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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Kepimpinan itu hanya untuk keluarga pemimpin, yang lain tak ada hak



Politik begitu mencabar di negara ini. Politik sudah tidak lagi berbudaya baik dan kini sudah tidak lagi dapat di kesan yang mana betul dan yang mana yang tidak betul. Politik dimainkan untuk kepentingan peribadi dan ia sudah di jadikan modal perniagaan untuk pemimpin-pemimpin yang memainkannya secara giat. Politik menjadi tindakan hidup mati untuk ramai pemimpin, sehinggakan pemimpin, tidak kira dari parti kerajaan atau pembangkang menjadikan politik ini untuk warisan keluarga yang sedang berkuasa.

Yang inginkan kuasa pula akan meletakkan ahli keluarga yang terdekat untuk menggantikan dirinya untuk merebut kuasa dan yang sedang bertahan juga menjadikan ahli keluarga mereka untuk mewarisi kuasa kerana bagi mereka kuasa itu adalah modal perniagaan keluarga mereka.

Dulu, ada pemimpin besar UMNO mahukan Melayu tidak lagi patut bersandar dan mempunyai tongkat untuk memajukan bangsanya. Pemimpin itu meminta supaya tongkat itu dibuang dan bersaing secara sihat tanpa tongkat-tongkat itu. Pemimpin itu meminta mahukan orang Melayu tidak bersandar kepada kerajaan dan UMNO untuk maju.

Tetapi pemimpin yang sama telah membuktikan yang anak-anak beliau sendiri bersandar kepada kuasa UMNO itu sehinggakan anak-anaknya menjadi orang besar negeri dan orang yang terkaya di negara ini dengan menggunakan tongkat yang sama.. Bagi yang mempunyai tongkat dan tidak mahu menggunakannya, tongkat itu jangan di buang tetapi di simpan di dalam setor. Ada waktunya tongkat itu akan berguna terutamanya semasa sudah tua nanti dan tidak berdaya berjalan dengan betul lagi.

Semuanya ini adalah kerana sikap ‘hypocrite’ pemimpin ini dan tidak berdaya untuk menahan nafsunya yang menjejaskan sifat kepemimpinannya. Kuasa dan kepimpinan itu hanya hak keluarga mereka yang sedang memimpin sahaja dan yang lain hanya di gunakan untuk menjadi alat pembedil untuk membedil sesiapa yang cuba untuk mengkritik tindakan seperti itu. Kroni-kroni ini hanya diperlakukan sebagai parang bengkok untuk menebas belukar yang menghalang mereka untuk majukan keluarga mereka sahaja.

Di pihak pembangkang juga jika mendapat mandat pun tidak kurang hebatnya.Ada pimpinan pembangkang yang lebih teruk dari pimpinan kerajaan yang mempraktikan nepotism itu. Jika pemimpin dalam UMNO mewarisi kepimpinannya selepas mereka bersara pimpinan dalam pihak pembangkang pula sudah menyediakan asas untuk mewariskan kepada ahli keluarga terdekat belum pun mendapat kuasa. Ada yang terus tidak merasakan apa-apa untuk menonjolkan isterinya sendiri dan bersedia untuk menyambung warisan itu sudah ada anak dan keluarga yang lain.

Ada sebuah parti yang dikuasai oleh bukan Melayu juga mewarisi kepimpinan parti kepada anaknya sendiri yang kini mengetuai parti itu yang telah duduk selesa berkuasa disebuah negeri di utara Semenanjung ini. Kalau diselidik secara kasar sahaja kita nampak kedua-dua pihak mempunyai ‘attribute’ yang sama walaupun ada sedikit perbezaan diantara kedua-dua belah pihak itu.

Najib menjadi Perdana Menteri setelah 29 tahun selepas bapanya meninggal dunia. Jika Mukhriz menjadi PM nanti beliau menjadi PM setelah Dr Mahathir bersara agak lama juga. Mukhriz hanya memerlukan yang beliau lebih berkelayakan untuk mengatasi Khairy Jamaludin dalam kepimpinan UMNO itu.

Hishamudin jika menjadi PM seperti yang dikehendaki oleh Najib sepupunya, beliau akan menjadi pemimpin utama selepas puluhan tahun Hussein Onn meninggal dunia.

Tetapi jika PKR mendapat kuasa di Putrajaya yang akan mewarisi kepimpinan utama negara ialah Wan Azizah. Beliau akan mewarisinya dari suaminya Anwar Ibrahim. Lim Guan Eng telah mendapat warisan dari bapanya Lim Kit Siang secara 'direct'. Oleh itu jika pembangkang menggunakan isu ‘nepotism’ terhadap UMNO ia merupakan perbahasan yang tidak mempunyai moral.

Sesungguhnya kedua-duanya sama dan kedua-duanya membawa kepada perpecahan negara yang dipunyai oleh rakyat yang ramai dan bukannya kepada segelintiran keluarga sahaja. Sifat ‘nepotism’ ini telah sampai kekemuncaknya dengan apa yang berlaku di Selangor dalam mana jawatan Menteri Besar itu menjadi rebutan dan hendak direntap secara ‘hostile’ dari penyandangnya Khalid Ibrahim oleh keluarga Anwar Ibrahim.

Jika berlaku pun perpecahan diantara PAS dengan PKR yang di sokong oleh DAP itu, ia bukanlah kejadian yang membawa banyak perbezaan jika mereka masih bersatu. Hasilnya sama dan ‘consequence of events’ akan tidak berbeza dengan kepimpinan dalam UMNO dan BN itu.

Kita sudah sangat hendak mengakui yang sifat ‘nepotism’ ini tetap akan menjahanamkan negara dalam masa yang tidak lama. Saya telah sebut Harold Mac Milan dan Callaghan tidak mewariskan kepimpinan Britain kepada anak dan keluarga mereka. Begitu juga pimpinan  yang baru dalam sejarah negara itu seperti John Major, Edward Heath, Iron Lady Margeret Thatcher, Tony Blair dan Gordon Brown. Mereka tidak di warisi oleh anak-anak atau menantu mereka.

Jika ada usaha dikalangan mereka yang mahukan kepimpinan negara diwarisi oleh ahli keluarga mereka, rakyat Britain akan memandangnya sebagai pemimpin yang tidak bermoral dengan kepimpinan mereka, tetapi di sini perkara waris mewarisi kepimpinan negara kepada keluarga itu tidak menjadi hal. Ia menjadi isu biasa yang tidak penting bagi kita di sini kerana kepercayaan yang kepimpinan itu hanya boleh timbul dari keluarga yang memimpin amat menebal.

Jika tidak datang dari keluarga Perdana Menteri mereka tidak boleh menjadi pemimpin. Jika tidak datang dari keluarga mereka yang membangkang, tidak ada kelayakan bagi yang lain untuk mewarisi kepimpinan pihak pembangkang pula.

Elok pemimpin negara kita diambil alih orang yang tidak mempunyai anak pinak buat sementara kita membina budaya yang lebih baik dalam mewarisi kepimpinan negara ini. Itu sebabnya kita mulakan politik dan negara baru. Blog ini telah menyebutnya selalu dan tidak jemu-jemu mengulanginya.

Something wonderful we can all learn from Hari Raya


Hari Raya is the only time in the year where it is socially permissible for one man to go up to another – hold him by the hand, lead him to a cool shade of a tree and say to him in hushed tones – forgive me for what I have said and done for this whole year. Let us close this account and open a new page and set aside old scores. The other man will do the same.

And in this one simple act of contrition – all the old accounts of resentment, pent up frustrations and enmity for the whole year are magically wiped away clean as if one just pressed the reset button and the counter all goes back to zero again.
There is much that is superior in the way of the Moslem.

Tabula Rasa.


‘Many years ago. I once caught a mole online in the newly formed internet brigade. I did not expose him as I have always believed in the principle of waging a gentlemen’s war. To me everyone has an elemental right to be in the internet.

I only told this person to be always mindful of the broader consequences of what he said and did online. I went on to share with him when he asked me to elaborate further – if you are callous or allow this power at your disposal to go up to your head like 40% proof alcohol – then you are likely to sow the seeds of mistrust, resentment and enmity – and once ill will takes root in the online community then all you would have done is created a whole generation of hardened contrarians who will never want to hear what your masters have to say and when that happens you are well and truly finished.

I went on to share with this mole that although many netizens appeared to be anti government – they pose no threat as their hearts are in the right place, as they really want to do is to make Singapore a better place. So there is so much that he already has in common with them – and he should work hard to win the battle of the hearts and minds along with their respect instead of using psychological warfare, software to slow their hard drives, screw up their stat counter along with other dirty and underhanded tactics. As I went on to stress to this fellow – even if you are on the other side, providing they know you are genuine and can be relied to conduct yourself like a gentlemen – most netizens will accord you the respect and hear you out.

But if you resort to threats, fear tactics and invading their privacy – then Hallejuyah to you lah!

I do not know whether this fellow took my advice. I really don’t think so. As these days things are so bad online that when Mini Lee says something – no one cares to listen any longer. So you can draw your own conclusion from that. This is what happens when you get a sheep to do a foxes job. He will fuck it all up!

But nonetheless this is really how I have always seen it. As even if one has no choice but to wage war, this does not prevent one from being a gentlemen and respecting one’s adversary by fighting fair and square.

But if all the dirty tricks come right out – then it becomes almost impossible to seek out common ground let alone a truce or any such agreement where two men can agree not to behave like animals. As since there is so much ill will, it’s hard if not impossible for both sides to seek a compromise.

Take the case of those businessmen in my village who tried and failed to cheat me on a land deal just about a year ago – since then a Cold War of sorts has descended on my village. One where whenever I appear in the kopitiam and this group is there everyone scrambles for the door frantically like some cowboy movie in high noon.

No one is quite sure what will happen. But they’re all convince something terrible is going to occur – it is no longer a question of whether as it remains when. At times it’s so tense, it’s even possible to even hear a caterpillar chewing leafs. All because these people continue to insist it is a miscommunication while I have adopted a militant refusal to concede to that term and have instead described their actions as nothing less than a dishonest act.

Not long ago. One of these businessmen who had suffered a stroke summoned me to his deathbed. He is a very old man and when I came to his side. He whispered to me – forgive me and let our differences end right here. Do what you need to do to the others. But promise me when I go to the other side that my children will be allowed to turn the wheel of life without harassment. Do not raid their lands. I told this old man, he has my word of honor that I shall forgive and move on and I bear no grudges.

But when he looked me deep in the eyes. He began to cry and soon he was wailing uncontrollably. As he did not believe me.

I felt very sad when I left. As I meant what I said.

But all that this old man could see was an angry man hell bent on squaring accounts. This is what happens when there is so much resentment, mistrust and enmity – we all suddenly find ourselves in the hottest place in hell and we don’t know how to get back to the road of peace any longer. This feud will go on for generations.’ -dotseng

SINISTER TWIST: Murum Dam manager was probed by MACC before his SUDDEN DEATH

SINISTER TWIST: Murum Dam manager was probed by MACC before his SUDDEN DEATH
Sarawak Report has learnt that Sarawak Energy’s Technical Manager for the Muram Dam hydro-electric project, Frankie Chin, was questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) shortly before his sudden death last month.
Frankie Chin died on the night of 12th June after a short illness.
A contact has told Sarawak Report that Chin, who was aged 57, is understood to have died due to heart problems, shortly after returning from leave in Vietnam.
A separate family friend assured Sarawak Report:
“it certainly wasn’t suicide. He was ill for a short time before he died in his house”
The same speaker added:
“It is true he was being watched by the MACC. but that happened to all his predecessors too”.
Another contact confided:
“Frankie was driving a new Mercedes. That led to MACC eyes on him. Heard he couldn’t take it anymore.”
Frankie Chin's sudden death was reported in the Borneo Post last month.
Frankie Chin’s sudden death was reported in the Borneo Post last month.
Cover-up and secrecy concerns over Murum Dam
This latest revelation that Sarawak Energy (SEB)’s top technical official, in charge of the construction and safety of the Murum Dam, had been questioned by the anti-corruption authorities, casts further concern over the commissioning of this dam and subsequent safety checks.
Frankie Chin was due to face an audit enquiry at SEB the day after his death and was clearly under pressure following the delivery of a devastating report in March, which pointed to ‘catastrophic’ defects in the turbines which had already been delivered to the dam site.
The report, which was obtained by SR, contained a litany of graphic illustrations of the problems with Murum's turbine blades and runners.
The report, which was obtained by SR, contained a litany of graphic illustrations of the problems with Murum’s turbine blades and runners.
This report was covered up and kept secret by SEB and Sarawak Report has now heard that there are a number of other reports into the quality of the wider construction of the dam, which have been likewise covered up.
Indeed there has been a worrying level of secrecy surrounding the entire project.
Murum "Completely safe" . CEO Torstein Sjotveit sanctioned the cover-up and the on site repairs and then claimed the turbines were completely safe. He is currently on holiday in Norway.
Murum “Completely safe” – CEO Torstein Sjotveit sanctioned the cover-up and the on site repairs and then claimed the turbines were completely safe. He is currently on holiday in Norway.
Another vital document, which ought to have been published is the crucial Environmental Impact Assessment (IEA), which should have been commissioned well in advance of the project and made subject to public consultation before construction was even started.
In fact, the IEA was commissioned long AFTER construction had begun and has subsequently been kept secret, giving the public no opportunity to evaluate the potential damage and risks of this recently completed dam, which was commissioned by SEB from the Chinese state company, Three Gorges Development Company (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, without any consultation at all.
Meanwhile, the report on the severe defects in the manufacture of the four turbines at the Murum hydro-electric plant, has now been made public, thanks to a leak to Sarawak Report.
"Very risky" to attempt to repair and re-callibrate such defects on site, according to top dam engineers. SEB went ahead anyway, saving Three Gorges the expense of removing the turbines back to the China workshop.
“Very risky” to attempt to repair and re-callibrate such defects on site, according to top dam engineers. SEB went ahead anyway, saving Three Gorges the expense of removing the turbines back to the China workshop.
The report had been presented to SEB by the Norwegian consultancy Norconsult 20th March and Frankie Chin was in the individual in charge, reporting to his boss the CEO Torstein Sjotveit.
Norconsult had concluded that the Murum turbines were so seriously defective that they were “not suitable for installation or operation”.
However, SEB evidently decided to cover up the report and instead to attempt to conduct the sophisticated “repairs” on site, rather than hold up the construction of the dam.
Experts have told Sarawak Report that such a measure is  unheard of in mainstream dam construction and extremely risky.
Concerns about wide-spread bribery of officials over Murum Dam project
According to documents in our possession, Frankie Chin was the key manager at SEB who negotiated on this crisis with the Three Gorges Dam Company and with the company Harbin, which was apparently responsible for manufacturing the turbines.
Given that the decision to attempt to repair the turbines in situ, instead of returning them to the factory, was highly risky, the new evidence that there were concerns on the part of the MACC that Mr Chin may have received unauthorised payments is highly disturbing.
Sources extremely close to the project and to Frankie Chin have told Sarawak Report that Chin was questioned over whether he was receiving bribes from a contractor on the project.
The same sources told Sarawak Report that numerous other staff, including those at extremely senior levels linked to the turbine report have also fallen under strong suspicion over receiving bribes from the same contractor.
Murum turbines due to be tested shortly
Experts say that it is impossible to confidently re-weld and re-calibrate such defects as on these blades outside the machine shop.
Experts say that it is impossible to confidently re-weld and re-calibrate such defects as on these blades outside the machine shop.
There is now further concern that even the risky and far from certain on site repairs of the Murum turbines may not in fact have been fully carried out, if at all.
The huge secrecy surrounding the construction of the dam, which has been handled by foreign workers and which is sealed off from all public scrutiny, means that no one can be sure what repairs if any have been undertaken.
Meanwhile, testing of the turbines is due to begin shortly, according to our inside information.
This is despite the fact that experts agree that the defective and unfinished blades identified in the report are likely to erode extremely rapidly and sheer off, causing potentially catastrophic damage in a relatively short period.
Such damage would render the dam at best a white elephant project, producing little or none of the promised electricity.  At worst it could threaten lives in the event of an explosive breakage of the turbine casing, as happened in Russia in 2009.
- Sarawak Report

The Selangor Drama

anwar-wan-azizah-khalid                                            

Like most Selangorian I am pissed big time.  The last straw is DAP standing hand in hand with Anwar telling the world that PAS will be the biggest loser if there is snap election. DAP is wrong because they too will lose big.

Before the 13th GE not many realize or rather media were bribed not to publish the secret meetings between UMNO Selangor, Najib, Azmin and Anwar. An agreement was reached that Anwar rejoin UMNO as Deputy Prime Minister if they were to secure more votes than DAP and PAS in the 13thGE.  Mahathir Kutty found out and blackmailed Najis that his file will be exposed to the world if Anwar were to return to UMNO. That put a complete stop to whatever was agreed between Najis and Anwar.

At the 13th GE PAS and DAP got equal number of seats while PKR got 1 less.  PAS and DAP agreed that Khalid Ibrahim should remain as MB and got the blessing from the Sultan of Selangor. The move disappointed Azmin who thought that PAS and DAP were in support for him to be MB. Anwar being Anwar had promised Azmin the MB seat.  On what authority does Anwar has to give such a position to someone like Azmin.  The very same Azmin whose boys goes around factories, eateries, café etc. demanding for DUIT KOPI.  Many complaint that Azmin’s boys were worse than UMNO bastards.  The only difference in PR Government is that MB Khalid does not ask for bribe.  While the rest of the EXCO does, similar to UMNO people.

Elizabeth Wong had personally approved 6 illegal landfill after the 13th GE.  Azmin and Rozali have met many times oversea and in Mecca.  My guess is equally the same as yours as to what the meetings were about.  Azmin also has an agreement with 3 PAS Selangor members giving them free share worth RM60 million each and promised 5 DAP members RM2 million cash each and 1 incinerator if they were to support him.
But in private Azmin has already identified 3 DAP members whom he wants out.  They are Tony Pua, Ong Kian Ming and Datuk Teng.

As to PAS so called wanting to join UMNO to get the MB seat is false.  Many are not aware except PAS Council, Anwar and Azmin that the Sultan of Selangor is not in favour of PAS member to be the MB of Selangor.  DAP cannot because they do not have a Malay Adun.  With that advantage Anwar thinks he can push his way through.

After failing to get the DPM seat in UMNO, Anwar then turned his attention to the MB seat thinking that once the RM3 billion is in his hand he can have a party. So he got a Third Party to inform MB Khalid that PAS and DAP wanted him out.  Yes Anwar put the blame onto PAS and DAP.  One would think Anwar is brave enough to be truthful but he is actually a sly coward. All this were done WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF PAS AND DAP.  MB Khalid was shocked and reacted the way anyone in his position would and that is to close all doors to his enemies.

So come 14th GE if Kak Wan is the MB of Selangor, we can safely say good-bye to Tony Pua, Ong Kian Ming, Datuk Teng and Nurul.  Yes Nurul, the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim.  And PAS will definitely lose by 6 seats.  This is the PLAN OF ANWAR AND AZMIN ALI.

MY BET THAT ONCE KAK WAN BECOMES MB OF SELANGOR, RAFIZI AND HIS THREE FRIENDS WILL MAKE RM3 BILLION DISAPPEAR WITHIN 6 HOURS.

SO DO YOU STILL WANT TO BE ANWAR’S DOGS? -TMI
                                                
                                        

SEORANG LELAKI CEDERA PARAH DAN PELURU MASIH MELEKAT DI KEPALA KENA TEMBAKAN RAMBANG DARI PISTOL ANGIN.



Seorang lelaki cedera parah di bahagian kepala selepas kereta dinaikinya ditembak secara rambang oleh sekumpulan lelaki yang tidak dikenali.

Pemandu, Qumeyza Iqbal Arif Sulaiman, 28, berkata beliau mendengar bunyi kuat dan menyangka ia adalah dentuman mercun yang dibakar berhampiran kenderaannya.

Pihak polis mendapati suspek menggunakan pistol angin sebagai senjata dalam kejadian tembakan rambang.

“Sejurus mendengar letupan di bahagian kiri belakang kereta, abang ipar saya, Mohd Syukur Shafie, 31, tidak sedarkan diri ekoran terkena peluru sesat daripada tembakan terbabit, di bahagian kiri kepala,” katanya.

Menurut laporan Berita Harian, Timbalan Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Selangor, Asisten Komisioner Roslan Radzi ketika dihubungi mengesahkan menerima laporan mengenai kejadian itu dengan siasatan lanjut masih dijalankan mengikut Seksyen 307 Kanun Keseksaan dan Seksyen 3 Akta Senjata.

Katanya, pihak polis mendapati suspek menggunakan pistol angin sebagai senjata dalam kejadian tembakan rambang itu, dan pihaknya sudah melakukan tangkapan terhadap tiga individu lelaki untuk siasatan lanjut.

“Hasil daripada siasatan awal, tembakan itu dilepaskan oleh suspek tanpa sebarang motif dan hanya terdorong daripada perasaan suka-suka dan tidak bermotifkan dendam.

Dalam kejadian itu, Syukur dibawa ke Hospital Banting sebelum dihantar ke Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), Klang untuk rawatan lanjut.

Rammed in the rear by Porsche, Perodua flips up in air then rolls over a few times into drain

Rammed in the rear by Porsche, Perodua flips up in air then rolls over a few times into drain
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia - A woman was seriously injured when the Perodua Viva in which she was a passenger, was rammed at the rear by a Porsche, along KM12.8 of the Elite Highway heading to USJ, early Thursday.
The Perodua rolled over a few times from the impact before crashing into a drain, causing her to be hurt, although her husband and son escaped injury.
Medical personnel from Hospital Putrajaya managed to extricate the injured woman from the wreckage with the help of concerned passers-by.
Passers-by also helped collect the family's belongings, which were flung out of the car in the crash.
The woman was believed to have broken her neck and also suffered injuries to her face.
Her 12-year-old son, who declined to be named, said the family was heading back to Batu Gajah, Perak after spending Hari Raya with relatives in Beranang, Semenyih for four days.
When approached for an interview, his father Khamiri Zarial, 41, requested the media to leave his son alone as the child was still in shock from the accident.
Meanwhile, a business owner who identified herself as V. Umadevi claimed she saw the Porsche slamming into the Viva at approximately 12.30am.
The 31-year-old woman added that she was driving a Proton Saga in the middle lane of the expressway with four others in the car when they witnessed the collision. "Both cars were in the fast lane when the Porsche rammed the Viva.
"The impact of the crash threw the Viva to the far left of the road, causing it to crash into a drain," she said.
Umadevi said she saw the Porsche crashing into a divider soon after.
"I was scared that the Viva would hit our car as it skidded off the road but fortunately, it didn't.
"I feel sorry for the injured lady - at the same time I'm relieved that her son escaped unscathed," she added.
According to police officers at the site, the driver of the Porsche was a British citizen in the country on a student visa.
He added that four people, including the driver, were in the Porsche during the collision. -Asiaone

Najib arrives in the Netherlands

Najib purpose for the visit is to expedite the repatriation of the remains of the Malaysian victims of the MH17 crash as soon as possible.
najib-razak1AMSTERDAM: The Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak arrived in the Netherlands today for a two-day tight working visit over the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 crash in Ukraine.
He is scheduled to meet with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte during the visit, the primary aim of which is to help expedite the repatriation of the remains of the Malaysian victims of the tragedy.
Najib arrived at the Schiphol International Airport  accompanied by his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Health Minister Dr.S. Subramaniam, Deputy Foreign Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman and MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya were also in Najib’s delegation.
Najib is scheduled to travel to The Hague and then to Hilversum as part of his visit. It is at Hilversum that the remains of the air tragedy victims are undergoing identification and forensic process.
Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands Dr.Fauziah Mohamad Taib said on Wednesday that Najib would first meet Rutte in The Hague and then leave for Hilversum.
In the evening, he is scheduled to host a dinner for the Malaysians in the Netherlands.
The MAS flight, MH17, was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it went down in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border on July 17.
The Boeing 777-200 aircraft, which was carrying 298 people – 283 passengers and 15 crew – is believed to have been shot down, but until today no one has claimed responsibility.
The remains of the victims were flown from Ukraine to the Netherlands.
Exactly 193 of the victims were Dutch nationals, the largest number of passengers on flight MH17. -Bernama

Najib still mum on high toll rates

The Causeway toll rates goes up effective August 1 and still not a word from Najib on why he has gone back on his promise of a toll-free EDL for the rakyat.
COMMENT
plus-tollBy Jimmy Puah
With less than 12 hours to go (at the time of writing) before the implementation of the new toll rates at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Bahru, one cannot help but wonder about the eerie silence from certain quarters.
From the day of the announcement until today, no MCA, MIC or Gerakan leader has commented about the issue, leaving us to wonder if they agree or disagree with the new toll rates.
As major component parties of the ruling Barisan Nasional government, it is only right that the Johor Bahru residents want to know their leaders’ stand on this matter.
If they continue to stay mute, then I can only conclude that they tacitly agree to this toll hike.
Surprisingly, our Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Abdul Samad made an objection, even if it was merely symbolic. I expected more from the veteran lawmaker who was vocal during the first public uproar over the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) deal back in 2012.
Perhaps Shahrir too feels betrayed by the turn of events, having publicly claimed political credit for keeping the faith with Najib and his promise that the EDL remain toll-free.
Another key figure subscribing to the principle of ‘silence is golden’ is our Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
It is extraordinary that until today, the man has not issued a single statement on the matter, despite giving a written assurance to a Pakatan Rakyat lawmaker way back in September 2012 that the EDL will be kept toll-free after the Federal government takeover.
Surely a 570% increase in toll rates, which could potentially jeopardise the local economy of Johor Bahru and cause a strain on the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Singapore, merits the Prime Minister’s attention.
Even if Najib is disinterested in this issue, why is it that until today, even our Works Minister has made no comment on the exact nature and reasoning for the sudden 570% increase in toll charges?
In fact, the only party to issue a statement was the Malaysia Highway Authority (MHA) and even that was via media statements and not a press conference where they would have had to answer questions from the media.
It is the PKR Johor’s view that PLUS will be collecting the higher toll charges for the EDL concession holder.
It is plain to see that this has become a face-saving exercise for Najib as he promised in 2012 that the Federal government would takeover the EDL and keep it toll-free for the rakyat.
If the EDL concession holder Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) were to step up and collect toll based on the EDL concession agreement, Najib’s integrity as a leader would be shattered.
Hence, the need to masquerade the collection by appointing PLUS at the payment collection counter when at all times the money is really going to  MRCB.
That is also why until today, the government is reluctant to justify the reasoning for the sudden increase of 570% because there is none unless the EDL deal is put into the equation.
My point here is to reinforce MHA’s statement that part of the money collected would be channelled towards the maintenance of the CIQ buildings and the EDL.
However if RM2.90 had been fine for the past years for maintenance works, why the sudden need to jump five-fold for doing essentially the same job?
If the government is unable to keep their promise then at least have the decency to face the rakyat and be truthful about it.
Najib has shown poor leadership by not only renegading on his own words but displaying cowardice by not having the courage and decency to tell the rakyat he has failed us.
Jimmy Puah Wee Tse is the PKR Johor Legal Bureau Chief cum State Assemblyman for Bukit Batu.