Switch and still keep your mobile number

Mobile phone users can now switch to another provider without changing their number.
This means a customer whose number is 01x-3456789 can retain it when he or she switches to a rival firm. This applies to postpaid or prepaid users.
This is possible after the government launched the Mobile Number Potability(MNP) recently.
"the government is committed to ensuring all mobile users can experience world-class services," said Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor after the launch in Kuala Lumpur.
Previously, consumers were unwilling to change operators as they did not want to go through the hassle of informing their contacts of the change in phone number.
About 87.9 per cent of Malaysians or more than 25 million people own a mobile phone.
" We believe this the best time to launch MNP as the telecommunication market is moving into a mature phase. Initiatives like MNP will help boost competitiveness within the sector.' Shzziman said. Present were Malaysian Communicatios and Multimedia Commission chairman datuk Dr. halim Shafie, Maxis Communications Bhd chief executive officer sandip das, Celcom(M) Bhd. CEO Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly and DIGI Com Bhd. CEO Johan Dennnelind, Mobile operators were exited about the MNP.
"Competition can only be good for consumers. MNP will force all operators to be more efficient," said Sandip.

Rulers' statement welcomed

Relying on the constitution and having genuine respect for all races will ensure all members of the rakyat have a place in Malaysia.
"We respect the wise words from the Rulers. That should be our struggle- to defend the rights of all races as stated in the Federal Constitution," MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
He was commenting on the statement by the Conference of Rulers that defended the country's social contract, as well as stressing the need for Malays to be united while assuring the non-Malays of their rights under the Federal Constitution.
"The ultimate target of MCA is to have a just society. It is the party's objective to have brotherly relationship with other communities, maintaining the country's freedom and fairness to all communities," he said.
Meanwhile, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal , Engku Tan Sri Ibrahim Engku Ngah, clarified that the special press statement issued by the Malay rulers on Thursday was the result of their deliberations prior to attending the meeting of the Conference of Rulers in Kuala Terengganu.
He said some quarters had reported that the special press statement was the result of discussions and decisions made at the meeting of the Conference of rulers.

Tujuh rintihan masyarakat Cina

Presiden MCA hari ini meluahkan tujuh rintihan rakyat khususnya di kalangan masyarakat Cina yang turut mengakibatkan barisan Nasional(BN kehilangan undi pada Pilihan raya Umum ke-12 pada 8 Mac lalu.
dalam ucapan terakhirnya sebagai Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting berkata, para pemimpin BN dan semua parti komponennya perlu memandang berat terhadap keluhan rakyat tersebut dan bertindak secara berkesan untuk membawa perubahan dan memulihan keyakinan rakyat terhadap parti itu.
Tujuh isu tersebut ialah masalah penyalahgunaan kuasa oleh ahli politik dan pegawai kerajaan seperti dalam pemberian kontrak kerajaan serta segelintir ahli politik dalam BN yang angkuh dan ghairah membuat kenyataan atau ucapan yang berbau perkauman atau mengugut kaum-kaum lain.
Orang ramai juga mengeluh berhubung dengan peningkatan ke jenayah, harga barang dan kos kehidupan yang tinggi akibat kenaikan harga minyak serta cara pengendalian isu-isu keagamaan oleh pihak berkuasa.
Keempat, mereka juga merintih kerana pihak berkuasa tertentu dianggap suka menggunakan alasan dasar ekonomi negara mengikut interpretasi yang prejudis dan pemikiran yang sempit.
Ramai peniaga, pengusaha, pemaju atau pelabur bukan bumiputera sentiasa berasa kecewa kerana berasa disekat dan tidak dilayan oleh sesetengah kementerian, jabatan atau agensi kerajaan dengan adil dalam soal pemberian lesen, permit, pinjaman atau peluang penyertaan tender.
Menurutnya lagi, kekurangan peruntukan daripada kerajaan dalam pembangunan sekolah jenis kebangsaan(SJK) Cina dan Tamil serta sekolah-sekolah mubaligh turut menjadi isu di kalangan masyarakat Cina dan India.
Beliau berharap kerajaan dapat menangani perkara-perkara tersebut dengan segera supaya keyakinan orang ramai terhadap kerajaan dapat dipulihkan.

Public debate not for quarrelling: Khairy

UMNO Youth vice-chief Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday the public debate he proposed to those who had qualified to contest for the movement's chief post was to provide an avenue for them to explain their vision.
Stressing that the debate was not for quarelling, Khairy, the second candidate to have qualified to contest the post, said it would be conducted in a responsible and orderly manner.
"The debate will be gentlemanly conducted" he told reporters at the MIC Deepavali open house at the Putra World Trade Centre.
He thanked former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo for agreeing to the debate.
Khairy,however,declined to comment on the refusal of another candidate, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, to be drawn into the debate.
Mukhriz is the first candidate to have qualified to contest for the post and currently has the most nominations.
When asked of his chances at the party polls, Khairy said he believed his chances remain bright.
In Jeli, Umno supreme council member Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the time had not arrived to hold an open debate as a way to elect party leaders.
He said the party currently needed to consider various aspects, including the risk, when holding an open debate as suggested by several Umno leaders. He added, speaking up is already there but to him , Umno has not gully matured. . Mustapha, who retained the post of Jeli Umno head uncontested, told reporters this after opening the division's delegates conference in Bukit Bunga Umno Complex in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He said if an open debate was to be held, his concern was that the grassroots members would only elect good orators rather than really credible cabdidadtes who can work for the party.
"It is important for us to make the correct choice, not because he is a good orator."
"If debates were held,our concern is members, charmed by his eloquence, will elect the candidate even though he cannot do work," the agriculture and agro-based industry ministry minister said.

Interfaith classes 'a good idea'

The suggestion by Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asli Zainul Abidi for primary schools to hold inter-faith classes is a"good suggestion", said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.
He said"it is a good suggestion, which the ministry can consider, but it will need an in-depth study."
"To what extent do you want that subject to be taught? When you say interfaith, what are the contents of the subject," he said, responding to last Friday's statement by Moh Asli, calling for inter-faith classes, specifically for Muslim students.
He said the subject would expose them to islamic principles, culture and jurisprudence for better interaction with non-Muslims.
"With a wide understanding of islam and free from narrow and obsolete thinking, interaction between Muslims and non-Muslim could be an avenue for promoting the beaty of islam," said Mohd Asli, adding that such classes were needed in Malaysian schools.

Penduduk Terkejut MBI naikkan Cukai Pintu

Penduduk di bandar Baru Sri Klebang, Chemor, Ipoh terkejut apabila menerima notis Majlis bandaraya Ipoh(MBI) yang bercadang menaikkan cukai pintu hartanah di kawasan itu sebanyak 500 pearatus bermula November ini.
Penduduk terbabit melahirkan rasa marah dan kesal membertahu, cadangan kenaikan cukai taksiran MBI itu tidak munasabah dan tidak masuk akal.
Seorang penduduk berkata, pihaknya yang baru dua tahun mendiami rumah banglo yang dibelinya di Jalan Sri Klebang 3, Bandar Baru Sri Klebang selama ini hanya dikenakan cukai pintu sebanyak RM108.80 setahun semasa kerajaan Nasional(BN) berkuasa di Perak
Menurut beliau, kadar cukai tersebut naik mendadk pada tahun ini selepas MBI mengeluarkan notis mencadangkannya sebanyak RM691.20 setahun.
Pada 15 September lalu, MBI telah menghantar notis kepadanya memaklumkan bahawa mereka akan meminda nilai tahunan tahunan harta atau cukai pintu ke atas rumah saya yang beralamat di Lot PT 186990,13 Jalan Sri Klebang 3, Bandar Baru Sri Klebang 31200, Chemor. Dalam notis tersebut, MBI memaklumkan bahawa mereka akan meminda senarai nilaian hartanya itu daripada RM680.00 kepada RM4320 setahun, manakala cukai yang sebelum ini dibayar RM108.80 sahaja dinaikkan kepada RM691.20 Kadar kenaikan itu ialah kira-kira 535.29 peratus etahun.
Penduduk berkenaan, seorang ahli perniagaan berkata, MBI ada memaklumkan bahawa sesiapa yang rasa musykil dengan pindaan nilai tahunan tersebut atas mana-mana alasan yang ditetapkan di dalam Seksyen 142, Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1972 boleh membuat bantahan secara bertulis kepada Datuk Bandar Ipoh.
Sekiranya tiada bantahan, beliau berkata, nilai tahunan harta dan cukai tahunan yang dicadangkan itu akan dipinda senarai nilaiannya pada 25 Oktober dan cukai taksiran baru dikuatkuasakan mulai 1 November depan.
Pihaknya memang menjangkakan cukai pintu akan dinaikkan, tetapi tidaklah terlampau tinggi sehingga mencecah lebih 500 % atau hampir lima kali ganda berbanding cukai tahun sebelum ini.
Seorang lagi penduduk berkata beliau terpaksa membayar cukai pintu berjumlah RM691.20 sebelum ini jika MBI menguatkuasakan cukai baru yang dicadangkan itu.
Beliau turut berpendapat adalah tidak wajar MBI menaikkan cukai pintu yang terlampau tinggi tanpa sebarang alasan yang memunasabah.
Pihaknya telah menghantar surat rasmi untuk membantah cadangan kenaikan cukai itu kepada Datuk Bandar Ipoh, Menteri Besar Perak dan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Perak yang juga bekas Menteri Besar Perak.

Keep cronies, family at bay

Tun Dr mahathir Mohamad, while addressing a Malaysian youth seminar at the Universty of Melbourne yesterday, expressed hope that Datuk Seri Najib razak would not be influnced by cronies and family members when he becomes prime minister.
There are several former members of parliment and experts whose advice he should seek to run the country. There is a lot of work to be done to restore the confidence of the people in the government. But Najib must not try to do everything himself. He must get proper advice from the right people. He should not be surrounded by cronies and family members as this will not be good for the country.
He said Najib, his deputy, UMNO and Barisan nasional component parties must work hard as a team to win back public support for the government, which sufered a setback at the last election. "The votes we lost were protest votes. Malaysians were not happy and this was reflected at the ballot box, " he said.
Dr. Mahathir said sections of the public felt that the government had become too arrogabt and out of touch with their needs.
"Some MPs felt that once elected and given a ministerial post, there was no need for them to go back to their electorate to talk to the people, to discuss the issues and find out what needs to be done, and to explain government policies.".
Dr. Mahathir said he hoped that the situation would change under the leadership of Najib.

Ong calls to set up blogs

MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat has advised those standing for party elections to set up blogs to make themselves better known.
He said having blogs is not something new, it will make a difference.
Ong, who is the transport minister, was in Kangar for the state MCA annual conference and the swearing-in of the Padang Besar MCA division's office bearers.
He said he was overwhelmed by the maturity of party members.
He noted that members were campaigning in groups rather than individually as they had been doing in the past. This, he added, would foster better relations among them even if they were contesting for the same post.
Ong said the members also showed more creativity in promoting themselves.
Hesaid pamphlets with biodata, vision,mission and track records of the individuals were given to the public.
Ong said he had discussions with the grassroots here on what they wanted in the party.
Many wanted a paradigm shift. They want leaders who could care for their needs and not someone with a personal agenda, or someone wanting to be a minister.

Jadikan BN parti pelbagai kaum ibarat bubarkan UMNO

Sebarang cadangan menjadikan Barisan Nasional (BN) satu parti pelbagai kaum ibarat membubarkan UMNO yang selama ini menjadi tunjang kepada kekuatan kerajaan memerintah.
Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek berkata, sebagai anggota UMNO, beliau melihat cadangan tersebut merupakan satu tamparan hebat,seolah-olah UMNO sudah tidak lagi relevan dalam konteks politik tanah air sekarang.Shabery yang juga anggota Parlimen Kemaman berkata, berdasarkan prestasi pada pilihan Raya Umum ke-12 Mac lepas, walaupun jumlah kerusi yang dimenangi UMNO kurang iaitu 79 kerusi, angka tetrsebut masih lagi besar berbanding parti komponen BN lain dan ia tidak banyak bezanya dengan pencapaian keseluruhan Pakatan Rakyat iaitu 82 kerusi.
Kata Shabery lagi UMNO masih kuat dan relevan dalam membangunkan negara dan rakyat malah dalam rantau ini Malaysia adalah antara yang terbaik hasil daripada kejayaan kerajaan BN yang diterajui UMNO.Menguluas lanjut, Shbery berkata, bentuk kerjasama yang ada sekarang antara parti-parti komponen BN adalag terbaik dalam membangunkan negara dan rakyat. Kalau ada kelemahan dalam BN, perlu diperbaiki, tidak perlu mengubah struktur yang ada sekarang. Apa yang penting sekarang ialah memperkukuhkan BN dan mencari jalan untuk mendapatkan kembali sikongan rakyat terhadap parti berkenaan. Dalamsejarah, ada turun naik, kali ini kita lihat prestasi BN turun. Tetapi itu tidak bermakna BN perlu mengubah segala-galanya. Ini kerana tiap kali ada masalah ekonomi boleh menyebabkan masalah politik dabn sebagainya. Beliau berkata, dalam keadaan politik sekarang, biarlah mereka yang menawarkan duru untuk bertanding jawatan-jawatan tertinggio [parti diberi keutamaan untuk dipilih.

Abdullah Tidak Bertanding Presiden UMNO

Perdana Menteri YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi tidak akan bertanding jawatan Presiden UMNO pada bulan Mac 2009. Sehubungan itu beliau ingin menyerahkan kepimpinan negara kepada bakal penggantinya, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Beliau tidak mahu melihat UMNO dan Barisan nasional(BN) berpecah belah. UMNO dan BN perlu bersatu dan kukuh bagi menangani cabaran-cabaran global. Di samping itu kita perlu mempercepatkan evolusi dan proses pematangan. Dalam menghadapi perubahan dan tranformasi ini rakyat perlu berdiri teguh dan bersatu hati. Beliau menambah, ini bukan masanya untuk kita berbalah sesama sendiri atau untuk kita berpolitik secara sempit. Sebaliknya ini adalah masa memperkukuhkan perpaduan