Selasa, 26 Julai 2011

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Back to the Middle Ages

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:20 PM PDT

Yes, in Mekah and Medina there is no banned sect of Islam. In Mekah and Medina everyone is just plain Muslim and we are allowed to pray side-by-side with them and behind imams who are Salafis or Wahhabis. But when we come back to Malaysia, we ban them, arrest them and declare that they are deviant Muslims and terrorists whom Malaysians must not follow.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysia appears to have many enemies of the state. The colour yellow. Words such as 'Reformasi', 'Hindraf', 'Bersih', 'Altantuya', etc. Shiah and anything at all within the scope of non-Sunni Islam. Communists. Jews. Gays. Democracy. Gatherings. Marches. Rallies. Free speech. Bahasa Malaysia Bibles. Proportional representation in Parliament and the State Assemblies.  Opposition political parties.

You name it and they are all enemies of the state as far as Malaysia is concerned.

The Malaysian government is scared of its own shadow. And now Wahhabism is the latest addition to the list of 'banned items'.

The article 'The Wahhabi Myth' addresses the fallacies connected to Wahhabism or Salafism as follows:

The 'Wahhabi' Myth by Haneef James Oliver clarifies many of the gross inaccuracies and outright lies that have been attributed to the belief of the Salafi Muslims (often referred to as "Wahhabis").

Karen Armstrong speaks about the difference between Osama bin Laden's sect (Qutbism) and Salafism/"Wahhabism" in a Guardian article entitled "The label of Catholic terror was never used about the IRA":

"Bin Laden was not inspired by Wahhabism but by the writings of the Egyptian ideologue Sayyid Qutb, who was executed by President Nasser in 1966. Almost every fundamentalist movement in Sunni Islam has been strongly influenced by Qutb, so there is a good case for calling the violence that some of his followers commit "Qutbian terrorism." Qutb urged his followers to withdraw from the moral and spiritual barbarism of modern society and fight it to the death.

Read more here: http://sinningslave.wordpress.com/

The bottom line is, anything that does not comply with my beliefs, standards, ideology, doctrine and whatnot is just not on and is haram.

That was how things were back in the Middle Ages. Either you are with me or you are against me. And if you are against me then you are my enemy and you must die a violent and painful death.

The problem is, while the civilised world has abandoned these old Middle Ages ways and beliefs, in the developing world -- such as in Malaysia -- we are still living in the Middle Ages and still adopting what the civilised world has long abandoned.

In short, as the previous Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said: Malaysia is a country with First World infrastructure but Third World mentality. And this statement came from the Malaysian Prime Minister himself.

And do you need me to quote what one-time Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said about the mentality of Malaysians? No, I thought not. I better not quote anything from Dr Mahathir lest you all froth and foam at the mouth like rabid dogs.

Tens of thousands of Malaysians go to Mekah and Medina every year for their Haj and Umrah. To date, millions of Malaysians have performed both the main and 'small' pilgrimages.

And what do they do in Mekah and Medina?

They pray side-by-side with the Shiah, Wahhabi, and many other sects of Muslims -- behind an imam of the Grand Mosque in Mekah and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina who are Salafis or Wahhabis.

Yes, in Mekah and Medina there is no banned sect of Islam. In Mekah and Medina everyone is just plain Muslim and we are allowed to pray side-by-side with them and behind imams who are Salafis or Wahhabis. But when we come back to Malaysia we ban them and arrest them and declare that they are deviant Muslims and terrorists whom Malaysians must not follow.

I watched a movie last night about a gang of robbers that the FBI was trying to track down. They had some suspects but could not get a warrant to put them under 24-hours surveillance. It would be very difficult to convince the court, said the FBI boss, unless one of them converts to Islam.

What does that tell you? It tells you that Islam is dangerous and Muslims are terrorists. If one of the bank robbers were a Muslim then the court would readily waive his fundamental rights.

That is of course a made-in-America movie where anything Islam is bad and Muslims are terrorists. I suppose they are not that wrong when even the Malaysian government labels Wahhabis or Salafis as terrorists. And is not Malaysia a perceived Islamic country and did not Umno say it is the largest Islamic party in the world?

When the Christians and Jews call Muslims terrorists, they are prejudiced. When Muslims call Muslims terrorists, this is a statement of fact and proves what the West suspected of Islam -- that it is a terrorist religion.

And did I not say many times that Muslims are Islam's greatest enemy?

************************************

Wahhabi alert will damage ties with Saudi Arabia, says PAS

By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider

PAS said today that Putrajaya was damaging ties with key Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, home of the religion's two holy cities of Mecca and Medina, by placing ulamas suspected of practicing Wahhabism on a terror watchlist.

PAS vice president Datuk Mahfuz Omar told reporters today that the move by the National Security Council (NSC) to monitor scholars such as influential former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin was an overreaction that could jeopardise ties with the country where Wahhabism is the dominant form of Islam.

"This will hurt ties with Saudi Arabia and give a negative perception towards Malaysia," the Pokok Sena MP said.

About 26,000 Malaysian Muslims travel annually to perform the Haj in Mecca, one of the largest national quotas given by the kingdom.

Malaysia has asked for another 10,000 places as nearly 700,000 are on the waiting list.

Deputy president Mohamed Sabu also mocked the Najib administration's move, calling it a "fiction and propaganda."

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the NSC met and ordered state muftis and religious agencies to monitor and take action against the traditionalist Islamic practice that has been linked to terrorism.

Maverick scholar Asri was first linked to Wahhabism and the terrorists group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) early last year, along with PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim dan Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Abdul Hadi and Shahidam Kassim have been omitted from the watchlist.

Two Umno lawmakers have come to the defense of Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, insisting that the Najib administration has wrongly labelled the maverick former Perlis mufti as a potential terrorist threat.

Both Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that the NSC had overreacted over a difference of opinion by raising a terror alert over fears that Wahhabism was being revived.

***********************************

Asri not a terrorist, say Umno MPs

By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider

Two Umno lawmakers have come to the defence of Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, insisting that the Najib administration has wrongly labelled the maverick former Perlis mufti as a potential terrorist threat.

Both Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that the National Security Council (NSC) had overreacted over a difference of opinion by raising a terror alert over fears that Wahhabism was being revived.

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the NSC met and ordered state muftis and religious agencies to monitor and take action against the traditionalist Islamic practice that has been linked to terrorism.

"Asri is not a terrorist," Saifuddin said on micro-blogging site Twitter yesterday.

The Temerloh MP told The Malaysian Insider later that "I disagree with labelling someone as a Wahhabi, leading to calling him a terrorist. This only divides Muslims."

Khairy also said in a statement that reports that Asri and other Muslim scholars have been placed on a watchlist for as "Wahhabis and terrorists... is an overreaction."

"I see no subversive action or effort by Asri that qualifies him as a terrorist," the Rembau MP added.

The Malaysian Insider also reported that the NSC meeting listed several prominent leaders as Wahhabis including a group of young Islamic scholars who joined Umno last year.

Although he did not follow suit in joining the senior partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, Asri, who has been linked to Wahhabism in the past, is said to wield considerable influence over young Muslim scholars.

Saifuddin also told The Malaysian Insider that Wahhabism was practiced in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

"Does this mean that Malaysian Muslims should no longer perform the Haj (in Mecca)? We can have differences of opinion in Islam. We should not let this bring us to labelling others as Wahhabi or terrorists," he said in a text message.

Khairy also agreed that it was unacceptable that someone was accused of terrorism without being allowed to offer an explanation.

Asri was first linked to Wahhabism and the terrorists group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) early last year, along with PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim dan Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Abdul Hadi and Shahidam Kassim have been omitted from the watchlist.

 

Is Jho Low a Trojan horse?

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 11:24 PM PDT

I sometimes wonder whether this is genuine stupidity or whether Jho Low is a Trojan horse who is doing all this very cleverly and intentionally  to accelerate Najib's downfall. Why allow Najib's enemies easy access to ammunition? Jho Low seems to be offering Rosmah's and Najib's head to their enemies on a silver platter.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

"Jho Low pays record price for NY condo, nearby to Rosmah's favourite jeweller," said Wong Choon Mei of Malaysia Chronicle on 21 July 2011. In that story she goes on to say:

Remember Jho Low? Yes, apart from Paris Hilton, whizz-kid Jho is also very close to Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife Rosmah Mansor. In fact, the 29-year old Penang boy has just bought a super-luxury penthouse in New York at a sky-high price that has set tongues wagging amongst the property agents there.

Incidentally, the condo is just a 10-minute walk from Rosmah's favourite jewellery retailer Jacob & Co, from whom she has been reported to have bought a RM24.4 million ($8 million) 'natural fancy blue-gray cushion-cut' diamond ring.

And in case Rosmah, who is not known to be fond of exercise, prefers to be driven, Jacob & Co at 48, East 57th Street is just a 3-minute whizz away by stretch limousine.

Business ties

Jho is also connected in some way - directly or indirectly - with several very important investment and financial entities.

These include Najib's prized RM15 billion 1Malaysia Development Berhad, the RM10 billion Terengganu Investment Authority, UBG which is the former banking arm of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's family business, as well as the oil-rich Mid-East firm PetroSaudi.

No, this is not a business article to unravel the amount of filth contained within the dealings of this nest of firms. Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said it best when he described 1MDB as Najib's political "slush fund" to prop up Taib and his cronies.

Some in the financial circles even say the complex paper trail that surrounds the firms' inter-dealings would surely provide an ideal way to launder some of the possibly illicit money that may flow through the network.

Read more here: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16215:remember-jho-low?-this-is-what-he-has-been-doing-lately&Itemid=2

**************************************

What makes this revelation even more interesting are the four links Malaysia Chronicle added below that story under the sub-heading of 'Related Story':

1. Who is he? M'sian billionaire splashes RM14.5bil on super-yacht

2. The Rosmah ring: 24mil RM or US$, tupperware party or VVIP exhibition

3. Rosmah in hot soup over gargantuan RM24.4mil diamond ring

4. VIDEO Rosmah's RM24.4mil diamond ring

Wong Choon Mei is known to be closely linked to PKR leader, Tian Chua. It seems as though Malaysia Chronicle is suggesting that Jho Low, who is in turn closely linked to 'First Lady' Rosmah Mansor, is not only the man behind the purchase of the most expensive yacht in history but is also the man who couriered that very controversial ring to Malaysia.

According to the whispers in Putrajaya, Jho Low sent the ring to Malaysia for Rosmah to look at and whether it has now been sent back to New York, as alleged, or is still in Malaysia, is not known. And, if it has been sent back to New York, whether this is because Rosmah did not like it or whether it is because of the controversy surrounding this ring -- and therefore it is too hot to allow it to remain in Malaysia -- is also not known.

Whatever it may be, Jho Low's name seems to be linked to not only the purchase of this very expensive super-luxury New York penthouse but also to the yacht and the ring.

Anyway, that is what they say and we only go by what they say, whether this is true or not. But what we do know, and this is a fact, the 3M team of Mahathir-Muhyddin-Mukhriz are going to town on this issue.

Jho Low is close to those who walk in the corridors of power, in particular the 'First Family of Malaysia'. And anything he does will always be linked back to the 'First Family'. There is no avoiding this.

Is Jho Low just too stupid? Does he not know that he is under close scrutiny and anything he does will lead back to Rosmah's and Najib's door? And do Rosmah and Najib not know that the 3M team is gleefully awaiting his downfall so that a new 'First Family' can be installed in Putrajaya?

When Najib cancelled his one-week holiday in Europe and rushed back to Malaysia after meeting the Pope in Rome (and which Najib publicly thanked Rosmah for her 'sacrifice') we already smelled a rat, a big smelly rat.

Why would Najib cancel his holiday and rush back to Malaysia unless there was some sort of major emergency? And an emergency this serious can only mean his throne is under threat.

And, lo and behold, when Malaysia Chronicle came out with this story of the super-luxury penthouse in New York and linked this story to the story of the yacht and Rosmah's ring, the whole thing became very clear.

We are probably seeing history repeating itself here. Back in the days of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi they used Khairy Jamaluddin as the catalyst to bring Pak Lah down. Now, the catalyst is Rosmah Mansor. And Jho Low's stupidity is making this possible.

Why are Jho Low and Rosmah making it so easy for the 3M team to make their move? I would have thought that since Jho Low is now so high profile and everything he does makes the front page he would not want to do anything that attracts so much attention. And buying the most expensive yacht in history and a super-luxury penthouse in New York, plus sending a very expensive ring to Rosmah by courier, is certainly the height of stupidity.

I sometimes wonder whether this is genuine stupidity or whether Jho Low is a Trojan horse who is doing all this very cleverly and intentionally  to accelerate Najib's downfall. Why allow Najib's enemies easy access to ammunition? Jho Low seems to be offering Rosmah's and Najib's head to their enemies on a silver platter.

The Umno blogs are working overtime to dispel talk that Rosmah bought that ring. This is actually true and the Umno blogs are not lying. Rosmah did not buy the ring. Jho Low sent it to her.

But why send the ring to Rosmah by courier? Surely a ring that expensive can be sent to Malaysia through other means and in secrecy. This is probably the most stupid thing Jho Low has ever done (if it was stupidity in the first place and not done on purpose). And with the story of that ring linked to the story of the record-breaking yacht and the super-luxury penthouse in New York, just doors away from the jewellers, the 3M team has everything it now needs to start working on an early retirement for Najib.

No wonder Najib had to cancel his holiday and rush back to Malaysia. Najib probably thought it would be safer to reclaim his throne before he finds it in someone else's hands. And we do not need to be a Harvard graduate to figure out who this someone else is.

 

Najib has a point here (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)

Posted: 23 Jul 2011 07:23 PM PDT

Actually, we have already decided how Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan, Ahmad Sarbaini, and many more died. Sure we want a RCI to be held. But we want the RCI to come out with a verdict that dovetails with what we have already decided had happened. And if the RCI contradicts what we believe, then we are going to raise hell.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Inquiry results not to be questioned: Malaysian PM

KANGAR - Conclusions made by the Malaysian Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into opposition aide Teoh Beng Hock's death should not be questioned as this will only defeat its purpose, said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the RCI was an independent body, which had been set up with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's consent and made up of individuals with high credibility to investigate the matter openly.

"What is the purpose of setting up the RCI if its findings are questioned? There are groups which questioned it because they are unhappy with the findings."

"They have made their own conclusion and they wanted the RCI's report to reflect their thinking and demands. That is unfair."

"The truth remains the truth whether it is bitter or easy for us to accept. We can't deny the truth," he said after meeting the Perlis Barisan Nasional leaders yesterday.

The Commission had concluded that Teoh was driven to commit suicide due to intensive interrogation by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers. -- THE STAR/ANN

************************************

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has a point here. The problem is when he said "…should not be questioned…".

Anything can be questioned. To say "…should not be questioned…" is just like England of 500 years ago. When you questioned the church or the King you would be arrested, tied to a stake, and burned alive. Surely we have come a long way since then from the days when everything "…should not be questioned…"?

Nevertheless, what Najib said was true on the other part of his statement. If the RCI had come out with a verdict that we like we would have applauded its findings. We would have praised the RCI to kingdom come.

When the Shah Alam High Court allowed my habeas corpus and ordered my release from detention in November 2008, the judge was one fantastic guy. If he had rejected my application and ruled that I should remain in Kamunting, then the judge is an arsehole who is corrupted and is in Umno's pocket.

That is how we think.

Okay, we demand a RCI on the Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed death. Say the government does hold the RCI as what we want. And say the RCI comes out with a verdict that he died while trying to escape through the third floor window. Would we be satisfied or would we be up in arms? Say, instead, the RCI comes out with a verdict that he was killed while under interrogation. Would that satisfy us and would we praise the RCI to high heavens?

Actually, we have already decided how Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan, Ahmad Sarbaini, and many more died. Sure we want a RCI to be held. But we want the RCI to come out with a verdict that dovetails with what we have already decided had happened. And if the RCI contradicts what we believe, then we are going to raise hell.

This makes it very difficult, of course. What we want is not a RCI to determine the truth, whatever that may be. What we want is a RCI to confirm what we believe.

If we already believe what happened then why not we just go on and believe this? Why bother to ask for a RCI to be held when we know the RCI is going to rule against what we believe?

The chances of the RCI coming out with a verdict the same as what we believe is very slim. The chances of the RCI coming out with a verdict that we don't believe is very likely.

So why bother?

Many believe Anwar is innocent of the allegations of sodomy and the porn tape and what have you. If that is what we believe then let it be. Let's not bother with an inquiry or investigation or whatever because the chances would be the findings or verdict will not be what we want.

Let me put it this way: if you already believe that there is a God in Heaven and that when we die we would go to either Heaven or Hell and Muhammad or Jesus or whoever is our Prophet and there is no changing our mind on this matter, does it serve any purpose talking about this matter?

If I tell you I believe what you believe, you will be extremely happy. And if I tell you that you are talking crap and what you believe is a myth, you will be terribly unhappy. 

In short, you do not wish to discuss or debate this issue. You want me to agree with you and not contradict you. Better we just avoid the issue and not talk about it then.

You get my drift?

 

Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post_9600.html

 

Ahmad Sarbani’s death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 9)

Posted: 21 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Sheikh Niza had to do what was necessary to pin this rap on Ahmad Sarbaini. There was no turning back now. They had already committed themselves and so they had to make this 'Malaysian Book of Records' case stick, by hook or by crook if necessary. Sheikh Niza summoned Ahmad Sarbaini back to the MACC KL Office to give a second Cautioned Statement as below. This order was done verbally and there was no written notice issued, as what should have normally been done.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

THE TIME HAS COME TO EXPOSE THE KILLERS OF AHMAD SARBAINI MOHAMED

ADDENDUM

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 1)

http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/40947-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-1

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 2)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/40949-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-2

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 3)

http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/40951-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-3

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 4)

http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/40952-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-4

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 5)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/42134-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-5

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 6)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/42153-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-6

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 7)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/42155-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-7

Ahmad Sarbani's death: the lies and deceptions by the MACC (part 8)

http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/42156-ahmad-sarbanis-death-the-lies-and-deceptions-by-the-macc-part-8

 

If it’s nonsense then explain (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)

Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:30 PM PDT

By saying that what I wrote about the Sarbaini death is nonsense does not explain his death. What I wrote might be nonsense but Shafee Abdullah does not explain how Sarbaini died. And if he did not commit suicide and neither was he murdered, then how did he end up dead on the ground floor?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) lawyer has dismissed as nonsense the claims of Raja Petra Kamarudin regarding the death of Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed.

Datuk Seri Shafee Abdullah told The Malaysian Insider that most of the witnesses and forensic experts in the ongoing coroner's inquest into how the Selangor Customs assistant director fell to his death at the Kuala Lumpur MACC office on April 6 have so far ruled out both suicide and homicide.

"Raja Petra is talking nonsense. I believe this allegation will not affect the inquest. He is history," Shafee said of the Malaysia Today news portal editor.

*************************************

In April 1982, the State Assemblyman for Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Mohd Taha Talib, was found shot dead. The then Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Mokhtar Hashim, was arrested and later convicted in connection with the murder.

The bullet that killed Taha Talib came from Mokhtar Hashim's gun. And Mokhtar Hashim could not explain how come his gun was used to commit the murder and if it was not him then who pulled the trigger?

There was of course a witness, one of the people involved in the murder. And since he fingered Mokhtar Hashim and Mokhtar Hashim could not rebut that allegation then he must surely have been the one who pulled the trigger. After all, it was his gun.

In 1999, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of corruption (and later sodomy) because, according to the judge, he failed to convince the court of his innocence. So, since he could not prove his innocence, it must be assumed he is guilty.

Yes, according to the law, one is innocent until proven guilty. However, in high profile cases, it appears like one is guilty unless one can prove one's innocence. Was that not what I too was subjected to?

I was twice detained under the Internal Security Act, in 2001 and 2008, because there was a suspicion I may be guilty of a crime. While in the Kamunting Detention Center I was brought before the Review Board so that I can argue my case and convince the Board that my detention was not justified. If I failed to do that then I would be detained without trial indefinitely.

In other words, the government says you are guilty. Convince us, the Review Board, you are not.

I was further charged for various crimes and was made to face trial. In the four charges that I faced, the truth of the matter is not material to the charge. The court only needs to establish whether I did what I was alleged to have done. Whether what I did was based on the truth or lies is not important. Even if it were the truth I would still be guilty and would be sent to jail.

This is how the game has been played all along. You are not innocent until proven guilty. You are guilty if you can't prove your innocence. You are not guilty only if you lied. You are guilty even if you tell the truth.

This was what Mokhtar Hashim, Anwar Ibrahim, I, as well as many other people, have been subjected to. Have they changed the rules of the game since then? I did not make the rules. I am just playing by their rules.

It is so convenient for Shafee Abdullah to brush of what I said as nonsense. Was Mokhtar Hashim able to brush off the murder allegation as nonsense by saying, "Just because it is my gun does not mean I shot Taha Talib."?

Was Anwar Ibrahim able to brush of the allegation of corruption and sodomy as nonsense by saying, "You don't have evidence of any crime being committed other than the testimony of one witness who admitted under oath that he had been coached by the police as to what to say and who confessed under oath that he was never sodomised."?

Was I able to brush off the many allegations against me as nonsense when they detained me without trial and denied me the right to defend myself in a trial in an open court?

By saying that what I wrote about the Sarbaini death is nonsense does not explain his death. What I wrote might be nonsense but Shafee Abdullah does not explain how Sarbaini died. And if he did not commit suicide and neither was he murdered, then how did he end up dead on the ground floor?

That needs explaining. So, if what I wrote is nonsense, then how did Sarbaini die? Explain that.

And while we are at it maybe Shafee Abdullah can explain all these other 'nonsense' as well.

What happened to about 22 hours of CCTV recordings at the MACC Jalan Cochrane office that have suddenly disappeared? And why by coincidence these 22 hours of erased recordings happens to have been the time that Sarbaini visited the MACC KL office?

How did Altantuya Shaariibuu's immigration records disappear?

Who were the two army officers (Pegawai ATM) who entered Najib's house midnight the night Altantuya was murdered and left again at dawn? Why are the full details (names and IC numbers) of those who enter and leave Najib's house recorded but the details of these two army officers have been left vague?

What was the motive that Sirul and Azilah had in killing Altantuya when they both did not know her?

Sirul and Azilah said they were paid RM100,000 to kill Altantuya. In that case, since they admitted to being paid to kill her, have they revealed who paid them? And if the police were able to extract the motive from them (meaning they were motivated by money) how come the police can't go all the way and also extract the name of the person who paid them?

The Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said that the exchanges of text messages between himself and Shafee Abdullah are 'personal'. However, these exchanges of text messages implicate both Najib and Shafee Abdullah in a conspiracy to assist Razak Baginda in the Altantuya murder trial. And Razak did escape. So maybe Shafee Abdullah can also explain this 'nonsense'.

Aiyah, cukuplah. I can go on and on and list hundreds of 'nonsense' that have gone unexplained. All these may be nonsense. Then again, they may not be. But as long as they remain unexplained then we shall have to do what the court said in convicting Mokhtar Hashim and Anwar Ibrahim: since you have failed to convince us of your innocence then we shall have to assume you are guilty.
 

Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post_24.html#more

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Kuan Yew warns of two-party system pitfalls

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysia Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — Singapore's influential founding father Lee Kuan Yew has spoken out against a two-party system, warning that it could cause weak governments even as opposition parties make gains and democracy flourishes across Southeast Asia.

 

The former prime minister of the island republic said in a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV) that the progress made by Singapore since it was established in 1965 should not be taken for granted or that "what has been achieved is always secure", adding that poor governance would cause it to "spiral downwards."

"I believe once you have weak, ineffective government, the whole progress you have made will spiral downwards. But the majority of people believe it is secure for them, so now they have ideas about the West, two-party system," Lee said.

Singapore's general election in May saw its opposition make record gains, claiming six of 87 seats as the ruling People's Action Party saw its popular support drop by nearly seven percentage points to 60 per cent.

Developments across the region, especially Lee's former countrymen in Malaysia denying Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds of Parliament in 2008, are said to have stirred up a political awakening on the island.

Years of mass popular protests have also toppled a military-backed regime in Thailand while Indonesia has blossomed into a global giant after democratic reforms in the late 1990s.

In the interview, Lee noted that Singaporeans now desire a "First World Parliament," which was the slogan of the opposition Workers' Party that took six seats at the May 7 polls.

"Their argument is simple. A First World country must have a First World Parliament. A First World Parliament must have a First World opposition. Then you can change dice. I think if ever we go down that road, I'll be very sorry for Singapore,' he said.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Learning from our neighbours

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 11:09 AM PDT

 

By Karim Raslan, The Star

THERE are times when we need to be reminded that Malaysia is in South-East Asia.

Even though Bukit Bintang is teeming with Persians and Arabs, we are not part of the Middle East, and will never be.

Romanticising Bersih 2.0 by saying it's part of the "Arab Spring" ala Mat Sabu, PAS' newly-elected deputy president, may well capture public imagination but it makes little sense beyond the party faithful.

So, everyone relax-lah, we aren't about to succumb to the "Arab Spring".

Indeed, we can learn a hell of a lot more about political and economic changes (or not as the case may be) from our Asean neighbours rather than the Middle East.

Let's begin our whirlwind tour:

> MYANMAR: Total control means you end up destroying the economy and impoverishing your people.

Telling people what to think and do turns them against you.

Instead of respecting you, they grow to hate you.

At the same time, don't lock up enigmatic, beautiful and principled ladies like Aung San Suu Kyi.

You'll turn them into unbelievably powerful icons that will haunt you forever:

> PHILIPPINES: Be forewarned! Under "Noynoy" Aquino, (the "accidental" President), the perennial Asian basket case is catching up on us. With a domestic market of over 100 million consumers, it'll soon be a major competitor – much like Indonesia.

At the same time, the Filipino diaspora truly love their homeland, remitting over US$1bil (about RM3bil) every month.

Acquiring skills, capital and international work experience they're poised to turn the republic into a global service centre (its Business Process Outsourcing already earns over US$15bil (about RM45bil) per annum.

Moreover, with thousands of miles of gorgeous beaches and gracious serving staff, tourism will also boom.

> THAILAND: Diligent and clever administrators (like former Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva) need to beware of striking looking ladies like Yingluck Shinawatra.

They tend to electrify the political debate, especially when they've got nothing serious to say and spend their time waving, shaking hands and smiling very charmingly.

Never forget, that the majority – will and must – prevail in the end. In democracies - the elite - generals, businessmen and, aristocrats will always lose if they chose to fight the man in the street.

> INDONESIA: Corruption is awfully hard to root out – as President Bambang Susilo is finding even within his own political party – the Democrats.

As the different Democrat party leaders accuse one another of both taking and/or giving bribes, it's worth remembering that none of this would have come to the surface had it not been for republic's rambunctious and energetic me­­dia. However, a lively and independent media needs counter-veiling national institutions that can be trusted: law courts, police and tax officials to name just a few.

Strengthening these institutions will take decades - not years - and in the interim there'll be a great deal of injustice and unfairness.

Ordinary citizens can play an important role by refusing to bribe and by documenting every government official's infraction with their handphone cameras.

People will only stop cheating if they know they'll be caught.

> SINGAPORE: If you're the Prime Minister and you're facing an angry electorate (just days before polling) who are sick and tired of being lectured at, then the best thing to do is apologise.

Lee Hsien Loong did it and swung over to the PAP many voters, who would otherwise have supported the Workers Party.

At the same time, the government freed up the state-owned and controlled media so that it reported all candidates fairly.

Candidates were allowed access to TV and print.

Then, when you've scraped back into office again, make sure you stop and reconsider government policy.

Reassess the things that matter to the ordinary man: housing, jobs, inflation and transport.

Societies change. Aspirations change and politicians must adapt to these changes or risk being voted out of office.

Prime ministers are expected to connect and emote with their electorate: communication is critical and it isn't one way – politicians have to listen to what we, the people, want.

The days of command politics with its top-down approach is over. Malaysian leaders would be well-advised to beware of good-looking lady politicians.

Humility and patience are two of the other important characteristics.

Indeed, service-oriented leaders will always do well in our region.

Nonetheless, South-East Asians view politicians as expendable - if they fail to perform we vote them out; if they succeed we'll give them a second chance.

We, the people, are sovereign with politicians merely as ser- vice-providers, like hotel butlers and doormen – who always refuse tips.

Given our low perception of politicians you do have to wonder why anyone would want to enter such a grimy world?


The ghosts of Mahathirism

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 11:02 AM PDT

 

By Stanley Koh, FMT

Is Mahathirism back with a vengeance?

Recent events do make it seem like the Najib regime has decided to adopt the former prime minister's authoritarian style in saving its flagging political fortunes. It has resorted to using draconian laws and shameless propaganda in the face of an awakening electorate and increasing exposures of its misdeeds.

The government seems to have ignored the strong signal given by the 2008 election result that Malaysians want more democratic space. And what was Bersih 2.0's July 9 rally if not a reaffirmation of that demand?

But instead of using the occasion to promote his much-vaunted liberalist image, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak seemed to have done what Dr Mahathir Mohamad would have done—crush them and damn what the world says.

After May 13, 1969, Mahathir ominously proclaimed: "There is not going to be a democracy in Malaysia. There never was and there never will be." He was speaking then as a critic of the government, but during his 22-year tenure as prime minister, he seemed to have applied himself to ensuring that his prediction would be realised.

Khoo Boo Teik, in his Paradoxes of Mahathirism, wrote: "Certainly Mahathir did not balk at using authoritarian means to restore his control over mass dissent in October 1987. Then he professed to lament the irresponsibility of misfits who had abused his liberalism, not unlike how, after May 13, 1969, he spoke of the immaturity of the people as an obstacle to the full practice of democracy."

The Mahathir era witnessed the full exploitation of repressive laws, notably the Internal Security Act and the Police Act. The latter law requires police permits for public gatherings. This condition was stringently enforced against opposition groups but ignored for government parties. Things have not changed.

Mahathir's government amended the Societies Act in 1981 and the Official Secrets Act in 1986 to constrict further the arena of public debate. It also consistently exploited its two-thirds majority in Parliament to make constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening its political position.

Money politics

It was also during the Mahathir era that the Malaysian judiciary lost its independence and respectability. Mahathir tried to keep whittling away at that independence even in the last years of his tenure. In 1999, he was quoted as suggesting that the judiciary needed further reform because judges "tend to favour" the opposition.

The practice of "money politics" deepened its roots during the Mahathirism era. Scholars Graham K Brown, Siti Hawa Ali and Wan Manan Muda wrote in their research paper on Policy Levers in Malaysia: "Initially, under the guise of the 1971 promulgated New Economic Policy, the regime developed a fearsome machinery for dispensing patronage to supporters of the government. This money politics involves both state and private funds the BN parties control between them, a massive corporate empire that operates on the individual, corporate and even state level. The abuse of public funds is often unabashed."

 

READ MORE HERE.

Ambiga wants non-partisan committee for electoral reform

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:51 AM PDT

 

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider

SHAH ALAM, July 26 — Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan today proposed that the Election Commission (EC) set up a special committee to discuss issues concerning electoral reform following public outcry over the existing electoral system.

 

The Bersih chairman said that the committee should comprise both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives as well as representatives from NGOs.

"Is the EC prepared to set up a committee to look into all issues, and maybe in three months' time come up with a report on how the electoral roll can be set up?" she asked today during a public forum with EC deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

But Wan Ahmad did not once respond to her suggestion throughout the entire forum, choosing instead to reiterate that the EC carried out its duties accordingly and should not be held responsible over the implementation of any reform demands.

"The EC is open to suggestions. We will invite all parties to hear the suggestions, and also any NGOs who are truly 'ikhlas' (honest)," he said.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Ahead of polls, Najib’s last card is the budget

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:47 AM PDT

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — With less than two years left of Barisan Nasional's (BN) mandate, hopes of an opportune time for federal polls are slim for Datuk Seri Najib Razak as dissent grows and the economy remains sour.

Politicians from both sides of the divide told The Malaysian Insider that with a cash-strapped Treasury struggling to maintain subsidies in the face of surging inflation, the prime minister should announce an election budget at the end of the year and dissolve Parliament soon after.

Analysts also believe that while heightened racial rhetoric has recovered some Malay support for the ruling coalition, it is a zero-sum game that is delivering centrist voters to Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

"We should have a good budget first. Tun Abdullah Badawi didn't have such a budget and then called an election," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, referring to the former prime minister who was forced to step down a year after BN recorded its worst showing ever in Election 2008.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali agreed, pointing out the economy was still lagging behind Putrajaya's six per cent growth target, only recording 4.6 per cent GDP growth in Q1 and is expected to remain under five per cent until June 2011.

"In two years, things can't get much better. But the question is with the government already short of funds, what can BN promise in its next budget?" the Gombak MP told The Malaysian Insider.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng went further, saying "things are going to get worse for Najib."

"There is no point waiting. The economy is going to be tougher in 2012 and meanwhile, no logical government will allow the likes of (Malay rights group) Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia to run rampant. It shows that Umno ultras are asking for a bigger slice of the pie. Najib is losing the middle ground," he said.

Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said this was due to the ease with which issues could be politicised post-Election 2008.

"It doesn't matter what is the timing. Whenever it is, the opposition will just play up an issue for votes. Najib should just ensure the party machinery is ready because from now to 2013, nothing much is going to change," the Umno division chief said.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Deployment of Barisan Rakyat Independent Candidate

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:35 AM PDT

By Haris M Ibrahim, President, MCLM

Press Conference to Announce Deployment of Barisan Rakyat Independent Candidate

 

The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) would like to invite representatives from your organisation to attend a press conference to announce the deployment of the first MCLM-endorsed Barisan Rakyat Independent Candidate (BRIC).

Date:  Friday, 29 July 2011

Time:  11.00 am

Venue: MCLM Secretariat,  

            17-1, Jalan 1/109E,

            Desa Business Park,

            58100 Kuala Lumpur

For more information, please contact 03-7982 7101 or admin@mclm.org.uk.

Thank you.

HARIS M. IBRAHIM

PRESIDENT


 

Of Raja Nazrin, Real Stories & Regal Rhetoric

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 05:17 AM PDT

Raja Petra has told us his "real story" to the above questions. It has something to do with your succession to the Perak throne and also to save the financial empire of one of members of your royal family. Is RPK's story accurate? Will you tell us the "real story"?

By Martin Jalleh

Your Royal Highness (YRH),

Recently, during a talk themed: "The role of Malay rulers in nurturing unity" held in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, YRH declared that "rulers should not be shielded from the truth and must be told the real story".

May I, with due respect to YRH, tell you the truth that many of us (especially those who are sons and daughters of Perak) find it very hard to believe that you meant every word that you said during the talk. Some, in responding to the article highlighting your talk, have asked you to "walk the talk"!

Much as we would really like to consider what you had proclaimed as "rare wisdom" from a ruler and intellectual, very unfortunately, the tragic manner in which the Perak royal family handled the Perak Constitutional Crisis (PCC) reduces your speeches to mere "regal rhetoric".

You were so very right when you said that "rulers should never be surrounded by people with personal interests who are willing to use them as tools". If only the Perak royalty had displayed and determinedly demonstrated such astuteness during the PCC!

It was the public's perception that His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan Azlan Shah had allowed himself to be surrounded by the PM and his cohorts and to be used as a political tool. HRH also denied the ousted Perak MB Nizar Jamaluddin of an audience at a very crucial point.

By writing this open letter to you I run the risk of Umno or Perkasa members making police reports against me but I am confident enough that YRH will not allow these elements to make use of you, as they have so often and unashamedly done so, out of political expediency.

To confirm the hypocrisy of the Umno elite, you should consult your royal colleague and veteran Umno leader, Tengku Razaleigh, who during the height of the PCC strongly suggested that it is Umno who has harmed the Malay rulers more than anyone else!

In sharp contrast to your professed openness, Umno, through the Attorney-General's (AG's) Chambers has gone to extremes to do the opposite. Take for example the AG's appeal against a High Court's decision to acquit Karpal Singh of a charge of sedition against the Perak Sultan.

Unbelievably the DPP told the Court of Appeal that: "People have the legal right to take Sultans to court but to speak openly of it is seditious…as this would inflame the sentiments of laymen who did not have a good grasp of the law"!

Understandably, the AG and his Chambers are suspected of suffering from the inflammation of the brain, which in many respects is as bad as "yellow fever".

Bitter & Brutal Truth

YRH, you stressed that: "Rulers should be willing to accept the fact, no matter how bitter, as justice could not be uphold without the truth"? Logically, you would need to be willing to accept the fact, no matter how bitter, that hardly anyone takes you seriously these days.

Public sentiments for HRH Sultan Azlan Shah are the same. Perakians had placed their hopes high on HRH – whom they had held in high regard. But he seemed to be swayed by Umno's political subterfuge and scheming. Public perception of his impartiality plummeted thence after.

YRH so rightly pointed out that: "In all conflicts, no one party is right all the time and no one party is wrong all the time." HRH Sultan Azlan Shah (a former Lord President though he was) was wrong in his personal discretion and his straying beyond his parameters of power during the PCC.

No one presented the brutal and bitter truth so honestly, clearly and professionally than respected retired judge N H Chan who bravely declared that HRH had "sidestepped" provisions of the Perak Constitution and made a "fatal error".

YRH also very accurately pointed out in your talk that: "The credibility of some national instruments require recovery of perception and need improvement in line with current world dynamics to restore confidence in the people."

During and after the PCC, key democratic institutions were manipulated by the powers that be to contain, cripple and crush legitimate dissent. They degenerated to the point that the public no longer trusted them. This was especially true of the judiciary.

The judiciary sunk so low during the PPC, as to allow itself to be intimidated, its independence and impartiality interfered with, and its integrity reduced to ignominy. Today the reputation of the judiciary or whatever is left of it, has been sullied irreparably.

Very ironically on 31 Oct. 2007 I had in an Open Letter thanked HRH Sultan Azlan "for portraying the truth about the state of the country's judiciary and your accompanying clarion call for major reforms in the judiciary…"

I wrote: "Today, we have become a laughing stock. We are second to none when it comes to kangaroo courts and court jesters like the de facto Law Minister. The judgments of our courts are often quoted in political satire and online comic scripts." Nothing has changed still then!

Just as the "credibility of some national instruments require recovery of perception and need improvement", I am sure you will agree that the credibility of the royalty also requires recovering of perception and regaining public confidence!

Perhaps, YRH, this can only happen if the people are told the "real story". Just as the rulers need to be given the true picture, the public also needs to hear the "real story" to make a wise and good decision in the next General Elections.

YRH, please tell us the "real story" on why was there such an undue and indecent haste by HRH to dismiss the leader of a popularly elected coalition? Why was there such an unholy haste to recognize and install and swear in a government against the expressed wishes of the people?

Raja Petra has told us his "real story" to the above questions. It has something to do with your succession to the Perak throne and also to save the financial empire of one of members of your royal family. Is RPK's story accurate?

Will you tell us the "real story"?

 

WIKILEAKS: PM ABDULLAH'S POSITION ERODED AFTER TUMULTUOUS WEEK

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim dispatched his lieutenants to Taiwan with the avowed aim to complete talks with BN members of Parliament who would crossover to bring down Abdullah's government. At the same time, the Opposition alliance stated the September 16 deadline to topple the government could slip. 

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000805

 

SIPDIS

 

FOR EAP/MTS

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2018

TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, MARR, MY

SUBJECT: PM ABDULLAH'S POSITION ERODED AFTER TUMULTUOUS WEEK

 

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 787

 

Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d).

 

SUMMARY

1. (C) Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has seen his political position eroded during a tumultuous week of mounting challenges from within his United Malay National Organization (UMNO), his coalition partners, and the opposition. 

While struggling to regain cohesion within his National Front (BN) coalition in the face of inter-racial tensions, UMNO leaders have raised new questions over Abdullah's 2010 transition to his deputy Najib Tun Razak, creating fresh doubts that Abdullah can gain his party's reelection in December.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim dispatched his lieutenants to Taiwan with the avowed aim to complete talks with BN members of Parliament who would crossover to bring down Abdullah's government.  At the same time, the Opposition alliance stated the September 16 deadline to topple the government could slip. 

The chief of the armed forces clarified that the military would remain apolitical, but could be called out via proper legal channels to assist with internal security. Abdullah emerged from an UMNO meeting to state that the government could use the Internal Security Act (ISA), and its detention without trial provisions, to preserve internal security; on September 12 the government made good on this threat by detaining controversial blogger Raja Petra.  End Summary.

RACIST COMMENTS PROMPT UMNO LEADERS MEETING

2. (SBU) To quell growing animosity and tension between UMNO and its ethnic Chinese partners in the National Front coalition resulting from caustic racist comments from Penang UMNO division leader Ahmad Ismail, PM Abdullah was forced to hold a meeting of the BN Supreme Council on September 9 and a gathering of the UMNO Supreme Council on September 10. 

The BN leaders referred the matter to UMNO to take action against its own member.  After a three hour meeting, the UMNO Supreme Council decided to suspend Ahmad from the party for three years, stripping him of all of his official duties.  Despite this ruling, Ahmad remained defiant and suggested his Penang division quickly would create a new role for him.  Some of Abdullah's detractors in the party, like Selangor warlord Khir Toyo, came to Ahmad's defense.  The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Chinese-dominated Gerakan party voiced their appreciation for UMNO's decision, but also called for a stop to further racially incendiary remarks.

2010 TRANSITION UNRAVELING?  

3. (C) As Abdullah and UMNO attempted to douse heated racial tensions that damaged the BN coalition, this week also witnessed the fraying of UMNO's acquiescence to Abdullah's plan to hand over power to DPM Najib in 2010. 

The most direct blow came from International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, an UMNO Vice President who is considered a potential candidate for Deputy Prime Minister should Abdullah step down.  Muhyiddin stated on September 10 that Abdullah should resign well before the June 2010 transition date. 

Muhyiddin noted that the initial promise of this two-month old proposal, meant to assuage concerns about Abdullah's sagging popularity and party support, had now "sunk away".  Reacting during a televised press encounter, Abdullah was visibly angered by Muhyiddin's comment. Abdullah questioned why Muhyiddin would challenge the transition plan when the UMNO Supreme Council had already approved the transition and its timing. 

On September 12, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak appeared to contradict Abdullah and shift his position away from Abdullah's deal, stating that delegates at the December UMNO party elections should approve the transition and its timetable.  Other important UMNO leaders have revived their calls to eliminate high quotas for the number of nominations needed to contest leadership positions in the party polls, a system which now heavily favors Abdullah.

MAHATHIR SEEKS RETURN TO UMNO

4. (SBU) Complicating matters further for Abdullah, former PM and former UMNO President Mahathir, who quit UMNO on May 19 after expressing disgust with Abdullah's leadership, is considering returning to the party. 

A smiling UMNO Vice President Muhyiddin told reporters September 9 that Mahathir was persuaded by him, Tengku Razaleigh and several other veteran UMNO leaders at a private meeting at Mahathir's residence on September 6 to rejoin UMNO to help "fix the problems" afflicting the party. 

Foreign Minister and senior UMNO official Rais Yatim later joined other party leaders in welcoming Mahathir's proposed return to the fold.  Mahathir reportedly is now backing his former nemesis, Tengku Razaleigh, to unseat Abdullah in the December UMNO party elections. 

Commenting tersely on the possible return of Mahathir, whose harsh criticisms of the Prime Minister continue unabated, Abdullah stated September 11 that the UMNO Supreme Council will decide on the issue as "this is a party matter."

THE OPPOSITION ATTEMPTS TO COUNTER TAIWAN PLOY...

5. (SBU) Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim meanwhile sought to keep the pressure on UMNO and BN by dispatching four senior officials from this Peoples Justice Party's (PKR) to Taiwan, supposedly to meet with BN MP's who may crossover to bring down Abdullah's government. 

BN had hastily arranged a "study tour" to Taiwan for BN members of Parliament, September 8-17, in what is widely viewed as a ploy to thwart September 16 crossovers. 

PKR said their officials would attempt to finalize the crossovers (the opposition requires 30 to claim the majority and topple Abdullah's government).

OPPOSITION ADMITS SEPTEMBER 16 COULD SLIP

6.  (SBU) As PKR announced its officials were going to Taiwan to finalize crossovers, the opposition People's Alliance (Pakatan) also issued a statement suggesting that the September 16 deadline for toppling BN could slip.  The three-party alliance of PKR, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS), in a September 11 release, explained that the September 16 deadline may have to be postponed due to the Taiwan trip by the BN MPs.

However, the coalition expressed confidence that a change of federal government "would happen soon." 

Subsequently, BN officials announced that many of the MPs would be returning early from Taiwan, hinting that this should eliminate excuses for Anwar not meeting his September 16 deadline.

ARMED FORCES TO STAY OUT OF POLITICS, BUT STILL ON CALL

7. (SBU) Malaysian Armed Forces Chief General Abdul Aziz Zainal stated at a press conference September 11 that the armed forces have been and will remain apolitical.  The General gave his assurance following questions and criticism from opposition and civil society quarters over his statement on September 9, urging the government to take stern action against anyone stoking racial sentiments in the country and thereby threatening national unity. 

"The armed forces are highly professional and apolitical", Abdul Aziz clarified on September 11, and would only get involved in internal matters if requested through the legal process by the authorities or police. 

He explained, "Our (the military's) secondary role is to support the police and government agencies in any form of operations where our presence is requested -- such as for internal security, humanitarian and disaster relief operations.8  General Abdul Aziz refused to comment when asked by reporters whether he would support a new government, adding "I do not know of any (impending) changes in government."

ABDULLAH THREATENS USE OF THE INTERNAL SECURITY ACT

8. (SBU) PM Abdullah stated September 10, following the UMNO Supreme Council meeting, that he did not rule out the possibility of invoking the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows detention without trial for those who threaten national security.  He added that the Home Minister, who has the authority to approve ISA detentions, would "think twice or even three times" before deciding to take that step, but "if the minister thinks that it is an appropriate action to be taken, then he will take it."

9. (SBU) The Prime Minister said that in the September 10 Cabinet meeting, his Ministers expressed concern and described race relations in the country as showing "not so good signs," and that a number of sensitive issues which were not openly discussed before were being raised.

Although the government has managed to control the situation thus far, he added that "we cannot allow a fiery situation to prevail as it could jeopardize the peace and security of our country."

Responding to a question on whether the government would curtail freedom of speech in the country, the PM explained that there was no such thing as absolute freedom anywhere in the world, noting "People cannot just say whatever they like, in the name of free speech, to the extend that it can offend and hurt others and jeopardize security."

MAKING GOOD ON THE THREAT

10.  (SBU) Abdullah's government made good on the threat by arresting controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin at his home on September 12, using the ISA.  Home Minister Syed Hamid confirmed to reporters that police had detained Raja Petra under the ISA provision for persons who pose threats to "security, peace and public order." 

Raja Petra has repeatedly enraged the BN government by, among other things, blunting attacking senior political leaders, connecting DPM Najib to a murder scandal, and condemning the sodomy allegations against Anwar. 

Raja Petra currently faces sedition and defamation charges.  Septel provides more details of the arrest and provides suggested press guidance.

COMMENT

11.  (C) Abdullah has endured a rough week, one that has eroded his political strength.  The current tone of the direct and indirect challenges to his position are similar to those he faced in the first six weeks after the March 8 election debacle when his continuation in office was an open question.  Two factors are increasing the pressure on Abdullah at this point. 

First, UMNO has become unnerved in the face of Anwar Ibrahim's threat to bring down the government this month, and the greater Anwar's menace, the more UMNO elites consider replacing Abdullah with a stronger figure. 

Second, the UMNO divisional elections, which select delegates to the December party polls, begin on October 9 almost immediately following the Muslim holidays at the end of the Muslim fasting month.  Those leaders who wish to challenge Abdullah's reelection and his two-year transition to Najib must stake out their positions now and maneuver for support, or the opportunity quickly will be lost.

KEITH

 

Resign Or Snap Election For Najib, Here’re The Reasons

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 10:51 PM PDT

Finance Twitter

As much as I would like to stop writing about PM Najib administration, the plot just got interesting and I think he may just hit the bull's eye as far as my prediction that his downfall may be faster than his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi, is concerned.

Compared with Najib, Badawi now seems like a cute adorable little kitten, who merely likes to sleep (on the job). Malaysians tend to be more forgiving on lazy prime minister but not a prime minister who lies, cheats, brutal, dirty (allegation on Mongolian Altantuya's murder), hypocrite but above all stupid yet arrogant.

One cannot help but fell off the chair laughing after read that Najib said he cancels a family vacation because he wants to spend more time with Malaysians. This was perhaps the best joke ever by premier Najib since he took over from Abdullah Badawi. This joke actually worth a thousand "Like" on his facebook page. Forget about Bersih 2.0 because this guy may quit under pressure – not from opposition parties or Bersih 2.0 but from his internal UMNO party. Boy, if it was true that the US$24 million controversial diamond ring indeed belongs to his wife Rosmah Mansor, that ring is cursed.

Anyone notice the deadly silence from Mahathir after the Bersih 2.0 rally that instantly flush Najib's popularity into the toilet bowl? I've wrote earlier that Najib administration's extreme stupidity in tackling the simple issue of Bersih 2.0 made the whole episode smells rat. Najib can't be that foolish (or was he?) and even if he was indeed stupid, his wife would have save the day, unless of course the plan to unseat him has been brought forward by his own circles. Mahathir doesn't like Najib for two main reasons - his wife and his close connection with Singapore Government.

It seems Najib may have to quit soon, probably before his term expires in 2013. And if Najib plans to stay until next year to enjoy more free overseas holidays using taxpayers money under his capacity as the prime minister, his dream is now short-lived based on his emergency return to take control of Putrajaya. How on earth could everything turns upside-down before his "shopping" trip to United Kingdom and Italy ends? It appears he has no other option but to call an early election, possibly before 11-11-2011 in order to neutralize his enemy from within UMNO, if he's able to do that.

1) Perkasa Ibrahim Ali

Ibrahim Ali, the guy whom you love and hate has successfully performed his duty, if indeed it was true that he was actually a mole, regardless whether he was planted by Anwar or Mahathir. His job was to create chaos and racial disharmony. Both Anwar or Mahathir knew the Malay votes and to a certain extent the Indian votes have return to UMNO under Najib's leadership. If the Chinese voters were to go back in droves to UMNO- led National Front coalition, then the opposition is toast and Najib would become very powerful, so much so that he can ask Mahathir to fly kite.

Ibrahim Ali Perkasa

One has to remember Mahathir is a master in the game of divide-and-rule. As long as Ibrahim Ali can continuously feed the racial hatred cookies to both ethnic-Malay and ethnic-Chinese, Najib's strength is being checked. And wasn't Ibrahim Ali a director in Vincent Tan's Berjaya Group, one of the closest cronies during Mahathir administration? Well, if Najib truly believed that Ibrahim Ali was God-sent Angel to help fish runaway Malay votes for his administration, then he deserves what he's getting now.

2) Deputy PM Muhyiddin

One needs to see the bigger picture on how the deputy PM seems to be pouring kerosene everytime his boss, PM Najib Razak, starts a new project in his bid to gain voters' support. When Najib was shouting till foam at mouth his 1Malaysia concept, Muhyiddin declared he was Malay first and Malaysian second. And of course Mahathir almost swear he doesn't actually understand the concept of 1Malaysia. Muhyiddin is indeed a strong deputy as he was one of the warlords who enjoys ground support.

Muhyiddin Yassin

Najib doesn't like a strong deputy because it would make him looks weak, which is true because his political rising star was purely based on his father's name, the second prime minister Tun Razak. In short, Najib was born with silver platter hence he has never been known to be a risk-taker. The fact that Muhyiddin together with Mahathir were extremely quiet post-Bersih 2.0 rally speak volume about how both were equally pleased with the public and international criticism on Najib administration in handling the peaceful demonstration. Muhyiddin can almost smell the aroma of the premiership.

READ MORE HERE

 

Back to the Middle Ages

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:20 PM PDT

Yes, in Mekah and Medina there is no banned sect of Islam. In Mekah and Medina everyone is just plain Muslim and we are allowed to pray side-by-side with them and behind imams who are Salafis or Wahhabis. But when we come back to Malaysia, we ban them, arrest them and declare that they are deviant Muslims and terrorists whom Malaysians must not follow.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysia appears to have many enemies of the state. The colour yellow. Words such as 'Reformasi', 'Hindraf', 'Bersih', 'Altantuya', etc. Shiah and anything at all within the scope of non-Sunni Islam. Communists. Jews. Gays. Democracy. Gatherings. Marches. Rallies. Free speech. Bahasa Malaysia Bibles. Proportional representation in Parliament and the State Assemblies.  Opposition political parties.

You name it and they are all enemies of the state as far as Malaysia is concerned.

The Malaysian government is scared of its own shadow. And now Wahhabism is the latest addition to the list of 'banned items'.

The article 'The Wahhabi Myth' addresses the fallacies connected to Wahhabism or Salafism as follows:

The 'Wahhabi' Myth by Haneef James Oliver clarifies many of the gross inaccuracies and outright lies that have been attributed to the belief of the Salafi Muslims (often referred to as "Wahhabis").

Karen Armstrong speaks about the difference between Osama bin Laden's sect (Qutbism) and Salafism/"Wahhabism" in a Guardian article entitled "The label of Catholic terror was never used about the IRA":

"Bin Laden was not inspired by Wahhabism but by the writings of the Egyptian ideologue Sayyid Qutb, who was executed by President Nasser in 1966. Almost every fundamentalist movement in Sunni Islam has been strongly influenced by Qutb, so there is a good case for calling the violence that some of his followers commit "Qutbian terrorism." Qutb urged his followers to withdraw from the moral and spiritual barbarism of modern society and fight it to the death.

Read more here: http://sinningslave.wordpress.com/

The bottom line is, anything that does not comply with my beliefs, standards, ideology, doctrine and whatnot is just not on and is haram.

That was how things were back in the Middle Ages. Either you are with me or you are against me. And if you are against me then you are my enemy and you must die a violent and painful death.

The problem is, while the civilised world has abandoned these old Middle Ages ways and beliefs, in the developing world -- such as in Malaysia -- we are still living in the Middle Ages and still adopting what the civilised world has long abandoned.

In short, as the previous Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said: Malaysia is a country with First World infrastructure but Third World mentality. And this statement came from the Malaysian Prime Minister himself.

And do you need me to quote what one-time Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said about the mentality of Malaysians? No, I thought not. I better not quote anything from Dr Mahathir lest you all froth and foam at the mouth like rabid dogs.

Tens of thousands of Malaysians go to Mekah and Medina every year for their Haj and Umrah. To date, millions of Malaysians have performed both the main and 'small' pilgrimages.

And what do they do in Mekah and Medina?

They pray side-by-side with the Shiah, Wahhabi, and many other sects of Muslims -- behind an imam of the Grand Mosque in Mekah and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina who are Salafis or Wahhabis.

Yes, in Mekah and Medina there is no banned sect of Islam. In Mekah and Medina everyone is just plain Muslim and we are allowed to pray side-by-side with them and behind imams who are Salafis or Wahhabis. But when we come back to Malaysia we ban them and arrest them and declare that they are deviant Muslims and terrorists whom Malaysians must not follow.

I watched a movie last night about a gang of robbers that the FBI was trying to track down. They had some suspects but could not get a warrant to put them under 24-hours surveillance. It would be very difficult to convince the court, said the FBI boss, unless one of them converts to Islam.

What does that tell you? It tells you that Islam is dangerous and Muslims are terrorists. If one of the bank robbers were a Muslim then the court would readily waive his fundamental rights.

That is of course a made-in-America movie where anything Islam is bad and Muslims are terrorists. I suppose they are not that wrong when even the Malaysian government labels Wahhabis or Salafis as terrorists. And is not Malaysia a perceived Islamic country and did not Umno say it is the largest Islamic party in the world?

When the Christians and Jews call Muslims terrorists, they are prejudiced. When Muslims call Muslims terrorists, this is a statement of fact and proves what the West suspected of Islam -- that it is a terrorist religion.

And did I not say many times that Muslims are Islam's greatest enemy?

************************************

Wahhabi alert will damage ties with Saudi Arabia, says PAS

By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider

PAS said today that Putrajaya was damaging ties with key Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, home of the religion's two holy cities of Mecca and Medina, by placing ulamas suspected of practicing Wahhabism on a terror watchlist.

PAS vice president Datuk Mahfuz Omar told reporters today that the move by the National Security Council (NSC) to monitor scholars such as influential former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin was an overreaction that could jeopardise ties with the country where Wahhabism is the dominant form of Islam.

"This will hurt ties with Saudi Arabia and give a negative perception towards Malaysia," the Pokok Sena MP said.

About 26,000 Malaysian Muslims travel annually to perform the Haj in Mecca, one of the largest national quotas given by the kingdom.

Malaysia has asked for another 10,000 places as nearly 700,000 are on the waiting list.

Deputy president Mohamed Sabu also mocked the Najib administration's move, calling it a "fiction and propaganda."

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the NSC met and ordered state muftis and religious agencies to monitor and take action against the traditionalist Islamic practice that has been linked to terrorism.

Maverick scholar Asri was first linked to Wahhabism and the terrorists group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) early last year, along with PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim dan Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Abdul Hadi and Shahidam Kassim have been omitted from the watchlist.

Two Umno lawmakers have come to the defense of Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, insisting that the Najib administration has wrongly labelled the maverick former Perlis mufti as a potential terrorist threat.

Both Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that the NSC had overreacted over a difference of opinion by raising a terror alert over fears that Wahhabism was being revived.

***********************************

Asri not a terrorist, say Umno MPs

By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider

Two Umno lawmakers have come to the defence of Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, insisting that the Najib administration has wrongly labelled the maverick former Perlis mufti as a potential terrorist threat.

Both Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that the National Security Council (NSC) had overreacted over a difference of opinion by raising a terror alert over fears that Wahhabism was being revived.

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the NSC met and ordered state muftis and religious agencies to monitor and take action against the traditionalist Islamic practice that has been linked to terrorism.

"Asri is not a terrorist," Saifuddin said on micro-blogging site Twitter yesterday.

The Temerloh MP told The Malaysian Insider later that "I disagree with labelling someone as a Wahhabi, leading to calling him a terrorist. This only divides Muslims."

Khairy also said in a statement that reports that Asri and other Muslim scholars have been placed on a watchlist for as "Wahhabis and terrorists... is an overreaction."

"I see no subversive action or effort by Asri that qualifies him as a terrorist," the Rembau MP added.

The Malaysian Insider also reported that the NSC meeting listed several prominent leaders as Wahhabis including a group of young Islamic scholars who joined Umno last year.

Although he did not follow suit in joining the senior partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, Asri, who has been linked to Wahhabism in the past, is said to wield considerable influence over young Muslim scholars.

Saifuddin also told The Malaysian Insider that Wahhabism was practiced in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

"Does this mean that Malaysian Muslims should no longer perform the Haj (in Mecca)? We can have differences of opinion in Islam. We should not let this bring us to labelling others as Wahhabi or terrorists," he said in a text message.

Khairy also agreed that it was unacceptable that someone was accused of terrorism without being allowed to offer an explanation.

Asri was first linked to Wahhabism and the terrorists group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) early last year, along with PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim dan Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Abdul Hadi and Shahidam Kassim have been omitted from the watchlist.

 

cakap cakap...DSAI

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 06:33 PM PDT

STEADYAKU47

We are not born liars. Neither are we born to hate another human being. We are what we are today because somewhere in the process of growing up we consciously or subconsciously took to be our own persona the things that are around us. For most of us the person who lied to us first are our beloved parents. From them we learn that lies are done when the circumstance requires it.

Sad is it not to think that our parents lied to us first! Now as adults we are faced with having to tell lies and being lied to. How we each justify lying is open to endless arguments but it can be explained by this simple phase " self serving". Nobody can deny that the lying they do is for their own ends.

The problems for most of us begins when lying becomes what our leaders choose to do because telling the truth will destroy their credibility in our eyes. For Barisan Nasional politicians this (telling lies) has become the knee jerk reaction to almost anything that if they were to tell the truth would be unpalatable to the Malaysian public. No need to go to far back….that Din guy from the Home Ministry recently said "that there was no political agenda in the deportation of French human rights lawyer William Bourdon….. he was deported due to "visa non-compliance" and for making a speech in Penang". He knows and we know that he is lying but it has all now become a game…another lie, another day in government. But then that is the way Barisan Nasional do things.

I do not support Barisan Nasiona (as if BN cares!) I want Pakatan Rakyat to win at the 13th General Election. So what do I do when Pakatan Rakyat leaders lies? What should I do when I KNOW they have lied? I really care not if you tell me that Pakatan Rakyat leaders do sometimes have to lie or tell untruths to politically survive. Political survival is just that – surviving! If Pakatan Rakyat is to succeed it must not only survive but must also thrive and be able to stand heads and shoulders above the corrupt and arrogant BN politicians. Tok Guru, Hadi, Karpal, Kit Siang and Guan Eng all stand heads and shoulders over ANY Barisan Nasional leaders. DSAI does not! And this DSAI is the leader of these leaders of Pakatan Rakyat –the first amongst equal!

Why do I say that DSAI lies?

Let me tell you why. You all know about his time in UMNO and you all think you know what he did as DPM of a BN government. I heard stories and I do KNOW of one or two instances when what he did could be construed to be "questionable" but I would not be able to prove it in a court of law because I have nothing incriminating to put forward against DSAI. So like most of you out there I speculate but speculation has never made anyone guilty of any crime unless you have an army strong enough to act on the speculation and you yourself act as judge, jury and executioner. Mahathir tried to do that with DSAI in the Sodomy One case. He failed.

Since his dismissal by Mahathir from his post as DPM there have been stories and speculation a plenty but nothing stuck to DSAI. Not until Saiful. You can choose to believe what you want but as you can see with Mahathir, our judiciary can only do the bidding's of its political masters if the facts support the prosecution case against DSAI. In sodomy two this is  a fa it accompali – a done deal – no if's no but's.

So why is so many people in denial? Let me try and put this phenomena of DSAI in perspective. I was at his house when he was released from prison. Since then I have met and talked with him a number of times. I have followed his progress up the ranks of Pakatan Rakyat. Knowing of his past and the flaw in his personal self I waited to see how he would conduct himself as leader of the opposition. Unfortunately at all critical junctures he failed:

The announcement of taking over the government from BN just after the 12th general election.

The loss of Perak and many PKR MP's,

The Bala press conference and the subsequent debacle of Bala pulling out his first SD.

The comic yet tragic manner in which the PKR party election was conducted.

The Saiful accusations.

And other lapse of judgements by DSAI that has cost PKR and PR  dearly only increased my anxiety of DSAI ability to change into the leader we all (including me) wanted him to be. Some of you are still patient with him. Some of you know that he can never change and yet feel that there is no other leader within PR to take his place. Some say that we need to stay with DSAI because he has been through so much and ought to be given the opportunity to lead PR against BN. We can go through all these for and against arguments till kingdom come – but while you are all entitled to your own thoughts – so am I entitled to mine.

READ MORE HERE

 

Muzzling the media in Malaysia: libel and censorship

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 06:26 PM PDT

It was abundantly clear from the reaction to the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9th that the Malaysian government has become ever more insecure about its hold on power.  And yet as the government becomes ever more insecure the measures it resort to in order to shore up its hold on power become ever more disproportionate and some might say desperate.  Last week provided two examples of this.

The first was the ruling on July 19th in a defamation case brought by Interior Minister Rais Yatim against blogger Amizudin Ahmat.  Amizudin Ahmat, better known as 'Din Binjai', had posted a blog entry that alleged a Cabinet Minister had raped his Indonesian housemaid besides a picture of Rais. The judge rule in favor of the minister and ordered that Amizudin pay RM400,000 (approx. $120,000).  

While the Malaysian government remains officially committed to its policy of not censoring the Internet in the last few years it has opted to pursue individual bloggers in the courts confident that a largely compliant judiciary will pass judgments whose cumulative effect will be self-censorship to avoid similar damages. This decision comes on the back of a ruling in February when Malaysia's most famous blogger, Raja Petra Kamarudin was found guilty of defaming senior lawyer Seri Muhammad Shafee Adbullah over three articles posted on his website Malaysia Today. To date damages have yet to be decided but Raja Petra has been in exile since 2008 when the charges were first brought against him.

READ MORE HERE

 

Nazri agrees to debate with Kit Siang over Teoh RCI

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 06:09 PM PDT

By Clara Chooi. The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz today declared his willingness to debate the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh Beng Hock's death with Lim Kit Siang.

Through his media officer, the minister in the Prime Minister's Department, who is now in London, said he would accept Lim's offer but suggested that the meeting with the DAP stalwart be held after the fasting month of Ramadan.

In a blog posting yesterday, Lim had slammed Nazri (picture) for saying that the Teoh RCI had absolved the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of murder charges and called on the minister to justify his stand.

He invited Nazri to do so at a forum tonight entitled "Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission Inquiry Report — Where is the promised truth?" scheduled for 7.30pm at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here.

In a Twitter posting this afternoon, Nazri's aide said: "Nazri Aziz accepted YB Lim Kit Siang's challenge for a debate as posted on the latter's fcbk @limkitsiang stil waitng 4 a response from YB."

The aide added: "Nazri accepted the challenge n suggested the forum is 2 b held after Ramadhan" and explained later that the minister is now in London for the 57th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference which goes on until Thursday.

When contacted, Lim acknowledged the tweet and said he would respond at tonight's forum.

"I did not use the word 'debate'... I invited him to the forum tonight to explain his position. But, through his officer, he said he accepted the debate so I will respond tonight," he said.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Bourdon disputes minister’s claim

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 06:00 PM PDT

The French lawyer disputes Hishammudin Hussein's accusations of a social visa violation.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Prominent French human rights lawyer William Bourdon is baffled to learn that his deportation is attributed to a violation of his social visa. According to him, he never had such a visa in the first place.

Home Minister Hishammudin Hussein yesterday said that Bourdon, 55, was deported last Friday because he violated his social visa by giving a speech in Penang and insisted that there was no hidden political agenda.

"I don't know what the minister is talking about because I didn't even have a social visa. So it is very strange that he is speaking of one," Bourdon told FMT in an interview from Paris.

His fiancee, Lea Forrestier, confirmed this in a later text message and added that citizens of the European Union do not need a visa for travel into Malaysia.

She also said that the only documentation Bourdon had filled up was a small card on which he had clearly specified that he was in Malaysia for "professional purposes".

"My personal interpretation is that there is political motivation behind my deportation. There was no basis for the decision. And this is a very sensitive case for Malaysia," Bourdon said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Clones: ‘EC confessed so cops must act’

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:42 PM PDT

By Teoh El Sen, FMT

PETALING JAYA: The police must investigate allegations of "clone voters" now that the Election Commission (EC) has confessed to its existence in the electoral rolls.

PAS Youth secretary Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil said the discovery of several new cases of "clone voters" is irrefutable proof that phantom voters existed on the EC's voter lists.

Khairul, who lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters today, said that since the EC itself had admitted to the existence of "clones", the police must take immediate action.

"This is serious. These cases seem to show that anyone in Malaysia can get two ICs and two different people can have a same IC number.

"Malaysia's democracy is now under threat because voting itself is being questioned," he said.

Khairul's report was a follow-through to the party's expose last week.

PAS Youth's democratic rehabilitation and mobilisation committee chairperson Suhaizan Kaiat last week revealed that one of the main "players" in these "clone voters" cases was the National Registration Department (NRD).

"Two big offences have been made by NRD and EC. One is that the NRD has issued old ICs to two identities.

"Secondly, EC has allowed a voter the right to vote more than once," said Suhaizan, who is also Johor PAS Youth chief.

Suhaizan had previously revealed the existence of double registration of voters on the electoral rolls.

Double deals

The first case involved one Mariam Su, who was registered with two new registered identity cards (NRIC) – 720616025472 and 720610025738.

This was despite her having only one old IC with the number A2278510.

A second case involved one S Murugan, who was registered with the same birth date, gender but was registered as a voter in both state and parliamentary constituencies.

Murugan had two NRICs that are nearly identical save for the last four digits.

Murugan, whose old IC number was A2909056, is currently registered under two NRICs, 731002025877 and 731002025201.

Today, Suhaizan also provided another two examples of "double registration" in the electoral roll.

He said two voters with different names are Low Kim Lian and Tom binti Din. Both were registered under the same old IC 1790975.

Both are voting in the same state and parliamentary constituency.

Another case is of one Baharom Abd Rahman. He has the same birth date, gender but is registered in a different voting locality.

He is registered under 550331025859/4774090 and RF65018 (believed to be identity for postal vote).

"All these are proof of mistakes, and there are many more. How could there be such problems that NRD and EC did not verify in the first place?

"There's something wrong with their SOP (standard operating procedure)," Suhaizan said.

EC 'U-turn'

Suhaizan noted that despite proof of overlapping data in the electoral rolls, the EC has no right to strike out the compromised list unless someone goes through a lengthy court process.

He said this was because under Section 14 of the Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981, the electoral roll serves as evidence to determine whether a person is entitled to vote.

Suhaizan also said that EC is making a mistake in saying that it is confident in its election process.

"The EC does not understand the problem: the biometric system can only be used when you have a complete and authentic electoral roll.

"At this point in time and until we have solved problems with the integrity of the electoral roll, this system is not suitable for Malaysia," he said.

On Sunday, The Star quoted EC deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar as saying that the EC needs the help of political parties and individuals to purge "clones" from the electoral rolls.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Probe MACC trio for culpable homicide, PKR tells cops

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:29 PM PDT

 

By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, July 26 — PKR pushed the police today to renew their investigations into three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers linked to Teoh Beng Hock's death under the Penal Code.

The party's communications chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad named the trio as Hishammuddin Hashim, Mohamad Anuar Ismail and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

"Actually, they could be investigated under sections 304 and 304A of the Penal Code which is culpable homicide and be jailed up to 20 years," he highlighted to reporters today.

The Selangor state lawmaker noted the cops had already rejected initiating criminal investigations into the three graftbusters and chose instead to pass the responsibility back to the MACC, which has chosen to suspend the trio pending a domestic inquiry.

"Seeing as how this issue has been repeatedly raised, it is clear that an internal inquiry is not the solution," he said, adding: "As the English say 'who will guard the guards?'"

Nik Nazmi made the call today while pushing for Putrajaya to form another royal panel to look into the death of senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, who was the second person — after Teoh — to die while in MACC custody.

He noted that Teoh's RCI had taken a long time to set up and only because there was great political pressure following an open verdict in a coroner's inquiry, forcing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to agree to it.

Teoh, a DAP political aide, was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth-floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after he was questioned overnight by MACC officers at their then-Selangor headquarters on the 14th floor. He was 30 years old.

"The Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report has only strengthened the case for a free and independent investigation into the death of Sarbaini," said Nik Nazmi, the Seri Setia assemblyman.

READ MORE HERE

 

Who should lead Pakatan after Anwar?

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:28 PM PDT

Nizar Jamaluddin

The truth is Pakatan needs Sabah and Sarawak to win the upcoming General Election and PKR is not helping by making mistake after mistake in these two states. I would say that the most suitable leader to replace Anwar if he is found guilty in the sodomy trial as Pakatan leader should come from either DAP or PAS. The opposition needs a good politician as its leader and currently in my humble opinion PKR has none of them.

by Zamiel Geta Hussaini, Malaysian Digest   

Of all people, it was legendary American footballer Joe Namath once said,""To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn't know where he is going." In the context of Pakatan Rakyat, the current leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is currently facing heaps of challenges to the point of hinting on the possibility that he might have to face incarceration yet again. I'm very sure that Pakatan is seriously considering a name to replace their charismatic leader in the event that he is found 'guilty' in his second sodomy trial.

Nik Aziz and Kit Siang

The tricky part is actually to find the most suitable candidates to fill in Anwar's shoes, a leader who is one hundred percent sure of his political direction. They are only a few that meet this requirement, DAP parliamentary leader and Ipoh Timor MP, Lim Kit Siang being one of them. But bear in mind that Kit Siang is not getting any younger, he is 70. Then there is PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who is 80 this year.

Other then these two prominent veterans, who else would be the most fitting person to become Pakatan chief? We are not just talking about being an MP, state assemblyman or a minister. We are talking about the possibility of naming the next Malaysian Prime Minister if ever Pakatan manage to take over Putrajaya.

Lim Guan Eng

DAP seems to have a few adept candidates. Number one is its Secretary General and Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng. With his leadership Penang has become the No. 1 state for total capital investments in 2010 attracting RM12,238 million, up nearly five times as compared to RM2,165 million In 2009 and comprising 26% of Malaysia's total investments of RM47,177 million for 2010. This is based on a report by the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA). A commendable achievement since that it is a known fact that Penang has been experiencing budget surpluses for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The fact that many people highly regard Guan Eng to be a humble leader is another plus point. But Guan Eng himself in an interview with The Edge confessed that he has no higher ambitions. He claimed there are many people more qualified than me to be the prime minister.

Tony Pua

Then there's Tony Pua who is the Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara. Pua who graduated from Keble College, Oxford University is definitely one of the most prominent MPs from DAP in Dewan Rakyat. Pua currently is one of the most aggressive in pressuring the government on the issues of high profile defense budget.

Mat Sabu

There are also a few names from PAS that could make the list. The leading name is obviously its new deputy president Mohamad Sabu who is also known as Mat Sabu. Mat Sabu is very well known for his public speaking abilities which would be a big advantage for him. The man who had been detained twice under the Internal Security Act (ISA) had recently caused a stir when he claimed he was intentionally rammed by a police car during the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9. The police then screened a video which showed that the motorcycle which Mat Sabu was riding pillion, was not hit by a police Land Rover as alleged, but when the motorcycle was making a "U" turn, it hit the Pajero's (not Land Rover as Mat Sabu had claimed) fender which caused the motorcycle to go out of control before skidding in the Seri Persekutuan housing area.

Khalid Samad

Then there is former Perak Mentri Besar and Bukit Gantang MP, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin. Nizar is especially popular with his ability to speak Mandarin since coming from a half Malay and half Chinese parentage – a perfect combination for a leader of multiracial Malaysia. Another popular name from PAS is Shah Alam MP, Khalid Samad. Khalid is known for his unconventional approach. In my opinion Khalid has taken actions that merit praise, like visiting a church after his win during the elections. And yet he was criticized by Umno leaders for it earning the nickname 'Khalid Gereja'.

I've been naming potential leaders from PAS and DAP and yet none from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). It's in my opinion that I can't find a single leader that are talented enough to take over the highly demanding position of the opposition leader. I've always believed that PKR is lacking in leaders who are real politicians since most of them came from NGO background. They can fight for the rakyat and I'm pretty sure that almost all of them have good intentions. But what is lacking is that that their ability to make good political decisions. PKR have been known to make a number of mistakes like its tussle with SNAP which had affected both parties performance during the Sarawak state election.

The fact that PKR is filled with former disgruntled Umno members doesn't help either. This was reflected in its party election. There were claims of corruption during the election resulted in the departure of a number of top leaders including Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and N Gobalakrishnan.

The truth is Pakatan needs Sabah and Sarawak to win the upcoming General Election and PKR is not helping by making mistake after mistake in these two states. I would say that the most suitable leader to replace Anwar if he is found guilty in the sodomy trial as Pakatan leader should come from either DAP or PAS. The opposition needs a good politician as its leader and currently in my humble opinion PKR has none of them.

 

MACC officers ‘concocted’ story to protect careers

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:12 PM PDT

PKR wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed's death while in MACC custody.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Opposition party PKR is backing a demand by the family members of Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed that a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) be set up to probe the Customs officer's death at the KL MACC headquarters.

Party communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today the exposure made by the RCI on Teoh Beng Hock, who died in a similar situation, reinforces the need for one.

Teoh died while under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) custody in Shah Alam in 2009.

Nazmi told reporters at a press conference at party headquarters here that the 'indepth' posting by Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his blog MalaysiaToday also justified the need for a RCI on Ahmad Sarbaini's death.

Raja Petra in his posting claimed Ahmad Sarbaini accidentally fell to his death after MACC officers made him stand on the ledge of a window to force a confession out of the Selangor Customs deputy director.

He claimed that MACC investigator, Ahmad Ghani Ali, who allegedly said "it wasn't me, it was my people" to Ahmad Sarbaini's widow, had convened a "conference" with his colleagues to "brainstorm and concoct the most plausible story" to protect their careers.

Ahmad Sarbaini was found dead on April 6 after he was believed to have fallen from the pantry on the third floor of the MACC Kuala Lumpur office in Jalan Cochrane and landed on a badminton court on the first floor.

Recently a forensic investigator in the ongoing inquest on Ahmad Sarbaini concluded that the senior customs officer did not jump to his death nor was he pushed from the KL anti-graft office.

Lacklustre response

Apart from convening the RCI, Nik Nazmi who is also the Seri Setia assemblyman, urged the Najib administration to implement the recommendations made by the RCI on Teoh's death.

He described the government's response towards the RCI's findings on Teoh, as 'lacklustre'.

Teoh was said to have been driven to commit suicide resulting from "aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous interrogation" by three MACC officers.

The three officers named were the then Selangor MACC director Hishammuddin Hashim, and enforcement officers Mohd Anuar Ismail and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

Opposition leaders have called for the three MACC officers to be charged under Section 304 and 304A of the Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

But the police have said that they cannot take action as none of the three had violated the law. All three have been suspended pending an internal investigation into the RCI findings.

MACC, on their part, have said that it will set up a panel to look into reforming its investigative methods.

READ MORE HERE

 

Mat Sabu disputes police video, maintains knocked down by cops

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:02 PM PDT

(The Malaysian Insider) - Mohamad Sabu accused the police today of misleading the public when he claimed that the motorcycle he was riding on to get to the Bersih rally on July 9 was hit on purpose by a Proton Waja police car and not a Mitsubishi Pajero as suggested by official video footage.

He (picture) pointed out to reporters that in his July 14 police report which was distributed at a press conference, he had said that the Waja had hit the motorcycle, injuring his right leg, and he was then detained by police officers who carried him into a Mitsubishi Pajero.

"We are disappointed with the internal security and public order (KDNK) director, who is willing to be a tool for Umno and Barisan Nasional by lying and claiming that my medical condition is fake. Questioning someone's health is such low politics," he said.

The KDNK chief Datuk Salleh Mat Rashid had screened a CCTV recording last week, showing that there was no contact between the PAS deputy president and the police four-wheel-drive vehicle during the chaotic scenes seen during the rally calling for free and fair elections.

"From our investigations we adduced that while attempting a U-turn Mat Sabu's motorcycle hit a divider and the front part of the police car," he had said.

Salleh also claimed that Mohamed's injuries were not serious as "there was no fracture. I don't know how or why he's using a wheel-chair."

Mohamed said today that "in the video itself, behind the Pajero, you can see the Waja cross the road and hit me."

"The question is that while our opponents are Umno and BN, why do we have to be confronted by police, who should be professional and neutral?" he added.

READ MORE HERE

 

Anwar wants condo owner, four others interviewed

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 04:59 PM PDT

(Bernama) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has filed an application to interview five witnesses before he takes his stand in his ongoing sodomy trial on Aug 8.

In the application, filed this morning via Messrs Karpal Singh & Co, Anwar named two of the witnesses as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

The three others are Hasanuddin Abd Hamid, the owner of the condominium unit where the incident allegedly occurred, former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and ex-Melaka police chief Datuk Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof.

Anwar stated that under the law, the onus is on the prosecution to facilitate witness interviews by the defence and that the costs will be paid by the prosecution.

In a supporting affidavit, Anwar said that his counsel S.N. Nair had received a letter from the Brickfields Criminal Investigation Department, dated July 18, stating that Mohd Rodwan, Najib, Rosmah and Musa had declined to be interviewed but agreed to be defence witnesses on condition that a subpoena is issued against them.

On May 16, Justice Mohamad Zabidin ordered Anwar to enter his defence after ruling that Anwar's former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the complainant in the case, was a truthful and credible witness.

At the close of their case, the prosecution offered 71 witnesses, of whom the defence chose to interview 25.

Anwar pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court on Aug 7, 2008, to committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature at Kondominium Desa Damansara in Bukit Damansara between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26 the same year.

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #75

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:22 PM PDT

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M. Bakri Musa

Muslims' preoccupation between secular and Islamic state is arbitrary and useless. The values of supposedly secular Western societies like gender equality, commitment to basic human rights, abhorrence of cruel and inhumane punishment, the brotherhood of mankind, and participatory democracy are also Islamic values and ideals. That the West has absorbed and claimed these virtues to be its core is no reason why Muslims should not also subscribe to them.

 

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

Reform in Islam

Confusing Examples For Principles

My main criticism of the traditional ulama is that in their meticulous and detailed studies of the individual verses of the Qur'an and sunnah, they completely miss out on the underlying theme – missing the proverbial forest for the trees.

To Taha, Muslims' preoccupation between secular and Islamic state is arbitrary and useless. The values of supposedly secular Western societies like gender equality, commitment to basic human rights, abhorrence of cruel and inhumane punishment, the brotherhood of mankind, and participatory democracy are also Islamic values and ideals. That the West has absorbed and claimed these virtues to be its core is no reason why Muslims should not also subscribe to them. If we follow Taha's message and make the Shari'a compatible with modern values and aspirations, which as we have seen are also Islamic, then the question of secular versus Islamic would not arise.

The Syrian reformist Muhammad Syahrur argues along similar lines. In his book, al-Kitab wa al Qutan: Qira'a Mucasira (The Book and the Qur'an: A Contemporary Interpretation), he challenges Muslims to imagine: Had Allah revealed the Qur'an today, how would it be written? Apart from being an intellectually stimulating exercise, it would certainly help us understand the Holy Book better. Such an endeavor however, requires considerable mental effort, much more demanding intellectually than simply parroting the lessons of the past.

In my book The Malay Dilemma Revisited, I posed a similar question. Had Allah chosen an Eskimo to be His Last Messenger instead of an Arab, would the imagery of Hell be a place of eternal fire or a cold frozen dungeon?

The Qur'an and sunnah teach through parables and anecdotes, but we should not confuse these examples with the underlying principles. Let me illustrate this principle with, well, an example.

If I were to explain the universal theory of gravity by stating that gravitational pull is directly proportional to the mass and inversely to the square of the distance, or more precisely and elegantly stated by the simple formula g=km/d2, only math jocks would get excited. Others would fall asleep. But if I were to illustrate this with the example of an apple falling to the ground, then the concept is readily grasped. But if one confuses this example with the underlying principle, then one's faith would be severely shattered on seeing an apple floating when in a spaceship. Indeed if you drop an apple while on one of those gut-wrenching roller coaster rides, it "falls" to the sky. If we truly understand the principle of gravity, then these apparent aberrations, far from shaking our faith, reaffirm it.

Much of the disagreements over the interpretations of the Qur'an and the sunnah are attributable to this confusing of examples over principles. We interpret the Qur'an literally, often completely missing its essence.

I am reminded of the Catholic priest who was sent to preach among the Eskimos. On his first sermon he was in his usual fire and brimstone form, exhorting the natives not to plunder, lie, or fornicate lest they would be sent to burning Hell. Imagine his horror the very next day to find his congregation enthusiastically doing all those damnable deeds. To his angry admonition, they jovially countered, "But Father, we want to go to that place where the fire burns all the time!" Confusing example with principle!

It is instructive that many of the fresh insights into Islam are the result of the intellectual efforts of lay Muslim scholars rather than traditional ulama. Equally significant is that these scholars often are the product of Western liberal education, imbued with the capacity for critical thinking. Taha and Syahrur were professional engineers. Abdullahi An-Naim has a law degree from Cambridge and a doctorate from Edinburgh. As noted by Fazlur Rahman, himself an Oxford PhD, the level of scholarship of the traditional ulama is severely challenged. Their training is narrow, lacks scholarly rigor, and is singularly devoid of original thought. The state of the traditional Islamic educational institutions is no better. Al-Azhar University, Islam's Harvard, did not have disciplines outside the traditional theological field until the late 1960s. Thus its scholars did not have the opportunity for intellectual cross-fertilization with those in other fields. They remained insular intellectually and socially.

The best hope for the future will be the new breed of scholars coming out of Western universities. It is gratifying that many leading American campuses now have chairs in Islamic Studies. These future scholars, trained under the liberal, broad-based education that is the hallmark of the American system, will lead Islam into its renaissance. According to Osman Bakar, the Malaysian Chair of the Institute of Islamic and Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, America will be the second Mecca. Islam flourishes only in an atmosphere of freedom. America amply provides that.

Traditional ulama are dismissive of Western-trained scholars. To them you are not a "real" Islamic scholar if you do not have the overflowing robe (preferably green, the color of the prophet), oversized turban, and scruffy beard. The spiritual leader of PAS, Tok Guru Nik Aziz, in a Friday sermon contemptuously dismissed Western-trained scholars as having been brainwashed by "orientalists" out to ridicule Islam. When you cannot challenge the message, simply attack the messenger – an age-old trick, and a very cheap and ineffective one at that.

Next: The Quest For Answers

 

 

Emergency Legislation and the Demonisation of Socialists in Malaysia

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:14 PM PDT

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The Home Ministry has not been able to provide figures for the numbers arrested and detained since the EO's introduction in 1969 mainly because of the arbitrary manner in which such detentions have been made. Nevertheless, SUARAM has obtained a figure of EO detainees of 3701 for the period 2000 to 2009. And as at February 2010, there were 819 detainees in Simpang Rengam detention camp.

By Dr Kua Kia Soong, Director of SUARAM

The incarceration of the six leaders of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) under the Emergency Ordinance, yet another detention-without-trial law in Malaysia and the attempt by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government to justify this using the age-old "communist bogey" has exposed its bankruptcy of ideas.  In replaying the old gramophone, the ruling coalition has unwittingly laid bare their demonization of socialists since the early days of Independence when socialists were the main threat to their hold on political power.

My new book entitled "Patriots & Pretenders: The Malayan Independence Struggle" (due in the next few months) attempts to give a Malaysian people's history of this period. It will show Malaysians who have thus far not have access to these facts about our history that the present regime has clung to power this long only through authoritarian laws allowing detention without trial and demonizing socialists through the state-controlled media.

 

The Emergency, 1948-60

The Emergency was really a crackdown on the workers' movement which was well-organised and coordinated and the anti-colonial movement which had risen to oppose the colonial power's constitutional proposals. These two movements also happened to be truly multi-ethnic in composition and principles and opposed to the colonial government's attempt at divide-and-rule. They were led by socialists who threatened the economic interests of the western powers and their local comprador capitalists.

Under the Emergency, the police were given wide powers of arrest and detention. It is worth noting that under these colonial Essential Regulations Proclamations, while detention for 12 months (and later two years) was imposed, at least trial procedures were maintained. (Short, A. 'The Communist Insurrection in Malaya 1948-60' 1975:45)

Detention and registration proved to be the most important enactments for the colonial crackdown. By the end of 1948 alone, 5000 were held under detention orders. (Anne Munro-Kua, 'Authoritarian Populism in Malaysia', Macmillan London 1996:21) The second prong of the colonial strategy was of course the Resettlement Policy introduced in 1948 to round the rural Chinese up into "New Villages". In 1948, they numbered around 300,000 (ibid). It was the making of a police state in our country. According to a British official at the time, V. Purcell:

"There was no human activity from the cradle to the grave that the police did not superintend…The real rulers of Malaya were not Gerald Templer or his troops but the Special Branch of the Malayan Police…What Gerald Templer had ordered was virtually a levy en masse, in which there were no longer any civilians and the entire population were either soldiers or bandits…the means had become superior to the end." (ibid, p.22)

Deportation/banishment was another method to deal with socialists. The numbers involved can be seen in this dispatch from the Colonial office to the Foreign Office in London:

"…propose to expel Chinese from Malaya at the rate of 2000 a month. In normal conditions in China we would certainly have expected very vigorous representation from the Chinese government about the regulations… However, the reactions of the Chinese Central Government, whose days are numbered, are not of great importance one way or another… I must say that I think that the absence of any check on the executive in this mass expulsion of residents of Malaya is unfortunate, and that in practice grave injustice is liable to be done to individuals. I should have thought it possible, by the exercise of ingenuity, to have provided for some sort of review of executive action in appropriate cases. Certainly, had such provision been made, the scope for propaganda against barbarous British injustices would have been less…The fact is that Whitehall has been presented with a fait accompli." (From Secretary of State, CO to foreign Secretary, 17 Jan 1949, FO 371/1011)

Throughout the Emergency, the colonial government used all propaganda means to demonise socialists, portraying them as materialistic heathens and incompatible with Islam. The large numbers of Malays detained (more than 1000) soon after the Emergency was declared was not publicized for the same communalist consideration. (Cheah, BK, 'The Masked Comrades: A Study of the Communist United Front in Malaya, 1945-48, 1979:63) Among them were most of the Malay Nationalist Party (MNP) leaders including Ahmad Boestaman and Ishak Haji Mohammed.

 

The Socialist Front

The irony was lost on the ruling Alliance government that when we attained "Merdeka" in 1957, the colonial state of Emergency was still in existence. Consequently, the fundamental liberties enshrined in the Constitution were conveniently overridden by Article 149, giving Parliament special powers to deal with an emergency and Article 150, providing the Executive with special powers to deal with an emergency. There were certain safeguards in the two original Articles to restrict the possibility of Executive abuse but these were dispensed with in the amendments of 1959. (Hickling, R.H. 'Essays in Malaysian Law', 1991:134)

The Emergency was only declared officially over in 1960 but it was immediately replaced by an equally repressive Internal Security Act (ISA).

In the newly independent Malaya, the Socialist Front (SF) coalition was the main challenge to the Alliance. The SF was a truly multi-ethnic coalition which succeeded in organizing the working class of all the ethnic groups as well as the middle class progressives. It challenged the neo-colonial policies of the Alliance and the continued exploitation of Malayan workers and resources. It was especially successful at the municipal level and controlled local councils in many towns and cities such as Penang. At the national level, the SF provided articulate and dynamic leadership and they also succeeded in mobilizing grass roots support.

The Opposition collectively obtained nearly half the total votes in the 1959 general elections. The SF won eight parliamentary seats, PMIP thirteen and PPP won four seats.

The Alliance met this political challenge again through the use of detention without trial, initially through the Emergency Regulations but after 1960, through the ISA. The SF domination of local councils was dealt with by the suspension of local government elections in 1965.

In the face of this political challenge by the SF, the Alliance government began to raise the 'communist bogey' in order to demonise the socialists and to justify detention without trial. In 1966, during the Bukit Asahan rubber estate dispute that was supported by the SF, 58 and 35 more were arrested under the ISA, including their lawyer MP Karam Singh. Later other SF leaders, Lim Joo and SN Rajah and union leaders including Lee Ban Chen were also arrested under the ISA. The growing strength of the SF was a factor in trade union revival since the activism of the 1940s. (Anne Munro-Kua, 1996:46)

Tun Razak, then Home Minister claimed that the arrest of large numbers of SF leaders was actually "to help the opposition parties purge their organizations of communist elements."

From 1960 onwards, there were frequent arrests. The first mass arrest was in November 1960, followed by others in late 1961 and 1962. The official figure in August 1961 was of 108 ISA cases, 67 detained under the Emergency Regulations. (ibid, p.46) The victims included SF people's representatives, trade unionists, students and teachers. The depletion of SF leaders was also accomplished by restrictions on their political activities after their release from detention.

During 'Operation Coldstore' in February 2, 1963, more than 100 Opposition leaders including the Secretary-General of the Singapore SF, Lim Chin Siong, students and unionists were detained under the ISA. Ahmad Boestaman, leader of Parti Rakyat (part of SF) was the first MP to be detained under the ISA. A mass arrest of opposition leaders decimated the central executive committee of Parti Rakyat, leaving just two members. The official rationale for these detentions was "their communist activities". (ibid)

Another Labour Party (part of SF) MP, Lim Chook Tong was deprived of his citizenship and banished from the country even though he was born and raised in this country. He had been detained for two previous years. More SF leaders were arrested and detained under the ISA before the 1964 general elections. (ibid)

 

The 1969 Emergency Ordinance

To protest against the detentions of so many SF leaders and the phony democracy, the SF decided to boycott the 1969 general elections. This political vacuum provided an opportunity for the Democratic Action Party to emerge in 1965 to champion the frustrations of the people. The results of the 1969 general elections and the pogrom that followed has been described and analysed in my 2007 title on 'May 13'.

The Emergency Ordinance (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) 1969 (EO) – yet another law that enables detention without trial - was legislated "for securing public order, the suppression of violence and the prevention of crimes including violence."

Since its introduction, the EO has been used to detain alleged criminals without charging them. The EO provides the police with powers to detain persons for up to 60 days for the purpose of "preventing any person from acting in a manner prejudicial to public order" and the "suppression of violence or the prevention of crimes." There is no necessity for a remand order from a magistrate. All that is required is for a deputy superintendent to report the circumstances of the arrest to the IGP. After the initial 60-day detention period, the Home Minister can make an order of detention without trial for a period of two years.

As the majority of the victims of EO tend not to be political dissidents or well-known personalities, the public has been less aware of the existence of the EO compared to the ISA. Consequently, the police have been abusing their powers through the years by arresting thousands of individuals without ever bringing them to court. Although the authorities tend to characterize EO detainees as underworld kingpins and dangerous criminals, SUARAM has received numerous reports of individuals arrested under the EO for alleged petty crimes.

The Home Ministry has not been able to provide figures for the numbers arrested and detained since the EO's introduction in 1969 mainly because of the arbitrary manner in which such detentions have been made. Nevertheless, SUARAM has obtained a figure of EO detainees of 3701 for the period 2000 to 2009. And as at February 2010, there were 819 detainees in Simpang Rengam detention camp. (SUARAM Human Rights Report 2010)

 

The EO and the PSM 6

The arrest and detention of the six leaders of Parti Sosialis Malaysia under the EO just before the Bersih rally is thus a departure from the BN government's usual practice of using the ISA against political leaders and activists. And true to form, they have contradicted themselves over the reasons for their detention. First the police said that it was in relation to the Bersih rally but soon decided to use the old method of trying to demonise socialists by saying that these PSM leaders were carrying T-shirts glorifying communism. In any decent court of law, the judge would have awarded these six PSM leaders their habeas corpus applications after studying such flimsy and contradictory allegations by the police.


Why the Continuing Demonisation of Socialists?

As in the past, the fact that the government has chosen to detain without trial these six socialist leaders although Malaysians of all kinds participated in the Bersih rally of July 9, shows that the BN government sees socialists as a threat to their neo-liberal capitalist rule. 

The BN government knows that in contrast to the myriad parties in the Malaysian political arena, socialists are the real threat to their exploitation of Malaysia's workers and resources. In contrast to the tendency toward opportunism and careerism among politicians, socialists are unwavering and consistent in their commitment to a socialist road to development as opposed to neo-liberalism.

Neo-liberal policies have allowed multi-national corporations and the big companies to plunder the country's resources, buying up privatized resources at rock bottom prices. We have seen the tendency for powerful capitalist interests to control resources and markets and cheap labour. This has been helped by a corrupt and non-transparent government. The price has been paid by workers and the poor whose living standards continue to be pushed downwards. 

But globalisation and neo-liberalism has also produced global resistance. This resistance to unrestrained neo-liberalism is led by socialists who try to empower oppressed people in the process of democratic participatory socialism. Under such a system, workers and the community make economic decisions that affect them. Popular democratic participation is not just in economic but also political institutions. There is a need for state intervention and nationalization of basic resources such as oil and gas, water, energy, health, education and social services. Unfettered capital transfers by speculators and finance capitalists must be checked.

Socialists believe that real democracy will never be attained only through periodic general elections and relying on parliament alone. Only through direct action and mass movement will there be true grassroots democracy. Power will be based on the self-organisation of workers and other communities in their struggle against capital. Directly elected workplace and community councils take responsibility for their own affairs and link this to decisions for society at large. This is the basis of democratic planning in a socialist order. 

Is it any wonder that the guardians of global neo-liberalism will doggedly resist any attempts to stop them? But resist we must!

And the immediate demand is for the forthwith release of the PSM6 and an end to the demonization of socialists!

Political Polarisation

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:08 PM PDT

The BN-PR political divide is polarising society. It has gone way beyond the usual loyalties associated with competing political parties in a democratic system.

By Chandra Muzaffar

There is a new, powerful divide that confronts 1Malaysia. It is a political divide that separates the Barisan Nasional, and its supporters, on the one hand, from the Pakatan Rakyat, and its followers, on the other.

There are other divides in Malaysian society: economic, social, cultural, religious, geographical and territorial. A divide by itself is not a threat to a nation's unity or solidarity. It is when a divide causes serious polarisation that it becomes a matter of deep concern.

The BN-PR political divide is polarising society. It has gone way beyond the usual loyalties associated with competing political parties in a democratic system. Among its obvious consequences are the following:-
1) A blind, almost fanatical attachment to the interests and views of one party or coalition which disregards or dismisses completely the position of the other party or coalition.
2) A total inability to see the wrongs committed by one's own side and a complete unwillingness to appreciate the positives on the other side.
3) A rapidly declining engagement in rational, balanced discourse on national issues on both sides of the divide.
4) The visible shrinking of the middle ground in national politics as rigid dogmatic partisan positions are adopted by individuals and groups in both camps.
5) A dramatic increase in vile, vulgar epithets and foul, filthy language on online newspapers, websites and blogs associated directly or indirectly with one side or the other which are employed against individuals who are perceived to be on the other
side of the divide.

There are those who argue that the political polarisation that is happening, however adverse its consequences, is not a big problem because it does not have communal overtones. This is true but only to an extent.

The undercurrents in this BN-PR polarisation are communal. Though the BN is an established inter-ethnic coalition, it has been portrayed as an UMNO dominant entity that has marginalised the non-Malay parties and communities. This crude portrayal of the BN and its predecessor, the Alliance, actually began in 1964 and was spearheaded by Lee Kuan Yew, then Secretary-General of the People's Action Party (PAP), the forerunner of the DAP. It has now reached a peak point which is one of the many reasons why parties like the MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP lost considerable support in the 2008 General Election. It also explains to a degree the current consolidation of the Chinese position on ethnic issues around the DAP.

While the BN is perceived in some Chinese circles as Malay, there is a growing sentiment within a segment of the Malay community that PR, though drawn from different communities, is actually controlled by the DAP, the party with the most number of parliamentary seats within the PR. How PAS has yielded to the DAP on the question of an "Islamic State", its defining ideology, and related issues, and how PKR has tailored its politics to enhance its appeal among the Chinese electorate are offered as evidence of this alleged subservience. There is thus an ethnic dimension to popular perceptions of both the
BN and PR which makes political polarisation a graver challenge than it already is.

What are the causes of this political polarisation? The intensification of the struggle for power at the federal level is undoubtedly the main factor. Because of its creditable performance in the 12th General Election in 2008, and its victories in 8 out of the 16 by-elections since then, the PR parties, each with its own agenda and goal, are convinced that they will capture Putrajaya in the 13th General Election. The BN is, of course, determined to remain in Putrajaya, hoping to regain its two-third majority in the Federal Parliament, and re-take some of the states it lost to the Opposition in the last election.

Political polarisation arising from this intense, often aggressive contest has been exacerbated by the cyber media. With the advent of a variety of channels of expression from the website and blog to facebook and the tweet, millions of citizens are not only articulating their opinions on a whole range of social and political concerns --- which is a laudable development ---- but are also ventilating their communal biases, their religious prejudices and their personal frustrations as never before. Since cyber communication allows anonymity, quite a few are slanderous and vicious in their comments. When freedom is exercised in such an irresponsible manner, it is inevitable that political polarisation will increase.

In this regard, elements within the mainstream print and electronic media are also culpable. There have been occasions when their stark or subtle biases have reinforced polarising tendencies in the larger society. The authorities have not checked these tendencies.

The expanding NGO community which utilises the media to the hilt has also contributed to polarisation. Most politically oriented NGOs are aligned to one side or the other. Sometimes they adopt stances on political issues that are more communal than political parties. Even some professional bodies tend to incline towards this or that political party on certain controversies.

It does not help that a number of intellectuals have also become blatantly partisan in outlook. Instead of fostering a balanced discourse through their writings some of them are rabidly biased to a point that they refuse to acknowledge the positive elements on the other side. They have tarnished their own intellectual credentials by presenting complex political challenges in stark black and white terms, often camouflaging their communal inclinations, and thus aggravating political polarisation.

Can we overcome, or at least reduce, political polarisation? It is unlikely that appeals to both sides to dialogue and to reconcile will have any impact. It is perhaps the 13th General Election that will resolve the polarisation--- if it produces a decisive winner.

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan 1Malaysia and Professor of Global Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

 

Salleh to walk on Aug 13, says Ramadan a ‘non-issue’

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:06 PM PDT

KUCHING - Former PBB strongman Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin said today that he would participate in the MoCS 'Walk for Democracy and Reforms' slated for August 13 in Kuching.

"I will be there with my supporters. I also urge Sarawakians to turn up in support of MoCS's agenda for change and urgent political reforms in the state," he said.

Salleh, a cousin of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, contested in the April 16 state election in Balingian under the auspices of MoCS.

A former deputy education minister, he was once tipped to succeed Taib but fell out with his cousin whom he recently described as a "semi-insane" leader who surrounded himself with bomohs and witchcraft.

Salleh who was appointed MoCS adviser last week urged his fellow Muslims to come out in full force to participate in the Aug 13 event, saying that staging the walk during Ramadan was a 'non-issue'.

He explained that "observing the holy Ramadan is a moral consideration while actually performing the ritual of fasting by Muslims is a religious obligation.

"Since Islam forbids compulsion and at the same time allows its adherents to enjoy full freedom of belief and conscience, members of other religious denominations within our society must equally be granted freedom of choice which is the corner stone of collective responsibility and religious tolerance.

"Having courage and steadfastness to convey the messages of love, justice and freedom through the sanctity of Ramadan is also a form of Jihad (striving in the way of God).

"Helping fellow members of a community who may not be Muslims to gain freedom of information, to educate and convey the message of truth in an open, peaceful and free environment is also encouraged during Ramadan," he added.

Salleh observed that "the strict observance of the holiness of Ramadan during the actual walk is in itself a constraint-inducement to create problems."

"In fact, it is an act legitimately allowed under religious tenets and is morally encouraged to be carried out provided it is peaceful and does not include striving for individual or personal interests to enhance dominance, glory, wealth, prestige and pride," he said.

Salleh said that MoCS's struggle was "in the interests of the community at large and it is striving for righteous deeds".

"The walk is also a solemn event with prayers, singing of patriotic songs and honouring the heroes of Sarawak. Its theme 'We Love Sarawak' is also about care and compassion. There is nothing to suggest that the event is against the sanctity of Ramadan or insulting to Islam.

"As a Muslim, I approve and support the MoCS walk and all right-thinking Muslims who love Sarawak should do likewise," he said.

Salleh urged his fellow Muslims, especially the few in PBB, not to turn the peaceful event into a religious issue.

"Instead, we should be proud and honoured that our non-Muslim brethren are walking with us for a good cause during the holy month of Ramadan," he said.

Salleh revealed that another former deputy education minister, Datuk Bujang Ulis, has also confirmed his attendance at the Aug 13 walk. 

 

Beng Hock travesty – “time" to act

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 12:59 PM PDT

Why would a brave father kill himself over a charge proven to be of no substance and no basis  

By Lee Wee Tak

In property investment, they say location is everything. In share trading, they say timing is everything.

So is politics.

After 2 years of stumbling around, finally it appears that a political compromise have been developed – admit the weaknesses or plain abuse of power by a statutory body while at the same time, careful not to antagonize a perceived segment carved out by perceived racial orientation of interpretation.

If actual reforms and accountability is the order of the day, this matter would have been seriously, professionally and impartially dealt with from day 1 and not after some embarrassingly poor attempt to avoid accountability such as that lame excuse and even more pathetic demonstration of self-strangulation.



The RIC developed its fancy theory about a weak Teoh Beng Hock succumbing to pressure and guilt. They failed to explain why a man would want to kill himself over an alleged crime which until today MACC has not uncover a single compelling evidence and who was getting married the next day with his first child due to be born soon.

Calling him weak minded, as Nazri subsequently fumbled again, is an insult to Beng Hock. A young man giving up a better paid and more comfortable job, assuming a stressful, risky and at times unappreciated occupation while his peers are busy building up careers, network and having a good time, is hardly a weak character but a paragon of virtue, courage and self-sacrifice.

For the past few days, the headlines suggest a serious intention for MACC to reform and the relevant officers to be charged.

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http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-tells-macc-to-buck-up-agrees-teohs-death-avoidable/


Putrajaya tells MACC to buck up, agrees Teoh's death avoidable



http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/macc-promises-reforms-suggested-by-teoh-rci/


MACC promises reforms suggested by Teoh RCI
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I question, as a tax payer, how on earth our money been wasted setting up the MACC (a rushed job in Badawi's final day as the prime minister, if you could recall) which needs serious reform after barely 3 years coming into being? What quality level of legislation, execution and civil servants we are paying for via decades of deficit budgets?

Are we going to see serious reform in MACC ? Isn't it a déjà vu of Badawi's proposed IPCMC reforms which was subsequently torpedoed? Now Utusan Malaysia is defending MACC despite UMNO's led BN administration is painting yet another picture of promises.

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http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/utusan-defends-macc-holds-dap-responsible-for-teohs-death/


Utusan defends MACC, holds DAP responsible for Teoh's death
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Nazri called for the labeled trio (Abuser, Bully and Arrogant) to be charged in court if found guilty of penal code. Yet again there are internal dissenting voices.


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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/24/nation/9164913&sec=nation


Ex-ACA chief: No reason for Nazri's 'charge' comment

By STEVEN DANIEL

PETALING JAYA: A former director of investigations of the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) disagrees with Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that the three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers be taken to court for their role over Teoh Beng Hock's death.

Abdul Razak Idris said it was not right for the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department to make statements which were demoralising to the MACC in its efforts to fight corruption.

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What about Malaysians' moral and confidence about these MACC crackers still at large, Encik Abdul Razak?


Are we going to see more suspects with T shirts as faces been dragged in and out of court? Remember Kasitah? Indicted before the 2004 GE for corruption and released post GE?

Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/07/beng-hock-travesty-time-to-act.html

PSM6 – police practicing “Arrest first, find the charges later” tactics

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 10:20 AM PDT

By Lim Kit Siang

Let more and more Malaysians wear yellow on Saturdays to send a loud, clear and unmistakable message to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Barisan Nasional Cabinet and government of ever-rising crescendo of swelling public support not only for Bersih 2.0's eight demands for free and fair elections, but also for a Clean Malaysia where there is an end to the rampant corruption, abuses of power, injustices and gross human rights violations present today.

The blemishes today why we do not have a Clean Malaysia include the gross abuses of power evident in the high-handed police actions against the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 for free and fair elections; the unwarranted, unjustifiable and unprovoked firing of tear gas and chemically-laced water cannons against the peaceful public; arbitrary arrest of some 2,000 people; spewing of racist threats; attempt to create ethnic and religious tensions including the raising the May 13 spectre and the unjustifiable lock-down of Kuala Lumpur creating infernal traffic jams before and on the day of the rally.

Such high-handed and arbitrary police actions are still going on more than a forthnight after the 709 peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally – proven by the continued unjust, unjustified and unwarranted detention of the PSM6, including Sungei Siput MP Dr. Michael Jeyakumar.

Jeyakumar and five others have been detained under the Emergency Ordinance since July 2 after initially being arrested on June 25 with two dozen other PSM members under Section 122 of the Penal Code for allegedly "waging war against the Agong" and trying to revive communism.

Section 122 of the Penal Code states: "Whoever collects or attempts to collect men, arms or ammunition, or otherwise prepares to wage war with the intention of either waging or being prepared to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or any of the Rulers or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or abets the waging or the preparation of such war, shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twenty years, and shall also be liable to fine."

This is a heinous offence – waging war against the Yang di Pertuan Agong, liable on conviction to life imprisonment.

But who would believe that Jeyakumar and the other 29 PSM activists originally arrested on June 25 had been guilty of the heinous crime of "waging war against the Agong"?

The answer is none at all – not even the police and the home ministry which is why after the seven-day remand of the 30 PSM activists, no one whether from the Police or the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein breathed a word about the heinous crime of "waging war against the Agong" and "reviving communism" as the charges are so ridiculous and unbelievable as the raise serious questions about the right and sanity of a government capable of such fantasies to rule the country.

Malaysians are entitled to ask who are the officers or politicians who had been so "creative" as to concoct the heinous charge of Section 122 of Penal Code of "waging war against the Agong" against the PSM activists in the first instance. These persons responsible for such ridiculous charges should be publicly exposed and punished for a most gross abuses of power.

The PSM six headed by Jeyakumar have been detained under the EO for 22 days after the end of their seven-day remand on July 2 on the ridiculous charge of "waging war against the Agong".

The 42-year EO is an obsolete law which violates democratic norms and fundamental human rights and should have been repealed five years ago if the Barisan Nasional

Government had accepted the recommendations of the Dzaiddin-Hanif Police Royal Commission Report to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service.


READ MORE HERE.

Mixed response to coins

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 10:03 AM PDT

 

By Qishin Tariq, The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Getting folks used to the new series of coins will not be an issue if enough time is given, Fomca CEO Datuk Paul Selvaraj said.

"The six months meant to facilitate the change-over is sufficient if Bank Negara holds roadshows and makes repeated media announcements to raise public awareness," he said when commenting on the introduction of new series of coins early next year.

He cautioned that not all coin machines might be recalibrated on time and might cause consumers great inconvenience.

"There will be a confusion period.

"I believe the most important thing is education to ensure the transition is smooth," Paul said.

He also said the reason for the change must be properly explained.

"If the new features do make the coins more convenient for consumers, perhaps it's a good move," he added.

However, Organisation for Advancement of the Blind (PPOBM) was disappointed with the change.

"I don't see how the changes in the new series will make it easier for the visually impaired.

"The difference in colours are of little use to those who can't see well," organisation president Jaafar Md Isa, 40, said.

"While adding features like patterns and indentations on the coin's edge and different colours for different denominations is appreciated, we question how it is really useful to us," he said.

Jaafar said the primary method for the blind to differentiate the coins was through the size and thickness of the coin.

"It would have been better if they had consulted us first.

"We would have given some useful suggestions to make sure the coins can be easily used by the blind," he said.

 

RELATED STORY: COIN MAKEOVER

Coin makeover

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 09:57 AM PDT

By Qishin Tariq, The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: New user-friendly Malaysian coins that are smaller and lighter will be available for circulation from early next year.

The coins, third in a series minted thus far, will replace the current series which is 20 years old.

They will be issued in the denominations of five sen, 10 sen, 20 sen and 50 sen.

  Sparkling new: The newly-minted coin series that will be circulated starting next year.

Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said the yellow- and silver-coloured coins with designs along their edges would make it easier for the public and especially the visually impaired to differentiate between the different denominations.

The new coins also have more security features like latent images and indentations to make counterfeiting more difficult, she said.

Bank Negara yesterday launched commemorative coin sets to mark the new series of coins.

A total of 500,000 sets of the commemorative coins comprising all the denominations in special packaging are available for RM10.

"The new coins are legal tender and will co-circulate with the existing series.

"The existing series will be gradually phased out," Dr Zeti said when launching the commemorative coins.

  Dr Zeti holding the commemorative coin set.

She said although the new coins would only go into general circulation from next year, the bank would start selling the commemorative coins from today at its headquarters here and at all its branches in Penang, Johor Baru, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

The bank is also working with financial institutions, businesses and cash-handling vendors to ensure a smooth transition, she said.

The six-month notice would also enable coin-machine operators to recalibrate their machines to accept both new and old coins.

"To raise awareness about the new coins, we will also run nationwide education programmes together with the release of the commemorative coins," she said.

She added that phasing out the old coins would start next year.

She said the coins were designed by a Malaysian and wholly minted by Bank Negara's mint in Malaysia.

"The coin's design draws inspiration from the distinct elements that define Malaysian heritage and culture.

"The theme Distinctly Malaysia' features motifs like the jasmine and hibiscus flowers and weaving patterns of the indigenous people," Dr Zeti said.

The motif for the five-sen, 10-sen and 20-sen denominations feature 14 dots representing the 13 states and the Federal Territory, while the motif for the 50-sen coin has five horizontal lines representing the five principles of the Rukun Negara.

 

RELATED STORY: MIXED RESPONSE TO COINS

 

Phang Shares His Views On The MACC Revamp

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 09:47 AM PDT

By Tan Sri Robert Phang

My comments on the measures taken by MACC are as follows:-

1. Suspension of the three (3) named officers as indicated by the RCI findings by the MACC for further interrogation by a newly appointed committee is absolutely necessary.

2. The new committee team members must be truly independent, whereby they have no direct or indirect interest in MACC or AG's chambers. They should not be consultants or advisors to MACC or AG's Department respectively.

3. There are plentiful suitable independent candidates who have been known to have the guts and the ability without fear or favor or any personal agenda to sit in this committee.

4. With this basis, the independent inquiry should be seen to be done with transparency. In order to avoid any unnecessary waste of time and to achieve a true picture of the conduct of these three (3) officers, this is mandatory.

5. It is undoubtedly also mandatory to improve the investigation method as highlighted and recommended by the RCI, which should also be governed by C.P.C. (Criminal Procedure Code) and also our supreme constitution.

6. The Rakyat is aware that the late Teoh Beng Hock was brought in as a live witness but was found dead the next day, within the MACC premises. It is also to note, that the findings of the RCI, that the late Teoh Beng Hock was never released. As such it is absolutely and
mandatory for MACC to enhance and explain in this respect to the Rakyat.

7. I call upon all sectors to be cool but to monitor on the comments, decisions and measures made by the MACC.

My heartfelt sympathy be extended to the late Teoh Beng Hock's family. May God Bless His Soul To Rest In Peace.

 

ROBERT PHANG is the Chairman of Social Care Foundation

False Reports - Face the Music

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 09:28 AM PDT

 

(Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR -- The authorities will not hesitate to charge anyone under Section 182 of the Penal Code for making a false report against police action during the July 9 illegal rally.

Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said they could be imprisoned for up to six months or fined a maximum of RM2,000 or both, upon conviction.

In a statement here on Monday, he said, to date, the police had received eight reports, adding that they would be investigated in a professional and transparent manner.

"We are in the process of completing our investigations.

Acryl also said the police were investigating the authenticity of an allegation by PAS vice-president Mohamad Sabu that he was hit by a police four-wheel drive vehicle -- although a recent screening of a police video showed the motorcycle skidded and collided with the vehicle.

The police were also looking into a claim that Anwar Ibrahim's bodyguard was injured while protecting the opposition leader on that day, he added.

On allegations that the police used Israeli-made tear gas during the illegal rally, Acryl said it was from the United States.

He said, the liquid used in the police water cannons which were deployed on that day were from Switzerland.


(Bernama)

Guna sistem biometrik tolak dakwaan pembangkang

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 09:01 AM PDT

 

(Utusan Malaysia) - Penggunaan sistem pengimbas cap jari atau biometrik kini menjadi isu perbincangan masyarakat. Kepada kerajaan ia adalah salah satu usaha untuk memastikan pilihan raya di negara ini dijalankan secara telus dan adil.

Tetapi kepada pakatan pembangkang, mereka melihat sudut negatif kerana bimbang sistem itu boleh disalahgunakan untuk warga asing turut menjadi pengundi.

Pemikiran sebegini seolah-olah mahu menafikan apa sahaja pembaharuan untuk menambahbaik sistem pilihan raya negara kita. Sedangkan pihak pembangkang yang beria-ia mahu satu sistem yang lebih baik digunakan untuk pilihan raya akan datang.

Mereka juga yang sering mendakwa wujudnya pengundi hantu pada pilihan raya di negara ini.

Jadi, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) mahu laksanakan sistem biometrik ini agar dapat mengatasi dakwaan-dakwaan berkenaan.

Kepada kerajaan, teruskan usaha untuk menambahbaik SPR.

Kerajaan pun sudah bersetuju memberi peruntukan kepada SPR bagi mewujudkan sistem biometrik dalam mengesahkan pengundi berdaftar pada pilihan raya nanti.

Pun begitu, pembangkang tidak akan bersetuju dengan cadangan dan buah fikiran kerajaan dan SPR selagi ia bukan datang daripada idea mereka.

Bagi mereka pilihan raya yang adil mesti memenuhi lapan perkara dalam tuntutan Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2).

Sebenarnya, tanpa demonstrasi atau perhimpunan Bersih pun kerajaan akan sentiasa berusaha menambahbaik sistem pilihan raya di negara ini dari semasa ke semasa.

Oleh kerana sistem biometrik ini masih baru di negara kita, maka elok SPR memberi taklimat bagaimana proses operasi, apa tindakan pencegahan penipuan dan apa keberkesanannya kepada masyarakat.

Lakukan kajian secara terperinci mengenai sistem biometrik. Antara perkara yang SPR perlu buat kajian ialah kecekapan infrastruktur jalur lebar dan talian internet ketika berlangsungnya hari pengundian.

Mungkin di kawasan bandar tiada masalah tetapi bagaimana kawasan pedalaman Sabah dan Sarawak, malah kawasan luar bandar di Semenanjung pun ada yang masih belum menerima kemudahan jalur lebar.

Perkara penting yang perlu dielakkan ialah jangan diulangi kegagalan penggunaan dakwat kekal di peringkat akhir pada pilihan raya umum lalu setelah dihebohkan pelaksanaannya. Penggunaan dakwat kekal nampaknya masih menjadi salah satu tuntutan Bersih 2.

Kita harap sistem biometrik dapat membolehkan proses pengesahan pengundi dilakukan secara elektronik dan pantas.

Sistem biometrik Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) yang akan digunakan oleh SPR dikatakan tidak boleh ditembusi kepada penyalahgunaan oleh pihak berkepentingan untuk menipu ketika pilihan raya.

Namun begitu pakatan pembangkang awal-awal lagi berkeras menolak penggunaan sistem biometrik dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Kebimbangan pembangkang ialah bolehkah masalah isu pengundi hantu atau mengundi lebih daripada sekali dikesan.

Dalam operasi pilihan raya, semua wakil parti politik yang bertanding turut menjadi pemerhati pilihan raya. Mungkin seseorang pengundi boleh memberi kad pengenalan palsu, atau bercukur janggutnya tetapi dia tidak boleh menukar maklumat dalam biometrik.

Kita berharap pelaksanaan sistem biometrik ini dapat berjalan lancar.

 

Bersih suppression for public good, says Najib

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:56 AM PDT

(The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Still training his sights on Bersih, Datuk Seri Najib Razak today justified his administration's response to the July 9 rally by saying it was the government's duty to safeguard public property and interests.

Making specific reference to May 13, 1969, the prime minister wrote on his blog at 1malaysia.com.my that the country held on to a "delicate balance [that] needs to be protected and preserved at all times."

"Recent events that unfolded in Kuala Lumpur put us through an important test. Our decision as government was to protect the interests and property of the larger community that depend on Kuala Lumpur for their livelihood," Najib continued.

His administration's handling of the Bersih rally has left a blemish on Najib's image as a moderate Muslim leader, with global media delivering harsh criticism over the suppression of the electoral reform movement.

Speaking after his return from an eight-day tour of Europe on Friday, Najib also claimed the Bersih movement was a veiled attempt to topple his administration through street demonstrations akin to those that are now claiming Middle Eastern despots.

"It's not so much about electoral reform. They want to show us as though we're like the Arab Spring governments in the Middle East," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Is the MACC Exempt From KPI?

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:50 AM PDT

By batsman 

After all the praise heaped on NTR for being Bapa Transformasi, one wonders what transformations he has achieved to deserve such a great title?

After all the GTPs, ETPs, NKRAs, KPIs, etc, Malaysia is still the same old "sameold". Even after an expensive time consuming RCI (called by NTR, no less) looking into the death of an innocent witness under the care of MACC (apparently invited to tea with MACC officers), nothing seems to have been changed. So what transformation has NTR achieved? 

It is as if the MACC has been exempted from having a KPI. It would actually be good if the MACC's KPI is made public, but the RCI never bothered to look into it. Does this mean then that the MACC does not have a KPI or is the MACC free to design its own KPI? If the MACC does not have a KPI, shouldn't the head honcho of MACC be sacked by NTR if NTR were serious about his transformation exercise? 

I am actually curious to know how the MACC interrogators' behaviours were influenced by the need to meet MACC KPI standards. Very obviously the watching of internet pornography using government equipment inside government premises should not be part of the MACC KPI…. But is it? So also is the act of  interrogating witnesses to their deaths part of MACC KPI? It would seem that they have succeeded in an excellent manner with 2 known deaths so far to their credit. 

Who were the people responsible for reporting MACC's KPI results to higher authorities? Who are these authorities responsible to monitor MACC's KPI results? All these are not made known to the public, so it would seem that the public is justified in assuming that there is no KPI for the MACC. 

So should the great title of Bapa Transformasi be given to NTR for transforming so little. It would seem that the whole KPI exercise is just part of an advertising campaign, no more.  Perhaps all this can be changed by the new determination of MACC announced recently that it wants to transform itself. If this is so, what is the role of Bapa Transformasi in affecting such a great motivational need in the MACC to transform itself or is it just an initiative by the MACC for the MACC alone? 

Will the MACC's great transformation be in time to produce a just outcome for Ahmad Sarbani? Is this a reasonable standard and performance figure to be including in the great transformation effort by the MACC? 

For now, all I can see is that there is so much talk, so many TV advertisements and so many promises, but so little integrity and so little honesty. Hopefully Bapa Transformasi will be able to do some real transformations for a change and live up to his name.

 

Nazrin: Rulers must be told the real story

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:08 AM PDT

(Bernama) - The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah, said today rulers should not be shielded from the truth and must be told the real story.

In addition, rulers should never be surrounded by people with personal interests who are willing to use them as tools.

"Rulers must have advisers who are sincere, sensitive to the people's needs and bold to state the truth," he said at 'Wacana Ilmu Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on the theme 'The role of Malay rulers in nurturing unity' in Shah Alam.

Raja Nazrin said rulers should be willing to accept the fact, no matter how bitter, as justice could not be uphold without the truth.

"Rulers can't play a meaningful role if they are given a rosy picture. The false impression is unfair as they will be denied the right to conduct their responsibilities fairly."

Raja Nazrin expressed fears that shielding rulers from the truth would separate them from the people, making it difficult to address integrity, statehood, loyalty and unity.

"Exploiting sentiments is easy as the people easily fall for promises. The prescription can only heal if the syndrome is identified.

"It is unwise if the nation and people choose to reject reality, blurring the vision on the real reasons that affect unity."

Raja Nazrin said stiff political competition had exploited sensitive religious and racial issues and dissatisfactions of the people.

"In all conflicts, no one party is right all the time and no one party is wrong all the time.

"The methods to achieve total victory by beating foes have cast aside good manners, customs, morals and religious elements."

He also feared that the rising political temperature would turn dreams of unity into a nightmare, adding that there should be a neutral, credible and acceptable institution to lower this.

It was important for rulers to not only be above political polemics but also have the trust and responsibility of ensuring peace and harmony.

"Rulers must use wisdom to calm situations, but they do not have a 'magic lamp' to keep unity, especially when the situation has become chaotic."

Raja Nazrin said the role of rulers was to give advice privately, so that this was not misinterpreted as directly interfering with the administration.

"The credibility of some national instruments require a recovery of perception and need improvements in line with the current world dynamics to restore confidence in the people."

Raja Nazrin said unity would not be achieved in an unstable and immature political climate post the 12th general election, with calls for reality checks and demands for change.

"Unity requires a willingness to sacrifice, accept defeat willingly and celebrate victory with humility," he added.

 

Coming soon this September: Third person in Scorpene scandal

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 12:08 AM PDT

(Harakah Daily) - Details of a 'third commission' in the controversial purchase of Scorpene submarines, said to have been paid to a high-ranking Malaysian government officer, is set to be revealed when a corruption trial involving the French arms supplier begins in France this September.

Cynthia Gabriel of rights group Suaram, who is spearhering efforts to compile facts and bring the matter to French courts under its "Ops Scorpene" project, recently revealed new evidence that a third commission, allegedly bigger than the first two commissions paid to Perimekar Sdn Bhd at RM540 million, PKR's online organ KeadilanDaily reported.

Perimekar is fully owned by Ombak Laut, a company owned by Abdul Razak Baginda, the aide to prime minister Najib Razak who was charged of abetting in the brutal murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibu.

Explosive details linking the murder to Najib had been given in a statutory declaration by Abdul Razak's private investigator P Balasubramaniam, saying the duo had both been romantically involved with Altantuya, who had assisted in the purchase negotiation of the submarines.

Cynthia said the identity of the third individual would be known in the trial.

The person was found to be with Abdul Razak and Altantuya on a flight in 2002 to Macau to attend a meeting related to the Scorpene purchase.

"Through courts, we will be allowed to access documents belonging to the company which had done the transaction," Cynthia told KeadilanDaily.

Cynthia said there had been increased public interest in the case following the Malaysia government's deportation of Suaram's lawyer William Bourdon, who was detained upon his return from Penang at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Friday.

Saying Suaram was pondering on its next course of action following the deportation, Cynthia said Bourdon's arrest showed the government was desperate to conceal some secrets.

Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein had explained that Bourdon had violated his visa conditions.

"People get deported every day," he was quoted as saying.

 

The Trouble With Malaysians

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 12:02 AM PDT

By batsman 

Malaysians are not perfect people. They suffer from weaknesses too like the rest of the world. To improve, it is necessary to understand our weaknesses and correct them, otherwise, we will just continue to be 3rd class people exploited by all and sundry and especially by UMNO.

For example, we are a lazy people. We prefer to let others do the fighting for us and then piggy back on any benefits or gains arising there from. Lots of foreign friends have voiced sympathy for our struggle for democratic reforms. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for Malaysians to let them do the fighting for us. 

This phenomenon can be seen in daily Malaysian life. Foreigners are given much more respect than locals. In fact if you think Malays get all the privileges, you are sorely mistaken. It is the foreigners who comes first. Hotel staff especially kow-tow to them very submissively. 

If UMNOputras are the Tuans, with their fierce bodyguards pushing ordinary people out of the way and their police escorts stopping traffic to let their convoys pass through smoothly, then foreigners are by default, are honorary Tuans, even more respected than UMNO because most of them try to be friendly all the time. More importantly, they are in control of funds not controlled by UMNO, whereas UMNOputras only become friendly during electioneering and distribute goodies to their preferred supporters and cronies and prejudice against all others. 

The help of foreign friends are sorely needed, but they cannot take the fight on their own shoulders and lobby their governments to do something. This would have the effect of Malaysians giving up the fight and allowing foreigners to do all the work. When governments become involved, things tend to be taken out of the hands of ordinary people. Not only will Malaysians be bullied by their own government, they have to surrender the initiative to foreign governments. I fear this will prove too much. 

As indicated by RPK's latest blog (Najib has a point here), Malaysians tend to give up too easily and surrender the initiative to higher ups. For example, Ahmad Sarbani's family has asked for a RCI to investigate his death, but at the same time, RPK has questioned why is it necessary to do this if Malaysians have already decided what caused Sarbani's death? What will happen next is that Malaysians will only quarrel over the findings of the RCI because RCIs no longer have the trust of the people. 

This is the state of justice in Malaysia. This is the unfortunate situation facing people who seek justice. Justice is not only blindfolded like the Statue of Liberty, but bound and tied hand and foot with the ISA/EO shoved down its throat. At least the Statue of Liberty has a sword in her hands giving the message that justice is blind to wealth, status and contacts. Our justice is blindfolded like the way Bosnians are blindfolded by Serb executioners. 

For Malaysians to do their own fighting they have to develop new institutions and organizations of justice. Those that are able to keep the fight going even when all seems lost. If such organizations and institutions are stillborn when the fight is surrendered to foreigners to do the fighting for us, then Malaysians will never grow up and take their place among the proud and free of the world, in spite of all the advertising campaigns pushing Malaysia Boleh, 1Malaysia, Bapa Transformasi and the rest of that junk.

Is Jho Low a Trojan horse?

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 11:24 PM PDT

I sometimes wonder whether this is genuine stupidity or whether Jho Low is a Trojan horse who is doing all this very cleverly and intentionally  to accelerate Najib's downfall. Why allow Najib's enemies easy access to ammunition? Jho Low seems to be offering Rosmah's and Najib's head to their enemies on a silver platter.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

"Jho Low pays record price for NY condo, nearby to Rosmah's favourite jeweller," said Wong Choon Mei of Malaysia Chronicle on 21 July 2011. In that story she goes on to say:

Remember Jho Low? Yes, apart from Paris Hilton, whizz-kid Jho is also very close to Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife Rosmah Mansor. In fact, the 29-year old Penang boy has just bought a super-luxury penthouse in New York at a sky-high price that has set tongues wagging amongst the property agents there.

Incidentally, the condo is just a 10-minute walk from Rosmah's favourite jewellery retailer Jacob & Co, from whom she has been reported to have bought a RM24.4 million ($8 million) 'natural fancy blue-gray cushion-cut' diamond ring.

And in case Rosmah, who is not known to be fond of exercise, prefers to be driven, Jacob & Co at 48, East 57th Street is just a 3-minute whizz away by stretch limousine.

Business ties

Jho is also connected in some way - directly or indirectly - with several very important investment and financial entities.

These include Najib's prized RM15 billion 1Malaysia Development Berhad, the RM10 billion Terengganu Investment Authority, UBG which is the former banking arm of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's family business, as well as the oil-rich Mid-East firm PetroSaudi.

No, this is not a business article to unravel the amount of filth contained within the dealings of this nest of firms. Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said it best when he described 1MDB as Najib's political "slush fund" to prop up Taib and his cronies.

Some in the financial circles even say the complex paper trail that surrounds the firms' inter-dealings would surely provide an ideal way to launder some of the possibly illicit money that may flow through the network.

Read more here: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16215:remember-jho-low?-this-is-what-he-has-been-doing-lately&Itemid=2

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What makes this revelation even more interesting are the four links Malaysia Chronicle added below that story under the sub-heading of 'Related Story':

1. Who is he? M'sian billionaire splashes RM14.5bil on super-yacht

2. The Rosmah ring: 24mil RM or US$, tupperware party or VVIP exhibition

3. Rosmah in hot soup over gargantuan RM24.4mil diamond ring

4. VIDEO Rosmah's RM24.4mil diamond ring

Wong Choon Mei is known to be closely linked to PKR leader, Tian Chua. It seems as though Malaysia Chronicle is suggesting that Jho Low, who is in turn closely linked to 'First Lady' Rosmah Mansor, is not only the man behind the purchase of the most expensive yacht in history but is also the man who couriered that very controversial ring to Malaysia.

According to the whispers in Putrajaya, Jho Low sent the ring to Malaysia for Rosmah to look at and whether it has now been sent back to New York, as alleged, or is still in Malaysia, is not known. And, if it has been sent back to New York, whether this is because Rosmah did not like it or whether it is because of the controversy surrounding this ring -- and therefore it is too hot to allow it to remain in Malaysia -- is also not known.

Whatever it may be, Jho Low's name seems to be linked to not only the purchase of this very expensive super-luxury New York penthouse but also to the yacht and the ring.

Anyway, that is what they say and we only go by what they say, whether this is true or not. But what we do know, and this is a fact, the 3M team of Mahathir-Muhyddin-Mukhriz are going to town on this issue.

Jho Low is close to those who walk in the corridors of power, in particular the 'First Family of Malaysia'. And anything he does will always be linked back to the 'First Family'. There is no avoiding this.

Is Jho Low just too stupid? Does he not know that he is under close scrutiny and anything he does will lead back to Rosmah's and Najib's door? And do Rosmah and Najib not know that the 3M team is gleefully awaiting his downfall so that a new 'First Family' can be installed in Putrajaya?

When Najib cancelled his one-week holiday in Europe and rushed back to Malaysia after meeting the Pope in Rome (and which Najib publicly thanked Rosmah for her 'sacrifice') we already smelled a rat, a big smelly rat.

Why would Najib cancel his holiday and rush back to Malaysia unless there was some sort of major emergency? And an emergency this serious can only mean his throne is under threat.

And, lo and behold, when Malaysia Chronicle came out with this story of the super-luxury penthouse in New York and linked this story to the story of the yacht and Rosmah's ring, the whole thing became very clear.

We are probably seeing history repeating itself here. Back in the days of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi they used Khairy Jamaluddin as the catalyst to bring Pak Lah down. Now, the catalyst is Rosmah Mansor. And Jho Low's stupidity is making this possible.

Why are Jho Low and Rosmah making it so easy for the 3M team to make their move? I would have thought that since Jho Low is now so high profile and everything he does makes the front page he would not want to do anything that attracts so much attention. And buying the most expensive yacht in history and a super-luxury penthouse in New York, plus sending a very expensive ring to Rosmah by courier, is certainly the height of stupidity.

I sometimes wonder whether this is genuine stupidity or whether Jho Low is a Trojan horse who is doing all this very cleverly and intentionally  to accelerate Najib's downfall. Why allow Najib's enemies easy access to ammunition? Jho Low seems to be offering Rosmah's and Najib's head to their enemies on a silver platter.

The Umno blogs are working overtime to dispel talk that Rosmah bought that ring. This is actually true and the Umno blogs are not lying. Rosmah did not buy the ring. Jho Low sent it to her.

But why send the ring to Rosmah by courier? Surely a ring that expensive can be sent to Malaysia through other means and in secrecy. This is probably the most stupid thing Jho Low has ever done (if it was stupidity in the first place and not done on purpose). And with the story of that ring linked to the story of the record-breaking yacht and the super-luxury penthouse in New York, just doors away from the jewellers, the 3M team has everything it now needs to start working on an early retirement for Najib.

No wonder Najib had to cancel his holiday and rush back to Malaysia. Najib probably thought it would be safer to reclaim his throne before he finds it in someone else's hands. And we do not need to be a Harvard graduate to figure out who this someone else is.

 

RCI findings flawed, says Teoh’s ex-boss

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 05:23 PM PDT

Report contains inconsistencies and contradicts evidence previously adduced at inquest, says Ean Yong Hian Wah.

(Free Malaysia Today) - The DAP has found several inconsistencies in the Royal Commission of Inquiry's (RCI) report on Teoh Beng Hock's death, saying that a number of its findings contradicted what was produced as evidence in during proceedings.

Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, Teoh's former boss, asked: "Why the inconsistencies in the evidence adduced and what's contained the RCI report?

"The RCI report is supposed to shed light on the cause of his (Teoh's) death but instead it raises more questions and uncertainties about his death," said Ean Yong.

The Seri Kembangan state assemblyman said the RCI's "unconvincing attempt" to "spin" a result of suicide, shows that the BN government wanted to cover up the truth.

"Why did the RCI question the involvement of DAP's Serdang Aman branch in giving contractors and suppliers advances for small projects and programmes?" asked Ean Yong.

"We do not pay advances for projects such as the repair of drains and so on. The branch only foots bill for programmes which it is involved it as co-organiser," said Ean Yong.

"We said many times that DAP does not pay advances for projects. DAP only foots bills for community programmes which it later claims from the Land Office.

"The witness testimonies by contractors Wong Hong Chae and Lee Wye Wing and myself, during RCI proceedings attests to and supports this," he added.

Ean Yong said he also did not understand why the RCI went so as far as to venture an opinion that political parties should not be involved in government projects.

"What is wrong with that? Why can't a political party aide the government in their programmes when it is in service of the rakyat and community?

"That is not the point, but the RCI went too far to give its opinion on such things," he said.

The RCI found that none of the receipts for DAP's programmes had matched the amount reimbursed to DAP.

However, Ean Yong said: "(Investigating officer Ahmad ) Shafik (Abdul Rahman), of the MACC told the RCI that his investigations showed reimbursements from the district land office and the receipts matched and that the projects were indeed carried out.

READ MORE HERE

 

Persoalan kritikal untuk Tengku Razaleigh

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:58 PM PDT

Ya, kita akui, kita harus bertindak berdasarkan Perlembagaan dan membuat teguran berdasarkan ruang yang dibenarkan oleh Perlembagaan. Namun apakah yang hendak Ku Li harapkan kepada kerajaan Umno-BN yang sudah terlalu banyak melanggar tata etika Perlembagaan?

Mohd Rashidi Hassan, Harakah Daily

SAYA menerima undangan dari pejabat Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, untuk menghadiri majlis pelancaran NGO baru, iaitu Amanah Warisan Merdeka (Amanah) yang diadakan pada 22 Julai 2011, di Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Jalan Dato' Onn, Kuala Lumpur.

Sewaktu undangan dikemukakan, juga terbaca beberapa laporan sebelum ini, saya agak kabur dan tidak pasti NGO apakah yang hendak dilancarkan Ku Li. Apa matlamatnya, siapa keanggotaannya, semuanya bermain di benak kepala.

Saya bersama beberapa rakan dari Harakah tiba di Memorial Tunku kira-kira jam 9.30. Kami melihat tempat letak kenderaan sudah penuh. Ramai yang terpaksa parking berlapis dan ada yang terpaksa meletakkan kenderaan jauh dari dewan di mana majlis dijadual berlangsung.

Kami disambut Tan Sri Kadir Sheikh Fadzir. Beliau agak gembira apabila kami memperkenalkan diri, dari Harakah.

Saya melihat ramai Tan Sri, Dato' Seri, Dato' dan orang-orang kenamaan. Mereka terdiri daripada bekas Menteri, bekas Ketua Menteri, bekas Timbalan Ketua Menteri, bekas Timbalan Menteri, bekas-bekas Ahli Parlimen. Kesemuanya bekas-bekas pemimpin Barisan Nasional.

Yang mewakili pembangkang hanya dua orang, iaitu Naib Presiden KeADILan, Nurul Izzah Anwar dan Presiden Kita, Dato' Zaid Ibrahim.

Dalam dewan memorial yang sederhana besarnya, sesak dengan tetamu yang hadir. Mereka jelas menunjukkan minat untuk mengetahui NGO baru yang hendak dilancarkan.

Diperkenalkan kepada hadirin pemimpin utama Amanah seorang demi seorang. Ada wakil (bekas pemimpin yang masih menjadi ahli parti) dari Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, wakil Sabah dan Sarawak. Kesemua mereka dari pelbagai kaum dan agama.

Kelihatannya seolah-olah NGO Amanah ini mengamalkan prinsip sebenar 1Malaysia.

Mereka memilih majlis pelancaran diadakan sebagai simbolik untuk menghidupkan kembali seruan Bapa Kemerdekaan yang mahu rakyat Malaysia bersatu sebagai sebuah keluarga, jujur dan ikhlas dalam muafakat, mengelakkan persengketaan dan tolong menolong antara satu sama lain tanpa mengambil kira latar belakang, kaum mahupun agama.

Sebagai peneraju utama Amanah, Ku Li lantas menafikan ianya bukan gerakan protes terhadap kerajaan, bukan juga hendak bermain politik.

Tetapi menurut Ku Li, Amanah ditubuhkan untuk menyedarkan warga Malaysia supaya tidak berpeluk tubuh, tidak menyerah dan tidak pasif terhadap buruk laku, rasuah, kronisme dan krisis perkauman yang berlaku dalam negara.

Kata Ku Li, Amanah mahu menyampaikan kehendak hati mereka kepada pihak berkuasa dengan cara tertib dan demokratik sebagaimana yang dijamin dalam Perlembagaan negara.

Apa yang dipertegaskan Ku Li, pada saya, ianya saya hormati kerana itu cara beliau dalam menangani segala permasalahan dalam negara. Cara kita, cara Pakatan Rakyat sudah tentu berbeza.

Namun kita mempunyai hasrat yang sama, cuma pendekatan sahaja berbeza. Persoalannya apakah pendekatan yang diambil Ku Li dan rakan-rakannya, mampu memberikan impak?

Ya, kita akui, kita harus bertindak berdasarkan Perlembagaan dan membuat teguran berdasarkan ruang yang dibenarkan oleh Perlembagaan. Namun apakah yang hendak Ku Li harapkan kepada kerajaan Umno-BN yang sudah terlalu banyak melanggar tata etika Perlembagaan?

Ku Li dan rakan-rakannya harus ingat bahawa tidak ada siapa (khususnya Pakatan Rakyat)  yang mahu melanggar Perlembagaan, yang kita tentang ialah kerajaan yang menyebabkan kedudukan Perlembagaan tunggang langgang.

Daripada pemerhatian saya, apa yang pasti, Amanah digerakkan majoritinya oleh bekas-bekas pemimpin yang masih menganggotai parti-parti komponen BN.

Mereka begitu kritis dengan kerajaan, tetapi mereka tidak berani bersuara seperti Pakatan Rakyat. Mereka hendakkan reform dalam negara, tetapi mereka adalah Bersih versi elit. Iaitu golongan yang tidak berani turun ke jalan raya.

Tidak dinafikan beberapa hasrat yang dinyatakan Ku Li dan Kadir dalam ucapan mereka berkisar kepada persoalan yang sama dibangkitkan Pakatan Rakyat.

Hasrat Amanah adalah hasrat yang murni. Pendekatan yang mahu diambil Amanah adalah pendekatan yang berhemah. Ya, ianya sesuatu yang noble.

Namun, harus ditanya Ku Li dan rakan-rakannya, golongan manakah yang akan menyokong NGO baru seperti Amanah yang dilancarkannya?

Amanah sudah tentu tidak akan se-agresif Perkasa. Amanah tidak se-rasis Perkasa. Perkasa tidak ramai penyokong. Hanya dua tiga kerat sahaja. Amanah barangkali akan mendapat penyokong yang lebih.

Persoalannya yang hendak dilontarkan kepada Ku Li dan rakan-rakan ialah, siapakah sasaran kempen mereka? Kepada siapakah mesej mereka hendak disampaikan.

Ku Li dan rakan-rakan tidak sesekali boleh mengharap media arus perdana yang senantiasa menjadi hamba kepada goverment of the day. Ku Li sendiri dan beberapa orang rakannya dalam Amanah, pernah 'dibakul sampahkan' kerana agak kritis dengan kerajaan.

Dengan lain bahasa, no way NGO tajaan Ku Li akan mendapat tempat di dada media arus perdana, kerana mereka tidak sealiran dengan BN.

Sasaran Amanah juga bukan pendukung Pakatan Rakyat. Bukan juga pendukung perjuangan Bersih. Pakatan Rakyat dan Bersih adalah penentang tegar kemungkaran Umno-BN. Tidak ada maknanya Amanah berkempen kepada rakyat yang mendukung perjuangan Pakatan Rakyat.

Justeru Ku Li dan rakan-rakannya tidak ada pilihan selain berkempen untuk menarik seramai mungkin anggota BN dan menyedarkan mereka tentang salah laku yang berlaku dalam negara.

Tidak dinafikan Ku Li seorang pemimpin yang jujur dan ikhlas, seorang anak Raja yang sanggup turun berjuang untuk kepentingan rakyat. Namun kejujuran dan keikhlasan tidak memberi apa-apa makna, jika perjuangannya tidak disokong.

Amanah tidak akan dilihat mempunyai kredibiliti jika ia gagal menarik sokongan dari dalam BN. Pada pandangan saya secara peribadi, Amanah akan lebih disokong rakyat, akan jadi lebih credible jika ia menggabungkan dirinya dengan Pakatan Rakyat.

Kita berganding bahu dalam menjalankan tugas. Pakatan Rakyat sudah mempunyai 48 peratus undi rakyat pada Pilihan Raya Umum 2008. Ku Li dan rakan-rakannya dalam Amanah, harus mencari antara tiga hingga lima peratus sahaja undi dari kalangan penyokong BN.

Moga dengan kerjasama kita menghapuskan kemungkaran politik dalam negara, akan mengembalikan negara ke landasan yang sebenar. Kepada Amanah, saya ucapkan selamat berjuang!

 

Air Asia beri tamparan kepada Najib?

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:56 PM PDT

(Harakah Daily) - Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak, menerima tamparan hebat sekali lagi apabila syarikat tempatan paling terkemuka dan dikenali seluruh negara, Air Asia dilaporkan akan memindahkan pusat pengurusannya keluar daripada negara ke Indonesia.

Selepas memalukan negara di persada antarabangsa dengan cara tidak cerdik pengendalian Bersih 2.0 sehinggalah penahanan peguam hak asasi Perancis William Bourdon, Asia Sentinel melaporkan bahawa Najib dan negara kini kena terpaksa berdepan pula dengan keputusan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Air Asia, Tony Fernandes yang mengesahkan keputusan untuk memindahkan pusatnya ke Jakarta Khamis lalu, di Tokyo.

Laporan itu memetik Tony sebagai berkata langkah itu adalah untuk menaikkan taraf imej Air Asia sebagai syarikat penerbangan Asia Tenggara dan bukan sekadar syarikat penerbangan Malaysia.

Air Asia berkembang pesat ketika negara di bawah kepimpinan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri (kini Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan dikaitkan juga dengan menantu beliau yang kini ketua pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaludin Abu Bakar.

"Saya tak tahu sama ada Najib diberitahu atau tidak. Tapi buat apa Tony harus peduli? Ada asas perniagaan yang cukup untuk berpindah ke Jakarta," kata seorang rakan perniagaan yang rapat dengan Tony.

Asia Sentinel turut menceritakan bahawa lawatan Najib ke tiga negara baru-baru ini hanya untuk memperbaiki imej negara selepas terjejas teruk akibat cara kerajaan pimpinannya mengendalikan perhimpunan awam Bersih 2.0 yang menuntut pilihanraya adil dan bersih.

"Seperti yang berlaku 1980-an, Malaysia turut meng'hitam'kan laporan mengenai perhimpunan tersebut dalam majalah The Economist," tulis laporan itu lagi.

Selepas itu, laporan itu berkata pada tanggal 23 Julai yang lalu, negara terpaksa berdepan dengan keputusan Suruhanjaya Diraja yang merumuskan bahawa 'seorang pembantu politik kepada seorang ahli politik pembangkang telah didesak sebegitu teruk dalam satu marathon soal-siasat kerana pembelanjaan pejabat sehingga beliau buang sendiri keluar daripada tingkap dan bunuh diri.'

Ini pula diikuti dengan penahanan Bourdon di KLIA yang akhirnya dihantar pulang ke Paris Jumaat lalu.

"Keputusan Air Asia untuk memindahkan ibu pejabatnya ialah satu propaganda negatif yang serius kepada pelan 1Malaysia Najib, yang merupakan satu usaha intensif untuk menarik pelaburan asing ke dalam negara.

Pada September 2010, kerajaan Malaysia telah mengumumkan satu pelan agresif untuk menggerakan beratus billion dalam pelaburan swasta untuk membawa negara keluar daripada perangkap golongan pendapatan sederhana, dan melipat gandakan pendapatkan untuk membawa Malaysia ke tahap negara membangun pada 2020," kata laporan tersebut.

Air Asia, kata Asia Sentinel mungkin merupakan syarikat kedua selepas Petronas yang mempunyai impak antarabangsa.

"Petronas telah melakukannya dengan mengiklankan dirinya semasa Formula 1 dan menaja sebuah kereta, di mana Tony juga melakukannya juga," tambah laporan itu lagi.

Air Asia yang dilancarkan pada tahun 2002 dengan hanya dua kapal terbang, kini memiliki 93 kapal terbang yang menakluki seluruh Asia. Selain itu, adanya juga Air AsiaX yang terbang ke Eropah, Jepun dan Korea. Sebelum ini, syarikat tersebut baru sahaja menempah 300 Airbus A30neos untuk mengembangkan penerbangannya ke luar Asia.

"Ini bukan sahaja merosakkan imej awam. Untuk 10 tahun yang lepas, berdasarkan report Reuters, syarikat swasta telah melabur sebanyak RM535 billion, berdasarkan data rasmi. Pelaburan swasta untuk Malaysia hanya 10 peratus daripada GDP, yang terendah di Asia dan satu pertiga daripada apa yang sebelum krisis kewangan Asean 1998. Kerajaan, menurut Reuters, menyumbangkan separuh daripada pelaburan di Malaysia," kata laporan tersebut.

Tambahnya lagi, Malaysia sudah lama dibelenggu pengeluaran modal dari negara, yang sering dilihat sebagai satu indikasi ketidakpercayaan para peniaga terhadap negara, walaupun dalam kes Malaysia mungkin sebahagian besar itu berpunca daripada kecurian balak yang keluar daripada negara melalui Sarawak dan Sabah.

"Walaupun begitu, laporan Global Financial yang berpusat di Amerika Syarikat telah menjangkau dalam satu laporan 2010 bahawa sebanyak RM888 billion telah keluar daripada negara antara tahun 2000 sehingga 2008.

Pengeluaran wang haram secara amnya melibatkan pemindahan wang yang diperolehi melalui aktiviti-aktiviti haram seperti rasuah, urus niaga yang melibatkan barang-barang seludup, kegiatan jenayah dan usaha untuk kekayaan tempat perlindungan daripada pihak berkuasa cukai.

Ketika ditanya mengapa beliau membuat keputusan untuk memindahkan ibu pejabat Air Asia ke Jakarta, ini jawapan Tony.

"Asean berpusat di Jakarta, dan Indonesia bakal menjadi ekonomi terbesar di Asean dalam masa yang akan datang… dan saya suka di sini," kata Tony dipetik Asia Sentinel.

Jawapan Tony, kata laporan itu sudah menunjukkan bahawa beliau telahpun membeli sebuah rumah yang baru di Jakarta. Namun yang lebih penting, adakah ini turut menunjukkan bahawa ekonomi negara semakin malap di bawah kepimpinan Najib?

 

‘No political agenda in deporting French lawyer’

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:49 PM PDT

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says William Bourdon was deported due to visa violation like making a speech in Penang.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that there was no political agenda in the deportation of French human rights lawyer William Bourdon. The minister said he was deported due to "visa non-compliance" and for making a speech in Penang.

"It's due to a visa violation. There are certain things tourists cannot do. I don't know what it is, but one cannot give a speech," he told reporters today.

French lawyer William Bourdon was deported on Friday upon landing in KLIA from Penang, where he had spoken about the controversial Scorpene submarines deal which allegedly involved millions of ringgit in kickbacks to Malaysian government officials.

However, Hishammuddin denied that Bourdon's deportation had any political agenda behind it.

"People get deported everyday, but people have selectively chosen this case to say that it is political," he said.

According to Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel, immigration officials boarded the plane and detained Bourdon after his plane touched down at KLIA.

Bourdon was served a deportation order for violating the terms of his social visit pass and left the country at about 11pm on Friday.

The renowned human rights lawyer was due to speak at a fundraising dinner in Petaling Jaya on Friday night, and at another in Ipoh on Saturday.

READ MORE HERE

 

Christian plot: What have police uncovered?

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:19 PM PDT

DAP demands public disclosure of the outcome of investigations.

(Free Malaysia Today) - DAP has demanded that police reveal the outcome of their investigation into an alleged conspiracy to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia.

Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said police wrapped up the investigation some time ago and should have informed the public what they had found out.

The seriousness of the allegation and the uproar it caused warranted the public disclosure, he added.

The allegation surfaced on the Internet early last May and went largely unnoticed until Utusan Malaysia reported it on its front page under the headline "Malaysia a Christian nation?"

The Umno-owned daily alleged that Christians at a closed-door gathering in Penang had spoken about Christianity replacing Islam as the official religion and the possibility of Malaysia being led by a Christian prime minister.

Christian leaders denied the allegation, but pro-Umno groups, including the far right Perkasa, lodged police reports demanding an investigation into what they alleged was a threat to Islam.

Jelutong MP and DAP member Jeff Ooi, who said he was at the gathering, also lodged a police report, stating that the report was a fabrication.

However, the controversy took a surprising turn when Mohamed Razali Abdul Rahman, another DAP member who said he too was at the meeting, lodged another report, claiming that there was some truth to the allegation.

DAP subsequently expelled Razali for refusing to clarify his stand and for working against the party's interest.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Anti-Islam bloggers in US on Najib/BN payroll’

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who sees himself as the 'great protector of Islam' in Malaysia must explain link to anti-Islam promoters.

(Free Malaysia Today) - A team of American bloggers allegedly hired by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to improve their respective images, are in fact pro-Israel and known to publicly slander Islam.

One member of the team, Caleb Howe, indulged in a sustained, childish rant on his public Twitter page on April 23 last year, in which he said: "I drew a picture of Mohammed today. I showed him marrying a pre-tween. Might as well be historically correct right?"

Eighteen minutes later on the same twitter message, he posted: "Did I say marrying a pre-tween? Sorry.. that was my typo.I meant raping."  Caleb's outburst against Islam is not an isolated incident (see image below).

He and his team have indulged in a number of such anti-Islamic rants on Twitter that are clearly designed to give extreme offence to Muslims.

Few would dream of engaging in such an unpleasant and offensive attack.

It thus comes as a surprise that Najib and Taib would hire Howe and his colleagues who sustain other blogs such as Red State, New Ledger, Sarawak Report(s), Malaysia Matters as their professional promoters.

It seems somewhat a misjudgement that Najib, who sees himself as the great protector of his own Muslim religion, continues to be associated with this team of Americans.

Pro-Israeli views

Howe [photo below] is closely linked to Josh Trevino, the right-wing blogger behind the American 'Red State' and 'New Ledger' blogs and also a PR company called Rogue Strategic Services.

Rogue Services have been in employ with Barisan Nasional since the days of former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Now their portfolio includes Najib and Taib. They have been allegedly hired to create 'positive publicity' on their behalf.

READ MORE HERE

 

The search for justice and truth must continue

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 03:49 PM PDT

There are a number of key points on which the Malaysian Bar agrees with the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Death of Teoh Beng Hock ("RCI"). 

We concur with the following findings of the RCI:

(1)    That the RCI was unable to accept that the alleged suicide note had been written by Teoh Beng Hock, and that the undue delay by the authorities in tendering the alleged suicide note at the first available opportunity could not be taken as mere carelessness or neglect, and therefore the authenticity of the note could not be trusted;

(2)    That Teoh Beng Hock was, at all material times until his untimely death, in the care, custody and control of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission ("MACC") officers;

(3)    That Teoh Beng Hock was not released from the care, custody and control of the MACC officers after his statement had been recorded at approximately 3:30 am, and this failure "amounted to cruel conduct and punishment inflicted on purpose";

(4)    That Teoh Beng Hock was subjected to "aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous interrogation" and that the recording of his statement was unlawful;

(5)    That the majority of the MACC officers exhibited a "total lack of consideration for human sensitivities", and that the recruitment process of MACC officers should include a "psychological evaluation to assess their suitability for investigative work";

(6)    That most of the MACC officers who were involved in the operations on 15 and 16 July 2009, and who gave evidence as witnesses, were neither truthful nor credible, as they "had the inevitable habit of lying";

(7)    That massive operations launched by MACC Selangor – which were headed by then-Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim – against the Pakatan Rakyat members of the Selangor state assembly were grounded on mere belief of information purportedly received over the telephone, and without proper ground work or verification;

(8)    That Hishamuddin Hashim was "arrogant, given to falsehoods, untruthful and uncompromising", and that he was "just too stubborn [such trait was also displayed when he gave evidence before us] to retreat from his mistake in mounting such a massive operation";

(9)    That not only was Hishamuddin Hashim involved but he also "unleashed his officers to do his bidding in order to get results within that night and morning come hell or high-water", and that Hishamuddin Hashim should be held responsible for the actions taken by him and his officers that led to Teoh Beng Hock's death; and

(10)    That the Selangor MACC had shown an extreme lack of cooperation with the police in the latter's attempts to investigate complaints of assault and other offences previously made against its officers.

The Malaysian Bar, however, does not concur with the finding by the RCI that Teoh Beng Hock had committed suicide.  Such a finding, in our view, is unsupported by the facts and the evidence. 

Contrary to the statement made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, forensic psychiatrist Professor Paul Mullen did not testify that Teoh Beng Hock had a "weak character" that had led to him taking his own life.  Professor Mullen also did not conclude that Teoh Beng Hock had committed suicide; rather, his testimony stated that "in [his] opinion, what we learned of Teoh Beng Hock's personality and behaviour do not suggest any increased risk of suicide".  He further opined that the context of the events that had taken place was not one "which, in [his] experience, leads to suicide in custody", as he had not been made aware of anything "to explain panic and distress sufficient to drive [Teoh Beng Hock] to conclude his honor had been irreparably tarnished". 

This is in stark contrast to what the Minister reportedly stated during the release of the RCI's report, namely that Teoh Beng Hock had "truly committed suicide based on his character that had changed from a low-risk group to a high-risk group for suicide after undergoing a continuous and aggressive questioning session".  Professor Mullen's testimony does not provide the basis for the RCI's finding of suicide, such as that described in the section titled "conclusion on forensic psychiatric aspects" in the RCI's report.

It is noted that the RCI found the following:

(1)    That the time of death had been between 7:15 am and 11:15 am on 16 July 2009;

(2)    That Teoh Beng Hock had not been released at 3:30 am and been left alone sitting on a sofa after his statement had been recorded, as Hishamuddin Hashim had issued a written circular the previous month that "witnesses and visitors in the Selangor MACC office should be accompanied at all times";

(3)    That Teoh Beng Hock had been subjected to a fourth interrogation session after 3:30 am by Hishamuddin Hashim and his officers, which was aggressive and relentless.  In addition, the RCI rejected the evidence of MACC officer Raymond Nion that he had seen Teoh Beng Hock lying down unattended on a sofa at approximately 6:00 am;

(4)    That the fourth interrogation session was probably between 3:30 am and 7:00 am; and

(5)    That the window from which Teoh Beng Hock is said to have fallen out was located conspicuously.

In view of the above, and that there was no evidence whatsoever produced at the RCI hearing of Teoh Beng Hock's whereabouts or movements after 6:15 am, and the staff of the Selangor MACC office would have begun arriving by 8:00 am, to surmise that Teoh Beng Hock had committed suicide between 7:15 am and 11:15 am requires a leap in logic and an assumption of facts not in evidence.
 
The Malaysian Bar also notes that the joint expert psychiatric report of Dr Badiah Yahya and Dr Nor Hayati Ali – the experts engaged by MACC who were present during most of the court proceedings and had interviewed Teoh Beng Hock's family members, housemate and work colleagues – stated:

We did not have any evidence on how the investigation was conducted as there were "no written questions posted to [Teoh Beng Hock]" or audio recording as to ascertain the amount of pressure that he experienced.  It is not known whether he had experienced in his mind the effects of being possibly prosecuted on the allegations, whether it would have been devastating for him and/or his organisation.  This should require more information on what was said and done in the period taken [sic] into custody until he was found dead.

It is very clear to the Malaysian Bar that full responsibility for Teoh Beng Hock's death lies squarely and solely on the MACC, and that immediate action must be taken to hold the culpable officers accountable for their behaviour.  In this regard, we welcome the reported statement by Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, that "appropriate action would be taken against the officers through the process of law without delay".  The authorities should investigate the relevant MACC officers for possible offences under sections 304 and 304A of the Penal Code, namely for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for causing the death of TBH by negligence, respectively. 

The Malaysian Bar also calls on the Government of Malaysia and MACC to consider:

  • offering an unqualified written apology to Teoh Beng Hock's family, and to the citizens of Malaysia, for his death; and

  • making reasonable recompense to Teoh Beng Hock's family in respect of his death.

The Malaysian Bar extends its heartfelt sympathy once again to Teoh Beng Hock's family and loved ones.

 

Lim Chee Wee

President

Malaysian Bar

 

Biometric voting ‘foolproof’

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 03:14 PM PDT

By Farah Naz Karim, NST

PUTRAJAYA: The biometric system that the Election Commission proposes to use in the next general election is foolproof, said the National Registration Department.

The department, the custodian of the data of about 27 million people, including 12million registered voters, also said it had other details of every Malaysian, including their family trees and thumbprints, in its database.

"This cannot be altered," department director-general Datin Jariah Mohd Said told the New Straits Times last week.

She refuted allegations that the department would be used to tamper with the data of Malaysians to give the ruling party an edge during the polls.

The department stores and updates the profiles of citizens from the time of their birth, that is, when birth certificates are issued.

It updates the data when citizens apply for identity cards at the age of 12.

These forensic evidence, documents and history could not be forged, she said.

"We are, however, resigned to the fact that no matter what we do to improve the system,we will still be accused of this and that." Under the biometric system, she said the department would extract the data of all voters for the commission to manage.

Commission workers will ask voters at polling stations to place their thumb on a screen after a one-to-one matching.

The process, which takes 20 seconds per voter, will be witnessed by agents appointed by political parties.

Jariah said thumbprint scanning would also detect attempts by people to cast votes for others by using other forms of identification that could be tampered with.

Election regulations allow voters to use documents that have their photograph and identification number, including work passes and a temporary identification letter issued by the department.

Voters who are holders of the old identification card can vote using the document.

Jariah refuted claims that tens of thousands of MyKad had been given to foreigners to give Barisan Nasional a new vote bank.

She said the application for citizenship was stringent and protracted.

The department had processed only about 70,000 applications for citizenship until this year, of which about 36,000 were from those received from 1996 to 2006.

She said the department did not approve all applications, and a large number of them were below the voting age of 21. "(Some quarters) make accusations but never once did they come to us for an explanation." Although she said there were people selling fake MyKad, she added: "They can sell all the MyKad they want, but it will just be that, a fake document, as the chip will never match the details in the system." Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the approval of funds for the system to boost transparency and check allegations of phantom voters.

On the removal of the names of the dead from the department's database, Jariah said it would soon have its system linked with the police. The police issue burial permits.

However, the problem with past unreported death remains, and unless the department is told about them, the names will remain in the system. The commission will then use these names in drawing up the electoral roll.

Jariah said she was ready to use her discretion as department chief to do away with fines if relatives of the deceased informed it of their family members' deaths.

She said community leaders, village heads, as well as political party members, who knew their constituents well, could inform the authorities about voters' deaths.


 

The Gillard government backs down on boatpeople pledge as Malaysia deal is signed

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT

By Ben Packham, The Australian

The government had pledged to process all asylum-seekers arriving after May 7 in a third country.

But Malaysia refused to make the agreement retrospective and a hoped-for deal with Papua New Guinea has stalled.

A total of 568 asylum-seekers have arrived by boat since May 7.

The Prime Minister said asylum-seekers sent to Malaysia would be treated humanely and would not be sent back to the country from which they had fled.

"The arrangement reaffirms Malaysia's commitment that transferees will be treated with dignity and respect in accordance with human rights standards," she said in a statement.

All refugees sent to Malaysia under the agreement will face pre-transfer fitness tests and biometric identity checks.

They will considered "lawful" in Malaysia and moved into the community after initial accommodation in a Malaysian transit centre.

Malaysia will have complete control over the asylum-seekers they accept onto their soil. Anyone "not provided consent" will be ineligible to be transferred.

Asylum-seekers found not to be refugees will be returned to their country of origin at Australia's cost.

Asylum-seekers sent to Malaysia will receive no preferential treatment over other asylum-seekers in Australia in terms of processing or resettlement.

In a statement today the UNHCR said it was not a signatory to the agreement but "it appreciates that both governments have consulted with the office".

The UNHCR said it would have preferred Australia to deal with its own asylum-seeker arrivals.

"UNHCR's preference has always been an arrangement which would enable all asylum-seekers arriving by boat into Australian territory to be processed in Australia. This would be consistent with general practice," it said.

It said the "critical test" would be in the agreement's implementation, particularly its protection and vulnerability assessment procedures.

Ms Gillard confirmed the government would back down on its initial commitment that all new arrivals after May 7 would be processed in a third country.

"Under the arrangement signed today, those who arrived in Australia before 25 July will not be transferred to Malaysia.

"Consequently, the people who arrived prior to today's announcement, currently being detained on Christmas Island, will now be processed in Australia," she said.

FULL TEXT OF ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA ON TRANSFER AND RESETTLEMENT (pdf)

MALAYSIA DEAL OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

 

Using the Police to Solve Political Problems

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:19 PM PDT

By batsman 

Malaysia seems to be a land of contradictions. Not only are there so many different races and religions in this country, the people and especially the government behaves in very contradictory ways.

Take Malaysian foreign policy for example. Wherever there are violent disputes anywhere in the world, Malaysia takes the holier-than-thou attitude of never using military force and violence to solve disputes. Violence is abhorred in Malaysia foreign policy and discussion and negotiations are the preferred path. 

Unfortunately the Home Minister and his boss the Prime Minister has no such "goodness" in them. On the contrary, the police have used force to solve political problems. The police even tried to ram a leading protestor with their land rovers, their lead vehicle missing a full frontal crash by inches as shown on video, but getting their man with the second vehicle (this event seems to have been blocked by the lead vehicle in a recently released video and there is no way for ordinary people to tell what happened. Perhaps experts can tell). 

The police used tear gas, water canons, baton charges and their boots against peaceful protestors calling for democratic electoral reforms. In addition, the police have abused the law to intimidate 6 protestors for trying to overthrow the Agong by waging war on him (a crime that carries the death sentence). Over 1600 people have been arrested and are awaiting charges. 

The demand for free, fair and clean elections is a political issue, not a criminal issue. The police have been violently used to try and solve political problems. 

The mask of "moderation" of the UMNO government will be stripped off to expose a vicious and brutal government if only the world were to look at UMNO's internal policies and practices. In fact many people don't think that UMNO is Islamic at all, let alone "moderately Islamic". 

It seems the people of Malaysia are being treated as serfs and servants fit only to be whacked, victimized, cheated and robbed while UMNO uses the proceeds to play the good guy to the rest of the world, buying expensive military hardware that others seem to be able to buy cheaply as well as being good customers of luxury items such as expensive jewelry and bags "to die for" (this last one using their own savings, of course).

The UMNO – Anders Breivik Link

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 12:20 PM PDT

By batsman 

To expose the UMNO- Anders Breivik link, one has to investigate the Norway massacre in relation to the complicity of western governments.

In the 30's Germany, Hitler's Nazi Party went after communists and Jews in a big way. Everything was blamed on them including the burning of the Reichstag. The whole focus was placed on communists and Jews, but eventually the whole world paid a price too including the western liberals and moderates. 

Today, the western governments are going after Muslims in a big way. The whole focus is on Muslim terrorists. This covers up the activities of the far-right. The Anders Breivik phenomenon is just the tip of the iceberg. With recession raging in Europe and the US, it is almost guaranteed that the far right will gain a big influence together with the far left. So when the western governments go after communists and Jews, it will be the far right that gains. 

So far, extreme right wing madmen have killed more people in Europe and the US than terrorists linked to radicalized Muslims. This may be true for 911 as well. Judge for yourself… 

Immediately after the Oslo bombings, several terrorist organizations linked to radicalized Muslims claimed responsibility for it (see link). All these claims have since been downplayed. 

Could the same have happened after the 911 attack? Michael Moore seems to think that the 911 attack was a conspiracy and even made a documentary on this – the stupid radicalized Muslims, eager to claim credit, were just conveniently dragged into it. 

If we discount the deaths in the 911 attack as being uncertain whether they can be attributed to terrorists linked to radicalized Muslims or to conspirators, the Oklahoma bombings of home grown US far-right madmen would have killed a lot more people. 

With the US in danger of default, such obsessive focus on Muslims is really dangerous. Right wing madmen are capable of inflicting a lot more damage, especially if they get into power in the US. One lone mad gunman in Oslo was systematic and ruthlessly well organized enough to kill over 90 people compared to the hysterical and loud incompetent screaming and self-inflicted deaths in the Middle East. For one thing, the Zionists with their disciplined war machine kill a lot more Arabs than the hysterical Arabs are able to kill Israelis. 

To me the right-wing madmen are far more dangerous than fanatical incompetent terrorists linked to radicalized Muslims, but one covers up for the other. 

So how is UMNO linked to Anders Breivik? Judge for yourself – the UMNO controlled press is blaming Christians, communists, Jews and even Indonesians for all the trouble in Malaysia. In the meantime, they are courting 3 million silat exponents with inflammatory speeches.

The unseen, unknown enemy of Malaysia

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 11:20 AM PDT

By J. D. Lovrenciear

Malaysians are at war. No doubt about that. They are battling an unseen and unknown enemy. Until today we are unable to establish this Enemy Number One. And in the meantime the citizens' only staple information diet is more screw ups and more mysterious, knee jerk threats and finger wagging from the government.

 

Let us take a quick inventory of the issues that are rocking the very democratic foundations of this half-a-century nation:

Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani died. Kugan died. Altantuya died. Baharuddin died. But we do not know who is / are the masterminds behind all these unaccounted and mysterious deaths. Yes, after long battles with the authorities, we are lucky to get some warped insight. And subsequently are told that the the salaried employee will get the hook or the noose.

Till today, for example, no one knows who gave the orders to release the controlled explosives called C4. Till today no one knows who gave the marching orders to erase all ingress and egress immigration records of the late Altantuya.

The elections are desperately in need of fair, free and clean principles. But the EC seems only adamant in not wanting to heed the Bersih 2.0 rally's call for best practice standards that can ensure the vibrancy of a democracy. Who is the mastermind not making the EC relent and respond positively?

We almost lost two leaders, namely Anwar Ibrahim and Mat Sabu. But no one is telling who gave the orders to target the opposition leaders with deadly tear gas canisters in a death-trapped subway.

It is reported that RM 888 billion left the country but no one knows who the culprits are behind the scene. Do not forget the saga of the fighter jets that got away. Or the kickbacks that Razak swiped clean. In all of these deals, who was orchestrating every move?

But we create make believe enemies like the Opposition camp leaders; the Jewish community; communists; socialists; Christian leaders and what have you.

Who is behind all that police brutality and all those denials in the face of the recent Bersih 2.0? Really nobody knows or may even be too dead scared to point a finger.

Without knowing the real culprit behind the scenes we whip mere employees while the heads get away anew to operate from more arrogant platforms.

At some point then, somebody has to step in and stop the serious rot. Otherwise, we better be prepared for a parachute-evacuation someday, somehow.


Bersih 2.0 Crackdown: "EO - Another ISA?"

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 01:02 AM PDT

By Suaram, Penang

Most may have heard of the ISA but what about the EO? The Emergency (Public Order and Crime Prevention) Ordinance, commonly abbreviated as the Emergency Ordinance (EO), like the ISA, allows for indefinite detention without trial. 

Enacted by the National Operations Council that was led by Tun Abdul Razak  following the May 13 race riots, the Emergency Ordinance has never been revoked to the present day even though we are no longer in any state of emergency.

As expected, the EO has been regularly used to detain those deemed to be subversive by the government. The harsh reality is that it is actually used far more frequently than the Internal Security Act. The latest was on six of the 31 Parti Sosialis Malaysia ("PSM") activists who were arrested near Kepala Batas while they were travelling by bus from Kedah to attend a BERSIH 2.0 (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections) programme in Penang on June 25th this year.

The six, now known as "EO6" were released on July 2nd but re-arrested  immediately under the EO which allows the police to detain a person for up to 60 days. At the end of that period,  the Minister for Home Affairs has the power to issue the detainee with either a detention or restriction order for a period of two years 'without trial' to 'protect public order'.

Recent crackdowns seem to indicate that we are moving in the direction of a police state. Now is the time for you to learn more about the EO and the arrest of the six activists.
 
Come, learn and more importantly, show your support as we gather in solidarity and take umbrage against this repressive legislation at this event.
 
Date: 27 July 2011 (Wednesday)
Time: 8:30 pm - 10pm
Venue: Caring Society Complex, Penang


Contact:

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Penang Branch Coordinator,
63B-01-07, University Heights,
Jalan Sungai Dua,
11700 Penang.
Tel / Fax: +6 04-6582285
Mobile phone: +6 012 7583 779
E-mail: suarampg@gmail.com
http://suarampg.blogspot.com/
 
 
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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