Video streaming by Ustream The resignation of two senior Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders from the ruling coalition comes at an inopportune time for BN just as the coalition is gearing up for the polls. Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing announced today he is quitting the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and pledged to aid the rival Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact in the run-up to key national poll due soon. The former Sabah chief minister said he would kick off a state-wide tour in support of the federal opposition ahead of the 13th general elections, speculated will be called this year. He cited the widespread influx of illegal immigrants into the eastern state and Putrajaya’s oversight on this issue as among the chief reasons prompting his exit. “This is the mother of all problems in Sabah,” Bumburing (picture) said in a delayed video broadcast on the UStream TV Merdeka Rakyat website. The deputy president of the BN component party, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation’s (UPKO), was speaking at the launch of Angkatan Perubahan Sabah, a new political entity aligned to PR in Tuaran, on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu earlier today Bumburing pointed out that Sabah had seen an increase in illegal immigrants of 390 per cent, a rate that far surpasses neighbouring state Sarawak’s 146 per cent as well as the national rate. “BN’s policy towards illegal immigrants is very dangerous because of (illegal immigrants committing) crime, making it difficult for citizens to get job opportunities, and threatening national security”. “During Dr M’s (Mahathir) time, (there was a) policy to simply give identity cards to illegal immigrants, to foreigners,” said Bumburing, referring to allegations where BN had granted citizenship to illegal immigrants in exchange for votes. “During the Parliament session, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that he will set up a royal commission about this illegal immigrant issue, but he’s been to Sabah three times already, but there were no announcements when he was in Sabah.” “And these more than 250,000 illegal immigrants come voting under the guise of being a Sabah native such as Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Bajau and so on,” he said. His APS movement was earlier reported to be dominated by those from the Kadazan, Dusun and Murut communities. He also said that the Sabah government’s approach had caused residents to be like refugees in their own state. “When the people apply for land titles, the state government doesn’t give (them), but sends bulldozers to knock down houses,” said Bumburing, alluding to the native land rights’ issue in the state. Also present was PKR’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar praised Bumburing for being brave and willing to let go of a comfortable life for the sake of Sabahans. “I have previously said there will be a surprise from Sabah. But the surprise that I meant is not just Wilfred Bumburing or Lajim Ukin, the real surprise comes from Sabahans themselves,” he said after a warm reception by the Kadazan, Dusun and Murut communities in Tuaran today. In Sabah, the deep-seated issue of illegal immigrants will likely be used as a key campaign issue in the coming polls, with the Najib administration holding the trump card for having finally agreed to investigate the issue by forming a royal commission of inquiry. Federal seats in east Malaysia’s Sabah and Sarawak are expected to be PR’s focal point when the elections take place, as both states, including the federal territory of Labuan, make up a whopping 57 seats, or 25 per cent of the 222 parliamentary seats available. In Election 2008, BN retained power over the Putrajaya administrative capital largely due to wins in east Malaysia and Labuan, where it made a near-clean sweep, winning 55 seats against PR’s two. But the ruling pact lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority after only securing a five-seat margin ahead of PR in the peninsula, winning in just 85 constituencies while PR secured 80 seats. “The latest episode of open rebellion by Sabah BN leaders is ominous for Najib as with his ‘fixed deposit’ in Sabah, the inevitability of BN’s downfall is coming sooner rather than later,” said DAP’s national publicity secretary Tony Pua. Earlier this afternoon in Sabah, Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing announced that he was leaving BN and pledged his support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, an Umno supreme council member, had yesterday said he was resigning from all party positions. Both politicians are setting up new PR- friendly political movements — Bumburing’s Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) launched this afternoon while Lajim will be launching his Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS) in Beaufort this evening. Pua appeared to be suggesting that Bumburing and Lajim were disgruntled and had lost confidence in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership as BN president. “Najib’s hold on power is looking increasingly untenable by the day, especially with the continuing postponement of the election since last year,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider today. “In fact, the longer he delays polls, (there will be) more disgruntlement among its members and leaders, with increasing loss of confidence in his leadership (or lack of),” he said. PKR’s strategic director Rafizi Ramli said that this latest “development is not only big in Sabah” as it will boost PR’s chances of taking over Putrajaya in the upcoming general elections. “With Wilfred Bumburing also quitting, you will see a united force that will strengthen Pakatan Rakyat,” he said in a phone interview. “When they (Lajim and Bumburing) leave BN, they will bring substantial (numbers of) supporters with them. “This will significantly shift the prospects for elections in Sabah with easily 10 Parliamentary seats endangered (for BN) in Sabah.” With Wilfred Bumburing also quitting, you will see a united force that will strengthen Pakatan Rakyat. — Rafizi Ramli PAS’s vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar also concurred with his allies in PR. “This shows they are making a new momentum for Sabah and Malaysia without Umno and BN,” he said. He also said that Najib will likely delay elections as the prime minister will need time to resolve this “serious” issue. “I believe if (Najib) waits (any) longer, their (Lajim and Bumburing’s) actions will spread to become bigger. Whether it’s snap polls or not, this will benefit PR.” The country has been kept guessing about the date of the 13th general elections which must be called by April, with The Malaysian Insider recently reporting that it could be held in September after Aidilfitri celebrations. Federal seats in East Malaysia’s Sabah and Sarawak are expected to be PR’s focal point when the elections take place, as both states, including the federal territory of Labuan, make up a whopping 57 seats, or 25 per cent of the 222 parliamentary seats available. In Election 2008, BN retained power over the Putrajaya administrative capital largely due to wins in east Malaysia and Labuan, where it made a near-clean sweep, winning 55 seats against PR’s two. But the ruling pact lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority after only securing a five-seat margin ahead of PR in the peninsula, winning in just 85 constituencies while PR secured 80 seats. Thomas Jefferson believed in renewing democracy by regularly shifting the dominant social paradigm. Jefferson argued that constitutions should be rewritten every generation, declaring the "dead should not govern the living." That explains why contemporary Americans are so fractious: we're overdue for a new paradigm. In computer technology the dominant paradigm has shifted approximately every twenty years. In 1954 IBM introduced a mass-produced mainframe computer, the 704. In 1977 the personal computer era began with the introduction of the Commodore PET. In 1996 Nokia introduced the modern era by introducing the 9000 Communicator, a personal data assistant. Not every company can adapt to change. In December of 2000, Microsoft stock shares were worth $119.94; it was the most valuable corporation in the world with a market capitalization of $510 billion. When the paradigm shifted to the personal data assistant, Microsoft didn't adapt but Apple did. In October of 2001, Apple introduced the iPod -- a digital music player. Apple followed with the 2007 release of the iPhone and the 2010 introduction of the iPad. Today Microsoft's stock is worth $29.15 per share and its market capitalization is $244B. In twelve years, Apple's stock increased in value from $8.19 to $574; its market cap rose from $4.8B to $538B and it became the world's most valuable company. In the last eighty years there have been two social paradigm shifts. In the thirties, Franklin Delano Roosevelt ushered in "the New Deal" in response to a catastrophic depression. "Throughout the nation men and women, forgotten in the political philosophy of the Government, look to us here for guidance and for more equitable opportunity to share in the distribution of national wealth... I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people." The New Deal featured "three R's": relief, recovery, and reform; it provided a safety net for all Americans. For forty years conservatives attacked Roosevelt's New Deal. In 1980, the dominant paradigm shifted. Ronald Reagan demeaned the safety net concept and convinced Americans they no longer needed financial regulations. (The Chicago School of Economics promoted deregulation by arguing that markets were inherently self-regulating and no matter how severe the setback, markets would quickly return to equilibrium.) "Reaganomics" promoted the cancerous notion that helping the rich get richer would benefit everyone else, "a rising tide lifts all boats." Thirty years later, it's clear that Reaganomics has failed and once again America needs to supplant the dominant paradigm. The US economy is broken. The Reagan conservative ideology assumed that rich folks buying yachts and vacation homes would catalyze the consumer economy, but that didn't happened. Belatedly, Americans recognized a healthy economy depends upon steady consumption by the middle class. Unfortunately the current recession has devastated working Americans and benefited mainly the richest one percent. A second reason why the paradigm needs to shift is because, under Reaganomics, corporations and the wealthy acquired too much power. They bought the Republican Party and used their wealth to flood the mainstream media with conservative propaganda. Corporations plundered our natural resources, while the richest one percent moved trillions of dollars out of the US economy offshore into tax havens. Finally, the social paradigm needs to shift because, as a consequence of Reaganomics, serious problems are being ignored. The US economy will not function unless determined efforts are made to bolster the lives of working Americans. Until there's a sea change in perspective, many other vital issues will continue to be ignored, such as global climate change, energy usage and infrastructure deterioration. We need to shift from Reaganomics to a social paradigm that renews democracy. The first step is recognition that the real strength of America is its people, not its corporations. Leveling the playing field requires limiting the power of corporations. Democracy has to take priority over capitalism. And restoring the economy means redistributing wealth by means of an equitable tax system. Renewing democracy requires that Americans plan for the future. One of the most debilitating aspects of Reaganomics has been its short-term perspective; Thomas Friedman characterized the conservative ethos as IBG/YBG: "Do whatever you like now, because 'I'll be gone' or 'you'll be gone" when the bill comes due." But it's our moral responsibility to plan for the next generation; we have to confront long-range problems such as the lack of meaningful jobs and Global Climate change. The 2012 presidential election offers a stark contrast between Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Barack Obama. The men have different backgrounds and philosophies. Most important, they represent different social paradigms. Romney has shied away from Reaganomics -- he wants American to continue to do business as it has for the past three decades, to continue with a system that is broken and destructive, to remain in the age of dinosaurs. Obama wants something better -- he wants to reinvigorate "the New Deal" and renew democracy. But Obama needs to articulate a more coherent alternative to the dominant paradigm. That's the challenge for liberals in 2012. We must help Obama formulate an alternative to Reaganomics, a new vision the 99 percent can identify with.When Anna Hazare launched his anti-corruption movement last year in August, he said - sarkar ki neeyat saaf nahi hai and the fight against corruption will be long. The turn of events in the last one year prove that he was right. Now, Anna and his team are back at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, with the demand of a strong Lokpal to check corruption and set an impartial inquiry against corrupt ministers. And, with it, the ruling class or the neo-feudalists have launched the vilification campaign again and are resorting to all kinds of measures to discredit Team Anna, and crush their campaign. This class includes not only politicians but also those in media, social activists, academia, intellectuals, corporates and all in the privileged class who always prefer to be on the right side of the power. This class can be seen in TV debates every night passing judgements portraying the 'peaceful Anna movement' as a danger to democracy. The same lot describes Team Anna as a blackmailer and arrogant in newspapers. In fact, a section of media has already declared Anna's movement as a `flop show'. This class is not ready to accept that it is a servant and not a master of the masses. It was clear from the beginning that the Congress-led UPA government had no intention to enact a strong Lokpal. It agreed for a joint drafting committee fearing adverse impact of Anna's fast in April 2011 on the elections in five states in May but dumped it after the polls and brought a weak Lokpal Bill in Parliament in August, 2011. Later, through a resolution passed by Parliament, the government assured Anna that his demands will be met. Anna broke his fast but as feared, the government went back on its word. In fact, all the political parties colluded to scuttle the legislation in Parliament. After all who would like to sign on his/her death warrant. A strong Lokpal would mean many of top leaders of almost all the political parties would land up in jail, hence every trick was used -- from reservation to federalism and a dramatic ruckus in the Rajya Sabha -- to stall the enactment of a strong Lokpal institution against corruption. The government never wanted a Lokpal. In August last year, Anna was first denied permission for a fast and arrested but was allowed later following public outrage. The countrywide support also forced government to call a session of Parliament which passed `the sense of house' and assured Anna that the government is committed to enact a strong Lokpal. But it turned out to be only an exercise to buy time. The government also resorted to excuses that as per rules, the parliamentary Standing Committee will draft the bill after taking views from various sections of society, organizations and parties. But the Bill tabled in Parliament in December 2011 was not the one proposed by Team Anna. Between Anna's fast and tabling of the Bill in Parliament, an organised campaign was launched against Anna and his team to break their unity and alienate them from the people. And, it did succeed up to some extent. Further, the issue was politicised and communalised through propaganda and influencing media. The debate was gradually shifted from provisions of the Lokpal to the conduct of Team Anna by digging up their past and blowing even small and petty issues out of proportion. The social activists with no mass base but opposed to Team Anna were strategically roped in to confuse the people by mixing issues. While injecting in public mind that the RSS is behind Anna's campaign, the minority quota was tactically introduced in the Bill to alienate Muslims. But when Anna sat on fast again in December 2011, the government was forced to table the Bill in the Parliament. Several revisions which diluted the Bill were done even after tabling it in the Parliament to placate various political parties. And, finally the legislation was stalled by the political parties blaming each other for not being serious about curbing corruption. In midst of this confusion, when an ailing Anna was forced to break his fast and a less crowd turned up at the venue in Mumbai, he was declared a loser. Barring a few newspapers and news channels, the media appeared to be on the side of the government. Had political parties been serious about the Lokpal, they would have never launched a propaganda to discredit Anna. Similarly, there was no need to dig the past of Anna's team members. Anna was labelled an RSS agent. Nobody explained how Anna's alleged RSS connection is related to CBI's autonomy? I agree that RSS is communal but Congress is equally communal. Who can forget Sikh genocide, Shah Bano case, shilanyas of Ram temple at disputed site in Ayodhya, demolition of Babri mosque and 4.5% minority quota. Every time, communal card was used for electoral gains. Those calling Anna an RSS agent are only strengthening divisive politics of the politicians. When Team Anna does not involve and consult political parties, he is labelled as arrogant and when it does, it is accused of politicising the issue. Anna has also been called a dictator who imposes his views, particularly prohibition, on others. How can a person who believes in supremacy of Gram sabha can be a dictator? For Anna, prohibition means saving millions of poor families destroyed by alcoholism. Mahatma Gandhi advocated prohibition and we call him the Father of the nation. It seems for those who call Anna a dictator because he supports prohibition, a bottle of beer is important than lakhs of people who die every year because corruption deprives them from food, medical care and basic needs. Before drinking, they don't even bother to know that the glass in front of them might have alcohol prepared by wheat deliberately allowed to rot (while thousands of poor remain hungry) for the purpose by corrupt officers. Those raising questions over the integrity of Team Anna members should realise the fact that as an officer of Indian Police service, Kiran Bedi could have earned millions and Arvind Kejriwal could have made a fortune in Indian Revenue Service. Had they been corrupt, they would have never challenged government's might. However, instead of being disappointed, Team Anna should be encouraged by the fact that the it has forced the government to bring the Lokpal Bill, even if it was weak and pending for last 42 years, in the Parliament. It was because of anti-corruption public opinion generated by Anna that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was forced to sack nine ministers on Lokayukta's report, Uttrakhand chief minister BC Khanduri had to enact a strong Lokayukta institution and YS Yedurappa had to resign from the post of Karnataka chief minister after being indicted for corruption by the Lokayukta. At no point of time in history, the world was entirely corrupt or was totally corruption free. It has been present in the society in some form or another. That's why, reformers and prophets took birth from time to time to put things in order. And, initially, all these reformers and prophets were opposed by the ruling class and not accepted by the society but gradually they made their mark. The concepts of heaven and hell were well propounded only to deter people from corruption. For the same reason, concept of God, the ultimate ombudsman, watching every action of each individual was developed. But it has failed. Today corruption rules. Nearly 20% of people control 80% of resources in the country. The 80% poor are fighting for survival and feel `kuch nahi ho sakta'. However, majority in remaining 20% have accepted corruption as an integral part of the life. A section of middle class wants change but has lost courage to fight. The country is being run by mafia. We have killed our conscience (the God) and that's why mafia rules. The social and financial insecurity prevents us from taking any stand against whatever wrong we see in society. We form opinions on the basis of what others feel about a particular thing. In the name of being pragmatic, we compromise with ideals. The tendency is to find faults in the person who stands up against wrong doing. We try to find a `motive' behind every action of such people. We find faults and run down these people to cover up our own guilt of doing nothing. In the name of practicality we justify the acts of `wrong doers' as it happened in the case of Mulayam ditching Mamta or defending Manmohan despite corruption in his government. However, at the same time we expect the honest ones to be 100% perfect. Even a small mistake is used to discredit them as done in the case of Team Anna. Perhaps India needs a `shocker' to awake it's `conscience'. A lot of people who were earlier associated with the Team Anna were corrupt and took part in the agitation for publicity. But many have left. Many more will go. The present campaign may fail. But we need to remember that independence was not won in a single day. Its better to have a few committed people with revolutionary zeal than a big mob to carry on the fight. Political parties organize huge rallies by 'arranging' crowd but such events rarely bring any significant change in society. Taking inspiration from Anna, many individuals have vowed to lead a righteous life. These people will bring change. Nobody is perfect. It applies on Anna and his team members as well. But Anna is no longer a figure. He has become "an idea". There can be flaws in Anna and his team but not in "the idea of Anna" which symbolizes the fight against corruption. After taking voluntary retirement recently, an honest IPS officer in UP wrote to his friends narrating a story -- A forest caught fire. A bird who flew to a nearby pond and brought water in its beak and poured it on the fire. It repeated the exercise till fully exhausted. A crow came to the bird and said "Your are wasting your energy. The fire cannot be doused with such a small quantity of water." The bird replied, "I know but when history will be written my name will not feature among those who set forest on fire or stood idle doing nothing." Today I find Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Ekla Chalo Re", which was one of the most inspiring poem during freedom struggle, relevant for the fight against corruption. India needs sacrifices and those sincerely wanting to change the system will have to continue to fight in their own way against all odds. Here is English translation of Ekla Chalo Re If they answer not to thy call, walk alone If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall, O thou unlucky one, open thy mind and speak out alone If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness, O thou unlucky one, trample the thorns under thy tread, and along the blood-lined track travel alone If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm, O thou unlucky one, with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart and let it burn alone.
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