Sambutan Merdeka di Bukit Kledang, Menglembu Ipoh - Open University Malaysia

30 Ogos 2008 Posted by Richard Ng

Seawal jam 6.30 pagi tetamu khas kita iaitu Sdra Alex Chan Chin Chin, bekas ADUN Simpang Pulai telah tiba dengan penuh semangat. Kami berkumpul di kaki bukit Kledang ini sehingga jam 7.15pagi sebelum memulakan pendakian ke aras 3,000 kaki.

Kami berkumpul di kaki bukit sementara menantikan semua peserta tiba

Pelajar OUM Shah Alam, Dillon, juga turut serta dalam pendakian merdeka ini

Pasukan pendakian ini disertai oleh seramai 25 orang staf OUM Perak, Pelajar-pelajar OUM termasuk seorang pelajar OUM Shah Alam yang turut serta iaitu Sdra Dillon.

Sebahagian dari peserta yang telah berjaya sampai ke puncak bukit

Sister Lim, pelajar BNS OUM Perak dengan tongkatnya juga berjaya mendaki bukit ini hingga ke puncaknya. Syabas Sister Lim.

Setiap peserta telah diberikan satu bendera untuk dikibarkan semasa pendakian. Sepanjang pendakian kami turut mengedarkan bendera pada orang ramai yang ada di situ. Sepanjang perjalanan kami bertemu dengan ratusan pengunjung yang sentiasa mendaki bukit ini bagi tujuan kecerdasan diri.

Kelihatan di gambar kabus yang agak tebal di tamansebelum bermulanya sesi nyanyian lagu patriotik

Sdra Alex Chan (dua dari kiri) turut sama menyanyikan lagu patriotik

Pengarah PP Perak Richard Ng sedang menyampaikan cenderahati kepada tetamu khas kita iaitu Sdra Alex Chan

Video Ucapan Sdra Alex Chan

Video Laungan Merdeka

Cuaca pagi ini agak baik. Kabus yang tebal menyejukkan suasana pagi ini. Pada jam 8.20pagi kami pun tiba di sebuah taman yang terletak di puncak bukit ini. Kami pun berihat sebentar sementara menantikan semua peserta sampai.

Tee Keat hits back at Soi Lek: I've always spoken freely - Sun

PETALING JAYA (Aug 28, 2008) By Ng Kee Seng

Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has described as “an afterthought” former MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s dare to repeat what he said about the possibility of the country’s largest Chinese political party leaving the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

“Isn’t he a bit too late picking on me on this issue? It’s not the first time I have talked about this. I had spoken about this possibility soon after the March 8 general election. Don’t you have any other better issues for the (Chinese) community than to just trail me?” he asked.

Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat

Ong, who is the only central MCA leader to offer to run for the party’s presidency so far, said: “My record as a politician has always been consistent in what I say and do. I spoke my mind and it was reported by newspapers that had reporters present.

“What’s this baseless accusation that I am giving my comments only to the vernacular Chinese newspapers. I talk to everyone, just as I am doing now.”

Chinese dailies quoted the MCA vice-president as saying during his recent visit to Bentong: “We need to see some changes in BN, particularly Umno, in relation to coordination and collaboration with the various component parties in the coalition.

“In this respect, any unilateral dominance or sense of supremacy would only irk the other coalition partners. If there’s no change in the biggest coalition partner, namely Umno, MCA could always consider opting out (of BN) as one of the options.”

Speaking to theSun at a Bakti Nusa charity fund-raising dinner on Wednesday evening, the Transport Minister said his statement was not something new to those who frequently attended his talks.

“When I was interviewed some time ago in the non-Chinese media, I had said the same thing in English. I repeated the statement in my winding-up speech during a meet-the-MCA grassroots roadshow in the Federal Territory some two months ago.”

Ong said he would always make his statements in more than one language which was what he did in Bentong last week.

“The morally-tainted blogger who urged me to write to Umno to state my stand was virtually concerned that the reports in the Chinese dailies would not reach the Umno top brass. This is totally uncalled for as I always speak my mind freely and fearlessly, without having to seek prior approval from any party.

“Any one in his right frame of mind will know that any statement made in any language in Malaysia, would readily be translated into other languages.

“I have also been accused by the blogger of being merely reactive in nature, but that trait would actually be an apt description of the accuser himself.

“My record has clearly shown that I brought up the issue of mono-ethnic dominance or supremacy was proactively in my exclusive interview with Bernama (in English) some time back.”

Barisan leaders’ talk of pullout from coalition worries Muhyiddin - Star

SINGAPORE: Aug 29, 2008

Some Barisan Nasional component party leaders' comments about the possibility of their parties leaving Barisan has Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin concerned.

“The is a new trend we have not seen in the past and this time around it is being done openly. I am concerned about that,” Muhyiddin told reporters, referring to remarks made by MCA and Gerakan leaders recently.

“Are these remarks brought up because of sheer disappointment? They have to explain,” he said, adding that any random survey would show that there was a mindset shift among the rakyat and not merely in Permatang Pauh.

Muhyiddin said Barisan should not underestimate the changes that are taking place.

“We can have a dialogue with the component parties but what else can we do? That is what we should be asking ourselves.

“The format in Umno and BN is not right and change should not just be in the form but also in the content,” Muhyiddin said.

“Umno also cannot stand alone. There are weaknesses within Umno but weaknesses also exist within the component parties,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said the outcome of the Permatang Pauh by-election was a wake-up call for Barisan, especially Umno, that much had to be done to regain the public's support.

Mukhriz said one of the major factors that impacted the by-election was the announcement by the country’s top two leaders that there would be a power transfer only in 2010.

“This means business as usual for another two years. For the rakyat, they feel it is too much to swallow,” he said.

“On the Umno side and Barisan, we also feel very exasperated because it is as if we have not started moving towards re-engineering and re-inventing Umno and Barisan.”

Ka Chuan hopes Barisan will learn from Permatang Pauh loss - Star

TANGKAK: Aug 29, 2008

Barisan Nasional should learn from the defeat in the Permatang Pauh by-election and adopt new strategies and ideas for future contests, said MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.

“We in the Barisan should be united and move as one team to ensure the component continues to be strong to face the next general election,” he said at SK Chi Ming 1 here on Wednesday.

“We in the MCA also hope the failure in capturing Permatang Pauh will not weaken our struggle to regain the people's confidence.”

Ong said PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would not be able to form the next government on Sept 16 and that it was just a gimmick to woo voters.

He also urged Barisan leaders not to utter racial remarks during campaigns as it would hurt the people.

Ong, who is Housing and Local Government Minister, said the Government would replace housing developers who failed to complete projects.

He said there were about 43,000 houses that were not completed and the Government would appoint new developers for them.

He said that over the past 27 years more than 2.7 million homes had been built and occupied and the ministry would ensure that abandoned projects would be completed.

Soi Lek dares Tee Keat to repeat threat to Umno - Sun

Aug 28, 2008

FORMER MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has upped the ante in his media war with party presidential candidate, vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, with a dare to Ong to repeat to Umno what he told the Chinese press lately -- that MCA may pull out of Barisan Nasional if Umno does not shed its "Ketuanan Melayu" policies.

Writing in his blog on Tuesday, Chua, without mentioning names, chided the only man (so far) who has offered to run for MCA presidency for pretending to speak out for the Chinese community.

"One would think that when the only man running for the post of MCA president says the party may have to pull out of the Barisan Nasional if Umno continues to champion the concept of 'Ketuanan Melayu', it should make the front page of all newspapers," he said.

"Instead, it was only reported in Sunday's Nanyang Siang Pau.


"The rest of the Chinese dailies offered up only today some muted reaction to the candidate's suggestion," Chua said, adding that Bahasa Malaysia and English newspapers have steered clear of reporting his statements for now.

He said some people have labelled him (Chua) a "political has-been", and tried to show the party's grassroots, the bulk of whom read the Chinese newspapers, that the endorsed candidate for the MCA presidency is indeed a man with the courage to speak out against Umno.

"But has he really spoken out and articulated the frustrations of the Chinese community?

"What is the reaction of Umno towards such a strong statement from an MCA vice-president and cabinet minister?" he asked.

One would never know, he said, "because it appears the statement so far is meant only for the eyes of the Chinese community".

He said MCA does not need someone who only pretends to speak out for the Chinese but a president who will speak out for all Malaysians and against all injustices.

"It is really insulting to members to think that in this age of multi-culturalism, anyone would choose to put on a show in the Chinese newspapers for the Chinese community," he said.

He dared the "endorsed candidate" to send a letter to Umno, repeating his statement that MCA may pull out of BN if Umno does not shed its Ketuanan Melayu policies.

"He should also officially issue statements that that will be MCA's policy should he become president," he said, adding that if he (Ong) does not write a letter to Umno or have a private chat with the prime minister about what he said, then he would be very rude in issuing a threat without letting the other party know.

If he does not do any of these things, then it would appear he was just hoping to get political support to attain his ambition without actually intending to walk the talk, he said.

Chua, who is regarded as a likely candidate to challenge Ong in the October party election, and Ong have traded barbs in the Chinese press and in cyber space over the issue of moral and conduct for politicians.

His latest tirade was given prominent space in the Chinese dailies yesterday.

Wee goes for top Youth post - Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Aug 22, 2008 By JO TEH

MCA Youth secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong has officially announced that he will contest for the wing’s chief post in the October party polls.

He has also asked that those who want to contest for the same post to join him in a forum to debate on the future of the movement.

For education: Dr Wee (second from right) handing over the cheques to Federal Territory MCA Youth chief Hang Chin Pheng (centre) at the MCA headquarters here yesterday. With them were (from left) FT MCA Youth vice-presidents Ling Hee Keat and Dr Toh Kian Kok, and FT MCA Youth state secretary Chiew Lian Keng.

“We can have a debate on the movement’s ideology. It is high time that the movement is rebuild. We need to reach out to society and make MCA Youth relevant to the people.

“It is time to voice out and view the people’s problems without fear. This is vital after our poor performance in the March 8 polls,” he told reporters at the party headquarters yesterday.

Dr Wee said he had received support from the movement’s leaders as well as the grassroots to contest for the post.

“Since the general election, the political scenario has changed and I am here to make the changes.

“I have been receiving phone calls and SMSes from the movement’s youth members all across the country encouraging me to go for it, especially after incumbent Datuk Liow Tiong Lai announced he would not be seeking a re-election for the post,” he added.

Dr Wee said his campaign tagline would be “Speak Out, Make Changes, No Fear.”

He urged members to work together and fight for the party in order to reach greater heights.

After the press conference, Dr Wee, as Deputy Education Minister, presented 10 cheques for RM20,000 each to Federal Territory MCA Youth leaders and those from the youth movement to be allocated to SJKC schools in the Klang Valley.

PAS sending out mixed messages, says Tee Keat - Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Aug 18, 2008

The PAS Dewan Ulama’s call to ban gambling and limit sales of alcohol in Pakatan Rakyat-held states is confusing and an about-turn on the Islamist party's assurances before the March 8 election, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said.

“Why do a U-turn all of a sudden? It should inform the people about its change (of heart),” he said after launching the Tasik Perdana Family Day here yesterday.

He reminded PAS of its message – that it wanted to establish a welfare state in the run-up to the last general election.

No U-turns: Ong, during the launch of the Tasik Perdana Family Day Sunday.

“Or was it merely a political gimmick to fish for votes?” he asked.

Ong pointed out that Pakatan allies DAP and PKR also assured the people then that PAS had undergone a paradigm shift, from wanting to establish a theocratic Islamic state to a welfare-centric one.

On Thursday, PAS Dewan Ulama head Datuk Mohamed Daud called for a ban on gambling joints and to limit alcohol-selling outlets in non-Muslim areas in Pakatan-run states, saying Kelantan was an example of how the ban should be carried out.

However, at the party’s 54th muktamar on Friday, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party would not pursue the campaign to ban gambling and alcohol as it would affect much of Kuala Lumpur.

Ong also called on younger members in the MCA to play a bigger role in their constituencies by coming out with their own initiatives and resources to win the people’s support.

“Certain people are reluctant to put in their own efforts, but at the end of the day, when any new initiatives comes, they want to jump on the bandwagon,” he said.