Sunday, 15 August 2010

Deputy Minister accused of involving in vice activities

By B Nantha Kumar and Teoh El Sen

KUALA LUMPUR: A police report has been filed against Federal Territories and Urban Well-being  Deputy Minister M Saravanan, accusing him of being involved in prostitution and drug activities.

The report was filed by Perak's Kampung Tawas PKR branch chief MS Arjunan with the Brickfields district police headquarters here this afternoon.

Contacted by FMT, Arjunan said that he had received a letter, from an anonymous individual,via Pos Laju on Aug 11.

“I was shocked when I read the letter. It accused Saravanan of supplying college girls to VIPs as well as being involved in drug trafficking.

“What was more shocking was that the writer also alleged that Saravanan was the illegitimate son of MIC president S Samy Vellu,” he added.

He said the letter also revealed that Saravanan had operated his alleged vice activities from a rented house in Gombak.

Arjunan believes that the letter was penned by a father of one of the girls involved in the alleged prostitution syndicate.

The PKR leader said he wanted the police to check the MIC vice-president's background, and to determine if the contents of the letter were true.

He denied that there was any political or personal motive behind the report.
Saravanan: It's purely politics

Saravanan was appointed deputy minister after the 2008 general election. He was one of three MIC parliamentary seat candidates to survive the political tsunami.

The businessman-turned-politician had worked himself up the political ladder from the grassroots level.

Saravanan is also known to be close to Samy Vellu, and had openly acknowledged the 74-year-old president as his mentor.

Meanwhile, Brickfields police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid confirmed that a report was lodged against Saravanan.

“The report was filed by a 50-year-old politician from Ipoh, the case has been transferred to the Ipoh police and I do not wish to comment further on this matter,” he told FMT.

Contacted later, Saravanan dismissed the report as "purely politics".
"Anyone can report after receiving a letter. Who is the victim? How can a report be lodged just based on a letter?" said the deputy minister, who is currently overseas.
"The allegations mentioned in the report are baseless. It is done to tarnish my image and reputation," he added.

He said the "police are free to investigate the claims and once found untrue, action should be taken against the complainant for lodging a false report".

FMT

Cina dalam DEB

DEB dan nasib orang Cina

| Aug 15, 2010 06:20:54 pm


Ada banyak kisah benar yang diketahui ramai tentang kejayaan kaum Cina di bawah Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB).  Dalam konteks ini, DEB bermaksud sistem pilih kasih dan naungan orang-orang yang berkuasa.  Sepertimana dinyatakan oleh adik Perdana Menteri, Nazir Razak (gambar kiri), DEB telah bersimpang dari tujuan asal yang diilhamkan oleh Allahyarham Abdul Razak, ayahanda kepada Najib dan Nazir.  Apa yang tidak dinyatakan oleh Nazir ialah bahawa DEB telah sekarang menjadi satu sistem yang korup, tidak mempunyai akauntabiliti kepada rakyat dan diselubungi rahsia sehingga hanya mereka yang berkuasa dan korup mendapat faedah terbesar dari DEB.
Yang sedih, pagar diharapkan, pagar yang makan padi.  Orang Melayu menaruh harapan kepada UMNO untuk menjaga kepentingan bangsa; tetapi dibawah sistem DEB yang dikorupkan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO, ada juga beberapa orang Cina yang berjaya meraih kekayaan.  Ini termasuk Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, anak muda 28-tahun Jho Low (Low Taek Jho) dan Liew Kee Sin dari SP Setia.  Bagaimana mereka berjaya melalui DEB?  Kita harus tahu.  Orang Cina harus tahu supaya mereka pun boleh berjaya dan menjayakan DEB.
Encik Liew, yang penuh dengan pujian untuk DEB, mengakui bahawa beliau adalah salah seorang yang berjaya melalui DEB.  Beliau adalah pegawai biasa dalam salah satu bank dagangan yang kecil sehingga beliau berkawan dengan dua orang peguam – Rashid Manaf and Zaki Azmi (sekarang Ketua Hakim Negara).  Kedua, Rashid dan Zaki tidak mempunyai latar belakang dalam alam perniagaan.  Syarikat perundangan mereka pun besar tapi tidak lah boleh membuat seseorang rakan kongsinya kaya.  Tetapi apabila mereka dilantik sebagai peguam untuk UMNO, dan bersahabat dengan pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO seperti Mahathir Mohamad, Daim Zainuddin dan Ketua MIC Samy Vellu, maka perniagaan mereka pun mulai mengalami kecemerlangan.
Bukankah SP Setia sebelum ini dipunyai SPK yang dikendalikan oleh sahabat  Mahathir iaitu Abdullah Ahmad (Kok Lanas) dan Ramli Khushairi?  Liew, Zaki dan Rashid membeli syarikat ini, dengan habuan diberi kepada Dollah Kok Lanas, dan yang lain itu, seperti kata orang, "the rest is history".  Perlu di ingatkan bahawa satu ketika dahulu, SPK adalah kooperatif yang mana pegawai kerajaan dan ahli-ahli UMNO menjadi tuan yang punya.
Vincent Tan (gambar kanan) berjaya kerana beliau dapat meyakinkan sahabat beliau, Mahathir Mohamad, yang Perdana Menteri ketika itu, untuk menswastakan Sports Toto kepada beliau, kerana kononnya, disebabkan judi itu haram, orang Melayu dan kerajaan tidak boleh terlibat dalam penjudian.  Tetapi beliau memilih orang Melayu untuk menjadi partner beliau - anak saudara Mahathir yang ketika itu bertugas sebagai pengurus besar agensi berita Nasional, Bernama.  Anak saudara Mahathir ini baik orangnya tetapi tidak lama selepas itu, beliau menamatkan perkongsian itu dan saya rasa beliau tidak dapat apa-apa pun.  Inilah nasib orang Melayu yang menjadi rakan kongsi orang Cina yang pintar saperti Vincent Tan.  Vincent semestinya harus disenaraikan sebagai salah satu cerita kejayaan DEB, seperti juga Liew.
Ayah kepada Francis Yeoh, Yeoh Tiong Lay, memulakan syarikat pembinaan yang tidak begitu menyerlah selama 30 tahun.  Tetapi ini semua bertukar apabila Francis, yang berkawan dengan Mahathir, berjaya dapat kontrak membina hospital di Semenanjung Malaysia pada tahun 1980-an.  Kemudian, Mahathir memberi kontrak paling mewah kepada keluarga YTL - IPP dengan bayaran yang paling lumayan sehingga kini dalam sejarah pengswastaan tenaga elektrik.  Tenaga Nasional terpaksa membeli eletrik dari YTL dengan harga tinggi itu, biar tenaga itu diperlukan atau tidak.  Macam mana tak buat duit?  Pelanggan terpaksa beli, mahu atau tidak, dengan harga paling tinggi.
Pengerusi TNB ketika itu, Ani Arope, membantah perjanjian itu tetapi disingkir oleh Mahathir.  Hari ini, YTL mempunyai rezab wang sebanyak RM9 bilion dan ianya digunakan untuk apa?  Membeli syarikat jana kuasa di Singapuura, membeli separuh daripada Pulau Sentosa di Singapura, dan membeli tanah dengan harga yang paling mahal di Orchard Road.  Satu lagi kejayaan DEB.  Oh ya...siapa rakan kongsi Bumiputra Francis?  Mungkin Mokhzani dan Mukhriz Mahathir boleh jawab soalan itu....
Kata orang bahawa pemuda 28 tahun Jho Low adalah sahabat baik Perdana Menteri Najib Razak; atau pun isteri beliau; atau mungkin pun anak sulung Rosmah.  Beliau berada di sana, sini dan mana-mana.  Di sini, saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada akhbar The Star kerana berjaya mendapat temuramah eksklusif dengan anak muda yang berjaya ini.  Entah siapa yang mengarah mereka membuat temu-ramah ini....
Jho selalu kelihatan bersama PM Najib.  Semasa pelancaran 1Malaysia Development Fund oleh PM, dia ada; semasa PM bercuti di Monte Carlo tahun lalu, dia ada; dan mereka juga bersama sama di St. Tropez dua minggu lalu.  Ahkbar dari luar negara membuat laporan dan andaian bahawa anak muda Jho (kawasan mesra wanita glamor, Paris Hilton) ada penglibatan dalam mendapat Kerajaan Malaysia memberi jaminan kepada 1Malaysia Development fund.  Bagaimana Kerajaan dan Perbendaharaan Malaysia boleh setuju kepada skim meminjam RM5 bilion dengan bayaran terlalu tinggi faedah terlalu tinggi 5.75% tak masuk akal.  Ini bererti jika 1MDB gagal membayar hutangnya, kerajaan akan menanggung hutang interest payment melebihi  RM2.4 bilion dari kadar yang lazim?
Dan sekarang ini kawan kawan dalam sektor Bank bercakap tentang kononnya dalam akaun tahunan 1MDB menunjukkan bahawa hanya masih ada RM4.3 bilion dari jumlah asal RM5 bilion.  Di mana agaknya RM700 juta dibelanjakan?  Itulah dia - Jho Low, suatu lagi kejayaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (NEP).
Jadi orang orang Cina tahu sebenarnya bagaimana mahu mendapat untung besar  dengan menggunakan Dasar Ekonomi Baru.  Tak payahlah Liew Kee Sin (gambar kanan) bimbang.  Tetapi berapa ramaikah orang Cina yang ada kaitan dan hubungan intim dengan pemimpin besar UMNO untuk mendapat peluang ini?  Itulah persoalannya.  Bukankah lebih baik kita ada sistem pemerintahan dan dasar ekonomi yang terbuka dan adil kepada semua lapisan rakyat?  Dan adil kepada semua kaum?  Dengan cara itu, peluang besar dan keemasan boleh juga dicapai oleh rakyat biasa.  Tak payahlah mereka mesti ada hubungan baik dengan UMNO, atau pihak aristokrat atau pegawai tinggi kerajaan. Sepatutnya sudah memadai rakyat semua kaum yang mahu berjaya hanya memerlukan kebolehan dan azam tinggi untuk berjaya. Malangnya di negara bertuah ini, peluang utama hanyalah kepada mereka yang terpilih.
*Tulisan ini dipetik dan disunting daripada blog Zaid Ibrahim, bekas Menteri Jabatan Perdana Menteri yang kini menyertai Pakatan Rakyat.  Zaid Ibrahim kini sebagai Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan PKR Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Merdeka Review

NEP and the Chinese

August 15,2010


Category: Blogpost
The success stories  of the Chinese under NEP  are plentiful and are well known. NEP for this purpose means hugely lucrative patronage  preference system. As the Prime Minister’s brother Nazir Razak himself says, the NEP has become bastardised. What he doesn't say explicitly is that the NEP, which was set up with noble aims of eradicating poverty irrespective of race, has become a system that is opaque, corrupt,  non-accountable and highly secretive.
Through this system which was corrupted by UMNO leaders, there are quite a few Chinese who have made it very big because of the NEP. These include Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, the young 28-year-old Jho Low (Low Taek Jho) and Liew Kee Sin of SP Setia fame. How did they do it? We should know so that we can learn and so that other Chinese can emulate them.
Mr Liew who is so happy with the NEP and admits he is one of the NEP’s success stories. He was an officer at a small merchant bank. But he knew how to move in the right circles. He befriended two lawyers - Rashid Manaf and Zaki Azmi (now the Chief Justice). Both Rashid and Zaki did not have any business  history, but they were nice people and friendly.  They didn’t make much from the law practice either. Neither did I. But somehow, as businessmen, they were successful when they became lawyers to UMNO. Their friendship with Mahathir, Daim, Samy Vellu benefitted their business. Wasn’t SP Setia previously owned by SPK which was controlled by Mahathir’s friends Abdullah Ahmad (Kok Lanas) and Ramli Khushairi? And Liew became a shareholder with Rashid and Zaki? Didn’t they say that SPK used to belong to UMNO leaders and civil servants? Yes, Liew is an NEP success story.
Vincent Tan made it big because he was able to convince then PM Mahathir Mohamad in the 1980s that gambling was bad for Muslims and the Islamic Government Mahathir was touting then should not be involved in it. It was a simplistic argument which was acceptable to Mahathir because Mahathir wanted his friend Vincent Tan to make money.
So he privatised Sports Toto and other “haram” activities, such as slot machine licences and sports betting to Vincent. But to be successful, Vincent had to have  a Mahathir relative as his “partner”. Vincent asked a nice gentleman, Mahathir’s nephew, who headed the national news agency Bernama then, to be his partner, with Mahathir’s blessings. But I doubt this nice guy got much in the end as Malay partners dont last very long in this high stakes game. The rest is history. Vincent built his fortunes on these “haram” activities. An NEP success story, certainly.
Francis Yeoh’s father Yeoh Tiong Lay started a construction company which for 30 years could not make the top grade. Until Francis convinced Mahathir in the 1980s to give him the construction of hospitals in the peninsula. Then came the lucrative Independent Power Plant (IPP) where, till today, YTL is given the highest payments for the Power Purchase Agreement where Tenaga buys all power from YTL, whether they need it or not. Then Tenaga chairman Ani Arope objected and Mahathir forced his resignation. Today, YTL has cash reserves of more than RM9 billion and where is it going – buying expensive power plants in Singapore, paying the highest price for land in Orchard Road, and owning probably half of Sentosa Island... Another NEP success story. Oh, yes, the Bumiputra partners for Francis? Maybe people should ask Mokhzani and Mukhriz Mahathir...
They say young Jho Low is close to the PM; or more importantly his wife. And  perhaps, Rosmah Mansor’s eldest son.  He is here, there and everywhere. I must congratulate The Star on its “worldwide exclusive” with Jho Low. Wonder who made the call for Jho to be interviewed?
Jho was there when IMalaysia Development Fund was launched by Najib; he was on holiday with the PM in Monte Carlo last year and also just two weeks ago in St Tropez. Foreign news reports say young Jho (friend of Paris Hilton) had a hand in getting the Government to guarantee the IMalaysia Development fund raising RM5 billion on a 30-year Islamic notes at coupon rate rate of 5.75% when the normal debt sovereign risk of a country like Malaysia can easily be issued at 4.1 to 4.2% interest. Why pay the extra 1.6 to 1.7% on a RM5 billion loan over 30 years which means an extra interest payment of about RM2.4 billion? (How the lenders must be happy with that extra income! And I am sure they were generous to those who helped approve this).
And now rumours are swirling in banking circles about 1MDB’s annual accounts that show only RM4.3 billion of that RM5 billion remaining on its books. Wonder how that RM700 million was spent? There we are – Jho Low, suatu lagi kejayaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (NEP).
So the Chinese knew all along what to do and they did not need Liew Kee Sin to tell them the benefits of the patronage under the so called NEP. But how many “Chinese-putras” get to know the well-connected “UMNO-putras”? That is the question.
So a more enlightened and equitable economic system is needed; where everyone has a fair chance to strike gold without having to be well connected.... without having to have someone as your lackey or point man in Putrajaya. Is that too much to ask?
zaiduntukrakyat.com

Sport Toto the Inside Story

Sports Toto: The inside story — Ahmad Mustapha Hassan

August 16, 2010
AUG 16 — I read with great interest Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s article today on the NEP and the Chinese, and as he makes a reference to me I need to provide some details and my relationship with Vincent Tan and how people like Vincent Tan had made use of people like me. I am still seething with anger and hurt the way Vincent Tan had treated me. I played a pivotal role in the privatisation of Sports Toto and Vincent went on to make billions while leaving me out in the cold. That is the NEP for you.
Zaid made an indirect reference to my role:
He had said: “So he (Mahathir) privatised Sports Toto... to Vincent. But to be successful, Vincent had to have a Mahathir relative as his ‘partner’. Vincent asked a nice gentleman, Mahathir’s nephew, who headed the national news agency Bernama then, to be his partner, with Mahathir’s blessings. But I doubt this nice guy got much in the end as Malay partners don’t last very long in this high-stakes game. The rest is history. Vincent built his fortunes on these ‘haram’ activities. An NEP success story, certainly.”
Let me put it the way it happened.
It is more than three years since I officially disclosed what is being owed to me by tycoons T. Ananda Krishnan and Vincent Tan in my book “The Unmaking of Malaysia”. The book was for a time a best seller and the intention of my writing the book was to expose how these two billionaires got a head start in business and how I had been instrumental in helping them in some of their initial ventures. The book had categorically mentioned that these men had made use of my services but had reneged on the terms of payment for my services. These were services that one would have thought impossible to deliver but I made it possible in view of my knowledge, administrative expertise and connections.
I have attempted for years to recover what has been owed to me by Ananda Krishnan and Vincent Tan. Ananda owed me for my services in getting him control of Inchcape Malaysia and Vincent Tan in the privatisation of Sports Toto.
I have sent countless letters, e-mails and also used the services of debt collectors. I have also sought the services of eminent personalities who are close to these two businessmen. I have also repeatedly tried to meet them but it was unfortunate that I was unable to have a face-to-face meeting with them; plain and simple they refused to see me.
They know that they owe me for what I had done for them and that is the reason why they have not taken me to court to answer the charges that I had levelled against them, especially in my book. The stark and plain details are clearly stated in it. Vincent Tan had the books removed from the shelves of Borders which he operates in Malaysia when he learnt that the international book chain had stocks of it.
I also met up with friends who were involved in the privatisation of Sports Toto, especially Ahmad Sebi, a former influential editor and close confidant of former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin and also Vincent Tan, and he wondered why Vincent Tan had not offered me a listed company like how he had taken care of him for the services he rendered. I thought then that Vincent Tan would rather offer me what he had promised about the shares in Sports Toto rather than handing me a listed company that he had no more interest in.
I also believed that he was deferring the transfer of the shares to me until Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad relinquished the post of prime minister and I was prepared to wait patiently for that day.
I based this belief on what he told me at our meeting at the then-Ming Court Hotel, where he said that we should not embarrass Dr Mahathir by appointing me as a director of Sports Toto. He asked me instead to name a proxy as a director. I chose a close buddy and a virtual unknown, Shuib Yaacob, who was then appointed as a director of Sports Toto.
But after the retirement of Dr Mahathir, Vincent simply kept mum on his promise of allotting 15 per cent of the shares of Sports Toto to me. This promise was made when we had the discussion at Ming Court Hotel.
I had at some point before when I was chairman of South Pacific Textile (later renamed Berjaya Textiles) informed Dr Mahathir about some unethical business practices of Vincent. One such practice was to rescind board decisions that displeased him. He did this by calling emergency board meetings and had resolutions approved the way he wanted them.
Thus he felt that my action in revealing this kind of unethical business practices would harm his cordial relationship with Dr Mahathir. He in fact demanded that I should absolve him and not report his bad practices so that his relationship with Dr Mahathir would not be affected.
He was also angry that I related in my book the sequence, details and the personalities involved in the quest to privatise Sports Toto to him. It was a gigantic task, something thought impossible at that time but I made that possible 
He has forgotten the time when he kept disturbing me in the middle of the night about the urgency in this privatisation exercise. He always called me at unearthly hours to go and have discussions with him at the Raintree Club. He also forgot that it was I who told him to follow me to Rome to meet Dr Mahathir to sound out the prospect of having Sports Toto privatised.
He also seems to have forgotten the advice that I gave concerning the content of the proposal for this privatisation: “In no way must there be mention of gain in this exercise. The gain should only be on the side of the government.”
He also seems to have forgotten the reason why I told him to rope in Ahmad Sebi. Ahmad Sebi was very close to Daim Zainuddin who was then the minister of finance. It would be Daim who would recommend to the prime minister as to who should get Sports Toto.
I might not have been involved in the nuts and bolts of preparing the proposal but I was the ideas man and initiator in this project. I first thought of it and actively canvassed for it to be privatised. Without my initial input Sports Toto would not have gone Vincent’s way. How he has forgotten this and how he has gone on to renege on his promise to allocate 15 per cent of the shares of Sports Toto to me. I have vigorously pursued what rightly belongs to me and I will not rest till justice is done and the promised shares are allotted to me. It was a gentleman’s agreement and I had then thought Vincent was a man of his word although many had forewarned me to have everything in black and white and in proper legal terms.
It is always the case, as many have since pointed out. I was indispensable and highly needed and appreciated during the early stages of the proposal but when it came to the final and closing stages and once it was locked in , I was left to drift and had to beg and plead for what was promised and am still pleading that it be honoured. Vincent and I had worked on this privatisation proposal day and night to ensure that this was the the only proposal acceptable by the government. Unfortunately, when the privatisation proposal was accepted by the government those runners responsible for the ultimate decision became his blue-eyed boys and given the perks. I was completely left out but I held onto the belief that he would fulfil his promise once Dr Mahathir had stepped down from office. But he felt that he could conveniently push me aside without having to honour his words.
But that will not be, and so long as I have some iota of energy I will fight for what I believe is a just cause. I am still waging what I term as a fight to ensure that I am given what is rightly due to me.
Many have said that Vincent has no conscience .It is the fasting month and I am bringing out this matter afresh hoping that Vincent, for all his wealth and the head start he had as a result of the Sport Toto licence, will honour his pledge to me and settle the sums due to me. Until then I will not rest and I will resort to other more drastic measures to let the world know how I have been shortchanged.
* Ahmad Mustapha Hassan is the author of “The Unmaking of Malaysia”.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or the publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

Anwar Loses Bid to Strike Out Sodomy 2


By FMT Staff
FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has dismissed an application by Anwar Ibrahim to strike out the sodomy charge against him.
The court ruled that the alleged affair between the main witness and a deputy public prosecutor would not affect the direction of the case.
Anwar had sought to dismiss the charge following claims of an affair between Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and DPP Farah Azlina Latif.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah said there was no proof of the defence argument that Mohd Saiful could have been passed confidential trial information by Farah.

He accepted the prosecution's argument that Farah was a junior member of the team, a note-taker who had no access to sensitive information that could undermine the trial process.

"She has no control over the directions of the prosecution and in the handling of the witnesses," Mohamad Zabidin said.

"(Therefore it) did not affect the prosecution to the extent that it compromised the integrity and the conduct of the trial."
Mohamad Zabidin also rejected an application by Anwar's lawyers for a stay of proceedings pending their appeal against this morning's decision.

The judge ordered the lawyers to be ready to continue with the trial today. However Anwar's lawyers have sought adjournment until this afternoon - which was granted- to make a formal stay application.
DPP dropped from the case
Anwar has applied to strike out his sodomy charge on the ground that the integrity and impartiality of the entire prosecution team had been compromised as the result of the affair allegation.

Anwar's lawyers had argued that the sodomy trial had been compromised as a result of the relationship. They claimed that Mohd Saiful could have had access to the details of the prosecution's strategy as well as to notes from other witnesses.

The prosecution however claimed that Farah was just a note-taker in the prosecution team and had no access to legal documents and other sensitive material. They also said that the alleged affair would not have any bearing to the prosecution. She had since been dropped from the prosecution team.

Both Mohd Saiful and Farah have not said anything publicly about the alleged relationship.

Anwar, 63, had claimed trial to sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful, 25, at Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

CIMB Pay and Perks for Directors

For financial year ended 31 December 2009, CIMB Group paid out RM21,323,000 as total directors remuneration, with RM16,124,000 for 2 executive directors.
By Lee Wee Tak
Last month, my blog post here elicited this comment

Anonymous said...

I am no fan of this banker, but in order to be objective one should compare with similar positions in other banks as well

I think you have missed the point then. Comparison of the share option price vs the ESOS and what a 3rd party had to pay was clear enough....and anony #3 eloquently added on to it. No matter, benchmarking is what you seek and benchmarking is what you'll get. I already have the annual accounts of Maybank and CIMB when I wrote the first piece.

For financial year ended 31 December 2009, CIMB Group paid out RM21,323,000 as total directors remuneration, with RM16,124,000 for 2 executive directors


A staggering RM14,500,000 was paid to Nazir alone, which represented 68% of the total remuneration of all directors, or 90% of the total executive directors' remuneration.

In addition, he held 27,463,261 ordinary shares as at 31 December 2009 (the next highest director shareholding was Md Nor Md Yusuf at 400,000 shares) with interim and final dividend of RM0.25 for financial year ended 31 December 2009, there was another RM6,865,815 dividend for him; more than 4 times the total remuneration for the year of the other executive director, Mohd Shukri Husin.


Maybank Berhad has been around longer than CIMB and one of the leading banks in Malaysia.

Total profit before tax and zakat for CIMB for financial year ended 31 December 2009 was RM3,811,877,000 and total revenue, broken down as follows:

Interest income 10,539,770,000 ; income from Islamic banking operations 807,060,000; Non-interest income 3,793,557,000 making it a grand total of RM15,140,387,000

By comparison, Maybank has a larger revenue base was RM17,586,337,000 with profit before tax and zakat of RM1,674,292,000; lower than CIMB due to impairment losses on associates & goodwill of RM1,972,585,000

With a larger revenue base, yet total directors' remuneration was merely RM8,647,000; less than half of CIMB.
Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2010/08/employment-benefit-that-is-worth-your.html

Lagi Hutang FELDA

KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Ogos: Tindakan Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan atau singkatannya Felda yang didakwa mendapatkan pinjaman RM3 bilion ringgit dari Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) menimbulkan keraguan apakah benar kedudukan kewangan badan berkanun itu stabil.

Bukan sahaja ia berhutang kepada Kerajaan, bahkan Felda didakwa turut berhutang dan tidak mampu membayar kontraktor-kontraktor yang dilantik untuk menguruskan tanah perladangan.

Bekas Timbalan Menteri Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong berkata Felda perlu menjelaskan mengapa ia tidak melunaskan pinjaman-pinjaman itu jika benar status kewangan Felda kukuh.

"Baru-baru ini mulanya 3 tahun konsep Felda Global yang Perdana Menteri Najib Abdul Razak impikan.Peruntukkan yang sudah diguna ialah sebanyak RM3 billion termasuk wang pinjaman dari Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja. Kalau Felda banyak wang kenapa perlu atau terpaksa pinjam dari KWSP?" soal Dr Tan sebagaimana dilaporkan laman web TvSelangor.com.

Kerajaan sebelum ini membidas dakwaan bahawa Felda diancam kemuflisan. Kerajaan bagaimanapun akui bahawa rizab tunai Felda susut daripada RM4.08 bilion pada tahun 2004 kepada hanya RM 1.35 bilion pada 2009.

"Banyak kontraktor dan subkontraktor yang buat kerja untuk Felda, dalam terdapat aduan bahawa Felda telah berhutang sebanyak RM300 juta kepada kontraktor. Sudah 8 bulan berlalu tetapi 8 sen pun tak dibayar. Kalau Felda ada banyak wang saya minta pihak felda dan pengerusi Najib sila jawab," kata Dr Tan.

Sementara itu, Naib Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sivarasa Rasiah mencabar Pengerusi Felda Tan Sri Mohd Yusof Nor mendedahkan pendapatannya selaku pengerusi badan itu.

Sivarasa berkata ada dakwaan yang mengatakan bahawa pendapatan Mohd Yusof mencecah RM2 juta setahun termasuk gaji dan elaun.

"Walaupun ada kemungkinan dakwaan itu dakwaan semata-mata, namun beliau perlu jawab, khususnya kepada peneroka. Sebagai pengerusi Felda, tentu sekali pendapatannya tinggi," ujar Sivarasa.

Baru-baru ini lebih 700 peneroka dari dua penempatan Felda di Negeri Sembilan menyaman Felda sebanyak RM200 juta atas dakwaan penipuan yang telah berlaku selama 15 tahun.
Harakahdaily

MCA or DAP

There is another issue hotly debated by the political community lately. It’s the issue of DAP and MCA, both are Chinese dominated party even though DAP is actually meant for multiracial members and participation.

Both are legally registered political parties under the Act of Law and there is nothing illegal or immoral to be a member and supporter of any of those parties.

Historically the only Chinese dominated party which could work with the Malays (though UMNO)has been MCA the party which has been the strongest partner in the BN coalition. DAP is the party formed in late sixties and its multiracial party which is dominated by Chinese.

It’s only the politicking part of the politics that suggest each other as bad party and leaders. Historically MCA was made to contest in Chinese dominated constituencies during the PERIKATAN rule, but when the Chinese withdrew support from PERIKATAN in the 1969 GE, MCA was thought to be a defunct.

The Chinese went in the open in support of DAP and a newly registered Gerakkan formed by Syed Hussein Al-Atas.The Malays in the hinterland supported PAS and many UMNO stalwarts were defeated including Dr Mahathir Mohammad who lost in Kota Setar to the PAS spiritual leader Yusuf Rawa by around 1000 votes.

But after the MAGERAN administration in 1974, the birth of BN gave MCA another lease of strength. From then on MCA top leaders were sent out to be candidates since 1974 GE in Malay dominated constituencies as they were not confident of regaining the Chinese support.

From then on we saw MCA leaders contesting in Labis, Segamat, Bakri, Hulu Selangor,Alor Setar and many other constituencies. The idea of sending senior MCA leaders to contest in the Malay dominated areas was to ensure that there would be Chinese participation in the government. All the solid Chinese dominated constituencies were subjugated over by DAP.

In essence MCA was and is still depending on the Malay votes in order to keep the party to be seen as of consequence within the BN coalition.

Now let us see which party; MCA or DAP that is going to secure the support of the voters. MCA lost many seats in the last GE and was left with only 15 in Parliament. It is too telling that MCA is suffering the same fate with its senior brother UMNO.

The idea of MCA of pulling the support of the Malays goes flat as the Malays who massively voted against UMNO are also turning their back from MCA. The issue of moral and corruption against MCA is as serious as UMNO is facing. The PKFZ issue was the main issue that got MCA into trouble, and that is the issue which surrounds MCA of late.

The massiveness of corruption committed by MCA leaders in just one project is calculated as 12 billion ringgit and to complete the project would easily top up the cost to 16 billion ringgit.

MCA is now not supported by the Chinese any longer and it has ceased to be the party representing their struggles. DAP appeals the Chinese and with the stronger support of the Malays to PAS and a bit for PKR, DAP also appeals the Malays to some extend.

UMNO and BN will not be able to caste hatred feelings towards the party anymore since the pattern of political thinking of the Malays is changing swiftly. DAP is a better party than MCA to the complaining Malays in any GE as from now on.

To the Malays DAP is more suitable for them to support as the party is multi-racial and the idea of DAP fielding some Malay candidates will attract more Malays to believe in DAP more than MCA.

MCA is now playing racist issue in order to rally the Chinese support and openly showing the Chinese that the party is giving strong pressure all for the benefit of the Chinese.

MCA says, “Give me certain billion and MCA will bring back the Chinese support”. This is the melody that Soi Lek and his team sing day in and night out.

Just weeks ago MCA hit Perkasa, PERKASA chauvinistic, racist, credulous and many other superlatives labeled on Ibrahim Ali and PERKASA. MCA is now burning feeling of hatred towards it own UMNO big brothers.

MCA is blaming UMNO for the dismal performance of BN in the last GE and many quarters in MCA are thinking to detach the party from BN is order to retake the support of the Chinese from DAP.

I personally foresee that there will be some kind of shift of political equation with the current political ambiance. The ‘hijrah’ or change is seemingly eminent and that is natural phenomenon in any nation that desires a change in its political outlook.

Politics is management of human psychology and building of acceptable perception of the public is of prime significance. Nobody can tell how UMNO and BN is going to take position.

When UMNO was facing the same experience just after 1969, the party was still impregnated with dignified leaders who could call any leader, both from the opposition and the government bench to sit on negotiating tables and subsequently gave birth to BN. Two main opposition parties, PAS and Gerakkan were brought in the coalition and went through the 1974 GE with one symbol.

The strength of BN was untouchable and the strength was evidently captivated around the dignity and stateliness of leaders of all races in the coalition.

But all those glories are already oblivious as the succeeding leaders of BN especially MCA and UMNO did not handle and keep the mantle well. Some top leaders were starting to build up wealth for themselves and that culture slowly but surely became cancerous and the aches are now felt by concerned citizen.

UMNO was set up with nationalistic flavor but leaders of those periods until today have change the party to ‘taukeh’ flavor like MCA and the Chinese. There is no more nationalistic element in UMNO and the party slowly became exclusive club of the rich and the famous.

UMNO and MCA are rapidly deteriorating in support. Malays are looking at PAS as the main alternative party to support. Many professionals are joining or at least support the party purely for the survival of their generation.

The Chinese are looking at DAP as their political survival and they have no qualms of dumping MCA for their good own sake. Realizing the situation they (MCA) are very jittery and in their effort to gain the Chinese support MCA came out with statements and calls that irritate the Malays and UMNO. Some sounded chauvinistic and that is the actual attribute of MCA and this was only known by insiders among leaders of the components.

DAP is in convenient position as the Chinese are with them. The party is slowly gaining the Malay support as the tolerance of the Malays on the have evaporated.

DAP is also gaining the Malays to support as they intend to field in quite a number of Malay candidate in the coming GE. Fielding Malay candidates is not new. Fadzlan Yahya won the Pasir Badamar state constituency in Perak for 3 terms. Haji Asri is a pensioner with the Perak State Assembly when he was a 2-term State Assemblyman in Perak too.

The late Ahmad Nor won a parliamentary seat from Penang with DAP ticket. Hence putting up Malay candidates in the coming GE can actualize the party’s struggle for multi-racial participation of DAP. This move would certainly add up a reasonable percentage of support from the Malays for the party. AND it is not politically immoral for the Malays to support DAP with the latest intended arrangement. AND that is more 1Malaysia in actuality.

Apart from direct Malay support for DAP the party will also gain the support from the Malays via PAS and PKR, the other party members of PR. AND there will be a huge numbers of votes which will come from the disgruntled UMNO Malays in the ballot boxes.

Look at what has MCA decided in its just concluded Economic Congress. Just read the report on it which is widely debated and reported. It is nauseating.
Aspen Alias

Apa Nilai Maruah Peneroka FELDA?

http://episodeperjuangan.blogspot.com/   
1. Setelah masyarakat peneroka bangkit menuntut hak yang diperah oleh Felda selama ini sehingga peneroka bukan sahaja berani membawa kes tuntutan mereka ke mahkamah , bahkan mereka telah menang beberapa kes tuntutan terhadap Felda seperti di Felda Kemahang.
2. Felda juga berdepan dengan tuntutan hak RM 80 juta oleh pihak peneroka Felda di Moakil Labis . Saya mendapat maklumat akan ada beberapa daerah lagi selepas ini , peneroka Felda akan menfailkan tuntutan hak mereka setelah sekian lama keringat mereka diperah secara salah oleh pihak Felda .
3. Hak penempatan generasi kedua Felda mari belum diurus dan diselesaikan dengan baik termasuk layanan wajar belum diberikan kepada peneroka yang tidak menyerahkan pengurusan tanam semula ladang sawit mereka kepada Felda . Peneroka yang tanam sendiri ladang mereka [ kerana tidak mahu lagi membelenggu diri dengan hutang baru setelah hutang lama memakan masa berpuluh tahun untuk diselesaikan ] seperti dianak tirikan .
4. Sejak sekian lama Felda berniaga dan membuat untung ratusan juta ringgit di atas keringat peneroka yang membanting tulang di ladang - ladang mereka tanpa mereka pula mendapat pulangan yang sewajarnya , malah hidup dibelenggu hutang yang dipaksa oleh Felda ke atas mereka , kini menyaksikan kebangkitan peneroka Felda dan generasi keduanya .
5. Gusar terhadap perkembangan ini , kerajaan pimpinan YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak mengisytiharkan penganugerahan "gula - gula" raya sebanyak RM 350 kepada peneroka yang bersama Felda dan RM 150 kepada peneroka yang tidak bersama Felda .
6. Inilah kali pertama sebagai generasi kedua Felda setelah menetap di Felda sejak tahun 1979 saya mendengar ada 2 kategori peneroka iaitu peneroka yang bersama Felda dan peneroka yang tidak bersama Felda . Sebahagian peneroka menjadi anak emas mereka lalu dapat gula - gula besar bernilai RM 350 dan peneroka yang menjadi anak tiri mereka hanya mendapat gula - gula kecil bernilai RM 150 .
7. Sampai bila mereka mahu membiarkan peneroka - peneroka ini "rongak gigi" memakan gula - gula setiap kali menjelang musim dekat pilihanraya . Peneroka di alam "kanak - kanak" dulu bolehlah disuakan gula - gula agar mereka berhenti menangis dan menjerit . Kini peneroka sudah dewasa dan matang . Mereka mula nampak hak mereka yang diragut malah menyedari bahawa hak mereka tidak sekadar berjumlah RM 350 atau RM 150 .
8. Saya menganggap pemberian gula - gula ini bukan hadiah Felda atau kerajaan sempenan hariraya tetapi satu penghinaan Felda atau kerajaan kepada rakyat menjelang hari raya dan pilihanraya .
9. RM 350 erti tidak sampai RM 1 satu hari untuk tempoh setahun . Bagaimana untuk sekian lama tempoh peneroka ditindas dan dinafikan hak mereka ? Hari ini , anak - anak kita nak pergi ke sekolah , kalau hanya diberi RM 0.50 akan membuatkan si anak bermasam muka , kerana memikirkan apalah yang boleh dibeli olehnya dengan wang sebanyak RM 0.50 sehari kecuali air masak sejuk .
10. Kali ini Felda pula cuba membuatkan penerokanya bermasam muka dengan gula - gula bernilai RM 350 yang entah untuk tempoh berapa tahun ? Peneroka sendiri tentunya tahu berapa nilai maruah mereka , malah saya yakin peneroka juga tahu bagaimana mahu mempertahankan maruah mereka . Apa yang pasti , Maruah peneroka Felda bukan sekadar RM 350 .........
Ustaz Nasrudin Hassan at Tantawi,
Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat.

Cerdik kah Kita?

Abdul Aziz Mustafa   
KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Ogos: Naib Presiden PAS, Datuk Mahfuz Omar mempersoalkan adakah Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah) boleh dianggap cerdik dan amanah apabila berbelanja lebih RM10 bilion untuk menguasai Parkway Holdings Ltd (Parkway).
Akhbar tempatan melaporkan kononnya pesaing Khazanah, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, "mengaku kalah" selepas Khazanah menaikkan harga tawaran untuk mengambil alih Parkway, sekali gus muncul sebagai pembida tunggal utama.
Sedangkan, urusniaga itu memberikan keuntungan sebanyak S$116.7 juta atau kira-kira RM272.0 juta kepada dua beradik yang menguasai Fortis, iaitu Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh.
Kesemuanya, Khazanah telah berbelanja lebih RM10 bilion untuk menguasai Parkway.
Parkway Holdings Limited adalah syarikat penjagaan kesihatan yang disenaraikan di Singapore Stock Exchange. Syarikat itu menguruskan 16 hospital dengan lebih 3,400 katil di Asia.
Mahfuz mempersoalkan, dengan modal RM10 bilion itu, berapa pulangan boleh dapat setahun.
"Adakah ini pelaburan yang baik dan beramanah kepada rakyat Malaysia? Duit mereka telah dibelanjakan lebih RM10 bilion oleh Khazanah kononnya untuk menguasai Parkway termasuk memberi durian runtuh RM272.0 juta kepada dua beradik yang kononnya mengaku kalah itu.
"Adakah Parkway boleh bayar dividen 10 peratus setahun?" Ahli Parlimen Pokok Sena itu mempersoalkan.
Mahfuz berkata, lebih baik RM10 bilion itu digunakan untuk beli emas kerana harga emas ada peluang naik 30 peratus dalam tiga tahun.
Beliau tidak yakin pelaburan Khazanah itu adalah pelaburan yang baik kerana umum mengetahui bahawa kekuatan negara kita adalah dalam sektor elektronik, elektrikal, teknologi maklumat, minyak dan gas serta komoditi seperti kelapa sawit, koko, getah dan balak.
"Jika kita mengeksport barangan tersebut dan kita dapat dolar hasil dari jualannya, munasabahlah kalau kita laburkan RM10 bilion dalam bidang yang kita ada kemahiran," kata Mahfuz.
Lebih dari itu, katanya lagi, kita boleh mengadakan usahasama dengan syarikat-syarikat multinasional yang memang cekap dalam bidang-bidang tersebut.
"Contohnya dengan kekuatan komoditi yang kita ada, kita adakan usahasama dalam bidang makanan halal dengan Nestle," katanya.
Mahfuz juga mempersoalkan limpahan ekonomi yang dapat dimanfaatkan oleh rakyat Malaysia dengan pelaburan RM10 bilion itu.
"Berapa orang rakyat Malaysia dapat pekerjaan? Berapa industri kecil dan sederhana Malaysia yang dapat jadi vendor? Adakah jawapannya kosong?" beliau mempersoalkan.
Sedangkan, katanya, kalau RM10 bilion dilaburkan untuk mengadakan usahasama dengan syarikat multinasional untuk membuka kilang elektronik misalnya, lima kilang elektronik mungkin boleh diwujudkan dengan anggaran 2,000 orang boleh mendapatkan pekerjaan bagi setiap kilang.
Kalau buka kilang petrokimia pula, katanya lagi, tiga kilang mungkin boleh dibuka dengan RM10 bilion itu dengan anggaran 3,000 orang boleh mendapatkan pekerjaan bagi setiap kilang.
"Pelaburan dalam Parkway itu ternyata mengakibatkan kerugian peluang atau opportunity loss kepada rakyat Malaysia," katanya.
Ketika diminta mengulas tentang semakin tersebarnya tuduhan dungu terhadap Pengarah Urusan Khazanah, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Mahfuz hanya sekadar bertanya: "Adakah itu bermakna (Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) adalah bapa segala dungu kerana beliau adalah Pengerusi Lembaga Pengarah Khazanah?"
Harakahdaily

Ramadan

Ramadan – The Month of Virtues and Blessings

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It is noteworthy that the month of Ramadan is a blessed month and an opportunity for every Muslim to draw near to Allah, increase his morality and spirituality and to gain abundant reward. In this regard, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council ofNorth America, states: Almighty Allah says, (Your Lord does create and choose as He pleases …) (Al-Qasas 28: 68) Allah is the Creator of everything visible and invisible. Everything in the heaven and earth belongs to Him and serves Him. Allah is also the Creator of time and space. As Allah chose some persons to be His Prophets and Messengers, and as He chose some places to become the sacred spots on this earth, similarly He also chose some time to become the sacred time. The sacred personalities teach us about Allah, His will, His rules and commands. The sacred places and times remind us about Allah’s special favors and blessings. In Islam we worship only Allah. We neither worship any person other than Allah, not any space or time. But certain spaces and times inspire us and motivate us to do good things. One of those important and sacred moments for us is Ramadan. It is a special month and a special time. Allah says in the Qur’an: (The month of Ramadan is that in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, with clear signs for guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed quite near: I listen and answer the call of every caller when he calls Me. Let them listen to My call, and believe in Me; so that they may be guided aright.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 185-186) The blessed month of Ramadan is a great time and a beautiful time as well. We thank Allah that He is giving us another occasion to witness this blessed time in our life. May He help us to benefit from this season of virtues and blessings and may He grant us His love, mercy and forgiveness now and forever, Ameen. Ramadan is a great month. This is the month of the Qur’an, and in this month is the Night of Qadr, which is better than one thousand months. Allah chose this month and a particular night in this month to grace humanity with His Final Testament, His Last Message, the Qur’an. The moment of this revelation became a sacred moment, and that time and month became an eternal time for us. Allah chose this time, and He has filled it with His countless blessings. In this month we have a greater urge and desire to do good deeds. This month becomes the month of virtues and blessings for us. This is the month about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the first night of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious jinns are put in chains and the doors of hell are closed, none of them remains open. The doors of heaven are open and none of them remains closed. And a caller calls, ‘O seeker of goodness, come forward, and O seeker of evil, desist. And Allah has many (in this month) who will be freed from Hell.’ This announcement is made every night.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 618) Ramadan is meant for our moral and spiritual training and for the purification of our bodies, minds and souls. This is an annual training program for all believers. It is a special time to get closer to Allah and to seek His blessings and bounties. It is a time to learn taqwa (God-fearing), piety, self-discipline and patience. It is a time to give more charity and become more generous. It is a time to seek Allah’s forgiveness and to forgive each other. It is a time to be thankful to Allah for His gifts and bounties and especially His gift of iman. I urge you, my brothers and sisters, do not miss any day of fasting and do not miss any moment of the blessed month of Ramadan. This is a very precious time and Allah will give us many benefits if we use it in the proper way. Let us keep the following things in our mind when we observe this month: 1. Intention: Remind yourself again and again that you are fasting in obedience to Allah. Be sincere in your intention. You want Allah to accept your fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeking Allah’s reward, all his past sins are forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 37) 2. Sunnah: Observe the Sunnah in fasting. Take the suhur meal a little before dawn and end your fast at sunset. As much as you can, try to fast as much like the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted. There was no prayer better than his prayer and no fast better than his fast. Try to follow his way of fasting. That is the most acceptable way of fasting to Allah. 3. Wara` (Avoiding everything haram or makruh): Keep your body and mind very clean. Fasting is not just avoiding food and drink. Fasting is to learn how to avoid bad words and bad deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever does not leave bad words and bad actions, Allah does not care if he leaves his food and drink.” (Al-Tirmidhi 641) 4. Qur’an: Fasting and revelation are inter-connected. Prophet Musa fasted when he received the Torah. Prophet `Isa fasted when he received the Gospel. Prophet Muhammad fasted when he received the first message of the Qur’an. Let us do the same thing. You must fast and spend more time with the Qur’an. Read the Qur’an every day. Try to finish at least one time the whole Qur’an during this month by your own personal reading. 5. Prayer or Salah, Du`a’ and Dhikr: Pray on time and observe all the prayers. Do not ignore the Tarawih or Ramadan night prayers. Make more extra and voluntary prayers. Do as much worship as you can. Do more dhikr (remembering Allah) and du`a’ (supplication) for yourself and for others. Repent and seek forgiveness for yourself and for others as much as you can. This is the best time for devotion and seeking Allah’s forgiveness. Seek the Night of Qadr by special devotion during the last ten nights of this month. 6. Zakah, Sadaqah and Generosity: Ramadan generates the spirit of giving and sacrifice. When we deprive ourselves of food and drink we understand and realize well what it means to be hungry and thirsty. We realize the pain of those who cannot find the basic necessities of life. Be very charitable and generous. Give more to help the poor and needy. Contribute generously to useful social and community projects. 7. Family: Goodness must begin at home. Be very good to your family, immediate family and the extended family. Spend more time and quality time with your family members. Try to have suhur (pre-dawn meal) together. Break your fast together and pray together as much as you can. Do this more at this time. Ramadan should bring you closer to each other. Allah’s special mercy comes on the families that are united, harmonious and peaceful. 8. Good Conduct: Fasting should transform you and should make you a different person. Try to be extra kind and courteous during this month. Forget your quarrels and disputes. Reconcile and forgive. Do not get involved in backbiting, lying, cheating and anything that is wrong. Be very good to Muslims and to all human beings. Be good to your friends and neighbors. Let your non-Muslim neighbors and co-workers know that this is your blessed and sacred time. 9. Tafakkur (reflection): Think, reflect and plan to improve the moral and spiritual condition of your own self and your family. Think about any wrong things and sins you might be doing and decide to correct yourself. Think about any deficiencies you have in your Islamic observances. Plan to change yourself. Think what you can do for the Ummah and for humanity to make this world a better place for everyone. Think about the life after death and the Day of Judgment. 10. Be cheerful and happy: Ramadan is not a time of mourning or sadness. It is a time of thankfulness to Allah. In a Hadith it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When you fast, anoint yourself. Let not the signs of fast be seen on you.” (Al-Bukahri, Al-Adab al-Mufrad) Do not feel tired and miserable. Feel alert and relax. Take things easy. This time is for your own good. Give the greetings of Ramadan to each other and enjoy this beautiful time. It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave a sermon about Ramadan to a gathering that met towards the end of Sha`ban. He said: “O People, a great and a blessed month is approaching you. In this month, there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Allah has made fasting obligatory and prayers at night commendable during this month. Whosoever will do a voluntary good deed during this month, it is as if he performed an obligatory good deed at another time and whosoever will perform an obligatory good deed, it is as if he performed seventy obligatory good deeds at another time. This is the month of patience and the reward of patience is Paradise. This is the month of kindness. In this month the believer’s provision is increased. Whosoever will give food to a fasting person in this month, it will bring forgiveness for his sins, will save him from the hellfire and he shall have his reward while the fasting person will not lose any of his reward.” (As-Suyuti, Ad-Durr al-Manthur) - Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi

Malaysians Don't Trust Mainstream Media

August 14, 2010

Mainstream Media: 60% of Malaysians don’t trust you

by Adib Zalkapli@www.themalaysianinsider.com

Misleading the Malays and inflaming their hate for the Other
Six out of 10 Malaysians don’t trust the mainstream media while only one out of five has access to online news, according to a synopsis of a recent survey here.
The June 27 to July 25 Merdeka Center survey commissioned by a research organisation showed that 57 per cent of Malays polled said they did not trust reports in the mainstream media, while 33 per cent trusted the media and 10 per cent said they did not know.
As for the Chinese community, 58 per cent said they did not trust the mainstream media, 30 per cent trusted and 12 per cent did not know.
A total 590 Chinese and 413 Malays as well as five focus group discussions with Chinese voters in Peninsula Malaysia were involved in the survey.
The findings will provide sober reading for many mainstream media organisations. Recent circulation figures show that English and Malay-language newspapers like New Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia have all suffered significant drop in circulation this year compared to 2009, with some as severe as 20 per cent.
Privately, newspaper executives note that partisan political coverage has hurt sales.The survey results also showed that access to the alternative media remained low with 80 per cent of the respondents said newspapers were still their main source of information.
Only 21 per cent of those surveyed had read the news on the Internet over the past one month but most were found reading the online version of the mainstream media.
The majority of the respondents also said that they did not have a strong trust in the alternative media although many agreed that they are more trustworthy.
Comments from the focus group discussions also showed that many felt that there is limited media freedom in the country because of the practice of censorship. Some participants in the focus groups also pointed out that Malay-language newspapers were the most biased.
Two political scientists said the survey results were not entirely unexpected.“This is probably the group that has not registered as voters or are not bothered with what is happening in the country,” said political scientist Dr Sivamurugan Pandian when asked about the survey results.
“Or maybe because of the high expectation after 2008, they might have become fence-sitters,” he told The Malaysian Insider. “And it could be also there has been too much politicking, that people are getting tired of them,” he added.
Sivamurugan explained that the failure of both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties to explain their political agenda could have resulted in the outcome.
UKM’s Dr Agus Yusoff agreed, saying that ownership of media alone would not guarantee the success of the political parties.“In managing information, managing media, the messages, both sides would have to work harder now,” Agus told The Malaysian Insider.
“If they go on spinning, sensationalising issues they will be drowned,” said the political scientist. “Information is just a click away, whether it is mainstream media or the Internet people do not believe everything they read. They know how to judge,” he added.

NEP Deviated

August 14, 2010

Nazir Razak :NEP deviated from Its Original Purpose

by Regina Lee@www.malaysiakini.com

To be sure, Banker and Economist, Nazir Razak has been  brave and consistent with regard to his opinion that the NEP needs reform. But the big question is whether his brother, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, has the political will to push through the reform – especially with Mahathir/PERKASA looking over his shoulders.

Najib must take risks, if he is to be regarded as a true Malaysian leader. If he shows resolve in the pursuit of reforms (and IMF urges him on), then Malaysians will rally round and support him. We do not  want business as usual stuff anymore. Let us bury Mahathirism (crony capitalism) for  good.”–Din Merican

In the harshest rebuke yet of the abuse of the New Economic Policy (NEP), CIMB Group CEO Nazir Abdul Razak described the NEP as having been bastardised by deviating from its original purpose.
nazir razak“I have strong opinions about how the NEP has been bastardised over the years,” he said in a question-and-answer session after delivering a talk at the Chinese Economic Congress this afternoon.
According to Nazir (right), while the NEP has come a long way from the social engineering experiment originally aimed at eradicating poverty, the policy has since appeared to enrich small pockets of people.
“At that time, no one knew what the outcome would be. It was a social engineering experiment that no one had ever done before in any country. So they gave it 20 years. And they felt that after 1969, they had to give it a try.
“But now it is so embedded in everything that we do – in every part of the government, in every part of businesses – that it has become a problem.
“And today, every time I mention the NEP, I get blasted,” lamented Nazir, when fielding a question from the floor on his thoughts on the policy.
chinese economic congress 140810 audience“What I don’t understand is giving these people Approved Permits (AP). That should go.
“If you just want a small number of people to make money, might as well just give them money,” said Nazir, was reported to be the highest-paid GLC CEO back in 2007, drawing in an income of RM9.35 million then.
Incidentally, the main architect of the New Economic Policy when it was drawn up in 1971 was Nazir’s own father, the country’s second prime minister  Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.
‘Ignore extremist groups’
Boldly departing from the normal comfort zone, the banker also said that the affirmative action needs a relook.  “Now we need to address what kind of affirmative action we want to have. It is so infused in everything. But we will one day need to confront it one way or another,” said Nazir, who is the younger brother of current PM Najib Razak.
The NEP officially came to an end in 1990, but its policies still continue to this day. Najib has announced a New Economic Model back in March to reform and rebuild the Malaysian economy.
However, details still remain to be made public. Speaking after delivering his luncheon address titled ‘Strength in Diversity, Beyond the Rhetoric’, Nazir also told the mainly Chinese participants to look beyond party calls advocating the rights of their own race.
NONECareful not to name names, he advised the participants to “ignore them” when asked on his stand on such groups.
“We have to accept that in a free and open society, we have to expect extremes. A few noisy people in the corner do not make up the majority or represent the majority.
“We as the majority have the strength to ignore them. Don’t get too caught up with what others are saying, or what they are doing. Don’t waste your time engaging with them,” he said.
Earlier, Nazir also pointed out that he is a descendant of an immigrant family. “I told Tan Siok Choo (grand-daughter of one of MCA’s founding members Tan Cheng Lock) that her family came to this country earlier than my family,” he said in between chuckles.

Ibrahim vs Najib

August 15, 2010

Perkasa issues Najib an Ultimatum

by Hazlan Zakaria @www.malaysiakini.com
Malay rights NGO Perkasa today told PM Najib Abdul Razak that he must do all he can to address the economic woes of Malays, or risk losing their support in the next general election.
“If nothing is done, Malays will react. They might be silent now, but they will show their displeasure at the next general election. The Malays will reject UMNO outright,” PERKASA president Ibrahim Ali told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
He warned that UMNO and the PM would lose the votes of the Malays should the government continue to kowtow to non-Malays and allow the erosion of Malay economic privileges, which he said are enshrined in the federal constitution.
“The Malays are worried by the government’s approach to spurring the economy. And the minister in charge seems to be keen in taking away what remains of Malay and bumiputera wealth,” claimed Ibrahim.
He was responding to the 12 resolutions which the MCA congress came up with yesterday, one of which demanded the reduction of the 30 percent bumiputera equity.
In addressing the Chinese Economic Congress, Najib – who is also finance minister – had given his assurances to the congress that the Foreign Investments Committee (FIC), which monitors the application of the 30 percent bumiputera equity policy, will soon be dismantled. Najib also said he would welcome more Chinese involvement in Malaysia’s economic development.
Striking a raw nerve
Both statements struck a raw nerve with Perkasa, which has been championing for Malays to be given a greater economic stake.
“I condemn and censure the demands by the congress to reduce the bumiputera 30 percent equity and for more non-Malays to be appointed into government-linked companies.”
The Pasir Mas parliamentarian argued that not many Malays are directors or are employed by the non-Malay cartels which have been given special considerations by the government, such as Robert Kuok’s sugar empire or independent power producer YTL.
As such, Ibrahim said he believes the 30 percent equity and positions reserved for Malays in GLCs are vital to ensure they have their share of the nation’s wealth.
“The Malays and bumiputeras do not want to be given only table scraps. We also want the main course of the economic stake,” said the veteran politician.
Malays, Ibrahim stressed, are no longer satisfied by mere pittance such as the occasional “duit raya”, welfare assistance doled out by the government and even the targeted RM1,500 minimum income for bumiputeras. These, he said are only “bread and butter” to Malays, who want their lion’s share.
Nazir the ‘Chinese’ hero’
Ibrahim also hit out at the PM’s brother and CIMB head Nazir Abdul Razak  for claiming that the New Economic Policy (NEP) had been ‘bastardized‘ to enrich the few.
“Nazir is talking nonsense,” snapped Ibrahim. He added that Nazir is far from qualified to make such an assessment on this or on other economic matters.
“Even if he is a banker, he is new. And we have to ask how he got to where he is today. CIMB did not become successful because of him,” Ibrahim sniped.
He added that CIMB was previously Bank Bumiputera, and was helped by state petroleum firm PETRONAS several times before it was able to stand on its own. “Let him be the Chinese hero, but I am fighting for my own race,” said Ibrahim.

PERKASA UGUT UMNO

Perkasa ugut Umno hilang undi Melayu jika layan tuntutan MCA

August 15, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Ogos — Datuk Ibrahim Ali memberi kata dua agar kerajaan tidak melayan tuntutan-tuntutan ‘melampau’ Kongres Ekonomi Cina Malaysia semalam, jika tidak ia akan kehilangan sokongan orang Melayu dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13. “Sekiranya kerajaan meneruskan tuntutan Kongres Ekonomi Cina Malaysia tersebut, maka kepentingan kaum Bumiputera yang digariskan dalam Model Baru Ekonomi (MBE) dan Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10 (RMK-10) akan menjadi retorik semata-mata.
“Sekiranya kerajaan tidak segera memperbetulkan hal ini, saya yakin Umno akan menerima padah pada pilihan raya umum akan datang,” kata Presiden Perkasa itu pada sidang media di sini hari ini.
Kata beliau jika ia berlaku orang-orang Melayu akan menolak kerajaan pimpinan sekarang.
“Mereka melahirkan rasa marah terhadap tindakan kerajaan dalam beberapa perkara terutamanya soal ekonomi orang Melayu.
“Jika tidak mereka akan kehilangan sokongan orang Melayu pada pilihan raya umum akan datang,” katanya.
Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas itu berkata, jika tidak diperbetulkan tidak mustahil kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) akan jadi seperti kata pepatah Melayu “yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong tercicir.”
“Dalam usaha untuk menarik bukan Melayu sokong Barisan Nasional, pengundi-pengundi Melayu akan kecewa dan lari kepada parti lain.
“Ini hakikat yang akan berlaku,” katanya.
Jadi Perdana Menteri dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri perlu bertindak tangani perkara ini, kata Ibrahim yang menubuhkan Perkasa selepas pilihan raya umum ke-12.
Mengulas lanjut, Ibrahim berkata, Perkasa dan Majlis Perundingan Melayu akan mengadakan sidang meja bulat tergempar bagi membincangkan secara terperinci mengenai isu berkenaan.
“Kita akan mengadakan persidangan meja bulat ini pada 29 Ogos bagi membincangkan agenda ekonomi Bumiputera dan 12 perkara yang diluluskan oleh Kongres Ekonomi Cina,” katanya.
Wakil rakyat itu turut kesal dengan kenyataan Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan CIMB,  Datuk Nazir Razak yang akhir-akhir ini banyak keluarkan kenyataan yang menyentuh hal berkaitan ekonomi termasuk orang Melayu.
“Beliau (Nazir) mengatakan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) sebagai “bastardisation”, Apa maksud “bastardisation”?
“Kalau DEB gagal itu soal pelaksanaan tetapi soal matlamat dan cara untuk mencapai tahap 30 peratus dengan mengekalkan tindakan kesungguhan itu mesti diteruskan. Adakah itu juga dianggap “bastardisation”?,” soalnya.
Semalam Nazir mengambarkan DEB sebagai sesuatu yang telah “dipernyataan-haramkan” dan menyimpang daripada tujuan asalnya.
“DEB seolah-olah dilihat seperti dipernyataan-haramkan (bastardisation),” katanya pada sessi soal jawab selepas menyampaikan cermahnya pada Kongres Ekonomi Cina semalam.
Mengenai Permit Import (AP), Ibrahim menyifatkan Nazir tidak memahami matlamat AP yang dikeluarkan kepada Bumiputera.
“Nazir juga mengatakan beliau tidak bersetuju untuk menghapuskan kuota Permit Import (AP) Bumiputera terutamanya dalam bidang permotoran.
“Beliau juga mengatakan ini kerana beliau sendiri tidak ada AP. Saya percaya beliau tidak memahami matlamat AP yang dikeluarkan kepada Bumiputera,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, AP diwujudkan untuk menolong Bumiputera dalam industri permotoran dan automotif di negara ini.
“Ini kerana rangkaian kedai alat ganti dan ejen-ejen dipegang bukan Melayu jadi dengan cara keluarkan AP ia banyak membantu orang Melayu berjaya dalam bidang automotif dan akhirnya hasil daripada kejayaan dilaburkan dalam bidang lain.
“Sepatutnya hak keistimewaan seperti ini patut dikekalkan oleh kerajaan dengan merujuk kepada hak keistimewaan orang Melayu di bawah Fasa 153 Perkara 4 iaitu hak istimewa orang Melayu,” katanya.
Pada sidang media hari ini, Ibrahim mengecam Kongres Ekonomi Cina Malaysia semalam yang menuntut ekuiti bumiputera sebanyak 30 peratus dalam semua sektor ekonomi dikurangkan secara berperingkat.
“Dalam 12 perkara yang dibuat semalam saya bagi pihak Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) mengecam dan mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya termasuk meminta kerajaan supaya mengurangkan ekuiti 30 peratus Bumiputera,” katanya.
Kata Ibrahim, keputusan itu jelas memperlihatkan sikap mereka yang tidak ada akal budi dan berterima kasih kepada orang Melayu dan Bumiputera yang selama ini bertolak ansur begitu rupa atas ikatan yang dinamakan sosio kontrak dalam asas Perlembagaan dan isu ini sangat sensitif kepada orang Melayu.
“Ia amat melampau dan memperlihatkan tamak kerana sasaran 30 peratus yang diminta mewakili 67 peratus majoriti rakyat di negara ini,” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas tindakan Kongres Ekonomi Cina Malaysia yang menuntut hak ekuiti Bumiputera sebanyak 30 peratus dalam semua sektor ekonomi dikurangkan secara berperingkat-peringkat.
Semalam, Kongres Ekonomi Cina Malaysia mahu kerajaan mengamalkan sistem tender terbuka dalam penawaran kontrak kerajaan agar persaingan adil dan tidak berat sebelah dalam bidang perniagaan tempatan dapat dicapai.
Tuntutan itu adalah antara 12 deklarasi yang terkandung dan diluluskan dalam kongres ekonomi yang dirasmikan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak pada sebelah pagi.

PERKASA BANTAH JUAL TANAH STRATEGIK

Perkasa bantah tender terbuka jual tanah strategik kerajaan

August 15, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Ogos — Perkasa menentang cadangan kerajaan untuk menggunakan mekanismes tender terbuka bagi penjualan tanah-tanah strategik dan juga syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC). “Perkasa dengan keras menentang habis-habisan cadangan kerajaan untuk melakukan tender terbuka bagi tanah-tanah strategik kerajaan termasuk GLC.
“Ini kerana ia seolah-olah mahu menghakis sedikit kekayaan ekonomi yang masih dimiliki orang Melayu dan Bumiputera di negara ini,” kata Presiden Perkasa Datuk Ibrahim Ali ketika sidang media hari ini.
Beliau berkata kerajaan perlu mengkaji semula cadangan tersebut supaya ada mekanisme baru walaupun tender terbuka tetapi mesti mengandungi kepentingan orang Melayu dan Bumiputera.
“Seperti yang tercatit dalam muka surat 94 laporan RMK-10, kalau tender terbuka dibuat tanpa mengambil kira kepentingan orang Melayu dan Bumiputera apa akan jadi milik dan aset ekuiti mereka dalam negara ini?
“Ia termasuk tanah-tanah tanah-tanah strategik di kawasan “Segitiga Emas” sekitar KLCC, Langgak Golf dan di mana sahaja tanah strategik serta GLC seperti Percetakan Nasional Berhad, CTRM dan Nine Bio.
“Justeru, saya percaya kalau diteruskan dengan apa yang dicadangkan dalam Model Ekonomi Baru (MEB) dan RMK10 pada muka surat 94 secara tender terbuka saya percaya kepentingan Bumiputera yang dikatakan dalam agenda MEB tidak akan kesampaian dan akan jadi retorik semata-mata,” katanya.
Sehubungan itu, Ibrahim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas turut mencadangkan Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) dan Uda Holding Sdn Bhd turut mengambil kira kepentingan orang Melayu dan Bumiputera dalam memajukan tanah-tanah strategik.
“PNB akan memajukan hartanah di kawasan Stadium Negara dan Stadium Merdeka, jika PNB memajukan tanah ini dengan harga jualan yang terlalu mahal maka orang Melayu pasti tidak akan mampu membelinya maka harta Melayu akan jatuh kepada bukan Melayu.
“Maka PNB diseru ambil kira pertimbangan ini iaitu dalam melaksanakan projek di kawasan stretagik itu harus ambil kira pertimbangan orang Melayu dan akan jejaskan hak 30 peratus ekuiti seperti yang disasarkan,” katanya.
“Selain itu, Uda Holding telah diamanahkan untuk memajukan tapak Penjara Pudu dan kita harap sebahagian besar pemilikan tanah di kawasan itu juga dapat dimiliki oleh orang Melayu,” katanya.
Beliau juga mahu pembangunan di Sungai Buloh, Sungai Besi dan 118 projek lain perlu melibatkan orang Melayu.
“Kita mahu orang Melayu mendapat sebahagian daripada daging bukannya tulang atau kuah yang tiada isi,” katanya.

Chinese Ingratitude

Ibrahim Ali calls Chinese groups ‘ungrateful’, ‘extremists’

August 15, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali described the MCA’s Chinese Economic Congress as “ungrateful” after the congress called for economic liberalisation, adding that the demands showed they are “extremists”. MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek said yesterday that a merit-based and needs-based system would contribute to the path for Malaysia to be globally competitive.
“Perkasa denounces and condemns outright their request for the government to lower the 30 per cent equity for Bumiputera. This shows their ungrateful attitude to the Malay community and Bumiputeras who have compromised and tolerated because of the social contract in our constitution.
“The demands are greedy and extreme because the 30 per cent target asked by the Bumiputera represents 67 per cent of the population,” the Perkasa chief told reporters here.
The Pasir Mas MP questioned the logic behind the congress’s call for government-linked companies (GLCs) to include more non-Bumiputeras and international expertise on their board of directors.
“They also ask that non-Malays are elected in GLCs. I want to ask how many company owned by non-Malay cartel which are given special treatment by the government have elected Malays into their board of directors. I also want to know how many Malay professionals have been appointed into the cartel companies?” he asked
The Malay rights group also rejected the government’s proposal to have open tender for sale of strategic lands and GLCs.
“Perkasa will go against the government proposal to have open tender for strategic land and GLCs. This is because the proposal will chip away from the little economic wealth is still owned by the Malays and the Bumiputeras,” he said.
He added that government must review the proposal and have a mechanism whereby the open tender system will continue to maintain the interests of Malays and the larger Bumiputera community.
Ibrahim said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak must remove the little Napoleons around him.
“The prime minister must quash all the concerns and ensure that there are no Napoleons around him that are attempting to sabotage the Malay and Bumiputera agenda. If the government does not fix all of this then I believe Umno will feel the consequences in the upcoming general election,” he said.
He added that Umno will alienate Malay voters in their attempt to garner support from non-Malays.
“In their efforts to get non-Malays to support Barisan Nasional, Malay voters will get frustrated and run to a different party. This will happen so the prime minister and the deputy prime minister must act on this,” he said.
Perkasa has been a staunch defender of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and has criticized Najb’s New Economic Model (NEM) for neglecting the Malay agenda.
Its director of economic bureau, Dr Zubir Harun, has said that Perkasa is worried that the NEM will have a Chinese agenda and warned that the Chinese community will use the next general election to take over the country.
MI

Ibrahim's Anger

Ibrahim Ali raps Nazir Razak for talking ‘nonsense’ about NEP

August 15, 2010

Ibrahim: If he does not understand why certain group are given AP then he should ask.



















KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali has criticised Datuk Seri Nazir Razak for talking "nonsense" about the New Economic Policy (NEP) — a day after the top banker called for all Malaysians to jointly grow the economic pie. Nazir, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s younger brother, told the MCA Chinese Economic Congress of how NEP-type affirmative action policies had been abused by Malay and Bumiputera businesses.
The CIMB group managing director also spoke about how he felt the Approved Permits (APs) system for cars should be done away with.
“I think Nazir is talking nonsense. If he does not understand why certain group are given AP then he should ask. APs have been given during the era of Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Dr Mahathir.
"This is because the Malays could not break into the automotive industry. That is why we can see Naza is very successful today,” the Perkasa chief told reporters today.
Ibrahim advised Nazir to consult before making any further statements regarding the NEP.
“I would like to advise Nazir that even he is banker, he is still new and consider how he was able to get that position. We must consult when it comes to economic matters especially from the former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He has been the prime minister for 22 years. When our ringgit was attacked in 1997, we did not surrender to the pressure from IMF and World Bank but our economy has recovered,” he said.
The Pasir Mas MP stressed that the APs is important to ensure that Malay community has a stake in the automotive industry.
“I believe Datuk Nazir does not understand the goal of why APs are given to the Bumiputeras. It is to help the Bumiputeras in the automotive industry which is controlled by the non-Malays so with the AP system, it can help the Malays to be successful. From their success, they can invest into other fields,” he said.
However Ibrahim admitted that NEP has failed in terms of implementation but stressed that it must be continued.
“What does he mean by bastardised? If NEP has failed then that is a question of implementation but in terms of goals and ways to achieve the 30 per cent equity by maintaining affirmative action, that must be continued,” he added.
He said that NEP and APs are important for the community to have a continued source of wealth.
“So this special treatment must be maintained in regards to Malay special rights as stated in article 153 of the constitution. We must remember that the Malays are limited in terms of money spinning,” he said.
“For example, we as Malays and Muslims cannot deal with things which are forbidden in Islam. If we see gambling, liquor sales, and entertainment outlets are controlled by the non-Malays and receive billions in one month. We see how the money spin flows but we as Malay and Muslims are not involved. Where is there money spinning to help the Malay community?” he said.
MI