barisan Nasional (BN) masih lagi akan dipimpin oleh Melayu walaupun dijadikan sebagai satu parti kerana sokongan majoriti Melayu, kata Setiausaha Agung Umno Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Perdana menteri dan pengerusi BN Datuk Seri Najib Razak telah mengatakan pada Ahad gabungan pemerintah itu perlu adaptasi perubahan dalam lanskap politik untuk kekal relevan, menegaskan strategi sebelum ini tidak semestinya “resipi yang sesuai untuk masa depan.”

“Secara logiknya, melihat kepada struktur masyarakat, secara logiknya, sukar untuk sesiapapun untuk memimpin parti jika bukan Bumiputera,” kata Tengku Adnan kepada The Malaysian Insidersemalam.

“Mungkin kita boleh mempunyai satu presiden, dua atau tiga timbalan presiden. Ini adalah perkara yang sedang kita fikirkan,” tambah beliau.

Pemangku presiden Gerakan Datuk Chang Ko Youn mengatakan BN perlu mempertimbangkan untuk menggugurkan syarat kaum untuk menyertai gabungan berkenaan, sebaliknya menerima keahlian terus tanpa berdasarkan warna kulit.

“Sebagai parti tunggal BN, jika ia dilaksanakan, kita mungkin boleh tarik undi kumpulan muda,” katanya, dan menambah, BN perlukan imej dan model baru dalam politik.

BN hanya menang 133 daripada 222 kerusi Parlimen dalam Pilihan Raya 2013, kurang daripada 140 yang mereka menang dalam Pilihan Raya 2008, oleh kerana pengundi bandar dan kelas menengah menolak gabungan itu, membenarkan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) untuk memenangi undi popular dan mempertahankan Selangor dan Pulau Pinang — dua negeri paling maju di Malaysia.

Kali terakhir BN kehilangan undi popular adalah pada tahun 1969 apabila mereka bertanding sebagai Perikatan yang terdiri daripada parti berasaskan kaum Umno, MCA dan MIC yang mewakili komuniti Melayu, Cina dan India dalam negara majoriti Melayu.

Pengasas Umno Datuk Onn Jaafar telah menggesa agar keahlian parti itu dibuka kepada semua rakyat Malaysia dan Umno dinamakan semula sebagai “United Malayan National Organisation” dalam percubaan untuk menamatkan politik berasaskan kaum.

Walau bagaimanapun, kebanyakkan ahli Umno menolak idea Onn dan oleh kerana marah dengan perkara itu, beliau meletakkan jawatan sebagai presiden parti. Parti Perikatan kemudiannya ditubuhkan pada tahun 1952.

Pengarah Strategi MIC S. Vell Paari mengatakan semalam sudah sampai masanya untuk bergerak dari pengasingan kaum dan ketidaksamaan.

“Politik komunal telah berakhir,” kata Vell Paari kepada The Malaysian Insider.

“Mungkin sudah sampai masanya untuk menambah jumlah timbalan perdana menteri — mungkin beri satu ke Sabah, satu untuk India, satu untuk Cina. Hampir kesemua jawatan tertinggi BN didominasi oleh satu parti,” tambah beliau, merujuk kepada Umno.

Pengerusi BN dan timbalan pengerusi, Najib dan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, yang juga perdana menteri dan timbalan perdana menteri datang dari Umno.

Vell Paari mengatakan satu parti BN akan menjamin tiada komuniti akan ketinggalan dalam pembangunan negara, tetapi menegaskan semua komuniti perlu mempunyai suara yang sama dalam parti berbanding “sindrom abang besar, adik kecil” sekarang.

Apabila ditanya adakah bukan Melayu boleh memimpin BN dan menjadi perdana menteri, beliau mengatakan: “Dalam 15 tahun akan datang, siapa tahu?”

“Tiada siapa yang memikirkan rakyat Amerika berketurunan Afrika boleh menjadi presiden Amerika,” kata Vell Paari merujuk kepada Barack Obama.

Ketua Pemuda MCA Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong mengatakan “sudah sampai masanya untuk mencuba kemungkinan” satu parti berbilang kaum BN tetapi menambah, secara umumnya, rakyat Malaysia masih lagi berfikir dalam rangka kaum.

“Anda harus mempunyai ideologi bersama jika mahu semua kaum bersama. Apa cara sekalipun, lakukannya. Sama ada anda akan mempunyai 100 peratus yang berfikir di luar rangka kaum, saya tidak pasti,” kata Wee kepada The Malaysian Insider.

“Anda boleh katakan ini masalah rakyat Malaysia,” tambah beliau.

Warga Pakistan dakwa pernah mengundi dua kali

Seorang warga Pakitstan yang memperolehi kad pengenalan Malaysia dengan cara yang diragui mendakwa beliau pernah mengundi sebanyak dua kali dalam pilihan raya umum dan namanya masih kekal dalam daftar pemilih.

Abdul Latif Jumaani, yang menerima kad pengenalan pada 1992 di sebuah restoran di Kota Kinabalu, mendakwa beliau pernah mengundi pada kali pertama di Ampang, Selangor dan kemudiannya di Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.

"Saya mahu mengundi sekali lagi dalam pilihan raya umum (ke-13) memandangkan nama saya masih wujud dalam daftar pemilih, namun saya tiada dokumen untuk pergi ke semenanjung," katanya dalam siasatan suruhanjaya diraja mengenai pendatang asing Sabah.

Katanya, beliau dimaklumkan "empat atau lima bulan lalu" oleh Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara bahawa kad pengenalannya telah dibatalkan.

Zahid, IGP dragging Malaysia back into ‘dark’ Mahathir era, says PAS VP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 ― Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar are dragging Malaysia back into the “dark era” of the Mahathir administration by clamping down on dissenters, a PAS leader said today.

PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub told HarakahDaily the duo’s action against the opposition and the spates of arrests under the repressive Sedition Act were reminiscent of the authoritarian rule of then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“While (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak will be remembered as the first prime minister for a minority government, Zahid and Khalid on the other hand will be remembered as two figures who are dragging Malaysia back into the dark era of Dr Mahathir,” the PAS organ quoted him as saying.

Last week, two Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and two activists were arrested for sedition while the Home Ministry also carted off over 1,000 copies of PAS organ Harakah from shops and several distribution centres in what was seen as a crackdown on the opposition.

Student Adam Adli was the first to be detained while PKR’s Batu MP Chua Tian Chang, activist Haris Ibrahim and PAS’s Datuk Thamrin Ghafar Baba were arrested a few days after.

Several PR leaders are also under police investigation for their involvement in a series of rallies held nationwide to protest what they allege to be electoral fraud during Election 2013.

“When I spoke last Wednesday before supporters who were protesting the arrest of Adam Adli, I told them Adam should not have been arrested. He was harmless, he did not carry weapons, burn houses or instigated people to do things that threaten public security.

“So did Thamrin, Tian Chua and Haris. They did not ask anyone to carry out an armed insurrection,” the former Kubang Kerian lawmaker said.

Adam Adli was charged with uttering a seditious statement at a May 13 forum where he allegedly questioned the results of Election 2013 and called on Malaysians to take to the streets to boot Barisan Nasional (BN) from Putrajaya.

According to charge sheet, his words had a seditious tendency and were aimed at rallying Malaysians to change the current government through undemocratic means.

His statement, originally issued in Malay, said: “Take my details, lodge a police report, because today, I would like to invite all those here today to gather and take to the streets to seize back our power! Can we do that? Can we do that? Can we do that? We do not have much time left, get ready, buy shoes, buy tracksuits, buy jeans, get ready to take to the streets because in a third world country like Malaysia, elections cannot topple a government.

“Only the people’s power can topple a government. Remember, ladies and gentlemen, this is the only opportunity we have.”

Charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948, the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris undergraduate faces a jail term of not less three years, or a fine of up to RM5,000 or both, if convicted.

Authorities have not charge the three PR leaders but their arrests are believed to be in relation to the same forum.

Leaders from the opposition bloc have blamed the clamp down on Zahid and Abdul Khalid, whom they accused of being more interested in political manoeuvring than doing their job to curb rising crime.

Salahuddin echoed the view and asked why Abdul Khalid was ardently “victimising” PR leaders.

“While his own sister was robbed and the sibling of the deputy prime minister’s house was broken into, Khalid should be focusing on tackling crime and not do other things to please the Umno warlords,” he said.

Salahuddin insisted that the allegation of PR-backed plot to topple the government through street demonstrations was fictitious and created to justify the clampdown on a strengthening opposition.

Najib never signed pre-polls peace deal, reveals Anwar

PETALING JAYA, May 27 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed today that Datuk Seri Najib Razak never signed the peace deal brokered by former Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla before Election 2013, and only offered a verbal agreement to play fair and respect the polls results.

He said that unlike himself, the prime minister had “no courage” to sign the deal, which was physically inked shortly before Nomination Day on April 20.

“Well, Najib said he agreed, that he is a man of honour but he dare not,” Anwar told a press conference here.

“As usual, the prime minister has no courage even to sign what he agreed.”

Anwar added that the absence of Najib’s signature on the deal automatically freed him from its bounds, even if opposition leader maintained that it was his opponent who reneged on his commitment.

“Of course I’m not (legally bound). Firstly, there was no contract. Secondly, the parameters (of the contract) were never executed.

“And now you (Najib) want to say, ‘you’ve lost the elections, please accept, ya,’” Anwar said.

He explained that the agreement had first been verbal but upon his insistence, Jusuf crafted a written deal to formalise the matter.

Anwar said he had asked to sign the deal as he had not wanted “to be like Najib” by offering assurances that he would not honour later.

“If I agree on ethical standards, I will sign it. If I agree on free and fair elections, I will sign it. I agree on peaceful transition and also, no malice (post-polls) in the spirit of reconciliation.

“I was prepared to sign it and I signed it. Alone. Because Najib did not,” he said.

According to Anwar, Najib had said “No” to signing the deal that Jusuf put forth for unconfirmed reasons.

“He said people may think this and that... whatever. I said, no. To me, if you talk about ethical standards and free elections, I am prepared to sign it... and I did,” he said.

Digital magazine The Edge Review first broke the story of meetings between Jusuf and both Najib and Anwar on April 19, saying in its report that the Indonesian leader had advised both men to ensure the polls process is peaceful.

Details of the agreement brokered by Jusuf were revealed by the Wall Street Journal last Saturday in a report quoting the leader as accusing Anwar of reneging on the pre-polls peace treaty.

According to the WSJ, the deal had stipulated that both sides accept the outcome of the polls peacefully without contest, regardless of who wins.

But insisting on the inaccuracy of the claim here, Anwar reminded that the agreement to accept the polls results had been contingent on several key prerequisites, including a promise to ensure ethical standards during campaigning and fair access to the media.

None of these had been adhered to by Najib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) during the polls, the Permatang Pauh MP said, leading to his and Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) refusal to accept defeat.

“Number one... unless someone here can tell me that the media was free and fair, and ethical standards were observed?

“Number two, that the process was free and fair?

“The entire discourse now is about fraud and mass rigging,” Anwar said. “So why then, do you say about reneging the agreement?”.

Election 2013 saw the ruling BN returned to power with 133 federal seats to PR’s 89 seats despite losing the popular vote by scoring just 48 per cent to PR’s 51 per cent.

PR leaders have maintained that Election 2013 was fraught with irregularities, starting from the use of an indelible ink that was not indelible to discrepancies in the voter roll and outright cheating on polling day itself through the alleged use of phantom voters and electricity blackouts.

Speaking during a youth rally in Putrajaya, Najib appeared to label Anwar “unprincipled” for allegedly failing to keep to his end of the agreement brokered by Jusuf simply because the polls results had not been to his favour.

“He reneged on a promise,” he said. “This is not our way, we must have principles... in any matter, we must have principles, follow the rules.”

Lajim Ukin’s son charged with graft

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The son of former Umno leader Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin was today charged with alleged corruption for using forged documents to win a government tender to build roads in Sembrong, Johor.

Nizam Lajim, 31, is accused of committing the offence on August 8, 2012, where he was said to have used a forged recommendation letter signed by then Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal to acquire the project.

The letter purportedly stated the minister’s approval for the road work to be given to several companies allegedly linked to him.

Nizam was charged under section 471 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum two-year jail term or a fine or both.

The 31 year-old claimed trial and the management case has been set for June 25. He was released on RM50,000 bail with one guarantor.

Lajim, a former deputy minister who defected from ruling party Umno to form pro-opposition Pakatan Perubahan Sabah late last year, was present in court when the charge was read out to his son.

When approached, the ex-Umno supreme council member refused to comment.

MORE TO COME

Dr M: BN will support Najib due to lack of alternative

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Barisan Nasional (BN) has no choice but to throw its weight behind Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who will likely survive his second term as prime minister due to a lack of alternative, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said.

Dr Mahathir made the remark in a report on international business wire Bloomberg yesterday, appearing again to bat for Team Najib at a time when the beleaguered prime minister is struggling to revive a wounded BN.

“I think the party will support him because of a lack of an alternative,” the 87-year-old Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying in Tokyo during a speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

Najib led BN back to power in Election 2013 but the once all-powerful ruling pact bled at the ballot boxes, failing in its bid to win back the country’s richest and most industrialised state of Selangor and recapture the coveted two-thirds parliamentary majority it first lost in the 2008 polls.

Dr Mahathir’s remarks are notable as it had been his camp that was baying for the exclusion of a few key Umno leaders from the present Cabinet including Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.

Furthermore, despite having extended BN’s rule, Najib has to come to terms with the pact’s even greater loss of support from the Chinese and the urban middle to upper class, which had created an even more divided Malaysia.

He was the first to coin the term “Chinese tsunami” when characterising BN’s losses, earning widespread insult later for purportedly pitting the Chinese against the Malays.

In its report, Bloomberg agreed to the sensitivities surrounding the topic, reminding of the 1969 race riots that saw hundreds killed.

But this “Chinese tsunami” description later became a recurring theme for Umno-owned media, leading to Utusan Malaysia’s banner headline “Apa lagi Cina Mau?”

The Umno-owned daily has also been defensive about its stance against the Chinese community, gathering a number of little-known groups and Malay activists to defend and run down critics, including AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani.

Quoting Dr Mahathir, Bloomberg wrote that the Electon 2013 results had shown that Malaysia has become more divided than unified.

“We are still striving to bring the races together,” he was quoted saying, adding that that it was because of this “racial polarisation” that Najib could not get the Chinese votes.

The business wire added that as the margin of victory for BN this time had been even lower than the 2008 election, which later led to the stepping down of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib could face a leadership challenge when Umno holds its assembly later this year.

“Deputy Prime Minister (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin Yassin is potentially next in line,” Bloomberg said.

The mood in Putrajaya post polls has been one of despondency with incessant talk of the alleged betrayal by Chinese and non-Malay voters the key topic among BN leaders, even as Najib rally support for his leadership.

Many believe that these leaders should stop thinking or talking so, because it poisons the post-election discourse. In coffee-shops and boardrooms, the chattering classes say such talk will further split a country already divided by class and income.

Several snap analyses had shown that most of the voters cast their ballots largely marked by national issues, location, income levels, age groups rather than the simplistic view that a “Chinese Tsunami” further eroded BN’s support.

“There are leaders who are in a group think mode, amplifying among themselves that the Chinese betrayed BN, not the other races. They still think in terms of race,” said a politician returning from the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya.

A quick survey showed that apart from losing the Chinese vote, BN also lost a fair number of Malay votes in its bastion and birthplace Johor, Kelantan, Selangor and Terengganu.

Several pollsters agreed, saying they were waiting for detailed results to work out support by each community or by class, location and age group. “The results are spotty right now but there has been gains and losses in terms of votes by any particular community,” said a pollster.

Independent online research house PoliTweet.org pointed out that PR won in 59 mixed-race federal seats, almost double its 30 wins in Chinese-majority seats in Election 2013, debunking BN’s claim of a “Chinese Tsunami”.

Politweet also said the ruling BN gained most of its votes from rural federal seats while PR increased its support from urban and semi-urban areas in the South-east Asian nation chasing developed nation status by 2020.

“BN represents the rural majority and can retain power with rural and semi-urban seats alone. This election highlighted PR’s weak areas which are rural seats, Bumiputra Sabah majority and Bumiputra Sarawak majority seats,” said the report, which can be found on PoliTweet’s official blog.

Election commissioners should quit over indelible ink fiasco, rally told

PETALING JAYA, May 25 — The entire Election Commission (EC) must resign for failing to ensure the indelible ink worked in the May 5 general elections, several speakers said at a rally here tonight.

Bersih co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and PKR strategy chief Rafizl Ramli led the calls for the entire EC to step down after complaints about the  indelible ink, introduced in Election 2013 to prevent double voting, could be easily washed off.

“On that ground, any Election Commission worth its salt would have resigned in embarassment over dakwat kekal (indelible ink),” said Ambiga, who is also a senior lawyer, told a crowd at the rally in Dataran Petaling Jaya here.

Speakers throughout the night had also spoke on alleged fraud by the EC, leading the crowd in chants to “Pecat SPR” (Fire EC) and “SPR tipu” (EC cheats). The EC has denied these claims, which have yet to be proven in court.

Thousands crowded the Dataran Petaling Jaya field for the rally against alleged electoral fraud, an NGO-organised affair that appearsto be a continuation of a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) roadshow that began two weeks ago. There was a light drizzle but many brought umbrellas as they listened to the speakers.

Despite police remarks that the gathering known as “Himpunan SuaraRakyat505” was illegal, the crowd turned up clad in black to symbolise their protest.

Mobile food stalls on the edge of the field did a brisk trade, catering to the crowd listening to a number of speakers who began from late evening. Among those scheduled to appear are opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang.

Two of the speakers at tonight’s rally made their first public speeches after being investigated recently under the Sedition Act 1948 for their allegedly seditious remarks on the polls results

The two were PKR Batu MP Chua Tian Chang and activist Haris Ibrahim — who were released from the police lock-up yesterday after a magistrate refused an application to extend their remand. The other was PAS’s Tamrin Ghafar.

The last of the four — student leader Adam Adli — was charged under the Sedition Act on Thursday after his arrest last Saturday, but has since been released on bail.

Crowd packs PJ field to rally against electoral fraud

PETALING JAYA, May 25 — Thousands are crowding the Dataran Petaling Jaya field here to rally against alleged electoral fraud in the May 5 general elections, part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) roadshow that began two weeks ago.

Despite police's remarks that the gathering was illegal, the crowd turned up clad in black to symbolise their protest.

Mobile food stalls on the edge of the field did a brisk trade, catering to the crowd listening to a number of speakers who began from late evening. Among those scheduled to appear are opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang.

Four of the speakers tonight will be making their first public speeches after being investigated recently under the Sedition Act 1948 for their allegedly seditious remarks on the polls results.

Three of them — PKR's Chua Tian Chang, PAS's Tamrin Ghafar, activist Haris Ibrahim — were released from the police lock-up yesterday after a magistrate refused an application to extend their remand.

The last of the four — student leader Adam Adli — was charged under the Sedition Act on Thursday after his arrest last Saturday, but has since been released on bail.

MORE TO COME

BN sebagai parti tunggal, Umno sudah sampai di jalan mati, kata Nik Aziz

SHAH ALAM, 25 Mei — Tindakan Timbalan Presiden Umno Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menyambut baik cadangan untuk menjadikan Barisan Nasional (BN) sebagai parti tunggal menunjukkan Umno sudah sampai di jalan mati, kata Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. 

Menurut Mursyidul Am PAS itu lagi, keputusan Pilihan Raya 2013 menunjukkan walaupun Umno menang besar, parti itu hanya disokong oleh orang-orang Melayu di luar bandar. 

“Ini menandakan bahawa Umno sendiri mula sedar perjuangan berasaskan bangsa sudah tidak relevan lagi di Malaysia,” kata Nik Aziz dalam satu kenyataan hari ini. 

“Sekalipun Umno menang di kebanyakan kerusi yang ditandingi, tetapi kemerosotan BN di Parlimen membuktikan bahawa Umno hanya disokong oleh orang-orang Melayu yang berada di luar bandar. Golongan inilah yang masih termakan umpan Umno sehingga tertelan dengan mata kail,” tambah beliau lagi. 

Semalam agensi berita nasional Bernama melaporkan Muhyiddin sebagai berkata cadangan untuk menjadikan BN sebagai parti tunggal adalah rasional dan perlu dikaji secara mendalam untuk kesinambungan sokongan rakyat pada masa depan. 

Menurut timbalan perdana menteri itu cadangan besar dan penting bagi memastikan BN kekal relevan itu perlu difikirkan segera oleh setiap parti komponen dan dijawab dalam tempoh terdekat jika mengambil kira keputusan pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) yang lepas. 

Nik Aziz (gambar) turut menyelar Umno yang dikatakan gagal mewujudkan demokrasi sebenar di Malaysia. 

“Begitu juga dengan demokrasi, pun dinafikan oleh Umno. 

“Ketelusan di dalam pilihan raya, kebebasan bersuara dan akses kepada media yang sepatutnya menjadi inti utama kepada demokrasi pun tidak wujud di Malaysia,” katanya. 

Dua hari lalu, ahli Parlimen Batu PKR Chua Tian Chang, ahli PAS Tamrin Ghafar dan aktivis Haris Ibrahim ditahan kerana menghasut dan di bawa ke balai polis Jinjang untuk disoal siasat dan penahanan, difahamkan penahanan tersebut dilakukan dibawah seksyen 4(1)(c) Akta Hasutan dan seksyen 124 Kanun Keseksaan. 

Ketiga-tiga dibebaskan semalam oleh kerana Majistret tidak membenarkan polis mendapatkan perintah reman. 

Ketiga-tiga dipercayai ditahan kerana pengelibatan dalam sebuah forum pada 13 Mei terhadap keputusan pilihan raya umum lalu. 

Individu pertama yang ditahan akibat forum itu dan didakwa kerana menghasut adalah aktivis mahasiswa, Adam Adli Abdul Halim di kompleks mahkamah Jalan Duta pagi Khamis. 

Lelaki berumur 24 tahun itu mengaku tidak bersalah dan dibebaskan dengan ikat jamin RM5,000 dan perbicaraannya ditetapkan bermula pada 2 Julai. 

Menurut Nik Aziz lagi, beliau bukanlah bersikap anti Melayu akan tetapi anti kepada tindakan hipokrit Umno melakukan penindasan kepada Melayu Kelantan selama berdekad-dekas semenjak negeri itu mula diperintah oleh PAS pada tahun 1990. 

“Dalam nampak bersungguh membela Melayu, Melayu Kelantan ditindas lebih dua dekad hanya kerana memilih PAS di dalam pilihanraya. 

“Royalti dinafikan, projek lebuhraya dicabut, peruntukan perumahan entah kemana dan banyak lagi senarai kezaliman Umno kepada Melayu Kelantan,” kata bekas menteri besar Kelantan itu. 

Dalam satu sidang media awal minggu ini, pemangku Presiden Gerakan Datuk Chang Ko Youn mengatakan BN perlu mempertimbangkan untuk menggugurkan syarat kaum untuk menyertai gabungan berkenaan, sebaliknya menerima keahlian terus tanpa berdasarkan warna kulit. 

Cadangan dari parti komponen BN itu dilihat sebagai langkah radikal selepas kalah teruk dalam Pilihan Raya 2013. 

“Saya merayu kepada semua parti komponen seperti Umno, MCA, dan MIC untuk gugurkan keahlian berdasarkan kaum,” kata Chang.

Anwar broke treaty with Najib by protesting polls results, reveals WSJ

BY CLARA CHOOI
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 ― Former Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla has accused Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of reneging on a peace deal to respect the outcome of Election 2013 that he brokered between the opposition leader and Datuk Seri Najib Razak in April.

The Wall Street Journal reported today interviews with all three parties confirming the secret peace deal, and quoted Jusuf as claiming that he had phoned Anwar a day after the May 5 polls and urged the opposition leader to respect the commitment and “look at reality”.

“We had a commitment,” Jusuf was quoted as saying. “But they said, ‘No, no, no, no.’ ‘‘

The renowned international newspaper said that Anwar admitted to making the pact but told the WSJ that his opponents had nullified the deal by the way they ran their campaign.

“How can you talk reconciliation when you demonise your opponent in this manner?” Anwar was quoted as saying.

The WSJ wrote that it was Anwar who had approached Jusuf on the agreement two months ago, seeking the latter’s help in securing his opponent’s commitment for a peaceful election outcome.

The deal — that both sides refrain from personal attacks during campaigns and to accept the outcome of the polls — was subsequently made in April.

The two rivals had apparently rejected a clause in the accord to offer the loser a role in a “reconciliation government”, the WSJ wrote.

An adviser to Najib reportedly confirmed the deal, telling the WSJ that Anwar had sought Jusuf’s assistance to secure a mutual agreement to accept the results of the polls peacefully, regardless which way it goes and even in the event of a slim majority.

“The prime minister reiterated privately to Jusuf Kalla and in public before the election that BN would respect the will of the people and accept the election results, even if the opposition wins,” the paper quoted the aide as saying.

But Anwar’s version of the events surrounding the peace deal appeared to differ.

Quoting Anwar, the WSJ wrote that it was Jusuf who reached out to offer his assistance in ensuring an orderly outcome to the polls.

“There were many friends around the region who were concerned about the transition of power and whether it would be peaceful,” Anwar reportedly said.

According to the paper, Jusuf is known for his role in brokering peace deals during his term as vice-president from 2004 to 2009, having done so in Thailand and Sri Lanka to help resolve conflicts across the Indonesian archipelago.

In the May 5 polls, Najib and the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) was returned to power in Putrajaya after a heated contest that saw Anwar’s Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win the popular vote but lose the polls.

A dissatisfied Anwar and PR have been staging mammoth rallies across the country since the close of the election, insisting that the election had been stolen from them through fraud and widespread cheating.

During one of his rally speeches, Anwar vowed never to surrender until PR claims its rightful place at the helm of Putrajaya.

The 65-year-old Anwar also appears to have put his plans for retirement on hold, and seems determined to fight on.

PR’s point of contention was the popular vote, which saw BN scoring just under 48 per cent of the total number of votes cast and PR scoring the majority at 51 per cent.

But the uneven dispersal of votes across various constituencies, which PR has labelled gerrymandering by the BN, had cost them the election as it only snapped up 89 seats to BN’s 133 seats in the 222-seat Parliament despite winning the popular vote.

Apart from the “Black 505” rallies, which have drawn mammoth turnouts all around, PR is also filing formal petitions against the results in 27 constituencies.

But the WSJ noted that Anwar believed these challenges were unlikely to turn the polls back in favour of his PR.

It added that although Anwar had accused the Najib camp of undermining his campaign with personal attacks, Jusuf did not join the opposition leader in the criticism.

Instead, the Indonesian leader said he felt both sides had met their commitment to refrain from personal attacks during the campaign.

But Jusuf said he fears that a prolonged dispute over the polls results between Anwar and Najib’s camp would only harden existing divisions among factions in Muslim groups and the Chinese and possibly lead to violence.

CADANGAN JADIKAN BN PARTI TUNGGAL ADALAH RASIONAL DAN PERLU DIKAJI - MUHYIDDIN

PHUKET, 24 Mei (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata cadangan untuk

menjadikan Barisan Nasional (BN) sebagai parti tunggal adalah rasional dan perlu

dikaji secara mendalam untuk kesinambungan sokongan rakyat pada masa depan.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri hari ini berkata cadangan besar dan penting bagi

memastikan BN kekal relevan itu perlu difikirkan segera oleh setiap parti

komponen dan dijawab dalam tempoh terdekat jika mengambil kira keputusan pada

Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) yang lepas.

“Selepas mengambil kira apa yang berlaku dalam PRU lepas kalangan pimpinan

BN melontarkan pandangan apakah wajar BN dilihat semula kerana kerjasama yang

wujud sekarang ialah penggabungan 13 parti yang menjadi komponen BN dengan

setiap parti mempunyai perlembagaan sendiri dan cuma bergabung atas nama BN.

“Ada yang berpendapat mungkinkah sudah sampai masa bahawa penggabungan itu

dapat dibentuk dalam satu situasi yang lebih mantap iaitu BN sebagai sebuah

parti politik, bukan lagi gabungan pelbagai parti politik,” katanya mengulas

cadangan parti Gerakan yang mahu BN bersifat parti tunggal seperti mana yang

dinyatakan pemangku presidennya Datuk Chang Ko Youn dua hari lepas.

Bercakap kepada pemberita di sini, Muhyiddin berkata cadangan itu mempunyai

asas tetapi menuntut setiap parti melakukan kajian mendalam dengan mendapatkan

maklum balas dan pandangan anggota parti masing-masing kerana ia melibatkan soal

organisasi dan struktur penubuhannya.

-- LAGI

MUHYIDDIN-MAKMAL 2 PHUKET

Beliau berkata walaupun cadangan itu mungkin berdepan tentangan tetapi yang

penting setiap anggota parti perlu melihat ke depan dan jika merasakan ia wajar

dilakukan, satu mekanisme pelaksanaan yang boleh diterima semua anggota parti

yang bergabung dalam BN perlu dikemukakan segera.

"Ini adalah lebih dari soal bermuhasabah, kita kena lihat sendiri struktur

BN yang sedia ada bahawa apakah sudah sampai ketikanya sebuah parti yang

dinamakan BN dibentuk, bukan lagi dalam bentuk gabungan parti-parti komponen BN

tetapi BN sebagai sebuah parti politik," katanya.

Sehubungan itu beliau mencadangkan sebuah makmal politik diadakan bagi

mencerna idea tentang format baru BN seperti yang dicadangkan di mana semua

pihak, termasuk kalangan bukan anggota parti yang mengambil berat mengenai masa

depan negara dan ingin memberi sumbangan turut dilibatkan.

“Bagi saya itu sesuatu yang agak besar tetapi saya juga berpendapat ia

penting kerana saya tidak tahu sama ada kita boleh kekalkan kedudukan sebegini

untuk tempoh lima tahun mendatang tetapi yang pasti persoalan ini perlu dijawab

dalam tempoh yang terdekat dan kalau ia wajar, bagaimana hal itu hendak

dilaksanakan.

“Ini perlu difikirkan untuk tempoh beberapa bulan dan setahun ke hadapan,

kalau sudah dianggap boleh selepas makmal itu dibuat mungkin boleh panggil satu

konvensyen maka pemimpin BN boleh duduk bersama bagi membincangkan hala tuju dan

survival parti di masa depan,” katanya.

-- LAGI

MUHYIDDIN-MAKMAL 3 (AKHIR) PHUKET

Ditanya apakah beliau akan membawa cadangan penubuhan makmal itu ke

peringkat lebih tinggi, Muhyiddin berkata: “di peringkat BN saya pun telah

beritahu kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mungkin satu daripada

perkara yang kita akan teliti ialah struktur BN itu sendiri, bukan lagi sekadar

kosmetik tetapi secara serius bagaimana ia harus berubah dari yang lama kepada

struktur baharu yang lebih ke hadapan.

Beliau berkata cadangan itu mengambil kira perubahan pemikiran masyarakat,

pengundi dan generasi muda yang sebahagiannya tidak mahu melihat parti yang

dikatakan dibentuk berasaskan kaum.

Dalam perkembangan lain Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata bedah siasat BN

berhubung keputusan pilihan raya umum yang sedang dilakukan oleh sebuah badan

yang dilantik khas boleh diketahui selewat-lewatnya Julai ini.

Muhyiddin berkata bagi memastikan analisis yang tepat, bebas dan telus

pasukan itu dibentuk dari kalangan mereka daripada luar parti bagi memberi

kebebasan sepenuhnya kepada mereka untuk mengemukakan pandangan asalkan

berasas.

“Kita tidak mahu berselindung, kita hendak tahu apakah sebab kita menang

atau kalah, apa faktor yang menyebabkan kemenangan dan kekalahan, dan lebih

lanjut daripada itu adalah perakuan-perakuan yang kita akan buat untuk

menentukan supaya BN terus relevan dan bagaimana kita menangani tempoh lima

tahun sebelum menghadapi pilihan raya umum akan datang,” katanya.

-- BERNAMA

MYS JM NH