Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PAS, PKR, DAP all for an audience with Agong
- PSM 23 charged under Societies Act and ISA
- Police to investigate Ambiga’s foreign funds
- Nizar: BN govt playing racial card
- Bersih to seek audience with King, willing to cancel rally
- Asri tells Bersih to accept stadium offer
- ‘The army is ready to preserve peace’
- Group wants King to revoke Ambiga’s citizenship
- Street protest will be destructive, says Najib
- Dr M’s daughter slams crackdown
- Govt crackdown puts Sabah BN in hot spot
- Paranoia in Penang
- Sabah police chief says arrests ‘lawful’
- Najib says Bersih can go ahead if held in a stadium
- The King has spoken, softly but firmly
- Quell anger with justice, not police, says PAS
- Utusan likens Bersih organisers, supporters to mat rempits
- Polymer note scam investigators dig deeper
- Expect more roadblocks
| PAS, PKR, DAP all for an audience with Agong Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:27 AM PDT (Harakah Daily) - Responding to a call by the Agong for all quarters to go to the negotiating table, Pakatan Rakyat leaders have lent support to Bersih's decision to seek a meeting with the Agong to explain the coalition's demands on electoral reforms. PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang said the confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the rally planned for July 9 was due to the traditional media's campaign against the event.
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| PSM 23 charged under Societies Act and ISA Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:23 AM PDT They are accused of being in possession of Bersih pamphlets and subversive documents. (Free Malaysia Today) - Twenty-three members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) were charged in the magistrate's court today with possession of 600 photocopies of Bersih pamphlets and subversive documents. The accused ranged in age from 17 to 64. They were granted bail of RM4,000 for each of the two charges. Thirteen posted bail today and the others are expected to do so tomorrow. But police released all of them. Pertaining to the Bersih pamphlets, they were charged under Section 48(1) of the Societies Act or alternatively Section 43 of the act. Section 48(1) carries a jail sentence not exceeding five years or a fine not above RM15,000 or both. Section 43 carries a jail term not above three years or a maximum fine of RM3,000 or both. The charge for possession of subversive documents came under the Section 29(1) of the Internal Security Act. It carries a jail sentence of not more than five years or a fine not more than RM10,000 or both. The prosecution said they committed both offences at Sungai Dua toll plaza of the North-South Expressway at 3.30pm on June 25. Thirteen of the accused are women and two are boys. The women are Cheang Sew Yin, 60, Soh Sock Hwa, 29, Chan Mooi, 55, K Kamala Devi, 57, K Deeeba, 22, K Thanusia, 21, G Packialetchumy, 40, R Saroza, 64, R Nalayani, 64, M Santhana Devi, 30, P Indra, 54, P Jody, 52 and M Kavitha, 35. The boys are J Raveen Veerasenan and S Thivya Kumar, both 17 years old. The other eight suspects are A Shanmugam, 57, M Ravindran, 20, M Arokiam, 62, G Velaitham, 54, M Sivoosamy, 52, S Ramasamy, 35, Gana Santhanam, 45, and S Selvam, 42. Another man, S. Murugan, the driver of the bus in which the activists were travelling when they were arrested, was released without any charges. Another teenager, S Ragu, 16, who was released on police bail on June 26, failed to turn up to face charges today. The prosecution asked the court for another date for his case.
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| Police to investigate Ambiga’s foreign funds Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:03 PM PDT
The IGP says that they will work with Bank Negera on allegation that the Bersih leader used a local bank to receive funds from foreign NGOs. (Bernama) - The police have begun investigations into an allegation that Bersih 2.0 chairman S Ambiga used a local bank account to receive funds from several foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said today the police would work together with Bank Negara to investigate the allegation. "We will investigate anyone who has elements which indicate something that could jeopardise the public peace," he told reporters after launching the Command Post Exercise for the police and the armed forces here. A local newspaper today reported that the bank account, one of five belonging to Ambiga, a former Bar Council chairman, had received hundreds of thousands of ringgit, via foreign funds. According to the report, the bank was chosen by Ambiga and foreign NGOs "to realise their plan to cause chaos to Malaysia" because a part of the bank's shares was owned by an opposition leader. Commenting on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's statement yesterday which reminded the people to ensure the demand for democracy would not bring destruction to the country, Ismail urged the public to abide by the statement. "As Malaysian citizens, we must give attention to the Seri Paduka Baginda's statement as a guidance to be followed to maintain the country's peace and harmony," he said. Ismail said the police would take action against anyone who broke the law, especially involving the scheduled illegal assembly. Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Deputy Director of Management (Public Relations) Assistant Commissioner Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the police had received 4,000 reports on the scheduled rally, so far. He said, of the 220 people detained, 170 were released. The rest were remanded to facilitate investigations.
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| Nizar: BN govt playing racial card Posted: 03 Jul 2011 05:57 PM PDT
Barisan Nasional is using Malay sentiments to stop the growing participation of Malays for the Bersih rally, says former Perak MB Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Barisan Nasional government has been accused of using the racial card to neutralise Bersih's "Walk for Democracy" rally on July 9. Perak Pakatan Rakyat said the BN was using Malay sentiments like religion, waging war against the King and the revival of communism to stem the growing participation of Malays for the Bersih gathering. "They are also trying to tarnish Bersih's (chairperson) S Ambiga's public image by alleging that she is anti-Islam and Malays should not support her in this public gathering," said Perak PAS leader Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin. Nizar who was also the former Perak Pakatan menteri besar cited several factors to back his claim that BN was using Malay sentiments to defuse the community's participation in the rally. He said the BN government had initially used Section 122 of the Penal Code to claim that Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members were part of Bersih movement and were allegedly reviving the communist ideology by waging a war against the King. The government then changed the charges against six PSM members to that of under Emergency Ordinance (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) 1969 (EOPOPC) for subversive activities. He said allegation was also made that Bersih was being funded by foreign sources with Christian interests to destabilise the nation. He added this was followed by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who declared Bersih 2.0 as not being a registered organisation as such an illegal organisation effectively July 1,2011.
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| Bersih to seek audience with King, willing to cancel rally Posted: 03 Jul 2011 05:46 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - In an unexpected turn of events today, Bersih 2.0 pledged to abide by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advice, saying it will seek an audience with him before Saturday and call off the rally if told to do so. The group's steering committee chairman, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who had just returned from a meeting with former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi this morning, made the announcement at a press conference here in the afternoon and revealed that the decision was reached during an emergency meeting held last night after the King released his statement. "Bersih 2.0 offers its deep appreciation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his support on the people's aspiration to reform the election system. "Bersih 2.0 will abide by his majesty's advice to hold a dialogue towards achieving a consensus on electoral reform and the development of democracy in Malaysia," she said, reading from a statement. Ambiga added that Bersih 2.0 will write in to the palace today to seek an audience with the King. She declined to say if the rally was officially called off as the King had said last night that street demonstrations brought more harm than good but stressed that an official announcement would be made once a meeting was set up. Asked if she would call off the rally on request from the constitutional monarch, Ambiga said: "Yes." She reiterated that Bersih's steering committee members had already agreed on its next move during last night's meeting but wanted first to inform the King before making its decision public, out of respect to the royal institution.Should the King refuse an audience, however, Ambiga declined to say if the rally would proceed as planned. Instead, she repeated that an announcement would be made "at that stage" and urged the media not to speculate. Ambiga, however, agreed that Bersih's final decision would depend on the Agong's advice. "Yes, yes, absolutely," she said.
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| Asri tells Bersih to accept stadium offer Posted: 03 Jul 2011 05:34 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Influential Muslim cleric Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (picture) called today for Bersih to accept Datuk Seri Najib Razak's offer to hold its July 9 rally in a stadium. The former Perlis mufti painted a win-win situation, where peace would not be disturbed and Bersih supporters would not be stopped by police, allowing it to gather a larger crowd in support of electoral reforms. "Accept the prime minister's offer to hold it in a stadium with a representative of the Agong present to receive your protest letter and you can even hold ceramahs after that," he said. The maverick scholar added that if the demonstration became too large for the stadium's capacity, the overflow should be allowed to gather around the stadium without any disturbance. PM Najib had made the offer after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin intervened yesterday and asked the government and Bersih to negotiate their differences. The constitutional monarch rarely issues edicts or statements but the heightened atmosphere over the past week has prompted Istana Negara's intervention. Bersih chief Datuk Amibga Sreenevasan said today that the coalition of 62 NGOs would seek an audience with the King before making any further decision on the July 9 march. Mohd Asri also recommended that Bersih held a "Bersih week" instead and ask the public to wave the Malaysian flag or wear yellow to show their support for the movement. "In this way, more people can show their support for free and fair elections. Even those who are against wastage and price increases can join in. "They can express their dissatisfaction in a safe way at home, in their cars and with their clothes. If they hold a gathering and the police obstruct them, then they will not amass the numbers they wanted and it would defeat the purpose," he said.
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| ‘The army is ready to preserve peace’ Posted: 03 Jul 2011 03:10 PM PDT
However Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid urges Bersih, Perkasa and Umno Youth to heed the King's advice calling upon all to preserve the peace in the country. (Free Malaysia Today) - Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) is prepared for any eventualities and will act if the King decrees an emergency. "The army is always ready," said Zahid at an event at the Defence Ministry here. Commenting on the upcoming rallies by Bersih, Perkasa and Umno Youth this Saturday, Zahid however called upon the participants to heed the King's statement yesterday calling upon all to preserve the peace in the country. Yesterday, the head of state, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin issued a rare statement, amidst escalating tension among the state apparatus and the rally organisers, calling upon all parties to resolve any issues through consultation and not to succumb to emotions. "The fact is, street demonstrations bring more harm than good although the original intention is good. Instead we should focus on our main objective to develop this country, not to create problems that will cause the country to lag behind," said the King. Zahid, who is also Umno vice president, said everyone concernced should heed the King's advice and abandon their plans to demonstrate on July 9. He also expressed confidence in the police's capability to handle the situation. "Be it yellow shirt or red shirt, please heed to the police instruction,"said Zahid.
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| Group wants King to revoke Ambiga’s citizenship Posted: 03 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT
A small group of NGOs want the King to revoke Bersih leader S.Ambiga's citizenship "to teach her a lesson". (Free Malaysia Today) - A small band of mostly unknown NGOs want Bersih chairperson S Ambiga's citizenship to be revoked for going ahead with the plan to organise a mass rally on July 9. The group of 10 NGOs led by Alternative Action Team submitted a memorandum the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin through a palace official this morning. The memorandum is asking the King to revoke Ambiga's citizenship. "We want to teach her a lesson, we can't let these people claiming to ask for clean elections when they are actually controlled by foreign elements," said Alternative Action Team president B Kalai Vanar, who led the group. "After May 13 (1969), we don't want yet another incident of bloodshed in Malaysia," he told reporters at the national palace gates. He said the group could have brought 500 supporters and had at first planned to but "on the advise of IGP, we didn't want any chaos". Only 10 supporters turned up chanting "Retreat Bersih! Destroy Racists! Take away Ambiga's citizenship!", while holding up a banner in front of curious tourists. When asked, Kalai said his movement was backed by Kelab Perpaduan Insan Selangor, Kelab Penyokong BN, Pusat Penyelidikan Tamil Malaysia, but could not name the rest. Kalai claimed the electoral system handled by the Election Commission was much better compared to Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan. "They say they want clean elections but they just want to look for trouble and confront the government," he charged.
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| Street protest will be destructive, says Najib Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:56 PM PDT
The premier also reiterates the government's stand that Bersih can hold its rally in "a stadium from morning until night". (Bernama) - Najib Tun Razak has reminded the people not to destroy what has been built over the years. The Prime Minister said the planned illegal rally by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) on July 9 is not a good way to find a solution. "The illegal rally is not intended to correct the system but is politically motivated to gain power via undemocratic means. "Street protest… if it does happen… will give a free ride to many people. There is no guarantee that everything will proceed peacefully. "Those who love rioting and chaos will take advantage of the situation. This is what we want to avoid," he said at the Prime Minister's Department monthly gathering here today. Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan and several Cabinet ministers. Najib said there are other ways to address the issue and that they should not be influenced by emotion. "This is a reminder before its too late. If they want to submit a memorandum and so forth they can show democracatic decency by cooperating with authorities. "We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets….they must have other ideas. "The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don't hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation," he said. If the illegal rally's goal is to correct the election system, then how did Barisan Nasional lose five states in the 2008 general election, he asked. Listen to the King Najib said this shows that the election system conducted in the country is free and fair. The Election Commission (EC) is also willing to make improvements by introducing a biometric system. "The funny thing is when when they win there is silence on phantom voters. But it reappears when election is near. This type of phantom comes and goes." He reminded the people to listen to advice from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin who is worried that the illegal rally will bring more harm than good. "I hope we remember and realise the responsibility to take care of the country's future for the sake of the children and the survival of Malaysia that we love." Malaysia has since independence, developed into a successful nation based on five principles of racial harmony, political stability, open market system, upholding the constitution and law and introducing policies that will be implemented. Najib said the government has successfully implement the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) in the first six months of the year. "We are and will continue to make efforts to alleviate the people's burden. We don't want to burden the people and plan to upgrade their quality of life from time to time," he added.
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| Dr M’s daughter slams crackdown Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:52 PM PDT
Marina Mahathir says the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators. (Free Malaysia Today) - Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad – who had little tolerance for dissenting voices – criticised the clampdown on Bersih 2.0 supporters. Speaking on behalf of Sisters In Islam, one of the 62 NGOs that form the Bersih coalition, she said the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators. "Only those in fear would resort to such things… we are behaving like a third world country or less," she told a packed press conference here, flanked by several representatives from Bersih. More than 150 people were detained, mostly for wearing yellow T- shirts with the word "Bersih" in connection with the polls watchdog's planned rally on July 9. Opposition leaders, some of whom had been hauled up for questioning for backing Bersih's call for a rally to demand electoral reforms, said the mass arrests was one of the harshest crackdowns in the country's political history. Marina said the government's crackdown was not reflective of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's efforts to transform Malaysia into a developed country. "We are a developing country, we should behave like one and rise above (all this) and have some faith in our people," she said. Marina also condemned the personal attacks on Bersih chairperson S Ambiga, whom she praised for having an excellent track record in fighting for human rights. "The personal attacks are unwarranted. They should use better arguments to resolve the issue and not resort to personal attacks," she said.
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| Govt crackdown puts Sabah BN in hot spot Posted: 03 Jul 2011 01:14 PM PDT
By Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The Bersih rally for free and fair elections in the country has put Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties in a quandary. Showing support would mean turning their guns on their political masters, Umno, and criticising it would expose them as two-faced. At least one party, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Musrut Organisation (Upko) has found itself in this unenviable position as the July 9 rally looms and the government launches a crackdown on its organisers and supporters. Former Senator Dr Chong Eng Leong, for one, has pointed out their duplicity in the light of the rally which they too have been asking for, albeit ineffectively. Upko has side-stepped the issue by aligning itself with a government plan to set up yet another "special committee" to tackle the perennial illegal immigrant issue affecting the state. Upko secretary-general Wilfred Madius Tangau announced that the Sabah government would form three committees, one of them on citizenship and immigrants, to address the various problems in the state. Tangau at the same time assured that Upko had not given up on its demand for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the so-called Project IC and on the number of foreigners who had been illegally granted citizenship and voting rights. Chong sees Upko as a party caught in an awkward situation with the Bersih rally looming and Sabah BN parties unable to support its call for the very things they have been seeking from the federal government. "Have you forgotten that Upko president Bernard Dompok was the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on National Integrity in 2006 and resigned the chairman post because the Director-General of the National Registration Department (NRD) rebuffed the Committee's request for details of these dubiously issued ICs?" he asked. Rebuffed request He suspects the NRD rebuffed Dompok's request because of instruction from much higher authorities as there was something to hide. In a statement yesterday Chong said he was speaking out as he wants to remind the public what happened in the past. Chong, who is currently also an assistant to PKR leader Thamrin Jaini who is in charge of the party's Finance, Security and Illegal Immigrant issue, expressed regret that Upko agreed with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's contention that elections in the country are fair. Najib, in criticising the Bersih rally, had said that "that if the present election system was not fair, how was it possible that BN was denied a two-thirds majority and lost five states to the opposition during the previous election." Chong is surprised that Upko concurred with Najib on the matter. "Does Upko believe that it is fair to register as (phantom) voters foreigners who were granted citizenship dubiously? "Does Upko realize that there are at least 70,000 such phantom voters in Sabah rolls? "Does Upko realize that nine out of the 12 new state constituencies added in 2004 were areas where there were heavy concentration of Project IC holders and is this fair? "Does Upko believe that vote-buying is fair? Does Upko believe that postal ballot system is fair?" Electoral rolls Chong reiterated that citizenships granted dubiously to foreigners in Sabah (through Project IC) remains a hot subject today even though it was first broached in the 1990's. "It was widely disclosed during the Likas election petition 1999 and the petitioner won a landmark decision in his favour. "But the Election Commission (EC) did nothing to expunge names implicated from the electoral rolls and until today these non-qualified names are still in the rolls."
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| Posted: 03 Jul 2011 01:01 PM PDT
By The Wall Street Journal Wearing T-shirts with the likeness of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara may be a crime against good taste, but in markets across Asia they are freely available. So Malaysians were shocked over the weekend when police in Penang seized such shirts from opposition activists as evidence of a Communist plot to overthrow the monarchy. In the past week, Malaysian police have detained at least 101 activists whose shirts were advertising a protest planned for July 9. Called Bersih 2.0 or the Walk for Democracy, this rally reprises a 2007 event that drew 30,000 protesters. "Bersih" means clean in Malay, and the opposition political parties and NGOs that operate under its banner are demanding more honest elections. They are campaigning for measures to ensure that each person votes only once, the removal of fraudulent names from electoral rolls and an end to gerrymandering of constituencies to benefit the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO). All are reasonable requests that would boost political competition. Instead of responding to the substance of these demands, UMNO has chosen to intimidate those who make them. On Monday, the government accused 30 detained opposition members, including a member of parliament, with promoting communism and "waging war against the king" (Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy). The rhetoric is a throwback to the days of the Communist insurgency in the 1950s. As one opposition party leader asked: Since when are T-shirts deemed as waging war? These measures are intended to scare off the upcoming rally. On Wednesday, police raided a Bersih office and arrested seven people, and the country's home minister outlawed T-shirts with pro-Bersih messages. Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of assembly and speech, but the government is violating those freedoms with impunity. The smear campaign against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has also heated up recently. The country is expected to announce elections soon and, in that light, these tactics betray a familiar paranoia. In the 1990s, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad repressed the media and the opposition in the run-up to polls. Bersih 1.0 came before the 2008 general election, but then-Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi quelled it using teargas. Prime Minister Najib Razak was lauded for heading in the right direction on civil liberties when he assumed office in 2009. On present evidence, he is falling back on the party's familiar playbook. Such tactics may backfire this time. UMNO, otherwise dominant since independence, has seen its vote share slip since 2008. Malaysians may conclude that a government that treats T-shirts as subversive cares more about retaining power than it does the country's well-being. |
| Sabah police chief says arrests ‘lawful’ Posted: 03 Jul 2011 12:43 PM PDT
By Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib has defended the detention of seven people on Saturday for wearing yellow in support of the banned Bersih 2.0 rally. "Everything was done within the ambit of the law. If they are not happy, they can lodge reports and we will look into those reports," he said brushing off the incident that left city folk scratching their heads in bemusement at the police action. The seven were detained on Saturday after they were seen having breakfast, in a coffee shop in Asia City, with an individual who was wearing a yellow t-shirt with the Bersih 2.0 logo. Earlier at the same venue a musician had announced he and his friends were supporting the rally. About 70 police personnel surrounded the group and took them to the nearby police station for questioning and they were finally released on bail about seven hours later. Hamza declined to reveal more when asked about the police reports lodged against their detention at the Karamunsing police station on Sunday by six of the seven detained. Among six was Ezral Ansari, the son of Tuaran PKR chief Ansari Abdullah, who said that the group went to the police station at 1.30pm to lodge the report. He said others who lodged their reports were PKR youth exco member Dr Natassia Sarah and fellow party members Amin Ibrahim, Petrus Longkod, Mohd Shazwan Nadly and Sepanggar PAS member Adnan Abdullah. Police said the seven were being investigated under Section 27(5) of the Police Act and Section 108 of the Penal Code which is being used against those wearing the Bersih t-shirts for the now-banned rally. The first is for instigation and the second for abettment. In her immediate response Saturday, PKR Sabah deputy chairperson Christina Liew described the detentions as "arbitrary and a blatant violation of fundamental human rights". "This is outrageous. This is an act of intimidation of our citizens. "Do you really have to dispatch such a huge team of police personnel just to arrest seven ordinary citizens, simply because they wore yellow t-shirts? "It was not a ceramah or procession. It was just a friendly meal among friends. "It is a blatant abuse of power, total violation of human right and an act of intimidation by the authority to say the least," said Liew a practising lawyer who rushed to the aid of the seven on Saturday.
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| Najib says Bersih can go ahead if held in a stadium Posted: 03 Jul 2011 12:34 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today that the government was willing to allow the Bersih rally to proceed if it was held in a stadium.
"This is a reminder before it's too late. If they want to submit a memorandum and so forth they can show democratic decency by cooperating with authorities. "We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets. The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don't hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation," he said. Najib's remarks come a day after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, stepped in and asked the government and Bersih to negotiate their differences. The prime minister was addressing civil servants at his department's monthly gathering this morning. He pointed out that the planned July 9 rally was not a good way to find a solution to any grievance the groups have. "The illegal rally is not intended to correct the system but is politically motivated to gain power via undemocratic means. "Street protests will give a free ride to many people. There is no guarantee that everything will proceed peacefully. Those who love rioting and chaos will take advantage of the situation. This is what we want to avoid," he said. Najib's remarks comes after the government embarked on a nationwide clampdown on Bersih 2.0, hoping to block the now-outlawed coalition's plans for its July 9 rally.
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| The King has spoken, softly but firmly Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:20 AM PDT
By The Malaysian Insider What does the Barisan Nasional (BN) fear that has radicalised enough people to want to march come what may? Like other nations that have a constitutional monarch, the Malaysian King rarely speaks except while opening the Parliament or issuing greetings for festive occasions. And those speeches or statements are written by the government of the day. Yet, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, broke his silence last night over the confrontation between Bersih 2.0 and the Najib administration that has led to detentions under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the outlawing of the electoral reforms coalition. The Terengganu sultan spoke softy but firmly in his statement that urged restraint and called for a return to the negotiating table, without ever referring to the July 9 rally as illegal unlike Putrajaya's campaign in the past week where state media and even the mosques were used to demonise the movement. The widely-respected ruler chose his words carefully, expressing belief in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's capability to handle the issue but asking the government to carry out its duties in a just and wise manner. It was easy to understand what he meant. Detaining those who wore yellow t-shirts emblazoned with the word "bersih" was an overkill on the part of the authorities. More than 100 have been held and six are now detained under the Emergency Ordinance for purportedly trying to revive communism and '"waging war against the Agong". Their crime? Having t-shirts with images of leaders from the banned Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), the party that failed and had to lay down their arms in 1989. Did it make sense to even arrest them for wearing those t-shirts unless the police are also now policing fashion? Perhaps it is good to recall what Bersih 2.0 wants to highlight during their rally, which they planned after being left hanging by the Election Commission (EC). The movement seeks free and fair elections in their eight-point list. For that, Perkasa and Umno Youth want to take to the streets and protest against. For that, a national silat group has threatened violence. For that, the police have gone all out to pick up anyone wearing a yellow t-shirt with the word "bersih". For that, we have public service clips on national television and radio rubbishing the movement and the rally. What does the Barisan Nasional (BN) fear that has radicalised enough people to want to march come what may?
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| Quell anger with justice, not police, says PAS Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:18 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — PAS told Putrajaya today that it should treat Bersih fairly instead of using unjust police action which will only create more public anger towards the Najib administration. The Islamist party's information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said in a statement today that the home ministry should instead heed the example of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz who told his governor not to resist public protest but to manage it with good governance. "Stop the anger of your citizens with justice and listen to their complaints, that it a stronger fortress than the one that you want to build. Home ministry, heed this lesson before it is too late," he said. Electoral reforms movement Bersih 2.0 was declared illegal by the home ministry effective July 1 for causing "an atmosphere of unrest," a week before its planned July 9 rally. "Because of this, the home minister has declared the Bersih 2.0 organisation as going against the law under Section 5 of the Societies Act 1966 effective July 1, 2011," read the statement signed by Registrar of Societies Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman. This came after a week which saw hundreds of Bersih supporters arrested and its secretariat raided by police who confiscated hundreds of Bersih t-shirts and other apparel. "Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein has abused his power by acting outside of the law when declaring Bersih illegal. This contradicts the federal constitution which guarantees the freedom of association," said Tuan Ibrahim. The Pahang PAS chief added that the move by the home ministry was simply an excuse to arrest even more leaders of the 62 NGOs that form Bersih. "This is an early measure to justify mass arrests of NGO and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders under the pretext that we have cause an atmosphere of unrest, when it is clear to the public that it is Umno and Perkasa who are creating controversy ahead of July 9," he said. Hishammudin had insisted today that it was not true that the government was victimising Bersih. "Don't try to make it appear that we are only acting against one party. From the start we will take action against anyone breaking the law," he said and cited the arrests on Friday of right Perkasa and Umno members in Penang, including Senator Ezam Mohamad Nor, for an anti-Bersih protest as proof.
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| Utusan likens Bersih organisers, supporters to mat rempits Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:14 AM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Utusan Malaysia continued its tirade against Bersih 2.0 today, this time likening its organisers and supporters to "stubborn mat rempits" for insisting on marching this July 9. A day after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, stepped in and asked the government and Bersih to negotiate their difference, the Umno-owned paper said the authorities should not "give face" to the group and should instead round up all rabble-rousers under the Internal Security Act (ISA). "Just imagine what would happen if mat rempits want to negotiate with the police to organise an illegal race," wrote Zulkiflee Bakar, an editor of the daily. "They say they will follow orders if the cops specify the routes that they can take. "They also say, what is wrong with an illegal race because it can attract many people and will even benefit traders and taxi drivers? "Then they add, this is their rights as Malaysians, so why block them? This argument may be viewed as odd because it is impossible for the authorities to permit an illegal activity." The demands of the mat rempits were no different from those of Bersih 2.0 and its supporters, largely members of Pakatan Rakyat (PR), said Zulkiflee. He said it was clear from the actions of Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan and other Bersih organisers, as well as PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, that they were bent on destroying public order this July 9 in order to achieve their goals. "They do not care if it brings negative effects to the public, what is important is that they get to march on the streets, supposedly to push for free and fair elections. For this reason, the decision by the cops to close all avenues of negotiation is appropriate. "The time for being soft is over, no more persuasion, appeals or discussion but now is a time for action. This is in view of the fact that the demonstration will only affect the nation in a thousand negative ways," he said. Zulkiflee added that if the rally organisers insisted on showing defiance and arrogance, the authorities should be allowed to do the same for the sake of protecting the peace and safety of millions of Malaysians. The opposition and NGOs such as Bersih, he said, should be taught how to respect and understand the country's laws and the Federal Constitution and not to misuse them to achieve their "narrow" goals.
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| Polymer note scam investigators dig deeper Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:00 AM PDT
By Terence Fernandez, The Sun The charging of former Bank Negara assistant governor Datuk Mohamad Daud Dol Moin for allegedly receiving kickbacks to help procure a polymer note printing contract is only the tip of the iceberg. Investigators close to the case said authorities are also probing the involvement of a government official more senior than Mohamad Daud, as well as the spouse of another senior government official over the contract to produce RM5 polymer bank notes by Note Printing Australia (NPA) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). "There may be bigger fish involved and we are working on getting them," said a source. "The investigations are not over as this involves the Australian authorities. "The Australians' investigations span over a decade and covers at least five countries," the source added. Last Friday, Mohamad Daud, 58, claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM100,000 from businessman Abdul Kayum Syed Ahmad to help procure the contract which will see RBA paid RM95 million by Bank Negara to produce the notes. Mohamad Daud was accused of receiving two bribes of RM50,000 each from Abdul Kayum at a café here on Dec 1, 2004, and Feb 16, 2005; while Abdul Kayum claimed trial at the Shah Alam sessions court on the same day to two counts of bribing Mohamad Daud. Both were charged under Section 11(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and face up to 20 years jail and a fine of five times the bribe amount, for each charge. Abdul Kayum, 62, who was arrested on July 5 last year, was the centre of investigations by both the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). It is illegal in Australia to use middlemen to procure government contracts. The Age and theSun had cooperated to expose the polymer note scandal last year, where senior Malaysian and Australian officials were under probe for graft in securing the polymer note printing deal. Meanwhile, also on Friday, six former employees of RBA subsidiaries – NPA and Securency International were charged at the Sydney Magistrates Court with "bribing Asian officials to secure contracts to print their currencies". They are former Securency chief executive Myles Curtis; former NPA chief executive John Leckenby; former Securency chief financial officer Mitchell Anderson; former NPA chief financial officer Peter Hutchinson; former Securency sales executive Ron Marchant and former NPA sales executive Barry Brady. An RBA audit in 2010 has discovered that Securency paid A$47.5 million (RM140 million) in commissions to its network of agents from 2003 to 2009 to secure deals in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Securency prints polymer banknotes for 30 countries and was responsible for the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games RM50 commemorative note. The company itself has also been charged with three counts of conspiracy to influence foreign officials. While the kickbacks to Malaysian and Indonesian officials were in the form of cash, a senior bank official in Vietnam allegedly received a bribe in the form of a university scholarship to secure a banknote contract. The Australian bankers were also accused of paying middlemen to bribe officials in Nigeria and Paraguay to secure similar contracts. Australian prosecutors said it will be argued that Securency and NPA had negotiated with an agent who claimed to have high-level political connections to lobby the Malaysian government and Bank Negara to adopt the polymer bank notes. Payments, it is claimed, were made to accounts in tax havens in Seychelles and Switzerland – contrary to Australian banking rules. It will also be heard that the agent acted as a broker for a Pakistani air-to-surface bomb-making plant suspected of playing a key role in that country's nuclear weapons programme. Bank Negara meanwhile had issued several statements insisting it does not use third parties to award contracts. "NPA appointed their own agent to market their services. At no time has Bank Negara Malaysia paid any commissions to third parties for its currency printing," it said. |
| Posted: 03 Jul 2011 10:55 AM PDT
(The Star) - PETALING JAYA: There will be increased roadblocks in the days ahead of the July 9 rallies, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar said. Cautioning Klang Valley residents to be prepared to face traffic congestions, he said the roadblocks at various locations in the city were meant to ensure public security. "There will definitely be traffic congestion, especially on July 9, due to police roadblocks and the illegal rally itself," he said. He said police had received about 2,500 reports protesting against the Bersih 2.0 rally, adding that 152 people had been arrested for inciting others to join the rally. Speaking to reporters after the launch of the "Reuniting Families – Child Safety" roadshow yesterday, he said the possibility of detaining more people under the Emergency Ordinance had not been ruled out. On an incident in which 50 people gathered at Bukit Aman police headquarters on Saturday to enquire about the six who had been detained under the ordinance, Khalid said: "Whatever we do, we follow the law in Malaysia." In BUTTERWORTH, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar hit out at "irresponsible quarters" for causing confusion between positive rallies and those that were detrimental to society. "They should refrain from confusing the people by comparing the rally of one million youths in Putrajaya in May with the proposed Bersih 2.0 rally this Saturday, which has been deemed illegal. "This (Bersih rally) is a different gathering. There are reports of people wanting to fight and even reports of death threats being sent out. "So, let us not mix up something that is good with something that is not," he said after opening Penang Police's Crime Awareness Day. |
Hadi urged an investigation into the basis of criticisms over the country's electoral system, saying all parties must face the realities about the system's weaknesses with open heart.
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