Khamis, 12 April 2012

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


Anwar Moots Wide-Ranging Education Reform

Posted: 12 Apr 2012 12:16 AM PDT

Malaysiakini

Pakatan Rakyat will draw up an education reform proposal outlining steps to provide all-inclusive free education up to university level in the event the coming general election puts the coalition in charge of Putrajaya.

Opposition Leader and MP for Permatang Pauh Anwar Ibrahim delivered the pledge at a forum on free education last night when fielding a question from an undergraduate who expressed fear that abolishing the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) would prevent students from getting a living allowance.

Anwar said going by the real definition of “free education”, the government should bear the cost of the living allowances of students.

“If additional allowances are needed under certain circumstances, we can provide these in the form of a loan,” he said.

Apart from this, Pakatan’s education reform would also address issues such as abolishing the PTPTN, campus autonomy, bolstering teaching staff and revving up the number of public universities.

Anwar said he would task government-linked companies (GLCs) to build new public universities to ensure enough places for higher education for all Malaysians.

Describing the wide-ranging reforms as a move to “democratise access to education”, he repeated Pakatan’s stance that this could only be done by utilising revenues from state-owned oil company Petronas, curbing corruption and reducing gas subsidies to Tenaga Nasional Bhd and the independent power producers (IPP).

Nizar: Scrap wasteful national service

The three-hour forum themed 'Free Education, PTPTN Abolition: Is it a Dream?’ was also attended by ousted Perak menteri besar Nizar Jamaluddin, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia chairperson Mohd Safwan Anang, Malaysia Bangkit president Mohd Syahid Mohd Zain and Gamis president Akram Taib Azamuddin.

Nizar drew a round of applause when he said in his speech that the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) and National Civics Bureau (Biro Tata Negara), should both be abolished and their expenses be directed to education.

“Every year, we spend RM650 million for the national service scheme and RM500 million for BTN, but these programmes do not contribute any significant value to the country.

“We should save this money for education instead,” Nizar said.

He described PTPTN as a form of suppression of students from speaking up against the authorities and said it also produced ignorant students.

Safwan, a Universiti Malaya student leader, lamented that the campus student body elections, which had been slated for March, have since been put off to September.

“I believe the government has postponed the student elections until the general election is over because it fears that the BN will be rejected by the youngsters.

“We won in many campuses in 2008 and as a result, the political tsunami took place and the BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament,” said Safwan.

BERSIH Kesan 24,000 Pendaftaran Berganda

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 11:22 PM PDT

Malaysiakini

BERSIH hari ini mendakwa menemui lebih banyak penipuan dalam daftar pemilih menjelang perhimpunannya pada 28 April, termasuk 24,105 pengundi di Sabah dan Sarawak yang didakwa didaftarkan semula di Selangor.

Dalam sidang media di Kuala Lumpur hari ini, mereka mendakwa 15,520 pengundi dan 8,585 pengundi Sarawak didaftarkan semula kali kedua di Selangor dalam daftar pemilih terkini sehingga suku pertama 2012.

Mereka bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan kes spesifik apabila ditanya oleh media. Sebaliknya, menurut jawatankuasa pemandunya, ia akan didedahkan dalam sidang media lain dalam waktu terdekat.

BERSIH yang diketuai bekas presiden Majlis Peguam S Ambiga dan Sasterawan Negara Datuk A Samad Said (lihat foto) juga mendakwa dalam daftar pemilih sama, seramai 7,841 pengundi di Selangor didaftarkan dengan MyKad dengan kod lokasi 71, merujuk kepada kelahiran di luar Malaysia.

Malaysia Security Bill Threatens Basic Liberties: HRW

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 11:14 PM PDT

From The Vancouver Sun

Malaysia’s proposed bill to replace a hated security law that allows indefinite detention without trial opens the door to a range of future abuses, Human Rights Watch warned Wednesday.

In September Prime Minister Najib Razak promised to repeal the colonial-era Internal Security Act (ISA) which in the past had been used against political opponents and suspected terrorists.

Najib, who took power three years ago, has been courting voters with polls expected to be called soon in what will likely be a tight battle against a resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim.

The new Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill was presented in parliament on Tuesday and if passed next week guarantees detainees access to a legal counsel after 48 hours.

It also prohibits arrest solely on the basis of “political belief or political activity”.

“The Malaysian government is putting to rest the long-derided ISA, but it is also setting the stage for future abuses,” HRW’s deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said in a statement.

“While the new law has improvements, the authorities still hold too much power to detain people on broad grounds, for too long, and without judicial oversight,” he said.

Robertson also said the new law would give the police broad powers to conduct searches without judicial warrants and permit police unilaterally to impose electronic monitoring devices on individuals released from detention.

“There are not nearly enough civil liberties protections written into this law,” he said.

Robertson said the Security Offences Bill sets the stage for trials with secret witnesses, unlawfully obtained evidence, and continued detention of those found not guilty.

“The government should go back to the drawing board and draft a law with input from civil society that will ensure the protection of basic rights,” he said.

Critics have said Najib’s reform pledges are ploys to garner voter support after the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered its worst performance ever during the 2008 polls.

Siri Jelajah Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim ke Sabah

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 07:46 PM PDT

Jom Bersih 3.0

13 April 2012 (Jumaat)

1) 3.00 ptg – Ceramah Perdana 1

Lokasi : Ulu Lohan, Ranau

2) 6.00 ptg – Ceramah Perdana 2

Lokasi: Pangkalan Abai, Kota Belud

3) 8.00 mlm – Ceramah Perdana 3

Lokasi ; Dewan PKKD, Pekan Tenghilan, Tuaran

14 April (Sabtu)

1) 9.30 pagi – Temurapat Umum – Isu-Isu Ekonomi Semasa

2) 11.00 pagi – Sidang Media

Lokasi : Golden Seafood Restaurant, Sebelah KTM Tanjung Aru,

Kota Kinabalu

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