Save The Euro But Not The EU

By LEO CENDROWICZ / BRUSSELS

Dec. 9 is bittersweet for Europe: at a summit in Brussels, its leaders struck a deal that might save its beleaguered currency, euro — but at the expense of the European Union itself.

The deal could mark a turning point in the raging euro crisis if it convinces jittery markets that, by way of strict budget rules, member countries can claw their way out of debt woes. It is potentially historic, taking the continent deep into fiscal integration and union as the member states concede sovereignty on taxation and spending to a central authority.

The problem is the E.U. isn't heading into this adventure as one. Ten hours of tense talks failed to persuade U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron to sign up to the pact, and so the other 26 member states agreed to forge ahead on without Britain. Cameron argued that the planned deal would threaten key British interests, including its financial markets and the preeminence of the City of London as Europe's financial capital. And so he vetoed an amendment of the full Union treaty. Hence, the others had to take a different route to an agreement: the intergovernmental agreement they will hammer out by March will be written outside the E.U.'s legal framework.(See "Euro Treaty Takes Shape, But Without Britain.")

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2102019,00.html#ixzz1gCniEfQ7

"Angry Birds" Malaysia's Beacon Of Hope

Hantu Laut

The hyperbolic "Angry Birds" has become a beacon of hope for PAS Youth, asking Malaysians to emulate the birds killing pigs that stole their eggs.

If pigs could fly angry birds would be dead meat.

Food for thought. As a Muslim, given the choice, I would rather kill the birds and eat them and leave the pigs alone.I guess my non-Muslim friends would kill both birds and pigs and eat them all ( if you'll forgive the pun)

I must admit, I too play '"Angry Birds" and it's a challenge every steps of the way. If you reach a very difficult level use the genocidal "Black Eagles". Presto! You massacre all the pigs.

There are many comic characters fighting against injustice and evil.

Superman, Spiderman, Batman and host of other do-gooders which seemed far too complicated for PAS Youth to understand.

Was it the birds or the pigs the source of inspiration?

Cows And Condos As Election Symbols

Hantu Laut

The clarion calls for Shahrizat to exit from her ministerial post and her position in the party have intensified.

Former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad has joined the fray and sounded the alarm bell here asking Shahrizat to go before she gets the boot.Will she gets the boot? UMNO's political culture does not command cleaning its house of political garbage. That's why they are in the shithouse.

UMNO has a long history of defending the indefensible.Innocent or guilty, many have gotten away scot free.With the exception of former PM Mahathir Mohammad none have put party before self.

Mahathir, the devil he may be, can read the atmospheric pressure rising against his long tenancy, decided to step down and hand over the helm to his deputy. There was widespread euphoria and the man, his anointed successor, pulled off the biggest elections windfall in Malaysia's political history. The PM that Malaysia should never had, had in less than one term saw a reversal of fortune, when people saw the true Pak Lah. The biggest winner turned out to be the biggest loser, the BN was severely punished due to acute deficiencies of his administration.

With all the skeletons coming out of UMNO's closet it is not difficult to predict an uphill battle to commandeer a bigger victory. Unless, something astonishing happened between now and the elections UMNO's fate would hang in the balance.

Shahrizat cannot play dumb on the scandal involving her family. It is absurd that she does not to know the going-ons in her family's business. Her recalcitrant would be costly to UMNO. The opposition will certainly play up the issue in the general elections.

DAP has fired the first salvo.

Labuan: Independent candidate in the last general election here, Lau Seng Kiat, suggested that the Election Commission (EC) allow cow and condominium to be used as symbols by Independent candidates in the coming general election.

"These two things are now very popular. The cow reflects hard work while condominium reflects prosperity of the nationÉthey are meaningful symbols and appropriate," said Lau, in response to EC's plans to withdraw some of the election symbols.

After the last general election, the EC said some of the symbols used by Independent candidates, such as umbrella, tiger head, scissors and smoking pipe, would be withdrawn.

The symbols considered for replacement were bulb, brief case, television and hibiscus along with the older symbols like fish, rooster, coconut tree and tractor.

In the last election here, Lau, who is now DAP Chairman, used the umbrella as his symbol and collected 2,014 votes, and managed to retain his deposit in the Barisan Nasional's (BN) stronghold.

The cow and condominium have become popular nationwide following the cattle scandal involving the family of Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who is Women, Family and Community Development Minister and national Umno Wanita Chief.

The issues were connected to the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) run by the Minister's husband and siblings.

Many called it a "cow and condominium" scandal due to the purchase of expensive property by NFL though this was not seen as relevant to NFC's core business.

Commenting on the NFC scandal, Lau said he was delighted that Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Bung Moktar Radin had boldly criticised the alleged dealings of NFC and repeated his accusation though a few other Umno leaders had defended the Minister.

Lau said it was the Auditor-General's Report that exposed the NFC was in "a mess."

For anyone to challenge this would be tantamount to saying the Report was flawed, said Lau.

Daily Express

UMNO Digging Its Own Grave

Hantu Laut

The Pahang land scandal is out in the open again.This disgraceful action and blatant disrespect of the law by the MB of Pahang is most appalling.

In September I wrote here about how the MB should be cited for contempt.Since then, I found out that the laws in Pahang and other states in Peninsula Malaysia are slightly different from the laws in Sabah and Sarawak where the chief minister can be cited for contempt in such cases.

In Pahang, it is the State Financial Secretary that can be cited for contempt for refusal to comply with a court order.The law should be amended to make the MB responsible as he is the ultimate boss and the the state financial secretary is working under his directive.

The obvious is going to happen, the state has no choice, but to pay the plaintiff and now it seemed some UMNO smart asses wanted the money back from the Chinaman by bringing a sham action to court to claim the money.This damning plot makes swashbuckling Long John Silver looked kinder.

If they have a valid claim why did UMNO not apply to court for a "granishee order" when the award was given to the plaintiff, affirmed by the highest court in the country? Why did they not institute legal action earlier? Why now?

Their ignoble action to deprive the plaintiff of his money is most appalling and would have serious repercussions on UMNO in the coming general elections.

Now, the question is can a ruling political party give lands or unfettered access to government's assets to its own political party?

It's disheartening and most perturbing when lawmakers themselves showed no respect for the law.

A similar case happened in Sabah when the then BERJAYA state government under Harris Salleh acquired lands belonging to the late Syed Kechik. The case dragged on for almost three decades because every succeeding chief ministers refused to pay the plaintiff. The original court award was in the region of MYR40 million but have ballooned to MYR120 million due to accumulating interests. It was finally paid by the current administration.

Legal and criminal action should be taken against this kind of irresponsible actions of miscreant MBs/CMs wasting taxpayer's money unnecessarily.

Full story here.

Has Najib lost control of his boys or he just couldn't care less?

It's the obvious, UMNO is digging its own grave.