From http://www.euronews.com

28/04 13:04 CET

Datuk Bandar Wilayah Riyadh Putera Dr Abdul Aziz Bin Mohammed Bin Ayyaf Al Horny telah menerima Anugerah Timur Tengah bagi Ketua Eksekutif dalam sektor kerajaan, yang diberikan oleh Institute of Middle East Award for Excellence. Anugerah tersebut disampaikan oleh Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Mantan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang telah diberikan penghormatan dan menjadi sumber inspirasi pada anugerah tersebut berdasarkan kecemerlangan rekod  beliau sewaktu berada didalam pentadbiran Kerajaan.

Anugerah ini diberikan setiap tahun kepada pemimpin dan eksekutif dalam bidang kerajaan dan sektor swasta untuk menghargai prestasi kecemerlangan bagi menjadi motivasi dan insentif kepada peribadi ataupun institusi yang membangunkan dirinya dalam prestasi kerja serta meningkatkan tahap sektor .  Berikut adalah petikkan berita tersebut:

http://www.alriyadh.com/2012/04/06/article724928.html

From Asia Society

NEW YORK, February 9, 2011 – The US should actively support the burgeoning democratic movements in Egypt and throughout the Muslim world, argues Anwar Ibrahim, who sees American support for embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the context of a larger “policy of ambivalence.”
“You talk about democracy and freedom; you support autocrats and dictators,” said the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.

“I’m not suggesting the Americans send troops. I’ve always consistently opposed the sending of troops.
“But you have to take a position—like [Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdo?an. His position is clear: when it comes to the people against the corrupt, repressive rulers, you must be with the people. That is what we stand for. You use the term ‘inalienable rights,’ but when it comes to some communities you can compromise.”

Ibrahim, who many feel has been unfairly persecuted by the Malaysian government because of his calls for democratic reform, was joined in conversation by Asia Society Associate Fellow Ann Marie Murphy, who is Associate Professor at Seton Hall University’s John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations and adjunct research scholar at Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute.
The implications of the Egyptian uprising for the entire Muslim world are enormous, according to Ibrahim, who noted that “no Muslim country, from Pakistan to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Thailand, or South Philippines, did not produce thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of graduates from Egypt.”
Ibrahim denied that the revolts in Egypt and elsewhere were being hijacked by radical Islamists, as some in the West fear.

“Let us be clear that these initial revolutions, be they in Tunisia or Egypt, are quite spontaneous. They are popular movements. You can’t say that they are either Islamic or secular movements; they are just peoples’ movements, and the issues are clear: they want to rid their country of decadent, corrupt, repressive rulers. They want democracy and freedom, and of course more transparent policies that guarantee their welfare and economic well-being. The basic issues are still economic.”
Reported by Ben Linden

Malaysiakini

Pengurus Besar Yayasan Selangor yang baru dilantik Ilham Marzuki memberitahu Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Selangor Mengenai Keupayaan, Kebertanggungjawaban, Ketelusan (Selcat) bahawa  aset pendidikan negeri yayasan itu bernilai setengah bilion ringgit hilang semasa pentadbiran BN.

“Kajian kami menunjukkan bahawa dari 1991 hingga 2008, berlaku ketirisan sebanyak RM500 juta daripada Yayasan Selangor,” kata Ilham kepada jawatankuasa itu yang bersidang pada pendengaran awam hari ini.

“Jika tidak, aset kita (sekarang) akan menjadi RM800 juta.”

Buat masa ini, katanya, yayasan itu memiliki aset tetap bernilai RM300 juta manakala RM50 juta lagi dalam deposit tunai.

Ilham diarahkan hadir oleh kerajaan negeri dan Selcat untuk membantu Yayasan Selangor  mengaudit akaunnya bagi tempoh antara 1991 dan 2008. Tindakan itu untuk mengesan punca wang yayasan itu terus berkurangan.

18 Februari 2012 (Sabtu)

1) 12.30 tghari – Penutup Program KESEDERHANAAN TULEN
Lokasi: Gurney Resort Hotel, Gurney Drive

2) 5.30 ptg – Hi-Tea di Perkampungan Sungai Lembu, Penanti

3) 7.15 – 8.30 mlm – Solat dan Tazkirah Maghrib
Lokasi: Surau Al-Sakinah, Pangsapuri Seri Pauh, Seberang Jaya

4) 8.30 – 9.30 mlm – Majlis Makan Malam
Lokasi: Taman Seri Aman, Berapit, Permatang Pauh

5) 9.00 -12.00 mlm – Ceramah Perdana 1 – Demi Rakyat
Lokasi: Sungai Semilang, Juru, Bukit Mertajam

6) 9.00 – 12.00 mlm – Ceramah 2 – Demi Rakyat
Lokasi: Padang Ibu, Penanti

7) Penceramah
i. YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
ii. YB Dato’ Mansor Othman
iii. YB Mujahid Yusof Rawa
iv. Sdri Siti Aisyah Sheikh Ismail

Untuk makluman bagi memudahkan anda , Berikut adalah link Belanjawan Pakatan Rakyat:

http://www.pakatanrakyat.info/?page_id=108

http://www.keadilanrakyat.org/images/stories/webimg/blog/pakatan_rakyat_shadow_budget_2012_final_version.pdf

Dari Merdeka Review
Oleh Ooi Heng

Parlimen Malaysia membuka lembaran sejarah kegelapan baru hari ini setelah bersidang dalam kekecohan “ala-Kangaroo court”. Umum sedia maklum bahawa Kangaroo sejenis binatang yang menjadi lambang khusus Australia. Tetapi hari ini dengan Speaker yang acap kali menitikberatkan bahawa segala keputusan Speaker adalah “muktamad” meskipun “modus operandi” keputusan muktamad Speaker Parlimen Australia jauh berbeza dengan “modus operandi” “keputusan muktamad” Speaker Parlimen Malaysia. Rakyat dunia 1Malaysia cukup bernasib baik kerana berkesempatan melihat dari dekat kejadian-kejadian yang mencorakkan Kangaroo court meskipun apa yang berlaku adalah sesuatu yang memalukan Malaysia apabila dilihat dari jauh oleh masyarakat antarabangsa termasuk negara yang dilambangkan oleh Kangaroo.

Dalam kekecohan yang telah dilaporkan segera oleh laman web berita, aku yang berperut buncit memerhatikan sesuatu yang wajar dibangkitkan dalam ulasanku mengenai peranan Speaker dalam Kangaroo court yang juga berperut buncit yang kononnya “above politics” semasa kekecohan berlaku. (more…)

Dari TVSelangor

Sebagai seorang ahli politik yang bergerak dalam satu pasukan, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim tidak boleh sewenang-wenangnya bertindak melulu hanya kerana tidak berpuas hati tentang beberapa perkara dalam parti lalu membuka ruang kepada musuh untuk menyerang PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat, ujar Prof Dr Abd

ul Aziz Bari.

“Sebagai ahli parti beliau boleh bercakap apa yang dia hendak. Tetapi saya rasa sebagai pemain dalam pasukan dia kena bertanggungjawab dan cerdik

sikitlah.

“Jadi saya tidak fikir apa yang dilakukan oleh Zaid itu sebagai tindakan yang bijaksana. Maknanya dia tidak puas hati, dia bakar kapal,” ujar Aziz.

Aziz yang juga pensyarah undang-undang berkata, Zaid perlu bertindak profesional jika ada pun ketidakpuasan hati dalam isu pemilihan parti misalnya, kerana sebagai seorang yang dikatakan komited dengan perjuangan, tindakan beliau juga hendaklah rasional dan mendokong perjuangan parti.

Menurut Aziz, semua maklum dalam soal pemilihan ada kelemahan kerana ini kali pertama dan PKR berhadapan dengan ahli-ahli yang tidak biasa dengan
proses ini selain daripada sabotaj luar dan sebagainya, dan dia(Zaid) kena bersabarlah.

“Sebagai seorang yang kononnya komited dengan perjuangan

mendemokrasikan Malaysia baru, dia tidak sepatutnya mengambil jalan ini kerana ini akan menjadi bahan kepada musuh-musuh atau mereka yang tidak mahu berubah ini.

“Jadi saya rasa Zaid telah tersilap besar dan dia dengan tidak semena-mena menyediakan peluru untuk mereka yang tidak suka demokrasi, yang tidak suka
pembaharuan Malaysia,” tambah Aziz lagi.

(more…)

Dari Suara Keadilan

Ketua Umum KEADILAN, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat diamanahkan untuk menubuhkan kerajaan pusat pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13, beliau berjanji untuk menurunkan harga minyak keesokkan harinya.

Anwar menegaskan ini bukan janji manis atau cakap kerana sebagai bekas Menteri Kewangan yang memegang jawatan itu selama lapan tahun, beliau tahu keuntungan hasil pendapatan mampu menampung keputusan yang bakal dilaksanakan itu.

“Saya tahu di mana wang disimpan, keuntungan Petronas sahaja melebihi RM70 bilion setahun, malah royalti minyak Sabah mencecah RM1.2 bilion tetapi harga minyak tetap dinaikkan tanpa ada belas kasihan kepada rakyat bawahan. Minyak banyak tapi harga naik.

“Adalah mustahil Umno-BN mengatakan tidak ada peruntukan untuk membantu rakyat miskin sampai jeti dan jambatan roboh di Batu Sapi. Kita berjanji sekiranya kita tubuh kerajaan di Putrajaya kita merubah semuanua ini dalam tempoh dua tahun,” tegas Anwar di hadapan lebih 1,000 penduduk Kampung Bahagia yang merupakan kubu kuat BN.

Atas dasar ini Anwar berkata beliau terus melawan Umno-BN yang mengabaikan derita rakyat serta mengkayakan kroni dan kaum kerabat mereka.

Beliau memberitahu hadirin jentera umno sedang membuat lawatan sambil mengedarkan ‘hadiah’ menjelang pembuangan pada 4 November.

“Itulah Umno, dia datang terhegeh-hegeh beri hadiah dan duit, kemudian minta mengundi kita mereka. Apa dia ingat kita kuli, hamba dia? Kita rakyat merdeka.

“Bila mereka (umno) datang beri beras, ambil! Dia beri zink satu, minta sepuluh! Dia bagi wang, ambil! Bila masa mengundi nanti, ingat, pangkah KEADILAN!” kata beliau diikuti sorakan hangat dari penduduk.

Menegaskan pendirian beliau, Anwar berkata Umno-BN melalui jentera kerajaan telah mencuba sedaya-upaya untuk menghalang perjuangan beliau.

“Umno-BN takut dengan saya kerana perjuangan saya membela rakyat. Dia mahu tangkap, biar dia tangkap. Dia pukul, memang dia pukul saya. Dia telanjang, biar! Dia penjarakan saya, tak apa tetapi bila saya keluar penjara, lawan tetap lawan!” tegas beliau diikuti sorakan meriah.

Ceramah Anwar diteruskan dengan lawatan ke Kampung Bokara dengan sambutan kira-kira 200 penduduk menunggu di sebuah rumah penduduk tempatan.

“Jika kita berjaya menang Putrajaya, insya Allah dalam masa dua tahun kita akan rubah Sabah,” tegas beliau lagi.

Oleh Mohd Rahidi Hassan

SELURUH pemimpin Umno-Barisan Nasional yang dipimpin Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak sepatutnya bersedia berundur dari tampuk kuasa dengan seberapa segera.

Sudah terbukti mereka tidak mampu memerintah dan menguruskan hasil mahsul negara dengan baik.

Dalam Laporan Audit 2009 yang dibentangkan kepada Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Awam Negara (PAC) di Parlimen, Ketua Audit Negara, Tan Sri Ambrin Buang mencatatkan bahawa, Kerajaan Persekutuan telah terlebih belanja RM4.83 bilion tahun lalu.

Ini merupakan defisit kedua tertinggi selepas tersasar bajet operasi RM5.7 bilion pada tahun sebelum itu.

“Ini menunjukkan masih terdapat kelemahan dan perancangan kewangan dan pengurusan,” Laporan Ketua Audit dipetik.

Lebih tegas Ambrin menegur Kerajaan Umno-BN, dengan memberi penekanan bahawa bahawa perbelanjaan sepatutnya hanya dilakukan selepas mendapat kelulusan.

(more…)

By Hussein abdul Hamid

These Malays who are the leaders in UMNO….they were once decent people. There were once Malays who had the well-being and welfare of other Malays in their hearts. They wanted the Malays to succeed in education, in business and they wanted the Malays to be able to stand with pride amongst the other races in Malaysia. They started their life in politics with these thoughts.

It changed when Mahathir took his place as Prime Minister. This was no ordinary man. He had intellect. He had intelligence. He worked hard and he knew exactly what he wanted and how to go about getting it. He was a man who had the power to do much. If only he had used his power for good rather then for evil.

As he was talking about racial harmony he understood the need of the racial divide to keep the people off balance and he used the racial divide to weave his politics of divide and rule. As he consolidated his hold on his cabinet he understood the need to have Minister who were corrupt, weak of the flesh and susceptible to the lure of money and every other imaginable persuasion so that he could use these weaknesses to exert control over them. Truly Mahathir is a disciple of Machiavelli – adept in using cunning and deceitful tactics in politics!

What happened with Pak Lah totally defined Mahathir. Nothing matters except what Mahathir wants. Not what UMNO, Barisan Nasional, the people or what the country wants. He will have his way no matter what. God did not give him the grace to understand that others are different in thoughts and deeds to him. In the end that will be the epitaph of this man.

And now to where we are at now. Does Najib ever stop to look at the people in the country that he is Prime Minister of as individuals? Does this Din who is so fond of issuing threats and ultimatums from his Ministry of Home Affairs ever stop to think that these people that he issues those threats and ultimatums are made up of individuals – Malay, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Ibans, young and old, men and women…that each and every one of these individuals are able to think for themselves and decide what they want to do with their life and their votes? Or are all these leaders on an ego trip?

“Ego: The fallacy whereby a goose thinks he’s a swan”

For me the spectacle of Najib trying to impose some semblance of dignity and authority to the position of Prime Minister of our country is sad because:

“The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply” Kahlil Gibran.

Najib you cannot build a house on sand. It is futile for you to expect the people of this country to allow you to govern them until you have earned that right.

For one you were not chosen to be Prime Minister of this country by the people – Pak Lah did! So you came into office with blood on your hands–Pak Lah’s blood. It was a well-organized assassination. UMNO at its best. Not only were Mahathir and you able to turn UMNO against their own President but also you even managed to get the people of Malaysia to come along for the ride.

At that point of time Najib presented a clear break from the excesses of Pak Lah and the ‘excesses’ we most disliked was the power (real or imagined) then being wielded by Khairy Jamaluddin. We would even have accepted Mahathir back as Prime Minister if it meant we could rid ourself of that young upstart call KJ!

So that alone meant that Najib came in as Prime Minister on a high. But wither goes Najib after that? The growing unpopularity of a once much loved and popular Prime Minister affectionately called Pak Lah had propelled Najib, albeit with much help from Mahathir, into a post he badly needed to ensure his political survival even as another potentially deadly threat looms -ALTANTUYA!

In my humble opinion where Najib erred was in his handling of the Altantuya situation. His early appointment as Prime Minister was not, as he thought, the solution to this problem. It merely gave him time to regroup. He should have used his entry into office to sit down quietly and figure out what he could do to diffuse the Altantuya problem – not use the Prime Minister’s office as a refuge from it.

Yes there were questions about his past judgement in his days as MB of Pahang and in Federal Politics that could embarrass him on a personal and political level but who in UMNO did not have skeletons in the closet? There were worries about the propensity of Rosmah to act more ‘Presidential’ then Najib but even this, with common sense, could be managed.

In other things political Najib had vision but lack substance. He was unable to maintain the mood of the people. When Pak Lah took over from Mahathir there was much hope for change for the better and this was reflected in the results of the emphatic 2004 election victory that the people gave to Pak Lah.

But this mood changed quickly when promises are not followed by action especially in today’s over wired news availability through the Net. As impressive as Pak Lahs “Work with me not for me” utterances were…cakap bukan serupa bikin…and his inability to rein in KJ costs him the Prime Minister’s job.

But Najib was unable to build on this. What he has done quite well without help from any quarters is to dig a hole too deep for him to climb out of – and there is nobody around willing to give him a helping hand to escape oblivion. Ahhhh the arrogance of power overcomes all of us…not just the strong and powerful, not just the little Napoleons…but also even those Mata Mata in uniforms on their money seeking beats around the streets of our towns and cities! They fail to understand that Malaysia belongs to many who are already dead, the few that are now living and the countless numbers that are still unborn!

For over fifty years you leaders in UMNO have been beating this country of ours to near death. It would do you all good if you stop to understand that we are all individuals amongst the faceless masses that you see. Go listen to what they have to say. Go understand what they aspire to. Or, better yet, understand that like you, they simply want the right to earn a decent living, a roof over their heads and the freedom to live their live to the best of their ability in peace.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. ~Chief Seattle, 1855

If you understand this, then maybe you will understand the need to have compassion, decency and aspire to do well to others in your time as Prime Minister…in your time in life. ….but maybe…just maybe…it might be too much to ask of you and of those in Barisan Nasional.