Wednesday 8 May 2013
32 dead as police clash with Bangladesh Islamists over blasphemy law. Say No to Radical Islam and Blasphemy Law. Hindus in BD are in a threat perception.
NOT ONLY IN BANGLADESH, PROSCRIBE BLASPHEMY LAW ALL OVER THE WORLD. THIS WORLD IS NOT FOR MUSLIMS ONLY.
Press Note. The radical Islamic force of Bangladesh in the new name of Hifazat-e-Islam with the crude fundamental support of Hizbut-e-Tahirir and Jaamat-e-Islami have launched an war in Bangladesh to introduce Blashphemy Law there. These fanatic Muslim organisations want to 100% shariah law in Bangladesh to give an energy to Talibanize Bangladesh and to save the life of a sentenced to death War Criminal, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and would be sentenced others from Razakar and Islamist groups. Bangladesh, an absurd offshoot of the situation of so called secular country with a 90 percent Muslim population and a state religion of Islam, has seen a surge in violence between Islamists and government forces since the start of the year, when a court began handing down war crimes verdicts (hanging order for War Criminal Delwar Hossain Sayeedi) related to the 1971 independence conflict and the demand of introducing blasphemy law in Bangladesh. IN THIS WAY THE MUSLIMS ARE FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL BETWEEN MUSLIMS WITHIN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES TO DESTROY THE PEACE OF OTHERS. ACTUALLY ISLAM IS A BULLSHIT OF PROFANED BARBARISM. SAY NOT TO RADICAL ISLAM AND BLASPHEMY LAW. RADICAL ISLAM AND BLASPHEMY LAW CAN MAKE A GRAVE YARD OF ALL FREE THINKING AND PEACE LOVING SOCIETY. ISLAM IS NOT A RELIGION OF PEACE, BUT SURLY A RELIGION OF PIECE. SEE THIS SITUATION IN BANGLADESH AT PRESENT AND FEEL THE REALITY.
We apprehend an upcoming onslaught upon the minorities (mainly Hindu-Buddhist-Christian) of Bangladesh. Minorities of Bangladesh are the soft target of the Islamist. We must save the Minorities of Bangladesh. Upananda Brahmachari. Kolkata. 6 April 2013.
AFP | 6 May 2013 | DHAKA: Bangladeshi police broke up a protest by tens of thousands of religious hardliners and shut down an Islamist television station Monday after 32 people died in some of the fiercest street violence for decades.
Hundreds more people were reported injured in running battles as riot police broke up the rally near a key commercial district in a pre-dawn raid.
Dozens of demonstrators were also arrested, while the leader of the protests was put on a plane to the second city Chittagong.
Hundreds of bankers, insurance officials and stock market traders had to sleep in their offices as the sound of gunfire echoed around the Motijheel Commercial Area through much of the night.
Shops and vehicles were set alight while the roads were littered with rocks that protestors had thrown at police, witnesses said.
Police said they used sound grenades, water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse at least 70,000 Islamists who were camped at Motijheel as part of a push for a new blasphemy law.
“We were forced to act after they unlawfully continued their gathering at Motijheel. They attacked us with bricks, stones, rods and bamboo sticks,” Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman said.
The protesters dispersed early Monday, he added.
Mozammel Haq, a police inspector at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said that 11 bodies were brought to the clinic, including a policeman who had been hacked in the head with machetes.
A total of 21 other people were killed in the protests, according to an AFP toll compiled through police and medical officials.
This included eight people killed in the Kanchpur district on the southeastern outskirts of Dhaka, said the sources.
At least two people were known to have been killed in the southern coastal district of Bagerhat where police exchanged gunfire with several thousand Islamists, police spokesman Shah Alam told AFP.
A pro-Islamist television channel which broadcast live footage of the raid on Motijheel was meanwhile forced off the air in a dawn raid.
Diganta Television’s chief reporter M. Kamruzzaman said around 25 plain-clothed policemen and an official from the broadcast commission had entered their studios without warning.
The violence erupted Sunday afternoon after police tried to disperse tens of thousands of Islamists who had blocked major highways in Dhaka.
The protests had been instigated by Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, the leader of Hefajat-e-Islam who is said to be around 90 years old.
Police managed to persuade Shafi on Monday to leave his madrassa in Dhaka, escorting him to the airport from where he was to be flown to Chittagong.
In a sign of their desire to avoid inflaming tensions, police insisted he had not been arrested but was leaving of his own volition.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out a new blasphemy law, insisting she will not cave into the demands of hardliners who have been infuriated by bloggers whom they accuse of insulting the Prophet Mohammed.
Chanting “One point, One demand: Atheists must be hanged”, activists from Hefajat-e-Islam marched along at least six highways on Sunday, effectively cutting Dhaka off from the rest of the country.
Police said the number of protesters reached around 200,000 people at one point although the numbers had dwindled by the early hours.
Social media networks were inundated with photos of bloodied Islamists lying on the streets after the crackdown.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which had given its backing to Hefajat’s Dhaka blockade, on Monday accused the government of “killing hundreds of people and concealing the bodies” but gave no proof.
Fearing further violence, Dhaka police Monday banned all protests as well as the carrying of firearms until midnight.
Bangladesh, an officially secular country with a 90 percent Muslim population, has seen a surge in violence between Islamists and government forces since the start of the year, when a court began handing down war crimes verdicts related to the 1971 independence conflict.
Three leading Islamists have so far been convicted for their role in mass killings during the conflict, which saw what was then East Pakistan break from the regime in Islamabad.
The overall death toll in violence between religious hardliners and the police since January now stands at around 150.
Courtesy: AFP | TOI.
We apprehend an upcoming onslaught upon the minorities (mainly Hindu-Buddhist-Christian) of Bangladesh. Minorities of Bangladesh are the soft target of the Islamist. We must save the Minorities of Bangladesh. Upananda Brahmachari. Kolkata. 6 April 2013.
32 dead as police clash with Bangladesh Islamists over blasphemy law.
AFP | 6 May 2013 | DHAKA: Bangladeshi police broke up a protest by tens of thousands of religious hardliners and shut down an Islamist television station Monday after 32 people died in some of the fiercest street violence for decades.Hundreds more people were reported injured in running battles as riot police broke up the rally near a key commercial district in a pre-dawn raid.
Dozens of demonstrators were also arrested, while the leader of the protests was put on a plane to the second city Chittagong.
Hundreds of bankers, insurance officials and stock market traders had to sleep in their offices as the sound of gunfire echoed around the Motijheel Commercial Area through much of the night.
Shops and vehicles were set alight while the roads were littered with rocks that protestors had thrown at police, witnesses said.
Police said they used sound grenades, water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse at least 70,000 Islamists who were camped at Motijheel as part of a push for a new blasphemy law.
“We were forced to act after they unlawfully continued their gathering at Motijheel. They attacked us with bricks, stones, rods and bamboo sticks,” Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman said.
The protesters dispersed early Monday, he added.
Mozammel Haq, a police inspector at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said that 11 bodies were brought to the clinic, including a policeman who had been hacked in the head with machetes.
A total of 21 other people were killed in the protests, according to an AFP toll compiled through police and medical officials.
This included eight people killed in the Kanchpur district on the southeastern outskirts of Dhaka, said the sources.
At least two people were known to have been killed in the southern coastal district of Bagerhat where police exchanged gunfire with several thousand Islamists, police spokesman Shah Alam told AFP.
A pro-Islamist television channel which broadcast live footage of the raid on Motijheel was meanwhile forced off the air in a dawn raid.
Diganta Television’s chief reporter M. Kamruzzaman said around 25 plain-clothed policemen and an official from the broadcast commission had entered their studios without warning.
The violence erupted Sunday afternoon after police tried to disperse tens of thousands of Islamists who had blocked major highways in Dhaka.
The protests had been instigated by Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, the leader of Hefajat-e-Islam who is said to be around 90 years old.
Police managed to persuade Shafi on Monday to leave his madrassa in Dhaka, escorting him to the airport from where he was to be flown to Chittagong.
In a sign of their desire to avoid inflaming tensions, police insisted he had not been arrested but was leaving of his own volition.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out a new blasphemy law, insisting she will not cave into the demands of hardliners who have been infuriated by bloggers whom they accuse of insulting the Prophet Mohammed.
Chanting “One point, One demand: Atheists must be hanged”, activists from Hefajat-e-Islam marched along at least six highways on Sunday, effectively cutting Dhaka off from the rest of the country.
Police said the number of protesters reached around 200,000 people at one point although the numbers had dwindled by the early hours.
Social media networks were inundated with photos of bloodied Islamists lying on the streets after the crackdown.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which had given its backing to Hefajat’s Dhaka blockade, on Monday accused the government of “killing hundreds of people and concealing the bodies” but gave no proof.
Fearing further violence, Dhaka police Monday banned all protests as well as the carrying of firearms until midnight.
Bangladesh, an officially secular country with a 90 percent Muslim population, has seen a surge in violence between Islamists and government forces since the start of the year, when a court began handing down war crimes verdicts related to the 1971 independence conflict.
Three leading Islamists have so far been convicted for their role in mass killings during the conflict, which saw what was then East Pakistan break from the regime in Islamabad.
The overall death toll in violence between religious hardliners and the police since January now stands at around 150.
Courtesy: AFP | TOI.
Banda Aceh Deputy Mayor Pushes for Bylaw Criminalizing Same-Sex Relationships
By Camelia Pasandaran & Nurdin Hasan
Banda Aceh. Homosexual men and women living in Indonesia’s strictly conservative Aceh province would be publicly lashed 100 times under a proposed bylaw backed by the provincial capital’s deputy governor.
Banda Aceh Deputy Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal called homosexuality “a social disease that should be eradicated,” as she pushed for harsher bylaws against sexual behavior that runs counter to the region’s adherence to Islamic Shariah Law.
The Aceh Legislative Council (DPRA) is discussing proposed changes to the province’s bylaws, including a bylaw criminalizing homosexuality. The proposed bylaw received the support of the deputy mayor, who bemoaned the fact that police were unable to punish same-sex couples under current regulations.
“There is no law that could be used to charge them,” Illiza said. “The existing [regulations] only stipulate about khalwat [being in close proximity] for intimate relations between unmarried males and females.”
Banda Aceh’s Shariah Police have struggled to crack down on same-sex relationships, Illiza said. Couples meet in rented rooms and pursue relationships under a veil of secrecy, she said.
The deputy mayor said she was prompted to action by a 2012 survey on at-risk communities and HIV/AIDS transmission rates in Aceh. Illiza told the Jakarta Globe she didn’t remember the specifics of the survey’s findings, but was concerned that some respondents told surveyors they were gay.
“If we ignore it, it will be like an iceberg,” Illiza said. “Even if one case of homosexuality found, it’s already a problem… we are really concerned about the behavior and activities of the gay community, because their behavior is deviating from the Islamic Shariah.”
A gay rights advocate called the proposed bylaw “a move backward for civilization,” adding that Islam was open to interpretation.
“We’re living in 2013, not in the Middle Ages,” said Hartoyo, secretary-general of Our Voice, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy group. “It’s sad to have a deputy mayor who could think that way… other countries have started to allow homosexual marriage, why coming up with such idea to punish the LGBT [community]?”
Hartoyo doubted the Shariah Police could find enough evidence to properly convict same-sex couples under the proposed bylaw.
“[Even] the definition of adultery under Islam is hard to prove,” Hartoyo said. “To punish the adulterer there should be four witnesses who saw with their own eyes the penetration. How could we find four witnesses who clearly saw that?”
He accused Illiza of failing to understand the issue and called the bylaw’s punishment — 100 lashes with a rattan cane — antiquated.
“Caning as a sentence is a punishment from the old ages,” Hartoyo said. “People are born as transgenders and homosexuals. What’s the reason to punish them? Punishing them means she could not appreciate God’s creations.”
Illiza told the Jakarta Globe she planned to push ulemas to preach against practices condemned by Allah.
Hartoyo said he plans to send the deputy mayor a letter detailing the flaws in her statements.
“I will probably send her a warning letter [saying] that what she did only publicly showed how stupid she is,” he said. “She’s intellectual and has access to the Internet and other resources. To come up with that way of thinking is embarrassing.”
A Shariah Police officer passes a mosque during a raid in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on June 7, 2012. (EPA Photo/Hotli Simanjuntak)
Banda Aceh Deputy Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal called homosexuality “a social disease that should be eradicated,” as she pushed for harsher bylaws against sexual behavior that runs counter to the region’s adherence to Islamic Shariah Law.
The Aceh Legislative Council (DPRA) is discussing proposed changes to the province’s bylaws, including a bylaw criminalizing homosexuality. The proposed bylaw received the support of the deputy mayor, who bemoaned the fact that police were unable to punish same-sex couples under current regulations.
“There is no law that could be used to charge them,” Illiza said. “The existing [regulations] only stipulate about khalwat [being in close proximity] for intimate relations between unmarried males and females.”
Banda Aceh’s Shariah Police have struggled to crack down on same-sex relationships, Illiza said. Couples meet in rented rooms and pursue relationships under a veil of secrecy, she said.
The deputy mayor said she was prompted to action by a 2012 survey on at-risk communities and HIV/AIDS transmission rates in Aceh. Illiza told the Jakarta Globe she didn’t remember the specifics of the survey’s findings, but was concerned that some respondents told surveyors they were gay.
“If we ignore it, it will be like an iceberg,” Illiza said. “Even if one case of homosexuality found, it’s already a problem… we are really concerned about the behavior and activities of the gay community, because their behavior is deviating from the Islamic Shariah.”
A gay rights advocate called the proposed bylaw “a move backward for civilization,” adding that Islam was open to interpretation.
“We’re living in 2013, not in the Middle Ages,” said Hartoyo, secretary-general of Our Voice, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy group. “It’s sad to have a deputy mayor who could think that way… other countries have started to allow homosexual marriage, why coming up with such idea to punish the LGBT [community]?”
Hartoyo doubted the Shariah Police could find enough evidence to properly convict same-sex couples under the proposed bylaw.
“[Even] the definition of adultery under Islam is hard to prove,” Hartoyo said. “To punish the adulterer there should be four witnesses who saw with their own eyes the penetration. How could we find four witnesses who clearly saw that?”
He accused Illiza of failing to understand the issue and called the bylaw’s punishment — 100 lashes with a rattan cane — antiquated.
“Caning as a sentence is a punishment from the old ages,” Hartoyo said. “People are born as transgenders and homosexuals. What’s the reason to punish them? Punishing them means she could not appreciate God’s creations.”
Illiza told the Jakarta Globe she planned to push ulemas to preach against practices condemned by Allah.
Hartoyo said he plans to send the deputy mayor a letter detailing the flaws in her statements.
“I will probably send her a warning letter [saying] that what she did only publicly showed how stupid she is,” he said. “She’s intellectual and has access to the Internet and other resources. To come up with that way of thinking is embarrassing.”
Dr M: I didn't expect Najib to do worse than Pak Lah
Mahathir, a vociferous critic of the Pak Lah administration, said that he thought Najib would have done at least better than Abdullah, who led BN to take 140 parliamentary seats in the 12th general election.
Najib,
despite having promised Umno and BN supporters that he would deliver a
two-thirds majority, could only lead the coalition to 133 parliamentary
seats, seven short of Abdullah's achievement in 2008.While not giving his final verdict on Najib, Mahathir (left) said Najib might face some criticism and rejection from within Umno.
"Of course, the people will question his capacity and his strategies," Mahathir added.
"Constitutionally, he remains as the head of government as long as Umno supports him," Mahathir added.
Mahathir said that he had campaigned for the Najib administration as well, with the belief that they would do better than 2008, though he did not expect BN to obtain a two-thirds majority.
'BN must learn from its mistakes'
He warned that BN must learn from its mistakes in the 2013 polls in the next election.
"This can become worse if BN doesn't learn from its mistakes," he stressed.
He, however, appeared apprehensive about the notion of DAP joining hands with BN to represent the Chinese in the government since MCA has decided not to take up government posts.
"That's up to Umno and DAP, whether they want to participate in the government. But I don't think DAP will, they have always projected MCA as Umno lackeys, now they will be seen as one if they join," he noted.
"DAP is a party that will always want to be in a position of dominance," he added.
Cops investigating Utusan, two bloggers for sedition
KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 – The police are investigating Utusan Melayu for sedition, hours after the
The Utusan Melayu front page report which caused a nationwide uproar. – Picture by Saw Siow Feng
Umno-owned daily sparked a nationwide uproar with its incendiary front page report seen to blame the Chinese for the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) weaker score in Election 2013.
The police have also hauled in two bloggers, Papa Gomo and King Jason, for questioning said to be related to their recent posts seen to fuel racial sentiments.
“A police report was received related to Utusan Malaysia’s publication that smacked of sedition. The case is being investigated under Sect 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948,” the police posted on their twitter account, @PDRMsia.
Under the law, those found guilty shall be fined not more than RM1,000 for the first offence or to a three year jail term or both. For subsequent offences, those convicted face a maximum jail term of not more than five years.
“PDRM will not hesitate to hunt down/capture any party that ignites racial@ sedition through social media network,” the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was quoted as saying in Malay on the police’s official tweet.
Police chief Tan Sri Ismail Omar added that Malaysia’s 13th general on Sunday “was carried out smoothly without major incident and all parties showed maturity in implementing democracy.”
Utusan Malaysia had front-paged today the question “Apa lagi Cina mahu (What else do the Chinese want?) in what appeared to be an attempt to shape the results of Election 2013 as a Chinese-vs-Malay vote.
Politicians from both sides of the fence weighed in on the controversy but the issue has not shown any signs of abating.
Some politicians from the BN, such as Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah who lost his Temerloh seat, crossed the political divide to join his rivals from PAS and PKR in denouncing the racially provocative reports form Utusan, and cautioned it could hamper a national reconciliation proposed by Datuk Seri Najib Razak after polls on Sunday.
But the prime minister, sworn in for a second term was seen to deflect criticism against the broadsheet, claiming the predominantly-Chinese DAP had misled the Chinese into greater racial polarisation by making them think that voting the party would lead to a change of government.
“You blamed Utusan but you don’t ask about the Chinese papers,” Najib told a press conference today when asked how he plans to achieve national reconciliation if the daily kept harping on race issues.
He did not say what was objectionable in the Chinese-language newspapers.
Najib had alluded to a “Chinese tsunami” in an immediate speech just after midnight on Sunday when the Election Commission announced the BN as winners by a simple majority.
BN took a severe beating this round and bled more seats at both the federal and state levels compared to 2008, leaving it with only 133 federal seats and 274 out of the 505 total state seats despite wresting back Kedah from PR.
The police had picked up a 33-year-old said to blog as Papa Gomo at a petrol station near Danau Kota in the city while another 38-year-old said to be the blogger assuming the King Jason handle was detained at Kampung Jawa, Klang today, The Star Online reported, citing Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan who is the director of the federal commercial crimes investigation department (CCID).
The Papa Gomo blogger had posted an entry in Malay earlier this morning titled, “Mesej Sebaran Cina DAP Yang Dahagakan Kuasa (The Message Spread of the Chinese DAP that Thirsts for Power)” that drew 54 comments.
He had posted another piece yesterday titled “Bangsa Cina DAP Wajib Ditentang Walaupun Bermandi Darah (The Chinese race DAP must be opposed even if bathed in blood.)” that purportedly carried a Malay translation of a pamphlet detailing a Chinese plot to take over the country by taking advantage of weakened Malay leaders.
King Jason who posts his pieces on the kingofgoblok.blogspot.com website purportedly published an article accusing the BN of buying votes in Sunday’s election.
The Utusan Melayu front page report which caused a nationwide uproar. – Picture by Saw Siow FengUmno-owned daily sparked a nationwide uproar with its incendiary front page report seen to blame the Chinese for the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) weaker score in Election 2013.
The police have also hauled in two bloggers, Papa Gomo and King Jason, for questioning said to be related to their recent posts seen to fuel racial sentiments.
“A police report was received related to Utusan Malaysia’s publication that smacked of sedition. The case is being investigated under Sect 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948,” the police posted on their twitter account, @PDRMsia.
Under the law, those found guilty shall be fined not more than RM1,000 for the first offence or to a three year jail term or both. For subsequent offences, those convicted face a maximum jail term of not more than five years.
“PDRM will not hesitate to hunt down/capture any party that ignites racial@ sedition through social media network,” the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was quoted as saying in Malay on the police’s official tweet.
Police chief Tan Sri Ismail Omar added that Malaysia’s 13th general on Sunday “was carried out smoothly without major incident and all parties showed maturity in implementing democracy.”
Utusan Malaysia had front-paged today the question “Apa lagi Cina mahu (What else do the Chinese want?) in what appeared to be an attempt to shape the results of Election 2013 as a Chinese-vs-Malay vote.
Politicians from both sides of the fence weighed in on the controversy but the issue has not shown any signs of abating.
Some politicians from the BN, such as Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah who lost his Temerloh seat, crossed the political divide to join his rivals from PAS and PKR in denouncing the racially provocative reports form Utusan, and cautioned it could hamper a national reconciliation proposed by Datuk Seri Najib Razak after polls on Sunday.
But the prime minister, sworn in for a second term was seen to deflect criticism against the broadsheet, claiming the predominantly-Chinese DAP had misled the Chinese into greater racial polarisation by making them think that voting the party would lead to a change of government.
“You blamed Utusan but you don’t ask about the Chinese papers,” Najib told a press conference today when asked how he plans to achieve national reconciliation if the daily kept harping on race issues.
He did not say what was objectionable in the Chinese-language newspapers.
Najib had alluded to a “Chinese tsunami” in an immediate speech just after midnight on Sunday when the Election Commission announced the BN as winners by a simple majority.
BN took a severe beating this round and bled more seats at both the federal and state levels compared to 2008, leaving it with only 133 federal seats and 274 out of the 505 total state seats despite wresting back Kedah from PR.
The police had picked up a 33-year-old said to blog as Papa Gomo at a petrol station near Danau Kota in the city while another 38-year-old said to be the blogger assuming the King Jason handle was detained at Kampung Jawa, Klang today, The Star Online reported, citing Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan who is the director of the federal commercial crimes investigation department (CCID).
The Papa Gomo blogger had posted an entry in Malay earlier this morning titled, “Mesej Sebaran Cina DAP Yang Dahagakan Kuasa (The Message Spread of the Chinese DAP that Thirsts for Power)” that drew 54 comments.
He had posted another piece yesterday titled “Bangsa Cina DAP Wajib Ditentang Walaupun Bermandi Darah (The Chinese race DAP must be opposed even if bathed in blood.)” that purportedly carried a Malay translation of a pamphlet detailing a Chinese plot to take over the country by taking advantage of weakened Malay leaders.
King Jason who posts his pieces on the kingofgoblok.blogspot.com website purportedly published an article accusing the BN of buying votes in Sunday’s election.
Education is Kamatche’s priority
The newly elected Sabai state assemblywoman also wants to create awareness among women of their rights in this political environment
PETALING JAYA: Newly elected Sabai, Pahang state assemblywoman D Kamatche has vowed to give education a major priority in the rural constituency.
The Pahang DAP Wanita chief said Barisan Nasional (BN) which ruled Pahang since independence had failed to satisfy the needs of the rakyat in rural areas, especially in terms of education.
“The government spends millions of ringgit on schools in urban area but schools in rural districts are overlooked,” she told FMT in an interview.
“Children from rural areas are studying in schools which are badly maintained. In terms of education they are also left behind compared to children in urban areas. Both infrastructure and quality is missing in rural schools,” she added.
She also said children in rural areas, especially the Orang Asli children, do not even attend school and only 10% study up to Form 5…while other drop out. This has to be looked into. My mission is to ensure all schools in Sabai are in good condition and are on par with urban schools,,” added Kamatche.
She plans to have special tuition classes for children from this rural constituency with emphasis on English.
“Unlike urbanites, these people cannot pay for their children to go for tuition. Most of them are living below poverty line,” she added.
Meanwhile, Kamatche also pledged to reach-out and empower women to realise true potential.
“My objective is make women aware of their civil and political rights…they should also be actively involved in politics,” she said.
Kamatche made a maiden attempt to win the seat in 2008 but was defeated. However, she made a strong comeback in this election to whisk the seat from MIC’s new candidate R Goonasakaran with a slim 117 vote majority.
PETALING JAYA: Newly elected Sabai, Pahang state assemblywoman D Kamatche has vowed to give education a major priority in the rural constituency.The Pahang DAP Wanita chief said Barisan Nasional (BN) which ruled Pahang since independence had failed to satisfy the needs of the rakyat in rural areas, especially in terms of education.
“The government spends millions of ringgit on schools in urban area but schools in rural districts are overlooked,” she told FMT in an interview.
“Children from rural areas are studying in schools which are badly maintained. In terms of education they are also left behind compared to children in urban areas. Both infrastructure and quality is missing in rural schools,” she added.
She also said children in rural areas, especially the Orang Asli children, do not even attend school and only 10% study up to Form 5…while other drop out. This has to be looked into. My mission is to ensure all schools in Sabai are in good condition and are on par with urban schools,,” added Kamatche.
She plans to have special tuition classes for children from this rural constituency with emphasis on English.
“Unlike urbanites, these people cannot pay for their children to go for tuition. Most of them are living below poverty line,” she added.
Meanwhile, Kamatche also pledged to reach-out and empower women to realise true potential.
“My objective is make women aware of their civil and political rights…they should also be actively involved in politics,” she said.
Kamatche made a maiden attempt to win the seat in 2008 but was defeated. However, she made a strong comeback in this election to whisk the seat from MIC’s new candidate R Goonasakaran with a slim 117 vote majority.
Lilah to be Negeri MB?
Insiders say Najib is likely to appoint his men as chief executives in a few other states as well.
SEREMBAN: There are indications that Negeri Sembilan BN chief Mohamad Hasan will lose his menteri besar post to someone aligned to his predecessor, Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.
Topping the list is Lilah Yasin, the new state assemblyman for Palong, sources in Negeri Sembilan Umno told FMT.
Lilah comes with strong credentials. He was the representative for Jempol in the last parliament. Before that, he was a state assemblyman for four terms and served as speaker for the state legislature between 2004 and 2008.
The sources said there was a great possibility that BN chairman Najib Tun Razak would place his men in menteri besar positions in other states as well. They pointed out that this was clearly seen in his fielding of Johor’s Abdul Ghani Osman and Malacca’s Mohd Ali Rustam for parliament seats.
In Negeri Sembilan, most of the candidates who contested for state seats in last Sunday’s election are from Isa’s camp. Mohamad is from a rival camp although there is no history of personal rivalry between him and Isa.
According to the sources, the freshly elected assemblymen who are aligned to Mohamad are Dr Awaluddin Said (Kota), Zaiful Bahri Idris (Chembong), Mohd Ghazali Wahid (Paroi), Hasim Rusdi (Labu) and Abu Ubaidah Redza (Ampangan).
Those in Mohd Isa’s camp outnumber them. They are Lilah, Jalaludin (Pertang), Norhayati Omar (Pilah), Tun Khairudin Abu Bakar (Bagan Pinang), Abdul Razak Said (Gemas), Abdul Samad Ibrahim (Sri Menanti), Abdul Rahman Mohd Redza (Linggi) and Ishak Ismail (Lenggeng).
“It’s not hard for anyone to guess that Isa is close to Najib and trusted by him,” said a source. “Otherwise, he would not have made him the chairman of Felda.”
The sources said it would be interesting to see what would happen if Najib decided to retain Mohamad as menteri besar. They expect opposition from Lenggeng’s Ishak.
It is an open secret that Mohamad and Ishak have not been on friendly terms since the 2004, when Mohamad began his first term as state assemblyman. He became a favourite target of Ishak’s outbursts in the assembly sessions.
The animosity has lasted until today. Even as recently as last Saturday, Ishak accused Mohamad of failing to stop a protest that was held against him three weeks ago in Lenggeng.
A few days earlier, he had complained that the state BN had not provided sufficient funds for his campaign.
Earlier today, both Malacca and Perlis saw news faces as the CEO of the states. In Malacca, Idris Haron was named as the chief minister while Azlan Man was named as the MB in Perlis. Yesterday Mukhriz Mahathir was appointed as the Kedah MB. In Perak meanwhile, Zambry Abdul Kadir has been appointed again as the MB.
SEREMBAN: There are indications that Negeri Sembilan BN chief Mohamad Hasan will lose his menteri besar post to someone aligned to his predecessor, Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.Topping the list is Lilah Yasin, the new state assemblyman for Palong, sources in Negeri Sembilan Umno told FMT.
Lilah comes with strong credentials. He was the representative for Jempol in the last parliament. Before that, he was a state assemblyman for four terms and served as speaker for the state legislature between 2004 and 2008.
The sources said there was a great possibility that BN chairman Najib Tun Razak would place his men in menteri besar positions in other states as well. They pointed out that this was clearly seen in his fielding of Johor’s Abdul Ghani Osman and Malacca’s Mohd Ali Rustam for parliament seats.
In Negeri Sembilan, most of the candidates who contested for state seats in last Sunday’s election are from Isa’s camp. Mohamad is from a rival camp although there is no history of personal rivalry between him and Isa.
According to the sources, the freshly elected assemblymen who are aligned to Mohamad are Dr Awaluddin Said (Kota), Zaiful Bahri Idris (Chembong), Mohd Ghazali Wahid (Paroi), Hasim Rusdi (Labu) and Abu Ubaidah Redza (Ampangan).
Those in Mohd Isa’s camp outnumber them. They are Lilah, Jalaludin (Pertang), Norhayati Omar (Pilah), Tun Khairudin Abu Bakar (Bagan Pinang), Abdul Razak Said (Gemas), Abdul Samad Ibrahim (Sri Menanti), Abdul Rahman Mohd Redza (Linggi) and Ishak Ismail (Lenggeng).
“It’s not hard for anyone to guess that Isa is close to Najib and trusted by him,” said a source. “Otherwise, he would not have made him the chairman of Felda.”
The sources said it would be interesting to see what would happen if Najib decided to retain Mohamad as menteri besar. They expect opposition from Lenggeng’s Ishak.
It is an open secret that Mohamad and Ishak have not been on friendly terms since the 2004, when Mohamad began his first term as state assemblyman. He became a favourite target of Ishak’s outbursts in the assembly sessions.
The animosity has lasted until today. Even as recently as last Saturday, Ishak accused Mohamad of failing to stop a protest that was held against him three weeks ago in Lenggeng.
A few days earlier, he had complained that the state BN had not provided sufficient funds for his campaign.
Earlier today, both Malacca and Perlis saw news faces as the CEO of the states. In Malacca, Idris Haron was named as the chief minister while Azlan Man was named as the MB in Perlis. Yesterday Mukhriz Mahathir was appointed as the Kedah MB. In Perak meanwhile, Zambry Abdul Kadir has been appointed again as the MB.
Pakatan leaders warn Najib to stop stoking fire
Pakatan leader are saying that Najib is blaming the Chinese in order to cover up BN's weaknesses, and their attempts to hijack the election.
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat leaders came down hard on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for playing the race card to mask Barisan Nasional’s poor showing in the general election.
They said that Najib was totally wrong in blaming the Chinese community for BN’s losses on Sunday.
Immediately after winning a simple majority late Sunday night, Najib blamed the ‘Chinese tsunami’ for BN’s poor showing.
BN won 133 seats while Pakatan took home 89. Apart from winning more seats, Pakatan also made major inroads in all urban areas and in all states on Sunday.
In 2008, BN won 140 of the 222 seats
Following the tone set by Najib, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia today published a provocative headline, ‘Apa lagi Cina mahu’ (What else do the Chinese want), blaming the Chinese for being trapped in DAP’s supposed racial politics.
Leading the charge against Najib and Utusan was Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim who said Najib should not be treating Malaysians like fools and idiots.
“Don’t think we can continue with the semi-authoritarian manner in treating people like fools and idiots. Don’t think the media should be treated like the manner Utusan is treating our people.
“They think the Malays are gullible and fools to consider all these politics about the Chinese, therefore you play this game,” he said today at a press conference in the PKR headquarters.
He added that Najib was playing this game to cover up the electoral fraud.
“The daily just follows Umno president’s direction. I’m aware that the party president’s officers could dictate the newspaper’s stories as I was the party’s former deputy chief,” he said.
Stop fanning racial sentiments
Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary general, Lim Guan Eng, also lashed out at both Najib and Utusan for blaming the Chinese over BN’s loss of the popular votes to Pakatan.
“Najib is disrespectful to democracy by using the Chinese as scapegoats. He is resorting to racial politics to distract attention from BN’s worst electoral performance in history,” he said.
He added that Najib, if he was serious about reconciling all Malaysians, should direct Umno-owned Utusan to stop fanning racist sentiments against the Chinese community.
Lim said that Utusan Malaysia’s frontpage report today was a “ferocious fascist and racist attempt to shape the results of the elections as a Chinese-vs-Malay vote”.
He said many analysts have disputed this as a gross distortion of data, as this was more a urban-rural divide between Pakatan and BN.
Lim also cited former editor of the NST A Kadir Jasin and UKM Professor Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin saying that BN’s weaker showing pointed to a strong wave of rejection from all Malaysians and not just from the minority Chinese.
Lim, who was sworn in as the Penang Chief Minister today, said that DAP condems Utusan for inciting racial hatred and urged everyone to stand against such irresponsible actions.
“Clearly Najib is repeating what Mahathir did in punishing the Chinese community when he had openly sought their endorsement and support in past general elections.
“If Najib follows what Mahathir has done in blaming the Chinese after elections, then Najib has shown that he just can not be trusted like Mahathir,” said Lim.
Najib defends Utusan
Earlier today, Najib blamed DAP for deceiving the Chinese community into believing that the community’s support for DAP would mean they could form the next government in Putrajaya.
However, he said the massive support of the Chinese to DAP and Pakatan had not caused the fall of the BN government as in reality the bumiputeras and the Indians were still backing BN.
He also defended Utusan’s frontpage report today.
“You blame Utusan but you don’t ask about the Chinese papers,” said Najib during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today after a two-hour meeting with all BN MPs.
The Utusan report came in the wake of a call made by pro-Umno blogger Papagomo and a reader, Shahrizad Mohd Diah, allegedly calling on Malays to riot against the Chinese for voting for the opposition.
A police report was lodged against the duo today in Kuching while former MACC advisory panel member Robert Phang urged the police to investigate them under the Sedition Act.
Earlier today, MIC vice president and Tapah MP M Saravanan backed the Utusan attack against the Chinese, saying that they had been “ungrateful”, and suggested that the BN government not help them, as reported by the Malaysian Insider.
The newsportal also quoted Mahathir as saying that ‘ungrateful’ Chinese and ‘greedy’ Malay voters were the reason for BN’s poor showing on Sunday.
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat leaders came down hard on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for playing the race card to mask Barisan Nasional’s poor showing in the general election.They said that Najib was totally wrong in blaming the Chinese community for BN’s losses on Sunday.
Immediately after winning a simple majority late Sunday night, Najib blamed the ‘Chinese tsunami’ for BN’s poor showing.
BN won 133 seats while Pakatan took home 89. Apart from winning more seats, Pakatan also made major inroads in all urban areas and in all states on Sunday.
In 2008, BN won 140 of the 222 seats
Following the tone set by Najib, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia today published a provocative headline, ‘Apa lagi Cina mahu’ (What else do the Chinese want), blaming the Chinese for being trapped in DAP’s supposed racial politics.
Leading the charge against Najib and Utusan was Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim who said Najib should not be treating Malaysians like fools and idiots.
“Don’t think we can continue with the semi-authoritarian manner in treating people like fools and idiots. Don’t think the media should be treated like the manner Utusan is treating our people.
“They think the Malays are gullible and fools to consider all these politics about the Chinese, therefore you play this game,” he said today at a press conference in the PKR headquarters.
He added that Najib was playing this game to cover up the electoral fraud.
“The daily just follows Umno president’s direction. I’m aware that the party president’s officers could dictate the newspaper’s stories as I was the party’s former deputy chief,” he said.
Stop fanning racial sentiments
Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary general, Lim Guan Eng, also lashed out at both Najib and Utusan for blaming the Chinese over BN’s loss of the popular votes to Pakatan.
“Najib is disrespectful to democracy by using the Chinese as scapegoats. He is resorting to racial politics to distract attention from BN’s worst electoral performance in history,” he said.
He added that Najib, if he was serious about reconciling all Malaysians, should direct Umno-owned Utusan to stop fanning racist sentiments against the Chinese community.
Lim said that Utusan Malaysia’s frontpage report today was a “ferocious fascist and racist attempt to shape the results of the elections as a Chinese-vs-Malay vote”.
He said many analysts have disputed this as a gross distortion of data, as this was more a urban-rural divide between Pakatan and BN.
Lim also cited former editor of the NST A Kadir Jasin and UKM Professor Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin saying that BN’s weaker showing pointed to a strong wave of rejection from all Malaysians and not just from the minority Chinese.
Lim, who was sworn in as the Penang Chief Minister today, said that DAP condems Utusan for inciting racial hatred and urged everyone to stand against such irresponsible actions.
“Clearly Najib is repeating what Mahathir did in punishing the Chinese community when he had openly sought their endorsement and support in past general elections.
“If Najib follows what Mahathir has done in blaming the Chinese after elections, then Najib has shown that he just can not be trusted like Mahathir,” said Lim.
Najib defends Utusan
Earlier today, Najib blamed DAP for deceiving the Chinese community into believing that the community’s support for DAP would mean they could form the next government in Putrajaya.
However, he said the massive support of the Chinese to DAP and Pakatan had not caused the fall of the BN government as in reality the bumiputeras and the Indians were still backing BN.
He also defended Utusan’s frontpage report today.
“You blame Utusan but you don’t ask about the Chinese papers,” said Najib during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today after a two-hour meeting with all BN MPs.
The Utusan report came in the wake of a call made by pro-Umno blogger Papagomo and a reader, Shahrizad Mohd Diah, allegedly calling on Malays to riot against the Chinese for voting for the opposition.
A police report was lodged against the duo today in Kuching while former MACC advisory panel member Robert Phang urged the police to investigate them under the Sedition Act.
Earlier today, MIC vice president and Tapah MP M Saravanan backed the Utusan attack against the Chinese, saying that they had been “ungrateful”, and suggested that the BN government not help them, as reported by the Malaysian Insider.
The newsportal also quoted Mahathir as saying that ‘ungrateful’ Chinese and ‘greedy’ Malay voters were the reason for BN’s poor showing on Sunday.
Apa lagi orang Cina mahu?
Tetapi ternyata, mereka menjadi kelompok yang tidak tahu membalas budi.Zulkiflee Bakar, Front page of Utusan
Masyarakat Cina gagal dalam usaha mereka untuk menumbangkan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang orang Melayu menjadi terasnya.
Kegagalan itu sudah tentulah mengecewakan mereka yang amat berharap dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU-13) ia menjadi medan untuk mereka 'menguburkan' UMNO melalui kejayaan pakatan pembangkang.
Biarpun mereka melakukan gerakan yang dilihat bersepadu di seluruh negara dengan memastikan hampir semua undi diberikan kepada parti cauvinis, DAP dan calon-calon pakatan pembangkang lain khususnya Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) namun ia belum cukup menumbangkan kepimpinan BN yang UMNO menjadi tonggak utama.
Justeru tidak hairanlah, semalam puak-puak yang dianggap tidak tahu mengenang budi ini melakukan tindakan yang memualkan apabila melancarkan apa yang dipanggil silent walk.
Program itu bertujuan menyatakan protes kononnya PRU-13 dijalankan secara tidak bersih dan mereka mahu rakyat bangkit melakukan protes berjalan secara senyap di kompleks-kompleks membeli-belah.
Malahan dalam laman Facebook dan Twitter tersebar gambar perbuatan biadab sekumpulan remaja Cina yang bergambar bersama Jalur Gemilang yang diterbalikkan.
Persoalannya apa lagi yang puak- puak ini mahu dalam bahasa mudah, 'apa lagi orang Cina mahu'! Tidak cukupkah DAP memenangi 38 kerusi daripada 51 kerusi yang parti itu tandingi dan seterusnya menjadikan ia parti dominan dalam pakatan pembangkang.
Mungkin kekecewaan mereka biarpun diberi layanan yang begitu istimewa oleh kerajaan BN kerana pakatan pembangkang gagal memerintah.
Mereka membuat percaturan jika pakatan pembangkang menang ia akan membolehkan Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dilantik Perdana Menteri dan Ahli Parlimen Gelang Patah, Lim Kit Siang sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri Kedua.
Melalui cara itu, mereka berharap ia boleh dijadikan platform untuk membuat pelbagai tuntutan termasuklah mungkin menganggu gugat hak orang Melayu yang sudah termaktub dalam Perlembagaan.
Hakikatnya, masyarakat Cina sememangnya sudah lama menyimpan hasrat untuk memiliki kuasa politik yang kuat.
Berikutan kesediaan PKR dan Pas bekerjasama dengan DAP, masyarakat Cina melihat PRU-13 peluang terbaik, justeru mereka keluar habis-habisan mengundi dan memberi isyarat untuk menolak BN.
Segala kebaikan yang ditunjukkan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang mempelopori gagasan 1Malaysia langsung tidak dihargai.
Malahan kesudian Perdana Menteri melayani dan mempertimbangkan serta bertemu dengan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) cauvinis Cina, Dong Zhong turut dilupakan begitu sahaja.
Begitu juga dengan pelbagai program, projek dan tuntutan masyarakat Cina yang hampir keseluruhannya dilaksana dan dipenuhi oleh kerajaan BN.
Tetapi ternyata, mereka menjadi kelompok yang tidak tahu membalas budi. Mereka hanya bijak bersandiwara di hadapan pemimpin-pemimpin BN dengan tujuan memperoleh apa yang mereka hajati.
Apa yang mereka pohon diluluskan tetapi undi diberi kepada DAP. Kini mereka cuba pula hendak mencetuskan suasana tidak tenteram apabila melakukan pelbagai protes yang boleh membangkitkan kemarahan orang Melayu.
Kelompok seumpama ini perlu diperingatkan bahawa jangan sampai mereka dilihat terlalu melampau untuk membuat tuntutan politik mereka kerana kesabaran orang Melayu ada hadnya.
Dan apa yang pasti seperti mana kata bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam; ''... mereka kata orang Melayu rasis sebaliknya, kali ini mereka sangat rasis.''
DAP happy with election results, says Karpal
(The Star) - While PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has every right to question the legitimacy of the 13th general election, DAP chairman Karpal Singh said his party was happy with its performance in the polls.“If they (PKR) feel that there has been electoral fraud in some constituencies they contested in, they can reject the results in these areas,” he said yesterday.
Anwar had refused to accept the outcome of the elections, claiming that there had been vote-rigging and electoral discrepancies.
Karpal also expressed satisfaction with DAP's win of 38 parliamentary seats in the polls.
“DAP has done very well, especially in Gelang Patah, where the win was unexpected,” he added.
However, party adviser Lim Kit Siang, who defeated Barisan Nasional's Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah, said the party would file an election petition to reject the results in areas where it had lost by small margins.
He said the petition would be filed after a detailed analysis of the election results.
“Pakatan Rakyat will look into the constituencies found with problems of electoral fraud before taking the next step, which is necessary to ensure the results are fair and accurate,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Meanwhile, PAS said it would only lodge complaints of electoral irregularities if it found “strong evidence” of fraud, said party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali.
“We will gather feedback from the ground on claims of electoral fraud. Reports will be lodged with the Election Commission if there is strong evidence to support the claims,” he added.
PAS saw its parliamentary seats reduced to 21 compared to 23 in 2008.
The party also failed to defend Kedah while it is still reeling from the shock defeats of deputy president Mohamad Sabu, vice-president Salahuddin Ayub and central committee member Datuk Husam Musa.
Mustafa said PAS accepted that “you win some and lose some”.
“The reality is that the government of the day is formed by the winning side. The election results are balanced' and we accept the people's verdict.
“We did well in defending Kelantan and Selangor, and we are happy to have made inroads in Barisan strongholds.
“We nearly managed to create a repeat of the PAS takeover in Terengganu in the 1999 elections,” he added.
Malaysia's election scandals
We discuss some of the vote irregularities being alleged as ruling coalition takes power for a record 13th time.
One of Malaysia's most hotly contested elections has returned the ruling coalition to power. Prime Minister Najib Razak had staked his political future on strengthening his alliance's majority in Parliament.
But his standing has been weakened - and he is promising to engage in dialogue with his political opponents. That has since been rejected - with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim pressing for a rally in two days to protest against the results.
Al Jazeera’s Florence Looi reported, “The narrower margin means Najib’s administration has its work cut out for it. A youth leader in the coalition’s dominant Umno party acknowledged that in a tweet on Monday. He wrote that the victory was only a reprieve and that a failure to deliver on the change that people want could mean the end for the National Front come the next general election”
There were two main personalities in this election, and Razak was one of them.
He has has been Malaysia's prime minister since 2009. At 23, he became the youngest member of parliament in Malaysian history and quickly rose to prominence.
He is part of a political dynasty, with his father and uncle both former prime ministers. Under his leadership, the government repealed the controversial Internal Security Act. But critics say the new laws remain repressive and still allow for abuses.
Najib also promised to reform pro-Malay policies, though many of them remain in place.
Meanwhile, for Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition candidate, it has been a long journey that has taken him to both sides of Malaysia's political divide.
Anwar is a former deputy prime minister himself, serving under Mohathir's government from 1993 to 1998. He was sacked after falling out with Mohathir over the need to crackdown on corruption.
He has since battled charges for sodomy for which he was convicted, but eventually cleared. Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, but Anwar has always maintained the cases were politically motivated.
Anwar joined the opposition, leading it to an unprecedented showing at the 2008 polls. It was the start of the first serious challenge to ruling Barisan National's grip on power.
The opposition had capitalised on rising anger over corruption and oppressive tactics.
So with pyrrhic victory for the government, new social schisms exposed and polarisation that runs deep in the Malaysian society, Inside Story with presenter Jane Dutton, unpacks the issues with guests: Nurul Izzah Anwar, a member of parliament for the opposition People Justice Party and the daughter of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim; Azman Ujang, former editor-in-chief of the government-sponsored Bernama news agency; and Bridget Welsh, a professor of political science from Singapore Management University and author of numerous publications on Malaysian politics.
"One has to put this into context, one of the realities of what has been happening in Malaysia is a declining failth in many of the politcial institutions and their ability to carry out elections in an administratively neutral way. And the election commission has been faced with a lot of allegations over the last five years"
Bridget Welsh, a professor at Singapore Management University
Source:
Al Jazeer
One of Malaysia's most hotly contested elections has returned the ruling coalition to power. Prime Minister Najib Razak had staked his political future on strengthening his alliance's majority in Parliament.
But his standing has been weakened - and he is promising to engage in dialogue with his political opponents. That has since been rejected - with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim pressing for a rally in two days to protest against the results.
Al Jazeera’s Florence Looi reported, “The narrower margin means Najib’s administration has its work cut out for it. A youth leader in the coalition’s dominant Umno party acknowledged that in a tweet on Monday. He wrote that the victory was only a reprieve and that a failure to deliver on the change that people want could mean the end for the National Front come the next general election”
There were two main personalities in this election, and Razak was one of them.
He has has been Malaysia's prime minister since 2009. At 23, he became the youngest member of parliament in Malaysian history and quickly rose to prominence.
He is part of a political dynasty, with his father and uncle both former prime ministers. Under his leadership, the government repealed the controversial Internal Security Act. But critics say the new laws remain repressive and still allow for abuses.
Najib also promised to reform pro-Malay policies, though many of them remain in place.
Meanwhile, for Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition candidate, it has been a long journey that has taken him to both sides of Malaysia's political divide.
Anwar is a former deputy prime minister himself, serving under Mohathir's government from 1993 to 1998. He was sacked after falling out with Mohathir over the need to crackdown on corruption.
He has since battled charges for sodomy for which he was convicted, but eventually cleared. Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, but Anwar has always maintained the cases were politically motivated.
Anwar joined the opposition, leading it to an unprecedented showing at the 2008 polls. It was the start of the first serious challenge to ruling Barisan National's grip on power.
The opposition had capitalised on rising anger over corruption and oppressive tactics.
So with pyrrhic victory for the government, new social schisms exposed and polarisation that runs deep in the Malaysian society, Inside Story with presenter Jane Dutton, unpacks the issues with guests: Nurul Izzah Anwar, a member of parliament for the opposition People Justice Party and the daughter of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim; Azman Ujang, former editor-in-chief of the government-sponsored Bernama news agency; and Bridget Welsh, a professor of political science from Singapore Management University and author of numerous publications on Malaysian politics.
"One has to put this into context, one of the realities of what has been happening in Malaysia is a declining failth in many of the politcial institutions and their ability to carry out elections in an administratively neutral way. And the election commission has been faced with a lot of allegations over the last five years"
Bridget Welsh, a professor at Singapore Management University
Source:
Al Jazeer
Politik kaum halangan perpaduan
Sinar Harian
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
Apabila
rencana ini diterbitkan, insya-Allah keputusan pilihan raya umum yang
ke-13 akan diketahui. Pihak mana sekalipun yang memenangi PRU ini, saya
jangka kemenangan tersebut adalah tipis, tidak lebih daripada 20 kerusi.
Analisa demi kajian akan dijalankan oleh penganalisis politik (sama ada
yang duduk di atas kerusi malas atau tidak) dari pelbagai aspek pilihan
raya yang disebut sebagai ‘the mother of all elections’ ini.
Walau
apa pun yang berlaku, walau apa pun keputusan PRU ini, penulis kira
banyak yang perlu dipelajari dan dijadikan teladan dan banyak juga
perkara yang perlu kita renungkan sepanjang tempoh berkempen untuk PRU
ini.
Penulis
tidak berniat untuk menyentuh tentang aspek-aspek positif yang ada,
seperti lebih banyak debat yang berlangsung, manifesto yang ditawarkan
dan pengundi-pengundi yang lebih bijak dan matang dalam membuat pilihan.
Tetapi, penulis ingin membangkitkan suatu dimensi kempen PRU kali ini
yang merisaukan penulis, iaitu kempen yang memprejudiskan hubungan
antara kaum.
Penulis
banyak terbaca dan terlintas mesej-mesej yang berbaur perkauman dan
menakut-nakutkan pengundi Melayu-Islam. Contohnya, SMS yang mengatakan
bahawa hak Melayu akan tergadai. Posting Facebook yang mengatakan bahawa
negara akan menjadi republik. Papan tanda yang memomokkan Kristian.
Kempen seperti ini bertujuan untuk memberi gambaran negatif pengundi
Melayu-Islam kepada parti-parti tertentu dengan mengeksploitasi
prasangka mereka kepada kaum lain.
Pada
masa yang sama, pengundi bukan Islam pula ditakutkan dengan jembalang
Islamisasi dalam bentuk hudud dan negara Islam. Dikatakan
kebebasan-kebebasan warga bukan Islam akan digugat. Hiburan akan lenyap
dari bumi Malaysia. Prasangka buruk terhadap imej Islam, yang
sememangnya dikerjakan dengan teruk oleh media Barat dan sesetengah
orang Islam sendiri, dieksploitasi demi kepentingan politik. Walaupun
saya bukan seorang yang dikira Islamis dalam ideologi politik saya, saya
amat tidak selesa dengan kempen fobia Islam yang diutarakan sesetengah
pihak.
Politik
yang menyalakan sentimen kaum dan agama seperti ini tidak sihat. Jika
matlamat kita adalah untuk bersatu dan berganding bahu dalam semangat
satu Malaysia, politik seperti ini akan menggagalkan wawasan kita.
Bagaimana rakyat boleh bersatu jika kita masih dibelenggu dengan buruk
sangka, jika kita masih was-was dengan saudara se-Malaysia kita yang
lain? Bagaimana kita boleh bersatu sekiranya kita masih berkempen
menggunakan isu-isu yang menyebabkan hubungan antara kaum menjadi
tegang?
Perpaduan
tidak akan dicapai tanpa penerimaan. Penerimaan bahawa setiap warga
Malaysia adalah anak Malaysia, tidak kira warna kulitnya, etniknya,
agamanya mahupun ideologi politiknya. Jika kita masih dibelenggu dengan
momok dan jembalang silam, jika kita masih terikat dengan rantai-rantai
yang disarungkan dek penjajah, mana mungkin kita boleh melangkah ke
hadapan bersama-sama dan dengan yakin mendepani dunia.
Namun,
dalam kebimbangan penulis, penulis masih mempunyai harapan. Tempoh
hari, penulis ada menghadiri ceramah di Shah Alam. Salah seorang
daripada penceramah adalah seorang yang berbangsa India. Bahasa
Melayunya pekat dengan telor India. Tetapi, dari hatinya dia berkata
bahawa Malaysia adalah negaranya, dia lahir di sini, dia hidup di sini
dan dia akan mati di sini. Dan dia menegaskan bahawa dia bukanlah
pendatang, walaupun sering digelar sedemikian. Hadirin yang
mendengarnya, yang majoritinya berbangsa Melayu bersorak dan bertepuk
tanda bersetuju.
Mungkin
politik bakar sentimen perkauman masih lagi berkesan, kerana itu ia
masih digunakan. Namun jika kita tunjukkan bahawa ia semakin kurang
keberkesanannya, mungkin di PRU akan datang kita tidak lagi disajikan
dengan politik sebegini.
**Penulis seorang peguam muda yang mengamal undang-undang sebagai rakan kongsi di sebuah firma guaman di Kuala Lumpur.
Disturbing questions surrounding GE13 polling
For
the first time, the incumbent government has lost the popular vote
nationally (in 2008, it was only in the peninsula). The BN coalition has
still managed to hold on to power. This piece, in a series analysing the election results, looks at the concerns raised regarding the electoral process and the potential impact these issues may have had on the final results.
In analysing the fairness of any polls, one asks whether the irregularities in the process could have affected the final outcome. Were the problems enough to change which coalition would have formed government?
These issues will be debated and assessed in the days and weeks ahead. Let me share some preliminary observations that suggest that in this election, some things appear not to be quite right.
Integrity of electoral roll
This was the longest wait for an election, and both sides were extremely active in registering new voters, especially in the urban areas where the party machinery was well honed.
Even factoring in the more robust voter registration efforts, changes in electoral procedures to register people where they live rather than where they are from, population demographics, and possible housing developments in different seats, the increased numbers in the electoral roll are significantly not in line with historical patterns of voter registration. This out-of-line pattern is in every state, except Negri Sembilan.
The figure that stands out in voter increase occurred from 2004 to 2008 in Sabah. The questions about the electoral roll in Sabah have been long standing, and are the subject of the ongoing royal commission of inquiry into immigrants.
These increases from 2004 through 2008 are by any measure - huge - in places such as Liburan, where caretaker Chief Minister Musa Aman's state seat is located, in Semporna, the seat of Shafie Apdal and in Ranau currently held by Ewok Ebin.
Yet,
after 2008, while the numbers have dropped, there is still on average
21% new voters in Sabah seats, a high number not in line with
demographic trends. Migration appears to continue be a factor shaping
voter numbers in Sabah in this GE13, despite calls to tighten the flows.We also find that new voters have flooded states like Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu and Johor in GE13. The average increase in voters nationally between 2004 and 2008 was 8.2%. In the run-up to GE13, the voters registered doubled to 19.4%. The national and statewide averages however obscure the differences among different seats within states. It is clear that some seats have been special recipients of new voters.
Much has been made of the 28% of new voters in Lembah Pantai. This seat is actually on the low side compared to others. Consider the whopping 61.5% increase in Tapah, recently re-won by BN, or Subang with 52% new voters, won by Pakatan with a larger majority this election but shaped heavily by Pakatan's registration of new voters.
A total of 90 seats, or 41% of all parliamentary seats, have more than 25% new voters. Many of these were in races with tight contests in 2008, and continued to have tight contests in GE13. The new voters have advantaged the opposition in urban areas, but benefitted the BN in rural and semi-rural areas or in states where the machinery of the opposition is comparatively weak, such as Johor.
Such races also won by BN that had large number of voters include Cameron Highlands (20%), Pasir Gudang (39%) and Tebrau (45%) in Johor. While some of the increase in the latter two seats might be explained in part by development, bizarrely there are sharp increases in voting populations in the remote interior state of Pensiangan (33%) and remote coastal seat of Kota Marudu (32%) in Sabah. These abnormal high increases raise questions.
The
placement of new voters is even more intriguing when studying the
actual polling stations results. Many new voters are concentrated in
more less populated areas within constituencies, often in rural and
semi-rural seats.This is where the questions over the large number of unexplained voters grouped in bunches in places like Bachok (21% new voters and won by PAS with less than 1% margin) and Bukit Gantang (29% of new voters and won by PAS with 2% margin) come in.
It appears that the localised remote placements of new voters may have had an impact. For example, the placement of 3,600 new voters in a remote Felda scheme occurred in Segamat, which was won by the BN with a 1,217 majority. The voting in this Felda scheme was over 90%, with one stream at 99%. In 2004, the voter turnout in this area was much lower.
This spike pattern of voter turnout in particular polling stations was found in Terengganu in 2004, when the BN wrested back the state, and questions were raised at that time as well.
Spike patterns out of line
This GE13 spike in voter turnout at the local level is being witnessed in specific places across the country. With the national level of turnout at 85%, the spike patterns that are well out of line with historic patterns of voting behaviour raise questions, even accounting for the overall rise in participation and voter turnout.
Another
pattern in the placement of new voters beyond tight races involves
prominent leaders getting large shares of new voters, such as Najib
Razak's own seat Pekan with 38% new voters, or Rompin represented by
Jamaluddin Jarjis at 29% new voters. It remains unclear why these
largely rural constituencies would have such large voter increases.Generally out-migration areas such as Perak and Pahang receiving large numbers of new voters does not conform with population patterns. Why are places with people leaving to work outside get sharp increases in voters?
The lack of clear transparent explanations on why voters are registered in some areas in such high numbers this election, compared to past patterns in these areas, understandably raises questions.
Many seats that were lost by the opposition or were in tight races have large number of new voters, including, including Tanah Merah (24%) and Balik Pulau (25%), although in some cases the opposition picked up or retained seats with large voter increases in these seats, such as Kota Raja (47%) and Kuala Nerus (25%), among others.
This
issue of voter registration and voter turnout levels needs further
study, with more information on who are these new voters and their
pattern of voting. The fact is that the polling station results will
show the spikes at the local level and careful study will tell us
statistically the impact of these new voters on electoral outcomes.The Electoral Commission (EC) and electoral administration as a whole are facing a real trust deficit. A reliable electoral roll is essential for any fair elections. Repeatedly questions have been raised about the veracity of many new voters.
Election watchdog Merap and others have time and again drawn attention to the questions of electoral roll integrity. Before the polls, these matters were essentially ignored or dismissed. To date, the scope of phantom voters and questionable placement is not fully known. Now the results themselves will show the impact at the local level.
This is why the sharing of all results through the Borang 14 is essential in order to make a systematic and thorough assessment. Preliminary reviews of results are already raising red flags as they have shaped the outcomes at both the parliamentary and state levels.
Early and postal voting
Queries about the early and postal voting have also emerged. Here the question is about double voting, with individuals having the opportunity to vote twice. Postal voting numbers increased in this election. Historically, there have always been questions about the veracity of postal voting, with reports questioning that this voting is secret and others arguing over the accuracy of the results.
There
have been improvements in recent years over postal voting involving
polling agent access to this process in many locations. Yet, even with
these improvements, questions about whether postal voting is fair and
accurate remain.In this election, further questions emerged over the numbers and placement of these postal voters in different constituencies. Many tight races, such as Sibu, had increases in postal voters. In some cases, the list of names of new postal voters were reportedly not provided openly.
Early voting, an estimated 240,000 people, is also a new addition for this election and being queried. Early voting includes many Malaysians within Malaysia, such as the wives of army officers and journalists who can vote before polls.
There was not a clear distribution of the list of early voters provided nationally, and in some cases even individual candidates were not able to access the names of who were the postal and early voters.
No clear explanation was given to why some constituencies received early voters and others did not. Importantly, this information was not properly shared so that it could be verified. Furthermore, there were unexplained instances when the numbers of early and postal voters increased. In Lembai Pantai, for example, the number stated was 200, but 600 showed up. How did this happen?
Given the reality that the indelible ink was in many cases not indelible,
the possibility of double voting exists. On voting day there are
numerous reports of individuals finding out that someone had voted
fraudulently using their name, leading to concerns also about electoral
disenfranchisement.There were also reports of non-Malaysians being transported to the polling stations by buses and even flown in, some of these believed to be phantom voters. The scale and impact of these on the results is not yet clear, but given the combination of a non-transparent early and postal voting process in various locations and non-indelible ink issues on election day, and sightings of non-Malaysians in contentious seats, troubling questions are being raised.
The close results make these issues and questions more salient. A total of 72 of seats (or 32%) were won by less than 10% margins of turnout. Twenty percent of seats, 44 seats, were won with less than a 5% margin. The closeness of these races could easily have come down to a few voters. These razor-thin margin seats were won by both sides, but given the questions raised about the process of voting in these close seats, they need to be carefully reviewed.
To date, the total number of seats affected by either non-transparent new voter increases and early voting allocations and unexplained incidents of disenfranchisement appears to be more than the actual margin of victory for the BN. These reports need to be properly vetted and verified, but fundamental questions remained.
A spoilt-vote victory
Finally, this brings up the questions on the election night itself. There are queries surrounding the recounts and spoilt votes. How many recounts which overturned the results at the last moment were there? In Perak, for example, three state seats - three is a famous number in Perak - Alor Pongsu, Manjoi and Pangkor results were overturned at the last minute. Questions were also raised at Kamunting as well.
The
need for transparency at the final count is essential for a fair
election. When the EC asks people to leave and there are new ballot
boxes seen outside of a polling station, as was reported in Lembah
Pantai, there are questions. It is not fully clear what exactly happened
with the recounts in Perak and elsewhere - as there were numerous
recounts nationally this election - but the climate of distrust that has
permeated the assessment of the election process raises doubts.In the days ahead, a better sense of the numbers and recounts will emerge. With reports of sudden changes in the voting results such as Bentong and Labis, questions are being raised. Many people cannot understand how a result that was statistically a large margin ahead could be overturned. These need to be clarified, particularly in Bentong where the margin was larger.
Part of the problem is that in some cases, the number of spoilt votes exceeded the actual majority in places where recounts took place. Here are some of the seats at the parliamentary level where this happened: Kuala Selangor, Cameron Highlands, Bachok, Bentong, Sungai Besar, Kota Merudu and Baram won by the BN and Sepang and Kuala Nerus won by the opposition. Another seat with high spoilt votes is Segamat, at 950.
What distinguishes these close recounts from the famous cases of Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh losing in 1999 with more spoilt votes than the majority, is the process of the administration of the indelible ink in this election - before marking the ballot paper - thus staining the papers and contributing to higher spoilt votes.
This
pattern of higher spoilt votes than actual margins of victory was also
replicated at the state level as well in many areas, where only a few
seats mattered for who should win state power. The process of
administering the ink appears to have had an impact on the results in
some areas.It is important to be careful when reviewing the election results and not rush to judgement about what happened and why. It is also important to see the election holistically. The focus here has not touched on the use of money in the campaign, which was rampant, labelled ‘bombing' in Sabah, or the mainstream media reporting.
The aim has been to raise the preliminary questions revealed in the results and the impact actual numbers of voters associated with the election. As the evaluation of the election moves forward, the call to answer these questions will only increase and intensify. Further study and analysis is essential.
Nevertheless, from the non-indelible ink and spikes in voter turnout to being not allowed to vote, concerns with the electoral process itself are not sitting right with many in the public, and this is not just supporters on one side or another. Transparent and truthful answers are both needed and welcomed.
DR BRIDGET WELSH is associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University. She is travelling around Malaysia to provide her GE13 analyses exclusively to Malaysiakini. Bridget can be reached at bwelsh@smu.edu.sg.
Us Congratulates Najib On Ge13 Win
KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- The United States (US) has
congratulated Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Barisan
Nasional (BN) coalition for winning Sunday's 13th General Election
(GE13).
"We congratulate the people of Malaysia on holding the most competitive election in their country's history," a statement issued by the US Embassy here said today, quoting Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy spokesman at the US State Department.
"We were pleased to see Malaysians across the political spectrum engaged in the electoral process in large numbers with unprecedented enthusiasm," he said, adding that the US looked forward to working with the new government, once it was formed.
The GE13 saw the Najib-led BN returned to power when the coalition won 133 of the 222 parliamentary seats to form the new federal government.
On Monday, Najib took the oath of office as prime minister before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the Istana Negara.
In the statement, Ventrell also called on all parties to peacefully respect the will of the voters.
On concerns about voting irregularities, he said addressing such issues was important to strengthen confidence in the electoral process.
Najib, who is BN chairman, also received a congratulatory message via phone call today from his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, according to an aide of the Malaysian leader.
"We congratulate the people of Malaysia on holding the most competitive election in their country's history," a statement issued by the US Embassy here said today, quoting Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy spokesman at the US State Department.
"We were pleased to see Malaysians across the political spectrum engaged in the electoral process in large numbers with unprecedented enthusiasm," he said, adding that the US looked forward to working with the new government, once it was formed.
The GE13 saw the Najib-led BN returned to power when the coalition won 133 of the 222 parliamentary seats to form the new federal government.
On Monday, Najib took the oath of office as prime minister before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the Istana Negara.
In the statement, Ventrell also called on all parties to peacefully respect the will of the voters.
On concerns about voting irregularities, he said addressing such issues was important to strengthen confidence in the electoral process.
Najib, who is BN chairman, also received a congratulatory message via phone call today from his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, according to an aide of the Malaysian leader.
'PSM lost in Semenyih due to PKR's bullying tactics'
By S Arutchelvan,
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) in its election debut using its own symbol lost the Semenyih seat and came out third in the recently concluded GE.
I fared 5,568 votes against BN's Johan Aziz (17,616) and PKR's Hamidi Hassan (13,471). I accept the decision of the voters and congratulate Johan for his victory.
The combined votes of the opposition would have ensured a victory for Pakatan. A straight fight would have ensured a victory for PSM or PKR.
We regret that PKR's interference in this seat which they have never contested before, resulted in this three-corner fight in Semenyih.
Even though PKR came second, I am not able to consent nor condone to the bullying tactics employed by the Selangor PKR leadership in denying PSM the seat purely on racial reasons.
The PKR leadership must learn to respect its allies. Similarly PSM lost its Kota Damansara seat even using the PKR logo, simply because of a three-corner from another Pakatan partner, PAS.
While we wait for the post-mortem report of Semenyih PSM, let me share some of my own opinions on our defeat and some thoughts.
There are a few factors to my and PSM's defeat in Semenyih
1. People voted for the Pakatan logo and not for PSM or myself because they felt strongly that this election is about winning the BN and any person besides the Pakatan is seen as a spoiler and will not get their votes.
PSM lost not because that we had a weak machinery or a bad candidate, we lost because of public sentiment and the call for ‘Ini Kalilah'.
DAP, especially, worked very hard in the Chinese areas to tell people that we are not Pakatan and that we are an Independent and there to cause a split. This propaganda worked well and resulted in us losing the Chinese votes.
2. PSM's strategy was to win over the large number of non-Malay votes especially Chinese and Indian votes and try to gain a small majority of Malay votes. We did badly in the Malay traditional vilages and that is expected and not part of our strategy.
Our defeat in the Chinese areas proves that we were not able to convince a large segment of the Chinese community to think that we are part of Pakatan and we stand a better chance to win.
3. In traditional Malay areas, BN did extremely well and PKR got votes mainly from PAS and PKR party members. The results and votes garnered were quite similar to the votes I received in the last election in these areas.
It shows that Pakatan has not been able to penetrate the Malay votes in the rural areas and this trends continues.
4. A last minute campaign in Indian areas by the PKR Indian section also resulted in confusion within the Indian community that I am standing under the PKR logo.
In some places, they said that I have withdrawn and urged people to vote for PKR. Our counting agents also revealed that a number of spoilt votes were a result of people marking for both PSM and PKR.
This is a result of PKR members asking people to vote both this logos and not BN. A number of Indian voters, after casting their votes, were shocked to learn that we did not withdraw.
Some said that they voted for me but pointed at the PKR logo as this was what was explained to them. This sabotage did affect some of our votes.
5. On the other hand, PSM by winning more than 5,000 votes have proven that we are not an independent party whereby in perhaps all places, the Independent did lose their deposit. In Semenyih, we did not lose the deposit.
PSM did get votes from people who looked at the candidate rather than the logo. We performed well considering that we are fighting the BN and the Pakatan machinery.
6. There seems to be a level of frustration among party members that groundwork does not bring votes. This is something which we need to analyse and put much thought into.
This election has been a learning experience. We will perhaps have to win the ideological battle within the people and revolutionise the minds of the voters.
7. As far as campaign, support and solidarity, Semenyih PSM gained lots of support and solidarity. We did a strong campaign consideraing we are dealing with two giants - BN and the Pakatan.
A lot of people have also since joined the party and wanted to be part of the team in spite of our defeat. They like our work and they want to help us build from this defeat. We thank you.
At a personal level, I would like to thank all those who helped. My campaign team who performed extremely well and all the outsiders who helped and who wanted to see us win.
We are sorry to have disappointed you but we will have to strive harder and redeem the dignity of the people. The defeat of Pakatan nationally is yet another blow and we will have to face the attack for the neo-liberal policies very soon. PSM will fight on.
I have also resigned as a councillor of MPKJ with effect from yesterday though my term only expires on Dec 31 this year.
I think it is the most principled thing to do due to my defeat and to allow the Pakatan government to appoint a new councillor.
For socialists, victory is ensured when the wealth and income of the nation is distributed fairly to the majority of the people. This election is not about that.
This election is about throwing away a corrupt government. We will now have to start the socialist alternative for Semenyih and elsewhere.
S ARUTCHELVAN was PSM candidate for N24 Semenyih.
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