Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- MyKAD
- Bersih 2.0 Is Already A Success
- Can M’sia reform and discriminate?
- Dirty treatment for a clean cause
- How Low Can You Go?
- Support Bersih In Its Moment Of Need
- Najib Flees When Consumed By The Yellow Peril
- Global BERSIH 2.0 - updated list of BERSIH hotspots around the world
- A delicate balance
- Adakah mereka ini pengundi dari langit?
- For the love of a nation's constitutional monarchy, its people and in the name of freedom
- King’s ‘independence’ surprises Umno leaders, say sources
- Koreans to show solidarity for Malaysian campaign
- Malaysian Opposition Digs In
- Running Scared In Malaysia
- No mention of court order at IGP meet, says Ambiga
- MCA tells Bersih to shed link with Pakatan
- Malaysian Police Threaten Mass Arrests
- Clampdown will bring city traffic to a halt
- The Americans foresaw Najib's threat to Pak Lah
- Don't get arrested this Saturday: things you need to avoid
- The day when the people rise up: July 9
- Perkasa submits permit application for stadium rally
- IGP: No 'Bersih' this July 9
- See what playing golf with Najib can do for you
- Ambiga, Ibrahim Ali, Khairy among 91 locked-out from KL this Saturday
- Bersih rally goes global
- Darkest hour before a new dawn
- Christian response towards Bersih and E.O
- See you at our Stadium Merdeka, folks
- No temporary bus permits for Friday and Saturday
- Dr M admits that it's easier said than done
- Reports of suspension of key services ahead of July 9th
- Ban on Bersih items stays
- Najib and gang say the darndest things
- The Wisdom of the Students
- Asian Public Intellectuals Community Malaysia call for immediate release of MP K. ...
- His Majesty and Steel Magnolia - TIME Magazine Persons of the Malaysian Year?
- Rakyat should now stand up for their Constitutional Monarch too
- Bersih 2.0: The Agong fills growing vacuum
- Rais: Rally can’t be held in three KL stadiums
- Bersih Rally: An Imperative Gambit to Capture Seven More States
- Cops prepare for possible demos by splinter groups although street rally is called off
- Najib endorses silat groups despite their threat to Bersih
- Non-Malays will back silat exponents to fight traitors, says grandmaster
- Bersih to rally in Stadium Merdeka despite Cabinet refusal
- Tetap haram
- Wajib mohon permit
- Europe Crisis Clouds Malaysia Rate Call
- Bersih 2.0 will happen at Stadium Merdeka on July 9th (UPDATED with BM and Chinese Translation)
| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 12:19 PM PDT
By Roslan My late father-in-law died in April 1983 and an extract of his death certificate dated May 11, 2010, there is a spanking new 12-digit IC number noted next to the old seven-digit number given in 1960. Can anyone please give an explanation? Since 1990, every citizen of Malaysia is given a set of unique 12-digit format IC number. Further references in http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyKad while on the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_identification_number # Malaysia revealed a set of 12-digit IC was introduced in 1991. Why was a 7 year deceased citizen assigned with a 12-digit NEW IC number?? If that is the government's effort to be fair to all, how about the citizen with IC number 0000001 Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra the Father of Malaysia which was assigned in 1960? Why would a car peacefully rest in a junk yard for the past 15 years have its road tax renewed by the JPJ? The Deceased had lived and breathed his last in the Kubang Pasu Parliamentary represented by Tun Dr Mahathir from 1974-2004. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sejak tahun 1990, setiap warganegara Malaysia diberikan satu set nombor Kad Pengenalan format 12-digit yang unik. Rujukan lanjut di | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bersih 2.0 Is Already A Success Posted: 07 Jul 2011 12:13 PM PDT
By batsman What Bersih 2.0 set out to do, it has already achieved to a large degree. It has shown up the hypocritical, corrupt and fascist tendencies of UMNO and its cronies. It has shown up how easily UMNO uses the law and the name of the Agong in an abusive and hypocritical manner. In these exposures, it has shown how compromised and dirty the Malaysian electoral system has become – made so by people who have no regard for decency, no regard for justice or fairness and no regard for the position of the Agong. Bersih 2.0 leaders have also gained an audience with the Agong and the Agong has responded with dignity and fairness. Whether a preview of the memorandum has been submitted to His Majesty is anybody's guess. The Agong is only one man. He is bullied and ignored by the Ketuanan Melayu types when it suits their purposes and his name and reputation is used cynically by these Ketuanan Melayu types also when it suits their purpose. What is left is the rally on July 9th. This rally is a critical test of who is sovereign – the people or UMNO. This will be the fairest and most honest test possible for if electoral reforms are again pushed under the table during the next General Elections, the Will of the Rakyat will also suffer the same fate and it will not be possible to gauge whether the people are sovereign or UMNO is sovereign. The rally of July 9th is a crucial indicator of what lies ahead – real reforms or continued dirty tricks. Of course when saying the above, it is clear that achieving the long term goal of free, fair and clean elections is still in the future. This goal demands courage, hard work and sacrifices over a long period. Again this will a test of the decency, courage and integrity of Malaysians whether it can finally be realized.
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| Can M’sia reform and discriminate? Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:18 AM PDT
(FMT) - PUTRAJAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad sits at a vast desk cluttered with work, hands clasped before him and looking at his visitors with a slight smile.
Dr M, as he is popularly known, was prime minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003, the first commoner to ever hold the post in a land with nine sultans. His demeanour suggests the country physician he once was, ready with a frank diagnosis – and in his first interview with the foreign media in five years, he doles out prescriptions for what ails his nation. The man who made Malaysia part of the "East Asia Miracle" with a massive inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) doesn't think much of it today. The former miracle economy, now a muddle, needs a new policy direction, he says in his office in Putrajaya, the administrative capital he built on old plantation land in the 1990s. "We should not be too dependent on FDI anymore," says Mahathir. "We've come to the stage when locals can invest. They have now the capital. They have the technology. They know the market. And I think they can manage big industries." His thinking is at odds with government policy. But it gets to the heart of a debate over the future of Malaysia, a former emerging market star now in danger of becoming an also-ran, stuck in the dreaded "middle income trap". Foreign investment has been dwindling since the onset of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Capital outflows have even exceeded inflows in four of the past five years. This has been accompanied by an alarming "brain drain" of emigres voting with their feet against Malaysia's prospects. Malaysia is counting on foreign investment to provide a quarter of the investments needed to fund projects under its "Economic Transformation Programme", which aims to turn the country of 28 million into a fully developed nation by 2020.
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| Dirty treatment for a clean cause Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:13 AM PDT
By Jeswan Kaur, FMT Shamefully desperate. This best describes Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is going all out to finish off election watchdog Bersih 2.0. Applying all the dirty tactics in the book, Najib sought the help of his cousin-cum-Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, and got Bersih 2.0 declared as an illegal outfit. Then, there were claims that Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan was the beneficiary of illegal funding including from controversial currency speculator George Soros. It did not end there. The police claimed it found a bag full of the yellow T-shirts with the word Bersih on it, Molotov cocktails and other weapons days ahead of the July 9 rally. Still unhappy with the people's show of support towards the rally, Najib has ordered the police to apply for a court order and arrest the 91 individuals including Ambiga, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang should they set foot in certain parts of Kuala Lumpur. All that could be done to tarnish the image of Bersih 2.0 and cast doubt on its "Walk for Democracy" rally was being done by Najib and his team. Yet, all that failed to brainwash the people who staunchly support Bersih 2.0. Utterly desperate, Najib's last attempt was to "instruct" the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to interfere, which the former dutifully did, urging that the rally due tomorrow not happen on the streets because of the chaos it might lead to. Bersih 2.0 respectfully abided by the King's request to not take to the streets, not realising that the "powers that be" were not trustworthy. Bersih 2.0 agreed to hold the rally in a closed-door environment and identified Stadium Merdeka as the preferred venue, due to its historical significance, that is, being the site where the country's independence was proclaimed by the country first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. But the Stadium Merdeka management refused to entertain that request from Bersih 2.0, giving reasons that the stadium was already booked for July 9. While the tug-of-war goes on between Bersih 2.0 and Stadium Merdeka, Najib watches from afar, pleased that he succeeded in giving Ambiga the run-around for a venue, passing the buck of dealing with an illegal organisation to the police. The latest scenario has the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar telling Bersih 2.0 to seize the "golden opportunity" offered by the government for the rally to take place indoors – but best they do it outside Kuala Lumpur.
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| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:59 AM PDT
By Shamini Darshni Let's get one thing right — Bersih 2.0 has already won.JULY 8 — The whole political drama surrounding Bersih 2.0's planned rally on Saturday has reached historical proportions — but at which end, whether incredibly ridiculous or incredibly ingenious, still begs decision. On one hand, we have Bersih 2.0, with a committee made up of respected citizens with a deep understanding of electoral issues, bent on rallying for one cause: free and fair elections in a country that has been ruled by one multi-party coalition for over 50 years. On the other hand, I know I am not the only who feels that there is a tactical game plan being rolled out to disable Bersih 2.0 and build anxiety among the general population. Recently, as my dad, his German friend and I talked about Malaysia's politics, my father pointed out that governments should realise that the people today have something that they might not have had 50 years ago: education. When the country's politicians were in their 20s, things were a lot different. Yet, the answer is not in trying to woo young people over Twitter and Facebook, not when their generation knows you mess around with PSD scholarships. Plus, there are "Ignore", "Block" and "Unfollow" options. Those in their late 20s and above are a lot more educated than some of the country's politicians will ever be. With this level of education comes better-paying jobs, and with that, comes exposure, evolving viewpoints, information exchange — all the traits of a developed country. But we cannot be a developed country and try and suppress people for having an opinion. And what IS being a "developed country"? Bigger buildings? GST? Sky-high property prices? More FDI? Less FDI? We must remember that there is no "developed country" without a developed people. Our people (and yes, this means non-Bumiputeras too) are our biggest asset. The government must realise this in some way or why keep screaming about brain drain? Trying to woo people back to "serve their country" and yet call them "pendatang" is not going to win any votes, for goodness sake. Which is one of the many reasons why the brain-drain "problem" will never be solved. In the meantime, organising a big bunch of motorcyclists to circle the opposition's headquarters while waving Umno flags was too obvious an attempt at intimidation. Furthermore, we have been struggling with Mat Rempit hooligans for years and it was almost sad to see the obvious irony lost on the organiser(s). And now, here we are. The claws are out. The law is being bastardised and used as a whip. "Waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong"? Seriously? The police have been amazing. Their swift action in detaining hundreds under emergency laws in a few weeks has been impressive. Meanwhile, the acid splasher who injured over 20 women is still at large although months have passed and police have a photo-fit of the man. Cue: Shamini throws her hands up in the air. As the government and its allies clutch at straws, desperately wielding every "weapon" in their arsenal — from silat to rationing bus permits — we watch part in anger, part in amusement, and all in irritation. Through all the politicking over the past few weeks, one message has prevailed: people power. When a group of ordinary folk band together for a cause, the grace with which it faces its adversaries yet remains steadfast, is something political parties (BN or PR) can gain pointers from. Let's get one thing right — Bersih 2.0 has already won. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Support Bersih In Its Moment Of Need Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:38 AM PDT By Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan I would like to thank all Bersih supporters for your kind outpouring of support thus far. Bersih 2.0 has come a long way in carrying the aspirations of the rakyat for clean and fair elections, and it is the rakyat themselves above all who have made this possible. We have faced massive obstacles, vilification and oppression, but inspired by the bravery of the Malaysian people, managed to overcome them all thus far. Like many other Steering Committee members, it has been challenging personally to face threats of murder, gang rape and various other violence directed against myself and others. Nonetheless, we understand our responsibility in holding the line on behalf of all of you who want nothing more than a clean electoral system and a better Malaysia. Malaysians both at home and abroad have already been called to make so many sacrifices, so while we do not aspire to add to your burdens, we are writing this in the hopes that you can spare some support. The cost of our campaign increases every day, complicated by constant harassment by the authorities. In addition to our operational expenses listed below that are necessary to organising our gathering successfully in a peaceful and secure environment, we find ourselves having to raise money to bail staff at the secretariat of Bersih 2.0 that have been unjustly arrested and are now facing charges that make no sense whatsoever. Having key staff detained will cripple our operations in devastating ways.
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| Najib Flees When Consumed By The Yellow Peril Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:18 AM PDT
By Mariam Mokhtar Instead of engaging with the rakyat, Najib has ordered the city closed to NGOs and political reformists. He has conveniently flown to Europe, like a coward. Malaysia's leaders are afraid that the country will experience its own Tahrir Square. The Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is threatened by the Bersih demand for electoral reform and the rakyat has been energised. Najib's plans to outsmart Bersih have come to nothing. His idea to include the Agung in averting tension, has not endeared Najib to the public. Najib's co-conspirators have accused Bersih of a possible bloodbath. So called evidence has been planted to implicate Bersih in an uprising. Several people in Malaysia, including social activists and opposition politicians, have been arrested and the government is now claiming that the 'Bersih 2' March for Democracy is being financed by foreign elements, with the intention of toppling the government. The crisis is so deep that the government has declared that the wearing of yellow T-shirts is illegal, as it represents support for Bersih. Hundreds of thousands of Malaysians are prepared to march peacefully to support clean and fair elections on 9th July. On that day, solidarity marches in America, Australia, London and Korea, will also be held. After the first Bersih march in 2007, the performance of the Opposition at the 2008 general election saw them take over five of the thirteen Malaysian states and reduce the two-thirds majority of the government. If Najib and the Election Commission have nothing to fear, why will they not engage with Bersih? Western governments look away whilst the government of Malaysia declares the pro-democracy march illegal and the police arrest people wearing yellow T-shirts bearing the 'Bersih 2' logo and detain social activists and opposition politicians. Umno / BN is in meltdown and reacting out of panic. The Arab Spring in the middle-east managed to remove despotic and corrupt leaders from power. Encouraged by this show of public strength, Malaysians are determined to change their autocratic government. No one in Malaysia is asking for a military intervention from the west, but there has been little international condemnation of Razak's government. The Obedient Wives Club is seen as more newsworthy than the corrupt and scandal ridden government of Malaysia. This is probably because Malaysia is seen as a moderate Muslim country and so the west is courting Malaysia in the fight against Islamic terrorists and fundamentalist Muslim nations. There are no suicide bombings or fighting in Malaysia, and western governments are prepared to turn a blind eye and ignore the injustices and human rights abuses of the Malaysian government towards its own people. Perhaps the west sees Malaysia as a cheap source of much needed commodities like crude oil, timber and electrical components. Malaysia is also a voracious purchaser of defence equipment and is eager to set-up twinning arrangements with British universities. Furthermore, companies linked to the Malaysian government have made significant investments in real-estate in the United Kingdom. Ever since independence was granted by the British in 1957, the Malays have held the upper hand in Malaysian politics, as agreed in the constitution. Since the term of office held by Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, race and religion have been used as weapons to divide the people. The non-Malays are not normally granted scholarships and places for them in the civil service and armed forces are limited. On the other hand, the Malays enjoy many privileges, including a generous subsidy when they buy houses. Malaysians of Chinese and Indian descent are termed illegal immigrants, and their contributions to the birth of the nation, overlooked. In elections, there has been massive vote rigging, gerrymandering, abuse of postal votes and phantom voting including the buying and manipulation of votes. The Electoral Commission has not been able to discharge its duties and none of the complaints have been acted upon or investigated conscientiously. The military budget increases annually but has not been spent wisely. Armed forces personnel, who speak in confidence, have expressed incredulity that millions have been squandered on military hardware from America, Britain, France and Russia, thus making maintenance and spare parts a logistical nightmare. The purchase of three Scorpene submarines in 2002 has attracted international attention only because money politics and the murder of a Mongolian model were linked to the defence minister, Najib Abdul Razak, who is now Prime Minister. Comparisons of the lavish spending, from the public purse by Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, have been made with the former President of Tunisia, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife Leila. Malaysians are aware that the west only sees the good side of the country; it has beautiful beaches and exotic food. Few foreigners know the 'other' Malaysia. Bersih's leaders have been subject to death threats and abuse. Many face arrest. The scale of panic and incredulity is such that even a poet laureate was brought in for questioning because of a few lines in one of his poems. A circular was handed to the Malaysian students department in Adelaide, Australia, warning students that if they were to join the rally on 9th July, they would face severe punishments. Malaysia is under siege from its own government and its citizens worldwide, are being threatened with reprisals if they support the call for democratic and electoral reform. The rakyat is wholly behind Bersih and is prepared to defend their rights to proper governance, in a peaceful manner. Najib on the other hand, is nowhere to be seen. Next week, the Pope should refuse to grant Najib an audience for running away from Malaysia and for abandoning her citizens at this crucial point in her history. The colour yellow suits Najib to a 'T'. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Global BERSIH 2.0 - updated list of BERSIH hotspots around the world Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:08 AM PDT  We, ordinary Malaysian citizens around the world, are supporting BERSIH 2.0 because we can and because we should. We believe that the future of Malaysia belongs to all our children and that together we can ensure that the legacy we leave them is a beautiful and just one. By Global Bersih 2.0 The BERSIH 2.0 Global Solidarity Network strongly supports the BERSIH 2.0 rally for Clean and Fair Elections in Malaysia on the 9th of July 2011. We urge all Malaysians abroad to unite in solidarity with our Malaysian brothers and sisters at home by joining BERSIH 2.0 walks and other events in cities across the world (see below for complete list). Malaysians have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech in keeping with international human rights norms. As citizens, we demand free and fair elections, which provide the foundation a better, more democratic Malaysia. We support BERSIH 2.0's eight points of electoral reform and call in addition for a ninth: suffrage for Malaysians residing abroad. We, ordinary Malaysian citizens around the world, are supporting BERSIH 2.0 because we can and because we should. We believe that the future of Malaysia belongs to all our children and that together we can ensure that the legacy we leave them is a beautiful and just one. We are speaking out because we live in open democracies where the freedoms of speech and of peaceful assembly and the right to demonstrate are the norm rather than the exception. As is the case with the rally in Kuala Lumpur, we intend to gather peacefully and with dignity, and we shall do so without fear of water cannon, tear gas, police intimidation and brutality, or arbitrary arrest for dressing in yellow. Wherever we may be, we shall be wearing yellow T-shirts and carrying yellow banners, balloons and placards with peaceful slogans in support of clean and fair elections in Malaysia. We shall be bringing our family members both young and old. Together with Malaysians all over the world, we urge the Najib government to support electoral reform. Clean and fair elections are essential to developing a mature and open democracy, and to safeguard the integrity of our nation for future generations. We call on the Prime Minister to respect DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's advice to His Majesty's government to 'show prudence and fairness in carrying out the duties entrusted to it by the Malaysian people'. We also urge the federal government and the Inspector-General of Police to follow this advice by releasing all those detained in connection with BERSIH 2.0, and stop the ongoing, systematic harassment of BERSIH 2.0 supporters. It is not too late for the Prime Minister to fulfil his duties and responsibilities in a manner that becomes his office and to allow this gathering to proceed peacefully in recognition of the will of the people. With the proper cooperation of all government agencies, we are confident the gathering will be nothing more and nothing less than a peaceful expression of a just and legitimate cause. The eyes of the world are now on the Prime Minister and his government, in this pivotal moment that will surely define his legacy in the eyes of Malaysians as well as citizens and governments the world over. We urge him to rise to the occasion.
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| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:03 AM PDT
By Maria J Dass, The Sun Former Perak chief police officer and Special Branch commander Tan Sri Yuen Yuet Leng talks about managing mass gatherings and his experiences during the May 13 racial riots that he hopes never to see again. As someone who was at the forefront of the fight against the communists during the Emergency, he shares with Maria J. Dass his thoughts on idolising communist leaders by some quarters and the threat that the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) still poses in present time. How do you view recent developments in the country especially the turn of events that followed the plan to hold the Bersih 2.0 rally? There is nothing wrong with the demands that are being made by the organisers of Bersih per se, but the problem is the interference from outside the organisation. Other parties with different intentions have joined in the fray and are exploiting the situation. On top of that, the situation has been compounded by organisations coming out to make threats, and parties such as Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) whose members turned up to protest wearing t-shirts with pictures of communist leaders in the country emblazoned on them. Why is this worrying? The PSM does not seem to understand the parameters of the peace accord signed with CPM head Chin Peng in 1989. Under the accord, the CPM was never dissolved, it was only a disbandment of the communist armed forces that allowed some of them to come back. I agree with what the Special Branch had done. This problem has been thrown in the police's lap and involves national security and public order. But for a lot of people, the Communist Party of Malaya is practically redundant. I know the communists and how they operate. They won't dissolve the party until they really want to. Malaysians are so trusting. I can be compassionate and trusting too, but I know when they are telling half-truths. So as long as they do not say they are dissolved, this group which espouses armed struggle is at liberty to pick up arms when the legal system fails. It is different with communist parties in Australia, America and United Kingdom which espouse legal and not armed struggle. In these countries, they do not promote violence but only bear socialist objectives. Is it cause for concern that remnants of the CPM are still around? When they withdrew in 1953, a small group of them that survived made their way across the border where they recruited Thai Chinese and managed to continue propagating their ideology to Malaysians from across the border. This is how the second wave of the Emergency got started. The Special Branch, as an intelligence organisation, has to have the historical knowledge of the workings of the party, and note their ideology of armed struggle as the highest form of struggle. But where PSM and some other organisations are concerned, many people question why the police seem to act against only certain parties, while others who make seditious comments and threats get away. Won't the public equate this with police persecution? Yes and no. The police usually back the effort of the incumbent government of the day so long as it acts by the rule of law, but they need to be more courageous and brave to act when supporters of the incumbent government go too far. When they are hesitant, they are bound to be accused of being unfair. Being balanced will earn the police some respect. Also, the police will probably be doing a favour for leaders of political parties who find it hard to reprimand errant members. Let the police do that work for them. The police have a pragmatic policy where sometimes they have to do what seems to be the wrong thing at the right time to avert an escalation of emotions. You just have to do it, because if you do not do this wrong thing at the right time, the situation can blow up. So the police have to act as fast as possible on information on both sides. Troublemakers from both sides have to be picked up. But there is also a perception that politicians are interfering in police work. I don't envy the position the police are in now. During my time, the main problem they had to address was the communist insurgency. Once this was over, it seemed like Malaysians had won the war against the communists, but lost the peace among themselves. Is it necessary to bring in the army to assist the police (in keeping order) as is being proposed? It is quite natural for the army to be brought in to support the police. This was done to stamp out the May 13, 1969 racial riots, but at that time the move to call in the army was to resolve a situation that had already blown out of proportion. And this time around? This time the police action is more pre-emptive. They are putting in place measures to address the security risks that may arise. This is good as the problem is addressed before it happens. They are thus better equipped and organised to address any problems that may arise, as compared to May 13. I had seen the atrocities of May 13 and don't ever want it to happen again in my lifetime. I will never ever forget the state of the bodies I saw and the heart-wrenching task of having to look for my missing men by searching at all hospital mortuaries in Kuala Lumpur. But I will never forget the acts of my Malay colleagues who protected me when there were attempts to harm me, and likewise Chinese colleagues who protected their Malay friends. People involved in the rallies planned this time around are those who do not know anything about what had happened and can never fathom the effects of it. But aren't the people today more educated and perhaps more discerning and mature, and therefore less gullible and taken in with the rhetoric of rogue leaders? People are better educated, but they still think along the same racial lines, and education makes them do things in a more sophisticated way – and this applies to both sides of the divide. It is impossible for Malaysians to integrate when each is still stuck in his racial cocoon. To compound this problem, we now have a problem with corruption which is again being looked at through racial eyes due to power being held by certain political parties. The trouble is that the race-based political parties we have now are all looking after the needs of their own members, more than addressing the widening racial divide. This is why I feel that the Malay leaders who are in control should make an effort to look after the needs of the minority Chinese and Indians instead of sidelining them, since the race-based parties are not doing their job. But some say this is precisely why we need a strong opposition to keep things in check. The Opposition we have is not that strong actually. They only appear to be strong because the incumbent government has weakened itself by allowing corruption and racial polarisation to fester. These problems need to be addressed and I think the present Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak) is trying very hard to make the changes. Back to demands for free and fair elections – don't the people have a right to demand a stop to manipulation of the electoral process? They want the leaders that they choose to serve them. Why not address this once and for all? Interference by outside forces aside, there is nothing wrong with Bersih 2.0's demands and the incumbent government must hear the genuine worries of the people. They need to pry things apart and deal with people who are sincere with their concerns. Then legitimate complaints can be looked into. People must see that the incumbent government is really trying to make a difference by addressing genuine concerns. Both sides (government and opposition) must work together for the interest of the nation. The timing is such that there appears to be a united front against the government, and this frightens them. Similarities have been drawn between the recent uprisings in the Middle East including that in Tahrir Square, Egypt, and the Bersih 2.0 rally. Do you think the situation is the same? The situation here is different. There is still a lot of hope left here, but in those countries the situation is more acute. Except for demonstrations, there is no other avenue for the people there to speak up. In your opinion and experience in the Special Branch, should the Bersih walk be allowed to go on so that the people can express their views? People must be given an avenue for expression, so the police must be more liberal in issuing permits for gatherings. I would rather it be allowed to go on but be held in a place where there will be better crowd control and security, like in a stadium. The police can be there to guide them along. This is a process of growing up in a democracy. It is good that the organisers of Bersih 2.0 agreed to move their programme to a stadium. With the intervention and edict of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, all parties involved should use the opportunity to climb down from where they are in a dignified manner. No one has lost face, and the only one who has won is the nation and its security. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adakah mereka ini pengundi dari langit? Posted: 07 Jul 2011 10:03 AM PDT  By Anak Sungai Derhaka Mereka adalah antara 1538 warga emas yang usianya melebihi 100 tahun dimana Sembilan dari mereka sepatutnya tersenarai dalam "100 manusia paling tua" Wikipedia, namun tidak tersenarai dimana silapnya hanya SPR yang tahu. Senarai No. Kad Pengenalan, Alamat dan usia mereka sila lihat di (SINI) Bayangkan apa pandangan dunia terhadap Malaysia jika dunia mengetahui di Malaysia ramai rakyatnya yang berusia melebihi 100 tahun, pasti dunia akan kagum.. Walaupun nama mereka tidak tersenarai dalam Wikipedia, mereka masih boleh berbangga kerana mereka punya tempat tinggal, ini terbukti melalui alamat yang terpapar dalam imej diatas. Mereka boleh berbangga kerana mereka tidak berkongsi tempat tinggal atau berkongsi alamat dengan 87 orang lagi ataupun 63 orang lagi seperti yang boleh kita lihat di (SINI) Mereka mempunyai alamat tempat tinggal, begitu juga dengan 88 dan juga 64 pengundi yang berkongsi dua alamat yang berbeza, tetapi bagaimana pula dengan mereka yang disenaraikan dibawah.. Mereka-mereka dibawah ini yang mempunyai No. Kad Pengenalan, Nama, lokaliti dan juga daerah mengundi tetapi mereka tidak mempunyai alamat tempat tinggal… Bagaimana agaknya petugas-petugas pilihanraya terutamanya yang bertugas sebagai 'Polling And Counting Agent' (PACA) samada dari pihak Pakatan Rakyat mahupun Barisan Nasional boleh mengenali mereka? Jika mereka tiada alamat tempat tinggal bagaimanakah nama mereka boleh tersenarai sebagai pengundi? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For the love of a nation's constitutional monarchy, its people and in the name of freedom Posted: 07 Jul 2011 09:57 AM PDT
The global community of civil society cannot merely issue grand statements of concern for these are already being blatantly ignored by the authorities. They need to show the world that they mean, act and do bring about democracy for humanity – giving back to society their basic right to free and fair governance. By J. D. Lovrenciear
The global society of humanity must act now before another nation plunges in darkness as there is only so many minutes left on the hour glass of despair. Indeed it is conclusive even to an uninitiated street bumpkin that Malaysia is at the crossroads of creating genocide against humanity's fundamental rights to peaceful and fair existence on its own turf. The Malaysian authorities, namely the police and the political party leaders who form the government of the day are indeed behaving in an extremely high handed manner. Their actions speak volumes of gross injustice, hardship, frustrations and undue fears inflicted upon the citizens of this land. It is oppression for want of a better word. The global community of civil society cannot merely issue grand statements of concern for these are already being blatantly ignored by the authorities. They need to show the world that they mean, act and do bring about democracy for humanity – giving back to society their basic right to free and fair governance. It is time for the global society of leaders, investors, bankers, traders, politicians and even governments to hear the plight of the humble citizens of Malaysia who have been unsuccessfully crying out merely for an avenue to express their desire to have a clean, fair and free electoral system. But this simple, basic and peaceful demand which is the right of every society is being lambasted with so many obstacles and insults and fears and intimidation and detentions that can easily run a nation into utter confusion and chaos. Chaos must be averted but not at the expense of civil liberties and true democracy. Even the country's Constitutional monarch's olive branch of wisdom offered has been run over by the powers that be. It indicates the end of the road for his subjects. Hence the global community of leaders, protectors, champions, vanguards and believers of true democracy and civil liberties must demonstrate that they do have the power and the means to help societies before they crumble under the heavy hand of brute law enforcers. Malaysians are known the world over as a very tolerant society despite their multi religious and multi ethnic roots. But today Malaysia stands on the edge of its steepest slope that will determine whether the country plunges into anarchy and repressive political control or rises to the new world's order of true democracy and civil liberties. The ultimate is no more in the hands of the Malaysians at this point in time. The writings on the wall are all very clear and indicative that Malaysia's democratic history is being brutalized by political power brokers and leaders of the nation's longest serving government. If the global community can decisively demonstrate that they have what it takes to free a nation of people from the clutches that threaten to take away the basic and fundamental rights of humanity, namely the right to demonstrate peacefully their concern for electoral reforms that can guarantee clean, fair and free elections, the world can celebrate the glorious success. We hope America and the rest of developed world of leaders and business community can and will act, decisively and not posthumously as has been the case in history. it will save the region of further instability. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King’s ‘independence’ surprises Umno leaders, say sources Posted: 07 Jul 2011 09:51 AM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's "independence" over the Bersih issue through his edict and meeting the electoral reform group is causing some consternation among Umno politicians, including several ministers, sources say. The Malaysian Insider understands that they are upset by Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's decision to grant an audience to Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan last Tuesday, arguing that it is outside his constitutional powers. Government officials also confirmed that there has been a series of tooing and froing of the draft of the King's statement between the palace and the Najib administration before Istana Negara issued what amounted to measured advice late Sunday. "Some Umno politicians felt that the King's statement should have been more strongly worded against Bersih. And some ministers are also upset that the King met Ambiga," a source told The Malaysian Insider. A Cabinet minister confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that dissenting views were raised during the weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. "They felt that the Agong is not the executive arm of the administration and the Agong must subscribe to the constitutional monarchy system where he acts on advice of the PM. "So most of the ministers felt that this was done without PM's knowledge. But PM knows, so actually, it was a wrong assumption," said the minister. The minister added that the disapproval was also largely because the government had already declared Bersih 2.0 an outlawed organisation. The King's agreement to meet Ambiga, said the minister, gave the appearance that the Ruler did not recognise the Bersih 2.0's status as illegal.
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| Koreans to show solidarity for Malaysian campaign Posted: 07 Jul 2011 09:48 AM PDT
By Kirsty Taylor, The Korean Herald Pro-democracy campaigners in Korea are to push for free and fair Malaysian elections this weekend. A show of solidarity for people in Kuala Lumpur is to be held in Seoul on Saturday, as part of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) campaign calling for an end to dirty politics in the country. Amnesty International has published a press release on the issue saying that Malaysian authorities are arbitrarily arresting and detaining scores of peaceful electoral reform protesters in what it called "the worst repression of free speech and freedom of assembly in recent years." Since June 24, more than 100 activists have been arrested or questioned by police over their support of the electoral reform rally since June 24, according to Amnesty. "The Malaysian authorities are muzzling calls for electoral reform by throwing peaceful protestors in jail," said Donna Guest, Deputy Asia-Pacific Director at Amnesty International. "We have not seen such a crackdown on political activists across Malaysia in many years." The global demonstration is being planned for July 9 by the Coalition for Fair and Free Elections, also known as Bersih, meaning "Clean." The movement is calling for is calling for a cleanup of the electoral roll, reforms to the postal vote, free and fair access to media and a minimum 21-day campaign period for politicians in the country. The Korean event to be held in Seoul's Gwanghwamun district on July 9 will be one of many held around the world on the same day. Protests are to be held all over Australia as well as in New Zealand, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan and many European countries. The Bersih Korea Solidarity Rally is to meet at Gwanghwamun Subway Station Exit 6 at 2:45 p.m. for the rally to be held from 3-5 p.m. Protesters in Korea were encouraged to purchase and wear copies of the yellow Berish campaign T-shirts which have seen wearers reportedly held without charge by authorities in Malaysia. Anyone interested in taking part or purchasing a T-shirt can email bersih.korea@gmail.com or call (010) 4363-0609 for more information. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 08:53 AM PDT
By Liz Gooch, New York Times KUALA LUMPUR — Election reform advocates said Thursday they would proceed with a rally in a stadium here on Saturday, despite warnings from the authorities that such a gathering would be illegal. Tensions have risen in this Southeast Asia nation in recent weeks, with the police arresting more than 200 people in connection with the planned rally, which is being organized by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, also known as Bersih, or "clean" in Malay. The coalition is made up of 62 nongovernmental organizations. Opposition leaders, who strongly support the campaign for electoral changes, have predicted that the rally could attract about 300,000 people. A street rally calling for similar changes in 2007, in which the police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters, was credited with helping the opposition make historic gains in the 2008 elections. The next election must be held by mid-2013, but there is speculation it could be held as early as this year. Last Saturday, the government declared Bersih illegal, because it had not registered as an organization and was causing unrest among the public. Bersih countered that it was not a new organization, but rather an alliance of existing groups. Prime Minister Najib Razak then said the coalition could hold the rally, if it agreed to meet in a stadium, rather than on the streets as first planned. After a rare mediation meeting Tuesday with the Malaysian king, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Bersih organizers agreed to these terms. Now, however, the authorities have said that Bersih cannot proceed without a police permit, which normally would not be granted to a group that has been declared illegal. Bersih leaders responded by accusing the prime minister of having "reneged" on his offer to provide a stadium for their rally and said they would assemble at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday afternoon "whatever happens between now and then." "We are coming, we will be peaceful and together, we will build a better Malaysia," the coalition said in a statement. On Thursday, the chairwoman of Bersih, Ambiga Sreenevasan, said the management of Merdeka Stadium had turned down the coalition's request to use the site, but that it would reapply and try to secure a police permit under the name of one of its member groups. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin accused Bersih of attempting to "incite hatred" by insisting on holding its rally at Merdeka Stadium, which he said should only be used for official functions, The Malaysian Insider, a Web site, reported Thursday. Meanwhile, the police have set up roadblocks on streets leading into the city and said they would arrest anyone found with Bersih materials, such as the coalition's yellow T-shirts. In recent weeks, 225 people have been arrested in connection with the Bersih movement under various laws including the Sedition Act and Emergency Ordinance, which allows for detention without trial. On Thursday, the police said six people remained in custody. Perkasa, a group formed after the 2008 elections to defend the rights of ethnic Malays, which it asserts are being eroded by non-Malays, is planning to hold a counter-rally against the Bersih movement and is seeking a police permit and a stadium. The United Malays National Organization's youth wing said it had yet to decide whether to go ahead with a similar rally. The Kuala Lumpur city police deputy chief, Amar Singh, said Thursday that the police had obtained court orders that bar 91 people, including leaders of Bersih, Perkasa and UMNO Youth, from certain parts of the capital between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy and democracy with regular national elections, but Bersih organizers say that elections are vulnerable to manipulation. They have issued a list of eight demands, including marking voters with indelible ink to prevent them from voting more than once, purging electoral rolls of "phantom voters" and ensuring that opposition parties have equal access to the mainstream news media. The group is also calling for a royal commission to investigate how elections are conducted. Ms. Ambiga, the Bersih chairwoman, said the coalition wanted these changes implemented before the next election. The Electoral Commission has announced that it will introduce biometric fingerprinting for voters, but she said that the commission's recent announcement did not go "far enough." The coalition that has governed Malaysia since the nation gained independence in 1957, now under the name National Front, rejects accusations that elections have not been conducted freely and fairly and notes that the opposition won control of five states in the last national election. Analysts say the Bersih campaign could help the political opposition. "The opposition parties have jumped on this bandwagon because they would be direct beneficiaries of electoral reform," said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, an independent polling firm in Kuala Lumpur. Describing Bersih's demands as "perfectly normal in terms of what's expected in a functional democracy," Mr. Ibrahim said that if large numbers of protesters turned out Saturday, it could slow the government's momentum after a recent series of by-election victories. "I think that is the deeper concern: that a show of protest, a show of force by the opposition and NGOs demanding reforms from the government, could sway undecided people to feel that the government is not doing enough," he said. Ong Kian Ming, a political analyst at UCSI University, said that the rally came at an "opportune time" for the opposition and that a violent crackdown on the protesters could be "a game changer" in the coming elections. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 02:19 AM PDT
The Malaysian government has pulled out all the stops to prevent an opposition rally this weekend. This week, army units conducted crowd control exercises with banners that said, "Disperse or we will shoot!" By John Malott, The Wall Street Journal The police set up roadblocks and arrested Malaysians simply for wearing yellow T-shirts, the signature color of Bersih, a coalition of 62 nongovernmental organizations that demands changes in Malaysia's electoral system. To date, the police have arrested over 250 supporters of Bersih, claiming that they are "waging war against the king."
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| No mention of court order at IGP meet, says Ambiga Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:39 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has questioned the Inspector General of Police's sincerity in meeting Bersih this afternoon after Kuala Lumpur police obtained court orders to bar leaders of the electoral reforms movement from entering the city this Saturday. The Bersih chief told The Malaysian Insider that Tan Sri Ismail Omar made no mention of the court order that prevents a whopping 91 persons from the movement, Umno Youth and Perkasa from entering the capital, despite the meeting taking place at the same time the order was sought. "Why were we not told when the whole time we were talking the IGP knew we were going to apply for Stadium Merdeka? "We are very surprised that a court order for the same area was being sought at the very time that we were speaking to the IGP," the former Bar Council president said. The court order also allows city police to shut down roads, effectively paralysing any attempts to rally on the day.
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| MCA tells Bersih to shed link with Pakatan Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:35 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - A MCA leader today urged Bersih 2.0 to distance itself from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to remain apolitical, even as the troubled electoral reforms group faces major hurdles which could dampen its rally turnout this Saturday. MCA treasurer-general Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho explained in a statement today that this was because PR, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was attempting to hijack Bersih 2.0's rally to gain political mileage. Anwar, he added, was aiming to steal Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan's thunder this Saturday to divert attention from the latest sex allegation against him. "PR should not have hijacked the Bersih rally. This is a cheap political ploy to fish for votes and to achieve political milestone by inciting people to hate the government. "If Bersih is intended to be apolitical, I encourage Datuk Ambiga to distance the Bersih organisers from PR," Tan wrote in a brief statement today. He added that PR's "hijack" plan was mirrored yesterday when the coalition's leaders sounded a call to arms and pledged to mobilise at least 300,000 people to participate in the rally. In a press conference after its leadership council meeting, PR leaders led by Anwar, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, PAS and PKR deputy presidents, Mohamad Sabu and Azmin Ali, declared the coalition's support for Bersih 2.0's plan to relocate its rally to a stadium instead of on the streets. "This suggests that PR wants to link with Bersih and that Anwar wants to replace Bersih chief organiser Ambiga as the main leader at the assembly to shout out loud Pakatan's agenda and all focus would be on Anwar," said Tan.
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| Malaysian Police Threaten Mass Arrests Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:32 AM PDT
Malaysian Saturday Rally Back On, Along with Confrontation (Asia Sentinel) - With the Malaysian electoral reform organization Bersih 2.0 threatening to go ahead with a planned rally Saturday that is expected to draw as thousands of people, police say they will arrest 91 individuals from Bersih or two opposing organizations if they show up anywhere near Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka Stadium. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak earlier gave Bersih, which means "Clean" in the Malay language, permission to go ahead with the rally if it were held in a stadium. The rally originally was postponed earlier this week to a future date until a stadium could be found.
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| Clampdown will bring city traffic to a halt Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:05 AM PDT
Buses heading into many parts of Kuala Lumpur will be barred from entering the city during the Bersih rally. (Free Malaysia Today) - Traffic on Kuala Lumpur's roads will grind to a halt in a 22-hour public transport clampdown tomorrow, the day of the Bersih 2.0 rally. A statement by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) said that express buses arriving in the city at three major bus statious would be diverted elsewhere. City buses will also have their routes cut short on that day, with at least 14 major roads affected. The order to do so was given by the police, the statement added. The transit clampdown will start at 12.01am and end at 10pm tomorrow. Details on these changes are as follows: Hentian Duta will receive Puduraya and Pekeliling-bound express buses (except KL-Seremban route). TBS will receive Hentian Putra (PWTC) and KL-Seremban-bound express buses. City buses will stop at these train stations:
It is expected that the route changes will severely increase the level of traffic congestion in the city tomorrow. The following roads, some of the most heavily-travelled in KL, will be affected:
A large number of commuters, who rely on buses to ferry them around the city, may also be left stranded at these locations. Temporary adjustments Public transport expert, The Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit), was not impressed by the route changes. "SPAD could (have) taken the extra effort to work with every stage bus operator to determine the exact routes affected, and display the temporary adjustments on its website, rather than lumping the route detours according to the names of the roads that buses use," a post from its website read. Transit was also puzzled over the heavy-handed police action in barring buses from going into the city. It said that public transport vehicles should be allowed to travel on one lane to ferry people out of the city on July 9.
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| The Americans foresaw Najib's threat to Pak Lah Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is a breath of fresh air after the long-serving and vituperative Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in late 2003. Abdullah promotes a tolerant, progressive approach to religion that he calls "Islam Hadhari" (civilizational Islam). He is publicly committed to fighting corruption and reining in costly mega-projects, though his government's follow-through has been disappointing. His mild-mannered and cautious approach has also led critics to question his leadership and effectiveness, but his ruling coalition remains secure. Abdullah's chief potential rival, Deputy Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) Najib Razak, plays the role of a loyal bulwark. After two years in power, Abdullah has appealed to the public for patience in delivering reform. As long as the economy continues to grow healthily, the public will grant him that. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000705
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016 TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, PTER, ECON, MY SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE DR. RONALD SEGA
Classified By: DCM David B. Shear for reasons 1.4 b and d.
1. (C) SUMMARY: Malaysian-American relations are good and improving; on March 8 we notified Congress of our intention to conclude a Free Trade Agreement with Malaysia. This moderate Muslim-majority state is our tenth-largest trading partner worldwide, and we have robust military-military cooperation. While moving slowly away from the anti-Western rhetoric of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia continues to oppose us on some key international issues. Counterterrorism cooperation is largely good, but we remain concerned about the release of certain suspects and the level of surveillance of those suspects. Malaysia and its neighbors increasingly realize the importance of maritime security, but enforcement efforts are hampered by sovereignty concerns and a lack of resources. A new Malaysian coast guard is slowly getting its sea legs. Malaysia supports the Mindanao peace talks but has differed sharply with Thailand over separatist violence. The Malaysian government is making progress in implementing a non-proliferation regime, but is no closer to signing an Article 98 agreement with the U.S. End Summary. Political Landscape 2. (C) While Malaysia has plenty of warts, it remains a rare example of an Islamic-majority country that is stable, civilian-led and prosperous. Malaysia has also maintained a largely tolerant social system and a tightly managed democracy, with the same multi-racial coalition in power since independence in 1957. While we continue to urge the government of Malaysia to improve its own governance, we also recognize the constructive role Malaysia can play in the Islamic world and have encouraged Malaysians to increase support for moderation and progress in the Middle East. 3. (C) Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is a breath of fresh air after the long-serving and vituperative Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in late 2003. Abdullah promotes a tolerant, progressive approach to religion that he calls "Islam Hadhari" (civilizational Islam). He is publicly committed to fighting corruption and reining in costly mega-projects, though his government's follow-through has been disappointing. His mild-mannered and cautious approach has also led critics to question his leadership and effectiveness, but his ruling coalition remains secure. Abdullah's chief potential rival, Deputy Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) Najib Razak, plays the role of a loyal bulwark. After two years in power, Abdullah has appealed to the public for patience in delivering reform. As long as the economy continues to grow healthily, the public will grant him that. Economic Situation 4. (C) In his early days, PM Abdullah made rural development and control of government spending, partly as a means to encourage private sector led growth, his top economic priorities. So far, only his reduction of the government's deficit -- now down to 3.8 percent of GDP -- can be chalked up as a clear success. Abdullah's partisans say that the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP; a five year plan for economic policy and development spending) will be the vehicle for advancing his other economic goals, but the 9MP, unveiled on March 31, contained little in the way of drama or new initiatives. Abdullah has emphasized the need for fast implementation of 9MP (a tacit acknowledgement of the perceptions weak follow through by his government) and created a new government agency to focus on the problem. 5. (C) Meanwhile cuts in government subsidies for gasoline and diesel fuel -- one of the tools used to rein in the deficit -- have proved highly unpopular, and raised concerns about inflation. Increases in prices of other government-managed commodities, such as electricity, may be in the works. For now, the economy is in reasonably good shape, with projected growth of around 5.0 percent in 2005 and official inflation of around 3.8 percent (although private analysts believe the real rate of price increases is much higher). However, the government may be facing a tough choice in the coming year between stimulating the economy to get back on a higher growth track, or raising interest rates to control inflation. Malaysia's International Posture 6. (C) Malaysia currently is the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and of ASEAN. Malaysia hosted the ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit last December, and will host the ASEAN Regional Forum ministerial this summer. Secretary of State Rice has told the ASEAN foreign ministers of her plans to attend the ARF meetings in July. Malaysia backs the six-party DPRK nuclear talks and supports Iraqi reconstruction efforts, but has been overeager to embrace Hamas and defend the Iranian nuclear program. The foreign ministry seems to be moving slowly away from some of Mahathir's anti-Western rhetoric and policies, but retains friendships with troublesome states like Cuba, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Syria and Uzbekistan. The Malaysian government is publicly supportive of China's "peaceful rise" and recently signed a defense cooperation MOU with China, despite lingering suspicions among senior Malaysian military officials of China's long-term intentions. Malaysia has actively supported peace efforts in the southern Philippines and Aceh in Indonesia. Counterterrorism 7. (C) Malaysia has generally been a reliable and constructive partner on counterterrorism. In 2003, Malaysia established the Southeast Asia Regional Center for Counterterrorism (SEARCCT), which now runs a full schedule of multilateral training courses, many conducted with U.S. support. Early round-ups in 2001 and 2002 of scores of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) suspects crippled that organization's activities in Malaysia. Over 70 suspected terrorists remain in custody under the Internal Security Act (ISA), a "preventive" measure that has also been used to jail political opponents of the government in the past. To our knowledge, prosecutions and trials of the terrorist suspects are not planned. Drawing on their experience in defeating a communist insurgency, the Malaysians take a "rehabilitative" approach for some terrorists, keeping them under police supervision in "restricted residence." Several leading figures (such as JI financier Wan Min) have been released from ISA detention without warning. We remain concerned that surveillance of released terrorist suspects may be inadequate and their "rehabilitation" may be incomplete or insincere. JI, while weakened, still has the capability to strike here, and the Malaysians need to remain vigilant. 8. (C) While the Malaysian leadership firmly opposes terrorist organizations at home, it is deeply uncomfortable with any association of Islam with terrorism, and frequently lectures us on the need to eschew terms such as "Islamic terrorists" or "jihadists." Reflecting the broad support for the Palestinian cause among the majority here, the Malaysian government has no relations with Israel and often argues for the need to address the "root causes" of terrorism in the Middle East. In February, negotiators from the United States succeeded in reaching an agreement here on a text for a bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). We are hoping the treaty will be ready for signature in time for the Secretary of State's July visit. The treaty will be a good tool in fighting terrorism and other forms of transnational crime. Maritime Security 9. (C) In July 2005, the insurer Lloyd's of London designated the Strait of Malacca (SOM) as a "war-risk zone," raising premiums for shippers transiting these waters. This prompted a flurry of public cooperation among the littoral states -- Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, plus neighboring Thailand -- including conferences of foreign ministers and military chiefs. On September 13, 2005, the three littoral countries launched an "Eyes in the Sky" (EiS) program to conduct international aerial surveillance of the Strait. EiS currently comprises separate flights by Malaysia and Singapore (Indonesia has "temporarily" dropped out for operational capacity reasons), with crews that use binoculars to survey shipping traffic and make non-secure radio transmissions to shore and ship facilities of the three littoral states. Malaysia has also committed a single Beechcraft B-200 with infrared capability, to enable some night-time surveillance. Talks on establishing an EiS standard operating procedure continue, with a view towards reactivating Indonesian participation and bringing Thailand into the program. 10. (C) EiS represents an important symbolic step forward for the littoral states' cooperation on SOM security, but could be difficult to sustain without international support. DPM Najib has told the media on several occasions that Malaysia would welcome international involvement in Eyes in the Sky. Our working-level contacts remain vague, however, on what sort of American assistance might be accepted in this sovereignty-conscious region. Malaysia will host a meeting this summer sponsored by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in which the littoral states are to identify and prioritize their needs for assistance in enhancing SOM security. On February 15-17, the USG hosted a meeting of key SOM user states at Coast Guard Island, Alameda, California, to discuss the possible range and scope of such assistance. 11. (C) Meanwhile, the Sulu Sea remains an under-monitored passageway for terrorist elements in transit between Indonesia and Mindanao. Terror groups have also carried out a number of kidnappings for ransom in the area. While the region has little value for international shipping compared to the Malacca Strait, it is tremendously important to the travel and fundraising operations of groups like JI and Abu Sayyaf. Together with Embassies Jakarta and Manila, we have focused on this region as a specific theater for building capacity and cooperation between the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Significant new resources, which we are in the process of identifying and prioritizing, will be required to make these efforts successful. New Coast Guard 12. (C) Malaysia's new coast guard began limited operations on November 30, 2005. The government's goal is to reduce overlap and turf battles among the 11 Malaysian agencies tasked with patrolling the country's seas and waterways. The coast guard, officially named the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), will possess 72 vessels transferred from the navy, marine police, marine department, and fisheries department, and has recruited about 1,000 personnel from these and other existing agencies. The navy vessels will transfer with their crews intact. MMEA hopes to fill its 4,000 approved positions within a year. Mindanao Peace Talks, JI Presence 13. (C) Malaysia has facilitated peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the negotiations have had some success with the sticky issue of "ancestral domain." The talks are hosted by the Malaysian External Intelligence Organization, which in the past covertly supported separatist activities in Mindanao. JI presence at MILF training camps remains a concern, though the MILF has publicly disavowed any connection to JI. We continue to press the Malaysians to make clear to the MILF that it must sever its connections to JI and Abu Sayyaf. Southern Thailand Strains Relations 14. (C) Separatist violence in southern Thailand has killed over 1,000 people since January 2004, and attacks continue almost daily. The Malaysian government has repeatedly denied Thai accusations that it supports the separatist groups, though the people on both sides of the porous border share Malay ethnicity and the Muslim religion. Families and business interests straddle the border as well. In August 2005 Malaysia offered temporary refuge to 131 Thai citizens who said they were fleeing their government's crackdown in the south. The issue, which has also involved the UN refugee agency, rubbed raw nerves in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, as government officials abandoned the usual neighborly ASEAN rhetoric for sharp verbal attacks on each other. The rhetoric toned down somewhat after the Malaysians returned one of the 131 asylum seekers, who was wanted on criminal charges in Thailand. Slow Progress on Non-proliferation and PSI ... 15. (C) In 2003, a private Malaysian company (partly owned by PM Abdullah's son) was found to have manufactured and shipped nuclear centrifuge parts to Libya. The company pleaded ignorance, but the case underscored the need for Malaysia to adopt effective export controls. The government is moving ahead with plans to adopt such controls, including the conclusion of an Additional Protocol (AP) with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November 22, 2005. The AP provides a sound policy framework for the implementation of nuclear-related export controls. 16. (C) We continue to urge Malaysia to participate in Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) meetings and exercises. Malaysia sent two observers in August 2005 to a PSI exercise in Singapore, and three observers in April 2006 to a PSI exercise in Australia. The government has said it supports PSI "in principle," and that it would take part in PSI operations on a case-by-case basis. We have been told that the government is considering an endorsement of the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles, which would allow full participation in PSI events. However, elements within the foreign ministry remain adamantly opposed, perceiving that the PSI is targeted against "friends" of Malaysia, like Iran, Pakistan and China. 17. (C) As the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Malaysia has been too supportive of Iranian claims that its nuclear program is a peaceful one. More recently, the GOM has moved somewhat away from behavior that bordered on "coaching" the Iranians. The EU-3 made considerable efforts to get Malaysia to exert a restraining influence on Iran. While it appears the Malaysians have privately counseled Iran to exercise restraint, it does not seem these words had much influence on the Iranians. Malaysia failed to condemn Ahmadinejad's threat to "wipe Israel off the map" and gave President Ahmedinejad a red carpet welcome in Kuala Lumpur as the IAEA was referring his repeated violations to the United Nations Security Council. ... But No Progress on Article 98 18. (C) Malaysia has steadfastly rebuffed our efforts to conclude an Article 98 agreement, citing unspecified "policy reasons." Though Malaysia is "studying" the Rome Treaty that created the International Criminal Court (ICC), we believe they are unlikely to sign the treaty because of their own concerns over sovereignty. The Malaysians have told us that since they are not party to the Rome Treaty, they see little reason to conclude an Article 98 agreement with us. LAFLEUR
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| Don't get arrested this Saturday: things you need to avoid Posted: 06 Jul 2011 08:43 PM PDT
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| The day when the people rise up: July 9 Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:48 PM PDT
Bersih is a temporary and loose grouping of registered NGOs (62 in nos. at this moment) who have come together for the specific task of pursuing electoral reforms. If these NGOs are by themselves legally registered bodies, how can they become illegal just because they have joined forces to pursue a transient objective? If Bersih is decreed illegal, then all the NGOs in this group must also be deemed illegal. So are the members that belong to these respective NGOs. By Kim Quek That's it! Bersih finally has had enough of the treacherous conduct of a shameless government which has lost all sense of decency! In a firmly worded statement released late last night, Bersih effectively said "come what may, we will have our rally at the Stadium Merdeka on July 9 at 2 pm!". This is Bersih's final answer to a battery of ridiculous obstructions, warnings and excuses put up by the Najib government to obstruct a Bersih rally in the stadium. This is despite Bersih having made a major concession to shift the rally from the streets to a stadium under the unprecedented intervention of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and after Prime Minister Najib Razak's offer of a suitable stadium for the purpose. And the 180 degree turn by Najib and his government happened within one day! IMPASSE RESOLVED UNDER AUSPICES OF AGONG It was only on Tuesday (July 5) afternoon that Bersih had an audience with the Agong during which it accepted the government's rally-in-stadium offer to resolve the tense impasse between Bersih and the Najib government, during which an obviously panic-stricken government went on a rampage to make wanton arrests to deter an anticipated massive street rally. Upon Bersih's announcement to stay off the streets, Najib immediately expressed readiness to meet Bersih over a suitable stadium for the purpose. The next day, Wednesday July 6, Bersih indicated it wanted the event to be held at Stadium Merdeka due to its historical significance and central location. Bersih further said that it had ascertained the stadium's availability on July 9, as a scheduled concert had been cancelled. But Umno Youth immediately said: "We reject Stadium Merdeka for Bersih. It is not a place for political gathering. Do it in a Pakatan Rakyat controlled state." This was followed by the stadium management's rejection of Bersih on blatantly false excuses of "internal management sports event" and "renovation". What did the Prime Minister, who had earlier suggested and agreed to the rally-in-stadium proposal, have to say about the rally in Stadium Merdeka? He said it was up to the authorities in charge of such matters to act in accordance with requirements of security and safety. He emphasized however that "permission would only be given to organizations that are registered, but Bersih has never been registered, it is an illegal organization". He gave no indication whether approval to use the stadium would be forthcoming. Then, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who had earlier declared Bersih illegal, made the shocking and puzzling announcement that Bersih is still illegal, despite the impasse being resolved in accordance with the wishes of the Prime Minister, mediated by His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Hishammuddin said: "They are still banned. No body can put themselves over the law. Just because Tuanku met them, doesn't mean they are no longer illegal". However, despite the alleged illegality, Hishammuddin made the curious statement that Bersih could still apply to the police for a permit to hold the rally, but gave no assurance that a permit would be given. BERSIH IS BETRAYED Finally, Bersih's door to a stadium rally in Kuala Lumpur was shut when Information and Culture Minister Rais Yatim announced that the Cabinet has decided to bar Bersih from holding its rally in any of the stadiums in the Kuala Lumpur area. Rais suggested that Bersih could hold its rally in a Pakatan Rakyat controlled state. Meanwhile, police crackdown on Bersih supporters continues unabated, arresting any one seen wearing yellow shirts or any paraphernalia linked to Bersih. So far, there have been more than two hundred arrests, including members of parliament and state legislative assemblymen. Some are being charged in court, and some are detained under the draconian Emergence Ordinance which provides for indefinite detention without trial, which has been traditionally used against vice criminals. Ministers and police have warned that even when a stadium rally is approved, anyone wearing anything suggesting support for Bersih including the yellow T shirts will be arrested. LEGAL NONSENSE So, Bersih was played out! It gave up the street rally out of respect for His Majesty and in compliance with the PM's wishes; but in return, it was denied a stadium for rally, and its supporters continue to be hunted down and persecuted like criminals through massive abuse of police power under fallacious legality. Hishammuddin claimed that Bersih is illegal because it is not registered with the Registrar of Society, and hence any article or any activities promoting Bersih is also illegal, hence the mass arrest. But this is pure legal nonsense. Bersih is a temporary and loose grouping of registered NGOs (62 in nos. at this moment) who have come together for the specific task of pursuing electoral reforms. If these NGOs are by themselves legally registered bodies, how can they become illegal just because they have joined forces to pursue a transient objective? If Bersih is decreed illegal, then all the NGOs in this group must also be deemed illegal. So are the members that belong to these respective NGOs. By extension, any grouping of registered bodies who have joined forces to pursue any joint objective must also be considered illegal, including the opposition alliance of Pakatan Rakyat, which consists of PKR, PAS & DAP. Why hasn't Hishammuddin banned Pakatan Rakyat, and decreed their joint pursuits as also illegal? Can Hishammuddin explain the strangest logic ever known – as reflected in the police arresting individuals bearing symbols of Bersih, when the organization itself was sanctioned by the PM through the offer of a stadium to conduct its function? Isn't the entire Barisan Nasional government – PM, cabinet, police and judiciary - making a fool of themselves by crucifying and persecuting a well-meaning civil society movement on the premise of a fictitious law? GREATEST DISRESPECT TO AGONG By insisting that Bersih is an outlaw, after it has reached a settlement with the PM under the auspices of His Majesty, hasn't Hishammuddin shown the greatest disrespect to the two highest leaders of the country? And hasn't PM in turn made a mockery of His Majesty's gracious effort to bring reconciliation and good sense by failing to keep his end of the bargain to allow Bersih to hold its rally in peace? In the midst of such treasonous conduct from our leaders, we wish to congratulate Bersih for its courage and determination to do what is right. In its statement signed by all the 14 members of its steering committee last night, it said: "As members of civil society that are committed to principles of integrity, we fully intend to abide by the advice of Tuanjku DYMM SPB YDP Agong and hold our gathering in a stadium to state our demand for clean and fair elections. "Whether or not the government abides by their principles, we the Malaysian people will always uphold ours. Our determination to exercise our constitutional right to gather peacefully for a just and reasonable cause is unwavering." Now that Bersih has conducted itself with honour, we the people must respond likewise. It is about time that we stand up to reclaim what is due to us – our liberty and dignity and our right to determine our future, as enshrined in the Constituion. Let everyone come out wearing yellow, and let the traitors be swarmed and drowned by a sea of yellow in Kuala Lumpur on that day. Let July 9 be remembered in generations to come as the day when Malaysians finally rise up to reclaim their motherland from the grip of a tyrannical power.
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| Perkasa submits permit application for stadium rally Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:12 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Perkasa today submitted its permit application to the police to hold its anti-Bersih rally this Saturday, Datuk Ibrahim Ali said. The Perkasa president said that the group submitted the application to hold its "Gerak Aman" rally at Stadium Titiwangsa at 3pm today at the Sentul district police station. "The delay in sending the permit application was caused by the difficulty in obtaining a closed area, especially a stadium. Perkasa is still waiting for the approval from the management of Stadium Titiwangsa as well as the Kuala Lumpur municipal hall (DBKL)," Ibrahim said in a statement today. The pint-sized politician said that time was of the essence and "begged" the police to approve the permit application. "This is a peaceful gathering for people to protest against the illegal Bersih (rally) which is receiving foreign funds to ruin the good name of the country," added Ibrahim. The Malay rights group had initially applied to three stadiums in the capital city for its own rally. The police have however obtained court orders to prevent 91 persons associated with Bersih, Umno Youth and Perkasa from entering Kuala Lumpur this Saturday, and also to shut down city roads, to effectively paralyse any attempts to rally on the day. Ibrahim is among the 91 persons barred from entering the city. Others include Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah. The persons named in the court orders will be arrested on sight. The individuals named in the orders include 66 from Bersih, 14 from Perkasa and 11 from Umno Youth.
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:09 PM PDT
(Malaysia Digest) - Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said any application for permit applied under the name Bersih will be rejected by them. "If they apply it under the name of Bersih, then we will reject the application as it is an unregistered organization," said the IGP.
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| See what playing golf with Najib can do for you Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:53 PM PDT
Tan Kay Hock is the chairman of Johan Holdings Berhad and George Kent (M) Berhad. Tan Kay Hock, who is Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's golfing buddy, is also a member of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). He owns 49.59% of George Kent. Malayan United Industries Berhad, controlled by Khoo Kay Peng, owns a 9.3% stake in George Kent and 7% of Johan Holdings.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
From left: Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock, George Kent managing director Lee Pui Leng, senior manager of finance Choong Wye Lin and director Datuk Zaidan Othman George Kent Confident of Bid for Ampang-Line LRT Extension Project (Malaysian Digest) - George Kent (M) Berhad, an engineering group, is confident of winning the Ampang-Line Light Railway Transit (LRT)'s extension mega infrastructure project worth RM1.5 billion. The chances of getting the project is very good, its Chairman, Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock told reporters after the company's annual general meeting here today. He said the company's bid for the project was strengthened by George Kent's previous experience of handling government contracts and its achievements. "We are about to hand over the RM97.75 million Kuala Lipis Hospital in Pahang (Najib's home state) to the Ministry of Health, and I guess this is one of the very few hospitals delivered on time." "George Kent only tenders for projects that we think we can do, thus, we don't see any negative points for not winning the tender," he said. Prasarana Bhd is expected to announce the winner of the Ampang LRT extension project by September this year. Tan also said the company, which also produces water meters and the casing for the meters, has embarked on a RM50 million plan to upgrade its manufacturing facilities in Puchong, Selangor to accommodate higher sales in the meter and Original Equipment Manufacturing businesses. He said the present plant was already producing at a maximum capacity. With the expansion, George Kent aims to double its production capacity to two million completed meters and two million pieces of non-meter brass parts per annum. George Kent's pre-tax profit for the first quarter ended Apr 30, 2011 jumped to RM4.8 million from RM3.9 million in the same quarter last year. Its revenue, however, slipped to RM30.7 million from RM32.5 million previously. Tan said the demand for meters from Hong Kong, Macau, Middle East, Puerto Rico and Colombia remained strong. "The company has also penetrated Vietnam and Laos, where we expect good returns," he said, adding that the company expects to sustain its growth as the year progresses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ambiga, Ibrahim Ali, Khairy among 91 locked-out from KL this Saturday Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:31 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Police have obtained court orders to prevent 91 persons associated with Bersih, Umno Youth and Perkasa from entering Kuala Lumpur this Saturday, and also to shut down city roads, to effectively paralyse any attempts to rally on the day. City police chief Datuk Amar Singh also said that the public are "strongly discouraged" from going into the city on Saturday. The persons named in the court orders will be arrested on sight. Among those restricted under court orders are Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah. Amar said the individuals named in the court order were being personally served today. The individuals named in the orders include 66 from Bersih, 14 from Perkasa and 11 from Umno Youth.
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:25 PM PDT
Malaysians in more than 30 cities around the world will gather in a show of solidarity for Bersih 2.0's call for free and fair elections. (Free Malaysia Today) - Malaysians living abroad will stage gatherings in 30 cities around the world in solidarity with Bersih 2.0′s "Walk for Democracy" on Saturday. In Australia, organisers are expecting some 1,000 Malaysians or double that figure to turn up to support the call for free and fair elections. "Over there, it's not being viewed as an 'anti-government' protest but a solidarity movement. We're appalled by the intimidation and roadblocks happening back home. "Nobody is angry here, the mood is peaceful. We're more concerned than anything else," said Melbourne-based David Teoh, who is a key organiser of the rallies which will be held in several Australian cities. Teoh said that in Australia, the police have been accommodating and offered more space than they have originally asked for. "In Melbourne itself, we're expecting some 500 people including even Australian parliamentarians," said the 26-year-old architect. "There's a lot of excitement. Late last night, we were preparing buntings and banners. It's very heartening to see people express their love and loyalty to the country and doing something as meaningful as this. "I don't think many of them have experienced this… this has actually helped unite the people. In Malaysia, the situation is absolutely ridiculous; we see it as the government going back on its undertaking to negotiate. We are quite upset. "Until we can have clean and fair elections, we truly believe that Malaysia cannot step into its own greatness. There is a jarring lack of integrity in our national institutions as the very words that created our country have been totally ignored," said Teoh, who is also the pro-tem president of SABMoz (Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia di Australia). Besides supporting Bersih's eight demands for free and fair elections, the global movements are also urging the Election Commission to allow people working overseas the right to vote via postal ballots. "One of the key things for Malaysians living abroad is the right to vote by post. Right now, only civil servants and students are allowed to vote," said Temme Lee, a Bersih staff here assisting the efforts of Malaysians overseas. Lee said Bersih is finalising a memorandum that solidarity movements can use to send to their Malaysian embassies. Gatherings in the US Meanwhile in the US, New York City organiser Lee Leng-Feng said that quite a number of the global movements are simply small groups of Malaysians who do not want to sit at home while their fellow Malaysians marched. "I cannot stand watching my fellow countrymen walk while I do nothing here. I was 'forced' to organise one. All other Bersih organisers in the US have a similar story – we want to walk, but we could not find anyone to organise one, so we organised one ourselves," said the Klang-born post-doctoral fellow in a university there. Lee said that so far only fewer than 30 have confirmed their attendence, but added: "Even if it's just me alone, I will walk on July 9." "I have friends who told me 'you are not going to change anything by walking'. I even have friends telling me 'I am not going back to Malaysia, so this is none of my business'. You get discouraged. But there are more people around the globe telling me I'm not alone," he said. Lee said that he felt ashamed when he read how people were physically attacked by the police during the 2007 Bersih rally. "I do worry if I will get into trouble the next time I travel back to Malaysia. But I guess that is exactly what the government wants – they want us to be afraid and stay at home. But if I don't do anything, as I said before, I will not forgive myself. And what I am really afraid of is that 10 years from now, my children will ask me why I didn't do anything to save the country and I cannot answer them," he said.
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| Darkest hour before a new dawn Posted: 06 Jul 2011 05:20 PM PDT
MAGICK RIVER Things have never looked so ugly since the May 13 massacre of 1969 orchestrated by an ambitious Malay nationalist faction of UMNO led by Razak Hussein, father of Najib Razak. It is now clear that Malaysia has further deteriorated from a kleptocracy (a nation run by thieves) to a kakistocracy (a nation mismanaged by the vilest, most vicious, most venomous and violent elements). With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how the Polis Di Raja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Police) was systematically co-opted (especially during Mahathir Mohamad's 22-year reign) to serve the narrow interests of the ruling elite rather than the general public. Those of cynical bent will say, quite correctly, that all police departments on earth primarily exist to protect the vested interests of the ruling elite - not the ordinary citizen, whose function is to fund the scam by paying involuntary taxes - but it's time to clean up the police, perhaps even delete the concept from the human imagination!
Take the case of A. Kugan, a 22-year-old arrested on suspicion of involvement in a car theft sydicate, who was cruelly beaten to death in a police lock-up in January 2009. Khalid Abu Bakar immediately began lying about the circumstances of Kugan's unnecessary death at the hands of uniformed sadists. A gentleman would have publicly apologized for this glaring instance of police misconduct and resigned.
Obviously, he was earning himself brownie points with the top crooks in UMNO as a potential high-ranking Gestapo Officer. They appreciate tough cops without moral scruples who know which side the bread is buttered. There were many other alarming reports of citizens being harassed at roadblocks, arrested, robbed and beaten black-and-blue by police officers - and not a single case has been brought to justice. The big bosses in UMNO have covered the cops' arses in every instance. Even in a case as gruesome and sensational as the cold-blooded abduction, torture and murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in October 2006, the two policemen assigned to the dirty deed by Najib's security chief were protected from public view because they were allowed by the judge to conceal their faces throughout the long-drawn and ludicrous trial.
The use of police and army to suppress angry populations is nothing new - but there is a growing sense around the world that such repressive measures reflect negatively on those who wield them. It reveals that they have lost their legitimacy to lead.
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| Christian response towards Bersih and E.O Posted: 06 Jul 2011 04:37 PM PDT
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| See you at our Stadium Merdeka, folks Posted: 06 Jul 2011 04:05 PM PDT
THE PEOPLE'S PARLIAMENT We gave our word to His Majesty. We will honour our word. Even if Najib and his administration will not honour theirs. We have come to expect little else from them. See you all at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm, Saturday, 9th July, 2011. Come in yellow. Come in any colour. All colours are yours. As is this nation. Hidup Rakyat
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| No temporary bus permits for Friday and Saturday Posted: 06 Jul 2011 03:54 PM PDT
(The Star) - Temporary bus permits for travel to Kuala Lumpur will not be issued Friday and Saturday to avoid adding to an anticipated traffic congestion, said the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD). Its chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said Thursday that this applied to school and factory bus operators who often applied for the permits during peak seasons to transport people to the city. "It is not necessary since it isn't a festive season or a school holiday. We also did not receive a sudden surge in permit applications," he said when contacted. Syed Hamid said this would not affect travellers as all other public transport services, including the light rail transit (LRT) and KTM commuter trains, would be operating as usual. "People can continue travelling into Kuala Lumpur via express and tour buses as well," he said. He said the decision had been made in a monthly meeting with all public transport and enforcement agencies including the Road Transport Department (JPJ), immigration and the police on Wednesday to discuss various issues and coordinate enforcement work. "We looked at whether there was a need for temporary licenses during these two days and decided there was not," he said, adding that it was anticipated there would be traffic jams if the Bersih 2.0 rally was held Saturday. He stressed this was a precautionary measure to ensure smooth traffic flow this weekend. Syed Hamid expressed confidence that the bus operators would understand the decision as they were "reasonable people".
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| Dr M admits that it's easier said than done Posted: 06 Jul 2011 03:31 PM PDT
Business Times - Advising the rakyat to do well in business is easier than actually being in it, so says former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The owner of the gourmet bakery and pastry restaurant, The Loaf, said even after five outlets, he has yet to see his return on investment. "I thought I knew the business world well when I was the PM, but only now I know I did not," he told a hall packed with participants of an SME seminar here yesterday. However, he is confident that as soon as he receives his dividend from The Loaf outlets, only then will he consider franchising it as had been requested by some parties. "I went into this business after retirement to see if I can do what I had urged others to do ... to test myself. I found it interesting and at the same time, challenging." A few things Dr Mahathir had learned since the opening of his first outlet in Langkawi was in business, it is better to start small and the entrepreneur must have more capital than what was originally required. "Your due diligence study might say you need RM1 million but before you know it, the figure goes up to RM3 million. I have put in more money in The Loaf and have got nothing."He added that luckily for him, he did not go to banks to borrow because he always had a fear of borrowing. "If I borrow money from others, I will lose sleep. Since I value my sleep, I might as well don't borrow," he said, adding that his years in government and the perks that came with it had allowed him to save most of his salary. "I was given a house, a car, my utility bills were paid by the government. So I saved my income and with that savings, I entered into this business," he said. Dr Mahathir said his restaurants sell high-quality bread and pastries and for that reason alone, the products are costlier. "I get people coming to me complaining of the price but I still see them coming to the place. So it must be all right." He added that in business such as his, where he promised to deliver quality, is it vital that he keeps the promise. "Being the boss, I do my spot checks sometimes, having breakfast at any of the outlets, and that keeps my staff on their toes, making sure that the shop and kitchen are clean and the quality of the products good." He said he knows all prices of the products and which ones are best-sellers and which are not. During a question and answer session, a participant spoke about branding, telling Dr Mahathir that since displaying the former premier's picture taken during an award ceremony in all her shops, her business has been doing so well since then. "I am kind of a brand for this country, I suppose. But yes, branding is important to a company and so is advertising. Building up a brand takes time and once you do so, you must keep to what your branding promises," responded Dr Mahathir. He cited the building of the Petronas Twin Towers - a branding feat that made Malaysia a recognisable name worldwide. The 3rd Malaysia SME Congress held yesterday was launched by SME Corp chairman Datuk Dr Mohamed Al Amin Abdul Majid.
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| Reports of suspension of key services ahead of July 9th Posted: 06 Jul 2011 03:13 PM PDT
Bersih 2.0 urges the Federal Government not to suspend multiple public services this weekend in a futile attempt to stop the BERSIH 2.0 Rally at Merdeka Stadium. BERSIH 2.0 is alarmed by intelligence that there might be a full or partial clampdown on the internet as we approach this weekend. BERSIH 2.0 warns the Federal Government that should access to the mobile phone networks, the internet, mobile 3G services, specific websites or social media be compromised in any way whatsoever, then the authorities will look absolutely no different from the Middle Eastern dictators who have used the same measures with no success whatsoever. BERSIH 2.0 urges members of the public who want to join the historical July 9 rally to enter the city centre by today or tomorrow morning as intelligence suggests that public transport will be shut down, either partially or fully on Friday and/or Saturday. Observing the shocking fact that bus permits to Kuala Lumpur have already been frozen, plans seem to be well in place to make entering Kuala Lumpur on the 9th of July to as difficult as humanly possible. Bersih 2.0 reiterates in on no uncertain terms that any repression, intimidation and obstacles will not for an instant dilute our resolve to gather peacefully at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm on the 9th of July 2011, after which we will disperse just as peacefully. Should any of the above repressive measures come into effect, Malaysians and the international community will witness for themselves the desperate and unwarranted extremes to which the government is willing to go to prevent clean and fair elections. The government will also be unequivocally and fully responsible for the loss of business, the loss of confidence within the investment community, and the complete loss of goodwill towards Malaysia's political and commercial standing. Released by Steering Committee Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) The members of the BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee are: Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan (Chair), Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Dr Farouk Musa, Haris Ibrahim, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato' Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato' Yeo Yang Poh dan Zaid Kamaruddin.
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 02:09 PM PDT
By Lee Shi-Lan, NST KUALA LUMPUR: The ban on Bersih T-shirt and paraphenalia still stands. Despite the government agreeing to the coalition to hold the rally in a stadium, supporters are banned from wearing the T-shirts. "It is an offence to do so," said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar. "The coalition is still outlawed by the Registrar of Societies." "State and district police chiefs have been advised to reevaluate the location of roadblocks, but we also have to think about public safety." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Najib and gang say the darndest things Posted: 06 Jul 2011 02:01 PM PDT
The government has two laws for Malaysians – one for itself and those it favours, and one for the rest of the people. By Kee Thuan Chye The Bersih 2.0 episode has taught us a few important things. About the officials who are supposed to serve us, the rakyat. First, it has taught us that our prime minister, Najib Tun Razak, is a coward, a passer-of-the-buck, and a man with a slippery tongue. Although he has now offered the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) a stadium to hold its rally on July 9, he refuses to say if the government no longer considers it an illegal organisation. "This is a point whereby we consider them illegal, they don't consider themselves as illegal but what's important is public interest, I'm concerned with public interest," he says. What kind of waffle is that? Because he is wishy-washy about this matter, he appears utterly contradictory in allowing an illegal organisation to hold a public rally in a stadium that his government will provide. Related to this, when asked by the media whether the police would continue to clamp down on Bersih 2.0 supporters nationwide, he said, "You have to ask the police." Asked if supporters would be arrested for wearing Bersih T-shirts at the rally at the stadium, he again said, "That is up to the police to decide." He doesn't know? He doesn't have a say? Who is the boss? The prime minister, who is the chief executive of the country, or the police? He dared not even answer the media's question about whether he was called to see the King on the morning of July 5 before the latter was to meet with Bersih 2.0. His lame and characteristically evasive reply was: "When I meet the King is my right, and as the prime minister, I am the chief adviser to the King." He wasn't man enough to be honest and transparent. Same old trick Now let's look at Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. A few days ago, on the Bersih 2.0 rally, he warned that it could lead to chaos and invite "interference from major powers". Where did he pull this out from? "Based on the experience in the Middle East, we know that foreign powers are all too eager to send their troops on the pretext of helping to solve the crisis," he said. What a hoot! How ridiculous it is to draw from the Middle East experience (is the United Nations about to authorise the bombing of Malaysia?), and how convenient to blame it on some phantom foreign powers. It's the same old trick the government used on Hindraf in 2007, linking it to the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka. In the end, not a shred of evidence was ever produced. Once bitten, twice shy. Sure enough, what Muhyiddin said was to provide justification for six Parti Sosialis Rakyat (PSM) members who were pro-Bersih 2.0 to be detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO), on suspicion of being involved with "foreign elements" and having "subversive tendencies". One of them is Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj. If you knew him for the soft-spoken, humble and dedicated helper of the poor that he is, you would laugh in Muhyiddin's face. Jeyakumar would not be so stupid as to align himself with foreign elements to subvert the state. Let's turn now to Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, who disparaged "desperate parties" for making use of Communism to drum up support for the Bersih 2.0 rally. "They see this as an opportunity to stir up dissent and seize power," he said. "Spreading Communism is against the law. It is evil and illegal." What wild words would these ministers not use against a rally that was aimed at nothing more sinister than asking for electoral reform, for the good of democracy? Do they not realise we can gauge from their words the level of their intellect? How did Rais get his PhD? Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam called on the government to strip Bersih 2.0 chairperson S Ambiga of her citizenship. "If she thinks that we should have democracy by going on demonstrations like the way other countries do, then let her be the citizen of another country," he said. He also said she was against the tenets of Islam for previously defending Lina Joy in her apostasy case. Alamak! What has the Lina Joy case got to do with the Bersih 2.0 rally? But then, that's the Umno-BN dirty tactic, isn't it? Turn a non-religious issue into a religious one. Never mind if it's irrelevant. Never mind if it's divisive. Najib was worse in making a similar personal attack: "We know who this Ambiga is. She is the one who threatened the position of Islam." He must have known it was totally uncalled-for and outrageously irresponsible, but his audience was in Kelantan, comprising mostly Muslims, reportedly about 20,000 of them there. When Ali Rustam said that sort of thing, it was inexcusable. But when Najib, the advocate of so-called 1Malaysia, said it, it was unforgivable. More than that, he warned, "Ambiga should not think herself so strong. We will not bow down to her at all, we will fight for the truth. We will simpan kuku kita." This is menacing; the threat is in "simpan kuku kita", implying Najib and his supporters will hide their claws for now and use them when the time comes. This is undignified talk unbecoming of a prime minister. He sounds like a street brawler. Let's save the best for last. And who else might that be but the Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, already famous for the numerous bloopers he has made in the past? When the police started arresting people for wearing the Bersih T-shirts, without any apparent law to back them up, Hishammuddin justified it thus: "If the Bersih T-shirt is related to an illegal activity, then whatever they are wearing is illegal." But the rally had not happened yet, so how could it have been an illegal activity? By the same logic, how then could the Bersih T-shirts be related to an illegal activity? Caught in a corner, Hishammuddin then resorted to declaring Bersih 2.0 illegal. One of the reasons cited was that Bersih 2.0 had been spreading propaganda with the aim of toppling the government. What propaganda? Its eight demands for electoral reform constitute government-toppling material? Which school did this minister go to? And now that the King has met with Bersih 2.0 and the coalition has agreed to hold its rally in a stadium provided by the government, Hishammuddin is still clamouring: "They are banned. They are still banned… just because Tuanku met them doesn't mean they are no longer illegal." One would have thought that the King, in showing respect to Bersih 2.0 in granting it an audience, would have legitimised the coalition, but Hishammuddin seems to have a different view. He must have felt the egg all over his face when the King granted the audience. His reaction is therefore understandably defensive. He has screwed up big-time, but he won't admit his mistakes. If he has been doing his job like he should have, he would not be vilifying Bersih 2.0; he would be going after Perkasa instead. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/07/07/najib-and-gang-say-the-darndest-things/
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:53 PM PDT
M. Bakri Musa In a remarkable display of professorial prowess, University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor Ghauth Jasmon recently engaged his students in a two-hour dialogue on what it would take to make their university great. With humility, pedagogical skills, and great stage presence, he enthralled his audience while imparting an important message. They in turn were not at all shy in telling him the challenges they faced. It was truly a dialogue, not the usual one-way pedantic pronouncements. Those students had a clear message not only for their Vice-Chancellor but also the country's leaders and policy makers: Listen to us! The session was even more remarkable as it was held after lunch, typically siesta time in the tropics. Anyone who has faced a classroom of students at that time of day knows how difficult it is to get their attention. Yet there they were – professor and students – intellectually engaging each other, interspersed with frequent cheers and laughter. The Vice-Chancellor listed the five criteria of an elite university, as judged by the rating bodies. They are, in order of importance, the academic reputation of its faculty (40 percent); the related faculty citations (20); student-faculty ratio (20); employers' assessment of its graduates (10); and the institution's internationalism as reflected by the number of foreign students (5) and faculty members (5). For parents and students however, the fourth factor – employers' assessment – is for practical reasons the most important. Thus Ghauth focused on that. To employers, local graduates are deficient in such important areas as English proficiency, critical thinking, and problem solving. He emphasized the lack of English fluency. The first three major criteria, comprising 80 percent of the total, are beyond the students' control. Those are the responsibility of the university, specifically Dr. Ghauth. Students' contribution would be limited, as the Vice-Chancellor humorously suggested, to existing foreign students encouraging their friends and family members to enroll at UM, and that would influence only five percent of the total assessment. In a Kennedyesque twist, Dr. Ghauth asked his students what they could do for their university to make it great. Specifically he asked them for ways on improving their English proficiency if for no other reason than to make them acceptable to local employers. The students' responses were most illuminating. To be sure, most were the usual and predictable, "Use English more frequently," or "Befriend more foreign students." One student stood out for the frankness of his opinion and sharpness of his observation. He also had a deft sense of humor, outclassing the Vice-Chancellor's. He introduced himself as "Azlé from Kelaté" (Azlan from Kelantan) in that distinctively Malaysian east coast accent. That brought the house down. Azlan freely admitted to his mediocre English and bravely committed to improving it to "C-grade" over the semester. Amidst the ensuing laughter, many missed his sharp observation, made difficult by his frequent resorting to Malay. In Malay he articulated his problems eloquently. He related how his teachers back in Kelantan had to resort to using Malay when teaching English! The atmosphere was no better on campus. His friends and classmates would for example, mock and berate him whenever he tried to speak in English. Obviously opportunities for him, and others like him, to learn and practice his English were as limited on campus as they were back in his Kelantan village. That was his crucial message. As indicated, Azlan could not escape the irritating and jarring Malaysian habit of mixing Malay and English at will. I can readily excuse him because of his admitted lack of English fluency; inexcusable however, were Dr. Ghauth and the other supposedly English-proficient students. I would have stated Dr. Ghauth's central question differently: How could the university enhance the English proficiency of its students? A good start would be to follow up on Azlan's insights. What Azlan had related are the "soft" obstacles to achieving greater English fluency among Malay students, the subtle cultural and peer pressures. The mindset that dictates learning English is tantamount to hating your own language is part of this "soft" problem. It is a formidable obstacle precisely because it is so amorphous; you cannot easily put your hands around it. Then there are the "hard" obstacles, like the lack of competent teachers or our students not taking the subject seriously. Ironically, because they are concrete barriers we can readily get a handle on them and then come up with workable solutions. Take the obvious, the poor teaching of English in our schools and the lack of competent teachers especially in rural areas where the need is greatest. To train these teachers the university must have a strong Department of English. Yet UM's department has only 11 faculty members and three tutors to serve a campus of 25,000 students. To its credit however, nine of its members have doctorates, a higher percentage than the university as a whole. The department's size is not consonant with the great needs of the university and country. Considering that it was one of the first if not founding departments, its lack of growth must have been deliberate. That was short sighted and must be quickly rectified. The university must expand that department and provide non-credit courses and language labs so its Azlans can have a place to learn and practice their English. Emulate many American campuses including elite ones like Harvard that have similar facilities to improve the math and writing skills of their students. Dr. Gauth should go further and persuade his fellow Vice-Chancellors to impress upon our policymakers on the importance of teaching English in our schools and universities. They should not remain silent in the face of such regressive steps as the discontinuing of teaching of science and mathematics in English. As academic leaders these Vice-Chancellors could also mandate a pass in the Malaysian University English Test (MUET). That single move will make our students take English seriously. There will be severe opposition from some students and Malay language nationalists, part of the soft obstacle I alluded to earlier. Thus to soften the impact, I would add this proviso: If a student is otherwise qualified except for his MUET score, then he would be given a year to remedy the deficit before enrolling. If these academic leaders are really assertive and truly believe on the importance of English for their students, as they frequently profess, they would go further and make English mandatory for all freshmen. Have a placement test so students could be assigned to the appropriate class. Again this is common practice on many American campuses. Dr. Ghauth could also require all students write no fewer than 30 extended essays (term papers) during their undergraduate years. Again, this is the norm at good American universities. I would also have a similar requirement for essays in Malay (though far fewer in number) for international students. It would be a great shame and make a mockery of their attending a Malaysian university if they were unable to read or write in our national language. Once we have successfully overcome the "hard" obstacles, the soft barriers will automatically disintegrate like a mud wall in a downpour. This emphasis on English, though well placed, should not distract us from the other problems facing our students. English proficiency is no panacea; otherwise those Indian and Filipino graduates would be competitive. Deficiencies in critical thinking and problem solving are not English language dependent, as attested by Azlan's performance. Instead they are the consequence of our pedagogical philosophy as well as our approach to teaching and testing. Far too often what goes on in our schools and universities is not education but indoctrination. Education in Malaysia is, to borrow Noam Chomsky's phrase, "a system of imposed ignorance … a system of indoctrination." Consider how we test our students; it is nothing more than an exercise in regurgitation. If we design our questions so students could have "open book" examinations, then we are truly evaluating critical thinking and problem solving abilities instead of talent for regurgitation. Professor Ghauth had demonstrated a teaching style that engages students and make the intellectual traffic flows both ways. I applaud the university personnel for doing a professional job in videotaping the session and then posting it on Youtube. I hope Dr. Ghauth will have other similar sessions with his faculty, the public, and policymakers to address the first three criteria on making the university great. Anticipating that, I offer my suggestions. One, strive to have within five years all faculty members with terminal qualifications. I would later elevate that by requiring new recruits to have substantive post-doctoral experience. Two, I would fund faculty members so they could present papers at international meetings. That would encourage them to submit their papers to international bodies. Three, grant all faculty members automatic research funding equal to their annual salaries, and spread over three years. Four, I would supply each faculty member with a free laptops and unlimited WiFi access so they could download lectures by leading scholars elsewhere for presentation to the students, as well as access to professional journals. Many of those publications offer free access to academics from the Third World. That alone would pay for the computers, by sparing the library from having to subscribe to those expensive journals. Five, I would treat our academics with great respect beginning with getting rid of that idiotic Akujanji pledge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Public Intellectuals Community Malaysia call for immediate release of MP K. ... Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:40 PM PDT
We are disturbed that these persons who have been working to help the underprivileged in Malaysian society are accused of anti-social activities under a law that allows for detention without warrant or trial.
By members of the Asian Public Intellectuals Community-Malaysia
YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Dear Datuk Seri,
The others who were re-arrested are PSM deputy chairperson M Saraswathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai, M. Sukumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan and Youth leader Sarat Babu.
The six persons were arrested under sections 3(1) and 4(1) of the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969 (EPOPCO), which allows police to detain suspects for up to 60 days.
The Royal Police Commission in 2005 recommended 'that EPOPCO be repealed because it has outlived its purpose and in some instances has facilitated the abuse of some fundamental liberties' (page 310). The use of this law or any preventive legislation is clearly a violation of human rights.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar was reported to have said the six were found to be involved with foreign and subversive elements. We are disturbed that these persons who have been working to help the underprivileged in Malaysian society are accused of anti-social activities under a law that allows for detention without warrant or trial.
The six were among 30 persons detained at the Sungai Dua toll plaza on the North-South Expressway while travelling in a chartered tour bus from Kedah to Penang on June 25, 2011.
They were remanded for seven days to assist police investigation under Section 122 of the Penal Code for allegedly waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and for attempting to revive the Communist Party. These are serious charges especially when there is no shred of evidence to support them in the actions and statements of the people involved.
We understand that they were held under degrading conditions which are not acceptable especially when Malaysia sits on the UN Human Rights Council.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Prof. Emeritus Dr. Muhammad Haji Salleh Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phua Kai Lit Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa K Anwar Sharaad Kuttan Prof. Dr. Chan Chee – Khoon Tan Pek Leng Loh Cheng Kooi Dr. Colin Nicholas Dr. Wong Soak Koon Dr. Lim Mah Hui Fathi Aris Omar Dato' Dr. Toh Kin Woon Josie M Fernandez Jo Kukathas Khoo Salma Nasution Loh Yin San Prof. Wan Manan Wan Muda Sam Hui Adeline Ooi Prof. Dr. Tan Sooi Beng Amir Mohamad Amin Iskandar Dr. Sumit Mandal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| His Majesty and Steel Magnolia - TIME Magazine Persons of the Malaysian Year? Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:24 PM PDT
They publicly challenged the very ROYAL institution they swore they would protect from insults by "others" and "pendatangs" and have been quick on the draw in alerting the AG's attention to numerous alleged perceived slights directed at OUR Royalty. By Donplaypuks Yes, I know the year has still some six months to go and there might yet emerge some other terrific character who might make it to the number 1 spot in our search for 'Person of The Year.' But surely there cannot be two better candidates than the charismatic Malaysian King, His Majesty Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agung Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Almuktafi Billah Shah who executed a neat carpe diem, and the former Chairperson of the Bar Council and now leader of the 09/07/201 Bersih 2.0 call for free and fair elections, Dato Ms. Ambiga Sreenivasan, who exhibited courage, guts, gumption, savvy and an as cool as cucumber exterior and calmness that put to shame many a seasoned and veteran politician in Malaysia. Yellow may by the language of the Bard signify cowards. But in Malaysia, since the times of Parameswara of Melaka in 1400 CE, yellow has been the of colour of OUR Royalty. In the end those who least expected it were royally screwed and caught completely off-guard! In the face of some Machiavellian machinations and manipulative skulduggery (or so they thought) by the establishment, OUR King responded with an even-handedness that silenced Prime Minister Najib, Home Minister Kerismudin, the Cabinet, UMNO/BN and his entire administration and the IGP, while rendering that vile and foul mouthed agitator, provocateur and demagogue Ibrahim Ali and his PERKASA sycophants to sputtering idiots. So unexpectedly regal was the Royal pronouncement that Ibrahim Ali and PERKASA let slip their masks to reveal their true hypocritical nature. They dared question His Majesty's decision in agreeing to and subsequently actually meeting up with Ambiga and her 09/07/2011 Bersih 2.0's organizers for a tete-a-tete at the Palace. Well, I personally don't subscribe to the logic of these les majeste court cases that abound in Thailand. But, if the police are to be seen to be consistent in their upholding and enforcement of OUR Constitution and laws of Malaysia, then surely Ibrahim Ali and his followers MUST be hauled up and charged with Sedition and inciting racial and religious hatred? Or stand accused of practising double standards! Especially since they publicly challenged the very ROYAL institution they swore they would protect from insults by "others" and "pendatangs" and have been quick on the draw in alerting the AG's attention to numerous alleged perceived slights directed at OUR Royalty. After all, Karpal Singh was charged with Sedition (and found not guilty) for merely saying the Perak King can be sued in court. The AG had proceeded with that case based on a police report made by, among others, a slimy Bututsan reporter. True to the pathetic state of education in our country, that reporter later testified in court that by 'ultra vires' he understood it to mean 'insult (the Perak King)'!!?? So, what may well turn out to be the Philosopher King of Utopia's Kallipolis as envisaged by Plato in his 'Republic,' joined forces with a Steel Magnolia and put paid to rest the the possible emergence of a true Police State. Nipped in the bud (for the moment anyway), as they say! And who are the losers? In order of pre-eminence, they are: 1. Unelected PM Najib who played it like a rank amateur and confirmed state sponsored religious bigotry by publicly uttering, "Who doesn't know Ambiga. She's the one who threatened Islam." The fact is Ambiga DID not defend Lina Joy. It was Dato Dr.Cyrus Vance!! CLICK HERE . And if it had not been him , another lawyer would have had to! So, where did PM Najib get this piece of deliberately bigoted misinformation which Ibrahim Ali and PERKASA latched on to and quoted from gleefully, albeit in grave error? If the Prime Minister of our country does not verify information before mouthing false statements, understand the law, and with scant regard for it, makes inflammatory public statements, he's not fit for that August office! 2. Deputy PM Muhy. If OUR King wanted to meet up with Ambiga and the Bersih organizers, who is he to dictate to OUR King and Ambiga/Bersih any pre-conditions? 3. Ibrahim Ali. He has brought Malaysian politics to utter disrepute. Earlier than the PM he made an even more incendiary statement by referring to Ambiga as,"That bloody Hindu woman" thus soring a hattrick of racial, religiously bigoted and misogynous vilifications. Of course, Ali did not fail to raise the possibilities of Ambiga/Bersih's possible links to Zionists, Communist USA and other foreign powers who has nothing better to do than intefere in Malaysia's internal affairs.Just so as to confound those looking for some redeeming qualities in him, Ali also sledged the Bar Council as "bastards" and once again played that favourite card of his and Dr. Mahathir's by raising the bogey spectre of "13th May 1969." Ooh, that scared the King, didn't it? As an aside, he "only advised" the Chinese to stock up on food and STAY AT HOME!" Heh, heh, heh! 4. The Police. It's time they stopped allowing themselves to being misused by UMNO, PM and Kerismudin as the whipping boys for all the bullying and blatant subversion of the law. Let me state it very clearly. No leader of any democratic nation which subscribes to the rule of law has ever, with the exception Dr. Mahathir and now Najib, said the cops have authority over freely elected Ministers, Government and Parliament to marshall law and order as they please. And by no stretch of anyone's imagination could Dr.Jeyakumar and 30 of his party members have proceeded to Penang to "wage war against OUR King" and resurrect Communism, armed to their eyeballs with YELLOW T-SHIRTS, could they? He's a medical doctor for God's sake! Grant him a modicum of intelligence. He did a David on Goliath Samy Velu at GE 2008. You think he got there by having Stalinistic ambitions or being stupid? OUR King and Najib govern from the Federal Territory of Putrajaya outside Kuala Lumpur and Dr. Jeyakumar headed for Penang to foment revolution? And that so-called cache of petrol bombs and T-shirts stashed away among some rocks in the boondocks of Bentong. Only an idiot would cart these things all the way from Bentong in Pahang to KL when he could just as well come empty handed and assemble it all fresh here. Read more at: http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com/2011/07/his-majesty-and-steel-magnolia-time.html
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| Rakyat should now stand up for their Constitutional Monarch too Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:17 PM PDT
When DYMM SPB YDP Agung had granted an audience for the leadership team representing Bersih 2.0, certain quarters had the audacity to even question the Constitutional Monarch's wisdom in granting Bersih 2.0 an audience. And there is not even a whisper of disapproval from the UMNO supremacists' leaders on such an insulting and seditious remark. By J. D. Lovrenciear It is unbelievable how brazenly the UMNO house politicians are twisting and turning the situation each passing hour to further rile the rakyat and certainly pushing the Bersih 2.0 supporters into a tight corner. It is even more shocking that even when DYMM SPB YDP Agung had granted an audience for the leadership team representing Bersih 2.0, certain quarters had the audacity to even question the Constitutional Monarch's wisdom in granting Bersih 2.0 an audience. And there is not even a whisper of disapproval from the UMNO supremacists' leaders on such an insulting and seditious remark. Not only are the rakyat being arrested and their business premises raided, but the yellow-T continues to remain illegal. And now not only the booking of venue is made almost impossible but it coincides with all kinds of police insinuations and threats and intimidation and massive road blocks to inconvenient and frustrate the public. Something is seriously wrong in Malaysia. Should other countries emulate such dirty and dangerous tactics the world will become highly explosive. Now the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton needs to re-appraise this deteriorating situation as she only recently asked the world to emulate Malaysia. Maybe the rakyat will now have to also make a resolute decision to stand up for their King and stop all these dirty bullying of King and subjects. Politicians and political parties need to respect the Constitution and the Constitutional Monarch. Perhaps then the time has actually come for all Malaysians to return to Caesar what belongs to Caesar i.e. to return the rights, honor and privileges of the monarch that was craftily reduced and changed by the UMNO barons. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bersih 2.0: The Agong fills growing vacuum Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:31 PM PDT
By Ooi Kee Beng The showdown scheduled for Saturday between the Malaysian government and the group of non-government organisations calling itself Bersih 2.0 has taken a turn. What would probably have been a long peaceful march by 100,000 Malaysians of all races, dressed in royal yellow T-shirts, towards the palace to hand over a memorandum seeking wide-ranging electoral reforms, will in all likelihood now be a rally taking place inside a stadium. This compromise was reached after a momentous meeting between Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and three leaders of the non-government organisation (NGO) coalition: Front person Ambiga Sreenevasan, steering committee member Zaid Kamaruddin and national laureate A Samad Said. The aged and highly-respected A Samad Said is being investigated under the Sedition Act and the Police Act related to unlawful assembly. His offence was a recent recital of a poem at a Bersih 2.0 event. But, whether the stadium rally happens peacefully will depend on how the Malaysian police choose to handle the issue over the next few days. An application for the demonstration will still be required of Bersih. It is also vital that Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose suggestion it was initially to move the rally to a stadium, shows some national leadership and gets the Home Ministry and the police to simmer down as well. If the Home Ministry continues to feel that the compromise is a victory for the government, then one may expect more flexing of muscles from the beleaguered and agitated police force. In the weeks prior to the march, the Home Ministry and the police had been taking messy Draconian measures to intimidate the public and discourage supporters of Bersih 2.0. These included roadblocks, arrests of members of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia on the ludicrous suspicion of trying to revive communism in the country, the detention of people wearing yellow shirts and the holding and questioning of opposition leaders and activists. For now, calls for the release of detainees have gone unheeded, and the police have been causing huge rush-hour traffic jams outside KL with roadblocks at entrances and exits to major highways. This is highly reminiscent of the days before the first Bersih rally in November 2007 and the Hindraf Hindu rights march in December that same year. As with these earlier cases, the rally planned for Saturday was also banned, along with Bersih 2.0 itself, by the highly unpopular Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is the Prime Minister's cousin. The drama of recent weeks, ending with compromises on both sides, has, to an extent, overshadowed the key issue — and this is what has left many Malaysians unhappy about the compromise stadium rally. Once the impetus of the march has died down, there is little that suggests the Prime Minister will be more willing to negotiate with Bersih 2.0 than before the intervention of the King. Electoral reforms may not take place at all. Indeed, it is the King's intervention that carries great significance. Whether it was the Prime Minister or not who had asked for him to intervene last Sunday, the fact remains that Mr Najib has failed over the past three years to build up his standing as a national leader, despite his various reform initiatives and One Malaysia slogan. His refusal to act against right-wingers in his party for apparent sedition has undermined what was a weak reputation to start with. By failing to use the law in a clearly fair manner and through the continuation of dubious electoral practices, he bears responsibility for heightening the public's need to respond against the downward trend in governance. In the end, only the institution of the King could act as mediator between the two sides. Through his intervention and decision to meet Bersih leaders, the King basically neutralised the Home Ministry's ban on Bersih. It is now up to the government to act in accordance with the unique stand taken by the King, or run the risk of being disrespectful to the only office left in the country which commands nationwide esteem. — Today * The writer is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. His latest books include "The Right to Differ: A Biographical Sketch of Lim Kit Siang" and "In Lieu of Ideology: An Intellectual Biography of Goh Keng Swee". | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rais: Rally can’t be held in three KL stadiums Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:10 PM PDT
(The Star) - PETALING JAYA: As Bersih 2.0 is an illegal entity, any application by the rally organiser to use the Merdeka, National and Bukit Jalil stadiums will not be considered, said Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim. He added that the organiser should instead plan to hold the rally in stadiums in states controlled by Pakatan Rakyat. Rais said the authorities should also give due consideration to those who opposed the Bersih 2.0 rally, based on the thousands of police reports lodged against it. In a related development, the management of Stadium Merdeka has rejected Bersih 2.0's application to use its premises on July 9. Bersih 2.0 steering committee said in a statement that the officer in charge of booking at the stadium had denied them the use of the facility because it was being used for an internal sports event. Bersih was also told that the stadium was undergoing renovation. "Bersih is of the view that a proper venue that reflects the scale and centrality of this issue to Malaysians throughout the nation must be selected. "We have decided that Stadium Merdeka is the only location that appropriately meets the criteria, and the Prime Minister must, as a matter of honour, make good on his offer to let us use an appropriate stadium," said the statement issued yesterday. Meanwhile, the National Stadium Board (NSB) expressed concern that Bersih 2.0 would pick any of its stadiums for the rally. "We hope the organisers will not pick our stadiums because we are worried that the place will be vandalised," its representative told Bernama yesterday. NSB manages the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, the Bukit Kiara Sports Complex, the Jalan Duta Sports Complex and the Matsushita Sports Complex in Shah Alam. In Kuala Lumpur, City Hall and several outlets of the Mydin emporium group will close on Saturday as a precautionary measure in the event the Bersih 2.0 street rally goes ahead as planned. City Hall corporate communications director Anwar Mohd Zain said City Hall office buildings in Jalan Raja Laut would be closed and all employees have been told not to come to work on Saturday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bersih Rally: An Imperative Gambit to Capture Seven More States Posted: 06 Jul 2011 11:38 AM PDT
By Haris Dol, Malaysian Digest Police have already embarked on a nationwide witch hunt on the 'evil' Bersih promoters with six PSM members (including Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar) rearrested under the Emergency Ordinance while six DAP members (including Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa) have been arrested under the Societies Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act and Sedition Act.
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| Cops prepare for possible demos by splinter groups although street rally is called off Posted: 06 Jul 2011 11:24 AM PDT  (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: Police are gearing up to face possible street demonstrations by splinter groups on Saturday although Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk S. Ambiga has called off the street rally. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar said police were not taking any chances although Bersih had agreed to hold its rally inside a stadium. "But we will ensure our preventive actions including roadblocks and redirecting traffic will not cause much inconvenience to motorists. "I have instructed all the state police chiefs and district police chiefs to review their roadblock checks. They will only be carried out if totally necessary. ure public order and the safety of every member of the public," he said yesterday. Khalid hoped the public would understand why the police needed to remain vigilant in the light of the discovery of Molotov cocktails and machetes in several locations in Gombak and the city centre two days ago. Khalid also promised to expedite any permit application for the Bersih rally and warned that failure by the organisers to do so might result in stern police action against both the organisers and participants. He also reminded those who planned to take part in the rally not to wear or have on them any paraphernalia related to Bersih. He said to date, 3,256 police reports had been lodged nationwide against Bersih, 235 people have been arrested over various offences related to the rally and 29 charged in court. Meanwhile, police recovered a bag containing four home-made shotguns in Petaling Jaya. Police said the bag was found by a gym manager outside a shophouse in Taman Seri Manja yesterday. Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the shotguns were found in the bag, which was wrapped in a yellow canvas material. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Najib endorses silat groups despite their threat to Bersih Posted: 06 Jul 2011 11:06 AM PDT
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has described silat and other self-defence exponents as the third line of defence in the country, including a group that has threatened to wage war against electoral reforms movement Bersih 2.0. The Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PSSLM) had challenged Bersih for its refusal to abandon a planned rally on July 9 to call for free and fair elections. "I believe if there are evil enemies who want to attack the country from without and within, 'anak-anak lincah' will rise to fight them," said Najib in a fiery speech last night. "But tonight, we do not gather to fight," added the prime minister. "We do not gather to wield the keris (dagger). We gather for the loyalty and unity of our country." Najib pointed out that there were non-Malays at the event last night, although silat was a Malay martial art. "We do not fight the non-Malays. We embrace them as fellow citizens," said Najib. PSSLM Mahaguru (grandmaster) Tan Sri Omardin Mauju said last month that silat exponents were Malaysia's third line of defence after the police and the army. In his threat to Bersih, Omardin said: "We maintain our stand to go to 'war' if they still want to proceed with this illegal rally. If it happens, I cannot guarantee I can control the emotions of my members because they have been taught to act when faced with opposition." Police have locked down the capital city and asked residents to bear with the inconveniences as they are looking for weapons that have allegedly been stashed away by unknown people.
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| Non-Malays will back silat exponents to fight traitors, says grandmaster Posted: 06 Jul 2011 10:58 AM PDT
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — A silat grandmaster expects non-Malays to join ranks with practitioners of the Malay martial art to battle "traitors" of the country. Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PSSLM) Mahaguru (grandmaster) Tan Sri Omardin Mauju said yesterday that silat exponents would not allow street demonstrations that disturbed public order. "We will rise and oppose these traitors," Omardin said at PSSLM's 50th anniversary last night. "Not only the Malays, but the children of 1 Malaysia and other races will also be with us. "We're ready to die," he added, seated in a wheelchair as he delivered his speech. Omardin recently threatened to "wage war" against Bersih activists, should their rally calling for electoral reforms proceeded this Saturday. Bersih 2.0 on Tuesday decided to gather at a stadium instead of demonstrating on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, after its leaders met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Omardin pointed out yesterday that there were non-Malays in his association. A few Chinese and Indians could be seen at the gathering dressed in black, instead of the traditional Malay costume worn by most of the more than 100 PSSLM members present. "This is an extraordinary success that we have never witnessed, in line with the 1 Malaysia concept," said Omardin, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's brainchild. Omardin recently referred to silat exponents as the third line of defence of the country. Najib repeated this yesterday, stressing that other practitioners of self-defence were also part of the line-up. Despite Bersih's audience with the king, and Najib's earlier assurance that the Bersih rally could be held in a stadium, the police have told the polls watchdog to apply for a permit for the event.
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| Bersih to rally in Stadium Merdeka despite Cabinet refusal Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:04 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Bersih has vowed to gather in Stadium Merdeka for its July 9 rally despite the Cabinet's refusal to allow them to use any stadium in the capital city, ostensibly because the electoral reform coalition has been outlawed. Bersih said in a statement last night that it "will not for one moment be swayed from our decision to gather there" to call for free and fair elections. Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim earlier said Putrajaya would not accept any application from Bersih to hold rallies in Kuala Lumpur while the police said they were still waiting for the movement to apply for a permit. "Bersih 2.0 is disappointed in the manner in which the Prime Minister and his cabinet has reneged on their offer to provide a stadium for us to hold our peaceful gathering," said the group in a statement signed by all 14 members of its steering committee. Bersih representatives led by chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, on Tuesday where they agreed to the constitutional monarch's advice to hold their rally in a stadium rather than in the streets. Datuk Seri Najib Razak also had an audience with the King and later said he would meet with Bersih on the stadium offer but the prime minister said yesterday his offer for a stadium was on behalf of his government and the final decision lay with the police. But a Cabinet meeting yesterday rejected the movement's bid to hold the rally in the historic Stadium Merdeka, where Malaya declared independence in 1957. "If the Prime Minister is a man of his word, he will make the appropriate arrangements for the event to proceed peacefully at Stadium Merdeka. "Whether or not the government abides by their principles, we the Malaysian people will always uphold ours. Our determination to exercise our constitutional right to gather peacefully for a just and reasonable cause is unwavering," Bersih said in the statement. The movement made of 62 registered societies also pointed out that recent statements by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar indicated that the police would take action against those who "do anything on July 9th beyond staying at home."
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:54 AM PDT
(Berita Harian) - Kabinet semalam memutuskan tidak membenarkan perhimpunan haram BERSIH diadakan di Stadium Merdeka atau Stadium Negara, Sabtu ini, atas alasan kumpulan itu masih haram, selain faktor keselamatan. Mengulas keputusan itu, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, berkata syarat ditetapkan ialah pemohon mestilah persatuan yang berdaftar dan BERSIH masih lagi pertubuhan haram yang tidak pernah didaftarkan. Menteri Penerangan Komunikasi, Kesenian dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, yang mengumumkan keputusan Kabinet itu di sini berkata, sebarang permohonan atas nama BERSIH tidak akan dilayan kerana ia tidak berdaftar dengan Pendaftar Pertubuhan (ROS).
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:52 AM PDT
BERSIH tetap haram ikut Akta Pertubuhan 1966 "BERSIH masih diharamkan kerana tiada siapa pun boleh mengatasi undang-undang hanya kerana Yang di-Pertuan Agong menemui mereka tidak bermakna mereka tidak lagi diharamkan, malah Pendaftar Pertubuhan mengisytiharkan pengharamannya berdasarkan nasihat Peguam Negara. Hishammuddin berkata, walaupun tidak dapat bercakap bagi pihak Tuanku Mizan mengenai titah baginda, beliau akur ada fakta yang tersurat dan tersirat dalam pemikiran Yang di-Pertuan Agong serta pemimpin tertinggi negara dalam mencapai objektif menghentikan demonstrasi jalanan demi menjaga keselamatan.
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| Europe Crisis Clouds Malaysia Rate Call Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Malaysia's inflation accelerated to the fastest pace in more than two years in May as consumer prices rose 3.3 percent. Bank Negara has raised the benchmark rate by a percentage point since the beginning of March 2010 to curb inflation, most recently a quarter-point increase at the last meeting in May. Bloomberg Europe's debt crisis and signs of a slowdown in global growth are complicating Malaysia's decision on interest rates as a pickup in inflation coincides with dimming prospects for export gains. Bank Negara Malaysia will raise its benchmark overnight policy rate to 3.25 percent from 3 percent at its fourth meeting of the year, according to 10 of 15 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The rest expect no change. The central bank will release its policy decision at 6 p.m. in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. The likely discussion tomorrow may echo debates across the Asia-Pacific region, which has led global growth and where policy makers have enacted the steepest increases in borrowing costs. While India, South Korea and Thailand opted to raise their key rates last month, China and the Philippines asked lenders to set aside more cash as reserves instead. "The rates call is 50-50," said Matthew Circosta, an economist at Moody's Analytics in Sydney. "Bank Negara Malaysia will be mulling global worries against domestic inflation pressures." European finance ministers have authorized an 8.7 billion- euro ($12.6 billion) loan payout to Greece by mid-July, pulling the country back from the brink of default and gaining time to hammer out a formula for ending the debt crisis. Economic growth in the U.S. slowed to a 1.9 percent annual pace in the first quarter from 3.1 percent in the previous three months and the unemployment rate has climbed back above 9 percent. Over Adjustment? Malaysia's inflation accelerated to the fastest pace in more than two years in May as consumer prices rose 3.3 percent. Bank Negara has raised the benchmark rate by a percentage point since the beginning of March 2010 to curb inflation, most recently a quarter-point increase at the last meeting in May. Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said last month central banks around the world should be wary of an "over adjustment" in their response to faster inflation. Malaysia has raised rates four times and doesn't want to overreact, she said in an interview with Reuters Insider. Banks are charging each other 30 basis points more than the benchmark policy rate for three-month loans, according to the Kuala Lumpur Interbank Offered Rate, signaling expectations for higher interest rates and bank reserve requirements. Interest- rate swap forwards show traders are pricing in 43 basis points' increase in lending rates between September and June next year. The Malaysian ringgit has jumped more than 6 percent against the dollar in the past year, and reached 2.9598 against the U.S. currency on May 2, the strongest level in 13 years. It traded at 3.0088 as of 6 p.m. local time yesterday. Power Prices Officials may also consider increasing the statutory reserve requirement level to 4 percent from 3 percent, nine of 14 economists predict. The central bank last raised the reserve requirement in May, saying it was a "pre-emptive" measure to manage a "significant" buildup of liquidity. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's government allowed national power distributor Tenaga Nasional Bhd. to raise electricity charges for the first time in almost three years in June, adding to price pressures for business and consumers. "Inflationary pressures are expected to continue to climb," said Daniel Wilson, an analyst at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Singapore. "Demand-side pressures will be fuelled by a tightening labor market and positive consumer sentiment. We believe the proactive Bank Negara Malaysia will hike rates." Consumer prices may climb 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent this year from 1.7 percent in 2010, the central bank said in March. To contact the reporters on this story: Shamim Adam in Singapore at sadam2@bloomberg.net; Michael J. Munoz in Hong Kong at mjmunoz@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net
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| Bersih 2.0 will happen at Stadium Merdeka on July 9th (UPDATED with BM and Chinese Translation) Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:03 AM PDT
Bersih 2.0 is disappointed in the manner in which the Prime Minister and his cabinet has reneged on their offer to provide a stadium for us to hold our peaceful gathering. As members of civil society that are committed to principles of integrity, we fully intend to abide by the advice of Tuanku DYMM SPB YDP Agong and hold our gathering in a stadium to state our demand for clean and fair elections. We have chosen Stadium Merdeka as the best venue for this event, due to its symbolic nature and central location, and we will not for one moment be swayed from our decision to gather there peacefully. If the Prime Minister is a man of his word, he will make the appropriate arrangements for the event to proceed peacefully at Stadium Merdeka. Whether or not the government abides by their principles, we the Malaysian people will always uphold ours. Our determination to exercise our constitutional right to gather peacefully for a just and reasonable cause is unwavering. Recent statements by the Deputy IGP seem to indicate that the police fully intend to take action against us if we do anything on July 9th beyond staying at home. However, patriotic Malaysians who want nothing but the ability to choose our leaders through genuinely democratic means will never be cowered by the unjust and immoral exercise of power. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our future and our children, and we have resolved that they shall inherit a nation ruled by not by fear, but by the principles of justice. Whatever happens between now and then, the rakyat will gather peacefully in an orderly fashion to call for clean and fair elections at Stadium Merdeka on the 9th of July at 2pm. We are coming, we will be peaceful and together, we will build a better Malaysia.
Released by Steering Committee Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0)
The members of the BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee are: Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan (Chair), Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Dr Farouk Musa, Haris Ibrahim, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato' Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato' Yeo Yang Poh dan Zaid Kamaruddin.
Translated into BM at: http://bersih.org/?p=4249 Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/07/2079.html
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