Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PM Najib's tyranny draws focus on bribes, murder
- Mat Zain wants Altantuya accused retried
- Ambiga clarifies meeting with Pak Lah
- WikiLeaks’ Assange in court extradition appeal
- Don’t roll out red carpet for Najib, Britain urged
- RM73 mil diamond ring for Rosmah?
- "Malaysia Has Too Many Phobias"
- Indonesian NGO: Anti-Bersih acts against Islam
- Anwar deserves an Oscar, says Muhyiddin
- Were cops trying to trap Ambiga’s group?
- Bersih clampdown has shamed Malaysia, says PAS
- Bersih 3.0 if no electoral reforms before GE, says PAS
- Crackdown 2.0 in Malaysia
- Lying Najib, recalcitrant Umno
- Bersih rally a public awakening
- Tengku Adnan explains Bersih crackdown to Jakarta
| PM Najib's tyranny draws focus on bribes, murder Posted: 12 Jul 2011 03:23 AM PDT
By Jarius Bondoc, The Philipine Star Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make . . . Mad it was for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to prime the police into thinking days prior that last Saturday's opposition protest in Kuala Lumpur was illegal, and that seized firebomb stashes would have been used. Madder still, for him to have the 20,000 marchers tear-gassed and 1,667 arrested. The rally was to call for electoral reforms, a domestic issue that attracted only the Malaysian press. But when riot squads aimed teargas canisters at opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's head, actually hitting his aide's eye, and causing the fatal heart attack of one demonstrator, the event drew world attention. Now international groups are denouncing the mayhem as proof of Najib's disregard for human rights. Worse, there's sudden global interest in an imminent subpoena of Najib to a Paris trial on kickbacks in purchasing three French submarines in 2002, and the consequent murder of a Mongolian socialite in 2006. Malaysia's parliament will have no choice but to take up the brutal dispersal. Najib's home minister's claim has been debunked that police performed their duties "with bravery, fairness and integrity." Narratives jibe that marchers were on their way to a downtown stadium from different parts of the capital when confronted with teargas and chemical-laced water cannons. Even if the storm does not affect next year's setting of national polls, the fallout predictably will hurt Najib. Najib allegedly has concocted sexcapades to bring down arch foe Anwar. Not only has the scheme backfired, Najib is now himself under fire for immorality. Trial is to begin of French arms giant DCN-Armaris for bribery in the 2002 submarine sale to Malaysia through then-defense minister Najib. Commissions supposedly came in three tranches: first euro 30 million upon contract signing, then euro 114 million subcontracted to an unknown firm owned by Najib's security adviser Razak Baginda, and last euro 2.5 million. From reports, Najib, Baginda, and their purported shared Mongolian girlfriend Altantuya Sharibu motored around France after sealing the deal. Najib and now London-based Baginda will be summoned to Paris as soon as a judge is assigned to the case this month or next. The bribery worsened into kidnapping-murder when Altantuya raucously tried to collect her euro 350,000-share from Baginda in 2006. Najib's jealous wife Rosmah forbade the men from paying her a single cent, provoking Altantuya to picket their manor. Two Najib bodyguards abducted the pregnant Altantuya, shot her dead in the woods, and burned the corpse with military explosives. Party mates nevertheless made Najib prime minister in 2009. The bodyguards confessed and were convicted last year; Baginda was acquitted. Prosecutors, defense lawyers, and the judge were forbidden from mentioning the sleazy submarine deal during the trial. Still, Najib got an international black eye. France has no power to compel the attendance of Najib or Baginda. But it can demand the truth from DCN-Armaris. The Malaysia Chronicle recently quoted Kuala Lumpur politicians as saying that if Najib snubs the trial he would in effect tell the world that he's guilty as charged. And the world will be watching, now that Najib has turned the spotlight on himself with last weekend's tyrannical squashing of dissent.
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| Mat Zain wants Altantuya accused retried Posted: 11 Jul 2011 10:05 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Inisder) - Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim urged today Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to step in and relook the Attorney-General's (A-G) prosecution of two policemen now on death row for the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu. The retired cop accused the A-G of mishandling the case, which reflects a miscarriage of justice as the motive for murder was never found. The former head of the KL Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has repeatedly accused A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail of having deceived the federal government and former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in several high-profile cases ranging from the infamous 'black eye" incident involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to most recently, the trial of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik in the multi-billion ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project. In an open letter today, Mat Zain suggested that Abdul Gani's handling of the prosecution in the Altantuya murder case had blocked the court from giving a fair trial to the two men accused of murdering the former mistress of PM Najib's once close friend, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda. "The possibility exists that there was miscarriage of justice, whether deliberate or otherwise, that caused the court to sentence to death Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar [Umar]," Mat Zain said in the letter to the PM; a copy was also sent to the media. The ex-cop drew parallels between the Altantuya murder case and that of former beauty queen Jean Perera Sinappa who was also discovered murdered in April 1979 near the Subang airport. Mat Zain recounted that in the 32 year-old case, Sinappa's brother-in-law, Kartigesu, who was accused of her murder and sentenced to death was later freed after the Court of Appeal found that one of the witnesses, Jayatilake, had lied in his testimony. In comparison, Abdul Gani had "buried" possibly crucial evidence in the Altantuya trial, namely private investigator P. Balasubramian's two contradictory statutory declarations (SD), that could help both Azilah and Sirul Azhar. "I conclude that Gani Patail's action to bury the testimony in Balasubramaniam's two SDs made on 3 and 4 July 2008, from being presented for tghe judge's consideration in the then-ongoing Altantuya murder trial had denied the two accused, C/Insp.Azilah dan Koporal Sirul, justice," Mat Zain said. He stressed that the A-G has the discretion to begin, manage or end a criminal proceeding, under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution. "But the A-G does not have the right or power to abuse his authority or perform a criminal act such as creating false testimony, cheat, hide or bury testimony from being presented for the judge's consideration and other criminal acts," the retired cop said. "If he does any of these, he too is bound by the laws under the Criminal Procedure Code, same as everyone else," he added, and reminded the PM of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's message to the public on July 3 that "no one [is] above the law".
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| Ambiga clarifies meeting with Pak Lah Posted: 11 Jul 2011 06:34 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Bersih 2.0 chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan clarified today she was advised to act according to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's wishes over last Saturday's rally and declined to comment further on the private conversation she had with former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Ambiga also told a news conference today that the ex-PM had only urged her to heed the King's unprecedented advice when she and Abdullah met last week prior to the Bersih 2.0 rally. "Yes, [Abdullah] Badawi did ask us to abide by the 'titah' of the King. That's all, I don't want to breach the confidentiality," she said, and declined to speak further on the subject. Earlier today, Abdullah told reporters he had arranged a meeting with Ambiga (picture) to "remind" her to abide by the King's advice to find alternatives instead of having the rally on the streets of the city. "I told her that she should abide by what was impressed upon (by the King), that we should not have the rally," said the nation's prime minister from October 2003 to March 2009. In an unprecedented move a week before last Saturday's rally, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin stepped in to defuse tension by advising the Najib administration and Bersih 2.0 to hold consultations over the issue of free and fair elections. In the statement issued by Istana Negara on July 3, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin said he was following closely the developments of the proposed assemblies by Bersih 2.0 and how the federal government and its agencies were handling the matter."The fact is, street demonstrations bring more bad than good although the original intention is good. Instead, we should focus on our main objective to develop this country, and not create problems that will cause the country to lag behind," the King said. "I also urge the government to carry out everything that is entrusted to it by the people in a just and wise manner, and it is important that I as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong do not want to see this country with a plural society in a situation where there is animosity among them or a section of the people being enemies with the government, on whatever grounds," he added. Tuanku Mizan also reminded the public, in his open statement, that moderation and compromise remain an important practice in the nation's administration. After meeting with the King, Bersih 2.0 pledged to cancel the rally and have the event in a stadium, as previously suggested by Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The prime minister, however, reneged on his offer, resulting in tens of thousands of Bersih supporters thronging the city capital last Saturday for a street demonstration which went ahead without police permission, resulting in nearly 1,700 arrests, scores injured and the death of a PKR leader's husband.
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| WikiLeaks’ Assange in court extradition appeal Posted: 11 Jul 2011 06:13 PM PDT
(Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will begin his appeal on Tuesday against his extradition from Britain to Sweden for questioning over allegations of sexual misconduct. The 40-year-old Australian computer expert will take his legal battle to the High Court in London for a two-day hearing after losing an initial challenge to the extradition order in February. Swedish prosecutors want to question Assange about allegations of sexual assault made by two women, both WikiLeaks volunteers, in Sweden last August. He denies the allegations. He was arrested in December around the same time as his whistle-blowing website began publishing a cache of more than 250,000 secret U.S. diplomatic cables which hurt the U.S. government and caused a media sensation. A judge originally dismissed arguments by Assange's defense team that he would not get a fair trial in Sweden and that it would ultimately violate his human rights. Assange has said he believes the Swedish case is politically motivated. The U.S. government is examining whether criminal charges can be brought against Assange over the leaks. Assange fears extradition to Sweden could be a stepping-stone to him being taken to the United States. His lawyers have in the past argued he could be sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba or even face the death penalty. Even if the High Court upholds the extradition request, Assange could take his battle to Britain's Supreme Court, the country's highest, though this can only be done on a point of law considered to be of general public interest. The Supreme Court ruling marks the end of the process. Assange has hired a new legal team to represent him after his previous team, which included prominent British attorney Mark Stephens, was seen as too confrontational. Replacing Stephens is prominent human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce. She has represented accused militants in high-profile cases, including former prisoners held by the United States at Guantanamo, and the "Guildford Four," a group of Irish citizens whose conviction in an alleged IRA bomb plot was overturned after they spent years in prison. An assistant for Peirce at her office Birnberg Peirce and Partners told Reuters the firm would not be making any comment prior to the appeal. However, in an emailed statement the firm said "it would be highly unusual" for the High Court to pronounce a decision over the appeal on the same day. "It is normal for a written judgment to be given," it said. After a brief spell in prison following his arrest by British authorities at Sweden's request, Assange was released on bail and has been living under strict court-imposed restrictions at a country mansion in eastern England. Despite the bail conditions, which include wearing an electronic ankle tag, reporting to police daily and respecting a curfew, Assange celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday. British media reported that he threw a party at the estate and more than 100 guests, including celebrities and high-profile supporters, were invited.
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| Don’t roll out red carpet for Najib, Britain urged Posted: 11 Jul 2011 06:03 PM PDT
Police action against citizens during Saturday's rally has jeopardized the country's reputation as a moderate democratic state, says international human rights community. (Free Malaysia Today) - The consensus from international organisations is that the red carpet should not be rolled out for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when he begins his official visit to Britain today. Najib begins his four-day official visit to the UK today, after which he is expected to be in Rome to meet with Pope Benedict XVI. Najib has said that street protests are not the Malaysian way but the International Human Rights community are angry with him and the police force for denying Malaysians their basic rights during Saturday's Bersih rally. Amnesty International (AI) had even gone a step further and called for heads of states to censor Najib . "Prime Minister Najib's government rode roughshod over thousands of Malaysians exercising their right to peaceful protest," said Donna Guest, deputy Asia-Pacific director at Amnesty International in a statement. "This violent repression by the Malaysian police flies in the face of international human rights standards and cannot be allowed to continue," she added. "The British government shouldn't reward this brutality by rolling out a red carpet for Malaysia's prime minister… (British Prime Minister) David Cameron should tell prime minister Najib that these human rights violations against peaceful reform protests are unacceptable," she said. Amenesty International also called on the Vatican to press Najib to respect human rights when he visits the pope later this week. AI also highlighted the many complaints of police hard-handedness during the rally. It said that the use of force by the police was "excessive, unnecessary and designed to instill fear". The Malaysian government however has denied this and said that it has video footages of its own to show otherwise. The international human right watchdog also asked the Malaysian authorities to investigate claims that police failed to provide immediate assistance to Baharuddin Ahmad, the husband of PKR Setia Wangsa chief, who passed away in the vicinity of KLCC due to heart complications during the rally. Undermining progress The United Nations (UN) had also took Najib and the police to task for the handling of Saturday's rally and events leading up to it. Frank La Rue, UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, said that the Malaysian government "risks undermining democratic progress to the country" with the pre-emptive measures taken to derail the rally. "Declaring Bersih illegal based on claims that it is trying to topple the government or it is a risk to national security and public order – in the absence of any credible evidence to substantiate such claims – is also an unnecessary restriction of civil and political rights," La Rue added.
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| RM73 mil diamond ring for Rosmah? Posted: 11 Jul 2011 05:35 PM PDT
A blog claims that the self-styled First Lady received a 'Natural Fancy Blue Gray Cushion Cut Diamond Ring' in April. (Free Malaysia Today) - As Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak still reels from the Bersih 2.0 rally's political aftershocks, a glittering new allegation has surfaced about his wife, Rosmah Mansor. The self-styled First Lady had allegedly come into possession of a diamond ring, worth a whopping US$24 million (RM73.48 million) sometime in April this year. A pro-Pakatan Rakyat blog called "Milo Suam" claimed that the ring was sent to Rosmah by the New York-based fine jewellers, Jacob & Co. The blog claimed that the ring, identified as a "Natural Fancy Blue Gray Cushion Cut Diamond Ring" passed through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport customs and was cleared by a customs operations manager known as A Krishnan. Screenshots of the alleged customs computer displays also revealed that the ring did not have import duties imposed on it. The same display also indicated the value of the ring to be US$24.4 million. The story of the ring had also spread to many other pro-Pakatan blogs. According to a Forbes website, the ring is a "VVS2 clarity diamond mounted on a platinum ring surrounded by 414 diamonds in a micro-pave setting (3.48 cts.)." Meanwhile, "Milo Suam" questioned Najib's rationale in allegedly purchasing such an expensive item for his wife.
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| "Malaysia Has Too Many Phobias" Posted: 11 Jul 2011 05:33 PM PDT
By Denny Armandhanu, Vivanews It is the people that are mostly concerned with the elections. So, why is he standing in their way? If he wants to get me off the game, why should he deceive the people? A clash broke between the police and protesters on Saturday, July 9, in Malaysia following mass street protest demanding electoral changes. The Bersih 2.0 rally went uncontrolled after riot police fired tear gas and water cannon and arrested more than 1,600 people to end the protest. |
| Indonesian NGO: Anti-Bersih acts against Islam Posted: 11 Jul 2011 05:28 PM PDT
A youth organisation calls on Indonesians to condemn Putrajaya's use of "violent and forceful" means to quell dissent. (Free Malaysia Today) - An Indonesian youth organisation today added its voice to the international outcry against the repression of last Saturday's Bersih rally. In a strongly worded statement emailed to news organisations in Malaysia, Generasi Muda Pembangunan Indonesia (GMPI) accused the Najib administration of failing to uphold Islamic values and democratic principles. It said Putrajaya "should always" distance itself from "authoritarian politics" and the "use of violent and forceful means" to quell dissent. GMPI also called on all Indonesians to use both organisational and informal channels to condemn the action against Bersih demonstrators. It said the arrest of activists and the use of chemical sprays and tear gas against demonstrators constituted a "repressive offensive tactic" by a government that felt that its power was "under threat" by citizens trying to express their desire for free and fair elections.
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| Anwar deserves an Oscar, says Muhyiddin Posted: 11 Jul 2011 04:20 PM PDT
(NST) - BETONG: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should get an Oscar award. He said the opposition leader had made the injury he received in Saturday's illegal street demonstration worse than it seemed. He said Anwa r 's injuries could have been self-inflicted to give him an excuse to discredit the government and the police. "Anwar should be given an Oscar for making what is not true look like the truth. We expected him to twist the facts to suit his goals," Muhyiddin said after attending the national-level Gawai Dayak open house at Rumah Wilson Begat Anak Bakir, in Penom, Ulu Paku, here. Anwar was said to have suffered a bruise on his head and a cut leg as a result of police firing tear gas at protesters near where he was. He said the chaos that broke out caused him to fall. "I saw him on YouTube looking frail in a hospital bed. An hour later, I was told he was up and about, at the home of the protester who had died, paying his last respects and looking fine and healthy." Muhyiddin said he had expected Anwar and the opposition to capitalise on the incident as "this was not the first time (it had happened)". "There were no extreme police actions in the area, nor was he attacked by the police or targeted by the police." He said police were investigating the circumstances that led to Anwar getting injured. "Did he fall because of police action? Was it selfinflicted or did he walk into a glass wall?" He said policewould make a statement on Anwar's injury and the death of protester Baharudin Ahmad. Muhyiddin said Anwar, the opposition and rally organisers Bersih had distorted the facts on what had happened during the rally. "We expected it. We knew from the beginning that it would happen." He praised the police for showing "great restraint" in their handling of the rally. He said the death of the demonstrator was not because of police brutality, as claimed by the opposition. He said the opposition distorted the death to gain sympathy by portraying the government and the police as brutal. Muhyiddin said street demonstrations were not part of Malaysian culture and would never be as the majority of people were against them. "It is not something we do. So what happened shows that they (the protesters) do not have respect for the law." He accused Bersih of showing disrespect by lying to the king when they had promised that theywould not take to the streets. |
| Were cops trying to trap Ambiga’s group? Posted: 11 Jul 2011 03:33 PM PDT By Zehfry Dahalan, FMT In at least one of their encounters with Bersih supporters last Saturday, police appeared to have used tear gas to trap and punish instead of to disperse a group of demonstrators. This happened to be the group led by Bersih leader S Ambiga and opposition leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang, Tian Chua and Nurul Izzah Anwar. FMT reporter Zefry Dahalan filed the following first person account. "I was with some journalists following the group that had Bersih chief Ambiga and the top Pakatan Rakyat leaders in the front line. They marched from KL Hilton into the KL Sentral station and went down the narrow staircase that leads to the tunnel that links with Jalan Tun Sambanthan. When they had almost reached the end of the tunnel, police from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) suddenly released tear gas directly into the group. A canister hit Anwar's bodyguard (photo, below), injuring his left cheek. There was pandemonium. It was at this point that Ambiga, Abdul Hadi and Tian Chua were arrested. The entire group ran back into the tunnel. And then the FRU fired again. The fumes filled the closed area. Everyone seemed to be out of breath as they ran, more for air than to escape the FRU. But back at the entry point of the tunnel, a dozen or so policemen were waiting with batons raised. My vision became blurry, my throat itched and I struggled for breath. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to flash my media card for the benefit of the waiting policemen. They let me go on my way, and I soon regained my strength with fresh air.
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| Bersih clampdown has shamed Malaysia, says PAS Posted: 11 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — PAS lamented the crackdown on Saturday's Bersih rally, saying today that media reports have disgraced Malaysia especially in the eyes of Southeast Asian neighbours. PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said the world has seen how the events of Saturday in the federal capital contrasted with how Malaysians were allowed to gather peacefully overseas on the same day "without a single arrest." "In Southeast Asia, only Malaysia and Myanmar are at this level," he said, referring to the nation that was under military rule for nearly half a century until an election last year, which was widely described as fraudulent," he told a press conference here. Mohamad, who is popularly known as Mat Sabu, was among the nearly 1,700 arrested in the crackdown. All were later released the same day. The Jakarta Post and Straits Times, leading English dailies in Indonesia and Singapore respectively, criticised this morning the clampdown on the tens of thousands who poured into the city last weekend, resulting in the massive arrests, scores injured and the death of the husband of a PKR division leader. The Wall Street Journal also slammed the Najib administration for creating an atmosphere of "fear and repression" and predicted that the "silent majority" would soon speak out against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. "The international media understands our demands for clean elections. Even Singapore was restrictive like Malaysia but they have reformed and now their candidates get media access," Mohamad said, referring to the island republic which saw the ruling People's Action Party slip from 65 to 60 per cent of the popular vote. Ahead of diplomatic meetings with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Pope Benedict XVI, Najib had taken the unusual step of sending Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor to Jakarta to insist that the Bersih rally was just a ruse by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is popular as a Muslim leader in Indonesia. Bersih had claimed a turnout of 50,000 for the street demonstration which went ahead without police permission. The electoral reforms movement decided to take to the streets despite previously accepting Najib's offer to move the street rally to a stadium after the government refused to allow the gathering to take place in Stadium Merdeka. This came after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong called on the government a week ago to execute its duties fairly and for it to meet Bersih and discuss the issue of free and fair elections. Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin had intervened after a police dragnet that had seen over 100 arrests, the raiding of the Bersih secretariat and confiscation of Bersih-related materials in the space of a week.
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| Bersih 3.0 if no electoral reforms before GE, says PAS Posted: 11 Jul 2011 03:15 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — PAS has called on the Najib administration to bow to Bersih's eight-point reforms to the electoral system or face a repeat of the rally that plunged the capital into chaos on Saturday. Party deputy president Mohamad Sabu said today it would hold another rally before the next general election if the Election Commission (EC) failed to implement the reforms demanded by the coalition of 62 NGOs. "The EC should act. If there is no action by the next election, we will suggest that Bersih holds another demonstration," he said at a press conference. Despite Bersih claiming that 50,000 had poured into the city last weekend, Mohamad (picture) threatened a larger rally, stating that "PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang has already said this is only the beginning." He also said the Islamist party would ask Bersih to declare Saturdays "Bersih Day" where members of the public should wear yellow to show their support for free and fair elections. Asked if he was calling for the public to disobey the law, Mohamad said "the yellow shirts are only illegal to Umno but no court has declared them unlawful." He added that the EC could already implement part of the demands set out by the electoral reform movement such as cleaning up the electoral roll, reforming postal votes, using indelible ink and providing free access to the media for all parties. Bersih had claimed a turnout of 50,000 for the street demonstration which went ahead without police permission, resulting in nearly 1,700 arrests, leaving dozens injured and the spouse of a PKR leader dead. The electoral reform movement decided to take to the streets despite previously accepting Najib's offer to move the street rally to a stadium after the government refused to allow the gathering to take place in Stadium Merdeka. This came after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong called on the government a week ago to execute its duties fairly and for it to meet Bersih and discuss the issue of free and fair elections.
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| Posted: 11 Jul 2011 10:23 AM PDT The Wall Street Journal Based on the evidence of this weekend's rally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians aspire for a more competitive political system than what they have. Also based on this weekend's evidence, Prime Minister Najib Razak isn't prepared to give it to them. An estimated 20,000 or more people peacefully gathered in Kuala Lumpur Saturday to call for free and fair elections. Their complaints included vote-rigging and gerrymandering of constituencies to the ruling party's benefit. Bersih 2.0, as the rally was called, was the biggest event of its kind in four years. The original Bersih (the word means "clean" in Malay) called for electoral reforms in 2007.As with the original rally, this one was met not by understanding from the government but by police deploying tear gas and water cannons. More than 1,600 attendees were detained and released late Sunday. One demonstrator died from a heart attack. The situation was on the boil until the king intervened, asking both sides to settle differences. Mr. Najib offered a stadium to host the rally but then backed off. Last Thursday, he appeared with a group of martial artists who vowed to "wage war" against Bersih, saying: "If there are evil enemies who want to attack the country from within, you, my brothers, will rise to fight them." His scare tactics backfired as thousands of protesters, further angered, arrived from across the country. Saturday's rally has united and energized the political opposition. So the government is now downplaying the entire event and even blaming Bersih for creating chaos. The police claim only 6,000 protesters showed up. Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein complimented police efforts to keep control despite "being challenged and provoked." He said the protesters sought "to be arrested in order to portray the government as cruel." 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. On Sunday, Mr. Najib called on the "silent majority" of Malaysians, who he claims opposed Bersih, to speak up. If he continues to create an environment of fear and repression, he may find this silent majority speaking up soon, but against him |
| Lying Najib, recalcitrant Umno Posted: 11 Jul 2011 10:09 AM PDT
By Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: A 70-year-old political activist from Panampang who is known to both the opposition and the ruling regime has expressed shock at the way Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has handled Bersih 2.0′s call for electoral reforms. Having closely monitored Najib's reaction to Bersih 2.0 from the onset of its chairman S Ambiga's announcement on June 8, activist Fredoline Edwin Lojingki is both amused and angered by his irrational comments "I listened and am amused at the comments by various Umno leaders including Najib's on the peaceful Bersih rally. "Especially on the point where they accused Bersih organisers of causing shop and business operators to lose business last Saturday. "Those accusations are unfair…" he said in a statement today. Lojingki said that Bersih did not instigate an "unruly" gathering or "disturb businesses in Kuala Lumpur or caused shops to close". "Najib and Umno people must ask themselves who were the ones who closed the roads and divert traffic and deprived Malaysians and tourists of transport on that day? "Wasn't it the police, under the instruction of Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein? "Why was the King's advice not taken seriously? "Why block the roads if you are to allow the rally in a stadium as you promised Ambiga and the world? "Of course, you (Najib) broke your promise and showed your inner self to be manipulative and exploitative. "This is a very dirty tactic indeed and all in a desperate act to thwart the Bersih rally. "By doing so, Najib, you have incurred the wrath of the people, including an old man like me. You have failed and you must ponder on it," said Lojingki. Untrustworthy Najib The infuriated veteran also slammed Umno calling it "recalcitrant". "Recalcitrant Umno must do some deep soul-searching on what caused tens of thousands of Malaysians to join in the Bersih 2.0 rally. "There must be a very good reasons for it. "You know it, Najib – your Umno and its political culture are the main causes why Bersih was well-attended and participated even though there were no free food provided and no rock stars around as is usually done in your rally. "And who was trying to disturb a peaceful rally? Wasn't it Umno-linked Perkasa and Patriot?
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| Bersih rally a public awakening Posted: 11 Jul 2011 09:54 AM PDT By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider BANGI, July 11 — The most significant thing to come out of the Bersih 2.0 rally was not the state's reaction to it, but the public's realisation that they held the power to transform the way the government of the day administrates the country. Social scientist Datuk Shamsul Amri Baharuddin told reporters today the Bersih 2.0 rally on Saturday had stirred the middleclass into action by building on the momentum from the previous Bersih street rally on November 16, 2007. He noted that the civil society movement was itself born from the Reformasi campaign triggered in 1998 when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sacked from government. "For them, it's [previously been] 'I can vote who I want. Now, can I say what I want?'" he highlighted, and explained that many already realised that their votes matter in the electoral sense, to transform the government. "The question is: Is there a public space I can do this?" he quizzed, rhetorically. "Yes and no. They can do it, not on the road but other spaces, yes," he said, answering his own question. The academic noted that while the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has faltered in the eyes of the public, it did not quite fail when it mobilised public institutions, notably the police force, to clamp down on civil society. "I would not say that," he said. In his view, the ruling coalition now has an advantage in that they knew the ground sentiment with a certainty. "The only thing is how they use it to evaluate their next step," he said. "Bersih has done them a favour and allowed them to know what they want without them asking for it. "We are going to see more, this is not the last. It's not about the opposition. People are getting braver but also reasonable and rational," said Shamsul Amri. "If I were in power, the first thing I would do, I'd organise them, hold townhall meetings, give them drink and food," he said. He noted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's walkabout the day after the public rally for electoral reform had many implications, notably to show that Malaysians were by and large a rational group not spurred to act impulsively and join street demonstrations. He pointed to the PM's speech on silat practitioners rising up to defend Islam when questioned. "Don't get caught up in the script. He was addressing Anwar and the opposition [party]. The world can pick up on it," when asked if Najib's provocative statement could hurt the BN's image further. |
| Tengku Adnan explains Bersih crackdown to Jakarta Posted: 11 Jul 2011 09:46 AM PDT  (The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — The Najib administration took the unusual step of sending Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor to Jakarta to explain Saturday's Bersih rally and allay fears of unrest as Indonesia's oldest English paper criticised the crackdown. The Jakarta Post newspaper said Malaysians should be "rich and free" while Tengku Adnan said the Bersih rally calling for free and fair elections was just an opposition ruse by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is popular as a Muslim leader in Indonesia. "Two million tourists visit annually and Indonesian students also come to Malaysia. The riot made me come quickly to Indonesia to explain the issue," the Vivanews website quoted the former tourism minister as saying at a press conference in central Jakarta. He told them that the government feared that tourist numbers would fall if the situation was not explained fully, saying that Indonesia played a big role in the Malaysian economy. The Southeast Asian nation of 17,000 islands is a Group of 20 country and is developing quickly as an investment destination, especially from Malaysian oil palm plantation companies. Some two million Indonesians officially work in Malaysia while officials estimate an equal number work illegally. Putrajaya yesterday suspended a registration scheme for illegal immigrants and workers pending a full evaluation of a faulty biometric system. Sticking to his party line, Tengku Adnan (picture) blamed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for the rally and denied there was electoral fraud as claimed by Bersih 2.0, the coalition of 62 groups that had organised the rally. He noted that most of the Indonesian media supported Anwar, who was deputy prime minister and finance minister under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad until his sacking in 1998, pointing out his Jakarta visit was to straighten out any misconception about the rally which was declared illegal by the government. "Indonesia is an important country for Malaysia, first in tourism, two in terms of investment. We also hope that Indonesian investors invest more in Malaysia," he said, telling a press conference at the Financial Club that Kuala Lumpur was back to normal. "Traders are furious with the demonstrators. Tourists are also angry, because the monorail and LRT were closed. If we did not block, the traders would have clashed with the demonstrators," he said, referring to police blocks in the capital city. The Jakarta Post editorial, headline "Malaysia: Rich but not free", said Malaysian leaders were labouring under the "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 some time in the future," the newspaper said, adding the security lockdown showed Putrajaya was not ready to let go of controls despite Malaysians pressing for more freedom and justice. "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. "Aspirations for freedom and democracy are universal. Governments everywhere will, sooner or later, have to make accommodations. You cannot suppress the people and deprive them of their freedom forever. You must give them their due — or else they will get it by force," the paper said, saying the Arab Spring was a case in point. It pointed out that given its current economic strength, Malaysia was in an enviable position to allow greater freedom and democracy. "It can afford to take some risks without necessarily undermining development. A few powerful people may stand to lose their economic privileges, but they should have been phased out by now. "The Bersih 2.0 rally is the clearest sign that Malaysians want freedom and justice, as well as wealth," the paper concluded.
Read Editorial in Jakarta Post at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/11/editorial-malaysia-rich-not-free.html |
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