'Wacana Sinar Harian: Perpaduan Kaum Di Malaysia'@Dewan Karangkraf, Shah Alam, 3 September 2019

'Di Sebalik Makna Sayangi Malaysiaku: Malaysia Bersih'@Sinar Harian, 31 Ogos 2019

'Kit Siang Bimbang Sokongan DAP Terjejas'@Utusan Malaysia, 30 Ogos 2019

'Suhu Sentimen 3R Naik Dua Kali Ganda'@Sinar Harian, 25 Ogos 2019

'Sayangi Keamanan Negara'@Harian Metro, 24 Ogos 2019

'Infighting, ignoring manifesto will seal Pakatan’s fate in GE15, analysts warn'@Malay Mail, 31 August 2019

Yiswaree Palansamy And R. Loheswar

 

 

 

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Political bickering within Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its inability to implement sound policies as enshrined in their campaign manifesto will result in a possible GE15 loss, analysts have warned. 

Pundits also believe that rural voters may gravitate towards voting for Umno and PAS, should PH fail to implement economic policies that can address the wealth inequality among different groups of society.

Professor Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) believes that despite PH’s best intentions of reforming the government, it has allowed the political squabbles between its allies to overshadow its main agenda.
“The political manoeuvrings behind closed doors where the direction of the country, especially the transition of power, is being decided by a few, doesn’t augur well with the spirit of PH.
Ahmad Fauzi also cautioned on alleged attempts to form secret pacts to oppose the ruling government, saying that this can lead to political turmoil and chaos.
“If these dark forces are successful in forging their alliances behind secret pacts, whether in PH or BN... then Malaysia will tumble into chaos. May God save the country,” he said.
Senior fellow of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Oh Ei Sun said the issue of unchecked wealth gap among different socioeconomic groups is another crucial matter in need of attention.
“If PH doesn’t devise effective plans to ensure that the fruits of its labour are more evenly distributed across socioeconomic strata, it will soon find itself mired in double jeopardy.
“The rich will tend to gravitate more to the current Opposition, especially Umno, for the ‘good old days’ of collusion between politicians and businessmen, for the benefit of both, but not the masses,” he said when contacted.
Oh also warned of a possible voting pattern concentrated along racial-lines among the poor, as a consequence.
“Many of the poor will be more attracted to the extremist religious appeal of PAS. In either case, it will add to PH’s woes, as it in the first place did not enjoy the wide support of the majority conservative voters,” he said.
Senior fellow of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun warned of a possible voting pattern concentrated along racial-lines among the poor if PH doesn’t devise effective plans to ensure that the fruits of its labour are more evenly distributed across socioeconomic strata.― Picture by John Bunyan Oh’s sentiment resonated with that of Dr P. Sivamurugan from USM, who also projected a race-based voting interest in the 15th general election, adding that PH must reflect on its election manifesto.
However, Sivamurugan felt that it would still not be a walkover for Umno, even with misgivings over PH’s dismal performance, given Barisan Nasional’s own baggage.
“PH is facing a crisis of confidence and trust. It’s a wakeup call for PH to revisit their manifesto and look into factors that contributed to their win.
“Next election will be tough for both if held tomorrow.
“At some constituencies, and depends how it’s played during campaigning period,” he said to a question on the prediction of increased race-centred votes.
On Wednesday, PPBM’s policy and strategy bureau chief Datuk Rais Husin Mohamed Arif said that the PH government is in serious danger of losing the next general elections, as they appear to have stopped listening to the public after one year in Putrajaya.
He had said that PH needs to address five key issues if it is to retain its hold on power, pointing to the cost of living, quality of living and jobs as the main unaddressed issues.
Rais also trained his guns on the Cabinet’s focus on bringing in Indonesia-based motorcycle e-hailing service provider, Go-Jek, which he lamented would only work towards the creation of a low-income nation, as opposed to the government’s vision.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has admitted weakness in communicating the success of its policies as the reason behind PH’s dwindling popularity among the public.
Political analyst Prof Azmi Hassan says that what is currently afflicting PH is a case of a sore lack of ideas in devising policies, as opposed to the habit of not listening to the public.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has admitted weakness in communicating the success of its policies as the reason behind PH’s dwindling popularity among the public.— Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Azmi also agreed with Oh and Sivamurugan that PH would lose in the national polls if it is held immediately, however he felt this would still not guarantee a comeback for Umno.
“When Rais used the flying car and Go-Jek examples to demonstrate the state of PH government I think it’s only a minute example of what Rais is trying to portray that is the incompetence of the current government.
“This perception I think lead to the rise of Umno-PAS cooperation, where it was well received since the people who support the cooperation see Umno-PAS as more reliable than PH.
“To answer the question if elections were to be held today I can confidently say that PH will not be the next government, but I can’t say that Umno-PAS will be the next government after today’s election,” he said when contacted.
Azmi also blamed the parties within PH for nominating “wrong candidates” for ministerial positions, and not Dr Mahathir.
“I don’t blame the PM for picking the unsuitable ministers but the blame lies on the individual parties in PH who nominate the wrong candidates for ministerial positions. Most of the candidates are proposed based on their party position and not because of their respective capabilities,” he added.
 

'Hayati Merdeka Kita@62 Tahun'@Utusan Malaysia, Pena Dr.Siva, 24 Ogos 2019

'MB Diramal Rombak Exco'@Sinar Harian, 24 Ogos 2019

'Freedom Of Speech Cuts Both Ways', The Edge@19 August 2019

'Analysts: Open tiffs in Pakatan govt sign of good democracy, but worrying for voters', Malay Mail@15 August 2019

15 August 2019

BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY

 

  KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The rather tangled series of decisions on key policies within the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is a good sign of a nascent democracy in the administration, analysts have noted.

However, too much bickering in public also puts a damper on the level of public confidence in the maiden government, they said.

Edmund Terence Gomez from University of Malaya felt that the PH government must come together to make unanimous decisions on important policies, and not let the issue blow up in their faces, owing to disagreements.

He pointed to the controversies surrounding the planned introduction of Malay-Arabic calligraphy khat in vernacular schools as a prime example.

“Well, it’s both. On the one hand, there is healthy democracy. You see a debate of sorts. You must remember, this is a coaliton of different parties with a different representation of people on the ground. Different way of thinking, different ideology.

“So all parties in the coalition do not have a common viewpoint about society, which is normal when you have a coalition and it’s good.
“So we shouldn’t be too surprised about it. However, having said that, the issue at hand is this: Before an issue such as khat or I would say even Lynas  was put on the table or brought into the public domain, they should have been discussed it and a consensus should have been be reached by Cabinet,” Terence said.
He noted that the trend of public bickering by PH Cabinet members has already happened several times, which is alarming to voters.
Terence also raised the role of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom he felt as exerting too much power and resorting to unilateral decisions.
This adds to the perception that Dr Mahathir is acting as a “strongman” politician, who exerts immense control over the Cabinet, he continued.
PH has been grappling with a series of issues over the past month, notably the announcement by Dr Mahathir confirming that the government was dropping its requirement for Lynas Malaysia to repatriate its water leach purification residue as a precondition for its licence renewal due by September 1.
Instead, the firm was directed to explore a permanent disposal site to treat its rare-earth processing residue. This angered the anti-Lynas group who reminded PH of its promise to stop the company’s operations, after it led a campaign against it, citing long-term health concerns.
Vocal complaints over the proposed khat lessons, meanwhile, led Dr Mahathir to describe Chinese educationist group Dong Zong as racists after it launched a petition to force a reversal of the policy.
As for controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik, calls to deport the fugitive preacher to India intensified this week, after he reportedly made statements angering the Indians and Chinese in Malaysia.
Four Cabinet ministers — Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister A. Xavier Jayakumar and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman — have called the government to deport Dr Zakir who is a wanted man in India.
Political sociologist Dr Sivamurugan Pandian also echoed Terence’s sentiment, adding that there needs to be a more “leadership-based” approach, instead of allowing public discord among PH leaders to drag on.
“It is part of constructive engagement in democracy which allows more openness and transparency, and the masses can interact with the institutions’ actions as well. However, as we belong to a plural and multi-ethnic society, some issues must be handled in a more ‘leadership’ based manner. Authority-defined decisions at a macro level must also consider everyday defined decisions taken at a micro level.
“If the decision is from the executive, then it should be delivered properly to the masses to avoid different interpretations, especially sensitive issues. Consensus among all members of the Cabinet will show that everyone agreed to what was decided in Cabinet,” the Universiti Sains Malaysia senior academic told Malay Mail.
Independent analyst Hoo Kee Ping felt that PH members are in for a bumpy ride as they try and move ahead together, owing to differing interests.
He pointed out that the component parties under PH only won the government by accident and were united by a common enemy back then — Datuk Seri Najib Razak — only to quickly find themselves in a fix later, with many internal disagreements.
“This bunch of parties, they came in with the same enemy: Najib Razak. So everybody has a different agenda when they came in, but a common enemy, and with their decades of fighting.
“All of them were fighting Tun [Dr Mahathir] for almost 40 years. Like [Lim] Kit Siang. Anwar was [fighting Dr Mahathir] almost 20 years. So remember, they were born crippled. PH was born crippled.
“They only came in because of the common enemy,” he said, adding that the coalition is therefore susceptible to conflicts of interest and opinions, as it tries to move forward as a government.

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 a campaign against it, citing long-term health concerns.

Vocal complaints over the proposed khat lessons, meanwhile, led Dr Mahathir to describe Chinese educationist group Dong Zong as racists after it launched a petition to force a reversal of the policy.
As for controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik, calls to deport the fugitive preacher to India intensified this week, after he reportedly made statements angering the Indians and Chinese in Malaysia.
Four Cabinet ministers — Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister A. Xavier Jayakumar and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman — have called the government to deport Dr Zakir who is a wanted man in India.
Political sociologist Dr Sivamurugan Pandian also echoed Terence’s sentiment, adding that there needs to be a more “leadership-based” approach, instead of allowing public discord among PH leaders to drag on.
“It is part of constructive engagement in democracy which allows more openness and transparency, and the masses can interact with the institutions’ actions as well. However, as we belong to a plural and multi-ethnic society, some issues must be handled in a more ‘leadership’ based manner. Authority-defined decisions at a macro level must also consider everyday defined decisions taken at a micro level.
“If the decision is from the executive, then it should be delivered properly to the masses to avoid different interpretations, especially sensitive issues. Consensus among all members of the Cabinet will show that everyone agreed to what was decided in Cabinet,” the Universiti Sains Malaysia senior academic told Malay Mail.
Independent analyst Hoo Kee Ping felt that PH members are in for a bumpy ride as they try and move ahead together, owing to differing interests.
He pointed out that the component parties under PH only won the government by accident and were united by a common enemy back then — Datuk Seri Najib Razak — only to quickly find themselves in a fix later, with many internal disagreements.
“This bunch of parties, they came in with the same enemy: Najib Razak. So everybody has a different agenda when they came in, but a common enemy, and with their decades of fighting.
“All of them were fighting Tun [Dr Mahathir] for almost 40 years. Like [Lim] Kit Siang. Anwar was [fighting Dr Mahathir] almost 20 years. So remember, they were born crippled. PH was born crippled.
“They only came in because of the common enemy,” he said, adding that the coalition is therefore susceptible to conflicts of interest and opinions, as it tries to move forward as a government

'Kedah di bawah pimpinan Mukhriz', Sinar Harian@15 Ogos 2019

 

PROFESOR DR SIVAMURUGAN PANDIAN | | 15 Ogos 2019

Profesor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian

 

DATUK Seri Mukhriz Mahathir ialah Menteri Besar Kedah ke-11 dan ke-13 dalam sejarah kepimpinan negeri Kedah sehingga ke hari ini. Uniknya, beliau pernah menjadi Menteri Besar kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) dan kini mengetuai kerajaan negeri Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Pada 6 Mei 2013, Mukhriz menjadi Menteri Besar Kedah buat kali pertama selepas BN merampas semula negeri tersebut daripada Pas pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU13).
Selepas 33 bulan atau hampir tiga tahun, beliau melepaskan jawatan kerana UMNO Kedah membuat keputusan tidak menyokong kepimpinannya. Ia dilakukan bukan kerana ketidakupayaan beliau tetapi lebih kepada percaturan politik disebabkan krisis dalaman parti ketika itu.
Ramai yang tidak tahu bahawa beliau melalui pelbagai sepak terajang politik sebelum berada di kedudukan hari ini.
Selepas persaraan Dr Mahathir pada tahun 2003 yang juga menjadi permulaan Mukhriz dalam arena politik, beliau pernah tewas jawatan Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kubang Pasu tetapi menang undian tertinggi Exco Pemuda UMNO tahun yang sama (2004).
Mukhriz juga tewas dalam perebutan jawatan Ketua Pemuda UMNO pada 2008, sebagaimana gagal dalam pertandingan jawatan Naib Presiden UMNO 2013 sekali lagi bukan kerana tidak layak tetapi permainan politik dalaman parti yang turut mematangkan perjalanan karier beliau hari ini.
Dalam PRU12, Mukhriz menang kerusi Parlimen Jerlun yang membawa kepada pelantikan sebagai Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri manakala dalam PRU13, menang di (Dewan Undangan Negeri) DUN Ayer Hitam dan seterusnya dilantik sebagai Menteri Besar Kedah.
Sepanjang tempoh 2016-2018, Mukhriz terlibat dalam proses memperkasakan kedudukan Bersatu sebagai Timbalan Presiden selepas dipecat daripada UMNO. Menang di DUN Jitra dan Parlimen Jerlun, beliau mengangkat sumpah sebagai Menteri Besar buat kali kedua.
Sumbangan
Dalam jarak masa 14 bulan sejak Mei 2018, di manakah Kedah di bawah kepimpinan Mukhriz? Apakah beliau berjaya menstabilkan keresahan politik ketika mula mengambil alih teraju kepimpinan negeri ini? Bertemakan ‘Kedah Aman Makmur, Harapan Bersama Makmurkan Kedah’, pelbagai inisiatif telah dan sedang dilakukan untuk rakyat.
Kini, Kedah di tempat kedua selepas Pulau Pinang dengan pelaburan RM7.6 bilion dalam pelaburan langsung tempatan dan asing dengan sasaran RM10 bilion pada penghujung 2019.
Dalam sektor pendidikan pula, Mukhriz memperkenalkan Dasar Nasional 4.0 yakni projek perintis kelas pintar untuk anak-anak Kedah belajar dan memahami latar Revolusi Industri 4.0.
Begitu juga dalam sektor agama apabila Yayasan Pendidikan Islam Darul Aman ditubuhkan sebagaimana Tabung Islah Maahad Negeri Kedah, Skim Takaful Murabbi Darul Aman di samping Mahkamah Syariah Bergerak.
Sejumlah RM1.13 bilion peruntukan tambahan kepada bajet pembangunan negeri dilakukan melibatkan RM194 juta perbelanjaan pembangunan dan RM15 juta untuk pembinaan perpustakaan digital Alor Setar.
Pembinaan KXP pula menerima RM1.6 bilion manakala Lebuhraya Koridor Utara dibina membabitkan jarak 70 kilometer dengan perbelanjaan RM1.7 bilion untuk kawasan Bandar Bahru ke Sungai Petani dan Bandar Bahru ke Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang. Memandangkan sebahagian besar penduduk Kedah adalah wanita, keprihatinan beliau untuk memastikan inisiatif kerajaan negeri tidak meminggirkan mereka ketara apabila Tabung Khas Wanita Negeri Kedah diwujudkan dan Kad KIDA untuk golongan dari isi rumah di bawah kategori B40 disediakan.
Kedah di bawah Mukhriz menampakkan hasil positif apatah lagi dalam memasuki tahun kedua, agenda kemasyarakatan dan tarikan pelabur asing termasuk dari Asia Tengah dipertingkatkan. Begitu juga dengan keinginan Qatar Airways untuk melakukan penerbangan terus ke Langkawi dari Doha sudah pasti mencambah industri pelancongan negeri.
Kesemua pencapaian 14 bulan ialah ‘perjuangan belum selesai’ Mukhriz sejak 2016 yang terpaksa dihentikan sebahagiannya kerana pertembungan medan politik ketika itu.
Kini, beliau mampu melaksanakannya kerana agenda ‘merakyatkan kepimpinan’ adalah antara elemen yang mahu sentiasa diterokai.
* Profesor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian ialah pensyarah Pusat Pengajian Sains Kemasyarakatan Universiti Sains Malaysia

'Gara-gara Zakir Naik, PH goyah?', Sinar Harian@15 Ogos 2019

 

SITI NURSYAHIDAH ABU BAKAR | | 15 Ogos 2019

SHAH ALAM - Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sebelum ini tegas menyatakan pendirian bahawa Malaysia tidak akan tunduk dengan desakan India supaya mengekstradisi warganya yang juga penceramah terkenal, Dr Zakir Naik bagi berdepan dengan tuduhan jenayah.
Namun, selepas program pidato Zakir di Stadium Sultan Muhammad VI di Kota Bharu pada 9 Ogos lalu yang dihadiri oleh 70,000 orang, polemik baharu muncul selepas ucapannya yang menyentuh masyarakat beragama Hindu di Malaysia mendapat kecaman pelbagai pihak.
Antara menteri Kabinet yang menyatakan pendirian itu ialah Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia, Gobind Singh Deo; Menteri Sumber Manusia, M Kula Segaran; Menteri Air, Tanah dan Sumber Asli, Dr Xavier Jayakumar dan Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Kelantangan menteri-menteri itu serta pimpinan Pakatan Harapan (PH) yang lain dalam isu Zakir pasti memberi tamparan besar kepada Dr Mahathir yang tegas dengan pendiriannya sebelum ini.
Selain itu, ia juga menggambarkan tiada konsensus dalam kalangan pemimpin PH apabila membicarakan isu yang sama, sekaligus menunjukkan kegoyahan pakatan tersebut.
Mengulas mengenai situasi perbezaan pendapat ini, penganalisis politik, Dr Jeniri Amir berkata, sekiranya isu ini berlanjutan, ia akan menghakis keyakinan rakyat terhadap kerajaan PH.“Ia sekaligus memberi imej yang buruk terhadap kepimpinan PH selain boleh mencetuskan pertelagahan dan konflik kerana ini suatu isu yang besar,” katanya kepada Sinar Harian.
Sehubungan itu, Jeniri berpendapat, Dr Mahathir perlu membuat penjelasan secara tertutup mengenai tindakannya mempertahankan Zakir kepada pemimpin-pemimpin PH sekaligus mengelakkan sebarang percanggahan pendapat.
“Lebih elok sekiranya Perdana Menteri memberikan penjelasan dan justifikasi secara tertutup tentang alasan Zakir perlu dipertahankan agar pemimpin-pemimpin PH betul-betul faham mengapa tindakan menghantar pulang penceramah bebas itu tidak boleh dilaksanakan," katanya.

Pandangan sama turut dikongsi seorang lagi penganalisis politik Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.
Menurut Sivamurugan, pemimpin parti komponen PH perlu lebih berhati-hati dalam mengeluarkan
Menurut Sivamurugan, pemimpin parti komponen PH perlu lebih berhati-hati dalam mengeluarkan kenyataan terutamanya melibatkan isu sensitif supaya tidak berlaku ketirisan sokongan rakyat terhadap mereka.
“Bila hendak keluarkan kenyataan haruslah diperhalusi terlebih dahulu bagi mengelak ia bercanggah.
“Jadi saya berasakan percanggahan pendapat (antara pemimpin PH) perlu dikurangkan jika ingin memastikan kestabilan politik dalam kerajaan,” katanya.Jelasnya lagi, setiap pemimpin dalam kerajaan perlu sedar dan tahu batas apabila ingin mengeluarkan kenyataan khususnya melibatkan pendirian kerajaan.
“Sebagai contoh, kita sedar bantahan beberapa menteri Kabinet terhadap Dr Mahathir dalam isu melibatkan Zakir adalah untuk memberi keyakinan kepada seluruh masyarakat bukan Melayu.
“Tetapi dalam masa yang sama, mereka (menteri Kabinet) perlu sedar bahawa sekarang ini rakyat sedang menilai dan ia boleh memberi kesan negatif kepada kerajaan,” katanya.
Justeru, beliau berpandangan adalah lebih baik sesuatu perkara terutamanya melibatkan isu sensitif dibincangkan secara bersama dan elakkan daripada mengeluarkan kenyataan umum jika ada percanggahan pendapat.

Bagaimanapun, pandangan berlainan dilontarkan pensyarah kanan Sekolah Perdana Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Dr Mazlan Ali yang berkata, perbezaan pendapat antara pemimpin PH dalam isu Zakir tidak menjejaskan keutuhan PH.
Hal ini kerana, katanya, pendirian beberapa pimpinan itu lebih bersifat individu dan bukannya mewakili parti secara rasmi.
“Mereka yang tidak bersetuju ini hanyalah individu-individu tertentu. Maka saya percaya perbezaan ini boleh diselesaikan secara dalaman.
“Sekiranya parti sendiri membuat keputusan rasmi yang bertentangan dengan Perdana Menteri, maka itu serius. Tetapi setakat ini kritikan pemimpin dilihat lebih bersifat individu dan bukan mewakili parti,” katanya.
Namun, beliau tidak menafikan situasi perbezaan pendapat ini boleh menjejaskan kepercayaan rakyat terhadap PH.
“Situasi ini menunjukkan bahawa masih ada beberapa pemimpin yang tidak ada semangat berkumpulan. Ia boleh menjejaskan imej kerajaan kerana rakyat melihat dalam kerajaan sendiri ada pendapat yang tidak konsisten.
“Tetapi ini sebenarnya satu proses penyesuaian dalam kerajaan apabila mereka cuba mencari persamaan. Jika diikutkan, Perdana Menteri dalam banyak perkara telah membuat keputusan secara konsensus,” katanya.

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'Khat, Dhong Zong dan perpaduan kaum', Sinar Harian@14 Ogos 2019

 

BERNAMA | | 14 Ogos 2019

 

KUALA LUMPUR - Isu khat sekarang ini betul-betul membuktikan bahawa mata pena adalah lebih tajam daripada mata pedang.
Contohnya isu kaligrafi atau tulisan yang dirancang diperkenal sebagai satu daripada penyumbang kecil kepada perpaduan kaum, ia bagaimanapun berjaya dimanipulasi oleh pelbagai pihak dan akhirnya berubah secara drastik kepada isu perkauman hangat.
Sebagai negara berbilang kaum yang pada tahun ini menyambut 62 tahun kemerdekaan, ke arah mana rakyat Malaysia sebenarnya mahu bersatu padu dan membangunkan negara bersama?
Pensyarah Pusat Pengajian Sains Kemasyarakatan Universiti Sains Malaysia, Prof Dr P Sivamurugan berkata, perbezaan antara kaum harus diraikan dan bukan dijadikan titik menzahirkan ketidaksefahaman.
Ikon Patriotik Hari Kebangsaan 2016 itu berkata, perbezaan itu harus dianggap sebagai aset, bukannya liabiliti dan dalam isu seperti ini perlu ada faktor korban dan kompromi tanpa perlu mengira siapa yang perlu berkorban dan berkompromi.
"Saya fikir jika rakyat Malaysia kesemuanya mampu tingkatkan tiga nilai - faham, hormat dan saling terima - saya percaya isu seperti Dong Zong, khat, insiden jalan raya di Bangi pada Sabtu lalu yang dijadikan isu perkauman dan sebagainya tidak akan wujud.

"Kita harus boleh bezakan nilai kemanusiaan dan nilai politik kerana jika semua isu dipolitikkan maka penghujungnya adalah ketegangan sesama kaum yang kita harus hadapi," katanya.
Sebelum ini, Pengerusi Dong Zong, Tan Tai Kim dilapor berkata bahawa badan pertubuhan pendidikan Cina itu akan menggerakkan kempen mengumpul tandatangan sebagai membantah pembelajaran khat di sekolah vernakular selain bertegas langkah kerajaan memperkenalkan tulisan itu di sekolah sebagai satu bentuk ‘Islamisasi’.
Sebagai respons, Perdana Menteri Dr Mahathir Mohamad semalam melabelkan pertubuhan itu sebagai rasis kerana tidak pernah bersetuju dengan apa-apa keputusan kerajaan sebelum ini termasuk pengenalan Sekolah Wawasan yang menempatkan sekolah Cina, sekolah Tamil dan sekolah kebangsaan dalam satu kawasan sama.
Sebagai tindak balas kepada tindakan Dong Zong, antara lain Pemuda (Armada) Bersatu dan Gerakan Pengundi Sedar melancarkan petisyen dalam talian menggesa pengharaman Dong Zong.
Isu khat menjadi kontroversi dan mendapat pelbagai reaksi terutama di media sosial yang jelas menunjukkan syak wasangka antara kaum masih wujud di negara ini.
Menteri Pendidikan, Maszlee Malek sebelum ini dilapor menafikan kerajaan cuba memperkenalkan pendekatan Islamisasi dan menyifatkan pembelajaran Jawi sebagai usaha menghargai warisan tulisan lama bahasa Melayu.
Felo Utama Bersama Institut Kajian Etnik (KITA) dan Institut Alam dan Tamadun Melayu (ATMA), Prof Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong tidak menafikan setiap episod yang berlaku berkaitan isu khat ini adalah tidak baik kepada perpaduan negara yang sekarang ini pun tidak berada dalam keadaan utuh.
Isu khat ini, kata beliau, sepatutnya sudah selesai selepas keputusan kerajaan memendekkan pendidikan khat daripada enam kepada tiga halaman, selain memberi pilihan waktu pembelajarannya namun Dong Zong tetap mahu meneruskan bantahannya melalui petisyen yang sedang diusahakannya.
"Sekolah vernakular di negara ini perlu ikut mendukung elemen negara dalam kadar yang munasabah iaitu dengan turut menjayakan aspirasi negara untuk mengangkat simbol Melayu sebagai lambang negara yang sama-sama dipersetujui dalam Perjanjian Kemerdekaan pada 1957," katanya.
Langkah petisyen itu juga bersifat subversif kerana ia semacam serangan terhadap sistem sosiobudaya Melayu iaitu amalan Melayu yang telah dipersetujui bersama semasa Perjanjian Kemerdekaan antara Melayu dan bukan Melayu bahawa proses sosiobudaya Melayu menjadi identiti negara. - Bernama

'Kedudukan Amirudin masih selamat, kata penganalisis', Sinar Harian@10 Ogos 2019

 

Asyraf Muhammad | | 10 Ogos 2019

 

SHAH ALAM - Kedudukan Menteri Besar Selangor, Amirudin Shari masih berada dalam posisi selamat walaupun wujud desas-desus yang mendakwa jawatan beliau bakal digantikan selepas ini.
Penganalisis poliitk Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Dr Sivamurugan Pandian berkata, walaupun wujud dakwaan terdapat gerakan untuk menggulingkan Amirudin, namun perkara itu dijangka tidak mengugat kedudukan beliau memandangkan Pakatan Harapan (PH) Selangor sebulat suara menyatakan sokongan terhadap kepimpinannya.
Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata sekiranya perpecahan di dalam PKR masih berlarutan, keadaan itu berkemungkinan akan memberi kesan terhadap kedudukan Amirudin selepas ini.
"Memang benar untuk menjayakan undi tak percaya terhadap beliau memerlukan sokongan daripada Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) namun kata putus mengenai perkara tu akan dimuktamadkan melalui Majlis Pimpinan PH peringkat negeri.
"Semalam pimpinan PH sudah sebulat suara menyatakan sokongan kepada beliau jadi saya rasa kedudukanya masih selamat.
"Namun jika perpecahan dalam PKR masih berlarutan, kita mungkin akan lihat mampukah beliau pertahankan kepimpinan politiknya selepas ini," katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, semalam.
Sebelum ini, sebuah portal berita memetik kenyataan sumber dengan mengatakan bahawa Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Ijok, Dr Idris Ahmad mempunyai majoriti sokongan yang mencukupi bagi menggantikan Amirudin sebagai menteri besar.
Mengulas lanjut, Sivamurugan berkata, proses bagi melaksanakan undi tidak percaya juga tidak mudah memandangkan individu yang dipilih selepas ini perlu mendapatkan sokongan ADUN dengan majoriti dua per tiga.
"Selain itu, PH juga perlu mendapatkan perkenan daripada istana kerana perkara ini merupakan kuasa mutlak Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. Malah proses ini sememangnya tidak mudah," katanya.
Dalam pada itu, penganalisis politik dari Universiti Malaya, Prof Madya Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi berkata, Amirudin perlu mendapatkan sokongan daripada 32 ADUN di negeri ini sekiranya benar wujud gerakan untuk membawa usul undi tidak percaya terhadap beliau.
Menurutnya, kedudukan Amirudin juga dijangka akan kekal selamat sekiranya beliau tidak dikenakan apa-apa tindakan oleh kepimpinan PKR selepas ini.
"Misalnya jika beliau digantung keahlian atau dipanggil oleh biro politik parti nanti, maka kerusinya itu sudah semestinya akan dikosongkan.
"Dan ini akan buka peluang untuk individu lain menggantikannya," katanya.

'In khat storm, analysts see no silver lining for Pakatan', Malay Mail@8 August 2019

 

Published 4 days ago on 08 August 2019

BY SYED JAYMAL ZAHIID

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Political analysts said they cannot see how Pakatan Harapan (PH) can gain from its controversial decision to introduce the Malay-Arabic calligraphy of khat to Year Four pupils in schools.

It’s a move that has sparked protests from minority communities who see the policy as a sign of creeping Islamisation.

However, it looks like the four-party bloc may be “trapped” by a decision made years before to introduce the Jawi script into the Bahasa Malaysia syllabus, a decision which was likely intended to shore up support from ethnic Malays, pundits polled by Malay Mail said.
Before and after Independence, all writings using the national language was in Jawi.

 

The Roman alphabet, introduced by the British, slowly took over to replace the adapted Arabic script towards the later half of the 20th century.

Khat refers to calligraphy, an artistic practice of handwriting using the Arabic letters, which also includes Jawi writing.
One of the analysts thinks opportunistic leaders within PH saw the Barisan Nasional-inherited legacy as a chance to widen their own power base and burnish their Malay-Muslim credentials.
“It was likely an opportunistically convenient vehicle,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
“PH cannot afford to say no to (khat). You see, the 75 per cent conservative Malay voters (those who voted for PAS or Umno) are a prime target for grabs.”
PH is facing backlash from mostly the ethnic Chinese over its decision to proceed with teaching khat to Year Four students as part of the Education Ministry’s Bahasa Malaysia syllabus, including at vernacular schools.
Dong Zong, a group representing private Chinese educationists, said in a statement that parents are worried, hinting at suspicion of the teaching of the calligraphy as a way to convert Chinese pupils to Islam.
PH leaders vehemently denied this with Education Minister Maszlee Malik saying khat is merely an art form and that the ministry wanted to inculcate appreciation for the Jawi script.
To dispel claims that this is a subliminal way to Islamise non-Muslim students, Maszlee stressed that the subject will be excluded from the Year Four examination and assessment.
Echoing supporters of the policy, analysts felt the suspicion towards khat is not grounded in facts but is rather built on prejudices that may be unrelated to the subject altogether.
Kartini Aboo Talib from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia believes Maszlee’s actions could have fostered that mistrust.
The minister’s links with Islamic organisations like Ikram, and the many policy blunders that may have been carried out with good intentions but explained poorly, could have imprinted negatively on communities still reeling from the religious tension that existed under Barisan Nasional rule.
Still, the political analyst felt the reaction over khat is disproportionate and exaggerated.
“(The prejudice may be) an accumulation of what Maszlee had done including the accusation of appointments of Ikram kinship or brotherhood into the system,” she said.
“Khat becomes the collateral damage.”
And like Oh, the analyst felt PH stood to gain little from the policy. Instead, the controversy only exposed division within the ruling coalition with the backlash likely to affect even Bersatu or Amanah, the bloc’s two main Malay component parties.
“The way khat has been exploited, now it is seen as a moment of differences,” she said.
To PH’s enemies, the Opposition against khat has already laid out the ground for assault. Umno and PAS leaders claim the protest by DAP members brought to surface the party’s anti-Islam core.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Monday night admitted that many party supporters are alarmed by the government’s decision, but was tightlipped about the party’s position.
Lim, who is also the Finance Minister, said the party would convey its views to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad soon.
But while all the signs point to trouble, political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said the controversy could be abated if enough effort is poured into allaying minority distrust.
“Kit Siang said it didn’t make him less Chinese,” he said, referring to the veteran DAP man’s comment about learning Jawi.
“Maybe they need more explanation from within and from those who have the authority to speak on khat.”

'Catching 'Em Young', The Edge@5 August 2019

'Intense battles on the cards', The Star@5 August 2019

By Razak Ahmad & Clarissa Ong    

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PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan and the Umno-PAS pact will face each other in at least 100 parliamentary and 299 state seats in the next general election.
In the 14th General Election (GE14) last year, Pakatan, Umno and PAS contested against each other in three-cornered fights for these Malay-majority constituencies.

With both Malay-Muslim opposition parties joining forces, these will be the seats where the Umno-PAS pact and Pakatan will be fighting their most intense battles in GE15.

 

Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said both Umno and PAS will be sharing their resources and expertise under a joint charter that will be signed on Sept 14.

He said both parties have not discussed seat allocations and declined to comment on the number of seats the pact will be eyeing.
"There are so many new parties nowadays whereas we are the most experienced in terms of running the country and states.
"This is what we will offer the people, " he said.
Annuar said it is still premature for both Umno and PAS to start seat negotiations.
The current focus, he said, is to explain the deal to members and bring both parties closer.
Of the 100 parliamentary seats where Umno, PAS and Pakatan squared off against each other in GE14, 82 had more than 65% Malay voters.
The scenario was similar for the 299 state seats, of which 249 had 65% or more Malay voters.

The Umno secretary-general claimed that the Umno-PAS alliance will not rely merely on Malay-Muslim issues to grow its support.
"People accuse us of all sorts of things and say that by joining forces, Umno and PAS will be like the Taliban, but this is just not true, " he said.
He said that with a pact in place, both parties will engage with non-Muslims and work to widen their alliance to include other parties representing all groups in the country.
Political analyst and Universiti Sains Malaysia social science lecturer Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the Umno-PAS cooperation may give the parties an advantage if they focus on building their strength.
“On paper, Umno and PAS have the edge to win more seats if they build a solid pact, but whether they will be able to win all the seats (against Pakatan) is a challenge as of now.
“The Umno-PAS pact is still in the early stages of building momentum, although in the by-elections we saw a huge impact in Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau.
"Umno-PAS must focus on building their strength before looking at Pakatan's weaknesses, ” he said.
The strength of the pact, he added, will be dependent on factors such as their prime minister candidate and their seat distribution strategy.
As for young voters, he added that the impact of their voting pattern cannot be properly gauged for now as most are unlikely to vote based on party loyalty.
“Malaysian voters are very much ‘partyless’ nowadays and now vote based on issues, ” he said.
In March, The Star reported that an Umno-PAS pact will pose a serious threat to Pakatan.
This is because the GE14 results showed that there are 21 Pakatan parliamentary seats where the votes for the Umno and PAS candidate combined were more than the ballots received by the Pakatan victors.
Among big-name MPs in these seats are the mentris besar of Kedah Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun) and Perak's Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (Tambun); as well as Cabinet ministers including Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Kulim-Bandar Baharu) and Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof (Parit Buntar).

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/08/05/intense-battles-on-the-cards#2UqYyvtreO3bQIwo.99