‘Najib’s image soars, but UMNO leaders are not happy’
HARAKAHDAILY Thursday, 26 January 2012 22:20
EXCLUSIVE Jan 26: Pangs of dissatisfaction are being felt among UMNO leaders who are questioning its president Najib Razak’s self-promotion, while at the same time the party image suffers a steady decline.
Harakahdaily has been briefed by a well-placed party insider that UMNO leaders were starting to realise this development trend following various pollsters’ findings that Najib’s popularity has been on the rise, with some saying exceeding even that of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
And while this is taking place, other UMNO and BN leaders have seen their ratings taking a plunge, with Najib’s deputy Muhyiddin Yassin taking the brunt of it.
“If the trend continues, it would only be who will win the coming general election. The rest of us can pack up,” said the UMNO leader, a former state assemblyman who lost in the 2008 elections.
Citing the controversy surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation, he pointed how Najib absolved himself from the scandal by tasking Muhyiddin and Noh Omar, the current Agriculture and Agro-based minister, to handle the heat.
“However, it was Najib who chaired the High Impact Committee which approved the project. Some even questioned why Najib did not stop the Auditor General’s report on NFC when he had been privy to reports about the project’s problems as early as 2010,” he added.
Enter the ‘NCT’
Meanwhile, another source has revealed to Harakahdaily about the formation of a media agency called National Communication Team, an effort inspired by controversial image consultant Apco who has been tasked with boosting Najib’s popularity.
According to the information obtained, the NCT is an agency under the Prime Minister’s department, operating from Bangsar.
The source added that NCT is led by Sufi Yusuff, former press secretary to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Sufi replaces Jalil Hamid, who served news agency Reuters’s Kuala Lumpur bureau and who is said to have been given the responsibility to helm the UMNO-owned New Straits Times to prevent any sabotage against Najib.
Explaining further, the source revealed that the NCT was made up of ‘advisers’ comprised of senior journalists, including Khalid Mohamad, former chief editor of UMNO’s staunchly right-wing mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia.
It said NCT’s original role to prop up the government’s image had now been replaced with efforts to ensure a positive image for Najib.
“Due to this, those in NCT are confused. Who do they report to? The country or the personal needs of Najib?”
Kajian: Kesan negatif pemecatan Hasan Ali minima
Harakahdaily, |
26 Jan 2012 |
KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Jan: Pusat Penyelidikan PAS (PPP) melalui satu tinjauan yang dijalankan mendapati tindakan PAS memecat keahlian Dr Hasan Ali hanya memberi kesan minimum di kalangan masyarakat Melayu.
Pengarah Operasinya, Dr Ahmad Zuhdi Marzuki dalam satu kenyataan hari ini memberitahu, tinjauan tersebut telah menggunakan dua kaedah iaitu dengan menilai komen-komen pembaca terhadap isu pemecatan ini sebagaimana yang dipaparkan oleh media-media baru seperti Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider, Berita Semasa dan Youtube.
Manakala keduanya, dengan melakukan wawancara terhadap responden-responden terpilih yang mewakili 24 kawasan parlimen seluruh negara.
Menurutnya, hasil penilaian mendapati 85 peratus daripada komen-komen pembaca Malaysiakini dan 67 peratus daripada komen-komen pembaca Malaysian Insider adalah positif terhadap pemecatan, manakala bagi pembaca Berita Semasa pula 44 peratus menyokong pemecatan, manakala 49 peratus tidak menyokong dan selebihnya tidak pasti.
Tinjauan juga dibuat terhadap penonton klip Youtube berkaitan dengan pengumuman Presiden PAS mengenai pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali seperti yang diterbitkan oleh TVPAS. Daripada 67,796 penonton, 273 penonton memberi maklumbalas sama ada like atau dislike yang boleh menjadi petunjuk (indicator) sama ada menyokong atau tidak. 80 peratus daripada 273 penonton yang memberi maklumbalas itu, menyatakan ‘like’ yang boleh digambarkan sebagai positif terhadap pemecatan.
“Melihat kepada penilaian terhadap respon pembaca-pembaca dan penonton-penonton media baru, kesan positif hasil daripada pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali adalah lebih dominan,” katanya.
Menurutnya lagi, PPP juga menjalankan tinjauan melalui kaedah wawancara terhadap 24 Yang Dipertua PAS kawasan, dengan anggapan pandangan mereka mewakili pandangan golongan pakar disebabkan keterlibatan mereka secara langsung dengan masyarakat akar umbi di samping pengalaman mereka yang luas dalam kegiatan politik.
Tinjauan turut mengambil kira kemungkinan berlakunya bias dalam memberi pandangan sebagaimana yang biasa berlaku bagi tinjauan yang bersifat kualititatif.
“Hasil wawancara tersebut, dapat disimpulkan bahawa bagi ahli-ahli PAS pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali tidak langsung menimbulkan reaksi negatif.
“Manakala bagi masyarakat awam pula khususnya pengundi-pengundi Melayu, 9 Yang Dipertua PAS kawasan menjangkakan pemecatan itu boleh memberi kesan negatif kepada kawasan mereka, manakala 15 yang lain melihatnya memberi kesan yang positif atau tidak memberi apa-apa kesan,” jelasnya.
Hasil wawancara itu juga jelasnya boleh disimpulkan bahawa penerimaan masyarakat Melayu di kalangan bukan penyokong parti terhadap pemecatan tersebut adalah terpecah dua iaitu 50–50.
Tambahnya, meskipun tinjauan yang dilakukan ini dibuat dalam tempoh yang begitu singkat dan menggunakan kaedah yang agak mudah, ia dapat memberi gambaran awal tentang kesan pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali dari PAS terhadap pengundi-pengundi Melayu khususnya golongan atas pagar.
“Berdasarkan kedua-dua tinjauan, penilaian terhadap komen-komen pembaca media baru dan wawancara yang dijalankan, kesan negatif dari pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali di kalangan masyarakat Melayu khususnya adalah sangat minima.
“Malah sekiranya merujuk kepada maklumbalas pembaca-pembaca akhbar alternatif seperti Malaysiakini dan Malaysian Insider, kesan positif pemecatan dilihat lebih ketara berbanding kesan negatif. Sehubungan dengan itu, boleh disimpulkan kesan negatif pemecatan Dr Hasan Ali tidaklah membimbangkan,” katanya.
Najib ceding to Umno hawks over court appeals, says Pakatan
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak is “painting himself into a corner” with the government’s latest court pursuit of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Karpal Singh, in what Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders say were moves designed to placate the hardliners in Umno.
Yesterday, public prosecutors filed to appeal against Anwar’s high-profile acquittal from a charge of sodomy, the same day the Court of Appeal reversed Karpal’s acquittal from a sedition charge and ordered the latter to enter his defence.
Anwar and Karpal are senior leaders in the three-party opposition PR bloc. Anwar is seen to be Najib’s political arch-foe in their scramble for Putrajaya in the next elections.
In Malaysia, the Attorney-General has sole discretion on prosecutions, but Najib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has held power for over 50 years, is seen to wield much influence on the bureaucracy.
“Najib has given up the opportunity to move on and engage the middle ground. By giving up other vote banks, he is narrowing his appeal and painting himself into a corner,” DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong told The Malaysian Insider…..Read more
PR’s meeting with Zahid ends on positive note
Harakahdaily |
| Thursday, 19 January 2012 23:02 |
Jan 19: Pakatan Rakyat represented by three members of parliament from PAS, DAP and PKR today concluded their meeting with Defence minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi with a suggestion that a parliamentary oversight committee be formed to provide check and balance to the country’s defence expenditure. Dzulkefly, Tony Pua and Saifuddin speak to reporters after the meeting
PAS’s Dzulkefly Ahmad said Zahid and other officials from his ministry who participated in the meeting seemed receptive to the proposal. “This is a good development. The people will benefit when opposition leaders who are also parliament members could play their role to ensure there is check and balance in government expenditure, specifically in the purchase of military equipment,” said Dzulkefly, the Kuala Selangor MP. He was joined by DAP’s Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution. The meeting with Zahid was held at the Ministry of Defence this afternoon, and was also attended by its chief secretary Ismail Ahmad, army generals as well as Barisan Nasional MPs. Dzulkefly said a major issue discussed at the meeting was the cost of six patrol vessels for the navy, which shot up from RM6 billion to RM9 billion. Ismail had then provided an explanation, saying the actual cost was RM9 billion, but only RM6 billion was allocated in the Tenth Malaysia Plan for the purpose. The remaining RM3 billion, he said, has been added into the Eleventh Malaysia Plan. Saifuddin said Pakatan Rakyat would study the explanation before giving its response. Pua meanwhile said the country stood to gain from the ministry’s readiness to meet the opposition, and hoped the gesture could be emulated by other ministries. Pua had last month mooted a parliamentary oversight committee after speaking out against the country’s spiralling defence costs. |
Zahid to be quizzed on defence procurements
11:50AM Jan 18, 2012 (MKini) |
Three opposition MPs are to raise issues related to controversial multi-billion ringgit procurements when they meet with Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tomorrow, on his invitation.
The representatives are DAP’s Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua (left in photo), PKR’s Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution and PAS’ Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad (right in photo).
The RM9 billion contract with Boustead Naval Shipyards for six littoral combatant ships (frigate class) is expected to feature in the discussions.
“The contract was signed despite the defence minister having told Parliament, twice in March last year, that the ceiling price set for the acquisition of these ships was RM6 billion,” Pua said in a statement this morning.
“This represents a huge increase of RM3 billion or 50 percent of the original budget.”
Scandal-hit company to build warships
Pua said Malaysians were even more concerned when Boustead announced that the ships would be built by scandal-ridden French warship manufacturer DCNS.
DCNS had been convicted by a French court of bribing Taiwanese officials and fined RM2.5 billion.
The company supplied Malaysia two Scorpene submarines, costing RM6.5 million, and has allegedly paid its local agent Perimekar Sdn Bhd RM500 million to for “coordination and support services”.
One of Perimekar’s shareholders is the wife of political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (left), who is closely linked to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who was defence minister at the time of the Scorpene purchase.
Abdul Razak was one of three people charged with the gruesome murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shariibuu, who acted as a translator in the Scorpene procure deal, but was released without his defence being called.
Locally-based human rights NGO Suaram has filed a case in the French court against DCNS for allegedly paying kickbacks to Malaysian government officials for the submarine purchase. The payment of commissions for such deals is illegal under French law.
Pua also said that Zahid must also explain the RM7.55 billion purchase of 257 armoured personnel carriers, each of which cost RM29.4 million.
Deftech Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of DRB-Hicom Bhd, owned by a businessman closely linked to Umno - Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary – has purchased the “base system” for the carriers from Turkish defence company FNSS Defence Systems for about RM1.7 billion or RM6.7 million each.
Last month, Zahid (right) invited Pua and Kita president Zaid Ibrahim to meet him so he could answer their queries over the purchase of the patrol vessels, also known as littoral combat ships (LCS).
Zahid, however, questioned where Pua got his information that the total cost of the six vessels had gone up from RM6 billion to RM9 billion.
Said Pua: “The minister must be transparent about this procurement, especially since it was not done by open tender.
“The government must provide details of equipment and services which makes the difference between the acquisition cost of RM7.55 billion relative to the base system of only RM1.7 billion.”
He reiterated his call to the government to set up a Parliamentary Oversight Committee to review and to ensure greater accountability and transparency in the country’s defence procurements.
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PAS defends sacking, says Hasan was on warpath
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — PAS has defended its sacking of Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, with one leader saying today the Selangor assemblyman’s attacks against the Islamist party left it with “no other choice.”
PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said Hasan’s criticism against the party and its policies left the leadership with little choice but utilise provisions in the party’s constitution to expel him.
Citing Article 82 (9) of the party charter, Dzulkefly said the central working committee was authorised to directly penalise members for “special and major” offences.
“What could be worse than waging war against party’s aspiration, decision and policies?” he told The Malaysian Insider.
Former Selangor PAS chief Hasan said today he will embark on a nationwide tour “soon” to explain what he claims are the true reasons behind his “unjust” sacking from the Islamist party.
Speaking at a press conference at his home, Hasan charged that his dismissal came a day after PKR deputy president Azmin Ali had attacked him for discouraging students from attending a gathering in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last week.
Hasan said the expulsion went against any “normal procedures”, and that it was undemocratic and “autocratic” of the PAS leadership to not give him a chance to defend himself against accusations that he was not then aware of.
In response, Dzulkefly pointed out that Hasan had ample opportunity to “correct and redeem” himself for his actions, but failed to do so.
“Hasan had all avenues… including meeting a senior member of the Majlis Syura Ulama sent to see him.
“But he even refused to see him… on numerous occasions he levelled caustic allegations against PAS, accusing us of deviating from our struggle in Barisan Nasional media including our Negara Berkebajikan document which was endorsed in the PAS Muktamar, the party’s highest authority,” he added.
Hasan had also claimed that “parasites” had infiltrated the party, causing the leadership to “bow down” to their demands and compromise PAS’s Islamic struggles
Noh Omar passes buck on NFC scandal to Muhyiddin
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Facing heat for his alleged role in the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) controversy, Datuk Seri Noh Omar today deflected all queries on the scandal to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister, when asked by reporters today to explain why the NFC’s operations have not been discontinued when its assets have been frozen, told reporters here to direct their questions to Muhyiddin instead.
He was also asked on the proposed action to be taken against NFC, which is being run by Datuk Seri Mohamed Salleh Ismail, the husband of minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abd Jalil.
“It’s okay, this one, you ask DPM,” he said twice during a press conference here, before adding that he had to leave….Read More
Tawaran Jingga Pakatan Rakyat – ‘Bersihkan Malaysia’
Di ambang pilihanraya umum ke-13 (PRU 13), negara kembali berdepan dengan pelbagai kemelut dan suasana krisis hasil langsung dari urus-tadbir dan tata-kelola sebuah pemerintahan yang tempang. Sebuah kerajaan yang tidak benar-benar komited untuk mensejahterakan rakyat seluruhnya bahkan meletakkan keutamaannya untuk membela suku-sakat kroni dan membolot kekayaan negara untuk segelintir kelompok penguasa, lazimnya akan berakhir dengan kehidupan rakyat yang serba terhempit dan ternafi dari mengecapi kekayaan dan kemakmuran negara.
Justeru, jurang antara kaya-miskin tampak semakin melebar, kesenjangan pembangunan antara bandar-desa, antara pantai Barat Semenanjung dan negeri pantai Timur-Utara, serta Sabah-Sarawak semakin ketara. Begitu juga hal hutang negara, khasnya hutang awam (Kerajaan Persekutuan) terus membengkak, daya-saing terus menjunam, ‘brain-drain’ tidak mampu disekat, ketirisan akibat rasuah dan salahguna kuasa dalam sistem ‘delivery’ berulang setiap tahun dan ekonomi terdedah kepada ancaman kebankrapan hasil pengurusan dan defisit fiskal yang tidak mematuhi tuntutan amalan terbaik-best practice- dan prinsip tata-kelola kewangan pruden.
Lebih parah lagi kerana krisis ini bukan sahaja menyinggung aspek ekonomi dan kewangan akan tetapi melingkungi seluruh dimensi kehidupan bermasyarakat dan bernegara. Kebrentakan ini terpapar jelas dengan pelbagai pola-pola persengkataan yang semakin tajam dan mendalam, di segi pertentangan ras-perkauman, tuntutan kelompok pendukung agama secara sempit dan kelompangan atau ‘lacuna’ bidang kuasa legal dan perundangan yang kerap disemarakkan api kefanatikan dan kejumudan politik perkauman. Read more…
Umno hawks sharpening their claws
The Umno conservatives are not happy with Najib as they see his reform agenda as a weakness.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s reforms have not gone down well with Umno’s conservatives, who form the party’s power base.
High ranking officials told FMT that the Umno hawks disprove of Najib’s pledges to improve civil liberties which they saw as a sign of “excessive leniency”.
The starting point to the growing “silent revolt” began with Najib’s economic liberalisation promises that saw him vowing to open up key sectors to non-Malay ownership.
It is understood that many Umno hardliners had accepted Najib’s rationale behind the move on the basis of his vows to preserve Bumiputera interests in businesses.
But the trust soon eroded following his recent move to implement bold political reforms.
According to one party leader, Umno hawks failed to see the positive side of the move but instead perceived it to be pandering to opposition demands, an alien scenario in its history as the ruling class.
The reforms included the planned abolition of the Internal Security Act which allows detention without trial which party conservatives believe is key to “maintaining order” and drafting a law to allow street rallies. Read more…
Sneak peek of Pakatan manifesto at weekend meet
Aidila Razak (MKini)
1:03PM Jan 11, 2012
Pakatan Rakyat will give a small peek into its anticipated election manifesto at the coalition’s convention this weekend, through several working papers.
At a press conference today, PAS MP for Kuala Selangor Dzulkefly Ahmad said the papers to be presented at the Alor Setar convention make up the ‘Jingga Deal’.
“This Jingga Deal which will also be launched in the election manifesto,” he said.
He said that Kelantan exco member Husam Musa will present a paper on reforming the civil service; DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke speak on federalism; Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim will deliver an anti-monopoly paper; and PKR Felda bureau chief Suhaimi Said will present one on reforming Felda.
According to PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar, the convention themed ‘Bersihkan Malaysia’ (Clean Up Malaysia) will be heavily focused on the upcoming election which could be called “after Chap Goh Mei” on Feb 7.
“The convention will give Malaysians an impression of how Pakatan aims to solve issues in the nation… to create a Malaysia that is owned by all Malaysians,” he said.
The one-day convention on Saturday, which will see PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s first public appearance in Malaysia since the sodomy acquittal, will also feature debates by civil society representatives.
“We will have debaters from among the civil service, NGOs, student groups, academics and the communtities in Sabah and Sarawak,” Mahfuz said.
The convention will be preceded by ceramahs in 14 of 15 parliamentary constitutuencies in Kedah on Jan 13, followed by one in the remaining constituency on Saturday night.
He said about 2,500 delegates and observers will attend the convention, while organisers are expecting a bigger number for the ceramah on Saturday night.
“The organisers are prepared for up to 100,000 people,” he said of the event to be held at the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Suka Menanti Stadium.
This will be Pakatan’s third convention, with the first having been held in Shah Alam in 2009, during which the coalition launched its common policy framework.
The Buku Jingga was launched at the second convention in Kepala Batas in 2010.
Also present at the press conference today was DAP vice-chairperson Tan Kok Wai and PKR vice-president N Surendran.
