Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet

From: Al Jazeera

Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza. At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported. The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast. Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, confirmed that the attack took place in international waters, saying: "This happened in waters outside of Israeli territory, but we have the right to defend ourselves." Footage from the flotilla's lead vessel, the Mavi Marmara, showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and helicopters flying overhead. Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, on board the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops had used live ammunition during the operation. The Israeli military said four soldiers had been wounded and claimed troops opened fire after "demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs". Free Gaza Movement, the organisers of the flotilla, however, said the troops opened fire as soon as they stormed the convoy. Our correspondent said that a white surrender flag was raised from the ship and there was no live fire coming from the passengers. Before losing communication with our correspondent, a voice in Hebrew was clearly heard saying: "Everyone shut up". Israeli intervention Earlier, the Israeli navy had contacted the captain of the Mavi Marmara, asking him to identify himself and say where the ship was headed. Shortly after, two Israeli naval vessels had flanked the flotilla on either side, but at a distance. Organisers of the flotilla carrying 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid then diverted their ships and slowed down to avoid a confrontation during the night. They also issued all passengers life jackets and asked them to remain below deck. Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Jerusalem, said the Israeli action was surprising. "All the images being shown from the activists on board those ships show clearly that they were civilians and peaceful in nature, with medical supplies on board. So it will surprise many in the international community to learn what could have possibly led to this type of confrontation," he said. Meanwhile, Israeli police have been put on a heightened state of alert across the country to prevent any civil disturbances. Sheikh Raed Salah,a leading member of the Islamic Movement who was on board the ship, was reported to have been seriously injured. He was being treated in Israel's Tal Hasharon hospital. In Um Al Faham, the stronghold of the Islamic movement in Israel and the birth place of Salah, preparations for mass demonstrations were under way. Protests Condemnation has been quick to pour in after the Israeli action. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, officially declared a three-day state of mourning over Monday's deaths. Turkey, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden have all summoned the Israeli ambassador's in their respective countries to protest against the deadly assault. Thousands of Turkish protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in soon after the news of the operation broke. The protesters shouted "damn Israel" as police blocked them. "(The interception on the convoy) is unacceptable ... Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behaviour," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. Ismail Haniya, the Hamas leader in Gaza, has also dubbed the Israeli action as "barbaric". Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, including a Nobel laureate and several European legislators, were with the flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza in defiance of an Israeli embargo. The convoy came from the UK, Ireland, Algeria, Kuwait, Greece and Turkey, and was comprised of about 700 people from 50 nationalities. But Israel had said it would not allow the flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip and vowed to stop the six ships from reaching the coastal Palestinian territory. The flotilla had set sail from a port in Cyprus on Sunday and aimed to reach Gaza by Monday morning. Israel said the boats were embarking on "an act of provocation" against the Israeli military, rather than providing aid, and that it had issued warrants to prohibit their entrance to Gaza. It asserted that the flotilla would be breaking international law by landing in Gaza, a claim the organisers rejected.

Malaysia Going Bankrupt in 9 Years?

Posted by Khoo Kay Peng

Minister Idris Jala had sounded the alarm bell by stating that this country could go to the dogs or ended up bankrupt in 9 years if nothing is being done to the subsidy system. At present, the government spends a large chunk of its annual revenue on various subsidies.

Before we even start to debate the merit of dismantling these subsidies, we should look back at its historical background. Handing out subsidy was an easy way out to momentarily address issues of inefficiency, incompetence and inability to move up the higher value chain.

The government should have helped to address the issues through various capacity building programmes. The nation could have been prepared to go on a higher value chain and to be more productive and competent.

Unfortunately, for decades the government had lost various opportunities to revamp, reinvent and reenergize our socio-economic policy direction. The government never had the political will to implement any real reform. It looks like history is going to repeat itself again especially after the protest of 70 odd Malay NGOs against the NEM. Najib may yet again retreats from his policy like his predecessors.

Policy flip-flops and inconsistencies had ruined many good and well thought out policy vision including the Vision 2020 and the effort to become a knowledge economy.

Hence, dismantling the subsidy system which is sucking this country's resources dry must come with a steely political will to end mediocrity, cut wastage and adopt financial prudence. The government cannot expect the people to accept higher prices without first tackle its own financial mismanagement, wastage and internal corruption.

With limited resources, this government should be ashamed of itself for trying to use the same resources to buy votes at the by-elections in Hulu Selangor an Sibu.

Our workforce is suffering from a middle income trap. Our average income per capita has not grown that much since 1997 compared to other countries in the region. At USD7000, it has barely made a jump from USD5,600 more than a decade ago.

Any increase in the essential items, oil & gas, toll rates, sugar and others will trigger higher inflation.

What is the government plan to help boost per capita income of the people? What has the government done to create more higher paying jobs for the people?

What has the government done to tighten its own financial management, cut wastage, combat corruption and leakage?

It is important for Idris to realize that subsidy cut is not the only solution to avoid this country from becoming bankrupt. Barisan needs a total overhaul and we need more trustworthy people running the country.

Give us some action on the PKFZ. Why the deafening silence?

If Barisan cannot balance the book, perhaps others should be given a chance to try since we running out of time.

Why must only the people suffer for the mismanagement?

KEKALAHAN RASUAH DI SIBU, SARAWAK

Posted by Dato' Seri Ir. Haji Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin

PRK Sibu P212 pada 16 Mei lalu memberi signal bahawa sedaif-daif dan semiskin-miskin rakyat Sibu, mereka masih tidak termakan seluruhnya dengan perbuatan rasuah dan suapan oleh BN/SUPP disepanjang tempoh berkempen.

Segala janji manis oleh pimpinan BN termasuk PM 1Malaysia ditaburkan sehingga kata-kata mengemis dari Najib, "I help you, you help me" terungkap di Sibu menunjukan bertapa terpinggirnya rakyat Sibu khususnya kaum melayu/malanau disepanjang sungei Rejang, di Kg Jeriah , di rumah2 panjang dll.

Di sekeliling masjid Sibu, mulai jam 4 pagi lagi jentera penurap jalan dan pekerja mee segera telah siap sedia untuk memberi turapan baru kepada jalan2 yg sempit dan berlubang2. Cek RM18juta di beri oleh Najib kepada beberapa sekolah Cina di Sibu menyebabkan kaum Cina berasa lagi di hina oleh Najib seolah2 mahu membeli mereka! Mereka ada maruah. BN kalah di Batang kali, Ulu Selangor walaupun Najib mengumpan mereka dengan RM3juta untuk satu sekolah Cina disitu.

Bayangkan jika tiada PRK maka adakah kerja2 segera ini dilakukan? Saya yakin tidak. Bukanya satu pemimpin dari satu kementerian, malah semuanya pemimpin termasuk para Menteri mahu menjadikan Sibu bandar wireless terunggul, menyiapkan lebuhraya, pusat pelancungan, hab itu, hab ini, dll pada masa itu juga! Berapa banyak secara kebetulan ya?

Rata2 anak Sibu sendiri meninggalkan bandar tersebut mencari kerja ditempat lain. Kempen dari SUPP/BN yg mendakwa, " undi DAP bererti undi Negara Islam", "undi DAP nanti tak dapat makan mee Kampua"(gambar mee kampua berlemak babi dihidangkan dalam mangkuk bulan PAS pada billboard di roundabout-oleh SUPP/BN), cukup memberansangkan . Malahan memberi pukulan balik kepada BN di mana kaum Cina yg sekarang ini amat tahu dengan latar belakang PAS dan pergerakan PAS tidak termakan sama sekali dengan dakwaan bahan kempen tersebut.

Dalam satu dialog dengan hampir 300 pengundi Cina agama Kristian di Hotel Paramount, saya diajukan satu soalan oleh seorang pemuda mengenai dakwaan dalam kempen tersebut. Saya tanyakan semula sama ada terdengar kaum Cina di Kelantan yg sudah 20 tahun di bawah pentadbiran PAS, tidak di benarkan makan babi, minum arak dll. Bahkan patung Buddha yg terbesar sedang berbaring, berdiri, duduk tak pernah PAS ganggu! Tidak ada insiden potong memotong terdengar. Ini kemudian disahkan oleh pimpinan PR yg lain termasuk Dato Chua Jui Meng, YB Dato Ngeh Koo Ham dll. betapa adilnya PAS di Kelantan.

Apapun, saya merasakan PRK Sibu menunjukan bahawa BN menggula2kan rakyat dengan janji dan dan wang ringgit tidak bolih mempengaruhi mereka menolak BN.

Kempen dari pimpinan PR yg BN merasuah mereka dapat diterima dan akhirnya memenangkan DAP. Sama jugalah halnya seperti di PRK ulu Selangor. Namun oleh kerana jumlah pengundi peneroka felda melayu yg besar belum bolih memenangkan PKR di situ.

Kesimpulanya, kemenangan haq mengatasi bathil dapat di lihat di Sibu dan kita minta supaya di lain PRK, UMNO/BN terus menggunakan pendekatan sama, ia itu menawarkan dan menaburkan bermacam2 janji, mee segera dll yg telah lama dinafikan oleh BN. Di Sibu rakyat Sarawak berjaya menumbangkan rasuah walaupun mereka hidup daif dan sengsara 35 tahun dibawah Ketua Menteri Taib Mahmud. Rakyat di semenanjung yg dikatakan lebih moden, terpelajar, kaya dll bila lagi? Janganlah nanti warga di semenanjung diajar oleh orang Borneo, orang rumah panjang, orang malanau/iban /dayak (yg ramai masih bukan beragama Islam), bagaimana menjaga maruah kita supaya menolah rasuah, perkauman dan penindasan. Tolaklah UMNO BN sekarang dan selamanya!

Kerajaan Kini Tiada Duit

Oleh:

Ustaz Idris Ahmad,
Ketua Penerangan PAS Pusat

PAS melihat tindakan Kerajaan meluluskan lesen judi bola baru-baru ini sebagai satu langkah terdesak. Presiden Umno, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak dilihat gagal menguruskan kewangan negara hingga menyebabkan kantung ekonomi negara kini jadi kelam kabut. Duit banyak dihabiskan untuk janji pilihan raya kecil.

Lesen Judi

Tahun lepas pendapatan cukai judi negara merosot kepada RM 1.199 bilion berbanding 2008 dimana Kerajaan mengutip RM 2.32 bilion. Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri mengunakan defisit ini sebagai salah satu faktor bagi memberikan kelulusan semula kepada Berjaya Group untuk menjual tikel judi bola sepak piala dunia tahun ini dengan harapan mereka boleh mendatangkan hasil cukai yang tinggi.

Pelbagai lapisan rakyat dan organisasi menentang keputusan ini tetapi Najib memekakkan telinganya. Ulama’-ulama’ dan Menteri Agama Umno juga diam berkematu. PAS membantah dasar ini dan mengajak rakyat bangkit menentangnya.

Mansuh Subsidi?

Seterusnya, desakan memansuhkan subsidi oleh pihak FOMCA juga dijangka diambil kesempatan oleh Kerajaan. Kerajaan kini mempertimbangkan untuk memansuhkan subsidi gula, elektrik dan minyak. Ini pasti akan memberikan kesan yang besar kepada rakyat dan industri makanan dan pengangkutan dalam negara kelak.

Jika benar subsidi ini dimansuhkan, harga barangan ini akan melonjak naik dan dikawal sepenuhnya melalui pasaran penawaran dan permintaan secara terbuka. Ini juga akan mendedahkan industri ini kepada manipulasi harga oleh pihak pembekal sumber dimasa akan datang. Oleh itu satu kaedah perlu diperhalusi sebelum kerajaan membuat apa-apa keputusan. Penstrukturan semula subsidi satu pilihan tetapi Kerajaan tidak boleh kedekut sangat dengan rakyat dan meletakan beban kenaikan harga barang 100% ke bahu rakyat.

GST bebankan rakyat

Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri juga dilihat begitu tekad untuk melaksanakan cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST). Hal ini tidak dibincang secara mendalam dalam parlimen dan belum ada sebarang kertas dibentangkan kepada ahli-ahli parlimen. GST hanya dibincang dalam kabinet dan kerajaan terdesak untuk mengaut keuntungan segera dari rakyat melalui cukai ini.

Jika GST diperkenalkan, kos hidup rakyat akan meningkat bagi semua lapisan dan mereka terdesak untuk menampung perbelanjaan rutin mereka. Kerajaan perlu jelaskan apakah GST ini dan senaraikan barang serta perkhidmatan yang bakal dikenakan GST. Kini rakyat risau kerana kadar pendapatan dalam negara masih lagi rendah, walaupun Kerajaan mahu mewujudkan dasar pendapatan tinggi buat rakyat namun dengan dasar GST ini, pendapatan tinggi itu tidak memberikan makna apa-apa.

Harga Minyak Naik?

Seterusnya, spekulasi mengenai kenaikan harga minyak sebanyak 15 sen lagi dilihat sebagai satu usaha Kerajaan untuk melihat reaksi rakyat pada masa ini. PAS yakin Kerajaan BN mahu melihat sentimen rakyat dalam isu ini. Mereka sengaja menyebarkan khabar ini seperti sebelum ini dan akhirnya menaikan secara mendadak. Mungkin bukan 15 sen, mungkin lebih lagi.

Apa yang pasti, tidak ada mana-mana rakyat yang setuju jika minyak dinaikkan pada masa sekarang sedangkan Kerajaan begitu mudah menghadiahkan Brunei dua telaga minyak bernilai RM 320 bilion. Jika Malaysia pertahankan blok L dan M ini, sekurang-kurangnya negara mampu memliki sebahagian hasil dan sumber minyak dari kedua-duanya.

Namun amat mengecewakan jika kesilapan kerajaan ini menyebabkan mereka menghukum rakyat dengan kenaikan 15 sen harga minyak. PAS berharap agar perkara ini tidak berlaku dan Kerajaan perlulah menyusun perbelanjaan pengurusan dan pembangunan negara secara berhemah.

Rakyat tidak lupa bagaimana Najib, Muhyidin dan menteri-menterinya berjoli dengan duit rakyat dengan pelbagai janji ditabur dalam semua siri pilihanraya kecil (PRK)sejak 2008 yang lalu. Hal ini menjadi punca kenapa kewangan negara jadi kelam kabut. Budget yang sepatutnya digunakan untuk perbelanjaan yang dirancang telah dibawa lari untuk projek-projek khas dalam PRK.

PAS mengingatkan Najib bahawa judi itu haram. menghapuskan subsidi itu satu penganiayaan, perkenalkan GST itu satu kezaliman dan menaikan harga minyak itu satu pengkhianatan kepada rakyat.

PAS menyeru agar semua jentera penerangan diperingkat negeri-negeri dan seluruh Pakatan Rakyat turun ke lapangan rakyat berceramah dan mengedarkan risalah maklumat mengenai hal ini. Kita tidak mahu Najib menjadi Maharaja tanpa singahsana yang dengan sesukahatinya membuat keputusan atas nama Perdana Menteri dan Kabinetnya tanpa merujuk Parlimen. Apa guna kita berpilihanraya sekali dalam 5 tahun jika wakil rakyat yang dipilih dan institusi parlimen tidak dihormati Najib.

Bakun Hydroelectric Project

By: Dr Mahathir Mohamad

1. The Bakun hydroelectric project promised to be the biggest power project with the cheapest electricity price. So I was told by the Sarawak Government when I made my first official visit to the State.

2. It could produce 2,400 megawatt, but Sabah and Sarawak needed just about 1,000 megawatts even in the 1990s. The question was what to do with so much electricity.

3. Bringing it to the Peninsular would need 600 miles of undersea cables. This has never been done anywhere . The longest was only 200 miles. It would cost as much as a power station in Peninsular Malaysia. To use in Sarawak we would have to have a power-hungry industry.

4. Aluminium smelting consumes thousands of megawatts of electricity. But to be viable the electricity must be cheap. A hydro project would provide cheap electricity even though the capital cost would be very high. So while I was still Prime Minister an investor was found for both the power plant and the aluminium smelter.

5. Dubal aluminium smelter belongs to Dubai, and uses natural gas from the ground for power generation - very cheap. They were keen to expand and agreed to a 30 per cent stake in the hydro powerplant and a major share in a 300,000 tonne aluminium smelter.

6. Dubal signed an agreement and paid RM90 million as a 10 per cent deposit on their 30 per cent share in the power plant. It was a win-win investment for them. When power price goes up they may make less money from the smelter but the profit from power generation would be greater. If the power price goes down they would profit less from power sales but more from smelting.

7. The moment I stepped down the successor Government gave back the 10 per cent deposit and told the Dubai investors there was something wrong with the investment.

8. The contract to build the plant was given to Sime Darby with a mainland Chinese partner. The price submitted was so low that the Malaysian who was the next lowest bidder was astounded. He simply said it could not be done at that price.

9. I could not intervene for fear of being accused of cronyism as I knew the Malaysian contractor very well. In fact he built the first phase of the project, the coffer dam and the spillway and had completed it without cost overrun as far as I am aware.

10. Sometimes, and I am not saying this of the contractor for the main project; sometimes very low price would be proposed so as to win the contract. Then as the construction is in progress there would be cost overruns and eventually the total cost would be far higher than the price of the bid. The owner of the project would be asked to pay for the new cost.

11. The Bakun hydro project was given to Sime Darby and Chinese partner at RM1.8 billion.

12. Now the CEO has been dismissed because of cost overrun in the Bakun project amounting to RM900 million. But I believe, and Sime Darby can correct me, the overrun is more than that because the Government has already compensated Sime Darby with about RM700 million. So total cost overrun would be almost equal to the bidded price of RM1.8 billion. The price has been doubled.

13. How come the bid is so low? I would think the engineers would know that they would not be able to build at RM1.8 billion.

14. Who are the consultants in Sime Darby? How come they okayed such a low cost for the project?

15. Is it only the CEO who was responsible? Who are the others who were involved with the project and failed to see that the cost overrun was very high and the project has been delayed by almost 3 years. I think responsibility should be shared. I was told of this cost overrun and delay three years ago.

16. Have we, or rather has Sime Darby learnt lessons and have begun to look at the other major projects it is handling? I think the people are entitled to know when a public company loses over a billion ringgit. Proton lost only RM500 million so that is acceptable. Is losing RM1 billion also acceptable?

Bakun Bakal Lingkup, Dana Awam Mungkin Digunakan Lagi?

Oleh Rusnizam Mahat

SHAH ALAM 14 Mei - Kerugian RM1.63 bilion yang dialami Sime Darby akan menyebabkan kos projek empangan hidro elektrik Bakun yang telah menelan berbilion ringgit dana awam meningkat dengan mendadak dengan kemungkinan besar penangguhan projek yang sepatutnya siap pada 2012.

Ini kerana, sejak penggabungan Sime Darby, Golden Hope Plantations Berhad dan Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad pada 2006, anak syarikat Sime Darby iaitu Sime Engineering Sdn Bhd telah mengambil alih sebahagian besar kepentingan dalam projek itu.

Menurut Ahli Parlimen Indera Mahkota, Azan Ismail, dalam usaha memastikan empangan Bakun diteruskan, kerajaan telah mengambil wang RM4 bilion dari Kumpulan Simpanan Pekerja pada 2007 dan 2008 bagi membiayai kos projek tersebut.

Beliau menganggap langkah itu sebagai merompak wang rakyat dan golongan pekerja di negara ini dengan disamping membuktikan kerajaan Umno-Barisan Nasional tidak memiliki integriti dan kredibiliti mengurus tadbir kewangan negara dengan baik.

"Wang KWSP ini melibatkan wang pekerja berpendapatan rendah dan kita lihat KWSP berada dalam keadaan yang sangat kritikal. Ini adalah duit pekerja, duit rakyat yang ditabungkan untuk masa depan mereka. Apa akan jadi kepada nasib pekerja akibat langkah kerajaan memberi pinjaman meneruskan projek tersebut.

"Perkara ini dianggap satu pengkhianatan kepada rakyat dan golongan pekerja. Isunya wang yang telah dibelanjakan ialah wang rakyat yang buta-buta telah dipotong dari gaji kita. Ia menghakis keyakinan berhubung nasib pekerja yang telah berpenat lelah menabung dalam KWSP.

"Saya melihat ini lah kaedah yang digunakan oleh kerajaan untuk menghalalkan tindakan melaksanakan cara tadbir urus yang salah menggunakan dana awam,"kata beliau ketika dihubungi Suara Keadilan.

Azan mengesa kerajaan supaya membentangkan kertas putih berhubung kerugian yang dialami Sime Darby dan menjelaskan punca kerugian sebenar di parlimen.

"Kita mahu kerajaan jelaskan apakah punca sebenar kerugian, bagaimana wang ini dibelanjakan, punca dan pelaburan dalam bentuk apa dan kesan pelaburan tersebut dalam jangka panjang," tegas Azan.

Katanya lagi, pada masa yang sama, kerajaan juga perlu perjelaskan mengapa 12 projek hidro elektrik dibina di Sarawak meskipun projek empangan Bakun kini berhadapan dengan peningkatan kos dan risiko terbengkalai.

DAP Rampas Kembali Sibu

Harakahdaily

SIBU, 16 Mei: Calon DAP yang mewakili Pakatan Rakyat, Wong Ho Leng berjaya merampas kembali kerusi Parlimen Sibu menewaskan calon BN, Robert Lau Hui Yew dengan majoriti 398 undi pada pilihan raya kecil kawasan parlimen ini, hari ini. Beliau yang juga Adun Bukit Assek mendapat 18,845 undi, calon BN memperolehi 18,447 undi. Manakala calon Bebas, Narawi Haron sekadar mengutip 232 undi dan hilang deposit. Keputusan itu diumumkan oleh Pegawai Pengurus Pilihan Raya, Wong See Meng, pada jam 10.57 malam tadi di Dewan Suarah di sini. Seramai 37,919 atau 69.33 peratus daripada 54,695 pemilih berdaftar mengundi di 45 pusat pengundian. Bilangan itu meningkat jika dibandingkan dengan 36,379 atau 67.77 peratus daripada 53,679 pemilih berdaftar yang keluar mengundi pada pilihan raya umum lalu. Pilihan raya kecil itu diadakan berikutan kematian Timbalan Menteri Pengangkutan yang merupakan Ahli Parlimen Sibu selama lima penggal, Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, pada 9 April lalu. Mengulas keputusan itu, Jeniri Amir, penganalisis politik dari Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) berkata, keputusan pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Sibu membayangkan kebencian kepada Ketua Menteri, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. Beliau berkata, rakyat muak dengan dengan Taib yang melakukan rasuah dan menyalahgunakan kuasa di negeri ini. Jeniri memberikan contoh ketiadaan poster atau gambar Taib yang dinaikkan di Bandar Sibu. Tsunami politik Cina bermula di Sarawak dalam pilihan raya negeri 2006 apabila enam calon DAP menang di Kucing. “Kini ia sudah melarat ke Sibu dan saya yakin lepas ini akan merebak ke Miri dan seterusnya seluruh Sarawak,” kata seorang penganalisis politik dalam analisis pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Sibu di Astro Awani.

RATING AGENCIES

By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

May 12, 2010

1. We are not conscious of it but the rating agencies have apparently become a factor in the failures or success of businesses and even whole countries.

2. Their rating can make or break even big corporations. A huge European corporation finds itself unable to invest for fear that it would be downgraded and its shares would plunge. The losses would run into hundreds of millions.

3. Perhaps the rating agencies were only doing their job - letting the investing public know the situation the corporations are in. But they can be wrong or they can be influenced.

4. Time magazine describes the rating agencies as "lap dogs" because they were clearly involved in wrongly rating certain hedge funds so as to hide the misdeeds of the management.

5. On the other hand European leaders are reported by Financial Times to be angry with rating agencies for their role in Europe's debt crisis. They and the United States are now calling for tough measures to curb their influence over markets.

6. These are cherished institutions in the Western financial and business systems. So we must have them as well. And so we do.

7. But like all the systems and institutions conceived by the rich western countries, they are far from perfect. If we must follow them, we should be more circumspect. Rating agencies wield power and as they say power corrupts. We should take their ratings with a grain of salt. We must be told the real basis for their ratings. Otherwise we may suffer the same fate as the European and the Americans.

The Monarch Has No Power to Sack Any Member of The Cabinet Exco

22 March, 2010

By NH Chan

The reality is neither the King nor the Sultan has any power to sack the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar or the other cabinet ministers/executive councillors

I have divided this primer to a monarch’s powers in two sections.

Section One deals with the appointment of the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar and other Cabinet Ministers/Executive Councillors by a constitutional monarch.

Section Two will deal with the constitutional monarch’s power to dismiss the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar or other Ministers/Executive Councillors.

Before I embark on the basic or known law on the dismissal of a Prime Minister/Menteri Besar and of the rest of the Cabinet Ministers/Executive Councillors by a constitutional monarch, I should first explain the known law on how they are appointed by the monarch.

Section One

The appointment of the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar and the Cabinet/Executive Council

The Federal Constitution

Article 43(2) says:

(2) The Cabinet shall be appointed as follows, that is to say:

(a) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint as Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister) to preside over the Cabinet a member of the House of Representatives who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House; and

(b) He shall on the advice of the Prime Minister appoint other Menteri (Ministers) from among the members of either House of Parliament (The emphasis is supplied by me)

Article 43(2)(a) deals with the appointment of the Prime Minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House of Representatives.

Article 43(2)(b) deals with the appointment of the other Ministers by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Laws of the Constitution of Perak

Now, compare Article 43(2) of the Federal Constitution with Article 16(2) of the Laws of the Constitution of Perak.

Article 16(2) says:

(2) The Executive Council shall be appointed as follows, that is to say:

(a) His Royal Highness shall first appoint as Menteri Besar to preside over the Executive Council a member of the Legislative Assembly who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly; and

(b) He shall on the advice of the Menteri Besar appoint not more than ten nor less than four other members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly; (I have supplied the emphasis)

Article 16(2)(a) deals with the appointment of the Menteri Besar by the Sultan who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Legislative Assembly.

Article 16(2)(b) deals with the appointment of the other Executive Councillors by the Sultan on the advice of the Menteri Besar.

You will notice the striking similarity between the Federal and the Perak State Constitutions on the appointment of the Prime Minister and the Menteri Besar, and the appointment of the other Ministers and Executive Councillors.

The King/Sultan appoints the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar “who in his judgment” is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House of Representatives/Legislative Assembly

The question here is, does the phrase “who in his judgment” confer on the constitutional monarch a discretion to appoint any person to the post of Prime Minister/Menteri Besar as he pleases?

Both Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution and Article 16(2)(a) of the Perak Constitution use the same wording, viz.: The King/Sultan shall appoint a Prime Minister/Menteri Besar to preside over the Cabinet/Executive Council a member of the House of Representatives/Legislative Assembly who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the House/Assembly.

The phrase “who in his judgment” by itself means nothing more than “who in his opinion.” It carries no further meaning than what is stated by Lord Diplock in Teh Chang Poh v Public Prosecutor [1979] 1 MLJ 50, at 52 where he explains the concept of a monarch in a constitutional monarchy. However, when it concerns the appointment of a Prime Minister or a Menteri Besar the phrase “who in his judgment” must be read together with:

Article 40(2) of the Federal Constitution:

(2) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may act in his discretion in the performance of the following functions, that is to say:

(a) the appointment of a Prime Minister;

(b) the withholding of consent to a request for the dissolution of Parliament;

Or in the Perak Constitution, Article 18(2):

(2) His Royal Highness may act in his discretion in the performance of the following functions … that is to say:

(a) the appointment of a Mentri Besar,

(b) the withholding of consent to a request for the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly,

The combination includes the phrase “may act in his discretion” and it means – according to the dictionary meaning of the word “discretion” – the King/Menteri Besar has the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation, freedom or authority to make judgments and to act as one sees fit.

The King/Sultan, therefore, has the discretionary power to appoint any person to be Prime Minister/Menteri Besar as he pleases subject only to his own perception of the person most likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives/Legislative Assembly.

But, it is necessary to point out that in the Perak case of Nizar v Zambry, the Sultan has no power to appoint Zambry as the Menteri Besar because Nizar was still the holder of the office. It is only when the office is vacant would the Sultan be able to appoint another person to the office of Menteri Besar.

The unconstitutional appointment of Zambry to the post makes him an imposter. This is a blatantly unconstitutional exercise of a non-existent executive power by a pretentious constitutional monarch. Are we back to the days of the pretensions of King Charles I?

A constitutional monarch has no executive power except that which the law allows him. And the Constitution of Perak would only permit the Sultan to act in the performance of a few discretionary functions stated in Article 18(2). In relation to the office of Menteri Besar Clause (2)(a) applies. It says:

(2) His Royal Highness may act in his discretion in the performance of the following function … that is to say:

(a) the appointment of a Mentri Besar,

Clause (2) (a) is clear enough. The Sultan only has the discretionary function to appoint a Menteri Besar. So that as long as Mohammad Nizar Jamaludin is still in office as Menteri Besar, the Sultan has no other discretionary function to appoint another person. Therefore, the Sultan’s appointment of Zambry Abdul Kadir is an unconstitutional exercise of a non-existent discretionary function to appoint a second Menteri Besar.

In reality the Sultan has no executive power to sack the incumbent Menteri Besar, Nizar Jamaludin at all (see my critique on the judgment of the Federal Court in Nizar v Zambry).

The King/Sultan shall on the advice of the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar appoint other Ministers/Executive Councillors from among the members of either House of Parliament/the Executive Council

Article 43(2)(b) of the Federal Constitution states:

(b) He shall on the advice of the Prime Minister appoint other Menteri (Ministers) from among the members of either House of Parliament. (The emphasis is supplied by me)

And Article 16(2)(b) of the Perak Constitution states;

(b) He shall on the advice of the Mentri Besar appoint not more than ten nor less than four other members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly; (The emphasis is supplied by me)

As you can see in both the Federal and the Perak Constitutions the King/Sultan appoints the Cabinet Ministers/Executive Councillors on the advice of the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar.

What does “on the advice of” mean?

It means the King/Sultan has to act on the order of the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar. The constitutional monarch has no option. He must act as he is told. This is how Lord Diplock explains it in Teh Chang Poh v Public Prosecutor [1979] 1 MLJ 50, at 52:

Although this, like other powers under the Constitution, is conferred nominally upon the [King/Sultan] by virtue of his office … and is expressed to be exercisable if he is satisfied of a particular matter, his functions are those of a constitutional monarch … he does not exercise any of his functions under the Constitution on his own initiative but is required by Article [43(2)(b) or 16(2)(b) of the Federal and Perak Constitutions, respectively] to act in accordance with the advice of the [Prime Minister/Menteri Besar].

So that the phrase “on the advice of” the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar means “on being told or notified” by the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar.

The King/Sultan does not act on his own initiative. He can only act as he is told or instructed or notified by the Prime Minister/Menteri Besar.

Zaid Sedia Ke Mahkamah Jelas Kuasa Sultan

Oleh Fazli Othman

PETALING JAYA 8 Mei - Ahli Majlis Pimpinan Pusat KEADILAN, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim berkata beliau bersedia mengadap Sultan Selangor berhubung tulisan di dalam blognya berkenaan isu kuasa baginda dalam membuat arahan dan perintah berkaitan hal Islam.

Majlis Agama Islam Selangor dalam kenyataanya semalam mempertikaikan komentar Zaid dan memberi amaran untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap Zaid.

Pada sidang media dirumah beliau pagi tadi, Zaid mendedahkan MAIS telah menghantar sepucuk surat yang ditandatangani oleh Pengerusi MAIS, Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa yang memaklumkan adalah kesalahan kepada sesiapa yang mengingkari dan mempertikaikan arahan dan perintah Sultan Selangor di bawah Seksyen 12 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah Negeri Selangor.

Surat itu juga menyebut baginda dan MAIS boleh mengeluarkan arahan dan perintah tanpa perlu mewartakannya terlebih dahulu.

"Saya berterima kasih kepada MAIS yang memberitahu perkara tersebut dan saya juga peka dan faham maksud Seksyen 12 Enakmen dan peraturan lain yang disebut dalam surat itu.

"Sebagai peguam, saya cuma tidak bersetuju kuasa mengeluarkan arahan dan perintah adalah hak mutlak yang tidak perlu dirujuk kepada Dewan Undangan Negeri.

Zaid berpendapat kuasa kerajaan negeri di bawah Artikel 74 dan Artikel 80 Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk menggubal undang-undang dan peraturan berkenaan hal ehwal Islam diberikan kepada kerajaan negeri iaitu Dewan Undangan Negeri.

"Jika kuasa membuat perintah dan arahan hal ehwal Islam boleh dibuat oleh Raja-Raja Melayu tanpa merujuk kepada DUN dan menguatkuasakan undang-undang tanpa mewartakannya, ini bererti kita telah kembali ke zaman Khalifah di mana Khalifah boleh melaksanakan undang-undang tanpa merujuk kepada pihak yang lain.

"Saya tidak bertujuan untuk menghina mahu pun memperkecilkan kuasa Raja-Raja Melayu, cuma dalam sistem Raja Berpelembagaan, kuasa raja hanya boleh digunapakai secara sah jika mengikut kehendak dan kaedah yang dibenarkan oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Perlembagaan Negeri," jelas Zaid lagi.

Zaid menjelaskan konsep Raja Berpelembagaan sebenarnya bermaksud Raja-Raja Melayu mempunyai kuasa yang tertentu yang tertakluk kepada peruntukan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Perlembagaan Negeri.

Tambah beliau, Perlembagaan Persekutuan atau pun negeri telah memperuntukkan bahawa undang-undang digubal oleh Parlimen atau DUN.

Ini selaras dengan prinsip demokrasi di Malaysia di mana rakyat memilih wakil mereka di dalam DUN serta menggubal undang-undang.

Zaid yang juga bekas Menteri Undang-undang menyelar mantan Menteri Besar Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo dan Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa yang mengguna khutbah Jumaat untuk menghentamnya tanpa memberi jawapan secara ilmiah.

"Bukankah hal politik tidak dibenarkan di masjid dan kenapa tidak ada tempat untuk orang Melayu-Islam lain memberi pandangan selain MAIS dan JAIS?" soal Zaid lagi.

Beliau bersedia bersama MAIS untuk merujuk perkara tersebut ke Mahkamah Persekutuan bagi menentukan maksud sebenar peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan peranan DUN dalam perkara ini.