INDIAN YOUTHS GET ADMITTED FOR GRASS CUTTING COURSES

For as long as I known, the grass cutters I have seen have been exclusively Indonesians. One can see them in the housing areas and sometimes along the roads and highways. You may have seen them, wearing a straw hat, face covered with a morning towel and sometimes wearing spectacles and cutting grass using the mobile grasscutter that looks like a simple contraption. I have yet to see an Indian grasscutter or ever known an Indian who has been given a prestigious grass cutting contract by the government or even the local authorities.

The Sun newspaper on Wednesday July, 12 published an interview with P. Kamalanathan, MIC’s Information Chief and Member of Parliament for Hulu Selangor where he answered a range of questions. This question really caught my eye.

Question by Sun

How is MIC helping Indian youths ?

Answer by P. Kamalanathan.

“ In my constituency, we identified 240 Indian Youths and sent them to a college offering courses such as GRASS CUTTING, wiring etc…”

Isn’t it amazing to see that P. Kamalanathan and MIC  gushing with great pride for helping Indians become grasscutters. After 54 years of independence, empowering Indians as grasscutters is seen to be the height of achievement by MIC.

SINGAPOREANS CONTINUE TO BE VICTIMS OF JOHOR BAHRU CRIMES

Friday, July 1, 2012

Singaporean businesswoman Rita Zahara was driving her family back to Singapore at about 1 am when she stopped near Jalan Tun Abdul Razak to buy fruits from a roadside stall, while her children and maid waited in the car. Two men armed with guns and knives hijacked her car. Intense negotiation with the criminals ensued and she eventually found her family safe in Ulu Tiram. The criminals escaped with her car and valuables.

Monday, July 4, 2012

Singaporean Affendi Mamat  was at a brightly lit petrol kiosk at Jalan Tebrau, Johor Bahru, just across the road from the police headquaters at 2 am, when two men got into his Hyundai Sonata and ordered him to drive. The robbers pointed a gun and a knife at him and ordered him to drive off where he was dumped with his hands tied at a road side near Kota Tinggi, some 140km away. The criminals escaped with his car.

Thursday, July 7, 2012

Sin Min Daily News reported about Singaprean part-time tutor David Lim who was robbed at gunpoint in Perrmas Jaya Johor Bahru at 10.45pm when he met three men who appeared to be interested in buying the laptops he was selling online.

To digress a little, all the above cases involved Singaporeans. Malaysians too are victims of Johor Bahru crimes.  The Star newspaper July, 4  reported :

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

In a daring heist outside the Johor police headquarters, a group of aremed men smashed the windows of a car and grabbed a bag said to contain RM100,000. The men were armed with steering locks.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

A bodyguard was shot fivetimes before robbers escaped with RM100,000 from a moneychanging outlet at Holiday Plaza, Johor Bahru.

Its been  a successful and prosperous July for criminals ! 

Anyway, coming back to the recent cases of Singaporeans who had fallen victims to criminals, last Saturday, the Johor police held a press conference to announce that they had arrested three suspects and recovered Rita Zahara’s Nissan Sunny. According to Johor CPO Dato Mokhtar Mohd Shariff, the three suspects were arrested in Felda Ulu Tebrau area and the police also seized a pump gun with three bullets, two pistols, one police badge, among aothers. Apparently this gang is believed to have been behind 14 other crimes in Johor, including vehicle theft, robbery and drug offences. Two other male suspects are still on the run.

At the press conference, Dato Mokhtar also released figures on the number of crimes against Singaporens :

2009                           :  413 cases

2010                           :  320 cases

2011                           : 400 cases

2012 ( Jan –June)      : 216 cases

(A simple interpretation of the statistics would reveal that ONE Singaporean is a victim of crime EVERY DAY in Johor Bahru ! )

The Johor Police must be commended for their quick action in apprehending the criminals and resolving the recent carjacking and attemted kidnapping case involving Rita Zahara and her family members. Dato Mohktar has described the criminals as “retarded and moronic “. Harsh words indeed. Still, what”s really needed are not merely harsh words but effective policing.

A few months ago, again after a wave of crimes particularly snatch-theft cases, there was a sudden visible presence of police in the city centre. In fact there was a visible presence of police walking the streets and particularly at bus-stops during the rush hours. There were even some temporary police post. Well, it would seem that they have all tapered off.

Perhaps, YDH Dato’ CPO Johor can for a start give statistics as to how many CCTV have been installed ( and of course functioning) in Johor Bahru year on year from 2008.

Also, how effective have the police “scrambler motorbike” unit been as a crime prevention unit. A general public description about this unit is “police joy-ridders”. 

If there are are any advice to give the police, it is to ask the police to increase and have more visible policing and police post at areas patronized by visitors particularly at Taman Pelangi, Taman Sentosa, Taman Suria, Tebrau City vicinity and Permas Jaya. All housing areas and Taman’s must be monitored by CCTV or “eye in the sky” and linked and monitored at the Johor Police headquarters.

Another thing which is causing concern to Johor Bahru residents are the influx of foreigners and questionable tourist in Johor Bahru. Some are even running their own busineses and petty trading. There is already a noticeable increase of Africans in Johor Bahru and believe me not all are students. Could the CPO perhaps direct the local authorities MBJB and MBJBT to make a mandatory requirement that house-owners renting rooms or their house to foreigners are compelled to lodge comprehensive details (including photograph) of their tenants with the local council and police station. Seeing the Afghan and Pakistani looking “tourist” in Johor Bahru, it would seem that they may be bidding time for their place on the boat to Australia and Johor is the cstagging post.

 At  Saturday’s  press conference Dato Mokhtar said “ There was a lot of publicity, This will affect the investment climate, the confidence of Singaporeans coming here. We don’t want all this”

To the Johor CPO, we Johor Bahru residents want a crime free Johor Bahru and the onus is on you to ensure that Johor Bahru is free from crime. Effective policing and not police statistics which gives comfort and peace of mind to Johor Bahru residents. When Lim Guan Eng made a comment (in fact years ago Lee Kuan Yew said the same) that one is more likely to be kidnapped or robbed in Johor Bahru, it riled up many and political opportunists took advantage to make numerous police reports against him. Was what he said was wrong or we speak in hush tone what Lim Guan Eng said in the open. Has Lim Guan Eng been proven to be wrong ? 

Finally, the life-blood of Johor Bahru economy are Singaporeans and some two million Singaporean residents visit Johor Bahru ever month. Taking RM500 per Singaporean spent in Johor Bahru, that is about RM 10 million per month from Singaporean visitors alone. That’s a lot of money. 

Surely, Johor Bahru deserves better security!

DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND CRIMINALS.  IS MALAYSIA A MAGNET ?

The Malaysian public owes an immense gratitude to the Royal Malaysian Customs officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for their relentless apprehension of drugs traffickers trying to smuggle drugs into the country.

Tueday’s NST reported that about RM22.7 million worth of drugs were seized by the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Customs from January to June this year. According to Kuala Lumpur Customs Department Director Badaruddin Mohamad Rafik drugs weighing 138.98 kg and 897 pills were seized at KLIA and at the LCCT alone.

On the same day, the Star reported the news about a Nigerian drug–mule who was arrested at the LCCT with 400gm of syabu in capsules which she had swallowed. The drugs had a street value of RM98,000. Also reported was about the arrest of a Romanian man who tried to smuggle 3.29kg of syabu worth at least RM824,000 and an Indian man who was caught with 2.89kg of ketamine with a street value of RM114,000.

Now, what is the response from our Home Affairs Minister aka Menteri Amaran Dalam  Negeri?

 

Well, there you have it.

Seriously, it is as though the floodgates have been breached  and word has gotten out that Malaysia allows the easiest and unimpeded entry to criminals, suspicious tourists and dubious international post. They are all coming to Malaysia – the South Americans, the Nigerians and other Africans, Iranians, they are all making a beeline to Malaysia.

Despite having studied and graduated from Australia and having close family ties with Australia, on my recent trip to Australia, the immigration officers still spend a little time asking me about the purpose of visit, proof of my occupation and why I made a short trip to New Zealand before coming to Australia. In fact the embarkation card has a question “Do you have any criminal offence”? Now, after more than a century of Australian nationhood, I didn’t realize it is still a pre-requisite !.

The Malaysian public deserves better from the government and perhaps the Prime Minister should seriously look into the influx of suspicious tourists and dubious international students coming in droves to Malaysia. To continue to assign this task to Hishammuddin is a lost cause.

Another question is don’t the immigration officers vet at the entry point the arriving international visitor to confirm that he has a legitimate purpose wanting to come to Malaysia. Don’t the immigration officers ask his travel itenary, whether he has sufficient fund and if he is coming to apply to study whether he has the sufficient means. Or is it a case of “ all can come, no questions asked” policy.  Maybe, the immigration department and its officers ought to watch the program “Border Security” on Astro as to how the Australian immigration and custom officers deal with arriving passengers.

The government should also regularly review the entry free visa for countries whose citizens are becoming a menace and a security threat to the country. Make them apply for visa before they are allowed entry and vet thoroughly their application. Remember, how United Kingdom after seeing the high level of Malaysian overstayers wanted to impose visa before entry rule for Malaysians. A 45 year old Nigerian who expresses his desire to study English or for the matter Business Studies surely must trigger suspicion.

Malaysia having lost the fight against Indonesians overstayers and illegals cannot now become a haven for Africans, Iranians and South Americans whose sole purpose to enter Malaysia is for criminal purpose. 

KENYATAAN AKHBAR - 

PENGUMUMAN DAP JOHOR AKAN BERTANDING DI KERUSI PARLIMEN GELANG PATAH DAN KERUSI DUN JOHOR JAYA

DARIPADA :

NORMAN FERNANDEZ

Timbalan Pengerusi DAP Negeri Johor

KEPADA      :          

Ketua-Ketua Pengarang Akhbar dan Media Massa

PER :   PENGUMUMAN DAP JOHOR AKAN BERTANDING DI KERUSI PARLIMEN GELANG PATAH DAN KERUSI DUN JOHOR JAYA

1    DAP JOHOR hari ini membuat pengumuman resmi bahawa DAP JOHOR akan bertanding untuk kerusi Parlimen Gelang Patah dan kerusi DUN Johor Jaya.

Pengumuman resmi ini adalah untuk menjernihkan kenyataan dan pengumuman terbuka pimpinan PKR Negeri dan khususnya Pengerusi PKR Negeri Johor Dato Chua Jui Meng bahawa kedua-dua kerusi tersebut adalah milik PKR. Usul parti DAP bertanding ini telahpun dipersetujui dan di putuskan dalam mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Perhubungan DAP Negeri Johor.

2        DAP JOHOR telah sebelum ini telah menggunakan segala cara termasuk runding-cara  memberi alasan-alasan kukuh kepada PKR mengapa kedua-dua kerusi ini layak dan patut ditandingi parti DAP, namun PKR enggan menerima atau menimbang alasan-alasan yang dikemukakan DAP dan  malahan enggan berganjak dari memberi laluan kepada parti DAP.

3        DAP  pernah bertanding dikedua-dua kerusi ini dan sebelum ini demi kemuafakatan pembangkang, pada tahun 2004 di atas permintaan Pengerusi PKR Negeri Johor pada masa itu Razak Ahmad, dan selepas satu persefahaman telah dicapai, DAP Johor telah memberikan laluan untuk PKR  bertanding di kerusi Parlimen  Gelang Patah pada PRU 2004 dengan syarat yang dipersetujui bahawa kerusi Parlimen Gelang Patah akan dikembalikan dan ditandingi parti DAP pada PRU 2008.

4         DAP Juga pernah bertanding di kerusi tradisi DUN Johor Jaya dan pada tahun 2004, PKR walaupun menyedari bahawa kerusi Johor Jaya kan ditandingi parti DAP, mengingkari kemuafakatan pembangkang dengan sengaja meletakkan calun PKR dikerusi DUN Johor Jaya pada tahun 2004 yang berakhir dengan calun PKR hilang deposit.

            Jelas, PKR tiada berpegang kepada janji atau pada kemuafakatan.

 5      DAP pada tahun 2008 hanya bertanding di 6 kerusi Parlimen dan 12 kerusi DUN. Sebaliknya, PKR sebuah parti baru bertanding di 11 Parlimen dan 10 kerusi DUN.

 

6      Adalah niat murni, parti DAP Johor untuk menggelak terjadinya pertandingan tiga penjuru, dimana-mana kerusi Parlimen  dan kerusi DUN di negeri Johor, namun tindakan dan kenyataan-kenyataan pimpinan PKR Johor masa kini, telah membuat DAP atas permintaan rakyat dan ahli-ahli DAP, tiada cara tetapi untuk akur kepada permintaan rakyat dan ahli-ahli DAP untuk bertanding di kerusi Parlimen Gelang Patah dan kerusi DUN Johor Jaya.

Norman Fernandez

Timbalan Pengerusi

DAP Negeri Johor

11hb Jun 2012

A HYPOCRITE CALLED TUNKU AZIZ

What a hypocrite Tunku Aziz has turned out to be. When it dawned on him that he neither had the guts nor the gumption to face Lim Guan Eng or for the matter the DAP CEC and further knowing that his Senatorship was not going to be renewed, he could have quietly and dignifiedly walked away from DAP. Instead, this ingrate not only left DAP in a haste but like many unprincipled politician he suddenly turns and makes an impassioned plea for all to support Najib Tun Razak.

This from the same man who had ridiculed Najib Tun Razak in his article “Najib Does Not Disapoint.” Here is the article :

 

Najib does not disappoint

Sunday, 11 October 2009 08:21am

© The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission) By Tunku Aziz OCT 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak does not disappoint. He is true to his values whatever they might be. He upholds his principles with messianic zeal. His principles are of indeterminate provenance, but Najib is not known to worry himself to distraction over such small matters. He has made many of us happy. It has nothing to do with his 1 Malaysia vision that he seems incapable of articulating to save his life, let alone convincing Malaysians who have decided that half a century of untruths and specious, convoluted political and social arguments should be more than enough for even the most sanguine of them. Najib has made us happy not because in a fit of mental aberration or misplaced exuberance he has added to his fantasy world the even a more preposterous 1 World vision that flashed across his mind. I bet it was a very brief moment in time. Najib has made us deliriously happy because he has just done something blatantly cynical to confirm what we have known all along about his attitude to corruption. Najib does not disappoint. His choice of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad as the BN candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election has left absolutely no doubt in our minds about Najib’s real attitude to corruption. He, ever the pragmatic, suave man about town leader of a country already systematically mired in corruption, sees it as nothing more that a necessary evil. If you cannot fight it, join it. His matter of fact response that “Even those convicted by the courts get another chance” must surely single him out, like a sore thumb even among the corrupt leaders of 1 Malaysia, as someone totally devoid of ethical values. It also points to a complete lack of the political will to curb corrupt practices in our country. The gap between his rhetoric and constructive action against corruption is growing ever wider under Najib. Just in case he forgets, the Kuala Lumpur-based diplomatic corps and the wider international community are watching this development with some concern. Najib does not disappoint. Bagan Pinang is a little backwater of a community on the Negri Sembilan coast. However, the choice of a candidate that even Umno, the party that sits well with corruption and takes it in its stride, was constrained to discipline marks a low point indeed. The much detested and reviled corruption-tainted and Isa has now been declared perfectly “kosher” to represent the country’s ruling coalition. Politics is indeed the art of the possible. Can we trust a government that is prepared to trade integrity? And for a rural state assembly seat which, the winning or losing of which, is not going to have a material effect on the political fate of BN in overall terms? I, unlike Najib, do not subscribe to the second chance dispensation because political corruption will ravage national values and systems. Are we blind to the fact that it was Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s special brand of corrupt political stewardship, now still in place unfortunately, that has stifled our potential for dynamic growth, and kept us, in spite of the resources at our disposal, at the wrong end of the global competitiveness league table? Political corruption if not dealt with decisively will destroy our nation because the national decision-making processes will be distorted and manipulated. “State capture” by corrupt elements will be the end result. We cannot allow the country’s future to be hijacked by unprincipled politicians, by default. Fighting corruption is our individual and collective responsibility as citizens. It cannot be left to the tender mercies of the corrupt in the corridors of power. Now that Najib has dropped all pretence of queasiness about bedding down with corruption, he could do us all a big favour and save taxpayers a lot of money by closing down the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Institute of Integrity and all the other related agencies because he has made his position on corruption so clear. They are of no use to man or beast. And while we are about it, Najib may want to propose a general amnesty for all who have been convicted of corruption as well as those who have committed corrupt acts, but lucky enough not to be caught. This is totally consistent with his belief that the corrupt deserve a second chance, an official passport to Najib’s 1 Malaysia where anything goes and the devil looks after his own. Najib does not disappoint. Malaysians are now being treated to a display of arrogance unprecedented in the history of BN administration, and the choice of Isa, in all the circumstances, flies in the face of what little is left that is decent and honourable in our national life, worth preserving. Even by Umno’s and, by extension, Najib’s own standards, this is a very low point, and that is putting it charitably. Najib does not disappoint. Little Bagan Pinang will without a doubt deliver the seat that Najib so devoutly yearns to have. He needs it to prop his shaky leadership. Bagan Pinang will in the end be remembered in history as the place where Umno lost its moral bearing, credibility and legitimacy to lead the Malays. Umno’s ugly nakedness in surrendering ethical values and principles to political expediency is here for all to see: it will be its undoing. Najib does not disappoint. He never does!

Thank God, Lim Guan Eng saw the real Tunku Aziz. Well done, Sir,.