Khamis, 14 Julai 2011

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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

 

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

 

WIKILEAKS: 9th Malaysia Plan: ambitious agenda and challenging implementation

Posted: 10 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Non-government economists support these goals publicly but deplore them in private. Some challenge the reliability of the government's data. For example, a significant amount of publicly listed shares are held under nominee accounts, many of which are bumiputera-owned, but the government considers all of them non-bumiputera. Others decry the added cost of business the NEP policies place on private investors and the disincentive they pose to FDI.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

SUBJECT: 9TH MALAYSIA PLAN: AMBITIOUS AGENDA AND CHALLENGING IMPLEMENTATION

 

REF: 2005 KUALA LUMPUR 03692

 

Classified By: Economic Counselor Colin Helmer.  Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).

 

SUMMARY

1. (C) Prime Minister Abdullah recently unveiled the Ninth Malaysia plan (9MP) which envisages spending RM 220 ($60 billion) of government and private development funds during 2006-2010 and targets an average economic growth rate of 6.0%. 

9MP identifies five key areas, such as improving Malaysia's human capital, becoming a knowledge-based economy, and investing in key infrastructure, in which Malaysia must improve to achieve its goal of becoming a developed industrialized nation by 2020. 

Analysts are confident that the infrastructure projects, projected rate of economic growth, and some technology projects will unfold as planned, but deem projects in other areas, such as education and agriculture, to be unrealistic.  While laudatory in their public comments, Malaysian economists we have spoken to in private are disappointed with the plan.  They also question the GOM's ability to implement the reforms needed to attract a higher level of foreign direct investment. 

9MP calls for Malaysia's private sector to take the lead in further developing the country, but our sources doubt Malaysian leaders will give private industry the freedom to transform the economy.  Prime Minister Abdullah views 9MP as his top economic initiative, is aware of the challenge of implementation and is taking steps aimed at improving follow up.  End Summary.

Five Key Thrusts

2. (U) The 9MP lays out five broad goals that Malaysia is to meet by 2010 to keep on schedule for the "Vision 2020" goal of becoming an industrialized, developed nation by the end of the next decade.  The economists with whom we met agree that these goals are well laid out, pragmatic, and correctly describe the path Malaysia needs to travel. 

They are:  to move the economy up the value chain; to raise the capacity for knowledge and innovation and nurture a "First Class Mentality;" to address persistent socio-economic inequalities constructively and productively; to improve the standard and sustainability of quality of life; and to strengthen institutional and implementation capacity.

Show Me the Money

3. (U) The 9MP will provide about RM 220 billion (US$60 billion at RM 3.65=$1) of government and private development spending during 2006-2010.  Approximately 40% of this is allocated to what the GOM defines as economic programs, 40% to social programs, 12% to security and 8% to general administration.  Funding for the subsectors that follow will come from either the social or economic segments of 9MP.

Although the 9MP budget is 17.6% higher than the previous plan, 35% of 9MP's budget is earmarked for finishing up 8MP projects that were not completed during the last five year plan.

4. (SBU) About 23% of 9MP funding will be devoted to infrastructure and utilities development projects, an increase of 21.2% over the 8MP.  As compared to Mahathir-era plans with their large infrastructure projects, PM Abdullah chose to cut the pie into many small projects so that more construction contractors might participate. 

According to Dr. Yeah Kim Leng, Managing Director and Chief Economist at RAM Consultants Group, the GOM conducted cost/benefit analyses to identify projects that would produce a higher return on investment.  This apparently was not done in the past.

5. (U) Although human capital development has been one of Abdullah's stated priorities, and despite media reports suggesting education was one of the big winners in the plan, education and training will receive only about 20% of the total budget.  This is about the same as in the preceding 5-year plan (8MP) developed by Abdullah's predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad.  New initiatives include strengthening the national (public) schools so that they become the "School of Choice" for all races in Malaysia.

6. (U) Agriculture, one of Abdullah's favored sectors, will receive about 6% of the funding -- a 70% boost over 8MP. However, 9MP sets a goal of transforming Malaysia into a net food exporter by 2010, which outside analysts believe is impossible given control over land use by the individual states and the higher returns from land uses other than food and livestock production.  Biotechnology will get 1%, 2.5 times more than it received in 8MP.

Ambitious Growth Targets

7. (U) In its last five-year plan, the GOM projected an average economic growth rate of 8%, but the actual rate during 2000-2005 was about 4.5%.  In the background to the 9MP, government analysts place partial blame for the shortfall on the U.S.: "Global growth slowed due to a decelerating United States of America economy, and dampened electronics demand, exacerbated by the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Overall economic performance remained sluggish until the second half of 2003, weighed down by the invasion of Iraq and the regional outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome."

8. (C) The government is targeting a more modest average annual growth rate of 6% during 9MP.  The economists that we interviewed (a mixture of academics, investment advisors, consultants, and think tank researchers) voiced a variety of opinions about that target, with Yeah of RAM asserting, "this is eminently achievable." 

Dr. Mohamed Ariff of the Malaysia Institute of Economic Research presented a study to the GOM where he argued for a 5-6% growth rate as opposed to the 7-8% that many ministers supported.  He maintains that it is better to aim lower than to fail to meet the target.  The chief economist at CIMB agrees that 6% is within Malaysia's grasp. 

Wong Chee Seng, chief economist at ECM Libra Securities, is much more negative, saying "The government will not meet its targets.  It moves too slow."  University Malaya professor Andrew Sheng (formerly chairman of the Hong Kong Securities Commission and Bank Negara Assistant Governor) disagrees.  Looking at regional growth estimates from the International Monetary Fund, he wonders why the GOM did not set the growth bar higher.  He believes that Malaysia should link its growth to China and India by exploiting complementary business opportunities.

Seeking Private Help

9. (C) The 9MP calls for the private sector to lead growth, aided by the public sector in its role as facilitator and regulator.  Our economic contacts agree with this idea, but observe that it will require a significant increase in private investment, both domestic and FDI.  Under 9MP, the GOM projects private investment to grow at an annual rate of 11.2% and public sector investment at 5% -- rates that are inconsistent with recent trends. 

Under the 8MP, private investment actually contracted about 1% each year.  Changing this situation would require the GOM to give the private sector more freedom from regulation and control than its socioeconomic objectives for the bumiputera (ethnic Malay) community currently allow.  For example, the current requirement that 30% of equity and employment be reserved for bumiputeras is a significant investment disincentive.  As Yeah put it, "Why would you want to do all the work of setting up a business in Malaysia only to have to turn 30% of it over to someone else?"

10. (SBU) One of PM Abdullah's signal economic achievements has been to shrink the government's budget deficit, now down to 3.8% of GDP.  9MP appears likely to slow further progress on deficit reduction.  According to Wong, Abdullah concluded that too many people depend on government contracts to keep applying the screws to expenditures.  At the end of the 9MP, the overall federal government fiscal deficit is forecast to be RM 107.6 billion, or 3.4% of GDP, assuming the government can meet its growth targets.  The majority of our contacts are not overly concerned with this change in fiscal stance.

Sheng argues that it is reasonable for a developing country such as Malaysia to pursue deficit spending on infrastructure projects that will generate growth.  The difficulty in the past, he says, has been large public projects that do not offer a good return on investment.

Ambitious Development Goals

11. (U) Some examples of the sort of investment that University Malaya's Sheng sees as positive are biotechnology research, ICT infrastructure (such as high-speed internet and more training in schools), and development spending on tourism.  Sheng sees these as high-growth projects with the potential to leverage more investment and business for Malaysia in the future. 

Pointing to India and its back-office outsourcing, Sheng asks, "Why shouldn't Malaysia be able to offer similar services at a competitive price?  We have the education, English language, and with this type of incremental investment, we can do business with New York via the internet." 

He is similarly enthusiastic about the plan to promote the tourism sector, which in 2005 drew 16.4 million tourists and generated RM 32.4 billion (US$ 8.8 billion) -- 80% more than export earnings from palm oil, six times more than rubber, and only 30% less than the oil and gas industry.

12. (C) Some of 9MP's ambitious goals are so lofty as to appear unachievable in five years.  For example, the plan calls for Malaysia to increase the percentage of university professors with PhDs to 60% from the current level of 20%.

Time and resource constraints, coupled with the fact that highly educated workers can do better elsewhere, make achieving this goal unlikely.  As Wong of ECM Libra noted bluntly, "I tell my children to stay in New Zealand.  What opportunity does a Malaysian educated abroad have here?"

13. (C) Some of the agriculture goals seem equally unrealistic.  For example, the government proposes to increase rice production by approximately 50% by 2010.

According to Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Secretary General Zulkifli Idris, the prime minister pushed for sharp production increases to benefit Malay farmers in the politically sensitive northern states.  Traditionally, Malaysia has grown about two-thirds of the rice it consumes domestically, importing the remainder from low-cost producers like Thailand and Vietnam. 

Although the cheap imports allow the GOM to maintain low fixed retail prices for urban and rural consumers, the government loses money on every ton of rice produced domestically: it pays direct subsidies to farmers while Bernas (the government-linked monopoly rice importer and the main marketer of domestically produced rice) buys locally produced rice at a higher price and sells it at low, government-fixed retail price. 

Working-level contacts indicate that the sharp rice production increase in 9MP is unrealistic, and Zulkifli admitted as much in his statements. Nonetheless, the planned investment in such areas as improved irrigation, mechanization, and farmer organizations in the northern states will likely have a political payoff for Abdullah.

NEP Rides Again

14. (U) With the publication of the 9MP, Prime Minister Abdullah also went firmly on record in support of maintaining the National Economic Policy (NEP).  The NEP was introduced in 1970 with the goal of transferring at least 30% of Malaysia's equity and wealth to bumiputeras through affirmative action policies favoring the Malay majority's participation in the economy. 

The NEP was initially intended to have been completed in 1990, but when the target was not met the government replaced the NEP with the National Development Policy (NDP).  With 9MP, Abdullah has pledged to continue these policies through 2020 with the hope of finally achieving the 30% goal.

15. (U) The 9MP will try to raise the bumiputera equity stake to 20-25% in 2010 from 18.9% in 2005.  The plan also seeks to narrow the income gap between bumiputeras and ethnic Chinese from a ratio of 1:1.64 in 2004 to 1:1.50 in 2010, and between bumiputeras and ethnic Indians from 1:1.27 in 2004 to 1:1.15 in 2010.  It also sets a target of halving the country's overall poverty rate from 5.7% in 2004 to 2.8% in 2010, and completely eliminating "hardcore poverty" in 2010.

16. (C) Non-government economists support these goals publicly but deplore them in private.  Some challenge the reliability of the government's data.  For example, a significant amount of publicly listed shares are held under nominee accounts, many of which are bumiputera-owned, but the government considers all of them non-bumiputera.  Others decry the added cost of business the NEP policies place on private investors and the disincentive they pose to FDI.

Implementation - GOM versus Private Industry

17. (U) Since the 9MP roll-out, the government has generated a steady media buzz about the importance of effective implementation of the plan.  Abdullah has publicly promised to fire any civil servants who get in the way.  But the GOM and industry have different ideas of what constitutes good implementation. 

The GOM has announced that 9MP will feature better governance, world class project management, increased due diligence, less corruption, and speedy disbursement of funds. 

In a recent speech, Effendi Norwawi, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Economic Planning and Abdullah's point man for the 9MP, explained that the GOM wants to work in partnership with the private sector.  He emphasized Abdullah's personal commitment and noted the creation of a new agency, the National Implementation Action Body (NIAB) to monitor the performance of agencies implementing major projects under the 9MP. 

Abdullah will head the organization, with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak as deputy chairman and ministers with specific 9MP authority sitting on the council.  It will meet every two weeks and, according to Effendi, Abdullah will be demanding progress reports.

18. (C) The prime minister's own office is set to receive a large allocation under the 9MP.  Although there is no detail as to how the funding will be spent, 9MP sets aside RM 26.5 billion (13.2% of the total) for Abdullah's department - a threefold increase over 8MP (RM 7.3 billion and 4.3%). 

The public spin on these figures is that the resources will enable the prime minister to focus on his key goals and move the process along.  In private, however, economists voice concern over the potential for abuse of funds.

19. (C) When the private sector talks about good implementation, they hope the GOM will remove the mass of government red tape and regulation that increases costs and scares away investment, both local and foreign.  Minister Effendi himself related a story about a hotel venture that required 73 different licenses before it could open.  Some took so long to obtain that the operator needed to repeat the application process because they only lasted for a year.

Yeah detailed a similar process in Penang, saying "at least at the international level, there is MIDA to be one-stop shopping for the licenses.  A Malaysian investor must deal with both state and local regulations and the government needs to move to change this quickly."  But few economists believe that the GOM will move decisively to cut red tape and reduce its economic meddling. 

Sheng compared Malaysia to China: "In Shanghai, they were trying to take some business from Hong Kong and the manufacturer asked if they could move his product from China to the distribution point, including customs, in 24 hours.  Shanghai's mayor was able to make this happen.  Would that be the case in Malaysia?"

Economists Not Overly Optimistic

20. (C) Comment:  Successful implementation of the 9MP is Abdullah's top economic priority, but the economists we surveyed are not optimistic that he will be able to achieveall his goals for the plan.  While they see some good initiatives, they do not see bold steps that would lift Malaysia back up to the growth rates of the late 1980s.

There is a sense of urgency in both the senior levels of the government and among senior economists that Malaysia is at a crossroads.  Wong suggested that, "there are two camps in the government, the ones who see that if we do not make changes that we will settle into second class and the others who are happy with the way things are." 

Sheng, in a presentation to senior business leaders, government managers and economists, argued that Malaysia was in a similar situation as the U.K. and Japan in the early 1980s.  The U.K. was not doing well and opted to open its financial sector to bring in FDI and investment.  Japan, in contrast, tried to hold onto its manufacturing lead and did not open to foreign investment. 

He suggested that Malaysia might want to examine how the two nations are faring today and consider its options.  End Comment.

LAFLEUR

 

WIKILEAKS: The Americans foresaw Najib's threat to Pak Lah

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is a breath of fresh air after the long-serving and vituperative Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in late 2003. Abdullah promotes a tolerant, progressive approach to religion that he calls "Islam Hadhari" (civilizational Islam). He is publicly committed to fighting corruption and reining in costly mega-projects, though his government's follow-through has been disappointing. His mild-mannered and cautious approach has also led critics to question his leadership and effectiveness, but his ruling coalition remains secure. Abdullah's chief potential rival, Deputy Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) Najib Razak, plays the role of a loyal bulwark. After two years in power, Abdullah has appealed to the public for patience in delivering reform. As long as the economy continues to grow healthily, the public will grant him that.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000705

 

SIPDIS

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016

TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, PTER, ECON, MY

SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE DR. RONALD SEGA

 

Classified By: DCM David B. Shear for reasons 1.4 b and d.

 

1. (C) SUMMARY:  Malaysian-American relations are good and improving; on March 8 we notified Congress of our intention to conclude a Free Trade Agreement with Malaysia.  This moderate Muslim-majority state is our tenth-largest trading partner worldwide, and we have robust military-military cooperation.  While moving slowly away from the anti-Western rhetoric of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia continues to oppose us on some key international issues.

Counterterrorism cooperation is largely good, but we remain concerned about the release of certain suspects and the level of surveillance of those suspects.  Malaysia and its neighbors increasingly realize the importance of maritime security, but enforcement efforts are hampered by sovereignty concerns and a lack of resources. A new Malaysian coast guard is slowly getting its sea legs.  Malaysia supports the Mindanao peace talks but has differed sharply with Thailand over separatist violence.  The Malaysian government is making progress in implementing a non-proliferation regime, but is no closer to signing an Article 98 agreement with the U.S.

End Summary.

Political Landscape

2. (C) While Malaysia has plenty of warts, it remains a rare example of an Islamic-majority country that is stable, civilian-led and prosperous.  Malaysia has also maintained a largely tolerant social system and a tightly managed democracy, with the same multi-racial coalition in power since independence in 1957.  While we continue to urge the government of Malaysia to improve its own governance, we also recognize the constructive role Malaysia can play in the Islamic world and have encouraged Malaysians to increase support for moderation and progress in the Middle East.

3. (C) Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is a breath of fresh air after the long-serving and vituperative Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in late 2003.  Abdullah promotes a tolerant, progressive approach to religion that he calls "Islam Hadhari" (civilizational Islam).  He is publicly committed to fighting corruption and reining in costly mega-projects, though his government's follow-through has been disappointing.  His mild-mannered and cautious approach has also led critics to question his leadership and effectiveness, but his ruling coalition remains secure.

Abdullah's chief potential rival, Deputy Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) Najib Razak, plays the role of a loyal bulwark.  After two years in power, Abdullah has appealed to the public for patience in delivering reform.  As long as the economy continues to grow healthily, the public will grant him that.

Economic Situation

4. (C) In his early days, PM Abdullah made rural development and control of government spending, partly as a means to encourage private sector led growth, his top economic priorities.  So far, only his reduction of the government's deficit -- now down to 3.8 percent of GDP -- can be chalked up as a clear success. 

Abdullah's partisans say that the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP; a five year plan for economic policy and development spending) will be the vehicle for advancing his other economic goals, but the 9MP, unveiled on March 31, contained little in the way of drama or new initiatives.  Abdullah has emphasized the need for fast implementation of 9MP (a tacit acknowledgement of the perceptions weak follow through by his government) and created a new government agency to focus on the problem.

5. (C) Meanwhile cuts in government subsidies for gasoline and diesel fuel -- one of the tools used to rein in the deficit -- have proved highly unpopular, and raised concerns about inflation.  Increases in prices of other government-managed commodities, such as electricity, may be in the works. 

For now, the economy is in reasonably good shape, with projected growth of around 5.0 percent in 2005 and official inflation of around 3.8 percent (although private analysts believe the real rate of price increases is much higher).  However, the government may be facing a tough choice in the coming year between stimulating the economy to get back on a higher growth track, or raising interest rates to control inflation.

Malaysia's International Posture

6. (C) Malaysia currently is the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and of ASEAN.  Malaysia hosted the ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit last December, and will host the ASEAN Regional Forum ministerial this summer. 

Secretary of State Rice has told the ASEAN foreign ministers of her plans to attend the ARF meetings in July.  Malaysia backs the six-party DPRK nuclear talks and supports Iraqi reconstruction efforts, but has been overeager to embrace Hamas and defend the Iranian nuclear program.  The foreign ministry seems to be moving slowly away from some of Mahathir's anti-Western rhetoric and policies, but retains friendships with troublesome states like Cuba, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Syria and Uzbekistan. 

The Malaysian government is publicly supportive of China's "peaceful rise" and recently signed a defense cooperation MOU with China, despite lingering suspicions among senior Malaysian military officials of China's long-term intentions.  Malaysia has actively supported peace efforts in the southern Philippines and Aceh in Indonesia.

Counterterrorism

7. (C) Malaysia has generally been a reliable and constructive partner on counterterrorism.  In 2003, Malaysia established the Southeast Asia Regional Center for Counterterrorism (SEARCCT), which now runs a full schedule of multilateral training courses, many conducted with U.S. support. 

Early round-ups in 2001 and 2002 of scores of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) suspects crippled that organization's activities in Malaysia.  Over 70 suspected terrorists remain in custody under the Internal Security Act (ISA), a "preventive" measure that has also been used to jail political opponents of the government in the past. 

To our knowledge, prosecutions and trials of the terrorist suspects are not planned.  Drawing on their experience in defeating a communist insurgency, the Malaysians take a "rehabilitative" approach for some terrorists, keeping them under police supervision in "restricted residence."  Several leading figures (such as JI financier Wan Min) have been released from ISA detention without warning. 

We remain concerned that surveillance of released terrorist suspects may be inadequate and their "rehabilitation" may be incomplete or insincere. JI, while weakened, still has the capability to strike here, and the Malaysians need to remain vigilant.

8. (C) While the Malaysian leadership firmly opposes terrorist organizations at home, it is deeply uncomfortable with any association of Islam with terrorism, and frequently lectures us on the need to eschew terms such as "Islamic terrorists" or "jihadists." 

Reflecting the broad support for the Palestinian cause among the majority here, the Malaysian government has no relations with Israel and often argues for the need to address the "root causes" of terrorism in the Middle East. 

In February, negotiators from the United States succeeded in reaching an agreement here on a text for a bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). We are hoping the treaty will be ready for signature in time for the Secretary of State's July visit.  The treaty will be a good tool in fighting terrorism and other forms of transnational crime.

Maritime Security

9. (C) In July 2005, the insurer Lloyd's of London designated the Strait of Malacca (SOM) as a "war-risk zone," raising premiums for shippers transiting these waters.  This prompted a flurry of public cooperation among the littoral states -- Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, plus neighboring Thailand -- including conferences of foreign ministers and military chiefs. 

On September 13, 2005, the three littoral countries launched an "Eyes in the Sky" (EiS) program to conduct international aerial surveillance of the Strait.  EiS currently comprises separate flights by Malaysia and Singapore (Indonesia has "temporarily" dropped out for operational capacity reasons), with crews that use binoculars to survey shipping traffic and make non-secure radio transmissions to shore and ship facilities of the three littoral states. 

Malaysia has also committed a single Beechcraft B-200 with infrared capability, to enable some night-time surveillance.  Talks on establishing an EiS standard operating procedure continue, with a view towards reactivating Indonesian participation and bringing Thailand into the program.

10. (C) EiS represents an important symbolic step forward for the littoral states' cooperation on SOM security, but could be difficult to sustain without international support.  DPM Najib has told the media on several occasions that Malaysia would welcome international involvement in Eyes in the Sky.

Our working-level contacts remain vague, however, on what sort of American assistance might be accepted in this sovereignty-conscious region.  Malaysia will host a meeting this summer sponsored by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in which the littoral states are to identify and prioritize their needs for assistance in enhancing SOM security.  On February 15-17, the USG hosted a meeting of key SOM user states at Coast Guard Island, Alameda, California, to discuss the possible range and scope of such assistance.

11. (C) Meanwhile, the Sulu Sea remains an under-monitored passageway for terrorist elements in transit between Indonesia and Mindanao.  Terror groups have also carried out a number of kidnappings for ransom in the area.  While the region has little value for international shipping compared to the Malacca Strait, it is tremendously important to the travel and fundraising operations of groups like JI and Abu Sayyaf.  Together with Embassies Jakarta and Manila, we have focused on this region as a specific theater for building capacity and cooperation between the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Significant new resources, which we are in the process of identifying and prioritizing, will be required to make these efforts successful.

New Coast Guard

12. (C) Malaysia's new coast guard began limited operations on November 30,  2005.  The government's goal is to reduce overlap and turf battles among the 11 Malaysian agencies tasked with patrolling the country's seas and waterways.  The coast guard, officially named the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), will possess 72 vessels transferred from the navy, marine police, marine department, and fisheries department, and has recruited about 1,000 personnel from these and other existing agencies.  The navy vessels will transfer with their crews intact.  MMEA hopes to fill its 4,000 approved positions within a year.

Mindanao Peace Talks, JI Presence

13. (C) Malaysia has facilitated peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the negotiations have had some success with the sticky issue of "ancestral domain."  The talks are hosted by the Malaysian External Intelligence Organization, which in the past covertly supported separatist activities in Mindanao.  JI presence at MILF training camps remains a concern, though the MILF has publicly disavowed any connection to JI.  We continue to press the Malaysians to make clear to the MILF that it must sever its connections to JI and Abu Sayyaf.

Southern Thailand Strains Relations

14. (C) Separatist violence in southern Thailand has killed over 1,000 people since January 2004, and attacks continue almost daily.  The Malaysian government has repeatedly denied Thai accusations that it supports the separatist groups, though the people on both sides of the porous border share Malay ethnicity and the Muslim religion.  Families and business interests straddle the border as well. 

In August 2005 Malaysia offered temporary refuge to 131 Thai citizens who said they were fleeing their government's crackdown in the south.  The issue, which has also involved the UN refugee agency, rubbed raw nerves in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, as government officials abandoned the usual neighborly ASEAN rhetoric for sharp verbal attacks on each other.  The rhetoric toned down somewhat after the Malaysians returned one of the 131 asylum seekers, who was wanted on criminal charges in Thailand.

Slow Progress on Non-proliferation and PSI ...

15. (C) In 2003, a private Malaysian company (partly owned by PM Abdullah's son) was found to have manufactured and shipped nuclear centrifuge parts to Libya.  The company pleaded ignorance, but the case underscored the need for Malaysia to adopt effective export controls.  The government is moving ahead with plans to adopt such controls, including the conclusion of an Additional Protocol (AP) with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November 22, 2005.  The AP provides a sound policy framework for the implementation of nuclear-related export controls.

16. (C) We continue to urge Malaysia to participate in Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) meetings and exercises.  Malaysia sent two observers in August 2005 to a PSI exercise in Singapore, and three observers in April 2006 to a PSI exercise in Australia.   The government has said it supports PSI "in principle," and that it would take part in PSI operations on a case-by-case basis.  We have been told that the government is considering an endorsement of the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles, which would allow full participation in PSI events.  However, elements within the foreign ministry remain adamantly opposed, perceiving that the PSI is targeted against "friends" of Malaysia, like Iran, Pakistan and China.

17. (C) As the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Malaysia has been too supportive of Iranian claims that its nuclear program is a peaceful one.  More recently, the GOM has moved somewhat away from behavior that bordered on "coaching" the Iranians.  The EU-3 made considerable efforts to get Malaysia to exert a restraining influence on Iran.

While it appears the Malaysians have privately counseled Iran to exercise restraint, it does not seem these words had much influence on the Iranians.  Malaysia failed to condemn Ahmadinejad's threat to "wipe Israel off the map" and gave President Ahmedinejad a red carpet welcome in Kuala Lumpur as the IAEA was referring his repeated violations to the United Nations Security Council.

... But No Progress on Article 98

18. (C) Malaysia has steadfastly rebuffed our efforts to conclude an Article 98 agreement, citing unspecified "policy reasons."  Though Malaysia is "studying" the Rome Treaty that created the International Criminal Court (ICC), we believe they are unlikely to sign the treaty because of their own concerns over sovereignty.  The Malaysians have told us that since they are not party to the Rome Treaty, they see little reason to conclude an Article 98 agreement with us.

LAFLEUR

 

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A Biased and Comical Judgement

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:34 PM PDT

By Zunar

I am referring to the High Court's decision in dismissing my judicial review application to challenge the banning of my cartoon books, "1Funny Malaysia" and "Perak Darul Kartun" by the Home Minister on 14 July 2011.

Although this is expected, I am disappointed with the court's decision. In her judgment, Judge Rohana Yusof said, she agreed with the government's argument that "1Funny Malaysia" and "Perak Darul Kartun" are detrimental to public order.

But she failed to address the core issue: in what context are my cartoon books, or its content can be regarded as detrimental to public order as stated by the government as a reason of the banning? Which one of the 150 hundred pieces of cartoons in these two books is dangerous to the public?

I am sad that the court chooses to ignore the freedom of expression as provided by the Federal Constitution and support the government's move to suppress the objective editorial cartoons.

By upholding the banning, the court fails to acknowledge the role of political cartoonists as the 'check and balance' agents, as practiced in any democratic country.

Therefore, I think the judgment is biased and comical.

This is a sad day in Malaysian cartooning industry.

It kills the future younger generation of critical cartoonists that can contribute in developing the nation.

I will continue to draw cartoons to expose the corruptions of the Najib government, as this is a duty of an editorial cartoonist.

ZULKIFLEE ANWAR ULHAQUE (ZUNAR)

Najib suffers from a “mild stroke” in UK

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:21 PM PDT

By Martin Jalleh

He calls police action "quite mild."

It appears that the Prime Minister has suffered a mild "brain attack" whilst on an official visit to UK.
 
He experienced sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech, dizziness, lightheadedness loss of "balance or coordination", "spinning" sensations, and "brain seizures".
 
It happened when Najib was telling CNN in an interview conducted in London that police action on those who took part in the Bersih 2.0 march on July 9, was "quite mild".
 
There was no "undue use of force". It was of course not as mild as his initial response when he even initially claimed there was "no physical contact between police and protesters"!
 
On the arrests of more than 1,600 protesters, well, "…(t)hey were released after eight hours and they were treated very well… the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force."
 
Meanwhile, back in Bolehland, a group of brave Bersih marchers handed over a memorandum urging Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) to probe the Najib-ordered crackdown.
 
Four of them recalled their terrifying and traumatic experience of police aggression and assault on that day. One alleged that a policeman threatened to kill him when arresting him.
 
There have also been countless first-person accounts of having been pounced on, pushed, punched, pinned down and pulverized by the police! They have been confirmed by witnesses.
 
Pictures and video clips revealed that it was no walk in the park as the PM has suggested. They pointed to the brutal truth that the police action was far from "mild" but mean and menacing!
 
This was further confirmed in a detailed report by a team of 100 people of the Malaysian Bar Council who openly monitored the rally.
 
Their conclusion: "Police used excessive and unnecessary force against Bersih rally participants while arrests were made randomly and arbitrarily."
 
Officials from the UN, US and UK have expressed their concern and criticism and castigated the authorities for their heavy and high-handedness and strong-arm tactics..
 
The influential Guardian called the Malaysian government gormless and said Najib will face global backlash for his "characteristic heavy-handedness" in handling the Bersih rally.
 
The signed statement by 11 doctors revealing that "police had fired tear gas and chemical-laced water into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals" reduces Najib's "mild police action" to sheer nonsense! (Please refer to my article on: Liow's Tongue Lies!)
 
"It is repulsive that the authorities entrusted with policing the nation and protecting the weak and needy, have shamelessly denied publicly, the occurrence of these incidents in spite of countless photo/video and eyewitness accounts of what was evident to all independent observers," they said.
 
During the CNN interview Najib desperately argued:"It will come up to see that we are all for fair and clean elections. And as you know, the last general election, you know, the ruling party lost five states. And we were deprived of two-thirds majority."
 
To put it very mildly, dear Najib, if the last elections were truly fair and clean, you probably would not be PM today! 
 
Is the Prime Minister's visit to the Pope going to be a "mild" one too?
 

Najib Snubbed By UK PM?

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:44 PM PDT

 

By Sarawak Report

The flash crowd that turned up to boo Najib's event at Mansion House (the official residence of the City of London's Mayor) was larger than yesterday's outside Downing Street.  They had been joined by Amnesty International, who have spoken out about the treatment of the Bersih demonstrators at the weekend.  Amnesty commands considerable respect in the UK.

The Malaysian PM had come to court the City's investors and it was embarrassing.  Investors do not like countries with uncertain human rights records and an unhappy middle class. 

Few non-Malaysians turned up in the end, but some of the investors who did went and chatted first to the crowd of protesters outside.  One, who described himself as 'working for a global investment company', said that he was well aware of the human rights issues in Malaysia and confirmed that his company monitors the matter and that such issues are of concern.

Brushed off

Meanwhile, the main topic in the crowd was the news that Najib's lunch with Cameron had been cancelled.  Was it owing to the human rights issues or simply because the UK PM was too busy they wondered?  Neither looked particularly good from the perspective of the Malaysia PM !

 

READ MORE HERE.

Bersih march may delay GE

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:34 PM PDT

 

By Tashny Sukumaran, FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bersih 2.0 rally may have made up Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's mind on when to call for an election. The election may be called later than sooner because Najib hopes that by then people may have "forgotten this ugly" incident.

An article from the UK based The Economist weekly said the "heavy-handed" police tactics used to control the Bersih 2.0 march for clean and fair elections last Saturday showed a lot of nervousness on the government's part on how much opposition it can tolerate.

The article states that the long- term effects were harder to change, and that the rally just may help unite the opposition against the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.

The article says the lifespan of Bersih 2.0 was fraught with setback after setback, as it was declared illegal with crackdowns made on those wearing or carrying Bersih-related items such t-shirts or pamphlets.

The government went as far as to arrest six Parti Sosialis Malaysia members under the Emergency Ordinance.

They also arrested 24 Bersih 2.0 supporters under Section 122 of the Penal Code, the charge of waging war against the King – a move that The Economist called "particularly desperate, reminiscent of the abuse of the monarchy's position in neighbouring Thailand."

However after the Agong stepped in, the authorities offered Bersih 2.0 a stadium – and later seemingly withdrew the offer by way of not granting them a permit.

 

READ MORE HERE.

A State of Hypocrisy and Lies!

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:01 AM PDT

By Malaysia Today

On Wednesday, Najib told a small group of international reporters Wednesday in London that if the Malaysian government allowed street demonstrations of the kind seen in Kuala Lumpur last weekend, the country would face protracted instability.

He explained, "Public order is very important in Malaysia because if we allow for street demonstrations, there's no end to it, there will be another group that wants to demonstrate. If protests are not controlled, "you will get a situation in which more and more of these street demonstrations will take place in Malaysia," he said.

Internationally, the police response has been condemned by rights advocates in Malaysia and abroad, including the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ironically, SUHAKAM the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia announced that it planned to hold an inquiry into police conduct during the rally.

"Suhakam feels that in view of the number of complaints on excessive use of force, the incidents of tear gas, the death of Baharuddin Ahmad and the denial of access to lawyers, various violations of human rights could have happened," said Suhakam Vice Chairman Khaw Lake Tee. The group said in a statement that further details of the inquiry would be announced in two weeks' time.

It is public knowledge that Najib has defended the police in his explanations during media interviews saying that  there was "minimum force, and there was no physical contact at all with the demonstrators."  The PM has argued that the scale of the protest was exaggerated and "a maximum of 15,000" people turned up. While police authorities put the number at 5,000 to 6,000, protest organizers contended it was 50,000.

"I was saddened by the fact that they didn't accept the government's offer to hold the rally outside the capital," Mr. Najib said. "They still insisted on marching through the streets, because I think they wanted to get maximum publicity and secondly challenge authority in the hope that they can make this an issue."

Very clever! He offered the use of a stadium and then the police rejected the application to use Merdeka Stadium. What else could Bersih supporters do but to march in the streets?

A series of press statements and articles from international media ensued. Take note of the following selection:

1. Bersih was declared illegal on July 1, after which hundreds of activists were arrested, though most have since been released. All those arrested on Saturday were released later that night. During the rally, almost 1,700 protestors were arrested.

2. In a statement issued on Tuesday, The Malaysian Bar Council said that its monitors witnessed the police using tear gas and water cannons "arbitrarily, indiscriminately and excessively" and "beating, hitting and kicking the rally participants." The protesters, it said, acted in "peaceful and calm manner," except for an incident in which "one or more" people threw plastic bottles at a television reporter.

3. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said on Thursday: "The Malaysian authorities' crushing of Bersih's march shows that when basic liberties compete with the entrenched power of the state, the government is quick to throw respect for human rights out the window."

4. The Malaysian home minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, said on Monday that the police force would review recordings of the incidents and that appropriate action would be taken if the police were found to have acted improperly. He also said that action would be taken against any journalists who were found to have sensationalized their reports with inaccurate information, reported The Star, a newspaper.

5. Wall Street Journal said, If the government is going to respond like this—intimidation followed by denial—a Bersih 3.0 could eventually materialize, though organizers have ruled it out anytime soon. Underlying this weekend's events is growing public impatience with UMNO as Malaysians find rising inflation, coupled with slow reforms, eating into their standard of living. Saturday's turnout is a sign that Malaysians also understand the link between true democracy and good government.

6. The Jakarta Post said: The leaders of Malaysia are laboring under an old paradigm that says you can have development or democracy, but not both. We have news for them: You can be rich and free at the same time. Malaysians deserve both and they deserve it now — not sometime in the future....

The police clearly overreacted. They did not need to invoke the Internal Security Act to arrest some of the protest's leaders before Saturday. They certainly did not need to detain more than 1,600 on the day of the demonstration....

The Bersih 2.0 rally is the clearest sign that Malaysians want freedom and justice, as well as wealth.

7. The New York Times article Malaysian Prime Minister Defends Muzzling of Protests by Mattew Saltmarsh and Liz Gooch gave a good run-down of the chain of events. The headline of the article already speaks volumes.

8. Malaysiakini reported that "Top editors of three Chinese newspapers were called to the Home Ministry yesterday, apparently in relation to reports favourable to the Bersih 2.0 rally organisers." And the PM can declare over CNN that "there is democracy in Malaysia"!!!

9. Amnesty International called the government's response to the July 9th Bersih rally as "the worst campaign of repression we've seen in the country for years."  It also said, "Prime minister Najib's government rode roughshod over thousands of Malaysians exercising their right to peaceful protest. This violent repression … flies in the face of international human rights standards and cannot be allowed to continue"

10. Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR), as quoted from the UN webpage, July 12 said:
"We are very concerned by the recent crackdown and peaceful demonstrators by the government in Malaysia, and particularly disappointed to see the apparent use of excessive force by the police against so many peaceful demonstrators in an established democracy like Malaysia."

11. Simon Tisdall of Guardian said, "Najib reacted with characteristic heavy-handedness when tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur at the weekend demanding "reformasi" – democratic reform – and an end to a defective electoral system that guarantees Najib's party representing the Malay majority, Umno, stays in power indefinitely." 

He also said, "Malaysia's leaders should wake up and smell the coffee. Led intelligently and openly, Malaysia could be a paradigm for south-east Asia. Led repressively, it could fall apart. Najib must get on the right side of history. The Mubarak model doesn't work."

12. On 9th of July, Bibhu Prasad Routray said: Vilification of the opposition remains rather common to the ruling regimes all over the world that have faced revolutions in the recent past and the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was not expected to behave differently. He played down the "illegal rally." He added that far smaller number of people attended Bersih's rally compared to the one organized in support of the government, incidentally on the same day.

Bibhu Prasad Routray said on 12th July: What amazes analysts of Malaysian politics is the sheer detestation the government demonstrates towards the opposition. In this politically polarized island nation of 28 million people, Prime Minister Najib Razak has made no attempt whatsoever to reach out to the opposition to evolve a consensus politics and erect an electoral system that provides fair ground for competition to both the ruling party and the opposition......But UMNO under Najib Razak appears to have a death wish. It appears to have no hesitation to sacrifice its own goal of bringing economic development for the sake of staying on in power. For how long it manages to do so, is a mere question of time.

In the light of the many objections to the repressive action taken by the government, it galls patriotic Malaysians that the government still has the cheek and audacity to deny and to lie to their own peril. Worse still, to proclaim their pure innocence. 

To think they are thick-skinned enough to insist in a letter to Wall Street journal that Malaysia is a 'true democracy'.

We have had ENOUGH of all their hypocrisy and lies. Nobody wants pathological liars to lead the country.

Vote them OUT in the next elections with the biggest margin in Malaysian history!

 

 

Detention without trial in Malaysia

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:57 AM PDT

By Dr Kua Kia Soong 

Simon Tisdall's World briefing (14 July) on Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak's violent suppression of last weekend's street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur was a welcome reminder to the Cameron government of its commitment to human rights.

The Najib government has continued the decades of suppression of Malaysians' freedom of expression, assembly and association, and blatant racial discrimination. Most objectionable of its abuses is the use of detention without trial under three different laws. The most infamous of these is the Internal Security Act, which has been used against more than 10,000 people since it was passed in 1960.

Today more Malaysians have been detained without trial under the emergency ordinance and the Dangerous Drugs Act than under the Internal Security Act. Six leaders of the Socialist Party of Malaysia, including Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj MP, were detained just before last weekend's demonstration under the emergency ordinance. They are being held in solitary confinement, which is a form of mental torture, and face further two-year renewable detention orders. Throughout the years of abusing human rights by detention without trial, the Malaysian special branch has used torture with impunity.

David Cameron should demand the immediate release of detainees, the abolition of detention without trial, and the ratification of the convention against torture and the convention on the eradication of racial discrimination before doing business with the Najib government. Failure to do so would be another compromise of British commitment to human rights, democracy and justice. 

Dr Kua Kia Soong

Director, Suaram for Human Rights

*This letter was published in The Guardian, UK.

 

Video Interview: Malaysian PM on KL protests

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:31 AM PDT

 

By Malaysia Today

In this video interview, Prime Minister Najib Razak sits down with CNN's John Defteriosto to discuss financial concerns regarding the European zone and the United States, and the protests over electoral reforms in Malaysia last weekend.

The interview was conducted then Najib was in the United Kingdom to cement economic ties with Britain .

Last year, Malaysia exported US$30 billion ($36.5 billion) worth of goods to the euro zone. Currently, he hopes to ink a free trade agreement with the European Union in 2012.

In this interview, he gives his comments talks about the US debt and the recent Bersih rally.

At the 2:05 point of the interview, CNN's John Defteriosto asks Najib why there was 'such a high level of protests'

Najib's response was (note the lapses of 'ers'  & 'and' which appeared more often than in preceding statements of the interview etc.) :

"Well John, er it is basically politics  ..er.. because er..there is democracy in Malaysia and we are committed towards er electoral reform . I've, you know come out to say that we are all for clean and fair elections and ..and and as you know the last general election er you know the the the the ruling party lost five states and we're deprived of five states....."

When asked if he was satisfied with the security response to the particular round of protests, Najib said "It was QUITE MILD  er you know because although they were..they were taken in, but they were released after 8 ..8 hours and they were treated very well. There was no undue use of force...and and and you know the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force...."

Watch the video HERE.

 

Malaysians in the United States submit Bersih 2.0 memorandum to the Malaysian Embassy

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:18 AM PDT

 

Washington, DC -- Malaysians gather at the Malaysian Embassy, and send a Bersih 2.0 memorandum and signatures of support to the Malaysian Embassy, in support of the Bersih 2.0 Movement to demand free and fair elections.

Khair Bahari Ahmad, Third Secretary (Administration & Finance) represents His Excellency Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Ambassador of Malaysia to the United States of America, to receive the memorandum and signatures submitted by Phebie Thum. His Excellency Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis is not in Washington, D.C.

On July 9, 2011, Bersih 2.0 rallies were hold in Washington DC, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Portland. Around 350 Malaysians gathered and walked to show support to the Bersih 2.0′s "Walk for Democracy" in Malaysia. Around 270 Malaysians endorsed the memorandum at the rallies.

Besides supporting Bersih 2.0's eight demands for electoral reforms, Malaysians overseas urge the Malaysian government to release all Bersih activists, including the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists detained under the Emergency Ordinance. Malaysians in the United States also urge the Election Commission to allow people working overseas the right to vote via postal ballots.

Three members of parliament, Sungai Petani MP YB Dato Johari, Jelutong MP YB Jeff Ooi (黃泉安) and Kapar MP YB S. Manikavasagam, and a state assemblyman, Teja YB Chang Lih Kang (鄭立慷), show up at the Malaysian Embassy today to show solidarity with Bersih, and Malaysians overseas who support Bersih 2.0 Movement. Tawau MP YB Datuk Chua Soon Bui, Hulu Langat MP Dr. Che Rosli, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Hian (許來賢), Merbok YB Dato Rashid Din and Hutan Melintang YB Kesavan also send their solidarity messages to Bersih 2.0 Movement and Malaysian supporters.

On July 9, 2011, Malaysians in more than 30 cities around the world gathered in a show of solidarity for Bersih 2.0's call for free and fair elections.

Political affray in Malaysia : Taken to the cleaners

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:08 AM PDT

By The Economist

MALAYSIA is one of South-East Asia's stabler nations; but a rally in Kuala Lumpur on July 9th in demand of electoral reform turned surprisingly nasty, leading to the arrest of more than 1,600 people. The police fired tear gas and water cannon into the crowd, and one man died of a heart attack. All those arrested were released fairly quickly, but Amnesty International, a London-based human-rights group, called it "the worst campaign of repression in the country for years". The government's reaction showed a lot of nervousness about how much opposition it can tolerate.

In fact the crackdown started a few weeks ago after "Bersih 2.0" announced that it was going to stage the rally. Bersih, also known as The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, is a loose alliance of NGOs and activists (bersih means "clean"). It argues that all candidates should be given access to the mainstream media and that indelible ink should be used to stop people voting more than once. It all sounds uncontroversial, but not to the government. Bersih was declared illegal on July 1st and about 200 activists were rounded up. The march itself was then banned, although the authorities offered Bersih a stadium to meet in—and then withdrew the offer.

Perhaps the government was looking back nervously to the first Bersih march, in 2007. On that occasion, too, thousands protested against the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government and demanded reform. Subsequently, in the 2008 general election, the BN lost its largest share of votes since 1957 when it started ruling the country after the British left. The current prime minister, Najib Razak, deputy prime minister in 2007 before taking over the top job in an internal party coup, must have feared that the second Bersih rally might be a similar portent. He has to hold an election before 2013, but wants to do so earlier to win his own mandate. Opposition politicians were quick to join Bersih. The pre-eminent leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, was shoved to the ground and injured in the affray.

None of this bodes well for Malaysia. The heavy-handed police tactics have provoked a lot of anger; the government has conceded an official investigation into claims of police brutality. In one instance (caught on film), police seemed to fire tear gas and water cannon into a hospital where protesters were sheltering from a baton charge. Few old laws were left untouched in the attempt to round up suspects before the march. It was reported that 30 people arrested in Penang were investigated under Section 122 of the Penal Code for the charge of waging war against the king. Dragging in the constitutional monarch, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, seemed particularly desperate, reminiscent of the abuse of the monarchy's position in neighbouring Thailand. On the eve of the rally, the king came out with a statement reminding everyone that "street demonstrations bring more bad than good, although the original intention is good."

Mr Najib defended the police and accused the marchers of sowing chaos. Dismissing the motives of Bersih, he cast it as a desperate attempt by Mr Anwar to grab power. The immediate upshot is that Mr Najib may choose to delay calling for an election for some time, to let things settle down. He presumably hopes that if he waits long enough, people will have forgotten about this ugly incident. But the longer-term effects are hard to judge. It might also help to unite a fractious opposition against what they portray as an assault on democracy

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #73

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:19 AM PDT

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3554/bakrimusa.jpg

Shari'a literally means, "the road to the watering hole," the right or straight path to be followed. To Muslims, Shari'a refers to the body of Islamic laws that are perceived as being part and parcel of the faith. It thus assumes the same rightful place as the Quran and sunnah. To criticize the Shari'a is to criticize the faith itself. And therein lies the problem.

M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 9:  Islam in Malay Life
 
Shari'a in a Plural Society
 
The issue of the Islamic state is needlessly consuming the energy of many Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It is also the platform of the Islamic Party (PAS), its reason for being. Yet when challenged on the specifics, PAS is sorely unprepared. Surely after championing the issue for the past half a century, its leaders should have a pretty clear idea of their goals. If by Islamic state they mean one based on the ideals of justice and morality of the Quran, then all Muslims and many non-Muslims would agree. But if they want a state based on the Shari'a (Islamic law) in its current form, many Muslims and certainly all non-Muslims would demur.
 
The Shari'a took three centuries to formulate and consumed the best intellectual talent of the Muslim world at the time. Although based on the Qur'an and sunnah (ways of the prophet), the Shari'a remains the creation of mortals and as such, carries all the imperfections implicit in such endeavors. For Muslims to ascribe to it the reverence and perfection reserved only for the Quran means that we ascribe those very same qualities to the mortals who crafted the Shari'a.
 
Shari'a literally means, "the road to the watering hole," the right or straight path to be followed. To Muslims, Shari'a refers to the body of Islamic laws that are perceived as being part and parcel of the faith. It thus assumes the same rightful place as the Quran and sunnah. To criticize the Shari'a is to criticize the faith itself. And therein lies the problem.
 
There are over 6,000 verses in the Quran; of these less than 600 are concerned with the law. And most of those cover such matters as prayers and rituals. Only about 80 verses deal with such traditional legal matters as crime and punishment, contracts, and family law. Clearly the Quran is not a legal tome but a general guidance on how to build a moral and ethical society.
 
It is a magnificent tribute to the intellect of those early Muslim scholars that they were able to fashion out of the Quran and the sunnah a coherent and consistent body of laws that is the Shari'a. In its time the Shari'a represented a giant leap in intellectual, social, and legal achievements. Its treatment of women in particular was light years ahead of its time. The status of women accorded by the Shari'a was of the order of magnitude a thousand times better than the prevailing practices. Then women were not even recognized as humans. Whereas women are granted a share of the inheritance in the Shari'a, in the then prevailing culture, women were the inheritance. They were chattels and properties of their husband, to be passed on or traded accordingly. The Shari'a represented a grand emancipation of women. In this regard Islam was centuries ahead of Western civilization. The codifying of divorces too was truly an inspiration, considering that the concept did not even exist then. Wives were not divorced then; they were simply discarded, traded, or handed over to their husband's heir. The Shari'a's treatment of criminal justice was similarly light years ahead of the prevailing ethos of "an eye for an eye;" likewise the treatment of slavery and indentured labor.
 
While the Shari'a represented a quantum leap in achievement of early Islam, in its present form it is clearly incompatible with many of today's universally accepted norms, in particular with respect to human rights, criminal justice, public law, gender equality, and hosts of other areas.
 
I do not say this lightly seeing that to many Muslims, any criticism of the Shari'a is blasphemous. But I cannot look at my daughter and tell her that she is worth only half that of my son, as the Shari'a would have it. I love all my children equally and my inheritance to them should and will reflect that sentiment. Nor do I find such cruel and inhuman punishments as stoning to death a woman for adultery and the chopping of hands for thievery compatible with an All Compassionate and All Merciful Allah. Similarly I find the death penalty for apostasy as prescribed by the Shari'a not only abhorrent but also incompatible with the Koranic admonition that there shall be no compulsion in matters of faith.
 
As a Muslim I take the Koran to be Allah's revelation. Its message is infallible and immutable, and for all mankind at all times. That is a matter of faith. Being Allah's words, the Koran takes precedence over everything else, including the Shari'a and the sunnah.
 
That is a heavy statement. Having said it, a much-needed pause for clarification. Muslims consider the Koran and the sunnah as co-equal parts of the faith. One cannot separate the message (the Koran) from the messenger (the prophet – pbuh); they both form an integral part of the faith. I agree wholeheartedly. The main issue I have is differentiating between the actual practices and sayings of the prophet (pbuh) and what scholars say they are. I will revisit this important differentiation a few pages hence. Meanwhile back to my original discussion.
 
Societies change, and so too must the laws. There is nothing in the Shari'a that mandates we give it the reverence due only to the Quran. Thus the pertinent question, and one rarely asked, is not whether the Shari'a should be applied to modern society, rather how can we adapt and modify it to meet current needs. A body of laws that was an enlightened piece of legislation for 7-10th Century Arabia is clearly not suitable for the present. When the Shari'a was formulated, the Arabian society was just emerging from the Age of Jahiliyah (Ignorance), a period of rampant female infanticide, slavery, and tribalism. A millennium later, the problems are of a different order. The challenge today is to enhance the freedom and dignity of humans. That these freedoms and rights are emphasized by Western civilization is no reason for Muslims not to co-opt and adopt them.
 
Today's Muslims should emulate our illustrious predecessors. Had ancient Muslims been like their present-day counterparts and considered everything originating outside of Islam as "un-Islamic," Islam would not have expanded. Muslims today should be equally receptive to and be welcoming of new ideas and innovations regardless of where they originated. That Allah chose a Christian to reveal His secret on gravity, a Jew on the nature of the atom, a Confucian on the explosive power of gunpowder, and a Hindu on the concept of zero, is not for us to question. It is however, for us to appreciate that such wisdom and insights are for the benefit of all.
 
 
Next:   Reform in Islam

 

This is what happens when a tear gas canister hits your face

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:16 AM PDT

Let there be no doubt: the police wanted to seriously hurt or kill the Bersih and Pakatan leaders who were present at the underpass.

By Lawyers for Liberty

Fayyadh Afiq, Anwar's bodyguard  is a hero.

He shielded Anwar from the direct barrage of tear gas canisters shot into the crowd trapped at the Sentral station underpass.  He suffered a broken cheek bone and underwent a 5-hour operation.

MP Khalid Samad who was also at the underpass, was similarly hit by a tear gas canister and sustained six stitches on the back of his head.

To view the brutal tear gas attack, see FMT video "Bersih 2.0: It's 50k, and a big success".

The villain? Undoubtedly, the police for the cruel and unjustifiable attack, especially the notorious Brickfields police chief ACP "Headhunter" Wan Bari who could be seen directing his men to shoot low at the crowd. He repeatedly said "bawah", "bawah" when his men initially pointed the tear gas guns upwards.

Let there be no doubt: the police wanted to seriously hurt or kill the Bersih and Pakatan leaders who were present at the underpass. Common sense will tell you that metal projectiles shot at high velocity will cause serious injuries or death – even the tear gas instruction says: DO NOT FIRE DIRECTLY; INJURY OR DEATH MAY RESULT.

Read more at: http://www.lawyersforliberty.org/2011/07/this-is-what-happens-when-a-tear-gas-canister-hits-your-face/

Dear PM, do you really want a second term?

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:08 AM PDT

You, the believers in BN, must come to realise that you are no different from those you think are anti-BN – you and they all want the same things. It is BN that wants you to believe that you and they want different things.

By AsamLaksa

I have a strong suspicion that UMNO and BN are about to abandon ship. For those in BN and their supporters, I say it is time to wake up and find a life vest; your captain is about to leave you all to drown.

Why do I think so?

Well, let's start with the PM who has not yet led a general election. There is no more pretence of winning hearts and minds. It is a stark contrast with the initial 1Malaysia campaign where he appeared to try but now he can't even be bothered to even pretend. He can't even be bothered with any populist agenda. The recent policies add burden to the citizens without a sweetener on the side; for example, raising the price of petrol without actually using the additional funds earned into other
initiatives to ease the pain for the less able.

Where in the world is Najib Abdul Razak? The PM has travelled the world many times in his first term without really pushing for any political or economic agenda. It is free holidays all paid by the taxpayers. Err, who's running the country? The country is in crisis post July 9 and he has gone walkies. Does he really care?

This reminds me of former world leaders who, close to the end of their term in office, tend to have their last all expenses paid red carpet travel – one last hurrah. I would not be surprised if the 13th general election is held as far back as possible so that he can slot in a few more overseas trips. Where has Najib and Rosmah not been to yet?

The cabinet is also showing signs of giving up. There's the big spending in times of austerity. It's one of those let them eat cake moment – out of touch and insensitive to the public. There isn't even any attempt to justify the spending with future savings. It's more like an attempt to empty the coffers.

There is little substance in long term economic policies. The hoped for major changes never occurred. Instead they hyped up the projections but when looked at closer you can't find the meat. Progress can't happen just by talking about it.

It's the same story with social policies, simply no substance. Take the government scholarships for instance where many top scorers do not get offers in Malaysia and some were offered foreign scholarships. This has been going on for decades now. On one hand the government talk about attracting back foreign based Malaysians to address the brain-drain issue but it makes little effort to stem the leak by retaining all the top scorers in the first place. Even after the issue was highlighted the government still only paid lip service and defended their assessment criteria and method.

So now it's down to the BN members and supporters. Najib's administration still needs you all the way to the last moment when the Tanah Melayu Titanic hits the reality iceberg and there are not enough lifeboats for everyone – it won't be women and children first or you jump, I jump.

What Najib's administration wants is time. You the BN supporters are giving them the time to amass their fortunes and milk the privileges. They fool you into directing attention towards enemies that you can't really grab hold of; like how do you fight Bersih 2.0 which is bigger than Ambiga and Anwar – it is an idea that lives and breeds in the minds of millions of Malaysians? Najib and his ilk want you, their supporters, to be their shield to protect them from real scrutiny.

You, the supporters of BN, are not asking the right questions. You are not asking the government you place your trust in what have they done to make life better for you and the people closest to you? Have they made you feel safer and secure in your future? Have they made sure your elders' and children's health and welfare are taken care of? If you think that other groups are better off than you, ask yourself under whose watch that happened?

You, the believers in BN, must come to realise that you are no different from those you think are anti-BN – you and they all want the same things. It is BN that wants you to believe that you and they want different things.

From the quality of its leaders, BN's reign is ending. It may not be in GE13 but it is definitely in a spiral towards ground and Najib and his ministers could not care less.

(If anyone finds this useful, could you please translate to Malay, Chinese or Tamil and disseminate. Thank you.)

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

 

Voter's registration in Kuching, Sarawak

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/1695/voterregistration.jpg

DAP Socialist Youth with collaboration with PAS Youth wing and Angkatan Muda Keadilan will organise a voters registration this Friday at E-Mart at Jalan Matang, Petra Jaya from 7.30pm - 10.00p.m and at Matang Sunday Market from 7.am till 10am. This jointly organise event will be the first of its kind joint voter registration help in Sarawak. Those who have not registered as a voter are encouraged to come and register at our booth. For more information, please contact Andrew Sim at 0168799606 or Awang Saifeluddin at 0168899149.

Bersih 2.0 - New York City

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

To date, more than 30 cities around the globe held a Bersih 2.0 rally on the same day. All these rallies were organized by people like you and me, ordinary people who want to see change for our country. 

By Leng-Feng

Bersih 2.0 is a peaceful rally scheduled on July 9th, 2011 2pm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The goal of Bersih 2.0 is straight forward: demanding clean and fair elections for the people of Malaysia. It is about electoral reform that is long needed in Malaysia.

A group of people gathered in New York City to support their countrymen in Malaysia who chose to go to the streets on 709. This is a grass-root movement in which people rise up to answer the call of Bersih 2.0 to demand electoral reform, so that every vote counts.

This 'documentary' records bits and pieces on that day, and the day before.

When I decided to organize the Bersih 2.0 in NYC (simply because I couldn't find anyone organizing it at that time), about 3 weeks before the event, I thought I might end up showing up there alone, probably with my girlfriend. Roughly 10 days before the event, Kwang Huei from NJ joined me to help organize this event. This is a great help since he is in NJ while I live in MA. A week before the event, we had roughly 30 people who told us they will attend the event. A day before the event, the number jumped to 60. But we didn't know how many will actually show up the next day.

This uncertainty is a result of the fear of the government of Malaysia, who have threaten its citizens with strong words and declared the rally 'illegal'. Students under government sponsored scholarships received letters warning them not to participate in this event.

Soon after we started to organize one, at about the same time, San Frans, LA, and later Chicago, D.C. and many other cities around the world started to self-organize Bersih 2.0 in their respective counties. Most of us spread the news and the event through Facebook. Later, we learnt that others shared event info to many online forums, which then attracted other non-FB users. To date, more than 30 cities around the globe held a Bersih 2.0 rally on the same day. All these rallies were organized by people like you and me, ordinary people who want to see change for our country. We formed a loosely-tied global steering committee to share info and materials. All these happened in less than 2 weeks. And as people used to say, the rest, is history.

en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Bersih_2.0_rally

Summary of our event: ~130 ppl; Age range from 1 y.o. - 69 y.o. (even one who is pregnant); Coming from CT, MD, MA, IO, NY, WI, PA, NJ.

News:
1. malaysiakini.com/​news/​169541
2. malaysiakini.com/​news/​169523
3. malaysiakini.com/​news/​169305
4. malaysiakini.com/​news/​169502
5. sinchew.com.my/​node/​211719?tid=1
6。merdekareview.com/​news/​n/​19150.html
7. merdekareview.com/​news/​n/​19146.html

I have used clips and photos from Bersih 2.0 NYC participants to produce this 'documentary'. They are: Lye Lin Lock, Evrim Vildirim, Nicole Wong, Elise Loh, and Tzelin Low.

Music credit: "Freedom" by Maher Zain
Video process with Sony Vegas + MBL.

Would like to acknowledge Kwang Huei, Lye Theng, Lye Lin for their suggestions on the video.

A big "thank you" for all who showed up in NYC, it is you that make everyone there feel that there is hope for this country. Thanks to all the committee members as well as several participants who quickly stood up to help mange the event as we have a lot more people showed up than we expected. :)
For all the brave souls who walked on the street in KL on July 9th, 2011 and welcomed by the government with tear gas and chemical water gun, this video is for you. Thank you for standing up for our country.

Watch video at: http://www.vimeo.com/26404460

 

9th of July - an everyday in Malaysia

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

By eechia

First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Najib Razak, Home Minister Hishamuddin  Hussein, IGP Ismail Omar, Deputy IGP Khalid Bakar and KL Police Deputy Chief, Amar Singh for making 9th July happen.

For without the insane crackdown on Bersih supporters with Yellow coloured t-shirts, unreasonable detention, the flip-flop invitation of using the Stadium by the Prime Minister,  the massive road blocks and KL lock down days before the rally, 9th of July may not have been what it was that historic Saturday.

We saw the birth of a new generation of Malaysians who are no longer apathetic, but dare to stand up for their rights, rising above intimidation.

When I arrived at Puduraya from Dayabumi through Petaling Street, I saw a sea of people. It felt as if we had re-taken KL from the FRU. KL belongs to us, and Malaysia belongs to the people - the Rakyat. Throughout the whole rally, it was almost like we were at war; a war between the Police and the people.

People stood united as one, from different backgrounds, different ethnicities, from all walks of life, holding on steadfastly to what we believe is rightfully ours: a free and fair election at the very least, the right to assemble peacefully for one common cause, and most important of all, the realisation that we, the Rakyat, can no longer keep silent and we must overcome the fear and oppression of unfair authority.

I followed the heartwarming #bersihstories with many joys and tears. Many experienced the camaraderie of Malaysians, a true 1Malaysia in the sense where everyone was helping each other regardless of colour, class and age; sharing salt, sharing water, calming each other down while walking away from the tear gas and water cannons. People started to believe again, that Malaysians are actually good people....... Many wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world.

Meanwhile, many also expressed regret for not being there on the 9th of July. For not being able to be part of this historic moment which saw Malaysians rising above all fears, determined to have our voices heard, and points taken by the authority who seem to be living in a different reality.

But do you know that 9th of July actually happens everyday in Malaysia, in its own small way? It doesn't happen only on that Saturday afternoon. It has been happening, had happened in a grand style on 9th of July, and will continue happening in the days to come.

Read more at: http://eechia.blogspot.com/2011/07/9th-of-july-everyday-in-malaysia.html

 

Suggesting a possible strategy for future rallies : Loving kindness and compassion to the Police

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

The strategy of demonising the police could backfire on the safety of participants in future rallies because we are making them (the police force) enemies. In normal human behavior, if you back someone in a corner and do not give them space and time to think over what they have done or what they are about to do then the normal human reaction is to retaliate with force since they have all the tools of oppression.

By KUO Yong Kooi

I am an activist dropped out and had not been involved in any political activist work for more than 15 years now. My last work was with Suaram in early 96 for 5 months. After that final short stint I decided to head to a monastery in Burma and then to Thailand to try out the lifestyle of a Buddhist Monk for two years in search of "the meaning of life".

I would like to suggest some possible strategies looking at a distance from only through the news in World Wide Web and facebook from friends. Of course, the best possible suggestion is to observe it from the ground but I think after having been to many demonstrations during my student activist days, I am sure the psychology and dynamics of it does not change much as we are all humans that have the common fear, confidence, excitement and anger factors all mixed up together in a tense moment at rallies.

Twenty years ago when you call for a rally you can virtually count the heads that turned up. It was almost like knocking your head against the brick wall. Demonstrators were outnumbered by police. Bersih 1.0, 2.0 and many others recently have shown that the brick wall we have been knocking has ruptured. It is just a matter of time the wall will come tumbling down. The question is how many lives are we willing to sacrifice for this wall to tumble? I believe the strategies we adopt might be able to change the body bag counts in future rallies (inshaaalah of course). That would also depend on how vicious the UMNO regime in training up some crack forces to deal with demonstrators in the future.

The aftermath of Bersih 2.0 has clearly shown that the "Silent majority rakyat" had loss faith in the UMNO regime. If there were no intimidation from the UMNO regime, one million could have easily turned out. There are rare historical events like the collapse of the Soviet Union where the top leader hands in the white flag and the apparatus was dismantled peacefully. Pre Bersih 2.0 demonstrated that the UMNO leaders be it Najib or Muhyiddin are willing to dig deep, but I don't think at the level of Gaddafi, but probably at the level of Hosni Mubarak or Ferdinand Marcos. As long as the rakyat is willing to provide a few helicopters for Rosmah and Najib, inshaaalah no lives lost. That is the easiest exit strategy for the top leaders.

Let's look back a few decades ago at the defining moment in the Phillippines' history where there was a stand off between the demonstrators and the military under the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Lots of demonstrators gave flowers to the military and then the revolution was over shortly after that.

I think most of us would agree that the majority of our country's police force is not educated enough to be fair referees. The next big task for the opposition and the civil society is to re-educate the police force to be fair referees. The same as Bersih's objectives are to get the Election Commission to be fair referees, it seems like the more immediate stumbling block are the police not being fair referees.

The strategy of demonising the police could backfire on the safety of participants in future rallies because we are making them (the police force) enemies. In normal human behavior, if you back someone in a corner and do not give them space and time to think over what they have done or what they are about to do then the normal human reaction is to retaliate with force since they have all the tools of oppression.

Shabas to the Bersih 2.0 rally participants for being extremely vigilant in making the rally peaceful. I must admit it was world standard, the rakyat behaved very matured in front of "a yet to be developed country's" police force.

As my previous experiences in rallies informed me that in a rally dynamics, rally participants have to shout the slogans to vent out the years of frustrations in their heart on the government's wrong doing. I would agree that shouting out loud is a non-violent way to voice our opinion. After meditating for a while and contemplated on it, I think it is still seen to be overly aggressive if you are at the receiving end of things.

I recall an incident when I was working for Suaram, I was at a rally to prevent the demolision of some squatter houses. I was photographed by a special branch officer. I reacted angrily by confronting the Special Branch officer and shouted at him and insisting that he should take my photos clearer, ie right in front of him. The Officer was shocked at my action. Although it was technically classified as non-violent in modern times, the action caused the Special branch officer to retaliate in the same manner of aggression towards me.

A Buddhist perspective in non-violence is basically extending an aura of non-intimidation towards your so-called enemies, including sending an aura of kindness and compassion to them for they are beings just like us seeking safety and security. So to emphasise on that, imagine you are the police force with numbers for example 2,000 confronting a crowd of 20,000. As the crowd shouts a slogan, do you feel safe and secure as a police officer hearing the thundering slogans ramp into your ears?

In a tense stand off like that the rally participants also have their fears of death and injuries as the police have their M16, tear gas, water cannon and baton. Demonstrators would naturally shout and show fists to gain confidence to try to overcome the fear and anger factors, therefore that action itself I believe creates another round of fear on the other side of the fence for they know that they were outnumbered.

Of course in those rally days when I have not discovered meditation, I guess that is the only normal human thing that I can do and my perspective at that point is justifiable and definitely non-violent. After the meditation days, I discovered there are other ways to overcome fear without exerting an aura of intimidation to others so that the other side of the fence feel completely safe. Loving kindness meditation is one other way. I am sure other religions have it.

In future, if the Umno regime decides to ban a rally, then the real stumbling block are the police. At that standoff point, the politicians are using the police/military apparatus to dig in. The decision makers in Putrajaya have no power at all. If more than half of the police force decides not to carry out the order, then the so called order from the top has been rendered ineffective.

So I guess the next strategy is to ask all demonstrators to bring flowers "hibiscus" it's easily available (and original, since jasmine is already known and used in the Middle East) and walk silently. Say prayers in our hearts quietly to overcome fear and anger. An atmosphere like that is less intimidating for the other side and if we do receive a round of tear gas, at least it would give the police force the benefit of the doubt that we meant no harm to them and that would hopefully backfire on their conscience. All beings have conscience.

Great idea in wearing yellow every Saturday. The rakyat can also diffuse the tension by belanja "teh tarik bersih" to our police force when opportunity arises. I would not call that corruption. I think that is crucial in diffusing further tension.

Another great world history lesson is the South African "truth and reconciliation" commission in resolving the matters involving the police and military wrong doings during the apartheid years. I think that is a great way to move forward.

Some might think that this is a crazy suggestion/idea, I think the battle has not been won yet. Creating more enemies can only create more barriers for ourselves in future battles. Makcik Anne Ooi with her flower has got the greatest impact on me as far as I am concerned.

May we all be well and happy.

KUO Yong Kooi

 

Malaysia Bans Books

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 11:10 PM PDT

Making fun of the government is not allowed

(Asia Sentinel) - A Malaysian High Court judge has upheld the banning of books by a popular political cartoonist for the online news site Malaysiakini and by a columnist closely connected to the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

The ban, requested by Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein under the country's Printing Presses and Publications Act, is on two books by the cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaq, known by his pen name Zunar, and a third by columnist Yong Thye Chong, who writes under the pen name Kim Quek.

The authors' lawyers argued that the ban violated the right to freedom of speech, which is guaranteed under the country's federal constitution, was not implemented fairly because the authors weren't given the chance to explain themselves before the ban was made, and weren't told the reasons for it.

However, Justice Rohaya Yusuf, in delivering her decision, said Hishammuddin was correct in banning the books if the court "takes into view the sensitivities surrounding the country."

The Printing Presses and Publications Act, passed in 1984, has long been under fire by press critics who say it has curtailed freedom of speech, restricted political discourse and silenced political opponents. The critics say the act allows the home affairs minister virtually total control over the print media.

Newspapers and other periodicals must apply for the renewal of their licenses annually, giving the minister the power to ban them according to his discretion. All of the conventional media are owned by political parties, with the biggest newspapers owned by the United Malays National Organization and the Malaysian Chinese Association, the two biggest components of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. While opposition parties also own newspapers, they are not allowed to circulate freely.

As a result, the country 's bloggers have developed one of the strongest online presences in Southeast Asia, with several strong websites including Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider and Malaysia Today, run by gadfly Raja Petra Kamarudin. The blogs were given credit for playing a major role in the upset March 2008 election that broke the 50-year two-thirds hold of the Barisan on the Dewan Rakyat, or national parliament.

The decision to uphold the ban was assailed by the Committee for Independent Journalism in Kuala Lumpur, which said in a press release that the two cases "illustrate yet again how the vagueness of the Printing Presses and Publications Act, especially in defining problematic phrases and terms, such as 'prejudicial to public order,' as well as the overbroad powers the law grants the Home Minister, continue to pose a formidable challenge to freedom of expression in Malaysia."

Kim Quek's book, "The March to Putrajaya," was originally ordered banned by Hishammuddin on September 30, 2010, allegedly for inciting hatred against the constitution. Although Kim is a Malaysiakini commentator, he is a supporter of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, headed by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. The Home Ministry's secretary general, Mahmood Adam, said the book is "not suitable for general reading," containing what he called "elements of baseless accusations and speculations" against national leaders and could incite public hatred and anger."

READ MORE HERE

 

Citizen Empowerment School (CES)

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:50 PM PDT

Time

Tomorrow at 4:00pm - Sunday at 4:00pm


Location
MCLM Secretariat + Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia

Created By

More Info

FREE ADMISSION. BUT ONLY LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE SO SIGN UP TODAY!


The Programme:


Fri, 4.00 pm – 9:30 pm

1. MCLM's Vision & Mission - by Raja Petra Kamarudin thru Skype.

2. Poverty in Malaysia: a Reality Check.

3. My Rights Under the Constitution.

4. Fraud and abuse during elections, and how we can counter them.


Sat, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm

5a. Call to Action Workshop.


Sun, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm

5b. Call to Action Workshop (cont'd)

6. I am a Malaysian: what this means to me - by Haris Ibrahim


To enroll, please fill in your particular here: https://spreadsheets2.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dDdkZ1V3dFE4MTFJQ3NiUlR0RVZaNHc6MQ

 

'Give me back my land’

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:28 PM PDT

By Joseph Tawie, FMT

KUCHING: A housewife here is demanding that the state government return a piece of land which it had clamped in 1999, under Section 47, purportedly for construction of a school.

Shuriyanna Ahmad is not alone. Scores of other natives living a stone's throw from the present State Legislative Assembly building have also suffered the same fate.

The government had in 1999 issued a Section 47 notification on their lands. At the time they said the land may be acquired for the construction of a secondary school.

"But until now, the government has not decided whether to develop the land or not. It has deprived us of doing something economically to our land.

"We want our land back so that we can do something useful to the land. For me, I want to build a house on that piece of land which is about 0.8 acre," she said.

Having patiently waited 13 years, Shuriyanna has now decided to take legal action and seek the assistance of Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen.

Chong, who is also state DAP secretary, told reporters today that he had written a letter to the Land and Survey Department, State Planning and Resource Management Minister Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and Chief Minister Taib Mahmud requesting the Section 47 notification to be lifted.

He said if the government decided to acquire the land for development, then the state authorties must pay the landowners the market price of the land at the time the Section 47 notification was imposed on the property. In this case it was in 1999.

"This is highly unfair to her. For the last 13 years, the land prices in Kuching have gone up by leaps and bounds.

"Some prices of land have even doubled.

"And yet because of the (present) law (land code) the government is taking advantage and victimising the landowners," he said.

Inadequate compensation

Recalling a statement made by Awang in 2007, Chong said Awang Tengah had indicated that the government would review the need to acquire lands that came under Section 47 every two years.

"Until today there is no review, and nothing has been done. Shuriyanna's land is still subject to Section 47 and so are the lands nearby," he said, adding that some 60 acres of land are involved.

Chong, who is also the Bandar Kuching MP, said that the problem facing the landowners is that they cannot do anything to the land after the imposition of Section 47.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Inflation - The Real Picture

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:14 PM PDT

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Masterwordsmith

In an interview with journalists in London on Wednesday, Najib said that the central bank would monitor the situation "very very closely". Some investors were surprised that Bank Negara did not raise rates at a policy meeting last week and surmised that such moves may cause Malaysia to slip in the battle against inflation.

Speaking to the reporters, Najib said, "We believe [the official interest rate] is at the right level. It's a balance between strong growth and at the same time keeping inflation in check and making sure we don't get an asset bubble economy in Malaysia.

He said, " Malaysia had been "quite successful" in keeping inflation at an annual rate of 2-2.5 per cent until recently. Even though it is creeping up to about 3 per cent but I think in terms of the global scale it's still constrained to be one of the lowest inflation rates in the world."

How can our country be experiencing such LOW RATES of inflation, especially since we have been witnessing an unprecedented increase in petrol prices and electricity tariffs?

Housing prices are not factored in the basket of goods and we all know how these have escalated in the last few years. (Only rental is included in CPI and the rates do not increase that often.) When the price of houses jump, it creates assets inflation which is not measured by the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and existing inflation rates do not give us a true picture of the situation in the country.

This can give us a wrong idea how the economy is going and is also what killed the US economy leading to the devaluation of its dollar. Similarly, Japan was affected during the 1980's. The use of CPI as measure of inflation is fine provided the houses and assets prices remain stable.

Housing prices and that of other assets such as cars are shooting the roof which reduce our spending power which reduces the value of our money. So mere statistics do not give a true picture of inflation in our country! What more inaccurate figures! So a figure of 3% inflation rate means nothing to the city dweller who spends more than 1/3 of his income on housing! READ MORE HERE.

While Najib waxed lyrical about the government's direct interventions to keep food prices under control, including subsidies amounting to M$20bn this year, price controls, and a new chain of 1Malaysia stores selling non-branded food products at a discount – 40 per cent for blackberry juice, the fact remains that liberal economists don't fancy the idea of subsidies.

Despite whatever reassurances about subsidies, ministers are attempting to reduce the fiscal deficit from last year's 5.6 per cent of GDP to a planned 5.4 per cent. However, the 10 per cent of spending that goes on subsidies actually diverts money from elsewhere and this includes investment. What will happen then?

Judging by the negative public response to the withdrawal of subsidies, it is likely that subsidies will remain for them to fulfill political pledges and to put them in good stead for the next GE.

Last week,  Bank Negara surprisingly maintained the rates at 3 per cent thereby putting the emphasis on bank reserve ratios, raising them by 100 basis points to 4 per cent. Its effectiveness depends largely on the type of inflation that exists - i.e. cost push or demand pull inflation. Besides, inflation is not always caused by too much money in the system. It MAY be caused by increasing costs (such as of electricity tariffs) - which have nothing to do with increase in money supply. Read more here.

Consider this Bank Negara report:

Headline inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), increased to 3.3% on an annual basis. The main contributors to inflation during the month were the food and non-alcoholic beverages and transport categories. Higher food prices were mainly due to the increase in meat prices. Inflation in the transport category increased during the month reflecting the effect from the upward adjustment in the price of RON97 from RM2.70/litre to RM2.90/litre due to the rise in the price of WTI crude oil in April.

Bank Negara also said:

READ MORE HERE

 

Liow’s Tongue Lies!

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:08 PM PDT


By Martin Jalleh
 
Liow Tiong Lai, the Health Minister is sick, very sick. He cannot think or talk straight.
On 11 July he very confidently claimed that the police did not shoot tear gas and spray chemically-laced waterfrom cannons into the Tung Shin Hospital compound, in the crackdown on the recent Bersih 2.0 rally.
 
He added (in a press conference held in the hospital) he had confirmed with the hospital authorities that the claims circulating on the Internet are not true.

"The police shot the tear gas over the main road. Maybe the smoke was blown by the wind in this direction - that, we don't know, but they were not aiming at the hospital," he told reporters after meeting board members of the hospital this afternoon.

"As for the water cannon, they were shooting at 45 degrees onto the main road, maybe the edge of it may...(have spread to the hospital)."
The police have also denied shooting directly into the hospital compounds after protesters had sought refuge there.
 
Liow blamed the opposition for bringing in politics to the hospital, which he labelled as an irresponsible act.
 
Liow was strongly supported by his boss in the MCA (who was also a former Health Minister), Chua Soi Lek, who never lacks cheap excuses when the chips are down.
 
Chua charged that "the truth of the pictures and videos of alleged police brutality during the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for clean and fair elections, should be viewed "in totality", it "lies in the eye of the beholder".
 
Two days later, a group of doctors (who "wish not to enter into the polemics of the Bersih 2.0") said they were prepared to provide sworn affidavits to say that police had fired tear gas and chemical-laced water into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals during the Bersih rally (Malaysian Insider, 13.07.11).
 
In a signed statement, 11 doctors, including some who were at the scene, said they were outraged at the actions of the police in firing tear gas and water cannons without scant regard for the safety of patients and doctors.
 
"Hospitals are considered as safe sanctuaries for all, even during wartime, but these consecrated places of refuge and protection were violated by the defence forces that afternoon. Police even entered the buildings in search of some of these peaceful marchers.
 
"What was most frightening and witnessed by many was the unprovoked violent assault within the hospital compounds and the apprehension of several protesters who had merely run into the hospitals to seek shelter from the tear gas and the water cannons.
 
"It is repulsive that the authorities entrusted with policing the nation and protecting the weak and needy, have shamelessly denied publicly, the occurrence of these incidents in spite of countless photo/video and eyewitness accounts of what was evident to all independent observers," they said.
 
It is very evident that Soi Lek has been "soiled" in his judgment of things and lacks wisdom. Are we expected to believe that 11 senior and reputable doctors suffered from "optical illusion" that day!
 
Chua has bit off more than he could chew!
 
As for Liow, how low can you go? Surely the Health Minister knows it is not healthy to lie!

Banning of the book “The March to Putrajaya”

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 06:23 PM PDT

Kim Quek

I am terribly disappointed at judge Rohana Yusof's decision to reject my application to declare the seizure and subsequent banning of my book "The March to Putrajaya" null and void.

The judge's one sided judgement which completely ignores the argument submitted by me and my legal counsel is obviously a flawed judgement.

It cannot help but convey the unmistakable signal that the present political hold on the judiciary to deliver what the political masters want is intact.

It means that Malaysians will continue to be denied their fundamental liberties guaranteed under Part Two of the Constitution – which include the freedom of expression – through abuse of power by the Executive, which will be ultimately protected from legal accountability by a compliant judiciary.

It is ironical that the Institution – judiciary – entrusted by the Constitution to play the role of ultimate protector of citizens' rights against encroaches by the Executive has found itself playing the reverse role – the ultimate protector of an abusive Executive that tramples on people's fundamental rights.

It should be very clear by now that we cannot count on any of the existing state institutions – judiciary included – to look after the people's interest and to ensure that they truly enjoy what is due to them in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

This calls for the final solution to this tragic predicament faced by the nation – a complete overhaul of our institutions through a change of political leadership.

As for today's judgement by Judge Rohana, who also rejects the celebrated cartoonist Zunar's application to lift the ban on his two cartoon books in the same judgement, both Zunar and myself have pledged to fight the legal battle to the very end, despite the thinning chances of receiving justice as we ascend the judicial hierarchy.

Our legal effort is part of the larger political movement aimed at turning a new leaf for the country – for ourselves and for generations to come.

 

Neck ties now a threat to national security

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 06:16 PM PDT

(Bernama) - Police will take action including arresting individuals found selling items related to the Bersih illegal rally on Saturday and seizing these items as it is against the law.

Shah Alam police chief ACP Ahmad Zahedi Ayob said the sale of items such as T-shirts and neckties bearing the logo of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) was strictly not allowed.

"We will not hesitate to take action against those involved if police reports were lodged against them. No one will escape from police action," he said after attending the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Universiti Teknologi Mara and the police in Shah Alam today.

Ahmad Zahedi was commenting on today's newspaper reports on the sale of neckties with the Bersih logo in conjunction with the state assembly sitting in Shah Alam yesterday.

The neckties were openly sold and orders were also received through  Facebook.

Police had before this warned the public against wearing any clothing with the Bersih logo and those who did so could face action under the Police Act.

 

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.

 

Assange case judges reserve decision

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 04:04 PM PDT

(Agencies) - LONDON:Judges considering the extradition of Julian Assange need to find evidence of "monumental proportions" to excuse the Australian from facing sexual assault allegations in Sweden.

That is the argument of prosecutors who have already convinced one British judge of the need for the WikiLeaks founder to return to Stockholm where two women claim to have been victim to his forceful and at times violent sexual actions in August 2010.

In February Assange, now 40, was ordered to return to Sweden by Senior District Judge Howard Riddle, who dismissed claims by defence lawyers that the extradition was without legal basis and would result in a violation of human rights.

Assange has appealed the extradition order in Britain's High Court, overseen by Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Ouseley, who have heard a second day of argument over the detail of a European Arrest Warrant which alleges three counts of sexual assault and one of rape against two women on two separate occasions.

Assange has not been charged and denies the allegations, including that he deliberately broke a condom to have unprotected sex, saying that on each occasion sex was consensual and that Judge Riddle's extradition order was "wrong".

"If a woman chooses to spend the night in a single bed with a male, there is an inevitable possibility that she will come into contact with an erect penis at some time," barrister Ben Emmerson, QC, told the court.

Lawyers for Assange further argued that the extradition warrant fails to meet points of law, including that he is not named for prosecution, but instead simply wanted for questioning, which could be done by phone.

However prosecutor Clare Montgomery, QC, said that the warrant is valid and contains allegations capable of justifying criminal charges.

"Those charges as claimed are substantiated by probable cause," she told the court.

"With that as a factual background, your Lords would need evidential clarity of quite monumental proportions to displace what the (Swedish) prosecutor has complained about."

Comparing evidence in the arrest warrant to that detailed in a prosecution dossier and not yet made available to the court, Ms Montgomery said the particulars are essentially the same.

"In my opinion, when one does that (comparison) it is perfectly plain that what one is looking at is not only … non-consensual, coerced sex …. but that that is clearly the only inference that can be drawn from the claimants," she said.

"They did not freely consent … (but) were coerced either by physical force or after having been trapped into a position where they couldn't (refuse) and … they let him continue.

"If what they say matters, they are clearly describing violent sex acts where there was no reason to believe consent had been granted."

Montgomery accused Assange's lawyers of "19th Century conceptions of consent", adding that in contemporary law, consent to share a bed, or even engage in foreplay, does not translate to consent to have intercourse.

Furthermore, to Assange's desire to engage in unprotected sex,  Montgomery referred to a witness statement made by one of the complainants that: "(Assange) preferred virgins because he would be the first to impregnate them".

Emmerson said the allegations needed to be considered in their entirety and not with the "socially desirable interpretations of consent" suggested by the prosecution.

The judges have reserved their decision in the appeal and will hand down their findings at a date to be confirmed.

 

Yes, minister, you are wrong!

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:47 PM PDT

By Dr Hsu Dar Ren

Article 18, Part II of the Fourth Geneva Convention  (August 12, 1949) states clearly that:

" Civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict."

Hospitals are sanctuaries that should be respected and avoided by all warring sides. One of the reasons is that the injured and wounded are unable to defend themselves, and any honourable being will never attack or fight with anyone who is disabled or ill. The patients  are also unable to run or seek shelter elsewhere.

There are many videos and photos showing that during the rally on 709, Tung Shin Hospital, or more specifically, the front compound of Tung Shin hospital, was hit by water cannons and tear gas .

It is understandable that in the heat of flexing their muscles against unarmed civilians , some of the personnel might have forgotten that hospitals are sanctuaries to be avoided. I suspect some may not even have heard of the Geneva Convention, given the state of our education system. So it was actually understandable that some might have been so caught up that they fired their gas canisters and water cannons into the compound of the hospital.

Afterall, humans are fallible, we are not God. But when a person has erred, he must be prepared to learn from his mistakes and apologise for his error, and accept any  punishment for making the error if it is serious enough to warrant such punishment.

The correct response from the powers that be, including the 'honourable' Home and Health Ministers, should be the acknowledgement of such attacks in the presence of irrefutable evidence   and issuing a sincere apology to the patients, staff and management of the Hospital, and a promise that such nonsense would never happen again.

 

READ MORE HERE.

More than 200,000 at Bersih 2.0

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:35 PM PDT

 

By Hawkeye

And so with all these consideration and using the methodology as stated in one of my earlier posting in the Anti ISA rally here. The conservative estimates are that the total number of people who were at the Rally at just about more than 200,000.

Just received an email from Ruth aka Crankshaft asking about the methodology on crowd estimating and my thoughts on the turnout and so let's elaborate a bit here on, first of all you need to be observant and an "estimating" consciousness during the rally and after that inspecting the videos and photos of other areas that you could not access or did not visit on that day.

When the crowd is in the stadium than estimation become easy but because there is no fix location and as the government has declared the Bersih 2.0 rally illegal then estimation becomes a bit more difficult as you will have to study other locations that you were not at.

During that day we started from Sentral Station than walk down through the Brickfields area towards Petaling Street to Pudu Raya (Maubank) and to the Merdeka Stadium and return to Brickfields through Pasar Seni.

These were some of my observation:

There was continuous movement of people on the streets and they seem to congregate and amass in to a big crowd at certain point usually when the FRU movrs in to block them and the first big mass of people were at the Pudu Raya Maybank location at about 1.30 PM. Crowd estimate in that area alone was close to 100,000 which is including those at the fringes of the area who dare not venture further to join the main mass of demonstrators, can't blame them as many were with their families or were first timers.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Customs officer: I was beaten and forced to confess

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:09 PM PDT

By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — A Customs officer who was among those arrested in a recent crackdown on corruption in the Customs Department said he was beaten and forced to confess to taking bribes.

Abdul Rahim Abdul Kadir, 41, told a coroner's inquest into the death of Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed that he was detained by the MACC from April 1 to 5. The two were among those arrested in the swoop.

"The officers raised their voices and snarled at me, and even threatened me so I would confess," Abdul Rahim said.

He said he was hit on the head during questioning on April 4 and he wasn't allowed to perform his prayers.

Ahmad Sarbaini, the Selangor Customs assistant director, was found dead after he was believed to have fallen from the pantry on the third floor of the MACC office in Jalan Cochrane here on April 6 and landed on the badminton court on the first floor.

Ahmad Sarbaini had confessed on April 4 to accepting between RM50 and RM100 a month from Schenker Logistics (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd officer Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Zaki as well as between RM30 and RM200 a month from a Top Mark Freight & Shipping Sdn Bhd officer called Ah Seng.

 

MORE TO COME HERE.

Sign of the end for BN when people no longer afraid

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 02:53 PM PDT

 

By Daniel John Jambun

 

At one time in Malaysia, especially during the earlier part of Tun Mahathir premiership, people were afraid of the government. Dark stories of sufferings in detention haunted the people, and to us then, being arrested under the ISA was a fearful, dreadful thing. But now we young people like Atama Katama saying he is prepaid to be arrested under the ISA if need be, for the sake of his struggle for free and elections in his beloved country.

On being released after her arrest on July 9, Ambiga Sreenevasan, Bersih's President, stated what was already obvious to everyone: "Malaysians are no longer scared of government intimidation." This reminds me of what, Thomas Jefferson, one of the drafters of the US Declaration of Independence, said: "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." Gladly, we are clearly heading for that liberty, because it is obvious the government is now on the defensive, clearly intimidated and threatened by the force of the people's desire for clean and free elections in the country. This was made amply clear during the Bersih rally on July 9. Despite weeks of threats and intimidation from the government, laced with rude remarks to make Bersih look like an evil organization, supposedly having a destructive agenda, the people came in droves. The whole city was locked down, but 50,000 people managed to pass through and participate in the rally in high spirit.

 

What should a government do when the people are no longer afraid to be arrested, even to suffer for a good and noble cause? Isn't is a sign that the end is in sight for the BN? 

 

The BN leaders downplayed the impact of the day by saying the planned rally didn't get the support of the people "because only about 10,000 people turned up instead of the planned 100,000." But if the police and FRU didn't lock down the city, and allowed a free rally, there would have been 200,000 or even more. The fact is 50,000 turned up in spite of the police blockades.

 

The loud verbal attacks by the Prime Minister against the rally organizers in an arranged and BN-sponsored gathering on 6,000 at the Putra World Trade Centre the following day, sounded hollow and futile, a reaction which was too little too late. The irony of the speech was that it tried to insult the rally participants and those who wished they participated, but it only achieved to galvanize their support for Bersih instead of demoralizing or cowering them into submission. The PM sounded so illogical in his reasoning, and by the sound and the fury of his speech it was obvious he was doing it all just to try a psychological victory over the previous day's rally. It was also obvious he was scared, and feeling highly threatened by Bersih. BN had succeeded in making enemies with the rally participants, and created a strong body of anti-BN Malaysians – a reversal of the 1Malaysia objectives.

 

The BN is now in a very serious quandary. What will it do now? Should it clean up the election process? And isn't that what the government of a free and democratic country supposed to be doing? But then won't that be an exercise in self-destruction? Then again, if it doesn't clean up the obviously dirty election process, how will it justify itself to the people? The BN must also be struggling with the hard question of what to do with Bersih 3.0 – the third rally which Bersih is threatening to hold if the government doesn't do anything to meet its 8-point demand. And we can bet, this time the rally will be at least three times bigger than the one on July 9, even with the brutal suppression of the police and FRU. There are already Bersih rallies all over the world, and more will come.

 

The other dilemma giving BN a throbbing headache is whether to suppress or just allow Bersih's next huge rally. If it is allowed, the number of demonstrators will be so huge it will create history and an international embarrassment for the BN regime. If it is suppressed even harder than before, the police brutality, which will be exposed by international news media and the internet, will lower Malaysia to the barbaric level of  the Middle East regimes.

 

So the BN is now caught in the middle, between the choice of becoming civilized or uncivilised. It knows that cruel suppression will fail, and will tarnish the nation's image, and it will definitely lead to a quicker downfall of the BN. The best choice would be for it to listen to the people, to do the right thing, which is to comply and fulfill Bersih's 8-point demand. This is because the people are asking why is the BN so reluctant to do the right thing, and why is a clean electoral process so frightening to the BN?

 

 

 

Bersih – my final thoughts

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6445/artharun.jpg

By Art Harun

In my opinion, the biggest mistake that the government had made in the Bersih issue was to isolate a large section of the society from itself, anger them and convert them into a Bersih sympathiser and/or supporter.

At some point of time before the Bersih rally – in my opinion it was about the time Pak Samad Said was hauled to the police station – the Bersih movement had transcended its electoral reform objective into a full scale platform for the people to vent their frustrations, disappointments, angst and anger to the government.

To put it crassly, from that point of time, Bersih became a platform for many people to show their middle finger to the government, for whatever personal reason(s) they may have.

All the government had to do in the early days of Bersih 2.0 was to deal with Bersih and its demands. The demands were not about the escalating inflation and price of household items; not about Teoh Beng Hock or Sarbaini; not about corruption; not about electricity rate hike; not about Astro price hike; not about the police, MACC or whichever agency.

The demands were just about a fair and just election or what was perceived by Bersih as such. That was it. It was politically related but not politically motivated. (For the uninitiated, there is a difference between the two). The fact that some opposition political parties were in solidarity with Bersih did not demote Bersih into a political party with the inevitable and attendant political baggage. 

The premise of Bersih was an idea, a thought. The idea was our election process is not fair. The resulting conclusion from that idea was that our electoral process needs reform or at least a change. That was all.

Being an idea, or a thought, Bersih operates and infects the masses insidiously. It is in their head that the idea is planted. It is not in their behaviour. A Bersih sympathiser or supporter, with the said planted idea, would not act in a way an Al-Qaeda member would. He or she was not going to strap C4 around his or her body, go to the mall on a Sunday, and buy the proverbial ticket to heaven by blowing himself or herself up.

Planted with that idea, a Bersih sympathiser or supporter would try to convince others that that idea was correct. That idea will infest and continue to infest.

The wearing of yellow t-shirts with the word Bersih was just a way or means employed by carrier of such idea to make known that he or she subscribed to that idea to the open world.

The yellow t-shirts were not even a manifestation of the idea which he or she carried.  With or without the yellow t-shirts, the idea still infests their mind. Similarly, the colour of the t-shirts, did not matter. It could have been pink for all they cared but the idea stayed the same. 

The idea, as I said earlier, was that the election process is not fair and it needs reform.

And so, this was what, allegorically, the government was facing about a month before the rally. There were some yellow mosquitoes flying around in some wet markets; shopping malls; seminar rooms and on the streets. That was it. Nothing more.

 

READ MORE HERE.

 

After July 9th, What Next?

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 02:32 PM PDT

By Bowler

In the post-Bersih 2.0 rally period, the rakyat will tire of the polemics, petty quarrels and nit-picking that hasensued. Far beyond the pain and sacrifices made by our countrymen in that rally, there is a desperate need to ensure permanent good effects come out of the rally.

Leaders or leading supporters of Bersih 2.0 have been issuing contradictory statements that have undermined Bersih's efforts.Beyond wishful thinking and vague hopes, systematic and organized strategies must be executed. Loose ends must be tied up. Here are some suggestions:

I. Abang Baharuddin's death needs closure

Bersih 2.0 needs to assign an officer (with the agreement of the bereaved family) to work with the family to ensure they are not left alone. This officer must assist the family in every way to obtain justice until the family is fully satisfied that justice has been done and any compensation due achieved. 

2. Resolve the Tung Shin Hospital Controversy

Bersih 2.0 must assign an officer to work with hospital authorities and doctors as well as with independent NGOs to ensure that hospitals and universities are never again abused by the police – that policemen never again invade hospitals and universities – whether with tear gas, water cannons or with their dirty boots and truncheons, nor place their spies, secret agents and appointed cronies in these institutions. 

Those demonstrators who were injured by policemen with excessive and purposeful force and cruelty also need to see that their torturers are brought to justice.

An officer must be assigned to work on this too.

If there is any compensation due, this must be successfully obtained from those responsible for the atrocities. 

All these individuals cases must be settled properly and with full satisfaction of the victims. In addition, the public's grievances must also be settled. 

3. Develop the demands of Bersih 2.0

While it is relatively easy to fight for indelible ink to be used in elections, bersih must suggest concrete and effective checks and balances  to counter dirty politics? There is some hard thinking and some hard work to be done in this area. 

Consider and tackle issues related with implementation. Take for example the cleaning up of electoral rolls. Should this be left entirely to the EC? Should there be a watch dog to check the EC? After all, one of the complaints of Bersih 2.0 is that the public servants are not fair and that some steps should be taken to ensure they are fair and professional in their approach to their work and responsibilities.

How is this to be ensured? Can the EC be trusted to clean up the electoral rolls? If there is to be a watch dog, how is it to be selected and funded? Is it to be purely voluntary or by appointment? 

How is it possible to guarantee that civil servants do not have any interest in the outcome of elections in the sense of who wins or who loses the elections? After all even Ministers refuse to declare their assets, what more top and middle ranking civil servants? Who is to ensure that their declarations are accurate? Who is responsible to dig up dirt in case of cover ups and dishonesty? 

The mechanisms to ensure that civil servants do not have any interest in who wins or loses elections have to be carefully thought out and invented yet. Bersih 2.0 needs to spend some time on this and make their proposals known to the public and voters. 

4. Resolve the problems related to postal votes.

It is enough to have observers? Do the postal voters list need to be specially checked? After all, even ordinary voters if they are unable to come to the polling stations are recommended by Bersih 2.0 to be given the postal vote.

This seems to be a very big thing and may get out of hand. Who is to say whether they can or cannot come to the polling stations? Who is to check and verify the lists of such postal voters? As if police and military postal voters are not enough, now those who are in foreign countries may be given the postal vote too. This is a logistical trap and may even backfire on Bersih 2.0. 

Prisoners should also be given the postal vote according to the principle that no one may stop a voter from exercising his right to vote. Such rights must be respected and no one may take away such rights lightly especially ministers who refuse to declare they assets. This way, if the rights are carefully protected, the people are assured they are sovereign, not UMNO. 

However, who can confirm the prisoners can vote freely and not under duress? After all their jailers have more or lees the power of life or death over them. This may influence they way they vote in a really big way. In fact rank and file soldiers are under such strict discipline that their officers have the power to make life hell for them. Who is to ensure that their votes are free and not under any duress? These things may backfire on Bersih 2.0 

Bersih 2.0 needs concrete proposals for the public and voters via practical systematic and well organized work for the next elections.

5. Counter Unfair Media Coverage

Then there is the problem of media air time and coverage. If everyone of the employees including the top bosses in a TV station is a UMNO crony, how can media air time and coverage be made equal and fair?

Bersih 2.0 needs to do some hard thinking on this too and make their proposals known to the public.

  • Are independent media watch dogs needed?
  • How are they to be funded and given enough means and power to ensure equal and fair media coverage?
  • How are these watch dogs to be selected?
  • How are they to do their work? What are the criteria and guidelines that determine their work? 

After all was it Stalin who is credited with saying that the voters are important, but the people who count the votes are even more important (or something to that effect)? Are UMNO faithful secret followers of Stalin? Should UMNO be the one to appoint the media watch dogs if this were the case? 

Take the MACC for example. The MACC is supposed to have a watch dog. However, things have gotten so much out of hand in the MACC that a RCI was needed to try and sort out a famous case involving the MACC. This should be considered a slap in the face of the MACC watch dog because they have failed in their duties to keep the MACC on track in its professionalism and integrity to the extent of requiring a RCI to do their job for them. However the thick skinned shameless characters in the watch dog commission refuse even to apologise for this let alone resign their commissions. Such watch dogs are completely useless especially if they are appointed by a Stalinist type authority. 

Bersih 2.0 needs to ensure that watch dogs not only have the professionalism and integrity, but the funds and power too to do the job they are supposed to do. 

What I suggest is that all watch dogs must be set up by parliament whether they are watch dogs to monitor media, the judiciary, the police, the EC or the MACC.

They must have the power to remove the heads of the departments concerned and they must comprise independent professionals chosen by a parliamentary team comprising government as well as opposition members. If there is dispute, the opposition has the final say in 2 cases while the government has the final say in only 1 case. 

Funding for such watch dogs must be automatic and compulsory with mechanisms to cater for inflation and special cases of importance to the public, not at the whims and fancy of the government. This case, even if the PR comes to power, BN will have control over the appointments of the watchdogs and vice versa. It will be some sort of check on absolute power. 

My proposal just highlights the difficulties involved in the cause. Bersih 2.0 cannot afford short cuts in their endeavours which require hard work.

At the end of the day, what we desperately need are checks on absolute power. The measures taken must reflect this need. Until politics becomes cleaner, such drastic measures may be withdrawn for more appropriate measures to suit the changed conditions. Hopefully by then Malaysia will be a better place to live in with greater hope for and more confidence in the future – when the rakyat are sovereign.

UN: Malaysia Acts Too Much against Protesters

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 02:21 PM PDT

By VIVAnews

Tens of thousands of Malaysian protesters called for free and fair elections on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on last Saturday, July 9. The government however reacted with heavy-handedness when dealing with the mass protest, arresting around 1,700 people and injured many as teargas and watercannon were fired.

Provided the incident, the United Nations human rights office voiced concern about the use of excessive force against protesters.

"We are very concerned by the recent crackdown and peaceful demonstrators by the government in Malaysia, and particularly disappointed to see the apparent use of excessive force by the police against so many peaceful demonstrators in an established democracy like Malaysia," said Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR), as quoted from the UN webpage, July 12.

"While the police have said that all the detained demonstrators have been released, we remain concerned about retaliation against these individuals, as well as against those who were arrested in the lead up to the demonstration, some of whom are reportedly still in detention," said Mr. Colville. "These individuals should not be punished for exercising their fundamental human rights."

In the mean time, a report, which was denied by the police, said a hospital where protesters had taken refuge was attacked by security forces, The Guardian writes on July 13.

Shocked by the action practiced by police and federal reserve unit special forces, Bersih 2.0 wants royal commission of inquiry and vowed to continue its reform campaign.

On the other hand, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was not likely affected by the international responses saying, "Don't doubt our strength. If we want to create chaos, we can. Umno has 3 million members. If we gather 1 million members, it is more than enough. We can conquer Kuala Lumpur," as quoted from The Guardian.

His statement was quite the contrary to the promise he made in 2009 upon his being elected PM. At that time, he said he would bridge Malaysia's political, ethnic and religious divisions.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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