If the communalist coat fits…

By Haris Ibrahim,

Since Waythmoorthy went into exile, there have been several occasions that we have communicated by phone.

I have alluded to some of those conversations, and some of the matters discussed, in several posts in this blog.

On every occasion that I have disclosed matters discussed between Moorthy and I on this blog or anywhere else, for that matter, I have first sought and obtained his agreement to such disclosure as many believe, myself included, that to do otherwise would, firstly, be in bad taste and, more importantly, discourage total candour during private discussions such as those that have passed between Moorthy and I.

Last Saturday, I spoke at the BUM2010 forum at Subang Jaya on the panel that discussed the ‘Allah’ issue.

That wrapped up by about 1.45pm. You can read about that discussion on Malaysiakini HERE.

I dashed off for another talk at a church, after first checking to see what time Uthayakumar was speaking at the BUM2010 event as I planned to come back to Subang Jaya in the hope of having a private word with Uthayakumar.

The church talk ended after 5pm.

Got back to the BUM2010 venue around 5.45pm and, yes, Uthaya was there.

I approached Uthaya and we talked for a little under 10 minutes. We stopped as the next panel discussion, ’Bloggers Role in Bridging the Religious Divide’, where Uthaya would be speaking, was about to start.

Uthaya was the third and final speaker on that panel.

On at least two occasions, Uthaya alluded to our discussion. On one of those occasions, he alluded to my having said in the course of that discussion that he and his party were still pursuing a communalist course.

I will confirm now that at no time during our discussion did I consent to such a disclosure.

During the Q&A part of that discussion, after several others had spoken from the floor, I spoke to lend my support to the views proffered by blogger A Voice ( Salahuddin Hisham ) and to say that many bloggers are reluctant to carry news posted on the HRP website given the communalist slant of their reports.

The Malaysiakini report on that panel discussion can be read HERE.

At the time of writing up this post, the second Malaysiakini report alluded to above had received 66 comments.

I reproduce one of those comments below. I have highlighted the part which I want to emphasise in red.

Anticommunalist : Dear Jiminy Qrikert, I strongly believe Uthaya, Haris and most PR leaders are on the same side but everyone’s ego is only working towards UMNO’s favour. Why can’t all of them sit down and talk amicably. It will never happen. Nobody will give in hence UMNO wins. You can’t just give a blanket statement that PR has done good and Uthaya has done bad and vice-verse. Also unruly comments such as yours don’t help either.

Given that Uthaya did not see it as being unseemly for him to disclose what I had said in the course of our discussion, I trust he will not begrudge me the right to do the same.

Anticommunalist, it will please you to know that I had asked Uthaya to meet me so that we could have a healthy ‘no holds barred’ discussion to explore how HRP and the many civil society initiatives can come together and work for the betterment of the marginalised Malaysians.

Anticommunalist does not think that discussion will happen.

I’ve asked for that discussion.

The ball is now in Uthaya’s court.

Uthaya, it seemed to me, took exception to my having referred to HRP’s politics as being communalist.

So, too, has Anticommunalist in another comment of his/hers to the second Malaysiakini report alluded to above.

Have I been unfair in categorising HRP’s politics as being communalist in nature?

Dictionary.com explains ‘communalism’ to mean, amongst others, a “strong allegiance to one’s own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole” . A ‘communalist’ is explained to mean “one who is more interested in one’s own minority or ethnic group than in society as a whole” .

UMNO was established to look out for the interests of the Malay community. No pretence is made about this. Is not UMNO a communalist party?

Are not MCA and MIC, respectively set up to supposedly look after the interests of the Chinese and Indian communities, just as communalist as UMNO?

What of Hindraf and the Human Rights Party?

On 6th February, this year, Malaysiakini reported that Waythamoorthy had taken strong exception to Hindraf being categorised as racist and asserted that if any party was racist, it was UMNO.

“A racist is one who denies other people their place in the sun and their legitimate rights under the Federal Constitution. That’s Umno. That’s the truth whether some people like it or not. A person fighting for his place in the sun and his rights under the Federal Constitution – read Hindraf – cannot by any stretch of the imagination be labeled racist. That would be defamation.” , Moorthy is reported to have said.

Malaysiakini also reported that Moorthy candidly admitted that he only raised issues touching on Malaysians of Indian origin and saw nothing wrong with that.

“I am an Indian. I know only Indian issues and no one is taking up their cause…I know that other Malaysians are also being systematically marginalised as well by the system. It’s not my business to speak up for them.” , Moorthy is reported to have said.

Is this not a communalist stance?

In fairness to Moorthy, I must disclose that the last two paragraphs of that Malaysiakini report attributes to him the following words which might be construed as contradicting his statement just quoted above.

“We have been reaching out to other Malaysians in our own way although we are very busy pushing our own case worldwide. If I am a racist, surely I won’t lift even a finger to help others fight for their place in the sun.” .

On 19th July, last year, Uthaya formally announced the formation of and application to register HRP as a multiracial party.

Malaysiakini reported Uthaya speaking about his move to register HRP.

“Our main thrust is to be the focus group in putting the Indians in Malaysia back on the mainstream development of Malaysia after 52 years of having been left out,” , Malaysiakini reports Uthaya as saying.

The report went on to say that whilst ’the party’s struggle focuses on the upliftment of the Indian community, Uthayakumar however stressed that it would not shut its doors to the plight of other communities’.

This is a multi-racial party?

I think the ‘About Us’ section of the HRP website adequately answers the question.

In his comment quoted above, Anticommunalist opines that “Nobody will give in hence UMNO wins” .

In a post in this blog on 28th November, 2007, 3 days after the historic Hindraf rally, I wrote :

“Hindraf champions the cause of the downtrodden Indians.

My friends and I in the ‘One People, One Nation’ initiative desire the emancipation of all peoples of our nation, without discrimination, without exclusion, without exception.

It follows that the ‘One People, One Nation’ initiative encompasses and includes the legitimate interests of those whom Hindraf presently stand for.

I believe that the Hindraf leadership, too, wishes the best for all Malaysians…

…in substance, both Hindraf and the ‘One People, One Nation’ initiative desire the same thing.

We are, therefore, not opponents.

BN and its ‘divide and rule’ blueprint is our common enemy…

…The danger that we face now is that, if we pursue our respective strategies and methods independent of each other rather than working together on a common strategy, neither will get anywhere and the current status quo will remain.

In all humility, I say that if Hindraf is to take the cause that it now champions to its desired end, it must now change course.

I ask the Hindraf leadership to reflect upon this with an open heart.

My friends and I would welcome with open arms the Hindraf leadership to come together as one and secure justice and equality for all” .

I wish to have placed on record that since that posting, I have made efforts too numerous to recall to persuade the leadership of Hindraf to join the many civil society efforts to fight for “all peoples of our nation, without discrimination, without exclusion, without exception”.

I shall continue to try.

Enforcing the law equally

thenutgraph.com

EVER looked both ways while driving and asked your passengers, "See any police?" before making an illegal U-turn? Or snuck a call on your mobile phone without a hands-free kit while driving? Or driven past the traffic lights just as they turned red? If so, did you know you were breaking the law? And if you did, why did you do it anyway?
Funny how the law sometimes seems flexible, especially when there's a good chance you won't be punished for breaking it. Take the May 2010 Sibu by-election campaign for example. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak "made a deal" with Sibu voters to give them RM5 million in flood mitigation if they put Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew in Parliament. Did Najib realise he was potentially breaking the law since the Election Offences Act says it's an offence to induce voters with cash promises? And if he did realise it, why did he do it anyway?
What is it about the Malaysian law enforcement system that lets its citizens regularly get away with offences, whether big or small, on a daily basis? And what happens when the chief executive, the prime minister himself or herself, flouts the rules?
Getting caught
Getting caught after breaking the law and being punished for it is a crucial factor in encouraging people to follow laws. If enough people in society regularly experience being punished for crimes, more people would be encouraged to obey the law even when the enforcers are not watching. Like Ivan Pavlov's dog which was conditioned to salivate at the tinkling of a bell, people tend to comply because they expect retribution for breaking the law, even when it's not immediately forthcoming.
For example, when driving in Australia on a recent trip, I found my eyes constantly glued to the speedometer. This was probably related to my firm belief that I would be fined if I drove even 5km per hour above the speed limit.
Our experience driving in Kuala Lumpur however is very different. We seem to have a heightened awareness of the law only under certain circumstances. During and just before festive seasons, perhaps, when road blocks are aplenty. Or when passing certain notorious junctions where police officers are known to hide behind trees or pillars, waiting to nab the unsuspecting rule-breaker. Or maybe at certain traffic lights where the red-light camera actually works and results in traffic summonses being posted to the house.
This is what happens when rules are not applied uniformly and equally to everyone. Drivers probably know that on an average day, getting caught for speeding in a residential area, for example, is relatively low. There are no comprehensive enforcement systems to track these offences. Even when summonses are issued, I know of people who deliberately leave them unpaid, in the hopes that their records will be lost in the administrative jungle of thousands of other unpaid summonses.
Rule of law
The problem of Najib's possible election offence is not just a by-election problem but one that is related to public confidence in the law enforcement system as a whole. We have become used to seeing crimes committed and the perpetrators unpunished. So although a big fuss has been made of Najib's by-election campaign in Sibu, many of us may not actually expect him to be charged for his "I help you, you help me" remarks.

The law should be equally applied and enforced, regardless of position

Such cynicism would be misplaced in a functioning democracy that upholds the rule of law. Under the rule of law, whether you are a pauper, preacher or the prime minister, the law should apply equally. And equal application essentially means equal enforcement of the law on all, regardless of position. A law is only meaningful to the extent that it is enforced.
Role of independent institutions
We need to start pressuring our democratic institutions to act independently and enforce laws equally across the board. An urban dweller for example, shouldn't be more at risk at being fined for speeding than someone in a small town or vice versa. Traffic enforcement should be as uniform as possible so that we don't only watch out for police officers and adapt our behaviour accordingly only when driving on certain stretches of the highway.  And the prime minister should be just as liable to being investigated as the opposition leader if offences have been committed.
This will require the proper functioning of several state organs. The police would have to conduct investigations efficiently and without bias. The attorney-general's chambers would have to decide independently which cases to prosecute on the basis of the strength of evidence and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. The courts would have to hear cases impartially and decide based on the evidence presented and the law. The courts also perform another important function — when laws are found to be unconstitutional and take away citizens' rights, a court can strike or read down these laws.
Only when these three organs function independently will there be a possibility of equal application of the law.
Law and certainty
When law enforcement breaks down, so does law abidance. What incentive is there for Malaysians to pay their income taxes faithfully, for example, if they knew that corrupt politicians could siphon their money away in dubious projects and get away with it?
Or what incentives would new political parties have to abide by the RM200,000 parliamentary campaign limit if they knew that their opponents could spend millions with impunity?
To go back to driving — imagine if you were at a cross-junction and you were the only one following the traffic lights while everyone else drove across willy-nilly. Wouldn't you be the only one stuck indefinitely at the junction?
Or if you're a land-owner awaiting local council approval for the construction of your house while everyone else happily bribes their way through. If you refrain, wouldn't you be the only one stuck without a home?

Najib (public domain | Wiki Commons)As much as we may find it easier to break the law at times, the reality is this — laws help make things certain so that we can go about the daily business of actually living our lives.  Well-enforced laws are meant to avoid us constantly having to worry about our neighbour's illegally approved renovations or our fellow drivers' speeding tendencies. The rule of law also ultimately helps to weed out archaic laws as their unworkability and incongruity with the times would be demonstrated when they are enforced.
So the next time you run a red light and aren't caught, don't be so quick to rejoice. It's the same lack of enforcement that allows our leaders to break the law and get away with it.

We Remain Committed & United, We Can Make It & Change Malaysia

 

Pakatan Rakyat leadership council will meet next month to chart a strategy to remove Sarawak and Sabah as the Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposit” states

The 308 political tsunami of the March 2008 general elections two years ago broke the myth of the invincibility of the Barisan Nasional as an unbeatable coalition, with the fall of Barisan Nasional in five states (although one was recovered by BN through illegal and unconstitutional means) and the removal of the hitherto unbroken BN two-thirds parliamentary majority.

The 516 Sibu Miracle, where the Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat made its debut and fielded the first PR candidate in Sarawak winning a seat which the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had described as a BN “fortress”, is a clear and unmistakable message of the deep-seated aspirations of Malaysians, including the people of Sarawak and Sabah, for change and the possibility of the 308 “political tsunami” being taken into its full flush nationally in the 13th General Elections.

Despite strenuous public denials by Barisan Nasional leaders, not only nationally but also in Sarawak and Sabah, there is no doubt that they are fully aware of the far-reaching implications of the Sibu by-election result – explaining the recent panicky reaction, both in statements and conduct, of top BN leaders in the two states.

The Pakatan Rakyat leadership council will meet next month to chart a strategy to remove Sarawak and Sabah as the Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposit” states.

One important meaning of the Sibu by-election result is that Barisan Nasional cannot take Sarawak and Sabah for granted, which have rendered the next general elections a more level playing field in the contest for national power in Putrajaya between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional.

[Lim Kit Siang Speech (3) at the DAP Sibu Thanksgiving Dinner for Pakatan Rakyat Sibu by-election campaigners at Sungai Merah, Sibu on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8pm]

MCA President In Perak BN Coordinating Committee

IPOH, May 24 (Bernama) -- MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is among three new faces from the party chosen to be in the Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) Coordinating Committee to prepare for the 13th general election.

Besides Dr Chua who is also the Perak MCA liaison chief, the other two are Perak MCA secretary Datuk Tan Chin Meng and party Youth deputy chief Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.

Perak BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the three new faces would further strengthen BN in facing the next general election.

"All those in the current committee have the experience at the national level and I believe their inclusion in the committee is most apt," he said after chairing the state BN meeting, here, Monday.

Zambry said another MCA representative in the Perak BN Coordinating Committee was Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

Najib should haul up and reprimand SUPP President George Chan for his “barbarians at the gate” speech which makes a total mockery of the Prime Minister’s year-old 1Malaysia Policy

I am shocked to read today’s Sunday Star whose Sarawak edition carried the screaming front-page headline “Miri target” and report:

Miri target
By Stephen then

MIRI: “Outsiders” who have infiltrated the state to stir up problems among the people are now targeting Miri, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr. George Chan.

He warned the people yesterday that these “outsiders” with ulterior motives were trying to destroy Sarawakian values by planting the seeds of hatred and anger among the people.

The president of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) said the “outsiders” had already infiltrated the state and were trying to make inroads into Miri.

“These outsiders with their street culture have come to spoil the good nature of Sarawakians,” he said.

“They want to introduce their culture in Miri now. We Sarawakians are nice and peaceful people, but we are also very protective of our way of life. We will fight these ‘outsiders’ if we have to. I am warning them. Don’t make me angry.”

He did not name the “outsiders” or where they were from but he was obviously referring to the recent Sibu by-election in which Pakatan Rakyat was accused of using unsavoury tactics that led to the victory of Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng in a three-cornered fight.

Calling on Miri folk to join SUPP in keeping the “outsiders” out, Dr. Chan said SUPP would do all it could to ensure that the “outsiders” do not gain a foothold here.
“The people here must remain loyal to the government and trust the state’s leaders to bring great socio-economic progress,” he said at the earth-breaking ceremony for the Miri City Council’s new RM80mil building on the beachfront.

I am shocked and outraged by George Chan’s “barbarians at the gate” speech, reminding me of Gibbon’s great study, “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”.
Who are these “outsiders” that George Chan was railing against? Was he referring to West and Sabahan Malaysians?

If so, isn’t he openly repudiating and denouncing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s signature policy theme of 1Malaysia, which states very clearly that its objective is to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian regards himself or herself as Malaysian first and his or her race, religion or region second?

Najib should haul up and reprimand George Chan for his “barbarians at the gate” speech which makes a total mockery of the Prime Minister’s year-old 1Malaysia Policy, as what George Chan espoused (we ignore for the moment the gross distortions of his speech) is completely antithetical and inimical to everything that 1Malaysia could mean or represent.

I have said that the biggest enemy of Najib’s 1Malaysia comes from within his own government and party and not from outside. I had earlier referred specifically to the enemies and detractors of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept from within Umno, but George Chan has shown that these enemies of 1Malaysia are not confined to Umno but are also to be found in the other Barisan Nasional component parties.

How can Najib convince Malaysians that his administration is serious about the 1Malaysia concept and campaign when its greatest critics and detractors are to be found in Umno and Barisan Nasional, like the SUPP President?

[Speech 2 at the DAP Sibu Thanksgiving Dinner for Pakatan Rakyat Sibu by-election campaigners at Sungai Merah, Sibu on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8pm]

Press Release: Federal Court’s decision in MACC case is disappointing

The Malaysian Bar is disappointed by the Federal Court’s ruling last week that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can continue to interrogate witnesses beyond office hours.  Its decision in the Tan Boon Wah case negates the fundamental liberties of witnesses and does not safeguard their interests.

The courts play a crucial role as the arbiter of disputes between individuals and the State, and functions as a check-and-balance mechanism.  However, the ruling, which gives the MACC too much leeway, bears testament that the courts have failed in that role. 

A law enforcement agency’s powers to interrogate both witnesses and accused persons cannot be unfettered.  Such powers must be subject to the rule of law and must uphold an individual’s fundamental liberties. 

Witnesses who aid law enforcement agencies in investigations should surely, at a minimum, be accorded the same protection and rights as accused persons, whose right to be allowed adequate rest is guaranteed by Rule 20 of the Lockup Rules 1953.  Witnesses would then be encouraged to be forthcoming in assisting with investigations, as they would have no reason to fear the interrogation process or dread being unduly detained for long and unreasonable hours.

The Malaysian Bar had earlier expressed its disappointment when the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court’s commendable ruling that the MACC can only undertake interrogation of witnesses from 8:30 am until 5:30 pm.  The High Court’s decision was a positive step forward in safeguarding human rights and improving the practices of law enforcement agencies. 

We welcome the MACC Chief Commissioner’s reported statement that MACC officers have been directed to conduct their investigations during office hours and that the officers have to provide justification for “taking evidence after office hours”. 

We reiterate our position that witnesses can be interrogated outside of office hours if the witnesses agree to do so, and attend the interview with their legal counsel.  Both the appellate courts’ decisions, however, permit the MACC to compel witnesses to appear and be questioned, including for long periods of time that stretch beyond office hours, with no option for them to decline. 
                
The Malaysian Bar urges the Government to take immediate steps to protect the rights of witnesses and to promote transparent and accountable investigations, which, in the long run, will enhance the credibility of the law enforcement agencies.

 
Ragunath Kesavan
President
Malaysian Bar

'Clashes' erupt near Kashmir border

Ties between India and Pakistan were strained after the deadly 2008 Mumbai attack [Reuters] Pakistani and Indian forces are reported to have engaged in deadly clashes near the border in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, with both armies trading blame for starting the fight. Pakistan's army said one of its soldiers was killed in Sunday's clash with Indian forces across the so-called Line of Control (LoC), while India claimed one of its army troopers was injured in the incident, according to the German Press Agency (DPA). The Pakistani soldier "embraced shahadat (martyrdom) due to unprovoked firing by Indians," across the Loc, which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, a statement from the army's public relations department said. "Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with the Indians and demanded an immediate flag meeting," it said. "However intermittent firing is continuing at Battal sector of Pakistan's Rawalakot district." Conflicting reports However, the Indian military said that Pakistan started the clash and that Pakistani troops also had fired rockets. "Indian troops retaliated and a heavy exchange of gunfire was on," IANS, an Indian newswire, cited an army spokesperson as saying. An Indian soldier was injured in the mortar fire by Pakistani troops, the spokesman said. Both Pakistan and India control part of Kashmir region. But each side lays claim over the whole of the territory. The rival south Asian nations have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since their independence from Britain in 1947. They signed a Kashmir ceasefire in late 2003 which has generally held except for occasional exchanges of fire.

Subra denies involvement in forming anti-Samy group

MIC deputy president S Subramaniam said he sympathised with sacked party Youth deputy chief V Mugilan but denied cooperating with him to form the Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu (GAS) or Anti-Samy Vellu Movement.

"The accusation by newly appointed MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member S Vell Paari, who is also Samy Vellu's son, that we had cooperated in forming GAS, as reported by a Tamil newspaper today, is malicious," he said.

Speaking to reporters after officiating at the Sri Subramaniar temple anniversary celebration in Serdang, near here, today, Subramaniam (left) said since being involved in politics, he had never "stabbed people in the back".

He said he was still discussing with his lawyer whether to sue Vell Paari for defamation.

Subramaniam, however, believed that Mugilan's setting up of GAS to pressure Samy Vellu to step down as party president would receive strong support from the party grassroots nationwide.

"Not only the MIC grassroot leaders want Samy Vellu to leave now, but former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also advised him to step down two years ago," he said.

Subramaniam claimed that Samy Vellu had sacked about 100,000 party members since he became president 31 years ago.

"The sooner the transfer of power is made, the better it is for MIC as the Indian community has been waiting for a dynamic transformation under a new party leadership," he said.

- Bernama

Malaysiakini.com again publishes false news. Racist like MSM by blacking out critical Indian problems.

Way back in 2001 during their humble beginnings when all the mainstream print and electronic media including the three Tamil press blacked out the Kg Medan racial attacks specifically targeted at the Indian poor, only Malaysiakini.com dared and in fact carried the true newsreports that it was racial attacks and not racial clashes as had falsely been made out to be by Umno(the real but behind the scene perpetrators of this violence)But today Umno’s and the mainstream media’s(MSM)racism has spilled over even to Malaysiakini.com.

Malaysiakini.com has in fact gone one step forward by even publishing false news.

In their newsreport yesterday (22.5.10) Malaysiakini.com reported that there was a “fight” and that P.Uthayakumar had been referred to as an “extremist”. We had done our own video recording and inquiries but we did not capture this word “extremist” having been uttered.

The last time we were referred to as extremists was by the UMNO Utusan Malaysia and the other MSM just before and after the 25th November 2007 Hindraf Rally to lay the foundation and the eventual justification for the detention without trial under the ISA of the Hindraf lawyers.

Malaysiakini.com also reported that tempers flared as Helen Ang, the moderator had difficulty in controlling the session as there were verbal jostling for 15 minutes.

The fact was what was a boring session with the political rhetorics by the other two politician speakers had turned into a lively discourse when P.Uthayakumar had stated that the Bloggers hardly cover in their writings when the victims of UMNO’s atrocities were Indians and the critical Indian problems in Malaysia .And that their reporting should depart from being race based to being needs based and based on the gravity and severity of the atrocities. The latest and most obvious example was the shooting dead by the Malay-sian police of the two Taiping Indian brothers last month.Just because they were Indian victims they and hundreds of other such Indian victims plight was completely blacked out.But it was the obvious direct contrast in the cases of Teoh Beng Hock and Aminulrasyid’s brutal murder which had rightly caught headlines and extensive media coverage for weeks in a row and the as usual overwhelming championing by the supposedly multi- racial Opposition PKR,DAP,PAS party leaders,NGOs’,Indian elite,bloggers,Malaysian Civil Society, Malaysiakini.com etc.

But for pointing out and speaking up against this racism, we in turn repeatedly get accused of being racists initially only by UMNO as a means to divert attention away from the real racism but now also ably aped by PKR, DAP, PAS, NGOS’, Malaysiakini.com, Indian elite, Bloggers etc. And this brand and definition of racism only exists in Malaysia.

In the Western civil societies ,the majority communities take great pride in championing the causes of the minority communities. But in Umnos’ One Malay-sia and PKR, DAP, PAS, NGOs’, Indian elite, bloggers and malaysiakini.com’s “multi racialism” the majority and the minority would almost always bend backwards to champion the majorities, gallery and populist causes.

The unprecedented moving of an emergency motion in Dewan Negara by Senator Ramakrishnan to debate the police shooting of Aminulrasyid is the latest case on point.Hundreds of Indians had previously suffered the same fate as Teoh Beng Hock and Aminilrasyid but there has never been such a precedent or any other serious championing or serious reporting by Arokiasamy, Ahmad or Ah Chong in Parliament or at any other forums or any other serious news reporting when the victim has and had been an Indian.(Kugan’s case may be the exception and even then to only a limited extent as it was then at the height of the Hindraf rally aftermath, some 5,000 almost all Indians had protested and Kugan’s brutal grievous injuries by some luck unusually passed the police net and was made public and somehow “caught fire”.

Be that as it may we would continue with our struggle against racism by UMNO by commission and also racism by omission by PKR,DAP,PAS,NGOs’, Malaysiakini.com, Indian elite, Bloggers, the Malaysian civil society etc.

We can understand the Malaysiakini Sifu’s definition of “newsworthiness’ has now like the MSM departed to become what appeals to the majority 92% Malay, Chinese and Natives Malaysian population and/or what would appeal to the gallery and which almost always excludes atrocities against the Indians however serious the atrocities are against them.

Now that Malaysiakini.com has like the MSM decided to black out UMNO’s atrocities against the Indian victims, the least they could do is not to come in the way of our struggle by publishing false news like in this present case.

S.JAYATHAS

Information Chief

The Height of Racism in Malaysia – Educational Discrimination

The Height of Racism in Malaysia – Educational Discrimination!
It is so heart-wrenching to watch Sugentha Subramaniam’s interview  carried on Human Rights Party Malaysia website today. The tears swelling in her mum’s eyes and the pain of discrimination on her face was not unnoticed! Yes! It is that time around again, when we get to hear all the heart breaking stories of Indian students being denied scholarships and university places despite the fact that they are equally bright or far brighter than their Malay counterparts!
Year in year out, for the past twenty years or so, it is the same story! It is an annual phenomenon for the Indian students. Deserving Indian students are denied their rightful places in the local universities. Nevertheless, ironically, Malaysian public universities are offering thousands of places to foreign students from Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bosnia, Africa and many other Islamic countries. Many of these students are here on some Islamic scholarships, grants and fellowship awards offered by Malaysian government! Subsequently, there are many Muslim lecturers from around the world in the Malaysian public universities whose places were robbed off the Indians, pushed to the private educational institutions! Where do the Indian students stand in their own soil? What is MIC doing, what is PKR, DAP and PAS doing, GOD knows! I have no words to console Sugentha and many other such bright and deserving Indian students whom have been denied their rightful places in the higher learning institutions in Malaysia.
Who will not be in tears and pain over such blatant educational discrimination in a country that has flourished in every direction possible, except racial equality! No study will be able to examine all the nuances of racial discrimination taking place in the Malaysian education system. Discrimination in education is so blatant on the Indians! From Tamil schools being denied lands to transform them into fully-aided government schools, to denial of university places for the bright Indian students, name it, all forms of educational discrimination is there for them!
Education is one of the many important civil rights issues affecting the Malaysian Indians today! Racial discrimination in education arises from actions of institutions or individual state actors, their attitudes and ideologies, or processes that systematically treat students from different racial/ethnic groups disparately or inequitably.
The effect is detrimental to the lives of the victims as one can imagine! Access to good education is the key to good jobs, quality housing, healthy life and political influence. Such discriminatory policies in education will limit or bock all opportunities for intellectual growth among Indians in all fields! The UMNO-led BN government has very systematically, and very deliberately, written and implemented educational policies to massacre the bright Indian community from flourishing, to subsequently end up as factory workers and private company clerks with yet another form of blatant discrimination to prosper and grow! They will be completely wiped out from the mainstream development in this country in no time soon!
Zafiris Tzannatos (2009) in his journal, “Reverse racial discrimination in higher education in Malaysia: Has it reduced the inequality and what cost to the poor?” reported that in the last twenty years, economic and social policy in Malaysia has been dominated by discrimination in favour of the Bumiputras and against the Chinese and the Indians. The preferential treatment of the Bumiputras is pursued in association with other objectives. In no other area of public policy has reverse discrimination been more acute than in higher education. His paper shows that past and present educational policies in Malaysia have resulted in allocation inefficiency. The prime beneficiaries of such policies have been better-off Bumiputras!
That’s right! The better-off Bumiputras, UMNO Bumiputras precisey!
By definition and purpose, education is the development of human capital towards meeting the individual and social needs of learners and their societies (Apple, Michael W., 2009). Sugentha and many other such bright Indian students with straight As could have well been the most precious human capitals for this country they call home! Alas! Higher education has now become limited to the fiscally advantage portion of the society, the better-off UMNOputras and financially sound Chinese, certainly not poverty stricken Indians! Hence, an Indian student like Sugentha can only dream of becoming a doctor!
The importance of education is clear to people from all over the world. And most certainly, the UMNOputras know the value of good education! Thus, they have hijacked most of the universities’ and other higher learning institutions’ places for mostly Malay-Muslims only! They know, if they allow too many Indians to graduate as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, chemists, scientists, accountants, etc…..they will become too smart to control! It is better to keep them stupid in cow-shade like Tamil schools and block all opportunities for their further education, including derecognising the universities where they are furthering their (medical) studies and denials of loans for courses famous among Indian students!
Education is an essential human right and every child in the world is entitled to it, EXCEPT Indian children in Malaysia. UNICEF strongly believes that education, like all human rights, is universal and inalienable—everyone, regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or economic status, is entitled to it. It is critical to our development as individuals and as societies, and it helps pave the way to a successful and productive future. Education enhances lives. It ends generational cycles of poverty and disease and provides a foundation for sustainable development. A quality education better equips girls and boys with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt healthy lifestyles, and take an active role in social, economic and political decision-making as they transition to adolescence and adulthood. In addition, a rights-based approach to education can address some of societies’ deeply rooted inequalities. These inequalities condemn millions of children, to a life without quality education – and, therefore, to a life of missed opportunities.
Indians in this country must wake-up! Wake-up to the reality that good education is not free for their children in this country anymore! They face a very powerful and pernicious discrimination in all areas of education. In Tamil schools, they struggle to get chairs and tables from their own pockets for their children to sit and study, as the UMNO government or MIC, DAP, PAS or PKR couldn’t care less! What more to say on the pathetic land for Tamil schools issue. In secondary, their children need to battle all sorts of racism, from being called ‘Keling / black’ to being slapped or head shaved for some petty offences! Then, if at all they didn’t drop out and pull through, higher education, especially, good courses like medicine, engineering, pharmacy, accounting, teaching, computer studies, English courses, etc. will be just a dream! They can only make it a reality if and only if, they have good bank-balance to finance their children’s education or some properties to sell or mortgage in the bank! Good education is not free for the Indian children, the most disadvantaged, excluded and vulnerable, in this country!
To realise the educational benefits, and to bring about essential structural changes that are necessary to achieve social justice and equal education for the Indian children, Indians must get together and make HRP’s Indian Political Empowerment Strategy a reality! There is no other political party or NGO or social movement that looks into the nuances and nitty-gritty of the educational discrimination on Indians in Malaysia and offers a solution to it as HRP/Hindraf do!
Yes, the ONE and ONLY solution to all these acute discriminations practised by the UMNO-led government is Indian Political Empowerment Strategy! Empower your own selves and elect Indian lawmakers on Indian majority votes and send them to parliament to fight for your rights, failing which, you can kick them off the next time around! Absolutely practical strategy and you, the vast majority Indians, whom the ‘masters’ ought to duly serve, will have the power in your hands, as per the Indian Political Empowerment Strategy! You vote for your own selves!
Education is our unalienable right and we do not need to beg the authorities to give it to us! Nor is it begging to demand our birth rights! Only some so called ‘elite group fools’ will question us on why we are begging the government to help us instead of us helping ourselves by tapping the financial resources readily available from the ‘rich Indians’ whom we have never heard of. Why are they not coming forward to help students like Seguntha? What are they waiting for? Where are they? Who are they?
The truth is UMNO or MIC or DAP, PKR or PAS politicians or any other rich Indians will never care two hoots about the poor and downtrodden Indians nor will they make any effort to amicably solve the critical Indian issues to compensate for the past and present injustices towards Indians!
We have to empower ourselves and pursue our happiness on our own! We do not want any more Seguntha stories! Let this be the last! It is only possible with the Indian Political Empowerment Strategy!
Thank you!
Iraiputtiran

RM 2 Billion of computer purchase. But PKR mandores give Tamil schools two computers each and blows trumpet in Tamil Press.

( See UM 14/5/2010 at page 3).
But PKR Indian mandores go around dishing out not RM 2 Billion worth computers and get maximum coverage from all three Tamil newspapers.
Mandorism at it’s height.
And ably inherited from UMNOs’ MIC mandores and now very liberally practices by the PKR, DAP and PAS mandores.
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Poverty leads to 10 year old Indian girl’s suicide.

Because of poverty, N. Kusheri father is forced to leave the family in Penang and to work in Singapore while her mother is a factory worker.
The suicide rate in the Indian community is 600% higher than in the Malay community.
These are the effects of UMNOs’ low wages, no monthly wages very little business, educational upward mobility opportunities and poverty in particular for the Indian community which has led to both parents being forced to work with very little time for their children and with very little hope for upward mobility unlike in the Malay community.
P. Uthayakumar

PKR “Tuan” MBs’ peanuts politics spectacles for poor Indian school chidren.

After over two years in power in Selangor and with a RM 9.1 Billion annual state Budget this is all what PKR can offer the poor Indians?
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Pemudah gets 90% of work permits within seven days. Zero ringgit even by P.M Najib of the RM 100 Million flow down to Tamil schools in 2008.

(See The Star 14/5/2010 at page N 41)
This is despite One Malay-sia Prime Minister Najib Razak who is the chairman of the Task Force on the Indians promising RM 100 Million to Tamil schools in 2009 but zero ringgit flowing down to any of the said 523 Tamil schools nationwide. (The Star 30/9/2009).
Despite our letter of protest to no other than the Prime Minister himself on this matter, he cares a damn but continues with his One Malay-sia kosong propaganda.
But the Special Task Force to facilitate business can get their job done within seven days.
The tip of the iceberg of UMNOs’ racist to the core is in this latest newsreport.
P. Uthayakumar

If Utusan slants news, well so does Malaysiakini.com

I was there for the BUM 2010 forum in which Uthayakumar, Teresa Kok and Dr Zul were the speakers. It was a rather boring event till Uthayakumar presented. And I thought it was a very lively exchange between the speakers on the floor in the spirit of a debate . When I returned home and turned on Malaysiakini I was surprised to see Malaysiakini report that a fight had taken place in the event in their report BUM 2010: Uthayakumar sparks row
Quote from the Malaysiakini report “A fight broke out – the verbal kind – at a bloggers meeting in Subang Jaya today when Hindraf founder P Uthayakumar was hit with claims that his struggle borders on extremism“
This is an outright lie. I think the bloggers there will attest to this. Ask any of the bloggers who were there including Harris Ibrahim to come out and say in their blogs or in Malaysiakini that what Malaysiakini reported was a true reflection of what transpired . An exchange and a fight are quite different things.
Besides the words “borders on extremism” were never mentioned. This is an interpretation on the part of Malaysiakini.
Further quoting Malaysiakini ”Panel moderator Helen Ang appeared to have a difficult time getting the situation under control as the verbal jousting continued for almost 15 minutes.”
I think Helen Ang needs to come out in the open and  refute this. This is another terrible lie.I do not know of any fifteen minutes where she was trying to hold the meeting together. In fact she invited me from the floor to comment on a point that was being made by Salahudin. I made an appeal for an open mind on the part of the bloggers if that event was to mean anything. At worst, it was a lively exchange between the participants. To say that the situation was out of control is an outright lie and is terribly mischievous on Malaysiakini’s part.
Malaysikini is becoming Mainstream Media 2 distorting to the advantage of their benefactors. Malaysiakini has thrown objectivity and professionalism out of the window and are everyday proving our point that they do not anymore stand for real change, they only play to the gallery and to their benefactors – this is not the kind of stuff a media organization supposedly working in the cause of democracy and freedom of the press should indulge in.
Malaysiakini is no better than the tabloids. I do not know where else or what else they distort to deceive.
If Utusan slants news, well so does Malaysiakini.com. The difference is only in the direction of the slant. So much for new democracy.
N.Ganesan

Anti-Samy Vellu Movement

Former MIC Deputy President Refutes Involvement In Forming GAS

KULIM, May 23 (Bernama) -- Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam said he sympathised with sacked party Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan but denied cooperating with him to form the Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu (GAS) or Anti-Samy Vellu Movement.

"The accusation by newly appointed MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member S. Vell Paari, who is also Samy Vellu's son, that we had cooperated in forming GAS, as reported by a Tamil newspaper today, is malicious," he said.


Speaking to reporters after officiating at the Sri Subramaniar temple anniversary celebration in Serdang, near here, today, Subramaniam said since being involved in politics, he had never "stabbed people in the back".

He said he was still discussing with his lawyer whether to sue Vell Paari for defamation.

Subramaniam, however, believed that Mugilan's setting up of GAS to pressure Samy Vellu to step down as party president would receive strong support from the party grassroots nationwide.

"Not only the MIC grassroot leaders want Samy Vellu to leave now, but former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also advised him to step down two years ago," he said.

Subramaniam claimed that Samy Vellu had sacked about 100,000 party members since he became president 31 years ago.

"The sooner the transfer of power is made, the better it is for MIC as the Indian community has been waiting for a dynamic transformation under a new party leadership," he said.

-- BERNAMA

*****
The Star

Sacked MIC members will return when Samy Vellu resigns, says Subra

By DERRICK VINESH

KULIM: Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam believes that tens of thousands of Indians who were thrown out of the MIC will return to the party after president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu steps down.

He claimed that over 100,000 members left the party after Samy Vellu closed down their branches in the last 30 years, adding that almost all Indian Progressive Front (IPF) members were originally MIC members.

However, he said the atmosphere must be right and the party's successor has to win their support to lure them back to the party.

He was speaking to reporters after participating in a consecration ceremony at the Sri Subramaniam Temple in Serdang here Sunday.

Citing an example, he said seven branches with about 800 members in the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MIC division here were closed in February.

Subramaniam also quashed allegations that he was behind calls for Samy Vellu to step down earlier than September next year.

He also condemned MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member S. Vell Paari for alleging that sacked Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan was being used as his (Subramaniam's) stooge in calling for Samy Vellu's early exit.

“I have not spoken to Mugilan for about a year although I might have exchanged a friendly hello with him in a few functions. I have nothing to do with what Mugilan does or anybody else who asked Samy Vellu to go.

“I did not want to advise Samy Vellu because it will fall on deaf ears as he never takes good advice,” he said, adding that Samy Vellu did not even heed former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's advice to retire two years ago.

However, Subramaniam said if his views were sought, he would say: “If you (Samy Vellu) are retiring, please do so as quickly as possible, so that it will give the successor time to prepare and strengthen the party by uniting the various splinter groups,” he said.

********

Sacked MIC members will return when Samy Vellu resigns, says Subra

By DERRICK VINESH

KULIM: Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam believes that tens of thousands of Indians who were thrown out of the MIC will return to the party after president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu steps down.

He claimed that over 100,000 members left the party after Samy Vellu closed down their branches in the last 30 years, adding that almost all Indian Progressive Front (IPF) members were originally MIC members.

However, he said the atmosphere must be right and the party's successor has to win their support to lure them back to the party.

He was speaking to reporters after participating in a consecration ceremony at the Sri Subramaniam Temple in Serdang here Sunday.

Citing an example, he said seven branches with about 800 members in the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MIC division here were closed in February.

Subramaniam also quashed allegations that he was behind calls for Samy Vellu to step down earlier than September next year.

He also condemned MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member S. Vell Paari for alleging that sacked Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan was being used as his (Subramaniam's) stooge in calling for Samy Vellu's early exit.

“I have not spoken to Mugilan for about a year although I might have exchanged a friendly hello with him in a few functions. I have nothing to do with what Mugilan does or anybody else who asked Samy Vellu to go.

“I did not want to advise Samy Vellu because it will fall on deaf ears as he never takes good advice,” he said, adding that Samy Vellu did not even heed former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's advice to retire two years ago.

However, Subramaniam said if his views were sought, he would say: “If you (Samy Vellu) are retiring, please do so as quickly as possible, so that it will give the successor time to prepare and strengthen the party by uniting the various splinter groups,” he said.

******
Sunday May 23, 2010
MIC chief vows to fight his critics

GENTING HIGHLANDS: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has vowed to take action against those who attempt to break or destroy the party which he says is the sole representative of the Indian community in the country.

“I will not leave those who attempt to destroy the party,” he said.

He also implied that those doing so would face disciplinary action when he said “they will have more free time.” Without mentioning names, he said some quarters were trying to destabilise the party.

“The MIC is 64 years old and it will continue its struggle to champion the rights of the Indians. Those who stand and fight will always be the winner,” he said, when opening the Pahang MIC annual general meeting here yesterday.

Sacked MIC Youth deputy leader V. Mugilan and two other Central Working Committee members K. P. Samy and K. Kumar Aamaan had asked for Samy Vellu’s early retirement.

Samy, who attended the AGM, was seated at the back row and left the event at the end of Samy Vellu’s speech.

Pahang delegates at the AGM unanimously passed a resolution to support the party president’s deadline to step down.

Samy Vellu had announced earlier that although his term as president expires on May 21, 2012, he would leave eight or nine months earlier and pass the baton to his deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel.

“Is it (announcement) an offence? Today everyone seems to be giving statements to the press on this, without any merits,” he said, adding that these irresponsible people want to see the demise of the MIC.

Samy Vellu said that the right to elect a president lies in the hands of the 4,000 MIC branch chairmen.

“If the branch chairmen tell me to go, then I am willing to leave this post. They have a right to ask me to vacate the post. But small boys should not issue statements,” he said.

Samy Vellu said that he took office as president on Oct 13, 1979 and had worked hard for the betterment of the Indian community.

Bernama quoted Palanivel reiterating his support for Samy Vellu and the party president’s decision to step down in September next year.
“In the past, I have said that Samy Vellu has to be the one to decide when to leave. Now that he has decided to set the time to leave, let us work to ensure a smooth transition.

***

Rising chorus against Samy

A new movement to oust Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has been launched, but the big question is: will the MIC president leave honourably?

HEADY times have returned to the MIC.

Where the bone of contention was the future of Maika Holdings, the Telekoms share scandal and party in-fighting, this time the source of angst is the future of long-serving party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu himself.

Deputy Youth leader V. Mugilan, speaking for the silent majority in the MIC, has boldly belled the cat, demanding publicly that Samy Vellu step down immediately and not carry on until September 2011, as the president had announced last Sunday, unexpectedly giving himself another year in office.

For that, Mugilan was summarily sacked by Samy Vellu, but on Friday two elected Central Working Committee members - businessmen K.P. Samy and Kumar Aamaan - also urged Samy Vellu to step down by July 10, the date of the party's upcoming 64th annual general meeting.

“He should not cling on even a day longer,” they said.

“What does he want to do in another year that he could not achieve over the last 30 years?” they asked.

Samy Vellu has vowed not to budge to the unprecedented demands to leave immediately.

“I will step down next September. Not a day earlier,” Samy Vellu announced on Friday, setting the stage for a major tussle in and outside the MIC over his continued tenure as party president.

The subject of his “early” retirement is not just a matter in the MIC but also the Indian community and the larger Malaysian society.

Barisan Nasional is actively wooing the alienated Indian community with numerous friendly measures and with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak willing and ready to do more, the continued attendance of Samy Vellu as MIC president is seen as a major obstacle to rapprochement.

Controversy has always dogged Samy Vellu, although he started numerous beneficial projects especially in education to uplift the Indian poor, and some of the projects remain viable and have great potential for growth, like the AIMST University in Kedah.

But many questions remain unanswered about his 31-year career as party president.

These questions, especially those linked with the failed Maika Holdings experiment and ownership of party assets and party enterprises like the AIMST University, are a major cloud over his tenure.

These aside, the problem is that he has simply overstayed his welcome. Three decades is nearly a decade too long to be sole president of a party.

It's as simple as that - MIC members and Malaysians need a new man at the helm. Any new MIC leader would be a big welcome, any change after over three decades of accepting Samy Vellu at the helm would be hearty.

No doubt some of these years had been entertaining, what with Samy Vellu's fiery temper and penchant for political drama that made for good reading and the butt of national jokes.

But all good things must come to an end, and an honourable exit is a major concern.

That's why we admire people like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who held power for long but eventually saw the writing on the wall.

If history is a lesson, the ability to walk away is part and parcel of the skill to take and hold power.

For Barisan, especially, which is facing a “do or die” battle in the next general election, a new man at the helm of the MIC would be a major boost in the effort to win Indian voter support.

A new leader would automatically give hope and win support and energise the community, as the rise of Najib as Prime Minister in April last year did for the country.

Samy Vellu's “earlier” retirement would give Barisan and the MIC breathing space to prepare them for the big battle ahead.

Although Samy Vellu says he will leave “eight or nine” months before his term expires in May 2012 and that he needs the time to “re-arrange” the party, we can't accept this as a valid reason because he had three decades to do any “re-arranging”.

It is too late in the day to “re-arrange” the MIC. Samy Vellu simply has problems giving it up and by clinging on he has sparked a movement to oust him.

MIC leaders are starting to openly rebel against the president and several have been sacked.

It begs the question: how many more critics can the president sack for speaking up?

Ironically, in the early 1970s, it was Samy Vellu who led the vocal movement against then MIC president Tun V.T. Sambanthan to step down and helped to install Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam as the leader.

Today, it is Mugilan who has boldly stepped forward in a repeat of MIC history, setting up the Gerakan Anti-Samy movement (GAS) to oust Samy Vellu.

The movement is organising its first meeting on May 30 and the crowd is expected to be big, because all the people and organisations that Samy Vellu had, in one way or another, hurt are expected to turn up to show their support as they did when Samy Vellu rallied Indians against Sambanthan five decades ago.

The outcome then was the ouster of Sambanthan. The outcome now cannot be any different.

MACC claims witnesses request for after-hours questioning

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed today defended the Federal Court’s decision to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) unlimited access to witnesses, saying those questioned had requested to give statements after office hours.

The apex court had reinstated the body’s right to question witnesses beyond office hours after a lawsuit that questioned its powers.

“There are many cases where witnesses themselves asked for their statements to be taken after office hours due to their work. They request for their statement to be taken after office hours,” the MACC chief commissioner told reporters after a forum here.

Abu Kassim also said that MACC interrogators will now have to provide justification for cross-examining witnesses after 5pm.

“Basically I have directed all MACC officers and MACC also want their investigation to done during office hours. I don’t think they purposely want to work after office hours but there are many occasions where they need to take witnesses after office hours. So the guideline we give our officers is to provide justification of taking evidence after office hours,” he said.

Abu Kassim (picture) pointed out that his officials work round the clock and have found most cases occur beyond normal working hours.

“So when you arrest the person after he was found giving or receiving the bribe after office hours, there will be witnesses that saw the transaction. You must get as fast as possible the witnesses to cooperate and give evidences to you.

“In this situation, it is very very justified for us to ask them to come to office and give evidence,” he told reporters after attending a forum organized by Transparency International Malaysia here.

The Federal Court had unanimously dismissed Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah’s appeal against a Court of Appeal decision which went against an earlier High Court ruling which he had won to limit the time anti-graft officers could question witnesses.

The significance of the ruling comes after MACC officers had questioned DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock overnight last year before he mysteriously fell to his death from their office in Shah Alam.
Teoh’s death is now the subject of a coroner’s inquest and has affected the credibility of the MACC and caused public confidence in the agency to plummet significantly.

Teoh, who was the political aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam.
The 30-year-old’s body was found sprawled on the roof of a five-storey building after he was interrogated as part of MACC’s investigation into the misuse of state allocations by the Selangor assemblymen.

Cabaran RPK kepada kerajaan: Buktikan saya bersalah di UK!

Biarpun RPK pernah dicabar untuk pulang ke mahkamah Malaysia dan membuktikan dirinya tidak bersalah, beliau tetap berkeras, "Penuntut fakulti perundangan tahun pertama juga tahu bahawa tanggungjawab pendakwa raya adalah untuk membuktikan tertuduh bersalah, bukannya tertuduh membuktikan dirinya tidak bersalah.  Kalau mereka ingin membuktikan saya bersalah, datanglah ke mahkamah UK!"

Sim Tze Wei, Merdeka Review
 

Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) akhirnya muncul di BPP Law School, London untuk mencabar kerajaan Malaysia agar membuktikan beliau bersalah di United Kingdom, tetapi bukan mengurungnya dengan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA).

"Kalau mereka nak main, main ikut peraturan saya!  Bak pepatah, kalau nak tumbangkan musuh, ajak dia main di gelanggang kita.  Gelanggang saya di sini, United Kingdom!" Demikianlah kata-kata RPK sambil berseloroh ketika dijemput oleh Solicitor’s International Human Rights Group untuk berucap di BPP Law School, semalam.

Semasa menjawab soalan dari bawah pentas, RPK mendakwa sebaik sahaja beliau dibebaskan pada Februari tahun lalu, pendakwa raya telah memohon agar mahkamah menggugurkan penghakiman tersebut.  Namun, permohonan itu tidak terjawab sehingga kini.  RPK menjangka dirinya mungkin ditahan semula.

RPK berkata dirinya sanggup berdepan dengan pendakwaan pada bila-bila masa, tetapi enggan melayan seandainya beliau perlu dikurungkan di bawah ISA.

Biarpun RPK pernah dicabar untuk pulang ke mahkamah Malaysia dan membuktikan dirinya tidak bersalah, beliau tetap berkeras, "Penuntut fakulti perundangan tahun pertama juga tahu bahawa tanggungjawab pendakwa raya adalah untuk membuktikan tertuduh bersalah, bukannya tertuduh membuktikan dirinya tidak bersalah.  Kalau mereka ingin membuktikan saya bersalah, datanglah ke mahkamah UK!"

Salah seorang hadirin membandingkan situasai antara RPK dengan Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen Anwar Ibrahim, "Kamu dan Anwar Ibrahim berdepan dengan keadaan yang sama.  Seorang memilih untuk terus berada dalam negara, seorang lagi memilih untuk terbang ke London.  Siapakah pula antaranya yang lebih mungkin untuk mengelakkan diri dari malapetaka?"

Secara terus terang RPK mendakwa Anwar Ibrahim telah bertekad untuk menetap di Malaysia dan menentang sehabis-habisnya, kerana Anwar Ibrahim ingin menjadi Perdana Menteri seterusnya.  Namun, RPK menyatakan bahawa dirinya tidak berniat untuk menjadi ahli politik.

London telah menjadi medan perang antara kerajaan dan pembangkang di Malaysia, lantaran populasi warga Malaysianya yang agak tinggi.  Ahli politik Malaysia seperti Menteri Besar Negeri Perak Zambry Abd Kadir, Anwar Ibrahim, Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin dan lain-lain lagi pernah mendarat di kota antarabangsa ini untuk memberi ucapan politik.  Kini, blogger terkenal di Malaysia, RPK turut tampil berkongsi pengalaman dirinya ketika ditahan di bawah ISA.

ISA bukan warisan penjajah British

RPK menafikan bahawa ISA adalah akta yang diwarisi daripada penjajah British, ketika beliau memulakan ucapannya.  ISA diluluskan selepas tiga tahun negara kita mencapai kemerdekaan.  RPK menambah, ISA dibentangkan oleh bekas PM Abdul Razak pada tahun 1960 (TPM ketika itu), dibantah oleh pemimpin Parti Progresif Rakyat, D. R.Seenivasagam.

Abdul Razak ketika itu memujuk D. R.Seenivasagam dengan alasan bahawa ISA diperlukan untuk menangkis serangan komunis, namun ISA kini telah menjadi alat kerajaan untuk menekan mereka yang berbeza pandangan dan menakut-nakutkan pegawai kerajaan, kata RPK.

Menurut RPK (gambar kanan), OKT (orang kena tahan) akan diasak dengan pelbagai tuduhan dalam tempoh penahanan 30 hari pertama, malah berdepan dengan ancaman agar OKT mengaku salah.  RPK berkata surat pengakuan salahnya setebal 200 muka surat, antaranya termasuklah "membunuh Presiden Kennedy".  Beliau akan dibebaskan seandainya mengaku bersalah, dan meletakkan tandatangan pada setiap muka surat, untuk 30 salinan surat pengakuan yang setebal 200 muka surat.

30 hari kemudiannya, OKT akan diseksa, supaya berpaling tadah untuk menyokong kerajaan.  Malah, OKT akan digoda dengan pangkat, wang, rumah banglo dan sebagainya.  RPK membahagikan OKT kepada dua kategori, iaitu sebahagiannya akan menerima ganjaran setelah kompromi.  Selebihnya pula akan diarah untuk terus kekal dalam pembangkang sebagai "trojan horse" BN.  Kuda Trojan ini akan mencetuskan perselisihan dalam pembangkang untuk mencungkil rasa benci pengundi, malah RPK terus menyindir bahawa Zulkifli Nordin adalah antara yang terjatuh dalam kategori ini.

Disambut dengan penghormatan

Selain itu, RPK juga mendedahkan penyeksaan yang berlaku ketika penahanan di bawah ISA.  Ketika mengulas pilihan raya kecil yang berlangsung di Malaysia setelah dibangkitkan oleh hadirin, RPK berkata pertubuhan antarabangsa harus menghantar pemerhati untuk memantau perjalanan PRK di Malaysia, yang mana penyelewengannya semakin berleluasa.

Ceramah ini diadakan pada jam 2 petang di London, semalam, menarik kehadiran antara 300 hingga 400 orang.  Hadirin berdiri dan menyambut ketibaan RPK dengan tepukan gemuruh.  Malah, ada yang meminta tandatangan RPK selepas ceramah tersebut.

*Sim Tze Wei adalah penulis khas MerdekaReview yang membuat liputan di BPP Law School, London.  Diterjemah dan disunting oleh Lim Hong Siang dari teks asal.

Sex, bribes in banknote deals

The witness has said that one of the most senior Securency managers told him to arrange an Asian prostitute for a visiting deputy governor of a foreign central bank.

RICHARD BAKER AND NICK MCKENZIE, THE AGE

A RESERVE Bank currency firm was willing to supply prostitutes and pay bribes to win contracts, according to a federal police witness at the centre of Australia's most serious corruption investigation.

The revelation is one of many made by a key witness in the federal police inquiry into the Reserve Bank company, Securency International, which makes polymer banknotes.

The witness has told an investigation by The Age and ABC TV's Four Corners - aired tonight - that a middleman hired by Securency to win contracts from foreign governments told him that he intended to bribe a central bank governor from an Asian country.
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The witness, who was a Securency employee, has given the Australian Federal Police his diary in which he recorded the middleman telling him in 2007 that the ''governor would be very happy if the commission [payment] was increased''.

The witness has said that one of the most senior Securency managers told him to arrange an Asian prostitute for a visiting deputy governor of a foreign central bank.

''Next time that this official was in town, [I was told] that I was to procure him a bodyguard, and with raised eyebrows and a wink … a particular type of bodyguard being an Asian woman. He was suggesting I might like to procure a prostitute for one of the central bank officials on his visit to Melbourne,'' said the police witness in an interview with Four Corners. The witness said he did not act on the request although he believed other employees had arranged prostitutes.

In a 2008 diary entry, the witness recorded that a consultant employed in Asia by Australia's overseas trade agency Austrade told him that to win contracts Securency needed to hire someone to bribe officials or ''to pass white envelopes for you''.

Austrade this week confirmed the Securency employee-turned-police-witness did report the comment to an Australian ambassador in the Asian country where it was made in 2008, but said that it had never been brought specifically to Austrade's attention.

Austrade also stressed it had never endorsed bribery .

Securency is a Melbourne-based polymer banknote company half-owned and supervised by the Reserve Bank. It has employed a network of global agents to help it convince foreign central banks and governments to buy its banknotes.

A federal police taskforce is investigating Securency for allegedly bribing government officials in countries including Nigeria, Malaysia and Vietnam.

International figures, including former Malaysian deputy prime minister, now opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and Nigerian central bank governor Lamido Sanusi, have urged the Australian government to reveal how far the RBA's bribery scandal reaches. ''How could Securency allow … huge bribes in the name of commissions?'' Mr Ibrahim told Four Corners.

''It's something very difficult for me to comprehend, how is it a system [in Australia], with such a strong institution and respect for good government … could allow this,'' he said.

Labor and Coalition senators have voted against a motion by Greens leader Bob Brown for a parliamentary inquiry into Securency's overseas dealings.

In a 2008 diary excerpt by the police witness, a Securency employee is recorded as telling him the RBA firm paid very high commissions to middlemen to secure a contract in Nigeria because so many people were ''feeding off it''. ''A range of senior government ministry officials and central bank officials would've been getting a slice of that 20, 25 per cent commission,'' the witness said.

In March, the Securency board released a scathing audit of the company's dealings with its agents, who have received almost $50 million in commission payments since 2003. After the audit's release, the board, chaired by RBA assistant governor Bob Rankin, announced the departure of the two top executives, Myles Curtis and John Ellery.

Sarawak for Change – The Sibu Declaration

(Adopted by DAP Sarawak State Committee on 23rd May 2010 In Sibu, Sarawak)
The Sibu Miracle on 16th May 2010 is the beginning of the awakening of Sarawak. From now on, no one will take us – the people of Sarawak – for granted. One small step in winning Sibu is one big step to winning power in Petrajaya, and a giant step forward to winning power in Putrajaya.Sarawak is rich. It has the largest land mass in Malaysia and an abundance of resources such as timber, land, palm oil, gold, oil and gas.
But the people of Sarawak are among the poorest in Malaysia because of low pay, poor employment opportunities and a business environment which is monopolised by a selected few.
It is the only state in Malaysia where one family – that of the Chief Minister’s – practically has complete power over the state’s entire economic and political activities.
It’s time that we say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Let’s chart a new future for Sarawak and Malaysia.
GOOD GOVERNANCE = NO MORE TAIB
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib bin Mahmud will be in office for three decades by next year. It’s time that we take the mandate back from Taib and herald a new era of reform and rejuvenation for Sarawak.
DAP and Pakatan Rakyat stand for good governance. Taib Mahmud’s BN has a track record of bad governance. Taib’s family through Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) and other crony companies control the most lucrative contracts and businesses, impoverishing the rakyat while making life difficult for small businesses.
EQUAL PARTNERSHIP – DAP and Pakatan Rakyat believe in equal partnership in political coalition and in federal-state relations. The sole purpose of the existence of Sarawak BN is to prop up Taib’s empire whereas Pakatan Rakyat practices equal political partnership for the betterment of the rakyat. Nationally, resource-rich Sarawak has been given a raw deal.
CAT GOVERNANCE – DAP believes in Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) governance. We listen and engage with all citizens, not just those with the money. Less corruption means more for everyone. Sarawak is rich. By having open tender to all government procurements, timber extraction licenses and alienation of state lands for commercial and plantation purposes, all Sarawakians will be richer.
SENIOR CITIZENS’ BONUS - When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become the Government of Sarawak, all Sarawakians above 60 years of age will receive a minimum of RM400 per annum in appreciation of their contribution to the state.
HARDCORE POVERTY – An annual RM 80 million allocation from the State budget will be set up to eradicate hardcore poverty in Sarawak.
EDUCATION – When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become the government in Sarawak, all schools regardless of background will be given allocations according to needs as practised in Penang, Selangor and Kelantan so that our children can have a bright future.
OIL ROYALTY – Pakatan Rakyat National Common Policy Platform commits to provide Sarawak 20% in oil royalties from Petronas, instead of the current 5%, if Pakatan Rakyat wins federal power.
LAND REFORM - When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become government in Sarawak, all NCR land will be surveyed and titles (communal and individual) issued while all expiring leases will be unconditionally renewed. With lands accessible to the people and not cronies, we believe that the great economic potential of Sarawak will be unleashed.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE – The flood problems in Sarawak needs serious attention while long term investment in human capital and infrastructure is needed to make Sarawak a great economy. WIFI will be provided free to move Sarawak into a knowledge state.
BN will not and cannot change. For BN to change spells destruction for its leaders.
But without change spells certain doom for all Sarawakians. The choice is clear. Sarawak for Change.

Najib Pays Last Respects To Singapore's Former DPM

SINGAPORE, May 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor paid their last respects Sunday to Singapore's former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee at Parliament House.

Goh, one of the founding fathers of the island republic, died on May 14 after a long illness. He was 91.

Najib and Rosmah had arrived here last night for a two-day visit to the city-state.

Najib will meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a welcome dinner on Sentosa Island Sunday night and attend a leaders' retreat at the Shangri-La Hotel Monday.

Goh, a peranakan who was born in Melaka on Oct 6, 1918, retired as deputy prime minister in December 1984 due to personal reasons.

The "economic architect" of Singapore contributed greatly to shaping Singapore into a prosperous nation as the first finance minister in 1959 and later as the defence minister of an independent Singapore.

Goh was the son of a rich Melakan family.

His father, Goh Leng Inn, was a manager of a rubber plantation. His mother was from the family that produced the famous Malaysian politicians, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and his son Tun Tan Siew Sin.

After lying in state at Parliament House since Friday, the body of the late Goh will be brought to the Singapore Conference Hall nearby in a procession for a state funeral service Sunday.

In limbo after easy adoption

The Star 

It may be a fast route to adopt a baby illegally. But in the long run, the price to pay is very high, especially when the child grows up to be stateless and helpless.

WHEN *Peter Lau and his wife could not have a baby after two years of trying, they decided to adopt. They had tried various conception methods but none of them produced any results.

“We were not getting any younger. Many of my friends told me to adopt a child,” he says.

So 13 years ago, Chua adopted a baby illegally from Sabah. His sister-in-law *Mary who had just adopted a child herself introduced him to the same people who had helped her get hers

“I was told that a legal adoption was a tedious and long process so I did not bother trying. I was desperate and placed my faith in the syndicate. The adoption went without a hitch and the birth certificate looked genuine,” he says.

It was only when his daughter was 11 that Lau decided to check the status of her birth certificate.

“To my horror, it was a fake one,” he says, adding that the serial number on the birth certificate belonged to someone else.

It was the same for Mary who only found out that her child's birth certificate was a fake when she went to apply for a MyKad (Malaysian identity card).

She had to surrender the birth certificate to the National Registration Department (NRD) and admit to her wrongdoing. When she went to apply for a new birth certificate, she was told to go to Sabah to do it. (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak have separate regulations pertaining to birth registration.)

The adoption process and application for citizenship will have to wait until there is a birth certificate. Until then, Mary can only hope for the best.

“I am worried about her education and her going out by herself. I only let her go out with us,” she says.

As for Lau, he is waiting for the outcome of Mary's case before taking his next step of action.

“I want to play it safe and look at what happens in my sister-in-law's case,” he says. For now, Lau's daughter is able to go to school but he is worried that she may not be able to sit for her PMR examinations.

“I might have to send her to a private school in a worst case scenario,” he says.

Not a new situation

There have been many cases where parents often resort to falsifying documents of their adopted children - many times knowingly. Usually the parents get the assistance of syndicates who claim to have inside connections with the NRD.

They do this because they want to avoid the hassle of a legal adoption or to hide the fact that their children are adopted.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong says he has handled a few such cases. Last year, there were nine cases whereas in 2008, he handled 13. He says that those who claim to help couples get babies are syndicates that are only out to make a profit. There are some syndicates who go to the extent of bringing the parents to the NRD but then ask them to wait outside.

“They get money from the victim and say it is meant for the officers inside. In the end, they just pocket the money and produce a fake birth certificate,” he warns.

He says the NRD is sympathetic towards these cases and would not charge those who want to put things right.

But the process would take a while as the NRD has to conduct investigations, more so in cases where the child's name is Yap Ah Seng but he looks Indian, says Chong.

The NRD says in many cases, it is not the birth certificate which is false, but rather the information contained in it.

In an e-mail interview, NRD director-general Datuk Alwi Haji Ibrahim says that for every application for a MyKad or identity card, the department would investigate details such as hospital records to check for authenticity.

“Sometimes, the records don't check out. For example, a mother would have been 58 when she gave birth. We check details like this. When queried, the parents will admit to wrongdoing,” he says, adding that they would also do visual verification as well.

The NRD says they have not kept track of the number of illegal adoptions.

What next

So what happens to the children who are caught in a situation through no fault of their own?

Many parents, including Lau, who want to make things right are fearful of the repercussions if the authorities find out that the documents were falsified.

Alwi assures that parents would not be penalised or charged for any wrongdoing, but the NRD would make corrections to the birth certificate and advise the guardian to apply for the adoption according to the procedure if the child is still below 18.

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) is willing to help out on this issue, says its Children's Division director Nor Amni Yusoff. Parents facing this problem could get a support letter from their headquarters, she says. “Anybody born in Malaysia has a right to a document except when it comes to citizenship.”

The SWD would conduct a series of interviews with the parents to see if they were “fit” and had the child's best interest at heart.

But she warns that people will have to be patient and realise that there is more than one government agency handling the procedure.

“Some people want it to be done in one day but then the police and the NRD are involved. It will take at least a few months (to get the birth certificate),” she says.

As for citizenship, Alwi says that a child's citizenship status is determined by the biological parent's citizenship status during birth.

“If there is a document to prove that the child is a Malaysian citizen, he/she can definitely apply for MyKad,” says Alwi.

He says that if the birth parents are traced, DNA tests could be conducted to verify the link.

Those children whose birth parents are unknown, however, will find it much harder to get citizenship.

“They can apply for citizenship but whether or not it is granted depends on the government,” says Alwi.

Don't falsify papers

But to prevent any trouble from the start, it would be best to go through all the legalities and register the birth and adoption of a child legally.

Yayasan Salam Malaysia general manager Dr Hartini Zainuddin says this would be in the best interest of the child.

“It's a lot less painful in the long run,” she says.

She admits that some people find the adoption process a bit tedious, especially if they do not know what to do.

Nor Amni believes there is a wrong perception that the adoption process is very tedious and takes a very long time. Actually, the process takes about two years for a departmental (NRD) adoption and three to six months for a court adoption.

“Those who opt for illegal adoption pay so much and end up getting conned,” says Nor Amni, who strongly advises parents to go through the right channels in the best interest of the child.

“If the registration is illegal and you pass away, your child doesn't get anything. Don't take the easy way out because it's not fair to the child,” she says.

Dr Hartini, who hopes the children will eventually be given their rights, has urged parents to get help from NGOs.

*Not their real names