31 Januari 2008

pergi gemerlap (sajak buat kepergian Loloq)

oleh: Jelir

Seni di Januari kali ini
bintang-bintang tak galak
untuk terus menyinar

malam-malam sunyi
benar semakin hening dihambat
sayap-sayap gelap penjaga pintu alam lain
yang datang membawa pesan
maha agung

- maka memanggil pulang -

anak-anak manusia yang dipinjamkan
kepada dunia

dia juga
genius perang kata yang dipinjamkan
bagi kaum yang mala tandus
idea-idea besar seni lagu

tadi
kembali
menyahut panggilan terakhir

dan kamu
jangan hadap untuk berperanan jadi penentu
baik-buruk-syurga-neraka
kerana kamu hanya manusia papa
yang belum tentu nasib di dunia

bintang yang satu ini luput cahaya
dan belum tentu akan ada lain orang yang mampu berpanah ke bintang lain
yang jauhnya sama seperti itu

bintang-bintang
akan gugur lagi
di bulan-bulan indah yang lain

apa yang tinggal untuk kita? -- cipta yang baru dengan semangat cahaya
yang silau mencapah sudut-sudut tertinggal sebelumnya

- 31 januari 2008, bangsar
elle j. hafiz

Kutipan Filem Tempatan 2007

DATATayangan Meluas:

1. Jangan Pandang Belakang: RM5.8 juta [RM6.3 juta termasuk panggung yang tidak mengikut syarat Wajib Tayang].
2. Otai: RM3.5 juta
3. Nana Tanjung 2: RM2.5 juta
4. Zombi Kampung Pisang: RM2.4 juta
5. Impak Maksima: RM2.1 juta
6. Mukhsin - RM2 juta
7. Waris Jari Hantu: RM1.7 juta
8. Qabil Qhushri Qabil Igam: RM1.6 juta
9 = Sumolah: RM1.2 juta
9 = 9 September: RM1.2 juta
11. Puaka Tebing Biru: RM1.03 juta
12. Chermin: RM0.8 juta
13. Orang Minyak: RM0.6 juta
14. Syaitan: RM0.5 juta
15. Haru Biru: RM0.4 juta
16 = Diva: RM0.3 juta
16 = Kayangan: RM0.3 juta
16 = 1957: Hati Malaya: RM0.3 juta
19. Budak Lapok: RM 0.2 juta
20. Cinta Yang Satu: RM0.1 juta

Tayangan Terhad:
The Bird House: RM 8,5102.
Hidden Summer In My Heart: RM 8,0003.
Chalanggai: RM 7,3214.
Things We Do When We Fall In Love RM 3,9845.
Before We Fall In Love Again: RM 3,893

Sumber: Unit Wajib Tayang, FINAS

30 Januari 2008

Amnesty International Statement on KLCC Protest

29 January 2008

Escalating threats to fundamental rights in Malaysia

Amnesty International Malaysia condemns the arrests of participants near the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) in last Saturday’s planned protest against price hikes organized by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes). We also take great concern over the selective prosecution initiated against a journalist for allegedly obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties.

Amnesty International views these actions as a clear abuse of power that disregards the right of the public to hold peaceful assemblies and their right not to be subjected to torture, or cruel and inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Furthermore, the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials spells out in Article 5 that no law enforcement official may inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances, such as a threat to national security, to justify these actions.

We are also very concerned over the continuous act of obtaining blanket unilateral restraining orders against the general public as a means to crack down against public assemblies. Amnesty International Malaysia is of the view that the act of obtaining such restraining orders is a serious abuse of the legal process. This is because such applications are made and granted based solely on one party’s prejudice that undermines the subjected parties’ right to be heard in an open court.

The court order also gives the police unlimited powers and enables greater abuse of power as it subjects the general public to great risk of arbitrary arrest, detention as well as torture and other form of illtreatment, and selective prosecution. Amnesty International Malaysia views that the court order undermines the fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement guaranteed in our Federal Constitution.

We would also like to express serious concern over the arrest and detention of a journalist from the web newspaper Malaysiakini. com. Amnesty International Malaysia views his arrest as a serious failure to respect and recognize the professional function of a journalist in his or her cause of duty. We regret that the police decided to respond to queries by a journalist with a charge of obstructing a police officer from performing his duties.

We view that the charge against the Malaysiakini journalist is another act of intimidation to undermine media freedom and the rights and freedoms of journalists to report without intimidation and threats of arbitrary arrest, detention and selective prosecution.

In light of the fact that more demonstrations are likely in the lead up to elections expected early this year, Amnesty International Malaysia demands that the Government of Malaysia fully respect the fundamental rights of all people and implement the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Police to amend Section 27 of the Police Act and to implement the draft 2005 Independent Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill immediately.

Released by

K.Shan
Campaigns Co-ordinator
Amnesty International Malaysia

Ishak Baharum meninggal

Berita [utusan online] Kuala Lumpur 30 Jan. - Bekas Mufti Selangor, Datuk Ishak Baharom meninggal dunia di Hospital Sungai Buloh tengahari ini.

Beliau telah dimasukkan ke unit rawatan rapi (ICU) hospital tersebut pada pukul 6 petang semalam akibat masalah tekanan darah.

Jenazah Allahyarham akan dikebumikan esok.


Rosli Khamis meninggal

Berita [http://mybikerz.com] Penulis lirik popular, Rosli Khamis, 50 tahun atau lebih dikenali dengan nama Loloq telah meninggal dunia pada tengahari tadi. Arwah pulang ke rahmatullah selepas dilaporkan koma akibat pendarahan dalam otak.

Semalam, Allahyarham Loloq ditempatkan di Unit Rawatan Rapi (ICU), Hospital Pakar Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. Pada mulanya, keadaan Loloq menunjukkan tanda positif apabila beliau ketika itu sudah mampu bernafas sendiri tanpa bantuan alat pernafasan. Namun, sewaktu beberapa temannya termasuk Amy Search melawatnya kelmarin, jururawat bertanggungjawab menjaganya memberitahu keadaannya agak kritikal.

Malaysia telah kehilangan seorang penulis lirik berbakat dan pelakon yang begitu prolifik dalam menghasilkan karya dan sentiasa menampilkan lakonan yang unik. Selain menulis lirik untuk penyanyi popular dan menulis skrip Loloq juga pernah berlakon dalam filem seperti Man Laksa dan Zombi Kampung Pisang. Dia juga juri rancangan Bintang Kecil yang diterbitkan dan disiarkan di TV9.

Salam takziah buat keluarga dan sanak saudara allahyarham. Semoga Allahyarham ditempatkan di kalangan orang yang beriman. Al-Fatihah.

Filem Malaysia 2007

BeritaSeni Walaupun perkembangan industri perfileman di Malaysia pada tahun sudah adalah diperingkat sederhana, namun telah banyak juga filem yang mengalami evolusi kepada yang semakin baik dan tercetusnya 'scene' filem indie yang mampu memberikan kelainan kepada penggemar-penggemar filem di Malaysia.

Bagi yang meminati dunia filem, pasti akan kenal dengan nama Hassan Muthalib seorang pengkritik filem, penganalisis filem, penulis dan penggiat seni filem. Baru-baru ini beliau ada menyatakan beberapa buah filem yang boleh dianggap terbaik olehnya pada tahun 2007.

Filem-filem tersebut adalah filem Mukhsin arahan Yasmin Ahmad, Haru Biru arahan Shadan Hashim, Zombie Kg Pisang arahan Mamat Khalid, Before We Fall in Love Again arahan James Lee, The Birdhouse arahan Khoo Eng Yow dan Chalanggai arahan Chemman Chaalai.

Beliau menyakan bahawa antara sebab filem-filem itu menjadi pilihan beliau kerana cara pembawaan cerita-cerita itu yang baik dan disampaikan kepada penonton dengan cara yang penuh sinematik.

29 Januari 2008

Filem Yuhang menang di Rotterdam

BeritaSeni As I Lay Dying filem pendek arahan pengarah muda berbakat besar Ho Yuhang memenangi Anugerah Tiger di Festival Filem Antarabangsa Rotterdam, Belanda yang ke 37.

Beliau menerima penghargaan tersebut pada malam penganugerahan yang dikhususkan untuk filem-filem pendek terkemuka di dunia; pada malam 28 Ogos, hari Isnin yang lepas. Pada malam itu juga terdapat dua buah filem pendek lagi, yang mendapat penghargaan tersebut. Filem-filem itu adalah Ah, Liberty! oleh Ben Rivers dari UK dan Observando el cielo oleh Jeanne Liotta dari US.

Menurut sumber festival filem tersebut, filem arahan Ho Yuhang berjaya memenangi Anugerah Tiger tersebut disebabkan oleh penilaian di segi teknikalnya atau "picture perfect framings, its smooth [dan] sure-handed embrace".

Antara juri-juri Penghargaan Tiger khas untuk Filem Pendek Cik Moniek Toebosch, artis tampak dari Belanda , Cik Katia Rossini, kurator panggung filem dari Brussel, Belgium, pengedar dan Encik Mike Hoolboom, artis yang berkerja untuk filem dan video.

Kenyataan Akhbar tentang "klip video Linggam", bahagian ketiga

28 Januari 2008

Pada hari ini saya menerbitkan segmen ketiga rakaman video lawyer VK Lingam yang diberikan kepada saya pada Jumaat lepas, 25 Januari. Klip ini memberikan bukti tambahan bahawa konspirasi yang kini sedang disiasat oleh Suruhanjaya Diraja melangkaui usaha melantik Ahmad Fairuz ke Mahkamah Persekutuan. Segmen 5 minit ini secara langsung mengaitkan bekas Ketua Hakim Negara Dzaiddin Abdullah yang didakwa menerima rasuah dari VK Lingam dan Vincent Tan agar beliau tidak mengkritik kedua-dua individu tersebut secara terbuka. Dzaiddin Abdullah merupakan Ketua Hakim Negara antara Disember 2000 hingga 2003. Di dalam video tersebut disebut VK Lingam menyatakan: "Dan kita telah memberikan beliau hadiah paling mahal. Jangan tanyalah apa bendanya. Saya telah beri kepadanya dan Vincent Tan telah berikan kepadanya."

Meskipun pada awalnya penubuhan Suruhanjaya Diraja telah memberikan rakyat Malaysia harapan agar kewibawaan dan integriti Kehakiman dapat dipulihkan, kami belum yakin dengan prosiding dan keputusan prosedur yang dibuat para Pesuruhjaya setakat ini. Suruhanjaya Diraja mestilah dapat menjunjung ketelusan dan integriti agar tidak kelihatan merosakkan lagi imej sistem kehakiman negara. Saya dengan ini menyerahkan bukti terbaru ini kepada orang ramai dan menyatakan kesediaan bekerjasama sepenuhnya dengan prosiding Suruhanjaya selama ini.


Video ini dapat dilihat di laman web saya http://www.anwaribrahim.com/.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

28 Januari 2008

27 Januari 2008

Protes di KLCC, 46 ditahan

petikan dari malaysiakini

Polis menahan 46 orang, termasuk pemimpin politik, kerana menyertai perhimpunan membantah kenaikan harga minyak di sekitar KLCC petang tadi.

Pemimpin politik yang ditahan adalah dari PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) dan Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Mohamad Sabtu Osman berkata, mereka terdiri daripada 36 lelaki dan 10 wanita.

Katanya, mereka ditahan mengikut Seksyen 27 (1) Akta Polis dan Kanun Acara Jenayah (105).

"Seksyen 27 (1) ialah berhimpun tanpa kebenaran, manakala Kanun Acara Jenayah (105) merupakan tindakan pencegahan," katanya dalam sidang media melalui telefon di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Perhimpunan anjuran Gabungan Memprotes Kenaikan Harga Minyak (Protes) itu tidak mendapat permit polis.

Mereka yang ditahan termasuklah Naib Presiden PAS, Mohd Sabu; Kordinator Gerak, Badrul Hisham Shahrim; Bendahari Agung PAS yang juga Setiausaha Protes, Dr Hatta Ramli; Pengarah Penyelidikan PAS, Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad; Ketua Penerangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Tian Chua dan Pengerusi Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Dr Nasir Hashim.

Turut ditahan ialah Setiausaha Agung PSM, S Arutchelvan, Ahli MPT PKR, Dr Badrul Amin Bahron; Kordinator Media PKR, Ginie Lim dan Ketua Wanita PAS, Dr Nuridah Salleh.

Wartawan Malaysiakini, Syed Jaymal Zahid turut ditahan di Ampang Park. Mereka dibawa [ke] IPK Kuala Lumpur untuk diambil kenyataan.

26 Januari 2008

Natasha Hudson plagiat?

BeritaSeniNatasha Hudson, seorang pelakon filem yang juga merupakan seorang penulis sambilan, dikatakan telah memplagiat hasil puisi karangan Roger McGough seorang penyair Inggeris yang tersohor.

Puisi karangan Roger McGough itu yang bertajuk "Cake" dalam versi asal dan "Kek Coklat Itu", dikatakan juga diterjemah secara terus (direct translation)oleh pelakon yang baru mahu meningkat naik itu.

Puisi Asal;

i wanted one life
you wanted another
we couldn’t have our cake
so we ate each other.

Ini pula hasil tulisan Natasha Hudson yang dikatakan dicedok dari puisi Roger McGough;

Saya mahu satu kehidupan,
Kamu mahu sesuatu yang lain,
Kita tidak dapat makan kek coklat,
Jadi kita makan sesama diri.

Jannah Raffali dalam blognya "Gee Wheez Sudah Malas Menulis" mengirim blog posting bertajuk Natasha McGough Hudson. Beliau juga turut dengan nada sinis mengatakan bahawa beliau sanggup meminta maaf secara terbuka jika betul Roger McGough mempunyai hubungan dengan Natasha Hudson -- sepupu jauh, mungkin.

Selain itu, Da Cookie dalam blognya turut menyatakan antara puisi-puisi lain yang mungkin diplagiat oleh pelakon yang berwajah ayu itu;

Si Kura-Kura Kecil by Natasha Hudson

Ada seekor kura2 kecil
tinggal di dalam kotak
berenang di tepi tasik
memanjat di atas batu

dia cuba menggigit nyamuk
dia cuba mengigit kutu
dia cuba menggigit berudu
dia cuba menggigit aku

dia berjaya menangkap nyamuk
dia berjaya menangkap kutu
dia berjaya menangkap berudu
tetapi dia tidak berjaya menangkap aku

The Little Turtle by Vachel Lindsay

There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.
He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he didn't catch me.

Mentega kuning, jelly ungu, jam merah, roti hitam by Natasha Hudson

Mentega kuning, jelly ungu, jam merah, roti hitam
ratakan tebal
katakan cepat

ratakan tebal
katakan cepat

sekarang ulang
sambil kamu makan

sekarang ulang
sambil kamu makan

janganlah bercakap
bila mulut kamu penuh

Things We Like to Eat by Mary Ann Hoberman

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick,
Say it quick.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Spread it thicker,
Say it quicker.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Now repeat it,
While you eat it.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Don’t talk
With your mouth full!

Dalam blognya itu juga, Da Cookie mengatakan secara berseloroh bahawa Natasha Hudson lebih baik berada di bidang peragaan. Dan beliau juga percaya bahawa penerbit tempat bukunya diterbitkan sepatutnya mengumpulkan semula semua buku-bukunya dan mengkaji jika terdapatnya lagi puisi-puisi hasil plagiat.

20 Januari 2008

Saya sekarang mantan Sasterawan Negara - A. Samad Said

BeritaSeni "Saya sekarang mantan Sasterawan Negara," tegas A. Samad Said atau panggilan mesranya Pak Samad dikalangan anak-anak muda.

Rahmat Haron, seorang penyair, pelukis dan penulis yang juga merupakan anak didik terdekat kepada Pak Samad menyifatkan bahawa kenyataan Pak Samad itu sebagai respon terhadap masalah yang berkaitan dengan buku teks baru. Buku teks yang berkenaan adalah untuk komponen Sastera Dalam Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Melayu (Komsas) bagi sekolah menengah yang dijangka guna tahun 2010 nanti.

Kenyataan oleh mantan SN (Sasterawan Negara) itu, terdapat dalam tulisan Rahmat Haron yang tersiar di Blogzine terkenal Malaysia, iaitu Rice Cooker yang boleh dicapai di http://ricecooker.kerbau.com/, Kenyataan bertulis oleh sebuah sekteriat bebas negara - Sekretariat Bertindak Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMA) dan di dalam blog Amin Iskandar yang boleh dilayari di http://aminiskandar.wordpress.com/.

Kata Rahmat Haron lagii, "[t]ak ada apa lagi yang aku mampu katakan lagi melainkan bebal, bingai, bodoh, sial dan banal! Beginilah cara orang bodoh mengaut keuntungan dengan rasuah dan penyelewengan kuasa. A. Samad Said yang mesra dengan gelaran Pak Samad kini bukan lagi sasterawan Negara, dia adalah Sasterawan Rakyat!"

Menurut Amin Iskandar pula, "A. Samad Said dengan nada kecewa dan marah mengumumkan bahawa beliau tidak mahu menggunakan lagi gelaran Sasterawan Negara."

SAMA antara petikan kenyataannya menyebut bahawa mereka merasa kecewa dengan pengiktirafan novel-novel Ahadiat Akashah seperti Budak Setan, Budak Rap dan Cinta Tiga Hari diangkat menjadi rujukan para pelajar bagi mata pelajaran sastera.

"Novel serta karya seperti ini tidak mengandung apa-apa nilai kesusasteraan, kemanusian dan pemikiran. Ia tidak lebih daripada sekadar hanya cerita cinta remaja yang cukup ringan dan kosong pemikirannya. Seperti langit dengan bumi jika mahu membandingkan karya-karya Usman Awang dengan penulis seperti Ahadiat Akashah ini." Kata sekreteriat itu lagi.

Pak Samad menurut Amin Iskandar atau Black, membuat kenyataan tidak mahu 'memakai' gelaran SN ketika di sebuah majlis Acara Baca Puisi di RA Fine Arts Gallery pada 19 Januari 2008.

15 Januari 2008

Penduduk India Taman Mewah, Kuala Krau Pilih Parti Keadilan Rakyat

oleh Suhami Said

BeritaKuala Krau, Pahang, 14.1.08: Penduduk kaum India di Taman Mewah disini memilih untuk menubuhkan cawangan (JDM) kerana mendapati bahawa perjuangan multi-racial yang dibawa oleh parti itu sesuai dengan reality Negara ini yang mempunyai penduduk yang majmuk.

Pemimpin-pemimpin kaum India di Taman itu telah menjemput Ketua Bahagian Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Suhaimi Said, untuk membincangkan penbuhan sebuah cawangan PKR di Taman itu.

Mereka menyatakan bahawa seramai lebih 70 orang penduduk kaum India di Taman itu akan menyertai Parti Keadilan Rakyat lntas menubuhkan sebuah cawangan parti itu.

Taman Mewah adalah sebuah Taman Perumahan yang mengandungi lebihkurang 30 buah rumah. Kecuali 6 buah rumah, yang lain-lainnya adalah milik kaum India.

Mereka akan merasmikan cawangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat pada 23hb Januari 2008 jam 4.00 petang dan dirasmikan oleh Sdr Manickavasagam, Ahli Majlis Tertinggi PKR.

Cawangan ini merupakan cawangan pertama PKR yang berjaya ditubuhkan oleh PKR Bahagian Kuala Krau.

14 Januari 2008

bagi mengenali kamu

puisi oleh Jelir

saat sepi aku bersama kamu
aku selalu belajar mengenal kamu

ada waktu
roh jiwa ini terasa ditarik-tarik
harus saja tercabut dan meresap

dalam pencarian yang
terlalu abstrak dan payah

sukar untuk aku ungkapkan semua
- melainkan -

akrab jasad aku saja yang pilu
sering tenggelam dari atas tikar itu
dalam kesyahduan disentuh oleh
tangan kamu

rasa dan bukan lihat
waktu bersendirian dengan kamu yang kerap juga
aku ingkari kerna kedaifan jasad yang tak terbawa oleh roh sendiri
masih juga pintu ke arah kamu itu terbuka
sekurang-kurangnya, itu yang aku fahami

bila mana aku mula terkapai
bermain di jalan yang katanya sesat
kamu mendampingi juga aku
memaut dan memapah kembali
pada setiap langkah aku yang semakin
longlai

kamu menghukum aku dengan hikmah
dan dengan kemesraan itu juga aku mula merenung

dalam sepi itu; setiap kali ia berulang
aku berharap akan merasakan lagi

- disember 2007
kehadiran kamu
membelai dan sekali gus
meninggalkan aku dalam resah
untuk menjawab soalan;
"bila lagi akan aku rasakan ini? "
aku akur pada kasih sayang kamu…

07 Januari 2008

The Winds of Change have come to Perak Darul Ridzuan

oleh Din Merican

The trip with Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Kuala Kangsar and Lumut on January 4, 2007 was indeed a punishing one. My colleagues and I did not return to Kuala Lumpur until 3 AM on January 5. But it provided me with the opportunity to be in another part of our country where I had not been for long time (I was a frequent visitor during my school days at the Penang Free School for competitive soccer and hockey with our great rivals, Maktab Melayu). E

The programme was packed with places to visit, each stop precisely timed.We arrived on time for Friday prayers at Masjid Ridzwaniah (adjacent to the famous Maktab Melayu/Malay College) in Kuala Kangsar town. Dato Seri Anwar was warmly received by mosque officials and the jumaah, including students who waited patiently to shake his hand and exchange pleasantries with their famous old boy. After prayers, we accompanied Dato Seri Anwar to Taman Chandan Puteri for the opening of a new Parti KeADILan Rakyat branch where some 230 Indian members were received. He spoke to a gathering of 500 people and encouraged them to work hard as the 12th national elections is only months away.

We then proceeded to meet with Mesyarakat Sayong by the great Sungai Perak where we were treated to a nice lunch. The KeADILan de factor leader addressed a group of some 600 people including some Indians from the neighbouring areas. His message to them was simple. It was one of unity and tolerance. He also asked them to vote for a government that would have their interest at heart, not those who were corrupt and incompetent. After that, he was introduced to a young ex-warder who was in Sungai Buloh when Dato Seri Anwar was the guest of the Agong for 6 years.

Our delegation then proceeded to Kampong Senggang. It is an UMNO stronghold, as evidenced by the buntings and flags of UMNO and Barisan Nasional that had been put up to eclipse those of KeADILan. This place was off the beaten track, but the visit was made because the people wanted to personally thank Dato Seri Anwar for starting a housing project for the poor there when he was Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy UMNO President.

Apparently, the people at Kampong Senggang had ignored the instructions of the local UMNO politikus and decided, almost in open defiance, to hold a simple function in his honour. He made a short speech in which he said that he was against UMNO leaders because they were corrupt and arrogant. He was not against the ordinary UMNO members. Instead, he said that he had the people's interest at heart and would continue to fight for justice for all Malaysians.

This was his lifelong struggle since the days he was a student at the University of Malaya. He reminded them that for standing up for the poor people in Baling, Kedah, he spent two years (1974-1976) in Kamunting under the Internal Security Act. After that, he joined the Government and rose to be Deputy Prime Minister before being put in jail for 6 years in 1998.

The Pantai Remis ceramah was arranged for the Chinese community. It attracted some 1000 people who first sat for a meal together. I am told that this is the way the practical and down to earth Chinese community operates: no meal, no talk. A number of KeADILan leaders from Head Office and local representatives spoke about the level of corruption and incompetence of the present UMNO-BN leadership and emphasised the need for change.

When his turn came to speak, Dato Seri Anwar focused on the state of the economy and the challenges the country faced in the coming years. He said that Malaysia had been less attractive as an investment centre, losing out to Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, not to mention India and China. He told them that they should vote in a government led by KeADILan as it will be able to implement polices and programmes that will create new business opportunities and new jobs. He said that his government if elected will fight corruption. He called on his audience to "selamatkan Malaysia".

After Maghrib prayers and a brief speech at Surau Sri Manjung Lama, we proceeded to Setiawan where Dato Seri Anwar spoke briefly to predominantly Indian audience. He told that the Malays, Chinese and Indians must live in peace and that the Indian problem is not due to the Malays but to the UMNO-BN leadership. He reminded the audience is that he is committed to justice for all, each having rights of their own. In order to achieve distributive justice, he would ensure that our economy performs to its full potential. He opened a branch office of the party. His speech at Kampong Koh was before an audience of some 3,000. His message was loud and clear and the opportunity for change is now and that the people must seize the opportunity to make the change. It lasted for an hour.

The highlight of our visit was without any doubt the Ceramah Umum in Teluk Rubiah, Sri Manjung (near Lumut). When we arrived at the venue, we noticed that there was a huge gathering of predominantly Malays with a spatter of Indians and Chinese. Judging from the number of cars and other vehicles parked in a row stretching some 3 kilometers long on both sides of the road, I could say that there were at least 12,000 people.

Dato Anwar told the audience that he was here to explain the issues and challenges facing Malaysia. He had been talking about them, but because the media including television is tightly controlled, his views and comments have not reached ordinary Malaysians. All they hear is about the good things the government had done and that he is demon and a traitor to his own race. He said in 1998 he was regarded as an agent for the Jews, in 2006 he was viewed as pro-Chinese ,and now he is seen as pro-Hindraf.

He said he is a Malay and Muslim leader who seeks to speak the truth, to be transparent and to work for justice for all. He would protect the rights of the Malays and those of the Chinese and Indians. All Malaysians have rights under the Constitution. As a leader, he will defended and respect the sanctity of the Constitution. He will not use political power to amend the Constitution to suit his purposes. He wanted to make his position clear so that people would not be taken in by propaganda by UMNO Youth.

On the economy, he said that Malaysia is no longer in the same league as Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. For example, he said that Singapore's average income is five times compared to Malaysia. A teacher there would earn fives times compared to a Malaysian in the same profession. In terms of economic growth, Malaysia is performing under its full potential. It is also losing out to Singapore and our other ASEAN neighbours, not mention India and China.

The reason is very simple. We have not been managing our economy well. Investors no longer have any confidence in our economic policies and people who are in charge of our country. We still depend on foreign investment and when foreigners do not invest here, there will no growth and no new jobs. Corruption and crime are on the rise. Social problems like drug addiction and moral degeneration are common. Our education system is in a mess.

So the time for change is now. He appealed to his audience to vote for change in government. We need an honest, transparent and responsible government that serves the people, not one that is corrupt and incompetent. A responsible government will manage our resources like oil and gas for the benefit of the present and future generation. These resources belong to the people and must be used to benefit people in terms of quality education, healthcare and social infrastructure, not to be wasted in bailing out loss-making government companies and on mega-projects.

In response to Dato Najib's statement that if we use Petronas' profits to reduce the price of petrol, diesel and gas, Malaysia would be bankrupt, Dato Seri Anwar said that if we managed the country to serve our personal interest and those of our families and cronies, then we would be bankrupt in no time and that is why we must stop the rot. We, therefore, need a government that is open, accountable, competent and honest.

Sdr Mustafa Kamal and his team, thanks for your hard work and for arranging a very productive visit.