Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Malaysian politics is overheating with Anwar-bashing
- My personal opinion of Anwar Ibrahim
- RPK’s Statement Baseless And Unsupported
- RAJA PETRA PERLU BERI MAKLUMAT LANJUT DAKWAAN RASUAH
- Student bashing: Is Malaysia already a future North Korea?
- Immigration Blues
- ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
- Article 153 is not just for Malays but for every Malaysian!
- Is the BN Serious about Race Relations
- MCA implodes, a blow to BN
- Appeal Letter by PLKN Operator to the Prime Minister
| Malaysian politics is overheating with Anwar-bashing Posted: 01 Jan 2012 09:43 PM PST Whichever way we look at it, for argument's sake, what so wrong if DSAI is a gay? And if he is a confirmed long-time gay, how come UMNO in the first place endorsed, enlisted, groomed and nurtured him during the Mahathir era? Worst, Mahathir himself paraded to the world that Anwar was his sole and only worthy Deputy, after having sacked other predecessors. By J. D. Lovrenciear Even before the courts can dish a verdict of guilty or innocent, the political marauders have already gone into overdrive plundering at a man, father, husband, friend, leader – and above all a Malaysian who has the solid support of honorable leaders from the Opposition political divide and many examplary individuals all across the globe. Truly, by any perspective you look at the politics in Malaysia, we have lost all decency, sensibility and in place are wallowing in a sordid state of scum. The most recent is the currently broiling sensation involving the widely subscribed and popular blog of Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) - Malaysia Today and its architect. The amount of national time, national resources and ink and paper and blog space that has gone into bashing this one man – Anwar Ibrahim is probably far more greater than that of Watergate Scandal involving Nixon or the more recent in memory, that of the Clinton-Lewinsky episode. If ever there is to be an international award for the 'Most Outrageous Politically Laced Sex Scandal' competition, Malaysia will be the crown-grabber and probably be the only contestant. Whichever way we look at it, for argument's sake, what is so wrong if DSAI is gay? And if he is a confirmed long-time gay, how come UMNO in the first place endorsed, enlisted, groomed and nurtured him during the Mahathir era? Worse, Mahathir himself paraded to the world that Anwar was his sole and only worthy Deputy, after having sacked other predecessors. Only when the Financial Crisis helmed in, suddenly Anwar is gay! Even any heavenly revelation would have lost to this drama of the centuries. By any account, what is the gross difference between a gay and a straight-sex man who takes advantage of the weaker sex who are minors? Or for that matter, what of those who discreetly keep more than their rightfully wedded wives as sex toys? Are there none in our society? Or how about those who steal another man or woman's spouse under the camouflage of divorce and re-marry? Are these approved sins? Do we not have such examples within the seemingly sacred tabernacles of the power corridors of UMNO and BN? The whole of Lorong Haji Taib is stinking to high heavens right to this day with pondan-sex-for-sale day and night. This is of no national concern, but Anwar is? Or how about the upper-class joineries splashed all along Bukit Bintang and Petaling Street? Sex-for-sale is a booming business here. And who says that our 5-Star hotels are free of sins against the flesh? Are these pardonable and should therefore be condoned, encouraged and therefore remain protected? Let us not think that the electorate are fools. Let us also not run away with the notion that Malaysians cannot think. Above all, we must stop playing God. If and when politics sinks to the lowest ebb mired in misplaced sex and lust bashing strategies, when it grovels in the pit of personal morality issues while the national socio-landscape is punctured with flesh trade, we have lost everything sane and sensible. Indeed we are hypocrites of the highest order, nothing less really. Let then the first man (or woman) who has never sinned in whatsoever way, be the first to cast the stone at Anwar Ibrahim. And let that person be reminded too that prophets in the past have admonished that even prostitutes are worthy of merit when there is remorse. It is a shame. It is a disgrace. It is a reputation disaster for Malaysia in the global eyes when our political battle strategies against opponents are drawn with sex-tainted allegations. Truly Malaysia stands out as the only country in the world today that is so preoccupied these past several years doing political battle by using sex as the batter against one man. Therein rests the true state of Malaysian politics, Malaysian leadership and Malaysian governance. How are we going to capture our history for the generations to come? |
| My personal opinion of Anwar Ibrahim Posted: 01 Jan 2012 08:03 PM PST Leaving aside Anwar's superior oratory skills and empowering personality, what else has he proven himself to us? Viva Liberte Negaraku, Viva Liberte Malaysia Recently our country has been seen to be undergoing tremendous political fluidity towards some may say in the right path of democracy. A lot of these has been attributed to one man who seems to have made a second coming into Malaysian politics and within a hairs breadth knocking on the PM's door to take over his place, ie DSAI.It is without a doubt Anwar possesses some great characteristics; none greater than his spectacular oratory skills enabling him to sway and eventually command a good majority of the general public's opinion. I have my personal reservations about him, not because I find him incapable to be PM but I find that his character is suspect. I shall list my reasons below for debate, kindly bear in mind I am no expert of his biography: 1) Baling incident; You must also understand that this took place in the 70's long before the corrupt-infested government that is so evident today. Death due to starvation in Malaysia (for that matter anywhere in the world) should never happen but I am quite sure it occurred due to the inefficiency of the government of that day and had nothing to do with their corruption or ill conscience. For whatever Anwar's genuine intention of leading a demonstration then, the fact is it definitely catapulted his political career. Coming from a family where his father was one of the youngest UMNO MPs, I am quite sure he knew what he was doing and where that incident will take him. 2) ISA detainee; 3) UMNO/PAS; 4) His legacy in UMNO; As the Finance Minister, he fought tooth and nail against pegging the ringgit when on hindsight we are all aware was a masterstroke by Dr M that saved not just Malaysia but this region. Whose brilliant idea was it to give hard earned tax payers money amounting to RM 1 billion to Indonesia and that too when we were going through one of our worst financial crisis. Was someone trying to look good on the international stage? 5) He is Mr Clean; Just because he was never caught does not do justice to the argument here. If it needs be reminded, even with Pakatan Rakyat now controlling 4 states, it is difficult to unearth dirt on most UMNO leaders. 'Angels' like Mohd Taib, Samy Velu etc still remain clean in the eyes of the 'law'. 6) He couldn't do much because of Dr M; 7) That was then now is now; 8) Drama Queen; During the HINDRAF rally (pre and post), was Anwar around? However, guess who was suddenly there championing the Indians' rights in Klang just after the infamous HINDRAF 5 ISA arrests. Wow, what a 'Makkal Sakthi' guy! The Turkish embassy fiasco and of course the the Sept 16 drama that practically crippled the whole country economically. 9) His sacrifice going to jail from 1998 to 2004; So my friend, leaving aside Anwar's superior oratory skills and empowering personality, what else has he proven himself to us? I know of a similar late Malay actor/singer who possessed similar atributes but did not go far politically. Should we regret that ? Please do not misinterpret what I am trying to put across here. I do believe we are on the crossroads of political change and Anwar is at the moment our best candidate by chance or default to be our next PM. However, what is more important is the rakyat should be the ones in control and not just one person. We must watch him and Pakatan Rakyat like hawks once they take control of the government and never ever make the same mistakes we did with BN. Be a patriot and think out of the box!
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| RPK’s Statement Baseless And Unsupported Posted: 01 Jan 2012 04:08 PM PST I refer to blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin's interview in which he discusses 'gay Prime Ministers' in relation to the sodomy trial of federal Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He also says he is '90 per cent sure' that the person in the notorious 'Datuk T' sex video is Anwar Ibrahim. I do not wish to speculate as to RPK's motives in making such statements. However I do say that his statements, insinuations and innuendoes are unfair, untrue, unsupported by any believable evidence and plainly libellous. For some reason, RPK ignores the fact that the entire sodomy case is a transparent fabrication by Umno/BN with the connivance and cooperation of the police force and the Attorney General's office. RPK's insinuations are thus based upon a malicious conspiracy which is widely disbelieved throughout this country and abroad. Anwar's trial has made a mockery of justice, and fair and accepted legal procedures; and it has been condemned as such by civil and political leaders as well as rights bodies worldwide. The failure to disclose material evidence critical to the defence; the serious flaws in the way forensic samples were obtained, stored and analyzed; the unusual and legally unsound pre-judgement of the case by Judge Zabidin at the end of prosecution case; the extraordinary meeting between the complainant and the Prime Minister, and the PM's lying explanation for it, are but some of the proofs of a wide-ranging conspiracy behind the Sodomy II case. Upon this shaky ground, RPK builds a ramshackle tower of vague suppositions and wild innuendoes. |
| RAJA PETRA PERLU BERI MAKLUMAT LANJUT DAKWAAN RASUAH Posted: 01 Jan 2012 10:05 AM PST KENYATAAN AKHBAR Saya terpanggil untuk memberi komen selepas membaca temubual eksklusif bekas rakan reformasi yang juga Penulis Blog, Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) bersama akhbar-akhbar milik UMNO yang disiarkan semalam. Meskipun saya menghormati hak RPK melakukan analisa politiknya namun saya berasa mushkil dan sesungguhnya hanya beliau seorang sahaja yang mengetahui logik sebenar kenyataan tersebut. Pada masa yang sama saya percaya rakyat boleh menilai sendiri kenyataan dan dakwaan yang dibuat oleh RPK seperti disiarkan The Sunday Times dan Berita Minggu - dua akhbar yang dulunya pernah mengkritik dan mengutuk RPK secara keras kerana menentang Kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Walau apapun sebab yang membawa kepada tindakan akhbar-akhbar tersebut bertukar selera serta ghairah memberi keistimewaan kepada RPK, yang pasti RPK harus bertanggungjawab ke atas apa yang beliau telah katakan. Tuduhan beliau bahawa wujud amalan rasuah di Selangor; duit kopi yang melibatkan para usahawan berbangsa Cina, adalah tuduhan serius. Kami menuntut RPK untuk tampil memberikan butiran lanjut kepada Kerajaan Negeri dan pihak berwajib agar penyiasatan terperinci dapat dilakukan. Kerajaan Negeri bersedia membayar kos perjalanan RPK ke Pejabat Pentadbiran Kerajaan kerana untuk makluman RPK Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah memperuntukkan sejumlah RM15 juta untuk membasmi rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa di Negara ini khususnya di Selangor. Jumlah tersebut termasuk di dalam Geran Selangorku yang diumumkan oleh YAB Dato' Menteri Besar ketika pembentangan Belanjawan 2012 yang lalu. Sesungguhnya inilah sekecil-kecil jasa yang beliau boleh lakukan untuk membantu kerajaan yang benar-benar mahu membenteras rasuah; apatah lagi beliau sendiri dari darah bangsawan negeri Selangor. RPK tidak seharusnya melemparkan dakwaan liar hanya semata-mata mahu memperlekeh usaha Kerajaan Negeri untuk mewujudkan sebuah pentadbiran yang baik, bersih dan penuh pertanggungjawaban. Kami sesungguhnya simpati dan amat memahami kekecewaan beliau yang terpaksa hidup dalam buangan di tengah-tengah permasalahan peribadi yang beliau hadapi, tetapi dengan melemparkan dakwaan liar sebegini tidak akan membantu membawanya pulang ke negara ini. Sebaliknya ianya hanya akan mencemarkan lagi imejnya yang sudah sediakala tercalar. Rata-rata teman reformasi yang sempat dihubungi serta rakyat biasa, telahpun membuat kesimpulan bahawa RPK begitu terdesak serta mengharapkan kebebasan dan dibenarkan pulang ke negara ini. Insuransnya mudah; tohmahan dan fitnah terhadap Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dan Penasihat Ekonomi Negeri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai serangan awal menghadapi pilihan raya umum.
FAEKAH HUSIN SETIAUSAHA POLITIK KEPADA YAB DATO' MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR
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| Student bashing: Is Malaysia already a future North Korea? Posted: 31 Dec 2011 11:42 PM PST We cannot stain our hands with the sins of killing our own children for the sake of keeping power. By J. D. Lovrenciear The new year 2012 begins with a black cloak shrouding an already gasping democracy. And this is not in a distant, iron fisted regime but right here in Malaysia! The brutal blows thrown by the long hand of the law keepers on our young, vibrant and vocal youths from the corridors of future leaders – our universities, with one student battling for his life is a shocking trauma that grips the nation of 28 million citizens and another four to eight million of foreign labor here. How do we allow this? What justifications can anyone dish out? Will we once again sweep all these democracy-bashing governance tactics under the carpet and resume life as if semuanya okay? Law abiding, nation-caring, and democracy champions must rise to the occasion and demand univocally in all earnesty: How do we respond to such blatant high handedness that smacks right in the vital spot of true democracy? Do we need to be brutal in our ways in curbing public expression within the corridors of knowledge and leadership formation? Are there no more civil and globally accepted standards that we could have deployed to bring about awareness, understanding, empathy and acceptance amongst groups (students) who have a going-concern? The Prime Minister and the Education Minister must hold themselves accountable to this darkened start of a new year. The worst tyranny that any statesman can commit is to allow the brutal and lethal blow-treatment against innocent, unarmed -- the children of future Malaysia, who want a participative role in the formation of a better nation in their future ahead of them. Are our ministers so preoccupied that they did not anticipate the issues brewing and having the propensity to disintegrate into a crisis and finally ended up having to react by using the high handed law keepers to breach all decency and protection owing to our youth? All civil society, learned minds, committed activities must come forward and demand that civil liberties and true democratic expressions that do not threaten national security cannot be brutalized like what has happened now. We cannot stain our hands with the sins of killing our own children for the sake of keeping power. We need to know and accept the fact that that students' uprising is because of issues that go ignored and unattended in a persuasive, convincing and transparent manner. We need to realize that as long as the powers-that-be continue to stifle public display of concerns by using might power with total disregard for the safety and security of protestors, we are only being reminded that Malaysia is becoming a highly intolerant society of power that intimidates, annihilates and hinges on the edge of becoming a potential North Korea. No? Then what is it? Surely our neighbors are watching. Surely our major trading partners are increasingly becoming cautious. And surely, we – all Malaysians will become the victims of such brutality aimed at staying in power at all costs. Yes we do not condone restlessness. We do not want street marches. We want peace, harmony and co-existence. But when politicians lose their two cents worth of moral fiber and will not hesitate to go to extremes to bargain and keep power at the expense of basic democratic principles, then we have lost our radar for the journey into the second decade of the 21st century. The buck must stop here. How? When? Who? And when there are no answers to these questions, we know that we are already doomed in our progress. The presiding government owes all Malaysians answers and explanations that better be good. |
| Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:59 PM PST I supposed the warning signs were there, the extensions to his visa getting shorter from 3 months to 2 months then 1 month. He has tried applying for a religous teacher's visa but since he's not attached to any known temple, the move was a non-goer!! By Chuen Tick Teo "John Doe", a British Buddhist monk (he goes by the same Buddhist address, Bhante -teacher) has been a regular feature at the Super Tanker and Lip Seng wet market in Penang on Sundays the last 6/7 years; that is, unless he has to go over to Thailand every 3 months or so to have his tourist visa renewed. One will find him standing by his favourite spots, barefooted, alms bowl in hand by about 7am. The regulars will be offering him via the vendors, vegetables, eggs, fruits, dry foodstuff and consumables. Other market goers will offer likewise whatever food item they like. And, he is very particular about this aspect of Buddhist practice. He does not accept cash on these alms rounds at the 2 markets. Those not conversant with this aspect are politely requested to buy some food item to donate. Yes, Bhante has a racket going on there on Sundays and many ordinary men and women on the street are happy to be part of it. By about 9am, all the items have been consolidated and Chee Ying*, his regular helper will have sorted them out. One portion is for his personal consumption; one portion goes to the Shan's Children Home at Mt. Erskine, Penang; one portion goes to another regular Mr Chan* who distributes them to 6 destitute families and there's always some for the young lad's family that helps him on these alms rounds. (The current distribution model as it is is fluid and was changed over the years.) He makes no distinction between race nor creed and in the years I've known him, I know of a Malay family, 2 Hindu families and a Christian voluntary organisation who have accepted the items Bhante had collected. Bhante will take a puff before setting off in faithful Mr Lim's* car for the journey home to Hong Seng estate. No, he makes no pretense about this worldly habit he has been unable to kick. What you see, is what you get. And, yes, he stays in no regular temple. A supporter rented this place for him so that Bhante can carry out this racket, this sort of providing the channel for ordinary people to do some good that makes an important and immediate impact on someone's life. I supposed the warning signs were there, the extensions to his visa getting shorter from 3 months to 2 months then 1 month. He knows it, his supporters in the know also knows it - that he's flouting immigration rules but the Malaysian government's immigration rules against non-Islamic foreign religous teachers are very rigid. He has tried applying for a religous teacher's visa but since he's not attached to any known temple, the move was a non-goer!! Then, it happened - on 30.12.2011 he was denied entry into Thailand. Bhante has no idea why Thailand is part of the action taken and that he's on the Malaysian Immigration Entry blacklist. Since his visa expires on 31.12.2011, he has been told to leave Malaysia by midnight today. I'm writing this as way to put forward the idea that certain immigration rules pertaining to non-Islamic religous teachers needs to be amended. Yes, I also know there are many bogus monks/nuns/religous teachers around but there must be ways for genuine practitioners to be issued proper/legal visas. I'm writing this to bid farewell and Bon Voyage to this unorthodox Buddhist monk, who in his own way has taught one important aspect of dana, giving in Buddhist practice to many lay people. He harbours hopes of returning but as matters stand now, I don't see it happening any time soon. |
| Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:37 AM PST 1. In the past few weeks, the MACC has been very prolific. Many advertorials have been published in the main stream newspapers of the MACC's achievements in eradicating corruption. The conviction of former Selangor MB Dato Seri Khir Toyo to 1 year imprisonment seems to boost the MACC's image. 2. The MACC blazed the trail again when on the 21st December 2011, the MACC announced the arrest of five (5) civil servants for bribery in separate places in Kedah. On Tuesday 27th December 2011, the husband of the ex-CEO of the Iskandar Investment Board (IIB), Mohd Amin Suhaimi, was charged in Johor Bharu for corruption. It seems strange that the ex-CEO herself was not charged. Then on Wednesday 29th December, a former IIB senior V-P, Rostam Razali, was fined RM20,000 after he pleaded guilty for abuse of power in disclosing confidential tender price information. Chairman – Social Care Foundation |
| Article 153 is not just for Malays but for every Malaysian! Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:51 PM PST The simple meaning is that the Agong is the protector of ALL Malaysians, and not just the Malays! So why do leaders like Ibrahim Ali keep harping on this Article 153 as if it is a sacred provision for the Malays only? Are they idiots who can't read? By Daniel John Jambun Datuk Ibrahim Ali just came up with a gem of truth when he said there is no need for a Race Relations Act if people behave. "If everyone behaves, if nobody touches on (Article) 153, nobody questions this and that, condemns this and that, and at the same time recognises the disparity of wealth between Malays and non-Malays, I don't think we need any additional Act," he said. How very true! Out of so many idiotic statements we have heard from political jokers, this one is a real gem of truth. The funny thing is that Ibrahim thinks he said something very brilliant when in fact it is simple truism (truth that doesn't need to be said). Yes, we wouldn't need any law for that matter if everyone behaves. We wouldn't need the police, the security guards, the magistrates and judges, nor the prisons if there were no criminals. We wouldn't need the Speaker in Parliament if every Member of Parliament can behave and not become rowdy or insensitive comedians making fun of women. But who are really behaving badly in Malaysia? Who are those questioning this and that, condemning this and that? I guess only Ibrahim is the luckiest guy in the country because he makes all sorts of seditious and racist statements, misbehaving in a way that he should be arrested and charged in court, but nobody touches him, no national leaders even dare to ask him to shut up. Of the Race Relations Act he said that "We will see the draft of the Act. If it is good for the country, we have no problem supporting it," he said. "But whatever Act is introduced ... it must not encroach upon (Article) 153, Islam as the official religion of the Federation, Bahasa Melayu as the national language, the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers." We all know that there is no question about Islam being the official religion, Bahasa Melayu as the national language or the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers. What I would precisely prefer to talk about is Article 153. It is very tiring to keep hearing political leaders speak about Article 153 as if it belongs only to the Malays. If we read the article in its entirety we will be reminded very clearly that it is not a protection for Malay rights, and neither has it got to do with any so-called social contract. It says that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is responsible for safeguarding the special position of the Malays AND the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, AND the legitimate interest of other communities. The simple meaning is that the Agong is the protector of ALL Malaysians, and not just the Malays! So why do leaders like Ibrahim Ali keep harping on this Article 153 as if it is a sacred provision for the Malays only? Are they idiots who can't read? Or are they stubborn morons who deliberately behave like idiots for the purpose of making political mileage over something that has nothing to do with what they are saying? I fully support Senior Christian leader Reverend Dr Eu Hong Seng who said that Article 153 had been used to bully others, and that it was something that "needed somebody to say it." He told an online portal he had nothing to fear despite the fierce reaction from various Malay groups and denials by the government that Christians or any minority group had been sidelined. He described Perkasa's call for him to be investigated for sedition an example of fear-mongering. It is time somebody said and stood up bravely about it. The Deputy Prime Minister hit back and said the provision was never used to bully anyone. But has he not heard radicals like Ibrahim Ali abusing the provision all the time? How do the non-Malays feel when radicals talk about Malay supremacy or when the DPM himself said he is a Malay first and Malaysian second? The radical groups who idolize Article 153 as if it gives the Malays special rights, privileges, positions and bullying power need to be told to stop the negative attitude. What I see in the Article is something very positive for Malaysians as a whole because to me it is a strong unifying provision, under which we are protected by our King as equal partners in Malaysia. It is NOT a provision to give the Malay superior position. It doesn't give the Muslim the right to bully other people and other religions. Under this provision the Malays have equal "special position" with the natives of the Borneo States. Under it, the Malays are on equal position with the Ibans, the Penans, Bajaus and the Kadazandusuns. We have the same special position of the Malays, so we can tell the Malays like Ibrahim Ali to shut up and grow up if we want to. Advisor, UK-Based Human Rights foundation Malaysia |
| Is the BN Serious about Race Relations Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:45 PM PST Who will bear the brunt of this new legislation and what has the abolition of the Internal Security Act to do with race relations? By Kua Kia Soong, Director of SUARAM One wonders if the BN government is capable of reform. Soon after the Prime Minister's promises of reform on Independence Day recently, we have seen the new ISA arrests and the new Peaceful Assembly Bill. Now they have announced the introduction of a Race Relations Act in the coming parliamentary meeting as a replacement for the Internal Security Act. They have also announced that there will be an "Anti-Terrorism Act" to replace the ISA. What exactly have they got in mind? Who will bear the brunt of this new legislation and what has the abolition of the Internal Security Act to do with race relations? First of all, the scribes in the Attorney General's office must be aware that the UK Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976 has now been superseded by the new and improved Equality Act 2010? The aim is to bring the RRA legislation in line with European Human Rights legislation and to extend protection to other groups not previously covered, namely, to cover age, disability, gender, religion, belief and sexual orientation. So why does the BN government not want an Equality Act instead since it is an updated legislation of the 1976 RRA?
It is not surprising that PERKASA is objecting to such legislation because "incitement to racial hatred" is a criminal offence under the Act. Under the Act, there is direct discrimination when "someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic".The British Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 made publication of materials that incited racial hatred an arrestable offence. These include: - Deliberately provoking hatred against a racial group; - Distributing racist material to the public; - Making inflammatory public speeches; - Creating racist websites on the internet; - Inciting inflammatory rumours about an individual or ethnic group, in order to spread racial discontent. The UK Public Order Act 1986 defines racial hatred as "hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins". Section 21 of the Act makes "incitement to racial hatred" an offence to publish or distribute material which is threatening or abusive or insulting if intended to stir up racial hatred…" "Hate crimes" are criminal acts committed as intimidation, threats, property damage, assault, murder or such other criminal offence. They are a type of crime in which the perpetrator is sending a message to the victim and their right to belong to that society. Hate crimes violate the principle of equality between people and deny their right to achieve full human dignity and to realize their full potential. The impact of hate crimes on the greater community cannot be emphasized enough – the social acceptance of discrimination against particular groups in society is an important factor in causing hate crimes to increase.
Clearly, far right racial supremacists who rail about the dominance of their "race" should be reined in by an Equality & Human Rights Commission and dealt with under an Equality Act or the RRA. Thus, the UMNO leaders who were inciting racial hatred and calling for "Chinese blood" at the Jalan Raja Muda Stadium in 1987 before Operation Lalang would have been the prime target for such a law. (See Government White Paper 1988) So would the mob which organized the "cow head" protest over the relocation of a Hindu temple in 2009. When racial incidents do happen, such as the May 13 Incident and the Kampung Medan Incident, the culprits responsible should be swiftly apprehended and charged for murder.
But what has the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial got to do with race relations? Well, the BN government has through the years extended the ambit of the ISA to claim that any dissident activity or view is a "threat to national security". Operation Lalang was the prime manifestation of this BN logic. Thus, I like several others during Operation Lalang was arrested and detained under the ISA for being a threat to national security. Among the "allegations of fact", mine were for "calling on participants at a forum to support mother tongue education," and "writing a book entitled 'Polarisation in Malaysia: The Root causes'. One can only suppose that the BN government now wants to replace the ISA with a "Race Relations Act" so that they can use it to deal with people who question these aspects of government policy. As with the recent Peaceful Assembly Bill, Malaysians should be prepared for some outrageous provisions in this proposed 'Race Relations Act'. They will say it is modeled after the UK RRA but it will end up letting off the far right fascists and making dissidents the usual quarry. I hope they prove me wrong!
Our Human Rights Commission should extend its jurisdiction to incorporate an Equality Commission. Its work would be to encourage greater integration and better ethnic relations and to use legal powers to help eradicate racial discrimination and harassment. Thus, its ambit would cover racist stereotyping in text books and the press; racial discrimination in the public sphere, employment, education, social services, advertisements. The independent Commission should be empowered to issue codes of practice and invested with powers to conduct formal investigations and to serve notices to furnish information or documents in order to enforce the law. It would then be up to the Malaysian courts to decide on the legality or illegality of such institutions in Malaysian society since 1971, for example, the Bumiputera-only policy at UiTM and other public institutions; the quota system and its implementation; the discounts for Bumiputeras in various economic transactions and other blatant discriminations. For sure, if the BN government uses the UK RRA as a model, they will end up in the dock over the many cases of racial discrimination in our public institutions. Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Finally, for an administration to convince Malaysians that it is genuinely keen to institute reforms for better ethnic relations and equality, our country should immediately initiate moves to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR). Failure to do so will only arouse suspicion that this BN government is merely hectically doing window dressing before the looming 13th general elections. |
| Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:40 PM PST By Jackson Ng, Retired Journalist TWO time bombs have exploded in the MCA in the past two days but the mainstream media, especially MCA's mouthpiece, The Star, has down played the news. About 1,000 MCA members from Penang and Johor have resigned en bloc and they cite the loss of confidence in the party leadership as their reason for quitting. The resignations are only the tip of the iceberg and it signals the beginning of the imploding of Barisan Nasional (BN)'s second largest component party. According to a few of those who quit but did not want to be named, more MCA members nationwide are expected to quit in the run-up to the next general election. The mainstream media are down playing the news because it is a major blow for the MCA and BN's preparations for the general election widely expected to be called by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in February or March. Those who quit say they had lost confidence in the MCA leadership because it is led by a scandal-tainted and immoral president, Dr Chua Soi Lek. "Whenever he speaks on any issue, it backfires and is a laughing stock of the people or grassroots. This is because Chua is in no position to talk about issues on morality and integrity. "We cannot continue to be associated with such a leader and his cronies who are only looking after their own interest and positions," said a former MCA member who is known to this writer. Citing recent events and issues, the former member said: "It is embarrassing to MCA for Chua to talk about freedom of the press and freedom of speech. "What is he talking about when the first thing he (Chua) did when he won the presidency by fluke was to place The Star directly under the control of the party. "The paper is now under the overall control of a panel that includes his son (Tee Yong) as a key member. He also appointed his son in government positions. "The MCA leadership is now led by a man who is morally tainted and one who practices nepotism and cronyism to turn the party into his family's empire," he added. Another former member added: "Just watch how MCA implodes in the run-up to the 13th General Election. At least 30 per cent of its members will eventually abandon the party by polling day." In another development, party insiders say Selangor MCA is in shambles following a fallout between Chua and state MCA chief Donald Lim Siang Chai. As the state chief, Lim does not even have the say to decide which seat to contest. Lim is said to be eyeing the Selayang parliamentary seat but Chua already has someone else in mind – possibly a woman candidate. What is telling is that Lim does not even have the confidence to try and wrest back his former seat - PJ Selatan – where he was beaten by PKR's Hee Loy Sian by 5,706 votes in 2008. Party insiders say the backdoor Deputy Finance Minister Senator is now desperate and is manoeuvring to get what he wants. The insiders say it would be most interesting to see how severely Selangor MCA would be split by the Chua-Lim tussle for control of the state. |
| Appeal Letter by PLKN Operator to the Prime Minister Posted: 29 Dec 2011 07:53 AM PST Malangnya sehingga ke hari ini, Yayasan Selangor belum menerima sebarang surat tawaran penyambungan kontrak PLKN daripada pihak JLKN atau Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pertahanan Malaysia, sedangkan pihak kami tidak pernah gagal dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan yang dikehendaki, termasuk penambah-baikan untuk memenuhi SOC JLKN, dan yang terkini Perhimpunan Alumni PLKN 1Malaysia di kem kami, Kem PLKN Ampang Pechah, Kuala Kubu Baru pada 7 November 2011. YAB DATO' SRI MOHD. NAJIB BIN TUN HAJI ABDUL RAZAK sedangkan Kem PL Ampang Pecah adalah milik YS sepenuhnya. 3. Malangnya sehingga ke hari ini, Yayasan Selangor belum menerima sebarang surat tawaran penyambungan kontrak PLKN daripada pihak JLKN atau Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pertahanan Malaysia, sedangkan pihak kami tidak pernah gagal dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan yang dikehendaki, termasuk penambah-baikan untuk memenuhi SOC JLKN, dan yang terkini Perhimpunan Alumni PLKN 1Malaysia di kem kami, Kem PLKN Ampang Pechah, Kuala Kubu Baru pada 7 November 2011. 4. Selaku pemilik Kem PLKN Ampang Pecah, Kuala Kubu Baharu, Yayasan Selangor telah membuat penambah-baikan kemudahan di kem tersebut dan membelanjakan banyak wang ringgit untuk keselesaan pelatih dan Pegawai/Jurulatih/Kakitangan JLKN, antaranya: 4.1 Pagar sempadan baru antara PLKN dan KBS. Tinggi 5' Panjang 1,134'- RM86,840.00 4.2 Generator Set baru - RM120,900.00 4.3 Naik taraf 2 bilik air jadikan bilik rehat Jurulatih - RM286,265.00 4.4 Naiktaraf surau - RM329,690.00 4.5 Bangunan baru Stor Lojistik - RM443,028.00 4.6 Bangunan baru pusat rawatan - RM356,371.00 4.7 Pasang jubin bilik air, bilik kuliah dan turap semula padang kawad -RM489,584.00 4.8 Naiktaraf 2 gelanggang sepaktakraw dan gelanggang bolatampar - RM234,191.00 4.9 Bina kolam aktiviti air - RM1,700,000.00 JUMLAH -RM4,046,869.00 5. Sayugia dimaklumkan bahawa Yayasan Selangor telah menjadi operator PLKN sejak tahun 2004 dan Majlis Pelancaran Kursus PLKN Seluruh Negara juga telah dilaksanakan di Kem PLKN Ampang Pecah, Kuala Kubu Baharu pada tahun 16 Februari 2004 oleh YAB Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi selaku Perdana Menteri Malaysia, yang turut dihadiri oleh YAB Dato' Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak yang ketika itu adalah Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pertahanan Malaysia ketika itu. 6. Untuk makluman pihak YAB Dato' Sri, sekiranya kontrak PLKN Ampang Pecah, Kuala Kubu Baharu tidak disambung, kedudukan pekerja dan kontraktor yang berkhidmat dengan kem PLKN ini sudah tentu akan terjejas, antaranya: 6.1 24 Kakitangan Kem (senarai dilampirkan) 6.2 Kontraktor Penyedia Makanan/Caterer Kem PLKN 6.3 Kontraktor Pembersihan Kem PLKN 6.4 Kontraktor Dobi 6.5 Kontraktor Pembersihan Hygine (Tuala Wanita) 7. Untuk makluman YAB Dato' Sri juga, Yayasan Selangor adalah "a non-profit organization", dan semua lebihan pendapatan digunakan untuk menawarkan biasiswa dan pinjaman kepada pelajar-pelajar yang kurang berkemampuan dari luar bandar tanpa mengira kaum dan ideologi politik. Sejak 40 tahun lalu, Yayasan Selangor menjadi tempat bergantung lebih 40,000 orang pelajar miskin dan miskin tegar di seluruh Selangor 8. Sayugia diingatkan bahawa Yayasan Selangor adalah milik Rakyat Selangor dan tidak sewajarnya dihukum akibat percaturan politik kepartian di mana majoriti daripada penerima bantuan pendidikan adalah orang Melayu-Islam. 9. Ketidakadilan ini pasti membuatkan akan membuatkan rakyat lebih benci dengan pemerintah di Putrajaya kini dan tidak mustahil "kebencian rakyat" pasti akan diterjemahkan dalam PRU13 dengan mengekalkan kerajaan di Selangor kini. 10. Segala usaha YAB Dato' Sri untuk merebut kembali Selangor akan pasti gagal disebabkan sikap tidak matang dalam membuat keputusan dalam kes penyambungan Kem PLKN di Kuala Kubu Bharu ini. 11. Sehubungan itu, Yayasan Selangor ingin merayu supaya kontrak Kem PLKN Ampang Pecah, Kuala Kubu Baharu dapat disambung semula sepertimana pengusaha-pengusaha lain supaya persiapan terakhir di sempurnakan menanti kumpulan pertama sesi 2012. 12. Pertimbangan, kebijaksanaan dan sokongan YAB Dato' Sri sangat dihargai dan didahului dengan ucapan jutaan terima kasih. Sekian dan salam hormat. As Salaam, RAJA AMIR SHAH RAJA ABD AZIZ Timbalan Pengurus Besar
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