#grouses

In winter, the Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) avoids the elements by burrowing in the snow.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/08/29/tun-ms-grouses-umnos-internal-matter/

'Tun M's grouses Umno's internal matter'

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29, 2014:

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not ruled out the possibility of meeting Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, following the former Prime Minister’s criticisms of his administration.

The Prime Minister also felt that Dr Mahathir’s grouses were an Umno internal matter and hoped it would be resolved amicably.

Najib, who is also Umno president, pointed out that many of the party’s heads had voiced support for the current leadership, but also respected Dr Mahathir as a veteran leader.

“There are many possibilities, but I hope it ends well for Umno.”

Najib said this after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre here this afternoon.

Dr Mahathir had on August 18 written that he had withdrawn his support for Najib because the country’s sixth Prime Minister had ignored his advice after the 13th General Election.

Malaysia’s longest serving Prime Minister also claimed that he had no choice, but to openly reprimand Najib.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/08/19/understand-sabahans-grouses-rather-punishing-speaking/

'Understand Sabahan's grouses rather than punishing them for speaking out'

PENAMPANG, Aug 19, 2014:

Member of Parliament here Darell Leiking today advised Sabah State Speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Tun Said Keruak, a senior Sabah politician, to look at issues troubling Sabahans as a whole rather than punishing them for voicing their thoughts out loud.

“I opine that the call by him (Salleh) on the authorities to act on the secession talk is premature and without thought because I believe, contrary to his assumption of secession, the cries of Sabahans are not secession per se but rather anger resulting from a cumulative feeling of utter disappointment and disrespect that Sabah and Sabahans have endured since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia,” said Leiking.

He was responding to a recent statement by Salleh, published in the local dailies in Sabah, urging the authorities to act on individuals who posted statements and propagate the secession of Sabah from Malaysia on social networks.

Leiking stressed that Sabahans are now fast becoming aware of what they have lost as the equal partner in the founding of the promised Federation of Malaysia.

He spoke of the changing social demography in the state and on the distribution of wealth between what he said was the so-called remaining founding partners of the Federation of Malaysia from back then until today.

“The distorted history along with today’s unequal administration of the Federation of Malaysia, the ownership of our oil & gas assets and hosts of serious problems like the illegal immigrants becoming citizens,” Leiking said.

“If one was to even recall, Sabah used to have at least three of its own licensed banking and financial institutions but all of which today have been diminished into memories of the past whereby all banking and financial decisions right up to a simple loan approval are now solely left over to those who sit two-and-a-half hours away from Sabah in West Malaysia with its corporate owners,” he said.

He noted that even the social mobility among Sabahan youths has changed dramatically whereby Sabah used to be able to cater for its citizens especially in satisfactory employment and fruitful life for all.

“It is the reverse today, irrespective of whether one has tertiary education or not, Sabahan youths have to make choices to leave Sabah for better pasture elsewhere especially over in West Malaysia.

“Why have Sabahans been treated this way, when we hear politicians from all divides claiming that Sabah is blessed with minerals, tourism potential, the forests and all of God’s natural gift.

“I even note that Salleh, along with Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, have taken pains to explain that Sabah Umno is different from West Malaysia Umno.

“Why would the two individuals take the pain to explain this matter?” Leiking asked, claiming that this means they know and are convinced that Sabahans are different from West Malaysians.

This, he said, is baffling that one, especially a Sabahan, can misunderstand what Sabahans in general are saying today.

Leiking added that it is his belief that the call of Sabahans are not for secession per se but the case for decentralisation of administration and for a serious review of the Federation of Malaysia.

This call also includes an inquiry of whether the terms and conditions as laid out in the annexes to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 have been complied with and whether it can be reinstated to correct the spirit and letter resulting in the formation of the Federation of Malaysia.