By WONG CHUN WAI

IT was 9.30pm when former United States president Bill Clinton walked into his duplex suite at the Sheraton Manhattan.

He had just finished attending the second day of the Clinton Global Initiatives (CGI) meeting, which was attended by a galaxy of international personalities, ranging from politicians, activists and businessmen to journalists, scholars and celebrities.

“Grab a beer before we get started and try the sushi (from the famous Nobu restaurant); it’s good,” he said, pointing at the spread of food and drinks along the corridor outside his room which was catered for his Secret Agents and aides.

Just minutes before, he had presented awards to outstanding recipients at an event at which Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour and his American counterpart James Taylor performed. As their performance came to an end, the room took on a different note with The Beatles’ Here Comes The Sun.

The CGI meeting has always been hip, as are most of Clinton’s fund-raising gatherings, drawing young liberals and democrats as well as beautiful people like Brat Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

This year, the attendees included former vice-president Al Gore, cyclist Lance Armstrong, singers Bono and Wyclef Jean, presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin, Afghan president Hamid Karzai, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Queen Rania Abdullah of Jordan and even boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Clinton and Wong Chun Wai

Philanthropic movement

But it is also a world summit. Coinciding with the annual United Nations general assembly, it has sometimes attracted more media attention than the UN assembly taking place at the other side of town.

The CGI is a global philanthropic movement initiated by Clinton in 2005 to bring together influential people to commit themselves to resolve health, energy and poverty problems across the globe.

People pay US$25,000 (RM88,000) to be members and, so far, they have made over 1,000 commitments amounting to over US$30bil (RM105bil) to provide help for over 200 million people in over 130 countries, mainly in Africa.

“The CGI meetings must be the only one where people pay to attend and they end up paying more at the meetings,’’ the 42nd president joked.

Clinton is tall, and I had to look up at him when he spoke.

But he quickly put his interviewee at ease and the task was easy as he had much to say. In fact, he doesn’t know how to stop talking; you have to cut short his answers sometimes.

“So, I understand you attended the Forbes CEO Conference (in Singapore) recently. So, what’s the difference. Tell me, I’d like to hear,” Clinton asked me as an ice breaker.

The Forbes conference is presided over by Steve Forbes who once campaigned to be a Republican presidential nominee. The meeting’s format is conservative and the list of speakers even more conservative – and older.

Forbes makes no excuses for his endorsement of McCain while the Clinton crowd shouts for Barack Obama although if they had their way, it would be for Hillary Clinton, Senator for New York.

Since he left office as the US president, Clinton has devoted his time and energy to the CGI, with emphasis on tackling climate change, poverty, education and AIDS.

It is no secret that he now sounds and acts like a statesman. The CGI, in fact, makes him look like a global president.

It is an image he has successfully cultivated and the Economist recently wrote that the CGI meetings “are inextricable from the man himself” and at the meetings, it appears like “we are a nation under Bill.”

Clinton personally conducts some of the plenary sessions, posing questions and giving his views.

The CGI meeting has received global billing too with his appearances at talk shows hosted by Larry King, Jon Steward, Whoopi Goldberg and David Letterman. But at this interview, Clinton wants to talk about his coming CGI meeting in Hong Kong in December — the first outside the US.

He wants to involve Asian businessmen in his causes and get them to commit to them financially too. He is aware of the strong resources of Asian corporate donors from China and India but said that many were not aware that the CGI had projects in many parts of Asia.

“I am aware the perception is that we are focused on Africa but that’s because the most acute problems are in that continent. We have on-going projects in Vietnam, East Timor and Papua New Guinea.”

Urban migration and poverty, he said, had become central issues in China, India and Indonesia. The Hong Kong CGI would focus on energy and climate change, public health and education.

Clinton said the list of speakers and invitees were being drawn up but Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew has confirmed his participation. Martial arts actor Jet Li, who heads the One Foundation, is also expected to speak.

He said the plan was to promote “actionable outcomes” by providing participants with “meaningful opportunities to articulate their own commitments.”

Malaysian businessman Datuk Vinod Shekar, who runs the tyre recycling Green Rubber Global group, is the underwriter for the HK meeting.

Vinod, who heads the Petra Group, is involved in developing a Jatropha biofuel facility in the Caribbean nations of St Vincent and the Grenadines as well as in Guyana to help eradicate poverty and promote biofuel as part of the CGI commitment.

Ahead of the meeting, Asia’s largest wind turbine maker, Tulsi Tanti, has committed US$5bil (RM17bil) in total value project through his company Suzlon to develop over 35,000 megawatts of green power assets around the world. He has been ranked eighth among India’s richest.

“If we want to build a more sustainable world for future generations, we have to work together. We need more partners and fewer enemies.

“The HK meeting will see the participation of Asian leaders talking about issues of importance in Asia, an increasingly important part of the 21st century world.

“Asian leaders have a large and growing capacity to shape our economy, climate, health and security.”

He said Hong Kong was chosen because of its accessibility but he acknowledged that hehad been mesmerised by what he saw at the opening of the Beijing Olympics.

Clinton said money was not the main criterion in CGI; he was also looking for ideas and talents in Asia to help make the difference.

The CGI already has an office in Hong Kong headed by Nancy Hernreich Bowen, Clinton’s former assistant and director of the Oval Office.

He hopes to visit Malaysia after the meeting in Hong Kong and this would be his first here.

“I have been invited by Vinod to see Malaysia. I don’t know if Hillary would pick Malaysia; she would want a say on where we should go. I don’t even know if she’ll join us as she would be involved in trying to deal with the financial crisis.

“Obviously, I want to see places where I haven’t been to. I am not that young anymore, you know,” said the 62-year-old who is still regarded as youthful and exuberant. Dubbed the “Charmer in Chief,” his charm is regarded by his admirers as his greatest political gift but a weakness by his detractors. Against the backdrop of China and India as Asia’s giants, he said, Malaysia hasn’t done too badly, and he pointed out the impressive economic growth of Malaysia.

“You guys have had some pretty impressive growth rates in Asia. I remember that,” he said.

Vinod, who is a pioneer strategic partner of CGI, said there has been a growing mind shift among Asian leaders and businessmen.

“It is not just about giving money but, more importantly, to be part of a cause. Young Asian leaders want to make a difference.”

The CGI, he added, was about bringing people together, people who had ideas but needed financial backing.

“The CGI essentially holds your hand and helps you see through your commitments. If you have a problem, they will help you resolve it but if you don’t fulfil your pledges, you are dropped.”

Stress on environment

Environment features strongly in the CGI, where Americans see strong potential in environment-related stocks. Businessmen like Vinod and Tanti, who participate in the CGI meetings, have certainly had a higher profiling. For Vinod, environment projects should not merely be in the form of subsidies but also be sustainable if they were profitable.

Said CGI chief executive officer Bob Harrison: “Asian businessmen, for example Chinese companies, are now spread across the globe. They can make an enormous impact in countries where they are involved with projects that can enrich the lives of the people, including in Africa.”

When Clinton arrives in Hong Kong, his message to Asian political, business and social leaders would be that they need to be involved in global concerns beyond their shores.

ON THE BEAT

By : Wong Chun Wai

IT has been a truly dramatic week for Malaysians. Just weeks ago, we were told that the leadership transition plan would take effect in 2010 when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi passes the baton to his deputy.

But the political changes have accelerated with the Prime Minister possibly leaving office even earlier.

He has now been given a six-month breathing space with the party elections, scheduled for December, postponed to March.

The conclusion from the supreme council meeting is that Najib, who is already shouldering bigger responsibilities with his appointment as Finance Minister, would take over the leadership soon.

In short, the countdown has begun and the handover is imminent. The date, for some analysts, is merely a face-saving gesture to ensure he gets a respectful and graceful exit.

But it is imperative to note that Pak Lah has put in some caveats – he is not going on leave and that he would only decide on his political future by Oct 9.

For his supporters, who have found the decision difficult to accept, it is premature to write Pak Lah off.

Still the reality is that there is very little time left as Oct 9, when the 191 Umno divisions begin to name their nominations, is barely 10 days away. The divisions have until Oct 31 to decide their choices.

There are only two available options for Pak Lah – if he decides not to defend his presidency, it means retirement but if he decides to fight, Umno, and Malaysians, are in for a roller-coaster ride.

It could well mean a bruising fight with Najib as the latter has already been facing tremendous pressure for his reluctance, even refusal, to challenge the status quo.

The odds have been stacked up against Pak Lah since the heavy losses suffered by the Barisan Nasional on March 8.

It was the worst electoral defeat of the ruling coalition and even the 1969 election results were not as bad as that of 2008.

In short, it was no longer tenable for Pak Lah, badly wounded from the results, to hold on to his position.

The worsening economy due to the rising fuel prices, among others, hurt him further, as it did all heads of governments the world over.

Known as Mr Nice Guy, he suddenly found himself an unpopular leader, a fact his supporters and friends find hard to understand.

Should Pak Lah decide to fight on after Oct 9, it could possibly lead to a three-cornered fight with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah joining in the fray – if he can secure enough nominations.

The conventional wisdom is that the Kelantan prince would not get the required 58 nominations to contest the post.

But it is obvious that efforts have been made by Pak Lah and Najib to put the party above their interests by preventing possible contests.

Even Tan Sri Muyhiddin Yassin, who has been open in his criticism of the leadership, acknowledged that Pak Lah has been magnanimous.

For most of the supreme council members, the message has been made clear and that Pak Lah has come to terms with it.

The events would develop naturally and there are no reasons to rush into details such as dates. There would be no pressure of any kind, in short, as the crux of the issue has been resolved.

This week, Malaysians can expect to see more as the political drama continues to unfold.

IT’S been six months since the March 8 general election but the perception is that many Malaysians just do not know how to stop politicking, to the point that we are in danger of becoming a political basket case.

Tan was released yesterday following a 24-hour detention, which saw her being picked up at her Bukit Mertajam home and told that she would be taken to Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur. She was informed of her release midway through the journey.

The arrest will also go down in Malaysian history as the most controversial, if not the most ridiculous.

Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has since clarified that Tan’s detention order did not come from him but from the police. He also said Tan was taken into custody because her life was threatened and that the police wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Tan is not the first journalist to be arrested under the ISA; the late Tan Sri Samad Ismail is the most famous ISA detainee but he was arrested for alleged communist activities.

Years later, it was acknowledged that he was held on trumped-up charges between 1976 and 1981. Since then, no reporter has ever been arrested under the ISA, not even during Operasi Lallang in 1987.

Among older Malaysians, the perception is that the ISA is used against the communists and, in recent years, members of Islamic terror groups and those who made fake passports and identity cards.

Defiant politician

Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin is not regarded as a journalist in the true sense – he is more of a writer and, certainly, a political player. As a critical writer, he makes no bones of his plans to bring down the Government and openly speaks at ceramahs for the Opposition.

He is facing various charges, including criminal defamation, and the latest ISA arrest is RPK’s second.

But the same cannot be said about Tan, who has worked as a reporter for the past nine years since graduating from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Her crime, if there is one, was to report the racist remarks made by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail, who has refused to apologise for saying that the Chinese are “squatters” in this country.

Despite being suspended from Umno for three years he has remained defiant, believing he has become a hero who dared to champion the cause of his race.

To many Malaysians, his punishment is merely a slap on the wrist, as they feel he should have been be charged under the Sedition Act.

The action should have ended the controversy that strained race relations and the ties among Barisan Nasional component parties but the arrest of Tan has unwittingly rekindled the issue.

There is a sense of injustice and hurt among people that the perpetrator has been let off scot-free while the messenger has been penalised. It’s bad enough that her newspaper has been issued a show-cause letter but she also ended up being detained under the ISA, albeit briefly.

The sledgehammer treatment must have come as a shock for her, as it did to the press fraternity and rational-thinking Malaysians.

Tan may have been released but the damage is already done. To put it bluntly, the arrest was outrageous and went against the grain of natural justice.

The Barisan Nasional government, which is trying to revive its popularity after the March 8 elections, has lost more goodwill and, more importantly, votes.

In the eyes of the world, we are becoming more like a political basket case each day as old politicians attempt to bring back their outdated tricks, believing that the attempts to bring reforms and broaden democratic space can end.

A new world

They want to see the press shackled, preferring to read only about themselves, forgetting that the world has changed. A New Malaysia has emerged, don’t they realise this?

You can keep the bad press out of the printed media but not on the Internet, and a credible media is certainly necessary in a democracy.

As political undercurrents become stronger in Umno with attempts to get the Prime Minister to quit before the two-year period becoming more open, the innocents are in danger of finding themselves caught in the crossfire.

Leave the journalists, who are merely doing their work, out of politics. If Tan and Sin Chew Daily have misreported Ahmad’s remarks, he should have demanded a correction the next day instead of letting it drag on for 10 days.

It was irresponsible on his part to let the controversy continue. Worse still, he made more racist remarks, which are sufficient to get him charged under the Sedition Act or even to be detained under the ISA.

But the ISA is a draconian and archaic law. It shouldn’t be used even against Ahmad, as this deprives him of the right to defend himself in open courts.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to defame others or to create chaos but, certainly, we can all tell when there is a miscarriage of justice.

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

IT’S hardly convincing. More than 10 days after the controversy over Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks, the Bukit Bendera Umno chief has finally appeared to give his side of the story.

He has not only refused to apologise but has remained defiant and has instead demanded an apology from Sin Chew Daily, which reported his remark, attacking the newspaper for “manipulating” his speech on Aug 23.

Ahmad has admitted that he made the remark that the Chinese were squatters in the country but within the pre-Merdeka context.

The newspaper, he charged, had instead turned the remark into a racial and sensitive issue.

The Penang politician’s reply smacks of arrogance. If the newspaper had indeed misreported his remark, then he should have demanded a correction and an apology to be made immediately.

The question is: Why did he do a disappearing act?

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he could not reach him, like so many other reporters who were seeking his reply.

In short, he was given a chance to make a rebuttal but he did not use it. Instead, he decided to take his time to come up with a defence and allowed the issue to drag on. In the process, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had to apologise on his behalf.

Sorry issue

Najib has been magnanimous in making the apology on Ahmad’s and Umno’s behalf, but his act is appreciated by his fellow Barisan Nasional component leaders. The apology was supported by Pak Lah the next day, reflecting their maturity and wish to end the issue.

But the apology by the two leaders was unnecessary, as the matter involves a small-time politician and it should just be confined to that level.

A simple apology from him would have sufficed and would have prevented the widening of the issue.

As the saying goes, “To err is human, to forgive, divine.”

It takes a man to apologise and, certainly, in the eyes of many politicians now, Ahmad is hardly one. Perception is everything in politics but we are sure he would not want to be remembered as a racist, even if he says he is not one.

Assuming that his remark was wrongly reported, his reply and mannerism, as seen on television, would not earn him much forgiveness. In fact, it was a case of poor public relations.

He has said that he was away in Bangkok attending a sepak takraw tournament, but surely he could have answered all the allegations from there. Surely he doesn’t need a pigeon to send his statement.

Yes, the Chinese were immigrants but so were most other Malaysians, including many Umno leaders and former prime ministers whose ancestry can be traced to India, Pakistan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, China and even Turkey.

A certain former mentri besar is a second-generation Malaysian: his parents came from Indonesia, but he made it to be the leader of a state. That’s good because Malaysia is a land of opportunity.

Many Umno politicians, especially from Penang, have ancestors from India but there is no reason to question that. They are surely not pendatang and it shouldn’t be an issue at all.

If we have to dwell on immigration, we should be celebrating it, not making it a reminder for patronage. Malaysia is a land of diversity, and that’s an asset.

As we celebrate the country’s 51st anniversary, let us remind the likes of Ahmad Ismail that this country is built on the blood, sweat and tears of all communities, not just one race.

Thanks to the political maturity, wisdom and skills of the Malays, the country has remained stable and peaceful. It was, and still is, the Malays who protected this country as soldiers and policemen. As administrators, they have done a superb job.

The Chinese contribution through the tin mining industry built the country’s economy and their entrepreneurial skills strengthened the many financial institutions.

The Indians, especially Tamils, worked in the rubber estates, a main pillar of Malaysia’s economy.

Correct perspective

Without each of these components, Malaysia would have been nothing, and the contribution of each race must be recognised and appreciated.

And remember also that there would have been no Malaysia without Sabah and Sarawak. They did not join Malaysia; they helped to make up Malaysia. Never forget, so we can get our history facts correct.

If we wish to talk about history, then this would perhaps put the perspective right in a more rational and mature manner.

A decade or two from now, our politicians would need to win the votes of Malaysians with ancestry from Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia, as this would be the eventual price for bringing in foreign workers.

It’s very much like the American politicians having to count on the votes of the Hispanic and Latino voters.

Whatever our colour, language and religion, we are the same. Don’t let the politicians tell us otherwise as there are only two kinds of people – the good and the bad.

ON THE BEAT

BY : Wong Chun Wai

IT’S a difficult decision to defend. In fact, the whole exercise to shut down Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s website serves little purpose except to infuriate more Malaysians, especially the urban middle class who have become increasingly disillusioned with the Government.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor has said that it was not the Government’s decision to block access to the Malaysia Today news website but a directive from the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission.

In short, it was not my decision, blame them but I will support them. If it was not politically motivated, as Shaziman said, then what is it? A decision based on sports, economics or entertainment reasons? Surely, he cannot expect Malaysians to believe this.

But for sure, the decision would not help the Barisan Nasional government because it is hugely unpopular, unjustified and gives the impression that the Barisan is unable to take on a fight and it has to resort to shutting down a website which has given the coalition a nightmare.

Shaziman has, in fact, admitted that the commission decided to block the website after receiving numerous complaints about the site’s contents.

He said that this year alone, 127 blogs and websites, among them get-rich-quick schemes sites, were blocked by the commission for contravening the Communications and Multimedia Act.

Just as RPK has a large following of fans, he also has an equal number of critics who find him irresponsible and offensive with what he has written. Certainly, he is daring, highly imaginative and critical, something amiss in the mainstream media, but he has little regard for accuracy.

Police reports and statutory declarations are hardly taken seriously any more, let alone regarded as evidence, although they are put up to back his claims.

But the best way is to rebuke him, insist on a right to reply and, of course, sue him or arrest him for criminal defamation. That will allow him to defend himself in the court of law. In fact, RPK is already facing criminal defamation and other charges for his postings.

Yes, he has made the rich and powerful shiver each time he sends a posting with his allegations of corruption and abuse of power and the rakyat has cheered each time; these leaders, who are perceived as untouchables, are walloped.

But those on the receiving end, especially the families of those who are innocent, have also suffered with what he has written.

Politics is about perception and convincing the voters with your arguments. If RPK has managed to attract a large following, with some actually swallowing as gospel truth whatever he writes, then the Government has failed to counter him effectively, credibly and intelligently.

It is the job of the ruling government, with all the resources at its disposal, to find the right talents to argue why the Barisan is still the best option, in the wake of mounting pressure to replace the Government.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may not meet his Sept 16 deadline to topple the Government but the next general election is just four years away, and one year will fly by soon.

The Government may not realise it, and many ministers would never see it or admit it, but it is simply shooting itself in the foot with the latest decision, and all Anwar needs to do is to sit back and enjoy the backlash.

Shahziman cannot compare get-rich-quick schemes with Malaysia Today because it’s like comparing oranges and apples. Such an argument is illogical and unconvincing.

Has the Government realised that after blocking RPK’s website, his followers can still read them on a mirror site, which makes the entire decision a mockery and exercise futile? The move will only make RPK more popular and give the impression that our leaders and members of the commission are computer illiterate with little understanding of what they have done.

More than half of the people in this country are below the age of 23 and this is the largest concentration of computer users; most of them must be wondering what was on the mind of those who made this decision and how they could lead them, if they cannot apprehend how the Internet works.

The political fight is increasingly being fought on the Net, a tool which the Pakatan Rakyat has embraced effectively. In the United States, presidential hopeful Barrack Obama can’t live without his Blackberry but his opponent John McCain has admitted that he does not even know how to send an e-mail, reflecting the digital divide of the generations and how he would lack an understanding of young minds.

Yes, small meetings, ceramah and personal contacts are still major Malaysian campaign weapons, especially in rural settings, but it would be foolish to dismiss the power of the Net from now.

So, if tomorrow RPK decides to start another website, would the commission be shutting down that website?

The Government cannot be using the same method, which it has done for the last 51 years, to tackle the demands of the New Malaysia. It has to offer new answers because the electorate is new, and even the opponents are new – this is something they need to reflect on during the long National Day holidays.

The National Day is not just about parades and fireworks but an appropriate time for the nation, especially our leaders, to review what we have done or failed to do. And more importantly, where we, as a nation, are heading towards.

On The Beat 

By WONG CHUN WAI 

 IT was slightly over 10.30am when the Prime Minister reached his single-storey colonial style house in Jalan Bellamy, behind Istana Negara, after spending the morning taking the KTM Komuter and LRT rides on Thursday.

He had decided to see for himself how commuters jostled to get onto trains and the delays they had to put up with during the morning rush hour.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrived at the Serdang Komuter KTM station at 8.15am but could not board the first train that arrived because it was packed. He got on the next train that came 15 minutes later and headed for KL Sentral.

There was another wait for a while before he switched to the Kelana Jaya LRT Line to get to Masjid Jamek station because, again, the first train to arrive was full.

On both trains, he stood among the passengers, some of whom offered seats to him but he politely declined. A few asked to pose for photographs with him.

Except for Bernama, the national news agency, which was asked to record the ride, none of the media was informed of Pak Lah’s plan. He did not want people to think that it was a publicity stunt. Still, the media organisations soon got wind of it.

“The commuters brought up their complaints, left and right,” he said, smiling and gesturing at his ears as he narrated his experience. The Prime Minister was then told he should try riding the trains in the evening, when the public was leaving for home.

“It was something that I had wanted to do for some time. I have been getting complaints that all is not well at LRT and KTM stations. I am fully aware and I want to improve the situation,” he said.

The LRT or light rail transit has been an important transport link for the Klang Valley since 1998. The city’s rail-based system comprises two LRT lines, one monorail, a commuter rail system with four lines, and a high-speed commuter train service, which shares the lines with the airport rail link known as KLIA Ekspres.

Pak Lah’s verdict after the rides: he was not happy with the train system and said it had to be fixed. He said existing services were not systematic and did not link up properly, there were not enough coaches, and coverage was not comprehensive enough.

While the Government had to shoulder the responsibility of improving the services, Pak Lah also felt that Malaysians needed to be more civic conscious, pointing out that they did not queue up and commuters pushed their way into coaches.

The train ride is believed to be a personal experience that Pak Lah wanted as he put the final touches on the setting up of a Commission of Land Transportation, which would recommend and formulate ways to improve land transportation, including public buses.

A comprehensive network of efficient public bus systems in major towns, especially in the Klang Valley, is vital and the proposed commission, which would be allocated a substantial amount of funds, is expected to be announced during the Budget speech on Aug 29.

Unlike in other cities, only 16% of people in the Klang Valley use public transport regularly, citing the poor quality of bus and train link-up as one reason. But it has also been found that 80% of road users in Kuala Lumpur do not originate from the city, hence most prefer to drive their own cars.

But Pak Lah has to review the current regulating structure for the public transport system, as there is no single authority at present.

The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), which issues permits for buses and taxis, comes under the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry while the KTM Komuter is under the Transport Ministry although it does not directly control the LRT.

City Hall and other relevant municipal authorities are in charge of the location of bus stops and bus lanes.

Pak Lah may also want to fast-track plans to extend the LRT network, including the new 40km line from Cheras to Kota Damansara, which is expected to be ready by 2012. However, until now, construction has not even started and any delay would affect plans for a more effective rail system in the city.

The 7.2km KTM Komuter extension from Sentul to Batu Caves, with new four stations, will also help ease congestion and it is expected to be ready by next year.

Everyone knows the public transport system in KL, Penang and Johor Baru badly needs to be improved and certainly a lot has been done, especially in the Klang Valley.

But it will never be enough.

The people of KL hope that an immediate improvement of the public transport system in Klang Valley must be one of Pak Lah’s main priorities over the next two years.

On The Beat

By WONG CHUN WAI

LEE Chong Wei has to be the true Malaysian hero as the nation prays that he will deliver the first Olympics gold medal for the country. That would be the best National Day gift!

At a time when some of our politicians are spewing racist and intolerant religious views, watching our badminton hero keep the national flag flying is so refreshing and motivating.

Our champ: Lee has proven what sheer grit and training can do if we set our hearts and minds to doing something.

On Friday night, the nation cheered as Lee made history by becoming the first Malaysian badminton singles player to reach an Olympics final.

The 26-year-old Penangite is now assured of at least a silver medal following his victory over South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il. The last Olympics medals were a silver and a bronze, won by badminton players Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock in the men's doubles and Rashid Sidek in the men's singles respectively at the Atlanta Games in 1996.

But it was the front-page picture yesterday that said it all – a victorious Lee hugging his coach Misbun Sidek.

There is so much Malaysians can do if we put aside race and religion and focus on commonalities instead of differences.

We can talk of being a global player only when we can devote our attention to competitiveness and excellence. The world waits for no one; and on the international stage no one will have the patience to hear any kind of whining.

Like Rashid, Lee has proven what sheer grit and training can do if we set our hearts and minds to doing something. They prove that Malaysians, regardless of their race, can make it at the international stage where the rules are the same.

Lee is now one step away from achieving greater history. Certainly, we all believe that the gold medal is on Lee's mind, not just the RM1mil incentive.

When he steps into the court today to face Lin Dan – currently the world's no 1 – he knows the whole of Malaysia is behind him.

For a moment at least, no one would bother to listen to the negativity expounded by some of our politicians.

Lee is our champion – not the self-declared champion of their races, the very same people who extolled the virtues of our education system in the name of nationalism and yet packed off their children overseas, even at primary school level.

Not the ruffians who cannot tolerate a divergence of views and forcibly broke into the Bar Council forum.

Or the self-proclaimed heroes of our respective communities who talk about patriotism but whom we suspect of squandering the nation’s wealth.

Then there are the self-appointed moral guardians who decide for us what we can hear or see from their narrow perspective, and they haven’t even become the government.

If Malaysians are disgusted by our politicians, they have plenty of good reasons for being so, and since Aug 8, many have been seeking refuge by following the Olympics.

From fencing to equestrian, where we have little knowledge of how the scores are awarded, these sports are making more sense to us than the silly antics of some politicians and activists.

Together with my family members and friends, we are ready with our Jalur Gemilang to support Lee and we fervently hope he will beat China’s Lin Dan.

We are Malaysians, and like the rest of ordinary Malaysians, we want him to bring back the best Merdeka gift for all of us.

Let’s set the mood for National Day by celebrating our diversity as an asset for unity and achievements.

Chong Wei, thanks for what you have done. Malaysia is proud of you; you are a true patriot!

ON THE BEAT BY WONG CHUN WAI

IT’S pathetic. Four months ago, police announced a record-breaking seizure of nearly RM50mil worth of assorted narcotics from illegal drug labs in three locations in Johor Baru. But last week, everything went terribly wrong when syabu worth RM1mil disappeared from the Johor state police headquarters.

When a theft takes place in a police station, even a child can tell you that it is an inside job. In short, the thief or thieves were cops: Crooks in police uniform, to be precise.

The stolen syabu was part of the seizure from an operation in March, where 12 suspects were arrested, including three Singaporeans and a Thai woman.

They were said to be involved in manufacturing the drugs, which were meant for export, at the makeshift laboratories.

Now, what is troubling is that after the news were reported by The New Straits Times, its reporters were immediately summoned to the police station, where their statements were recorded.

The police, it seemed, were unhappy that they had reported that acid had been used to melt the padlock to the storage room.

That is beside the point. The fact is that the drugs, which were evidence in the pending court case, had been stolen. The cops should have been busy recording statements from their colleagues in the police station.

Tarnished image

It may not be the intention of the police to harass or intimidate the reporters but, unfortunately, that is the perception given.

Johor state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff is expectedly aghast with the theft since it has taken place under his nose and has said two policemen have been detained for investigations. The policemen, he added, were low-ranking personnel.

This is not the first time that drugs kept inside police stations have been stolen and, unless a serious review of the operating procedures is properly conducted, we would be reading more of such news.

In fact, what would be more essential is to have more honest cops.

In April 2005, the Shah Alam High Court was told that over 60,000 psychotropic pills, which were to be used as evidence in a trial, disappeared. Worth RM1mil, the drugs were stolen from a vault at the Selangor Narcotics Department. Those present at the trial watched in shock when each of the three boxes in which the pills were supposed to be stored turned out empty.

Malaysians reading these news have good reason to be shocked and angry because not only do they have plenty of reasons to suspect the culprits in uniform have become thieves but also that they are drug distributors all in one.

It is right for Mohd Mokhtar to come out strongly in the news. He said a police report was made by officers attached to the Johor Narcotics Department on July 31. His press conference was on Aug 6 after the news broke out – almost a week after the theft.

The damage is done. Now, the police have to regain their credibility by acting swiftly against the dirty policemen. If found guilty, they should be jailed, and not transferred.

Malaysians are finding it hard to accept that civil servants, including those at enforcement agencies, are merely transferred to another desk when there’s evidence of their wrongdoings. Such inaction, akin to a slap on the wrists, just cannot be tolerated.

In the case of the break-in in Johor, the Anti Corruption Agency should also step in to carry out its own probes.

While Selangor has the highest crime rate in Malaysia, the perception is that Johor is a crime-infested state because of the number of high-profile crime cases there.

Betrayed trust

The police in Johor may be short-handed and face a unique problem of having a long coastal area facing two countries. But the break-in at the Johor police station has caused serious damage to the credibility of the police force.

If even the vault of the Johor police headquarters isn’t safe, what kind of confidence can the Johor state police instil in the common people?

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has described those involved in the theft of the syabu as traitors who have brought shame to the force.

Now, he must take personal interest in this case and mete heavy punishment on the crooked policemen. It would not be enough to merely justify that there would always be some black sheep in the force.

On The Beat

By WONG CHUN WAI

DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Permatang Pauh will contest as a favourite contender when the by-election is held following the decision of his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to step down as the Member of Parliament.

His admirers believe it will be a shoo-in for him, with little need for heavy campaigning.

It is a homecoming to his old parliamentary constituency, which he first won as a Barisan Nasional candidate in 1995 with a majority of over 23,000 votes. His opponents then were two featherweights from PAS and DAP. (* CORRECTION : Anwar first won the seat as a Barisan candidate in 1982, and also subsequently in 1986,
1990 and 1995.)

In 1999, Anwar’s former ally, Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad, was given the job of challenging Wan Azizah. Despite the anger over Anwar’s jail sentence, the former put up a credible fight and managed to reduce the majority to 9,077.

By 2004, with Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s popularity at its height, particularly his call for reforms, Wan Azizah managed to pull through with only a 590-vote majority.

But the March 8 polls was a different story. Wan Azizah’s majority shot up to 13,398 votes while Barisan's candidate Datuk Dr Pirdaus Ismail managed to garner 16,950 votes.

Going by past results, the Barisan has a base of 14,000 to 17,000 voters while PKR has between 20,000 and 30,000.

In the 2008 elections, Barisan must have lost the Chinese and Indian voters, who could have been depended on previously to deliver their votes.

There were losses in votes from many pro-Barisan Malays voters who favoured the PKR this time as the political tsunami swept the country.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is expected to lead the by-election campaign, has set a realistic tone by declaring Barisan to be the underdog.

It cannot be business as usual. Any declaration of victory, as many Umno leaders often like to proclaim, would be a bad start.

By being the underdog, the Barisan campaigners would realise that the odds are against them and they would be entering a fight they have never fought before.

They would need to work hard and, certainly, keep their fancy cars at home when campaigning.

The opponent is, after all, Anwar Ibrahim and the Barisan candidate is likely to be a less formidable contender.

In any by-election, the opposition is the favoured choice as voters perceive that the political status quo would not be affected if an opposition member was voted in to help check the government better.

The resources of the opposition would also be channelled into one area and this time, the opposition is no longer the “poor party” as evident during the 2008 polls. With five states under its control now, financial contributions are no longer an issue.

The Barisan is still unpopular, as evident from the massive losses in the general election, and the recent fuel price hike has not reduced the resentment towards the leadership.

It’s a problem affecting heads of government all over the world and the Prime Minister is no exception. A survey by the independent Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research has showed that Pak Lah’s popularity has dipped to below 50% from an all-time high of 91% in 2004.

It has been reported that 59% of the respondents said economic problems were the most important issue today, with the majority expressing concern over the direction of the country.

Executive director Ibrahim Suffian said the unhappiness among respondents was not just on the fuel and food prices hike but also on the political uncertainties in the country.

The Pakatan seems to have fared better with 57% of respondents saying they were “somewhat satisfied” and “very satisfied” with the opposition, but the survey also showed that the respondents had more faith in the Barisan delivering their promises than Pakatan.

It is best that Barisan is not quick to dismiss the findings but to find ways to repair its image instead.

With the looming arrest of Anwar for sodomy, the by-election campaign and the trial could be held at the same time.

The decision for Wan Azizah to give up her seat is obviously a preemptive strike by Anwar before he is charged. He will surely treat the by-election as a referendum of sorts with the sodomy charges used as the main campaign issue.

The Barisan, if it plays by the rules, would have its hands tied as it would be sub-judice for the media and the leaders to talk about it. But it’s a free-for-all on the Internet and the ceramahs with little possibility of contempt of court.

Politics is all about perception and winning votes. With the prices of crude oil going down, it’s also time for Malaysians to pay less for their petrol.

This would be one of the many measures it can take to gain popularity ahead of Permatang Pauh.

sah