Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Small parties should join BN or Pakatan
- Rais demonising citizens through Bersih, says Ambiga
- Opposition Using Street Demonstration As Shortcut To Putrajaya, Says Muhyiddin
- ‘Umno Youth, Perkasa want to foil Bersih rally’
- BN faces Kuantan voter backlash over rare earth plans
- Wan Ahmad: NGOs should not fight for political parties
- Agong orders MAIPP to find new procedures to appoint mosque committee members
- Bersih: PAS pledges free legal service 'all the way'
- Website attacks part of Bersih rally, says Rais
| Small parties should join BN or Pakatan Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:41 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Independent political parties should either join Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in facing the coming general election, for them to make an impact on the election results, said a Sabah PKR leader on Saturday, June 18. The newly-appointed head of its Strategy and Election Bureau, Datuk Karim Ghani, said in this respect, should the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) decide to join PR, it should be a full entry and not under a 'Pakatan Plus' concept.
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| Rais demonising citizens through Bersih, says Ambiga Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:29 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan denied today all links between the recent spate of cyber attacks on government websites and her electoral reform group raised yesterday by Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, saying his conjecture is an attack on Malaysians. A group of hackers calling themselves Anonymous mounted an attack on at least 200 websites last Thursday, saying they are against censorship of websites by the government. "It's a wholly unfounded, unreasonable, preposterous suggestion made by a Cabinet minister who should really know better than to make such wild accusations," she told The Malaysian Insider. She added that Rais's comment was an attack not just on Bersih but on Malaysian citizens' constitutional right to assemble peaceably. "I am entirely surprised by the raving of a few members of the government against Bersih 2.0 and their attempts to demonise Bersih; and I view Rais Yatim's comments as one of these attempts. "I consider this an attack on the people and it is a shame they chose to do this rather than listen to the people," the former Malaysian Bar president said. Rais, who is the information, communication and culture minister, had linked yesterday the mass attacks on some 200 local websites to the upcoming Bersih rally on July 9 after Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili told reporters initial investigations showed 90 per cent of the hackers were based in Malaysia. Rais further described the cyber attacks as politically-motivated and intended to disrupt the workings of the government, but did not provide details as to how the denial of service attacks were related to the July 9 rally that is pushing for electoral reforms. "If, for example, a land authority website is hacked, then property transactions will be interrupted. The same goes for banking and others; these cyber attacks are strange and, sadly, politically motivated," he said in a news conference. Ambiga lamented the extreme reactions to the Bersih rally and advised Putrajaya to rethink their approach to civil society. "In my view, responding to people by demonising and branding people is the wrong approach," she said.
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| Opposition Using Street Demonstration As Shortcut To Putrajaya, Says Muhyiddin Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:17 PM PDT
(Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin regards the illegal demonstration initiated by the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) for July 9 in Kuala Lumpur as an attempt by the opposition to use it as a shortcut to Putrajaya. Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said the opposition was actually hiding behind the non-governmental organisation which disputed the country's electoral system to realise its aim of toppling the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
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| ‘Umno Youth, Perkasa want to foil Bersih rally’ Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:13 PM PDT
Karpal Singh says Umno Youth and Perkasa are deliberately holding their rallies on the same day to disrupt the Bersih rally. (Free Malaysia Today) - The planned Umno Youth and Perkasa rallies are meant to foil, frustrate and disrupt the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today. He called on the police to strictly ensure that all rallies were held in a orderly way without any untoward incidents. The veteran politician hoped that participants of the three proposed rallies would be separated and prevented from abusing each other. He said the police should be on high alert especially when a person like Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali, who couldn't possibly control and check his senses, was around. "He is capable of doing anything to disrupt the Bersih rally," the two-term Bukit Gelugor MP told a press conference during his constituency visit. He argued that Umno Youth and Perkasa could have easily organised their rallies on another day if their intention was genuine. "But they are obviously organising rallies on the same day and same venue to counter and frustrate the Bersih rally. It's a deliberate attempt to foil Bersih," he said. The rallies would be held in the city centre. Bersih 2.0 is a coalition of 62 NGOs, promoting democracy and free and fair elections. Perkasa and 30 Malay-based NGOs had announced their plan to organise a similar rally to oppose the Bersih rally. Umno Youth had also decided to hold a gathering on the same day. The movement plans to hand over a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to support the democracy system and the role and reforms carried out by the Election Commission (EC). So far police had not issued permits for any of the rallies. Police had already warned of strong action, including using preventive laws, against those participating in illegal rallies. Call to use ISA 'misplaced' Bersih chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan said she would be writing to the Kuala Lumpur police chief on how rally organisers and police could work together to hold a peaceful rally. Yesterday, the Malaysian Council of Ex-Elected Representatives (Mubarak) called on the police to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) against the Bersih 2.0 rally organisers.
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| BN faces Kuantan voter backlash over rare earth plans Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:10 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUANTAN, June 18 — In the middle of March, Aida Rahim walked into her office and told her colleagues how excited she was after putting pen to paper on a RM150,000 house in Balok. Only then did she find out that just 5km away in the Gebeng industrial zone, a rare earth plant was being constructed, raising fears of radiation pollution among citizens of Kuantan. "I was really excited about the new house until I found out about Lynas," the mother of three told The Malaysian Insider. Like the 30-year-old clerk, residents around Kuantan are angry with the government for allowing the Australian miner to begin constructing the refinery that is expected to begin operations in September. A straw poll conducted by The Malaysian Insider found that 12 of 13 residents here were against the plant, with a sole voice saying she had not yet made her mind up. Over two-thirds also said that if the government went ahead and approved the plant after ordering a month-long review that concludes at the end of the month, they would not vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) in a general election expected within the year. This has caused concern among some BN lawmakers, who now want to back the protest against the refinery. But it could already be too late. "The government can do what it wants now. When it is time to vote, then I will be king," said Y. T. Cheong, who sells electrical appliances in Kuantan town. Both Lynas and the government have strenuously defended the RM700 million plant, declaring the radiation levels to be minimal. The government also expects RM2.3 billion in spinoff investments as well as thousands of job opportunities to spring from a rare earth industry that is crucial for the manufacture of high-technology products such as smartphones, hybrid cars and bombs. But Kuantan residents are not convinced that the economic benefits outweigh the risks.
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| Wan Ahmad: NGOs should not fight for political parties Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:45 PM PDT
(The Star) - Political parties are exploiting the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih), said Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar. He said non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should know better than to allow political parties to make use of them for cheap propaganda. "The EC had given detailed explanations to every point and issue raised by (Bersih organiser) Datuk S. Ambiga and other NGOs during a dialogue held last year. "If the NGOs still feel strongly about certain matters, they should push for amendments to the existing laws and regulations, instead of taking matters to the street for cheap political mileage," he said. Wan Ahmad was responding to Bersih's insistence that they would continue with the July 9 rally. Wan Ahmad said the EC was looking into reforming the postal vote system. "On political corruption, we have explained to Ambiga which authority plays a pivotal role, and the EC, MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and the police are working closely to check such activities." He added that the NGOs should not allow themselves to be used by irresponsible political leaders. "NGOs should fight in the interest of democracy, not in the interest of political parties," Wan Ahmad said. "The fact that Pakatan Rakyat won five states in the last election, and DAP won many seats in the recent Sarawak election shows that the electoral process is free and fair."
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| Agong orders MAIPP to find new procedures to appoint mosque committee members Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:40 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Yang Dipertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has ordered Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAIPP) set up an independent committee to find new procedures in appointing mosque committee members. MAIPP president Ellias Zakaria said the message was conveyed when he had an audience with Tuanku Mizan accompanied by Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at Istana Negara this morning. He said that committee members to be appointed and new procedures proposed will have to get consent from Tuanku Mizan as the head of Islam for Penang. "Tuanku Mizan wants everybody to protect and respect the dignity and sanctity of mosque as a house of God and a religious institution for the community," he told reporters here today. Ellias said Tuanku Mizan also ordered that the proposed mosque committee elections for 2012-2013 tomorrow be called off. Tuanku Mizan had also consented to extend the appointment of existing mosque committee members until Dec 31, 2012. He reminded that selection of mosque committee members should be made in the spirit of voluntarism, harmony and love for each other. "All parties must abide and view the Agong's decision positively and in terms of wisdom. Please don't speculate." On Monday, the DAP-led Penang government decided to conduct mosque committee elections in 200 mosques. Meanwhile, Penang Umno liaison chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said Tuanku Mizan's decision to call off mosque committee elections shows that he is concerned with unity, cooperation and peace in the state. "The decision by the head of Islam is appropriate and welcomed by the people who don't want Muslims to split due to mosque elections." Zainal said this shows that the Penang government and MAIPP could not take things for granted as they need to get consent from the Agong before conducting elections.
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| Bersih: PAS pledges free legal service 'all the way' Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:11 PM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - PAS Youth's Law and Human Rights Unit has pledged free legal representation to anyone arrested for the charge of illegal assembly during the upcoming Bersih rally next month. "We will give legal representation to those detained from the moment of their arrest up to the appeal process in the highest courts, free of charge," said its chairman Ahmad Zamri Asa'ad Khuzami. In a response to a threat by deputy Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar that police would make "preventive arrests" of those behind the rally, Zamri said the statement only revealed Khalid's ignorance about Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. "We sympathise with Malaysians who have to put up with a deputy police chief who is ignorant of the law and who does not understand the people's basic right which is fundamental in a democracy," Zamri said. Zamri said Malaysians must stand firm to defend their rights and not be cowed by threats, and urged the public to join the 2.00 pm rally on July 9 in Kuala Lumpur. The rally is the second major rally called by the electoral reform group Bersih after its 2007 rally attended by more than 50,000 people in the capital. Earlier, UMNO's sister organisation Perkasa said its supporters would hold another gathering to "clash" with rally participants. Both groups have also lodged more than 400 police reports calling on police to stop the rally saying such street protests would disrupt businesses. However, in a break from its own stand against street demonstration, UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin announced that his men would join Perkasa in expressing support for the current electoral system opposed by Bersih. Meanwhile, Juham said any attempt to make "preventive arrests" would go against basic principles of the criminal justice system. "Does such a statement (by police to make preventive arrests) mean that the police will invoke the Internal Security Act to detain innocent people?" asked Zamri. He said as the guardian of public interest, Khalid should not have made such a threat. Saying people have the right to peaceful assembly, Zamri said the police had no right to arrest them unless they were involved in crime. He added that even Section 27 of the Police Act was aimed at ensuring peace during a gathering and not to deny people's right to gather.
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| Website attacks part of Bersih rally, says Rais Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:43 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Information, Communications, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim today expressed belief that yesterday's mass attacks on local websites may be connected to the upcoming Bersih rally. Earlier, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili told reporters that initial investigations showed 90 per cent of attackers who participated in the attacks were based in Malaysia. Today, Rais described the cyber attacks as politically-motivated and intended to disrupt the workings of the government, but did not provide details as to how the denial of service attacks were related to the July 9 rally pushing for electoral reforms. "If for example a land authority website is hacked, then property transactions will be interrupted. The same goes for banking and others; these cyber attacks are strange and, sadly, politically motivated," he said in a press conference today. Rais also said the cyber attackers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and urged those involved to not damage the country out of anger towards the government. Operation Malaysia, launched by the international hacker group known as Anonymous, had succeeded in bringing down its main target, malaysia.gov.my, at about 4am yesterday. But it also spawned attacks on other sites, with the government stating that 60 per cent of the estimated 200 sites belonged to the federal administration.
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