Merdeka Rakyat

24 Mei 2012 (Khamis)

1)    7.15 mlm – Solat & Tazkirah Maghrib

         Lokasi: Kediaman Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Bukit Segambut

2)    9.00 – 12.00 mlm -  Ceramah Perdana  -

                       Hala Tuju Ekonomi Dan Politik Tanahair

          Lokasi : Perkarangan Flat Pantai Permai, Pantai Dalam

                             (Jln Bukit Angkasa)

3)    Penceramah :

i.                    YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim

ii.                  YB Nurul Izzah Anwar

iii.                YB Tian Chua

iv.               YBhg Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin 

While we should welcome the government’s withdrawal of amendments to the Election Offences Act, we must be cognizant that the said amendments should not have been tabled so hastily nor bulldozed through Parliament in the first place.

This sudden but among the many about-turn decisions by the Najib administration not only demonstrates the sheer incompetence of a government lacking a reform legislative agenda but appears more likely to be a calculated move, making a mockery of the rakyat especially in light of the Bersih 3.0 demands and rally.

This hard won victory by the rakyat on the aftermath of Bersih 3.0 is bittersweet as the electoral reforms demanded was never considered. Instead, what was not asked was proposed, passed in Parliament, only to be withdrawn now at the senate.

The acceptance of the ‘decoy’ Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms sans the opposition minority report, the ambivalence of the government on SUHAKAM’s recent report on the handling of the 2011 Bersih 2.0 rally, employing religious fatwas to demean the democratic right to peaceful protest, and the irresponsible attempt to paint the recent over 200,000 strong Bersih 3.0 rally as an attempt to overthrow the government through violent means are distracting and insulting to the Rakyat’s legitimate desire for free and fair elections.

To add insult to injury, Prime Minister Najib now decides to appoint former IGP, Tun Hanif Omar as chairman of the ostensibly Independent Panel to Investigate Bersih 3.0 brutalities; which, undeniably includes the police force whilst sidelining SUHAKAM. Meanwhile, Najib continues to rebuff UN Special Rapporteur Frank Le Rue’s offer to assist – much relying on the bruised and tattered credibility of Genting Director Tun Hanif.

Clearly, if the administration lead by Datuk Seri Najib is even remotely interested in making Malaysia the ‘Greatest Democracy’ and not the ‘Greatest Mockery’ in the world, all he needs to implement are the following:

(a) all 8 demands made by Bersih 2.0

(b) a realignment of the existing malapportionment of both state and federal seats (where the difference between number of voters between seats should not exceed 15% – state seats should not cut across local authorities boundaries – and to recognise that 70% of Malaysians are already living in Urban areas hence the need for rural seats balance is not relevant. Furthermore based on GE12 in 2008, of the 139 smallest seats, BN was able to win 112 seats for a simple majority with just 2.06 million voters  or 18.9% out of 10.9 million voter population (1))

(c) to repeal Section 9A of the Election Act that currently disallows judicial review of the electoral roll

(d) to repeal in its entirety Printing Presses and Publications Act to facilitate free and fair media

(e) to allow international observers for the upcoming 13th General Election

(f) Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Sabah Illegal Immigrants issue

(g) Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Citizenship for Votes scandal

The above should be guaranteed to be implemented BEFORE GE 13 even if a special sitting of the Parliament is required. I believe that the government has the ability and the political will to do so as demonstrated vis the rushed eight pieces of legislation during the last day of Parliament; one of which has since been withdrawn.

Failure of the Najib administration to implement these demands will only result in a General Elections that will be riddled with fraudulent practices, lending credence to the allegation of an illegitimate government, and Malaysia will never achieve the much touted objective of being the ‘Greatest Democracy in the World’.

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai and Vice President of KEADILAN

KEADILAN memandang serius kenyataan PM Najib bahawasanya kesemua 112,634 peneroka di 317 tanah rancangan FELDA dan 22,468 pekerja FELDA akan mendapat durian runtuh terbesar yang mereka tidak pernah impikan sehingga mereka akan “tersandar, rebah dalam kejutan” hasil tawaran awam permulaan atau “initial public offering” (IPO) FELDA Global Venture Holdings (FGVH) yang dijangka selesai penyenaraiannya di Bursa Malaysia pada lewat Mei atau awal Jun 2012.

2. Dengan “gula-gula” pilihanraya semanis ini, kami menjangkakan para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA akan menerima saham FGVH secara percuma di samping sejumlah wang tunai sagu hati insentif penyenaraian tersebut.

3. Malangnya, jangkaan tersebut ternyata meleset kerana menurut sumber yang boleh dipercayai, para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA tidak akan menerima saham percuma atau wang tunai insentif penyenaraian.

4. Sebaliknya, KEADILAN difahamkan bahawa:

4.1  Para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA diwajibkan membuat pinjaman dengan beberapa bank terpilih untuk membeli saham FGVH meskipun segelintir daripada mereka mungkin mempunyai simpanan untuk membiayai permohonan membeli saham IPO tersebut

4.2 Walaupun margin pinjaman adalah 100%, tempoh pinjaman adalah untuk 6 bulan sahaja yakni para peneroka dan pekerja terpaksa membayar balik keseluruhan pinjaman dengan simpanan sendiri semasa menerima borang merah jambu/biru ATAUPUN menggunakan hasil jualan saham FGVH di pasaran terbuka nanti untuk membiayai pembayaran balik pinjaman sebelum atau pada tamat tempoh 6 bulan

4.3 Walaupun “stamping fee” diketepikan, para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA masih perlu membayar kepada bank fi dan caj sebanyak RM200 apabila pinjaman dengan rasminya dikeluarkan atau RM100 sebagai rebat jika pinjaman dilunaskan awal semasa borang merah jambu (bagi pekerja) atau biru (bagi peneroka) diterima

4.4 Kadar faedah “daily rest” pada paras 5% setahun yakni lebih 2.5 kali ganda kadar faedah pinjaman mudah bagi National Feedlot Centre (NFC) pada paras 2%

5. Jelas sekali apa yang disifatkan oleh PM Najib sebagai “lonjakan berganda” ini sebenarnya lebih cenderung ke arah membuka peluang niaga baharu dan memberi kesempatan kepada institusi kewangan terbabit mendapat hasil atas titik-peluh dan keringat peneroka dan pekerja FELDA, terutamanya 5 bank pelaburan yang dilantik menyelenggara kesemua perkara berkaitan penyenaraian, 7 bank yang dipilih untuk memberi pinjaman membiayai pembelian saham, dan beberapa syarikat pembrokeran saham yang dilantik untuk menjalankan urusniaga jual-beli saham di pasaran terbuka. Yang paling ketara adalah bil yuran dan caj tinggi yang perlu ditanggung oleh FGVH atas khidmat nasihat dan pengurusan gerak-kerja penyenaraian oleh 2 bank pelaburan domestik dan 3 asing iaitu Maybank Investment, CIMB Investment, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan dan Deutsche Bank ke atas FGVH.

6. Malah, pendekatan sebegini juga akan menyebabkan kecairan pada pegangan ekuiti Bumiputera dalam FGVH seusai peneroka dan pekerja FELDA menjual saham mereka di pasaran terbuka untuk melunaskan hutang kepada bank. Walaupun KPF dijangka akan kekal sebagai pemegang saham terbesar di samping Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), Tabung Haji dan Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) manakala syarikat asing hanya ditawarkan sebahagian kecil saham dalam IPO FGVH, tiada apa yang menghalang mana-mana pelabur (Bumiputera dan bukan Bumiputera) dari membeli saham FGVH di pasaran terbuka.

7. Lebih malang adalah nasib anak peneroka daripada generasi kedua dan ketiga setelah harapan mereka untuk menjadi peneroka baharu dengan mengusahakan tanah ladang kelapa sawit seluas 360,067 hektar tanpa peneroka milik FELDA Plantations Sdn Bhd berkecai kerana telah dicagar kepada FGVH selama 99 tahun bagi tujuan penyenaraian.

8. KEADILAN menggesa agar PM Najib menghentikan “umpan undi” atau “rasuah politik” seumpama ini dengan serta-merta, dan menerangkan kepada umum perangkap yang tersirat di sebalik ‘durian runtuh’ ini. PM wajib menjawab kepada setiap satu mekanisme di atas bagi meleraikan kebimbangan ramai, lantas benar-benar memberi fokus yang sewajarnya atas hak dan kepentingan mereka yang kurang bernasib baik!

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, merangkap
Naib Presiden KEADILAN

Dengan segala hormatnya Pejabat Penasihat Ekonomi Negeri Selangor
menjemput pihak media ke program Runding Cara: “PTPTN dan Masa Depan
Pembiayaan Pendidikan Tinggi”.

Butiran program adalah seperti berikut:

Tarikh: 10 April 2012 (Selasa)
Masa: 8 malam – 10.30 malam
Tempat: Ballroom, Quality Hotel, Shah Alam

Sdr Rafizi Ramli akan membentangkan kajian awal mengenai kedudukan
PTPTN dan beberapa model pembiayaan pendidikan tinggi yang akan
dibincangkan dengan pimpinan siswa, aktivis pelajar dan orang ramai.
Sesi ini terbuka kepada orang ramai yang akan turut disertai oleh YB
Nurul Izzah, YB Amiruddin, YB Nik Nazmi dan YB Sim Tze Tzin serta
pimpinan muda dari kalangan wakil rakyat di Selangor.

Satu sidang media akan diadakan sebelum rundingcara bermula.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) amat bimbang akan kewibawaan dan kebolehpercayaan Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR) setelah menerima dan mendedahkan maklumat tentang pelbagai penyelewengan yang berlaku berkaitan daftar pengundi, termasuklah:

Harakah

Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar hari ini mengutuk tindakan provokasi murahan pihak tertentu ketika operasi perobohan Flat PKNS di Kampung Kerinci semalam yang menyaksikan aktivis pelajar Adam Adli ditumbuk.

“Inilah politik samseng dan politik tidak matang yang dipertonjol Umno khususnya di Lembah Pantai,” katanya.

Dalam kejadian semalam, ketika rundingan 34 penduduk dengan pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) yang mahu merobohkan kediaman mereka berlangsung, Adam Adli ditumbuk.

Adam yang hadir bersama seorang lagi aktivis pelajar Ekhsan Bukhari mengalami kecederaan di bahagian bibir dan mata.

Mengulas rundingan semalam, Nurul berkata 34 orang penduduk tersebut bukan tidak mahu berpindah, tetapi sehingga kini status perpindahan mereka ke perumahan PPR tidak diputuskan oleh jabatan perumahan DBKL.

“Saya tentu mengalu-alukan sebarang usaha untuk membangunkan kawasan Kampung Kerinci, tetapi aturan tatacara serta prosedur pembangunan harus mangikuti undang-undang dan menghormati pemilik tanah sedia ada.

“Dalam hal ini kaedah pengambilan tanah untuk pembangunan yang nyata melanggar peraturan sedia ada bilamana referendum dan bukan kaedah persetujuan 100 peratus pemilik menjadi penentu pembangunan,” jelasnya.

Malaysiakini

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar took delight in the triumph of Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in elections yesterday while recalling a favour done her by that country’s human rights campaigners 12 years ago.

While stumping before a keen crowd of her constituents in the upscale Bangsar district last night, Nurul referenced Suu Kyi’s struggles to bring political reform to Burma.

She did so in response to questions from the audience, who after listening to their parliamentarian on current affairs had asked the young mother of two how long it would take for Malaysia to make the transition to a full-fledged democracy.

The 32-year-old Nurul’s reply: “We have to strive for as long as it takes.”

Nurul referred to Suu Kyi’s decades-long struggle to bring political reform to her country, a travail-strewn path that saw this daughter of Burmese independence fighter, Aung San, spend long periods under house arrest.

“We have to keep striving … it would help to have a sense of humour,” quipped Nurul, in the course of describing the Sisyphean nature of the labour required in bringing political reform to Malaysia.

This was where the results coming in late yesterday in Burma’s by-elections, especially reports of Suu Kyi’s success in winning a seat in parliament, provided Nurul with grist for her optimism about the future.

Yesterday’s elections in Burma signalled the isolated regime’s desire to begin the transition from military despotism to democracy.

Gratitude to NGO Altsean Burma

Nurul paid tribute to the generosity and fortitude of the democracy movement in Burma, one NGO of which, Altsean Burma, had advised her closely on how to present her case in hearings before the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva in 2000.

That year Malaysian NGO Aliran was slotted to make their deposition in the annual sitting of the commission that hears human rights cases from all over the world.

Aliran allowed Nurul, who at that time was travelling the world to highlight her jailed father’s plight as a political prisoner, to take their place instead, in making a seven-minute deposition before UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson.

“The only Malaysian NGO recognised by the UN Human Rights Commission at that time was Aliran. Such recognition was a pre-condition for the submission of a deposition,” said Nurul.

However, Altsean Burma whose representative Debbie Stothard, a Malaysian based in Bangkok, sympathised with the then-teenaged Nurul’s peripatetic exertions on behalf of her incarcerated father, Anwar Ibrahim.

Stothard steered Nurul through the rigours of preparation of her deposition before a panel headed by Robinson.

Later, recalling details of her deposition before the UN body 12 years ago, Nurul told Malaysiakini that democracy’s decades-old efflorescence in Asean was unstoppable.

Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, YB Nurul Izzah Anwar akan mengadakan satu sidang media berkaitan MASALAH DI ANTARA PENDUDUK DAN PEMAJU PEMBANGUNAN FLAT KG KERINCHI.

Dijemput wartawan dan jurugambar untuk membuat liputan sidang media tersebut seperti dibawah:

Tarikh: JUMAAT, 30 Mac 2012

Tempat: Dataran Kerinchi, Blok F, Flat 4 Tingkat PKNS Kg Kerinchi

Sebarang pertanyaan boleh dikemukakan kepada Pengarah Biro Aduan & Kemasyarakatan, Izhar Yusof dan Setiausaha Parlimen, Ridzuan Othman.

“Demi Rakyat”

KENYATAAN MEDIA
26 March 2012
UNTUK SEBARAN SEGERA

Mengapa CUEPACS diketepikan sekali lagi?

Sekali lagi rakyat gelisah mendengar berita bahawa CUEPACS, seperti yang disebut presidennya Datuk Omar Osman, tidak dimaklumkan tentang siapa yang akan menyertai suruhanjaya untuk mengkaji penyelaran gaji perkhidmatan awam selepas pembatalan tiba-tiba skim Saraan Baru Perkidmatan Awam (SBPA).

Pakatan Rakyat menyokong penuh gesaan CUEPACS untuk dijadikan salah satu pihak berkepentingan (“stakeholder”) dalam isu ini, tapi juga agar pihak kerajaan tidak lagi melakukan tindakan bersifat “unilateral” seperti skim SBPA dahulu, yang telah gagal akibat tentangan yang begitu kuat dari pelbagai pihak.

Pakatan Rakyat juga sedar akan usaha kerajaan untuk meneruskan dan menambahbaik sistem Skim Saraan Malaysia (SSM) sedia ada, termasuk menubuhkan suruhanjaya khas untuk melaksanakan penambahbaikan yang “komprehensif dan menyeluruh” terhadap perkhidmatan awam negara.

Oleh itu, kami menyarankan satu Jawatankuasa Tetap Parlimen ditubuhkan agar semua pihak berkepentingan termasuklah pihak Pembangkang akan dapat memberi cadangan-cadangan membina bagi perkhidmatan awam, yang merupakan salah satu tunjang pembangunan negara.

YB Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, merangkap
Naib Presiden KEADILAN

+++++

MEDIA STATEMENT
26 March 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Why keep CUEPACS in the dark, again?

It is of public interest and a grave concern that CUEPACS, according to its president Datuk Omar Osman, has not been informed on the necessary details including the identity of the members of a public service pay review commission after the abrupt cancellation of the Civil Service Remuneration Scheme (SBPA).

Pakatan Rakyat not only supports the call by CUEPACS to be consulted as a rightful stakeholder, but also not to repeat the government’s penchant for unilateral action which caused the earlier SBPA scheme to be unceremoniously scrapped due to strong opposition.

Pakatan Rakyat is also aware of the government’s effort to maintain and improve the existing Malaysian Remuneration System (SSM) which includes the formation of a special commission tasked to review in a “comprehensive and holistic” manner all aspects on how to improve the country’s civil service.

Therefore, we propose that a Permanent Parliamentary Committee be established for the Civil Service so that all stakeholder’s including from the Royal Opposition will be able to contribute constructively in the affairs of one of our nation’s key pillar in development.

YB Nurul Izzah Anwar
MP for Lembah Pantai and
Vice President of KEADILAN

I am deeply concerned with Lembaga Tabung Haji’s (LTH) continued missteps in its investment decisions affecting its 5.1 million depositors. Recently its investment in Silver Bird Group Bhd – which has received much negative press from concerned quarters including the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia (PPIM) has come into question.

Silver Bird Group Bhd was designated a PN17 status (Practice Note 17 Financial Distress Status) since February 29, 2012 by Bursa Malaysia. Silver Bird’s woes affects LTH as the latter is one of the largest shareholders in the former (22.19%); leaving LTH exposed to Silver Bird’s estimated RM111.5 million financial shortfall.

Pattern of Questionable Investment and Decision Making
This is not an isolated case, as Ramunia Holdings Berhad, a company which is 25.17% owned by LTH, is similarly listed as a PN17 company. Needless to say, LTH’s investments in various listed companies have been under much scrutiny in the last few years.

Besides the investment in Silver Bird Group Bhd and Ramunia Holdings Bhd, there is also the case of an unfair tender conducted for IT related project named “Queue Management System” -and ended up being awarded to less experienced individuals. Just last week, PPIM had urged the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the alleged irregularities in relation to the said project tender. (PPIM, 14 Mac 2012)

Additionally, the newly appointed yet sudden resignation of LTHs Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Halim Alias after Petra Perdana’s EGM on Feb 4th 2010 further reinforces the notion that the LTH’s decision making and investment foray is in fact, problematic.

A report with the MACC was also lodged, leading to the investigations of five members of a syndicate, including Tabung Haji officers, who have allegedly been offering “express haj” services to pilgrims.

Immediate Action Must be Taken

Former Chairman and General Director of TH, Tan Sri Hanafiah Ahmad said that an independent investigation should be expedited because of the many activities by the board’s investment panel being questioned by depositors. (March 7, 2010 Utusan Malaysia). At the same time, the Secretary General of the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) Sha’ani Abdullah said: “accountability and transparency of LTH investment is not satisfactory.” (February 27, 2010, StarBiz)

The pattern of consistent investment failures have led to the questioning on the integrity investment decision making made, especially a concern for all LTH depositors. Immediate and decisive action must be taken to allay depositors fear and doubts on the viability of LTHs investments.

I therefore urge Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, Minister in the Prime Minister Office, to appoint an independent auditor to investigate in detail the activities of all LTH investments and its subsidiaries to that the investment and fund management decision making is free from any allegations of fraud and wrongdoing.

I hope that the truth in these issues will be discovered and disclosed, in the interest of many Malaysians who have entrusted their savings as well as belief in Lembaga Tabung Haji.

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Lembah Pantai, M.P.
Vice President, Parti Keadilan Rakyat

NURUL IZZAH
20 Mac 2012

Acap kali kita dihidangkan impian pimpinan kerajaan supaya Malaysia terus berjaya menjadi negara maju, hingga bila kita tiba kepada tahun 2020, sasarannya adalah gaji per kapita (GNI) daripada RM23,700 kepada RM48,000, hampir seperti negara-negara dunia pertama lainnya.

Tetapi kita mesti beringat – sasaran apa pun yang dimahukan, tidak boleh tidak kerajaan wajib membudayakan kepimpinan terpuji dalam membangunkan negara tercinta ini. Bukankah kepimpinan itu menerusi teladan?

Justeru apa kata pimpinan bila berlakunya manipulasi pilihan raya, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa yang berleluasa, peningkatan penggunaan samseng atau pembuli politik dalam mengekang golongan yang dianggap musuh politik kerajaan sedia ada?

Apa kata Perdana Menteri apabila ahli-ahli partinya bertanggungjawab terhadap gangguan ceramah-ceramah pembangkang – dari Himpunan Hijau di Pulau Pinang ke Felda Lepar Hilir 1 di Pahang dan Padang Keluang di Johor dilakukan dengan dukungan ahli-ahli Umno dan kumpulan Perkasa yang sememangnya mendapat sokongan daripada pimpinan Umno.

Apa kata Perdana Menteri seandainya disamakan budaya samseng ini dengan halangan kebebasan demokratik di Congo pada pertengahan 90-an, atau belenggu pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Zimbabwe ketika itu? Tentunya Perdana Menteri tidak mahu perbandingan dengan rejim komunis di Timur Eropah pada tahun 80-an yang menindas rakyat. Mahu tidak, ekologi budaya politik ketiga ini dipraktis banyak rejim yang takut kehilangan kuasanya.

Sebaliknya, jika Perdana Menteri berani menggandingkan permohonan maaf beliau dengan teguran membina terhadap serangan yang kini kian menggila terhadap semua aktiviti pembangkang, barulah boleh kita melihat pendirian tegas menuju ke arah ‘budaya politik dunia pertama.’

Budaya politik dunia pertama akan membahaskan isu-isu penting mengenai ekonomi, kesejahteraan sosial dan tidak menjadikan agama dan bangsa sebagai tebusan retorik politik ketakutan yang hanya memecah-belah masyarakat.

Ekologi budaya politik dunia ketiga berpunca daripada sanubari dan mentaliti politikus yang hanya mahukan kuasa untuk harta dan bukan kuasa untuk rakyat. Masa depan negara terancam apabila kebanyakan negara-negara dunia ketiga sedang menatarkan reformasi politik contohnya di Myanmar baru-baru ini. Rejim junta itu secara menakjubkan memberi ruang liputan di rangkaian televisyen nasional negara kepada semua parti politik termasuk daripada pihak pembangkang! Bayangkan wajah ayu Daw Aung San Suu Kyi yang terpenjara berkali-kali selama 15 tahun lamanya kini dapat ditonton oleh penduduk Myanmar tanpa perlu berjalan jauh untuk bertemu srikandi mereka itu.

Bayangkan sebuah Malaysia yang mengamalkan budaya politik dunia pertama yang dengannya Kuasa Rakyat menjadi asas utama kerajaan, di mana “kuasa datang daripada rakyat untuk rakyat” menjadi tiang seri kenegaraan yang akan terus membangun dan maju, dilengkapi pula dengan keluhuran Perlembagaan Persekutuan sebagai asas pemerintahan yang adil lagi saksama.

Bayangkan pilihan raya umum yang bebas, bersih dan adil menjadi teras mandat sebenar pemilihan kerajaan memerintah. Daftar pengundi akan bersih daripada pengundi hantu, pengundi yang dibeli dengan kewarganegaraan dan pengundi yang berpeluang mengundi berbilang kali. Perhimpunan aman pula dibenarkan tanpa syarat yang membebankan. Waktu kempen pilihan raya yang munasabah dibenarkan sementara akses kepada media massa tidak terhad ataupun jelas berpihak. Politik yang berpandukan wang ringgit mesti diharamkan. Suasana sedemikian layak diberi sijil kerana pilihan rayanya mempamerkan cetusan suara pilihan rakyat yang tulen berasaskan persaingan idea yang sihat.

Bayangkan Parlimen yang berfungsi secara demokratik sehinggakan soalan Parlimen saya kepada Perdana Menteri – agar menyenaraikan projek-projek, termasuk jumlah geran pembiayaan atau pinjaman kerajaan yang melebihi RM5 juta yang diberikan kepada syarikat-syarikat yang dimiliki oleh ahli-ahli keluarga menteri dan timbalan menteri sejak tahun 2004 hingga 2011 – dijawab bukan ditolak.

Bayangkan kedudukan tahap tinggi Malaysia berbanding negara lain, bukan kedudukan rendah Laporan Perkembangan Dunia (UNDP 2010); di mana tahap perkembangan sumber manusia menempatkan Korea Selatan di tangga ke-12, Singapura (27), Brunei (37) dan Malaysia (51). Bila ditambah dengan prestasi pendidikan yang semakin merudum – di mana peratus rakyat Malaysia yang berjaya menamatkan pendidikan menengah pula adalah 68.7 peratus, berbanding Korea Selatan (96.4 peratus), Hong Kong (75.2 peratus) dan Brunei (88.2 peratus) – terus meyakinkan kita bahawa hanya pengamalan budaya politik dunia pertama yang dapat membebaskan rakyat daripada penjara kemunduran ini.

Bayangkan sebuah Malaysia yang lebih terbuka, lebih bersatu, lebih maju dan lebih sejahtera, berdiri sama tinggi, duduk sama rendah sebagai negara dunia pertama dalam semua segi – sosial, politik dan ekonomi – jika budaya politik berjaya ditransformasikan.

Apa kata Perdana Menteri?

Malaysia Chronicle

I would like to announce the publication of my fifth and latest English cartoon book, “1 MOOLAYSIA.”

Previously, I had published “Even My Pen Has a Stand” (2011), “Cartoon-O-Phobia” (2010), “1 Funny Malaysia” (2009) and “Cartoons On Tun…”(2005),

1 Funny Malaysia was banned on the grounds that the contents are “detrimental to public order”, while Cartoon-O-Phobia was investigated under the Sedition Act on which I was detained under the same act hours before the launching of the book on the 24th September 2010.

“1 Moolaysia” was chosen as a title based on the popular issue, the NFC Scandal.

“1 MOOLAYSIA” features a collection of my political cartoons that have appeared in Malaysiakini website from July 2011 to March this year as well as works published in Cartoonmovement.com, an international cartoon website, and also some fresh and unpublished works.

These cartoons mainly touch on issues that failed to be highlighted by local political cartoonists, such as the PM and his shop-a-holic wife, conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim, Altantuya, Scorpene, the NFC scandal, misuse of public funds, racism, corruption, violation of human rights, Bersih, police brutality and Malaysian politics in general.

It also features latest cartoons about the First Lady’s shopping in Perth, the cow scandal, the shoe-throwing to the Judge issue, PM’s crocodile tears and the 901, among others.

Pressure continues

Since the pressure from the government continues, it is hard for me to find printers to print and vendors to sell my book openly. Some printers and vendors were told that they will lose thier operating licences if they continue to print or sell my book(s).

Meanwhile, in the court June last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court rejected my suit to challenge the government on the banning of “1Funny Malaysia” and my other book, “Perak Darul Kartun” through a “comical judgment”.

I then filed another suit to challenge the police and the government on my detention under The Sedition Act immediately after the publishing of “Cartoon-O-Phobia”. The case is now proceeding and the next session will be on the 5th and 6th of April. No matter what the results may be, it will not derail my spirit to continue drawing cartoons. “I will fight until the last drop of my ink.”

Thus, I hope to get good support from readers and fans alike in buying “1Moolaysia” to help me produce more political cartoons and to continue “To Fight Through Cartoon” agenda.

I would also like to urge Malaysians not to keep quiet but do your best to fight this corrupt dan inept government. The least you can do is through the funny ways. “If you cannot beat them, laugh at them!”

“1 Moolaysia” has 104 full coloured pages and will be sold at retail price of RM25.00. It can be purchased via online through my website http://zunarcartoonist.com/.

The sale event will be held at Amcorp Mall on the 24th and 25th of March, from 10am to 5pm on both days. It will be officiated by Lembah Pantai MP, YB Nurul Izzah Anwar at 2pm on the 25th of March at the same venue.

Zunar is currently Malaysia’s foremost political cartoonist