Debating the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng’s address in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting, Biju said:

“The state government has been developing large-scale plantations for commercial crop.

“However, Bumiputera participation in agri-business does not even reach 20% and the majority of rural communities are having income below the poverty line index of RM850 per month.

“As such, an aggressive socio-economic transformation plan is required in rural areas.

“This transformation requires complete overhaul of agricultural practices and construction of basic infrastructures.”

Citing the situation in the Krian constituency, Biju said the most effective way to improve socio-economic conditions in rural communities is to develop smallholdings of commercial crop, especially oil palm and high-yield rubber.

“Smallholdings do not only eradicate poverty rate among rural farmers but also reduce dependency on foreign workers in plantation, provide job opportunities, minimise rural-urban migration, develop rural entrepreneur, empower rural communities and provide a sense of pride to farmers through self-reliance.

“It also helps to preserve native culture and customary practices on their land.

“Smallholdings of four hectares of proper commercial farms can create tremendous socio-economic change for rural households,” Biju said.

He urged the government of the day to come out with specific programme to assist and cultivate at least four hectares per family of commercial crops, either oil palm or rubbers.

No assistance for smallholders

He said that throughout the Krian constituency, there are many genuine poor rural farmers interested in oil palm planting.

“However, a lot of their applications for assistance to MPOB [Malaysian Palm Oil Board] office are not entertained or not processed without any reason.

“I would like to thank State Agricultural Modernisation Minister [Alfred Jabu Numpang] in his oral reply that the government will provide assistance through MPOB irrespective of their political affiliation since poverty eradication is applicable to all poor farmers.

“So far, the government has not allocated sufficient budget to cater for the needs of oil palm smallholders. I would like to know how much has been allocated to oil palm smallholders.

“How many applications have been received and approved by MPOB?” Biju asked.

He also questioned the financial capability of the government to plant 200,000ha by 2021 of high- yield rubber trees as planned by Pemandu (Performance Management and Delivery Unit).

“I would like to express my concern on the availability of federal fund to finance such an ambitious undertaking.

“Such undertaking costs about RM13,500 per ha to plant rubber trees so the government has to set a budget of RM2.7 billion over the next 10 years or RM270 million per year.

“Looking at the budget to plant rubber for 2012 of about RM70 million, it means we are way behind our target already,” he said.

Rubber smallholders

A lot of smallholders, through their own efforts, plant commercial crops like oil palm and rubber without waiting for assistance from agricultural department.

“They are facing many obstacles, especially relating to terracing and construction of farm roads leading to their farms.

“I urge the agricultural department to come out with a specific scheme to assist those genuine farmers.

“Rubber smallholders are also facing problem with the quality of seedlings provided through the agricultural department.

“Many of the seedlings cannot grow properly or simply die after planting. Replacement seedlings should be supplied immediately to replace dead seedlings.

“Farmers must be advised and given technical training assistance so that they can produce their own seedlings with quality ‘bud eyes’ taken from reputable suppliers of high-yield rubber clones,” he added.

Deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said EC will avoid third parties and proposed that media personnel take ballot papers from the returning officers (RO) office where they are registered and vote.

“Media personnel can use the 10-day campaign to return to their respective constituencies to collect them as the campaign period is quite long,” he told Bernama today.

Postal voting for media personnel are among 22 recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reform which the EC agreed to implement.

Facilities for postal voting is in accordance with sub-regulation 3 (1) (f) Election Regulations (Postal Voting) 2003.

Wan Ahmad said the EC is prepared to give exemption to media personnel who are assigned too far from their registered areas such as Sabah and Sarawak.

“Eligible media personnel must apply to become postal voters from their respective ROs and the applications must be supported by their employers.

“The form can be downloaded from the EC official website after an announcement, including the submission deadline,” he said, adding that not all media personnel are entitled to become postal voters.

Among information that must be furnished is their voting registered address and place they are assigned to during general election.

“When the application as postal vote has been approved, the name of the media personnel will be removed from the standard elctoral roll.”

He urged employers to finalise the assignment location as changes at the last minute will not be entertained once the EC has approved application as postal voters.

On the rationale for media personnel to return to their areas to vote, Wan Ahmad said the EC did not want it politicised by sending ballot papers to their assignment locations.

“EC does not want the ballot papers to get lost as our practice is to send them to the office of ROs where the voters are registered.

“If you want, the RO office can send ballot papers to the RO office where media personnel are located but this will lead to speculation and wild accusations against the EC.”

He, however, said that all are still proposals and the EC is willing to receive feedback to ensure smooth implementation of postal voting for media personnel for the benefit of all parties.

Bernama

Reminding members to stay away from such gatherings, he said: “Those caught will have to face the consequences themselves. It is not in our jurisdiction to help them.

“According to regulation, it is clearly stated that civil servants cannot participate in such gathering because it can jeopardise the country’s security.

“Civil servants found guilty of participating in such unlawful assemblies can lose their jobs.”

He said this when met after the opening of a nursing seminar held in conjunction with the state-level World Nursing Day celebrations here today.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed opened the event.

In a related matter, Omar requested the police to give the names of civil servants who were detained in connection with an unlawful assembly which was supported by the opposition in Kuala Lumpur last April 28.

“Cuepacs wants to meet them [the civil servants] to know the reason which prompted them to participate in the gathering,” he added.

He said Cuepacs was prepared to organise briefing sessions for its members to explain to them the regulation prohibiting them from participating in such gatherings.

-Bernama

The seats are Kota Raja parliamentary seat and Sri Andalas state seat, currently held by Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud from PAS and PKR Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, respectively.

“We have no choice but to stand as independents now. We are going in as the first Hindraf activists. Three years after our release from ISA detention, none of Hindraf leaders have taken up any government positions in the Pakatan states. That’s because we want to champion the Indian cause without fear or favour,” Uthayakumar told a crowd of about 400 at Padang Chetty at Tengku Kelana in Klang.

“They (Pakatan Rakyat) only want us for our votes. They only want the Indian votes, not solve the Indian problems,” he said, expressing clear disappointment that his invitation to the opposition to state its 100-day plan to address Indian issues has been “rejected” twice.

However, Uthayakumar stressed that Barisan Nasional was still its main enemy and it “wants Pakatan to go to Putrajaya, but to bring along seven Hindraf MPs and 14 state assemblymen as check and balance”.

MORE TO COME

In making this call, MIC Youth chief T Mohan said Ramasamy should allow other assemblymen to head HEB to enable more Indian leaders to serve the community effectively.

“HEB is merely a statutory body entrusted to safeguard and manage Hindu endowments.

“Ramasamy should not compromise his dignity and integrity as a state excutive council member to head a lower-ranking body

“It is only proper for him to quit immediately as HEB chairman,” he said.

Mohan challenged Ramasamy to show his leadership quality by making the right decision immediately to pave the way for another assemblyman to take over HEB.

He said Ramasamy should only assume one position to correct the growing public perception that he was greedy for positions.

He added that being a political novice, Ramasamy, a former academician, has failed to realise that perception was vital in public judgment.

He said Ramasamy should not allow the public to see him wearing too many hats and dominating all positions, while hindering others from holding posts.

Despite strong opposition from the Penang DAP Indian grassroots, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng re-appointed Ramasamy as HEB chairman early this month.

DAP assemblymen Seri Delima’s Rayer and Bagan Dalam’s Tanasekharan, and PKR’s Batu Uban representative S Raveentharan also sit as board commissioners.

Mohan asked why virtually all Indian assemblymen are sitting as board commissioners, likening it to “putting all eggs in a single basket”.

He said Ramasamy should be prepared to swap positions to make way for bigger Indian representation in the state government.

“Big responsibilities come with high position. Penang Indians need a full-time Indian executive councillor to serve them, not part-time or past-time politicians.

“It’s only fair that Ramasamy steps down as HEB chairman for the sake of the community,” Mohan told FMT.

Based on the past four-year record, Mohan, however, is convinced that Ramasamy would eventually fail miserably to perform his tasks as deputy chief minister II.

Ramasamy is in charge of state economic planning, education, human resources, science, technology and innovation.

“He has done nothing worthy in his executive portfolios. He has also not done anything different for the Indian community.

“He has only been a perfect mandore for Guan Eng,” Mohan said.

He said the unruly protesters had refused the government’s offer of a suitable venue and then broke the law, which resulted in the situation escalating into violence and chaos where even police officers were assaulted.

He compared this with the massive Umno rally held at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium where more than 100,000 people gathered peacefully and without any untoward incident.

Najib was speaking following a luncheon and a Friday prayer session with students and embassy staff.

Also present was the Malaysian Special Envoy to the US, Jamaludin Jarjis.

Earlier, Najib said Malaysian students should look at the world as a stage and take advantage of the enormous opportunities abroad.

“You can maintain your roots but also have a global perspective by acquiring job experience and proficiency in several languages,” he said.

He said students should take advantage of internship programmes such as the one initiated by the Malaysia-US Chamber of Commerce based here, in collaboration with Education Malaysia in Washington DC, which opens the door for Malaysian students in the US to intern with Malaysian or American-owned companies in either Malaysia or in the United States over the summer to enhance their learning experience.

“Even if you work in the US, we won’t lose you forever, ” he said at the luncheon hosted by ambassador Othman Hashim.

“My job is to create as many opportunities – beyond that, it is up to you,” the prime minister told

told about 30 Malaysian undergraduate and graduate students currently pursuing engineering, biotech and actuarial science at Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey; Rutgers University, New Jersey; Temple University, Pennsylvania; and Purdue University, Indiana.

Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor are on a private visit to attend the graduation of their son Nor Ashman yesterday.

‘Malaysia is for all Malaysians’

The proud dad, in a lighter moment, recalled his rare visit to his son’s dorm room in Washington DC, where he was “horrified” when he did not see any books.

Noting his father’s concern, Nor Ashman calmed him by reminding him that he did not need many books because he can read them digitally, and that the proof would be in the results.

As many proud parents would do, Najib happily reported that his 21-year-old son surpassed his expectations by completing his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs with Magna cum Laude honours and an above average CGPA of 3.71 from Georgetown University.

The prime minister also touched on the 1Malaysia concept, and emphasised that it was not merely a slogan but an initiative to make Malaysia inclusive – that Malaysia was not only for a particular ethnic group or religion, but for all Malaysians.

He updated Malaysian students on several development projects in Malaysia, including the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) complex launched by Petronas in Pengerang, Johor, in addition to a petrochemical complex undertaken by a Taiwanese company, which is expected to create some 5,000 jobs on a permanent basis and an additional 5,000 jobs on a contractual basis.

Najib also spoke of the River of Life beautification project aimed at transforming the Klang and Gombak rivers into vibrant and liveable waterfronts and to increase the economic viability of the area.

“We have to make the cake bigger and redistribute it to all Malaysians,” he pointed out, adding that the Malaysian economy was improving and the government last year collected RM26 billion in tax revenue following assertive measures to collect taxes.

The improving economy has permitted the government to provide financial assistance of RM500 to some four million households earning less than RM3,000 per month.

Bernama

In a matter of three weeks, Teng has fired up the imagination of the coalition which would be starting up as an underdog in the next general election for the first time since 1969, Penang Umno liaison chairman Zainal Abidin Osman said.

Realising that Teng has now come under attack by Pakatan Rakyat since his appointment as Penang BN chairman, Zainal Abidin said that the former has brought in creativity and a sense of leadership.

The DAP-dominated Pakatan has been criticising Teng online or through the mainstream media hours after his appointment, he said.

Zainal Abidin added that he would like to assure Penangites that Umno is not interested in leading BN at Penang.

The population census shows that there are more non-Malays than Malays in Penang, therefore Umno accepts the notion that a non-Malay (Chinese) be given a chance to lead Penang, he said.

He admitted that previously, there were calls for Umno to take over the reins of BN here and to also assume the chief ministership should BN regains the state.

However, the reality on the ground shows that people are comfortable with a non-Malay leading the state, hence Umno’s willingness to allow Gerakan to lead the state, Zainal Abidin said.

He also said that Teng is his own man and Umno has no plans to interfere with his stewardship of the state.

“Teng has shown firm leadership and we are now focusing on regaining the trust of the diverse communities here.”

Zainal Abidin expects Pakatan to mow down Teng since the latter is proving to be an obstacle to its strategy of eradicating BN here.

“We realise this, as Pakatan’s strategy is to always exploit the weaknesses of its opponents rather than to show its own strengths.”

Sooner or later, the people would realise this cheap form of politics, which is to constantly blame others only, Zainal Abidin said, adding that people should be asking what has changed in the state since Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng began his tenure here.

He also said allocating funds to the people is a standard form of governance.

All governments do it either directly or indirectly, he added in reference to the handouts that the state was allocating to the senior citizens, newly-wed couples and families who have their first-borns besides educational incentives for Penang-based students.

He claimed that the BN-led federal government had dispensed RM22.5 billion worth of projects, initiatives and services in Penang since 2008.

“Without such expenditure where local contracters have also benefited, we doubt the state can register economic growth.”

He said he had learned that certain people planned to spend a lot of money to buy votes in the next general election to topple Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbents, especially from his Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

The giver and receiver of money would be penalised upon conviction of the offence, he said when officiating at a housewarming last night at the Rh Laman longhouse in Nanga Nyuyau here and two other longhouses in the constituency.

Salang, who is deputy information, communications and culture minister, said people who used money to win the elections would neglect their constituents later by giving the excuse that they had been paid in advance.

He also said that the opposition elected representatives would have neither the means nor the resources to undertake development projects and programmes, big or small.

On the continuing attempts by a certain local politician to discredit him, Salang said he would not respond to the many allegations made.

“I believe the majority of the people in Julau know the truth. This is based on the increasing pledges of support for the Barisan Nasional and myself,” he added.

Bernama

Russia is looking with a degree of superiority on the crisis engulfing the debt-ridden eurozone states, predicting only a narrow budget deficit of just 0.3% of GDP this year and buoyed by robust first quarter growth.

But Putin is also acutely aware that a major eurozone crisis would severely wound Russian exporters and limit its receipts of petro-dollars.

Moreover, the country’s economy has yet to fully modernize 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its vulnerability to external shocks is an acute worry for Putin as he faces the first serious street protests against his rule.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, pointman on the economy in the outgoing government, this week gave an unusually frank assessment of Russia’s failings, admitting “we cannot say now that Russia is a modern country”.

“We have big social spending, large-scale innovation-based industry is absent, we have underdeveloped institutions and a legal system which needs almost to be created from scratch.”

“We need to bring the economy and the social sphere to modern standards. This is not an empty slogan but the fulfillment of plans on modernization,” he told the Vedomosti business daily.

Hours after taking office on May 7 for his third term as president after his four-year stint as prime minister, Putin signed a decree on economic policy apparently aimed at ending Russia’s shortcomings once and for all.

The lofty aims sounded familiar but, if implemented, they would have a truly revolutionary impact on the Russian economy and society.

Putin ordered the government to take measures:

• To create and modernise 25 million high-productivity jobs by 2020.
• To increase investment to no less than 25% of GDP by 2015.
• To boost labour productivity to a level one-and-half times greater than that of 2011.
• To lift Russia’s position in the World Bank’s Doing Business Index from 120 in 2011 to 50 in 2015 and 20 in 2018.
• To raise average life expectancy by 2018 to 74 years from the current 70.

Russia’s current ranking on the ease of Doing Business index places it nine places below Ethiopia and two places above Bangladesh.

Spectacularly ambitious

The goals are spectacularly ambitious, particularly as they are supposed to be released within the period of his six-year presidential term.

“The goals are reminiscent of the Great Leap Forward in China,” the Institute of Development at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) wrote in a report, referring to the radical modernisation plan of Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

“Some of the goals – which in Russian conditions would be realistic to reach within 10-15 years – have been squeezed into the six-year period, against the laws of nature and economic development,” said the Institute’s director Natalya Akindinova.

The institute noted that statistics agency Rosstat only expects the 74 years life expectancy figure to be reached in 2023 and that in a best-case scenario.

As for the vault up the Doing Business table “there is no example in the history of these tables of a major country making such a jump”, Akindinova said.

In an early boost for Putin, Russia’s first quarter growth in 2012 surprised everyone by coming in at robust 4.9% at a time of almost unremittingly depressing global economic news especially from the eurozone.

“The better than expected first quarter GDP growth number shows that Russia, so far, remains relatively well protected from the crisis in Europe,” said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Troika Dialog in Moscow.

The head of the Russian Central Bank Sergei Ignatiyev this week said he was optimistic, even though a second wave of the economic crisis in Europe could not be ruled out that would see most European states go into recession.

“But we are better prepared for a future economic crisis than in 2008. We have the experience, the instruments which we can use at practically any moment,” he told parliament.

However, Russia still remains vulnerable to a prolonged eurozone crisis and analysts are still skeptical that the country’s long term growth will be anything near the levels the government wants to see.

According to a survey of 30 top economists by the HSE, annual growth in Russia is expected to bump along at 3.5% to 4.0% between now and 2018.

Most troubling for the government is possibly the prolonged and substantial net capital outflow from the country, which was US$84 billion in 2011 and no better this year with capital flight of US$35.1 billion in the first quarter.

- AFP

Beliau berkata Umno sudah lama menyatakan persetujuan untuk mengadakan muzakarah itu tetapi PAS sebaliknya meletakkan syarat tidak munasabah sehingga menggagalkan usaha tersebut.

“Nak berbaik seperti mengadakan muzakarah ini lebih baik jangan adakan syarat. Sepatutnya tidak ada syarat yang boleh menjejaskan pertemuan ini.

“Ini perkara baik dan perlu disambut dengan tangan terbuka oleh semua pihak. Yang penting adalah untuk melihat perpaduan dapat dijalinkan dengan baik,” katanya selepas merasmikan Seminar Kejururawatan sempena sambutan Hari Jururawat Sedunia peringkat Negeri Kelantan, di sini hari ini.

Turut hadir Presiden Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (Cuepacs) Datuk Omar Osman dan Pengarah Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan Kelantan Datuk Makhtar Mustafa.

Mengapa tolak Islam?

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yang bersetuju mengadakan muzakarah dengan mana-mana badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) termasuk Umno, namun dengan syarat pokok persoalan muzakarah haruslah tertumpu
mengapa menolak Islam.

Katanya kedua-dua parti Melayu beragama Islam itu perlu duduk semeja membincangkan bagaimana untuk mengeratkan perpaduan dan memperteguhkan Islam itu.

“Kita harus terbuka untuk mengadakan muzakarah ini. Bagi Umno, ini adalah untuk kebaikan negara akhirnya,” kata Mustapa yang juga Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri.

Sementara itu, Mustapa berkata cadangan untuk mengadakan debat terbuka menjelang pilihan raya umum bukanlah suatu perkara baru dan telah diamalkan sebelum ini.

“Debat terbuka ini sentiada diadakan dan akhirnya memberi peluang kepada rakyat untuk membuat pilihan,” katanya.

Terdahulu, dalam ucapannya Mustapa berkata rakyat harus mengetahui betapa besarnya jasa kerajaan dalam memberikan perkhidmatan kesihatan terbaik kepada rakyat.

“Rakyat hanya membayar kira-kira satu peratus sahaja caj perubatan kerana yang lainnya telah diberikan subsidi yang cukup besar,” katanya.

- Bernama