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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:28 PM PST

UMNO thinks it's clever to make Malays fearful of what would happen should the DAP ever come to power. But this strategy will not work. Why would the DAP discriminate against the Malays who comprise 65 per cent of voters?

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

An UMNO Senator says that the DAP will take this country and turn it into Singapore. If the DAP can indeed do that, then I urge all Malaysians, including the Malays, to vote for the DAP.

Why not? We would be a first-world country, our economy would be strong and our education and judiciary would be world-class. Corruption would be almost negligible, and the Malays could be proud that their country has climbed into the ranks of first-world nations. They would even be able to speak English better. And if, by chance, a Malay topped his class or secured a contract, everyone would know that merit and ability got him there and nothing else.

Of course, what the learned Senator was trying to convey was something more insidious. He believes the Chinese are chauvinistic and selfish and they will discriminate against the Malays if they ever get to power. He implies that Singapore discriminates against the Malays. This is absolute rubbish. A government that discriminates and that does not live by the principles of good governance will not be able to achieve what Singapore has. Singapore has a transparent government and – for the benefit of UMNO – being transparent means we can see the process being used in decision-making. The Senator needs to show exactly how Singapore is discriminatory to the Malays, based on the process adopted in their decision-making. Just parroting what Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said in the past is not enough.

Let's have some common sense here. There are dissatisfied Malays in Singapore for sure but there are plenty here too. In a democracy where every citizen has a vote, a ruling government that practises discrimination is plain stupid. Its actions would ensure its own defeat sooner or later, more so if the party represents a minority group like the DAP does.

UMNO thinks it's clever to make Malays fearful of what would happen should the DAP ever come to power. But this strategy will not work. Why would the DAP discriminate against the Malays who comprise 65 per cent of voters? Even if the DAP were ever to come to power, as they did in Penang, it would be in their best interest to retain the support of the Malays. To discriminate and to be unfair to the Malays would mean the DAP would lose Penang, and that does not look likely to happen for a long time.

So let's talk about real issues for a change. It's good fun to see how afraid UMNO is of the DAP. You know why? Because over the years, the DAP consistently fought corruption and lobbied against the wastage and pilferage of the corrupt BN Government and its Ministers' abuse of power. The DAP has been unafraid to expose the Government's misdeeds and has been relentless in the pursuit of good governance.

The effect was not so visible before, but today voters are listening to these issues and are aware not just of the billions of ringgit being wasted in defence contracts, but of the misdeeds exposed by the Auditor-General's report. UMNO has suddenly realised that issues of corruption are pulling them down, as are the high prices of goods and services. The people are tired of their leaders' abuse and arrogance, and of their refusal to engage the rakyat on these issues. Instead, they take the easy way out and bash the DAP and the Malays whom they consider to be the lackeys of the Chinese. Keep pounding away, and they think they will win the General Election.

The DAP will have its Congress soon and I hope they will not respond to these charges and start bashing the BN. The best course would be to set out and explain how the party's policies will be implemented and will benefit the people. Showcase the success stories. They have a duty to bring politics in this country to a new level of civil discourse and debate. Ignore the bashing and hopefully, Malaysians will see a better alternative.

All said and done, I hope for the sake of the future generation that Malaysia will be like Singapore, with or without the DAP.

MIC on the path to recovery

Posted: 10 Dec 2011 09:03 AM PST

The Indian community is warming up to the party but there is still more to be done before the next general election.

The MIC will not suffer the calamity of 2008 although we are not certain of how much support we have now in terms of percentage. But we do know that the Indians are now more confident of MIC and they can make a difference. In Penang, Indians can be the deciding factor in nine seats. In many state and parliamentary constituencies throughout the country, their votes would be crucial.

By M. VEERA PANDIYAN, The Star

DATUK G. Palanivel marked his first year as MIC president on Dec 6 with a stubble on his face. He was into the second week of his 16-day of mourning for his mother A. Letcimi, 92, who passed away on Nov 23.

But proximately after the last rites, it was back to work for the 62-year-old leader.

In an interview with Sunday Star conducted over his vegetarian lunch, he spoke about the changes that have taken place since he took over from Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, his colourful but often acerbic predecessor.

Palanivel, a former lecturer, consumer activist and journalist, said he had always worked hard since young.

"I don't show off or speak loudly but I think I provide a type of leadership that has worked out well so far," he said.

Asked about the most significant changes under his leadership, he said the turnaround for the party has already begun and the focus now was on working for the people.

As for the MIC's strength in facing the next general election, Palanivel said he was confident it would not suffer the catastrophic blow of 2008 when he and Samy Vellu were among the casualties.

But he was quick to add that although the Indian community was warming up to the MIC, there was still a lot of work to do to regain its full confidence.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

Q: You have marked your first year as MIC president. How would you describe the ride so far?

A: My first year as head of the party has seen some changes. I can empathically say that the MIC has become a "working" party. The Central Working Committee (CWC) is living up to its name.

On my part, I have become an active listener. I have given power to the members and leaders to speak their minds.

We have also moved forward in effectively mobilising crowds. For the Tamil New Year gathering, we attracted thousands of people, including non-members and people who did not like us in the past.

Our Deepavali open house, held at Batu Caves for the first time instead of the usual PWTC or other halls, attracted a huge crowd. It was the result of "thinking out of the box". The PM and DPM were touched by the huge numbers and the pleasant atmosphere. The PM's SMS after the event was: "MIC's open house is truly for the people" while the DPM's was: "Congrats! Beginning of a great tradition."

The national-level Deepavali do at Kota Raja in Klang was even bigger. An estimated 24,000 turned up. All these indicate that the Indian support for the MIC and Barisan Nasional is coming back.

> December also marks your fifth month as a Cabinet minister the MIC's second after three decades. What are the immediate tangible results for the community and what are the expectations for long-term benefits?

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has entrusted me with a vital responsibility by appointing me as lead minister for the economic transformation of the Indian community under Pemandu. My first and most important task is to work towards the creation of successful Indian entrepreneurs within the next 10 years.

If we have 50,000 entrepreneurs, we would be able to create better employment opportunities, provide better support for the community, Tamil schools, temples and NGOs helping the poor.

We have to bring the community back into the mainstream of economic development. Indians have been left behind in the rut and (they) are nowhere near the other main races.

The party leadership will hold a roadshow to gauge the expectations of the community and also meet people involved in the various business sectors to fine-tune our short, mid and long-term strategies.

For a start, emphasis would be on "Little India" areas in towns and cities all over the country. We want these hubs to be thriving throughout the year and not only during Deepavali.

The leadership is also engaging Indian contractors to get their input for the community's participation in GLCs and private sector business opportunities.

Work is also being done to help the Indian chambers of commerce to link up effectively with the bumiputra, Chinese and international chambers of commerce.

> What are some of the initiatives being undertaken to address long-standing Indian issues?

There is a Cabinet Committee on Indian Issues chaired by the PM to ensure participation of Indians in government programmes. After I joined the Cabinet, the PM has approved many things which I made specific requests for. Among them are the RM8mil for the Suria Cooperative to provide financial help to small businesses, and RM100mil under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia for micro-credit loans especially for the urban poor.

An extra RM100mil has also been given for the development of Tamil schools, over the Education Ministry's approved allocation.

The PM has also approved RM3mil for "Reach and Teach Malaysia" undertaken by the Community Builders Foundation (CBF), of which I am the chairman. Under the programme, backward pupils from Tamil schools are handpicked for skills in reading and writing in English and Bahasa Malaysia and arithmetic.

The CBF is also involved in the kindergarten programme to help children whose parents cannot afford pre-school education. Currently there are 891 children in 34 kindergartens.

> The next general election is looming. How prepared is the MIC in terms of strength on the ground and ability to win back the support it lost to the Opposition in 2008?

> If the MIC takes Umno's cue in only picking winnable candidates, what can we expect to see in the selection?

For the MIC, "winnable candidates" are those who have a good reputation, credibility and integrity. They need not be those who are popular or publicity crazy. They must be those whom the public can accept, especially if they have served the party well.

The next GE will be the polls of the people. Of course, there will be the party bloc of voters but beyond this there will be a clear public swing.

It is up to how the Barisan Nasional can win over the voters. So, rather than just talking about "winnable candidates", we should be focusing more on efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people.

Hard thinking is needed to achieve this. The Government must come out with fantastic across-the-board initiatives. The first initiative has already been made through the 2012 Budget. The benefits and goodies must go down to the ground.

There must be tangible changes in the civil service, including an equitable mix in the number of staff, new intakes and promotions. There must be opportunities for all races in contracts, employment and scholarships.

At the local government level, all urgent problems must be resolved immediately. Housing is a major issue. There is an outcry for affordable houses and affordable rents. The poor and the middle-income group must have access to houses they can afford. There is no cheap rental anymore in the urban areas.

Health is another issue. There are still people who do not have access to healthcare, especially those who suffer from serious diseases like cancer and kidney problems in the rural areas.

Education is another major concern. Our dropout rate is high. The focus should be on real human capital development, not just on pass or fair or the number of As.

> Throughout the MIC's history, there have been splits between the No. 1 and No. 2, albeit not as bitter as the one between the longest serving president and the longest serving deputy. Now, there are rumours of a rift between you and Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam. Is this true?

I have no rift with him. I don't have groups or factions supporting me. I must say that I recommended to Datuk Seri Samy Vellu that Datuk Dr Subramaniam be appointed secretary-general. He wanted to appoint someone else, but I said: "No way."

There was a recent online news article quoting him about this. But the deputy president has already sent me a text saying that the report was "distorted and misleading". He also said he was going to clarify it.

Protesting the right to protest

Posted: 10 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST

The Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed in Parliament recently, but not without opposition from the civil society.

Those who want to assemble at undesignated areas are required to notify the police within 10 days before the event to give them time to study the suitability of the place and get feedback from the surrounding community.

By HARIATI AZIZAN, The Star

A POINTLESS nuisance that was what Amer used to think of street protests. But not anymore, says the 20-year-old student, not since the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 was tabled.

"Before this, I did not see street protests as a privilege. It's funny how the feeling of being deprived kicks in when you know you can't do something," says Amer.

Under the new law, street protests, defined as "open air assembly which begins with a meeting at a specified place and consists of walking in a mass march or rally for the purpose of objecting to or advancing a particular cause or causes", are prohibited.

However, Amer can probably participate in more public assemblies if he wants to, as the new law purportedly makes it easier to hold these as long as they are in the designated areas.

At the designated areas, the public has the right to assemble any time. All they have to do is to notify the police within 24 hours before the event.

For peaceful public gatherings like religious assemblies, funeral processions, wedding receptions, open house during festivities and family gatherings, no notification to the authorities is needed.

However, places like dams, reservoirs, petrol stations, bridges, places of worship and schools, among others, are prohibited areas.

Ali* who lives near the dam area in Kuala Kubu Baru welcomes the restriction placed on venues.

"I don't want any disturbances near my home and family. Still, I don't think anyone will want to demonstrate here unless they clear more land or kick us out," he says.

Retired policeman Ishak Mohd (Persatuan Pesara Polis) also supports the move to restrict venues.

"The Parliament, for one, should be barred from protesters. That is why we are here, to uphold peace in Parliament. It is something that I will do until I die," he rants during the rally to counter the Bar Council's Walk of Freedom in front of Parliament recently.

Penang's "King of Protests" Ghani Jiman concurs.

"Hospitals and schools should be off-limits. If my children's studies get interrupted by demos, I would be upset, too," he says.

Ghani, who heads NGO Suara Anak- Anak Malaysia (SAAM), echoes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's proclamation that the new law is indeed "revolutionary".

The PM, he says, had said that the Bill was drafted in accordance with international norms and after the Government studied 12 Acts practised by other countries.

"It is good because they (the Government) are making an attempt to listen to the people." The trader, however, has reservations about the ban on street protests.

"If we don't carry arms or have no intention of making trouble, I think it should be okay. The police can investigate and make a decision if it should be allowed, and if they have concrete reasons to disallow the street rally, they can," he poses.

But, he adds, he would not hesitate to go to the streets if the cause warrants it.

Demand to walk

The ban on street rallies is one of many grouses that the legal council and many human rights groups have for the Bill, which saw a peaceful passage through the Dewan Rakyat despite the protests last month.

"What is so wrong with street protests? The perception is misleading," argues political scientist and journalism lecturer at Monash University Malaysia, Wong Chin Huat, highlighting that there are peaceful street demos.

Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee points out that street rallies are allowed in many of the peaceful assembly laws practised by other countries.

"In Britain, a distinction is drawn between static assemblies for which no notice is required and procession (assemblies in motion) for which notice of six clear days is to be given unless it is not reasonably practicable to give any advance notice."

Assemblies in motion provide the demonstrators wider audience and visibility for their causes or grievances, he says, adding that "History is full of civil disobedience events which have led to better changes in the country."

Another objection raised against the Peaceful Assembly Act is the prohibition of children aged below 15 to participate in peaceful assemblies.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) draws attention to the provision for the participation of children in the Convention of the Rights of the Child, to which Malaysia is obliged as a signatory.

Suhakam commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah says the age bar is restrictive.

"If the issue is about the development of their housing area and it affects the whole family, why should the children not be involved in voicing out their concerns?"

He also highlights the high fine that will be imposed under the new Act on those who do not comply with the restrictions and conditions set by the police in an approved public assembly (up to RM10,000) and those who fail to "disperse" when ordered by police (not more than RM20,000).

"The fine is exorbitant and does not respect the liberty of the citizens," he says.

Wong agrees, saying that for some people, RM20,000 is something that they would only see after saving for many years.

"One reason people go to the streets is because they cannot afford advertisements. Are you saying that if you don't have money, you cannot demonstrate? Are you saying that if you are poor, you don't have a voice?"

The civil society also has reservations against the discretionary powers given to the police to impose conditions and restrictions on an assembly as well as to stop it which they claim would undermine the right of the public to organise or participate in peaceful assemblies.

"Who decides what is good and what is wrong and what is education and not? The police cannot be a guidance for everything; it should be up to the people to decide," says Muhammad Sha'ani, adding, "They should not look at participants as criminals or a nuisance. The provision is like you are treating potential troublemakers."

The police should be providing protection, not imposing restriction on them, says Muhammad Sha'ani who is pushing for the adoption of Suhakam's previous recommendations on police conduct during public assemblies.

The Bar Council proposes that a statutory obligation be imposed on the police to promote freedom of assembly as practised in Finland, where the authorities are not only bound by law to promote the right to assemble but are also required to facilitate it.

Ultimately, stresses Muhammad Sha'ani, the right of public assembly is enshrined in the Federal Constitution, and the law should be enabling for peaceful assembly, not restrictive.

"While peace and stability are paramount and public order needs to be maintained at all times, peaceful public assemblies provide a crucial avenue for the public to express themselves on issues that are of concern. The Act as it is now, however, is very restrictive when it is supposed to open up more democratic space."

Now that the Act has been passed by the Dewan Rakyat, the proposed law will go before the Dewan Negara, and when passed will need to obtain the Royal Assent before the Home Affairs Minister can fix a date for the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 to take effect.

The Bar Council, however, vows to continue applying pressure on the Government to drop the proposed law, and has submitted an Alternative Assembly Bill that it claims to be more constitutional and democratic.

Lim also urges the Government to set up a Parliamentary Select Committee for public consultation and further deliberation of the proposed law.

This is supported by Suhakam, whose chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam has also called upon the Government to consider recommendations made by various parties and open up avenue for discussions before enacting the Bill into law, "to ensure that the provisions provided are in line with human rights principles."

Freedom of assembly is particularly important for the younger generation, says Woon King Chai, 25, one of the infamous "UKM4" students who challenged the Universities and University College's Act in court recently.

"Many students are concerned about various socio-political issues in the country and are constantly looking for avenues to voice their concerns. And most of the time students find that the only place they can express themselves is the public assembly, street protests and demonstrations," he says.

Amer agrees, saying that society has progressed and Malaysians now are mature.

"I don't think anything will happen if you allow street protests and other forms of public assemblies. Some say it might cause disturbance and riot but they should not worry, we have the police (to keep peace).

"You cannot take preventive measure by saying that this will happen if you allow that. It does not work like that and it is stifling students' intellectual and social development, not to mention depriving them of their basic human rights," he says.

Both Amer and Woon rue the age limit barring anyone below the age of 21 to organise public assemblies.

"There is no mention of flash mobs either. So does this mean that only old people can organise flash mobs?" Amer muses.

Still, he adds, he and his friends are already thinking beyond the law. "We have to be more creative to get our voices heard, I guess. For one, there is always the Internet."

Umno Baru at a crossroads again

Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:53 AM PST

The party has failed to offer new ideas to attract the young Malays to support its idealogy which in recent years has drifted more to the right. The Prime Minister, Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, through the concept of One Malaysia has tried to bring Umno back to the centre space of national politics where race and religious tolerance is at equilibrium.

Nur Jazlan Mohamed, The Malaysian Insider

The recently concluded Umno General Assembly came and went and offered little in terms of the new manifesto of the party. The public were disappointed with the lack of new policy initiatives. Many Umno delegates who had to sit through many stale and uninspiring speeches were left with little enthusiasm to return to their respective constituencies to rally their fellow members in preparation for the impending 13th General Election soon.

The uninspiring lack of ideas put forward by the members best describes the state of the party at the moment. Umno has the largest base of members and voters of any political party in the country. It is the party that claims to have the most support from the Malay population which is the largest ethnic group and expected to be about sixty per cent of the population by 2020.

But as a party that claims to represent the majority race in the country , it doesn't seem to able to break away from the "Malay under siege mentality" rethoric it has used since the fight for independence to attract support from the public. The party is frozen in time and is paralysed to steer the nation through a more challenging future.

But his message doesn't seem to resonate with the majority of the delegates and even among his bench of Supreme Council members who may have come to a conclusion that another event of racial and religious strife in the country is the best way to retain Malay power.

The underlying message from many of the speakers at this years General Assembly was that the Malays were under threat from the minority group of non Malays who were trying to grab power and overcome Malay supremacy by defeating Umno and Barisan Nasional. The statements made by many of the delegates had strong racial and religious undertones aimed at the Malay population to alert them to the threat posed by the non Malays especially the Chinese who are determined to take power.

Many of them were not even subtle in communicating their extreme views especially when attacking the DAP , the everlasting bogeyman of Malaysian politics. The DAP were accused of playing racial politics and inciting the Chinese to hate Umno and hence the Malays which interests it protects.

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Ahad, 11 Disember 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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