Hindraf’s 2007 protest was widely believed to have contributed to BN’s Election 2008 reversal. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — As protests in the Middle East topple regimes and spark violence, the government is taking no chances and has warned it will come down hard on the planned gathering by Indian rights group Hindraf here this Sunday.
Although the group’s influence appears to have waned after being plagued by internal bickering and claims of infiltration by the Special Branch, police have refused to grant Hindraf a permit to hold the demonstration to voice Indian outrage over the use of the “Interlok” novel in schools.
The wave of protests that ousted the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt, has also spread to India where tens of thousands gathered to protest against rising food prices earlier this week.
With Libya now facing a bloody showdown between its ruler Muammar Gaddafi and opposition figures, Barisan Nasional (BN) has both political and security reasons to clamp down on any public gathering, which may escalate if left unchecked.
The Malaysian Insider understands that the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar will meet with leaders of Indian NGOs and MIC this evening to discuss security issues ahead of Sunday’s rally.
Sources said that MIC, who will have to justify any police action to its political constituents, will ask the police chief not to “come down hard as it will only make matters worse.”
Uthayakumar (left) said authorities feared this Sunday’s protest. — Reuters pic
“They fear that we could be the light that sparks the prairie fire,” Hindraf founder and legal advisor P. Uthayakumar told The Malaysian Insider.
Both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have stressed repeatedly that the political upheavals in the Arab world have no bearing on Malaysia.
“Those that lead these illegal actions must be dealt with sternly and I will leave it to the police to act,” Muhyiddin had told the press yesterday, when asked about Hindraf’s “anti-racism” march this weekend.
But just as it did in 2007 — prior to the March 2008 general election — Hindraf will defy police orders and gather at KLCC on Sunday. National polls are also expected to be called later this year.
Uthayakumar does not expect this weekend’s gathering to match the claimed crowd of 30,000 in 2007.
But he said that as Hindraf has “stepped up a notch from just fighting against being marginalised to attacking Umno’s racism,” the dominant Malay party will feel just as threatened as four years ago.
Political analyst Agus Yusoff said the timing of the rally, in what will likely be an election year, was akin to “political blackmail.”
“They did the same in 2007, so the strategy is that if the authorities clamp down hard, it will fuel more anger but if they don’t then it will encourage further protests,” he said.
The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor said even though the issue of “Interlok” being used as part of the Malay literature syllabus concerns one race, in the context of large-scale demonstrations elsewhere, there was a risk of escalating tensions.
“What if Malay groups like Perkasa retaliate, and so on and so forth?” he asked The Malaysian Insider.
PKR’s Selangor executive councillor Xavier Jeyakumar said that with Najib having just promoted Malaysia as a model Muslim country, he cannot afford for a popular uprising to occur now.
“There is a lot of unhappiness across all communities that is just not being expressed openly. But Hindraf may trigger it and cause a chain reaction so Najib will be keen to nip it in the bud,” he added.
Pegawai ini adalah SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT (K/P NO: G/11545) iaitu Ketua Jabatan Narkotik di IPK Melaka sekarang. Bersama ini saya lampirkan gambar rumah barunya yang pernah diceritakan/dikhabarkan kepada semua oleh isteri beliau bernilai RM4Juta dan senarai aset berserta detail yang mana sedang di "update" oleh saya dari masa ke semasa.
Mohammad Fahmy
Dia mempunyai sehingga 15 syarikat kawalan keselamatan yang mana kesemua pengarah & pemegang saham di syarikat-syarikat tersebut terdiri daripada isteri, anak, adik, adik ipar, sepupu, anak saudara, rakan, jiran dan isteri rakan (bekas pengarah - meletak jawatan kerana pernah seseorang ingin melaporkan kepada KPN) iaitu isteri kepada Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar (Pengarah Jabatan Keselamatan Dalam Negeri/Ketenteraman Awam KDN/KA).
Maklumat ini boleh dirujuk dalam lampiran yang saya berikan. Dia memperolehi lesen-lesen tersebut adalah daripada adanya "connection" dia dengan salah seorang panel/orang kanan yang meluluskan lesen kawalan keselamatan selain daripada kerani yang bekerja di KDN. Memang diketahui umum di KDN dan dipercayai dia ada membayar (memberi rasuah) secara bulanan kepada mereka-mereka tersebut. Bukti tidak dapat diberikan kerana dia dipercayai memberikan mereka secara tunai. Ramai yang beranggapan bahawa modal awalan untuk kesemua syarikat beliau datang dari duit rasuah yang mana mudah diperolehi daripada tugas hakikinya kerana dia bukan datang dari keturunan yang kaya atau berada.
Suatu ketika dahulu dia pernah ditahan oleh BPR (SPRM) untuk siasatan dan kemudian pengadu telah menarik balik laporan atas rasa kasihan terhadap dia. Kerana dia pernah berjanji tidak akan menganiaya sesiapa lagi selepas itu. Hasil daripada tahanan terhadap dia oleh BPR dahulu, kini dia sudah mempunyai kenalan (pegawai penyiasat) yang rapat dimana setiap bulan dia akan membayar sekurang-kurangnya RM1000 kepada pegawai penyiasat tersebut.
Saya tidak ada masalah untuk tampil apabila PDRM, SPRM atau apa-apa badan yang ingin menyiasat malah saya tidak keberatan untuk memberikan maklumat yang saya ada. Tujuan saya mengedarkan maklumat ini kepada media adalah kerana tidak mahu nanti jika maklumat ini diadukan pada SPRM @ PDRM, mereka hanya akan simpan atau buang kes sahaja. Ini adalah kerana dipercayai dia mempunyai hubungan yang baik dengan pengarah-pengarah atasan PDRM & SPRM. Kerana pada tahun lalu ada individu yang telah membuat laporan terhadap dia dan ada surat telah dihantarkan kepada Ketua Polis Negara akan tetapi ia hanya sampai ditangan P.A KPN kemudian tiada apa-apa tindakan diambil. Laporan/surat yang telah dihantar akan didedahkan jika ada keperluan nanti.
Yang benar,
Mohammad Fahmy
NAMA-NAMA SYARIKAT MENGGUNAKAN ISTERI (GURU), ADIK BERADIK, IPAR DUAI, ANAK-ANAK SAUDARA DAN PEKERJA-PEKERJA YANG DIJADIKAN PROKSI DI DALAM SETIAP SYARIKAT YANG DIMILIKI.
SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT (K/P NO: G/11545)
KETUA JABATAN NARKOTIK, IPK MELAKA.
LOT 8701, JLN NAKHODA DALAM, KG.NAKHODA,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
1) JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN SDN BHD
2) BERTAM SECURITY SERTVICES SDN BHD
3) JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
4) PROGRESSIVE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
5) JW KAWALAN SDN BHD
6) TIARA FORCE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
7) IQ SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
8) ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
9) SASA SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
10)QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
11)INLAND SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
12)JUNARIANG TRAVEL & TOURS SDN BHD
13)AYU EDISI SDN BHD
14)EXCELLENT SECURITY NETWORK SDN BHD
15)PRIMA PLATINUM SDN BHD
16)SPLENDID TACTIC SDN BHD
ASET-ASET YANG DIMILIKI ATAS NAMA SENDIRI, ISTERI, IPAR DUAI DAN JUGA ANAK-ANAK SAUDARA.
1) PEJABAT PROGRESSIVE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
NO. 103-1, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
2) PEJABAT JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN SDN BHD
NO. 89-2, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
3) PEJABAT JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
NO. 77-2, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
4) PEJABAT BERTAM SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
NO. 75-2, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
5) PEJABAT IQ SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
NO. 11-1B, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
6) PEJABAT ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
NO. 11-1A, JALAN SBC 1, TMN SRI BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
7) PEJABAT QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
17-1, JALAN MEDAN SELAYANG 1, MEDAN SELAYANG,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
8) PREMIS NO.17 G DAN 17-2, JALAN MEDAN SELAYANG 1, MEDAN SELAYANG,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPTJAAFAR BIN MAT)
9) PEJABAT SASA SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
SUITE 1026-C, JALAN SAMUDRA UTAMA,
TAMAN SAMUDRA, FASA 2B-2,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(ATAS NAMA: SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT)
10) PREMIS NO. SUITE 1026, SUITE 1026 A DAN SUITE 1026 B
JALAN SAMUDRA UTAMA,
TAMAN SAMUDRA, FASA 2B-2,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
11) 314, BLOCK MELUR D, GUGUSAN MELUR,
JALAN CAMAR 4/5 A, KOTA DAMANSARA, SEKSYEN 4,
47810 PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
12) A 07-07-18 PANGSAPURI ANGSANA, SUBANG MEWAH,
SUBANG KAYA, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
13) BLOK E, E26, APARTMENT LAKSAMANA,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
14) NO. 19, JALAN GP 3/7, GOMBAK PERMAI,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
15) NO. 32-3A, JALAN PINGGIRAN 2/2, PINGGIRAN BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
16) NO. 16, JALAN SM 5, SUNWAY BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA: DSP JAFAR BIN MAT)
17) NO. 6, JALAN SM 5A, SUNWAY BATU CAVES,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
18) LOT 8694, JALAN NAKHODA DALAM, KG NAKHODA,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
19) LOT……........JLN NAKHODA KANAN, KG. NAKHODA,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
(RUMAH SEWA 4 PINTU / UNIT)
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
20) LOT 9237, JALAN TERATAI, SG. TUA BHARU, SG. TUA,
68100 BATU CAVES, SELANGOR.
ATAS NAMA:………………………………………..
21) DUSUN BUAH2AN DI ULU YAM BARU
22) RUMAH BUNGALOW 3 TINGKAT DI KG.SG.TUA, BT CAVES, SELANGOR.
23) RUMAH TERES 2 TINGKAT DI MELAKA (BERHAMPIRAN IPK MELAKA)
KENDERAAN – KENDERAAN YANG DIMILIKI OLEH DSP JAAFAR BIN MAT
1) SS 50 J - KERETA MERCEDES E 200
2) WQP 5959 - KERETA TOYOTA FORTUNER
3) WMG - KERETA BMW 318i (3 SERIES)
4) WQB 8701 - KERETA HONDA CIVIC
5) MBF - KERETA NISSAN FRONTIER
6) WGW - KERETA PAJERO (COLOR HIJAU)
7) WHA 8410 - KERETA PRODUA KANCIL (DAH BUAT KERETA SYKT)
8) - KERETA BMW 5 SERIES (NO. PLAT MELAKA)
9) - SUPERBIKE
HUBUNGAN NAMA-NAMA DIATAS DENGAN DSP JAAFAR BIN MAT
BIL. NAMA HUBUNGAN / STATUS
1. ARINA BINTI HUSSAIN - ISTERI SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT
- SEORANG GURU DI SMK DARUL EHSAN, SELAYANG.
- PENGARAH SYKT JUNARIANG TRAVEL & TOURS SDN BHD
- PENGARAH & PEMEGANG SAHAM SYKT PRIMA PLATINUM SDN BHD
2. NOR AMIRAH BINTI HUSSAIN - ADIK IPAR SUPT JAAFAR
- ADIK ARINA BINTI HUSSAIN
- PENGARAH & PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYARIKAT SUPT JAAFAR
3. JUNAIDAH BINTI ZAKARIYA - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
4. HJ. BAHARUDIN B. BASAR - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR (BEKAS POLIS)
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
5. NORAINI BINTI IDRIS - PEKERJA DAN JIRAN SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH & PEMEGANG SAHAM JAYAPADU BERSATU KAWALAN S/B
6. MUHAMMAD SAIFULLIZAN BIN ABU BAKAR - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT BERTAM SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
7. NORHAMITA BINTI SABARUDIN - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- ISTERI PERTAMA MUHAMMAD SAIFULLIZAN B. ABU BAKAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT BERTAM SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
8. DATO’ AZIZ JAMALUDIN BIN HJ. MOHD TAHIR- KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT BERTAM SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
9. DIVAKARAN A/L SUBRAMANIAM - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR (BEKAS PEGAWAI POLIS)
- PENGARAH SYKT BERTAM SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
10. NURULHANIM BINTI ABDUL MUTALIB - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- BEKERJA SEBAGAI PEMBANTU MAKMAL (KERAJAAN)
- PROKSI LELAP
11. ACP ABDUL TALIB B. YAACOB - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR (BEKAS PEGAWAI POLIS)
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
12. MOHD. ANUA B. ABDUL RAHMAN - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- BEKERJA SEBAGAI AKAUNTAN (KERAJAAN)
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
13. JULIZAWATI BINTI AHMAD - ORANG KAMPUNG SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH SYKT JERAI SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
14. MOHAMED SOHAIMI BIN ZAKARIA - KAWAN DAN JUGA SUB-CON SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH & PEMEGANG SAHAM SYKT PROGRESSIVE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
15. TAYIB BIN CHE ON - SEPUPU SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT PROGRESSIVE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
16. ZAINAB BINTI AHMAD - SEPUPU ISTERI SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYKT PROGRESSIVE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
17. AZLINDA BINTI HUSSAIN - ADIK IPAR SUPT JAAFAR
- ADIK ARINA BINTI HUSSAIN
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JW KAWALAN SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
18. AZMAN BIN HUSSAIN - ADIK IPAR SUPT JAAFAR
- ADIK ARINA BINTI HUSSAIN
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT JW KAWALAN SDN BHD
19. JAAFAR BIN BAHARAM - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- BEKAS PEMILIK ASAL JW KAWALAN
- PENGARAH SYARIKAT JW KAWALAN
20. AZIZ BIN AWANG - SEPUPU SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT TIARA FORCE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- SUB-CON SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
21. SHAFEI BIN AWANG - KAWAN DAN SUB-CON SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT TIARA FORCE SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
22. DATIN IMRAN BINTI IBRAHIM - ISTERI KEPADA BEKAS BOS SUPT JAAFAR: DATO’ KHALID BIN ABU BAKAR (KETUA POLIS SELANGOR)
- PROKSI LELAP
23. ZURAINI BINTI ALI MUSA - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARAIKAT IQ SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
24. KOMANDER YAACOB - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT IQ SECURITY SERVICESSDN BHD
25. ADANAN BIN DIN - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT IQ SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
26. AZMAN BIN DIN - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
27. HASSAN BIN MAT - ADIK SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
28. MOHD. MUKREEK B. MAHZAN - PEKERJA DI SYARIKAT SUPT JAAFAR
- ANAK KEPADA KAWAN ISTERI SUPT JAAFAR BIN MAT
- PENGARAH DI SYARIKAT ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
29. DATO’ MOHD. YUSOFF BIN HAMID - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- SEPUPU KEPADA BAPA AZMAN B. DIN
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT ASAS SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
30. MUHAMMAD SYAHRIL BIN ABU BAKAR - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT SASA SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
- CONSULTANT SEMUA SYARIKAT SUPT JAAFAR (JA GROUP)
31. JAMALUDDIN - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT SASA SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
32. KOL. (B) MUSTAPHA BIN ISMAIL - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- BEKAS PEGAWAI TENTERA
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
33. MOHD. NURZAWANI BIN ABU BAKAR - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
34. MD. BAITI BIN SAIDIN - KAWAN SUPT JAAFAR
- BEKAS ANGGOTA POLIS
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYARIKAT QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
- PROKSI LELAP
35. NURZAIHA BINTI IDRIS - PEKERJA DAN JIRAN SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH & PEMEGANG SAHAM SYKT QUALITY GUARD SERVICES SDN BHD
36. SITI NOORHAZLIANA BINTI ABU BAKAR - ANAK SAUDARA SUPT JAAFAR
- PENGARAH DAN PEMEGANG SAHAM SYKT INLAND SECURITY SERVICES SDN BHD
- BEKERJA DI SYKT SUPT JAAFAR
Laporan National Review ada memetik ucapan Dato’ Sri Najib Razak di Turki yang dikatakan sarat dengan prasangka buruk terhadap ulama terkemuka Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi dan Ikhwanul Muslimin. Perdana Menteri dilaporkan menggesa agar Ikhwanul Muslimin disisihkan dari agenda Perubahan di Mesir kerana masih terlibat dengan keganasan. Pendapat seperti ini malahan dikritik oleh pelbagai institusi dan intelektual. Dunia kini menggesa agar Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah untuk tuntas bekerjasama dengan Ikhwan.
Saya terpanggil untuk menegur Perdana Menteri kerana pandangan sebegini jelas dianggap terpencil dan mewakili pandangan dasar luar ektrem kanan di Amerika Syarikat. Adakah ini sebahagian dari agenda syarikat penasihat demi membaiki imej Dato’ Sri Najib di Amerika Syarikat?
Kenyataan terbaru Najib Razak juga membuka pekung kecurigaaan pemimpin tersebut terhadap ulama dan gerakan Islam seluruh dunia yang kini kian giat menyertai proses demokratisasi. Sekiranya Perdana Menteri mempunyai kebimbangan terhadap sosok seperti Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, mengapa anugerahkan beliau Tokoh Maal Hijrah Kebangsaan tahun 2009/1431? Sekiranya terbukti benar Najib Razak melemparkan fitnah terhadap Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, saya menuntut Perdana Menteri agar segera memohon maaf dari ulama tersebut.
(Asia Sentinel) Most Asian nations carry discriminatory laws, UN program finds
The vast majority of countries in the Asia-Pacific region still have laws on the books obstructing the rights of people living with HIV and populations at higher risk of HIV exposure, according to a United Nations-sponsored conference in Bangkok last week.
Community advocates and law- and policymakers joined experts from the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, an independent body comprising some of the world's most respected legal, human right and HIV leaders, on Feb. 17. The participants discussed and debated region-wide experiences of restrictive and enabling legal and social environments faced by the key affected populations in the Asia-Pacific region, including people living with HIV. It was the first in a series of regional debates to be held across the world this year.
The law often brings overwhelming obstacles to the most vulnerable groups, said Jon Ungphakorn, a Thai social activist, former Senator for Bangkok and Commissioner of the Global Council on HIV and the Law. "The criminalization of men who have sex with men and drug users prevents them from getting access to methods for HIV prevention and care. In many countries, drug users are not separated from drug dealers, facing very high penalties," he mentioned as examples.
"In Thailand we have access to antiretroviral drugs, but it is not universal. Migrant workers and refugees don't have that access. Prisoners have access but only if they are Thai," Ungphakorn explained, emphasizing that prisons often lack health systems and mentioning a survey that showed that the HIV rate is much higher among those leaving prisons than those who enter them. "Prison is a place where they get HIV, and that is true for many countries."
The regional debate focused not solely on laws but on legal issues in general. "In fact there was a very strong message from the participants that it is not just about the law, but also on how it is applied. Law enforcement and obstacles in access to justice continue to be a problem and can increase the risk and vulnerability of people," Mandeep Dhaliwal, Cluster Leader HIV, Health, Human Rights and Governance at UNDP told Citizen News Service (CNS).
Other strong messages included the problems of criminalization and issues regarding mandatory testing. "There were many examples of good practices too, like judgments of courts which now need to get translated into meaningful change for affected communities," said Dhaliwal, who is member of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law's Technical Advisory Group.
"We definitely got a good picture of what happens and needs to be done in this region," she said. "And part of the process of the regional debates is to create mobilization, to catalyze actions. A lot of legislators talked about what they were going to do now. We need to address issues of the law with the same vigor we have for prevention and treatment issues. There still is a profound lack of awareness on the effect that laws can have on people living with HIV and those most vulnerable to it."
Six more dialogues are to follow in different regions of the world in the coming months. The Global Commission on HIV and the Law was launched in June 2010 by the United Nations Development Program, on behalf of UNAIDS, to analyze the most critical legal and human rights challenges of the HIV epidemic and recommend remedial policies. Its findings and recommendations will be announced in December.
The author writes for Citizen News Service (CNS) and is based in Thailand. Email: babs@citizen-news.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , website: www.citizen-news.org
Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, has said in a speech on Libyan state television that al-Qaeda is responsible for the uprising in Libya.
"It is obvious now that this issue is run by al-Qaeda," he said, speaking by phone from an unspecified location on Thursday.
He said that the protesters were young people who were being manipulated by al-Qaeda's Osama bin Laden, and that many were doing so under the influence of drugs.
"No one above the age of 20 would actually take part in these events," he said. "They are taking advantage of the young age of these people [to commit violent acts] because they are not legally liable!"
At the same time, the leader warned that those behind the unrest would be prosecuted in the country's courts.
He called on Libyan parents to keep their children at home.
"How can you justify such misbehaviour from people who live in good neighbourhoods?" he asked.
The situation in Libya was different to Egypt or Tunisia he said, arguing that unlike people in the neighbouring countries, Libyans have "no reason to complain whatsoever".
Libyans had easy access to low interest loans and cheap daily commodities, he argued. The one reform he did hint might be possible was a raise in salaries.
Mustafa Abdel Galil, who resigned three days ago from his post as the country's justice minister, spoke to Al Jazeera at a meeting of tribal leaders and representatives of eastern Libya in the city of Al Baida.
"We want one country. There is no Islamic emirate or al-Qaeda anywhere. Our only aim is to liberate Libya from this regime and then people choose the government they want." the former minister said.
He warned that Gaddafi has biological and chemical weapons, and will not hesitate to use them.
The United Nation's Human Rights Council will decide whether it will send an international team to investigate the alleged violations of international human rights law in Libya at a meeting in Geneva on Friday.
'Symbolic' leader
Gaddafi argued that he was a purely "symbolic" leader with no real political power, comparing his role to that played by Queen Elizabeth II in England.
He also warned that the protests could cut off Libya oil production. "If [the protesters] do not go to work regularly, the flow of oil will stop," he said.
Ibrahim Jibreel, a Libyan political activist, said that the fact that Gaddafi was speaking by phone showed that he did not have the courage to appear publically, and proved that he remained "under self-imposed house arrest in Tripoli".
He said there were similarities between Thursday's speech and one Gaddafi gave earlier in the week.
Jibreel noted Gaddafi's reference to loans and that he would reconsider salaries. "I think that there [are] some concessions that he wants to make, in his own weird way," he said.
Struggling
Gaddafi is struggling to maintain his authority in the country, as major swathes of territory in the east of the vast North African country now appear to be under the control of pro-democracy protesters.
Multiple witnesses told Al Jazeera that protesters were being shot at in the town of Az Zawiyah for much of Thursday by a Libyan army unit led by Gaddafi's ally, Naji Shifsha.
Az Zawiyah lies on the Mediteranian coast, a few kilometres to the west of Tripoli - where Gaddafi is believed to be hiding. The port town houses the country's largest oil refinery.
Ali, an eyewitness to the shooting, told Al Jazeera by phone that soldiers began shooting at peaceful protesters on Martyrs' Square with heavy artillery at around 6am and had continued for 5 hours.
"They were trying to kill the people, not terrify them," he said, explaining that the soldiers had aimed at the protesters' heads and chests.
He estimated as many as 100 protesters had been killed. Approximately 400 people had been injured and were now in the town's hospital. He said he had filmed the bodies after the shooting had stopped, but was unable to send the footage because internet access has been cut off.
In his speech, Gaddafi refered specifically to the protesters in Az Zawiyah, claiming they had been infiltrated by al-Qaeda.
Yet the protesters said they were protesting peaceful protest, and that their demands had nothing to do with al-Qaeda.
"The people here didn't ask for anything, they just asked for a constitution and democracy and freedom, [the protesters] didn't want to shoot anyone," he said.
Gunfire could be heard in the background as Ali spoke, and he said the protesters were expecting the soldiers to launch another direct attack on Martyrs' Square later in the evening.
Despite the risk of more shooting, he said he and the other protesters would continue their protest, even if it cost their lives.
Also on Thursday, the army unit blasted the minaret of a mosque being occupied by protesters in Az Zawiyah, according to witnesses.
According to witnesses, pro-Gaddafi forces took control of Misrata late on Thursday after evicting forces loyal to leader Muammar Gaddafi from the Mediterranean coastal city, prompting street celebrations, a witness said.
They told Al Jazeera that "revolutionaries had driven out the security forces", who had used "heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft guns".
Resident Mohamed Senoussi, 41, said protesters had overcome the security forces and taken full control of Misrata, about 200 km (125 miles) east of Tripoli, after a "fierce battle" near its airport.
"Calm returned to the city around four hours ago after intense fighting in the morning ... The people's spirits here are high, they are celebrating and chanting 'God is Greatest'," he told Reuters by telephone.
They said the pro-Gaddafi forces were called the "Hamza brigade".
Similar clashes have also been reported in the cities of Sabha in the south, and Sabratha, near Tripoli, which is in the west.
Anti-government protesters appeared to be in control of the country's eastern coastline, running from the Egyptian border through to the cities of Tobruk and Benghazi, the country's second largest city.
Gaddafi is fast losing the support of his inner circle. His cousin, the country's ambassador to Jordan and a close aide in Egypt all resigned on Thursday.
Ahmed Gadhaf al-Dam, one of Gaddafi's top security official and a cousin, defected on Wednesday evening, saying in a statement issued by his Cairo office that he left the country "in protest and to show disagreement" with "grave violations to human rights and human and international laws".
Al-Dam was travelling to Syria from Cairo on a private plane, sources told Al Jazeera. He denied allegations that he was asked to recruit Egyptian tribes on the border to fight in Libya and said he went to Egypt in protest against his government's used of violence.
Communications blocked
Libyan authorities are working hard to prevent news of the events in the country from reaching the outside world.
Thuraya, a satellite phone provider based in the United Arab Emirates, has faced continuous "deliberate inference" to its services in Libya, the company's CEO told Al Jazeera.
Samer Halawi, the company's CEO, said his company will be taking legal action against the Libyan authorities for the jamming of its satellite.
"This is unlawful and this in uncalled for," he said.
The company's engineers have had some success in combating the jamming, and operations were back on almost 70 per cent of the Libyan territory on Thursday, Halawi said. The blocking was coming from a location in Tripoli.
The Libyan government has blocked landline and wireless communications, to varying degrees, in recent days.
Some phone services were down again on Thursday. In the town of Az Zawiyah, phone lines were working but internet access was blocked.
Nazanine Moshri, reporting from the northern side of the Tunisian-Libyan border near the town of Ras Ajdir, said that security forces were confiscating cellphones and cameras from people crossing into Tunisia.
"The most important thing to them is to not allow any footage to get across the border into Tunisia," she reported.
Capital paralysed
Tripoli, the Libyan capital, meanwhile, is said to be virtually locked down, and streets remained mostly deserted, even though Gaddafi had called for his supporters to come out in force on Wednesday and "cleanse" the country from the anti-government demonstrators.
Witnesses in Tripoli have told Reuters that uniformed police were directing traffic as usual, state television was broadcasting and pro-Gaddafi supporters held a rally in the city.
Libyan authorities said food supplies were available as "normal" in the shops and urged schools and public services to restore regular services, although economic activity and banks have been paralysed since Tuesday.
London-based newspaper the Independent reported, however, that petrol and food prices in the capital have trebled as a result of serious shortages.
Foreign governments, meanwhile, continue to rush to evacuate their citizens, with thousands flooding to the country's borders with Tunisia and Egypt.
(New York, February 25, 2011) – Malaysia’s home affairs minister should overturn a decision by local police to deny a permit for the Solidarity March Against Racism sponsored by two ethnic Indian rights groups, Human Rights Watch said today. On February 24, 2011, the Dang Wangi police rejected a formal request made on February 11 by W. Sambulingam, national coordinator of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), to permit the march.
“Malaysian government opposition to peaceful marches results in three big losers: the rights to free expression, freedom of association, and peaceful assembly,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The home affairs minister should respect Malaysia’s international legal obligations and permit the march to proceed, and the organizers should ensure that the march is orderly and peaceful.”
The February 27 march is in reaction to a government decision to assign the novelInterlokas a literature textbook for fifth form students, most in their late teens, in some public schools. The novel by Abdullah Hussain, first published in 1971 and revised in 2010, involves relations among ethnic Malays, Chinese, and Indians from the early 1900s through 1957. Members of the Indian community contend that the book disparages Indians and contributes to ethnic tensions and discrimination in educational and employment opportunities for ethnic Indian Malaysians.
The anticipated route for the march is from Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Petronas Towers to the Dang Wangi police station, where participants will attempt to lodge complaints against the prime minister and the government. Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Husseinearlier had said that Hindraf would not get a police permit to march.
“They are an illegal and banned movement,” he said. “They don’t havelocus standi[legal standing] in asking for a permit.”
The government banned the group after a demonstration in 2007. The Hindu Rights Party (HRP) has applied for registration, which is pending.
The government has already cracked down on the HRP's right to peaceful assembly. On February 13, two weeks before the scheduled march, HRP initiated a grassroots information and recruitment drive in several Malaysian states, dispatching convoys of cars loaded with activists wearing the group’s distinctive orange T-shirts and carrying posters, banners,and assorted promotional materials to various locales. Police stopped the convoys at roadblocks and diverted participants to police stations, where many were detained.
The police arrested at least 59 people on various grounds. In one instance, participants were held for driving in a convoy without a permit. In other instances, police charged the activists with illegal assembly, interference with on-duty officers, obstructing traffic, and moving in a large group in a busy area. Some participants, held overnight, were offered their freedom if they gave up their orange T-shirts, but when it became clear they would not do so, they were released on bail.
On February 20, police in three locations broke up HRP forums designed to explain the group’s concerns about certain issues and to continue membership recruitment. The police claimed that permission to hold the forums had been denied. HRP leaders were among some 59 arrested. Ultimately all were released on bail. In a further pre-emptive move, M. Gobalakrishnan, the person named on fliers as the contact for further information in Hulu Selangor, was picked up at his home by six plainclothes officers hours before the local meeting was to begin and arrested. Police also sealed off the forum site. Gobalakrishnan has since been released.
In November 2007, between 10,000 and 30,000 people participated in the first Hindraf-organized demonstration. The prime minister at that time, Abdullah Badawi, reportedly said that Hindraf leaders undermined national security by threatening racial and religious harmony. Following the protest, the government detained five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and banned Hindraf. The HRP’s application for registration, though pending with the Registrar of Societies, will likely face significant difficulties because of its association with Hindraf.
“The Malaysian government’s commitment to diversity and development is betrayed when it refuses to permit peaceful criticism of its policies and programs,” Robertson said. “Banning this march makes a mockery of the principles the government pledged to uphold when it assumed its seat on the United Nation’s Human Rights Council.”
For more information, please contact:
In London, Brad Adams (English): +44-20-7713-2767; or +44-7908-728-333 (mobile)
In New York, Mickey Spiegel (English): +1-212-216-1229; or +1-917-968-9937 (mobile)
In Bangkok, Phil Robertson (English, Thai): +66-85-060-8406 (mobile)
In Washington, DC, Sophie Richardson (English, Mandarin): +1-202-612-4341; or +1-917-721-7473 (mobile)
PM: Don’t use violence in Libya (NST headlines 24/2/2011) Similarly Najib Razak must order non violence on Hindraf/HRP peaceful Rally on 27/2/2011 @ KLCC at 9.00a.m.
Hindraf and HRP after 50 years of independence and just before the 25th November 2007 Rally forwarded their Hindraf 18 point demands with particular regards to the Indian poor. But save and except for some cosmetic or wayang kulit showtime mainstream media especially in the three Tamil dailies propaganda, very little has been done to alleviate the 70% of the Malaysian Indians who are living in poverty , hardcore poor and poor Malaysian Indian pain sufferings and the mysery inflicted on them on a day to day basis from womb to tomb by the racist UMNO regime of One Malay-sia.
The latest wayang kulit by UMNO is the UMNO media propaganda last week of supposedly registering thousands from the estimated 450,000 stateless even fifth and sixth generation Malaysian born ethnic Indians. Our question is this supposed registration exercise has been ongoing scores of times in over the last 54 years. But where is the hard results published in the Tamil dailies and the website of the racist UMNO Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara and the Home Ministry of the thousands of these Indian poor being “granted” their Birth Certificates, Identity Cards and Citizenship. Because these thousands were rejected simply because the victims are the defenseless Indian poor.
This example is just the tip of the iceberg of the UMNO regime’s racism and religious supremacy targetted against especially the Indian poor.
Today we have moved beyond the Interlok issue and are up against UMNO racism in the supposed One Malay-sia, the world’s most racist regime by way of our peaceful and non violent Hindraf/HRP Rally on the 27th February 2011.
We hereby call upon Prime Minister Najib Razak to similarly order police not to use force or violence at this peaceful rally as per the Prime Minister’s call to the Libyan President Ghaddafi as reported in today’s headlines in the New Straits Times!! ‘Don’t use violence’ Gaddafi should heed people’s aspirations, says Najib. (NST 24/2/2011 headlines).
Thank You.
Yours Faithfully,
_____________
P.Uthayakumar
Secretary General (pro tem)
Cornered Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Masing maybe making a calculated move soon.
KUCHING: Allegedly “bullied and ignored” by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, State Land Development Minister James Masing, who has faithfully waited in the wings, is now, it appears, prepared to go his way, with or without Barisan Nasional, if forced to accept Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng.
Masing, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, made a covert visit to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently, causing much discomfort among Taib’s Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) party.
They know Masing had gone behind Taib’s back and complained to Najib about Taib’s interference in PRS internal matters.
PRS secretary-general Wilfred Nissom, however, said the meeting with Najib was about the seat allocation for the party.
“The delegation went to seek the prime minister’s agreement on the allocation of seats which will be honoured,” Nissom said, adding that Sng’s case did not arise as he was no longer a member of the party.
But the visit by PRS is certain to worsen the relationship between the BN coalition parties.
Masing, however, is unfazed because he knows Kuala Lumpur (KL) also does not like Taib.
In fact, according to insiders, the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in KL wants Taib to step down before the state election.
“KL wants to regain the confidence of the Chinese. Taib is in the way.
“This time Taib is a liability to KL. He carries with him too many issues going into the election… he’s become an embarrassment,” said the insider, referring to a horde of police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) reports and allegations of corruption, abuse of power and cronyism being labelled against Taib.
(The latest came on Monday when the Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund released a blacklist of 49-companies in eight countries which were linked to Taib. His own company Cahaya Mata Sarawak allegedly hold monopoly over projects in the state.)
So Masing is seen to be taking advantage of the federal government’s dislike of Taib.
Powerless Masing
Masing is perhaps the only Dayak leader who has dared to speak up on issues.
Several months ago, he blamed the massive logjam, described as an ecological disaster, on over-logging in the upper reaches of Batang Baleh.
But Taib’s defenders chided Masing and instead blamed the logjam on the weather.
Then Masing, defending himself against allegations of doing nothing to help resolve land grab issues, said he had “no power” to deal with native customary rights (NCR) land issues despite being land development minister.
The “power” was in Taib’s hand.
Masing had also said even Sarawak Land Consolidation Rehabilitation Authority’s (Salcra) oil palm plantations, supposedly to help the natives to eradicate poverty, is under Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu’s State Rural Development Ministry.
Several applications by possible investors for the development of NCR land under a new concept devised by Masing’s ministry have also been delayed for more than three years because the decision laid in Taib’s hands.
Many would-be investors are also irked by the delay because the deposit of about RM5 million as required by the government for each application for an oil palm plantation could have earned them some interests had it been deposited in a bank.
But now the money is idle.
Raising these issues along with other matters like recruiting Dayaks into the state civil service, promotions in the civil service, and appointments into government-linked companies has not endeared Masing to Taib or his lieutenants in PBB.
Still suspicious
If anything at all, the strain between PBB and PRS, which sees itself as the leading party for Dayaks
in Sarawak, is beginning to show.
PRS is considered “a threat to PBB” during the runup to the 2006 state election when some of Masing’s proposed candidates were dropped and replaced by PBB-inclined candidates.
At the time, PRS had submitted Lantak Amin as the candidate for Balai Ringin, but Taib dropped her and instead nominated Snowdan Lawan, whose father was an active member of PBB.
A similar situation arose during the 2008 parliamentary selection. This time, Masing’s candidates for Sri Aman and Lubok Antu were replaced with PBB’s Masir Kujat and William Nyalau Badak respectively.
Both of them were strong supporters of Jabu, who is PBB deputy president.
If Masing has moved on, Taib, it appears, hasn’t.
According to a PBB insider, Taib is still suspicious of Masing, who had tried, unsuccessfully, to topple him during the 1991 state election through “Project Ketua Menteri 92” .
“Taib remembers all these situations well. He knows what Masing did to try and topple him… it was a long time ago and Masing has been waiting since.
“Personally, I think it is time for Masing to come out. Jabu is not chief minister material. People prefer Masing to Jabu and Taib knows this too.
“And Masing, whatever is said, will know how to be grateful to Taib when the time comes,” said the insider.
Rosmah has very clearly got her priorities all mixed up as the wife of the most powerful man in the country.
While Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor regaled her foreign “first ladies” at a lavish “First Ladies Summit” in October last year, the Penan Support Group (PSG), a coalition of 36 NGOs in Malaysia, put up a page on Facebook under the name “Penan Support Group Education”, calling for funds to set up pre-schools in the interior of Sarawak for the underprivileged Penan children.
Ironically, Rosmah’s First Ladies Summit was themed “A Child Today A Leader Tomorrow”, which, however, made no contribution to the much needy rural children back home. Only Rosmah’s pet project Permata, an outfit to groom gifted children, was deemed needy of funds, hence the RM100 million allocation under the 2010 Budget, which she claimed was “a recognition of the importance of early childcare and education in Malaysia”.
While Rosmah went all out to promote her “First Ladies Summit”, the Penan women kept their fingers crossed hoping that Rosmah, being a woman, would understand their pain of being sexually abused by the timber loggers. She never did.
After the “powers that be” refused to help the Penan women fight for justice, three Sarawakian women activists decided to turn to Rosmah for help. They handed her a petition seeking support in ensuring the Penan girls and women receive justice. Until today, this so-called “first lady” has not shown any interest or commitment in lending a helping hand to the girls and women of Penan.
Rosmah has put it on record that under the plan to empower the Permata programme nationwide this year, national childcare centres will be set up in three parliamentary constituencies in all states except Terengganu and Sarawak.
Despite Rosmah’s glaring indifference to the plight of the children, girls and women of Sarawak, the state found her worthy of the “Datuk Amar Bintang Kenyalang” award, conferred by Sarawak governor, Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng, in conjunction with his 89th birthday. She was the sole recipient of this award which carries the title “Datuk Amar”.
Just how did the governor decide Rosmah was the most deserving recipient? Was it politically motivated, as the people think it is?
And now, it is the mayor of Ankara who, impressed with her social work, decided to award Rosmah Turkey’s prestigious “Award of Social Responsibility”.
Ankara’s mayor Melih Gokcheh justified Rosmah as the deserving recipient saying her “continuous and active participation in social activities was admired by the Greater Ankara Municipality”.
“Her presence in extending a helping hand, as well as trying to put a smile on those encountering social, economic, environmental and health problems, was not only playing a great importance in establishing social balance but also producing social benefits,” Gokcheh had said.
The people of Malaysia, however, beg to differ. Where was Rosmah when the Penan women and girls in Sarawak, deprived of justice, turned to her for help? These women and girls have for years been sexually violated by timber loggers who encroached into lands which shelter the Penan tribal community.
No authority, be it the police, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry or Malaysia’s human rights body Suhakam came to the aid of the Penan women and girls. This despite the rape allegations being proven true by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s Taskforce Report, set up by the ministry and headed by Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
To add insult to their troubles, it was claimed that the Penan women are good at making up stories of having being raped by the loggers. And Rosmah was and is still quiet, while these women continue to cry for justice.
That being the case, is the award from Turkey which was conferred on Rosmah in conjunction with its International Women’s Day celebration next month a truly deserving one?
Awards are meaningless
In April 2010, the Business Council for International Understanding conferred on Rosmah the International Peace and Harmony Award in New York. But the affair raked up controversy when Rosmah appeared in a two-full page advertisement in the New York Times, costing thousands of US dollars.
The newspaper had said that the advertisement was placed by an advertisement agency on behalf of the Malaysian government. The NYT never disclosed the cost of the advertisement but, according to some calculations, full-page ads placed in the newspaper are priced between US$180,000 and US$230,000. That would amount to between RM580,000 and RM740,000 for a one-page ad.
In Rosmah’s case, the April 16, 2010 congratulatory ad was a two-page colour spread that would have cost a fortune.
Perhaps in future more such awards will come her way. What, however, remains a mystery is on what basis are those awards given out to Rosmah? Is is by virtue of her being the premier’s wife?
The mayor of Ankara has such good words to say about Rosmah’s contribution in helping those in need. It is hoped she lives up to those words.
For now, the 59-year-old Rosmah’s commitment is to continue emptying the nation’s coffers in organising the biennial First Ladies Summit, to be held next year in Kuala Lumpur. Her debut summit last year emptied RM24 million from the nation’s purse and the people are left wondering how much more deeper will she dig into the taxpayers’ pockets to fund the second summit.
Awards should reflect dedication
Awards are given out to recognise a recipient’s dedication to a cause. In Rosmah’s case, that has yet to happen.
She has never been transparent on how the RM100 million budgeted to Permata is put to use. Rosmah, during the 2010 summit, said the future of a child is “shaped” but then what has she done to help shape the future of the rural children of Sarawak?
She is well aware of the need for pre-schools in the interiors of Sarawak yet Rosmah has declined to help the rural children there. Nor does she find it worth her while setting up Permata centres in Sarawak. And yet mayor Gokcheh finds her work inpressive and inspiring.
Why the discrimination, Rosmah? Is she not familiar with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which says no one child must be left out at the expense of another?
Calling the shots
Rosmah, who is also the patron of Malaysian AIDS Council, was once compared with former United
States president Bill Clinton’s wife Hillary Clinton, who was said to be the one wearing the pants. Rosmah had then replied, “No, I am not going to be a Hillary Clinton. As the first lady, I can comment on other things but I do not want to get involved in politics and governing the country.” That was on July 8, 2009.
Barely four years after husband Najib took over as prime minister, Rosmah’s pet project Permata was given a budget of RM150 million, with Rosmah declaring 300 centres coming up nationwide.
It was also Rosmah who promised to build a Permata centre for the people of Hulu Selangor should Barisan Nasional win the parliamentary seat in the by-election held in April last year. BN did win and until today there is no sight of any such centre as promised. Rosmah’s excuse for the no-show is that a suitable piece of land has yet to be found.
How did Rosmah acquire the gumption to make such promises to the people of Hulu Selangor? Is she not meddling in the country’s administrative affairs?
Rosmah has very clearly got her priorities all mixed up. Her only focus is on Permata and the First Ladies Summit. So much so that she thought it was such a big deal to personally hand over the declaration to United Nations secretary-general Ban Kim- moon. Rosmah conveniently ignored the plights of the Penan girls and women and the rural children who have no pre-schools at their disposal.
A father and son, who were bashed by thugs, are wondering why police have not initiated an investigation.
KUCHING: Nine days after Minggat anak Nyakin and his son Juan were attacked at a timber log pond at Sungai Rusa in Sarikei Division, their families and relatives are wondering why the authorities have not taken any action against their attackers.
According to Sarawak Native Landowners Network (Tahabas) spokesman Bernard Nyumbang Anank Barau, there has also been no police investigation into the alleged illegal logging activities.
“The family members will lodge a report with the Malaysian-Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) against the police within 14 days, if the police don’t act against the attackers.
“The family members will also try to get legal help against the company,” said Nyumbang.
He added that a recent check at the log pond showed no sign of activities.
“There seems to be no activities at the log pond now, but this may only be a misleading and temporary reprieve.
“It is believed that the loggers will resume their activities since no investigation is done,” he said.
Both Minggat and his son were released from the hospital on Feb 19 and went home after their statements were recorded by the police.
They are no longer under police custody.
But, according to Minggat, a car used by his other son to rescue him from the log pond is being held at the Sarikei police station.
He does not know why the police are holding back the car.
Minggat, who had heard about the near bloody encounter between 200 longhouse folk in Ulu Niah and 100 armed gangsters, has urged the police in Sarekei Division to take the cases seriously and act efficiently.
Juan knows who hit Minggat on the head which resulted in a four stitches. Juan also knows who landed the first blow on him.
The father and son were attacked on Feb 14 when they went to investigate the alleged illegal logging activities on their land.
They had previously reported the matter to the relevant authorities including the police, but their reports fell on deaf ears.
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
(Asia Sentinel) Most Asian nations carry discriminatory laws, UN program finds![Najib-MsianFlagbg-450[1]](http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/NajibMsianFlagbg45011.jpg "Najib-MsianFlagbg-450[1]")
