Not possible to reduce oil prices

The star reported on 31 Disember 07 that the opposition’s promises to reduce oil prices if it were to form a government will only bankrupt the country, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said it was “just not possible” for the opposition to bring fuel prices down, pointing out that they were only fooling the people with empty promises.

He said claims that the opposition would channel Petronas profits into subsidising fuel prices did not make sense as current oil prices were on a record high.

“Say, if Petronas makes RM70bil or RM80bil (and) they want to channel it for fuel subsidy. Then where will the government obtain funds for building roads, hospitals and other amenities?” Najib said at the Tuaran Tamu Besar and Cultural Carnival here yesterday.

He said that despite escalating world fuel prices, the Barisan Nasional government was able to maintain the lowest prices compared to most countries in the region.- star

The opposition’s promises to reduce oil prices if it were to form a government seems that they are using the oil issue to gain the heart and mind of the people.But the effectiveness of it let's wait and see.

Britain's queen takes up YouTube

The increasing role plays by internet especially YouTube is seen by the making an impact on many aspects of the daily life. It has changed the traditional way we work and communicate as well as we learnt. The exchanging of information regardless of social, economic or geographical differences occurred in a second. The latest trend of communication is proven again by Queen Elizabeth II by launching her personal special Royal Channel on YouTube.

It is reported by agencies December 23, 2007 in London that Britain's 81-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, considered an icon of traditionalism, launched her own special Royal Channel on YouTube Sunday.

The queen will use the popular video-sharing Web site to send out her 50th annual televised Christmas message, which she first delivered live to the nation and its colonies on Dec. 25, 1957.

Buckingham Palace also began posting archive and recent footage of the queen and other royals on the channel Sunday, with plans to add new clips regularly.

The royal page — which bears the scarlet lettered heading "The Royal Channel - The Official Channel of the British Monarchy" — is illustrated with a photograph of Buckingham Palace flanked by the queen's Guards in their tall bearskin hats and red tunics.

The Royal Channel also shows excerpts from Lord Wakehurst's film "Long to Reign Over Us," which has never been publicly released. Wakehurst, a member of Parliament who died in 1970, was an avid amateur film maker, charting events such as Queen Elizabeth II's accession and coronation.

The color images convey the historical events from the public's perspective, showing crowds holding street parties and camping out on The Mall — the wide boulevard outside Buckingham Palace — to catch a glimpse of the queen on Coronation Day.

The Royal Channel also includes rarely seen silent news footage of the 1923 wedding of the queen's parents, then known as the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

On Tuesday, Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas speech can once again be downloaded as a podcast from http://www.royal.gov.uk. It also is being made available on television in high definition for the first time.

Malaysian should work together for peace and harmony

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi call all Malaysians share the task of ensuring peace and harmony for continued economic development.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the responsibility of maintaining peace and harmony in the country did not rest on his shoulders alone but on all races.

He admitted that although much had been done by the Government for the people’s well being, problems still arose from time to time, which required the collective effort of all to be resolved.

The Prime Minister said the Government balanced its help on the basis of the country's racial composition, where the Malay community was the largest, followed by the Chinese and Indians.

As we know, Malaysia is a multi racial country; any action taken by the government can cause criticism and unhappiness if the action seems to be bias. Any statement issued by politician may carry negative implications, so all need to be responsible and careful.

Under any circumstances, Malaysian should respect one another and not make any baseless accusations against each other as urged by PM.

PM: Racial clashes just rumours

Short messaging service text of racial gatherings or clashes Sunday December 16, 2007, especially in the Kampung Baru area here, are just rumours, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

“Rumours, rumours, rumours. Tell me who is it from? As far as I know, the Malays are not having any such gathering.

“Don’t make up stories and scare people,” the Prime Minister told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting at PWTC here yesterday.

By the way, it seems that some irresponsible people had exploited the current situation to create the instability of the country for their personal political benefits.

Polis should take extra precaution and the politicians should mind your languages.

American mind your own business!

The United States demanded on Thursday that Malaysia provide fair treatment to five leaders of a rights group held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for a initial two-year period.

Malaysia has told the United States to give fair trials to detainees at its Cuban military prison before criticizing it for holding five Hindraf leaders.

"Can they first of all give a fair trial to the detainees in Guantanamo Bay? We will only respond if they do so," the New Straits Times newspaper quoted deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak as saying.

The ISA is a security law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. There are about 290 detainees at the US camp in Guantanamo, Cuba.

To fight for the rights is nothing wrong but Hindraf is pushing for an end to discrimination of minority ethnic Indians in multi-racial Malaysia, which created the instability, seems to be questionable.

Hindraf enraged the government last month by mustering at least 30,000 people to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to highlight issues facing Indian Malaysians, including a lack of economic opportunities and the destruction of Hindu temples.

The detained leaders are (from left): P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kengadharan, V. Ganabatirau and K. Vasantha Kumar.

The reactions of Malaysian are complex but acted maturely by demanded the government take tough action against the five from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The demanding of the United States seems to be unjustified as is it the internal affairs of Malaysian. Further more, the United States also did not give even fair trials to detainees at its Cuban military. United States need to give fair trials to detainees at its Cuban military prison before criticizing it for holding five Hindraf leaders by the Malaysian government.

13 Malaysian NGOs discuss issues with PM

A frank and open discussion centered on issues affecting the Malaysian Indian community, particularly its socio-economic standing in the country by 13 Malaysia Indian NGOs with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on December 14 2007 seems to be the immediate positive action taken to regain the heart and mind of the Indian community.

The meeting took place just 24 hours after the arrest of five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act on Thursday reflects the Malaysian government stressed the importance of preserving peace and stability.

The way Hindraf used demonstrations to voice its views and claims, specifically ethnic cleansing of the Indian community seems to be rejected by the representatives of Indian groups.

By the way, the meeting seems to discredit the political role and effectiveness of MIC uplifting the economic and social standing of the Indian community.