Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- BN eyes polls in November, after Budget debate
- Malaysia's UMNO Goes After A Critic
- Explain probe under Sedition Act
- Khaled: College considered all options before expelling student
- Tioman Trip: Excitement turned into Frustration
- Di bawah 1Malaysia, anak muda semakin kreatif
- Will Najib go for full term?
- Not many date options are left
- It’s decided – PAS for Labuan
- It’s about the money!
- Revisiting the Malaysian School Curriculum
- Show me the money
- Hindraf awaiting Najib’s, Anwar’s response
- German Embassy admits to funding Suaram
- MB: Anwar invited only as a guest speaker
- New government can choose new flag, says historical society
- Tanda Putera director lashes out at critics
| BN eyes polls in November, after Budget debate Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:58 AM PDT
Barisan Nasional (BN) is likely to call the general election at the end of November, a week after the last of the 28,000 Muslim pilgrims return from the Haj and the Budget 2013 is passed by the Dewan Rakyat, sources say. The Malaysian Insider understands that Education Ministry top officials have been asked this past week to check the availability of schools, mainly secondary schools, during that period when the Form Five and Six public examinations are usually held. "The government is looking at the end of November, just after the last flight bringing back the Haj pilgrims on November 19," a BN strategist told The Malaysian Insider.The next Parliament session starts September 24 and is scheduled to end on November 27, with the highlight being Budget 2013 to be tabled by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on September 28. BN's mandate expires next April 28, five years after Election 2008 where the ruling coalition under Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi suffered historic losses of its two-thirds parliamentary majority and four more states. Abdullah stepped down in favour of Najib in April 2009. This is Najib's first shot at getting his own mandate. The Malaysian Insider had earlier reported that plans to dissolve Parliament last month have been shelved after two Sabah lawmakers quit the coalition and expressed support for arch-rivals Pakatan Rakyat (PR). There have also been reports of elections to be called earlier and the middle of the year but none have panned out. Najib hinted last week that a general election is near while former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has openly said November would be a good month for elections. Both are also bullish about BN's prospects in the coming polls. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/bn-eyes-polls-in-november-after-budget-debate/ | ||
| Malaysia's UMNO Goes After A Critic Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:55 AM PDT
(Asia Sentinel) - Never mind 150 million euros in bribes, a dead woman and a global scandal, go for the whistle-blower's throat In November of 2009, Suaram, the Kuala Lumpur-based human rights NGO, asked a French investigative law firm to look into what appeared to be huge bribes and kickbacks paid to Malaysian politicians by the French state-owned defense company DCN and its subsidiaries for the 2002 purchase of two submarines and the lease of a third. Read more at: http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4800&Itemid=178 | ||
| Explain probe under Sedition Act Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:49 AM PDT
Stepping on a photograph of the Prime Minister and his wife cannot be an offence under the Sedition Act 1948. Gobind Singh Deo I call upon the IGP to explain why and how it is Ong Sing Yee, 19 and others were arrested and detained for investigations under the Sedition Act 1948. Stepping on a photograph of the Prime Minister and his wife cannot be an offence under the Sedition Act 1948. Section 4 of the Act makes it an offence for any person who does or attempts to do any act which has or would have a seditious tendency. Section 3 of the Act defines and outlines what is meant by the words "seditious tendency". Of the 6 instances, (a) defines it as being a tendency to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government. And as for the definition of "Government", section 2 of the Act says it means Government of Malaysia and of any State in Malaysia. Clearly therefore the Act does not apply to the Prime Minister and his wife individually. It must be taken in its proper context. The acts complained of must relate to the Government in terms of its governance and not otherwise. To extend the application of the word Government to individuals who are part of the Government would be to stretch its definition too far. It is further disappointing to note that despite the government saying openly that it proposes to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 because it is outdated, the Act is still being used. In July this very year, the Prime Minister himself announced the proposed repeal of the Act. Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz was thereafter quoted in the Star of July 14 2012 as saying: "The Sedition Act has a provision of not allowing the raising of anger against the government, but now we have discarded it as criticism levelled at the government and its leaders is legitimate under the freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution." The action of the police in moving to do what to my mind isn't condoned by the Act and against the July declaration aforesaid is therefore, and without explanation, an abuse of process. As such, it would be best for the police to clear the air and explain forthwith.
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| Khaled: College considered all options before expelling student Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:44 AM PDT (Bernama) - "The student's expulsion reflects the stance of the college to refuse to compromise with any action committed by its students, against the law," he said. Higher Education minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the decision by a private college in Cheras to expel the student who had allegedly exposed his buttocks at pictures of the country's leaders at a pre-Merdeka rally at Dataran Merdeka had considered all options before doing so. He viewed the decision as appropriate since the action by the individual had tarnished the good name of the institute of higher learning. "The student's expulsion reflects the stance of the college to refuse to compromise with any action committed by its students, against the law," he said. | ||
| Tioman Trip: Excitement turned into Frustration Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT  Insufficient life jackets, improper evacuation procedures and overloading contributed to the deaths and injuries suffered in 2007.What is it going to take for the authorities to wake up from their slumber and do their jobs? Are they waiting for another 7 people to die, or maybe 15 or 20 people this time? Malaysian authorities are known for acting only AFTER a tragedy happens. Nirmala Arunaselam Tioman has often been touted as a great tourist attraction, on par with overseas holiday destinations. Adverts peddling the appeal and lure of the island are aplenty. But for my family and me, what was supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing Merdeka weekend getaway on the island turned frustrating and traumatic on our trip home. Mind you, Tioman island is a wonderful tourist destination and has its own quirky charm if you like a simple, laid-back relaxing-in-the-sun environment. It is also known as a divers' paradise and tons of people come to dive and snorkel. HOWEVER the facilities and services were a complete and total letdown. We were to return home on Sunday, September 2, 2012 after a nice, relaxing weekend on the island. The ferry (Bluewater Express company) pick-up was at 10:30am and it was expected to be jam-packed with people. We decided to go to the jetty half an hour early so that we could wait at the front of the line to ensure that we get a seat on the ferry. What we discovered was that there was no line, no queue system and basically no system whatsoever for boarding the ferry. So there we were waiting for the ferry from 10am. 10:30 passed, then 11am, 11:30am and still no ferry in sight. It finally arrived at 1pm. You can just imagine the crowd pushing to get on board. I had to board the ferry first with my two young children while my husband went to the back of the ferry to load the bags. Here I was with 2 small kids – holding onto one and carrying the other – and people were pushing me from the back, left and right. My temper started to rise and I had to tell them to stop pushing. After boarding the ferry (Bestari 2), I noticed that there were people already on board – obviously picked up from the earlier stops. Usually this is not the case as Salang is usually the first pick-up point, but due to the delay I guess that they must have picked up passengers from the other stops while dropping others off. I hastily tried to find 4 seats but was unsuccessful. I found two seats and left my 7 year old there while I went to look for another two. I finally found one other empty seat. Suddenly I realized that the ferry was moving. I looked out the window and saw my husband still waiting at the jetty, after not succeeding in loading our bags as the boatmen would not take any more bags on board. He called my handphone and told me that they were not letting anymore people on the ferry as it was overloaded already. I quickly ran to those in charge and asked them to stop and go back for him. I spoke to 2 people, one of whom told me that my husband had to wait for the next ferry which might come in about another hour (not guaranteed). After I raised my voice, the other person finally agreed to radio the skipper and ask him to stop the ferry. Imagine how I had to frantically negotiate with the boatmen to turn back for my husband while handling 2 girls aged 4 and 7 who were sitting in different sections of the ferry. Initially I thought they were going back for my husband but that was not the case. My husband called and said that the ferry was not turning back. I flipped out and almost yelled at the person in charge. I told them there was no way I was going to travel on the ferry for 3 hours with 2 small kids while my husband was left behind at the jetty. I insisted, "Let him on or let me off". I believe most of the passengers were staring at me but I was so furious I could not care less if I was upsetting anyone. Well, the ferry finally turned around and my husband came on board. All this took quite a few minutes. For your information, out of nearly 80-100 people who were waiting for the ferry, more than half were not allowed on board and were thus left behind. We later overheard the boatman saying that this was the last ferry out for now. What was the fate of those left waiting at the jetty? I shudder to think if I was one of those left behind. That the ferry was overcrowded is an understatement. There were people standing, sitting on the steps, squatting near the toilets as well as bags and stuff everywhere on the floor, steps and compartments. I saw only a few life jackets, and I wonder how many rules and regulations were broken that day. Remember the Tioman ferry tragedy in 2007 where 7 people died? Ref: Ferry tragedy trials postponed - Nation | The Star Online 5 years have passed and I wonder if the authorities are waiting for another tragedy to occur before any action is taken to enforce the regulations meant to safeguard passengers. Or has integrity been thrown out at sea with authorities closing one eye so that the ferry company can rake in more money at the expense of passengers' safety. Back to my story, when reaching what we thought was Mersing jetty, we were told that it was instead heading towards Tanjung Gemuk as it was low tide at Mersing and the ferry could not go there. Buses were supposed to be waiting at Tanjung Gemuk to transfer passengers to Mersing. The question here is, if they already knew that it would be low tide at Mersing after 2pm (as was told to us), why did the ferry not come on time at 10:30am to fetch passengers and make it back on time to Mersing by 1:30pm? And what about all the other passengers left stranded at Salang jetty? The obvious answer could be that the ferry company was making sure that profits were maximized by overloading the ferry and cramming in as many people as possible (we paid for 4 tickets but only got 3 seats). This is not my first time to Tioman and each time I board the ferry from Mersing, I pray for a smooth and safe trip to the island and back. On almost every trip, the ferry is overloaded and waiting for a disaster to happen. Ref: A Tioman disaster waiting to happen - Malaysiakini What is it going to take for the authorities to wake up from their slumber and do their jobs? Are they waiting for another 7 people to die, or maybe 15 or 20 people this time? Malaysian authorities are known for acting only AFTER a tragedy happens. What do the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Tourism have to say about this? Why all the hype about local tourist destinations when they can't even enforce basic rules to ensure the safety of passengers on ferries? Ministry officials should experience first-hand waiting for delayed ferries and suffering the congestion of overloaded ferries. They should also try using the public toilets, especially at Mersing jetty. There was only one female toilet and one male toilet catering to around 120-150 people. To make matters worse the lights were not working. Imagine the STENCH!!! I am sure foreigners who visit Tioman will go home and discourage others from visiting the place. Does the ferry company, Bluewater Express, have a conscience? What they did that day smacks of greed, recklessness and unprofessionalism. They are willing to put so many lives at risk, just to make a few extra bucks. Aren't human lives more precious than dollars and cents? I don't expect miracles overnight, but I do hope that more people come forward and voice out their views and opinions, especially where safety and health issues are concerned. Only then will we see a change for the better in the tourism and other public sectors. I urge the authorities to take action and be proactive instead of reactive. Safety should not be taken lightly. Ensure that ferry operators act professionally and enforce safety regulations before another disaster happens!!! | ||
| Di bawah 1Malaysia, anak muda semakin kreatif Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:18 AM PDT
Penghormatan adalah kurniaan dari rakyat tetapi bukan menghasut atau di minta. Penghormatan adalah suci dan indah tanpa diselaputi dengan ketakutan. Meta trader kDGLevboeRg Najib salah seorang Perdana Menteri yang dipilih parti UMNO, begitulah statusnya kurang dapat penghormatan dari anak muda. Dasar parti pemerintah memang haus dengan kuasa dari rakyat tetapi dasar pemerintah menganggap sesiapa yang menentang mereka adalah musuh, ini amatlah konflik macam mana parti pemerintah dapat sokongan dari musuh?? Penghormatan adalah kurniaan dari rakyat tetapi bukan menghasut atau di minta. Penghormatan adalah suci dan indah tanpa diselaputi dengan ketakutan. Penghormatan dianugerahkan dengan percuma tanpa dijual beli, dalam prinsip demokrasi kuasa rakyat adalah kuasa penghormatan. Isu anak muda memijak poster Najib dan Rosmah menandakan anak muda terasa jijik dan benci atas corak pemerintahan 1Malaysia, Najib patutlah mengambil langkah yang bijak dan positif demi mengujudkan imej mesra dengan anak muda. Isu penangkapan anak muda memiak poster Najib memang kurang moral, ini adalah isu moral yang kurang sopan terhadap seseorang pemimpin tetapi kenapa diperkenakan akta hasutan?? Penyiasatan PDRM yang begitu pilih kasih bukan dapat menakutkan anak muda tetapi memberikan kesempatan untuk menjauhi parti pemerintah. Ruang siber bergitu luas, anak muda berupaya menggunakan minda kreativiti mereka dalam apa japa enis rekaan dan ciptaan mereka, meraka sanggup lakukan apa saja, sama ada dalam puisi, sajak, video, animation,.... demi melepaskan geram dan menyebarkan rasa ketidakadilan yang wujud dari hati naluri mereka. Selagi parti pemerintah bersikap angkuh dan enggan memberikan ruang untuk anak muda bernafas, khasnya akta 114A, Maka banyak lagi hasil kreatif sama ada dalam blog, forum, acebook youtube akan dijadikan medan perang mereka. Begitu juga video klip janji di capati, kelihatan anak muda bijak menggunakan media alternatif menghiburkan rakyat, menyampaikan mesej dan pendapat pendapat yang waras dalam musik ciptaan mereka. | ||
| Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:35 AM PDT KTEMOC KONSIDERS Malaysia-Today - Do you really think it is about the ballot box?  RPK's latest post carries a very provocative title. Nonetheless he has a few good points which (coincidentally, would you believe it?) I share and would have posted last night but alas I was too busy. However, I have to state that my thrust would have been different to his point. Thus, I won't follow RPK's provocative path wakakaka. In any Westminster-styled democracy, a majority ruling party has the legitimate right to govern the country for the full term prescribed in the constitution, whether the term is 5 or (in the case of Australia) 3 years. There seems to a current fallacy that Najib is cheating the voters because he has thus far refused to call or ignored the calls for an election now (though there are now hints he might do it in November, this year of course wakakaka). On a related issue, though not central to my post topic, there is also a fallacy that Britain does not have a written constitution. It does, except the articles (rules) are not written in one convenient 'book' like ours, with all its rules (or articles) in one single tome.
The Brits have their constitutional rules scattered all over, among the pages of the Magna Carta, Petition of Rights, Bill of Rights, Act of Settlement, Parliament Acts, Representation of the People Act, case laws such as Case of Proclamations, each written at various stages in their history stretching from around 1215 (Magna Carta) to 1969 (Representation of the People Act), over a period of some 750 years. And no Pakistani legal expert helped, thank you, wakakaka. Anyway, fast forward to the present, and the topic to be discussed. As we read almost everyday, there have been condemnations (or at best, criticisms) of Najib for 'refusing' to call for an early general election when the actual 5-year term for the BN as the ruling party will only expire some time in March 2013. Understandably, most of the condemnations have been from PKR where an impatient and at the same time optimistic Anwar Ibrahim believes the tide has swung in his favour. His party and supporters have been conducting psy-war against Najib, attempting to goad Ah Jib Gor into an early election. Understandably too, Najib appears to be going for the full term, or at least not dancing to Anwar's tune, because it's obvious he (Najib) has assessed BN will be at a disadvantage if he were to call for an election now. And why would he, when the more time he has, the more monkey tricks he can bring about, wakakaka. Alas, it's his prime ministerial constitutional right.  Now, why did I want to (coincidentally) write about the full term for an elected government, though I had already mentioned Najib's prerogative to go for the full 5 years in a couple of previous posts? Two recent events persuaded me to. One - Down in Australia, PM Julia Gillard has just stated very clearly her government will go the full 3-year term BUT in exhibiting her prime ministerial prerogative a la Westminster-styled democracy, reserves the right to call for an early election, even if 'early' means a month or two before the run-out date. In fact, recently I read in the newspapers downunder that Australia's Constitution allows a ruling term to be slightly over the so-called maximum 3-year term, of course by only a few weeks for some administrative reasons. I am not sure whether the Malaysian Constitution provides for that. Thus Najib has the same prime ministerial prerogatives to run his government for the full term of 5 years, or if he wants to, sneak in an early request to HM the Agong to dissolve parliament. I have a different view to RPK in that the Agong doesn't have much say, as he 'has to' heed the PM's 'advice' to dissolve parliament, more so under Malaysian constitutional terms. Two - The other reason which suggests to me to blog on this issue had come as a total surprise to me. Actually I was mildly shocked when 3 days ago, I read Free Malaysia Today's Delay polls and risk punishment.  If it had been Anwar who said that, I would have accepted that he's correct in pushing for the election a.s.a.p. because the BN is currently in a politically precarious position. If it had been Pak Haji Hadi Awang, Lim Guan Eng or even my hero Karpal Singh, it would be normal politics. But when I read that it was another of my heroes, Ambiga Sreenevasan, who warned Najib that his continuing dilly dallying in calling for an election could prove to be perilous for him and BN, I was gobsmacked. FMT reported: She said that it would not come as a surprise if the voters, including the fence-sitters, punished him for this feet-dragging in the next polls. "I understand it is the Westminster system and it is the prerogative of the prime minister. But a good government should be prepared to take on the election and not be afraid to set a date," she told FMT. "We have been in election mode since he [Najib] took over and everyone has been pumped up. He drops hints [about the polls] and that is irresponsible. You don't toy with people's feelings. "People are fed up! They can't plan things like going on holidays and so forth. Furthermore, it affects investor confidence. "That's why I say it is irresponsible. If this is how a government is going to play with the election date, then it would be best to have a fixed date for polling," she added. Obviously Ambiga knows her laws as she said "I understand it is the Westminster system and it is the prerogative of the prime minister." So why did she see it necessary to warn Najib into an early election. I don't know then, and I don't know now.
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| Not many date options are left Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:20 PM PDT
Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Daily There are not many date options left. The 13th general election is likely to fall in November this year, January or March next year. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently hinted that the general election might be fall in November, as 11 is his favourite number. Therefore, people started to speculate, avoided the Deepavali and Awal Muharram on Nov 13 and 15, the polling day could fall on Nov 3, 11 or 25. However, it could also be a false alarm, as there is still no sign showing that the election will be held in November. If the Prime Minister wants to distribute candies on September 28 when the Budget is tabled, it will take time to achieve the expected effects and they would not make it by November. Najib is very likely to announce another round of the RM500 BR1M aid distribution or other people-friendly measures. The aid can be issued the earliest in December and the timing will be nice if the election is held in early next year. Feedback from the public shows positive response to the BR1M aid, even better than fuel subsidies, and it consumed only RM2.6 billion. Therefore, it is believed that the BN will not miss the opportunity to create a feel-good mood. Moreover, the factional problem of Umno has not yet been solved. Some district leaders actually ignore Najib's plan of fielding only those with the highest chance of winning, and insist to compete. The election would not come so soon before the problem is solved. Therefore, Umno leaders are very likely to authorise the party president the full authority to decide on election candidates at the annual party congress, to eliminate different voices in the party. Also, Umno is expected to motivate party members and implement the party's policy at the congress. Therefore, the possibility to have the election in November is not high. Since they have been waiting for so long, why should they take the risk now? Therefore, it is believed that the election should be held either in January or March next year. Since February 10 is the Chinese New Year, February is not suitable for campaigning. Of course, Najib would not allow the Parliament to be automatically dissolved after April 28 to avoid affecting the morale of BN's component party members. In any case, even if the election falls in November, Najib is now Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister without his own electoral mandate, the previous record was four and a half year. It shows that the BN is really facing the most difficult political situation this time. The BN has done all it wants to fight for swing votes and its policies can no longer be changed. The people have also already made their decisions. Further delay will make the situation more chaotic, and more and more conflicts will be triggered. It is not something in favour of the BN, too. Incidents triggered by the Janji Demokrasi rally on August 30, including the move of stepping on a picture of Najib, would not affect the Pakatan Rakyat as the society has been seriously divided. The BN, instead, should be vigilant against unexpected events. For example, after two Sabah lawmakers have withdrawn from the BN and decided to support the Pakatan Rakyat, the BN should not give them more time to stir up Bumiputeras' sentiments. If the world economy does not deteriorate and the global food prices surge, it might still affect domestic prices in early next year. Therefore, based on the above analysis, January will be the best timing and the situation would turn dangerous if they fail to make good use of the opportunity.
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| Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:02 PM PDT Labuan will remain with Barisan Nasional now that it's 'clear' that PAS will contest in the parliamentary constituency. (FMT) - LABUAN: PAS will contest in the duty free Labuan parliamentary constituency and the decision is 'final'. Speaking to reporters here, Federal Territories PAS commissioner Mohamad Noor Mohamad said – in no uncertain terms – that the presidential council of Pakatan Rakyat "had decided on this". He said the party will field a candidate for the Labuan parliamentary constituency in the 13th general election and that the name of the individual will be submitted to the party president soon for approval. "The Presidential Council of PR (Pakatan Rakyat) has decided that for state seats, the state PR (Pakatan) councils will decide. "The three leaders of the council from PAS, PKR and DAP had agreed for the Labuan seat to be contested by PAS," he said succintly ending Labuan DAP's claims that seat negotiation here is "yet to be finalised". Labuan DAP chief Lau Seng Kiat yesterday said that he had been "advised" by Pakatan leaders that allocation of seats for Sabah and Labuan have "yet to be finalised." "We are still in the process of negotiation to determine the contesting parties in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan," Lau said. But Mohamad reiterated his Monday stand that the decision by the presidential council was made on Aug 18 and that a letter to effect was issued regarding the seat distribution. "So it is clear that PAS will stand here in Labuan," Mohamad said, adding that "Labuan will be in the race for Putrajaya". Mohamad also addressed the fact that although PAS has a poor track record over the past few polls, they were optimistic of performing better this time round. "What's important now is that in the coming elections BN is challenged one-on-one without split of opposition votes. "That way the opposition has a good chance to unseat BN," he said alluding to the last election when Labuan saw a three-cornered fight between BN, PAS and DAP.
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| Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:42 PM PDT
Under PM Najib's administration, we have seen the passing of several progressive-sounding laws like The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA), the Peaceful Assembly Act and the Security Offences [Special Measures] Act. But that is all it is, nice sounding titles because there are enough provisions in them to nullify their objectives. They are just perception-correction exercises by PM Najib, something that he is very good at. Thomas Fann As Malaysians wait in eager expectation for PM Najib to annouce the date of the 13th General Election, one seen by most as a potentially pivotal general election that would decide the future of this country, the stakes are high and the issues many. As I glance the headlines of newspapers and online media, there are a myriad of issues that surface every day. Today it's the alternative flag issue, yesterday was the size of rallies, previously and no doubt in the days to come, the ketuanan Melayu issue, Chinese education, marginalization of Indians, the Sabah IC for votes, Hudud, electoral reforms, high or disputed crime rates, police brutality, death in detention, etc. These are all highly sensitive and important issues, especially to those affected by them. Mother of All Issues But I would like to suggest that the mother of all issues should be corruption. It is about the money. There is a saying, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil". According to Transparency International, "Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority." It is more than the receiving of bribes or commission for which the person is not entitled to but it includes cronyism, nepotism, embezzlement, extortion, lobbying with inducements, laziness, incompetence, theft, pilfering, etc. It is Stealing Let's cut through all the chase, corruption is stealing and we are the victim. Let us not gloss over this criminal act by using legal-sounding terms like commission, appreciation, and incentives. It is stealing. When you use your position for private gain either in the form of money, perks, sex, discounts, pervert justice, or favour someone, it is stealing and you are a thief. Whilst many other countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been making big strides in combating corruption and has risen in ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index ranking, Malaysia has been slipping. In the 2011 ranking, we are 60th out of 183 countries, a drop of 4 places from the previous year with a score of 4.3/10 (10 being highly clean). In fact, our score has been steadily slipping since 1995 when the first TI CPI index came out when we scored 5.28/10 then. Perception-Correction Exercises Some may live in denial and tell us that it is just a perception problem and the solution is to improve public perception by focusing on the positive news and distorting the truth. That in itself is corruption! Let's look at the facts. Unfortunately, it is hard to get the facts, thanks to laws that hide the facts like the Official Secrets Acts, Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) 1989, which do not promote transparency but are used to prosecute whistleblowers of corrupt practices. Under PM Najib's administration, we have seen the passing of several progressive-sounding laws like The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA), the Peaceful Assembly Act and the Security Offences [Special Measures] Act. But that is all it is, nice sounding titles because there are enough provisions in them to nullify their objectives. They are just perception-correction exercises by PM Najib, something that he is very good at. Read more at: http://thomasfann.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/its-about-the-money/
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| Revisiting the Malaysian School Curriculum Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:34 PM PDT
Stephen Doss Recently I had the good fortune of being part of a focus group on "national unity" which was formed by a local think tank which wanted to present a proposal to the Education Ministry. The proposal was to be included as part of the Ministry's blueprint for education reform. The focus was on what was needed to be done to foster unity though the identification of a Malaysian identity unique to all Malaysians through the school system. The questions posed were not new, just go to any seminar, forum, workshop on unity in Malaysia and the same questions would invariably surface if not by a panelist then from someone from the floor. Why are we still having problems defining what is it that makes us Malaysians? Why are we not united beyond the surface level? Why do we still have race-based organizations? Why aren't all Malaysians treated equally? And the list can go on and on. But this particular focus group was a bit more focused. The think tank wanted to see what more can be done at the school level to change attitudes assuming that these problems begin from a young tender age. It started off by asking questions about the curriculum, is there something wrong with our school syllabus that does not help foster a common identity? Does the syllabus not promote attitudes that lead students to appreciate unity among the different races? There were also question about the school environment, is the school environment not conducive to the building of harmonious relations? According to dictionary.com, "Unity" is defined as ; Now assuming that it is easier to achieve unity through a state of harmony, and harmonious relations are easily achievable if we have a common identity or purpose, then the question that we should be asking is after 55 years of independence, why do we still have problems with issues regarding national identity? According to Wikipedia, "National identity" is the person's identity and sense of belonging to one state or to one nation, a feeling one shares with a group of people, regardless of one's citizenship status. National identity is not an inborn trait; various studies have shown that a person's national identity is a direct result of the presence of elements from the "common points" in people's daily lives: national symbols, language, the nation's history, national consciousness, blood ties, culture, music, cuisine, etc Now let us dissect the above before we go back to our nation's school syllabus. National symbols, we have no shortage of these, the flag, the rukunegara, the monarchy, architecture, national car, etc. Language, there is no dispute that Bahasa Malaysia is our official language although there are still many Malaysians who are not able to speak or write in the language. The nation's history, by and large we are all familiar with our nation's history, our colonial past, and our struggle for independence although not all of us may agree with where our ancestors came from, their different contributions, who were the actual freedom fighters and who benefited what, from whose struggles. National consciousness, we might have a problem here as we seem to have different races championing their own cultures as superior to the other, trying to agree on a common culture and placing that above individual cultural practice belonging to each ethnic group in the country still seems a mighty challenge. Blood ties, most Malaysians are by now second if not third generation Malaysians, by right not an issue, notwithstanding that Malaysians still like to call each "pendatang" or "bangsa asing' now and then. Culture, as yet we still have a problem identifying a culture that is common to all of us, we seem happy accepting a mix of cultures belonging to all races, a cop out of sorts just to keep everybody happy. Music, we've probably had more success here, but that is to be expected for music is a universal language. Cuisine, to be sure this is the one thing we are all proud of to claim as our own, we have successfully incorporated unique characteristics in our cuisine that it is said that you will not find similar food anywhere else. Looking at the list of items that are said to be part of what is required for forming a national identity, it is clear that we are far from a finished product, a nation that is still finding itself. Do we find these ingredients in our national school syllabus? I am guessing not really and definitely not beyond scratching the surface or with any real substance. I suspect it is because the adults among us cannot yet seem to agree on most items in the list, not surprising since we cannot even agree on allowing our children the advantage of attending one school with one objective. There was agreement among the focus group members though to be sure that our current school syllabus does not cause disunity among students, neither is it a cause for concern in the short term. Although the same could not be said of deliverers of the syllabus, most who attended were of the view that it is this aspect of the school system that we should look at, as it is these deliverers who have an impact on our impressionable children and there was real concern that what is being imparted to students is the reason why there is a perception that real unity will continue to elude us as long as these deliverers do not move beyond the superficial and away from their own racial discriminations. An improved syllabus which incorporates national identity and promotes harmonious relations will mean little if the deliverers themselves do not believe in the project. | ||
| Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:22 PM PDT
If what FMT reported above is true, and if most people in Sabah think the way that FMT says they think, then Sabah is doomed. And so is Sarawak. The people there would not vote based on good governance, transparency, justice, and whatnot. They would vote based on whether the people they vote for can make them happy. And without Sabah and Sarawak, Pakatan Rakyat's dream of marching into Putrajaya will be merely angan-angan. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin LYNAS shares surge after granting of licence in Malaysia MELBOURNE : Shares in Lynas Corporation have surged by more than 50 per cent in early trade after the rare earths miner was granted a temporary licence for its US$800 million rare earths refinery in Kuantan. After the close of Wednesday's trading session, the company said the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board had issued a temporary operating licence (TOL) for its advanced materials plant in Kuantan. At 10.40am (Melbourne time) on Thursday, Lynas shares were 50 per cent higher at A91 cents before dropping back to A78 cents at 11.10am, the Australian Associated Press reports. The long-delayed plant has been opposed by environmentalists concerned about potential radioactivity risks. The plant will process rare earths from the Lynas Mount Weld mine in Western Australia. China currently produces about 95 per cent of all rare earth materials, which are vital for many electronic products. -- Bernama ****************************************** Lajim still a good bet for opposition KOTA KINABALU: Irrespective of what blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) writes and Barisan Nasional leaders reveal, Sabah MP Lajim Ukin is still a good investment for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. Among his constituents and ardent local political observers, the currently much-talked about Beaufort MP may still win big in the coming polls. They opined that the former federal deputy minister of housing and local government, who jumped from ruling Umno to the opposition side recently, would win in least two parliamentary and three state assembly seats. Malik Unar, 74, a Sabah political writer, is one of those who believes so, saying Lajim would win easily in his former state seat of Klias and retain even his Beaufort seat if he decides to go for both. "He will win there easily… He or his men or associates will take Kuala Penyu and Lumadan state seats and the Sipitang parliamentary seat," claimed the veteran writer who hailed from Membakut in Beaufort. Malik has written several political books during his prolific years including while Lajim was still with PBS (1984-1994). "Lajim served his constituents very well… people identify with him easily. He will win no matter what others say about him," he claimed when asked for his opinion at a meeting in Kota Kinabalu recently. Even though Lajim has become a subject of ridicule in RPK's blogsite Malaysia Today, many here still believe it would not harm his reputation, at least among his own "Bisaya folks" in Beaufort vicinity. -- Free Malaysia Today READ MORE HERE: http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/51427-lajim-still-a-good-bet-for-opposition ****************************************** We tend to believe that everyone thinks the way we do and that everyone shares our same values. When we flock with those of our same feather that impression becomes even stronger. Most times, however, we do not really know whether we are in the minority or the majority and when the minority shouts while the majority keeps quiet this become even more illusionary. At the end of the day, when it comes down to choices, what choice will you make? What would be your immediate concerns? Would you worry about the world? Would you worry about your country? Would you worry about your community? Would you worry about your neighbourhood? Or would you worry about your family? Some people would worry about themselves even before they worry about their family. Hence the neighbourhood, community, country and the world would have to be the last things you worry about, in that order of priority. We consider LYNAS, or rather the opposition to LYNAS, as a noble cause. Hence if we oppose LYNAS then we are certainly fighting a noble cause. And opposing LYNAS would involve making sure that they do not get a licence to operate. And certainly the world would share this noble cause, would it not? Then their licence is approved and the company's share price jumps 50%. And that is definitely most puzzling because we thought that everyone shared our noble cause -- and the noble cause would be about doing the right thing and not about making money. It appears, though, that making money rather than fighting noble causes is still the priority of some people, or maybe even many people. So, are we alone? Or is the world with us? Or is it all about making money in the end? Then we look at this issue regarding Lajim Ukin. "Lajim still a good bet for opposition," screams the headlines of the Free Malaysia Today (FMT) news report. FMT then goes on to say: Irrespective of what blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) writes and Barisan Nasional leaders reveal, Sabah MP Lajim Ukin is still a good investment for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. Among his constituents and ardent local political observers, the currently much-talked about Beaufort MP may still win big in the coming polls. Lajim served his constituents very well… people identify with him easily. He will win no matter what others say about him. Even though Lajim has become a subject of ridicule in RPK's blogsite, Malaysia Today, many here still believe it would not harm his reputation, at least among his own "Bisaya folks" in Beaufort vicinity. The key to the above report is: Lajim served his constituents very well… people identify with him easily. Again, we thought this was about noble causes, honour and integrity. Apparently it is not. Apparently it is about whether you can make the voters happy. And what better way of making the people happy than by giving them a good life? And a good life would involve money. If what FMT reported above is true, and if most people in Sabah think the way that FMT says they think, then Sabah is doomed. And so is Sarawak. The people there would not vote based on good governance, transparency, justice, and whatnot. They would vote based on whether the people they vote for can make them happy. And without Sabah and Sarawak, Pakatan Rakyat's dream of marching into Putrajaya will be merely angan-angan. And would this be the same formula that will apply to Lembah Pantai? Will Nurul Izzah Anwar win because she is perceived as a sincere and noble person of honour and integrity or will Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin win instead because he is able to make the people happy? And how would he go about making the people happy? At the end of the day, most people are selfish. How many would be prepared to make sacrifices? Would they sacrifice their comfort and security in the interest of doing the right thing? Or would their decision be based on 'what's in it for me'? We would like to believe that we uphold noble values and that the world shares these same values. Then we discover that the shares of a business we are opposed to spirals because it received its licence to do the business we are opposed to. So the world is not really with us after all. What really makes the world go round is money. We would like to believe that we uphold noble values and that the world shares these same values. Then we discover that the people who have no integrity get to win because they get the support of voters who put money above noble values. So the world is not really with us after all. What really makes the world go round is money. We hear a lot of 'statements of support' for Nurul Izzah. Yes, many statements of support from people who place noble values and doing the right thing above everything else. But how many of these people will be voting? How many of these people will be voting in Lembah Pantai? In fact, how many of these people even donated to the measly RM35,365 election fund that was collected over the last ten days? At the end of that day, if we can talk without losing anything we will talk. But if it is going to cost us something then it is not worth talking. Talk, if it is free, is okay with us, as long as we do not need to pay or sacrifice. That is the nature of the beast of Malaysian voters. Even Malaysia Today has such freeloaders. These are people who scream about freedom of speech and the right to post comments in Malaysia Today as long as they need not take the trouble of registering and need not pay even RM1 to post comments. To deny them their privilege to post comments is a breach of their civil rights. Where they got the notion that posting comments in Malaysia Today come under the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is beyond me. It is all about what they want. It is about meeting their demands. It is about everything they see in this world as being their right. And causes must be something that does not cost them anything. But if between noble causes and their personal comfort, then their interests must always come first. | ||
| Hindraf awaiting Najib’s, Anwar’s response Posted: 05 Sep 2012 03:17 PM PDT
Dr V.S. Paraman, CPI The return home of Hindraf chairman P. Waytha Moorthy from exile has taken many by surprise. To clear the air against allegation that Waytha's exile had been self-imposed, his accusers should be made aware of a statement by Malaysian High Commissioner in Singapore, Mohd Hussin Nayan, on July 31, 2012 that Waytha's passport had indeed been revoked by the Malaysian government in 2008. It is fortunate that the British government accorded political asylum to Waytha, lending further credence to the Hindraf plight. The Hindraf chairman had used his time abroad to further the Hindraf cause and through his untiring efforts, Hindraf received international recognition. Hindraf was given space to make presentations to the British Parliament, American Congress, European Parliament and United Nations as well as to U.S. State Department, U.S. Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Human Rights Caucus, and noted international NGOs Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. In recognition of his efforts in raising serious human rights violations by the Malaysian government on her citizens, the 'Human Rights Conference of India Diaspora in Different Parts of the World' awarded him the 'Global Human Rights Defender of India Diaspora' award this year. Waytha's project in London During his exile in London, Waytha sifted through more than 500,000 declassified documents from the British archives on the Reid Commission as well as documents pertaining to independence to Malaya. He then handpicked almost 40,000 precious documents that will serve Hindraf well in the class action suit fikled by Hindraf against the British government. For this, Hindraf engaged the services of solicitor Imran Khan who has a reputation for unflinching commitment to fighting injustice and acclaimed for his in the human rights arena. Waytha Moorthy successfully filed the British civil suit on the July 2, 2012 and thereafter returned home to Malaysia. Don't mistake Hindraf for spent force Since his return, Hindraf has held dozens of roadshows and public forums across west Malaysia. From Johor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor, Perak, Penang and Kedah, these gatherings have attracted large crowds, packing indoor halls with enthusiastic Malaysian Indians. Their Shah Alam forum attracted 1,500 people and a recent Seremban meet brought together almost 1,400 Malaysian Indians. Hindraf has no choice but to go to the ground as they are well aware that their message is not going to be carried by the mainstream media which is biased towards Barisan Nasional. And neither is it going to get any favours from the online media that is heavily tilted towards Pakatan Rakyat. Within the space of a week of Waytha's return, the nationwide roadshows managed to register the contact details, such as email addresses and handphone numbers, of Indian supporters on the Hindraf roll. Currently more than 20,000 have registered and Hindraf has now raised the bar to collect 100,000 registrations so that these supporters can spread by word of mouth the Hindraf message further. Looking at the large turnouts, the general public should realise that like it or not, Hindraf is very much alive within the heart of every Malaysian Indian in this country. Hindraf to be change agent Throughout these nationwide tours, the Malaysian Indians have been giving a resounding 'Yes' for Hindraf to be given the mandate to speak on their behalf to voice their critical issues to the Malaysian authorities. The message is loud and clear. Malaysian Indians want comprehensive changes and not just cosmetic changes to their critical issues. Armed with this mandate, Hindraf have the moral right to speak on behalf of the marginalized Malaysian Indians. It is for this reason that Hindraf has chosen the path to be apolitical and to engage with all state governments as well as the federal government to provide comprehensive solutions on the Indian problems of marginalization. In fact, Hindraf's vision is to be a primary comprehensive change agent in leading Malaysia towards the creation of a society based on equality, justice and freedom. Hindraf's mission is to create an empowered civil society movement that strives to bring all the marginalized segments of Malaysian society into the mainstream of national development, with particular focus on Indians. Hindraf intends to contribute positively to changing the social values in Malaysian society so that institutionalized racism and religious supremacist policies are dismantled and may be completely eliminated. Hindraf believes the British civil suit will be the foundation stone to bring about comprehensive changes in Malaysia the way how Apartheid in South Africa was dismantled.
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| German Embassy admits to funding Suaram Posted: 05 Sep 2012 02:45 PM PDT
(Bernama) - The German Embassy here has admitted contributing funds to Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, a company linked to Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). Its ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Guenter Georg Gruber (picture above), said the embassy funded project-specific initiatives. "The project with Suaram was in 2010, which we had evaluated," he said, adding that he could not recall what the project was, and that "the amount (of funds) was limited". He told reporters this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Universiti Malaysia Pahang and two German companies here today. The initial investigation by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) revealed the existence of fund transactions between Suara Inisiatif, which was registered under the Companies Act 1965, and Suaram. CCM has been criticised by several NGOs for allegedly failing to act against Suaram which admitted to receiving funds from foreign countries, among others. The criticism followed reports that Suaram was not an NGO, but a company, namely Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd. Asked whether the embassy would fund other Suaram projects, the envoy said the mission would look at any proposal "that is in accordance to our values". "We also supported the Bar Council over the rights of indigenous people. We do it all the time. This is close to our value system," he added.
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| MB: Anwar invited only as a guest speaker Posted: 05 Sep 2012 02:41 PM PDT
(The Star) - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was only invited as a guest speaker to the Selangor state Merdeka eve celebration and not as a guest of honour, said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. He said that in previous years, he himself was the guest of honour at the event. "Records from 2003 showed that the mentri besar was always the guest of honour," said Khalid, adding that the only exception was in 2007 when the Sultan of Selangor graced the Merdeka parade in conjunction with the nation's golden jubilee celebrations. There were no celebrations in 2009 and 2010 as Merdeka coincided with the Ramadan month, he added. "The Sultan of Selangor, through Dato' Lela Bakti (private secretary Datuk Munir Bani), will be invited every year for the yasin and tahlil prayers in conjunction with the Merdeka month celebration," Khalid said after chairing the state exco meeting. He was responding to criticisms that the Sultan had not been invited to the celebration while Anwar, who is the state's economic adviser, was the chief guest and gave a speech. It was reported that the Sultan, through quotes by Munir, found it strange that he, as Ruler of the state, was not given the honour accorded to Anwar when the Opposition Leader was not even among the ranks of the state leadership. At the meeting, the task force that organised the Merdeka celebration also provided an explanation to the state exco. It was led by state secretary Datuk Khusrin Munawi. "We found no fault at all," Khalid said.
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| New government can choose new flag, says historical society Posted: 05 Sep 2012 02:13 PM PDT
Flag of the British East India Company, 1707–1801 Hafidz Baharom, The Malaysian Insider The national flag can be changed if the government of the day wills it, Malaysian Historical Society (MHS) executive chairman Tan Sri Omar Hashim said today. "New governments always change their flags, as we have seen in Libya and Iraq. So basically if there is a change in government, they can do so," Omar said. He added, however, that while the current Malaysian flag remained the chosen symbol of the government, it should be respected and be the only flag flown during National Day celebrations. The chairman was responding to reporters asking him of the recent re-emergence of the controversial red and white 'Sang Saka Malaya' flag during the Merdeka eve celebration at Merdeka Square. The event was hosted by a coalition of non-government organisations called Gabungan Janji, headed by national literary laureate A Samad Said. "The red and white flag, the Sang Saka, is the flag representing Malay kingdoms. We saw this in the 13th and 14th century. "That is a historical fact," Omar said today. Omar added it was not a problem to unveil the Sang Saka for research purposes, mentioning academician Farish Noor's extensive study on the matter. "It shouldn't be a problem to show the flag for educational and research purposes, but it should not be political," Omar said. Omar also added that the red and white stripes were clearly seen in flags of former Malay kingdoms such as the Majapahit sultanate. A blogger, known only as Singa Selatan (Southern Lion), had admitted to flying the controversial flag during the eve of Malaysia's 55th National day countdown as an attempt to educate people of history. "We do not represent any political party, be it from the government or the opposition, we represent the youth who wish to project truth and history that has attempted to be drowned out by the responsible parties, and clearly have no motive to change the Jalur Gemilang to Sang Saka Malaya, because Sang Saka Malaya has been turned into the Jalur Gemilang today," the blogger said in his Bahasa Malaysia entry posted last Friday. The bloggers actions started a political firestorm with accusations made by the government headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib that it was a political move sponsored by Opposition bloc Pakatan Rakyat to replace the current flag, the Jalur Gemilang.
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| Tanda Putera director lashes out at critics Posted: 05 Sep 2012 02:06 PM PDT Shuhaimi Baba speaks to FMT in a brief e-mail interview about her upcoming controversial film that will depict the May 13 bloody race riots. Teoh El Sen, FMT Filmmaker Shuhaimi Baba has declared that she is open to a debate to discuss her latest controversial movie "Tanda Putera", provided that such talks be held after the movie is screened. The award-winning director, whose movie retells the story of Malaysia's second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, and deputy prime minister, the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, amid the bloody May 13, 1969 race riots, said in an e-mail to FMT that she would not mind sharing views as long as it was done in a "mature" manner. The director, who has received open scorn from critics lately, has also called on all Malaysians to just "cool it", stressing that she and her crew have put in a lot of love into their work and are not about "peddling hatred and propaganda". Even before it has hit the silver screen, Shuhaimi's movie, which is now re-scheduled to be screened on Nov 15, has been criticised for allegedly providing only a one-sided view of history. Shuhaimi had denied accusations that the movie promoted a pro-Malay agenda. She also had to douse accusations that it featured a character based on DAP leader Lim Kit Siang in a negative light. Another controversial aspect of the movie was that the RM4.8 million cost was fully funded by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (Mdec), with questions raised over whether a movie that did not gel with the "official version" would receive such support. The film, according to critics, demonises early leftist movements, with its trailer allegedly showing scenes of Chinese groups marching through the streets of Kuala Lumpur city after the success of the opposition parties in municipal elections carrying the Labour Party flag and other banners bearing anti-Malay slogans. However, despite all the "unexpected and upsetting" response she has received, Shuhaimi maintained that she has done her legwork. "I looked as far back as confrontation to understand the deep psychological resentments at that time until May13. But the catalysts were – the 'hooliganism' – the choice of words and insults thrown at the Malays, the over-the-top celebration by the opposition parties. "The movie is not about judging and blaming any side in particular. Touchy as it may be, we needed to drive home the point of the trauma of May 13 (that we should not let it happen again) and how Tun Razak and Tun Ismail succeeded in making the country overcome the trauma and forget May 13. The movie sets out to do that as we share the journey taken by the two heroes," she said. Tanda Putera – rated PG13 – stars Rusdi Ramli (Tun Abdul Razak), Faezah Elai (Toh Puan Rahah), Zizan Nin (Tun Dr Ismail) and Linda Hashim (Toh Puan Norashikin). The film, a joint production by Pesona Pictures together with Finas and Mdec, tells the story about the friendship of the two national leaders and their struggles in healing the nation after the riots. Below are excerpts from the e-mail communiqué: FMT: Firstly, the meaning behind the title "Tanda Putera", if you could elaborate more on the choice of words? Shuhaimi: Tanda Putera means "Mark of a Leader". This is the closest my team of writers and I could draw from our original title "Incurable Hero". It was written for a documentary drama in English. However, after several friends read the documentary script , they convinced us to do justice by writing it as a screenplay and a feature-length movie. The thought was scary at first, the amount of research, detailing and design work and most of all the budget needed gave me sleepless nights. But then after going through several material, I thought: 'Yes, why not? The two heroes deserve this tribute'. Could you share with us your feelings so far, are you perturbed by the controversy the movie had courted? Controversy, well, I think it comes with the territory. You know, it's only the movies after all! Expect anything in film-making – there are always issues to deal with. There was my first horror film 'Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam' – after 30 years of horror films being banned. But I went ahead and it opened doors for the industry. There's also the first feature-length movie on local folk lore 'waris jari hantu', the tigerman and the boy-girl character (hermaphrodite). They were contentious and controversial – only because the ideas were fresh and unexplored . But the 'restless' and 'opinionated' [ones] settled down anyway and cinema goers accepted the film. So yes, I didn't expect the May13 scenes to go through without the usual noise. But I didn't expect the attention from people who don't watch local movies. They have no idea what movie-going culture is about and rant over the movie trailer! Aiyooo… what to say. Attention from politicians are much worse, I can say that much. Their reasoning is simply: 'See it my way or no way'. I have a team of young people managing the Facebook for the movie and it turned into a 'battleground'! I had to keep reminding the admin team to keep their cool and it was tough for them to manage the racial slurs and hate-mongers. But you know, like other times, I told them these are people who need to get things off their chest and they will tire. I briefed them on the background of the country's history especially from Konfrontasi onwards so that they are confident and they know what they are up against. Other than the threats, obscene language, racial slurs and hatred – I think although it was very unexpected and upsetting – we managed to calm everyone down reminding them this is nothing, we must deal with it as cool as possible. Why was this movie being done? What prompted you to take up the challenge of such a touchy topic? Difficult question. But I will try to answer. Malaysia was the only country in a unique dangerous situation – where the prime minister and deputy PM were facing critical illness at the same time – in a critical fragile situation. Their brave sacrifices needed to be told. It captured my imagination – I believe it would 'capture' others too. It's only touchy if you don't respect someone else's views and creative expression. When I first read Dr Kua (Kia Soong's) book, I thought what came out first and shining through was his prejudices against Malays and his resentment against the office of the prime minister then. His accusations – alluding to who was responsible for May 13- that is, Tun Razak, was not only atrocious but irresponsible. But then he knows that, I am sure, since he's more intelligent than most men, and he does it for effect and propaganda and to rile up Chinese sentiments. It was too easy for him. As a writer, he preferred to be biased and did not shed any light on the riots but even considered the communists had nothing to do with it.
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GROSS INSULT: The student was detained when he turned up in Cheras to meet college management — Pic: RAZAK GHAZALI 
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