Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Najib needs to protect human rights
- Politicians and public, stop playing God
- The View From a Public Gallery
- The Rise of the Officials and Cronies
| Najib needs to protect human rights Posted: 25 Jun 2011 10:42 PM PDT
The Prime Minister of Malaysia that his first and foremost duty is to protect the welfare and human rights of all Malaysians. In light of this, Bersih 2.0 is deeply saddened and disappointed by YAB Najib Razak's declaration that supporters of the Bersih 2.0 rally are to be held responsible should chaos ensue on the 9th of July. At every stage, Bersih 2.0 has continuously repeated its firm commitment to completely peaceful and principled activism. Bersih 2.0 has always renounced violence in any way, shape or form, and consistently called upon others to adhere to the same values. Civil society has never once been responsible for turning a peaceful gathering into anything more. In gathering peacefully on the 9th of July, Malaysians from all ethnic, religious and political backgrounds are exercising their constitutional right to have their voices heard in a democratic, non-violent manner. Guaranteeing the safety of these patriotic citizens is in fact the responsibility of the government that the Prime Minister himself leads. We are glad that the Prime Minister has finally broken his silence regarding the 9th of July, but are disappointed that instead of fulfilling his government's role as the protector of the constitutional rights and safety of peace loving Malaysians, he has chosen instead to misrepresent our intentions and wield the dark sceptre of unwarranted repressive "consequences". Bersih 2.0 is equally disappointed at the accusation that the purpose of Bersih 2.0 is to "wrest back political momentum from the BN." The Prime Minister must have either failed to have read and understood our stated goals, or is deliberately putting Bersih 2.0 in a misleading light. As a movement, we have no interest whatsoever in the political momentum of any political party – our goal is to make the electoral system truly free and fair so that all political parties in Malaysia, bar none, can contest on a level playing field, where the rakyat can freely choose whoever they think is best to lead them. We have time and time again invited Barisan Nasional to be part of this process as we truly value the support of any and all groups to help bring about a more just Malaysia for all. We invite the government of the day to reject any paranoia, which may lead to the view that this movement disadvantages them in any way and instead walk with us towards bring about the badly needed changes expressed in our 8 points. Indeed, this is the perfect opportunity for the Prime Minister to demonstrate the progressive views he has espoused both at home and abroad. He can conclusively do so simply by allowing the July 9th rally to proceed unhindered and by directing all government agencies to cooperate fully with all involved to ensure that that each and every Malaysian wishing to exercise their constitutional right may do so without any fear of clashes or chaos. We feel that this would be the best use of the energies and resources of the police, who have continued to thoroughly perplex observers both locally and abroad by arresting patriotic, peace-loving Bersih 2.0 supporters for "waging war against the monarch". Surely this stark and alarming lack of logic and common sense will further tarnish our nation's image and contradict the values championed by the Prime Minister and his government. We agree with the sentiment informing the Prime Minister's statement that political power is in the hands of the people. However, it is our considered view that until comprehensive reforms are introduced into the electoral system to make it free and fair, political power will remain in the hands of a select few, and not Malaysians at large. Bersih 2.0 is of the view that these two weeks will be a defining moment for the Prime Minister and his government. As the final authority in the government, any crackdown on civil society, refusal to guarantee the safety of Malaysians on July 9th, or rhetoric that unfairly demonises patriotic, peace loving citizens will be a tragic reflection of the failure of the Prime Minister to live up to their promises and the responsibilities entrusted to them by the Malaysian people. Alternatively, for the Prime Minister to firstly, work together with Bersih 2.0 in pursuit of goals that are completely non-partisan and in accordance with the most basic of civil and human rights and secondly, guarantee a peaceful day free from violence of any sort on the 9th of July, will be the best possible demonstration of a firm commitment to the true spirit of 1Malaysia. We once again make an open, sincere and heartfelt call to the Prime Minister to walk with the rakyat, not against us. Issued by Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee
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| Politicians and public, stop playing God Posted: 25 Jun 2011 02:15 PM PDT Since when did politicians assume that role of moral policing and being the guardian angles of society? Is that part of the duties and responsibilities that you marketed when canvassing for votes at impending elections? By J. D. Lovrenciear The avalanche of attacks against the personal credibility of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is mounting with each passing day without any sense of moral decency. Sexual promiscuity is the alleged crime. The latest spasmodic attacks on Datuk Amiga are another attempt also by politicians and the public who are aligned to their masters. Again, the modus operandi is the same. It is a personal attack on the dignity of this Lady who earned accolades on the global stage. Utusan is latest to make such seething attacks on her. It seems that our politicians and their supporters are hell bent in cleansing this nation of their so-called sinners. Oh, since when did politicians take on that role of God incarnate? Since when did politicians assume that role of moral policing and being the guardian angles of society? Is that part of the duties and responsibilities that you marketed when canvassing for votes at impending elections? Please. Get real. Stop profaning the time honored and revered Name of God (the One by whatever Name each religion proclaims in earnest). Stop playing God. Are you saying that even if Anwar and Amiga have sinned (as you adamantly market to the masses), you, the very ones making such profane allegations are pure, virtuous and free of any sin before God? And are you saying that you now are the appointed and legitimate authority to judge others on behalf of God? Dear Malaysians – especially all of you who are eking out a living working from the Main Stream Media, are you so incapacitated with the priorities of living that you cannot down your pens for once to stand up for humanity and its innate rights to a clean, fair and just life? Dear Malaysians – especially all of you who are die-hards of any particular political party, are you so blinkered that you are incapable of standing up for humanity in the very name of the God you profess to be eternally faithful to? Or do you insist on playing the judge for God too all for the mere sake of keeping your bowl of rice for yourself? Look, even if DSAI has sinned before God, why be a busybody and take on God's business of judging a man? And who amongst you is so pure and virtuous before God, and has not sinned against God and His creation in any way whatsoever as contained in all of your scriptures and holy verses that you recite and subscribe to every day? And if Ambiga is an enemy of Islam, are you not then admitting that you are very clearly championing the very sins that Islam is against, namely the sins of injustice and unfairness against the democratic rights of humanity? Indeed it is shame when you witness all these cries of sin by politicians, the main stream media and the public aligned to the very politicians who cry 'sinner'. Perhaps the time has also come for all heads and leaders of the respective religions in Malaysia to champion a national coalition protest against all those who are out to desecrate the sanctity of God and the dignity of His creation. The time has come for leaders and shepherds of the faithful (all religions) to make a public stand. Otherwise we are all party to the sin against God and creation. Period.
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| The View From a Public Gallery Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:42 AM PDT By A Civic Minded Citizen Last week I exercised my duty as a concerned public citizen and went to watch sittings of the DUN. I managed to observe how the Government Bench and most of the Opposition Bench carried themselves. It was disgraceful and appalling, to say the least. The BN back-benchers, and even some front-benchers (Ministers included), were heckling the Opposition and calling them names. I am not surprised because many BN back-benchers are not highly educated. We would be hard-pressed to expect them to understand the dignity of their office. However, to see Ministers shouting across the room is an eye-opener. These men and women are supposed to run the state and yet they indulge in shouting matches like school children? Now I understand why our state-run ministries are sub-standard. As for the Opposition Bench, it was no better. Now I know why James Masing calls them 'monkeys'. I am disappointed that my representative in DUN is behaving like one. My ADUN was trying to bring up a good and pertinent point about the bloated salaries of a certain GLC and how it charges the public exorbitant amounts in bills. However, he was shouting it out loud! Seriously,do we need to behave like rough, crude and boisterous people in order to put a point across? My ADUN's antagonistic manner was a turn-off. Now I understand why the BN back-benchers heckled him. I felt cheated, not by BN but by my Pakatan Rakyat ADUN. The point he was trying to make was a crucial one, but the manner in which he delivered it only invited scorn and resulted in the matter falling on deaf ears. In the end, my ADUN did not serve his constituents by putting the matter across effectively. He was only serving his ego and engaging in a shouting match. My observation was that, except for veteran Chiew Chin Sing from Kidurong and new-comer Christina Liew from Batu Kawa, the entire DAP Bench adopted this antagonistic, high-octane approach of deliberately 'opposing for the sake of opposing only'. I also noted that in press statements, their leader Wong Ho Leng from Bukit Assek defended this approach, saying it was DAP's style. Well, if they continue in this style,then they cannot blame the public for thinking of them as self-centred 'monkeys' and they certainly can forget getting their points across in a civilised manner. In the end, they would not have served the interest of the Rakyat at all. The only times the entire DUN was silent was when the PKR ADUNs spoke. You could hear a pin drop when Baru Bian stood up to speak. Now why is that? The PKR reps did not shout, they did not antagonise and they certainly did not bang tables or point their fingers or engage in a back-and-forth with the Speaker. In fact, there was no need as the Speaker never interrupted them nor did anyone from the BN side, on points of order. Instead, these well prepared PKR reps stood with dignity while calmly and resolutely delivering their speeches. Everyone listened to them. I even noticed the Speaker nodding his head several times, agreeing with Baru Bian from Ba' Kelalan as he delivered his maiden speech. James Masing, who called the Opposition 'monkeys' in an earlier press statement, was quick to point out that PKR reps were different and took a more softer but effective approach in getting their points across. This, he said, was constructive and meant that the government would listen to what PKR reps had to say. While DAP reps engage in banging tables and shouting at the top of their voices, it seems PKR reps are taking their duties with serious pride, dignity and a very promising gentlemanly approach of quiet but firm criticism. This is what we, the Rakyat, want. We want to be heard, not shouted down or told to stand down by the Speaker. Perhaps the PKR reps are new and therefore still learning the tangled ropes of the House, and hence, are not as vocal. But it is this courteous manner that will serve them well in discharging their duties as representatives of the Rakyat. I am not alone in saying that the PKR reps have earned themselves much approval and respect from many within both sides of the House this past week. We can clearly observe who are serving the Rakyat and who are serving their own bloated egos. All statesmen are politicians but not all politicians are statesmen.
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| The Rise of the Officials and Cronies Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:35 AM PDT By batsman Empires rise and fall. Governments also rise and fall. In a healthy 2 party political system, the fall of governments cause not a ripple. Those governments that have fallen are even assured of rising again under more dynamic leadership and new programmes that appeal to the rakyat. Such systems have much greater stability compared to empires which must maintain their stability by violence and force. Why is this so? One of the reasons is that empires inevitably give rise to a official class. The official class protects the threads of power within the empire since such power is their means of livelihood – their bread and butter. (It is not the empire these officials protect, but the power that flows from it). Usually when empires decay, the emperor himself is already cut-off from the administration of the empire. He is usually seen as given to the pleasures of life such as having fun with beautiful Mongolians and/or lets his wife take over the reins of control. Officials in the form of eunuchs and minions organise and tend to his every pleasure and kiss up to his wife (although in our modern days of liberalism, professional eunuchs are not openly seen anymore and it is hard to say whether any obedient wives still remain). It is not the emperor who gets angry and exacts brutal tribulation against subjects who criticise corruption in the fabric of the empire but the officials. The emperor being cut off from administration of the empire probably does not even know what is happening. Those who exact brutal and cruel tribulation are the officials who see any criticism of the administration of the empire as criticism against themselves. The situation deteriorates and becomes worse each year until sin, corruption and cruelty like a cancer has eaten away the fabric and strength of the empire and the empire dies. But how does it come to be this way? How did the officials gain so much power? One of the main reasons is that no emperor has the ability to handle all problems in the empire on his own. He has to appoint ministers and bureaucrats. Unfortunately in this system, there is very little checks and balances. When bureaucrats gang up into cabals and cliques, the emperor loses a little of his power with each crisis or problem. Eventually bureaucrats are able to cover up their own mistakes and crimes. The emperor has no choice but to follow their advice and protect them even when they have made mistakes and committed crimes. This is because there are no checks and balances. The emperor becomes reliant on them to support his own power. In Malaysia's case, UMNO has appointed minions and cronies in every position of influence and power. UMNO while being the benefactor in the first place has over time become reliant on them to support its own power. The servants have as a group become more powerful than their master. UMNO therefore has to protect them even when they have made mistakes and committed crimes. This is already evident in the gross abuses of power and the grand arrogance of bureaucrats in positions of influence and power. They take the attitude that nothing can touch them and they are immune from prosecution. This is true in almost all cases. Such situations usually have a tendency to turn fascistic. Some 3rd class bureaucrat can even be rude to an opposition Chief Minister and get away with it when other officials who stick to their principles of honesty and doing their job in the best and fairest way possible get punished by being sent into cold storage, get charged with ridiculous imaginary crimes and sent to jail, get the sack or even fall off tall buildings. There are very few checks and balances left in UMNO's empire. What throws them into a panic is when they think they will lose elections. Then even the president himself starts to recover and introduces programmes that he thinks will satisfy the anger and disappointment of the rakyat. He tries to placate them with goodies and promises as well as try to show that he has their best interest at heart with advertising campaigns, face book websites and such. Unfortunately in such a system, what is missing is still institutional checks and balances. The president looks all powerful, but is he? He is still reliant on his ministers and bureaucrats to support his power. He therefore cannot help but go along when his officials make mistakes or commit crimes. The appetite for corruption has not reduced one bit. The officials need to compete amongst themselves to help themselves to the proceeds of corruption and sin otherwise they lose out. Corruption remains unabated except among the lower rank officials who are more prone to be used as scapegoats in any scandal or problem cases such as missing jet engines. Life actually improves temporarily for the rakyat. Unfortunately the basic problems have not changed. This is because institutional checks and balances have been corrupted and have not been repaired. With each cycle of improvements and deterioration, the situation spirals downwards because the downward pressures of sin, corruption and abuse of power is stronger whenever institutional checks and balances are not working and have not been repaired. One of the institutions that ensure stability of our government is our system of democratic elections. Unfortunately this institution has been abused and corrupted and is in dire need of repair. The UMNO government has been unresponsive and purposefully neglecting repair and reforms in this area. Bersih 2.0 is calling for clean elections and electoral reforms. Bersih 2.0 is therefore a force for good. It is a democratic and patriotic NGO that seeks to repair years of neglect and abuse in our democratic institutions. What more is there to be said? The NGOs that attack Bersih 2.0 are part of the official class that sees its vital interests in the continued corruption and abuse of our best institutions. If our country is to survive all patriotic Malaysians from all walks of life must offer their support to Bersih 2.0 in the best ways that they think they can. Otherwise the gains of freedom and democracy made by painful sacrifice and strenuous effort will be lost and the future looks bleak indeed under the supreme all powerful rule of a corrupt and sinful official class and an emperor forced to go along and protect them even when they have committed crimes. |
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