‘Education blueprint has no ulterior motive’

Deputy Prime Minister says Dong Zong should stop making accusations at the government, adding that their action was politically motivated.

SERDANG: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today said that the National Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2015 was launched with no ulterior motives or hidden agenda to sideline other languages.

Describing the query on the status of Chinese education raised by the United Chinese Schools Committees Association of Malaysia, or better known as Dong Zong, as a misunderstanding, Muhyiddin said the government was fair to all schools.

“The blueprint which was introduced to develop the country’s education is being seen as something done at the expense of Chinese education, that is not true at all.

“All schools, except Chinese private schools which want to be independent, will benefit from the plan because we want to upgrade all schools,” he told reporters after visiting the Malaysian International Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) Exhibition here today.

Today, Dong Zong staged a gathering to protest the blueprint for fear that it would sideline vernacular schools. It also called on the government to be fair to all schools.

On the issues raised by Dong Zong, Muhyiddin said there was no mention in PPPM that Chinese or Tamil schools would be sidelined, in fact, it clearly stated all national-type Chinese (SJKCs) and Tamil (SJKTs) schools would be maintained.

He said the additional teaching time for Bahasa Malaysia in SJKCs and SJKTs would be carried out by conducting extra classes without affecting the time for the teaching of Chinese or Tamil.

On the abolition of transition or ‘remove’ classes, which Dong Zong objected, Muhyiddin said the classes would be unnecessary if the learning of the Malay language in SJKCs and SJKTs was on par with normal schools.

The deputy prime minister said Dong Zong should stop making accusations at the government, adding that their action was politically motivated.

He said Dong Zong always looked at efforts made by the government as having ill-intentions and aimed at diminishing the Chinese language.

“If that is the intention, it could have been done ages ago. The proof is that after 55 years of independence, the Barisan Nasional government did not do it. No Chinese schools were closed. There is no ruling that Chinese cannot be taught, instead there are more Chinese teachers and also Chinese schoolw now,” he added.

This, he said, proved that the views of the Dong Zong were wrong and hoped that the Chinese community would not be misled by them.

Bernama

Where are the textbooks in English?

It is nearing the end of 2012 but yet again, the very same problem persists and repeats and it is worse. No Science and Mathematics in English textbooks are available in bookstores now.
COMMENT

By Tunku Munawirah Putra

On behalf of parents who are stuck in the current doldrums of confusion and uncertainty of the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI), we are completely outraged and feel betrayed by the way the Education Ministry is handling this PPSMI issue for those who are “privy” to it.

The directive to allow the continuation of PPSMI last year dated Nov 4, 2011 stated that those who have started with PPSMI may continue to do so as per status quo.

However apparently the directive is just a decoy to make parents believe that the ministry will give that flexibility. In actual fact, we see clear elements of direct sabotage to hammer the nail in the coffin of PPSMI.

How so? Control the printing of textbooks; control the principals and teachers, no direction in science and mathematics in the Malaysian Education Blueprint, all done to ensure that PPSMI stays out.

We had the same problem last year of not having enough text books for Science and Mathematics in English. Some schools carried on this year without the English books even though they had access to them the previous years.

The state and district education departments were sending science and mathematics examination papers in BM only and it was left to the schools to translate them.

Where is the EDU, the Education Delivery Unit? If it is to kick off next year, it should be ready for pilot testing now.

It is nearing the end of 2012 but yet again, the very same problem persists and repeats and it is worse. No English textbooks are available in bookstores now.

Printers, when contacted, admitted they were not told to print textbooks in English at all for next year. This smacks of foul play and is just one of many more connected problems to come next year.

Can the minister prove us wrong?

The ministry and its support services must supply the needed Science and Mathematics textbooks in English immediately.

There must be a cooperative effort to ensure that the children do not become victims or collateral damage in a war of policy changes.

The slogan “Janji Ditepati” has been trumpeted continuously to us by the government. Therefore we expect the minister to keep to his promise of allowing PPSMI to continue unhindered for those who want it.

Leave your ego aside and put the children first, for the sake of their future and the future of our nation.
The writer is the secretary of Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE). 

Muhyiddin lambasted for bad education policies

An Indian NGO rep tells some 6,000-strong crowd at the Dong Zong rally that Muhyiddin is a failed education minister.
FULL REPORT

PETALING JAYA: The Dong Zong rally against the National Education Blueprint kicked off today with various speakers training their guns at the ruling government, including one who labelled Muhyiddin Yassin as the “dumbest education minister in the world”.

Dubbed as “Peaceful Appeal Against National Education Blueprint”, the rally saw more than 6,000 people gather at the Padang Timur here since 10am, many holding umbrellas under the hot Sunday weather.

The protesters also displayed banners that among others read: “Safeguard SJK (C) and SJK (T)”, “Guarantee existence and development of multi-stream schools”, “Education blueprint stumbling block to unity” and “National school syllabus to fuse Chinese school”.

Both Barisan Nasional and the MCA were targeted by the protesters, as several placards were spotted reading: “Shameless MCA president betrays Chinese education”, “BN MCA, Corrupt and Abuse of Power”.

Thasleem Mohd Ibrahim, who heads the National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT), said in his addressing speech that the people respected Bahasa Malaysia as the national language and only demanded the rights to learn their mother tongue.

He criticised Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy prime minister, over his controversial policies such as the introduction of the Interlok novel to secondary school students and the National Education Blueprint.

“What does he know? He knows nothing about education. He is the most stupid education minister in the world,” he said, drawing the protesters’ applause.

Elaborating on this to FMT later, he said Muhyiddin was obstinate in pushing through the controversial policies despite objections from various quarters.

“I believe that he does not even listen to his officials nowadays,” said the NGO leader.

Thasleem also surprised the crowd by saying that the education blueprint was against Islam because it was racially-oriented and unfair to the alternative type of schools.

“I challenge the mufti to prove that this blueprint is acceptable from the Islam point of view,” he said.

By 12pm, the crowd size increased to about 10,000 people, who were made up from some 700 organisations nationwide.

Protect vernacular education

Dong Zong president Yap Sin Tian, while addressing the crowd, hit out at the proposed drastic increase of Bahasa Malaysia learning time in Chinese primary schools, from the current 180 minutes a week to 570 minutes.

“The students would not have sufficient time to learn subjects such as geography and science if the proposal is passed under the blueprint. Chinese schools would slowly lose its unique feature,” he said,

He also denounced the marginalisation of Islamic religious schools, deterioration of the standard of conforming schools and Muhyiddin’s recent statement against the construction of new Chinese independent schools.

Meanwhile, a grassroots MCA leader drew a mixture of applause and boos when he was invited to the stage to give a speech.

He cited the example of Black American activism in the 1960s to encourage the crowd to continue the struggle.

KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall president Tan Yew Sing, meanwhile, said the education blueprint was ill-intended as it was designed to contain the rising number of students in vernacular schools.

He warned that the government would face severe consequences should there be any attempt to modify the vernacular schools.

PKR vice-president N Surendran, DAP vice- president Tan Seng Giaw, PAS central committee member Khalid Samad and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) representative Chua Soon Boi also spoke against the blueprint while supporting the multi-stream education policy.

The two-hour rally concluded with the unanimous adoption of two motions, which are to oppose the blueprint; and to urge the government to comply with the global education development and to reflect the Malaysia’s multicultural background in the blueprint.

Sri Lankan president won’t be visiting M’sia

The Sri Lanka High Commission confirmed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not attend the World Islamic Economic Forum due to unavoidable circumstances, and not because of protests.
UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: With various Indian groups objecting to the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Malaysia early next month for an international forum, it has now been confirmed that Rajapaksa will not be coming after all.

This has been confirmed by the Sri Lankan High Commission’s media affairs counsellor, Rizvi Hassen.

“President Rajapaksa will not be coming due to unavoidable circumstances,” Rizvi said in an e-mail correspondence to FMT.

Rajapaksa was invited to attend the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Johor Baru from Dec 4 to 6.

The invitation, however, had sparked off protests from leaders of the Indian community here.

The Sri Lankan leader’s absence, however, is not due to the various protests by political and non-political entities, said Rizvi.

“It is not due to the protests. The decision [to not attend the WEIF] was decided before the protests took place,” he said.

On Friday, MIC Youth sent a protest memorandum to the Foreign Ministry objecting to the planned visit by Rajapaksa.

Separately a committee was also set up by Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy to object to Rajapaksa’s presence here.

Yesterday, Sri Lanka War Victim Concerned Team (Api) protested in front of the Sri Lankan High Commission over the proposed visit. MIC Youth members also lodged a police report against Rajapaksa for alleged war crimes.

The Indians in Malaysians who are largely made up of ethnic Tamil have been expressing their displeasure due to Rajapaksa’s role in quashing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009 after a 26-year civil war.

It was reported that some 100,000 civilians including 40,000 Tamils were killed while more than 300,000 people were displaced during the long-standing conflict.

Najib’s role?

In an immediate reaction, MIC Youth chief T Mohan thanked Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for the latest development.

“I must thank the prime minister for being the middleman between the Indian community and the WIEF organisers,” he said

He added that the opposition to Mahinda’s visit was raised by MIC president (and Minister in Prime Minister’s Department) G Palanivel and deputy president (and Human Resources Minister) Dr S Subramaniam during the cabinet meeting on Friday.

“I was told that even Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein supported the motion against the arrival of Mahinda,” he said.

However Najib’s purported role in ensuring Mahinda did not come to Malaysia was not shared by two other groups who also opposed the Sri Lankan leader’s visit to Malaysia.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy had no sweet words for Najib.

“Najib should be criticised for inviting Rajapaksa in the first place. He is afraid of losing the Indian vote bank. He was forced to cancel (Mahinda) Rajapaksa’s trip,” said Ramasamy who is also DAP’s national deputy secretary general.

Api representative S Barathidasan also echoed similar sentiments and claimed that the whole episode as being Najib’s drama.

“It is Najib’s game. He invited Mahinda and is now trying to create a positive image to woo the Indian vote bank. It is a drama,” he said.

He also added that a protest at the Parliament would proceed as planned. “We want Malaysia to cut its diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka. Malaysia must not recognise that country,” said Barathidasan.

Conspiracy to oust Karpal?

Karpal Singh however dismissed such claims, saying that they always surfaced whenever there was a party election.
UPDATED

GEORGE TOWN: Is there a grand design – purportedly mooted by the Lim Dynasty faction – to oust DAP national chairman Karpal Singh in the party national election next month?

According to former DAP grassroots leader Tan Tuan Tat, such a plan is already allegedly in place to vote Karpal out from the central executive committee (CEC).

Tan, a former Selangor DAP publicity secretary, said the plan was hatched to protect the self-interest of a few.

“The warlords don’t want the Singh to be their King. They feel Karpal is against their selfish interests,” the former DAP’s Taman Seri Sungai Pelek branch chairman told FMT here.

These ringleaders, he said, were extremely upset with Karpal’s insistence on one man-one seat electoral formula as part of party strategy to face the next general election.

Karpal’s single seat proposal for a party candidate to contest only either a federal or a state seat, albeit some exemptions, has been overwhelmingly popular among party grassroots and lay public.

But Tan said some of the party’s current nine double-seat holders from the Lim Dynasty were unhappy with Karpal’s initiative to streamline their multiple positions and multiple perks.

He alleged that the warlords were also unhappy with Karpal outspoken criticisms against PAS Islamic state and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim’s unsuccessful Sept 16 Putrajaya coup in 2008.

A MP for seven terms, veteran Karpal joined DAP in 1970 and has been party supremo since Sept 4, 2004.

Tan alleged that the ringleaders’ ultimate goal is to maintain the dominance of Lim Dynasty in the party after the internal polls to be held during the national party convention on Dec 15 – 16 in Penang.

Lim Dynasty is a popular political idiom expressed by DAP grassroots to taunt the internal faction led by party’s national advisor and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang and his son and secretary general Guan Eng, who is also the Penang Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted Karpal as saying today that claims that there was a conspiracy to topple him at the party’s elections next month was a mere fabrication.

He said such claims always surfaced whenever there was a party election.

“This is a minor thing. I don’t respond to such things…there is no problem (in the party), all these are fabrications. People can say whatever they want but it is the delegates who will decide,” he told a press conference here today.

MIC wings postpone AGMs, focus is on GE

The main body's annual general meeting however will proceed on Dec 9 at the Putra World Trade Centre.

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC Youth, Wanita, Puteri and Putera wings have decided to postpone their respective annual general meetings to focus on the 13th general election.

MIC Youth chief T Mohan said that the four wings were supposed to hold their respective AGMs on Dec 2 at the Putra World Trade Centre, a week before the party’s main national AGM on Dec 9.

“We felt it is appropriate to postpone because we want to focus on strengthening the party and enhancing the development of Indian community in various sectors to face the 13th general election,” Mohan told Bernama today.

Furthermore, Mohan said that 35 youth delegates would still have their voice heard as they would be participating at the national AGM to share their views.

Meanwhile, MIC secretary-general S Murugesan said that party had shortened its 66th annual general meeting to a single day to save time and cut costs, as the party would need more than RM1 million to conduct the meeting over two days.

The AGM to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) on Dec 9 would be attended by 1,500 delegates and 2,000 observers, he said.

- Bernama

BN Bosses Fight Over NCR Landgrab! – EXCLUSIVE

BN top dogs scrapping over NCR land – MP Aaron Dagang (left) and Raziah Mahmud, sister of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud are rivalling to lay hands on Sampadi

NCR landowners in Sampadi have learnt the hard way how nothing can be trusted in the hands of BN, with party top dogs now fighting with each other to get hold of their lands.
In July a group of 12 villagers from Kampung Gerunggang had decided to sell some of their NCR (Native Customary Rights) land to a keen buyer.
That purchaser, no surprise to learn, was none other than a BN politician.  Aaron Dagang is the PRS MP for Kanowit, who will be standing again for office in the up-coming federal elections.
Dagang seems to think that his salary for serving his constituents is not enough for his needs and had set about parting this poor community from their birthright lands for what is doubtless a good price that will give him a good profit.
The agreement shows he planned to buy the 77 acres, not far from Kuching, for RM231,000, which is then to be converted to yet more oil palm.
Given that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s brother Onn Mahmud has been touting his own oil palm plantation at RM31,000 per acre, this land should eventually be worth ten times the price that the villagers have agreed to sell it for.

From the agreement drawn up between the PRS MP Aaron Dagagang to buy 77 acres of Native Customary Rights Land from villagers in Sampadi

So, Dagang must have been pleased at the way he was ‘looking after the interests’ of the trusting people, who had voted for BN and were then selling him their heritage for what to a poor person might seem a life-saving amount.
Encouraged by the prospect of the sale and following the advice of the Land & Survey Department, the villagers spent a considerable sum of money to get their land properly mapped and surveyed and they were informed by the Land & Survey Department that their plot was 155 Block 8 Sampadi District.

‘Lot 155′ – expensive mapping that was to prove a waste of money!

Raziah had got there first!
However, as the parties set out to finalise their transaction concerning the purchase of Lot 155 Block 8 Samapadi Land District, they made a discovery that was shocking to both sides.

‘Replaced’ by Lot 154 – the Lot 155 which used to belong to the villagers has been absorbed without notification or of course payment!

It seemed that Lot 155 had suddenly disappeared from the records!
After much research and many weeks it emerged that the lot had somehow become “replaced”.  According to a note in the Land Registry, this meant it was now part of the neighbouring Lot 154.
And it turned out that this very much larger Lot 154 had already been granted by the Land & Survey Department to another company in 2010.
This meant that the villagers are no longer the officially registered owners of their NCR land. Yet they had never been told a thing about it and had even been encouraged to go ahead spending money on useless plans!
So, who was the influential person that was able to achieve such an alteration to the Land Registry without even a notification being made to the rightful owners?

“Replaced” – the scribbled alteration in the Land Registry that removed these people’s land and gave it to Raziah Mahmud!

A search of the Land & Survey Department shows that in 2010 Lot 154 (now including the old Lot 155) was granted by the Department in the guise of ‘state owned land’ to the company Saradu Plantation, which grows bananas.

From 2010 – 2070 – the land is being made available for Nil cost, apart from an apparent rent of RM425 a year!

This company used to be named Emerald Discovery as can be seen in the official records and it largely belongs to Taib’s sister Raziah Mahmud!

Saradu Plantation, previously Emerald Discovery is run out of Raziah Mahmud’s offices in Kuching.

Saradu Plantation has in fact benefited from a good number of sales from the Land & Survey Department, according to our leaked copy of the secret registry, which has enabled us to at last reveal exactly who has been the beneficiary of handouts by Taib’s Planning and Resources Ministry over the past 30 years.
In case there is any doubt as to who controls Saradu, let us take a look at the entry from our leaked document.

Saradu Plantation, formerly Emerald Discovery Sdn Bhd, is listed in the land registry under the name of Taib’s sister Raziah Mahmud.

Taib’s sister Raziah is the person listed as the contact for the company.  As in the case of Lot 154 Block 8 Sampadi District (below) there is no evidence in the registry that she paid anything at all for the privilege of taking the land.

ZERO PAYMENT! – the 170 hectares of ‘State Land’ in Lot 154 includes the 77 acres belonging to the villagers!

The Land records (above) strangely do not mention who was the recipient of Lot 154 Block 8 Sampadi, however our separate Land & Survey Department documents prove that the banana plantation refers to Saradu Plantation Sdn Bhd.

Proprietor of Lot 154 – Saradu Plantation Sdn Bhd

Saradu Plantation
Put simply, our investigations show that this NGO land has been taken for free and given by the Land & Survey Department to Taib’s own sister Raziah Mahmud!
Official records confirm that Saradu Plantation is very clearly a Raziah family company.  In fact the first Director listed is none other than her youthful daughter Eliah, who is well-known for her party-loving behaviour and her acquisition of other large tracts of land from the State of Sarawak (and NCR landowners), thanks to her mother’s interventions at the Land & Survey Department.

Raziah’s daughter Eliah is a Director – the biggest shareholder of the company is Organic Treasure Sdn Bhd, which is largely owned by Raziah Mahmud and her husband Robert Geneid.

Raziah Mahmud is obviously concerned that her daughter should become ever more pampered and rich by taking NCR lands, even

Eliah Abbas/ Geneid – has acquired a clutch of lands and directorships in her name, thanks to the influence of her mother, who is Taib’s sister. The fact that these lands actually belong to natives of Sarawak seems not to trouble the family.

though this has deprived the people of Kampung Gerunggang of the small opportunity to make some little profit out of the sale of their plots.
The main shareholder of Saradu plantation, furthermore, is a company called Organic Treasure.  Organic Treasure is largely owned by Raziah herself and her husband Robert Geneid.
Various other BN cronies also have stakes in Saradu Plantation.
With an election coming in just a few weeks, surely these Sampadi villagers, who previously voted for BN, must be starting to wonder if it was wise to put their administration in the hands of such a greedy family as the Mahmuds?
After all Taib has destroyed all the normal checks on his power, purely so he can give out lands as likes.  Why else would he take on not only his own job of Chief Minister, but also that of Finance Minister and of Planning and Resources Minister, the position that controls state lands?
For an old man to hold on to all the three big jobs in government makes little sense under normal circumstances.
However, as our many researches have shown, for the last 30 years Taib has used this unnatural power to enable him to grab more than half of Sarawak for his own family, his political supporters and business partners.
The people of Gerunggang are his latest victims amongst many others in Sarawak.

The company Organic Treasure is the largest shareholder of Saradu Plantation and look who owns the lion share of that – Raziah and her husband Robert Geneid

Tengah connection?
Questions are now arising as to how Raziah achieved this latest land grab?
Some are asking whether Raziah’s close relationship with Taib’s Deputy Minister of Planning and Resources, the unaccountably wealthy Awang Tengah, could have provided the crucial contact who arranged her land grab in this case?
Tengah’s own record of grabbing lands from local peoples has already been examined by Sarawak Report.
We ask at what stage are local people going to realise that the only way they can protect themselves from these notorious land grabbers is to vote them out of office and appoint a government ruled by law?

Powerful ally for Lot 155, but what about the other NCR landowners of Gerunggang?

Life is such a party for the fabulously rich Geneids, who have stolen an area larger than Singapore from the state of Sarawak

At least in this particular land grab case the poor village victims may for once have a powerful ally from within the government itself!

MP Aaron Dagang is said to be outraged and furious that he has been done out of his land deal by a willy Raziah, who managed to get hold of the land not just for cheap but for free by using her influence at the Land & Survey Department!

Dagang is apparently now making representations and fighting for the Lot 155 to be removed back out of the Saradu concession, which may mean that eventually the NCR land owners are in a position to sell it over to him.

However, while the BN bully boys fight it out, this case has opened up concerns for all the other NCR landowners in the Gerunggang area.

We understand that much of the rest of the 170 hectares of comprising Lot 154 Block 8 Sampadi is also being farmed by their NCR owners, who until now were oblivious that Raziah and her husband and daughter, together with their business partners, now ‘own the concession’ and are planning to raze their rubber trees and orchards so that they can cover the area with bananas.

Election time is coming

Is it time to finally call time? BN’s record of greed and excess is out of control.

The people of Sampadi stand warned and so do the people back in Kanowit, where Aaron Dagang (left) was returned to Parliament in 2008 without even having to fight any opposition candidates.

If the people do not take action this time around it is plain that their land will all be taken.

Both these areas do now have strong opposition candidates who are arguing that it is time for change, before all the last remaining trees and lands are taken and destroyed for the benefit of the jet-setting Mahmud family and their friends, who now spend most of their lives in other countries.

Of course, Taib cheats in elections, but a determined people must now resist this cheating and take their chance to end these land-grabs and restore their country.

Time to save Sarawak from Taib’s land-grabbing “development policies”?

Adun Umno Hina Wanita Dalam Sidang DUN - Detik Semasa

DAP worried hudud will cover non-Muslims

(The Star) - The DAP is worried that hudud law will be extended to non-Muslims, with the latest controversy involving hair salon operators in PAS-led Kelantan.

Its chairman Karpal Singh said he was surprised that Kelantan decided to enforce a ruling prohibiting non-Muslim women from cutting the hair of men and vice versa.

“The Kelantan Government has publicly declared that Islamic laws will not be extended to non-Muslims. PAS has also stated that hudud will only be applied to Muslims.

“There's a lot of concern among the public on what has just happened in Kelantan. If hudud is allowed, they will come to be extended to non-Muslims,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Karpal, who is the Bukit Gelugor MP, said the municipal council ruling was unconstitutional.

“In fact, it should be challenged in court. Those concerned should not pay the fines imposed. It is unlawful.

“The municipal council in Kelantan is collecting fines on the basis of an unlawful law.

“I hope that the PAS leadership will intervene on this matter and do something about it as soon as possible,” he said.

Karpal said Barisan Nasional should not be presented with issues that could be exploited with the general election looming, likening the law relating to hairdressers as an “unkind cut”.

On the upcoming two-day DAP national conference from Dec 15, he said 66 party members had been nominated for 20 positions in the central executive committee.

Himpunan Rakyat Kudat Sabah 25/11/2012

Tweets on 20,000 patriotic Malaysians at Dataran Merdeka protesting against Lynas

Tweets by Lim Kit Siang today

From Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat Sabah KK 2Himpunan Hijau Dataran Merdeka KL – quickening of awakening of Malaysians all races religions regions
3hrs ago

Final day of 13-day 300km trek from Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur to protest against Lynas rare earth refinery in Gebeng Pahang culminates in 20,000-ppl massive demo
3hrs ago

Most humbling/inspiring sea of confident hopeful patriotic Malaysian faces particularly young generation prepared to stand up for clean/green country
3hrs ago

I told Wong Tack as I joined 20k patriotic Malaysians who loved/cared 4Msia in last lap of 300km Kuantan/KL trek @ Sogo KL, he has made history
3hrs ago

28 Greenwalkers who completed 300km anti-Lynas trek have made history as with massive support of 20k people today, they have sent a powerful messsage.
3hrs ago

The word has gone out 2country and world “era the government knows best” is really gone/past and Msians who want clean green safe future must be heard
2hrs ago

PM Najib should respond positively to Kuantan/KL trek by leading a Cabinet team to dialogue with anti-Lynas activists @ Dataran Merdeka 9 am tomorrow
2hrs ago

PR fully support anti-Lynas campaign. Among PR leaders @ DataranMerdeka include PKR Chmn Azizah PR MPs FongKuiLun TeresaKok WongHoLeng ChongChiengJen ErTeckHwa etc
2hours ago

20,000 join green march against Lynas – by Lee Long Hui (Mkini) http://goo.gl/RBYzp
2 hours ago

Women Abuse Victims Should Not Be Afraid To Lodge Report

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Women who are victims of abuse or violence should not be afraid to lodge complaints with the relevant authorities to enable them to get help.

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Mnister Datuk Noriah Kasnon said Malaysia had specific laws to protect the rights of women and from any form of abuse, whether physical or mental.

"The government enforces laws and formulates acts to protect woman including the Domestic Violence Act 1994, the Penal Code and Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

"As such, women who are victims of abuse should immediately lodge a report with the authorities so that appropriate assistance can be given," she said in a statement, here, Sunday night.

She also urged women to use the Nur Service Line 15999 which was created by the ministry in 2007 for them to report any form of violence that took place.

Noriah said that in conjunction with the campaign to prevent violence against women and to ensure women lived in a safe environment free from any form of abuse, violence and victimisation, the ministry, through the Women's Development Department planned numerous programmes to expose women to efforts to curb violence.

Do Not Let Opposition Derail Government's Transformation Efforts, Najib Advises Young Women

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak advised the young women of Malaysia to not sacrifice the nation's future by allowing the opposition to derail all the government's efforts thus far.

Young women should not be influenced by the opposition parties' political propaganda, which kept questioning the Barisan Nasional's (BN) ability to administer the country, said Najib.

He said the opposition should be more constructive in their criticisms and not just find faults with every government project, when in fact these projects stimulate the economy and provide job opportunities.

"The opposition tries to derail projects such as Rapid in Pengerang, Johor and Felda's listing on the Bursa Kuala Lumpur, on the basis that it does not wish to see BN succeed and show its ability to govern the country.

"All our plans will remain stunted as mere plans if the transformation is derailed by the opposition and it does not get the political support of the people," he said while closing the 2012 National Young Women's Gathering, here Sunday.

Therefore, Najib said the young women of this country needed to fully support the present government, which was committed to helping them fulfill their inspiration, dedication, expression and aspiration.

He said the BN government guarantees that it will do the best for a brighter future.

"If young women want to have their inspiration, dedication, expression and aspiration fulfilled, then support the present government. And I assure you that we'll do our best not to disappoint your expectations," he said.

Najib said the government has fulfilled the younger generations' aspiration for jobs through its Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and Economic Transformation Plan (ETP), by creating more than 313,000 opportunities.

"According to a global survey, the younger generations considered employment as top priority among all the issues they faced.

Najib emphasised that the government has never stopped women from progressing, as evidenced by their most encouraging diligence, dedication, loyalty and achievements.

He noted that young women outnumbered men almost double, 25,000 to 13,000, when it came to the intake in institutions of higher learning.

"This means we've never limited their chances to progress and that such an encouraging performance may have surpassed that of most other countries," he added.

Women's performance was also proven by the fact that 31 percent of the highest posts in the public sector was held by them, including important ones like Bank Negara Governor, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, said Najib.

"I believe we can expand this success to the private sector because the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is training a group of women with the potential to be appointed as directors in Bursa Malaysia listed companies," he elaborated.

Najib presented 12 'Kesatria Puteri' awards at the event, among them to Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin (Performance Arts), Pandelela Rinong (Sports) and Nurul Iman Welfare Society for Children of People Living with HIV/AIDS president Norlina Alawi (Humanitarian).

Tunku Panglima Besar Kedah Tunku Puteri Intan Shafinaz was the Nusa Mahsuri award recipient for her local and international level contribution in various community and humanitarian movements.

Police Report: Hindu temple demolished by racist Pakatan Rakyat MPS Sepang. (22/11/2012)

NGOs protest against Sri Lanka president’s arrival

An NGO say they will use all means to prevent Mahinda Rajapaksa, whom they deem have committed genocide against the the Sri lankan Tamil minority, from entering the country.

KUALA LUMPUR: A PKR-linked NGO leader has vowed to use force if necessary to prevent the Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa from entering Malaysia for an international Islamic forum from Dec 4 to 6.

The People Welfare and Rights Organisation (Power) president S. Gobi Krisnan issued the threats after lodging a police report against Rajapaksa’s arrival with other NGOs leaders today.

The NGOs were upset that the government has planned for a red carpet welcome for Rajapaksa, whom they deem have committed genocide against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

“The government has been hurting the Indians’ feeling in this country, and now the invitation is an insult to Indians .

“We will use all means, including force if necessary, to stop him from coming,” he said.

The group would stage a protest outside of the parliament building on Tuesday, and have planned for similar rallies at the forum’s venue in JB.

The 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka ended in 2009 with the government army’s quashing Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and re-established control of the northern part of the country.

It was reported that some 100,000 civilians including 40,000 of Tamils were killed while more than 300,000 people were displaced during the long-standing conflict.

The United Nations Human Right Council had on March adopted a resolution to urge the Sri Lankan government to take all steps necessary to ensure accountability for alleged serious violations committed during the final stages of the country’s civil war.

However, Malaysia was among the eight countries that abstained in a vote that saw 24 in favour and 15 against the resolution.

AP Raja Retinam, member of the NGOs umbrella group Sri Lanka War Victim Concerned Team (Api), has taken Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to task for the abstention.

“He is a real hypocrite. When the Israelis launched attacks against the Palestine, he tabled a motion to condemn the violence.

“But when it is about Sri Lanka war crimes, he abstained, despite knowing very well that there was a great pressure on him to vote against Sri Lanka,” he said.

He urged the government to stop its double standard and prevent Rajapaksa from entering the country.

“Rajapaksa and (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu are the same people. If you say no to Benjamin, then you must also say no to Rajapaksa.

“If they say the forum was meant for business discussions, then I challenge them to invite the Jews to attend, they are the richest people in the world,” he said.

The NGOs held a protest at the Sri Lanka embassy in Ampang this afternoon while MIC Youth has also lodged a police report against Rajapaksa’s arrival.

Pakatan’s stateless Indian protest on Dec 12

The party will hold a sit- in outside the National Registration Department and will not move till the Prime Minister comes up with a solution.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakatan Rakyat will hold a sit-in outside the National Registration Department on Dec 12 to protest at the plight of the stateless Indians in the country.

Announcing this after lodging a police report over a stateless Indian case,

PKR vice presient N. Surendran after lodging a police report ,said they would hold a sit-in outside of the National Registration Department (NRD) to demand solution to the long-standing issue.

“We will not move until home minister and prime minister promises to resolve the problem facing some 300,000 Malaysian Indians,” he said.

Also present at the police station were among others Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Teluk Intan MP M. Manogaran and 69-year-old stateless Indian Letchumy Suppiah and her family members.

Surendran said the government has breached the Article 14 of Federal Constitution by denying Letchumy’s rights to identification document.

“Article 14 says that those who born in this country are automatically citizens of this country. Don’t tell me the government doesn’t know anything about this,” he said.

Manikavasagam said his deceased mother only obtained her identification card (IC) after she passed away.

“When she was still alive, we called the NRD for more than ten times but still couldn’t get the IC,” he said.

He criticised the government for being insincere in resolving the problem.

Look at what BN has done for you, Najib tells Indians

Najib (centre) said allocations for Indians have gone up since he became prime minister. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tonight urged the country’s Indian community to re-evaluate the Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s contribution and assistance to the community throughout the past four years.

The government had resolved many of the community’s pending problems, including providing large allocations to upgrade their education and economic status, he said.

“Since becoming prime minister, the allocations for Indians increased significantly. Assistance for Tamil schools between 2009 and 2012 touched RM300 million, with an additional RM100 million in the 2013 Budget,” he said at the launch of Tamil books by local authors, at the Dewan Tunku Chancellor, Universiti Malaya here.

He said the government had also resolved other problems they had faced, such as identity card and birth certificate applications and citizenship status.

“Under the 1 Malaysia concept, we want to ensure all government policies benefit every ethnic group, big or small,” he added.

He cautioned the people to not believe the opposition coalition who seemed to be confused with their separate views.

“They’re sleeping on the same pillow but having different dreams. We cannot gamble our future. Our future and that of our children is too valuable for that,” he said.

In relation to the Tamil books, Najib requested the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books to assist more such publications in order to preserve the Indian community’s cultural and literary heritage for future generations.

He said although the Indian community was no different from other ethnic groups in wanting to preserve its own identity, they still contributed towards the nation’s unity and the Malaysian society.

“I’m here to support Makkal Sakti Party and Universiti Malaya’s efforts because I understand it is close to the Tamil community’s heart.

“I believe this programme can give ‘Puthiya Nambikkai’ (new hope) for Tamil authors in Malaysia,” he said while launching 10 Tamil books by local authors, at the event.

Also present were Sakti Foundation president Datuk RS Thananthiran and Cherish & Share Programme director, Prof Dr M.Rajantheran. — Bernama

Uthaya: Hindraf's motto is rights, not mercy

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." - Martin Luther King Jr.


INTERVIEW The following is the last of a three-part interview with Human Rights Party leader P Uthayakumar. The first and second parts are here and here.

Ownership of land is perhaps the biggest issue when it comes to the marginalised section of the Indian community. Could you describe the inequalities that Hindraf has discovered that continues to be perpetuated when it comes to this issue?

Malaysia is a huge 329,758 square kilometers with tens of thousands of poor Malay, Kadazan, Iban, and Orang Asli villages with customary land as their social safety net.
Even the Chinese poor have 508 Chinese new villages nationwide. However, there are no more of the hundreds of Indian villages and Indian settlements. Their social safety net is non-existent because they have been denied land titles.

Kg Muniandy, Kg Ghandi, Kg Ratnapillai and Kg Ramasamy which are left are being wiped out or have been deemed as squatters and are slated to be systematically demolished in a matter of time. Now is Pakatan Rakyat undoing these Umno injustices? The answer is obviously a big ‘no'.

In addition to these villages, the Umno government has granted some 1,121,346 poor Malays and to a far lesser extent the Orang Asli, Kadazan and Iban the 10-acre land ownership schemes in Felda, Felcra, Risda, Fama, Agropolitan, Kesedar, Ketengah, instantly bringing them out of poverty.

For show and that too only in the 1950s and early 1960s, some token 0.1 percent or so Indians (and that too for Malaysia to qualify for the World Bank loans) had been granted land and that too only restricted to the Felda scheme.

Even the pre-existing Indian poor plantation workers of the Merdeka era have been segregated and excluded from these land schemes. Today we no longer hear about the then 40 percent Malay and Chinese daily paid rubber tappers.

However, we still have Indian poor rubber tappers and plantation workers earning as low as RM13 daily. They are excluded from the hundreds of thousands of self-employed entrepreneurial opportunities offered by the tens of billions of ringgit budget allocated to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry and Rural and Regional Development Ministry.

As displaced plantation workers, most of them end up as casual and unskilled factory workers, general workers, toilet cleaners, garbage collectors, Alam Flora workers, lorry drivers, security guards, office boys, dish washers, etc, earning as low as RM20 per day contract workers, on par if not lower than the foreign workers.

It appears that the Indian poor are only wanted for the 3D jobs - dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs - but never the self-employed, small entrepreneurs or petty trading jobs, and provided the opportunities that have been made available to the poor Malays by the Umno government policies and the Chinese with their community support.

After 55 years of independence nearly all the 523 Tamil schools still remain in dilapidated and near cow-shed conditions in steel shipping containers, upstairs in a shop house, in basements, because they are denied government land titles, unlike other Malay schools.

Similarly, almost all the thousands of Hindu temples and Hindu crematoriums unlike any other mosque, surau or Muslim cemetery are denied land titles by the Umno and Pakatan state governments. Because most of them are sitting on prime land, Umno, and Pakatan only see the ringgit sign when they see these last vestiges of the vulnerable and easily bullied Indian basic social institutions.

Within months of coming to power in Perak and Selangor, Pakatan granted land titles to 110,000 Malays in Rancangan Kampong Tersusun, 102,000 Chinese new villagers granted land titles (Utusan Malaysia, April 5, 2008), nine Perak Chinese Independent schools granted 2,500 acres of land (New Straits Times, Aug 31, 2008), 10 acres each to Perak Orang Asli, etc. Moreover, even RM1 million and 1,700 acres of land for pig farming in Sepang (New Straits Times, April 11, 2008).

However, almost zero land for the Indian poor. At the first (and last) meeting Hindraf had with the top PAS leadership at the PAS headquarters early this year, the ex-Perak menteri besar Nizar Jamaluddin (right) had no answer to this. Wonder, why?

Ninety percent, or 282 acres out of the 316 acres of land approved for the non-Muslim places of worship in Selangor was granted to the Chinese community when they have not asked for it. Only 6 percent, or 19 acres, were granted for the thousands of Indian poor Hindu temples in Selangor. (New Straits Times, May 31, 2011)

In any event, the rich Chinese business community can afford to buy the same. Going by the needs basis, which Pakatan says it practices, the Hindu temples that have a history of one Hindu temple being demolished in every 10 days in Selangor in 2007 under the Umno regime are obviously more deserving. So where is the much-touted ‘Ubah'?

The fact remains that there are zero provisions in Pakatan's Buku Jingga to undo these Umno institutional racism and injustices victimising the Indian poor. Why? To continue the racist Umno tradition when they get to Putrajaya?

What do you hope to achieve by standing for election and why take on a Pakatan candidate? Would not a BN candidate be more appropriate as conventional partisan wisdom goes?

Hindraf has named me as the candidate for the Kota Raja parliament and DUN Sri Andalas constituencies for the simple reason that Kota Raja has the highest number of Indian voters in Malaysia. For obvious reasons, this would be our best bet. Why can't Pakatan make way for us here for a one-to-one contest with Umno-BN?

Why the greed in denying even in this one seat to Hindraf when there are 222 parliamentary and 576 DUN seats nationwide? Even now, we are prepared not to contest at all if Pakatan delivers at least even one of the Hindraf 18-point demand, for example land titles ‘all in one go' for all Tamil schools, Hindu temples and crematoriums and Indian villages in the Pakatan states.

Why not? After all, Pakatan is multi-racial, or so we are told!

If you could debate any Malaysian public official, who would you debate and what would the topic be?

I would like a debate with the prime minister and the shadow prime minister as only they can deliver on the Hindraf 18-point demand. Then let the Indian poor decide on whom to vote. The debate topic proposed would be ‘Are the Malaysian Indian poor the most vulnerable victims in the world's most racist country'.

Will you meet PM Najib and if so why?

No, because it has been a long five years and three months since the Hindraf 18-point demand, dated Aug 12, 2012, was put forward to the Umno prime minister.

Except for some temporary, piecemeal handouts, there has been almost zero delivery. Hindraf has asked for the delivery of at least five of the 18 demands on or before Nov 1, 2013 as a pre-condition so that we can meet the prime minister to discuss the delivery of the remaining Hindraf 18-point demand.

We have waited for 55 long years and have no more patience to start discussions afresh, for paper pushing studies to be done, blueprint, white paper, political games or gimmicks for that matter. Hindraf gets to the point - delivery to the Indian poor. Moreover, we are serious be it Umno or Pakatan.

Some 1,016,799 Biro Tatanegara government staff has thus far been trained to implement these racist Umno government policies at all levels.

Hindraf and the Human Rights Party are now two separate entities. What was the reasoning behind the move?

Because Pakatan also refused to deliver on the Hindraf 18-point demand in the Pakatan-ruled states after GE13, Hindraf formed the Human Rights Party as the political wing of Hindraf with the view to stand on its own feet politically. Otherwise, Hindraf is HRP and HRP is Hindraf. We are the same entity.

There have been vitriolic objections to the ‘quota' demands of Hindraf/Human Rights Party. What is your rational for these demands?
No, Hindraf has never demanded quotas. As aforementioned, Hindraf has always demanded equal rights, equal opportunities and equal upward mobility opportunities for the Indian poor on a needs basis.

What are your views on government handouts for Tamil schools and Hindu temples at the expense of the marginalised Indian poor?

Giving handouts to Tamil schools and Hindu temples is just wayang kulit ‘delivery' to the Indian poor by Umno and Pakatan. It is a very cheap shot.

We are no Tamil Nadu or Bangladesh. Prosperous Malaysia has the world's tallest Twin Tower. Especially in the era when Barack Obama has already become president for a second term in the United States, this is a national if not international shame.

Do you think that affirmative action programmes, which have been disastrous to the Malay community, will cultivate a culture of entitlement in the Indian community?

No, I beg to differ. The Umno affirmative action policies (read: racist policies) being disastrous to the Malay community is a very shrewd Umno political strategy to continue with their racist agenda with impunity.

The Umno affirmative action policies have taken almost all the poor Malays out of the clutches of poverty, created tens of thousands of successful Malay entrepreneurs, graduates, professionals, businessmen, banks, GLCs (government-linked companies), millionaires and billionaires within a short span of a mere 20 odd years.

What cultural traits of the Chinese community do you think are worth emulating in the Indian community?

The Chinese work hard. They may work smarter and have the benefit of their Chinese networks, rich clans, business associations and banks. They have been very successful.

Having had a head start beginning as the earliest business people and suppliers to the British and gradually controlling some 60 percent of the country's economy. The Chinese have emerged a successful self-sustaining business, banking, corporate and development community.

Umno and Pakatan need this Chinese community to prosper the Malays in what we call the bi-racial 1Malay-sia, but of course segregating the Indian poor.

Like the Chinese, the Indians are also hardworking, many even taking up two jobs, working double shifts even up to seven days a week. They have never asked anything free.

All they ask for is for an end to all Umno and Pakatan government institutionalised, state-sponsored and private sector racist policies that have reduced the Indian poor to the vicious stereotype of the ‘Negros' of Malaysia. Visit www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com for the truth.

Post-2008, how successful do you think Hindraf has been in creating awareness in the plight of a certain section of the marginalised Indian community? As the very public face of Hindraf, do you think that the movement has lost its way?

Almost on a daily basis, we get Hindraf supporters calling and complimenting us on Hindraf having created awareness on the Indian poor rights. Almost on a daily basis, the five Tamil dailies and the other media to a lesser extent carry news reports on some protest or other against the Umno and Pakatan governments.

As the de facto leader of Hindraf, my only hope forward is the realisation of Indian majority seats as aforementioned for a voice at the highest political level - the Parliament. Otherwise we will continue being at the mercy of Umno and Pakatan. Incidentally, the Hindraf motto is rights, not mercy.

Writer's epilogue

What troubles me the most is when Pakatan partisans libel Uthayakumar as a turncoat Umno stooge or worse, a racist agent provocateur. Here is a man who is sacrificing everything to confront a system that has divided along racial lines.

The fact that we in Pakatan continue to play our race cards and do so behind a multiracial/cultural veil, points more to our failings than his.
While Pakatan apparatchiks continue to whinge that Uthayakumar is "racist" all the while PKR and PAS is reassuring a divided Malay community that they will benefit the most from this so-called need-based affirmative action programme and the supposedly "multiracial" DAP continue to joust with the MCA over the Chinese vote, Hindraf hopefully will continue pursuing its agenda which is far more inclusive that the crypo racists within Pakatan would have you believe.

Understand now, that I disagree (and I have told Uthayakumar) with many of his ideas but the reality he and Hindraf shine a light on, is far too devastating to ignore merely because one disagrees with some of the polemics of the messenger.
Perhaps in another piece, I will elaborate on how Pakatan's "multiculturalism" has become the new fascism propagated by DAP kool-aid drinkers and how this could be the fault line that finally swings the Malay vote back to Umno.

In the end if we (and by we, I mean Pakatan) win this election and the marginalised Indian poor are overlooked for a variety of reasons, those poor unfortunate souls can rest assured, that Uthayakumar, will never forget them, and will never stop fighting for them, no matter who the opponent is.

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S THAYAPARAN is Commander (rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Hindraf will be celebrating the fifth anniversary of its historic 2007 rally tomorrow.

The state's war against Uthayakumar

"When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty." - Thomas Jefferson


INTERVIEW By shining a light on a reality that is more often than not ignored, dismissed or ridiculed, P Uthayakumar has had to pay a steep price.

This reality, the reality of the marginalised Indian poor, an underclass that struggles with lack of the necessities of life in contemporary Malaysia and confronted by a state and in many ways a society that has perfected the art of discrimination, has found expression in Hindraf and Uthayakumar.

The canard that Hindraf is demanding "quotas" is one of the more odious lies spread by Pakatan Rakyat apparatchiks. In the Hindraf 18-point demand, the Indian/Tamil/Hindu community is mentioned only in three points, with reference to land titles to Tamil schools, Hindu temples and cemeteries and the "de-gerrymandering" for Indian representation in Parliament.

The remaining 15 points cover Malaysians regardless of ethnicity and in fact argues for the removal of race-based quotas. The first point in the demand is the recognition of bumiputera status for anyone born in Malaysia.

So far DAP, PKR or PAS has yet to make any such declarations in their supposed multiracial/cultural manifesto. Indeed Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has gone out of his way to assure his Malay partners that he has no intention of ever seeking the highest office in the land. So much for the vicious lie that Uthayakumar and Hindraf are "racist".

Uthayakumar understands that his is a lone crusade. He makes no apologies in the manner in which he chooses to make his stand. In my writings, I have been both critical and supportive of Hindraf.

My conversations with Uthayakumar were a continuous give-and-take about the "Indian problem" and how best to resolve it. I disagree with many of Uthayakumar's ideas but this interview is not the avenue to express them.

To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an in-depth interview with Uthayakumar. In this three-part interview, I have attempted to give a platform to the man, whom I have described as the last and best hope for the marginalised Indian community.

Could you define the Hindraf struggle?

Firstly, being a lawyer by training and a political activist rather than a politician per se, I beg leave to answer without fear or favour. I am prepared to take an unpopular stand, refusing to play to the majoritarian bi-racial 1Malay-sian political gallery by not taking a politically correct stand and am willing to receive brickbats from Malaysiakini readers.

The Hindraf struggle was founded on the 18-point demands. The thrust of the Hindraf struggle is against institutionalised Umno and Pakatan racist government and state policies. We strive for equal rights, equal opportunities and equal upward mobility opportunities on a needs basis against a system that victimises in particular the most vulnerable Indian poor in Malaysia.

The Hindraf struggle is about permanent and wholesome solutions from Umno and Pakatan state governments as granted to the bi-racial 1Malay-sian Malay and Chinese communities and not the temporary piecemeal solutions for the Indian poor like dishing out hampers, rice bags, ang pows, mock cheques and other handouts.

Hindraf supports regime change and wishes Pakatan all the best, but it does not want the federal government to be replaced by an Umno clone. Nevertheless, on a people-to-people basis the Indians have no or very little problems with the Malay or Chinese communities at the ground level.

Could you describe your experiences under the ISA and your early activism that led to conflicts with the state?

Prior to my ISA detention on Dec 13, 2007, I started from scratch and for about 16 years had to operate almost solo until just before the Nov 25, 2007 Hindraf rally. There were no takers for the real cause of the Indian poor, which does not draw very much political mileage nor is it "press worthy" by the standards of the bi-racial 1Malay-sian mainstream media and to a lesser extent the alternative media.

It was an uphill battle. With the odds stacked against us and propelled by my very strong belief in this serious plight of the Indian poor, I became hardened and was mentally prepared for the worst.

ISA was not the worst because back in 2003, at the height of my deaths in police custody and police shooting campaigns, I was attacked at gunpoint by police officers in civilian attire. Because of this, I must say that my suffering under ISA detention was minimal.
At Kamunting Prison, I used to read and write for about 14 to 15 hours daily. With time on my side, I managed to write two books, namely ‘Indian Political Empowerment Strategy' and ‘25th Nov 07 Hindraf Rally'.

My reading and making daily notes in my diaries for about six hours from the three mainstream dailies given to us only reaffirmed my earlier findings of the very serious level of racism, made far worse as the Indian poor do not even have the village-level social safety net, unlike the poor Malays, Orang Asli, Iban and Kadazan. Even the Chinese poor have 508 Chinese new villages as social safety nets nationwide.
It was in prison that I learnt to read Tamil. In prison, every day was a working day or rather every day was a working holiday. My secret of having kept well in prison was in not thinking about the outside world or the date I would be released, which was the key method of torture by our oppressors.

Unlike the many other famed ISA detainees, I think we were a lot more fortunate because of the extent of the Indian poor persistent campaigns and prayer meetings at Hindu temples nationwide. It was after these heightened public campaigns and March 8, 2008 political tsunami that eventually led to the abolishment of the ISA.

In fact, I was the very last political prisoner to have walked out of Kamunting Prison.

Could give us some examples of what has gone in your sedition trial and the kinds of ‘official' harassment you have encountered?

On Nov 7, 2012, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court decision was to call for my defence despite the following facts:

The Umno attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail on an extremely rare occasion appeared in court to personally prosecute me on Dec 11, 2007. He had informed the court that the prosecution has the witnesses to prove that the (Kampung Medan and other) "ethnic cleansing" did not take place in Malaysia.

The vindictive deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Noorin Badaruddin, in her opening speech, told the court that they have the witnesses who operated the website which had published the supposed seditious letter to the then-British prime minister Gordon Brown, which in any event did not bear my signature though it carried my name.

None of these witnesses was ever called. The policewatchmalaysia. com website that allegedly published this letter was closed down for good by the government the following month after my detention under the ISA on Dec 13, 2007 - two days after the sedition charge.

The alleged letter was never recovered from me, my office or premises or vehicles controlled by me despite an official police search. I was never arrested nor statements taken from me. I was abruptly arrested on my way to my office and was prosecuted on the very same day on Dec 11, 2007.

This was within days of ex-prime minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi (left) making media statements upon returning from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Harare where he was believed to have been embarrassed when questioned on the Hindraf letter to Gordon Brown.

He publicly declared that he seldom gets angry, but this time he was very angry with Hindraf. I was to be punished as the de facto leader of Hindraf, for organising and leading to the Nov 25, 2007 watershed Hindraf rally and for having succeeded in exposing to the world the state-sponsored and private sector racist victimisation of the most vulnerable Indian poor.

So where is the prima facie case for the defence to be called? The judge allowed almost all of the DPP's questions and objections but rejected almost all my applications and crucial questions to the prosecution witnesses, not even on a hint or baseless objections by the DPP.

In one day alone, 34 of my pertinent questions to the prosecution witnesses were rejected. All questions on Umno institutional racism and the systematic social "ethnic cleansing" of the Indian poor were not allowed.

Finally a three- and two-hour time limit was imposed on the two prosecution witnesses, the then deputy federal CID chief DCP Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and the investigating officer, ASP Redzaime.

Moreover, my further 150 questions were not allowed after this time limit. Despite numerous applications, the judge had refused to recuse himself. Despite this predictable outcome, I have filed five appeals and two applications to the High Court, more for the record.

Despite the fact that the prime minister and the de facto law minister having announced the repeal of the Sedition Act as part of the government legal transformation programmes, as being obsolete and an admission that criticisms against the government are now allowed; to give effect to freedom of speech as is guaranteed by Article 10 of the federal constitution, even the apex Federal Court on Oct 16, 2012 dismissed my review application for the charges against me to be dismissed.

At first year of law school at Ealing College of Higher Education (now Thames Valley University), London in 1984, I was taught, "Justice must not only be done but must manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done". Res Ipsa Loquiteour. Now the trial has been fixed for hearing for two weeks and unusually even the submission date has been fixed in January 2013 despite that I have 41 witnesses.

This would mean that I would have to complete four witnesses in one day of trial. Umno's intended conviction would disqualify me from contesting in the imminent 13th general elections.

My intended witnesses include Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Suhakam chairperson for not holding a royal commission of inquiry and Suhakam inquiry respectively, attorney-general Gani Patail for not prosecuting the criminals in the Kg Medan "ethnic cleansing" where five Indian poor were murdered and one hundred sustained grievous bodily injuries, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on this politically-motivated sedition charge, and the inspector-general of police for racially profiling Indian poor suspects.

As to whether the courts would issue subpoenas for these witnesses is yet another matter bearing in mind that the subpoena application for Gordon Brown (right) was dismissed.

For being one-and-a-half hours late to court as I was held up at the High Court, this judge forfeited RM7,000 of the bail and increased the bail from RM10,000 to RM15,000, with a final warning that bail would be revoked for good if it happens again. My repeated apology and an undertaking that it would not happen again did not help.

Whatever the outcome, should I be convicted even with a mere fine, I am considering not applying for stay but opting for jail as a matter of principle. I will do this in keeping to the Hindraf 18-point demands which I had drafted and for which I stand by and I have already served one-and-a-half years of ISA jail sentence. Double jeopardy?
Should I be convicted, the maximum punishment is a three-year jail sentence or RM5,000 fine, or both. (Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng previously served a one-and-a-half year jail sentence for sedition.
This is so as not to allow Umno to hold me ‘ransom' until the disposal of my appeals right up to the apex Federal Court, which outcomes are again predictable. During this imprisonment, I have decided to write my third book entitled ‘Never Won a Case in Malay-sian Courts - 50 Public Interest Cases'.

Tomorrow: Uthayakumar's uneasy ties with Pakatan

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S THAYAPARAN is Commander (rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. On Sunday, Nov 25, Hindraf will be celebrating the fifth anniversary of the historic 2007 rally.

Harga kamera AES Malaysia terlampau mahal