Peaceful transition of power: Open letter to all political parties

Dr Lim Teck Ghee

With the general election imminent, one key question remains yet unanswered: Will the Barisan Nasional respect the outcome of the polls and ensure a peaceful transition of power?

This is the sixty four thousand dollar sensitive question – unasked in our repressed mass media, largely unexplored by political analysts, never-to-be-publicly wondered but lurking in the mind of many concerned Malaysians.

One exception to the unwritten rule of never posing such a politically incorrect question took place in a private lunch talk organized by the Royal Selangor Club (RSC) for its members early this year. The January 12 event featuring Prime Minister Najib Razak as speaker had attracted an audience of more than 200.

An RSC member (who identified himself as the son of a former long-serving staff of Najib’s father, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein) asked the following towards the end of the talk:

“Mr Prime Minister, would you make the transition of the government for Pakatan a smooth one if the opposition wins the next general election?”

According to some of those present, after some hesitation the prime minister responded: “I do not have to answer that question” or words to that effect; following which he abruptly left, ostensibly for another function.

Why did the Prime Minister not respond?

The PM may have felt that he was not able to answer the question for several reasons.

One, he may have lost his wits after being completely taken off guard.

Two, he may not be able to guarantee a peaceful transition of power despite being personally willing to concede should the electoral outcome favour the opposition.

Three, he himself may not be inclined to permit a peaceful transition of power.

Historical record on power transition

Most people are aware that the BN, and earlier, the Alliance parties, have a long, unblemished and unsurpassed record of manipulating the election results through constitutional and other means.  This is why they have remained in power for over 50 years.

Aficionados of the prowess of the ruling coalition in cooking the election results are often rapturous recalling the systematic manipulation of the electoral rolls, malapportionment and gerrymandering of constituency boundaries, control of the media, and a long list of other unfair and exploitative practices, including tampering with the constitution.

Even Dr Mahathir Mohamed in 1970 before he became prime minister was moved to write in The Malay Dilemma: “The manner, the frequency and the trivial reasons for altering the constitution reduced this supreme law of the nation to a useless scrap of paper”.

During several periods of our history of state and federal elections, we have also seen how the Alliance and BN parties have resorted to their trump card of using dubious ‘constitutional’ means to remain in power.

PM’s public assurance needed

Several months after that disconcerting encounter at the RSC, Najib and his senior Barisan colleagues again have the opportunity to answer that question and put to rest any doubts about a peaceful transition of power and regime change.

We have seen that the latest electoral reform initiative for fair and clean elections has been hijacked for the purpose of scoring political points for the incumbents ahead of the coming elections so that true electoral reform still remains a mirage.

Although the odds are in favour of a BN victory, it is important that the ruling coalition provides the assurance – before Malaysians go to the polls – that if the unthinkable happens and they are defeated, Najib and his Umno men will respect the outcome and ensure a peaceful transition of power.

In 1971 following his assumption of power through emergency rule, Tun Razak noted that “So long as the form [of democracy] is preserved, the substance can be changed to suit conditions of a particular country…”

Whether Najib could possibly tread in his father’s footsteps and we might see history repeat itself in the imposition of some form of emergency rule following (or even preceding) the 13th general election is one which needs to be clarified publicly and unequivocally.

Respecting the Constitution

It needs to be stressed that our Federal Constitution is clear on the right of Malaysians to elect a government of their choice in a free and fair election. Upon the dissolution of Parliament, it becomes the fundamental, legal and constitutional duty of the caretaker prime minister, Najib Razak, to respect and obey the supreme law of the land.

Not providing an answer to assure the public that the supreme law of the land will be respected may be construed as a serious constitutional offence.

Should the reassurance not be provided before the election takes place, Malaysians have the right to question the moral and constitutional fitness of the serving PM and his party.

Finally, it would be doubly reassuring if the head of the military and the police can reinforce the prime minister’s statement on the peaceful transition of power and pledge that they will serve the country regardless of which political party is at the helm.

AMERICA’S BLOCKADE OF IRAN

1. I have been criticising America’s blockade of Iran.

2. America’s action is said to be due to Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.

3. Israel has 200 nuclear warheads and obviously poses a greater threat to Iran than Iran’s threat against its neighbours.

4. Am I being unnecessarily critical of the United States?

 Below is part of an article by Brian A Burchill of Global Research E-Newsletter, Canada which seems to validate my stand. For the full article please see the URL

IRAN: THE TERRORISM TRUMP CARD
By Brian A. Burchill
Global Research, April 3, 2012
The UK’s Guardian recently interviewed “current and former U.S. and European officials with access to intelligence on Iran,” and concluded that the United States, its European allies, and even Israel, agree that Tehran is probably years away from having a deliverable nuclear warhead.
Twice in recent weeks, CBC News anchor Peter Mansbridge has closely questioned two leaders who hold a different view.
In a January 18th interview, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told Mansbridge that he thinks that “the evidence is…overwhelming” and that it “is just beyond dispute at this point” that Iran’s purpose is to develop nuclear weapons. When pressed about Iran’s insistence that it has no intention to build nuclear weapons, Harper said “I think there is absolutely no doubt they are lying”.
Harper’s claims are all-too-reminiscent of US Former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s February, 2003, statement at the UN that, with “facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence”.
There was no doubt in his mind that Saddam Hussein was working to obtain key components to produce nuclear weapons.
That intelligence has since been exposed as lies. In fact, the Iraqi chemical engineer who perpetrated the false intelligence, Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, confessed his lies on British television April 3rd.
Also troubling is that Harper cited the International Atomic Energy Commission, but in the March 22nd Guardian, the agency’s former director-general, Hans Blix, raised concerns about its recent credibility. The IAEC has been charged with over-reliance on unverified intelligence, and pro-Western bias, since the 2009 arrival of its new chief, Yukiya Amano.
More recently, Harper’s conclusion was thrown into question during a CBC News One on One interview with US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, aired last weekend.
Panetta first stated that the best US intelligence has concluded that Iran has not made the decision to build a nuclear weapon. He went on to say that Iran is involved in providing non-nuclear weapons to terrorist-associated groups outside the country.
However, when Mansbridge queried whether containment was an effective policy (sealing off the country to prevent weapons exports to outsiders), Panetta then contradicted his own intelligence claim by saying the US was going to apply economic and diplomatic sanctions because “we cannot allow a country that supports terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.”
When pushed to justify the sanctions, Panetta played the debate-ending trump card – the supposed threat of Muslim terrorism – the card spawned by 9/11.
Thus ended the Panetta news segment – Mansbridge did not challenge whether hidden, ubiquitous, amorphous terrorism was a factor in the case of Iran.
Brian A. Burchill is Mechanical Engineer based in British Columbia

Malaysia Ponders What to Do with a White Elephant

Bakun fills up

Cancellation of an aluminum smelter leaves the Bakun Dam with no reason to exist

The recent decision recently by Rio Tinto Alcan to pull out of a US$2 billion aluminum smelter project next to the Bakun Dam in Sarawak ends a five-year campaign to find something – anything – to do with the 2,400 megawatts of power generated by the mammoth dam, one of the cherished mega-projects of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The cancellation, over how much to charge for the dam's power, leaves both the Malaysian government and the state government in Sarawak stumbling around with vast amounts of generated power and nothing to use it for.
Negotiations had been underway since 2007 for the construction of the smelter. In a prepared news release, Rio Tinto Alcan chief executive officer Jacynthe Côté said that “while a great deal of progress was made in negotiations with Sarawak Energy Berhad, agreement on a long- term competitive power supply contract could not be reached.”

“We have built solid relationships with the government and our stakeholders in Sarawak and more broadly in Malaysia and we thank them for their support. Looking into the future, we remain interested in development opportunities that may arise within the state and the country,” Côté said.

The decision by the Australia-based mining company to pull out is the latest blow in a saga that has gone on since the early 1980s, over a facility that Transparency International has called a “monument to corruption.”

The dam, said to be the largest rock-and-gravel filled dam on earth, blocks the upper reaches of the Rajang River, standing as a white elephant on a global scale. The common wisdom is that it was developed so that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud could use it as an excuse to log the 23,000 hectares of virgin rainforest in the dam watershed and deliver the timber into the hands of timber barons. The Sarawak government is said to be planning another half-dozen dams to create even more unusable power. Environmentalists say the only reason for the dams is to provide an excuse to log off the watershed.

As there was no competitive bidding for the RM15 billion contract to build the dam in the first place, there was no competitive bidding over the plan to build the smelter. Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS), a company connected to the Taib famly and which owns 40 percent of the Sarawak Aluminium Company (SALCO) smelter development, announced the termination in late March in a filing with the Malaysian stock exchange, to the jubilation of environmentalists.

“There is no market for the power,” Ame Trandem, the regional head of the International Rivers NGO, told Asia Sentinel. “They have resettled 10,000 people, it has had a devastating impact on the area and the people who live there. There is no market for the electricity.”

Former Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi tried to cancel the project when he followed Mahathir into office, but was unable to do so, part of the eternal enmity he earned from Mahathir, who worked tirelessly to drive him from office. When Badawi came to power in 2003 as Malaysia’s prime minister, he told delegates to the 57th United Malays National Organization’s 57th general assembly that he would turn away from Mahathir’s economic strategies. “That era is over,” he told the delegates. It was soon Badawi’s era that was over.

Barry Wain. In his definitive history of Mahathr’s political career, “Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times (Palgrave McMillan, US$88 from Amazon), estimated that Mahathir may well have wasted or burned up as much as RM100 billion (US$40 billion at earlier exchange rates when the projects were active) on grandiose projects and the corruption that that the projects engendered as he sought to turn Malaysia into an industrialized state. That includes the ill-fated Perwaja Steel project, which is estimated to have lost US$800 million before it was shut down; the Proton national car, which continues to bleed money, and many more.

In addition to allegedly serving as a forest plantation for Taib, the dam itself was part of a grandiose plan to meet electricity demand in peninsular Malaysia, nearly 700 km away, via a high voltage direct current cable, since the entire island of Borneo, where the dam is situated, including the Indonesian state of Kalimantan, is unlikely to be able to use the amount of electricity it was projected to produce in the foreseeable future.

In addition to the 700 km of underwater conduit, an additional 300km line was also envisioned to feed the power throughout peninsular Malaysia. Because of the distance of transmission, the underwater cables would have leaked more than half of the wattage before the power reached peninsular Malaysia. Even without Bakun, Sarawak’s installed electricity reserve capacity was estimated at 25 percent in 2005 and it hasn’t changed much since. At one point, the operation was projected to tie up the world’s entire cable-laying capability. No cable, however, has ever been laid and the power remains sequestered in Sarawak.

Approved by Mahathir after 14 years of off-and-on again studies, ridiculed by economists and environmentalists, the dam was halted repeatedly when companies connected with it went broke. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998, for instance, brought the dam project to a halt and forced the government to assume control from the consortium at an estimated cost of 1.6 billion ringgit to Malaysian taxpayers.

It was revived in 2000 through a wholly owned-government company, Sarawak Hidro, along with the Malaysia-China Hydro JV consortium. (This also isn‘t Bakun’s first flirtation with an aluminum smelter. One was previously proposed for Similajau, to be funded by the international financier Mohamed Ali Alabbar as a joint venture between Dubai Aluminum Co. Ltd and Gulf International Investment Group. Those plans collapsed due to construction delays and squabbles over contractual terms. By 2004 most of the minor partners to the consortium posted losses or substantially decreased profits.)

Taib Mahmud himself has faced numerous corruption allegations by critics over his 30-year career as chief minister, most recently when the NGO Sarawak Report linked his family to billions of dollars of properties in the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

Siapa akan menentang kezaliman UMNO / BN?

“Dan apakah yang menghalang kamu daripada berjuang atas jalan Tuhan dan untuk orang-orang lelaki, perempuan dan kanak-kanak yang tertindas, iaitu mereka yang selalu berdoa : “Ya Tuhan kami, Keluarkanlah kami dari negeri ini, yang penduduknya zalim, dan utuskanlah bagi kami dari pihakMu seorang pelindung, dan utuskanlah bagi kami dari pihakMu seorang pembela” – Surah An-Nisa Ayat 75, Kitab Suci Al-Qur’an
____________________
Ya Tuhanku, saya dengar dan saya patuh.

Negara Bankrap Modal Baru BN

Idris Ahmad

BANKRAP adalah satu modal baru Umno-BN untuk menakutkan rakyat supaya jangan pilih Pakatan Rakyat. Sebelumnya mereka menggunakan isu agama, bangsa dan raja. Oleh kerana ketiga-tiga isu ini sudah menjadi basi dan tidak laku kerana Umno mempunyai rekod yang buruk terhadap tiga perkara yang diperkatakan. Maka Umno mengalih pemikiran rakyat dengan menakutkan isu bankrap jika Pakatan Rakyat memerintah. Semua tawaran Pakatan Rakyat akan dilabelkan bankrap dengan harapan rakyat tidak beralih sokongan dan meninggalkan Umno.

Apabila Pakatan Rakyat menjanjikan untuk menghapuskan PTPTN, hapuskan tol, gaji minimum RM1,100.00, menurun harga minyak, mengekalkan subsidi. Maka terdapat suara-suara sumbang mengatakan negara akan bankrap, termasuklah dari kalangan pensyarah. Apa yang pelik semua yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan BN tidak berani ditegur walaupun memudaratkan ekonomi negara dan membankrapkan negara walaupun mengenepikan prinsip ketelusan.

Sebenarnya taktik pemimpin BN bermodalkan bankrap supaya rakyat lupa bahawa negara akan menjadi bankrap, kerana rekod pemerintahan Umno seperti barah di peringkat empat. Apa tidaknya, hutang negara 53 peratus, paras bahaya ialah 55 peratus. Hutang negara melonjak dari RM146 bilion pada tahun 2002, RM242 bilion (2006) dan RM456.1 bilion pada penghujung 2011. Wang Felda susut daripada RM4.08 bilion (2004) kepada RM1.35 bilion (2009). Saham Bumiputera RM52 bilion lesap, Stadium Terengganu berharga RM292 juta runtuh, walaupun hanya setahun dibina, upah Apco Yahudi Israel RM77 juta setahun, RM589 juta hutang bekas Pengerusi Eksekutif MAS Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli dihapus kira, projek NFC RM250 juta, Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2008 menyatakan berlaku ketirisan RM28 bilion, laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2006 melaporkan Kementerian Pertahanan membayar kepada kontraktor sebanyak RM943.46 juta (hampir RM1 bilion) tanpa ada baucar.

Ini bukti bahawa negara akan bankrap jika BN terus berkuasa. Sedangkan tawaran PR untuk membantu rakyat dengan kita memerangi rasuah, perbelanjaan berhemah insya-Allah negara selamat, rakyat mendapat rahmat.

Idris Ahmad, Ahli Jawatankuasa Pas Pusat

How do you discern?

May Chee Chook Ying - The Malaysian Insider


APRIL 24 — What do you pray for when you pray, as when you speak to God? I was educated in a convent. So, from young I was “exposed” to the Catholic faith. So, I learnt how to pray, at least I think I know how to pray. Apart from the set prayers, I learnt how to talk to God.

My first and only gift I’ve asked from God since my primary years has been this — a conscience. A heavy conscience can be so inconvenient but that was what I asked for and that was what I got. I asked for it, so to speak!

So, what’s a conscience? The Oxford dictionary defines a conscience as a moral sense of right and wrong. I guess it means that when you have a conscience, simply put, you do know when you are doing right or wrong. When it’s right, you feel good and liberated. When it’s wrong, you feel lousy and imprisoned by guilt, fear, doubts, etc.

Please bear with me when I speak of conscience from the viewpoint of a Catholic. The size of the world depends on your conscience. Conscience can make the world bigger or smaller. It was the Lord Himself who said this: Two men can look at the “lily in the field” and the one sees more than the other. The first sees the stem and the petals of the flower. The second sees this and something beyond: the Providence of the Father who clothes it more magnificently than “Solomon in all his regalia”.

For the second man, his conscience is something more than a “still, small voice” at the back of his head. His world is bigger and he is too big a person to be crippled by the chilling fear of punishment when he does wrong or a feeling of guilt when he dares to be unconventional. Such a man can see the whole stage and not just part of the scenery. His conscience is what we, Catholics, call “the Vision of the Whole”.

In today’s “specialist” world, one is cautioned not to be a Jack of all trades and master of none. Contemporary man is, therefore, forced to be small-minded. And this, because we are men of our time, can constitute a real danger to our quality of life. When we begin to look at the world through a microscope, we soon become prey to childish fears and anxieties. We become too scared to step out of line, to stand up and be counted, because we imagine ourselves to be alone.

But we are not alone. We are a far cry from being alone! As long as it is the right thing to do, we are never alone. I know it’s always easier to chicken out and it’s really hard to do the right thing and take the road less travelled. But I believe there are many people out there with a conscience. People who want to do the right thing. People who know right from wrong. People who can discern.

So, how do you discern? Discernment is said to be the ability to distinguish the contradictory desires prompted by the spirit and the flesh. It is the capacity in the changing circumstances of daily life to distinguish between the two paths or modes of living, and to choose the path that leads to life. So, if you can discern, it’s a good thing. Because you would be free to live the life you can; the life you should, with dignity.

I’m not writing this for those who can already discern. I’m appealing to those who are ignoring their conscience; perhaps those who still want to stay captive under their “tempurungs”. Or perhaps for those who have so far lived their life according to a disordered vanity and self-centred desire to achieve only for himself and his own good. Such achievements are only short-lived delights. How much can you wear? How much can you eat? How many bling-blings do you need to adorn yourself? How comfortable should your home be? How many places do you want to visit? To climb every mountain? To cross every ocean? To have it all and yet, nothing really, at all?

How do you sleep at night, knowing that either you are part of the injustice being perpetrated or ignoring the fact that there’s gross injustice happening before your eyes? Burying your head in the sand is not a solution!

There are good people and there are bad people everywhere. I believe there are good people, too, in the ruling party, in the government and in the civil service. And among you who have been shielding your eyes from the glare of injustice. You know what’s happening. Do you know what’s going to happen to your children, soon enough? Do you know what kind of a country you will leave behind for your children? What do you say when you pray? How do you make an account of what you have done or for what you have failed to do? Can you look into your children’s eyes and say, “My conscience is clear?”

I know I’m being lofty. Only because I’m hopeful that among you people out there, there’s still an iota of decency left in you. That you still have a conscience. That you still can discern. Please do the right thing and push for change. Malaysia needs a change. Malaysia needs a chance. A chance to be true to herself. To king, country and God.

Last but not least, “Happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear.” Happiness is yours for the taking. Push for change. See you at Dataran, let’s “Jom, Duduk Bantah”.

False hope in Security Offences Act

The Nut Graph 
 Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann

THE Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill (Sosma), passed by the Dewan Rakyat on 18 April 2012, will repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) once it comes into effect. The ISA has long been criticised for allowing preventive detention for indefinite periods without trial.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the reform, including the rescinding of three emergency proclamations, ushers in a “new era” for Malaysia. He said the government would no longer limit individuals’ freedom but instead ensure their basic constitutional rights were protected. He also hoped other promised reforms, including the introduction of the Peaceful Assembly Act and amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act, would herald a “golden democratic age in Malaysia”.

The prime minister’s grand pronouncements however seem a little divorced from reality. For while Sosma may be somewhat of a step up from the ISA, it is in no way a guarantee that Malaysians’ basic rights will be protected, as he seems to suggest. There are real issues with the new law, the implications of which demonstrate just how insincere our government is in their professed aim of making Malaysia a more open democracy.

What’s better

Let’s start with the positive aspects of the new law before dealing with its problems.

The ISA allowed police to detain individuals for 60 days. Under Sosma, this has been shortened to 28 days.

The ISA also gave the home minister the discretion to place individuals under detention without trial for two years, renewable indefinitely. This power has been taken away, something which apparently was “not easy” for Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to do.

The ISA allowed police broad scope under which they could detain anyone acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia, or to the maintenance of the country’s essential services or economic life. Under Sosma, only those suspected of “security offences” may be detained by the police.

What’s not

So far so good, right? But Sosma is only slightly better and nowhere near ensuring that citizens’ basic constitutional rights are adequately protected, Najib’s promises notwithstanding. And let’s not even talk about a “golden democratic age”.

Many have already raised valid criticisms of the new law and I’ll just highlight a few key points.

Firstly, the definition for who may be arrested under Sosma remains too broad. The definition of “security offence” includes committing acts “prejudicial to national security and public safety”. This is no better than the ISA definition. Such a broad definition allows our government to deem, for example, the Bersih 2.0 rally, possession of Che Guevera T-shirts and Seksualiti Merdeka, a sexuality rights festival; as national security threats.

There are options instead of this broad definition. The Malaysian Bar has recommended using the definition of the United Nations (UN) Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The UN definition confines terrorist acts to those specifically intended to cause death or serious bodily injury for the purpose of influencing government actions.

Secondly, the power to detain suspects for 28 days is given to the police, without judicial oversight. Persons arrested under Sosma need not be produced before a magistrate. A superintendent of police or officer of higher rank may extend the detention for 28 days “for the purposes of investigation”. Ordinarily, persons arrested by the police can only be detained for up to 24 hours. After that, the person must be released unless produced before a magistrate who may order further detention for the police to complete their investigation. The maximum period a person can be held under remand is seven or 14 days, depending on the seriousness of the offence.

This begs the question: If the government truly cares about protecting basic constitutional rights, what’s keeping them from instituting judicial oversight? Does the government not trust the judges with the country’s national security? Or, more likely, does it not trust the judges to agree with them on who exactly is a national security threat?

Thirdly, Sosma compels the court to imprison suspects after acquittal upon the public prosecutor’s application. If an acquittal is appealed and the public prosecutor applies for imprisonment of the accused, the law states that the court shall commit the accused to prison pending the appeal’s disposal.

The length of time it takes for appeals to be heard varies in this country. The Home Ministry’s appeal against the Dec 2009 High Court decision on The Herald’s use of “Allah” has yet to be heard. A person acquitted under Sosma can therefore be imprisoned for an indefinite time pending appeal.

False hope

A government genuinely wanting to respect constitutional rights would not introduce a security law with so many loopholes. It would institute tighter safeguards with judicial oversight and not leave citizens open to abuse of police power. It would sign the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to ensure no suspect is subject to police abuse while in custody.

And while we’re at it, it wouldn’t repeal provisions requiring peaceful assemblies to obtain police permits only to introduce another law allowing police to set more onerous conditions. Or purport to “give” university students freedom to join political parties, but maintain control over the appointment of vice-chancellors and allowing the university board to deem any organisation unsuitable for students.

The reforms so far are grudging, piecemeal and at the heart of it, insincere. There is no “new era”, no “golden democratic age” to come. The government has merely made as few changes as possible to make it look as if genuine reform has taken place while ensuring it has left enough powers in reserve to continue maintaining control over citizens.

With all their grandiose pronouncements, it seems to me that the government is trying to drum up hope. Hope that things are changing. Hope that there is more to come. Hope that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government truly intends to relinquish its tight control over citizens. For hope, said the manipulative president in the movie The Hunger Games, is the only thing more powerful than fear. And hope may just return the BN into power with its two-thirds parliamentary majority and help them regain their lost states.

I, for one, am not hoping. The gap between the big words and the measly offerings of reform is just too wide for me to take any of this seriously. If Najib had in fact come clean and admitted that things are changing, but in tiny baby steps, then I may have started hoping. For that would be more honest, more sincere and more believable.

---

Ding Jo-Ann hopes that Malaysians will not accept the government’s “reforms” but push for true reform so no Malaysian government will have the power to control and restrict citizens’ basic constitutional rights.

Moderate Earthquake Hits Nicobar Island

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Bernama) -- A moderate earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit the Nicobar Islands, India region at 10.57pm Tuesday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said.

The quake's epicentre was located at 134km southeast of Car Nicobar Island, India and 726km northwest of Langkawi, Kedah.

It did not pose any tsunami threat, the department said in a statement.

Penang Bersih 3.0 on track

It’s been a busy day for the Aliran team preparing for Penang Bersih 3.0. They had two separate meetings today with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kok Meng over the Bersih 3.0 assembly in Penang.
To find out what transpired, read the full statement on the Aliran website.
I wish there were fewer obstacles in the way of the main event in KL and the solidarity event in JB.

Unfulfilled promises on Indians in civil service

By P Sivakumar ,

Recently the media has trumpeted that Premier Najib Abdul Razak has fulfilled all his promises to the people.

Perhaps the nation's top executive, needs a gentle reminder of one major promise to the Indian community.

In 2008 he promised the Indian community that the Indians will be represented in the civil service to the tune of 7.4 percent from a estimated 2 to 4 percent in 2007.

It's more than four years since BN made its first pledge in November 2007 by the former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi just the following day after the arrest of the five Hindraf leaders after the Indians poured onto the streets demanding equal opportunities, and an end to the demolishing of temples.

This pledge continues to be sidelined despite hundreds of reminders from all quarters including from both sides of the political divide.

Civil service jobs are among the highest aspirations of the Indian community and today it has become a social concern of rights denied as everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.

The Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) was one of the organisations that was represented at the meeting of the 13 Indian NGO's invited by then PM Abdullah to hear the "truth".

Recent mega road shows by Special Indian Task Force which though must be given credit for its efforts, still needs to be transparent and open on the results of the Indian numbers that were offered civil service jobs and jobs in GLC's especially at the staff units.

If after four years of promise after promise the executive is still not able to deliver then there should be other measures taken by direct political interference like making it compulsory for a quota to be in place at the Public Service Commission's board level and monitored until the government's directives are met.

Members of the PSC should also be represented by capable and talented individuals rather than political appointments in order to bring about a competitive and effective public services delivery system.

It has been alleged that Iskandar Malaysia has around 300 staff members but only two Indians, and when GLCs take over an entity they get rid of the non-Malays first.

The private and public sectors recruitment should be non-racial and based on merit and talent.

Miba wishes to state that its demands for the quota is temporary until the 7.4 percent target is met.

P SIVAKUMAR is president of the Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba).

Media Malaysia 100% tak bebas - Kadir

Global Bersih revs up for 3.0 rallies

Pakistani students raped woman, 20, after she fell asleep on night bus on way home from night out

• Pair told victim they would call her a taxi after she missed her stop, then lured her down an alleyway
• Rizwan Ahmad and Hassan Siddique jailed for a total of 18-and-a-half years and told they could be deported

Two ‘despicable’ sex predators who raped a woman after she fell asleep on a night bus have been jailed for a total of 18-and-a-half years.

Pakistani students Rizwan Ahmad, 24, and Hassan Siddique, 19, targeted the 20-year-old as she made her way home from a night out in central London.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Siddique got off the number 55 bus while Ahmad began chatting to the woman when she realised she had missed her stop.

'Despicable': Rizwan Ahmad, 24, (left) and Hassan Siddique, 19, have been jailed for a total of 18-and-a-half years and could face deportation

Ahmad persuaded her to get off at the next stop and said he would call her a taxi. He then phoned Siddique, a student at the London College of Business Management and Information Technology, to summon him to the scene.

The two men lured their victim down a secluded alleyway off Leabridge Road in Leyton, east London, and took turns to rape her in the early hours of June 4 last year.

During their trial Ahmad and Siddique insisted their victim had encouraged them, but the jury found both defendants guilty of rape and attempted rape.

Judge Tudor Owen said he believed the pair should be kicked out of Britain once they have served their jail terms, adding: ‘The sooner you are deported from this country, the better.’

In an impact statement the victim said the attack will ‘stay with her for the rest of her life’.

But she is determined to ensure her ordeal does not dictate her future.

Sentencing, Judge Owen told the two rapists: ‘What you did was despicable. Your story was simply ludicrous.

‘You claimed she instigated the whole thing, that it was she who wanted to engage in sexual activity with you.

‘Unsurprisingly, the jury rejected your account.

Opportunistic: Ahmad struck up a conversation with his victim after she fell asleep 

on a London night bus and missed her stop

‘Women travelling alone at night are entitled not to be accosted in the way you two did.

‘She had a lot to drink but that does not mean she should have been treated in the way she was.

‘She was an easy target because she was so drunk.

‘She is now frightened of travelling alone at night, this has damaged her life.’

Jailing Ahmad for 10 years, and Siddique for eight-and-a-half years, Judge Owen added: ‘If it is necessary I will recommend most strongly that you are deported at the conclusion of your sentence.’

Ahmad, of Spruce Hills Road, Walthamstow, east London, and Siddique, of Gainsford Road, also in Walthamstow, denied rape and attempted rape.

Judge Owen commended investigating officer Detective Constable Jonathan Concanon for his part in bringing the rapists to justice.

The detective, of the Metropolitan Police’s specialist sex crime unit Sapphire, said: ‘Ahmad and Siddique demonstrated they are predatory offenders. They lulled the victim into a false sense of security before attacking her.

‘The victim showed immense bravery in coming forward and reporting this horrendous attack. I hope knowing her attackers are now behind bars will go some way towards allowing her to come to terms with what happened and to go on to have as fulfilling a future as possible.’

Female genital mutilation 'offered by UK medics'

Waris Dirie, a model who campaigns against FGM, said: 'If a white girl is abused, police 

break down the door. If a black girl is mutilated, no one takes care of her.' Photograph: Joerg Carstensen/EPA

As many as 100,000 women in Britain have undergone female genital mutilations (FGM) with medics in the UK offering to carry out the illegal procedure on girls as young as 10, it has been reported.

Investigators from the Sunday Times said they had secretly filmed a doctor, dentist and alternative medicine practitioner who were allegedly willing to perform FGM or arrange for the operation to be carried out. The doctor and dentist deny any wrongdoing.

The practice, which involves the surgical removal of external genitalia and in some cases the stitching of the vaginal opening, is illegal in Britain and carries up to a 14-year prison sentence. It is also against the law to arrange FGM.

The procedure is widespread across parts of Africa. Victims are rarely given anaesthetic and frequently suffer long-term damage and pain.

Research suggests that every year more than 22,000 girls in the UK and up to 6,000 in London are at risk of the potentially fatal procedure.

The Metropolitan police said that since 2008 it had received 166 reports of people who feared they were at risk of FGM. Across all 43 forces in England and Wales, no one has ever been convicted of the offence, according to the Sunday Times.

The newspaper added that only two doctors had been struck off by the General Medical Council since 1980.

According to Forward, a charity which campaigns against FGM, an estimated 100,000 women in the UK have undergone mutilation.

The model Waris Dirie, who was mutilated as a child, is a vociferous opponent of the practice.

Calling for a crackdown on FGM, she said: "If a white girl is abused, the police come break down the door. If a black girl is mutilated, nobody takes care of her. This is what I call racism."

Say sorry and rebuild shrine, says Guan Eng

The chief minister wants the port authorities to find another site for the demolished shrine.

PRAI: The Penang government wants the port authorities to apologise to Hindus for demolishing a 40-year-old Hindu shrine near the checkpoint of Prai bulk cargo terminal.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also demanded that the port landlord, the Penang Port Commission (PPC), and operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) find an alternate land to rebuild the demolished shrine.

He also wants the port authorities to bear the cost of rebuilding shrine, Sri Muniswarar Alayam, which was desecrated and flattened last Friday morning.

The port Hindu workers, who came to pray, were shocked to find three sacred spears and debris strewn some 15m from the shrine’s original location.

Lim visited the site today and met the cargo terminal general manager, Abdul Halim Abdul Kader.

He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister II and Prai assemblyman P Ramasamy, state executive councillor and Bagan Jermal assemblyman Lim Hock Seng and Bagan Dalam assemblyman A Tanasekharan.

Abdul Halim, who apparently ordered the demolition, explained to Lim that the decision to tear down the shrine was made because many people have been trespassing the fenced area.

He also told Lim that the shrine had posed danger to a nearby gas pipeline.

However, Lim told Abdul Halim that the port authorities should have been considerate to the Hindu workers.

He also held negotiations with the temple committee to reach an amicable solution.

“There is always a better way to resolve the problem,” Lim told reporters later, adding that his government was always against any indiscriminate demolition of places of worship.

Several port workers told Lim that the shrine was demolished without any prior notice.

They said that the shrine had been regularly patronised by port workers and dealers.


They said the devotees have written to the port authorities several times to provide access to the shrine after its area was fenced off some five years ago.

“However, our request was not entertained,” they said.

Signature campaign

They added that they opened a section of the fencing to create a path to the shrine to conduct their daily prayers.

They have now started a signature campaign among Hindu workers to pressure the port management to rebuild the shrine.

PPSB chairman Dr Hilmi Yahaya, who visited the site with several Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders yesterday, was reported to have said that the shrine would be rebuilt, probably on another suitable area.

PPC board member and MIC state acting chairman L Krishnan said the board and Hilmi were innocent in the controversy as the shrine was demolished without their knowledge.

“We were caught off guard,” he told FMT, adding that MIC had demanded the port authorities to rebuild the shrine on a nearby new site.

Earlier, Tanasekharan said the port workers were also worried that the port authorities would tear down another Hindu shrine located in Bagan Dalam wharf, some 10km away.

He said the demolition of Sri Muniswarar Alayam should not have happened as it would stir Hindu religious sentiments.

He added that the port authorities should have negotiated with the shrine committee to reach an amicable solution.

“The authorities should have relocated and rebuilt the shrine before demolishing the old one,” he said at his service centre in Butterworth.

‘Shocked’ MIC offers help to PKR

MIC wants to sort the issue of 300,000 Malaysian Indians allegedly without documentation.

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC, shocked over PKR’s claims that there were over 300,000 Malaysian Indians without birth certificates and identity cards, has offered to help the opposition party solve the issue.

Speaking to FMT, MIC secretary-general S Murugesan said the MIC, touted to be the largest Indian-based political party in the country, was willing to “sort out” the issue if PKR hands over the 300,000 applications for the birth certificates and identity cards.

On Thursday, PKR vice-president R Surendran staged a protest in front of Parliament, urging the government to issue MyKads to those who do not have proper identification.

Surendran also claimed that there were 300,000 Indians in the country without proper documentation.

However, the figure quoted by Surendran was the cause of contention as MIC and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were handling the matter over the last few years.

“We have made so much progress, getting people proper documents. The 300,000 figure just does not make sense. We would have known if that many Indians were without birth certificates or identity cards,” Murugesan said.

“I am surprised with the figure thrown by Surendran… we are prepared to put aside all political differences to sort out this issue if the claim is true,” he added.

He said that the MIC on its part was willing to send its officers to Surendran’s office at the PKR headquarters to collect the list of 300,000 Malaysian Indians who do not have birth certificates or identity cards or both.

“Yes, we would send some of our MIC officials to his office on April 26 at 11am to collect the details. Let’s work together on this for the betterment of the Indian community,” Murugesan said.

He said the figure quoted by Surendran was “too high” and would mean some 20% of Indians living in the country did not have identity cards or birth certificates.

“I hope Surendran was not giving false statements over this matter for political mileage,” he added.

Murugesan also said MIC will ensure all the 300,000 Indians get birth certificates and MyKads if they submit relevant documents.

He added that the MyDaftar campaign launched on Feb 23 last year could only identify about 15,000 who were without proper documentation.

From that number, he said, only 9,529 people submitted the relevant application forms through the campaign.

Bangi Estate workers lodged police report

Fearing that they might be evicted without due process, 25 families of former plantation workers lodge report against three developers

KAJANG: Fearing that they may be evicted forcefully without due process, a group of former plantation workers of Bangi Estate lodged a police report today against three developers.

The report was lodged against Trans Loyal Development Sdn Bhd, I&P Group Sdn Bhd and Seriemas Development Sdn Bhd at the Kajang district police station.

C Krishnan who leads the action committee said that Bangi estate, which had been in existence for more than 100 years was closed down in 2000 to make way for development.

“In 2007, officials from the Kajang district office and the developer promised to build 44 houses and a temple but until today the promise was not kept,” said Krishnan.

When the project changed hands three times in five years with different developer coming into the picture, Krishnan said several meetings were held with each one of them.

He, however, added that all the developers invariably tried to get rid of the workers without offering any form of compensation.

Moreover, he said that during a task force meeting in Shah Alam on April 12, the committe was informed that the estate had already been sold to Seriemas Development in 2011.

Krishnan also pointed that on April 10, the state government has issued a letter ordering the developer to stop work.

“However, Seriemas refused to stop work. Worse still, they continued with their work under the supervision of two police officers from Bangi,” he said.

Krishnan said that the 25 families are now living in fear of the developer who say may engage gangsters to chase them out.

“We want the police to investigate the developer and resolve this matter,” said Krishnan, adding that thus far nothing has come about from a similar report made on April 6, 2012.

Also present at the police station when the reports was lodge were S Arutchelvan the secretary-general of Party Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and other local leaders.

Himpunan Bersih 3.0: Abaikan larangan DBKL

Kenyataan DBKL baru-baru ini bahawa Dataran Merdeka hanya dibenarkan untuk kegunaan acara peringkat nasional adalah mengelirukan.

PETALING JAYA: Orang ramai digesa mengabaikan larangan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) menggunakan Dataran Merdeka sebagai tempat himpunan Bersih 3.0 bagi menuntut pilihan raya yang bebas, bersih dan adil Sabtu ini.

Presiden Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) Badrul Hisham Shaharin berkata, kenyataan DBKL baru-baru ini bahawa Dataran Merdeka hanya dibenarkan untuk kegunaan acara peringkat nasional adalah mengelirukan.

“Perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 bukan sahaja acara nasional tetapi juga internasional kerana turut diadakan di puluhan bandar lain di seluruh dunia dengan maksud yang sama,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini.

Badrul Hisham @ CheguBard berkata, pihaknya bersimpati dengan DBKL yang diperkuda oleh kerajaan Umno-Barisan Nasional BN) untuk mereka terus kekal berkuasa.

“Kami mencadangkan agar hanya ada satu Himpunan Bersih 3.0 sahaja iaitu di Dataran Merdeka sesuai dengan nama dan semangat lokasi tersebut dan tidak perlu perubahan.

Menurut CheguBard, Umno-BN sudah banyak belajar dari beberapa siri kebangkitan kecil rakyat dalam negara sebelum ini.

“Kali ini nampaknya pihak penguasa akan diarahkan supaya bertindak selembut mungkin, media dilarang memberikan publisiti termasuk mengutuk himpunan Bersih.

“Oleh kerana Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) terpaksa mengadakan Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) dalam masa terdekat maka semua agensi terpaksa bertindak lembut untuk membolehkan PRU pincang berjalan juga sekitar sebulan dua ini.

“Kesempatan ini harus diambil sepenuhnya oleh rakyat untuk turun seramai mungkin meraikan Himpunan Bersih 3.0 bertemakan ‘Duduk Bantah’ bagi menunjukkan solidariti rakyat menuntut hak untuk pilihan raya bebas, bersih dan adil,” terang beliau.

Police ‘no’ to Dataran sit-in

Bersih 3.0 coalition will decide tonight on its next course of action after police rejected its request to hold the peaceful assembly in Dataran Merdeka.

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have formally disallowed Bersih 3.0 to hold a peaceful sit-in rally seeking for electoral reforms at Dataran Merdeka this Saturday.

Bersih 3.0 steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah told FMT that a police officer hand- delivered a letter to her office communicating the police’s rejection, which cited “safety” concerns.

“The rejection of our notice only has one sentence citing ‘keselamatan’ or safety as the reason we can’t gather there,” said Maria, who had originally wanted to meet with the Dang Wangi police this afternoon to ask about Bersih 3.0′s notice about the venue given to police last week.

“Well, it seems that before I could see them to follow up on our notification, they were faster than us and sent us this letter instead,” she said.

Maria said that Bersih 3.0 will likely issue a statement after a meeting is held tonight with representatives from over 80 NGOs which make up the coalition on the matter.

“The police can’t just give us a one-liner like that. They should explain what they mean by safety reasons. We’ve handled big crowds and we are not going there to riot, it’s not going to be a problem, so what are they talking about?”

Maria also pointed out that the police are contradicting Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who had previously said Bersih 3.0 is not regarded as a national security threat by the government.

For the past few weeks, Bersih 3.0 has maintained that it would hold its third gathering for electoral reform at the historical Dataran Merdeka this Saturday, despite calls by the government agencies to shift its venue to an alternate site.

Referring to the recently passed Peaceful Assembly Act, Hishammuddin had said in the spirit of the new law, the authorities would not stop the Bersih 3.0 rally as long as the organisers followed the law and do not disrupt public peace.

However, the Dataran Merdeka venue continued to be a source of debate as Hishammuddin, police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) – which controls the site – have continually urged Bersih 3.0 organisers to use another venue.

DBKL said ‘no’

Last Friday, DBKL rejected an application by Bersih 3.0 to hold its gathering at Dataran Merdeka, saying that only “national level” celebrations could be held there.

DBKL also said that the venue is suitable for sports and cultural events, but not political gatherings.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail had warned organisers that a local government by-law prohibits any gatherings there without his written consent. He also said Dataran Merdeka was not listed as a permitted location under the yet-to-be gazetted Peaceful Assembly Act.

This time around, the authorities have been notably less stern compared to their response to a similar event last year, where numerous arrests and warnings were made leading up to the massive Bersih 2.0 rally.

The July 9 gathering saw tens of thousands walking the streets in Kuala Lumpur only to have tear gas and water cannon fired upon them.

The Bersih 2.0 rally had dealt a damaging blow to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s administration as observers criticised the government’s high-handed methods in clamping down on the rally then.

This had led to the forming of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform which recently came up with 22 recommendations.

However, Bersih 3.0 now claims that the PSC had failed to address some of its demands, such as on postal voting, election offences, and measures to end dirty politics.

Buah Pala 9 get house keys from Najib

An earlier deal brokered by the state government resulted in 24 other families being given houses in Kampung Buah Pala itself. This nine had rejected that offer.
UPDATED

GEORGE TOWN: Nine Kampung Buah Pala residents, who were left in lurch after their houses were demolished in September 2009, have received their new home keys from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak here today.

In what is being seen as ‘sharp-witted one-upmanship political game’, the Putrajaya administration has given out 18 double-storey houses in Taman Sejahtera Indah, Teluk Air Tawar for the nine and their extended families.

“The houses were given on humanitarian grounds, not as compensation,” said the village residents’ association chairman M Sugumaran.

Najib handed over the keys to the residents, led by their most senior resident, Draviam Arul Pillay, 88, after an hour-long meeting with various Indian NGOs at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

In his speech, Najib recalled that Pakatan leaders, including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, have made election promises to the village residents that Kampung Buah Pala would be saved and preserved if Pakatan captured Penang.

“Well Pakatan has captured Penang, but the village has been demolished and flattened,” he said.

He added that the nine and their extended families were left empty-handed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s administration.

Sugumaran, Draviam and other grateful residents thanked Najib for his delivered promise.

Despite receiving the house keys, Sugumaran said the nine will continue with their suit to secure their rightful compensation from the Pakatan state government.

He said the residents have documents to prove that the demolished Kampung Buah Pala land belonged to the villagers vis-a-vis a federal trust set up by former colonial estate owner, Helen Brown, not the state government.

Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd built the double-storey houses worth RM220,000 each in Taman Sejahtera Indah.

Sugumaran thanked Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Md Hashim, Penang Indian Development Organisation (PIDO) chairman M Nganasegaran and Najib’s special assistant in charge of Indian affairs P Ravin for assisting the residents to secure the houses.

Kampung Buah Pala, which was known commonly as Tamil High Chaparral due to population of ethnic Indians, cattle and other live stocks, was demolished to pave way for a posh condominium project, the Oasis, by Nusmetro Venture (Pg) Sdn Bhd.

Compensation package for 24 families

Last October, 24 families who agreed to the deal brokered by the Pakatan state government with the developer, were handed over keys to new double-storey houses as part of their compensation.

The deal however excluded the nine families who had not accepted the offer.

Under the compensation package for the 24 families, the developer had agreed to the state’s request to share a portion of the land with the residents by offering the houses, each with a built-up area of 1,400sq ft and a 99-year lease.

A community hall and a temple are also being built there for the residents.

HRP to challenge PKR if Anwar fails to reply

The Human Rights Party staged a demonstration with a group of its supporters here, demanding that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meet them by May 20 to help resolve their problems.

If he does not, party secretary-general P. Uthayakumar said they would challenge Pakatan Rakyat in three parliamentary and four state seats.

He said the de facto PKR leader had failed to help needy Indians as he had promised prior to the 2008 general election.

“We have had enough with Pakatan and its leadership in Penang, Kedah and Selangor because they never gave much consideration to the Indian community.

“Anwar does not seem to show any commitment in solving the problems. In fact, we invited him here today (yesterday) to discuss issues faced by the Indian community in Selangor but he declined, saying he was busy.

“But we shall give him one last chance to meet us,'' he told reporters after the demonstration at Padang Chetty yesterday.

Uthayakumar cited the recent Pakatan convention in Alor Setar as among the examples where the Indian community was sidelined.

“There were no Indian faces in the banners at the convention.

“Is this how Indians are going to be treated if Pakatan takes over Putrajaya?” he asked.

Nalla to fight Anwar's lawsuit with video tape

(Malaysiakini) - Senator S Nallakaruppan has handed over a video tape to his lawyer to mount his defence in a RM100 million lawsuit filed against him by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The tape was handed over in a staged-for-media "coincidental meeting" with lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah at the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur court complex on Jalan Duta today.

"Take care of this properly," Nallakaruppan (photo above) told Shafee, handing over a sealed brown envelope.

Pressed by journalists, Nallakaruppan refused to disclose the contents of the video tape, only saying that all would be revealed during the court proceedings.

Anwar had earlier this year filed the defamation suit against the former PKR member, as well as against Malay daily Utusan Malaysia, which had front-paged a report quoting Nallakaruppan.

"I want this case to start as soon as possible. I can't wait. He has sued me for RM100 million, but that's not enough. Sue me for RM500 million! I stand by the evidence," Nallakaruppan said.

This is the second batch of evidence he is handing over to Shafee, he said, which "will tell the court about Anwar, (PKR deputy president) Azmin Ali and his wife Shamsidar".

Asked if he would file a counter-suit against the Permatang Pauh MP, Nallakaruppan said: "We will wait."

He added that as a result of his crusade to expose Anwar, he has been physically threatened by thugs, who are now also intimidating those close to him.

"But I will continue, for justice," he added, showing a photograph of a friend's car, that he claimed was attacked in Gombak on April 5 by thugs wielding machetes.

Penghinaan Terhadap Anwar Tidak Memberi Bekas

Malam tadi telah dilancar secara rasmi sebuah Ngo yang bertujuan khusus untuk menyerang peribadi Anwar Ibrahim. Perlancaran itu dilakukan oleh presiden Perkasa(m), .. lupa nama. Ngo ini entah yang ke berapa dalam urutan Ngo di Malaysia yang seracunya dan juga disertai oleh muka-muka masam dan 'komoh' yang sama. Di Malaysia ini jangan pelik kalau seseorang individu itu menyertai lebih dari 10 buah Ngo yang berlainan jenama atau pun yang anggotanya suami isteri saja.

Gaya baru mempersonakan penonton.

Malang sedikit mereka tidak pernah menukar wajah atau mengenakan topeng setiap kali menyertai Ngo. Itulah menyebabkan orang mudah mengenali mereka. Mereka juga tidak pernah mengikis atau memotong lidah mereka menyebabkan orang gampang kena mereka menerusi suara percakapan mereka. Suara mereka sumbang dan telor bila membaca Hadith.

Mereka juga pakai kosmetik serupa sahaja. Penubuhan Ngo di Malaysia sudah menjadi seperti cendawan tumbuh selepas hujan mutakhir ini. Apakah ini penyakit orang Melayu yang gemar mengikut dan menurut apa yang orang lain buat. Persis perniaga gerai, seorang bukan gerai pisang goreng semua buka gerai pisang goreng akhirnya menyebabkan semua terpaksa tutup kerana bersaing harga.

Mereka yang menubuhkan Ngo dan menggunakan sebagai wadah untuk bersuara adalah mereka yang tidak ada kekuatan diri sendiri atau pun diri mereka sudah tidak laku. Kalau diri mereka laku dan berwibawa cukup mereka bercakap atas kapasiti diri sendiri. Tidak perlu melekatkan apa-apa Ngo atau pun persatuan untuk mengukuhkan idea dan juga pandangan kita.

Saya tidak larat untuk menghitung sudah berapa banyak Ngo yang ditubuhkan sejak 10 tahun lalu dan menjadi rancak dalam tempoh dua tiga tahun ke belakangan ini. Banyak sangat sampai mat rempit dan pelacur pun ada Ngo. Semua aspirasi penubuhan itu kerana untuk membelasah dan menyerang Anwar Ibrahim. Tengok saja apa yang disiarkan oleh tv media penjilat buntut, atau diliput oleh media cetak setiap hari memuatkan kenyataan-kenyataan dari ketua Ngo itu. Kita konfius apakah idea mereka yang tak bernilai itu hendak dikongsikan media berkenaan untuk pembaca.

Mereka semua adalah orang yang tidak tetap pendirian dan rosak akal. Hari ini mereka bersama kumpulan politik ini, esok pula kumnpulan lain. Hari ini mereka menentang parti ini esok menyokong setinggi langit. Hari ini memuji dan menyanjungi pemimpin dan tokoh ini, esok mereka akan keji dan hina sehina-hinanya. Inilah wajah dan keperibadian ketua-ketua Ngo itu. Pentas mereka berbagai-bagai. Apakah orang-orang seperti ini boleh diharap untuk menjadi pemimpin?

Kalaulah idea dan pandangan mereka diterima pakai nescaya negara akan rosak dan hancur berkecai. Alhamdulilah rakyat negara ini rata-rata arif dan bijak dalam menilai individu-individu ini. Mereka tidak mudah menelan hujah orang-orang sakit ini. Mereka hanya datang bertepok dan bersorak bukan kerana terpesona dengan hujan, tetapi menyorak gelagat mereka yang merupakan sebahagian perserta Raja Lawak yang tidak lulus tapisan ke separuh akhir.

Apabila penubuhan Ngo itu atas nawaitu dan tujuan yang begitu, maka kita tidak perlu merasa hairan kepada mereka. Apa yang dilaksnakan bukan kebenaran melainkan ia adalah agenda peribadi untuk memenuhi kehendak orang lain. Mereka mencari peluang atas modal yang satu, Anwar. Mereka menjadikan Anwar sebagai batu loncatan untuk mencari makan.

Kedudukan ini menyebabkan Anwar perlu merasa bertuah kerana dirinya boleh membantu individu berkenaan yang sebelum ini juga merupakan kawan-kawannya dapat mencari makan. Mungkin di sini benarnya, Anwar sengaja dianugerahkan Allah begitu untuk dijadikan alat penyambung nyawa segelintir manusia parasit lain. Lihat berapa banyak orang memngambil kesempatan ke atas Anwar untuk hidup.

Saya yakin kalau Anwar tidak ada dan dirinya tidak menjadi isu dan aset, individu-individu berkenaan sudah lama mati kebuluran kerana kekurangan zat makanan. Mereka ini jenis tidak boleh berburu sendiri melainkan menumpang bangkai seperti dubuk. Tetapi dengan adanya Anwar mereka mendapat upah atau bekalan makanan apabila bekerja sebagai penyerang Anwar membuat fitnah dan serba serbinya. Bukan saja yang anti kepadanya, di pihak yang simpati dan menyokong juga turut sama mendapat limpahan rezeki dan pahala iman kerana sabar melayan kerenah peneyerang Anwar dan menjadi sukarelawan penangkis fitnah.

Justeru Anwar tifdak perlu merasa sedih ataas apa yang berlaku. Sebalik beliau perlu merasa gembira dan syukur kerana dirinya masih dijadikan modal dan dapat berbakti kepada banyak orang. Batang tubuh dan kisah dirinya bolerh dijadikan sumber rezeki untuk individu tertentu. Mereka tidak akan menyerang dan melanyak Anwar kalau tiak diupah sesenduk nasi. Mereka semua adalah serigala yang dipecut dan diberikan setongkol daging yang tidak dibasuh.

Bohong kalau mereka menubuhkan Ngo untuk memperjuangkan bangsa, negara apa lagi agama. Kalau itulah matlamat mereka cukup sertai Umno atau perkukuhkan saja Umno. Dalam hal ini Anwar tidak perlu memberi apa-apa komen kepada mereka itu yang dulu semuanya berkhemah dan berkampung di rumah Anwar di Bukit Damansara. Wajah-wajah yang menjadi kepala Ngo dan ekor Ngo itu dulu semuanya makan dan minum di rumah Anwar. Tahi yang mereka buang dalam tanda rumah Anwar juga masih ada kerana ayam pun tidak lalu untuk mematuknya.

Mereka mengerumi Bukti Damansara kerana mengira di situ ada makanan. Di situ ada gula dan ada harapan menggunung tinggi serta ada kuntum-kuntuman bunga yang mereka boleh menghidunya dari luar pagar. Mereka awal-awal lagi mengunjungi Anwar bukan atas niat perjuangan, tetapi kerana perut dan nafsu. Jadi apabila setelah 10 tahun Anwar gagal memenuhi tembolok mereka, maka mereka berarak berpindah menjadi nomad yang perlu mencari kawasan dan lembah kehidupan baru . Mereka mahu hidup dan perlu hidup untuk seribu tahun lagi. Kalau mereka berpindah demi perut tidak mengapa tetapi jangan sambil berlalu menghina musuh. Ini celaka.

Kalau tidak percaya cuba perhatikan apa yang akan berlaku selepas ini. Kalau tertakdir Pakatan Rakyat menang dan Anwar diberi angkat jadi PM mereka ini semua akan kembali semula ke lembah Anwar. Mereka akan datang berlari, merangkak dan berpimpinan ke Bukit Segambut. Atau mungkin ada yang terlajak ke Bukit Damansara kerana mengira Anwar masih di sana.

Sebaik terhidu sahaja aroma makanan atau kelihatan fotomorgana di rumah Anwar mereka akan berduyun-duyun ke rumah Anwar. Mungkin talian telefon Anwar dan Wan Azizah juga akan sendak kerana terlalu banyak panggilan masuk. Peti surat dan sms juga akan penuh hingga pecah.

Rumput dan semak sambu yang melihar di jalan ke rumah Anwar di Bukit Segamut akan lumat dan hancur lebur dipijak mereka. Mereka akan berasakan macam ayam keluar reban untuk menuju ke jamban tahi. Mereka tidak akan peduli apa yang mereka lakukan hari ini, naluri perut akan menghalal dan melupakan segala-gala apa yang mereka lakukan.

Saya sudah lihat dan tengok dengan mata kepala saya sendiri kejadian ini. Orang yang memaki hamun Anwar, menempuk meja marahkan Anwar, menuduh Anwar liwat, berzina dan sebagainya... akhirnya datang melutut denagn lingan air mata kepada Anwar. Meminta saya menemani dan membawanya masuk ke rumah Anwar. Meminta saya memberitahu yang indah-indah mengenai kepada Anwar. Mengungkitkan nostalgia yang dia pernah meringkuk bersama Anwar di Kemunting.

Jadi apa yang dilakukan oleh individu-individu berkenaan, tidak perlu dikisahkan. Tindakan mereka tidak memberi sedikit kesan pun. Malahan apa yang mereka lakukan memberi liabiliti kepada Umno yang mereka sokong kembali hari ini. Bukan saja rakyat di luar menyampah dan geram, tetapi ahli Umno yang setia dan tidak tahu mengkhianati parti juga meluat melihat mereka ini.

Rakyat tidak kisah penghinaan kepada Anwar, apa yang mereka mahu Anwar jadi PM.

Saya juga memerhati sendiri bagaimana seorang dari mereka terkayan-kayan bersendirian di PWTC sewaktu persidangan Umno. Dia jenguk ke situ dengan harapan kawan-kawan lamanya dalam Umno memuji dan mengucap tahniah atas tindakannya meninggal Anwar dan PKR. Sebaliknya dia jadi kera (ekor pendek muka bulat) yang sumbang, terpaksa mengending di meja makan untuk dapatkan sepiring nasi. Nasib baik saya ada, saya menyalematlkan air mukanya yang sudah jatuh ke tanah.

Biarlah mereka tubuh sebanyak mana Ngo untuk menyerang Anwar ia tidak akan merubah keadaan yang ada. Serangan-serangan tidak bermoral dan beretia ini tidak berbekas, pukulan mereka tidak memberi kesan. Apa mereka dapat hanya letih sendiri kerana menghanyun senjata kerana mereka memukul angin sebenarnya.

Kita juga tidak perlu menghormati kepada orang-orang ini kerana mereka adalah 'calo-calo' yang mengambil upah untuk survival mereka dan anak beranak. Kaum seperti ini bukan baru hari ini tetapi ia ada sejak zaman Nabi Adam lagi, cuma mereka menjelama dalam keadaan identitas yang berbeza. Apa perlu dikisah.

Mengenai Anwar, lakulah semahunya dan fitnahlah apa saja kepadanya ia tidak akan merubah keadaan. Anwar sendiri sudah lali, kalau ia plastik ia sudah hancur dan insyaAllah akan keluar menurut acuan baru sebagai PM. Manakala rakyat tidak peduli apa. Nekad dan azam rakyat sudah kemas dan kejap. Rakyat tidak hirau kepada peribadi Anwar yang diburukhuduhkan; apakah Anwar peliwat, pengkhianat, atau apa-apa 'per..' mereka tidak kisah. Yang kejap tertanam di nubari rakyat ialah mereka mahukan perubahan inginkan peralihan. Mereka mahu melihat kerajaan bertukar tangan. Mereka mahu ajar UBN, bagaimana menjadi pembangkang, dan mereka mahu menjulang Anwar menjadi Perdana Menteri. Itu saja hakikat hari ini. [wm.kl.10:56 am 23/04/12]

The death of civil liberties

by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar

Though the Government has said much about the repeal of the infamous Internal Security Act, little has been said to explain how its so-called replacement, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill (SOA), will impact on our lives. Even less has been said about the bill tabled to amend the Penal Code that went hand in hand with the SOA. I think there was a reason for this.

To say that the two bills are draconian would be a gross understatement. They brutally curtail the constitutional freedom of Malaysians to dissent. It seems that we have been made the victims of a sleight of hand. While we were being distracted by the song and dance that attended the termination of the ISA, Parliament was being harnessed to diabolical purpose. The passing of the two bills has sounded the death knell of civil liberties.

I am not given to hyperbole. The facts speak for themselves.

The SOA is more a procedural instrument. It puts in place the legal framework for the investigation and prosecution of what are described as “security offences”. It allows for the kinds of invasive measures that we have come to understand are needed for governments to combat terrorism effectively. Government tells us that terrorism is the raison d’etre of the legislation.

The SOA could arguably be justified on this basis, though I question the need for such extreme anti-terrorism legislation in light of our not having been subjected to terrorist attacks or even threats. Curiously, the preamble to the SOA states that action has been taken and further action is threatened by a body of persons both inside and outside Malaysia to cause organized violence against Malaysians, to excite disaffection against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and to procure the alteration though unlawful means of legal institutions in the nation. This is news to me. These are matters of great significance to us; they suggest that we are virtually in a state of war or that we are in the midst of an insurgency.

The truth of the matter is that we have not been made the subject of such scurrilous action and we have not been threatened with such action. The bill recites this so the Government can invoke a provision of the Federal Constitution, Article 149, that allows for Parliament to enact laws that contravene certain constitutional guarantees including those that prohibit detention without trial and guarantee a fair trial. The SOA allows, amongst other things, detention without trial for a period of twenty-eight days, and empowers the Attorney General to take extraordinary measures including the interception of all forms of communication where he has reason to believe a Security Offence (this is explained below) has been committed.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the ISA was enacted under Article 149 to address the guerrilla insurgency we faced in the 1960s. I have been made to understand that the Opposition’s unwillingness to associate with an obvious untruth is one of the main reasons it does not support the bill. The fact that Government has resorted to Article 149 gives credence to suggestions that the ISA has merely been repackaged and that the Government is not ready to give up the political advantages that such legislation gives it. As one Minister has observed, there were abuses under the ISA and no law is beyond abuse.

The SOA could perhaps be stomached if it was confined to terrorism. It however is not. In fact there is no mention of the word terrorism or terrorist in the legislation at all. Instead the SOA applies to what is referred to as “Security Offences” which is defined by newly introduced offences, hence the amendments to the Penal Code. This is where the real evil is.

The new offences fall within three categories: activity detrimental to Parliamentary democracy, espionage and sabotage. What is immediately apparent is that the three offences, and the various permutations the amendments allow for, are so widely defined so as to capture almost any form of conduct deemed undesirable by the powers that be. This is extremely alarming in light of trends on the part of the authorities where civil liberties are concerned.

Take the offence of activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy. It is defined to mean “an activity carried out by a person or group of persons designed to overthrow or undermine parliamentary democracy by violent or unconstitutional means”. This is worry in light of the way in which we have heard accusations of unconstitutional behaviour being hurled at diverse persons from opposition members to activists. Consider also the way in which the members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia were arrested prior to the Bersih 2.0 demonstration last year for the alleged offence of “waging war” against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

This point is further illustrated by the offence of “possession of documents and publications detrimental to parliamentary democracy” which carries a jail term of up to ten years. This offence is defined to include documents or publications that have a tendency to, amongst other things, counsel disobedience to the law pertaining to public order. It would clearly impact of demonstrations like those organised by Bersih 2.0 and other activist groups which were deemed by the police to be unlawful. Under this offence, any notices concerning such an event would be a document or publication detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

It does not stop there. Such offending documents or publications include any invitation or request for contributions or donations for the use of persons who counsel disobedience to the law, amongst others. Persons receiving such offending documents or publications are required now to deliver the same to a police officer failing which that person may be convicted and sentenced to a jail term of ten years as well. This would be the case if those offending documents or publications were republished. So, the net would widen to include any bloggers who author or publish material deemed undesirable.

In the same vein, espionage means “an activity to obtain sensitive information by ulterior or illegal means for the purpose that is prejudicial to the security or interest of Malaysia”. What that means is not clear. “Sensitive information” is defined to include any information that concerns, amongst other things, public order and the “essential public interest of Malaysia”. The scope of these provisions become a little clearer when we consider how it is our leadership has a tendency to label activities detrimental to its political standing as being aimed at undermining the Government. It seems to me that whistleblowers might also be caught by this provision as well, a point worth noting in light of the numerous scandals the Opposition have been disclosing recently.

I could go on but the point has, I think, been demonstrated. The scope of these offences leaves no room for doubt. They are self-evidently geared towards far more than terrorism. The question I have is this: why has the Government led us to believe that these laws are intended to combat terrorism when in fact they do far more. Parliament has created a monstrous law that defies legal logic as much as it flies in the face of promise of reforms towards a more inclusive and participatory democracy.

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is a practising lawyer and the President of the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)

Muslim community marks beginning of the legal year

Law Society Journal

First published in Law Society Journal, March 2012 Vol 50 No. 2

Arabic recitations from the Koran solemnised the first Muslim Opening of Law Term Service in NSW, which was hosted by the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque in early February. In the colonnaded courtyard alongside the mosque’s great dome, Mehmet Ozlap welcomed a large gathering of judges, solicitors and barristers, including Attorney General Greg Smith, Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, Law Society President Justin Dowd, and Muslim Legal Network president Zaid Khan.

Imam Haisam Farache, a practising solicitor and member of the Law Society, spoke to the gathering of the many similarities between Islamic law and the common law, and of the law’s long tradition in Islamic society and the central role it plays in maintaining peace.

In his address to the service, Justin Dowd recalled that the practice of holding religious services in conjunction with the Opening of a Law Term dates back to Catholic France.

“The first such recorded service occurred in 1245,” he said. “At that time in history, we have to acknowledge, there were serious tensions between the Muslim and the Christian worlds. The seventh crusade, led by King Louis IX of France, commenced in the Middle East in that year.

“While there remain significant tensions in the world today, this ceremony is testament to the ability and willingnes of people of goodwill to share traditions, to build bridges and to work together for a better society. This very mosque, named as the Gallipoli Mosque, recalls the battle in April 1915 between the Turkish forces and the many Australian and NZ forces.

“The great Turkish leader, Ataturk, in 1934, famously and most graciously wrote a tribute to the ANZACs killed at Gallipoli: ‘Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives ... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.  After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.’

“Today we are here to celebrate the start of the law year.  In doing so, we celebrate the things we have in common, while recognising and acknowledging and embracing our differences.

“One of the talking points now and for the future will be the intersection of Australian civil law and Sharia. These will be opportunities for us to meet and to understand each other better and to work, within the legal frameworks, to a better society.”

Other services to mark the beginning of the legal year were held at St Mary’s Cathedral, St James Church, the Great Synagogue, St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation.

10 More Companies Will Be Disposed Of, Says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, April 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the disposal of 10 companies -- five under the Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) stable and five subsidiaries of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The disposal was to enable all the companies to be handed back to Bumiputera companies through open tenders, said Najib, who is also Finance Minister.

The decision was made at the two-hour Bumiputera Agenda Action Council meeting chaired by Najib, here Monday.

The prime minister said the decision would facilitate PNB, Malaysia's biggest fund manager, and Khazanah, the government's investment arm, to dispose non-core businesses besides providing the opportunity to potential and proven track record Bumiputera firms to take over the companies to develop them further.

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Najib said the names of the companies would be announced soon as they need to undergo the process of getting the decision from the board of directors.

At Monday's meeting, it was also decided to add 50 more Bumiputera core companies, bringing to 130 Bumiputera high-performance entities, he said.

"The meeting was also informed that several companies which were listed have now become parent companies in their respective fields," he said.

Najib said Ahmad Zaki Resources Bhd was an example of Bumiputera companies which have been awarded a major contract in the Mass Rapid Terminal project and a supply contract worth RM500 million within a two-year period.

He also said the MITC Ancasa Hotel (M) Sdn Bhd was working with the Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) in the Prime Minister's Department in the tourism industry sector.

Under the collaboration, the MITC would invest RM100 million over the next three years to realise its expansion plan besides helping other Bumiputera companies, he added.