Saturday, December 18, 2010

Pete has the last laugh ...

Raja Petra Kamaruddin or better known as RPK or better known as Pete has this to say :

Hah! 40% true and 60% lies, said Mukhriz Mahathir. When the Sultan of Perak worked hand-in-hand with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to topple Pakatan Rakyat and hand the state back to Umno, Malaysia Today pointed to the fact that the Sultan was going to be rewarded super-big time. Of course, Malaysia Today was accused of lying. But all we had to do is to wait and allow the lie to be proven fact.

(Bernama) - MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd, which has been appointed the project delivery partner (PDP) for the Mass Rail Transit (MRT) project, will be allowed to tender for tunneling works.

"The government felt the exception should be made as the PDP is the only local construction company that has experience in major tunneling works such as in the SMART Tunnel project in Kuala Lumpur and the Kaohsiung MRT project in Taiwan," said Prime Minister Najib Razak today.

However, MCC-Gamuda will not be allowed to tender any of the work packages in the massive project, estimated to be around RM40 billion - the largest infrastructure project in Malaysia's history.

Najib was speaking to reporters at the RMAF base in Subang before his departure to Kuala Terengganu for a one-day official visit.

Nevertheless, Najib said the PDP would still have to compete for the work package with other companies and the award would be given on the basis of merit.

The prime minister also said the cabinet has decided that Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, would be the infrastructure owner of the project while the Land Public Transport Commission would be the supervising authority for the project.

On the appointment of MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture as the project delivery partner, Najib said it was based on the financial standing of the two public listed companies which make up the joint venture and their strong track records and experience in the field of construction and in undertaking huge and complex rail and tunneling projects.

"The PDP will assume the role of a project manager but with the added responsibility of having to deliver the project within an agreed time and cost.

"Any cost over-run and delays in project completion, which are basic common risks in projects, will be borne by the PDP," he added.

Najib said the PDP was not a turnkey contractor and the project would be divided into work packages which would be awarded individually through open tender.

"The government will make the final decision on the awarding of contracts," he added.

[Source: MT]

Nostalgic Weekend - Sharifah Aini

Sharifah Aini hit the local music scene in 1968 with her release of "Seri Dewi Malam", a traditional Malay folk song, but then her works were confined to the Malay community. Her fame started to spread a little wider when she released her first English album, "Forever and Ever" in 1977. Another six English albums followed. Here are my three favourites from this songbird.



"I Only Have Eyes For You", a classic by Billie Holiday


"Have you ever seen the rain", another classic, by Creedence Clearwater Revival


Previous Features:

The Saints, Kuala Lumpur
The Quests, Singapore
The "Little" Falcons, Kuala Lumpur
The Crescendos, Singapore
Rose Iwanaga, Sarawak
Naomi & The Boys, Singapore
Rocky Teoh, Ipoh
The Surfers/October Cherries, Singapore
Janice Wee, Sarawak
Roy Chew & The Merrylads, Kuala Lumpur
The Checkmates, Singapore
Terry Thaddeus and The Teenage Hunters, Kuala Lumpur

The Thunderbirds, Singapore

The Straydogs, Singapore
The Strollers, Kuala Lumpur
The Western Union Band, Singapore
Frankie Cheah, Kuala Lumpur

Latest Issue of Selangor Times

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Selangor Times 17Dec2010

Friday, December 17, 2010

UMNO, party of honourable men???

“What they did was shameful, despicable and a disgrace to our parliamentary democracy. We are all honourable, don't cheat la. They are not honourable, they are dishonourable. They are cheaters and liars,” he said. [Nazri Aziz's comment on the ruckus caused by the Opposition during the December 16 Parliament session].

This reminds me of the speech made by Mark Anthony at Julius Casesar's funeral where he described Brutus [and his conspirators] being honourable men.

"Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all; all honourable men)
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral ...
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man….
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man."

I particularly love the way in which Mark Anthony was able to turn the word honourable around to in fact mean dishonourable. In fact, I always find it amusing when I hear British Members of Parliament [including ours] talking about their Honourable Friends.


Thursday, December 16, 2010

Ruckus and placards in Parliament over suspension debtate - December 16 2010



The morning that was in Parliament - December 16 2010

Pandemonium erupted in Parliament this morning ahead of the motion to suspend four opposition MPs, including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar and House speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia got into an argument with the opposition leader demanding the right to respond to charges that he had misled Parliament on the issue of Apco, a Washington-based public relations agency hired by the government.

Pandikar said that Anwar was given a week to respond to the charges, sparking heated protests from the opposition bench.

Gombak MP Azmin Ali was seen wagging his finger at Pandikar as his colleagues denied that Anwar was given the opportunity to defend himself.

Today is the final day of the current session of the Parliament and 11 bills to be debated have been postponed to the next sitting, expected to be in March.

An unusual number of police are guarding Parliament's gates where at least five patrol cars and more than a dozen officers were seen.

LIVE REPORTS

NONE10.25am: Opposition MPs start chanting "Apco" as they thump the tables in protest. Pandikar has effectively lost control of the House as MPs shout at one another.

N Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Abdullah Sani (PKR-Kuala Langat) get into a shouting match against P Kamalanathan (BN-Hulu Selangor).

Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will table a Co-operative College (Incorporation) Amendment Bill 2010 before Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz tables the double motions to censure Anwar (PKR-Permatang Pauh), Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) and Sivarasa Rasiah (PKR-Subang).

However, the oppositon sparks off an argument when it raised the House's standing order issue.

10.40am: Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) brings up the issue of the pay-cut motion with Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor that had been rejected earlier.

Khalid refers to a letter from the minister regarding the troubled Shah Alam Hospital issue, that shows that the minister has misled the House but the speaker stops him from continuing.

10.49am: Anwar refers to Hansard records quoting the speaker as saying that he would be given the opportunity to defend himself at the rights and privileges committee meeting.

"When I attended the (committee) meeting it was only to decide whether I was allowed a counsel... After that, I was never called. please explain"

parliament pandikar amin anwar ibrahim lim kit siang dap pkr pc 121108 07Speaker Pandikar (left) wants to respond but Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) interrupts. On a point order, he argues that he wants to say something relating to Anwar's speech.

Referring to 7(1) of the standing orders, he says "the speaker has a conflict of interest and it is best you withdraw yourself”.

Karpal argues that Pandikar was the chairperson of the committee which recommended Anwar's suspension to the House and now chairs` the House session.

“You have lost your moral authority to sit in the chair," said Karpal.

Pandikar defends himself, saying:

"I was just a chair of the rights and privileges committee... I didn't vote. The motion was brought to the committee to vote on the letter (from Apco). There was a motion from the committee member, saying that there was no need to listen to the defence. The letter was good enough. And then, I put it to vote. That was all. I didn't vote in the committee."

10.55am: Protests from the opposition continue, prompting Pandikar to tell them to file a motion if they are dissatisfied with his decisions and interpretation of the standing orders.

To this, Azmin stands up and says:"But you will not accept our motions."

Opposition MPs shout “Apco-Umno” repeatedly, flashing make-shift placards to display their displeasure.

11am: BN parliamentary leader Mohd Nazri tables the motion to suspend Anwar amidst strident protests from opposition MPs, who repeatedly chant "Apco, Apco". This forces Nazri to lean closer to the mic to be heard over the din, in response opposition MPs shout even louder.

NONE11.04am: Nazri moves that Anwar be suspended. But he is inaudible as the shouts of “Apco-Umno” continue. He says that Anwar has misled the House on the Apco matter.

11.08am:
House speaker Pandikar calls on Khairy Jamaluddin (Umno-Rembau) to kick off the debate. But he is inaudible. All the opposition MPs hoist their placards - with words like "kangaroo", "BN Sokong Apco", "Apco", "Selamatkan Dewan, Hidup Ketua Pembangkang."

11.17am: Sivarasa (PKR-Subang) urges speaker Pandikar to “undur diri” (step down) due to obvious conflict of interest.

M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) supports Sivarasa, saying that Pandikar has the option to “undur diri”, but asked whether he is staying on because of "other interests".

11.20am: Pandikar urges Khairy to start off the debate on the Apco motion, but the "Apco-Umno" chant continues.

The placards are whipped out again, with some MPs shouting "mentaliti buruk" (rotten mentality).

11.25am: Pandikar instructs the Dewan Rakyat secretary to list down all MPs disobeying his orders to bar them from debating the motion.

NONE11.28am: Pandikar threatens to call for a vote without debate. Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) demands to know under which point of order that the speaker is calling for a vote without debate.

Speaker proceeds to call for a vote without debate. The motion to suspend Anwar is adopted through voice majority.

11.29am: Opposition MPs chant "Bohong, Bohong!" Anwar walks out from the Dewan followed all opposition MPs.

11.30am: Nazri moves second motion to suspend three other MPs - R Sivarasa (PKR-Subang), Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) and Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) - to an empty opposition bench.

11.32am: Debate starts on second motion with Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Umno-Kota Belud).

He accused the three MPs of interpreting the House's standing orders to suit their political agendas.

11.33am: Rain begins to fall outside Parliament House.

11.43am: PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar says there will be a march from Parliament to Suhakam, about 2km away in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

NONEHowever, about 40 police officers are already stationed outside the Parliament complex.

12.11pm: Ibrahim Ali (IND-Pasir Mas) debates motion to suspend Azmin, Sivarasa and Karpal.

He claims that the political upheaval in Malaysia is the result of Anwar's unrelenting ambition to become prime minister.

The nation will never be peaceful until he becomes prime minister," he said, adding that Pakatan Rakyat will achieve its goals either through "the front or back".

Responding to an interjection by Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud), Ibrahim said if Anwar was truly a "gift from Allah", he would not end up in this kind of situation.

12.30pm:
Wee Choo Keong (IND-Wangsa Maju) said that the opposition coalition does not practice what they preach.

"That is why I could not stand it and resigned (from PKR)," he said when debating the suspension motion to thumps from backbenchers.

NONE12.30pm: Ten PKR Youth members led by the movement's deputy chief Khairul Anuar have gathered outside the gates of Parliament and have been refused entry by the sentries.

Suspended opposition leader Anwar joins them.

12.41pm: The motion to suspend Azmin, Karpal and Sivarasa for six months has been passed through a voice vote. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz, who tabled the motion yesterday, said it was not necessary for him to deliver a winding up speech as the opposition bench was empty.

NONE12.45pm: At press conference held later, Karpal said that he will look into legal remedies for Anwar.

"We will see how we can take this matter to court. Gobind Singh Deo's (suspension) had set a precedence.

"We may take him (Pandikar) to court... the rules of natural justice was not upheld... we will take this to court.

"We don't want this incident to be turned into a precedence," said Karpal.

12.55pm: Speaking to reporters later, Khairy denies allegations that the government had no intentions of debating the motions.

NONE"We are worried that some news report will claim that we just want to suspend them without any debate.

"This is not true. We were prepared to debate the two motions but its the opposition who are causing the disruptions and are refusing to debate," he says.

Khairy adds that he was the first MP to debate the first motion but was unable to continue due to the disruptions.

He also chides the opposition for bringing placards into the Dewan Rakyat and for shouting non-stop. He said that they were mocking the August House.

NONE1.27pm: Around 20 Pakatan supporters march away from Parliament towards the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) headquarters which is about 2km away.

1.32pm: The police tries to prevent the supporters from marching, resulting in the arrest of PKR Youth exco member Lee Khai Loon and Padang Serai PKR division secretary G Pravin.

Monday, December 13, 2010

They did it again!

After Celine Dion, the Americans have done it again, this time pairing Martina McBridge to sing alongside Elvis Presley, to the song, "Blue Christmas". The film was shot during the "Elvis' Come Back" Concert in 1968 when Martina was only 2 years old.



And this is how they did it.



Elvis Christmas duets with other contemporary female artistes



Elvis duets with my favourite country singer, LeAnn Rimes on "Here Comes Santa Claus"


Do you know why the wedding ring is worn on the fourth fingter?

I have been married for many years now and never knew the significance of why I have to wear my wedding ring on my fourth finger, until now ......

There is a beautiful and convincing explanation given by the Chinese.

Why Wedding Ring is Worn Over 4th Finger

Thumb represents your -- Parents
Second (Index) finger represents your Siblings
Middle finger represents your Self
Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner
& Last (Little) finger represents your Children

Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back.

Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip
(As shown in the figure Above)

Now, try to Separate your Thumbs (representing the parents)..., they will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you lifelong (Sorry but its the Truth), and have to leave you sooner or later.


Please join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings)... ., they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.


Now join the Index fingers and separate your Little fingers (representing your children)... ., they will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day...


Finally, join your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).

You will be surprised to see that you just CANNOT ..,

'Cos Husband &Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin.. !!


ISN'T THIS A LOVELY THEORY.. ??