Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- An inconvenient truth for Pakatan Rakyat!
- Crackdown 2.0 in Malaysia
- Malaysia: Police use brutal tactics against peaceful protesters
- Lying Najib, recalcitrant Umno
- Bersih rally a public awakening
- Tengku Adnan explains Bersih crackdown to Jakarta
- The master-servant relationship
- YB Ibrahim Ali: Panglima Perang
- UMNO No Longer Has Access To Reason and Decency
- Malaysia's leader warned: reform elections or risk revolution
- Photo gallery of the Bersih 2.0 rally 09 July 2011
- Malaysia nips an hibiscus uprising
- Malaysia: Rich but not free
- Anti-Bersih group holds Najib to ransom
- Malaysia lashes out at foreign media coverage of rally
- DAP: Punish Ibrahim, Ali Rustam for attacking Ambiga
- Purported anti-Bersih script surfaces online
- Bersih 2.0 in San Francisco
- Good Things that Came Out of Bersih 2.0 Rally
- Utusan Malaysia: Bersih protesters paid, businesses disrupted
- Seeking support for Ops Scorpene fund raising dinner
- Ibrahim Ali wants Ambiga’s citizenship revoked
- Marina Mahathir: Putrajaya’s image affected by bad handling of Bersih
- Foreign media praises rally marchers, condemns govt
- The Best of Bersih
- PSM holds Najib accountable for Jeyakumar’s well-being
- Artists, writers band up in Samad Said’s cause
- 9th July -- The Proudest Day for Malaysians
- RM24.4 mil Rosmah Mansor ring, BN cybertrooper come
| An inconvenient truth for Pakatan Rakyat! Posted: 11 Jul 2011 12:48 PM PDT Why is Pakatan Rakyat not addressing the issue of DSAI credibility? Pakatan Rakyat has a fight on its hand.The 13th general election nears and as each day passes the fortunes of Pakatan Rakyat ebbs and flows like the tide that washes up on to our shores. At times in spurts it erratically seizes upon a momentary lapse in Barisan Nasional concentration and then claims a victory of sorts for the day. Then inevitably the tide turns as its more powerful and wealthy adversary once again steam rolls itself over any force that dares to even contemplate standings in its way towards another term in office.We are all interested on lookers to this oft repeated spectacles of Malaysian politicians fighting for political survival where winning is the only way to go. Against Barisan Nasional the only ally Pakatan Rakyat has is the people - for it has no large armies and no deep pockets from which it can scoop up endless richess to fund its way to victory. Against Barisan Nasional the people, in the main, will demand for Pakatan Rakyat to have leaders who are without blemish in their public and private lives. Leaders who would stand up to any inquisition demanded of it by the people from whom the are seeking a mandate to govern....almost an impossible task given the Malaysia we live in. So why is Pakatan Rakyat not addressing the issue of DSAI credibility? The inconvenient truth is that Pakatan Rakyat first tier leadership would prefer the issue of DSAI credibility to be addressed AFTER the 13th general election. But as Shakespeare puts it: "Truth is truth To the end of reckoning" And what is the truth about DSAI? That he is a politician par excellence can be borne out in the manner that he has survived Mahathir's political execution of him at the height of his political nadir when he was DPM. Not only has he survived that but he has come back as leader of the opposition to torment the party that once held him to be the heir presumptive to its Presidency. He has done so at great personal sacrifice - physically and mentally - he has emerged strong and resolute to win the 13th general election as leader of Pakatan Rakyat - heir presumptive to BN's after the 13th general election. These are stuff of which dreams are made of...but dreams have a habit of disapperings when the dreamer is awakened! DSAI is an enigma- different things to different people...but what he is to different people is immaterial. What matters is what he is to Pakatan Rakyat. He is leader of Pakatan Rakyat by default. There is simply nobody around that can hold Pakatan Rakyat together and give it that sense of purpose as it goes into the 13th general election. Truly an unenviable position for DSAI to be in but for Pakatan Rakyat somewhat a precarious situation given that Barisan Nasional is also in the same frame of mind - but for different reasons. To BN if they take DSAI out, Pakatan Rakyat will self destruct. And so we have the situation today. BN attacks DSAI on all fronts and Pakatan Rakyat desperately fighting a rear guard action to keep DSAI head above water to live and fight another day. But with each salvo thrown at DSAI's by BN the ability of DSAI to be effective as a leader in Pakatan Rakyat diminishes. Apart from the practical issues of having to front up in court to defend himself there are the niggling and cumbersome issues that keeps flying in formation around DSAI like flies around a road kill- Zaid, the PKR's party elections, PKR defections and of course the recent Carcosa Tapes etc etc. To date despite spirited defence from Azizah and declarations of continued support from Pakatan Rakyat's UMNO is still bent on pursuing this line of attack on DSAI. And we can expect more of the same as UMNO steps up its attempts to wreck havoc and mayhem if not on DSAI then on Pakatan Rakyat's leadership for not being able to resolve the issue of DSAI credibility once and for all. Read more at: http://steadyaku-steadyaku-husseinhamid.blogspot.com/2011/07/inconvenient-truth-for-pakatan-rakyat.html
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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 |
| Malaysia: Police use brutal tactics against peaceful protesters Posted: 11 Jul 2011 10:15 AM PDT Press Release by Amnesty International Police arrested peaceful demonstrators, fired tear gas canisters directly at protesters, and tear gassed a hospital compound on 9 July, in attempts to stop the electoral reform rally known as Bersih 2.0 from gathering in a stadium. |
| 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. |
| The master-servant relationship Posted: 11 Jul 2011 09:42 AM PDT
And this is the reason why we must redefine the master-servant relationship. In the past, before Merdeka of 1957, we the rakyat were the servants while the Sultans, who were the rulers, were the masters. But that has now changed. Today, we the rakyat are the masters and those we elect to run the country are the servants. NO HOLDS BARRED 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. And this is the reason why we must redefine the master-servant relationship. In the past, before Merdeka of 1957, we the rakyat were the servants while the Sultans, who were the rulers, were the masters. But that has now changed. Today, we the rakyat are the masters and those we elect to run the country are the servants. ******************************************** Malaysia will become aged nation by 2030 |
| YB Ibrahim Ali: Panglima Perang Posted: 11 Jul 2011 09:35 AM PDT Oleh Awang Tak Selamat dari akhbar Utusan Meloya Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Wira pentas beraksi garang Hanya mulut berapi-api Hati kecut bukan jantan sejati Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Kesana kemari menabur tuba Melayu, Cina, India semuanya pening Benci haloba tiada yang laba Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Hanya bicara dengan buku lali Apa guna berbaju Melayu sekarang Bersilat pun tidak, bersopan jauh sekali Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Riuh tak habis, gegar tak sudah Di Kampung Baru tempik nak serang Di medan juang kecut takdek kaedah Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Bermimpi ibarat Mat Jenin alpa Dahlah Agong tak nak jumpa, Najib pun tak nak tegur sapa Ibrahim Ali panglima perang Membawa malu warga Kelantan Usah lagi bising terang-terangan Nanti di kasi macam lembu jantan
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| UMNO No Longer Has Access To Reason and Decency Posted: 11 Jul 2011 09:34 AM PDT By batsman Friends. Take Heart. I believe the corner has been turned. UMNO no longer has access to reason. Its ideology (if you can call it that) of Malay Nationalism and Ketuanan Melayu is in a shambles – represented by the hot air buffoons and foul mouthed egotistical clowns in Perkasa. What is left to UMNO is dirty tricks and more dirty tricks. It has become such that UMNO can now only rely on new dirty tricks to cover up old ones that are no longer believable. It even has to rely on a think tank of high flyers in the PMO to dream up these dirty tricks. Sooner or later all these massive numbers of dirty tricks and falsehood will amount to a messy pile of foul smelling excrement. What is left to UMNO is now to rely on pure emotion and prejudice. Its supporters are reduced to racist bigoted retards who are no longer governed by reason. What is left to UMNO is pure prejudice, falsehood, fear through victimisation and money power. It has now to rely not only on its own plunder but the dwindling supplies from MCA's towkay backers. Take the Tung Shin Hospital fiasco. It is so lame that 5 year old mongoloids can pick out the pretense and the arm twisting. UMNO now has to rule through the racism of its supporters, dirty tricks and falsehood, instilling fear and buying off weak people. It has no more access to reason. Its carefully built up edifice of racial prejudice and divide and rule ideology is in a shambles. This is not to say that it is no longer a force to be reckoned with. It still controls a bought off civil service, "independent" commissions, corrupt members of the judiciary, police and paid crony NGOs / GLCs as well as control of crony TV stations, press and 4 million silat exponents. But what is missing is reason. Without reason and a decent ideal, all this prejudice and mercenary greed will fall apart like a house of cards. Still, for the time being, it is a dangerous and vicious dictatorship of racism, corruption and sin. Good people still have to be careful and exercise patience. UMNO's days are numbered, but it can still last a few months or even a few years during which time it can still do some serious damage and be responsible for a few more murders. UMNO is resorting to threatening the international press. This sounds a lot like Gaddafi threatening to bomb Europe. Reason and judgment is no longer on UMNO's side. It is piling up bluffs, threats and dirty tricks one on top of another. Malaysia is now a country ruled by fear, prejudice, hypocrisy and dirty tricks. This situation cannot last. People cannot remain fearful forever. Prejudice, hypocrisy and dirty tricks are backed up by sin and falsehood. They too cannot last. Correct me if I am wrong, but I have never seen Bersih 2.0's 8 demands printed in the UMNO controlled press nor read out on air on UMNO controlled TV and radio stations. UMNO is relying on its supporters to make decisions based only on its point of view. This is the same UMNO that claims it is transparent and promoting creativity and Melayu Baru. (Melayu Glokal). UMNO's Melayu Glokal supporters are expected to make intelligent decisions based on no knowledge whatsoever of Bersih 2.0's 8 demands that are supposed to be a threat to national security. Bersih 2.0's 8 demands are such a serious threat that UMNO had to use its police to lock down the capital city and tear gas Malaysian citizens and hospitals, tolerating and protecting its policemen for kicking those who have fallen down. UMNO no longer has access to reason and decency. The corner has been turned. QED. |
| Malaysia's leader warned: reform elections or risk revolution Posted: 10 Jul 2011 11:39 PM PDT
Najib Razak's administration urged by protesters to implement reforms and crack down on corruption More than 1,400 people were arrested and 12 injured — including Anwar — as clashes between police and protesters broke out in Malaysia's biggest protest since 2007. Kate Hodal in Kuala Lumpur, Guardian UK Malaysia's top opposition leader has warned the government that it may face a "hibiscus revolution" unless activists' demands are met for electoral reform and an end to "dirty politics". Anwar Ibrahim's comments came a day after an estimated 20,000 people took to the streets to protest against alleged vote-rigging and other electoral abuses, defying a government ban and widespread use of teargas and water cannon filled with chemically laced water to deter the crowds. More than 1,400 people were arrested and 12 injured — including Anwar — as clashes between police and protesters broke out in Malaysia's biggest protest since 2007. Speaking to a small group of young graduates on Sunday, the People's Justice party leader warned prime minister Najib Razak's government: "We will have to pursue – in parliament and outside of parliament – free and fair elections, even by rallying unless they change the electoral vote." When asked whether Malaysia was in the middle of its own revolution, Anwar said: "We have no confidence left [in the government], so it is important for Najib to consider seriously that we are close [to that]." Najib, whose ruling party Barisan Nasional (National Front) has been in power since 1955, has dismissed Anwar as an opportunist who "will do everything, good or bad" to become prime minister himself. He has also claimed that Anwar might have been using Saturday's rally – organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, a loose group of 62 non-governmental organisations – for his own political gain. Najib's government took extreme measures to prevent people from attending Saturday's protest, including a city-wide lockdown that saw police suspend public transportation, seal off main roads, and threaten to arrest anyone wearing yellow, the colour of the coalition. Amnesty International denounced the government's actions as "the worst campaign of repression we've seen in decades". But Najib has since warned activists not to take to the streets again and claimed that his party, Umno, far outnumbered opposition groups. "Don't doubt our strength," he said. "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." Such comments – along with images and videos of police brutality against peaceful protesters – are undermining the BN's future, some say. "They made a very big mistake on Saturday, by assuming that arresting more people would make the rest of us scared," said youth leader Khairul Anuar. "Actually, it has just made us more brave." A similar rally in 2007 is widely credited with spurring on Malaysia's opposition movement, which won a landslide victory in the 2008 elections. Many are hoping that Saturday's rally could potentially topple the BN entirely in the next election, slated for as early as this year. But some analysts say the government may hold off in order to smooth things over. "From Najib's perspective, holding elections any time soon would be a mistake because of the damage that has been done," Bridget Welsh, Malaysia specialist at Singapore Management University, told Reuters. "The fact that such a large crowd turned up despite a crackdown shows that voter anger is deep and this is going to push a lot of people who are in the middle towards the opposition."
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| Photo gallery of the Bersih 2.0 rally 09 July 2011 Posted: 10 Jul 2011 11:15 PM PDT |
| Malaysia nips an hibiscus uprising Posted: 10 Jul 2011 11:06 PM PDT
By Simon Roughneen, Asia Times Online Over 1,600 people were arrested in the crackdown, including opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and the leadership of the protest organizers, Bersih 2.0, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seeking reform of the country's electoral system.
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| Posted: 10 Jul 2011 11:00 PM PDT By The Jakarta Post 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 lengths the government went to in trying to prevent and then break up the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday shows that the nation's leaders were still not prepared to let go — even when an increasing number of Malaysians of all races have been pressing for more freedom and justice. |
| Anti-Bersih group holds Najib to ransom Posted: 10 Jul 2011 10:30 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Anti-Bersih supporters have mounted a petition online, threatening to abandon its support for Datuk Seri Najib Razak's administration if the prime minister fails to revoke the citizenships of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan and punish Bersih marchers. Pledging one million signatures, the petition started by one Rahmat Azim Abd Aziz, 39, warns Najib against ignoring its five demands, saying its signatories would not hesitate to rebel to defend Malaysia, "even without the help of Datuk Seri's (Najib) government". As of 8pm today, the petition entitled, "Legal action and recommendations to His Royal Highness the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia to revoke medals and accolades" has attracted 173 signatures. It was created on petitiononline.com, a site that hosts online public petitions for free, but Facebook users have since caught wind of it and are sharing links to the site on fan pages and their profile pages, urging others to sign it. "If Datuk Seri (Najib) does not take stern action and monitor subversive elements and efforts to tarnish the country's image, Malaysians will lose direction and faith in your leadership. "When this happens, traitors to the country will find it easier to take over our beloved Malaysia. Datuk Seri's efforts will become pointless and the futures of our youths will become uncertain," the petition said. Claiming to represent the views of a majority of the government's supporters, the petition urged that its demands be given "full and serious" consideration, saying that "peace, harmony, unity and Malaysia's economic strength" are important elements for the present and coming generations. "Racism and disunity have become more widespread due to incitement from opposition parties, NGOs and foreign agents. We want stability, economic strength and unity. "All of Datuk Seri's efforts in developing the economy will be destroyed in the blink of an eye simply because of those who are uncomfortable with seeing progress in Malaysia," said the petition. In its demands, the petition called on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to revoke the titles of Ambiga, Anwar, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said. It also wants Anwar and Ambiga's citizenships revoked, saying the duo had instigated the people to riot, rebel and defy the country's rule of law. It also demands that legal action be taken against any of the 91 individuals who violated a court order obtained by the police barring them from entering the city on July 9. Among those who were locked out were Ambiga, Anwar, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, and Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali. The petition also seeks legal action against Bersih 2.0 organisers for supposedly defying the King's advice, and the over 1,000 protestors who were arrested for participating in an illegal rally. Pro-Bersih supporters have also started a similar campaign on Facebook through a fan page calling for Najib's resignation. The page, which was set up shortly after Saturday's rally, hit its 100,000 target at 3.50am this morning and has continued growing since then. As at 8pm today, a total of 136, 902 people have clicked "Like" on the page.
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| Malaysia lashes out at foreign media coverage of rally Posted: 10 Jul 2011 10:16 PM PDT
By Melissa Goh, Channelnewasia While the police are contemplating possible legal action against some of the 1,600 protesters who were arrested on Saturday, they claimed that all detainees were treated well and were offered food - buffet-style at US$8 per head - which include fried noodle, rice and drinks before they were released. BUKIT AMAN, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's Home Minister said foreign media will be taken to task for what he called "sensational" coverage of Saturday's rally by the electoral reform movement, Bersih. |
| DAP: Punish Ibrahim, Ali Rustam for attacking Ambiga Posted: 10 Jul 2011 07:14 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — DAP today demanded that the government act against Perkasa's Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam for demanding the revocation of Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan's citizenship, claiming the move was seditious and racist. Ibrahim and Ali Rustam accused Ambiga of committing treason against royal institutions when she went ahead with the Bersih rally. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should take "firm action" against the two politicians, saying the reason Ambiga was being targeted was because she was of Indian descent. "We demand that action be taken in these most vicious remarks, which are not only a personal insult to Datuk Ambiga, but also an insult against all Malaysians in general and the Indian community in particular. "We call upon the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to initiate firm action upon Ibrahim Ali and Ali Rustam for their seditious and racially inflammatory remarks. We also call upon Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to display commitment to his 1 Malaysia slogan by demanding the resignation of Ali Rustam as the chief minister of Malacca," said Lim in a statement today. Lim said such demands to revoke the Bersih chairman's citizenship was "unconstitutional", as there was no basis or proof that showed Ambiga was disloyal towards the country or voluntarily renounced her citizenship. "The DAP therefore condemns such insidious rhetoric, which is both seditious and racist. Why is it that such demands are only made against non-Malays and never upon Malays? "Just like those before them who have vilified other non-Malays as 'pendatang' (immigrants), likening Indians to beggars and Chinese women to prostitutes, these venomous remarks appear to be directed to Datuk Ambiga because she is of Indian ethnicity," Lim added. Bersih claimed a turnout of 50,000 for its Saturday rally, which went ahead without police permission after protracted negotiation with the authorities. The coalition of 62 NGOs took to the streets despite previously accepting Najib's offer to move the street rally to a stadium, when the government refused to allow the gathering to take place in Stadium Merdeka. |
| Purported anti-Bersih script surfaces online Posted: 10 Jul 2011 07:11 PM PDT
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Popular website Malaysia Today today leaked what appears to be a letter from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with guidelines on how to demonise Bersih in the run-up to last Saturday's rally. The letter, ostensibly issued on June 17 and signed by national communications head Jalil Hamid, said such treatment was necessary because the rally "will certainly go beyond issues of fair and free elections" to inflation, Teoh Beng Hock and even the controversial Lynas plant. Attempts by The Malaysian Insider to contact Jalil and other senior press officers of the prime minister's department were unsuccessful. "The protest, if not countered, could undermine the government, the economy and national security. This note sets out the policy guidance and the do's and don'ts in managing the issue," the guideline released by Malaysia Today this morning read. In the guidance note, it states it was written up following an Umno political bureau meeting to discuss Bersih and was also circulated to bureau members, the letter said. In it, the PMO reminded media outlets to discredit Bersih and its leaders as "a group of politicians and politically-inclined individuals who lack credibility" and to stress that the rally was an "illegal assembly". Bersih was also to be painted as a front for the opposition or foreign agents as well as an attempt by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to find an undemocratic and unconstitutional "shortcut to Putrajaya". Media were told to highlight stories of how businesses, tourists and ordinary people would be affected; question Bersih's funding; target Anwar, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and "budak suruhan DSAI and tali barut DAP" (Anwar and DAP's lackey) Mohamad Sabu; and use file photos of Ambiga with opposition leaders to highlight their close association. The press were also instructed to use fewer old faces like Datuk Zulkifli Nordin and Datuk Ibrahim Ali as "attack dogs" in favour of fresh Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth leaders and non-governmental organisations; mobilise friendly bloggers; and play up images of ugly street demonstrations in other countries. The do's and don'ts detailed were: * [The home minister, Inspector-General of Police, Deputy Inspector-General] and Internal Security and Public Order Director are to brief media editors at KDN (Home Ministry). The meeting was to reinforce the branding as "perhimpunan haram" (illegal assembly), and that Bersih is an unlawful organisation and the perpetrators are out to create chaos. * KDN, which has jurisdiction over all print media, needs to exert its authority in ensuring the press toe the line. * Confine politicians to just making political statements. Let the police do their job. * PDRM can start calling up Bersih organisers based on the hundreds of police reports lodged so far. * Encourage the use of third party validators. * Pre-empt chaos and disorder (fear paradigm). The "show of force" by Umno or silat groups well before July 9 may be imperative to deter demonstrators. * The soundbytes in our favour MUST come from across the country and across the ethnic lines. The soundbytes should not just be confined to the Malays or those residing in the Klang Valley. * We must not allow the rally to be exploited by international elements. * As a pre-emptive measure, the authorities should stop the launch of Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 scheduled for June 19 at the Chinese Assembly Hall. Likewise, a related Perkasa event called "Lawan Perhimpunan Bersih" at the Sultan Sulaiman Club on the same day should also be halted. * [EC] should counter Bersih demands for free and fair elections by highlighting the various initiatives it has undertaken so far. Use the highly successful Sarawak PRN as its model. It should not meet up with Bersih people. The letter said the goal of the exercise was to neutralise opposition noise, reinforce the view that public sentiment is not with Bersih and the opposition, send a strong message that the government is in full control of the situation and avoid adverse impact on investor confidence in Malaysia. Bersih claimed a turnout of 50,000 for Saturday's street demonstration, which went ahead without police permission after protracted negotiation with the authorities. The coalition of 62 NGOs took 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.
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| Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:56 PM PDT
By Robert Leong SAN FRANCISCO - After the sun set on a historic day of unprecedented show of people power in Malaysia, one of the last of the global Bersih 2.0 rallies was just about to begin in San Francisco, on the west coast of the United States. This global Bersih 2.0 event happened in the shadow of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, a monument that remains a marvel to behold, and a lasting testament to man's ingenuity, sheer perseverance, and toil. Close to a hundred Malaysians and friends travelled from around the San Francisco bay area to gather at Crissy Field in San Francisco, on a cool and foggy Saturday morning. They consisted of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and Caucasians, from all walks of life, coming together with one common aspiration: to demonstrate their solidarity and support for Bersih 2.0. They brought with them three full-sized Malaysian flags and a banner that read, "We want clean and fair elections." The main organisers, Chong Pin and Colin, welcomed everyone to the event and described how the event took on a life of its own once the decision was made to hold the event. More and more Malaysians living in the bay area began signing up for the event once it was announced on Facebook, a company based in nearby Silicon Valley. The organisers summarised what had been happening in the global Bersih 2.0 events around the world, and spoke of the main Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur. Colin light-heartedly described the sometimes fog-like atmosphere in Kuala Lumpur, arising from the tear gas attacks by police personnel, as thicker than the fog surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge. Then came a sombre moment when the group spent a period of silence to honour Baharuddin Ahmad who lost his life when he sustained a fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack) when engulfed by tear gas. A memorandum that elaborated on the list of eight Bersih 2.0 demands to achieve free and fair elections in Malaysia was read out aloud to the crowd. The group was then given the opportunity to sign the memorandum which was to be submitted to the Malaysian embassy in the United States. After the signatures were signed, the group gathered for a photo opportunity, following which it rallied along a narrow pedestrian pathway up to the bridge. The rally ended with a free Malaysian meal and a charity collection, the proceeds of which will be forwarded to the Bersih committee. During the entire duration, the rally proceeded peacefully in a sea of yellow, observed by a few United States police personnel who kept the peace, and respectfully kept their distance, in the greatest democracy of the world. It was an irony that this rally in San Francisco, and in the 30 other rallies around the world, clearly epitomised Prime Minister Najib Razak's concept of "1Malaysia": of Malaysians at home and abroad, united by a common humanity, yearning for free and fair elections for their homeland. Is this too much to ask, after half a decade of democracy? Like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, it is hoped that Bersih 2.0 will also be remembered for the Rakyat's perseverance and toil in overcoming major obstacles and threats placed in its path to building a golden bridge to a better tomorrow for all Malaysians. |
| Good Things that Came Out of Bersih 2.0 Rally Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:54 PM PDT
By Kee Thuan Chye WHAT the Bersih 2.0 rally of July 9 has shown is that Malaysians of all races are willing to risk arrest to speak up for their rights; that Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali is nothing but hot air and the media should no longer give him any attention; that Umno Youth is just a directionless bunch of brats; and, above all, that the Government is the biggest loser for mishandling the entire issue. As it was, the rally turned out to be peaceful, as the organizers had pledged it would be. The only acts of violence were those committed by the police, when they attacked the protestors with teargas and water cannons although the latter did not provoke them. In retrospect, if the Government had allowed the rally to go on without fuss from the start – and it must be said that Bersih 2.0 (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections) asked modestly for only two hours, from 2pm to 4pm – it would have just gone on without fuss, and everything would have been all right. The Government would have been seen to be accommodating and benevolent, and not afraid of a call for fair elections. Instead, by choosing to clamp down on the rally even weeks before its scheduled date – in ways as brutal as detaining six people under the Emergency Ordinance and as absurd as arresting more than 200 people, some for merely wearing yellow T-shirts – it has lost immense favor and, some analysts say, the middle ground. It is also seen to be insecure, and irrational in its overreacting to the rally, surely not a trait of good governance. Read more at: http://www.malaysiandigest.com/opinion/26948-good-things-that-came-out-of-bersih-20-rally.html |
| Utusan Malaysia: Bersih protesters paid, businesses disrupted Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:45 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Utusan Malaysia continued today to demonise Bersih 2.0 and its Saturday rally, featuring stories of traders' complaints at having lost millions worth of business that day and claims from participants that they had been paid to attend. The Umno-owned daily dedicated all its news pages and nearly 30 news articles to Bersih 2.0, all condemning the chaotic events that invaded the streets of the capital city on Saturday. Quoting Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association (Ikhlas) president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, the daily said some 5,000 traders had recorded losses worth up to RM100 million when they were forced to close for the day due to the rally. Utusan Malaysia also dubbed the rally an "Indonesian-style demonstration", claiming of revelations from participants that they had been paid to attend. Citing a police source, the daily said many of the 1,401 arrested on Saturday had revealed to police when giving their statements that between RM150 and RM200 were offered to participants. "According to the (police) source, many among the participants did not know the purpose of the illegal rally, while others did not even care about its organisers. "Even more disgusting, said the source, the illegal gathering was planned by certain political parties bent on obstructing the government administration by using participants' provocation of the authorities in charge of maintaining public safety," said the daily. The source had also purportedly told Utusan Malaysia that the participants were offered allowances several days before Saturday by individuals believed to be from the opposition pact due to their "dialects" and tendency to flare up anti-government sentiments. Utusan Malaysia also front-paged Datuk Seri Najib Razak's speech from yesterday's Umno gathering, and published several articles, one quoting the prime minister as saying that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim deserved an "Oscar" award for claiming to have been hurt during the rally. "Not only that, Najib said Anwar's skilful acting was just as good as veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachan. "He only got a little bit of tear gas and there's a neck brace and his face is all contorted as though he got beaten up," the daily quoted Najib as saying. Saturday's Bersih 2.0 rally saw thousands throng the capital city's streets to march for free and fair elections but close to midday chaos broke out when armed riot police forced back protesters by firing tear gas canisters and water cannons. |
| Seeking support for Ops Scorpene fund raising dinner Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:31 PM PDT Ops Scorpene is a fundraising and awareness campaign to further pursue the case in the French courts as a national issue. It seeks to instil interest amongst Malaysians to question arms spending and transparency in arms procurement of the country. Ops Scorpene aims to raise RM100,000 via events planned during the visit of the French lawyers to Malaysia. For this, SUARAM will be organizing two events in Penang and Kuala Lumpur during the French lawyer's visit in Malaysia and give a chance to ordinary citizens and Civil Society Organisations to grasp the facts of the scandal that has shaken the nation. Other speakers including Cynthia Gabriel (SUARAM), Lim Kiat Siang (DAP), Tian Chua (PKR), and Mat Sabu (PAS). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5KIhPPnF0E The following are the details about fundraising dinner in Penang: Date: 21 July 2011 (Thursday) Time: 8.00p.m. Venue: Banquet Hall Function Room 2, Level 4, Sunshine Square Complex, Penang (Halal cuisine) If you cannot make it for the dinner, we welcome donations. Please contact me if you wish to donate. The following is for your reference: 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 For further enquiries, contact jingcheng85@yahoo.com or suarampg@gmail.com or contact Ong Jing Cheng at 012-7583779. We thank you in anticipation for your involvement. Background: The submarine commission issue is not a single issue but the national issue with domino effect concerning all the Malaysians, about how money was spent on arms spending and the "rights to know" of our rakyat. Therefore, Suaram Penang would like to call upon a meeting with all the concerning group, to have a briefing and further discussion on this issue and we would like to seek for your assistance to make the event a success. On the 5th June 2002, the Malaysian Government signed an agreement with French DCNS and Spainish Navantia for the procurement of two Scorpene class submarines. The procurement contract was through direct negotiation with the manufacturing companies, said to be with the service of Perimekar Sdn Bhd. Razak Baginda is the owner of Perimekar. According to the Government explanation, the contract was divided into two parts: 1. Cost of two Scorpene submarines together with the package that covers Integrated Logistic Support and training amounted to Euro 969.15m (however on 14 May 2008, Najib told the Parliament that this part cost Euro 999.15) 2. Payment to Perimekar Sdn Bhd in the name of "coordination services" for a period of six years, the sum was Euro 114.96m. On 23 December 2009, SUARAM through our networks in France linked up with leading human rights lawyers in France, to file a complaint with the French judicial system, with the hope that a preliminary investigation would be initiated. This was done to enable access to information, to the government contracts signed with PERIMEKAR and other information classified as government secrets in Malaysia. In April 2010, the lawyers representing SUARAM, informed us that the courts had accepted the request to investigate the claim of corruption for a payment amounting to Euro 114 million made as commissions from DCNS to Perimekar. The French, practising the Civil Law system where a judge assumes the role of an inquisitorial and investigative referee, has so far kept the findings of its investigations confidential. Our lawyers however, have informed us that the investigation is coming to an end, and should move to full trial after it decides whether or not there is sufficient evidence to pursue the matter in open court. Sincerely, Ong Jing Cheng
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| Ibrahim Ali wants Ambiga’s citizenship revoked Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:27 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali wants Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan's citizenship revoked, saying she had committed treason against royal institutions when she went ahead with Saturday's rally. According to Utusan Malaysia today, the Perkasa president said yesterday that Ambiga had chosen to defy the advice of both the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in proceeding with the rally. "Ambiga was already granted the opportunity to meet with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong but in the end, chose to defy his majesty. "If this was Thailand, people like her would have been banished and stripped of their citizenships," the daily quoted Ibrahim as saying in a press conference. The Malay rights leader, who had chosen to stay home on the day of the rally, also claimed of reports that Bersih 2.0's participants had been paid to attend the mass event. "Many participants who participated in this illegal rally were not even from Kuala Lumpur. They came from outside and were paid to join an illegal gathering. "If they were not paid, no one would have joined," Ibrahim (picture) was quoted as saying. Ibrahim also purportedly defended his decision to cancel his original plan to hold an anti-Bersih gathering, claiming that he had done so out of respect of the King and the Selangor Sultan.
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| Marina Mahathir: Putrajaya’s image affected by bad handling of Bersih Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:24 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider The government's poor handling of the Bersih rally has given it a bad image internationally, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir said yesterday. Marina, eldest daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said that unlike the government, "the world" did not have a bad impression of Malaysians who took part in the rally because they were standing up for their rights and for a cause — demanding free and fair elections. "There are also some people claiming that the world now has a bad impression of Malaysia because the foreign media (and the local media for that matter) reported only about the tear-gassing and water-cannoning," Marina said in a blog post yesterday. "I think people are confusing the government with the people. "Yes, the world now has a bad impression of the Malaysian government because it has handled this whole issue so badly. They don't have the same impression of the Malaysians who stood up for their rights and their cause." Marina, a social activist who was among the thousands who were in the capital city on Saturday facing the riot police, defended the Bersih supporters, saying that they had assembled peacefully and did not cause any harm or violence.
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| Foreign media praises rally marchers, condemns govt Posted: 10 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT By Patrick Lee, FMT PETALING JAYA: Foreign media organisations have praised the "bersih spirit" and roundly condemned the government's handling of the July 9 Bersih 2.0 (Coalition for Free and Fair Elections) rally. They wrote that the Bersih rally was a demand for democracy and Malaysia's search for a true identity. The protests, which saw about 15,000 people take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur and thousands more across the world, were described by Saudi-based Al-Arabiya website as "an Arab Spring copycat … at first glance". The Al-Arabiya editorial by Teresita Cruz-Del Rosario added that Malaysia's rallies could not be compared to the unrest currently taking place in the Middle East. "The culture of protest goes much further back in Malaysian history to resistance against British efforts at colonially-inspired modernization," she wrote. Rosario said that the Bersih "spirit" was similar to that of Indonesia and the Philippines when the latters "threw off the yoke of colonialism". "This weekend's protest in KL is but the latest episode in Malaysia's search for its true political identity," she said. "Today's calls for electoral reform and an end to corruption in Malaysia echo the yearnings of the struggle since the 19th century for a better deal with their government." Malaysia's government however, Rosario said, seemed to employ the same tactics as its counterparts in the Middle East; "under the guise of … law and order". In the run-up to the rally, multiple Bersih supporters were arrested. The organisation was declared illegal, and their requests to use Stadium Merdeka were refused. The KL rally was soon met with heavy-handed police action. Tear gas and water cannons were deployed to chase protestors from the streets. More than 1,600 rally-goers were arrested before the day was up. One man also died from heart complications. Good for the Opposition These factors, according to the Wall Street Journal-Asia, were a boon for Malaysia's opposition, Pakatan Rakyat. A report entitled "Malaysia Protest Lifts Opposition" said that the anti-Bersih crackdown did not bode well for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's administration.
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| Posted: 10 Jul 2011 03:57 PM PDT ART HARUN In so far as Bersih is concerned, I am done lecturing on the concept of fundamental liberties and the rights of the people. I am done writing about the true concept of social contract and the duties of the State. Because, really, knock, knock, knock, and there's nobody home. So today I am going to do what I have not done in the past, namely, I would post links to the websites which, I think, depicts the best of Bersih. In fact, they depict the best of Malaysia, really (it proves that one does not have to engage a super high powered Jewish company and pay them millions to sell a concept such as 1Malaysia. Bersih proves that when there is a unity of purpose, the people will unite). Let me begin with part of the lyrics of Guns & Roses' song, "Civil War": "What we've got here is failure to communicate. Look at the shoes your filling We have read so many accounts of the Bersih rally. The best among which, to me, are: i) My Bersih 2.0 Experience, by Marina Mahathir (guess what, she was there. Eat your heart our Tun DrM!); ii) Someone Did Win on July 9th, by one Charis Ding (she had ice cream with the FRUs!); and, iii) BERSIH 2.0 - Was it worth it?, a note on Facebook by my facebook friend, one Abdul Haleem (telling us, among others, about the true kindness of Malaysians, super cool policemen and FRUs who made fun of his disability). The most endearing story is of course about Auntie Anne, the Lady of Liberty, a 65 year old lady who took a bus alone, and walked all the way from the General Hospital to the rally centre. She took the prize for the best quote as well: "Why do we have to feel so scared (and threatened) in our own home land.. and by own countrymen?" The most enduring pictures of the Bersih rally, which would still adorn the Malaysian museum of liberty 100 years from now are:
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| PSM holds Najib accountable for Jeyakumar’s well-being Posted: 10 Jul 2011 03:51 PM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) has said it will hold the prime minister and police responsible if anything happens to central committee member Dr Michael Jeyakumar, who was recently hospitalised for heart problems. He was taken to the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Saturday after complaining of heart palpitations and is now being warded at the specialist centre's coronary care unit. This is the second time Dr Jeyakumar, who is Sungai Siput MP, has been hospitalised since his arrest late last month for allegedly planning to "wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong". "We suspect his condition is due to the long hours of interrogations by the police Special Branch. Other detainees have also expressed similar ordeal as the police is trying to force them to admit things they have not done." The party also demanded that Dr Jeyakumar and five others detained with him — PSM deputy chairman M. Saraswathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M. Sugumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan and national youth chief R. Sarathbabu — be released immediately from Emergency Ordinance (EO) detention. "Please charge them in an open court if they have breached any laws," the statement said. They were arrested in Penang on June 25 along with two dozen other PSM members under Section 122 after police found in their possession T-shirts bearing the faces of former Malayan Communist Party (MCP) leaders Chin Peng and Rashid Maidin. Police later dropped all charges against the six but immediately rearrested them under the EO and charged the remaining 24 for possession of Bersih material and involvement in an illegal organisation. The latter group has since posted bail and are now waiting for their cases to go to court.
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| Artists, writers band up in Samad Said’s cause Posted: 10 Jul 2011 03:50 PM PDT
They condemn police for harassing the poet and vow to keep fighting for freedom of expression. (Free Malaysia Today) - Scores of writers, artists and political activists have banded together to condemn the police for harassing National Laureate A Samad Said. Police interrogated the 76-year-old Samad on June 25 for reciting a poem at the Bersih 2.0 launch a week earlier. He was told he was being investigated for sedition as well as for participating in an unlawful assembly. "We are appalled that the reading of a poem can be considered seditious," said a statement signed by more than 150 writers, activists and artists in different disciplines. They include Fahmi Fadzil, Marion D'Cruz, Mano Maniam, Farish Noor, Zedeck Siew, Ng Seksan, Raja Petra Kamarudin, Eddin Khoo, Jo Kukathas, Anne James, Kee Thuan Chye, Wong Hoy Chong, Pyanhabib Rahman and the organisations Persatuan Seni Rumah Air Panas, Five Arts Centre, Jumping Jellybeans, Rumah Anak Teater, Instant Café Theatre and The Parking Project.
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| 9th July -- The Proudest Day for Malaysians Posted: 10 Jul 2011 03:46 PM PDT
By Thomas Lee Seng Hock MCA president Chua Soi Lek has again put himself and his party in a very awkward, embarrassing and contradicting poistion by endorsing the Umno Youth street demonstration while condemning the march by concerned citizens initiated and led by Bersih leaders. According to a report in The Star, when asked about the Umno Youth demonstration, Chua said that its chief Khairy Jamaluddin had a reason to do it as the youth movement wanted to "defend the current institutions and make known that the electoral roll was not tainted". Chua and the other MCA leaders, including Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung, have been on record for saying that street demo is not part of the Malaysian culture, and that those protesting in the city are law-breakers, and are causing inconvenience and hardship to those doing business in the city, and damaging the image of the nation. The MCA Toursim Minister Ng Yen Yen has claimed that street protests will drive away tourists. And party vice-president Donald Lim wants to emulate Ibrahim Ali by forming a "Chinese Pekasa". Yet, the hypocrites in the MCA have unilaterally and unashamedly given their approval to Khairy and his Umno Youth street protest, becoming their apologists to defend their demonstration as legitimate and necessary. What sort of leaders are these? They claim to be representatives of the Chinese community in the country, yet they are subsevient to their Umno master and obsequious to everything that Umno does. They have to kow-tow to even the Umno Youth leader. Of course, I firmly believe that Khairy and the Umno Youth have every right, like the Bersih leaders and supporters, to hold peaceful protests on the street to press home their views and socio-political agenda, but the discrimating manner in which Chua and the MCA endorsed Khairy and the Umno Youth, and condemned the Bersih campaign surely exposes their questionable ethical and moral character. Instead of condemning and frustrating the Bersih efforts to bring about a reformation and transformation of the electoral process in the nations, with free, fair, just, equal, clean, and transparent elections, Chua and the MCA should be using whatever influence and leverage they have within the Barisan Nasional federal government to actively press for people-friendly changes to be made in the governance of the country. Instead, what we see and hear is their interests in positions, power, and prosperity. There is nary a care or concern for the well-being of the nation and its people. When Chua and the MCA leaders talk about the next general election, they are more interested in getting more elected positions, so that they could bargain for more powerful posts in the government. They want the Chinese community to give their a political blank cheque at the next general election to demand for more posts in the federal cabinet and other levels of government. There is no real vision, and no affirmative political agenda, to work for a truly righteous, harmonious, united, equal, just, fair, accountable and transparent system of government, with the long-term permanent interests of the people as the gerundive priority. The massive turnout of concerned citizens on Saturday 9th July 2011 for the Bersih march should serve as the "yellow warning light" to the Barisan Nasional leaders, including those from the MCA, that the people are simply fed up, disenchanted and disillusioned with the misgovernment, the corrupt culture festering within the administration at all levels, the increasing decline of moral leadership, and the unpredictable runaway and uncontrollably economic mess and chaos. There is nothing racial or religious about the Bersih campaign for a better tomorrow for our children and grandchildren, although there are some racists and religious fanatics trying to desacralize and demonize the Bersih movement as such. The turnout on Saturday 9th July 2011 has demonstrated how united and harmonious are the hearts and minds of the common citizens of various races. When I was assaulted and about to be grabbed by some policemen outside the Tong Shin Hospital in Pudu, scores of Malay and Indian youths surrounded me to protect me, and led me to safety. I also saw how people of various races helping each other climb over walls and fences to escape the police assault. We were all colour-blind that day and will be colour-blind always, except for the brilliant yellow ray of hope that we represent to our people, our children and their children. The Najib government must take heed that each of us who went for the march for electoral reform represents at least dozens or more family members, relatives, friends, and collegues, and also the hundreds of thousands from outside the Klang Valley who were not able to come, or blocked from coming. It is not merely 50,000, but thousands and thousands more who want to see a transformation of our beloved nation into a better place to live. I am proud I was there, to stand up and be counted, without fear or favour, with my beloved fellow patriots of all races and religions to register and demonstrate our love and concern for our beloved motherland. May God bless Malaysia real good. Amen and Amen. |
| RM24.4 mil Rosmah Mansor ring, BN cybertrooper come Posted: 10 Jul 2011 03:04 PM PDT |
People buying drinks
Brisk business for ice cream man
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