REFSA Rojak is our weekly take on the goings-on in Malaysia. We trawl the newsflow, cut to the core and focus on the really pertinent. Full of flavour, lots of crunch, this is the concise snapshot to help Malaysians keep abreast of the issues of the day.

Keep not in captivity, justice nor conscience

Many perceive that our judiciary has lost its autonomy. And who is to blame for this state of affairs? Hackles rose when former Chief Justice Tun Dzaiddin said the 1988 amendment to article 121 of the Federal Constitution limits the courts to only such judicial powers that Parliament chooses to give.

In a strong rebuttal, former International Islamic University (UIA) law professor Abdul Aziz Bari said that pointing to the Article 121 amendment is a convenient line of  defence taken by judges who ‘lack courage and intellectual conviction to carry out the role as the guardians of the Constitution’.  He said they could have ruled the 1998 amendment as unconstitutional as it interferes with the doctrine of separation of powers inherent in the Constitution.

Abdul Aziz goes on to accuse judges of straying from the Constitutional ideals of democracy, citing the 2009 case when the judiciary ruled the Perak takeover as legitimate despite Datuk Seri Zambry ‘not winning a floor vote in the state assembly’.  He also characterised the ‘titles and post-retirement rewards’ such as GLC directorships as carrots dangled by the executive to keep the judiciary in line.

A separation of judicial and executive powers – is that too much to ask?

Why discriminate?

Over at the Education Ministry (MoE), actions speak louder than words. It advocates that everyone should have access to education. The reality is otherwise. It has refused to approve a school for autistic children. Besides this, construction of SJK(C) Yak Chee (2) and SMJK Katholik (2) is also pending approval. Do join us in supporting the pleas of these three schools through this petition.

The education spotlight is also on the long-festering sore of PPSMI (Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English). The MoE has ignored appeals and memos sent by Concerned Parents Selangor (CPS) who want PPSMI reinstated. To make ministry officials sit up and take notice, CPS will be holding a rally come March 10.

Election woes

Another agency we want to see sort itself out is the Election Commission. How loud the allegations of voter fraud have been these last couple of years. Now confirmation of the truth of these accusations has come from Mimos, an agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti).  10,000 cases of multiple voters registered under the same addresses were discovered, among other discrepancies. Mimos also uncovered some 785 armed forces personnel registered in two different lists.

Lamb to the slaughter

The subject of justice crops up again in Malaysia’s handling of Hamza Kashgari, a Saudi journalist seeking asylum. He was arrested by Malaysian police while in transit in KL on the way to New Zealand, detained in a secret location, denied access to his lawyer and hastily sent back on a private jet to Saudi Arabia to face his detractors. This action – despite an interim court order stopping the deportation – was severely condemned. There was no injunction, declared Home Minister Hishammuddin. He blamed netizens for spreading rumours.

It appears the Home Ministry has breached the Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Under Article 14 of the UDHR, a person has the right to seek asylum from persecution in other countries. Hamza was accused of ‘insulting Islam’ and faces the death penalty back home. His ‘crime’ has yet to be proven, and Malaysians and human rights groups, including Suhakam, could not believe the action taken by the government, especially since it could lead to Kashgari’s execution.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 
Martin Luther King

Whitney Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012)

We close this week’s Rojak with a tribute to an amazing singer. It has been barely a week since the shocking news of Whitney Houston’s untimely death at the age of 48.

Inspiring in her songs, and extraordinary in her talent, Whitney had two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards to her name. Known as ‘The Voice’ and ‘Queen of Pop’ in the music industry, she was unparalleled and unrivalled. In her strong, rich voice was a smoothness and fluidity that put her in a class of its own. Sadly, though she had the world in the palm of her hand, she was troubled, battling demons and struggling constantly to find contentment.

While investigations into the cause of her tragic death are ongoing, Whitney’s funeral is scheduled for this Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, at the very church where she first showcased her exceptional voice. We grieve the loss of this remarkable singer.  May her soul rest in peace.

What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now forever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;  We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind;
William Wordsworth

Why ‘Rojak’? Disparate flavours and textures come together in a harmonious mix to make this delicious but underrated concoction. Our Rojak weekly is much like this mix, making sense of the noise of daily newsflow and politicking.

It is also our ultimate dream that our multi-ethnic melange of communities can be made richer within the unique ‘sauce’ that is Malaysia. Let’s take pride in the ‘rojakness’ of our nation!

The uphill journey of economic transformation is looking even steeper

The ETP targets the private sector to provide 60% of the investments required to take Malaysia to high-income status by 2020. However, private sector  participation makes up only 35% of the total investments in EPPs (Entry Point Projects) so far.

PEMANDU explained that private sector investments are closer to the targeted 60 percent share if large public sector projects like the MRT are excluded. This is inappropriate, as the ETP Roadmap Report trumpets such projects in its desired investment mix.

REFSA considers it understandable that priority is given to government-led, big-ticket infrastructure project in the early days of the ETP. However, PEMANDU’s decision to obfuscate rather than clarify draws suspicion that something is amiss.

Read our Critique of the ETP (Part 4) as we debunk PEMANDU’s justification for the shortfall in private sector investment with a simple cake analogy and some telling numbers.

REFSA Rojak is our weekly take on the goings-on in Malaysia. We trawl the newsflow, cut to the core and focus on the really pertinent. Full of flavour, lots of crunch, this is the concise snapshot to help Malaysians keep abreast of the issues of the day.

Borrowing for the purpose of lending

How safe are Malaysians’ retirement savings in the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF)?  EPF is proposing to channel RM1.5 billion of its contributors’ money to facilitate housing loans for low-income borrowers in Kuala Lumpur who are unable to obtain regular financing from commercial banks.

Federal Territories Minister Raja Nong Chik is `not worried’ about the borrowers not repaying their loans, as Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) could buy back and resell the properties, which he said would be worth double or triple the purchasing price.

Backing him is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib , who reiterated that the loan would not adversely affect EPF contributors, as the amount is not big when compared to the total funds EPF has.

Nonetheless, the scheme does not sit well with many. DAP’s national publicity secretary Tony Pua warned that EPF providing loans to individuals breaches the EPF Act . He also pointed out that what’s disturbing is that the loaners are sub-prime  i.e. they do not qualify for such loans or will have trouble repaying them. This has nothing to do with whether the properties are valuable or not.  The ability of DBKL to repay EPF, should there be defaulters, is also questioned.

EPF, however, does not seem to share Pua’s reservations. It is currently in talks with the government. The deal has yet to be inked, but EPF assures that it is not offering loans directly to individuals. Instead the money is lent to the federal government through a special purpose vehicle linked to the Federal Territories Foundation (SPV FT Foundation), which EPF claims is ‘safe’.

Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin also reasoned that the risk of the loan scheme is borne by the government, not the EPF. While he rebuked the opposition leaders for making misleading arguments, Khairy also criticised Putrajaya for its lack of quality response and timely rebuttals to allay confusion.

Khairy’s criticisms ring true. Helping the poor to own homes is noble, but we need straight answers – why does the government need to borrow from the EPF to fund its public housing scheme? How would the eligibility requirements for this loan scheme differ from those for commercial banks? What type of housing is involved? EPF may not bear the risk of the loan, but that doesn’t mean our money should be gambled with.

Paying for sweet nothings?

Has the sugar subsidy been fattened by a sweet deal our government made with sugar suppliers? Malaysia has signed a long-term deal above market price, thus spiking the sugar subsidy bill to RM567 million this year, compared to RM262.4 million last year.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob explained that the government has signed a three-year contract to buy sugar at US$0.26 per pound, despite its global price dropping to US$0.23 per pound. The increase in subsidy is meant to peg local sugar price at RM2.30 per kilogramme. The minister added that if global sugar prices climb, our country will benefit.

This reasoning is met with quizzical expressions. Moreover, traders do not foresee any rise in global prices due to ample supply, prompting speculation that the subsidy bill was blown up to benefit firms that monopolise the domestic sugar supply. Ismail however had refuted the allegations.

The ‘sweet’ subsidy leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the Consumer Association of Penang. Calling upon the ministry to scrap the sugar subsidy, the association reasoned that the government would not only end up saving RM567 million, but also `millions in healthcare costs when it does not have to treat sugar-related diseases’.

Un-1-ted Care

As the syrupy subject lingers still in our mouths, it is obvious that a spoonful of sugar would hardly help the 1Care medicine go down. The recent proposal to impose a mandatory contribution of 10% of our salary to the health insurance fund is a bitter pill to swallow. Even doctors are pointing out that there is nothing caring about the 1Care plan.

Dr T Jayabalan, the Citizens Healthcare Coalition spokesman, deemed 1Care as a ploy to enrich private practices. Besides the mandatory contribution, the proposed healthcare plan will reportedly assign an individual to specific doctors and limit Malaysians’ number of hospital visits per year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai administered a shot of assurance, saying that the 10% medical levy was just a proposal, and the ministry will seek public feedback before finalising any plans. Nonetheless, it has been reported that the 1Care system is in its final stages. Jayabalan further revealed that nationwide roadshows to promote the plan have kicked off.

Why the haste? Bitter pills are sometimes taken for our own good, but it is those forced down our throats that we should be particularly wary of.

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Why ‘Rojak’? Disparate flavours and textures come together in a harmonious mix to make this delicious but underrated concoction. Our Rojak weekly is much like this mix, making sense of the noise of daily newsflow and politicking.

It is also our ultimate dream that our multi-ethnic melange of communities can be made richer within the unique ‘sauce’ that is Malaysia. Let’s take pride in the ‘rojakness’ of our nation!

The investment cost for the Karambunai Integrated Resort in Sabah more than tripled from RM3 billion to nearly RM10 billion in 6 short months. At this price, it needs 2.8 million visitors per year to break even. That is more than the total number of travellers arriving at Kota Kinabalu airport in a year!

Tanjong Agas has REFSA aghast. Massive investment and construction is to be poured into this fishing village to build an oil and gas hub redolent of the success of Kertih and Gebeng. But will it turn out to be redundant? Kertih and Gebeng are the focus areas for oil, gas and petrochemical clusters in the Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER); Tanjong Agas, located in Pekan, the parliamentary constituency of prime minister Najib, is not.

Together, these two possible ‘dud’ projects alone account for 7% of  total ETP investments so far. And given the weak financial stature of their private sector developers, will taxpayers end up saddled with the bill? Already, the government’s proposed investment in Karambunai has soared 6-fold from RM100 million to RM600 million.

Read Part 3(iii) of our Critique of the ETP on why PEMANDU rates a ‘D’ for Execution. The selection of such possible ‘dud’ projects – projects with very little hope of success – as EPPs raises serious doubs about the due diligence process at PEMANDU.

In 8 short weeks, 12 ‘labs’ comprising 30-50 experts each researched, brainstormed, and devised 131 Entry Point Projects (EPPs) across 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs). What impressive numbers!

But an impression of transformation was probably what all those digits delivered. PEMANDU emphasises the private sector participation in these labs, but REFSA posits that cash-strapped start-up companies cannot afford to release staff for two months to attend labs. On the other hand, large establishments would have the manpower to spare, and may even send experienced lobbyists to promote their pet projects.

Thus, PEMANDU’s EPP pickings are REFSA’s pickle. Start-ups usually have genuinely transformative ideas that revolutionise the status quo, while large companies tend to be less adventurous. If the ETP labs, unwittingly or otherwise, closed out input from the former and only heard voices from the latter, then our economic roadmap is more ‘business as usual’ than transformative.

Read Part 3(ii) of our Critique of the ETP as REFSA raises brows at the programme’s hothouse lab environment.

REFSA Rojak is our weekly take on the goings-on in Malaysia. We trawl the newsflow, cut to the core and focus on the really pertinent. Full of flavour, lots of crunch, this is the concise snapshot to help Malaysians keep abreast of the issues of the day.

Why is our government so keen on being Australia’s dumping ground?

First it was the refugee swap arrangement with Australia. Now we have the prospect of radioactive waste in our backyard. Kuantan residents and MP Fuziah Salleh and Malaysian environmentalists are alarmed that this will happen with Australia’s Lynas Corp’s proposed rare earth processing plant in Pahang.

Rare earth metals are integral to the production of smart phones and hybrid cars.   The Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board has already granted Lynas a temporary operating licence. So Lynas can now operate, even before it has presented a detailed plan on how it will dispose of the radioactive waste. The temporary licence gives Lynas 10 months to do so.

REFSA wonders what will happen if Lynas fails to deliver the plan. The Australian government has already declared it will not accept any waste produced by Lynas. The company has downplayed radiation fears but we wonder at the rush.

10 months wait is nothing compared to the lifespan of radioactive waste which spans thousands of years. Why can’t the government and Lynas wait until all plans are concrete and properly vetted? Why the rush to create a potential radioactive waste time bomb?

Like waving a red flag in front of a bull

Another ‘fight’ involves colour or the lack of it. Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali took the expression ‘colour blind’ a little too literally recently. The infamous Perkasa leader gave out white packets of money instead of the traditional red at his Chinese New Year open house. Most Malaysians know this is a big no-no. White packets of money are given only at funerals.

This latest debacle has finally moved BN component parties away from their deafening silence towards his many controversial antics. PM Najib has distanced himself, Gerakan vice-president Datuk Mah Siew Keong called him insensitive and insincere, while MCA Youth secretary-general Chai Kim Sen said the gesture was ‘disrespectful’. A pity that there are people, leaders no less, who know so little and care even less for the sensitivities of other cultures.

Red packets would have saved Ibrahim Ali being red in the face.

Don’t take our land

A cry for justice in Sabah is finally heard. Many cases involving native land rights have never been resolved; some have been pending more than five years. To rub salt into wound, crooked courts purportedly give foreigners ‘native status’ which enabled them to buy land titles that rightly belong to natives. Now, in a bold and unprecedented move, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Richard Malanjum suggests that the authorities set up a land tribunal to hear native land-related cases, and do right by the natives. Members of the tribunal must be independently appointed and be well versed in the ‘adat and culture’ of the land.

1 Care scheme: proceed with care

If the many unresolved issues are keeping us on tenterhooks, here’s something that may give us palpitations. The new 1Care healthcare scheme initiated by the Health Ministry is getting people all riled up. Apparently Malaysians will have to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly income to this scheme, which includes many unfavourable conditions. Like an overdose of medicine, this scheme looks ‘detrimental’ to health. A group of concerned Malaysians have set up the Citizens Healthcare Coalition (CHC) and launched a #taknak1care campaign through social media.

The Ministry has defended the scheme, saying it is still at a conceptual stage. Nevertheless, we wonder why so little thought went into developing this concept. It was the same with the Public Service Remuneration Scheme (SBPA) which is now under review because of the many discrepancies. Here’s a thought – if we get the right people to do the job, we may get things right from the start. Then there won’t be this entire hullabaloo.

Keeping wealth well hidden

So many calls for BN party members to declare their assets, yet they have gone unanswered. The latest came from Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang, once a member of the MACC advisory panel, who came out with all guns blazing, condemning BN’s non-compliance. Having something to hide makes one afraid, according to him. His condemnation lends credence to DAP’s publicity chief, Tony Pua who made no bones about denouncing the astronomical profits of BN’s ‘corrupt leaders and politically-connected cronies’ made through unfair policies and economic mismanagement.

No more excuses, no more hiding; the BN government must not put this off any longer. Unless of course, it fears opening a whole new can of worms.

 Why ‘Rojak’? Disparate flavours and textures come together in a harmonious mix to make this delicious but underrated concoction. Our Rojak weekly is much like this mix, making sense of the noise of daily newsflow and politicking.

It is also our ultimate dream that our multi-ethnic melange of communities can be made richer within the unique ‘sauce’ that is Malaysia. Let’s take pride in the ‘rojakness’ of our nation!

However, while gazes followed the celebratory fireworks, REFSA sniffed out some gritty truths. Some of these projects were already underway before the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) was created. What was PEMANDU’s contribution to these pre-existing projects? Were they cherry-picked to help PEMANDU show ‘quick-wins’?

PEMANDU might claim to have helped cut red-tape for these projects. The bigger picture is frightening if it did indeed do so. The project owners included huge multinationals, a government-linked corporation (GLC) and a prominent Malaysian businessman. If such big guns need PEMANDU’s help in navigating Malaysian government bureaucracy to bring their business ideas to life, what hope does a small fry with a really transformative idea have?

In Part 3 of our Critique of the ETP, REFSA peers behind the glitzy façade to shed some light on the tawdry execution of the programme.

REFSA Rojak is our weekly take on the goings-on in Malaysia. We trawl the newsflow, cut to the core and focus on the really pertinent. Full of flavour, lots of crunch, this is the concise snapshot to help Malaysians keep abreast of the issues of the day.

Bovine stink by any other name…

As accusations on the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC) ram its horns on the company’s weakening fences, some people are attempting to subdue the beast with the good ol’ stick of semantics.

Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang stepped out to clarify that their report only stated “weaknesses in the implementation of the [NFC] project”. He had never used the word “mess” to describe it.

NFC executive director Wan Shahinur , who is also the son of Cabinet Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat , echoed the AG’s assertion, pointing out that press reports ’quoting the Auditor-General to having [used the word ‘mess’] is an allegation made out to mislead falsely and mischievously’. He welcomes audits by independent consultants to `clear the air’ and `bring out the hard facts of the project’.

Semantics, however, did little to save the day. The Malaysian Insider quipped that the NFC is “not a mess, just a disaster”, charging that “now it does seem that Putrajaya is sanctioning what has happened”.

REFSA regards the `weaknesses, not mess’ argument as a red herring to divert attention from the bigger picture – unanswered questions about the dubious expenditure of the public-funded project.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet; and a mess by any other name would smell as foul.

The way to zero corruption

As public scrutiny zooms in on top ministers embroiled in financial scandals, pundits warn that political patronage comes into the limelight on the GE-13 stage. According to Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low, people have become more aware of corruption  and a recent survey found that 90 percent of Malaysians would ‘seize the opportunity to fight graft’.

With opposition leaders publicly declaring their assets, and judges to follow suit, all eyes are now on Barisan Nasional’s next move.  A member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is for the declaration of assets as it aids investigations when a leader is accused of graft.

However, Minister Datuk Seri Nazri  was dead set against the idea, claiming that such a revelation would make the people concerned a ‘target for robbers’. He added that a minister’s assets should only be made known to the Prime Minister and, if the PM insists, to the MACC.

Perhaps having more confidence in the police would help soothe Nazri’s agitation. After all, our men in blue are there to protect both the rich and poor.

Kapp-turing dissent

Nazri may be happy to reveal his assets to the Prime Minister, but to whom does the premier declare his assets? The question of wealth is bandied about in a controversy surrounding the PM’s wife Rosmah Mansor recently. She was labelled “First Lady of Shopping” by Australian columnist Andrew Hornery for reportedly spending A$100,000 (RM325,000) at Sydney designer Carl Kapp’s boutique. Rosmah dismissed the claim as “rubbish”, while Kapp issued a press statement stating that he had never divulged the amount Rosmah spent at his store.

Nonetheless, Hornery vouched for the veracity of his revelation, asserting that he had verified the  amount with Kapp’s publicist.

The silver lining

With scandals plaguing the government, all is not lost as Malaysians have two things to smile about.

One, the Health Ministry has injected a dose of assurance into Malaysia’s healthcare. The Malaysian Medical council (MMC) will be corporatised to make it more effective in monitoring medical standards, besides cutting back on red tape. The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) welcomed the move which will curb any conflict of interest. Its president also gave the assurance that medical fees would not increase with the corporatisation.

Two, our judiciary system has received a boost of confidence. Shah Alam High Court Justice Zaleha Yusof has been nominated for a Gavel award in Women’s Link Worldwide for a landmark decision on gender discrimination. To vote for Justice Zaleha, visit www.womenslinkworldwide.org, click on Gender Justice Uncovered Awards, then select Nominated Decisions.

ABU-sed?

The Anything But Umno (ABU) movement said yes, but the police said no. Opacity clouds the rowdy disruption of the ABU-Hindraf ceramah (talk) in Shah Alam. ABU charged that a small mob of stick-wielding intruders had injured a member of the audience and threatened the rest, and backed its allegations with a video of the commotion. The police, however, claimed that they found no weapons at the scene, there was no damage to the venue and no one was injured.

Many were also outraged at the raucous disturbance of the gathering. NGOs questioned the police’s inaction, and even accused the officers of law of protecting the violent gang. The police denied the accusation, explaining that their delayed arrival at the scuffle was because they were not notified of the ceramah beforehand. Six youths aged 16 to 19 were  detained to aid investigations.

Human rights commissioner Mohd Sha’ani Abdullah  lambasted the police over what he deemed as the “stupidity” and immaturity of senior police officers and their statements.

ABU and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) had joined hands to oust Umno from Putrajaya, but Hindraf leaders are apparently split over their support for ABU.

Capturing a debate between entrepreneur Anas Zubedy and lawyer Haris Ibrahim, The Sun Daily columnist Oon Yeoh provided perspective on ABU’s approach:  Is a blanket rejection of Umno an `unthinking way to choose our MPs and ADUNs’, or is it a necessary evil to prevent Umno from getting the required majority to form the next federal government?

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The first ‘D’ in DEEDS is for data. It is also the score PEMANDU gets for figures that “do not compute”.

Behind the dazzling promises and public relations rhetoric surrounding the Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) is data that is dodgy. Some key numbers are not announced, and where numbers were revealed, they do not tally.

REFSA is perplexed at the inability of the highly-paid team at PEMANDU and its costly consultants to get basic mathematics right.

Can we trust a “roadmap” to economic transformation that is marked by inconsistent data and vague directions?

Read our Focus Paper here on why we give PEMANDU and the ETP a ‘D’ for  data transparency, and how its target to double gross national income by 2020 is neither real not transformational.

REFSA Rojak is our weekly take on the goings-on in Malaysia. We trawl the newsflow, cut to the core and focus on the really pertinent. Full of flavour, lots of crunch, this is the concise snapshot to help Malaysians keep abreast of the issues of the day.

Money matters

Money makes money is something the rich are familiar with. Civil servants have just discovered it applies to them as well.  The ‘windfall’ for civil servants under the newly proposed Public Service Remuneration Scheme (SBPA) falls into the laps of privileged groups who are already on big salaries. Those in the top tier – the ‘Premier Service’ category – will earn as much as RM80,000 per month! Not surprisingly, CUEPACS is strongly protesting as those in the lower rungs are already struggling to keep their heads above water. Wonder what those receiving this incredible remuneration feel? Will they think it’s their due or will they agree that such sums are obscene compared to the pittance their subordinates are getting?

All civil servants are equal but some are more equal than others.

Inequality and Racism

Claims of inequality were also being raised on another platform – a forum that saw speakers from the Human Rights party, academicians and concerned individuals. The contentious issue was Article 153 of the Constitution which establishes ‘quotas for entry into the civil service, public scholarships and public education’ to favour certain groups. The forum participants believe the said Article encourages ‘institutionalised racism’. Lawyer and academician Azmi Sharom from Universiti Malaya believes people can question the implementation of Article 153 and the subject should be debated openly.

Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy alleged that Article 153 was a brand of apartheid. Think South Africa at one time! The party has taken out a petition urging the government to repeal Article 153 and ‘dismantle all racist policies’. Equity is important in a country like Malaysia, and anything that smacks of racism should be condemned.

A different kind of discontent

Over in Sabah, signs of discontent are surfacing. United Borneo Front (UBF) President Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan did not mince words when he fired a salvo at Peninsular politicians. He took offence to Sabah being called a ‘fixed deposit’. The term is insulting and leaves a bad taste in the mouth; people are not numbers to help win votes, he asserts. Datuk Jeffrey is incensed that Sabahans remain poor despite the state’s abundant resources. Its people have been manipulated, fooled and cheated for the last 48 years, he says. He urged Sabahans to reclaim their rights, and decide their own fate. Is a ‘Sabahan Spring’ in the making?

Suhakam inquiry: shocking revelations

Bersih chief Datuk S. Ambiga claimed the police were trying to harm the peaceful protestors in the Bersih 2.0 rally on 9 July last year. She revealed this during the Suhakam inquiry into police brutality during the rally. She also feared for her life in the run-up to the rally and alleged that PM Najib was guilty of endorsing the threats against her – she was labeled a threat to Islam and was accused of being a front for foreign groups. Perkasa had burnt pictures of her, and Umno bloggers had even called for her to be raped.

Going round and round in circles

What’s the latest beef on the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal?  Police and MACC are already investigating NFC but the government wants to appoint an accounting consultant firm to audit the project again. This is as good as saying the Auditor-General’s report is not convincing enough.  

Also, calls for Datuk Shahrizat (whose family runs NFC) to resign are getting louder. If she succumbs to the pressure she’ll probably drag down a few other Cabinet ministers with her. This will not augur well for BN. As it stands, financial discrepancies involving Datuk Seri Jamil Khir and Datuk Awang Adek are making the ruling party look bad.

Anything to declare?

We are used to hearing these words at airport customs but they may no longer be the prerogative of custom officers now that the declaration of assets by assemblymen has become the in thing. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and the Selangor government had declared their assets a few years back. Recently, Penang’s CM and his executive councilors started the ball rolling again with their open declaration. Now the judiciary is about to do the same. Mindful citizens are waiting for PM Najib to do what’s right too. Will he? Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nazri Aziz says ‘no’, as revealing assets may endanger  ministers and their families. Amazing logic!

New Year greetings from REFSA

With Chinese New Year round the corner, and the water dragon swishing its tail in anticipation, REFSA would like to wish everyone Gong Xi Fa Cai! The going’s good apparently for those born in the year of the Pig, Goat, Ox and Snake. To the others, we say ‘where there’s life, there’s hope’!

 Why ‘Rojak’? Disparate flavours and textures come together in a harmonious mix to make this delicious but underrated concoction. Our Rojak weekly is much like this mix, making sense of the noise of daily newsflow and politicking.

It is also our ultimate dream that our multi-ethnic melange of communities can be made richer within the unique ‘sauce’ that is Malaysia. Let’s take pride in the ‘rojakness’ of our nation!