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Malaysia’s Political Awakening: A Call for US Leadership Posted: 21 Jul 2011 08:08 AM PDT On elections, the US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices declares that Malaysian opposition parties are unable to compete on equal terms with the governing UMNO-dominated coalition because of restrictions on campaigning and freedom of assembly and association. by John R. Malott, Asia Pacific Bulletin A Malaysian recently wrote to me, "Most Americans don't know or even care where Malaysia is." Even among the so-called foreign policy elite, little attention is paid to Malaysia. There are few American academics who specialize in domestic Malaysian politics, and except for hosting visits by senior Malaysian leaders, think tanks and universities hold few Malaysia-themed programs. US newspaper and magazine reports are few, with most articles focusing on tourism and the delights of Malaysian cuisine. As a result, there is a tendency among Americans to hold an idealized (and outdated) image of Malaysia as a successful multi-racial and multi-religious paradise, an Asian economic dynamo, and a stable and moderate Muslim democracy. As a result of this deficit of informed analysis of Malaysia, there has been a failure to notice the internal political and economic changes unfolding within Malaysia over the past few years. The reality today, as one Australian expert puts it, is that the situation is the "most fluid and dangerous" in Malaysia's history. The Events of July 9 – A Date for the History Books Because of this attention shortfall, the events of July 9, 2011 came as a surprise. On that day, tens of thousands of Malaysians—who have been ranked on Hofstede's Power Distance Index as the most submissive to authority of any people in the world—chose to defy their government and join a "Walk for Democracy." They heeded the call of Bersih 2.0, a coalition of 62 non-governmental organizations that calls for free and fair elections. In the days before the rally, the Malaysian government cracked down. It rounded up 200 leaders associated with the movement, claiming that they were "waging war against the King" and planning to overthrow the government. It declared both the Bersih coalition and the planned rally illegal, and in a truly bizarre action, it declared the color yellow—Bersih's signature color—illegal. Malaysian citizens were arrested for possessing Bersih literature or wearing yellow T-shirts. The police established roadblocks around the city and banned 91 Bersih and opposition leaders from entering the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. By the morning of July 9, the city was in total lockdown. Then something remarkable happened. As Ambiga Sreenevasan, the distinguished attorney who leads Bersih put it, the Malaysian people showed that they no longer would be intimidated by their government. They chose to march, knowing that they would be met by tear gas, chemical-laced water cannon, and police batons. Even after Bersih's leadership was arrested, Malaysians of all ages, races and religions continued their "Walk for Democracy" through the streets of Kuala Lumpur. They locked arms, they sang their national anthem and "We Shall Overcome," they blew bubbles and carried flowers. They were peaceful. The only muscle seen that day was the heavy hand of the police. Human Rights Watch later called the use of force excessive, the 1,670 arrests unwarranted, and the police attacks on marchers unprovoked. This repression by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his government drew international condemnation, and it also put a lie to Najib's two-year effort to portray himself as a modern, liberal-minded leader. More importantly, and of greater concern to Najib and his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party—the main party that has ruled Malaysia continuously since independence in 1957—is that it awakened a new generation of Malaysians. It is too soon to know whether the movement for electoral reform and the establishment of true democracy in Malaysia will be sustained. If it is, then July 9 will be remembered as a turning point in Malaysia's history. Just How Free and Democratic is Malaysia? Why should a government be so afraid of a call for fair elections? Like his predecessors, Najib claims that demonstrations will lead to chaos, even though the right of assembly is guaranteed by the nation's constitution and is commonplace in any true democracy. As for free and fair elections, Najib says that Malaysia already has them; if not, then opposition parties would not have achieved the gains they made in the 2008 elections, when they received 47% of the popular vote and took control of five states. Opposition parties counter that if elections truly were fair and free, they would form the government and not the UMNO-led coalition. Political rhetoric aside, Malaysia's electoral system has been analyzed by academics in Australia, Malaysia, the United States, and elsewhere. In addition, the state of Malaysia's political freedom has been assessed by many international groups. The Economist Intelligence Unit, for example, labels Malaysia a "flawed democracy" in its Democracy Index. Freedom House says that Malaysia is only "partly free." Reporters Without Borders places Malaysia 141st out of the 178 countries in its Press Freedom Index. On elections, the US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices declares that Malaysian opposition parties are unable to compete on equal terms with the governing UMNO-dominated coalition because of restrictions on campaigning and freedom of assembly and association. "News of the opposition," the report says, is "tightly restricted and reported in a biased fashion." Academics point to the Election Commission's gerrymandering, which creates highly imbalanced districts that favor the ruling party, where the number of voters per electoral district can range from 7,000 to over 100,000. Over the years there have been numerous credible reports of the use of phantom voters, stuffed ballot boxes, vote-buying, and abuse of government resources to attract votes. In Sarawak's state elections this past April, Prime Minister Najib was caught on video, blatantly telling a village gathering that his government would give them US$1.5 million for a local project, but only if they elected his candidate. What Should Be Done? Malaysia's government may assert otherwise, but the evidence is overwhelmingly on Bersih's side. Malaysia is not a full democracy, and its elections are neither free nor fair. Malaysian citizens have awakened to that fact. Now the world's democracies need to stand on the right side of Malaysia's future. The United States has a multitude of interests in Malaysia, one of which is to help strengthen democracy and the rule of law. Human rights groups have condemned what they call the US Government's "lukewarm" response to the events of July 9. This is a moment when the United States, which named Bersih's leader Ambiga Sreenevasan an International Woman of Courage in 2009, can show the same courage and make a difference in the life of a nation. John R. Malott was the US Ambassador to Malaysia, 1995-1998, and continues to follow developments in that country closely. The Asia Pacific Bulletin (APB) series is published by the East-West Center, which promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

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• Bourdon's detention 'puts Malaysia back in limelight'
• Najib thanks Rosmah for 'sacrificing' Italian vacation
• French lawyer to be deported tonight
• Wikileaks: US envoy says Umno abused security laws, institutions
• Malaysia to deport French lawyer for rights group
• MB’s aide explains why Umno is crass
• Ex-Umno minister implies elections not fair
• Footage confirms police caused Mat Sabu's injury?
• ‘Under pressure’ Najib cancels family vacation
• Ku Li’s Amanah likely to lead third force
• M’sian said to be owner of world’s most expensive luxury vessel – at RM14.5bil
• Najib says Bersih a bid to topple his government
• Respect Islam and we will respect you, Najib tells Christians
• French Scorpene lawyer detained at KLIA
• Scorpene scandal: ‘Truth to surface soon’
• WIKILEAKS: ‘Umno clueless about its folly’

Bourdon's detention 'puts Malaysia back in limelight' Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:13 AM PDT The arrest and imminent deportation of French rights lawyer William Bourdon today drew strong reaction from PAS's Kuala Selangor member of parliament Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who said the news put the country back into international limelight following the coverage of Bersih's massive rally on July 9. "Right after his return (from overseas), Najib (Razak) continues his bad attitude. Sure enough, this will put us back into the international limelight again," he told Harakahdaily in response to Bourdon's arrest at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Immigration officials who entered the aircraft he was in. Dzulkefly (above) said had Bourdon been allowed to attend the events planned for him, there would not be much media publicity. "But when a foreigner is arrested, one who is a human rights lawyer in French courts, it only worsens the already bad situation," he said. Bourdon is in Malaysia to speak at three events under local human rights group Suaram's 'Ops Scorpene', a project to seek a closure to the murder case of Altantuya Shariibuu, who was brutally murdered in November 2006. Although two security officers were sentenced to death by the court, questions remain on the motive of her murder, as well as several claims and counter claims on Najib's alleged personal involvement. Central to these was the RM7.3 billion purchase of two French 'Scorpene' submarines. It was claimed that Altantuya's murder had to do with unpaid kickbacks owed to her, the reason why she had hounded Najib's aide Abdul Razak Baginda in the days leading to her death. "Truth will be revealed" Bourdon, who represents Suaram in the impending French trial, addressed a fund-raising event in Penang. Suaram aims to raise RM100,000 to finance the trial, which could commence in an open court in France as early as next month. Earlier in Penang, Bourdon said his investigation could take years depending on access to information, documentation and cooperation extended by the Malaysian authorities. "We will reveal and disclose details on all the beneficiaries. I am confident that Malaysians can overcome difficulties and I wish you courage," he told the crowd. Bourdon had been scheduled to attend another event in Petaling Jaya tonight, sharing the stage with PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu. Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said the instruction to arrest Bourdon must have come from Najib's administration to prevent details about the French investigation from emerging in public. "This move (by Najib) will backfire on his administration and himself in terms of public perception," warned the PAS central commiittee member.

Najib thanks Rosmah for 'sacrificing' Italian vacation Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:10 AM PDT (Harakah Daily) - Prime minister Najib Razak has publicly thanked his wife Rosmah Mansor for agreeing to cancel his family's overseas holiday "for the sake of Malaysians back home". Addressing a large crowd of UMNO members who turned up to welcome him at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Najib, who just returned from his official trip to Britain, the Vatican and Turkmenistan, said his wife agreed with his plea to cancel their holiday. "I told my family I felt that I should return to Malaysia and that I was prepared to forgo the holiday for the sake of Malaysians back home," he was quoted as saying by government-owned Bernama news agency. According to the report, Najib was to spend a week holidaying in Italy. It was revealed in the parliament earlier that the government spent more than RM17 million for trips made by the couple since 2008, with one-third of the amount being spent in the first six months of this year alone. The parliament was also told that RM134,317.76 was spent to cover Rosmah's expenses during her trip to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bangladesh, following criticism that she had spent RM140,000 for an overnight stay at Dubai's luxury hotel Atlantis. The revelation was followed by another news about the alleged purchase of a designer diamond ring at a whopping price of RM70 million ringgit, with a blog publishing a screenshot of a customs declaration. PKR-linked Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) led by Badrul Hisham Shaharin had lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the alleged purchase. "We don't want a repeat of the Philippine fiasco where the self-styled First Lady Imelda cleared public funds for selfish lavish spending," he said, urging the commission to launch an investigation into the allegations. Najib and wife had left the country days after the massive Bersih protest in the capital, which saw more than 1,600 people detained. Some 50,000 people thronged city streets after police the traffic and virtually locked out Kuala Lumpur in the hope of thwarting the rally for electoral reforms on July 9. However, the Bersih protests hounded Najib and his entourage in London, with dozens of Malaysians and rights activists turning up wearing the yellow Bersih t-shirts shouting slogans against the government's handling of the rally.

French lawyer to be deported tonight Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:44 PM PDT By Stephanie Sta Maria and Tashny Sukumaran, FMT PETALING JAYA: Prominent French human rights lawyer William Bourdon will be deported tonight after being detained for more than four hours by immigration and police officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Bourdon has been served the deportation order and he will be leaving Kuala Lumpur at 11.30pm along with his fiancee Lea Forestier to Paris. Bourdon, in a brief statement, said that the Malaysian police had ordered him to leave the country as soon as possible. He said when he explained that his return ticket to Paris was only on Sunday, he was told that he would be detained until then. "We have decided to find the earliest return flight possible at our own costs. I don't understand this decision as no explanation has been given to me so far," he added in his hand-written note (photo, below). "I hereby declare that I have acted as the lawyer for Suaram in full respect of my duties and rules and in perfect compliance with national and international laws. "I consider that this deportation decision is a breach in the right to freely exercise my profession as a lawyer," he said. Bourdon had arrived here from Penang, where he spoke at an event organised by rights group Suaram regarding the controversial Scorpene submarine deal. He was scheduled to give another speech tonight in Petaling Jaya on the submarine scandal, followed by another in Ipoh tomorrow. But when his Malaysia Airlines flight landed at 11.40am, three immigration officials came on board to escort him off the aircraft. Bourdon was taken to the holding centre where he was questioned for four hours. Suaram executive director, Cynthia Gabriel, who is at the KLIA, told FMT that she managed to speak to Bourdon and that he was being held in the Immigration Enforcement Division. "The officials asked him to sign deportation papers in Bahasa Malaysia and of course he refused," she said. "The French Embassy officials are currently in negotiations with the immigration officials. But the Bourdons are definitely going back to France tonight." Meanwhile Fadiah Nadwa Fikri from Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said that Forestier was released earlier and that she was on her way to the division where Bourdon is being held. "He has been denied access to lawyers which is ridiculously absurd. And none of the officials have issued any statement on the grounds for his detention." According to Fadiah, Forestier was "very shocked and upset over the arbitrariness of situation." "Only other experience of William and I denied entry was Tunisia under BenAli… there was a banana republic!," Forestier was reported to have said, according to tweets from local activists. The authorities also failed to acknowledge the fact that Bourdon was Suaram's lawyer on the submarine case and that his deporation would be a breach of his right to perform his duty as a lawyer. Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah, and Batu MP Tian Chua, are also at KLIA but their attempts to meet with Bourdon have been denied. The local activists and parliamentarians are now waiting for Bourdon to be released to see the deportation order. The submarine deal In June 2002, the Malaysian government signed an agreement with French DCNS and Spainish Navantia for the procurement of two Scorpene class submarines. READ MORE HERE

Wikileaks: US envoy says Umno abused security laws, institutions Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:37 PM PDT The leaked cable said that "in good times Umno can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick." By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The United States ambassador here told Washington in 2008 that Malaysia was facing a "political crisis" caused by Umno's control and abuse of security institutions and national security laws to remain in power. US ambassador James R. Keith said in a leaked cable, released by whistleblower site WikiLeaks through the Malaysia Today news portal that "in good times Umno can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick, and for now that means intimidation." The document, signed by the US ambassador at the time, charged that Umno "controlled" security institutions like the military and the police by appointing "party stalwarts" to head these institutions. The cable said that while the army would remain "loyal" to legitimate leadership, the police, on the other hand, took direct orders from Umno. "Umno leaders, united behind but also in a sense using Prime Minister (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, have made it clear that they are willing to blacken Malaysia's reputation to ensure the end to opposition leader (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim's political challenge," said the cable in reference to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader's on-going sodomy trial where he was charged with sodomising an ex-aide on June 26, 2008. "The ruling elite maintains control over the security apparatus through party stalwarts who run the security institutions, mainly the police but also the military. We believe the military will remain loyal to legitimate leadership and is not a likely tool to overturn an elected, royally-approved and Malay-led government from either the ruling or opposition side. The police, on the other hand, follow orders from the ruling party. "The "commando-style" arrest of Anwar last week, the roadblocks and security checks throughout the city of Kuala Lumpur, the recent arrest of blogger Raja Petra (Kamaruddin), intimidation of Sabah politicians, and the authorities' strident rhetoric are all part of a broad message to the Malaysian people that they had better not stand in Umno's path. In today's Malaysia, one can get along by going along (and of course one can go farther as a Malay rather than a Chinese or Indian), but it is also true that one can be run over," said the US cable.  The cable added that Umno defined national security as a means to protect the party's "superiority" and to ensure that the opposition cannot take over the reins of federal power. "Now the criminal law is laid bare as a political tool, just as useful to the ruling party as the national security law. READ MORE HERE

Malaysia to deport French lawyer for rights group Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:28 PM PDT   (AP) - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian authorities will deport a French lawyer representing a human rights group in a court case accusing shipbuilder DCNS of corruption in a $1.2 billion submarine deal with Malaysia, activists said Friday. William Bourdon was suddenly taken into custody Friday with no reasons given and was told he would be deported, said Cynthia Gabriel of the Malaysian rights group Suaram. She accused the government of "paranoia" in targeting Bourdon. Government officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment. Bourdon represents Suaram, which filed complaints with a French prosecutor in 2009 alleging corruption in a 114 million euro ($164 million) fee DCNS paid to Malaysian firm Perimekar Sdn. Bhd. to facilitate the submarine deal. Gabriel said Bourdon arrived in northern Penang state Thursday and spoke at a dinner about the case, which is set to go to trial in September. He flew to Kuala Lumpur Friday for another forum, and immigration officials boarded the plane to detain him right after his flight landed, she said. "Bourdon told us that he is going to be deported. He said he was made to sign a document in the Malay language. He said he wrote a statement in French to protest his deportation, as he didn't violate any laws," she told The Associated Press, after speaking to Bourdon on his mobile phone. Gabriel said Bourdon in his talk on Thursday gave an update about the status of the case, on the French judicial system and what to expect from the trial. "He didn't reveal anything damning. This is just an act of paranoia, another irrationality by the government. They are afraid of their own shadows," she said. Malaysia ordered two diesel-electric Scorpene attack submarines in 2002 as part of a naval upgrade. Prime Minister Najib Razak was defense minister at the time. Malaysian firm Perimekar is owned by the wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, a controversial figure who once was Najib's aide and a close friend. Najib has denied there was any corruption. Malaysian defense officials have said the fee was paid to Perimekar for coordination and support services. But critics argued that Perimekar was formed only a few months before the contract was inked, had no track record in submarine services and didn't have the financial ability to support the contract. Suaram has said it plans to take legal action against Perimekar and the Malaysian government if the French court rules there is corruption by DCNS. The case could embarrass Najib and hamper his ruling coalition's effort to bolster support ahead of general elections that many expect to be held next year. Malaysia has received both the submarines. Perimekar's connection with Abdul Razak is also controversial in other aspects. He was acquitted in 2008 of abetting in the murder of his ex-mistress, a Mongolian woman. Abdul Razak confessed to having an affair with her and said she was blackmailing him. The woman was shot and her body blown up with military-grade explosives in October 2006. Two policemen working in security were later convicted and sentenced to death for murdering the Mongolian, although prosecutors failed to show any motive. Suaram has said initial investigations by their French lawyers showed the Mongolian had worked as a translator for Abdul Razak in the submarine deal.

MB’s aide explains why Umno is crass Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:09 PM PDT   By Patrick Lee, FMT PETALING JAYA: The Selangor Menteri Besar's office today launched a blistering attack against Umno members objecting to a plan to build hostels for foreign workers. Faekah Husin, the Menteri Besar's political secretary, said Umno's "gutter politics" was the result of ignorance and a "low class" mentality. She was reacting to statements made on Wednesday during a protest against the plan. The demonstrators represented Umno Youth and MCA. Umno Youth's Arman Azha Abu Hanifah, who was among the protesters, said Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had "prostituted himself" in deciding to set aside land in Petaling Jaya for foreigners when Malaysians were having a hard time finding affordable accommodation in the city. Faekah said Umno members had shown once again that "the party revels in dirty, gutter politics while being completely ignorant of the true issues".   READ MORE HERE.

Ex-Umno minister implies elections not fair Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:05 PM PDT By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: In an unprecedented move, a former Umno minister implicitly stated that the electoral process here is not free and fair, and that Bersih 2.0′s demands are fundamental. Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir's bold remark was in stark contradiction with that of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's statement this morning that Barisan Nasional never cheated in the polls. "The government knows whether elections are clean or not. The people know whether the elections are clean or not," Kadir said, leaving his audience to read between the lines. He also pointed out that voters now were more educated and aware of the ruling party's attempt to cling on to power by putting a "yes man" in charge of the Election Commission. "Cannot lah like this," he said, drawing laughter from those present. Kadir, who was tourism minister during the Mahathir administration, was speaking at the launch of the Angkatan Amanah Rakyat (Amanah) here today. Reminding the government that it was duty-bound to uphold free and fair elections, the former MP suggested that the powers-that-be engage Bersih 2.0, which had been declared illegal. "A free and fair election is very fundamental.Why can't we engage them (Bersih 2.0)?" added the deputy president of Amanah. Harsh response ignites anger Kadir said the founding fathers had ensured that elections in this country were free and fair, with former premiers like Tunku Abdul Rahman and Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak, "making sure that a level playing field was given to all contesting."   READ MORE HERE.

Footage confirms police caused Mat Sabu's injury? Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:47 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - Far from proving that the police had nothing to do with the injury suffered by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu on July 9, a video footage shown to members of the press yesterday showed how his motorcycle was rudely cornered by a police 4WD vehicle causing him to hit another police vehicle behind him and fall to the ground. Salleh Mat Rashid, who was recently promoted to head the Internal Security and Public Order, dedicated a whole topic during the police presentation to rebut Mat Sabu's claim that police caused his injury which required a surgery on a torn ligament last week. Backed by a 4WD vehicle and two Proton Waja patrol cars, the police tailed the PAS leader through major roads in the city in a bid to arrest him. During the briefing, Salleh however did not specify why the three police vehicles had wanted to arrest Mat Sabu. Giving the police version of the incident, Salleh said the police started its pursuit of Mat Sabu, riding pillion in a motorbike accompanied by two other persons on a different bike, at Jalan Maharajalela, before moving towards Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, Jalan Syed Putra, all the way through Jalan Robson and into Jalan Tun Sambanthan. From here, Mat Sabu kept going towards Jalan Travers to turn into the Mahameru highway. However, a police block there forced him to take a turn into the Sri Bukit Persekutuan residential area. The 4WD then overtook Mat Sabu's motorbike and made a sharp left turn in a bid to stop his advance. Sandwiched between the back of the 4WD and the police car, Mat Sabu's motorbike fell to the ground, which the police claimed was due to a sudden U-turn it made to escape. The police also admitted that the motorbike did hit one police car at its front fender. There was however no video footage to exactly show how the motorcycle had fallen due to the 4WD blocking its vision, other than a computer animation to re-enact the police version. Concluding its explanation, the police said Mat Sabu (left) had not suffered any fracture but only "soft tissue injury to right knee". Mat Sabu, who earlier said he was taken by police to a clinic in Jinjang following his arrest, had since sought further treatment at the Selangor Medical Centre in Shah Alam, confirming that his injury was worse than previously thought. The hospital carried out a procedure drilling a 2.5-inch screw into the back of his knee to keep it in place.   READ MORE HERE.

‘Under pressure’ Najib cancels family vacation Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:55 PM PDT The premier cancels a family vacation because he wants to spend more time with Malaysians, signalling that all may not be well in Putrajaya. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Malaysian political landscape is experiencing a series of tremors and with numerous conspiracy theories and speculations being churned out, some predict that an earthquake is imminent. As for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, things started to roll downhill since July 9, when tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the streets to push for free and fair elections. Observers claimed that the nation's sixth premier, who had vowed to recapture Barisan Nasional's glory following its 2008 electoral bruising, is now under tremendous pressure, and it is not coming from the opposition alone. Speculation is rife that the daggers are out for Najib in Umno itself, and adding to the woes is the party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's newly launched outfit, Angkatan Amanah Rakyat, whose true objectives remain vague. The iron-fist response towards the Bersih 2.0 rally soiled Najib's image both here and abroad, and under this cloud of political gloom, the premier returned home this morning following a working visit to three countries, which also saw him visiting the Vatican. When he touched down at KLIA, Najib added more coal to the burning speculation that all was not well in Putrajaya when he revealed that he had cancelled a family holiday to be with the people. "I told my family I felt that I should return to Malaysia and that I was prepared to forgo the holiday for the sake of Malaysians back home," he was quoted as saying by Bernama. According to the national news agency, Najib was greeted by some 3,000 people, including his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin and his cousin, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. There was also a banner unfurled at the airport bearing the signatures of "1.2 million Malaysians" backing his leadership. The campaign was initiated by the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma), an associate member of Umno. READ MORE HERE

Ku Li’s Amanah likely to lead third force Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:52 PM PDT Umno veteran says his group aims to be in the forefront of the fight against the country's "continuous disintegration". (Free Malaysia Today) - Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah hinted today that his new group, Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah), could possibly be the catalyst to a rising third force. The Kelantan prince, in an inspiring speech at the launch of his new group, called on the silent majority to voice their discontent against "rife corruption, cronyism and racial crisis". Razaleigh said Amanah aims to be the platform for Malaysians to fight against what he sees as the country's "continuous disintegration", hinting at the group's bid to be a non-partisan pressure group. "I believe at the end of the road that we are taking in these early steps, we will be called upon to make several important decisions for the future of our nation – choices that we must take regardless of the problems, challenges and obstacle that we face," he said. "This morning could be another normal social event or it could be the beginning of a journey towards something that has never taken place before, that may change the current of our country's future," he said. The setting up of Amanah has triggered speculation that Razaleigh, who has been highly critical of his own party's leadership, no longer believes he could reform Umno from within. Defection to the opposition could also see his reputation as an independent statesman tarnished. In a country without a strong third force, Razaleigh's weight among the moderates and especially among the idealistic younger voters could be appealing. Amanah's ideology could also be a charm factor. Studies have shown that younger Malaysian voters tend to vote for the opposition given the lack of a credible middle choice, not due to partisan politics. Amanah aims to rekindle the multi-racial spirit that was fought for by the country's founding fathers. Their goal is to bring everyone who believe in Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra's vision of a truly united Malaysia together. Middle and moderate voice The group, boasting multi-racial political veterans membership like former Sarawak deputy chief Minister Daniel Tajem, former tourism minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir and those still active like former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, could well fill in this gap. While Razaleigh continued to pound the government, indirectly blaming them for worsening racism and dismal economic performance, he dropped more hints of Amanah's possible third force role throughout his speech: "We want to represent the middle and moderate voice that try to avoid confrontation with the authorities because we want to continue with our daily lives normally. READ MORE HERE

M’sian said to be owner of world’s most expensive luxury vessel – at RM14.5bil Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:24 PM PDT Seafaring bling-bling: History Supreme making history as the world's most expensive luxury yacht. (The Star) - While newspapers in Britain were abuzz with reports that the owner of the world's most expensive luxury yacht is a Malaysian, no one can confirm it. British daily The Sun reported that the 31m History Supreme is owned by a Malaysian businessman who paid 3bil (RM14.5bil) for it. To put things in perspective, this figure is close to the estimated cost of the country's first mass rapid transit (MRT) system, which has a price tag of RM20bil. Comparatively, the world's biggest private yacht, the 164m Eclipse owned by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich costs only RM3.65bil. The Sun also reported that the History Supreme is made out of 100 tonnes of gold and platinum, which cover more than half its surface, and the base of the vessel is wrapped in gold. The daily said the yacht's features, including the deck, dining area, rails and anchor, are all made from precious metals. Below deck, things become even more exotic, featuring meteoric stone and a T-Rex dinosaur bone in the sleeping quarters. The boat was built in Italy but was completed in Malaysia two weeks ago. According to the newspaper, the businessman had approached Liverpool jeweller Stuart Hughes for this unique project. The businessman had even asked Hughes if he could customise an aeroplane. Hughes, who is famous for creating exclusive, gold-plated and jewel-encrusted luxury items ranging from mobile phones to aquariums, took three years to build the yacht. "It was pretty much a case of can you make this gold, can you make that gold? We just did what we were told and are delighted with the results," Hughes was quoted as saying. The yacht is believed to be based on Italian yacht-maker Baia's latest One Hundred model, which costs at least RM30mil.

Najib says Bersih a bid to topple his government Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:57 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak today accused the Bersih group of trying to seize power through mass rallies, while dismissing the electoral reform group's allegations of poll fraud. Speaking on arrival at KLIA after his eight-day trip abroad, the prime minister also maintained elections in Malaysia had always been clean. "We have never cheated in an election in Malaysia," he told some 200 Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters at Kompleks Bunga Raya in KLIA. Najib also brushed aside Bersih claims that BN had an unfair advantage when it came to campaigning owing to the ruling coalition's stranglehold on the media and restrictions on freedom to assemble. "We say it's fair, they (Pakatan Rakyat) say it's not fair. Isn't it fair enough that they're campaigning every day? Every day a ceramah here and there . . . that's still not fair?" he said. Najib added that there needed to be a balance between freedom of expression and public order, but stressed that there was "room for dissent" in Malaysia. He pointed out that Bersih had rejected the government's offer to have their rally in a stadium and claimed this was because the election watchdog was more keen on having a procession and provoking the police than stating their demands. "It's not so much about electoral reform. They want to show us as though we're like the Arab Spring governments in the Middle East," he said. "That's why they tried to paint us as an autocratic government . . . but actually, they wish to seize power from we who were chosen by the people." Bersih estimates that 50,000 people showed up at the July 9 rally for free and fair elections despite efforts to prevent it from taking place while police have said there were only 6,000. The protest turned chaotic when police fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of demonstrators, resulting in nearly 1,700 arrests, scores injured, and the death of former military man Baharuddin Ahmad, 59. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has said it will hold a public inquiry into police conduct during the rally following reports that they used excessive force to disperse protesters. Police yesterday cleared themselves of wrongdoing following an internal probe into alleged police brutality and have instead laid blame on Bersih protesters for provoking the police.

Respect Islam and we will respect you, Najib tells Christians Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:55 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - The government will engage with Christians groups here that love peace and respect the country's Islamic leadership, the prime minister said today. Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government would work with Christians who wished to uphold world peace and harmony as it was committed to the "global movement of moderates". "We wish to tell our friends, the Malaysian Christians . . . if they respect us, we will also respect them," he told some 200 BN supporters at Kompleks Bunga Raya here. "This is our message. Islam is fair to all. Islam is beautiful, Islam is grand, Islam is pure, Islam is noble." Najib returned today from a 10-day trip to Europe that included a visit to the Pope at the Vatican, where he sealed formal ties with the city-state. He is only the second Malaysian prime minister to visit the head of the Catholic Church after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad met Pope John Paul II in 2002. Putrajaya's relationship with Christians remains strained following the Home Ministry's decision to bar the Catholic Church here from using the word "Allah" in the Malay-language version of its newpaper, The Herald. The case is pending a Home Ministry appeal of the 2009 High Court ruling allowing the church to use the word, which some Muslims argue should be reserved for Islam. Several churches across the country were fire-bombed in January last year following the ruling. Matters were further brought to a head when 35,100 Malay-language bibles were seized by the Home Ministry, causing outrage among the Christian community. The bibles were later released after a flurry of negotiations between church leaders and Putrajaya ahead of the Sarawak state election, on the condition that they be marked with a cross and the words "Christian publication". Many Catholics, however, remain unconvinced by Najib's attempts to pacify the community, as evidenced by a widely circulated letter to the Pope accusing the prime minister of manipulating religious sentiment. Christians form close to 10 per cent of Malaysia's 28 million population.

French Scorpene lawyer detained at KLIA Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:36 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - French lawyer Willian Bourdon has been detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after attending a dinner in Penang last night where he briefed the audience on the progress of judicial investigations in France into the controversial RM7 billion Scorpene submarines that Malaysia bought. Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel, who has been escorting Bourdon during his visit, said immigration officers detained the lawyer in the plane on his landing from Penang just before noon today, and taken to a holding area. "Immigration officers came into the aircraft to detain him for questioning," she said in a text message to The Malaysian Insider. "He is now in a holding centre and his wife is separated from him." PKR leader and lawyer Latheefa Koya was on her way to the airport to represent Bourdon, and said that "we suspect it has to do with his speech last night", as Bourdon was yesterday allowed to enter the country with no problems. The purchase of two submarines from French defence company DCNS in 2004 and 2005 was made when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was still defence minister and a company run by Abdul Razak Baginda, said to be a close aide of the prime minister, was reported to have received a RM500 million commission from the deal. Human rights groups and opposition parties here also linked the episode to the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu. Bourdon had arrived here from Penang, where he spoke at a fundraiser organised by rights group Suaram regarding the Scorpene submarine deal. He is scheduled to speak at a similar event tonight in Petaling Jaya. In December 2009, Suaram filed a complaint with the French courts asking for access to information regarding government contracts signed with Abdul Razak's Perimekar Sdn Bhd and other information classified as official secrets in Malaysia. The French courts accepted the request to investigate claims of graft in the RM500 million payment from DCNS to Perimekar.

Scorpene scandal: ‘Truth to surface soon’ Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:23 PM PDT French lawyer William Bourdon says corruption related to the submarine deal will be exposed when a judge is picked in September to hear the case. (Free Malaysia Today) - The French investigative judge who will hear the case into the Scorpene submarine scandal will be picked in September and the truth will be exposed, said prominent human rights lawyer William Bourdon. The Frenchman said he would then have smooth access to scrutinise all documents and interview major witnesses pertaining to the submarine deal between Malaysia and France. "I would be able to disclose more information on the case and identify those involved," he said after a speech at Suaram's fundraiser dubbed "Ops Scorpene" in Bayan Baru here last night. Suaram filed a case against French naval defence giant DCNS in 2009 over irregularities in the Scorpene deal between Malaysia and France. Bourdon, who has been providing pro bono services for Suaram in the case, said currently he had limited access to relevant information, documents and witnesses. Under the French justice system, an investigative judge has the power to perform both as a judge and investigating prosecutor. All relevant papers on the submarine deal between France and Malaysia are with the court now and only an investigative judge can allow the documents for public access. Bourdon said when the case goes to open trial, all documents and contracts will be made public and witnesses, including Malaysian officials, can be subpoenaed. The Scorpene scandal involves commissions amounting to 114.96 million euros (RM574.8 million) paid to Malaysian consulting company Perimekar Sdn Bhd. A French prosecution probe revealed another 30 million euros (RM150 million) paid to DCNS' commercial network Thales and another 2.5 million euros (RM7.5 million) paid to an unknown recipient. Perimekar is a subsidiary of KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, of which the major shareholder is the wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's close confidante who was charged with and acquitted of the murder of translator Altantuya Shariibuu. Social responsibility Last night's dinner kick-started Suaram's "Ops Scorpene" fundraising events. "Ops Scorpene" is a awareness campaign to pursue the case in French courts as a matter of national interest. Bourdon and his team of lawyers at Sherpa, a non-profit organisation he founded in 2001, focus on improving legal tools to promote corporate social responsibility. He specialises in the defence of human rights and victims of crimes against humanity. Bourdon hinted that the "Ops Scorpene" investigation can take years depending on the access to information, documentation and cooperation to be extended by the Malaysian authorities. READ MORE HERE

WIKILEAKS: ‘Umno clueless about its folly’ Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:16 PM PDT WikiLeaks reveals that Sodomy II prompted the US envoy to warn Malaysian leaders against clumsy political manoeuvrings (Free Malaysia Today) - US diplomats warned Umno leaders in 2008 that continued attacks against Pakatan Rakyat, especially Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, would be detrimental to BN's political survival. According to a Wikileaks transcript released by Malaysia Today, US Ambassador to Malaysia James Keith told Washington that Umno leaders could not see past their actions. "Umno leaders may fail to grasp the consequences of upping the ante; they hear what we are saying, but do not understand sufficiently well how difficult it will be for them to overcome the shadows they are casting on the country," Keith wrote. He said Umno might have thought that accusing Anwar with sodomy was a better decision than jailing him under the Internal Security Act. However, he claimed, the decision would prove to be a folly, with few in and out of Malaysia buying into the Umno line. "Contrary to their intent, many in the international community will take this as escalation," he wrote in his confidential cable to the US State Department in Washington. "Barely one in ten Malaysians are buying into the party line, a survey tells us." In 2008, Anwar was accused of having sodomised his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, at a Bukit Damansara condominium on June 26 that year. Anwar has consistently denied the charge, claiming that it was concocted to destroy his political career. Keith said the accusation was not going to convince anyone that it was anything but a high-profile political conspiracy. "Whatever (Umno leaders) believe about the 'facts' of the sodomy case, at this point the ruling party has no chance of success in conveying to the Malaysian or the international audience that this is merely a case of one citizen's charge against another," he said. READ MORE HERE

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• Ezam dedah perilaku Anwar kepada rakyat Indonesia
• Bekas menteri: Najib perlu pastikan pilihan raya bersih, Bersih 2.0 ada asas
• Ku Li ajak rakyat bersama Amanah lawan penyelewengan
• MB S’gor: Konsert MTV tetap diteruskan

Ezam dedah perilaku Anwar kepada rakyat Indonesia Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:46 PM PDT "Sodomi itu kembali terungkap setelah ada pengakuan dari seseorang yang bernama Saiful, dan kemungkinan kali ini dia terjerat kerana polis mempunyai bukti sperma Anwar. "Soal video seks juga jelas, bagi yang menonton dan mengenal baik, pasti yakin itu Anwar, terlihat dari bentuk tubuhnya," katanya dalam wawancara dengan majalah Indonesia, Tempo. Menurut Ezam beliau yakin kes liwat itu bukan rekaan, ini dikuatkan lagi dengan sikap isteri Anwar, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang cemburu sekiranya lelaki rapat dengan suaminya. Ujar Ezam,  sikap cemburu yang ditonjolkan Wan Azizah itu menjadi saat kemuncak untuk beliau menyelidik kes liwat pertama yang dihadapi Anwar pada 1999 lalu. Ketika ditanya mengapa Ezam tidak mengetahui perkara itu sejak awal, beliau menjelaskan dirinya hanya mengenali Anwar daripada satu sisi iaitu sebagai seorang pemimpin hebat. "Saya merasa ketika isterinya, Wan Azizah, terlalu cemburu bila Anwar dekat dengan laki-laki. Ini menjadi kemuncaknya dan saya membuka, mempelajari kesnya, dan setelah itu saya yakin dia berbuat hal itu. "Saya profesional, saya ketika itu hanya staf, tidak mengenal peribadi atau keluarganya lebih dekat. Tapi, begitu mengenal dekat, saya menjadi melihat sisi Anwar yang lain. Dia juga cukup pandai menutupi kes itu dan hanya melakukannya dengan orang-orang dekatnya saja. "Selama ini saya mengenal satu sisi dari Anwar, dia pemimpin yang hebat dan itu membutakan saya," katanya yang pernah menyandang jawatan Setiausaha Politik Anwar. Anwar, 64, kini masih dalam perbicaraan setelah mengaku tidak bersalah meliwat bekas pembantu peribadinya Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 26, di sebuah kondominium di Damansara pada Jun 2008 lalu. Populariti Anwar turun Selain kes liwat itu, Anwar turut didakwa merupakan pelaku sebuah klip video seks yang didedahkan oleh Datuk 'T' yang merupakan gandingan ahli perniagaan Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik dan bekas Bendahari Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) Datuk Shuib Lazim. READ MORE HERE

Bekas menteri: Najib perlu pastikan pilihan raya bersih, Bersih 2.0 ada asas Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT Abdul Kadir yang juga Timbalan Presiden Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) berkata sistem pilihan raya yang telus adalah asas kepada sesebuah negara yang mempunyai undang-undang dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. "Negara kita selama ini telah memuncak begitu lama, negara yang cukup berjaya sebab rakyat berpegang teguh pada semangat kemerdekaan tetapi malangnya sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini (prestasi) kita sudah mula menurun dan secara terang-terangan melakukan perkara-perkara yang pelik," kata beliau. "Kadang-kadang kita begitu yakin dan sombong, boleh buat benda salah di tempat yang terang, kami rasakan sudah tiba masanya kita berubah dan kembali ke pangkal jalan," kata Abdul Kadir sambil menambah, "merdeka bermakna kuasa diserahkan kepada rakyat." "Negara ini kepunyaan rakyat... negara ini hak rakyat dan ini asas yang kita perlu ingat, negara ini bukan bapa saya yang punya, bukan Umno yang punya, bukan PAS yang punya, ini rakyat yang punya," kata beliau ketika berucap pada majlis pelancaran Amanah di Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra di sini. Bekas wakil rakyat dari Kedah ini pernah mengetuai Kementerian Pelancongan dan Kementerian Penerangan. Tegas Abdul Kadir, rakyat tidak akan bangkit menentang kerajaan sekiranya pilihan raya yang dijalankan dibuat secara telus dan adil. Selain itu jelas beliau, tuntutan yang dibuat Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) ada asasnya. READ MORE HERE

Ku Li ajak rakyat bersama Amanah lawan penyelewengan Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:41 PM PDT Tegas beliau, rakyat jangan membiarkan perbuatan memanipulasikan politik digunakan untuk memecahkan perpaduan rakyat melalui dasar dan keputusan yang memihak kepada pihak yang berkepentingan. "Kita jangan membiarkan perbuatan manipulasi politik apa pun dan dari mana-mana pihak pun untuk memecahkan rakyat majoriti melalui dasar dan keputusan yang secara sengaja dibuat untuk kepentingan golongan-golongan minoriti yang berkepentingan. "Saya memerhatikan dengan hati yang gusar melihat keadaan yang amat merunsingkan iaitu keadaan perhubungan antara kaum dan antara agama yang kian memburuk sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini dan jika keadaan ini saya tambahkan lagi dengan perbuatan sesetengah pihak dan orang perseorangan yang secara terang-terangan sengaja merosakkan institusi-institusi perpaduan negara untuk kepentingan mereka," katanya pada perasmian Amanah di Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra di sini. Tegas Tengku Razaleigh yang lebih dikenali sebagai "Ku Li", masa untuk melihat segala penyelewengan yang berlaku sudah tamat dan sekarang untuk bangkit menyatakan pendirian masing-masing. "Inilah masanya golongan majoriti yang menyepi selama ini mendengarkan suara mereka, inilah masanya ayah yang selama ini senyap untuk bersuara bersama alunan dan jeritan suara yang lain dan bertanya 'kami mahukan kebenaran, tidak paparan palsu dan penipuan'. "Inilah masanya suri rumah tangga yang selama ini berdiam diri dan tidak bersuara berkata 'saya mahukan masa depan anak-anak saya yang bebas daripada segala macam masalah yang dicetuskan oleh pelbagai pihak dan individu politik, ekonomi dan kumpulan sosial yang berkepentingan sendiri'. "Ini masanya untuk orang muda dan dewasa yang bekerja berkata 'kami mahu tahu ke manakah arah tuju negara kita dan kami mahu tahu bahawa keputusan dan pilihan yang dibuat adalah yang terbaik dan benar'," katanya. Ahli Parlimen dan Ketua Umno Gua Musang ini berkata, Amanah yang dianggotai beberapa tokoh pemimpin bukan untuk menentang kerajaan tapi adalah untuk hak rakyat. "Suara ini adalah suara perpaduan, suara solidariti, suara kebenaran dan kita akan berdiri teguh menentang wabak rasuah, kronisme, perkauman, sikap pelampau dan pembaziran. "Kita akan berkata dahulukan kepentingan kebangsaan yakni kepentingan negara dan kepentingan rakyat, ini matlamat kita," katanya. READ MORE HERE

MB S’gor: Konsert MTV tetap diteruskan Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:42 AM PDT Namun Abdul Khalid menegaskan pihak penganjur perlu mematuhi garis panduan yang ketat termasuklah tidak membenarkan sebarang penjualan dan penggunaan alkohol dan rokok sepanjang konsert berlangsung. "Kita merasakan aktiviti yang menarik di negeri ini kita akan galakkan, tetapi mesti dengan tertib serta sesuai dengan imej Shah Alam. "Dengan penganjuran konsert MTV ini menunjukkan Shah Alam mula dikenali diperingkat antarabangsa," katanya. Pada Jun lalu, Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad yang mewakili persatuan penduduk Seksyen 7 Shah Alam menyerahkan satu memorandum yang membantah penganjuran konsert itu kepada Menteri Besar dan menggesa beliau membatalkan penganjuran konsert tersebut. Kenyataan Khalid Samad turut disokong oleh Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat, Nasruddin Hassan Tantawi yang mendakwa pengajuran konsert tersebut memberi kesan negatif kepada penyerapan budaya kuning daripada luar dan ia tidak sesuai bagi golongan belia kerana Shah alam merupakan tempat tinggal ramai pelajar universiti. Bersikap terbuka Mengulas lanjut mengenai bantahan itu, Abdul Khalid berkata kerajaan negeri bersikap terbuka dan menyambut baik memorandum tersebut. Namun kerajaan negeri katanya akan memastikan penganjuran konsert itu tidak mengganggu aktiviti pelancongan dan golongan belia di negeri ini. "Kita menerima dan menghayati memorandum tersebut. Kita merasakan mereka (PAS) khuatir tentang kesan pengaruh budaya Barat dalam kehidupan belia di sini, tetapi kita perlu menerima perbezaan dan keadaan dengan terbuka," katanya. Beliau berjanji kerajaan negeri akan memastikan konsert tersebut berjalan dengan penuh tertib tanpa mencemarkan cara hidup masyarakat Islam di negeri itu. READ MORE HERE

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Sumber Asal Berita :-

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• Marina Mahathir and Bersih 2.0
• A lie has robbed their freedom
• Enough is enough. The PSM 6 must be released.
• Penyingkiran Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) Yayasan Selangor
• Concentration and Dilution
• Voter Registration in Kuching, Sarawak
• Voter Registration at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia this weekend
• GLOBAL BERSIH 2.0 - Awakening of the Malaysian Diaspora

Marina Mahathir and Bersih 2.0 Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:33 AM PDT Is Marina Mahathir a genuine righteous person who will take on UMNO and her father in the interest of the Rakyat or is she merely a Mahathir strategy to crush Bersih from within? By Ken It appears that Datuk Marina Mahathir is preparing herself to join Ambiga and other Bersih leaders, as can be gleaned from her articles in the Star, Malaysiakini (see "Gov't feels threatened, says Marina" 18 Jul 2011), etc. about her "heroic" participation in Bersih 2.0.  However, while it appears that she supports Bersih 2.0, her actions and non-actions cast significant doubts on this matter. Yes, she joined many others in criticizing the police and the UMNO government of their crackdown and threats before Bersih 2.0. If she was so committed to Bersih 2.0, why didn't she, a prominent supposedly human rights activist, play an active role in Bersih 2.0? After all, Ambiga had invited everyone to join Bersih 2.0, given its noble cause. It was clear to all that Bersih 2.0 would happen and that the UMNO government and police would suppress it violently with tear gas, water cannon, assault and arrests at the least. Ambiga and many thousands of others braved these threats against their personal safety in the interest of the nation and made Bersih 2.0 happen. There were a few prominent personalities who saw what was happening and wanted to ensure that they could continue to lay claim to championing democracy and human rights by positioning themselves in the march where they would be safe. It appears that this is the case with Marina Mahathir. If Marina had not written those articles, would we have known that she, a prominent personality, was in Bersih 2.0? If she had really believed in the ideals of Bersih 2.0, she should have been in the front on that date to face the tear gas, water cannon and police violence. If she had been there, would the police have been brave enough to direct all that violence towards the crowd led by her, knowing that they would meet the wrath of her father, the ever-powerful Tun Dr.Mahathir, who is very close to her? Writing about the event AFTER it has happened is for journalists and bloggers. People claiming to be champions and leaders must go beyond writing and act. Marina Mahathir did not act when the opportunity presented itself.   While Marina has become particularly vocal lately on Bersih 2.0, Tun Dr. Mahathir, who is always ready to comment on any happening in the country or outside, has been relatively quiet, except for some light comments before the event and illogical comments after the event about Bersih 2.0 being a Malay vs non-Malay matter.  Numerous people are praising Marina Mahathir for being very vocal, even if it is after Bersih 2.0, with some claiming that she is a righteous person, a great leader and a potential PM. It looks like that Datuk Marina Mahathir is ready to enter active politics in the light of growing support from Bersih supporters as well as UMNO/BN members who would surely not want to displease Tun Dr. Mahathir, knowing the Tun's powers and influence. What is also strange is that some individuals such as Mathias Chang who are closely associated with Tun Dr Mahathir (the advisor and brains behind Perkasa) have also become very critical of the UMNO government's handling of Bersih 2.0 (see Malaysia Today's "Barisan Nasional's sledge-hammer reaction to the Bersih Rally on 9th July 2011"), thereby lending further credence to Marina's active championing of Bersih. And to ensure that Marina's "efforts" with regards to Bersih 2.0 are not overlooked or ignored, harsh critics have emerged to present illogical arguments which put Marina in good light. An example is Wong Sai Kim's letter, "Open letter to Marina Mahathir's take on Bersih 2.0" in Malaysiakini (21 Jul 2011). Such an eloquently comprehensive letter should have been directed at Ambiga or Bersish 2.0, but Wong has chosen to direct it at Marina Mahathir. Why? If Bersih is successful, UMNO's fall is inevitable. If UMNO goes down, it will not just be Najib who will fall but also many, many others including Tun Dr Mahathir and his family and friends. With so much at stake, Bersih must be crushed and all possible strategies must be deployed. Is Marina Mahathir a genuine righteous person who will take on UMNO and her father in the interest of the Rakyat or is she merely a Mahathir strategy to crush Bersih from within? Her actions, and not mere words, will provide the answer.

A lie has robbed their freedom Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:29 AM PDT   By P Ramakrishnan (President, Aliran)   A lie has robbed six Malaysians of their precious freedom. For three weeks they have been locked up and put away unfairly and unjustly.   Not a shred of evidence has been unearthed so far to justify their detention. Not an iota of proof has been disclosed to date to convince sceptical Malaysians that the action of the police has been honourable.   A lie that robs innocent Malaysians of their human rights discredits the police beyond repair. A lie that denies access to lawyers for the detained six denigrates the rule of law and disgraces the Barisan Nasional government for not observing the principles of decency, truth and honesty.   With this kind of unethical behavior, with this kind of human rights violations, does Malaysia deserve to occupy a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council? This is a question that has to be asked by all justice-respecting Malaysians. This question has to be raised by the international community that voted in Malaysia for a place in the Human Rights Council. Please search your conscience and demand an answer.   With each passing day, the BN's crime becomes unpardonable; with each passing day, it loses its credibility. No one believes that the government has done the right thing; no one believes that the government has done this in the interest of the nation. The common consensus among Malaysians is that the BN government has acted in a selfish manner to safeguard its self interest.   When it comes to the preservation of the BN's hold on power, it throws caution to the winds, it sacrifices ethics and resorts to brute strength to hold on to power. Recently we witnessed how it conducted itself with regard to the Bersih "Walk for Democracy" rally, deploying the police to act harshly and cruelly. Even the sanctity of the grounds of a hospital was not spared or respected. The welfare of the hospital patients was callously ignored when the police went after the protesters seeking refuge in the hospital grounds.   Back to Jeyakumar and his five companions. First they were charged with "waging war against the King". This charge within seven days collapsed as sheer nonsense and evaporated into thin air – but they were deprived of seven days of freedom in isolation.   Then, they were released but in a show of mockery to the rule of law, they were immediately arrested and detained under the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969 and whisked off to Bukit Aman, where they are being kept in solitary confinement. The intense interrogation and the long hours of questioning have taken a toll on Jeyakumar. For a person with a heart ailment, it is dangerously causing him a lot of stress and torment. He has had to be hospitalised twice within the span of two weeks.   Third, in spite of the fact that he was first charged with treason and later with being a threat to the nation, he wasn't investigated for this. What they were interested in was to find out about the Bersih rally and related information. This irrevocably confirms the lie that Kumar and his companions were neither traitors to the nation nor a threat to the country. There are no moral grounds whatsoever to justify their continued detention. The BN's saving grace would be to release them unconditionally and immediately. Our plea is, don't perpetuate the lie.

Enough is enough. The PSM 6 must be released. Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:23 AM PDT Member of Parliament Dr M.Jeyakumar Please join us tomorrow afternoon and rally for their release. Date: Friday, 22 July Time: 3.00pm Venue: Ibu Pejabat PDRM, Bukit Aman Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121511867942164   If there is a case that exemplifies the third world basket case mentality of Malaysia's criminal justice system – this should be it. Perhaps universities around the world can use this as a case study on how state institutions like the police, judiciary, AG's Chambers can have all the infrastructures, resources, training, personnel, public relations, catchy mottos and Facebook pages they require but without accountability, transparency and checks and balances – they count for nothing. How else can you contextualise the fabricated "waging war" charges against the 30 PSM members based on some communist-inspired T-shirts and PSM literature? How else can you explain the excessive remand order from Sessions Court judge Amernudin Ahmad and affirmed by High Court judge Zamani Abdul Rahim? One wonders whether judges who attended the recent Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Conference 2011 in Kuala Lumpur had a good laugh while listening to the PM's speech stating that Malaysia is committed to safeguarding and ensuring the continued independence of the judiciary. We certainly did! On 2 July, after being in detention for a week, 6 PSM leaders including Member of Parliament Dr. M. Jeyakumar were re-arrested and detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance – this time for purportedly being the movers and shakers of Bersih 2.0. In the 37 affidavits filed in reply to the habeas corpus application fixed for hearing on 22 July at the KL High Court, no mention at all was made about waging war, Communism, Chin Peng, Rashid Maidin and other made up stories as alleged earlier. How dumb are these police and AG's Chambers officers? The movers and shakers of Bersih 2.0 are…get ready for this, the Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee! Their names can be found at Bersih's website – www.bersih.org (click on About BERSIH 2.0) and at the end of their press releases. And now apparently the AG's Chambers are trying to seek for an adjournment for tomorrow's hearing. Read more at: http://www.lawyersforliberty.org/2011/07/enough-is-enough-the-psm-6-must-be-released/

Penyingkiran Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) Yayasan Selangor Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:10 AM PDT Ilham telah mengarahkan supaya surat perpindahan Datin Sabariah dikeluarkan dengan segera. Ilham juga mengarahkan supaya semua aset milik Yayasan Selangor yang ada pada Datin Sabariah diambil semula. Datin Sabariah telah menyerahkan semua aset pada hari yang sama, 29 Oktober 2010. By Steffan Datin Sabariah Ahmad merupakan seorang kakitangan tetap Yayasan Selangor dan akan bersara wajib bila mencapai umur 55 tahun pada penghujung 2011. Beliau merupakan isteri kepada mantan Pengurus Besar Yayasan Selangor, Dato' Zurkarnain A. Rahman (1998-2000). Datin Sabariah dinaikkan jawatan sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) dengan tempoh percubaan selama enam bulan yang bermula dari 1 hb. Ogos 2010. Pada hari Jumaat 29 Oktober 2010, Pengurus Besar Yayasan Selangor, Ilham Marzuki telah berjumpa semua kakitangan di surau Menara Yayasan Selangor. Ilham membaca surat layang yang dihantar kepada ketua isteri beliau. Isteri Ilham bekerja di Jabatan Perancangan Ekonomi (EPU) di Putrajaya. Ilham mengesahkan KEBENARAN bahwa (a) dia, Ilham Marzuki adalah ahli PAS yang suka menyebut kata-kata lucah seperti pundek, pukimak, kongkek, babi  dan  (b) Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pengurusan), Mohd Saifulruddin bin Sulaiman adalah seorang samseng setinggan yang memiliki banyak kereta. Di akhir perjumpaan itu, Ilham memberitahu kakitangan yang hadir bahwa penulis surat tersebut dilahirkan di Melaka dan dibesarkan di Johor. Orang-orang lama Yayasan membuat kesimpulan bahawa Datin Sabariah, Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) adalah orang dimaksudkan oleh Ilham. Selesai perjumpaan itu, Ilham telah mengarahkan supaya surat perpindahan Datin Sabariah dikeluarkan dengan segera. Ilham juga mengarahkan supaya semua aset milik Yayasan Selangor yang ada pada Datin Sabariah diambil semula. Datin Sabariah telah menyerahkan semua aset pada hari yang sama, 29 Oktober 2010. Surat perpindahan menyebut bahawa Datin Sabariah ditukar ke Bahagian Sumber Manusia SUK pada 1 November 2010. Pejabat SUK mempersoalkan perpindahan mendadak Datin Sabariah kerana lazimnya sebarang proses penempatan pegawai dari anak syarikat hendaklah dimulakan dengan permohonan rasmi dari Pengurus Besar anak syarikat kepada Pejabat SUK/Menteri Besar. Alasan yang diberikan oleh Ilham ialah Datin Sabariah tidak mampu menjalankan tugas-tugas sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) dengan memuaskan. Datin Sabariah telah diturunkan pangkat dan gaji dan elaun-elaun sebagai Timbalan Pengurus Besar telahpun ditarik balik. Semasa ditempatkan di Bhg Sumber Manusia SUK, Datin Sabariah telah cuba untuk mendapatkan bantuan Setiausaha Politik MB, Puan Faekah dan MB sendiri untuk dipindahkan balik ke pejabat beliau di Yayasan Selangor, Petaling Jaya. Malangnya beliau tidak mendapat layanan yang sewajarnya. Pada 1 Disember 2010 Datin Sabariah telah menulis surat kepada MB Selangor menyatakan ketidakpuasaan hati beliau terhadap tindakan memindahkan beliau ke SUK tanpa sebarang alasan yang munasabah. Di dalam surat berkenaan Datin Sabariah telah memberi tempoh kepada MB untuk memindahkan beliau kembali ke jawatan Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) atau bersedia untuk menghadapi tindakan perundangan. Datin Sabariah diarah pulang ke Yayasan Selangor tetap tidak dibenarkan kembali ke Pejabat Timbalan Pengurus Besar (Pendidikan) di Menara Yayasan Selangor, PJ. Sebaliknya beliau ditempatkan di Asrama Yayasan Selangor, Kuala Lumpur. Datin Sabariah telah meletakkan jawatan pada pertengahan Disember 2010 dan membuat aduan kepada Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan Negeri Selangor. Kes beliau telah didengar pada bulan Mac 2011. Sehingga kini masih belum ada sebarang keputusan muktamad dicapai.

Concentration and Dilution Posted: 20 Jul 2011 01:03 PM PDT By batsman  This is not an article on chemistry, neither is it a diatribe against over-weight people. It is actually an attempt to extract something worthwhile out of the sickening mind numbing AAS episode. RPK has challenged NTR regarding his think tank before (Saya sokong Najib). Now that NTR has committed self-strangulation and is besieged as predicted by RPK, it is time to demonstrate the process of how such demises come about. Everything has an optimum size beyond which there will be negative growth or a fundamental transformation of essence (any bapa transformasi worth his salt should know this). Take Murdoch's empire for example. It has grown so large and unwieldy that a simple matter of trusting the wrong people caused his giant empire to wobble dangerously (or so he claims).  NTR's boys in his think tank may dress smartly, act smartly and talk smartly but may not be smart after all. In fact UMNO's empire has grown so unwieldy that vile brain dead twits like AAS may be seeing some opportunity to make themselves famous and are trying to jump on the think tank band wagon and gain some brownie points. UMNO is so fat and overweight that it is coming apart at the seams.  Concentration has its benefits. For example, if you try to take on an angry elephant without any leverage, you are likely to be squashed. However, if an elephant grows to the size of a whale, it will just be delicious blubber without the need for much effort to bring it down (whatever Hollywood tries to portray about monsters). That is why there are no land giants the size of whales anymore.  Some businesses grow so big that it takes enormous effort and brains just to hold it together. This is why some executives of large businesses are paid so much money. Unfortunately, these people are also expected to grow the empire even bigger. Not all people can do this. Most create spectacularly negative results by their efforts – such as the people Murdoch claims to have trusted. Eventually things just get out of hand and collapse under the weight of oversized entities.  UMNO's empire will suffer this fate. The concentration of power is so great that it cannot be held together by smart toy boys in any think tank anymore. For example, a simple order to control Bersih 2.0 has resulted in the now infamous over-reaction that has resounded across the whole world. One can expect more and more such usage of the sledge hammer to control irritating flies until the whole edifice is destroyed in an orgy of abuse of power. More and more AASs, MACC-type officers, policemen with vicious temperaments and AIs will turn crawl out from the rotting and festering dung heap.  This is one of reasons the US has an anti-trust law, not just the obvious one that monopoly is unfair and inherently anti-competition. Bersih 2.0 is just calling for reforms i.e. dilution of absolute power. If it fails, Malaysia is doomed under UMNO – crushed and suffocated by its massive weight.

Voter Registration in Kuching, Sarawak Posted: 20 Jul 2011 12:39 PM PDT DAP Socialist Youth  will organise a voters registration this Friday 22/07/2011 at One Jaya Complex  at Jalan Song from 7.30pm - 10.00p.m and on Sunday 24/07/2011 at Kenyalang Park Market from 7am till 10am. For those who have not registered as a voter yet, please hurry up! The deadline will fall on 13-Sept-2011. Meaning if you register after 13-Sept-2011, then you will NOT be qualified to vote in the coming election if GE is early of next year. Hurry up, please spread the news to your friends and family!    For more information, please contact Andrew Sim at 0168799606 or Awang Saifeluddin at 0168899149.

Voter Registration at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia this weekend Posted: 20 Jul 2011 12:05 PM PDT Come register as a voter this weekend and next weekend at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia (RABM) from 2-4pm. Details below: Date: 23-24 July  (Saturday & Sunday) Time: 2-4pm Venue:  Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia, 66 Lorong Setiabistari 1, Bukit Damansara (GoogleMap link here) If you're already a registered voter, you can drive all your friends and family who are not yet a voter to RABM this weekend!

GLOBAL BERSIH 2.0 - Awakening of the Malaysian Diaspora Posted: 20 Jul 2011 11:58 AM PDT In every location, the local authorities were most helpful, some even suggesting more impactful vantage points to gather at. Sadly, at almost every location, representatives of Malaysian authorities took photos and videos and tried to record the names of participants. By Global BERSIH 2.0 Starting from spontaneous expressions of patriotism at a few international locations where Malaysians were residents in fairly significant numbers, the desire to show support for the Bersih 2.0 'Walk for Electoral Reform' in Kuala Lumpur sprouted into a worldwide event that spanned most of the major time zones. New Zealand started the day rolling followed by rallies happening in several Australian, Asian and European cities. The ripple then spread across the Atlantic Ocean, to cities in North America, ending the historical day at the West Coast cities of Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco. Indeed the sun did not quite set on Bersih 2.0. The sun decidedly shone down it's warm yellow rays on Bersih 2.0 participants everywhere, especially in places with chilly winds. But quite the contrary, if not ironic, back in in Kuala Lumpur, as rally participants were doused with stinging tear-gas and chemical-laced water, the skies opened up, washing everything clean! This occasion proved to be a new paradigm for Malaysians, especially the youth. They were experiencing Unity in Diversity, a concept few imagined was possible. Optimists estimate that some 50,000 Malaysians had gathered together without regard to ethnic origin or religious leaning. This was a Malaysia dreams were made of. Elsewhere in the world, the outpouring of patriotism was just as impressive. Malaysians were united as one, in foreign lands. In places where Malaysians had existing committees and who met up regularly, organising a rally was pretty straightforward. But in some cities, rookies who had never even attended a rally before stepped up and asked how they could organise one. The results were most gratifying, as the numbers below show... City (attendance): Wellington (10), Auckland (35), Christchurch (15), Brisbane (100), Sydney (500), Canberra (40), Hobart (30), Melbourne (1000), Adelaide (150), Osaka (14), Seoul (35), Suzhou (20), Taipei (300), Shenzen (20), Hong Kong (80), Perth (120), Singapore Online(63), Singapore Picnic (200), Dubai (40), Cairo (100), Istanbul (2),Stockholm (10), Graz, Austria (2), Zurich (42), Geneva (12), Paris (30), London (450), Glasgow (30), Belfast (25), Dublin (60), Cork (14), Limerick (11), New York City (130), Ottawa (11), Washington DC (50), Chicago (35), Los Angeles (85), Portland, OR (14), San Francisco (120) Total attendance for all 38 locations = 4003 participants. Cities are sequenced according to longitude. Apart from these heart-warming numbers of participants in these locations, there were unconfirmed reports in the social network site, Facebook, of people in other locations such as Cambodia, Jerusalem, Frankfurt... also standing up to be counted. But in the absence of verifiable sources, we have to leave those claims open. The organisers in Singapore, aware of the restrictions on public gatherings posed by the Singapore authorities, quite cleverly decided to do an online show of their love for Malaysia and their support for the Bersih 2.0 campaign. However, there were some folks who decided to gather informally for a picnic at a popular park. We have reported the numbers of both these gatherings. Sympathy rallies were also held in Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta but we have not included those attendance numbers. The Steering Committee of GLOBAL BERSIH 2.0 would like to thank all participants for the tremendous support extended towards the call for Free and Fair Elections and Real Democracy in Malaysia. Through your actions, that some may deem indirect or small, you have provided irrefutable proof that Diaspora Malaysians still hold Malaysia dearly in your hearts and would return if you could. You have staked your claim to having a part to play in what happens at home. Despite the excessive use of force encountered by the Bersih 2.0 Walkers in Kuala Lumpur, all the locations elsewhere proved that peaceful demonstrations are a part and parcel of the democratic process and can be managed effectively with minimal impact on non-participants. This is testimony to the maturity of Malaysians in their ability to participate fully in a vibrant democracy. Authorities should take cognizance of this and allow the political evolution of Malaysia to proceed naturally. The myriad of global locations displayed banners and posters, with participants wearing YELLOW - t-shirts, scarves, ribbons... In some locations loud hailers were used to address the crowd while in other more cosy locations, participants took turns to read and discuss the 8 demands. A Samad Said's almost-banned poem was read, memoranda and posters were signed, catchy phrases were chanted and the Negaraku was sung with fervour. Many locations also called for the immediate release of the 6 detained under Emergency Ordinance without legal recourse. In every location, the local authorities were most helpful, some even suggesting more impactful vantage points to gather at. Sadly, at almost every location, representatives of Malaysian authorities took photos and videos and tried to record the names of participants. Carnival atmosphere aside, the most significant impact of Global Bersih 2.0 is the realisation that has dawned upon many Diaspora Malaysians that you are not alone in your love of and concern for your mother country. You met and interacted, many for the first time, with others like yourselves living relatively near to where you live. This has sparked the desire on the part of many to remain in contact with each other and continue to come together for activities that can help improve your nation. The Steering Committee of GLOBAL BERSIH 2.0 proposes to extend the ongoing domestic activities of Bersih 2.0 by promoting the following activities internationally. The first three of these will be carried out by those interested participating locations while the next three will be coordinated by the Steering Committee. Yellow Saturday movements - gathering in any public places, dressed in yellow or carrying out any activities involving the colour yellow; Public events to explain the 8 points and broaden understanding of what Bersih 2.0 seeks to accomplish; Photo exhibitions and video shows, again to broaden general understanding of the realities at home; Lobbying with sympathetic NGOs and friendly governments to seek the release of the 6 persons still detained  under the Emergency Ordinance; An international petition pushing for the first 4 demands of Bersih 2.0 to be implemented within 3 months and for full disclosure on any amendments made to the electoral process; and Promotion of the MyOverseasVote campaign to enable Malaysians to register and vote from wherever they happen to be resident. Global Bersih 2.0 is a turning point in the relationship of Diaspora Malaysians with your mother country. Many of you showed that you were willing to cast aside your fears and contribute towards making our land the better country it can be. Those committed, let us bring our skills and resources to bear to help rebuild our nation and fulfil the promise of potential it showed when it was first born 54 years ago. Let us work together to make Malaysia the great model nation it was meant to be.   Steering Committee Global BERSIH 2.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------   BERSIH 2.0 SEDUNIA - Kebangkitan Diaspora Malaysia Bertitik tolak dari semangat patriotisme, rakyat Malaysia di seluruh dunia telah bangkit dan menyokong perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 di Kuala Lumpur pada 9 Julai 2011. Mereka berhimpun beramai-ramai menganjurkan perhimpunan solidariti Bersih 2.0 di lokasi masing-masing. Gelombang Bersih 2.0 telah bermula di New Zealand dan seterusnya diikuti bandar-bandar utama di Australia, Asia dan Eropah, akhirnya merentasi Lautan Atlantik tiba di bandar-bandar utama di Amerika Utara termasuk Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Portland dan San Francisco. Sinaran matahari terpancar terang di atas peserta-peserta Bersih 2.0 di pelbagai lokasi terutamanya tempat yang bermusim panas. Di Kuala Lumpur pula peserta perhimpunan ditembak gas pemedih mata dan meriam air kimia, hanya diselamatkan bila hujan turun dan membersihkan segalanya! Saat ini merupakan paradigma baru bagi rakyat Malaysia, terutamanya golongan anak muda. Mereka telah mengenali 'Perpaduan dalam Kepelbagaian', suatu konsep yang tidak terbayang sebelum Bersih 2.0. Ada pihak menganggarkan bahawa kira-kira 50,000 rakyat Malaysia telah berkumpul bersama tanpa mengira asal-usul etnik atau agama dan ini merupakan suatu impian yang diidam-idamkan sebelum ini. Sementara itu, rakyat Malaysia di beberapa lokasi seluruh dunia berkumpul dan menunjukkan semangat patriotisme yang amat mengkagumkan. Bagi lokasi di mana rakyat Malaysia telahpun menubuhkan jawatankuasa dan bertemu berkali-kali, perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 telah dianjurkan tanpa banyak rintangan. Namun di sesetengah lokasi, mereka yang tidak pernah menyertai  perhimpunan sebelum ini telah mengambil langkah pertama untuk menganjurkan perhimpunan. Hasil segala usaha ini amat memberangsangkan. Jumlah kehadiran adalah seperti berikut: Kotaraya (kehadiran): Wellington (10), Auckland (35), Christchurch (15), Brisbane (100), Sydney (500), Canberra (40), Hobart (30), Melbourne (1000), Adelaide (150), Osaka (14), Seoul (35), Suzhou (20), Taipei (300), Shenzen (20), Hong Kong (80), Perth (120), Singapura Online (63), Singapura Picnic (200), Dubai (40), Kaherah (100), Istanbul (2), Stockholm (10), Graz, Austria (2), Zurich (42), Geneva (12), Paris (30), London (450), Glasgow (30), Belfast (25), Dublin (60), Cork (14), Limerick (11), New York City (130), Ottawa (11), Washington DC (50), Chicago (35), Los Angeles (85), Portland, OR (14), San Francisco (120) Jumlah kehadiran untuk semua 38 lokasi = 4003 peserta. Urutan bandar-bandar mengikut longitud. Selain daripada bilangan kehadiran di lokasi di atas, beberapa laporan rangkaian sosial seperti Facebook, melapurkan ada juga perhimpunan di lokasi-lokasi lain seperti Kemboja, Jerusalem, Frankfurt dll. Tetapi tanpa sumber yang dapat disahkan, perhimpunan2 tersebut tidak diambil kira. Penganjur di Singapura, berhadapan dengan sekatan ke atas perhimpunan awam yang ditimbulkan oleh pihak berkuasa Singapura, mengambil keputusan menunjukkan rasa cinta mereka kepada Ibu Pertiwi dan sokongan mereka terhadap kempen 2.0 Bersih dengan cara online. Walau bagaimanapun, terdapat beberapa orang yang memutuskan untuk berkumpul sambil berkelah di taman popular. Kami telah melaporkan kedua-dua jumlah hadiran. Perhimpunan simpati juga telah diadakan di Manila, Bangkok dan Jakarta tetapi kita tidak juga mengambil kira kehadiran ini. Jawatankuasa Pemandu GLOBAL BERSIH 2.0 mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada semua peserta atas sokongan anda kepada sahutan untuk Pilihanraya Bebas dan Adil dan Demokrasi tulen di Malaysia. Melalui tindakan anda dalam beberapa cara, anda telah menunjukkan bukti yang tidak dapat disangkal bahawa Rakyat Diaspora Malaysia masih memegang Malaysia dengan kesayangan dalam hati anda dan akan kembali jika anda boleh. Anda telah mempertaruhkan tuntutan anda untuk memainkan peranan dalam apa yang berlaku di negeri asal. Walaupun perkasaran yang berlebihan dihadapi oleh Pejalan Bersih 2.0 di Kuala Lumpur, semua lokasi di tempat lain membuktikan bahawa demonstrasi aman adalah sebahagian daripada proses demokrasi dan boleh diuruskan dengan berkesan tanpa kesulitan kepada pihak lain. Ini adalah bukti kematangan rakyat Malaysia dalam kebolehan mereka untuk menyertai sepenuhnya dalam demokrasi yang aktif. Pihak atasan harus memahami tentang ini dan membenarkan evolusi politik Malaysia tanpa halangan. Pelbagai lokasi global mempamerkan kain rentang dan poster, dengan peserta yang memakai KUNING - kemeja-t, tudung, reben dll. Di sesetengah lokasi pembesar suara digunakan untuk menangani orang ramai manakala di lokasi lain yang berkurang hadirin, para peserta  membaca dan membincangkan 8 tuntutan. Puisi A Samad Said yang hampir diharamkan dibaca, memorandum dan poster ditandatangani, frasa menarik melaungkan dan Negaraku dinyanyikan dengan semangat. Banyak lokasi juga memanggil untuk pembebasan serta-merta 6 orang tahanan di bawah Ordinan Darurat walaupun mereka tidak melanggarkan undang-undang. Dalam setiap lokasi, pihak berkuasa tempatan membantu para peserta, malah ada yang mencadangkan lokasi yang lebih berkesan untuk berkumpul.. Malangnya, di hampir setiap lokasi, wakil-wakil pihak berkuasa Malaysia telah mengambil gambar dan video dan cuba merekodkan nama-nama peserta. Lebih daripada suasana gembira di perhimpunan tersebut, kesan yang paling ketara dengan Bersih 2.0 Sedunia ialah kesedaran bahawa banyaknya Rakyat Diaspora Malaysia dan anda tidak keseorangan dalam percintaan dan kebimbangan atas Ibu Pertiwi. Anda telah bertemu dan berinteraksi, kebanyakannya buat kali pertama, dengan orang lain seperti anda sendiri yang hidup agak berhampiran tempat tinggal anda. Ini telah mencetuskan keinginan untuk kekal dalam hubungan supaya menjalankan aktiviti-aktiviti yang membantu memperbaiki keadaan negara kita. Jawatankuasa Pemandu BERSIH 2.0 Sedunia bercadang untuk meluaskan aktiviti-aktiviti Bersih 2.0 berterusan dalam negeri dengan menggalakkan aktiviti-aktiviti berikut di peringkat antarabangsa. Aktiviti pertama hingga ketiga ini akan dijalankan oleh lokasi yang berminat mengambil bahagian manakala keempat hingga keenam akan diselaraskan oleh Jawatankuasa Pemandu. Pergerakan Sabtu Kuning - berkumpul di mana-mana tempat awam, berpakaian kuning atau menjalankan apa-apa aktiviti yang melibatkan warna kuning; Acara awam untuk menjelaskan 8 tuntutan dan meluaskan pemahaman tujuan Bersih 2.0 Pameran foto dan tayangan video, sekali lagi untuk meluaskan pemahaman umum realiti di Malaysia; Melobi dengan badan-badan NGO dan juga kerajaan yang bersimpati untuk mendapatkan pembebasan 6 orang yang masih ditahan di bawah Ordinan Darurat; Sesuatu petisyen antarabangsa yang mendesak untuk 4 tuntutan pertama Bersih 2.0 untuk dilaksanakan dalam tempoh 3 bulan dan untuk pendedahan penuh mengenai apa-apa pindaan yang dibuat kepada proses pilihan raya; Promosi kempen MyOverseasVote bagi membolehkan rakyat Malaysia untuk mendaftar dan mengundi dari mana-mana jua mereka bermastautin. Bersih 2.0 Sedunia adalah titik perubahan di dalam hubungan Rakyat Diaspora Malaysia dengan negeri anda. Ramai daripada anda menunjukkan bahawa anda bersedia untuk membuang kebimbangan anda dan menyumbang ke arah menjadikan tanah air kita negara yang lebih baik sejauhmana yang boleh. Mereka yang berkomitmen, marilah kita membawa kemahiran dan sumber-sumber kita tanggung untuk membantu membina semula negara kita dan memenuhi janji potensi yang ia menunjukkan apabila ia dilahirkan 54 tahun yang lalu. Mari kita bekerja bersama-sama untuk menjadikan Malaysia negara contoh yang hebat.     Jawatankuasa Pemandu BERSIH 2.0 Sedunia

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