Shafie Apdal ‘Caught’ With ‘Overpriced’ Projects

Kuching
Tuesday, 15th November 2011

Projects awarded in Sabah by Umno vice-president and federal minister Shafie Apdal cost '15 times higher' than their actual quote.

The opposition in Sabah armed with “evidence” is gunning for Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal following shocking disclosures of irregularities in rural development projects awarded through his ministry in Sabah.

Some 209 development projects have been identified for Sabah between 2011 and 2012 and the bulk of these projects involved the rural water and power supply projects covering various parts of Sabah, from Pulau Banggi to Sipitang.

Of the 209 rural development projects awarded, only 129 projects had been announced and of this, 49 totalling RM1,276.60 million were “ridiculously overpriced”.

Revealing the massive overpriced payouts, Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu said some projects were awarded at 15 times or 1,500% higher than the normal price.

He demanded that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) step in immediately and investigate these claims.

He said most of these projects are either invited tenders, negotiated tenders, or directly awarded.

“None of these projects was properly done through the Tender Board.

“Most of the companies awarded the projects are RM2 companies and some of the contractors involved are found to be closely linked to certain senior BN-Umno politicians from Sabah,” Hiew told a news conference here yesterday.

Evidence in hand

Hiew said that a careful study of the detailed tender documents provided by an insider had indicated that the lowest tender bid did not get the job.
In most cases, someone with a higher tender price of almost 1,500% than the lowest bidder gets the job.
He cited the “rural power supply project for the connection of power grid No.1” (for 2011–2012) which was awarded at a price of RM41,736,809.77.
The lowest tender price, he added, was only RM7,775,000.00 – a difference of RM33,961,809.77.
He also cited the case of the “hybrid solar power system” for the Semporna islands.
He said the project was awarded at a tender price of RM95,282,322.00, which many deemed to be too high.
“With that amount of money, I can always get someone to build a power station,” Hiew said.
He added that a similar project was also awarded to another company for a whopping sum of RM81,475,281.42 to supply power to Pulau Banggi, off Kudat.
Hiew also drew attention to the infamous Pualau Gaya, which he said was in dire need of clean water supply.
“They need clean water more than electricity. In fact, they already have a power station there.
“But they’ve awarded a contract for the installation of a 4-km-long undersea power cable to generate power supply for Pulau Gaya at the cost of RM42 million.
“A random survey conducted with several qualified local contractors revealed that this can be done at just RM5 million,” he said, adding that the government would need another RM100 milion if a water supply project was to be implemented.

Silent Shafie

To substantiate his claims, Hiew also distributed copies of the detailed tender documents containing the list of projects and names of contractors to reporters.
He said that he received copies of the documents of the Sabah projects from Beruas MP (Perak) Ngeh Koo Han.
Hiew noted that Ngeh had questioned Shafie about the contracts, during the Budget 2012 debate session in the Parliament last week, but the minister refused to answer him.
Describing the irregularities as blatant corruption by those in power, Hiew urged the MACC to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
“We call on the MACC to immediately conduct a thorough investigation as we cannot tolerate the manner the taxpayers’ money was being misused.
“We strongly believe there is a strong element of corrupt practice and abuse of power,” he said.
MACC will investigate
In a later development, the MACC said it was ready to probe into alleged irregularities with regards to rural development projects in Sabah.
MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed asserted it was MACC’s duty to investigate all corruption cases regardless of “who they were, without fear or favour”.
“It is our policy to investigate corruption when there is a complaint,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MACC and government-linked company (GLC) Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), at Wisma SESB, near here today.
Abu Kassim was commenting on Hiew’s expose of alleged irregularities in rural Sabah projects.
Questioned as to whether Sabah DAP had lodged an official complaint with MACC, Abu Kassim said the state MACC only had the media report to go on so far.
He said it was not an easy task to fight corruption, saying “last year alone, out of 944 cases reported throughout the country, 424 cases involved the offering or giving of bribes.”
“So far this year, we have already recorded 357 similar cases,” he added.

Mupok Aku

James Masing Department and District Were Rated The Lowest in the Accountability Index Rating

Kuching
Saturday, 29th October 2011


Good Leader will resign immediately if proven that he/she was under performing like Masing Did.

Thumb Down For James Masing

AG Report for year 2010 indicated that the accountability index rating on financial management performance since 2007 for the Land Development Ministry is the lowest. Second lowest was Kapit District Council.Land Development Ministry is under James Masing whereas Kapit District Council is where he came from.

Whether coincident or not, Masing must take fully responsible for the AG report.

Making promise in the newspaper to look into the matter seriously  alone is not sufficient. Being the responsible leader as per what he always said about himself , he must resign from his post to give way more capable leader to take-up his job and to fix the mess.

To Masing, we urge you to resign from your post immediately!

Mupok Aku

Tidak Hairan Dengan Kehadiran Rahim Serta Perlantikan Zulkifli Nordin Sebagaii Naib Presiden PERKASA

Kuching
Thursday, 27th October 2011

Apa yang nak dihairankan dengan dua orang Cilaka ini di dalam PERKASA....Sekejap lagi akan jadi perkasaM!

Apa nak hairan dengan kehadiran Rahim Noor di dalam perhimpunan PERKASA serta perlantikan Zulkifli Nordin sebagai Timbalan Presiden PERKASA sebab selain atas sebab-sebab di bawah kedua-dua orang cilaka ini juga mempunyai persamaan sebagai pemimpin SAMPAH iaitu pemimpin yang kena tendang. Rahim kena "pecat" dari jawatan KPN manakala Zulkifli Nordin kena campak dari PKR.....

Apabila mengetahui melalui portal tempatan berkenaan dengan kehadiran Rahim Noor di dalam perhimpunan PERKASA seterusnya dikurniakan dengan Pahlawan Pribumi pertubuhan perkauman berkenaan serta dengan perlantikan Zulkifli Nordin sebagai Timbalan Presiden PERKASA saya tergelak bagaikan rasa nak tercabut isi perut. Manakan tidaknya kedua-dua orang yang disebut-sebut dapat menaikkan nama PERKASA berkenaan masing-masing mempunyai keburukan.

Rahim Noor yang merupakan Ketua Polis Negara yang kelima dan berkhidmat dari 16 Januari 1994 tetapi meletakkan jawatannya pada 7 Januari 1999 terlibat dengan kes menumbuk Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim dalam keadaan matanya tertutup pada 20 September 1998 ketika berada dalam tahanan polis di lokap polis Bukit Aman. Atas kesalahan ini beliau telah dipenjarakan dua bulan pada 15 Disember 2000.

Semenjak dari itu nama beliau telah lenyap dan tidak kedengaran sehinggalah disebut di dalam perhimpunan PERKASA. Pada tanggapan saya ada banyak sebab kenapa bekas KPN ini menyertai PERKASA tetapi hanya dua sebab ini yang paling ketara. Yang pertama untuk membersihkan nama beliau yang telah tercemar serta membusuk setelah dipenjarakan atau dengan perkataan lain sebagai publisiti murahan. Yang kedua, nak membalas dendam terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang telah menyebabkan beliau dipenjara serta kehilangan jawatan KPN.

Manakala dua (2) sebab yang paling nyata kenapa Zulkifli Nordin menyertai PERKASA adalah yang pertama kerana beliau memang mempunyai sikap ektremis yang membenci kaum lain serta kepercayaannya bahawa di Malaysia hanya agama Islam sahaja yang harus dibenarkan serta mesti dominan.Ini dapat dibuktikan atas tindak-tanduknya semasa beliau masih di dalam PKR. Sebab yang ke-2 pula adalah sikap balas dendam beliau terhadap DSAI. Semasa di dalam PKR beliau telah hidup atas belas kasihan DSAI tetapi setelah DSAI tidak bersetuju dengan sikap ektremisnya seterusnya dipecat dari PKR, maka bermula dari tarikh berkenaan beliau mempunyai persaan benci yang amat sangat terhadap beliau. Perkara ini dapat dibuktikan dengan kekerapan beliau muncul di dalam TV3 untuk menghentam DSAI.

Kesimpulannya, kehadiran Rahim Noor serta perlantikan Zulkifli Nordin di dalam PERKASA tidak akan memberikan impak yang kuat terhadap keberkesanan PERKASA di dalam menyatukan orang Melayu ini kerana kedua-dua Cilaka ini mempunyai sebab yang sama iaitu masuk PERKASA atas faktor bencikan DSAI. Disamping itu, faktor yang paling penting kenapa PERKASA tidak akan berjaya untuk mempengaruhi pengundi Melayu untuk mengundi BN adalah kerana kebanyakan kaum Melayu lebih sukakan keamanan serta bencikan sikap perkauman seperti yang diamalkan PERKASA. Majoriti kaum Melayu juga percaya bahawa orang yang menyertai PERKASA adalah terdiri daripada mereka yang tidak mempunyai tempat baik di dalam UMNO, PAS ataupun PKR. Rahim Noor serta Zulkifli Nordin adalah contoh orang Melayu ektremis yang bakal terkubur pengaruh serta tapak politik selepas Pilihanraya Umum yang akan datang!

Mupok Aku

Audit Finds Sharizat Jalil's Family Made Mess of National Cattle Farming Project

Kuching
Wednesday, 26th October 2011

This what PM's "1Malaysia-People First Performance Now" really means!

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — A RM73.64 million government project — linked to minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family — to create Malaysia’s “Beef Valley” has turned into a mess, a federal audit report said.

The Auditor-General’s Report, released yesterday, showed that the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) set up in 2008 in Gemas, Negri Sembilan failed to hit its target of breeding 8,000 cattle last year.

Under the 9th Malaysia Plan, the centre is expected to produce 60,000 cattle by 2015.

“An audit check found production in 2010 was only at 3,289 heads of cattle or 41.1 per cent,” the report said.

The audit was conducted between January and March this year.

Among the reasons cited were the NFC corporation’s poor management including its failure to train 130 farmers for the project, the 5,000-acre farmland in Gemas being overgrown with thorny acacia shrubs, and poor use and maintenance of its facilities.

Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang also said the ministry’s initial main operator, Lamberts Agricultural Trade (M) Sdn Bhd, had backed out of the project, a move that contributed to the dismal performance.

The NFC is a joint-venture between Negri Sembilan and federal government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (MoA) to commercially produce more beef domestically and cut down import of the meat.

Previous media reports showed the MoA picked a company called Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd, owned by Shahrizat’s husband, Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, to spearhead the project, under a company called National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFCorp).

Mohamad Salleh is also NFCorp’s executive chairman.

Shahrizat’s (picture) three children, Izran, Izmir and Izzana, also play key roles in the NFCorp, the Malay Mail reported on June 24 this year. Izran is CEO while his brother and sister are executive directors.

The family-controlled beef project is marketed under the label “Gemas Gold” and can be found on the menus of several family-owned restaurants in the Klang Valley.

The audit report also found NFCorp did not finalise the standard operating procedure or implementation agreement in 2010.

It noted NFCorp claimed it could not do so because the government has yet to build an abattoir capable of slaughtering 350 heads of cattle a day.

The audit report said the Treasury completed a study on the slaughterhouse on April 5 this year to be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The audit report noted that two factories related to the project have yet to be built, namely the livestock feed factory that was part of the pilot project under the entrepreneur development programme, and a bio-gas factory to process waste from the abattoir and the feedlot into fuel for the farm.

The report stressed infrastructure upkeep as the most important factor for the project’s success and recommended the MoA devise a “Blue Ocean” strategy to boost its cattle breeding production to meet the original 60,000 target by 2015.

Mupok Aku

Rural Folks Condemn Alexander Nanta For Lauding The Implementation of GST

Kuching
Wednesday, 26th October 2011

This MP should keep his mouth shut rather  than keep it open can anger the people. That was the most suitable advise that I could give to Alexander Nanta Linggi after I read an article published in Borneo Post yesterday.
I was stunned to read in Borneo Post how he lauded the BN leadership in imposing the GST. To the government the GST may be good but how about the rural folks especially the people of Kapit. People in Kapit should know what to do to punish their MP in the coming General Election in which many people predicted will be held in December 2011.

Borneo Post reports MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi lauded the Goods and Service Tax (GST), which is implemented in 167 developed countries worldwide, as a good move to uplift the economy and improve people’s lives.

He said:

“To achieve a developed nation status in 8 years from now by the year 2020, we need to implement GST. GST is a vital tool for the development of the country. GST needs to be implemented to replace the existing national tax policy so as to be more efficient, transparent and effective,”

He said this when officiating at the closing of an awareness programme on GST organised by Royal Customs Department, Sibu branch in collaboration with Kapit District Office at Meligai Hotel here on Saturday afternoon.

“Despite being located far in the interior, at least Kapit is not left out of the programme as the division is one of the financial contributors to the development of the country. Hopefully the participants know what GST is and impart the knowledge to their colleagues and friends. It is a good beginning and I hope that more such programmes will be held here in the future. GST is something new to Kapit though only a handful of people know of the system,” he pointed out.

On the importance of GST, Nanta said the government could not rely on taxes alone which were insufficient to finance its various mega development programmes.

To Alex, dont just said about the mega projects, I have this question for this MP " How is the GST going to benefits the people  from the longhouses especially in Kapit? Dont you know by imposing GST will increase the price of goods?

Mupok Aku

Terbukti bahawa UMNO di belakang Himpun

Kuching
Sunday, 23rd October 2011

Bukti kukuh bahawa UMNO di belakang HIMPUN. Di antara bukti yang paling ketara adalah sokongan media portal dan surat khabar UMNO yang menyokong perhimpunan tersebut. Di antaranya adalah blog bernilai 20 sen iaitu Papa Gomo

Lihat bagaimana suratkhabar kepunyaan UMNO ini  begitu Rasis tanpa memperdulikan sensitiviti penganut agama Kristian di Malaysia khasnya. Sekiranya ianya bukan milik UMNO, sudah lama suratkhabar ini terkubur. Saya hanya ada perkataan CILAKA untuk akhbar ini!

Saya tidak mahu mengulas lanjut tetapi cukuplah bahawa UMNO adalah di belakang Himpun. Sebagai rakyat Sarawak, saya ingin menggesa rakyat negeri ini terutamanya yang beragama Kristian serta bukan Islam yang lain agar tidak menyokong BN kerana BN tidak dapat melindungi kepentingan agama kristian. Dan kepada rakyat Sarawak yang beragama Islam saya juga inging menggesa agar mereka  tidak memberikan sokongan kepada BN kerana BN sudah gagal untuk mengekalkan persafahaman sesama rakyat yang terdiri daripada berbilang agama dan bangsa di negeri Bumi Kenyalang ini.

Sila lihat petikan Papa Gomo yang menyiarkan tajuk yang berbentuk provokasi di dalam blognya dengan tajuk " Individu Yang Memurtadkan Umat Islam Wajib Dibunuh" . Di dalam tulisannya 
Papa Gomo telah menyeru serta setuju dengan risalah yang diedarkan semasa perhimpunan HIMPUN semalam yang menggesa agar orang Kristian yang memurtadkan orang Islam di Selangor dibunuh. Kalaulah gesaan itu boleh dibuat, apakah pula gesaan yang boleh dibuat terhadap perbuatan orang Islam yang mengislamkan orang-orang Kristian di Malaysia? Tapi saya rasa orang Kristian tidak akan berbuat demikian ini kerana asas kepada agama Kristan adalah menyeru kepada kebaikan terhadap sesama manusia.

Nampak gayanya Papa Gomo sudah melampau sampai menyeru pembunuhan orang Kristian. Kita akan memerhatikan dari dekat apakah tindakan yang akan diambil oleh PM serta pihak berkuasa terhadap Papagomo. Kalau perbuatan ini dilakukan oleh orang Kristian terhadap Islam saya percaya sejuta Laporan Polis akan dibuat oleh  mereka ini.

Mupok Aku

Between Himpun and Bersih 2.0 Which One Has Potential To Disrupt Malaysia Unity?

Kuching
Wednesday, 19th October 2011

Bersih was Held for the Interests of All Malaysians and On the Other Hand Himpun is planned for the interest of the Muslims but Why The Police Approved the Later and Not the Former? All Malaysians has the right to know the answer.

1Malaysia : Muslim First, Malaysia Second!

This coming Sataurday, 22nd October 2011, million of muslims are expected to gather at Shah Alam stadium to rally. The purpose of the gathering is to show solidarity among muslims in Malaysia against Christians. The rally has been given the permit by the police immediately. On the other hand BERSIH 2.0 was held to pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia. It demanded that the EC clean up the electoral roll, reform postal voting, use indelible ink, introduce a minimum 21-day campaign period, allow all parties free access to the media, and put an end to electoral fraud.The rally was organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih). The rally was banned by Barisan Nasional government.

All Malaysians demand to know why Himpun was given the permit but not Bersih 2.0? Reason given by OCPD Asst Comm Zahedi Ayop in giving the permit was illogical. He said they approved the permit last week as the Himpun event was to be held inside a stadium (Shah Alam Stadium) and would not pose any public order situation. Bersih 2.0 organiser also applied to do the rally in the stadium but was not approved.

According to the organiser of Himpun, one objective of the rally  is to "gauge the unity among Muslims particularly against the Christianisation efforts on Aug 3 by DUMC . But there is no evidence of such efforts. The census shows no Christians among Malays. The home minister has confirmed that there is no evidence of a conspiracy to make Malaysia a Christian state or to install a Christian prime minister. So why the need for an anti-apostasy demonstration?The demonstration is against Christian efforts to convert Muslims. There is no evidence of such efforts. So why the need for such demonstration? Why do the Muslims need to demonstrate against a non-existent threat? Can Christians demonstrate against Muslim efforts to convert Christians?

Najib has been spending millions of tax payer monies to promote 1Malaysia. Personally I felt that 1Malaysia is a good efforts by PM. The concept caters the needs of all sector of the plural society and to  ensure equal distribution of wealth between racial  groups, between states and federal. Integrity on the part of the government and the public sector is one matter.  In order to move Malaysia towards a better society, identity and future hence unity and integration should promote co-operation between race, beliefs and  region as one Malaysia, not as Sarawakian or Sabahan. The  trust and aspiration of the people that 1Malaysia will bring about a greater nation must not be hampered. But based on action of certain people and parties, 1Malaysia will sure fail. As long as we have organization like PERKASA that promote Malay supremacy, Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun) that opposed to Christians and the political parties like United Malay National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysia Indian Congress (MIC) and also the individual like Perak's Mufti , the 1Malaysia will be just remained a rhetoric.

Well Najib, whatever the reasons given by your administration  for double standard in issuing the permit between Bersih 2.0 and Himpun, we the Malaysians are closely watching you. Don't expected to get the same number of votes from the non-muslim voters in the coming election!

Mupok Aku 

Wanita Pertama Malaysia Dengan Koleksi Beg Tangannya

Kuching
Tuesday, 18th Oct 2011

Alangkah bagusnya kalau wang sebanyak ini diguna untuk projek yang beri kebaikan kepada Wanita Malaysia?

Walaupun kebanyakan wanita Malaysia hidup di dalam kesusahan tetapi isteri Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang Ke-enam ini dan merupakan isteri perdana menteri yang pertama kali menggunakan gelaran Wanita Pertama iaitu gelaran yang hanya digunakan oleh pemimpin tertinggi sesebuah negara di dalam kontek Malaysia adalah gelaran yang hanya boleh digunakan oleh Permaisuri Agong, masih mampu untuk menggunakan beg tangan yang bernilai berpuluh-puluh ribu ringgait.

Berbalik kepada kemewahan Rosmmah, iaitu betapa bergemerlapan kilauan intan berlian cincin "Perempuan Pertama" yang bernilai RM24.4 juta hingga cerita mengenainya begitu sukar hendak dimalapkan. Kini heboh pula mengenai koleksi beg tangan berjenama termasuk beberapa koleksi 'one of its kind in the world' yang menjadi milik isteri Najib, Rosmah Mansor.

Kemewahan Rosmah berbelanja, pastinya dicemburui oleh Wanita Pertama Amerika Syarikat, Michelle Obama yang menadi isteri manusia paling berkuasa di atas muka bumi.

Antara jenama yang paling digemari Rosmah ialah daripada koleksi Birkin yang boleh mencecah hingga harga USD120,000 (kira-kira RM360,00). Malah ada beberapa daripada koleksi beliau merupakan 'hanya satu-satunya' yang terdapat di dunia!

Alahai, makcik-makcik di Felda, hangpa dapat apa dengan bermati-matian suami-isteri memberikan sokongan kepada parti Rosmah suami/isteri untuk terus kekal berkuasa.

Hermes Matte Crocodile Birkin Bag: $US120,000 (gambar atas)

Dinamakan sempena nama seorang penyanyi dan penulis lirik Peranchis Jane Birkin, beg tangan yang ditunjukkan di sini, hanya dijual di rumah lelongan Doyle, di New York. Penutup beg selebar 30 sentimeter dihiasai 10 karat berlian putih manakala keseluruhan beg diperbuat dengan kulit buaya. Dan inilah satu-satunya beg yang terdapat di pasaran di seluruh dunia!

Dan kita tengoklah sendiri pelbagai beg tangan yang sentiasa berbeza ketika Rosmah menghadiri pelbagai majlis dan resepsi...

Rosmah menggayakan beg tangan Hermes Birkin Elephant Matte Crocodile yang ketika mula ditawarkan pada harga USD98,500 dan akhirnya mencecah lebih USD120K! Bergaya beb...

Kita perlu belajar bagaimana Rosmah mampu menabung sejak kecil untuk membeli cincin berlian RM24.4 juta dan pelbagai beg tangan yang jika dukumpul, mungkin mencecah jutaan Ringgit. Bijak Rosmah menabung...

Kepada wanita-wanita kaum dayak terutamanya Empianh Jabu, sementara kita bergulamang dengan kotoran tanah paya untuk menyara keluarga kita, "Perempuan Pertama" ini masih mampu membelanjakan berpuluh-puluh ribu ringgit untuk membeli beg. Kalaulah wang sebanyak itu digunakan untuk projek pembangunan untuk wanita-wanita miskin di rumah panjang alangkah bagusnya ramailah yang akan dapat mengubah cara hidup...Buah uchong enggau buag kandis, Rosmah untung tang kitai Iban pedih.....Tang maia ngundi agi mangkah dacin.... 

A Study By World Bank Found That Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards

Kuching
Monday, 17th October 2011

University Malaya (UM) is the best university in Malaysia but the university is still not in the top 10 of the best university in Asia. The study by World Bank found that this was due to Race quota and politics as required under the New Economic Policy (NEP) which was first implemented in 1975.

A World Bank publication has found that standards at Universiti Malaya have fallen and the institution has been kept at a disadvantage because of race-based admission quotas and political interference in university management.
In contrast, Singapore’s decision to prioritise research, keeping English as the medium of instruction and a merit-based admissions policy have all contributed to the success of the National University of Singapore’s success, according to “The Road to Academic Excellence,” which studies what contributes to a world-class research university.

The study also noted that Malaysian secondary school students are not well prepared for tertiary education.

It points out that the Malaysian education system promotes rote learning, conformity and uniformity rather than fresh and creative thinking.

The study is led by two scholars — Philip Altbach and Jamil Salmi — while various chapters see contributions from various academics.

Salmi, a Moroccan education economist attached to the World Bank, also notes that “disturbing political developments, from the burning of churches to the whipping of a woman for drinking beer in public,” also cast a shadow on Malaysia’s “image as an open and tolerant society.”

The comparisons between UM and NUS is contained in a chapter entitled “The National University of Singapore and the University of Malaya: Common Roots and Different Paths.”

The chapter is authored by Hena Mukherjee, a former Universiti Malaya department head with a doctorate in education from Harvard University, and Poh Kam Wong, an NUS Business School professor.

According to the study, “at an early stage, the Singapore government realised the universities’ role in sustaining economic growth.

“In contrast, after 1970, UM’s institutional goals reflected the New Economic Policy, an affirmative action plan for ethnic Malays and indigenous groups, put in place in the wake of disastrous 1969 ethnic riots that took the lives of hundreds of people on both sides of the racial divide.,” the study found.

The authors said that apart from the student quota system, the NEP translated into more scholarships to Bumiputeras, special programmes to facilitate their entry into higher education institutions, and the use of the Malay language in place of English in the entire education system by 1983.

“In UM and in government, the policy impact spiralled upward so that Bumiputera staff members, over time, secured almost all senior management, administrative, and academic positions.

“As NUS kept pace with the demands of a growing economy that sought to become competitive internationally, with English continuing as the language of instruction and research, UM began to focus inward as proficiency in English declined in favour of the national language — Bahasa Malaysia — and the New Economic Policy’s social goals took precedence.”

The study noted however that there has been widespread recognition that the implementation of affirmative action policies in Malaysia has hurt the higher education system, sapping Malaysia’s economic competitiveness and driving some (mainly Chinese and Indians) to more meritocratic countries, such as Singapore.

In the broader study, the lead authors found that research was an important element in the making of a world-class university, as well as top-grade talent.

“We’re both convinced that serious research universities are important in almost all societies,” Altbach, who is the director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, told the New York Times last week in an interview.

Said Altbach: “Independence, luck, persistence, some kind of strategic vision, adequate resources — usually, but not always, public resources — good governance structures, good leadership, the ability to attract good students and so on. But we have found that the quality of the faculty is really crucial.”

Salmi, who co-ordinates the World Bank’s activities related to higher education, told the same newspaper of their new 390-page study, which will be released later this month, that their advice is like that supposedly given for a rabbit stew recipe: “First, catch your rabbit.” Only in this case the advice would be: “First, catch your faculty.”

“The difference between a good university and great university comes down to talent.”

Mupok Aku

East Malaysian Christian In Response To Himpunan Sejuta Umat (HIMPUN)

Kuching
Monday,17th October  2011

Article 11 of the Malaysia Constitution provides that every person has the right to profess and practice his own religion. Every person has the right to propagate his religion, but state law and, in respect of the Federal Territories, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among Muslims. There is, however, freedom to carry on missionary work among non-Muslims. But lately this article has been abused by the Muslim. If Tun Jugah and those who supported Sarawak to join Malaysia are still alive until today I believed they may want Sarawak to pull out from Malaysia. As far as the Muslims are concerned, there are only two types of population, the Muslim and non-nuslim. There is no such religion as Christian, Buddhist or Hinduism. They are non-believers thus will go to hell!

Today I am going to write about the ill treatment of Christians by government in Malaysia.

Government of Malaysia leads by UMNO will typically tell foreigners that all members of all religions are treated ‘equally’ and get along amicably. That’s the image sold overseas, at any rate. The reality is quite different. Islam is the official state religion, so it enjoys all sorts of official and unofficial privileges, such as lavish state-built mosques, massive taxpayer-funded proselytization programmes for Muslims (but not for other belief systems), sprawling Government-run Islamic universities, a distinct pro-Islamic and pro-jihad tilt in the state-owned and influenced media, and more.

On a more personal level, Muslims in Malaysia have on numerous occasions destroyed churches, sometimes with official backing on the flimsiest of pretexts (like for supposed ‘code violations’). The same has also happened to Hindu and Buddhist temples. Bibles are sometimes seized in carload lots by the (Muslim) authorities on one technicality or another. New church construction is heavily discouraged, and it takes years if not decades for new churches to be approved and built. And they must be built in a ‘low profile’ manner if they are allowed to be built at all.

All of these restrictions and the drip-drip-drip of discrimination, or worse, creates a tense and foreboding atmosphere for Christians. It’s pointless for Christians — who are mostly Indians, Chinese and the natives of sabah and Sarawak — to petition the Malay (Muslim) government for any sort of redress of grievances, because the police, courts and judges here are all owned and operated by Muslims. So increasingly, the ‘infidels’ especially the Indian and Chinese are leaving — permanently but for the natives have to fight on their own. 

The Muslim-controlled government goes to strenuous lengths to make it appear that this country is a ‘harmonious’ mixture of various belief systems. The key word is ‘appear’. Malaysia is indeed a mix of different religions, but it is kept ‘harmonious’ only through Islamic coercion — official and otherwise — and the threat (sometimes actual acts) of violence. ‘Harmonious’ also is a code word in Malaysian political discourse for ‘Islam must remain culturally and politically dominant’. Malaysian Muslims are also never willing to state for the record that a Hindu, Buddhist or Christian is the equal of a Muslim. They cannot — their belief system specifically forbids it, and if a Muslim believes otherwise, he is automatically an apostate — a traitor to Islam.

This country is also becoming more ‘Islamified’ as the years go by — Muslims are become more pious, or at least make more of a show of it more by wearing hijabs, tudongs and other Islamic garb, attending mosque more often, and in other, less obvious but more sinister ways ). 

Additionally, and more importantly, the growing Islamification is increasing the numbers of Muslims in Malaysia through procreation, conversion and immigration, and compelling the non Muslims to leave. The departing non-Muslims — mostly Christians, but also Buddhists and Hindus — tend to be the most educated, entrepreneurial and productive Malaysians. This has the makings of a long term economic catastrophe for Malaysia, if the Muslims and their government could but clear the fog of Islam from their minds and come to honest grips with the problem. This ‘brain drain’ issue is well known inside Malaysia, but the real causes (Islamic-inspired bigotry, persecution, enforcement of sharia) are not discussed, or allowed to be discussed openly.

Why is the world silent? The silence is, as I see it, a combination of many factors: what happened in Malaysia is not as bad as in Indonesia, Egypt etc and why bother  , and a dash of NIMBY-ism (‘not in my back yard’) thrown in for good measure. Who cares about Christians in Malaysia getting their Bibles seized or their churches bulldozed or blocked from construction? 

Malaysian Insider reports this morning that The Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun), or Gathering of a Million Faithful, is going to be held this Saturday, 23rd October 2011 at Dataran Merdeka Kuala Lumpur by  various right-wing groups such as Perkasa with the backing of both Umno and PAS Youth in what appears to be a coming together of conservative Muslims. The gathering is in respond to the Christians "challenging to the soveriegnty of Islam".

When I first looked at the photo (above), I thought they were bunch of Abu Bakar followers "the Muslim Extremists from Indonesia" , but after looking at it carefully only than I realised that they were the members of racist Perkasa.

To all Malaysian Christians, we must react rationally and not to lose our cool. Being followers of the peaceful religion, we must follow what has been thought in the Bible. As bible thought us to "make peace and not war" thus we must forgive them. We should never blame them as they only follow the teaching of their religion.

As a Christian, I am calling all my brothert and sisters in Christ , we must work together in order to defense ourselves from these extremist muslims. We just cannot keeping quiet and let them ransack or plunder our churches. The action of JAKIM raided the church in Selangor merely on suspicious, the action of Muslims spit out our holy communion, churches arson etc should not be allowed unchecked. Luckily what happened in West Malaysia did not happen here but it does not mean that we have to wait until it happen in sarawak. Being the majority we should help our brothers and sisters in Peninsular Malaysia from being unfairly treated by the majority muslim . We must help them, not through war or violent of course but through moral support. We cant just rely on Jabu, Masing and Mawan to fight for our right as enshrined by the constitution. For them their minister-ship is more important.

To all the West Malaysian Christians, We are Behind You.

Mupok Aku 

Kerismuddin Daughter Sexy Photos

Kuching
Sunday, 14th Aug 2011

Kerismudin Daughter's Erotic Photos

I received these photos from  one of  Bukittunggal.com loyal reader. According to him, the the photos are  belong to Hishamuddin Hussien or popularly known as KerisMudin's  daughter.

For the benefit of the rest of  Visitors to Bukittunggal.com, please enjoy the photo below :-

Mupok Aku