Pakatan is ready with new leaders by YB Zuraida Kamaruddin

Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir is getting ahead of himself with his description of ‘dinosaurs’ from Pakatan Rakyat. At 49 years old, he should know better than to call other people names like ‘dinosaurs’ when he is approaching ‘zaman dinosaur’ himself, in addition to having ‘bapa dinosaur’ as his mentor.

As if Mukhriz is not already aware, Pakatan Rakyat has a strong and good line-up of leaders who are even more capable and progressive in their approach and thinking. Ranking among the most outstanding and outspoken leaders who notoriously speak without fear or favour are Rafizi Ramli, Sim Tze Tzin, Surendren and Ong Kian Ming, to name a few. 

However, what is most disturbing is that Mukhriz feels thrilled that he could extend his father’s struggles. The country has left Tun Dr. Mahathir in a bygone era but yet Mukhriz is still trying to relive and glorify a past that has left a bad after-taste in everyone’s mouths.

Who can forget the stranglehold that Tun had on the country during his 22 years of dictatorship? The only reason for Pak Lah’s big win in 2004 was only because the country felt that there was a glimmer of hope for change as Tun had inadvertently driven the country into a dismal abyss of despair with his megalomaniacal style of management.

Nobody should forget how Tun mismanaged public funds and how the effects of its failed financial initiatives have affected the country up to this day. Companies like Proton, Pewaja Steel, UEM, MAS, DRB-Hicom, Renong and the Bakun Dam project failed miserably yet Mukhiz has intentions to continue this form of ‘legacy’? No, thank you.

Cronyism flourished during Tun’s tenure and the judiciary was fraught with allegations of injustice and non-compliance. Tun’s best friend was Mugabe, the former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe who was also accused of political crimes against his country. Tun had also admitted to giving Mugabe RM34 million worth of rare timber from Malaysia to build his 25-room private mansion and there are also reports on 10 million pounds belonging to Mugabe in Malaysian bank accounts.

With such associations and many more, the country will do itself injustice to put trust into this family again. While having the ‘surname’ Mahathir may seem beneficial to Mukhriz, it actually sends a cold shiver down the rakyat’s spines to even imagine a return of the Mahathir dynasty.

YB Zuraida Kamaruddin

Ketua Wanita Parti Keadilan Rakyat

20/9/13

Press Statement on Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2025 by YB Zuraida Kamarudin

Press Statement on Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2025 by YB Zuraida Kamarudin

National unity no doubt starts with a good education plan but this does not necessarily mean that we should curtail people’s rights to choose the type of education suitable for their children. The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2015 launched by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on 6^th September must be carefully reviewed and agreed upon by various parties to avoid public discontent.

The Keadilan Women’s Wing recognizes and acknowledges Bahasa Malaysia as the national language but at the same time takes into consideration the multiracial and multi-cultural composition of the country. It is therefore our view that without compromising the importance of Bahasa Malaysia and with support towards the freedom of choice that we request Tan Sri Muhyiddin to revise the Malaysia Education Blueprint for the benefit of all citizens.

While all national schools use the Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction, the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) guarantees the existence of vernacular schools. This provision allows such national-type Chinese and Tamil schools the freedom to use their mother-tongue as the main medium of instruction.

The Ministry of Education states in its report that as of June 2011, there are 5,853 National Schools, 1,291 National-type Chinese Schools and 523 National-type Tamil Schools.

According to statistics published in the Malaysia Education Blueprint, the proficiency of Bahasa Malaysia for a minimum credit for SPM is as follows:  Bumiputera students 84%, Chinese 63% and Indian 57%.

It is roughly estimated that Malaysia is comprised of 5.1 million students registered in public schools and that Bumiputeras make up about 60%, Chinese 23% and Indians 7%. Hence, the total estimated students who are Bumiputeras that do not meet the criteria are more or less the same as the non-Bumiputeras.

It is with this that we should reconsider our priorities in setting the standards of Bahasa Malaysia as the figures clearly show that it is not due to the vernacular schools that the country does not meet 100% of the language proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia. The love for the national language can only be instilled by a reciprocal love and respect towards the freedom of choice.

We hope that this will convince Tan Sri Muhyiddin to approach and make suitable revisions to the Malaysia Educational Blueprint.

YB Zuraida Kamarudin

KETUA WANITA PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT

18/9/13

Press Statement on the withdrawal of Azalina to contest for Wanita Umno head by YB Zuraida Kamaruddin

Press Statement on the withdrawal of Azalina to contest for Wanita Umno head by YB Zuraida Kamaruddin

Barely one month after stating her intention to contest for the top Wanita post in UMNO, Azalina retracted her intention to contest against Sharizat due to ‘advice’ from top leadership. If this is not called ‘internal’ intervention, what is?

Jumping to Azalina’s defence is Puteri UMNO head Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin who said in the Malay Mail yesterday 16/9/13 that Azalina’s decision to withdraw was due to her realization that the contest would create splits among the leaders in the movement. She also stressed that top UMNO top leadership ‘had from the start practiced the policy of non-intervention in the election of leaders for the party wings’. This is contradictory to what Azalina herself tweeted that her decision was made after being ‘advised’.

This so-called non-interference and internal negotiations which prompted Azalina to withdraw is no slight matter. What must be highlighted is that according to an article published in FMT by Jeswan Kaur dated 15/9/13, Azalina has been offered a top GLC post in exchange for her withdrawal.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in the style of leadership in UMNO for it to be seen as progressive and forward moving. How can Wanita UMNO improve with the same tarnished leaders and without consideration to the abortion of the democratic development?

When Azalina accepted the advice of the top leadership to make way for ‘no-contest’ of the top position, this shows that the UMNO Women wing is spineless and voiceless, in addition to the Women’s wing being perceived as weak with no other better option than to offer an icon of corruption and desolation.

Such internal negotiation not only encourages cronyism but continues to promote and fuel the culture which is adverse toward a country’s growth. It poses as a hindrance and dampens the country’s democratic process.

This sets a precedence that can be seen as opportunity for other members who feel that by just mentioning to challenge for the top leadership post, she will be rewarded accordingly.

Quite immediately after Azalina’s withdrawal, Raihan Sulaiman, a member of the Kulim Bandar Bharu UMNO division stepped forward to lay claims to being the new challenger to Sharizat. She mentioned that when the news about the scandal-ridden NFC (National Feedlot Corporation) broke out, she thinks in way that it had tarnished UMNO’s name.

In this respect, I find it odd that while even UMNO members and the public find the association of the NFC scandal and Sharizat to be disgusting, the Prime Minister, Najib Razak conversely chooses to throw his support behind a ‘scandal-ridden’ personality to helm the UMNO Wanita top post.

As Rafidah Aziz said, Wanita UMNO needs a more credible talent for the top post.

If at all Sharizat  has any dignity left, she should relinquish all her posts and allow new capable leaders to emerge.

YB Zuraida Kamaruddin

Ketua Wanita Parti Keadilan Rakyat

17/9/13