BTN: What next?

thenutgraph.com

THE Selangor government's November 2009 announcement banning state employees from attending Biro Tatanegara (BTN) courses due to racist elements triggered a flurry of public testimonies. Many former BTN participants shared their own encounters with racism during the course, including on The Nut Graph.

The government was quick to defend the BTN programme while agreeing that there should be a review. But despite the shocking stories that BTN participants have made public, the government has remained silent about what exactly it plans to do about the programme.

Revamp/Upgrade/Fine-tune?

Thus far, what has the government actually said about the programme that is run by the Prime Minister's Department?

"It should be revamped," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz on 30 Nov 2009. No, not revamped, "upgraded", clarified Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan a day later. But wait, it will be revamped, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin a few days after that.

Why show interest in an issue raised in November 2009?

The apparent confusion aside, when The Nut Graph attempted to follow up on how the government was going to rectify the BTN programme, the response we got from the BTN director-general was: "Why the sudden re-interest in BTN?"

Others like National Unity and Integration Department director-general Datuk Azman Amin Hassan admit that there are problems with the programme. But he is quick to add that there have also been positive responses from BTN participants.

"The government is concerned and we would like to review the course in terms of curriculum and personnel," says Azman in a telephone interview. "There may have been facilitators that went overboard when conducting the course. Sometimes BTN has to depend on other officers to assist in the programme," he adds.

Azman however qualifies that he is not directly involved in the BTN review and referred The Nut Graph to the BTN director-general, Datuk Shagul Hamid Abdullah.

Shagul, however, tells The Nut Graph that he cannot speak to the media about BTN and that we should refer to the deputy minister in charge, Ahmad Maslan.

"Fine-tuning sudah siap," is all Ahmad Maslan says during a phone call. Further calls, e-mails and text messages over the next two weeks to find out what this "fine-tuning" involved go unanswered. A check on Ahmad Maslan's blog did not reveal any clues save for a statement that the government might build more BTN camps so more participants can be involved.

But if there are racist elements in a government-run programme, why is the state building more camps for the course without first addressing the issues that have been raised?

E-mails and multiple phone calls to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon's office also did not elicit any response. Koh heads the National Unity and Integration Department, tasked with promoting greater integration amongst the different communities.

The government, it seems, does not want to answer the question of how a course that purportedly promotes "patriotism" became a state-sponsored breeding ground for racism. Neither is it demonstrating that it is holding accountable those responsible for the BTN programme.

Greater representation

But while the government seems to want Malaysians to forget there is even an issue, others have stepped up to the plate.

Gerakan has released a statement with five proposals to improve the BTN courses

In contrast with the government's silence on BTN, Barisan Nasional component party Gerakan released a 6 Feb 2010 statement with five proposals to improve the course.

Gerakan Youth secretary-general Dr Dominic Lau said a representative special working committee headed by the chief secretary to the government was needed to review the programme. Academicians and high-ranking government officials from different races and backgrounds should also be included. Lau also suggested that more non-Malay Malaysian facilitators be hired and that the name Biro Tatanegara be changed to Biro 1Malaysia.

"To us, our stand is clear," says Lau in a phone interview. "If you want to come up with a patriotism or nationalism programme, the task force needs to come from all layers of the rakyat. Government servants must be represented, universities, as well as non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations...As long as only certain groups of people are involved, there is a possibility of bias and problems. There has been no previous check and balance before this."

Lau says the course cannot be designed purely from the government's perspective and that other views were needed in formulating the course content. "Government servants may not be as aware about what is happening outside [the] government," he says.

However, it appears Gerakan also faces challenges getting an official response from their own government about BTN. "We have not received any feedback [from the government] so far on Gerakan's proposals. We are trying to submit our memorandum officially to the prime minister and we are waiting for the date [to be fixed]," says Lau.

Instilling patriotism

But even if Gerakan's proposals were adopted wholesale along with other helpful suggestions, can patriotism and nationalism be instilled in a three day or one week course?

Monash University's senior lecturer in media and cultural studies Dr Yeoh Seng Guan questions the BTN courses' efficacy. "It doesn't seem very plausible to me that such a powerful and sublime emotion like patriotism can be drummed into young people in such a short period of time," he says in an e-mail interview.

"Reading the testimonies on The Nut Graph thus far, it seems more like a flawed militaristic attempt at instilling love for country and fellow [citizens]."

Yeoh says it is easier for negative feelings such as fear, distrust and suspicion to be conveyed in such camps rather than those of love, acceptance, trust and patriotism. He says these positive feelings are generated more through daily interaction when people practise and experience such values.

Assuming there is no political will to do away with BTN for now, Yeoh says the following must be present to curb racist elements from creeping into BTN programmes:

Allow the respected scholars and trainers from civil society groups to scrutinise the BTN syllabus
Put in place a mechanism for participants to report racist trainers
Carry out "training of trainers" programmes to weed out the [unsuitable] ones
Cease using former soldiers and police officers as trainers

But with the government's reticence to even discuss the BTN issue, can we expect any review to be more than piecemeal? And whether it's an "upgrade" or "revamp", what exactly is the government doing about a programme gone wrong?

Peluang Terakhir Anwar Dapatkan Bukti Tambahan

Dari MalaysiaKini

Mahkamah Persekutuan hari ini mendengar sama ada untuk membenarkan semakan keputusannya pada 29 Januari, yang menolak permohonan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memperolehi bukti-bukti utama tambahan seperti rakaman CCTV, laporan perubatan dan kenyataan saksi pendakwa.

Semakan itu didengar oleh panel tiga hakim yang diketuai oleh Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin. Dua lagi hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan ialah Datuk Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff dan Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof.

Karpal Singh, peguam utama Anwar, memberitahu mahkamah pagi ini bahawa beliau kesal semakan itu didengar sekarang kerana tambahan bukti itu yang diminta itu, boleh digunakan dalam perbicaraan Anwar sekarang.

Peguam Karpal Singh mengadu bahawa pihak pembela masih belum menerima senarai nama saksi pendakwa dan ini dianggap sebagai “pelakuan tidak wajar” pihak pendakwa bagi memastikan perbicaraan yang adil.

A Failed Mission in Washington DC

by Raja Petra Kamaruddin in Washington DC

It was a strange scene at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington on Wednesday morning. When the seminar on Governance & Rule of Law in Malaysia began, only one of the speakers came into the room, Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Attorney-General Gani Patail and former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamed were somehow nowhere to be seen. And in good Malaysian fashion, the seminar started 10 minutes late.

The seminar’s chairman, Ernest Bower, looked tired and nervous, saying that he had received a number of e-mails expressing concern that the seminar would not be balanced. He said that he wants a dialogue on important issues. Therefore he also has invited the opposition to speak at CSIS. He hopes they will accept.

Ernest Bower then shocked the audience of about 40 people by saying that the session was ‘off the record’. The flyer announcing the seminar never said it was an off the record session. It doesn’t matter though. The session was so boring there is very little to report anyway.

Malaysian Ambassador to the US, Jamaluddin Jarjis a.k.a. JJ, spoke for two minutes. He just said that he is working very hard to improve relations with the US (whenever he happens to be in town, that is). He made no mention, though, whether the new US$150,000 Porsche he just bought is paid for by the Malaysian taxpayers or by him personally.

Nazri said that it was just a coincidence that he, Gani and Abdul Hamid happen to be in Washington at the same time. (Sure. If you believe that then I have half a bridge to Singapore to sell you.) He said he didn’t know where the two missing persons were.

He then introduced the “four members of my delegation,” all MPs. (Talk about wasting the taxpayers’ money!) Two of them were PKR turncoats, including the infamous Zahrin Mohamed Hashim.

In a tribute to Malaysia Today, Nazri held up an Internet printout and referred to Martin Jalleh’s article, Malaysian Circus Goes to Washington. He claimed that he had been planning the trip to Washington for nine months because he and the Prime Minister believe it is important to strengthen ties with the US.

Nazri then started his formal speech and spoke for 30 minutes. It was a very academic and therefore a very boring speech. There was no real substance to it and the audience quickly grew bored. Even JJ got so bored as he sat next to Nazri on the podium.

But what shocked the audience was to watch JJ’s antics at such an “important meeting” at such a “prestigious think tank.“

The whole while Nazri was speaking, JJ was sending and receiving messages on his Blackberry and mobile phone. He never turned off the ringer. When he tapped out a message, one could hear the “click, click, click” of the keys. He even called his aide up to the podium twice to have conversations. He also got up and left the room and then came back.

And here is a first for Washington. Then, as Nazri was still speaking, JJ picked up the Washington Post and started to read it — not once, but twice.

Nazri went on and on, quoting Malaysia’s many laws banning corruption. But of course he never said that they apply only to the opposition and not to UMNO politicians or taxi permit holders (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Finally, he stopped speaking and said he would welcome tough questions. He got one right from the start from Kumar, the head of Amnesty International’s Washington DC office. Kumar said Nazri and JJ had both just said that they want to improve relations with the United States. But that will never happen as long as people in Washington have concerns about Malaysia’s harassment of the opposition and Anwar’s trial.

Referring to the Malaysia Today article, Kumar said if there’s a Malaysian circus, it’s Anwar’s trial. Nazri replied, “Anwar is a friend of mine.” (With friends like Nazri, who needs enemies?). Nazri said he underwent his legal training in the United Kingdom and claimed that if he ever sensed that the Prime Minister was interfering in the case and there is political interference in Malaysia’s independent judiciary, he would tender his resignation.

He added, “When we heard about Saiful’s charges against Anwar, I thought it was unfortunate. For the sake of the country, we don’t want the nation to endure a trial like this again. But Saiful is entitled to justice. Why talk about rule of law if you ignore his report? He had a right to report to the police. In any event, Anwar’s acquittal before shows that our judiciary is independent, and we did not appeal that decision. That shows we are interested only in justice, not political persecution.”

Nazri went on. “We do not have an agenda against Anwar. Why would we want to use the same old charge of sodomy, again? If you don’t believe me, there is nothing I can do.”

JJ clapped.

JJ was the only one who clapped.

Murray Hiebert then stood up to introduce himself as the former Asian Wall Street Journal correspondent in Malaysia (but politely declined to mention his experience with ‘good governance’ and ‘the rule of law’ in Malaysia when he was the guest of a Malaysian prison).

Murray asked about the Allah issue. Nazri turned to the Malaysiakini reporter in the room and told him, “Don’t you dare report what I am going to say.”

Nazri looked alive and gave a 20-minute history and language lesson, repeating the usual government line. As Nazri finished his long-winded answer, JJ leaned over to whisper to Ernest Bower, who suddenly jumped up and brought the seminar to a halt. It was still only 11:30am and the seminar was supposed to go until noon.

JJ probably thought an early halt would be wise before they put their foot deeper into the mouth. Or maybe he was really getting bored and just couldn’t take it anymore. Or maybe he was hungry. So JJ led Nazri out of the room and the audience followed.

So much for the so-called ‘dialogue’.

Indonesia, Malaysia Agree To Minimize Sea Border Violations

JAKARTA, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian and Malaysian navies have agreed to minimize mutual violations of their sea boundaries, especially in Sulawesi waters, Antara news agency reported.

"We have agreed and understand the rules that have been made by the two parties with regard to procedures for conducting patrols in the two countries' sea borders," Indonesian navy chief of staff Admiral Agus Suharto said here.

When asked by ANTARA regarding the result of his courtesy call on Malaysian navy chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Jafar last week he said the two parties had agreed to conduct patrol in their respective sea borders.

"So in case a sea border dispute occurs including in the Sulawesi waters we will refer it to the government to settle. We, the two countries' navies, will safeguard and patrol in our own regions in line with the standing procedures already agreed," Agus said.

Until now the Indonesian embassy has facilitated 13 rounds of talks on the Indonesia-Malaysia maritime border since 2005 with regard to delimiting four segments of the maritime border namely in Sulawesi waters, the Malacca Strait, the South China sea and the Singapore Strait.

In the Malacca Strait Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have conducted patrol cooperation under the Malsindo (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) program and a joint Eye in the Sky air patrol.

Indonesia and Malaysia however have not reached an agreement regarding the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) border line in the northern part of the Malacca Strait and in the South China sea.

In the Sulawesi waters the two countries also have not yet agreed with regard to continental shelf, territorial and EEZ borders.

Delimitation of sea territorial segments has been prioritized because it is the main requirement for discussing the continental shelf and EEZ segments.

Isu tanah: 30 Orang Asli berdemo di Gombak

Tan apologises to PKR leader, retracts statement

Khalid Ibrahim azam salurkan kekayaan terus kepada rakyat negeri Selangor

No reports filed by cops on Kugan’s injuries

No reports were lodged on any injuries sustained by A Kugan throughout his detention, said Taipan USJ D9 chief Rodney Pasla Harris.

Cross-examined by defence lawyer PM Nagarajan, he said it was the supervising officer’s duty to report to the officer in charge if any such incident took place.

“The supervisor will then need to report the matter to higher officials,” Rodney said in the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court this morning.

During re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Abazafree Mohd Abbas, he reiterated that no such reports were made in Kugan’s case.

Higher official

He named Inspector Faezal Munir as the officer in charge and Subang Jaya Criminal Investigations Department (CID) chief Lim Meng Siah as the higher official in this case.

He agreed with the defence’s contention that one could assume that no injuries were sustained by Kugan because no reports were lodged.

As such, he said, the CID chief assumed that no injuries were sustained even if they had occurred.

Rodney was testifying in a trial against his subordinate, Constable V Navindran, who is being tried on two counts of causing “grievous hurt” to Kugan (right) between 7am and 4pm on Jan 16, 2009, while trying to extract a confession or extract any information to secure a conviction.

Alternatively, Navindran is accused of causing hurt to Kugan, 23.

Referring to the duty roster for that day, Rodney said Constable James and Constable Faizal were on duty in the Kugan case between midnight and 4am on Jan 17.

Asked for clarification by Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Aslam Zainuddin, he said the roster referred to the wee hours of Jan 17.

He added that on-duty officers must report if there were any other officers present during their shift.

On leave

Rodney, however, could not confirm if the roster was adhered to, as he was on leave at the time, and only returned to work on Jan 20.

According to the next witness, lock-up guard Constable Muhidin Deri, Kugan was unhurt when he was escorted by the accused to the Puchong Jaya Police Station lock up on Jan 15.

“I had examined him for injuries and found none,” he said.

But when re-examined by the prosecution he admitted that he did not recall, and was basing his testimony on the records made in the station diary.

He, however, agreed with the defence lawyer’s suggestion that Kugan had sustained injuries in the scuffle during his arrest.

“We could only examine for external injuries. He may have sustained internal injuries,” he told the prosecution when re-examined.

Muhidin, who was on duty from 4am to 8am, said that all 53 detainees that night were placed in the pathway outside of the cells as at least seven of the nine cell toilets were blocked.

No fights

Although he was not stationed in the pathway with the detainees, he testified that he could see if any fights took place and there were none.

The trial will resume at 9am tomorrow.

Taking the stand is will be Lans Corporal Mohd Fadil Mohd Said and Lans Corporal Mohd Yasser Mohamad Yamin, who took over from Muhidin on Jan 15.

On Friday, Dr Baldev Singh testified that Kugan, 23, was dead when he arrived at the USJ Taipan interrogation room on the morning of Jan 20.

Yesterday, officers of the court visited the room to find that it has been divided into two, with a partition built on the spot where Kugan was found lifeless.

UMNO: Shamini dinafi bantuan kebajikan.

Shamini mengalami penyakit terencat akal sejak lahir lagi dan kini berhadapan dengan penyakit otak berair. Shamini sedang diberi susu melalui saluran paip plastik. Ayahnya Ravikumar hanaya mendapat gaji RM480 sebulan. Dua orang lagi anaknya bernama Dinesh dan juga Ganesh Kumar sedang belajar di sekolah. Orang awam yang ingin membantu di minta memasukkan wang ke dalam akaun BSN mereka. (Malaysia Nanban 12/2/2010 di muka surat 12).

HRP: Why isn’t the UMNO controlled Welfare Department helping out this family with an additional RM500.00 of Welfare help and secure the 10 acre land ownership scheme in Felda, Felcra, Risda, Fama, Agropolitan, Kejora, Kesedar etc so as to give this family in distress an opportunity to come out of their poverty which arose out of UMNO’s inequality.

P.Uthayakumar

Forum on Malaysian Human Rights at the House of Commons - Hindraf and Sabah and sarawak groups lay their case on marginalization

Forum on Malaysia

House of Commons on Tuesday 9th March 2010 at Committee Room 16, between 7pm and 8.30pm.

Mr Virendra Sharma, Member of Parliament for Eating Southall, invites you to briefing at the House of Commons on Tuesday 9th March 2010.

Our Guest speakers include

Mr Waytha Moorthy, Human Rights Advocate & Chair of HINDRAF

Dr. Jeffrey G. Kitingan, Ex- Senator Malaysian Parliament & Ex-Prisoner of Conscience,

Mr Nicholas Bawin, Ex- President National Dayak Union
and Expert Witness on Native Customary Rights.

Posted by "The Monitoring Group"

THE MONITORING GROUP
www.tmg-uk.org

Vision Statement

The Monitoring Group is working towards the eradication of racism, bigotry and religious hatred and their adverse impact on victims and their communities. We are committed to a pluralistic society where human rights are intrinsic and paramount and where cultural social and political diversity is valued.

Mission Statemen

To help victims of racism and hate crimes seek justice by providing advice and practical assistance. In doing so we seek to raise public awareness of racism and religious hatred and its consequences, and, where possible, influence thinking at a local, regional and international level.

In order to deliver this we will

* Stimulate and develop an understanding of racism and religious hatred and its impact on victims and society
* Promote the health and well being of victims
* Empower victims of race and religious hatred by providing accessible support and information
* Develop and support local projects in order to meet local and grassroots needs
o Develop forums for the exchange of information, ideas, expertise and resources for agencies, communities and victims
o Develop innovative and challenging ideas to provide excellence in all our services
o To provide appropriate legal advice, advocacy and practical assistance
+ Build effective and practical partnerships with UK, European and International organisations and networks

GDP heads into positive territory

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani - The Malaysian Insider

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 24 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today that the economy grew by 4.5 per cent for the fourth quarter of 2009, although GDP for the year still shrank slightly.

The prime minister said the positive growth in Q4 was helped largely by the government’s push to pump some RM1 billion a month into the economy.

This had resulted in the country’s economic performance faring better than expected.

Najib said that overall the country’s GDP for 2009 had still contracted by 1.7 per cent which was lower than the projected -3 per cent.

He set a target for his administration of growing the economy this year by five per cent which he said could be achieved barring unforeseen circumstances.

“Sustained growth in private consumption expenditure and increased public sector spending contributed to higher domestic demand, which recorded a growth of 3 per cent in the fourth quarter,” he said in explaining the economy’s better performance in the last three months of 2009.

Najib said that private consumption growth was supported by better conditions in the labour market, a low level of inflation and higher spending for the year-end school holiday period and festive season.

He added that an increase in public sector consumption also helped push growth into positive territory.

Public sector consumption expenditure expanded further by 1.3 per cent while public sector capital spending increased substantially as the implementation of projects under the quarter kicked in.

During the fourth quarter, the development expenditure of the federal government amounted to RM17.6 billion.

Najib said that this was an increase of 9.5 per cent compared with the fourth quarter of 2008.

The PM stressed that the implementation of the two stimulus packages were key to the economic recovery.

“Over 113,000 projects under the two stimulus packages have and are being implemented, involving a total value of RM17 billion. Out of that, the government has made a payment of RM13.9 billion. Therefore on average, the government has pumped approximately RM1 billion per month into the market from January 2009.

“As one of the specific measures in the mini budget 2009, the government has provided training and created employment opportunities to cushion the difficulties faced by retrenched workers and unemployed graduates,” he said.

Dell™ DAYS OF DEALS! Extra deals on selected systems till 25th Feb!

The government has currently filled 38,495 of the 50,000 vacant posts in the federal civil service and recruited 11,131 officers on contract basis in government agencies since March 2009.

The government has also provided 100,000 training opportunities and job placements through its collaboration with the private sector.

Najib said he expected the private sector capital spending to increase this year.

“There are emerging signs of stabilization in the private sector capital spending as business sentiments continue to improve. This together with the higher public sector capital spending contributed to the turnaround in total gross fixed capital formation which registered a positive growth of 8.2 per cent during the quarter.

“On the supply side, all economic sectors recorded improved performance during the quarter. Growth in the services sector was broad based, with almost all sub-sectors recording higher growth rates. The manufacturing sector recovered to register a positive growth of 5.3 per cent, reflecting the improvement in both external and domestic demand.

“Activities in the construction sector expanded strongly by 9.2 per cent, benefiting primarily the accelerated implementation of projects under the fiscal stimulus packages and the ninth Malaysia plan,” he said.

The country’s export also recorded a positive growth of 5.1 per cent compared to -22.4 per cent in the third quarter.

Foreign direct investment also increased in 2009 to RM7.2 billion compared from RM6.7 billion with investments mainly in the manufacturing and services sector.

Najib said he was confident that the country would maintain its economic growth.

“For Malaysia the economy, yes (we can expect that the worse is over). Provided nothing seriously unexpected happens with respect to the global economy. For example any major sovereign collapse.

“Barring unforeseen circumstances of that nature, we could safely say that we have recovered from the crisis and we should be looking forward to a strong growth for 2010,” he said.

Najib said he expected the economy to grow by five per cent this year.

“As you know earlier forecast was four per cent but for this year, I am hoping that I can achieve one or two per cent more than that so we are going all out to make sure that we are able to generate the confidence and speedy implementation of projects.”

Beng Hock’s boy named ‘good son’

By Debra Chong - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 – Teoh Beng Hock’s son was named today.

“His name is Teoh Er Jia. Beng Hock is officially listed as his father,” the baby’s aunt, Teoh Lee Lan, told The Malaysian Insider over the phone.

Lee Lan explained that her nephew’s name means “good son” when pronounced in Mandarin, but was extra special as it was also a play on words and carried another meaning when the middle and last names were reversed.

“Jia Er in Mandarin also means ‘son of the Teoh family’,” she said and added that the word “Er” alone means “brother’s wish”.

She also said that “Jia” had to be included because it was the Chinese custom for families to give their children born in the same generation a shared name.

Lee Lan registered Er Jia’s birth earlier today at the National Registration Department (NRD) in Putrajaya on behalf of the three-day-old’s mother, Soh Cher Wei.

Lee Lan said she was met there by the NRD’s director-general and the division chief of the births and deaths registration who both smoothened the process and helped her to get the birth certificate within the hour.

Soh was able to leave the hospital last evening with Er Jia and is currently resting at her family home in Batu Pahat, Johor.

Lee Lan said her family will be paying the Sohs a visit this weekend to hand them the hard-won birth certificate and spend the end of the 15-day Chinese New Year festival together.

The youngest daughter in the Teoh family, Lee Lan was effusive with thanks to the many people who have aided the family to date.

“I wish to thank the prime minister for fulfilling his promise to help... Hisham for exercising his ministerial authority, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, Dr Wu Yit San, AG, Gobind, Kerk Kim Hock, Datuk Lu Yong Peng, government officers who have helped directly and indirectly in the process.

“Thank you to DAP for setting up the Teoh Beng Hock trust fund and everyone concerned about Cher Wei and my nephew and for contributing to the fund,” Lee Lan said, with relief flooding her voice.

Tee Beng apologises to PKR, not to Guan Eng

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

PETALING JAYA, Feb 23 —Errant Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng apologised to his party today for his recent outburst against a senior PKR leader but remained silent about his attacks against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The Penang-based lawmaker said he will let the party leadership resolve the issue between him and Lim and refused to comment further when pressed.

Tan said he sincerely apologised to PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali for attacking him openly through the media.

“I hope we can now move forward as a family,” he told a press conference after attending his hearing at the party headquarters here.

He said that his apology to Syed Husin should be considered as an apology to the party and hoped that his diplomatic act will be taken into consideration when the party’s disciplinary board decide on his fate.

Tan had questioned Syed Husin’s position in the party when the PKR deputy president defended the Penang CM against the former’s accusation that Lim had been treating PKR leaders in the state poorly.

He had also backed the accusations made by former Penang PKR chief Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim that Lim was a “chauvinist” and a “dictator”.

The accusation was made amid dissatisfaction over the Penang government’s refusal to provide constituency funds to Penang PKR MPs.

He was subsequently referred to the disciplinary board along with Zahrain but the latter resigned to become independent, citing a loss of confidence in the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Lim as the Penang chief minister.

The Nibong Tebal MP maintained today that he would not be leaving the party saying he is “still very much a PKR member.”

Commenting on his hearing today, Tan said he was satisfied with the process.

“I am very satisfied with the hearing. I answered all the questions they asked me and I explained my position and why I did what I did,” he said, adding that the board had asked him to explain the reasons behind his outburst.

The first-term lawmaker said he was convinced of the board’s sincerity to resolve the issue and expressed confidence that it will be fair when deciding on his fate which he assumed will be decided in one to two weeks time.

“So I plead to the media to give me space and let the issue be resolved.I’m tired already lah,” he said jokingly.

Tan was jovial and in good spirits throughout the press conference.

Also present at the press conference were Kapar MP M Manickavasagam, PKR Wanita chief and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne, all of whom expressed support for Tan.

Hartal 1953

Hartal 1953 was a country-wide demonstration, commonly known as a hartal, held in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on August 12, 1953. It was organised to protest of the policies and actions of the incumbent United National Party government, and resulted in the resignation of the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake. It was the first mass political action in Ceylon.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Wikipedia

In the General Elections held in 1952, Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake's United National Party (UNP) secured a majority in Parliament. However, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), and others, complained about irregularities that took place during the election.[citation needed]

After the elections Finance Minister J. R. Jayewardene introduced a budget which abolished the subsidy on rice, increased the price of sugar, did away with the free mid-day meal for school children and increased postal fees and rail fares. The more than doubling of the cost of rice was the main "battle cry" of the organisers of the hartal.

Sri Lanka leftist parties led the call for the hartal, especially the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), which felt that it had lost the most in the 1952 elections. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Ceylon Indian Congress (CIC) supported protests against the elimination of the rice subsidy, but did not support a hartal. The Communist Party of Ceylon (CPC), who gained a seat in the 1952 elections, together with their allied party the Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party (VLSSP), also gave verbal supported to the idea of hartal, but there is disagreement about how much they participated.

On 12 August 1953, a hartal, or work stoppage and demonstrations, were held throughout Ceylon. The main complaint was the proposed elimination of the subsidy on rice, but it also included the disenfranchisement of Tamils in the 1952 election as well as other election irregularities. Some commentators suggest that the hartal only occurred in one-third of the country.

The most incendiary acts on 12 August took place in certain localities along the western and south-western seaboard, e.g., Maharagama, Boralesgamuwa, Gangodawila, Kirillapone, Egoda Uyana, Katukurunda, Koralawella, Waskaduwa, Karandeniya, Dompe, Akurala, Totagamuwa, Hikkaduwa, and Rajgama, where there were widespread riots and extensive damage to communications and transportation facilities. Some of the damage was deliberate anti-government sabotage.

Because of the disenfranchisement of Tamils, the Jaffna Peninsula in particular participated fully in the work-stoppage, although there was no noteworthy violence reported. There were also widespread demonstrations in the 24 divisions of the Western, Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces in which the Emergency Regulations were longest maintained. These areas consist of the Alutkuru Korale South, Meda Pattuwa, Adikari Pattuwa, Siyane Korale, Alutgam and Panawal Korales, Colombo Mudaliyars' Division, Salpiti Korale, Panadura Totamune, Kalutara Totamune, Bentota Walalawiti Korale, Wellaboda Pattu, Colombo Municipal area, and the Urban Council areas of Avissawella, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Gampaha, Jaela, Kolonnawa, Kotte, Wattala-Mabola-Peliyagoda, Beruwala, Kalutara, Panadura and Ambalangoda.

The hartal was primarily a protest of the labouring classes, and as such there were no exclusions based upon caste, ethnicity or religion, even the Roman Catholics participated, notably in the Negombo, Wennappuwa and Ragama areas.

The acts of sabotage occurred throughout the country. For instance, on the railways, rails and fishplates were removed. In Waskaduwa, the rails, and sleepers with them, were torn up for over a mile, with the telegraph posts toppled over along the whole stretch. In Totagamuwa, the wooden sleepers were set on fire which warped the rails. In numerous places telephone and telegraph wires were cut. In Egoda Uyana, the demonstrators invaded the station, captured a train and uncoupled the engine so that the train could not leave. Buses, particularly those of the Gamini Bus Co. Ltd. and the High Level Road Bus Co. Ltd. were stopped, stoned, and smashed by the demonstrators. The principal bus routes were blocked with felled trees and other barriers so that military escorts were required. Bridges had their planks removed, and in a few cases were dynamited.

The hartal was scheduled for only one day, but in some cases the crowds were so worked up that they continued until the morning of the 13th. Shaun Goonewardene held that there was no intent to continue the demonstrations after the 12th, while Edmund Samarakkody suggested that the demonstrators were ready to go on only if the leadership had given them a signal.

In many areas the police and demonstrators clashed and at least ten people were killed.

On 12 August the Cabinet met on board the HMS Newfoundland, a British warship docked in the Colombo harbour. The immediate result of the meeting was that portions of the country were placed under Emergency Regulations, essentially martial law, and Dudley Senanayake resigned as Prime Minister. The United National Party (UNP) remained in control of the government and elected John Lionel Kotalawela as Prime Minister.

The UNP would go on to lose the 1956 elections to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which contested under the "Sinhala only" slogan. Dudley Senanayake went on to serve as Prime Minister on two other occasions, for 4 months in 1960, and a full term from 1965-70.

The 1953 hartal is, of course, the central event of its history to which Sri Lanka's Old Left looks back with heroic nostalgia. For many years Hartal Day was an occasion for rousing speeches by the Left. It was an application of the classic Marxist thesis of the general strike but those who called the hartal never intended to take it beyond that stage, whereas in the Marxist playbook a general strike ought to lead to the overthrow of the government in power. But still nursing gradualist illusions of ultimately seeking parliamentary power the LSSP leaders primarily did not envisage anything like such a scenario. In retrospect it has become the traditional wisdom to say that it was not the Old Left but the SLFP which benefited from the hartal in the form of the popular upsurge of 1956 which felled the UNP and brought S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike to power as prime minister.

While those who later broke away from the LSSP have all complained in varying degrees of the LSSP's failure to mobilize after the hartal for a bigger onslaught against the state, the party's official historian Leslie Goonewardene offers this explanation: Most important of all, it was the considered view of the LSSP (as well as we believe of the VLSSP-CP United Front) that the mass movement had reached only a stage of protest against the actions of the Government in imposing the burdens it did on the masses, and not at a stage where it was aiming at the overthrow of the Government.

The long-term effect was for politicians in Ceylon, and then Sri Lanka, to recognise that the labouring classes had power, and that in turn increased the coercive effect and hence political power of trade unions.

Salahuddin slams police for harassing Pakatan leaders

(Harakah Daily) - PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub has slammed the police for attempting to “put fear” into Pakatan Rakyat leaders in a bid to stop them from exposing the corruption and excesses of the Umno-BN federal government.

“They are trying to put fear into us and to stop us from speaking up about the top Umno-BN leadership. So at every opportunity, they have whipped out the Sedition Act to frighten us. But it is the most ridiculous harassment and wastes a lot of our time which we can spend servicing the rakyat,” Salahuddin, the Kubang Kerian MP, told Harakahdaily.

"The people will surely see through this play-acting because the reports lodged against us actually came from within the police force itself. Why are they so busy monitoring us? Shouldn't they catching the big crooks or have they been told their No.1 priority now is to stop Pakatan using whatever means?"

Again picking on Penang

Salahuddin and his PKR counterpart Sivarasa Rasiah were hauled up by the police and quizzed at their offices in Parliament this morning for allegedly having made seditious comments during a rally at Seberang Jaya, Penang on Fenruary 7.

Just days ago, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was told by the police they needed his statements as six reports had been made against him.

Meanwhile, Salahuddin said he had spoken about the Allah issue – which involves the use of the word Allah to describe God by non-Muslims.

He also spoke about Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, which has been internationally condemned as being rigged by Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration to derail his political career.

“I also spoke about the NEP and how only the Umnoputras have benefited from the affirmative action and special policies but how the majority of ordinary Malays have been by-passed,” Salahuddin said.

Sodomy trial

As for Sivarasa, his speech had largely dwelt on Anwar’s sodomy trial.

“I don’t see a problem for me to explain my view to the public and give a political analysis so people can make their own conclusions,” said Sivarasa, who is also the Subang MP and one of Anwar’s defense lawyers in the sodomy trial.

Both men have denied uttering any seditious remarks and are now waiting for the next move from the police.

“Given their bad track record and the on-going scandal at the MACC over Teoh Beng Hock’s case, this only proves that the police are under the political thumb of the top Umno leaders,” Salahuddin said.

The Malaysia Divide

An institutional overhaul is long overdue in Kuala Lumpur

"The Leopard," Giuseppe di Lampedusa's celebrated novel about the crumbling feudal order in 19th century Sicily, made famous the line, "If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change." That pretty much sums up the predicament of Malaysia's ruling elite today.

BY ALICE LLOYD GEORGE, Wall Street Journal

The sodomy trial of Anwar Ibrahim drags on in Kuala Lumpur, with the opposition leader's freedom and political career hanging in the balance. But the true significance of this anachronistic case does not depend on the outcome in the courtroom. The political assassination of Mr. Anwar aside, Malaysia is witnessing the death throes of a political machine that has run the country for over five decades. Mr. Anwar is a skilled politician who holds together an unlikely alliance of opposition parties—his conviction would certainly be a blow for the prospect of real political pluralism in Malaysia. But he also serves as a vessel for wider social forces and a disenchantment with the country's leadership. Another figure would surely take his place at the head of the reform movement.

The ruling coalition was founded on the principle that the three main races—Malays, Chinese and Indians—participate in politics through their own parties. Coupled with an elaborate system of affirmative action, this has allowed the United Malays National Organization to maintain a lock on power by protecting Malays from the winds of competition. After the opposition made unprecedented gains in the March 2008 elections, desperate tactics were called for, hence a rather tired repeat of the homosexuality charge first brought against Mr. Anwar a decade ago, now dubbed "Sodomy II" by a skeptical public. The government has denied that the trial is politically motivated.

That the political system and patronage network are under increasing stress is clear, but the prognosis is not yet apparent to all. Some in UMNO, like Prime Minister Najib Razak, think they can maintain the old system by merely tinkering around the edges. Mr. Najib has gestured toward loosening long-standing affirmative-action policies, but any good intentions are obstructed by entrenched interests in UMNO's conservative wing—to date the repeals have been cosmetic at best. Others are coming to a different realization—Malaysian society has matured and even Malays now recognize that outdated and discriminatory policies must give way to a more transparent and accountable system.

One such leader is Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a former finance minister of royal blood. Mr. Razaleigh has re-emerged as an outspoken critic of the government in recent weeks, though he strongly denies any intention of switching to the opposition. The 73-year-old party veteran has a history of challenging the leadership; in 1988 he left UMNO and formed a rival Malay party before returning to the fold in 1996.

Sitting in his Kuala Lumpur home—a remarkably exact replica of the White House's Oval Office—Mr. Razaleigh argues that UMNO politicians have not been responsive to calls for reform. "The young want to see a really multiracial organization, fighting on egalitarian issues, without having to fall back on race," he explains. "Unless the party system and the political system are reformed exhaustively, I think we are going to be pulled back into the same boat we have been in for the last 50 years."

Mr. Razaleigh believes that Malaysians want to move beyond identity politics, but UMNO is unable to break away from its Malay nationalist roots. Most recently, the government appealed a court ruling that allowed the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. Though UMNO called for calm, the prime minister's statement that he couldn't stop protestors from expressing their opinions only served to fan the flames. The ruling was followed by a spate of desecration and arson attacks on churches and mosques. Mr. Najib further undermined the government's response to the crisis when he flew across the world for a 10-day tour of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and India, taking key cabinet ministers and senior officials with him.

By contrast, in a milestone decision, the opposition Islamic party PAS—which only 10 years ago campaigned to create a theocratic state with Sharia law—took a more moderate stance, urging Malaysians to respect the court ruling. The irony is that while UMNO continues to play race politics to out-Islam its opponents, PAS is appealing to a more progressive voter base.

Part of the reason for the electorate's change of heart is the realization that Malaysia risks being left behind economically if it doesn't climb out of its middle-income trap and eliminate the inefficiencies inherent in racial policies. These policies were formulated in the 1970s, when Malaysia was a tiger economy. Now its growth lags behind Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia—the new "i" in BRIC—and China and India increasingly pose competitive challenges.

The country has suffered from an acute brain drain over the last decade, as individuals seek education and employment in countries where talent is better rewarded. Now it faces capital flight, too, with foreign direct investment dropping to $2.7 billion in 2009 from $8.1 billion the previous year, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimates. One reason is the fear that UMNO will continue to play the race card and stir up tensions to keep itself in power. Another is the government's failure to undertake much-needed institutional reforms and address issues such as corruption, civil liberties and judicial independence. Malaysia's risk index, as calculated by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, rose to 5.4 in January from 5.24 in December on a 10-point scale.

If there is a silver lining here, it is that even as UMNO has stoked tensions, by and large Malaysians have refused to be provoked—a stark contrast to the May 13 Incident in 1969, when rumors of ethnic slights quickly snowballed into massive riots and emergency rule. And that is one more indication that leaders like Mr. Anwar and Mr. Razaleigh are right that Malaysian society is ripe for change. If the current UMNO elite is to stand any chance of remaining in power, it needs to focus on remedying the very real challenges on its doorstep, rather than felling the opposition. Societal reform based on equality of opportunity is a change that is long overdue.

Ms. Lloyd George is a Princeton in Asia fellow at The Wall Street Journal Asia.

Press self-censorship in Malaysia: a case study

Aiyoh! Do all Chinese prostitute themselves like this? I hope not or else this country is doomed. Hmm…what did that special officer to Prime Minister Najib say in the 1Malaysia seminar in Melaka: all Chinese came to this country as prostitutes? Well, at least The Star and its owners, MCA, did. And they are still prostituting themselves.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

No offence meant

It has been brought to our attention that a commentary piece in The Star headlined “Persuasion, not compulsion” on the recent caning of three women for syariah offences has offended certain quarters.

We would like to categorically state that there was no intention to insult or offend Muslims with the article by managing editor P. Gunasegaram that was published last Friday.

The Star sincerely apologises to those who were offended by the content of the article.

As a newspaper that bills itself as The People’s Paper, we strive to serve all our readers’ interests and are mindful of the need to be sensitive to their beliefs.

The Star, 24 February 2010

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Muslims instruct goodness and rule out evil as to Allah's command to "command what is right and forbid what is wrong" (Surah Luqman, verse 17)

There is no compulsion where deen is concerned. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surah al-Baqara, verse 256)

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Based on the Deen-i Islam, the very first requirement from humans is their sincerity, their ikhlas, their inner honesty, cordiality, so that whatever they perform should be as they wished from inside; and that they must never act for show-off and hypocrisy. The very first thing that Islam disapproves is hypocrisy (the state of a munafiq), that is, acting outward in dishonesty for a purpose, while the inner beliefs contradict with outward actions. For example, performing Salaat or fasting or wearing head-cover because of being forced to, without an inner warm reception, never make someone a believer. On the contrary, it turns a person into a munafiq, i.e., hypocrite.

If someone had at least some faith (iman) in spite of not being able to fulfil some practices, he is at least not an unbeliever. But if we force someone to take some unwilled actions, and if he performs those actions under our pressuring, then we will be pushing that person into hypocrisy and have undergone the responsibility of his misbehaviour.

UP TO DATE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM by Ahmed Hulus

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Actually, after writing about issues involving Islam the last two days I thought I would give this subject a rest. But when I saw what The Star published today I just can’t help myself but, yet again, flog this dead horse, so to speak.

The Star did not mention the real reason why they published that apology above but it does not take a genius to figure out why they did so -- because, as usual, they received a phone call from the ministry that decides at the end of the year whether their newspaper licence should be renewed or not.

That’s right. Your newspaper permit is renewable annually and there has been many an occasion when the ministry holds back the renewal if they consider that newspaper too much of a problem.

Furthermore, the newspaper owners or editors would constantly be summoned to the ministry to be given a piece of the government’s mind. Some newspapers have to make almost weekly visits to the ministry to get a scolding.

This is how censorship is imposed in Malaysia. No doubt the government will claim that Malaysian newspapers, in their wisdom, practice self-censorship. But when they chop your cock off how else to lead your life other than by being a celibate? (Celibacy means to abstain from sex in case some of you do not know that).

The Star was propagating persuasion as opposed to compulsion. I have always said you can’t legislate conduct. You need to educate people. So what The Star said was basically the same thing. Teach them. Don’t force them. And if after teaching them they still don’t follow then there must be something wrong with the education system.

Islam says that you must propagate amar maaruf, nahi munkar. See Surah Luqman, verse 17 above. The Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, has used this phrase before -- amar maaruf, nahi munkar -- and the Umno boys got very upset. They feel it is wrong for Guan Eng to use Arabic words and quotes from the Quran.

That is stupid. The Quran was revealed to all mankind as a message to all mankind, not just to Muslims. So how can it be wrong for Guan Eng to quote from the Quran in Arabic? This is how narrow-minded Umno people are. They should be proud that Guan Eng saw fit to quote the Quran. I am delighted that there are at least some things in the Quran a non-Muslim like Guan Eng finds worthy to quote from.

And see what Surah al-Baqara, verse 256 says -- there is no compulsion in Islam. Is this not what The Star said? And is this not what the Quan also says? So why was The Star made to apologise for saying this? Is not what The Star said a quote right out from the Quran?

Aiyah! Sometimes I feel so disgusted I just don’t see any point in talking about it.

And why should there be no compulsion? Why should we educate and not legislate? Why should we not force people? Well, Ahmed Hulus explained this in his opinion above. If you force people then they do it because they are being forced to do so and not because they believe that this is the right thing to do. In other words, they are not sincere in doing it and this would make them a hypocrite. So compulsion breeds hypocrisy.

If you force someone to go to the mosque to pray and if he would be sent to jail if he does not, then certainly he would go to the mosque to pray. But he is doing it only to avoid jail and not because he believes that going to the mosque to pray is the right thing to do. He in fact does not even believe in your God. But he goes to the mosque anyway while his heart is not in the ritual he has to perform in the mosque.

I suppose this will be just like how a prostitute earns her living. She opens her legs for you because she needs the money. It is not about love. She does not enjoy the sex with you. She is hoping you will get it over and done with quickly so that she can get out of there.

And would not those who are forced to perform certain things for profit, or abstain from certain things because they are afraid of the punishment, be no better than prostitutes -- religious prostitutes? It is something they do because they have no other choice. It is not something they do because they believe in it.

This is the height of hypocrisy.

And this makes The Star a prostitute as well. They do things according to what they are paid to do and not because they believe it is the right thing to do. They do what is necessary to be able to stay in business and make money and not because they want to fulfil a community service. Profit above the nation, that is The Star’s motto, not The People’s Paper, as they claim.

Aiyoh! Do all Chinese prostitute themselves like this? I hope not or else this country is doomed. Hmm…what did that special officer to Prime Minister Najib say in the 1Malaysia seminar in Melaka: all Chinese came to this country as prostitutes? Well, at least The Star and its owners, MCA, did. And they are still prostituting themselves.

The Star was right the first time around -- persuasion, not compulsion. And by apologising for saying the right thing because they want to please the government in the interest of profit makes The Star a prostitute.

Self-censorship my foot.

Spare the Rod, Spoil the Country

Malaysia seeks to organize an international caning conference

Malaysia appears determined to make an international fool of itself. The latest news, according to Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Women's Minister, is that the country is considering organizing an international conference on caning and whether it is an appropriate punishment for women under Islamic law.

The announcement by Shahrizat comes on the heels of a government statement last week, nine days after the fact, that a shariah court had ordered the caning of three women for adultery. A fourth, far more publicized, is the case of Kartika Dewi Shukarni, a part-time model who was ordered by a shariah court to be caned for drinking beer. The case is still hanging fire while the Regent of Pahang decides how to treat the matter.

This all is in addition to the widely publicized show trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on charges of consensual sex with a male, a selective prosecution at best even if he did it, since Kuala Lumpur throngs with gay bars, and political persecution at the worst over widespread suspicion that the charges were trumped up. There is also the January violence in the wake of a high court judge's decision to allow the Malaysian Catholic Church to use the word Allah as a synonym for God in its Malay-language editions of its newspaper, the Catholic Herald. Eleven churches, a Sikh temple and two Muslim prayer rooms were attacked.

Many critics hold UMNO responsible for fanning racial disharmony. In the cases of the prayer rooms, eight UMNO members were arrested for attacking them in an apparent attempt to make it look like either Chinese or Indians had done it. There are similar suspicions that ethnic Malays had thrown pigs' heads with money in their mouths into mosques in Kuala Lumpur.

That, plus the continuing political turmoil, appears to be driving up flight capital totals and citizens who are leaving along with their money. And it is giving international investors some serious second thoughts at a time when the export-led economy is finally starting to emerge from the global financial crisis that began in October of 2008.

As to the caning, in the first place the government ought to organize a conference on whether caning, Malaysia style, is an appropriate punishment for anybody, anywhere. Although it is officially outlawed in only 25 countries, it is rare in a lot more, and in very few is it practiced as barbarically — on men — as it is in Malaysia, which until quite recently was regarded by the world as one of the globe's most advanced Islamic states.

Now that reputation is in shreds, largely driven not by religion but by politics. Parti Islam se-Malaysia, or PAS, a traditionally conservative opposition Islamic party, has expressed concern about the canings, announced by Hishammuddin Hussein, the Home Minister. It may well be that PAS will end up more lenient on caning than UMNO, and thus draw in more moderate Malays alienated. Dzulkefly Ahmad, the Islamist party's chief strategist, called the canings politically motivated and said Islamic justice calls for fairness without cruelty or corruption.

The caning itself makes one wonder if Malaysia can do anything right. Hishammuddin told reporters the caning was carried out while the women were fully clothed and seated, and the person wielding the whip was not allowed to raise his (or her) arm above the shoulder. The caning, he said, "did not injure them, [but] the three women said it caused pain within their souls."

One would assume that the purpose of corporal punishment is to cause pain. And when it is done to males in Malaysia and other countries that were once part of the British empire, the damage from the rotan, a thick rattan whip, can be so traumatic that they pass out after one or two strokes. The wounds can take months to heal, at which time the authorities may subject the offender to the rest of his strokes. Offenders have been known to beg for more prison time to escape the rotan. Authorities use only a light rattan stick to hit women on their backs.

So what the caning of the women has done is to show that to much of the world the authorities look like barbarians, while to the rest of it they look like fools for sparing the rod and trying to have it both ways.

Certainly, the outcry across both Malaysia and the world should have been enough to give pause to the government.

"The case constitutes further discrimination against Muslim women in Malaysia," said Hamidah Marican, executive director of Sisters in Islam, a moderate Muslim women's group, in a statement. "And to do this surreptitiously implies that the government wanted to hide this degrading and unjust treatment from public scrutiny." Sofia Lim Sui Ching, president of the All Women's Action Society (AWAM), told local media the government must explain itself for allowing the punishment to be carried out in a government prison in secret without addressing issues raised in Kartika's case, which is still hanging fire while the ex-model meets with the Regent of Pahang.

"The caning of these three women is just the tip of the iceberg," said Donna Guest, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific program, in a prepared statement. "Since 2002 the Malaysian authorities have caned over 35,000 people, mostly non-Malaysians for immigration offenses."

The rights organizations also object on the basis that Malaysia has a two-tier justice system. Muslims come under the jurisdiction of shariah courts for personal matters as a result of changes pushed through by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in the 1990s to create a parallel court system. The other 40 percent of Malaysia's 28 million people, mostly ethnic Chinese and Indians, come under the regular civil courts. Under the country's civil justice system, flogging of wmen is forbidden. Thus, the rights groups say, Muslim women are being discriminated against.

Nonetheless, Shahrizat said she plans to invite ministers from other Muslim-majority countries, academics and religious experts to exchange "ideas and experiences with regards to the implementation of shariah law."

This is not particularly a product of Islam. Judicial corporal punishment in Asia is practiced only in countries formerly ruled by the British. The late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto put an end to the practice in Pakistan.

Despite the concerns over the Anwar trial, which has drawn criticism from lawmakers in Australia and the US as trumped up to snuff out a legitimate opposition, tourism visits are up – or were, hitting about 1.5 million from January 2009, a rise of 7.2 percent year-on-year in October. Expectations of a double-digit increase in 2010 tourism may be dampened by the publicity.

Malaysia May Hold Conference on Caning Women

From Japan Today

Malaysia may organize an international conference on the issue of caning and whether it is an appropriate punishment for women under Islamic law.

Women’s Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said in a statement seen Tuesday that she would seek Cabinet approval to hold such a conference.

Malaysia announced last week that prison authorities had caned three unmarried Muslim women on Feb 9 after a Shariah, or Islamic, court in Kuala Lumpur found them guilty of having “sex out of wedlock.”

Shahrizat said she plans to invite ministers from other Muslim-majority countries, academics and religious experts to exchange “ideas and experiences with regards to the implementation of Shariah law.”

The three women who were caned reportedly had turned themselves in to Islamic authorities after sleeping with their boyfriends and getting pregnant. They defended the punishment, saying it gave them a chance to repent, according to local government-linked media.

The government, too, has insisted that caning serves a purpose and is not meant to physically harm the women. But women and other rights groups say the caning of Muslim women is cruel, degrading and discriminatory.

Authorities use a light rattan stick to hit women on their backs while they are fully clothed.

Caning of men is common in Malaysia for such offenses as rape, drug trafficking and illegally staying in the country. The strokes with a thick rattan cane on bare buttocks inflict wounds and leave scars. Civil law forbids such caning of women and children.

Malaysia has a two-tier justice system. Muslims, who make up 60% of the country’s 28 million people, go to Shariah courts for personal matters, while civil courts judge non-Muslims, mostly ethnic Chinese and Indians.

Singapore's Ethnic Education Problems

Room on the boat for Singapore's Malays?

Ethnic Malays at the bottom of the ladder

Contrary to popular perception, Singapore does actually have a working Parliament, in which ministers are occasionally asked questions, some of which are not plants.

In Parliament Monday, one such incident occurred when Zaqy Mohamed, vice-chairman of the ruling People's Action Party's youth wing and an ethnic Malay MP, asked the education minister what was being done about the persistent educational under-performance of ethnic Malay students compared to Singaporeans of other ethnic backgrounds.

The problem is a serious and persistent one. Figures from the Education Ministry show that while Singaporean exam results have increased across the board over the last decade, the stark disparities between the city-state's main three ethnic groups remain.

In 2008, just 59.3 percent of Malay students achieved 5 passes at O-level, the exams taken by 15 and 16-year-olds, compared to 86.2 percent of Chinese and 73 percent of Indians.

For additional details, please see The Asia File at Asian Correspondent.

Poor, unworkable attempt to discredit Penang

Letter by Lilian

I refer to the letter Penang must arrest this alarming decline. As a citizen journalist and a Penangite who loves my island, I wish to point out some of the things that the writer mentioned in his letter. Being a citizen journalist, it is my habit to observe and report on things on the ground.

Firstly, I found that the same writer has written the same letter to The Star and The Sun in January. Obviously, he is still sore from the ’supposed nightmares’ he encountered in Penang after two months. A blogger had posted these two letters on his blog and claimed it as a blatant attempt to discredit the Penang government by BN/Umno.

I shall not dwell into the political side of things. But I can provide my own observations:

1. Penang has improved tremendously in terms of cleanliness. The writer said he found Penang to have deteriorated so much that it made him to swear not to visit the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ ever again. But as a Penangite, I can see the state has improved a lot in terms of cleanliness in recent months.

   In fact, the former council president had ‘gone to the ground’ to meet us citizen journalists when we pointed out a pile of rubbish outside Captain Francis Light’s grave. He then ordered a garbage disposal truck to clear the debris left by irresponsible people and asked his men to ensure cleanliness.

2. ‘Overwhelming’ posters of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng – The writer implied Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had an overwhelming presence like North Korean dictator Kim Il Sung and Tamil Nadu politicians through his billboards and banners. I agree that there were some tourism billboards with Lim’s face on them. However, when I mentioned this over my Facebook status a while back, I was told that these will be taken down. Now, they are no longer there so I guess our grouses have been heard and heeded.

   However, it is common in Pakatan Rakyat states such as Kedah and Penang (the only two states I have observed) to place at strategic locations the Hari Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali greetings from state leaders and elected reps. I have asked a few state assembly persons why the need the spend money on such posters and was told that many people in their constituencies do not recognise their representatives.

   Therefore, I can only say that we shall have to endure these smiling faces grinning at us until our fellow Penangites are sure who are their state reps.

3. Bad traffic jams due to the Grand Prix – The Petronas Cub Prix held on Dec 20, 2009 was an event covered by citizen journalists and we can attest that the event received tremendous response. Only a certain stretch of road along the Esplanade was closed for a short time. Therefore, it is ridiculous for the writer to expect a jam-free Penang waiting for him during Christmas, New Year and the school holiday seasons.

   Moreover, there are very few hotels in that area. The bigger hotels like E&O and City Bayview would have probably warned their guests in advance.

4. Midnight parking – The state did not ‘quietly’ extended parking fees to midnight as claimed by the writer. It was mentioned in the papers and Penangites knew about this. The reason given for the extended parking fee collection was to deter the ‘jaga kereta’ menace. Some of them used to haunt the Esplanade areas and there were several drug addicts high on drugs who create a huge spectacle if you dis not give them some money.

   I have seen this with my own eyes and certainly welcomed the move to feed the machine 30 sen every half and hour. It is legitimate money earned by the municipal council instead of encouraging drug abusers to demand money and terrorise tourists.

5. ‘Ugly structures’ at Batu Feringghi – It is very easy to give a general picture of ‘ugly structures’. If the writer wishes to be more specific, please write to the municipal council and lodge a formal complaint. As far as I know, there have not been any ‘cleaners’ at Penang’s beaches.

   We are not like the Thais where each stall, pub and hotel owner works hard to keep the beaches clean. I have personally heard the new municipal council president telling her directors and staff to ensure beach and toilet cleanliness.

6. ‘Frenzied’ construction in town – As far as I know, some of the works are part of heritage restoration. Georgetown is part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

7. Illegal hawkers and parking – I am sure CM Lim will be very pleased to get the writer’s specific complaints on which illegal structures he is referring to because the state has come under a lot of flak over the demolition of illegal structures. I bet the writer’s grouses will help CM Lim tremendously in proving the importance of maintaining orderliness.

   As for parking, the Pulau Tikus area is a clamping zone and no one dares to do double parking there. Otherwise, we Penangites are pretty patient folks and we live with the bit of chaos which is what makes us unique. Charm amidst the chaos.

8. Tamil road signs – Since I don’t read Tamil, I cannot go into this. But rest assured, if I ever get a chance, I will go to Little India and ask the Indians there if the signs are translated properly. So which road names were wrongly translated?

9. Not familiar with the state politics? The writer started out as a very displeased tourist. However, it puzzles me why he would want to mention that he is not familiar with the state’s politics? As a Penangite, I don’t see any politics in these issues as they are all administrative matters. Since Pakatan Rakyat took over, the state has improved by leaps and bounds.

   We are now people-centric. So regular folks like me get a voice. If something displeases me, I get to lodge a complaint with the right authority. The state departments like the council and Land Office etc all have their own websites. We can write to the directors and get our views heard by the right department. Our state reps are easily accessible to us. So as far as we are concerned, it is not about politics unless one wants to dabble in it.

As I had mentioned in my opening paragraph, I take pride in being a Penangite. Letters like the writer’s which give sweeping statements do not augur well for the attractions of this beautiful island I am living in. He has sent letter after letter to the media with the same complaints.

If he is so deeply unhappy, please forward all your complaints to the right department instead of painting Penang as such an ugly picture. Otherwise, our wide network of citizen journalists around Malaysia can help the writer make a video with specific details. I personally give the writer my assurance that I will ensure that all the relevant departments including the CM’s office are informed about his grouses but only if they are supported by facts, receipts (of parking ticket) and photos.

Right-thinking Malaysians gravely concerned at the rise of intolerance and bigotry under Najib’s 1Malaysia

By Lim Kit Siang,

According to Malaysiakini, four police reports were lodged in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur yesterday over an article last Friday entitled “Persuasion, not compulsion” by the Star managing editor P. Gunasegaram for allegedly containing seditious material which insulted the Malays and Islam.

The police reports state that Gunasegaram’s commentary on the recent syariah whipping sentence meted against three women was an insult to Muslims and contended that Gunasegaram has no right to comment about Islamic jurisprudence because he is not a Muslim.

There were calls for Gunasegaram to be sacked as Star managing editor and for boycott of Star unless there is an apology.

I have not read the Star article before the police reports. The Star has no love for me and I have no love for Star. However, as a matter of principle, I read Gunasegaram’s article and I find it quite rational and sensible, there was no intention to insult or scandalise Islam and it should be the last object for criminalisation and the subject of police reports.

The whipping of women under syariah criminal offences legislation has created controversy for a variety of reasons, including for contradicting civil law where women are not punishable by caning under Section 289 of Criminal Procedure Code.

Gunasegaram made the valid point about indications that Malays, especially women, are migrating and leaving their homeland, not because they don’t have opportunities here but because as Muslims, their personal freedom is restricted – and there is danger that it will be curtailed even more.

Right-thinking Malaysians are gravely concerned at the rise of intolerance and bigotry under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia and Najib must give this disturbing trend his personal attention if Malaysia is not to be the frequent focus of adverse international attention and be a loser in the international competition for talents.

Is Malaysia’s plural society under Najib’s 1Malaysia moving towards greater openness, tolerance and liberalism or retreating into the shell of greater intolerance, bigotry and extremism?

Najib Wants Feedback On 1Malaysia Clinics

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants members of the public who have received treatment at the 1Malaysia Clinics to share their thoughts on their experience.

He also encouraged the public to submit their comments through his blog at www.1malaysia.com on how the government could improve the concept further.

"If you have used one yourself already, please share your thoughts on your experience and how you think we can improve the concept of the 1Malaysia Clinic further, by submitting a comment here," he said in his latest posting in his blog, here Wednesday.

Najib said so far, the 1Malaysia Clinic which was first opened in Lembah Pantai on Dec 28 last year and another 50 in selected urban areas, had been very popular with the people.

"But we will not rest on our laurels, the government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these clinics to ensure the needs of the rakyat are adequately addressed," he said.

He said more than 100,000 people, representing an average of 80 to 200 patients per clinic every day, had visited the clinics to seek light treatment for complaints such as headaches and colds.

In the 2010 Budget, Najib had announced the formation of the new 1Malaysia Clinic throughout the country costing RM10 million and conceived in the spirit of "People First, Performance Now" to provide immediate healthcare to all Malaysians in housing areas in need of basic services.

Residents who were unable to receive treatment from private clinics, either because they were too far from where they lived or because their services were too expensive, would now have a practical alternative with the existence of the 1Malaysia Clinics.

The clinics which are strategically located and open daily for 12 hours from 10am until 10pm provide quality treatment for just RM1 while non-Malaysians would have to pay RM15.

Out of the woods

The Sun
Husna Yusop

PUTRAJAYA (Feb 24, 2010) : The Malaysian economy has turned around and recovered from the implications of the global crisis, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said.

It registered a 4.5% growth in the fourth quarter of last year, amid strengthened domestic and external demand. For the year 2009, the economy contracted by 1.7%, lower than -3% that was projected earlier.

Barring new serious problems in the world economy, like a major sovereign collapse, "we could safely say we have recovered from the crisis," Najib said.

He expressed optimism in a strong growth for this year, adding that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for this year could achieve 5%, higher than the earlier forecast of 4%.

"We are going all out to ensure we are able to generate confidence and speedy implementation of projects and also encourage private sector to invest.

"And with higher consumer confidence, we should make this a good year in terms of economic performance," he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the cooperation between Felda, Felcra Bhd and Risda.

Najib said sustained growth in private consumption expenditure and increased public sector spending had contributed to higher domestic demand, which recorded a 3% growth in the fourth quarter.

"Private consumption growth was supported by better conditions in the labour market, a low level of inflation and higher spending for the year-end school holiday period and festive season."

He also said the public sector has continued its key role of providing impetus to growth during the quarter.

"Public sector consumption expenditure expanded further by 1.3% while public sector capital spending increased substantially as the implementation of projects under the fiscal stimulus package gained further momentum during the quarter.

"During the quarter, the development expenditure of the federal government amounted to RM17.6 billion, an increase of 9.5% compared with the fourth quarter of 2008," he said.

Najib said the accelerated implementation of the government’s two stimulus packages has been a key factor in contributing to the economic recovery.

To date, over 113,000 projects under the stimulus packages have and were being implemented, involving a total value of RM17 billion and out of this, the government has made a payment of RM13.9 billion.

"Therefore, on average, the government has pumped approximately RM1 billion per month into the market from January 2009," he said.

He explained that one of the main reasons for the ability to spend this much was because of the special monitoring unit attached to the Finance Ministry which was not in existence before.

"This unit was working flat out and engaging implementing ministries and central agencies to make sure all programmes under the two packages could be implemented speedily.

"And this is one of the main reasons why we managed to achieve more than expected in terms of our economic recovery," he said.

On the external sector, Malaysia’s export performance recovered to record a positive growth of 5.1%, supported by improvements in external demand, particularly from the regional economies and from stronger commodity prices.

"Malaysia also continues to receive foreign direct investment (FDI). In the fourth quarter of 2009, gross inflows of FDI increased to RM7.2 billion, with investments mainly in the manufacturing and services sectors," he said.

Najib also said the rapid and proactive implementation of expansionary fiscal policy measures, accommodative monetary policy and comprehensive measures to ensure continued access to financing played important roles in mitigating the impact of the global recession on the Malaysian economy.

This has also brought about the rapid resumption of growth in the economy, he added. - theSun

Syabas slaps S'gor govt with RM339m claim - Anil Netto

The Selangor state government has received a letter of demand for RM339 million for its refusal to allow a hike in water tariffs last year.

The compensation claim was contained in a letter from the lawyers of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor, the Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim revealed in a statement this evening. The letter gave the Selangor government 14 days to pay up.

Khalid said the state government had received legal advice that Syabas was not entitled to such compensation. The state government is standing by its position that Syabas had allegedly violated important issues in the concession agreement. The MB said the government was ready to face the firm in court.

Here is the full statement in Malay:

24 FEBRUARI 2010

KERAJAAN SELANGOR SEDIA KE MAHKAMAH BAGI MEMBANTAH KENAIKAN TARIF AIR

Kerajaan Selangor telah menerima surat tuntutan dari Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) berikutan keengganan kerajaan negeri membenarkan syarikat bekalan air di Lembah Klang itu menaikkan tarif air.

Syabas melalui syarikat guaman Messrs Cheang dan Ariff telah menghantar surat bertarikh 12 Februari 2010 menuntut Selangor membayar sejumlah RM339 juta sebagai pampasan kerana enggan membenarkan tarif air dinaikkan sepanjang tahun 2009.Surat tuntutan itu menegaskan kerajaan Selangor perlu membayar pampasan itu dalam tempoh 14 hari dari tarikh surat dikeluarkan atau berdepan dengan tindakan undang-undang.

Kerajaan negeri telah menerima nasihat dari panel guaman berhubung perkara itu yang mendapati Syabas tidak layak membuat tuntutan sedemikian kerana tiada berhak dan tiada keperluan.

Sehubungan itu, kerajaan negeri akan menghalang sebarang usaha atau cubaan untuk menaikkan tarif air di Selangor.Kerajaan Selangor tetap dengan pendirian bahawa Syabas telah melanggar beberapa perkara penting dalam perjanjian konsesi dan perkara itu diperakui oleh Jabatan Audit Negara. Pelanggaran syarat oleh Syabas telah menyebabkan kerugian besar kepada rakyat Selangor.

Oleh demikian, kerajaan Selangor sama sekali tidak akan membenarkan syarikat itu menaikkan tarif air seperti yang dipersetujui dalam perjanjian konsesi berkenaan.

Kerajaan negeri telah mengemukakan cadangan asal untuk menstruktur semula perkhidmatan air di Selangor yang bertujuan meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan dan lebih penting bagi mengelak kenaikan tarif air.

Bagi merealisasikan cadangan penstrukturan semula itu, kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor telah membuat tawaran yang munasabah untuk pengambilalihan itu supaya Syabas mempunyai sumber kewangan yang mencukupi untuk dijadikan suntikan modal dan membuat pelaburan.

Kerajaan negeri berpendapat, tiada sebab untuk Syabas menuntut bayaran pampasan jika syarikat utiliti itu menerima tawaran yang dibuat kerajaan Selangor.

Kerajaan Negeri menegaskan sebarang keputusan untuk menaikkan tarif air perlu mendapat persetujuan tiga pihak iaitu Kerajaan Negeri, Pemegang Konsesi dan Kerajaan Pusat.

Bagaimanapun, Kerajaan negeri tidak bercadang untuk menaikkan tarif air setakat ini dan akan terus menyimpan hak sebagai pembekal air mentah.

Kerajaan negeri sedia berdepan dengan Syabas di mahkamah jika syarikat itu mahu meneruskan cadangan untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang. Tindakan kerajaan negeri ini sejajar dan bertepatan dengan agenda “Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor (MES) yang diperjuangkan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor.

TAN SRI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIM

200 Felda settlers turn up at Suhakam - Anil Netto

1530: Felda settlers, who have contributed much to the nation’s economy, pour into the Sukaham building to highlight their plight.

1415: Scores of Felda settlers have turned up at Suhakam to submit a memorandum listing out their problems and demands.

Felda settler Saad Jamarudin: We assemble to hand over a memo to request Suhakam’s intervention to protect our rights – Photo by Tian Chua

More are expected to turn up, says an eye-witness at the scene.