(Bernama) -- Some 10 years after remarking that Singapore might rejoin Malaysia if the island state's economy faltered and if Malaysia pursued meritocracy, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has again spoken on the subject.
"They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," Lee said.
Lee made the remark in an interview on Sept 27 with syndicated columnist Tom Plate of the UCLA Media Center and new-media expert Jeffrey Cole of the USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future.
The transcript of the interview is available online on the UCLA Asia Institute website.
In June 1996, Lee spoke about the possibility of Singapore rejoining Malaysia, raising a storm on both sides of the Causeway with then Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying that he did not think that the time had come for that yet.
Dr Mahathir had also described the remark as just a means "to jolt Singaporeans" into their senses.
The latest remarks by the Singapore founding father came after he was asked about Singapore's "sense of endangerment" and why the island state was worried about survivability in the long run.
Lee replied: "Where are we? Are we in the Caribbean? Are we next to America like the Bahamas? Are we in the Mediterranean, like Malta, next to Italy? Are we like Hong Kong, next to China and therefore, will become part of China?
"We are in Southeast Asia, in the midst of a turbulent, volatile, unsettled region. Singapore is a superstructure built on what? On 700 square kilometres and a lot of smart ideas that have worked so far -- but the whole thing could come undone very quickly".
To a question on who would come after Singapore, Lee replied: "When (Malaysia) kicked us out (in 1965), the expectation was that we would fail and we will go back on their terms, not on the terms we agreed with them under the British.
"Our problems are not just between states, this is a problem between races and religions and civilizations.
"We are a standing indictment of all the things that they can be doing differently. They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," he said.
Analysts here do not see any possibility of a Malaysia-Singapore merger.
"The chances of a re-merger in 1996 and in 2007 are the same -- zero," said Dr Ooi Kee Beng, coordinator of the Malaysia study programme at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and best-selling author of "The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time".
"The very idea of a re-merger on Singapore's terms is appalling to most Malays (in Malaysia) and any move in that direction would be political suicide for a Malaysian politician to take," Dr Ooi told Today newspaper.
"They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," Lee said.
Lee made the remark in an interview on Sept 27 with syndicated columnist Tom Plate of the UCLA Media Center and new-media expert Jeffrey Cole of the USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future.
The transcript of the interview is available online on the UCLA Asia Institute website.
In June 1996, Lee spoke about the possibility of Singapore rejoining Malaysia, raising a storm on both sides of the Causeway with then Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying that he did not think that the time had come for that yet.
Dr Mahathir had also described the remark as just a means "to jolt Singaporeans" into their senses.
The latest remarks by the Singapore founding father came after he was asked about Singapore's "sense of endangerment" and why the island state was worried about survivability in the long run.
Lee replied: "Where are we? Are we in the Caribbean? Are we next to America like the Bahamas? Are we in the Mediterranean, like Malta, next to Italy? Are we like Hong Kong, next to China and therefore, will become part of China?
"We are in Southeast Asia, in the midst of a turbulent, volatile, unsettled region. Singapore is a superstructure built on what? On 700 square kilometres and a lot of smart ideas that have worked so far -- but the whole thing could come undone very quickly".
To a question on who would come after Singapore, Lee replied: "When (Malaysia) kicked us out (in 1965), the expectation was that we would fail and we will go back on their terms, not on the terms we agreed with them under the British.
"Our problems are not just between states, this is a problem between races and religions and civilizations.
"We are a standing indictment of all the things that they can be doing differently. They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," he said.
Analysts here do not see any possibility of a Malaysia-Singapore merger.
"The chances of a re-merger in 1996 and in 2007 are the same -- zero," said Dr Ooi Kee Beng, coordinator of the Malaysia study programme at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and best-selling author of "The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time".
"The very idea of a re-merger on Singapore's terms is appalling to most Malays (in Malaysia) and any move in that direction would be political suicide for a Malaysian politician to take," Dr Ooi told Today newspaper.
By Carolyn Hong
The Straits Times
TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad may still be recuperating in hospital after a quadruple bypass, but that has not stopped him from micro-managing his bakery shop and bistro that has just opened at a swanky new mall.
The former Malaysian premier has been grilling his Japanese business partner about the nitty-gritties of the business, from the quality of the cookies, to the finer details of the decor of the shop which opened in the upscale Pavilion mall in Kuala Lumpur four weeks ago.
'He has a preference for the European style but with modern touches,' said Mr Jiro Suzuki, his business partner.
The Loaf, the second outlet after the one in Langkawi, is drawing in a good crowd despite charging prices that are more than double of other bakeries.
The new 335-sq m bakery-bistro is spread over two-and-a-half storeys.
The Langkawi outlet broke even within the first year.
Mr Suzuki, 41, visited Dr Mahathir a few days before The Loaf opened, and also sent over baskets of his favourite chilli focaccia, croissants, and other pastries.
The Japanese businessman says he is used to being grilled since he teamed up with Dr Mahathir to open the Langkawi bakery in July 2006.
Mr Suzuki said the fastidious Dr Mahathir turned up at the Langkawi outlet one day, and found the tablecloths flapping in the wind.
He told Mr Suzuki to get clips to hold them down. But he called the next day to say that he had already bought them.
Dr Mahathir, 82, who retired in 2003, has always been a stickler for details. He used to make notes in his famous little notebook which he fished out at weekly Cabinet meetings, telling ministers to act on damaged highway lamp-posts and other minor problems.
He underwent heart surgery on Sept 4, and is still being warded at the National Heart Institute where he is undergoing physiotherapy.
On Wednesday, he joined Malaysians to watch the country's first astronaut blast off into space, a project that was his idea.
The Mahathir name has drawn crowds to The Loaf which sees up to 750 customers a day. They do not mind paying RM27 (S$12) for a loaf of bread, or RM4.60 for a croissant.
Mr Suzuki says The Loaf uses a traditional Japanese technique to bake the bread.
The partners plan to open an outlet in Singapore next year, and will start scouting for a suitable location soon.
'I believe Singapore has a ready market because they are used to high quality products,' he said.
The Straits Times
TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad may still be recuperating in hospital after a quadruple bypass, but that has not stopped him from micro-managing his bakery shop and bistro that has just opened at a swanky new mall.
The former Malaysian premier has been grilling his Japanese business partner about the nitty-gritties of the business, from the quality of the cookies, to the finer details of the decor of the shop which opened in the upscale Pavilion mall in Kuala Lumpur four weeks ago.
'He has a preference for the European style but with modern touches,' said Mr Jiro Suzuki, his business partner.
The Loaf, the second outlet after the one in Langkawi, is drawing in a good crowd despite charging prices that are more than double of other bakeries.
The new 335-sq m bakery-bistro is spread over two-and-a-half storeys.
The Langkawi outlet broke even within the first year.
Mr Suzuki, 41, visited Dr Mahathir a few days before The Loaf opened, and also sent over baskets of his favourite chilli focaccia, croissants, and other pastries.
The Japanese businessman says he is used to being grilled since he teamed up with Dr Mahathir to open the Langkawi bakery in July 2006.
Mr Suzuki said the fastidious Dr Mahathir turned up at the Langkawi outlet one day, and found the tablecloths flapping in the wind.
He told Mr Suzuki to get clips to hold them down. But he called the next day to say that he had already bought them.
Dr Mahathir, 82, who retired in 2003, has always been a stickler for details. He used to make notes in his famous little notebook which he fished out at weekly Cabinet meetings, telling ministers to act on damaged highway lamp-posts and other minor problems.
He underwent heart surgery on Sept 4, and is still being warded at the National Heart Institute where he is undergoing physiotherapy.
On Wednesday, he joined Malaysians to watch the country's first astronaut blast off into space, a project that was his idea.
The Mahathir name has drawn crowds to The Loaf which sees up to 750 customers a day. They do not mind paying RM27 (S$12) for a loaf of bread, or RM4.60 for a croissant.
Mr Suzuki says The Loaf uses a traditional Japanese technique to bake the bread.
The partners plan to open an outlet in Singapore next year, and will start scouting for a suitable location soon.
'I believe Singapore has a ready market because they are used to high quality products,' he said.
(IANS) - The government has decided to withdraw two officials of its high commission's labour wing in Kuala Lumpur for their alleged 'inefficient handling' of stranded Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
The decision was taken on the basis of recommendations of a delegation that visited the Southeast Asian nation recently to probe the problems of the workers, The Daily Star reported Wednesday. The two officials were not named.
Hundreds of Bangladeshi workers duped by recruiting agencies at both ends were stranded in Kuala Lumpur. Of them, a hundred staged protest demonstrations and went on a hunger strike.
A worker, running high fever, died before being brought back home last week. His companions blamed the government and the high commission.
The decision to recall two officials was announced here Tuesday by Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and acting secretary of the expatriates' welfare ministry Abdul Matin Chowdhury.
Dhaka has taken up the matter with the Malaysian government, which has imposed a freeze on importing more Bangladeshi workers till the procedures followed by the recruiting agencies were sorted out.
Malaysia has agreed to take 347,000 workers from Bangladesh of which an estimated 197,000 have found jobs.
Dhaka has expressed the hope that the freeze would be temporary.
'It's very important to improve the procedures of overseas employment. Codes of conduct of the Bangladeshi recruiting agents and Malaysian local agents should be changed,' a foreign advisor said.
Manpower export is a major foreign exchange earner for Bangladesh.
Besides the Gulf, Malaysia is a preferred destination for job seekers who follow both legal and illegal channels. Recruiting agencies and employers at times dupe them.
Quoting a letter sent to him by the Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Malaysia M. Khaizuzzaman Tuesday, the foreign adviser said that the Malaysian government had made it clear that Kuala Lumpur would withdraw the freeze on hiring Bangladeshi workers after solving the problems among the workers, Bangladeshi recruiting agencies and Malaysian local agents.
The decision was taken on the basis of recommendations of a delegation that visited the Southeast Asian nation recently to probe the problems of the workers, The Daily Star reported Wednesday. The two officials were not named.
Hundreds of Bangladeshi workers duped by recruiting agencies at both ends were stranded in Kuala Lumpur. Of them, a hundred staged protest demonstrations and went on a hunger strike.
A worker, running high fever, died before being brought back home last week. His companions blamed the government and the high commission.
The decision to recall two officials was announced here Tuesday by Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and acting secretary of the expatriates' welfare ministry Abdul Matin Chowdhury.
Dhaka has taken up the matter with the Malaysian government, which has imposed a freeze on importing more Bangladeshi workers till the procedures followed by the recruiting agencies were sorted out.
Malaysia has agreed to take 347,000 workers from Bangladesh of which an estimated 197,000 have found jobs.
Dhaka has expressed the hope that the freeze would be temporary.
'It's very important to improve the procedures of overseas employment. Codes of conduct of the Bangladeshi recruiting agents and Malaysian local agents should be changed,' a foreign advisor said.
Manpower export is a major foreign exchange earner for Bangladesh.
Besides the Gulf, Malaysia is a preferred destination for job seekers who follow both legal and illegal channels. Recruiting agencies and employers at times dupe them.
Quoting a letter sent to him by the Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Malaysia M. Khaizuzzaman Tuesday, the foreign adviser said that the Malaysian government had made it clear that Kuala Lumpur would withdraw the freeze on hiring Bangladeshi workers after solving the problems among the workers, Bangladeshi recruiting agencies and Malaysian local agents.
The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) is looking into the possibility of reporting Malaysia to the United Nations Human Rights Commission over a recent spate of violent acts against Indonesian nationals in the neighboring country.
"If such cases continue to happen, the House of Representatives will consider to report the cases to the UN Human Rights Commission," House Speaker Agung Laksono told the press at the Parliament Building here on Wednesday.
Agung alleged the recent spate of violent acts against the Indonesian nationals was committed intentionally and systematically.
"Violence against Indonesian workers continues to happen," he said.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) faction early urged the government to take a stern measure against Malaysia by issuing a travel warning if Malaysia did not change its bad habit of torturing Indonesian migrant workers. The party believed that if necessary Indonesia should temporarily cut the bilateral diplomatic ties.
"We must have the gut to take a stern action. We very much regret it, we are angry because the government is very weak toward Malaysia. We should have responded equally," Head of the PAN faction at the Parliament Zulkifli Hasan said at the Parliament.
Zulkifly Hasan, who just called home his child who studied at the International Islamic School of Malaysia following the recent spate of violent acts against Indonesian nationals in the neighboring country, said that the action of the Malaysian volunteers who had detained the wife of the Indonesian embassy`s education attache in Kuala Lumpur demonstrated that the insults by the Malaysian security personnel and people against Indonesian citizens were on purpose.
"The insults have been committed systematically. We must fight back. Malaysia has started to demonstrate racialist attitudes," he said.
Hasan, the secretary general of PAN, asked the government to issue a travel warning to discourage Indonesian nationals from visiting Malaysia. He hoped that the travel warning could hit the Malaysian tourism industry. A Malaysian official when attending the PATA Travel Mart in Bali recently said that Malaysia expected to receive about one million Indonesian tourists this year.
He also asked the government to stop sending migrant workers to Malaysia as many of them have fallen victim to violence and some of them had died.
The United Development Party (PPP) faction in the Parliament shared PAN`s views. Andi Ghalib of the PPP said that Indonesia should change its view and evaluate its attitude towards Malaysia as the latter has also changed its views toward Indonesia.
"We can no longer behave as we did in the past. The new generation of Malaysia have their own views toward Indonesia because of the prosperity and education factors," Ghalib said.
"If such cases continue to happen, the House of Representatives will consider to report the cases to the UN Human Rights Commission," House Speaker Agung Laksono told the press at the Parliament Building here on Wednesday.
Agung alleged the recent spate of violent acts against the Indonesian nationals was committed intentionally and systematically.
"Violence against Indonesian workers continues to happen," he said.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) faction early urged the government to take a stern measure against Malaysia by issuing a travel warning if Malaysia did not change its bad habit of torturing Indonesian migrant workers. The party believed that if necessary Indonesia should temporarily cut the bilateral diplomatic ties.
"We must have the gut to take a stern action. We very much regret it, we are angry because the government is very weak toward Malaysia. We should have responded equally," Head of the PAN faction at the Parliament Zulkifli Hasan said at the Parliament.
Zulkifly Hasan, who just called home his child who studied at the International Islamic School of Malaysia following the recent spate of violent acts against Indonesian nationals in the neighboring country, said that the action of the Malaysian volunteers who had detained the wife of the Indonesian embassy`s education attache in Kuala Lumpur demonstrated that the insults by the Malaysian security personnel and people against Indonesian citizens were on purpose.
"The insults have been committed systematically. We must fight back. Malaysia has started to demonstrate racialist attitudes," he said.
Hasan, the secretary general of PAN, asked the government to issue a travel warning to discourage Indonesian nationals from visiting Malaysia. He hoped that the travel warning could hit the Malaysian tourism industry. A Malaysian official when attending the PATA Travel Mart in Bali recently said that Malaysia expected to receive about one million Indonesian tourists this year.
He also asked the government to stop sending migrant workers to Malaysia as many of them have fallen victim to violence and some of them had died.
The United Development Party (PPP) faction in the Parliament shared PAN`s views. Andi Ghalib of the PPP said that Indonesia should change its view and evaluate its attitude towards Malaysia as the latter has also changed its views toward Indonesia.
"We can no longer behave as we did in the past. The new generation of Malaysia have their own views toward Indonesia because of the prosperity and education factors," Ghalib said.
By Jalil Hamid
(Reuters) - Malaysia will not disband a 500,000-strong volunteer security force that was criticised this week for mistaking an Indonesian diplomat's wife for an illegal immigrant, its chief said on Wednesday.
Rela, which calls itself the government's "eyes and ears" and was originally set up in the 1960s to help fight a communist revolt, has been criticised for its lack of discipline and abusing the human rights of migrant workers.
"I admit there are a few Rela officers who may be high-handed," Rela Director-General Zaidon Asmuni told Reuters in an interview.
"It will not be disbanded just because of a few bad hats. Rela is becoming a force to be reckoned with ... so there are groups trying to distract Rela by harping on human rights," said the 51-year-old former immigration officer.
Wearing green uniforms and yellow berets, Rela groups launch raids everyday to trap illegal immigrants since being given such powers in 2005. Officers, of the rank of platoon commander and above, are allowed to carry firearms, while the rest use batons.
Zaidon, who reports to Malaysia's home ministry, said Rela had rounded up 28,300 immigrants so far this year, against 25,000 in the whole of 2006. The government pays each Rela member just 4 ringgit ($1.18) a hour for such an operation.
Rela's crackdown is winning support from Malaysians, who routinely blame foreigners for rising crime rates, which could emerge as a major issue in a general election widely expected to be called within months.
With Malaysians reluctant to take up menial jobs, there are nearly 3 million foreigners -- chiefly from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal -- working in Malaysia, some illegally.
CRITICISM
New York-based Human Rights Watch has described Rela as a vigilante force set up to target foreigners.
In a May report, it listed cases in which Rela volunteers stole money from foreign workers, used excessive force, wrongly detained people and even helped developers to tear down the homes of 50 families.
Indonesian lawmakers on Tuesday called for more diplomatic action against Malaysia following two instances of what they saw as Rela excesses, as a row simmers between the neighbours over ownership of a popular folk song.
Jakarta protested on Monday after Rela members briefly detained the diplomat's wife and broke into an Indonesian student's home. Malaysia has denied the woman was detained.
Rela's numbers surpass those of Malaysia's police and military personnel put together, although critics say Rela members can hardly claim to be properly trained.
"A 10-day course and a uniform does not transform anyone into a professional overnight," Malaysian rights group Aliran said.
"If the government is reluctant to disband Rela, perhaps it could consider a more constructive role for the volunteer corps, especially in times of national catastrophe and natural disaster."
(Reuters) - Malaysia will not disband a 500,000-strong volunteer security force that was criticised this week for mistaking an Indonesian diplomat's wife for an illegal immigrant, its chief said on Wednesday.
Rela, which calls itself the government's "eyes and ears" and was originally set up in the 1960s to help fight a communist revolt, has been criticised for its lack of discipline and abusing the human rights of migrant workers.
"I admit there are a few Rela officers who may be high-handed," Rela Director-General Zaidon Asmuni told Reuters in an interview.
"It will not be disbanded just because of a few bad hats. Rela is becoming a force to be reckoned with ... so there are groups trying to distract Rela by harping on human rights," said the 51-year-old former immigration officer.
Wearing green uniforms and yellow berets, Rela groups launch raids everyday to trap illegal immigrants since being given such powers in 2005. Officers, of the rank of platoon commander and above, are allowed to carry firearms, while the rest use batons.
Zaidon, who reports to Malaysia's home ministry, said Rela had rounded up 28,300 immigrants so far this year, against 25,000 in the whole of 2006. The government pays each Rela member just 4 ringgit ($1.18) a hour for such an operation.
Rela's crackdown is winning support from Malaysians, who routinely blame foreigners for rising crime rates, which could emerge as a major issue in a general election widely expected to be called within months.
With Malaysians reluctant to take up menial jobs, there are nearly 3 million foreigners -- chiefly from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal -- working in Malaysia, some illegally.
CRITICISM
New York-based Human Rights Watch has described Rela as a vigilante force set up to target foreigners.
In a May report, it listed cases in which Rela volunteers stole money from foreign workers, used excessive force, wrongly detained people and even helped developers to tear down the homes of 50 families.
Indonesian lawmakers on Tuesday called for more diplomatic action against Malaysia following two instances of what they saw as Rela excesses, as a row simmers between the neighbours over ownership of a popular folk song.
Jakarta protested on Monday after Rela members briefly detained the diplomat's wife and broke into an Indonesian student's home. Malaysia has denied the woman was detained.
Rela's numbers surpass those of Malaysia's police and military personnel put together, although critics say Rela members can hardly claim to be properly trained.
"A 10-day course and a uniform does not transform anyone into a professional overnight," Malaysian rights group Aliran said.
"If the government is reluctant to disband Rela, perhaps it could consider a more constructive role for the volunteer corps, especially in times of national catastrophe and natural disaster."
(AP): A workers' union Wednesday urged the government to cut the high number of foreign workers at Malaysia's main airport, saying they posed a security risk and deprived locals of jobs.
The call was made as recruitment agencies supplying foreign maids welcomed a government plan to allow workers into the country from India, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam to fill a shortage caused by low wages and reports of abuse.
The differing views underlined the dilemma over the country's dependence on foreign workers to perform low-paying jobs that the locals - who have become increasingly prosperous - no longer want to do.
The Malaysia Airlines' Employee Union said an estimated 1,000 foreigners, mostly from Bangladesh as well as Nepal and Pakistan, are working for the flag carrier at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, including high-risk areas such as baggage, cargo and tarmac sections.
Hundreds more are hired by vendors appointed to provide airport services because the foreigners can be paid less, said the union which represents 8,000 staff.
A Bangladeshi worker receives around 200 ringgit (US$57) a month, compared to the minimum wage of 631 ringgit (US$180) for a local employee, the union's secretary, Mustafar Maarof, told The Associated Press.
"We are worried about the high presence of foreign workers at KLIA. .... We are concerned about the safety of passengers, our workers and the aircraft," he said.
Malaysia Airlines operations manager Yusop Jaridi said the carrier has outsourced some aspects of the baggage and ramp services to a local vendor, but stressed security was not compromised.
KLIA general manager Azmi Murad told the AP that the airline and other airport ground handlers were forced to recruit foreigners because domestic workers were unreliable and changed jobs too often.
Malaysia relies heavily on foreigners for menial work and is one of Southeast Asia's top labor markets, with 2.2 million registered migrant workers out of its 11 million work force. Hundreds of thousands more work illegally in the country.
But several sectors still suffer labor shortages. On Tuesday, the government said it would allow recruitment agencies to bring in maids from India, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam.
Currently, about 95 percent of foreign maids in the country are from Indonesia, said Raja Zulkepley Dahalan, president of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids Agencies.
But fewer Indonesians want to come because salaries are lower than in other countries, and also because many are scared away by media reports that maids are physically abused by Malaysian employers, he said.
Malaysia would need to hire at least 1,000 more maids in addition to the 6,000 new arrivals every month to alleviate the shortage, he said.
The call was made as recruitment agencies supplying foreign maids welcomed a government plan to allow workers into the country from India, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam to fill a shortage caused by low wages and reports of abuse.
The differing views underlined the dilemma over the country's dependence on foreign workers to perform low-paying jobs that the locals - who have become increasingly prosperous - no longer want to do.
The Malaysia Airlines' Employee Union said an estimated 1,000 foreigners, mostly from Bangladesh as well as Nepal and Pakistan, are working for the flag carrier at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, including high-risk areas such as baggage, cargo and tarmac sections.
Hundreds more are hired by vendors appointed to provide airport services because the foreigners can be paid less, said the union which represents 8,000 staff.
A Bangladeshi worker receives around 200 ringgit (US$57) a month, compared to the minimum wage of 631 ringgit (US$180) for a local employee, the union's secretary, Mustafar Maarof, told The Associated Press.
"We are worried about the high presence of foreign workers at KLIA. .... We are concerned about the safety of passengers, our workers and the aircraft," he said.
Malaysia Airlines operations manager Yusop Jaridi said the carrier has outsourced some aspects of the baggage and ramp services to a local vendor, but stressed security was not compromised.
KLIA general manager Azmi Murad told the AP that the airline and other airport ground handlers were forced to recruit foreigners because domestic workers were unreliable and changed jobs too often.
Malaysia relies heavily on foreigners for menial work and is one of Southeast Asia's top labor markets, with 2.2 million registered migrant workers out of its 11 million work force. Hundreds of thousands more work illegally in the country.
But several sectors still suffer labor shortages. On Tuesday, the government said it would allow recruitment agencies to bring in maids from India, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam.
Currently, about 95 percent of foreign maids in the country are from Indonesia, said Raja Zulkepley Dahalan, president of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids Agencies.
But fewer Indonesians want to come because salaries are lower than in other countries, and also because many are scared away by media reports that maids are physically abused by Malaysian employers, he said.
Malaysia would need to hire at least 1,000 more maids in addition to the 6,000 new arrivals every month to alleviate the shortage, he said.
B. Suresh Ram
The Sun
The government has assured the three-man panel looking into the authenticity of a video clip showing a senior lawyer discussing the appointment of top judges over the phone of its assistance in the event of any problem it may encounter in its task.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the Cabinet at its weekly meeting today discussed the difficulties facing by them in their task.
He said the panel can submit their report of their investigations at the end of the 30 working days mandate, which is to be given with the recommendations and the difficulties and problems the panel faced in completing its task.
Nazri said the Cabinet felt that it is better for the panel to submit its report and the difficulties associated with its task as a whole, in a collective manner, instead of raising problems and difficulties on a piecemeal fashion.
Nazri said in this way, the government will be able to effectively provide a solution on the whole, instead of doing so on a piece-meal fashion, which not only would be time consuming but also could possibly prevent the panel from completing its task within the 30-day time frame.
"The Cabinet will help the panel in any which way they want. Let them finish their task and we will see in what way we can help them," he told reporters in Parliament after his ministry's post-cabinet meeting today.
Several questions have been raised following the panel’s first meeting last week, such as protection to witnesses coming forward to the panel, the source of the vide tape and others.
Nazri said he was also puzzled as to why Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president R. Sivarasa and political co-coordinator Sim Tze Tzin were reluctant to present themselves before the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) to provide evidence and reveal the identity of the whistle blowers in the video clip issue.
"I can’t understand why he does not want to cooperate now," he said, adding that Sivarasa and PKR should be happy that following the making public of the video clip, the panel was set up to look into their allegations.
"The panel was set up to look into their complaint. Why should they not cooperate now? he asked.
The Sun
The government has assured the three-man panel looking into the authenticity of a video clip showing a senior lawyer discussing the appointment of top judges over the phone of its assistance in the event of any problem it may encounter in its task.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the Cabinet at its weekly meeting today discussed the difficulties facing by them in their task.
He said the panel can submit their report of their investigations at the end of the 30 working days mandate, which is to be given with the recommendations and the difficulties and problems the panel faced in completing its task.
Nazri said the Cabinet felt that it is better for the panel to submit its report and the difficulties associated with its task as a whole, in a collective manner, instead of raising problems and difficulties on a piecemeal fashion.
Nazri said in this way, the government will be able to effectively provide a solution on the whole, instead of doing so on a piece-meal fashion, which not only would be time consuming but also could possibly prevent the panel from completing its task within the 30-day time frame.
"The Cabinet will help the panel in any which way they want. Let them finish their task and we will see in what way we can help them," he told reporters in Parliament after his ministry's post-cabinet meeting today.
Several questions have been raised following the panel’s first meeting last week, such as protection to witnesses coming forward to the panel, the source of the vide tape and others.
Nazri said he was also puzzled as to why Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president R. Sivarasa and political co-coordinator Sim Tze Tzin were reluctant to present themselves before the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) to provide evidence and reveal the identity of the whistle blowers in the video clip issue.
"I can’t understand why he does not want to cooperate now," he said, adding that Sivarasa and PKR should be happy that following the making public of the video clip, the panel was set up to look into their allegations.
"The panel was set up to look into their complaint. Why should they not cooperate now? he asked.
The Star
The deadline for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president R. Sivarasa and party worker Sim Tze Tzin to disclose to the Anti-Corruption Agency the source of the video clip of a lawyer allegedly brokering the appointment of judges expires today.
In a statement issued by the party yesterday, Sivarasa and Sim are expected to report to the Federal Territories Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) office at 11am today and hold a press conference after the meeting.
Sivarasa said he would risk any punishment to protect the identity of the source.
Last Thursday, the ACA issued an order to the duo to disclose the name of their source or sources and hand over the remaining footage of the video clip within seven days.
On Sept 19, PKR’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made public the eight-minute video clip.
Failure to comply with the ACA’s order to disclose their source could result in a fine of up to RM10,000 or jail for up to two years.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the Cabinet has decided that the three-man panel on the video clip should go ahead with their investigation on its authenticity before the Government decides whether or not they will be given assistance.
“Whether or not they are successful in determining the authenticity of the clip, we want the report,” he said.
The deadline for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president R. Sivarasa and party worker Sim Tze Tzin to disclose to the Anti-Corruption Agency the source of the video clip of a lawyer allegedly brokering the appointment of judges expires today.
In a statement issued by the party yesterday, Sivarasa and Sim are expected to report to the Federal Territories Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) office at 11am today and hold a press conference after the meeting.
Sivarasa said he would risk any punishment to protect the identity of the source.
Last Thursday, the ACA issued an order to the duo to disclose the name of their source or sources and hand over the remaining footage of the video clip within seven days.
On Sept 19, PKR’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made public the eight-minute video clip.
Failure to comply with the ACA’s order to disclose their source could result in a fine of up to RM10,000 or jail for up to two years.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the Cabinet has decided that the three-man panel on the video clip should go ahead with their investigation on its authenticity before the Government decides whether or not they will be given assistance.
“Whether or not they are successful in determining the authenticity of the clip, we want the report,” he said.
Opalyn Mok
The Sun
The media should substantiate their news when sensationalising political issues such as the recent article published in a Chinese daily that 1,000 Gerakan and MCA members and leaders in the Bukit Bendera had left their parties.
Bukit Bendera Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said he investigated the report by going to the ground and found it to be baseless.
"As far as we are concerned, nobody sent in any resignations. No member wanted to leave the party," he said.
Teng, who is also a state executive councillor and Pulau Tikus assemblyman, said Gerakan members are "working happily with the party".
"The newspaper only quoted an unnamed source and this type of publicity, giving a figure of 1,000, should be substantiated with facts," he said in a press conference today.
The newspaper had reported that the 1,000 Barisan Nasional members had left the component parties to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat because they were unhappy over a carpark issue in Rifle Range.
Teng clarified that the government is still considering the proposal to build a multi-storey carpark in Rifle Range to ease the parking woes of the residents.
"We have to be careful in planning a multi-storey carpark because we do not want it to become a white elephant," he said.
"It is easy to just build a highrise multi-storey carpark with 1,000 lots but we have to be practical because people usually do not want to park on the higher floors. They would park on the first two floors and leave the other floors empty, turning it into a 'white elephant'.
"We have to plan it properly first. Be assured that it is all in the pipeline now and it is nobody's fault that the carpark is not being built now."
Earlier, asked to comment on the same issue, Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said he had not heard about any huge numbers of Gerakan members wanting to leave the party.
"So far, there is no dissenting factions that I know of," he said.
Koh said the daily reported 1,000 members but it could very well be only 10 members or fewer.
The Sun
The media should substantiate their news when sensationalising political issues such as the recent article published in a Chinese daily that 1,000 Gerakan and MCA members and leaders in the Bukit Bendera had left their parties.
Bukit Bendera Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said he investigated the report by going to the ground and found it to be baseless.
"As far as we are concerned, nobody sent in any resignations. No member wanted to leave the party," he said.
Teng, who is also a state executive councillor and Pulau Tikus assemblyman, said Gerakan members are "working happily with the party".
"The newspaper only quoted an unnamed source and this type of publicity, giving a figure of 1,000, should be substantiated with facts," he said in a press conference today.
The newspaper had reported that the 1,000 Barisan Nasional members had left the component parties to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat because they were unhappy over a carpark issue in Rifle Range.
Teng clarified that the government is still considering the proposal to build a multi-storey carpark in Rifle Range to ease the parking woes of the residents.
"We have to be careful in planning a multi-storey carpark because we do not want it to become a white elephant," he said.
"It is easy to just build a highrise multi-storey carpark with 1,000 lots but we have to be practical because people usually do not want to park on the higher floors. They would park on the first two floors and leave the other floors empty, turning it into a 'white elephant'.
"We have to plan it properly first. Be assured that it is all in the pipeline now and it is nobody's fault that the carpark is not being built now."
Earlier, asked to comment on the same issue, Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said he had not heard about any huge numbers of Gerakan members wanting to leave the party.
"So far, there is no dissenting factions that I know of," he said.
Koh said the daily reported 1,000 members but it could very well be only 10 members or fewer.
11/10: Nurin murder suspect freed
Charles Ramendran
The Sun
The Indonesian woman detained by Selangor police in connection with the murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin late last month was cleared of further investigations today.
It is learnt that the 23-year-old woman who spent most of her days in police remand in Universiti Malaya Medical Centre to purge a sim card she swallowed, was handed over to Kuala Lumpur police today.
Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC II Ku Chin Wah said the woman was freed following investigations due to lack of substantial evidence.
However, the woman who was detained in Nilai, Negri Sembilan on Sept 29 has been handed over to the Immigration Department and sent to the Semenyih detention centre as she does not have valid travel documents.
Last week, police released four men who were picked up in Shah Alam on Sept 28 to help in the probe after they were found to be not involved.
On the internet circulation of autopsy photos of Nurin taken by police investigators, police said they have initiated investigations following a police report lodged by a senior police officer.
Federal CID director Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee when contacted said police will take severe action against those behind the circulation of the photos.
It is learnt that investigators will be calling in two police photographers who were present during the post mortem on Nurin, for questioning.
The Sun
The Indonesian woman detained by Selangor police in connection with the murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin late last month was cleared of further investigations today.
It is learnt that the 23-year-old woman who spent most of her days in police remand in Universiti Malaya Medical Centre to purge a sim card she swallowed, was handed over to Kuala Lumpur police today.
Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC II Ku Chin Wah said the woman was freed following investigations due to lack of substantial evidence.
However, the woman who was detained in Nilai, Negri Sembilan on Sept 29 has been handed over to the Immigration Department and sent to the Semenyih detention centre as she does not have valid travel documents.
Last week, police released four men who were picked up in Shah Alam on Sept 28 to help in the probe after they were found to be not involved.
On the internet circulation of autopsy photos of Nurin taken by police investigators, police said they have initiated investigations following a police report lodged by a senior police officer.
Federal CID director Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee when contacted said police will take severe action against those behind the circulation of the photos.
It is learnt that investigators will be calling in two police photographers who were present during the post mortem on Nurin, for questioning.
