1MDB: Resignation of board not enough, says Guan Eng

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

Published: Monday June 8, 2015 MYT 2:40:00 PM
Updated: Monday June 8, 2015 MYT 3:04:47 PM

1MDB: Resignation of board not enough, says Guan Eng

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: News of the possible resignation of 1Malaysia Development Bhd's (1MDB) entire board of directors has been welcomed by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pic), but he says those involved must also take full responsibility for the fiasco.

He said he definitely agreed that they should resign just as the Deputy Prime Minister had earlier demanded.

"They should assume full responsibility for this fiasco," he said after giving his speech at the 7th Annual Corporate Governance Summit here Monday.

Citing unidentified sources, The Edge Financial Daily reported on Sunday that the entire board of 1MDB would be made to step down as early as July.

1MDB's six-member board of directors is led by chairman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin and CEO Arul Kanda.

The 1MDB has been embroiled in controversy for chalking up RM42bil in debts in less than five years.

Lim also said those behind 1MDB had to explain why they committed to financial transactions and became so heavily in debt.

"These are the issues they have to answer to and they cannot run away," he said, adding that 1MDB had to be cleaned up and rid of "toxic" assets.

He also questioned 1MDB's investment of US$1.103bil (RM4.14bil) in Singapore.

"What are these assets? It must be cash if you put in the bank. It cannot be gold bars or cincin. If not, what types of 'units' are you talking about?” he said.

In January, the Finance Ministry said 1MDB had deposited the funds it redeemed from its offshore account in the Cayman Islands into Singapore's BSI Bank, with the amount held in US dollars.

On March 10, it confirmed in a written reply to PJ Utara MP Tony Pua that the funds were held in the bank in the form of cash.

On May 19, however, the Government said the funds were not in the form of cash, but assets.

Two days later, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Husni Hanadzlah said the funds were in the form of units.

MCA: PAS like Taliban to control media

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: PAS is behaving like the Taliban who smashed television sets and forced Afghans to only listen to their propaganda, MCA Publicity Bureau chairman Senator Datuk Chai Kim Sen (pic) said in response to the party's move to restrict the media coverage of its muktamar.

It was reported that PAS would ban any media from covering its meeting for publishing “any news which should not have been reported and which causes a negative impact in the opinion of the PAS central committee."

Chai said the censorship that the PAS information and muktamar media committee had imposed on media reporting "only points to PAS’ fears of independent media reporting and that it does not want to improve on its weaknesses to benefit the rakyat, especially on hudud law."

He said for PAS to regard any news as “negative” was totally subjective and shows it could shift the goal post anytime according to its whims and fancy.

“For the avoidance of doubt and to prove its sincerity, then PAS should list down the types of articles it considers appropriate or offensive,” he said in a statement.

Chai said news reporting and commentaries were reported from different angles and it was the responsibility of the media to act as check-and-balance, at federal or state level.

Chai also asked if PAS wanted to prevent the media from reporting its deep internal chasm between the ultra-conservatives aligned to president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and the so-called Erdogan group supposedly led by Mohamad Sabu.

On dress code for media workers, Chai wants PAS to explain how a striped or chequered long-sleeve office or t-shirt worn by male media workers should be regarded as offensive.

“Similarly, so long as modesty is practised, PAS should not assert subtle pressure by imposing its conservative values on non-Muslim women to don the headscarf,” he said.

Ongkili: Selangor MB has been ill-advised over water deal

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG AND WANI MUTHIAH

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor Mentri Besar has been ill-advised when he claimed that the Federal Government wanted free land as part of the water restructuring deal in the state, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (pic).

Dr Ongkili said it was stated in the water agreement signed last Sept 12 that the assets would go together with the land and even on that matter, the Federal Government had compromised.

Selangor, he said, claimed that it had over RM14bil worth of assets – RM10bil worth of pipes and RM4bil worth of treatment plants and reservoirs.

“If that is the case, they should go with the land because if the new concessionaires want to lay new pipes, they need access to them.

“So, we compromised and said, ‘Never mind, even if you cannot give us the land, you can assign to us rights to the land,’” he said after launching the Second International Water Association Malaysia Young Professionals Conference here yesterday.

Mentri Besar Azmin Ali had reportedly said that Selangor decided not to go ahead with the water restructuring deal because the Federal Government wanted “free land”, particularly in relation to the transfer of ownership of land involving 26,000km of pipes.

He had also claimed that land was not part of the main agreement but only the handing over of assets by the concessionaires.

Dr Ongkili also denied Azmin’s claim that the Federal Government would take over the land after the 45-year lease, describing it as “nonsense”.

“Under our lease agreement, the land goes back to the state government. He has not been properly advised,” he said.

Dr Ongkili said he had written to Azmin about the outstanding issues and confusion, and suggested that their officers meet as soon as possible.

“And thereafter, we two can meet,” he said, adding that he was still looking forward to finding a solution or the “option would be tougher. There is no need for re-negotiation”.

However, in Shah Alam, Azmin said he had received Dr Ongkili’s letter stating that the Federal Government was prepared to go back to the negotiation table.

“If they are willing to return to the terms stipulated in the master agreement (signed on Sept 12), we are prepared.

“The problem is that the Federal Government started coming up with new suggestions that are not in the original agreement,” said Azmin.

He also said that Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Splash) had received an operating licence because it was given a year to comply with Selangor’s water restructuring exercise.

The licence given to Splash, he said, was an extraction licence for the concessionaire to tap and treat raw water before this was channelled to consumers.

Former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had questioned Azmin over the awarding of the licence to Splash at a time when the water deal was at a stalemate.

State-owned Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) will be taking over the state’s water industry from its four concessionaires – Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB), Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), Konsortium ABASS and Splash.

The first three concessionaires had agreed to the state acquiring them except for Splash.

‘Include electricity under GST-free list’

BY RAHIMY RAHIM, PRIYA KULASAGARAN, AND LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: If consumers are wondering how much of electricity they use before they are imposed with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it is RM77, which translates to 300 units of consumption.

However, this amount would only be for the average use of basic electrical appliances such as television, fan, light, refrigerator and other household items, said Association of Water and Energy Research president S. Piarapakaran.

“If they use an air-conditioner or shower with a water heater, the amount of electricity consumed will come to more than 300 units for a family of four or more,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Under Budget 2015 announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last Friday, electricity consumption of up to 300 units will be GST-free, a move expected to benefit 70% of Malaysian households.

The association has urged the Government to reconsider the imposition of GST on electricity, and include it under the zero-rated list.

Piarapakaran said they were concerned that the GST on electricity for commercial and industrial use would cause the prices of goods and services to go up, with the cost being passed on to consumers.

“Our electricity tariff is already punitive, which means the more you use, the more you pay.

“It will be unfair to include additional charges via GST to consumers’ bills,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia called on the Government to include all drugs and medicines as zero-rated under the GST list.

Its president Ewe Kheng Huat said more drugs outside of the National Essential Medicine List and those sold over the counter should also be categorised as zero-rated.

“We are asking for all medicines and drugs to be zero-rated as there is a huge range of dosages just within one type of medicine,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Ewe cited an example where a simple drug such as paracetamol had different dosages to suit the age groups.

Budget 2015 also noted that GST would not be imposed on dental, nursing, midwifery, allied health, pharmacy and ambulance services provided by healthcare professionals, hospitalisation, screening, diagnoses, treatment to those suffering from any disease, injury or disability of mind or body.

MCA wants leaders’ memorial

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has proposed that the Government set up a Tun Tan Cheng Lock memorial centre as testament to the multiracial efforts that brought about the country’s independence.

Party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday the centre would not just be about Tan, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun V. T. Sambathan, but also a “witness” of the country’s moderation and inclusiveness in a multiracial society.

“MCA feels that this is necessary and must be recorded and appreciated and shared with the younger generation,” he told a press conference after the soft launch of MCA’s Corridor of History gallery at the MCA headquarters.

Liow also said MCA’s history was of great importance to the younger generation.

“After independence, we worked together to form a multiracial government and this government promoted multiracialism and protected multiracial rights to ensure peace, harmony and prosperity. We achieved this in the last 57 years of independence,” he said.

Asked to comment on the police decision not to investigate Petaling Jaya Utara Umno deputy Youth chief Mohamad Azli Mohamed Saad’s call for the abolition of vernacular schools as a sedition case and deeming it a civil case instead, Liow said MCA viewed Mohamad Azli’s comment as seditious.

“If there is intention of a seditious act, then police should investigate from the sedition point of view. We want to reiterate that Chinese education is part of the national education system and there should not be voices asking to pull down Chinese schools,” he said.

He said police should investigate all angles, especially the motive of the person.

Mohamad Azli had recently suggested that Umno’s upcoming general assembly discuss the abolition of vernacular schools.

Liow said MCA had pushed for multi-stream education during independence and the country’s leaders then had agreed to the system.

Liow said the country had a good education system that was inclusive where Chinese, Tamil and Malay education was provided for under Article 152 of the Federal Constitution.

“If anyone in this country has extreme views and proposes to eradicate vernacular schools, it is wrong. MCA not only condemns this move but also feels that the Government should take action against those who are creating disharmony,” he said.

On Budget 2015, Liow said MCA hoped the economy would be beefed up and the cost of living reduced. The Chinese community also hoped that allocation for Chinese schools would be increased, he said.

The Star

Khalid fires back at PKR panel

BY RAZAK AHMAD, WANI MUTHIAH, LOH FOON FONG, MAZWIN NIK ANIS, NURBAITI HAMDAN, RAHIMY RAHIM,RASHVINJEET S. BEDI, AND AKIL YUNUS

Sticking to his guns: Khalid speaking to the media after the gathering with Jais personnel in Shah Alam.

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has fired back at PKR’s disciplinary committee, telling it that it has no business questioning him on how the state is run.

Responding in a letter to the committee’s show-cause notice directing him to attend a hearing yesterday, the Selangor Mentri Besar said five of the issues raised had already been discussed at a state government meeting under the executive powers of the state administration.

The five issues were on a Bank Islam loan, the state’s water restructuring deal, the revised MB’s allowance, the increased fees for business licences and the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).

“The PKR disciplinary committee is only authorised to hear issues related to party matters and not matters pertaining to how the state is run,” Khalid said in his letter to committee chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong.

The letter was delivered to the PKR headquarters by his political secretary Mustapha Mohd Talib yesterday.

In the letter, Khalid also requested that his hearing be postponed from 3pm yesterday to next Friday because he was busy.

Khalid lamented the fact that the notice summoning him to the disciplinary hearing had requested that he explain five additional issues that were not mentioned in the earlier show-cause letter issued him on Tuesday.

“This reinforces my insistence that any accusation made towards me must be stated clearly and in detail. I do not understand how these five issues are related to the Kajang Move and my refusal to relinquish the MB’s post, which was the focal point in the show-cause letter.

“It is also clear that even the disciplinary committee is unsure and inconsistent in regard to my alleged wrongdoing,” he said.

The embattled Mentri Besar also questioned the haste in which the disciplinary hearing was called, claiming that he was unfairly treated after being given less than 24 hours’ notice to attend the hearing.

“If they insist on going ahead with the hearing, then they must provide me the names of those who will be present, the procedure that will be adopted, if I can be represented by a lawyer, and if I am permitted to bring my officers along,” he added.

Met later by reporters at the State Secretariat building in Shah Alam after an event that was also attended by the Sultan of Selangor, Khalid said he would wait for a reply on his request to postpone his hearing.

Asked whether he had discussed the latest political development in the state with the Sultan, Khalid said he had not.

Liow: Let people decide on Selangor

Giving and receiving: Wee receiving a gift of appreciation from GD Group founder Datuk Yeat Sew Chuong after the signing ceremony at Bankers Club.

BENTONG: Selangor Pakatan Rakyat should dissolve the state assembly and return power to the people to decide who should lead the state, said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said Pakatan should do this since it could not resolve the issue on who should be the mentri besar.

“Let the people decide who they want in power next,” he said after launching a new building of the MCA branch in Bentong yesterday.

PKR wants Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to step down to be replaced by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, but Khalid has refused to budge.

PKR’s decision has received support except from PAS leaders who have come out in defence of Khalid.

Liow said the power struggle within Pakatan appeared as though PAS would have the last say, and not DAP or PKR.

Pakatan had not been able to resolve the power struggle, the hudud issue or decide on its own shadow cabinet because the members had their own agenda to pursue rather than the people’s agenda, he said.

In KUALA LUMPUR, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong questioned PKR’s move to make public Khalid’s so-called wrongdoings now, saying it smelled of an agenda.

“I am shocked that PKR has resorted to washing dirty linen in public.

“If it assumes that people enjoy (strategic director) Rafizi Ramli’s story (on Khalid’s alleged wrongdoings), the party better think again.

“I don’t think people are amused,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a joint venture agreement between GD Development Sdn Bhd and its Chinese partners Fugland Group, Debao Group and Suzhou Zhengyuan Landscape Group to develop Green Beverly Hills Phase 2 in Nilai.

Dr Wee said since all the three Pakatan parties were represented in the state government, Khalid’s actions and decisions on state matters, including on the alleged land deal for which he was now being blamed for, could have been “checked” especially by the executive councillors.

“(Are you) telling the people that there was only one person in charge of the state for the past six years and now you are putting the all blame on him,” he added.

Dr Wee said unlike what was happening in Selangor’s Pakatan-led government, Barisan Nasional would never resort to airing its disagreements in public.

“It is normal to disagree.

“You cannot have all the 13 Barisan partners to agree all the time but we will not wash our dirty linen in public,” he said, adding that the coalition’s culture was to discuss matters “frankly and openly behind closed doors”.

PKR reps want MB out

BY WANI MUTHIAH AND LOH FOON FONG

KLANG: The heat is on for Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to step down with PKR elected representatives openly telling him to leave, making the Selangor Mentri Besar terribly upset amidst talks to settle the political imbroglio.

PKR’s Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid and Selayang MP William Leong said the party could initiate disciplinary action against Khalid or expel him if he remained adamant.

“The party has decided that Khalid must go and there would not be any compromise. He has to respect the party’s decision,” Abdullah Sani, who on July 9 was slapped with a show-cause letter by the party for criticising Khalid, said.

Leong, who is PKR treasurer-general, said 28 members of the Selayang division committee unanimously agreed that Khalid should make way for PKR president and Kajang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“If he doesn’t resign, it’ll be a breach of discipline. The worst-case scenario is expulsion from the party,” he said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Khalid’s political secretary Azman Abidin said PKR leaders should stop making media statements until after the Aug 10 meeting of Pakatan leaders.

“Tan Sri is a sensitive man and hurting very badly at the moment.

“They must understand that the ball is now in his court and he can refuse to leave even if PAS agrees to back PKR and DAP at the Aug 10 meeting.”

Currently, PAS top leaders want Khalid to remain and this has created tension for the party and its Pakatan partners.

Azman said there were only two ways Khalid can cease being mentri besar – resign or have a vote of no confidence passed against him.

He added that Khalid should be given due respect and not be insulted.

“Tan Sri (Khalid) says he is being treated as if he means nothing to the party and has not contributed to its growth,” said Azman.

Crisis defused in Terengganu

The star

BY JOCELINE TAN, JOSEPH KAOS JR, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD, LOH FOON FONG, RASHVINJEET S. BEDI,TASHNY SUKUMARAN, YUEN MEIKENG, NEVILLE SPYKERMAN, HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM, AND G.SURACH

From left: Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, Roslee Daud and Ghazali Taib

KUALA TERENGGANU: The constitutional crisis in Terengganu may have been averted after one of the three Barisan Nasional assemblymen who quit Umno retracted his resignation while another is close to being persuaded to return following intervention by top party leaders.

At press time, Bukit Besi assemblyman Roslee Daud is back in the fold and Ajil assemblyman Ghazali Taib was close to returning to Umno. Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim confirmed Roslee had retracted his resignation.

State executive councillor for Tourism and Culture Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee, who is Permaisuri assemblyman, said Roslee had done so after being advised by his Umno colleagues.

However, former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, who ignited the crisis by refusing to go quietly, was still holding out.

It is understood that Commu­nications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek played a key role in the negotiations with Ahmad.

Both are from the Kemaman Umno division, of which Ahmad is chairman and Shabery the deputy.

Ahmad Said, who resigned from Umno on Monday, had taken along with him Ghazali and Roslee, hours after the new Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman (pic below) was sworn in before the Sultan late that night.

It had been a dramatic day in Terengganu following Ahmad Said’s resignation.

Terengganu had been rocked by rumours that more assemblymen would be jumping ship and even that the State Legislative Assembly would be dissolved.

However, it had been an anti-climax, now that one assemblyman has decided to stay with Umno and another is set to do the same. While the negotiations were going on in Terengganu, other Barisan Nasional assemblymen were hunkered down in Putrajaya and they are expected to meet the Prime Minister after the Cabinet meeting today.

Meanwhile, Pakatan wants fresh polls in the state.

Terengganu PAS commissioner Satiful Bahri Mamat claimed that the party was not interested in taking any ex-Umno assemblyman. PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has distanced himself from the controversy, saying the party was not interested in entering a rumah berhantu(haunted house).

Earlier, the palace and the state assembly building in the heart of this oil-rich state were quiet in contrast to the roller-coaster ride of its politics.

Reporters waiting at the entrance of the palace in Bukit Cendering and the state assembly building expecting these places to be a hub of activity yesterday left disappointed.

There was hardly any movement at the palace, except for members of the press milling about at the entrance waiting for the rumoured arrival of the state Speaker.

There were no signs of the state Speaker or Ahmad Razif asking for the Sultan’s consent for the dissolution.

Kemasik assemblyman Rosli Othman, Pengkalan Berangan assemblyman A. Latiff Awang, Batu Rakit assemblymen Bazlan Abdul Rahman and Mohd Jidin were forced to deny rumours they would follow Ahmad Said.

At the Mentri Besar’s official residence where Ahmad Said was said to be holed up, there was no sign of him vacating what has been his home for the past six years.

Pressmen were led on a cat-and-mouse game with local politicians as both Ahmads (Ahmad Razif and Ahmad Said) have been elusive over their activities.

While the political manoeuvring and negotiations are at an all-time high, state events, including the Terengganu Umno liaison meeting, have been cancelled or postponed.

Related stories:

Barisan leaders call for calm amid political turmoil

EC: Avoid holding fresh polls in Terengganu

Power play that rocks Terengganu

State reps should put people's interest first, says Liow

Police now monitoring news on new media

Deja vu of political crisis

Ahmad Razif to hold meeting with PM

Leaders ‘tried to influence valuation’

THE STAR

Some PKR top brass wanted to set price of water assets, says Khalid

BY LOH FOON FONG

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim disclosed that there were party leaders from PKR who were trying to influence the valuation of the water assets in the state.

He said some party leaders had introduced him to a few people who were trying to make their case as to why the pricing of the water assets should be higher.

“I have been an investment banker for so long that I look at the principle of valuation before determining the price (of the assets). I stood by my principle of valuation and set the price at RM9.65bil.

“These people wanted to set the price and wanted the valuation to justify their price,” he said in an interview with The Star yesterday.

Khalid also explained why the mechanics of the deal could not have been revealed to all and sundry in and outside of the party before the agreement with the Federal Government was signed on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the information, if revealed, would have an impact on the price of the stocks related to the water assets.

“I was also concerned about possible abuse of information and insider dealing. These are reasons why PKR leaders were not informed ahead of the signing on the water deal between the Selangor state government and the Federal government,” he said.

Khalid said he did not inform his party leaders due to those reasons to ensure that the implementation of the transaction was right and adhered to proper corporate governance.

On Wednesday, the Federal Government and Selangor finally found common ground on terms that would facilitate the implementation of the Langat 2 water treatment plant project and the takeover of water assets in the state.

Shower of joy: Two-year-old Shazaril Aiman Salasi enjoying the bath given by his grandmother Fakiya Faruk, 47, after weeks without water at Taman Impian Ehsan in Balakong. -NORAFIFI EHSAN/The Star

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and Khalid signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that effectively broke a five-year impasse over the implementation of water projects in the country’s most industrialised state.

In the deal, the Federal Government agreed to the state’s acquisition of four water concessionaires, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Bhd (Syabas), Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB), Konsortium Abbas Sdn Bhd (Abbas) and Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings Bhd (Splash) for a RM9.65bil compensation.

Khalid said that there was also concern that if there was misuse of information, the whole transaction would be regarded as void.

He said he went ahead to sign the MoU as the PKR leaders already knew about the deal since 2012 and the parameters of the transaction had not been changed.

“It’s part of the 2013 election manifesto. The factors such as ensuring steady tariff hikes and that the interest of the people in Selangor not being compromised are all there,” he said, adding that the Federal Government had also requested that they guard the information to ensure that the transaction was done in a professional manner.

Khalid was told that the Cabinet had agreed to terms only on Wednesday morning.

“They said ‘come and sign’. It was all done within a few hours,’’ he said, adding that he would call for a meeting to inform PKR leaders today.

On whether Putrajaya would keep to its deal, he said: “I am sure the Federal Government would keep to its side of the deal.”

The MoU binded everyone to their responsibilities, he noted.

“It will be unthinkable for the state or federal governments to reverse the arrangement,” he said.

Asked what he thought about Kajang by-election contender Datuk Zaid Ibrahim saying that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was out-manoeuvred by him on the water deal, Khalid said that based on his understanding, Anwar was not against the water consolidation exercise and the MoU.

Khalid attributed the success of the signing of the deal to Dr Ongkili whom he knew during their days at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS).

He said both shared a common ground of resolving the issue and held on to the principle of no rent seekers taking advantage of the dealings.

• For full interview and story see StarBizweek tomorrow

Analysts: Ethnicity to influence boundaries

The star

BY LOH FOON FONG, RASHVINJEET S. BEDI, AND TASHNY SUKUMARAN

PETALING JAYA: Ethnic-based voting patterns are likely to influence how electoral boundaries will be redrawn, say political analysts.

Merdeka Centre co-founder Ibrahim Suffian said such a principle was likely to be adopted as it was the simplest and clearest way to redraw boundaries.

“The reality on the ground is that people live in rather ethnically homogenous neighbourhoods,” he said at a forum titled Towards a Fairer Electoral Systemorganised by the Bar Council and Tindak Malaysia here yesterday.

Ibrahim added that this was also due to the prevalence of race-based political parties as well as an increased racialisation of politics.

Within this context, he said there were 80 marginal seats that would be interesting to observe.

The areas include southern Kedah, central Perak, northern Selangor, southern Johor and the Kadazan heartland in Sabah.

Ibrahim said in the long run, delineation based on ethnic distribution would not be a positive move because people want to have a sense of fairness in the system, and currently, urban voters felt that their votes counted far less than those in rural areas.

“It should be based on population size because it relates to services provided by the representatives,” he said, adding that the capping of the difference in the number of voters up to 30% between seats would be a good start, with gradual reductions over time.

In GE13, Barisan Nasional won 60% of the seats with 47% of the overall vote, while Pakatan Rakyat won 40% of the seats although they obtained 51% of the vote.

Frontier International Electoral Consulting president Dr Lisa Handley said the tolerance limit varies dramatically around the world.

“For example, Canada has a 25% tolerance limit, and they can go beyond that under extraordinary circumstances,” she said, adding that the most common tolerance limit was 10%.

Bar Council chairman Christopher Leong remarked that the difference was too vast – for instance, the Kapar parliamentary constituency had 144,159 voters while Sabak Bernam had 37,318, a difference of nearly four times.

Singapore Management Univer­sity’s political science associate professor, Dr Bridget Welsh, said ethnicity is a big factor in drawing electoral boundaries.

“However, history has shown that what works in one election will not necessarily work two elections down the road. In some cases, it (the earlier ethnic formulae thought to beneficial) can backfire,” she said.

The last redelineation exercise by the Election Commission was in March 2003.

In a statement, Tindak Malaysia said it would propose an electoral map that would help ease the pressure on the EC.

It said its effort would not only help ease EC’s workload, but also help deflect some of the unfair accusations and demands heaped upon the commission.

Tony Pua: Investigation of Father Lawrence smacks of double standards

BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: The police investigation on Father Lawrence Andrew for alleged sedition smacks of double standards, claimed Petaling Jaya Utara MP and DAP national publicity secretary, Tony Pua.

Pua said that others had uttered far more seditious and dangerous statements but no action had been taken against them.

He pointed out Perkasa leaders such as Zulkifli Nordin, who made fun of Hindu deities and questioned the purity of the Ganges River, as well as Datuk Ibrahim Ali who incited people to burn the Bible.

On Jan 3, Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria was reported to have called for a fatwa (edict) to declare that is halal (permissible) to shed the blood of participants of an anti-price hike rally popularly called Turun that was held on Dec 31.

He had labelled the participants bughah (a term used to describe Muslims who fought or betrayed the country’s leaders), and said that it was haram (forbidden) to participate in the rally.

“Who will take responsibility if any of the protestors were killed as a result of the mufti’s irresponsible edict?” said Pua in a statement Wednesday.

Pua said despite the outrageous statement, not a single finger has been lifted to chastise, much less investigate Harussani.

"On the other hand, Father Lawrence was merely asserting the fact that the world has been used in the Malay Bibles for more than a hundred years here without controversy or restrictions.

“He was certainly not calling for bloodshed or inciting violence,” said Pua.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked Catholic priestFather Lawrence Andrew to respect the court's decision on the use of the word, 'Allah' in the Malay version of the Bible.

The former Prime Minister said Father Lawrence should respect the sensitivities of the Muslim community in the country, just as Muslims respected other religions.

"The case was referred to the court by them, but when the court made its decision, they did not bother. What will happen when society does not respect the court's decision?

"The usage of the word, 'Allah', in Sabah and Sarawak has been for a long while, never mind, lah, but why all of a sudden (they) want to use it here?," asked Dr Mahathir.

Najib: Barisan will continue being fair

The star

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Barisan Nasional will uphold the principles of being moderate, progressive, centrist, inclusive and fair as it continues to champion the interest of the people.

The Prime Minister said the Barisan rejects communal politics and extremism to safeguard what had been built by the coalition’s founding fathers.

“As the Prime Minister and Barisan chairman, I will maintain this cause, in line with the party and the Government,” he said, adding that the voices of the Barisan component parties would be heard.

“We try to achieve consensus. We may not be able to agree 100% (all the time), but we’ll try as far as possible to accommodate all views.

“This is the spirit of Barisan,” he said when opening the Gerakan 42nd National Delegates Conference here yesterday.

On Gerakan, Najib said the party was progressive in maintaining a moderate stance since its beginnings.

For this reason, his late father, second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Gerakan president Tun Lim Chong Eu founded the Barisan 40 years ago.

Najib said he was happy to see Gerakan staying true friends of Barisan and had made efforts to re-invent itself.

“Under the leadership of Lim, Penang flourished. Ironically, the state has become a challenge to us, not because of our failure but because of the success of the Barisan’s policies,” he said.

Najib said the younger generation were not attracted to the development politics approach.

“To some extent, we have become a victim of our success,” he said, adding that they had to change to meet the people’s needs and that he had started the change by introducing various transformation programmes.

Outgoing Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn reminded delegates that Gerakan was borne out of a vision for a fairer, just and equitable and inclusive Malaysia.

He also said that the “Razak spirit of 1974” had been forgotten by many leaders within Barisan.

“Many have forgotten that Tun Razak advocated a model of conciliatory and not punitive politics,” he said.

Nov 26, 2013 Star Online

PM: BN rejects extremism

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has assured the people that Barisan Nasional and the Government will reject extremism, as it threatens to destroy the moderate stance that its founders propagated.

Barisan will maintain a moderate, fair, inclusive, progressive and centric coalition.

"We will continue to improve. I agree that there are many things that we need to improve on," he said during the Gerakan’s 42nd National Delegates Conference 2013 Saturday.

Najib said they would build on their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.

The Prime Minister also noted his late father, second Prime Minister Tun Abul Razak Hussein and the late Gerakan president Tun Lim Chong Eu founded Barisan 40 years ago and the party had been a true friend of Barisan until now.

At a press conference, acting Gerakan president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said Gerakan would be recommending Liang Teck Meng, the only parliamentary survivor during the 13th general election earlier this year, to a government post.

He declined to say whether it would be a Cabinet post or otherwise.

Liang defended the Simpang Renggam parliamentary seat in Johor by defeating PAS candidate Suhaizan Kaiat with a 5,706-vote majority.