Free speech goes both ways

The Star
Musings By MARINA MAHATHIR

Howls of protest are heard when attempts are made to block hate speech, which is ironic because very often the speaker has no interest in respecting anyone else’s rights either.

I JUST returned from a symposium on social media, freedom of expression and incitement to hatred in Asia.

Forty Asian delegates as well as Frank La Rue, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, gathered to discuss what is happening in our countries and what can be done to meet the challenges that the Internet, particularly, poses.

The good news is that Malaysia is not the worst country when it comes to laws restricting freedom of speech on the Internet.

This is not to say we don’t have such laws but we are still grappling with the whole issue.

Delegates told of how, in some countries, if anything said by an individual online offends anyone, then the person who said it can be prosecuted.

Thus, if you opine that someone is a nobody, or that you don’t like someone’s hairstyle, then that person can say he’s offended by it and report you.

In many countries, there are laws preventing people from insulting various entities, including the government, royalty and religion.

The trouble is often the definition of insulting is vague and governments tend to be insulted on behalf of other people who may not care at all.

But that would be reason enough for them to prosecute someone.

Thus this leads to much abuse by these governments, especially towards people they don’t like.

The right to freedom of expression is of course balanced by responsibilities.

As Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, the exercise of the right to freedom of speech carries with it special duties and responsibilities and therefore may be subject to certain restrictions.

However, these shall only be such as provided by law and are necessary “for respect of the rights and reputations of others” and “for the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals”.

Our own Article 10 in our Federal Constitution allows the freedom of speech, assembly and association, but is then restricted by certain other provisions and laws.

For instance, it should be clear to everyone that child pornography, which violates the rights of children, should be prohibited and nobody should object to the blocking of such websites.

However, the Special Rapporteur reports that most governments rely solely on blocking of such websites and not on prosecuting those who produce them.

Also, despite child pornography being a by-product of child trafficking, most governments have done very little to tackle this root cause of the problem.

Another legitimate restriction to free speech is to censure hate speech, especially those that incite others to violence.

Even these have to be carefully enacted, so that only speech where there is a clear and immediate danger of violence occurring towards anyone or group is restricted.

We know that sometimes people say things in the heat of the moment they don’t really mean or intend to carry out.

On the other hand, sometimes there are people of influence who seem to encourage their followers or supporters to take steps to harm others.

Those are the ones that need restricting or even prosecution.

The other issue is privacy.

In order to be able to express their opinions freely, people need to have their right to privacy protected.

However, we now see governments requiring real name verification before comments can be made online.

This discourages many people in countries where there is legitimate fear of persecution for different views.

Even worse, there is little done when the personal details of people are posted online causing them to be harassed and even threatened.

We have seen very little will in governments to protect the privacy and security of these individuals, just because they may have different views.

Sometimes, it is not just the privacy of these individuals that are violated but also those of their families and friends.

Clearly, in Malaysia, these violations of privacy and of freedom of speech overall are made not just by the government, and by their supporters, but also by those opposing them.

Hate speech has of late been allowed free reign on the Internet.

Every time a blog owner tries to block someone who posts hateful comments, we get accused of restricting freedom of speech, which is ironic because very often the blocked person has no interest in respecting anyone else’s rights either.

Unfortunately, most Malaysians are complacent about these issues.

But as the Special Rapporteur pointed out, the freedom of speech, opinion and expression facilitates other rights such as the right to information, to education, to take part in cultural life and to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress.

Violations of free speech, whether through laws or just intimidation, affect all of us.

We should always be watchful when it happens.

BN Sticks To Genuine Multiracial Approach

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional's (BN) multiracial approach has tended to the needs of all Malaysians as compared to the opposition pact PKR-DAP-PAS, said MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung.

He said as an example, during the BN Convention, presidents of all component parties be they Malay, Chinese, Indian and native Sabahans and Sarawakians were given a platform to speak up and were represented in policy decision making process, something which PAS, PKR and DAP leaders should start learning about.

"Exclusion of Indian leaders from the Pakatan banner during the recently concluded opposition pact convention in Alor Setar showed that the opposition wants Indian votes but couldn't care tuppence on respecting Indian stalwarts or caring for the Indian community's welfare," he said in a statement issued here Wednesday.

He further said the third opposition pact convention signaled more impending harrows under the Opposition rule.

"It is bad enough that gender segregation was enforced on both the audience as well as the press corps, to which DAP and PKR bigwigs could only sit and watch by doing nothing.

"The convention's organisers could even marginalise DAP chairman Karpal Singh by excluding his picture montage from the official banner despite him being chairman of DAP, thus claims by PKR and DAP to represent multiracial interests fall flat," he added.

Chor, who is Housing and Local Government Minister, said if the organisers failed to accord respect for Karpal but had montages of PAS Spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and others including DAP veteran politican Lim Kit Siang, how much more would the opposition ignore the presence and welfare of the Indian community as a whole.

"Is this the so-called acknowledgement that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar can offer Karpal despite the latter having staunchly defended the former throughout both sodomy trials as lead counsel?" asked Chor.

"In view of all the examples listed above, it is no wonder that opposition pact desires Indian support, but could not care tuppence in respecting the Indian community, much less look after their needs," he added.

Hindraf collaborates with ABU

After Proton, will KTM be next?

After Khazanah sells its 43 per cent stake in Proton to DRB-Hicom (owned by Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary), will the government privatise KTM next?
The Edge (16 January) reported that MMC Corp (controlled by Al-Bukhary) had announced that it is proposing to take over KTM. Al-Bukhary again? KTMB has reportedly been asked to assist MMC in conducting due diligence on the rail service to decide whether MMC wants to take it private. The due diligence could could take six months and the entire privatisation exercise could take 18 months.
The railway workers union has naturally expressed concern. It maintains that it won’t be proper for KTMB to be privatised. “KTMB is for the rakyat and should remain as it is today, or returned to the government if necessary,” its president Abdul Razak Md Hassan was reported as saying. “If given to a private party, we can expect the fare of the commuter trains to increase.” According to him, KTM charges 70-80 sen per km for its commuter train compared to more than RM1.00 on the ERL, Putra, Star and Monorail (Business Times).
The Edge asks, “Was there even an invitation to others to put in a proposal to privatise the railway company?”
Why even consider privatising the rail services run by KTM – especially after the double tracking work, which will definitely speed up rail travel, increase the volume of passengers and result in economies of scale for KTM.
Just after the government has spent billions of public money on the double tracking and state-run KTMB is poised to reap the considerable benefits and improve its profitability, along comes a company expressing interest in taking over the railway. So predictable. (By the way, what is Pakatan’s stand on the move to privatise KTMB?)
There is absolutely no reason why KTM cannot be run efficiently and break even as a state-owned entity with the right management and adequate public investment in improving services. There’s actually no need to make a big profit for KTMB as the railway provides an essential public service. Look at how other country’s have improved their rail services without having to privatise. This public service is all the more crucial in the face of dwindling oil reserves for fossil fuel-powered motor vehicles and higher oil prices.
But sadly, our rail services have been neglected all these years, presumably because the BN government felt it had to prop up the ‘national car’ and minimise competition from other modes of transport (while highway concessionaires reap huge profits from tolls).
Regarding the takeover of Proton by DRB-Hicom, the Wall Street Journal reported:

The deal could further add to the influence of DRB-Hicom’s owner, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who also bought Khazanah’s 32% stake in national postal company Pos Malaysia for 600 million ringgit when Mr. Najib’s government began its divestiture program. The Malaysian tycoon first rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990 when the country was led by Mahathir Mohamad, and it was the former premier who first flagged to local media last year that Proton could soon be sold.

Bukhary controls a couple of the largest ports in Malaysia, Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang port in Johor, as well as Senai Airport.
Syed Mokthar’s Tradewinds gained control of Bernas, which has a monopoly of rice distribution in the country. Tradewinds also controls Central Sugars Refinery Sdn Bhd and Kilang Gula Padang Terap Bhd.
In 2007, Gamuda and Bukhary’s MMC were awarded the northern portion of the rail double-tracking job for RM12.5bn.
In April 2010, DRB-Hicom reportedly received a letter of intent from the government to manufacture and deliver a dozen variants of the Malaysian AV-8 armoured wheeled vehicle.
The tycoon also has an interest in Malakoff Corp, the country’s largest independent power producer.
In December 2010, the Singapore Straits Times noted that Al-Bukhary had emerged as “the single biggest beneficiary of state contracts and concessions worth billions of ringgit, making him Malaysia’s most favoured corporate son and the government’s partner of choice”.

Syria rejects Arab troop proposal

Foreign ministry says comments by Qatar's emir risk "killing" chance of Syria working with the Arab League.

Syria has rejected any plans to send Arab troops into the country, saying it will "confront" and "stand firm" against military intervention after the ruler of Qatar said in a television interview that Arab countries should step in with force.

The state-run SANA news agency quoted a "credible source" at the foreign ministry as saying on Tuesday that the country is "shocked" by the Qatari emir's comments, which "could worsen the conflict and kill the chances of Syria working closely with Arabs".

The source warned that it will be "unfortunate to see Arab blood flow on Syrian soil".

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was quoted by an American television programme on Sunday as suggesting that Arab troops should be sent to Syria to stop the deadly violence.

The interview, which was conducted late last year, was the first time an Arab leader had called for the deployment of troops inside the country.

The United Nations estimated in December that at least 5,000 people have been killed since protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad broke out in March.

The organisation also believes at least 400 people have been killed since the Arab League first deployed observers - meant to oversee the implementation of a League-brokered peace plan - on December 26.

Militarised conflict

The initially peaceful uprising against Assad was met with deadly force and mass arrests and has in recent months turned into a militarised conflict between the government on one side and army defectors and armed civilians on the other.

Qatar, which once had close relations with Damascus, has been a harsh critic of crackdown and withdrew its ambassador during the summer.

Since revolts began to sweep the Arab world in December 2010, Qatar has aggressively supported opposition movements, most prominently in Libya, where it trained, armed and guided the fighters who overthrew the country's longstanding ruler, Muammar Gaddafi.

Assad and his government say "terrorists" are behind the uprising and that armed gangs are acting out a foreign conspiracy to destabilise the country.

The Syrian foreign ministry source told SANA on Tuesday that "it will be unfortunate to see Arab blood flow on Syrian territory just for the purpose of serving known agendas, especially that the foreign conspiracy against Syria has become very clear".

The statement also called on Arab countries to "help prevent the infiltration of terrorists and the smuggling of weapons into Syria".

The Arab League observer mission is expected to announce this week that Syria has failed to implement a peace plan brokered by the regional bloc.

Tug-of-war at UN

International diplomats at the UN Security Council, meanwhile, are debating a new resolution that will call for an end to the violence and is set to come to a vote in two weeks.

The US and European nations are at odds with Russia, which proposed the draft language and opposes intervention in Syria.

"Western countries say the resolution isn't tough enough, [the] Russians say it's not the Security Council's place to take sides in civil dispute," Al Jazeera's Kristin Saloomey reported from the United Nations.

The Russians do not want to see a Libya-style military intervention and "are not alone" in that desire, our correspondent said.

The draft resolution does not mention sanctioning Syria, which the US and European Union have done independently, she said.

Mandate to expire

The Arab League mission's mandate is due to expire on Thursday, and the bloc is set to meet on Sunday to discuss next steps, including possibly renewing the mission.

"The outcome of the contacts that have taken place over the past week between the Arab League and Syria have affirmed that Syria will not reject the renewal of the Arab monitoring mission for another month ... if the Arab foreign ministers call for this at the coming meeting," an Arab source told the Reuters news agency.

Syria will allow the number of monitors, currently fewer than 200, to increase, but will not agree to give them official fact-finding duties or let them visit off-limits "military zones".

Activists reported that at least 20 people died in Syria on Tuesday, mostly in the flashpoint city of Homs.

SANA reported that an "armed terrorist group" fired rocket-propelled grenades at an army checkpoint 9km southwest of Damascus on Monday, killing an officer and five soldiers.

Fighting intimidation: Raped and robbed, victim appeals for justice

Claims the accused threatened her with dire consequences.

HARIPUR:  A married woman subjected to rape and blackmail by rapists, who filmed the incident, petitioned the court for registering an FIR against the accused, on Saturday.

The court has summoned the concerned station house officer on Monday. Nazia*, 25, a resident of Kangra village petitioned the district judge, Haripur, after the police refused to register a case.
She said she was asleep with her two minor children when two persons entered her room after scaling the boundary wall on Eidul Fitr. Her husband was with his first wife in a neighboring village.
The accused whom she identified as Roshan* and Israr*, held her at gunpoint and looted Rs1,80,000 cash. They subsequently raped her in front of her two minor children and filmed the incident. They threatened her of dire consequences in case she told her family when they left.
Nazia called her husband the next morning and he lodged a complaint with the Kotnajibullah police nominating the two accused for robbery. She said she had concealed the rape fearing they might harm her husband and children.
The accused who were not booked by the police began to blackmail her and threatened to upload her movie on the internet if she failed to pay up or revealed their names.
She said the accused called her and threatened her on her mobile phone four days back. Her husband, who had eavesdropped on the conversation, contacted the Kotnajibullah police again for registration of an FIR but the police was using delaying tactics.
When approached for comments, police sources said that neither the woman nor her husband had lodged any complaint of rape or robbery with them and there was no mechanism to determine the veracity of the claim of a married woman after four months. However, he confirmed that one of the accused has been booked.
This was the second case of rape in which the incident was filmed in a fortnight in Hazara. A girl was sexually assaulted in Kaghan valley and her rapist had filmed the crime and uploaded the movie on the internet. She had also kept quiet about the rape out of fear. He was later arrested by the police.
Names have been changed to protect identity
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2012.

Bersih hints of another rally if polls reform fails

High Court decision tomorrow on HRP denied registration to be able to contest in 13th General Election. Will P.M. Najib & Judiciary dispense Justice like for Anwar Ibrahim?

Way back in 2000 itself some 13 years ago the present the Human Rights Party (HRP) the predecessor of then Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (PRIM) made an application to be registered as a political party and was denied.

Then on 18/6/2009 an application was made to register HRP as a political party to the Registrar of Societies. (ROS)

On the third Anniversary of the 25/11/2010 HRP formally submitted it’s full application to be a registered political party. But the Registrar of Societies refused to even reply to our application.

This led us to on 6/4/2011 file a High Court Application for Judicial Review to compel the legal Registration of HRP. At the hearing date the Judge Y.A.Dato Rohana amended the prayers so that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) replies to our application.

The Judge indicated that this may buy ROS some three month or so to reply to HRP.

On the eve of the next Hearing date ie on 4/8/2011 the ROS rejected HRPs’ application to be registered at political party.

The next day on 5/8/2011 even when we had submitted that it was not our fault that the ROS did not reply to us earlier and praying for no order as to costs as this matter has now become academic, the UMNO Judge punished P.Uthayakumar by imposing costs of RM2,500.00 payable to ROS.

And then vide HRPs’ appeal letter dated 19/8/2011 to Dato Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein, the Home Minister, HRP appealed against the ROSs’ decision.

And when the Home Minister refused to reply we again on 11/10/2011 filed another High Court Judicial review to Registrar HRP.

On 17/11/11 Judge Abang Iskandar bin Abang Hashim recused himself and this matter is now “fixed” before the new UMNO Judge Y.A.Dato Rohana binti Yusof.

Because Judge Iskandar had earlier struck out Hindrafs’ registration and in December 2007 he had allowed an appeal by UMNO Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail allowing the Sedition criminal charges against P.Uthayakumar dismissed by Klang Sessions Court Judge Junaidah (who was sacked for this pro Hindraf Judgement) to be reinstated.

The UMNO Attorney General Gani Patail refused to reply to P.Uthayakumar’s 127 page affidavit with 12 exhibits and yet again avoids the truth by putting in Preliminary Objections to strike out (TKO) this HRP civil suit for being frivolous vexations and abuse of process of Court without even hearing the merits.

Why is it that 46,871 NGOs’ & 31 political parties are approved by ROS, P.M & Home Minister without any problems except 1 Hindraf & 1 HRP in 1 Malay-sia.

From the above it is so plain and obvious that even the 98% Malay muslim 1 Malay-sian Judiciary is playing the Yo yo and the Snake and Ladder game simply to politically paralyse HRP and Indian poor political representation at the highest political level ie Parliament and the State Assemblies.

And to stop HRP from contesting under it’s logo in the very imminent 13^th General Elections which will be held anytime now.

Will justice be dispensed to HRP tomorrow like for Anwar Ibrahim?

Especially before the very same UMNO Judge Dato Rohana binti Yusof ?

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Ex-minister claims BN bought votes with cash

PETALING JAYA, Jan 17 — A former federal minister from Umno claimed today that cash was handed out in previous election campaigns in attempts to buy votes, a tactic known as “bomb”.

Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said in a forum today that he had experienced himself how cash handouts ranging from RM200 to RM1,000 was used in Barisan Nasional’s election campaigns to gain voter support.

“I have been the head of delegation of many campaigns and I have been given lump sums of money to distribute,” said the former Information Minister at the Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference 2012 here. “It was a blatant use of money to buy votes.”

Abdul Kadir (picture), who was also formerly the Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism, said that the word used for the strategy was called “bomb”.

He added though that he personally didn’t use the money.

James Chin, who heads the School of Social Sciences at Monash University at Sunway, and who spoke at the forum after Abdul Kadir said that “bombing” was a very effective tool in Sabah and Sarawak.

During his presentation, Abdul Kadir said that while he still held positions in Umno, he wanted to remind them of the “Merdeka trust” — which meant giving the people the right to truly free and fair elections.

He also urged Umno not to fear losing if it was sincere in its intentions.

“If you lose accept it; people change governments all the time in US and Australia,” he said. “I am an Umno man, I don’t mind if I lose. If you are there just to make millions for yourself and your cronies or if I have made my billions and am afraid I will be arrested after I lose power, then I will do all these tricks.”

“If you are sincere, you have nothing to fear,” he added.

He said that to have free and fair elections, there must be equal access to the media and GLCs and government departments must be neutral.

“You must give them (the opposition) the freedom to have TV, radio and newspapers,” he said. “For 50 years, PAS has been asking for a newspaper licence but none given — the government is a big bully.”

He also said that during elections, Barisan Nasional should not be making use of the Ministry of Information, Felda, Felcra, the Special Branch and other federal agencies to support their campaign.

Abdul Kadir is also the deputy president of non-partisan pro-unity NGO Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) and executive chairman of the Sazean group.

Flurry to register BN-friendly Sabah parties

Top Umno leaders were in town to shore up Umno Sabah and to make sure more friendly parties are registered quickly.

KOTA KINABALU: Amidst increasing concerns over Umno Sabah’s ability to hold itself together ahead of a defining 13th general election, Home Ministry officials today met with representatives from 12 groups aspiring to register themselves as political parties.

The meeting with the 12 pro-tem presidents and secretaries-general also saw the presence of a deputy minister. This indicates that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has given the “green light” for more parties to be registered in Sabah and for this to be done “quickly”.

Some of these parties had applied for registration years ago and had been put on hold until now.

Among the aspiring political parties represented at the meeting were Usno Baru, Parti Cinta Sabah, Parti Perpaduan Rakyat, Parti Kebenaran Sabah, Parti Kebangsaan Sabah, Pakar, Parti Pembangunan Warisan Sabah, Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sabah, and Parti Bersatu Bugis Sabah.

Each of the parties was represented by its president and secretary-general.

According to those present at the closed-door meeting with with deputy minister Lee Chee Leong, they were told them that their applications would be given due consideration bearing in mind “their democratic right” and the impending general election.

He apparently said: “We will bring today’s matters to another (higher level) meeting where we will deliberate on your applications…”

Registrar of Societies (ROS) officers, who were approached, refused to reveal the names of the parties and the nature of the discussion with Lee except to say that “it is the final process (of registration)”.

‘Three new parties likely’

Meanwhile, a pro-tem secretary-general of an aspiring party told FMT that the meeting could have been ordered by Najib who is already being accused of practising doubl standard in democratisation and transparency by delaying or refusing outright to register applications of new political parties from Sabah.

“I sense that the authority may approve three new parties soon in Sabah.

“We don’t know which parties will be approved but it seems they do not want to be accused of denying us our democratic rights.

“They know we can go to court for a ‘mandamus order’ to compel the ROS to register, so why must go to court if Najib is sincere in liberalising the country?” said the man who requested anonymity.

Another secretary-general, who also asked not to be identified, claimed that he deciphered “signals” from the briefing that new parties would be registered if it is to bring advantages to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Speculations are rife that Najib is setting in motion his gameplan to contain Umno Sabah and BN’s weakening grip in the state.

BN is struggling under relentless attacks over alleged abuse of power, land grabs, unfair federal policies, victimisation and escalating cost of living.

Observers here see today’s meeting as an indication that the BN-direct membership process is finally taking shape and that Najib is putting his gameplan into action.

They were also curious about the timing of the meeting with 12 “new” parties, some of whom had given up hope of registrating their party and are known to have joined other political parties like Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), STAR and also Kita.

Lajim ignores Muhyiddin

Coincidence or otherwise, several top Umno leaders – Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and vice-presidents Hishammuddin Hussein and Shafie Apdal – were also in town today.

They have been busy meeting with local Umno warlords and gauging the “real” situation on the ground.

Rumblings of dissent among the ranks is worrying Najib.

At last night’s meeting with Muhyiddin, a key Umno member, Lajim Ukin, was missing.

Lajim’s absence has further fuelled speculations that the party’s influential chieftain in Beaufort, south of Sabah, is set to quit Umno.

Rumour has it that Lajim is set to lead a small Bumiputera party and that he had met with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Lajim also apparently has made it known that he is available for talks with the Anything But Umno (ABU) group.

Lajim’s “fame” dates back to 1994 when he allegedly triggered the downfall of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

Bersih kicks off voter turnout campaign

The electoral reform watchdog says a 100 percent turnout would strengthen democracy.

KUALA LUMPUR: Electoral reform watchdog, Bersih 2.0, launched a programme called “Jom 100” to increase voter turnout for the 13th general election.

Bersih 2.0 chairman S Ambiga said: “A 100 percent turnout would strengthen democracy and mitigate gerrymandering and electoral fraud.”

At a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here, she also said that 100 percent voter turnout would allow the people to re-shape the future of Malaysia.

She added that the Jom 100 programme is geared towards educating voters on their rights and importance of casting their voters.

Ambiga also urged overseas-based Malaysian voters to return and vote in the general election.

“If the Election Commission (EC) doesn’t make arrangements at the embassies, please come home and vote.

“Some are already looking into that possibility,” she said following a High Court decision to dismiss a case by six UK-based Malaysians to compel the EC to allow them to vote as absent voters.

Jom 100 will kick off after the Chinese New Year holidays next week with a focus on rural constituencies. The campaign will start in Kuala Terengganu on Friday.

Ambiga also welcomed the government, political parties and NGOs to jointly embark on this non-partisan campaign.

“We are more than happy if the government enabled people to vote. We welcome political parties to spread the word. We have been in collaboration with other NGOs,” she said.

Ambiga, the former Bar Council president, said there are more than three million eligible Malaysians who are not registered voters.

To question, she also did not rule out the possibility of a Bersih 3.0 rally if the demands of Bersih 2.0 are not met before the next general election.

“We are trying all those things – negotiations with the EC, the Parliametary Select Committee (PSC) on election reforms – but if the recommendations are not fulfilled, do not rule out Bersih 3.0,” she said.

She also said holding the general election before Bersih’s demands are met meant that the government had “no respect for the PSC, Parliament and the people”.

Ambiga announced the appointment of national laureate, A Samad Said, as Bersih co-chairman and Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia chairman Ahmad Shukri Razak as Bersih 2.0 committee member.

Tentang Seks, Pentas dan Negara

Naskhah teater turut menjadi senduk untuk Ann Lee dan rakan “masak-masak”nya memperkatakan pelbagai isu semasa.
COMMENT

Saya tidak berpeluang menonton “The Vagina Monologues” karya Eve Ensler yang diarah oleh Ann Lee sebelum dan selepas pementasannya diharamkan di Malaysia suatu masa dahulu.

Namun, apabila mendapat tahu bahawa buku “Sex, Stage & State: Kuali Works Plays” yang memuatkan tujuh skrip yang dihasilkan Ann Lee dan rakan-rakan “kuali”nya akan dilancarkan di Bali, Indonesia pada 7 Oktober tahun lalu, saya tidak melepaskan peluang untuk hadir sama pada majlis eksklusif itu.

Sebenarnya, kebetulan saya berada di sana kerana menyertai Ubud Writers & Readers Festival dan majlis pelancaran buku berkenaan adalah sebahagian acara sampingan festival.

Buku setebal 297 halaman ini diterbitkan oleh Parama Adhi Perkasa, Jakarta pada September 2011 dan amat sesuai dijadikan koleksi peminat teater bermutu tanpa mengira kewarganegaraan.

Sharon Bakar dan saya menghadiri majlis pelancaran “Sex, Stage & State” di Rumah Valentine, Ubud antara lain kerana mahu memberi sokongan moral kepada Ann Lee dan rakan-rakannya yang giat mengangkat martabat teater di Malaysia.

Beliau yang lahir di Tawau, Sabah serta mendapat pendidikan di Universiti Westminster dan Universiti Oxford, pernah menjadi penyampai berita di Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). Malah, di situlah persahabatan kami bermula.

Di Rumah Valentine pula, saya turut berpeluang bertemu Goh Soon Siew, Foo May Lyn, Kathy Rowland dan Jo Kukathas yang merupakan antara orang kuat yang terlibat dengan Kuali Works secara langsung atau tidak langsung.

Facebook

Jo Kukathas hanya rakan saya di ruang siber menerusi Facebook. Saya mengenali dan mengagumi beliau manakala beliau tidak mengenali saya, demikian andaian saya pada mulanya).

Pengarah, penulis dan pelakon teater ini juga pengarah artistik di Instant Cafe Theatre Company. Terkini, Jo Kukathas mengarah teater “Parah” karya Alfian Sa’at yang dijadual dipentaskan di Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) pada 1-5 Februari 2012.

Kathy Rowland pernah saya temui suatu ketika dahulu – entah di mana; kami berdua sudah lupa dan kami kadang-kadang berkomunikasi menerusi e-mel.

Pertemuan di Rumah Valentine pula membuka ruang dan peluang untuk kami semua duduk berbual tentang pelbagai perkara: sastera, seni, politik, makanan dan rakyat.

Berbalik pada “Sex, Stage & State”, kesemua tujuh skrip yang termuat di dalamnya adalah bahan dokumentasi yang penting; khususnya dalam meneliti “suara” golongan aktivis teater – khasnya wanita – dalam mengetengahkan “women’s issues – that is, anything under the sun” seperti yang menjadi pegangan Kuali Works sejak ditubuhkan pada 1994.

“Happy Families” yang ditulis dan diarah oleh Ann Lee pada 18-22 November 1993 berlatarkan Sabah dan mengangkat tema penderaan seksual. Kisah disampaikan menerusi pengalaman sekumpulan kanak-kanak yang baru mula mengenai makna “dewasa”.

Petikan teater ini turut dipersembahkan oleh Ann Lee, Foo May Lyn dan Jo Kukathas semasa pelancaran buku di Rumah Valentine. Mesej yang terkandung dalam teater itu merentas zaman, batas geografi dan budaya. Sesiapa sahaja boleh menjadi “mangsa”.

Mke Tyson

“Kuala Lumpur Knock-Out” yang pertama kali dipersembahkan di Panggung Eksperimen, Kuala Lumpur pada 6-11 November 1996 bukan sekadar kisah seorang “minah kilang” yang bercita-cita menentang Mike Tyson di gelanggang tinju.

“Ternyata Ann Lee mendapat idea daripada peristiwa seorang politikus penting pada waktu itu yang dilaporkan mengadakan hubungan sulit bersama seorang remaja wajah umur.

“Tidak lama kemudian, beberapa lagi politikus tampil membuat pendedahan mengaibkan mengenai remaja itu hingga akhirnya tumpuan media yang dikuasai politik sudah berpindah daripada kisah seorang politikus merogol gadis bawah umur kepada kisah gadis tidak bermoral,” kata Kathy Rowland sewaktu memperkatakan skrip berkenaan.

Teater “Sang Kancil – the Mousedeer that Roared” yang ditulis bersama oleh Ann Lee dan Foo May Lyn juga ada kisah tersendiri yang mungkin kurang diketahui orang.

“Apabila pementasan teater itu sudah bermula, Kuali Works mendapat panggilan telefon daripada seorang individu yang memperkenalkan dirinya sebagai Inspektor Nathan dari Bukit Aman dan mahu tahu di mana saya berada.

“Skrip teater itu adalah berdasarkan insiden yang berlaku ke atas Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada 1998. Maka, saya rasa terancam berikutan panggilan telefon itu. Akibatnya, saya tidak bermalam di tempat yang sama selama beberapa hari kerana bimbang ditahan di bawah ISA,” Ann Lee menceritakan.

Sang kancil

Kathy Rowland turut memuji kemampuan dan keberanian Ann Lee dan Foo May Lyn mengadun kisah tradisi dan isu politik semasa dengan mengangkat watak Sang Kancil yang berjaya memanipulasi sekumpulan buaya tetapi kemudian mendapati dirinya terpinggir dan hilang moral akibat perbuatan sendiri.

Sedutan teater berkenaan yang dipersembahkan oleh Foo May Lyn pada 7 Oktober 2011 membuktikan kekuatan skrip dan kehebatan lakonannya dalam membawakan watak Sang Kancil yang sesungguhnya adalah gambaran orang politik tertentu yang licik menipu rakyat.

Dalam perkembangan lain, hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Mohamad Zabidin memutuskan pada Isnin minggu lalu bahawa Anwar tidak bersalah, lalu mengarahkan beliau dibebaskan dan dilepaskan.

Segera saya membaca semula skrip kisah “Sang Kancil” dengan penuh minat dan dengan interpretasi yang berbeza; khususnya selepas menerima e-mel daripada Ann Lee dan Kathy Rowland pada hari berkenaan berkaitan keputusan kes di mahkamah.

Monolog “Hang Li Poh – Melakan Princess” ditulis dan diarahkan oleh Ann Lee pada 8-14 Julai 1998 serta menampilkan Mew Chang Tsing sebagai pelakon tunggal memegang lapan watak.

Skrip berkenaan kini sedang dalam proses terjemahan untuk dipersembahkan di Indonesia kepada khalayak yang lebih besar. Malah, beberapa teater yang diusahakan Kuali Works turut mendapat pengiktirafan antarabangsa.

Teater “From Table Mountain to Teluk Intan” lebih berupa kisah diri Shahimah (Charmaine W) Idris, wanita Melayu kelahiran Cape Town, Afrika Selatan yang ditikam di tempat letak kereta di Kuala Lumpur pada 1997.

`Nostalgia zaman kanak-kanak’

Kisah itu pertama kali dipentaskan di Kuala Lumpur pada 2-21 Oktober 2000. Kemudian turut dipentaskan pada New York International Fringe Festival pada 15-21 Ogos 2002.

“Tarap Man” yang dipentaskan di Kuala Lumpur pada 5-9 Disember 2007 sekali lagi menggunakan latar negeri Sabah. Bagaimanapun, teater ini tidak lagi berciri “nostalgia zaman kanak-kanak” seperti “Happy Families”.

“Aashi, seorang wartawan kanan, ditukarkan ke Malaysia Timur kerana tidak tunduk pada permintaan sang ketua yang ada motif politik. Dengan berlatarkan negeri kelahiran Ann Lee, teater ini berjaya mengungkapkan ketegangan politik yang wujud antara kerajaan pusat dan kerajaan negeri pada waktu itu,” Kathy Rowland menghuraikan.

“Perpustakaan” pula sebuah teater tanpa dialog. Saya masih terbayang-bayang aksi lucu Jo Kukathas yang melakonkan watak pustakawan semasa majlis pelancaran “Sex, Stage & State” tempoh hari!

Di luar daripada lingkungan buku ini, karya-karya yang diterbitkan oleh Kuali Works turut diperkatakan secara akademik dalam pelbagai buku dan jurnal antarabangsa; antaranya “The Routledge Concise History of Southeast Asian Writing in English” (2010) dan “The Drama Review” (2002).

Hasil tulisan Ann Lee turut dimuatkan dalam “Body 2 Body: A Malaysian Queer Anthology” (2009), “March 8: Time for Real Change” (2010) dan “Malaysian Tales: Retold & Remixed” (2011).

`Ratu Sukan’

Bermula dengan pementasan “Colour Blind” karya Karen Kuah pada 1996, Kuali Works yang ditubuhkan pada 1994 sudah menjayakan pementasan 17 teater.

Kathy Rowland yang menulis pengenalan pada buku “Sex, Stage & State” menyebut bahawa syarikat itu juga pernah menerbitkan siri televisyen “Ratu Sukan” sempena 100 tahun pencapaian cemerlang wanita Malaysia dalam bidang sukan.

Dari 1996 hingga 1999, Kuali Works turut menganjurkan siri seminar dan bengkel khas bagi wanita dalam pelbagai bidang seni, termasuk pengurusan kewangan dan penerbitan teater.

Agak malang bahawa pada akhir tahun 2010, Kuali Works terpaksa ditutup atas pelbagai faktor. Namun, walaupun “kuali” sudah ditutup, penulisan sejarah perkembangan teater Malaysia tidak akan lengkap tanpa menyebut nama syarikat itu.

Memiliki senaskhah “Sex, Stage & State” pula umpama memiliki secebis daripada serpihan sejarah itu sendiri yang tidak ternilai harganya.

As I said, it’s about history

Today, Hang Li Po, Hang Tuah, etc., are debunked. Tomorrow, it could be others whom are said to have also existed will be debunked. And, for thousands of years, millions of people have been killed for not believing in events that never happened and in people who never existed.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
History books to stick to facts

‘Hang Li Po, Hang Tuah did not exist’

I think it was probably ten years or so ago that I wrote about the probability of Hang Tuah and his cohorts being a mere myth. The other possibility is that if they did exist, then they were all Chinese and not Malays -- bodyguards of the Chinese princess, Hang Li Po.

Of course, the Malay ‘nationalists’ were outraged at my suggestion. Even renowned historians did not utter such a possibility. How can I, with no PhD to my name, come to that conclusion?

I suppose it is all about whether you have a PhD to your name. If you do not then what you say matters not and is of no significance. In fact, you are not qualified to make comments if you are not a certified ‘authority’.

My reasoning (yes, I apply reasoning, as what we were taught to do in the Philosophy of Religion course that I recently took) is that if Hang Li Po was Chinese then the rest of the Hang tribe must have been Chinese as well. If Hang Li Po was Chinese, how can Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu all be Malays?

The next point is on the special Silat (martial arts) that the five ‘Malay’ warriors were said to have practiced. It was a Silat that no one had ever seen before and is said to be more powerful than the traditional Silat that the Malays practiced.

My argument was that it must have been Chinese Kungfu and not Silat. That was why the Malays had never seen it before. And the fact that Hang Tuah and gang beat the shit out of the Malays was probably because it was a very unique form of Kungfu, more superior to Silat.

I mean, Silat is full of dancing before the exponent moves in for the kill. In Kungfu, you just step in and beat the daylights out of the dancer before he knows what hit him.

The next point is about the story regarding Hang Tuah going over to Indonesia as an envoy of the Sultan of Melaka. The story goes that when he was there they tried to get him drunk so that they can beat him up. However, never mind how much liquor they gave him, he held his liquor well and did not fall down drunk. When they made their move on him, Hang Tuah beat the shit out of his attackers, sober as hell.

Now, if Hang Tuah drank liquor and could hold his liquor well, this means he could not have been Malay. First of all, he drank. Secondly, he must have been a regular drinker to be able to drink so much and still stay sober enough to beat off his attackers.

Anyway, I was basing my reasoning on the stories that we were told. Now it appears that all these stories were myths after all. Yet, Malaysian historians and history being taught in Malaysian schools told us that all these stories were true and that all these people existed even though there is no tangible evidence to support the theory of their existence.

This is exactly what I have been saying about religion. Hang Tuah and whatnot are supposed to have existed a mere few hundred years ago when they already had recorded history. Yet, today, that has been put to question. What about stories of people and events that were supposed to have happened thousands of years ago at a time when there was no recorded history and when stories were passed down through the generations by word of mouth? Would there not be even more reason to question these so-called ‘facts’?

When I talk about religious history most would respond with dogma. They will quote verses from the Bible or the Quran to counter my arguments. What these people can’t seem to understand is that they are arguing theology. And there is a big difference between theology, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, etc.

Theology is based on dogma, not on history or whatever. And the belief in dogma is based on faith, not evidence. If you demand evidence to support dogma, then the dogma would be demolished. You must accept dogma based on the lack of evidence. Hence it is called faith, the belief in the unseen or the unproven.

It will be impossible to engage when we are not on the same page. I talk about one thing and you talk about another. And you apply reasoning in circles to argue your case. I would be even more blunt in saying that you can’t use a lie to support a lie.

For example, you tell someone that Raja Petra Kamarudin says he is a Prophet of God. Someone then asks you: how do you know this? You reply: it is written in this book. This person then asks you: who wrote this book? You reply: Raja Petra Kamarudin wrote this book.

This would be called reasoning in circles.

Or, you reply: it is written in this book. This person then asks you: who wrote this book? You reply: it was written by someone 200 years after Raja Petra Kamarudin died. You ask: where did this person get the information since it was written 200 years after Raja Petra Kamarudin died? You reply: the information was passed down by word of mouth over almost ten generations.

If you want to believe that Hang Tuah, or whoever it may be, did exist and that this is what they are alleged to have said and done, carry on. No one is stopping you from believing what you want to believe even if you want to believe in the tooth fairy. Just do not force others to also believe the same thing and then arrest them and send them to jail on charges of heresy if they do not also believe what you believe.

That is the issue here.

Today, Hang Li Po, Hang Tuah, etc., are debunked. Tomorrow, it could be others whom are said to have also existed will be debunked. And, for thousands of years, millions of people have been killed for not believing in events that never happened and in people who never existed.

Why I disagree with ABU

Anas Zubedy

With all due respect to those who are promoting ABU (Anything But UMNO/ Asalkan Bukan UMNO) especially Haris Ibrahim, someone who I have high regard of; a genuine change agent– I do not see ABU’s approach as the right way to go. I would like to offer an alternative point of view.

Let me explain.

When we try to use an all-or-nothing approach, we are essentially giving license to the other side to slack.

An effort like ABU takes the assumption that everyone in UMNO is bad and everyone in the opposition is good; but what if the UMNO candidate fighting for the same seat is a better candidate, who should we vote?

An all-or-nothing, blanket approval or dismissal for any party is like giving a blank cheque to the candidates and the party. I see it as an irresponsible, unthinking way to choose our MPs and ADUNS.

While I support the ideals ABU wants to promote, it is the approach I find questionable. For the change we want we cannot be in a hurry. Some may see that we need to reduce UMNO’s influence in order to change our nation for the better, but we must be careful with our action, lest we throw the baby out with the bathwater.

This is why a more balanced approach is needed. We ask people to be thinking voters, to scrutinize individuals from all parties, and choose the best among them, not the party. If the non- UMNO candidate is better, by all means choose him or her. But if the UMNO candidate is better, he or she deserves our vote.

We must understand that while the backing of a good structure, processes and systems (of political parties) can help an MP/ADUN perform well, an excellent candidate without a good party will still be able to serve the rakyat with heart and soul. It is like an excellent teacher in a school without amenities and support. That is why we must give foremost consideration to the individual calons, not his/her political party.

Instead of taking an all-or-nothing blanket approach, an approach that is based on reason, conscience and the Constitution is recommended. We must not allow any candidate or party a free ride. A ‘No Free Rides’ campaign is the better approach. In that way we will get only the best people as MPs and ADUNs.

We need to change Malaysia in the right way towards the right goal. It will be slow but sure. Let’s do it one MP at a time.

Finally, the ABU campaign has a longer term danger. It promotes the kind of unthinking decision making process that is potentially destructive. This campaign may be the catalyst for more unthinking divisive positions like ABC – Asalkan Bukan Cina or Asalkan Bukan Christian, or ABK - Asalkan Bukan Kafir, etc etc.

Is this the way we want to go?

India Looks At Israel Gas

Plenty to burn

Political as well as natural resource development in the deal
India and Israel, already partners in areas such as defense, counter-terrorism and agriculture, could extend it to gas in the wake of huge findings in the so-called Levant Basin in water 1,675 meters deep off Israel’s coast.

The Israeli discovery, made in 2010, goes some distance towards solving a knotty political problem for India as well as taking care of some of its energy needs, as well as altering slightly the balance of energy production in the middle east and making Israel a player.

Driven by US demands, India has been seeking ways to cut down on energy imports from Iran and to build on relationships with Saudi Arabia as well as other parts of the Middle East and Africa. New Delhi’s other efforts to procure natural gas via pipelines from Iran, Myanmar or Turkmenistan are also stuck due to multiple reasons related to security, transit fees, competition from China and strategic factors.

Israel and India have explored possibilities of Israel exporting gas to India, given its rising needs, especially in the wake of inadequate domestic output. Gas consumption is increasing rapidly across sectors in India that include auto, power, industry and households.

The offer of gas to India was made by Israel’s minister of finance Yuval Steinitz during his New Delhi visit last month, when he met with high-ranking ministers and officials, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and India’s national security adviser Shivshankar Menon.

Steinitz has been quoted in the media to say that Israel and India engaged in talks about a potential gas deal. “Israel will be to receive delegations from India to discuss the issue,” he said.

Indian and Israeli officials again reportedly discussed ways of getting the gas to India last week, when foreign minister S M Krishna’s visited Jerusalem. The gas find is not without its problems. Lebanon has claimed the basin may extend into Lebanese waters although no action has been taken as yet. The two countries have fought four wars since 1949 and have had long periods of hostility.

Although Israeli officials say the Dalit and Tamar gas fields are within Israel’s contiguous economic zone, Israel has never signed nor ratified the United Nations Law of the Sea, promulgated in 2002, which is designed to set sea borders between maritime nations. CNOOC, China’s National Offshore Oil Corporation, which has energy concerns equal to India’s, is also negotiating an interest in the Tamar field.

Win Win Scenario

Though Israel has been an energy deficient nation for years, good gas potential has been discovered at the Leviathan and Tamar fields over the last couple of years.

Leviathan field reserves are estimated at 16 trillion cubic feet of gas, valued over US$160 billion, with production expected in 2016 – one of the biggest offshore finds in more than a decade, according to industry analysts. Tamar reserves stand at 8 trillion cubic feet, with production expected next year.

Israel is today estimated to be sitting over 400 bcm of gas. The bonanza, off the country’s north coast, has the potential of earning the country huge export revenues.

India, meanwhile, meets bulk of its oil and gas needs via imports. Over the recent years the country has been seeking to diversify its energy import basket to reduce dependence on a few nations. In the case of gas India is working with Algeria and now Israel beyond the usual imports from Qatar and Oman.

India’s gas demand-supply gap has turned out to be much more than envisaged due to the failure of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) KG-D6 block to meet the gas output envisaged. The gas being produced at KG-DG is less than half the 80 mmscmd that was predicted.

India's natural gas output, meanwhile, is about 120 mmscmd while demand stands about 220 mmscmd and expected to double in five years time. The country imports about 45 mmscmd expensive LNG that still does not take care of the needs.

New Delhi is thus backing efforts to tap unconventional gas such as coal bed methane, underground coal gasification and shale. Gas from Israel is an option that India does not want to lose out.

India-Israel Ties

Though relations between India and Israel have been impacted by the complex Arab-Palestine politics, Jerusalem and New Delhi now share a good comfort level in doing business, with bilateral trade over US$5 billion.

One reflection of strong ties between the two countries is the rising defense supplies by Israel to India.

Over the past few years Israel has matched and overtaken India’s traditional arms suppliers Russia, Sweden, France and UK, in the supply of armaments that have ranged from missiles to air defense systems, missiles and radars.

Progressive Indian states such as Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, meanwhile, closely collaborate with Israel in agriculture, horticulture, water management and sprinkler systems.

These positive developments have co-incidentally happened even as Washington has removed sanctions on export of dual use technologies to India that harked back to the Cold War era.

Impositions connected to India testing nuclear weapons in the 70s and again in the 90s have also been withdrawn.

Over the past five years, America has opened doors to India to purchase US armaments, nuclear reactors to produce electricity and is closely involved with New Delhi’s efforts to produce shale gas.

India and America have grown closer as strategic partners in the region to nullify the influence of China, even as Arab nations have opened channels of communication with Israel.

America also does not want to lose out on the enormous potential of doing business with emerging economy India.

In this context, Indo-Israel energy relations are sure to be endorsed by America that has otherwise opposed India’s efforts to tap the enormous hydrocarbon resources of Iran.

Washington has issues with Tehran’s insistence on pursuing an independent nuclear program that it fears comprises building of atom bombs. Due to pressure from America, India has opted out of the ambitious Iran-Pakistan India (IPI) gas pipeline as well that Iran and Pakistan continue to pursue.

The option of shipping LNG from Iran has also not worked out to the levels expected. Companies such as explorer Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and private major Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) have consciously reduced their investment and oil and gas trade exposure with Iran to avoid inviting US sanctions.

It could be opportune for Israel to step in.

(Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist. He can be reached at sidsri@yahoo.com)

HAK MERAYU

1. Dalam sejarah kehakiman di Malaysia, Anwar menang pertandingan membuat “appeal” atau rayuan terhadap keputusan mahkamah yang dikenakan kepadanya.

2. Selama empat tahun kita tidak dengar lain selain daripada appeal Anwar terhadap keputusan mahkamah berkenaan dirinya dalam kes Saiful.

3. Awal-awal lagi dituntut supaya hakim ditukar kerana kononnya berat sebelah. Dengan itu perbicaraan ditangguh sementara tuntutannya ditimbang oleh mahkamah. Masa berbulan-bulan berlalu kerana mahkamah terpaksa menentukan tarikh untuk mendengar rayuannya.

4. Setelah diputus yang hakim berkenaan boleh dengar rayuannya, ada lagi rayuan yang dikemukakan.

5. Jika keputusan yang dibuat baru-baru ini mendapati Anwar bersalah, percayalah ia akan membuat appeal kepada Mahkamah Rayuan (Appeal Court).

6. Jika Appeal Court bersetuju dengan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi, maka Anwar akan rayu kepada Federal Court.

7. Jika Federal Court mengesahkan keputusan oleh High Court dan Appeal Court, maka Anwar akan tuntut untuk kesnya dibawa kepada Special Court.

8. Tetapi apabila Anwar didapati tidak bersalah kerana tidak ada corroborating evidence, hak mangsanya untuk membuat rayuan dipertikaikan.

9. Apakah dalam negara ini pembesar pembangkang mempunyai hak istimewa bahawa keadilan hanya berlaku apabila ia didapati tidak bersalah?

10. Apakah dalam negara ini mangsa yang kerdil tidak berhak kepada keadilan sehingga dia tidak boleh merayu untuk didengar oleh mahkamah yang lebih tinggi?

11. Apakah di negara ini keengganan pembesar pembangkang mengangkat sumpah bukan sahaja di masjid dengan menjunjung Al Quran tetapi semasa dibicara dalam mahkamah biasa tidak mempunyai apa-apa makna terutama kepada orang Islam, dan sumpah laknat oleh si kerdil juga tidak boleh diambilkira?

12. Atau apakah menjadi satu daripada perjuangan Pakatan bahawa apa yang disarankan oleh Anwar dalam BBC bahawa undang-undang negara ini sudah lapok dan perlu ditukar kepada kebebasan untuk meliwat mengikut liberalisme Barat?

DSAI Begins Legal Action Against Utusan Malaysia

I refer to certain reports published in the Utusan Malaysia newspaper on January 17^th 2012 alleging that the Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had made statements in a BBC interview calling for the legalizing of homosexuality.

These reports are defamatory, scurrilous, politically motivated and gutter journalism of the lowest kind.
In the BBC interview, the Opposition Leader whilst calling for review of archaic laws, went on to state that “we, Muslim and non-muslim generally believe and are committed to support the sanctity of marriage between man and woman in Malaysia. We do not promote homosexuality in the public sphere and domain”. Thus the Utusan Malaysia report is completely and blatantly false.

The UMNO-linked Utusan Malaysia newspaper has consistently published false, mischievous and scurrilous reports against the political opposition. Indeed, politically motivated and dishonest media reporting has become the norm among many mainstream media organizations such as Utusan Malaysia.

This dismal state of affairs has been created, fostered and encouraged by the Barisan Nasional government.
In view of this, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has in the public interest begun legal action against Utusan Malaysia. Through his solicitors, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has on 17.1.2012 issued a demand notice against Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd which is the proprietor of Utusan Malaysia

newspaper and against the Editor of Utusan Malaysia, demanding retraction of the above allegations, an apology and damages. He brings this action as a matter of principle and in vindication of the people’s right to fair media reporting.
Issued by,

N. SURENDRAN

VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN

People's Well-being Is BN's Main Agenda: Muhyiddin

TAWAU, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Ensuring the well-being of the people is Barisan Nasional's (BN) main agenda in the quest to turn the country into a developed nation by 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

This was clearly spelled out in the 2012 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last year along with numerous initiatives and programmes for the benefit of the people, he added.

"This means that no one will be left out of the social net provided by the government. We don't discriminate, we provide assistance irrespective of race, religion or creed. Every citizen of 1Malaysia will be assisted.

"The BN-led government is doing this to provide comfort to the people," he said at the handing over of 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) for Tawau and Kalabakan constituencies here.

Muhyiddin said that apart from the various assistance such as the RM100 for school students, RM500 in BR1M for households earning RM3,000 or less a month and RM200 in book vouchers for university students, there were many other facilities given by the government which the people might not be aware of.

For instance, he said, the government spent RM22 billion a year for essential goods subsidy to ensure prices were controlled and lower than the prices which the people would have paid without the subsidy.

He said the government also spent about RM300 million a year to subsidise sugar prices and RM10 billion for fuel.

"If petroleum companies were to impose the market price for diesel and petrol, the RM10 billion would have to come from our pockets. But do you know who paid for this RM10 billion? The government is the one paying it.

"So isn't the BN a good government?" asked Muhyiddin, to which the audience responded in a resounding "yes."

He took to task the opposition which he said had deliberately refused to acknowledge the deeds of the BN government and instead resorted to accusing it of being unfair and not helpful to the people.

Muhyiddin added that the people themselves were reaping the benefit from the assistance provided by the government.

Revealed: Survival International alerted Andaman authorities to human safaris two years ago

Vehicles queue to enter the Jarawa reserve along the Andaman Trunk Road © G Chamberlain/ Survival

The Andaman authorities were alerted to the existence of human safaris two years ago by Survival International – but the problem has continued.
On January 11, 2010, Survival wrote to the Lieutenant Governor of the Islands, warning him that ‘a number of tour operators are promoting tours which include sightings of, or encounters with, the Jarawa tribe .’
Survival received no response to the letter or subsequent appeals, even after launching a boycott of the Andaman Trunk Road with local organization Search.
In July 2011, Survival wrote again as a matter of ‘great urgency’, in response to ‘severe international concern about the Jarawa’s predicament and the threat that tourists pose’, but still the problem continued.
Four months ago, a complaint was also lodged by social worker Arvind Rai Sharma, after he saw a tour company’s promotional video of Jarawa women and children being ‘humiliated in front of tourists’.
Speaking to Survival, he said, ‘I personally handed in the letter to the Andaman authorities, and met the Director of Tribal Welfare. But they still did not take my complaint seriously, even though it was such a sensitive matter’.

Tourist films Jarawa on the Andaman Trunk Road © Survival

Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘It’s extraordinary that the local government appears only now to realize the extent of these ‘human safaris’. Survival first wrote to the administration in 2010 to highlight the issue. If they’re serious about finally tackling this problem, they need to close the Andaman Trunk Road, ten years after the Supreme Court told them to. It’s the only real solution.’
Read Survival’s letters to the Andaman administration from 2010 (pdf, 294 KB) and 2011 (pdf, 229 KB)
Read Arvind Rai Sharma’s letter to the Andaman administration (pdf, 5.3 MB)

MACC invited to vet declarations in Judiciary’s bid to graft-proof operations

The Star
by SHAILA KOSHY and QISHIN TARIQ

PUTRAJAYA: The Judiciary is the latest institution of public interest wanting to further graft-proof its operations by inviting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on board.

Chief Justice Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, who issued the invitation yesterday, said judges had nothing to fear if their work was clean.

Justice Arifin said judges of higher courts would be required to declare their assets soon and the MACC called in to check the information if there were allegations.

“I'm sure all of you have nothing to fear so we have to work together with MACC on this matter,” he said during the third day of the Conference of Judges here.

The move would affect judges in the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal and High Courts and judicial commissioners.

Under Section 9 of the Judges Code of Ethics 2009, a judge shall declare in writing all his assets to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court upon his appointment or any time thereafter, if required so.

At the conference, the Chief Justice also reminded judges to maintain the independence of the Judiciary and not put up with any interference in reaching their verdicts.

“But there are other interferences one of them may be your spouse. So, make sure there are no discussions,” he quipped.

The statement by Justice Arifin came just three days after MACC advised mega project owner MRT Corp not to consider a bid by a French company that was still under investigation for alleged corruption.

MRT Corp, the project owner of the multi-billion ringgit Klang Valley MY Rapid Transit, had asked MACC to help keep a hawk's eye to ensure that there was no corruption, especially in the procurement process.

Various groups lauded the move by Justice Arifin and suggested ways of cooperation.

Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee said allegations of financial impropriety against judges would be easier to deal with if MACC audited their assets as soon as they were declared.

“This has been one of the many issues discussed by the Judiciary and the Bar on how to improve public confidence in the Judiciary,” Lim said.

He said allegations although without documentary evidence, so far as the Bar Council was aware impacted negatively on the image of the Judiciary, especially “when lawyers and litigants claim that they have bribed judge(s)”.

Retired Court of Appeal judges Datuk Shaik Daud Ismail and Datuk K.C. Vohrah said they had never been asked to declare their assets as judges.

“But I think it is a good idea,” said Vohrah in an SMS from overseas.

Former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi said he declared his assets to the Chief Secretary's Office when he was appointed to the Federal Court in 2007.

“I asked new judicial commissioners to declare their assets to me when I was CJ.”

Chairman of Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam described Justice Arifin's announcement as “important” in judicial leadership.

However, he suggested that judges, Cabinet members and Members of Parliament declare their assets to an independent commission instead, adding that they should also be declaring their liabilities.

Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights founder Edmund Bon asked for declared assets by the judges to be made public “to a certain extent”.

Girls being raped and tortured

“I saw two of my daughters being raped in front of me,” an old lady from Essa Nagri told The News. “It is considered that Chooras have no integrity.” She says that around midnight, men from other areas start gathering in their neighbourhood. “They are usually drunk. They choose which home they will plunder.”

She adds that one night they stormed into her home and raped two of her girls, while she “was locked in another room hearing their cries for help”. “I am a widow without any financial prospects, but I did go to the MPA representing us. What good is he if he can’t do anything to protect us?” The fear to report these cases is such that at first, no one even admits that an incident of rape or torture has taken place.

Forcible conversions

Within the past three months, nine women have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. MPA Javed adds that the purpose is not to gain good deeds, but to sell them. A majority of the Christian girls converted are married, he says.

According to reports he received from different areas of the city, the abducted women are later sold to feudal lords in Sindh and Punjab. Citing a recent example, Javed says that in Essa Nagri, a 23-year-old married girl was forcibly remarried to a 60-year-old Muslim man, who was notorious for selling girls.

Javed said that the man was known to be pious, but had a side business of selling Christian girls. He says many people apart from him knew the truth. The only information that the family received was by a phone call through which they were informed by somebody that their girl is in Punjab.

He points out that there is a judgment by the Lahore High Court which clearly states that a “married Christian woman cannot be remarried to a Muslim even if converted,” but these cases do not even go to the police to be challenged in the high courts.

Brothel beside a church

Ayub Goth, near the Meteorological Department, is another area known for ethnic and religious discord. The Christians living in the area complain that a brothel was recently established right beside a Catholic church in the area.

In the evening women from outside are brought by “some people.” Residents say that these people have enough political clout to ensure that no one dares raise a finger.

Chaudhry, a former councillor of the area, says that the residents have grown tired of squabbling for space and now offer their prayers in a school right behind the church.

Munawar Baig, a resident of the area, says that if the same thing occurred in a Muslim dominated area, it would have been “treated differently”.

“We are not going anywhere,” says Abraham Masih, an 80-year-old resident of Ayub Goth. “We were born here and we’ll die here. I cannot preach with a gun, I can only pray for such people.”

“I have read the Bible as well as the Holy Quran and know for a fact that the religion does not use force on any one. It is not meant to make lives miserable for other people. If only those who cry about knowing the religion would understand that,” adds Javed.

Alien Serial Rapist in France Asks Victims Their Nationality and Religion Before Raping Them

On 23 December this man raped two blonde-haired, blue-eyed women in Paris then another two days later in Étampes (Essonne). The police had numerous photographs and CCTV images of this man but did not release them until the story was picked up in a magazine called Le Nouveau Detective (The New Detective) and then the newspaper Le Parisien, which published an artificial photofit image of him.



Le Parisien said that the detective division of the French police was "observing the strictest silence in this affair" which was described as "very sensitive".

This is yet another example of European police forces putting the lives of Europeans at greater risk for political purposes. They feel they have some kind of professional obligation to prevent the release of information that might cause Europeans to question the wisdom of allowing their countries being colonised by third-world immigrants. We saw exactly the same thing in the case of the Paki rape gangs in Britain. Of course, as I have written about before, this behaviour is imposed on the police by Council of Europe directives.

This man is considered very dangerous. He has shown himself to be very violent but at the same time, he has spoken to his victims a great deal, notably asking them their religious affiliation or their nationality.

"He also wounded the adolescent with several blows of the knife before trying to strangle her. He becomes very violent when the victims struggle. It seems he only attacks young European women, with light-coloured hair and blue eyes. He also apologised to them after having raped them and stabbed them. This type of behaviour is very troubling."

Jelajah Hasan Ali dedah 'parasit' PAS

NFCorp: Credit card bills were ‘business development expenses’

MACC officers arrive at NFCorp’s office in Kuala Lumpur, December 23, 2011. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — The National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp)’s management today admitted that money from the federally-funded project was used for credit card expenses, but maintained that these were solely for business purposes.

Earlier today, PKR alleged that Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family had used nearly RM600,000 from the NFC project funds to pay for their credit card bills in 2009.

The party’s strategic director, Rafizi Ramli, said in a statement today that the Wanita Umno chief’s husband and three children, all of whom sit on the NFC board, used funds from the RM250 million cattle farming project to pay credit card bills averaging over RM10,000 per month each across the year.

In response, NFCorp executive director Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh said that the credit card expenses were “corporate cards” and used for “business development purposes.”

“There are no personal expenses as alleged. The business development expenses by the four directors reflect the magnitude of its multi-million ringgit sales,” he said in a statement.

Wan Shahinur said that all the relevant facts were with the authorities, and added that the company would soon clarify other “misnomers and distortions that have affected public perception of the company.”

He also denied allegations that NFCorp’s directors had been paid “unjustifiable salaries”, saying that they were earning “nowhere near” the figures alleged by some parties. He also pointed out the authorities had the necessary information and bank statements for verification.

“The highly exaggerated figures first emerged from a mysterious prank blogger who had drawn the media’s attention to it. Since then, the blogger has disappeared and his erroneous post continues to be picked up by the public,” he added.

In the past two months, PKR has repeatedly accused Shahrizat’s family of abusing public funds, including spending at least RM27 million to buy land and property unrelated to cattle farming.

Rafizi said today NFC released RM182,525, RM160,673, RM127,900 and RM122,402 to pay credit card bills belonging to Shahrizat’s husband and NFC chairman, Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh, and her three children respectively in 2009.

The women, family and community development minister took three weeks’ leave last week to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the allegations.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced on Saturday that NFC’s assets have been frozen but Wan Shahinur, who is Shahrizat’s son, yesterday said it was “business as usual”.

Wan Shahinur also pointed out today that the Auditor-General’s report had never stated that the NFC project was in a mess, claiming that it was a false and mischievous allegation.

Anwar a hit in Umno stronghold

Pakatan launches its Negri Sembilan election manifesto in Gemas, where the NFC farm is located.

GEMAS: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim last night attracted his biggest crowd in Negri Sembilan in recent memory when he launched the Pakatan Rakyat election manifesto for the state.

Estimates put the size of the audience at more than 6,000 people, which was a remarkable number because Gemas is one of the strongest Umno fortresses in the state and the Tampin District Council had torn down hundreds of posters and banners advertising the event.

Before this, no Pakatan Rakyat figure has been able to attract more than 4,000 to an event in Negri Sembilan. The largest crowds before last night were at events in the Pakatan strongholds of Seremban and Rasah.

In his speech, Anwar repeated his challenge to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to an open debate in response to the latter’s oft-repeated remark that Pakatan was making empty promises.

“I tell you again, we will reduce fuel prices the day after we take over Putrajaya,” he told the multiracial crowd.

“In two weeks, we will reduce the electricity tariffs. We will give an ultimatum to the independent power producers to come up with new rates within two weeks.

“We will abolish the highway tolls.

“But Najib says I’m making empty promises. Let us run the government and we’ll show you. If Najib thinks I’m bluffing, let us have an open debate and let the public decide who is bluffing.”

‘Please save the country’

Also at the event were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, state PAS commissioner Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani, state PKR chairman Kamarul Baharin Abbas and state DAP chairman Loke Siew Fook.

Malays, Chinese and Indians stood shoulder to shoulder listening as Anwar spoke on diverse subjects, ranging from local concerns to his sodomy trial to national issues such as bad governance and systemic corruption.

Gemas is where the beleaguered National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) has its farm. Speaking about PKR’s series of exposé of alleged corruption in NFC, Anwar said it was unfair that the government charge only two percent interest on its loan to the corporation but double the rate on loans given to civil servants.

“Please save the country before it goes bankrupt,” he told the crowd. “The government must be changed in the coming general election.”

According to Tampin PAS chief Zakaria Khalim, Gemas, which hosts a large army camp, has 19,369 voters, including 3,384 postal voters.

Gemas is a state seat within the parliamentary constituency of Tampin. There are six Felda schemes in the area, giving Barisan Nasional a great advantage in any election as Felda folk are known to be hardcore Umno supporters.

Each of the Felda schemes had about a thousand voters.
“Gemas has never been an easy place for us to get support,” Zakaria said.

Strategic reasons

However, he added, the NFC scandal might have opened the eyes of voters in the area, including the Felda settlers.

“Tampin Umno is feeling the heat,” he said. “All of a sudden, the sleeping Tampin Umno is awake. Lately, we have been prevented from having our ceramahs, even at the Repah DAP service centre.

“Somehow, for strategic reasons, the Negri Sembilan Pakatan Rakyat council decided to launch the election manifesto in Gemas.

“Our nightmare started last week when all the posters, buntings and banners along the Tampin-Gemas federal road were torn and removed by the Tampin District Council.”

The removal of the materials resulted in a fight last Monday between district enforcement officers and five Tampin PAS members. Police arrested the PAS five, who included information officer Zainil Suboh, and held them in remand for three days.

“My men were returning from Gemas after sticking the posters, when they noticed a few guys tearing them down,” Zakaria said. “When they approached the vandals, they tried to run away and a fight ensued.
“Both sides lodged police reports, but my men were remanded for obstructing civil servants carrying out their work.

“The issue here is why did they try to run away, why weren’t they in uniform and why didn’t they show their identification?”

No Indian face in Pakatan banners

Pakatan and DAP members feel that the omission was not a mistake, but a deliberate attempt by Pakatan leadership to show that only Malays and Chinese counted in the coalition.

GEORGE TOWN: There was no Indian face in the Pakatan Rakyat banner displayed at its national convention in Alor Setar last Saturday .

And this has riled up Pakatan and DAP Indian members. They feel that the omission was not a mistake, but a deliberate attempt by Pakatan leadership to show that only Malays and Chinese counted in the coalition.

The DAP Indian members are angry that their party supremo Karpal Singh pictorial montage was not included in the banner.

It was Karpal, as a lead counsel, who fought and got Anwar Ibrahim acquitted from the Sodomy II charge last Monday.

“How could Pakatan leadership forget Karpal?” they asked.

Human Rights Party secretary-general P Uthayakumar said that Barisan Nasional, for all its shortcomings, at least showcased Indian faces.

But by omitting an Indian face altogether from its official banner, he said Pakatan had indicated of things to come if it were to capture Putrajaya.

He claimed it was reflective of Pakatan future policies to undermine and sidestep Indian representation at the highest level of its decision-making hierarchy.

“Pakatan Malay and Chinese leaders demonstrated that they will make do without constructive Indian representations if they have federal powers,” alleged Uthayakumar.

He said Pakatan may have omitted Indian face because its leaders thought they can make do with only Malay and Chinese votes.

He reasoned that it was maybe because Indian community does not form a majority in the country’s 222 parliamentary constituencies despite having 715,099 registered voters as of general election 2008 electoral roll.

Since 1957, he alleged that Umno had has gerrymandered constituencies, with sizeable Indian population, to politically paralyse the community.

Sungai Petani, Padang Serai, Batu Kawan, Ipoh Barat, Bagan Datoh, Teluk Intan, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Kota Raja, Klang, Teluk Kemang, Rasah and Cameron Highlands are among seats in question.

Compared to Sabah’s 25 federal and 60 state seats with 837,584 registered voters, he noted that Pakatan leaders have shown more political zest to look into the north Borneo state affairs.

Meanwhile, Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan has been receiving calls since Saturday over the Pakatan banner.

He said the callers, including his constituents and Pakatan supporters, raised questions on whether “Pakatan was only interested in Indian votes, not Indian representations let alone their problems”.

Interview CNBC:Malaysia Opposition Leader: ‘Racist Policies Must End’

Five tests whether International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates is meaningful and Najib qualifies to be regarded as the voice of moderates in Malaysia

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is to launch and institutionalize “the Global Movement of the Moderates” at the inaugural International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

In international conferences in the past two years, whether at the United Nations General Assembly or in Europe, Najib had kept to the theme calling on the moderates of the world to unite against extremists.

However, when he returns to Malaysia, he has allowed the forces of extremism, unreason and falsehoods a field day to the extent that Malaysia had never been more polarised on ethnic and religious grounds in the first three years of a Prime Minister than under him in the history of the nation.

Tonight, I want to put forth five tests to determine whether the International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates is meaningful or an exercise in hypocrisy and double-talk and whether Najib qualifies to be regarded as the voice of moderates in Malaysia.

Firstly, Najib must salvage his signature 1Malaysia policy, which he promulgated on becoming the sixth Prime Minister – to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian regards himself or herself as Malaysian first, and his race, religion, geography and socio-economic status second.

In March 2010, in response to my challenge in Parliament, the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin rubbished Najib’s 1Malaysia policy, declaring that he is Malay first and Malaysian second.

If after two years, Najib is unable to bring his Deputy Prime Minister into line to unequivocally and unconditionally support his signature 1Malaysia policy, it is a terrible reflection of his failure as Prime Minister and as voice of moderation in Malaysia.

Secondly, let him declare at the International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates tomorrow that he will spearhead a national campaign to end gutter politics and the politics of lies, falsehood and incitement which have seen their worst manifestation in 54 years of Malaysian nationhood in the 33 months he became Prime Minister.

DAP for instance is accused by UMNO leaders and apparatus as anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers when these are downright lies and falsehoods.

Is Najib prepared to be the voice of moderates against the forces of extremism to end gutter politics and the politics of lies, falsehoods and incitement in Malaysia?

Third, let Najib declare at the International Conference of Moderates tomorrow that Utusan Malaysia, the official mouthpiece of UMNO, will immediately be transformed into a Voice of Moderation instead of being the strident voice of extremism and lies, undermining Malaysian nation-building in the process.

Fourthly, let Najib announce that he and all UMNO leaders will not use the threat of May 13 in the forthcoming 13th general elections or any future general elections to create fear and distrust among the voters.

Fifthly, let Najib make a public commitment that as a moderate to make Malaysia “the best democracy in the world”, he and all UMNO leaders will fully and peacefully accept the electoral verdict of Malaysians in the 13th general elections, including a change of government in Putrajaya and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the seventh Prime Minister to head a Pakatan Rakyat federal government.

He should retract his “crushed bodies, lives lost” declaration (“walau berkecai tulang dan juga badan, walau bercerai jasad dari nyawa”) to the Umno General Assembly two years ago to defend UMNO in Putrajaya, as a moderate will not conceive of any “crushed bodies, lives lost” in a peaceful democratic general elections where the will and verdict of the electorate is regarded as supreme and sacred.

[Speech at the Negri Sembilan Pakatan Rakyat Public Ceramah in Gemas to launch the PR Negri Sembilan Manifesto on Sunday, 15th January 2012 at 10 pm]

Kugan's mum claims RM100mil in damages

CJ: Senior Judges Cannot Influence Decision Made By Lower Court Judges

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Senior judges cannot influence the judges of the High Courts and subordinate courts in arriving at their decision on court cases, said Chief Justice Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria.

He said a police report could be lodged if there were attempts of interference.

"Appellate court judges and Federal Court judges cannot influence the decision of a magistrate. Nobody at all, even the Chief Justice cannot talk to the magistrate.

"If I were to tell the magistrate to decide one way, it is an offence," said Arifin at the closing of the Judges Conference held at the Putrajaya Marriot Hotel, here Monday.

"Nobody is above the law, said Arifin.

The chief justice said appellate court judges and Federal Court judges appointed as managing judges to oversee the administration aspect in the High Courts and subordinate courts could not interfere with the decision-making of the high court judges and subordinate court judges.

Arifin said the practice of having managing judges to oversee the administration at the lower courts would be retained.

"This is because it is good practice. The court of appeal judges and Federal Court judges are experienced judges and they would assist and guide these judges," he said.

He said managing judges were appointed to monitor the number of court cases that were being fixed for hearing in a day as well as how many cases were disposed off to ensure expeditious administration of justice.

The system of having managing judges was introduced by former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi replacing the previous system where a judge with similar seniority was designated to manage the courts.

Arifin also said the second judges conference would be held in the middle of the year for the judiciary to see how far it had progressed.

Meanwhile, Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif said there would not be any expansion on the number of judges to sit on the appellate panel to hear criminal and civil cases.

He, however, said he would consider constituting a panel comprising more than three judges in exceptional cases if there was an application made by parties in the case.

At the opening of the Legal Year 2012 held on Saturday, Arifin announced that effective January this year, all criminal and civil cases at the Federal Court would be heard by a panel comprising five judges as compared to three previously.

He said the increase in the number of judges to sit on the panel was aimed at improving the quality of judgments and decisions.