World Human Rights Day message to the Malaysian gov't

In this commemoration of international human rights, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) born on 10 December 1948; congratulations and thanks are conveyed to the Barisan Nasional government for achieving international recognition as a member of the ‘International Human Rights Breakers Club’.

By Angeline Loh (Aliran)

The genesis of this achievement commenced 52 years ago from Day-One of Merdeka and still continues to be developed and fine tuned to unimaginable heights in competition with other countries in and outside the Asean region that have scaled the heights of international notoriety for human rights abuse.

The Barisan Nasiaonal coalition has laid the foundations for this amazing process on its agreed system of communal, racial and religious political ideology juxtaposed on the colonial capitalist economic framework set up by the European colonial powers centuries before Merdeka (Independence) in 1957.

Since then, the seeds of corruption that were sown on this foundation have taken root and grown into trees that spread their branches all over the land, bearing the fruits of corruption, nepotism and cronyism from its very top to ground-level seedlings. The juices of corruption continue to nurture and feed new shoots from this parent tree.

Nonetheless, recent attempts have been made by the BN Government to prune what it deems the “weak, unhealthy or mutant” off shoots to further ensure the continued consolidation and strong growth of its main trunk. The ruling party has also made attempts to weed out ‘threats’ posed by seedlings of other botanic species that may be nourished from the ground and grow to share or dominate the same fertile soil.

So, on the birthday of the UDHR, we remember the ‘achievements’ of our government and grovelling-ly thank them for making us more aware of the existence of human rights and its importance to our lives and the world today.

We, the Malaysian people, subserviently thank the ruling Barisan Nasional for the following renowned suppression of our human and democratic rights and more that may still remain hidden from the public-eye.

We thank you for:

• Promoting a culture of money politics, political scandals and ‘rasuah’ practised by ‘well-intentioned’ BN leaders and politicians, their minions and cronies.

• Suppressing our fundamental Article 19 UDHR right to freedom of expression by a controlled media and draconian laws such as the Sedition Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Emergency Ordinance, the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Multimedia and Communications Act, the Official Secrets Act (OSA), the Penal Code and the Dangerous Drugs Act. These have inculcated media self-censorship and taught ordinary citizen to be silent in the face of the denial of our basic human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as our constitutional rights.

• Denying our human rights and fundamental freedom to assemble under Article 20 of the UDHR to peacefully express public objection to or protest at implementation of policies that have adverse effects on our lives including the price hikes of essential goods and services. We are told by the PM himself that peaceful public protests are ‘un-Malaysian’(unless these public protests are held by BN members) and that the government is agreeable to our suffering in silence.

• Closing an eye to brutality by police and other enforcement personnel from the Immigration authorities, Rela and MACC that have resulted in an increasing number of deaths in custody of suspects and the violation of the rights of those outside custody (ordinary citizens, opposition leaders, documented and undocumented migrants, asylum seekers and UNHCR registered refugees) in violation of Article 5 of the UDHR.

• Arbitrarily arresting and detaining people without trial to keep law and order and your attempts to stamp out illegal immigration. We are led to believe that we should preserve a xenophobic attitude towards migrants and that violations of human rights under Articles 3, 5,and 9 of UDHR are necessary for the preservation of law and order and national security.

( Article 3 – Right to life, liberty and security of person, Article 5 – No one shall be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 9 – No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.)

• Denying the right to adequate health care and medical treatment (which is against Article 25 of the UDHR) particularly of those detained in immigration detention camps (IDCs), including migrant women and children, pregnant women and women with babies newly delivered. Being immigration detainees appears to justify the inadequacy of health care and medical treatment for those suffering life-threatening illness and disease, vulnerable infants, children and women. In your understanding these migrants are the second biggest threat to our national security and therefore should be shown no mercy or humanity. Their crime is to be found on Malaysian soil without legally recognised documents or being undocumented. How they came to be here or why they are here is totally irrelevant and immaterial, despite Malaysia’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

• Governing with a judiciary that is perceived to be less than independent and with a justice system that is seen to be subservient to the Executive. The judiciary, like most of the national mainstream media, is now perceived to be within the civil service of the Government.

• Ousting the Pakatan Rakyat-led Perak state government using sleazy tactics and money politics to entice three over-ambitious and power hungry Aduns who had got themselves elected on opposition party tickets. The Perak electorate are expected to accept or tolerate the violation of their civil and political rights enshrined in Article 21 of the UDHR.

• Allowing non-transparent government and the failing to consult the public before approving plans for mega projects that adversely affect ordinary citizens. The rakyat applaud you for these ‘white elephants’ although we have not yet seen any of the benefits derived from them, so far.

• Privatising public utilities and making the cost of living rise by leaps and bounds but paying little or no attention to the quality of services provided. This has caused a boom in the economy of particular industries to alleviate daily difficulties e.g. getting a clean water supply. Think of how many water filters are sold to ensure that homes can obtain clean, crystal-clear water through our taps. No doubt, the manufacturers of such devices are deeply grateful to you for bumping up their profits.

• Permitting environmental degradation and hill-slope building construction without guaranteeing the safety of potential occupiers and residents in the surrounding areas. We understand that the tragedies of Highland Towers and Bukit Antarabangsa (to name only two well-known high-rise disasters) have diminished in your political estimation and that it is now vital for you to support the demands of crony contractors and developers to boost profits in currently flagging economic circumstances.

• Sucking up millions of ringgit via the PKFZ debacle that may have been put to better use to improve the lives of millions of lower income and hardcore poor in the country through, say, the provision of low-cost housing, shelters for homeless people or provision and services for single-parents.

• Giving a share of our staple rice production to foreign investors to feed your cronies first while feeding the rakyat comes second. In your wisdom you advise ordinary citizens of average means to continue tightening our belts and be ever grateful to you for such well-intentioned advice. We will be entertained at the sight of your lavish banquets in five-star hotels and bungalow houses, your glamorous and fashionable clothes and accessories, your botox-ed and re-constructed faces and figures, your hip hairstyles and luxury cars. We will share in your laughter to forget our rumbling stomachs behind our tightened belts.

• Depleting our natural forests by permitting logging in Orang Asli and East Malaysian traditional customary land, adversely affecting their culture and traditional way of life. You continue to make your generous contribution to poverty and climate change causing natural disasters around the globe with your obsessive pursuit of profit.

• Refusing to accede to or ratify the remaining seven major international human rights treaties and the 1951 Refugee Convention, which will be treated the same way as the Cedaw and CRC you have in your wisdom ratified only on paper.

For all this and more, we thank you, our wise and well-intentioned government.

Our awareness of what we lack and our hope for a better future will one day bear fruit, although not from the tree you planted under whose overhanging branches we now stand.

We, the rakyat, will work hard at our planting and will surprise you one day with how well we have learned the lessons you taught us.

Ribuan terimakasih beratus-ratus kali ganda! (A thousand thanks, hundreds of times over!)

Angeline Loh is an Aliran member specialising in international human rights law.

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Scholarships Offer by Mr Koon Yew Yin

Hi,Please help me find poor students. It cost so little to produce a graduate and I hope you also can do this trick to multiply more graduates when you are gone.

Best wishes,

Koon Yew Yin

Scholarships for the needy

I wish to offer scholarships to 50 poor students for the next academic year to study finance and accountancy in University TAR, Kampar, Perak on the following conditions:-

1. Each student’s family income should not be more than Rm 2,000 per month.

2. Students will be selected more on the basis of their financial need and not merely on their academic achievement.

3. Each scholarship is worth Rm 20,000 which should be enough for each student to cover the cost for the first year foundation course and the first semester of the degree course in finance and accountancy until he or she secures the PTPTN loan. This Government loan is given to all students irrespective of race and financial position who are doing a recognised degree course.

4. Students who receive my financial aid do not require to pay back the money or work for me after they graduate. But I want them to promise me that they will help other poor students when they have graduated and are financially solvent.

U TAR takes in students in January and June every year. Students who are currently doing SPM can submit their applications to U TAR this October with their forecast results to start in January 2010.

Needy students who are currently doing SPM or have passed the SPM can submit their applications to me:

Koon Yew Yin,

yewyin@gmail.com

27, Lengkok Harimau,

31400, Ipoh, Perak

Zunar is back with Perak Darul Kartun - Anil Netto

You can’t keep a good cartoonist down for long – especially one with a socio-political conscience. Three months after hundreds of copies of the inaugural issue of his Gedung Kartun magazine were confiscated, political humourist Zunar and his creative team are back with a brighter idea.

Photos by Zunar’s team – Click on icon at bottom right of box to toggle to full-screen slideshow mode

This time, they are launching an 80-page cartoon book titled Perak Darul Kartun focusing on the power grab and associated antics in Perak – which undoubtedly offer rich material for satire. Unlike a regular magazine, a book doesn’t require a publishing permit under existing laws.

Appropriately, ousted Perak Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin is expected to launch the book, priced at RM10 with an initial print run of 10,000 copies, in KL this Sunday.

This is what the irrepressible Zunar has to say:

Memandangkan tidak ada respon positif dari pihak KDN mengenai permit penerbitan Gedung Kartun, Sepakat Efektif terpaksa meneruskan penerbitan kartun itu dalam bentuk lain. Kami dengan ini mengumumkan penerbitan Gedung Kartun edisi kedua dalam bentuk buku dengan tajuk “Perak Darul kartun” (PDK).

Kenapa kami memilih buku? Buku adalah penerbitan tidak berkala, dengan itu tidak memerlukan permit penerbitan, hanya ISBN yang mana kami telah memperolehinya.

PDK mempunyai ketebalan 80 muka surat tidak termasuk kulit muka (dengan penambahan 12 muka surat berbanding Gedung Kartun) dan dijual dengan harga RM10 setiap naskhah. Cetakan pertama adalah sebanyak 10,000 naskhah dan akan diedarkan ke seluruh negara. Ia juga boleh dibeli secara online melalui websitecartoonkafe.com.

Penyambungan penerbitan ini dalam bentuk buku membuktikan pihak kami tidak berhasrat berkonfrontasi dengan pihak KDN kerana itu bukanlah matlamat kami.

Matlamat kami adalah untuk menghasilkan karya-karya alternatif dalam konteks Malaysia, dengan isu-isu dan pendekatan yang selama ini gagal diketengahkan oleh karyawan negara ini, khususnya kartunis.

Kami percaya kartunis bukan sahaja berperanan mengenengahkan unsur lelucon dalam karya, tetapi punya tanggung jawab sosial untuk mengkritik, merakam realiti, memberi informasi, membawa suara rakyat dan mendidik.

Kami berpendirian tegas bahawa kartunis tidak boleh berdiam diri atau berkecuali, tetapi harus menyatakan pendirian apabila masyarakat atau negara berdepan dengan krisis. Dan pendirian itu harus diterjemahkan dalam karya.

Sehubungan itu, kami akan terus menghasilkan kartun-kartun alternatif dari masa ke semasa biar pun menghadapi berbagai rintangan.

This is Zunar’s team for the book:

Creative energy

Chief editor/founder: Zunar (Zulkiflee Anwar Haque)
Editor, cartoonist: Ronasina (Mohd Affandi Ramli)
Chief illustrator/cartoonist: Jonos (Nor Azlin Ngah)
Cartoonis/cover illustrator: Art (Azhar Saad)
Cartoonist and colourist: Orangorang (Azlan Isa)
Senior graphic designer: Naza (Nazruddin Abu Bakar)

Contributing cartoonists

Haili, Oly, Roy, Enot, AJ, Warih, Kidol, Madsein, Kawe, Ubi Lepih, Nur, Fahmi and Buzu.

Constributing writers/columnists

A Samad Said, Hishamuddin Rais, Pyanhabib, Rahmat Haron, Pusparos and Benludin.

I don’t know about you, but when I see creative artists and writers like these hard at work – at a time when some people are talking about emigrating – it gives me hope for the country.

Lim Keng Yaik wants to hide behind party’s skirt

by Nathaniel Tan

I usually don’t bother much with dottering old men, but: Lim Keng Yaik -

Gerakan advisor Dr Lim Keng Yaik has called on all party members to speak out against Malay supremacy, even if it lands them in jail.

Describing it as a ‘foul word’ in politics, the former cabinet minister said ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ or Malay supremacy should be resisted even if it is espoused by Umno.

“Why do you keep quiet? Are you afraid of being sent to jail?” he asked during his speech at Gerakan’s 41st anniversary dinner in Ipoh last night.

zomg.

Don’t you just *hate* it when ‘leaders’ ask you to do something they are not willing to do themselves?

Does Lim Keng Yaik have some sort of history of bravery here? I think he has some 18 years in Cabinet, did he once tell Mahathir to take his Ketuanan Melayu and stuff it?

If he didn’t have the guts to do it then, what kind of right does he have to go around asking people to do it now??

This old man talk big about going to jail – has he even seen the inside of a cell before??

I think we all know which people really made this questioning of racial supremacy possible, and it sure as hell wasn’t Lim Keng Yaik.

I really don’t understand what kind of people are still members in these parties? Those still hanging around for crumbs off the corruption table?

And want to talk big about kena tangkap? Earn your stripes firstla mr. government man.

Pendapatan Petronas Berkurangan, Ekonomi Negara Terkesan!

Parlimen Malaysia, 10hb Disember 2009
—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—

Kami menyambut baik usaha PETRONAS yang mengumumkan prestasi separuh tahun bagi tahun kewangan yang akan berakhir pada 31hb Mac 2010. Tatkala kami hargai sumbangan PETRONAS untuk meningkatkan pendapatan Negara, berjumlah 48.6% dari jumlah keseluruhan pendapatan, kami juga merasa bimbang dengan merudumnya keuntungan syarikat tersebut kerana ianya bersangkutan langsung dengan kedudukan ekonomi Negara.

Pendapatan PETRONAS berdasarkan laporan yang dikeluarkan, mencatatkan kejatuhan berjumlah RM 59 billion, bermakna cukai yang sepatutnya diperolehi oleh Negara berkurangan sekitar 57%. Sepanjang 5 tahun ini, PETRONAS adalah entiti yang memberi sumbangan terbesar kepada pendapatan Negara. Untuk tahun kewangan 2008 sahaja, sumbangan PETRONAS merupakan 44.9% dari pendapatan Negara. Kebergantungan terhadap PETRONAS ini mengaburi kita dari kedudukan sebenar ekonomi akibat dari dasar kerajaan yang terus menerus bergantung kepada syarikat tersebut untuk menampung kegagalan mereka untuk memulihkan kewangan Negara semenjak terkesan dari krisis kewangan Asia 1997/1998.

Sepanjang 5 tahun ini, penggunaan sumber dan dana dari PETRONAS oleh kerajaan telah membengkak sekitar 21% setiap tahun. Ini bermakna setiap tahun, peratusan penggunaan sumber PETRONAS oleh kerajaan bertambah sebanyak 21% dari apa yang digunakan pada tahun sebelumnya. Ini juga bermaksud sepanjang 5 tahun ini, wang yang disedut oleh kerajaan telah meningkat lebih dari dua kali ganda. Misalnya pada tahun 2005, petronas menyumbang sebanyak RM31.2 billion dari jumlah keseluruhan belanjawan Negara. Namun pada tahun 2008, jumlah wang PETRONAS yang membentuk belanjawan Negara adalah sebanyak RM 74 billion-peningkatan sebanyak 130% sepanjang 5 tahun ini.

Akibat dari ketagihan menggunakan sumber PETRONAS, syarikat ini tidak lagi mampu menampung ketirisan serta perbelanjaan boros oleh kerajaan pusat. Sedangkan pengunaan oleh kerajaan bertambah 21% setiap tahun, keupayaan PETRONAS hanya berkembang pada tahap sekitar 16% setiap tahun. Jelasnya kerajaaan barisan nasional memerah lebih dari apa yang termampu dilakukan oleh PETRONAS.
Tambah memburukkan keadaan kerajaan pusat membentangkan belanjawan yang berjumlah RM 208billion untuk tahun 2009 dan pakej ransangan yang berjumlah RM 60 billion, ketika unjuran pendapatan tahun 2009 berasaskan harga minyak mentah bulan September 2008. Saya sewaktu membahaskan belanjawan 2009 telahpun menggesa kerajaan supaya menyemak semula belanjawan yang dibentangkan kerana perubahan mendadak serta keadaan tidak menentu harga petroleum ketika itu. Walaupun begitu saranan saya dan rakan-rakan ditolak oleh kerajaan umno-barisan nasional.

Selepas hampir 1 tahun berlalu, kita berdepan dengan keadaan sukar kerana kerajaan sememangnya tidak mempunyai dana yang mencukupi bagi menunaikan janji-jani yang dibuat, kerana keuntungan PETRONAS berkurangan sebanyak 50%. Ini bermakna pendapatan kerajaan untuk perbelanjaan dan pakej ransangan akan berkurangan separuh dari jumlah yang dijanjikan.

Perkembangan ini menjejaskan kedudukan ekonomi Negara. Anggaran kami menunjukkan sasaran pertumbuhan kerajaan terlalu optimistik kerana kekurangan dana untuk dibelanjakan. Makanya sasaran untuk mengurangkan defisit belanjawan Negara pada tahun hadapan juga perlu disemak semula berdasarkan pendapatan Negara yang semakin berkurangan ini.

Kami menyeru kerajaan barisan nasional agar memastikan ketelusan dan menjelaskan kepada rakyat Malaysia berhubung kesan dari merudumnya keuntungan PETRONAS terhadap prestasi ekonomi Negara. Kami berpendirian adalah baik untuk kepentingan Negara sekiranya YAB Menteri Kewangan menjelaskan secara terperinci kepada Dewan Rakyat, semakan semula unjuran pendapatan Negara untuk tahun 2010 serta dampaknya kepada perbelanjaan untuk tahun 2010.
Sudah tiba masanya kerajaan memberi perhatian kepada beberapa mustahak yang menyangkuti kepentingan umum:

1)Memastikan ekonomi Negara tidak lagi bergantung kepada sumber petroleum dan gas semata-mata. Industri pembuatan yang bernilai serta berdaya tinggi dan perkhidmatan perlu dijadikan sector utama memacu pertumbuhan ekonomi.

2)Memastikan penggunaan dana PETRONAS telus untuk penelitian umum agar pembaziran serta ketagihan yang sama tidak berulang sepertimana yang berlaku dari tahun 2005-2009.

3)Menstrukturkan semula subsidi gas dan pembayaran royalti agar tidak ada lagi ketirisan. Subsidi gas hanya menguntungkan sesegelintir berikutan perjanjian IPP yang berat sebelah seperti sekarang mengakibatkan ketirisan dan korupsi.

4)Kerajaan Malaysia mesti bertindak untuk menjadi pemudah cara/fasilitator kepada PETRONAS untuk mendapatkan kawasan baru di luar Negara untuk menampung keperluan tempatan yang meningkat

ANWAR IBRAHIM
KETUA PEMBANGKANG
DEWAN RAKYAT

Pakatan leaders sceptical about PKFZ arrests

The Malaysian Insider

Thursday December 10 2009

Pakatan leaders sceptical about PKFZ arrests

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Pakatan Rakyat national leaders were unimpressed and sceptical about today’s arrests made in connection to the RM 12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, calling it a scapegoating exercise where the main culprits still remain free.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the arrests were a small move and had yet to prove the federal government’s will to get to the bottom of the scandal that involved bloated land valuations and double charges.

“Although we are seeing some movement, the arrest is a very small piece of a larger picture,” said the Ipoh Timur MP, who has been at the forefront of the Pakatan campaign on the PKFZ scandal.

“And unless there is a greater political will to deal with those responsible for the mother of all scandals and this only touches the surface of the problem,” he told a press conference in Parliament here.

The police, together with graft-busters MACC, today arrested former general manager of the Port Klang Authority (PKA), Datin Paduka OC Phang, along with two others. All three were later charged for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and other offences at the Klang Sessions Courts. The trio were released after posting bail.

So far it is unclear if more personalities — such as former transport minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy or Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who controls PKFZ contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) — will face any action.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar brahim speaking to reporters in Parliament also shared Lim’s scepticism over the arrests.

“We welcome this move albeit it being a small move but just as what had happened to Perwaja, the smaller fishes were caught while the bigger sharks escape so in the PKFZ case, I hope this is not the beginning of a cover up on the issue,” he said.

Anticipating public doubt, the Attorney-General has said that the arrests of the three will not be the end of the PKFZ probe.

He said more are expected to be arrested and charged this Monday, with one of them being a KDSB engineer.

Chegubard to the People: I am sorry - Rocky`s Bru

The man who took on KJ sent me this sms earlier today:

"Maaf sgt saya gagal hentikan menantu dlm keadaan p/raya penuh ketidakadilan. Namun janji saya terus bjuang - cheGuBard."
[I am so sorrry i failed to stop the son-in-law, in an election that was filled with dirty tricks. But I shall fight on."]

I told him he may have lost the election but he has won many, many hearts. And he's inspired millions, me included.

Menteri beri kereta mewah pada artis...

Memecah sunyi lama tak buat posting dengan posting yang bertajuk sensasi....

Membaca tajuk sudah tentu semua membayangkan ada Menteri membela artis seksi dengan beri kereta mewah.....itulah persepsi ramai bila baca tajuk ....

tapi kali ini lain...

petikan dari laman Umno

Ribut dan kalut ! Tabloid Suara Keadilan mendedahkan ada Menteri Kanan yang telah menghadiahkan kereta mewah kepada seorang artis lelaki. Menteri Kanan juga seorang lelaki dikatakan memberi kereta mewah tersebut dan ini menimbulkan banyak spekulasi. www.selamatkanumno.blogspot.com turut bertanya kepada kawan-kawan media siapa Menteri Kanan itu dan siapa artis terbabit.

TERKEJUT – menurut rakan media – Menteri Kanan itu adalah Menteri Dalam Negeri – Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein dan artis itu adalah Anuar Zain kata rakan media. Alamat – kita tidak mahu meneruskan spekulasi ini dan meminta Menteri Kanan tersebut menafikan secepat mungkin sebelum PKR meneruskan spekulasi tersebut. Tindakan ini perlu dilakukan segera agar spekulasi itu tidak merosakkan Umno tambahan ini melibatkan Menteri Kanan – saudara Perdana Menteri – dah la Perdana Menteri penuh dengan spekulasi dan tuduhan penglibatan dengan kes Altantuya, SU Politiknya dengan rasuah, rakan baiknya Razak baru terbebas dari tuduhan membunuh, ini saudaranya pula dikatakan terlibat dengan skandal bagi Anuar Zain kereta mewah.

Apology

We are sorry for not updating the blog on time due to some technical problems. We will do our best to solve the problem. Please be patient. Thank you for your understanding
NEM Admin

Hindraf 2nd year commemmoration

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6

Fire victims at Kampung Manis left homeless

Gates of 'racism' slam shut on Chin Peng's return

UMNO cruel regime : 30 years later Indian couple gets citizenships.

UMNO cruel regime : 30 years later Indian couple gets citizenships.

The Utusan Malaysia on 4 / 12 / 09 at page 5 reports V . Saravanamuttu and V. Logeswary who had to wait 30 long years to be granted their Malaysian citizenship. This is despite Article 14 of the Federal Constituition stipulating ….every person born on or after Malaysia Day…are citizens by operation of law.

Imagine the pain and sufferings losing out on their prime of their lives , loss of job opportunities and promotion prospects and bussinesses and licences opportunities lost.

But after these 30 years of misery and when they are already 79 years old UMNO Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein grants them citizenship and expects this coule to be grateful to UMNO.

UMNO yet again plays the politics of ” telur sebiji telur riuh sekampung !!!! ” Hishamuddin the Home Minister makes this ” fanfare ” announcement . But what about the announcement for the remaining estimated 299 , 999 Indian children and their parents who have been denied their birth certificates (BC) and Identity Cards (IC) with Malaysian citizenship. Not a single Indian born in Malaysia should be denied their Birth certificates (BC) and Identity Cards (IC). It is the job of the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government to ensure that not a single Indian is deprieved of their BC and IC.

What do you expect when 1, 016 , 799 civil servants and others have been trained by UMNO to implement UMNO ’s racist and religious extremist agenda for example this 299 , 999 children and adults being denied their rightful IC and BC.

P. Uthayakumar

Photos: HRP Teluk Intan forum & book launch 5/12/09 .

HRP Teluk Intan forum and book launch on 5/12/09 “ Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy ”

By P.Uthayakumar

at Kuil Sri Maha Mariamman, Batu 2½, Jalan Changkat Jong, Teluk Intan, Perak.

DAP and PKR S’gor Govt :Land for Chinese temple,no to hindu temples

DAP and PKR S’gor Govt :Land for Chinese temple,no to hindu temples

Not only this but the PKR and DAP led Selangor state government even (rightly) bends backwards to issue a stop work order to stop the building of houses next to this temple. (refer The Star Metro 4 / 12 / 09 page M4)

But when it comes to hindu temples in Selangor the Tuan Menteri Besar and Towkay DAP gets their Selangor Indian EXCO Mandore to dish out peanuts of RM 10 000.00 and (empty) promises of land here and land there for tamil schools, hindu temples and crematoriums. But no Selangor State government land is granted to these hindu temples and which means they can be demolished at any time as has happened even at the rate of one hindu temple being demolished in every ten (10) days during the ex MB Khir Toyo’s regime . (This statistics is as per the reply by the present MB to the ADUN for Kota Alam Shah Y.B Manoharan Malayalam early this year) .

But for this Pasir Ambang , Kuala Selangor Chinese Temple , the Tuan and Towkay gets the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) to allocate land the to this Chinese temple , How then are DAP , PKR and PAS any different from UMNO vis a vis the Indians.

P. Uthayakumar

Why whack the Malays?

No, it is not the Malays who give Umno power. It is the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. So, if you are in the mood to whack someone, don’t whack the Malays. Whack the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I have written about this before, many times. But sometimes we need to keep harping on the same old issue when people keep making the same unreasonable comments even after we have clarified the matter. As the Malays would say: tak paham paham lagi.

The matter I want to talk about is the Malay whacking. Malaysia Today appears to be a forum for Malay-hate postings. Sure, there is a lot to be desired about the attitude of the Malays. Even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said his biggest regret is that he could not change the attitude of the Malays in 22 years as Prime Minister of Malaysia. And he even cried like a baby in one Umno general assembly because he felt he had failed to change the Malays and Umno.

Nevertheless, the Malays are not to be blamed for everything that goes wrong in Malaysia. Sometimes the non-Malays too contribute to the problem.

Sure, Umno may be a problem. But Umno is a problem only because we have this animal called Barisan Nasional. Without Barisan Nasional Umno would be history. And while Umno may be Malay, Barisan Nasional is not.

First look at this.

7,944,274 Malaysians came out to vote out of about 10.8 million registered voters in the March 2008 general election. That was about 70% plus. This means just under 30% did not bother to vote. So that is the number of Malaysians who don’t care. And we are not yet including the 4 million plus who did not even register to vote. Add that to those who did not vote then about 7.5 million Malaysians did not vote because they don’t care.

Got that? 7.9 million Malaysians care and 7.5 million Malaysians don’t care. So, do we blame the Malays for the problems facing this country or do we blame the 7.5 million who did not vote for change and are quite happy not doing anything and allowing what is happening to continue happening?

Now, out of all those who voted, 4,082,411 voted for Barisan Nasional and 3,796,464 voted for the opposition. That gives Barisan Nasional 50.27% of the popular vote and the opposition 46.75%. Yet, with just 50.27% of the votes, Barisan Nasional won 140 of the 222 parliament seats against the opposition’s 82.

Do we blame the Malays for this or do we blame the gerrymandering, postal votes and phantom voters that the Election Commission closed its eyes to?

Umno, on its own, garnered only 2,381,725 of the votes, which is less than 30%. And the number of seats it won was 79, now down to 78 with the loss of Kuala Terengganu in a by-election. This means Umno won only 35.6% of the seats and now less than that without Kuala Terengganu.

How can Umno form a government with only 29.33% of the votes and 35.6% of the seats? The three opposition parties combined garnered 46.57% of the votes and won 36.9% of the seats. This is higher than what Umno won. And one important point to note is that Umno’s 78 seats include 14 from Sabah. If not then Umno would be down to only 64 seats, even worse.

Well, if you want to know the answer to that question, then ask the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. It is because of them that Umno, even though they did poorer than the opposition, can form the government. And because they can form the government with the help of the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak they are also able to abuse their power, perpetuate corruption, implement racist policies, and demonstrate arrogance.

No, don’t blame the Malays. 51% of the Malays voted for Umno. This, I do not deny. But this also means that 49% of the Malays did not vote for Umno. But the 51% Malay votes are still not enough for Umno to form the government. That still gives them only about one-third the votes as well as seats respectively (and less without the 14 Sabah seats). What makes it possible for Umno to form the government is because of the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

No, it is not the Malays who give Umno power. It is the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. So, if you are in the mood to whack someone, don’t whack the Malays. Whack the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. Those are the people who are to blame.

Kapeesh?

It’s not about Islam; it’s about religion

As much as PAS might argue that an Islamic system does not mean that Malaysia would transform into a theological state, the people will not buy this. They are still suspicious that an Islamic system translates to a theological state. And they remember what it was like in the old days when religion once ruled the world. That was the worst period in the history of mankind.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

For more than 20 years I used to live in what can be considered a PAS community -- PAS here meaning the Islamic Party of Malaysia. I had quite a number of PAS people as neighbours, leaders included, amongst whom were Mustapha Ali and Harun Jusoh. I was also the chairman of what Umno calls a ‘PAS mosque’. Further to that, I was involved in a few other mosques, all classified as ‘PAS mosques’. My thinking, therefore, was very much influenced by PAS, in particular as far as Islam is concerned. And this also means I know what makes the minds of the PAS people tick, being ‘one of them’, so to speak.

I disagreed with much of what PAS propagated and I did not hold my punches. In my speeches in the mosques I whacked some of the attitudes and actions of the PAS people and told them that what they were doing and saying actually puts people off Islam and PAS. If what they are doing and saying are meant to bring people to Islam and PAS, then the reverse is actually happening.

PAS is a political party, I said. So, if they want to win support, they need to think of a political strategy on how they can win over the people, in particular the non-Muslims. If all PAS can garner is 50% of the Malay support, how can PAS expect to win the support of the non-Malays, meaning also non-Muslims? PAS can’t even get more than 50% of the Malays to support the party.

PAS is not interested in garnering votes or winning the elections, they replied. PAS is only interested in propagating Islam.

If PAS is not interested in garnering votes or winning the elections, I told them, then why stand on the platform of a political party? Why not then PAS just become a missionary movement and spread the word of Islam and forget about the elections?

As a missionary movement PAS will not be free to speak, came the reply. PAS will have more freedom to speak as a political party. The government can silence a missionary movement but it can’t silence a political party.

I did not buy that argument. There is much jostling for power in PAS. If all they are interested in is to spread the word of Islam then why all this jostling for party positions? Why do the PAS people seek party positions? Is a party position crucial to the task of spreading the word of Islam? The actions of the PAS leaders give an impression that it is all about politics and the pursuit of power. It is not at all about spreading the word of Islam.

We need to get into power to be able to spread Islam, again, came the reply. So we need to win the elections and hold high office in the party as well as the government to meet our objective of spreading Islam.

Again, this statement did not make sense. Politics and elections and party positions are about attaining power. Maybe PAS is an Islamic party. But it is still a political party. And the job of political parties is to get into power. The only thing is PAS stands on the platform of Islam. But it is still a political party, nevertheless, and it seeks what all political parties seek; power.

It is time that PAS is honest with itself as well as with the voters and supporters. There is no problem with using Islam as a political platform. After all, in other countries there also exist political parties that stand on a religious platform whether it is Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism or whatnot. So having Islam as a political platform is no crime. They just need to be clear on what they are and what they seek. And it is clear that PAS is a political party and what it seeks is power.

There should be no confusion about this.

Most voters, non-Muslims included, have no problems with an Islamic party. They can accept the fact that PAS is an Islamic party and support it for what it is. What they can’t accept is insincerity and hypocrisy. Until PAS can be honest, not only to itself but to the general public as well, then expect Malaysians to be suspicious of the party.

Most people understand that in politics they normally say one thing but do the opposite. There is much hypocrisy and insincerity in politics. And politicians don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say. People can accept this from politicians and political parties. It is in their nature. But they expect the opposition to be better than this, in particular PAS, which stands on the platform of Islam and is therefore supposed to be nobler in its cause.

Once PAS can be clear and honest about what it is, which is a political party, and once it openly and honestly declares this and understands that the job of political parties is to seek power, then maybe it can start saying and doing the right things.

I repeat: people have no problems with a religious based party, Islamic or otherwise. It is when these parties say one thing but do the opposite is when the people have problems with it. So if PAS can declare that it is a political party and that its objective is to form the next government, then even non-Muslims can give the party its support.

People do not have any problem with Islam per se. It is when Muslims impose Islam on non-Muslims that the problem arises. So it is not about being anti-Islam. It is about religion being forced onto one, any religion for that matter. Even if it were a Christian party or a Hindu party the voters would still reject it if the objective of the party were to impose Christianity or Hinduism on the population.

In short, the people are not against Islam. The people are against religion being imposed on those who wish to be free of religious domination. This does not mean that they are anti-religion, though. They just do not want religion being forced onto anyone. They want freedom of choice when it comes to religion. They want to decide whether to be religious or not. They want religion to be something they choose and not something that is forced upon them.

And herein lies the problem. Muslims say that there is no compulsion in religion. They even quote verses of the Quran to support this statement. But the actions of Muslims are opposite to what they say. And this frightens most people. They see Muslims as dominating although Muslims may say Islam is about choice and not about compulsion. So how can they trust Muslims when Muslims say one thing but do the opposite?

The best form of propagation is to lead by example. You do the right thing according to what your religion teaches and you let your actions speak for itself. The proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating. People will trust you based on what you do rather than on what you say. And if you do the opposite of what you say then people will distrust you even more.

Unfortunately, the majority of the civil servants and government officers -- including those in the police, anti-corruption agency, judiciary, and whatnot -- are Muslims. And Muslims have this holier-than-thou and high-and-mighty attitude. But the highest incidences of abuse of power, corruption, racism, arrogance, and whatnot, are from these same agencies where the majority are Muslims.

How can non-Muslims trust Muslims when the majority of those perpetuating crimes are Muslims themselves? And when Muslims talk about the virtue and fairness and justice of Islam, and yet Muslims themselves are the worse scum on earth, then expect non-Muslims to distrust Muslims. Muslims suffer from the bikin tak serupa cakap disease.

Muslims must first clean up their act. They must first live the life of a true Muslim and adhere to the proper teachings of Islam. Only then will non-Muslims become impressed with Islam and start trusting Muslims. And when Muslims propagate Islam and Islamic politics by demonstration rather than rhetoric, non-Muslims would begin to accept it as the best alternative and the best example of good governance.

As I said, it is not about Islam but about all religions. All religions have gone through a history of violence. The Jews before Christ were violent. They exterminated non-Jews. Then the Romans almost exterminated them in return. Then along came the Christians and they soon did the same thing -- exterminated non-Christians and each other as well. The Muslims throughout the last 1,400 years killed more Muslims than non-Muslims -- right up to the time of Wahab’s movement less than 100 years ago when the entire Muslim city of Medina was wiped out; every man, woman, child, camel, goat and chicken.

Even the English and French kings plus the Popes in Rome engineered ethnic cleansing of fellow-Christians. No one is exempted from this history of brutality, bloodshed and ethnic cleansing. It is only when the Monarchs and their lackeys in the religious hierarchy -- the so-called representatives of God -- were overthrown in favour of a peoples’ government did the situation change.

People still remember the brutal history of religion, all religions. They still shudder when they remember the times when religion ruled the world and much injustice was perpetuated in the name of God. They do not wish to return to those times.

It will take a long time before people can again trust religion to rule over them. Until then they do not want religion as the government or religious laws as the laws of the land. They want freedom to choose their own destiny, not their destiny to be decided by religion.

PAS must not take this as a personal attack against the party or a demonstration of anti-Islam sentiments. It is nothing personal or targeted merely against Islam. It is just that people have lost trust in religious people. While they may believe in God and subscribe to a certain religion doctrine, they do not trust those who claim to be doing God’s work and who try to impose the word of God on their daily lives.

PAS can continue standing on the platform of Islam. It can continue being an Islamic party. There are no problems with that. But PAS must declare that it is a political party, and not a missionary movement, whose objective is to form the next federal government.

And it must not harbour ambitions of abolishing the current secular system in favour of a theological system. As much as PAS might argue that an Islamic system does not mean that Malaysia would transform into a theological state, the people will not buy this. They are still suspicious that an Islamic system translates to a theological state. And they remember what it was like in the old days when religion once ruled the world. That was the worst period in the history of mankind.

Of course, PAS can still claim that its objective is to abolish the secular system in favour of a theological system. That is not a problem and it is absolutely within PAS’ right to harbour these aspirations. After all, it is a free country. But then PAS can’t also expect those who are suspicious of theological states to continue supporting it.

I am not saying that PAS should drop Islam or the Islamic State agenda. This can still be the aspiration of the party. No problem with that. But PAS can’t also aspire to form the next federal government because they will not win enough votes to do so.

Pakatan continues to hound Najib over BTN

One or the other. Pakatan will not allow Najib to walk away from the BTN issue. — file pic

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders say they want Datuk Seri Najib Razak to set the record straight by stating the government’s stand on the controversial National Civics Bureau (BTN).

Despite confirmation by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, on Monday that the Cabinet had agreed to revamp BTN courses and disclosure that the Chief Secretary had been instructed to oversee BTN’s overhaul, a number of ministers and Umno leaders have continued to defend the programme which has been described as racist by the opposition and some participants.

The prime minister’s silence on the issue has added to the confusion over his administration’s position.

BTN chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan also defended the civics course and insisted that it would be “upgraded” instead of “revamped.”

“The issue here is very clear. It is either Nazri or Ahmad Maslan who is wrong and now Najib is keeping quiet. He can’t keep quiet. As prime minister he must set an example as to whether he is prepared to stand by his 1 Malaysia context and slogan or it is just empty talk.

“His silence on the whole issue speaks very poorly on the seriousness and commitment on the 1 Malaysia concept,” the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang told The Malaysian Insider.

Seri Setia assemblyman, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad from PKR, also questioned the government’s sincerity on BTN and 1 Malaysia.

“Najib has been taking about 1 Malaysia and all this while we can see that its either a good cop or bad cop routine, or he does not know how to control his deputy because he has been saying the right things but his deputy has been talking the Malay line.

PR leaders Lim (left) and Nik Nazmi (centre) want to know Najib’s stand.—file pic

“I think that definitely the credibility of the 1 Malaysia project rests on the courage of the government to face up to the people who are just stuck with the old mentality. At the end of the day, we want acknowledgment of the problem and that this cannot be done.

“We have no issues with programmes that instil loyalty, promote history and the constitution but it must be done in a frank and open manner [while] respecting the different communities in the country,” Nik Nazmi explained.

The programme has come under fire from various groups, with PR leaders branding it a tool to spread racist propaganda.

While the government insists BTN courses are meant to instil patriotism in the participants, testimonials by former attendees indicate otherwise — that they are instead used to maintain Malay support for Umno through cultivating racial hatred and concepts like “Ketuanan Melayu” (Malay supremacy).

These testimonials have been used as fodder by PR leaders to demand BTN’s closure.

The PR-led Selangor government has already imposed a ban on its civil servants and students within its state-run educational institutions from attending BTN courses, while Penang — another PR- governed state — is said to be considering similar action.

But the hawks in Umno, through Malay-based dailies like Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia, have moved to defend BTN and attack its critics as “traitors” who are trying to politicise the issue.

Good cop, bad cop routine? — Picture by Choo Choy May

Utusan today urged the government not to “bow down” to the opposition on BTN and said that Nazri wanted the programme to be revamped even though the move was decided by the Cabinet.

Lim agreed that the government should not “bow down” to the PR but to the truth and national interest.

“The question is not to bow down to the opposition but it whether it is the right and wrong. Whether it is against the 1 Malaysia concept, nation building, national unity or it is in line with 1 Malaysia, it does not promote national hatred and it is offering national unity. It is one or the other,” Lim said.

Nik Nazmi added that Utusan should not divide the community.

“What is needed is honesty and sincerity towards the Malay community, that these lies cannot go on. It does not teach the Malays to face the 21st century and all it does is make you think that you can blame everyone else for your problem,” Nik Nazmi said.

Dr M: Don’t mess with BTN

No need to revamp BTN, says Dr Mahathir. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — There is no need to revamp National Civics Bureau (BTN) training modules as in the current form, they were fine for instilling the patriotic spirit among Malaysians, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister was also of the opinion that the BTN curriculum had helped foster unity as the courses conducted by the agency were attended by Malaysians of all races.

“I do not see any reason why the modules have to be revamped... I think it is better to retain the modules,” he told reporters after opening the World Aids Day 2009 here today.

Prior to this, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz had said that BTN training modules would be revamped to better reflect the 1 Malaysia concept introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The matter came into the spotlight when Pakatan-ruled Selangor recently prohibited state civil servants and students of higher educational institutions owned by the state from attending BTN courses, claiming that they were an indoctrination process by the Barisan Nasional government and aimed at brainwashing Malaysians to hate opposition parties.

Commenting further, Dr Mahathir said he too had given talks at courses organised by the BTN and among the subjects touched on were Malaysian history.

“Sometimes, people cannot understand the underlying value of BTN courses. I do not see anything bad about it, it explains the nation’s history,” he said.

Asked on Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for independent observers from Australia to monitor the next general election in the country, Dr Mahathir said: “If it is the white man, he will trust. If its Malays, it is otherwise.”

On the government’s plan to introduce the goods and services tax (GST), he said a comprehensive study must be made on it so as not to burden the people.

However, he said it was needed in the long term as the country had to find alternative sources of revenue and not be overly dependent of the petroleum sector. — Bernama

Be Rational, Leave It To PM, Says Samy Vellu

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu has asked all parties disputing the Education Ministry's latest Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) ruling to give time to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to resolve it.

"Let us be rational and leave the matter in the hands of the Prime Minister as he has been fair to us (the Indian community) all this while," the former Works Minister told reporters here on Sunday.

He was commenting on the front page reports in all local Tamil dailies today on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's announcement that despite the government's decision to allow SPM students to take 12 instead of 10 subjects, only the results of the 10 core subjects would be considered for government scholarships and others.

On Friday, Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, in announcing the Cabinet's decision, said that while the 10 core subjects would remain, flexibility would be given to SPM students to opt for Mandarin or Tamil and Chinese Literature or Tamil Literature papers.

Muhyiddin also said the students could sit for additional subjects other than the 10 core subjects but the results would not be taken into account in the award of scholarships and other matters.

This caused several Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to question the rationale behind the move with some NGOs describing it as "rubbish".

Samy Vellu said while he too did not agree with the move, the Indian community should allow Najib to resolve it.

"Let us deal with issues one at a time. We have already passed the first hurdle that is to allow students to sit for 12 subjects instead of 10, and we are very grateful to the government.

"Now, the issue is that the two additional subjects (Tamil Language and Tamil Literature) will not be taken into consideration for government scholarships and others. Let us (the MIC) negotiate with the government just as we did on the 12 subject issue," he said.

Samy Vellu said the Indians had to be fair to the prime minister and allow him to discuss the matter with MIC's sole representative in the Cabinet, Datuk Dr. S.Subramaniam, who is also the Human Resources Minister.

"I have already instructed him (Dr. Subramanim) to work on it. The MIC believes in negotiations and not street demonstrations," he said.

-- BERNAMA


MIC's 5R To Create People-Centric Leaders

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) - After having restored stability and the next line of leadership, MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu is gearing the party to "re-connect" with the grassroots, a crucial move that will make or break the MIC.

The party would kick off the second phase of its rejuvenation process with a "Re-invent and Re-connect" workshop on Dec 27 aimed at changing party leaders' mindset in carrying out their responsibilities more effectively and in facing a challenging situation, Samy Vellu said.

He said the workshop was crucial as the MIC, being a people-centric party, must allay fears among the Indian community that the party was losing its influence and remain relevant.

"The workshop will teach the grassroot leaders to master the 5R (Read, Report, Revive, Reflect and Recharge) to become people-friendly leaders," he told reporters after opening the Malaysian Indian Youth Council's (MIYC) 16th general meeting here on Sunday.

He said the first phase involved the re-branding workshop involving the party's 150 divisional leaders and 3,600 branch chairmen.

Samy Vellu said there was a new feeling and thinking among the Indian community about the MIC, triggered by a series of community problem-solving methods adopted in the past 18 months.

He said the MIC's healing and reconciliation process, adopted soon after its disastrous performance in the last general election, had generated renewed interest in the party among the Indian community, especially the younger and more educated groups.

While almost 800 new branches were awaiting approval from the Registrar of Societies, more than 300,000 people had visited the MIC portal since its launch in May.

Party observers said the largest Indian-based political party's image was further boosted when it delivered 70 per cent of the Indian votes for the Barisan Nasional in the recent Bagan Pinang by-election.

They felt that with almost every other small Indian-based political parties in the country facing power struggle or internal problems, the latest being the newly-formed Makkal Sakti Party, a splinter group of the banned Hindraf movement, the MIC had been attracting new members.

Samy Vellu said he and the other party leaders had been engaging with all the Indian non-governmental organisations and meeting the Indian community for the past 18 months to stress to them the importance of staying united.

Party insiders believed that the MIC supremo was serious in "walking the talk". They said that initially, many believed that Samy Vellu would rid the party of his political nemeses, including former MIC deputy president Datuk S.Subramaniam, after the party elections last September, but "it never came".

A party source said plans were also underway to invite small-based Indian political parties to join the MIC under Samy Vellu's greater unity plan.