This is one article I dearly love to share with you kind folks who visit this blog; it is about Jonathan Pollard the American who sold and betrayed his country for money and large sums of it (read here for details).
Yes, Pollard spied for America's best friend in the Middle east, Israel, and since the rise of Netanyahu to the PMship of Israel the call to free Pollard who is regarded as a hero by Israel has grown louder and attempts are now being made to connect his release with the Palestine-Israeli peace negotiations (read here).
What follows is a superb article written by Philip Giraldi, who is a former officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency who became famous for claiming in 2005 that the USA was preparing plans to attack Iran with nuclear weapons in response to a terrorist action against the US, independently of whether or not Iran was involved in the action. He is presently a partner in an international security consultancy. He earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chicago and a MA & PhD from the University of London in European History:
Wake Up, America!
by Philip Giraldi, September 30, 2010
Let us suppose for a moment that an individual enjoying the full confidence and trust of the United States government was given access to the most secret information possessed by the US military, to include how it would react to an attack by an aggressor armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Let us further suppose that that individual violated his trust in the most egregious and vile fashion, offering to sell the information to anyone, but eventually settling on a nation ostensibly friendly to the US but not in any way a formal ally. The individual then proceeded to deliver defense secrets literally by the carload, not only information that might plausibly have been construed as relevant to the buyer’s own security, but also strategic defense information that could conceivably have led to the deaths of millions of American citizens. That information was then bartered and re-sold to an enemy who was in a position to use it to devastate the United States, together with sources and methods information on intelligence operations that in short order led to the deaths of many American citizens and also foreigners who had been cooperating with the United States.
Let us further suppose that the individual who stole the secrets was eventually caught because the sheer volume of what he was stealing was detected in spite of the indolence and incompetence of his superiors and he was convicted and imprisoned for life. In the damage assessment made after the arrest, it was determined that the espionage had been the most devastating ever experienced by the United States of America, both in volume and in the sensitivity of the information that had been betrayed.
Fast forward a few years. The country that paid the man to steal the secrets becomes a major beneficiary of US assistance and uses the money to set up a lobbying organization that effectively manages key players in the federal government and the media, making it virtually invulnerable to any criticism. Pumped up by hubris, that country seeks on several occasions to obtain the freedom of its spy, claiming inaccurately that he was only taking information used for purely defensive purposes. Fast forward a few more years and legislators in the US Congress known to be advocates of the foreign country that bought the secrets join in, calling for the release of the convicted spy. The media, also compromised and in the pockets of the foreign lobby, obligingly does not report the tale of American legislators who have apparently sold out.
I am, of course, referring to Jonathan Pollard and his friends in Israel and the United States. Pollard did more damage to the United States than any spy in history. And it was genuine damage, not just a mass of documents that had been routinely classified. Pollard’s Israeli handler, aided by someone in the White House who has up until now evaded arrest, was able to ask for specific classified documents by name and number. The Soviets obtained US war plans, passed to them by the Israelis in exchange for money and free emigration of Russian Jews without any regard for the damage it was doing to the United States. The KGB was able to use the mass of information to reconstruct US intelligence operations directed against it and a number of Americans and US agents paid with their lives. Pollard also revealed to the Israelis and Soviets the technical and human source capabilities that US intelligence did and did not have, which is the most critical information of all as it underlies all information collection efforts. Compounding the problem, the United States has never actually been able to accurately ascertain all of the damage done by Pollard because the Israeli government has refused to cooperate in the investigation and has not returned the documents that were stolen.
And make no mistake, Pollard did it for money. He has since wrapped himself in the Israeli flag and promoted himself as an observant Jew to justify his crime and to obtain his freedom. He is reported to be a very popular person in Israel, an Israeli citizen by act of parliament, and there is a square in Jerusalem that has been renamed "Freedom for Jonathan Pollard Square." There is also an active "Justice for Jonathan Pollard" movement in the United States supported by the heavyweight Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Never before has there been such a transformation, with a despicable lowlife spy who sold out his country for money turned into a hero.
Pollard is just one symptom of the asymmetrical relationship that makes many mutter "wag the dog" whenever the subject of Israel comes up. If ever a foreign country has stuck its thumb in the eye of Uncle Sam, it is Israel in its willingness to take the United States for a ride while always demanding still more. And when it demands more it is invariably given more, with US politicians and mainstream media ever willing to genuflect and do what is right for the kleptocracy in charge in Tel Aviv.
The latest criminal outrage is a quartet of congressmen who are calling on the Obama Administration to free Pollard to "advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks." Well, first of all, everyone knows that the talks are kabuki, designed to accomplish absolutely nothing while advancing the standing of Obama prior to the US congressional elections in November. Israel continues its creeping annexation of the West Bank aided and abetted by Washington, which will do nothing substantive to stop the illegal and immoral activity. Abbas presumably is being bought off to stay silent while the play unfolds and Hamas, which should be sitting at the table, has been excluded.
That means that the congressmen in question, who actually took an oath to uphold the US Constitution, know that they are doing nothing but throwing yet another bone to Israel. The congressmen are Barney Franks of Massachusetts, Edolphus Towns of New York, Anthony Weiner also of New York, and Bill Pascrell of New Jersey. Mark their names well. Franks and Weiner are presumably acting due to tribal solidarity, but Pascrell and Towns are the straight men in the routine, brought along to make the Free Pollard movement appear to be less than a complete ethnically based sell out.
It is time for the American people to rise up and throw these bums out. Putting them in jail for malfeasance and corruption would be even better. I would like to see a panel of USS Liberty survivors and widows and orphans of the dead intelligence officers question Franks, Weiner, Pascrell, and Towns about their plan to free Pollard. Better still, I would like to see some US veterans groups and their publications develop a backbone and take up the cause, finally saying that enough is enough since it is our soldiers, sailors, and airmen who have paid the price in their blood for the Israeli connection. And then there is the intelligence community. Its leading lobby, Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), has long ignored Israeli espionage and prefers to regularly express concern about "Islamofascism." Look in your own backyard folks, it is the Israelis who are skinning us alive, not the Muslims, and Pollard is the poster child of what exactly is being done to us. He is sometimes cited as proof that spies for Israel are caught and punished, but the truth is that he is the only one who has done hard time in jail and only because of the enormity of his crime while all the others have somehow slipped through our criminal justice system. Franks, Weiner, Pascrell, and Towns are only the latest in a long line of collaborator politicians who should sometimes sit back and ponder where their loyalty actually lies. If they persist in their Pollard campaign, they should be regarded as not fit to sit in the congress of the United States. And that goes for anyone else who decides to lobby on behalf of Pollard.
An opportunity is coming in November to remove the snakes from Congress. Let’s organize to get rid of Franks, Weiner, Pascrell, and Towns. To be sure they will be replaced by others who are probably just as attached to Israel or fearful of its lobby as they are, but the time will inevitably come when allegiance to a foreign nation that is a strategic liability for the United States will become unseemly. May that day come soon.
read the full article here.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Good News: Malaysia top choice for Singapore, US and UK's affluent travellers
Let us together rejoice in whatever good news no matter how small that comes our way, this will benefit just about everybody in Malaysia including our Hasil Dalam Negeri people:
M'sia top choice for Singapore, US and UK's affluent travellers
BERNAMA
Thursday, September 30th, 2010 20:29:00
PETALING JAYA: Singapore, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) emerged as the top tourism source market for affluent travellers considering visiting Malaysia in the next two years.
This was revealed by the Visa-Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Asia Pacific Travel Intentions Survey 2010 conducted online in May which asked 6,714 respondents from 13 key Asia-Pacific travel source markets including Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea about past and future travel plans.
Visa Malaysia country manager Stuart Tomlinson, said among affluent travelers looking to head to Malaysia, 22 per cent were from Singapore, 17 per cent from the US and 16 per cent from the UK.
"This fact marks a bright spot for the (tourism) industry. Malaysia is blessed with a unique blend of culture and heritage, great food and dining, important historical sites and some of the best natural sceneries in the world," he said in a statement distributed during the one-day National Tourism Seminar 2010 "Tourism Futures: Evolving Towards High Income Tourism" organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) here today.
The seminar was opened by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
Tomlinson said the survey's findings highlight the ministry's fine work in promoting Malaysia as a unique travel destination.
"Visa is committed to supporting Malaysia's ambitions to draw more affluent travellers to the country and we will work with the Tourism Ministry to help attract this segment," he said.
He said the survey also revealed the profile of this affluent traveller groups with most of them in it being professionals, managers, executive or businessmen, aged 40 years old and married.
They are most attracted to destinations with natural sceneries (88 per cent), new places (82 per cent), good food (81 per cent), sunshine and beaches and good weather (80 per cent), he said.
Tomlinson said 34 per cent of the affluent respondents also said they were attracted to destinations with outdoor sports and activities with golf (33 per cent) positioned at the top of the list.
"For those who have previously visited Malaysia, 69 per cent of respondents said they would be drawn to visit again due to the good food and dining," he added.
Nothing like a Mat Salleh to tell us Malaysians that we live in a fantastic country called Malaysia isn't it.
M'sia top choice for Singapore, US and UK's affluent travellers
BERNAMA
Thursday, September 30th, 2010 20:29:00
PETALING JAYA: Singapore, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) emerged as the top tourism source market for affluent travellers considering visiting Malaysia in the next two years.
This was revealed by the Visa-Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Asia Pacific Travel Intentions Survey 2010 conducted online in May which asked 6,714 respondents from 13 key Asia-Pacific travel source markets including Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea about past and future travel plans.
Visa Malaysia country manager Stuart Tomlinson, said among affluent travelers looking to head to Malaysia, 22 per cent were from Singapore, 17 per cent from the US and 16 per cent from the UK.
"This fact marks a bright spot for the (tourism) industry. Malaysia is blessed with a unique blend of culture and heritage, great food and dining, important historical sites and some of the best natural sceneries in the world," he said in a statement distributed during the one-day National Tourism Seminar 2010 "Tourism Futures: Evolving Towards High Income Tourism" organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) here today.
The seminar was opened by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
Tomlinson said the survey's findings highlight the ministry's fine work in promoting Malaysia as a unique travel destination.
"Visa is committed to supporting Malaysia's ambitions to draw more affluent travellers to the country and we will work with the Tourism Ministry to help attract this segment," he said.
He said the survey also revealed the profile of this affluent traveller groups with most of them in it being professionals, managers, executive or businessmen, aged 40 years old and married.
They are most attracted to destinations with natural sceneries (88 per cent), new places (82 per cent), good food (81 per cent), sunshine and beaches and good weather (80 per cent), he said.
Tomlinson said 34 per cent of the affluent respondents also said they were attracted to destinations with outdoor sports and activities with golf (33 per cent) positioned at the top of the list.
"For those who have previously visited Malaysia, 69 per cent of respondents said they would be drawn to visit again due to the good food and dining," he added.
Nothing like a Mat Salleh to tell us Malaysians that we live in a fantastic country called Malaysia isn't it.
Berhati-hati di jalan raya terutama sekali untuk yang bermotosikal
Just an interlude...
Studies has shown that one of the main reasons for serious motor bike accidents and injuries is:
Studies has shown that one of the main reasons for serious motor bike accidents and injuries is:
Today, let's remind ourselves of our Rukun Negara
From the going ons reported in the news about racial sensitivities/insensitivities that some Malaysian are experiencing right now, I must say that there is a disturbing lack of awareness and appreciation of the Rukun Negara for many who have long left primary and secondary schools and worked in the Private Sector where the largest workforce in the nation is.
The Rukunegara or sometimes Rukun Negara (Malay for "National Principles") is the Malaysian declaration of national philosophy instituted by royal proclamation on Merdeka Day by the fourth DYMM Agung in 1970, in response to a deadly race riot known as the May 13 Incident which occurred in 1969.
The incident proved at that time that Malaysian racial balance and stability was fragile at best. Immediately thereafter, the Government sought ways to foster unity among Malaysians. One of the methods used to encourage unity is the Rukunegara.
In Bahasa Melayu:
Bahawasanya, Negara kita Malaysia mendukung cita-cita hendak:
>Mencapai perpaduan yang lebih erat di kalangan seluruh masyarakatnya;
>Memelihara satu cara hidup demokratik;
>Mencipta satu masyarakat yang adil di mana kemakmuran negara akan dinikmati bersama secara adil dan saksama;
>Menjamin satu cara yang liberal terhadap tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya yang kaya dan berbagai corak;
>Membina satu masyarakat progresif yang akan menggunakan sains dan teknologi moden;
Maka kami rakyat Malaysia berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut:
1. Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
2. Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
3. Keluhuran Perlembagaan
4. Kedaulatan Undang-Undang
5. Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan
The Rukunegara or sometimes Rukun Negara (Malay for "National Principles") is the Malaysian declaration of national philosophy instituted by royal proclamation on Merdeka Day by the fourth DYMM Agung in 1970, in response to a deadly race riot known as the May 13 Incident which occurred in 1969.
The incident proved at that time that Malaysian racial balance and stability was fragile at best. Immediately thereafter, the Government sought ways to foster unity among Malaysians. One of the methods used to encourage unity is the Rukunegara.
In Bahasa Melayu:
Bahawasanya, Negara kita Malaysia mendukung cita-cita hendak:
>Mencapai perpaduan yang lebih erat di kalangan seluruh masyarakatnya;
>Memelihara satu cara hidup demokratik;
>Mencipta satu masyarakat yang adil di mana kemakmuran negara akan dinikmati bersama secara adil dan saksama;
>Menjamin satu cara yang liberal terhadap tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya yang kaya dan berbagai corak;
>Membina satu masyarakat progresif yang akan menggunakan sains dan teknologi moden;
Maka kami rakyat Malaysia berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut:
1. Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
2. Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
3. Keluhuran Perlembagaan
4. Kedaulatan Undang-Undang
5. Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan
Penjelasan Prinsip Rukun Negara
Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
Bangsa dan Negara ini telah diwujudkan atas kepercayaan yang kukuh kepada Tuhan. Melalui kepercayaan beragama inilah akan menjadikan bangsa dan negara ini sebagai satu bangsa dan negara yang berdaulat. Perlembagaan Persekutuan memperuntukkan bahawa Islam ialah agama rasmi Persekutuan, tetapi agama dan kepercayaan-kepercayaan lain boleh diamalkan dengan aman dan tenteram di mana-mana bahagian di dalam Persekutuan dan tindakan membeza-bezakan terhadap seseorang warganegara atas alasan agama adalah dilarang sama sekali. Jawatankuasa penggubal Rukun Negara menyedari akan pentingnya agama dan kepercayaan kepada Tuhan dalam kehidupan manusia. Ketiadaan agama boleh meruntuhkan keperibadian seseorang dan juga sesuatu bangsa dan negara. Menyedari betapa pentingnya keteguhan pegangan anggota masyarakat terhadap ajaran agama masing-masing, prinsip ini telah dipilih sebagai prinsip pertama dalam Rukun Negara.
Kesetiaan Kepada Raja dan Negara
Malaysia mengamalkan Sistem Demokrasi Berparlimen dan Raja Berpelembagaan dengan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong sebagai Ketua Negara. Selaras dengan kedudukan Yang di-Pertuan Agong sebagai Raja mengikut Perlembagaan, sistem beraja juga diamalkan di setiap negeri, dan Yang Di-Pertua Negeri bagi negeri-negeri yang tidak beraja. Seri Paduka Baginda, Raja-Raja dan Yang Di-Pertua Negeri adalah merupakan lambang perpaduan rakyat. Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara bermaksud, bahawa setiap warganegara hendaklah menumpukan sepenuh taat setia, jujur dan ikhlas kepada Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Di peringkat negeri pula, rakyat dikehendaki menumpukan taat setia kepada raja yang memerintah negeri tempat mereka bermastautin tanpa mengurangkan taat setia kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Keluhuran Perlembagaan
Prinsip ini menekan perlunya rakyat menerima, mematuhi dan mempertahankan keluhuran atau kemuliaan Perlembagaan Negara. Perlembagaan Negara adalah sumber perundangan yang tertinggi. Fungsinya untuk memberi perlindungan kepada setiap rakyat negara ini akan hak dan keistimewaan mereka sebagai warganegara. Setiap warga negara Malaysia dikehendaki menghormati, menghargai, serta memahami maksud dan kandungan serta latar belakang sejarah pembentukan Perlembagaan Negara. Perlembagaan Negara telah digubal berasaskan kesepakatan semua kaum dan semu pihak di negara ini. Dengan demikian ia merupakan satu kontrak sosial rakyat yang tidak boleh dipersoalkan dan diganggu gugat oleh mana-mana individu atau mana-mana pihak. Perlembagaan Malaysia menentukan pola politik dan kedudukan sosio-ekonomi rakyat di negara ini. Ia adalah sumber rujukan bagi segala hal yang berkaitan denga sistem pemerintahan, perundangan, kedudukan dan hak sosio-ekonomi rakyat.
Kedaulatan Undang-Undang
Keadilan diasaskan atas kedaulatan undang-undang di mana setiap rakyat sama tarafnya di sisi undang-undang negara. Kebebasan asasi terjamin bagi semua warganegara Malaysia. Undang-undang negara berasaskan kepada Perlembagaan. Oleh itu kedaulatannya perlu diterima dan dipertahankan. Tanpa undang-undang, hidup bermasyarakat dan bernegara tidak aman dan stabil. Oleh itu undang-undang negara dijamin pula oleh institusi kehakiman yang bebas dan berwibawa. Setiap negara memerlukan undang-undang untuk mengawal dan mewujudkan satu masyarakat yang aman, stabil dan makmur. Kewujudan undang-undang akan menjamin kehidupan anggota masyarakat dapat bergerak dengan licin dan teratur tanpa sebarang kekacauan, di mana semua anggota masyarakat akan merasas selamat. Hak-hak semua rakyat boleh diamalkan dengan bebas asalkan tidak melanggar undang-undang serta perkara-perkara sebagaimana yang dijamin oleh Perlembagaan Negara. Hak-hak dari kebebasan yang dijamin oleh Perlembagaan itu tidaklah termasuk hak menggulingkan kerajaan sama ada dengan kekerasan atau dengan cara-cara yang tidak menurut Perlembagaan.
Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan
Prinsip ke lima ini menekankan perkembangan personaliti dan tingkah laku seseorang rakyat. Tujuannya ialah untuk membentuk warga negara yang bersopan santun dan bersusila selaras dengan kempen Budi Bahasa dan Nilai Murni yang dijalankan sekarang. Sifat individu yang bersopan santun dan bersusila adalah paling bermakna dan amat penting dalam konteks perhubungan antara satu sama lain dalam masyarakat pelbagai kaum di negara ini. Sikap bersopan santun dan bersusila patut diamalkan bagi membentuk seseorang individu dan masyarakat yang berdisiplin serta bermoral tinggi yang akan membantu mewujudkan sebuah masyarakat yang harmoni. Tatasusila ini membenci dan mengutuk tingkah laku atau perbuatan yang angkuh atau menyinggung perasaan seseorang atau sesuatu golongan. Tingkah laku sopan juga mengandungi suatu darjah kesusilaan yang tinggi dalam kedua-dua kehidupan persendirian dan kehidupan bernegara. Prinsip ini menjadi panduan supaya perilaku masyarakat sentiasa terpelihara dan berkembang sesuai dengan keperibadian bangsa dan nilai-nilai murni.
Here is a helpful short film on the development of the Rukun Negara:
I hope this would be helpful, I understand that the Government is going on a campaign to spread the message of the Rukun Negara to all Malaysians.
Idris Jala gets flayed big time for saying English mastery not needed to achieve vision 2020
Aah, the wonders of the internet, less than 24 hours after Idris Jala made a very brave policy statement of the BN Government ...English mastery not needed to achieve Vision 2020, he is today flayed left right and center by the Mothers and Fathers Action Group(PAGE), businessman and politicians:
PAGE, politicians tear down Idris Jala’s dismissal of English
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal and Boo Su-Lyn September 30, 2010(MI)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The country’s most vocal pro-English-language lobby group today tore into Datuk Seri Idris Jala’s suggestion that there was no need to master the language to become a high-income nation by the year 2020.
The Cabinet minister said yesterday that Malaysia would be able to achieve a high-income economy status with the national language, citing Korea and Japan as countries that became high-income nations without mastering the English language.
PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim maintained today that mastering English was crucial in transforming Malaysia into a knowledge economy, pointing out that Bahasa Malaysia was not by any means an international language.
“Bahasa Malaysia, with all due respect, is not an international language. The only other country which uses Bahasa is Indonesia and they are hardly a high-income nation.
“The mastery of the English language is important for the knowledge behind English. No matter how much money we make, the work force must have the right skills and mindsets,” she said.
Noor Azimah hit out at Idris for being “politically correct” with his remarks yesterday.
“I think this is something which is out of Idris’ jurisdiction, and is something which is the most politically-correct thing to say at this point of time. Idris is regurgitating the government’s stand to abolish the teachings of science and mathematics in English.
“What makes the private sector are the people behind it who are driving it, and inefficiency in mastering English can affect the private sector,” she told The Malaysian Insider.
PAGE has urged the private sector to push for the reinstatement of the policy to teach science and mathematics in English, saying that it is crucial for the success of the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
Noor Azimah reiterated her stand that since the private sector was to drive the ETP, a skilled workforce was needed and the only way around it was to master the English language.
“In the first place, Idris Jala is where he is today because of his knowledge of the English language. If you were to look at all the bigwigs who turned up at the recent ETP open day, all of them are fluent speakers of the English language. Nazir Razak was educated in Britain. Even his children are getting their education there. Why aren’t they educated in Korea or Japan?” said the PAGE chairman.
The ETP is one of the Najib administration’s initiatives aimed at roughly tripling gross national income in the next 10 years and is based on a slew of private sector-driven projects that would require private funds to the tune of US$266 billion (RM822 billion).
Idris, who is the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO, also said yesterday that a top-notch quality of education was enough to boost the nation’s economy towards achieving Vision 2020.
“If you look at Sabah and Sarawak, they have enjoyed 10 years of additional English education over Peninsular Malaysia. Now they are more employable than Peninsular Malaysians who have not mastered English,” said Noor Azimah.
Others echoing PAGE’s views have also slammed Idris for his remarks.
UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed disagreed with Idris’ views, dismissing it as the remarks of a minister who “has yet to learn the ropes” of doing his job.
Nur Jazlan stressed that English was a “language of wealth”, stating that even countries like China have begun embracing the English language.
“With the advent of the Internet, English has now become more important as the language of information dissemination on a global scale. It’s a language of wealth. Even China is embracing English, what are we doing? I disagree with Idris, everyone wants to learn English,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The Umno Pulai MP claimed that Idris was “talking about the past” when he used Japan and Korea as role models, saying that times have now changed and the English language has become more important.
“He (Idris) should not talk about the past. Thirty or 40 years ago English was not as widely used as now. Times have changed, and so should we. We have to move with the times, adapt and become competitive, or risk being left out,” Nur Jazlan added.
DAP Socialist Youth chief Anthony Loke lambasted Idris’s statement as “unrealistic”, pointing out that Malaysia’s top leaders had received their education in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States.
“It is so unrealistic to say that English is not important to the country’s development,” said Loke.
“The fact is that our top leaders were all educated in the western world, even Najib. Most of our ministers, and top civil servants were sent to the UK and the US to learn. That had helped develop the country in the past 50 years,” he added.
Loke also noted that Malaysia — a country dependent on foreign technology input — could not be compared with Korea and Japan as they possessed their own technology expertise.
“We cannot compare with Korea and Japan they had the technological know-how to progress. But we depend on the technology of the world. No one is coming to Malaysia to learn from our technology,” he said.
Loke pointed out that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had introduced the policy of teaching science and mathematics in English to sharpen the country’s knowledge in those areas.
He also cited Malaysia’s trade-dependent and open economy as other factors that underscored the importance of mastering English.
“Ours is a very open economy and trade-dependent. So it makes English even more important for our country as English is the language of trade,” he said, adding that the country’s dependence on the services and tourism sector mandated a fluency in the English language.
read the rest of the MI report here.
I think Idris Jala is way out of his league here. Way to go PAGE patriots and supportive politicians and businessmen too! Yes, bring back the Teaching of Maths and Science in English next year.
What say you Dato' Najib?
PAGE, politicians tear down Idris Jala’s dismissal of English
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal and Boo Su-Lyn September 30, 2010(MI)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The country’s most vocal pro-English-language lobby group today tore into Datuk Seri Idris Jala’s suggestion that there was no need to master the language to become a high-income nation by the year 2020.
The Cabinet minister said yesterday that Malaysia would be able to achieve a high-income economy status with the national language, citing Korea and Japan as countries that became high-income nations without mastering the English language.
PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim maintained today that mastering English was crucial in transforming Malaysia into a knowledge economy, pointing out that Bahasa Malaysia was not by any means an international language.
“Bahasa Malaysia, with all due respect, is not an international language. The only other country which uses Bahasa is Indonesia and they are hardly a high-income nation.
“The mastery of the English language is important for the knowledge behind English. No matter how much money we make, the work force must have the right skills and mindsets,” she said.
Noor Azimah hit out at Idris for being “politically correct” with his remarks yesterday.
“I think this is something which is out of Idris’ jurisdiction, and is something which is the most politically-correct thing to say at this point of time. Idris is regurgitating the government’s stand to abolish the teachings of science and mathematics in English.
“What makes the private sector are the people behind it who are driving it, and inefficiency in mastering English can affect the private sector,” she told The Malaysian Insider.
PAGE has urged the private sector to push for the reinstatement of the policy to teach science and mathematics in English, saying that it is crucial for the success of the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
Noor Azimah reiterated her stand that since the private sector was to drive the ETP, a skilled workforce was needed and the only way around it was to master the English language.
“In the first place, Idris Jala is where he is today because of his knowledge of the English language. If you were to look at all the bigwigs who turned up at the recent ETP open day, all of them are fluent speakers of the English language. Nazir Razak was educated in Britain. Even his children are getting their education there. Why aren’t they educated in Korea or Japan?” said the PAGE chairman.
The ETP is one of the Najib administration’s initiatives aimed at roughly tripling gross national income in the next 10 years and is based on a slew of private sector-driven projects that would require private funds to the tune of US$266 billion (RM822 billion).
Idris, who is the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO, also said yesterday that a top-notch quality of education was enough to boost the nation’s economy towards achieving Vision 2020.
“If you look at Sabah and Sarawak, they have enjoyed 10 years of additional English education over Peninsular Malaysia. Now they are more employable than Peninsular Malaysians who have not mastered English,” said Noor Azimah.
Others echoing PAGE’s views have also slammed Idris for his remarks.
UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed disagreed with Idris’ views, dismissing it as the remarks of a minister who “has yet to learn the ropes” of doing his job.
Nur Jazlan stressed that English was a “language of wealth”, stating that even countries like China have begun embracing the English language.
“With the advent of the Internet, English has now become more important as the language of information dissemination on a global scale. It’s a language of wealth. Even China is embracing English, what are we doing? I disagree with Idris, everyone wants to learn English,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The Umno Pulai MP claimed that Idris was “talking about the past” when he used Japan and Korea as role models, saying that times have now changed and the English language has become more important.
“He (Idris) should not talk about the past. Thirty or 40 years ago English was not as widely used as now. Times have changed, and so should we. We have to move with the times, adapt and become competitive, or risk being left out,” Nur Jazlan added.
DAP Socialist Youth chief Anthony Loke lambasted Idris’s statement as “unrealistic”, pointing out that Malaysia’s top leaders had received their education in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States.
“It is so unrealistic to say that English is not important to the country’s development,” said Loke.
“The fact is that our top leaders were all educated in the western world, even Najib. Most of our ministers, and top civil servants were sent to the UK and the US to learn. That had helped develop the country in the past 50 years,” he added.
Loke also noted that Malaysia — a country dependent on foreign technology input — could not be compared with Korea and Japan as they possessed their own technology expertise.
“We cannot compare with Korea and Japan they had the technological know-how to progress. But we depend on the technology of the world. No one is coming to Malaysia to learn from our technology,” he said.
Loke pointed out that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had introduced the policy of teaching science and mathematics in English to sharpen the country’s knowledge in those areas.
He also cited Malaysia’s trade-dependent and open economy as other factors that underscored the importance of mastering English.
“Ours is a very open economy and trade-dependent. So it makes English even more important for our country as English is the language of trade,” he said, adding that the country’s dependence on the services and tourism sector mandated a fluency in the English language.
read the rest of the MI report here.
I think Idris Jala is way out of his league here. Way to go PAGE patriots and supportive politicians and businessmen too! Yes, bring back the Teaching of Maths and Science in English next year.
What say you Dato' Najib?
Today Datuk Samy Vellu declares he will retire in January 2011
Latest news from the Star, I think this time its the real deal:
MIC president Samy: 'I'll step down in January'
By A. LETCHUMANAN
“I will concentrate on bringing about a better relationship between Malaysia and India in terms of infrastructure projects,” Samy Vellu said about his retirement plans.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC’s longest serving president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, said he is stepping down in January to make way for his deputy Senator Datuk G. Palanivel.
“Today, I’m officially announcing my decision to step down and pass the leadership to my deputy in January next year,” he told reporters after chairing the party’s Central Working Committee here on Thursday.
The specific date would be announced later, he said, adding that the CWC was informed earlier.
“I don’t want to wait until the end of my term on March 8, 2012. This will give an opportunity for a renewal of the party. The new leadership can chart their own plans and work for the betterment of the Indian community,” he said.
Palanivel would become acting president, in line with the party’s constitution, Samy Vellu said.
“There will not be a presidential election. The election is only due if I step down one or two months before the end of my term as president,” he said.
Samy Vellu, 74, came to the party's helm in 1979 after Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam died and has held the position for 11 consecutive terms.
He was the Works Minister of Malaysia and the longest serving minister in the Cabinet until he lost his parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections...
read the rest here.
One of the most colourful politician in Malaysia's history has given a date for his retirement in politics. Love him or hate him he will be missed.
Interesting Article attributed to Dato' Samy Vellu please read here.
Some interesting quotes people claimed Samy Vellu said..read here could be just jokes that Malaysians tell each other.
Thanks Datuk for your past contributions as our longest serving Minister in the Malaysian Cabinet.
MIC president Samy: 'I'll step down in January'
By A. LETCHUMANAN
“I will concentrate on bringing about a better relationship between Malaysia and India in terms of infrastructure projects,” Samy Vellu said about his retirement plans.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC’s longest serving president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, said he is stepping down in January to make way for his deputy Senator Datuk G. Palanivel.
“Today, I’m officially announcing my decision to step down and pass the leadership to my deputy in January next year,” he told reporters after chairing the party’s Central Working Committee here on Thursday.
The specific date would be announced later, he said, adding that the CWC was informed earlier.
“I don’t want to wait until the end of my term on March 8, 2012. This will give an opportunity for a renewal of the party. The new leadership can chart their own plans and work for the betterment of the Indian community,” he said.
Palanivel would become acting president, in line with the party’s constitution, Samy Vellu said.
“There will not be a presidential election. The election is only due if I step down one or two months before the end of my term as president,” he said.
Samy Vellu, 74, came to the party's helm in 1979 after Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam died and has held the position for 11 consecutive terms.
He was the Works Minister of Malaysia and the longest serving minister in the Cabinet until he lost his parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections...
read the rest here.
One of the most colourful politician in Malaysia's history has given a date for his retirement in politics. Love him or hate him he will be missed.
Interesting Article attributed to Dato' Samy Vellu please read here.
Some interesting quotes people claimed Samy Vellu said..read here could be just jokes that Malaysians tell each other.
Thanks Datuk for your past contributions as our longest serving Minister in the Malaysian Cabinet.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Malaysia-Instinct: Priest Condemns Islam: DAP Please Say Something!
An interesting article straight from malaysia.instinct.com showing up hypocrites among us;
But read this first Sarawak ‘priest’ accused of insulting Islam.
Then read this:
Priest Condemns Islam: DAP Please Say Something!
WEDNESDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2010 16:37
By Susan Lim
The case where a priest in Kuching condemned Islam heated up the boiling racial tension in the country. As racial sentiment still filling up the air, what the priest said is seen as a clear provocation for the purpose of starting fire.
I, myself is uncomfortable with what is going on. I know that the Muslims must be offended by the insensitiveness of the priest.
In America recently, another priest threatened to burn the Quran in retaliation of the construction of a mosque on the ground zero. It seems that Islam has always been the target of the racists and shallow minded.
However, the rational Muslims seldom react to this condemnation by returning the same ‘favour’ such as burning the holy books of other religions or making a mock of their God or Gods. This is explainable as it is spelled out clearly in Islam that it is wrong to do so.
The rational Muslims believe that Islam is complete and perfect and nothing can be said or done to change that and those who condemn Islam and Allah will end up in great despair.
While Katy Lim cursed Allah, the Muslims in Malaysia didn’t return the ‘favour’ by cursing the Buddhist statues worshipped by Katy Lim.
The Muslims didn’t even mock the food offering to the Buddhist Gods which ended up in the dustbin as the Gods could not eat them.
Muslims didn’t even laugh at Katy’s believe that the spirit of her ancestors will be unable to talk during Gong Xi Fa Chai after having eaten the sticky ‘kuih bakul’.
When Namawee mocked the Azan or the call for prayers, the Muslims didn’t react by mocking the deafening Chinese drums and the noisy cries of the paid actress in Chinese funerals.
The Malays are angry when their race and religion is condemned and mocked but they are still very rational and mature so as to not do the same to others. This is a clear prove of the Malays’ well-known manners, etiquette and moral values which are taught well by Islam.
As a Chinese, I sometimes feel ashamed of the non-Muslims acts towards the Muslims.
In fact, what the Christian priest did in Kuching is actually an embarrassment to his own religion. The Muslims must be thinking that Christian must have approved the act.
Do Buddhist and Hindu approve it too?
Until today, we haven’t heard any comment or criticism from the Christian political leaders towards the priest. Theresa Kok, for example, seems to have nothing to say about it at all.
The DAP and PKR leaders who are mostly Christians, Buddhists and Hindus seem to have lost their voices just because it wasn’t their religion that was targeted.
Do their religions allow them to condemn others? Do other religions except Islam call for their followers to poke fun on other religions?
Or does this mean that these leaders are truly racists and anti-Malays hard-core?
It is shameful that we are still fighting in the name of race and religion. If all religions take us to heaven, why the hell are we fighting?
When the Chinese kids splashed paints at the ‘surau’, the Malays accepted their apology amicably. None of the Malay politicians went berserk towards the Chinese kids. There were never any threat of ‘chop them off’, posted towards the kids. But the Chinese politicians were quick to defend the Chinese kids and claimed that it was just an act of mischievous.
However, when a Malay principal laid out the fact of other races being the immigrants, all of the Chinese politicians, especially DAP started barking and jumping around, almost panicking like crazy. But the Malay politicians did not defend the Principal. In fact, they act rationally and left it to the authority to investigate and determine necessary action should she is found guilty.
The Chinese politicians too are defending Namewee, a pure racist and traitor of the country and even look upon him as a hero...
I pray there are more conscientious Malaysians like the above author at this time in our history. Good food for thought for ALL Malaysians. In matters of race and religion we should be rational at all times and not fight fire with fire, do not bother with politicians who continuously stir shit for their political capital. Leave them to wallow in their muck.
As a matter of fact, I am, like many Malaysians are very interested to hear the opinions of Lim Kit Siang, Guan Eng, Theresa Kok, even Jimmy Chua Jui Meng who were quite busy with the Bible issue in the previous Sibu by election. Just want to know whether if what the priest say about insulting Islam was true than would they condemn it with the kind of zealous fury that their Leader Lim Kit Siang displays towards other so called racists (read here and here).
Just a layman's guide to the Government Economic Transformation Program
I was not able to attend the ETP open house at the PWTC last week, I was told the place was full to the brim and some of my friends even called to tell me not to bother to come as even the car parks are fully occupied. Just wished the Open day is not for a day but rather say three days at least. It is after all revolutionary in terms of its level of details and interaction with Malaysians and even the PEMANDU indicates that it is actually the first of its kind in the world. One thing for sure is that previous Prime Ministers has not come up with this kind of program before. Very exciting stuff this.
The ETP is a program which will take us right up to to Vision 2020. Just hope that the BN Government has the clarity of purpose and the political will to see it through as it will benefit all Malaysians.
Just to keep for the record and reference for the future:
This is a superb Open Day presentation of the ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME by PEMANDU.
A must read for all Malaysians as it shows how the "idea", than the "plan", than the "program" was developed. This is where the Government explains what is the GTP-GOVERNMENT TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME and the ETP-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
An interesting report by the edge property. com...Economic Transformation Programme - Full house on Open Day (OSK Research)
I never miss this, Salvatore-dali take on the program..The Economic Transformation Program
I was engrossed with Tuan Syed's take on the ETP here:
Part 1 : Pemandu, ETP, GTP, GNI, SRI, NKEA, KRA, TUKAR, PAKAR ETC
Part 2 : ETP / GTP Car Mechanics Pun Kena.
Part 3 ETP GTP Where Is Can Tho?
One should also not miss Dato' Sak's take on the ETP together with the New Economic Model too:
The Idris Jala Show
ETP, EPPs- rojaking our way to a high income economy
Najib and the ETP
Government support system and the ETP
Above all these I hope the Government would make less use of acronyms, because the Malaysian people are not just students and professionals but also people with varying degree of education and very different background between the urbanised and the rural areas. Acronyms like GTP,NEM,NEAC,NKRA,SRI etc.etc will only confuse the message from the Government. Less acronyms is better.
Yes and there is another request from the good mothers and fathers at PAGE (Parent Action Group for Education)
Bring back English policy to assist transformation, says PAGE
By Lee Wei Lian September 28, 2010(MI)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — English-language lobby group PAGE has urged the private sector to push for the reinstatement of the policy to teach science and mathematics in English, saying that it is crucial for the success of the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim pointed out today that the decision to abolish the policy in July 2009 was done before any economic blueprint was in place.
“The ultra-nationalists were impatient and tiring for a decision on the policy, holding the government to ransom for Malay votes,” said Noor Azimah (picture) in a statement to the media. “As a result, Malaysia may soon live to regret the implications of such a decision unless measures are taken to dampen its negative effect of future global uncompetitiveness.”
She noted that the private sector was to drive the ETP and will require a skilled workforce but claimed most local graduates lack English proficiency and knowledge in science, technology and commerce.
“The domestic investment involved is tremendous and it is vital that the workforce, stemming from the quality of the education system in existence, must have the appropriate job skill sets for the jobs that are and will be available,” she said.
PAGE, which was established in May, has been among the most vocal groups on the policy of the teaching of science and mathematics in English, known as PPSMI in Malay. The decision to abolish PPSMI last year was widely seen as a political move to appease language nationalists and many have expressed concern that it would cause the standard of English in the country to further deteriorate and hurt the country’s competitiveness.
The ETP is one of the Najib administration’s initiatives aimed at roughly tripling gross national income in the next 10 years and is based on a slew of private sector-driven projects that would require private funds to the tune of US$266 billion (RM822 billion).
Yes Parents especially mothers knows best, listen to them, bring back the PPSMI, just as I mentioned before, the Government should and must have the intellectual clarity and the political will to do this. It is never too late to right a wrong. Its the right move to strengthen the Economic Transformation Programme further, do not be held back by the small group of Language Nationalists among us.
The ETP is a program which will take us right up to to Vision 2020. Just hope that the BN Government has the clarity of purpose and the political will to see it through as it will benefit all Malaysians.
Just to keep for the record and reference for the future:
This is a superb Open Day presentation of the ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME by PEMANDU.
A must read for all Malaysians as it shows how the "idea", than the "plan", than the "program" was developed. This is where the Government explains what is the GTP-GOVERNMENT TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME and the ETP-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
An interesting report by the edge property. com...Economic Transformation Programme - Full house on Open Day (OSK Research)
I never miss this, Salvatore-dali take on the program..The Economic Transformation Program
I was engrossed with Tuan Syed's take on the ETP here:
Part 1 : Pemandu, ETP, GTP, GNI, SRI, NKEA, KRA, TUKAR, PAKAR ETC
Part 2 : ETP / GTP Car Mechanics Pun Kena.
Part 3 ETP GTP Where Is Can Tho?
One should also not miss Dato' Sak's take on the ETP together with the New Economic Model too:
The Idris Jala Show
ETP, EPPs- rojaking our way to a high income economy
Najib and the ETP
Government support system and the ETP
Above all these I hope the Government would make less use of acronyms, because the Malaysian people are not just students and professionals but also people with varying degree of education and very different background between the urbanised and the rural areas. Acronyms like GTP,NEM,NEAC,NKRA,SRI etc.etc will only confuse the message from the Government. Less acronyms is better.
Yes and there is another request from the good mothers and fathers at PAGE (Parent Action Group for Education)
Bring back English policy to assist transformation, says PAGE
By Lee Wei Lian September 28, 2010(MI)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — English-language lobby group PAGE has urged the private sector to push for the reinstatement of the policy to teach science and mathematics in English, saying that it is crucial for the success of the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim pointed out today that the decision to abolish the policy in July 2009 was done before any economic blueprint was in place.
“The ultra-nationalists were impatient and tiring for a decision on the policy, holding the government to ransom for Malay votes,” said Noor Azimah (picture) in a statement to the media. “As a result, Malaysia may soon live to regret the implications of such a decision unless measures are taken to dampen its negative effect of future global uncompetitiveness.”
She noted that the private sector was to drive the ETP and will require a skilled workforce but claimed most local graduates lack English proficiency and knowledge in science, technology and commerce.
“The domestic investment involved is tremendous and it is vital that the workforce, stemming from the quality of the education system in existence, must have the appropriate job skill sets for the jobs that are and will be available,” she said.
PAGE, which was established in May, has been among the most vocal groups on the policy of the teaching of science and mathematics in English, known as PPSMI in Malay. The decision to abolish PPSMI last year was widely seen as a political move to appease language nationalists and many have expressed concern that it would cause the standard of English in the country to further deteriorate and hurt the country’s competitiveness.
The ETP is one of the Najib administration’s initiatives aimed at roughly tripling gross national income in the next 10 years and is based on a slew of private sector-driven projects that would require private funds to the tune of US$266 billion (RM822 billion).
Yes Parents especially mothers knows best, listen to them, bring back the PPSMI, just as I mentioned before, the Government should and must have the intellectual clarity and the political will to do this. It is never too late to right a wrong. Its the right move to strengthen the Economic Transformation Programme further, do not be held back by the small group of Language Nationalists among us.
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