That report, whilst mentioning that Father Sylvester Ding, who is coordinating getting aid to those in need of the same, had said that people could send their donations in kind to the Miri Carmelite Chapel, does not give details as to how contributions could be sent. by Haris Ibrahim
I have asked for bank account details and / or the full postal address to which contributions might be sent and will post those details here the soonest I receive the same.
People, if you hold to the spirit of One People, One Nation, then you must see these starving children in the remote Kapit Division in central Sarawak as your own.
As you read this, you would have probably already had your first meal for the day.
Get your office mates to join you and skip lunch today, pool the money that you would have saved from that missed meal and get ready to send it out to our children in Sarawak.
The little pangs of hunger you will feel will be more than offset by the sense of fullness you will derive from knowing that the meal you missed is on its way to a little one who hasn’t eaten anything of substance in days.
There are five important reasons why the 20,290 voters of Permatang Pasir, regardless of race or religion, should vote for the Pas/Pakatan Rakyat candidate Mohd Salleh Man and reject the Umno/Barisan Nasional candidate Rohaizat Othman in the by-election polling tomorrow.
They are:
• Firstly, declare what all Malaysians know but no Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC or Barisan Nasional component party Minister or leader dare to say – that Rohaizat is not fit to be candidate for any elective office because of his being struck off the lawyers’ rolls under the Legal Profession Act for breach of trust, dishonesty and unprofessional conduct “unbefitting” a lawyer which “brings the legal profession into disrepute”. The media conference statement by his former law firm partner, Yusri Isahak, in Kuala Lumpur yesterday has done nothing to cleanse his “tainted” reputation or made academic the question: “How can a person not honest enough to be a lawyer be trusted to be a candidate for elective office, let alone to be elected as a State Assemblyman.
• Secondly, demonstrate that public shock and dismay over the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock at MACC Headquarters on July 16, 2009 are the response of all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, as it concerns the value of a human life and public confidence in the efficiency, commitment, independence, integrity and professionalism of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to declare war on corruption instead of declaring war on Pakatan Rakyat;
• Thirdly, articulate the concerns of all right-thinking Malaysians across the race, religion and political divide for a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the causes and circumstances of the mysterious death of Teoh at the MACC precincts, which can only be done through a Royal Commission of Inquiry and not a mere inquest – and public concerns about Teoh’s death and the MACC have been further underlined by the appearance of a mysterious letter purportedly written by MACC officers containing serious allegations including collusion between a Barisan Nasional leader and a top ranking Selangor MACC officer;
• Fourthly, expose the hypocrisy of the Barisan Nasional by-election theme of “Anak Emas” for Permatang Pasir when the only “Anak Emas” is none other than Rohaisat Othman and to demand fair, just and progressive national policies by the Barisan Nasional Federal Government for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or territory, to be treated as “Anak Emas” of the country.
• Fifthly, give true meaning to the 1Malaysia slogan of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the 52nd National Day theme on August 31 by deploring in the strongest possible terms the divisive, irresponsible and dangerous politics of double-speak and lies exploiting the race and religious cards to polarize Malaysians by playing a different tune to different voter ethnic groups – as alleging that Parliamentary Opposition Leader and PKR chief, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is “a traitor to the Malay race” and that PAS has sold out Islam to DAP for the Malay audience while accusing DAP of being a stooge of PAS among the Chinese electorate.
THE fate of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Penang rests on the shoulders of one man, Mohd Salleh Man. If the PAS candidate in the Permatang Pasir by-election loses at the polls tomorrow on 25 Aug 2009, the alliance will have no co-operation to speak of within the state government.
PAS is defending its only seat in the Penang legislative assembly, in which the DAP has 19, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) nine, and the Barisan Nasional (BN) opposition 11.
"We cannot afford to lose this seat or the pact at state-government level comes undone. Winning will prove that the Pakatan Rakyat is alive in Penang," PKR elections director Saifuddin Nasution tells The Nut Graph.
Salleh hopes to take over the reigns from the late assemblyperson Datuk Mohamad Hamdan Abdul Rahman, whose death on 31 July necessitated this by-election. Hamdan held the seat for three terms and was known as a gracious and popular elected representative.
Salleh, 55, is soft spoken and has a heavy local accent that makes it hard for out-of-towners to fully understand him. He comes across as an amiable "pak cik", although many call him "ustaz" because of his career in religious teaching.
The Penang PAS commissioner has been active in local PAS politics ever since graduating from Universiti Malaya with an Islamic studies degree. Interestingly, Salleh has contested six times in previous elections in the Pinang Tunggal, Permatang Berangan and Sungai Dua state seats, and also in the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat, but never won.
This time, he believes it will be different.
Seventh time lucky?
Asked to explain why, Salleh says Permatang Pasir has consistently voted for PAS for the last three terms, and he believes that trend will continue.
"I am sure voters here will want to see that PAS retains the seat, because it is the sole seat for the party in the state," he tells The Nut Graph at a campaign stop on 20 Aug.
We are standing in a football field, soggy with freshly cut grass after a spell of rain. Salleh has come to kick ball with the local youth of the Kubang Semang football club. PAS has organised a match for the village youths to play against a team comprising former state players and a few PR Youth leaders.
Salleh, in printed shirt, with youth from the local football club
Salleh isn't terribly articulate, but seems the sort of leader who would obligingly stop for anyone with a question despite being on a hectic schedule.
He says of his six previous failed attempts at contesting a seat: "I am learning all the time, and each election helps me improve for the next. In the end, we only hope that voters will choose us."
He promises to strengthen the Penang PR if he wins, by developing good ties with the Chinese and Indian Malaysian communities.
"I will continue the vision of the late assembly[person] Hamdan to prioritise the people's welfare and ensure all the races work together, because we are all one under Pakatan Rakyat," he says, reading from notes scribbled in a pocket-sized notepad.
A minder from his campaign team steps in to cut the interview short, and Salleh is whisked off to his next stop.
Muddy campaign
Salleh's lack of flair is not likely to be a factor in this by-election, which has been overshadowed by attacks on the credibility of the BN candidate, Rohaizat Othman, a disbarred lawyer.
While Salleh works the ground meeting voters at markets and shops and in their homes, PAS leaders have harped on little else since nomination day on 17 Aug. They have used that to draw a contrast with Salleh, depicting him as a clean and pious man who is respected locally for teaching religious classes.
However, Salleh has not escaped the mudslinging. An Umno-linked blog claimed that he took RM600,000 of PAS's funds meant for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last August. PAS leaders have challenged Umno to show proof.
Power and position
With little to pick on about Salleh, the BN has turned to dangling the carrot of state power and representation. The BN highlights the fact that PAS, despite being in the PR, is not given a post in the state government's executive council.
"What is the use of voting for PAS when they are not given an exco post? The DAP is insulting PAS. Ask Lim Guan Eng, will he make PAS part of the state exco if they win? If not, what is the point of voting for PAS when they have no power in the state government?" said Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin at a ceramah on 20 Aug.
Khairy criticising Penang's DAP government during the ceramah
After the PR seized power in Penang in the March 2008 general election, Chief Minister Lim named DAP and PKR assemblypersons to his executive council.
Local reporters who cover the Penang legislative assembly sittings say the BN opposition often taunted the late Hamdan over the matter. Hamdan, however, never retaliated, nor did he make public demands for an exco position.
Indeed, it has been pointed out that the DAP and PAS are "even" on this score. To the north, in Kedah, where PAS won the most seats in the general election, the lone DAP assemblyperson was not given an exco post, either.
Before his death, however, the Penang government did appoint Hamdan to posts in several state committees.
Saifuddin (File pic)"There are many other ways to appreciate our partners in Pakatan, not necessarily with exco positions. There are other important posts in state-owned companies and various state councils. Posts do not define the worth of our partnership," argues PKR's Saifuddin.
He also believes that Malay Malaysians in Penang are not "jealous" about this. "They are attracted to Guan Eng's anti-corruption stance. You should not underestimate the Malay [Malaysians]; if they see a leader who shares their values, they can adapt even if the leader is of another race."
PAS by-election operations director Datuk Mahfuz Omar refuses to entertain questions about whether PAS would ask for more recognition in the state government if it retains the Permatang Pasir seat. "This by-election is about the seat, not about government positions," he says.
Then again, perhaps it is "win first" on polling day. And talk later.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu stressed that the Sept 12 party election is not about individuals but the future of the MIC and the Indian community.
He said 2009 was a very crucial year for the MIC because the party delegates would be electing leaders who had shown results and could move the party ahead and prepare it for the next general election.
"I have put up a team that can work and deliver for the Indian community and maintain the respect and cooperation of Barisan Nasional and the government," he told Bernama in an interview.
He said he was endorsing incumbent deputy president Datuk G.Palanivel to retain the post based on Palanivel's personal character, background and achievements in the party and government.
Palanivel, who wrested the deputy president's post from Datuk S.Subramaniam in the 2006 MIC election, was the deputy minister in the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry before his defeat in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat in the 2008 general election.
Describing Palanivel as an "untainted and clean man", Samy Vellu said he had carried out his duties as a deputy minister and deputy president effectively without seeking publicity.
"Palanivel works as a team player and he has helped in the formulation of many policies and programs for the party," he said, adding that Palanivel was also "a no-nonsense and practical person".
He also said that Palanivel had good working relations with leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties.
Samy Vellu said he was also endorsing Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K.Devamany and Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M.Saravanan for the three posts of vice-president because they were Members of Parliament and the party's representatives in the government.
"They must be given the mandate by the party to speak to the government on behalf of the Indian community and the MIC. They will be unable to perform effectively if the MIC itself is seen as not supporting them," he added.
Stressing that Dr Subramaniam was the sole Indian representative in the Cabinet, he said that through a stronger mandate from the delegates, his voice in the Cabinet would gain more respect and be honoured.
"Similarly, Devamany and Saravanan have to get the support of the MIC if they are to perform. Dr Subramaniam, Devamany and Saravanan are our only MPs now to implement the party's government work."
On his 27-member team for the 23 posts in the Central Working Committee (CWC), Samy Vellu said his list comprised a mix of all ages and groups within the Indian community, namely Malayali, Telegu and Sikh.
"I want the CWC to represent all the communities within the Indian community to avoid the party being branded as just for one group (Tamils)," he added.
Please pass this message around and show the people and bloggers from the Bathroom and Bedroom to understand that the villagers are not demanding more than what they deserve! This is the exact agreement that were given to them! No other agreements!
Will you sign this document if you are one of the villager in Kg.Buah Pala?
www.cryingvoices.webs.com
1.No time line given when they ll build the house
2.No compensation for their rental till the house is built
3.In any case the project is stopped, changed, modified or halted, this agreement consider invalid
4. No description on the house, materials used, type and model, even if they build the house in the plywood the villagers cant take them to court after signing this agreement.
5. The agreement must come from State Government or koperasi as the Land owner, not Nusmetro as the developer, who has no rights towards the villagers!
6.No guarantee from the State Government on the compensation.
7. The Location of the house decided by the developer, it can be anywhere!
CONGRATULATION MR.LIM GUAN ENG, PROF.RAMASAMY AND RSN RAYER!
YOU ALMOST ACHIEVE WHAT YOU AIMED FOR! YOU ARE THE MAN AND THE AWARD ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR!
SOON THERE WILL BE ABOUT 60 POOR INDIAN FAMILIES HOMELESS AND NEED TO RENT A SPACE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY, SOME OF THEM NEED TO BORROW MONEY FROM ALONG IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THEIR NEW RENTED HOME, AND WILL LOOSE THEIR PEACE AND HAPPINESS FOREVER IN THEIR LIVES! SCHOOL CHILDRENS WILL BE IN SHOCK THAT THEIR HOME IS DEMOLISHED AND WILL GO THROUGH THE TRAUMA AND WILL FAIL IN THEIR STUDIES, SOON TO BECOME NEW GANGSTERS AND CRIMINALS AND UNEDUCATED CITIZEN WITH FEAR SURROUNDING THEIR BRAIN AND HEART!
SOME OF THE OLDER VILLAGERS WITHOUT ANY SICKNESS WILL FALL SICK AND WILL END THEIR LIVES EARLIER THAN THE ACTUAL TIME!
THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERIES AND CHILLED WEATHER WITH GREENERIES WILL BE BURIED UNDERNEATH THE DEBRIS AFTER THE DEMOLITION!
THE CLEAN WELL WATER THAT COMES NATURALLY FROM THE GROUND WILL TURN TO BE CHEMICALLY POLLUTED AND WILL BE MERKY AND DIRTY!
CONGRATULATION LIM GUAN ENG, PROF.RAMASAMY AND RSN RAYER..
FOR BEING THE THRUTHFUL LIAR! WHICH HAS BEEN PROVEN IN THE STATEMENTS AND VIDEO INTERVIEWS GIVEN! YOU HAVE PROVED THAT POLITICIANS ARE LIARS AND SUPPORTING THE RICH AND DISCRIMINATING THE POOR! ALL WITH PROVES!
In their last-ditch bid to save their village, Kg Buah Pala villagers have now turned to Umno.
Gelugor Umno division chairman Omar Faudzar has reportedly agreed to hold talks with the developer (Nusmetro) and the landowner (the Koperasi) on Tuesday.
With this, the Buah Pala villagers have now tried almost every avenue available to them – the Pakatan state government, Hindraf, MIC, PSM, Jerit, the Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party, the Federal Court, the DPM and now Umno – as they struggle against all odds to save their village. The only parties they have not approached – as far as I know – are Gerakan (Koh Tsu Koon) and MCA.
In a way, the Kg Buah Pala saga has now come full circle. It was the BN government in Penang that approved the sale of the land (with the final payment made on 14 March 2008, after the Pakatan took over, while the temporary land title was registered on 27 March 2008).
Can the Buah Pala village be saved from demolition? Will Umno and the BN make a dramatic gesture and intervene in an attempt to recover lost Indian Malaysian support for the BN?
Meanwhile, the Koperasi has ceased updating its blog since 11 August.
The village has nine days to go before it is due for demolition.
Foreigners caught on camera mingling with and instigating Penans at Long Nen and Long Bangan blockades
MIRI: It’s confirmed! Foreigners are behind many of the blockades set up by Penans in timber camps in the state.
It has long been suspected that many foreign environmentalists and socalled conservationists had been instigating and encouraging the natives to erect blockades and disrupt logging activities, though they had always denied their involvement.
But yesterday four foreigners, including two women, were seen among protesters manning blockades in Ulu Baram.
But wait, Mark Bujang, the executive director of a leading Sarawak NGO, Brimas, points out these were not instigators but AFP journalists carrying out interviews.
I suppose it’s a lot easier for the Borneo Post to point to foreign hands than to report on the root causes of Penan grievances – intrusion by a public-private joint venture timber company into their native customary land. Bujang says the private partner is KTS Holdings, which reportedly owns the Borneo Post. KTS is one of the biggest timber and oil palm plantation firms in Sarawak.
AFP reported that its news team at the blockades was photographed by angry timber company officials, and later intercepted at a roadblock by police armed with machineguns and taken away for questioning.
Foreign journalist labelled as instigators of Penan blockades
MIRI – Four foreign journalists were labelled as instigators by a local newspaper, the Borneo Post, for allegedly encouraging two Penan villages in Tutoh, Baram District, Sarawak for erecting blockades and disrupting the logging activities by logging companies in the area.
The Borneo Resources Institute, Malaysia (BRIMAS) learnt that the journalists were from the Agence France Presse (AFP) based in Kuala Lumpur and they were there doing interviews with the Penans in the Apoh-Tutoh areas of the Baram region.
At the time the two blockades were erected at Long Nen and Long Bangan, these journalists were coincidently there doing the said interviews.
However, the Borneo Post published a front page article headline ‘Foreign hands in blockades’ on 22 August edition and confirmed that foreigners were behind the many blockades set up by the Penans in timber camps throughout the state.
BRIMAS wishes to state the facts that the Penans from Long Nen and Long Bangan are not happy with Pusaka-KTS (PKTS) Forest Plantation Sdn. Bhd. for establishing an acacia and eucalyptus plantation within their native customary rights (NCR) land.
PKTS never obtained the villagers’ free, prior and informed consent when they wanted to establish the plantation and instead ignored the pleas and protests from the Penans which rejected the plantation.
It must be also pointed out that section 65B of the Sarawak Forest Ordinance Cap. 126 requires prior consent of NCR landowners before a Licence for Planted Forest (LPF) could be issued over the land.
As a result of PKTS non-compliance with the Forest Ordinance and disregarding the NCR of the Penans, these two villages decided to take direct action by erecting blockades to stop PKTS from further encroachment into their native customary land. It is through their own initiative that the Penans decided to erect the blockades and not orchestrated by foreigners as allege by the Borneo Post.
There are at least 20 other villages in and around Apoh-Tutoh, Baram region which are also affected by PKTS plantation. According to Friends of the Earth Report in 2008, the total area of PKTS plantation area in Apoh-Tutoh is approximately 90,427 hectares.
BRIMAS would like to urge PKTS and the Sarawak State Government recognise and respect the NCR of the Penans to their lands and forest resources. If PKTS’ LPF are overlapping over the NCR of the Penans and other native communities, then the state government should withdraw the LPF immediately.
BRIMAS also demands that PKTS stop all its clear-cutting activities on forested areas as this will further increase the rate of deforestation in Sarawak and undermining the biodiversity of the state.
The planting of exotic fast growing tree species like acacia and eucalyptus would only degrade the land further as these two species of trees are known to extract a lot of nutrients from the soil rapidly and render the soil infertile. Worst still, these trees are a fire hazard especially during the dry season as their leaves are quite flammable when dried due to the nature of the tree which needs heat to propagate it seeds.
PKTS is a joint venture company between the Sarawak Timber Industrial Development Corporation, also known as Pusaka, a state government agency and KTS Holdings Sdn. Bhd., a timber company based in Sibu, which also owns Borneo Post.
Bersatulah bangsa Melayu! Setiap orang Islam adalah saudara kita. Fikirkanlah. Jangan terlalu taksub dengan fahaman politik masing-masing. Berfikir dan bertindaklah secara waras. - Kelab Penyokong Maya UMNO
Bersatulah bangsa Melayu! Kelab Penyokong Maya UMNO
Di saat ini, perbalahan sesama bangsa Melayu berada di tahap kritikal. Punca utama adalah perbezaan fahaman politik. Budaya berpuak-puak semakin berleluasa sama ada di bandar mahupun di kampung. Pergolakan ini dilihat oleh orang lain dan mereka gembira melihat kita bersengketa sesama sendiri.
Perpecahan ini amat bahaya yang akan membinasakan bangsa kita sendiri. Pepatah mengatakan ‘Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita roboh’. Bangsa kita sekarang sedang ditertawakan orang lain kerana kita lemah sebab tidak bersatu. Kita seolah-olah sudah hilang kekuatan kerana ikatan kita amat longgar dan akan roboh bila-bila masa sahaja. Raja-Raja Melayu diperlekehkan oleh bangsa kita sendiri. Orang lain tersenyum gembira melihat kebodohan yang dijelmakan oleh bangsa kita sendiri.
Masa telah sampai. Semboyan telah berbunyi. Gendang telah dipalu. Orang Melayu perlu bertindak untuk menyatukan semula bangsa kita yang kita cintai dan agama Islam yang kita anuti. Kesemua peringkat usia, sama ada golongan terpelajar, golongan ahli agama, pemimpin-pemimpin politik, pelajar, pendidik, golongan petani dan apa-apa sahaja golongan dari kelompok Melayu perlu mulakan gerakan ke akar umbi menyatukan semula puak-puak yang bertelagah ini demi agama dan bangsa.
Janganlah hanya mempunyai sikap membisu dan melihat sahaja tanpa melakukan tindakan demi penyatuan bangsa. Kita kena bertindak. Bukan masanya untuk kita menuding jari menyalahkan puak lain.
Tempat berkumpul bagi menyusun program penyatuan hendaklah kita mulakan di masjid atau pun surau. Kita tinggalkan fahaman politik masing-masing apabila berada di masjid atau surau. Kita hidupkan jemaah dan kita bina semula kekuatan. Peranan masjid atau surau kita kembalikan seperti di zaman Rasulullah s.a.w.
Sejarah para pahlawan Melayu dahulu perlu diceritakan kepada generasi muda. Usaha ini mesti berterusan dan tiada penghujung. Pastinya perjuangan kita akan disanjung oleh generasi akan datang. Kitalah yang bertanggungjawab memastikan agama Allah terpelihara dan bangsa kita bersatu, kuat dan tidak boleh diperlekehkan orang lain. Kita kembalikan kedudukan raja kita yang kita sayangi di tempat yang sepatutnya.
Satu semangat juang yang tinggi perlu ada pada setiap orang Melayu. Kita kumpulkan rakan-rakan berlainan fahaman politik untuk membentuk satu jemaah demi agama dan bangsa Melayu. Ibu bapa juga memainkan peranan sebagai penasihat terbaik kepada anak-anak. Ceritakanlah kepada mereka sejarah zaman dahulu dan pupukkan semangat cintakan agama dan bangsa.
Kepada para pemimpin politik, berdamailah. Semua orang Melayu melihat anda. Adakah cukup sekadar ungkapan atau slogan tanpa diterjemahkan dalam bentuk kenyataan? Ingatlah sejarah di zaman Rasulullah s.a.w. yang mana dua puak bersengketa bersatu, iaitu kaum Ansar dan Muhajirin. Setiap orang Islam adalah saudara kita. Fikirkanlah. Jangan terlalu taksub dengan fahaman politik masing-masing. Berfikir dan bertindaklah secara waras.
Kepada golongan ahli agama, berilah teladan yang baik kepada kami. Bimbinglah, nasihatilah. Kepada YB atau wakil rakyat, tidak kira apa parti anda, dampingilah orang Melayu, bantulah mereka jika mereka perlukan bantuan tanpa mengira parti. Parti hanyalah sebagai wadah perjuangan.
Saya menyeru kepada semua umat Melayu yang beragama Islam yang amat saya sayangi, kita buka lembaran baru yang pastinya akan menjadi satu sejarah yang paling indah. Jadikan isu “bagaimana untuk menyatukan semula orang-orang Melayu” sebagai topik perbualan kita walau di mana kita berada.
ALLAH tidak akan mengubah nasib sesuatu kaum itu melainkan kaum itu sendiri mengubah nasibnya. Itu janji Allah. Kita tunaikan tanggungjawab kita. Kita jadikan bangsa kita bangsa yang bermaruah, kuat pegangan agamanya, kuat dari segi fizikal juga mental, bersatu serta mempunyai semangat juang yang tinggi.
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 23 — The policeman who was manhandled by Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan during the nomination for the Pematang Pasir by-election is considering taking legal action against the parliamentarian.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said it was learnt that the policeman would take the legal action personally.
"Like any other people, he (policeman) has the right to take legal action. So, it's up to him to do so," he told reporters after campaigning house-to-house in Bukit Indera Muda here today.
Gobalakrishnan was arrested to facilitate investigation after he created a commotion on nomination day for the Permatang Pasir by-election at the National Youth Skills Institute here on Monday.
During the incident, a policeman was manhandled when he tried to break the commotion which occurred at about 11am.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin said the police would also investigate the allegation made by Lunas assemblyman Mohd Radzhi Salleh that Gobalakrishnan's action was masterminded by a certain party.
"We will collect all information pertaining to the allegation and carry out a thorough investigation," he said, declining further comment.
When asked whether Umno would invite Mohd Radzhi to join the party following his decision to leave the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) today, Hishammuddin said:
"Umno is open not only to the assemblyman, but also to anybody who wants to join it anytime," he added. — Bernama
This much money. PKR’s Sivarasa suspects Mohd Radzhi’s resignation may have been due to monetary reasons. — picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — PKR vice-president R Sivarasa today shrugged off claims of a break in party ranks following their Lunas assemblyman turning independent, saying the Kedah executive councillor (exco) might have been “financially induced” to quit to portray internal division.
Mohd Radzhi Salleh today discarded his party membership and declared himself independent, a move which could cost him his state exco position.
His political aide disclosed the dissolution of the party’s Padang Serai division, which Lunas falls under, citing their disappointment with the central leadership as the main reason that prompted the move.
Sivarasa, however, said there is no basis for Radzhi to make such allegations, claiming he has not heard complaints from members against the party’s central leadership.
“There is no basis to what he is claiming. There is no crisis whatsoever. I think it is reasonable to believe that the he might have been offered a substantial amount of money to do so to create the impression that the party is in crisis,” Sivarasa told The Malaysian Insider.
Apart from Radzhi, PKR is represented by two other councillors: Bukit Selambau’s Manikumar Subramaniam and Bakar Arang assemblyman Tan Wei Shu.
Sivarasa, who is Subang member of parliament, said the party would leave the question of Radzhi’s exco position to Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Razak.
“I think it’s just a matter of time before Radzhi would be removed as an exco,” commented Sivarasa.
Prior to Radzhi’s resignation, PKR was in control of five seats in the 36-member Kedah legislative assembly while PAS has 16 and DAP one. Radzhi won the state seat by more than 10,000 votes in the last general election.
His resignation today marks the second time the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat has been hit by internal crisis.
In July, DAP’s sole assemblyman, Lee Guan Aik threatened to withdraw from the state coalition after disagreements with the PAS-led government
I was at the Sentul crematorium this morning at about 10.35a.m.
The crematorium is situated in the foreground of this beautiful Athieeswaran temple.
At about 11.30a.m., a hearse brought Gunasegaran’s remains to the Sentul crematorium.
Without fanfare, the casket was placed on the funeral pyre.
Family members and a small number from civil society were in attendance to witness the religious rites that were to be performed before Gunasegaran’s remains would be cremated.
The lady in the light blue dress is Madam Gowri, sister of the late Gunasegaran
From left : YB Tian Chua, Jaya, Syed & Saras ( mother of Francis Udayappan, who died in police custody on 24th May, 2004 )
The casket was opened and fire wood placed inside.
Just below the casket were placed a few items that were to form part of the religious ritual that was about to be performed.
A bunch of bananas, a coconut split in two, an urn bearing burning camphor and a stainless steel dish bearing holy ash and camphor
Visva, the lawyer who represented Madam Gowri in the High Court on the 18th and who was at the mortuary this morning to make sure there were no hiccups when the family went there this morning to remove Gunasegaran’s remains, very kindly shared with me the significance of these items.
The bananas, he told me, represented the continuity of life.
The split coconuts, signified the release of the soul.
The holy ash, which was pointed out to me, is what Hindus would have applied to their foreheads at prayers, is intended as a reminder of the impermanence, transience even, of life on earth.
Then a gentleman from Hindu Sangam informed us that there would be the recital of Hindu hymns as the offering of prayers. Those who could may recite the hymns. Those who could not, may wish to offer prayers on their own.
Prayers for Gunasegaran's soul
I closed my eyes and made a promise to Gunasegaran that I would try to get as many anak Bangsa Malaysia to do all that they can so that, perchance, he may not have died, as he did, in vain.
After the prayers, Gunasegaran’s nephew
began circumambulating the funeral pyre three times, bearing an earthen ware pot filled with water.
At the beginning of each circumabulation, the pot was struck, making a hole for the water to seep through.
At the end of the last circumambulation, the pot was dropped to the ground, shattering.
Visva explained to me that this signified the severance of ties between the recently departed and the living, making it easier for the former to move on.
The funeral pyre was now lit.
Jaya told us that once the fire was lit, we should walk away.
We did.
Gowri came over and expressed the family’s thanks for all the help they’ve received.
The newly-created Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could not have a more disastrous beginning.
Instead of fulfilling its promise to be even better than Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), in just a matter of months of its operation MACC s is now regarded by Malaysians as even worse than the previous Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) it replaced.
The 42 MACC Panel members of the five oversight committees are all distinguished and honourable Malaysians, but they seem to have forgotten why they have been appointed as custodians of public confidence in the MACC.
Before MACC deviate even further from its statutory objectives and the 42 MACC members stray away from the raison d’etre for their existence and appointments, they should recall the injunction bestowed on them at the official launching of the MACC and the five MACC oversight committees by the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at a glittering ceremony at the Putra World Trade Centre on February 24, 2009 attended by about 2,000 guests including ministers, chief ministers, mentris besar, ambassadors as well as representatives from MACC counterparts from Fiji, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.
It would be most tragic if the MACC and the 62 Panel members of the five MACC oversight committees have very short memory and can only remember the grand launching ceremony but lost sight of Abdullah’s message.
To refresh the memory of MACC officers, as well as the 62 Panel members of the five MACC oversight committees, let me remind them of what Abdullah said – the important message was that they must ensure “that the MACC does not end up as just pretty window-dressing of its predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency”.
Abdullah admitted: “The government realises that the perception of the ACA as not being independent, of being a toothless tiger, of practising selective enforcement, being late in taking action and not being professional in its investigations has damaged its image and credibility.”
Abdullah said the MACC would raise the hopes and expectations of the public for a more effective and transparent anti-corruption enforcement body.
He said the MACC must be able to stand up to scrutiny and that the government’s moves to improve the structure and capacity of the enforcement body would not necessarily guarantee its success.
He said: “Much of the success or failure of the MACC will be due to the conduct of its officers in carrying out their duties.
“While I have always stressed the importance of the MACC in carrying out its duties without fear or favour, it is also paramount for the MACC to be, and seen to be, fair and professional in all its dealings.”
It was Abdullah’s hope that all the MaCC officers would always be beyond reproach, both in the professional as well as their personal capacities.
The MACC officers and the 42 Panel Members of the five MACC oversight committees should search their conscience why they have failed so miserably in their tasks when Abdullah’s launching ceremony in February was meant to mark “the beginning of a very important chapter in Malaysia’s agenda to strengthen integrity and fight corruption”.
As a result, MACC is now facing an even worse crisis of confidence than that ever faced by the ACA in its 41 years of existence from 1967 to 2008.
The 42 Panel members of the five MACC oversight committees should convene emergency meetings to address the MACC’s grave crisis of confidence, zeroing in particular on the following issues:
The failure of MACC to demonstrate that it is more effective, independent and professional in its anti-corruption task, especially in its failure to produce any significant results in the major scandals which had created waves in the country in the past few months, in particular the worst Umno money politics in Umno history, the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and the various mega-scandals involving Barisan Nasional leaders;
The mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock at MACC headquarters on July 16, 2009 and the anonymous letter which surfaced during Teoh’s inquest purportedly written by MACC officers containing serious allegations including collusion between a Barisan Nasional leader and a top ranking Selangor MACC officer;
MACC’s all-out war against Pakatan Rakyat instead of an all-out war against corruption; and
The failure of MACC to match Abdullah’s expectations and even worse, plunging to a worse crisis of confidence than at anytime experienced by ACA in its 41-year history.
In his February speech, Abdullah specifically entrusted the 42 members of the five MACC advisory committees “to use their powers to uphold truth and justice and weed out corruption”.
Have the 42 MACC Panel members discharged their duties to the MACC and to the nation in the past few months?
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Former MIC deputy president Datuk S.Subramaniam Sunday described as unprofessional and childish party president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu's move to campaign for one of the three candidates running for the deputy presidency at the party polls on Sept 12.
"He (Samy Vellu) should have nominated himself as a candidate for the deputy president's post, then it will be okay for him to campaign," he told reporters, here.
He was commenting on Samy Vellu's endorsement of his favoured candidate for the deputy president's post at the nomination at the MIC headquarters here yesterday.
Subramaniam is one of the three candidates for the post of deputy president, the others being incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel and vice-president Datuk S.Sothinathan.
Subramaniam said Samy Vellu's open support for his favoured candidates and rejection of those he did not like was unprofessional and would put pressure on the delegates and cause a break-up in the party.
Samy Vellu was elected uncontested as the MIC president for the 11th term in March.
Subramanian also criticised Samy Vellu for dilly-dallying on when he would hand over the party to his deputy.
He said Samy Vellu, before announcing his intention to contest the presidency for the 11th term, had promised that he would step down in September after the new deputy president had been elected.
"After that, he said he will step down after training the elected deputy president for one year, but later he said he will step down after completing his term in 2012, and then it will be 2015. This shows that he is unprofessional and is dilly-dallying," he said.
On the 20 July 2009, the Syariah High Court in the Malaysian state of Pahang sentenced Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, to six strokes of the cane and fined her RM5,000 (approximately US$ 1,400) after she pleaded guilty to consuming beer two years ago at a hotel in Pahang. On 18 August 2009 the same Shariah Court ordered that Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno be remanded at the Kajang women’s prison in the state of Selangor from Monday, 24 August 2009 and caned within seven days of this date.
To our knowledge, no person in Malaysia, male or female, has thus far been caned under the country’s Shariah laws, making her the first to be punished in this way. Furthermore Kartika will be the first woman to be caned in Malaysia as under the existing Malaysian Criminal Procedure Code, only males are subjected to caning for a range of crimes. Women’s Groups urges the government of Malaysia to review caning as a form of judicial punishment under the Common and Syariah legal systems. In the case of Kartika, it constitutes further discrimination against Muslim women in Malaysia and violates Constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination as whipping of women under Shariah Criminal Offences legislation contradicts civil law where women are not punishable by caning under Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
There is no consensus among Muslim scholars on the range of crimes for which whipping is prescribed, nor on whether women should be whipped. Nor is whipping for consuming alcohol considered proportionate to the gravity of the offence. Sisters In Islam, a member of JAG in their press statement on 23 July 2009 have said:
“SIS believes that Islam as a religion of compassion calls people to the way of God with wisdom, as expressed in Surah An-Nahl,16:125 , “Invite all to the way of the Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and reason with them in the ways that are best and most gracious.”
“The goal of Islamic authorities is to prevent crime in the first place, not to inflict severe punishment as a first resort. Promoting and protecting the human rights of the ummah, ensuring socio-economic justice, educating the ummah about God’s teachings and laws in order that they become responsible for abiding by them out of faith are prerequisites before any punishment can be implemented. That Kartika has expressed remorse should move the Malauysian authorities to emulate God’s attributes of compassion (rahmah) and mercy (rahim), especially within the holy month of Ramadhan”.
In conclusion, the women’s groups below reiterate that corporal punishment whether for men or women violates human rights principles, in particular the right to be free from cruel, inhumane, degrading treatment or punishment.
The Malaysian government should immediately revoke the sentence to cane Kartika and abolish the practice of corporal punishment.
Signed by:
1.
Women's Aid Organisation (WAO)
P.O. Box 493 Jalan Sultan, 46760, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Hari ini saya difahamkan Adun Lunas Sdr Radzhi Salleh telahpun mengisytiharkan keluar dari parti. Pimpinan parti sememangnya memandang serius prestasi beliau yang terbukti lemah sepanjang menjawat jawatan dalam kerajaan negeri. Turut mengecewakan pimpinan ialah tuntutan perbelanjaan beliau yang tidak munasabah dan masalah perkahwinannya di Thailand. Amaran keras telahpun diberikan agar segera meningkatkan prestasi kerja dan memperkukuh khidmatnya di kawasan. Nampaknya nasihat dan amaran kami tidak beliau endahkan, lalu mengambil tindakan mengistiharkan keluar dari parti hari ini. Apapun alasan yang diberikan oleh beliau, saya berharap Sdr Radzhi sedar bahawa jangan sesekali bertindak mengkhianati amanah rakyat. Kerana “sesiapa yang menyemai angin, dia pastinya menuai badai.”
Berhubung kedudukan Sdr Razhi selaku Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Negeri Kedah, saya yakin YAB Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Ustaz Azizan akan membuat keputusan yang terbaik selepas membuat pertimbangan sewajarnya. Seperti yang dijangkakan, mendekati tarikh mengundi Selasa ini, pastinya ada serangan bertujuan mengalih pandangan bersertakan cita-cita menggugat kerjasama kempen Pakatan Rakyat di Permatang Pasir. Adakah episod ini membabitkan tawaran sogokan jutaan ringgit? Saya tidak yakin SPRM yang dicurigai kewibawaannya mampu menjalankan siasatan tanpa ditunjuki serta berupaya memberi sebarang penjelasan memuaskan.
Izinkan saya menghimbau peristiwa pada tarikh 15 Disember 2008 yang menyaksikan ahli-ahli Dewan Rakyat mula menyertai perbahasan rang undang-undang Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia, dengan harapan akan wujud sebuah institusi bebas memerangi rasuah serta penyalahgunaan kuasa. Ternyata ada banyak kelemahan yang ketara terkandung di dalam rang tersebut, malahan telah kami perbahaskan dengan sabar agar ianya dapat diperbaiki demi kemaslahatan negara dan rakyat.
Dinukilkan peringatan Sayidina Ali r.a kepada Malik Ashtar ketika berbahas buat menjadi peringatan kepada diri saya dan rakan-rakan ahli Dewan Rakyat semua agar tidak memandang enteng tanggungjawab yang dipikul, kerana sesungguhnya jawatan ini adalah amanah dan bukannya satu keistimewaan.
Selepas berbahas panjang lebar, makanya Dewan Rakyat meluluskan satu Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2008. Riuh rendahlah kononnya kita menuju ke satu era baru yang menjanjikan perubahan. Tidak sampai setahun wujudnya SPRM, institusi tersebut terpalit dengan pelbagai tuduhan yang serius seumpama kematian Teoh Beng Hock serta skandal Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang(PKFZ)
Hatta pendedahan saya ketika menjunjung kasih titah Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong juga menemui jalan buntu. Laporan Adun Kulim, Sdr Lim Soo Nee bahawa bekas Menteri Besar Kedah Dato Mahadzir Khalid cuba menyogok beliau dengan jumlah wang sekitar RM 4-5 juta untuk menyertai barisan nasional seumpama mencurah air di daun keladi.
Rakyat turut marah apabila SPRM gagal bertindak terhadap penyelewengan pimpinan umno-bn yang dikatakan memiliki mahligai jutaan ringgit, pembelian pangsapuri mewah menggunakan duit kerajaan negeri dan kemungkinan terlibat menggadai tanah berpuluh ribu hektar kepada negara asing. Timbul pertanyaan kepada rakyat jelata adakah SPRM yang asas penubuhannya untuk berfungsi sebagai sebuah badan bebas dari kongkongan telah menjadi satu lagi perkakas pemerintah?
Let me start by admitting, it’s embarrassing having all these PKR representatives being such sell-outs. We aren’t the only ones, but each one is a shame.
I do remember though, what it was like in those days nearing the election. How hard it was to find good people to run. How no less than 3 of my office mates - Nik Nazmi, Sim Tze Tsin, and Nurul Izzah had to become candidates (and all won! :D don’t worry, I have faith not a single one will defect).
It was hard back then. Nobody wanted to be on the losing side, risking permanent blacklisting of some sort by going against the BN leviathan. I guess this partly explains the kind of substandard behaviour we’re seeing.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said there is a possibility that more elected representatives from PKR will leave the party as they have lost confidence in the struggles of their leader.
Well, isn’t that an interesting insight. This wouldn’t happen to be because you’re actively pursuing such possibilities using carrots and sticks would it?
I think we’re looking at a real onslaught here.
I’m thinking these BN flers have the gall to think that Perak was a ’success,’ and now everyone wants a piece of this crossover pie.
In an immediate reaction, PKR leaders said that Radzhi’s resignation could be triggered by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigation into his tourism portfolio.
Granted, there doesn’t seem to be verification of this yet, but if it’s true - MACC is involved again? Really? You don’t say :|
Najib’s ridiculous denials aside, I completely disbelieve that BN had nothing to do with engineering this crossover. I think there are more storms ahead.
Although there aren’t as many as we’d like sometimes though, I still think there are enough good people of integrity in Pakatan to weather those storms.
And to old man Radzhi, good riddance. Bertaubatlah, dalam bulan suci ini.
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said there is a possibility that more elected representatives from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will leave the party as they have lost confidence in the struggles of their leader.
He said the decision of the State Assemblyman for Lunas, Mohd Radzhi Salleh, to quit the PKR showed that elected representatives from the party no longer cared about their position although they were members of the State Executive Council.
The Deputy Prime Minister said although he was shocked by Mohd Radzi's sudden decision to leave the PKR, nonetheless, he had expected it to happen.
"Many PKR members and elected representatives no longer trusted (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim because they realise that the party's struggles are only for meant one individual, that is Anwar," he told reporters after handing out Social Security Organisation's (Socso) disability benefits to 40 contributors, here.
Mohd Radzhi Sunday announced his decision to leave the party and become an independent state asssemblyman, saying that he had lost confidence in the party's struggles.
He also claimed that 200 Padang Serai PKR members left the party as they had lost confidence in the party's leadership which no longer followed the original objectives of the party's formation.
Muhyiddin said the voters in Permatang Pasir should learn their lesson and should no longer be duped by Anwar's struggles and stop supporting the opposition coalition which was facing more problems.
Just a few days after speaking at a Pakatan Rakyat platform, Yusri Isahak, the ex-partner of the BN's candidate for Permatang Pasir Rohaizat Osman, today claimed during a press conference that he was being used to discredit his friend and regrets it.
Yesterday on 21st August 2009 the Federal court of Malaysia ruled out the villagers' plight. The court decided that the residents were trespassers and ordered them to vacate the land. The judge ruled that the villagers have no locus standi. Soon, on 1st September 2009 the demolition works will take place.
In the past one week I have been reading many comments throughout Malaysia about the Buah Pala issue. Some of them positive and many of them negative. In Tamil there is a saying - "whatever sighted by the eyes can be wrong, whatever heard by the ears also can be wrong but only proper investigation will reveal the truth".
Buah Pala opened my eyes to see how many Indians, united after 25th Nov 2007, are now scattered.
Many parties took political advantage by breaking the unity.
By right, 52 years we were marginalized and still we are preferring to being marginalized.
I have been reading comments that are vulgar too. The best part is we are not fighting or commenting about DAP or BN. Most of the comments are against our own community. Our major problem is, we have never been straightforward. We like to criticize someone at the back and never want to investigate.
The people's best political parties are always blaming that the mainstream media is not honest with its news but our Indians blindly like to follow the mainstream media. Do you know the consequence? The day BN lost 2/3 rd majority in the parliament, their main aim was to break us down. Now I am seeing it clearly. We are broken into pieces and still we are blaming MIC, HIndraf, Makkal Sakti, Paham and Buah Pala.
A piece of straw may be very light and easy to bend but if we have 1000 pieces of straw together it will be hard to bend. That is the theory, We Indians easily follow the flow of political parties and get broken into pieces. Who to be blame? Do you think your children and grandchildren will be having a better life through this approach? Lets think far ahead than just shallow.
Back to Buah Pala, Do you all remember or have you all seen the video clips which shows the promise by PR government before the elections in 2008? Mr.Rayer, YB Lim Guan Eng and even Anwar Ibrahim promised that they will not allow the village to be demolished. They said that they will protect the Villagers. All the words were spoken without confidence that they will win and form the Penang State Government.
Think clearly now.... If BN was ruling Penang and PR was still an opposition, could you imagine what kind opposition PR will give for this issue? Don’t you think they will politicise the issue? The whole group of PR Indian MPs will be in Buah Pala to protect them. Do you agree with me? Imagine the situation which I am telling now. All blogs and websites will be published with news about Buah Pala to tarnish BN’s name.
But what happened today? After PR took over the administration, they got the part of the selling money on April 2007. Now the PR government is stuck and Guan Eng is running away from his promise to protect the village.
Finally who was stuck in between the 3rd class citizen of Malaysia (Indians) ?
Again I am mentioning the PR government many times revealed that the court of Malaysia is controlled by the governing party.
Is it correct?
Let us see clearly. Anwar 'black eye' incident is a simple example. It took a long time for him to proof that Rahim Noor punched him. Why long time? Simply because the important cases in Malaysia are controlled and decided by the BN government.
Now back to Buah Pala. What is the connection between the courts and BN? The land was sold by BN. Now BN has to take back Penang in the next election. How can they do it? This Kampung Buah Pala has to been demolished and that is the plan. The court has to rule out the case. In this way on 1st September 2009 the developer will demolish the village. If this going to be happen, then in the next election , angered villagers will vote for BN. The people's favourite parties in PR will loose their authority.
What is the actual benefit for the Indians? We are just like a ball in the football ground. Both sides of players kick us here and there and we will be happy for it. This shows all parties in Malaysia are playing with Indians' life because we are not united and very easy to split. Most of you may even comment on this and may say the writer is talking nonsense but that is the reality. You are just a 3rd class citizen of the country.
My honest wish is you all should understand your real position in Malaysia and try to be strong together. It is just a laughing stock to be apart. I am sorry If I have hurt you all in any way but the truth prevail.
Let me start with a modified quote from a famous British Historian, Lord Acton, “..it is by the struggle of the weak, made under compulsion to resist the reign of force and constant wrong that justice is secured, preserved and extended.”.
History is filled with instances of such struggles and of the progress that justice has made, because of all such struggles. Knowingly or unknowingly it was on this maxim that Hindraf has catapulted itself onto the national scene. Fearlessness in confronting injustice symbolized Hindraf, made Hindraf.
It is this goal that Hindraf continues to pursue till today. The criteria that Hindraf applies for its involvement in the struggle of the people is the commission of injustice against the defenseless, weak, poor, marginalized and dispossessed in the country. It does not care who the perpetrators of that injustice are.
But when one stands up against such injustices, one invariably threatens the status quo and all the vested interests benefiting from that status quo. And this begets reaction from all those vested interests. Reactions in the form of suppression, repression, misinformation, smear campaigns, seduction, incarceration and whatever other means that are available.
Various of our brothers, Ganabatirau being the latest, have succumbed to the ploys of these vested interests, who would like to see Hindraf destroyed. Ploys that are crafted that even some at the helm, like Ganabtirau can succumb.
Wittingly or unwittingly Ganabatirau has become a victim of circumstances. He is a member of the DAP. On the Kampung Buah Pala issue DAP has chosen to throw in its lot with the rich developer community of Penang and against the small impoverished Indian community in Kampung Buah Pala . Hindraf and Waythamoorthy have stood up against the injustice meted out to these people of Kampung Buah Pala. Their land has been stolen from them and they are being hounded out from their land. Even the Penang DAP leaders reluctantly acknowledge this but they choose to ignore because of their close relationships with the rich developer community – never mind that there is a significant issue of injustice involved.
This has put Hindraf in collision course with the DAP. So where does that put our brother Ganabatirau – it is most unfortunate that he has succumbed to the side that has chosen to gloss over the injustice. This has caused him now to deviate from a fundamental principle of Hindraf. He has succumbed to the vested interests and has become part of a misinformation campaign against the very organization that created his public personality. He has become a tool to character assassinate the leaders of the true Hindraf spirit.
I say this is most unfortunate.
Whatever the personal and frontal attacks by Ganabatirau or by any others against Hindraf and its leaders, truth has a way of prevailing. The struggle will continue for justice. The vested interests will not give up. They will continue with attacks like these. And Hindraf for its part will continue to struggle for justice and for truth nevertheless.
If you want to know who is on the side of truth or justice, just measure them by whether they are helping to attain it or helping to destroy it. The question that the people need to ask and seek answers for is – who is helping to seek the truth and see justice prevail and who is seeking to destroy and bury such efforts.
Again, let me reiterate, it is by the struggle of the weak to resist the reign of force and constant wrong that justice is secured, preserved and extended. It is on that side that Hindraf will continue to stand and it is on that side that Waythamoorthy stands.
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 21 – The Federal Court today stood by its June 24 decision that the Buah Pala residents must vacate their homes and hand over the property to the developer who had obtained approval to redevelop the area.
The residents’ second application for leave to appeal was unanimously dismissed with costs by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, Federal Court judge Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin and Court of Appeal judge Datuk Raus Md Raus.
The 45 families had sought leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling last May 11 that the residents were trespassers on the settlement and order that they vacate the land.
The respondents – Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Berhad, developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd and Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Timur Laut Pulau Pinang – argued that today’s application was a duplication of the first leave application and was an abuse of the court process because it was a re-litigation of the same issues which had already been argued and was decided upon by the Federal Court on June 24.
Arifin ruled that the question which the residents wanted the Federal Court to determine – whether they have the locus standi (legal standing) to institute legal proceedings against the cooperative and the developer – could not be raised at the apex court because that issue was never raised at the lower courts.
On the issue of indefeasibility of the title of the land, Arifin said the Court of Appeal had ruled that the alienation to the cooperative was proper and legal.
He said the residents could have raised the title issue before the previous Federal Court panel but had failed to do so.
“Therefore, they cannot raise it now,” Arifin said.
The village sits on 2.6ha of prime land in the heart of the rapidly developing eastern part of George Town and demolition works have been rescheduled to Sept 1 after a series of protests by the residents. – Bernama
1210: Kg Buah Pala residents have failed to obtain leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal order for them to vacate the land. The Federal Court struck off their second application for leave this morning.
The villagers were unable to get a full trial in the Federal Court, says one of the villagers. He adds that there could be another appeal coming up next week (I need to verify this).
0030: Once again, the Kg Buah Pala residents have taken their case to the highest court in the land.
The damage inflicted by a bomb blast on a restaurant of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Jakarta. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Police in raids last night and today uncovered a major weapons cache here, including industrial grade explosives, and have not ruled out possible links to terrorist attacks.
The discovery was made during a raid on an illegal Indonesian immigrant settlement in Desa Sri Hartamas, which is near the city court complex, other government buildings and housing areas with a large expatriate population.
Explosives found included six sticks of industrial grade explosives known by the brand name Emulex and also wire detonators.
Emulex is commonly used in tunnel boring, quarrying and also road construction. The explosives were found hidden beneath one of the houses in the settlement.
Also found were at the settlement were knives, sickles, swords and machetes.
Most of the residents in the settlement managed to escape arrest, however, except for three illegals, including a woman.
Police are now investigating if terrorists were living in the settlement.
Security officials here have been on heightened alert since last month’s suicide bombings at two luxury hotels in Jakarta which were believed to be the work of Malaysian terrorist Noordin Mohammad Top.
Noordin is believed to have planned last month’s near-simultaneous bombings on the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, which killed nine people and wounded 53.
Noordin, who formed a violent wing of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) militant network, is blamed for a series of attacks, including on the JW Marriott in Jakarta in 2003, on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 2004 and in Bali in 2005.
Security experts have warned that further attacks in Indonesia and the region remain possible with Noordin still on the run.
Malaysia has not experienced any major terror attacks but authorities remain vigilant against such a possibility.
The woes of BN candidate for Permatang Pasir have given Tun Mahathir Mohamad (caricature, right) something new to laugh about. — Picture by Jack Ooi
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed took a dig today at Barisan National’s (BN) choice of candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election by pointing out that he was not sure if Rohaizat Othman — a disbarred lawyer — was qualified to run for office.
The former prime minister said that he was also informed Rohaizat was accused of having two wives.
“If you give someone a good reason to sabotage you, then it will be easy to be sabotaged and it will be your fault,” quipped Dr. Mahathir.
Umno has come under fire recently since its chosen candidate Rohaizat Othman was discovered to have been found guilty of misconduct by the Bar Council after failing to return RM161,000 belonging to the Penang Rubber Smallholders Cooperation.
The former lawyer has been on the defensive ever since the discovery was made public, blaming Pakatan Rakyat for attempting to discredit him personally.
However, Rohaizat has yet to respond to allegations made by his former partner Yusri Ishak against him.
Umno maintains that Pakatan Rakyat is trying to “assassinate” the character of their chosen candidate.
Rohaizat is facing Penang PAS state commissioner Mohd. Salleh Man in a straight fight for the state seat in the by-election on August 25.
IPOH, Aug 21 — Another battle is raging over Datuk R. Ganesan’s validity as the Perak Speaker, with Pakatan Rakyat leaders here claiming he should be disqualified for holding two jobs — as Speaker and as a lawyer.
Ganesan has, however, denied this and claims he had stopped his practice since his appointment during the chaotic May 7 state assembly sitting.
Former mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin revealed today that the former Sungkai assemblyman had infringed Article 36A of the Perak Constitution by failing to relinquish his job as a lawyer within three months of his appointment.
Article 36A of the Perak Constitution stipulates: A member who is elected to be the Speaker shall be disqualified from holding such office if after three months of his election to such office or at any time thereafter he is or becomes a member of any board of directors or board of management, or an officer or employee, or engages in the affairs or business, of any organisation or body, whether corporate or otherwise, or of any commercial, industrial or other undertaking, whether or not he receives any remuneration, reward, profit or benefit from it.
Nizar also showed proof to the media: a letter from the Bar Council dated August 12, confirming that Ganesan was still in possession of a valid Sijil Annual and Practising Certificate, registered with the council and sole proprietor of legal firm Messrs Ganesan & Associates.
The letter was in reply to a query by Chan Kok Keong, legal counsel for former Speaker V. Sivakumar, seeking information on Ganesan’s status.
“The council confirmed that as of August 11, more than three months past his supposed appointment, Ganesan was still an actively practising lawyer. This is not allowed under the State Constitution.
“In view of this, Ganesan should be disqualified and should stop receiving any form of remuneration from the state government,” said Nizar.
He added that when PR was in government, he, all his executive councillors and Speaker V. Sivakumar had resigned from their day jobs for holding government office was a full-time responsibility.
“I had to deregister myself as a professional engineer. All of us resigned and concentrated on administrating the government. This is common knowledge,” he said.
He reiterated however that by calling for Ganesan to be disqualified, it did not mean that that PR recognised the latter’s appointment.
“It only further affirms that Sivakumar had always been the rightful Speaker because Ganesan’s appointment was illegal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ganesan has countered the accusation and fired another salvo of his own.
Shortly after the press conference, he showed proof to the media in the form of another letter from the Bar Council, dated August 20, which stated that he had ceased to be a solicitor as of August 6, just before the three-month deadline.
Ironically, the letter was signed by the same person as the one addressed to Chan on August 12.
“I have already resigned. And anyway, my practice stopped in May. Notifying the council is only a formality,” he said when contacted.
When informed of Ganesan’s letter, former senior executive councillor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham was unfazed.
“I challenge Ganesan to show us the exact date that he had resigned as a lawyer. Let him answer to that,” he said.
It is learned that Ganesan had last week been served with an affidavit from Sivakumar, stating that he should be disqualified as the Speaker by virtue of him still holding office as a legal practitioner.
Certain quarters believe that Ganesan may have only applied for his resignation upon receiving the affidavit.
Earlier when he was asked for the exact date of his resignation, Ganesan said he could not remember as the matter had been handled by his lawyers.
“I am very busy right now so I hope you understand,” he said, when asked if he could clarify the matter immediately with his lawyers.
Barisan Nasional candidate for Permatang Pasir by-election Rohaizat Othman has said that he would heed Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s advice to make a statutory declaration to protect himself from accusations made by various quarters.
The two questions Rohaizat must answer are:
Whether he was found guilty of “serious misconduct” including “breach of trust, dishonesty, shown gross disregard” of the client’s (Penang Small Rubber Plantation Holders’ Co-operative Society) interests “tantamount to a conduct unbefitting that of an advocate and solicitor which conduct as such brings the legal profession into disrepute” and struck off the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors by the Chairman of the Advocates and Solictors Disciplinary Board Tan Sri Khalid Ahmad Sulaiman on 7th March 2008, which was upheld by the High Court; and
Whether a statutory declaration can clear Rohaizat of his “personal conduct” resulting in his being struck off the lawyers’ rolls?
The first question is one of fact, for which Rohaizat cannot deny even though the Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan had called Rohaizat a hero for assuming responsibility for the improprieties of a former partner, Yusri Ishak. Yusri has since surfaced to point out that it was Rohaizat who was personally responsible for the misappropriation of the client’s monies – for which there has been no rebuttal from Rohaizat.
If the answer to the second question is “yes”, it will have far-reaching implications. Does this mean that the Commissioners of Oath in the country will be having a roaring business as there would be long queues of people who would want to make statutory declarations that they were not guilty of offences they had been convicted.
If the answer to the second question is “no”, then what is the worth of such a statutory declaration?
Tengku Razaleigh has summed it up best with his questions:
“Is Umno so short of people that we have to find a lawyer disbarred for financial dishonesty to stand? Has financial misconduct become so common among us that we no longer see it as a factor in a candidate’s suitability?”
SHAH ALAM, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Selangor state executive councillor Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said Thursday he was not the only person who decided on the relocation of the Sri Maha Mariaman Temple from Section 19 to Section 23 here.
The chairman of the Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee said in a statement that the Selangor Non-Muslim Houses of Worship Committee was jointly chaired by three state executive councillors including him and not by him alone as was reported in the media recently.
The committee also comprised representatives from the land and district offices, the local authorities, the Land and Mines Office, the Selangor State Development Corporation or owners of the property, non-governmental organisations (religious) and the temple or house of worship committee involved, he said.
The respective state assemblyman and member of parliament and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department also sat on the committee, he added.
On the relocation of the temple from Section 19 to Section 23, which was opposed by the local residents, Dr Jayakumar said a series of meetings was held with the relevant quarters before any decision was taken.
"The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) subsequently brought the proposal paper on the relocation of the temple from Section 19 to Section 23 to a meeting of the Selangor Economic Action Council, which was attended also by the State Secretary (Datuk Ramli Mahmud), State Financial Officer (Datuk Mohd Ariff Ab Rahman) and State Legal Advisor (Datuk Zauyah T. Loth Khan)," he said.
Dr Jayakumar said all the 10 state executive councillors, including Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, also discussed the matter at the meeting of the Selangor Economic Action Council which subsequently approved the proposal paper.
"I wish to explain here that the decision was a consensus decision and not made by one individual as reported," he said.
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Voters in the Permatang Pasir should take advantage of the development pledges for the constituency by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who has promised to make it a "golden child" of the federal government, said Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said this would happen if the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Rohaizat Othman, won the by-election for the state seat on Tuesday.
"This is the best opportunity for the people of Permatang Pasir to see real changes in term of infrastructure and other facilities," told reporters after campaigning house-to-house for Rohaizat in Simpang Tanjung Putus here Friday.
Mohd Shafie, who is also Umno vice president, added that he was confident that the voters in Permatang Pasir would opt for an elected representative who would be able to deliver the goods come Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said it was a myth that Permatang Pasir was an opposition stronghold.
"A lot of the people are poor here (Permatang Pasir), and they are now grumbling because of unfulfilled promises by Pakatan Rakyat (PR). They want more of the BN leaders to go in, be with them and change their lives," she told reporters after visiting the Kampung Paya BN machinery at Tanah Liat, here.
Shahrizat, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, added that Wanita Umno members were being warmly welcomed during campaigning in the constituency, which showed that claims that it was an opposition stronghold was a mere myth.
The Permatang Pasir state seat by-election is called following the death of incumbent assemblyman Datuk Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman of PAS in July 31.
BN's Rohaizat Othman is locked in a straight fight with PAS' Mohd Salleh Man, the Penang PAS commissioner.
The constituency has 20,290 voters (including one postal voter), with 72.36 per cent Malays, 25.85 per cent Chinese, 1.63 per cent Indians and 0.16 per cent "others".
Secara peribadi 'politik peribadi' adalah bukan pilihan kegemaran. Namun apabila terbaca kenyataan calon Bn di Malaysiakini yang menafikan kewujudan isteri keduanya dan bukti yang disiarkan di sebuah blog amat bertentangan.
Jika benar pendedahan dalam blog seorang aktivis reformasi ini, maka satu penilaian serius harus difikirkan oleh pengundi khususnya penyokong Bn. Jika benar maka beliau yang mampu menganiaya seorang yang terlalu rapat denganya (isteri) bagaimana nak diharap beliau mampu membela rakyat terbanyak ? Apa salahnya dia bercakap benar punya isteri kedua , tidak ada salahnya......
Belum reda lagi 'serangan' mengenai salah laku beliau sebagai peguam kini beliau punya diserang dengan isu 'isteri simpananya' pula.....yang kononya bekas kakitanganya yang dinikahi secara 'sulit' pada 2005 dan kemudian baru didaftarkan penikahan beberapa tahun selepas itu dengan membayar denda di Mahkamah Syariah....namun sehingga kini digantung tidak bertali..... Wanita Umno digesa menuntut keadilan bagi pihak wanita itu jika benar ia berlaku....
Maka benarlah 'teori' yang mengatakan calon ini sengaja dipilih untuk mensabotaj Umno dari dalam sebagai isyarat protes gaya pimpinan utama Umno.
Pendedahan klip boleh dilayari dalam http://nnora75reform.blogspot.com/ yang dikatakan punya perbagai bentuk bukti seperti dokumen, klip video dan klip audio . Nilaikan sendiri dan jika ia benar pengundi dan jentera Bn sendiri harus membuat keputusan.
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
IPOH, Aug 21 — Another battle is raging over Datuk R. Ganesan’s validity as the Perak Speaker, with Pakatan Rakyat leaders here claiming he should be disqualified for holding two jobs — as Speaker and as a lawyer.
