Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- As polls loom, Pakatan moves to repair battered image
- ‘Charge MACC officers with criminal offence’
- Zahid Cries Foul Over Smear Campaign On Submarine Purchase
- MoCS march: A test of faith and fortitude
- Scorpene lawyer deported, RM16b in defence deals quizzed
- Jaundiced Justice!
- Bourdon's detention 'puts Malaysia back in limelight'
- Najib thanks Rosmah for 'sacrificing' Italian vacation
- French lawyer to be deported tonight
- Wikileaks: US envoy says Umno abused security laws, institutions
- Malaysia to deport French lawyer for rights group
- MB’s aide explains why Umno is crass
- Ex-Umno minister implies elections not fair
- Is MACC now “Malaysian Ante Chamber of Crime”?
- Footage confirms police caused Mat Sabu's injury?
- ‘Under pressure’ Najib cancels family vacation
- Ku Li’s Amanah likely to lead third force
- Ezam dedah perilaku Anwar kepada rakyat Indonesia
- M’sian said to be owner of world’s most expensive luxury vessel – at RM14.5bil
- Bekas menteri: Najib perlu pastikan pilihan raya bersih, Bersih 2.0 ada asas
- Najib says Bersih a bid to topple his government
- Respect Islam and we will respect you, Najib tells Christians
- Ku Li ajak rakyat bersama Amanah lawan penyelewengan
- French Scorpene lawyer detained at KLIA
- Scorpene scandal: ‘Truth to surface soon’
- WIKILEAKS: ‘Umno clueless about its folly’
- A forgotten older and enduring ideal
- Marina Mahathir and Bersih 2.0
- A lie has robbed their freedom
- Enough is enough. The PSM 6 must be released.
- Penyingkiran Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) Yayasan Selangor
- Malaysia’s Political Awakening: A Call for US Leadership
- WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA'S POLITICAL CRISIS
- Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 9)
- If it’s nonsense then explain
- Makna dan Tanda 9 Julai
- Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 8)
- Dear Ahmad Azman Saaiya
- WIKILEAKS: ANWAR IMPLICATES DPM NAJIB IN MURDER CASE
- Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 7)
- Let’s focus
- WIKILEAKS: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE
- WIKILEAKS: UNPRECEDENTED SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER
- Now do you understand the meaning of The Third Force?
- WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA ATTEMPTS TO REIN IN BLOGGERS
| As polls loom, Pakatan moves to repair battered image Posted: 22 Jul 2011 01:22 PM PDT
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership has agreed to stop publicly airing disagreements or infighting among its three component parties by setting up a "special mechanism" to settle inter-party disputes ahead of the upcoming national polls. PR leaders came to a consensus during this week's party leadership retreat that a specific mechanism was needed to project a unified image for the coalition in order to deflect and prevent repeats of the cases of public inter-party feuds throughout the year. "We have come up with mechanisms of streamlining... to make it more of Pakatan as a coalition rather than three separate parties, especially through our statements. "We're thinking about weekly statements for Pakatan, instead of all of us coming out with separate statements... this will force us to sit down and discuss, react and get things moving," DAP's Zairil Khir Johari told The Malaysian Insider. Zairil, who is political secretary to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, denied that PR's decision was in response to the recent uproar caused the Kedah government's entertainment ban. He said the move was not a response to any incident "in particular" but more on how to "project Pakatan Rakyat as a cohesive coalition and force, a proper alternative to Barisan Nasional (BN)." "In case of an emergency where a problem occurs where disagreements arise [among] PAS, PKR and DAP, no party should come up with contradicting statements. There will be one number for party leaders to call, a hotline if you want to call it that... where the top Pakatan leadership is immediately informed of the problem, and it will be discussed on the spot. "And after that, a joint statement by all three parties will be issued... all this can avoid unnecessary misunderstanding between the PR parties, through proper channels of communication and discussion," added Zairil. PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli told The Malaysian Insider that a "common approach" was needed in order for PR to be seen and recognised as a "common alliance." "A difference of opinion between parties is alright. The question is, how do we manage those differences so that our political opponents do not use it as an opportunity to attack us? How do we accommodate differing views so that it does not invite danger? That is a why a case-by-case mechanism is needed. "We are slowly working towards integration of all Pakatan parties. We are not BN, where decisions are made by one party only," said Rafizi, adding that a large chunk of yesterday's retreat meeting was focused on "enhancing" PR's image as a alternative federal coalition for Putrajaya. |
| ‘Charge MACC officers with criminal offence’ Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:30 PM PDT By Teoh El Sen, FMT PETALING JAYA: Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail should consider criminal charges instead of merely taking disciplinary action against drove Selangor political aide Teoh Beng Hock to suicide. Lawyer representing the Teoh-family, Gobind Singh Deo, said that Abdul Gani should consider using Section 330 of the Penal Code which is the offence of "voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession…". He argued that he believes that "hurt" should encompass mental injury as well. Abdul Gani was quoted in the local daily New Straits Times on Friday that action against three MACC officers "for their aggressive, inappropriate and (therefore) in violation of the regulations", as indicted in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, is to be read with the understanding of the word "regulations". "If it refers to the standard operating procedure of the MACC, it then becomes a matter of discipline… Hence, the officers are to be dealt with by the disciplinary body of the Public Service Department," he was quoted as saying. He also said:"Conducting interrogations with the intent to derive information but in the process, driving someone to commit suicide is different from doing so with the intent to make him commit suicide." "Although this does not mean we accept the RCI findings in any way, the report definitely allows for a criminal prosecution. The AG should look it the whole thing holistically, and he should very least consider this, or else explain why not," Gobind told FMT. The DAP leader argued that Section 330 was designed to protect those people who are being abused in the course of interrogations and it was normal that torture would not only be physical but also mental. "The illustration given in the section of the law refers to the word torture. Hurt must include injury to the mind and mental distress. Isn't that what RCI said happened to Teoh ?" "I believe that the AG would have a case," said Gobind. Test case Although there has not been a precedent, this can be a test case, he said. "If you look in a dictionary, what does the word "hurt" mean? For the word injury, its already been accepted that it includes the mind," he said.
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| Zahid Cries Foul Over Smear Campaign On Submarine Purchase Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:29 AM PDT
(Bernama) - SEMPORNA -- Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has warned certain quarters against running a smear campaign over alleged irregularities in the purchase of two submarines in 2002. Commenting on a claim made by French lawyer William Bourdon that he would uncover more information on the purchase, Ahmad Zahid said the ministry was willing to be investigated in upholding the truth. "The acquisition of submarines was transparent as I had mentioned in the Parliament. Please remember, any mistakes on their part, they will not get away scot-free," he told reporters after launching the Armed Forces' "Jiwa Murni" (community) programme in conjunction with "Ops Pasir" at Danawan island here yesterday. Bourdon, a human rights lawyer, who is on a four-day visit to the country until Sunday, gave a speech at a Suaram's fundraiser dubbed "Ops Scorpene" in Bayan Baru, Penang on Thursday night purportedly to fund an awareness campaign to pursue the case in French courts. Suaram filed a case against French naval defence giant DCNS in 2009 over alleged irregularities in the Scorpene deal worth RM7.3 billion between Malaysia and France and it is being investigated by French authorities. In another development, Ahmad Zahid said the ministry would beef up naval capabilities in Sabah waters and an allocation would be sought from the 10th Malaysia Plan in October. Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the Defence Ministry Media Awards Night would be held on Nov 18 in recognition of the media's contribution in defence coverage He said there would be 10 categories of awards, including best newspaper reporting, best magazine reporting and best new media journalism (blog) with a grand prize of RM5,000. Further information on the awards can be obtained from the ministry's Communication Unit media relation officer Lt Kdr Rahimah Taib at 019-3851136 or 03-20715041.
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| MoCS march: A test of faith and fortitude Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:24 AM PDT By Mariam Mokhtar, FMT An insecure government which feels threatened by calls for democratic reform and proper governance will, for political gain, find a religious or racial issue to attempt to combat any of the rakyat's demands. In March, Francis Siah, the leader for the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS), lodged a police report against Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud for corruption, money laundering and abuse of power. Siah confirmed that his report contained allegations and accusations which had been made by Sarawak Report, the Bruno Manser Fund and various news portals and blogs. He also urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into Taib's alleged crimes. "It must be noted that most of the corruption and money laundering and blatant abuse of power have documentary evidence." The MoCS rally on Aug 13 is a public protest against Taib's mis-rule and Siah is adamant that he has acted within the confines of the law. "I want to assure the police that MoCS will not take part in any illegal gathering or rallies in Kuching or any other place. "There is no need to monitor MoCS as we do things in accordance with the law." Just like Bersih 2.0, the MoCS is a non-political movement born from the rakyat's desire to rid their nation of a dictator. The rally by MoCS shares the same aims as the Bersih 2.0 "Walk for Democracy" in that Sarawakians also desire free, fair and clean elections and a demand to return to a government that listens to and works for the good of its people. By Merdeka Day 2011, Sarawak will have celebrated 49 years of being part of Malaysia. For many Sarawakians, especially those from the interior, life has not progressed much in almost five decades. The indigenous peoples may think they are liberated from colonial domination, only to find that they are shackled by the yoke of rule under Taib. Sarawak has an abundance of natural resources and its people should be enjoying a reasonable standard of living from the riches of oil, minerals, timber and land. In reality, the wealth has not been shared equally. Taib and his cronies have helped themselves to Sarawak's riches and shared very little with its people. Taib's target practice Sarawak's corrupt leaders are not made accountable for their actions and instead of developing the nation, have developed a taste for the high life by robbing the poor. Rather than helping the people by creating jobs, these politicians create opportunities for themselves in the form of contracts and land-grabs. Instead of recognising the native customary right (NCR) lands of the indigenous peoples, those in positions of power have recognised opportunities only for themselves and in the process denied the Sarawakians their way of life and their ancestral rights. They have also destroyed the environment. While the old reminisce about a land that was once abundant with wild life and riches that could be shared by all, a majority of the young only know of poverty, a low standard of living, a poor health system, a sub-standard education, poor infrastructure and broken or scattered families whose members are forced to seek work for a paltry wage either in the coastal towns or elsewhere. Sarawak is blessed in that the different races are more integrated and tolerant of each other than in peninsular Malaysia.
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| Scorpene lawyer deported, RM16b in defence deals quizzed Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:11 AM PDT
By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider PETALING JAYA, July 23 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) seized on the sudden deportation of William Bourdon last night to renew scrutiny into billion-ringgit defence contracts said to be as scandalous as the RM7 billion Scorpene submarine deal that the lawyer was pursuing in France. PR lawmakers told an audience of 500 here last night that the French lawyer's deportation showed the Najib administration wanted to keep facts about defence deals hidden.
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| Posted: 22 Jul 2011 10:27 AM PDT
In the midst of a packed courtroom of members and supporters of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) many of whom wore red T-shirts, the Kuala Lumpur High Court of Justice Su Geok Yiam turned "yellow" today. Justice was compromised, as a cowed Court caved in and allowed the application by the Government, Police and Home Minister to adjourn hearing the habeas corpus applications of six PSM leaders who have been held under the Emergency Ordinance since 2 July. The detainees are Dr Michael Jeyakumar, PSM deputy chairman M. Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M. Sukumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan and national Youth chief R. Sarat Babu. With the continued "unlawful" detention for a further two weeks, justice was further delayed again today. The urgency of determining on the detention (and freedom) of the six, did not seem to matter much to the judge during today's hearing. Justice was further denied to those unjustly detained. It was public perception that what seemed to be of greater importance to the judge was that the government was not denied the opportunity to extend the injustice! The flimsy and frivolous excuse given Senior Federal Counsel (SFC), Othman Yusof, who represented the Inspector General of Police, the Government and the Minister of Home Affairs (the Respondents) for the application for an adjournment was that they needed to respond to 15 additional affidavits filed by the six detainees. Lead counsel, Haji Sulaiman Abdullah objected to the request for the adjournment. He said that the six could not file the additional affidavits earlier because the respondents had delayed in providing the lawyers access to the detainees. "It was a situation of their very own making...The respondents would not be in a predicament to request for an adjournment, had they allowed the detainees access to their lawyers earlier." Haji Sulaiman also argued that the sole ground advanced by the respondents for the continued detention of the applicants in their earlier affidavits was that the six were detained because the police were investigating them for their role in the Bersih rally of 9 July. Since the rally is over, there are no further grounds for their continued detention. He raised the ridiculousness of the issue: "How do you justify the detention after July 9? None of the (respondents') affidavits addressed that point!" He told the court: "The respondents should not be rewarded by asking for an adjournment to put in further affidavits." Alas, the Attorney-General's Chambers has been so predictable and even pathetic in the case. A few days before the hearing, one of lawyers of the PSM 6, Edmund Bon, was even able to predict (very accurately) that the lawyers for the respondents would seek for an adjournment. "They will probably try to drag it past the 30 days so that they have more time to get the minister's order. Once the minister's order is filed we have to get a new habeas corpus application," he said, adding that this was how many EO cases were handled but go unreported because the detainees were not as prominent as the PSM 6. (An order by the Home Minister would enable a person to be detained for two years, and the order can be renewed indefinitely.) Justice Su's decision to grant an adjournment to the habeas corpus applications was met with shock, sighs of disgust that it was a "kangaroo court", exasperation, and comments about Su being so supine, and some which are not so suitable to mention here! Several lawyers who were also in the gallery and who were standing in front of me asked aloud: "How can they do it...how can they face themselves at the end of the day....how can the judiciary come up with something as ridiculous as this?" After the decision by Su to adjourn the hearing, Hj Sulaiman referred to an earlier question posed by the judge on whether they would agree to abandon the 15 additional affidavits, with a view of proceeding with the habeas corpus application. The senior counsel said that in the interest of his clients he was prepared to forego the 15 additional affidavits so that the Court could get on with hearing the habeas corpus applications for the liberty of his clients were at stake! SFC Othman objected, as a ruling has been made. A lively exchanged ensued. Justice Su proceeded to give directions on the filing of the affidavits and outline submissions. She eventually postponed the hearing of the PSM 6's habeas corpus application to 5 August. "Su-preme" injustice was done by Justice Su today! She gave in to the superficial arguments of the lawyers for the government, Inspector-General of Police and Home Minister. To postpone the hearing of the habeas corpus applications by the PSM six who have been detained under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 was the most inordinate thing to do. The countless who came to show their solidarity for their six brave comrades and patriots were no doubt disappointed but they did not despair. They were more determined. Their chant of "BEBAS-BEBAS! BEBAS PSM-6" rang loud and clear in the corridors and halls of the Kuala Lumpur High Court. |
| Bourdon's detention 'puts Malaysia back in limelight' Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:13 AM PDT
The arrest and imminent deportation of French rights lawyer William Bourdon today drew strong reaction from PAS's Kuala Selangor member of parliament Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who said the news put the country back into international limelight following the coverage of Bersih's massive rally on July 9. "Right after his return (from overseas), Najib (Razak) continues his bad attitude. Sure enough, this will put us back into the international limelight again," he told Harakahdaily in response to Bourdon's arrest at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Immigration officials who entered the aircraft he was in. Dzulkefly (above) said had Bourdon been allowed to attend the events planned for him, there would not be much media publicity.
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| Najib thanks Rosmah for 'sacrificing' Italian vacation Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:10 AM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - Prime minister Najib Razak has publicly thanked his wife Rosmah Mansor for agreeing to cancel his family's overseas holiday "for the sake of Malaysians back home". Addressing a large crowd of UMNO members who turned up to welcome him at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Najib, who just returned from his official trip to Britain, the Vatican and Turkmenistan, said his wife agreed with his plea to cancel their holiday. "I told my family I felt that I should return to Malaysia and that I was prepared to forgo the holiday for the sake of Malaysians back home," he was quoted as saying by government-owned Bernama news agency. According to the report, Najib was to spend a week holidaying in Italy. It was revealed in the parliament earlier that the government spent more than RM17 million for trips made by the couple since 2008, with one-third of the amount being spent in the first six months of this year alone. The parliament was also told that RM134,317.76 was spent to cover Rosmah's expenses during her trip to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bangladesh, following criticism that she had spent RM140,000 for an overnight stay at Dubai's luxury hotel Atlantis. The revelation was followed by another news about the alleged purchase of a designer diamond ring at a whopping price of RM70 million ringgit, with a blog publishing a screenshot of a customs declaration. PKR-linked Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) led by Badrul Hisham Shaharin had lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the alleged purchase. Najib and wife had left the country days after the massive Bersih protest in the capital, which saw more than 1,600 people detained. Some 50,000 people thronged city streets after police the traffic and virtually locked out Kuala Lumpur in the hope of thwarting the rally for electoral reforms on July 9. However, the Bersih protests hounded Najib and his entourage in London, with dozens of Malaysians and rights activists turning up wearing the yellow Bersih t-shirts shouting slogans against the government's handling of the rally.
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| French lawyer to be deported tonight Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:44 PM PDT  By Stephanie Sta Maria and Tashny Sukumaran, FMT PETALING JAYA: Prominent French human rights lawyer William Bourdon will be deported tonight after being detained for more than four hours by immigration and police officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Bourdon has been served the deportation order and he will be leaving Kuala Lumpur at 11.30pm along with his fiancee Lea Forestier to Paris. Bourdon, in a brief statement, said that the Malaysian police had ordered him to leave the country as soon as possible. He said when he explained that his return ticket to Paris was only on Sunday, he was told that he would be detained until then. "We have decided to find the earliest return flight possible at our own costs. I don't understand this decision as no explanation has been given to me so far," he added in his hand-written note (photo, below). "I hereby declare that I have acted as the lawyer for Suaram in full respect of my duties and rules and in perfect compliance with national and international laws. "I consider that this deportation decision is a breach in the right to freely exercise my profession as a lawyer," he said. Bourdon had arrived here from Penang, where he spoke at an event organised by rights group Suaram regarding the controversial Scorpene submarine deal. He was scheduled to give another speech tonight in Petaling Jaya on the submarine scandal, followed by another in Ipoh tomorrow. But when his Malaysia Airlines flight landed at 11.40am, three immigration officials came on board to escort him off the aircraft. Bourdon was taken to the holding centre where he was questioned for four hours. Suaram executive director, Cynthia Gabriel, who is at the KLIA, told FMT that she managed to speak to Bourdon and that he was being held in the Immigration Enforcement Division. "The officials asked him to sign deportation papers in Bahasa Malaysia and of course he refused," she said. "The French Embassy officials are currently in negotiations with the immigration officials. But the Bourdons are definitely going back to France tonight." Meanwhile Fadiah Nadwa Fikri from Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said that Forestier was released earlier and that she was on her way to the division where Bourdon is being held. "He has been denied access to lawyers which is ridiculously absurd. And none of the officials have issued any statement on the grounds for his detention." According to Fadiah, Forestier was "very shocked and upset over the arbitrariness of situation." "Only other experience of William and I denied entry was Tunisia under BenAli… there was a banana republic!," Forestier was reported to have said, according to tweets from local activists. The authorities also failed to acknowledge the fact that Bourdon was Suaram's lawyer on the submarine case and that his deporation would be a breach of his right to perform his duty as a lawyer. Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah, and Batu MP Tian Chua, are also at KLIA but their attempts to meet with Bourdon have been denied. The local activists and parliamentarians are now waiting for Bourdon to be released to see the deportation order. The submarine deal In June 2002, the Malaysian government signed an agreement with French DCNS and Spainish Navantia for the procurement of two Scorpene class submarines.
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| Wikileaks: US envoy says Umno abused security laws, institutions Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:37 PM PDT
The leaked cable said that "in good times Umno can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick." By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The United States ambassador here told Washington in 2008 that Malaysia was facing a "political crisis" caused by Umno's control and abuse of security institutions and national security laws to remain in power. US ambassador James R. Keith said in a leaked cable, released by whistleblower site WikiLeaks through the Malaysia Today news portal that "in good times Umno can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick, and for now that means intimidation." The document, signed by the US ambassador at the time, charged that Umno "controlled" security institutions like the military and the police by appointing "party stalwarts" to head these institutions. The cable said that while the army would remain "loyal" to legitimate leadership, the police, on the other hand, took direct orders from Umno. "Umno leaders, united behind but also in a sense using Prime Minister (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, have made it clear that they are willing to blacken Malaysia's reputation to ensure the end to opposition leader (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim's political challenge," said the cable in reference to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader's on-going sodomy trial where he was charged with sodomising an ex-aide on June 26, 2008. "The ruling elite maintains control over the security apparatus through party stalwarts who run the security institutions, mainly the police but also the military. We believe the military will remain loyal to legitimate leadership and is not a likely tool to overturn an elected, royally-approved and Malay-led government from either the ruling or opposition side. The police, on the other hand, follow orders from the ruling party. "The "commando-style" arrest of Anwar last week, the roadblocks and security checks throughout the city of Kuala Lumpur, the recent arrest of blogger Raja Petra (Kamaruddin), intimidation of Sabah politicians, and the authorities' strident rhetoric are all part of a broad message to the Malaysian people that they had better not stand in Umno's path. In today's Malaysia, one can get along by going along (and of course one can go farther as a Malay rather than a Chinese or Indian), but it is also true that one can be run over," said the US cable.The cable added that Umno defined national security as a means to protect the party's "superiority" and to ensure that the opposition cannot take over the reins of federal power. "Now the criminal law is laid bare as a political tool, just as useful to the ruling party as the national security law.
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| Malaysia to deport French lawyer for rights group Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:28 PM PDT (AP) - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian authorities will deport a French lawyer representing a human rights group in a court case accusing shipbuilder DCNS of corruption in a $1.2 billion submarine deal with Malaysia, activists said Friday. William Bourdon was suddenly taken into custody Friday with no reasons given and was told he would be deported, said Cynthia Gabriel of the Malaysian rights group Suaram. She accused the government of "paranoia" in targeting Bourdon. Government officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment. Bourdon represents Suaram, which filed complaints with a French prosecutor in 2009 alleging corruption in a 114 million euro ($164 million) fee DCNS paid to Malaysian firm Perimekar Sdn. Bhd. to facilitate the submarine deal. Gabriel said Bourdon arrived in northern Penang state Thursday and spoke at a dinner about the case, which is set to go to trial in September. He flew to Kuala Lumpur Friday for another forum, and immigration officials boarded the plane to detain him right after his flight landed, she said. "Bourdon told us that he is going to be deported. He said he was made to sign a document in the Malay language. He said he wrote a statement in French to protest his deportation, as he didn't violate any laws," she told The Associated Press, after speaking to Bourdon on his mobile phone. Gabriel said Bourdon in his talk on Thursday gave an update about the status of the case, on the French judicial system and what to expect from the trial. "He didn't reveal anything damning. This is just an act of paranoia, another irrationality by the government. They are afraid of their own shadows," she said. Malaysia ordered two diesel-electric Scorpene attack submarines in 2002 as part of a naval upgrade. Prime Minister Najib Razak was defense minister at the time. Malaysian firm Perimekar is owned by the wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, a controversial figure who once was Najib's aide and a close friend. Najib has denied there was any corruption. Malaysian defense officials have said the fee was paid to Perimekar for coordination and support services. But critics argued that Perimekar was formed only a few months before the contract was inked, had no track record in submarine services and didn't have the financial ability to support the contract. Suaram has said it plans to take legal action against Perimekar and the Malaysian government if the French court rules there is corruption by DCNS. The case could embarrass Najib and hamper his ruling coalition's effort to bolster support ahead of general elections that many expect to be held next year. Malaysia has received both the submarines. Perimekar's connection with Abdul Razak is also controversial in other aspects. He was acquitted in 2008 of abetting in the murder of his ex-mistress, a Mongolian woman. Abdul Razak confessed to having an affair with her and said she was blackmailing him. The woman was shot and her body blown up with military-grade explosives in October 2006. Two policemen working in security were later convicted and sentenced to death for murdering the Mongolian, although prosecutors failed to show any motive. Suaram has said initial investigations by their French lawyers showed the Mongolian had worked as a translator for Abdul Razak in the submarine deal. |
| MB’s aide explains why Umno is crass Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:09 PM PDT By Patrick Lee, FMT PETALING JAYA: The Selangor Menteri Besar's office today launched a blistering attack against Umno members objecting to a plan to build hostels for foreign workers. Faekah Husin, the Menteri Besar's political secretary, said Umno's "gutter politics" was the result of ignorance and a "low class" mentality. She was reacting to statements made on Wednesday during a protest against the plan. The demonstrators represented Umno Youth and MCA. Umno Youth's Arman Azha Abu Hanifah, who was among the protesters, said Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had "prostituted himself" in deciding to set aside land in Petaling Jaya for foreigners when Malaysians were having a hard time finding affordable accommodation in the city. Faekah said Umno members had shown once again that "the party revels in dirty, gutter politics while being completely ignorant of the true issues".
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| Ex-Umno minister implies elections not fair Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:05 PM PDT
By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: In an unprecedented move, a former Umno minister implicitly stated that the electoral process here is not free and fair, and that Bersih 2.0′s demands are fundamental. Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir's bold remark was in stark contradiction with that of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's statement this morning that Barisan Nasional never cheated in the polls. "The government knows whether elections are clean or not. The people know whether the elections are clean or not," Kadir said, leaving his audience to read between the lines. He also pointed out that voters now were more educated and aware of the ruling party's attempt to cling on to power by putting a "yes man" in charge of the Election Commission. "Cannot lah like this," he said, drawing laughter from those present. Kadir, who was tourism minister during the Mahathir administration, was speaking at the launch of the Angkatan Amanah Rakyat (Amanah) here today. Reminding the government that it was duty-bound to uphold free and fair elections, the former MP suggested that the powers-that-be engage Bersih 2.0, which had been declared illegal. "A free and fair election is very fundamental.Why can't we engage them (Bersih 2.0)?" added the deputy president of Amanah. Harsh response ignites anger Kadir said the founding fathers had ensured that elections in this country were free and fair, with former premiers like Tunku Abdul Rahman and Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak, "making sure that a level playing field was given to all contesting."
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| Is MACC now “Malaysian Ante Chamber of Crime”? Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:53 PM PDT By Lim Kit Siang The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was the second attempt by Malaysia to establish Malaysia's version of Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) with increased powers, staffing and budgetting. However, in just two years, MACC had achieved what its predecessor the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) had never done in 41 years from 1967-2008 – two deaths at its premises in circumstances suspected by the majority of reasonable Malaysians as caused by MACC – Teoh Beng Hock in July 2009 and Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad in April 2011. There was sheer disbelief when news first broke out yesterday that the James Foong Royal Commission of Inquiry had reported that Teoh Beng Hock was driven to commit suicide by aggressive and continuous questioning by MACC officers – raising the question whether there is such an animal as "forced suicide" which is not homicide or murder. Other news items yesterday which followed on the contents of the RCI report reveals one consistent picture – of how it is impossible for MACC to disclaim responsibility for causing the death of Teoh Beng Hoch who was totally at the mercy of MACC officers while in MACC custody on the fateful days of July 15 and 16, 2009. There can be no doubt as to the answer even before the establishment of the RCI when the question is asked: Was MACC responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock. The answer is in the categorical positive. The RCI report did not give a direct answer to the question but anyone reading the contents can only derive one conclusion – that the RCI would say "Yes" if asked to answer this specific question.
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| Footage confirms police caused Mat Sabu's injury? Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:47 PM PDT  (Harakah Daily) - Far from proving that the police had nothing to do with the injury suffered by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu on July 9, a video footage shown to members of the press yesterday showed how his motorcycle was rudely cornered by a police 4WD vehicle causing him to hit another police vehicle behind him and fall to the ground. Salleh Mat Rashid, who was recently promoted to head the Internal Security and Public Order, dedicated a whole topic during the police presentation to rebut Mat Sabu's claim that police caused his injury which required a surgery on a torn ligament last week. Mat Sabu, who earlier said he was taken by police to a clinic in Jinjang following his arrest, had since sought further treatment at the Selangor Medical Centre in Shah Alam, confirming that his injury was worse than previously thought. The hospital carried out a procedure drilling a 2.5-inch screw into the back of his knee to keep it in place.
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| ‘Under pressure’ Najib cancels family vacation Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:55 PM PDT
The premier cancels a family vacation because he wants to spend more time with Malaysians, signalling that all may not be well in Putrajaya. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Malaysian political landscape is experiencing a series of tremors and with numerous conspiracy theories and speculations being churned out, some predict that an earthquake is imminent. As for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, things started to roll downhill since July 9, when tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the streets to push for free and fair elections. Observers claimed that the nation's sixth premier, who had vowed to recapture Barisan Nasional's glory following its 2008 electoral bruising, is now under tremendous pressure, and it is not coming from the opposition alone. Speculation is rife that the daggers are out for Najib in Umno itself, and adding to the woes is the party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's newly launched outfit, Angkatan Amanah Rakyat, whose true objectives remain vague. The iron-fist response towards the Bersih 2.0 rally soiled Najib's image both here and abroad, and under this cloud of political gloom, the premier returned home this morning following a working visit to three countries, which also saw him visiting the Vatican. When he touched down at KLIA, Najib added more coal to the burning speculation that all was not well in Putrajaya when he revealed that he had cancelled a family holiday to be with the people. "I told my family I felt that I should return to Malaysia and that I was prepared to forgo the holiday for the sake of Malaysians back home," he was quoted as saying by Bernama. According to the national news agency, Najib was greeted by some 3,000 people, including his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin and his cousin, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. There was also a banner unfurled at the airport bearing the signatures of "1.2 million Malaysians" backing his leadership. The campaign was initiated by the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma), an associate member of Umno.
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| Ku Li’s Amanah likely to lead third force Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:52 PM PDT
Umno veteran says his group aims to be in the forefront of the fight against the country's "continuous disintegration". (Free Malaysia Today) - Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah hinted today that his new group, Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah), could possibly be the catalyst to a rising third force. The Kelantan prince, in an inspiring speech at the launch of his new group, called on the silent majority to voice their discontent against "rife corruption, cronyism and racial crisis". Razaleigh said Amanah aims to be the platform for Malaysians to fight against what he sees as the country's "continuous disintegration", hinting at the group's bid to be a non-partisan pressure group. "I believe at the end of the road that we are taking in these early steps, we will be called upon to make several important decisions for the future of our nation – choices that we must take regardless of the problems, challenges and obstacle that we face," he said. "This morning could be another normal social event or it could be the beginning of a journey towards something that has never taken place before, that may change the current of our country's future," he said. The setting up of Amanah has triggered speculation that Razaleigh, who has been highly critical of his own party's leadership, no longer believes he could reform Umno from within. Defection to the opposition could also see his reputation as an independent statesman tarnished. In a country without a strong third force, Razaleigh's weight among the moderates and especially among the idealistic younger voters could be appealing. Amanah's ideology could also be a charm factor. Studies have shown that younger Malaysian voters tend to vote for the opposition given the lack of a credible middle choice, not due to partisan politics. Amanah aims to rekindle the multi-racial spirit that was fought for by the country's founding fathers. Their goal is to bring everyone who believe in Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra's vision of a truly united Malaysia together. Middle and moderate voice The group, boasting multi-racial political veterans membership like former Sarawak deputy chief Minister Daniel Tajem, former tourism minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir and those still active like former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, could well fill in this gap. While Razaleigh continued to pound the government, indirectly blaming them for worsening racism and dismal economic performance, he dropped more hints of Amanah's possible third force role throughout his speech: "We want to represent the middle and moderate voice that try to avoid confrontation with the authorities because we want to continue with our daily lives normally.
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| Ezam dedah perilaku Anwar kepada rakyat Indonesia Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:46 PM PDT
"Soal video seks juga jelas, bagi yang menonton dan mengenal baik, pasti yakin itu Anwar, terlihat dari bentuk tubuhnya," katanya dalam wawancara dengan majalah Indonesia, Tempo. (Free Malaysia Today) - Senator Ezam Mohd Nor berkata dua kes yang membabitkan Ketua Umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim iaitu pertuduhan liwat dan klip video seks menjerat kembali kredibiliti pemimpin terbabit memandangkan bukti jelas terarah kepada bekas timbalan Perdana Menteri itu. "Sodomi itu kembali terungkap setelah ada pengakuan dari seseorang yang bernama Saiful, dan kemungkinan kali ini dia terjerat kerana polis mempunyai bukti sperma Anwar. "Soal video seks juga jelas, bagi yang menonton dan mengenal baik, pasti yakin itu Anwar, terlihat dari bentuk tubuhnya," katanya dalam wawancara dengan majalah Indonesia, Tempo. Menurut Ezam beliau yakin kes liwat itu bukan rekaan, ini dikuatkan lagi dengan sikap isteri Anwar, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang cemburu sekiranya lelaki rapat dengan suaminya. Ujar Ezam, sikap cemburu yang ditonjolkan Wan Azizah itu menjadi saat kemuncak untuk beliau menyelidik kes liwat pertama yang dihadapi Anwar pada 1999 lalu. Ketika ditanya mengapa Ezam tidak mengetahui perkara itu sejak awal, beliau menjelaskan dirinya hanya mengenali Anwar daripada satu sisi iaitu sebagai seorang pemimpin hebat. "Saya merasa ketika isterinya, Wan Azizah, terlalu cemburu bila Anwar dekat dengan laki-laki. Ini menjadi kemuncaknya dan saya membuka, mempelajari kesnya, dan setelah itu saya yakin dia berbuat hal itu. "Saya profesional, saya ketika itu hanya staf, tidak mengenal peribadi atau keluarganya lebih dekat. Tapi, begitu mengenal dekat, saya menjadi melihat sisi Anwar yang lain. Dia juga cukup pandai menutupi kes itu dan hanya melakukannya dengan orang-orang dekatnya saja. "Selama ini saya mengenal satu sisi dari Anwar, dia pemimpin yang hebat dan itu membutakan saya," katanya yang pernah menyandang jawatan Setiausaha Politik Anwar. Anwar, 64, kini masih dalam perbicaraan setelah mengaku tidak bersalah meliwat bekas pembantu peribadinya Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 26, di sebuah kondominium di Damansara pada Jun 2008 lalu. Populariti Anwar turun Selain kes liwat itu, Anwar turut didakwa merupakan pelaku sebuah klip video seks yang didedahkan oleh Datuk 'T' yang merupakan gandingan ahli perniagaan Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik dan bekas Bendahari Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) Datuk Shuib Lazim.
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| M’sian said to be owner of world’s most expensive luxury vessel – at RM14.5bil Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:24 PM PDT
Seafaring bling-bling: History Supreme making history as the world's most expensive luxury yacht. (The Star) - While newspapers in Britain were abuzz with reports that the owner of the world's most expensive luxury yacht is a Malaysian, no one can confirm it. British daily The Sun reported that the 31m History Supreme is owned by a Malaysian businessman who paid 3bil (RM14.5bil) for it. To put things in perspective, this figure is close to the estimated cost of the country's first mass rapid transit (MRT) system, which has a price tag of RM20bil. Comparatively, the world's biggest private yacht, the 164m Eclipse owned by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich costs only RM3.65bil. The Sun also reported that the History Supreme is made out of 100 tonnes of gold and platinum, which cover more than half its surface, and the base of the vessel is wrapped in gold. The daily said the yacht's features, including the deck, dining area, rails and anchor, are all made from precious metals. Below deck, things become even more exotic, featuring meteoric stone and a T-Rex dinosaur bone in the sleeping quarters. The boat was built in Italy but was completed in Malaysia two weeks ago. According to the newspaper, the businessman had approached Liverpool jeweller Stuart Hughes for this unique project. The businessman had even asked Hughes if he could customise an aeroplane. Hughes, who is famous for creating exclusive, gold-plated and jewel-encrusted luxury items ranging from mobile phones to aquariums, took three years to build the yacht. "It was pretty much a case of can you make this gold, can you make that gold? We just did what we were told and are delighted with the results," Hughes was quoted as saying. The yacht is believed to be based on Italian yacht-maker Baia's latest One Hundred model, which costs at least RM30mil.
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| Bekas menteri: Najib perlu pastikan pilihan raya bersih, Bersih 2.0 ada asas Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Seorang bekas menteri kerajaan pusat, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir mengingatkan pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib Razak agar melaksanakan sistem pilihan raya yang telus. Abdul Kadir yang juga Timbalan Presiden Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) berkata sistem pilihan raya yang telus adalah asas kepada sesebuah negara yang mempunyai undang-undang dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. "Negara kita selama ini telah memuncak begitu lama, negara yang cukup berjaya sebab rakyat berpegang teguh pada semangat kemerdekaan tetapi malangnya sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini (prestasi) kita sudah mula menurun dan secara terang-terangan melakukan perkara-perkara yang pelik," kata beliau. "Kadang-kadang kita begitu yakin dan sombong, boleh buat benda salah di tempat yang terang, kami rasakan sudah tiba masanya kita berubah dan kembali ke pangkal jalan," kata Abdul Kadir sambil menambah, "merdeka bermakna kuasa diserahkan kepada rakyat." "Negara ini kepunyaan rakyat... negara ini hak rakyat dan ini asas yang kita perlu ingat, negara ini bukan bapa saya yang punya, bukan Umno yang punya, bukan PAS yang punya, ini rakyat yang punya," kata beliau ketika berucap pada majlis pelancaran Amanah di Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra di sini. Bekas wakil rakyat dari Kedah ini pernah mengetuai Kementerian Pelancongan dan Kementerian Penerangan. Tegas Abdul Kadir, rakyat tidak akan bangkit menentang kerajaan sekiranya pilihan raya yang dijalankan dibuat secara telus dan adil. Selain itu jelas beliau, tuntutan yang dibuat Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) ada asasnya.
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| Najib says Bersih a bid to topple his government Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:57 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak today accused the Bersih group of trying to seize power through mass rallies, while dismissing the electoral reform group's allegations of poll fraud. Speaking on arrival at KLIA after his eight-day trip abroad, the prime minister also maintained elections in Malaysia had always been clean. "We have never cheated in an election in Malaysia," he told some 200 Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters at Kompleks Bunga Raya in KLIA. Najib also brushed aside Bersih claims that BN had an unfair advantage when it came to campaigning owing to the ruling coalition's stranglehold on the media and restrictions on freedom to assemble. "We say it's fair, they (Pakatan Rakyat) say it's not fair. Isn't it fair enough that they're campaigning every day? Every day a ceramah here and there . . . that's still not fair?" he said. Najib added that there needed to be a balance between freedom of expression and public order, but stressed that there was "room for dissent" in Malaysia. He pointed out that Bersih had rejected the government's offer to have their rally in a stadium and claimed this was because the election watchdog was more keen on having a procession and provoking the police than stating their demands. "It's not so much about electoral reform. They want to show us as though we're like the Arab Spring governments in the Middle East," he said. "That's why they tried to paint us as an autocratic government . . . but actually, they wish to seize power from we who were chosen by the people." Bersih estimates that 50,000 people showed up at the July 9 rally for free and fair elections despite efforts to prevent it from taking place while police have said there were only 6,000. The protest turned chaotic when police fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of demonstrators, resulting in nearly 1,700 arrests, scores injured, and the death of former military man Baharuddin Ahmad, 59. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has said it will hold a public inquiry into police conduct during the rally following reports that they used excessive force to disperse protesters. Police yesterday cleared themselves of wrongdoing following an internal probe into alleged police brutality and have instead laid blame on Bersih protesters for provoking the police.
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| Respect Islam and we will respect you, Najib tells Christians Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:55 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - The government will engage with Christians groups here that love peace and respect the country's Islamic leadership, the prime minister said today. Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government would work with Christians who wished to uphold world peace and harmony as it was committed to the "global movement of moderates". "We wish to tell our friends, the Malaysian Christians . . . if they respect us, we will also respect them," he told some 200 BN supporters at Kompleks Bunga Raya here. "This is our message. Islam is fair to all. Islam is beautiful, Islam is grand, Islam is pure, Islam is noble." Najib returned today from a 10-day trip to Europe that included a visit to the Pope at the Vatican, where he sealed formal ties with the city-state. He is only the second Malaysian prime minister to visit the head of the Catholic Church after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad met Pope John Paul II in 2002. Putrajaya's relationship with Christians remains strained following the Home Ministry's decision to bar the Catholic Church here from using the word "Allah" in the Malay-language version of its newpaper, The Herald. The case is pending a Home Ministry appeal of the 2009 High Court ruling allowing the church to use the word, which some Muslims argue should be reserved for Islam. Several churches across the country were fire-bombed in January last year following the ruling. Matters were further brought to a head when 35,100 Malay-language bibles were seized by the Home Ministry, causing outrage among the Christian community. The bibles were later released after a flurry of negotiations between church leaders and Putrajaya ahead of the Sarawak state election, on the condition that they be marked with a cross and the words "Christian publication". Many Catholics, however, remain unconvinced by Najib's attempts to pacify the community, as evidenced by a widely circulated letter to the Pope accusing the prime minister of manipulating religious sentiment. Christians form close to 10 per cent of Malaysia's 28 million population.
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| Ku Li ajak rakyat bersama Amanah lawan penyelewengan Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:41 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Presiden Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah berkata sudah tiba masanya untuk rakyat negara ini bangkit menentang segala penyelewengan yang berlaku termasuk rasuah, kronisme, sikap pelampau dan pembaziran. Tegas beliau, rakyat jangan membiarkan perbuatan memanipulasikan politik digunakan untuk memecahkan perpaduan rakyat melalui dasar dan keputusan yang memihak kepada pihak yang berkepentingan. "Kita jangan membiarkan perbuatan manipulasi politik apa pun dan dari mana-mana pihak pun untuk memecahkan rakyat majoriti melalui dasar dan keputusan yang secara sengaja dibuat untuk kepentingan golongan-golongan minoriti yang berkepentingan. "Saya memerhatikan dengan hati yang gusar melihat keadaan yang amat merunsingkan iaitu keadaan perhubungan antara kaum dan antara agama yang kian memburuk sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini dan jika keadaan ini saya tambahkan lagi dengan perbuatan sesetengah pihak dan orang perseorangan yang secara terang-terangan sengaja merosakkan institusi-institusi perpaduan negara untuk kepentingan mereka," katanya pada perasmian Amanah di Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra di sini. Tegas Tengku Razaleigh yang lebih dikenali sebagai "Ku Li", masa untuk melihat segala penyelewengan yang berlaku sudah tamat dan sekarang untuk bangkit menyatakan pendirian masing-masing. "Inilah masanya golongan majoriti yang menyepi selama ini mendengarkan suara mereka, inilah masanya ayah yang selama ini senyap untuk bersuara bersama alunan dan jeritan suara yang lain dan bertanya 'kami mahukan kebenaran, tidak paparan palsu dan penipuan'. "Inilah masanya suri rumah tangga yang selama ini berdiam diri dan tidak bersuara berkata 'saya mahukan masa depan anak-anak saya yang bebas daripada segala macam masalah yang dicetuskan oleh pelbagai pihak dan individu politik, ekonomi dan kumpulan sosial yang berkepentingan sendiri'. "Ini masanya untuk orang muda dan dewasa yang bekerja berkata 'kami mahu tahu ke manakah arah tuju negara kita dan kami mahu tahu bahawa keputusan dan pilihan yang dibuat adalah yang terbaik dan benar'," katanya. Ahli Parlimen dan Ketua Umno Gua Musang ini berkata, Amanah yang dianggotai beberapa tokoh pemimpin bukan untuk menentang kerajaan tapi adalah untuk hak rakyat. "Suara ini adalah suara perpaduan, suara solidariti, suara kebenaran dan kita akan berdiri teguh menentang wabak rasuah, kronisme, perkauman, sikap pelampau dan pembaziran. "Kita akan berkata dahulukan kepentingan kebangsaan yakni kepentingan negara dan kepentingan rakyat, ini matlamat kita," katanya.
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| French Scorpene lawyer detained at KLIA Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:36 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - French lawyer Willian Bourdon has been detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after attending a dinner in Penang last night where he briefed the audience on the progress of judicial investigations in France into the controversial RM7 billion Scorpene submarines that Malaysia bought. Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel, who has been escorting Bourdon during his visit, said immigration officers detained the lawyer in the plane on his landing from Penang just before noon today, and taken to a holding area. "Immigration officers came into the aircraft to detain him for questioning," she said in a text message to The Malaysian Insider. "He is now in a holding centre and his wife is separated from him." PKR leader and lawyer Latheefa Koya was on her way to the airport to represent Bourdon, and said that "we suspect it has to do with his speech last night", as Bourdon was yesterday allowed to enter the country with no problems. The purchase of two submarines from French defence company DCNS in 2004 and 2005 was made when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was still defence minister and a company run by Abdul Razak Baginda, said to be a close aide of the prime minister, was reported to have received a RM500 million commission from the deal. Human rights groups and opposition parties here also linked the episode to the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu. Bourdon had arrived here from Penang, where he spoke at a fundraiser organised by rights group Suaram regarding the Scorpene submarine deal. He is scheduled to speak at a similar event tonight in Petaling Jaya. In December 2009, Suaram filed a complaint with the French courts asking for access to information regarding government contracts signed with Abdul Razak's Perimekar Sdn Bhd and other information classified as official secrets in Malaysia. The French courts accepted the request to investigate claims of graft in the RM500 million payment from DCNS to Perimekar.
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| Scorpene scandal: ‘Truth to surface soon’ Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:23 PM PDT
French lawyer William Bourdon says corruption related to the submarine deal will be exposed when a judge is picked in September to hear the case. (Free Malaysia Today) - The French investigative judge who will hear the case into the Scorpene submarine scandal will be picked in September and the truth will be exposed, said prominent human rights lawyer William Bourdon. The Frenchman said he would then have smooth access to scrutinise all documents and interview major witnesses pertaining to the submarine deal between Malaysia and France. "I would be able to disclose more information on the case and identify those involved," he said after a speech at Suaram's fundraiser dubbed "Ops Scorpene" in Bayan Baru here last night. Suaram filed a case against French naval defence giant DCNS in 2009 over irregularities in the Scorpene deal between Malaysia and France. Bourdon, who has been providing pro bono services for Suaram in the case, said currently he had limited access to relevant information, documents and witnesses. Under the French justice system, an investigative judge has the power to perform both as a judge and investigating prosecutor. All relevant papers on the submarine deal between France and Malaysia are with the court now and only an investigative judge can allow the documents for public access. Bourdon said when the case goes to open trial, all documents and contracts will be made public and witnesses, including Malaysian officials, can be subpoenaed. The Scorpene scandal involves commissions amounting to 114.96 million euros (RM574.8 million) paid to Malaysian consulting company Perimekar Sdn Bhd. A French prosecution probe revealed another 30 million euros (RM150 million) paid to DCNS' commercial network Thales and another 2.5 million euros (RM7.5 million) paid to an unknown recipient. Perimekar is a subsidiary of KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, of which the major shareholder is the wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's close confidante who was charged with and acquitted of the murder of translator Altantuya Shariibuu. Social responsibility Last night's dinner kick-started Suaram's "Ops Scorpene" fundraising events. "Ops Scorpene" is a awareness campaign to pursue the case in French courts as a matter of national interest.
Bourdon and his team of lawyers at Sherpa, a non-profit organisation he founded in 2001, focus on improving legal tools to promote corporate social responsibility. Bourdon hinted that the "Ops Scorpene" investigation can take years depending on the access to information, documentation and cooperation to be extended by the Malaysian authorities.
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| WIKILEAKS: ‘Umno clueless about its folly’ Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:16 PM PDT
WikiLeaks reveals that Sodomy II prompted the US envoy to warn Malaysian leaders against clumsy political manoeuvrings (Free Malaysia Today) - US diplomats warned Umno leaders in 2008 that continued attacks against Pakatan Rakyat, especially Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, would be detrimental to BN's political survival. According to a Wikileaks transcript released by Malaysia Today, US Ambassador to Malaysia James Keith told Washington that Umno leaders could not see past their actions. "Umno leaders may fail to grasp the consequences of upping the ante; they hear what we are saying, but do not understand sufficiently well how difficult it will be for them to overcome the shadows they are casting on the country," Keith wrote. He said Umno might have thought that accusing Anwar with sodomy was a better decision than jailing him under the Internal Security Act. However, he claimed, the decision would prove to be a folly, with few in and out of Malaysia buying into the Umno line. "Contrary to their intent, many in the international community will take this as escalation," he wrote in his confidential cable to the US State Department in Washington. "Barely one in ten Malaysians are buying into the party line, a survey tells us." In 2008, Anwar was accused of having sodomised his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, at a Bukit Damansara condominium on June 26 that year. Anwar has consistently denied the charge, claiming that it was concocted to destroy his political career. Keith said the accusation was not going to convince anyone that it was anything but a high-profile political conspiracy. "Whatever (Umno leaders) believe about the 'facts' of the sodomy case, at this point the ruling party has no chance of success in conveying to the Malaysian or the international audience that this is merely a case of one citizen's charge against another," he said.
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| A forgotten older and enduring ideal Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:11 PM PDT
SAKMONGKOL AK47 Was the Bersih agenda wrong? The agenda was simply the call for the EC to conduct its business cleanly and fairly. That to my mind is a legitimate and acceptable agenda. This government responded by demonizing Bersih. This was all part of the boxed-in mentality of the ruling government to prevent any mass movement snowballing into a popular movement. When it responded the way it did, the very dreaded effect it wanted to avoid, came into effect. Because public and international opinion made Bersih into the impression of a popular movement rather that a localized event it should have been. Well, that's what you get if the government is reactive by nature rather that proactive in a thoughtful way. It doesn't want to engage Bersih preferring the bully tactics so liked by people like Ibrahim Ali. When the marchers took the streets in a peaceful manner, it took a life of its own. It wasn't any more about Ambiga or Anwar or whoever else. They may have set the tone and did some synchronization, but once out there, the people called the shots. This I think is what the government doesn't understand and because of that it responded the only way, a government believing in its own infallibility and invincibility behaves. In the UK, our PM said that street demonstrations are not the way to form a government. He is stating what is already universally accepted nowadays. In Malaysia, no right thinking people harbors any thought about securing governmental power, through undemocratic or unconstitutional methods. Indeed we quarrel a lot to ensure the sanctity and integrity of a democracy be preserved. UMNO people went to court to seek a declaration that the 1987 UMNO elections were subverted. A new UMNO was formed in 1988. From then on, UMNO could never qualify to have practiced real democracy. Malayan communism was ended half a century ago. Because the idea of forming a government through armed insurrection could never be accepted. Plus, there were a lot other complications such as religion and ethnic composition. Government is formed through the democratic way- through free and fair elections. We all do it through fair and clean elections, we are all democrats. The statement which the PM raises and which is fortified further by the solemn declaration of the DPM when he said no more street rallies- raises important points. Why does a democratic system still make possible for other forms of collective political expression take place? If elections sort out all issues, if a democratically elected government is supposed to end all issues, there wouldn't be a need for other forms of collective political expression, would there? The response towards Bersih has been handled badly. So the government becomes the target of international censorship and sharp criticisms. The issue has not died down in our own country. Bersih has increased awareness among citizens on the importance of having clean and fair elections. That's a simple demand. The circuitous responses by the EC and government supporters will surely widen the divide between voters and the ruing government.
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| Marina Mahathir and Bersih 2.0 Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:33 AM PDT
Is Marina Mahathir a genuine righteous person who will take on UMNO and her father in the interest of the Rakyat or is she merely a Mahathir strategy to crush Bersih from within? By Ken It appears that Datuk Marina Mahathir is preparing herself to join Ambiga and other Bersih leaders, as can be gleaned from her articles in the Star, Malaysiakini (see "Gov't feels threatened, says Marina" 18 Jul 2011), etc. about her "heroic" participation in Bersih 2.0. However, while it appears that she supports Bersih 2.0, her actions and non-actions cast significant doubts on this matter. Yes, she joined many others in criticizing the police and the UMNO government of their crackdown and threats before Bersih 2.0. If she was so committed to Bersih 2.0, why didn't she, a prominent supposedly human rights activist, play an active role in Bersih 2.0? After all, Ambiga had invited everyone to join Bersih 2.0, given its noble cause. It was clear to all that Bersih 2.0 would happen and that the UMNO government and police would suppress it violently with tear gas, water cannon, assault and arrests at the least. Ambiga and many thousands of others braved these threats against their personal safety in the interest of the nation and made Bersih 2.0 happen. There were a few prominent personalities who saw what was happening and wanted to ensure that they could continue to lay claim to championing democracy and human rights by positioning themselves in the march where they would be safe. It appears that this is the case with Marina Mahathir. If Marina had not written those articles, would we have known that she, a prominent personality, was in Bersih 2.0? If she had really believed in the ideals of Bersih 2.0, she should have been in the front on that date to face the tear gas, water cannon and police violence. If she had been there, would the police have been brave enough to direct all that violence towards the crowd led by her, knowing that they would meet the wrath of her father, the ever-powerful Tun Dr.Mahathir, who is very close to her? Writing about the event AFTER it has happened is for journalists and bloggers. People claiming to be champions and leaders must go beyond writing and act. Marina Mahathir did not act when the opportunity presented itself. While Marina has become particularly vocal lately on Bersih 2.0, Tun Dr. Mahathir, who is always ready to comment on any happening in the country or outside, has been relatively quiet, except for some light comments before the event and illogical comments after the event about Bersih 2.0 being a Malay vs non-Malay matter. Numerous people are praising Marina Mahathir for being very vocal, even if it is after Bersih 2.0, with some claiming that she is a righteous person, a great leader and a potential PM. It looks like that Datuk Marina Mahathir is ready to enter active politics in the light of growing support from Bersih supporters as well as UMNO/BN members who would surely not want to displease Tun Dr. Mahathir, knowing the Tun's powers and influence. What is also strange is that some individuals such as Mathias Chang who are closely associated with Tun Dr Mahathir (the advisor and brains behind Perkasa) have also become very critical of the UMNO government's handling of Bersih 2.0 (see Malaysia Today's "Barisan Nasional's sledge-hammer reaction to the Bersih Rally on 9th July 2011"), thereby lending further credence to Marina's active championing of Bersih. And to ensure that Marina's "efforts" with regards to Bersih 2.0 are not overlooked or ignored, harsh critics have emerged to present illogical arguments which put Marina in good light. An example is Wong Sai Kim's letter, "Open letter to Marina Mahathir's take on Bersih 2.0" in Malaysiakini (21 Jul 2011). Such an eloquently comprehensive letter should have been directed at Ambiga or Bersish 2.0, but Wong has chosen to direct it at Marina Mahathir. Why? If Bersih is successful, UMNO's fall is inevitable. If UMNO goes down, it will not just be Najib who will fall but also many, many others including Tun Dr Mahathir and his family and friends. With so much at stake, Bersih must be crushed and all possible strategies must be deployed. Is Marina Mahathir a genuine righteous person who will take on UMNO and her father in the interest of the Rakyat or is she merely a Mahathir strategy to crush Bersih from within? Her actions, and not mere words, will provide the answer.
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| A lie has robbed their freedom Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:29 AM PDT  By P Ramakrishnan (President, Aliran) Not a shred of evidence has been unearthed so far to justify their detention. Not an iota of proof has been disclosed to date to convince sceptical Malaysians that the action of the police has been honourable. A lie that robs innocent Malaysians of their human rights discredits the police beyond repair. A lie that denies access to lawyers for the detained six denigrates the rule of law and disgraces the Barisan Nasional government for not observing the principles of decency, truth and honesty. With this kind of unethical behavior, with this kind of human rights violations, does Malaysia deserve to occupy a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council? This is a question that has to be asked by all justice-respecting Malaysians. This question has to be raised by the international community that voted in Malaysia for a place in the Human Rights Council. Please search your conscience and demand an answer. With each passing day, the BN's crime becomes unpardonable; with each passing day, it loses its credibility. No one believes that the government has done the right thing; no one believes that the government has done this in the interest of the nation. The common consensus among Malaysians is that the BN government has acted in a selfish manner to safeguard its self interest. When it comes to the preservation of the BN's hold on power, it throws caution to the winds, it sacrifices ethics and resorts to brute strength to hold on to power. Recently we witnessed how it conducted itself with regard to the Bersih "Walk for Democracy" rally, deploying the police to act harshly and cruelly. Even the sanctity of the grounds of a hospital was not spared or respected. The welfare of the hospital patients was callously ignored when the police went after the protesters seeking refuge in the hospital grounds. Back to Jeyakumar and his five companions. First they were charged with "waging war against the King". This charge within seven days collapsed as sheer nonsense and evaporated into thin air – but they were deprived of seven days of freedom in isolation. Then, they were released but in a show of mockery to the rule of law, they were immediately arrested and detained under the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969 and whisked off to Bukit Aman, where they are being kept in solitary confinement. The intense interrogation and the long hours of questioning have taken a toll on Jeyakumar. For a person with a heart ailment, it is dangerously causing him a lot of stress and torment. He has had to be hospitalised twice within the span of two weeks. Third, in spite of the fact that he was first charged with treason and later with being a threat to the nation, he wasn't investigated for this. What they were interested in was to find out about the Bersih rally and related information. This irrevocably confirms the lie that Kumar and his companions were neither traitors to the nation nor a threat to the country. There are no moral grounds whatsoever to justify their continued detention. The BN's saving grace would be to release them unconditionally and immediately. Our plea is, don't perpetuate the lie. |
| Enough is enough. The PSM 6 must be released. Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:23 AM PDT  Member of Parliament Dr M.Jeyakumar Please join us tomorrow afternoon and rally for their release. Date: Friday, 22 July
If there is a case that exemplifies the third world basket case mentality of Malaysia's criminal justice system – this should be it. Perhaps universities around the world can use this as a case study on how state institutions like the police, judiciary, AG's Chambers can have all the infrastructures, resources, training, personnel, public relations, catchy mottos and Facebook pages they require but without accountability, transparency and checks and balances – they count for nothing. How else can you contextualise the fabricated "waging war" charges against the 30 PSM members based on some communist-inspired T-shirts and PSM literature? How else can you explain the excessive remand order from Sessions Court judge Amernudin Ahmad and affirmed by High Court judge Zamani Abdul Rahim? One wonders whether judges who attended the recent Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Conference 2011 in Kuala Lumpur had a good laugh while listening to the PM's speech stating that Malaysia is committed to safeguarding and ensuring the continued independence of the judiciary. We certainly did! On 2 July, after being in detention for a week, 6 PSM leaders including Member of Parliament Dr. M. Jeyakumar were re-arrested and detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance – this time for purportedly being the movers and shakers of Bersih 2.0. In the 37 affidavits filed in reply to the habeas corpus application fixed for hearing on 22 July at the KL High Court, no mention at all was made about waging war, Communism, Chin Peng, Rashid Maidin and other made up stories as alleged earlier. How dumb are these police and AG's Chambers officers? The movers and shakers of Bersih 2.0 are…get ready for this, the Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee! Their names can be found at Bersih's website – www.bersih.org (click on About BERSIH 2.0) and at the end of their press releases. And now apparently the AG's Chambers are trying to seek for an adjournment for tomorrow's hearing. Read more at: http://www.lawyersforliberty.org/2011/07/enough-is-enough-the-psm-6-must-be-released/ |
| Penyingkiran Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) Yayasan Selangor Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:10 AM PDT
Ilham telah mengarahkan supaya surat perpindahan Datin Sabariah dikeluarkan dengan segera. Ilham juga mengarahkan supaya semua aset milik Yayasan Selangor yang ada pada Datin Sabariah diambil semula. Datin Sabariah telah menyerahkan semua aset pada hari yang sama, 29 Oktober 2010. By Steffan Datin Sabariah Ahmad merupakan seorang kakitangan tetap Yayasan Selangor dan akan bersara wajib bila mencapai umur 55 tahun pada penghujung 2011. Beliau merupakan isteri kepada mantan Pengurus Besar Yayasan Selangor, Dato' Zurkarnain A. Rahman (1998-2000). Datin Sabariah dinaikkan jawatan sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) dengan tempoh percubaan selama enam bulan yang bermula dari 1 hb. Ogos 2010. Pada hari Jumaat 29 Oktober 2010, Pengurus Besar Yayasan Selangor, Ilham Marzuki telah berjumpa semua kakitangan di surau Menara Yayasan Selangor. Ilham membaca surat layang yang dihantar kepada ketua isteri beliau. Isteri Ilham bekerja di Jabatan Perancangan Ekonomi (EPU) di Putrajaya. Ilham mengesahkan KEBENARAN bahwa (a) dia, Ilham Marzuki adalah ahli PAS yang suka menyebut kata-kata lucah seperti pundek, pukimak, kongkek, babi dan (b) Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pengurusan), Mohd Saifulruddin bin Sulaiman adalah seorang samseng setinggan yang memiliki banyak kereta. Di akhir perjumpaan itu, Ilham memberitahu kakitangan yang hadir bahwa penulis surat tersebut dilahirkan di Melaka dan dibesarkan di Johor. Orang-orang lama Yayasan membuat kesimpulan bahawa Datin Sabariah, Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) adalah orang dimaksudkan oleh Ilham. Selesai perjumpaan itu, Ilham telah mengarahkan supaya surat perpindahan Datin Sabariah dikeluarkan dengan segera. Ilham juga mengarahkan supaya semua aset milik Yayasan Selangor yang ada pada Datin Sabariah diambil semula. Datin Sabariah telah menyerahkan semua aset pada hari yang sama, 29 Oktober 2010. Surat perpindahan menyebut bahawa Datin Sabariah ditukar ke Bahagian Sumber Manusia SUK pada 1 November 2010. Pejabat SUK mempersoalkan perpindahan mendadak Datin Sabariah kerana lazimnya sebarang proses penempatan pegawai dari anak syarikat hendaklah dimulakan dengan permohonan rasmi dari Pengurus Besar anak syarikat kepada Pejabat SUK/Menteri Besar. Alasan yang diberikan oleh Ilham ialah Datin Sabariah tidak mampu menjalankan tugas-tugas sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) dengan memuaskan. Datin Sabariah telah diturunkan pangkat dan gaji dan elaun-elaun sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar telahpun ditarik balik. Semasa ditempatkan di Bhg Sumber Manusia SUK, Datin Sabariah telah cuba untuk mendapatkan bantuan Setiausaha Politik MB, Puan Faekah dan MB sendiri untuk dipindahkan balik ke pejabat beliau di Yayasan Selangor, Petaling Jaya. Malangnya beliau tidak mendapat layanan yang sewajarnya. Pada 1 Disember 2010 Datin Sabariah telah menulis surat kepada MB Selangor menyatakan ketidakpuasaan hati beliau terhadap tindakan memindahkan beliau ke SUK tanpa sebarang alasan yang munasabah. Di dalam surat berkenaan Datin Sabariah telah memberi tempoh kepada MB untuk memindahkan beliau kembali ke jawatan Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) atau bersedia untuk menghadapi tindakan perundangan. Datin Sabariah diarah pulang ke Yayasan Selangor tetap tidak dibenarkan kembali ke Pejabat Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) di Menara Yayasan Selangor, PJ. Sebaliknya beliau ditempatkan di Asrama Yayasan Selangor, Kuala Lumpur. Datin Sabariah telah meletakkan jawatan pada pertengahan Disember 2010 dan membuat aduan kepada Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan Negeri Selangor. Kes beliau telah didengar pada bulan Mac 2011. Sehingga kini masih belum ada sebarang keputusan muktamad dicapai.
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| Malaysia’s Political Awakening: A Call for US Leadership Posted: 21 Jul 2011 08:08 AM PDT
On elections, the US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices declares that Malaysian opposition parties are unable to compete on equal terms with the governing UMNO-dominated coalition because of restrictions on campaigning and freedom of assembly and association. by John R. Malott, Asia Pacific Bulletin A Malaysian recently wrote to me, "Most Americans don't know or even care where Malaysia is." Even among the so-called foreign policy elite, little attention is paid to Malaysia. There are few American academics who specialize in domestic Malaysian politics, and except for hosting visits by senior Malaysian leaders, think tanks and universities hold few Malaysia-themed programs. US newspaper and magazine reports are few, with most articles focusing on tourism and the delights of Malaysian cuisine. As a result, there is a tendency among Americans to hold an idealized (and outdated) image of Malaysia as a successful multi-racial and multi-religious paradise, an Asian economic dynamo, and a stable and moderate Muslim democracy. As a result of this deficit of informed analysis of Malaysia, there has been a failure to notice the internal political and economic changes unfolding within Malaysia over the past few years. The reality today, as one Australian expert puts it, is that the situation is the "most fluid and dangerous" in Malaysia's history. The Events of July 9 – A Date for the History Books Because of this attention shortfall, the events of July 9, 2011 came as a surprise. On that day, tens of thousands of Malaysians—who have been ranked on Hofstede's Power Distance Index as the most submissive to authority of any people in the world—chose to defy their government and join a "Walk for Democracy." They heeded the call of Bersih 2.0, a coalition of 62 non-governmental organizations that calls for free and fair elections. In the days before the rally, the Malaysian government cracked down. It rounded up 200 leaders associated with the movement, claiming that they were "waging war against the King" and planning to overthrow the government. It declared both the Bersih coalition and the planned rally illegal, and in a truly bizarre action, it declared the color yellow—Bersih's signature color—illegal. Malaysian citizens were arrested for possessing Bersih literature or wearing yellow T-shirts. The police established roadblocks around the city and banned 91 Bersih and opposition leaders from entering the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. By the morning of July 9, the city was in total lockdown. Then something remarkable happened. As Ambiga Sreenevasan, the distinguished attorney who leads Bersih put it, the Malaysian people showed that they no longer would be intimidated by their government. They chose to march, knowing that they would be met by tear gas, chemical-laced water cannon, and police batons. Even after Bersih's leadership was arrested, Malaysians of all ages, races and religions continued their "Walk for Democracy" through the streets of Kuala Lumpur. They locked arms, they sang their national anthem and "We Shall Overcome," they blew bubbles and carried flowers. They were peaceful. The only muscle seen that day was the heavy hand of the police. Human Rights Watch later called the use of force excessive, the 1,670 arrests unwarranted, and the police attacks on marchers unprovoked. This repression by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his government drew international condemnation, and it also put a lie to Najib's two-year effort to portray himself as a modern, liberal-minded leader. More importantly, and of greater concern to Najib and his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party—the main party that has ruled Malaysia continuously since independence in 1957—is that it awakened a new generation of Malaysians. It is too soon to know whether the movement for electoral reform and the establishment of true democracy in Malaysia will be sustained. If it is, then July 9 will be remembered as a turning point in Malaysia's history. Just How Free and Democratic is Malaysia? Why should a government be so afraid of a call for fair elections? Like his predecessors, Najib claims that demonstrations will lead to chaos, even though the right of assembly is guaranteed by the nation's constitution and is commonplace in any true democracy. As for free and fair elections, Najib says that Malaysia already has them; if not, then opposition parties would not have achieved the gains they made in the 2008 elections, when they received 47% of the popular vote and took control of five states. Opposition parties counter that if elections truly were fair and free, they would form the government and not the UMNO-led coalition. Political rhetoric aside, Malaysia's electoral system has been analyzed by academics in Australia, Malaysia, the United States, and elsewhere. In addition, the state of Malaysia's political freedom has been assessed by many international groups. The Economist Intelligence Unit, for example, labels Malaysia a "flawed democracy" in its Democracy Index. Freedom House says that Malaysia is only "partly free." Reporters Without Borders places Malaysia 141st out of the 178 countries in its Press Freedom Index. On elections, the US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices declares that Malaysian opposition parties are unable to compete on equal terms with the governing UMNO-dominated coalition because of restrictions on campaigning and freedom of assembly and association. "News of the opposition," the report says, is "tightly restricted and reported in a biased fashion." Academics point to the Election Commission's gerrymandering, which creates highly imbalanced districts that favor the ruling party, where the number of voters per electoral district can range from 7,000 to over 100,000. Over the years there have been numerous credible reports of the use of phantom voters, stuffed ballot boxes, vote-buying, and abuse of government resources to attract votes. In Sarawak's state elections this past April, Prime Minister Najib was caught on video, blatantly telling a village gathering that his government would give them US$1.5 million for a local project, but only if they elected his candidate. What Should Be Done? Malaysia's government may assert otherwise, but the evidence is overwhelmingly on Bersih's side. Malaysia is not a full democracy, and its elections are neither free nor fair. Malaysian citizens have awakened to that fact. Now the world's democracies need to stand on the right side of Malaysia's future. The United States has a multitude of interests in Malaysia, one of which is to help strengthen democracy and the rule of law. Human rights groups have condemned what they call the US Government's "lukewarm" response to the events of July 9. This is a moment when the United States, which named Bersih's leader Ambiga Sreenevasan an International Woman of Courage in 2009, can show the same courage and make a difference in the life of a nation. John R. Malott was the US Ambassador to Malaysia, 1995-1998, and continues to follow developments in that country closely. The Asia Pacific Bulletin (APB) series is published by the East-West Center, which promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.
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| WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA'S POLITICAL CRISIS Posted: 21 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
The ruling elite maintains control over the security apparatus through party stalwarts who run the security institutions, mainly the police but also the military. We believe the military will remain loyal to legitimate leadership and is not a likely tool to overturn an elected, royally-approved and Malay-led government from either the ruling or opposition side. The police, on the other hand, follow orders from the ruling party. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KUALA LUMPUR 000644
SIPDIS
FOR EAP AND INR SINGAPORE - PASS TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2028 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KDEM, KJUS, MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA'S POLITICAL CRISIS
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 609 - UMNO RESISTS REFORM B. KUALA LUMPUR 160 - ELECTION SHOCK
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES R. KEITH, FOR REASON 1.4 (B AND D).
Summary and Introduction 1. (C) The next four weeks will be a telling period in the history of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) rule in Malaysia. For the first time in its fifty-year dominance, UMNO is faced with a multi-racial opposition alliance that has some credible prospect for forming the next government. To date, it appears the ruling party finds this situation intolerable. UMNO leaders, united behind but also in a sense using Prime Minister (PM) Abdullah, have made it clear that they are willing to blacken Malaysia's reputation to ensure the end to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's political challenge. The coming Parliamentary session in the latter half of August is the next likely setting for a showdown, and could precipitate another arrest of Anwar if he is deemed to be doing to well politically between now and then. Conversely, if the ruling party concludes it has him boxed in UMNO may be content to use short-term measures such as judicial restraining orders and the like to prevent him from addressing and attracting a national audience. 2. (C) We should continue to speak out publicly in support of the rule of law, taking care not to undermine our principled position by being perceived to be too close to the opposition. If the authorities escalate their rhetoric in anticipation of another arrest of Anwar, we will need to adjust accordingly. If, on the other hand, the ruling party restrains itself from arresting Anwar again in August, we will want to consider our longer-term approach to a period of prolonged uncertainty. For the time being, we should continue to press hard the bilateral initiatives currently underway as these are tied directly to profound U.S. interests and support the development of a more transparent and accountable set of systems in Malaysian government and society. As we begin to develop our public diplomacy programs for the coming fiscal year, we will seek to give pride of place to the rule of law. End Summary and Introduction. What does UMNO want? 3. (C) The ruling party wants to stay in power indefinitely, and that means Anwar and the multi-racial opposition front he is leading must fail. At least so far, there is scant evidence of a more thoughtful and forward-looking analysis within UMNO. In fact, the ruling party could find some common ground with the opposition if it were willing to countenance gradual development of a two-party system of checks and balances. Instead, the ruling party defines national security primarily as a matter of protecting UMNO's superiority and ensuring that "people power," or a level electoral playing field, cannot become the opposition's means of toppling the ruling party. How is UMNO getting what it wants? 4. (C) The ruling party is relying primarily on its own party structure and the embedded system of carrots and sticks to keep party membership in line. As in other one-party states, the party is seen opportunistically as a mechanism for personal advancement and enrichment. There is an ideological component, in terms of Malay supremacy, but that is in practice a matter of institutionalized opportunism. In good times UMNO can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants. In bad times, it uses the stick, and for now that means intimidation. The ruling elite maintains control over the security apparatus through party stalwarts who run the security institutions, mainly the police but also the military. We believe the military will remain loyal to legitimate leadership and is not a likely tool to overturn an elected, royally-approved and Malay-led government from either the ruling or opposition side. The police, on the other hand, follow orders from the ruling party. The "commando-style" arrest of Anwar last week, the roadblocks and security checks throughout the city of Kuala Lumpur, the recent arrest of blogger Raja Petra, intimidation of Sabah politicians, and the authorities' strident rhetoric are all part of a broad message to the Malaysian people that they had better not stand in UMNO's path. In today's Malaysia, one can get along by going along (and of course one can go farther as a Malay rather than a Chinese or Indian), but it is also true that one can be run over. We only have anecdotal evidence for this, but the sad spiral into past patterns may have become the predicate for some middle and upper class Malaysians who have the option of emigrating. Rather than wait to be run over, it is far preferable to get out of the game. What happened to post-election reforms? 5. (C) It is deja vu all over again. Just as in Abdullah's first term, characterized by lofty rhetoric in support of political reform but virtually no action, after the March elections Abdullah's prominent reform initiatives seem to have evaporated into nothing (ref A). Despite strong popular support for political reform, there is evidently even stronger opposition to reform within the ruling party. Those who have the most to lose through reform are the same ruling elites, including Abdullah's own circle, who must be persuaded to allow reform to happen. It would take strong leadership to push that sort of initiative through the party structure, perhaps going over the heads of party elites and enlisting the support of the masses. Abdullah doesn't seem to have that kind of leadership in him, even if that were his goal. 6. (C) Instead, the ruling party seems intent on sustaining the patina of reform without actually undertaking any step that might genuinely involve systemic change or weakening of executive power. For example, against the backdrop of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's arrest, last week the government arrested a number of immigration officials for corruption. These men are to be forgiven for wondering, "why me?" Of all who might be prosecuted, including the most senior leaders or their families, why these relative small fry? Through their sacrifice UMNO can claim action against corruption without actually doing much of anything. What does Anwar want? 7. (C) This question is not as easily answered as one might think. For the short term, he wants to be Prime Minister. First and foremost Anwar is a pragmatist, as evidenced by his ability to yoke together in an opposition front the Islamist party (PAS) and the Chinese. What are his firm guiding principles? What are the limits of his ability to compromise or accommodate? We are not sure. It was clear, for example, that he tolerated PAS's use of America as a political foil during the recent campaign season, and opposition foreign policy announcements on Mideast issues since the election have tended to follow PAS lines. But broadly speaking, he wants political liberalization and he can be expected to be an ardent supporter of the rule of law and a market economy, given his personal history. Malaysian foreign policy might not change as much as we would like to think under and Anwar government, especially in areas relating to Islam and the Middle East in which PAS will have an important say. 8. (C) For now, we may have to content ourselves with identifying what Anwar does not want. He does not want to be boxed in and made irrelevant by UMNO, or jailed. Anwar currently speaks in terms of "becoming Prime Minister or going to jail," as an either/or proposition. At age 61, he does not want to let slip what may be his last, best chance to lead the Malaysian government. He also does not want arch-nemesis DPM Najib Tun Razak to become Prime Minister, as Anwar believes Najib is much more likely than Abdullah to use harsh authoritarian measures to stop him and the Opposition. What will happen in the months ahead and what should we do? 9. (C) UMNO will try to keep Anwar on the defensive and prevent him from winning defections to his opposition front from the ruling party's coalition. The loose coalition of UMNO loyalists who seem to have banded together around Abdullah will likely try to limit the cost of each step they feel they must take to contain and eventually eradicate Anwar's influence. If they can preserve the status quo without putting Anwar in jail on the sodomy charge perhaps they will do so, content to keep it as a ready tactic to deploy against him whenever necessary. If Anwar is unwilling to remain boxed in by that tactic, and history suggests precisely this outcome, the authorities seem entirely prepared to put him in jail for a longer period of time. The government has taken a strong stand against popular street demonstrations, hoping to prevent Anwar from developing the kind of national popular response that will be necessary to create an environment in which he can win converts from the ruling party coalition. 10. (C) The skirmishing around these objectives will continue throughout July and August, and we can expect the opposition to seek to up the ante the closer we get to the Parliamentary session in the latter half of August. The initiative rests with Anwar. If he goes quiet, his political hopes fade and his personal freedom is more secure in the coming weeks; over a longer period Anwar sees himself as vulnerable to jailing or government action unless he removes himself from politics. The greater his political success, the greater a threat he is to UMNO, and the more his personal freedom becomes problematic. 11. (C) We need to continue to speak with authority from Washington and this Embassy in support of the broad principles underlying the debate in Malaysia. We should avoid undermining our principled position, and the opposition parties themselves, by appearing too close to the personalities involved, especially Anwar. Publicly, our words should continue to revolve around universal values, the criticality of the rule of law to every dimension of our bilateral relationship and Malaysia's political and economic success. 12. (C) Privately, we will want to underline the futility of the Malaysian effort to deny the political nature of the crisis before them. Whatever they believe about the "facts" of the sodomy case, at this point the ruling party has no chance of success in conveying to the Malaysian or international audience that this is merely a case of one citizen's charge against another. The authorities themselves betray that fiction on a daily basis in the pages of the domestic press, and barely one in ten Malaysians are buying into the party line a survey tells us. UMNO leaders may fail to grasp the consequences of upping the ante; they hear what we are saying, but do not understand sufficiently well how difficult it will be for them to overcome the shadows they are casting on the country. They no doubt thought they were choosing the more palatable path in using the criminal law, and thus the sodomy charge, rather than detaining Anwar as a matter of national security under the Internal Security Act. But contrary to their intent, many in the international community will take this as escalation. Now the criminal law is laid bare as a political tool, just as useful to the ruling party as the national security law. What is the long-term horizon for bilateral ties? 13. (C) Most of our relationship already hews tightly to the principle of mutual benefit. Our liaison, law enforcement, military, and commercial ties are well developed and tied directly to key national interests on both sides. Regardless of the heat of the rhetoric between us, I would expect Malaysia to seek to preserve the core relationships it has with us. With regard to the political dimension of our policy, Malaysia already has a less than inspiring record at the UN and is keen to preserve its options with the likes of the Nonaligned Movement. It may not be possible for Malaysia to become less helpful in international political areas identified with the United States, and it is unlikely to retreat in areas that are primarily multilateral (peacekeeping, for example). The biggest costs to us over the long term if Malaysia continues to undermine its own legal system are precisely in the domestic legal arena. 14. (C) Much of the promise of our bilateral ties is rooted in the notion of a transition towards a thriving civil society and robust rule of law in Malaysia. We wish to expand our export control and non-proliferation cooperation with Malaysia, for example. It is neither in our interest nor Malaysia's for this country to become increasingly a place where smugglers can do good business. Thwarting such a development (or rolling it back) requires a sophisticated set of export control laws and robust enforcement by a strong and secure government, not one struggling to justify itself to its citizens. Despite the local paranoia about U.S. intervention in internal affairs, our influence is actually being brought to bear to support and promote precisely those objectives that most Malaysians want for their own benefit. 15. (C) If the authorities are able to get through the next several months without doing fatal damage to the rule of law in Malaysia, I hope the public diplomacy dimension of our bilateral ties will take on a decidedly more legal and judicial cast. We should push ahead with our FTA talks if possible because that serves both our own economic interests as well as the broader goal of establishing more transparent and accountable systems in this country. In addition, to try to bring public focus to the centrality of the rule of law in our ties, we might want to organize visits in the short and medium term by a Supreme Court Justice, the Attorney General, and representatives of the American Bar Association. We will also review our international visitor program and other people-to-people exchanges in the coming fiscal year to ensure a central focus on the rule of law. My speeches and those of my staff will put the rule of law at the center. 16. (C) We will continue to monitor closely the situation for signs that more robust policy responses are needed. In the meantime, we should continue to exploit every opportunity for authoritative bilateral exchange to ensure we have done all we can to open Malaysian leaders' eyes to the international costs of efforts that diminish the rule of law. KEITH
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| Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 9) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Sheikh Niza had to do what was necessary to pin this rap on Ahmad Sarbaini. There was no turning back now. They had already committed themselves and so they had to make this 'Malaysian Book of Records' case stick, by hook or by crook if necessary. Sheikh Niza summoned Ahmad Sarbaini back to the MACC KL Office to give a second Cautioned Statement as below. This order was done verbally and there was no written notice issued, as what should have normally been done. NO HOLDS BARRED THE TIME HAS COME TO EXPOSE THE KILLERS OF AHMAD SARBAINI MOHAMED
ADDENDUM Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 1) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 2) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 3) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 4) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 5) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 6) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 7) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 8) |
| Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:30 PM PDT
By saying that what I wrote about the Sarbaini death is nonsense does not explain his death. What I wrote might be nonsense but Shafee Abdullah does not explain how Sarbaini died. And if he did not commit suicide and neither was he murdered, then how did he end up dead on the ground floor? NO HOLDS BARRED The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) lawyer has dismissed as nonsense the claims of Raja Petra Kamarudin regarding the death of Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed. ************************************* In April 1982, the State Assemblyman for Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Mohd Taha Talib, was found shot dead. The then Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Mokhtar Hashim, was arrested and later convicted in connection with the murder. |
| Posted: 20 Jul 2011 12:07 PM PDT
DARI JELEBU Hishamuddin Rais Untuk saya bukan 6 ribu, bukan 60 ribu atau bukan 600 ribu warga yang turun ke jalan pada 9 Julai untuk dijadikan ukuran. Untuk saya angka ini bukan persoalan. Kalau pun hanya 6 orang yang turun pada 9 Julai yang lalu – saya anggap ini adalah satu kemenangan. Kenapa saya berkata seemikian? Dalam pensejarahan, setiap negara bangsa akan wujud satu tarikh untuk diingati dan dikongsi bersama. Warga Palestin mengingati Nakba atau Malapetaka pada 15 Mei setiap tahun. Pada tarikh ini Israel telah diwujudkan. Pada tarikh ini juga tanah-tanah warga Palestin mula di rampas oleh kaum Zionis. Read more at: http://tukartiub.blogspot.com/2011/07/anak-muda-segala-bangsa-melakar-sejarah.html?zx=7830bc5a91740552 |
| Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 8) Posted: 20 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
This Cautioned Statement recorded under section 53(3) of the MACC Act was the first statement given by Ahmad Sarbaini and covered six pages where he gave a detailed description of all his and his family's assets. It was recorded in 45 minutes and Ahmad Sarbaini specifically denied having ever received any "wang imbuhan" while discharging his duties as a Customs officer. NO HOLDS BARRED THE TIME HAS COME TO EXPOSE THE KILLERS OF AHMAD SARBAINI MOHAMED
TO BE CONTINUED ADDENDUM Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 1) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 2) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 3) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 4) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 5) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 6) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 7)
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| Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:46 PM PDT
My dear brother Ahmad Azman Saaiya, I can only surmise that MCKK has failed you terribly and what the founding fathers hoped MCKK would achieve has been lost on you. How MCKK failed you so miserably is beyond me and if this is what MCKK has produced, demonstrated by your comments, then I can only conclude that an MCKK education has been wasted on you at a great loss to the taxpayers. NO HOLDS BARRED Dear Ahmad Azman Saaiya,
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| WIKILEAKS: ANWAR IMPLICATES DPM NAJIB IN MURDER CASE Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
A private investigator's legal deposition, revealed by Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on July 3, implicates Deputy Prime Minister Najib in the high-profile Altantuya murder case. The deposition, based primarily on statements reportedly made by Altantuya and murder defendant Razak Baginda, indicates that Najib had an affair with Altantuya, Altantuya assisted Najib in the controversial purchase of French submarines, and Najib attempted to intervene on Razak Baginda's behalf at the time of his arrest. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000572
SIPDIS
FOR EAP/MTS AND INR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2028 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, MARR, KDEM, KJUS, MY SUBJECT: ANWAR IMPLICATES DPM NAJIB IN MURDER CASE
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 570 - GOM DELIVERS PROTEST TO USG B. KUALA LUMPUR 563 - ANWAR ON OFFENSIVE C. KUALA LUMPUR 557 - ANWAR TAKES REFUGE D. KUALA LUMPUR 73 - PROSECUTOR DOWNBEAT ON MURDER CASE E. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 291
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and d).
Summary 1. (C) A private investigator's legal deposition, revealed by Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on July 3, implicates Deputy Prime Minister Najib in the high-profile Altantuya murder case. The deposition, based primarily on statements reportedly made by Altantuya and murder defendant Razak Baginda, indicates that Najib had an affair with Altantuya, Altantuya assisted Najib in the controversial purchase of French submarines, and Najib attempted to intervene on Razak Baginda's behalf at the time of his arrest. The investigator claims that this information was suppressed by police and ignored by prosecutors. Anwar's revelation of this information comes as he launches a political offensive following recent sodomy allegations, which he believes were instigated by Najib. Meanwhile, Anwar and the Opposition coalition are set to begin a series of nationwide rallies, including a major gathering on July 6 near Kuala Lumpur. The national police chief announced the military would join the police in tackling illegal assemblies in an emergency situation, a role the military last played during the 1969 politically-inspired race riots. Najib and the government of Prime Minister Abdullah will need to respond, both to Anwar's explosive revelations, but also to the Opposition leader's political offensive, including plans to hold nationwide rallies. End Summary. Explosive Revelations 2. (SBU) On July 3, as the next step in his energized political offensive, former DPM and de facto opposition coalition leader Anwar Ibrahim released a statutory declaration (similar to a deposition in the U.S. system), made by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam on July 1, linking Deputy Prime Minister Najib to murder victim Altantuya Shaariibuu (ref e) and implicating Najib in efforts to subvert the investigation of the case. (Najib's advisor Razak Baginda and two members of Najib's security detail are currently on trial for murder in this case.) Anwar produced the explosive affidavit during a press conference on July 3, with Balasubramaniam standing by his side. 3. (SBU) Balasubramaniam bases his statement on conversations he had with Razak Baginda and with Altantuya; on events he witnessed acting as Razak Baginda's investigator; and his experiences under arrest and in the courtroom at the opening stage of the murder trial. Among other things, the affidavit includes the following damaging allegations against Najib and others: -- Najib and Altantuya had an affair and that Najib introduced her to Baginda. (Note: Najib has repeatedly denied knowing Altantuya. End note.) -- Najib, along with Razak Baginda, was with Altantuya in Paris in connection with the negotiations for the purchase of French submarines, and that Altantuya believed she was due $500,000 for her services. -- Najib asked Razak Baginda to take care of Altantuya, as Najib did not want Altantuya harassing him. -- Najib, in a text message, told Razak Baginda he would meet with Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan to resolve the issue of Razak Baginda's impending arrest for murder. -- Police omitted the above information that Balasubramaniam provided during his seven-day interrogation regarding the murder, and that prosecutors never addressed any questions to him during his court appearances. 4. (SBU) Anwar stated it was evident the police and prosecution team, especially IGP Musa Hassan and Attorney General Abdul Gani manipulated the case to protect the DPM and hide any linkages of the DPM to Altantuya. He declared that the declaration further confirmed a clear and consistent pattern of manipulation of the criminal justice system since 1998. Anwar continued by saying he is worried the IGP and AG will again manipulate evidence and statements during the probe into alleged sodomy charges against Anwar (ref A - C). 5. (SBU) Anwar's incendiary revelations follow a statutory declaration by controversial blogger Raja Petra in which he alleged that Najib's wife, Rosmah, was present at scene of Altantuya's murder. In addition, on July 1 Anwar publicly accused Najib and Rosmah for being behind the current sodomy allegations against Anwar, which is now under police investigation. Taking the Campaign Against Najib on the road 6. (SBU) On another front, Anwar starts a nationwide tour with a rally in Penang on July 5 followed by an appearance at a rally in Shah Alam on July 6. The Opposition hope to use the Shah Alam rally, originally intended as a protest against the fuel price hikes, as a show of support for their cause against the government. Anwar and other Peoples Alliance (opposition coalition) leaders are urging their supporters to attend and hope for a massive turnout (a minimum of 50,000 people) in order to send a message to the government and add credibility to Anwar's claims that he can bring down the government through the defection of enough government MPs by his announced target of September 16. Police-Military Joint Exercise to Maintain Public Order 7. (C) At a joint press conference between the Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan and Armed Forces Chief Abdul Aziz Zainal on July 2, Musa Hassan stated that the cooperation between the security forces is crucial because political parties, NGOs, and individuals were organizing more illegal assemblies. They announced the police and armed forces began a joint training exercise to maintain crowd control and public order. Musa said the police and military would work together to tackle illegal assemblies only if absolutely necessary and in the event of a declared emergency. The tabletop command post exercise began July 2 is expected to run until July 7. Another joint exercise is planned in September (coinciding with the deadline Anwar set to bring down the ruling government). The last time joint police and military force was used to maintain public order was during the politically motivated 1969 race riots. In 1974, a contingent of rangers was deployed to university campuses to control student protests (coincidentally led by then student activist Anwar Ibrahim). Police chief Musa Hassan stated use of military forces during a public disturbance would only take place after consultation with the Home Ministry and Defense Ministry. A senior military staff member told the DATT that the military is not anxious to take on police roles, but is closely watching events. Comment 8. (C) Anwar and Najib have entered a very high stakes political game. The risks to both men are tremendous, and not limited to their political careers. Najib will be damaged by the latest serious allegations, coming on the heels of other statements implicating him and his wife in the murder, and the existing widespread public belief that the ongoing Altantuya murder trial has been the subject of political manipulation. Najib and the government of Prime Minister Abdullah will need to respond, both to Anwar's explosive revelations, but also to the Opposition leader's political offensive, including plans to hold nationwide rallies. KEITH
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| Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 7) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Nervously, Ahmad Sarbaini climbed onto the windowsill as ordered by Mohd Fauzi who continued taunting and abusing him with insults. Sheikh Niza merely looked on. In that split second, Ahmad Sarbaini's belt got stuck on the outer part of the window and he lost his balance and his life. And, horror of horrors, what happened to Teoh Beng Hock happened to Ahmad Sarbaini when he fell to his death onto the badminton court below. NO HOLDS BARRED THE TIME HAS COME TO EXPOSE THE KILLERS OF AHMAD SARBAINI MOHAMED D Day: 6th April On the morning of 6th April 2011, Ahmad Sarbaini went to the Subang mosque for his dawn (Subuh) prayers. There, he met his good friend, Azman, and told him that he would be amending his earlier statement given to the MACC. In retrospect, he thought that would not be a problem because he had come to regard Sheikh Niza as a friend. By 8.30 am, Ahmad Sarbaini was already at the KL MACC office. Within minutes, he was speaking to Sheikh Niza who was eager to record a further Cautioned Statement from Ahmad Sarbaini. Sheikh Niza panicked when Ahmad Sarbaini told him he wished to retract his earlier confession as it was procured through fraud and deceit. Of course, Sheikh Niza hit the roof and stated clearly that it was absolutely impossible! Ahmad Sarbaini was upset and became agitated when Sheikh Niza rejected his request outright. He pleaded desperately with Sheikh Niza and explained that he had misunderstood what the confession was about. However, Sheikh Niza flatly dismissed him and told him to report the matter to KUS Mohd Fauzi. Then Sheikh Niza made Ahmad Sarbaini wait while he discussed this crucial turn of events with Mohd Fauzi. By then, Sheikh Niza's tone was beginning to sound ominous to Ahmad Sarbaini. As expected, Mohd Fauzi flipped when he was told that Ahmad Sarbaini wanted to retract his earlier statement. He warned Sheikh Niza that this would ruin both their careers as their HQ was already over the moon about Ahmad Sarbaini's 'extracted confession'. Since IO Abd Ghani was sceptical when he first saw the confession, Mohd Fauzi then asked if he had spoken to Ahmad Sarbaini about this confession. Abd Ghani was approaching retirement age and had been disillusioned when despite his seniority, bypassed for promotion and with the recent happenings in the MACC. Hence, the ambitious Mohd Fauzi -- who by now had become IO Abd Ghani's superior was stricken with fear that IO Abd Ghani might jeopardise the investigation as Ketua Unit Siasatan (KUS). The cause of death KUS Mohd Fauzi directed Abd Ghani to track down Wan Zainal while he and Sheikh Niza would 'straighten out' Ahmad Sarbaini. Sheikh Niza was also ordered to seize Ahmad Sarbaini's mobile phone. Sheikh Niza brought Ahmad Sarbaini to KUS Mohd Fauzi's office, which was next door to the pantry (remember what happened to Teoh Beng Hock). Here, he was verbally abused. KUS Mohd Fauzi called Ahmad Sarbaini a disgrace to the Royal Malaysian Customs, that he was not fit to wear their uniform. Rather shaken up, Ahmad Sarbaini pleaded for pity and a drink of water. Shockingly, they brought Ahmad Sarbaini to the pantry. Incredibly, as punishment for attempting to retract his 'confession', Mohd Fauzi ordered him to climb out of the window and forced him to stand on the ledge. KUS Mohd Fauzi wanted Ahmad Sarbaini to ponder and reflect on his actions while standing on the edge as "orang macam kau ni lebih baik mati dari hidup menyusahkan orang lain". Nervously, Ahmad Sarbaini climbed onto the windowsill as ordered by Mohd Fauzi who continued taunting and abusing him with insults. Sheikh Niza merely looked on. In that split second, Ahmad Sarbaini's belt got stuck on the outer part of the window and he lost his balance and his life. And, horror of horrors, what happened to Teoh Beng Hock happened to Ahmad Sarbaini when he fell to his death onto the badminton court below. KUS Mohd Fauzi was in a dizzy panic when what was supposed to be a threat had now turned fatal. He feared his career and future went up in smoke the moment Ahmad Sarbaini lost his balance. In shock and panic, he ran from the pantry back to his room. Sheikh Niza immediately ran downstairs to the lobby in a state of shock and disbelief. He was at the verge of tears, regretting this tragic death. Concocting a story Without further delay, KUS Mohd Fauzi called everyone into his room to brainstorm and to concoct the most plausible story. Abd Ghani, Henrietta, Khalid, Kamal and also Sheikh Niza finally agreed the best storyline was that Ahmad Sarbaini had committed suicide as he was depressed that his confession could not be retracted.The Director, Hj Mohd Yusof, was also brought into the loop and the approval from HQ sought. The script seemed good enough for a press conference that would be called by Dato' Mustafar Ali later that day. That would be the storyline they would all narrate to anyone asking about the death. And that would be the same story they would give when making the 911 phone call to the Police and in summoning an ambulance. And that was also why not one of these officers went downstairs to confirm whether the dead man on the badminton court was indeed Ahmad Sarbaini. They already knew who was lying dead on the badminton court. They did not need to go downstairs to verify the identity of the dead person. They all admitted that immediately upon discovering the dead body, they huddled into KUS Mohd Fauzi's room for a 'conference'. They would later rehearse this script over and over again and say that they were too afraid and were in a state of shock. To ensure that there was no evidence as to what really happened, they erased the CCTV recordings. That was why the police audio-visual forensics analyst, ASP Fauziah Che Mat, told the Coroner that the CCTV recordings had been tampered with. According to ASP Fauziah, more than 22 hours of recordings from the three-dozen CCTV cameras in the building were 'interrupted by someone who has expertise in using CCTVs' by 'changing of operation on the set, manually'.
ASP Fauziah: very definite that the CCTV at KL MACC's office were tampered by an expert Concealing the true cause of death However, after running this story past that brilliant legal mind, Dato Seri Mohd Shafee Abdullah, MACC was told that the suicide story would not go down well with the Malaysian public. Firstly, another suicide theory would be too close to the Teoh Beng Hock 'suicide'. Secondly, other than the 'confession', there was no other evidence of Ahmad Sarbaini's involvement in any corrupt activities. Confessions are mostly procured through torture and intimidation. Without any tangible evidence, the story would not be plausible. The Police collaborated with the MACC in their attempt to conceal the real cause of Ahmad Sarbaini's death. The scratch marks on Ahmad Sarbaini's belt and the paint stains on his pants would be used as 'evidence' to explain that he was trying to make a hasty escape by jumping onto the roof from the pantry. Unfortunately, the Coroner had visited the site and anyone who has been to that building would know that jumping onto that roof would lead nowhere. As such, that could not ever have been an escape route! The Killers and the Conspirators We now know the identities of Ahmad Sarbaini's killers and conspirators. It is for the Coroner to make that finding of the cause of death and thereafter for AG Gani Patail as the Public Prosecutor to charge these people. In the meantime, to do justice to this poor deceased man and his family, let it be known that other than the so-called 'confession' -- which was obtained through deception and threats -- there is no evidence to show that the late Ahmad Sarbaini was involved in any corrupt practices. All of the MACC witnesses have admitted that fact in court during the Inquest. Also, the MACC's own investigations and audit on his and his family's assets did not disclose any extraordinary wealth -- as what we may have found in recent disclosures of the assets of our politicians and leaders. So let us allow the soul of Ahmad Sarbaini to rest in peace and offer his grief-stricken widow some respite and respect.
GRIEF-STRICKEN: Ahamad sarbani's wife, Marziah TO BE CONTINUED ADDENDUM Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 1) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 2) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 3) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 4) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 5) Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 6) |
| Posted: 18 Jul 2011 05:41 PM PDT
Let's accept one fact. Umno is the problem. And the problem can never become the solution. And if Ku Li thinks that the solution to the problem is to reform Umno, then he is barking up the wrong tree. And this would mean AMANAH is going to fail. NO HOLDS BARRED On Friday, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) is going to launch a new movement called Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (AMANAH), according to Free Malaysia Today (you can read the full news coverage below). *********************************** Ku Li wants to rekindle spirit of founding fathers |
| WIKILEAKS: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE Posted: 17 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra voluntarily completed a sworn statement ("statutory declaration") at a Malaysian court on June 18, in which he affirmed that he was "reliably informed" Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, together with her aide Norhayati and acting Colonel Aziz Buyong (Norhayati's husband), were present at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000529
SIPDIS
FOR EAP/MTS AND INR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2028 TAGS: PGOV, PINR, KJUS, KDEM, MY SUBJECT: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE
REF: KUALA LUMPUR 335 - SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and d).
Summary 1. (C) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra executed a sworn statement on June 18 to the effect that Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, was at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006, and that PM Abdullah and a Royal received information to that effect. While the mainstream press has shied away from printing Rosmah's name, Kuala Lumpur is abuzz with this latest explosive allegation. PM Abdullah has thus far remained silent, while the national police chief and Attorney General said they would investigate. Raja Petra, who faces sedition charges for earlier claims, informed us that the Attorney General's Office filed a police report on the matter, and he expected to be called in for questioning soon. While the latest allegations of Rosmah's presence at the murder seem implausible, they nevertheless will have resonance with a Malaysian public that does not have confidence in the integrity of the Altantuya murder investigation. Continued public attention to such reports also could damage Najib's front-runner status as PM Abdullah's successor. End Summary. Rosmah at Murder Scene, PM Has Report 2. (U) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra voluntarily completed a sworn statement ("statutory declaration") at a Malaysian court on June 18, in which he affirmed that he was "reliably informed" Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, together with her aide Norhayati and acting Colonel Aziz Buyong (Norhayati's husband), were present at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006. Raja Petra also stated that military intelligence provided a report with this information to Prime Minister Abdullah, which was subsequently given to Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin "for safe-keeping," and that one of Malaysia's traditional rulers also was briefed on the matter. Raja Petra did not reveal the source of this information. Raja Petra remains indicted for sedition for his earlier internet reports that implied DPM Najib and wife Rosmah were connected to the on-going Altantuya murder case (ref A). 3. (SBU) Internet reports of Raja Petra's declaration emerged on June 20, and the full text became available on his Malaysia Today website. Some of Malaysia's mainstream media briefly reported Raja Petra's new allegations, but carefully avoided identifying Rosmah Mansor as the "prominent VIP" named in his statement. An aide to Najib reportedly described the statement as "mind-boggling." Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan told reporters the police would look into the "highly inflammatory" allegations, and could take action against Raja Petra if they were found to be untrue, while Attorney General Abdul Gani Patil stated his office would look "seriously" into the matter. Heavy Buzz in Parliament 4. (C) As members of Parliament gathered June 23 for the opening of the second parliamentary session, Raja Petra's story competed with speculation of a no-confidence vote against PM Abdullah for the attention of lawmakers. Opposition MPs, parliamentary watchers, and journalists who spoke with us at Parliament all remarked that Raja Petra had put himself at great risk, and therefore they speculated that he must have some evidence in hand. If this is a bluff, "it will cost him and his family," one MP remarked. Prominent opposition MP Lim Kit Siang said he was troubled that the PM had kept quiet about the allegations. Later on June 23, Kit Siang introduced an emergency parliamentary motion to discuss Raja Petra's statement. The Parliament Speaker is required to accept or reject on an emergency motion within 24 hours. Raja Petra Ready for Police 5. (C) We spoke briefly with Raja Petra and his wife Marina on June 23. They related that the AGO had filed a police report regarding the affidavit. A seemingly confident Raja Petra said, "I am ready and eagerly waiting for the police to question me," and took exception to the threatening tone of IGP Musa's remarks. He also implied he had further evidence to implicate DPM Najib and his wife, and asked rhetorically what action the police would take "if the allegations are true." Comment 6. (C) Putting aside the question of Najib's links to the case, the allegation that Najib's wife would be present at the Altantuya murder scene strikes us as very implausible, though fully in keeping with Raja Petra's sometimes wild and highly emotional reporting. The Malaysian public and political elite, however, have no confidence in the integrity of the government's investigation into the 2006 murder of Altantuya. The government's inept and gruelingly slow prosecution of the case against DPM Najib's former advisor Razak Baginda and two soldiers from Najib's security detail, and the authorities' decision early on to limit the scope of the investigation to exclude any further links with DPM Najib, have sent clear signals of political interference. Against this backdrop, most Malaysians will believe there is at least some truth in Raja Petra's affidavit. Amidst the leadership struggle within the ruling UMNO party, emerging fractures in the National Front coalition, and maneuvering for a no-confidence vote against PM Abdullah, the latest allegations add to the nation's sense of political turmoil. Continued public focus on such allegations also could harm Najib's front-runner status as PM Abdullah's successor. KEITH
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| WIKILEAKS: UNPRECEDENTED SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Raja Petra was charged after posting an article on his website on April 25 entitled 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' that implied that DPM Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor were connected to the 2006 murder of a young Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaaribuu. He also accused PM Abdullah of holding on to evidence that implicates his deputy in order to keep Najib in line. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000355
SIPDIS
FOR EAP/MTS AND DRL - JANE KIM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, KDEM, KPAO, MY SUBJECT: UNPRECEDENTED SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER
REF: A. A) KL 130 - PRESS STIFLED IN ALTANTUYA TRIAL B. B) KL 73 - PROSECUTOR DOWNBEAT ON ALTANTUYA CASE C. C) 2007 KL 291 )RAZAK BAGINDA CASE
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d).
1. (C) Summary. For the first time, Malaysian authorities have resorted to a colonial-era law to bring sedition charges against a blogger and the author of a comment on an internet web site. Blogger and veteran anti-government activist Raja Petra Kamarudin touched a sensitive nerve in implying that DPM Najib Tun Razak and his wife were connected to 2006 murder of a young Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaaribuu (reftels). He also accused PM Abdullah of holding on to evidence that implicates his deputy to keep Najib in line. Visiting EAP DAS Marciel raised the issue with Deputy Home Minister Wan Farid on May 6, and Wan Farid indicated the proceedings against Raja Petra should be a warning to other bloggers. The Raja Petra case will continue to keep public focus on the Altantuya case and allegations of Najib's involvement. Prosecuting a blogger for sedition also complicates Prime Minister Abdullah's efforts to be seen as a reformer. End summary. Colonial-era Sedition Act utilized 2. (SBU) On May 6 Malaysian Police charged blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and Syed Ali Akhbar, who posted a comment on Raja Petra's website, with sedition. This is the first time Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act (enacted by British colonial authorities in 1948) has been used in response to material appearing on the internet. The Section reads, 'Any person who prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication' can be charged with sedition. If found guilty, Raja Petra and Syed Ali could be jailed for a maximum of three years and/or face a fine of up to USD1,600. Syed Ali was released on bail after pleading not guilty and the court fixed June 10 to hear submissions by the defense and prosecution on a preliminary objection raised by the defense, which claimed that the charge was groundless. Raja Petra initially refused to post bail and was remanded at the Sungai Buloh prison, but on May 8 he changed his stance and he was scheduled to be released on bail May 9. His trial is fixed for October 6-10. 3. (SBU) Another prominent blogger described Raja Petra's action to poloffs as a gambit to not only generate publicity for himself but also for his news portal Malaysia Today (www.malaysia-today.net). The local blogger community as a whole has reacted with outrage to what is seen as a threat to the free exchange of ideas on the internet. The Malaysian Bar Council called on the authorities to withdraw the charges against Raja Petra and Syed Ali, describing the relevant section of the Sedition Act as a draconian, archaic and repressive legislation that has long outlived any perceived utility it might ever have had. A number of prominent civil society groups issued a statement characterizing Raja Petra's arrest as politically motivated and aimed at silencing principled and uncompromising voice speaking against the abuse of power, including those stemming from the highest level of government and authority. 4. (C) DPM Najib publicly denied that the arrests were politically motivated or an indication of government intentions to crack down on internet sites. Visiting EAP DAS Scot Marciel raised the case with Deputy Home Minister Wan Farid on May 6 and questioned why the government was using sedition charges in such a case. Wan Farid said bloggers could not be allowed to accuse people of murder and not back up such claims. "You can't just (post) anything on the internet," and not expect consequences, indicating this was a warning to other bloggers. The government would proceed with the case in court, Wan Farid said. Raja Petra a thorn in UMNO's side 5. (SBU) Raja Petra was charged after posting an article on his website on April 25 entitled 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' that implied that DPM Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor were connected to the 2006 murder of a young Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaaribuu. He also accused PM Abdullah of holding on to evidence that implicates his deputy in order to keep Najib in line. Two police officers from the security detail of DPM Najib have been charged for killing Altantuya, while Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of DPM Najib, was charged with abetting the murder. The murder trial that began in June 2007 has been dragging along for nearly a year, giving rise to suggestions of deliberate delays for political reasons (Ref A ). 6. (SBU) This is not the first time Raja Petra, a cousin of the current Sultan of Selangor, has challenged the ruling establishment. He was one of the key leaders of the reformasi movement launched in September 1998 by former DPM Anwar. In 2000 he became the Director of the Free Anwar Campaign (FAC) and founded the FAC website that regularly posted articles criticizing the government. In 2001 he was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and held for 52 days before being released unconditionally, reportedly due to pressure from his uncle the then King, the late Sultan of Selangor. In July 2007 he was detained, questioned and released after UMNO Information Chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib filed a police report against him for allegedly insulting the King and Islam. 7. (SBU) Raja Petra launched Malaysia Today in August 2004 "to test how far Malaysia under its new Prime Minister (PM Abdullah) can honor, respect and tolerate free speech." The blog grew to an average of 1.5 million hits a day and was voted one of the top ten websites by local internet users in 2007. One reporter describes it as Malaysia's answer to the U.S. Drudge Report, a news aggregation site, dedicated to entertaining tales of political intrigue. In meetings with poloffs, Raja Petra has nevertheless insisted that all of his reports are backed by hard evidence. 8. (SBU) UMNO leaders have blamed internet media and bloggers, in particular Raja Petra, as contributing to the BN's setback in the March election. Raja Petra agreed, telling reporters on May 6, they lost in the election because of the internet war. Malaysia Today was one of the culprits. He added that his defense team would prove there was no case against him and that it was a matter of political persecution. One sympathetic academic described the action against Raja Petra as the return to sledgehammer rule by UMNO, but added recalcitrant bloggers like Raja Petra threaten UMNO's survival, because the ruling party has failed to find a formula for countering its internet critics. Syed Akhbar Ali: Easy to Impress the Malays 9. (SBU) In Syed Akhbar Ali's case, the author was belatedly charged for posting a comment in June 2007 on a Raja Petra authored Malaysia Today piece alleging strong links between Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan and a major organized crime syndicate. Raja Petra had written that the syndicate protected by the IGP was involved in prostitution, drugs, and illegal gambling. In his comment, titled Easy to Impress the Malays, Akhbar used crude language in maintaining that massage centers are mushrooming in the city due to the sudden increase in Arab visitors, and in a similar vein went on to make some scurrilous comments about the Arabs and Islam, and the naivety of Malays in accepting Arab ideas. Comment 10. (C) In another indication of the growing influence of internet media, both DPM Najib and his wife have been compelled to go public in responding to Raja Petra's report, maintaining that the allegations are unfounded and unfair. The Raja Petra case will continue to keep public attention on the Altantuya murder and on allegations of Najib's involvement in the crime at a time when Prime Minister Abdullah has announced Najib as his eventual successor. Prosecuting a blogger for sedition complicates Prime Minister Abdullah's efforts to be seen as a reformer and will further boost the profile of Malaysia's anti-government internet activists. KEITH
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| Now do you understand the meaning of The Third Force? Posted: 13 Jul 2011 05:31 PM PDT
We hope, now, the meaning of The Third Force becomes clearer. And the newly crowned leader of this Third Force is Ambiga Sreenevasan. She may be a reluctant leader. Maybe she did not plan to emerge as its leader. However, like it or not, she is now the leader of Malaysia's Third Force. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
Reject Anwar's 'revolution', says Utusan Malaysia (The Malaysian Insider) - Continuing its anti-Bersih tirade today, Utusan Malaysia told Malaysians to reject Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's "revolution" and ignore a spin-off campaign from last weekend's rally which calls on supporters to wear yellow every Saturday. The Umno-owned daily front-paged an article titled "Reject Anwar's revolution" where it solicited the views of four retired top cops, including two former Inspectors-General of Police, to condemn Anwar's "revolution" comment on Malaysia to the Indonesian media. Calling Anwar "pengkhianat negara (traitor to the country)", the paper wrote that many have rejected the opposition leader's purported attempt to instigate the people by claiming that Malaysia was on the verge of revolution. "Anwar Ibrahim has been deemed a traitor to the country and stern action should be taken against him immediately," the paper wrote. According to the article, former IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan said that Anwar's statement clearly showed that the opposition leader wants to see his country in chaos. "The police and the government should not hesitate to take stern action against him," he was quoted as saying. Other top cops, including former IGP Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor, former deputy IGP Tan Sri Samsuri Arshad and former Special Branch director Datuk Zulkifli Abdul Rahman were also quoted as condemning Anwar in the article. In its editorial section, Utusan Malaysia praised the police as the "true heroes" of Saturday, despite widespread criticisms from the opposition, civil society groups and the foreign media that the police had used excessive force on protestors. Thousands took to the capital's streets on Saturday to march for free and fair elections but chaos broke out close to midday when police in full riot gear moved to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas canisters and spraying jets of chemical-laced water on protestors. "As sane-minded individuals, surely we can acknowledge that the true heroes were the police. Their persistence, hard work and patience in carrying out their duties saved the country from chaos on July 9," said Zulkiflee Bakar, the paper's editor. In another editorial, Utusan Malaysia predicted that Bersih's spin-off "wear yellow every Saturday" campaign could hamper public safety. "First it starts with one or two groups but if it is allowed to prolong for weeks, it may build a strength that could affect public safety. "The authorities should move quickly to overcome Bersih's agendas, which are reaching a point where they should no longer be given face," the paper said. *********************************** They can reject Anwar's 'revolution' if they so wish. This is really no skin of our nose. First of all, we really don't know what 'revolution' it is that they are talking about. Maybe they think that Anwar is attempting to start a Tahrir Square in Malaysia. Secondly, this has nothing to do with Anwar. Why focus just on Anwar as if he is the only one that matters and the rest don't? Thirdly, one man -- Anwar or whoever it may be -- really can't start revolutions unless it is the will of the rakyat. Then again, if it is the will of the rakyat then we don't need Anwar to tell us to start a revolution. Finally, and most important of all, the revolution has already started. The only thing is the government/Barisan Nasional were sleeping while it happened. And when they were told about it back in 2004, after the GE of that year, they pooh-poohed the whole thing. In 2007-2008 they actually said that the Internet is not a threat and not significant. Then, after the 2008 GE, when they got hit bad, the government sheepishly admitted that they underestimated the power of the Internet. Yes, the revolution I am talking about is the mental revolution triggered by yet another revolution, the communications revolution, triggered by yet another revolution, the Internet, which made access to information so easy. It was a sort of chain reaction. We need to study history and understand how the ruling elite in collaboration with the church kept the rakyat in ignorance. Only by keeping the rakyat in ignorance can the people be enslaved -- mental slavery. But once the people started educating themselves and dragged themselves out of ignorance, changes started to happen. It was a long and winding road to freedom but finally, after generations of fighting against ignorance, the rakyat won. And Europe is what it is today because of that. But it took a very long time indeed. Nevertheless, the rakyat finally won. Ignorance was cast side and the people took control of their destiny. We must remember that Europe remained in ignorance for a very long time. And it remained in ignorance as the Middle East moved ahead and progressed. And the Middle East moved ahead because they welcomed education and innovation. But once the ruling elite of the Middle East banned innovation, the Middle East went backwards while the very backward Europe, which learned everything it could from the Middle East and improved upon it, overtook the Middle East. Today we can see the glaring difference between Europe and the Middle East. The once enlightened are now locked in ignorance while the once ignorant are now masters of the world. That, in a small way, is happening in Malaysia, just like it is happening all over the world. The world is seeing a second wind of sorts. Changes have been happening all over the western world. And because of the now borderless world and the world being reduced to a global 'village', Malaysia is being dragged along screaming and kicking and resistance is futile. The government has to understand that this is not about Anwar. This is a natural phenomenon. The only way for Malaysia to isolate itself from this mental revolution brought on by the communications revolution, which has in turn been brought on by the Internet, is to embark upon a closed-door policy. Malaysia has to do what China once did. It has to shut itself from the rest of the world. Then the global revolution would not hit Malaysia's shores. But it may be too late for that now. The next point I want to make is about what Bersih represents. Over the last year or so we have been trying to make people understand what we mean by The Third Force. When we first mooted the idea of The Third Force through the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), most people interpreted this to mean 'three-corner fights' in the elections. As much as we tried to explain the concept, many refused to accept our explanation and insisted that The Third Force, which to them means 'three-corner contests', is destructive to the ideals of a two-party system and counter-productive to Pakatan Rakyat's effort at ousting Barisan Nasional. On 9th July 2011, what we saw was The Third Force in action. This was not about 'three-corner fights'. This was about taking back power from the politicians and transferring it into the hands of the rakyat. Never mind whether 6,000 people came out that day (as what the police says), or 20,000 people (as what the mainstream media says), or 50,000 people (as what some say), or 200,000 people (as what others say), or whatever. The numbers are not as important as the fact that the rakyat demonstrated their will to come out to show their unhappiness and to send a strong message to the powers-that-be that changes must happen and resistance is futile. The rakyat has 'tasted blood', that day on 9th July 2011. And there is no turning back the clock. Bersih has taught the rakyat the meaning of The Third Force. The rakyat now understands that united they can force changes. And the rakyat is going to continue to force changes and anyone who stands in the way of the rakyat is going to be swept aside. We hope, now, the meaning of The Third Force becomes clearer. And the newly crowned leader of this Third Force is Ambiga Sreenevasan. She may be a reluctant leader. Maybe she did not plan to emerge as its leader. However, like it or not, she is now the leader of Malaysia's Third Force. Now I hope you understand what we mean when we talk about The Third Force. |
| WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA ATTEMPTS TO REIN IN BLOGGERS Posted: 12 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Raja Petra, not known for his subtlety, responded immediately to the UMNO Information Chief with a flaming article entitled, "See you in hell Muhammad son of Muhammad," which also recalled prior corruption charges against his detractor and highlighted Raja Petra's family ties to royalty. On July 25, police called in Raja Petra for 8 hours of questioning before releasing him. Raja Petra claimed that UMNO's police report and his questioning was part of "an agenda to clamp down on blogs before the coming general election in a move to black out news." THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KUALA LUMPUR 001218
SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS AND DRL -- SARAH BUCKLEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, SOCI, KPAO, MY SUBJECT: VIRTUAL LIMITS: MALAYSIA ATTEMPTS TO REIN IN BLOGGERS REF: KUALA LUMPUR 1155 - POLICE DETAIN ANWAR AIDE
Classified By: Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary 1. (C) Bloggers fear the recent police actions against two prominent online political commentators, Nathaniel Tan and Raja Petra Kamarudin, presage a Government of Malaysia (GOM) crackdown on the freedoms of speech and the press in cyberspace. GOM leaders and officials from the dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) justified the moves as necessary to check irresponsible bloggers who incite racial and religious hatred. The GOM has announced its readiness to use the Internal Security Act, the Sedition Act, and Section 121b of the Penal Code against bloggers, and there is some discussion of introducing new legislation to plug legal loopholes. Prominent political leaders including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are warning bloggers and cyber-activists they are not immune from the law, and will face prosecution for transgressions such as insulting Islam and the King, and inciting the population through "lies" on websites. Opposition leaders and human rights NGOs are condemning the police actions and public threats, stating these are politically motivated and meant to instill "a news blackout" and squelch dissent prior to the anticipated general elections. The Internet is Malaysia's last bastion of press freedom and the arena for incessant rumor-mongering among the country's elites. Opposition parties and government critics rely heavily on the Internet because the GOM controls access to traditional media outlets to favor UMNO and the ruling National Front (Barisan Nasional, BN). The GOM clearly has fired a warning shot into cyberspace in an effort to rein in outspoken critics. End Summary. First salvo fired against cyber-activists 2. (SBU) The GOM fired its opening salvo on Internet bloggers on July 13 when it arrested Nathaniel Tan, a People's Justice Party (PKR) webmaster and blogger, after corruption allegations against Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharom were posted by a third party on Tan's website (reftel). When police detained Tan, they reportedly denied him access to his lawyer, the chance to inform his family of his arrest, and concealed his whereabouts while processing his arrest. P. Uthayakumar, a coordinator for the NGO Police Watch, spotted Mr. Tan when police took him before a magistrate and notified Mr. Tan's lawyer of his whereabouts. Tan, released on bail after four days, was held for suspicion of "wrongful communication of an official secret." While police reportedly questioned Tan regarding information on the Johari corruption story, Tan's lawyer, R. Sivarasa, stated, "I want to go on record (to say) this detention is politically motivated." 3. (U) Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader and member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), condemned the "secretive circumstances in the first seven hours of Tan's arrest". He also called it "a scandal which speaks of a police which has yet to fully accept that the first principle of policing in a democratic system must be policing for the people and not policing to serve the government leaders of the day." Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the human rights NGO Suaram, the Malaysian Bar Council, the Center for Independent Journalism, and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) all condemned Mr. Tan's arrest while The Sun newspaper described his arrest as "politically motivated." UMNO Takes On Cyber Gadfly 4. (U) UMNO Information Chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib filed a police report on July 23 (11 days after Mr. Tan's arrest) against the political website Malaysia Today and its outspoken webmaster Raja Petra. A cousin to the current Sultan of Selangor, Raja Petra set up his website in 2004 and it is now one of the most popular news websites in the country. About 30 UMNO leaders accompanied the Information Chief when he filed the police report. He claimed the postings and articles were disrespectful to the King and Islam, and had the potential to "create unrest in the country and strike fear in the people." The UMNO Information Chief urged the police to take swift action, and stated the portal's contents could undermine unity and corrupt young minds "to think that there are no rules and sensitivities governing articles and that anyone can write on any matter in the name of individual freedom." 5. (U) Several senators and defacto Law Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz joined the chorus in the subsequent days. Nazri stated the government would take legal action against bloggers who flagrantly belittle Islam or the King using three laws: the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Sedition Act, and Section 121b of the Penal Code (which relates to offenses against the King, Sultans, or Governors that entails life imprisonment if convicted). He cited as an example a blog entry belittling Islam in which the writer described the religion as, "a big lie fabricated by Arabs who had put a huge rock (the Kaabah) in the middle of the desert." The Minister claimed the comment was not only ill mannered but could provoke anger among Muslims. Nazri also stated the government was considering formulating new laws allowing it to monitor and act against offending bloggers, and closing any legal loopholes. He stressed that the proposed legislation's intent is not to strangle the freedom of the Internet but to put a stop to the "freedom to lie in the blogosphere." The Minister explained, "We want blogs to be clean, a place to obtain accurate information, a reference point for honest opinion, not a platform to abuse and slander people." 6. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been savaged in Malaysia's blogs for corruption and alleged tie-ins to the Altantuya murder scandal, explained to the public June 23 that UMNO Information Chief's filing of the police report against Raja Petra did not signal the GOM made a "special decision" to clamp down on bloggers. He added, "everyone must be aware that there are laws in this country." However, the DPM's comments regarding bloggers were harsher later that night while speaking at the Malaysian Press Institute Press Awards. There, he noted the government was deeply troubled by the growth of "irresponsible" alternative media. He explained, "In the name of freedom, these websites allow the broadcast of slander, lies, and swearing, the use of harsh, degrading language and racial slurs without regard for the reader or those concerned." He stressed the government's tolerance of antigovernment positions and criticisms on the Internet, but "we are very concerned about statements that insult religion and reek of racism." He warned that webmasters and web journalists are not exempt from laws and the GOM "will not permit any party to disturb the nation's harmony and cause unease among the community." Police Summon Raja Petra 7. (U) Raja Petra, not known for his subtlety, responded immediately to the UMNO Information Chief with a flaming article entitled, "See you in hell Muhammad son of Muhammad," which also recalled prior corruption charges against his detractor and highlighted Raja Petra's family ties to royalty. On July 25, police called in Raja Petra for 8 hours of questioning before releasing him. Raja Petra claimed that UMNO's police report and his questioning was part of "an agenda to clamp down on blogs before the coming general election in a move to black out news." 8. (U) Many of the same opposition politicians and activists who rallied behind Nathanial Tan raised further alarm over Raja Petra's predicament. Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang stated the police report against Raja Petra was an attempt to clampdown on "criticism, dissent, and expose (sic) of abuses of power and corrupt practices in the run-up to the coming general election." He added that the government should not use criminal laws "to arrest, intimidate, and silence any one." Understandably, the blogging community immediately came out in support of Raja Petra. They claim the police report against Malaysia Today and Nathaniel Tan's earlier arrest represent a GOM attempt to intimidate other bloggers and clampdown on "press freedom in cyberspace." Dr. Toh Kim Win, a Penang Gerakan state cabinet minister, was the only prominent government leader to voice support for the blogging community. He said UMNO's police report (against Raja Petra) represents a "growing trend towards stifling dissent in our country." He added, "These trends, if not stopped, will further erode the democratic space, which is already limited, in our country." He urged the government to promote not only economic development, but also human rights. With no apparent sense of irony, former Prime Minister Mahathir, himself once a champion of muzzling the press, described the government's attempt to clampdown on bloggers as an exercise in futility, one that wouldn't stop information flowing over the Internet. PM Weighs In, Finds Himself Subject of Police Complaint 9. (SBU) Upon returning from his honeymoon travel, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi weighed in, warning on July 29 that Malaysia's laws would not spare those who spread "lies" on the Internet. Abdullah added bloggers and Internet posters "do not have the freedom to do whatever they like." Responding to Raja Petra's claim police cannot charge him under Malaysian law because his site is registered overseas, the Prime Minister said, "It is not for them (bloggers) to claim that they are immune from the law simply because their websites are hosted overseas where they have the right to say anything." 10. (U) In an ironic tit-for-tat act, opposition DAP member Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew filed a police report regarding a "seditious posting" on the Prime Minister's official website, originally posted on November 14, 2005. The posting conveyed anti-Chinese sentiments. Raja Petra reported the filing on his website, adding he expected the police to respond to the filing and question the Prime Minister within two days, as they had done with him. The postings were removed on July 30 after they were made public and a police report filed. 11. (SBU) Until recently, the GOM generally has refrained from actively policing political content the Internet, in part out of a pledge made to foster development of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and the Internet market in Malaysia. Beginning in 2004, the GOM began making statements on the need to introduce "cyber laws to control the Internet," but it made little use of the regulatory authority over on-line speech vested in the Communications and Multimedia Commission. In December 2006, Kong Cho Ha, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, stated Malaysia may introduce tough Internet laws to control bloggers and prevent them from spreading "disharmony, chaos, seditious material and lies" on their websites. Early in 2007, some senior Embassy contacts alluded to internal GOM discussions on ways to rein in Internet news reporting and bloggers in particular. In January 2007, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said although government policy is not to censor the Internet, "bloggers are bound by laws on defamation, sedition, and other limits of speech." The Prime Minister's comment referred to the defamation lawsuit filed by the News Straits Times (NST), an English language newspaper owned by UMNO, against Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Atan (aka Rocky), another prominent blogger, for their blogs and their readers' comments regarding the newspaper's editors' roles in misrepresenting facts, publishing a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad, and alleged plagiarism by its journalists. Given UMNO's control over the NST, the paper's lawsuit is seen by many as the GOM's first move against cyber-activists and bloggers. Comment 12. (C) With the mainstream media -- television, print and radio -- largely under the thumb of UMNO and the ruling National Front, and a number of important national topics ruled out of bounds, including most recently the "Islamic state" controversy, the Internet is the remaining bastion for wide ranging criticism of the government and discussion of otherwise taboo political subjects. The Internet is also the focus of incessant rumor-mongering among the country's elites, honed to a fine art by the likes of Raja Petra who kept the milling turning, often without any solid information to back up his sensational reports. Opposition figures, largely unable to access the mainstream press, rely heavily on the Internet to reach Malaysia's computer-savvy upper class, while realizing that this information does not readily penetrate down to the grassroots. The Internet has helped government critics fan corruption stories, aided Mahathir in his ill-fated challenge against PM Abdullah last year, and kept alive allegations of DPM Najib's links to the Altantuya murder case. 13. (C) The GOM clearly has fired a warning shot into cyberspace in an effort to rein in outspoken critics ahead of the impending elections; government pressure on the blogging community through complaints and police actions seems very much tied to the preparation of the election ground. Senior government officials and UMNO leaders have made clear that the sniping from cyberspace rankles deeply, and UMNO has a strong interest in weakening the opposition's electronic platform at this particular time. Even if this does not evolve into a real crackdown, the government warnings and criminal investigations of Tan and Raja Petra could send a chill through Malaysia's boisterous Internet community that will temper some voices. We doubt, however, that others will allow themselves to be silenced and the GOM, like other governments, will find the Internet difficult to constrain. The Embassy supports freedom of speech on the Internet through active and carefully calibrated public affairs programming, including through expert U.S. speakers and support to seminars, and we seek to engage government and opinion leaders behind the scenes to preserve Internet space for the broad range of Malaysian viewpoints. LAFLEUR
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The 4WD then overtook Mat Sabu's motorbike and made a sharp left turn in a bid to stop his advance. Sandwiched between the back of the 4WD and the police car, Mat Sabu's motorbike fell to the ground, which the police claimed was due to a sudden U-turn it made to escape. The police also admitted that the motorbike did hit one police car at its front fender.
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