Letter to NST

AHMAD IKMAL ISMAIL
NAIB KETUA UMNO BAHAGIAN JERAI

WELFARE AID DENIED FOR HAVING ASTRO?

I was appalled when I saw the front page and the ensuing news coverage in the NST today. To quote the NST, “The Welfare Department has a ruling that bars the disabled from getting welfare aid if they have a television set or Astro at home. The rule even applies if one stays in someone else’s house, temporarily or otherwise”.

I could not believe my eyes when I read the story. I believe this particular ruling (if at all justifiable) was made quite awhile back when Astro was seen as a luxury item and was more expensive than it is now. However, given the developments and progress the network and the country have charted in recent years, Astro is no more expensive nor a luxury item. Television is a necessity more than anything now to receive news and information.

Television or Astro services do not only serve as tools to keep the disabled company at home or a diversion for the disabled who could not do work as mentioned by the Disabled Persons’ Integrated Family Services (Kioku). Television or Astro channels such as TV1, TV3, Astro Awani, Bernama News, CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera to name a few have become a way for these people to access and keep abreast on news and events that are happening all over the world including those that happen in Malaysia.

More so, television and Astro channels such as National Geographic, TVIQ, Discovery and Discover Science channels are what we call as “knowledge based programmes”. These programmes are beneficial not only to the disabled but to all viewers. It would be absurd to think that just because one is disabled or receiving welfare aid, then one must not have any TV or Astro that could help him or his children learn more than just in a classroom setting.
In this regard, television and Astro have evolved from being just for entertainment to a more comprehensive tool including to teach, disseminate information and to give knowledge to the viewers.

We must move away from the mindset of wanting to help those in need “just enough to survive” but find ways and means to assist those in need to “survive and live their lives properly”. We must ensure that these people with their children be given a chance to fight their way out of poverty or the welfare group.

The issue highlighted by NST might just be the tip of the iceberg. There might be many more such rulings or practices in this ministry or other ministries that have problems of the same nature. I strongly urge this ministry to revoke this ruling. The cabinet should also direct all ministries to set up a committee tasked to review other rulings and practices that could be archaic in nature and irrelevant to present times.

We must change with times, and we must change to be people oriented in the Government’s service for the rakyat.


Ahmad Ikmal Ismail
Naib Ketua UMNO Jerai

Masalah keciciran pelajar

Kira-kira sebulan lepas, saya telah melawat satu keluarga di Alor Pudak (bahagian Jerai) kerana mendapat tahu ada seorang anak kecil berumur 8 tahun yang telah tidak bersekolah sejak awal tahun lagi. Saya dapati bahawa anak kecil ini ingin ke sekolah tetapi kerana masalah di mana ibubapanya bercerai dan ibunya telah berpindah balik ke Alor Pudak dari kawasan lain, ibunya tidak tahu bagaimana untuk memasukkan beliau ke sekolah di kawasan baru ini.

Alhamdulillah, dengan kerjasama PPD, kami telah mendapat kebenaran mendaftar anak kecil ini ke sebuah sekolah yang berhampiran. Hari ini anak kecil yang bernama Haikal ini akan meneruskan persekolahan beliau di dalam tahun 2 (sila lihat gambar).

Ini bukanlah kes pertama yang telah diselesaikan di dalam bahagian Jerai. Beberapa kes lain di luar kawasan Jerai juga telah dimaklumkan dan dapat saya bantu selesaikan dengan anak-anak kecil ini dapat pergi ke sekolah.

Adalah amat penting untuk anak-anak kecil ini pergi ke sekolah, mendapat ilmu dan bimbingan, sekurang-kurangnya sehingga tingkatan 5. Jikalau tidak apa akan jadi pada mereka, tanpa pengetahuan mahupun ilmu, merekalah yang akan menjadi mat rempit, minah bohsia, mencuri dan merempat di tanahair sendiri. Jangan kita bercerita yang mereka akan menjadi pemimpin atau korporat yang besar dan berjaya, saya bersyukur jikalau mereka sekurang-kurangna mempunyai ilmu untuk dapat berdikari dan mencari duit yang halal pada masa hadapan. Tentu, kalau semua dapat masuk Universiti dan berjaya, lebih elok.

Saya ingin meneruskan hasrat dan niat saya membantu pelajar-pelajar tercicir walaupun saya bukan lagi Pengerusi Biro Pendidikan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia. Tidak kisah di mana jua pelajar ini berada, tanpa mengira agama, bangsa mahupun fahaman politik, jikalau ada sesiapa yang ada maklumat mengenai masalah pelajar tercicir, saya mohon untuk maklumkan kepada saya.

Sama-sama kita cuba membantu anak-anak kecil ini demi kita membantu masa hadapan negara.

Bad governance

This is just a case of bad governance. The delay has caused nothing but inefficiency in the Government machinery. The longer the delay, the more the Rakyat of penang will suffer. Don't put politics above good governance until the rakyat suffers.


Lim puts off naming deputy CM
Apr 15, 09 12:15pm

The much-anticipated announcement by the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on who would be the new deputy chief minister (1) did not materialise today.

Lim said that the post would remain vacant until PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim finalises his candidate for the post.Lim said the delay would also allow Anwar to resolve internal party issues first.The post became vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin on April 8."Anwar is unable to accede to my request to make recommendation to fill in the empty exco seat and the appointment of a new DCM1."While I am disappointed with the delay, I fully understand the various political pressures that Anwar is facing in recommending appointments to these positions," he said in a statement today.He added that although he as the chief minister had the prerogative to appoint someone as the exco member and as the deputy chief minister, he believed in consulting and waiting for Anwar to recommend someone from PKR.He said the public were curious as to the delay taken by Anwar in naming his nominee.However he said that as an experienced political leader, Anwar knew that the people were puzzled over the difficulty in selecting a replacement to Mohamed Fairus.The people are puzzled. Lim said that following Anwar's indication earlier that the replacement must be Malay, many questions have been asked by the people, such as:1. Why was the exco position not filled by Maktar Shapee of Sungai Bakap who is the only Malay PKR state representative available?2. Why the delay in choosing as DCM1 from one out of the two state representatives of Maktar and exco member Abdul Malik Abul Kassim?3. Is the delay caused by Anwar to prepare for a by-election in Penanti, whose present state representative was Mohammad Fairus?"I am confident that Anwar will answer and explain fully all questions after he had decided on who he wants to recommend to be appointed," added Lim.

Initially Lim said that he would be making an announcement today on the replacement.

These are excerpts taken from a Malaysiakini report. For the full report, please refer to Malaysiakini.

Freedom of expression?

There was a lot of outrage when the Home Ministry under the previous Minister temporarily suspended the publication and circulation of Harakah and Suara KeAdilan for abusing certain things.

In the first place, all of us know that these two papers are opposition based papers and will definately espouse opposition views. I have read these papers before and nothing that the Government does, although correct and beneficial to the Rakyat will be accepted positively and wholeheartedly by these two papers.

I know that the opposition leaders were harping about feeedom of press to print what they want, that the Government was wrong to suspend temporarily and this it infringed the basic human right to expression and freedom of speech. I also know that many were taken in by these accusations and also condemned the Government for doing so.

It was very nice to hear the opposition leaders giving talks and ceramahs, condemning the Federal Government on the suspension, harping on freedom of speech and expression and on wanting to selflessly fight to ensure that 'no newspaper should be afraid or punished for its writings'.

But can I suggest that the same be applied to the opposition? I doubt many know that YAB Lim Guan Eng, the Chief Minister of Penang, had banned New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia from covering any of his functions and press conferences due to so-called unfair reporting. And that ban, as far as I know, is still in place even now

At least, the Federal Government has lifted its suspension on Harakah and Suara KeAdilan. When will YAB Lim Guan Eng lift his ban on NST and Utusan and again allow for freedom of speech, expression and that 'these newspapers should not be afraid or punished for its writing'?

What applies to the Federal Government must also apply to the opposition. Can't have two separate codes of ethics for the same thing.

Persidangan ASEAN + 3

Saya melihat dengan penuh kesedihan apa yang terjadi di Pattaya, Thailand. Penyokong bekas Perdana Menteri Thailand, Thaksin telah berdemonstrasi di jalanan dan merempuh masuk ke hotel serta tempat di mana Persidangan ASEAN + 3 diadakan.

Ini telah menyebabkan Perdana Menteri Thailand, Abhisit terpaksa mengumumkan pembatalan Persidangan ASEAN +3 serta mengarahkan tentera untuk memastikan pemimpin-pemimpin negara-negara yang hadir di keluarkan dengan segera dari lokasi demi menjaga keselamatan mereka.

YAB Dato' Seri Mohd Najib juga telah terperangkap bersama Menteri Luar, Datuk Anifah Aman dan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabngsa dan Industri, Dato Mustapa Mohamed. Saya difahamkan mereka yang berdemonstrasi telah merusuh masuk ke lobby hotel dimana pemimpin-pemimpin (termasuk pemimpin kita) tinggal. Situasi keselamatan juga tidak menentu dengan pasukan keselamatan tidak dapat mengawal situasi langsung.

Selain daripada pembatalan ASEAN + 3, banyak perjumpaan-perjumpaan dua hala terpaksa dibatalkan, termasuklah di antara Malaysia dengan beberapa negara Asean dan lain. Ini telah menghalang banyak perbincangan yang dapat membantu Malaysia dan negara-negara lain berbincang dan cuba mencari penyelesaian kepada kegawatan ekonomi yang melanda negara-negara di seluruh dunia.

Untuk Thailand pula, imejnya sebagai sebuah negara selamat tercemar. Industri pelancongannya juga akan terjejas dengan amat teruk. Thailand dianggarkan mengalami kerugian masa terdekat sebanyak RM20 billion lanjutan masalah ini. Tidak siapa berani untuk menjangka kerugian jangkamasa panjang akibat rusuhan ini dan ketidakstabilan politik di Thailand. Saya yakin, tidak ada pelabur asing yang akan tertarik ke Thailand.

Demonstrasi jalanan di mana juapun, baik dengan niat baik atau tidak, walaupun tanpa berniat untuk merusuh atau mengganas, berpotensi besar untukbertukar menjadi ganas dan mengancam nyawa serta keselamatan. Kosnya kepada negara dan rakyat pula amatlah tinggi , baik dari segi ekonomi mahupun sosial.

Saya sedih kerana yang merusuh sebenarnya taklah seberapa dan boleh kita kira, yang berdemonstrasi sedikit, yang menyokong mereka pula tidak ramai. Tetapi kosnya kepada Thailand dan mereka yang inginkan keamanan serta kestabilan amat tinggi sehingga tak terkira serta berpanjangan.

Saya berdoa bahawa janganlah kita terpengaruh dengan laungan -laungan yang mengajak kita berdemonstrasi atau merusuh. Negara kita jauh dari apa-apa situasi yang menghalalkan demonstrasi dan rusuhan.

Janganlah kita merosakkan negara kita sendiri.

Misuse of Funds??!!!!!

Read this article in Malaysiakini. My reaction – Oh my God!!!!! I am ashamed of him! If these allegations were found to be correct, I hope proper action be taken.

However, please give him the opportunity to defend himself. Let’s see what he has to say.

'State agency funded Khir's Disney tours'

Former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo along with his family and other state officials spent almost RM1.6 million on two overseas trips which included a tour of Paris and Orlando Disneyland.
The expenditure list included a 2004 visit to the Disneyland Paris and a four-day transit stopover at Dubai.

This was revealed by an inquiry being conducted by the state's Special Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) today.

Among the other revelations on the overseas trip which took place from Dec 17 to 24, 2004 were:
• Joining the trip were Khir's wife Zaharah Kechik, their three children and a maid.
• The official delegation spent a total of RM416,000 for the trip.
• A 'reconnaissance team' which went to make arrangements for the trip spent RM366,000.
• The four-day stopover in Dubai cost the state an additional RM10,000.
All the expenses were covered by state investment arm Perbadanan Nasional Selangor Berhad (PNSB) revealed its chief executive officer Khairiyah Abu Hassan at the inquiry today.

When asked by committee chairperson, Selangor state assembly speaker Teng Chang Kim on the objective of the trip to Morroco and Paris, Khairiyah said the trip to Morroco was an exposure visit to study the architecture in the country.

“We wanted to see the architecture there as they reflected the glory days of the Islamic empire and we had wanted to try and adopt it here in Selangor,” said the PNSB CEO.

No concrete outcome from the visit

However, when asked if there was any concrete outcome from the visit, Khairiyah conceded that nothing was done apart from initial “talks” of developing such buildings.

The committee also discovered some discrepancies for this trip in the likes of PNSB financing the air tickets and accommodation for Khir’s children.

Khairiyah when queried on whether or not there is a policy in PNSB to finance the expenses of its board members’ children for their official trip, reluctantly answered “no”, but did not elaborate further on why the GLC had done so.

As for the Disneyland Paris trip, Khairiyah said the trip was an official "technical visit" to study the concept of the world famous theme park as PNSB had wanted to develop its own theme park at the Sepang gold coast area in Bagan Lalang.

It is also revealed that for the same purpose, Khir’s entourage spent another RM648,841 of PNSB’s money for a nine-day trip to Honolulu, Hawaii and the Disneyland in Orlando, United States from Dec 23, 2007 to Jan 1, 2008.

Out of the total sum, about RM110,000 were spent on Khir’s lodging alone while RM171,000 were spent on six single supplementary rooms with some of them housing Khir’s children.

However it is not known whether the expenses of Khir’s children were financed by PNSB, Khairiyah said in response to queries on the matter.

The Disneyland trips, suggested one of the committee members PKR vice-president and Bukit Antarabangsa state rep Azmin Ali, were nothing but a leisure trip.

Delegation welcomed by a tour guide

Documents revealed that no serious technical meetings between the management of Disneyland and the so-called official delegation led by Khir took place.

“Instead, the delegation was welcomed by a mere tour guide from the Selangor tour agency company that had supplied the air tickets to the delegation.

“If it is really a technical visit. A serious meeting between Disneyland and the delegation should have took place but instead the delegation paid for the tickets (like ordinary visitors) and claim they can learn from just looking around,” The trip was also timed during the school holidays.

Khairiyah who was also part of the delegation however defended her boss’ action and said that the visit was significant in realising PNSB’s ambitions of developing a theme park at Bagan Lalang.

“We were there to study the concept and had to do a comparative study (with other Disneylands from other countries),” she said, and added that the development of the theme park was already underway and that it will be build on a 20 to 21-acre piece of land in Bagan Lalang

Excerpts were taken from Malaysiakini report. Please refer to Malaysiakini for full report.

Totally Stupid!!!!!

I am of the opinion that Datuk Shahrir Samad is a sore loser! A cry baby!

Just because he lost in his bid for a seat in the Supreme Council, he wants to resign from his post as a cabinet minister. He justified this by saying that if the delegates do not want him, then he should even resign as cabinet minister as maybe he has done something wrong.

Good justification but as a cabinet minister and a person supposedly loyal to the Government, party and country, your actions should not cause pain or inconvenience to the Government and country. Why resign when everyone knows that DS Najib will reshuffle the cabinet anyway? Why can’t you quietly wait it out (after all the reshuffle is expected soon after DS Najib takes over) and then whisper into Najib’s ears that you do not want to be in his cabinet? That would be the mark of a team player, not a person who is opinionated and selfish as what he had done.

Anyway, I personally feel that the nation will not lose anything with his departure as there many as capable to replace him.

How can he win a Supreme Council seat in the party? It is not because of money politics I can tell you that. But it is more because he did not go down to the grassroots to meet people.

I do not wish to berate him more than I have done. I shall keep my further thoughts of him to myself. All I have to say now is he must have many good traits in him and have done many good things, but it is just not his time to win in his bid for a Supreme Council seat. And I wish he was more gracious in defeat and not be a sore loser as many are quietly saying.


Yes, I am angry. I did not expect an UMNO senior member with a cabinet post who enjoyed fair confidence from the public to have behaved like he did.

Quick Note

The results of the UMNO General Assembly last week were inspiring to many UMNO members to say the least. Many of us left the UMNO General Assembly feeling upbeat and very positive. The transition of the Presidency from YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah to YAB Dato’ Seri Najib was very smooth to say the least. Tun Mahathir’s presence on the final day of the convention and his presence on stage later along with Pak Lah’s and Najib’s gestures were great. Finally, the results of the UMNO elections were inspiring and gave hope to many, not only in UMNO but those outside.

The delegates’ choice for Tan Sri Muhyiddin as the Deputy President, Zahid, Hishammuddin and Shafie Apdal as Vice-Presidents was excellent. These individuals are generally well accepted by Malaysians of all walks, be they Malay, Chinese, Indians and so on. These ‘Generals’ also have their own strengths and expertise that would well complement Najib and Muhyiddin.

Hishammuddin for example, enjoys good relations with the component parties and the non-malays in general. He also connects well with the younger generation and must play these roles accordingly. He is also seen as someone who will definitely take everyone’s interest in his heart when he makes any decisions.

I am also happy to hear Muhyiddin repeating many times that he will be an able, loyal and good deputy to the president - a very important ingredient as the number two.

The list of new appointed Supreme Council members was also good. Granted there were surprises. However, it is a good mix of the old and the new, of those with a government portfolio and not. Voting Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed (Tok Pa) to the number one spot for example, showed that the delegates voted with their heads and not only their hearts.

We all know Tok Pa’s reputation – Mr Clean – no corruption, no hanky panky, always dependable and very hardworking. He is also well respected in the financial and business circles. He enjoys the confidence of many including academicians and government servants, yet also remaining humble and well liked by the people on the ground. More than 85% of the delegates voted for him.

Overall, the delegates showed maturity in the voting process. All the talk about money politics and how it would influence their choice proved to be unfounded. Many of us knew how important it was for us to make the right choices. It was after all termed as being the life or death situation for the party. At the end of the day, I am happy and proud that the delegates knew what they needed to do. I am not saying those who were not elected are no good but these individuals are the rights ones needed now to help Najib and Muhyiddin to carry UMNO and BN forward.

And now, we await for Pak Lah to hand over the Prime Minister’s post to Najib. And more importantly, the new cabinet line-up that will steer the country through these rough times and position it to move forward when the next development wave comes.

UMNO Line-up 2008-2011

Pengerusi Tetap

Datuk Paduka Badruddin Amiruldin


Timbalan Pengerusi Tetap

YB Datuk Haji Mohamad Haji Aziz


Presiden

YAB Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak


Timbalan Presiden

YB Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Bin Mohd. Yassin


Naib Presiden

Y.B. Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi

Y.B. Dato' Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein

Y.B. Dato' Seri Hj. Mohd Shafie bin Hj. Apdal


Ketua Pergerakan Wanita UMNO

YB Dato' Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil


Ketua Pemuda

YB Sdr Khairy Jamaluddin


Ketua Puteri

YB Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin


Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO 2008 - 2011

1. YB Dato' Mustapa Bin Mohamed

2. YB Dato' Noh Bin Haji Omar

3. YB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman

4. YB Senator Dato' Azian Osman

5. YBhg Datuk Haji Zainal Abidin Bin Osman

6. YB Dato' Sri Ir. Mohd Zin Bin Mohamed

7. YB Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri Bin Ab Yaakob

8. YB Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Lajim Bin Haji Ukin

9. YB Dato' Shaziman Bin Abu Mansor

10. YB Dr. Mohd. Puad Bin Zarkashi

11. YB Dato' Haji Tajuddin Bin Abdul Rahman

12. YB Datuk Ir. Haji Idris Bin Haji Haron

13. YB Datuk Dr. Haji Abd Latiff Bin Ahmad

14. YB Datuk Seri Dr. Haji Jamaludin Dato' Mohd Jarjis

15. YB Dato' Saifuddin Bin Abdullah

16. YBhg Senator Dato' Dr. Norraesah Haji Mohamad

17. YB Dato' Seri Mahdzir Bin Khalid

18. YB Dato' Haji Ahmad Husni Bin Mohd Hanadzlah

19. YB Dato' Hamzah Bin Zainuddin

20. YB Datuk Bung Mokhtar Bin Radin

21. YBhg Dato' Dr. Awang Adek Hussin

22. YB Dato' Haji Zulhasnan Rafique

23. YB Dato' Ahmad Shabery Bin Cheek

24. YB Dato' Seri Haji Idris Jusoh

25. YBhg Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim