Crown prince raps FAM for scoring own goals against nation

After the recent 10-0 drubbing at the hands of UAE, Malaysian football has landed under the microscope.

Early this week, disgruntled fans forced the match with Saudi Arabia at the Shah Alam Stadium to be cancelled after flares and fireworks were thrown onto the pitch.

Though the fans were criticised, Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said it is the Football Association Malaysia (FAM) which has embarrassed the nation for more than three decades, since the time of the former president.

FAM was previously led by Pahang ruler Sultan Ahmad Shah. The association is currently under the leadership of his son and crown prince, Tengku Abdullah (photo), who has since announced that he would relinquish the post.

In an interview posted on the Johor Southern Tigers football team Facebook page, Tunku Ismail said: "Even though I am strongly against the behavior of the fans, I understand their frustrations as the governing bodies never made the efforts to change and improve Malaysian football."

"This is because FAM's biggest problem is that it is run by people who have no clue about football and they are there for their own personal interests.

"In regards to the media reports on fans, I have a message to certain journalists. I know that FAM employs certain journalists to cover stories on the team when they are overseas. I also know when they do follow the team, these journalist are given free airfare, pocket money as well as money for shopping.

"So to those journalists, please stop sucking up to FAM and put the blame on the fans and labeling them as the destroyers of Malaysian football. FAM is the reason the country's football is in shambles," he added.

To another question on what he would do should be become FAM president, the Johor prince said topping the list would be to "clean up every single mess".

"After 31 years, I may need to take one year to do the cleaning up," he added.

'FAM needs right people'

Secondly, Tunku Ismail (photo) said, he would employ the right people who can contribute to football, not only in FAM but in all its affiliates.

He added that those who make the cut must be dedicated and passionate in wanting to improve football.

"We also have to improve the national team. We can't have the NFDP (National Football Development Programme) coming up and choose to neglect the national team and abandon the players while we wait for the NFDP to flourish in the future.

"You have to fix the problem at hand now. Remember 50 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing. So get a foreign coach for the national team now while we wait for our youth to develop and flourish in the future," he argued.

Third on the list for Tunku Ismail is to improve all Malaysian football competitions.

"When you improve competition, leagues become more competitive and this will indirectly make the national team perform better," he said.

Fourth, which the crown prince cited as the most important, is youth development and football infrastructure development.

"Education and the upbringing in football is very important. So I would urge all teams participating in the country to invest more in their youth development and upgrade football infrastructure.

"I can assist them to do this by giving 80 percent of their broadcasting rights to the teams participating in our tournaments.

"Whatever they make from their sponsorships is a bonus for them. Currently, FAM absorbs 100 percent of he broadcasting rights they received from Astro," he said.

'Prioritise local players over foreigners'

Tunku Ismail said he would also urge all teams participating in the country to spend wisely and priority should be given to local players.

"Today we see several teams struggling to pay their players because they prioritise the foreigners,” he pointed out.

Fifth, Tunku Ismail said, the referees should be under an independent body and not under FAM, to avoid conflict of interest.

"Sixth, I would also work hand in hand with the authorities such as MACC and the police to avoid corruption altogether, including football officials, players and referees around the country. It would be tough, but we have to do it," he added.

Despite outlining his plans, Tunku Ismail however stated he was not the right man for the job.

"I believe I made a statement before this that I wasn't interested in being president of FAM. If they would have me there, I hope they can change the constitution of FAM. You must understand the people there are elected members. Most of them are there for the wrong reasons and not there for football.

"How can I work like this? In Johor for instance, I have total control from the high ranks all the way to the bottom. In FAM, I may be sitting together at the same table with those I can't work with and I can't kick them out as they are all elected.

"The whole country knows that I am very direct. I prefer to be direct than diplomatic. I prefer the man who handles FAM to be impartial, neutral and do not display any favoritisms towards any teams participating in the country and obviously not corrupt.

"To my fellow Johoreans and the Malaysian people. Unlike some people, I am not suitable to be FAM president. It is because of one reason and one reason only. I love Johor, and I would always be biased should there be any issues associated with Johor.

"Therefore, because of this conflict of interest, I am not the right candidate to take over," he added.

Source :  https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/311962#ixzz3lPpUCQC6

100 not out for champion of Malayalee community

Anthony Cruz Pereira, one of the founding members of the All Malaysia Malayalee Association (AMMA), is looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday with family and friends on September 13.


The AMMA patron was one of the instrumental figures helping to form the society for the welfare of the Malayalee Catholic community in Malaysia.

Despite wearing a hearing aid and loss of his sight, Pereira was upbeat on the plans for his birthday bash that will be held on Saturday September 12, a day before his actual birthday.

I’m excited to see my niece and nephews that have come from as far as Australia. I will also be donning a white suit for the occasion,” he said.

Pereira fondly remembers how the society started from humble beginnings in 1954, when they used to visit the Malayalee communities around the country.

“The association was formed all over Malaysia. We use to help the Malayalee community by providing tuition for poor children.

We also taught them how to read and write in Malayalam,” he said. His daughter Susan Periera said that as recognition for his efforts, her father was given a standing ovation at the association’s first annual delegates’ conference at the Hotel JayaPuri in 1975.

 “My father was also given a garland by former Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, and presented a golden shawl and garland by then-MIC Deputy President Datuk S. Subramaniam in Seremban,” she said, adding that he was active in the association till the late 1980s.

 “The society was formed in 1958, which was known as the Malayalee Catholic Welfare Society of Malaysia. My father was the founding secretary and later he went on to become the president,” she said.

Susan said that her father was very active in church after his retirement from the National Electricity Board in 1978, now Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

 “When he retired he dedicated his time to the National Society of St Vincent De Paul (SVDP) of St Joseph’s Church.

They used to visit hospitals and give out groceries to more than 50 poor families every month. He dedicated 22 years’ service to the SVDP until he retired in 2002,” she said. Pereira was born in Cheria Thoppe, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India on September 13, 1915.

He was the only son of Cruz Pereira and Carmel Pereira. He has three sisters Cecelia, Susanna and Victoria.

After having completed his senior secondary school, he joined the Royal Indian Air Force and served his country for two years.

He then moved to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and worked in the air force there for a couple of years before moving to Bombay (Mumbai).

Pereira then got married to Josephine Netto at the Church of Eygpt in Santa Cruz, Bombay in 1948. After which, Pereira then uprooted from Bombay and moved to Singapore in 1952.

He worked with ICI there for two years, before moving to Malaya in 1954. He worked in Layola High School in Sentul until he joined the National Electricity Board (TNB) and served until his retirement in 1978.

 Pereira has been blessed with two children Christopher and Susan. His son Christopher got married in 1986 and passed away in 1993, leaving behind wife Merry and daughter Natasha.

His daughter Susan was married to Guna in 1989 and they have three children Michael, Christina and Joshua. Pereira celebrated his golden wedding anniversary in St Joseph’s Church Sentul in 1997, but his wife Josephine passed away in 1999. – September 10, 2015. -


Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/100-not-out-for-champion-of-malayalee-community#sthash.KdYaPP2y.dpuf

No end in sight for MIC conflict

With the two rival MIC factions having chosen their respective presidents, the internal strife engulfing the party looks all set to be a protracted affair.

Dr S Subramaniam won the top party post for the 2013-2016 term unopposed during the presidential nomination last Friday. Eleven days earlier, on Aug 9, G Palanivel was declared head honcho during a separate presidential nomination held by his faction.

Both factions, say political analysts, have justified their actions, and while the Subramaniam-led faction has the backing of the Registrar of Societies (ROS), the other group claims its proceedings are in line with the Societies Act 1966.

The analysts also feel that recourse to the courts appear to be the only means to resolve the current dispute, adding that supporters of both factions should leave it to the court to decide who the rightful president is.

The MIC crisis was triggered after Palanivel and Subramaniam developed differences of opinion over a notice issued by the ROS last Dec 5 directing the party to hold fresh elections. The ROS had also declared the MIC's 2009 central working committee (CWC) as the valid interim CWC, but only for the purpose of conducting new elections.

The crisis escalated when ROS director-general Mohammad Razin Abdullah, in a letter dated June 25, said that Palanivel was no longer an MIC member as per Article 91 of the MIC constitution.

The article stipulates that members who resort to court action without first referring to the CWC will cease to be a member of the party.

(On Feb 24, Palanivel and three others filed judicial review proceedings to quash the ROS directive to the MIC to hold fresh elections. Their application was rejected by the High Court here on June 15, while their appeal against the court ruling was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on July 13. They have now filed an appeal in the Federal Court.)

Someone must go to court

Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer Asso Prof Sivamurugan Pandian felt that one of the factions may have to go to court to challenge the other faction's presidential nomination and election.

His view was echoed by MIC veteran leader K Vijayanathan, who said: "Somebody must go to the court, unless there is intervention by a neutral party which can mediate and put some sense into them. We can't have two presidents running the party."

Sivamurugan said the conflict between the two factions was likely to continue even after fresh party elections have been conducted due to the presence of two presidents.

"But it's clear that ROS will only recognise one president, that is Subramaniam," he told Bernama recently.

Vijayanathan, who was a CWC member during the 1970s and is now election committee chairperson for the Palanivel camp, said the former natural resources and environment minister was now awaiting the Federal Court's decision on the appeal against the ROS directive to the party to hold fresh elections.

"We've to see what the highest court in Malaysia has to say about ROS issuing such a notice," he said.

Vijayanathan, who is a lawyer by profession, said both factions had flouted the MIC constitution by holding separate presidential nominations and elections.

"The constitution doesn't provide for two presidential elections," he said.

ROS no right to interfere

He also insisted that challenging the ROS directive did not necessarily warrant the termination of party membership of those who took the matter to court.

He agreed, however, that the much-debated Article 91 of the MIC constitution made it clear that internal disputes should be settled within the party and not be taken to court.

"However, my personal view is that the ROS directive runs counter to Section 18B and 18C of the Societies Act 1966 which, when interpreted, states that the ROS has no right to interfere in a political party's internal affairs," explained Vijayanathan.

Section 18B refers to the circumstances under which no election in any political party can be declared invalid, while 18C states that any decision made by a party is final and conclusive and that "such decision shall not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called in question in any court on any ground, and no court shall have jurisdiction to entertain or determine any suit, application, question or proceeding on any ground regarding the validity of such decision".

"It is clear from these provisions under the Societies Act that the ROS cannot issue a directive to MIC to hold fresh elections," said Vijayanathan.

He, however, added that the best way to end the turmoil was for the leaders of both factions to "lay down their arms", resolve the various issues and work at uniting the Indian community.

"Do they want to see a party that is fractured for years to come or do they want a party that is strong? We have lost one cabinet post and if we continue like this, the MIC may lose the sole cabinet post it now has," he warned.

Never ending saga

Vijayanathan also pointed out that the presence of two presidents was creating a great deal of confusion among the party's branch chairmen throughout the country, as most of them have no issues with either Subramaniam or Palanivel.

He also said that the current feud was nothing new as far as the party was concerned as the MIC had a chequered history of similar rivalry between its top two leaders.

"It has been happening since the time the party was established. The first president, John Aloysius Thivy, had problems with Budh Singh in the 1940s. Then when Budh Singh became president, he had some issues with KL Devaser.

"And once Devaser became president, he had problems with VT Sambanthan who, in turn, had problems with V Manikavasagam. He (Manikavasagam) had issues with S Samy Vellu who, as we all know very well, later didn't get along with his deputy S Subramaniam," he related.

Vijayanathan opined that the party's never-ending saga of rivalry could be attributed to the inability of the top leadership to reach a compromise.

Source: Bernama

PM confirms wreckage from MH370

MH370 Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has confirmed the wreckage found on the South Indian island of Reunion is that of MH370.

"Today, 515 days since the plane disappeared, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts have conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370.

"We now have physical evidence as I announced last year that flight MH370 tragically ended in the Southern Indian Ocean," he said.

Najib hoped the confirmation would give closure to the families of those who perished in the tragic accident.

"It is hoped that this confirmation no matter how tragic and painful will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people on board MH370.

"They have our deepest sympathy and prayers," the premier said, adding that the nation mourned with them.

He then assured that Malaysia would do all it can to find out the truth behind the tragedy.

He also thanked all those involved in the search.

Malaysia Airlines also extended its sympathy to the families of the passengers and crew on board the ill- fated flight.

The national airline hoped more parts of the plane can be found to help solve the mystery of the Boeing 777's disappearance.

MH370 dissappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in the early hours of March 8, 2014.

The plane made a turn back shortly after flying over the east coast, and flew past Penang before disappearing from radar.

A frantic search for the flight initially focused on the South China Sea, before satellite data analysis suggested that the plane crashed in the South Indian Ocean.

A multi-nation search commenced off the western coasts of Australia, but had yet to find anything.

The wreckage found on Reunion is the first solid piece of evidence proving that MH370 did indeed crash in the South Indian Ocean.

Soon after Najib's announcement, French prosecutor Serge Mackowiak confirmed that the wing fragment discovered on the remote island was from a Boeing 777.

However, he stopped short of confirming the flaperon was from MH370, and only said initial test results showed there were "very strong indications" the debris was from the plane.

Mackowiak said confirmation would only come after further tests on the fragment were carried out starting Thursday.


Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/307504

MACC: RM2.6b a donation, not 1MDB funds

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has found that the RM2.6 billion purportedly deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal banks accounts came from donation.

"The investigation report related to the RM2.6 billion has been referred to the attorney-general.

"Investigations have found the RM2.6 billion which was allegedly deposited into the prime minister's accounts is the contribution of donors and not from 1MDB funds," said the commission in a statement.

MACC's statement comes amidst hints by BN leaders in recent days that the RM2.6 billion might have been donations.

BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan had said that Najib, as Umno president, is allowed by the Umno constitution to act as atrustee for the party.

Following this, Umno supreme council member Azalina Othman said there was nothing wrong with political parties receiving foreign funding.

Najib himself spoke about political funding as well, pledging to disclose Umno's source of funding if DAP did the same.

Three companies in the clear?

Earlier today, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli predicted that Putrajaya might claim that the RM2.6 billion was funded by well-heeled Middle Eastern figures.

Questions about Najib's bank accounts arose from the Wall Street Journal report on July 3.

Quoting Malaysian investigators, WSJ said that RM2.6 billion was traced to Najib's private accounts which have since been closed.

The report claimed that US$681 million was transferred into Najib's bank accounts in two tranches in March 2013, two months before the general election.

The money originated from a Tanore Finance, incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.

The WSJ said another three tranches involving RM42 million were transferred from SRC International into Najib's accounts.

SRC International is owned by the Finance Ministry, which Najib heads.





Source :http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/307196

Former Indian president A P J Kalam dies aged 83

NEW DELHI: India’s former president and top scientist A. P. J. Kalam, who played a lead role in the country’s nuclear weapons tests, died on Monday, a hospital official said. He was 83.

Kalam collapsed during a lecture at a management institute in the northeastern Indian city of Shillong, and was declared dead on arrival by doctors at Bethany hospital.

“We tried to revive him but couldn’t,” John Sailo, the hospital medical superintendent told AFP, without giving further details about the cause of his death.

India declared seven days of national mourning for Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, who served as India’s 11th president between 2002 and 2007, as is standard after the death of a former leader.

His body will be flown to New Delhi on Tuesday, local media reported.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi plaid tribute to Kalam, who was elected to the top post during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party rule, saying he had “always marvelled at his intellect, learnt so much from him”.

“India mourns the loss of a great scientist, a wonderful president and above all an inspiring individual,” his office said in a statement.

An acclaimed scientist and author, Kalam was known as the “people’s president” during his time in office and continued to reach out to young people with his scientific lectures after leaving office.

Home minister Rajnath Singh described him as “an inspiration to an entire generation” in a post on Twitter.

Born to a poor family of boatman in Rameswaram, a coastal town in southern Tamil Nadu state on October 15, 1931, Kalam sold newspapers as a child to help his family financially.

He rose through the ranks to become a top scientist at India’s defence research organisation, where he worked for four decades helping to develop the country’s home grown weapon’s programme, earning him the moniker “India’s missile man”.

He also played a pivotal role in India’s nuclear weapons tests in 1998.

After his presidential term, Kalam returned to academics and regularly delivered lectures at top Indian universities. He also published a best seller autobiography entitled “Wings of fire” in 1999.

Source– AFP

MIC crisis: What injunction, asks Palanivel

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Datuk Seri G. Palanivel has refused to accept a High Court injunction stopping him from carrying out duties as MIC president until he receives a letter from the court.

“I have not been served with any court order or any court document,” he said, adding that he was aware of the injunction obtained against him.

Palanivel said even if he received any court papers, it would not mean he would take it lying down.
“If and when the court papers are served on me, I will obtain legal advice and deal with the matter accordingly,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The High Court granted an injunction on Monday after Ampang Jaya MIC branch chairman Datuk N. Muneandy filed an application on Friday with the consent of the party’s 2009 interim Central Working Committee (CWC).

The order also stops Palanivel from holding gatherings in the party and from approving resolutions on behalf of MIC.

MIC communication and public relations bureau head Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari said Muneandy’s lawyers had been trying to hand over the court documents to Palanivel since yesterday morning.

“They went to his house, his car was there but apparently he was not in, so a family member came out of the house and collected the documents,” he said.

“She identified herself as Palanivel’s wife’s sister.”


Vell Paari said Muneandy’s lawyers received a call from a legal firm representing Palanivel at about 3pm and asked that the documents be sent to their office.



Source : http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/mic-crisis-what-injunction-asks-palanivel