Dear friends,

For those of you who would like more details on the specific clauses we were concerned about, pls browse through the following.

And.. for the record, PR Lawmakers are FOR the Wildlife Bill 2010

KRITIKAN BERKAITAN RANG UNDANG

Open Letter on the Wildlife Bill (printable)

By Shannon Teoh

July 05, 2010

Pakatan Rakyat leaders attend the launch of FoPR in London yesterday, July 4, 2010. — Picture by Danny Lim

LONDON, July 5 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders continued their bullish stance towards a possible snap election by insisting that they would win big, when launching an outreach programme here yesterday.

Despite losing five MPs this year, they further taunted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak by stating that the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition was running scared.

“Umno is in a state of panic. They see enemies everywhere,” PR secretariat chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim told a crowd of over 200 at the launch of Friends of Pakatan Rakyat (FoPR) in London.

Other leaders at the FoPR launch, such as PAS treasurer Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, DAP’s Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, were also confident of expanding their historic wins in Election 2008 into the next general election, which must be held by 2013.

Their upbeat mood followed Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement last week that PR would be ready should BN opt to dissolve Parliament early.

The government’s reluctance to upset the majority Malays has led to policy reversals and reform pullbacks that are fuelling talk Najib may be readying to get his own mandate as prime minister. The last election was led by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who stepped down in April 2009.

Najib raised constituency allocations for BN MPs from RM1 million to RM1.5 million last month, leading to further speculation.

Dr Hatta expressed his belief that there was a significant possibility of a snap election after Umno vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that the time had come for BN to go to the polls to prove that they have overcome past mistakes.

“If it’s in September, we will win big. If it’s next year, we will win even bigger,” the Kuala Krai MP said.

Zaid added that “ministers are talking rubbish all the time, because they are panicking over early elections.

“When you start banning newspapers, charging people for sedition and play races against each other and manufacture enemies, that’s the sign of an emerging fascist government. We cannot afford to let that happen,” the former de facto law minister said.

He also claimed that the constant persecution of opposition figures while Umno figures got away with outrageous statements was evidence that the Malay party had “destroyed all sense of fairness in the system.”

“Najib can blatantly buy elections by promising millions because they know they will never be prosecuted,” he said, referring to his recent defeat in the Hulu Selangor by-elections where the prime minister handed out millions to sway voters including RM3 million he promised to a Chinese school if BN won the poll as well, as in the Sibu by-election where the prime minister made a similar appeal.

Nurul Izzah expounded on how PR was more than just “not BN”, but a viable alternative today.

Nurul, who is Anwar’s eldest daughter, stressed that PR had established a Common Policy Framework; while in Selangor, it has introduced a select committee to ensure the integrity of lawmakers and are set to table the Freedom of Information Act in the state assembly.

“The only innovation from BN is Perkasa,” she said, referring to the Malay rights group led by Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali.

“Change will come and [the] next general election will not be something easily forgotten by BN,” she promised.

Dr Hatta added that in the last elections, DAP, PKR and PAS had only formed an electoral pact to avoid three-corner fights and campaigned individually, whereas this time they would campaign together and make sacrifices for each other.

“This administration should have been over in the last general election. Victory is within reach,” he said.

Dr Tan also insisted that PR would not wait to capture government state-by-state but would be taking over both federal and state governments “simultaneously.”

“While we cannot ensure that PR will be 100 per cent clean once we are in government, we promise that we will show no mercy to those who are corrupt. We must have integrity,” the DAP vice-chairman said.

Friday, 02 July 2010

Friends of Pakatan Rakyat (FPR) is being officially launched as an organisation to rally the support of Malaysians who share the vision of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition for a better Malaysia. The launch will be held on the Sunday 4th of July 2010 in London and officiated by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, the Pakatan Rakyat Secretariat Coordinator.

Speakers at the event will also include the ineffable Raja Petra Kamarudin as well as speakers from PAS and DAP together with a number of civil society activists  sharing their experiences in shaping the agenda of change in Malaysia.

Naturally we would like to attract as many as possible particularly the “unconverted” to experience first hand the depth of support that currently exists globally amongst Malaysians living abroad particularly in the UK.  The Friends of Pakatan Rakyat (FOPR) movement is currently being duplicated in various countries throughout Europe, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, etc.  The objective is to harness the global strength of highly qualified Malaysians and former Malaysians living and working abroad to tap into their expertise and financial strength in preparedness for GE 13.

Date:   Sunday 4th of July

Time:  10.30 am to 4pm.
Registration begins at 10am

Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL

Map:   http://tinyurl.com/35d6kre

The programme for the day is as follows:
1000    Registration
Meet civil society activists

1100    Introduction & Welcome address by MC in the Main Hall

1110    Opening Address by Pro tem Chairman of Friends of Pakatan Rakyat – Brian Morais

1130    Speech by Raja Petra Kamarudin, Malaysia Today

1150    Speech by YB Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP Deputy Chairman and 7th Term MP Kepong

1210    Introduction to Civil Society Movements
Fair Comment
Abolish ISA Movement UK
Malaysia Freedom Film Festival
1225    Speech by Ustaz Idris Ahmad, Ketua Penerangan PAS

1245    Canapès & Lunch served by Mango Tree, Top Fine
Cuisine Restaurant, Belgravia, London  …  www.mangotree.org.uk

1400    Keynote speech by Pakatan Rakyat Secretariat Coordinator for PKR – Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

1430    Speech by YB Nurul Izzah Anwar,  PKR  MP for Lembah Pantai

1500    Q & A session

1630    End of Conference
This event will represent the largest gathering of overseas Malaysians max. possible 500 people, to demand a nation that we can all be proud and call home.

Do bring along your entire family.

For those with young children families, provisions will be made for a playroom and creche.

To join us on this momentous occasion, please indicate your interest by registering online athttp://www.eventbrite.com/event/714363681.

Do register early as seats are limited and pass this invitation to your other friends.

Be part of the torch that lights the spirit of hope for Malaysia.

FRIENDS OF  PAKATAN RAKYAT

Danny Lim
Jul 5, 10
3:23pm

As rumours of a snap general election intensify, Pakatan Rakyat is taking its fight overseas with the launch of their Friends for Pakatan Rakyat (FoPR) club in London yesterday.

FoPR chairperson Brain Morais estimated that 20,000-30,000 Malaysians live in London alone.

They represent a potential political support group that could channel its energies and resources through the club.

For the launch, Pakatan top guns flew in from Malaysia to massage the morale of overseas supporters and run through a lengthy checklist of BN blemishes, whilst allaying concerns about problems within the coalition, during a five-hour wide-ranging forum.

Above all, the message was to exude confidence in Pakatan’s ability to win the next general election, adding that the Sibu by-election was the precursor to BN’s downfall.

PKR supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim (right) said this has led to a situation where BN would attack imaginary enemies or create dodgy excuses to taint rivals.

Among others, he cited the banning of cartoon books by Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, and attempts to taint his Manchester rendevous with fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin as a criminal act.

“(BN) are in a state of panic, they now see enemies everywhere,” said Zaid, who later stated confidently that Pakatan’s takeover of Putrajaya is inevitable and near.

Withholding dissolution

As the cheerleading baton passed on to PAS treasurer Hatta Ramli, he said BN bigwigs such as Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein have dropped wide hints that a general election is looming.

“Which is September I guess. If it is, I think we will win big,” said Hatta (left).

He then mooted the possibility of Pakatan-held states of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Selangor choosing not to dissolve their respective state legislative assemblies as a tactical manoeuvre.

“I’m trying to persuade our leaders…. I hope, or we hope, that the states now controlled by Pakatan will not join the fray and will not dissolve out state assembly.

“We have a duty to do. We have been given the task to rule for five years. We cannot run away from our responsibilities,” he said.

Hatta said that should a snap election be called, this scenario will allow Pakatan to concentrate its efforts on capturing other states, particularly the “difficult” states of Johor, Sabah and Malacca.

BN’s only innovation

The final speaker, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, took a more nuanced perspective and invited her audience to appreciate the fact that unlike the BN, Pakatan is open to criticism and willing to improve itself.

“You shouldn’t choose Pakatan just because we are the antithesis to BN. We have our weaknesses, but we have also been making progress,” she said.

Eager to quote policy positions, she cited successes like the implementation of Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency which acts as a internal check-and-balance mechanism.

“(Pakatan) distinguishes the power of the state, the state assembly and the powers of the executive,” said Nurul Izzah, adding that with the BN, the lines are opaque.

Nurul Izzah (left) also took a jibe at Umno’s apparent attempts to “outsource” its racial agenda to controversial Malay rights advocate Perkasa.

“In the 10th Malaysia plan, innovation is said to be the main driver of economic growth. The only innovation (thus far) seems to be Perkasa,” she quipped.

“Ibrahim Ali… he is a creature who has to be avoided at all cost… The prime minister has allowed the voice of these narcissistic, narrow-minded, dangerous Malays and allowed (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) to back them up, to shore up support, supposedly for Umno, at what cost?”

Other personalities at the event were fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, private investigator in exile P Balasubramaniam (in red shirt), and Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar.

The event was held at the Conway Hall, which is reputed as a hub for free speech and previously a platform for speakers such as author Salman Rushdie.

For Pakatan, the cost of flying its leaders to London will be far outweighed by the votes it can achieve, if FoPR can get even half as many Malaysian Londoners to make the trip back home.

DANNY LIM is a freelance writer and photographer currently based in the UK.

By G Vinod FRI, 02 JUL 2010 10:54

KUALA LUMPUR: Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar expressed her disappointment over Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s announcement that only Barisan Nasional lawmakers will get an increase in their allocations.

The BN Backbenchers Club chairman Bung Moktar Radin today announced that BN lawmakers will receive RM1.5 million in allocations this year, compared with the previous RM1 million.

“It is highly irresponsible of the premier to do such a thing,”she said.

“The prime minister should be fair to all lawmakers as the the fund belongs to the taxpayers.”

Nurul Izzah added this is another way for Najib to placate his members in the ruling coalition.

She also queried whether the additional funds will be used on their respective constituencies.

“Right now, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating on how we spend our allowances but the MACC is pussyfooting when it comes to BN lawmakers,” Nurul Izzah said.

Meanwhile, Kapar MP S Manickavasagam said Najib’s move is unconstitutional.

“Both BN and Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers are elected by the people. So why discriminate?” he asked.

He also spoke of the woes suffered by Pakatan MPs.

“I have not received any allocation from the federal government for the past two years. Other Pakatan lawmakers are facing the same problem.”

“Fortunately, the Selangor government gives me some funds but it is not enough. I even have to use my own money to serve my constituents,” he said.

He added that if the prime minister is really a person who puts the people’s interest first, he should allocate funds to all lawmakers irrespective of their political affiliations.

“In the end, it is the people who will be getting the benefit,” he said.

The Star

June 30, 2010

THE Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has a solid financial standing to carry out a massive development project involving 3,335 acres of land in Sungai Buloh, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The EPF also planned to increase its involvement in property investment from 2% to 5%, he said.

“The development project will also create job opportunities,” Najib said in his written reply to Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR – Lembah Pantai).

The Government has approved a development project to be carried out by Kwasa Land Sdn Bhd – a joint venture company between the Government and EPF on the land owned by the Rubber Board of Malaysia.

The Government approved the proposed plan to develop the land in principle on May 12.

“The direct involvement of the Government through a joint venture with the EPF enables it to regulate the direction of the development, including the development of certain industrial sector clusters in line with the New Economic Model,” he said.

The EPF would be getting several private property companies to participate in the development of the land, Najib said, adding that EPF’s contributors are expected to benefit from the venture.

Dubbed the “new hub” for Klang Valley, the development project is estimated to attract more than RM5bil in investments.

Sinar Harian

PANTAI DALAM – Permohonan penjaja di kawasan penjaja berhampiran tapak pasar tani di sini bagi pembangunan kawasan perniagaan yang lebih sempurna akan di usahakan dalam masa terdekat.

Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar berkata, penjaja di kawasan tersebut yang lebih dikenali sebagai kawasan penjaja ‘kandang kuda’ meminta agar kawasan lapang berhampiran dibangunkan sebagai satu kawasan penjaja yang lebih sistematik, selesa dan sempurna.

Menurutnya, kawasan sedia ada amat terhad dan kecil untuk penjaja di sana menjalankan perniagaan masing-masing.

“Kita difahamkan tanah berhampiran adalah tanah DBKL dan pastinya mereka sudah mempunyai perancangan sendiri.

“Tapi, Insya-Allah, kita akan cuba usahakan dengan permohonan penjaja dan pihak persatuan penaja untuk dibangunkan sebagai kawasan sokongan bagi mereka berniaga,” katanya kepada Sinar Harian selepas mengadakan lawatan ke kawasan berkenaan di sini.

Nurul Izzah berkata, pihaknya melalui Pejabat Ahli Parli-men akan meneliti perkara tersebut sebelum ia dipanjangkan kepada DBKL dan pihak terbabit.

“Memandangkan keadaan ekonomi yang semakin menyempit dan ramai orang akan menceburkan diri dalam bidang perniagaan. Ini merupakan salah satu tuntutan yang saya akan teliti dan membawa sekali beberapa orang peguam untuk membantu memperincikan lagi permohonan mereka.

“Ia akan dibawa kepada DBKL dan pihak terbabit secepat mungkin tetapi sebelum itu, kita akan dapatkan beberapa fakta dan maklumat yang secukupnya,” katanya.

Menurutnya, persatuan penjaja juga ada memohon tanah di belakang Angkasapuri untuk dibangunkan namun keutamaan diberikan bagi kawasan berhampiran kawasan penjaja tersebut.

“Kami masih menunggu dokumen-dokumen sokongan yang lain kerana yang diberikan kepada saya adalah kertas kerja permohonan bukan surat rasmi dariapada pihak penjaja.

“Saya juga ada berjumpa dengan beberapa pimpinan persatuan sendiri, dan kita bergerak mengikut permohonan serta penjelasan yang sebegitu. Saya tidak lihat sebarang penolakan atau sesiapa yang tidak bersetuju,” kata Nurul

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Persatuan Penjaja dan Peniaga Kecil Wilayah Persekutuan Cawangan Pantai Dalam/Puchong, Pauzi Che Ahmad berkata, pihak persatuan sudah menghantar memorandum tuntutan kepada Pejabat Ahli Parlimen minggu lalu.

“Pihak persatuan akan mengadakan perbincangan lanjut bersama AJK dan penjaja bagi tindakan susulan dan maklumat yang diperlukan Pejabat Ahli Parlimen,” katanya.

Kawasan penjaja berkenaan mempunyai kira-kira 50 peniaga yang dipindahkan ke situ bagi memberi laluan kepada projek Perumahan Pantai Permai berhampiran.

Free Malaysia Today

THU, 24 JUN 2010 14:07

Patrick Lee

VIDEO INSIDE KUALA LUMPUR: Hawkers along Jalan Chan Ah Tong in Brickfields are unhappy over City Hall’s decision to give the area a RM35 million ‘face-lift’ and transform it into a new Little India.

As part of its plan, about 68 hawker stalls will be moved to a temporary site nearby, very much against their wishes, and then will be relocated at a new site which will cater for all hawkers in Brickfields.

While the hawkers could be forced to move out of their present site, they are also facing another problem when it comes to allocation of places at the temporary site.

According to one of the affected hawkers, Selvaraja Pillai (photo), only half of the 68 have been served with the temporary relocation notices thus far. Their fear is that the others would not be given a spot at the temporary site.

He also said the hawkers were not aware of the Little India plan.

“They did not seek our views or opinion,” he said. “We had to learn about it from the papers.,” he said.

Another hawker, tomyam seller Rosni Zain, said some of them had been trading in Brickfields for 30 to 40 years.

“I don’t want to move as my business might suffer as a result.”

Memo to PM

Jalan Chan Ah Tong’s hawkers have sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister, requesting him to allow them to continue their trade at the present site but they have not received a response thus far.

The temporary site is expected to be complete by July.

Although most of Brickfields falls under the Lembah Pantai contituency, this particular stretch is under the Bukit Bintang constituency, whose MP DAP’s Fong Kui Lun has an opposite view to that of the traders.

Fong felt that the relocation was a good idea.

“It’s a better place for them,” he said. “In fact, it’s quite a reasonable deal by DBKL, as the place is more hygenic.”

“Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan don’t have stalls by the roadside. Only Malaysia does,” he said.

Lembah Pantai MP unhappy

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah said: “At the moment, only DBKL and Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Deputy Minister M Saravanan know the identity of the 68 traders who will be relocated to the temporary site.”

“We have asked them for the list, but they are not providing us with the details.”

“We’ve also asked for the blueprints to be displayed about two months ago,” Nurul said. “They had it up there (by the new site) on the first day, but it was taken down after a week.”

Nurul also questioned the government on how Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) was awarded a direct tender to develop Little India.

When contacted, Saravanan said: “We gave it to MRCB because it is a government-linked-company (GLC), and is already taking care of the [Brickfields] road extension plan.”

He was referring to the traffic dispersal plan currently in the works. Developed by MRCB at a cost of RM110 million, the plan includes turning Jalan Tun Sambanthan into a one-way street.

90% of hawkers support the plan

Saravanan also mentioned that Little India’s development costs may go beyond the RM35 million as it was dependent on the needs of local residents.

“MRCB is developing Little India plan out of good will. This is a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative on their part,” he added.

Disputing Selvaraja’s statement on not meeting with the hawkers and residents, Saravanan said that he not only met with local NGOs but also with Brickfields’ traders.

“I have met with business councils and traders,” he said. “Ninety percent of the hawkers agreed to development. We’re not taking away the lots. We’re just renovating them.”

When asked what would happen to the temporary site on the upgrade works in Brickfields are completed, Saravanan said, “We are only renting the site from MRCB for two months. The traders will then go back to their stalls at the new site.”

“After that, it is up to MRCB to do as they like [with the place].”

India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who will in Malaysia in November on an official visit is scheduled to officiate Little India’s grand opening.

videolink here

Pada 18 Jun 2010, saya telah berjumpa dengan wakil penjaja dan badan NGO di Brickfields yang dikenali sebagai Little India Action Committee.

Agenda utama perjumpaan adalah bagi membentuk satu badan untuk memantau segala aktiviti Little India yang akan dibangunkan dalam rangka masa yang terdekat.

Antara isu-isu penting yang diketengahkan dan harus diambil tindakan serta-merta:

• Kenyataan Dato’ Saravanan berbeza dengan apa yang diperkatakan kepada penjaja-penjaja
• Segala lesen penjaja statik yang telah dibatalkan haruslah diberi balik kepada peniaga asal di Brickfields setelah selesai pojek Little India
• Hak senarai penjaja asal hendaklah dikekalkan.
• Senarai nama penjaja yang mendapat lesen selepas projek Little India hendaklah dipaparkan di papan kenyataan bagi mengelakan orang luar berniaga di Brickfields.
• Ketelusan dalam sistem pengendalian haruslah dikekalkan bagi menjamin masa hadapan penjaja-penjaja yang sedia ada.

Little India Action Committee diketuai oleh saudara S.Pathavachallam dan jawatankuasanya akan memantau segala aktiviti di Brickfields. Ini termasuk menyemak senarai penjaja asal di Brickfields dan mengikut jenis perniagaan. Segala maklumat dan kerjasama amat penting untuk memastikan bahawa hala tuju Little India tidak terabai.

lanjut tentang perkembangan Little India, sila klik sini

MON, 21 JUN 2010 15:27

By Ken Vin Lek

KUALA LUMPUR: Nurul Izzah Anwar, the PKR’s MP for Lembah Pantai, has called for the reform of the Election Commission to improve and streamline its voter registration system.

“It is time we put an end to its archaic system when it comes to voter registration,” said Nurul at a forum organised organised by online news portal The Nut Graph last night.

“In 1999, as many as 600,000 were denied their right to vote simply because they could not be registered in time for the general election.

“As it is, it takes 11 months from the date of registration for an individual to be qualified as a voter. This needs to be improved with a better system put in place,” she added.

“Many MPs in Pakatan Rakyat have launched voter registration drives in the past months in an effort to ensure that those eligible can exercise their right to vote in the next general election.

“The challenge now is for all political parties to win over the youth and get them a chance to register as voters ahead of the next general election.

“I would like to ask Khairy (Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin) to join forces to help in the effort to reform the voter registration system,” said Nurul.

Khairy, the MP for Rembau, was also present at the event. He said voters should be allowed to vote without having to register, as it is a fundamental right of all citizens.

“Voting is a right of all citizens of Malaysia and we should not even ask them to register. They should’ve already been registered automatically in the first place.

“I will take it a step further by asking that the federal constitution be amended so that people can vote without the hassle of having to register,” said Khairy.

Community and national issues

When questioned about what she felt was the public’s expectation of an elected MP, Nurul said it had to be a balance between tackling local community issues and national issues.

“We are expected to care for and understand local issues quite well but also improve and take a stand on national related issues,” said Nurul.

In a Merdeka Centre poll carried out on May 16, 47 percent of the respondents felt that the main role of an MP was to voice out their constituent’s concerns over national policies while 29 percent expected them to attend to issues within their constituency.[see chart below]

The poll also showed that 43 percent viewed local councillors as the ones who should be solving issues such as drainage problems, etc. while only eight percent felt that it was an MP’s responsibility.

Nurul expressed optimism that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition will be sensitive to the people’s needs and that it will definitely be around come the next general election.

“We now have a common voice in the coalition, DAP and PAS have progressively moved towards the centre. We have already found a common stand on issues never thought possible prior to this, such as the use of Kalimah Allah,” she said.

Merit-based system

On the issue of improving women’s representation in the labour force, Nurul said that society has to take into account the problems faced by ordinary women.

“In PKR, we have already recognised the importance of women in the party while in Selangor, we have already implemented a support system to attract women into the labour force.

“It is about ensuring that women contribute to the economy as the majority of the lowest 40 percent of income earners are mainly women,” she said.

Nurul also urged for the formation of a national commission for women, citing it as the first step towards a merit-based system in Malaysia.

It has been reported that Malaysia only has 46.3 percent of women in workforce as compared to Singapore which stands at 56 percent.

An increase of 20 percent of women involvement in the workforce can bring about an increase in a country’s GDP by as much as three to four percent.

About 80 people turned up for the event which also featured DAP’s MP for PJ Utara, Tony Pua.