Malaysiakini

Regina Lee
May 29, 10
7:37pm

PKR Youth fired a salvo at the Elections Commission (EC) today for deliberately hampering the party’s efforts to register new voters.

They claim that the EC has been stopping the party from registering new assistant registrars, as well as limiting the availability of voter registration forms.

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar recounted her experiences, saying that she had applied to the EC earlier this year to replace the assistant registrars, but they only got back to her a month later telling her the process has been “frozen temporarily”.

Only EC-approved assistant registrars, who are appointed by political parties, can accept applications from new voters.

“The EC was threatening to withdraw some of our assistant registrar status, saying that they were not doing enough work.

“It’s true that some of them were not active enough, but now they won’t even let us change them.

“We are not asking for additional assistant registrars, but just to be allowed to change them,” she said at a hastily-arranged press conference on the sidelines of the party’s sixth annual congress in Kota Bharu.

Pantai Jerejak state assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzin also complained that voter registration forms in Penang were limited to 100 a month per assistant registrar officers.

“This is a ridiculous number. I can register 1,000 people a day and they want to only give us 100 a month,” he decried. 

Aspiring voters are required to fill out official registration forms issued by the EC and photocopies are not allowed.

Youth chief demands for EC boss’ head

In the wake of the problems involving the voter registration drive, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin called on EC chief Abdul Aziz Yusof to step down.

“If the EC can’t even perform their duties well, he might as well resign,” he said, adding that EC has one week to explain its tardiness over the issue.

“I believe that this is all a deliberate and concerted effort to dampen our aggressive efforts to get all the 4.5 million eligible voters to register.”

New and younger voters are generally seen as more prone to vote for the opposition.

Shamsul said that given the bureaucratic problems involved in the voter registration, it is high time for the EC to implement automatic registration.

“If other countries like in the UK can do it, why can’t we?” he asked.

The government has knocked down the proposal for the automatic registration of voters.

Ikrar Setia Kami kepada Keadilan 

3 Mac 2010 

Pada 8 Mac 2008, kami dipilih warga Malaysia di kawasan kami yang mengundi untuk sebuah harapan dan perubahan menggantikan kejumudan. Rakyat mahukan politik baru yang menolak desakan perkauman, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa. Objektif yang kami terus usahakan apabila mewakili Parti Keadilan Rakyat ialah untuk membentuk “masyarakat yang adil dan negara yang demokratik, progresif dan bersatu-padu”. 

Namun, ada mereka yang berfikir bahawa dengan kemenangan, perjuangan ini sudah tidak perlu diteruskan. Mereka berhenti berkhidmat kepada rakyat sebagaimana yang sepatutnya dan mahu menjadikannya sebagai “masa mengaut hasil rampasan perang”. Apabila ini tidak dapat dilakukan, mereka menuntut ‘pampasan’ dari parti, membuat tuntutan di luar kewajaran demi kepentingan diri mereka sendiri. 

Apabila dinafikan, mereka bertindak seakan mengugut dan kini meninggalkan parti. Mereka mengisytiharkan diri mereka bebas sedangkan semua melihat mereka sedang bergantung dengan corak rasuah dan pendekatan kuno masa lalu. Ada yang mahu insiden ini dilihat sebagai perpecahan dalam Pakatan Rakyat, namun ia sebenarnya satu lagi usaha berterusan mereka yang mahu terus berkuasa. 

Barisan Nasional menyedari bahawa cara politik usang yang mereka bawa kian tiba ke penghujung. Untuk melengahkan hakikat ini, mereka menggunakan strategi serampang dua mata. Pada satu sudut, mereka cuba menggambarkan bahawa mereka sedang menjuarai perubahan yang kami canangkan. Pada sudut lain, mereka merosakkan kepercayaan rakyat dan memanipulasi jentera kerajaan untuk menghancurkan Pakatan Rakyat. Pendakwaan terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, serangan perkauman terhadap kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang dan tindakan memperlekehkan Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat sebagai pemimpin utama PAS di Kelantan dan Malaysia adalah sebahagian contoh jijik yang ada. 

Dengan memilih untuk mendokong tindakan jahat ini, mantan pimpinan Keadilan yang bertindak keluar parti ini telah memilih untuk terus memandang ke belakang. Mereka telah mengkhianati harapan rakyat biasa di Malaysia yang memilih untuk perubahan dua tahun lalu. Tindakan mereka membuktikan bahawa mereka tidak peduli malah sesungguhnya memusuhi masa depan negara dan rakyat. 

Mungkin ada yang percaya bahawa ada lagi yang akan mengikuti mereka, tapi kami pimpinan muda dalam Pakatan Rakyat, yang dipilih oleh rakyat, berikrar bahawa kami akan kekal berjuang biarpun berdepan dengan cabaran, pujukan dan penindasan yang ada. Kami tidak akan berpatah balik. Kami mahukan perubahan untuk Malaysia, kami mahu berkhidmat kepada rakyat. Kami akan memenuhi kepercayaan yang diberikan rakyat. Kami tahu bahawa agenda Keadilan yang inklusif dan tidak bersifat perkauman adalah ruang terbaik untuk kami meneruskan agenda membawa negara ke hadapan. Selama ini semua anggota parti mempunyai ruang memberi pandangan terhadap agenda yang dibawa Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim kepada rakyat, yang telah disepakati dengan semangat musyawarah. 

Pakatan Rakyat telah mencipta sejarah dengan Kerangka Dasar Bersama yang memaparkan persetujuan tulen rakyat Malaysia untuk abad ke-21. Kami akan turun bersama rakyat untuk berbincang dan bertukar fikiran dengan seluruh masyarakat bagi merealisasikan prinsip ini. Berikan kami dokongan juga nasihat dan pandangan. Kami mahu belajar daripada anda, dan bersama anda.

Dengan cara ini, kami berharap dapat menggembeling rakyat yang perihatin untuk menghidupkan semula Perlembagaan dan semangatnya, menyatukan rakyat dan merealisasikan impian yang disebut oleh Bapa Kemerdekaan kita dalam Pemahsyuran Kemerdekaan “…menjadi sebuah negara merdeka dan berdaulat serta berdasarkan kebebasan dan keadilan dan sentiasa menjaga dan mengutamakan kesejahteraan dan kesentosaan rakyatnya dan mengekalkan keamanan antara segala bangsa”. 

Ini adalah impian mereka dan kini kami. Ini adalah impian bersama kita rakyat Malaysia. Kami akan mempertahankan dan menghidupkannya dengan seluruh jiwa dan maruah yang ada.  

Kami telah berikrar menyumbang usaha Pakatan Rakyat menyelamatkan negara ini, dan kami akan menunaikannya. 

Disepakati oleh

YB Nurul Izzah Anwar (Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Wilayah Persekutuan)

YB Amran Ghani (Ahli Parlimen Tanah Merah, Kelantan)

YB S. Manikumar (Exco Pelancongan Pembangunan Masyarakat dan Sumber Tenaga Manusia Perpaduan dan Hal Ehwal Masyarakat India dan ADUN Bukit Selambau, Kedah)

YB Amirudin Shari (ADUN Batu Caves, Selangor)

YB Gan Pei Nei (ADUN Rawang, Selangor)

YB Yunus Jamhari (ADUN Kuala Kurau, Perak)

YB Chang Lih Kang (ADUN Teja, Perak)

YB Chan Ming Kai (ADUN Simpang Pulai, Perak)

YB Sim Tze Tzin (ADUN Pantai Jerejak, Pulau Pinang)

YB Kesavan (ADUN Hutan Melintang, Perak)

YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (ADUN Seri Setia, Selangor)

(Malaysian Insider, 10th February 2010)

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/52634-anwars-sodomy-trial-meant-to-hurt-us-says-izzah

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Today will be the seventh day of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy trial as Nurul Izzah and family walk through the swarm of photographers and reporters to show support for their well-loved father.
Izzah was only 18 years old when her father was first implicated for sodomy in 1998 and 12 years later, Anwar is accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a posh condominium in the exclusive Bukit Damansara suburb in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar’s eldest child is now a mother of two and a first-term MP for Lembah Pantai which she won in Election 2008.
She explained to The Malaysian Insider that her current situation is different from the last sodomy trial because she is now not only responsible for her family but also supporters.
“All of us are older now and I have my husband by my side and my two children. It was very much more complex having a constituency and you really carry the hopes and inspiration of our supporters including Pakatan Rakyat supporters,” Izzah said while sitting beside her husband Raja Ahmad Shahrir at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
However, she admitted being angry that her family has to go through and witness her father on trial again.
“On a personal level, I would say it is very difficult and I am angry as well when I first heard his (Saiful) testimony in court to a point that it is almost unbelievable that we have to go through this again, are you kidding me? When the trial should have stopped immediately looking at the evidence.
“So it is harrowing and we just have to remain focused because they mean to do this, they mean to hurt us and basically make us feel that that there is no hope for the future,” she said.
Izzah said that the sodomy trial proves that her father is still a threat to Barisan Nasional.
“I think it is a continuation and it is better choreographed this time around but it still came as a shock to the family. We were focusing on the reform agendas especially the March 8 election results and it just reaffirms two things. The first is my father is still very much a threat to the ruling government and they will do whatever it takes to destroy his political career and the political future of Pakatan Rakyat.
“Second there is no way, you can get around unfinished reform; basically you need to implement reforms in the judiciary, in the police force and even parliamentary reforms because the same players who are responsible for ‘98 have been promoted, and again play a vital role in this episode so that is basically what my take is,” she said.
Izzah is still confident that her father would not be “put behind bars”.
“We shouldn’t assume that all hope is lost. We have a very very good case and a good team of lawyers basically almost all Malaysians know what is happening. They can see the transgression that has taken place but I believe it is also a wake-up call for Pakatan Rakyat to really strengthen the party. Our structure and position.
“I remain optimistic but of course now we are asking for the judge to recuse himself so as you can tell we are doing our best so that he is not put behind bars,” she said.
Izzah said that her family understand the situation better now and vow that her father will be “vindicated”.
“I would say that it is very difficult, because the kids have grown up so everyone understands the term conspiracy. So that is helpful. And my daughter can say ‘masalah politik’ (political problem) and ‘kesian papa tuk’ (poor grandfather). So I think we have more family support in that sense. But I think we do what we can to support him and we will not waiver in our resolve to vindicate my father,” she said.

Press Release by YB Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar (18 November 2009)
In a written answer to my question addressed to the Minister of Finance – “What is the rationale for Terengganu Investment Authority(TIA) to be taken over by Minister of Finance Inc, become a federal entity known as 1Malaysia Berhad, and reports directly to the Prime Minister?” – it was replied that this is done to “ensure that there will be a boost in economic development and the wealth can be equally distributed to fellow Malaysians regardless of race and ethnicity “for 1Malaysia”.
I take this as an absolute sham and an affront to the commons sense!
Is the PM trying to say that the state and an independent board of directors cannot do the same? Is this an allusion that only the PM can ensure that wealth generated from the fund reaches the people under a fair and equal distribution mechanism?
On the contrary, this is a blatant attempt by the PM to have direct intervention in the management of the wealth fund.
Recall that the initial plan in setting up the Terengganu Investment Authority(TIA), a sovereign wealth fund, in May 2008, was to ensure that the state invest its wealth, especially oil royalty, for its own people, without any political intervention.
It was stated that the TIA would “incorporate a triple-tier check and balance system comprising a board of directors who CANNOT hold positions in the government or occupy ANY political positions”. In fact, when the YDP Agong Sultan Terengganu mooted the idea, it was stated that the fund will “manage the state’s long-term oil royalty revenue to ensure sustainable income for the Terengganu people after oil and gas reserves run out”.
Taking over and naming it 1Malaysia Development Berhad is a blatant display of federal BN led control and centralization. This move contradicts the very initial plan it had which was to be free from any political manipulation and marks the end of an independent and professional management of the fund.
It is much feared, especially looking at the current distortion of facts pertaining the royalty issue vis a vis Kelantan, (now that the PM says it was never a royalty, but only a ‘compassionate payment’), and the sudden departure of IRDA’s CEO, what assurance do we have that the PM will not use 1Malaysia Development Berhad as another vehicle of patronage to reward a certain class of persons, whereas the true and rightful beneficiaries of the fund – the Terengganu people, are denied from what is essentially theirs.

Salam hormat semua.

Pas menang tipis di Manek Urai. Rakyat mula menolak barisan kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat. Mengapa?

Saya sedia menerima sebarang komentar dan kritikan yang membina. Sila ke halaman ini dan gunakan borang email untuk kemukakan komen anda kepada saya. Saya akan cuba pilih komentar-komentar yang menarik untuk perbincangan semua.

Nota: Ulasan yang mengandungi unsur fitnah, hasutan, perkauman dan bahasa kesat tidak akan dilayan.

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Good day to all.

Pas won with the slimmest of margins in Manek Urai. The people are slowly rejecting the governance of Pakatan Rakyat. Why?

I’m calling all readers to send in any comments and constructive criticms to me. Please use this page to do so. I will publish interesting comments later on for the purpose of discussion among readers.

Note: Comments bearing seditious, defamatory and libelous of nature will not be entertained.

 By Lim Kit Siang, via blog, on February 13, 2009

The Election Commission has provided another example of its craven subservience to serve Umno interests in fixing the simultaneous nomination and polling dates for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and the Bukit Selambau state assembly seat in Kedah on March 29 and April 7 respectively.

Clearly, the fractious and internecine Umno party elections until March 28 had been the primary consideration of the Election Commission when deciding on the two by-election dates, so that the by-election campaign for the two constituencies will be held after the Umno party elections and Datuk Seri Najib Razak has officially taken over UMNO and become the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

But these are the very considerations which an independent and self-respecting Election Commission has no business to take into account when fixing election dates, as it has only reinforced strong public perceptions that the Election Commission is a mere Umno tool at the beck-and-call of the top Umno leadership.

The Election Commission has made dubious history in the fixing of the election dates for the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections, stretching to the constitutional limit of the 60 days when they should be filled from the date of vacancy.

The by-elections of the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau constituencies will be held on the 57th day from their vacancy, as compared to the 27th day for the Permatang Pauh by-election and the 51st day for the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

In his six weeks as the new Election Commission Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof had taken two decisions which have further undermined public confidence in the independence, professionalism and integrity of the Election Commission as they clearly serve Umno’s political agenda – the unconstitutional rejection of the Perak Speaker’s decision on the resignation of two PKR state assemblymen/executive councilors resulting in two state assembly vacancies (facilitating Najib’s illegal and unconstitutional grab for power in Perak) and today’s decision to fix the by-election dates calculated to best serve the political interests of Umno.

The Election Commission should reconsider to fix earlier by-election dates to demonstrate that it is not beholden to any political party’s dictates – even coming from Umno!