BN continues to copy Pakatan’s Orange Book for by-elections

The recent announcements by the BN leadership on the new deal for teachers and CESS payments for FELDA settlers shows that BN continues to copy policies from Pakatan’s Orange Book.

In January while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak publicly described Pakatan’s Orange Book as being populist and irresponsible, we were informed that the Prime Minister instructed the Economic Planning Unit to look into detail the possibility of implementing the proposals from the Orange Book.

Thus we have seen how BN is implementing one after another similar policies to the Orange Book. This includes the toll rate freeze and reduction, the incentive for headmasters and the national housing policy.


The new deal for teachers which Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced at Merlimau includes the incentive for headmasters and also an incentive for teachers, totalling RM18.4 million.

In the Orange Book, Pakatan Rakyat had committed a RM500 special monthly allowance for teachers within 100 days of a Pakatan Federal Government to appreciate the role of teachers and to start the restructuring of the education system.

In Kerdau, Najib announced that the CESS payments that had been withheld from the FELDA settlers can be reclaimed through three options. CESS payments are monies deducted from the sale of rubber for replanting purposes. However the payments were withheld when the settlers switched to palm oil in 2004. A payment of RM5000 was made during the 2008 General Elections but FELDA still owes each settler involved RM13,000 including interest.

Pakatan had committed to dissolve FELDA Plantations within 100 days and distribute the estates to the second and third generation FELDA settlers.

It is unfortunate that while Najib plagiarises Pakatan’s Orange Book by stealth, he does not have the courage to accept Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s challenge to debate on his claim that the policies are populist and irresponsible. We are sure that whether done in Kuala Lumpur, Kerdau or Merlimau such a debate would be a wonderful opportunity for the rakyat in Malaysia to judge the Orange Book.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Communications Director
Parti Keadilan Rakyat

source: http://anwaribrahim-admin.blogspot.com/2011/03/bn-continues-to-copy-pakatans-orange.html

Tioman Island

Planning Your Vacation? Consider a Yacht Charter to the Tioman Islands
By Nicola Wu

Tioman Islands is the perfect place for your sailing vacation. So if you have been thinking about going on a sailing trip soon, you can consider going to Tioman Islands. Kampung Tekek Ikan Kekek Mak Iloi-iloi is the most populated of all the eight villages here and it is surrounded by coral reefs. As such, it is a popular location for scuba diving. If you like water based activities then a Tioman Islands Yacht Charter is exactly what you need. You will find plenty of resorts as well as chalets around this island.

TIME Magazine chose these Islands as one of the most beautiful islands in the world in the 1970s and to see how beautiful this location is, you should take a yacht to this place and spend your vacation at Tioman Islands. There is no doubt that the marine life here is diverse but you will also be glad to know that there are many species here that are protected. What's more, there are certain species in this island that are endemic to this location. The Tioman walking catfish and soft-shelled turtle are unique species that are found in this location. You will be able to see all these when you get a yacht charter to Tioman Islands.

As compared to the other volcanic islands that form the Pahang Marine Parks, Tioman Island is considered to be the most developed as well as the largest of all of them. There are plenty of diving sites in this island so if you love diving, then you will love it when you take a yacht charter. Some of the locations that you must visit when you choose to take a yacht charter to Tioman islands are Northern Pulau Chebeh, Tiger Rock and Seafan Garden.

Northern Pulau Chebeh has a larger boulders slope and it also has interesting exploration when you swim through the various tunnels. At the deeper end, you will find that the hard coral terrain has many black corals, sea fans and soft corals. You will be able to see sweetlips, butterflyfish, parrotfish, moray eels and blue spotted stingray when you are in this dive site. Thus, taking a Tioman Islands yacht charter to this site will certainly be worth it.

When you opt for a yacht charter to this place, be sure to visit Tiger Rock. It is a site that is considered to be one of the most popular dive sites in this region. Even tough the currents may be stronger; you will find this place a great location for diving. Some of the water species that you are likely to come across are bumphead parrotfish, rainbow runners, jacks and barracudas.

Last but not the least; Seafan Garden is the perfect place for you if you wish to see sea fan. This is also a great place to check out the colorful nudibranchs as they are generally found on the walls of the coral block.

These are some of the places that you can visit when you decide to take a yacht charter to this beautiful location.


Tioman Islands Yacht Charter - Fraser Yachts specialize in luxury yacht charter in the Tioman Islands.

Hidupkan Istilah ‘Wang Pembayar Cukai’ Dalam Media

You can translate the following article to English using "Google Translate".

Oleh: Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin

Istilah memainkan peranan penting dalam menyedarkan penggunanya dan pendengar. Seringkali media melaporkan bantuan atau belanja yang dikeluarkan oleh kerajaan digambarkan seakan itu adalah harta kerajaan atau orang politik yang terbabit. Maka bantuan yang disalurkan seakan dari sifat pemurah kerajaan seperti disebut ‘kerajaan bermurah hati membantu’.

Rakyat seakan bagaikan peminta sedekah. Begitu juga apabila ada penyelewengan ataupun pembaziran, maka rakyat yang tidak faham merasakan yang rugi hanyalah kerajaan atau duit orang politik, sedangkan mereka lupa wang tersebut adalah wang mereka. Maka di sini disebutkan beberapa perkara;

i. Samada kita sedar atau tidak, setiap rakyat negara ini membayar cukar kepada kerajaan. Ini merangkumi cukai pendapatan, cukai langsung dan tidak langsung. Harga barangan yang kita beli dalam negara ini sebenarnya kita bayar bersama harga cukai. Di Malaysia kita membeli kereta dengan harga yang tinggi disebabkan faktor cukai. Begitu juga segala barangan, makanan dan stesyen TV yang dibeli merangkumi harga cukai. Maka, setiap rakyat kena tahu bahawa mereka sebenarnya setiap hari membayar cukai kepada kerajaan. Justeru wang kerajaan adalah wang rakyat.

ii. Maka, wang yang dibelanja oleh mana-mana kerajaan; samada BN atau PR atau istana-istana dalam negara adalah wang rakyat yang membayar cukai secara langsung atau tidak langsung, sedar ataupun tidak sedar. Istilah ‘wang pembayar cukai’ atau taxpayers money, atau harta awam sepatutnya sentiasa dipakai dalam media dan ungkapan rakyat.
Justeru, apabila kerajaan membelanja untuk sesuatu projek atau menyalurkan harta kepada mana-mana pihak, hendaklah dilapor atau disebut “kerajaan menggunakan wang pembayar cukai atau harta rakyat untuk projek itu dan ini”. Jika berlaku pembaziran, hendaklah dilapor dan disebutkan “kerajaan telah membazirkan wang pembayar cukai, atau merosakkan harta awam, merugikan wang rakyat”.

iii. Ungkapan ini penting supaya orang-orang politik sedar bahawa bantuan dan peruntukan yang mereka salurkan kepada rakyat bukan wang poket mereka, atau harta peribadi mereka sehingga mereka boleh mendabik dada bangga. Sebaliknya, ia sememang harta rakyat. Begitulah rakyat, mereka tidak boleh tertipu dengan merasakan seolah-olah bantuan yang diumumkan oleh orang-orang politik itu dari ‘harta persendirian’ tokoh politik tersebut, sebaliknya ia memang harta rakyat yang diuruskan oleh orang-orang politik. Ini boleh mengelakkan perasaan rakyat yang merasakan mereka bagaikan peminta sedekah kepada kerajaan dan mengelakkan orang-orang politik lupa diri terhadap wang awam yang mereka belanja atau isytiharkan dalam kempen politik mereka.

iv. Sesebuah kerajaan BUKAN dipuji kerana mereka berbelanja dengan wang rakyat atau wang pembayar cukai itu, tetapi mereka dipuji kerana pengurusan yang cemerlang dan amanah dalam mengendalikan harta awam atau harta rakyat. Ertinya, jika kerajaan berjaya mengendalikan harta rakyat dengan cemerlang dan amanah, maka kerajaan itu dipuji dan disokong, begitu juga sebaliknya.

v. Istilah ‘taxpayers money’, atau ‘taxpayers fund’ atau ‘taxpayers dollar’ sering digunakan dalam media negara maju apabila memperkatakan tentang pembelanjaan ataupun pembaziran oleh pihak kerajaan. Istilah seperti ini sebenarnya boleh membantu mengelakkan kecuaian kerajaan dan dalam masa yang sama boleh menyedarkan rakyat tentang hakikat wang yang digunakan oleh pihak kerajaan. Istilah ini juga patut dihidupkan dalam negara kita.

Dipetik dari:http://drmaza.com/home/?p=1369#more-1369

Nicol led the World Cup challenge in Chennai

CHENNAI - world squash champion Datuk Nicol David will lead the Malaysian challenge in the World Cup mixed team here from 8 to 12 March.

Consultant Trainer for the Squash Federation of India (SRFI), Major (rtd) S. Maniam said, Nicol the world's leading and the other 10 players will participate in the tournament, which last hosted by Malaysia in 1996.

"So far nine countries have confirmed participation," he said yesterday.
He said the country will take part were Australia, Egypt, England, France, India, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Maniam, a former coach of Malaysia, said the preliminary rounds will be held at the Squash Academy India, while the finals will take place in a glass court at a shopping mall here.

Biennial tournament will offer prize money of U.S. $ 50,000 (RM152, 675).

Who's Datuk Nicol David?

Datuk Nicol Ann David is a player squash professional women's ethnic Malaysia. She is the first Asian woman to be ranked # 1 in the world women's squash.

She has won the British Open in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and also the title of the World Open in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Nicol is the first squash player to win the World Junior Squash Championships twice (in 1999 and 2000) under the guidance of Richard Glanfield .

She remains the only female squash player to do so, until Raneem El Weleily match her achievement; after won both the World Junior Championships in 2007.

Nicol joined WISPA and achieve professional status in 2000 when she won her maiden WISPA title just a month after the investment.

The victory was achieved in February when she beat Salma Shabana in the final round of the Open Savcor Finland.

On June 7, 2008, David Nicol was awarded the Bakti Degrees title after the birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin .

Nicol was also invited to carry the Olympic torch for Malaysia during the preparation of the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 as well appointed as National Goodwill Ambassador of Malaysia by the UNDP .

Nicol David Among other achievements, including the Asian Squash Championships which she won seven times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010).

She also defended championship after championship for 13 months and 51 games started in March 2006 until she lost it at the hands of Natalie Grinham in the Seoul Open in April 2007.

Nicol also won Player of the WISPA six times in a row, from 2005 to 2010.

Get more details about her from Wikipedia.

Francesca Schiavone v Jelena Dokic

KUALA LUMPUR – World No.5 woman tennis player, Francesca Schiavone will launch the first action of the BMW Tennis Championship 2011 Malaysia Open, the players voted against Jelena Dokic from Australia in the opening match tomorrow.

In addition Schiavone world star players who will play in the tournament this time, including Marion Bartoli, Alisa Kleybanova, Jarmila Groth, Lucie Safarova, Ayumi Morita, Kimiko Date-Krumm, Bojana Jovanovski and former world champion Dinara Safina.

In fact, all the players who were in the group is the world's best players get easy draw in this early competition. They have a bright chance to win this tournament which offered U.S. $ 220,000 (RM669, 000).

Executive Secretary Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM), Ibrahim Abu Bakar said the tournament which takes place this year is more challenging due to the increased participation of global superstars’ players when comparing from previous year.

"This year the tournament is better organized than ever before in addition to promising more exciting action.

"In addition there is also a good participation of young players that are of interest among local residents’ said Ibrahim.

Council vote took place at the Bukit Kiara Equestarian and Country Club yesterday.
Seven-day tournament is using a knockout format, featuring 32 singles and 16 doubles.

Further information on ticket prices can be obtained through the website www.ticketpro.com.my or call 03-78807999.