Malaysian leader unbowed
The prime minister of Malaysia says he will continue running the country the way he sees fit despite criticism and calls from his predecessor and former mentor to step down.
"Before we have been very restrained ourselves, you know, but whatever he says he wants reply, we reply. He ignored the reply we have been giving so far. Now he says he has not had any reply and he's not happy. But in Malaysia, we are answerable to the people, not just one man," Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said of Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister.
Abdullah told Aljazeera that the dispute dispute began when he cancelled a proposed bridge to replace the causeway linking Malaysia to Singapore – one of several big projects initiated by Mahathir and cancelled or postponed by the present government.
Abdullah said he was not running scared of Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years before relinquishing the reins to his hand-picked successor.
"Well, I must say that in our kind of democracy he can say what he wants, express his views on anything he wants, but as far as I'm concerned, me and my team are united and focused on what we can do. In any kind of development there might be some problems, shortcomings, but as we go along we continue to improve and overcome these," Abdullah said.
He also disclosed that Khairy Jamaluddin, his son-in-law and the deputy youth chairman of ruling party Umno, was no longer in business, adding: "My daughter is not in business either."
Mahathir has accussed Khairy of exerting influence over the government and questioned how Khairy managed to buy shares in listed company ECM Libra Avenue. Last month, Khairy sold all his shares in the firm after explaining that he had been given a loan by the company's owners to purchase shares in it.
Abdullah also denied that he had helped Scomi, a company in which his son Kamaluddin has a controlling stake, secure government contracts.
Said the prime minister: "I've not given any kind of help that can be considered as nepotism. His business does not need to be built up."
Asked whether he would consider a second meeting after the first session ended with more attacks from Mahathir, Abdullah said: "I don't know. That is a speculative question."
Thai peace building
But he did encourage a move by Mahathir to negotiate a peace deal between the Thai government and various groups in Thailand's troubled southern provinces.
"We are not against it. Dr Mahathir has already spoken to some of them. We will see what happens, we are not in the way, we will be happy to encourage this process and bring peace to that area, and encourage it , between the various groups and if they are willing to co-operate and help create a state of stability and peace."
Abdullah said he was reassured that Surayud Chulanont, the interim Thai prime minister, was keen to engage the various groups in the South.
"The new PM promised me he is going to engage the people, establish contact with the people, open channel with the people. This is a good move. When he engages these leaders, hopefully there will be a better understanding between him and the people in facing these difficulties. There are so many problems so I said if that is what you want to do then that is the best thing to do."
However, Abdullah admitted that the problems in the Thai south were significant and would require much work to resolve.
"This feeling of alienation, this feeling of not being cared for creates resentment, from resentment to dissent to demonstrations, ugly demonstrations, trouble all the time. That is why I believe the onus is on the government, the leadership of the government. The PM today is willing to come down and meet the people, go to the villages and talk to them and he will try to understand what the problems are and I think that is the kind of leader that people will respond to."
Abdullah spoke of the close links between ethnic Malays in Malaysia and south Thailand.
"The people of southern Thailand are Malays like me, they are closely identified with us, culturally, religiously, ethnically they are more identified with us but they are Thai nationals and we accept the fact that they are Thai nationals but we cannot cover the family ties that existed for a long time. We allow them to come in."
He added that his government would not force the 131 refugees who fled across the border to Malaysia in 2005, claiming to be fleeing a military crackdown, to return to Thailand.
Development plan
Abdullah also highlighted a new multibillion-dollar development plan to build business and leisure facilities and attract foreign investors to its southernmost state, Johor, which borders Singapore.
The South Johor Economic Region (SJER) will be Malaysia's largest of its kind, with the government and private sector expected to invest about $13 billion over the next five years.
"It's not too far away from the Middle East, it's about 6 hours [away], 4 hours from India, and the area of land is 2 ½ times that of Singapore. It will be generating a lot of development."
Abdullah said Malaysia has "adequate infrastructure, very good roads, three city ports, international city ports and airports, a good population, also key people – professionals".
"Our cost will be five to six times lower than Singapore, cost low and infrastructure that can be increased, this will showcase what Malaysia truly is."
The SJER is part of the 9th Malaysian Plan, which was launched in 2006.
Although there have been differences of opinion between the state and federal governments over the SJER, Abdullah said that these had been resolved.
Mahathir has criticized the SJER project, but Abdullah believes that it and four other developmental regions are key to Malaysia's success.
"In spite of his criticisms, figures are good and we still develop, growth has been positive as far as we are concerned, we have enough money to spend, to develop.
"Ultimately, the people will decide what we have done not on the outcome of this dispute, this debate. People want to see how if they have any money in their pocket, their children are in school, there is security, that's what people are looking for."
(Source: Aljazeera)
Malaysian prosecutors have dropped a sodomy charge against the adopted brother of Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister.
Sukma Darmawan was to have stood trial for a second time on Monday, charged with "allowing" Anwar to sodomise him, but the judge acquitted and discharged him after the prosecutor told the court there was no evidence to support the charge
Gobind Singh Deo, Sukma's lawyer, said: "What we have witnessed is a victory for judicial independence and even prosecutorial independence in this country."
Sukma was jailed in 1998 for sodomy after making what he said was a forced confession.
Prosecutors later used Sukma's admission to convict Anwar, who spent more than five years in jail on corruption and sodomy charges before being freed in 2004.
Charges denied
Anwar denied all the charges, saying they were contrived to end his career after he fell out with Mahathir Mohamad, the then prime minister, over his handling of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and led anti-government protests.
Within a year of Mahathir retiring, the high court quashed Anwar's conviction.
Sukma appealed and was released on bail while he waited for the outcome.
In June this year, the court of appeal overturned his conviction and ordered the case to be retried.
"It's great, great," Sukma told Reuters news agency by phone. "It's been a terrible time. It's been almost nine years, so at last I have freedom."
Sukma said he made a false confession after police sexually abused him and threatened to have him shot.
He said the authorities offered him leniency if he falsely accused Anwar.
Gobind said the prosecution had told the court it was dropping the charge partly because of the age of the case and the fact that Sukma had already spent time in jail.
Kenyataan Media: Penarikan Balik Kes Sukma - Anwar Ibrahim
Call To Demolish Causeway "Curious", Says S'pore
The Singapore Foreign Ministry has described as "curious" the remark by the Sultan of Johor who called for the demolition of the Johor Causeway.
A ministry spokesman said in a Channel NewsAsia (CNA) report that Singapore did not believe the call represented the Malaysian government's position.
Sultan Iskandar caused a stir at the launching of the multi-billion ringgit South Johor Economic Region (SJER) project at Danga Bay in Johor Baharu yesterday when he said in an off-the-text remark that the causeway should be demolished.
"Causeway tu, bukakan...baru negeri Johor ni maju (the causeway has to be demolished, only then Johor will develop," the Sultan said before launching the project which was televised live.
CNA had also asked Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar for his reaction on the Sultan's call.
Syed Hamid said: "I think the most important thing is for us to put the speech and comment in its proper context.
"I think what is most important is that we must always learn from the lessons of the past and make sure whatever development we are going to undertake will bring benefit to our well-being, for the good of our people."
Meanwhile, Najib Cites S'pore's Reluctance As Obstacle To Building Bridge.
Singapore's reluctance to participate in the construction of a bridge to replace the Johor Causeway is the reason why the project could not be implemented, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Monday.
The deputy prime minister said the government faced a deadlock and finally decided to abort the project.
"Actually, we've never objected to the construction of the bridge in place of the existing causeway. We've never said that we don't want to do it.
"There were two barriers. Firstly, if we had wanted to build a straight bridge, Singapore sought reciprocity, namely the sale of large quantities of sand and the use of our airspace (for its fighter jets). They're difficult for us to accept politically. So, we couldn't build a straight bridge.
"Secondly, when we wanted to build a crooked bridge, Singapore objected to it and hinted that it might raise the matter with the international court," he told reporters after closing the Johor Umno Convention, here.
Najib said that when faced with a deadlock like that, the Cabinet decided that it would be better to cancel the project.
"So, that's the basis of our decision," he said when commenting on a call by Sultan Iskandar of Johor last Saturday for the causeway to be removed so that Johor could become more developed.
Asked on the possibility of the project being carried out in the future, Najib said: "We don't know what'll happen in the future. But we cannot do something unilaterally because we're bound by international laws and the water (supply) agreement that we've signed with Singapore," he said.
If Singapore was sincere, the project could have long been carried out, he said.
He said the government understood and respected the views from various parties about the project, including that from the Sultan of Johor. "The government also understands why the matter keeps cropping up," he said.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Barisan Nasional Back Benchers Club (BNBBC) acting chairman Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainudin Raja Omar said the 1.05km causeway built in 1920 need not be demolished because it would not interfere with the Iskandar Development Region project in southern Johor.
The causeway was a symbol of good relations between the people and governments of Malaysia and Singapore, he said.
"We need to retain it ... I don't see why it needs to be removed," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
He said the government would have to incur a huge cost if it wanted to dismantle the causeway that has high historical value to the people of both countries.
Sunday, speaking in Islamabad, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Johor Causeway, built during the British colonial administration, would remain as it is.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
“It’s obvious that ships will be able to pass through the Johor Straits if the Causeway is removed.
“But we are concentrating on developing South Johor into a quality trade and investment centre.
“This will also provide economic opportunities for not only Johoreans but all Malaysians. More spin-off activities can also be derived for the benefit of the country,” the Prime Minister told the Malaysian media here yesterday on the sidelines of the World Islamic Economic Forum hosted by Pakistan.
Abdullah said this when asked to comment on a remark by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, at the launching of the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) in Johor Baru on Friday.
“Causeway tu, bukakan ... baru negri Johor ni maju (the Causeway has to be demolished, only then will Johor develop),” the sultan had said before launching the project.
Najib akui batal jambatan kerana takut Singapura ??
Harakah Daily :
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mengakui secara tidak langsung bahawa keputusan membatalkan pembinaan jambatan bengkok ke Singapura dibuat kerana takut kepada tindakan Singapura melalui mahkamah antarabangsa.
Menurut beliau, kerajaan pimpinan Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berdepan dengan kebuntuan dan akhirnya terpaksa membatalkan projek berkenaan.
"Kita sebenarnya tidak pernah menentang pembinaan jambatan untuk mengganti tambak yang sedia ada. Kita tidak pernah kata bahawa kita tidak mahu melakukan perkara ini.
"Cuma yang menjadi halangan ialah dua perkara. Pertama, kalau kita mahu membina jambatan lurus, Singapura minta timbal balas, iaitu penjualan pasir dengan jumlah yang agak besar dan kemudahan ruang udara (untuk pesawat pejuangnya).
"Ini sukar kita diterima dari segi politik. Jadi jambatan lurus tak boleh kita bina. Kedua, apabila kita mahu membina jambatan bengkok, timbul pula keengganan dari pihak Singapura, dan Singapura membayangkan kemungkinan mereka akan mengambil tindakan dari segi mahkamah antarabangsa," beliau mengakui kepada pemberita selepas menutup Konvensyen Umno Johor Isnin lalu.
Najib berkata apabila berhadapan dengan tuntutan balas dan tindakan yang mungkin diambil oleh Singapura itu, kabinet memutuskan bahawa lebih baik projek itu dibatalkan.
"Jadi itulah sebenarnya asas keputusan kita," katanya ketika diminta mengulas saranan Sultan Johor pada Sabtu lepas yang mahu tambak itu dirobohkan supaya Johor lebih maju.
Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyifatkan tindakan membatalkan jambatan itu sebagai tindakan menggadaikan kedaulatan negara oleh kerajaan "half-past six with no guts" .
Menurut beliau, kerajaan sepatutnya berhadapan dengan tindakan Singapura jika benar pulau itu akan mengambil tindakan undang-undang.
"Anak jantan tidak tunduk kepada Singapura," Dr Mahathir menegaskan.
Sultan Johor Sultan Iskandar Sabtu meminta Tambak Johor dirobohkan bagi memberi laluan kepada kapal-kapal menyeberangi Selat Tebrau, yang memisahkan Johor dan Singapura.
Baginda bertitah kewujudan tambak yang dibina penjajah Inggeris itu, kini menghalang kapal-kapal daripada melalui Selat Tebrau, yang menyebabkan Johor sering menerima kutukan.
"Tu causeway tu (Tambak Johor) bukakan, baru negeri Johor ini maju," titah baginda semasa merasmikan projek Wilayah Ekonomi Johor Selatan (SJER) di Teluk Danga di sini.
Tambak Johor sepanjang 3,465 kaki (1,050 meter) dari Johor Baharu ke Singapura, dibina pada tahun 1920 dengan keseluruhan strukturnya berukuran 60 kaki lebar (18.18 meter) dan menampung dua landasan keretapi serta jalan raya selebar 26 kaki (7.87 meter). Ia juga membawa pair air dari Johor ke Singapura dan sebaliknya serta kabel komunikasi.
Sultan Iskandar turut mengingatkan rakyat Johor agar mengambil iktibar daripada pengalaman nenek moyang zaman dahulu yang mudah ditipu oleh penjajah Inggeris.
"Kita ni jangan tak sedar, jangan kena tipu lagi," titahnya.
Dalam kenyataan yang disifatkan oleh bekas Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Umno, Datuk Ibrahim Ali sebagai menyanggah Sultan Johor, Perdana Menteri bagaimanapun menegaskan di Islamabad semalam bahawa Tambak Johor akan kekal seperti yang ada sekarang.
'Johor Umno going against government'
By rejecting the notion of Bangsa Malaysia, Johor Umno is said to be going against government policy.
Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said Bangsa Malaysia was the policy of the government.
"Gerakan supports the policy, but if Umno Johor rejects it... that’s up to it," he said when contacted.
"Johor Umno can say what it wants. It has the right to do so.
"The Bangsa Malaysia is a policy of the government. We (Gerakan) support this policy of the government."
One of Gerakan’s resolution, at its national delegates conference in September, was to urge Malaysians to promote the creation of a progressive Bangsa Malaysia under Vision 2020.
And in his Hari Raya message last month, People’s Progressive Party president Datuk M. Kayveas had said: "Let us work towards a Bangsa Malaysia that is based on feelings of mutual respect and understanding.
"Let us not see any race being left behind because of racial discrimination and religion."
New Straits Times headline – “Ghani: Bangsa Malaysia is rojak and not acceptable”
As the Constitution clearly defined the races as Malay and others, there was no justification for demands for a united and single Bangsa Malaysia or a Malaysian race.
Various groups, in making the call recently, had said a Bangsa Malaysia would go a long way towards strengthening national unity by respecting the similarities and differences of each other.
One of them was Gerakan, which at its national delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 4 adopted a resolution urging Malaysians to promote the creation of a progressive Bangsa Malaysia under Vision 2020.
Umno Johor, however, is dead against the idea.
"After 49 years of independence, we should be more mature and not try to produce nebulous concepts whose origins are not clear," said Ghani.
The concept is seen as a threat to the Malays and the special position provided for them in the Constitution.
"The concept, if subjected to abuse, can threaten national stability," he warned.
Ghani said there was no need to reinvent a national identity when the Constitution had clearly defined the various races that make up the citizens of this country.
"Even if the term Bangsa Malaysia is to be used, it must only be applied in the context of all the peoples of Malaysia with the Malays as the pivotal race," he said.
A total of 350 party delegates from 26 divisions are attending the two-day conference at Johor Baru’s latest convention centre, Persada.
Johor Umno, with nearly 500,000 members spread over 2,032 branches, is the biggest of all the state units.
The state, which is also the birthplace of Umno, has traditionally been the bastion of the party’s political strength in the country.
Ghani also revisited the government’s meritocracy system, which dominated deliberations at last year’s Johor Umno convention.
He reiterated that in the absence of equal opportunities for education for both rural and urban Malays, it was impossible to strive for meritocracy.
The system was a form of discrimination and oppression, he said. It did not provide for a level playing field but instead deprived thousands of Malay children in the rural areas, who still lacked access to quality education.
"Umno Johor is steadfast in its stand that the meritocracy system must be stopped.
"It is not suitable for implementation," he declared.
Another bone of contention was the introduction of English for the teaching of science and mathematics in schools.
This approach, he said, had only widened the divide between urban and rural schools.
"How can Malay pupils compete in such a condition? In fact, this is the worst way to teach English.
"If the objective is to improve English proficiency, why not focus efforts on the teaching of the language?
"That would be more practical as well as cost effective," he said.
Ghani said Bahasa Melayu was also in danger of losing its edge as the language of knowledge in schools because of the priority that was being given to English.
"With the increasing use of Mandarin in the private sector, Bahasa Melayu might also be relegated to the third spot after English and Mandarin in the world of commerce," he said.
On the Malay Agenda, Ghani called for renewed efforts to boost the status and position of the Malays in all spheres of economic and structural development.
He urged the rank and file to reflect on the party’s early struggle as many had lost track of its original goals in their pursuit of progress and prosperity.
He stressed the need for Umno to remain united and strong or else the Malays would have no refuge against the onslaught of globalisation and liberalisation.
He urged members to focus on these challenges, saying it was time Umno re-evaluated itself, rebuilt its internal mechanism, and reinforced Malay values and ethics.
To emerge stronger, Umno must overcome both the internal and external challenges. He said there was also a need to instil a strong culture within Umno, one based on trust, impartiality, forthrightness, and godliness.
He said Umno as a Malay party must reflect Malay characteristics and uphold pure Malay values.
"Refrain from finger-pointing, hurling accusations or openly admonishing others just because you think they are wrong.
"If something is indeed wrong, we can give our views, comments or even criticisms.
"But be careful with your manners and do not be uncouth and discourteous.
"And make your views known through the proper channels.
"This is the Malay way of doing things.
"Let us not discard our rich culture and values when dealing with the present-day crisis in the party," he said, without saying what the crisis was.
Ghani stressed that Umno had to demonstrate clear intentions which were free of corruption and deceit, saying only then would it be able to regain the awe and respect of the Malays.
Lim Kit Siang asks :
Malaysia Wants Muslim Countries to Aid Poor Islamic Nations
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called on the Muslim world to help poorer Islamic countries by bridging the urban-rural divide, improving trade ties and improving their share of the global economy.
The 57 member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, or OIC, have a ``responsibility to help their least developed members out of poverty,'' Abdullah said at the opening of the World Islamic Economic Forum yesterday.
The grouping, which includes Saudi Arabia and Egypt, accounts for 19 percent of the world's population, 6 percent of its income and 7 percent of global trade, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said at the event. OIC members account for 5 percent of global gross domestic product, he said.
Even Muslim countries posting robust economic growth have ``pockets of extreme poverty,'' said Ahmed Mohammad Ali, president of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank.
Pakistan, which has the world's second-biggest Muslim population after Indonesia, is hosting the second World Islamic Economic Forum, a three-day conference being attended by 400 participants from 50 countries. Delegates will discuss investment and cooperation opportunities in tourism, energy, infrastructure development and telecommunications.
``A vast majority of Muslims live in poverty and backwardness,'' said Aziz, 57, a former global head of private banking at Citibank NA, who was appointed Pakistan's finance minister in 1999. ``We in the Muslim world need to look inwards, get into a mode of self-analysis and chart a clear and well- defined course of action.''
Trade
Of the total trade by Muslim countries, only 13 percent is conducted among OIC members, he said.
Muslim countries should also strive to become competitive in global trade and investment by strengthening economic links with each other, said Abdullah, 66. The Malaysian prime minister combined this with a call for reform.
``We need to reform to make the OIC more economic and less political in nature,'' said Abdullah, who currently chairs the organization which was established in 1969 to strengthen Islamic solidarity, promote political cooperation and safeguard the rights of Muslims around the world.
The eventual goal for the OIC should be to create an Islamic Economic Union which can begin with multilateral free- trade agreements and the promotion of free flow of capital, labor, good and services, Aziz said.
Abdullah and Aziz both discussed the need for greater unity among the Muslim world to help achieve an end to poverty.
``For greater unity, inter-sectarian violence must stop completely,'' Abdullah said, condemning sectarian divisions. ``But Muslim unity at the international level is only possible when it is established at the national level.''
Muslim countries are divided by social inequities breeding a ``sense of deprivation,'' Aziz said. ``The world community has a responsibility to remove the causes of injustice and frustration so that a lasting solution to the scourge of extremism and terrorism can be found.''
Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tun Mahathir Asia Anwar Sukma Darmawan sodomy case
"Before we have been very restrained ourselves, you know, but whatever he says he wants reply, we reply. He ignored the reply we have been giving so far. Now he says he has not had any reply and he's not happy. But in Malaysia, we are answerable to the people, not just one man," Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said of Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister.
Abdullah told Aljazeera that the dispute dispute began when he cancelled a proposed bridge to replace the causeway linking Malaysia to Singapore – one of several big projects initiated by Mahathir and cancelled or postponed by the present government.
Abdullah said he was not running scared of Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years before relinquishing the reins to his hand-picked successor.
"Well, I must say that in our kind of democracy he can say what he wants, express his views on anything he wants, but as far as I'm concerned, me and my team are united and focused on what we can do. In any kind of development there might be some problems, shortcomings, but as we go along we continue to improve and overcome these," Abdullah said.
He also disclosed that Khairy Jamaluddin, his son-in-law and the deputy youth chairman of ruling party Umno, was no longer in business, adding: "My daughter is not in business either."
Mahathir has accussed Khairy of exerting influence over the government and questioned how Khairy managed to buy shares in listed company ECM Libra Avenue. Last month, Khairy sold all his shares in the firm after explaining that he had been given a loan by the company's owners to purchase shares in it.
Abdullah also denied that he had helped Scomi, a company in which his son Kamaluddin has a controlling stake, secure government contracts.
Said the prime minister: "I've not given any kind of help that can be considered as nepotism. His business does not need to be built up."
Asked whether he would consider a second meeting after the first session ended with more attacks from Mahathir, Abdullah said: "I don't know. That is a speculative question."
Thai peace building
But he did encourage a move by Mahathir to negotiate a peace deal between the Thai government and various groups in Thailand's troubled southern provinces.
"We are not against it. Dr Mahathir has already spoken to some of them. We will see what happens, we are not in the way, we will be happy to encourage this process and bring peace to that area, and encourage it , between the various groups and if they are willing to co-operate and help create a state of stability and peace."
Abdullah said he was reassured that Surayud Chulanont, the interim Thai prime minister, was keen to engage the various groups in the South.
"The new PM promised me he is going to engage the people, establish contact with the people, open channel with the people. This is a good move. When he engages these leaders, hopefully there will be a better understanding between him and the people in facing these difficulties. There are so many problems so I said if that is what you want to do then that is the best thing to do."
However, Abdullah admitted that the problems in the Thai south were significant and would require much work to resolve.
"This feeling of alienation, this feeling of not being cared for creates resentment, from resentment to dissent to demonstrations, ugly demonstrations, trouble all the time. That is why I believe the onus is on the government, the leadership of the government. The PM today is willing to come down and meet the people, go to the villages and talk to them and he will try to understand what the problems are and I think that is the kind of leader that people will respond to."
Abdullah spoke of the close links between ethnic Malays in Malaysia and south Thailand.
"The people of southern Thailand are Malays like me, they are closely identified with us, culturally, religiously, ethnically they are more identified with us but they are Thai nationals and we accept the fact that they are Thai nationals but we cannot cover the family ties that existed for a long time. We allow them to come in."
He added that his government would not force the 131 refugees who fled across the border to Malaysia in 2005, claiming to be fleeing a military crackdown, to return to Thailand.
Development plan
Abdullah also highlighted a new multibillion-dollar development plan to build business and leisure facilities and attract foreign investors to its southernmost state, Johor, which borders Singapore.
The South Johor Economic Region (SJER) will be Malaysia's largest of its kind, with the government and private sector expected to invest about $13 billion over the next five years.
"It's not too far away from the Middle East, it's about 6 hours [away], 4 hours from India, and the area of land is 2 ½ times that of Singapore. It will be generating a lot of development."
Abdullah said Malaysia has "adequate infrastructure, very good roads, three city ports, international city ports and airports, a good population, also key people – professionals".
"Our cost will be five to six times lower than Singapore, cost low and infrastructure that can be increased, this will showcase what Malaysia truly is."
The SJER is part of the 9th Malaysian Plan, which was launched in 2006.
Although there have been differences of opinion between the state and federal governments over the SJER, Abdullah said that these had been resolved.
Mahathir has criticized the SJER project, but Abdullah believes that it and four other developmental regions are key to Malaysia's success.
"In spite of his criticisms, figures are good and we still develop, growth has been positive as far as we are concerned, we have enough money to spend, to develop.
"Ultimately, the people will decide what we have done not on the outcome of this dispute, this debate. People want to see how if they have any money in their pocket, their children are in school, there is security, that's what people are looking for."
(Source: Aljazeera)
Malaysian prosecutors have dropped a sodomy charge against the adopted brother of Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister.
Sukma Darmawan was to have stood trial for a second time on Monday, charged with "allowing" Anwar to sodomise him, but the judge acquitted and discharged him after the prosecutor told the court there was no evidence to support the charge
Gobind Singh Deo, Sukma's lawyer, said: "What we have witnessed is a victory for judicial independence and even prosecutorial independence in this country."
Sukma was jailed in 1998 for sodomy after making what he said was a forced confession.
Prosecutors later used Sukma's admission to convict Anwar, who spent more than five years in jail on corruption and sodomy charges before being freed in 2004.
Charges denied
Anwar denied all the charges, saying they were contrived to end his career after he fell out with Mahathir Mohamad, the then prime minister, over his handling of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and led anti-government protests.
Within a year of Mahathir retiring, the high court quashed Anwar's conviction.
Sukma appealed and was released on bail while he waited for the outcome.
In June this year, the court of appeal overturned his conviction and ordered the case to be retried.
"It's great, great," Sukma told Reuters news agency by phone. "It's been a terrible time. It's been almost nine years, so at last I have freedom."
Sukma said he made a false confession after police sexually abused him and threatened to have him shot.
He said the authorities offered him leniency if he falsely accused Anwar.
Gobind said the prosecution had told the court it was dropping the charge partly because of the age of the case and the fact that Sukma had already spent time in jail.
Kenyataan Media: Penarikan Balik Kes Sukma - Anwar Ibrahim
Saya bersyukur kerana setelah 8 tahun difitnah dan dizalimi, Peguam Negara memilih untuk menarik pendakwaan terhadap Sukma Darmawan dan saya. Kita telah menyaksikan bagaimana polis, pendakwa dan hakim diperalat oleh penguasa politik untuk memenuhi agenda jahat dan khianat mereka.
Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail yang secara peribadi terlibat dalam konspirasi dalam tahun 1998 sepatutnya memohon maaf diatas keterlanjuran beliau dan Jabatan Peguam Negara. Disebaliknnya beliau masih cuba berselindung dengan alasan teknikal, dan menghina proses dan hukum.
Sekali lagi saya berdoa dan berharap agar kezaliman tidak berulang dinegara kita dan pembaharuan dilakukan bagi memulihkan kewibawaan institusi pemerintah dan penguatkuasa.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
( Anwar Ibrahim Blog )
Call To Demolish Causeway "Curious", Says S'pore
The Singapore Foreign Ministry has described as "curious" the remark by the Sultan of Johor who called for the demolition of the Johor Causeway.
A ministry spokesman said in a Channel NewsAsia (CNA) report that Singapore did not believe the call represented the Malaysian government's position.
Sultan Iskandar caused a stir at the launching of the multi-billion ringgit South Johor Economic Region (SJER) project at Danga Bay in Johor Baharu yesterday when he said in an off-the-text remark that the causeway should be demolished.
"Causeway tu, bukakan...baru negeri Johor ni maju (the causeway has to be demolished, only then Johor will develop," the Sultan said before launching the project which was televised live.
CNA had also asked Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar for his reaction on the Sultan's call.
Syed Hamid said: "I think the most important thing is for us to put the speech and comment in its proper context.
"I think what is most important is that we must always learn from the lessons of the past and make sure whatever development we are going to undertake will bring benefit to our well-being, for the good of our people."
Meanwhile, Najib Cites S'pore's Reluctance As Obstacle To Building Bridge.
Singapore's reluctance to participate in the construction of a bridge to replace the Johor Causeway is the reason why the project could not be implemented, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Monday.
The deputy prime minister said the government faced a deadlock and finally decided to abort the project.
"Actually, we've never objected to the construction of the bridge in place of the existing causeway. We've never said that we don't want to do it.
"There were two barriers. Firstly, if we had wanted to build a straight bridge, Singapore sought reciprocity, namely the sale of large quantities of sand and the use of our airspace (for its fighter jets). They're difficult for us to accept politically. So, we couldn't build a straight bridge.
"Secondly, when we wanted to build a crooked bridge, Singapore objected to it and hinted that it might raise the matter with the international court," he told reporters after closing the Johor Umno Convention, here.
Najib said that when faced with a deadlock like that, the Cabinet decided that it would be better to cancel the project.
"So, that's the basis of our decision," he said when commenting on a call by Sultan Iskandar of Johor last Saturday for the causeway to be removed so that Johor could become more developed.
Asked on the possibility of the project being carried out in the future, Najib said: "We don't know what'll happen in the future. But we cannot do something unilaterally because we're bound by international laws and the water (supply) agreement that we've signed with Singapore," he said.
If Singapore was sincere, the project could have long been carried out, he said.
He said the government understood and respected the views from various parties about the project, including that from the Sultan of Johor. "The government also understands why the matter keeps cropping up," he said.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Barisan Nasional Back Benchers Club (BNBBC) acting chairman Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainudin Raja Omar said the 1.05km causeway built in 1920 need not be demolished because it would not interfere with the Iskandar Development Region project in southern Johor.
The causeway was a symbol of good relations between the people and governments of Malaysia and Singapore, he said.
"We need to retain it ... I don't see why it needs to be removed," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
He said the government would have to incur a huge cost if it wanted to dismantle the causeway that has high historical value to the people of both countries.
Sunday, speaking in Islamabad, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Johor Causeway, built during the British colonial administration, would remain as it is.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
“It’s obvious that ships will be able to pass through the Johor Straits if the Causeway is removed.
“But we are concentrating on developing South Johor into a quality trade and investment centre.
“This will also provide economic opportunities for not only Johoreans but all Malaysians. More spin-off activities can also be derived for the benefit of the country,” the Prime Minister told the Malaysian media here yesterday on the sidelines of the World Islamic Economic Forum hosted by Pakistan.
Abdullah said this when asked to comment on a remark by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, at the launching of the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) in Johor Baru on Friday.
“Causeway tu, bukakan ... baru negri Johor ni maju (the Causeway has to be demolished, only then will Johor develop),” the sultan had said before launching the project.
Najib akui batal jambatan kerana takut Singapura ??
Harakah Daily :
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mengakui secara tidak langsung bahawa keputusan membatalkan pembinaan jambatan bengkok ke Singapura dibuat kerana takut kepada tindakan Singapura melalui mahkamah antarabangsa.
Menurut beliau, kerajaan pimpinan Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berdepan dengan kebuntuan dan akhirnya terpaksa membatalkan projek berkenaan.
"Kita sebenarnya tidak pernah menentang pembinaan jambatan untuk mengganti tambak yang sedia ada. Kita tidak pernah kata bahawa kita tidak mahu melakukan perkara ini.
"Cuma yang menjadi halangan ialah dua perkara. Pertama, kalau kita mahu membina jambatan lurus, Singapura minta timbal balas, iaitu penjualan pasir dengan jumlah yang agak besar dan kemudahan ruang udara (untuk pesawat pejuangnya).
"Ini sukar kita diterima dari segi politik. Jadi jambatan lurus tak boleh kita bina. Kedua, apabila kita mahu membina jambatan bengkok, timbul pula keengganan dari pihak Singapura, dan Singapura membayangkan kemungkinan mereka akan mengambil tindakan dari segi mahkamah antarabangsa," beliau mengakui kepada pemberita selepas menutup Konvensyen Umno Johor Isnin lalu.
Najib berkata apabila berhadapan dengan tuntutan balas dan tindakan yang mungkin diambil oleh Singapura itu, kabinet memutuskan bahawa lebih baik projek itu dibatalkan.
"Jadi itulah sebenarnya asas keputusan kita," katanya ketika diminta mengulas saranan Sultan Johor pada Sabtu lepas yang mahu tambak itu dirobohkan supaya Johor lebih maju.
Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyifatkan tindakan membatalkan jambatan itu sebagai tindakan menggadaikan kedaulatan negara oleh kerajaan "half-past six with no guts" .
Menurut beliau, kerajaan sepatutnya berhadapan dengan tindakan Singapura jika benar pulau itu akan mengambil tindakan undang-undang.
"Anak jantan tidak tunduk kepada Singapura," Dr Mahathir menegaskan.
Sultan Johor Sultan Iskandar Sabtu meminta Tambak Johor dirobohkan bagi memberi laluan kepada kapal-kapal menyeberangi Selat Tebrau, yang memisahkan Johor dan Singapura.
Baginda bertitah kewujudan tambak yang dibina penjajah Inggeris itu, kini menghalang kapal-kapal daripada melalui Selat Tebrau, yang menyebabkan Johor sering menerima kutukan.
"Tu causeway tu (Tambak Johor) bukakan, baru negeri Johor ini maju," titah baginda semasa merasmikan projek Wilayah Ekonomi Johor Selatan (SJER) di Teluk Danga di sini.
Tambak Johor sepanjang 3,465 kaki (1,050 meter) dari Johor Baharu ke Singapura, dibina pada tahun 1920 dengan keseluruhan strukturnya berukuran 60 kaki lebar (18.18 meter) dan menampung dua landasan keretapi serta jalan raya selebar 26 kaki (7.87 meter). Ia juga membawa pair air dari Johor ke Singapura dan sebaliknya serta kabel komunikasi.
Sultan Iskandar turut mengingatkan rakyat Johor agar mengambil iktibar daripada pengalaman nenek moyang zaman dahulu yang mudah ditipu oleh penjajah Inggeris.
"Kita ni jangan tak sedar, jangan kena tipu lagi," titahnya.
Dalam kenyataan yang disifatkan oleh bekas Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Umno, Datuk Ibrahim Ali sebagai menyanggah Sultan Johor, Perdana Menteri bagaimanapun menegaskan di Islamabad semalam bahawa Tambak Johor akan kekal seperti yang ada sekarang.
'Johor Umno going against government'
By rejecting the notion of Bangsa Malaysia, Johor Umno is said to be going against government policy.
Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said Bangsa Malaysia was the policy of the government.
"Gerakan supports the policy, but if Umno Johor rejects it... that’s up to it," he said when contacted.
"Johor Umno can say what it wants. It has the right to do so.
"The Bangsa Malaysia is a policy of the government. We (Gerakan) support this policy of the government."
One of Gerakan’s resolution, at its national delegates conference in September, was to urge Malaysians to promote the creation of a progressive Bangsa Malaysia under Vision 2020.
And in his Hari Raya message last month, People’s Progressive Party president Datuk M. Kayveas had said: "Let us work towards a Bangsa Malaysia that is based on feelings of mutual respect and understanding.
"Let us not see any race being left behind because of racial discrimination and religion."
New Straits Times headline – “Ghani: Bangsa Malaysia is rojak and not acceptable”
As the Constitution clearly defined the races as Malay and others, there was no justification for demands for a united and single Bangsa Malaysia or a Malaysian race.
Various groups, in making the call recently, had said a Bangsa Malaysia would go a long way towards strengthening national unity by respecting the similarities and differences of each other.
One of them was Gerakan, which at its national delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 4 adopted a resolution urging Malaysians to promote the creation of a progressive Bangsa Malaysia under Vision 2020.
Umno Johor, however, is dead against the idea.
"After 49 years of independence, we should be more mature and not try to produce nebulous concepts whose origins are not clear," said Ghani.
The concept is seen as a threat to the Malays and the special position provided for them in the Constitution.
"The concept, if subjected to abuse, can threaten national stability," he warned.
Ghani said there was no need to reinvent a national identity when the Constitution had clearly defined the various races that make up the citizens of this country.
"Even if the term Bangsa Malaysia is to be used, it must only be applied in the context of all the peoples of Malaysia with the Malays as the pivotal race," he said.
A total of 350 party delegates from 26 divisions are attending the two-day conference at Johor Baru’s latest convention centre, Persada.
Johor Umno, with nearly 500,000 members spread over 2,032 branches, is the biggest of all the state units.
The state, which is also the birthplace of Umno, has traditionally been the bastion of the party’s political strength in the country.
Ghani also revisited the government’s meritocracy system, which dominated deliberations at last year’s Johor Umno convention.
He reiterated that in the absence of equal opportunities for education for both rural and urban Malays, it was impossible to strive for meritocracy.
The system was a form of discrimination and oppression, he said. It did not provide for a level playing field but instead deprived thousands of Malay children in the rural areas, who still lacked access to quality education.
"Umno Johor is steadfast in its stand that the meritocracy system must be stopped.
"It is not suitable for implementation," he declared.
Another bone of contention was the introduction of English for the teaching of science and mathematics in schools.
This approach, he said, had only widened the divide between urban and rural schools.
"How can Malay pupils compete in such a condition? In fact, this is the worst way to teach English.
"If the objective is to improve English proficiency, why not focus efforts on the teaching of the language?
"That would be more practical as well as cost effective," he said.
Ghani said Bahasa Melayu was also in danger of losing its edge as the language of knowledge in schools because of the priority that was being given to English.
"With the increasing use of Mandarin in the private sector, Bahasa Melayu might also be relegated to the third spot after English and Mandarin in the world of commerce," he said.
On the Malay Agenda, Ghani called for renewed efforts to boost the status and position of the Malays in all spheres of economic and structural development.
He urged the rank and file to reflect on the party’s early struggle as many had lost track of its original goals in their pursuit of progress and prosperity.
He stressed the need for Umno to remain united and strong or else the Malays would have no refuge against the onslaught of globalisation and liberalisation.
He urged members to focus on these challenges, saying it was time Umno re-evaluated itself, rebuilt its internal mechanism, and reinforced Malay values and ethics.
To emerge stronger, Umno must overcome both the internal and external challenges. He said there was also a need to instil a strong culture within Umno, one based on trust, impartiality, forthrightness, and godliness.
He said Umno as a Malay party must reflect Malay characteristics and uphold pure Malay values.
"Refrain from finger-pointing, hurling accusations or openly admonishing others just because you think they are wrong.
"If something is indeed wrong, we can give our views, comments or even criticisms.
"But be careful with your manners and do not be uncouth and discourteous.
"And make your views known through the proper channels.
"This is the Malay way of doing things.
"Let us not discard our rich culture and values when dealing with the present-day crisis in the party," he said, without saying what the crisis was.
Ghani stressed that Umno had to demonstrate clear intentions which were free of corruption and deceit, saying only then would it be able to regain the awe and respect of the Malays.
Lim Kit Siang asks :
Is the Vision 2020 a 30-year lie?
Is this another evidence of a “half-past six” Cabinet in Malaysia, at least since 1991, as recently exposed by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad?
Is this further proof of the political centre unable to hold under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister?
**********
Malaysia Wants Muslim Countries to Aid Poor Islamic Nations
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called on the Muslim world to help poorer Islamic countries by bridging the urban-rural divide, improving trade ties and improving their share of the global economy.
The 57 member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, or OIC, have a ``responsibility to help their least developed members out of poverty,'' Abdullah said at the opening of the World Islamic Economic Forum yesterday.
The grouping, which includes Saudi Arabia and Egypt, accounts for 19 percent of the world's population, 6 percent of its income and 7 percent of global trade, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said at the event. OIC members account for 5 percent of global gross domestic product, he said.
Even Muslim countries posting robust economic growth have ``pockets of extreme poverty,'' said Ahmed Mohammad Ali, president of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank.
Pakistan, which has the world's second-biggest Muslim population after Indonesia, is hosting the second World Islamic Economic Forum, a three-day conference being attended by 400 participants from 50 countries. Delegates will discuss investment and cooperation opportunities in tourism, energy, infrastructure development and telecommunications.
``A vast majority of Muslims live in poverty and backwardness,'' said Aziz, 57, a former global head of private banking at Citibank NA, who was appointed Pakistan's finance minister in 1999. ``We in the Muslim world need to look inwards, get into a mode of self-analysis and chart a clear and well- defined course of action.''
Trade
Of the total trade by Muslim countries, only 13 percent is conducted among OIC members, he said.
Muslim countries should also strive to become competitive in global trade and investment by strengthening economic links with each other, said Abdullah, 66. The Malaysian prime minister combined this with a call for reform.
``We need to reform to make the OIC more economic and less political in nature,'' said Abdullah, who currently chairs the organization which was established in 1969 to strengthen Islamic solidarity, promote political cooperation and safeguard the rights of Muslims around the world.
The eventual goal for the OIC should be to create an Islamic Economic Union which can begin with multilateral free- trade agreements and the promotion of free flow of capital, labor, good and services, Aziz said.
Abdullah and Aziz both discussed the need for greater unity among the Muslim world to help achieve an end to poverty.
``For greater unity, inter-sectarian violence must stop completely,'' Abdullah said, condemning sectarian divisions. ``But Muslim unity at the international level is only possible when it is established at the national level.''
Muslim countries are divided by social inequities breeding a ``sense of deprivation,'' Aziz said. ``The world community has a responsibility to remove the causes of injustice and frustration so that a lasting solution to the scourge of extremism and terrorism can be found.''
Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tun Mahathir Asia Anwar Sukma Darmawan sodomy case
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