(Photo above even went it was raining we didn’t move from where we sat) Valga HINDRAF Makkal Sakthi
NE
26/11/09
Lawyer: Najib 'linked' to Bala's disappearance
Any reasonable person would draw the conclusion that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is somehow linked to the disappearance of P Balasubramaniam, according to the private investigator's lawyer.
"The facts seem to point to the possibility that they wanted him out of the way and delegated this job to others close to them to execute," said Americk Singh Sidhu (left) in an interview with Malaysiakini.
"As matters stand, I am concerned about the involvement of Nazim (Razak), Najib's younger brother. The question is why would he have an interest in Bala's disappearance if it were not to protect his brother?" asked Americk.
Balasubramaniam recently emerged from hiding to reveal that he had met Nazim, an architect, the night before he made a dramatic reversal and recanted his first statutory declaration in which he alleged that Najib had close ties with murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Balasubramaniam also claimed that he was offered RM5 million by one Deepak, a businessman close to Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, to retract his first statutory declaration.
Najib had repeatedly denied speculations that he was behind Balasubramaniam's retraction.
In the interview, Americk recounted how he was introduced to Balasubramaniam, on his reaction to the retraction of Balasubramaniam's first statutory declaration and his subsequent meeting with the former police officer after he emerged from hiding a year later.
The lawyer also revealed that the video recording of his interview with Balasubramaniam three months ago was secretly taken as an "insurance in the event he was apprehended by the parties involved in his departure from this country over a year ago".
"He did not know he was being filmed at that time but we did inform him of this later and he understood why we did it," said Americk.
According to him, while Balasubramaniam may have committed an offence under the Statutory Declarations Act 1960 for giving conflicting statutory declarations, he could nevertheless defend himself against the charge as it "would appear he was coerced, intimidated and/or forced to sign the second statutory declaration under duress".
But those who allegedly instigated the swearing of the false second statutory declaration - Deepak, one ASP Suresh and lawyer M Arunampalam - are also liable to criminal charges for abetment and conspiracy, added Americk.
"In so far as Nazim is concerned, he was involved in criminal intimidation of Bala besides a possibility of being roped into the abetment/conspiracy charges arising from the creation of the second false statutory declaration."
The following is the first of a two-part interview:
Malaysiakini: When did you first meet Bala?
Americk: I first met Bala sometime in April or May 2008. I was having some early evening drinks with several lawyer friends of mine at 'Fogles', which is a delicatessen/bar at Plaza Damas. We were later joined by ASP Suresh and Bala.
One of the lawyers I was with, M Puravalen, introduced me to them. I had no idea who they were before that. I had not been following the Altantuya case very closely so I had not realised that Abdul Razak Baginda had a private investigator assisting him and this was Bala.
I then started enquiring about this whole saga out of curiosity.
Puravalen had been involved in the Altantuya case as he was the first counsel Abdul Razak Baginda had engaged before he was discharged and a new counsel engaged, and so he enlightened me as regards the more salient facts.
I am not sure how ASP Suresh featured in all this but he appeared to be a good friend of Bala's and appeared to have his interests at heart.
Eventually some of the other lawyers left and the restaurant started closing so we decided to move on to 'The Backyard' pub in Sri Hartamas, which is only a short distance away from Plaza Damas. There were four of us ... Bala, myself, ASP Suresh and Valen.
We were drinking and still discussing the whole Altantuya murder case as I found it fascinating. Sometime later (Subang MP and lawyer) Sivarasa Rasiah walked in. I know Siva as he is also a friend, but we are not very close. We asked him to join us. He also listened to what Bala had to say and after that suggested Bala get someone to record everything.
Somehow I was chosen to do this as everyone felt I was the one lawyer who did not have an agenda in this matter as I was someone neutral. I agreed and that was when I made an appointment for Bala to come to my office so that I could record all he had to say.
The recordings occurred about two or three times over a period of about two months and lasted a few hours each time.
How did you feel when Bala came out with the second statutory declaration? Did you attempt to contact him?
I received a call from a member of the press at about 9.30am on July 4, 2008 asking me why my client, Bala, had called a press conference for 11am that morning at the Prince hotel.
I was a little surprised as I had no idea what this was about so I proceeded to call Bala, who did not answer his phone. I then proceeded to make further enquiries only to find out that Bala had purportedly been represented by another lawyer, one Arunampalam who had spoken to the press at that press conference on behalf of Bala and had said that Bala was retracting the contents of his first SD as he had been forced to sign it under duress.
When I came to know of this press conference and what transpired thereat, I was absolutely flabbergasted. Bala and I had spent two months and many hours over the first SD to ensure it was absolutely correct and for him to deny the contents in the space of 24 hours did seem incredible to me.
Bala had anticipated that he would be arrested by the police after releasing the first statutory declaration and he told me so. This is why he had handed over his mobile phone to me for safe keeping before he left my office the evening before as he did not want the police to download information from it.
We were therefore preparing for his arrest and then to go to the police station he was being held at to represent him. I never expected him to have been 'hijacked' by the personalities involved, and I am sure, neither did he.
It is also worth mentioning here that this lawyer, Arunampalam, was not engaged by Bala to represent him at the press conference at the Prince hotel despite the fact that Arunampalam has said Bala called him and asked him to do so. This is a blatant lie.
Bala does not know this man and had never met him prior to that press conference. In fact, it is well-known that Arunampalam does legal work for Deepak and this can be substantiated quite easily.
There is no doubt in my mind that Bala was forced, coerced, threatened and intimidated into signing the second statutory declaration.
Bala subsequently disappeared for one year. When did you meet him next?
Bala called me around July 19, 2009. I was at that time in a little village called Llanwarne on the Welsh border staying with some friends of mine. My wife was also with me. I was surprised to hear his voice as I hadn't heard from him since he left my office with ASP Suresh in the early evening of July 3, 2008.
He started off the conversation by apologising to me for any trouble he had caused. He said he was returning to Malaysia on July 28 and wanted to see me. I informed him I was only returning to Kuala Lumpur on Aug 2 and landing in the early hours of the morning. He gave me a contact number to call and I said I would call him after I landed to arrange a meeting.
At approximately 9am on Aug 2, 2009, I called the number Bala had given me and we arranged to meet in about two days' time. We left the exact time and place to be decided later.
On Aug 4, we finally arranged to meet at my apartment in Ampang Hilir at about 1pm the next day. As Bala wanted to tell me everything that had happened to him since I saw him last, I thought it would be best to have some witnesses present and so I called my counsel, Manjeet Singh Dhillon and another lawyer, Amarjit Singh Sidhu. They both turned up at about 12pm and we waited for Bala to arrive.
Bala eventually turned up a little later than expected as he was having difficulty locating my apartment. He arrived with two other Indian gentlemen who were introduced to us but I cannot recall their names.
He then spent about three hours telling us exactly what had happened to him. During this time he was constantly questioned by myself, Manjeet and Amarjit.
We had arranged for a concealed audio visual device to record this conversation as we felt Bala may have needed some insurance
Were you convinced by Bala's story? What documentary evidence did you have?
After approximately three hours of conversation, we were more than convinced that what he was telling us was the truth. It took quite a long time to unravel the details as Bala was recalling events which had taken place over a year ago coupled with the fact that there were so many details.
At that stage, Bala did not reveal any documentary evidence as he was still very apprehensive of the entire situation but he did tell us details of all the evidence he had from bank account statements, passports, flight tickets and photocopied cheques paid to him.
We therefore asked him to produce this evidence and he assured us he would.
What was your advice to Bala at the meeting? Was there a follow-up meeting after that?
After digesting everything we were told, we felt it was necessary to record the events which had taken place in a suitable, chronological and coherent format as we were concerned the matter was rather serious.
We advised Bala to hand over all documents to us to enable us to further verify his story. He promised us he would but said he would have to go to his wife's bank (EON) to get her statements for the past year and that other documents were still in India. He did however have copies of his family's passports and copies of the cheques Deepak had signed. He eventually produced these documents to me by hand, by post and by fax.
We advised Bala to behave normally with Deepak and ASP Suresh and not to let them know he had seen us. He told us he would be returning to India shortly and would contact us again. From then on, all contact with Bala was by phone and email.
As a lawyer, do you think Bala has committed any offences?
Technically, he may have committed an offence under the Statutory Declarations Act 1960 by swearing a false declaration. By this I mean the second SD, not the first SD. However under the circumstances, he would have a good defence to a charge of that nature as it would appear he was coerced, intimidated and/or forced to sign the second SD under duress.
Making a false second SD technically exposes Bala to criminal prosecution. It would equally make the ones who instigated the swearing of the false second SD [Deepak/ Arunampalam/Suresh], liable to criminal charges for abetment and conspiracy.
If we refer to section 3 of the SD Act 1960, this states that SDs made under the Act are such declarations as are referred to in sections 199 and 200 of the Penal Code, and where false would be punishable under that Act.
Section 199 of the Penal Code reads:
"Whoever, in any declaration made or subscribed by him, which declaration any court, or any public servant or other person, is bound or authorised by law to receive as evidence of any fact, makes any statement which is false, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, touching any point material to the object for which the declaration is made or used, shall be punished in the same manner as if he gave false evidence."
This provision is then followed by Section 200 of the Penal Code which states that whoever corruptly uses or attempts to use as true any such declaration knowing the same to be false in any material point, shall be punished in the same manner as if he gave false evidence.
Even if we limit ourselves to these provisions alone, offences are clearly shown to have been committed by Deepak, Suresh and Arunampalam. Bala may well have a defense of duress but that would be a matter of evidence.
In so far as Nazim (Razak) is concerned, he was involved in criminal intimidation of Bala besides a possibility of being roped into the abetment/conspiracy charges arising from the creation of the second false SD.
Note also that under section 10[b] of the ACA 1997, it is an offence to corruptly give to any person an inducement in such circumstances as those in which Bala was induced to make the false second SD. Deepak, Suresh and Nazim could well be prosecuted under these provisions.
With the evidence that you and the other lawyers have seen from Bala and based on Bala's own explanation, do you think the PM (Najib Abdul Razak) and his wife (Rosmah) are personally involved in this (matter)? Or was it done on their behalf by someone?
If you mean Bala's disappearance, then the facts seem to point to the possibility that they wanted him out of the way and delegated this job to others close to them to execute.
As matters stand, I am concerned about the involvement of Nazim, Najib's younger brother. The question is why would he have an interest in Bala's disappearance if it were not to protect his brother?
I think this is the conclusion any reasonable person would come to.
Tomorrow - Death and Molotov cocktails
THE BALA TAPES
Part 1: Bala was in town, now on Youtube
Part 2: PI Bala reveals his final hours in M'sia
Part 3: Cops grill PI Bala in Bangkok, praise his courage
Part 4: PI Bala - From Bangkok to Kathmandu to Delhi
Part 5: 'I was told Rosmah was happy with my retraction'
26/11/09
Selangor moves to stop UMNO's BTN ‘brainwashing’ to create hatred among Malaysians
SHAH ALAM, Nov 25 — Selangor moved today to ban its civil servants, employees of state subsidiaries and students at state-owned education institutions from attending any Biro Tata Negara (BTN) courses with immediate effect.
Dr Halimah Ali announced the decision today after the weekly state executive council meeting.
Halimah, a state executive council member whose portfolio includes education, described BTN programmes as “indoctrination by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government”.
"The courses promote racism and my own children who have attended BTN have been given booklets that encourage hate towards the opposition,” said Halimah.
"The programmes are not positive to young minds, and are a waste of money which could have used to foster real unity."
BTN courses have been running for years, and are intended to instil nationalistic values and patriotism, but are now seen as more of a propaganda unit. The courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Under the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration's new directives, students at Selangor government-owned institutions of higher learning including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor will no longer be required to go for BTN courses.
Last week, a group of young PR elected representatives urged the Selangor government to stop allowing students to be sent for what they called “brainwashing propaganda” programmes by BTN.
The group of seven PR lawmakers had also said BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and were contrary to their original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Seri Setia state lawmaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, speaking from his own experience, said they were told that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singapore party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
Batu Caves lawmaker Amirudin Shari said a big part of the programme had nothing to do with nation building or education but was an Umno and BN race-based programme where participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about “Ketuanan Melayu”.
It is understood that the BN federal government plans to overhaul the BTN courses in response to growing criticisms.
The Malaysian Insider had reported last week that the proposal to revamp BTN courses is part of initiatives being pushed by Datuk Seri Idris Jala and a task force set up to promote 1 Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Razak's concept announced when he took the top job on April 3.
1 Malaysia is one of several laboratories set up to push through ideas on Key Performance Index (KPI) and National Key Results Areas (NKRAs) that Najib knows will be the tipping point in the next general election.
His ruling BN coalition was badly beaten in Election 2008 under the leadership of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when it lost four more states and 82 federal seats to give up its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.
Dr Halimah Ali announced the decision today after the weekly state executive council meeting.
Halimah, a state executive council member whose portfolio includes education, described BTN programmes as “indoctrination by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government”.
"The courses promote racism and my own children who have attended BTN have been given booklets that encourage hate towards the opposition,” said Halimah.
"The programmes are not positive to young minds, and are a waste of money which could have used to foster real unity."
BTN courses have been running for years, and are intended to instil nationalistic values and patriotism, but are now seen as more of a propaganda unit. The courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Under the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration's new directives, students at Selangor government-owned institutions of higher learning including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor will no longer be required to go for BTN courses.
Last week, a group of young PR elected representatives urged the Selangor government to stop allowing students to be sent for what they called “brainwashing propaganda” programmes by BTN.
The group of seven PR lawmakers had also said BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and were contrary to their original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Seri Setia state lawmaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, speaking from his own experience, said they were told that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singapore party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
Batu Caves lawmaker Amirudin Shari said a big part of the programme had nothing to do with nation building or education but was an Umno and BN race-based programme where participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about “Ketuanan Melayu”.
It is understood that the BN federal government plans to overhaul the BTN courses in response to growing criticisms.
The Malaysian Insider had reported last week that the proposal to revamp BTN courses is part of initiatives being pushed by Datuk Seri Idris Jala and a task force set up to promote 1 Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Razak's concept announced when he took the top job on April 3.
1 Malaysia is one of several laboratories set up to push through ideas on Key Performance Index (KPI) and National Key Results Areas (NKRAs) that Najib knows will be the tipping point in the next general election.
His ruling BN coalition was badly beaten in Election 2008 under the leadership of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when it lost four more states and 82 federal seats to give up its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.
Those attended the five-day training courses revealed that Barisan Nasional was using such activities to indoctrinate the younger generation aged between 23 and 30 with ideas that could create racial uneasiness.
They were given brochures that had highlighted issues that sowed the seeds of hatred among races
Hindraf 25th November uprising 2nd anniversary @ (KLCC)
At about 9 a.m 18 Hindraf hunger strikers and about 100 hindraf supporters had gathered at KLCC, from 9.00 a.m onwards. At 1.30p.m seven year old Vaishnavi, the only daughter of Hindraf Chairman P.Waytha Moorthy arrived together with her mother Nageswari Hindraf lawyers P.Uthayakumar and Manoharan Malayalam and gave away roses to the 18 Hindraf hunger strikes and supporters to signify UMNO’s unfulfilled Hindraf 18 point demands dated 12/8/07 There was a large presence of the local and international media and also the police force.
P.Uthayakumar in his brief address recalled that one person had died, about 300 arrested, and thousands of others were attacked with chemical laced water cannons, tear gas fired at them and beaten up or injured.“Today we remember and recognize all their sacrifices he said.
P.Uthayakumar also paid tribute to all the thousands of Hindraf supporters who held nationwide prayers and campaigns for the release of the Hindraf lawyers from 514 days of ISA detention. P.Uthayakumar said he has no regrets and took his detention as a part of the struggle as in every people power struggle, a sacrifices have to be made. P. Uthayakumar said the struggle for Hindraf’s 18 point demands and to put the Malaysian Indians into the national mainstream development of Malaysia after having excluded them for 52 years would continue.
Lawyer Manoharan Malayalam said that it brought him memories of the 25th day of November 2007 when he drove here today. Manoharan asked the government of Malaysia to stop all the discrimination against the Malaysian Indians.
The hindraf motivational song Tholvi Nelaiyena ninai thal was sung. After three shouts of Hindraf, Makkal Sakthi and Manitha Urimai (human rights) the Hindraf supporters dispersed peacefully.
P. Uthayakumar had occasion to say that “this was what exactly we had intended to do even on the 25th day of November 2007 but was brutally attacked, arrested and tortured by UMNOs’ Malay-sian police force and the Hindraf lawyers detained without trial for 514 days under the ISA.
S. Jayathas
Information Chief,
25/11/09
Hindraf flowers and letter to P.M Najib shun. Hindraf 25th November 2007 uprising 2nd Anniversary.
Hindraf had last week written to Prime Minister Najib Razak that they would be present at the Prime Minister’s office at Putrajaya today the second anniversary of the 25th November 2007 Hindraf peaceful uprising.
But we were told by one police Inspector Shahrom and then Superintendent Mak Pak Choh that none of the Prime Minister’s Secretaries were available and only some desk secretary would be present to receive our latter and flowers.
Seven year old Vaishnavi Waytha Moorthy, Hindraf’s frontline future torch bearer and carrying the message of peace by her father and exiled Hindraf Chairman P. Waytha Moorthy waited but even the Prime Minister’s desk secretary had refused to come down to greet meet and accept her gesture of flowers.
Police Superintendent Mak then told us that we had to disperse in ten minutes time or we would be arrested. P. Uthayakumar instead gave the desk officer Huzairi two minutes to come down to meet us. When he did not arrive, the dejected seven year old Vaishnavi was forced to leave the bouquet of flower to Prime Minster Najib Razak and her father’s letter at the doorsteps of the Prime Minister’s Putrajaya office. There shouts of Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and Manitha Urimai were said before we all left the Prime Minister’s office doorsteps.
At 4.00 p.m outside the Prime Minister’s office a short prayer was held and then drinks were served to the 18 hunger strikers and other supporters to break their hunger strike. These 18 Hindraf hunger strikers were protesting against the non fulfillment of Hindraf’s 18 point demands dated 12/8/2007 by the Malay-sian One Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak.
S. Jayathas
Information Chief.
HRP
25/11/09
But we were told by one police Inspector Shahrom and then Superintendent Mak Pak Choh that none of the Prime Minister’s Secretaries were available and only some desk secretary would be present to receive our latter and flowers.
Seven year old Vaishnavi Waytha Moorthy, Hindraf’s frontline future torch bearer and carrying the message of peace by her father and exiled Hindraf Chairman P. Waytha Moorthy waited but even the Prime Minister’s desk secretary had refused to come down to greet meet and accept her gesture of flowers.
Police Superintendent Mak then told us that we had to disperse in ten minutes time or we would be arrested. P. Uthayakumar instead gave the desk officer Huzairi two minutes to come down to meet us. When he did not arrive, the dejected seven year old Vaishnavi was forced to leave the bouquet of flower to Prime Minster Najib Razak and her father’s letter at the doorsteps of the Prime Minister’s Putrajaya office. There shouts of Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and Manitha Urimai were said before we all left the Prime Minister’s office doorsteps.
At 4.00 p.m outside the Prime Minister’s office a short prayer was held and then drinks were served to the 18 hunger strikers and other supporters to break their hunger strike. These 18 Hindraf hunger strikers were protesting against the non fulfillment of Hindraf’s 18 point demands dated 12/8/2007 by the Malay-sian One Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak.
S. Jayathas
Information Chief.
HRP
25/11/09
HINDRAF’S NOVEMBER 25TH Nov 2009- Prayer Temple List
HINDRAF’S NOVEMBER 25TH NEO DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION
International/Nation wide Prayer- Temple List
ENGLAND/BELGIUM/AUSTRALIA/US
1. Highgate Murugan Temple London
2. Vinayagar Temple Wimbledon
3. Sri Thurgai Amman Temple Ealing
4.Sri Krishna Mandir Pales Straat Belgium
5. Sri Murugan Temple Brisbane Australia
6. Sri Sitti Vinayagar Temple New York
PENANG
Location Lead Contact #
1. Muniandy Temple, Jalan Baru, Perai Kumar 012-5390250
2. Muthalaaman Kovil, Bukit Tambun, Anna Turai 017-4107244
Simpang Empat, Batu Kawan
3. Sunderasa Meenachiamman Temple, Waterfall Maran 012-5557522
Penang
4. Queen Street Mariamman Temple, Penang Selvam 016-4827974
5. Vinayagar Temple, Fettes Park, Penang Raju 019-4574855
6. Muniandy Temple, Tanjong Court, Farlim, Penang Shankar 016-5656917
7. Sri Gada Muniswara Temple, Island Park, Penang Kumar 013-4745451
8. Krishnan Temple, Sungai Dua, Penang Rajan 012-4589835
9. Mariamman Temple Bukit Tengah Sundar 016-4907650
10. Kaliamman Temple , Gelugor, Penang Maran 012-5557522
11. Poomarthaman Temple , Gelugor, Penang Kalay 012-5637614
12. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Simpang Est, Babu
Simpang Ampat,Penang
13. Sri Argasiamman Alayam,Jawi,N.tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
14. Sri sithi Vinayar Temple,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
15. Sri Maha Mariamman temple,Kalidonia,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
16. Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple,Ldg Krian,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
17. Sri Maha mariamman Alayam,Transkrian,N.tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
18. Sri murugan temple kampong baru mak mandin Samy .
012 4125723
19. Muniandy temple, Permatang pauh Shanker
017 4693317 012-25585758
N.SEMBILAN
1. Murugan Alayam ,Lobak Siva 019-6944693
2. Sri Balathandayuthabani Alayam,Seremban Murugayah 016-2478830
3. Subramaniar Alayam,Nilai Mohan Rao 019-6211103
4. Sri Murugan Alayam,Mambau Mrs.Nayagi 019-2762511
5. Sri Selva Vinayagar Alayam,Temiang Param 013-2787176
6. Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Bt.5,Jln.Tampin Kannis 012-6323843
7. Sri Ambal Alayam,Lukut,PD Sivam 019-6621948
8. Sri Maha Mariamman Kovil Ragavan 016-2764859
9. Sri Karumariamman Alayam,Bt.6,Jln.PD komalam 012-3877352
10. Sri Mariamman Alayam,Bt.3 Jln.Labu uthayakumar 012-3749427
11. Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Bt.5,Kuala Sawah. Ramesh 019-6929984
12. Sri Mariamman Alayam,Jln.Rasah Navalan 016-6025269
13. Sri Muthumariamman Alayam,S’Ban Est Philomeena 014-3268114
14. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Bandar PD Krishnamoorthy 014-9331219
15. Balathandayutha Bani alayam,Rantau Chandrasegaran 019-6509159
16. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ldg.Linsum,Rantau S.P Nyana velan 016-6340659
17. Arulmigu Agilandakodi Bhrammana Nayagi
Sri Maha Mariammbigai,Kuala Sawah,Rantau Ragu Duraijaya 016-6511393
18. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ldg Atherton. Selvaraju 013-2550835
19. Sri Maha Mariamman Lukut,Dat.Segar,PD Veerapan 019-6220549
20. Sri Raja Rajeswarar,Tmn.Tuanku Jaafar,Swang. Bala 014-3247140
JOHOR -Murugesan (012-7792503) / Mohan (019-7102895)
1. Murugan Kovil (Skudai) JB.
2. Muniswaran Kovil (Tampoi) JB.
3. Murugan Kovil (Jalan wadiana) JB.
4. Maha mariayaman Kovil (JB Town)
5. Aman Kovil (Kulai Besar) Kulai JB.
6. Aman Kovil (Dato chelam) Ulu Tiram JB.
7. Murugan Kovil (Jalan Kolam Air) JB.
8. Mariayaman Kovil (Sutra Moll) Skudai JB.
9. Kaliyaman Kovil (Masai) JB.
10. Muniswaran Kovil (Pasir Gudang Hiway) JB.
11. Mariyaman Kovil Paloh (Kluang) JB.
12. Murugan Kovil (Masai) JB.
13. Muniswaran Kovil (Plentong) JB.
14. Raja Kaliyaman Kovil (JB)
15. Murugan Kovil (Taman Kota Yong Peng) JB.
16. Murugan Kovil (Segamat) JB.
17. Mariyaman Kovil (Chaah) Segamat JB.
18. Mariyaman Kovil (Jalan Hospital Kluang) JB.
19. Sri Sangili Karuppar Alayam,Tmn Skudai,JB (Karthik 016-7558457)
KEDAH Ramu (016-4919956)
1.St.Micheal Church, Alor Setar - Daniel
2.Karumariamman Temple, Alor Setar -Kanasingam
3.Sri Mariamman Temple,Alor Setar -kumaraguru
PERAK Ramesh (019-5235528)
1.Sri Sithi Vinayagar Devasthanam - Sitiawan
2.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Ladang Belham
3.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Ladang Sogomana
4.Sri Krishnar Alayam - Ayer Tawar
5.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Kg.Columbia
6.Kallumalai Sri Subramaniam Temple, Ipoh
7.Sri Mariamman Temple, Buntong
8.Sri Muniswarar temple, Buntong
9.Sri Nagambal Temple, Tmn.Rifah, Ipoh
10.Kanthan Kallumalai Temple, Chemor
11.Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Kg.Chikkidi, Buntong
12.Vella Vinayagar Temple, Jln.Changkot Jong, Teluk Intan
13.Maha Mariamman Temple, Jln.Changkat Jong, Teluk Intan
14.Seethambal Mariamman Temple, Teluk Intan
15.Sri Naagama Temple,jln Sittambaram Pillai,Teluk Intan
16.Sri Mariamman Temple, Jln Kekabu,Teluk Intan
17.Sri Subramaniar Alayam, Batu Gajah,Perak (Bala)
18.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Batu Gajah,Perak (Bala)
19.Sri Maha Mariamman Temple,Bidor,Teluk Intan,Perak (Arumugam)
20.Sri Sithi Vinayagar Alayam,Kubu Gajah,Perak (Nathan)
21.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Hutan Melintang,Perak (Murthi)
22.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Hutan Melintang Perak (Murthi)
23.Sri Maha Mariamman alayam,Bt.9,Bagan Datoh,Perak (Murthi)
24.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ladang Biji,Bagan Datoh,Perak (Murthi)
25.Sri Sivamuni Alayam,Ldg Gula Division 55,Bagan Serai,Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
26.Sri Ramar Alayam,Ee Seng Est.Sg.Gedong,Bagan Serai,Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
27.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Semmangol,Bagan Serai Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
28.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Sg.Siput,Perak (Rachagan)
29.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kemunting,Sg.Siput,Perak (Rachagan)
30.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kampar Est,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
31.Sri Naga Muniswarar Alayam,Temoh,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
32.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Batu Putih,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
33.Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Alayam,Trb Est,Trong,Perak (Jega)
34.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Beruas,Perak (Maniam)
35.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Laurdardale Est,Bkt.Gantang,Perak (Thanarajan)
36.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Selama,Perak (Siva)
37.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Padang Rengas,Perak (Siva)
38.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Kati Est,Kuala Kangsar,Perak (Sivasingam)
39.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Senggang Est,Kuala Kangsar,Perak (Sivasingam)
40.Om Sri Sadamuniswarar Alayam,Simpang Halt,Taiping,Perak (Jeya Mohan)
41.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Grik,Perak (Muniandy)
42.Sri Maha mariamman Temple,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sivakumar)
43.Sri Subramaniar Temple.Parit Buntar,Perak (Sivakumar)
44.Sri Muniswarar temple,Tg.Piandang,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sokalingam)
45.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Kuala Kurau,Perak (Sokalingam)
46.Sri Tilai Kaliaman Temple,Bagan Serai,perak (Jeeva)
47.Sri Sivan Alayam,Bagan Serai,Perak (Jeeva)
48.Sri Vinayagar Alayam,Simpang Lima,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sundram)
SELANGOR
1. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Tanjung Sepat ( Mani /Raja 017-8857619 )
2. Sri Kaligambal Temple ,Taman Sentosa ( Raja 017-8857619 )
3. Bala Subramaniam Temple , Port Klang ( Raja 017-8857619 )
4. Sri Rajamariamman Temple , Sentul ( Nava 016-6446885 )
5. Sri Thurgai Amman Temple , B.B Sentul ( Nava 016-6446885 )
6. Muniswarar Alayam , Sentul Jln Tanah Lapang ( Nava 016-6446885 )
7. Arulmigu Sri Thurgai Amman Temple, Selayang ( Siva 019-3418620 )
8. Sri Mahamariamman Temple , Midlands ( Thiagu 012-6195862 )
9. Sri Vada Bathrakali Amman ,Rawang ( Balan 012-2640478 )
10. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple , Rawang ( Hari 016-3197018 )
11. Sri Kanchi Kamathchi Amman Temple, Rawang ( Vicky 017-3032808)
12.Sri Veerapathy Vinayagar Temple, Rawang ( Sathish 014-6649730 )
13. Sri Subramaniam Temple, Ulu Yam Baru ( Kumar 016-9075657 )
14. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Ladang Bukit Jalil ( Capt Bala 019-2166205 )
15. Sri Thandayuthabani Temple , Kapar ( Saamy 017-3469650)
16. Sri Agilandeswari Temple, Kapar ( Saamy 017-3469650 )
17. Sangali Karupan Temple, Rawang ( Selvam 016-3137840 )
18. Subramaniam Temple, Batu Caves ( Nava 016-6446885 )
19.Sivan Temple,Klang (R.Mohan 012 3122267)
20.Sri Maha Mariamman,Kg.Muhibah,Rawang (Kala 014-3318235)
21.Sri Vayuputra Alayam,Rawang ( Pugan 017-2785635)
22.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Rawang (Saras 017-2554048)
23.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Rawang (Nathan 017-3800596)
24.Sri Madurai Veeran Alayam,Rawang (Sundar 019-3733541)
25.Sri Sangili Karuppar Alayam,Tmn Awana,Cheras (Mani 013-6092699)
26.Sri Balathandayuthabani Temple,Kapar (Samy 017-3469650)
27.Sri Nagakanni Temple,Sementa,Kapar (Param 017-3469650)
28.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Bt.Ampat,Klg (Mani 019-2463181)
29.Sri Sanggili Karuppar Alayam,Bkt.Jalil. (Shanti 012-3766433)
30.Sri Karumariamman Alayam,Banting (KM Raj 019-2295445)
31.Sri Mariamman Alayam.Golconda Est,Meru (Samy 017-3469650)
32.Sri Karpaga Vinayagar Kovil,Kg,Jawa,Klg (Mani 103-6092699)
33.St.Joseph Church,Sentul (Shanti 012-3766433)
34.Sri Maha Mariamman temple,Tmn.Sentosa,Kapar (Samy 017-3469650)
35.Sri Veerabatharar Kaliamman Temple,Tmn.Medan,PJ (Sree 012-2587345)
PAHANG
1. Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Tanah Rata,Cameron (Simattri)
2. Sri Murugan Alayam,Kuala Terlah,Cameron (Simattri)
KELANTAN
1. Sri Sivasubramaniar Alayam,Kota Bahru,Kelantan (Tharman)
2. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kuala Kerla Est,Kelantan (Tharman
HRP
25/11/09
International/Nation wide Prayer- Temple List
ENGLAND/BELGIUM/AUSTRALIA/US
1. Highgate Murugan Temple London
2. Vinayagar Temple Wimbledon
3. Sri Thurgai Amman Temple Ealing
4.Sri Krishna Mandir Pales Straat Belgium
5. Sri Murugan Temple Brisbane Australia
6. Sri Sitti Vinayagar Temple New York
PENANG
Location Lead Contact #
1. Muniandy Temple, Jalan Baru, Perai Kumar 012-5390250
2. Muthalaaman Kovil, Bukit Tambun, Anna Turai 017-4107244
Simpang Empat, Batu Kawan
3. Sunderasa Meenachiamman Temple, Waterfall Maran 012-5557522
Penang
4. Queen Street Mariamman Temple, Penang Selvam 016-4827974
5. Vinayagar Temple, Fettes Park, Penang Raju 019-4574855
6. Muniandy Temple, Tanjong Court, Farlim, Penang Shankar 016-5656917
7. Sri Gada Muniswara Temple, Island Park, Penang Kumar 013-4745451
8. Krishnan Temple, Sungai Dua, Penang Rajan 012-4589835
9. Mariamman Temple Bukit Tengah Sundar 016-4907650
10. Kaliamman Temple , Gelugor, Penang Maran 012-5557522
11. Poomarthaman Temple , Gelugor, Penang Kalay 012-5637614
12. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Simpang Est, Babu
Simpang Ampat,Penang
13. Sri Argasiamman Alayam,Jawi,N.tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
14. Sri sithi Vinayar Temple,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
15. Sri Maha Mariamman temple,Kalidonia,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
16. Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple,Ldg Krian,N.Tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
17. Sri Maha mariamman Alayam,Transkrian,N.tebal Letchumanan 012-25585758
18. Sri murugan temple kampong baru mak mandin Samy .
012 4125723
19. Muniandy temple, Permatang pauh Shanker
017 4693317 012-25585758
N.SEMBILAN
1. Murugan Alayam ,Lobak Siva 019-6944693
2. Sri Balathandayuthabani Alayam,Seremban Murugayah 016-2478830
3. Subramaniar Alayam,Nilai Mohan Rao 019-6211103
4. Sri Murugan Alayam,Mambau Mrs.Nayagi 019-2762511
5. Sri Selva Vinayagar Alayam,Temiang Param 013-2787176
6. Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Bt.5,Jln.Tampin Kannis 012-6323843
7. Sri Ambal Alayam,Lukut,PD Sivam 019-6621948
8. Sri Maha Mariamman Kovil Ragavan 016-2764859
9. Sri Karumariamman Alayam,Bt.6,Jln.PD komalam 012-3877352
10. Sri Mariamman Alayam,Bt.3 Jln.Labu uthayakumar 012-3749427
11. Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Bt.5,Kuala Sawah. Ramesh 019-6929984
12. Sri Mariamman Alayam,Jln.Rasah Navalan 016-6025269
13. Sri Muthumariamman Alayam,S’Ban Est Philomeena 014-3268114
14. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Bandar PD Krishnamoorthy 014-9331219
15. Balathandayutha Bani alayam,Rantau Chandrasegaran 019-6509159
16. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ldg.Linsum,Rantau S.P Nyana velan 016-6340659
17. Arulmigu Agilandakodi Bhrammana Nayagi
Sri Maha Mariammbigai,Kuala Sawah,Rantau Ragu Duraijaya 016-6511393
18. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ldg Atherton. Selvaraju 013-2550835
19. Sri Maha Mariamman Lukut,Dat.Segar,PD Veerapan 019-6220549
20. Sri Raja Rajeswarar,Tmn.Tuanku Jaafar,Swang. Bala 014-3247140
JOHOR -Murugesan (012-7792503) / Mohan (019-7102895)
1. Murugan Kovil (Skudai) JB.
2. Muniswaran Kovil (Tampoi) JB.
3. Murugan Kovil (Jalan wadiana) JB.
4. Maha mariayaman Kovil (JB Town)
5. Aman Kovil (Kulai Besar) Kulai JB.
6. Aman Kovil (Dato chelam) Ulu Tiram JB.
7. Murugan Kovil (Jalan Kolam Air) JB.
8. Mariayaman Kovil (Sutra Moll) Skudai JB.
9. Kaliyaman Kovil (Masai) JB.
10. Muniswaran Kovil (Pasir Gudang Hiway) JB.
11. Mariyaman Kovil Paloh (Kluang) JB.
12. Murugan Kovil (Masai) JB.
13. Muniswaran Kovil (Plentong) JB.
14. Raja Kaliyaman Kovil (JB)
15. Murugan Kovil (Taman Kota Yong Peng) JB.
16. Murugan Kovil (Segamat) JB.
17. Mariyaman Kovil (Chaah) Segamat JB.
18. Mariyaman Kovil (Jalan Hospital Kluang) JB.
19. Sri Sangili Karuppar Alayam,Tmn Skudai,JB (Karthik 016-7558457)
KEDAH Ramu (016-4919956)
1.St.Micheal Church, Alor Setar - Daniel
2.Karumariamman Temple, Alor Setar -Kanasingam
3.Sri Mariamman Temple,Alor Setar -kumaraguru
PERAK Ramesh (019-5235528)
1.Sri Sithi Vinayagar Devasthanam - Sitiawan
2.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Ladang Belham
3.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Ladang Sogomana
4.Sri Krishnar Alayam - Ayer Tawar
5.Maha Mariamman Alayam - Kg.Columbia
6.Kallumalai Sri Subramaniam Temple, Ipoh
7.Sri Mariamman Temple, Buntong
8.Sri Muniswarar temple, Buntong
9.Sri Nagambal Temple, Tmn.Rifah, Ipoh
10.Kanthan Kallumalai Temple, Chemor
11.Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Kg.Chikkidi, Buntong
12.Vella Vinayagar Temple, Jln.Changkot Jong, Teluk Intan
13.Maha Mariamman Temple, Jln.Changkat Jong, Teluk Intan
14.Seethambal Mariamman Temple, Teluk Intan
15.Sri Naagama Temple,jln Sittambaram Pillai,Teluk Intan
16.Sri Mariamman Temple, Jln Kekabu,Teluk Intan
17.Sri Subramaniar Alayam, Batu Gajah,Perak (Bala)
18.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Batu Gajah,Perak (Bala)
19.Sri Maha Mariamman Temple,Bidor,Teluk Intan,Perak (Arumugam)
20.Sri Sithi Vinayagar Alayam,Kubu Gajah,Perak (Nathan)
21.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Hutan Melintang,Perak (Murthi)
22.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Hutan Melintang Perak (Murthi)
23.Sri Maha Mariamman alayam,Bt.9,Bagan Datoh,Perak (Murthi)
24.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Ladang Biji,Bagan Datoh,Perak (Murthi)
25.Sri Sivamuni Alayam,Ldg Gula Division 55,Bagan Serai,Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
26.Sri Ramar Alayam,Ee Seng Est.Sg.Gedong,Bagan Serai,Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
27.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Semmangol,Bagan Serai Perak (Muniandy,Ravi)
28.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Sg.Siput,Perak (Rachagan)
29.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kemunting,Sg.Siput,Perak (Rachagan)
30.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kampar Est,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
31.Sri Naga Muniswarar Alayam,Temoh,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
32.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Batu Putih,Kampar,Perak (Jega)
33.Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Alayam,Trb Est,Trong,Perak (Jega)
34.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Beruas,Perak (Maniam)
35.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Laurdardale Est,Bkt.Gantang,Perak (Thanarajan)
36.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Selama,Perak (Siva)
37.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Padang Rengas,Perak (Siva)
38.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Kati Est,Kuala Kangsar,Perak (Sivasingam)
39.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Senggang Est,Kuala Kangsar,Perak (Sivasingam)
40.Om Sri Sadamuniswarar Alayam,Simpang Halt,Taiping,Perak (Jeya Mohan)
41.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Grik,Perak (Muniandy)
42.Sri Maha mariamman Temple,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sivakumar)
43.Sri Subramaniar Temple.Parit Buntar,Perak (Sivakumar)
44.Sri Muniswarar temple,Tg.Piandang,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sokalingam)
45.Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Kuala Kurau,Perak (Sokalingam)
46.Sri Tilai Kaliaman Temple,Bagan Serai,perak (Jeeva)
47.Sri Sivan Alayam,Bagan Serai,Perak (Jeeva)
48.Sri Vinayagar Alayam,Simpang Lima,Parit Buntar,Perak (Sundram)
SELANGOR
1. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Tanjung Sepat ( Mani /Raja 017-8857619 )
2. Sri Kaligambal Temple ,Taman Sentosa ( Raja 017-8857619 )
3. Bala Subramaniam Temple , Port Klang ( Raja 017-8857619 )
4. Sri Rajamariamman Temple , Sentul ( Nava 016-6446885 )
5. Sri Thurgai Amman Temple , B.B Sentul ( Nava 016-6446885 )
6. Muniswarar Alayam , Sentul Jln Tanah Lapang ( Nava 016-6446885 )
7. Arulmigu Sri Thurgai Amman Temple, Selayang ( Siva 019-3418620 )
8. Sri Mahamariamman Temple , Midlands ( Thiagu 012-6195862 )
9. Sri Vada Bathrakali Amman ,Rawang ( Balan 012-2640478 )
10. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple , Rawang ( Hari 016-3197018 )
11. Sri Kanchi Kamathchi Amman Temple, Rawang ( Vicky 017-3032808)
12.Sri Veerapathy Vinayagar Temple, Rawang ( Sathish 014-6649730 )
13. Sri Subramaniam Temple, Ulu Yam Baru ( Kumar 016-9075657 )
14. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Ladang Bukit Jalil ( Capt Bala 019-2166205 )
15. Sri Thandayuthabani Temple , Kapar ( Saamy 017-3469650)
16. Sri Agilandeswari Temple, Kapar ( Saamy 017-3469650 )
17. Sangali Karupan Temple, Rawang ( Selvam 016-3137840 )
18. Subramaniam Temple, Batu Caves ( Nava 016-6446885 )
19.Sivan Temple,Klang (R.Mohan 012 3122267)
20.Sri Maha Mariamman,Kg.Muhibah,Rawang (Kala 014-3318235)
21.Sri Vayuputra Alayam,Rawang ( Pugan 017-2785635)
22.Sri Muniswarar Alayam,Rawang (Saras 017-2554048)
23.Sri Kaliamman Alayam,Rawang (Nathan 017-3800596)
24.Sri Madurai Veeran Alayam,Rawang (Sundar 019-3733541)
25.Sri Sangili Karuppar Alayam,Tmn Awana,Cheras (Mani 013-6092699)
26.Sri Balathandayuthabani Temple,Kapar (Samy 017-3469650)
27.Sri Nagakanni Temple,Sementa,Kapar (Param 017-3469650)
28.Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Bt.Ampat,Klg (Mani 019-2463181)
29.Sri Sanggili Karuppar Alayam,Bkt.Jalil. (Shanti 012-3766433)
30.Sri Karumariamman Alayam,Banting (KM Raj 019-2295445)
31.Sri Mariamman Alayam.Golconda Est,Meru (Samy 017-3469650)
32.Sri Karpaga Vinayagar Kovil,Kg,Jawa,Klg (Mani 103-6092699)
33.St.Joseph Church,Sentul (Shanti 012-3766433)
34.Sri Maha Mariamman temple,Tmn.Sentosa,Kapar (Samy 017-3469650)
35.Sri Veerabatharar Kaliamman Temple,Tmn.Medan,PJ (Sree 012-2587345)
PAHANG
1. Sri Subramaniar Alayam,Tanah Rata,Cameron (Simattri)
2. Sri Murugan Alayam,Kuala Terlah,Cameron (Simattri)
KELANTAN
1. Sri Sivasubramaniar Alayam,Kota Bahru,Kelantan (Tharman)
2. Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam,Kuala Kerla Est,Kelantan (Tharman
HRP
25/11/09
HINDRAF: 25th November 2007, 2 years after
The Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGO’s (COMIN) had in December 2007 called on the Government to look into the issues raised by HINDRAF and resolve these issues through dialogue and peaceful negotiations rather than suppressing the grievances raised through measures that can only be considered as vengeful and hateful.
pic: human rights party
Many saw the Hindraf rally as a wake up call for Malaysian Indians, but in truth we now realise that 25th November 2007 was a wake up call for Malaysians of all races. About 3 months later, on 8th March 2008, Malaysia saw a peaceful transition of power in 4 state governments to the Pakatan Rakyat with the Barisan Nasional losing its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in recent memory.
The results of the General Elections in 2008 exposed the strong feelings of discontent against corruption, discrimination, abuse of powers by law enforcement agencies, violent action taken against peaceful demonstrators, use of ISA against dissenters, mismanagement and maladministration in the public sector, and a severe lack of meaningful initiatives to alleviate the problems of both the urban and rural poor. For once it exposed the weakness in the communal politics and the failure of the national leadership and that of the minority community in realizing their constitutional rights.
It was only after the severe defeat at the General Elections 2008 and the several subsequent by-elections did the authorities show any sign of realisation as to the depth and severity of the issues affecting the Malaysian Indians specifically and majority Malaysians generally.
Though, we note that some initiatives are being implemented by the Federal Government and State Governments on a piecemeal basis, we have concerns as to whether such initiatives are real institutional changes that will offer change and restore confidence in the minds of people.
This land belongs to all. It is our primordial duty to see that no single citizen is made to feel as if he is not one among us. There is enough for all and everyone. For democracy to succeed it has to be a tool that ought to address the needs of the weak and the minority more than the majority. We agree that the nation must be centred on the Federal Constitution, rule of law and institutional reforms that guarantee the rights of every citizen, without dwelling on our communal differences.
Noting the prevailing socio-political situation, on this, the 2nd anniversary of the HINDRAF rally, COMIN makes the following proposals:-
1. We urge the Indian Community in Malaysia to engage with each other and be united in what should be a common aim of empowering impoverished Indians so they can be useful citizens of this country. Whilst differences can and should exist and be debated rationally and through the democratic process, we urge politicians, temple leaders and NGOs to put aside personality clashes and political differences when dealing with the plight of poor Indians and work together across party lines in this common aim. Thus, we call on all Indian Members of the Dewan Rakyat, Dewan Negara and the respective State legislative assemblies to form one cross party political caucus to address Indian issues, similar to what we see in the US Congress, where Black and Pacific Island caucuses exist consisting of members from both the Republican and Democratic parties.
2. We also urge the Federal Government and all State Governments, be they from the Barisan Nasional or the Pakatan Rakyat, to show their sincerity in improving the lot of the Indian Community. Concrete and tangible efforts must be made to improve educational opportunities, moral upliftment, the provision of living skills training and the creation of employment and small business opportunities. Efforts to improve national unity must be done in a transparent and genuine method. To that end, we reiterate our call for the creation of an independent non political Task Force to be a monitoring body comprised of representatives selected by NGOs themselves to oversee the implementation of the initiatives for reform that are so desperately needed.
The Government’s “1Malaysia” concept must be practised and implemented in a manner that gives every Malaysian the sense of pride that he is wanted, appreciated and recognised in the development and progress of our beloved country.
Thank you.
Datuk A. Vaithilingam
Chairman
Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGO’s (COMIN)
24th November 2009
Contact: +6.012.297.0765
HINDRAF: 25TH OF NOV - TWO YEARS AFTER.
From: info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
A sea of aggrieved humanity descended to the center of KL on that historic day the 25th of Nov 2007, and there that day was born Hindraf . Even though it had existed as a loose grouping of just over 30 NGOs, the Hindraf we all recognize today was indeed born then.
It was more of a phenomenon than an organization even on that day.
Many of us were swept along into that phenomenon because of what it meant to all of us. What happened that day was a crystallization of something that had been brewing for a very long time in the minds of the Indians in the country. It includes emotions of seething anger, disgust, bitterness, alienation and helplessness. All these deriving from a lifelong experience of being put aside, being put down, being treated with indignity, being
sidelined, being discarded, being treated like subhumans in situations, being denied the most basic of rights, being denied equal opportunities, being given reasons and excuses which we felt totally helpless to do anything about.
Now after two long years of struggle as an organization we have found a clear direction and a firm basis by which to engage in what will be a prolonged struggle – for the inertia of status quo is very strong.
Hindraf and HRP will lead the Indian poor and marginalized today to realize a new life for them.
This is our mission
The Indian marginalized and poor are factory workers, service workers, manual workers, often contract workers, they are drivers, they are security guards, they are the cleaners, they are the gardeners, they are the helpers, they are washerwoman in restaurants, they are criminals in prison, they are the dreg of Malaysian society. They form the majority of the Indians in the country. What characterizes the Indian society at large in Malaysia today is a constant struggle only for the basics of life. Compare with the other segments of society and you see a rams for them and this basic struggle for the Indians.
The Indians are also the dispossessed in our society. They have no kampungs to go back to. They have no ancestral structures to fall back on. They only have their working power to live their lives by. And that, is being blocked in so many ways by the working of this racist system.
And to top this all, the poor and marginalized Indians have been kept in a state of ignorance for as long as they have existed in this country.
This makes them a group that is most desirous of change, most in need of change.
To bring about change is their historic role.
But they do not yet recognize this role. Hindraf and HRP now have set themselves the agenda of creating this recognition and in the process, uniting this group under one umbrella and forcing change in the system.
Forcing change through empowered participation in the political processes in Government. The Indian poor and marginalized have the most to gain from a change to the system and they have the least to lose by any change. Thus they have the potential for leading change in this country like no other single group.
Hindraf has evolved over these two years to become that organization that discovered this historic mission for itself and this historic role for the Indian poor and marginalized. This role requires political clout – something which cannot be realized through any existing arrangement. The needs of the Indian working poor can only be met by a re-engineering of the basic grouping within Government, by restructuring the constitution of those holding the reins of power.
HRP, the political wing of Hindraf has taken on as its objective to participate at levels of government that empowers them to bring about the change to the basic policies. This will mean a change for all the poor and marginalized, not just for the Indians. But the Indian working poor organized well and led well have the potential for leading the charge and creating change for all the working poor and marginalized in the country.
The work for the HRP has just begun. Hindraf forms the mass base and HRP becomes the wing that will take the agenda onto the struggle for national policy change.
This is so clear now after two years of struggle.
A journey of a thousand miles starts but with a single step.
Hindraf
From: info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
A sea of aggrieved humanity descended to the center of KL on that historic day the 25th of Nov 2007, and there that day was born Hindraf . Even though it had existed as a loose grouping of just over 30 NGOs, the Hindraf we all recognize today was indeed born then.
It was more of a phenomenon than an organization even on that day.
Many of us were swept along into that phenomenon because of what it meant to all of us. What happened that day was a crystallization of something that had been brewing for a very long time in the minds of the Indians in the country. It includes emotions of seething anger, disgust, bitterness, alienation and helplessness. All these deriving from a lifelong experience of being put aside, being put down, being treated with indignity, being
sidelined, being discarded, being treated like subhumans in situations, being denied the most basic of rights, being denied equal opportunities, being given reasons and excuses which we felt totally helpless to do anything about.
Now after two long years of struggle as an organization we have found a clear direction and a firm basis by which to engage in what will be a prolonged struggle – for the inertia of status quo is very strong.
Hindraf Finds Itself
We have removed the chaff from the wheat. Most of those who do not belong, have found their way out. We have cleared ourselves of many wishful thoughts. We have a better understanding of reality. We know what the real issues are, who our true friends are and who fair-weather friends are and who our enemies are. Two years have given us much opportunity to engage with the issues and to learn from the various struggles. We can see our mission clearer now for all that.
And it is a historic mission.
Hindraf is a working class movement and the HRP is a working class party.
Hindraf and HRP lead the Indian poor and marginalized . This is where we originated from – fight against a convergence of racism by the UMNO regime and economic exploitation by the power elite of the country.
We have removed the chaff from the wheat. Most of those who do not belong, have found their way out. We have cleared ourselves of many wishful thoughts. We have a better understanding of reality. We know what the real issues are, who our true friends are and who fair-weather friends are and who our enemies are. Two years have given us much opportunity to engage with the issues and to learn from the various struggles. We can see our mission clearer now for all that.
And it is a historic mission.
Hindraf is a working class movement and the HRP is a working class party.
Hindraf and HRP lead the Indian poor and marginalized . This is where we originated from – fight against a convergence of racism by the UMNO regime and economic exploitation by the power elite of the country.
Hindraf and HRP will lead the Indian poor and marginalized today to realize a new life for them.
This is our mission
The Indian marginalized and poor are factory workers, service workers, manual workers, often contract workers, they are drivers, they are security guards, they are the cleaners, they are the gardeners, they are the helpers, they are washerwoman in restaurants, they are criminals in prison, they are the dreg of Malaysian society. They form the majority of the Indians in the country. What characterizes the Indian society at large in Malaysia today is a constant struggle only for the basics of life. Compare with the other segments of society and you see a rams for them and this basic struggle for the Indians.
The Indians are also the dispossessed in our society. They have no kampungs to go back to. They have no ancestral structures to fall back on. They only have their working power to live their lives by. And that, is being blocked in so many ways by the working of this racist system.
And to top this all, the poor and marginalized Indians have been kept in a state of ignorance for as long as they have existed in this country.
This makes them a group that is most desirous of change, most in need of change.
To bring about change is their historic role.
But they do not yet recognize this role. Hindraf and HRP now have set themselves the agenda of creating this recognition and in the process, uniting this group under one umbrella and forcing change in the system.
Forcing change through empowered participation in the political processes in Government. The Indian poor and marginalized have the most to gain from a change to the system and they have the least to lose by any change. Thus they have the potential for leading change in this country like no other single group.
Hindraf has evolved over these two years to become that organization that discovered this historic mission for itself and this historic role for the Indian poor and marginalized. This role requires political clout – something which cannot be realized through any existing arrangement. The needs of the Indian working poor can only be met by a re-engineering of the basic grouping within Government, by restructuring the constitution of those holding the reins of power.
HRP, the political wing of Hindraf has taken on as its objective to participate at levels of government that empowers them to bring about the change to the basic policies. This will mean a change for all the poor and marginalized, not just for the Indians. But the Indian working poor organized well and led well have the potential for leading the charge and creating change for all the working poor and marginalized in the country.
The work for the HRP has just begun. Hindraf forms the mass base and HRP becomes the wing that will take the agenda onto the struggle for national policy change.
This is so clear now after two years of struggle.
A journey of a thousand miles starts but with a single step.
Hindraf
25/11/09
Hindraf members commemorate Nov 25, 2007 rally
About two dozen Hindraf supporters gathered at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre shopping mall this morning to take part in a hunger strike to commemorate the second year anniversary of the movement's mass gathering.
Led by Hindraf activist S Jayathas, the group arrived at the KLCC entrance at about 9.10am. Sixteen of them were wearing orange coloured Hindraf t-shirt. Most of them also have anti-ISA badges on them.
They plan to observe an 18-hour hunger strike until 4pm to represent the movement's 18-point demands to the government to alleviate the plight of the Indian community in this country.
"The 18-point demands are meant to alleviate the ethnic Indians Malaysians from hardcore poverty.
"There is no guidance and opportunities for the Indians, so many turn to crime. The government knows about the problem but is not taking action," said Jayathas.
One of those participating in the hunger strike T Samy, 32, said he joined the group to highlight the "sufferings" of the Indian community.
"The government should open their ears to the Indian plight. Treat us fairly," said Samy, an engineer from Klang, Selangor.
The police - numbering about 24 - are monitoring the situation.
The KLCC management meanwhile had requested the group not to sit on the pavement as it would disrupt their business.
Led by Hindraf activist S Jayathas, the group arrived at the KLCC entrance at about 9.10am. Sixteen of them were wearing orange coloured Hindraf t-shirt. Most of them also have anti-ISA badges on them.
They plan to observe an 18-hour hunger strike until 4pm to represent the movement's 18-point demands to the government to alleviate the plight of the Indian community in this country.
"The 18-point demands are meant to alleviate the ethnic Indians Malaysians from hardcore poverty.
"There is no guidance and opportunities for the Indians, so many turn to crime. The government knows about the problem but is not taking action," said Jayathas.
One of those participating in the hunger strike T Samy, 32, said he joined the group to highlight the "sufferings" of the Indian community.
"The government should open their ears to the Indian plight. Treat us fairly," said Samy, an engineer from Klang, Selangor.
The police - numbering about 24 - are monitoring the situation.
The KLCC management meanwhile had requested the group not to sit on the pavement as it would disrupt their business.
Memo to PM too
Although the group agreed to this request, the police had then asked the group to disperse following complaints from the property owners. The police also told the group that they were involved in an illegal gathering.
Jayathas refused to stop the hunger strike and split his group into smaller groups of four to continue with the hunger strike.
Later today at 1pm, a group of children will present the hunger-strikers with garlands before proceeding to Putrajaya to hand the same 18-point memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
On Nov 25, 2007, some 30,000 mobilised in the streets of Kuala Lumpur following a protest rally called by Hindraf to submit a memorandum to the British High Commission on the situation of Indians here.
The government had banned Hindraf last October.
Memo left at PM's office
They arrived at the PM's office at about 2.45pm but there was a brief stand-off between them and a representative from the premier's department over where the memorandum will be handed over.The group had wanted the premier's representative to come out to meet them while the other party had invited five representatives from the group to go in to deliver the memorandum.After waiting for about 45 minutes, the group then left their memorandum at the doorstep and dispersed. Those on the hunger-strike will break their fast at 4pm.A small team of police personnel was also on standby to monitor the situation.On Nov 25, 2007, some 30,000 mobilised in the streets of Kuala Lumpur following a protest rally called by Hindraf to submit a memorandum to the British High Commission on the situation of Indians here.The government had banned Hindraf last October.
25th November 2nd Anniversary Hindraf
Hindraf 18 point demands Hunger strike at KLCC today 25/11/2009. About 100 Hindraf supporters had gathered at KLCC. At 10.00 a.m. one ASP Suhaimi told our Information Chief S. Jayathas who is a Kidney patient with a knee problem not to sit down on the floor at the KLCC main entrance.
S. Jayathas told the ASP that he and the others have a right to be there and assemble peacefully further to Article 10 of the Federal Constitution (freedom of assembly). There is a heavy police presence of about 100 personnell at KLCC. Most of the hunger strikers are standing nearby in groups of 4 to avoid arrest.
Hndraf
25/11/09
Two years on, Hindraf a spent force
Hindraf supporters stage a hunger strike in front of KLCC in Kuala Lumpur this morning to mark the second anniversary of the massive Hindraf protest in the city.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Two years ago on this day in 2007 Hindraf organised a protest that saw thousands of working-class Indians take to the streets here, but little remains of its influence today.
The way the rival Hindraf factions are marking the 2nd anniversary of the protest today is indicative of the bleak future of the movement founded by brothers P. Waythamoorthy and Uthayakumar, both lawyers.
While several of the original six Hindraf leaders, including the five who were held under the ISA, are apathetic, many of its members have moved on by joining political parties like the DAP or PKR.
Leaders like Uthayakumar and the former national co-ordinator R.S. Thanenthiran have set up their own political parties and others like former Hindraf treasurer Vasantha Kumar have set up their own NGOs.
All are one way or the other using the Hindraf or Makkal Sakthi name to keep the Indian protest fire alive and hope to ride the wave to political victory in the next general election.
Vasantha Kumar is organising a large-scale Hindraf 2nd anniversary gathering in Klang tonight where he is also expected to formally join the PKR.
A VVIP, believed to be PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is expected to attend, a key organiser of the function told The Malaysian Insider.
He said however that Anwar’s attendance would depend on the size of the crowd and whether the police permit is cancelled at the last minute.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed,” said the organiser who declined to be named.
“Police had shut down a gathering in Johor last week just before Anwar spoke… the same can happen here.”
“We expect at least 5,000 people,” he said.
Text messages are also circulating claiming that Uthayakumar would attend Vasantha Kumar's rally but Uthayakumar when contacted denied he would attend.
"We are marking the Hindraf anniversary in a grand way with protests, fast, prayers and other events," he said.
Uthayakumar and Vasantha Kumar were once close but have since fallen out, accusing each other of pilfering money or working for the police.
A rival Hindraf gathering is also being organised in Klang and probably targeted to draw the crowd away from Vasantha Kumar’s event.
Hindraf insiders say the rival event is organised by supporters of Uthayakumar, who is pro-tem president of the Human Rights Party Malaysia.
Uthayakumar's aides say it is all right for Hindraf supporters to organise functions to mark Hindraf’s 2nd anniversary anywhere in the country.
"We have a strong support base in Klang," the aide said, declining to comment on Vasantha Kumar's rally. "He has betrayed the Hindraf aims and mission."
Vasantha Kumar could not be reached for comment.
To mark the day Uthayakumar is organising several events under the title of “neo-democratic revolution” against the “totalitarian government led by Umno.”
The event involves a protest fast by 18 supporters outside KLCC, a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and prayers at “more than 100 locations” in the country followed by a Ruthra Yagam or fire ritual prayers at the Agora Veerabathrar Sanggili Karuppar temple at 17½ mile Kampung. Benggali, Rawang, on Nov 29.
Unlike 2007, Hindraf is increasingly giving up on direct political action and relying more on religion through fasting and prayers as tools to organise and win over the Indian working class.
At the other end of the spectrum is the newly-formed pro-Barisan Nasional Makkal Sakthi party which is well funded. It is using a direct house-to-house approach to meet and persuade Indians to join up and support BN.
Its weapon of persuasion is the measures taken by the government under Najib to resolve longstanding woes like getting citizenship and identity cards.
"We are finally recognised and our demands are gradually met... this is the time for us to reap the benefits for our community," said a state leader of the Makkal Sakthi Party. "Pakatan promised but failed to deliver, Barisan is delivering without even promising."
Makkal Sakthi party is particularly active in Perak where the balance of power between Pakatan Rakyat and BN is almost even and Indian voters can make or break either coalition.
The MIC too is rebuilding itself from defeat and with long-time president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu expected to exit by May 2010; the party will have a new leader and probably a new mission — to reunite Indians under its wings.
With its ranks woefully split and challenged from outside by new players and a re-energised MIC, Hindraf is fast losing its influence.
It also lacks a creative and imaginative leadership to pull it out of the rut and turn it into a united and national political force.
Malaysian Insider
25/11/09
Malaysian kangaroo court did it again over Kota Seputeh seat
Suspect judgments
One wonders about the Malaysian court system and the judgments that are issued and reversed within days.
Today is no exception. The Court of Appeals today unanimously ruled to stay Judge Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin’s decision that the Kota Siputeh seat is vacant. She isn’t the first High Court judge to see a ruling reversed by a higher court.
Justice Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim ruled last May that a Mentri Besar can only be dismissed by a vote of no confidence when reinstating Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as the rightful Perak mentri besar over Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir. His decision was overruled too.
It goes to show one thing. We must have incompetent or inexperienced High Court judges because they keep getting overruled by the appellate courts in all cases between Pakatan Rakyat and the ruling federal government, Barisan Nasional. What else can it mean?
It surely cannot mean that the High Court judges are better than their fellow judges in the superior courts. The Malaysian Court of Appeals counts among itself the most experienced of judges. They should know the law better than the subordinate courts and it is their wisdom that appears needed when High Court judgments appear to go against the powers-that-be.
One can only hope the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) under Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi will look into this matter seriously as the courts system needs judges who know the law and decide accordingly. Having any judgment reversed within the matter of a day does not inspire confidence in the judiciary.
Bodies like the Election Commission and the civil service need to know that their decisions are backed by a judiciary because after all, government knows best, notwithstanding what Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said when he took office as prime minister last April 3.
What matters is that 1 Malaysia must thrive and judges who follow the law and respect the separation of powers must know that it is a fallacy and against the very concept of 1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now.
At least the Court of Appeals judges are performing now, delivering justice instantly without any delays especially for such an important case. And for that matter the Federal Court too shall perform to ensure 1 Malaysia is a success.
High Court judges must know that by now and not deliver any more suspect judgments that can be overturned in a flash. They should know their place in society. Their brother judges in the higher courts know that already.
MI
24/11/09
One wonders about the Malaysian court system and the judgments that are issued and reversed within days.
Today is no exception. The Court of Appeals today unanimously ruled to stay Judge Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin’s decision that the Kota Siputeh seat is vacant. She isn’t the first High Court judge to see a ruling reversed by a higher court.
Justice Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim ruled last May that a Mentri Besar can only be dismissed by a vote of no confidence when reinstating Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as the rightful Perak mentri besar over Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir. His decision was overruled too.
It goes to show one thing. We must have incompetent or inexperienced High Court judges because they keep getting overruled by the appellate courts in all cases between Pakatan Rakyat and the ruling federal government, Barisan Nasional. What else can it mean?
It surely cannot mean that the High Court judges are better than their fellow judges in the superior courts. The Malaysian Court of Appeals counts among itself the most experienced of judges. They should know the law better than the subordinate courts and it is their wisdom that appears needed when High Court judgments appear to go against the powers-that-be.
One can only hope the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) under Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi will look into this matter seriously as the courts system needs judges who know the law and decide accordingly. Having any judgment reversed within the matter of a day does not inspire confidence in the judiciary.
Bodies like the Election Commission and the civil service need to know that their decisions are backed by a judiciary because after all, government knows best, notwithstanding what Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said when he took office as prime minister last April 3.
What matters is that 1 Malaysia must thrive and judges who follow the law and respect the separation of powers must know that it is a fallacy and against the very concept of 1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now.
At least the Court of Appeals judges are performing now, delivering justice instantly without any delays especially for such an important case. And for that matter the Federal Court too shall perform to ensure 1 Malaysia is a success.
High Court judges must know that by now and not deliver any more suspect judgments that can be overturned in a flash. They should know their place in society. Their brother judges in the higher courts know that already.
MI
24/11/09
25TH OF NOV - TWO YEARS AFTER THE BIRTH OF HINDRAF
A sea of aggrieved humanity descended to the center of KL on that historic day the 25th of Nov 2007, and there that day was born Hindraf . Even though it had existed as a loose grouping of just over 30 NGOs, the Hindraf we all recognize today was indeed born then.
It was more of a phenomenon than an organization even on that day.
Many of us were swept along into that phenomenon because of what it meant to all of us. What happened that day was a crystallization of something that had been brewing for a very long time in the minds of the Indians in the country. It includes emotions of seething anger, disgust, bitterness, alienation and helplessness. All these deriving from a lifelong experience of being put aside, being put down, being treated with indignity, being sidelined, being discarded, being treated like subhumans in situations, being denied the most basic of rights, being denied equal opportunities, being given reasons and excuses which we felt totally helpless to do anything about.
Now after two long years of struggle as an organization we have found a clear direction and a firm basis by which to engage in what will be a prolonged struggle – for the inertia of status quo is very strong.
Hindraf Finds Itself
We have removed the chaff from the wheat. Most of those who do not belong, have found their way out. We have cleared ourselves of many wishful thoughts. We have a better understanding of reality. We know what the real issues are, who our true friends are and who fair-weather friends are and who our enemies are. Two years have given us much opportunity to engage with the issues and to learn from the various struggles. We can see our mission clearer now for all that.
And it is a historic mission.
Hindraf is a working class movement and the HRP is a working class party.
Hindraf and HRP lead the Indian poor and marginalized . This is where we originated from – fight against a convergence of racism by the UMNO regime and economic exploitation by the power elite of the country. Hindraf and HRP will lead the Indian poor and marginalized today to realize a new life for them.
This is our mission.
The Indian marginalized and poor are factory workers, service workers, manual workers, often contract workers, they are drivers, they are security guards, they are the cleaners, they are the gardeners, they are the helpers, they are washerwoman in restaurants, they are criminals in prison, they are the dreg of Malaysian society. They form the majority of the Indians in the country. What characterizes the Indian society at large in Malaysia today is a constant struggle only for the basics of life. Compare with the other segments of society and you see a contrasting vibrant forward looking set of programs for them and this basic struggle for the Indians.
The Indians are also the dispossessed in our society. They have no kampungs to go back to. They have no ancestral structures to fall back on. They only have their working power to live their lives by. And that, is being blocked in so many ways by the working of this racist system. And to top this all, the poor and marginalized Indians have been kept in a state of ignorance for as long as they have existed in this country. This makes them a group that is most desirous of change, most in need of change.
.
To bring about change is their historic role.
But they do not yet recognize this role. Hindraf and HRP now have set themselves the agenda of creating this recognition and in the process, uniting this group under one umbrella and forcing change in the system. Forcing change through empowered participation in the political processes in Government. The Indian poor and marginalized have the most to gain from a change to the system and they have the least to lose by any change. Thus they have the potential for leading change in this country like no other single group.
Hindraf has evolved over these two years to become that organization that discovered this historic mission for itself and this historic role for the Indian poor and marginalized. This role requires political clout – something which cannot be realized through any existing arrangement. The needs of the Indian working poor can only be met by a re-engineering of the basic grouping within Government, by restructuring the constitution of those holding the reins of power.
HRP, the political wing of Hindraf has taken on as its objective to participate at levels of government that empowers them to bring about the change to the basic policies. This will mean a change for all the poor and marginalized, not just for the Indians. But the Indian working poor organized well and led well have the potential for leading the charge and creating change for all the working poor and marginalized in the country.
The work for the HRP has just begun. Hindraf forms the mass base and HRP becomes the wing that will take the agenda onto the struggle for national policy change.
This is so clear now after two years of struggle.
A journey of a thousand miles starts but with a single step.
Valga Makkal
Makkal
24/11/09
It was more of a phenomenon than an organization even on that day.
Many of us were swept along into that phenomenon because of what it meant to all of us. What happened that day was a crystallization of something that had been brewing for a very long time in the minds of the Indians in the country. It includes emotions of seething anger, disgust, bitterness, alienation and helplessness. All these deriving from a lifelong experience of being put aside, being put down, being treated with indignity, being sidelined, being discarded, being treated like subhumans in situations, being denied the most basic of rights, being denied equal opportunities, being given reasons and excuses which we felt totally helpless to do anything about.
Now after two long years of struggle as an organization we have found a clear direction and a firm basis by which to engage in what will be a prolonged struggle – for the inertia of status quo is very strong.
Hindraf Finds Itself
We have removed the chaff from the wheat. Most of those who do not belong, have found their way out. We have cleared ourselves of many wishful thoughts. We have a better understanding of reality. We know what the real issues are, who our true friends are and who fair-weather friends are and who our enemies are. Two years have given us much opportunity to engage with the issues and to learn from the various struggles. We can see our mission clearer now for all that.
And it is a historic mission.
Hindraf is a working class movement and the HRP is a working class party.
Hindraf and HRP lead the Indian poor and marginalized . This is where we originated from – fight against a convergence of racism by the UMNO regime and economic exploitation by the power elite of the country. Hindraf and HRP will lead the Indian poor and marginalized today to realize a new life for them.
This is our mission.
The Indian marginalized and poor are factory workers, service workers, manual workers, often contract workers, they are drivers, they are security guards, they are the cleaners, they are the gardeners, they are the helpers, they are washerwoman in restaurants, they are criminals in prison, they are the dreg of Malaysian society. They form the majority of the Indians in the country. What characterizes the Indian society at large in Malaysia today is a constant struggle only for the basics of life. Compare with the other segments of society and you see a contrasting vibrant forward looking set of programs for them and this basic struggle for the Indians.
The Indians are also the dispossessed in our society. They have no kampungs to go back to. They have no ancestral structures to fall back on. They only have their working power to live their lives by. And that, is being blocked in so many ways by the working of this racist system. And to top this all, the poor and marginalized Indians have been kept in a state of ignorance for as long as they have existed in this country. This makes them a group that is most desirous of change, most in need of change.
.
To bring about change is their historic role.
But they do not yet recognize this role. Hindraf and HRP now have set themselves the agenda of creating this recognition and in the process, uniting this group under one umbrella and forcing change in the system. Forcing change through empowered participation in the political processes in Government. The Indian poor and marginalized have the most to gain from a change to the system and they have the least to lose by any change. Thus they have the potential for leading change in this country like no other single group.
Hindraf has evolved over these two years to become that organization that discovered this historic mission for itself and this historic role for the Indian poor and marginalized. This role requires political clout – something which cannot be realized through any existing arrangement. The needs of the Indian working poor can only be met by a re-engineering of the basic grouping within Government, by restructuring the constitution of those holding the reins of power.
HRP, the political wing of Hindraf has taken on as its objective to participate at levels of government that empowers them to bring about the change to the basic policies. This will mean a change for all the poor and marginalized, not just for the Indians. But the Indian working poor organized well and led well have the potential for leading the charge and creating change for all the working poor and marginalized in the country.
The work for the HRP has just begun. Hindraf forms the mass base and HRP becomes the wing that will take the agenda onto the struggle for national policy change.
This is so clear now after two years of struggle.
A journey of a thousand miles starts but with a single step.
Valga Makkal
Makkal
24/11/09
Peaceful coexistence, which would exist ONLY as a dream in Malaysia
A short pictorial essay on how we could emulate others in peaceful co-existence. Since the source is anonymous, we do not know where these photos were taken, but wouldn't it be great if they were taken in Malaysia?
Buddhist monks invited for prayers
Peaceful co-existence in prayers
Exchanging of ideas
Guests-of-honour at the main table, sharing a simple meal. Can this happen in Malaysia?
24/11/09
Challenge for open debate about Islam conversion
S.Pitchan
Paleisstraat 82 B9
2018 Antwerpen
Belgium 23rd November 2009
Dato Seri Najib Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia
Block Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62502 Putrajaya.
Fax : 03-8888 3444
E-Mail : najib@pmo.gov.my
Re: Challenge for open debate about Islam conversion
Dear Mr. Prime Minister ,
As an ordinary citizen of Malaysia, I am dismayed and disappointed with you and your Islam authority’s behaviour in this conversion matters.
I am challenging you for an open debate on this matter which can be widely published on television and other medias. Do not cover up anything. You and your UMNO goons brought Malaysia into deep disaster and disrepute. I will not ill-treat your religion but it is time for me to protect my faith.
You and your UMNO people are using article 121(a) to protect Muslim rights. I would say well done for that. What will happen to non- Muslim rights? You will keep on converting people to Islam illegally but when they want to renounce the Religion, then you will force and coerce under compelling circumstances. I believe you and your islamic authorities have a hidden agenda to convert all non-muslims to Islam and making this country an Islamic state.
The Parliament debate in Malaysia will not be enough, because the majority members are Muslim . You and your fanatical Islamic authorities have gone too much to take away the rights of non-muslims. I will not speak anything bad about your religion, but I am calling for an open debate between your Islam authorities and me only to debate in a civilised manner.
Please take up this challenge. I would like to do this daringly not cowardly. If I loose this debate, you can strip my nationality. If you loose, you have to amend article 121 (1)(a). You have all the power with you, would you like to take this challenge????
At the same time don’t try to use your Home minister, AG, IGP and court as a weapon. Be a gentleman and come forward. I am here waiting to hear your response.
Yours faithfully,
S.Pitchan.
NE
24/11/09
Paleisstraat 82 B9
2018 Antwerpen
Belgium 23rd November 2009
Dato Seri Najib Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia
Block Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62502 Putrajaya.
Fax : 03-8888 3444
E-Mail : najib@pmo.gov.my
Re: Challenge for open debate about Islam conversion
Dear Mr. Prime Minister ,
As an ordinary citizen of Malaysia, I am dismayed and disappointed with you and your Islam authority’s behaviour in this conversion matters.
I am challenging you for an open debate on this matter which can be widely published on television and other medias. Do not cover up anything. You and your UMNO goons brought Malaysia into deep disaster and disrepute. I will not ill-treat your religion but it is time for me to protect my faith.
You and your UMNO people are using article 121(a) to protect Muslim rights. I would say well done for that. What will happen to non- Muslim rights? You will keep on converting people to Islam illegally but when they want to renounce the Religion, then you will force and coerce under compelling circumstances. I believe you and your islamic authorities have a hidden agenda to convert all non-muslims to Islam and making this country an Islamic state.
The Parliament debate in Malaysia will not be enough, because the majority members are Muslim . You and your fanatical Islamic authorities have gone too much to take away the rights of non-muslims. I will not speak anything bad about your religion, but I am calling for an open debate between your Islam authorities and me only to debate in a civilised manner.
Please take up this challenge. I would like to do this daringly not cowardly. If I loose this debate, you can strip my nationality. If you loose, you have to amend article 121 (1)(a). You have all the power with you, would you like to take this challenge????
At the same time don’t try to use your Home minister, AG, IGP and court as a weapon. Be a gentleman and come forward. I am here waiting to hear your response.
Yours faithfully,
S.Pitchan.
NE
24/11/09
Is a Malaysian Indian’s life so cheap and worthless in Malaysia?
I believe so. After all, this segment of the society, the current underclass contributes to practically all the majority negative vices or worsening social ills in the country ie – murder, robbery, suicide rate, illiteracy and of course minus the white collar crime committed.
Now look at the history, when plantation was one of the pillars of the nation this was not the case until probably the late 80’s when the magnanimous Mahathir Mohamed came into the picture for the benefit of the Malaysian Indians. (I am actually being sarcastic here).
Despite the economic significant of their contribution in yesterdayear, these plantation workers were receiving scanty attention, yet they never turned to negative vices that is prevailent today.
Sure we talk of development, fine and I accept, but then what happened to the hundred of thousands of Malaysian Indians who were shortchanged in the process and left stranded without the right infrastructure or government planning to address their issues in their social development along with the other Malaysians.
The Malaysian Indian being as much as the son of the soil needs to survive and the plight of the Indian community, especially the plantation workers in Malaysia, their condition has largely remained unchanged since independence in 1957. Then at least they had their plantation work to ensure their survival no matter how poorly they were paid, but in today’s scenario with their displacement for their livelihood without proper planning and equal opportunity, they resort to negative vices as a matter of survival.
For argument sake, one would of course say why resort to such things. Frankly I don’t have any answer to this but we are all not made equal similar to our five fingers or our siblings. What is perplexing is nobody want’s to neither understand nor comprehend why they have become this within two decades in this community other than passing their two cent comments.
A simple example, Seetha, the latest suicide casualty of this engineered social displacement of this society.
Seetha, had the audacity to take her live and of her children and many of us sitting as an armchair critic can critize such action. Now, I and you may have lived in abject poverty, but we battled it and do what we can do, then again we are not in Seetha’s shoes nor are we able to judge her decision in our own arm’s length position.
Maybe Seetha just given up in life so easily, but then again it is her prerogative not for us to judge her position. Even jilted lovers, debtors and many other kind of human specimens commit sucide for their own notions.
Looking back at Seetha’s decision, all I can think of is she could have thought for herself, in indulged in poisoning her children, because as much as she did not have a chance to survive within our time frame, what chance will her children have without burdening another ? Am I or you going to run to the aid of the children to safeguard their interest or the government is there to lend a hand with their manipulated system?
I don’t know whether Seetha comes from a plantation background but it is so obvious that she is a remnant of the society that had been created due to their marginalized state within the community for our own individual obeisance that we all are will put up with all kind of excuses because it serves us without actually pondering over the root cause for this segment of the society.
If we talk about an Indian issue, automatically it is classified as a racial issue. How far and how well we know our history begs an answer. Everytime an Indian issue is brought forward, it is like a stigma. Now let me ask you this, why is it a stigma, when the reality faces them and provides you with the challenge to correct the unfairness and inequality faced by this community within this so called multi- ethnic society.
We must understand, for the last twenty ought years, the sole faculty of the nation along with its people have been development and making money without a uniting factor to effect a due respect for our rights and the humanity that flows within us.
The latter part can only happen if we can participate, unite and act in uplifting those segments in our society that had been neglected for the society that we live in as oppose to our own needs.
Only we Malaysians in unity can ensure that a Malaysian Indian’s life is not so cheap and worthless for our community and our common cause.
May Seetha rest in peace as she had made her own peace with her maker for the marginalized, discrimnative life she had led in Malaysia as I remorsely feel I had indirectly contributed to the neglect of this society for my own need.
R. Shan (Human Being)
Now look at the history, when plantation was one of the pillars of the nation this was not the case until probably the late 80’s when the magnanimous Mahathir Mohamed came into the picture for the benefit of the Malaysian Indians. (I am actually being sarcastic here).
Despite the economic significant of their contribution in yesterdayear, these plantation workers were receiving scanty attention, yet they never turned to negative vices that is prevailent today.
Sure we talk of development, fine and I accept, but then what happened to the hundred of thousands of Malaysian Indians who were shortchanged in the process and left stranded without the right infrastructure or government planning to address their issues in their social development along with the other Malaysians.
The Malaysian Indian being as much as the son of the soil needs to survive and the plight of the Indian community, especially the plantation workers in Malaysia, their condition has largely remained unchanged since independence in 1957. Then at least they had their plantation work to ensure their survival no matter how poorly they were paid, but in today’s scenario with their displacement for their livelihood without proper planning and equal opportunity, they resort to negative vices as a matter of survival.
For argument sake, one would of course say why resort to such things. Frankly I don’t have any answer to this but we are all not made equal similar to our five fingers or our siblings. What is perplexing is nobody want’s to neither understand nor comprehend why they have become this within two decades in this community other than passing their two cent comments.
A simple example, Seetha, the latest suicide casualty of this engineered social displacement of this society.
Seetha, had the audacity to take her live and of her children and many of us sitting as an armchair critic can critize such action. Now, I and you may have lived in abject poverty, but we battled it and do what we can do, then again we are not in Seetha’s shoes nor are we able to judge her decision in our own arm’s length position.
Maybe Seetha just given up in life so easily, but then again it is her prerogative not for us to judge her position. Even jilted lovers, debtors and many other kind of human specimens commit sucide for their own notions.
Looking back at Seetha’s decision, all I can think of is she could have thought for herself, in indulged in poisoning her children, because as much as she did not have a chance to survive within our time frame, what chance will her children have without burdening another ? Am I or you going to run to the aid of the children to safeguard their interest or the government is there to lend a hand with their manipulated system?
I don’t know whether Seetha comes from a plantation background but it is so obvious that she is a remnant of the society that had been created due to their marginalized state within the community for our own individual obeisance that we all are will put up with all kind of excuses because it serves us without actually pondering over the root cause for this segment of the society.
If we talk about an Indian issue, automatically it is classified as a racial issue. How far and how well we know our history begs an answer. Everytime an Indian issue is brought forward, it is like a stigma. Now let me ask you this, why is it a stigma, when the reality faces them and provides you with the challenge to correct the unfairness and inequality faced by this community within this so called multi- ethnic society.
We must understand, for the last twenty ought years, the sole faculty of the nation along with its people have been development and making money without a uniting factor to effect a due respect for our rights and the humanity that flows within us.
The latter part can only happen if we can participate, unite and act in uplifting those segments in our society that had been neglected for the society that we live in as oppose to our own needs.
Only we Malaysians in unity can ensure that a Malaysian Indian’s life is not so cheap and worthless for our community and our common cause.
May Seetha rest in peace as she had made her own peace with her maker for the marginalized, discrimnative life she had led in Malaysia as I remorsely feel I had indirectly contributed to the neglect of this society for my own need.
R. Shan (Human Being)
Hindraf
24/11/09
HRP Johor dialogue most interactive, Indian masses speak up.
Having completed the Tiram state constituency forum on 22/11/2009 at 7.00 p.m, a meeting was held with the HRP Johor committee. Thereafter our Secretary General, Information Chief and loyalist P.Karuna shot off for the Chaah, Johor dialogue with about 50 members at their rented premises off the Chaah Main Road.
This Chaah dialogue has been the most interactive with the local supporters asking the most relevant, protruding and at one point even a question amounting to a Cross Examination.
We are proud of these mostly ordinary palm oil harvesters, lorry drivers and odd job workers who after the 25th November 2007 Hindraf rally have awakened and are again
S. JAYATHAS
HRP Information Chief
Human Rights Party
24/11/098
Anwar Bidas Cara Kerajaan Malaysia Menangani Isu Sri Lanka
Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mebidas sikap tidak endah kerajaan Malaysia dalam menangani isu konflik kaum di Sri Lanka yang membabitkan pembunuhan dan pelarian etnik Tamil.
Anwar menjelaskan bahawa beliau bukan mahu menjuarai atau membela kaum India tetapi isu tersebut berkaitan hak asasi manusia yang perlu diberi perhatian oleh Malaysia.
Beliau kesal dengan sikap tidak acuh pendirian kerajaan terhadap isu tersebut dan turut di sokong oleh Gobala Krishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) sehingga berlaku pertikaman lidah antara beliau dengan Timbalan Menteri Luar A.Kohilan Pillay.
Kata Gobala, jawapan Kohilan di Dewan Rakyat cukup memalukan kaum India dan wajar meletakkan jawatan selaku Timbalan Menteri Luar Negeri
Sebelum itu, Kohilan menjawab Malaysia melihat konflik kaum di Sri Lanka sebagai isu dalaman negara berkenaan, satu pendirian yang sejajar dengan dasar luar negara yang berteraskan kepada prinsip menghormati kemerdekaan, kedaulatan dan integriti wilayah serta tidak mencampuri urusan dalaman negara lain.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika menjawab soalan P.Ramasamy (DAP-Batu Kawan) bertanya kenapa kerajaan Malaysia enggan mengutuk kerajaan Sri Lanka berhubung masalah pembunuhan dan pelarian etnik Tamil selepas perang yang menyaksikan lebih 300,000 pelarian berada di kemkem tahanan tanpa makanan, pakaian, perubatan dan kemudahan asas yang cukup.
Mengenai dakwaan Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Permatang pauh) kononnya terdapat pelarian yang berada lebih 20 tahun di pusat perlindungan kerana kerajaan Sri Lanka belum mahu membenarkan mereka pulang ke tempat asal masing-masing, Kohilan berkata kerajaan Sri Lanka telah menyatakan bahawa ia akan hantar kesemua pelarian pulang secara berperingkat-peringkat.
Kohilan turut membangkitkan kemarahan Anwar apabila berkata kenyataan Anwar berbeza ketika beliau berada di Colombo dan di Malysia berhubung isu tersebut.
Anwar bingkas bangun, meminta beliau menarik balik kenyataan itu dan membuktikan mana kenyataan yang berbeza yang didakwa Kohilan.
“Tunjukkan bukti. Kenyataan saya ada di akhbar muka depan,” katanya.
Manakala di lobi Parlimen kira-kira jam 12.00 tengah hari, Gobala bersama Ramasamy menggesa supaya Kohilan meletakkan jawatan atas sikap beliau dan jawapan yang mengecewakan sebilangan besar penduduk India berhubung isu tersebut.
Harakah
23/11/09
Anwar menjelaskan bahawa beliau bukan mahu menjuarai atau membela kaum India tetapi isu tersebut berkaitan hak asasi manusia yang perlu diberi perhatian oleh Malaysia.
Beliau kesal dengan sikap tidak acuh pendirian kerajaan terhadap isu tersebut dan turut di sokong oleh Gobala Krishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) sehingga berlaku pertikaman lidah antara beliau dengan Timbalan Menteri Luar A.Kohilan Pillay.
Kata Gobala, jawapan Kohilan di Dewan Rakyat cukup memalukan kaum India dan wajar meletakkan jawatan selaku Timbalan Menteri Luar Negeri
Sebelum itu, Kohilan menjawab Malaysia melihat konflik kaum di Sri Lanka sebagai isu dalaman negara berkenaan, satu pendirian yang sejajar dengan dasar luar negara yang berteraskan kepada prinsip menghormati kemerdekaan, kedaulatan dan integriti wilayah serta tidak mencampuri urusan dalaman negara lain.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika menjawab soalan P.Ramasamy (DAP-Batu Kawan) bertanya kenapa kerajaan Malaysia enggan mengutuk kerajaan Sri Lanka berhubung masalah pembunuhan dan pelarian etnik Tamil selepas perang yang menyaksikan lebih 300,000 pelarian berada di kemkem tahanan tanpa makanan, pakaian, perubatan dan kemudahan asas yang cukup.
Mengenai dakwaan Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Permatang pauh) kononnya terdapat pelarian yang berada lebih 20 tahun di pusat perlindungan kerana kerajaan Sri Lanka belum mahu membenarkan mereka pulang ke tempat asal masing-masing, Kohilan berkata kerajaan Sri Lanka telah menyatakan bahawa ia akan hantar kesemua pelarian pulang secara berperingkat-peringkat.
Kohilan turut membangkitkan kemarahan Anwar apabila berkata kenyataan Anwar berbeza ketika beliau berada di Colombo dan di Malysia berhubung isu tersebut.
Anwar bingkas bangun, meminta beliau menarik balik kenyataan itu dan membuktikan mana kenyataan yang berbeza yang didakwa Kohilan.
“Tunjukkan bukti. Kenyataan saya ada di akhbar muka depan,” katanya.
Manakala di lobi Parlimen kira-kira jam 12.00 tengah hari, Gobala bersama Ramasamy menggesa supaya Kohilan meletakkan jawatan atas sikap beliau dan jawapan yang mengecewakan sebilangan besar penduduk India berhubung isu tersebut.
Harakah
23/11/09
PI Bala drops Bombshell 3
VVIPs likely to be named
FINALLY, private investigator P.Balasubramaniam has come out of hiding after 15 months to give a no holds barred interview on what happened to him.
In the presence of three prominent lawyers on Oct 27, he reaffirmed that his first statutory declaration released on July 3 last year was true and that he was offered to RM5million to retract it.
He named carpet businessman Deepak—who is said to be an associate of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Najib Razak—as the person who met him at a Rawang restaurant and made the cash offer.
Excepts of the video interview has been posted on YouTube
In the interview, Bala said Deepak made more than a cash offer.
“He asked me to go to Putrajaya but he never mentioned who he wanted me to go and meet… then after that he offered me RM5million to retract the SD,” Bala said.
The meeting allegedly took place at a restaurant in Rawang, on the same day Bala’s statutory declaration became public alleging links between Najib, his aide Razak Baginda and murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribu.
Today, the first part of Bala’s interview appeared on YouTube and Raja Petra’s www.malaysia-today.net . This is to be followed by a series of other portions of his Bombshell 3 expose.
Bala is likely to name people who played a role in the retraction of his first statutory declaration, which was replaced by a second one read out at a press conference the next day, on July 4 last year.
It is learnt that some of the personalities to be named are those close to the Prime Minister and his wife as well as senior police officers.
The 50-year- old former Special Branch officer is also expected to give a full account of his family’s ordeal while hiding away from Malaysia.
It is learnt that he and his family first went to Singapore , then flew to Bangkok before arriving in New Dehli and Chennai via Kathmandu.
Who are the people and why they went to such lengths to buy Bala’s silence is likely to become clearer as his expose in the interview unfolds.
23/11/09
Who is the law in Malaysia – police or Umno?
This isn’t a naive question. Who is the law in Malaysia – the police or Umno?
Police stopped Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from finishing his speech at a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah in Kulai last night. Only the PKR de facto leader was not allowed to deliver his full speech while other allies earlier spoke to the crowd.
Kulai PKR chief Liew Shin Kheong was quoted as syaing Kullai Jaya OCPD Supt Zulkifli Yahya had led a police team to end the ceramah, ostensibly at the behest of a group of 30 Umno Youth members.
Since when did police say they take orders from Umno or, for that matter, Umno Youth? Don’t they know the difference between government and party? Or have they become so blatant about only persecuting the opposition but not parties that are part of the federal government?
After all, it doesn’t matter whether it is the government or the opposition parties. The police are supposed to act without fear or favour.
Anwar himself lambasted Zulkifli’s decision as “nonsensical” in a text-message that he circulated earlier today.
“It is unreasonable that police should bow to Umno and follow the directions of a small number of rude supporters,” the Permatang Pauh MP said.
If anything, the police should have taken action against the Pakatan Rakyat for not having a permit for the ceramah. Of course, one would have expected the police to issue a permit as a matter of routine but that is a different matter altogether.
What is important is that the police act without fear or favour and is seen to act without fear or favour. Already, its history of doing so is rather suspect.
The Royal Malaysian Police appears to have a penchant to come out in full force to stop ceramahs and gatherings rather than work to bring down the crime rate with more patrols, and capturing suspected criminals rather than just shooting them dead.
Just like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that appears to prosecute small fry and opposition politicians rather than the big fish and those from the ruling coalition. The Port Klang Free Zone and the Lingam video clip scandals come to mind.
Before these enforcement authorities get their knickers in a twist, they should remember that their existence is to guarantee the peace and security of Malaysia and go after wrong-doers, no matter who they are.
It does them no good if they take orders from a political party. They should base their actions on the laws of the land. No more, no less.
Unless they want to add further credence to the suspicion, so eloquently expressed by Lim Kit Siang, that any one of these enforcement agencies are just Umno’s catspaw.
Umno certainly does not need that reputation, nor should the police confirm it.
But if the shoe fits...
MI
23/11/09
Police stopped Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from finishing his speech at a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah in Kulai last night. Only the PKR de facto leader was not allowed to deliver his full speech while other allies earlier spoke to the crowd.
Kulai PKR chief Liew Shin Kheong was quoted as syaing Kullai Jaya OCPD Supt Zulkifli Yahya had led a police team to end the ceramah, ostensibly at the behest of a group of 30 Umno Youth members.
Since when did police say they take orders from Umno or, for that matter, Umno Youth? Don’t they know the difference between government and party? Or have they become so blatant about only persecuting the opposition but not parties that are part of the federal government?
After all, it doesn’t matter whether it is the government or the opposition parties. The police are supposed to act without fear or favour.
Anwar himself lambasted Zulkifli’s decision as “nonsensical” in a text-message that he circulated earlier today.
“It is unreasonable that police should bow to Umno and follow the directions of a small number of rude supporters,” the Permatang Pauh MP said.
If anything, the police should have taken action against the Pakatan Rakyat for not having a permit for the ceramah. Of course, one would have expected the police to issue a permit as a matter of routine but that is a different matter altogether.
What is important is that the police act without fear or favour and is seen to act without fear or favour. Already, its history of doing so is rather suspect.
The Royal Malaysian Police appears to have a penchant to come out in full force to stop ceramahs and gatherings rather than work to bring down the crime rate with more patrols, and capturing suspected criminals rather than just shooting them dead.
Just like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that appears to prosecute small fry and opposition politicians rather than the big fish and those from the ruling coalition. The Port Klang Free Zone and the Lingam video clip scandals come to mind.
Before these enforcement authorities get their knickers in a twist, they should remember that their existence is to guarantee the peace and security of Malaysia and go after wrong-doers, no matter who they are.
It does them no good if they take orders from a political party. They should base their actions on the laws of the land. No more, no less.
Unless they want to add further credence to the suspicion, so eloquently expressed by Lim Kit Siang, that any one of these enforcement agencies are just Umno’s catspaw.
Umno certainly does not need that reputation, nor should the police confirm it.
But if the shoe fits...
MI
23/11/09
Questioning the monarchy in Malaysia??????
Construction site for the new Istana Negara (© Rachel Leow)
IF you drive down Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur today, along the road that runs from the Sri Hartamas housing estate to the foot of the majestic Masjid Kuala Lumpur, most of the journey will be flanked on your right by a large temporary wall. That wall girds the borders of the new Istana Negara construction site, slated for completion in 2009 or 2010.
This new Istana will house each of our nine Malaysian sultans during their five-year stints as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Something about the interminable length of the drive past that long white wall made me ask myself: Why do we need a new Istana? Let alone one that sits on 96.52 hectares of land, and, in these severe financial times, one that is reportedly costing the rakyat RM1.1 billion?
The current Istana Negara along Jalan Syed Putra (public domain / Wiki Commons)
To give you some idea of what 96.52 hectares of land is, here are some real-world expressions of the size of the new palace. One Jalan Duta Royal Istana is equivalent to 2.3 MidValley Cities, 4.9 KLCC parks, 209 Khir Toyo mansions, and 3,472 average semi-D houses (at 3,000 sq ft each). Our present Istana Negara, on Jalan Istana, is a historic building dating back to 1928, and it sits on 11 hectares of land. Our new Istana therefore represents a nine-fold increase in the amount of land that has been set aside for our Malaysian royalty.
Let's not forget, we live in a constitutional monarchy. That means that our monarchs are accountable to us. Accountability is what I want to talk about in this article, and I want to do this by taking a short detour to modern day Britain.
Criticising the monarchy
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan
Zainal Abidin (© Presiden Republik
Indonesia / Wiki Commons)
Some time ago, I was struck by an article in the Guardian that reported on a series of parliamentary discussions over the state of the British royal family's finances. The royal family, uniquely among all British public sector institutions, was deemed exempt from all public spending cuts necessitated by the financial crisis. In fact, they even appeared to be seeking a raise on their yearly allowance, which at present stands at around £7.9 million per annum. Despite their present £21 million surplus in royal reserves, Buckingham Palace officials claimed, in an annual report on royal finances in June, that without a raise, they would be £40 million in the red by 2019.
To put the debate in context, it is worth noting that there have been a recent slew of drastic cuts in public spending in the UK. This includes a one-year pay freeze for five million public sector workers, and a withdrawing of middle-class tax benefits. In view of all this, the royal exemption has been perceived by many Members of Parliament (MPs) as gratuitous mollycoddling. As Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker said, "When we are looking at potentially painful cuts in public services, the royal family should not be feather-bedded in this way. I am talking about the taxpayer paying for Prince Andrew's flights to take part in golf matches."
Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom
(public domain / Wiki Commons)There are two points I wish to make about this Guardian article. Firstly, I was struck by the liveliness of the comments section, expressing an extraordinary range of opinions on the British monarchy. These range from the critical to the defensive; from the reasoned to the illogical; from the constructive to the banal. "Welfare bums," one commentator wrote, "they should get a real job." Another declared: "The Queen, defender of the Faith — worth every penny!" Yet another scoffed: "Parasites at worst, anachronisms at best." One voice among the yowling anti-royals said staunchly: "I support the royal family one hundred percent. Firstly, they do bring in money via tourists... But more importantly, they support many charities and sports organisations [and they] represent our country's heritage and tradition, and an age lost in the last fifty or so years. I would be deeply saddened to see that gone."
For better or worse, I ask you: Where in Malaysia can we have such an open, fearless debate on our monarchical institutions? In the UK, open public debate has not resulted in anarchy and the monarchy's dissolution. Rather, it has resulted in a monarchy that has incentive to remain relevant to the people over whom it constitutionally governs, and also continues to be, on the whole, well loved by the majority of British.
That begs the question: Are our royals afraid of what the people think of them that they need to be protected from public opinion?
Transparent spending
Side view of Istana Melawati, another royal residence for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,
in Putrajaya (© Gryffindor / Wiki Commons)
My second point concerns the relative transparency of the state of British royal finances. It is possible for any British citizen to access information about royal expenditure. It is possible, in other words, for the public to have some sense of how much of their tax dollars are being used to finance the royal family, and indeed, for some people to complain about it. Accountability is at the heart of all attacks and defences of the British monarchy. Its naysayers claim there is not enough of it; its defenders retort that they are more financially accountable than many heads of states would be in a republic. Royal accountants state, a bit defensively, that the British monarchy supposedly cost each British taxpayer only 69p in the 2008 to 2009 fiscal year.
In Malaysia, I, for one, have no idea how much the rakyat spends on our constitutional monarchs. And I am quite sure that there have been no studies or inquiry commissions into this. Unfortunately, in Malaysia, asking for monarchical accountability of their expenses will probably be construed as derhaka, or hasutan against our royal institution.
There are not even, so far as I am aware, any polls of enquiry regarding the general popularity of the various monarchs and their families, let alone published accounts of royal expenditure.
Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, all royal projects are obliged to be conducted by open tender, but as PAS's Mahfuz Omar has pointed out, Projek Istana Negara was not, and the project's costs have suffered as a result. Initially slated to cost around RM400 million, our new Istana Negara is about to cost the nation RM1.1 billion instead.
Are the royal family not, according to the precepts of constitutional monarchy, legally bound to the Malaysian constitution, and thus at least financially accountable to the people? Should we, the people, not have some say in how we ourselves are financing our Supreme Heads of State?
24/11/09
Hunger strike to mark Hindraf’s 2nd anniversary
Two factions of Hindraf will each host events to commemorate the second anniversary of the Hindraf’s (Hindu Rights Action Force) mass rally on Nov 25, 2007. The faction led by P Waythamoorthy plans to hold an 18-hour hunger strike as well as a memorandum handover.
Hindraf legal adviser and ex- ISA detainee, P Uthayakumar said that 18 Hindraf supporters would take part in the strike, which is scheduled to begin at 9pm on Nov 24 at their respective homes and scheduled to end at 3pm on Nov 25 at KLCC.
The time of the strike was selected to mark the time when police began harassing the mass rally participants two years ago.
They are expected to break their fast at 3pm in the compound of the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya after Waythamoorthy’s daughter, W. Vaishnavi, submits an 18-point memorandum to the Prime Minister, Najib Abdul Razak.
The memorandum would be the first to be sent to the Najib administration. Hindraf has submitted memorandums to the previous administrations as well.
The anniversary celebration does not end there.
On Nov 29, the movement would hold prayers at the Agora Veerabathrar Sanggili Karuppar Temple in Rawang, Selangor in hopes that the 18-point demands are fulfilled by the current government.
Prayers are also expected to be held simultaneously in 100 temples nationwide.
Different way of commemorating event
Another Hindraf faction led by K Vasanthakumar and V Ganabatirau is also holding celebrations in Dewan Hamzah, Klang.
“We have nothing to do with that event,” said Uthayakumar when asked to comment on the other Hindraf anniversary.
He added that he only recognised the Hindraf faction that was led by his brother, Waythamoorthy.
Two years ago, Vasanthakumar, Ganabatirau, Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan and M Manoharan led 30,000 Indians in a mass rally to protest marginalisation and discrimination of the Indian Malaysians.
It led the five to be detained under the Internal Security Act, resulting in Waythamoorthy going into exile in London.
At the time, there was a public fallout between Uthayakumar and Vasanthakumar. The fallout led to split loyalties within the movement as members chose sides in the Uthayakumar-Vasanthakumar squabble.
Hindraf legal adviser and ex- ISA detainee, P Uthayakumar said that 18 Hindraf supporters would take part in the strike, which is scheduled to begin at 9pm on Nov 24 at their respective homes and scheduled to end at 3pm on Nov 25 at KLCC.
The time of the strike was selected to mark the time when police began harassing the mass rally participants two years ago.
They are expected to break their fast at 3pm in the compound of the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya after Waythamoorthy’s daughter, W. Vaishnavi, submits an 18-point memorandum to the Prime Minister, Najib Abdul Razak.
The memorandum would be the first to be sent to the Najib administration. Hindraf has submitted memorandums to the previous administrations as well.
The anniversary celebration does not end there.
On Nov 29, the movement would hold prayers at the Agora Veerabathrar Sanggili Karuppar Temple in Rawang, Selangor in hopes that the 18-point demands are fulfilled by the current government.
Prayers are also expected to be held simultaneously in 100 temples nationwide.
Different way of commemorating event
Another Hindraf faction led by K Vasanthakumar and V Ganabatirau is also holding celebrations in Dewan Hamzah, Klang.
“We have nothing to do with that event,” said Uthayakumar when asked to comment on the other Hindraf anniversary.
He added that he only recognised the Hindraf faction that was led by his brother, Waythamoorthy.
Two years ago, Vasanthakumar, Ganabatirau, Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan and M Manoharan led 30,000 Indians in a mass rally to protest marginalisation and discrimination of the Indian Malaysians.
It led the five to be detained under the Internal Security Act, resulting in Waythamoorthy going into exile in London.
At the time, there was a public fallout between Uthayakumar and Vasanthakumar. The fallout led to split loyalties within the movement as members chose sides in the Uthayakumar-Vasanthakumar squabble.
Hindraf
23/11/09
Apartheid in the Malaysian context
Apartheid was officially defined in South Africa as 'separate development'. But apartheid is really an elite regime with concentration of power in the hands of a few.
Apartheid involves the complete domination of one race over the other – economically, politically and socially.
South Africa is still struggling with the socio-economic sequels of apartheid itself. I do not think one should be obsessed with the physical aspect of apartheid [segregation] but rather be more concerned about its longstanding socio-economic deprivation and mental humiliation of not only being labelled according to skin colour but more factually to your native status.
Many have mistaken apartheid as a form of racial discrimination based on white superiority. It has been well-documented that it is actually a preferential treatment for white Afrikaners (South Africans of Dutch descent) following victimisation by the British colonists during the Boer War where thousands of Boer Trekkers died in wartime.
Umno's Ketuanan Melayu is race-based dominance in a multiracial country and is the exact ideology employed by the single-race National Party which imposed apartheid rule in South Africa. The National Party portrayed themselves as the champions of 'Afrikaner Sovereignty' and 'white supremacy'.
Similarly, Umno's ideological basis for its political struggle has been Malay nationalism and bumiputeraism. Like the National Party, Umno has also imposed a heavily state-guided capitalist economic system.
Parallel argument to claim native status
White Afrikaners's native status was based on the familiar argument that they set up the 'first civilised government' in their motherland of South Africa.
The African aborigines such as the Khoisan and Xhosa people did not set up any 'civilised government' and the others were later immigrants. And hence they were never considered as 'natives' for special treatment by the state.
The exact argument has been deployed by Umno and its Barisan Nasional counterparts to justify bumiputeraism in that the Malays set up the 'first definitive government' in Tanah Melayu - (Dr Mahatir Mohamad: The Malay Dilemma). Thus they are considered as bumiputera despite the historical fact that Orang Asli are the first settlers of this land.
Later immigrants are not considered as bumiputera for special treatment by the state.
False justification for apartheid
As I pointed out earlier, historians have documented that white Afrikaners had been deprived during and after the Boer War.
Apartheid was started out to help 'the poor white natives', meaning to help the white Afrikaners to compete in the job market with the influx of the much cheaper black labour from other parts of Africa.
In Malaysia just after independence, the situation was that while a few Chinese were able to own businesses, the majority of the Chinese and Indians were manual and estates workers.
Statistics even show that the Malays' literacy rate was much higher than Chinese and Indians' at the time of Independence. It was not a question of who was richer than whom. It was a fact that we were all impoverished, but one ethnic group may have been relatively more impoverished than the others. Nonetheless, this is not a moral ground to justify immoral means such as racial degradation of non-native status.
Historians conclude that under South Africa's apartheid rule, 'race is class, class is race' meaning the ruling elite class was predominantly white notwithstanding the fact that there were collaborators of other races working hand in hand with it to sustain their benefits. Similarly, the BN ruling elite class is composed mainly of Umno leaders notwithstanding their collaborators from MIC, MCA and others.
Affirmative action must be carried out with individualisation and transparency. Affirmative action should be allowed to be challenged in court. Do we have that in Malaysia? On the contrary, the NEP and the NDP have so far been carried out under the umbrella of draconian laws such as the ISA, OSA and the like.
I would confidently say Malaysia's NEP and NDP are more akin to apartheid than affirmative action not only in their morality but also in the way they have been implemented.
One may argue that Malaysia's economy has grown with the implementation of the NEP and NDP for almost a 30-year period. So did South Africa's economy grow for almost two decades without fail under apartheid rule. In both countries, an elite class of all races emerged under preferential treatment but that does not justify the immorality of Umno's and Barisan Nasional's political hegemony.
22/11/09
Apartheid involves the complete domination of one race over the other – economically, politically and socially.
South Africa is still struggling with the socio-economic sequels of apartheid itself. I do not think one should be obsessed with the physical aspect of apartheid [segregation] but rather be more concerned about its longstanding socio-economic deprivation and mental humiliation of not only being labelled according to skin colour but more factually to your native status.
Many have mistaken apartheid as a form of racial discrimination based on white superiority. It has been well-documented that it is actually a preferential treatment for white Afrikaners (South Africans of Dutch descent) following victimisation by the British colonists during the Boer War where thousands of Boer Trekkers died in wartime.
Umno's Ketuanan Melayu is race-based dominance in a multiracial country and is the exact ideology employed by the single-race National Party which imposed apartheid rule in South Africa. The National Party portrayed themselves as the champions of 'Afrikaner Sovereignty' and 'white supremacy'.
Similarly, Umno's ideological basis for its political struggle has been Malay nationalism and bumiputeraism. Like the National Party, Umno has also imposed a heavily state-guided capitalist economic system.
Parallel argument to claim native status
White Afrikaners's native status was based on the familiar argument that they set up the 'first civilised government' in their motherland of South Africa.
The African aborigines such as the Khoisan and Xhosa people did not set up any 'civilised government' and the others were later immigrants. And hence they were never considered as 'natives' for special treatment by the state.
The exact argument has been deployed by Umno and its Barisan Nasional counterparts to justify bumiputeraism in that the Malays set up the 'first definitive government' in Tanah Melayu - (Dr Mahatir Mohamad: The Malay Dilemma). Thus they are considered as bumiputera despite the historical fact that Orang Asli are the first settlers of this land.
Later immigrants are not considered as bumiputera for special treatment by the state.
False justification for apartheid
As I pointed out earlier, historians have documented that white Afrikaners had been deprived during and after the Boer War.
Apartheid was started out to help 'the poor white natives', meaning to help the white Afrikaners to compete in the job market with the influx of the much cheaper black labour from other parts of Africa.
In Malaysia just after independence, the situation was that while a few Chinese were able to own businesses, the majority of the Chinese and Indians were manual and estates workers.
Statistics even show that the Malays' literacy rate was much higher than Chinese and Indians' at the time of Independence. It was not a question of who was richer than whom. It was a fact that we were all impoverished, but one ethnic group may have been relatively more impoverished than the others. Nonetheless, this is not a moral ground to justify immoral means such as racial degradation of non-native status.
Historians conclude that under South Africa's apartheid rule, 'race is class, class is race' meaning the ruling elite class was predominantly white notwithstanding the fact that there were collaborators of other races working hand in hand with it to sustain their benefits. Similarly, the BN ruling elite class is composed mainly of Umno leaders notwithstanding their collaborators from MIC, MCA and others.
Affirmative action must be carried out with individualisation and transparency. Affirmative action should be allowed to be challenged in court. Do we have that in Malaysia? On the contrary, the NEP and the NDP have so far been carried out under the umbrella of draconian laws such as the ISA, OSA and the like.
I would confidently say Malaysia's NEP and NDP are more akin to apartheid than affirmative action not only in their morality but also in the way they have been implemented.
One may argue that Malaysia's economy has grown with the implementation of the NEP and NDP for almost a 30-year period. So did South Africa's economy grow for almost two decades without fail under apartheid rule. In both countries, an elite class of all races emerged under preferential treatment but that does not justify the immorality of Umno's and Barisan Nasional's political hegemony.
22/11/09
Death in police custody – S. Suria Ramesh, (Kota Setar district police lock-up, 22 November 2008)
A year ago today, 29-year-old S. Suria Ramesh reportedly died in the Kota Setar district police lock-up two days after he had been arrested in Kulim.
Despite the requirement that all custodial deaths be investigated by inquiries conducted pursuant to Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code, it is not clear that an inquest has been conducted into S. Suria Ramesh’s death.
Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. S. Suria Ramesh’s death must not be relegated to a mere statistic.
Based on the Royal Malaysia Police’s statistics, 85 persons died in police custody between 2003 and 2007 alone.
We express our heartfelt condolences to S. Suria Ramesh’s family and friends on this anniversary of his death.
Malaysian Bar
22/11/09
Despite the requirement that all custodial deaths be investigated by inquiries conducted pursuant to Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code, it is not clear that an inquest has been conducted into S. Suria Ramesh’s death.
Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. S. Suria Ramesh’s death must not be relegated to a mere statistic.
Based on the Royal Malaysia Police’s statistics, 85 persons died in police custody between 2003 and 2007 alone.
We express our heartfelt condolences to S. Suria Ramesh’s family and friends on this anniversary of his death.
Malaysian Bar
22/11/09
BN make small changes but big scale corruptions, says Anwar
SEREMBAN: Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today acknowledged that the Barisan Nasional government was making changes but said these were being delivered in doses that were too small considering the “big scale corruption and leakages” that were continuing.
The government would implement programmes which bring only small benefits to the people and the local mainstream media would highlight these projects, but ignoring the wayward spending by the government ministers and the huge losses due to corruption, leakages and malpractices, he added.
“The BN-controlled media like Utusan Malaysia and RTM would play up the weaknesses of the Pakatan-Rakyat governments, especially in Selangor, as well as controversies involving PKR and its leaders,” Anwar said in his keynote address at the one-day PKR NS State Convention held at the Chung Hwa High School here.
Anwar stated that the party is committed to change the whole corrupt system represented by the BN throughout the nation. When he and other opposition leaders tried highlight to the people the present government’s wrongdoings and excesses, the mainstream press would completely black out their statements or continue to distort the messages.
Another big omission by the MSM is they would give scant or no coverage at all on the high-profile corruption cases like Port Klang Free Zone, wrongful or illegal acts by investigative agencies like the Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, including the lack of follow-up actions on the VK Lingam judicial scandal.
On the PKFZ, the MSM would report on action being taken against the lesser officials, but they don’t question why no action is being taken against ex-Transport Ministers like Dr Ling Liong Sik and other big guns, Anwar noted.
So the corruption and malpractices continue under the BN government, as indicated by its owned government agency Auditor-General’s annual reports the recent years. Putrajaya continue to plunder the public coffer, and the state’s riches as reaped by the national oil corporation, hence the many “multi-milliion-ringgit” leakages in government spendings as highlighted by the 2008 Auditor-General’s Report.
It’s because of the BN government’s systemic corruption including abusing Petronas’ huge muliti-billion dollar annual profits in bailing out non-performing government-linked companies (GLCs) that has led to the country’s decline achieving gross domestic product (GDP) growth, falling behind neighbouring countries including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, in the recent years.
One of the factors contributing to this worrying state of affairs is the lack of confidence of foreigners in Malaysia’s government leadership, leading to the fall in foreign direct investment (FDI) into Malaysia.
Anwar pointed out that the Goverrnment leaders could not even be consistent in giving out facts with regard to official GDP figure, with the Prime Minister citing GDP growth this year projected at 9.0 percent at one stage, amending it to 6.0 percent later, while Minister in the PM’s department Mohamed Nor Yaacob stating it as 4.0-5.0 percent, and yet another deputy minister putting it at 2.0-3.0 percent.
Anwar later spoke to reporters on his impending role in Selangor as economic adviser to the state government, and he promised he would go in to ensure party leaders concentrate their efforts on delivering a clean, accountable and responsible government.
On reservations about Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s leadership expressed by many bloggers recently, including Raja Petra Kamarudin’s call that the MB be sacked for poor performance, Anwar said to be fair, the Auditor-General’s Report had given the highest rating to Selangor and Penang in terms of good governance since March 2008, scoring the highest level of four, which compared favourably against other states under BN control.
On the removal of civil servants alleged to be sabotaging the Selangor state government as encouraged by certain quarters including several bloggers, Anwar said to be fair, such measures could be taken only after thorough investigation, based on facts.
He agreed there could be “categorical instructions” by certain UMNO leaders to civil servants to sabotage the Selangor state government, but citing an example, if the State Secretary were to be “sacked”, Anwar asked: “What good would it do if the BN government continued to replace him with another federal officer of UMNO’s choice without PR input?”
“When I start there as economic adviser next week, I will ensure we embark on reforms as we are committed to cleaning up any weaknesses,. We will work out poverty eradication programmes to help the poor and needy, regardless of ethnicity, and expand on education and agriculture facilities to uplift the people’s standard of living in Selangor,” Anwar added.
FMT
22/11/09
The government would implement programmes which bring only small benefits to the people and the local mainstream media would highlight these projects, but ignoring the wayward spending by the government ministers and the huge losses due to corruption, leakages and malpractices, he added.
“The BN-controlled media like Utusan Malaysia and RTM would play up the weaknesses of the Pakatan-Rakyat governments, especially in Selangor, as well as controversies involving PKR and its leaders,” Anwar said in his keynote address at the one-day PKR NS State Convention held at the Chung Hwa High School here.
Anwar stated that the party is committed to change the whole corrupt system represented by the BN throughout the nation. When he and other opposition leaders tried highlight to the people the present government’s wrongdoings and excesses, the mainstream press would completely black out their statements or continue to distort the messages.
Another big omission by the MSM is they would give scant or no coverage at all on the high-profile corruption cases like Port Klang Free Zone, wrongful or illegal acts by investigative agencies like the Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, including the lack of follow-up actions on the VK Lingam judicial scandal.
On the PKFZ, the MSM would report on action being taken against the lesser officials, but they don’t question why no action is being taken against ex-Transport Ministers like Dr Ling Liong Sik and other big guns, Anwar noted.
So the corruption and malpractices continue under the BN government, as indicated by its owned government agency Auditor-General’s annual reports the recent years. Putrajaya continue to plunder the public coffer, and the state’s riches as reaped by the national oil corporation, hence the many “multi-milliion-ringgit” leakages in government spendings as highlighted by the 2008 Auditor-General’s Report.
It’s because of the BN government’s systemic corruption including abusing Petronas’ huge muliti-billion dollar annual profits in bailing out non-performing government-linked companies (GLCs) that has led to the country’s decline achieving gross domestic product (GDP) growth, falling behind neighbouring countries including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, in the recent years.
One of the factors contributing to this worrying state of affairs is the lack of confidence of foreigners in Malaysia’s government leadership, leading to the fall in foreign direct investment (FDI) into Malaysia.
Anwar pointed out that the Goverrnment leaders could not even be consistent in giving out facts with regard to official GDP figure, with the Prime Minister citing GDP growth this year projected at 9.0 percent at one stage, amending it to 6.0 percent later, while Minister in the PM’s department Mohamed Nor Yaacob stating it as 4.0-5.0 percent, and yet another deputy minister putting it at 2.0-3.0 percent.
Anwar later spoke to reporters on his impending role in Selangor as economic adviser to the state government, and he promised he would go in to ensure party leaders concentrate their efforts on delivering a clean, accountable and responsible government.
On reservations about Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s leadership expressed by many bloggers recently, including Raja Petra Kamarudin’s call that the MB be sacked for poor performance, Anwar said to be fair, the Auditor-General’s Report had given the highest rating to Selangor and Penang in terms of good governance since March 2008, scoring the highest level of four, which compared favourably against other states under BN control.
On the removal of civil servants alleged to be sabotaging the Selangor state government as encouraged by certain quarters including several bloggers, Anwar said to be fair, such measures could be taken only after thorough investigation, based on facts.
He agreed there could be “categorical instructions” by certain UMNO leaders to civil servants to sabotage the Selangor state government, but citing an example, if the State Secretary were to be “sacked”, Anwar asked: “What good would it do if the BN government continued to replace him with another federal officer of UMNO’s choice without PR input?”
“When I start there as economic adviser next week, I will ensure we embark on reforms as we are committed to cleaning up any weaknesses,. We will work out poverty eradication programmes to help the poor and needy, regardless of ethnicity, and expand on education and agriculture facilities to uplift the people’s standard of living in Selangor,” Anwar added.
FMT
22/11/09
Amnesty International condemns intimidation of lawyers in Malaysia
PETALING JAYA: Amnesty International is concerned over attempts to intimidate lawyers carrying out their professional duties in Malaysia.
Margaret John, the AI coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia, said the latest attack on the home of prominent lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon illustrated once more the risks faced by Malaysian lawyers protecting the legal rights of government critics.
Last Tuesday evening, several Molotov cocktails were thrown into the house of Manjeet but unfortunately no one was injured.
Manjeet believed the attack was linked to private investigator P.Balasubramaniam’s recent exposure in the Altantuya affair cover-up where VVIPs were implicated.
Bala’s interview was done last month in the presence of three lawyers, one of whom was Manjeet.
“The incident illustrates once more that lawyers in Malaysia, acting in their professional capacity to protect the legal rights of government critics, are exposed to risks of harassment, threats and worst,” Margaret John said in a statement.
Following is the full statement by Margaret John:
“ I have learned that several Molotov cocktails were recently thrown into the home of prominent Malaysian lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, a former Bar Council President. He said he regarded the attack on his home as a possible warning and threat to him and his family.
“He and his family were fortunately out of the country at the time. The incident illustrates once more that lawyers in Malaysia, acting in their professional capacity to protect the legal rights of government critics, are exposed to risks of harassment, threats or worse.
“Many of you will be aware that Manjeet Singh Dhillon is counsel for (now former) prisoner of conscience Dr Munawar Anees and will know that Dr Anees made a Statutory Declaration during his incarceration a decade ago, in which he detailed the appalling treatment to which he had been subjected in prison. Manjeet has remained his counsel during the numerous court challenges to clear Dr Anees’s name.
“The Molotov cocktail attack is believed to be related to Manjeet Singh Dhillon’s recent interview with private investigator P Balasubramaniam, who had alleged a year ago that Prime MInister Najib Abdul Razak had been sexually involved with murder victim Altantuya Shaariibuu of Mongolia and that police were ordered to remove evidence of any links. Balasubramiam later retracted the allegations and fled.
“Manjeet Singh Dhillon asserted that he conducted the interview (now on Youtube) as a professional duty in the absence of Balasubramaniam’s actual counsel, Americk Sidhu.
“Amnesty International has previously expressed concern about attempts to intimidate lawyers carrying out their professional duties.
“In the most controversial case in Malaysia’s recent history, defence lawyers were harassed and their offices searched during the trial for sodomy a decade ago of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. At that time, prominent defence lawyer Karpal Singh was arrested under the Sedition Act in connection with remarks he made in court.
“Referring to high levels of arsenic in Anwar’s blood, Karpal Singh expressed in court his concern that “someone out there wants to get rid of him…even to the extent of murder. I suspect that people in high places are responsible for the situation”. Karpal Singh is himself a former prisoner of conscience.
“One of the more recent cases involves five lawyers who were arrested for illegal assembly when they gathered outside a police station where a group of candlelight demonstrators was held. The five lawyers wished to provide legal assistance to detainees.
Margaret John, the AI coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia, said the latest attack on the home of prominent lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon illustrated once more the risks faced by Malaysian lawyers protecting the legal rights of government critics.
Last Tuesday evening, several Molotov cocktails were thrown into the house of Manjeet but unfortunately no one was injured.
Manjeet believed the attack was linked to private investigator P.Balasubramaniam’s recent exposure in the Altantuya affair cover-up where VVIPs were implicated.
Bala’s interview was done last month in the presence of three lawyers, one of whom was Manjeet.
“The incident illustrates once more that lawyers in Malaysia, acting in their professional capacity to protect the legal rights of government critics, are exposed to risks of harassment, threats and worst,” Margaret John said in a statement.
Following is the full statement by Margaret John:
“ I have learned that several Molotov cocktails were recently thrown into the home of prominent Malaysian lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, a former Bar Council President. He said he regarded the attack on his home as a possible warning and threat to him and his family.
“He and his family were fortunately out of the country at the time. The incident illustrates once more that lawyers in Malaysia, acting in their professional capacity to protect the legal rights of government critics, are exposed to risks of harassment, threats or worse.
“Many of you will be aware that Manjeet Singh Dhillon is counsel for (now former) prisoner of conscience Dr Munawar Anees and will know that Dr Anees made a Statutory Declaration during his incarceration a decade ago, in which he detailed the appalling treatment to which he had been subjected in prison. Manjeet has remained his counsel during the numerous court challenges to clear Dr Anees’s name.
“The Molotov cocktail attack is believed to be related to Manjeet Singh Dhillon’s recent interview with private investigator P Balasubramaniam, who had alleged a year ago that Prime MInister Najib Abdul Razak had been sexually involved with murder victim Altantuya Shaariibuu of Mongolia and that police were ordered to remove evidence of any links. Balasubramiam later retracted the allegations and fled.
“Manjeet Singh Dhillon asserted that he conducted the interview (now on Youtube) as a professional duty in the absence of Balasubramaniam’s actual counsel, Americk Sidhu.
“Amnesty International has previously expressed concern about attempts to intimidate lawyers carrying out their professional duties.
“In the most controversial case in Malaysia’s recent history, defence lawyers were harassed and their offices searched during the trial for sodomy a decade ago of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. At that time, prominent defence lawyer Karpal Singh was arrested under the Sedition Act in connection with remarks he made in court.
“Referring to high levels of arsenic in Anwar’s blood, Karpal Singh expressed in court his concern that “someone out there wants to get rid of him…even to the extent of murder. I suspect that people in high places are responsible for the situation”. Karpal Singh is himself a former prisoner of conscience.
“One of the more recent cases involves five lawyers who were arrested for illegal assembly when they gathered outside a police station where a group of candlelight demonstrators was held. The five lawyers wished to provide legal assistance to detainees.
“A number of international standards guarantees protection for lawyers carrying out their professional duities. These include: UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the Latimer House guidelines. Such standards, however, do not always provide protection in Malaysia in cases in which there is a link to criticism of the government.”
Margaret John
Coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia
Amnesty International Canada
FMT
22/11/09
Pakatan Rakyat and the Making of a Two Party System
It is a great honour to stand before you to talk about what can be described as a revolution in the collective consciousness of this nation. Last March, by the stroke of the pen, the people of Malaysia shattered all of the preconceived notions that denied the possibility of political change. In place of these old assumptions a new memory of our nation’s heritage and the self-image of its people has emerged.
Until now many of our elected representatives have failed to uphold the mantle of public office. Their interest has been an exercise in greed and avarice and not what Vaclav Havel described as a heightened responsibility for the moral state of society, and to seek out the best in that society and to develop and strengthen it. For it is only with leaders of such caliber that we can expect a government that is fair and abides by the Rules of Law, outlined in a Constitution that grants legitimacy to the very existence of that government. Anything short of this would be an injustice that approaches tyranny.
We had been weaned for many years on the notion that submissiveness and frailty were a prerequisite for the stability of the nation. Our diverse ethnic makeup, rather than an asset, was treated as a powder keg that could be ignited by the slightest spark. Economic development was not compatible with the freedoms that have been established in other democratic nations. On the contrary Malaysian democracy would be circumscribed by profoundly un-democratic rules. There was a freedom of speech but only on certain subjects. The freedom to associate was granted, but only with approved license. Due process, a fair and an impartial judiciary were granted only insofar as they did not encroach upon the vested interests of the rich and powerful. These measures were taken unscrupulously in the name of security and peace.
of democracy, there is no monopoly on the principles of political freedom and liberty. The tradition of public discussion can be found across the world such that Tocqueville in his observations on American political culture said that democracy can be seen as part of “the most continuous, ancient and permanent tendency known to history.” What Locke said in the 18th century we can find explicit precursors in the Muslim tradition. Consider the Prophet Muhammad’s Last Sermon in which he asserts the importance of property rights and the sanctity of contracts, women’s rights and racial equality. Remember this was 1400 years ago! The narrative does not stop there. al-Shatibi, the Andalusian legal scholar, articulated more completely the maqasid al-Sharia, the Higher Objectives of the Islamic Law, which sanctify the preservation of religion, life, intellect, family, and wealth; objectives that bear striking resemblance to Enlightenment ideals that would be expounded centuries later.
This is of course all theoretical. Even the Malaysian Constitution talks about equal protection under the law and proposed a system of checks and balances on power. Yet 52 years later, and after nearly 700 amendments to the original text of that document, few would argue that the original spirit of the Constitution remains intact. The upshot is that Malaysia’s experience as a pseudo democracy has been a utter disaster.
A nation blessed with vast wealth and a people with the ability to learn and excel has been left in the lurch by decades of failed policies. Hope in a brighter future has been snuffed out by the blunt instrument of state power and the cancer of corruption. Certainly the thin veneer of success has been made our country appealing to the eye. As far as developing countries go we are far ahead of the pack. But when we look under the hood, as Malaysian citizens must do on a daily basis, we are confronted with myriad contradictions – a crumbling education system, second rate health care, massive shortcomings in public transportation and crime rates which are perpetually on the rise.
It is no surprise when we see recent figures citing nearly 800,000 Malaysians professionals now working abroad.
The idea of a two party system has been talked about ad infinitum since the Spring of last year. The excitement many have expressed over the advent of this new dimension in Malaysian politics might suggest that the mere existence of a viable second party is itself the holy grail of a democratic state. Some might even draw the conclusion that once in power this alternative voice would swiftly rectify the monumental ills that have been heaped upon Malaysian society by the Barisan Nasional.
A vibrant opposition is of course synonymous with democracy itself. Yale based political scientist Ian Shapiro has contended that “democracy is an ideology of opposition as much as it is one of government”. Yet we would be in a state of self-deception, however if we pinned the hopes for healthy democracies on just one of its attributes. The same mistake has already been made with elections. The mere happening of elections says little about the condition of democracy unless we know that they are conducted fairly and freely and there is a level playing field on which all political views can compete.
In Malaysia multiple parties have existed for many years and the opposition has held seats in Parliament since the very first days of the Federation. We cannot say that the two party system was borne on March 8th for its existence coincides with the birth of the nation itself. The two party system that we recognize today is something different from the style of political participation that is already in place. The difference, simply stated, is greater space that is afforded to public deliberation, the exchange of ideas and the possibility of new choices and alternatives.
In this light, our fundamental concern is not with political parties but rather with accountability. A society, according to ibn Khaldun, must be able to combat the corrosive effects of unmitigated power, corruption and moral decadence. Otherwise it may succumb to what Thomas Jefferson time and again warned, that the abuse of unlimited powers by elected despots would lead to a time “when corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government, and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people, and make them pay the price.”
To understand these concepts better it may be wise to map out the province of liberal democracy and reiterate the role of the opposition, lest we place the cart before the horse. The main pillars on which democratic societies are built are liberty, social pluralism and political constitutionalism. The intent of these values and the institutions that mediate the relationship between the citizen and government is to guard against the exercise of tyranny. Lord Acton was right when he spoke of the corrupting influence of power.
When bestowing upon a political entity the power to make laws and to coerce citizens to obey those laws, safeguards must be put in place. Herein we look at Constitutions to delineate the extent of the government’s power to impose laws, and also at the edifice built around the exercise of that power so that there is adequate protection from its abuse.
Constitutions define for us the Rule of Law and the parameters within which government can operate. Dicey stipulates that it is the Rule of Law which would ensure that “powers of officials, and official bodies of persons entrusted with government, are not exceeded and are not abused, and that the rights of citizens are determined in accordance with the law enacted and unenacted.” The Rule of Law is therefore a two way street – defining for us the limitations of government and the rights of the citizen.
With these fundamentals in place we would then look at the branches of government which are created not only to carry out the business of the state but also to act as further restraints on its power. In the case of the Executive, we are all well acquainted with the phenomenon of power run amok.
Countries that masquerade as democracies often pay lip service to freedom and justice, while power is consolidated in the hands of a few elites who plunder the country’s wealth at the expense of the masses. They are able to quash opposition by invoking draconian laws and have made frequent use of preventative detentions to muzzle dissident voices. Herein lies a pivotal role of the opposition in a liberal democracy which is to be the voice of public reason and ensure that the “exercise of public political power is fully proper” and it can only be so if and “when it is exercised in accordance with a constitution the principles and ideals of which are endorsed by common human reason”.
A strong legislature is a sword that can cut both ways as well. It was Tocqueville who said, “the concentration of power [in the legislature] is at once very prejudicial to a well conducted administration and favorable to the despotism of the majority.” Once again Malaysia offers sundry examples of a legislature which, despite allowing for some semblance of multi-party participation, acts as a rubber stamp on legislation presented by the majority. Despite the rules and traditions of the Westminster system, common sense and precedent dictate that even with a clear majority in the legislature there should be a meaningful debate on issues. The Parliament should be used effectively as a constant critique of policy, executive power and the institutions of governance.
Where the legislature may exceed its bounds in passing into law edicts that transgress the bounds of the constitution, it is the role of the judiciary to interpret redress mistakes that may have been made by legislators. For this to happen the judiciary must be independent of influence from the other branches and from vested interests in the society at large. In resolving disputes between the people and the government, judges must act impartially. They must administer justice according to law, not according to the dictates of political masters.
A strong opposition must demand these prerequisites from the executive and legislative branches until such time as they are implemented.
Another crucial criterion for constitutional government is that the discretion of law enforcement agencies must not be allowed to pervert the cause of justice. The office of the Public Prosecutor, the police and the anti-corruption agency, all these bodies, play essential roles in the preservation of the rule of law, failing which they are easily used to pervert the law. As absolute power corrupts absolutely, the arrogance of power left unchecked renders these agencies absolutely impermeable to public opinion and criticism.
While there has been a sea change in the political landscape, Malaysia has not changed overnight. Despite the euphoria of last March, and the clear progress that is being made in the Pakatan states, we still face a federal government mired in corruption. The media is shackled and unfree – incapable of fulfilling the sacred and solemn mandate bestowed upon the noble profession of journalism.
The work is clearly unfinished. For the two party system to survive, let alone thrive, certain constraints must be lifted such as the limited access granted to the information held tightly by government ministries. We know that under the guise of national security many a scandal and abuse has gone unreported and this is contrary to the spirit of public disclosure and accountability. The institutions are in desperate need of reform so that they serve the common good and not the parochial interests of political and corporate elites.
The renewal in consciousness that has given hope to generations both old and new must be made a reality through action. At a very fundamental level this would require fuller and more profound political participation. Voting, as it turns out, does matter. The millions of currently unregistered voters in this country, by most estimations, will play a key role in the next general election. But, they can only do so if they exercise that right.
There is space now for the governments in power in the Pakatan states to carry forward this spirit renewal and renovation. Our governments must adhere strictly to the Rule of Law. We should strive to exceed the daily routine of dispute resolution and the issuance of licenses but govern with enlightenment. Our policies must emphasise good governance, the sanctity of the family, tolerance towards diversity, compassion for the weak and the unfortunate and the safeguarding of our environment and natural resources.
In between elections the new consciousness that has emerged must be nurtured. Civil society has space to grow and new associations can form and take part in the process of educating and empowering the public. In these states we must demonstrate that the pursuit of excellence and the cultivation of innovation and creativity across all sectors will yield enormous benefit for the society. And for this to happen we must retrieve, revive and reinvigorate the spirit of liberty, individualism, humanism and tolerance.
Anwar Ibrahim
22/11/09
Until now many of our elected representatives have failed to uphold the mantle of public office. Their interest has been an exercise in greed and avarice and not what Vaclav Havel described as a heightened responsibility for the moral state of society, and to seek out the best in that society and to develop and strengthen it. For it is only with leaders of such caliber that we can expect a government that is fair and abides by the Rules of Law, outlined in a Constitution that grants legitimacy to the very existence of that government. Anything short of this would be an injustice that approaches tyranny.
We had been weaned for many years on the notion that submissiveness and frailty were a prerequisite for the stability of the nation. Our diverse ethnic makeup, rather than an asset, was treated as a powder keg that could be ignited by the slightest spark. Economic development was not compatible with the freedoms that have been established in other democratic nations. On the contrary Malaysian democracy would be circumscribed by profoundly un-democratic rules. There was a freedom of speech but only on certain subjects. The freedom to associate was granted, but only with approved license. Due process, a fair and an impartial judiciary were granted only insofar as they did not encroach upon the vested interests of the rich and powerful. These measures were taken unscrupulously in the name of security and peace.
of democracy, there is no monopoly on the principles of political freedom and liberty. The tradition of public discussion can be found across the world such that Tocqueville in his observations on American political culture said that democracy can be seen as part of “the most continuous, ancient and permanent tendency known to history.” What Locke said in the 18th century we can find explicit precursors in the Muslim tradition. Consider the Prophet Muhammad’s Last Sermon in which he asserts the importance of property rights and the sanctity of contracts, women’s rights and racial equality. Remember this was 1400 years ago! The narrative does not stop there. al-Shatibi, the Andalusian legal scholar, articulated more completely the maqasid al-Sharia, the Higher Objectives of the Islamic Law, which sanctify the preservation of religion, life, intellect, family, and wealth; objectives that bear striking resemblance to Enlightenment ideals that would be expounded centuries later.
This is of course all theoretical. Even the Malaysian Constitution talks about equal protection under the law and proposed a system of checks and balances on power. Yet 52 years later, and after nearly 700 amendments to the original text of that document, few would argue that the original spirit of the Constitution remains intact. The upshot is that Malaysia’s experience as a pseudo democracy has been a utter disaster.
A nation blessed with vast wealth and a people with the ability to learn and excel has been left in the lurch by decades of failed policies. Hope in a brighter future has been snuffed out by the blunt instrument of state power and the cancer of corruption. Certainly the thin veneer of success has been made our country appealing to the eye. As far as developing countries go we are far ahead of the pack. But when we look under the hood, as Malaysian citizens must do on a daily basis, we are confronted with myriad contradictions – a crumbling education system, second rate health care, massive shortcomings in public transportation and crime rates which are perpetually on the rise.
It is no surprise when we see recent figures citing nearly 800,000 Malaysians professionals now working abroad.
The idea of a two party system has been talked about ad infinitum since the Spring of last year. The excitement many have expressed over the advent of this new dimension in Malaysian politics might suggest that the mere existence of a viable second party is itself the holy grail of a democratic state. Some might even draw the conclusion that once in power this alternative voice would swiftly rectify the monumental ills that have been heaped upon Malaysian society by the Barisan Nasional.
A vibrant opposition is of course synonymous with democracy itself. Yale based political scientist Ian Shapiro has contended that “democracy is an ideology of opposition as much as it is one of government”. Yet we would be in a state of self-deception, however if we pinned the hopes for healthy democracies on just one of its attributes. The same mistake has already been made with elections. The mere happening of elections says little about the condition of democracy unless we know that they are conducted fairly and freely and there is a level playing field on which all political views can compete.
In Malaysia multiple parties have existed for many years and the opposition has held seats in Parliament since the very first days of the Federation. We cannot say that the two party system was borne on March 8th for its existence coincides with the birth of the nation itself. The two party system that we recognize today is something different from the style of political participation that is already in place. The difference, simply stated, is greater space that is afforded to public deliberation, the exchange of ideas and the possibility of new choices and alternatives.
In this light, our fundamental concern is not with political parties but rather with accountability. A society, according to ibn Khaldun, must be able to combat the corrosive effects of unmitigated power, corruption and moral decadence. Otherwise it may succumb to what Thomas Jefferson time and again warned, that the abuse of unlimited powers by elected despots would lead to a time “when corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government, and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people, and make them pay the price.”
To understand these concepts better it may be wise to map out the province of liberal democracy and reiterate the role of the opposition, lest we place the cart before the horse. The main pillars on which democratic societies are built are liberty, social pluralism and political constitutionalism. The intent of these values and the institutions that mediate the relationship between the citizen and government is to guard against the exercise of tyranny. Lord Acton was right when he spoke of the corrupting influence of power.
When bestowing upon a political entity the power to make laws and to coerce citizens to obey those laws, safeguards must be put in place. Herein we look at Constitutions to delineate the extent of the government’s power to impose laws, and also at the edifice built around the exercise of that power so that there is adequate protection from its abuse.
Constitutions define for us the Rule of Law and the parameters within which government can operate. Dicey stipulates that it is the Rule of Law which would ensure that “powers of officials, and official bodies of persons entrusted with government, are not exceeded and are not abused, and that the rights of citizens are determined in accordance with the law enacted and unenacted.” The Rule of Law is therefore a two way street – defining for us the limitations of government and the rights of the citizen.
With these fundamentals in place we would then look at the branches of government which are created not only to carry out the business of the state but also to act as further restraints on its power. In the case of the Executive, we are all well acquainted with the phenomenon of power run amok.
Countries that masquerade as democracies often pay lip service to freedom and justice, while power is consolidated in the hands of a few elites who plunder the country’s wealth at the expense of the masses. They are able to quash opposition by invoking draconian laws and have made frequent use of preventative detentions to muzzle dissident voices. Herein lies a pivotal role of the opposition in a liberal democracy which is to be the voice of public reason and ensure that the “exercise of public political power is fully proper” and it can only be so if and “when it is exercised in accordance with a constitution the principles and ideals of which are endorsed by common human reason”.
A strong legislature is a sword that can cut both ways as well. It was Tocqueville who said, “the concentration of power [in the legislature] is at once very prejudicial to a well conducted administration and favorable to the despotism of the majority.” Once again Malaysia offers sundry examples of a legislature which, despite allowing for some semblance of multi-party participation, acts as a rubber stamp on legislation presented by the majority. Despite the rules and traditions of the Westminster system, common sense and precedent dictate that even with a clear majority in the legislature there should be a meaningful debate on issues. The Parliament should be used effectively as a constant critique of policy, executive power and the institutions of governance.
Where the legislature may exceed its bounds in passing into law edicts that transgress the bounds of the constitution, it is the role of the judiciary to interpret redress mistakes that may have been made by legislators. For this to happen the judiciary must be independent of influence from the other branches and from vested interests in the society at large. In resolving disputes between the people and the government, judges must act impartially. They must administer justice according to law, not according to the dictates of political masters.
A strong opposition must demand these prerequisites from the executive and legislative branches until such time as they are implemented.
Another crucial criterion for constitutional government is that the discretion of law enforcement agencies must not be allowed to pervert the cause of justice. The office of the Public Prosecutor, the police and the anti-corruption agency, all these bodies, play essential roles in the preservation of the rule of law, failing which they are easily used to pervert the law. As absolute power corrupts absolutely, the arrogance of power left unchecked renders these agencies absolutely impermeable to public opinion and criticism.
While there has been a sea change in the political landscape, Malaysia has not changed overnight. Despite the euphoria of last March, and the clear progress that is being made in the Pakatan states, we still face a federal government mired in corruption. The media is shackled and unfree – incapable of fulfilling the sacred and solemn mandate bestowed upon the noble profession of journalism.
The work is clearly unfinished. For the two party system to survive, let alone thrive, certain constraints must be lifted such as the limited access granted to the information held tightly by government ministries. We know that under the guise of national security many a scandal and abuse has gone unreported and this is contrary to the spirit of public disclosure and accountability. The institutions are in desperate need of reform so that they serve the common good and not the parochial interests of political and corporate elites.
The renewal in consciousness that has given hope to generations both old and new must be made a reality through action. At a very fundamental level this would require fuller and more profound political participation. Voting, as it turns out, does matter. The millions of currently unregistered voters in this country, by most estimations, will play a key role in the next general election. But, they can only do so if they exercise that right.
There is space now for the governments in power in the Pakatan states to carry forward this spirit renewal and renovation. Our governments must adhere strictly to the Rule of Law. We should strive to exceed the daily routine of dispute resolution and the issuance of licenses but govern with enlightenment. Our policies must emphasise good governance, the sanctity of the family, tolerance towards diversity, compassion for the weak and the unfortunate and the safeguarding of our environment and natural resources.
In between elections the new consciousness that has emerged must be nurtured. Civil society has space to grow and new associations can form and take part in the process of educating and empowering the public. In these states we must demonstrate that the pursuit of excellence and the cultivation of innovation and creativity across all sectors will yield enormous benefit for the society. And for this to happen we must retrieve, revive and reinvigorate the spirit of liberty, individualism, humanism and tolerance.
Anwar Ibrahim
22/11/09
Syariah court punishment is an insult to Islamic principles
KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accused the country’s Islamic judiciary system of being hypocritical.
The Permatang Pauh MP said that the syariah court was practising selective prosecution.
“The question is how to restore the confidence in this system. If it is the issue of drinking alcohol, there are big and popular figures who drink alcohol but only the small people are punished. People will of course question but this is not about questioning the Quran. There is a hypocrisy and inconsistency in this system.
"What is disputed is the implementation of the laws which help restore confidence in the syariah court’s integrity in the eyes of not only Muslims, but also non-Muslims and the world,” he in his supplementary question to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim in Parliament.
Anwar also asked why an Islamic scholar or a mufti needs a permit to preach.
Mashitah replied that it was not a question whether the person is an Islamic scholar or not but a person needs a permit to preach.
“Even if you can drive a car well on the road but you don’t have a licence, the police will still arrest you. The same can be applied here,” she said.
Anwar interrupted and asked why a person who can be a mufti needs a licence to preach to loud jeers from Barisan Nasional lawmakers.
Former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was charged in the Gombak Syariah Court today with teaching without a permit.
The controversial scholar was arrested by the Selangor Islamic authority Jais some two weeks ago while giving a private lecture at a friend’s residence in Ukay Heights.
Though Asri cried foul play over the arrest, which he claimed was “aggressively” executed, Jais said the apprehension was not due to the ongoing war of words between them but simply because he had broken the law by giving a sermon without a permit.
Various leaders from both sides of the political divide, including former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a known supporter of Asri's, have condemned the arrest.
Asri, who was a university lecturer until his appointment as Perlis mufti in 2006, is noted for his unconventional interpretation of Islamic principles which often contradict government-endorsed doctrines.
Earlier, Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz stressed that the syariah court is important for Muslims, and non-Muslims should not interfere.
“We are disappointed when punishment handed out by the syariah court is disputed by certain parties that try to interfere and insult Islamic principles.
22/11/09
The Permatang Pauh MP said that the syariah court was practising selective prosecution.
“The question is how to restore the confidence in this system. If it is the issue of drinking alcohol, there are big and popular figures who drink alcohol but only the small people are punished. People will of course question but this is not about questioning the Quran. There is a hypocrisy and inconsistency in this system.
"What is disputed is the implementation of the laws which help restore confidence in the syariah court’s integrity in the eyes of not only Muslims, but also non-Muslims and the world,” he in his supplementary question to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim in Parliament.
Anwar also asked why an Islamic scholar or a mufti needs a permit to preach.
Mashitah replied that it was not a question whether the person is an Islamic scholar or not but a person needs a permit to preach.
“Even if you can drive a car well on the road but you don’t have a licence, the police will still arrest you. The same can be applied here,” she said.
Anwar interrupted and asked why a person who can be a mufti needs a licence to preach to loud jeers from Barisan Nasional lawmakers.
Former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was charged in the Gombak Syariah Court today with teaching without a permit.
The controversial scholar was arrested by the Selangor Islamic authority Jais some two weeks ago while giving a private lecture at a friend’s residence in Ukay Heights.
Though Asri cried foul play over the arrest, which he claimed was “aggressively” executed, Jais said the apprehension was not due to the ongoing war of words between them but simply because he had broken the law by giving a sermon without a permit.
Various leaders from both sides of the political divide, including former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a known supporter of Asri's, have condemned the arrest.
Asri, who was a university lecturer until his appointment as Perlis mufti in 2006, is noted for his unconventional interpretation of Islamic principles which often contradict government-endorsed doctrines.
Earlier, Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz stressed that the syariah court is important for Muslims, and non-Muslims should not interfere.
“We are disappointed when punishment handed out by the syariah court is disputed by certain parties that try to interfere and insult Islamic principles.
22/11/09
Put an End to Biro Tata Negara as it is creating racists and extremism society
“We were taught a song with lyrics like ‘the land that you walk upon is owned by others. Lecturers told us the Malays were forced to depend on the Chinese for support after 1998 because some Malays had betrayed their own race,” Hafidz Baharom, a freelance writer, recalled.
These courses have been running for years, and are intended to instill nationalistic values and patriotism. Conducted by the National Civics Bureau — better known as BTN (Biro Tatanegara) — the courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Last week, seven young Pakatan Rakyat Selangor assemblymen handed over a letter to the Selangor government, urging it to stop allowing students of state- owned universities and colleges to attend these courses.
The Selangor government, which is now controlled by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, owns three universities and colleges.
Kudos to Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi, Batu Caves assemblyman Amirudin Shari and others for standing up against decades of racist rhetoric and a programme paid by tax payers.
This is one of the many reasons why a segment of the society still think that the presence of others is the main reason for their deprivation. This is also a strong reason for to reject a race based coalition and end racism in the country.
ST
22/11/09
These courses have been running for years, and are intended to instill nationalistic values and patriotism. Conducted by the National Civics Bureau — better known as BTN (Biro Tatanegara) — the courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Last week, seven young Pakatan Rakyat Selangor assemblymen handed over a letter to the Selangor government, urging it to stop allowing students of state- owned universities and colleges to attend these courses.
The Selangor government, which is now controlled by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, owns three universities and colleges.
Kudos to Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi, Batu Caves assemblyman Amirudin Shari and others for standing up against decades of racist rhetoric and a programme paid by tax payers.
This is one of the many reasons why a segment of the society still think that the presence of others is the main reason for their deprivation. This is also a strong reason for to reject a race based coalition and end racism in the country.
ST
22/11/09
Anwar calls on Pakatan states to lead by example
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states today to be role models of good governance and reforms in order for Malaysia to move towards a two-party system.
The Opposition Leader pointed out, however, that major constraints remained because of what he said were the corruption of government institutions under the Barisan Nasional (BN) which prevented a two-party system from being viable.
But he said that there was now space for PR states to carry forward this spirit of renewal and renovation.
“The states must show an example via its policies, which must emphasise good governance, diversity, compassion for the weak and safeguarding of natural resources and the environment.
Government institutions, he said, are also in desperate need of reform so that they serve the common good and not the parochial interests of political and corporate allies.
Anwar was speaking at PR’s national symposium on the making of a two-party system organised by the Institute for Policy Research (IKD) earlier today.
“The idea of a two-party system has been talked about ad infinitum since last year. The excitement many have expressed over the advent of this new dimension in Malaysian politics might suggest that the mere existence of a viable second party is itself the holy grail of a democratic state.
“Some might even draw the conclusion that once in power this alternative voice would swiftly rectify the monumental ills that have been heaped upon Malaysian society by the Barisan National,” said Anwar.
According to the PKR leader, the opposition has had a significant presence in Malaysia since the very first days of the Federation where they have held seats in Parliament.
Having a two-party system is not a new concept; rather the two-party system recognised today differs from the style of political participation that has already been there in the beginning, he said.
There is now “greater space” afforded to public deliberation, the exchange of ideas and the possibility of new choices and alternatives, said Anwar.
Anwar argued that the original Malaysian Constitution was no longer intact as institutions laced with corruption and failed policies have been the stumbling block for progress.
“While there has been a sea change in the political landscape, Malaysia has not changed overnight ... we still face a federal government mired in corruption. The media is shackled and unfree – incapable of fulfilling the sacred and solemn mandate bestowed upon the noble profession of journalism.”
Anwar went on to hit out at institutions such as the legislature and judiciary as only representing vested interests and not “acting impartially”.
“Where the legislature may exceed its bounds in passing into law edicts that transgress the bounds of the constitution, it is up to the judiciary to interpret redress mistakes that may have been made by legislators,” said Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP.
MI
The Opposition Leader pointed out, however, that major constraints remained because of what he said were the corruption of government institutions under the Barisan Nasional (BN) which prevented a two-party system from being viable.
But he said that there was now space for PR states to carry forward this spirit of renewal and renovation.
“The states must show an example via its policies, which must emphasise good governance, diversity, compassion for the weak and safeguarding of natural resources and the environment.
Government institutions, he said, are also in desperate need of reform so that they serve the common good and not the parochial interests of political and corporate allies.
Anwar was speaking at PR’s national symposium on the making of a two-party system organised by the Institute for Policy Research (IKD) earlier today.
“The idea of a two-party system has been talked about ad infinitum since last year. The excitement many have expressed over the advent of this new dimension in Malaysian politics might suggest that the mere existence of a viable second party is itself the holy grail of a democratic state.
“Some might even draw the conclusion that once in power this alternative voice would swiftly rectify the monumental ills that have been heaped upon Malaysian society by the Barisan National,” said Anwar.
According to the PKR leader, the opposition has had a significant presence in Malaysia since the very first days of the Federation where they have held seats in Parliament.
Having a two-party system is not a new concept; rather the two-party system recognised today differs from the style of political participation that has already been there in the beginning, he said.
There is now “greater space” afforded to public deliberation, the exchange of ideas and the possibility of new choices and alternatives, said Anwar.
Anwar argued that the original Malaysian Constitution was no longer intact as institutions laced with corruption and failed policies have been the stumbling block for progress.
“While there has been a sea change in the political landscape, Malaysia has not changed overnight ... we still face a federal government mired in corruption. The media is shackled and unfree – incapable of fulfilling the sacred and solemn mandate bestowed upon the noble profession of journalism.”
Anwar went on to hit out at institutions such as the legislature and judiciary as only representing vested interests and not “acting impartially”.
“Where the legislature may exceed its bounds in passing into law edicts that transgress the bounds of the constitution, it is up to the judiciary to interpret redress mistakes that may have been made by legislators,” said Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP.
MI
22/11/09
UMNO & Dr. Mahathir: Enemies of the state
India, apparently is a country which has made the "mistake of being too democratic". And, "democracy can be a hindrance to progress because you spend so much time politicking that you don’t have time to develop your country. In China, there’s not much politics. So, they can spend more time developing their country.”
Those are statements attributed to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a IANS report as quoted by Malaysia Today.
I love it when Dr M is being philosophical. Because he makes philosophy, especially political philosophy, interesting. Interesting in a comedic way, I mean.
First and foremost, to put China and India in the same political sphere is an act of questionable wisdom.
India is a parliamentary republic deeply entrenched within the Westminster-typed democracy as practised in the United Kingdom. Malaysia, which was governed by Dr M, practises the Westminster-typed democracy as well, save for the fact that we are not a republic.
China, on the other hand, is not a democratic country at all. It is a communist country. The people have no freedom of speech or at all. They kill their own people for having the guts to stand up and be counted. The so-called leaders do things according to their own whims and fancies. The people just have to accept. There is not election. No voting. No nothing.
(The only good thing about China's administration is the fact that they shoot their civil servants for corruption.)
Dr M must have confused China with Malaysia during his days as the Prime Minister. Save for the fact that Malaysia is not a communist country and we do not shoot our civil servants for corruption, of course.
According to Dr M, the people "do not understand the limits of democracy”. And that dear Doctor, includes the leaders too, if I may add. Which begs the question, what can the people do when they do not understand, or misunderstand, the limits of democracy? Create chaos? If so, isn't it the duty of a responsible government to educate and to protect the people and the state in accordance with the law and the power entrusted by the people?
The real danger to the state is not the people not understanding the limits of democracy. The real danger to the state is the leaders not understanding the limits of their powers. The real danger to the state is the leaders not understanding democracy in itself and its inner working. Because there lies the root of abuses. There lies the root of wrongdoings, corruption, nepotism, cronyism and totalitarian absolutism.
While a responsible government could crush, with all its might and powers, a revolt by people who do not know the limits of democracy, what, on the other side of the fence, can the people do to stop government-sponsored terrors, abuses, financial misdeeds, tortures, transgressions of universal human rights and even downright murders?
Remember Memali? What could the helpless people who, in the mid-80s, were still eating ubi keledek for dinner, do? Other than to bath the dead, pray for them and bury them six feet in the ground? And believe that the dead are going to heaven as "syuhada"? What? And what danger were those people to the state?
In a democracy the people trade some of their freedom for the greater societal benefits that the state manifestly offers. The government is the trustee of the people's freedom and the powers conferred by the people. Those trust properties are to be used only, and only, for the betterment of society and the state. And the people choose those who are to govern. That is the crux of democracy. But does it end there? We vote and so it is democratic? That's it? And upon being elected, we are at your mercy?
What about the performance of the trust?
And so, apparently, if the people know their limits, the leaders can concentrate on developing the country. Like in China. Oh, how blessed is our developed Malaysia. During 22 years of Dr M's rule, when all of us knew our limits, or made to know our limits, he so concentrated on the development of Malaysia. Let's see. We have:
• spanking nice highways but we have to pay tolls and the toll rate keeps on going up like an elevator to nowhere.
• an education system which serves as a fertile breeding ground for racial segregation and good for manufacturing humanoids.
• health care services which are almost non-existent.
• a huge new administrative centre with no viable transportation system and parking space.
• a transportation system which is high on technology but really low on delivery.
• nice tallest twin towers in the world.
• nice race track which hosts three international races per year.
• broadband services which is anything but broad.
• etc, etc
If Dr M was right, that being undemocratic or not so democratic was productive in terms of development, why is Malaysia still not a developed nation after 22 years of benevolent absolutist rule? Why are we now mired in:
• racism — the least said the better.
• religious extremism and persecution — Dr Asri was just charged as I am writing this.
• corruption — look at the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2009 published two days ago.
• governmental abuses — need I list them out?
• human rights transgressions — read Operasi Lalang.
• societal beliefs in tahyul, bomoh and superstition.
• a societal transfixion with celebrity weddings, house decor, body and physical decor and upliftment.
• semi-feudalistic idolatry of leaders and mini emperors.
• stupidity, even in the House of Parliament.
• a bunch of generation Z whose idea of progress is upgrading their iPhone3G to iPhone3GS.
• fill in the blank.
Twenty-two years after. And we have these. Do these exist because our people did not know the limits of democracy for 22 years? Or because our leaders did not know the limit of their powers for 22 years and beyond?
Yes. According to Dr M, the Westerners are wrong for making democracy and freedom the cornerstone of progress. The British are so free they go on strike every other day. Well, who sent people to the moon in 1969? Which part of the world had an industrial revolution? Why have Russia, East Germany, Romania et al embraced democracy and freedom? From whom did we buy our Scorpene? Why glasnost and perestroika? So the people know the limits of freedom and how to behave themselves properly and in accordance with the government's code of behavioural acceptance?
And finally, according to Dr M, apart from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan will lead the Asian charge.
Which made me thinking, were Japan, South Korea and Taiwan governed by a benevolent absolutist government? Do the people in these countries know the limits of democracy? If so, to what extent? And who impose and define these limits on them?
Because the last time I checked, the South Koreans will come out on the street in droves to protest even the misuse of an office eraser by a minister. The Taiwanese, on the other hand, would fight tooth and nail for the right to hog the microphone in their House of Representatives. As for the Japanese, they just booted out their long non-performing government.
So, India is too democratic and therefore they won't succeed?
MI
21/11/09
Those are statements attributed to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a IANS report as quoted by Malaysia Today.
I love it when Dr M is being philosophical. Because he makes philosophy, especially political philosophy, interesting. Interesting in a comedic way, I mean.
First and foremost, to put China and India in the same political sphere is an act of questionable wisdom.
India is a parliamentary republic deeply entrenched within the Westminster-typed democracy as practised in the United Kingdom. Malaysia, which was governed by Dr M, practises the Westminster-typed democracy as well, save for the fact that we are not a republic.
China, on the other hand, is not a democratic country at all. It is a communist country. The people have no freedom of speech or at all. They kill their own people for having the guts to stand up and be counted. The so-called leaders do things according to their own whims and fancies. The people just have to accept. There is not election. No voting. No nothing.
(The only good thing about China's administration is the fact that they shoot their civil servants for corruption.)
Dr M must have confused China with Malaysia during his days as the Prime Minister. Save for the fact that Malaysia is not a communist country and we do not shoot our civil servants for corruption, of course.
According to Dr M, the people "do not understand the limits of democracy”. And that dear Doctor, includes the leaders too, if I may add. Which begs the question, what can the people do when they do not understand, or misunderstand, the limits of democracy? Create chaos? If so, isn't it the duty of a responsible government to educate and to protect the people and the state in accordance with the law and the power entrusted by the people?
The real danger to the state is not the people not understanding the limits of democracy. The real danger to the state is the leaders not understanding the limits of their powers. The real danger to the state is the leaders not understanding democracy in itself and its inner working. Because there lies the root of abuses. There lies the root of wrongdoings, corruption, nepotism, cronyism and totalitarian absolutism.
While a responsible government could crush, with all its might and powers, a revolt by people who do not know the limits of democracy, what, on the other side of the fence, can the people do to stop government-sponsored terrors, abuses, financial misdeeds, tortures, transgressions of universal human rights and even downright murders?
Remember Memali? What could the helpless people who, in the mid-80s, were still eating ubi keledek for dinner, do? Other than to bath the dead, pray for them and bury them six feet in the ground? And believe that the dead are going to heaven as "syuhada"? What? And what danger were those people to the state?
In a democracy the people trade some of their freedom for the greater societal benefits that the state manifestly offers. The government is the trustee of the people's freedom and the powers conferred by the people. Those trust properties are to be used only, and only, for the betterment of society and the state. And the people choose those who are to govern. That is the crux of democracy. But does it end there? We vote and so it is democratic? That's it? And upon being elected, we are at your mercy?
What about the performance of the trust?
And so, apparently, if the people know their limits, the leaders can concentrate on developing the country. Like in China. Oh, how blessed is our developed Malaysia. During 22 years of Dr M's rule, when all of us knew our limits, or made to know our limits, he so concentrated on the development of Malaysia. Let's see. We have:
• spanking nice highways but we have to pay tolls and the toll rate keeps on going up like an elevator to nowhere.
• an education system which serves as a fertile breeding ground for racial segregation and good for manufacturing humanoids.
• health care services which are almost non-existent.
• a huge new administrative centre with no viable transportation system and parking space.
• a transportation system which is high on technology but really low on delivery.
• nice tallest twin towers in the world.
• nice race track which hosts three international races per year.
• broadband services which is anything but broad.
• etc, etc
If Dr M was right, that being undemocratic or not so democratic was productive in terms of development, why is Malaysia still not a developed nation after 22 years of benevolent absolutist rule? Why are we now mired in:
• racism — the least said the better.
• religious extremism and persecution — Dr Asri was just charged as I am writing this.
• corruption — look at the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2009 published two days ago.
• governmental abuses — need I list them out?
• human rights transgressions — read Operasi Lalang.
• societal beliefs in tahyul, bomoh and superstition.
• a societal transfixion with celebrity weddings, house decor, body and physical decor and upliftment.
• semi-feudalistic idolatry of leaders and mini emperors.
• stupidity, even in the House of Parliament.
• a bunch of generation Z whose idea of progress is upgrading their iPhone3G to iPhone3GS.
• fill in the blank.
Twenty-two years after. And we have these. Do these exist because our people did not know the limits of democracy for 22 years? Or because our leaders did not know the limit of their powers for 22 years and beyond?
Yes. According to Dr M, the Westerners are wrong for making democracy and freedom the cornerstone of progress. The British are so free they go on strike every other day. Well, who sent people to the moon in 1969? Which part of the world had an industrial revolution? Why have Russia, East Germany, Romania et al embraced democracy and freedom? From whom did we buy our Scorpene? Why glasnost and perestroika? So the people know the limits of freedom and how to behave themselves properly and in accordance with the government's code of behavioural acceptance?
And finally, according to Dr M, apart from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan will lead the Asian charge.
Which made me thinking, were Japan, South Korea and Taiwan governed by a benevolent absolutist government? Do the people in these countries know the limits of democracy? If so, to what extent? And who impose and define these limits on them?
Because the last time I checked, the South Koreans will come out on the street in droves to protest even the misuse of an office eraser by a minister. The Taiwanese, on the other hand, would fight tooth and nail for the right to hog the microphone in their House of Representatives. As for the Japanese, they just booted out their long non-performing government.
So, India is too democratic and therefore they won't succeed?
MI
21/11/09
Hindraf Cow head candle vigil – 16 arrested. MCA vigil no arrest
This is UMNO’s justice which “abides” by Article 8 of the Federal Constitution which provides for equality and equal protection before the law. Bravo UMNO!
Hindraf Cow head candle vigil
Bravo UMNO! This is One Malay-sia!
21/11/09
UMNO used MACC for their political agenda and the consequence MACC image tarnished
MACC: Biting the political neutrality bullet — Dr Lim Teck Ghee
NOV 21 — Several days ago, I received an urgent message from a friend inviting me to a seminar on “Corruption Prevention in Business Sector 2009” organised jointly by the MACC, MACC Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel and the Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia.
The friend – whose name I need not mention here – is an MACC advisory committee member who knows full well my scathing opinion of the MACC and its work to date. “Come to the seminar as my guest and hear them out” he urged me. “Rome was not built in a day; we must be constructive not destructive”.
Now I have criticised the MACC on several occasions in public speeches as well as in writing, especially in relation to its involvement in the Teoh Beng Hock tragedy. I have also called for the MACC advisory committee members to resign in protest against the death of Teoh when the young man was under MACC custody.
Although some readers may get the impression that I am an inflexible, uncompromising or implacable critic of the MACC, the fact is that I and others that have spoken out against the MACC, want to see it reformed and truly effective in its work mission.
I recognise the great value that a dedicated, fully professional and efficient MACC can bring to the fight against the scourge of corruption which has seeped very deeply into all segments of the society. Hence, my criticisms are not meant to bury the agency; rather they are intended to expose key flaws and weaknesses in the MACC that have prevented it from carrying out its duties under section 7 of the MACC Act 2009.
I and other critics may not be MACC advisory members but our role in identifying the root defects and inadequacies that have marred the MACC’s performance, and in suggesting solutions perhaps may be just as – if not more – useful than that of advisory members.
Hence, my decision – despite the late notice – to attend the seminar and to find out specifically if there had been any new developments that may have taken place in the MACC that would warrant me to change my negative view of the agency.
DEPUTY CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S ADDRESS
I must say that I was very surprised by the welcome speech of the MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner, Datuk Haji Abu Kassim bin Mohamed. This was not your usual scripted introductory address full of niceties and protocol.
He spoke candidly and unusually for a senior civil servant, almost off the cuff, and from the heart, of the many problems and issues that his organisation faced, not least of which is the public perception that the MACC has underperformed.
I was struck by the almost evangelical pitch he used in condemning the widespread acceptance of corruption in the society at large. I was also struck by his faith in the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption.
“Believe me, the government wants real reform; it wants change; it wants accountability”. There was also much flag waving by Abu Kassim of the MACC’s five committees and 42 members. They are “really independent” and “representing the public’s interests”.
I was struck but I must say that I am not yet persuaded by his rhetoric in the ability of the MACC to do its job without interference from any quarter or to retrieve that lost public confidence in its autonomy and independence.
RESTORING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
I had the opportunity during the short Q & A session to express my opinion on what can restore public confidence in the MACC and help to ensure that it is a body of unquestionable integrity and professionalism. In my view (shared by many Malaysians), the fatal flaw of the MACC is that it is not politically neutral.
I stressed to Kassim that until this issue of political neutrality is satisfactorily addressed, there will continue to be a lack of confidence with the way in which the MACC investigates complaints, collects evidence and undertakes prosecution. In my delivery, I also made three suggestions to Abu Kassim on how to address the issue of political neutrality.
Firstly, that the mission statement of the MACC includes clear wording that the agency will scrupulously ensure and maintain political neutrality in the way it conducts its work. Secondly, that a sixth committee on “safeguarding and ensuring political neutrality” should be established and tasked with the oversight of the political neutrality of the MACC .Thirdly, that the MACC reports to Parliament and not to the prime minister of the day
Finally, I pointed out that these suggestions would assist MACC staff in their work by helping ensure that they are beyond reproach and not made to suffer on the issue of political bias or selectivity. Implementing the suggestions would also help the government convince the public that it is serious about eradicating corruption.
I was pleasantly surprised at the generally positive response provided by Abu Kassim to the suggestions. Although he responded that the proof of the MACC’s political even handedness was already evident in the cases it had taken up, he agreed to raise them with the prime minister and the government.
RALLYING TO THE CAUSE
It is important that Abu Kassim does not take up the issue of political neutrality of the MACC all alone by himself. If we – through inaction – allow this to happen, the cause will be lost.
I hope that members of the MACC can fully discuss the crucial issue of political neutrality in their coming meetings and see how this can be made the centrepiece of the terms of reference of the agency and the work of the advisory committees.
I have no doubt that the combined voices of the 42 MACC advisory committee members on this issue can bring quick change. The only question is whether they share the same sense of urgency on the matter that I feel.
In addition to the three suggestions I proposed at the seminar, I would like to add a fourth suggestion and that is a second Deputy Chief Commissioner be added to the existing senior staff to manage and be responsible for the MACC policy on political neutrality.
If this litmus test of political neutrality is not developed and applied, then I fear it may not be possible to protect the dedicated staff of the MACC from becoming pawns or victims of partisan political interests. Worse, it may mean that the MACC may be beyond salvaging.
LATEST TI CORRUPTION PERCEPTION RANKING
Quite coincidentally, at the same time as the seminar was taking place, Transparency International Malaysia was holding a press conference to announce Malaysia’s position in the TI Corruption Perception Index 2009. In this latest survey, Malaysia’s ranking has plunged to its worst ever ranking in the last decade (see Table below).
Transparency Corruption Perception Index (1 = Best Performing)
Year Ranking Number of Countries
2009 56 180
2008 47 180
2007 43 179
2006 44 163
2005 39 158
2004 39 145
2003 37 133
2002 33 102
2001 36 91
2000 36 90
(Source: http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi )
The choice for the MACC is clear: embrace political neutrality in its terms of reference and practice it fully in its work or be seen as a tainted and partisan agency engaged in selective and politically motivated action.
FINAL THOUGHT
When I sent this draft to my MACC advisory committee friend, he reminded that “a declaration of political neutrality is not the panacea” for all of the MACC’s ills and woes. It is not. However, it is an important – perhaps the most important – requirement for the restoration of legitimacy and integrity to this much maligned agency. — cpiasia
MI
21/11/09
NOV 21 — Several days ago, I received an urgent message from a friend inviting me to a seminar on “Corruption Prevention in Business Sector 2009” organised jointly by the MACC, MACC Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel and the Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia.
The friend – whose name I need not mention here – is an MACC advisory committee member who knows full well my scathing opinion of the MACC and its work to date. “Come to the seminar as my guest and hear them out” he urged me. “Rome was not built in a day; we must be constructive not destructive”.
Now I have criticised the MACC on several occasions in public speeches as well as in writing, especially in relation to its involvement in the Teoh Beng Hock tragedy. I have also called for the MACC advisory committee members to resign in protest against the death of Teoh when the young man was under MACC custody.
Although some readers may get the impression that I am an inflexible, uncompromising or implacable critic of the MACC, the fact is that I and others that have spoken out against the MACC, want to see it reformed and truly effective in its work mission.
I recognise the great value that a dedicated, fully professional and efficient MACC can bring to the fight against the scourge of corruption which has seeped very deeply into all segments of the society. Hence, my criticisms are not meant to bury the agency; rather they are intended to expose key flaws and weaknesses in the MACC that have prevented it from carrying out its duties under section 7 of the MACC Act 2009.
I and other critics may not be MACC advisory members but our role in identifying the root defects and inadequacies that have marred the MACC’s performance, and in suggesting solutions perhaps may be just as – if not more – useful than that of advisory members.
Hence, my decision – despite the late notice – to attend the seminar and to find out specifically if there had been any new developments that may have taken place in the MACC that would warrant me to change my negative view of the agency.
DEPUTY CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S ADDRESS
I must say that I was very surprised by the welcome speech of the MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner, Datuk Haji Abu Kassim bin Mohamed. This was not your usual scripted introductory address full of niceties and protocol.
He spoke candidly and unusually for a senior civil servant, almost off the cuff, and from the heart, of the many problems and issues that his organisation faced, not least of which is the public perception that the MACC has underperformed.
I was struck by the almost evangelical pitch he used in condemning the widespread acceptance of corruption in the society at large. I was also struck by his faith in the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption.
“Believe me, the government wants real reform; it wants change; it wants accountability”. There was also much flag waving by Abu Kassim of the MACC’s five committees and 42 members. They are “really independent” and “representing the public’s interests”.
I was struck but I must say that I am not yet persuaded by his rhetoric in the ability of the MACC to do its job without interference from any quarter or to retrieve that lost public confidence in its autonomy and independence.
RESTORING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
I had the opportunity during the short Q & A session to express my opinion on what can restore public confidence in the MACC and help to ensure that it is a body of unquestionable integrity and professionalism. In my view (shared by many Malaysians), the fatal flaw of the MACC is that it is not politically neutral.
I stressed to Kassim that until this issue of political neutrality is satisfactorily addressed, there will continue to be a lack of confidence with the way in which the MACC investigates complaints, collects evidence and undertakes prosecution. In my delivery, I also made three suggestions to Abu Kassim on how to address the issue of political neutrality.
Firstly, that the mission statement of the MACC includes clear wording that the agency will scrupulously ensure and maintain political neutrality in the way it conducts its work. Secondly, that a sixth committee on “safeguarding and ensuring political neutrality” should be established and tasked with the oversight of the political neutrality of the MACC .Thirdly, that the MACC reports to Parliament and not to the prime minister of the day
Finally, I pointed out that these suggestions would assist MACC staff in their work by helping ensure that they are beyond reproach and not made to suffer on the issue of political bias or selectivity. Implementing the suggestions would also help the government convince the public that it is serious about eradicating corruption.
I was pleasantly surprised at the generally positive response provided by Abu Kassim to the suggestions. Although he responded that the proof of the MACC’s political even handedness was already evident in the cases it had taken up, he agreed to raise them with the prime minister and the government.
RALLYING TO THE CAUSE
It is important that Abu Kassim does not take up the issue of political neutrality of the MACC all alone by himself. If we – through inaction – allow this to happen, the cause will be lost.
I hope that members of the MACC can fully discuss the crucial issue of political neutrality in their coming meetings and see how this can be made the centrepiece of the terms of reference of the agency and the work of the advisory committees.
I have no doubt that the combined voices of the 42 MACC advisory committee members on this issue can bring quick change. The only question is whether they share the same sense of urgency on the matter that I feel.
In addition to the three suggestions I proposed at the seminar, I would like to add a fourth suggestion and that is a second Deputy Chief Commissioner be added to the existing senior staff to manage and be responsible for the MACC policy on political neutrality.
If this litmus test of political neutrality is not developed and applied, then I fear it may not be possible to protect the dedicated staff of the MACC from becoming pawns or victims of partisan political interests. Worse, it may mean that the MACC may be beyond salvaging.
LATEST TI CORRUPTION PERCEPTION RANKING
Quite coincidentally, at the same time as the seminar was taking place, Transparency International Malaysia was holding a press conference to announce Malaysia’s position in the TI Corruption Perception Index 2009. In this latest survey, Malaysia’s ranking has plunged to its worst ever ranking in the last decade (see Table below).
Transparency Corruption Perception Index (1 = Best Performing)
Year Ranking Number of Countries
2009 56 180
2008 47 180
2007 43 179
2006 44 163
2005 39 158
2004 39 145
2003 37 133
2002 33 102
2001 36 91
2000 36 90
(Source: http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi )
The choice for the MACC is clear: embrace political neutrality in its terms of reference and practice it fully in its work or be seen as a tainted and partisan agency engaged in selective and politically motivated action.
FINAL THOUGHT
When I sent this draft to my MACC advisory committee friend, he reminded that “a declaration of political neutrality is not the panacea” for all of the MACC’s ills and woes. It is not. However, it is an important – perhaps the most important – requirement for the restoration of legitimacy and integrity to this much maligned agency. — cpiasia
MI
21/11/09
UMNO spreads racism and propaganda in government camps
KL patriotism camps ‘racist and political’
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — When Hafidz Baharom, a freelance writer, entered a public university in 2002, he was sent with his classmates to a government camp for a week.
It was the usual jungle trekking and other team-building activities, but interspersed with these were lectures. Some of the content was disturbing, he said.
“We were taught a song with lyrics like ‘the land that you walk upon is owned by others. Lecturers told us the Malays were forced to depend on the Chinese for support after 1998 because some Malays had betrayed their own race,” he recalled.
The segment on Malay betrayal was in reference to the 1998 sacking of deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim which caused many Malays to vote for the opposition in the general election a year later. “It was brainwashing propaganda,” Hafidz, 26, told The Straits Times.
These courses have been running for years, and are intended to instil nationalistic values and patriotism. Conducted by the National Civics Bureau — better known as BTN (Biro Tatanegara) — the courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Last week, seven young Pakatan Rakyat Selangor assemblymen handed over a letter to the Selangor government, urging it to stop allowing students of state- owned universities and colleges to attend these courses.
The Selangor government, which is now controlled by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, owns three universities and colleges.
“We wrote to the Menteri Besar and executive councillor for education,” said Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, a state assemblyman for Seri Setia, and also special officer to the mentri besar.
Nik Nazmi said one of the colleges had already stopped sending students to the camps. He told The Straits Times that he too had first-hand experience with a BTN programme when he attended a five-day camp before being sent to university in London in 2003. The lectures, he said, focused on emphasising that the Malays were left behind and still needed affirmative action.
“It was racial and political in nature,” Nik Nazmi said, recalling that Anwar was vilified for being too close to Western powers, and that the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia was labelled as deviationist.
Batu Caves assemblyman Amirudin Shari, who also signed the letter, was quoted by news website Malaysiakini as saying that feedback showed that much of the BTN programme had nothing to do with nation-building.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ (Malay supremacy) and external threats,” he said.
It was reported that the government is now considering revamping the BTN as part of the initiative to promote Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia policy, which aims to resolve the racial polarisation that has become one of the country’s greatest worries.
Since Najib took office in April, he has been reaching out to the minorities, and has attempted to resolve their biggest grievances.
This included tackling problems relating to the conversion of children to Islam, and the removal of the Malay quota for ownership of public-listed companies.
MI
21/11/09
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — When Hafidz Baharom, a freelance writer, entered a public university in 2002, he was sent with his classmates to a government camp for a week.
It was the usual jungle trekking and other team-building activities, but interspersed with these were lectures. Some of the content was disturbing, he said.
“We were taught a song with lyrics like ‘the land that you walk upon is owned by others. Lecturers told us the Malays were forced to depend on the Chinese for support after 1998 because some Malays had betrayed their own race,” he recalled.
The segment on Malay betrayal was in reference to the 1998 sacking of deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim which caused many Malays to vote for the opposition in the general election a year later. “It was brainwashing propaganda,” Hafidz, 26, told The Straits Times.
These courses have been running for years, and are intended to instil nationalistic values and patriotism. Conducted by the National Civics Bureau — better known as BTN (Biro Tatanegara) — the courses are for university students on public scholarships and civil servants. BTN is under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Last week, seven young Pakatan Rakyat Selangor assemblymen handed over a letter to the Selangor government, urging it to stop allowing students of state- owned universities and colleges to attend these courses.
The Selangor government, which is now controlled by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, owns three universities and colleges.
“We wrote to the Menteri Besar and executive councillor for education,” said Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, a state assemblyman for Seri Setia, and also special officer to the mentri besar.
Nik Nazmi said one of the colleges had already stopped sending students to the camps. He told The Straits Times that he too had first-hand experience with a BTN programme when he attended a five-day camp before being sent to university in London in 2003. The lectures, he said, focused on emphasising that the Malays were left behind and still needed affirmative action.
“It was racial and political in nature,” Nik Nazmi said, recalling that Anwar was vilified for being too close to Western powers, and that the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia was labelled as deviationist.
Batu Caves assemblyman Amirudin Shari, who also signed the letter, was quoted by news website Malaysiakini as saying that feedback showed that much of the BTN programme had nothing to do with nation-building.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ (Malay supremacy) and external threats,” he said.
It was reported that the government is now considering revamping the BTN as part of the initiative to promote Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia policy, which aims to resolve the racial polarisation that has become one of the country’s greatest worries.
Since Najib took office in April, he has been reaching out to the minorities, and has attempted to resolve their biggest grievances.
This included tackling problems relating to the conversion of children to Islam, and the removal of the Malay quota for ownership of public-listed companies.
MI
21/11/09
HINDRAF – 3 events on November 25th 2009 to commemorate HINDRAF’s
HINDRAF – 3 events on November 25th 2009 to commemorate HINDRAF’s
Neo Democratic Revolution.
It has been two years since the Neo Democratic Revolution and uprising of the Malaysian Indians against the marginalized and systematic discrimination against them by the UMNO led Government.
HINDRAF would be organizing three events to commemorate the people’s Neo Democratic Revolution initiated by HINDRAF against the totalitarian government led by the UMNO.
Event No 1 -
A gathering of 18 HINDRAF supporters in front of KLCC between 9.00am- 4.00pm to observe a hunger strike representing the 18 point demands that was submitted to the UMNO led government in uplifting the Malaysian Indian community that has been systematically marginalized and discriminated by the government for the last 52 years.
Event No 2 –
HINDRAF chairman’s daughter, W. Vaishnavi will be attending the Prime Minister’s Department in Putra Jaya to hand over a letter from HINDRAF Chairman detailing the current and immediate problems of the Malaysian Indians in regards to the discrimination that they face in socio development backwardness of the Malaysian Indian society within the sphere of Malaysian community in regards to education, economics, business, police abuses, freedom of religious practice and other continued suppression on Article 5, 8, 10 & 13 of the constitution against the public more particularly against the Malaysian Indians.
Event No 3 :
Nationwide prayers at more than 100 locations to light 18 ghee lamps to signify the 18 Point Demands submitted by Hindraf to the then Prime Minister that is yet to be fulfilled. A complete list of temples holding such prayers would be available for viewing on our website on the 25th November 2009.
A separate mega Ruthra yagam/fire ritual would be held on 29th November 2009 at Agora Veerabathrar Sanggili Karuppar Temple 17 ½ Mile Kg.Benggali Rawang Selangor.
It is a common cause for all Malaysian if fairness and equality is what we pursue to enhance our community’s agenda against the repressive government led by UMNO and its voiceless and spineless coalition for the betterment of the society.
Hindraf warns the Royal Malaysian Police not to interfere, disrupt and/or sabotage these peaceful gatherings which are organised in accordance to our basic rights enshrined under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and which is very meaningful and significant to Malaysian Indians.
Thank you
R.Shan
Internal Relations Coordinator
HINDRAF
New York
+1 646 6378600
Hishammuddin’s incompetence Minister
HERE'S what I want to know: why was Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein appointed to the cabinet, and why is he still a minister despite an appalling track record of saying and doing the wrong things?
Hishammuddin's statements as Home Minister since he was sworn into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's administration in April 2009, betray either how clueless or disrespectful he is about human rights, democratic principles and gender equality.
Examples abound. Most notably:
Hishammuddin may as well have said this...(all pics of Hishammuddin courtesy of theSun)
Hishammuddin famously said he was "thankful" that no "serious incidents" occurred in Perak on 7 May 2009 despite police action in arresting scores of people, including elected representatives, and the unlawful imprisonment of Perak Speaker V Sivakumar.
...and this...
He also famously declared that lawyers were not above the law in justifying the arrest of five legal aid lawyers who were trying to represent their clients who had been arrested at the Brickfields police station on the night of 7 May 2009. It wasn't just the Bar Council who was outraged, even the MCA was appalled at the arrest of lawyers who were merely doing their job. But Hishammuddin still found it fit to defend such police action.
...also this...
Of course, the starkest example of the kind of minister Hishammuddin is was demonstrated when he not only welcomed the Shah Alam cow-head protestors, he also defended them. With Hishammuddin's powerful and public legitimisation of bigotry and the threat of violence against Hindus in Malaysia, I reckon that Hishammuddin's behaviour was far more shameful than the protestors'. After all, his is a public office paid for by all tax-paying Malaysians to protect the nation's, and not some thugs', interest.
...and this...
Hishammuddin also became the butt of ridicule when on 12 Nov 2009 he defended the police yet again despite the country's high crime rate.
...and this.
And most recently, Hishammuddin demonstrated a total lack of gender awareness when he declared that Section 498 of the Penal Code was here to stay. His statement in Parliament also reminds us that actually, Hishammuddin, a lawyer by training, has no understanding of Malaysia's commitments under international law. In this case, it would be the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women or Cedaw, which Malaysia signed in 1995.
Incompetent
What do these gaffes by Hishammuddin tell us? Clearly, he's an incompetent minister who seems intent on defending the police force for their disregard of human rights and for their inefficiencies.
What has been done about the Penan issue in Sarawak?
(pic courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/malayrish/)
After all, the Home Ministry's mission statement, according to its website, is the "administration of internal security matters in ensuring peace and wellbeing of the people". How can a minister entrusted with this defend police incompetence and the threat of violence by non-state actors such as the cow-head protestors?
Also, what is Hishammuddin doing about the sheer incompetence of the Sarawak police force? Why has no action been taken against the police in Sarawak for its sloppy investigations into the rape of Penan girls and women despite a government task force report finding evidence of the rapes? Already, the Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS) has reported yet another rape in a primary school in the interiors of Sarawak where a teacher is a suspect.
As SWWS points out: "... the lesson for society to learn is that rape happens in the interior and will continue to happen until people who commit this crime know they are going to be found out and held to account for their actions."
Shaitaan defends his demons against Hishamuddin's accusations
(source: ribut di kuala lumpur)
But with Hishammuddin so busy defending the police force for its incompetence and lack of respect for human rights and democratic principles, will those who threaten the "peace and wellbeing of the people" ever be taken to task?
I'd be curious to know what Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will eventually be put in place for the Home Ministry. And if these KPIs are drawn up intelligently and fairly, I'll be willing to wager that Hishammuddin is more likely to fail in meeting his KPIs than succeed.
Cabinet appointments
Even so, will Hishammuddin be retained? That would really be a measure of whether Najib is serious about meeting his own KPIs as the nation's chief executive officer.
See, the problem with Hishammuddin being a minister isn't who he is per se. The problem with Hishammuddin is that the selection process of cabinet ministers is governed by political patronage.
On 13 Nov 2009, theSun ran a translation of the Chinese language press reports that quoted Najib as squashing rumours about an impending cabinet reshuffle involving MCA leaders. The Chinese press had speculated that MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat would ask for vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to be removed as Health Minister because of the fighting between both men.
Najib and Hishammuddin are cousins
(file pic)We all know that such a scenario is entirely possible. After all, by convention, the leaders of the main Barisan Nasional component parties have always been given cabinet positions.
In Hishammuddin's case, it would not be surprising if he was appointed to a powerful cabinet portfolio because he is Umno vice-president. Not only that, he is also Najib's cousin and the son of a former prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn.
This begs the question: who merits being appointed to cabinet positions in this country? Surely, if we are to achieve all the development goals that our prime ministers have been so fond of announcing, what we need are appointments based on meritocracy. Not political patronage nor family ties nor positions within a party.
For all intents and purposes, Hishammuddin should step down for his dismal and embarrassing performance as minister. And if he doesn't have the integrity to do so, he should be sacked. Neither is likely to happen, of course. But I would be happy to be proven wrong.
20/11/09
Converted to Islam at 7 in welfare home
A mother of two claims that she was unwittingly converted to Islam by state religious authorities as a child while at a welfare home in Kepala Batas, Penang.
S Banggarma, whose Muslim name is Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah, said she discovered this when seeking to register her marriage in 2000.
According to the housewife, she was converted to Islam in 1989, when she was seven years old.
Banggarama has sought the help of PKR Kedah Youth deputy chief and lawyer Gooi Hsiao Leung and the party's Kedah Indian affairs bureau deputy chief R Kumaraguru Naidu.
Prior to getting married to her fisherman husband S Sockalingam, the 27-year-old woman said she had to obtain her MyKad from the National Registration Department (NRD) in Ipoh.
Her marriage took place in Tanjung Piandang, Perak.
Banggarma had apparently fled from the Rumah Kanak-Kanak Taman Bakti when she was 16 together with several inmates without taking any of her identity documents.
"I was shocked when the NRD officers told me that I'm a Muslim convert by the name of Siti Hasnah. I was issued a MyKad with that name," she told a press conference at Gooi's office in Georgetown this afternoon.
She said due to her Muslim name, she could not register her marriage to Sockalingam, which was conducted according to Hindu rites. She was also unable to register her husband's name as the father in her children's birth certificates.
Birth cert states 'Hindu'
According to Banggarma, after being told about her conversion, she went back to the welfare home to retrieve her identity documents.
At the home, an officer handed over her birth certificate which stipulated that she was a born Hindu on Aug 13, 1982.
S Banggarma, whose Muslim name is Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah, said she discovered this when seeking to register her marriage in 2000.
According to the housewife, she was converted to Islam in 1989, when she was seven years old.Banggarama has sought the help of PKR Kedah Youth deputy chief and lawyer Gooi Hsiao Leung and the party's Kedah Indian affairs bureau deputy chief R Kumaraguru Naidu.
Prior to getting married to her fisherman husband S Sockalingam, the 27-year-old woman said she had to obtain her MyKad from the National Registration Department (NRD) in Ipoh.
Her marriage took place in Tanjung Piandang, Perak.
Banggarma had apparently fled from the Rumah Kanak-Kanak Taman Bakti when she was 16 together with several inmates without taking any of her identity documents.
"I was shocked when the NRD officers told me that I'm a Muslim convert by the name of Siti Hasnah. I was issued a MyKad with that name," she told a press conference at Gooi's office in Georgetown this afternoon.
She said due to her Muslim name, she could not register her marriage to Sockalingam, which was conducted according to Hindu rites. She was also unable to register her husband's name as the father in her children's birth certificates.
Birth cert states 'Hindu'
According to Banggarma, after being told about her conversion, she went back to the welfare home to retrieve her identity documents.
At the home, an officer handed over her birth certificate which stipulated that she was a born Hindu on Aug 13, 1982. The certificate revealed that she was born in Keratong, Pahang to plantation worker B Subramaniam and Latchumy Ramadu.
The welfare home officer also handed over a certificate disclosing her conversion in 1989.
She was apparently converted to Islam before a religious officer representing the state Islamic council and department. The document showed her signature 'Hasnah' on the left side bottom corner.
However, Banggarma could not recall the incident and claimed that she was living as a Hindu while she was at the welfare home.
"I have always been a practicing Hindu," she told reporters.
However, she admitted that she had attended Islamic prayer sessions with other inmates. "I supposed I just followed the crowd," she said.
Due to the conversion, Banggarma had difficulties in registering the birth of her two children - Kanagaraj, eight, and Hisyanthini, two – until last year.
"I finally managed to obtain birth certificates for my Hindu children through legal help. I also tried to change my name back to my original Hindu name in my MyKad twice. But my attempts were unsuccessful," she said.
Islamic authorities to investigate
Meanwhile, Gooi said he would bring up the issue with the state Islamic authorities to find a solution to end her Banggarma's predicament.
"We would take the matter to court if we have to," he said.
Gooi also chided the officers who converted Banggarma for being "irresponsible" and the welfare home for neglecting its duty.
"A welfare home's primary objective is to take care of the children, not convert them. Only an irresponsible person would have converted a seven-year-old," he said.
Contacted later, Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Council president Shabudin Yahaya said he would push for an investigation into the case.
"It happened a long time ago. We have to check our past records. It would take time," he said.
State executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Kassim however declined to comment on the case since it was a legal issue.
'My husband and kids are all I have'
During the press conference, Banggarma also revealed that she was brought to the welfare home together with two of her elder brothers and a younger sister.
"I was apparently found sleeping with my siblings on the roadside in Kepala Batas when the welfare officers took us to the home," she recalled.
However, once they were enrolled into the welfare home, the siblings were separated and she never met them again.
Banggarma said her mother died when she was very young and her father had abandoned her and her siblings soon after.
She said her father had visited her at the welfare home only once when she 13.
Banggarma added that she had three more older siblings who went missing before she was placed in the welfare home.
"My husband and my children are all I have. They are the world to me," she said.
20/11/09
Menukar agama semasa kanak-kanak berumur 7 tahun di Rumah Kebajikan Kepala Batas
Seorang surirumah beranak dua mendakwa bahawa pihak agama negeri telah menukar agamanya kepada Islam sewaktu dia masih kanak-kanak ketika ditempatkan di sebuah rumah kebajikan di Kepala Batas.
S Banggarma, yang nama Islamnya Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah berkata, dia menyedari mengenai perkara itu ketika hendak mendaftarkan perkahwinannya pada tahun 2000.
Menurut surirumah itu, agamanya ditukar kepada Islam pada tahun 1989, ketika dia baru berusia tujuh tahun.
Banggarama telah meminta bantuan timbalan ketua Angkatan Muda PKR Kedah yang juga seorang peguam, Gooi Hsiao Leung dan timbalan ketua biro hal ehwal kaum India PKR kedah, R Kumaraguru Naidu.
Sebelum berkahwin dengan suaminya seorang nelayan, S Sockalingam, surirumah yang berusia 27 tahun itu berkata dia sudahpun memperolehi MyKad dari Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) di Ipoh.
Perkahwinannya berlangsung di Tanjung Piandang, Perak.
Banggarma telah lari dari Rumah Kanak-kanak Taman Bakti ketika dia berusia 16 tahun, bersama dengan beberapa lagi penghuni di situ, tanpa membawa sama sebarang dokumen pengenalan dirinya.
"Saya terperanjat apabila pegawai JPN memberitahu yang saya seorang Islam bernama Siti Hasnah. MyKad
saya dikeluarkan atas nama tersebut," katanya dalam satu sidang akhbar di pejabat Gooi di George Town hari ini.
Ekoran nama Islam itu, katanya, dia tidak dapat mendaftar perkahwinannya dengan Sockalingam yang dijalankan mengikut upacara agama Hindu. Dia juga tidak dapat mendaftarkan nama suaminya sebagai bapa kepada anak-anaknya dalam sijil kelahiran mereka.
Sijil lahir catat 'Hindu'
Banggarma berkata selepas diberitahu mengenai pertukaran agamanya itu, dia pergi semula ke rumah kebajikan tersebut untuk mengambil dokumen pengenalan dirinya.
Seorang pegawai di rumah tersebut menyerahkan kepadanya sijil kelahiran yang mencatatkan dia dilahir beragama Hindu pada 13 Ogos 1982. Sijil tersebut mencatatkan dia dilahirkan di Keratong, Pahang. Bapanya seorang pekerja ladang, B Subramaniam dan ibunya bernama Latchumy Ramadu.
Pegawai kebajikan di rumah tersebut juga menyerahkan satu sijil yang menunjukkan pertukaran agamanya pada tahun 1989.
Pertukaran agamanya dikatakan dibuat di hadapan seorang pegawai agama yang mewakili jabatan dan majlis agama Islam negeri. Dokumen tersebut mempunyai tandatangannya 'Hasnah' pada sudut bawah sebelah kiri.
Bagaimanapun, Banggarma tidak dapat mengingati insiden itu dan mendakwa dia sentiasa bersembahyang dan menjalani kehidupan sebagai seorang penganut Hindu ketika tinggal di rumah kebajikan tersebut.
"Saya sentiasa mengamalkan agama Hindu," katanya kepada pemberita.
Bagaimanapun, dia mengakui pernah menghadiri sesi solat bersama penghuni yang lain.
"Saya hanya ikut mereka," katanya.
Ekoran pertukaran agama itu, Banggarma menghadapi kesulitan untuk mendaftarkan kelahiran dua anaknya - Kanagaraj (8 tahun), dan Hisyanthini (2 tahun) - tahun lalu.
"Saya akhirnya dapat juga sijil kelahiran anak-anak saya itu melalui bantuan guaman. Dua kali
saya cuba untuk menukar balik nama saya kepada nama asal Hindu saya dalam MyKad. Tetapi usaha saya itu tidak berjaya," katanya.
Pihak berkuasa agama siasat
Sementara itu, Gooi berkata beliau akan membawa isu kepada pihak berkuasa agama untuk mencari penyelesaian bagi mengakhiri masalah Banggarma itu.
"Kita akan membawa perkara itu ke mahkamah jika perlu berbuat demikian," katanya.
Gooi juga menyifatkan tindakan pegawai yang menukar agama Banggarma sebagai tidak "bertanggungjawab" serta membidas rumah kebajikan itu yang didakwanya telah mengabaikan tanggungjawabnya.
"Objektif utama sesebuah rumah kebajikan ialah untuk menjaga kanak-kanak. Hanya seseorang yang tidak bertanggungjawab sahaja yang akan menukar agama anak yang baru berusia tujuh tahun." katanya.
Ketika dihubungi, Presiden Majlis Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Pulau Pinang, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya Said berkata satu siasatan akan dijalankan terhadap kes tersebut.
Katanya, memandangkan perkara itu sudah lama berlaku, maka pihaknya akan memeriksa terlebih dahulu rekod-rekod lama dan ia mungkin mengambil masa.
Manakala exco negeri yang bertanggungjawab terhadap hal ehwal agama Islam, Abdul Malik Kassim pula enggan mengulas kes itu kerana menurutnya, ia adalah satu isu perundangan.
Dalam sidang akhbar tersebut, Banggarma memberitahu yang dia dimasukkan ke rumah kebajikan tersebut
bersama dua lagi abangnya dan seorang adik perempuannya.
Katanya, dia ditemui sedang tidur bersama abang dan adiknya itu di tepi jalan di Kepala Batas dan pegawai kebajikan telah menempatkan mereka di rumah kebajikan tersebut.
Bagaimanapun sebaik sahaja mereka dimasukkan di situ, dia dan abang serta adiknya dipisahkan dan sejak itu mereka tidak pernah berjumpa.
Banggarma berkata ibunya meninggal dunia ketika dia masih kecil manakala bapanya telah meninggalkan mereka tidak lama selepas itu.
Katanya, bapanya pernah sekali melawatnya di rumah kebajikan itu ketika dia berusia 13 tahun.
Dan yang ada padanya kini, kata Banggarma, hanya suami dan anak-anaknya.
S Banggarma, yang nama Islamnya Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah berkata, dia menyedari mengenai perkara itu ketika hendak mendaftarkan perkahwinannya pada tahun 2000.
Menurut surirumah itu, agamanya ditukar kepada Islam pada tahun 1989, ketika dia baru berusia tujuh tahun.Banggarama telah meminta bantuan timbalan ketua Angkatan Muda PKR Kedah yang juga seorang peguam, Gooi Hsiao Leung dan timbalan ketua biro hal ehwal kaum India PKR kedah, R Kumaraguru Naidu.
Sebelum berkahwin dengan suaminya seorang nelayan, S Sockalingam, surirumah yang berusia 27 tahun itu berkata dia sudahpun memperolehi MyKad dari Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) di Ipoh.
Perkahwinannya berlangsung di Tanjung Piandang, Perak.
Banggarma telah lari dari Rumah Kanak-kanak Taman Bakti ketika dia berusia 16 tahun, bersama dengan beberapa lagi penghuni di situ, tanpa membawa sama sebarang dokumen pengenalan dirinya.
"Saya terperanjat apabila pegawai JPN memberitahu yang saya seorang Islam bernama Siti Hasnah. MyKad
saya dikeluarkan atas nama tersebut," katanya dalam satu sidang akhbar di pejabat Gooi di George Town hari ini.
Ekoran nama Islam itu, katanya, dia tidak dapat mendaftar perkahwinannya dengan Sockalingam yang dijalankan mengikut upacara agama Hindu. Dia juga tidak dapat mendaftarkan nama suaminya sebagai bapa kepada anak-anaknya dalam sijil kelahiran mereka.
Sijil lahir catat 'Hindu'
Banggarma berkata selepas diberitahu mengenai pertukaran agamanya itu, dia pergi semula ke rumah kebajikan tersebut untuk mengambil dokumen pengenalan dirinya.Seorang pegawai di rumah tersebut menyerahkan kepadanya sijil kelahiran yang mencatatkan dia dilahir beragama Hindu pada 13 Ogos 1982. Sijil tersebut mencatatkan dia dilahirkan di Keratong, Pahang. Bapanya seorang pekerja ladang, B Subramaniam dan ibunya bernama Latchumy Ramadu.
Pegawai kebajikan di rumah tersebut juga menyerahkan satu sijil yang menunjukkan pertukaran agamanya pada tahun 1989.
Pertukaran agamanya dikatakan dibuat di hadapan seorang pegawai agama yang mewakili jabatan dan majlis agama Islam negeri. Dokumen tersebut mempunyai tandatangannya 'Hasnah' pada sudut bawah sebelah kiri.Bagaimanapun, Banggarma tidak dapat mengingati insiden itu dan mendakwa dia sentiasa bersembahyang dan menjalani kehidupan sebagai seorang penganut Hindu ketika tinggal di rumah kebajikan tersebut.
"Saya sentiasa mengamalkan agama Hindu," katanya kepada pemberita.
Bagaimanapun, dia mengakui pernah menghadiri sesi solat bersama penghuni yang lain.
"Saya hanya ikut mereka," katanya.
Ekoran pertukaran agama itu, Banggarma menghadapi kesulitan untuk mendaftarkan kelahiran dua anaknya - Kanagaraj (8 tahun), dan Hisyanthini (2 tahun) - tahun lalu.
"Saya akhirnya dapat juga sijil kelahiran anak-anak saya itu melalui bantuan guaman. Dua kali
saya cuba untuk menukar balik nama saya kepada nama asal Hindu saya dalam MyKad. Tetapi usaha saya itu tidak berjaya," katanya.
P
ihak berkuasa agama siasatSementara itu, Gooi berkata beliau akan membawa isu kepada pihak berkuasa agama untuk mencari penyelesaian bagi mengakhiri masalah Banggarma itu.
"Kita akan membawa perkara itu ke mahkamah jika perlu berbuat demikian," katanya.
Gooi juga menyifatkan tindakan pegawai yang menukar agama Banggarma sebagai tidak "bertanggungjawab" serta membidas rumah kebajikan itu yang didakwanya telah mengabaikan tanggungjawabnya.
"Objektif utama sesebuah rumah kebajikan ialah untuk menjaga kanak-kanak. Hanya seseorang yang tidak bertanggungjawab sahaja yang akan menukar agama anak yang baru berusia tujuh tahun." katanya.
Ketika dihubungi, Presiden Majlis Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Pulau Pinang, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya Said berkata satu siasatan akan dijalankan terhadap kes tersebut.
Katanya, memandangkan perkara itu sudah lama berlaku, maka pihaknya akan memeriksa terlebih dahulu rekod-rekod lama dan ia mungkin mengambil masa.
Manakala exco negeri yang bertanggungjawab terhadap hal ehwal agama Islam, Abdul Malik Kassim pula enggan mengulas kes itu kerana menurutnya, ia adalah satu isu perundangan.
Dalam sidang akhbar tersebut, Banggarma memberitahu yang dia dimasukkan ke rumah kebajikan tersebutbersama dua lagi abangnya dan seorang adik perempuannya.
Katanya, dia ditemui sedang tidur bersama abang dan adiknya itu di tepi jalan di Kepala Batas dan pegawai kebajikan telah menempatkan mereka di rumah kebajikan tersebut.
Bagaimanapun sebaik sahaja mereka dimasukkan di situ, dia dan abang serta adiknya dipisahkan dan sejak itu mereka tidak pernah berjumpa.
Banggarma berkata ibunya meninggal dunia ketika dia masih kecil manakala bapanya telah meninggalkan mereka tidak lama selepas itu.
Katanya, bapanya pernah sekali melawatnya di rumah kebajikan itu ketika dia berusia 13 tahun.
Dan yang ada padanya kini, kata Banggarma, hanya suami dan anak-anaknya.
19/11/09
Sad state for Seetha and her family created by Malaysian police
Sad road to Seetha’s suicide
I wrote the article below before news broke of Seetha’s passing. May she rest in peace. My prayers for her.
Words cannot hope to convey the plight of R Seetha (photo) who is in critical condition after her suicide bid.
Mine are hopelessly inadequate and I can only offer them in sympathy hearing that Seetha might die. Ingesting paraquat like she did causes liver, lung, heart or kidney failure within several days that can result in death.
In 2006, another young Indian woman M Sanggita took her four children to Sungei Gadut near Seremban to wait for the train to Singapore. The family was not going for a holiday but to their deaths.
Can you imagine such a state of mind where having the train run over you seems better than living? Sanggita, 30, and two of her children were killed that July day lying across the railway tracks.
“There is no use for all of us to live. I pity my kids. They have no future here. Let us be with God,” pleaded Sanggita in her suicide note.
She lamented that she could find no solace. “If given the opportunity, we would all come back as angels to help those in need,” the note ended. Like Sanggita, Seetha lived also in Negri Sembilan and perhaps angels did watch over her four children. Thankfully, they will – we’re hopeful – pull through after sipping the weed killer given by their mother.
Some people have called for Seetha to be charged with attempted murder.
It’s been reported that Seetha promised her children that if they drank the poison, they could meet their youngest uncle again who had been gunned down by police. I don’t think Seetha had it in mind to brutally kill her children – certainly not in the same way that police had done her brother Surendran.
Doubtless, I cannot claim to fathom what was going through her mind that tipped her over the edge. But neither can those condemning her imagine what Seetha has had to endure in her short life thus far. From the story fragments that have come to public knowledge, we can at best speculate.
A closed Tamil society
Seetha’s husband M Manimaran said his wife had told him that she wanted to see the departed Surendran and be with him.
Her father R Rampathy (far left) in his police report had said: “Seetha terlalu sayang kepada Surendran. Dia selalu nangis di hadapan gambar Surendran yang meninggal.”
The picture they paint is one of a woman consumed by inconsolable grief. For most of us, we lose our loved ones to old age or they succumb to natural causes. For the Tamil underclass like Seetha, death can visit a male sibling in a hail of bullets or occurring in the police lock-up. This comes about due to the chronic socio-economic deprivation of the community.
So, no, those comfortable armchair critics of Seetha can’t even begin to comprehend her anguish and the perennial dark cloud hanging when one is mired in poverty. Her father is a security guard; her husband a lorry driver. Both are low status and low pay jobs.
Seetha is a housewife; her mother is a housewife. A feminine shroud encloses homemakers in the still highly patriarchal Tamil society. The women’s limited life experience may not have allowed them to acquire the coping mechanisms that our ’survival of the fittest’ advocates, preaching fortitude, would like to think everyone else should possess.
The defeatist proletariat, denied access to empowering education, does not enjoy the buffer zone that better-off Malaysians have when it comes to confronting adversity and despair. Not just the shock of violent, sudden death but the depression that daily dampens their dispiriting environment.
Worlds apart, chasm between
A poor family earns a combined income of under RM1,092 monthly. This amount is all that a household – usually calculated as a unit comprising five members – has at their disposal to cover all expenditure including housing, utilities, food, schooling expenses and transport.
On the other hand, an affluent young couple may spend more than a thousand ringgit a month on milk powder alone for two young children, what with the price of things skyrocketing nowadays.
I’ve given the example above of two sets of people whose finances are at opposite ends. Wouldn’t their thinking norms be very different too? Seetha’s critics simply have no inkling of the facets of her world.
Do you know how many percent of Indians earn only around a thousand ringgit? The answer is 108,000 households … five years ago (certainly more poor people today). These 540,000 souls make up the bottom 30% of the 1.8 million total Indian population, according to the Social Strategic Foundation report of April 2005.
More data: From the Household Income Survey 2004 by the Economic Planning Unit and Department of Statistics. On the incidence of urban poverty, Bumiputera register 4.1%, Chinese 0.4% and Indian 2.4%.
Now compare with their respective population ratio that same year: Bumiputera was 61%, Chinese 24% and Indian 7% out of 25.6 million Malaysians. Indians who comprised a mere 7% of this country in 2004 showed a disproportionately high poverty rate in stark contrast to Chinese and Malays.
“You are on your own. Don’t hold out your hand because nothing will fall into it.” This quote is attributed to long overstaying MIC president Samy Vellu in the book ‘The Malaysian Indians’ by Muzafar Desmond Tate.
Heck, not only are the poor Indians refused help, even what little they had was taken away from them.
Rendered jobless and homeless
In 1980, plantation workers still accounted for over half of the entire Indian community, wrote Muzafar. What has been happening since then is that the plantations have been fragmented and their workers evicted from the labourer quarters.
The Putrajaya mega-project dislodged estate workers too (Golden Hope plantations among them) and in Mahathirville’s 4,580 hectares, there is no room for the Indians; you don’t see them in this shiny new administrative capital.
Rubber estates like Golden Hope, Guthrie, Sime Darby and Boustead had been colonial enterprises.
Then, government agencies like Pemodalan Nasional Berhad took over Sime Darby (today merged with Guthrie and Golden Hope) while Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera acquired a controlling equity interest in Boustead. Now owned by government-linked Malays and managed by Malays, these corporations are developing the previously plantation land into lucrative real estate properties and new townships.
Oh well, too bad for the hapless Indians. Its displaced young generation drift to urban settlements and create slums.
As mentioned earlier, about 7% of the Malaysian general population is Indian but in their making up 16.1% of squatters, the ratio is double, not proportional. It’s hardly surprising that the Indian quota for low-cost rented accommodation with KL City Hall is always exhausted.
Meanwhile in Penang, a report submitted to the state government by the Socio-economic and Environmental Research Institute (Seri) in November 1998 revealed deplorable housing conditions.
Five percent of the survey respondents lived in containers while in Sungai Tiram, the majority of respondents lived in shacks which used to provide shelter for animals before. Ten years down the road, Penang kindly gave Indians the Kg Buah Pala saga.
The poverty trap led Surendran to his fateful meeting with destiny and trigger-happy cops. Seetha is the collateral damage. Can’t their circumstances and they too be considered hostage to the Indian condition?
Human Rights Party pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar has intimated that should she die, he will bring her body to Parliament to drive home the point that police shootings of racially profiled and so-called ’suspects’ must stop.
Uthaya’s threat recalls the self-immolation or suicide by fire, of Buddhist monks to protest the Vietnamese regime in the 1960s.
Perhaps it will take a drastic measure like a frail, pretty corpse brought outside Parliament under the glare of international media attention to finally open Malaysia’s eyes. A deliberately neglected community is at the end of its tether, if only you knew.
Do you remember the unforgettable Hindraf rally images of Indians passively allowing themselves be drenched by chemical-laced water fired by the FRU cannons? How would an ordinary robust individual react in the same circumstances? You’d run.
So how did a swathe of marginalized Malaysians come to such pass that they squat wet in the street like martyrs with nothing else to lose?
Some have slammed Seetha for attempting to take her own life. Can these censorious people please try to plumb the question that plagued one who deserves only our compassion: ‘What’s there to live for?’
HELEN ANG is a Malaysiakini columnist.
19/11/09
what is the difference between MACC and the corrupt?
MACC’s bluff exposed
NOV 19 — Whatever the Teoh Beng Hock inquest finally concludes, one fact has already been established: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was negligent or, at least, inept in keeping the political aide overnight as a witness.
Even before the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled today that witnesses can only be questioned during office hours, most reasonable Malaysians found it incredulous that anti-graft investigators had subjected Teoh to sleep-depriving interrogation, which began in the evening and went right through to early hours of the morning.
Following the discovery of his body outside their Selangor headquarters and to stanch the tide of criticism which followed, the MACC argued that its officers were allowed to question witnesses overnight.
During the inquest, a couple of MACC officials conceded that they kept Teoh on a tight leash because they were under pressure to complete the probe into the misuse of state funds by a DAP state assemblyman.
There were insinuations of a possible suicide although renowned Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanansunand thought otherwise. Her testimony has resulted in Teoh’s body being exhumed this weekend for another autopsy to establish the cause of his death – homicide or suicide.
But we had all long suspected that the MACC bent the law to suit their own needs in detaining Teoh, who was officially just a witness.
We suspected that the MACC paid scant attention to procedures in questioning Teoh because they usually pay scant attention to procedures.
Now we know that our hunch was spot on. The MACC had no business keeping Teoh beyond 5.30pm. He should have been allowed to go home.
Today’s High Court ruling has come too late for Teoh. It has come too late for his family, fiancée and unborn child. They are deprived of a son, a husband and a father respectively.
But the ruling will ensure that other witnesses do not suffer the same fate as the political aide.
Well, if all enforcement agencies follow the law, a law that not really a new law in the first place. MACC must itself learn to respect the law that it wants others to respect. Not to cover up is tracks like those that it seeks to ferret out in its fight against corruption.
NOV 19 — Whatever the Teoh Beng Hock inquest finally concludes, one fact has already been established: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was negligent or, at least, inept in keeping the political aide overnight as a witness.
Even before the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled today that witnesses can only be questioned during office hours, most reasonable Malaysians found it incredulous that anti-graft investigators had subjected Teoh to sleep-depriving interrogation, which began in the evening and went right through to early hours of the morning.
Following the discovery of his body outside their Selangor headquarters and to stanch the tide of criticism which followed, the MACC argued that its officers were allowed to question witnesses overnight.
During the inquest, a couple of MACC officials conceded that they kept Teoh on a tight leash because they were under pressure to complete the probe into the misuse of state funds by a DAP state assemblyman.
There were insinuations of a possible suicide although renowned Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanansunand thought otherwise. Her testimony has resulted in Teoh’s body being exhumed this weekend for another autopsy to establish the cause of his death – homicide or suicide.
But we had all long suspected that the MACC bent the law to suit their own needs in detaining Teoh, who was officially just a witness.
We suspected that the MACC paid scant attention to procedures in questioning Teoh because they usually pay scant attention to procedures.
Now we know that our hunch was spot on. The MACC had no business keeping Teoh beyond 5.30pm. He should have been allowed to go home.
Today’s High Court ruling has come too late for Teoh. It has come too late for his family, fiancée and unborn child. They are deprived of a son, a husband and a father respectively.
But the ruling will ensure that other witnesses do not suffer the same fate as the political aide.
Well, if all enforcement agencies follow the law, a law that not really a new law in the first place. MACC must itself learn to respect the law that it wants others to respect. Not to cover up is tracks like those that it seeks to ferret out in its fight against corruption.
19/11/09
UMNOs’ police and MIC sabotage Parliament funeral protest on 19/11/2009.
Up to 7.00p.m on 18/11/2009 Seetha’s husband Manimaran and her two brothers Sangar and Balasingam had agreed to our protest funeral march of Seetha at Parliament house today at 10.00 a.m. this was agreed in the presence of Y. B. Manoharan Malayalam (ADUN Kota Alam Shah), Y. B S. Manickavasagam (MP for Kapar) and our P. Uthayakumar.
However according to Sangar this morning, Seetha’s body was at the wee hours of about 3.00 a.m on 19/11/2009 hurriedly taken out of the Klang General Hospital mortuary, moved out of the Klang Valley and taken to Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan. We are puzzled as the Pathologist in charge at the Klang General Hospital, Dr Khairol Azman had on 18/11/2009 at about 7.00 p.m informed us that the body could only be released after post mortem only at 8.00 a.m on 19/11/2009 and that too upon our insistence and written request (see form attached below).
Sangar had further informed us this morning that Manimaran’s uncle who is an MIC Branch Chairman in Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan and other MIC officials (with the help of the police special branch and Klang hospital authorities) had “turned over” this confused and grieving family at their most vulnerable time not to proceed with the Parliament protest funeral procession scheduled for this morning.
This is the second time in three days that the MIC, UMNO police special branch and the General Hospital had “hijacked” the bodies and abrubtly cremated the same to hush up their crime, wrongdoings and injustices.
This similar fact evidence was also apparent in the latest case of J. Saravanan’s (22) death at the Air Molek Prison in Johor on 16/11/2009 when the deceased uncle had on the same morning lodged a police report on the bruises and blue black marks on body and had alleged murder by the prison authorities. Even as at 3.00 p.m on 16/11/2009 this family had agreed to a second post mortem to be conducted in Singapore. However a post mortem in Malaysia was hurriedly performed between 6.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m on the same day the body rushed back to the family home late that night and sent back to the mortuary as the body could not be cremated at that late hour and the first thing next morning the body was hurriedly cremated and no photographs of the bruises and blue black marks were allowed to be taken.
This is what you have for Justice in Malaysia. Justice must not only be done but must manifestedly and undoubtedly be seen to be done. Which is not the case in UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia.
Your faithfully,
_______________________
P.Uthayakumar
Secretary General (pro-tem).
HRP
19/11/09
However according to Sangar this morning, Seetha’s body was at the wee hours of about 3.00 a.m on 19/11/2009 hurriedly taken out of the Klang General Hospital mortuary, moved out of the Klang Valley and taken to Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan. We are puzzled as the Pathologist in charge at the Klang General Hospital, Dr Khairol Azman had on 18/11/2009 at about 7.00 p.m informed us that the body could only be released after post mortem only at 8.00 a.m on 19/11/2009 and that too upon our insistence and written request (see form attached below).
Sangar had further informed us this morning that Manimaran’s uncle who is an MIC Branch Chairman in Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan and other MIC officials (with the help of the police special branch and Klang hospital authorities) had “turned over” this confused and grieving family at their most vulnerable time not to proceed with the Parliament protest funeral procession scheduled for this morning.
This is the second time in three days that the MIC, UMNO police special branch and the General Hospital had “hijacked” the bodies and abrubtly cremated the same to hush up their crime, wrongdoings and injustices.
This similar fact evidence was also apparent in the latest case of J. Saravanan’s (22) death at the Air Molek Prison in Johor on 16/11/2009 when the deceased uncle had on the same morning lodged a police report on the bruises and blue black marks on body and had alleged murder by the prison authorities. Even as at 3.00 p.m on 16/11/2009 this family had agreed to a second post mortem to be conducted in Singapore. However a post mortem in Malaysia was hurriedly performed between 6.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m on the same day the body rushed back to the family home late that night and sent back to the mortuary as the body could not be cremated at that late hour and the first thing next morning the body was hurriedly cremated and no photographs of the bruises and blue black marks were allowed to be taken.
This is what you have for Justice in Malaysia. Justice must not only be done but must manifestedly and undoubtedly be seen to be done. Which is not the case in UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia.
Your faithfully,
_______________________
P.Uthayakumar
Secretary General (pro-tem).
HRP
19/11/09
UMNO has so much resources at its disposal - why does it not allocate appropriately for Indian youth
Amanah Ikhitiar Malaysia (AIM) targets RM 1 Billion in micro loans with eight new AIM branches to be opened to it’s existing 68 branches to facilitate loans of up to RM 50, 000.00 each. Since it’s operation AIM has disbursed RM 3.5 Billion to 230, 000 petty traders since it’s inception (Berita Harian 18/11/2009 at page 22)
But we estimate only about 1% of this RM 3.3 Billion has been disbursed to especially the deserving Indian youths. The UMNO led Malaysia government merely plays wayang kulit by getting their mandores Indian political party to dish out RM 8, 000.00 or so to the said 0.1% to the Indians. What tto start up a “kacang putih” business. And then this mandores Indian party is assigned to create the usual “ayam telur sebiji rioh sekampong” print and electronic propaganda at a ceremony and dishing out the RM 8, 000.00 to about ten (10) people even then their cronies a few times a year so much for the RM 1Billion AIM loans vis a vis the deserving Indians. These UMNO Indian mandores then falsely tell the Indians that they have to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the UMNO government. They then falsely publicise that the Indians are not interested in petty trading.
No Indian youth would want to indulge in a world of crime and risk being shot dead by the police.
Give them equal opportunities in petty trading, business, job opportunities, projects, tenders and skills training as given to almost all the malay muslim deserving people.
Such blatant and direct discrimination does not happen in any other part of the world except in One Malaysia.
To add insult to injury RM 1 Billion has been allocated to the police force in the 2010 Budget. What to more efficiently shoot dead Indian youths?
For this RM 1 Billion, a matching RM 1 Billion should be allocated in the Indian youths and from which at least RM 100 Million to be disbursed monthly with effect from 31/1/2010 and an Equal Opportunities Commission and an Anti Racial Discrimination Commission with serious implementation powers like in the United Kingdom be forthwith set up and urgently implemented.
This is because UMNO has a 52 year old history of making grand announcements and fanfare for the Indian poor but up to even zero of the for example RM 100 Million funds announced ever drained down the Finance Ministry to any of the 523 Tamil Schools with the lame excuse that “the price of material went up” (Refer The Star 30/09/2009 and our letter to the Prime Minister dated 13/10/2009 and also posted in our website).
And thus the 52 year old UMNO political gimmicks and the latest being UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malaysia.
P. Uthayakumar.
HRP
19/11/09
But we estimate only about 1% of this RM 3.3 Billion has been disbursed to especially the deserving Indian youths. The UMNO led Malaysia government merely plays wayang kulit by getting their mandores Indian political party to dish out RM 8, 000.00 or so to the said 0.1% to the Indians. What tto start up a “kacang putih” business. And then this mandores Indian party is assigned to create the usual “ayam telur sebiji rioh sekampong” print and electronic propaganda at a ceremony and dishing out the RM 8, 000.00 to about ten (10) people even then their cronies a few times a year so much for the RM 1Billion AIM loans vis a vis the deserving Indians. These UMNO Indian mandores then falsely tell the Indians that they have to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the UMNO government. They then falsely publicise that the Indians are not interested in petty trading.
No Indian youth would want to indulge in a world of crime and risk being shot dead by the police.
Give them equal opportunities in petty trading, business, job opportunities, projects, tenders and skills training as given to almost all the malay muslim deserving people.
Such blatant and direct discrimination does not happen in any other part of the world except in One Malaysia.
To add insult to injury RM 1 Billion has been allocated to the police force in the 2010 Budget. What to more efficiently shoot dead Indian youths?
For this RM 1 Billion, a matching RM 1 Billion should be allocated in the Indian youths and from which at least RM 100 Million to be disbursed monthly with effect from 31/1/2010 and an Equal Opportunities Commission and an Anti Racial Discrimination Commission with serious implementation powers like in the United Kingdom be forthwith set up and urgently implemented.
This is because UMNO has a 52 year old history of making grand announcements and fanfare for the Indian poor but up to even zero of the for example RM 100 Million funds announced ever drained down the Finance Ministry to any of the 523 Tamil Schools with the lame excuse that “the price of material went up” (Refer The Star 30/09/2009 and our letter to the Prime Minister dated 13/10/2009 and also posted in our website).
And thus the 52 year old UMNO political gimmicks and the latest being UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malaysia.
P. Uthayakumar.
HRP
19/11/09
Royal Commission on Police Shooting dead mere Indian suspects.
The passing away of R.Seetha (33) yesterday (18/11/2009) after having consumed paraquat shortly after five Indian youths including her brother and a 17 year juvenile were shot dead by the police marks a new height in the police shoot to kill of especially mere Indian suspects saga.
It is in Malaysia a trite law and also an internationally practiced law that a man is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is entrenched in Article 5 of the Federal Constitution ( Right to life ) and read with Section 15 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code ( no right to cause death when arresting).This highly and alarmingly accelerating Malay-sian police shooting dead policy of in particular the working class Indians is unacceptable by any standards.
The Malaysian public’s wish in the RM 1 Billion allocation in the 2010 National Budget for the Royal Malaysian Police Force could not have been for the police to summarily execute in particular Malaysian Indians under their shoot to kill policy. The due process of law is for proper police investigations, arrest, prosecution, court finding one guilty, accused exhausting all his higher court appeals, his royal pardon being rejected and then and only then he being sent to jail or the gallows ( if so decided by the courts). The Malaysian Police cannot singularly assume the roles of Judge, Jury, Prosecutor, Enforcement and Executioner.
We are of the view that also because the Opposition Leader Dato Seri Anuar Ibrahim, DAP Supremo Lim Kit Siang and PAS President Hadi Awang and all PKR, DAP and PASnon Indian leaders and the 82 M.P’s of PKR,DAPand PAS thereto also not submitting an Emergency Motion in Parliament (which is now in session) and in the State Assemblies of Kedah, Penang and Selangor ( as done for the Perlis mufti) They also all took a lackadiastiacal attitude and had not pushed and/or campaigned at all for the said Royal Commission of Enquiry as was done in the case of Teoh Beng Hock after which a Royal Commission of enquiry was in fact announced by the Prime Minister himself within five (5) days of Teoh’s death. This omissions has also contributed in resulting in these Malay-sian police shoot to kill policy of in particular against the Malaysian Indians and which is accelerating with impunity. This is disappointing as unlike UNMO,MCA and MIC, PKR, DAP and PAS claim to be “multi-racial” parties.
As a follow up, we would on the Second Anniversary of the 25th November 2007 Hindraf peacefully rally would on 25/11/2009 present this our formal written request to Prime Minister Badawi at Putrajaya for a Royal Commission of Enquiry to be instituted forthwith with the view to put a stop to this police shot to kill policy.
Vide our memorandum titled “A TRIGGER HAPPY ROYAL MALAYSIAN POLICE FORCE “and dated 13/10/2002 to the than Prime Minister we have recorded 1.3 persons (Malaysians) being shot dead per week by the Malaysian Police. However this figure has alarmingly accelerated to one Malaysian Indian being shot dead every day for the period 8/11/2009 to 13/11/2009. ( see front page of the memorandum below ). Further 90% of these police shot dead local victims are Indians when they only form 7.5% of the Malaysian population.
We are naturally concerned.
Thank You.
Your Faithfully,
________________________
P.Uthayakumar.
Secretary General (pro-tem)
HRP
19/11/09
It is in Malaysia a trite law and also an internationally practiced law that a man is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is entrenched in Article 5 of the Federal Constitution ( Right to life ) and read with Section 15 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code ( no right to cause death when arresting).This highly and alarmingly accelerating Malay-sian police shooting dead policy of in particular the working class Indians is unacceptable by any standards.
The Malaysian public’s wish in the RM 1 Billion allocation in the 2010 National Budget for the Royal Malaysian Police Force could not have been for the police to summarily execute in particular Malaysian Indians under their shoot to kill policy. The due process of law is for proper police investigations, arrest, prosecution, court finding one guilty, accused exhausting all his higher court appeals, his royal pardon being rejected and then and only then he being sent to jail or the gallows ( if so decided by the courts). The Malaysian Police cannot singularly assume the roles of Judge, Jury, Prosecutor, Enforcement and Executioner.
We are of the view that also because the Opposition Leader Dato Seri Anuar Ibrahim, DAP Supremo Lim Kit Siang and PAS President Hadi Awang and all PKR, DAP and PASnon Indian leaders and the 82 M.P’s of PKR,DAPand PAS thereto also not submitting an Emergency Motion in Parliament (which is now in session) and in the State Assemblies of Kedah, Penang and Selangor ( as done for the Perlis mufti) They also all took a lackadiastiacal attitude and had not pushed and/or campaigned at all for the said Royal Commission of Enquiry as was done in the case of Teoh Beng Hock after which a Royal Commission of enquiry was in fact announced by the Prime Minister himself within five (5) days of Teoh’s death. This omissions has also contributed in resulting in these Malay-sian police shoot to kill policy of in particular against the Malaysian Indians and which is accelerating with impunity. This is disappointing as unlike UNMO,MCA and MIC, PKR, DAP and PAS claim to be “multi-racial” parties.
As a follow up, we would on the Second Anniversary of the 25th November 2007 Hindraf peacefully rally would on 25/11/2009 present this our formal written request to Prime Minister Badawi at Putrajaya for a Royal Commission of Enquiry to be instituted forthwith with the view to put a stop to this police shot to kill policy.
Vide our memorandum titled “A TRIGGER HAPPY ROYAL MALAYSIAN POLICE FORCE “and dated 13/10/2002 to the than Prime Minister we have recorded 1.3 persons (Malaysians) being shot dead per week by the Malaysian Police. However this figure has alarmingly accelerated to one Malaysian Indian being shot dead every day for the period 8/11/2009 to 13/11/2009. ( see front page of the memorandum below ). Further 90% of these police shot dead local victims are Indians when they only form 7.5% of the Malaysian population.
We are naturally concerned.
Thank You.
Your Faithfully,
________________________
P.Uthayakumar.
Secretary General (pro-tem)
HRP
19/11/09
Estate workers say minister lied about their incomes
Dompok claims oil palm harvesters earn RM1,700 a month.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — Oil palm and rubber plantation workers are angry at Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s revelation that they are above the national poverty line.
Dompok told Parliament on Oct 19 that the net income of a oil palm harvester is about RM1,700 and a rubber tapper’s salary is about RM870 a month, when replying to a question from Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
He also said the income level of the workers were above the rural poverty line of RM720 a month and that they also enjoyed free facilities such as homes, medical care and pre-school education for their children.
Coordinator for the Plantation Workers Support Group M Sugumaran today blasted Dompok’s statement and called it a “blatant lie”.
“It is a blatant lie and it has been going on for a long time. The fact is misleading and confusing.
“The statement by the minister is in bad faith as it will (be) the reason for the people in the plantation to lose out the benefits given by the government to those who earn below the poverty line,” he told reporters during a press conference in parliament here,” he said.
Sugumaran added that his support group had met with workers from oil plantations and rubber estates in Selangor and Perak.
“The workers were furious that minister said that they are getting more RM1,000; they said he should have just said we are getting RM3,000 and more.
“Our immediate study has shown that the average wage of a rubber tapper, oil palm fruit cutter and common labourer is less than RM700, which is well below the poverty line.
“The date we have clearly shows that the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities is committing a big fraud and they are trying to close the real problems of workers are living from hand to mouth,” he said.
Earlier, 10 plantation workers together with coordinators from Jerit and the support group met with Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar in parliament.
Jeyakumar pointed out that is harder for locals to land jobs due to high competition from foreign workers.
“At this moment, most of the rubber estates have been converted to oil palm estates and the fruit cutting activities have been given to contractors who use foreign workers. Therefore there is high competition between locals and foreigners as foreigners are paid much less.
“The only job that is available nowadays is what we call a ‘weeder’ or common worker where the worker has to spray the fertiliser or treat the plants.
“And their monthly pay is more or less RM500 a month including the advance which is RM80 a month. So the net salary of the worker is only about RM420 and not RM1,700,” he explained in the press conference.
mi
19/11/09
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — Oil palm and rubber plantation workers are angry at Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s revelation that they are above the national poverty line.
Dompok told Parliament on Oct 19 that the net income of a oil palm harvester is about RM1,700 and a rubber tapper’s salary is about RM870 a month, when replying to a question from Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
He also said the income level of the workers were above the rural poverty line of RM720 a month and that they also enjoyed free facilities such as homes, medical care and pre-school education for their children.
Coordinator for the Plantation Workers Support Group M Sugumaran today blasted Dompok’s statement and called it a “blatant lie”.
“It is a blatant lie and it has been going on for a long time. The fact is misleading and confusing.
“The statement by the minister is in bad faith as it will (be) the reason for the people in the plantation to lose out the benefits given by the government to those who earn below the poverty line,” he told reporters during a press conference in parliament here,” he said.
Sugumaran added that his support group had met with workers from oil plantations and rubber estates in Selangor and Perak.
“The workers were furious that minister said that they are getting more RM1,000; they said he should have just said we are getting RM3,000 and more.
“Our immediate study has shown that the average wage of a rubber tapper, oil palm fruit cutter and common labourer is less than RM700, which is well below the poverty line.
“The date we have clearly shows that the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities is committing a big fraud and they are trying to close the real problems of workers are living from hand to mouth,” he said.
Earlier, 10 plantation workers together with coordinators from Jerit and the support group met with Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar in parliament.
Jeyakumar pointed out that is harder for locals to land jobs due to high competition from foreign workers.
“At this moment, most of the rubber estates have been converted to oil palm estates and the fruit cutting activities have been given to contractors who use foreign workers. Therefore there is high competition between locals and foreigners as foreigners are paid much less.
“The only job that is available nowadays is what we call a ‘weeder’ or common worker where the worker has to spray the fertiliser or treat the plants.
“And their monthly pay is more or less RM500 a month including the advance which is RM80 a month. So the net salary of the worker is only about RM420 and not RM1,700,” he explained in the press conference.
mi
19/11/09
An uncaring government, a brutal police force and the school system itself rises the number of Indian criminals
Soul searching at forum over rise in number of Indian criminals
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The police came in for both praise and condemnation at a recent MIC-organised forum on the shooting death of five Indian men between the ages 17 and 24 in Klang last week.
While some speakers slammed the police as trigger happy, other groups at the free-for-all forum between MIC Youth and Indian NGOs praised the police for getting rid of a menace.
Other NGO leaders took a middle ground, saying police must take tough action against criminals but emphasised the need to arrest and charge them in court as an example to other youths.
The forum, organised by MIC Youth leader T. Mohan, saw a lively, no-holds-barred debate on other issues including why Indian youths as young as 13 to 15 years take to crime and how to sever the nexus between the youths and crime.
Various solutions were offered, ranging from the serious to the hilarious.
The NGOs leaders concluded that more Indian youths were taking to crime than ever before and their ages were getting younger. Many said secondary schools were the new breeding ground for criminals.
While some blamed the Internet, others put the blame on violent Tamil movies, dysfunctional families, lack of parental supervision, an uncaring government, a brutal police force and the school system itself.
Mohan said that because of the wide differences in opinion over the issue the Youth wing will hold an extended workshop soon and allow more detailed presentation by experts.
“We will meet the Inspector-General of Police to present a memorandum on our findings and how the police should handle the situation,” he said.
Several grassroots NGO workers related numerous cases of Indian gangs virtually terrorising certain settlements by stealing, breaking into houses and committing all kind of atrocities.
“People in some settlements like longhouses and flats rejoice when one gang bites the bullet,” a NGO worker said. “Don’t think that everybody mourns their passing… there are many who also rejoice.”
Another related how Indian youths recently ransacked a house for valuables and when they found nothing, they stripped a teenage girl naked and threatened to take photographs of her to publish on the Internet.
Other participants related how after some youths snatched a bag and fled, they returned to chop off a hand of their victim because there was no money in the handbag.
There was hushed silence when different grassroots leaders related their various experiences.
These included narratives by former gangsters who had spend many years under detention in the Sungei Rengam Detention Centre in Johor where suspected criminals are held without charge.
They said the centre should be closed down and all suspects are either freed or charged.
“The centre is a university for criminals to meet, form gangs and plan robberies… it should be closed down,” said a former Gang 18 member who is now a successful businessman.
He also said corruption in the police was a reason for the rising violent crime rate.
“Police let criminals and gangs take shape and tax them for income and shoot them dead when convenient,” he said. “They should be better paid not get peanuts for a tough job.”
He said that if the police were motivated, received proper training and promotions and housing and better wages they would not tolerate crooks but move against them immediately.
“Now it is like an industry… they let them survive, get a cut and shoot them where necessary,” he said,
Other grassroots leaders passionately railed against alcohol as the main reason why Indian youths take to crime.
“Cheap samsu is so easily available and all day long they drink, get drunk and look for victims,” said another NGO leader. “They rob to drink and eventually end up as hardcore criminals.”
At the end of it Mohan summarised that the issue was indeed complex and there was not one cause but multiple reasons why Indian youths take to crime in a big way.
Whatever the case, he said, shooting them to death was not the answer to resolving the issue.
“Indian youths need jobs, skills and a meaningful career, and only this way can we resolve the problem,” he said. “Not just the police but all of us need to discard the idea that we can shoot our way to a solution.”
Mi
19/11/09
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The police came in for both praise and condemnation at a recent MIC-organised forum on the shooting death of five Indian men between the ages 17 and 24 in Klang last week.
While some speakers slammed the police as trigger happy, other groups at the free-for-all forum between MIC Youth and Indian NGOs praised the police for getting rid of a menace.
Other NGO leaders took a middle ground, saying police must take tough action against criminals but emphasised the need to arrest and charge them in court as an example to other youths.
The forum, organised by MIC Youth leader T. Mohan, saw a lively, no-holds-barred debate on other issues including why Indian youths as young as 13 to 15 years take to crime and how to sever the nexus between the youths and crime.
Various solutions were offered, ranging from the serious to the hilarious.
The NGOs leaders concluded that more Indian youths were taking to crime than ever before and their ages were getting younger. Many said secondary schools were the new breeding ground for criminals.
While some blamed the Internet, others put the blame on violent Tamil movies, dysfunctional families, lack of parental supervision, an uncaring government, a brutal police force and the school system itself.
Mohan said that because of the wide differences in opinion over the issue the Youth wing will hold an extended workshop soon and allow more detailed presentation by experts.
“We will meet the Inspector-General of Police to present a memorandum on our findings and how the police should handle the situation,” he said.
Several grassroots NGO workers related numerous cases of Indian gangs virtually terrorising certain settlements by stealing, breaking into houses and committing all kind of atrocities.
“People in some settlements like longhouses and flats rejoice when one gang bites the bullet,” a NGO worker said. “Don’t think that everybody mourns their passing… there are many who also rejoice.”
Another related how Indian youths recently ransacked a house for valuables and when they found nothing, they stripped a teenage girl naked and threatened to take photographs of her to publish on the Internet.
Other participants related how after some youths snatched a bag and fled, they returned to chop off a hand of their victim because there was no money in the handbag.
There was hushed silence when different grassroots leaders related their various experiences.
These included narratives by former gangsters who had spend many years under detention in the Sungei Rengam Detention Centre in Johor where suspected criminals are held without charge.
They said the centre should be closed down and all suspects are either freed or charged.
“The centre is a university for criminals to meet, form gangs and plan robberies… it should be closed down,” said a former Gang 18 member who is now a successful businessman.
He also said corruption in the police was a reason for the rising violent crime rate.
“Police let criminals and gangs take shape and tax them for income and shoot them dead when convenient,” he said. “They should be better paid not get peanuts for a tough job.”
He said that if the police were motivated, received proper training and promotions and housing and better wages they would not tolerate crooks but move against them immediately.
“Now it is like an industry… they let them survive, get a cut and shoot them where necessary,” he said,
Other grassroots leaders passionately railed against alcohol as the main reason why Indian youths take to crime.
“Cheap samsu is so easily available and all day long they drink, get drunk and look for victims,” said another NGO leader. “They rob to drink and eventually end up as hardcore criminals.”
At the end of it Mohan summarised that the issue was indeed complex and there was not one cause but multiple reasons why Indian youths take to crime in a big way.
Whatever the case, he said, shooting them to death was not the answer to resolving the issue.
“Indian youths need jobs, skills and a meaningful career, and only this way can we resolve the problem,” he said. “Not just the police but all of us need to discard the idea that we can shoot our way to a solution.”
Mi
19/11/09
Deaths of migrants in prisons, rehabilitation and detention centres
The Malaysian Bar is disturbed about the high number of migrants who have died while in custody.
In July 2009, the Dewan Rakyat was told that some 2,029 persons died in prisons, rehabilitation centres and immigration detention centres between 2002 and 1 June 2009. More recently SUHAKAM Commissioner Datuk Siva Subramaniam was quoted as saying that 1,300 foreigners died in detention within the past six years. The Dewan Rakyat figure would mean that an average of one migrant dies in custody almost every day!
The authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to identify the underlying causes for this large number of deaths. Brushing off these deaths as being due to illness, asthma or suicide is unacceptable. When individuals are placed in custody and denied their freedom of movement, the detaining authority is responsible for their well-being and care. The detaining authority has a duty of care towards all such individuals, which is a responsibility that should be taken very seriously.
In the event of a death, the questions that should be asked include whether the death could have been avoided, and whether the authorities were negligent in fulfilling their duty of care.
In order to address the worrying situation of deaths of migrants in custody, we call on the authorities to:
i.
Take greater care to regularly monitor the health of all those in custody, especially those held in immigration detention centres. This will involve conducting regular medical check-ups and allowing the detainees easier access to medical personnel and facilities;
ii.
Give serious attention to health-related complaints made by the detainees;
iii.
Conduct an inquest each and every time there is a death in custody;
iv.
Reprimand and take disciplinary action against all staff members who, through neglect or indifference, fail to prevent a death from occurring;
v.
Give lawyers and family members greater access to detainees and detention centres; and
vi.
Monitor those in custody more carefully, including the use of closed-circuit surveillance and more regular patrols.
In addition, one concrete step to reduce instances of neglect and abuse and to improve conditions in detention centres is to set up a Board of Visitors in each and every detention centre. The establishment of such Boards, which would have the power to conduct unannounced visits, will demand greater accountability from the system. It will compel the detaining authorities to upgrade their facilities, become more transparent in their operations and be more vigilant regarding what is happening within the detention centres.
The reports of deaths of migrants in custody are not new. Migrants, especially those in custody, are extremely vulnerable. They are more cut off from their families and community than Malaysians held in custody, hence there is an urgent need to take immediate measures to ensure that their welfare is protected and nothing untoward happens to them.
The Malaysian Bar also reiterates its call for open inquests to be held promptly and expeditiously to determine the cause of death of any person in custody.
The litmus test of how civilised we are as a nation is measured by the treatment we accord those who are most defenseless and vulnerable among us.
Dato’ M. Ramachelvam
Chairperson
Law Reform and Special Areas Committee
Bar Council
18/11/09
In July 2009, the Dewan Rakyat was told that some 2,029 persons died in prisons, rehabilitation centres and immigration detention centres between 2002 and 1 June 2009. More recently SUHAKAM Commissioner Datuk Siva Subramaniam was quoted as saying that 1,300 foreigners died in detention within the past six years. The Dewan Rakyat figure would mean that an average of one migrant dies in custody almost every day!
The authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to identify the underlying causes for this large number of deaths. Brushing off these deaths as being due to illness, asthma or suicide is unacceptable. When individuals are placed in custody and denied their freedom of movement, the detaining authority is responsible for their well-being and care. The detaining authority has a duty of care towards all such individuals, which is a responsibility that should be taken very seriously.
In the event of a death, the questions that should be asked include whether the death could have been avoided, and whether the authorities were negligent in fulfilling their duty of care.
In order to address the worrying situation of deaths of migrants in custody, we call on the authorities to:
i.
Take greater care to regularly monitor the health of all those in custody, especially those held in immigration detention centres. This will involve conducting regular medical check-ups and allowing the detainees easier access to medical personnel and facilities;
ii.
Give serious attention to health-related complaints made by the detainees;
iii.
Conduct an inquest each and every time there is a death in custody;
iv.
Reprimand and take disciplinary action against all staff members who, through neglect or indifference, fail to prevent a death from occurring;
v.
Give lawyers and family members greater access to detainees and detention centres; and
vi.
Monitor those in custody more carefully, including the use of closed-circuit surveillance and more regular patrols.
In addition, one concrete step to reduce instances of neglect and abuse and to improve conditions in detention centres is to set up a Board of Visitors in each and every detention centre. The establishment of such Boards, which would have the power to conduct unannounced visits, will demand greater accountability from the system. It will compel the detaining authorities to upgrade their facilities, become more transparent in their operations and be more vigilant regarding what is happening within the detention centres.
The reports of deaths of migrants in custody are not new. Migrants, especially those in custody, are extremely vulnerable. They are more cut off from their families and community than Malaysians held in custody, hence there is an urgent need to take immediate measures to ensure that their welfare is protected and nothing untoward happens to them.
The Malaysian Bar also reiterates its call for open inquests to be held promptly and expeditiously to determine the cause of death of any person in custody.
The litmus test of how civilised we are as a nation is measured by the treatment we accord those who are most defenseless and vulnerable among us.
Dato’ M. Ramachelvam
Chairperson
Law Reform and Special Areas Committee
Bar Council
18/11/09
Corruption lingers in Malaysia
In the latest ranking of the Corruption Perception Index carried out by Transparency International (TI), Malaysia is placed 56th among 180 nations surveyed – down 11 levels from its 46th position in the last CPI.
Malaysia’s index score of 4.5 is its worst showing since the survey started in 2001. Its best showing was in 2002, when it secured the 33rd position.
Countries score on a scale of 10 (very clean) to 0 (very corrupt).
Malaysia has scored within a narrow band of 4.9 to 5.1 since 2002 with little improvement. Its current index score ties it with Lativa, Namibia, Samoa and Slovakia. South Africa is ahead with a CPI of 4.7.
The high and low scorers
The high-scoring countries are New Zealand (9.4) and Denmark (9.3). Singapore and Sweden tied at 9.2 and Switzerland at 9.0.
TI said the scores reflect political stability, long-established conflict of interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions.
The lowest scorers are Somalia (1.1), Afghanistan (1.3) and Myanmar ( 1.4). Sudan and Iraq tied at 1.5; Sudan tied with Iraq at 1.5, reflecting fragile unstable states scarred by war and ongoing conflict.
The Berlin-based watchdog says surveys carried out in the past year showed a significant drop in CPI, not only compared to previous years, but also compared among countries.
The surveys asked questions relating to abuse of public power for private benefit, which include questions on bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds and the strength and effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption efforts.
The surveys were carried out among selected observers, business people and country analysts, including local experts. The survey did not cover perception of corruption in the private sector.
"A fall of 0.6 from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.5 in 2009 is alarming, not only to the people of Malaysia but also to the government of the day," said TI Malaysia president Paul Low at a media briefing on the CPI here Tuesday.
He said there was a glaring contrast in CPI scores between Malaysia and some emerging Asian economies.
Alarming fall
rom 1995 to 2009, China had improved from 1.94 to 3.6; South Korea, from 4.29 to 5.5; Thailand from 2.79 to 3.4; Indonesia from 1.94 to2.8; whereas Malaysia dropped from 5.28 to 4.5.
Low said Malaysia's alarming fall in CPI 2009 may be attributed to the perception that there has been little progress in combating corruption as well as lack of political will in implementing effective anti-corruption measures.
He said the perception of corruption is not only detrimental to investor confidence but will also hit hard on the poor. “They are the most disadvantaged people.
“The cost of living, the cost of doing business will go up. Inefficiency will set in because more time would be needed. Files would be lost."
The 'grave concerns'
Low cited the following examples that had given rise to the "grave concern" about the state of affairs in Malaysia:
- the lack of action taken against parties implicated in the tampering of the appointment of judges, as exemplified in the Royal Commission /VK Lingam tapes scandal
- the Port Klang Free Zone fiasco, where costs had dramatically risen from an estimated RM1.1bil to RM4.7bil, and may balloon further to RM12.5bil.
- political crossings in the Perak state government, which led to the capitulation of control by Opposition parties
- investigations by the newly formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that appear to focus on 'small fish' and Opposition politicians
- the lack of action that has been taken despite the Auditor-General's annual report which highlighted extraordinary public procurement abuses.
Neither here nor there
According to TI, the 2009 CPI drew on 13 different polls and surveys from 10 independent institutions.
"For a long time, we've straddled at 5 points, which is neither here nor there.
“We should be moving up to 6 or 7. I believe one of the reasons for the low score is that people are now less tolerant of corruption.
“Maybe they (the corrupted) could get away with this eight years ago, but not with today's younger people who are Internet savvy,” said Low.
He added: “This index downtrend could reflect a much broader disappointment among the
public and could be a 'tsunami' effect from the previous government.”
Low said, however, that there are positive signs exhibited by the administration of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
For instance, he said, the PKFZ fiasco is being actively and vigorously investigated; police reports have been made and suits have been taken against certain parties and corrective measures have been taken.
The positive side
He commended Najib for having formed a task force to make recommendations for action to be taken on the Auditor-General's report but stressed enforcement agencies must remain independent.
"One of the areas we need to deal with is to make sure the institution is independent of the executive.
“We need to do that. Without the institution becoming independent, people would not dare to bring their cases up.
“If this institution is not independent, if people think they can get away with corruption, people will do it,” said Low
MM
18/11/09
Malaysia’s index score of 4.5 is its worst showing since the survey started in 2001. Its best showing was in 2002, when it secured the 33rd position.
Countries score on a scale of 10 (very clean) to 0 (very corrupt).
Malaysia has scored within a narrow band of 4.9 to 5.1 since 2002 with little improvement. Its current index score ties it with Lativa, Namibia, Samoa and Slovakia. South Africa is ahead with a CPI of 4.7.
The high and low scorers
The high-scoring countries are New Zealand (9.4) and Denmark (9.3). Singapore and Sweden tied at 9.2 and Switzerland at 9.0.
TI said the scores reflect political stability, long-established conflict of interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions.
The lowest scorers are Somalia (1.1), Afghanistan (1.3) and Myanmar ( 1.4). Sudan and Iraq tied at 1.5; Sudan tied with Iraq at 1.5, reflecting fragile unstable states scarred by war and ongoing conflict.
The Berlin-based watchdog says surveys carried out in the past year showed a significant drop in CPI, not only compared to previous years, but also compared among countries.
The surveys asked questions relating to abuse of public power for private benefit, which include questions on bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds and the strength and effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption efforts.
The surveys were carried out among selected observers, business people and country analysts, including local experts. The survey did not cover perception of corruption in the private sector.
"A fall of 0.6 from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.5 in 2009 is alarming, not only to the people of Malaysia but also to the government of the day," said TI Malaysia president Paul Low at a media briefing on the CPI here Tuesday.
He said there was a glaring contrast in CPI scores between Malaysia and some emerging Asian economies.
Alarming fall
rom 1995 to 2009, China had improved from 1.94 to 3.6; South Korea, from 4.29 to 5.5; Thailand from 2.79 to 3.4; Indonesia from 1.94 to2.8; whereas Malaysia dropped from 5.28 to 4.5.
Low said Malaysia's alarming fall in CPI 2009 may be attributed to the perception that there has been little progress in combating corruption as well as lack of political will in implementing effective anti-corruption measures.
He said the perception of corruption is not only detrimental to investor confidence but will also hit hard on the poor. “They are the most disadvantaged people.
“The cost of living, the cost of doing business will go up. Inefficiency will set in because more time would be needed. Files would be lost."
The 'grave concerns'
Low cited the following examples that had given rise to the "grave concern" about the state of affairs in Malaysia:
- the lack of action taken against parties implicated in the tampering of the appointment of judges, as exemplified in the Royal Commission /VK Lingam tapes scandal
- the Port Klang Free Zone fiasco, where costs had dramatically risen from an estimated RM1.1bil to RM4.7bil, and may balloon further to RM12.5bil.
- political crossings in the Perak state government, which led to the capitulation of control by Opposition parties
- investigations by the newly formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that appear to focus on 'small fish' and Opposition politicians
- the lack of action that has been taken despite the Auditor-General's annual report which highlighted extraordinary public procurement abuses.
Neither here nor there
According to TI, the 2009 CPI drew on 13 different polls and surveys from 10 independent institutions.
"For a long time, we've straddled at 5 points, which is neither here nor there.
“We should be moving up to 6 or 7. I believe one of the reasons for the low score is that people are now less tolerant of corruption.
“Maybe they (the corrupted) could get away with this eight years ago, but not with today's younger people who are Internet savvy,” said Low.
He added: “This index downtrend could reflect a much broader disappointment among the
public and could be a 'tsunami' effect from the previous government.”
Low said, however, that there are positive signs exhibited by the administration of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
For instance, he said, the PKFZ fiasco is being actively and vigorously investigated; police reports have been made and suits have been taken against certain parties and corrective measures have been taken.
The positive side
He commended Najib for having formed a task force to make recommendations for action to be taken on the Auditor-General's report but stressed enforcement agencies must remain independent.
"One of the areas we need to deal with is to make sure the institution is independent of the executive.
“We need to do that. Without the institution becoming independent, people would not dare to bring their cases up.
“If this institution is not independent, if people think they can get away with corruption, people will do it,” said Low
MM
18/11/09
USM’s 12-year Tamil language saga
It was indeed very surprising that there are suggestions to make Japanese a third language whereas learning Mandarin will be much more useful and economical as well as universal. Mandarin-speakers are the largest in the world with over one billion of them.This also makes us wonder if importance is being given to our own citizens and their cultures. Having ‘little Napoleons’ in various places only makes such simple things seems so difficult to be exercised.
On my personal experience in USM, for more than 30 years there, were many, many languages in the Pusat Bahasa. This included Arabic, French, Thai and many more foreign languages. For some reason, there were no Tamil language and when we enquired , the dean said there was a lack of support from students etc.
So to prove a point, student volunteers became part-time teachers to teach other students the language as a trial programme. Mind it, it was on personal basis as no club or even the Indian Cultural Society not willing to undertake this cause.
After one year, the classes had many students but the dean said, ‘We need to see statistics, please show us statistics’. So the second year was full of paperwork while the students-cum teachers ran their classes on Fridays from 12- 3pm for an entire year.
When presented with the statistics on attendance, the dean, simply said, ‘You did not have exams for the students, so there is proof the teaching was done properly’.
Third and fourth year volunteer teachers kept on with their Tamil-language private classes without fail and even streamlined four different levels and had exams for the students. All this was happening while they themselves had their own coursework and degrees to think about.
After applying for recognition from the university authorities for the fifth time, they realised that the authorities were simply delaying the approval hoping that the matter would eventually be forgotten after those who started it left the university upon graduation.
Nevertheless, the torch was passed from seniors to juniors who kept the work going and even recruited Chinese students who were at the mercy of the whims and fancy of the Pusat Bahasa management.
I was among those who came in the sixth year and stayed on until the ninth year. Seeing the dedication of the student/teachers and the unsupportive university authorities, we pushed the matter to the vice-chancellor who again told us to meet the dean.
Some students who graduated even continued with their masters just to ensure the success of this project but to no avail. No arguments were valid for the university authorities; they gave us all kind of excuses including the economic value of the Thai and Japanese languages compared to Tamil and unsupportive students once the language is offered (this is ironic, because they never tried offering it in the first place).
They even had the cheek to say students who took Tamil for SPM might score high results for the university Tamil paper examination.
After 12 years of non-stop effort, The Pusat Bahasa in USM finally accepted Tamil language as a paper and classes are now officially run. Thanks to the dynamic students who wanted to make a difference while sacrificing their quality time in university.
This has been entirely their effort from the start and it only proves that we have to struggle for what should have been given to us in the first place.
MK
18/11/09
The Constitution: Your rights are all there
FEATURE LAWYER Sulaiman Abdullah, a native of Penang, recalled that there were, at one time, polls to elect the city mayor other councilors in the state.
It was his early glimpse of what democracy and the Constitution is all about – justice for the people and not to be suppressed by those in power.
“People must play and live by the rules. In the Constitution, the King is the symbol of the country’s sovereignty and we pledge our loyalty to him.
“The King is the protector of the land; not the lord of the land like his foreign medieval counterparts, he said at a forum to mark the launch of the Bar Council’s MyConstitution campaign on Nov 13. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong officiated at the launch.
The two-year campaign sets to get all Malaysians – especially the younger citizens aged 15 to 35 – to understand their rights, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, and to use this charter as their guide in nation-building.
Sulaiman, the co-chairman of the Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee of the International Bar Association, was among the law activists and academicians who shared their views on the future direction of the country’s supreme law; the Federal Constitution.
The others were Dr Azmi Sharom, an associate professor at Universiti Malaya’s Law Faculty, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, president of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, a political commentator and constitutional lawyer Emeritus Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi.
Chairing the forum was the Bar Council’s past president, Ambiga Sreenevasan, who is also a executive committee member of the feminist Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).
Guarantees rights of people
“The Constitution is the basic document that guarantees the rights of the people,” said Sulaiman, pledging he would defend it.
His reference to local elections is pertinent and consistent with calls by various quarters to revive such elections, which were suspended after the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1964.
The suspension was never lifted and the matter instead was made permanent under the Local Government Act 1976, which stipulates that local government members be appointed by the respective state governments.
In the March 2008 general elections, the DAP and the PKR included in their manifesto that local elections would be revived if they were to chosen to lead the country.
The two parties, together with PAS, managed to topple the Barisan Nasional in several states but they are still not able to carry out the plan to hold local council elections due to the Federal Constitution which prohibited the implementation.
Political observers feel it is unlikely that such elections would be brought back because "policymakers know from experience worldwide that the Opposition tends to dominate such councils as part of the electorate's desire for checks-and-balances."
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, however, has its own reason for not wanting to hold more elections: “It is expensive.”
The electoral process and the right to vote are among the more familiar provisions of the Constitution, which is divided into 15 parts and 13 Schedules.
Each part and schedule contains relevant articles. There are 230 articles in the 15 parts, including those which have been repealed.
It provides for the establishment and the organisation of three main branches of the government - Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) and the Senate (Dewan Negara); the executive branch represented by the prime minister and his Cabinet ; and the judicial branch headed by the Federal Court.
Provides answers to pertinent issues
Liew said the role of the citizen is the most important one to be established by the Constitution "because without the active knowledge and participation of citizens, our Constitution is an empty.meaningless and lifeless document."
He added: "The nobility of a good consitution is incumbent on its citizens and how they accept and practise law and order.
"The opposite of this is, of course, lawlessness and wanton behaviours.
"The country would be crippled with setbacks and unable to progress further than 'page one'."
The Constitution, said to be the lifeline of the nation, also defines the rights and responsibilities of the Federal government, each member state and the citizens.
Thus, the Constitution is rightly the custodian of the people’s rights and provides the answers to all pertinent issues.
To make it easier to understand and to make it within reach of every household, the Bar Council has printed a simplified guide on the Constitution in the form of a leaflet, which will be distributed throughout the country.
The council hopes to capture a following of at least six million people over the next two years through the campaign.
The Bar Council feels that some of the country’s laws are ‘archaic’ and has formed a reforms committee to look into possible changes to meet current developments; but without undermining the spirit of the Constitution.
For instance, the committee would look into the provisions of the 40-year-old Internal Securities Act and recommend to the Home Ministry some changes to suit the day’s climate.
The Bar Council pertinently pointed out that it is for such reason that every Malaysian should know their Constitution and to not just be influenced by the media and politicians, who are also not very well-versed in the charter.
What is the Constitution?
Dr Aziz said the Constitution is simply ‘the basic law of the land’ and any other law or regulation must go back to it.
Welcoming the move to make the Constitution people-friendly through the Bar Council’s campaign, he said all this while it had been perceived that only the politicians and lawmakers ‘own’ the charter.
Dr Aziz said: “The Constitution is intended as a social contract and documented by Malaysia’s forefathers to facilitate the democracy of the emerging nation (then knoqwn as Malaya, which gained independence in 1957).
“They (the country’s founding fathers) acknowledged that the Malays and other natives are the sons of the soil but did not sideline others who make up the nation, “ he said, adding that there are politicians who are fond of using the ‘bumiputra’ issue to incite tensions and hatred among the races.
“The politicians forget that there are many more clauses in the Constitution to promote unity among the people.
“That is why educating the public is important, as also making the legalistic side of the Constitution more transparent,” said Dr Aziz.
Dr Shad Saleem agreed that the Constitution is the basic law of the land but, he added, everyone should have the right to go to the court. “Thus, no law or any person must - or can - be above the Constitution.
He suggested that the government be challenged if it acts wrongly; reiterating that the Constitution is the basis for every other law;be it legal, political or social.
“It is the basic infrastructure of nation building and should stay in the middle of the majority and the minority, like it was intended to.
“The people must together seek to reconcile with and uphold the Constitution, since it is the shield that protects the whole nation and not to allow it to collapse.
Standing tall and still progressing
“When other multi-ethnic countries have turned to ashes, Malaysia with is multi-faceted population is still standing tall and progressing,”
he said.
Dr Shad Saleem akins Malaysians to the colours of the rainbow – separated but not apart.
“But there is still a lot of hard work to be done to ensure that the beautiful rainbow that is called Malaysia will live forever,” he added.
To achieve this, he said, Constitutional literacy must be encouraged.
“The Constitution must be higher than the executive and administrative laws,” he said, urging all Malaysians to respect the social contract that had been agreed to and to compromise where it helps and where it hurts.
MM
18/11/09
It was his early glimpse of what democracy and the Constitution is all about – justice for the people and not to be suppressed by those in power.
“People must play and live by the rules. In the Constitution, the King is the symbol of the country’s sovereignty and we pledge our loyalty to him.
“The King is the protector of the land; not the lord of the land like his foreign medieval counterparts, he said at a forum to mark the launch of the Bar Council’s MyConstitution campaign on Nov 13. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong officiated at the launch.
The two-year campaign sets to get all Malaysians – especially the younger citizens aged 15 to 35 – to understand their rights, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, and to use this charter as their guide in nation-building.
Sulaiman, the co-chairman of the Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee of the International Bar Association, was among the law activists and academicians who shared their views on the future direction of the country’s supreme law; the Federal Constitution.
The others were Dr Azmi Sharom, an associate professor at Universiti Malaya’s Law Faculty, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, president of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, a political commentator and constitutional lawyer Emeritus Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi.
Chairing the forum was the Bar Council’s past president, Ambiga Sreenevasan, who is also a executive committee member of the feminist Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).
Guarantees rights of people
“The Constitution is the basic document that guarantees the rights of the people,” said Sulaiman, pledging he would defend it.
His reference to local elections is pertinent and consistent with calls by various quarters to revive such elections, which were suspended after the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1964.
The suspension was never lifted and the matter instead was made permanent under the Local Government Act 1976, which stipulates that local government members be appointed by the respective state governments.
In the March 2008 general elections, the DAP and the PKR included in their manifesto that local elections would be revived if they were to chosen to lead the country.
The two parties, together with PAS, managed to topple the Barisan Nasional in several states but they are still not able to carry out the plan to hold local council elections due to the Federal Constitution which prohibited the implementation.
Political observers feel it is unlikely that such elections would be brought back because "policymakers know from experience worldwide that the Opposition tends to dominate such councils as part of the electorate's desire for checks-and-balances."
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, however, has its own reason for not wanting to hold more elections: “It is expensive.”
The electoral process and the right to vote are among the more familiar provisions of the Constitution, which is divided into 15 parts and 13 Schedules.
Each part and schedule contains relevant articles. There are 230 articles in the 15 parts, including those which have been repealed.
It provides for the establishment and the organisation of three main branches of the government - Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) and the Senate (Dewan Negara); the executive branch represented by the prime minister and his Cabinet ; and the judicial branch headed by the Federal Court.
Provides answers to pertinent issues
Liew said the role of the citizen is the most important one to be established by the Constitution "because without the active knowledge and participation of citizens, our Constitution is an empty.meaningless and lifeless document."
He added: "The nobility of a good consitution is incumbent on its citizens and how they accept and practise law and order.
"The opposite of this is, of course, lawlessness and wanton behaviours.
"The country would be crippled with setbacks and unable to progress further than 'page one'."
The Constitution, said to be the lifeline of the nation, also defines the rights and responsibilities of the Federal government, each member state and the citizens.
Thus, the Constitution is rightly the custodian of the people’s rights and provides the answers to all pertinent issues.
To make it easier to understand and to make it within reach of every household, the Bar Council has printed a simplified guide on the Constitution in the form of a leaflet, which will be distributed throughout the country.
The council hopes to capture a following of at least six million people over the next two years through the campaign.
The Bar Council feels that some of the country’s laws are ‘archaic’ and has formed a reforms committee to look into possible changes to meet current developments; but without undermining the spirit of the Constitution.
For instance, the committee would look into the provisions of the 40-year-old Internal Securities Act and recommend to the Home Ministry some changes to suit the day’s climate.
The Bar Council pertinently pointed out that it is for such reason that every Malaysian should know their Constitution and to not just be influenced by the media and politicians, who are also not very well-versed in the charter.
What is the Constitution?
Dr Aziz said the Constitution is simply ‘the basic law of the land’ and any other law or regulation must go back to it.
Welcoming the move to make the Constitution people-friendly through the Bar Council’s campaign, he said all this while it had been perceived that only the politicians and lawmakers ‘own’ the charter.
Dr Aziz said: “The Constitution is intended as a social contract and documented by Malaysia’s forefathers to facilitate the democracy of the emerging nation (then knoqwn as Malaya, which gained independence in 1957).
“They (the country’s founding fathers) acknowledged that the Malays and other natives are the sons of the soil but did not sideline others who make up the nation, “ he said, adding that there are politicians who are fond of using the ‘bumiputra’ issue to incite tensions and hatred among the races.
“The politicians forget that there are many more clauses in the Constitution to promote unity among the people.
“That is why educating the public is important, as also making the legalistic side of the Constitution more transparent,” said Dr Aziz.
Dr Shad Saleem agreed that the Constitution is the basic law of the land but, he added, everyone should have the right to go to the court. “Thus, no law or any person must - or can - be above the Constitution.
He suggested that the government be challenged if it acts wrongly; reiterating that the Constitution is the basis for every other law;be it legal, political or social.
“It is the basic infrastructure of nation building and should stay in the middle of the majority and the minority, like it was intended to.
“The people must together seek to reconcile with and uphold the Constitution, since it is the shield that protects the whole nation and not to allow it to collapse.
Standing tall and still progressing
“When other multi-ethnic countries have turned to ashes, Malaysia with is multi-faceted population is still standing tall and progressing,”
he said.
Dr Shad Saleem akins Malaysians to the colours of the rainbow – separated but not apart.
“But there is still a lot of hard work to be done to ensure that the beautiful rainbow that is called Malaysia will live forever,” he added.
To achieve this, he said, Constitutional literacy must be encouraged.
“The Constitution must be higher than the executive and administrative laws,” he said, urging all Malaysians to respect the social contract that had been agreed to and to compromise where it helps and where it hurts.
MM
18/11/09
Parliament rejects motion on Klang shoot-out
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today rejected an emergency motion on the Klang shoot-out where five Indian men were killed as the matter was still under police investigation.
Ipoh Barat DAP MP M. Kulasegaran had moved a motion for the government to conduct a public inquiry on the five shot dead by the police on Nov 8 for being suspected gang members.
The shoot-out caused an outcry in the Indian community as opposition leaders and NGOs accused the police of being trigger happy. A sister of one of the dead men tried to commit suicide which the family said was linked to the shoot-out.
Kulasegaran argued that the police should have captured the suspects and brought them to court instead of shooting them.
“The police action has caused public peace to be in jeopardy. The incident that happened on Nov 8 has clearly shown that the police have abused their powers without considering public interest and peace,” he said.
He said the police should tell the truth.
“The police should not deny the allegations made against them,” Kulasegaran added.
Wan Junaidi explained that the motion was not allowed because the subject matter was not urgent although he did admit that it was a specific matter and was of public interest.
Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang objected and argued that the subject matter was urgent because it was of public interest.
“We cannot use that it was still under investigation as an excuse. This is an urgent debate because it involves the interest of many. It also involves the belief of the public in the institution of Parliament.
“The case is still investigated by police so there must be a separation of power between the legislative and the executive. This goes against the doctrine of separation of powers,” he said.
Last Thursday, R. Seetha poured weedkiller for herself and her four children in Klang and told them to “drink it so you can see uncle” after she was overcome with grief for her younger brother who was among those shot dead by police.
R. Surendren, 24, was among the five “high on the police wanted list” gunned down by the police.
18/11/09
Ipoh Barat DAP MP M. Kulasegaran had moved a motion for the government to conduct a public inquiry on the five shot dead by the police on Nov 8 for being suspected gang members.
The shoot-out caused an outcry in the Indian community as opposition leaders and NGOs accused the police of being trigger happy. A sister of one of the dead men tried to commit suicide which the family said was linked to the shoot-out.
Kulasegaran argued that the police should have captured the suspects and brought them to court instead of shooting them.
“The police action has caused public peace to be in jeopardy. The incident that happened on Nov 8 has clearly shown that the police have abused their powers without considering public interest and peace,” he said.
He said the police should tell the truth.
“The police should not deny the allegations made against them,” Kulasegaran added.
Wan Junaidi explained that the motion was not allowed because the subject matter was not urgent although he did admit that it was a specific matter and was of public interest.
Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang objected and argued that the subject matter was urgent because it was of public interest.
“We cannot use that it was still under investigation as an excuse. This is an urgent debate because it involves the interest of many. It also involves the belief of the public in the institution of Parliament.
“The case is still investigated by police so there must be a separation of power between the legislative and the executive. This goes against the doctrine of separation of powers,” he said.
Last Thursday, R. Seetha poured weedkiller for herself and her four children in Klang and told them to “drink it so you can see uncle” after she was overcome with grief for her younger brother who was among those shot dead by police.
R. Surendren, 24, was among the five “high on the police wanted list” gunned down by the police.
18/11/09
MACC suppressing evidence in graft trial of two former Perak PKR assemblymen
IPOH, Nov 18 – There was a furore at the graft trial of two former Perak PKR assemblymen when one of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) video evidence on the exchange of bribe money, showed better clarity in sound and visuals today than previously shown.
The team of defence lawyers, Surjan Singh, S. Muthu, Mohd Asri Othman and Abdul Roni Rahman, who are representing the five accused in the case, raised hell in court over the sudden improvement in the clarity of the video during the re-examination process, accusing the MACC of switching videos.
At the time, Surjan Singh had just completed his cross-examination of the prosecution’s sixth witness, agent provocateur Mohamad Imran Abdullah, and MACC prosecution unit head Datuk Abdul Razak Musa had just embarked on his re-examination of the witness.
During the process, Abdul Razak had asked to replay the video recording of the incident on Aug 14, 2008, which showed the handing over of RM5,000 by Mohamad Imran in his meeting with two of the accused, former PKR state executive councillor Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and PKR politician Usaili Alias and a former accused, the late ex-Perak Development Corporation technician Ruslan Sahat.
Upon playing the video however, the defence team noted the “change” in the video’s clarity and wasted no time to lay down their objections to the court.
Muthu fired the first salvo and pointed out loudly to the court that the videos were very much clearer than the one used during the cross-examination.
In his defence, Abdul Razak argued that the only difference in the videos today was that the MACC had decided to bring in better speakers to magnify the sound and allow the court to listen to the conversations in the incident.
Angered by this, Surjan Singh stood up and said to the court, “I am making a statement here to this honourable court. This video was not the same tape played for us to view and to cross-examine on. This was hidden from us. The MACC is very good at this.”
He also questioned Abdul Razak’s explanation on the speakers and asked why the MACC had failed to provide the same equipment during the examination-in-chief and the cross-examination.
Abdul Razak denied that the videos were not different from the ones played before.
“We confirm that they are all the original videos. I even took them from the same envelope as before,” he explained, gesturing to a white envelope in front of him.
He however admitted that the speakers used before this were not as clear as the ones used in court today.
Surjan Singh further argued that the defence team had been denied the opportunity to cross-examine on the conversations that could now be heard with the “better speakers”.
“We merely crossed on the conversations we heard during the examination-in-chief and that was why we had no chance to cross on these other information.
“Your Honour, please be fair to us. No doubt we can and will recall this witness (Mohamad Imran) later but the effect of this evidence now will affect us. The court must consider this,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh at first ordered for the trial to resume, despite agreeing with the lawyers that the conversations in the recording were now clearer.
Shortly after Abdul Razak continued his re-examination however, he cut in to agree with the defence team that much of the evidences raised by the prosecutor today based on the conversations in the video, were never raised during the examination-in-chief before.
“This is true that it is the first time I am hearing all of this. It was not raised before during the examination-in-chief even,” he said to Abdul Razak.
Abdul Razak replied that he agreed that with the new speakers, “the sound quality is better and more words can be heard.”
Surjan Singh then stood up to present his arguments with three main points – that the current evidence raised during re-examination was never raised earlier, that the defence team had been denied the right to cross-examine this “fresh evidence” and that the court was now presented with two sets of evidence.
“One evidence is of a duller recording in terms of visual and sound and another evidence is based on this better version, which is now being used simply to the benefit of my learned friend (Abdul Razak) during his re-examination,” he said.
Abdul Razak objected at this, saying that he had earlier already informed the defence team that the conversations in the recording could be heard if earphones were used.
“I am not suppressing evidence here and if the court wants, I can bring in the old speakers to make a sound comparison,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh however dismissed this and agreed with the defence team, saying, “You (Abdul Razak) have to admit that during the examination-in-chief, all this was not heard. To me, it may be the same recording but it is true that the sound now is so much better with these speakers.”
He then told the defence team that if they so required, they could recall the witness for cross-examination.
Mohd Asri however objected and said that if the MACC had been aware of the quality of video, transcripts should have been provided to save time and effort.
“Now, we have to keep playing a guessing game to determine what was said. It is an unfair advantage that the prosecution has over us,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh then ordered for the court to stand down for a few minutes to discuss the matter with the lawyers in his chambers.
After the discussion, Muthu told reporters that the defence team had decided that they would submit on the discrepancy instead of calling for another round of cross-examination.
MI
18/11/09
The team of defence lawyers, Surjan Singh, S. Muthu, Mohd Asri Othman and Abdul Roni Rahman, who are representing the five accused in the case, raised hell in court over the sudden improvement in the clarity of the video during the re-examination process, accusing the MACC of switching videos.
At the time, Surjan Singh had just completed his cross-examination of the prosecution’s sixth witness, agent provocateur Mohamad Imran Abdullah, and MACC prosecution unit head Datuk Abdul Razak Musa had just embarked on his re-examination of the witness.
During the process, Abdul Razak had asked to replay the video recording of the incident on Aug 14, 2008, which showed the handing over of RM5,000 by Mohamad Imran in his meeting with two of the accused, former PKR state executive councillor Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and PKR politician Usaili Alias and a former accused, the late ex-Perak Development Corporation technician Ruslan Sahat.
Upon playing the video however, the defence team noted the “change” in the video’s clarity and wasted no time to lay down their objections to the court.
Muthu fired the first salvo and pointed out loudly to the court that the videos were very much clearer than the one used during the cross-examination.
In his defence, Abdul Razak argued that the only difference in the videos today was that the MACC had decided to bring in better speakers to magnify the sound and allow the court to listen to the conversations in the incident.
Angered by this, Surjan Singh stood up and said to the court, “I am making a statement here to this honourable court. This video was not the same tape played for us to view and to cross-examine on. This was hidden from us. The MACC is very good at this.”
He also questioned Abdul Razak’s explanation on the speakers and asked why the MACC had failed to provide the same equipment during the examination-in-chief and the cross-examination.
Abdul Razak denied that the videos were not different from the ones played before.
“We confirm that they are all the original videos. I even took them from the same envelope as before,” he explained, gesturing to a white envelope in front of him.
He however admitted that the speakers used before this were not as clear as the ones used in court today.
Surjan Singh further argued that the defence team had been denied the opportunity to cross-examine on the conversations that could now be heard with the “better speakers”.
“We merely crossed on the conversations we heard during the examination-in-chief and that was why we had no chance to cross on these other information.
“Your Honour, please be fair to us. No doubt we can and will recall this witness (Mohamad Imran) later but the effect of this evidence now will affect us. The court must consider this,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh at first ordered for the trial to resume, despite agreeing with the lawyers that the conversations in the recording were now clearer.
Shortly after Abdul Razak continued his re-examination however, he cut in to agree with the defence team that much of the evidences raised by the prosecutor today based on the conversations in the video, were never raised during the examination-in-chief before.
“This is true that it is the first time I am hearing all of this. It was not raised before during the examination-in-chief even,” he said to Abdul Razak.
Abdul Razak replied that he agreed that with the new speakers, “the sound quality is better and more words can be heard.”
Surjan Singh then stood up to present his arguments with three main points – that the current evidence raised during re-examination was never raised earlier, that the defence team had been denied the right to cross-examine this “fresh evidence” and that the court was now presented with two sets of evidence.
“One evidence is of a duller recording in terms of visual and sound and another evidence is based on this better version, which is now being used simply to the benefit of my learned friend (Abdul Razak) during his re-examination,” he said.
Abdul Razak objected at this, saying that he had earlier already informed the defence team that the conversations in the recording could be heard if earphones were used.
“I am not suppressing evidence here and if the court wants, I can bring in the old speakers to make a sound comparison,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh however dismissed this and agreed with the defence team, saying, “You (Abdul Razak) have to admit that during the examination-in-chief, all this was not heard. To me, it may be the same recording but it is true that the sound now is so much better with these speakers.”
He then told the defence team that if they so required, they could recall the witness for cross-examination.
Mohd Asri however objected and said that if the MACC had been aware of the quality of video, transcripts should have been provided to save time and effort.
“Now, we have to keep playing a guessing game to determine what was said. It is an unfair advantage that the prosecution has over us,” he said.
Judge Azhaniz Teh then ordered for the court to stand down for a few minutes to discuss the matter with the lawyers in his chambers.
After the discussion, Muthu told reporters that the defence team had decided that they would submit on the discrepancy instead of calling for another round of cross-examination.
MI
18/11/09
WHO WILL PAY FOR THE COST OF ALL THESE LIVES AND FOR ALL THE LOST HUMAN OPPORTUNITIES?
Today at 3.05pm Seetha succumbed to the paraquat she consumed in her grief over the death of her brother Surendran, who was brutally murdered by the Police. The police now have a lot of blood on their hands. They are running riot over the Indians in this country. Not only the police, but the Power Elite of the country. Indian lives have become cheap, so cheap that nothing that we say in these columns or anywhere else matters to them. They probably think they could do without these troublesome Indians anyway, just too much trouble.
In spite of so much expression of grievance about the dire situation that prevails with the Indian working poor, this cruel and tyrannous UMNO government has not done anything, not a thing to positively address the problem of the trap of poverty they are all in. Everyday we raed of this development program, that development program, but hat development program for the Indian poor –any one can tell. This is after all the loud rumbling over the last two years. They have chosen to remain deaf. Instead they have given the Police another billion ringgit to buy more guns to shoot more Indians.
Who made Surendran a criminal?. Who imported the Paraquat that killed Seetha? Who is doing all the weedkilling with Paraquat inspite of the widely known dangers? Who blocked Seetha from a decent life? Who is responsible that her father is a security guard and her husband a lorry driver? Who will now look after 4 little ones? Who will pay for the cost of all these lives and for all the lost human opportunities? This is again another major call to the BN Government at the federal level and the PR Governments at the state level to get serious about doing the right things , not the expedient things to resolve the question of the Indian poor.
Now the police will brandish the letter they say that Seetha wrote in her final days saying her consuming the Paraquat had nothing do with her brother’s death. One must think the police are indeed very considerate to relieve her brother of any blame for his sister’s death.. They will now prosecute her husband saying he already had paraquat in his Gemencheh house and she had brought it from there to consume it in Klang because of some problem with him. The police for their part are becoming too much of a danger to the well being of this country. They are corrupt, they are trigger happy, they are losing their moral authority to police this country. They are behaving no better than the criminals they are supposed to protect us from. They reign supreme.
All of this must stop. All this must change. Let us all work on changing this.
HRP
18/11/09
In spite of so much expression of grievance about the dire situation that prevails with the Indian working poor, this cruel and tyrannous UMNO government has not done anything, not a thing to positively address the problem of the trap of poverty they are all in. Everyday we raed of this development program, that development program, but hat development program for the Indian poor –any one can tell. This is after all the loud rumbling over the last two years. They have chosen to remain deaf. Instead they have given the Police another billion ringgit to buy more guns to shoot more Indians.
Who made Surendran a criminal?. Who imported the Paraquat that killed Seetha? Who is doing all the weedkilling with Paraquat inspite of the widely known dangers? Who blocked Seetha from a decent life? Who is responsible that her father is a security guard and her husband a lorry driver? Who will now look after 4 little ones? Who will pay for the cost of all these lives and for all the lost human opportunities? This is again another major call to the BN Government at the federal level and the PR Governments at the state level to get serious about doing the right things , not the expedient things to resolve the question of the Indian poor.
Now the police will brandish the letter they say that Seetha wrote in her final days saying her consuming the Paraquat had nothing do with her brother’s death. One must think the police are indeed very considerate to relieve her brother of any blame for his sister’s death.. They will now prosecute her husband saying he already had paraquat in his Gemencheh house and she had brought it from there to consume it in Klang because of some problem with him. The police for their part are becoming too much of a danger to the well being of this country. They are corrupt, they are trigger happy, they are losing their moral authority to police this country. They are behaving no better than the criminals they are supposed to protect us from. They reign supreme.
All of this must stop. All this must change. Let us all work on changing this.
HRP
18/11/09
At 3.05 pm on 18/11/2009, Seetha the suicide victim and the sister of Surendran,who the police shot dead on the 8th of November passes away
KLANG, Nov 18 — Housewife R Seetha died of multiple organ failure at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) here today, a week after she apparently drank paraquat while grieving for her brother, who was killed in a police shoot-out on Nov 7.
According to the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP), Seetha died at 3.05pm at the intensive care unit. It reported that her husband, M. Manimaran, and the party’s pro-tem secretary-general P. Uthayakumar were at her bedside when she passed away.
Uthayakumar said doctors tried to revive her but failed, calling the death a double blow to the family just 11 days after her brother died.
The party quoted the hospital’s Dr Loh Hoong Sheng as saying Seetha died of multi-organ failure.
The 31-year-old mother and two of her children were admitted to the intensive care unit at the HTAR on Nov 12 while the other two children were in the normal ward after the alleged incident.
Her family said Seetha was devastated by the death of her 24-year-old brother R Surendren, who was among five men “high on the police wanted list” who were gunned down by police in Klang Utama on Nov 7.
They claimed that at 8.30am on Nov 12, Seetha poured the weedkiller into mugs and gave it to her children to drink with a straw before consuming it herself.
Her lorry driver husband has been questioned by police but was later released.
Her family and HRP maintain Seetha was “pushed over the edge” because of her brother’s death while police believe “domestic problems” was a factor in her suicide.
Uthayakumar told The Malaysian Insider that Seetha body would be taken to the family’s home in Gemencheh, Negri Sembilan, because Hindu funeral rites prohibits two funerals to be carried out at the same time.
The 16-day prayers for her brother is not yet over and her death is a double blow for the family, said Uthayakumar.
He added that the condition of the children who are also at the hospital remain unchanged.
Her eldest daughter Darshini, nine, and her only son, Kugendran, are in critical care while her two other daughters Usharani, seven, and Navina, three, are being treated in a normal ward.
Police had classify the case as attempted suicide as well as attempted murder and Seetha might have faced charges for trying to kill her children had she survived.
MI
18/11/09
According to the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP), Seetha died at 3.05pm at the intensive care unit. It reported that her husband, M. Manimaran, and the party’s pro-tem secretary-general P. Uthayakumar were at her bedside when she passed away.
Uthayakumar said doctors tried to revive her but failed, calling the death a double blow to the family just 11 days after her brother died.
The party quoted the hospital’s Dr Loh Hoong Sheng as saying Seetha died of multi-organ failure.
The 31-year-old mother and two of her children were admitted to the intensive care unit at the HTAR on Nov 12 while the other two children were in the normal ward after the alleged incident.
Her family said Seetha was devastated by the death of her 24-year-old brother R Surendren, who was among five men “high on the police wanted list” who were gunned down by police in Klang Utama on Nov 7.
They claimed that at 8.30am on Nov 12, Seetha poured the weedkiller into mugs and gave it to her children to drink with a straw before consuming it herself.
Her lorry driver husband has been questioned by police but was later released.
Her family and HRP maintain Seetha was “pushed over the edge” because of her brother’s death while police believe “domestic problems” was a factor in her suicide.
Uthayakumar told The Malaysian Insider that Seetha body would be taken to the family’s home in Gemencheh, Negri Sembilan, because Hindu funeral rites prohibits two funerals to be carried out at the same time.
The 16-day prayers for her brother is not yet over and her death is a double blow for the family, said Uthayakumar.
He added that the condition of the children who are also at the hospital remain unchanged.
Her eldest daughter Darshini, nine, and her only son, Kugendran, are in critical care while her two other daughters Usharani, seven, and Navina, three, are being treated in a normal ward.
Police had classify the case as attempted suicide as well as attempted murder and Seetha might have faced charges for trying to kill her children had she survived.
MI
18/11/09
No big names or big cases were prosecuted by MACC but small fry sinks Malaysia’s anti-graft
Small fry sinks Malaysia’s anti-graft drive as najib must walk the talk
It is all about perception. And internationally, Malaysia is perceived to be doing so poorly in its anti-corruption drive that it sank in world rankings to 56 out of 180 countries.
To be fair, there are now more countries in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. They measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption – for example, the frequency of bribes – in 180 countries and territories.
But the TI’s latest index revealed yesterday confirms what most Malaysians already believe of the national anti-graft drive. It just isn’t there. And if it, it is pointed at political rivals to the Barisan Nasional, the coalition ruling the federal government.
A day earlier, a survey by the independent Merdeka Centre showed a whopping 74 per cent of those polled were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of corruption and abuse of power issues.
The perceptions are indicative of what people think of Barisan’s drive to clean the Stygian stables of corruption. It is a Herculean task, to say the least, and one that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has yet to grasp.
For what it’s worth, the MACC announced it arrested 605 people last year for graft. No big names or big cases were mentioned. Fact is, the big names have had their cases thrown out by the court, showing how weak the cases were.
It is no wonder DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang reflected Malaysian sentiments when he asked for heads to roll in the MACC for Malaysia’s poor rankings in the latest anti-corruption index.
The MACC, equipped with stronger laws, more officials and better equipment, was seen as a fresh start for the maligned Anti-Corruption Agency and the cornerstone of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s promise of reforms for the country.
Sadly, all it has to show is a political aide that died mysteriously after overnight interrogation and a slate of big cases that have yet to show any results. Examples that come to mind are the Lingam case and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).
Instead, the MACC has gone for the small fry that also happen to be opposition politicians. Is it a wonder why people, be they Malaysians or foreigners, think so lowly of the anti-graft body?
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will have to do more to ensure the CPI does not sink his premiership in its early days, as said by Lim.
After all, perceptions count.
And if heads must roll, so be it. Better other heads than the prime minister’s at this point.
All Najib has to do is look at Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is making great effort to quell corruption and the “legal mafia” in his country.
Yudhoyono knows the buck stops with him. Najib should know that, too.
MI
18/11/09
It is all about perception. And internationally, Malaysia is perceived to be doing so poorly in its anti-corruption drive that it sank in world rankings to 56 out of 180 countries.
To be fair, there are now more countries in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. They measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption – for example, the frequency of bribes – in 180 countries and territories.
But the TI’s latest index revealed yesterday confirms what most Malaysians already believe of the national anti-graft drive. It just isn’t there. And if it, it is pointed at political rivals to the Barisan Nasional, the coalition ruling the federal government.
A day earlier, a survey by the independent Merdeka Centre showed a whopping 74 per cent of those polled were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of corruption and abuse of power issues.
The perceptions are indicative of what people think of Barisan’s drive to clean the Stygian stables of corruption. It is a Herculean task, to say the least, and one that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has yet to grasp.
For what it’s worth, the MACC announced it arrested 605 people last year for graft. No big names or big cases were mentioned. Fact is, the big names have had their cases thrown out by the court, showing how weak the cases were.
It is no wonder DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang reflected Malaysian sentiments when he asked for heads to roll in the MACC for Malaysia’s poor rankings in the latest anti-corruption index.
The MACC, equipped with stronger laws, more officials and better equipment, was seen as a fresh start for the maligned Anti-Corruption Agency and the cornerstone of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s promise of reforms for the country.
Sadly, all it has to show is a political aide that died mysteriously after overnight interrogation and a slate of big cases that have yet to show any results. Examples that come to mind are the Lingam case and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).
Instead, the MACC has gone for the small fry that also happen to be opposition politicians. Is it a wonder why people, be they Malaysians or foreigners, think so lowly of the anti-graft body?
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will have to do more to ensure the CPI does not sink his premiership in its early days, as said by Lim.
After all, perceptions count.
And if heads must roll, so be it. Better other heads than the prime minister’s at this point.
All Najib has to do is look at Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is making great effort to quell corruption and the “legal mafia” in his country.
Yudhoyono knows the buck stops with him. Najib should know that, too.
MI
18/11/09
Ex-Hindraf member set to join Anwar’s PKR
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Former Hindraf member and ISA detainee Vasantha Kumar is expected to join the PKR on Nov 25, the 2nd anniversary of the protest by thousands of working-class Indians.
Vasantha, the least known of the five Hindraf, has been touring the country since his release from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention in March and whipping up support for the NGO that he heads but without much success.
He was also courted by the DAP but is understood to have decided to instead to join PKR.
The Malaysian Insider understands his decision was made after he and other senior PKR leaders met Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Anwar recently.
Anwar is expected to be the VVIP at Vasantha’s Hindraf 2nd anniversary celebration in Klang on Nov 25 where about 5,000 people from across the country are expected to attend.
In return Vasantha is expected to be fielded by the PKR in a seat in Kedah in the next general election.
When contacted today, Vasantha confirmed a “VVIP” will attend the Klang celebration but declined to confirm or deny whether he has joined the PKR.
“All in good time,” he told The Malaysian Insider. He said the Klang event is significant and would reconnect Pakatan Rakyat (PR) with the Hindraf movement.
Vasantha was the leader closest to lawyer and Hindraf founder P. Waythamoorthy, now in exile, and his brother P. Uthayakumar. He handled the movement's finances.
But the brothers had a massive falling out with Vasantha, who also lodged police reports against them, over numerous issues including money matters.
The brothers later accused Vasantha of being a “Special Branch agent”.
After his release Vasantha went into business.
He also tried to help in PR's campaign in the recent Bagan Pinang by-election.
But nearly 70 per cent of Indian voters who had voted for PR in 2008 chose Barisan Nasional (BN) instead.
Senior PKR sources said Anwar’s readiness to accept Vasantha has to do with the party’s need to re-connect with the Tamil masses which had supported PR in 2008.
BN has been giving the community greater attention by resolving numerous issues they faced and winning their hearts and minds.
Anwar’s attendance at the Klang event will be significant step in PR's attempt to win back the Indians.
“He will recognise Hindraf and pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Hindraf leaders,” said a senior PKR source.
“He will urge it to continue to speak up for the Indian community and support the Pakatan Rakyat.”
Uthayakumar, the leading light behind Hindraf, has formed his own Human Rights Party while Waythamoorthy remains as nominal head of Hindraf, a movement banned by the government as an extremist organisation.
Other Hindraf leaders have either joined the DAP or gone apolitical.
MI
18/11/09
Vasantha, the least known of the five Hindraf, has been touring the country since his release from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention in March and whipping up support for the NGO that he heads but without much success.
He was also courted by the DAP but is understood to have decided to instead to join PKR.
The Malaysian Insider understands his decision was made after he and other senior PKR leaders met Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Anwar recently.
Anwar is expected to be the VVIP at Vasantha’s Hindraf 2nd anniversary celebration in Klang on Nov 25 where about 5,000 people from across the country are expected to attend.
In return Vasantha is expected to be fielded by the PKR in a seat in Kedah in the next general election.
When contacted today, Vasantha confirmed a “VVIP” will attend the Klang celebration but declined to confirm or deny whether he has joined the PKR.
“All in good time,” he told The Malaysian Insider. He said the Klang event is significant and would reconnect Pakatan Rakyat (PR) with the Hindraf movement.
Vasantha was the leader closest to lawyer and Hindraf founder P. Waythamoorthy, now in exile, and his brother P. Uthayakumar. He handled the movement's finances.
But the brothers had a massive falling out with Vasantha, who also lodged police reports against them, over numerous issues including money matters.
The brothers later accused Vasantha of being a “Special Branch agent”.
After his release Vasantha went into business.
He also tried to help in PR's campaign in the recent Bagan Pinang by-election.
But nearly 70 per cent of Indian voters who had voted for PR in 2008 chose Barisan Nasional (BN) instead.
Senior PKR sources said Anwar’s readiness to accept Vasantha has to do with the party’s need to re-connect with the Tamil masses which had supported PR in 2008.
BN has been giving the community greater attention by resolving numerous issues they faced and winning their hearts and minds.
Anwar’s attendance at the Klang event will be significant step in PR's attempt to win back the Indians.
“He will recognise Hindraf and pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Hindraf leaders,” said a senior PKR source.
“He will urge it to continue to speak up for the Indian community and support the Pakatan Rakyat.”
Uthayakumar, the leading light behind Hindraf, has formed his own Human Rights Party while Waythamoorthy remains as nominal head of Hindraf, a movement banned by the government as an extremist organisation.
Other Hindraf leaders have either joined the DAP or gone apolitical.
MI
18/11/09
MALAYSIA: POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN RULING BN AND OPPOSITION PR
Najib Razak became the Prime Minister of Malaysia in April this year. Since then, he has been using two approaches to strengthen his party UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) and the government of the BN (Barisan Nasional or National Front), in which it plays the major role, since they came out of the last General Election considerably weakened. The first is to demonstrate some reforms and to promise some economic 'goodies' by using populist rhetoric to regain the support of the voters. The second is to continuously undermine and discredit the opposition PR (Pakatan Rakyat - People's Coalition) by using allegations of corruption, money politics and other things through the state apparatus such as the police, the courts and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
BN's two-faced behaviour
With a weaker government after the unprecedented losses in the last General Election, Najib and the BN government are under pressure to make some adjustments in government policies in order to increase his credibility of running the government. This is also to counter the economic agenda of Anwar Ibrahim and the PR that is supposedly for "equal distribution of wealth", by implementing further liberalisation of the economy.
But the question is how far Najib can go in his "reform" which is also linked to how soon Malaysia could recover from the uncertainties in the current global economy. In an export-oriented economy, the external conditions will be the driving factor in Malaysia's economic outlook, with risks stemming from the duration of the global recession, financial markets and commodity prices.
For the first five months of the year, FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) totaled only RM4.2 billion compared to RM46 billion last year, as foreign companies cut back on capital and other types of investment. In order to be competitive, Najib has no other way than to liberalise financial services. He has also ended some regulations binding companies to 30 percent Malay ownership, partly dismantling a 40 year-old policy introduced by his father, Razak Hussein, the second prime minister of independent Malaysia. These measures are intended to give greater flexibilities for the multinational capitalists to exploit the resources and labour in this country; but for FDI to come in, it still depends on the demands and economic performance of countries such as the US, Japan and China and those in the European Union.
Nevertheless, Najib's economic "reforms" have not yet dismantled the government patronage system and the protectionist measures that exist to safeguard the national capitalists and GLCs (government linked companies). The patronage practices, such as handing out government contracts to UMNO cronies, go ahead unhindered; because of this there is not much defiance from UMNO members against Najib's moves. "UMNO has to follow through on the government's economic liberalisation policy but it still needs to keep its Malay base loyal," said Ibrahim Suffian, director of Merdeka Center, an independent pollster. As well as creating a class of Malay capitalists, government contracts are the lifeblood for more than 30,000 contractors, most of whom are grassroots UMNO officials, whose support is widely sought after by party leaders. Therefore, the Malay capitalists, as well as the GLCs, are still protected under these arrangements of economic liberalisation.
Undoubtedly, behind the scenes, the BN is still practicing "divide and rule" racial politics to uphold the patronage system while cynically propagating the "one Malaysia" concept, articulating that every Malaysian, regardless of race, is equal. Now, Najib's slogan - "One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now" - has become the mantra that is propagated through every branch of the public media to every government function. This rhetoric is mainly designed to recapture the non-Malays' support.
On completing his 100 days in office, Najib has also introduced populist measures to regain support by promising that his administration "will give priority to fighting crime, fighting corruption, improving education, upgrading low-income households, upgrading rural basic infrastructure and upgrading urban public transport to ensure everyone benefits". Such promises are not new and were also made during Abdullah Badawi's tenure and it led to his political demise by the failure to "walk the talk".
Other promises of Najib, like introducing laws with real power to reform the judiciary and the police, have not been met and corruption and mismanagement of funds are still prevalent. Meanwhile issues such as the PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) RM12 billion Scandal- in which the port development project was awarded without any competitive bid to well-connected political cronies of the UMNO and MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association), the two biggest components of the BN - up to the BN power grab in Perak state, are still unresolved. All these show that Najib's government is not much different from past administrations - abundant with rhetoric, bankrupt in implementation.
Najib's 'One Malaysia' concept will be more political rhetoric and will not succeed to "distribute the wealth equally regardless of race" as long as there is exploitation and prejudice executed by this pro-capitalist government. The working class and the poor are continually suffering under this profit-oriented system as their needs and rights are being marginalised.
Although, since the last General Election, the PR has won all by-elections in West Malaysia, it has not yet been truly tested in the BN strongholds of states like Johor, Melaka, Pahang and in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). So, whether the PR is capable of winning the next General Election, is still uncertain as this still depends on factors such as: the economic conditions, the performance of Najib and the BN government in fulfilling some of their promises in the next one or two years and whether PR can solidly build its coalition as an alternative to the BN.
However, the Merdeka Center's poll in July showed that Najib's approval rating is 65 percent, a jump up from 42 percent just before he became the country's sixth prime minister under a cloud of allegations of corruption and murder. The improvement in the approval rating is mainly because the failure of PR to come out with concrete measures to counter Najib's rhetoric as well as to put forward a clear alternative to challenge the profit-oriented system and raise and safeguard the basic living standards of the ordinary people.
Discrediting PR
Undoubtedly, since Najib came into power, he and the BN have viciously planned to undermine the PR and its leaders by using every possible avenue, including the state apparatus such as the police, courts, laws and other things. The government bringing a second case against the PR leader, Anwar Ibrahim, for sodomy is one example that shows that the Najib government is going all out to discredit Anwar and to suppress his involvement in politics. This is mainly aimed at splitting the PR coalition partners who have bonded together because of the leadership of Anwar.
There are also attempts by the BN government to destabilise PR-controlled state governments by luring some PR state assemblymen towards them. Najib, who has succeeded with this tactic in the state of Perak is now trying to do the same in other PR states like Kedah and Selangor.
The death of Teoh Beng Hock, a 30-year old political aide to a Selangor State Executive Committee member, when he was under investigation by the MACC, has infuriated many and undermined the credibility of MACC and the BN government. The continued persecution of PR politicians shows the vicious attempts of BN to undermine the PR. Contrarily, many UMNO and BN politicians who are blatantly corrupt and abuse power have not been investigated or charged by MACC.
Democratic Rights
This shows that Malaysian politics is not on an even "playing field", with the ruling parties always having the upper hand over the opposition parties. The BN has been in power more than 50 years and its autocratic rule has been favourable to the desire of national and international capitalists to maximize their profits. In that process, democratic rights and the fundamental needs of ordinary people have been diluted and suppressed. Consequently, most of the time ordinary people have to fight to defend their rights and fulfill their basic needs.
The PR opposition is against the undemocratic actions of the BN government, but consistently supports free market capitalism.
The exploitative nature of the capitalist system encourages governments to use unjust measures to fulfill the needs of the profit system. The state is just a tool for capitalists to fulfill their desire to maximize their profits. Therefore the struggle for democratic rights must be carried out together with the struggle against capitalism.
PR inconsistency
The People's Alliance (PR) with its rhetoric about 'People Power' has no perspective of strengthening the real majority - the working class, youth, students, poor farmers and others - but merely crying foul against the undemocratic persecution of the government against them. At the same time, the social and economic issues that have angered ordinary people, and which were highlighted during the March 2008 election, are continually being ignored.
Anwar Ibrahim and other PR leaders will say, "We will prove that we can be better at governing when we take over at federal level". Basically they are promoting a two party system to safeguard capitalism as in the US (Democrats and Republicans) and in the UK (Labour and Conservative).
This shows that there are no clear alternatives for the working class and youth. The BN and PR clearly support the free market system of capitalism with just minor differences between them with the latter arguing for more transparency and getting rid of corruption in the government. Nevertheless, the PR state governments, most of the time, end up working towards fulfilling the desires of the profit-mongers - developers and investors - rather than fighting to satisfy the needs of the working and poor people.
The recent issue relating to Buah Pala village in Penang, which is under the rule of a PR state government, is one such case. Lim Guan Eng, the PR chief minister of Penang, has shown himself incapable of safeguarding the ancestral homes of the villagers from demolition threats by a developer, resulting from the treacherous policies pursued by the previous BN state government. In this dispute Lim is only able to show that he is good as a mediator between the people and the developer, but the negotiation is ultimately more favorable to the developer who is going to reap billions of ringgits profit. Lim and the PR government demonstrate that they have no political will to challenge the developer and the fraud incurred in order to safeguard this centuries-old cultural and historical heritage in favour of the ordinary people.
Contrarily, in relation to a similar issue in Bukit Cina in the 1980s, when Lim was in opposition to the BN Melaka state government, he fought for the rights of the residents until succeeding in saving Bukit Cina from being demolished by BN. At the 'Save Bukit Cina' 20th Anniversary Dinner in 2004, Lim said, "It shows the importance of preserving our important cultural and historical heritage over [the interests of] development projects for the sake of private gain. Both the BN and the MCA saw only ringgit signs when they proposed leveling the oldest Chinese cemetery in Malaysia to build houses, small shops and shopping complexes."
One of the villagers in Kg. Buah Pala shouted angrily: "When Pakatan (PR) was not in the government it claimed that it was with the people, but when it is in the government it does nothing to safeguard the interests of ordinary people!". This issue demonstrates the inconsistent role of pro-capitalist parties and those parties who have succumbed to the rule of capitalism when they have come to power. In these circumstances, the ordinary people have no other way than to fight for their rights with their own forces.
Such inconsistent politics on the part of the Pakatan coalition partners could weaken the support base that they gained in the last General Election.
Recently, PAS (the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) advocated banning the SIS (Sisters in Islam) - an NGO that is fighting for the rights of Muslim women against unjust laws and regulations. But, at the same time, it campaigns against the undemocratic law and policies of the BN government. Even some of its leaders are keen on collaborating with UMNO to strengthen Malay/Muslim political domination, although PAS is formally a member of the PR that is supposed to promote multi-racial politics.
PAS' slogan, "PAS for All", is intended to attract non-Muslim voters. But, at certain times, it stirs up issues that are sensitive to Muslims, using them against non-Muslims to maintain its Malay/Muslim base. Such acts create conflicts between PAS and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) who are based on the Chinese community. The internal squabbling between them undermines the credibility of the PR coalition.
This shows why it is crucial for socialists and trade unionists to maintain an independent working class position and to be critical of the populist rhetoric of both the PR and the BN in order to strengthen working class struggles and organisations against hypocritical pro-capitalist parties.
Working class alternative
The bickering between the ruling BN and the opposition PR is leading to personal attacks and this is increasingly frustrating the ordinary people - the working class and youth. They are more concerned with improving their fundamental conditions and rights, but neither the ruling BN nor the opposition PR is representing the needs of this class.
Recently, some leaders of a movement called HINDRAF (Hindu Right Action Force) launched new Indian party after declaring that the PR had failed to fight for the rights of the marginalised Indian people. There is some truth in their claims, but initiating another race-based party is not going to solve the social and economic issues of working class and poor Indians. Most of the issues highlighted by HINDRAF, such as Indians being alienated from mainstream development, are caused by the pro-capitalist policies and neo-liberal agenda of the BN government and the PR has failed to address these class issues. Some of the issues also affect the Malay and Chinese working class and youth. In short, the common "enemy" is the same for the whole working class and all youth, regardless of their race or religion. For this reason, an independent working class party to unite workers and youth, regardless of race and religion, is the only way forward.
Some on the Left and also trade union leaders are supporting the PR with the hope that when it comes into power, better conditions and rights can be won, as well as there being more democratic space. Some reforms could be won under pressure from below, but this is not guaranteed, since the new government would also be under the domination and pressure of capitalism.
However, growing numbers of youth and workers who have lost hope in the PR with its own pro-capitalist agenda are supporting the ideas of building a working class alternative. This should be armed with socialist ideas and perspectives in order to counter the limitations of capitalism. This is the only way to go towards building a just, democratic and equal society:- a socialist society to fulfill the needs of the majority - the working class and youth - regardless of race and religion.
17/11/09
BN's two-faced behaviour
With a weaker government after the unprecedented losses in the last General Election, Najib and the BN government are under pressure to make some adjustments in government policies in order to increase his credibility of running the government. This is also to counter the economic agenda of Anwar Ibrahim and the PR that is supposedly for "equal distribution of wealth", by implementing further liberalisation of the economy.
But the question is how far Najib can go in his "reform" which is also linked to how soon Malaysia could recover from the uncertainties in the current global economy. In an export-oriented economy, the external conditions will be the driving factor in Malaysia's economic outlook, with risks stemming from the duration of the global recession, financial markets and commodity prices.
For the first five months of the year, FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) totaled only RM4.2 billion compared to RM46 billion last year, as foreign companies cut back on capital and other types of investment. In order to be competitive, Najib has no other way than to liberalise financial services. He has also ended some regulations binding companies to 30 percent Malay ownership, partly dismantling a 40 year-old policy introduced by his father, Razak Hussein, the second prime minister of independent Malaysia. These measures are intended to give greater flexibilities for the multinational capitalists to exploit the resources and labour in this country; but for FDI to come in, it still depends on the demands and economic performance of countries such as the US, Japan and China and those in the European Union.
Nevertheless, Najib's economic "reforms" have not yet dismantled the government patronage system and the protectionist measures that exist to safeguard the national capitalists and GLCs (government linked companies). The patronage practices, such as handing out government contracts to UMNO cronies, go ahead unhindered; because of this there is not much defiance from UMNO members against Najib's moves. "UMNO has to follow through on the government's economic liberalisation policy but it still needs to keep its Malay base loyal," said Ibrahim Suffian, director of Merdeka Center, an independent pollster. As well as creating a class of Malay capitalists, government contracts are the lifeblood for more than 30,000 contractors, most of whom are grassroots UMNO officials, whose support is widely sought after by party leaders. Therefore, the Malay capitalists, as well as the GLCs, are still protected under these arrangements of economic liberalisation.
Undoubtedly, behind the scenes, the BN is still practicing "divide and rule" racial politics to uphold the patronage system while cynically propagating the "one Malaysia" concept, articulating that every Malaysian, regardless of race, is equal. Now, Najib's slogan - "One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now" - has become the mantra that is propagated through every branch of the public media to every government function. This rhetoric is mainly designed to recapture the non-Malays' support.
On completing his 100 days in office, Najib has also introduced populist measures to regain support by promising that his administration "will give priority to fighting crime, fighting corruption, improving education, upgrading low-income households, upgrading rural basic infrastructure and upgrading urban public transport to ensure everyone benefits". Such promises are not new and were also made during Abdullah Badawi's tenure and it led to his political demise by the failure to "walk the talk".
Other promises of Najib, like introducing laws with real power to reform the judiciary and the police, have not been met and corruption and mismanagement of funds are still prevalent. Meanwhile issues such as the PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) RM12 billion Scandal- in which the port development project was awarded without any competitive bid to well-connected political cronies of the UMNO and MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association), the two biggest components of the BN - up to the BN power grab in Perak state, are still unresolved. All these show that Najib's government is not much different from past administrations - abundant with rhetoric, bankrupt in implementation.
Najib's 'One Malaysia' concept will be more political rhetoric and will not succeed to "distribute the wealth equally regardless of race" as long as there is exploitation and prejudice executed by this pro-capitalist government. The working class and the poor are continually suffering under this profit-oriented system as their needs and rights are being marginalised.
Although, since the last General Election, the PR has won all by-elections in West Malaysia, it has not yet been truly tested in the BN strongholds of states like Johor, Melaka, Pahang and in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). So, whether the PR is capable of winning the next General Election, is still uncertain as this still depends on factors such as: the economic conditions, the performance of Najib and the BN government in fulfilling some of their promises in the next one or two years and whether PR can solidly build its coalition as an alternative to the BN.
However, the Merdeka Center's poll in July showed that Najib's approval rating is 65 percent, a jump up from 42 percent just before he became the country's sixth prime minister under a cloud of allegations of corruption and murder. The improvement in the approval rating is mainly because the failure of PR to come out with concrete measures to counter Najib's rhetoric as well as to put forward a clear alternative to challenge the profit-oriented system and raise and safeguard the basic living standards of the ordinary people.
Discrediting PR
Undoubtedly, since Najib came into power, he and the BN have viciously planned to undermine the PR and its leaders by using every possible avenue, including the state apparatus such as the police, courts, laws and other things. The government bringing a second case against the PR leader, Anwar Ibrahim, for sodomy is one example that shows that the Najib government is going all out to discredit Anwar and to suppress his involvement in politics. This is mainly aimed at splitting the PR coalition partners who have bonded together because of the leadership of Anwar.
There are also attempts by the BN government to destabilise PR-controlled state governments by luring some PR state assemblymen towards them. Najib, who has succeeded with this tactic in the state of Perak is now trying to do the same in other PR states like Kedah and Selangor.
The death of Teoh Beng Hock, a 30-year old political aide to a Selangor State Executive Committee member, when he was under investigation by the MACC, has infuriated many and undermined the credibility of MACC and the BN government. The continued persecution of PR politicians shows the vicious attempts of BN to undermine the PR. Contrarily, many UMNO and BN politicians who are blatantly corrupt and abuse power have not been investigated or charged by MACC.
Democratic Rights
This shows that Malaysian politics is not on an even "playing field", with the ruling parties always having the upper hand over the opposition parties. The BN has been in power more than 50 years and its autocratic rule has been favourable to the desire of national and international capitalists to maximize their profits. In that process, democratic rights and the fundamental needs of ordinary people have been diluted and suppressed. Consequently, most of the time ordinary people have to fight to defend their rights and fulfill their basic needs.
The PR opposition is against the undemocratic actions of the BN government, but consistently supports free market capitalism.
The exploitative nature of the capitalist system encourages governments to use unjust measures to fulfill the needs of the profit system. The state is just a tool for capitalists to fulfill their desire to maximize their profits. Therefore the struggle for democratic rights must be carried out together with the struggle against capitalism.
PR inconsistency
The People's Alliance (PR) with its rhetoric about 'People Power' has no perspective of strengthening the real majority - the working class, youth, students, poor farmers and others - but merely crying foul against the undemocratic persecution of the government against them. At the same time, the social and economic issues that have angered ordinary people, and which were highlighted during the March 2008 election, are continually being ignored.
Anwar Ibrahim and other PR leaders will say, "We will prove that we can be better at governing when we take over at federal level". Basically they are promoting a two party system to safeguard capitalism as in the US (Democrats and Republicans) and in the UK (Labour and Conservative).
This shows that there are no clear alternatives for the working class and youth. The BN and PR clearly support the free market system of capitalism with just minor differences between them with the latter arguing for more transparency and getting rid of corruption in the government. Nevertheless, the PR state governments, most of the time, end up working towards fulfilling the desires of the profit-mongers - developers and investors - rather than fighting to satisfy the needs of the working and poor people.
The recent issue relating to Buah Pala village in Penang, which is under the rule of a PR state government, is one such case. Lim Guan Eng, the PR chief minister of Penang, has shown himself incapable of safeguarding the ancestral homes of the villagers from demolition threats by a developer, resulting from the treacherous policies pursued by the previous BN state government. In this dispute Lim is only able to show that he is good as a mediator between the people and the developer, but the negotiation is ultimately more favorable to the developer who is going to reap billions of ringgits profit. Lim and the PR government demonstrate that they have no political will to challenge the developer and the fraud incurred in order to safeguard this centuries-old cultural and historical heritage in favour of the ordinary people.
Contrarily, in relation to a similar issue in Bukit Cina in the 1980s, when Lim was in opposition to the BN Melaka state government, he fought for the rights of the residents until succeeding in saving Bukit Cina from being demolished by BN. At the 'Save Bukit Cina' 20th Anniversary Dinner in 2004, Lim said, "It shows the importance of preserving our important cultural and historical heritage over [the interests of] development projects for the sake of private gain. Both the BN and the MCA saw only ringgit signs when they proposed leveling the oldest Chinese cemetery in Malaysia to build houses, small shops and shopping complexes."
One of the villagers in Kg. Buah Pala shouted angrily: "When Pakatan (PR) was not in the government it claimed that it was with the people, but when it is in the government it does nothing to safeguard the interests of ordinary people!". This issue demonstrates the inconsistent role of pro-capitalist parties and those parties who have succumbed to the rule of capitalism when they have come to power. In these circumstances, the ordinary people have no other way than to fight for their rights with their own forces.
Such inconsistent politics on the part of the Pakatan coalition partners could weaken the support base that they gained in the last General Election.
Recently, PAS (the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) advocated banning the SIS (Sisters in Islam) - an NGO that is fighting for the rights of Muslim women against unjust laws and regulations. But, at the same time, it campaigns against the undemocratic law and policies of the BN government. Even some of its leaders are keen on collaborating with UMNO to strengthen Malay/Muslim political domination, although PAS is formally a member of the PR that is supposed to promote multi-racial politics.
PAS' slogan, "PAS for All", is intended to attract non-Muslim voters. But, at certain times, it stirs up issues that are sensitive to Muslims, using them against non-Muslims to maintain its Malay/Muslim base. Such acts create conflicts between PAS and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) who are based on the Chinese community. The internal squabbling between them undermines the credibility of the PR coalition.
This shows why it is crucial for socialists and trade unionists to maintain an independent working class position and to be critical of the populist rhetoric of both the PR and the BN in order to strengthen working class struggles and organisations against hypocritical pro-capitalist parties.
Working class alternative
The bickering between the ruling BN and the opposition PR is leading to personal attacks and this is increasingly frustrating the ordinary people - the working class and youth. They are more concerned with improving their fundamental conditions and rights, but neither the ruling BN nor the opposition PR is representing the needs of this class.
Recently, some leaders of a movement called HINDRAF (Hindu Right Action Force) launched new Indian party after declaring that the PR had failed to fight for the rights of the marginalised Indian people. There is some truth in their claims, but initiating another race-based party is not going to solve the social and economic issues of working class and poor Indians. Most of the issues highlighted by HINDRAF, such as Indians being alienated from mainstream development, are caused by the pro-capitalist policies and neo-liberal agenda of the BN government and the PR has failed to address these class issues. Some of the issues also affect the Malay and Chinese working class and youth. In short, the common "enemy" is the same for the whole working class and all youth, regardless of their race or religion. For this reason, an independent working class party to unite workers and youth, regardless of race and religion, is the only way forward.
Some on the Left and also trade union leaders are supporting the PR with the hope that when it comes into power, better conditions and rights can be won, as well as there being more democratic space. Some reforms could be won under pressure from below, but this is not guaranteed, since the new government would also be under the domination and pressure of capitalism.
However, growing numbers of youth and workers who have lost hope in the PR with its own pro-capitalist agenda are supporting the ideas of building a working class alternative. This should be armed with socialist ideas and perspectives in order to counter the limitations of capitalism. This is the only way to go towards building a just, democratic and equal society:- a socialist society to fulfill the needs of the majority - the working class and youth - regardless of race and religion.
17/11/09
Malaysian should ponder the damages that BN has done to Malaysia
There are many curses of BN in Malaysia, the most evil of them all is the Internal Security Act (ISA). To comprehend how evil such an act is, I would recommend those who are interested to read the book ‘Two Faces’ written by Dr Syed Husin Ali.
I was utterly shocked to find such a thing could happen to Syed Husin and it does happen and is still happening in Malaysia, a purportedly democratic country. So I will continue to reject BN until such a draconian law is repealed.
In Malaysia, we do not have freedom of speech, one of the most fundamental human rights accorded to us as human beings in the 21st century. Our freedom of speech is curtailed by a multitude of laws, all enacted by BN, namely the Sedition Act, the Universities and University Colleges Act (1971), the Printing Presses and Publication Acts (1984), and the Official Secrets Act.
They are all enacted to prevent each and everyone of us Malaysian citizens from questioning them - the BN ruling elite. So I will continue to reject BN until such laws are amended and repealed to give us back our voices.
Do you know that the BN government has been spending our money in advance since 1998? It's called deficit spending. How? By borrowing money from private financial institutions. Our government’s account balance has been in the red since 1998 meaning that they are owing people money and the debt is getting bigger.
Why? Why are we in the red and where has all the petroleum money from Petronas gone to? When the price of petroleum was in the range of USD$120 per barrel, Petronas earned record high earnings and hence paid record high taxes to BN.
Yet during such time, BN continued to borrow money to run our beloved country. To me, this is a clear indication of public funds mismanagement by BN. If BN can not manage, then somebody else should be given the responsibility. Therefore, I will continue to reject BN until they are out of the office to prevent them from continuing to mismanage Malaysia.
From the recent series of events unfolding, it seems that there are no ‘clean’ politicians who could be found in the BN fold. It seems that all the BN big shots and VIPs have skeletons in their closets. So many scandals, so mamy corruption allegations, and so many instances of abuses of power.
No wonder they have to borrow money to run the country. But how long can this continue? Since I do not want to see my beloved country declare bankruptcy one day like Iceland, I will reject BN until they are out of the office and hope that we would not be too late.
If race relations in Malaysia are tense it would largely be the doing of BN. Fifty-two years of divide and rule policies and ‘them against us’ rhetoric spewed by BN politicians are the ones responsible for the dire situation that we are in today.
They might have the cheek to say that we are living harmoniously together thanks to them but I can see through their lies, especially when they proudly proclaim that many in their fold would not hesitate to ‘bathe their keris in blood or to die defending the their special rights’.
Such hypocrisy! I will continue to reject BN so that they can no longer spew such venom and until they stop propagating hatred.
These are my reasons for rejecting BN and I will continue to reject BN until BN is rejected and ejected from all public office. I will only stop rejecting BN if they have righted all their wrongs listed above that is if they still have the will, the capacity and the integrity to do so.
MK
17/11/09
I was utterly shocked to find such a thing could happen to Syed Husin and it does happen and is still happening in Malaysia, a purportedly democratic country. So I will continue to reject BN until such a draconian law is repealed.
In Malaysia, we do not have freedom of speech, one of the most fundamental human rights accorded to us as human beings in the 21st century. Our freedom of speech is curtailed by a multitude of laws, all enacted by BN, namely the Sedition Act, the Universities and University Colleges Act (1971), the Printing Presses and Publication Acts (1984), and the Official Secrets Act.
They are all enacted to prevent each and everyone of us Malaysian citizens from questioning them - the BN ruling elite. So I will continue to reject BN until such laws are amended and repealed to give us back our voices.
Do you know that the BN government has been spending our money in advance since 1998? It's called deficit spending. How? By borrowing money from private financial institutions. Our government’s account balance has been in the red since 1998 meaning that they are owing people money and the debt is getting bigger.
Why? Why are we in the red and where has all the petroleum money from Petronas gone to? When the price of petroleum was in the range of USD$120 per barrel, Petronas earned record high earnings and hence paid record high taxes to BN.
Yet during such time, BN continued to borrow money to run our beloved country. To me, this is a clear indication of public funds mismanagement by BN. If BN can not manage, then somebody else should be given the responsibility. Therefore, I will continue to reject BN until they are out of the office to prevent them from continuing to mismanage Malaysia.
From the recent series of events unfolding, it seems that there are no ‘clean’ politicians who could be found in the BN fold. It seems that all the BN big shots and VIPs have skeletons in their closets. So many scandals, so mamy corruption allegations, and so many instances of abuses of power.
No wonder they have to borrow money to run the country. But how long can this continue? Since I do not want to see my beloved country declare bankruptcy one day like Iceland, I will reject BN until they are out of the office and hope that we would not be too late.
If race relations in Malaysia are tense it would largely be the doing of BN. Fifty-two years of divide and rule policies and ‘them against us’ rhetoric spewed by BN politicians are the ones responsible for the dire situation that we are in today.
They might have the cheek to say that we are living harmoniously together thanks to them but I can see through their lies, especially when they proudly proclaim that many in their fold would not hesitate to ‘bathe their keris in blood or to die defending the their special rights’.
Such hypocrisy! I will continue to reject BN so that they can no longer spew such venom and until they stop propagating hatred.
These are my reasons for rejecting BN and I will continue to reject BN until BN is rejected and ejected from all public office. I will only stop rejecting BN if they have righted all their wrongs listed above that is if they still have the will, the capacity and the integrity to do so.
MK
17/11/09
Young Pakatan lawmakers slam BTN ‘brainwashing’
SHAH ALAM, Nov 17 — A group of young Pakatan Pakyat (PR) elected representatives urged the Selangor government today to stop allowing students to be sent for what they called “brainwashing propaganda” programmes conducted by Biro Tata Negara (BTN) under the Prime Minister’s Department.
According to the group of seven PR lawmakers, BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and was contrary to its original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Speaking from his own experience as a student made to attend BTN, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said they were taught that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singaporean Party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
“There is no room for debate, and there were Chinese students in attendance during one of the programmes and I can only imagine the fear they would have felt,” said the Seri Setia assemblyman.
Teratai lawmaker Jenice Lee questioned why BTN programmes are being held in secrecy and called for the “brainwashing” to stop.
“If they have nothing to hide they should open up the programmes so the public can see for themselves.”
PKR’s Amirudin Shari said they were aware that BTN courses taught those who attended that PR were enemies of the state or foreign agents.
“From the feedback we received from those who attended BTN, a big part of the programme has nothing to do with nation building or education but is an Umno and BN race-based programme,” said the Batu Caves lawmaker.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and outside threats. There is no room to challenge what’s being said.”
He said they will urge the state government to stop sending students from Selangor-owned institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor, from attending BTN.
MI
17/11/09
According to the group of seven PR lawmakers, BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and was contrary to its original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Speaking from his own experience as a student made to attend BTN, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said they were taught that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singaporean Party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
“There is no room for debate, and there were Chinese students in attendance during one of the programmes and I can only imagine the fear they would have felt,” said the Seri Setia assemblyman.
Teratai lawmaker Jenice Lee questioned why BTN programmes are being held in secrecy and called for the “brainwashing” to stop.
“If they have nothing to hide they should open up the programmes so the public can see for themselves.”
PKR’s Amirudin Shari said they were aware that BTN courses taught those who attended that PR were enemies of the state or foreign agents.
“From the feedback we received from those who attended BTN, a big part of the programme has nothing to do with nation building or education but is an Umno and BN race-based programme,” said the Batu Caves lawmaker.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and outside threats. There is no room to challenge what’s being said.”
He said they will urge the state government to stop sending students from Selangor-owned institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor, from attending BTN.
MI
17/11/09
Malaysia seen as more corrupt than ever under Najib premiership
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 - Malaysia is now seen to be more corrupt than ever, anti-graft watchdog Transparency International said in its global corruption perception index 2009 launched today.
Malaysia now ranks 56 out of 180 countries in the world with a corruption index score of 4.5 out of 10, with 10 being the least corrupt, said the world corruption watchdog. Last year, it placed 47 with a CPI score of 5.1.
The annual TI CPI measures how corrupt a country is in the public sector based on data sourced from 13 different polls and surveys from 10 independent institutions over a period of two years. The three least corrupt countries in the world are, in order, New Zealand, Denmark and Singapore.
In an immediate reaction, DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang called Malaysia’s ranking the worst in 15 years and said it was a major blow to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s administration.
“This is a national shame and major blow for Najib’s premiership,” the Ipoh Timur MP said in a statement.
He said that he had expected poor results for Malaysia both in CPI ranking and score, with the country slipping further in ranking from 47 to perhaps 50 and score a lowest CPI of 4.8.
“But my worst fears had been exceeded when the Berlin-based TI just announced that Malaysia had plunged nine places from last year’s 47th CPI ranking to 56th position while Malaysia CPI index score plunged to the lowest in 15 years to 4.5,” he added.
Malaysia’s previous worst scores below 5 were 4.8 in 2000 and 4.9 in 2002.
Lim said the mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock on July 16 at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Selangor head office was among the major factors for Malaysia’s worst-ever TI CPI ranking and score.
“Will there be any response from Najib to the shocking TI CPI 2009 ranking and score?” he asked.
While this is not the first time Malaysia has scored under 5.0 in the index – the dubious honour was achieved seven years ago – this is the first time it has dropped so low, putting it on par with Namibia, Samoa, Slovakia and Latvia.
“A fall of 0.6 from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.5 in 2009 is alarming not only to the people of Malaysia but also the government of the day,” said Datuk Paul Low, the country president of the local branch of TI.
He lay a large portion of blame squarely on the federal government’s lap, singling out its lack of political will in enforcing tight anti-graft measures.
He said intense scrutiny surrounding public scandals exposing money siphoned off public funds, from the long drawn-out multi-billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project to the more recent double-tracking railway project, which went overboard by a whopping RM1.3 billion were clear examples that affected the increasing poor perception.
He said the impression the public gets is of double standards and selective prosecution, adding that the newly empowered Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is only seen to be catching “small fish” and focusing on Barisan Nasional’s (BN) rival political parties.
“The Auditor General’s annual report highlights extraordinary public procurement abuses, but no action appears to have been taken,” he stressed.
Low noted the plunge was serious not only when compared to the country’s perceived past performances but, more importantly, in relation to other countries worldwide and especially those within the Asean region.
At first place is Singapore with far and away the best score, topping 9.0. Even tiny Brunei which was included in the CPI for the first time this year, outstripped Malaysia at 5.5.
Drawing special attention to neighbouring Indonesia, Low marked that though it ranks 111 and scored 2.8 on the CPI, the country’s corruption level is seen to be improving steadily under the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Indonesia, which once scored less than 2.0, rose to 2.6 last year and this year, claimed 0.2 points in the CPI.
Low noted that the latest survey by local independent pollster Merdeka Centre showed that 74 per cent of citizens here were not satisfied with the way the government was dealing with fighting graft, while a separate survey carried out in Indonesia showed 79 per cent of its population satisfied with its government’s tactics to combat corruption.
In his personal mini survey, Low noted that eight out of 10 Malaysians he spoke to were of the view that there was “no alternative but to pay your way through” to get service from public institutions.
Corruption, as defined by TI, means “any abuse of power for personal gain”, Low said.
MI
17/11/09
Malaysia now ranks 56 out of 180 countries in the world with a corruption index score of 4.5 out of 10, with 10 being the least corrupt, said the world corruption watchdog. Last year, it placed 47 with a CPI score of 5.1.
The annual TI CPI measures how corrupt a country is in the public sector based on data sourced from 13 different polls and surveys from 10 independent institutions over a period of two years. The three least corrupt countries in the world are, in order, New Zealand, Denmark and Singapore.
In an immediate reaction, DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang called Malaysia’s ranking the worst in 15 years and said it was a major blow to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s administration.
“This is a national shame and major blow for Najib’s premiership,” the Ipoh Timur MP said in a statement.
He said that he had expected poor results for Malaysia both in CPI ranking and score, with the country slipping further in ranking from 47 to perhaps 50 and score a lowest CPI of 4.8.
“But my worst fears had been exceeded when the Berlin-based TI just announced that Malaysia had plunged nine places from last year’s 47th CPI ranking to 56th position while Malaysia CPI index score plunged to the lowest in 15 years to 4.5,” he added.
Malaysia’s previous worst scores below 5 were 4.8 in 2000 and 4.9 in 2002.
Lim said the mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock on July 16 at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Selangor head office was among the major factors for Malaysia’s worst-ever TI CPI ranking and score.
“Will there be any response from Najib to the shocking TI CPI 2009 ranking and score?” he asked.
While this is not the first time Malaysia has scored under 5.0 in the index – the dubious honour was achieved seven years ago – this is the first time it has dropped so low, putting it on par with Namibia, Samoa, Slovakia and Latvia.
“A fall of 0.6 from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.5 in 2009 is alarming not only to the people of Malaysia but also the government of the day,” said Datuk Paul Low, the country president of the local branch of TI.
He lay a large portion of blame squarely on the federal government’s lap, singling out its lack of political will in enforcing tight anti-graft measures.
He said intense scrutiny surrounding public scandals exposing money siphoned off public funds, from the long drawn-out multi-billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project to the more recent double-tracking railway project, which went overboard by a whopping RM1.3 billion were clear examples that affected the increasing poor perception.
He said the impression the public gets is of double standards and selective prosecution, adding that the newly empowered Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is only seen to be catching “small fish” and focusing on Barisan Nasional’s (BN) rival political parties.
“The Auditor General’s annual report highlights extraordinary public procurement abuses, but no action appears to have been taken,” he stressed.
Low noted the plunge was serious not only when compared to the country’s perceived past performances but, more importantly, in relation to other countries worldwide and especially those within the Asean region.
At first place is Singapore with far and away the best score, topping 9.0. Even tiny Brunei which was included in the CPI for the first time this year, outstripped Malaysia at 5.5.
Drawing special attention to neighbouring Indonesia, Low marked that though it ranks 111 and scored 2.8 on the CPI, the country’s corruption level is seen to be improving steadily under the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Indonesia, which once scored less than 2.0, rose to 2.6 last year and this year, claimed 0.2 points in the CPI.
Low noted that the latest survey by local independent pollster Merdeka Centre showed that 74 per cent of citizens here were not satisfied with the way the government was dealing with fighting graft, while a separate survey carried out in Indonesia showed 79 per cent of its population satisfied with its government’s tactics to combat corruption.
In his personal mini survey, Low noted that eight out of 10 Malaysians he spoke to were of the view that there was “no alternative but to pay your way through” to get service from public institutions.
Corruption, as defined by TI, means “any abuse of power for personal gain”, Low said.
MI
17/11/09
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