Tuesday, 18 August 2009

Clarification regarding UMNO Candidate for Permatang Pasir By-election, Rohaizat Othman



In response to inquiries from the media, we wish to clarify Rohaizat Othman’s status as an advocate and solicitor.

The Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board struck Rohaizat Othman off the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors on 7 March 2008 after he was found guilty of misconduct. The Disciplinary Board’s decision arose from an investigation into the complaint lodged against Rohaizat Othman by the purchaser of a piece of real property. According to the complaint, Rohaizat Othman failed to refund almost RM 161,000 to the complainant after the transaction was aborted.

Rohaizat Othman appealed against the decision of the Disciplinary Board to the High Court, and the appeal was dismissed on 12 August 2009. He is therefore legally disqualified from practising as an advocate and solicitor.

The finding of misconduct is personal to Rohaizat Othman, as the Disciplinary Board would not hold a lawyer liable for the actions of his/her law partner(s).

George Varughese
Secretary
Malaysian Bar

Gobala Charged used "criminal force"??!!

The Following was a message on Facebook:-
"Simon Tan Chian Heong : Gobala charged with obstructing police."

MalaysiaKini reports that:
"He was charged under Section 353 of the Penal Code for using "criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty"."

Criminal force in deterring the discharge of duty???? - WTF, if i may ask .....

I seriously wonder how, why or when Gobala did such a thing.
In fact, I thought it was exactly the opposite - the police appeared to be obstructing Gobala from being a peaceful public servant, being a cheerleader to his orderly and spirited party supporters. On video, it appears to me that he was being harassed by a platoon of them!
The Police seemed to zero in on him, and he was on the retreat, when he was arrested.
What "OBTRUCTION" are they talking about here???

Let us take a look at who's telling the truth ... after all, videos don't lie.
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Monday, 17 August 2009

BN's Disbarred Candidate!!

Umno fielded 38-year-old Rohaizat Othman, a syariah legal adviser, and he will face Penang PAS commissioner Mohd Salleh Man in Permatang Pasir.
Umno does things to to its image, and they cannot find a better candidate than the "virtuous" and "whiter than white" Rohaizat - a disbarred lawyer!!!!

Lets take a Look at the BN candidate:-
1. Malaysiakini reports that BN candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election Rohaizat Othman, a lawyer, has been blacklisted by the Bar Council.
There is no such thing as "blacklisted", but - Section 94 (2) of the Legal Profession Act, 1976 provides that any “advocate and solicitor who has been guilty of any misconduct shall be liable to be struck off the Roll…” ( quoting Haris Ibrahim)

2. Apparently Khairy said, "He didn't say he's practicing lawyer lah. Said he qualified in law. Now not practicing.He's in the process of sorting out his licence now that the matter has been settled."

Here's the Best part: -
3. http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/147425-rohaizats-offence-a-personal-misconduct-ragunath-says.html

Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan told The Edge Malaysia that the proceedings under Section 103D of the Legal Profession Act 1976 involved misconduct of the individual lawyer.... Read More

"The offence was for personal liability and does not involve any other persons as Rohaizat was named by the complainant, and not his partner.

"Rohaizat was disbarred on March 7 last year and he appealed against the Bar Council decision to the High Court, which also dismissed his appeal on Aug 12 this year," he added.

Ragunath said the offence committed by Rohaizat involved stakeholders' money from Koperasi Pekebun Getah and there was no account for it.

"When the board looked into this matter and the order was made, there was no reimbursement to the stakeholders involving the sum of RM140,000.


"Even if you pay, the offence has been committed
and it is a serious offence as this involves dealing with client's money.

"If you are an innocent party, you would not be found guilty by the disciplinary committee and the charge leveled under Section 103D is tantamount to criminal misconduct," he added.

On Sunday, Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told a press conference that it was Rohaizat's partner who was involved in the scandal which resulted in Rohaizat being struck off.

Meanwhile at the nomination centre, when asked whether Rohaizat's credibility would come into question following the revelation of him being disbarred, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said: "There is no controversy with regards to his candidacy as we have done our homework.

"As far as the law is concerned, he has been declared eligible to contest and we believe the voters will understand when we explain to them what actually happened.

"We have our ways of explaining to the voters, the opposition can do whatever character assassinations they want.

"We will expose all their lies and the rakyat can judge for themselves," he added.

The Conversion of St. Jibby!!???.

There is a new spin in town - apparently, Jibby should be given a chance with his "1-Malaysia" project, as he should be given the benefit of doubt that (drum-roll and Beethoven's 5th Sympony please ....) -
Jibby might've had a "Damascus Experience"!!!!
I couldn't help laughing at that idea - Jibby? A Damascus Experience???!!
All I could say when I read this Bob fella who claimed to be with the blues was - OMG, WTF!! Anyway, I was polite in my answer which I have also given below - lest they complain something about insulting something (never mind that he might've insulted St. Paul's experience ....).

This has been tickling me all weekend - so much so, I had a dream last night .... of Jibby's "Damascus Experience". Using Parmagianino's painting of the Conversion of St. Paul, I have attempted to illustrate the nightmare I had last night of Jibby's "Damascus Experience", as it might be in Bob's imagination, the commenter in the post "Somebody Tasted Blood".

Note: I can hardly cram in all that I saw in my dream of his possible "Experience" .... but here's an image of some of the thing's I saw (with apologies to Parmagianino who drew the original Conversion of St. Paul)
So here goes the Comment from "Bob":-
I wonder why we think that the gay guy was responsible. He is intelligent. He would have covered all the bases.

My personal belief is that we need to take a step back and consider whether it was some pencil pusher, who was trying 2 win brownie points from his/her political masters.

I believe Najib is getting the short stick. Doc, u should understand that people can have a "Damascus" experience, and perhaps our PM has had one. That's why he is pushing the 1Malaysia.

Maybe a lot of other people dont like the 1Malaysia concept, and want to protect the status quo.

Anyway a house divided will collapse. So plz turn the other cheek, and lets support the "born-again" Najib. Give him a chance.

I am a "Blue" person, been "blue" for generations. But during the last elections, I told people that the Green, Light Blue, and rocket were OK choices as a lesson had to be taught. But the Green guys in my state, led by a pseudo-Keris holder is regretting his conservative nature in that he did not accept my mother's dentist offer.

Give Royal Blue a chance. He is trying to move away from the "Dark side". We should help.

BTW the chap from MUAR is a permanent resident of the Dark Side. So I wonder who is Luke?

I wonder also who are KuLi - Ben/? , Zaid Ibrahim, Anwar, LKS, LGE, ???


Bob


The following was my reply:-

Dear Bob,
I don't know which gay guy you're talking about, but the "Blues" definitely had their chance for 50 yrs.
As for Najib's !-Malaysia, it is one big "?" - it is a lie when you put it up against the hypocrisy of racism that the "blues" stand for.

And as for his repentance/reform needing "help" - I'm all for it .... only thing is, it is best done in a "monastry" and in abstinence. Not with all the trappings of wealth, luxury and power. Moreover, I believe that there are definitely many more in Malaysia who would be more than qualified to take his place.

What amazes me is the fact that many are willing to keep giving "the Blues" "a chance", when they have been given so many over 50 yrs. Trust isn't something the "blues" evoke - not anymore ....

I'd rather give others a chance, come what may ....

PS
The other personalities you mentioned - maybe you should read up more about their ideals and convictions to get to know about them.
I'm sure you cannot find decent reading material on the intellectually bankrupt "blues brothers", though.

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Saturday, 15 August 2009

Hoping for PAS- With fingers crossed ...


In The Peole's Parliament,( Great, now assure the rest of us, PAS) Haris states that Zaid apparently told him in a phone conversation, “Haris, things will only get better. I’ll stake my life on this” .....
Well, I'll take that with a pinch of salt, belacan, budu, tempoyak or whatever - going by the track record of PAS so far, I think Zaid is betting against some heavy odds.

Umno, over the last 30 years under Mahathir, has evolved into a brain-dead organization - which would naturally become extremist in nature. Yes - Umno is EXTREMIST!! They are RACISTS!! They are grabbing at any issue that can "propel them with an image of being willing to go to extreme lengths to get what they want - and MCA finances them through it all.
Never mind that the word in town is that there are among Umno leadership who love "nightlife, butt-groping and single malt" - they have jumped the bandwagon of Islamism and sharpened their Islamist rhetoric.

It knows that PAS has become the darling of the masses with their moderation of late through TG Nik Aziz (Hadi is a different story lah ...), and a viable alternative to Umno - and they also know that PAS's simple-mindedness is Pakatan's achilles heel. "Islam" is definitely PAS's strength, but the simpletons who adopt "Islamism" as a political tool, is at once, also their weakness - and the problem is, they don't see the difference. Many within PAS (and without, too), still believe that being "Talibanesque" is being more Islamic.

Quite some time back (in 2007, I think) I had written that the problem with PAS's politics, is the fact that they have no moral convictions despite all their high-flung Islamist rhetoric. Their focus is often on the "clothes/cloak" of Islam, rather than the heart of it. They wouldn't blink an eye when they betray their voters when it comes to "Islamist" agendas. They are quick to fall victim to Umno's needling on Islamic matters (on the simplistic matters of "image" and not faith), and Umno knows this. Time and again they have successfully sent PAS into retreat just playing on emotions and the image factor - and many of the PAS ulamas are so incompetent, that they cannot debate with them on how Islam can be perfectly compatible with a secular state that upholds Islamic "VALUES" and principles, without depending on medieval laws and edicts to guide them.
Today, besides evoking anger among Muslims/ Malays and seeking to drive a wedge between Malaysians, Umno has gone on the offensive by attacking PAS's Islamic system/understanding - and they play up matters that strike the imaginations of the simple folk.
The Umno Youth under Khairy Jamalludin has gone out to town saying that a vote for PAS is a vote for DAP, and that “Maybe one day pork will be sold openly in Shah Alam” - and these simplistic arguments are bound to get the PAS fellas shrinking in their jubahs, with them rushing out to look at scriptures throwing common sense to the wind.

It remains to be seen if PAS can rise to the challenge and recalibrate their definition of Islamic values and principles which make life in a plural society a pleasure instead of an ordeal. So, I'm not so sure about Zaid's bet- not until he can say that Pakatan Rakyat is a formal coalition which adopts the People's Declaration as its blueprint, and abide by it - especially where our PAS and PKR jihadis (like Hasan Ali, Zul Nordin and Nasharidin) are concerned.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep my fingers crossed ....

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Related:-
The "Secular" Controversy
The PAS factor - A Viable Alternative?
The PAS "Cooperation" and Vote.

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

Rules on Cheating ....



Now here's a comment from MT:
...
written by Counterpointer, August 12, 2009 11:06:49
This should make it easier for everyone to see UMNO's sloppy cheating handiwork.

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

Pakatan Rakyat: Retreating into Tempurungs.

A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon a Cannibal Restaurant opened by a fellow cannibal.
Feeling hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu...

Broiled Missionary: $10.00, Fried Explorer: $15.00, Baked Politician: $100.00.
The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, "Why such a price difference for the politician?"
The cook replied: "Have you ever tried to clean one?"

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In a reply to an Anonymous commenter who did well to comment in a previous piece, Just a Flawed Argument....... , I mentioned the following:

"we cannot afford to pander to the very same primitive ideas that appeal to the "lowest common denominators",- the "flight ot fight" mentality...... to get defensive and charge others of "wrongdoing", when valid questions are posed, and reasonable answers can be sought".

Moving on .....
While PR did well to kick off the reform agenda by taking advantage of the circumstances, they have failed to articulate their ideas and present themselves as a cohesive force to be reckoned with. It once again points to the intellectual/philosophical bankruptcy which plagues PR just as much as it does BN. Each one of them have retreated into their own worlds - oblivious to the bigger issues that plague the nation. Sectarian interests provoked by BN doesn't make things any easier for them.

Tian Chua has not helped much when he has taken to playing the spin doctor, by claiming that these public spats are "the glue that binds". Does he mean to say that PKR can play "their role" as the "glue" while the other two parties slug it out tactlessly? They do not seem to see the need to have a common platform, with an image of unity - to allay the fears of a jittery people, accustomed to "order" and authoritarian leadership.

They have been prone to being reactionary, putting out bushfires systematically lit by BN, that easily burn out of control and reveals their weaknesses. The consistent attacks that they have been faced with, have appeared to have unnerved this disparate electoral pact that Pakatan Rakyat is.

They themselves (PKR, PAS, & DAP) seem to be victims of the social engineering & indoctrination of Umno's NEP. They still think and act along sectarian lines, highlighting petty differences of opinion, each catering to their own horde of supporters - while conveniently playing into the hands of Umno. While DAP seems to be reeling with the image & media war that Umno has waged on it, PAS and PKR are riddled with opportunists & trojans from the "Umno discontents club". And yet, these parties make selfish public statements that erode their image in the eyes of the electorate.

Umno knows this only too well, and is now depending on their fat wallets & the "experience bank" to scuttle all attempts by Pakatan to appear to be a viable alternative. Being master at the sectarian politics and social engineering, they are quite adept at playing the game of perception. They could have stolen the elections at Manik Urai, but chose not to - instead, they wanted to change perceptions by having PAS win it, and yet "prove" that in a PAS stronghold, they have managed to sway opinion. They keep lighting the bushfires that burn out of control within an undisciplined Pakatan Rakyat and scuttle the administrations of the Pakatan states.

Emboldened by the apparently powerlessness of the rakyat in protesting Umno's unconstitutional coup d'etat in Perak, Najib has openly declared his desire for Selangor - the "crown jewel". That would of course explain the harassment from the MACC which Khalid has been faced with, while PKFZ & Istana Toyol looms large in the background - Teoh Beng Hock was simply "collateral damage". The situation has got so bad for Khalid, that Mahathir too has implied that the Pakatan govt will soon fall.
Umno is now on an offensive, and they are aggressive at that. The innuendos are that they are willing to go the full length - no matter what it takes. The only way they see is to whip up more racist sentiments and to "flex some state-sponsored muscles" to feed their egos.
They want Askar Wataniah in each Parliamentary constituency.
They are hell bent on charging someone in Pakatan for corruption.
They have a two-faced campaign of "1-Malaysia" campaign, where they speak of "perjuangan Melayu" (aka "Ketuanan Melayu"). They call others traitors to the Malay race.
They call on people to "rise" against the non-Malays through their Utusan Melayu. And yet they praise the Chinese for this and that, and tell "nandri" & "vanakkam" to the Tamilians of Batu Caves.
They want "commando training" for their youth. They want Selangor.

The best part is, there are among the non-Malays in MCA[click on image for report from Sun] & MIC who clamour for the role of ball-carrier and running dog - all for the money that lies within.
To make matters worse, RPK has declared that the Barisan Rakyat Bloggers will be campaigning against voting for either BN or Pakatan - campaigning for "spoilt votes"!! This, because Pakatan Rakyat has abandoned the People's Declaration which was what helped them in they pursuit of power.
The way I look at it, that means, one might as well campaign for a boycott of the elections - which I had once advocated. Today though, I believe such an attitude defeats the purpose of casting in the first place. Permatang Pasir, being Anwar's stronghold, should have a big voter turnout - so an act of abstinence would automatically translate to a protest.

So what have we here?
The people are told that they have a Catch-22 situation, wherein on one side Pakatan Rakyat isn't showering them with deliveries of promises in less than 2 years,
and Umno on the other, who is perceived to plunder and rape. They are told that Pakatan Rakyat is "hopelessly lost". They are told that they are screwed if you do, screwed if you don't.
They are now told that they have to chicken out from teaching Umno/BN a lesson.
It is now time to teach the little child a big lesson- by taking away his lollipop, while handing the gold to the pirate.
They are now told - Retreat into your tempurungs, just like the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat have thus far - hang these recalcitrant leadership of Pakatan, while those who hope to make a change, despair.

We really do need to remind them and convince them to adopt it (The People's Declaration) as their manifesto in a formal alliance - and get cracking once again .....
Pakatan Rakyat's choices are limited - adopt it or perish!!