18 July, 2010

KECUALIKAN CUKAI TANAH & CUKAI PINTU DI NEGERI PAKATAN RAKYAT DAHULU

Saya merujuk kepada kenyataan oleh AJK PAS Pusat yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Perancangan Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Kebajikan Kelantan, Datuk Husam Musa bahawa “kalau Pakatan Rakyat dapat ambil alih (kerajaan) Pusat lepas PRU13, cukai pendapatan akan dimansuhkan sepenggal (5 tahun) atau sekurang-kurangnya kakitangan kerajaan tak perlu bayar sepenggal”.

Menurut beliau, kepemimpinan Pakatan Rakyat mempunyai formula tersendiri untuk urus tadbir kewangan negara secara adil, dinamik dan tidak membebankan rakyat.

Sumber: Harakah Daily – 17hb Julai, 2010 http://www.harakahdaily.net/v2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27659:hapus-cukai-5-tahun-jika-pakatan-jadi-kerajaan&catid=41:utama-muka-depan&Itemid=124

Saya berasa kesal bahawa Pakatan Rakyat perlu menggunakan taktik membuat tawaran sedemikian bagi mengumpan undi rakyat Malaysia pada pilihanraya umum yang akan datang.

Sekiranya kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat mempunyai formula canggih yang dapat mengurus kewangan dengan adil, dinamik dan tidak membebankan rakyat, maka saya mencabar Pakatan Rakyat dengan serta merta memberi pengecualian bayaran Cukai Tanah dan Cukai Pintu bagi tempoh dua (2) tahun mulai tahun 2010 di semua negeri di bawah pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat , iaitu Kedah, Kelantan, Pulau Pinang dan Selangor.

Ia adalah di bawah bidang kuasa Pakatan Rakyat untuk mengecualikan bayaran Cukai Tanah dan Cukai Pintu di negeri-negeri Pakatan Rakyat.

Pakatan Rakyat tidak perlu tunggu untuk mengambil alih pentadbiran kerajaan Persekutuan bagi membantu rakyat Malaysia. Keikhlasan Pakatan Rakyat untuk membantu rakyat Malaysia boleh dilaksanakan di negeri-negeri Pakatan Rakyat.

Sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat tidak dapat menyahut cabaran ini dalam masa satu (1) minggu, maka keikhlasan dan keupayaan Pakatan Rakyat dalam menunaikan janji tawaran tersebut bakal dipersoalkan.

11 July, 2010

SELANGOR’S MOVE TO APPOINT LOCAL COUNCILORS MAY BE THE END OF PAKATAN’S PLEDGE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN ALL PR STATES

In the last general election 2 years ago, Pakatan Rakyat had pledged to hold local government elections in ALL Pakatan Rakyat states.

In March 2010, this commitment was reaffirm by Penang and Selangor Pakatan Rakyat’s state administration to restore local government elections in their respective states. However, there has not been any concrete commitment on the restoration of local government elections in Kedah and Kelantan.

In the midst of the by-elections at Hulu Selangor and Sibu, many Pakatan Rakyat leaders had came out to voice out their support to fulfill Pakatan Rakyat’s pledge to hold local government election.

Since then, Pakatan Rakyat had been silent on their commitment to fulfill their pledge to hold local government elections.

Now, there have been numerous reports in the media that Selangor’s Pakatan Rakyat is finalizing the appointment of local councilors in their state.

Now, does Pakatan Rakyat want to hold local government elections in ALL Pakatan Rakyat states or otherwise?

Pakatan Rakyat must explain whether the move by Selangor to finalize the appointment of local councillors would mean Pakatan Rakyat is abandoning their pledge to hold local government elections in ALL Pakatan Rakyat states (being Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Selangor).

There is no point for Pakatan Rakyat to continue talking about local government elections in future if Pakatan Rakyat is not even sincere in implementing such local elections in ALL Pakatan Rakyat states.

As a responsible political party, Pakatan Rakyat must immediately clarify this matter to all Malaysians. Pakatan Rakyat must remember that they have made an unconditional pledge to all Malaysians in the last general election to hold local government elections.

08 July, 2010

REMOVE ISLAMIC & MORAL STUDIES AS CORE SPM & PMR SUBJECTS

I refer to the statement today by Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi in Dewan Rakyat that there is no necessity to make Islamic Studies and Moral Studies a core Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendan (UPSR) subject. He said that requiring students to pass the two subjects would not guarantee that they would practise what they learned from them.

According to him, character development and good moral values can be imparted more effectively through education and not by including the subjects in examination.

He was replying to Hamim Samuri (BN-Ledang) on whether the government had plans to make the two subjects as core UPSR subjects.

Nevertheless, the Deputy Education Minister said although Islamic Studies and Moral Studies will not be an examination subject, it was compulsory for Muslims students to take Islamic Studies and for non-Muslims students to take Moral Studies.

I fully agree with the reasoning given by the Deputy Education Minister that Islamic Studies and Moral Studies should not be included as an examination subject for UPSR.

On the same reasoning, I suggest to the Ministry of Education that both the Islamic Studies and Moral Studies should also be excluded as the core subject for the SPM and PMR examination.

Both the Islamic Studies and Moral Studies should still be taught in secondary schools but the approach should not be examination orientated.

A student scoring A+ in either the Islamic Studies or Moral Studies does not necessary mean that the student holds higher Islamic or Moral values than a student who only obtained a C.

The Islamic or Moral values of any student cannot be assessed by any written examination.

So, it would be unfortunate for students who obtained 8A+ in SPM but their Islamic or Moral values are wrongly assessed as grade C. Such student would then be unfairly deprived of the chance to obtain scholarships such as those awarded by Public Service Department or any other bodies.

In some other instances, such unfair assessment of the student’s Islamic or Moral values may even affect the entry of students in public universities.

04 July, 2010

CONVERT 50% PTPTN LOAN TO SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2ND CLASS UPPER GRADUATES


I refer to the announcement last year by the government to convert PTPTN loans to scholarships for students who obtained first class degree in local universities.

In today’s reported news via Bernama, the Minister of Higher Education, Dato Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that there are around 2000 students who are entitled towards the conversion of their PTPTN loan to scholarships. The conversion of the PTPTN loans to scholarships would costs the government around RM73 million.

The move by the government to recognize the achievements of the first class graduates in the country’s local universities will promote the development of human capital in the country.

It is also a significant recognition by the Barisan Nasional government towards the struggle of the youth towards excellence in their respective education field.

In this regards, I would like to call upon the government to move a step further by assisting students who obtained 2nd Class Upper in local universities.

The government should consider converting 50% of the PTPTN loans to scholarships for students who achieved 2nd Class Upper in local universities.

I hope that the government would consider this assistance to 2nd Class Upper graduates of local universities in the Budget for year 2011.

This would be a long term investment by the government for the further growth of human capital in our country.