Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Utusan plays up DAP, PAS differences on Kedah entertainment ban
- Police welcome Suhakam probe
- Taib’s got the rally jitters?
- Moderate path
- Accept specialists’ Tung Shin version, says private doctors group
- Up, Close and Personal With Bourdon
- Make Up Your Mind, Electoral Commission
- WARNING: DOCTORED PHOTOGRAPH
- Analysts: Bad press won’t unseat Najib
- Bersih not about Pakatan, it's about us!
- And he agrees with me again
- Sarbaini's death: Not suicide or homicide, investigator tells court
- Men in blue pounce on MP in yellow
- Shameless Bapa Transformasi
- Najib meets the Queen, all dressed in yellow
- Why did the police do what they did?
- Untamable Bersih - part 2, understanding it
- Lawful to sue Sultan but seditious to say it, court told
- Liow makes U-turn, calls for investigation on hospital fracas
- Political affray in Malaysia : Taken to the cleaners
| Utusan plays up DAP, PAS differences on Kedah entertainment ban Posted: 15 Jul 2011 01:06 PM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider Sensing a potential split in the opposition ranks, Utusan Malaysia said today it "pitied" PAS for being "bullied endlessly" by the DAP after the majority-Chinese party urged Kedah to revoke a ban on entertainment outlets during Ramadan. The Malaysian Insider reported today that the PAS national leadership has also asked the party-led Kedah government to brief the Islamist party's central committee tomorrow on the rationale behind the proposed ban. "Although Kedah is ruled by PAS, DAP still wants to interfere with the state's administration," Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the Umno-owned newspaper's editors, said today. "Awang can see that although Lim Kit Siang has not yet even taken over the federal government, he has already shown his fangs to Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak," added the Malay daily. The DAP adviser recently urged the state government to withdraw the ban on 13 types of entertainment outlets from operating in the state during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Lim pointed out that his party's Kedah chapter never agreed to the ban as the matter was not raised at the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat (PR) council level. The MCA has also been quick to accuse Kedah PAS of violating human rights with the ban, which covers businesses such as karaoke centres and discos as well as live performances in readily accessible locations such as bars, hotels and restaurants. Only cybercafés, bowling alleys and snooker centres are exempt as they have been excluded from the regulation. The DAP last locked horns with PAS in January over Selangor's proposed ban on Muslims from working in premises that sell alcohol.
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| Posted: 15 Jul 2011 12:26 PM PDT By Teoh El Sen, FMT SUBANG: The police have welcomed Suhakam's decision to hold an open inquiry into allegations of excessive force used during last Saturday's Bersih 2.0 rally. "We will cooperate fully with Suhakam wherever the law requires us to," Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told FMT in an text message yesterday. Yesterday, Suhakam vice-chairman Prof Dr Khaw Lake Tee said the commission decided to hold an inquiry based on complaints of police brutality during the July 9 rally following two memorandums urging for an independent probe sent by PAS Youth, Suaram and Bersih 2.0. "At the moment, the commission is in the midst of setting up the panel of inquiry and its terms of reference. Further details will be announced in two weeks," read a statement by Suhakam yesterday. The public has also been called to come forward as witnesses or to provide information or evidence to Suhakam.
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| Posted: 15 Jul 2011 12:24 PM PDT (FMT) - KUCHING: Is Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, whose Barisan Nasional coalition swept 55 seats in the April 16 state election, ruffled by the possibility of a Bersih 2.0-styled march in Kuching? It would appear so going by his sudden outburst here. The usually unaffected Taib pounced on Movement for Change Sarawak's (MoCS) call for a "Walk For Democracy and Reform" on Aug 13 when asked to comment by reporters. "MoCS rally!…You find out who MoCS represents, whose voice they are carrying and by what authority is Francis Siah claiming to be the leader. "People can see why I am a leader and who I represent… and you can ask him (Siah) the same question…who does he represent," he lashed out. Inspired by the success of Bersih 2.0′s "Walk For Democracy" on July 9 and the fact that some 100 Sarawakians had taken part, Siah on Wednesday announced that MoCS would hold its own rally. He said the movement's leaders decided to organise the peaceful walk instead of an anti-Taib Mahmud rally (their original idea) which had also been planned for Aug 13. Siah said the rally would be a citizens' initiative with no political affiliation or involvement and urged Sarawakians to join the walk or hold their own activity wherever they were. He also said that the rally would be a compromised version of the original street protest planned by MoCs to force Taib to step down. Following the state election, rife with allegations of money politics having aided BN's victory, MoCS called for Taib to step down by Aug 13, failing which the movement would mobilise a mass protest. On Wednesday, Siah was reported to have said: "For too long, the state has been trapped in a quagmire of widespread corruption and the politics of fear and intimidation.
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| Posted: 15 Jul 2011 11:57 AM PDT By Sharif Haron, NST MALAYSIA is taking the path of moderation not just because it is right, but because it works, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday. He said Malaysia's own progress has been built on the bedrock of political, social and economic moderation and zero tolerance for extremists. "And today, as people and governments everywhere struggle to navigate the global economic storm and to come to terms with our new interconnectedness, it is precisely this moderation that provides a clear path back to economic growth." The Global Investment Forum, organised by the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority, was to give key insights into Malaysia's position as a business and investment destination. |
| Accept specialists’ Tung Shin version, says private doctors group Posted: 15 Jul 2011 11:15 AM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The federal private doctors body has backed medical consultants who insist that the police fired tear gas and water cannons into the Tung Shin Hospital during the Bersih rally a week ago. The Health Ministry had initially defended the authorities before it yielded to public pressure and announced an investigation on Thursday into the incident. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) pointed out today that doctors had a moral duty to highlight violations of the sanctity of hospitals caused by "frayed tempers" during unrest. "Such action by concerned doctors must be accepted in good faith as it is their duty to ensure that innocent patients under treatment must not be exposed to unnecessary harm or danger," said FPMPAM president Dr Steven Chow in a statement today. "Not to do otherwise will be a dereliction of their professional duty," he added. The FPMPAM groups seven state bodies that together have 5,000 members nationwide. The Tung Shin Hospital board had on Monday informed Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that no tear gas canisters and water cannons were fired directly into the hospital compound, which is located on Jalan Pudu, during the electoral reform rally. The police have also denied shooting directly into the hospital compound after protesters had sought refuge there. But a group of medical consultants had written to the media saying the police and hospital versions of the incident were wrong. In the days following the alleged incursion, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, a former health minister himself, said the police had to fire tear gas near Tung Shin Hospital to protect its patients from Bersih 2.0 protesters who had sought refuge there. Dr Chua said the situation should be viewed "in totality", pointing out that the police would be accused of not doing their job had they decided against dispersing the crowd of protesters that had run into the hospital. Liow has also said that shots from the water cannons had only brushed the edges of the hospital walls and blamed the wind for any tear gas felt. "The federation certainly supports the action of these 11 senior doctors as they are voicing out their outrage and concern when patients' lives are put in danger," said Dr Chow.
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| Up, Close and Personal With Bourdon Posted: 15 Jul 2011 10:47 AM PDT Next Thursday, French lawyer William Bourdon will be in Penang to give an exclusive presentation to disclose how even "bigger" commissions were paid to "extremely high level" government officials in Malaysia related to the purchase of two submarines in 2002. Many have been shocked by the potentially explosive scandal in Malaysia over the billion-dollar purchase of French submarines, a deal engineered by then Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak. The Scorpene submarines are at the very heart of the continuing controversy over the death of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year old Mongolian translator who was cruelly and brutally C4-ed to her tragic death. However, many may not know that French lawyers William Bourdon, Renaud Semerdjian and Joseph Breham filed two requests with Parisian prosecutors on Dec. 4, 2009 and Feb. 23 2010 on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organization Suaram to investigate bribery and kickbacks from the deal. For over two years, Parisian prosecutors, led by investigating judges Francoise Besset Francoise Besset and Jean-Christophe Hullin, have been gingerly investigating allegations involving senior French political figures and the sales of submarines and other weaponry to governments all over the world. French news reports have said the prosecutors have backed away from some of the most serious charges out of concern for the political fallout. On the Malaysian front, Ops Scorpene has been launched to raise funds and awareness for these concerned parties to further pursue the case in the French courts. It hopes to question arms spending and transparency in arms procurement in the country. However, funds are needed to finance the legal costs in French courts. As such, Ops Scorpene aims to raise RM100,000 via events planned during the visit of the French lawyers to Malaysia. This is where YOU can play a very important role to see that justice and truth prevails. Far above all the coffee shop discussions or online rants, this is YOUR CHANCE to play an active role in unravelling truth. Organized by KL-based human rights NGO Suaram, a fund-raising dinner will be held in Penang during the French lawyer's visit to Malaysia to better inform ordinary citizens and Civil Society Organisations on the facts of the scandal that shook the nation. Other speakers include Cynthia Gabriel (SUARAM), Lim Kiat Siang (DAP), Tian Chua (PKR), and Mat Sabu (PAS). Date: 21 July 2011 (Thursday) Time: 8.00p.m. Venue: Banquet Hall Function Room 2, Level 4, Sunshine Square complex, Penang Vegetarian Dinner A table for 10 persons is priced at : Table class A -- RM 5000 Table class B -- RM 3000 Table class C -- RM 2000 Table class D -- RM 1000 Table class E -- RM 500 Individual tickets at RM50 each are also available for sale. Tickets are also available at the door. HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS - Bank in your payment at: SUARAM ACCOUNT at SUARA INISIATIF SDN BHD, A/C No: 0300 0065 200, Hong Leong Bank For international donor: (swift code) HLBBMYKL Please notify us after made your payment!!! PLS SEND YOUR BANK TRANSACTION TO US. Call to - 0163211934 Email to - refugee.suaram@gmail.com If you cannot be there for one reason or another, please feel free to contribute your donations. Your presence, support and/or kind and generous response is deeply appreciated. PLEASE JOIN US. See you there at the dinner! For further information, write to jingcheng85@yahoo.com or suarampg@gmail.com or contact Ong Jing Cheng at 012-7583779. |
| Make Up Your Mind, Electoral Commission Posted: 15 Jul 2011 10:26 AM PDT By Mariam Mokhtar In the first Bersih rally, in 2007, in which Malaysians marched for free and fair elections, the event drew around 30,000 people. The rally was marred when the police provoked the crowds and used water cannons firing chemical laced water, baton charges and tear gas canisters against them. As a result of Bersih and the Hindraf march which happened 10 days later, BN lost its grip on power in Malaysia and the Prime Minister then, Abdullah Badawi was reported to have said that the Election Commission (EC) had acceded to several of Bersih's requests and that the opposition was continually blaming the EC for irregularities. He said, "They wanted a transparent ballot box and the use of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. The EC has agreed to that. Other than that, they can negotiate with the commission". He suggested that the electoral gains made by the Opposition after the GE were because the EC was not tainted. Fast forward to 2011 and BN is under pressure again. Apart from the usual grievances regarding electoral fraud, the EC is accused of condoning double-voting and vote-buying. Perhaps, the scrutiny into their lack of performance has forced the EC to say that BN does not have undue influence on any of their decisions. Perhaps, the intense public disapproval means the EC and BN have forgotten their election pledges for reform which they made last 2007. The most damaging of these reforms, for the EC, would be the use of indelible ink which is simple, cheap and foolproof. In 2011, the EC suggested that finger printing was necessary to avoid electoral fraud. In a climbdown from the statement issued by Badawi in 2007, it then announced that using indelible ink was a backward practice. According to Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, the EC deputy chairman, Bersih's demand for indelible ink to be used in an attempt to prevent electoral fraud would create chaos and make a mockery of Malaysia's image as a progressive and developing country. He said, "Countries that use indelible ink are countries like Indonesia, India, Zambia and Zimbabwe….. These are countries with more than double the population of Malaysia and where not all its citizens own identification cards. "These countries are not up to our level so why should we adopt their system? This is a choice between progression and regression." Perhaps, Wan Ahmad is not aware that as a nation, we have already regressed. Our leaders lack morals and have no desire to give up their hold on power. Malaysia does not have the rule of law. It says one thing about corruption, but does very little to eradicate it. There are many recorded abuses of electoral law, which are brushed aside by the EC. The EC is already compromised and is not an effective organisation to uphold the electoral rights of its people. Wan Ahmad then raised fears that voters would not agree with having their fingers painted with ink and asked if these people would not be eligible to vote. He said, "Disqualifying them would go against their rights." In a further attempt to prevent the use of indelible ink, he expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the method. "I also heard that indelible ink can be easily obtained from Thailand. What if voters ink their fingers themselves before casting their vote? Can you imagine the chaos that will erupt when they are barred from voting?" This reminds us of the MACC lawyer Abdul Razak Musa who tried to strangle himself in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest. However, Wan Ahmad is not alone in advocating the use of fingerprinting. According to Bernama, the EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohamad Yusof was reported to have said that plans were underway to 'record voters' fingerprints to verify their identities before allowing them to cast their ballots'. He said, "Then (a voter) will be considered to have voted, and the individual concerned cannot go to another polling station with the identity card to again cast his or her vote". The EC appears to have lost all credibility and powers of reasoning. Every decision or statement it makes seem to suggest that it has no desire to clean up the electoral process in Malaysia. Just like Umno/BN, it does not care or even want to be seen to champion the right of everyone to have free, clean and fair election. If only the EC had the imagination and perspicacity to realise that if it had agreed to engage with Bersih, it's reputation and those of its office-bearers, would be much improved. The bottom line is money. Ink is relatively cheap compared with fancy gadgets like biometric readers. Naturally, Umno/BN are afraid that the use of the simple and relatively cheap way of addressing voter fraud with indelible ink will oust Umno/BN from power. They are only concerned with the economics of the system. Which method will net them more money especially as the award to purchase expensive equipment will not be transparent and will be given to one of their cronies? What is a few hundred thousand ringgits in indelible ink, when Umno/BN cronies can charge several hundred millions and dupe us into handing over more money to those who already benefit from the public purse? Reducing electoral fraud is perhaps the least of the EC's problems. Making Umno/BN stay in power is more important.
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| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:03 PM PDT
I just want to warn you that this doctored photograph is circulating on the Internet. This photograph is not real. The BERSIH logo has been superimposed on the photograph. The real un-doctored photograph is below it. I trust you will not be fooled by this doctored photograph.
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| Analysts: Bad press won’t unseat Najib Posted: 14 Jul 2011 06:47 PM PDT
They say the negative publicity about anti-Bersih actions will have minimal electoral impact (Free Malaysia Today) - The international media's attack on the Najib administration over its handling of the July 9 Bersih rally will not threaten Barisan Nasional's grip on Putrajaya, according to two political analysts. They said the negative publicity would have minimal electoral impact although it bolstered anti-BN sentiment among younger voters and reinforced their distrust of the local mainstream media. "I don't think it would affect anything on the ground," said UCSI lecturer on public policies Ong Kian Ming, adding that the slew of criticism could in fact put off a majority of voters. He said the foreign media assault might easily be interpreted as encroachment by "western imperialism", a theme adopted by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to counter international pressure on his administration during the 1998 "Reformasi" uprising. Putrajaya's response to Bersih has led to widespread criticism from the international media, including influential newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian, the television channel Al-Jazeera and also top regional newspapers like the Singapore Straits Times and Jakarta Post. Observers have noted that the July 9 march had received more international attention than Bersih's 2007 rally although there were significantly more participants in the first protest. Pakatan Rakyat leaders believe the augmented media and Internet buzz means growing support for the opposition, but Ong disagrees, saying that the limelight on Bersih would have minimal electoral impact although it would sustain an anti-government momentum. Ong explained the difference between the press given to the first and second Bersih rallies. To him, the latter received wider coverage because of its context rather than because of growing support for the opposition. "I think we have been compared to the Arab Spring," he said. "Also there is more awareness because the ruling coalition is more frail now as compared to 2007."
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| Bersih not about Pakatan, it's about us! Posted: 14 Jul 2011 06:36 PM PDT
This letter appeared in Malaysiakini today. I thought I would publish it because what was said in the letter reflects the sentiments of most Malaysians. It in fact dovetails with what I have been saying all along. We are not anti-politicians as much as we are pro-rakyat. This, the politicians have to understand. And BERSIH should not be turned into a political party but must remain a people's movement. Nirmala Naidu, Malaysiakini Dear Chandra Muzaffar, I refer to your letter in Star, July 13. I am just an ordinary citizen of Malaysia who is very passionate about her people and environment. As a responsible citizen, I pay all my bills on time, adhere to every rule and regulation and obey the law. I must say I am very disappointed with the current government. I am not a member of any political party but I am a supporter of what is right. There are too many wrongs going on in our country. That is why I support Bersih. It does not take a genius to figure out why the numbers were not there. With all the threats by the government and police, I would say at least 50 -100 thousand people were there (judging from the photos). This you cannot deny, Chandra. Just imagine, if KL was not locked down on July 9, I am sure millions would have come out and that is something the ruling government just did not want to see.
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| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:59 PM PDT
Bekas mufti Perlis Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin menyelar apa yang dikatakannya sebagai "unsur feudal" melalui tindakan membodek pemimpin dalam Umno. Dalam sesi dialog di Kuala Lumpur malam tadi, Asri juga mengkritik kurangnya toleransi dalam menangani pelbagai pandangan dalam parti Melayu itu. NO HOLDS BARRED Bekas mufti selar budaya bodek dalam Umno (Malaysiakini, 15 July 2011) - Bekas mufti Perlis Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin menyelar apa yang dikatakannya sebagai "unsur feudal" melalui tindakan membodek pemimpin dalam Umno. Program itu yang banyak menyentuh mengenai Himpunan BERSIH 2.0, menyaksikan Asri membidas pemikiran feudal yang diamalkan Umno-BN dalam sistem pentadbiran negara pada hari ini yang katanya perlu dikikis jika masih mahu mengekalkan kuasa. READ MORE HERE: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/169987 *************************************************** The master-servant relationship (Malaysia Today, 12 July 2011) - I remember Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad lamenting about this same matter more than once. In a way he also touched on this issue in his book 'The Malay Dilemma', which was banned by the government in 1969 or 1970. In fact, later, when he became Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir went even further than that: he lamented that the Malays are so emotional and he wished that they were more like the Chinese -- pragmatic. READ MORE HERE: http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/41960-the-master-servant-relationship
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| Sarbaini's death: Not suicide or homicide, investigator tells court Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:40 PM PDT
(The Star) - A Bukit Aman Forensic Division police officer told the Coroner's Court here that he ruled out suicide and homicide for Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed's death. DSP Sharul Othman Mansor, who was recalled to the witness stand Friday, told the inquest into the death of the Selangor Customs assistant director that, in his professional opinion, Ahmad Sarbaini fell while trying to climb out the window on the third floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building here on April 6. He said this when questioned by MACC lawyer Datuk Seri Muhamad Shafee Abdullah. Muhamad Shafee: So this means that it was not a suicide. DSP Sharul: Yes. Muhamad Shafee: And this would also mean that it was not a homicide? DSP Sharul: Based on my analysis of the evidence, yes, I agree with you. DSP Sharul had testified earlier this month that Ahmad Sarbaini had fallen some 10m to his death while trying to jump from the said window on to nearby roof "which looks near when you're standing at the window". The roof, however, is actually about three metres from the window.
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| Men in blue pounce on MP in yellow Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:22 PM PDT By G Vinod, FMT PETALING JAYA: DAP MP Er Teck Hwa landed in trouble when he wore the banned Bersih 2.0 yellow T-shirt on his way to a memorial service for the late Teoh Beng Hock yesterday. Relating the incident, the Bakri MP's aide Liew Choan Chee said some 50 people gathered at Wisma DAP in Muar, Johor, for the service at 8pm. There was a FRU truck and several policemen stationed nearby. "We were supposed to march to Er's service centre which is about 300 yards from the DAP building. When we started walking, several police officers stopped our procession," said Liew. He added that a police officer, identified only as Bala, ordered Er to remove the T-shirt and warned the group that it was an illegal gathering. Refusing, Er then argued his case with the officer who eventually relented when the MP agreed to wear a red T-shirt bearing a Chinese character which meant "Change" on top of the yellow T-shirt. The procession was then allowed to continue until they reached a road where a patrol car stopped them. Liew said several police officers then forced Er to remove his Bersih 2.0 T-shirt on the spot. "Er grew irritated and started shouting at the officers. A commotion ensued, and the police told him to follow them to the Muar district police headquarters," he added. The police, Liew said, refused to tell Er whether he was under arrest.
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| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT
By batsman With only about 2 years in power, Najib is now called Bapa Transformasi on UMNO controlled TV. I see it as shameless self-aggrandizement using public funds to pay for TV advertisements. I also wonder what he thinks he has transformed in this short time? The TV ads are not very clear on this. What I can see for myself is that his wife is the most spectacular PM's wife ever. No other PM's wife has been so much in the limelight. Perhaps it is this aspect of Malaysia that Najib has transformed. Perhaps he thinks that he can transform Malaysia just by using advertising campaigns and TV ads? What is really in bad taste is that we are bombarded everyday with tasteless TV ads of self-aggrandizement – most likely paid with public money or paid by cronies out to flatter him and his wife. It is as if a cult of the personality is being attempted. But what are Najib's achievements that may lend support for such an attempt to build a personality cult? Frankly they elude me. With such TV ads trying to bludgeon the minds and sensitivities of Malaysians, it is no wonder that the stress builds up into rallies such as the one held by Bersih 2.0 recently. Will someone in his inner circle please tell him to stop?
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| Najib meets the Queen, all dressed in yellow Posted: 14 Jul 2011 03:57 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his British counterpart David Cameron held talks at No. 10 Downing Street here Thursday as the two historically-linked countries moved to bring bilateral relations a notch higher. The meeting was held in conjunction with Najib's four-day offial visit to the UK at the invitation of Cameron. The two leaders held talks soon after Najib's arrival at the famed address in central London on a rather chilly day despite summer being in full swing. But Najib was greeted warmly by Cameron, both of whom shook hands and posed for photographers and videographers before moving inside for their tete-a-tete followed by a luncheon hosted by the British prime minister. Earlier, Najib was met on arrival at the UK's Foreign and Commowealth Affairs Office by UK's Secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs William Hague, before walking a short distance to 10 Downing Street.  Queen Elizabeth II meets Najib and Rosmah during an audience at Buckingham Palace in London on Thursday. -AP Prior to that, Najib was joined by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor during an audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the British monarch. During the leaders meeting, Malaysia and the UK also signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at curbing transborder crimes. Malaysia was represented Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein while the UK by its Home Secretary Teresa May. The Malaysian leader also attended a high tea hosted by Hague.
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| Why did the police do what they did? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 03:38 PM PDT
The detainees had their hands "cuffed" and looked pretty much subdued. However, as they were led through the line, they were kicked and punched by the police. Zan Azlee, The Malaysian Insider The tough policeman with the huge muscles grabbed me by my shoulders and flung me towards the sidewalk not caring that I had a press tag around my neck. I struggled to keep my balance and not drop my camera. I barely managed to not trip over the curb. "Halau cameraman itu! (Get rid of that cameraman!)" screamed the policeman's other colleagues. My crime? I was shooting a bunch of arrested demonstrators being led out of Tung Shin Hospital and through a police line. The detainees had their hands "cuffed" and looked pretty much subdued. However, as they were led through the line, they were kicked and punched by the police. I was on assignment for The Malaysian Insider to gather video footage of the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur on July 9. But I couldn't get enough footage of that incident since I ended up behind police lines along with other members of the media, cordoned off from what was happening. There were many instances on the day when demonstrators were being arrested and people around would start yelling for the media to come document it. "Media! Cepat! Polis tengah tahan orang! (Media! Hurry up! The police are arresting people!)" they would scream. Many of them wanted visual proof that the police were being overly-aggressive when it came to arresting peaceful demonstrators. Many also realised that if the media was around during the arrests, the police were less likely to use excessive force. To me, that is just proof that a free and balanced media is a very important component to keep the wheel of democracy spinning smoothly. But, of course, keeping things going smoothly can be close to impossible while being under such tense situations. In the morning, before the demonstrators arrived in the city, the situation was very calm even though there were police everywhere. The media, myself included, were free to roam around, taking pictures and video of the police all ready to face the day. When the demonstrators started arriving, things got a bit tense. However, as far as my observations went, the tension did not arise from the demonstrators. They were just marching and chanting for free elections. It was when the crowd got big (around 10,000 of them) that trouble started in front of Menara Maybank. The trouble definitely did not start with the demonstrators. They didn't approach the police. It was the police who came in firing tear gas and chemically-laced water. The demonstrators were pushed back towards Jalan Pudu and that's when all the aggressive arrests started happening. At this point, the media were allowed free movement, even though we were screamed at to move away by the police. But we were not physically man-handled. It was only after the second wave of tear gas attacks that the police started to control the media by cordoning them off behind police lines.
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| Untamable Bersih - part 2, understanding it Posted: 14 Jul 2011 03:15 PM PDT
SAKMONGKOL AK47 Some spell it as tamable. Others as tameable. The fact remains, the marchers cannot be tamed and though battered and aspersed, remained unbowed and honorable. How do we make sense and explain the actions that took place after Bersih? Let's have our own debriefing session lest we agonized over how the media characterized our fellow citizens who marched on the 9th of July. On the whole, I think, those people who marched towards stadium merdeka on the 9th of July before being horribly set upon by the Police with tear gas and chemical-laced water sprays, are good honorable and public spirited people. They carried no Parangs and other assortment of dangerous weapons which were displayed by the Police a few weeks ago and which looked suspiciously bought from a same single supplier. Perhaps one person was assigned to purchase the 'weapons' from a single supplier and then, the cache was displayed before all. Logic would have it that if the weapons were owned by different people, they would be of a jumbled up lot. Here an axe, there a pisau, over here a parang, over there a catapult. Where were the Molotov cocktails? Samad Said the Nobel Laureate whose earliest novel Salina I read a long time ago could hardly be described a subversive or crook. Khalid Samad? Haji Hadi? These people consisted of ordinary people from all walks of lives- pensioners, taxi drivers, writers, lawyers. They are just plain public spirited individuals. The bersih marchers are not street mobs on a rampage of looting spree. They are peaceful marchers making a statement about how elections are run in this country. But as usual UMNO and the government like to claim and exercise ownership on the bad things. So any attacks against the bad things owned by the government are taken as attacks against lawful government and therefore require punishment. The punishment came in baton wallops, water cannons ejecting chemical-laced water, tear gas and physical abuse. All these are of course mild treatment from our own chaps in blue. If we read and listened to the pliant print and audio visual media machine, all those who participated in the Bersih march are subversives, traitors, and dummies. These people are tools for Lim Kit Siang, mules for Anwar Ibrahim, digits directed by Indians, especially that minachi named Ambiga. Those marchers and those who write in support for the Bersih cause will all perish. UMNO will triumph and those causing trouble will be punished. How does the government explain Bersih? 1) Bersih is an outlaw organization used as a front by opposition politicians and politicians who have lost credibility. 2) Bersih is just a ploy by Anwar Ibrahim to revive his image. 3) Bersih is a subversive effort by people to unseat the government unlawfully. 4) Bersih is a strategy by non-Malays and foreign agents to destroy the Malay government. 5) Bersih is anti-Islam. This is the story that is going to retold over and over gain in kampong and villages. Bersih 1 took place so many years ago. The previous Home Minister must have slept through his job, whoever he was. Perhaps at that time, he was busier overseeing the processing of immigrant workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Bersih who did the same thing as the intended one on the 9th of July, wasn't outlawed? The answer can only be straight and simple- simply because, it never contained any crook elements. This time, the government is more creative- first they discovered an assortment of weapons, then the NGO was outlawed. There was also an attempt to picture the marchers as communists because some posters of Shamsiah Fakeh were discovered. I thought some time ago, Utusan Malaysia hailed Shamsiah Fakeh as a freedom fighter? Bersih was also hinted on as a front for foreign powers and it received funding abroad. Why would the Agong be allowed to meet up with representatives of an outlawed organization and why would the PM be willing to discuss with an outlawed organization? The outlawing of Bersih smacks the use of unbridled discretionary power. If Bersih is outlawed, then it must have contained elements that were outlaw-able right from the beginning. That it was outlawed on the eve of the 9th of July March would suggest that, the decision to do so was done maliciously as it was unprincipled. This is the reason why Bersih was outlawed – to justify the actions intended upon the marchers. Understanding why they were set upon then, would help marchers dispel any notions that they were crooks or subversive elements. These people are not crooks but participants and supporters to a cause espoused by a hastily and peculiarly outlawed organization. The hidden agenda is, by outlawing Bersih, it will be possible for the government to declare whatever Bersih wanted to do such as declaring the participants and the organizers, en bloc as law breakers. As law breakers, they are subject to the laws governing crowd control and public disturbance. It will be easy henceforth to justify any actions against the marchers and organizers in accordance to the law. I think the mainstream media is overplaying this point. There were elaborate attempts to show Bersih as a means to restore Anwar's sagging fortunes. Hence Utusan Malaysia gave coverage about Anwar's involvement in the rally. But this was truly and actually wasn't about Anwar anymore. If he feigned his injury, wearing the familiar neck brace and looking almost dead on the hospital bed, he must have gotten a miraculous recovery for the very same night he was in his element at the PKNS stadium in Kelana Jaya. Everyone saw he fell down while negotiating somewhere after leaving his presidential suite at KL Hilton. Tian Chua was mobilizing marchers who stampeded through police cordon and in the melee, Anwar fell down. I am almost near to saying; Anwar was actually a liability in the Bersih Rally. I am sure; the Police must have been instructed not to touch the 91 people classified persona non grata in KL on the 9th of July. The same cannot be said of the nameless but determined marchers on that day. Being nameless gave the Police a freer hand to deal at their discretion. Excessive force was applied on these people. Let's push the argument further. Even if Anwar leveraged on the Bersih March, does association with Anwar make the march illegal? Somehow it must be wrong if Anwar is involved. Let's not forget that Anwar has paid a heavy cost for his 1 Sodomy. He has not been convicted yet and therefore technically must be presumed innocent. Anwar Ibrahim is a former deputy PM and is currently battling legal charges and is on trial. Association with Anwar who is maligned with all sort of dirty description does not make Bersih and its cause any less honorable. Anwar's case is his and his alone- it does not pollute the cause of Bersih marchers. Hence, there is no shame for the marchers, if others accused the marchers as Anwar's mules. Anwar's presence does not diminish Bersih nor besmirch the honor of marchers. Let's try to make some sense about how the government responded. Anwar was factored in the rally. First-hand accounts were elicited from international tourists. Traders and travellers were solicited for their comments. The whole rally was classified as haram. It caused great hardships to traders who lost business and the daily life disrupted. Bersih is an insidious ploy by non-Malays to undermine the Malay government.
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| Lawful to sue Sultan but seditious to say it, court told Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:49 PM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider PUTRAJAYA, July 15 — People have the legal right to take Sultans to court but to speak openly of it is seditious, the Court of Appeal heard today. Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Noorin Badarudin said it was seditious for DAP chairman Karpal Singh to have publicly stated his intention to sue the Perak Sultan in 2009 as this would inflame the sentiments of laymen who did not have a good grasp of the law. "Yes, it's true that the Sultan can be brought to court. We know that, but these are ordinary people," she said. "It's not the same impression and understanding as compared to the legal people." Karpal (picture) had been indicted under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 for allegedly uttering seditious words against the Perak Sultan at his legal firm on Jalan Pudu Lama, Kuala Lumpur on February 6 two years ago during the Perak constitutional crisis. He was alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin as Perak mentri besar and appointment of Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir by the Sultan could be questioned in a court of law. Karpal was later acquitted. MORE TO COME HERE. |
| Liow makes U-turn, calls for investigation on hospital fracas Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:38 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 15: Health minister Liow Tiong Lai has made an about-turn from his earlier denial that the police had shot tear gas into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity hospitals in Jalan Pudu on July 9.
NO WAY ... Liow had vehemently rejected claims that the hospitals were hit The doctors also condemned the authorities for disregarding a hospital's international status as a sanctuary, and said the police had even brutalised protesters who sought shelter within the hospital buildings. "What was most frightening and witnessed by many was the unprovoked violent assault within the hospital compounds and apprehension of several protesters who had merely ran into the hospitals to seek shelter from the tear gas and the water cannons!" they statement said Wednesday. Earlier, Liow suggested that the wind could have blown the tear gas smoke into the hospital's direction, a claim immediately disproved by hundreds of images and video clips on the Bersih rally which had made their way on the internet. |
| 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.
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"Dalam pemerintah sekarang semua orang nak tunjuk kononnya dia setia (kepada pemerintah) walaupun kenyataan yang dikeluarkan adalah bodoh tapi dia rasa tidak mengapa yang penting perdana menteri tahu.
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