How legitimate is our elected government?

The Nut Graph 
 In A Nutshell by Andrew Khoo

This post is reproduced from here.

IF rumour holds true, the 13th general election, due by March 2013, will be held sometime this year. Once again, Malaysians will cast their votes and the party that wins the most number of parliamentary seats will govern federally.

But how legitimate is the government that eventually gets into power? Does the party in power actually have the support of a majority of Malaysians? And if not, what can be done to make our democracy better?

8 March results

Let’s look at Malaysia’s 12th general election, held on 8 March 2008. Of the 10.9 million registered voters, about 70% cast their ballots. Barisan Nasional (BN) won 51.39% of those votes and took 140 out of 222 parliamentary seats. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took 47.79% of the votes and 82 parliamentary seats.

However, about 30% of the 10.9 million registered voters did not vote. If we take them into account, BN only has the support of 35.97% of all registered voters, and PR 33.45%.

If we include the approximately four million Malaysians of voting age who did not register to vote, BN’s actual support drops to only 26.31%. PR’s support would be only 24.47%.

What does this say of the legitimacy of the BN government’s right to wield political power? Indeed, the number of Malaysians who did not register to vote constitutes 26.84% of all those eligible to vote. So each of the two political coalitions won less popular support than the total number of Malaysians aged 21 and above who did not register to vote.

DBKL representation

The running of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur is a good example of where the legitimacy of government can be questioned. Although PR won 10 out of 11 parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur, no PR representative sits on Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur’s (DBKL) advisory board.  This board has been appointed by the federal government since the city of Kuala Lumpur was established in 1972.

None of the present 13 advisory board members has any popular mandate from the people of Kuala Lumpur to advise the Datuk Bandar in running the city’s administration.  For that matter, neither does the Datuk Bandar, as he is also a federal government appointee.

Datuk Lim Si Pin of Gerakan is the only advisory board member who contested in Kuala Lumpur in the 2008 elections. He obtained 20,330 votes in the Batu seat, where he lost to Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Tian Chua. This constitutes 4.08% of total votes cast throughout Kuala Lumpur. With only the support of 4.08% of Kuala Lumpur, Lim is nonetheless able to exert influence on the governance of Kuala Lumpur citizens in a way that none of the elected PR representatives can.

Overall, of the 497,741 votes successfully¹ cast for all candidates in the 11 Kuala Lumpur parliamentary constituencies, PR obtained 308,377 while BN secured 188,875.  In terms of percentage, PR gained the support of about 62% of voting KL-ites as opposed to BN’s 38%.

In the light of these statistics, the BN’s complete control of the administration of Kuala Lumpur is a travesty of democracy and flies in the face of the declared intent of its voting citizenry.

Return local government elections

One sure way to ensure better representation would be to reinstate local government elections.

To be fair, Lim has said that even he, as an advisory board member, is scantly respected by DBKL staff. Speaking at a 10 Feb 2012 Centre for Public Policy Studies forum on the next general election and its impact, he said DBKL staff recognise the anomaly of his situation and fail to pay him any heed.  He has thus repeated his party’s own call for the return of local government elections, the only BN component party to have done so.

The reason may be two-fold. Gerakan could genuinely believe in local democracy. After all, it has its origins in the streets and neighbourhoods of Penang, and its support of local democracy may hark back to halcyon days of its glorious past. Reintroducing local government elections may also be the only way the party can stave off complete annihilation as a political entity in this country.

The return of local government elections was part of PR’s manifesto in 2008, and is likely to remain so for the next general election. Since coming to power in Selangor and Penang, both state governments have launched initiatives in that direction. Penang briefly experimented with a selection exercise with civil society participation to choose potential candidates for appointment as local councillors, but then failed to appoint all the successful candidates. Rather than proceed on its own, the Penang government has announced it will take legal action against the Election Commission to force it to conduct local government elections.

The Election Commission has parroted the federal government’s position that local government elections, suspended in 1965 and totally abolished in 1976, cannot be brought back without fresh legislation in Parliament. Both Penang and Selangor take a different view of the legal position.  In fact the Selangor government announced the use of elections to choose 30% of the Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya’s members as an initial experiment. However, such elections will now take place only after the next general election, widely expected this year.

Both BN and PR should pay much closer attention to local government elections. It has a hidden appeal that goes beyond mere participation in local politics.  If the Malaysian public decides it likes the idea of separating political power between federal and state government, it may well pursue the same in state and local government relations.  The political coalition that ends up losing a state election could nonetheless remain relevant if it were to win seats contested in local government elections, if the latter were reintroduced.  This would prevent a total shut-out from government and allow it to continue to wield political power and influence.

---

Andrew Khoo is an advocate and solicitor in private practice, and an aspiring columnist and commentator.

¹ Excluding spoilt votes and ballot papers not returned.  Figures taken from the website of the Election Commission.

Trust, Support From Chinese Community For BN Rising - Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said trust and support from the Chinese community for the Barisan Nasional government has been rising since he took over the administration of the country.

The prime minister said through the various engagement activities carried out by him since three years ago, the support was on the uptrend although the percentage was lower as compared to the other communities.

"It is lower but the trend is on the rise. I believe if the engagement process is continued, progammes implemented (by the government) can be felt by the majority of the people and we are fair to all, the support level will be higher," he said.

Najib said this when he appeared on the 'Chat Time With...Najib' programme which was aired live on the NTV7 television channel Monday night.

In the one-hour programme, the prime minister said the reality was that the government was aware there were voters who were 'fence sitters' (yet to decide who to back in the election).

When asked about his target in terms of support from the Chinese community for BN in the coming general election, Najib said it would be impossible to obtain 100 per cent support in a parliamentary democracy.

"What's important is that we get support that allows us to win seats, especially parliamentary seats. We want the majority in the areas concerned to favour BN," he said, adding that this also depended on the racial composition of the particular area. On whether he was worried about the voting trend of the Chinese community which is said to be difficult to predict, Najib stressed that support from all races was important and needed attention.

"I have stated that I am a prime minister for all, meaning my responsibility is to oversee the welfare and wellbeing of all races.

"Through our efforts to engage and communicate effectively, we hope they will support us when the time comes," he added.

The prime minister said he better understood the attitude and aspirations of the Chinese as a result of his engagement with the community.

As such, Najib urged the Chinese community to join the government in making the government's transformation agenda a success because without the support of all quarters, it may not be achieved.

"If there's one message that I can leave to the audience, especially to Malaysian Chinese, is that it's important for them to be on board in supporting this journey towards transforming Malaysia.

"Our agenda for transforming Malaysia is a big agenda, and it's important for them to support it and not take the attitude 'look, let's wait and see, let's stay on the sidelines.

"This transformation agenda will not take place without the support of the people," he said, adding that armed with their support he was confident that "we'll get there."

Najib, who was evasive when asked when the general election would be held, pointed out that elections in Malaysia were conducted in a clean and fair manner.

"Otherwise how could it be that we lost five states in the last election and Kelantan still continues to be in the hands of the opposition for 22 years," he said.

He continued: "Let me say very clearly that we're all for clean and fair elections. I've said it many times and I'd like to repeat it once more -- we'll not want to be elected on the basis that we have rigged or manipulated the elections.

"We want the people to really show their support in a fair and clean manner."

On the 1Malaysia People's Aid Programme (BR1M) which has been lauded by the people, Najib said if the financial position of the country further strengthened, the government would consider continuing it.

Under the programme, eligible households receive a one-off cash aid of RM500.

Hindu Muslim riot in Hyderabad. Desecration of Hanuman Temple with alleged Beef throwing.

Hindus celebrating Hanuman Jayanti at Hyderabad on 06/04/2012 without creating any tension.

Riots erupt in Hyderabad after desecration of Hanuman Temple with Beef and Green colour.

Bhagyanagar (Hyderabad) | 9th April, 2012: An indefinite curfew was today imposed in the sensitive Madannapet and Saidabad areas of the walled city. A Hanuman temple at Kurmaguda, (in Saidabad) was found desecrated on the Sunday morning which was followed by incidents of stabbing and heavy stone-pelting, hence curfew has been imposed, police said.

A day after the Hanuman Jayanti (6th April, 20-12), in the early hours of Sunday, 8th April 2012, the devotees of the Hanuman temple at Kurmaguda, in Saidabad, were in for a shock to find green colour had been splashed on the walls of the temple and pieces of cow meat were thrown inside the temple from the grills.

The naturally agitated Hindu youth protested against this sacrilegious act. The Muslims who are a majority in that area launched an offensive on the Hindus and both sides engaged in a duel of stone fight. Sensing trouble, the police indulged in lathi charge and also fired tear gas hurting many of the protesters. At the same time, the Muslims grouped themselves into a larger group and more or less occupied the main road of Saidabad armed with stones and swords, eye witnesses told NewsBharati.

The incidents were reported from the Madannapet and Saidabad areas of the Old City here. Additional forces have been deployed there, a senior police official told.

Curfew has been clamped till further orders in the areas under Madannapet and Saidabad police station limits, Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan said, adding police have picked up two persons for questioning.

“Miscreants pelted stones at buses and set at least two vehicles on fire. Two incidents of stabbing have also been reported,” the police official said.

“The situation is now under control. We have posted pickets and preventive measures are in place,” Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan added.

“We are keeping strict watch in the sensitive areas,” Khan told reporters, appealing to people to cooperate with police and not beMeanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy directed Director General of Police, Dinesh Reddy, and other senior officials to take stringent action against the miscreants responsible for Madannapet incidents.

Hindu groups are demanding security of the community and punishment to wrong doers. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation by talking to the top officials, official sources said. Source: HJS.

It is reported that the BJP corporator from Kurmaguda Sashi Yadav was leading the Hindu protest rally over the Hanuman Temple desecration, while a big police contingent were trying to arrest Hindu Leader Thakur Raja Singh to suppress the Hindu Protesting force in Hyderabad.

In the year 2010, the Muslim perpetrators of Hyderabad attacked some Temples attached with Goshala (Cow Shelter House) and burnt cows alive to hurt the hindu sentiments during Hanuman Jayanti.


Curfew in old City area of Hyderabad after clashes.

Hyderabad | Post Jagran | 08 Apr 2012 :: An indefinite curfew was on Sunday clamped in some parts of the walled city here following communal clashes over alleged desecration of a religious place.

At least five persons were injured in incidents of stabbing and stone-pelting involving members of two communities, police said.

Curfew was imposed in Madannapet and Saidabad in Old City and will continue till further orders, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy said.

Tension erupted in the morning following reports of alleged desecration of a religious place in Kurmaguda, wherein some devotees complained that they found “meat” and green-coloured water near a place of worship.

Enraged members of the community took out rallies that culminated in stone-pelting. As the news spread, members of other community too assembled in large numbers and also indulged into heavy brickbatting against each other and at houses in Kurmaguda besides the communally sensitive areas of Madannapet and Saidabad, thus prompting police to cane charge and burst of teargas shells to disperse marauding mobs. Read details here….

Widening Kiran-Owaisi rift causes Hyderabad Tension?

April 7, 2012 | Deccan Chronicle | Hyderabad :: The gulf between the ruling Congress, in particular, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and the Owaisi brothers of the MIM is widening. The recent broadside by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, against the state’s failure to contain communal violence, is said to be a reflection of the growing differences between the MIM and the CM.

The MIM is providing crucial support to the Congress government, which is in a precarious position in the numbers game in the Assembly. The government will slip into a minority if five of its members quit, and in such an event, a formal letter of support from the seven-member MIM becomes crucial for its survival.

Though both sides were ill at ease for some time, the recent communal violence in Sangareddy and the CM’s reaction to the complaints by a leaders of Muslim organisations, led by the MIM, came as a shock.

Sources told this newspaper that the CM had totally backed the local MLA, Jagga Reddy, whom the Muslim organisations had held responsible for attacks against their community. The party also objected to the inordinate delay sanctioning relief to victims of the Adoni communal violence in September 2011. Read the full story….

2 Tunisians Jailed for Posting Naked Prophet's Cartoons on Facebook

Two Tunisians have been jailed after they posted naked caricatures of the prophet Mohammad on their Facebook accounts.

The young Tunisians, Jabeur Mejri and Ghazi Beji, have been sentenced to seven years in prison. While Jabeur Mejri is in jail, Ghazi Bej has escaped to Algeria and the sentencing was given in his absence.

The two men had posted depictions of the prophet naked on the social networking site, the justice ministry said, inflaming sensitivities in a country where Muslim values have taken on a bigger role since a revolution last year, reported Reuters.

"They were sentenced for violation of morality, and disturbing public order," said Chokri Nefti, a justice ministry spokesman.

The verdict has created public outrage after bloggers posted the message on the internet. Some activists have criticised the verdict and condemned it as an attack on the freedom of expression.

"The sentences are very heavy and severe, even if these young people were at fault," one Tunisian blogger, Nebil Zagdoud, told Reuters.

"This decision is aimed at silencing freedom of expression even on the Internet. Prosecutions for offending morals are a proxy for this government to gag everyone," he said.

After the fall of the longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali during the Tunisian revolution last year, Moncef Marzouki, a noted human rights activist was elected president.

The Tunisian revolution brought tension between conservative Muslims who wanted the religious faith to play a bigger role in society and the secularists who wanted to preserve freedom of expression and the women's' rights.

While the government insists on defending the standards of public decency, the secularists have accused the government of clamping down on freedom of speech.

The president's spokesman Adnan Mancer told a news agency that "attacks on the sacred symbols of Muslims and Islam cannot be considered part of freedom of expression," reported AP.

"We are a Muslim country and so are against those who insult religions. It is a form of extremism which provokes more extremist reactions which we should avoid during this delicate period," he said.

The defence attorney of the Tunisian men, Ahmed Msallemi, said the two deserved punishment, but he found the verdict excessive.

The trial will now continue on 19 April after a citizen has filed a suit condemning the verdict as an attack on freedom of expression.

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Pakistani schoolbooks full of contempt and bigotry against Christians, Hindus and Sikhs

Pakistani curricula and textbooks promote extremism and violate minorities’ rights. An NCJP study notes distortions and requests a revision of the educational system, the first source of marginalization. Although minorities are guaranteed the possibility to deepen their own religion.

Lahore (AsiaNews) - School textbooks that promote religious fanaticism, discriminate against minorities and trigger religious conflicts: Pakistani schools are - once again - the object of attention and study of Catholic NCJP activists who, in a detailed report, have examined the basic elements of discrimination of sectarian origins. In the report titled " Fanatic Literacy or Education," the National Commission for Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church invites a rethink of school curricula, so that even Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and those belonging to minorities in Pakistan can deepen the study of their religion. Currently they are obliged to learn the basics of Islam, as practiced in some areas of the country, including Punjab.

The report shows that thousands of non-Muslim students are "forced" to study Islam and elements of the Muslim religion, for fear of discrimination. Among these, the decision taken by the Parliament of Punjab - one of the provinces of Pakistan - and approved "unanimously" that makes the study of the Koran mandatory. And non-Muslims "are not offered a viable alternative." At the same time, even in subjects like social sciences and linguistics about 20% of the content is linked to Islam. Again: the non-Muslim students are given the extra bonus of 20 points, reserved to those who deepen Islamic studies.

AsiaNews has long stressed the importance of education as a factor of redemption and growth for Pakistan, and even devoted a thorough dossier to schooling and education (see, Education can stop the Taliban in Pakistan). Peter Jacob, NCJP executive secretary, explains that "education and educational policy in Pakistan" are among the sectors in which sectarian nature of discrimination and violations of basic human rights clearly emerge. In addition there is a chronic "lack of initiatives" and complications caused by "widespread corruption and inefficiency."

In the study prepared by Christian activists they recall article 20 of the Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom, and article 22 that states that " no person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive religious instruction, or take part in any religious ceremony, or attend religious worship, if such instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own". However, the school and education system in general seem to "forget" these two fundamental laws of the Charter of the State, while diligently applying Article 31, under which "shall be binding upon the study of Islam and the Koran" so that - add Christian activists - there are no substantial differences between public institutions and the madrassas, or Islamic schools.

Finally, the report says that religions other than Islam are viewed "with contempt and prejudice." Faced with a situation that is becoming increasingly critical, Justice and Peace calls for a substantial change in the educational policy and the opportunity for Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and students of other religions to deepen the knowledge of their own faith or, alternatively, have access to ethics and civic education.

Samy Vellu says Dr M cost him seat in 2008

Samy Vellu said Dr Mahathir campaigned against him in 2008 as payback for blocking IPF’s entry into BN. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has blamed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed for his loss in Election 2008, and accused the former prime minister of sabotaging his political chances.

The former MIC president further alleged that Dr Mahathir had “instigated” Malay voters to vote against him back in the last general election.

He said this resulted in his loss of the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat to Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj by a 1,821-vote majority.

“He (Dr Mahathir) had a personal grudge against me. But I don’t hold a grudge against him; I always think of him as the greatest leader of this country... the greatest experience I had was working with Dr Mahathir for 22 years,” Samy Vellu was quoted by the New Sunday Times (NST) as saying.

“Dr Mahathir, prior to the (2008) election, told the people ‘Don’t vote for Samy Vellu.’ Where did the 1,001 spoilt votes come from? Because of his advice (to) Malay voters.

“He told Umno (members) ‘don’t vote for Samy Vellu,” said the former works minister.

Samy Vellu said that although he was “upset” when he found this out, he understood the reasons why Dr Mahathir did it.

“You see, there are reasons he (Dr Mahathir) felt hurt. He wanted to bring the IPF (Indian Progressive Front), (the late Tan Sri M.G) Pandithan’s party into Barisan Nasional. Everybody (other BN component party leaders) agreed (but), I said no.

“That is the reason why our friendship is gone. It’s because of the IPF. Nothing else,” said the longest-serving former MIC president.

Ku Li: Amanah ready to work with Bersih

He also said that he left it to his voters in Gua Musang to decide if he should be replaced for the next general election.

SUNGAI BULOH: Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah today said that his Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) would cooperate with polls reform group Bersih if both shared similar objectives.

The Gua Musang MP and Amanah president said the movement – which had also been vocal in calls for poll reform – welcomed cooperation with Bersih but he remained silent on the prospect of joining Bersih’s planned mass protest on April 28.

“Yes on beliefs that we both share, we can cooperate with them. Amanah will cooperate with those who want to work together,” he told a press conference here after opening his group’s local chapter.

Razaleigh, affectionately known as Ku Li, found Amanah as a pressure group on Putrajaya and it has been critical towards the Najib administration on several issues, including demanding for poll reforms to be implemented before the 13th general election is held.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had recently said that it would look into the 22 point recommendations made by the parliamentary select committee (PSC) which he set up on the matter but failed to give assurance that the suggestions would be in place before he calls for elections.

While opposition lawmakers blasted the PSC as a failure, Bersih in an immediate reaction said it would launch Bersih 3.0 – a planned nationwide sit-in rally with the main event being held at the historic Dataran Merdeka.

Its predecessor, Bersih 2.0, which saw tens of thousands march in the city centre despite blockades and a harsh crackdown that received worldwide attention, forced Najib to concede on the need to clean up the election system.

The PSC was subsequently set up in a move aimed at mitigating a potential voter backlash. Bersih leaders hailed the rally a success.

Up to voters

Razaleigh had said in the past that Bersih’s rising popularity was the Najib government’s own doing, criticising the government’s failure to engage and heed the group’s demands for a free and fair election, demands which he deemed as legitimate.

His criticism on his own party, however, drew flak from Umno’s senior leaders and party members including the alleged call for the Kelantan prince not to defend his seat in the coming polls.

Speaking on this, the Gua Musang MP said although it was up to Najib to decide on the matter, his fate was still ultimately up to his constituents.

“It’s up to the voters. I respect various views so it is up to them,” he said in response to queries on the alleged calls for him to make way for others to stand as the ruling coalition’s new Gua Musang candidate.

Any move to replace Razaleigh as the Gua Musang MP would likely face stiff opposition given his popularity in the Malay-majority seat.

Disabled couple handicapped by broken lifts

Despite numeous complaints since Friday, lift company Dover Elevators (M) Sdn Bhd has yet to fix the lifts at Taman Wahyu 2 PPR flats.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malfunctioning lifts at Taman Wahyu 2 Public Housing Project (PPRT) in Selayang have a disabled couple living there helpless for the past three days.

Speaking to FMT today, wheelchair-bound businessman A Thangarajoo, 40, said his ordeal began on Friday morning when two out of three lifts at Block C of the flat broke down.

“I immediately called up the elevator company which operates a 24 hours service. They promised to send their technicians and they came two hours later,” said Thangarajoo.

The company that does maintenance for the PPRT block is Dover Elevators (M) Sdn Bhd

Thangarajoo added that he told the technicians to fix the third elevator which does not stop at the 1st floor of the building where he lives, before leaving for work.

When he returned from work at night, Thangarajoo said he found the lifts working, only for them to break down again the following day.

“I called Dover six times since yesterday morning but so far no one has turned up to fix the lifts. Their operator keeps saying that they have informed the technicians,” claimed Thangarajoo.

Thangarajoo was also unable to raise the issue with the PPRT management office as it was closed for the weekend.

Due to the breakdown in the lift services, Thangraroo said he had not choice but to crawl down the staircase with his wheelchair to buy groceries.

“And yesterday, I had to crawl down six times as I need to get provisions for my business,” he said.

His wife, M Valli, who is also wheelchair bound, said she had no choice but to skip work yesterday as the broken lifts had rendered her immobile.

“I probably lost about RM300 yesterday. I can’t even go down to buy groceries,” said the 40-year old Valli who works at a call centre owned by a fast food outlet.

The couple however said this was the first time the elevator company dragged its feet in repairing the lifts.

Will be worse if not fixed on Monday

Thangarajoo urged Dover to fix up the lifts as soon as possible as he would need to work tomorrow and being self-employed, he depends on a daily income.

“At least fix the third lift so that it will stop at the 1st floor,” he said.

Another resident, R Kalaiselvan, who works as a driver, said he saw some technicians working on the lifts yesterday but they failed to fix the problem.

Suffering from heart ailment, the 53-year-old Kalaiselvan who lives at the 12th floor of the building said nothing gets done there if the residents did not make their own effort.

“I called Dover four times yesterday. They never think about us. If I’m suffering like this, can you imagine how the senior citizens are coping?” asked Kalaiselvan.

Chei Kuei Yong,42, said that he was worried that if the lifts do not get fixed by tomorrow, it would cause a lot of problem for the residents as many need to go to school and work.

“Only one lift is working. I can’t imagine how the people are going to move in and out in the morning and evening tomorrow,” said Chei.

Hindraf welcomes Bersih 3.0, but …

Bersih's electoral reform drive should move beyond mere procedural and structural matters, says Hindraf national advisor Ganesan.

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti wants election watchdog, Bersih coalition to address the serious issue of minority disenfranchisement in their pursuit for electoral reforms.

Its national advisor N Ganesan said the Bersih’s electoral reform drive should move beyond mere procedural and structural matters.

He said a truly democratic political system must allow minorities a voice of their own to articulate their distinct concerns, seek redress and lay the basis for a deliberative democracy.

“Electoral reform drive should target such progressive goals because it’s not all about better procedures but very much about a better system,” he said.

Nonetheless he welcomed the Bersih 3.0 rally on Apr 28, saying that Bersih initiatives for electoral reforms were in line with Hindraf’s struggle for fundamental changes to correct the skewed and racist system that marginalises the minorities, especially ethnic Indian poor.

But he argued the current system centering on electoral process does not protect the rights and interests of minorities, and Bersih’s reform drive has overlooked the issue.

“The current system effectively excludes vital minorities’ interests from government policies,” Ganesan said in a statement here today.

As Malaysian politics was deeply rooted in the ethos of promoting communal interests, overtly and covertly, he is also unconvinced that interests of minorities can be served by majority representatives.

Acknowledging that some would disagree with him, Ganesan rightly noted that they would also fail to explain on why majority of all minority groups were lagging behind others in socio-economic terms.

He said some would argue that ethnic Indians were well represented by pointing to the number of Indian elected representatives.

“But adequate minority representation goes beyond minority members being included in legislatures.

“Minority rights are dependent on how legitimate these representatives are and on whether they have power and influence over policies affecting the minorities they purport to represent,” he argued.

He noted the 22 recommendations proposed by parliamentary select committee (PSC ) on electoral reforms and criticisms by Pakatan Rakyat MPs and Bersih coalition all centred on matters pertaining to machinery and procedures underlying the electoral process.

“But disenfranchisement of minorities did not receive any attention,” he chided.

He called on Bersih to take cognizance of such serious systemic weaknesses and address them with urgency and compulsion in its reform drive.

Last week Hindraf’s P Uthayakumar ruled out the movement’s support for the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally unless Pakatan Rakyat’s PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang agreed to outline their plans for Indian poor in the first 100 days if Pakatan forms the next federal government.

A couple of days later Hindraf said that Uthayakumar was no longer its spokesman.

PTPTN: Najib Baik Berundur Kerana Gagal Sedia Kos RM43b Untuk Hutang Pelajar

Malaysiakini

Ketua pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menggesa Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak meletak jawatan sekiranya tidak mampu menyedia kos RM43 bilion untuk hutang pelajar.

Anwar berkata hutang melalui Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) itu boleh diselesaikan jika kerajaan mengelak daripada menanggung ketirisan perbelanjaan dan menolak perbuatan rasuah.

Berucap dalam satu ceramah sempena sambutan Jubli Perak PAS Shah Alam malam tadi, Anwar turut menempelak Najib kerana menimbulkan kos sebanyak RM43 bilion untuk langkah tersebut.

Anwar mempertikaikan kos berkenaan memandangkan kerajaan didakwa mampu menanggung kerugian seperti dalam isu pembelian saham MAS dan dalam projek National Feedlot Corporation.

“Hei Najib, RM43 bilion hang (kamu) tak reti (pandai) cari? Hang tak reti cari tak apa. Hang berhenti.

“Kalau tak berhenti, kami tolak hang jadi ketua pembangkang parlimen Malaysia selepas ini. (Sampai) tak tahu nak cari duit,” sindir Anwar yang diiringi dengan tepukan hadirin.

Bekas menteri kewangan itu menegaskan bahawa Pakatan Rakyat akan menyelesaikan hutang PTPTN tersebut sekiranya gabungan itu membentuk kerajaan selepas ini.

Anwar mengulas kenyataan Najib semalam yang turut menjelaskan bahawa tindakan itu akan membebankan rakyat kerana kerajaan perlu mengenakan cukai yang tinggi sekiranya langkah itu dilaksanakan.

Keadaan itu boleh dilihat seperti di Norway yang menanggung pengajian tinggi rakyat negara itu sepenuhnya, kata Najib.

Najib juga berkata, kerajaan pada masa ini juga menanggung kira-kira 90 peratus daripada kos pengajian tinggi rakyat manakala PTPTN hanya digunakan untuk membayar yuran pengajian pelajar.

Keghairahan Anwar dan Najib dalam menjuarai isu hutang tersebut dilihat semakin memuncak ekoran rancangan sekumpulan pelajar untuk mengadakan perhimpunan anti-PTPTN pada 14 April.

Perhimpunan yang mensasarkan penyertaan 5,000 pelajar itu dirancang bagi menuntut kerajaan memansuhkan pinjaman tersebut dan menyediakan pendidikan percuma.

Perhimpunan anjuran Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia itu juga dirancang sebagai “pemanas badan” sebelum perhimpunan BERSIH 3.0 pada 28 April di lokasi yang sama.

Just who are the traitors?

Spencer Gan - The Malaysian Insider


APRIL 7 — I note that Perkasa today called Bersih’s Ambiga Sreenevasan a traitor. I am afraid that the tables have been turned on its head in this country and the despicable and corrupt are now dishing out labels liberally.

But I do wonder whether the majority of us would consider a law-abiding activist a traitor or would they consider her a TRAITOR?

1. Someone who allegedly received kickbacks totalling RM144 million from a French defence company for agreeing to purchase two submarines. It is a fair assumption that the person/persons who received the money were not influenced by the utility of the purchase.

Asia Sentinel quoting French legal sources said that a Hong Kong company headed by Razak Baginda and his father received RM144 million from the French defence company. There is some evidence that the money was funnelled to Najib Razak who was the defence minister then. Is this a treacherous act? I wonder.

2. Individuals in the Prime Minister’s Department and senior government officials who have been giving foreigners documentation to allow them to vote in the coming elections. Citizenship is a privilege and it is the height of treachery for this privilege to be given away as if it were a Barisan Nasional T-shirt.

3. Traitors steal from their fellow citizens and don’t respect the rule of law. In this category is the Malaysian Cabinet. I am being generous but I don’t believe that even one minister is living on his Cabinet salary.

They have funnelled contracts, APs to family members, nominees. Some of them are being “kept” on monthly retainers by big business and in return, they influence decision-making so that their business partners win contracts, most often through direct negotiation.

4. Are the people behind Bersih traitors or the editors of mainstream media who have sold not only their profession down the drain but have sold their soul for cash and a Datukship?

5. Traitors are politicians who were voted in under one banner but who jump ship at the sight of money being flashed at them.

6. Traitors are law enforcement officials and government leaders who refuse to set up an independent tribunal against the catalogue of serious charges against the Attorney-General.

Yes, there are many “traitors” amongst us. Just don’t think the people from Bersih qualify.

MACC trio cleared of wrongdoing

Malay Mail 
by T.K. Letchumy Tamboo

KUALA LUMPUR: Three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers implicated by the Teoh Beng Hock's Royal Commission of Inquiry have been cleared of wrongdoing.

In a written reply, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the trio have been cleared by the Attorney-General's Chambers, reports Malaysiakini.

"Thus, no action will be taken against the three officers," he said.

Nazri was responding to a question by Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye, who asked the government to specify what kind of action was taken against the trio.

The three-member RCI, led by former Court of Appeals judge Steve Shim, found the three MACC officers' aggressive interrogation tactics contributed to Teoh's suicide on July 16, 2009.

The trio were the then-Selangor MACC deputy director Hishammuddin Hashim, assistant enforcement officer Arman Alies and assistant superintendent Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

They were suspended last July pending investigations. Hishamuddin has since been promoted to Negri Sembilan MACC director but the status of Arman and Mohd Ashraf is unknown.

The final RCI report recommended MACC take action against the trio, whom they described as Arman "the bully", Mohd Ashraf "the abuser" and Hishammuddin "the arrogant leader".

Nazri said the Attorney-General's Chambers examined statements presented by police who investigated the trio based on evidence adduced during the inquest and RCI.

Following this, the Attorney-General's Chambers found the trio did not commit a crime based on Penal Code or the MACC Act 2009.

He said the MACC's special investigation team had also cleared the trio of violating the Civil Service Regulations (Behaviour and Disciplinary) 1993, MACC Act 2009 and the commission's internal rules.

"Based on this investigation, it was concluded that only one disciplinary charge can be made against (the trio) - a charge of failing to supervise the witness being investigated," he said.

Later at the Parliament lobby, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching who was surprised by the decision, claimed she received two different answers from Nazri over the government's decision regarding the trio.

"The RCI report clearly pointed out the three officers guilty of excessive use of violence on Teoh.

"Therefore the police have more than enough reason to commence investigations against them for possible offences under Section 304 and 304A of the Penal Code, namely for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for causing the death of Teoh by negligence, respectively.

"However, a written reply from Nazri on March 29 stated that no legal action could be taken against the trio. In another written reply on Wednesday he said police were conducting investigations to gather statements and evidence over the report. He also said the papers were submitted to the state prosecution head and Attorney-General's office for research and advice," said Teo.

Claiming the two answers as conflicting, Teo demanded Nazri to reveal which one was accurate.

"These are conflicting. Nazri must clarify which answer is accurate and reflected the stand of the governement.

"If his answer on March 29 is accurate, I must say the A-G has made a complete mockery of the entire RCI proceedings.

"A life was lost and we spent RM1 million to set up the RCI," she said, adding the ten MACC officers who gave false testimonies during the RCI should be investigated under Sections 191 and 192 of the Penal Code for giving false evidence and fabricating evidence to protect certain parties from being held responsible for Teoh's death.

Anwar Should Debate With Nallakaruppan, Says Perkasa

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should take on United India Malaysia Party president Datuk S.Nallakaruppan in a debate over his (Nallakaruppan's) remarks that there was no provision in the constitution allowing a bisexual to be the prime minister.

Perkasa, a Malay right wing group, information chief Ruslan Kasim said Anwar, who was known to be a great orator, should be able to deliberate at length on the matter, instead of suing Nallakaruppan.

"I wonder why Anwar, who is also known as a spin master and an expert at thwarting issues, seemed to be in disarray and panicky over Datuk Nalla's remarks," said Ruslan in a statement.

He said normally the opposition leader was calm when he reacted to allegations hurled against him.

"I think it is better for Anwar to seek help from PAS and the DAP, instead of issuing a writ demanding RM100 million in damages from Datuk Nalla as this will enable him (Anwar) to explain to the people why he was so angry over the remarks," said Ruslan.

Opposition forces government to defer women domestic violence bill

   JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that they would fight "tooth and nail" to stop the bill from being passed.                                                                                                              

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday deferred the Domestic Violence Protection (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2009 following strong resistance by opposition parties including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

It was none other than JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who dared the government to take the Bill through the house, warning his party would oppose it tooth and nail.

The National Assembly had passed the bill in 2009 but it could be passed in Senate within the stipulated 90 days, which is the legal requirement of the Constitution. Now, according to the rules of business this bill can be passed only in the joint sitting of the Parliament. Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Yasmeen Rehman had, earlier, tabled the bill stressing to institutionalise measures required to protect women and children from domestic violence. The House along with some amendments introduced by the MQM MNA, SA Iqbal Qadri, passed the bill.

The government wanted to move the long-pending Domestic Violence Bill, 2009 on Thursday when opposition opposed the fresh move saying, the bill could not get pass from the Parliament till it has been amended further. “We know bitterly about women’s rights than the PPP–Western culture can not be promoted on name of protection in Islamic states,” observed the JUI-F Chief.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmakers MNAs Sardar Mehtab Abbasi and Khwaja Saad Rafiq also expressed their concerns over some clauses in the bill, suggesting the government amend these. Muttahida Qaumi Movement parliamentary leader Haider Abbas Rizvi was of the view that the bill ought to be passed without delay, urging the chair to give its ruling for passage of the bill.

On this point, Fazl ur Rehman again suggested that the matter should be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). But PPP Senator Raza Rabbani pointed out that the bill could not be referred to the CII under the law.

Lawmakers across party lines under head of PPP senior minister Syed Khurshid Shah will put their heads together and try to build consensus over the issue on Friday.

Man rapes grand daughter for years

Moroccan police arrest grand dad and another man working at his farm

A 68-year-old Moroccan man raped his little grand daughter for many years before he and a worker at his farm were arrested after she was found pregnant, a newspaper in the north African Arab country said on Thursday.

Fatima was only about five years old when her father decided to take her to live with his rich father who owned a large farm in the central town of Khouribga, apparently not aware of his father’s evil intentions.

Shortly after her father went back home, Fatima’s grand father began his advances and a few months later he started to molest her.

After a couple of years, the old man began to sleep with his own grand daughter, threatening to kill her if she tells her father. Fatima was later raped by a worker at her grand father’s farm, prompting the old man to sack that worker.

“He then started to live with her as a wife…he was giving her contraceptives and threatening to slaughter her like an animal if she tries to tell her father or escape,” the Moroccan Arabic language daily Al Sabah said.

“Fatima said she tried many times to flee but did not know where to go as she did not know how to reach her father…her ordeal came to an end when a dispute over a car erupted between her father and her grand father.”

The paper said her father demanded the return of Fatima, who broke the news of her ordeal to him. He reported his father and the worker to the police, who arrested both despite their denial of raping her.

“The grand father then told his son that Fatima is pregnant although he was giving her contraceptives…medical tests confirmed her pregnancy and the loss of her virginity,” the paper added.

Anwar yet to decide on meeting with Hindraf

PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim has yet to decide on Hindraf’s invitation for Pakatan Rakyat to explain its 100-day plan to uplift the Indian poor community if it comes into power in the next general election.

“I will discuss it with the party,” he told journalists after a dialogue with Indonesian and Malaysian students at the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam today.

Hindraf de facto leader P Uthayakumar had on Wednesday extended the invitation to Anwar, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for the opposition coalition to outline its policies.

This, and Pakatan’s willingness to endorse Hindraf’s 18-point demands, Uthayakumar had said, will decide if the movement endorses Pakatan Rakyat.

He had said that the outcome of the meeting would also decide if Hindraf will back the mooted Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28.

The public meeting is scheduled to be held in Klang on April 22.

Uthayakumar had said that if Pakatan Rakyat refuses to engage Hindraf, the movement will have “no alternative” but to contest in the general election on their own, potentially becoming spoilers in marginal seats.

Ex-minister: Protests are part of democracy

Earlier, Anwar had welcomed former Indonesian minister Adi Sasono with other Indonesian politicians in a dialogue on Asean.

NONESharing about the country’s development after the reformasi movement, Adi (left) noted that Indonesia has seen a rise in protests.

“But protests are part of democracy and the duty of the police is to facilitate, not confront them,” he said.

The political scene has also become more crowded, but these varied opinions ensure there is no monopoly on the media, he added.

However, Indonesia’s Welfare Justice Party (PKS) secretary-general Fahri Hamzah, who was also present, advised Malaysia to conduct its reforms in an orderly fashion.

“We introduced 300 new reform laws in less than two years (after the reformasi movement), the transition was on the right track but after President BJ Habibie the leaders did not have a road map and Indonesia’s reform went in circles,” he said.

Indonesia’s change, he added, had a tendency of going for revolution which led to the changes to come “too soon and too much” without a proper direction.

‘Even Najib shares our heritage’

Commenting on the precarious relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia, Fahri acknowledged that several issues affecting both countries had been blown out of proportion.

“Many Indonesians criticise Malaysia for stealing their culture such as the batik, songs or dances.

NONE“But Malaysians call themselves Malays, in Javanese language Malay means ‘orang pergi’ (travellers), Malaysians have their origin in Indonesia, for example (Prime Minister) Najib Abdul Razak is of Bugis descent,” he said.

This, Fahri (right) added, meant that both Indonesia and Malaysia share a common heritage which neither can claim exclusive right.

He said that to avoid further conflict, both countries must appreciate their common ancestry which would also serve in the larger context of Asean integration.

In recent years, Indonesia has accused Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage including the Balinese Pendet dance and the Rasa Sayang song, on top of border skirmishes over oil-rich regions bordering the two nations.

No ‘pondans’ allowed on TV, radio

If you look or sound like a gay, transsexual or effeminate, you will not be allowed to go on the air in Malaysia.
UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Male characters who appear gay, transsexual or effeminate will not be allowed to be heard or seen over Malaysia’s airwaves.

In a Facebook message, the Department of Information (which comes under the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture) said such “characters” went against social and religious norms.

These characters, the message added, contributed to a rising support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement.

“Effective immediately, radio and television stations have been asked to stop programmes that broadcast characters (depicting) ‘pondans’ (transsexuals), effeminate men as well as characters that are in conflict with social and religious norms because they can be said to be in support of (and contributing to the increase of the LGBT social problem,” the message read.

The message, which appeared on the department’s Facebook page at approximately 6pm yesterday, also gained a fair amount of support.

Hamli Sanai Razali said: “Good, we’ve been waiting for this for a long time. The most can be found in (the comedy show) Raja Lawak.”

Afzal Mohamad said: “(The government) should have banned programmes like this from before. They don’t bring any benefit at all. They’re shameful and enliven these groups.”

One Facebook user known only as ‘En A No’ said: “I support [this]! This decision was the right thing to do because it will preserve Malaysia’s culture as well as maintain the country’s status as a modern Islamic country.”

Another Facebook user, Julie Ismail, suggested foreign shows such as the American musical drama “Glee” be taken off the air. “If so, then please stop the ‘Glee’ programme, which clearly supports these kinds of groups. So geli (creepy)!” she said.

It is not clear if this statement was commissioned by a department official or from Minister Rais Yatim himself.

However, the government appears to be stepping up its efforts in curbing the “spread” of homosexuality in the country.

On March 22, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mashitah Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that the government was working with several NGOs to prevent the LGBT movement from taking root, especially amongst Muslims here.

She said that several measures, included the training of volunteers to “approach” the LGBT community as well as instructing groups to carry out anti-homosexual campaigns.

This followed a claim by Sekijang MP (Umno) Baharum Mohamad, who said that three out of every 10 men in Malaysia were gay, suggesting that the government set up a homosexual rehabilitation centre, to stop same-sex relationships from spreading in the country.

In a related development, the Information Department said in a Facebook message clarified that the ‘directive’ actually a re-posting of a Bernama Radio24 Facebook discussion topic.

The department however did not say why it chose to re-post the message instead of rewording it to make it seem as though it was indeed a discussion.

Amanah says Bersih 3.0 justifiable

Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir says the government's sincerity to clean up the election process was questionable.

KUALA LUMPUR: Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) today backed Bersih’s plan to hold a mass protest on April 28, saying it is justifiable as Putrajaya had failed to ensure poll reforms are in place before the 13th general polls.

Its deputy chief Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said in a statement that the government’s sincerity to clean up the election process was questionable, citing the hasty approval of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) report last Tuesday.

The report was tabled and approved in Parliament without debate while House Speaker Pandikar Mulia Amin, who has been criticised for bias on numerous times, had rejected the minority report which included the assurance that poll reforms are in place before elections commence.

“Furthermore, there are no timelines mentioned at all in the report as to when the various recommendations will be implemented and completed if at all. Certaintly this raises great concern and worry amongst the people. Hence the justifiable talk on Bersih 3.0,” he said.

Bersih leaders announced on Wednesday that it will proceed to hold a protest after they deemed Putrajaya’s election reform pledges a failure following the committee’s refusal to meet the key demand.

Kadir, a former member of Umno who quit the ruling party after his criticism against Putrajaya exposed him to media attacks, said the PSC had also failed to heed two of Amanah’s most important recommendations submitted to PSC at its meeting in Johor Bahru recently.

The group had repeatedly called for the government to release its grip on the media and the “neutralising” of all government departments, semi-government departments, government-linked companies including the police and the army.

The former federal minister claimed these institutions are often “blatantly” exploited for a lopsided campaign during the “countdown period” leading to the elections.

“Amanah feels that our above proposals together with the other recommendations can be implemented very easily and very fast and this will be all to the credit of the ‘Political Transformation’ that has been announced”.

He said Amanah echoes the views of other groups who call for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak against holding elections until all poll reform pledges are met.

No more talks with EC, says Ambiga

Unless Putrajaya gives a clear promise that reforms will be implemented before the 13th general election, the April 28 Bersih rally will go on.

KUALA LUMPUR: Polls reform group, Bersih’s chief S Ambiga has declared that there will be no more talks with the Election Commission (EC) and that the coalition will proceed with its planned mass “sit in” protest on April 28th.

The former Bar Council president told FMT that “it would be a waste of time” to engage the body after it failed to respond to Bersih’s demand that poll reforms be implemented before the 13th national polls are held.

The group announced on Wednesday that it would hold a nationwide “sit in” after they deemed Putrajaya’s election reform pledges a failure. The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) had issued its report on the matter on Tuesday.

Bersih detractors claimed the planned protest, dubbed “Bersih 3.0″, showed the group’s insincerity. They said the group was never keen on a diplomatic solution but wanted a street protest aimed at overthrowing the government.

Barisan Nasional lawmakers questioned the hasty decision to hold the protest and said its motive was suspect as it gave no timeline for the EC to study the report which is crucial for the recommendations to take place.

Ambiga said the only positive response tolerable would be a clear promise by Putrajaya that the reforms would be implemented by the 13th general election.

“Yes. Unless they make it clear, it is a waste of time. We will not engage the EC anymore,” she said.

Putrajaya’s move to set up a PSC came after the Najib administration grappled with widespread condemnation for its strong arm tactics against Bersih and its supporters at the July rally, forcing the government to consider the group’s demands in a move to contain a potential voter backlash.

No coup

Over 1,600 people were detained as a result, including Ambiga and scores of opposition lawmakers, but the group later declared the event a success based on the number of participants and the publicity it earned in both local and international media.

The July rally, dubbed Bersih 2.0, was the second mass protest held by the group and prior to yesterday’s announcement, talks were rife that the polls watchdog was planning to hold a third.

BN leaders said the rumours strengthened their suspicion that Bersih, backed by the federal opposition bloc Pakatan Rakyat, was planning to hold a series of street demonstrations resembling Egypt’s “Tahrir Square” uprising in a bid to unseat the ruling coalition.

They said Bersih’s complete disregard of EC’s positive response in adopting some of the Bersih-endorsed recommendations made by the PSC proved the allegation that the April 28 demonstration was made even before the report was produced.

But Ambiga said the key motivation behind Bersih 3.0 was not the overthrow of BN.

“We are not the one rushing it (protest). They are the one rushing to hold elections when the mandate only ends in 2013.

“They have all the time to implement the reforms now but they are not doing it,” she said, reiterating that the April 28 sit in will be held as a protest against Putrajaya’s lack of political will to ensure reforms are in place before the coming polls.

She also denied the group had already planned Bersih 3.0 before the PSC report was finalised although there were talks of “what their next course of action would be”.

“I had made it clear that what we do will be subject to what the PSC say”.

Bersih 3.0 will be held at the historic Dataran Merdeka and will go on from 2pm to 4pm.

No such thing as barring ‘pondans’, says Maglin

Deputy information minister Maglin Dennis D'Cruz meanwhile says the Facebook posting could be the work of a sole individual.
FULL REPORT

PETALING JAYA: A government directive supposedly barring gay, transsexual or effeminate men from being featured over Malaysia’s airwaves has been clarified as a mistake.

And in another development, speaking to FMT, Information, Communications and Culture Deputy Minister Maglin Dennis D’Cruz said that his ministry had not ordered gays to be taken off the air.

In fact, the deputy minister said he Facebook message might have been posted by a sole individual.

“There is no directive. Only the minister (Rais Yatim) can (issue) a directive. Because if it was a directive, it would have come to us, and all the senior officials (in the ministry) immediately… I think it was (done) by an individual,” he said.

At the same time, Maglin added that the ministry had no intention of stopping gays, transsexuals or effeminate men from appearing on radio or television.

“These people are everywhere, and they’re also human beings. Nobody has the right to stop them or anything, because we also respect them as human beings.

“Don’t humiliate them. Who says they can’t act in movies? Nobody says that they can’t act… If they want to be an engineer, lawyer, actor, whatever they want to do, we (will) help them,” he said.

Later in the day, Maglin’s boss, Rais Yatim was quoted by Bernama as saying that no ban existed on the portrayal of LGBT characters on state-owned television channels.

“There is no ban on any artistic performance by any segment of society, including those acronymed as “soft” (or effeminate) men,” he said in a Twitter posting.

However, he said the his ministry “still reserved the right to select content suitable for the general public given that Malaysia is a multiracial, multi-religious and multi-cultural country”.

Reprint of a Bernama Radio24 posting

Earlier this morning, in a Facebook message, the Department of Information (which comes under the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry) said the order was actually a reprint of a Bernama Radio24 Facebook discussion topic.

However, the government department did not say why it chose to reprint this message, instead of rewording it to make it seem as though it was indeed a discussion.

“Our Facebook post last night (highlighting the) issue of stopping programmes broadcasting pondans, effeminate men as well as characters that come into conflict with social norms was a Radio Bernama24 discussion topic that (we) picked off their Facebook page.

“It is not a directive issued by any party. We apologise if there has been any confusion caused by our Facebook status last night,” the department’s latest Facebook status update (posted after 11am today) read.

The original notice

At around 6pm yesterday, the department wrote that gay, pondan (transsexuals) and effeminate characters went against social and religious norms.

Radio and television stations were to stop featuring people depicting these characteristics “effective immediately.”

A quick check on Bernama Radio24′s Facebook page showed that it had the same message, although it had an extra paragraph that read: “Are such restrictions relevant, or is this action denying the current realities of our daily life? What’s your say (on this ): 03-26927939?”

The department’s original message read: “Effective immediately, radio and television stations have been asked to stop programmes that broadcast characters (depicting) ‘pondans’ (transsexuals), effeminate men as well as characters that are in conflict with social and religious norms because they can be said to be in support of (and) contributing to the increase of the LGBT social problem.”

FMT noticed that the government department’s offending Facebook post did mention Bernama Radio24 as a source in a later comment, although it wasn’t clear on that particular detail.

A flurry of angry Facebook messages criticising the department also caused it to react defensively.

This morning, the department said (in the offending Facebook post): “:) You can say what you want, but condemning the Department of Information is not a smart thing to do. The purpose of this Facebook page is to relay information to Malaysians who are getting more active with Facebook.”

“If you don’t like this status, sorry. The moderator is only relaying news from the source (Bernama). Thank you.”

Report cards for Najib and Co

The prime minister has given himself a sterling appraisal of his own achievements. The writer however begs to differ and comes up with her own report cards for the premier and his men.
COMMENT

If you do not like what people have to say about you, then the only solution is to make your own appraisal. This is precisely what Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak did last Monday, April 2, when he presented a gloating report card detailing his reforms to the nation. His glorified self-assessment was done in style and broadcast live on RTM1, TV3 and Astro Awani.

Only a brash and arrogant person would do that. Then again, this might be Najib’s swansong. If the objectives of Bersih are met, free and clear access to the media will be granted to all, and the opposition will make mincemeat of Najib’s exorbitant claims.

When we were at school, didn’t we dread the moment teacher gave us our report card, to show our parents, who then had to acknowledge receipt with their signatures? Some of us had friends who destroyed their report cards before their parents could read them.

Although many won’t take such drastic action, a few are known to have forged their parents’ signatures, or pretended to have lost the report cards and so could not return them to their teachers.

When reading out his self-prepared report card, Najib was full of praise for the achievements under his Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

He mentioned the seven National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) on the cost of living, crime, corruption, living standards of low-income households, rural basic infrastructure, urban public transport and students.

Where are the clean cops?

Let us take just one of these NKRAs – crime control. Najib said that street crime had been reduced by 39% while overall crime had decreased by 11% since 2009. He claimed that the public was very satisfied with police performance.

A few weeks ago, the IGP claimed that only 1% of his policemen were corrupt. And yet, the public wonder where these “clean” policemen are, because they have the misfortune to meet only the 1%.

A few were livid that they are being charged twice to use some public highways; they pay once at the toll booth, and again down the road, when the policemen flag them down, for an apparent road infraction, like speeding.

Najib mentioned the cooperation between the police and RELA, the paramilitary volunteer defence corps formed to curb crime. There have been many complaints about the three million RELA volunteers who are badly trained and who allegedly extort money from migrant labourers.

Last week, RELA members beat an alleged Nigerian rapist to death. Perhaps, this is the new modus operandi – beat suspects senseless, ask questions later.

Najib said that to reduce the crime rate, CCTVs would be widely installed, yet he failed to explain why CCTVs continue to malfunction in cases involving the opposition, or for deaths in police custody or for those being questioned by the MACC.

There is little point in going over Najib’s so-called achievements. In his report card, he is excellent.

Last week, Najib hinted that he intends to “control” the online media. So before he gags the alternative news portals, let us give him and a few members of his Cabinet, their report cards based on this term.

Report cards

Najib Tun Razak: A career politican. Not suitable for public life because he has made little progress in his work and has no experience of real life. Fails to identify with the rakyat. He has only been on a bus once, and that is why he wants to be given the chance to prove himself a man of the people, by sorting out the nation’s abysmal public transport. Incidentally, his first bus ride was in a luxury coach in Ipoh, last year.

He cannot speak simple English but loves to use acronyms as he sees no point in keeping things clear, and relies on statistics, to blind us with numbers.

He lacks the will to tackle difficult subjects. Has an image problem and depends on public relations firms to find out who he really is and what he stands for. Also has a split personality; says one thing but does another. For example, he says that only moderates will be allowed in Malaysia, but he closes one eye when extremists threaten public order. Not as courageous as he claims.

Muhyiddin Yassin: Talks too much. Will have the makings of a good public speaker who does not know his subject matter. On the bright side, he is an optimist, but I am more inclinded to say that he suffers from delusions of grandeur. He claims the Malaysian education is one of the best in the world and that the Malaysian government is the most transparent globally. Has an identity crisis, and cannot decide if he is Malay or Malaysian first.

Nazri Abdul Aziz: Another one with verbal diarrhoea. Needs parenting classes as he cannot manage his children and admits that he cannot be responsible for their actions. If he cannot restrain one son, how does he expect to exercise control over the rakyat? Main aim in life is to make a hash of everything he oversees.

Rais Yatim: Suitable in jobs with plenty of scope for dramatic flair. Has a tendency to make the wrong career choice. Good at dishing out wrong advice such as when he warned Malaysians, especially Muslims, about the evil, western influences of Facebook and Twitter. This made the Information, Communication and Culture Minister an overnight global sensation on Twitter. Very creative person but tends to fly off the handle. Must learn more tact. Has problems with domestic staff.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi: A real plodder but with time, would make some progress. Has an inferiority complex and cannot see women as equals. Has a problem with wearing white gloves.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

Is this the death blow to the right of our children to pursue the best education overseas?

By Haris Ibrahim,

The local universities are the butt of jokes amongst the international academia.

If before, Universiti Malaya was not too far adrift from Singapore University, the gulf between the two now is so wide, it almost seems unlikely that we will ever catch up.

So, for those who had the means or were willing to sacrifice the little comforts in life to send their children off to foreign universities, it was at least comforting that a good result in the STPM exams ( in my days, it was the Higher School Certificate or HSC ), long recognised as equivalent to the Cambridge ‘A’ levels, was accepted by many major foreign universities for entry into their halls of study.

This, though, may soon be a thing of the past.

FreeMalaysiaToday reported Hindraf’s Sambulingam questioning the new format of the STPM format, announced on 6th March, 2012 by the Malaysian Examination Council.

Under the new format, there will no longer be an evaluative examination after a two year ( lower six and upper six) period of preparation.

Instead, the evaluation will now be based on performance in three school-based examinations spread out over the same two-year period.

Sambu is reported as saying that he has written to the Higher Education Ministry for clarification but, to-date, has not received a satisfactory response.

He has also written to the foreign missions of UK, India, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

To-date, he has had a reply from the British High Commission which has left him convinced that the British educational authorities and institutions are in the dark on this latest move by the Malaysian authorities.

Have the Malaysian educational authorities sought confirmation from foreign educational authorities and institutions that this new format will not result in the STPM no longer being recognised as satisfying entry requirements into those foreign enducational institutions?

I cannot agree with Sambu’s view that “the new system will only hurt the poor Indians most”, as it will potentially impact upon every child who aspires to pursues a tertiary education overseas upon completion of his or her sixth form studies.

However, we are indebted to both Hindraf and Sambu for bringing to public attention a matter of public importance that, like that of Lynas and so many others, the government proceeds upon without adequate public consultation.

Like Lynas, this too is another national issue that we must not allow to proceed to implementation until we have been fully consulted and are fully appraised of the ramifications to the future prospects of our children to pursue their tertiary education at foreign centres of learning of their choice.

A-G says Teoh’s death referred back to MACC

The Malaysian Insider- by Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 —Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail refused today to clarify whether his office would prosecute three anti-graft officers who allegedly drove Teoh Beng Hock to suicide.

The Attorney-General only told reporters that "the case has been referred back to the MACC" after meeting Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigations chief Datuk Mustafar Ali this evening.

"I only charge, not investigate. I don't want to argue with you," Gani (picture) said when asked about whether there was criminal wrongdoing by the graftbusters.

De facto law minister Nazri said in a written reply in Parliament to Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching yesterday that police were investigating the case and the Attorney-General's Chambers was now studying investigation papers after a complaint lodged by Teoh's sister Lee Lan on October 28 last year.

But Teo, the DAP deputy publicity chief, told reporters this morning that the latest reply contradicted Nazri's March 29 reply to PKR's Gopeng MP Lee Boon Chye when he said "the AGC has found no criminal wrongdoing... no legal action will be taken against the three MACC officers."

The minister in the prime minister's department had said on October 24, 2011 that the AG was not pursuing legal action against the three MACC officers implicated in the DAP aide's 2009 death as no police report had been lodged and there was a lack of investigative evidence.

The Padang Rengas MP refused to comment on the matter earlier today, only sending a message through his aide for reporters to "clarify with the AG as his officer provided the response."

Teoh, political aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth-floor corridor of Selangor MACC’s office in Shah Alam after overnight questioning.

A coroner's inquest returned an "open verdict" ruling out both suicide and homicide, leading Datuk Seri Najib Razak to order a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) after public uproar.

The royal panel found that the three MACC investigating officers involved in the case used “continuous, aggressive and improper questioning tactics on TBH which had breached its existing standard operating procedures” and recommended that action be taken against them.

A previous RCI in 2007 probing allegations that appointments of judges were fixed also recommended action against senior lawyer Datuk VK Lingam, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Umno secretary general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, former Chief Justices Tun Eusoff Chin and Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as well as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

But Gani. who has been A-G since 2002, has not prosecuted any individual implicated in either RCI.

His failure do so, combined with allegations by former senior police officers that he fabricated evidence in high-profile cases such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's "black eye" case in 1998, has led to calls that a Tribunal be set up to investigate the claims of misconduct.

EC meets next week over PSC polls reform plan

The New Straits Times
by EILEEN NG

CONSULTATION: Commission has received recommendations, says deputy chairman.

KUALA LUMPUR: THE Election Commission is expected to meet next week to deliberate on a report submitted by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the commission had received the report.

"(The EC) meeting is tentatively next week. It will involve all our panel members.

"We will look into and deliberate each of the recommendations in detail," he told the New Straits Times in a text message yesterday.

Wan Ahmad said the EC wouldissue a statement after its meeting.

On Wednesday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the report would be presented and discussed at the next cabinet meeting.

The cabinet would also look into the committee's suggestion to initiate a permanent PSC to evaluate the implementation of the report.

PSC on Electoral Reforms chairman Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili tabled the final report in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday after after almost six months of meetings and deliberations.

It contained 22 recommendations, of which 18 were agreed to unanimously between the nine-man committee while four recommendations were voted upon.

It was passed without debate due to a minority report issue brought up by the opposition.

Among the recommendations in the electoral reforms report were:

EC given three months to formulate a mechanism to allow overseas voting;
EC recommended to study a proposal to allow "pre-registration" for those who reach the age of 20 to enable them to become automatic voters at 21;
EC recommended to extend the minimum campaign period from seven to 10 days;
EC recommended to observe Article 115 of the Federal Constitution, which can compel any public authority to help the EC, including the ministry and its related agencies, on matters relating to free and fair media access to all contesting parties;
PSC recommends that the EC studies procedures and regulations of other countries in allowing voters to choose between their birth or registered address or place of employment as their voting address;
PSC recommends that a study be carried out on the distribution of parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak to ensure the states are fairly represented; and
THE setting up of a caretaker government upon the dissolution of Parliament to oversee the security of the country and the election process.

Najib Calls On Islamic Organisations To Help Make Malaysia First Fully-developed Islamic Country

PUTRAJAYA, April 6 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak today called on Islamic organisations in the country to help Malaysia become the first Islamic country to achieve the status of a fully-developed nation.

The prime minister also expressed hope that with the strong spirit showed by these organisations, the dream would become a reality.

"I have one dream. I want Malaysia to remain an Islamic country and let us create history by becoming the first Islamic country to achieve the status of a fully-developed nation," he said at a Federal Territories Qaryah/Religious Group Gathering with the Prime Minister here.

Najib said if Malaysia achieved the status of a fully-developed nation, the religious organisations would also progress and the government would be able to channel more allocations to empower and uplift the status of Islam.

Inadvertently, he said, it would also help the government to rule the country better and lead Malaysia towards more positive development.

"What we make from a good administration, we must give back to the people, including Islamic groups. I promise when our economy grows, the government will take a very good care of the wellbeing of these groups," he said.

During the event attended by about 5,000 members of Islamic organisations, the prime minister also commended them for their commitment and participation in the government's transformation agenda.

He said when the concept of 1Malaysia was introduced, it did not stray from Islamic teachings, as one of the key values promoted in the concept of 1Malaysia was the concept of moderation or 'Wasatiyyah'.

"Moderation neither means doing more or less nor doing things with thoughtless attitude... but doing things balanced in terms of spiritual and material," he said.

Najib said the moderation value would not only form a good nation, but would also preserve good relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Detainee escapes from Jalan Duta court lock-up

A male detainee whose gang robbery and police impersonation case was up for mention at the Sessions Court escaped from a lock-up on the second floor basement of the Jalan Duta Court Complex in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mohd Radzuan Abdul Rahman, 33, wearing a yellow T-shirt and a pair of shorts, slipped off at 8.45am when police brought in more than 50 other detainees from the Sungai Buloh Prison to the court complex for case management.

Kuala Lumpur CID deputy chief Asst Comm Khairi Ahrasa said the detainee, who is from Jalan Klang Lama, was seen chatting with others before getting himself loose from the handcuffs and fled by climbing over the court’s perimeter fence.

“The security guard in front of the court could not do anything to stop him. We are taking statements from several policemen who were handling the detainee,” he said when contacted.

He did not rule out that the case could have been due to negligence.

The man has been on remand order since Jan 30. Police are investigating the case under Section 223/224 of the Penal Code for escaping from police custody, he said.

Police are now viewing the closed circuit television recording at the court complex on how the incident took place.

A check by Bernama found a team of policemen had surrounded the complex area while other personnel were combing the courtrooms.

- Bernama