Sunday, April 28, 2024
MACC seeks update from Germany over seizure of ‘rare’ Bugatti Veyrons
MACC seeks update from
Germany over seizure of
‘rare’ Bugatti Veyrons
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki says the agency had initiated an investigation into the matter in 2020.
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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is seeking clarification from the relevant authorities in Germany over the confiscation of four Bugatti Veyrons in relation to a probe into the 1MDB scandal.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said on Oct 26, 2022, it had requested information from the Germans regarding luxury cars purchased using funds from 1MDB.
“MACC had requested information from the German authorities regarding 1MDB bond funds used to purchase luxury cars in Germany.
“Following this latest development, MACC has sent a request for updated information from the German authorities,” he said in a statement.
He was responding to a report by German newspaper Bild, on the confiscation of four special edition Bugatti Veyron supercars from a private storage facility in Munich recently.
The four cars that were seized were said to have a total retail value of over RM14 million. However, according to Bild, the actual value of the vehicles was tough to estimate and that they were rarely sold at public auctions.
Azam said MACC had initiated an investigation into this matter in 2020. A mutual legal assistance (MLA) request to Switzerland for information on frozen assets related to the 1MDB scandal was sent in November 2020.
“This was followed by meetings with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) regarding 50 luxury cars involved in the 1MDB investigation in 2021,” he said.
He added that in March 2022, a meeting with the OAG was held in Switzerland to discuss the progress of the MLA request and to obtain further information.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Killing me softly
Murray Hunter
Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Killing me softly
PKR's decline into irrelevancy
APR 28, 2024
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song.
--- Charles Fox composer
Parti Keadilan’s share of the aggregate vote at general elections has been in decline since the 2013 general election, where the party gained 20.39 percent of the aggregate vote. During the 2022 general election PKR won only 15.74 percent of the aggregate vote. The ailing UMNO gained 100,000 more votes than PKR, obtaining 16.43 percent of the aggregate vote.
PKR’s numerical vote has only gone up by some 180,000 since 2013, not even keeping up with the growth in registered voters over the last decade. Support for PKR is continuing to decline. If current trends continue, PKR may be lucky to hold 20 seats in the new parliament after GE16.
Developing greater support for PKR is a real problem, that few are willing to even talk about. There is a possibility that PKR could fall apart after the Anwar Ibrahim era. No successors or future visons are being nurtured by the party. Future historians may easily be tempted to make the judgement that PKR was only designed as a platform to bring Anwar to power. This is already being said about BERSIH.
PKR’s traditional support base has been disappointed two times now. First between 2018-2020, and secondly under Anwar in 2022. Supporters are seeing that PKR has turned out not to be the reformist party it was made out to be, and even worse, PKR is really a race-based party, rather than a multiracial party.
Yet PKR’s failure to capture the Malay vote is a major factor constraining the party’s growth and appeal. Anwar’s narratives just haven’t won the Malay’s confidence.
The party grassroots are generally unhappy at a time where there should be a crescendo of support for the party. The hardcore of ‘Anwarists’ are becoming disillusioned. This will steadily continue and eat into the spirit of PKR.
PKR is not bringing the change that many waited 25 years to see.
PKR is failing in its quest to win the hearts and minds of the traditional Malay heartlands. Amanah didn’t rise to expectations, and Pakatan found itself with UMNO, that is looking more like a party from yesteryear. With UMNO, the Najib issue still festers and could become even more destructive for PKR, should Najib be released into home detention.
Anwar with a huge super majority in the parliament could have boldly gone out, worrying about the consequences later. Malaysia really needed some spirit of Gaddafi, Mandela, or even Trump to lead the nation.
The political narratives have got stuck on issues that really aren’t going to change the lives of the Rakyat. They have all just been symbolic fights that really don’t change anything.
Anwar didn’t come out early and outline his vision for Malaysia. People saw through the slick packaging of the ‘Madani’ brand very quickly. Malaysians really don’t know what Anwar’s vision really is. It very much looks just like more of the same, that Malaysians got from previous administrations before him.
Ironically, it may be economic issues and the rising cost of living that costs PKR support. People will just ask themselves the question, were they better off under former administrations, or now under the premiership of Anwar Ibrahim? Statements like poverty has been eliminated in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan just rubbed salt into the wounds of those who are suffering from low salaries and rising costs of living. This just highlights the lack of empathy PKR in government has for the people of Malaysia.
The DAP that is now the major component of the Pakatan Harapan must be very shrewd to ensure it doesn’t go down along with PKR and UMNO in the next general election. DAP has a strong support base which should keep its parliamentary representation around 38-40 seats. After the next general election, the DAP must find a new place for itself, either in a new government, or out alone once again in opposition. In the next parliament the DAP should be the second largest party in the parliament, and must make a hard decision whether to stay with PKR or go on its own.
If PKR is set adrift by the DAP, it wont last long politically.
The biggest problem for PKR is there is no clear succession line. Rafizi Ramli’s poor performance as a minister has drastically weakened his position. Rafizi cannot claim to be Anwar’s heir apparent. There are very few other names that could be mentioned as potential successors at this time. There is no one out there with a vision for PKR without Anwar. There is the possibility that PKR will not be able to consolidate and rebuild itself after the next election. Anwar may not be happy to become opposition leader once again. PKR may just erode away through subsequent general elections.
PKR has lost its identity now. It must find a new purpose. There may be 1.6 million members on the books. UMNO had 3.44 million members but never received that many votes in any general election.
Perhaps, the long-term decline of PKR will not come through the loss of voters switching to other political parties. Many urban non-Malays the support based for PKR won’t vote for Perikatan Nasional. The decline will come from those who decide not to go out and vote on election day. PKR will die from apathy, rather than the growth in support for other parties.
The coming Kuala Kubu Baharu byelection may go some way into proving or disproving the above hypothesis. Voter turnout figure will be key.
Unfortunately, its Anwar’s own words that are killing PKR.
A win for Pang is crucial in Kuala Kubu Bharu, says PKR head
A win for Pang is crucial in Kuala Kubu Bharu, says PKR head
PAKATAN Harapan (PH) candidate representing the unity government Pang Sock Toa from DAP has to win in Kuala Kubu Bharu despite a four-cornered fight with the Parikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate emerging as the toughest challenger, said a PKR member.
Armed with a majority from the victory of the DAP in the last state elections, in which the late Lee Kee Hiong managed to garner a majority of 4119 votes, Pang is now seen as having less difficulty defending the seat.
Pang’s chances are believed to be brighter among voters in the state assembly.
She quickly moved to squash attempts by the MCA attempt to tarnish her image among Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters saying that now that she is the candidate of the unity goverment, the past comments against BN are to be put aside.
BN being a part of the current government should also move on from past scuffles between their candidates and agents against those of the PH and the DAP.
Supporting her candidature, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi threw his full support behind the PH candidate, saying it was to repay PH for its backing in previous by-elections.
Nevertheless, Pang received solid support from the leaders and machinery of the unity government.
“As a female candidate who is still young and has a lot of energy, Pang is believed to be able to provide better service as a representative to the voters,” wrote the PKR Wanita Information Chief Noraini Nordin.
Furthermore, her experience working as a press secretary to the housing and local government minister before is also an advantage for her, as it serves her as a person who had the chance to mix around with the community.
“Pang’s experience gives her an advantage over her three other challengers. Most importantly, Pang’s victory will extinguish the opposition’s dream of capturing Selangor,” Noraini wrote. – April 28, 2024
“Don’t vote for hypocrites,” says Dr Akmal amid calls from DAP against sabotage in KKB
“Don’t vote for hypocrites,” says Dr Akmal amid calls from DAP against sabotage in KKB
UMNO Youth leader Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh is once again the outspoken figure as he tells voters in the Kuala Kubu Bharu by-elections not to vote for a “hypocritical leader”.
“If you want to choose a leader, don’t choose a hypocritical leader,” said Dr Akmal.
“The result of this by-election is not capable of changing the position of the state or central government, but it will give a clear message from the people to all leaders.”
Earlier, he wished good luck to all candidates for the Kuala Kubu Bharu state assembly (DUN) by-election.
“May God make all matters of this PRK easy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has urged coalition component parties in the unity government not to sabotage Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Pang Sock Tao.
He was speaking about the component parties in the unity government who refused to take to the ground to help PH. So far, MCA and MIC are the parties in the Barisan Nasional (BN) that have said they will not campaign for the DAP in KKB.
Syahredzan Johan said his side (PH) would welcome it if the coalition parties in Madani’s government could participate in helping Pang who represents the DAP party, campaign for 13 days.
“I think the important thing is that we run our campaign…like the Secretary General of the DAP party (Anthony Loke Siew Fook) said, this by-election is to persuade voters instead of persuading political parties.
“If those who want to help the campaign, we welcome them, those who don’t want to come down, that’s their position.
“…we just hope that we don’t end up campaigning for the opponent or sabotage or trying to strain the unity government…we don’t want that.
“If you don’t want to campaign, that’s fine, we respect it, but don’t provoke and so on,” he said to local news portals during his rounds at KKB.
The Kuala Kubu Bharu DUN by-election will see a four-cornered clash including an independent candidate.
The other three candidates are Khairul Azhari Saut from Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) candidate, Hafizah Zainuddin and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent). – April 28, 2024
“If you want to choose a leader, don’t choose a hypocritical leader,” said Dr Akmal.
“The result of this by-election is not capable of changing the position of the state or central government, but it will give a clear message from the people to all leaders.”
Earlier, he wished good luck to all candidates for the Kuala Kubu Bharu state assembly (DUN) by-election.
“May God make all matters of this PRK easy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has urged coalition component parties in the unity government not to sabotage Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Pang Sock Tao.
He was speaking about the component parties in the unity government who refused to take to the ground to help PH. So far, MCA and MIC are the parties in the Barisan Nasional (BN) that have said they will not campaign for the DAP in KKB.
Syahredzan Johan said his side (PH) would welcome it if the coalition parties in Madani’s government could participate in helping Pang who represents the DAP party, campaign for 13 days.
“I think the important thing is that we run our campaign…like the Secretary General of the DAP party (Anthony Loke Siew Fook) said, this by-election is to persuade voters instead of persuading political parties.
“If those who want to help the campaign, we welcome them, those who don’t want to come down, that’s their position.
“…we just hope that we don’t end up campaigning for the opponent or sabotage or trying to strain the unity government…we don’t want that.
“If you don’t want to campaign, that’s fine, we respect it, but don’t provoke and so on,” he said to local news portals during his rounds at KKB.
The Kuala Kubu Bharu DUN by-election will see a four-cornered clash including an independent candidate.
The other three candidates are Khairul Azhari Saut from Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) candidate, Hafizah Zainuddin and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent). – April 28, 2024
Dennis Ignatius draws flak with his ‘vote for PN to save PH’ call
Dennis Ignatius draws flak with his ‘vote for PN to save PH’ call
FORMER diplomat Dennis Ignatius is attracting a lot of negative comments on the X platform after he suggested that voting for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Kuala Kubu Bahru (KKB) by-election on May 11 will ‘save the Pakatan Harapan (PH)’.
Netizens are ganging up to tell him they will not follow his instructions because he is ‘blinded’ in his judgement over the reign of the PH.
He wrote: “VOTE PN TO SAVE PH. I hope the voters of KKB will send a strong message to PMX that his performance thus far has been terribly disappointing. Perhaps then they might all come to their senses and be the government they promised to be.”
Later, in a reply to his post, he added: “It’s a by-election. A vote for PN will be a kick in the b#tt for PH; nothing more.”
His post drew several responses from his followers, with some saying they are now disappointed by his latest post against the PH or that he is encouraging PN to continue playing out the 3R issues to the detriment of stability in the country.
Meanwhile, users are saying PH or DAP should not be punished for not being accepted yet by Malay-Muslim voters or that PH needs a vote of confidence in the wake of a rise in right-wing extremism in the country.
Yesterday (April 27), Bersatu chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that the by-election (PRK) of the Kuala Kubu Bharu state legislative assembly (DUN) will be a referendum against the government headed by Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The unity government is ‘burdened’ with current issues that are seen as burdening the people, stressed the former premier who is also the PN chairman Muhyiddin.
He said this is a chance for the public to voice their views, which he describes as feelings of dissatisfaction, by giving votes to PN candidate Khairul Azhari Saut. – April 28, 2024
Penang should learn from Selangor on how to go from backend chip manufacturing to front-end design work, says Guan Eng
Penang should learn from Selangor on how to go from backend chip manufacturing to front-end design work, says Guan Eng
DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said today he will be meeting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to seek clarification as to the state’s necessity for an integrated circuit (IC) design park following the loss of the multi-million ringgit project to Selangor despite being able to afford it. — Bernama pic
Sunday, 28 Apr 2024 11:49 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said today he will be meeting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to seek clarification as to the state’s necessity for an integrated circuit (IC) design park following the loss of the multi-million ringgit project to Selangor despite being able to afford it.
Lim said Penang should participate fully if not take the lead to align itself with Putrajaya’s goal of shifting focus of the local tech sector from backend chip manufacturing to high-value front-end design work.
“I will be meeting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow as to why he feels Penang may not need an IC design park or there is no problem not having an IC design park as there are already many related companies in the state.
“With incentives of RM125 million from the Selangor and the federal government and another RM75 million from the private sector, many companies including those from Penang will be attracted to do the front-end IC design work there,” he said in a statement.
Lim said he welcomed Chow’s announcement over the interest by three China-based semiconductor companies who were keen to invest in Penang with total investments of US$100 million which would help bolster the state’s back-end manufacturing ecosystem.
The three companies were China Wafer Level CSP Co, Ningbo SJ Electronics Co and Wuxi AMTE Inc.
But Lim still said Penang should learn from Selangor’s success to set up a semiconductor accelerator and IC design park as such a move would reinforce the northern state’s position as Malaysia’s Silicon Valley.
“Penang should leverage its current lead in back-end’s chip manufacturing to establish front-end IC design work.
“IC design will help to design microchips that are fundamental building blocks for electronic devices from smartphones to supercomputers,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Chow commended the Selangor government and the federal government initiative.
However, he said Penang is committed to strengthening the state’s position as part of the global chip supply chain.
He said the Penang government has remained steadfast in securing strategic investments to boost its economy and solidify its position as a preferred investment destination in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sunday, 28 Apr 2024 11:49 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said today he will be meeting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to seek clarification as to the state’s necessity for an integrated circuit (IC) design park following the loss of the multi-million ringgit project to Selangor despite being able to afford it.
Lim said Penang should participate fully if not take the lead to align itself with Putrajaya’s goal of shifting focus of the local tech sector from backend chip manufacturing to high-value front-end design work.
“I will be meeting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow as to why he feels Penang may not need an IC design park or there is no problem not having an IC design park as there are already many related companies in the state.
“With incentives of RM125 million from the Selangor and the federal government and another RM75 million from the private sector, many companies including those from Penang will be attracted to do the front-end IC design work there,” he said in a statement.
Lim said he welcomed Chow’s announcement over the interest by three China-based semiconductor companies who were keen to invest in Penang with total investments of US$100 million which would help bolster the state’s back-end manufacturing ecosystem.
The three companies were China Wafer Level CSP Co, Ningbo SJ Electronics Co and Wuxi AMTE Inc.
But Lim still said Penang should learn from Selangor’s success to set up a semiconductor accelerator and IC design park as such a move would reinforce the northern state’s position as Malaysia’s Silicon Valley.
“Penang should leverage its current lead in back-end’s chip manufacturing to establish front-end IC design work.
“IC design will help to design microchips that are fundamental building blocks for electronic devices from smartphones to supercomputers,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Chow commended the Selangor government and the federal government initiative.
However, he said Penang is committed to strengthening the state’s position as part of the global chip supply chain.
He said the Penang government has remained steadfast in securing strategic investments to boost its economy and solidify its position as a preferred investment destination in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sanders hits back at Netanyahu: ‘It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable’
Guardian:
Sanders hits back at Netanyahu: ‘It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable’
US senator says Israeli prime minister is using antisemitism to distract attention from ‘extremist and racist government’ policies
Robert Tait in Washington
Sun 28 Apr 2024 04.09 AEST
Bernie Sanders has hit back fiercely at Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli prime minister’s claim that US universities were being overrun by antisemitism on a scale comparable to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
In a video posted on X, the progressive senator from Vermont – who is Jewish – accused Netanyahu of “insult[ing] the intelligence of the American people” by using antisemitism to distract attention from the policies of his “extremist and racist government” in the military offensive in Gaza.
“No Mr Netanyahu, it is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that, in a little over six months, your extremist government has killed over 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 78,000, 70% of whom are women and children,” Sanders said.
The two-and-a-half minute video listed a catalogue of further consequences of the war in the Palestinian coastal territory, including the destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, universities and schools, along with the killing of more than 400 health workers.
Sanders, who sponsored an unsuccessful Senate bill in January to make US aid to Israel conditional on its observance of human rights and international law, said Netanyahu’s government had unreasonably blocked humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza, causing “thousands of children [to] face malnutrition and famine”.
In a blistering conclusion, he said: “Mr Netanyahu, antisemitism is a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to many millions of people.
“But please, do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal policies of your extremist and racist government. … It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions.”
Sanders’ comments were a riposte to a video posted on social media by Netanyahu in which he waded in to protests sweeping American university campuses and claimed not enough was being done to combat a “horrific” rise in antisemitism.
“Antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities,” Netanyahu said. “They call for the annihilation of Israel. They attack Jewish students. They attack Jewish faculty. This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s.
“It has to be stopped. It has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally, but that’s not what happened. The response of several university presidents was shameful. Now fortunately, state, federal and local officials, many of them, have responded differently. But there has to be more.”
Netanyahu’s comments came against the backdrop of police deployments to break up pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and numerous other US campuses. In some universities, faculty members have been arrested, including the chair of the philosophy department and a professor of English and Indigenous studies at Emory University in Atlanta.
US faculty speak up and stand alongside student Gaza protesters
Read more
Jewish students have reported feeling threatened by the protests and heated atmosphere that followed Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of more than 200 others.
Videos posted on social media have depicted anti-Israel protesters shouting “go back to Poland” and “go back to Belarus”, apparently at Jewish students. A congressional hearing earlier in April into a reported upsurge of antisemitism at Columbia heard allegations that Jewish students had been subjected to taunts of “F the Jews”.
Last October’s attack triggered an overwhelming and continuing Israeli military response that has so far killed more than 34,000 Palestinians – according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza – and led to a burgeoning humanitarian disaster, accompanied by accusations that Israel is committing “genocide”.
In his video, Netanyahu said Israel was being “falsely accused” of genocide and called it part of an “antisemitic surge”.
“Israel tries to defend itself against genocidal terrorists who hide behind civilians,” he said. “Yet it is Israel that is falsely accused of genocide. Israel that is falsely accused of starvation and sundry war crimes. It’s all one big libel.
“But that’s not new. We’ve seen in history that antisemitic attacks were always preceded by vilification and slander.”
The Joe Biden White House, while resisting pressure to condition or limit weapon supplies to Israel, has voiced frustration over its resistance to allowing more humanitarian aid freely into Gaza and roundly criticised the recent strikes that killed seven workers from celebrity chef Jose Andres’s World Central Kitchen charity.
Protests on campuses across the US continued on Saturday, with some protesting student bodies and universities locked in a standoff that saw demonstrators vowing to keep their movements going at the same time as college authorities moved to close down the encampments.
Police in riot gear cleared protest tents on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston, while students shouted and jeered at them, the Associated Press reported. The university said the protest had been “infiltrated by professional organisers” with no connection to the institution, while some demonstrators had used antisemitic slurs.
The picture of campus antisemitism run amok was lent further credence by Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president and ex-US treasury secretary, who accused authorities at his former university of failing to act decisively against protesters occupying Harvard Yard.
“This is the predictable culmination of the Harvard Corporation’s failure to effectively address issues of prejudice and breakdowns of order on our campus,” he posted on X. “There can be no question that Harvard is practicing an ongoing double standard on discrimination between racism, misogyny and antisemitism.”
His comments provoked a sharp response from critics of Israel. “Your efforts to portray student demonstrators challenging Israel’s genocidal actions as ‘antisemitic’ are cheap & disingenuous,” wrote Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn). “These students should be commended for their courage & compassion, risking suspension & smears (like yours), to fight the most heinous crimes underway in Gaza.”
Bernie Sanders has hit back fiercely at Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli prime minister’s claim that US universities were being overrun by antisemitism on a scale comparable to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
In a video posted on X, the progressive senator from Vermont – who is Jewish – accused Netanyahu of “insult[ing] the intelligence of the American people” by using antisemitism to distract attention from the policies of his “extremist and racist government” in the military offensive in Gaza.
“No Mr Netanyahu, it is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that, in a little over six months, your extremist government has killed over 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 78,000, 70% of whom are women and children,” Sanders said.
The two-and-a-half minute video listed a catalogue of further consequences of the war in the Palestinian coastal territory, including the destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, universities and schools, along with the killing of more than 400 health workers.
Sanders, who sponsored an unsuccessful Senate bill in January to make US aid to Israel conditional on its observance of human rights and international law, said Netanyahu’s government had unreasonably blocked humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza, causing “thousands of children [to] face malnutrition and famine”.
In a blistering conclusion, he said: “Mr Netanyahu, antisemitism is a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to many millions of people.
“But please, do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal policies of your extremist and racist government. … It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions.”
Sanders’ comments were a riposte to a video posted on social media by Netanyahu in which he waded in to protests sweeping American university campuses and claimed not enough was being done to combat a “horrific” rise in antisemitism.
“Antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities,” Netanyahu said. “They call for the annihilation of Israel. They attack Jewish students. They attack Jewish faculty. This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s.
“It has to be stopped. It has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally, but that’s not what happened. The response of several university presidents was shameful. Now fortunately, state, federal and local officials, many of them, have responded differently. But there has to be more.”
Netanyahu’s comments came against the backdrop of police deployments to break up pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and numerous other US campuses. In some universities, faculty members have been arrested, including the chair of the philosophy department and a professor of English and Indigenous studies at Emory University in Atlanta.
US faculty speak up and stand alongside student Gaza protesters
Read more
Jewish students have reported feeling threatened by the protests and heated atmosphere that followed Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of more than 200 others.
Videos posted on social media have depicted anti-Israel protesters shouting “go back to Poland” and “go back to Belarus”, apparently at Jewish students. A congressional hearing earlier in April into a reported upsurge of antisemitism at Columbia heard allegations that Jewish students had been subjected to taunts of “F the Jews”.
Last October’s attack triggered an overwhelming and continuing Israeli military response that has so far killed more than 34,000 Palestinians – according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza – and led to a burgeoning humanitarian disaster, accompanied by accusations that Israel is committing “genocide”.
In his video, Netanyahu said Israel was being “falsely accused” of genocide and called it part of an “antisemitic surge”.
“Israel tries to defend itself against genocidal terrorists who hide behind civilians,” he said. “Yet it is Israel that is falsely accused of genocide. Israel that is falsely accused of starvation and sundry war crimes. It’s all one big libel.
“But that’s not new. We’ve seen in history that antisemitic attacks were always preceded by vilification and slander.”
The Joe Biden White House, while resisting pressure to condition or limit weapon supplies to Israel, has voiced frustration over its resistance to allowing more humanitarian aid freely into Gaza and roundly criticised the recent strikes that killed seven workers from celebrity chef Jose Andres’s World Central Kitchen charity.
Protests on campuses across the US continued on Saturday, with some protesting student bodies and universities locked in a standoff that saw demonstrators vowing to keep their movements going at the same time as college authorities moved to close down the encampments.
Police in riot gear cleared protest tents on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston, while students shouted and jeered at them, the Associated Press reported. The university said the protest had been “infiltrated by professional organisers” with no connection to the institution, while some demonstrators had used antisemitic slurs.
The picture of campus antisemitism run amok was lent further credence by Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president and ex-US treasury secretary, who accused authorities at his former university of failing to act decisively against protesters occupying Harvard Yard.
“This is the predictable culmination of the Harvard Corporation’s failure to effectively address issues of prejudice and breakdowns of order on our campus,” he posted on X. “There can be no question that Harvard is practicing an ongoing double standard on discrimination between racism, misogyny and antisemitism.”
His comments provoked a sharp response from critics of Israel. “Your efforts to portray student demonstrators challenging Israel’s genocidal actions as ‘antisemitic’ are cheap & disingenuous,” wrote Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn). “These students should be commended for their courage & compassion, risking suspension & smears (like yours), to fight the most heinous crimes underway in Gaza.”
Teo’s call to move forward insincere, says ex-MCA veep
Teo’s call to move forward insincere, says ex-MCA veep
Ti Lian Ker says his party has been attacked by DAP even after the unity government was formed.
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PETALING JAYA: Former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker has mocked as insincere a DAP leader’s call for the two parties to “move on” from their previous spats.
Ti said Teo Nie Ching’s call smacked of insincerity and rang hollow, as DAP still took swipes at MCA.
Teo, the DAP’s publicity secretary, had said earlier that the two parties had to move forward following the formation of the unity government and continue to work to ensure its success.
“Does DAP only talk about maturity and unity when it suits them?” Ti said. “MCA has called for political maturity, moderation and unity for decades, yet DAP continues to possess a siege mentality when it comes to MCA ,” he told FMT.
Teo’s call for “mature leaders” came when defending Pakatan Harapan’s Kuala Kubu Baharu candidate Pang Sock Tao after an old video clip resurfaced, showing her criticising BN.
Ti said he expected DAP to continue attacking his party for mileage; they would call for a truce if it was politically convenient for them.
He said the call to move forward made no difference.
“They continued to attack MCA every now and then. Just recently it was Loke, and before this, Kok,” he said, referring to statements by DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook and vice-chairman Teresa Kok.
“It’s been almost two years since the unity government was formed. Teo’s call to move on is insincere. Maybe she should tell her leaders to stop being hostile first,” he said.
Ti accused DAP of being more forgiving of Umno, which they had heavily criticised in the past for its alleged abuses, but had no issue with attacking MCA.
He said DAP was eager to replace MCA as Umno’s ally, which was why it has repeatedly asked MCA to leave BN.
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