"KPI" for Elected Representatives from MCA

Elected representatives from MCA in the upcoming general election is given one year to benchmark their performances.

The ultimate judges, of course, are the rakyat.

It makes sense when MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek made this announcement. A representative for the people in a constituency is selected by the people through votes.

It is right for the people to evaluate their respective representatives. The people were given a chance to rate representatives that under-performed in duty in the first year after election.

Dr Chua did not deny that there were certain MCA leaders who has not been serving the people after they had been elected in previous elections, thus this move was set to address this unhealthy trend.

This is also one of MCA's initiatives to reconstruct the party image, showing MCA had learned its lesson in the last election thus endeavoured to pour their hearts and souls to serve not only the Chinese but also Indians and Malays.

This move had also put pressure on representatives from MCA, as they will soon have its very own "Key Performance Indicator". But they do not have to worry so long as these leaders do their best to solve woes of the people under their constituencies

Support BN while it strifes to upkeep equality

The Chinese in Malaysia will not accept theocracy as a political system for the nation.

Since 1957, Malaysia's multi-cultural image was determined by leaders, to ensure the rights of each race protected.

While the government is trying to strife to upkeep an equality between the Malays, Chinese and Indians, we should show support and place our trust in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

We must defend and preserved the Malaysian brand we had created together since Independence.

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By JOSEPH KAOS Jr
joekaosjr@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is the better choice to serve the Chinese community, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

The MCA president said that although Barisan was not perfect, the Prime Minister had a clear direction in developing the country through transformation programmes, unlike the Opposition coalition.

“There are fewer than 46 Chinese-majority seats in this country.

“Even if we win all the seats, it is impossible to form a government.

“We must work with other parties including Malay-based parties,” Dr Chua said, urging the people to choose Barisan.

He was addressing about 5,000 people, a majority of whom were Chinese, at a dinner organised by the Muhibah Kimlan Association here on Sunday night.

He said Pakatan Rakyat, led by PAS, was only interested in making Malaysia a theocratic nation governed by hudud laws.

“The people think Pakatan is led by Anwar (PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim).

“But in actual fact it is PAS which leads the coalition, because it has more experience, resources and a larger membership,” Dr Chua said.

He also said the Chinese should throw their support behind the Government’s Economic Transfor mation Programme (ETP).

“The ETP is primarily led by the private sector, which will definitely affect the Chinese community,” said Dr Chua.

He added that the Government had achieved at least 90% of its foreign investment target in 2011.

The dinner was held to celebrate the completion of the association’s new headquarters here.

Dr Chua also announced a donation of RM200,000 from MCA to the association’s development fund.

Source: The Star

PAS Tells You What They Will Do But Not Why

If PAS insist on implementing the Hudud law, it has to step up and convince the mass on the positive impact it would bring to Malaysia.

The party only makes remarks that they will implement the Hudud law if they were to run the government. By consistently making such statements without giving convincing reasons, what is the purpose of announcing to the world?

Without the support coming from their counterparts, DAP and PKR, how can PAS stand on its feet to push for the implementation of PKR?

In terms of relevance to the context, the applicability of Hudud law is challengeble. We should not ignore foreign investors from the Islamic world but with a more secular background, needless say the western countries which put great emphasis on human rights.

While the relationship between Hudud law and human rights is better defined in readers' interpretation, but the examples of amputating offenders' limps as a punishment for theft, is could hardly be justified from the human rights standard the world has set today.

Of course, PAS is not going to tell you all this. They do not tell you the good, nor they tell you the bad of Hudud law.

All they want you to know is that, you people wait and see what they can do when they become the boss.

Liow: Hudud affects all races

GOPENG: Hudud law will inevitably affect non-Muslims although the Opposition claims otherwise.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said every non-Muslim should have a clear understanding as to how hudud would impact their lives.

“The Opposition may claim that it will not affect non-Muslims, but we should try to visualise and analyse the conflicts that could arise.

“For instance, in the case of a non-Muslim being molested by a Muslim, which law would be given priority to try the case?” he asked at Sunday's New Kopisan MCA branch fund-raising dinner here.

Liow said MCA's public forum on hudud, organised by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research, revealed that such laws “would definitely affect non-Muslims”.

“And the Opposition is most likely going to implement these laws if it takes over Putrajaya,” he added.

Source: The Star

Can PR run a country without a Common Ideology?

Without an agreed ideology, how can Pakatan Rakyat run a country? And this is just one of the many cases which will haunting DAP, PKR and PAS. Think of other policies that might incur conflicting interests if they assume power in Putrajaya.

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WANI MUTHIAH, FLORENCE A . SAMY and JOSEPH KAOS Jr at the ‘Hudud and its Implications on Non-Muslims in Malaysia’ forum in Kuala Lumpur

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has challenged Pakatan Rakyat to include its stand on hudud and its implementation in its general election manifesto and common agenda.

Pakatan, especially PAS, he said, should be transparent in its stand.

“Right now, there are conflicting signals from Pakatan leaders. Hudud should be in their common agenda since they always never do anything without consulting their partners.

Making a point: Dr Chua delivering his keynote address during the forum at Wisma MCA Sunday.

“If the rakyat votes for PAS, DAP or PKR knowing full well that they will implement hudud law, then we should respect it as it is the voters' choice,” he said at a forum entitled “Hudud and its Implications on Non-Muslims in Malaysia” yesterday.

Dr Chua lambasted DAP for its contradictory stand and for misleading the Chinese community, especially with its “agreeing to disagree” statement.

“On one hand, DAP says it opposes hudud. On the other hand, in the last general election and subsequent by-elections, DAP campaigned vigorously to ensure the PAS candidate won,” he said at the forum organised by MCA's Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research.

The forum was moderated by Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee.

Dr Chua reiterated MCA's opposition to hudud and its implementation, adding that hudud law would adversely affect both Muslims and non-Muslims.

“It is a lie that it will not affect us. We have the right to talk about it as it does affect us.

“We do not accept hudud and its implementation in a multi-racial country,” he said.

Explaining the ramifications, Dr Chua said that the implementation of hudud law would affect the country's foreign direct investment, revenue as well as rights of non-Muslims, including gambling and drinking activities.

He dismissed claims by Pakatan that hudud law could not be implemented even if it came into power but did not have two-thirds majority.

He said Muslim MPs from both sides of the divide would be forced to support the Bill although they might not agree with the implementation as hudud was part of Islam.

Dr Chua pointed out that hudud law could not be implemented without amending the Federal Constitution.

“How then can the rights and freedom of non-Muslims be safeguarded? Which court will have jurisdiction which involves both Muslims and non-Muslims as hudud law cannot exist without the existence of Islamic law?'' he asked.

In his closing address, Dr Chua urged non-Muslims to reject the implementation of hudud law because it had great implications on them.

“We also heard the panellists say that the PAS version of hudud does not represent the true essence of Islam.

“Malaysians must make a choice of either choosing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's vision of a high-income nation by 2020 or a failed state run under hudud law,” he added.

On Saturday, Dr Chua had said in Malacca that he had no problem having a public debate on hudud with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng provided the latter answered two questions first.

He said Lim must first explain to the people if he could ensure the implementation of hudud law would not affect the non-Muslims.

Second, he said Lim must explain if the implementation of hudud law would affect the norms and life- style in Malaysia, especially the economic, education and social system aspects.

Source: The Star

Higher Chances for Undergrads to Know Politics

Words of Vivira ~ Getting in touch with politics doesn't mean one must be directly involved in it. It allows us to open our minds to understand how it will affect the entire development of the country. Kudos to MCA Youth for advocating greater political freedom

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Undergrads in politics

By ROY SEE WEI ZHI AND AISYAH SULAIMAN
KUALA LUMPUR
news@nst.com.my

MCA Youth has welcomed the government's move to allow undergraduates to join political parties.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the move had realised one of the Barisan Nasional coalition member's longest struggles.

"Democratic politics and its policies affect every segment of our lives, it is fitting that the brightest and youngest group of our communities are given the chance to learn more about it," he told a press conference, here yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced on Thursday that Section 15 of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) would be be amended to allow university students aged 21 and above to join political parties.

"We strongly believe in the maturity and wisdom of our undergraduates," Najib said about the move.

However, this newfound freedom has a condition: students cannot bring partisan politics into the campuses.

Wee said however cautioned that the new found freedom to join political parties must be practiced sensibly.

"We cannot have 'ceramah' in university campuses every other day, academic studies still take precedence," Wee who is also the deputy education minister, said.

Gerakan also echoed similar sentiment on the move.

Its vice-president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said the party, through it's youth wing, had been persistent in the fight to affect the change.

"University students are the future leaders of the country, so they should be given the liberty to be involved in politics."

"We must respect their political awareness, maturity of thought and wisdom," he said in a statement.

He hoped that the Prime Minister would reconsider the decision to appeal against the Court of Appeal's judgment on the UUCA case involving four Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia students.

The four students, now popularly known as the "UKM 4", were embroiled in a series of legal action after being found at Hulu Selangor during the by-election there last year, which was against the particular section of the act

Meanwhile, university student associations had assured that students were matured enough to balance their participation in politics and their academic studies.

Perak student representatives council secretary general Mohd Hafizuddin Khan Norkhan said undergraduates were capable of adapting to the culture of poli-tics.

"However, some guidelines will be needed to help students stay mindful not to get carried away," he said.

United Students chairman Akmal Saufi Mohamed Khaled said the public should be confident that students were able to navigate through the country's political environment.

"The only danger is if students cannot distinguish fact from go-ssip and get entangled in political forays. But that scenario is unlikely."

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) board of directors chairman Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid Mohd Noordin said that the move would allow university students more room for intellectual develop-ment, but hoped that university grounds would remain politically neutral.

Source: New Straits Time

MCA Awarding RM100 to All its Older Unsung Heroes

Another good news from MCA for its elderly members, as the party will be giving a sum of RM100 to all its members aged over 60 and above.

This showed the party's appreciation for their contribution and their loyalty to the party over the last few decades since Independence.

The elderly are a great asset to the country, for they had contributed their best of youth to the development of the nation in their very own ways.

At party level, many members had not abandon the party when fingers of blame are pointed at MCA for not looking after the Chinese communities.

Having been through thick and thin with the party, the elderly members have faith in MCA that one day, the party will be revived with a new mission to serve the people with greater sincerity.

No doubt, the elderly group in the party is worthy of being rewarded. Though it is just a small sum, the appreciation the party will surely be valued by the unsung heroes from MCA all over Malaysia.

'Playing with Fire'?

By JOSEPH SIPALAN

KUALA LUMPUR - MCA Youth has warned PAS that it is treading on dangerous ground in its defense of 13 suspected Islamic militants arrested in Tawau recently.

MCA warns PAS against defending 13 suspected militants arrested under ISA

MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen said it was a worrying to see PAS Sabah commissioner Aminuddin Aling defending the suspects who are believed to be local Islamic missionaries and activists allegedly linked to terror sect Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Coupled with PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu's alleged pro-communist speech last August, it raised the question of whether they were in contact with Islamist militant groups in neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines such as the Abu Sayyaf, who kidnapped tourists from Sipadan island in 2000, and JI, who committed the Bali bombings in 2002, Chai said.

"... it should be left to the police to decide whether the persons detained are missionaries or terrorists, based on their investigations as the police had reason to believe that Tawau was being used as their transit point for weapons from the Philippines," he said in a statement Thursday.

The 13 suspects were arrested by a Bukit Aman counter-terrorism team between Monday and Wednesday, and are believed to be detained under Section 73 of the Internal Security Act.

Aminuddin slammed the police over the arrests, demanding an explanation as to why the individuals, whom he claimed were respected Islamic missionaries and PAS members, were detained.

Chai urged PAS not to jump the gun and allow the police to complete their work.

"I hope that in the meantime PAS and its allies in Pakatan Rakyat do not politicise the issue further by making up lies and distorting the truth. The security of our country is at stake here," he said.

Source: The Star

Pas' persistence in enforcing hudud a worrying trend

'Hudud stance predates pact'

By Ili Liyana Mokhtar
KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

Pas leaders adamant in enforcing hudud in Kelantan despite DAP’s objection over move.

Pas leaders are steadfast in their opinion of wanting to implement hudud.

Its youth chief, Nasharuddin Hassan Tantawi, said the implementation of hudud, especially in Kelantan, was the party's right.

"We respect the views of DAP, but we do not have to agree with it," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Its central working committee member, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, said the party's position on hudud was determined before Loose opposition coalition was formed.

He said the implementation of hudud was not part of the opposition's common policy, but the coalition had agreed to disagree on the matter.

"DAP can give their opinion on the matter and we respect it, but the enactment of the law, especially in Kelantan, predates the formation of our coalition."

Both were commenting on DAP chairman Karpal Singh's statement on Saturday, where he advised Pas against the implementation of hudud as it could impact negatively against the opposition coalition.

Karpal said Pas' persistence in enforcing hudud was a worrying trend and it troubled his party.

It was reported that Pas would continue its pursuit to implement hudud in Kelantan although its Pakatan colleagues in the DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat had a different stand on the matter.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had repeatedly stressed that the implementation of hudud was not part of the coalition's policy.

Pas vice-president Salahuddin Ayub and election director Dr Hatta Mohd Ramli, when contacted, declined to comment on the matter.

Source: News Straits Time

Chua: DAP senator should apologise to Indians

By ELWEEN LOKE

BIDOR: DAP Senator S. Ramakrishnan should apologise to the Indian community for implying that they can be bribed, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

He said Ramakrishnan had insulted the community when the latter claimed that the votes of the Indians could be bought over by money.

Let there be light: Dr Chua lighting up an oil lamp at the 1Malaysia Deepavali celebration in Bidor Monday.

“The accusation is baseless. He should understand that votes cannot be bought,” Dr Chua said of Ramakrishnan's article, which appeared in an online news portal alleging that the MCA was turning to the Indians as it could no longer get the support of the Chinese.

Dr Chua said the purpose of the MCA going all over the country to visit the Indian community was to help them solve their problems.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has not questioned the MCA's involvement in the affairs of the Indian community because it is our responsibility to work towards the common good of the rakyat,” he said during the 1Malaysia Deepavali celebration organised by the Tanjung Malim MCA division here on Monday night.

Dr Chua added that Barisan Nasional component parties had always defended the welfare and rights of the Indians in Sungkai despite having lost the state seat in the last general election.

“Has Pakatan Rakyat fulfilled its promise to the Indian community in Sungkai after winning the seat?

“Initiatives such as the 1MCA Medical Foundation and 1MCA Education Loan Scheme carried out by us are examples of how we have put the 1Malaysia concept into action.

“These initiatives are for everyone, regardless of their race or religion. Anyone needing financial assistance can actually apply for these,” he added.

Dr Chua said he had also instructed the party's division leaders to organise functions to celebrate the festivals of each community in the country.

He later received 36 memorandums from the local Indian community, promising to look into their requests.

(The Star)

Politicians, also Representatives of the People

While some leaders in the country, who have been overtaken by senses of ego and pride, he chose to listen to the voices of the people.

Not only did he sternly rebuke the attitudes of these politicians, he also called on them to come down from high horse to serve the people, as they are the representatives handpicked by their voters.

Through dialogues with various communities, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek heard woes of the people. They were the ones who have accompanied MCA through thick and thin.

When some Chinese communities have given up hope on MCA, these loyal supporters stood by the party as they believed it will rise up even stronger to protect the rights of not only the Chinese but also other communities.

Yet at the same time, they were disappointed with a small group of MCA leaders who has lost themselves in the realms of power and failed to serve the rakyat.

Dr Chua did not side his men. He admitted that leaders of such kind do exist in the party and he knows them by their names.

One must get right to its root to cure the problem. As a MCA top leader, Dr Chua has demonstrated the virtue of admitting flaws in the party. It was indeed a commendable effort.