Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- The Influence of US Funds for NGOs on Malaysian Politics.
- A Letter to Heaven
- Stop It, BN!
- An Evening with Nurul Izzah Anwar
- They also had their Bersih day
- Up, Close and Personal With Bourdon
- WARNING: DOCTORED PHOTOGRAPH
- Shameless Bapa Transformasi
- A Biased and Comical Judgement
- Najib suffers from a “mild stroke” in UK
- Detention without trial in Malaysia
- Malaysians in the United States submit Bersih 2.0 memorandum to the Malaysian Embassy
- Dear PM, do you really want a second term?
- Voter's registration in Kuching, Sarawak
- Bersih 2.0 - New York City
- Suggesting a possible strategy for future rallies : Loving kindness and compassion to the Police
| The Influence of US Funds for NGOs on Malaysian Politics. Posted: 16 Jul 2011 07:37 PM PDT
By batsman Apparently UMNO controlled TV stations are suggesting that US funding for Bersih 2.0 is proof that Bersih is a threat to national security because it is in league with foreign interests. Thus they are now threatening to abuse their power to freeze the assets of those involved in activities against national security. This is a Catch 22 situation for Bersih 2.0. Bersih 2.0 is saying that one of the reasons elections in Malaysia are not free and fair is that UMNO controlled civil service, police, judiciary, and EC, etc., calls all the shots. UMNO is now suggesting that those involved in activities deemed a threat to national security can have their assets frozen and that those institutions which it controls can decide whether Bersih 2.0 is engaged in activities deemed a threat to national security or not. This means that electoral reforms are or can be put in abeyance by:
First it is up to those who are controlled by UMNO (according to Bersih 2.0) to decide that Bersih is an illegal organization and it is also up to those controlled by UMNO to decide that Bersih 2.0 is deemed to be engaged in activities detrimental to national security. Bersih is therefore tied, gagged and thrown into a frozen pond to freeze to death or drown – does not matter which. In fact just about anybody deemed to be engaged in activities by those institutions controlled by UMNO can be processed in a similar manner. This power is of such great consequence and so unlimited that it can also be applied to foreign investors if they are deemed to be engaged in activities detrimental to national security by those institutions controlled by UMNO. There is absolutely no checks and balances at all (sort of). Resorting to the Malaysian judicial system is expensive, time consuming and subject to control and interference by UMNO. The only difference between a foreign investor and a citizen of Malaysia is that the foreign investor is protected by his government and his wealth while the Malaysian citizen is protected by the UMNO government and the subsidies given by UMNO. I guess this is how UMNO sees the situation, but how does the US see the situation? I am no expert on this matter. I guess those experts in the US can tell better. However since they choose not to reveal their thoughts in an open and transparent way, we can only make guesses. 2 significant things come to mind.
Obviously – one supports the other to make sure that US interests are served. The US Congress wants to make sure that good democratic principles are practiced according to how the US sees good democratic principles should be practiced while Hillary Clinton reminds the UMNO government to practice good moderate Islamic democracy. Whether the recent crackdown on peaceful protestors is seen by both the US Congress and Hillary Clinton as a good practice of Islamic democracy is anybody's guess. Sometimes US interests can be observed to compromise a little on what good democratic practices should be especially if it is practiced by what they deem to be a good moderate Islamic country. Still, what they say is that they are a bit concerned but will continue to observe and monitor. At the same time, US funding for NGOs in Malaysia seem to be a bit embarrassed by the peaceful rally and kept a low profile. The US does not seem to have come out strongly to condemn the UMNO government's handling of peaceful demonstrators. So if you ask me what the influence on Malaysian politics of US funding of Malaysian NGOs is, I would have to say – zilch, nada, zero – if anything actually anti-democratic because now they are compromising Bersih 2.0 as a tool of foreign imperialism and a threat to Malaysian national security as defined by UMNO controlled institutions. As for foreign investors, especially those from the US, I guess as long as they are protected by US power and the UMNO government is seen as a coolie sucking up to US power and wealth, their interests are not shaken in the least. Malaysian citizens, as is true and correct, should be protected by their own government, by their own policemen, their own judiciary and their own central bank. |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2011 01:42 PM PDT
By Nie Ching Dear Beng Hock, Time flies! We have not seen each other for 2 years. How have you been during these 700 +days and counting? Er Jia is already 17 months old. He is just like his peers — vivacious, cheerful, active and adorable. Xin Xin, the daughter of my eldest brother, is just 3 days older than him so I always like to compare them. Xin Xin is chubby just like me when I was her age, while Er Jia is thinner. I sometimes can't resist asking Cher Wei if she feeds him enough! Come to think of it, perhaps I should have kept quiet. Both of you are on the "lean" side so I suppose Er Jia would take after the both of you. After spending time with Cher Wei, I can see that you really "fell" for a good woman! She has tremendous inner strength. She is taciturn in front of countless well-wishers, always responding in a calm dignified manner that she is well. However, I did notice her message on Facebook the other day: "I was taking a ride in my male colleague's car to work the other day. Midway into the journey, he called home and asked, 'Have you brought our precious baby home? Is precious asleep now?' … his child is 18 months old. At that moment, I felt a surge of mixed feelings but the deep pain was unmistakable and unbearable…" I felt her pain... How could such a great loss and void in her life be erased and forgotten easily? Your mother-in-law is not doing so well health-wise. She has to go to the hospital almost on a weekly basis. Lee Lan is very worried, always telling me how she wishes you were here so Cher Wei could lean on you in trying times. She is not alone in her thoughts and Cher Wei's mum probably feels the same way. As for your sister Lee Lan, she has been running around for the past 2 years on matters pertaining to your case. She keeps taking time off work and finally decided to quit her job. Her boss values her though and has advised her to think of her own future. I also asked her what would be her ideal occupation and she replied me with an air of innocence - a homemaker! Her reply stunned me! The many years of education provided by your parents might have been flushed down the drain! If not for the fateful event of July 16 from 2 years ago, Lee Lan today might just be another carefree lass who doesn't read the news or care about what happens in this country. But of course, we can't keep harping on the "if"s in real life and she grew up overnight 2 years ago. Your eldest brother is married and he has also become a father. Your parents are so delighted! On the day of marriage, Mandy, Huan Guan and I went to Melaka for the occasion. But our happiness was tainted with a sense of sorrow, seeing as how you cannot be with us on such a momentous day... Here's a piece of good news for you! Elections for village heads are finally kicking off in Selangor on July 31, 2011! We used to talk about how to return the Third Vote to the rakyat. Now, although we are still way off target, this is a small breakthrough. If you were still Ean Yong's secretary, you would be very busy with this election now. Huan Guan recently moved house but is still unsuccessful in the "marriage department". You've got to help him out! Yoke Kong is still the idealist in DAPSY but his beloved Arsenal is anything but ideal. Dickson proposed successfully in Fandao's Mr. Fat Café and his wedding is slated for year-end. Victor is now a photographer with a newspaper. There are lots of changes in our lives but the one thing that never changes is that come Chinese New Year, no matter how busy they are, they will visit your parents in Melaka together with me. Beng Hock, they truly are your buddies. As for myself, what has changed? Upon reflection, I think I have gone "soft". A few days ago, DAP organised an experience-sharing session for participants of the Bersih rally. Many "previously-virginal" protestors came and shared their thoughts with great enthusiasm - how they overcome their own fear and the police barricades, dodging teargas, avoiding the water cannons and playing hide-and-seek with the cops. They were very courageous but I was not. I am a timid person now. Two years ago, I lost my courage to invite friends to participate in rallies. I am scared. But Beng Hock, if you were still with us, you would definitely be one of the 50,000 who turned up, wouldn't you? You would be with us together, overcoming our inner fear. I wished so badly that you could be with us that night because like me, you would be exemplified by the heroes and heroines of Bersih such as Auntie Annie, the undergraduates, the ordinary Malaysians, and see a bright future for all Malaysians. Beng Hock, you would have watched us from afar in the last 2 years. Do you think our beloved country is getting better or more chaotic? Are the people more united or more divided? How much more of this challenging journey will we as a nation have to travel? I do not know, Beng Hock, just as I do not know if I will ever find out the truth about what happened to you on that fateful 19 July, just as I do not know if justice will eventually prevail. But, what I do know and what the participants of the Bersih rally know, is that we belong to this nation, and this nation belongs to us. Dear Beng Hock, I hope you can bless and watch over Cher Wei, Er Jia, your parents, Lee Lan, and this country, from where you are now. From a friend who misses you, Nie Ching |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2011 01:35 PM PDT By Lim Guan Eng BN should stop destroying Malaysia's financial reputation with irresponsible statements like freezing the assets of those deemed risky to the nation's security because they participate in Bersih rallies calling for clean and fair elections as well as receive funding from non-profit foreign NGOs. Bersih had clarified that money the group received from two US organisations - the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Open Society Institute (OSI) - were for other projects unrelated to the July 9 march. DAP strongly condemns Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek Hussin's irresponsible statement that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) can freeze the assets of those believed to be participating in activities if the police recommend so. Such actions are detrimental to Malaysia's efforts to establish itself as a safe haven for capital and investments. Awang is the same person who announced that the Federal government had approved sports betting licenses in time for the 2010 World Cup. BN was embarrassed and forced to withdraw the sports betting licenses after the Penang state government announced the ban on sports betting, thereby destroying UMNO's arguments that of gambling is part of Chinese culture. If assets can be frozen just for participating in a peaceful assembly or for receiving funds from non-profit foreign NGOs, then many innocent Malaysians and organisations will be unfairly victimised. Using this as a political weapon against opponents of BN would be a gross abuse of the provisions within the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act allowed for the central bank to not only bar access to such funds but also trace both deposits and withdrawals of the offending accounts. Would others involved in "illegal assemblies" like UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin have their assets frozen? Why then were these provisions not applied against those suspected of corruption of accumulating extraordinary wealth beyond their means? For instance no such action was taken against those suspected of secretly taking out RM 888 billion in illicit money over a 9 year period. BN government only has itself to blame for the negative image overseas, portrayed by the international news media for its harsh crackdown on the peaceful protest Bersih. So ridiculous was the crackdown that wearing yellow was sufficient cause for arrest. And yet Queen Elizabeth received the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in a bright yellow dress two days ago in London. The Bersih protest calling for clean and fair elections descended into chaos when the police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protestors. The documented beatings and recorded brutal treatment on video tape was completely unprovoked and put Malaysia on the same international platform as the repressive Arab regimes in the Middle-East. The BN government should clean up Malaysia's image by owning up its mistakes such as firing tear gas into Tung Shin Hospital, insulting the Hindus and the Indian community by calling the revocation of Bersih S. Ambiga's citizenship, detaining A. Samad Said because his poems is considered a weapon and apologising for the brutal crackdown. It is good that Najib has admitted that the rally attracted 15,000 demonstrators and not the 5-6,000 demonstrators claimed by police. However this is not enough as more needs to be done such as withdrawing charges and releasing immediately all those arrested such as the PSM 6 including MP of Sungai Siput Dr Jeyakumar, for Bersih related activities. The Bersih rally was a paradigm shift or a transformational event that attracted all Malaysians. In many of the Bersih stories told by ordinary Malaysians marching on 9 July, many amongst the 30,000 crowd was so outraged by the repression of the police as well as moved by the solidarity and support shown by other Malaysians that they felt part of the nation called Malaysia. Finally every one felt 1Malaysia regardless of race or religion or even political affiliation, whether one is rich or poor, male or female, old or young. Even Marina Mahathir defiantly marched. Everyone marched because they wanted to be "Bersih!".
LIM GUAN ENG |
| An Evening with Nurul Izzah Anwar Posted: 15 Jul 2011 11:31 PM PDT
Catch up on recent events with Nurul Izzah Anwar at a dinner this Tuesday, 19th July 2011, at Melur Restaurant in London. Please register as places are limited. Nurul will make a short after-dinner speech before we open the floor up for questions and opinions. Order and pay for your food when you get to the restaurant. Please register here.
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| They also had their Bersih day Posted: 15 Jul 2011 02:09 PM PDT  Israeli and Palestinians take part in a rally to voice support for U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state, in Jerusalem, Friday, July 15, 2011.
The U.S. and Israel say a Mideast peace deal and Palestinian independence should come about only through talks. Both Israel and the Palestinians have launched international lobbying campaigns to drum up support for their respective positions. The banners read in Hebrew and Arabic "Together we march for liberation". (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) I hope it may open some eyes, defreeze some minds and close many mouths .... The whole world is moving and we are all part of it as human beings.By Jeff
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| Up, Close and Personal With Bourdon Posted: 15 Jul 2011 10:47 AM PDT Next Thursday, French lawyer William Bourdon will be in Penang to give an exclusive presentation to disclose how even "bigger" commissions were paid to "extremely high level" government officials in Malaysia related to the purchase of two submarines in 2002. Many have been shocked by the potentially explosive scandal in Malaysia over the billion-dollar purchase of French submarines, a deal engineered by then Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak. The Scorpene submarines are at the very heart of the continuing controversy over the death of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year old Mongolian translator who was cruelly and brutally C4-ed to her tragic death. However, many may not know that French lawyers William Bourdon, Renaud Semerdjian and Joseph Breham filed two requests with Parisian prosecutors on Dec. 4, 2009 and Feb. 23 2010 on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organization Suaram to investigate bribery and kickbacks from the deal. For over two years, Parisian prosecutors, led by investigating judges Francoise Besset Francoise Besset and Jean-Christophe Hullin, have been gingerly investigating allegations involving senior French political figures and the sales of submarines and other weaponry to governments all over the world. French news reports have said the prosecutors have backed away from some of the most serious charges out of concern for the political fallout. On the Malaysian front, Ops Scorpene has been launched to raise funds and awareness for these concerned parties to further pursue the case in the French courts. It hopes to question arms spending and transparency in arms procurement in the country. However, funds are needed to finance the legal costs in French courts. As such, Ops Scorpene aims to raise RM100,000 via events planned during the visit of the French lawyers to Malaysia. This is where YOU can play a very important role to see that justice and truth prevails. Far above all the coffee shop discussions or online rants, this is YOUR CHANCE to play an active role in unravelling truth. Organized by KL-based human rights NGO Suaram, a fund-raising dinner will be held in Penang during the French lawyer's visit to Malaysia to better inform ordinary citizens and Civil Society Organisations on the facts of the scandal that shook the nation. Other speakers include Cynthia Gabriel (SUARAM), Lim Kiat Siang (DAP), Tian Chua (PKR), and Mat Sabu (PAS). Date: 21 July 2011 (Thursday) Time: 8.00p.m. Venue: Banquet Hall Function Room 2, Level 4, Sunshine Square complex, Penang Vegetarian Dinner A table for 10 persons is priced at : Table class A -- RM 5000 Table class B -- RM 3000 Table class C -- RM 2000 Table class D -- RM 1000 Table class E -- RM 500 Individual tickets at RM50 each are also available for sale. Tickets are also available at the door. HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS - Bank in your payment at: SUARAM ACCOUNT at SUARA INISIATIF SDN BHD, A/C No: 0300 0065 200, Hong Leong Bank For international donor: (swift code) HLBBMYKL Please notify us after made your payment!!! PLS SEND YOUR BANK TRANSACTION TO US. Call to - 0163211934 Email to - refugee.suaram@gmail.com If you cannot be there for one reason or another, please feel free to contribute your donations. Your presence, support and/or kind and generous response is deeply appreciated. PLEASE JOIN US. See you there at the dinner! For further information, write to jingcheng85@yahoo.com or suarampg@gmail.com or contact Ong Jing Cheng at 012-7583779. |
| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:03 PM PDT
I just want to warn you that this doctored photograph is circulating on the Internet. This photograph is not real. The BERSIH logo has been superimposed on the photograph. The real un-doctored photograph is below it. I trust you will not be fooled by this doctored photograph.
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| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT
By batsman With only about 2 years in power, Najib is now called Bapa Transformasi on UMNO controlled TV. I see it as shameless self-aggrandizement using public funds to pay for TV advertisements. I also wonder what he thinks he has transformed in this short time? The TV ads are not very clear on this. What I can see for myself is that his wife is the most spectacular PM's wife ever. No other PM's wife has been so much in the limelight. Perhaps it is this aspect of Malaysia that Najib has transformed. Perhaps he thinks that he can transform Malaysia just by using advertising campaigns and TV ads? What is really in bad taste is that we are bombarded everyday with tasteless TV ads of self-aggrandizement – most likely paid with public money or paid by cronies out to flatter him and his wife. It is as if a cult of the personality is being attempted. But what are Najib's achievements that may lend support for such an attempt to build a personality cult? Frankly they elude me. With such TV ads trying to bludgeon the minds and sensitivities of Malaysians, it is no wonder that the stress builds up into rallies such as the one held by Bersih 2.0 recently. Will someone in his inner circle please tell him to stop?
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| A Biased and Comical Judgement Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:34 PM PDT
By Zunar I am referring to the High Court's decision in dismissing my judicial review application to challenge the banning of my cartoon books, "1Funny Malaysia" and "Perak Darul Kartun" by the Home Minister on 14 July 2011. Although this is expected, I am disappointed with the court's decision. In her judgment, Judge Rohana Yusof said, she agreed with the government's argument that "1Funny Malaysia" and "Perak Darul Kartun" are detrimental to public order. But she failed to address the core issue: in what context are my cartoon books, or its content can be regarded as detrimental to public order as stated by the government as a reason of the banning? Which one of the 150 hundred pieces of cartoons in these two books is dangerous to the public? I am sad that the court chooses to ignore the freedom of expression as provided by the Federal Constitution and support the government's move to suppress the objective editorial cartoons. By upholding the banning, the court fails to acknowledge the role of political cartoonists as the 'check and balance' agents, as practiced in any democratic country. Therefore, I think the judgment is biased and comical. This is a sad day in Malaysian cartooning industry. It kills the future younger generation of critical cartoonists that can contribute in developing the nation. I will continue to draw cartoons to expose the corruptions of the Najib government, as this is a duty of an editorial cartoonist. ZULKIFLEE ANWAR ULHAQUE (ZUNAR) |
| Najib suffers from a “mild stroke” in UK Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:21 PM PDT
By Martin Jalleh He calls police action "quite mild." It appears that the Prime Minister has suffered a mild "brain attack" whilst on an official visit to UK. |
| Detention without trial in Malaysia Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:57 AM PDT
By Dr Kua Kia Soong Simon Tisdall's World briefing (14 July) on Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak's violent suppression of last weekend's street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur was a welcome reminder to the Cameron government of its commitment to human rights. The Najib government has continued the decades of suppression of Malaysians' freedom of expression, assembly and association, and blatant racial discrimination. Most objectionable of its abuses is the use of detention without trial under three different laws. The most infamous of these is the Internal Security Act, which has been used against more than 10,000 people since it was passed in 1960. Today more Malaysians have been detained without trial under the emergency ordinance and the Dangerous Drugs Act than under the Internal Security Act. Six leaders of the Socialist Party of Malaysia, including Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj MP, were detained just before last weekend's demonstration under the emergency ordinance. They are being held in solitary confinement, which is a form of mental torture, and face further two-year renewable detention orders. Throughout the years of abusing human rights by detention without trial, the Malaysian special branch has used torture with impunity. David Cameron should demand the immediate release of detainees, the abolition of detention without trial, and the ratification of the convention against torture and the convention on the eradication of racial discrimination before doing business with the Najib government. Failure to do so would be another compromise of British commitment to human rights, democracy and justice. Dr Kua Kia Soong Director, Suaram for Human Rights *This letter was published in The Guardian, UK.
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| Malaysians in the United States submit Bersih 2.0 memorandum to the Malaysian Embassy Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:18 AM PDT Washington, DC -- Malaysians gather at the Malaysian Embassy, and send a Bersih 2.0 memorandum and signatures of support to the Malaysian Embassy, in support of the Bersih 2.0 Movement to demand free and fair elections. Khair Bahari Ahmad, Third Secretary (Administration & Finance) represents His Excellency Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Ambassador of Malaysia to the United States of America, to receive the memorandum and signatures submitted by Phebie Thum. His Excellency Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis is not in Washington, D.C. |
| Dear PM, do you really want a second term? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:08 AM PDT You, the believers in BN, must come to realise that you are no different from those you think are anti-BN – you and they all want the same things. It is BN that wants you to believe that you and they want different things. By AsamLaksa I have a strong suspicion that UMNO and BN are about to abandon ship. For those in BN and their supporters, I say it is time to wake up and find a life vest; your captain is about to leave you all to drown. Why do I think so? Well, let's start with the PM who has not yet led a general election. There is no more pretence of winning hearts and minds. It is a stark contrast with the initial 1Malaysia campaign where he appeared to try but now he can't even be bothered to even pretend. He can't even be bothered with any populist agenda. The recent policies add burden to the citizens without a sweetener on the side; for example, raising the price of petrol without actually using the additional funds earned into other Where in the world is Najib Abdul Razak? The PM has travelled the world many times in his first term without really pushing for any political or economic agenda. It is free holidays all paid by the taxpayers. Err, who's running the country? The country is in crisis post July 9 and he has gone walkies. Does he really care? This reminds me of former world leaders who, close to the end of their term in office, tend to have their last all expenses paid red carpet travel – one last hurrah. I would not be surprised if the 13th general election is held as far back as possible so that he can slot in a few more overseas trips. Where has Najib and Rosmah not been to yet? The cabinet is also showing signs of giving up. There's the big spending in times of austerity. It's one of those let them eat cake moment – out of touch and insensitive to the public. There isn't even any attempt to justify the spending with future savings. It's more like an attempt to empty the coffers. There is little substance in long term economic policies. The hoped for major changes never occurred. Instead they hyped up the projections but when looked at closer you can't find the meat. Progress can't happen just by talking about it. It's the same story with social policies, simply no substance. Take the government scholarships for instance where many top scorers do not get offers in Malaysia and some were offered foreign scholarships. This has been going on for decades now. On one hand the government talk about attracting back foreign based Malaysians to address the brain-drain issue but it makes little effort to stem the leak by retaining all the top scorers in the first place. Even after the issue was highlighted the government still only paid lip service and defended their assessment criteria and method. So now it's down to the BN members and supporters. Najib's administration still needs you all the way to the last moment when the Tanah Melayu Titanic hits the reality iceberg and there are not enough lifeboats for everyone – it won't be women and children first or you jump, I jump. What Najib's administration wants is time. You the BN supporters are giving them the time to amass their fortunes and milk the privileges. They fool you into directing attention towards enemies that you can't really grab hold of; like how do you fight Bersih 2.0 which is bigger than Ambiga and Anwar – it is an idea that lives and breeds in the minds of millions of Malaysians? Najib and his ilk want you, their supporters, to be their shield to protect them from real scrutiny. You, the supporters of BN, are not asking the right questions. You are not asking the government you place your trust in what have they done to make life better for you and the people closest to you? Have they made you feel safer and secure in your future? Have they made sure your elders' and children's health and welfare are taken care of? If you think that other groups are better off than you, ask yourself under whose watch that happened? You, the believers in BN, must come to realise that you are no different from those you think are anti-BN – you and they all want the same things. It is BN that wants you to believe that you and they want different things. From the quality of its leaders, BN's reign is ending. It may not be in GE13 but it is definitely in a spiral towards ground and Najib and his ministers could not care less. (If anyone finds this useful, could you please translate to Malay, Chinese or Tamil and disseminate. Thank you.) |
| Voter's registration in Kuching, Sarawak Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT DAP Socialist Youth with collaboration with PAS Youth wing and Angkatan Muda Keadilan will organise a voters registration this Friday at E-Mart at Jalan Matang, Petra Jaya from 7.30pm - 10.00p.m and at Matang Sunday Market from 7.am till 10am. This jointly organise event will be the first of its kind joint voter registration help in Sarawak. Those who have not registered as a voter are encouraged to come and register at our booth. For more information, please contact Andrew Sim at 0168799606 or Awang Saifeluddin at 0168899149. |
| Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT To date, more than 30 cities around the globe held a Bersih 2.0 rally on the same day. All these rallies were organized by people like you and me, ordinary people who want to see change for our country. By Leng-Feng Bersih 2.0 is a peaceful rally scheduled on July 9th, 2011 2pm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The goal of Bersih 2.0 is straight forward: demanding clean and fair elections for the people of Malaysia. It is about electoral reform that is long needed in Malaysia. A group of people gathered in New York City to support their countrymen in Malaysia who chose to go to the streets on 709. This is a grass-root movement in which people rise up to answer the call of Bersih 2.0 to demand electoral reform, so that every vote counts. This 'documentary' records bits and pieces on that day, and the day before. When I decided to organize the Bersih 2.0 in NYC (simply because I couldn't find anyone organizing it at that time), about 3 weeks before the event, I thought I might end up showing up there alone, probably with my girlfriend. Roughly 10 days before the event, Kwang Huei from NJ joined me to help organize this event. This is a great help since he is in NJ while I live in MA. A week before the event, we had roughly 30 people who told us they will attend the event. A day before the event, the number jumped to 60. But we didn't know how many will actually show up the next day. This uncertainty is a result of the fear of the government of Malaysia, who have threaten its citizens with strong words and declared the rally 'illegal'. Students under government sponsored scholarships received letters warning them not to participate in this event. Soon after we started to organize one, at about the same time, San Frans, LA, and later Chicago, D.C. and many other cities around the world started to self-organize Bersih 2.0 in their respective counties. Most of us spread the news and the event through Facebook. Later, we learnt that others shared event info to many online forums, which then attracted other non-FB users. To date, more than 30 cities around the globe held a Bersih 2.0 rally on the same day. All these rallies were organized by people like you and me, ordinary people who want to see change for our country. We formed a loosely-tied global steering committee to share info and materials. All these happened in less than 2 weeks. And as people used to say, the rest, is history. Watch video at: http://www.vimeo.com/26404460
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| Suggesting a possible strategy for future rallies : Loving kindness and compassion to the Police Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT The strategy of demonising the police could backfire on the safety of participants in future rallies because we are making them (the police force) enemies. In normal human behavior, if you back someone in a corner and do not give them space and time to think over what they have done or what they are about to do then the normal human reaction is to retaliate with force since they have all the tools of oppression. By KUO Yong Kooi I am an activist dropped out and had not been involved in any political activist work for more than 15 years now. My last work was with Suaram in early 96 for 5 months. After that final short stint I decided to head to a monastery in Burma and then to Thailand to try out the lifestyle of a Buddhist Monk for two years in search of "the meaning of life". I would like to suggest some possible strategies looking at a distance from only through the news in World Wide Web and facebook from friends. Of course, the best possible suggestion is to observe it from the ground but I think after having been to many demonstrations during my student activist days, I am sure the psychology and dynamics of it does not change much as we are all humans that have the common fear, confidence, excitement and anger factors all mixed up together in a tense moment at rallies. Twenty years ago when you call for a rally you can virtually count the heads that turned up. It was almost like knocking your head against the brick wall. Demonstrators were outnumbered by police. Bersih 1.0, 2.0 and many others recently have shown that the brick wall we have been knocking has ruptured. It is just a matter of time the wall will come tumbling down. The question is how many lives are we willing to sacrifice for this wall to tumble? I believe the strategies we adopt might be able to change the body bag counts in future rallies (inshaaalah of course). That would also depend on how vicious the UMNO regime in training up some crack forces to deal with demonstrators in the future. The aftermath of Bersih 2.0 has clearly shown that the "Silent majority rakyat" had loss faith in the UMNO regime. If there were no intimidation from the UMNO regime, one million could have easily turned out. There are rare historical events like the collapse of the Soviet Union where the top leader hands in the white flag and the apparatus was dismantled peacefully. Pre Bersih 2.0 demonstrated that the UMNO leaders be it Najib or Muhyiddin are willing to dig deep, but I don't think at the level of Gaddafi, but probably at the level of Hosni Mubarak or Ferdinand Marcos. As long as the rakyat is willing to provide a few helicopters for Rosmah and Najib, inshaaalah no lives lost. That is the easiest exit strategy for the top leaders. Let's look back a few decades ago at the defining moment in the Phillippines' history where there was a stand off between the demonstrators and the military under the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Lots of demonstrators gave flowers to the military and then the revolution was over shortly after that. I think most of us would agree that the majority of our country's police force is not educated enough to be fair referees. The next big task for the opposition and the civil society is to re-educate the police force to be fair referees. The same as Bersih's objectives are to get the Election Commission to be fair referees, it seems like the more immediate stumbling block are the police not being fair referees. The strategy of demonising the police could backfire on the safety of participants in future rallies because we are making them (the police force) enemies. In normal human behavior, if you back someone in a corner and do not give them space and time to think over what they have done or what they are about to do then the normal human reaction is to retaliate with force since they have all the tools of oppression. Shabas to the Bersih 2.0 rally participants for being extremely vigilant in making the rally peaceful. I must admit it was world standard, the rakyat behaved very matured in front of "a yet to be developed country's" police force. As my previous experiences in rallies informed me that in a rally dynamics, rally participants have to shout the slogans to vent out the years of frustrations in their heart on the government's wrong doing. I would agree that shouting out loud is a non-violent way to voice our opinion. After meditating for a while and contemplated on it, I think it is still seen to be overly aggressive if you are at the receiving end of things. I recall an incident when I was working for Suaram, I was at a rally to prevent the demolision of some squatter houses. I was photographed by a special branch officer. I reacted angrily by confronting the Special Branch officer and shouted at him and insisting that he should take my photos clearer, ie right in front of him. The Officer was shocked at my action. Although it was technically classified as non-violent in modern times, the action caused the Special branch officer to retaliate in the same manner of aggression towards me. A Buddhist perspective in non-violence is basically extending an aura of non-intimidation towards your so-called enemies, including sending an aura of kindness and compassion to them for they are beings just like us seeking safety and security. So to emphasise on that, imagine you are the police force with numbers for example 2,000 confronting a crowd of 20,000. As the crowd shouts a slogan, do you feel safe and secure as a police officer hearing the thundering slogans ramp into your ears? In a tense stand off like that the rally participants also have their fears of death and injuries as the police have their M16, tear gas, water cannon and baton. Demonstrators would naturally shout and show fists to gain confidence to try to overcome the fear and anger factors, therefore that action itself I believe creates another round of fear on the other side of the fence for they know that they were outnumbered. Of course in those rally days when I have not discovered meditation, I guess that is the only normal human thing that I can do and my perspective at that point is justifiable and definitely non-violent. After the meditation days, I discovered there are other ways to overcome fear without exerting an aura of intimidation to others so that the other side of the fence feel completely safe. Loving kindness meditation is one other way. I am sure other religions have it. In future, if the Umno regime decides to ban a rally, then the real stumbling block are the police. At that standoff point, the politicians are using the police/military apparatus to dig in. The decision makers in Putrajaya have no power at all. If more than half of the police force decides not to carry out the order, then the so called order from the top has been rendered ineffective. So I guess the next strategy is to ask all demonstrators to bring flowers "hibiscus" it's easily available (and original, since jasmine is already known and used in the Middle East) and walk silently. Say prayers in our hearts quietly to overcome fear and anger. An atmosphere like that is less intimidating for the other side and if we do receive a round of tear gas, at least it would give the police force the benefit of the doubt that we meant no harm to them and that would hopefully backfire on their conscience. All beings have conscience. Great idea in wearing yellow every Saturday. The rakyat can also diffuse the tension by belanja "teh tarik bersih" to our police force when opportunity arises. I would not call that corruption. I think that is crucial in diffusing further tension. Another great world history lesson is the South African "truth and reconciliation" commission in resolving the matters involving the police and military wrong doings during the apartheid years. I think that is a great way to move forward. Some might think that this is a crazy suggestion/idea, I think the battle has not been won yet. Creating more enemies can only create more barriers for ourselves in future battles. Makcik Anne Ooi with her flower has got the greatest impact on me as far as I am concerned. May we all be well and happy. KUO Yong Kooi
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