tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87155038816577767682023-11-16T15:58:48.057+08:00MERBOK TIMESMERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-44824638718208278022014-12-12T12:19:00.002+08:002014-12-12T12:19:47.451+08:00A Timeline of CIA Atrocities<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>The following article was initially published
in 1997. It is in part based on the work of William Blum. Killing Hope: U.S.
Military and CIA Interventions since World War II</em>, 1995 (GR Ed. M. Ch.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>By Steve Kangas</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The following timeline describes just a few of
the hundreds of atrocities and crimes committed by the CIA. (1)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">CIA operations follow the same recurring script.
First, American business interests abroad are threatened by a popular or
democratically elected leader. The people support their leader because he
intends to conduct land reform, strengthen unions, redistribute wealth,
nationalize foreign-owned industry, and regulate business to protect workers,
consumers and the environment. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, on behalf of American business, and often
with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition. First it identifies
right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a
deal: “We’ll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for
us.” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Agency then hires, trains and works with them
to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy). It uses every trick
in the book: propaganda, stuffed ballot boxes, purchased elections, extortion,
blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents in the local media,
infiltration and disruption of opposing political parties, kidnapping, beating,
torture, intimidation, economic sabotage, death squads and even assassination. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These efforts culminate in a military <em>coup</em>,
which installs a right-wing dictator. The CIA trains the dictator’s security
apparatus to crack down on the traditional enemies of big business, using
interrogation, torture and murder. The victims are said to be “communists,” but
almost always they are just peasants, liberals, moderates, labor union leaders,
political opponents and advocates of free speech and democracy. Widespread
human rights abuses follow.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This scenario has been repeated so many times
that the CIA actually teaches it in a special school, the notorious “School of
the Americas.” (It opened in Panama but later moved to Fort Benning, Georgia.)
Critics have nicknamed it the “School of the Dictators” and “School of the
Assassins.” Here, the CIA trains Latin American military officers how to
conduct coups, including the use of interrogation, torture and murder.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Association for Responsible Dissent estimates
that by 1987, 6 million people had died as a result of CIA covert operations.
(2) Former State Department official William Blum correctly calls this an
“American Holocaust.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CIA justifies these actions as part of its
war against communism. But most <em>coups</em> do not involve a communist
threat. Unlucky nations are targeted for a wide variety of reasons: not only
threats to American business interests abroad, but also liberal or even
moderate social reforms, political instability, the unwillingness of a leader
to carry out Washington’s dictates, and declarations of neutrality in the Cold
War. Indeed, nothing has infuriated CIA Directors quite like a nation’s desire
to stay out of the Cold War.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The ironic thing about all this intervention is
that it frequently fails to achieve American objectives. Often the newly
installed dictator grows comfortable with the security apparatus the CIA has
built for him. He becomes an expert at running a police state. And because the
dictator knows he cannot be overthrown, he becomes independent and defiant of
Washington’s will. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CIA then finds it cannot overthrow him,
because the police and military are under the dictator’s control, afraid to
cooperate with American spies for fear of torture and execution. The only two
options for the U.S at this point are impotence or war. Examples of this
“boomerang effect” include the Shah of Iran, General Noriega and Saddam
Hussein. The boomerang effect also explains why the CIA has proven highly
successful at overthrowing democracies, but a wretched failure at overthrowing
dictatorships.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The following timeline should confirm that the
CIA as we know it should be abolished and replaced by a true information-gathering
and analysis organization. The CIA cannot be reformed — it is institutionally
and culturally corrupt.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1929</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The culture we lost </strong>— Secretary
of State Henry Stimson refuses to endorse a code-breaking operation, saying,
“Gentlemen do not read each other’s mail.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1941</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>COI created</strong> — In preparation for
World War II, President Roosevelt creates the Office of Coordinator of
Information (COI). General William “Wild Bill” Donovan heads the new
intelligence service.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1942</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>OSS created</strong> — Roosevelt
restructures COI into something more suitable for covert action, the Office of
Strategic Services (OSS). Donovan recruits so many of the nation’s rich and
powerful that eventually people joke that “OSS” stands for “Oh, so social!” or
“Oh, such snobs!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1943</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Italy</strong> — Donovan recruits the
Catholic Church in Rome to be the center of Anglo-American spy operations in
Fascist Italy. This would prove to be one of America’s most enduring
intelligence alliances in the Cold War.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1945</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>OSS is abolished</strong> — The remaining
American information agencies cease covert actions and return to harmless
information gathering and analysis.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Operation PAPERCLIP</strong> – While
other American agencies are hunting down Nazi war criminals for arrest, the
U.S. intelligence community is smuggling them into America, unpunished, for
their use against the Soviets. The most important of these is Reinhard Gehlen,
Hitler’s master spy who had built up an intelligence network in the Soviet
Union. With full U.S. blessing, he creates the “Gehlen Organization,” a band of
refugee Nazi spies who reactivate their networks in Russia.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These include SS intelligence officers Alfred Six
and Emil Augsburg (who massacred Jews in the Holocaust), Klaus Barbie (the
“Butcher of Lyon”), Otto von Bolschwing (the Holocaust mastermind who worked
with Eichmann) and SS Colonel Otto Skorzeny (a personal friend of Hitler’s).
The Gehlen Organization supplies the U.S. with its only intelligence on the
Soviet Union for the next ten years, serving as a bridge between the
abolishment of the OSS and the creation of the CIA. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, much of the “intelligence” the former
Nazis provide is bogus. Gehlen inflates Soviet military capabilities at a time
when Russia is still rebuilding its devastated society, in order to inflate his
own importance to the Americans (who might otherwise punish him). In 1948,
Gehlen almost convinces the Americans that war is imminent, and the West should
make a preemptive strike. In the 50s he produces a fictitious “missile gap.” To
make matters worse, the Russians have thoroughly penetrated the Gehlen
Organization with double agents, undermining the very American security that
Gehlen was supposed to protect.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1947</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Greece</strong> — President Truman
requests military aid to Greece to support right-wing forces fighting communist
rebels. For the rest of the Cold War, Washington and the CIA will back
notorious Greek leaders with deplorable human rights records.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>CIA created</strong> — President Truman
signs the National Security Act of 1947, creating the Central Intelligence
Agency and National Security Council. The CIA is accountable to the president
through the NSC — there is no democratic or congressional oversight. Its
charter allows the CIA to “perform such other functions and duties… as the
National Security Council may from time to time direct.” This loophole opens
the door to covert action and dirty tricks.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1948</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Covert-action wing created</strong> — The
CIA recreates a covert action wing, innocuously called the Office of Policy
Coordination, led by Wall Street lawyer Frank Wisner. According to its secret
charter, its responsibilities include “propaganda, economic warfare, preventive
direct action, including sabotage, antisabotage, demolition and evacuation
procedures; subversion against hostile states, including assistance to
underground resistance groups, and support of indigenous anti-communist
elements in threatened countries of the free world.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Italy</strong> — The CIA corrupts
democratic elections in Italy, where Italian communists threaten to win the
elections. The CIA buys votes, broadcasts propaganda, threatens and beats up
opposition leaders, and infiltrates and disrupts their organizations. It works
— the communists are defeated.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1949</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Radio Free Europe</strong> — The CIA
creates its first major propaganda outlet, Radio Free Europe. Over the next
several decades, its broadcasts are so blatantly false that for a time it is
considered illegal to publish transcripts of them in the U.S.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Late 40s</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Operation MOCKINGBIRD</strong> — The CIA
begins recruiting American news organizations and journalists to become spies
and disseminators of propaganda. The effort is headed by Frank Wisner, Allan
Dulles, Richard Helms and Philip Graham. Graham is publisher of <em>The
Washington Post,</em> which becomes a major CIA player. Eventually, the CIA’s
media assets will include ABC, NBC, CBS, <em>Time, Newsweek,</em> Associated
Press, United Press International, Reuters, Hearst Newspapers, Scripps-Howard,
Copley News Service and more. By the CIA’s own admission, at least 25
organizations and 400 journalists will become CIA assets.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1953</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Iran</strong> – CIA overthrows the democratically
elected Mohammed Mossadegh in a military coup, after he threatened to
nationalize British oil. The CIA replaces him with a dictator, the Shah of
Iran, whose secret police, SAVAK, is as brutal as the Gestapo.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Operation MK-ULTRA</strong> — Inspired by
North Korea’s brainwashing program, the CIA begins experiments on mind control.
The most notorious part of this project involves giving LSD and other drugs to
American subjects without their knowledge or against their will, causing
several to commit suicide. However, the operation involves far more than this.
Funded in part by the Rockefeller and Ford foundations, research includes
propaganda, brainwashing, public relations, advertising, hypnosis, and other
forms of suggestion.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1954</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Guatemala</strong> — CIA overthrows the
democratically elected Jacob Arbenz in a military coup. Arbenz has threatened
to nationalize the Rockefeller-owned United Fruit Company, in which CIA
Director Allen Dulles also owns stock. Arbenz is replaced with a series of
right-wing dictators whose bloodthirsty policies will kill over 100,000
Guatemalans in the next 40 years.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1954-1958</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>North Vietnam</strong> — CIA officer
Edward Lansdale spends four years trying to overthrow the communist government
of North Vietnam, using all the usual dirty tricks. The CIA also attempts to
legitimize a tyrannical puppet regime in South Vietnam, headed by Ngo Dinh
Diem. These efforts fail to win the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese
because the Diem government is opposed to true democracy, land reform and
poverty reduction measures. The CIA’s continuing failure results in escalating
American intervention, culminating in the Vietnam War.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1956</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Hungary</strong> — Radio Free Europe
incites Hungary to revolt by broadcasting Khruschev’s Secret Speech, in which
he denounced Stalin. It also hints that American aid will help the Hungarians
fight. This aid fails to materialize as Hungarians launch a doomed armed
revolt, which only invites a major Soviet invasion. The conflict kills 7,000
Soviets and 30,000 Hungarians.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1957-1973</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Laos</strong> — The CIA carries out
approximately one coup per year trying to nullify Laos’ democratic elections.
The problem is the Pathet Lao, a leftist group with enough popular support to
be a member of any coalition government. In the late 50s, the CIA even creates
an “Armee Clandestine” of Asian mercenaries to attack the Pathet Lao. After the
CIA’s army suffers numerous defeats, the U.S. starts bombing, dropping more
bombs on Laos than all the U.S. bombs dropped in World War II. A quarter of all
Laotians will eventually become refugees, many living in caves.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1959</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Haiti</strong> — The U.S. military helps
“Papa Doc” Duvalier become dictator of Haiti. He creates his own private police
force, the “Tonton Macoutes,” who terrorize the population with machetes. They
will kill over 100,000 during the Duvalier family reign. The U.S. does not
protest their dismal human rights record.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1961</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Bay of Pigs</strong> — The CIA sends
1,500 Cuban exiles to invade Castro’s Cuba. But “Operation Mongoose” fails, due
to poor planning, security and backing. The planners had imagined that the
invasion will spark a popular uprising against Castro -– which never happens. A
promised American air strike also never occurs. This is the CIA’s first public
setback, causing President Kennedy to fire CIA Director Allen Dulles.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Dominican Republic</strong> — The CIA
assassinates Rafael Trujillo, a murderous dictator Washington has supported
since 1930. Trujillo’s business interests have grown so large (about 60 percent
of the economy) that they have begun competing with American business
interests.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Ecuador</strong> — The CIA-backed
military forces the democratically elected President Jose Velasco to resign.
Vice President Carlos Arosemana replaces him; the CIA fills the now vacant vice
presidency with its own man.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Congo (Zaire)</strong> — The CIA
assassinates the democratically elected Patrice Lumumba. However, public
support for Lumumba’s politics runs so high that the CIA cannot clearly install
his opponents in power. Four years of political turmoil follow.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1963</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Dominican Republic</strong> — The CIA
overthrows the democratically elected Juan Bosch in a military coup. The CIA
installs a repressive, right-wing junta.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Ecuador</strong> — A CIA-backed military
coup overthrows President Arosemana, whose independent (not socialist) policies
have become unacceptable to Washington. A military junta assumes command,
cancels the 1964 elections, and begins abusing human rights.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1964</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Brazil</strong> — A CIA-backed military
coup overthrows the democratically elected government of Joao Goulart. The
junta that replaces it will, in the next two decades, become one of the most
bloodthirsty in history. General Castelo Branco will create Latin America’s
first death squads, or bands of secret police who hunt down “communists” for
torture, interrogation and murder. Often these “communists” are no more than
Branco’s political opponents. Later it is revealed that the CIA trains the
death squads.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1965</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Indonesia</strong> — The CIA overthrows
the democratically elected Sukarno with a military coup. The CIA has been
trying to eliminate Sukarno since 1957, using everything from attempted
assassination to sexual intrigue, for nothing more than his declaring
neutrality in the Cold War. His successor, General Suharto, will massacre
between 500,000 to 1 million civilians accused of being “communist.” The CIA
supplies the names of countless suspects.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Dominican Republic</strong> — A popular
rebellion breaks out, promising to reinstall Juan Bosch as the country’s
elected leader. The revolution is crushed when U.S. Marines land to uphold the
military regime by force. The CIA directs everything behind the scenes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Greece</strong> — With the CIA’s backing,
the king removes George Papandreous as prime minister. Papandreous has failed
to vigorously support U.S. interests in Greece.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Congo (Zaire)</strong> — A CIA-backed
military coup installs Mobutu Sese Seko as dictator. The hated and repressive
Mobutu exploits his desperately poor country for billions.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1966</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The </strong><em><b>Ramparts</b></em><strong>
Affair</strong> — The radical magazine <em>Ramparts</em> begins a series of
unprecedented anti-CIA articles. Among their scoops: the CIA has paid the
University of Michigan $25 million dollars to hire “professors” to train South
Vietnamese students in covert police methods. MIT and other universities have
received similar payments. <em>Ramparts</em> also reveals that the National
Students’ Association is a CIA front. Students are sometimes recruited through
blackmail and bribery, including draft deferments.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1967</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Greece</strong> — A CIA-backed military
coup overthrows the government two days before the elections. The favorite to
win was George Papandreous, the liberal candidate. During the next six years,
the “reign of the colonels” — backed by the CIA — will usher in the widespread
use of torture and murder against political opponents. When a Greek ambassador
objects to President Johnson about U.S. plans for Cypress, Johnson tells him:
“Fuck your parliament and your constitution.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Operation PHEONIX</strong> — The CIA
helps South Vietnamese agents identify and then murder alleged Viet Cong
leaders operating in South Vietnamese villages. According to a 1971
congressional report, this operation killed about 20,000 “Viet Cong.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1968</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Operation CHAOS</strong> — The CIA has
been illegally spying on American citizens since 1959, but with Operation
CHAOS, President Johnson dramatically boosts the effort. CIA agents go
undercover as student radicals to spy on and disrupt campus organizations
protesting the Vietnam War. They are searching for Russian instigators, which
they never find. CHAOS will eventually spy on 7,000 individuals and 1,000
organizations.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Bolivia</strong> — A CIA-organized
military operation captures legendary guerilla Che Guevara. The CIA wants to
keep him alive for interrogation, but the Bolivian government executes him to
prevent worldwide calls for clemency.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1969</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Uruguay</strong> — The notorious CIA
torturer Dan Mitrione arrives in Uruguay, a country torn with political strife.
Whereas right-wing forces previously used torture only as a last resort,
Mitrione convinces them to use it as a routine, widespread practice. “The
precise pain, in the precise place, in the precise amount, for the desired effect,”
is his motto. The torture techniques he teaches to the death squads rival the
Nazis’. He eventually becomes so feared that revolutionaries will kidnap and
murder him a year later.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1970</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Cambodia</strong> — The CIA overthrows
Prince Sahounek, who is highly popular among Cambodians for keeping them out of
the Vietnam War. He is replaced by CIA puppet Lon Nol, who immediately throws
Cambodian troops into battle. This unpopular move strengthens once minor
opposition parties like the Khmer Rouge, which achieves power in 1975 and
massacres millions of its own people.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1971</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Bolivia</strong> — After half a decade of
CIA-inspired political turmoil, a CIA-backed military coup overthrows the
leftist President Juan Torres. In the next two years, dictator Hugo Banzer will
have over 2,000 political opponents arrested without trial, then tortured,
raped and executed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Haiti</strong> — “Papa Doc” Duvalier
dies, leaving his 19-year old son “Baby Doc” Duvalier the dictator of Haiti.
His son continues his bloody reign with full knowledge of the CIA.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1972</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Case-Zablocki Act</strong> — Congress
passes an act requiring congressional review of executive agreements. In
theory, this should make CIA operations more accountable. In fact, it is only
marginally effective.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Cambodia</strong> — Congress votes to cut
off CIA funds for its secret war in Cambodia.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Wagergate Break-in</strong> — President
Nixon sends in a team of burglars to wiretap Democratic offices at Watergate.
The team members have extensive CIA histories, including James McCord, E. Howard
Hunt and five of the Cuban burglars. They work for the Committee to Reelect the
President (CREEP), which does dirty work like disrupting Democratic campaigns
and laundering Nixon’s illegal campaign contributions. CREEP’s activities are
funded and organized by another CIA front, the Mullen Company.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1973</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Chile</strong> — The CIA overthrows and
assassinates Salvador Allende, Latin America’s first democratically elected
socialist leader. The problems begin when Allende nationalizes American-owned
firms in Chile. ITT offers the CIA $1 million for a coup (reportedly refused).
The CIA replaces Allende with General Augusto Pinochet, who will torture and
murder thousands of his own countrymen in a crackdown on labor leaders and the
political left.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>CIA begins internal investigations</strong>
— William Colby, the Deputy Director for Operations, orders all CIA personnel
to report any and all illegal activities they know about. This information is
later reported to Congress.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Watergate Scandal</strong> — The CIA’s
main collaborating newspaper in America, <em>The Washington Post,</em> reports
Nixon’s crimes long before any other newspaper takes up the subject. The two
reporters, Woodward and Bernstein, make almost no mention of the CIA’s many
fingerprints all over the scandal. It is later revealed that Woodward was a
Naval intelligence briefer to the White House, and knows many important
intelligence figures, including General Alexander Haig. His main source, “Deep
Throat,” is probably one of those.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>CIA Director Helms Fired</strong> —
President Nixon fires CIA Director Richard Helms for failing to help cover up
the Watergate scandal. Helms and Nixon have always disliked each other. The new
CIA director is William Colby, who is relatively more open to CIA reform.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1974</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>CHAOS exposed</strong> — Pulitzer prize
winning journalist Seymour Hersh publishes a story about Operation CHAOS, the
domestic surveillance and infiltration of anti-war and civil rights groups in
the U.S. The story sparks national outrage.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Angleton fired</strong> — Congress holds
hearings on the illegal domestic spying efforts of James Jesus Angleton, the
CIA’s chief of counterintelligence. His efforts included mail-opening campaigns
and secret surveillance of war protesters. The hearings result in his dismissal
from the CIA.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>House clears CIA in Watergate</strong> —
The House of Representatives clears the CIA of any complicity in Nixon’s
Watergate break-in.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Hughes Ryan Act</strong> — Congress
passes an amendment requiring the president to report nonintelligence CIA
operations to the relevant congressional committees in a timely fashion.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1975</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Australia</strong> — The CIA helps topple
the democratically elected, left-leaning government of Prime Minister Edward
Whitlam. The CIA does this by giving an ultimatum to its Governor-General, John
Kerr. Kerr, a longtime CIA collaborator, exercises his constitutional right to
dissolve the Whitlam government. The Governor-General is a largely ceremonial
position appointed by the Queen; the Prime Minister is democratically elected.
The use of this archaic and never-used law stuns the nation.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Angola</strong> — Eager to demonstrate
American military resolve after its defeat in Vietnam, Henry Kissinger launches
a CIA-backed war in Angola. Contrary to Kissinger’s assertions, Angola is a
country of little strategic importance and not seriously threatened by
communism. The CIA backs the brutal leader of UNITAS, Jonas Savimbi. This
polarizes Angolan politics and drives his opponents into the arms of Cuba and
the Soviet Union for survival. Congress will cut off funds in 1976, but the CIA
is able to run the war off the books until 1984, when funding is legalized
again. This entirely pointless war kills over 300,000 Angolans.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>“The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence”</strong>
— Victor Marchetti and John Marks publish this whistle-blowing history of CIA
crimes and abuses. Marchetti has spent 14 years in the CIA, eventually becoming
an executive assistant to the Deputy Director of Intelligence. Marks has spent
five years as an intelligence official in the State Department.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>“Inside the Company”</strong> — Philip
Agee publishes a diary of his life inside the CIA. Agee has worked in covert
operations in Latin America during the 60s, and details the crimes in which he
took part.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Congress investigates CIA wrong-doing</strong>
— Public outrage compels Congress to hold hearings on CIA crimes. Senator Frank
Church heads the Senate investigation (“The Church Committee”), and
Representative Otis Pike heads the House investigation. (Despite a 98 percent
incumbency reelection rate, both Church and Pike are defeated in the next
elections.) The investigations lead to a number of reforms intended to increase
the CIA’s accountability to Congress, including the creation of a standing
Senate committee on intelligence. However, the reforms prove ineffective, as
the Iran/Contra scandal will show. It turns out the CIA can control, deal with
or sidestep Congress with ease.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Rockefeller Commission</strong> — In
an attempt to reduce the damage done by the Church Committee, President Ford
creates the “Rockefeller Commission” to whitewash CIA history and propose toothless
reforms. The commission’s namesake, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, is
himself a major CIA figure. Five of the commission’s eight members are also
members of the Council on Foreign Relations, a CIA-dominated organization.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1979</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Iran</strong> — The CIA fails to predict
the fall of the Shah of Iran, a longtime CIA puppet, and the rise of Muslim
fundamentalists who are furious at the CIA’s backing of SAVAK, the Shah’s
bloodthirsty secret police. In revenge, the Muslims take 52 Americans hostage
in the U.S. embassy in Tehran.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Afghanistan</strong> — The Soviets invade
Afghanistan. The CIA immediately begins supplying arms to any faction willing
to fight the occupying Soviets. Such indiscriminate arming means that when the
Soviets leave Afghanistan, civil war will erupt. Also, fanatical Muslim
extremists now possess state-of-the-art weaponry. One of these is Sheik Abdel
Rahman, who will become involved in the World Trade Center bombing in New York.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>El Salvador</strong> — An idealistic
group of young military officers, repulsed by the massacre of the poor,
overthrows the right-wing government. However, the U.S. compels the
inexperienced officers to include many of the old guard in key positions in
their new government. Soon, things are back to “normal” — the military
government is repressing and killing poor civilian protesters. Many of the
young military and civilian reformers, finding themselves powerless, resign in
disgust.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Nicaragua</strong> — Anastasios Samoza
II, the CIA-backed dictator, falls. The Marxist Sandinistas take over
government, and they are initially popular because of their commitment to land
and anti-poverty reform. Samoza had a murderous and hated personal army called
the National Guard. Remnants of the Guard will become the Contras, who fight a
CIA-backed guerilla war against the Sandinista government throughout the 1980s.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1980</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>El Salvador</strong> — The Archbishop of
San Salvador, Oscar Romero, pleads with President Carter “Christian to
Christian” to stop aiding the military government slaughtering his people.
Carter refuses. Shortly afterwards, right-wing leader Roberto D’Aubuisson has
Romero shot through the heart while saying Mass. The country soon dissolves
into civil war, with the peasants in the hills fighting against the military
government. The CIA and U.S. Armed Forces supply the government with
overwhelming military and intelligence superiority. CIA-trained death squads
roam the countryside, committing atrocities like that of El Mazote in 1982,
where they massacre between 700 and 1000 men, women and children. By 1992, some
63,000 Salvadorans will be killed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1981</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Iran/Contra Begins</strong> — The CIA
begins selling arms to Iran at high prices, using the profits to arm the
Contras fighting the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. President Reagan vows
that the Sandinistas will be “pressured” until “they say ‘uncle.’” The CIA’s <em>Freedom
Fighter’s Manual</em> disbursed to the Contras includes instruction on economic
sabotage, propaganda, extortion, bribery, blackmail, interrogation, torture,
murder and political assassination.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1983</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Honduras</strong> — The CIA gives
Honduran military officers the <em>Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual
– 1983,</em> which teaches how to torture people. Honduras’ notorious
“Battalion 316″ then uses these techniques, with the CIA’s full knowledge, on
thousands of leftist dissidents. At least 184 are murdered.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1984</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Boland Amendment</strong> — The last
of a series of Boland Amendments is passed. These amendments have reduced CIA
aid to the Contras; the last one cuts it off completely. However, CIA Director
William Casey is already prepared to “hand off” the operation to Colonel Oliver
North, who illegally continues supplying the Contras through the CIA’s
informal, secret, and self-financing network. This includes “humanitarian aid”
donated by Adolph Coors and William Simon, and military aid funded by Iranian
arms sales.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1986</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Eugene Hasenfus</strong> — Nicaragua
shoots down a C-123 transport plane carrying military supplies to the Contras.
The lone survivor, Eugene Hasenfus, turns out to be a CIA employee, as are the
two dead pilots. The airplane belongs to Southern Air Transport, a CIA front.
The incident makes a mockery of President Reagan’s claims that the CIA is not
illegally arming the Contras.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Iran/Contra Scandal</strong> — Although
the details have long been known, the Iran/Contra scandal finally captures the
media’s attention in 1986. Congress holds hearings, and several key figures
(like Oliver North) lie under oath to protect the intelligence community. CIA
Director William Casey dies of brain cancer before Congress can question him.
All reforms enacted by Congress after the scandal are purely cosmetic.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Haiti</strong> — Rising popular revolt in
Haiti means that “Baby Doc” Duvalier will remain “President for Life” only if
he has a short one. The U.S., which hates instability in a puppet country,
flies the despotic Duvalier to the South of France for a comfortable
retirement. The CIA then rigs the upcoming elections in favor of another
right-wing military strongman. However, violence keeps the country in political
turmoil for another four years. The CIA tries to strengthen the military by
creating the National Intelligence Service (SIN), which suppresses popular
revolt through torture and assassination.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1989</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Panama</strong> — The U.S. invades Panama
to overthrow a dictator of its own making, General Manuel Noriega. Noriega has
been on the CIA’s payroll since 1966, and has been transporting drugs with the
CIA’s knowledge since 1972. By the late 80s, Noriega’s growing independence and
intransigence have angered Washington… so out he goes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1990</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Haiti</strong> — Competing against 10
comparatively wealthy candidates, leftist priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide
captures 68 percent of the vote. After only eight months in power, however, the
CIA-backed military deposes him. More military dictators brutalize the country,
as thousands of Haitian refugees escape the turmoil in barely seaworthy boats.
As popular opinion calls for Aristide’s return, the CIA begins a disinformation
campaign painting the courageous priest as mentally unstable.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1991</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Gulf War</strong> — The U.S.
liberates Kuwait from Iraq. But Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, is another
creature of the CIA. With U.S. encouragement, Hussein invaded Iran in 1980.
During this costly eight-year war, the CIA built up Hussein’s forces with
sophisticated arms, intelligence, training and financial backing. This cemented
Hussein’s power at home, allowing him to crush the many internal rebellions
that erupted from time to time, sometimes with poison gas. It also gave him all
the military might he needed to conduct further adventurism — in Kuwait, for
example.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Fall of the Soviet Union</strong> —
The CIA fails to predict this most important event of the Cold War. This
suggests that it has been so busy undermining governments that it hasn’t been
doing its primary job: gathering and analyzing information. The fall of the
Soviet Union also robs the CIA of its reason for existence: fighting communism.
This leads some to accuse the CIA of intentionally failing to predict the
downfall of the Soviet Union. Curiously, the intelligence community’s budget is
not significantly reduced after the demise of communism.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1992</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Economic Espionage</strong> — In the
years following the end of the Cold War, the CIA is increasingly used for
economic espionage. This involves stealing the technological secrets of
competing foreign companies and giving them to American ones. Given the CIA’s
clear preference for dirty tricks over mere information gathering, the
possibility of serious criminal behavior is very great indeed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>1993</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Haiti</strong> — The chaos in Haiti grows
so bad that President Clinton has no choice but to remove the Haitian military
dictator, Raoul Cedras, on threat of U.S. invasion. The U.S. occupiers do not
arrest Haiti’s military leaders for crimes against humanity, but instead ensure
their safety and rich retirements. Aristide is returned to power only after
being forced to accept an agenda favorable to the country’s ruling class.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>EPILOGUE</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a speech before the CIA celebrating its 50th
anniversary, President Clinton said: “By necessity, the American people will
never know the full story of your courage.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clinton’s is a common defense of the CIA: namely,
the American people should stop criticizing the CIA because they don’t know
what it <em>really</em> does. This, of course, is the heart of the problem in
the first place. An agency that is above criticism is also above moral behavior
and reform. Its secrecy and lack of accountability allows its corruption to
grow unchecked.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Furthermore, Clinton’s statement is simply
untrue. The history of the agency is growing painfully clear, especially with
the declassification of historical CIA documents. We may not know the details
of <em>specific</em> operations, but we do know, quite well, the <em>general</em>
behavior of the CIA. These facts began emerging nearly two decades ago at an
ever-quickening pace. Today we have a remarkably accurate and consistent
picture, repeated in country after country, and verified from countless
different directions.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CIA’s response to this growing knowledge and
criticism follows a typical historical pattern. (Indeed, there are remarkable
parallels to the Medieval Church’s fight against the Scientific Revolution.)
The first journalists and writers to reveal the CIA’s criminal behavior were
harassed and censored if they were American writers, and tortured and murdered
if they were foreigners. (See Philip Agee’s <em>On the Run </em>for an example
of early harassment.) However, over the last two decades the tide of evidence
has become overwhelming, and the CIA has found that it does not have enough
fingers to plug every hole in the dike. This is especially true in the age of
the Internet, where information flows freely among millions of people. Since
censorship is impossible, the Agency must now defend itself with apologetics.
Clinton’s “Americans will never know” defense is a prime example.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another common apologetic is that “the world is
filled with unsavory characters, and we must deal with them if we are to
protect American interests at all.” There are two things wrong with this.
First, it ignores the fact that the CIA has regularly spurned alliances with defenders
of democracy, free speech and human rights, preferring the company of military
dictators and tyrants. The CIA had moral options available to them, but did not
take them.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Second, this argument begs several questions. The
first is: “<em>Which</em> American interests?” The CIA has courted right-wing
dictators because they allow <em>wealthy</em> Americans to exploit the
country’s cheap labor and resources. But poor and middle-class Americans pay
the price whenever they fight the wars that stem from CIA actions, from Vietnam
to the Gulf War to Panama. The second begged question is: “Why should American
interests come at the expense of other peoples’ human rights?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CIA should be abolished, its leadership
dismissed and its relevant members tried for crimes against humanity. Our
intelligence community should be rebuilt from the ground up, with the goal of
collecting and analyzing information. As for covert action, there are two moral
options. The first one is to eliminate covert action completely. But this gives
jitters to people worried about the Adolf Hitlers of the world. So a second
option is that we can place covert action under extensive and true democratic
oversight. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For example, a bipartisan Congressional Committee
of 40 members could review and veto all aspects of CIA operations upon a
majority or super-majority vote. Which of these two options is best may be the
subject of debate, but one thing is clear: like dictatorship, like monarchy,
unaccountable covert operations should die like the dinosaurs they are.</span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-65345529359683716922014-09-07T11:49:00.001+08:002014-09-07T11:49:46.335+08:00DARI SAWAH KE ISTANA KEHAKIMAN<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Percayalah bahawa dalam hidup ini, akhirnya, kejujuran mengatasi segala-galanya. Percayalah bahawa dalam hidup ini, akhirnya, kebenaran akan terserlah jua.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Memandang ke belakang, hidup saya telah pun disusun. Hendak dikatakan kebetulan, terdapat terlalu banyak kebetulan. Saya tidak dan tidak boleh merancangnya sebagitu. Tetapi, sepanjang perjalanan hidup saya, saya dicuba seteruk-teruknya. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Di sepanjang perjalanan hidup saya juga, saya telah berusaha bersungguh-sungguh dengan jujur sambil menyerahkan segala-galanya kepada Allah s.w.t. Di akhirnya saya diberi ganjaran yang saya sendiri tidak menduganya. Tetapi, dalam hidup ini, tidak ada satu ganjaran yang lebih penting daripada integriti. Itu satu perkara yang kita ada atau tidak ada. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tidak ada sesiapa yang boleh menghadiahnya kepada kita. Kita terpaksa berusaha memperolehinya sendiri, sepanjang hayat</span></span>" <span style="font-size: large;">Klik di sini<a href="http://tunabdulhamid.my/index.php/speech-papers-lectures/item/728-dari-sawah-ke-istana-kehakiman"> : www.tunabdulhamid.my</a></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-79678014192282637962014-08-24T22:19:00.001+08:002014-08-24T22:21:26.661+08:00Western media’s biased coverage of the war on Gaza irrational, academics says.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>TEHRAN TIMES - By Kourosh Ziabari </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As Israel continues its massive military aggression against the Gaza
Strip, which has already cost the lives of more than 2,000 Palestinians,
the international condemnation of the atrocities committed by the Tel
Aviv regime and its cruel massacre of the unarmed citizens of the
besieged Gaza grows steadily.
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Just recently, a group of Jewish scholars, most of whom were born in
the Occupied Territories and teaching at the Israeli universities, have
signed a petition, calling on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to
stop its deadly incursion into the coastal territory. </span></span></div>
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A prominent anti-Zionist Israeli historian and intellectual, who is
best known for his outspoken criticism of the Israeli government and his
opposition to the occupation of Palestinian territories, believes that
the Western mainstream media are giving a lopsided and unfair coverage
to the war on Gaza, which has many different reasons, including the
influence of the Israeli lobby and the fear of these media outlets of
being branded anti-Semitist. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d7txdl-PNlLx1SBr0n9c8Xg45bIt8U3LHHEwOnzGmclDEK7ffbHXEXK3tKVvstuuhYCJ2T-gJpPQcsoT1UekdqpwRzQiyn8X0nKTr3tAYcXuTpwV-jxel4hbje079QIRCMEjb08V36if/s1600/PROF+IAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d7txdl-PNlLx1SBr0n9c8Xg45bIt8U3LHHEwOnzGmclDEK7ffbHXEXK3tKVvstuuhYCJ2T-gJpPQcsoT1UekdqpwRzQiyn8X0nKTr3tAYcXuTpwV-jxel4hbje079QIRCMEjb08V36if/s1600/PROF+IAN.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Prof. Ilan Pappé said that
Zionism has reduced Judaism "into a narrow minded ethno-nationalism
that depended on the success of a colonialist project."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Ilan Pappé is a political activist, historian and professor at the
College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University
of Exeter, Britain. He is also the director of the university's European
Centre for Palestine Studies, and co-director of the Exeter Centre for
Ethno-Political Studies. From 1984 to 2007, he was a senior lecturer in
political science at the University of Haifa. A former member of
Israel's Hadash Party, he was the party's candidate for the parliament
(Knesset) elections in 1996 and 1999. In 2012, he published the book
"The Bureaucracy of Evil: The History of the Israeli Occupation" that
was released by the Oneworld Publications.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Prof. Pappé responded to our questions on the recent Israeli onslaught
on the Gaza Strip and the historical, legal aspects of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The following is the text of the
interview. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: It was reported that Israel launched its military incursion
into the Gaza Strip after Hamas allegedly kidnapped and killed three
young Israeli settlers. So far, more than 2,000 Palestinians have been
slaughtered in the month-long conflict. Do you consider this mass
killing in such a broad extent, and the obliteration of the civilian
infrastructure of the Gaza Strip a logical, proportionate and
justifiable response to the kidnapping of three Israeli citizens, while
there isn't still reliable evidence showing that the abduction was done
by Hamas?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: No, of course not and the destruction of Gaza is not really a
retaliation to the abduction and killing of the three settlers. The
incident was a pretext for implementing a policy that was formulated
long time ago towards the Gaza Strip; a geopolitical area of Palestine
for which Israel has no clear policy. It manages, at least in its own
eyes, quite successfully, the rest - 98 percent - of Palestine. It
imposes harsh restrictions on the Palestinian minority inside Israel and
colonial rule in the West Bank. These policies were also tried in the
Gaza Strip but it was a risk to have settlers there and it was too full
of refugees for to be seriously considered part of Israel. So it was
‘ghettoized’ with the hope that it would be domiciled in such a way. But
Gaza resists and the only way Israel deems possible to react to this,
is to use all its military might to crash that rebellion.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: Can we interpret the Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip
as an effort to ruin the newly-formed unity government in Palestine? Is
Israel trying to delegitimize Hamas in the eyes of the people of Gaza
Strip who voted unanimously in the 2006 legislative election to bring it
to power, and to pretend that Hamas is not capable of providing
security and welfare for them?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: Indeed, there is also a more immediate reason for the particular
timing of this assault. The Fatah-Hamas unity government and the
Palestinian Authority decision to replace the ‘peace process’ with an
appeal to international organizations endangers, in the eyes of the
Israelis, their control over the West Bank. So the wish was for
destroying Hamas politically in the West Bank and militarily in the Gaza
Strip. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: It seems that a growing number of Israeli academicians,
intellectuals, journalists and ordinary citizens on the streets are
turning frustrated at the policies of Israel and its brutalization of
the Palestinian citizens. I just read that a large group of Israeli
university professors have signed a petition, calling on Tel Aviv to
cease its military operations against the civilian population in Gaza.
So, we see an emerging trend in opposition to the Israeli policies.
What's your take on that?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: I would not exaggerate the number of dissenting voices inside
Israel. There are of course such voices, but the society at large, 87
percent according to one poll, is not only behind the government’s
policy in Gaza, but even demand a more brutal action over there. So I
think we cannot rest our hopes for an end to the violence in Palestine
on a change from within Israel. Only strong pressure from the outside
can produce such a result. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: Do you think it's possible to stop Israel from intensifying
its assault on the Gaza Strip and violating the international law?
Israel has hasn't paid any attention to the UN bodies' condemnations and
calls for the cessation of hostilities. So, it sounds like
international law doesn't have any mechanism for obligating Israel to
abide by its commitments as an occupying power under the international
law. What do you make of it?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: The only way of stopping Israel is adopting towards it the same
attitude adopted against South Africa at the time of Apartheid. For
this to be effective, one would have hoped to see a change in the
American position. This is not likely to take place soon. But also in
the case of South Africa, the American position was an obstacle for an
effective action against South Africa. The fall of the Soviet Union
convinced the Americans that South Africa was not needed any more in the
cold war. So something similar has to occur to change American
positions. But in the meantime it is important to build the solidarity
movement with the Palestinians on the basis of human and civil rights’
agenda. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: All of those Israeli politicians, diplomats, intellectuals
and academicians who break the wall of silence and level some criticisms
against the discriminatory practices and policies of the Israeli
government with regards to the Palestinian people are immediately
defamed as anti-Semites and self-hating Jews. Have you ever faced such
charges? What's your perspective on those who want to officially
sanction any criticism of Israel under this pretext and obstruct the way
to a meaningful dialog on what's happening in that sensitive region of
the world?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: Yes a lot. Self-hating Jew is a common reference to me. But I have
no problem with my Jewish identity. My conflict is with Zionism. I think
Zionism reduced Judaism into a narrow minded ethno-nationalism that
depended on the success of a colonialist project. This brought more
misery to Jews around the world, rather than helping them to defeat
anti-Semitism. I think now that the Jews are already a third generation
in Palestine, they can be recognized as a separate ethnic group provided
they are willing to share the land with the indigenous people and not
strive to dispossess them. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: The United States government has offered its unconditional
and unrestrained support to the Israeli government in its deadly
operations in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Washington is the
largest financial and military benefactor to Israel. Israel will never
be held accountable if this approach continues. Does it mean that
Israel, with its criminal record of murdering the Palestinians would
always remain immune to accountability before the international
community?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: I think one should not take a deterministic view on this. First of
all, the United States was not always pro-Israeli and the American
public is not the same as its political elites. In fact, there is a far
more significant change in the attitude towards Israel among young
American, including many Jews, than in Israel. Secondly, America's
ability to impact world politics has seriously diminished. States such
as Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa and China (the BRICS countries)
have more influence than ever before. If they are recruited to the
campaign to change the reality on the ground in Palestine, then there is
a good chance for change and peace.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: In a September 2006 article, you referred to the Israeli
policies in the Gaza Strip as an incremental genocide, and reiterated
that its ongoing military assault on the caged people of Gaza represents
the continuation of that lethal policy. Do you believe that Israel is
carrying out a project of ethnic cleansing and is trying to kill as many
Palestinians as possible so as to alter and distort the demographics of
the region and realize its plan for establishing the Greater Israel?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: I think it is a bit more nuanced. The Zionist project from its very
beginning was having as much of Palestine as possible with as few
Palestinians in it possible. The means for achieving it have changed
with time. In 1948, the major effort to achieve it was attempted when
half of the country’s indigenous people were expelled. More
sophisticated means were used afterwards; military rule, discriminatory
legislation and small scale ethnic cleansing operations. In Gaza all
these means proved useless and therefore the idea was to ghettoize Gaza
and hope that this would separate its people from Palestine. But when
they resisted the reaction became genocidal. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q: It's understandable why the Israeli media are giving a
lopsided and biased coverage to the war that Netanyahu and his entourage
have inflicted on the empty-handed Palestinians. But why do the Western
mainstream media, most of the times proudly boasting of their adherence
to the codes of ethics and professionalism, follow the same path and
don't talk the truth and present the realities of this unjust carnage
that is playing out in the beleaguered Gaza Strip?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
A: An excellent question. There is no good reason for this biased
Western coverage. I think it differs in explanation for different parts
of the West. In the United State, there is a strong pro-Zionist, Jewish
and Christian presence in the media which reflect both AIPAC and the
Christian Zionist Churches’ point of view on Israel. The more liberal
press, especially the New York Times, slowly become more critical on
Israel but still has not walked the extra mile, maybe because of
timidity. In Europe, I think the fear of being accused of anti-Semitism
is still very strong, as well as financial consideration connected to
pro-Zionist corporations. So they adopted the paradigm of balance and
parity which continues to provide Israel with immunity.</span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-21797273488327007792014-08-23T12:16:00.001+08:002014-08-23T12:16:22.616+08:00PEMUTUAN PADI - DATO' OTHMAN AZIZ, PENGERUSI MADA<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6ox5_8gzZD4" width="560"></iframe></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-32676924464157505942014-08-09T11:13:00.001+08:002014-08-09T11:13:33.704+08:00The Ebola Virus Pandemic: “A Weapon of Mass Destruction”?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuf3tPokoQ6qfgGpOxCW0Y5S-z2UExyoyGSDbTuxx7Bhs-VhPFxisKE16qX4XR617Dh_9ZJ5W608zZoO0KREtFQInpUoM7Xx1CMIs9gz1hLx_A2cyMZEewQozi9SmUGBivNcFqfvgztHy/s1600/ebola_micrograph_virus-afrique.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuf3tPokoQ6qfgGpOxCW0Y5S-z2UExyoyGSDbTuxx7Bhs-VhPFxisKE16qX4XR617Dh_9ZJ5W608zZoO0KREtFQInpUoM7Xx1CMIs9gz1hLx_A2cyMZEewQozi9SmUGBivNcFqfvgztHy/s1600/ebola_micrograph_virus-afrique.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back in 2009 <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/what-are-us-biological-warfare-researchers-doing-in-the-ebola-zone/5394582" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: blue;">Tulane University</span></span></a>
Ebola researchers received more than a $7 million dollar grant from NIH
to fund the detection kits allegedly used in Sierra Leone. A 2007
Tulane University release entitled <a href="http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/101807_bioterrorism.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: blue;">“New Test Moves Forward to Detect Bioterrorism Threats”</span></span></a>
boasts of an earlier $3.8 million NIH grant that led to early test
trial success of “diagnostic test kits that will aid in bioterrorism
defense against a deadly viral disease.” This document indicates that
the Ebola biowarfare research team has been experimenting with its kits
on Sierra Leone’s people for at least seven years before they were
ultimately banished recently. <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-ebola-virus-pandemic-a-weapon-of-mass-destruction/5394976">Read more</a></span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-26952225088900312822014-07-25T22:08:00.002+08:002014-07-25T22:11:40.204+08:00LADA SEBAGAI PENGURUS LANGKAWI GEOPARK HARUS BERTANGGUNG JAWAB<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSVfQrWly1vWzB8bulYGh3JHY9AL6JzzuKY2h68aM74y6clAYvcJJiDxyCm4koN_wEO2cOiy7-QXwY4bNd4earXFaFQcVWxcatt8ZDM5OLB7y3b3_v25Y5Gyt633xpxMs6cyQu7zvB7Ti/s1600/kilim-id.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSVfQrWly1vWzB8bulYGh3JHY9AL6JzzuKY2h68aM74y6clAYvcJJiDxyCm4koN_wEO2cOiy7-QXwY4bNd4earXFaFQcVWxcatt8ZDM5OLB7y3b3_v25Y5Gyt633xpxMs6cyQu7zvB7Ti/s1600/kilim-id.jpg" height="328" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>LAPORAN </b>di sebuah portal berita yang mengatakan
Langkawi menerima kad kuning daripada Unesco dan berkemungkinan besar
bakal kehilangan status 'global Georpark' agak merunsingkan.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ini kerana jika pulau pelancongan ini kehilangan status berkenaan,
bermakna Geopark kita bukan lagi bertaraf dunia dan dikhuatiri jumlah
pelancong akan merosot jika perkara ini tidak diambil serius dan
ditangani dengan bijak.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Namun setelah mendapatkan maklum balas daripada Lembaga Pembangunan
Langkawi (Lada), ternyata laporan itu tidak tepat dan Langkawi masih
pemegang kad hijau sejak Pertubuhan Pendidikan, Sains dan Kebudayaan
Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (Unesco) mengiktiraf pulau legenda itu
sebagai Geopark pada 2007.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sinar Harian mendapatkan pula Presiden Friends of Langkawi Geopark
(Flag), Datuk Kamarulzaman Abdul Ghani bagi mendengarkan pandangannya
berhubung isu ini.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Langkawi mempunyai masa tidak sampai setahun sebelum pihak
Unesco datang membuat penilaian semula berhubung status Geopark yang
diperolehnya pada 1 Jun 2007? Pada pandangan Flag, adakah kita sudah
bersedia untuk menghadapi penilaian pada 2015 ini?</b><br />
<br />
Kita belum bersedia dan sebab itulah Flag ditubuhkan. Sejak Penilaian
Pertama 2011, profil dan kesedaran masyarakat Langkawi dan pengunjung
terhadap Langkawi Geopark masih rendah. Walaupun Blueprint Pelancongan
Langkawi mengenal pasti Geopark sebagai penting tetapi kerajaan
memperkenalkan pula jenama baru ‘Naturally Langkawi’ dan tidak
mengimarahkan Geopark secara khusus. Ini dilihat sebagai langkah ke
belakang dalam memartabatkan Langkawi Geopark yang bertaraf dunia di
bawah Unesco.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sekiranya Langkawi gagal mengekalkan status ini? Apakah bentuk-bentuk kerugian yang bakal menimpa Langkawi?</b><br />
<br />
Langkawi akan kehilangan status global terhadap keistimewaan Langkawi.
Langkawi Global Geopark adalah satu-satunya pengiktirafan dunia yang
pernah diterima Langkawi dalam sejarahnya. Dalam arena pelancongan dunia
di mana status dan anugerah menjadi sandaran penting dalam promosi
destinasi, ini merupakan kerugian besar kepada Langkawi dan negara.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ap</span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>akah peranan Flag dalam membantu Langkawi mengekalkan status Geopark ini?</b><br />
<br />
Wujudnya Flag sudah amat membantu kerana pihak Unesco melihat
penyertaan masyarakat dalam Geopark sebagai suatu kriteria penting.
Gerakan komuniti melalui Flag dalam menjayakan aktiviti berkaitan
Geopark akan memberi markah tinggi dalam penilaian semula Geopark oleh
Unesco. Pada awal tahun ini, Flag telah memberi pandangan rasmi
berhubung Geopark kepada Pengurus Geopark iaitu Lada.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apakah syarat-syarat yang membolehkan Langkawi mendapat status Geopark dari Unesco pada asalnya?</b><br />
<br />
Syarat utama ialah keistimewaan Langkawi dari sudut warisan geologi.
Dikenali sebagai geo-diversiti, ia meliputi fitur bumi, laut, tasik,
pantai, gua, air terjun, pulau dan sebagainya. Kajian saintifik mesti
telah dilaksanakan, contohnya Langkawi terbukti mempunyai sejarah bumi
yang lengkap di mana diketahui Gunung Mat Chinchang ialah daerah tertua
dan menjadi tempat lahirnya bumi Malaysia 550 juta tahun dahulu.<br />
<br />
Tambahan kepada itu ialah kepelbagaian bio meliputi fauna dan flora.
Paling penting ialah kawasan Geopark mesti ada penghuni dengan warisan
budayanya.<br />
<br />
Langkawi, dengan 99 pulau sekitarnya menepati segala syarat untuk menjadi Geopark dunia yang sangat baik.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apakah syarat-syarat yang Langkawi telah langgar atau gagal
patuhi yang boleh menyebabkan ia berpotensi kehilangan status global
Geopark?</b><br />
<br />
Unesco tidak menetapkan syarat tetapi memberi garis panduan. Langkawi
belum menerima kad kuning tetapi bakal menerimanya dalam tahun 2015
sekiranya kita lalai, tidak berminat atau tidak mampu menghidupkan
Geopark. Paling utama ialah kesedaran bahawa kita adalah sebuah Geopark
dan kita mempromosinya untuk tujuan memajukan industri pelancongan, di
mana komuniti setempat mendapat faedah. Usaha membina profil dan jati
diri Geopark ini masih lemah. Program menyebarkan ilmu terhadap warisan
bumi dan usaha pemuliharaan masih perlu digiatkan seperti juga dengan
penjagaan alam sekitar dan kebersihan.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apakah tindakan pembetulan yang telah diambil bagi membolehkan penilaian seterusnya memihak kepada Langkawi?</b><br />
<br />
Pada Januari 2014, Flag telah menulis kepada Pengurus Geopark (Lada)
memberi cadangan khusus untuk meningkatkan kesedaran awam terhadap
Langkawi Geopark.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apakah bentuk keuntungan yang Langkawi peroleh menerusi status Geopark ini?</b><br />
<br />
Kemasukan pelancongan 2013 ialah 3.4 juta, rekod tertinggi bagi
Langkawi. Tidak dapat dipastikan kerana Geopark. Tetapi sekiranya
promosi kita mengetengahkan keistimewaan Geopark dan pengiktirafan dunia
(Unesco), maka Flag yakin ia mampu melonjakkan lagi kemasukan pelancong
luar dan dalam negara kerana ia dikira niche baru dalam dunia
pelancongan. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kesan limpahan ekonomi akan dapat dinikmati oleh peserta
industri, juga dalam bidang berkaitan dari segi peluang pekerjaan,
pemandu pelancong, operator bot, cendera hati, hotel, homestay,
pengangkutan darat serta udara dan sebagainya. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Selain itu, konsep
Geopark menjamin kelestarian pembangunan dan penggunaan sumber warisan
alam tabii untuk terus dikecapi oleh generasi selepas kita. - <i>Sumber Sinar Harian</i></span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-22588746222964231602014-07-04T11:07:00.000+08:002014-07-04T11:09:05.376+08:00PEMINTA SEDEKAH DAN PEMBERI SEDEKAH DI KOTARAYA KUALA LUMPUR DILIHAT KOTOR, BAGAIMANA PULA DENGAN KEGIATAN MAKSIAT?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Di bawah adalah kenyataan Dr Maza yang dipetik dari FB beliau berhubung kenyataan Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan, Tengku Adnan Mansor yang akan membersihkan Kota Raya Kuala Lumpur dari kegiatan peminta sedekah. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tegas beliau mereka yang memberi dan meminta kedua-duanya akan dihukum.P</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 25px;"><span style="font-size: large;">ihak berkuasa sedang merangka tindakan di mana pemberi sedekah akan ‘disaman’ manakala peminta sedekah akan ‘diangkut’.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sebaliknya bagaimana pula dengan kegiatan yang lebih kotor maksiat seperti pub, judi haram, pusat pelacuran yang seperti cendawan tumbuh di sekitar bandaraya Kuala Lumpur?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>"Kepada pihak yang ingin membersihkan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur dari peminta dan pemberi sedekah atas alasan ingin membersihkan Kuala Lumpur dari pencemaran serta untuk menjaga nama baik ibukota NEGARA ISLAM ini,
Mohon saya mencadangkan atas hasrat baik pihak tuan agar pihak tuan membersihkan Kuala Lumpur dari pusat-pusat hiburan dan segala aktiviti yang merosak dan meruntuhkan moral dan akhlak manusia. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Jadikanlah ia kota yang selamat dan berkat. Makmurkan ia dengan kesantunan dan kemakmuran yang mendamaikan jiwa setiap pengunjung.
Jadikanlah ia kota yang setiap orang yang masuk ke dalamnya merasa aman untuk dirinya, keluarganya dan temannya.
Buktikanlah dakwaan bahawa ini negara yang berpegang kepada Islam dan ibu kotanya juga tentu melambang kemakmuran, kedamaian, keluhuran budi dan kesantunan moral selaras dengan kehendak Islam yang membangunkan manusia dan kemanusiaan.
Sekian, terima kasih.
rakyat marhaen, Dr MAZA".</b></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-38580345017391529872014-06-26T08:49:00.001+08:002014-06-26T08:49:11.478+08:00ISLAM FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QmqrFK4-OfQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-24726194730554389282014-06-14T01:36:00.000+08:002014-06-14T01:36:07.651+08:00Lawmakers, LGBT groups urge U.S. trade action on Brunei criminal laws<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 100 U.S. lawmakers and lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender rights groups on Thursday urged the Obama
administration to stop trade talks with Brunei unless the country
revokes Islamic criminal laws they say jeopardize human rights.<br /><br />
Brunei, the first East Asian country to introduce Islamic
criminal law, has announced laws that will impose fines or jail terms
for offenses such as pregnancy outside marriage and failure to perform
Friday prayers. The laws will ultimately punish sodomy and adultery with
the death penalty, including by stoning.<br /></span></span>
</div>
<div class="articlerail" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
One hundred nineteen members of
the House of Representatives signed a letter urging Secretary of State
John Kerry and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to shun Brunei
in talks on a Pacific free trade zone unless the code is repealed.<br /><br />
The United States and Brunei are among 12 countries
negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, which aims to set
common standards on issues from labor to intellectual property and cut
tariffs on traded goods.<br /><br /> Pride at Work, the Human
Rights Campaign, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and the
National Center for Transgender Equality said in a letter to President
Barack Obama that Brunei's new laws placed the country outside the
bounds of international standards for human rights.<br /><br />
"It would be inconsistent with U.S. human rights policy to enter into a
preferential trade agreement with a nation that so vagrantly violates
the human rights of its citizens," they said.<br /><br /> State
Department officials have said the United States has "very serious
concerns" about the Brunei laws criminalizing freedom of religion and
increasingly threatening human rights.<br /><br /> Brunei, a
tiny former British protectorate of about 400,000 nestled between two
Malaysian states on Borneo island, relies on oil and gas exports for its
prosperity, with annual per capita income of nearly $50,000.<br /> (Reporting by Krista Hughes; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)</span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-25173860828494875872014-06-10T18:52:00.001+08:002014-06-10T18:52:23.379+08:00An open letter to TS Francis Yeoh of YTL (reproduced from The Malay Mail):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZSb2dxw1UpvZpl8rwnQdGX-rDQNNQQMLiDMV3skxIGVxez7-XUWapbmki8Kxph_ZRmnpVzAkbT8FEDapv6nS92uvpl3GqYNmT7lAsuYdhLrlN_LzE6MPH9I8ro5hc0mvjg8oEYa6hzcs/s1600/francis+yeoh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZSb2dxw1UpvZpl8rwnQdGX-rDQNNQQMLiDMV3skxIGVxez7-XUWapbmki8Kxph_ZRmnpVzAkbT8FEDapv6nS92uvpl3GqYNmT7lAsuYdhLrlN_LzE6MPH9I8ro5hc0mvjg8oEYa6hzcs/s1600/francis+yeoh.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dear Editor,<br /> I read in awe the comments made by Tan Sri Francis Yeoh (FY) reported in<span class="text_exposed_show">
your Malay Mail Online Portal on Tuesday, 3rd June, 2014, and several
other newspaper including The Malaysian Reserve and The Edgedaily,
quoting him at Pemandu’s global Malaysia Series Forum at the Securities
Commission.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Francis Yeoh is
probably the last person qualified to comment on cronyism, racial and
religious rhetorics. For someone whose family is one of the biggest
beneficiary of crony capitalism, political corruption and high handed
business tactics. Francis Yeoh should just keep his fake views to
himself and continue planning his transfer of wealth overseas.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lets recap how FY and YTL “won “ the first IPP in the country in 1994.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">All you have to do is read the Memoirs of Tan Sri Ani Arope to know
first hand of how high handed Francis Yeoh bulldozed his way through
his IPP which has cost the Malaysian citizens billions of Ringgit. It’s
the same billions which Francis Yeoh has now transferred abroad
acquiring assets in UK, Australia and Singapore, all from the grossly
inflated electricity tariff YTL got in 1994 on the back of power crisis
in 1992.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Francis Yeoh called the IPP as “innovation”. I and most Malaysian citizens would call it daylight robbery.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
The innovation was to produce electricity at 23 sen, sell it at 30 sen,
when TNB was producing it at 8 sen and selling it at 17 sen. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Innovation was land-grabbing the Paka and Pasir Gudang sites from TNB
and building his IPP. Innovation was arm- twisting Petronas to sell gas
at huge subsidy. Innovation was forcing through a “take or pay”
mechanism in the Off-take Agreement .</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Innovation was bulldozing
through the IPP via EPU through whatever means to get the sweetheart
deal. Innovation was forcing Dato Sri Ani Arope, the TNB CEO then to
resign for refusing to accept YTL terms.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Francis Yeoh is probably
the only Chinese who dared walk through like a King into an UMNO
General Assembly those days to see the Prime Minister and nobody dared
questioned him or stopped him.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s move on to the Express Rail
Link which is also another innovation by FY which he touted as a runaway
success without government help.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, he forgot to mention and
most people didn’t know that RM 5 of every passenger airport tax paid by
travellers going through KLIA is paid to ERL even though less than 5%
of them uses the ERL to get to KLIA.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And not to forget that the
government paid RM 100m for the recent extension of ERL to KLIA2 and the
passengers now to pay an extra RM2 to get to KLIA2 to cover the cost of
the extra trip to KLIA2.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps we should give FY the
“Malaysian Innovator of the Century” for all the “innovation” he had
done that ripped off billions of Ringgit of taxpayers money including
mine.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now lets move to the topic of racism.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can FY come
clean on how many Malays and Indian YTL Group has employed? I would like
to see it broken down by category of senior management, management and
kulis. It’s the same FY who employed a token Malay as Executive Director
in his Group who doesn’t have to actually go to work, so he won’t learn
their trade secrets.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On corporate governance, YTL has the
infamous Kitchen Board comprising of family members only that meets and
decide on key things . The formal Boards of his listed companies only
meet to rubber stamp decisions and tick their attendances for publishing
in the annual report.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Francis Yeoh participated in a recent forum of Top 50 PLCs chaired by the Prime Minister at the Security Commission recently.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the session, a study on graduate employment by 2 lecturers (Dr Lee
Hwok Aun and Dr Muhammad Abdul Khalid) in University Malaya was tabled,
which highlighted how Malay graduates are discriminated against in job
application.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was Francis Yeoh his most eloquent, when he was
asked to give his views. He managed to say about 5 words and “innovated”
his way out by changing topics. Francis Yeoh’s latest innovation is now
team up with royalties for business.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is after years of
currying favors from politicians until his true self showed up and no
politician wanted to have anything to do with him.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After he
bad-mouthed Tun Dr Mahathir to just about everybody who cared to listen,
the same Tun Dr Mahathir who made him a billionaire many times over.
After years of loathing the royalties, now they are his favorite people.
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But things didn’t go according to plan. After losing out in the
Project 3B IPP tender, FY managed to “innovate” his way through
bypassing the open tender method to win Project 4A just days ago.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another brilliant innovation by FY, is to metamorphorse YTL from a mere
Chinaman contractor turned power producer to also now be a brilliant
telecommunications company. How much did you pay for the 4G license
Francis Yeoh?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And also the highly inflated Bestranet project to
wire up all the schools in the country, so that you can plant your base
stations paid for by the people! Another brilliant innovation by YTL
should be your company tagline, no need to hire a bumiputera PR company
to come up with a tagline for you.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And what about KTM land in
Sentul FY? I suppose taking land from a bleeding KTM at rock bottom
price makes you a national savior?<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After benefitting from all these
sweetheart deals, you later called for “brutal competition” as the only
way for the country to progress.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When you get all these deals. Its
innovation and entrepreneurship. When a bumiputera like Tan Sri Syed
Mokhtar gets them, its cronyism and unfair privileges for the
bumiputeras.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You criticized the affirmative action plan which is
national policy giving unfair advantage to the bumiputera, but I can
assure you that all the small contracts handed out to the small
contractors the last 21 years since you got your innovative IPP does
not even come close to the contracts and businesses YTL has got from the
government and the people. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can go on and on, and I am sure
there are many more people who knows more than me who can add to it. Not
enough in attacking and insulting our intelligence, FY is also now
attacking bumiputeras, saying the non-bumis now have no chance in
business in Malaysia.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My message to Francis Yeoh is maybe it’s
time for you to sell out the remaining 15% of business which are still
in Malaysia and start packing your bags to move to UK. A lordship awaits
you in the land of the fair.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hamid, <br /> Anak Malaysia</span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-18283934618366321792014-06-08T19:56:00.001+08:002014-06-08T19:56:29.538+08:00SEJARAH BERAKHIRNYA SISTEM BERAJA DI NEPAL APABILA RAJA TERLIBAT DALAM SISTEM PENTADBIRAN
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d1UImgQDadNwq-x997FaZGlyfUBaH7dO37xfmk_72c_6H5U2LYjN-BTixrv9bGrQJ3K6fn8714yujI8Is4se9co3aQTvIXsj0SvlJodTibTpzhwQN5QCKNE8nT4stDgElTVT0_BraIpi/s1600/RAJA+NEPAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d1UImgQDadNwq-x997FaZGlyfUBaH7dO37xfmk_72c_6H5U2LYjN-BTixrv9bGrQJ3K6fn8714yujI8Is4se9co3aQTvIXsj0SvlJodTibTpzhwQN5QCKNE8nT4stDgElTVT0_BraIpi/s1600/RAJA+NEPAL.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Gyanendra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">RAKYAT Nepal kini bergembira bagi meraikan tamatnya pemerintahan
beraja yang wujud di negara itu sejak 240 tahun lalu. Parlimen Nepal
pada Rabu lalu meluluskan usul menamatkan pemerintahan berkenaan dan
sekali gus akan menukar pemerintahan negara itu kepada sebuah republik.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ketika rakyat negara itu bergembira dan menganggap ia kemenangan
bersejarah bagi mereka, keputusan Parlimen itu adalah sesuatu yang
mendukacitakan bagi Raja Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Baginda kini diberi tempoh selama 15 hari untuk meninggalkan istana
yang bakal ditukar menjadi muzium. Di situ akan ditempatkan segala
sejarah mengenai pemerintahan beraja di Nepal untuk ditatapi generasi
akan datang.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Raja Gyanendra menjadi Raja Nepal sejak 4 Jun 2001. Sebaik sahaja
Gyanendra menjadi raja, baginda telah membubarkan Parlimen serta
memerintah Nepal secara kuku besi. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Malah pada abad ini, baginda boleh dianggap sebagai sebahagian
kumpulan elit raja di dunia yang merupakan monarki mutlak. Walaupun
begitu tindakannya menindas rakyat, telah memberi peluang kepada
Parlimen mengambilalih kuasa daripadanya.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oleh itu pada April 2006, Parlimen mula membatas kuasa mutlak yang
dinikmati oleh baginda selama ini. Raja Gyanendra dilahirkan di
Kathmandu dan mempunyai seorang abang bernama Birendra. Bapa baginda
ialah Raja Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah dan ibunya ialah Puteri Mahkota
Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah. Walaupun baginda adalah anak bongsu,
Gyanendra telah ditabalkan sebagai raja selama dua tahun antara 1950 dan
1951, sewaktu keluarganya yang lain berada dalam buangan di India
tetapi pemerintahannya tidak diiktiraf di peringkat antarabangsa.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Takhtanya Datuknya, Tribhuvan, kemudiannya
pulang ke takhtanya apabila keluarga Rana menyerahkan kuasa. Baginda
bersama abangnya Birendra belajar di kolej yang sama iaitu Kolej St.
Joseph, Darjeeling, India. Sewaktu di sekolah baginda dianggap sebagai
pelajar pintar. Walaupun begitu, baginda meneruskan pelajarannya di
sebuah universiti tempatan iaitu Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu.
Manakala abangnya pula melanjutkan pelajaran ke universiti di Eropah. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Setahun selepas tamat pengajiannya iaitu pada 1970, Raja Gyanendra
telah berkahwin dengan Permaisuri Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah dan
dianugerahkan dengan seorang putera dan seorang puteri.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Raja Birendra menaiki takhta pada 1972 dan cuba memerintah Nepal
dengan penuh demokrasi. Namun baginda terpaksa berhadapan dengan
tentangan hebat tentera Mao. Pada 1 Jun 2001, dunia telah digemparkan
dengan serangan terhadap keluarga diraja Nepal, anak saudaranya Dipendra
mengamuk dan membunuh sebahagian besar keluarga di Raja termasuk abang
Gyanendra, Raja Birendra.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sebahagian besar rakyat Nepal percaya, Raja Gyanendra menjadi dalang
di sebalik pembunuhan itu memandangkan kesemua kerabat diraja yang lain
dibunuh sedangkan keluarga baginda terselamat.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bagaimanapun selepas siasatan menyeluruh dijalankan oleh pasukan
penyiasat mereka gagal menemui bukti berhubung penglibatan Raja
Gyanendra.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sebaik sahaja menaiki takhta, Raja Gyanendra mengamalkan sikap
mengawal sepenuhnya kerajaan berikutan kegagalan parti-parti politik.
Pada Mei 2002, baginda memberi sokongan kepada Sher Bahadur Deuba
sebagai Perdana Menteri. Bagaimanapun ia hanya bertahan lima bulan
apabila, baginda menyingkirkan Deuba. Sepanjang tempoh 2002 hingga 2005,
baginda telah melantik dan memecat tiga Perdana Menteri.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ketika baginda menguasai sepenuhnya pemerintahan pada 1 Februari
2005, baginda menuduh kerajaan Deuba gagal melaksanakan pilihan raya
Parlimen dan mewujudkan kestabilan dalam negeri berikutan tercetus
perang saudara yang dilakukan oleh pemberontak Mao.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Walaupun Raja Gyanendra memberi jaminan akan mewujudkan keamanan dan
pemerintahan demokrasi dalam tempoh tiga tahun tetapi sepanjang
pemerintahannya ia dipenuhi dengan tindakan kuku besi. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Berikutan itu pertubuhan antarabangsa melahirkan kebimbangan mereka
terhadap keselamatan wartawan berikutan langkah Raja Gyanendra
mengehadkan kebebasan awam termasuk kebebasan media.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tindakan demi tindakan yang dilakukan Raja Gyanendra mula mencetuskan
perasaan tidak puas hati rakyat sehingga mencetuskan demonstrasi
besar-besaran pada April 2006 bagi membantah pemerintahannya. Raja
Gyanendra bertindak balas dengan mengisytiharkan darurat.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bagaimanapun bantahan terhadap baginda
berterusan dan ini memaksa baginda mengumumkan akan mewujudkan pihak
berkuasa eksekutif yang mana Perdana Menterinya akan dipilih oleh parti
politik. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Namun tawaran itu ditolak oleh beberapa ketua parti, mereka
sebaliknya menggesa Raja Gyanendra mewujudkan satu majlis bagi
menentukan peranan raja dalam politik.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kemelut antara raja dan ahli politik di Nepal seolah-olah sampai ke
kemuncaknya pada 10 Jun 2006, apabila Parlimen menghapuskan kuasa raja
termasuk hak untuk menggunakan kuasa veto dalam meluluskan
undang-undang. Tindakan itu telah menyebabkan Raja Gyanendra ibarat
seorang raja awam yang tidak mempunyai apa-apa kuasa kerana
segala-galanya sudah dipindahkan kepada Perdana Menteri.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Usaha Raja Gyanendra untuk terus mempertahankan sistem monarki di
negara itu sampai ke penghujung pada Mac 2007 apabila Perdana Menteri
Nepal, Girija Prasad Koirala yang dilihat orang yang paling memihak
kepada sistem berkenaan berpendapat Raja Gyanendra perlu berundur
daripada takhta.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pada 23 Ogos 2007, kerajaan peralihan Nepal mengumumkan semua harta
Raja Gyanendra yang diwarisi daripada abangnya termasuk Istana Diraja
Narayanhity kini milik negara, bagaimanapun pengumuman itu tidak
melibatkan harta peribadi baginda sebelum menaiki takhta.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Akhirnya apa yang dibimbangi oleh Raja Gyanendra menjadi kenyataan
apabila pengumuman dibuat pada 24 Disember 2007 bahawa sistem monarki di
negara itu akan dihapuskan pada tahun ini selaras dengan salah satu
syarat dalam perjanjian damai dengan pemberontak Mao. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ia sekali gus bermakna Nepal akan menjadi sebuah republik yang akan
dipimpin oleh seorang presiden. Berikutan keputusan itu pada Rabu lalu,
Raja Gyanendra diberi tempoh selama 15 hari untuk meninggalkan istana
tempat baginda bersemayam. Baginda akan melangkah keluar dari istana
berkenaan sebagai rakyat biasa dan tidak mempunyai apa-apa keistimewaan
dari segi undang-undang.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Demikianlah berakhirnya riwayat pemerintahan beraja di Nepal yang
wujud 240 tahun lalu. Kesilapan dan keangkuhan sang raja ketika
memerintah telah mewujudkan rasa muak di kalangan rakyat. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ia kesudahannya mengakibatkan istana tidak lagi dilihat sebuah
institusi yang kebal dan perlu dipertahankan. Segalanya berlaku kerana
kealpaan Raja Gyanendra yang selama ini merasa begitu berkuasa dan tidak
terfikir bahawa suatu hari kelak institusi beraja di negara itu hanya
akan menjadi lipatan sejarah yang disimpan di sebuah muzium. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lebih malang lagi muzium berkenaan sebelum ini adalah istana yang menjadi tempat baginda bersemayam dan bersukaria. (UM - 1/6/2008)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-16191171707083100742014-05-30T15:25:00.001+08:002014-05-30T15:25:14.987+08:00THE STAR IS COUNTRY NUMBER ONE ENGLISH DAILY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVzC6IgA34QLmABvxUhM_4gxTl5q39D43jVDDFJZ3VlLqrJletG2eqaT499-CL0hzfYA3QsrC68jEjTpczLgh9TCLOWPfVsW2gPgB_7NECQh0xHokVWwKRqHEnNtzO-RAKAtUeNT_YSf9/s1600/englishpaperaudited.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVzC6IgA34QLmABvxUhM_4gxTl5q39D43jVDDFJZ3VlLqrJletG2eqaT499-CL0hzfYA3QsrC68jEjTpczLgh9TCLOWPfVsW2gPgB_7NECQh0xHokVWwKRqHEnNtzO-RAKAtUeNT_YSf9/s1600/englishpaperaudited.jpg.png" height="362" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Star</em> maintains its position as the country’s number one English daily, according to the latest <span class="knx_highlight" value="AUDITB48858BAE8DE249108D3D8AF00CAD70BC"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #107fc9; cursor: pointer;">Audit Bureau of Circulations</a></span> (<span class="knx_highlight" value="ABCINC0E643FE1E22548C985D09A01DCAB92EE"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #107fc9; cursor: pointer;">ABC</a></span>) report.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Its average daily circulation increased to 339,162 in the second half of 2013. up 2.4% or 8,042 copies from a year earlier.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Star</em>’s circulation rose for both the print and digital
formats. The digital replica saw a circulation of 49,551, up 17%
year-on-year.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Sunday Star</em> also recorded an improved performance, with
circulation growing 2.2%, or 7,814 copies, to 341,963. The digital
edition accounted for 49,737, up 19% from a year earlier.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Harian Metro</em> retains the top spot among Bahasa Malaysia
dailies but with a lower circulation. Its circulation slid 9.5%, or
36,174 copies, to 343,840 in the second half of last year.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> For the first time in at least two years, <em>Mingguan Malaysia</em> has overtaken <em>Metro Ahad</em> as the premier Bahasa weekly. Its circulation grew 1.9% to 373,352 in 2013’s second half while <em>Metro Aha</em>d’s circulation fell 10.6% to 362,807.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(The Star)</i></span></span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-19528180513762788952014-05-17T15:29:00.000+08:002014-05-17T15:29:07.811+08:00SINGAPORE'S LEE SAYS HE WANTS A QUICK DEATH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LtrpFzLf_40Qs6-yHkyt-YIcip-QO6J3Wim2KKw3VreaU_hle9VQwWAAmaEJaIFLLjMTywLs9brk4on88ew0XXGDEIkKSZvCJpzojoL5Q1094GtSFJzJ74nTLsUQrRScH9MkJTvCeT8o/s1600/LKY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LtrpFzLf_40Qs6-yHkyt-YIcip-QO6J3Wim2KKw3VreaU_hle9VQwWAAmaEJaIFLLjMTywLs9brk4on88ew0XXGDEIkKSZvCJpzojoL5Q1094GtSFJzJ74nTLsUQrRScH9MkJTvCeT8o/s1600/LKY.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="first" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, who will turn
90 next month, said in a new book published Tuesday that he feels
weaker by the day and wants a quick death.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Some time back, I had an Advanced Medical Directive (AMD) done which
says that if I have to be fed by a tube, and it is unlikely that I
would ever be able to recover and walk about, my doctors are to remove
the tube and allow me to make a quick exit," he wrote in the book "One
Man's View of the World".</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The book is dedicated to the Asian statesman's views on international
affairs but an entire chapter contains his musings on death, religion
and other personal issues. The 400-page work is dedicated to his late
wife Kwa Geok Choo, whose death in 2010 shattered the normally stoic
veteran politician.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee has visibly weakened since then and revealed in the book that
despite daily exercise and a disciplined lifestyle, "with every passing
day I am physically less energetic and less active."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"There is an end to everything and I want mine to come as quickly and
painlessly as possible, not with me incapacitated, half in coma in bed
and with a tube going into my nostrils and down to my stomach," he
wrote.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee, a British-trained lawyer who served as Singapore's prime
minister for three decades and turned it into a high-tech industrial and
financial centre, expressed his blunt views on religion in the book.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I wouldn't call myself an atheist. I neither deny nor accept that there is a God," he said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"So I do not laugh at people who believe in God. But I do not necessarily believe in God -- nor deny that there could be one."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Asked where he drew comfort from if not from religion, he said: "It
is the end of any aches and pains and suffering. So I hope the end will
come quickly."</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Elsewhere in the book, Lee addressed what he considers the biggest
long-term threat to Singapore -- its low birth rate -- and rejected as
"absurd" suggestions that his population programme in the 1970s urging
couple to stop at two children contributed to the current situation.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite a slew of so-called "baby bonuses" to encourage couples to
have children, Singapore's total fertility rate last year stood at 1.20
children per woman, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the native-born
population.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee, who retired from politics in 2011, blamed Singaporeans' changing
lifestyles for the problem and said monetary incentives would only have
a "marginal effect" on it.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I have given the job to another generation of leaders. Hopefully,
they or their successors will eventually find a way out," said Lee, who
handed power to his deputy Goh Chok Tong in 1990 after 31 years in
office.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee's son, Lee Hsien Loong, is now prime minister after succeeding Goh in 2004.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Singapore's low birth rate has forced the government to open the
country to foreigners, who now comprise a third of the population.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The influx, however, has sparked protests from citizens and prompted
the government to tighten immigration flows in recent years.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee pointed to the example of Japan, which he said is on a "stroll
into mediocrity" as the ranks of its elderly swell due to young couples
not producing enough babies.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Japan's reluctance to open up to immigrants will further lead to its decline, he said.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"If I were a young Japanese and I could speak English, I would probably choose to emigrate," said Lee.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Source : AFP News) </span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-2296204556655287932014-05-08T20:01:00.005+08:002014-05-08T20:01:59.955+08:00PLUS - HALIM SAAD DAH KAW TIM DENGAN IZAT EMIR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_qa5m0js0YAykQ-rLH6zULWB4Mb5p-E26n8FA-I0Ta4JbEmJxJOiShP-4OcmcCdrb6KmyOIdgsp6KamgMJdzIGrovdbMXKAgB3IcVkgteUiCRfQGU0w1DvF32cBZwI-E21YOAbHhYLgt/s1600/ezat+amir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_qa5m0js0YAykQ-rLH6zULWB4Mb5p-E26n8FA-I0Ta4JbEmJxJOiShP-4OcmcCdrb6KmyOIdgsp6KamgMJdzIGrovdbMXKAgB3IcVkgteUiCRfQGU0w1DvF32cBZwI-E21YOAbHhYLgt/s1600/ezat+amir.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">KUALA LUMPUR 7 Mei - Persatuan Pedagang dan Pengusaha Melayu Malaysia
(Perdasama) menyambut baik cadangan pengambilalihan PLUS Malaysia
Berhad (PLUS) kepada syarikat swasta yang dikaitkan dengan Idaman Saga
(Idaman Saga) Sdn. Bhd., milik Tan Sri Halim Saad.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Presidennya, Datuk Moehamad Izat Emir berkata, walaupun cadangan itu
dilihat masih samar namun persatuan itu menganggap langkah
pengambilalihan tersebut harus dipertimbangkan bagi meringankan beban
rakyat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Perdasama beranggapan cadangan itu harus dipertimbangkan bagi
meringankan beban rakyat sekali gus menurunkan kos tanggungan rakyat dan
dapat mengurangkan subsidi yang ditanggung oleh kerajaan setiap tahun,"
katanya dalam kenyataan kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sebuah akhbar berbahasa Inggeris pada 25 Mac lalu melaporkan Halim
melalui syarikatnya, Idaman Saga berhasrat mengambil alih PLUS dengan
cadangan terbarunya kepada kerajaan untuk mengekalkan kadar tol pada
paras semasa.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Isu pengambilalihan itu bagaimanapun dibantah oleh Pertubuhan Pribumi
Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) kerana bagi pertubuhan itu, PLUS merupakan
tulang belakang dan pemacu kepada perkembangan ekonomi negara.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Naib Presiden Perkasa, Syed Osman Syed Mansor semalam berkata, PLUS
yang kini dimiliki bersama dua syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) dan agensi
kerajaan, iaitu Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) dan Kumpulan UEM
Bhd. (UEM) selama ini juga telah diurus dengan baik.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Menurut Moehamad Izat, tidak dinafikan kedua-dua agensi kerajaan ini
menunjukkan prestasi yang baik malah kedua-dua agensi tersebut mendapat
manfaat daripada pelaburan mereka dan disalurkan kepada rakyat.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Bagaimanapun saya percaya cadangan baharu yang dikemukakan oleh Tan
Sri Halim Saad itu tidak harus diketepikan. Ini kerana, PLUS merupakan
tunjang yang menghubungkan negeri-negeri di Malaysia dan merupakan
landasan utama sektor pelancongan dalam negeri.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Inisiatif seperti ini bukan sahaja membantu meringankan beban rakyat malah merancakkan ekonomi negara," katanya.</span></span></div>
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</div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-67898083969552073262014-05-08T08:07:00.001+08:002014-05-08T08:07:20.062+08:00ONE IN TEN AMERICANS BELIEVE 'SPACE ALIENS' WERE INVOLVED IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ILL-FATED MALAYSIAN FLIGHT MH370<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk4JuFgkuygk_84d8ZNJDO3Gyth0YGC15StcyJiojq1lhkBfZjTFvSrJA_JqaLJnMKHaycoojjlfg8ugrjkOdwam1kyKUL-0UAyzce7H_4edKS7UpneJ87fsascyZQAfRZGTrByWz_Ywk/s1600/map+370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk4JuFgkuygk_84d8ZNJDO3Gyth0YGC15StcyJiojq1lhkBfZjTFvSrJA_JqaLJnMKHaycoojjlfg8ugrjkOdwam1kyKUL-0UAyzce7H_4edKS7UpneJ87fsascyZQAfRZGTrByWz_Ywk/s1600/map+370.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One in ten Americans think 'space aliens' were involved in the disappearance if the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, it was revealed today.
A survey found that nine per cent of the people believe 'space aliens or beings from another dimension were involved'. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Investigators are still continuing their search for the missing plane and the 239 people on board, which vanished from radars on March 8.
The poll by CNN and ORC International found that while most people in the U.S. believe the search for MH370 should continue, half believe authorities are searching in the wrong place.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Findings also showed that the vast majority (79 per cent) believe there are no survivors.
Just over half (52 per cent) think we will eventually find out what happened to the flight. However, a further 46 per cent say we will never know. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The survey comes as 11 terrorists with links to Al Qaeda were arrested in Kuala Lumpur and Kedah and questioned about being involved in the plane's disappearance.
Aged between 22 and 55, the suspects were believed to have comprised students, business professionals and odd-job workers.
Terrorism was seen as a possible cause of the disappearance by Americans, with 57 per cent of those surveyed saying terrorists were likely involved, despite no group or organisation yet coming forward to take responsibility. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Furthermore, 42 per cent of the U.S. public believes hijackers were involved, while 52 per cent said a mechanical failure was probably involved.
Just a quarter said it was very likely that the crew or plane's pilots had something to do with the disappearance.
Yesterday, it was revealed the Malaysian tourism minister has said the government will not inject any more money into the state-owned Malaysian Airlines after the MH370 disaster.
The ailing national carrier has suffered a slump in bookings and £750 million losses following the disappearance of the flight two months ago and is undergoing 'restructuring'. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mohammad Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture, said the government will not put 'any more money' into the troubled airline.
Malaysia Airlines - which is owned by the government through a holding company - had already suffered $1.3billion losses over the past three years as it faced stiff competition and unprofitable routes, Gulf News reports. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mr Aziz said that the government is now unsure what it can do - but he added: 'To inject new capital is certainly not an option.'
It now looks unlikely that the government will sell the national carrier to private investor after the share price dropped both under the restructuring plans and the flight MH370 disaster.
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2622708/One-ten-Americans-believe-space-aliens-involved-disappearance-ill-fated-Malaysian-flight-MH370.html">Report Daily Mail UK</a></span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-56380005163840060262014-05-07T11:02:00.002+08:002014-05-07T11:02:41.676+08:00"CADANGAN SYARIKAT AMBIL ALIH PLUS TAK MASUK AKAL" NAIB PRESIDEN PERKASA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBQjbdeRfNQ1T-vsLB9Lx6U6pBZIDJ0UJAkfGwfJnJ8TvPTE9b9ZPUKm3ugvPiPqJpNvTBBz_5g7hzdDOv_3gK6ybd6IgGcHA7d269uHU14M4c0Sfa5qEMGmLnuGHAeRyxA7kGfX8AGbg/s1600/syed+osman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBQjbdeRfNQ1T-vsLB9Lx6U6pBZIDJ0UJAkfGwfJnJ8TvPTE9b9ZPUKm3ugvPiPqJpNvTBBz_5g7hzdDOv_3gK6ybd6IgGcHA7d269uHU14M4c0Sfa5qEMGmLnuGHAeRyxA7kGfX8AGbg/s1600/syed+osman.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">KUALA LUMPUR 6 Mei - Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) menentang cadangan pengambilalihan PLUS Malaysia Bhd. (PLUS) oleh syarikat swasta kerana pemegang konsesi lebuh raya itu merupakan tulang belakang dan pemacu kepada perkembangan negara. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Naib Presiden Perkasa, Syed Osman Syed Mansor berkata, PLUS yang kini dimiliki bersama dua syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) dan agensi kerajaan, iaitu Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) dan Kumpulan UEM Bhd </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(UEM) selama ini juga telah diurus dengan baik.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cadangan oleh syarikat persendirian untuk tidak menaikkan tol sehingga tahun 2038 dan kerajaan boleh menjimatkan RM40 bilion adalah tidak masuk akal tanpa bukti-bukti kukuh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perkasa berpendapat, aset kritikal negara iaitu PLUS wajar dikekalkan hak miliknya oleh dua agensi itu dan tidak dijual kepada syarikat swasta," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini hari ini bagi mengulas isu PLUS yang kini menjadi sasaran pengambilalihan oleh sebuah syarikat swasta. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dalam pada itu, Syed Osman turut mempersoal mengapa PLUS perlu dijual kepada syarikat swasta sedangkan dimiliki oleh agensi yang kukuh. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Katanya, Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan yang konsesinya dipegang oleh PLUS telah dibina berdasarkan konsep bina-kendali-pindah (BOT), maka harus kekal dalam pemilikan kerajaan.
Beliau berkata, kerajaan juga disaran agar menguruskan aset kritikal negara demi menjaga kepentingan rakyat. </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd </span></i></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-29118763873658232482014-05-05T17:58:00.001+08:002014-05-05T17:58:25.542+08:00HALIM SAAD JANGAN GANGGU PLUS LAGI.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fJqHhYv5bZgEESfYw-jM0wxxHC0A423Rqe80Q7iJGrM7ZJ6ckgGw0m8k9TUJuRpmYP3D6K7LgyA77r_acqTuzVLFZiad4euaumU3urltv4aI66vI9B75H1eDOhOxsOXO0-91jFszv4KS/s1600/HALIM+SAAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fJqHhYv5bZgEESfYw-jM0wxxHC0A423Rqe80Q7iJGrM7ZJ6ckgGw0m8k9TUJuRpmYP3D6K7LgyA77r_acqTuzVLFZiad4euaumU3urltv4aI66vI9B75H1eDOhOxsOXO0-91jFszv4KS/s1600/HALIM+SAAD.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">KUALA LUMPUR 4 Mei - Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan, aset kritikal negara yang merentasi lapan negeri di Semenanjung Malaysia adalah pemangkin kepada nadi pembangunan negara dan harus dikekalkan hak miliknya, demikian menurut seorang penganalis. </span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pengarah FA Securities, Zakie Ahmad Shariff berkata, PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS), pemegang konsesi lebuh raya tersebut, kini dimiliki bersama dua agensi kerajaan, Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) dan Kumpulan UEM Berhad (UEM), dan cadangan untuk memiliknegarakan PLUS kelihatan dangkal. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Kenapa kita pilih untuk UEM dan KWSP mengambil alih PLUS empat tahun lepas ialah untuk memberi faedah kepada negara, memperbaiki kedudukan kewangan serta penyelenggaraannya dan mereka telah menunjukkan prestasi yang sangat baik," katanya ketika mengulas PLUS, yang kini menjadi sasaran pengambilalihan oleh sebuah syarikat swasta. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pemilikan sekarang bukan sekadar telah menjadikannya milik rakyat, malah secara langsung memberi manfaat kepada lebih 14 juta pencarum KWSP.
Sebaliknya, beliau mengalu-alukan pihak ketiga mengambil alih lebuh raya bertol dalam bandar memandangkan faktor kekerapan penggunaan lebuh raya dalam kehidupan seharian warga kota berbanding lebuh raya PLUS di luar kota.
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kalau betul-betul nak tolong rakyat, lihatlah lebuh raya bertol dalam bandar, bukan PLUS.</b> Kalau sesebuah syarikat ingin mengambil alih tol-tol yang ada, kenapa tidak ambil alih tol-tol seperti LDP (Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong) dan sebagainya," katanya. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zakie yang juga pakar ekonomi turut berpendapat bahawa, selaku pemilik aset terbesar yang menjadi tulang belakang kepada rangkaian pengangkutan Semenanjung Malaysia, adalah wajar bagi PLUS kekal status quo. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beliau berkata, untuk meringankan beban kerajaan, rangkaian lebuh raya PLUS telah dibangunkan oleh pihak swasta berdasarkan konsep bina-kendali-pindah (BOT).
Kembalinya PLUS ke tangan kerajaan melalui usaha sama KWSP dan UEM adalah selaras dengan matlamat penswataan negara. Biarlah kedua agensi kerajaan ini, KWSP dan UEM, mendapat manfaat daripada pelaburan mereka, tambahan pula rakyat juga yang meraih faedahnya. Untuk diserahkan semula kepada pihak swasta, saya tidak nampak rasionalnya," ujar beliau. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seruan agar hak milik PLUS kekal status quo turut disokong oleh Pensyarah Kanan di Fakulti Perniagaan dan Perakaunan Universiti Malaya, Dr. Ervina Alfan.
Adalah jauh lebih baik bagi orang ramai jika lebuh raya itu kekal milik kerajaan. Ia sebenarnya adalah untuk kepentingan orang ramai secara keseluruhan," katanya. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ervina berkata, operasi lebuh raya berdepan dengan pelbagai risiko sama ada dari aspek politik, pasaran, pembinaan ataupun permintaan, dan aset berharga seperti <b>Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan tidak seharusnya berada di tangan pihak swasta untuk mengelakkannya daripada dicagarkan bagi menyokong pinjaman.</b> - BERNAMA </span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-48302251305999223042014-04-27T07:56:00.004+08:002014-04-27T07:58:15.653+08:0026 APRIL 2014 - LAWATAN PRESIDEN AS BARACK OBAMA<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXoPl7kz1zYWv5d3Vi4yitGKvapJ1hSXsGFAXNza-MhzwCounv0RSJEd9I0YyRHk3Fvasg_PWcW8FZlxBJJ3zzDHyXM0EG25Y1xN2PYLnaO2j73LEQ-_ByQ9iofSc6vtbb9pJLnNQd14D/s1600/obama+santapan+diraja.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXoPl7kz1zYWv5d3Vi4yitGKvapJ1hSXsGFAXNza-MhzwCounv0RSJEd9I0YyRHk3Fvasg_PWcW8FZlxBJJ3zzDHyXM0EG25Y1xN2PYLnaO2j73LEQ-_ByQ9iofSc6vtbb9pJLnNQd14D/s1600/obama+santapan+diraja.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah bersama Presiden
Amerika Syarikat Barack Obama pada Majlis Jamuan Negara Meraikan
Presiden Amerika Syarikat ke Malaysia di Istana Negara pada malam Sabtu.
-Foto BERNAMA. </td></tr>
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<br />MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-17268600435535486602014-03-31T22:35:00.002+08:002014-03-31T22:35:29.134+08:00Soft power: Britain is losing its grip on this key asset<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNOL8ON8h-G43bXDso9L7egqCqgKwB5sIwcdcQuhXWO5QKOc40V1ybwc9TK-FRzP8fZQS0BFH16BApCdlHlKz6-EP5Ui_JPGJM5OVmneICUOgbLyRJEMxTmGUbVTNNoWtuaHi1nWZ8dty/s1600/joseph_nye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNOL8ON8h-G43bXDso9L7egqCqgKwB5sIwcdcQuhXWO5QKOc40V1ybwc9TK-FRzP8fZQS0BFH16BApCdlHlKz6-EP5Ui_JPGJM5OVmneICUOgbLyRJEMxTmGUbVTNNoWtuaHi1nWZ8dty/s1600/joseph_nye.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Joseph S. Nye, Jr</strong> is university distinguished service professor at Harvard</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lords are right – we cannot 'simply proceed as before', the world has changed, and the government has to start factoring soft power into policy
It is almost 25 years since the American academic Joseph Nye first introduced his distinction between hard power – force delivered through guns and money – and soft power – influence delivered through attraction and relationship. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet Friday saw the first House of Lords select committee report on soft power – and its significance for Britain, as the Lords put it, "in a now almost totally transformed international scene". </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not only has economic power shifted unmistakably towards the south and east of the planet, says the report, but international relations – which used to be conducted entirely through diplomacy – are equally transformed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">An internet-driven connectivity – between states as well as between institutions, groups and non-state actors of all kinds – has led to a new set of political relationships and identities, which could challenge traditional loyalties to either the US or Europe in the future. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lords suggest that we should greatly enhance the capacity for meaningful engagement at all levels, including with online opinion formers such as Avaaz (and more locally 38 Degrees), adding: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The UK cannot simply proceed as before."
Internationally, Britain is seen to have a deep, historic understanding of soft power. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The BBC successfully frames international events on British terms, broadcasting in every major language. The British Council, British Museum and other arts institutions make cultural contributions worldwide. The royal family and the "mother of parliaments" offer a picture of a stable, working democracy. And London's spectacle as a well-connected, multicultural city suggests Britain is a microcosm of the globe. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are attractive to the rest of the planet, however different it looks from the inside.
Yet we are behind the curve in articulating a soft power agenda in our politics. Many Bric and Scandinavian countries shape their foreign policies around explicit soft power goals. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For example, China has opened 327 of a projected 1,000 Confucius Institutes, encouraging a philosophical understanding of its civilisation. India's investment in Bollywood has changed our view of it as a global agent: we now think of that great dance scene in Slumdog Millionaire before we remember the poverty. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finland sends monitors to join the Red Cross in the Ukraine – not just for humanitarian aid, but specifically to get closer to the people, to understand their wishes. All Nye's acolytes want to show themselves to the world as non-threatening and engaged, as attractive poles of influence.
Yet, through what the report calls "absent-mindedness and neglect", Britain is weakening rather than bolstering its soft power institutions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Twenty-five countries have launched English-speaking world-affairs news outlets: we have cut funding to the BBC World Service, closing 22 bureaus (including the Ukraine) since 2011. Instead of harnessing institutions such as these, which reliably attract goodwill and trust, David Cameron has placed a commerce-oriented advertising campaign proclaiming "Britain is great" at the heart of its operations at No 10. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The report recommends that we hold a national debate on our traditional reliance on the military to make our presence felt in the world. While it wants to defend a role for armies in the arena of global security, the report makes a strong case for a more explicit balance between hard and soft responses to events, described by Nye as "smart power". </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lords argue that such a debate would require a degree of popular education about how our international relationships are actually forged, and why these should matter to ordinary citizens.
National narratives – the story we tell the world about ourselves – are key. Evidence from nation-branding experts such as Simon Anholt suggests behaviour that is proactively friendly to the global community is rewarded with trust. And trust is the corridor for any influence a modern state wants to have in the world. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lords say that aggressive debates on immigration policy, widely reported in mainstream and social media, will have caused us a loss of soft power over the past two years.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a pre-publication interview, Lord Howell said: "All witnesses who came before us … said the visa policy and some of the handling of immigration policy was creating rather a blot, creating a 'nasty Britain' feeling." Not only will that drive tourism and business away from us, it will give us less credibility in bigger discussions about the direction of globalisation over coming decades. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not a simple tasklist for the Foreign Office or Department for International Development, as they are no longer the only departments involved in international relations. The entire government has to think about Britain in this new global environment. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How does the UK retain its trust and influence of the past? How does it proceed into a future where the edges of statecraft have become softer and more porous than ever before? </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Indra Adnan, theguardian.com
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MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-64617394163086950962014-03-24T23:11:00.001+08:002014-03-24T23:11:51.029+08:00DOA UNTUK MH370<div class="_5wj- mbs _5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" dir="rtl" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>اِنّا لِلّهِ وَاِنّا اِلَيْهِ رَجِعُوْن<br /> Salam takziah kepada SEMUA yang kehilangan Keluarga <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/doauntukmh370?source=feed_text"><span class="_58cl">#</span><span class="_58cm">DoaUntukMH370</span></a><br /> سمواك روحث دجوجوري رحمة </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> Al-Fatihah</b></span><br />
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MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-44951233181685785732014-03-23T20:52:00.000+08:002014-03-23T20:52:00.767+08:00HISTORY OF DIEGO GARCIA, HOW THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WAS CHASE OUT JUST TO HOME US POWERFUL AIRBASE<div style="text-align: center;">
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MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-29837789975276175172014-03-09T07:54:00.001+08:002014-03-09T07:54:18.792+08:00 TRIBUTE: Who exactly is Malaysia Airlines Captain Zaharie Shah of MH370? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VIHa-NHrw11YuB4APs_AQ6Z2BsQhs24yLJ2pNDqSdGTh55gPUxRmSwW6iXpjX7Aa9SJ8yPXmG6GBNhSoS5LKekl3yT4jlVX9mqtpT6W83lpcPCe2XPmUwgZqMa5HJQh_HsiJ1gogXD-c/s1600/capt+zaharie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VIHa-NHrw11YuB4APs_AQ6Z2BsQhs24yLJ2pNDqSdGTh55gPUxRmSwW6iXpjX7Aa9SJ8yPXmG6GBNhSoS5LKekl3yT4jlVX9mqtpT6W83lpcPCe2XPmUwgZqMa5HJQh_HsiJ1gogXD-c/s1600/capt+zaharie.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The brave pilot of MH370 must not go unnoticed. We find out just how passionate Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah is about flying.<br /><br /><em>Note: All information found here is publicly available. This post acts as a tribute to the brave Captain Zaharie. <strong> </strong></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Do
not politicize, belittle or use this information with malicious intent.
Do have respect for him and his family and please have common sense.</strong></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Read more : <a href="http://www.sharelor.net/1/post/2014/03/tribute-who-exactly-is-malaysia-airlines-captain-zaharie-shah-of-mh370.html">www.sharelor.net</a></strong></em></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-85366349444969277902014-02-23T21:21:00.001+08:002014-02-23T21:21:48.484+08:00JOM CARI KEDAH TUA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-40059105187423081952014-02-10T14:30:00.001+08:002014-02-10T14:34:15.675+08:00NAJIB KENA PENAMPAR LEBIH DAHULU DARI TERESA KOK<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sementara ramai tertunggu-tunggu siapakah yang berani menyahut cabaran
untuk menampar muka Ahli Parlimen Seputeh, Teresa Kok demi mendapatkan
ganjaran wang tunai RM1,200 yang ditawarkan oleh sebuah NGO, secara
tiba-tiba keluar berita mengenai peletakan jawatan pemimpin Hindraf, P
Waytha Moorthy sebagai timbalan menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan
Ahli Dewan Negara berkuatkuasa 10 Februari.</span></span></div>
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Meletak jawatan dalam suasana politik tidak menentu sambil menuduh
Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan Putrajaya sebagai pemungkir janji, pedihnya
lebih memeritkan berbanding tamparan yang singgah di pipi.</span></span></div>
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Sebagaimana yang dipetik daripada kenyataan Setiausaha Hindraf, P
Ramesh bahawa peletakan jawatan itu adalah kerana kegagalan Putrajaya
menunaikan janjinya kepada masyarakat India seperti yang dimeterai
antara Najib dengan Waytha, beberapa hari sebelum pilihan raya umum
lalu.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dengan adanya perjanjian itu yang didapati menyaksikan beralihnya
sebahagian sokongan pengundi India kepada Barisan Nasional (BN)
sebagaimana yang dibuktikan melalui kemenangan MIC yang lebih baik
berbanding pilihan raya umum pada 2008 dan juga melalui peti undi di
kawasan yang didiami mereka, Waytha kemudian dilantik sebagai senator
dan timbalan menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri.</span></span></div>
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Namun hanya kira-kira lapan bulan berada dalam kerajaan dan menunggu
janji kepada kaum India masih seperti menunggu buah yang tidak gugur,
Hindraf akhirnya memutuskan Waytha perlu "mencampakkan" semua jawatan
yang diberikan Najib itu berikutan tiada tanda ia akan ditunaikan oleh
kerajaan.</span></span></div>
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Menurut Ramesh lagi, pihaknya melakukan segala yang boleh,
menandatangani perjanjian dengan musuh semata-mata untuk kepentingan
masyarakat India serta dengan kepercayaan segala janji yang
ditandatangani akan menjadi kenyataan.</span></span></div>
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Malangnya, tambah Ramesh, setelah lapan bulan menanti dan bersabar, Hindraf sudah putus asa dengannya.</span></span></div>
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Di ketika kepimpinan Najib begitu dipertikaikan sebagai lemah, tidak
tegas, gagal menunaikan janji, tidak mengutamakan rakyat sebagaimana
yang dijanjikan sebelum pilihan raya, melupakan beberapa akujanjinya
sendiri serta banyak lagi, peletakan jawatan pemimpin Hindraf itu
bermakna mereka sudah menarik balik sokongan yang pernah diberi sebelum
ini, keadaan ini tentunya merupakan tamparan menyakitkan bagi perdana
menteri.</span></span></div>
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Ditambah dalam suasana BN perlu menghadapi pilihan raya kecil DUN
Kajang pada 23 Mac depan, putusnya ikatan kasih antara kerajaan dengan
Hindraf ini pastinya juga bakal menyaksikan sebahagian lagi daripada
jumlah 10% pengundi India di DUN Kajang tidak akan memberikan undinya
kepada BN.</span></span></div>
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Jika Teresa Kok sedang kerisauan kiranya cabaran menamparnya disambut
oleh mana-mana pihak yang pendek akal, lebih-lebih lagi setelah Menteri
Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi menyatakan bahawa
ganjaran yang ditawarkan oleh sebuah NGO mengenainya tidak boleh dikira
sebagai ugutan serta tidak perlu disiasat polis, tamparan yang dilakukan
oleh Hindraf ini jauh lebih menyakitkan Najib.</span></span></div>
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Dengan adanya serangan terbuka terhadap Najib daripada dalam Umno
sendiri, sokongan rakyat secara keseluruhan tidak bertambah baik,
pengundi Cina kekal menolak BN, Pakatan Rakyat makin meningkatkan
tekanan menghadapi PRU14, dan kini Hindraf pula memutuskan ikatannya
lantaran kecewa kerana janji tidak ditunaikan, kedudukan BN atau
kerajaan bukan saja dilihat sukar di Kajang, bahkan juga untuk
mengekalkan kuasanya dalam pilihan raya akan datang.</span></span></div>
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Hindraf pula, melakukan tamparan kepada Najib ini bukannya kerana ada
ganjaran terbuka yang ditawarkan oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim atau
Pakatan Rakyat tetapi barangkali dengan berbuat demikian, faedah untuk
kaum India sudah boleh dibayangkan untuk diperolehi melalui Selangor
yang bakal mendapat ketua kerajaan baharu selepas ini, sebelum manfaat
selebihnya akan dikutip selepas PRU14 nanti. –</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">DIpetik dari </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">shahbudindotcom.blogspot.com,10 Februari, 2014.</span></span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715503881657776768.post-2246967040459044752014-02-01T00:45:00.002+08:002014-02-01T00:45:15.868+08:00NAJIB HARUS LETAK JAWATAN SEBAGAI MENTERI KEWANGAN<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Posting Tun M yang menerima e mail dari Andrew Tang dalam blog nya ternyata ada kebimbangan dengan kejatuhan nilai ringgit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blog Tun M meminta pandangan tentang kejatuhan nilai ringgit yang teruk ini. </span><a href="http://chedet.cc/?p=1225" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Ringgit Is Weakening Badly</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yang sebenarnya Najib yang harus tampil menjawab sebagai respon kepada posting ini.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jika posting ini benar (<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-30/malaysia-s-ringgit-drops-to-weakest-since-may-2010-on-fed-taper.html">Apa kata Bloomberg.com</a>) dan berasas ini bermakna rakyat ada asas menolak Najib sebagai Menteri Kewangan. Najib harus menumpukan tugas-tugas sebagai Perdana Menteri sahaja.</span></div>
MERBOK TIMEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822937188569454786noreply@blogger.com7