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WIKILEAKS: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE Posted: 17 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra voluntarily completed a sworn statement ("statutory declaration") at a Malaysian court on June 18, in which he affirmed that he was "reliably informed" Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, together with her aide Norhayati and acting Colonel Aziz Buyong (Norhayati's husband), were present at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000529   SIPDIS   FOR EAP/MTS AND INR   E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2028 TAGS: PGOV, PINR, KJUS, KDEM, MY SUBJECT: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE   REF: KUALA LUMPUR 335 - SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER   Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and d).   Summary 1.  (C) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra executed a sworn statement on June 18 to the effect that Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, was at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006, and that PM Abdullah and a Royal received information to that effect.  While the mainstream press has shied away from printing Rosmah's name, Kuala Lumpur is abuzz with this latest explosive allegation.  PM Abdullah has thus far remained silent, while the national police chief and Attorney General said they would investigate.  Raja Petra, who faces sedition charges for earlier claims, informed us that the Attorney General's Office filed a police report on the matter, and he expected to be called in for questioning soon. While the latest allegations of Rosmah's presence at the murder seem implausible, they nevertheless will have resonance with a Malaysian public that does not have confidence in the integrity of the Altantuya murder investigation.  Continued public attention to such reports also could damage Najib's front-runner status as PM Abdullah's successor.  End Summary. Rosmah at Murder Scene, PM Has Report 2.  (U) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra voluntarily completed a sworn statement ("statutory declaration") at a Malaysian court on June 18, in which he affirmed that he was "reliably informed" Deputy Prime Minister Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, together with her aide Norhayati and acting Colonel Aziz Buyong (Norhayati's husband), were present at the scene of the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006. Raja Petra also stated that military intelligence provided a report with this information to Prime Minister Abdullah, which was subsequently given to Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin "for safe-keeping," and that one of Malaysia's traditional rulers also was briefed on the matter.  Raja Petra did not reveal the source of this information.  Raja Petra remains indicted for sedition for his earlier internet reports that implied DPM Najib and wife Rosmah were connected to the on-going Altantuya murder case (ref A). 3.  (SBU) Internet reports of Raja Petra's declaration emerged on June 20, and the full text became available on his Malaysia Today website.  Some of Malaysia's mainstream media briefly reported Raja Petra's new allegations, but carefully avoided identifying Rosmah Mansor as the "prominent VIP" named in his statement.  An aide to Najib reportedly described the statement as "mind-boggling."  Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan told reporters the police would look into the "highly inflammatory" allegations, and could take action against Raja Petra if they were found to be untrue, while Attorney General Abdul Gani Patil stated his office would look "seriously" into the matter. Heavy Buzz in Parliament 4.  (C) As members of Parliament gathered June 23 for the opening of the second parliamentary session, Raja Petra's story competed with speculation of a no-confidence vote against PM Abdullah for the attention of lawmakers. Opposition MPs, parliamentary watchers, and journalists who spoke with us at Parliament all remarked that Raja Petra had put himself at great risk, and therefore they speculated that he must have some evidence in hand.  If this is a bluff, "it will cost him and his family," one MP remarked.  Prominent opposition MP Lim Kit Siang said he was troubled that the PM had kept quiet about the allegations.  Later on June 23, Kit Siang introduced an emergency parliamentary motion to discuss Raja Petra's statement.  The Parliament Speaker is required to accept or reject on an emergency motion within 24 hours. Raja Petra Ready for Police 5.  (C) We spoke briefly with Raja Petra and his wife Marina on June 23.  They related that the AGO had filed a police report regarding the affidavit.  A seemingly confident Raja Petra said, "I am ready and eagerly waiting for the police to question me," and took exception to the threatening tone of IGP Musa's remarks.  He also implied he had further evidence to implicate DPM Najib and his wife, and asked rhetorically what action the police would take "if the allegations are true." Comment 6.  (C) Putting aside the question of Najib's links to the case, the allegation that Najib's wife would be present at the Altantuya murder scene strikes us as very implausible, though fully in keeping with Raja Petra's sometimes wild and highly emotional reporting.  The Malaysian public and political elite, however, have no confidence in the integrity of the government's investigation into the 2006 murder of Altantuya.  The government's inept and gruelingly slow prosecution of the case against DPM Najib's former advisor Razak Baginda and two soldiers from Najib's security detail, and the authorities' decision early on to limit the scope of the investigation to exclude any further links with DPM Najib, have sent clear signals of political interference. Against this backdrop, most Malaysians will believe there is at least some truth in Raja Petra's affidavit.  Amidst the leadership struggle within the ruling UMNO party, emerging fractures in the National Front coalition, and maneuvering for a no-confidence vote against PM Abdullah, the latest allegations add to the nation's sense of political turmoil. Continued public focus on such allegations also could harm Najib's front-runner status as PM Abdullah's successor. KEITH

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• Najib or Anwar?
• Armed for cyberwar, Umno Youth wants ammo from Putrajaya
• The problem with fresh grads

Najib or Anwar? Posted: 17 Jul 2011 09:31 AM PDT The dramatic unfolding of events on 9 July 2011, as broadcast to the world through social media, YouTube and international media, may lead one to conclude that clearly the PR is the better choice for the next elections. However, there is one major obstacle, to my mind: Anwar. Chan Kheng Hoe, The Nut Graph IN light of the recent Bersih 2.0 demonstrations, and the unjustified crackdown by the authorities, one may be forgiven if one were to be carried away in denouncing the current administration. They handled the demonstrations in an appalling manner, both in the run-up to the actual day and on the day itself. The conduct of the administration is shameful, arrogant, and senseless. The lies that are spewed to cover up the very public acts of violence add insult to injury. In contrast, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has cleverly stepped in to support Bersih 2.0. It cannot be denied that Bersih 2.0's demands, which promote fair play and a level playing field during elections, would end up favouring the federal opposition. And except for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's gaffe in claiming that he could call off the demonstrations, the PR has generally allowed civil society to take the lead in this movement. The dramatic unfolding of events on 9 July 2011, as broadcast to the world through social media, YouTube and international media, may lead one to conclude that clearly the PR is the better choice for the next elections. However, there is one major obstacle, to my mind: Anwar. For all intents and purposes, and subject to the court's verdict in Anwar's sodomy trial, Anwar is the person put forward by the PR as Prime Minister designate. But is Anwar in reality a better candidate than Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be PM of Malaysia? With respect, I cannot at this juncture respond with a resounding "yes". Points for Najib Grudgingly, I must admit that Najib has made some good moves as PM. The 1Malaysia campaign stands out as an extremely clever move. Yes, 1Malaysia means different things to different groups, but isn't that part and parcel of the art of politics? And while many may belittle this campaign as nothing but empty talk, I beg to differ. As a practising lawyer, I have observed in the past couple of years an increase in the recruitment of non-Malay Malaysian personnel in the courts. Of course, this is anecdotal evidence, but the observation must be recorded. Idris Jala (Pic by Joe Faizal @ Flickr) The appointment of Datuk Sri Idris Jala to the cabinet is another outstanding feather in Najib's cap. Idris comes with excellent credentials, and an enviable track record. I feel safe for Malaysia that someone like Idris is taking a hard look at the state of the Malaysian economy. I am comforted when Idris announces that Malaysia may potentially go bankrupt, because it tells me that at the very least, the authorities know the dire straits we are in. I would be much more alarmed if the authorities keep on insisting that Malaysia is on a fine growth track, and we are poised to be the next Asian economic powerhouse. Najib has also eased much of the tension between Malaysia and Singapore, and that too is a good thing. Really, we have got to stop the rivalry between our two countries. Singapore can be very beneficial for Malaysia, and Singapore can gain much from cooperating with Malaysia as well. We have got avenues to strike win-win collaborations. Twenty years of demonising Singapore under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's rule is enough. It's time to move on. Here's another reason why I like Najib. He appears to be a man of the world. He does not pretend to be overly religious, or cite the scriptures wantonly. I don't know him personally, but I suspect that he may have a quiet sip of Chardonnay on some nights. In Malaysia, there are so many politicians who want to claim the moral high ground, either by asserting religious or racial rights. That makes me exhausted. Sure, there would be occasions when Najib, too, would have to play to the gallery. But I imagine our PM is not reading books on political philosophy during his free time. One could imagine him sitting down on a quiet Sunday afternoon with his family watching The Simpsons, and actually appreciating the show. READ MORE HERE

Armed for cyberwar, Umno Youth wants ammo from Putrajaya Posted: 17 Jul 2011 09:21 AM PDT BN had its nose bloodied at the 12th General Election in urban centres such as the Klang Valley and Penang, ceding its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament as the opposition took a record 82 seats and, at the same time, five state governments. By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider In mid-2009, Umno Youth held a course in online media for its grassroots leaders in Kuantan. The names of a few prominent bloggers drew blank stares. "Only 10 per cent (of those present) were familiar with those names," the youth wing's new media chief, Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, told The Malaysian Insider. "Some didn't even have email." The media unit that Tun Faisal heads, formed after accepting that "80 to 90 per cent" of those online were anti-Barisan Nasional (BN) in the landmark Election 2008, now claims that despite having to catch up to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the "cyberwar" for the hearts and minds of young and urban voters, it is now ready for a general election expected within the year. However, Tun Faisal, a member of the Umno Youth executive committee, believes that despite having guns primed, the unit needs the government to provide it with bullets. "Most young and urban voters perceive the mainstream media as pro-government, so they are automatically prejudiced against it," said Faisal. "So we have to bring the debate online. "But the problem is getting info from the government to counter the lies from the opposition. How can we fight claims from them and journalists when we don't have more info than them?" he said. BN had its nose bloodied at the 12th General Election in urban centres such as the Klang Valley and Penang, ceding its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament as the opposition took a record 82 seats and, at the same time, five state governments. But the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan, where BN surprisingly came within 65 votes of wresting the state seat, is considered a turning point for Umno Youth in the online battle. Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had said that BN gained in all young voter streams, signalling a shift in young voters that was said to have backed PR heavily in 2008. "The opposition started in 1999 after Reformasi," Tun Faisal said. "We only started in 2009. It's like putting university students against primary schoolkids. "But if you look at the results since Manek Urai, you can see that BN has definitely caught up especially with young voters." BN has since reversed a losing streak in by-elections, and even though PR was confident of making extensive gains in the recent Sarawak state election, BN retained its two-thirds majority in the assembly. Tun Faisal says that one of the main factors is that his new media unit was given the mandate to strategise and coordinate online communications during these local polls. READ MORE HERE

The problem with fresh grads Posted: 16 Jul 2011 02:14 PM PDT By P Aruna, The Star PETALING JAYA: Poor attitude -including asking for too much money - is the chief reason why employers shy away from hiring fresh graduates. Another common complaint is that many graduates are poor in English. A survey by online recruitment agency Jobstreet.com showed that 55% of employers cited unrealistic expectations of salaries while 48% of them said poor English was the main reason why Malaysian fresh graduates from both public and private institutions remain unemployed. "While previous surveys named poor English as the main cause for unemployment, bad attitude has now topped the list," said its chief operating officer Suresh Thiru. He said their attitudes were so bad that some did not even bother to inform the companies if they were running late or unable to attend scheduled interviews. It was announced that the number of jobless graduates had increased from 65,500 to 71,600 although the overall unemployment rate had dropped from 3.4% last year to 3.1% during the first quarter of this year. Another study by recruitment agency Kelly Services showed that fresh graduates asked for flexible working hours and expected their work to accommodate their personal life, not vice versa. Its marketing director Jeannie Khoo said employers were also turned off by the lackadaisical attitude and lack of drive to improve among many of them. "They have the misconception that they can earn high salaries at entry-level. They enter the banking industry expecting to earn RM3,000 while the market rate is only RM2,200," she said. PricewaterhouseCoopers Malaysia head of recruitment Salika Suksuwan said some candidates had many offers in hand but acted unprofessionally in rejecting job offers - by not turning up for interviews or the first day at work. "We sometimes have to call them and remind them about a scheduled interview when they didn't turn up," she said. Talent Corp CEO Johan Mahmood Merican urged fresh graduates not to make demands on their salary. "It is more important to join a company that can develop your skills and prepare you for future opportunities," he said. In a related development, Human Resource Deputy Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan said half of the applicants who registered with the JobsMalaysia portal (www.jobsmalaysia.gov.my) had found employment. Speaking when launching the Graduan Aspire 2011 employment fair yesterday, she said about 300,000 job applicants were currently registered with the website.

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• Najib’s UK visit met with indignant protests at Downing Street, the Lord Mayor’s Office and ...
• Malaysian state drops Ramadan bar closure plan
• Khalid: Yellow attire without Bersih logo allowed
• Political parties bring in the most but 40% are ineligible
• MoCS rally: Taib’s outburst telling
• EC chief dubs Bersih leaders dishonest
• Bersih threat shows authorities clueless on public anger, says Ambiga

Najib’s UK visit met with indignant protests at Downing Street, the Lord Mayor’s Office and ... Posted: 16 Jul 2011 10:51 PM PDT   By Sydney Sassoon As Prime Minister Najib set out on a 3-day official visit of London, concerned Malaysian citizens in the UK turned out in full force to show their disapproval at the Malaysian government's shameful crackdown on civil liberties in Kuala Lumpur last weekend, staging a series of protests at Downing Street, the Lord Mayor's Office and Park Lane. On Friday, over 50 concerned Malaysians living in the UK set up a solidarity watch calling for the release of the six activists detained under the Emergency Ordinance Act over two weeks ago, outside the Intercontinental Hotel where Prime Minister Najib was due to host a dinner. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman came over to engage in a short discussion. However when asked when the EO6 would be released or when detention without trial would be abolished in Malaysia he declined to comment and said, 'Why don't you ask Hisham', referring to Home Minister Hishammudin Hussein Onn. Najib and Hishammudin however refused to come over and meet with the protestors, preferring instead to duck into the hotel as soon as they alighted from their MPVs.  On Thursday over 50 citizen activists lined the pavement at the Lord Mayor's office at Mansion House, where Najib was due to address London business leaders. Although chanting was kept to a minimum so as not to disrupt the proceedings of the court next door, the message sent to Mr Najib, his government and the London business community was clear.  Pictures of the 6 activists detained under the Emergency Ordinance Act greeted Najib as he hastily alighted from his official car and gave the protestors a quick wave. He did not however go as far as to come over and engage with the protestors.  One business leader declined to be named said, ' I've been following the recent events in Malaysia quite closely and of course it is worrying and affects investor confidence, but then this situation is not new. We'll have to wait and see if things improve. '  On Wednesday Najib's luncheon meeting with Mr Cameron was met with angry protest at Downing Street instead. Whilst Mr Cameron was delayed with the media hacking scandal at Prime Minister's question time, indignant demonstrators had questions of their own for Mr Najib.  Over a dozen citizen activists were seen outside Downing Street holding colourful yellow banners and placards calling on Najib and his administration to stop abusing human rights, end detention without trial and release all detainees held under the Emergency Ordinance and Internal Security Act with immediate effect. One protestor playfully chanted 'Yellow t-shirts are NOT illegal' and another rapped 'Malaysian Government stop abusing human rights!' whilst another chanted 'Mr Cameron hear our plea, tell Najib to set them free!'  In a symbolic depiction of the way the Malaysian government has stripped citizens of their right to free speech and peaceful assembly through the use of arbitrary detention without trial, one protestor tied himself to the pavement railings blindfolded and gagged, drawing curious onlookers. Protestors distributed hundreds of leaflets highlighting the spiralling human rights violations in Malaysia to passing politicians and the British public on their lunch break, many of whom were shocked at the behaviour of a country that tries hard to project itself as a modern cultural melting pot and paradise holiday destination.  One passerby Brian Smith, 32 said, 'What has happened in Malaysia in the last week- the clampdown on peaceful demonstration, the gagging of free speech and the mass arrests for simple acts such as wearing yellow t-shirts make Malaysia look ridiculous. This is the sort of behaviour you expect of a dictatorial regime, and is totally at odds with the image we are often sold of Malaysia's beautiful rainforests and idyllic beaches.'  Clare Robertson, 35 said, 'I've got some Malaysian friends who have been keeping me updated on the situation and it's absolutely horrific. I've seen pictures of how the peaceful demonstrators were treated with water cannons and tear gas and menacing police in riot gear. This is totally at odds with the liberal image that the Malaysian government is always trying to project. I sincerely hope that Mr Cameron and his cabinet remind Mr Najib that Malaysia needs to clean up its act. There can be no engagement on a business and diplomatic level if the Malaysian government continues to flout international human rights norms with such impunity and behave in such a disgraceful manner.'  UK campaigners have alerted the UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Home Secretary Theresa May, the UK  Parliamentary Working Group on Malaysia and the UK Parliamentary Working Group on Human Rights on the events of recent weeks in the hope that the UK Government will make an urgent representation to the Malaysian government during this visit. They have urged Mr Cameron and the UK government to remind Mr Najib and his delegation that no government can act with impunity against its citizens and still expect to be taken seriously on the international stage. In a speech on 1 July 2011, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague stated that "Our foreign policy should always have consistent support for human rights and poverty reduction at its irreducible core and we should always strive to act with moral authority, recognising that once that is damaged it is hard to restore."   UN human rights experts on Monday (11 July 2011) expressed their dismay at the use of tear gas and water cannons by security authorities against peaceful protestors in Malaysia on Saturday, reportedly leading to injuries and one death, and the arrest of more than 1,600 people at the Bersih 2.0 rally. They remain deeply concerned about the detention of six individuals since 25 June under the Emergency Ordinance, which allows for detention without trial for up to 60 days. In a press release on Monday (11 July 2011) Amnesty International called on the UK government to press Malaysia's Prime Minister on freedom of assembly during his visit this week. "The British government shouldn't reward this brutality by rolling out a red carpet for Malaysia's prime minister," said Donna Guest.

Malaysian state drops Ramadan bar closure plan Posted: 16 Jul 2011 04:26 PM PDT (AFP) - A MALAYSIAN state controlled by an Islamic opposition party has dropped a plan to force bars, discos and karaoke clubs to close during the Muslim fasting month, an official said Sunday. Northern Kedah state, which includes the popular resort island of Langkawi, decided in May to ban all entertainment during Ramadan next month, said an official from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which runs the state. However the plan drew criticism from entertainment outlet operators, as well as the party's opposition allies, who feared a blanket ban would alienate their non-Muslim voters. The Kedah official said the controversy had been resolved after the state's chief minister met entertainment representatives on Saturday and agreed to allow them to operate as long as they make sure no Muslims enter their premises. 'For Muslims, we have to make special treatment because nowadays too many youngsters are involved in hedonism... The state doesn't want that,' he told AFP. 'Entertainment in Ramadan is only for non-Muslims.' The official said Islamic officials would enforce the rule across the state, monitoring its more than 300 bars, discos, karaoke lounges and other clubs. PAS draws its main support from Muslim Malays, who account for 60 per cent of the country's 28 million people, but it is allied with the secular ethnic Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Anwar Ibrahim's People's Justice Party. Spats between PAS and DAP over pig rearing and alcohol bans - sensitive issues in Islam - have surfaced in the past, threatening to derail the partnership and its chances to unseat the Barisan Nasional, which has ruled the country for more than 50 years.

Khalid: Yellow attire without Bersih logo allowed Posted: 16 Jul 2011 02:22 PM PDT (Bernama) - NILAI: There is no harm in wearing yellow attire but it should not have the logo of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) printed on it, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said. He said the Home Ministry had declared Bersih an illegal organisation and that police were obliged to carry out their responsibility in enforcing the law. "In fact you can wear anything yellow, even yellow socks or hat, but without the logo in support of an illegal organisation," he told a media conference after launching the Community Policing Scheme and Crime Awareness Team (CAT) at Nilai Square here last night. Also present were Negeri Sembilan police chief Osman Salleh and his deputy Abd Manan Mohd Hassan. Khalid said if any party was not happy with the restriction they could bring up the matter to the court. "Whatever the court decides police will abide," he said. On the establishment of CAT, he said, it was a programme to enlist the help of young people in the police's crime prevention agenda and to enhance the people's confidence about their safety. The cooperation and involvement of the young people in CAT, which is under the Youth and Sports Department's Rakan Muda programme, would enable various crime prevention activities to be organised from time to time, he added.

Political parties bring in the most but 40% are ineligible Posted: 16 Jul 2011 02:09 PM PDT   By Shahanaaz Habib and Rashvinjeet S Bedi, The Star PUTRAJAYA: Voter registration numbers have gone up significantly, thanks to efforts by political parties. But some 40% of the new voters they have registered turned out to be ineligible. "Some are dead, underage or already registered voters," said Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof. "We verify with the National Registration Department (NRD) those who are genuine and get rid of the names of those who are not. This makes it tiring because we have to keep checking," he told The Star. Despite this, he said, political parties still registered the highest number, bringing in more half of the new eligible voters. "Compared to universities and NGOs, the voters we get from political parties are a lot more," he said. For May alone, 52% of new eligible voters were registered by political parties. Twenty per cent were registered through post offices and 13% by government departments. The EC, meanwhile, roped in 10% of the new voters through its counters and outreach programme. Universities and NGOs helped to register 3% and 2% new voters respectively. Abdul Aziz added that the EC had appointed political parties, NGOs and universities as assistant registrars to help register new voters, paying RM1 for every clean and confirmed new voter these organisations bring in. "If they register 1,000 new voters and only 600 are genuine, we pay them RM600," he said. Between 2008 and 2009, there were 10 million registered voters in the country and another 4.3 million eligible voters who were not registered. This year, the total number of registered voters increased to 12 million and eligible unregistered voters dropped to 3.7 million. "We have made registration easy and simple. You can go to the post office, youth bodies, universities, colleges, government departments, NGOs and political parties to register," he added. Abdul Aziz said the Malaysian EC was the only one in the world that appointed political parties to assist in registering new voters. He pointed out that it made sense to rope in political parties. "We appoint an average of two assistant registrars for each state seat. And because they have an interest, they work very hard to register new voters. "When we do the voter registration ourselves, the response is not very good. We go to events like TV3's Jom Heboh to register new voters but it is difficult for people to come forward. "This has to do with attitude. People ask what benefit they get by registering as voters. Some people do not have the spirit. They ask what happens if they don't register and when they find out no action is taken, they leave it as it is. Only those who really love the country and would like to choose their own leaders would voluntarily go and register as voters." Abdul Aziz also advised the people to vote in their current place of residence as this was stipulated in the law. This would also resolve the issue of phantom voters, where voters allegedly stay in a different place from where they cast their vote. He said people should not feel attachment to their hometown and balik kampung to cast their votes. "If I stay in Shah Alam, I shouldn't go back to Penang or my hometown to vote," he said. He estimated that about 30% to 40% of Malaysians voted in a different place or state than where they lived. "I have no power to force them to vote where they live. I can only explain and persuade them," he added.

MoCS rally: Taib’s outburst telling Posted: 16 Jul 2011 01:30 PM PDT (FMT) - KUCHING: Is 'safely enthroned' Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, whose Barisan Nasional coalition swept 55 seats in the April 16 state elections, ruffled by the possibility of a Bersih-styled march in Kuching?  It would appear so going by his sudden outburst here on Friday. The usually unaffected Taib pounced on Movement for Change Sarawak's (MoCS) call for a 'Walk For Democracy and Reform' on Aug 13 when asked to comment by reporters. "MoCS rally!…You find out who MoCS represents, whose voice they are carrying and by what authority is Francis Siah claiming to be the leader. "People can see why I am a leader and who I represent … and you can ask him (Siah) the same question..who does he represent," lashed out Taib. Inspired by the success of Bersih 2.0′s 'Walk For Democracy' march on July 9 and the fact that some 100 Sarawakians had taken part, Siah had on Wednesday anounced that MoCS would hold its own 'rally for democracy and reforms' here on Aug 13. He said the movement's leaders had decided to organise the peaceful walk instead of an anti-Taib Mahmud rally (their original idea) which had also been planned for Aug 13. Siah said the rally would be a citizen's initiative with no political affiliation or involvement and urged Sarawakians to join the walk or hold their own activity wherever they are. He also said that the rally would be a compromised version of the original street protests planned by MoCs to force Taib to step down. Following the April 16 state elections which alleged widespread money politics aiding BN's victory, MoCS had called for Taib to step down by Aug 13, failing which the movement would mobilise a mass protest. On Wednesday Siah was reported to have said: "For too long, the state has been trapped in a quagmire of widespread corruption and the politics of fear and intimidation. "We wish to educate all Sarawakians that politicians whom they elected to public office should be there to serve them and not vice-versa. "The people are the masters, not those who govern." MoCS as legit as Freemasons Following this, Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Awang Tengah Ali Hassan hit out at Siah's plans. "MoCS should be conscious of its own position. What mandate do they have? "MoCS is a movement which is not registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS). As such illegal," he had told reporters in an immediate reaction to Siah's announcement of the 'Walk for Reform' rally. Veteran politician and ex-PBB leader Salleh Jafaruddin then jumped in to slam Awang Tengah, saying that MoCS was as legit as the Freemason secret society which Taib was a member of. "Does Awang Tengah realise that not all unregistered societies are considered illegal?"   READ MORE HERE.

EC chief dubs Bersih leaders dishonest Posted: 16 Jul 2011 01:27 PM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The Election Commission (EC) accused Bersih 2.0 leaders today of being deceitful over its impartiality as it has the support of the opposition, a week after the electoral reforms group held a rally that drew tens of thousands.  EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof pointed out that they had gone to the streets of the capital city on July 9 to protest along with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and other Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders.  "So (Bersih chief Datuk) Ambiga (Sreenevasan)'s statement to me that Bersih does not side political parties is not true at all," Abdul Aziz wrote in an essay published by the Umno-owned Mingguan Malaysian today.  "In addition, PAS president (Datuk Seri) Hadi Awang threatened SPR to take action on the eight demands, or else they will organise another demonstration," he added, using the EC's Malay acronym.  Abdul Aziz pointed out that Hadi's remarks revealed Bersih 2.0's association with political parties, saying: "Bersih is no longer the impartial body that first came to see me. It is as if it has become a political party."  Bersih 2.0 - a coalition of 62 NGOs - has made eight demands in their call for free and fair elections, which are to clean the electoral roll, reform the postal ballot system, indelible ink, a minimum 21-day campaign period, free and fair access to the media, strengthen public institutions, stop corruption and dirty politics.  Abdul Aziz pointed out that only the first four of the eight demands were relevant to the EC. "SPR cleans the electoral roll every day," he stressed.  "But what is said to be phantom voters are actually voters who do not live at the place where they vote. On polling day, they go back to vote (but) do not inform the JPN (National Registration Department) or SPR. They are valid voters," added the EC chief.  Abdul Aziz noted that the postal ballot system could not be removed because many members of the army, police and Malaysian citizens were overseas, whom he said had a right to vote.   READ MORE HERE.

Bersih threat shows authorities clueless on public anger, says Ambiga Posted: 16 Jul 2011 01:24 PM PDT   By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The Najib administration's threat to freeze the assets of those involved with Bersih 2.0 has revealed the government's ignorance of public anger over its handling of last weekend's rally, says Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.  The Bersih 2.0 chief pointed out that despite bad global publicity, Putrajaya was keeping up its harassment after the demonstration by arresting those wearing its signature yellow T-shirts, as well as continuing the detention of six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members under the Emergency Ordinance 1969.  "It is more than just Bersih 2.0," Ambiga told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the July 9 rally that drew tens of thousands.  "They don't realise how unhappy people are at their high-handed actions and also the use of sledgehammer tactics. They've missed that point completely," added the former Bar Council president.  Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Awang Adek Hussin said on Friday that central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), can freeze the assets of those believed to be participating in activities deemed risky to the nation's security.  The DAP said such remarks will destroy Malaysia's financial reputation, after foreign media excoriated the Najib administration over its crackdown on the electoral reform rally.  The authorities had fired teargas and water cannons at Bersih protestors after locking down the city, besides launching over 100 arrests in the weeks leading up to the rally and arresting nearly 1,700 demonstrators at the protest itself.  More than 197,000 people to date have also backed a Facebook campaign calling Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign, just a week after the Bersih march in the city.  "The authorities will be wise to understand that, more so than before, Bersih 2.0 represents an ideal, a feeling, and a yearning by the rakyat for all that is best in a democracy for our beloved country," said Ambiga.  The first Bersih rally in 2007 was partly credited for the opposition's historic gains in Election 2008, where the loose pact of PKR, DAP and PAS denied Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds majority and swept to power in five states.  "The question is, since when has asking for free and fair elections been an unlawful purpose?" asked Ambiga.  The Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia reported on July 3 that Ambiga received funds from foreign non-profit organisations through a local bank, saying the bank was chosen to help the prominent lawyer in her plan to "cause chaos in Malaysia".   READ MORE HERE.

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• Talk less, listen harder
• Sabah gov’t housing policy more for aliens?
• Cyberbattle to own the ‘truth'
• Make Up Your Mind, Electoral Commission
• Why did the police do what they did?
• Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #73

Talk less, listen harder Posted: 16 Jul 2011 04:38 PM PDT The rakyat is the boss and, political affiliations aside, politicians had better start listening to the boss. Young Malaysians want to see their leaders with rolled-up sleeves on stage taking on questions relating to issues affecting their daily lives. They want to tell our leaders how they are coping with the increase in cost of living and how they have to sacrifice their sleep and leave their homes early to beat the increasingly bad traffic jams. ON THE BEAT WITH WONG CHUN WAI, The Star THE country needs more people like Mohd Nur Ismail Mohamed Kamal, the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief, and Datuk Seri Idris Jala, head of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu). The two are not afraid to face angry crowds at meetings where people have heaped criticisms, made unreasonable demands and often vented their anger at the Government. The participants are often the urban middle class who are outspoken. From MRT stations to transformation plans to key performance indicators, they have spoken about the grand plans for development that are being rolled out. Generally, their explanations made sense to their listeners, but at times people became lost when they delved into the details. But there is one common feature at such town house meetings – the two are ready to listen to the public. The people want to be heard and not be talked down to. This is what many of our politicians do not seem to realise. If non-politicians like Mohd Nur Ismail and Idris are able to take the heat, there is no reason why some of our politicians should prefer the safer way by delivering speeches, often mundane and unimaginative ones, at the rostrums. Both have set the standards by putting their views and also the input of the people on websites, and setting up toll-free lines for ideas and suggestions, in the case of SPAD. They also hold exhibitions to show the rakyat what they have. Young Malaysians want to see their leaders with rolled-up sleeves on stage taking on questions relating to issues affecting their daily lives. They want to tell our leaders how they are coping with the increase in cost of living and how they have to sacrifice their sleep and leave their homes early to beat the increasingly bad traffic jams. They want to talk about the need to provide more trains to take them home after work, how to make their neighbourhoods safe and about their children's education. How many of our leaders know the price of onions, chicken or chilli at the markets despite professing to represent the common people? The rakyat will be sufficiently satisfied if our leaders can listen, respond with decent answers, come back to see them again and, if they screw up, to just have the decency to apologise and stop being defensive. We are not interested in 100-storey buildings, stupid political quarrels, whether wives should be obedient to their husbands in bed or racist tirades from political dinosaurs like Datuk Ibrahim Ali of Perkasa. The bread and butter issues matter most to Malaysians – nothing more, nothing less. The trouble with most politicians is that once they hold the microphones, they cannot let go. But they had better learn to pass the microphones to their listeners more. Young people have seen a dressed-down US President Barack Obama at meetings with the people. Never mind if the occasions are part of some clever public relations exercise, these are powerful visual messages. Even the straight-laced Chinese leaders who don't have to worry about elections also realise the need to be seen conducting such intimate meetings, where even the bodyguards know how to move away from the cameras. In both instances, new standards have been set. Such images give these leaders a more caring and down-to-earth persona and project them as keen to listen, instead of being aloof or in a hurry and are only interested in a photo opportunity with aimless handshakes. Young Malaysians, especially those whose jobs require them to make presentations to their clients to clinch business deals, have reasons to be critical when they listen to their leaders. Many of our leaders, to these young professionals, fall way short of their expectations and the result is that they do not have respect for the leaders. The young have become more outspoken, more articulate, and they demand greater democratic space. Their world view is certainly very much in contrast to the older leaders. And if the latter equates the demand for greater democratic space with chaos and disloyalty to the country, then it would be a costly political error. Again, it would be another case of politicians not listening hard enough or even bothering to listen. The country can also do away with certain pompous ministers who demand that their subordinates greet them at the airport. One or two are known to throw tantrums when they are not accorded such respect, and they insist that their staff spend an entire day moving around with them when they are making state visits. Moving around in an entourage seems to give them a sense of self importance. Worse is to call for press conferences when they really have nothing new or anything sensible to say. Often, it is a case of talking for the sake of talking. Malaysian taxpayers would also be very thankful if they could see an end to the elaborate dances and greetings for politicians at every function, and the 15-minute salutation to address the never ending list of Tan Sris, Datuk Seris, Datuks and Datins. What's wrong with just "tuan-tuan dan puan-puan"? Can we just get to the point so we can all get back to our work, please? Neither should we be paying for those huge billboards showing the faces of our leaders. There is no difference between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders when it comes to such ego trips. The bottom line is the rakyat is the boss – it's that simple. So, regardless of their political affiliations, our politicians had better start listening hard instead of just talking too hard.

Sabah gov’t housing policy more for aliens? Posted: 16 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT It is well known that the little Napoleons at the Tuaran District Council, possibly under instruction, almost never gave application forms to those who were KDMs, by saying "Borang habis!" Could the Tuaran District Council, the assemblyman of Sulaman Datuk Hajiji Mohd. Noor, the Member of Parliament of Tuaran Datuk Wilfred M. Bumburing, give a racial breakdown of the occupants of Telipok Ria, and Seri Rugading?  DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN The recent announcement by Datuk Madius Tangau that the state government was forming three committees to look into three important problems in Sabah, namely citizenship and immigrants, land affairs, and political appointment/power sharing, clearly showed it was a belated plan by a neglectful or a failed government. After being in power since 1994, the BN state government is indirectly admitting it had failed in these three areas. By saying the formation of the committees was agreed to in a recent state BN meeting, Tangau raised the question of  why the announcement was made by Upko and not by the BN. Was BN or Umno reluctant with the formation of these committees to look into sensitive matters and was reluctant to announce it? And was Upko announcing it as a means to force the BN to admit to the formation of these committees? Why was there no response or confirmation about it from the BN and other BN components? The three committees are long overdue, formed at a time when the issue of housing and real property ownership in Sabah had become very serious. Only recently the very embarrassing case of a single mother and her children living in a dilapidated house without any basic amenities and without a proper kitchen was exposed with the intervention of the wife of the Prime Minister. To address the housing woes, the Prime Minister, in the last national budget, promised assistances to newly employed Malaysians to own their first houses. But that promise may be just hot air because with the high and accelerating inflation in the nation today, the problem of house ownership is impossible for most young people. And mre so for the KDMs, but more on that later. Last March, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) published a statement pointing to the fact that because of "typically low starting salary, young adults, professionals and semi-professionals alike are experiencing an unfair disadvantage compared to their counterparts in other, if not most states in Malaysia, especially that of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. This is so, even when Sabah has one of the highest costs of living of any states in Malaysia." SAPP gave a calculation of living expenditures for a single person earning RM2,000 per month which included EPF deduction and Socso deduction, car loan (for a Myvi at RM430 per month for nine years), mobile phone, petrol, water and electricity, foods and drinks, personal and car insurance, and room rental, all of which leave the wage earner a paltry balance of RM150 per month. SAPP calculated that these expenses "does not even include costs of vehicle maintenance, Astro and Streamyx subscriptions, cooking gas, shampoos and soaps, house maintenance and miscellaneous" and that the wage earner would need 25 years to save "just to have enough to make a 10 percent deposit to buy a house costing RM 400,000."  Madius had admitted that the government has been treating local squatters and favouring immigrants, saying that "instead of evicting them (squatters who are Sabahans), they (the government) should be more proactive like providing all these local squatters a place in the people's housing programme (Program Perumahan Rakyat), instead of giving these home units to non-locals of whom many are foreigners based on their looks and so on." Citing the cases in Tuaran, he said that many PPR units were built but at the end of the day "we see more non-locals, believed to be foreigners, than locals living in the PPR. And now it is very clear, as the police are having problems in Tuaran in controlling the crime rate, especially in the Telipok Ria and Seri Rugading areas which are now considered crime hotspots in the district." It's been reported that in Seri Rugading fights between locals and immigrants are common and the Tuaran police have become tired of it. In November last year, Assistant Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid announced the shifting of fire victims from Lembaga Padi squatter area to the Telipok Ria apartments, saying, the deposit for moving into the apartments were waived, and "My officers had been very thorough in identifying eligible recipients for the housing scheme. We make sure only Malaysians will get the assistance." But a simple visit to Telipok Ria would confirm that she was LYING with these assurance because the percentage of the immigrant population of the housing area is really alarming. In fact the immigrants are the majority in these housing areas. How did this happen? It is well known that the little Napoleons at the Tuaran District Council, possibly under instruction, almost never gave application forms to those who were KDMs, by saying "Borang habis!" Could the Tuaran District Council, the assemblyman of Sulaman Datuk Hajiji Mohd. Noor, the Member of Parliament of Tuaran Datuk Wilfred M. Bumburing, give a racial breakdown of the occupants of Telipok Ria, and Seri Rugading? I have also been informed that those few locals who have received their apartments in these areas can no longer tolerate the noise, rubbish, human wastes and thefts they have to face there, and are seriously planning to leave. While I believe that Upko is sincere in trying to help the locals in the matter of housing and land ownership, I strongly doubt if the state BN (or Umno) will listen to Upko. I also believe that the three committees will not achieve anything meaningful. Somehow some people from somewhere will stall meetings or delay implementation of meeting decisions. And even if the committees become active, how much can it do before the next election comes, and the whole thing will be conveniently forgotten? The best that Upko can do is to form its own task force and aggressively carry out its own investigations and reveal the statistics and the hard political realities that corrupt the housing policy of the state government, including the way the PPRT and the e-Kasih programme are implemented. These programmes have been heavily criticised as very biased towards certain political supporters, and even aliens. After all, Upko has been very aggressive, to the point of playing brinkmanship, in its fight for justice in other areas so far, so why should it compromise on the matter of housing and land matters? Also, we all know that the arrangement in the state BN puts the Upko at a disadvantaged where decision making is concerned because all the top posts in the state BN committee are held by Umno leaders.

Cyberbattle to own the ‘truth' Posted: 15 Jul 2011 03:46 PM PDT The truth' is still out there in cyberspace where the Bersih 2.0 rally is concerned. Pakatan had always enjoyed a well-oiled social media network. It was first seen in action during Anwar's black eye incident and later in the first sodomy trial and subsequently the purported arsenic poisoning. BARADAN KUPPUSAMY, The Star THE Bersih 2.0 rally might be over but the battle to own its truth is still being fought over social media which had become a fierce battleground. People from both sides of the political divide have weighed in with their experiences of July 9 on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and so forth. Some of the things uploaded now include a video clip of a man who had supposedly died, a hospital that was blasted with water cannons and a PKR activist who died of a heart problem during the rally but his death was blamed on the police. The person who faked his death on video has been traced and identified as an Al-Arqam member from Selangor. He is said to have run off when the police sent him to hospital. Then a supposedly "Chinese man" was seen holding a loud hailer for the man (said to fake his death) as he prayed. Eventually, the "Chinese man" had been exposed as a Selangor PKR man who is a Malay. A blogger posted his picture for viewers to judge for themselves. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, meanwhile, was seen grimacing in hospital after the rally but his detractors scoffed at the images. Umno Youth's Patriot group appears to have been 'outsourced' to Bangladeshis to make up the 500-strong crowd It's a war zone out there in cyberspace. The Pakatan Rakyat appears to be winning at times; at other times, the Barisan Nasional. Pakatan had always enjoyed a well-oiled social media network. It was first seen in action during Anwar's black eye incident and later in the first sodomy trial and subsequently the purported arsenic poisoning. One of the prominent websites at that time was the Free Anwar website managed by Raja Petra Kamaruddin. It did Anwar a great favour and is also credited with helping to free him in 2004. Pakatan was always a step ahead of Barisan in exploiting the developments in social media. During the years since the Free Anwar website, Anwar himself led in the fight to exploit social media for its powerful ability to connect disparate people. Today, social media is working overtime for Pakatan as it seeks to manufacture consent for his political themes. Tech-savvy youths were checking iPads and smartphones during the days leading to the Bersih 2.0 rally and on the day itself. They sent out tweets, posted comments and images and wrote about their experiences at the rally. The truth can sometimes be lost in the maze that is social media but some images do not lie, such as the incident which took place at Tung Shin Hospital. There is overwhelming evidence that tear gas and water cannon were fired into the hospital area after rally participants ran helter skelter into the hospital area. Images and video clips of the incident were recorded and uploaded online by many people. It is well known that some ministers lack social media skills or have not found time to watch videos online but still make statements that later put them in a spot. Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have thus become a contested arena with many pro-Barisan Nasional and pro-Pakatan Rakyat supporters arguing over their version of what the "truth" is. For Anwar, the important thing is to keep up the political momentum achieved by Bersih 2.0. Their hope is that the next general election is held soon to capitalise on the political momentum created by the rally. He needs the Bersih 2.0 rally to be talked about everywhere, besides calling on his friends in the Western media to write about it. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, on the other hand, has been spending time explaining things. While on a visit to London, he was interviewed on CNN where he took questions on the rally, on police brutality and on his economic transformation plans for the country. Najib has to put a distance between himself and the effects of the rally on the people, especially the youths who are upwardly mobile. The social media is Anwar's strong suit. The same cannot be said about many government leaders. But not everybody is connected and those who are connected deeply disagree on what really happened on July 9. The silent majority is out there and when they speak, it will be a roar.

Make Up Your Mind, Electoral Commission Posted: 15 Jul 2011 10:26 AM PDT   By Mariam Mokhtar In the first Bersih rally, in 2007, in which Malaysians marched for free and fair elections, the event drew around 30,000 people. The rally was marred when the police provoked the crowds and used water cannons firing chemical laced water, baton charges and tear gas canisters against them. As a result of Bersih and the Hindraf march which happened 10 days later, BN lost its grip on power in Malaysia and the Prime Minister then, Abdullah Badawi was reported to have said that the Election Commission (EC) had acceded to several of Bersih's requests and that the opposition was continually blaming the EC for irregularities. He said, "They wanted a transparent ballot box and the use of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. The EC has agreed to that. Other than that, they can negotiate with the commission". He suggested that the electoral gains made by the Opposition after the GE were because the EC was not tainted. Fast forward to 2011 and BN is under pressure again. Apart from the usual grievances regarding electoral fraud, the EC is accused of condoning double-voting and vote-buying. Perhaps, the scrutiny into their lack of performance has forced the EC to say that BN does not have undue influence on any of their decisions. Perhaps, the intense public disapproval means the EC and BN have forgotten their election pledges for reform which they made last 2007. The most damaging of these reforms, for the EC, would be the use of indelible ink which is simple, cheap and foolproof. In 2011, the EC suggested that finger printing was necessary to avoid electoral fraud. In a climbdown from the statement issued by Badawi in 2007, it then announced that using indelible ink was a backward practice. According to Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, the EC deputy chairman, Bersih's demand for indelible ink to be used in an attempt to prevent electoral fraud would create chaos and make a mockery of Malaysia's image as a progressive and developing country. He said, "Countries that use indelible ink are countries like Indonesia, India, Zambia and Zimbabwe….. These are countries with more than double the population of Malaysia and where not all its citizens own identification cards. "These countries are not up to our level so why should we adopt their system? This is a choice between progression and regression." Perhaps, Wan Ahmad is not aware that as a nation, we have already regressed. Our leaders lack morals and have no desire to give up their hold on power. Malaysia does not have the rule of law. It says one thing about corruption, but does very little to eradicate it. There are many recorded abuses of electoral law, which are brushed aside by the EC. The EC is already compromised and is not an effective organisation to uphold the electoral rights of its people. Wan Ahmad then raised fears that voters would not agree with having their fingers painted with ink and asked if these people would not be eligible to vote. He said, "Disqualifying them would go against their rights." In a further attempt to prevent the use of indelible ink, he expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the method. "I also heard that indelible ink can be easily obtained from Thailand. What if voters ink their fingers themselves before casting their vote? Can you imagine the chaos that will erupt when they are barred from voting?" This reminds us of the MACC lawyer Abdul Razak Musa who tried to strangle himself in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest. However, Wan Ahmad is not alone in advocating the use of fingerprinting. According to Bernama, the EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohamad Yusof was reported to have said that plans were underway to 'record voters' fingerprints to verify their identities before allowing them to cast their ballots'. He said, "Then (a voter) will be considered to have voted, and the individual concerned cannot go to another polling station with the identity card to again cast his or her vote". The EC appears to have lost all credibility and powers of reasoning. Every decision or statement it makes seem to suggest that it has no desire to clean up the electoral process in Malaysia. Just like Umno/BN, it does not care or even want to be seen to champion the right of everyone to have free, clean and fair election. If only the EC had the imagination and perspicacity to realise that if it had agreed to engage with Bersih, it's reputation and those of its office-bearers, would be much improved. The bottom line is money. Ink is relatively cheap compared with fancy gadgets like biometric readers. Naturally, Umno/BN are afraid that the use of the simple and relatively cheap way of addressing voter fraud with indelible ink will oust Umno/BN from power. They are only concerned with the economics of the system. Which method will net them more money especially as the award to purchase expensive equipment will not be transparent and will be given to one of their cronies? What is a few hundred thousand ringgits in indelible ink, when Umno/BN cronies can charge several hundred millions and dupe us into handing over more money to those who already benefit from the public purse? Reducing electoral fraud is perhaps the least of the EC's problems. Making Umno/BN stay in power is more important.

Why did the police do what they did? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 03:38 PM PDT The detainees had their hands "cuffed" and looked pretty much subdued. However, as they were led through the line, they were kicked and punched by the police. Zan Azlee, The Malaysian Insider  The tough policeman with the huge muscles grabbed me by my shoulders and flung me towards the sidewalk not caring that I had a press tag around my neck. I struggled to keep my balance and not drop my camera. I barely managed to not trip over the curb. "Halau cameraman itu! (Get rid of that cameraman!)" screamed the policeman's other colleagues. My crime? I was shooting a bunch of arrested demonstrators being led out of Tung Shin Hospital and through a police line. The detainees had their hands "cuffed" and looked pretty much subdued. However, as they were led through the line, they were kicked and punched by the police. I was on assignment for The Malaysian Insider to gather video footage of the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur on July 9. But I couldn't get enough footage of that incident since I ended up behind police lines along with other members of the media, cordoned off from what was happening. There were many instances on the day when demonstrators were being arrested and people around would start yelling for the media to come document it. "Media! Cepat! Polis tengah tahan orang! (Media! Hurry up! The police are arresting people!)" they would scream. Many of them wanted visual proof that the police were being overly-aggressive when it came to arresting peaceful demonstrators. Many also realised that if the media was around during the arrests, the police were less likely to use excessive force. To me, that is just proof that a free and balanced media is a very important component to keep the wheel of democracy spinning smoothly. But, of course, keeping things going smoothly can be close to impossible while being under such tense situations. In the morning, before the demonstrators arrived in the city, the situation was very calm even though there were police everywhere. The media, myself included, were free to roam around, taking pictures and video of the police all ready to face the day. When the demonstrators started arriving, things got a bit tense. However, as far as my observations went, the tension did not arise from the demonstrators. They were just marching and chanting for free elections. It was when the crowd got big (around 10,000 of them) that trouble started in front of Menara Maybank. The trouble definitely did not start with the demonstrators. They didn't approach the police. It was the police who came in firing tear gas and chemically-laced water. The demonstrators were pushed back towards Jalan Pudu and that's when all the aggressive arrests started happening. At this point, the media were allowed free movement, even though we were screamed at to move away by the police. But we were not physically man-handled. It was only after the second wave of tear gas attacks that the police started to control the media by cordoning them off behind police lines. READ MORE HERE

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #73 Posted: 14 Jul 2011 01:19 AM PDT Shari'a literally means, "the road to the watering hole," the right or straight path to be followed. To Muslims, Shari'a refers to the body of Islamic laws that are perceived as being part and parcel of the faith. It thus assumes the same rightful place as the Quran and sunnah. To criticize the Shari'a is to criticize the faith itself. And therein lies the problem. M. Bakri Musa Chapter 9:  Islam in Malay Life   Shari'a in a Plural Society   The issue of the Islamic state is needlessly consuming the energy of many Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It is also the platform of the Islamic Party (PAS), its reason for being. Yet when challenged on the specifics, PAS is sorely unprepared. Surely after championing the issue for the past half a century, its leaders should have a pretty clear idea of their goals. If by Islamic state they mean one based on the ideals of justice and morality of the Quran, then all Muslims and many non-Muslims would agree. But if they want a state based on the Shari'a (Islamic law) in its current form, many Muslims and certainly all non-Muslims would demur.   The Shari'a took three centuries to formulate and consumed the best intellectual talent of the Muslim world at the time. Although based on the Qur'an and sunnah (ways of the prophet), the Shari'a remains the creation of mortals and as such, carries all the imperfections implicit in such endeavors. For Muslims to ascribe to it the reverence and perfection reserved only for the Quran means that we ascribe those very same qualities to the mortals who crafted the Shari'a.   Shari'a literally means, "the road to the watering hole," the right or straight path to be followed. To Muslims, Shari'a refers to the body of Islamic laws that are perceived as being part and parcel of the faith. It thus assumes the same rightful place as the Quran and sunnah. To criticize the Shari'a is to criticize the faith itself. And therein lies the problem.   There are over 6,000 verses in the Quran; of these less than 600 are concerned with the law. And most of those cover such matters as prayers and rituals. Only about 80 verses deal with such traditional legal matters as crime and punishment, contracts, and family law. Clearly the Quran is not a legal tome but a general guidance on how to build a moral and ethical society.   It is a magnificent tribute to the intellect of those early Muslim scholars that they were able to fashion out of the Quran and the sunnah a coherent and consistent body of laws that is the Shari'a. In its time the Shari'a represented a giant leap in intellectual, social, and legal achievements. Its treatment of women in particular was light years ahead of its time. The status of women accorded by the Shari'a was of the order of magnitude a thousand times better than the prevailing practices. Then women were not even recognized as humans. Whereas women are granted a share of the inheritance in the Shari'a, in the then prevailing culture, women were the inheritance. They were chattels and properties of their husband, to be passed on or traded accordingly. The Shari'a represented a grand emancipation of women. In this regard Islam was centuries ahead of Western civilization. The codifying of divorces too was truly an inspiration, considering that the concept did not even exist then. Wives were not divorced then; they were simply discarded, traded, or handed over to their husband's heir. The Shari'a's treatment of criminal justice was similarly light years ahead of the prevailing ethos of "an eye for an eye;" likewise the treatment of slavery and indentured labor.   While the Shari'a represented a quantum leap in achievement of early Islam, in its present form it is clearly incompatible with many of today's universally accepted norms, in particular with respect to human rights, criminal justice, public law, gender equality, and hosts of other areas.   I do not say this lightly seeing that to many Muslims, any criticism of the Shari'a is blasphemous. But I cannot look at my daughter and tell her that she is worth only half that of my son, as the Shari'a would have it. I love all my children equally and my inheritance to them should and will reflect that sentiment. Nor do I find such cruel and inhuman punishments as stoning to death a woman for adultery and the chopping of hands for thievery compatible with an All Compassionate and All Merciful Allah. Similarly I find the death penalty for apostasy as prescribed by the Shari'a not only abhorrent but also incompatible with the Koranic admonition that there shall be no compulsion in matters of faith.   As a Muslim I take the Koran to be Allah's revelation. Its message is infallible and immutable, and for all mankind at all times. That is a matter of faith. Being Allah's words, the Koran takes precedence over everything else, including the Shari'a and the sunnah.   That is a heavy statement. Having said it, a much-needed pause for clarification. Muslims consider the Koran and the sunnah as co-equal parts of the faith. One cannot separate the message (the Koran) from the messenger (the prophet – pbuh); they both form an integral part of the faith. I agree wholeheartedly. The main issue I have is differentiating between the actual practices and sayings of the prophet (pbuh) and what scholars say they are. I will revisit this important differentiation a few pages hence. Meanwhile back to my original discussion.   Societies change, and so too must the laws. There is nothing in the Shari'a that mandates we give it the reverence due only to the Quran. Thus the pertinent question, and one rarely asked, is not whether the Shari'a should be applied to modern society, rather how can we adapt and modify it to meet current needs. A body of laws that was an enlightened piece of legislation for 7-10th Century Arabia is clearly not suitable for the present. When the Shari'a was formulated, the Arabian society was just emerging from the Age of Jahiliyah (Ignorance), a period of rampant female infanticide, slavery, and tribalism. A millennium later, the problems are of a different order. The challenge today is to enhance the freedom and dignity of humans. That these freedoms and rights are emphasized by Western civilization is no reason for Muslims not to co-opt and adopt them.   Today's Muslims should emulate our illustrious predecessors. Had ancient Muslims been like their present-day counterparts and considered everything originating outside of Islam as "un-Islamic," Islam would not have expanded. Muslims today should be equally receptive to and be welcoming of new ideas and innovations regardless of where they originated. That Allah chose a Christian to reveal His secret on gravity, a Jew on the nature of the atom, a Confucian on the explosive power of gunpowder, and a Hindu on the concept of zero, is not for us to question. It is however, for us to appreciate that such wisdom and insights are for the benefit of all.     Next:   Reform in Islam

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