Ibrahim: Clear my name over 'gaming shares'

Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali has upped the ante over the allegation that he had owned shares in a gaming company, demanding action against his accuser.

He also called for Saifuddin Nasution (PKR-Machang) to be referred to Parliament's powerful rights and privileges committee for making the claim in the House.

"In the Hansard for March 23, it is clearly stated on page 102 that I hold shares in Vincent Tan's company. This is a misleading and untrue allegation, it is slanderous," said Ibrahim, who has also sought legal advice.

"I ask the speaker to make a ruling on this. I want an investigation. I want Machang (Saifuddin) referred to the special committee (on rights and privileges)."

Deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he would rule on this on Wednesday.

On March 23, Saifuddin had told the Dewan Rakyat that Ibrahim had once held shares in Ascot Sports, a company owned by tycoon Tan.

The Pasir Mas parliamentarian had shrugged off the claim then.

Ibrahim who also heads Malay NGO Perkasa, has been at the receiving end of jibes because of his business connections to Tan.

Many quarters have questioned his commitment to Perkasa's defence of Malay rights, after it was revealed that he was once a director in a refrigeration company with links to Berjaya Corporation - Tan’s flagship enterprise.

However, Ibrahim laughed off the matter saying that, even if he was Tan's group CEO, it would not diminish the truth of his claims that Chinese tycoons are dominating the Malaysian economy.

Court CCTVs: For security or profit?'

Hulu Terengganu parliamentarian Mohd Nor Othman today asked point blank if the lucrative close circuit television (CCTV) installation projects at courthouses were for security purposes or for profit.

"Some of these projects costs huge amounts of money... however some of them fail to function. What is the purpose of the CCTVs - is it for security or to create business?"

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong (left) answered that the CCTVs were put up for security reasons, mainly to monitor accused persons.

This, Liew added, is necessary to supplement the security at courthouses.

On the matter of CCTVs not functioning, Liew asked Mohd Nor for more information so that he could take action.

Liew added the government has no plans to withdraw the use of CCTVs cameras in the courtroom.

Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju) wanted to know the cost of installation at the Jalan Duta Courts Complex, the company that was awarded the project, and whether it was done through open tender.          

Liew said the cost was RM318,410 and the Public Works Department had awarded the contract to Kay Corporation Sdn Bhd through an open tender.

However he added the CCTV cameras did not cover the whole court complex.

Replying to a supplementary question, from Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu), Liew said that there had been no complaints of accused persons slipping away while the system was being installed.

History syllabus must meet gov't criteria       

Deputy Education Minister and Ayer Itam MP Wee Ka Siong today stressed that the contents of the history syllabus taught in schools must conform to the government's agenda.

Answering a question from Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub, Wee (right) explained that In deciding what to include in history lessons, it is important to first fulfill the government's focus on holistic development and give focus to local and regional matters.

Salahuddin said the history syllabus in Malaysia was lacking when it came to modern events and western history and he proposed these topics be given greater emphasis.

Wee instead said that it was more important to focus on teaching our own history in line with the government's agenda.

"The history of our nation's founding must be given prominence. It is important to explain how we achieve our independence. We must fulfill our national agenda in teaching youth about our past."

While he thanked Salahuddin for the suggestion to include modern history into the syllabus, he said that the material should fit the ministry's criteria.

In a rare show of solidarity with Salahuddin, Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar then stood up to hit out at the education ministry for being bogged down with such criteria.

"I think that the education ministry is too aggressive in implementing this policy. They need to get out of their box when it comes to this."

The way in which history is being taught and what is in history lessons has long been the bone of contention for the opposition and civil society who have accused the government of presenting a sanitised version of history to serve their own ends.