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Brickfields small shops protest: can small people protest at KLCC shopping mall?
Civil service as Umno’s fixed deposit or game buster
Security reasons? Whose security? The rakyat’s? Or UMNO’s and BN’s?

Brickfields small shops protest: can small people protest at KLCC shopping mall?

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:42 PM PST

A tale of two shopkeepers

Or: how business works — profits first, people last (except if you bring money)

Two types of shopkeepers: the small ones in Brickfields and the b-i-g rich one at KLCC. The small ones held a street protest yesterday, but the big one doesn't want protests at KLCC today.

Brickfields shopkeepers closed their shops for an hour to gather outside Lotus (the old Peking Hotel) to wave banners and shout Bantah because of traffic changes in the neighbourhood, involving cars, buses and lorries, which they say drives customers away.

Their profits are affected, they say. So they protested.

Photo: Free Malaysia Today

Universal human rights

Article 1: All human beings are born equal
Article 7: All are equal before the law
Article 8: All may seek redress for violation of fundamental rights
Article 13: All have rights to free movement
Article 19: All have a right to an opinion and to express it
Article 20: Everyone may assemble peacefully
Article 21: Everyone may take part in the government of the country

The b-i-g shopkeeper, KLCC, at the rich end of town, is threatening legal action to stop a protest. It's also about traffic — shopping traffic, of people with money to spend. And KLCC doesn't want other people wearing yellow getting in the way of people with money to spend.

That's how business works. When it hurts their profits, they protest. But when they fear it may hurt their profits — or they fear that letting small people protest will hurt their profits, especially b-i-g profits elsewhere up their food chain…no to protests.

And the two actions show up the hypocrisy behind the Peaceful Assembly Bill. It's not so much a law as a political statement turned into a legal instrument. A statement of business interests first, people last. Turned into law. See for yourself. Here is the part of the Bill that reads like a political statement:

that the exercise of the right to organize assemblies or to participate in assemblies is subject only to restrictions deemed necessary … including the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons.

"rights and freedoms of other persons" includes—
• the right to peaceful enjoyment of one's possession;
• the right to freedom of movement;
• the right to enjoy the natural environment; and
• the right to carry on business;

That's why it should be called a Freedom of Shopkeepers (Complain About Loss of Business) Bill. But you knew that already, didn't you?

That's the right that KLCC management (ultimate owner, tycoon Ananda Krishnan) wants to exercise: the right of their shops to do business is more important, is superior, to your basic right to meet, to assemble, to voice your opinion, or to wear what you want.

Organisers of the Walk and Talk at KLCC Park have done so peaceably for two weeks, without interruption or disruption to KLCC business. The protest is not against KLCC, it's a protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill. But KLCC management tried to disrupt the peaceful gathering by closing off the fountain area. People know why, because KLCC is owned by a big businessman with big political connections and they want to look after each other first.

Civil service as Umno’s fixed deposit or game buster

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:34 AM PST

Will the generous pay rise make a difference in voting patterns of civil servants in the country? At first glance, it appears a politically astute move given the disproportionate weight of civil servants in the voting population and the high voting rate that has been associated with this segment of voters.

If we add up the 1.2 million civil servants and family members and assume that there is an average of 3-4 voters per civil servant household, this provides a total of between 4 to 5 million voters out of the 12 million registered voters. The fact that over 80% of civil servants are Malays means that whichever party can win over the Malay civil service vote will take over the reins of political power in the country.

Will this group of voters fall for what appears to be an extra large carrot being dangled in front of them?

Already the mainstream papers are carrying the mandatory follow up reports of how appreciative the teachers, police and other government staff are of this government recognizing their contribution to the country's development and progress through the new salary scheme.

This, together with the earlier sustained bashing of DAP parliamentarian Tony Pua's suggestion that the number of civil servants be reduced, appears to have given a decisive edge in the battle for civil service votes to Umno and the Barisan.

Will pay increase move backfire on Umno?

But is it a certainty that the civil service vote will continue to be in the pockets of the present government? Evidence is conflicting.

The present generation of civil servants both Malays and non-Malays is a great deal more discerning and demanding of their elected leaders and the policies needed. They, as with other voters in the country, are aware of how the government is courting their vote and will go to the voting booths fully concerned of the government's and opposition party's record on the issues that matter most to them – whether it is on ensuring a rise in their standard of living, or fighting corruption or abuse of power.

In fact, the timing of the salary increase – so close to the elections – could very well backfire on the government as it can be seen as a blatant attempt by Barisan Rakyat to bribe their way into power, with civil servants as their tool.

What could also prove to be problematic for the government are the finer details of the new remuneration system and pay increase, and how it affects each voter who is in the civil service. Precise details of the pay increase and how it will apply to each grade are not available yet.

According to the Public Services Department director-general Abu Bakar Abdullah, the increases will be based on four principles: hierarchy; talent and experience; position and subject matter; and performance.

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:58 AM PST

Musa's security of tenure, as the Chief Minister, and that of every other BN leader holding office in the Sabah state government, hinges on the impoverished people of Sabah, particularly in the interior areas, remaining ignorant about how, since UMNO's entry into Sabah, the state's wealth has found its way into the pockets of the leaders of Sabah UMNO and other BN parties, and their cronies.

My refused entry into Sabah was indeed premised on security concerns : concerns at ongoing efforts by many good people in Sabah with whom I have been working in recent months to take the truth of how UMNO continues to bleed this nation of its last remaining vestiges of its God-given wealth to feed their own excesses and opulent lifestyles.

Concerns that the truth about UMNO's and BN's shameless rape and plunder of Sabah, now filling the empty bellies and the hearts of the hardcore poor, might be the very catalyst to see the people rise to rid Sabah of this curse, whether at the next election or earlier, by force.

These were the real concerns of Musa Aman and his band of robbers and thieves who pretend to administer the state for her people.

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Sabtu, 10 Disember 2011