KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced a series of changes sought by Sabahans.

They included measures for poverty eradication, a high-powered Cabinet committee to tackle the illegal immigrants, abolishment of the Department of Federal Development Sabah (JPPS) and an additional development grant of RM1bil.

Other goodies were a Petronas downstream petro-chemical plant for Sabah and a 300MW gas fuelled power plant as well as an additional RM400,000 allocation for each state constituency.

MALACCA: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is confident that MIC will return as a strong partner of the Barisan Nasional through a rebranding exercise, which will see the change of mindset among all party leaders.

He said the full support of its 630,000 members was also important in making this a reality.

"The time has come for us to change, especially in our style of work, to gain the support of the Indian community before the next general election," he said.

Speaking before officiating the state MIC convention at the Malacca International Trade Centre, he said the first move would be to get about 10 per cent of the 630,000 party members onto the electoral roll.

He said this would ensure that BN would perform better in the next general election.

This is a serious issue.We have been deprived from getting our own main channel to air local programs.Now ,they have abolished the airing of tamil dramas in TV2.How would, Rakyat ,with no Astro could watch local tele drama's?

Malaysia Nanban reported that the Information Ministry had decided to ban the screening of Tamil dramas from India over TV2.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said that the decision to ban such dramas was surprising as it was the only country that produced Tamil dramas for Malaysian viewers.

He said that the MIC secretary general and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam raised the matter at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

Why the Immigration dept have not received authorization letter yet? Who is reponsible for this?

THE Government will not extend permits for priests and temple musicians from India to continue working in the temples in Malaysia, says Penang Hindu Endowment Board chief A. Thanashekaran.

He said that new applications had been rejected by the Immigration department, Makkal Osai reported.

Previously, the visas for the temple priests and temple musicians were extended for another one year at RM50 when their current visa period expired.

Their visas are only being extended on a month-to-month basis at the same cost.

He said that this decision had forced temple committees to incur extra expenditure and created problems when conducting daily prayers without a trained priest from India.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting the temple committee of Sri Ramar temple, one of the temples being managed by the Hindu Endowment Board, at the temple premises yesterday.

Thanashekaran, who is also the Bagan Dalam state assemblyman, said that though the Cabinet had approved the entry of the foreign priests from India, the Immigration department had yet to get the official green light.

PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has provided “fast lane assistance” to 117 non-bumiputra Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia top achievers from low-income families, applying for scholarship to study abroad.

Public Service director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said a total of 151 students were eligible to have their applications put on the fast lane and the remaining 34 were bumiputra students.

He said the assistance was extended to the students who scored 10 A1s and who came from low-income families, earning below RM1,500 a month.

“We accepted it as that and did not try to adjust anything,” he said, clarifying an earlier report, which said more bumiputra applicants were given “fast lane assistance” compared to the non-bumiputra.

Ismail pointed out the figure was actually the opposite, adding that while scholarships for these students were “almost assured of, they still had to attend interviews.”

He also said the department was mulling over suggestions to inform scholarship applicants as to why they were rejected, adding this was a common complaint among students and parents who were disappointed that they were not told why their application was rejected.

"It is positive feedback and we will look into this. However, there will be a lot of paperwork to be done because the number of applications that are being rejected are in the thousands," he said.

This year, the PSD is offering 2,000 scholarships for studies abroad. A total of 6,262 students who scored 9As and above applied for the scholarships.

Ismail said the Government could not offer more overseas scholarships due to constraints in quota that foreign universities have for international students, adding that medical degrees from certain countries like the United States and Japan were not recognised here.

He said students who sat for their SPM last year could also apply for some 10,000 scholarships available to study at local universities, adding those who are successful in obtaining a place at Ivy League universities could also apply for a PSD scholarship.

MALACCA: A privilege card will be issued to the 630,000 MIC members as part of the party’s rebranding exercise in creating a corporate image apart from rewarding them, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

He said the card, called the “Dhana” or Wealth Cards in Sanskrit, would allow each member to enjoy at least 20 benefits and privileges.

They include special healthcare programmes, mobile phone offers and discounts on newspaper advertisements, motorcycles, automobile, entertainment and retail outlets as well as travel.

Speaking at the opening of the 62nd Malacca MIC delegates conference here, Samy Vellu said MIC would be the first political party to offer a discount and privilege card to its members when it is implemented.

“The MIC’s 630,000 members are a powerful economic force and it’s time to bargain economic privileges for party members,” he said, adding that its value and features must appeal to members especially to the youth segment.

He said the card was also to show the party’s appreciation to members for their loyalty and sacrifices.

Samy Vellu said he has also asked the party headquarters to compile the members’ photographs and vital information to enable the cards to be issued.

“I hope members will cooperate with the MIC headquarters by submitting their photographs,” he said, adding that it would take some time before all the members were issued with their card.

He said the party would also hold discussions with other big shopping stores or malls, petrol stations, travel agencies, airlines, hotels, car rental companies and other related companies to provide ‘Dhana' cardholders with discounts and other privileges.

“It is actually to the advantage of these companies as they will have 630,000 loyal clients who will make purchases at their stores or companies,” he said.

Samy Vellu said the card would contain the MIC’s logo that will also serve as an attraction for more new members to join the party, he said.

Federal Territories Deputy Minister and MIC Information Chief Datuk M. Saravanan has joined the bandwagon and launched his own website and blog.

Saravanan’s website can be accessed at www.msaravanan.com and his blog at msaravanan68.blogspot.com.

The website contains articles and pictures depicting the growth of the 40-year-old politician from the time he was a “kampung boy” staying at the quarters of the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital here to what he is now.


It also contains his biodata and his vision and mission for the various segments of the community as well as an FAQ (frequently asked questions) column.


Saravanan has also created a reflections column where the deputy minister promises to post his views on issues and a column to post feedback from readers.


"This (website) will enable me to get closer to the people and hear them directly. It will also help clear misconceptions about me. The website will enable people, whoever they may be, to contact me directly,” he said.


"The blog, on the other hand, enables the people to read my views and give their reaction to issues that crop up from time to time.


"I believe the use of the Internet in the country has reached a level where people are logging in more than ever and, as politicians, we have to be on par with the current goings-on.


"I invite people to read the contents of the site and then judge me from there. Please don’t listen to rumours and coffeshop talk. If you have a doubt, mail me or get in touch with me through the blog to clear the doubt,” he told Bernama.

EVER SINCE the general election, there have been calls and challenges by Umno members for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as party president and with it his position as prime minister.

Is this the birth of something new from Umno? Or have they so matured? This has never happened before. Even when a former president wanted to quit, there were appeals and cries of support for him to continue. Some cried openly like there was nobody who could take his place. But suddenly today there seemed many who want to take over the hot seat. Some Supreme Council members of the party openly criticise and even demand that the incumbent president vacate his post immediately. Hey presto! And Umno will be united and strong. That is what the aspiring members say. Wow! Houdinis or David Copperfields exist in Umno. Never knew that.

Maybe, the Umno president should call for the resignation of these “mushroom” hopefuls. Where they and what were they doing since the 2004 elections? Didn’t they live and rest on their laurels after the handsome win? It was that big victory that created egoistic and arrogant winners among the members. With that attitude, they took the rakyat for granted. Never in their wildest dream did they imagine they would lose so badly. What happened to the Houdini’s and David Copperfield?

Aren’t these the same group of people who now boast they can change Umno’s fortune?

I would like to urge Abdullah not to succumb to these pressures but to continue the good work that he has done and to cast aside dissenting voices and demands for his resignation.

A ship captain doesn’t abandon ship when it is sinking but is the last to jump. Let the crew jump ship and it probably will make the ship lighter and easier to float while repairs are being done to remedy the situation. That is what Pak Lah should do. Let the disloyal members leave; thus a big headache is cast off.
This action will help consolidate his position. There is no reason to fear a chain reaction. Those who jump ship can be termed as jumping from the tiger’s den into a crocodile’s territory. If at all, this will create a slide in support, it will augur well among the masses and Pak Lah’s honour and dignity will remain intact.

My concern is not so much what will happen to Umno but what will happen to Malaysia. Now, Umno with other Barisan Nasional parties administer the country and Umno holds the hottest seat – the prime ministership.

Without support from the other BN parties, Umno members would be biting their fingers. Together, these BN parties delivered 140 seats in Parliament. A simple majority but enough to run the government. There may be tough situations in Parliament but it is to be expected.

Frontbenchers and backbenchers must allow room for dissent and disagreements
Be attentive and accommodative. Show cooperation and coordination because the usual arrogance and unparliamentarily attitude and gestures are now things of the past. Tolerance and patience from both sides will create a healthy debate and save time and effort which will translate into quality results.
Pakatan Rakyat under Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as Madam Opposition should also set exemplary standards of parliamentary ship and not oppose for the sake of it. Both BN and PR can demonstrate cooperation by practising respect and goodwill in or out of Parliament.

Parliament is not a place to seek vengeance. It is a constitutional monument of decorum and dignity. People who cannot meet the requisites of an MP should stay in coffee shops instead.

If all Umno and BN party members keep calling for Pak Lah to quit, it only goes to show they are not interested in the nation’s and the rakyat’s wellbeing but only theirs. And these sorts of people Malaysia does not need. Maybe they want Pak Lah to use brooms to sweep them out.

The 72-year-old Nijhar who has been the vice-president for three terms, had announced his intention to resign at the last committee meeting early this month.

I have nothing against Samy Vellu. We have only minor disagreements on some issues...

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the committee accepted Nijhar’s resignation at yesterday’s meeting.

On the reasons for Nijhar's resignation, Samy Vellu said the former Subang MP had stated his intention in the press.

“I don’t have any quarrels with him,” he said.

Nijhar, when contacted, said that he had sent text messages to Samy Vellu and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam on his resignation.

“I have nothing against Samy Vellu. We have only minor disagreements on some issues,” he said.

He said that he had already stated that the decision to quit was not against Samy Vellu or anybody else in the party.

“I won’t be where I am in politics without Samy Vellu's help. I am very grateful.

“It is just that sooner or later, I have to call it a day from politics. I remain a life member of the party and would be available to serve again if needed,” said Nijhar.

Nijhar joined MIC in 1973 and had held several positions including treasurer-general, CWC member and secretary-general before being elected as a vice president in 2000. He retained the vice president’s post in 2003 and 2006.

He was appointed a senator for six years and served as parliamentary secretary of the International Trade and Industry Ministry from June 1989 to June 1991

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC vice-president Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar has resigned after a heated row two weeks ago with party chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

A senior MIC official confirmed that Nijhar, the highest ranking Sikh in the party, had submitted his resignation and that an official announcement would be made today.

Nijhar, when contacted, declined to comment but said the party would make an announcement on the matter.

The former Subang member of parliament's decision to quit the party comes on the heels of an argument with Samy Vellu during the MIC central working committee meeting on May 15.

Reporters waiting outside the room saw a visibly upset Nijhar storming out, slamming the door behind him after shouting: "I never knew you to be such a cruel man. How can you simply sack a man?"

It was later learnt that Nijhar was upset with the expulsion of former Kapar division chairman S. Subramaniam, better known as Jumbo Maniam.

Meanwhile, a source close to Nijhar said his resignation was not linked to the incident but to make way for new blood.

"He had to go sooner or later to give way for new blood and decided to call it a day,' said the source, who did not say why Nijhar had chosen to quit mid-term.

KUALA LUMPUR: Will spending RM500,000 on new uniforms, logos and letterheads really help the MIC to be more appealing to the Indian community?

Many have their doubts.

After the party's heavy losses in the general elections, it has come under intense pressure, particularly for the resignation of its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

Some have even begun to question the relevance of the party, especially in catering to the new generation.

While the rebranding sounds like a good attempt to bring the party back to its glory days, many are questioning the need to spend on non-tangibles.

Malaysian Indian Businessmen Association president P. Sivakumar said the RM500,000 allocation for the party's rebranding exercise could be put to better use. It could be used as a start-up capital for small businesses or for those struggling to pay for their university entrance fees.

Sivakumar said the real issue facing MIC was leadership. "It's time for the legend to give way to a younger person," he said, alluding to Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's tenure as party president. He added, however, that Samy Vellu could remain as an adviser.

Sivakumar also said the rebranding exercise should include putting to rest the controversy over Maika Holdings shares.

Many credit Samy Vellu for raising the status of MIC in his almost three decades in charge. However, they also say he needs to accept blame for the current state of the party.

"How can you rebrand a party without any kind of rebranding in the leadership?" asked a member.

This prickly question was, in fact, asked of Samy Vellu when he announced the party's rebranding exercise. He had then replied that the party would know when it would rebrand its leadership.

Former MIC central committee member K.P. Samy is one of those who argues that merely changing the uniform colours and party song will not help MIC much.

"What is more important is for MIC to go to the ground and identify key people who can help to rebuild the image of the party. It doesn't matter to whom they are aligned with."

Samy said the party should also revive its defunct branches and invite expelled members to return to the fold.

Samy said that all Indian-based parties like IPF, IPF Bersatu, MIC Baru and even the Indian-dominated PPP should merge to become one strong representative of the Indian community.

"Only then will the MIC be in a position to do something better to rectify the mistakes and capitalise on weakness of the opposition," he said.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia academician and political analyst Dr Ahmad Nidzammuddin Sulaiman also said that a new leader was necessary, preferably one who was more vocal in fighting for issues of concern to the Indian community.

"The truth is, people are simply tired of him," Ahmad said. "He is too authoritarian. People cannot accept him any more as they are looking for a leader who is accountable, transparent and exhibits openness."

He said the Hindu Rights Action Force had exposed MIC by succeeding where the party had failed, despite championing the same issues.

"They used a non-traditional way where they had repackaged the issues and used the principles of human and civil rights in their arguments."

Ahmad said MIC must have more discussions with the grassroots and take into consideration their views before making any decision.

"But, that is not happening now. Only Samy Vellu is seen making a decision."

MIC central working committee member T. Mohan said the party needed to improve its public relations skills and work closer with the media.

"We have done a lot of work, especially for the hardcore poor. We even paid their electricity bills or house rental. We have also done a lot of programmes for the youth and single mothers, but not many people know of this.

"People who do not know of our work often criticise that we did not do anything. But, with good PR skills, we will be able to tell the people through the media what we have been doing."

Another central working committee member, S. Murugesan, agreed that MIC should engage the community more in the decision-making process

The MIC is the only party representing the Indian Malaysian community’s interests in the cabinet, asserted party president S Samy Vellu.

He was contesting a recent claim by T Murugiah, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, that the premier had endorsed him as the community’s representative.

Murugiah, the PPP Youth head, was sworn in as a senator on April 21 and then assigned his cabinet post.However, Samy Vellu said Dr S Subramaniam , the human resources minister and MIC secretary-general, is “the sole minister representing the Indian community”.“Many Indians in need of help approach MIC now and the party takes good care of the needs of the community. We solve their problems,” he said yesterday, after a meeting with Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at Parliament House.

Samy Vellu said he had also raised the need for funds to build and refurbish Tamil schools, as many of these are dilapidated. “A couple of years ago we asked for RM16.5million funds to build 18 Tamil schools. The education ministry approved the funds, but channeled only RM6.98 million to the public works department,” he said. “So far we have started building seven schools in Ulu Tiram, Batu Empat (Klang), Bandar Baru Salak (Salak Tinggi), Kalaimagal (Sungai Petani), Ladang Wellesley (Lunas) Senawang(Seremban) and Kajang (Selangor).”

On April 23, Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed said that tenders to repair 40 Tamil schools nationwide would be opened for bidding by May. The projects worth RM41.5 million are expected to start in July, under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Additional requests Samy Vellu further said he has requested the government for “two new licences” - to buy a plot of land for a new RM5.5 million Tamil school in Payar Besar, Lunas, and to build another Tamil school in Sungai Siput, Perak, as the current premises are too small.

Another request was for all Tamil schools to be converted from partially funded to fully funded one. “The minister has given me confidence that everything will be taken care of systematically.
“Hishammuddin is quite positive about certain things and I’m very happy (that) we can clean up these Tamil schools problems during his (tenure),” said Samy Vellu.“I feel this is our government...we can always see them, talk to them and make them understand our problems.”

Below are some pictures on official launching of Putera MIC,Tebrau Division,Johor by Dato.T Saravanan. The elected Coordinator is Mr.Satish.

The event was to support Dato Seri Samy Vellu's call to recruit more youth as members.

SHAH ALAM: Some 80 people from an Indian group gathered in front of the state secretariat building here on Monday to voice their dissatisfaction over what they said was a failure of the newly-elect state government to deliver on its campaign promises.

The unregistered society, the Selangor Indian Community Selangor led by K. Gunasegaran, said they hoped the government would attend to its pledges made before the March 8 general election.

The group handed a memorandum covering 13 issues to the office of Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The group called for the appointment of another Indian representative in the state executive council, at least six Indian representatives in each local council, and an Indian mayor for either the Shah Alam or Petaling Jaya city councils.

The group also asked that at least 25% of positions in the state government be allocated to Indians.

Special task officer Yahya Sahri received the memorandum on behalf of the Mentri Besar and said the state government would look into the demands.

IPOH: The proposed RM300mil annual fund aimed at improving the Indian community will not be handled by the MIC, its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

Hitting out at critics that the proposal was another scam by the MIC to make money out of the Indian community, Samy Vellu said:

“Not a single sen of the RM300mil yearly allocation sought to raise the equity of Indians will pass through the MIC.”The party, he said, would have no hand in the decision-making, selection process or the disbursement of funds.

“The money is to be given out in the form of loans by financial institutions as well as development programmes and support schemes by government agencies,” he told reporters Monday before opening the Perak MIC Convention here.

As the ones who initiated the proposal, Samy Vellu said the MIC, through its Social Rehabilitation Foundation, could act as part of a monitoring body.

He detailed that of the total yearly amount being sought from the Government under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, RM100mil would be disbursed in loans or grants to the poor for the purpose of trust fund investments.

“The funds are to be handled by Permodalan Nasional Bhd or any others set by the Government,” he explained.

He said RM50mil would go towards loans to help small and medium industries or enterprises, RM30mil in micro-credit loans for 2,000 participants, and RM10mil to agro-based businesses.

“Under the Tamil schools development programme, RM50mil will be used to build new schools, and RM15mil for 100 new pre-schools and RM30mil to create hostel facilities at 50 schools on a yearly basis,” he said.

Another RM15mil would be used to help displaced poor families and single mothers under a welfare support scheme, he added.

Noting that the proposal had already been submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in-charge-of the Economic Planning Unit Senator Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz, he said the MIC would later be meeting the Prime Minister on the proposed fund next week.

“Hopefully, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will make a favourable announcement when he opens the MIC national convention in July,” he added.

Instead of harnessing the power of politics, Malaysians seem to be engrossed with the politics of power. I know that Malaysians love a good drama but I don't think we expected our politicians to do their best and give us our money's worth.

Less than three months after the election, Malaysia seem to have slid down the slippery slope of uncertainty, thanks to endless politicking after the people have spoken. Who would have thought that the party that won the election is tearing itself apart without much provocation from anyone? How crazy is that?The opposition must be watching and scratching their head.

Let us not forget that the election is over. The people want to get back to their daily life and they want the Government to get back to work. Lest those in Government forget or are confused, politics is not the business of Government. Politics is something the people tolerate every five years. Politics should take place after office hours, especially for politicians.

Politics should not put the country at risk.

I do understand that Pak Lah may not be the most popular person in Umno,Dato Ong Ka ting is accused of organising peeping tom squads and Dato Seri Samy Vellu is rebranding MIC but hmm, what about the unity in BN? Whatever problems the various parties have please sorted it out amongst yourselves and don't make it look like all you are consumed with is politicking.

Right now, for obvious reasons Umno is under the brightest spotlight. I say all efforts to clean up Umno and put it back on the right track must be given full support by everyone because Umno is the backbone of the Government and if it breaks, the Government will collapse.

When the world is staring at the very real possibility of a global economic meltdown, instability in Government is the last thing that the country needs. If Umno and its leaders and former leaders feel that they are the right party for the people then they had better start pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and prove it.

Again, sort out whatever problems that you have quickly and cleanly and get on with the work of governing this country.

You want a new leader? Well the party election is in December right? Open it up and let the full force of democracy rip through the party. This cyclone of member’s opinion will be the best thing for the party, it will uproot and fling aside the weak and pointless, and it will pick up deadwood and throw them out.

All that will be left behind are the strong and purposeful.
What Umno leaders enjoy now is not genuine respect and I say this because for the past three decades we hear that telling off leaders is not the Umno way, challenging the leadership is not the Umno way and open dissent is not the Umno way.

Respect cannot be enforced by tradition alone; it still has to be earned.

I do want UMNO to regain its strength, I want it to regain the people's respect and I want it to lead again not because I want Umno to lead but because we need two strong opposing parties for a two party system to work.

If Umno collapses then it would bring Barisan Nasional down with it and the people would be left where they started with a one party system, only now it would be called Pakatan Rakyat. Well, at least that is Anwar Ibrahim's dream.

A note on leading: When I say lead I don't mean just being in front by being the most powerful political party in the country. When I say lead, I mean the party should have foresight and vision and be able to bring the people together and march towards the greater good of the country.

Yes Umno is still the strongest political party in the country but leading it is not.
It is staggering with every heavy step, dragging its feet under the heavy burden of false tradition and bleeding respect from the many wounds of infighting.

Just remember one thing, Democracy is about choosing leaders from the ranks of the people and the people are made of the intelligent as well as the stupid, the honest as well as the criminal, the strong as well as the weak, the visionary as well as the backward.

We can choose whichever way we want.

If the system is open and free, then most of us will try to choose representatives who are smart, honest, with strong conviction and a visionary. If the system is manipulated, the stupid, bent, weak minded and backward can remain in power.

If I can only have one quality in a leader, it would be sincerity. A leader can always find smart advisors to help him or her run the country but if a leader is not sincere then no one can help him.

Once again, stop the politicking and get back to work.

IPOH: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged party leaders to set up their own weblogs (blogs) in an effort to re-brand the Barisan Nasional component party.

MIC would be using the Internet more widely to increase knowledge and understanding of the party's struggles and initiatives, he said.

“We will use it to reach out to professionals and youths. Our leaders need to teach themselves to use the Internet and if possible, create their own blogs,” he told reporters before opening the Perak MIC convention here on Sunday.

Samy Vellu said that the majority of leaders at division and branch levels were still not Net-savvy, so the party would teach those who were willing to learn.

“Soon, we will launch our own portal which would allow the people to take part in discussions.

“We will also make it compulsory for each state committee to have its own website and to update them daily,” he added.

MIC would be spending RM400,000 to equip some 160 divisions with computers and other equipment.

Watching the ICJ judgment of Pulau Batu Puteh and subconsciously my law lessons started flooding back and I found myself glued to the screen. Shocking.. I never thought I would ever find a court judgment interesting again but this one is really gripping.... at the moment the tribunal is showing favour to Malaysia....it keeps saying that the island is still part of the Johor sultanate but then it began wavering slightly…..oh the suspense

Then when it got to 1844 in the timeline, the court decided that the actions beyond this point will determine sovereignty----it said intention is crucial...

Did we acquiesce to the Singapore? Did Singapore's act require a response by Malaysia to determine that we conceded sovereignty...

It started by saying that Singapore is merely lighthouse keeper.....

Then said that Singapore is unclear of events in the preceding century....

But when a Johor state secretary gave away our claims to Singapore things get really interesting...

Singapore said this merely confirmed that Johor had no historic title to the island...huh?

Malaysia says state sec does not have rights to give away territory

But then we did nothing about it so it looks Singapore is getting into the lead..

Latest news: VERDICT:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has delivered its judgment on the sovereignty dispute case over Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge between Malaysia and Singapore today.

The decision for Pulau Batu Puteh was in favour of Singapore and Malaysia was given sovereignty of Middle Rocks. Decision on South ledge was unclear.

SUNGAI PETANI, FRI:

MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today expressed sadness over the move by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit Umno.

"I am saddened. Would it not be good if Dr Mahathir and (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) could reconcile for the sake of national development?” he told reporters after opening the Kedah MIC annual general meeting, here.

Dr Mahathir announced on Monday he was quitting Umno because he had lost confidence in the leadership of Abdullah and that he would only rejoin the party after Abdullah steps down as Umno president and prime minister.

The announcement had come following two years of criticism hurled at the Abdullah administration by Dr Mahathir.

Samy Vellu said, however, that the MIC supported Abdullah as the prime minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.

Bernama: The MIC will embark on a major exercise to rope in more professionals and youths to run branches in a bid to regain the Indians’ trust and confidence in the party and Barisan Nasional (BN), party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today.

He said the MIC would have to think of new strategies to woo them into the party as previous approaches might not be acceptable.

Opening the Perlis MIC Convention, he said the party had set its target on young graduates.

He also said the MIC would discard the “old methods” that had prevented them from voicing their ideas and dissatisfaction through the party.

"We want to allow for more voices, especially from professionals and youths, to be heard,” he said.

He said this move was part of the party’s re-branding exercise launched recently.

The MIC President said the time had come for the party to re-look at the way branches and divisions had been operating and to inject new dynamism and work culture among the leaders.

“In the last general election, the Indians rejected us because we were seen to be ineffective, but the truth is, we fought for their rights. Our mistake was not to make use of the Internet more effectively to disseminate the correct information and to counter the many lies spread about our party,” he said.

He also said it was incorrect to say that majority of the Indian voters voted for the opposition in the last general election.
"They voted against us because they were frustrated with BN for not doing enough,” he said.

Samy Vellu said it was found that 60 per cent of the Indian voters voted for the BN in the last general election compared to almost 85 per cent Indians who voted for the coalition in previous general elections.

He said what the party needed to do know was to stop the “soul searching’ process and the “denial syndrome” and get on with the job of rejuvenating MIC.

He also said the MIC would give its “full backing” to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to fulfil the pledges made by BN in the last general election.

“This is our priority now. We want the government to honour all its pledges made in the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the Indians,” he said, adding that by doing so, it would regain the Indians’ trust in the government and BN.

MIC urges Govt to reconsider appeals of 187 students
By A. LETCHUMANAN


KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC has appealed to the government to reconsider the appeal of 187 Malaysian Indian excellent students who were unsuccessful in their applications for the Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships for overseas programmes this year.

Party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said he had made the appeal during a meeting with the Chief Secretary to the Government. Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan Wednesday.

He said of the 187 students, three had scored 12 A1s, seven (11 A1s), 68 (10 A1s), 66 (9 A1s) and 43 (8A1s) in the 2007 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

“I explained to Sidek on the need to help these students. This was in line with the MIC’s aspiration to create at least two professionals in every Indian family in the country,” he said.

Samy Vellu said the Chief Secretary was very receptive and has promised to do his best to help these students who had excelled in their studies.

He said this year, only 72 Indian students received PSD scholarship of the 2,000 scholarships reportedly offered.

Samy Vellu said MIC Secretary-General Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also Human Resources Minister, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department S.K. Devamany and MIC Education Bureau chief Prof Datuk T. Marimuthu will also meet PSD director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam on the matter.

He said the MIC is taking a two-pronged approach to solve this problem as the party believed many students in the list of 187 students will be reconsidered.

He also urged students, who had appealed through MIC, to inform the party headquarters if they had received fresh offers for scholarship from the government.

It makes me wonder, how could Anwar Ibrahim said he has the number of MP's whom would cross over from BN to PR to run the federal government?

Anwar,as for me, playing a reverse psychology game, triggering uneasiness amongst UMNO members, etching an image of UMNO doom’s day in their mind and expecting them to cross over to PR out of fear…don’t think so it would work.

Will elaborate more on this soon…

THE STAR: KUALA LUMPUR: Umno MPs pledged their full support for party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in a lunch hour meeting at Parliament House on Tuesday.

The MPs said "no one is leaving Umno" when met after the meeting, which discussed former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to leave Umno.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said that Umno MPs had given their assurances to Abdullah that they would not leave the party.

Outspoken Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh said Sabah Umno was solidly behind Abdullah, adding: "Nobody is leaving Umno, especially those from Sabah."

Dr Mahathir sent shockwaves throughout the country when he announced he was leaving the party at a talk held in Alor Star, Kedah, on Monday.

A great leader, a man with determination and courage to uphold his belief and the country. Amidst all trials and tribunals, he emerged as the lion of Malaysia, took the country one step higher .. It's a loss for BN when a great leader resigns...

Tun M,

Your contribution would be cherished in our minds forever.

You’re the nation builder and great leader but when I knew your resignation is nailed for a single person, I was SHOCKED.

Tun M,

You should not abandon your family just because you’re not in good terms with one of the family member. I would prefer you to help BN to regain its era of power and stand by it when it’s down. This is the time, where BN is put to test, and the members of the family should stick together through thick and thin.

I always believe a leader is a dealer in hope. But the decision you made, will trigger our hopes in seeing BN rising up from downfall…


“The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. . . . The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully. - Walter Lippmann “


ALOR STAR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and veteran party man Tan Sri Sanusi Junid announced Monday that they are quitting Umno.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced this on Monday at 12.35pm, citing a lack of confidence in the current leadership.

"I am quitting Umno today," he told about 1,000 people, mostly Kedah Umno members, at a talk here on Monday.

"I will write a letter to Umno headquarters to inform that I have quit the party," he said.

He has been critical of his appointed successor Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, blaming the current Umno president for the party's disappointing performance in the 12th general election.

The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, of which Umno is the largest component party, won the March 8 election with a simple majority, and saw four more states join Kelantan under Opposition rule.

Dr Mahathir urged other party members to quit too, as a way of pressuring Abdullah into vacating his post.

However, he advised those who do quit not to join any opposition party, adding they can all rejoin the party once there is a change in leadership.

Abdullah has so far refused all calls for him to step down, and said he would defend his presidency in the party polls in December.

Sanusi, who is a former Kedah Mentri Besar, also quit the party on Monday.

In PUTRAJAYA, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said it was a bad time for Dr Mahathir to quit Umno as the party was going through a difficult period.

He said the resignation would not help in efforts to rebuild Umno.

"He is doing more damage than good; whatever it is, the party is still looking for a new direction and we need everyone to remain united and not split," he said.

Syed Hamid expressed fear for the future of Umno because Dr Mahathir had a great influence and a person of his stature could rattle and destroy the party.

Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said he was surprised at the decision, but added that it was Dr Mahathir's right to do so.

"Every member has the right to join or leave the party," he said.

Asked if Umno would convene an emergency meeting, the former Umno vice-president and Selangor Mentri Besar said that "we will wait and see."

The next Umno Supreme Council meeting is scheduled to be held within two to three weeks.

In MALACCA, Umno veteran and stalwart Tan Sri Aziz Tapa, 85, said that he was shocked at the news and was at a loss for words.

“How can it be when he (Mahathir) says that he loves Umno? I met him only few days ago in Johor and everything seemed okay. What he is doing is not right,” he said when contacted here on Monday.

Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik described the move as an "interesting but tragic development" for Umno.

"It's shocking news to me. If true, then I would say that it is an interesting yet tragic development for the party,” he said.

Reacting to Dr Mahathir's resignation, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said, “This will weaken the party at a time when it is facing its enemies.”

Dr Mahathir joined Umno at its inception in 1946.

He became a Member of Parliament in 1964 when he won the Kota Setar Selatan seat.

He lost the seat in the following general election in 1969.

Following the May 13, 1969, riots Dr Mahathir was sacked from the Umno Supreme Council on July 12 because of the widespread distribution of his letter to first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman criticising Tunku’s manner of handling the country’s administration.

Dr Mahathir rejoined Umno on March 7, 1972 and was appointed Senator in 1973. He relinquished the senatorship post a year later to contest the Kubang Pasu seat in the general elections. He was returned unopposed and was appointed Minister of Education.

In 1975, Dr Mahathir became one of the three vice-presidents of Umno.

Tun Hussein Onn appointed Dr Mahathir Deputy Prime Minister on Sept 15, 1978.

Dr Mahathir was Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 16, 1981, until Oct 31, 2003.

What our Citizen Bloggers say:
And we say good riddance


Timeline


1946: Joined United Malays National Organisation (Umno).


1947: While a medical student, he wrote extensive anti-colonial commentaries in Malay newspapers under the pen-name "Che Det".


1957: Resigned from government service as a doctor. Starts private practice.


1964: Entered active politics as Kota Star Selatan MP.


1965-1969: Member, Umno Supreme Council.


Sept 1969: Expelled from Umno for disciplinary reasons. Re-admitted on March 7, 1972.


June 1972: Elected a member of the Umno Supreme Council with the highest number of votes. Lost in the election for an Umno Vice-President post.


Dec 1972: Appointed a Senator by the Kedah State Legislative Assembly.


1974-2004: MP for Kubang Pasu, Kedah.


Sept 1974: Education Minister.


June 1975: Umno Vice-President.


March 1976: Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Education.


1977: Acting Chairman, Umno Liaison Committee, Malacca.


Jan 1978: Deputy Prime Minister & Trade and Industry Minister.


May 1978: Chairman, Perak Umno Liaison Committee.


Sept 1978: Umno Deputy President.


June 1981: Barisan Nasional Chairman.


June 1981: Umno President.


July 16 1981: Fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Minister of Defence (until 1986) and Minister of Home Affairs (until 1999).


July 17 1987: Umno Political Bureau Chairman.


Feb 16 1988: Pro-tem President of Umno Baru. Umno was declared an illegal society on Feb 4, 1988.


Dec 1993: Kelantan Umno Chairman. Chairman, Politics and Constitution Committees of the Supreme Council.


Sept 1998-Jan 1999: Finance Minister. June 2001 - Finance Minister.


June 22 2002: Announced his intention to resign from all political and government posts at the final day of the 56th Umno assembly. Appeals from Umno Supreme Council members.


Oct 31 2003: Retired as PM and Umno president after 22 years.


Sept 2006: Fails in bid to be an Umno delegate for the Umno general assembly coming in ninth out of 15 contestants in the Kubang Pasu division.


May 19 2008: Quits Umno

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC will undergo a massive rebranding exercise to shed its 60-year “old generation” image.

However, party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu remained adamant the move would not affect its top leadership as yet.

“Talking about MIC's leadership is a step backwards. I don’t want to answer your question anymore,” he said, after being pressured by newsmen over leadership changes during a press conference at MIC headquarters here yesterday, after he chaired a central working committee meeting.

He said MIC's physical, operational and structural image had to accommodate the new needs of the rakyat, especially the Indian community, to remain relevant.

He said the results of the general election indicated that the party did the “right thing but in the wrong way,” by not fully utilising electronic media to its advantage when campaigning. This, he said, resulted in the loss of votes from the young generation.

In this context, he said the primary change was a 50% quota of young members in the party.

MIC has 630,000 members comprising 40% women, 30% youth and the remaining include leaders and other members.

MIC will also carry the new tagline, “A New Generation Party,” while maintaining its “MIC Cares” theme, with a new party logo, new song, and new uniforms for the women and youth wings.

A call centre will be established to entertain problems, and a new portal to replace the party’s current website will also be launched.

An MIC discount card will also be given to members for use at selected outlets.

“We are expecting total penetration of this image change within a two-year period.

“A detailed action plan will also be communicated to all grassroots leaders via some 140 meetings to be held in all branches from district to district,” he said, adding that the complete exercise would cost some RM500,000.

On queries if the party had been approached by Pakatan Rakyat to defect, Samy Vellu said: “We will continue to stay in Barisan, contribute to its objectives and also continue to serve the Indian community.”

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC is unhappy with the low percentage of Public Service Department overseas scholarships allocated to Indian students, party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

He said only 34 Indian students were successful in their application last year.

The party received 194 appeals from students, some of whom obtained 12 1As in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination, Samy Vellu said in a statement.

The party has prepared a list of the 194 appeal cases including two students with 12 1As, three students with 11 1As and 41 students with 10 1As.

"I will request the MIC representative in the Cabinet (Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam) to bring up the appeal cases in the next Cabinet meeting (on Friday)."

Samy Vellu said he had also discussed the matter with the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan and would follow up with him.

"I hope the government will consider the appeals by the students, especially those with excellent grades," he said, adding that some students came from poor backgrounds.

He said the department should set a minimum requirement similar to that for matriculation courses in selected universities and Form Six in fully-aided schools, in which it offerred scholarships to all students who scored 9As in their SPM. - Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, WED:

The Federal Court today dismissed the appeal of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders who are being held under the Internal Security Act.

In upholding the decision of the Judicial Commissioner, the three-man bench - Datuk Allaudin Mohd Sheriff, Datuk Ariffin Zakaria and Datuk Hashim Yusof - ruled that the decision to detain the five under the ISA was legal.

The ruling was made after reading the affidavits of the respondents, including that of the Prime Minister’s, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was then the Internal Security Minister.

The Hindraf five - lawyers M. Manoharan, 46, (who is also the Kota Alam Shah assemblyman), P. Uthayakumar, 46, V. Ganabatirau, 34, R. Kengadharan, 40, and Hindraf coordinator T. Vasantha Kumar - were represented by Karpal Singh who said that he would file for a review of the ruling on Monday.

The respondents were represented by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Family members and relatives of the five were present at the Federal Court. Several were seen sobbing after the decision.

I was thinking of writing about my view on how MIC or BN should rise again from the GE12 downfall then, as usual I need to voice out my view on our current political situation.

2 months after the elections and things don’t seem to be slowing down. Here are some of my thoughts on the elections as we herald the coming five years of political showdowns.

Critical Politics
Perhaps one major political mainstay in any country is criticism. All types of criticism. The freedom of expression was meant to protect that criticism. The goal of it is to see that the current administration does not go unchecked in any and every policy that it executes. It is there to expose a corrupt politician, raise awareness on current social issues and seek reform.
It is also an outlet for anger and frustration and a justification for harsh words, the government, or “Send the Altantuya murderers to hell”.

There’s a spirit behind destructive criticism. It spells pride, unforgiveness, anger, rebellion and perhaps, a lack of self control. It demeans the other and seeks to raise the anger of others. It tears down a country (not just the administration) and offers no means of cohesion. No country was ever built up in anger.

I don’t doubt the arguments these critics raise. Yes, there are problems with the administration. Yes, there is corruption. Yes, some races have been neglected. However, I doubt the spirit behind these criticisms. Judgmental, perhaps? Condemning? Derogatory?

It’s not just bloggers I’m referring to. It’s the public in general. The coffee shop conversations, the small talk at the office pantry, the discussions around the dinner table and perhaps, behind Cabinet’s closed doors too. It permeates all sorts of relationships. It taints Parliamentary discussions with mind-numbing talk [just look at KJ’s and other MP’s debate between Projek Khinzir Raksasa (Giant Pig Project) and Babi Negara (National Pig)].

We need to rethink our use of criticism. Does it construct, or destroy? We don’t just want people who are willing to be imprisoned, which makes for good anti-government propaganda, but we want people who are willing to risk their lifestyles (note: not life) to bring change. There is a lot to commend bloggers for, despite their often frustrated attitude, and as we progress, we hope our criticisms will begin to exhibit a love for the country and *gulp* its administration - a love that rebukes and a love that rebuilds. We critique with hope.

PAS?
As a result of protest-voting, many people took a chance and voted for parties led by leaders with disputable backgrounds or conflicting ideologies. It did not matter to voters, even if parties like the Pan-Malayan Islamic Party (PAS) had extremist tendencies. Suddenly, the media was abuzz with how tolerant PAS-led states were compared to the creeping Islamisation in the rest of the country during the previous government’s rule.

Maybe it is all political - that PAS would shed its extremist views in favour of ‘tolerance’ or ‘religious harmony’. This election’s results sort of put PAS in a quandary. Yes, more seats, but their sustenance depends on their compromise with the rest of the Opposition. So much to the effect that PAS itself was considered a swing party in some Opposition-led states.

What effect will this have on religious issues in the country? I don’t know. What I do know is despite whatever is said or done, the people must continue to strengthen the relationship without being biased about race.

Malaysia’s next 50 years will write a radically different history from its first 50. :)

To My Dear Friend,



Whatever the cause, political violence is bad and inexcusable. No one should die for his or her politics.

May You rest in peace. May Your wife and four children find strength and courage at this moment of trial.

Let us all condemn unreservedly this bloodless assassination. May the murderers soon be arrested and charged in the court of law soon.

Let us all cherish and defend our political freedoms. Hope nobody exploit Dato Krishnasamy’s murder to justify any political witch hunt. May no one play with fire.

THE STAR:

JOHOR BARU: Police have refuted allegations that they have closed investigations into the murder of former Tenggaroh assemblyman Datuk S. Krishnasamy who was shot at the state MIC building in Johor Baru on Jan 11.

Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the media and the public should not listen to people who alleged that the police have stopped investigating the murder.

“Don’t listen to people who say that the case has been closed and the police are not doing anything. It is all rubbish.“If you want to know anything, you should ask me. I am telling you now investigations are still in progress and we are going after the culprits,” he insisted during a press conference Monday.Krishnasamy was shot once under his left eyebrow just as he entered the lift in the MIC building.He had been on his way for a state MIC liaison meeting when he was killed.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said that the police were working round the clock to solve the case and had recorded statements from around 60 people.

“At this point I can’t disclose any details as investigations are still in progress. We are doing our best to solve the case,” he said adding that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had visited the crime scene and had given instructions to be constantly updated on the progress of the case.

Source: http://pemudamic.blogspot.com

JOHOR BARU: The state government will instal rubbish traps in Sungai Skudai, Sungai Segget and Sungai Tebrau in Johor Baru costing a total of RM94 million to rehabilitate the three rivers which are highly polluted.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said a private consultant had been appointed to clean the three rivers of solid waste."We will overcome the pollution caused by solid waste in the three rivers located in the Iskandar region. "These three rivers, together with Sungai Tukang Batu in Pasir Gudang, have been categorised as highly polluted," he said after a programme to clean the Sungai Tebrau, here yesterday.Also present at the gotong-royong were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, who is also Johor Baru member of parliament, and Johor Baru Mayor Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir. - Bernama

(AFP) - Malaysia's ethnic Indian activists Sunday warned the government to provide medical aid to one of its leaders and free those detained under tough internal security laws or face more street rallies.

More than 50 protestors from Indian rights group Hindraf blocked the entrance to a shopping mall at the iconic Petronas twin towers in downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand medical attention for P. Uthayakumar, who is diabetic.

Uthayakumar and four other members of the rights group Hindraf have been detained under the tough Internal Security Act (ISA) since December after holding an anti-discrimination rally.

"This gathering is to send a clear message to the government," Hindraf coordinator S. Jayathas told reporters.
"If (the government) deny (treatment to Uthayakumar and do not release the ISA detainees), then we will have a bigger gathering, that is definite," he said.

Hindraf leaders angered the government last November with a mass rally alleging discrimination in Malaysia, which is dominated by Muslim Malays.

Mounting anger within the Indian community was said to have been a factor in the government's drubbing in March 8 polls where it lost its two-thirds majority in parliament.

Opposition lawmaker Sivarasa Rasiah, who turned up to support the event, said the government should release ISA detainees unless they had proof to charge them in open court.
"As far as I am concerned, one day under ISA detention is too long, one ISA detainee is too many," he added.

Close to 300 policemen were deployed outside the busy shopping mall to control the protestors, with watercannon vans and riot police waiting nearby.
Hindraf supporters carried posters showing a weak-looking Uthayakumar behind bars as the crowd yelled, "Abolish the ISA" and "Freedom."
Similar protests were held in six other locations through the country, organisers said.

Rights groups say 70 people, mainly alleged Islamic militants, are being held under the ISA.
Parts of the ISA date back to the British colonial era, when it was used against communist insurgents. It provides for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely.

Although the 12 GE has over, the consequences of the outcome still haunts Barisan Nasional day and night. What I can conclude ( my personal opinion and experience ) is we can learn 3 things based on the upshot.

First, we must constantly learn and develop ourselves. If we stop learning, we’ll be obsolete very fast. The oppositions were hard pressed to spread the news of a need to change the way of governing. Due to the restrictions in media, they learnt to use current technological means of disseminating news. Blogs, Youtube and websites have only grown popular in the past few years, yet the opposition is able to use it effectively. BN however, were ignorant about it until after the election. If we continually invest in personal development, then we can keep up with the changing trends of the world and keep abreast of new developments. This will enable us to find opportunities and seize it.

Second, blogs, youtube and news websites cater to targeted readers and viewers. They flock to such sites because they are looking for answers. They are looking for solutions to problems. In this election, the people were unhappy with the problems caused by the government, so the people were looking for solutions. The opposition provided the solutions in the blogs, youtube and news websites. Not only that but the blogs and news website also pointed out and reinforces more problems and provides the solutions as well! This is the way to be successful in internet marketing. You need to find a big problem or problems faced by many people. Then you provide a solution to the problems and charge an affordable fee for it. Internet marketing is that simple. But implementation is difficult because there are some basic technical skills you need to know first or if you are press for time, you can outsource it.

Third, know your competitors. If you are sitting in an ivory tower and don’t know anything outside the tower, you are being ignorant and doomed to fail. BN has failed to hear the people’s voice in the last 4 years. They also grossly underestimated the opposition team. If you apply this in your internet marketing or offline business, you are sure to fail. If you don’t hear what your customers want and just anyhow offer something which the market dislikes, how are you going to make a sale? You need to understand or know your competitors so that you can formulate successful strategies to fight for sales. So, understanding your customers’ taste, preference, market trends and your competitors are very important.

I'm a new kid in the blogasphere,guess i'm one of the late bloomers yet latest in the arena..

Blogs and bloggers have always been a subject of interest for many. Some say bloggers hide behind the mask of anonymity when criticizing or condemning people, organizations or policies. Others say bloggers are irresponsible cowboys who "shoot" randomly at people. Others meanwhile want to regulate blogs.

However, it is interesting to note that blogs started off as an alternative means to relay information and disseminate news from a different perspective - usually from the man-on-the-street's point of view. Most definitely, blogging has gained momentum in its popularity, so much so that it is now no longer considered to be an "alternative" or "underground" media, but instead it is regarded as "mainstream."

Certain quarters here fail to acknowledge this until the political Tsunami that hit Malaysia on the March 8th general election. Now, it seems everyone is blogging. Of course, a number of politicians (mainly from the opposition) have started blogging a long time ago. Lim Kit Siang for instance is one of the earliest, if not the earliest, to do so. Then there's Jeff Ooi with his famed Screenshots blog, although he started blogging way before he joined active politics. And there's also Tony Pua who blogs from Parliament. From PAS, the one that I am aware of that has a blog is Husam Musa. Then there is PKR's Che Gu Bard - who took on and lost to Khairy Jamaludin Abu Bakar - in Rembau in the general elections. And of course, the list wouldn't be complete without mentioning Anwar Ibrahim’s blog.

Barisan Nasional members have also joined in the fray, although I must say that I wish they had done so much earlier. Former Selangor Menteri Besar, Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo has started blogging after BN lost in Selangor. Perhaps he now has a lot more free time to spare in the blogosphere. The Ketua Menteri of Melaka, Mohd Ali Rustam has also started blogging. Perhaps the earliest of the BN leaders to blog is the maverick politician, Shahrir Samad, who is now a minister in the current federal cabinet.

Retired politicians also have their blogs these days. One of the earliest retired politicians to blog is Ruhanie Ahmad. And don't forget the latest kid on the blog - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad!

While Tun Mahathir may be new to the blogging world, his outspoken daughter is not. Marina Mahathir's ranting is as spicy as ever as her articles in The Star. And most certainly, there are many more political blogs around. We are actually spoilt for choice. The only thing that I wish to state is that, it is best that we don't take what is written at face value without counterchecking the facts. What is presented may be one person's point of view. As with many things in this world, there are many views as there are people.

It is good to see that freedom of speech is alive and well in the blogosphere at least. While freedom of speech is much cherished, equally important is the wisdom that has to be coupled with the freedom. Wisdom must exist on the part of bloggers as well as blog-visitors. Nonetheless, it goes without saying that everyone is indeed blogging these days....

..including Amitabh Bachchan!

Living in Malaysia all my life, I have never seen deadly riots ala LA 1992 or France 2005. I have never seen a leader assassinated the same way Juvénal Habyarimana, Rafik Hariri, Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto were. I have never seen Indians chopping Malay heads, nor have I seen Chinese people burning Malay homes.

But what if someone did? Who will be responsible? What can be done?

Those are three questions that have led to the creation of the ISA. After May 13 1969, the ISA is set up so that such event won't happen again.

In the cases of Ops Lalang and the HINDRAF 5, I know it's unfair for journalists, activists, and politicians to be locked in Kamunting and get punished ala Shawshank Redemption, but that doesn't mean the ISA should be repealed. Sure, the mistreatment was unfair, but we can change that.

I partially support street rallies hold by Bersih, UMNO Youth or any organizations. I again partially support the causes of HINDRAF because it's the best way for the MIC to reform itself.

However, street demonstrations must be held in a civilized and orderly manner just like Anonymous and Stop the War Coalition, and the protestors must be responsible for their own actions. I don't want street demonstrations to be turned into riots. I don't want shops and businesses being destroyed. I don't want this country to have a bad worldwide image. If such happens, where do i look up to? Of course, I look up to the ISA.

In the wake of the DAP and the Pakatan Rakyat calling for the repeal of the ISA, here's an advice: Don't repeal it, but reform it. I say let's make things better. Let's change the ISA. Give more freedom, more trials and less punishment. Give its detainees sunlight. We don't want a South East Asian Guantanamo Bay. We want the ISA to be a lesson for May 13.

Let me tell you this: If Lim Kit Siang/Abdul Hadi Awang/Anwar Ibrahim is the new PM, none will repeal the ISA. Why? Because street riots always happen in every country, and the only way they could control is through he ISA.