LOKE for RASAH

Hisham cleared my name!

2009-08-18T16:14:00.002+08:00

Monday August 17, 2009
Hisham: We’ll act against those who incite hatred on the Net

PETALING JAYA: Those who use the cyberspace to incite hatred or insult any race or religion or the monarchy, will soon find it increasingly difficult to hide behind the ‘mouse’.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said: “If we allow it to go unchecked, the attack on these pillars may jeopardise the safety of all Malaysians. It will then be too late if we act after a clash.

“We are not clamping or censoring the Internet. But when it comes to issues involving race, religion and our royalty, the Internet cannot be allowed to go on to de-stabilise the country and do whatever they like,” he said.

He added that three ministries, including his, plus the relevant agencies, including the police, the Attorney-General and Multimedia Commission personnel would meet and discuss this on Wednesday.

“What we are trying to do is to ensure that there are enough provisions for the authorities to take action, and not just the police,” he said yesterday after opening the Lembah Pantai Umno division meeting.

Hishammudin said a template would be created to protect the innocent and warned those who used the cyberspace to hide behind accusations that incite anger that action would be taken against them.

“We do not want the innocent to be prosecuted. For example, we did not take action against DAP’s Loke (DAP Socialist Youth head Anthony Loke Siew Fook) as he reported that the blog (which insulted Islam and Perak royalty) is not his,” he added.
On another note, Hishammuddin said they had yet to decide whether Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s contract would be renewed, adding that it was more important to ensure that the public accepted the police force.

“Whether it is extended for one year or not, to me it is not as important as getting the police force to be accepted in the minds of the public. And that is not just dependent on the position of one man,” he added.

Laporan Sinar Harian 11 Ogos 2009

2009-08-11T12:25:00.001+08:00

Itu bukan kenyataan saya: Siew Fook

SEREMBAN – Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY), Loke Siew Fook menafikan beliau telah mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan menghina Islam, sebaliknya mengakui menjadi mangsa laman blog yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

Beliau berkata, kenyataan yang tersiar dalam laman blog www.sjsandteam.wordpress.com ternyata sengaja mahu menimbulkan api kemarahan masyarakat Islam terhadap dirinya, sekali gus untuk mengaibkannya.

“Memang saya terkilan kerana perkara itu saya tidak pernah cakap. Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya. Saya tidak pernah keluarkan kenyataan yang menghina Islam atau agama lain.

“Saya rasa ada pihak yang cuba mahu memburukkan dan mengapi-apikan keadaan kononnya saya anti Islam,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, laman blog berkenaan bukan miliknya, tetapi dibangunkan oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab dan sengaja mahu mencetuskan keadaan huru-hara.

“Itu bukan lama blog saya dan saya tidak boleh kawal dan bertanggungjawab terhadap laman blog itu. Tetapi yang jelas, perkataan keterlaluan menghina Islam itu sebenarnya adalah daripada komen pembaca laman blog berkenaan yang saya tidak tahu siapa,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, di sini semalam.

Siew Fook berkata demikian ketika ditanya mengenai dakwaan Ahli Parlimen Kulim-Bandar Baharu, Zulkifli Noordin yang kesal dengan kenyataan Pengerusi DAP Negeri Sembilan itu menyerang peribadi pendakwah Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah secara keterlaluan, biadab dan boleh mencetuskan ketegangan agama di dalam laman blog berkenaan.

Bagaimanapun, Siew Fook menafikan perkataan mencaci keterlaluan itu adalah kenyataannya, sebaliknya ia adalah komen-komen daripada pembaca laman blog berkenaan dan tidak menolak kemungkinan pihak tertentu cuba memutarbelitkan fakta.

Difahamkan, laman blog berkenaan telah pun ditutup sejak semalam.

Berikutan tersiarnya laman blog berkenaan, Siew Fook yang juga Ahli Parlimen Rasah membuat laporan polis di Balai Polis Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur kira-kira 3 petang semalam.

“Saya mengutuk siapa yang membuat komen sebegitu. Saya harap orang ramai menyiasat dulu fakta berkenaan dan jangan terpengaruh dengan dakwaan palsu yang berniat jahat,” katanya.

Laporan Polis Menafikan dakwaan palsu

2009-08-10T18:41:00.002+08:00

Media Statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Monday, 10 August 2009 in Kuala Lumpur.

POLICE REPORT TO DENY UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS AND LIES THAT I HAVE INSULTED ISLAM AND THE SULTAN OF PERAK

I’ve just lodged a police report at Dang Wangi Police Station to deny unfounded allegations and lies which was spread by certain blogs and SMS circulation claiming that I have made statements insulting Islam and the Sultan of Perak.

I wish to deny strongly that neither DAPSY nor I have ever issued any statements that insult Islam or the Royalty. Those are lies spread by certain irresponsible parties out to tarnish the image of the DAP and tried to paint DAP as anti-Islam and anti-Malays.

My police report as below:

LAMPIRAN LAPORAN POLIS

Saya datang ke Balai Polis IPD Dang Wangi pada hari ini 10 Ogos 2009 untuk membuat satu repot polis untuk MENAFIKAN dengan sekeras-kerasnya bahawa saya pernah menulis beberapa artikel yang dikatakan menghina agama Islam dan DYMM Sultan Perak serta Raja Nazrin Shah. Dalam 2 hari ini, beberapa blog dalam internet dan sebaran SMS telah menuduh saya menulis tulisan yang dikatakan menghina Islam dengan kata-kata lucah dan kesat dan yang terbaru menuduh saya menghina Sultan Perak.

Mereka mendakwa saya telah menulis artikel-artikel tersebut dalam sebuah laman blog http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com/. Saya ingin menegaskan bahawa saya tidak tahu-menahu tentang kewujudan blog ini dan tidak tahu siapa pemunya blog tersebut. Saya hanya mengetahui bahawa ada orang yang tidak bertanggungjawab yang telah meletakkan satu kenyataan akhbar saya yang bertajuk “Ridhuan Tee must apologize to Teoh Bneg Hock’s family” ke dalam blog tersebut. Selepas itu, ada pemberi-pemberi komen yang saya tidak tahu siapa telah menulis beberapa ayat yang kesat terhadap Ridhuan Tee dan agamanya. Saya langsung tidak bertanggungjawab terhadap komen-komen tersebut.

Dalam blog yang sama, terdapat satu lagi artikel yang dikatakan saya menghina Sultan Perak dan Raja Nazrin yang didakwa oleh dua blog iaitu marahku.blogspot.com dan kitaanakmelayu.blogspot.com. Saya menafikan sekerasnya-kerasnya dakwaan tersebut. Saya TIDAK pernah menulis apa-apa tulisan berkenaan dengan Sultan Perak. Ini adalah satu dakwaan yang palsu dan fitnah terhadap saya.

Saya membuat laporan ini untuk menafikan dakwaan-dakwaan tersebut dan mengharapkan tuduhan yang palsu itu dapat diberhentikan.

Sekian laporan saya. .

Saya hina Islam?

2009-08-07T17:25:00.003+08:00

Saya mendapat tahu bahawa ada beberapa pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab termasuk seorang Ahli Parlimen PR yang cuba menghentam saya kononnya saya menghina agama Islam. Mereka menggunakan pelbagai saluran; komen dalam blog saya, emel dan sebagainya untuk mencaci saya dengan perkataan-perkataan rasis dan menjijikkan.

Ya, memang saya mengeluarkan satu kenyataan beberapa hari lepas untuk mengutuk seorang penulis dalam Utusan Malaysia yang bernama Mohd Ridhuan Tee berkenaan dengan isu apa yang dikatakan olehnya sebagai "anak luar nikah" Teoh Beng Hock. Saya merasakan tulisannya cukup tidak sensitif terhadap perasaan keluarga Beng Hock dan tidak adil terhadap bayinya yang tidak berdosa. Yang pertama, Beng Hock bukan seorang penganut Islam dan beliau tidak tertakluk kepada hukum agama Islam. Saya tidak mempertikaikan hukum agama Islam tetapi adalah tidak adil untuk Ridhuan Tee untuk mengenakan "moral judgement" ke atas Beng Hock.

Yang keduannya, kenyataan daripada Ahli Parlimen tersebut mengatakan bahasa yang digunakan oleh DAPSY mencaci agama Islam (petikan daripada sebuah blog). Saya ingin menegaskan bahawa bahasa-bahasa yang tidak senonoh tersebut BUKAN sebahagian dari kenyataan saya tetapi adalah komen-komen daripada pembaca blog tersebut yang saya tidak bertanggungjawab. Saya tidak tahu samada YB tersebut sengaja memutarbelitkan fakta atau tidak faham baca kenyataan akhbar. Memang kita menyedari bahawa ada sesetengah pihak yang kerja mereka saban hari ialah cuba mengambarkan DAP sebagai parti anti-Islam. Agenda mereka cukup diragui dan sememangnya ada "udang di sebalik batu".

Rakan-rakan dan para penyokong PR khasnya dari PAS di NS yang pernah mendengar ceramah saya mengenali siapa saya dan cara pemikiran saya. Saya menghormati semua agama dan kaum. Saya tidak akan membalas orang yang menggunakan perkataan yang cukup rasis terhadap saya dengan perkataan yang sama. Kalau kita dalam PR mempunyai fikiran begitu, kita hanya akan jatuh dalam perangkap UMNO! Saya yakin majoriti orang Muslim di Malaysia menolak cara pemikiran yang rasis seumpama itu.

Saya "reproduce" kenyataan saya di bawah ini dan terpulanglah kepada orang ramai untuk menilai kenyataan tersebut.

Media Statement by Loke Siew Fook in Petaling Jaya on Tuesnesday, 4th August 2009:

Mohd Ridhuan Tee must apologize to Teoh Beng Hock’s family and two chinese language dailies!

It is sickening to see that a person with supposedly strong academic credentials and high religious stature can produce such cruel and heartless remarks over the issue of Teoh Beng Hock’s unborn child.

By twisting a dreadful tragedy with his zealous agenda against “bastard children” in his Utusan Malaysia article, Dr. Mohd Ridhuan, the vice-president of the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association, has caused immense emotional damage to Teoh’s family.

Whatever superficial sympathy Dr. Mohd Ridhuan has for Teoh’s family is lost when he chooses to harp on the status of the child, whom he labels as an illegitimate child. Dr. Mohd Ridhuan has also compared Teoh’s child to the children of “Malay-Muslim girls who have sex with Muslim or non-Muslim partners with or without consent”, who are born without taking their father’s names.

By comparing, with blatantly racist language, an unborn child of an engaged couple who is painfully separated by the fiance’s mysterious death, to children who are results of unplanned conception, Dr Mohd Ridhuan has shown everyone how low he can go to hurt other human beings with broken logic.

As if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Mohd Ridhuan produced another hurtful article to slam his critics, labelling two Chinese language dailies – China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau – as racist, for highlighting his own racist outbursts. You can’t get more hypocritical than that.

DAPSY condemns in the strongest possible terms, the decision by Dr. Mohd Ridhuan to produce such insensitive, racist, zealous and hypocritical writings and the decision by Utusan Malaysia to publish them. DAPSY calls on Dr. Mohd Ridhuan to immediately apologize to Teoh’s family and to China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau, for all they have done is to reveal and reject his nasty character.

Scrapping of PPSMI - What say you?

2009-07-10T15:19:00.004+08:00

The scrapping of PPSMI - teaching of Science and Mathematics in English has sparked off another round of public discourse. It's a contentious issue from Day 1 and there are contrast opinions on this subject. Language activists irrespective of Chinese and Tamil mother tongue education groups or the nationalist Bahasa Malaysia "defender" hailed the decision as a moral victory as they have launched massive opposition to the policy in the last few years.

However, many urban parents seemed dissapointed with this flip-flop policy as they preferred the current method of using English in both subjects. DAP's position on this issue has always been clear. We opposed it, not that we are against the mastery of English but we do not believe that this approach is workable. We must strive to return to the standard of our English in the 70s, no doubt about that. But if even the teachers who teach Maths and Science can't master English, can we expect any success in such policy?

The other option is to let some selected schools which are well-prepared to continue the current method and give the parents a choice.

Well, we would like to hear your views on this issue.

Office Assistant urgently needed

2009-07-08T16:33:00.003+08:00

I'm urgently looking for an Office Assistant to be based in my service center in Jalan Tuanku Munawir (junction to Lobak). The tasks are manning the service center from 9-5 daily (Mon- Fri, Sat 9-1), handling public complaints and general office admin.

If you are looking for an office job, well-versed in spoken and written BM, computer- literate and most important of all willing to listen and friendly, please contact me at 016-668 6165 for an immediate interview or email siewfook@gmail.com

If you have friend or relatives who are interested, please pass them this message.

No gender bias here, but I think a female can handle this job better.

DAPSY's resolution on Kedah and UMNO Youth

2009-07-08T14:40:00.003+08:00

Media statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Wednesday, 8 July 2009, at Petaling Jaya:

Kedah State Government and Kedah DAP Must Find the Best Reconciliatory Solution; UMNO Youth Reaffirms its Status as the De-facto Party of Hooligans

DAPSY National Executive Council in its meeting last night at DAP headquarters discussed at length various current political issues and resolved that;

1) The DAPSY national leadership urges the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat state government to be serious about finding a reconciliatory solution for the ongoing rift between itself and DAP Kedah.

DAPSY understood the circumstances that led to DAP Kedah pulling out of the state Pakatan Rakyat but we are of the opinion that both sides shall seek the best solution to resolve their problems with each other, and that breaking up the coalition is not a solution.

DAPSY wishes to remind Pakatan Rakyat governments that they have been entrusted by the Rakyat to serve people of all religious, cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds as an effective coalition. Therefore, Kedah state government must be sensitive to the needs of the non-Malays community in Kedah.

2) The DAPSY national leadership also passed a unanimous resolution to condemn in the strongest possible term the UMNO Youth hooligans who assaulted a number of people including DAPSY NEC member and State Assemblyman for Ayer Keroh Khoo Poay Tiong, DAP Malacca Chairman and State Assemblyman for Kesidang Goh Leong San and a bystander at a DAPSY voter registration booth in Malacca when trying to stop the activity.

UMNO Youth members have no right to stop other parties from providing voter registration services and to resort to violence when they don’t have it their way. DAPSY will not bow to such barbaric act. We fully support DAPSY Malacca and all other state DAPSY to be even more active in our voter registration campaign as we are doing a national service for our democracy.

After rudely confronting Karpal Singh in Parliament, UMNO Youth members were once again putting their gangster roots on display in Malacca. UMNO Youth has hence reaffirmed its status as the de-facto party of hooligans in Malaysia.

UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaludin should make an open apology for its members’ unruly behavior and the police should immediately charge the culprits.

-Loke Siew Fook-

MCA = sour grapes

2009-07-06T18:44:00.007+08:00

When I hold the press conference 3 days ago regarding the top SPM scorer who got JPA scholarship, I knew our friends in MCA will jump. They have always thought that they have the monopoly over the issue of JPA scholarship and gave the impression that all Chinese students who failed to get one must go through them to have any chance to appeal for it. Well, somehow when a parent came out openly to thank the DAP for helping her daughter, this must upset MCA people.

The local edition of Chinese press today reported that my counterpart from MCA who was also my rival in the last GE, Dr. Yeow Chai Thiam claimed that it was MCA who helped Mo Ye Vonn to get the JPA scholarship. He said that it was MCA's "effort" of fighting in the Cabinet to increase the number of scholarships and "systematically" placed those who failed to get overseas scholarship to study locally. In short, it was MCA's effort who helped the student. DAP and me has nothing to do with it. We were just out there to claim "cheap political mileage". Sour grapes, isn't it?

I held a press conference to rebut him and told him that if he wants to claim credit for it, then I can give him all the credits he wants. Take it. But don't pressurize the student and her poor mother for not thanking the MCA. This is MCA. They have yet to realize why the voters dumped them in the last GE!

And for the information of Dr Yeow, I actually helped another student who was in the same predicament like Mo Ye Vonn and she also got JPA scholarship to study medicine in AIMST university. Her father is a MCA member in Yeow's Rasah division. And he just treated me lunch this afternoon with his wife and daughter as a kind gesture to thank me :)

JPA scholarship

2009-07-03T19:03:00.004+08:00

As an elected rep, the biggest satisfaction is when we are able to give hope to someone. Well, I held a press conference this morning with a JPA scholar Mo Ye Voon and her mother as she succeeded in getting a scholarship from JPA to study medicine in AIMST university. She was one of the many top students nationwide who failed to get JPA scholarships in the first round. She appealed through various channels but did not get it too during the appeal period.

However, she was very determined to be a doctor and did not give up for the scholarship and came back to seek my help. Again, I wrote and brought her to meet the JPA director in-charge of scholarship and even brought her to meet up with Minister in the PM's department Datuk Seri Nazri. Her determination paid off and finally she got an offer from JPA to read medicine locally. She's quite happy with that.

I'm happy for being able to help a young girl to be on the right path to realize her own dream - to become a doctor! Now, it's all depends on her own hard work in the years ahead to pass in all the exams and serve the society one day.

Even though i feel satisfied, i really hope that i need not do all these "appealing" work for top students in the coming years. If they deserved it, they should get it right away.

Our dear PM, it's time for you to show your political will to implement the "National Scholarships" based on merit now! Good luck to all the scholars.

DAP NS building

2009-07-01T18:02:00.004+08:00

Finally, we have officially launched our DAP NS building last Sunday. This is a dream comes true for many DAP comrades and supporters in NS. We have launched the fundraising for the building 3 years ago and we managed to raise about RM400k. The cost of the building in Kemayan Square was RM345,000 and we have fully paid it. The balance was spent for some renovation, furniture, fittings and expenses for the opening ceremony.

Well, it was considered a grand ceremony for our standard. I saw many of you that day especially regular readers of this blog like wee tak, P130, etc. I'm sorry for not able to say hello to each and everyone of you. However, many thanks for your support.

I'm down with bad flu in the last few days and hopefully not that la...

Parliament: Old car owners can still buy 3rd party insurance

2009-06-18T17:34:00.003+08:00

I have received many complains from the public especially old car owners in the last few months that they faced difficulties to renew their road tax as many insurance companies they approached refused to provide them with 3rd party insurance coverage. This is a problem for many car owners as they have to pay more for comprehensive insurance policy for their old cars.

I have brought up this issue in Parliament and the answer is below:

SOALAN:

Minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan mengapa syarikat-syarikat insurans tempatan enggan menawarkan perlindungan insurans kelas ketiga kepada pemilik-pemilik kenderaan lama dan apakah dasar Kerajaan terhadap insurans untuk kereta lama dan langkah-langkah untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini untuk meringankan beban pengguna.

JAWAPAN:

Untuk makluman Yang Berhormat, kadangkala penanggung insurans menolak risiko-risiko tertentu termasuk kenderaan lama, yang dianggap berisiko tinggi memandangkan pengalaman tuntutan yang buruk bagi kategori kenderaan jenis ini. Walau bagaimanapun, memandangkan insurans motor adalah diwajibkan di bawah Akta Pengangkutan 1987, industri insurans am telah menubuhkan "Malaysian Motor Insurance Pool" (MMIP) yang bertindak sebagai penanggung insurans terakhir. Sebagai penanggung insurans terakhir, MMIP wajib menawarkan perlindungan insurans seperti yang diminta oleh pemilik kenderaan. Pemilik kereta boleh mendapatkan perlindungan insurans daripada MMIP melalui cawangan-cawangan dua penanggung insurans, iaitu sama ada melalui Multi-Purposes Insurans Berhad ataupun Uni. Asia General Insurance Berhad. Industri insurans sedang dalam proses mengkaji penambahan jumlah penanggung insurans yang menyediakan khidmat MMIP.

Bank Negara Malaysia tidak membenarkan penanggung insurans memaksa pemilik kenderaan untuk membeli perlindungan insurans yang tidak diingini oleh pemilik kenderaan, sama ada perlindungan Komprehensif mahupun Pihak Ketiga. Pemilik kenderaan yang menghadapi masalah ini bolehlah berhubung dengan Pusat Hubungan Bersepadu Bank seperti di bawah:

Alamat:
Pusat Hubungan Bersepadu
Jabatan Komunikasi Korporat
Bank Negara Malaysia
Tingkat 14, Blok B,
Jalan Dato' Onn,
50480 Kuala Lumpur

Telefon: 1-300-88-5465

emel: bnmtelelink@bnm.gov.my .

Parliament: RM1 million yearly allocation for each Parliamentary constituency

2009-06-18T15:26:00.003+08:00

Minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan sama ada pentadbiran baru akan mengubah dasar dalam pengendalian peruntukan khas kawasan Parlimen termasuk kawasan yang diwakili pembangkang dan berapakah peruntukan yang diberikan untuk setiap kawasan Parlimen untuk tahun 2009.

JAWAPAN: YB TAN SRI NOR MOHAMED BIN YAKCOP

Secara dasarnya, Peruntukan Khas YAB PERDANA MENTERI bagi kawasan Parlimen diberi pada setiap tahun kepada semua kawasan Parlimen walaupun kawasan tersebut merupakan kawasan Parlimen pembangkang. Jumlah peruntukan bagi setiap tahun adalah berbeza bergantung kepada kemampuan kewangan Kerajaan dan keperluan rakyat pada tahun tersebut.

Bagi tahun 2009, kesemua 222 kawasan Parlimen diperuntukan sebanyak RM1.0 juta oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk dibelanjakan bagi faedah rakyat di kawasan berkenaan.

For further reading and debate on this issue, pls click here

Letter to PSD Director General

2009-06-08T14:12:00.002+08:00

I went to the Public Service Department headquarters in Putrajaya this morning to submit one specific appeal case from Seremban and submit another letter to the DG to solve the PSD Scholarship's problem. I felt great injustice to top students who failed in their application especially those who scored 12 A1 and yet did not able to get the scholarships.

To our dear Prime Minister, please prove us wrong that your "One Malaysia" slogan is just mere rhetoric!

My letter as below:

8 Jun 2009

Tan Sri Ismail Adam
Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia
JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM MALAYSIA
Blok C1-C2, Kompleks C
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62510 W.P Putrajaya

Tan Sri,

ISU BIASISWA PROGRAM IJAZAH LUAR NEGARA (PILN) JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM 2009

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas.

2. Seperti yang Tan Sri sedia maklum, isu biasiswa PILN JPA pada tahun ini telah menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi daripada ibu bapa dan pelajar-pelajar yang mendapat keputusan cemerlang dalam SPM 2008 namun gagal mendapat biasiswa JPA. Walaupun saya sedia maklum bahawa keputusan untuk kes-kes rayuan telah diumumkan beberapa hari yang lalu, namun masih terdapat ketidakpuasan hati dan keraguan dalam isu biasiswa ini.

3. Isu yang paling meragukan ialah mengapa ada di kalangan pelajar-pelajar cemerlang yang mendapat 12 A1 gagal mendapat biasiswa tersebut. Keraguan ini disebabkan bahawa pihak JPA telah mengumumkan 20% daripada 2,000 biasiswa PILN atau 400 biasiswa ditawarkan berdasarkan meritokrasi iaitu melihat keputusan akademik yang paling cemerlang dan tidak mengambil kira faktor-faktor lain. Namun, mengikut statistik Kementerian Pelajaran, pelajar SPM 2008 yang mendapat 12 A1 ke atas adalah kurang daripada 300 orang pelajar. Jadi, mengapakah masih terdapat pelajar cemerlang 12A1 yang gagal mendapat biasiswa tersebut dalam kategori merit? Kita menyeru pihak JPA mengumumkan penjelasan dalam perkara ini dengan sejelas-jelasnya.

4. Pergerakan Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY) ingin membuat 2 cadangan kepada pihak JPA untuk menyelesaikan isu biasiswa pada tahun ini iaitu:

a) Menyiasat semula semua kes pelajar yang mendapat sekurang-kurangnya 12 A1 yang gagal mendapat biasiswa PILN dan menawarkan biasiswa PILN kepada semua pelajar tersebut yang masih tidak berjaya dalam rayuan mereka.

b) Semua pelajar cemerlang yang mendapat sekurang-kurangnya 9 A1 ke atas yang gagal mendapat biasiswa PILN 2009 ditawarkan biasiswa Program Ijazah Dalam Negara supaya mereka boleh terus menyambung penggajian di IPTA atau IPTS tempatan.

5. Kami amat berharap pihak JPA akan menerima cadangan-cadangan ini untuk menyelesaikan isu biasiswa JPA ini yang telah menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi negatif daripada pelajar-pelajar dan ibubapa mereka.

Sekian dimaklumkan. Terima kasih.

Berkhidmat untuk rakyat,

LOKE SIEW FOOK
AHLI PARLIMEN RASAH merangkap
KETUA PEMUDA SOSIALIS DAP

.

Satu Malaysia dan Malaysian Malaysia

2009-05-28T15:26:00.001+08:00

Apabila setiap Perdana Menteri baru mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan negara dan menduduki Seri Perdana, maka sudah pasti ada satu slogan baru yang dilafazkannya dan slogan tersebut akan digembar-gemburkan oleh agen propagandis Barisan Nasional seperti RTM dan Utusan Malaysia sebagai panduan falsafah pentadbiran baru. Sekiranya diimbas kembali, Tun Dr Mahathir mempopularkan slogan “Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah” yang ingin menyakinkan rakyat Malaysia bahawa pentadbirannya akan bebas daripada rasuah dan kecekapan jabatan kerajaan akan dipertingkatkan. Pak Lah pula menggunakan slogan “Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang”. Katanya, Malaysia mempunyai “Infrastruktur Kelas Pertama tetapi Mentaliti Kelas Ketiga” jadi adalah menjadi harapan beliau untuk memacu negara kearah kecemerlangan dalam semua perkara dan melahirkan “Towering Malaysian”. Semuanya slogan yang begitu sedap didengar tetapi hakikat samada slogan tersebut dapat direalisasikan dalam erti kata yang sebenarnya dapat dijawab dalam hati setiap rakyat Malaysia.

Apabila Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang keenam pada 3 April yang lalu, maka sudah tentu syarikat-syarikat “billboard” ada projek yang baru untuk menukar “billboard” di seluruh negara untuk menggantikan gambar Pak Lah dengan gambar Najib. Selain gambar, slogan pun kena diganti dari “Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang” dengan ayat baru “Satu Malaysia, Rakyat Didahulukan, Prestasi Diutamakan”. Namun, setelah 2 bulan berlalu tidak ramai rakyat Malaysia yang faham atau mengerti apa yang dimaksudkan “Satu Malaysia” ini. Adakah sebelum Najib menjadi Perdana Menteri terdapat dua atau tiga Malaysia di bumi ini?

Najib belum lagi memperincikan apa sebenarnya yang ingin dikecapi oleh beliau menerusi falsafah “Satu Malaysia” ini. Sehingga kini tiada seminar kebangsaan mahupun ucapan rasmi yang dibentangkan oleh Najib bagaimana rakyat Malaysia boleh bergerak seiring untuk mencapai destinasi “Satu Malaysia”. Yang telah dibuat ialah pertandingan fotografi “Satu Malaysia” dan pertandingan mencipta lagu “Satu Malaysia”. Sekali lagi, kita memperlihatkan Barisan Nasional mementingkan rupa (forms) daripada isi (substance).

Dengan kekurangan taksiran dan intipati kandungan apa itu “Satu Malaysia” maka janganlah Utusan Malaysia menyalahkan DAP dan pihak-pihak lain untuk cuba memberikan pengertian masing-masing bagaimana boleh mencapai objektif tersebut. Bagi DAP, pengertian “Satu Malaysia” agaklah mudah. Ia adalah manifestasi apa yang diperjuangkan dan dilaung-laungkan oleh DAP selama ini iaitu konsep “Malaysian Malaysia” atau Malaysia untuk rakyat Malaysia.

Sebenarnya konsep “Malaysian Malaysia” adalah agak mudah difahami. Ia memperjuangkan bahawa setiap rakyat Malaysia mempunyai tempat di bumi Malaysia ini. Setiap rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira latar belakang kaum, agama dan taraf sosial perlu mempunyai hak dan peluang yang sama rata untuk belajar, bekerja, berniaga dan mengejar impian mereka dalam kehidupan tanpa apa-apa batasan dan diskriminasi.
Impian ini perlu diterjemahkan dalam bentuk dasar-dasar kerajaan yang bersifat adil dan memberi peluang saksama kepada semua rakyat Malaysia. Prinsip ini tidak sesekali bertujuan untuk mengorbankan hak dan kepentingan orang Melayu. Apa yang dititikberatkan ialah sekiranya ada golongan yang tidak mempunyai kapasiti untuk bersaing dengan golongan yang lain maka syarat untuk mendapatkan bantuan kerajaan ialah menggunakan indikator taraf sosio ekonomi orang tersebut dan bukannya latarbelakang kaumnya.

Sebagai contoh, geran bantuan daripada kerajaan untuk usahawan. Sekiranya seorang anak muda yang tidak ada modal tetapi beliau mempunyai satu idea yang baik atau menemui satu hasil penyelidikan yang boleh dimajukan secara komersial, maka beliau sepatutnya mempunyai peluang untuk mendapatkan geran daripada kerajaan. Samada dia seorang Melayu, Cina atau India adalah tidak penting. Sekiranya ada 2 pemohon yang mempunyai idea yang sama baik, seorang Melayu yang tiada modal dan seorang lagi pemohon Cina dari syarikat besar, maka orang yang sepatutnya mendapat geran itu ialah pemohon yang pertama. Begitu juga sekiranya keadaan sebaliknya dimana seorang anak muda India tiada modal dan pemohon Melayu tersebut pula dari syarikat korporat, maka geran tersebut sepatutnya diberikan kepada anak muda India tersebut.

Ini yang dinamakan sebagai “kesamarataan peluang” iaitu semua orang mempunyai peluang yang sama rata dalam semua bidang. Peluang bukan hanya diberikan atas dasar kebolehan seseorang itu tetapi juga melihat kepada latar belakang sosio ekonominya. Kemiskinan tidak boleh dilihat sebagai tembok kepada seseorang untuk mendapatkan peluang untuk maju ke hadapan.

UMNO sejak dulu lagi ingin meracuni minda orang Melayu bahawa konsep Malaysian Malaysia yang diperjuangkan DAP bertujuan untuk menyekat kemajuan anak-anak Melayu. Ini adalah tidak benar sama sekali. Dalam Perisytiharan Setapak 1967 lagi, (dokumen dasar DAP yang pertama) DAP telah mengkritik Perikatan pada ketika itu dalam kegagalan mereka memajukan masyarakat Melayu. Saya memetik satu perenggan dokumen tersebut seperti di bawah:

“However, the economic and educational imbalance as between the urban and rural areas does lend itself rather easily to being clothed in a communal garb, and it must be part of any enlightened socio-economic policy to remove this imbalance.

The DAP charges the Alliance government with not doing anything significant towards this end. Indeed, one of the most striking commentaries on Alliance in this respect is the fact that the great majority of Malay students in our university do Malay language and religious studies, whereas the crying need is surely for more and more Malays to become qualified in the modern disciplines of science, medicine, technology, economics, etc, so that Malays may be able to compete on equal terms with their fellow-Malaysians of Chinese or Indian origin, who are not in the habit of sending their offspring to centers of higher learning in order to become experts in Buddhism or the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita.

But apart from occasional lip service, the Alliance leadership has been gravely delinquent in regard to the positive encouragement of Malay students to qualify themselves in the more productive and sophisticated disciplines of modern knowledge.”
Ini adalah pemikiran pemimpin-pemimpin DAP pada tahun 1967 lagi. Adakah DAP tidak ingin melihat orang Melayu maju? Sekiranya pemimpin UMNO menerima teguran DAP pada ketika itu, maka negara kita mungkin tidak perlu melalui sejarah hitam Mei 13 untuk mengetahui ketidakseimbangan antara kaum dan wilayah.

Secara kesimpulannya, konsep Malaysian Malaysia yang diperjuangkan DAP bertujuan untuk memajukan negara dan memberikan kesaksamaan kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Kita ingin melihat semua kaum maju ke hadapan terutamanya masyarakat Melayu. Objektif murni Malaysian Malaysia tidak akan tercapai sekiranya majoriti rakyatnya mundur di belakang. Sudah sampai masanya negara kita bergerak ke hadapan daripada retorik-retorik lampau yang melaga-lagakan perasaan dengki antara kaum. Kalau benar Najib ingin memacu negara kita ke arah “Satu Malaysia yang bersatu-padu dan setiap rakyatnya berasa bangga sebagai rakyat Malaysia”, maka beliau harus mengiktiraf dan menerima perjuangan DAP selama ini.

Loke Siew Fook, Ahli Parlimen Rasah dan Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY)
Emel: siewfook@gmail.com .

PSD Scholarships forum

2009-05-26T18:15:00.001+08:00

Parliamentary Questions for June sitting

2009-05-26T17:08:00.002+08:00

SOALAN-SOALAN LISAN

1)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan mengapa syarikat-syarikat insurans tempatan enggan menawarkan perlindungan insurans kelas ketiga kepada pemilik-pemilik kenderaan lama dan apakah dasar kerajaan terhadap perlindungan insurans untuk kereta lama dan langkah-langkah untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini untuk meringankan beban pengguna. (15 Jun 2009)

2)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan bilangan penerima Biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam untuk Program Luar Negara tahun 2009 mengikut latarbelakang kaum, negeri, bidang penggajian dan negara yang dihantar. (16 Jun 2009)

3)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan apakah langkah-langkah kerajaan untuk merombak sistem pemilihan penerima Biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam dan samada kerajaan bercadang untuk menubuhkan satu Jawatankuasa Pemilih Parlimen (Parliamentary Select Committee) untuk mengkaji dan mendapatkan pandangan umum dalam isu tersebut. (17 Jun 2009)

4)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan samada pentadbiran baru akan mengubah dasar dalam pengendalian peruntukan khas kawasan Parlimen termasuk kawasan yang diwakili pembangkang dan berapakah peruntukan yang diberikan untuk setiap kawasan Parlimen untuk tahun 2009. (18 Jun 2009)

5)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan berapakah peruntukan pembangunan yang diberikan kepada SJKC Ladang Hillside, Batu 4 Labu, Negeri Sembilan setiap tahun dari tahun 2000 hingga 2009 dan samada kerajaan memberikan apa-apa bantuan kewangan kepada sekolah tersebut untuk menyelesaikan masalah bangunan diserang anai-anai putih baru-baru ini . (22 Jun 2009)

6)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KERJA RAYA menyatakan samada kementerian mempunyai rancangan untuk membina “flyover” di hadapan persimpangan tol Seremban sedia ada untuk menyelesaikan masalah kesesakan di antara Bandar Seremban dengan Seremban 2 dan sekiranya ada, bilakah projek akan dimulakan, kos projek dan butir-butirnya. (23 Jun 2009)

7)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan secara terperinci berapakah lesen yang telah dikeluarkan kepada syarikat-syarikat 4D untuk menjalankan "Special Draw” sepanjang tahun 2009, jumlah kutipan cukai untuk setiap “draw” yang telah diadakan dan rasional kerajaan membenarkan “special draw” ini. (24 Jun 2009)

8)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PERUMAHAN DAN KERAJAAN TEMPATAN menyatakan samada kementerian akan memberikan peruntukan untuk menaik taraf jalan di Kampung Baru Rasah dalam Parlimen Rasah dan sekiranya ada, berapakah peruntukannya dan bila ia dapat dilaksanakan. (25 Jun 2009)

9)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan samada kerajaan bersedia untuk mengiktiraf kelayakan “Unified Examination Certificate” (UEC) yang diduduki oleh pelajar-pelajar Sekolah Persendirian Cina. Sekiranya ya, bila dan sekiranya tidak, apakah rasionalnya . (29 Jun 2009)

10)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN PERINDUSTRIAN menyatakan jumlah pelaburan asing dan tempatan yang telah dilaburkan di Negeri Sembilan dari bulan Januari 2009 hingga Mei 2009 mengikut sektor, nilai setiap pelaburan tersebut, lokasi dan nama syarikat yang membuat pelaburan tersebut (30 Jun 2009)

SOALAN-SOALAN BERTULIS

1)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan senarai penuh semua pemohon yang berjaya memperolehi biasiswa Program Luar Negara Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) untuk tahun 2009 mengikut nama, keputusan peperiksaan, nama universiti, nilai biasiswa dan jumlah markah yang diperolehi dalam permohonan tersebut.

2)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI DALAM NEGERI menyatakan indeks jenayah secara terperinci setiap bulan dari bulan Januari 2008 hingga Mei 2009 untuk kawasan di bawah kawalan Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Seremban.

3)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI PELAJARAN menyatakan secara terperinci pecahan butir-butir dan amaun peruntukan pembangunan bagi tahun 2009 untuk setiap Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina dan Tamil di seluruh Negeri Sembilan.

4)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan secara terperinci senarai projek yang telah dilaksanakan di kawasan Parlimen Rasah untuk tahun 2008 di bawah peruntukan khas Parlimen yang berjumlah RM500,000 dan senarai penerimanya serta nilai setiap peruntukan tersebut.

5)Tuan Loke Siew Fook (Rasah) minta MENTERI BELIA DAN SUKAN menyatakan senarai semua program bantuan yang ditawarkan kepada usahawan belia, jumlah peruntukan untuk setiap program pada tahun ini, jumlah yang telah diluluskan kepada pemohon mengikut program serta jumlah peserta dalam setiap program mengikut pecahan kaum. .

Memo to PM on PSD scholarships

2009-05-18T16:02:00.004+08:00

18 Mei 2009

YAB Datuk Seri Najib bin Tun Razak
Perdana Menteri Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA.

YAB Datuk Seri,

PEMBERIAN BIASISWA JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM KEPADA PELAJAR CEMERLANG

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas.

2. Seperti yang YAB sedia maklum, terdapat ramai pelajar cemerlang SPM 2008 yang gagal mendapat tawaran biasiswa JPA untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke luar negara mahupun dalam negara pada tahun ini. Masalah ini yang telah menjadi satu isu tahunan di negara kita amatlah mendukacitakan kepada pelajar-pelajar cemerlang ini yang secara keseluruhannya mendapat 10A ke atas.

3. Isu ini sekiranya tidak diselesaikan dengan cepat dan berkesan akan memberikan impak negatif kepada falsafah “SATU MALAYSIA” yang dilaungkan oleh YAB dan menampakkan bahawa kerajaan seolah-olah tidak menghargai modal insan yang cemerlang dalam negara kita.

4. Justeru itu, saya selaku Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY) dan seorang Ahli Parlimen yang mewakili suara rakyat Malaysia ingin menyeru kepada pihak YAB untuk mengambil beberapa langkah untuk menyelesaikan isu ini seperti:

a) Kabinet pada Rabu ini perlu membuat satu ketetapan untuk menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa khas yang diwakili oleh beberapa Menteri Kabinet untuk mengkaji semula dan mempertimbangkan setiap kes rayuan yang telah dikemukakan oleh pelajar cemerlang SPM 2008.

b) Kabinet perlu memastikan pelajar yang mendapat 10A1 ke atas mendapat pertimbangan yang sewajarnya dan sekiranya perlu kerajaan perlu menambahkan bilangan biasiswa luar negara JPA untuk tahun ini.

c) Kerajaan perlu membuat satu keputusan dasar untuk mengkaji semula keseluruhan sistem pemilihan penerima biasiswa JPA termasuk menubuhkan satu badan bebas untuk mengendalikan program biasiswa ini, kriteria-kriteria yang diambil kira, sistem temuduga dan setiap pemohon diberikan satu laporan yang lengkap samada mereka berjaya atau sebaliknya untuk memastikan ketelusan dalam keseluruhan proses pemilihan dan intergriti badan yang melaksanakan program ini berada pada tahap yang paling tinggi.

d) Kerajaan melalui Kementerian Pelajaran perlu membuat keputusan yang tegas dengan menghadkan setiap pelajar yang menduduki peperiksaan SPM untuk mengambil hanya 10 matapelajaran supaya semua pelajar dinilai dengan keputusan yang samarata dan tidak timbul masalah penilaian seperti mengapa yang mendapat 13A gagal berbanding dengan 9A dan sebagainya.

5. Kami amat mengharapkan pihak YAB akan menimbangkan beberapa cadangan ini untuk mengembalikan keyakinan rakyat Malaysia terhadap intergriti dan keadilan dasar-dasar kerajaan. Kami juga berharap YAB akan memberikan perhatian peribadi ke atas perkara ini kerana ia melibatkan soal masa depan anak-anak muda kita bersama.

Sekian. Terima kasih.

Berkhidmat untuk rakyat,

LOKE SIEW FOOK
KETUA PEMUDA SOSIALIS DAP
Merangkap AHLI PARLIMEN RASAH.

Public Forum on JPA Scholarship

2009-05-16T00:31:00.000+08:00

Read about all the renewed controversy over the JPA scholarships recently?

Well, in the light of the neverending controversy over the award of government scholarships by Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) of the Prime Minister's Department, DAP will be holding a forum/dialogue session to obtain feedback from:

* aggrieved students
* current and former local and overseas scholars
* academics
* the general public

The forum/dialogue will be held as follows:

JPA Scholarships – Seeking A Fair & Equitable Policy
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Date: 19th May 2009 (Tuesday)
Time: 8.00 pm

The panelists will include:

* Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor,
* Anthony Loke Siew Fook, MP for Rasah and DAPSY Chief,
* Tony Pua, MP for Petaling Jaya Utara,
* Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, PAS Research Centre Director and MP for Kuala Selangor
* Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Selangor ADUN for Seri Setia

Dr Goh Cheng Teik, eminent academic, former deputy minister and interviewer for Harvard University admission programme in Malaysia will also be a special guest for the evening.

In addition, for students and scholars who are not able to make it for the forum (e.g., if you are overseas or if you live outstation, you are welcome to submit written submissions to the panel. Please write to: dapscholarship (at) rocketmail (dot) com.

Please forward details of the above forum to all parties concerned, especially those who have failed to secure scholarships despite outstanding results. We will be making a compilation of the complaints, appeals and suggestions made during the evening.

The season of "appeal"!

2009-05-12T15:06:00.003+08:00

Dear folks..how are you guys doing? Am very sure many were elevated by joys of hearing the KL High Court judgement that Nizar is the rightful MB for Perak! Bravo...victory for democracy. Although Zambry just got a stay of execution this morning, the momentum for change is on our side. No matter what they do now, they just can't stop that momentum from the people. Just one way out - go back to the ballot box...period! Win or lose, Perakians should decide. BN should be thankful that they have a chance to be the rightful government again, if they can convince the people.

Put the Perak issue aside, there are many other issues that need our attention. Starting yesterday, it's the time again of the year - the season of "appeal" for top SPM students who failed to get the PSD scholarships. I used to joke that after you scored straight As in your SPM, you still have to sit for another paper - the paper to appeal! The "season" was "launched" by a complaint by 5 top SPM students from Malacca who told that one of the interviewer who interviewed them said the new policy is to keep the cream of the crop within the country. It means that if you are the top scorer, you will probably not get an overseas scholarship. I'm not sure is that the new policy but i'm pushing for an official answer from the government.

I highligted the plight of one of the top scorers from KGV Seremban through the media this afternoon. She scored 10 A1 and 1 A2, very active in extra curicular, went for National Service, her father served in TUDM before and answered confidently in the interview and yet she failed. Not even an offer to study in local universities. She reported for Form 6 but the school felt strongly that she should not be there doing Form 6.

I feel strongly for those students and are very willing to voice up their plights. I went through STPM and i know the pressure of it. I will personally bring up the cases to Nazri who is the Minister in-charge of PSD. .

State Assembly sitting report

2009-05-04T18:23:00.005+08:00

First of all, i would like to apologize for not updating my blog for more than a week. Was a bit busy attending the assembly and running around. Even went all the way to Pekan last Saturday for a PAS ceramah. Unlike Parliament where i can easily update my blog during the proceeding, i can't do that in the state assembly for the simple reason that the chambers are not equipped with WIFI. Internet is still quite alien to most of the BN chaps. When i spoke on the need for the state government to make the proceeding live over the internet, i doubt few have any clues on what i was talking about.

I also like to thank all of you who have given your comments on the previous post. I have read every comment and took note of it.

Well, in this sitting, we scored a moral victory when we succeeded to force the Speaker to accept our proposal to have a rotation system for the Q&A. We have walked out twice in the past to protest the unfair system where non of us got a chance to pose question in the one and a half hour session. At last, they felt the pressure and make some changes.

I made a few points in my debate to thank the Royal Address.

1) The state have to diversify our economic sectors as we can't be over-dependent on the manufacturing sector anymore as demands for our exported goods have gone down due to the current economic climate. There are a lot of talks on the bio-technology and pharmaceutical industry in the Nilai area. Well, these are new sectors which we should develop. I stressed on the need to develop new supporting industries for this sectors among our locals. The state government should find ways to encourage more R&D to promote innovations and creativity among NS folks. We should not just be users of technology but we must strive to be creator of technology.

2) The state should create a job-matching center in all districts to make it easier for unemployed to register themselves with the Labour Department. I also acknowledged the dilemma faced by the government, ie; although we want to reduce the numbers of foreign workers but at the same time many locals refused to take up "dirty jobs" even jobs like restaurant workers.

3) I also called on the state government to liberalize the housing sector as it is an important sector in the economy. I urged the government to put in place an "auto-release" mechanism for unsold Bumiputra lots. That means after one year a project was launched, if there are still unsold Bumi lots, it should be opened automatically to other buyers. This is to speed up transactions in the industry and the faster the sales can be executed, the better for the government as there are revenues to be collected and the revenue can be channelled for welfare purposes for the needy. I mentioned that the government should look at the proposal as a "win-win" situation and not as a "zero-sum game" perspective at the expense of the Bumiputra.

As Opposition leader, I focused my debate more on policy issues and let my other colleagues to raise up problems faced on the ground and the poor delivery system. Of course, many of my colleagues gave a bashing to the various front line departments such as the Majlis Perbandaran Seremban, JKR, Syarikat Air NS and the Welfare Department.

The Royal Address is a policy speech to give a general view of the direction of the state government. Hence, the motion to thank the Royal Address is a forum for ADUN to debate on policy matters and criticize the government of the day on their various weaknesses. After hearing our debates, one new ADUN from UMNO (YB Chembong) started off his debate with the remark that he just want to focus on "thanking" the state government as it is a motion of thanks! Can you imagine the standard of BN YBs?

I'm taking a short break to Krabi, Thailand for 3 days starting tomorrow. Will be back by Thursday. Will give your more info from the assembly when i'm back. .

Negeri Sembilan DUN sitting

2009-04-24T19:33:00.003+08:00

The Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly sitting for 2009 was officially opened by the new State Ruler Tuanku Muhriz this morning. Today's sitting was just for the opening ceremony and there was no Q&A session nor debates. Actual sitting will take place on Monday and Tuesday next week, 27-28 April.

If there are any issues that you want us to raise up in the DUN, please give your comment here or alternatively, you can email me at siewfook@gmail.com . Specific issues are most welcomed.

thank you

Point of View: National Service

2009-04-20T15:17:00.006+08:00

I was invited by NTV7 to appear on the programme "Point of View" hosted by Florence Looi. The recording was done about 3 weeks ago and the show went on air last Sunday. The topic was about National Service Training programme and whether it shoud be scrapped. I have always taken a middle position on this matter that it should be reviewed throughly whether it is worthwhile to spend RM600 million a year on the programme. Is it the only way to achieve national unity? Is there no more problem of racial polarization among our youth after 5 years the programme was implemented? Well, catch my point of view on this subject by clicking here:

http://www.ntv7.com.my/Shows/Watch-Episodes.aspx?param=Lyu%2bzAUJzuEIAMmcdDTiESgDu%2bQ%2bA3HvGCruXEvdS%2bCas23z3FRPCvLM7eSbIM%2fz

source: www.ntv7.com.my

DAP NS Public Consultation and Dialogue

2009-04-17T14:31:00.002+08:00

In line with our aims to promote a more participatory democracy, DAP Negeri Sembilan is organizing the 2nd Public Consultation and Dialogue with the people of Seremban since last year's general election. This is an avenue for us to update the public regarding the various important issues facing the country today especially the scenario under Najib's administration and the "One Malaysia" agenda. It's also a forum for the public to give us feedback or criticism to the performance of our elected representatives. DAP Parliamentary Leader Sdr Lim Kit Siang will be the keynote speaker. Admission is free and open to the public. Details as below:

Date: 21st April 2009 (coming Tuesday)
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Venue: Neighbour Grace Assembly hall, Jalan Temiang, Seremban
(opposite former Odeon cinema)

For enquiries, pls contact 06-7634525.

My ceramah speech in Bukit Gantang (2)

2009-04-17T12:48:00.002+08:00

Part 1

Part 2

DAP's social democracy at work!

2009-04-16T18:34:00.003+08:00

Would like to share with you this interesting article in The Sun. I thought it was well written and someone who understood the DAP's history and its ideological roots. It's precisely what we as social democrats can offer to the Malaysian people. Not many, our own leaders and members included, can claim to understand the essence and values of the social democracy ideology. I think this article articulate it in a very practical way. A lot of people misunderstood the word "socialism". Many thought it is a "dirty word", outdated and linked it to communism. Being in the Left does not mean we have to kill off all private enterprises nor we have to be seen as the No 1 enemy of the capitalists. We only strive for a more just and fair society and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor! Happy reading!

The DAP’s socialist streak

WHEN the Penang government announced late last month that it had eradicated hardcore poverty within its borders, the news raised quite a few eyebrows. It seemed an incredible, if not impossible, task to achieve. On hindsight, however, when one looks at what the Pakatan Rakyat government executed, the solution seems common-sense.

But though it may appear simple, the move was instituted with such impudence and guts it could only come from a political element that is part of the origins and makeup of the DAP – its democratic socialism.

What the state did was to directly uplift every one of the 726 households registered with the welfare department as being in the hardcore poor category by giving them the money. Affected families were literally funded to ensure their incomes are topped up so that they get at least RM500 every month.

These poor souls whose lives, and statistics, seemingly changed overnight must owe their new fortunes to a political decision made way back in 1966. It was then that the DAP was first registered, following the Setapak Declaration, as an offshoot of the Singapore-based People’s Action Party (PAP). What marks the event as significant today is not just its history, but the fact that the party was registered as a democratic socialist entity.

Penang’s success in eradicating hardcore poverty is a fruition of a progressive post-modern socialist ideology. In fact, much of the state’s economic and social policies today can be attributed to a highly-evolved socialist streak in the DAP.

By socialism we do not necessarily mean the radical, anti-capitalist school that emerged in the early 20th century, influenced by the works of Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx. Democratic socialism surfaced as a splinter movement that envisioned the attainment of socialism not through a revolutionary process, but through an embracing, evolutionary one. It embraced civil liberties, free elections, parliamentary democracy and transparency in governance.

It is no coincidence then that the DAP is a long-time member of the Socialist International, whose origins can be traced to early international labour movements.

Now, some 43 years after the DAP was founded, Penang has to some extent become a test-bed of sorts for a modern socialist experiment in Malaysia. Hints of this new wind, blowing along a distinctly proletarian agenda, was already felt on the first day that the DAP took helm of the state by assuming the chief minister’s post, with Lim Guan Eng ordering all summonses for hawkers and parking be waived.

Lim had later even proposed to the federal government an “economic stimulus” plan worth RM48 billion that he said would have a “tidal effect” in directly benefiting 27 million Malaysians during the financial crisis. The plan included giving a RM6,000 annual “oil bonus” to all families earning less than RM6,000 a month, or a RM3,000 annual bonus to bachelors earning less than RM3,000 a month. The amount, Lim said, would cost RM35 billion or one third of Petronas’s 2007 gross profits of RM107 billion.

The idea to use national coffers in a massive way to alleviate the people’s burden is perhaps something that could only have come out with such brazen confidence from the DAP, due to the socialist element in its set-up.

For democratic socialism seeks to improve the rights and standards of the majority by directly increasing the powers of workers and consumers. It does place social welfare as a prime component in the governance of a society.

Any aid or subsidy, however, is not meant to be dished out as dole benefits to passive citizens without resourcefulness or personal enterprise; the aid is deemed necessary to empower people, by giving them impetus to be active participants in the greater economic community.

In one of the Penang government’s boldest moves, for example, all residential landed properties on state land were made freehold, and all industrial and commercial property owners had their leaseholds converted to the maximum 99 years. “We want to give ownership of land back to the people,” Lim had said.

Of course, in practice, the DAP’s style of administration is not so purely egalitarian; but its socialist roots do hold significant sway in how the administration has caught people by surprise, by making sweeping changes with unassuming audacity.

It remains to be seen then how many more surprises the DAP-led government will dish out, and exactly how well its socialist inclinations will work for the state over the remaining duration of its term in power.

Himanshu is theSun’s Penang bureau chief. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com.

My ceramah speech in Bukit Gantang by-election

2009-04-15T18:21:00.002+08:00

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It's UMNO who are ungrateful to Malaysian Chinese

2009-04-14T14:19:00.001+08:00

Media Statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Tuesday, 14th April 2009 in Petaling Jaya.

UMNO should instead be grateful to the Chinese community for prolonging their political survival in the 1999 general election.

DAPSY expresses the uttermost outrage over the most distasteful and divisive statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the Chinese voters were not grateful to the Barisan Nasional and wanted to be kingmakers in Malaysian politics.

Such an insensitive statement, coming from the No 2 leader in the country just barely a week after he took office, showed how out of touch the BN leadership were with the constituents on the ground and their failure to understand the sentiments and aspirations of the Malaysian electorate.

Muhyiddin thought that the Malaysian Chinese voters still subscribed to the old way of “beggar politics” where they would give their votes to the BN in exchange for tokens of allocations to Chinese schools and temples during election season. Let us tell Muhyiddin that their old trick no longer works. The people aspire for a fair and just government where their needs and basic rights to education and development are look into on a sustainable and structural basis, not tokenism.

Muhyiddin’s statement also exemplifies the feudalistic mentality of UMNO leaders who think that they are forever the political masters in the country and the people including the Chinese community are duty-bound to elect them into power. This is also an outdated idea and the people must teach the UMNO leaders that the rights and mandate to govern must be earned and won through good governance, fair policies and clean leadership. The people are the real masters and they have every right to determine who should be the government of the day.

Instead of calling the Chinese community as being ungrateful to the BN government, I would say that it is UMNO who are ungrateful to the Chinese community. It is a known fact that it was the Chinese voters who saved and prolonged UMNO’s political survival in the 1999 general elections where majority of the Malay electorate deserted UMNO during the height of the “Reformasi” movement. In fact, Muhyiddin’s boss, Prime Minister Najib escaped a humiliating defeat by a mere 241-vote majority in his Pekan constituency thanks to the Chinese votes.

Muhyiddin owed all Malaysians a public apology. .

DAPSY Orientation Camp 2009

2009-04-11T14:11:00.004+08:00

DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) is having our orientation camp in Tiara Beach resort in Port Dickson from 10-12 April. More than 100 young DAPSY members from different states are here to attend this 2-days course. Different modules are being imparted to the members such as History and Introduction to the DAP, Party's ideology, DAP & Pakatan, DAP's organization and Introduction to Basic Political Science.

It's our hope that such political camp will strengthen the understanding of our political struggles among the members and in the process, build a better quality political movement. It's also important to impart good values and culture to the new members.

I'm glad that the camp is not only attended by our Chinese members but also a good number of our Malay and Indian comrades.

Opening speech by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook at the 2009 DAPSY Orientation Camp on 11 April 2009 in Tiara 3 Ballroom, Tiara Beach Resort, Port Dickson:

I welcome you, my fellow comrades, to the 2009 DAPSY orientation and training camp which is held in Port Dickson, one of the best beach resorts in Malaysia, especially in the west coast of the Peninsula. I’m extending this welcome to all of you on behalf of my home state, Negeri Sembilan, which can potentially become a Pakatan Rakyat state in the near future.

I’m pleased to see that DAPSY divisions across the country have sent such a large delegation to attend this camp, because this is a very important training camp. The objective of this camp is to instill a sense of understanding among members on the party’s ideology and struggle. We have organized such camps in the past, but we’ve never had such enthusiastic support. More than a hundred participants are in this hall waiting eagerly to kick off this camp – this is a fantastic sign that will provide great encouragement to DAPSY to organize a much larger camp is the future.

One of the reasons for organizing this camp is that we have not stressed enough on our party ideology. Some comrades have not understood our ideology, direction, organization and culture. If you could remember, during our DAPSY Congress last December, many questions were raised on the direction of DAPSY, including the question of whether we are a left wing or a right wing movement.

Therefore, I hope that all of you will pay full attention throughout the few modules of the training, from party ideology to party organization. We need to know what we’re fighting for.

This camp would not have been made possible without the support of the DAPSY National Executive Council, divisions and members. For the first time ever, the party headquarters also allocated a sizable amount of subsidy for DAPSY to make this camp possible. Deputy Chairman, Saudari Jenice Lee has also contributed some funds for this event.

I would like to stress that DAP is not an ‘eat, drink and be merry’ party. DAP is a party with strong principles and beliefs, which is serious about its struggles for fairness, justice and democracy in Malaysia.

After attending this camp, I hope that all of you can become trainers yourselves in your particular branches and states. I hope that you can go home and train your fellow members, especially those who are new, so that when we participate in a debate, or when we write statements, we can reflect the party’s positions in various matters. Our ideology is our guiding principle, so we must truly understand it when we’re making statements on behalf of the party.

I’d like to thank the organizers, namely Saudara Ooi Leng Hang, the DAPSY Political Education Bureau director, and Saudara Chua Yew Choong, the Chairman of DAPSY Pandan division, for putting in a lot of time and effort for this camp.

I hope all of you will pay attention and also enjoy the modules at the same time. Have a fruitful and meaningful camp! Thank you.

RM45,786 to thank Rosmah!

2009-04-10T12:43:00.003+08:00

I saw this advertisement in Utusan Malaysia when I was checking out from the hotel in Taiping the day after Nizar won the Bukit Gantang by-election. Curious about the cost of a full-page colour advertisement in Utusan national page, I asked my PA to call up Utusan’s office to get a quotation. Guess how much the ad costs?

RM45,786!

Yes, the NS state government spent RM45,786 of taxpayers monies just to say “THANK YOU” to our First Lady, Dato’ Seri Rosmah Mansor for visiting Pusat Anak PERMATA Negara Chembong in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan on the 7th April 2009!

I held a press conference this morning and openly whacked the state government and the Menteri Besar for wasting taxpayers’ monies on such an unnecessary, unproductive and totally wasteful expenditure! What benefits the rakyat of Negeri Sembilan will get from such an advertisement? Wasn’t the state government talking about cost-cutting and tightening the belt during the current economic crisis? They asked the rakyat to understand the pain and cruise through this storm together?

Well, it is understood that the position of certain leaders in the state are very shaky and uncertain. Perhaps, they need to strengthen the “cable” with the PM through the throne behind.

Folks, now you decide whether you want to continue to let these people manage your tax monies… .

Same old faces in Cabinet!

2009-04-09T16:21:00.003+08:00

There's not much excitement in the new Cabinet line-up. Most of the Ministers are still the same old faces. Just a swap of ministries among them. And a few of them went in through "backdoor" as they were rejected by the people in the last general election such as Koh Tsu Koon, Sharizat, Chew Mei Fun, etc.. Perhaps the boldest move by Najib was to exclude Khairy from the Cabinet even though he is the UMNO Youth Chief (you know who is behind it la)...and to add salt to his injury, his defeated opponent, Mukhriz Mahathir was rewarded a Deputy Minister of MITI! Even Khairy's deputy got a deputy ministership. It seems that the "most powerful" young man is no more powerful.

Anyway, as an MP, I welcome the dropping of the most unwelcomed minister in Parliament - Azalina Othman! And she can say goodbye to her political career.

The so-called "leaner, meaner and slimmer" Cabinet did not really materialize. It just shows that Najib do not have the political will to use the "axe" and succumbed to political lobbying and jockeying. Mahathirism has returned and the beginning of the demise of Barisan Nasional.

Confirmed: 2-1

2009-04-07T20:51:00.000+08:00

Pakatan again thrashed Bn 2-1. We won in 2 bukit by convincing majority but lost in batang ai. referendum result... A big NO to najib as pm..And the voters in bukit gantang made it loud and clear, they want the state assembly to be dissolved and oppose the illegal bn goverment! So the score of the last 5 by elections stood at 4 to 1 in pakatan favour.

Bukit Gantang live: Pakatan winning

2009-04-07T20:10:00.000+08:00

At the current rate, pakatan should not face any problem to defend bukit gantang. nizar is just steps away from parliament. As of now, pas 17427 while bn 15001. Majority 2426. Another 25 streams to go.. Is safe bet to predict a win for pakatan at around 2000 to 2500 majority!

Bukit Gantang live: pakatan lead widen

2009-04-07T19:05:00.000+08:00

Latest result as of 7.15 pm. pas 10361 votes, bn 8117. Majority 2244. More to come

Bukit Gantang live: pakatan won big in chinese area

2009-04-07T18:30:00.002+08:00

the results just came in from kuala sepetang. Majority chinese area.. We won more than 1000 votes majority in that area alone. We are leading by 1693 votes now. Live from pas main operation center.

Bukit Gantang live: Pakatan leading

2009-04-07T18:19:00.000+08:00

Pakatan leading by 222 votes after 5 streams!

Chinese villagers campaigning hard for PAS!

2009-04-06T19:22:00.000+08:00

I'm in kuala sepetang now, a chinese fishing village within the bukit gantang constituency. The political temperature is rising rapidly here, just 12 hours before polling starts. Hundreds of PAS campaigners are making their rounds and they were warmly welcomed by the locals. Some interesting development here is the fact that the local villagers are openly campaigning for PAS. As you can see in the picture above, they are waving the green flag with high spirits. Nobody pay them to do it but it is a clear expression of support to pakatan. This is something that will shake Umno to the core. Pakatan spirit is in full display on the ground, at least in kuala sepetang!

DAP dinner in Bukit Gantang full house

2009-04-05T19:20:00.000+08:00

I just arrived in Taiping and currently attending the thousand people dinner organised by DAP near Simpang, a town located within Bukit Gantang constituency. I was told that the dinner sold 220 tables at RM380 a table and tables at the front sold at RM1000 per table. Yes, all tables are sold, not free dinner. And there are only speeches by pakatan top leaders, definitely no 'sexy dance' in between. Yet, the crowd are very supportive. That's the difference between pakatan and bn... Way to go!

One Malaysia.....how true?

2009-04-04T16:20:00.004+08:00

Our 6th Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has come out with another catchy slogan...One Malaysia. He is trying to convince Malaysians that he will be an inclusive leader for all. Well, he has yet to spell out exactly what is it all about. But let us give him some parameters if he is serious about inclusiveness!

1) Education - The government should allocate equal resources to all types of schools in the country. All schools should be fully government-funded. It means that students studying in Chinese and Tamil primary schools and those in missionary schools no longer need to bring back donation cards to raise funds to build a new hall, canteen or computer lab.

2) Higher education - No more different system for post-SPM students who want to pursue a place in public universities. The end for both STPM and matriculation and replace it with a common examination system for all Malaysian students who want to study in public universities. Entry to public universities purely based on meritocracy with an exceptional small percentage reserved for marginalized groups such an indegeneous group in Sabah and Sarawak.

3) Government scholarships - Granting of scholarships purely based on merit and socio-economic background, no racial quota. High fliers from lower-income families should be given top priority, irrespective of race.

4) Pakatan Rakyat state government - fully respect the concept of federalism. Equal treatment to all PR states just like any other state government under BN. Development funds for those states should be channelled directly to state government. Immediate closure of all Federal Development Agency in all PR states.

5) Constituency development fund - All MPs, both BN and Pakatan have equal access to Parliamentary constituency development fund. MPs irrespective of party background are given the rights to determine how the annual funds are being allocated to their constituents.

6) Local government - Return the democratic rights to elect local government to the people. A commitment by Najib that come next General Election, all Malaysians will have 3 ballots in their hand - one to elect their MP, second to elect their state assemblyman and third to elect their local councillor.

7) Housing discount - All Malaysians who earned a household income of less than RM3,000 a month, irrespective of race are entitled to a 5% discount when they purchase their first house. Dismantle the system of giving discount based on race.

8) Government assistance - All government grants, loans or incentive are open for application to all Malaysians. Eligibility is determined by needs and not race. Lower-income groups are given priority.

9) Special economic policy - To draw up a new special economic policy to uplift the standard of living of the poor, both in rural and urban areas irrespective whether they are Malay, Indian, Chinese, Iban, Kadazan...

10) Government forms - To BAN the column of "bangsa" and "agama" in all government forms. All Malaysians are equal citizens.

The above list is not in anyway comprehensive but if Najib can achieve 80% of those issues, I consider him the greatest reformer in the Malaysian history.

Well, let's hear your wishes now....

Sexy dance is "Chinese culture"?

2009-04-03T15:44:00.002+08:00

I grown up in quite a traditional Chinese family. When i was kid, my parents took me to watch Chinese Kwangtung opera show because they are big fans of it. I did not understand what they sing but I know that it was part of our cultural identity and I appreciate that! During Chinese New Year, I enjoy watching lion dance performance, having reunion dinner, tossing "yee sang" and receiving ang pows. And come Cheng Beng (which is tomorrow), I will accompany my parents to clean up my grandparent's graveyard and offer prayers. These traditions are proudly our Chinese culture.

But never in my life that i was told "Sexy dance" (dance performance in sexy attire) is part of "Chinese culture"! Any of you out there heard that before?

Well, this is the understanding of "Chinese culture" of the newly elected most senior UMNO Vice President and Minister in the PM's Department in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi! Maybe this is something he heard from the MCA and Gerakan leaders.

This cheap gimmick used by MCA in a political function to attract crowd is a big insult to the Chinese community, both men and women. The MCA thought that these Chinese dancers who clad in sexy outfit can be used as "political tools" to attract voters. And they also thought that the Chinese Ah Pek in all Chinese new villages can be won over by just "washing their eyes" with some sexy dance.

By using "sexy dance" to pull the crowd, isn't this show that MCA and Gerakan have no confidence whatsoever in their leaders' ability to convince the voters by their speeches?

Shame on you...MCA and Gerakan! .

Kempen Balik Kampung Mengundi!

2009-04-01T13:05:00.003+08:00

Video iklan ini merupakan sumbangan daripada DAP untuk membantu kempen Pilihanraya Kecil serentak 7 April 2009. Kami menyeru semua pengundi yang berasal dari Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau dan Batang Ai untuk pulang mengundi pada 7 April nanti. Setiap undi adalah penting dan jangan lepaskan hak demokrasi anda untuk membawa perubahan!

Hai rakan-rakan muda, Jom balik undi!

Karpal bersama Hadi di Bukit Gantang

2009-03-30T11:06:00.007+08:00

Bak kata pepatah Inggeris "A picture tells a thousand words" atau "sekeping gambar menerangkan seribu kata". Ungkapan ini cukup tepat untuk menerangkan gambar di atas.
Saya yakin gambar ini cukup menyedapkan hati penyokong-penyokong Pakatan Rakyat. Perpaduan yang sejitu menghadapi musuh di "medan perang". Tidak dinafikan bahawa Pengerusi DAP Sdr Karpal Singh merupakan seorang yang mempunyai pendirian politik yang cukup tegas dan lantang mengkritik sesiapa pun dan menyatakan pemikirannya secara terbuka.

Ada kala penyokong PR sedikit keliru mengapa Karpal juga menyerang pemimpin-pemimpin PR sendiri? Namun, pada hemat saya inilah kekuatan Pakatan. Pemimpin-pemimpin tertinggi PR semuanya mempunyai pendirian yang tegas dan kredibiliti yang tinggi. Kita sesama sendiri boleh mengkritik dan dikritik. Namun, apabila berdepan dengan musuh iaitu UMNO/BN, maka kita sepakat dan bersatu dalam perjuangan. Impian kita adalah sama iaitu menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan untuk semua rakyat Malaysia.

Semoga perpaduan jitu yang ditunjukkan oleh kepimpinan DAP kepada rakan kami di PAS petanda awal membawa kejayaan kepada Pakatan di Bukit Gantang. .

Pakatan spirit flying high in Bukit Gantang

2009-03-29T09:58:00.003+08:00

I'm currently at Taiping municipal council's building, the nomination center for the bukit gantang by-election. The dap's delegation marched along the main road in taiping to the center led by our secretary general lim guan eng. Tens of thousands of pakatan supporters mainly pas members lined up along the road to greet the leaders who marched by. The dap delegation numbering a thousand were warmly cheered by the crowd. The pakatan side were clearly outnumbered the barisan. This is a new phenomenon. In the past, it was always the other way round. The spirit are running high among our comrades. Everything are running smoothly except that the bn's tent where all the bn leaders sit were greeted by the shout of 'rasuah' by pas members just across the fence! I cant estimate the actual numbers of our supporters here because there are simply too many of them.

MB Negeri Sembilan patut melepaskan jawatan!

2009-03-27T15:50:00.002+08:00

Kenyataan media oleh Pengerusi DAP Negeri Sembilan merangkap Ketua Pembangkang DUN Negeri Sembilan Loke Siew Fook pada Jumaat, 27 Mac 2009 di Seremban.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan patut melepaskan jawatan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan

Walaupun pemilihan pucuk pimpinan sesebuah parti sepatutnya tidak ada kena-mengena dengan pihak luar, namun oleh kerana kedudukan UMNO masih sebagai parti pemerintah maka ia memberi kesan kepada barisan kepimpinan Kerajaan Pusat dan Kerajaan Negeri yang diterajui oleh UMNO. Itu antara sebabnya pemilihan Timbalan Presiden UMNO menjadi satu persoalan yang begitu penting di kalangan rakyat kerana pemimpin yang terpilih juga akan menyandang kerusi Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Begitu juga jawatan-jawatan Menteri Kabinet.

Saya mengucapkan syabas kepada Datuk Shahrir Samad kerana beliau menghormati pendirian dan prinsip bahawa sekiranya beliau telah ditolak oleh perwakilan partinya sendiri, maka adalah tidak sesuai untuk beliau terus menyandang jawatan Menteri. Justeru, keputusan beliau untuk melepaskan jawatannya dalam Kabinet adalah tepat dan sesuatu yang patut dihormati oleh semua pihak.

Saya juga berasa terkejut dengan kegagalan Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan untuk mempertahankan kerusinya dalam Majlis Tertinggi UMNO. Sekiranya keputusan oleh perwakilan partinya ialah menolak peranan beliau dalam kepimpinan parti, maka ini ialah seolah-olah satu undi tidak percaya ke atas beliau.

Untuk mengelakkan sebarang perebutan kuasa dalaman yang akan menjejaskan kestabilan politik di Negeri Sembilan dan memberi impak negatif ke atas ekonomi, maka langkah yang terhormat untuk Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ialah mengikut jejak langkah Datuk Shahrir Samad untuk melepaskan jawatan beliau sebagai Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan.

.

Media Statement on Khairy's election as UMNO Youth Chief

2009-03-26T15:30:00.001+08:00

Media statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Thursday, 26th March 2009 in Petaling Jaya.

Money politics triumph in UMNO Youth!

As a fellow Parliamentarian from Negeri Sembilan, I would like to congratulate YB Khairy Jamaluddin for being elected the new UMNO Youth Chief yesterday.

However, the election of Khairy as the UMNO Youth Chief proved that money politics have been openly endorsed by the UMNO Youth delegates. Although a person is found to be involved in the scourge of money politics, he can still lead the UMNO Youth.

That shows that all the talks about “UMNO must change or be changed” are mere political rhetoric to please the general public. What credibility is left for UMNO if a person found to be guilty by the UMNO Disciplinary Board on account of money politics can still be elected to lead the most important wing in the ruling party?

Khairy was of course being treated differently by just given a warning and was allowed to contest the post. This however did not erase the fact that he was found guilty on money politics by his own party leaders. Money politics is corruption, period.

By tradition, the post of UMNO Youth Chief will also come with a Cabinet position. Will Khairy be selected in the Najib’s administration? If it happens, then we will see a very tainted Cabinet line-up and we will be a major laughing stock in the world as a person found to be guilty of corruption by his own party can still be appointed as a Minister!

Was money the main factor behind the victory of Khairy? The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must be serious in finding the truth and act without fear or favor. I’m proposing to both my counterparts in PKR Youth and PAS Youth to lodge a joint report against Khairy Jamaluddin in the MACC headquarters next week.

-LOKE SIEW FOOK-
.

The most "powerful" young man!

2009-03-26T15:11:00.003+08:00

He was the most "powerful" 28 years old!

He was the head of the "4th floor boys"!

He is the most famous son-in-law...still!

He wants to be the youngest Prime Minister!

He was found guilty of money politics!

He was given a "warning" but allowed to contest!

He won the UMNO Youth Chief post!

And now...he is on his way to Putrajaya as a Minister!

....Malaysia Boleh!

Parliament: Number of APs

2009-03-18T17:23:00.001+08:00

TUAN LOKE SIEW FOOK minta MENTERI PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN INDUSTRI menyatakan statistik jumlah Approved Permit (AP) yang telah diluluskan untuk tahun 2008 dan nyatakan nama-nama syarikat atau individu yang mendapat AP tersebut serta bilangannya.

JAWAPAN

Tuan Yang Di Pertua,

Jumlah keseluruhan pemegang AP Terbuka adalah sebanyak 98 syarikat dan AP Francais sebanyak 81 syarikat. Pada tahun 2000, Jumlah AP kenderaan yang telah dikeluarkan oleh kementerian adalah sebanyak 40,886 unit iaitu 29,434 unit AP Terbuka dan 11,452 unit AP Francais

Parliament: Foreign Spouse

2009-03-18T17:21:00.001+08:00

SOALAN:
Tuan Loke Siew Fook [Rasak] minta MENTERI DALAM NEGERI menyatakan jumlah permohonan bermastautin tetap yang diterima dan bilangan kelulusan mengikut kategori jantina, negara asal, kaum, agama, paras pendapatan bagi kedua-kedua warganegara Malaysia dan isteri atau suaminya dalam masa lima tahun yang lepas.

JAWAPAN:
Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, seseorang suami atau isteri asing kepada warganegara perlulah memohon Permit Masuk (Entry Permit) dari Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia di bawah seksyen 10(1) Akta Imigresen 1959/63 terlebih dahulu sebelum layak mendapat taraf pemastautin tetap.

Bagi golongan isteri kepada warganegara Malaysia jumlah pemohon Permit Masuk bagi mendapat taraf Pemastautin Tetap yang diterima dalam tempoh lima tahun dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah berjumlah 11,892. Daripada jumlah tersebut sebanyak 7,637 permohonan telah diluluskan. Manakala bagi golongan suami kepada warganegara jumlah pemohonan yang diterima ialah 4,673 pemohon dan sebanyak 1,693 permohonan telah diluluskan.

Walau bagaimanapun, Kementerian tiada rekod pecahan jumlah tersebut mengikut negara asal, kaum, agama dan paras pendapatan memandangkan dalam membuat sesuatu pertimbangan terhadap permohonan Permit Masuk, factor factor yang diambil kira adalah hubungan kekeluarga, tempoh berada dinegara ini serta sumbangan kepada negara Malaysia.

Machiavellian NAJIB!

2009-03-14T13:13:00.002+08:00

Semasa saya menuntut di Fakulti Sains Pembangunan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lebih kurang 10 tahun yang lepas, salah satu kertas yang wajib diambil oleh semua pelajar di Fakulti saya ialah “Sejarah dan Falsafah Pemikiran”. Dan salah seorang ahli pemikir klasik yang perlu dikenali ialah Niccolo Machiavelli, seorang ahli falsafah politik Itali termashyur pada abad ke-15. Saya masih ingat dengan begitu terang apa yang dikatakan oleh pensyarah kursus tersebut kepada semua pelajar dalam kelas. Beliau berkata “Buku tulisan Machiavelli yang berjudul The Prince ialah kitab wajib kepada semua ahli politik”. Mengikut beliau, sesiapa yang ingin menjadi ahli politik yang berjaya, hayatilah prinsip-prinsip yang digambarkan oleh Machiavelli.

Machiavelli sendiri bukanlah seorang tokoh politik atau pemerintah namun kupasannya dan penghayatan beliau mengenai cara pemerintah untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka dengan apa cara sekali pun adalah begitu tepat sekali. Beliau mengupas bagaiamana puak pemerintah menggunakan gandingan unsur kekejaman, ketakutan dan kadang-kadang pula menggunakan daya pujukan untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka ke atas rakyat yang diperintahnya. Tulisannya mengatakan bahawa untuk menjadi seseorang pemerintah yang berjaya dan digeruni, isu moral adalah tidak relevan. Yang penting sekali ialah kuasa dan matlamat seseorang pemerintah. Apakah cara yang digunakan untuk mencapai kuasa tersebut adalah tidak dipedulikan sangat, yang penting kuasa tetap dipegang akhirnya. Ayat yang mengungkap pengertian ini dalam Bahasa Inggeris berbunyi “The end justify the means”.

Semasa saya membaca buku tersebut atau mengikuti kuliah mengenai subjek tersebut, ia adalah begitu abstrak sekali dan sukar difahami. Saya rasa tak ada seorang pun rakan saya yang benar-benar memahami tulisan dan ungkapan Machiavelli. Namun, mengikuti perkembangan krisis politik di Perak baru-baru ini dan melihat kronologi peristiwa yang berlaku, ia bagaikan membaca tulisan Machiavelli dalam bentuk praktikalnya. Mengapa saya kata begitu? Saya berpendapat bahawa Najib mengambil iktibar daripada buku The Prince bahawa apa yang paling penting ialah pengekalan kuasa, cara apa sekali pun tak penting. Kalau tak boleh menang, kita beli, kalau tak dapat beli, kita rampas. Bukankah ini yang berlaku di Perak?

Pada hemat saya, pukulan yang paling hebat buat Najib ialah kekalahan UMNO dalam Pilihanraya Kecil Kuala Terengganu pada 17 Januari 2009. Selama kempen dijalankan, Najib menjadikan KT seolah-olah Putrajaya 2 kerana beliau bertapak di sana dan beliau kelihatan dalam kaca TV dan majlis bersama rakyat lebih banyak daripada calon BN Wan Farid. Segala macam “senjata” yang boleh digunakan untuk memenangkan undi telah digunakan. Wang royalti dikembalikan, bantuan ehsan kebajikan ditaburkan, projek-projek untuk kontraktor Kelas F diagihkan, tanah dan peruntukan diberikan kepada pertubuhan Cina dan apa sahaja bantuan yang diminta diluluskan dengan kelajuan cahaya. Namun, keputusannya Najib dan UMNO ditolak bulat-bulat oleh pengundi di negeri yang ditakrifkan sebagai “Malay heartland” ini.

Untuk kem Najib, pukulan ini terlalu dahsyat dan kemungkinan akan menjadi “pukulan maut”. Jadi, sesuatu perlu dilakukan secepat mungkin untuk memadamkan bab Kuala Terengganu dalam minda pewakilan UMNO menjelang Perhimpunan Agung UMNO. Ketibaan beliau di Putra World Trade Center nanti perlu dilaungkan sebagai seorang wira unggul UMNO yang merampas semula sebuah negeri dalam tempoh singkat dan bukannya seorang pemimpin yang kecundang dalam 2 pilihanraya kecil berturut-turut. Sekiranya kita melihat dari perspektif ini, tidak sukar untuk memahami perkiraan Najib mengapa Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Perak mesti ditumbangkan dengan apa cara sekali pun sebelum bulan Mac 2009. Dan Perak menjadi sasaran paling mudah memandangkan kedudukan kerusi yang hanya dibezakan dengan 3 kepala.

Najib telah mencapai matlamat jangka pendeknya dengan pantas sekali. Kini, beliau akan menghadiri Perhimpunan Agung UMNO dengan autoriti seorang bakal Presiden yang hebat dan setanding dengan Tun Dr Mahathir dan memberikan kepercayaan kepada orang-orang UMNO bahawa beliaulah manusia tunggal yang boleh mengembalikan kegemilangan UMNO. Bagi Ketua-Ketua Bahagian, inilah sifat pemimpin yang mereka rasa gah. Samada cara yang digunakan adalah mengikut lunas demokrasi langsung tidak relevan dalam kamus pemimpin UMNO. Mereka tidak memerlukan seorang demokrat untuk menjadi ketua. Mereka memerlukan seorang ketua yang boleh mengekalkan kuasa pemerintahan UMNO supaya kepentingan mereka tetap terpelihara. Cara bagaimana melakukanya tak usah dipersoalkan. Inilah keadaan yang kita sedang saksikan dalam senario politik negara.

Mungkin ada yang menyatakan bahawa apa yang dilakukan di Perak hanya akan meningkatkan kemarahan rakyat dan terus melawan UMNO dan BN. Pada hemat saya, Najib mungkin melihat pilihannya adalah terhad dan beliau perlu memperjudikan nasibnya dan mengambil risiko ini. Prioriti utama sekarang ialah memenangkan orang UMNO dahulu. Rapatkan barisan dibawah naungannya dan tingkatkan semangat dan moral “askar-askarnya”. Lepas itu, baru melawan medan di luar. Beliau mengharapkan daya ingatan rakyat Malaysia masih cetek seperti dulu. Sabah pada tahun 1994 pernah mengalami apa yang berlaku di Perak pada hari ini. Namun, pada pilihanraya seterusnya, BN tetap berkuasa. UMNO hampir pupus pada tahun 1999 semasa era Reformasi, namun kemenangan paling cemerlang menunggu tahun 2004. Inilah pendulum yang diharapkan oleh Najib sekarang.

Persoalannya sekarang ialah samada rakyat Malaysia sanggup memaafkan Najib terhadap apa yang berlaku di Perak dan cara yang digunakannnya? Saya rasa tentu tidak. Namun, masih banyak usaha perlu dilakukan oleh Pakatan Rakyat untuk sentiasa mengingatkan mereka bahawa hak demokrasi mereka telah dirampas hari ini dan kuasa untuk menuntut semula harta mereka yang telah dirompak terletak dalam tangan mereka. Ujian pertama menunggu kita di Bukit Gantang namun ujian yang paling besar akan menjelang dalam PRU ke-13. Wahai rakyat Malaysia, buktikanlah bahawa ahli politik yang berjaya tak semestinya perlu mengikuti ajaran Machiavelli. Cukup sekadar dijadikan panduan strategi untuk melawan musuh.

….Loke Siew Fook

Artikel di atas diterbitkan dalam Akhbar Roket edisi bulan Mac 2009. Penulis ialah Ahli Parlimen Rasah dan Ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY). Beliau boleh dihubungi melalui emel: siewfook@gmail.com .

Parlimen: 90% rekrut baru Polis untuk kerja pengurusan!

2009-03-11T17:34:00.004+08:00

SOALAN:

Tuan Loke Siew Fook [RASAH] minta Menteri Dalam Negeri menyatakan jumlah anggota baru PDRM yang telah ditambah sepanjang tahun 2008 mengikut jabatan di setiap negeri dan nyatakan 10 langkah spesifik yang telah diambil oleh pihak kementerian dalam 12 bulan yang lepas untuk memerangi masalah jenayah yang berleluasa.

JAWAPAN

Tuan Yang Dipertua,

Saya mengucapkan berbanyak terima kasih kepada Ahli Yang Berhormat dari Rasah yang telah mengemukakan soalan.

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, sepanjang tahun 2008 terdapat penambahan seramai 4,363 pegawai dan anggota PDRM. Daripada jumlah tersebut seramai 3,952 (90%) ditempatkan untuk bertugas di jabatan pengurusan, 218, 5% di jabatan logistik, 60, 1.5% di jabatan keselamatan dalam Negeri dan Ketenteraman Awam, 52, 1.2% di cawangan Khas, 25 0.5% di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersil, 13 0.3% di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik dan 34 0.7% di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah.

Tuan Yang DiPertua,

Pihak polis mensasarkan KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Ketua Polis Negara untuk mencegah kadar jenayah tidak melebihi 5% dan kadar penyelesaian kes tidak kurang daripada 40% sebagai langkah untuk mencapai pengurangan kadar jenayah di negara ini.

Dengan mengambilkira tahap “fear of crime” masyarakat terhadap senario jenayahh kini, pihak PDRM sedang melaksanakan beberapa langkah dan strategi berikut dalam usaha memerangi jenayah. Di antaranya ialah, pertama, mewajibkan pemilik atau penyewa bangunan memasang CCTV.

Kedua, menawarkan pekerjaan secara kontrak kepada lima ratus (500) pegawai dan anggota polis untuk berkhidmat sebagai Pensyarah di Maktab PDRM Kuala Lumpur dan 13 Pusat LAtihan PDRM seluruh negara. Langkah ini diambil bagi membolehkan lebih ramai pegawai dan anggota yang bertugas di pusat-pusat Latihan boleh menumpukan perhatian kepada tugas kepolisan.

Ketiga, menawarkan pekerjaan kepada pegawai dan anggota yang telah bersara bagi mencapai pelaksanaan tindakan untuk penambahan keanggotaan seramai 60,000 dalam tempoh lima (5) tahun untuk mencapai nisbah seorang anggota bagi 250 penduduk.

Keempat, menambah bilangan pengambilan staf gunasama untuk memenuhi jawatan perkeranian, perhubungan awam dan sumber manusia supaya anggota polis dapat member tumpuan kepada tugas kepolisan.

Kelima, menambah Pusat Latihan Polis untuk menampung penambahan rekrut baru.

Keenam, bagi mengaplikasikan konsep kehadiran Polis, Pondok Polis atau Balai Polis komuniti diwujudkan di kawasan-kawasan yang berisiko tinggi berlakunya jenayah. Kawasan pengawasan Pondok Polis juga turut diperkecilkan supaya kehadiran dan kekerapan rondaan polis boleh dipeningkatkan.

Ketujuh, PDRM juga turut melaksanakan operasi-operasi secara agresif menerusi konsep “target hardening” di kawasan-kawasan yang kerap berlaku jenayah.

Kelapan, bagi member kesan jangka masa panjang agar keselamatan setiap warganegara terjamin, pihak polis juga telah mengimplementasikan konsep “smart- partnership” iaitu mengarap pemuatakatan dan kerjasama dengan agensi-agensi kerajaan yang lain seperti JPJ, RELA, Kastam, Imigresen, PBT Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia serta Pihak Swasta dan NGO berkaitan keselamatan.

Kesembilan, penerapan aspek psikologi di mana pihak polis berusaha mendapatkan sokongan dan kerjasama setiap lapisan masyarakat untuk turut serta dealam usaha menjaga keselamatan dan kenterteraman awam.

Kesepuluh, bertugas berdasarkan data maklumat dan risikan keselamatan. Konsep Rakan Cop diperluaskan bertujuan supaya orang ramai boleh membantu polis menyalurkan maklumat mengenai aktiviti jenayah dengan cepat dan tepat..

The first in the world!

2009-03-03T12:22:00.002+08:00

Malaysia set another world record today. It must be the first time in the world that a state legislative meeting were held under the shade of a tree! Well, that's precisely what happened in Ipoh this morning. Another example of Malaysia Boleh!

A legitimate Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly, YB Sivakumar and other State Assemblymen have been denied entry to the Assembly building. And the worse is, the Clerk of the Assembly tried to unsurp his power by declaring the emergency meeting convened by the Speaker as invalid. For more info and news, go to www.themalaysianinsider.com

The shameful event in Perak today will go down in history in the Commonwealth Parliament and give another "black eye" to our democracy!

Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 1)

2009-02-26T19:06:00.000+08:00

Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 2)

2009-02-26T19:05:00.000+08:00

Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 3)

2009-02-26T19:02:00.001+08:00

Parliament: RM5.54 billion in taxes from NS from 2004-2008

2009-02-25T19:25:00.003+08:00

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan jumlah kutipan cukai oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan di Negeri Sembilan mengikut pecahan jabatan-jabatan berlainan setiap tahun dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 dan jumlah peruntukan dari Kerajaan Persekutuan kepada Negeri Sembilan dalam tempoh yang sama.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Yang Berhormat, jumlah kutipan cukai oleh jabatan Kerajaan Persekutuan iaitu Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) dan Kastam Di Raja Malaysia (KDRM) di Negeri Sembilan dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah sebanyak RM5.54 billion di mana kutipan cukai bagi LHDN adalah sebanyak RM2.32 billion dan bagi KDRM adalah sebanyak RM3.22 billion.

Jumlah pemberian oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan kepada Negeri Sembilan dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah sebanyak RM622.99 juta. Jumlah pemberian ini tidak termasuk peruntukan yang disalurkan melalui kementerian dan agensi Persekutuan yang lain.

Parliament: More than RM15 million spent for Kuala Terengganu by-election

2009-02-25T19:19:00.003+08:00

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan jumlah perbelanjaan mengikut item-item spesifik untuk perjalanan Pilihan Raya Kecil P036 Kuala Terengganu pada bulan JAnuari lepas yang perlu ditanggung oleh Kerajaan termasuk kos untuk kerahan 6,000 anggota polis.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, jumlah keseluruhan perbelanjaan bagi pilihan raya kecil Kuala Terengganu adalah sebanyak RM580,000. Manakala jumlah keseluruhan perbelanjaan bagi operasi PDRM pula ialah sebanyak RM15.153 juta!

Parliament: Government allows 10 "Special Draw 4D" in 2008

2009-02-19T18:00:00.004+08:00

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan jumlah "Special Draw 4D" yang telah dibenarkan oleh Kerajaan sepanjang tahun 2008, kutipan cukai untuk "special draw" tersebut dan apakah rasional Kerajaan membenarkan "special draw" tersebut.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, sejumlah 10 cabutan khas (special draw) yang telah dibenarkan oleh Kerajaan pada tahun 2008. Jumlah kutipan cukai yang diperolehi daripada cabutan khas tersebut adalah sebanyak RM77,026,171.04. Kerajaan membenarkan cabutan khas diadakan berdasarkan kepada keperluan semasa yang bertujuan untuk membiayai pelbagai program/projek pembangunan yang berbentuk sukan, kebajikan, pendidikan, kesihatan dan kemasyarakatan.

My comment:

We have received many complaints from members of the public regarding this "special draw" issue as the approval for "special draw" will increase the number of betting days from 3 to 4 times a week. I have raised this issue twice in Parliament last year and urged the government to stop allowing gaming companies to have "special draw". The Minister of Finance has evaded this question many times and very little information was announced in the media regarding this issue. Now i know why the government allows more "special draws" - to fund development projects!

Parliament: PLUS collected RM6.68 billion from 2004-2007

2009-02-18T18:51:00.003+08:00

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) MINTA MENTERI KERJA RAYA menyatakan jumlah kutipan tol yang telah dikutip oleh Projek Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 dan sama ada jumlah pendapatan tersebut melebihi "Threshold Toll Revenue" yang ditetapkan dalam Perjanjian Konsesi PLUS.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, jumlah kutipan tol yang telah dikutip oleh Projek Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dari tahun 2004 hingga 2007 adalah sebanyak RM6.68 billion. Walaubagaimanapun jumlah kutipan hasil tol bagi tahun 2008 masih belum disahkan oleh juruaudit bersama di antara Kerajaan dan syarikat konsesi.

Sepanjang tempoh tersebut, hanya pada tahun 2004 jumlah pendapatan yang direkodkan melebihi "threshold toll revenue" yang ditetapkan dalam perjanjian konsesi PLUS. Untuk itu, kerajaan telah menerima perkongsian hasil tol sebanyak RM4.08 juta.

My comment:

Can you imagine that out of RM6.68 billion collected by PLUS in the form of toll revenue, the federal government got a profit sharing of only RM4.08 million! It is obvious that the "threshold toll revenue" stated in the concession agreement is too high and unrealistic. The idea is that the threshold will never be reached so PLUS can "suck" all the toll revenue they collected. I will give more details on the threshold tomorrow.

Transport Minister's reply on KLIA East@Labu

2009-02-17T15:38:00.003+08:00

Below is the answer I received from Parliament. You can draw your own conclusion on how flip flop the BN government is! I'm more confused after reading the answer whether the project is still on or otherwise. "The government agreed to the project but yet to make a final decision"... what does it mean?

Soalan:

Loke Siew Fook (RASAH) minta MENTERI PENGANGKUTAN menyatakan secara terperinci mengenai projek Lapangan Terbang LCCT KLIA East@Labu dan apakah justifikasi pelaksanaannya dari sudut pandangan Kerajaan Persekutuan dan siapakah yang akan menanggung perbelanjaan untuk membina infrastruktur sistem jaringan pengangkutan seperti landasan penghubung ERL dan sebagainya.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Berhormat Rasah, walaupun Jemaah Menteri telah bersetuju dengan cadangan pembinaan LCCT Labu baru-baru ini, namun keputusan muktamad masih belum dibuat lagi sama ada cadangan projek ini diteruskan atau sebaliknya. Ini kerana kajian yang lebih terperinci dan menyeluruh sedang dijalankan bagi memastikan projek ini benar-benar sesuai dan memberi faedah kepada rakyat dan Negara. dalam hubungan ini pandangan dan komen dari Jabatan dan Agensi Kerajaan, pihak-pihak swasta, pertubuhan-pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, serta individu-individu sememangnya diambilkira agar keputusan muktamad yang dibuat kelak adalah merupakan keputusan yang tepat.

Projek Pembinaan LCCT baru yang dicadangkan di Labu merupakan satu projek penswastaan. oleh itu, kos pembinaan projek akan dibiayai speenuhnya oleh pihak swasta iaitu AirAsia Berhad. ini termasuk kos connectivity yang melibatkan pembinaan jalanraya dan rel keretapi ke LCCT tersebut. Manakala tentang pembinaan bangunan terminal serta lain-lain bangunan berkaitan dengan pengurusan lapangan terbang, syarikat swasta berkenaan perlu mematuhi segala piawaian serta peraturan operasi sesebuah lapangan terbang termasuk mendapatkan lesen-lesen yang berkaitan yang dikawal oleh Kementerian Pengangkutan.

Sekiranya projek ini dipersetujui dan dilaksanakan kelak, Kementerian Pengangkutan akan terlibat dari segi memastikan bahawa LCCT tersebut mematuhi segala piawaian dan peraturan pengurusan lapangan terbang serta semua urusan sistem kawalan trafik udara dan prosedur bagi pengendalian penumpang serta passenger transfer yang telah ditetapkan oleh International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
.

Parliament reconvenes!

2009-02-16T15:36:00.004+08:00

The second session of the 12th parliament was opened by the King this morning. Today's sitting is only ceremonial and actual debates will begin tomorrow. The house will be in session for more than 5 weeks until end of march. All DAP MPs have been briefed by party leaders this afternoon to expect lots of fireworks and fiery debates across the floor. Recent political developments in perak will surely dominates the debate but we will make sure economic hardships faced by the ppl will be heard in the dewan too. I will raise the flip flop airport project in labu and will continue to press for abolition of kl seremban tol. Will keep you posted about parliament happenings.

SPR Independent?

2009-02-13T13:21:00.002+08:00

The Election Commission (SPR) has just announced that nomination day for the vacant Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat and Bukit Selambau state seat will be held simultaneously on March 29. If there is a contest, voting will be held on April 7. This is probably the longest period in the history of election in Malaysia to hold a by-election after a seat was vacant.

The late Bukit Gantang MP passed away on 9 Feb 2009. It will take 58 days before the voters of the constituency get to elect their new MP. The law allows up to 60 days to hold an election after a seat is vacant or after Parliament is dissolved. In last year's general election, it took the SPR only 25 days to hold the election after Parliament was dissolved. The fact as below:

Dissolution of Parliament: 13th February 2008
Nomination Day: 24th February 2008
Election Day: 8th March 2008 (Saturday)

The SPR Chairman owes the Malaysian public and in particular the voters of Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau an explanation as to why they need such a long period to hold the by-election in both constituencies?

Were they purposely fixed a date later than the UMNO General Assembly so that UMNO leaders in particular their in-coming President Datuk Seri Najib Razak can be spared of any humiliation in case BN lost in the by-election? For the record, UMNO General Assembly will convene from March 24 to 28. Do you think it was a co-incident that nomination falls one day after the UMNO General Assembly?

DAPSY slams the Election Commission for acting in the most unprofessional manner and reinforced the perception that it is not in any way, independent.

DAPSY protest in front of Perak State Government building on 8th Feb 2009

2009-02-12T15:46:00.006+08:00

Keep up the fight for democracy

2009-02-12T14:49:00.002+08:00

DAP NS held a "Perak Political Crisis" forum in Seremban last night. The hall was packed with about 300 members of the public although it was only a 2-days notice. The crowd listened attentively and i felt their anger on what's happening in Perak and their spirit to play a part to keep democracy alive. We prepared a banner for the public to sign whether they "agree or disagree" that Perak State Assembly should be dissolved. 100% who turned up signed at the "agree" column.

I stressed that our struggle for the restoration of democracy in Perak must be peaceful. That is our No 1 principle. Our political enemy named "evil BN" are trying to provoke us with all means possible in hoping that we will retaliate violently. We will not fall into their traps. We must be careful and keep our vigilant at all times.

This are trying times but we have to continue our struggle to keep democracy alive. Show our moral support to our Pakatan comrades in Perak. We are playing our part to organize forums to inform the public of what's happening, issuing statements and we are also organizing a bus trip to Ipoh on Friday, 13 Feb to show our solidarity with the Perak MB Datuk Seri Nizar and his EXCO. Nizar has emerged as a true Malaysian leader from this episode. We vow to campaign as hard as we can to help Pakatan to win Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau with a much bigger majority.

Cry for Malaysia!

2009-02-05T18:15:00.003+08:00

It's a dark day for Malaysians and a big setback for our democratic system. I'm in ipoh currently and attended the pakatan meeting at the mb's official residence and later the pakatan leadership press conference as the picture above. A legitimate government elected by 54% of the voters have been forced out of power by the most undemocratic means. BN has robbed the perak government by crook. The MB has not resigned yet but the state secretary told him that he is no longer the mb and the SS is fully in command now. See how dirty are they. And the police including FRU has cordoned off the state government building and ordered all the Exco to leave immediately. Let us tell this to BN loud and clear, 'you might have won this battle, but you will lose the war'. The rakyat will curse you and throw you out!

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-25T15:12:00.004+08:00

I would like to wish all Malaysians a very Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai! According to the Chinese zodiac, it will the Year of Ox in the coming new year. The online encyclopedia described the Ox as "Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint". Well, i think all of us need to have such attitudes in facing the great challenges ahead of us. It will be a tough year. But I'm sure we can overcome it with hard work and perseverance. Lets work harder to ensure our economy be bullish again.It's time for reunion with family and relatives and keep the tradition alive to foster a close kinship. That's our pillar of strength. Happy Chinese New Year!

Pilihanraya kecil Kuala Terengganu pemangkin kekuatan Pakatan Rakyat

2009-01-24T16:26:00.001+08:00

Pilihanraya kecil Kuala Terengganu yang telah diadakan pada 17 Januari 2009 bakal menjadi satu rujukan sejarah dalam proses perubahan landskap politik negara dalam tahun-tahun yang akan datang. Kemenangan manis calon Pakatan Rakyat Abdul Wahid Endut dari PAS dengan majoriti 2,631 undi akan menjadi pemangkin kepada proses pengukuhan struktur Pakatan Rakyat dan seterusnya menguatkan PR sebagai satu gerakan politik yang benar-benar boleh mencabar keangkuhan kuasa Barisan Nasional dan menjadi alternatif sebagai Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Sepanjang kempen PRK, BN mencuba sedaya upaya melalui kempen propaganda mereka dengan menggambarkan PR sebagai satu pakatan yang tidak mempunyai daya untuk menjadi alternatif kepada BN. Saban hari, berita kononnya “PR mula retak dan keretakan semakin parah” terpampang dalam muka depan media arus perdana. Propaganda yang ingin disampaikan oleh BN ialah bahawa hanya Barisan Nasional pimpinan UMNO sahaja yang boleh menerajui negara ini dan sebarang usaha oleh parti lain tidak akan berjaya. Atau bahasa mudah, hanya UMNO yang boleh mentadbir Malaysia “dulu, kini dan selama-lamanya”. Namun, keputusan yang memihak kepada PR memberikan tamparan hebat buat UMNO dan memperkuatkan hujah kami bahawa tidak ada sebuah parti politik di dunia yang boleh berkuasa selama-lamanya.

Pengundi di Kuala Terengganu memang bijak dan tidak termakan dengan tipu helah dan tohmahan UMNO dan BN. Dari hari penamaan calon lagi, saya telah menyangkakan apa strategi yang bakal digunakan oleh mereka. Banner yang paling besar yang ditonjolkan oleh UMNO di pusat penamaan calon berbunyi “PAS boneka DAP”. Propagandanya ialah PAS sudah hilang taring dan tidak boleh diharapkan untuk mempertahankan hak Melayu dan Islam. DAP digambarkan sebagai musuh Melayu dan Islam dan PAS sanggup diperalatkan oleh “musuh besar” Islam semata-mata untuk mendapatkan kuasa. UMNO yakin slogan ini dapat menakutkan pengundi Melayu dan menarik sokongan kumpulan ini kepada mereka. Keputusannya, pengundi Melayu menolak tohmahan ini dan menyetujui pakatan di antara PAS, DAP dan PKR. Ini mesej yang cukup jelas.

Strategi kedua pula menggunakan propaganda yang berlainan untuk menakutkan masyarakat Cina. Kononnya, DAP “meniduri” PAS untuk cuba mendapat kuasa dan dalam proses tersebut, hak masyarakat Cina akan tergadai kerana PAS ialah parti ekstrem yang akan memotong tangan dan kaki, menutup karaoke, menghapuskan tokong dan tindakan-tindakan lain yang akan mengugat cara kehidupan masyarat Cina. Inilah modus operandi kempen MCA untuk mengugut mereka yang bersimpati dengan DAP supaya tidak berpihak kepada PAS. Keputusannya, ugutan dan penipuan seumpama ini tidak lagi seefektif seperti tahun 1999 yang diharapkan oleh MCA. Saya tidak menafikan kempen negatif MCA ini sedikit sebanyak masih mempengaruhi sebahagian kecil pengundi Cina Kuala Terengganu sehingga menimbulkan rasa dilema dan ada yang tidak berani keluar mengundi. Masyarakat peniaga bimbang bahawa sekiranya undi Cina berpihak kepada PR, maka mereka akan “dihukum” selepas PRK seperti lesen perniagaan ditarik balik dan sebagainya. Namun secara keseluruhannya, masih terdapat kira-kira 40% pengundi Cina yang memberanikan diri dan memberikan undi mereka kepada PR. 2,000 hingga 3,000 undi ini cukup signifikan untuk memberikan majoriti yang selesa untuk PR.

Apa yang boleh dirumuskan daripada PRK Kuala Terengganu ini? Saya melihat dari sudut bahawa kempen yang sering digunapakai oleh BN selama ini tidak lagi efektif dan tidak akan mempengaruhi pengundi. Kempen-kempen negatif BN yang cuba mengugut dan menakutkan pengundi memakan dirinya sendiri. Dan seperkara yang lain ialah “politik pembangunan” yang sering ditonjolkan oleh BN pun dah semakin basi. Rakyat tidak lagi percaya dan merasa terhutang budi kepada BN hanya dengan melaksanakan projek-projek komestik seperti menurap semula jalan, membuat longkang baru dan projek-projek infrastruktur asas. Bagi pengundi, kerja-kerja ini adalah satu kewajipan pihak berkuasa yang mengutip cukai dan tidak ada alasan langsung bagi BN untuk “menuntut kredit politik” daripada pelaksanaannya. Dan mengapa pula hanya musim pilihanraya kelihatan pihak berkuasa tempatan begitu rajin dan prihatin kepada aduan orang ramai?

Kempen BN sentiasa berkisar kepada habuan atau $. Daripada pemberian wang ehsan, peruntukan kepada persatuan Cina hinggalah ke majlis-majlis makan malam percuma, semuanya bersangkut-paut dengan pulangan yang boleh dinilai. Jentera BN tidak akan berjalan selagi kekurangan “minyak pelincir” berjenama RM. Tetapi untuk PR pula, semangat dan motivasi yang cukup berlainan. Umum diketahui bahawa petugas-petugas dan ahli-ahli PAS cukup komited kepada perjuangan parti dan mereka tidak mengharapkan apa-apa habuan hasil daripada penat lelah mereka. Begitu juga keadaannya dengan ahli-ahli dan pendokong DAP dan PKR. Bagi DAP pula, kami telah menyemai satu budaya bahawa menyokong perjuangan DAP bukan sahaja tidak menjanjikan apa-apa habuan malah memerlukan sedikit pengorbanan. Contohnya, dalam kempen PRK Kuala Terengganu, DAP telah menganjurkan 3 majlis makan malam yang perlu dibayar di antara RM10 hingga RM30 untuk mereka yang datang berbanding dengan majlis makan malam yang dianjurkan oleh MCA yang sememangnya percuma. Tambahan pula, dalam setiap majlis makan malam yang merupakan pentas untuk ceramah politik itu, kutipan dana kempen akan dijalankan. Pada majlis makan malam yang pertama sahaja, kutipan derma telah mencecah RM6,000 daripada kira-kira 600 orang yang hadir.

Penglibatan DAP yang aktif dalam PRK ini menunjukkan komitmen kita bersama PR. Kita melihat kemenangan atau kekalahan dalam PRK ini akan melambangkan Pakatan Rakyat dan bukannya PAS semata-mata. Kita mengakui bahawa jentera pilihanraya DAP ada kekurangannya namun kekuatan DAP dalam menarik perhatian pengundi khasnya masyarakat Cina untuk mendengar ceramah pemimpin-pemimpinnya cukup untuk meniupkan angin perubahan yang menjatuhkan dacing di Kuala Terengganu. Kehadiran sebahagian besar pemimpin pusat DAP yang diketuai oleh Lim Guan Eng dan Lim Kit Siang menggambarkan betapa besarnya harapan kita untuk melihat kemenangan PR.
Pada hemat saya, kejayaan yang paling besar untuk PR di Kuala Terengganu ialah kita berjaya melenyapkan sebarang perasaan syak wasangka kepada kewujudan PR dan memperkuatkan keyakinan untuk ketiga-tiga parti untuk terus mara bersama. Cabaran untuk seluruh PR sekarang ialah bagaimana kita memperkukuhkan lagi struktur dalamannya dan menggerakkan segala kekuatan bersama untuk menewaskan BN. Kita juga perlu sentiasa memperingati objektif kewujudan PR iaitu membawa perubahan politik yang menjanjikan kerajaan yang bersih, adil dan saksama. Dasar dan pelaksanaan program perlulah mendapat persetujuan bersama dan serentak. Isu hukum hudud perlu ditangani dan saya yakin tentu ada jalan penyelesaiannya. Pemimpin-pemimpin utama PR mempunyai kebijaksanaan politik yang cukup terserlah dan kini masanya untuk mengoptimakan kelebihan tersebut. Tanggungjawab dan harapan menggunung menanti kita bersama.

-Loke Siew Fook-.

Rebut MCA

2009-01-22T17:33:00.001+08:00

Media statement by DAP Political Education Director and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Thursday, 22 January 2009, in Petaling Jaya:

DAP Does Not Need to Apologize for Educating KT Voters on the Need for Clean, Progressive and Non-racial politics

It is extremely ungracious of MCA political education bureau chairman Gan Ping Siew, in the wake of Barisan's Nasional defeat in the Kuala Terengganu by-election, to proclaim that DAP owes non-Muslims an apology for campaigning for PAS.

Gan's comments are an insult to the DAP leaders, staff and volunteers who campaigned wholeheartedly for eleven days with the spirit of unity. MCA has really hit a new low by showing utter disrespect to its fellow Malaysians' right to campaign for their coalition partners. In contrast, DAP has respected MCA's right to campaign for the BN candidate in the by-election and has looked forward to a healthy battle of ideas and inspiration. Perhaps MCA is finding it hard to get over the fact that DAP's presence in the campaign trail has helped inspired a united push for change in the form of a Pakatan Rakyat victory.

DAP leaders have made it very clear that no policy, including Islamic law, will be made Pakatan Rakyat policy if it does not obtain approval from all Pakatan Rakyat parties. DAP's campaigning for PAS in Kuala Terengganu represents the support of clean and democratic governance and non-racial politics that is envisioned by Pakatan Rakyat.

Contrary to Gan's statements, it is MCA's hypocrisy over the issue of a theocratic state that is misleading non-Muslims in this country. MCA's silent approval on Tun Dr. Mahathir's declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state in 2001 and Dato' Seri Najib's own proclamation of the idea in 2007 should remind non-Muslim Malaysians of MCA's confusing vision of Malaysia.

If we subscribe to Gan's twisted logic, then MCA's participation in the BN campaign is a betrayal to Chinese Malaysians as it is tantamount to supporting the kind of racial supremacy so proudly preached by its partner, UMNO. Therefore, MCA should apologize to the Chinese community for campaigning for UMNO in Kuala Terengganu.

I am deeply disappointed with Gan and MCA for espousing hypocrisy and the politics of fear that are clearly being rejected by the Malaysian people. MCA's continued denial in the wake of yet another BN electoral defeat is precisely one of those 'qualities' that will sink the party into political wilderness in the very near future.

-Loke Siew Fook-.

Bantuan Pendidikan

2009-01-19T18:13:00.005+08:00

Semalam saya masuk ke Batu 8 Labu bersama dengan Sdr Mokhtar (mantan calon PKR untuk DUN Labu) untuk mengunjungi sebuah keluarga muda yang mempunyai 5 anak. Ayahnya baru keluar dari penjara dan masih belum mendapat pekerjaan.Ibunya bekerja sebagai pembantu di warung di R&R Seremban bergaji RM600. Sdr Mokhtar telah memaklumkan kepada saya bahawa keluarga tersebut menghadapi masalah untuk membayar yuran PIBG dan buku latihan untuk 4 anak yang bersekolah. Peralatan sekolah seperti bag, baju dan kasut juga tidak mampu dibeli. Oleh kerana perlu ke KT minggu lepas, saya telah membelikan keperluan tersebut minggu lepas dan diserahkan oleh Mokhtar kepada mereka supaya boleh mula sekolah dahulu.

Semalam saya menyumbangkan RM350 untuk membayar yuran-yuran yang perlu dibayar dan Mokhtar ditanggungjawabkan untuk menjelaskan yuran tersebut di sekolah pagi tadi. Berita tersebut dilaporkan oleh Sinar Harian hari ini dan saya difahamkan pegawai Jabatan Kebajikan bergegas ke rumah tersebut untuk menyiasat.

Walaupun terpaksa memakai wang sendiri daripada elaun Ahli Parlimen saya, namun kepuasan cukup tinggi kerana dapat membawa sedikit senyuman kepada sebuah keluarga. Peluang pendidikan tidak boleh dinafikan kepada sesiapa dan bantuan perlu dihulurkan untuk anak-anak muda yang tidak dapat menikmati kemudahan seperti rakan sebaya tanpa mengira kaum dan latarbelakang sosial. .

Pakatan rakyat won!

2009-01-17T21:53:00.002+08:00

pakatan rakyat candidate had .won the kuala terengganu by election by 2631 majority! This is very convincing victory. Congrats to the voters of kt. They are really smart voters. Even though tens of millions of ringgit were poured into kt, the rakyat were not easily swayed by money. I wonder what mr najib has to say now. And to mca.. Shame on you! Pls stop fooling the people by continuosly instilling sense of fear to the chinese community. They have proved that they no longer subscribe to your lies! Hidup pakatan rakyat!

Crystal Mosque in K.Terengganu

2009-01-15T18:54:00.003+08:00

KT by-election update 3

2009-01-14T22:10:00.004+08:00

I'm back in kuala terengganu today for the last lap of campaigning for the kt by election. Drove up from seremban with a few comrades. It is quite windy along the coast of terengganu. And the 'political wind' in terengganu is very strong too. We hope this wind is strong enough to blow away umno this saturday. If it happens, it will be catalyst for a stronger momentum for change at the federal level. And it will be the biggest 'ang pow' for malaysians. There was another dap organized dinner in kt tonight and again it was full house! A few hundred more stood outside the restaurant to follow the speeches. And we collected another RM6OOO plus in campaign donations. The dinner was attended by a few top pakatan leaders; kit siang, tok guru nik aziz, cikgu rahim and at least 6 DAP MPs. And a special appearance by datuk zaid ibrahim as shown in the picture.

KT by-election update (2)

2009-01-08T14:11:00.008+08:00

Saya mewakili Sdr Lim Kit Siang dalam Majlis Makan Malam bersama Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat malam semalam di Terengganu Equestrian Resort (TER). Dalam ucapan, saya mengatakan bahawa saya amat berbangga kerana berpeluang menyampaikan ucapan di pentas yang sama bersama beberapa tokoh besar politik negara seperti DS Anwar Ibrahim, DS Tuan Guru Hadi Awang, Dato' Mustafa Ali dan pemimpin PAS yang lain. Kalau kira liga politik, saya masih "lightweight" di atas pentas tersebut. Saya menyampaikan komitmen penuh DAP untuk memberi sokongan dan berkempen untuk memenangkan calon PR dalam pilihanraya kecil ini. Kami menganggap Sdr Wahid Endut sebagai calon kita dan kemenangan beliau adalah kemenangan kita bersama. Saya menegaskan bahawa walaupun terdapat perbezaan pendapat dalam PR dalam beberapa isu, namun agenda yang paling penting ialah membawa perubahan kepada negara dengan menumbangkan UMNO/ BN!

KT by-election update

2009-01-07T16:04:00.003+08:00

DAP held a successful dinner in KT last night.. The restaurant which can cater for about 6O tables were packed. More than 6OO local chinese attended the dinner and they paid for it. Yes, unlike Bn who give voters free dinner during by election, all those in our dinner paid rm3O for the food. In addition of that, they donated more than rm6k to help us fund the campaign during our floor donation drive. It was a very encouraging sign. The crowd were very responsive and supportive. They clapped and cheered everytime the speaker made a strong point whacking Umno. Kit siang was the main speaker and many of us spoke too including myself. Raja petra also delivered a fiery speech asking the chinese to drown umno into the south china sea just next to the restaurant. Our candidate came and spoke and from the crowd response, he seems to be quite well received by the local chinese. I'm staying back another night to speak in 2 occasions on behalf of the party tonight together with DS Anwar.

Kuala Terengganu by-election

2009-01-06T14:58:00.005+08:00

I am currently in kuala terengganu with other DAP leaders to support our Pakatan Rakyat candidate for the KT by election. We walked to the nomination center with tens of thousands of PAS supporters. Kit Siang was at the nomination too to publicly express highest Pakatan solidarity. Of course, BN had hope for the absence of DAP in order for them to play up the 'rift' in Pakatan. Well, we will dissapoint them. I am posting this blog from my mobile phone so cant write a lot.. Will keep you posted

PLUS made big bucks from Seremban folks!

2009-01-02T14:11:00.005+08:00

Do you know how much we (the Seremban folks) paid PLUS every year? The answer is almost RM100 million per annum! I have raised up a written question in Parliament and the answer i got was shocking. Just refer to the table below and analyze it.

The statistics below are for the 3 toll plaza within Seremban town from January to October 2008:

Plaza Tol	Jumlah Kenderaan masuk (juta)	Jumlah Kenderaan Keluar (juta)	Jumlah Kutipan Tol (RM juta)
Seremban	6.38	5.79	30.52
PD (Utara)	2.11	2.02	6.75
PD (Selatan)	2.08	2.29	14.08
Senawang	6.10	6.43	30.94
Jumlah	16.67	16.53	82.29

In 10 months, PLUS collected over RM80 million. In average, they collected RM8 million every month! This figures did not include the collection for November and December which are peak periods for the highway. I bet they easily collected more than RM100 million in 2008 just from the 3 toll plaza within Seremban namely Seremban, PD and Senawang.

Well, aren't the 10% discount given by PLUS for midnight travellers are just peanuts? What "corporate social responsibility" they are talking about?

In our demonstration in Senawang yestersday, we have made 2 requests. Firstly, the 3 toll plaza within Seremban should be dismantled and make Seremban a toll-free city just like what is being practiced in Ipoh, Penang and JB. It means that if one take the PLUS highway from Seremban to Senawang, he/she needs not pay any toll.

Secondly, the KL-Seremban portion of the North South Highway should be made toll-free as well! This part of the highway was the first to be built and first to collect toll. They have collected more than 30 years and have made whatever returns they want to make. Is time for PLUS to practice "Corporate Social Responsibility" to the rakyat!

Seremban folks, do you agree with the 2 requests? .

Happy New Year 2009!

2008-12-31T16:42:00.006+08:00

We will say good bye to 2008 in a just a few more hours. 2009 will arrive with plenty of challenges. Looking back at the last 12 months and felt that time really flies. At this time of the year last year, we were all geared up in anticipation of the general election. Not long after, the big battle came and gone.

March 8th 2008 will be recorded as a historic day in our nation's history. It is a turning point of a new dawn for a new Malaysia. It it the beginning of a 2-party system for Malaysians and I hope it will bring about more positive changes for our society.

It has been a hectic year for DAP politicians. After the peak of 308, we have to face a new political landscape. Change we have seen, at least in the 5 states we are now in government. Parliament will never be the same with more than 80 opposition MPs. The rakyat have given us a big mandate and put on our shoulders a big trust and responsibility to bring about changes. Expectations are sky high. Patience are running fast and they want to see results. No more rhetorics but tangible results.

That is the reality of Malaysian politics today. Tough for politicians including myself but it's a good thing for Malaysia. People are more critical than ever. They want more accountability from their elected reps, across the board.

Well, Malaysian politics will never be quiet, not even for one day..just reflects the political "happenings" in the last 12 months. And expect more to come in 2009, starting with the big battle in Kuala Terengganu.

In Seremban, the NS DAP will "celebrate" the new year with a demonstration in the Senawang toll plaza tomorrow, 1st Jan at 10 a.m., to continue to call on PLUS to abolish the toll for KL-Seremban route and make toll-free for the 3 interchanges within Seremban town..What is our justification? I will reveal tomorrow.

So folks, join us near the Senawang toll plaza if you are free tomorrow morning.

On a personal note, I have this new year's resolution every year - to exercise more and to lose weight! but never succeeded :)

Happy New Year 2009!

p/s the above image is the cover for my 2009 calendar which i distributed to my constituents..

KLIA East@Labu

2008-12-26T13:55:00.004+08:00

The first ever airport to be built in Negeri Sembilan will be in my parliamentary constituency! Am sure many of you heard the news that the Cabinet has given the nod to the proposed new Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Labu. Well, the exact location should be around Gadong Jaya, a place within the Rasah Parliament constituency.

I visited the new village in Labu this morning to meet the voters and distributed my 2009 calendar. Spoke to the press and voiced my support to the LCCT project. I have various reasons to support the LCCT project. The most important of all is because it located within my constituency :) The new airport will surely be a catalyst for development in the surrounding area. More infrastructure development will pour in. The land value in Labu will skyrocket in the future.

The other reason i support the project is because it is a "Private Finance Initiative" (PFI) project. It means no taxpayer's monies will be used to fund the project. The estimated building cost is RM1.6 billion. You can't ask for more in the current gloomy economic condition right? It is definitely a good news. Private investment is an important component to jumpstart the economy. Hopefully, the RM1.6 billion can create more multiplier effects to the local economy.

I call on the state government to ensure that the project will bring some benefits to the local players like small contractors, suppliers and so on so that they can enjoy a small pie of the cake. Open tender for all the related contracts given is a MUST! If any of you are Sime Darby's shareholders, hope that you can voice it up in your AGM!

The project will take 2 years to complete. In such a project, surely thousands of workers will be located there. Hopefully, it will create some business opportunities for the local folks.

The other reason i support the new LCCT is because the current one near the KLIA cargo is really a shame. I used the airport regularly (DAP's policy of flying the cheapest available fare) and found it really messy and inconvenient. Imagine you have the board a flight on a rainy day. Bet you will get wet. Even if you take a bus in Puduraya won't get you wet on a rainy day. In that sense, isn't it worst than Puduraya?

Hope the new LCCT will provide a more comfortable journey for travelers. Flying budget airline has more or less become a norm for ordinary Malaysians.

Welcome to KLIA @ RASAH! .

DAP Anti-Melayu?

2008-12-23T17:03:00.003+08:00

Below is my article published in the December edition of "Roket" (DAP's mouthpiece)

DAP Anti-Melayu?

DAP anti-Melayu! DAP anti-Islam! Inilah tohmahan-tohmahan yang sering disumbatkan oleh propagandis UMNO ke dalam pemikiran masyarakat Melayu Malaysia selama lebih 40 tahun ini. Memang saya memperakui bahawa propaganda UMNO begitu effektif sekali selama ini sehinggakan DAP berjaya digambarkan sebagai “musuh” orang Melayu dan justeru itu orang Melayu memerlukan UMNO untuk mempertahankan hak-hak mereka daripada “dirompak” oleh kaum lain khasnya DAP.

Mengapa mereka berjaya sebelum ini? Media arus perdana Bahasa Melayu yang menjadi agen propagandis kepada UMNO memainkan peranan utama ini. Rata-rata masyarakat Melayu bergantung kepada Utusan Malaysia dan Berita Harian sebagai akhbar paling utama mereka. Untuk media elektronik pula, saluran RTM dan Buletin Utama TV3 merupakan sumber informasi yang paling utama. Bayangkan, pernahkah sesiapa membaca atau mendengar apa-apa berita yang positif mengenai parti ataupun pemimpin DAP dalam media-media ini? Kebiasaannya, DAP ditonjolkan sebagai sebuah parti chauvinis Cina yang sering kali mempersoalkan hak-hak istimewa orang Melayu. Tambahan pula, rencana-rencana yang ditulis dalam Mingguan Malaysia mengemudi pemikiran masyarakat Melayu ke arah itu.

Apa sahaja yang dilakukan ataupun penerangan daripada DAP selalunya akan berkesudahan dalam tong sampah di pejabat editor. Ini yang menjadi modus operandi parti UMNO selama ini untuk cuba menguburkan DAP daripada berkembang menjadi sebuah parti yang mendapat sokongan berbilang kaum rakyat Malaysia. Namun, transformasi masyarakat Malaysia dalam sedekad yang lalu yang dipacu melalui gelombang teknologi internet telah membantu sedikit sebanyak memecahkan tembok pemikiran negatif tersebut terhadap DAP di kalangan masyarakat Melayu pada hari ini.

Apakah falsafah perjuangan DAP? Adakah kebangkitan DAP dalam arena politik negara dan pentadbiran kerajaan yang disertai oleh DAP akan menghakis kedudukan orang Melayu dan justeru itu kepentingan dan kebajikan mereka akan tergadai? Saya merasakan persoalan-persoalan ini perlu diperjelaskan untuk menyakinkan masyarakat Melayu sekiranya kita ingin melihat kewujudan sistem pentadbiran dua parti di Malaysia.

DAP bertunjangkan ideologi sosial demokrasi. Apa maksudnya? Di antara prinsip-prinsip penting yang diperjuangkan ialah keadilan sosial, kesamarataan peluang (equality of opportunity), kebebasan dan solidariti. Demokrasi maksudnya kita membawa obor perjuangan kita melalui sistem pilihanraya dan bukannya melalui sebarang cara yang tidak mengikut lunas perlembagaan. Hakikatnya, DAP bertanding dalam sistem pilihanraya di Malaysia sejak tahun 1965 lagi dan walaupun sering kali bersaing di atas padang yang tidak samarata, kami tetap menerima setiap keputusannya.

Mungkin prinsip-prinsip yang saya perkatakan tadi terlalu abstrak bagi masyarakat umum. Namun keadilan sosial boleh ditakrifkan sebagai keadilan untuk masyarakat dari segi layanan, pertimbangan dasar dan bantuan kepada mereka yang miskin dan terpinggir tanpa melihat warna kulit dan latarbelakang agamanya. Adakah prinsip-prinsip ini bertentangan dengan ajaran agam Islam? Jawapannya tentu tidak! Perdebatan dalam perkara ini sering menjadi hangat di Dewan Rakyat. Setiap kali Ahli Parlimen DAP bangun menimbulkan isu ini, ada sahaja YB dari UMNO yang bangun yang cuba memutar-belitkan bahawa DAP menentang bantuan kerajaan untuk orang Melayu. “Smash” ini cukup mudah dibalas. Sekiranya prinsip ini dipratikkan, kan ramai yang mendapat bantuan itu terdiri daripada masyarakat Melayu juga yang benar-benar memerlukannya. Perbezaannya, golongan Cina dan India atau apa-apa kaum yang lain yang juga memerlukan bantuan tetap diberi perhatian. Adakah masyarakat Melayu di akar umbi akan berasa dengki? Saya cukup yakin tidak.

Kita juga mengejar kesamarataan dari segi peluang. Peluang untuk belajar di universiti, peluang untuk mendapat biasiswa, peluang untuk berniaga, peluang untuk menduduki apa-apa jawatan penting dan peluang untuk berjaya dalam segala aspek hidup. Orang UMNO menggunakan alasan bahawa orang Melayu masih di belakang dalam pelbagai aspek dan tidak mempunyai daya saing dengan kaum-kaum lain dan justeru itu memerlukan “perlindungan” daripada kerajaan.

Yang pertamanya, persepsi seumpama ini seolah-olah merendahkan keupayaan masyarakat Melayu sendiri. Masyarakat Malaysia hari ini telah banyak berubah. Kini sudah wujud satu kelas menengah Melayu yang besar dan anak-anak Melayu mempunyai akses dan kapasiti untuk bersaing dengan sesiapa sahaja tanpa apa-apa “handicap”. Bukankah itu semangat yang cuba dihidupkan oleh mantan Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir dengan slogannya “Malaysia Boleh”? Ada juga pendapat yang menyatakan bahawa pemikiran UMNO inilah yang akhirnya akan membantutkan perkembangan dan kebangkitan masyarakat Melayu dalam persekitaran global zaman ini.

Keduanya, alasan memberikan peluang untuk orang Melayu sebenarnya telah lama “diperkosa” oleh orang UMNO sendiri dengan menganugerahkan sebarang kontrak kerajaan kepada kaum-kerabat dan sahabat handai mereka yang dalam pengertian ekonomi ditakrifkan sebagai kronisme. Saya nak tanya rakan-rakan Melayu yang langsung tidak ada “kabel” dengan pemimpin UMNO, mampukah saudara mendapat sebarang projek kerajaan dengan usaha sendiri?

Memang tidak dinafikan bahawa masih ada golongan yang kurang mampu untuk bersaing dalam padang yang samarata. Kemungkinan juga mereka ini sebahagian besarnya dari masyarakat Melayu di luar bandar. Namun, mereka yang tergolong dalam kategori ini juga meliputi anak-anak India yang membesar di ladang dan estet, budak-budak Cina di ratusan kampung baru di pekan-pekan kecil dan mereka-mereka yang dilahirkan di pendalaman Sabah dan Sarawak.

Memang kami bersetuju golongan ini perlu diberikan sedikit kelonggaran dan perhatian khusus untuk turut mendapat peluang dalam segala aspek mobiliti ke atas (upward mobility) seperti yang dinikmati oleh rakan-rakan mereka di kawasan Bandar. Namun, kayu pengukur untuk diberikan “diskriminasi positif” ini tidak seharusnya berdasarkan warna kulit tetapi sebaliknya berlandaskan taraf sosio-ekonomi keluarga mereka. Persoalannya, adakah masyarakat Melayu yang miskin akan terpinggir dan dilupakan dalam pelaksanaan dasar seumpama ini?

Sudah tiba masanya kita melihat setiap insan manusia yang lain itu sebagai kaum manusia (humankind) terlebih dahulu dan bukannya warna di atas kulitnya. Sekiranya setiap rakyat Malaysia mempunyai daya pemikiran tersebut ditambah pula dengan pelaksanaan segala dasar kerajaan berasaskan prinsip ini, maka Malaysia tidak memerlukan Kementerian Perpaduan Nasional untuk mencapai perpaduan yang sejati di kalangan rakyat berbilang kaum kita.

Kesimpulannya, tidak ada alasan langsung bagi DAP untuk melihat orang Melayu sebagai musuh atau sebaliknya? Apa yang boleh kita kecapai daripada itu? Kita tidak pernah mempertikaikan beberapa perkara yang asas seperti Islam sebagai agami rasmi, Perkara 153 kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan kedaulatan Raja Berlembagaan. Yang kita perjuangkan ialah supaya dasar-dasar kerajaan bersifat lebih Malaysia dan supaya setiap rakyat Malaysia merasakan “semangat kepunyaan” atau “a sense of belonging” dalam negara kita ini.

Loke Siew Fook
Ahli Parlimen Rasah dan
Pengarah Pendidikan Politik DAP.

NO to IJN "piratisation"

2008-12-22T15:21:00.001+08:00

22 Disember 2008

Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Menteri Kewangan Malaysia
Kementerian Kewangan
Putrajaya.

Yang Amat Berhormat,

MEMORANDUM BANTAHAN TERHADAP CADANGAN PENSWASTAAN INSTITUT JANTUNG NEGARA

Adalah saya dengan segala hormatnya merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas.

2. Saya mewakili Pergerakan Pemuda Sosialis DAP (DAPSY Malaysia) ingin secara tegasnya menyatakan bantahan kami terhadap sebarang cadangan penswastaan Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) seperti yang telah dilaporkan oleh media massa. Walaupun pihak YAB telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa kerajaan telah menangguhkan cadangan penswastaan tersebut dan perlu dikaji secara lebih teliti, namun DAPSY ingin menyeru Kerajaan Persekutuan supaya membatalkan terus hasrat untuk menswastakan IJN.

3. IJN merupakan sebuah pusat perubatan jantung yang terunggul bukan sahaja di Malaysia namun di seluruh rantau ini. Kejayaan IJN menjadi sebuah pusat perubatan jantung yang termasyur perlulah dijadikan tauladan kepada sektor awam dan menjadi model kepada institusi-institusi kerajaan yang lain. Kekuatan IJN ialah terletak di bahu para pakar bedah di institut tersebut dan seluruh warga sokongannya. Komitmen terbuka mereka terhadap IJN dan kenyataan mereka yang menyangkal kononnya mereka menuntut gaji yang lebih lumayan perlulah diambil kira secara serius oleh pihak kerajaan.

4. IJN telah membantu ramai warga golongan miskin mendapatkan pembedahan dan perkhidmatan kesihatan yang terbaik walaupun mereka tidak mampu dari segi tanggungan kewangan kerana falsafah penubuhan IJN ialah menanggung tanggungjawab sosial dan bukannya berorientasikan keuntungan. Falsafah ini perlu dipertahankan di IJN buat selama-lamanya. Kenyataan bahawa kerajaan akan tetap mengawal kos perubatan di IJN selepas diswastakan adalah kurang menyakinkan dan tidak dapat memberikan apa-apa jaminan kepada rakyat.

5. Sebagai seorang bekas pesakit yang pernah mendapat pembedahan di IJN, saya sendiri menganggap IJN bukan sahaja sebagai sebuah pusat perubatan tetapi sebuah institusi yang amat membanggakan rakyat Malaysia. Setiap pesakit yang mendapat rawatan di IJN diberi layanan yang terbaik dan secara saksama. IJN bukan sahaja tempat untuk menyembuhkan pesakit jantung tetapi ia juga tempat yang terbaik untuk menyemai hati rakyat Malaysia yang murni dan bersatu-padu. Kejayaan IJN dalam pembedahan “transplant” adik Tee Hui Yee adalah antara banyak contoh yang menjanakan semangat kekitaan dan masyarakat penyayang di Malaysia.

6. Sebagai rakyat Malaysia yang prihatin dan pemimpin masyarakat, kami amat berharap YAB sebagai bakal Perdana Menteri dapat membuat satu keputusan yang pantas dan tegas dalam perkara ini. Respons negatif dari pelbagai pihak terhadap cadangan ini menunjukkan betapa tidak popularnya cadangan tersebut. Kerajaan seharusnya memberikan satu komitmen terbuka untuk tidak menswastakan IJN dan terus memberikan sokongan kepada IJN sebagai sebuah institusi milik kerajaan.

7. Kesudian pihak YAB mendengar pandangan kami adalah amat dialu-alukan dan dihargai. Keputusan positif daripada pihak kerajaan mengenai perkara ini amat diharapkan oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia pada masa kini. Pertimbangan yang sewajarnya oleh pihak YAB didahulukan dengan ucapan ribuan terima kasih.

Sekian dimaklumkan.

Berkhidmat untuk rakyat,

LOKE SIEW FOOK
AHLI PARLIMEN RASAH merangkap
KETUA DAPSY MALAYSIA

.

Debate on the UUCA amendment bill

2008-12-20T12:30:00.001+08:00

Debate on Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (2)

2008-12-19T16:27:00.000+08:00

Debate on Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (1)

2008-12-19T16:02:00.001+08:00

Parliament: Protect whistleblowers from litigation

2008-12-17T11:30:00.000+08:00

By LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: A mechanism is needed to ensure that members of the public who report incidents of corruption are protected from being sued.

Loke Siew Fook (DAP-Rasah) said out that a woman who had lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) against a policeman for bribery was later sued by the policeman for defamation after the court dismissed the case on technicalities.

“This will not encourage people to make reports,” he said during the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Bill 2008 debate on Tuesday.

When Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu) asked what would happen if a false report was made, Loke said there were provisions in the MACC Bill to penalise the culprit.

Loke argued that the punishment meted out against those who make false reports was unjust compared with the punishment for those who allegedly committed the offence.

“Graft offenders will have to pay five times the amount they bribed, but those who make a false report have to pay RM100,000,” he said.

“We don’t want to create space for abuse. It is the role of the MACC to investigate and take action against such abuse,” he said.

He also suggested that the MACC offices be made accessible to the public, as was the practice with the Independent Commission against Corruption in Hong Kong, and that the building be covered with dark glass to ensure confidentiality.

Source: The Star online.

Wind of Change for Sarawak!

2008-12-16T18:09:00.000+08:00

I was in Sabah and Sarawak over the last weekend for Party events. Was in Kota Kinabalu on Friday night to give a talk to new party members and was the Speaker for the Sabah DAP convention. Flew to Kuching in the evening and was also the Speaker for Sarawak DAP Annual Convention on Sunday.

I was also invited to speak at the mammoth 350-table dinner in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of DAP Sarawak. It was my first ever speech in Kuching. I thanked the Kuching voters for started the "wind of change" in the 2006 state election where DAP won 3 seats in Kuching alone. I told them that the "political tsunami" on 8th March was triggered by Sarawak's "wind of change".

I said that the political landscape in Malaysia has changed tremendously after 308. In the last 42 years, DAP has always been labelled as "the opposition party". But after 308, we are now ruling party in Penang, Perak and Selangor and UMNO is the opposition there. I stated that we want to achieve not only one DAP Chief Ministership in Penang but also have the ambition of seeing a DAP Chief Minister in Sarawak!

The SUPP has anticipated that the DAP will bring its full force from Semenanjung to Sarawak in the next state election and I answered that, yes...we will be there for sure! We will give our full support to our Sarawakian comrades to topple the Barisan Nasional in Sarawak and send the "white hair" (nickname for Sarawak CM Taib Mahmud") out of office.

陸兆福：行動黨也要在砂州當首長
大馬即時新聞 2008-12-15 14:26

(砂拉越‧古晉）行動黨社青團團長陸兆福表示，行動黨的夢想不單只是做一個州屬的首席部長，而且也要在砂拉越當首席部長。

他相信，如果大家配合與支持，並做行動黨的後盾，這個理想可以實現。

“來屆州選，我們一定會來，每一個選區會有2至3人來為砂州行動黨的候選人站台，一起打人聯黨，希望砂州在來屆州選會有更好的成績。”

他表示，常聽行動黨砂州領袖呼吁砂州人民學習西馬人在308大海嘯的精神，差一點把國陣打下來，但其實西馬同胞，特別是行動黨應感謝砂州人民，特別是古晉選民，因為308的反風是從砂州2006年州選吹到西馬。

“308後，馬來西亞的政壇很大求變，風水輪流轉，以前行動黨都是反對黨，現在不是了，在檳城、霹靂及雪州等，巫統是反對黨，我們是執政黨。”

陸兆福也是森州亞沙國會議員兼羅白州議員。他在上週日（12月14日）晚上出席行動黨砂州聯委會成立30週年紀念晚宴時說，行動黨一路來扮演反對黨，給馬華及民政黨等“欺負”，而砂州行動黨則是給人聯黨“欺負”。

“現在在西馬，馬華及民政黨做反對黨做得很可憐，他們在308後講敢怒敢言，是不是承認他們過去都不敢講話？以前我們都是去政府部門拉布條反對，如今馬華及國陣卻是在黨所拉布條，自己看，自己爽，都不會做反對黨。”

星洲互動‧2008.12.15.

MCA MPs dumb on UUCA amendment bill!

2008-12-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

Media Statement by DAPSY National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on Friday, 12 December 2008 in Petaling Jaya.

Not a single MCA MPs took part in the debate for Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 amendment bill, what is the stand of MCA Youth on UUCA?

One of the most anticipated bills to be debated in the current Parliamentary sitting is the amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971. The debate at the policy stage stretched over 2 days on the 10th and 11the December. 80% of the MPs who took part in the debate were from Pakatan Rakyat. None of the 5 MCA backbenchers took part in the debate or even follow the debate in the chambers.

The UUCA has always been a very contentious subject and a matter of prime concerns not only among the student activists but also the members of the academic fraternity. Many arguments have been put forward that the existence of UUCA is one of the main hindrance for academic excellence in our local universities as it created a fear environment in our campuses. The implementation of UUCA in the past 38 years has created a “spoon-fed” system among our undergraduates who are trained not to questions and “think out of the box”. This is one of the factors that led to the lack of creativity and innovativeness among our local graduates today.

As none of the MCA MPs took part in the debate, I would like to ask what is the position of MCA and in particular MCA Youth regarding the amendment to the UUCA? Do they agree or disagree to the amendments? Or abstain? Or no stands at all?

In my debate on the bill, I have raised up the issue regarding the definition of “student” where in the new definition mean all registered students in universities including those at the post-graduate and post-doctoral level on a full time or part-time basis. This means that if a Member of Parliament applies to take up post-graduate courses in our universities, he or she must get the approval from the Vice Chancellor. Isn’t this in contradiction with the MCA’s lifelong learning program which encourages one to continue their studies no matter how high is their positions?

DAPSY calls on the government to repeal the UUCA once and for all as it does not help in anyway to uplift the standard of our public universities and its existence will continue to curtail the fundamental rights of our undergraduates and stifle their ability to “think out if the box”. We acknowledged that there is a need for a legislation to govern the running of public universities but academic freedom must be returned to the campus. The UUCA must be repealed and be replaced with a new act purely on the running and management of the universities – “Akta Urus Tadbir Universiti (AUTU)”.

-Loke Siew Fook-
.

DAPSY is center-left.

2008-12-11T15:56:00.000+08:00

Dapsy - leaning left or right?
Syed Jaymal Zahiid | Dec 11, 08 1:09pm

The DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) lacks a clear ideological outlook, concedes its newly-elected chief.

However, Anthony Loke, 31, is quick to add that just as its name connotes, the wing thrives on the principles of socialism.

"Although we carry the name socialist youth, the party has always been centre left. We are not so much socialist left because if you look at the policies and issues that we have brought, we have always taken the centrist approach.

"Although we are centrists we sustain the socialist elements, our values have always been like equality, freedom and justice and so on. We are definitely a centre-left party," he told Malaysiakini during an interview yesterday.

He also said Dapsy members, numbering around 20,000, are not sufficiently exposed to ideological debates and more must be done to educate them.

Political observers have long criticised Dapsy for its inactiveness - averaging at one national executive council meeting a year. Some have blamed this on the lack of party ideological understanding among its members.

More must be done

As the leader, Loke said, he takes full responsibility for this and promised to step up efforts to educate party members.

"I do not deny in terms of ideological debate we have not done enough in terms of imparting the ideology to our members, especially younger members.

"For improvement, there must be more internal debates, more political education and I think one of the biggest challenges is we have to instill a reading culture among our members which I think is still quite lacking," added the Rasah MP.

Despite this shortcoming, Loke is confident that Dapsy will head in the right direction.

Below are the excerpts from the interview.

Many analysts say that Dapsy members are not clear about the wing's ideology. For example, at the recent meeting, the Internationale (socialist anthem) was sung and members ask if Dapsy is left or right?

Loke: I do not deny in terms of ideological debate we have not done enough in terms of imparting the ideology to our members, especially younger members.

But of course in the Malaysian context, ideological debate has always been the at the backburner and not at the forefront because it is hard to define left and right as two spectrums.

How do you improve this?
For improvement, there must be more internal debates, more political education and I think one of the biggest challenges is that we have to instill a reading culture among our members.

Because all this ideological understanding only comes with reading books and articles and following the development in other countries.

In three years, Dapsy has held only three meetings and many are saying that this reflects its inactiveness. That's why we have to reactivate it. In the coming months and years, I would ensure that national executive council meetings are held more frequently, at least once in two months - that is the minimum.

I would also have to start a series of visits to different states to visit our divisions, to at least meet the members and tell them what needs to be done and so on, give them a clear direction where to go from now.

When you use the term socialist, it carries with it a heavy ideological baggage. As the leader, would you describe Dapsy as left-wing?

Although we carry the name socialist youth, the party has always been centre left. We are not so much socialist left because if you look at the policies and issues that we have brought, we have always taken the centrist approach rather than the left.

Although we are centrists we sustain the socialist elements, our values are like equality, freedom, justice and so on. We are definitely a centre-left party.

Do you think this is a deterrent in attracting Malays into your party?
We have difficulty in attracting the Malays and this is also because of the historical baggage. DAP has always been labeled as, or given the impression, that we are opposing Malay interests.

It's not so much the socialist ideology that deters Malays from joining but more so that Umno has successfully painted us as an anti-Malay party.

Do you think the party has done enough to garner Malay support?

There is room for improvement. I do not deny that we have not done enough but of course we have limited channels to reach the Malays because ... the Malay media is not with us, they have never given us enough space.

But having said that, I see that things are improving. We have improved in the sense where we have a Malay 'Rocket' edition (party organ) and through my articles and writings, I try to tell the Malays what DAP stands for.

One of my recent articles was entitled 'DAP anti-Malay?' where I tried to answer the kind of anxiety and questions the Malays have about the party, but of course, this is a baby step when it comes to reaching out to the Malays.

But we take every opportunity to reach out to the Malays. For example, we have taken the opportunity to appear in Malay media programmes if there are chances.

We are not hostile to the Malays, we have always been receptive to them and we do hope that they would join our party.

But at the last party AGM, Chinese was the dominant medium for communication

It's not true that we use Chinese as the main medium. Bahasa Malaysia has always been given prominence in all the party congress. All our party documents for the congress were done in Bahasa Malaysia. We have stressed on using more Bahasa Malaysia in our congress or the AGM.

Suppose the Malay membership in your party grows, would the party leadership be willing to share leadership posts with the Malays?

That’s not an issue. Whoever comes in and is willing to work and willing to contribute... everybody would be given opportunities. Not that we want all the leadership positions to be filled by Chinese, if they are capable we are more than willing to groom them and so on.

And you feel that your party members would support this?

I think we have no problem with that. We never had any problem with that. You have to know the mentality of DAP members. People might think DAP is a chauvinist party, that is not true.

If you look at the history of the party, whenever there is a prominent Malay, party members would definitely support the person as either a candidate or a leader... there has always been cases where Malay leaders are promoted as national leaders for example, the late Ahmad Noor (former DAP vice-president) - he stood in a Chinese-dominated area, this shows that we are receptive of Malay leaders.

Do you have some sort of a plan to get more Malay members?

The most important thing is to break the mold of the Malay first, the impression of the Malays towards DAP, not so much as attracting them to be members yet.

What's important is to get the Malays to accept DAP as a multi-racial party before we talk about a plan of recruiting Malays. Most important is to win their support and to win their trust. If we can’t break the mold we can't talk about recruiting them as members.

In the last elections, we managed to gain support from the Malays. For example, in my constituency I got about 40 percent of the Malay votes, which is quite good.

Now back to the ideological debate, some senior leaders in the party are known to be proponents of market democracy ideas or very right-wing economic ideas. How do you reconcile these differences?

Yes, of course there are a couple of leaders that came from different backgrounds. For example like the corporate sector, who are proponents of a more liberal type of economy and more liberal policies. But I think that we have to reconcile in a sense where a balance must be struck.

I can understand that some believe we have to have competitiveness but we have to strike a balance. If we have a far left agenda, it’s not going to work in DAP. That is why we have always adopted the centrist approach.

The problem with social democratic systems is that in a globalised economic system where you are confronted by bigger neo-liberal forces like the United States. social democratic systems would often be integrated, assimilated or forced into neo-liberal ways given the global economic mechanism. How do you survive in this environment?

I think this is the biggest challenge faced by all social democratic forces throughout the world. I think the most important thing is the difference between us and the neo-liberal forces.

Of course in terms of economy, we have to abide by the global economy but the challenge is how we present a more humane face of market economy, how to place a certain safety net, a certain social agenda in the economy and how to protect the poor and the marginalised.

We have to adopt the global market economy but within our society, within our government, they have a role to play or the government can play a role to provide a safety net for society.

Your party's relations with PAS is not exactly peachy, do you think that the youth from both sides share similar ideals, which are not shared by the senior leaders?

I'm quite happy to say that there were several PAS Youth representatives at our congress last week and they are national PAS exco members. I had a chat with them and we agreed that it’s time to move forward.

I don't deny that we have a hard relationship with PAS, but I must stress that we have no problems with the moderates in PAS, we do not see eye-to-eye regarding certain policies with the conservatives.

For example in Parliament, we have a very good relationship. My neighbours in Parliament are all PAS MPs, we don’t see any problems in engaging them and having a better relationship with them and the same goes to PAS Youth.

I'm sure the majority of the leadership in PAS Youth are quite progressive in nature, they’re quite forward looking and I think they know that we need to work together more in Pakatan. Both sides have to be more proactive in engaging each other.

I can see that there will be more controversial issues along the way, I can foresee that in the next two or three years. For example, the recent call (by PAS) to ban street dancing in Penang, this did not go down well with Dapsy.

When we are talking about young people, I told the PAS representatives, if you want to attract the younger generation, you cannot have the mindset of banning everything.

.

Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy

2008-12-09T15:43:00.002+08:00

Media Statement by DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah Loke Siew Fook on 9th December 2008 in Petaling Jaya

The Federal Government must handle the relief efforts in the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy professionally and fairly

It is very disturbing to hear that many residents living within the danger zone at Bukit Antarabangsa refused to move out from their houses although advised by the authorities for fear of their belongings being stolen. This shows that the confidence level to the rescue team in particular the police force is at a very low point. Although the place is currently very dangerous and facing a tragedy, the fact that the people there have no confidence in the police to take good care of their properties and safeguard their interest reflects very badly on the professionalism of the police force.

The Federal Government must view this concern seriously and immediately direct the Inspector General of Police to give full assurance to the public that the police will act professionally in handling the tragedy and any wrongdoings or theft by any quarters will be taken sternest action. DAPSY hopes that the residents will move out voluntarily for the time being to avoid any mishaps and to facilitate all rescue efforts.

DAPSY expresses our sympathy to all the victims in the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy and we shared their sorrows and sadness. We urge the government be it federal or state to provide all necessary assistance to the victims and the affected residents.

However, the government must be seen as acting fairly and must not be seen as giving double-standard treatment. We feel uncomfortable with the suggestion by the International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to provide free hotel rooms to the affected residents. This is most unprecedented.

We would like to remind the government that if this is done for Bukit Antarabangsa victims, then it will open a precedent for all natural disasters victims in the future. Is the government prepare to provide free hotel rooms for all victims whenever there is a disaster be it in kampong or small villages? In other areas, the government has always relocates the affected residents in community halls or schools as a temporary measure.

We have nothing personal against the residents in Bukit Antarabangsa but the government must treat all victims in such tragedy fairly and equally.

-Loke Siew Fook- .

Do you know how much you paid the federal government?

2008-12-05T17:50:00.000+08:00

This is the answer i got from the state assembly on how much taxes collected by the federal government from Negeri Sembilan taxpayers.

Tahun	Selain syarikat	Syarikat	Lain-lain	Jumlah
2005	217.2	140.35	52.45	410
2006	222.81	159.91	54.08	436.8
2007	242.74	214.41	55.89	513.04

Dalam RM juta

* Selain syarikat termasuk individu, koperasi dan badan amanah.
** Lain-lain termasuk cukai pegangan dan duti setem

Cukai jalan yang dikutip di NS (Road tax)

Tahun	Transaksi	Jumlah Kutipan (RM)
2005	282,487	57,161,004.80
2006	283,020	45,895,297.10
2007	289,149	43,760,425.27
Jumlah	854,656	146,816,727.17

I will lead DAPSY for the next 2 years.

2008-12-03T17:23:00.002+08:00

Loke wins DAP Youth chief uncontested
Dec 2, 08 6:55pm - Report in Malaysiakini

DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) national secretary Loke Siew Fook became the opposition party’s new Youth chief today after no other candidates were nominated to contest the post at the wing’s national congress elections, set to take place this Saturday.

In a statement released today, Loke said for the first time, reporters will be able to cover the congress, which will take place at the MAA Building in Kuala Lumpur.

"The Dapsy National Congress 2008 will elect a new leadership for the term 2008-2010," said Loke, who is Rasah member of parliament and Lobak state assemblyperson.

Among the closely-watched contests is the post of Loke’s deputy, which is heating up between Teratai state assemblyperson Jenice Lee Ying Ha and Pulau Tikus state assemblyperson Koay Teng Hai.

Two other women, Carmen Leong Ooi Kuan and Violet Yong Wui Wui, will be battling each other and Wong Kah Moh for the two positions of Dapsy vice-chairpersons.

29 vie for 15 exco seats

Under the party constitution, one of the posts must be held by a woman.

The position of Dapsy national secretary, meanwhile, will see a contest between Kampung Tunku state representative Lau Weng San and Cheras DAP liaison committee secretary Loh Chee Heng.

Twenty-nine others will be vying for the 15 seats on Dapsy’s national executive committee, five of whom must be women.

They are Ashvin Raj, Chan Su Sann, Cheong Chee Khing, Choong Siew Onn, Eddie Chang Teck Chee, Fong Kok Leong, Gobind Singh Deo, Jagdeep Singh Deo, Khoo Poay Tiong, Kuan Perk Siong, Lau Keng Ee, Lee Chun Hur, Lee Fu Haw, Leong Ooi Yee, Medaline Chang She Yun, Ng Suee Lim, Ng Tien Chee (Eddie), Ng Wei Aik, Ong Boon Piow, Ooi Leng Hang, Tan Hong Pin, Tan Hun Wooi, Teo Eng Ching, Teo Kok Seong, Tey Kok Kiew, Tiew Way Keng, V Sivakumar, Yew Teong Chong and Yong Choo Kiong..

Question the Minister on bus surcharge

2008-11-28T16:30:00.000+08:00

Vital stats for NS folks

2008-11-28T16:06:00.000+08:00

Some information from the answers to my written questions in the state assembly:

Nisbah doktor kepada penduduk:

Doktor Kerajaan - 860 orang, Nisbah 1:1,137
Doktor Swasta - 338 orang, Nisbah 1:2,894
Jumlah Doktor - 1,198, Nisbah purata 1:816

Nisbah polis kepada penduduk

Seremban - 1:508
PD - 1:320
Kuala Pilah - 1:315.2
Jempol - 1:461
Tampin - 1:250
Rembau - 1:232
Jelebu - 1:690

Nisbah rumah hak milik sendiri kepada penduduk: 100:29
29 unit rumah milik sendiri bagi setiap 100 orang penduduk NS.
224,834 unit rumah sedia ada di seluruh NS dan 61,389 sedang dalam pembinaan.

NS DUN sitting

2008-11-27T18:14:00.001+08:00

The budget session for the Negeri Sembilan State Assembly scheduled for 3 days till tomorrow ended this afternoon. During the Q&A session on the first day, all opposition assemblymen again walked out from the assembly as we were not given the chance to pose our questions. We returned to the chambers after the Q&A session ended. However, after much protests we finally got what we asked for today as I was the first one to be asked by the speaker to pose my oral question.

I was not entirely happy with the whole proceeding but all Pakatan assemblymen tried our best to partipate in the budget debate. Firstly, the speaker decided to continue with the sitting yesterday after the MB presented his budget speech. I have requested the speaker to adjourn the sitting after the speech to give enough time for all assemblymen to prepare their debate today. However, the BN voted against it in hoping that we will not have enough time to prepare our speeches.

But i have expected their tactics and we got ready to debate at anytime. The sitting yesterday lasted until 7.10 p.m. It was never happened before in NS in the last 10 years. News like assembly adjourned after 2 hours was not something abnormal during the time when there were zero opposition in NS. 14 Pakatan members took part in the budget debate but only 2 from BN. You can judge how serious are they in voicing the people's aspirations. I will blog more about the assembly sitting tomorrow as I have some interesting statistics to share with you.

Non-bumi can't get subsidized fertilizers? (2)

2008-11-25T12:15:00.000+08:00

Non-bumi can't get subsidized fertilizers? (1)

2008-11-25T12:09:00.000+08:00

Alternative Budget for Negeri Sembilan

2008-11-22T14:58:00.002+08:00

BAJET ALTERNATIF NEGERI SEMBILAN 2009

“Menjamin Keadilan Sosial, Menghadapi Cabaran Bersama”

Anggaran Hasil

Butiran	2008 (BN) RM	2009 (PR) RM	Perbezaan (%)
Hasil Cukai	115,372,900	150,000,000	30
Hasil Bukan Cukai	57,315,200	72,000,000	25.6
Terimaan Bukan Hasil	47,411,900	58,000,000	22.3
Jumlah Hasil	220,100,000	280,000,000	27.2

Dasar Pakatan Rakyat:

- Hasil Cukai – Hasil langsung yang kebanyakannya terdiri daripada cukai tanah dijangka bertumbuh pada kadar biasa 30% dengan mengambil kira kadar cukai yang sama tanpa menaikkan sebarang cukai.

- Hasil Bukai Cukai – Jumlah kutipan hasil ini dijangka dapat menyumbang tambahan 25% dengan adanya dasar pemberian permit tanah dan galian secara tender dan pemberian tanah kerajaan khasnya tanah komersial melalui proses tender terbuka akan meningkatkan kutipan premium tanah.

- Terimaan bukan hasil – Jumlah hasil mengambil kira pemberian tetap daripada kerajaan persekutuan yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan.

Anggaran Belanjawan Mengurus

Butiran	2008 (BN) RM	2009 (PR) RM	Perbezaan (%)
Emolumen	107,000,835	107,000,835	0
Perkhidmatan dan Bekalan	78,142,501	65,000,000	-16.8
Caruman kepada Kumpulan Wang Berkanun	93,278,000	75,000,000	-19
Perbelanjaan Khas	31,273,664	24,000,000	-23.2
Bayaran Hutang Kerajaan	17,000,000	17,000,000	0
Jumlah	326,695,000	288,000,835	-11.6%

Dasar Pakatan Rakyat:

- Emolumen – Pakatan Rakyat komited untuk memberikan gaji yang sama kepada semua kakitangan awam tanpa apa-apa potongan dan tidak akan memberhentikan sebarang perjawatan. Namun, penstrukuturan semula perjawatan akan dilakukan untuk memastikan tidak ada pertindihan kerja dan mengalihkan sumber manusia ke jabatan yang lebih memerlukannya.

- Perkhidmatan dan bekalan – Perbelanjaan ini dijangka dapat berjimat di antara 10-15 % (across the board) dengan adanya dasar perolehan perkhidmatan dan bekalan menggunakan tender terbuka di semua jabatan kerajaan. Semua jabatan kerajaan akan disasarkan untuk menjimatkan penggunaan sumber sebanyak 10% seperti elektrik dan bahan bakar.

- Caruman untuk tujuan perbelanjaan pembangunan.

- Perbelanjaan khas – Selain perbelanjaan tanggungan seperti peruntukan diraja, pencen khas, elaun kerabat dan lain-lain perbelanjaan wajib, semua pembelian aset atau pengubahsuaian pejabat adalah dibekukan. Hanya perbelanjaan yang sangat diperlukan dibenarkan. Semua perbelanjaan “one-off” perlu mendapat kelulusan kerajaan negeri.

- Bayaran hutang kerajaan – komited untuk terus membayar balik hutang kerajaan dan jumlah yang sama diperuntukkan.

Bajet yang dibentangkan ialah berikut:

Anggaran Hasil RM280,000,000

Anggaran Belanjawan Mengurus RM288,000,835

Defisit RM8,000,835

Anggaran Pembangunan

Butiran	2008 (BN) RM	2009 (PR) RM	Perbezaan (%)
Infrastruktur	28,100,000	30,000,000	6.7
Sosial	41,103,000	62,000,000	51.2
Pentadbiran	22,446,000	12,000,000	-46.5
Agama	13,500,000	14,500,000	7.4
Pertanian	10,430,000	10,500,000	0.6
Luar Jangka	2,000,000	2,000,000	-
Jumlah	117,579,000	131,000,000	11

Dasar Pakatan Rakyat

Infrastruktur – RM30 juta

– RM18 juta diperuntukkan untuk Jabatan Kerja Raya untuk kerja-kerja menaiktaraf jalan negeri dan di luar Bandar, membaiki jalan-jalan di peringkat daerah, membaiki jambatan usang, membina benteng-benteng baru di kawasan hakisan tanah dan menambah lampu jalan di persimpangan-persimpangan jalan.

- RM12 juta untuk Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran untuk menjalankan projek tebatan banjir, membina saliran-saliran baru dan kerja-kerja membersihkan sungai

Sosial – RM62 juta

Butiran

Peruntukan (RM)

Perumahan dan Kerajaan tempatan

(pembinaan rumah mesra rakyat)

15 juta

Perkhidmatan masyarakat dan kebajikan am

(Program pembasmian kemiskinan tegar, bantuan kewangan kepada keluarga miskin dan program sosial)

10 juta

Kerja-kerja Kecil ADUN (RM150,000 setahun x 36 kawasan)

5.4 juta

Pembangunan produk-produk pelancongan dan promosi

5 juta

Bantuan kewangan kepada persatuan-persatuan dan NGO

2 juta

Bantuan kewangan kepada pertubuhan-pertubuhan agama bukan Islam

2 juta

Bantuan kewangan kepada 2 buah Sekolah Tinggi Cina

1 juta

Bantuan kewangan kepada semua Sekolah Bantuan Modal (SJKC, SJKT, Sekolah Missionary dan Sekolah Agama Rakyat)

3.6 juta

Tabung Insentif untuk Pelajar IPTA anak Negeri Sembilan (untuk keluarga yang pendapatan kurang dari RM1500)

2 juta

Takaful khairat kematian (warga emas yang berumur 65 tahun ke atas yang meninggal dunia) – terbuka kepada keluarga yang pendapatannya kurang dari RM1500

1 juta

Jumlah

47 juta

Baki RM15 juta daripada peruntukan sosial ini akan digunakan untuk menubuhkan satu tabung pinjaman perumahan kepada rakyat Negeri Sembilan tanpa mengira kaum yang berpendapatan kurang RM1500 sebulan dan masih belum memiliki rumah. Pinjaman yang diberikan ialah untuk pembelian rumah kos rendah dan maksima pinjaman ialah RM50,000 dengan kadar faedah 4% berkurangan (kadar faedah yang sama yang dinikmati oleh kakitangan awam). Tujuan skim ini ialah untuk membantu dan memudahkan rakyat Negeri Sembilan yang kurang berupaya untuk memiliki rumah sendiri. Skim ini dijangka dapat membantu 300 keluarga miskin memiliki rumah mereka sendiri setiap tahun. Skim ini boleh dilaksanakan melalui Yayasan Negeri Sembilan.

Pentadbiran – RM 12 juta

- Peruntukan pembangunan untuk tujuan pentadbiran hanya dibenarkan untuk perbelanjaan yang dapat meningkatkan kapasiti dan mutu sistem penyampaian kerajaan seperti penaiktarafan sistem komputer dan ICT.

- Semua perbelanjaan yang melibatkan pembelian bangunan fizikal dibekukan

Agama – RM 14.5 juta

- Peruntukan untuk pembinaan masjid dan surau akan diteruskan. Pakatan Rakyat menghormati kedudukan Islam sebagai agama rasmi dan komited untuk terus membangunkan ajaran agama Islam di kalangan masyarakat Islam di NS.

- Jumlah peruntukan yang diluluskan sebelum ini akan diteruskan

- Tambahan RM1 juta khas untuk penambaikan dan pembangunan Sekolah-sekolah Agama serta kenaikan gaji guru-guru Sekolah Agama Rakyat

Pertanian - RM 10.5 juta

...

Rakyat is subsidizing government on fuel!

2008-11-19T16:22:00.000+08:00

I took part at the committee stage debate for the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in Parliament this afternoon and took the opportunity to blast the government over their failure to keep their promise to subsidize Malaysians 30 cents for every litre of petrol. I used the word "penipuan kerajaan kepada rakyat". The speaker took issue with my choice of words and clearly unhappy with it. I retorted they fail to keep their promise.

I said when the government decided to raise the price of fuel by 78 cents to RM2.70 per litre in June, they have promised to continue to subsidize the consumers 30 cents per litre no matter what the market price are. Well, you judge whether they have keep their promise or otherwise.

The Minister Datuk Sharir has mentioned in Malaysiakini that the government need not give any subsidy at the current price. And the government can still make some profits from it. So, now it is not the government giving subsidy to the people but the people are subsidizing the government!

He has publicly said that the cost price for petrol now stands at RM1.62 per litre. Then, i questioned why cant the consumers enjoy this low price? Even if the government can no longer afford to subsidize fuel price, they should reduce the pump price that reflects the real costs. Is that too much to ask?

I have asked the Minister to consider this seriously and take immediate steps to reduce the price further to check on rising inflation and to give some breathing space to ordinary Malaysians at this difficult and challenging times..

PLUS Travel Incentive - What say you?

2008-11-19T12:10:00.000+08:00

As most of you have read in the newspaper today regarding the discount for toll rates at midnight starting 1st January 2009, i would like to give my two cents opinion here and hope to hear your feedbacks. The 3 incentives by PLUS are:

1) 10% discount from the tol rate for PLUS users between 12.00 midnight to 7 a.m.
2) Further 10% from the discounted rate between 12 midnight and 7 am during festive seasons (limited to 6 days)
3) Additional 5% incentive for Touch N Go and Smart tag users who spend more than RM200 a month.

Well, for me it is "too little, too late". It is a baby step after years of outburst by highway users against the unfair and lopsided highway agreement.

And not much can be felt by users with this incentives. The 10% discount should be applied across the board, all the time not only limited to midnight. Most users travel along the highway during day time and evening. Is the government encouraging the people to go home past midnight everyday? And travelling during midnight can be dangerous too due to sleepines, etc.

The discount during the 6 days festive period is not sufficient at all. What's the point giving discount on festive days itself? Most people "balik kampung" 2-3 days before the festive day, right? And the 19% is nothing to shout about. It should be free of charge during the period as this will reduce traffic jam at toll booth and encourage more people to travel by highway instead of trunk roads as most accident happened in trunk roads.

The Works Minister said that PLUS is adopting "Corporate Social Responsibility". Well, consider these facts before you agree with him especially Seremban folks;

1) KL-Seremban portion has collected RM3 billion so far and the collection period is until 2038

2) All upgrading work along the highway and expansion to 3 lanes are funded by the government's coffer (read, taxpayers' monies)

3) The proposed RM168 million new toll plaza near Seremban 2 will be built using government allocation (read, taxpayers' monies)

4) All the 940 new street lights installed recently from Nilai Utara to Seremban costing RM22 million were not borne by PLUS, your money again :)

Folks, what say you? .

Petrol prices should be reduced further!

2008-11-14T14:10:00.000+08:00

I held a press conference in my office today to call on the government to further reduce the price of petrol for Malaysian consumers. The oil prices went down as low as USD55 a barrel yesterday - the lowest in 22 months. The government has announced that it will review the oil prices every fortnight and the next review should be tomorrow, 15 November. And we want them to keep to their promise, if not Sharir Samad
will get a earful next Tuesday during the committee stage debate for his ministry.

Finance Minister 1 Najib Razak has mentioned that we will be lucky to have 3.5% economic growth next year given the current volatile global economic situation. That means the economy will slowdown and income level of ordinary Malaysians will surely be static if not reduced. Therefore, one important strategy the government must employ is to control inflation. To control inflation, prices at the pump must be south-bound.

The pump prices in Singapore today is SGD 1.686 per litre for RON95 and SGD 1.433 per liter for Diesel. If you compare RM1-SGD1 as equal (cox the salary level in Singapore is higher than ours), the cost of fuel is more affordable for Singaporeans than ours even though we are an oil producing country while Singapore is an importer.

For Thailand, RON95 is 21.09 baht per litre (less than RM2). That is cheaper than Malaysia.

The government must reduce the pump prices accordingly and we should be paying not more than RM1.80 per litre today given the low prices in the international market. And the government need not subsidize our petrol anymore at this price although they have promised a subsidy of 30 cents per litre during the fuel hike.

We should applaud Air Asia for withdrawing the fuel surcharge for passengers as the drop in the oil prices have been passed to the benefits of the passengers. Perhaps, Nor Mohamad Yaakop should learn a thing or two from Tony Fernandez! .

DAP NS Convention 2008 (Speech in Chinese)

2008-11-09T18:41:00.000+08:00

民主行动党森州委会主席陆兆福在2008年11月9日第15届森州行动党常年代表大会的致词稿

改变思想，共同迈向组织森美兰州人民联盟政府

308大选除了是大马人民的历史性时刻，尤其对行动党更是重要及具历史性。第12届大选的成绩成为了我国迈向两线制政治的起点，也同时结束了国阵的霸权政治。现在，我国的人民可以选出更了解人民需要、廉洁及行政更透明的政党来成为政府。

自该党於1966年3月18日创党以来，这是行动党首次除了在全国扮演反对党的角色外，也同时成为了3个州属的执政党。如果308大选的反风吹得更烈，森州将会是第4个被行动党攻下的州属。

在大选取得胜利是一项很大的挑战。然而，最大的挑战却是如何成为一个廉洁、有效率、以人民为依归的执政党，这是一项艰巨的挑战。我们不想行动党执政的寿命只有一届或是仅在几个州属执政而已，我们的心愿是行动党可以在中央政府方面发挥更大的角色，同时在森州与民联其他政党在第13届大选中组成州政府。

为了要达致这个目标，我们无论是州领袖或是基层必须作好准备。如何准备？我想应该是改变思想，让行动党可以成为一个能够担起执政重任及有威信的政党。
这42年来，行动党一直在我国社会里扮演着有效的监督角色。在为民请命、协助弱小及伸出援手帮助国内各角落的有需要人士方面，行动党的领袖都不遗余力。我们非常感谢在这之前的领袖所作出的贡献，没有他们的贡献，行动党不可能会有今日稳固的基础。

行动党今日面对的挑战是需要来自各阶层的领袖在思想上做出我们是反对党角色上的改变。今日的马来西亚人民除了是给予身为反对党的行动党大力支持，同时也给我们信心以崛起成为执政党。我们除了要胆敢批评任何对人民不公的政策外，在任何课题及问题方面都应该争取及抗争到底，同时也必须寻找适合的方案来解决问题。我们必须勇于提出各种交替政策，就像我们是“候任政府”一样。

因此，我呼吁森州的行动党领袖及党员做好准备扮演好这项角色。试想想，如果我们成功取得州政权，行动党的州议员当中肯定会有人出任州行政议员，而来自基层的领袖也有机会出任市议员、村长及村委等。我们的意愿是恢复地方议会选举，一旦恢复地方议会选举，届时基层领袖的你就是地方议会选举的不二人选。

现在我所讲的一切并不是空口说白话或是发白日梦，如果奥巴马可以实现他的梦想成为美国总统，行动党也一样能！然而最重要的是我们不可以忘记党的斗争目标，以让火箭可以继续升空。

我们的领袖必须是廉洁及诚实，绝不可以向马华或是国阵领袖一般，认定在当上行政议员、市议员或是村长就可以趁机靠此敛财或是成从中取得一些工程、执照或是收取佣金。如果你是这样想，那么我的劝告是行动党不适合你。对于行动党来说，在政府内担任的职位是我们实现斗争目标的平台，同时协助人民改善生活素质。
因此，从这一秒开始，森州行动党宣布作好组织人民联盟政府的准备，我们将会加倍努力巩固党组织，包括在州内广招党员及成立支部，大家一起把党务搞好。

为了让这股寻求改变的原动力持续，我要在此宣布森州行动党将会展开的3项工作。

1）行动党、回教党及人民公正党将会在11月26日的森州立法议会的州财政预算案提呈前，现在11月22日提呈民联的替代财政预算案。

2）森州行动党将会签署以28万令吉现金在奥克兰商贸中心购置一栋建筑物的买卖合约，该建筑物将会是森州行动党的新会所，预料将在2009年3月8日开幕。

3）森州行动党在州委会上议决於2009年3月8日，在芙蓉主办一场超大型千人晚宴，当晚将会筵开308席，以庆祝行动党在森州取得大胜一周年纪念。

.

Konvensyen Tahunan DAP NS 2008

2008-11-09T18:32:00.000+08:00

Ucapan oleh Pengerusi DAP Negeri Sembilan Loke Siew Fook di Konvensyen Tahunan yang ke-15 DAP NS pada 9 November 2008 di Seremban.

Anjakan paradigma ke arah Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Negeri Sembilan

8 Mac 2008 merupakan satu titik yang bersejarah bukan sahaja kepada rakyat Malaysia tetapi lebih-lebih lagi kepada Parti DAP. Keputusan Pilihanraya Umum yang ke-12 adalah satu titik permulaan ke arah sistem 2 parti di Malaysia dan sekaligus mengakhiri dominasi Barisan Nasional sebagai parti pemerintah yang tunggal di Malaysia. Kini rakyat mempunyai pilihan untuk memilih parti yang lebih memahami aspirasi mereka dan dapat menjalankan pentadbiran yang bersih dan telus.

Sejak ditubuhkan pada 18 Mac 1966, ini adalah julung-julung kali DAP mempunyai peluang untuk memainkan peranan bukan sahaja sebagai parti pembangkang di peringkat nasional tetapi juga sebagai parti pemerintah di 3 buah kerajaan negeri. Sekiranya angin bertiup lebih kencang sedikit pada hari 8 Mac 2008, kerajaan negeri yang ke-4 yang juga diwakili oleh DAP ialah di Negeri Sembilan.

Memenangi pilihanraya merupakan satu cabaran yang kuat. Namun, cabaran yang lebih besar ialah bagaimana menjadi sebuah parti pemerintah yang bersih, effektif dan memenuhi aspirasi rakyat jelata. Ini adalah satu ujian yang cukup getir. Kita tidak mahu DAP menjadi parti pemerintah satu penggal sahaja atau hanya di beberapa negeri. Impian kita ialah DAP memainkan peranan yang besar dalam pentadbiran kerajaan persekutuan dan juga membentuk kerajaan negeri di Negeri Sembilan bersama-sama dengan rakan-rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat menjelang PRU yang ke-13.

Namun untuk mengejar impian ini, tidak kira peringkat kepimpinan negeri mahupun kepimpinan akar umbi perlulah mempersiapkan diri kita sendiri. Apa yang perlu dilakukan? Bagi saya, yang paling penting ialah anjakan paradigma ke arah sebuah parti yang benar-benar boleh memikul tanggungjawab sebagai parti pemerintah yang berwibawa.

Selama 42 tahun, DAP memainkan peranan “check and balance” yang cukup efektif dalam masyarakat Malaysia. Parti DAP dan pemimpin-pemimpinnya mempunyai kredibiliti yang cukup tinggi dalam menyuarakan suara rakyat secara lantang, melindungi mereka yang lemah dan menghulurkan tangan bantuan kepada mereka yang terpinggir di seluruh pelusuk Negara. Kita amat berterima kasih kepada pemimpin-pemimpin kita sebelum ini. Tanpa sumbangan mereka, tidak mungkin DAP mempunyai asas yang begitu kukuh pada hari ini walaupun melintangi pelbagai cabaran dan ujian.

Namun, cabaran pada hari ini memerlukan setiap lapisan pemimpin DAP mempunyai pemikiran menjangkaui peranan kita sebagai parti pembangkang. Jelas sekali, rakyat Malaysia pada hari ini bukan sahaja menyokong DAP sebagai sebuah parti pembangkang tetapi juga mempunyai kepercayaan kepada kita untuk menjadi parti pemerintah. Kita bukan sahaja perlu lantang mengkritik sebarang ketidakadilan, namun dalam setiap isu dan masalah yang kita perjuangkan, kita juga perlu mencari jawapan bagaimana mengatasinya. Kita perlu berani memikirkan dasar alternatif dan bertindak seolah-olah kita ialah “government in waiting”.

Saya menyeru setiap lapisan kepimpinan dan keahlian parti DAP di Negeri Sembilan bersedia memainkan peranan ini. Bayangkanlah, sekiranya kita mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan kerajaan negeri, pasti ada di antara ADUN-ADUN DAP yang menduduki barisan EXCO. Saudara-saudari yang menjadi tonggak parti di peringkat akar umbi akan memainkan peranan sebagai ahli majlis kerajaan tempatan, ketua-ketua kampung dan ahli-ahli jawatankuasan JKKK. Sememangnya impian kita ialah memulihkan pilihnaraya kerajaan tempatan. Sekiranya itu berlaku, tentu sekali saudara-saudari yang akan membarisi barisan calon di pilihanraya tempatan.

Apa yang saya perkatakan bukanlah angan-angan ataupun mimpi sahaja. Sekiranya Barrack Obama boleh merealisasikan mimpinya sebagai Presiden Amerika Syarikat, DAP tetap boleh! Namun, apa yang paling penting untuk kita ialah jangan melupai asas perjuangan parti dan nilai-nilai yang membolehkan api obor Roket terus membara. Satu nilai yang langsung tidak boleh dikompromikan ialah integriti pemimpin-pemimpin kita.

Jangan sesekali berfikir seperti orang MCA dan Barisan Nasional. Sekiranya kita ingat menjadi EXCO, Ahli Majlis atau Ketua Kampung akan memperkayakan keluarga kita atau merupakan paspot untuk mendapat projek, lesen dan permit atau mengutip komisen, maka saya nasihatkan anda DAP bukanlah parti yang sesuai untuk anda. Bagi DAP, jawatan kerajaan adalah platform kita untuk merealisasikan dasar yang kita perjuangkan dan merupakan kuasa untuk mengubah masyarakat ke arah kualiti hidup yang lebih baik.

Justeru itu, mulai saat ini DAP Negeri Sembilan mengumumkan kita bersedia ke arah membentuk Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Negeri Sembilan. Kita akan melipat gandakan usaha untuk memantapkan organisasi parti dengan menambah bilangan ahli dan cawangan di setiap pelusuk Negeri Sembilan. Segala urusan parti juga perlu dilaksanakan dengan penuh iktizam dan pada tahap yang paling professional.

Untuk mengekalkan momentum arus perubahan, saya ingin mengumumkan 3 perkara penting yang bakal dilaksanakan oleh DAP NS dalam masa terdekat ini.

1)Bersama-sama dengan PAS dan PKR, DAP akan membentangkan satu “Bajet Alternatif Negeri” Pakatan Rakyat pada 22 November 2008 sebelum pembentangan Bajet Kerajaan Negeri di Persidangan DUN pada 26 November.

2)DAP Negeri Sembilan akan menandatangani Perjanjian Jual Beli (S&P) untuk membeli sebuah bangunan bernilai RM280,000 secara tunai di Oakland untuk kegunaan Ibupejabat Negeri yang baru dan dirancang untuk dirasmikan pada 8 Mac 2009.

3)DAP Negeri Sembilan juga memutuskan dalam mesyuarat jawatankuasa negeri untuk menganjurkan satu “majlis makan malam raksasa” sebanyak 308 meja di Seremban pada malam 8 Mac 2009 untuk menyambut ulangtahun pertama kemenangan bersejarah DAP di Negeri Sembilan. .

CHANGE We Can Believe In

2008-11-07T17:47:00.000+08:00

Majority of the world population celebrated the victory of Barrack Obama as the 44th President of the United States on the night of 4th November 2008 (US time). I believe majority of Malaysians wanted Obama to win too. Well, I'm not shy to say that I'm a big fan of Mr.Obama. I have started to follow the news of Obama about 2 years back when he announced his campaign for the Presidency.

I read his news, official websites, blogs and watched the many inspiring speeches over YouTube. And I did picked a thing or two from his campaign to be adopted for my own in the March 8 general election. I found it inspiring to talk about HOPE and CHANGE in political rallies. One thing we in DAP learned a lot from American politicians is "political messaging". What was Obama biggest selling point? CHANGE! Do you still remember DAP's slogan in the last GE? Just Change It! And our theme song - BERUBAH!

Can you believe how great was Obama's influence on me? I bought his book - "The Audacity of HOPE" and i read it cover to cover. I have never read a book cover to cover in my life. I love to read but never have the discipline to read a whole book. This guy is not only an excellent orator but a good writer as well.

A friend sms me 2 days ago and asked if there is ever a possibility of a Malaysian Chinese become our PM one day. I did not reply the sms and thought deep into the question. There is actually nothing stated in our Federal Constitution that disallow a non-Malay to be our PM. But I openly said that I do not believe it will happen in Malaysia in the next 30 years. We are still way behind from that.

Be that as it may, the most important issue for me is not whether a non-Malay can be a PM or otherwise but we must start to think out of the racial dichotomy. And it must start from the politicians, both sides of the divide. All political leaders in the country whether from BN or Pakatan must think and act as a Malaysian first rather as a Malay, Chinese or an Indian leader. Obama's inclusiveness and willingness to reach out to the other side (Republicans) is one of the key factor why he was successful. He does not just think as a Democrat but tried to put himself to understand the argument and values of the other side and find a common ground. This is something we should do in our Parliament instead of continuing with the daily verbal assaults across the aisles.

But it puzzled me that some top BN politicians are asking Malaysians to learn something about Obama's victory including the new MCA President Datuk Ong Tee Keat! Datuk, let me remind you that the very party you are leading now is STILL a "racially exclusive" party. And the brand of politics practiced by BN all this while and their modus operandi are the biggest contributor for the lack of national unity in the country today!

There are just too much too talk about Obama's victory and i intend to further the discussion in this blog...hope you can express your feelings here...