Foreign lawyers not welcomed in M'sia (Malaysiakini)

'If the Malaysian government has nothing to fear, why deport foreign lawyers who are here in the country to meet their clients?'

British lawyer deported over Hindraf lawsuit

Dr Suresh Kumar: In my view, the deportation of British lawyer Imran Khan can be best concluded as a 'blessing in disguise' so to speak.

If the Malaysian government had nothing to hide, it would not have committed such a shameful and deplorable act against a human rights lawyer. As a matter of fact, the Malaysian government has breached the lawyer's right to meet his clients as well as the rights of his clients to meet their lawyer.

Now the British government can take cognisance of what this class-action suit is all about. This insane decision by the Malaysian government to deport Khan, who is allegedly a security threat, is totally ridiculous and shameful. It speaks volumes of the government's fear to face reality in today's borderless world.

No one, can stifle the voices of truth and justice. Not even the great Lord Shiva, who taught us that truth should be spoken, no matter who you face or what you may face. You cheat the weak and the defenseless, sooner or later you will pay a hefty price for it.

Hindraf/HRP need not have links with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) as the government stupidly accused. They have brains and the power of the pen to take on Umno or any other political party, which may want to play political games with the lives of the Indian poor.

Anticommunalist: The deportation proves a lot of things. One, the Malaysian government has lot to hide from the world.

Two, the fact that British lawyer Imran Khan was deported shows that he is no ordinary lawyer and one that the government fears.

Hence, this is not some kind of a 'wayang kulit' show by Hindraf, but a serious attempt to get to the bottom of the root causes of discrimination against the minorities in this country by the racist Umno government since independence.

Rohan: Not many have the guts to do these things. Hindraf has proven time and again that they are fearless and would confront injustice head on.

Their lawyer is equally the same. He did not hide his reasons as to why he was coming to Malaysia. He was upfront but these Umno immigration had to take instructions from their masters. It is plainly clear that they fear Hindraf and their lawyer.

I believe Hindraf have thousands of documents to prove Umno's deceit from the time of independence.

Dood: If the Malaysian government has nothing to fear, why deport foreign lawyers who are here in the country to meet their clients? How shameful.

Solaris: It may seem to some that Hindraf is approaching the issue of Indian marginalisation incorrectly and that the only alternative is to vote for the opposition, but this is getting quite tiresome, irritating and passe.

To me, it looks like Hindraf is attempting to address the problem at its root cause and being quite rational and methodical in its approach. Otherwise, it would not have been called a "fact-finding mission".

As for Lover Boy, who said that "Malaysia has no bones with these people but it is the British who made the request that these chaps are to be deported," why then did the British Foreign office and its embassy in Kuala Lumpur try to intervene on behalf of Imran?

Anonymous: Hindraf took a calculated risks. The fact that Umno deported a lawyer shows they fear Hindraf and their class action. This case would truly open a whole lot of Umno rubbish and mind you, it would be known internationally.

Khairuddin Mohd Yusof: At least, Hindraf has shone the spotlight on the mistreatment of Indians at the hands of the powers-that-be.

Sadly, racism seems to be very much part of life in Malaysia. The excuse given by BN is 'ketuanan', while Pakatan Rakyat's multiracial approach means Chinese and Malays only.

Both show indifference towards the plight of the Indians. Sad situation indeed.

Anonymous2: In 2007, Hindraf went to the British High Commission to hand over a petition and they were attacked and hundreds arrested.

Now their lawyer, who came to meet them, was deported. What nonsense is this? I hope our opposition MPs would raise this gross human rights violations in Parliament.

Do not use yoga for an easier fast, cleric says

ANKARA, The intention of trying to prevent hunger and thirst is against the Islamic spirit, according to Religious Affairs Directorate Supreme Board member Altuntaş.

 

The Religious Affairs Directorate has severely criticized people who have resorted to yoga to lessen the intense feeling of hunger and thirst while fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

The intention of trying to prevent hunger and thirst is against the Islamic spirit, Religious Affairs Directorate Supreme Board member and associate professor Dr. Halil Altuntaş said.

According to some experts, yoga can be used to increase body resistance against hunger and thirst through pranayama (respiration) and pratyahara (sense control), as well as prevent tension caused by fasting.

Altuntaş also noted the “different religious beliefs” behind yoga’s philosophy, Radikal reported while emphasizing that hunger and thirst were among the main reasons and aims of fasting. “In this way, humans think of Allah, who provides food, and empathize with those who can not find it as easily. What is the point of not eating or drinking without feeling all of this?” he asked.

Stating that fasting without going through any difficulty was against Islam, Altuntaş said: “Foreign trends seeking acceptance from Muslims are trying to [penetrate into society] using Islam. Do not give credit to it.”

The Chosen Ones

Tsu Koon slams Ezam’s ‘jihad’ threats

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 – Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon slammed today his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleague Umno Senator Ezam Mohd Nor’s threat to wage war against those who try to proselytise Muslims.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in National Unity and Performance Management said in a statement that Ezam’s threats had sent out the wrong message and could damage the coalition’s reputation.

“Senator Ezam Nor’s open threat to burn two online news portals (Malaysia Kini and Malaysian Insider) is uncalled for, unwarranted and unacceptable, further fanning emotions in the controversy arising out of JAIS’ (Selangor Islamic Affairs Department) action against DUMC (Damansara Utama Methodist Church),” Koh (picture) said.

The Gerakan party president said Ezam has his right to express his views about defending Islam and his concern about alleged proselytisation of Muslims which is now being investigated.

“If he thinks that reports in the online news portals were not correct and proper, he should present cogent arguments against them, present relevant facts and solid evidence, or even take legal action.

“Unfortunately, instead of using his intellect and influence to argue and counter whatever he did not agree with, he allowed himself to be overtaken by emotions and sentiments which have evoked negative reaction of others,” Koh said.

Ezam vowed yesterday to wage war against those who try to proselytise Muslims, in a highly-charged assembly where he also defended the state Islamic religious authorities’ raid on a dinner at a church last week.

The former PKR leader and a group of demonstrators rallied after Friday prayers here in support of the Jais over its raid at the DUMC in Petaling Jaya on August 3. Among those present was Kulim MP Zulkifli Noordin.

“Those who are rude to Islam, Allah, Quran, we have no choice but to wage a war to defend our religion,” Ezam told the crowd under the newly-organised Gerakan Cegah Murtad group.

Ezam also warned the media of what he described as false reporting against Islam, citing Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider.

“If you don’t stop all this rubbish, we will go and burn you down,” he threatened the online news portals.
Ezam said the issue was not with religion itself.

“We have problems with those who insult our religion and try to proselytise Muslims, We have problems with Muslims themselves, who insult our religion and support the proselytising of Muslims,” he said.

By issuing such threats of violence, Koh said Ezam has gone “overboard”, and damaged, not only his own image as a senator but also that of the organisations he represents.

“Malaysians have been known for our commitment to and practice of moderation, inclusiveness, social cohesion and harmony.  1Malaysia as promoted by our prime minister is meant to further enhance this commitment and to promote understanding and unity.

“In the spirit of 1Malaysia, leaders must talk and act with a strong sense of responsibility and restraint and help to resolve any inter-ethnic and inter-religious misunderstanding, controversy or conflict, but not to add more fuel to the fire,” Koh said.

Indian residents in Serendah have given MIC Youth deputy chief and a temple chairman one week to explain, failing which, they will take the matter to MACC.

HULU SELANGOR: A group of vexed Serendah residents have urged a local MIC leader and a temple committee to reveal the mystery behind the Serendah Hindu crematorium contract.

The Serendah Indian Community Association last month lodged a police report alleging that MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilan worked in cahoots with certain office bearers of the Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple to take out RM400,000 from a RM2 million fund without authorisation.

The association claimed that the RM400,000 had been withdrawn from the fund without any announcement by the temple committee.

However, Mugilan denied the allegation and lodged a police report against the association’s president and FMT.

Mugilan claimed that the crematorium project was his “brainchild” and the temple committee appointed him as coordinator for the project.

According to him, he was not aware about the dealing between the temple committee and contractor despite Mugilan telling FMT that RM400,000 was used to pay a deposit to the contractor for the project and the amount represented 20% of the cost.

‘Explain, or we go to MACC’

Speaking to FMT, the association’s president K Sathiaseelan said Serendah residents were fed up and angry with Mugilan, after they learned that the latter and the temple committee decided to return the fund to the government.

“This is strange. When people raise questions, Mugilan and the temple committee chairman should answer the questions, not return the money,” he said.

He pointed out that the money was given for the Indian community in Serendah.

“So how come Mugilan and the temple chairman have the ultimate power to return the money without the residents’ knowledge?” he asked, adding that he suspected something was amiss.

“We will give one week to Mugilan and the temple chairman to explain the details of the contracts. If they fail to do so, we will file a complaint with MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission),” he said.
Despite numerous attempts, Mugilan could not be reached for comment.

Profusion of Ah Longs a sign of economic woes

All so-called anti-poverty actions are just ad-hoc programs. Solve this and this, and wait for the next one to surface! The government is confused because it doesn’t have the financial capability to solve the problem and it doesn’t understand all the factors affecting the economy.
 
By Daniel John Jambun  

The decision by the Government Employees Co-operative Society Berhad (Kopeks) recently to settle debts owed by its members to Ah Longs to the hefty tune of RM500,000 made one wonder if Kopeks is not actually encouraging its members to go into debt, because it could easily bail them out anytime when the situation becomes critical. The bailout was a precedent that set a bad example of co-operative fund management.

It also reminded us how bad the economic situation in the Sabah is right now. If government servants can go into serious debt in spite of earning salaries, imagine the situation for those without jobs, and those in the rural areas who have to live off the land just to keep body and soul together. In this period of high inflation even those with salaries are in fact living below the poverty line.

If we still need to be convinced about the dire situation the people are facing, just let’s note that the recent job fair organized by the BN got a surprising response of 30,000! And these only involved those who could afford to come. Many didn’t even bother to come because they knew it was not worth the effort and cost to go.

Part of the reasons for the state’s poverty is the high unemployment rate among young school leavers and graduates. Many graduates actually survive by opening and operating kueh stalls, even taking on odd jobs. So the repeated advice to youths not to be choosy with jobs is actually a lot of nonsense knowing these young people, out of sheer desperation, are even going by the tens of thousands to Kuala Lumpur, Johore and Singapore to earn money.

High unemployment in Sabah has also caused the existence of sandwich families, which the government has admitted to be very high in number. The term “sandwich family” can be defined, from my own observation, as the case of parents who have to house and feed their children who are already married and have their own children because of joblessness. Many families are not even having any celebration when their children get married because they are so cash-strapped!

There is an ongoing, hidden depression going on in Sabah. They have suffered so long but have partly resigned to their fate knowing they is nothing they can do. The government has simply failed them. A fifty-ringgit note doesn’t last very long, doesn’t buy a lot these days. People have very little savings and for those who struggle to make ends meet, the money runs out long before payday.

What is more depressing is that we all know the government has not an iota of a  plan to solve the problem; all so-called anti-poverty actions are just ad-hoc programs. Solve this and this, and wait for the next one to surface! The government is confused because it doesn’t have the financial capability to solve the problem and it doesn’t understand all the factors affecting the economy - globally or locally. So they have become experts in coming up with lame explanations and playing the blame game, like they blame youths for being unemployed because “they are choosy”. What a load of nonsense!

So in desperation, the people who need to settle their financial problems have to resort to Ah Longs, or loan sharks. And loan sharks come to fill up the market because there is a huge need for their service. A profusion of loan sharks, the rise of MLMs, get-rich-quick schemes and gambling businesses are a clear indication of serious economic problems in any country. People need a way out to escape financial pitfalls and hope to fulfill their dreams by buying lottery tickets as a way to comfort their troubled souls.

The latest way to become rich overnight today is to find the tokek lizard and make millions overnight!
I would challenge the BN government to undertake a statistical survey of the situation and give us the accurate figures for unemployed secondary school leavers and graduates, the number of sandwich families and the grand total of amounts they spend from their parents’ income, the number of Sabahans who are working in the Peninsular and Singapore, and most importantly to give an economic blueprint for Sabah to solve unemployment and poverty in the short term.

Or is the government itself too cash-strapped to undertake these surveys?

How much does it cost to pay IDS to do them compared to providing for some road buildings in which the cost are doubled of tripled for the benefit of some political bosses? How much money has been stashed overseas, robbing us of economic trickle-down effects? We can only imagine the terrible losses we have suffered and our children will suffer in the future because of our government’s corruption and mismanagement!

Dekan UM: Alasan SPR tolak tuntutan Bersih 2.0 memalukan

KAJANG, 13 Ogos — Seorang dekan Universiti Malaya hari ini membidas alasan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) untuk menolak lapan tuntutan Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) sambil menyifatkan ia satu keputusan “memalukan.”

Dekan Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial Prof Dr Redzuan Othman berkata tindakan SPR menolak untuk melaksanakan tidak wajar kerana kesemua tuntutan itu boleh dilakukan badan pengurusan pilihan raya itu.

Lapan tuntutan Bersih 2.0 adalah agar SPR membersihkan daftar undi, mereformasikan undi pos, gunakan dakwat kekal, akses media yang bebas dan adil, tempoh kempen minimum 21 hari, diperkukuhkan institusi awam, hentikan rasuah dan hentikan politik kotor.

“Jawapan yang diberikan tidak melambangkan satu intelektual dalam SPR yang mana SPR kata tidak boleh (laksanakan), akses media dia (SPR) kata parti politik boleh gunakan media elektronik, tempoh kempen... SPR kata melibatkan soal keselamatan.

“Dalam pilihan raya umum di Malaysia, saya lihat sejak 1974 tidak ada satu pergaduhan dan tiada pertumparan darah, kalau ada pun disebabkan kemalangan semasa pilihan raya,” katanya pada forum Reformasi Pilihan Raya dan Pemurnian Demokrasi anjuran Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) di Kolej Dar Al-Hikmah, Sungai Ramal Dalam di sini.

Justeru tegas Redzuan, SPR perlu memandang serius tuntutan yang dikemukakan Bersih 2.0 sehingga membawa perhimpunan aman pada 9 Julai lalu di ibu negara.

“Isu keselamatan bukan alasan untuk kurangkan tempoh berkempen, undi pos pula SPR kata ramai pelajar kita di luar negara tapi dulu, semasa saya masih belajar di luar negara, semasa tiba pilihan raya saya pergi ke kedutaan (untuk mengundi) tapi tiada, saya tidak mahu sebut tuntutan lain...hujah yang diberikan SPR memalukan.

“Proses pilihan raya harus melambangkan rakyat merasakan keadilan, peranan SPR, saya lihat dalam soal tempoh berkempan dulu sejak 1955 tempoh berkempen selama 42 hari, kemudian pada 1969 35 hari, pada 2004 tempoh dipendekkan kepada lapan hari ini benarkan Barisan Nasional (BN) menang besar begitu juga dengan akses media, pembangkang tidak dapat akses media,” katanya.

Selain Redzuan, turut menjadi ahli panel adalah Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah dan Pengarah Institut Hal Ehwal Demokrasi dan Ekonomi (Ideas) Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Mohd Puaad.

Sebelum ini Timbalan Pengerusi SPR Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar berkata pihaknya tidak boleh melaksanakan tuntutan Bersih 2.0 dengan alasan tidak mempunyai kuasa.

Justeru beliau meminta Bersih 2.0 yang dipengerusikan Datuk Ambiga Sreenevesan agar mengemukakan lapan tuntutan berkaitan pembaharuan sistem pilihan raya kepada Putrajaya, bukannya kepada agensi itu.
Jelas Wan Ahmad, SPR tidak mempunyai sebarang kuasa untuk melaksanakan lapan tuntutan itu kerana ia terikat dengan undang-undang dan peraturan yang ditetapkan.

Lebih menjurus kepada lapan tuntutan Bersih 2.0 terutamanya akses media yang bebas dan adil, Redzuan meminta agar Putrajaya mencontohi Singapura yang membenarkan semua calon bertanding mendapat kebebasan media termasuk melalui televisyen.

“Kenapa kita tidak ikut Singapura, parti-parti politik diberi peluang untuk mendapat akses media, walaupun sehari sebelum hari mengundi semua calon tidak dibenarkan berkempen, namun mereka diberi peluang untuk bercakap di televisyen.

“Tapi di Malaysia media menggambarkan suasana pilihan raya sebagai perang, media memberikan gambaran yang tidak elok tentang pembangkang... tuntutan adalah tuntutan rakyat Malaysia, masyarakat sekarang tidak sama dengan masyarakat dulu... masyarakat hari ini tidak mahu diperbodohkan,” katanya.

Isu pengurusan pilihan raya semakin hangat baru-baru selepas Pakatan Rakyat mendedahkan banyak kepincangan dan penyelewengan dalam daftar pemilih termasuk tindakan menukar status kewarganegaraan pemastautin tetap kepada warganegara dalam tempoh yang singkat.

Bagaimanapun perkara itu dinafikan oleh Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) dan SPR.
Pakatan Rakyat turut meminta Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengadakan sidang tergempar Parlimen bagi membahaskan perkara itu.

Pada sidang media semalam, SPR menafikan dakwaan bahawa badan pengurusan pilihan raya itu sengaja membenarkan pemastautin tetap menjadi pengundi yang sah.

Sebaliknya, Pengerusi SPR Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof berkata, ia hanya kesilapan teknikal yang berlaku semasa proses pendataan JPN namun dikecam PAS.

Police Act provisions to ensure rights are not abused

PETALING JAYA: The Government has no plans to abolish any provisions under the Police Act 1967 which give police the power to regulate assemblies, meetings and processions.

The Government, in its feedback to Suhakam's Annual Report 2010, said these provisions were part of preventive laws introduced to ensure the right to assembly was not misused as provided for under Article 10(2)(b) of the Federal Constitution.

The national human rights institution had recommended that subsections (2), (2A)-(2D), (4), (4A), (5), (5A)-(5C), (7) and (8) of Section 27 and 27a of the Act be abolished.

“However, the Home Ministry is working together with the Attorney-General's Chambers to draft amendments for certain provisions under Section 27 of the Police Act so it would be in line with the provisions under the Federal Constitution,” said the report.

Regarding freedom of speech and information, Suhakam recommended the formation of a free and self-regulatory media council to resolve issues and monitor adherence to the industry's code of ethics.

The Government replied that it was important to ensure that the information and ideas conveyed did not cause tension and threaten national harmony.

“The concept of freedom of speech is not an absolute right or freedom. Conversely, it is dependent on several conditions under the Federal Constitution through Article (10)(2)(a) and other related laws,” said the report.

The Government said it would set up a media consultative council to better harmonise relations between the media and the Government, adding that it would act like a forum to exchange ideas and find a “win-win” approach.

“The Government is of the view that good journalistic practices are necessary in a country with many races, religions, culture and social backgrounds like Malaysia,” it said.

It added that laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and Official Secrets Act 1972 were formed to ensure that these two rights were not misused.

Countries Want To Learn How Malaysia Handles Piracy

BAGAN DATOH, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Several countries are interested in emulating the way Malaysia provides security for its trading ships in the Gulf of Aden in Somalia, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said that they were impressed that Malaysian security personnel had captured Somali pirates who had tried to hijack a Malaysian tanker in February this year.

Ahmad Zahid said that representatives of the countries had met Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar to discuss the handling of pirates at the gulf.

Malaysia launched the Ops Fajar (Dawn Operation) in August 2008 to protect Malaysian trading vessels against pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

Ahmad Zahid said that Ops Fajar had saved several billion ringgit of goods from pirates.

Beleaguered Tsu Koon challenged to open debate

Imagine, Koh Tsu Koon has slammed those who have called for his removal as Gerakan head honcho and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
 
“I feel enough is enough. These are disgruntled people with baseless and nonsensical allegations,” Tsu Koon was reported as saying in The Star.

Fighting words, indeed, from the man who sat quietly and buat don’t know when some well-connected $$$-eyed jokers tried to hoist the PGCC onto unsuspecting Penangites. The same guy who allowed the seeds of the Buah Pala controversy to be sown during his watch.

Koh called his critics discredited “political frogs”. He also lashed out at Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce president Tan Kok Pin, saying the latter was blind or senile for not recognising the development during Koh’s 18 years at the helm in Penang.

Now, Kok Pin has responded calling for an open debate with Koh, The Star has just reported. “I do not have any personal agenda when I said earlier that Koh had not done anything during his 18 years as Penang chief minister.

Ooh la la… let the show begin…

Battle of Kampar: In Defence of Malaya

Battle of Kampar: In Defence of Malaya

by Mr. Chye Kooi Loong PMP
Compiled and Published by Khalsa Diwan Malaysia

Dedicated in the memory and a Tribute to the brave men who sacrificed their lives for a cause.

The Malayan Campaign (1941 – 1942) fought by the British and Indian troops was a chain of disasters. The British, Indian and Gurkha regiments were under trained and under armed. The British has underestimated the Japanese invaders. They faced a superior well-trained Japanese army veterans who had fought in Manchuria in 1931 and the Sino Japanese war (1937 – 1945). The British, Indian and Gurkha regiments had no training in jungle warfare and some Indian regiments had hardly six months of training in the rugged cold and hot North West frontier of India.

 

In spite of such adverse conditions the defenders fought a gallant losing battle of “stand and retreat”. In Kedah, the 11th Indian division was badly mauled in Jitra and Gurun. The division lost men, equipment, food and arms as the Japanese tanks drove through the weak defenses. The 6th and 15th Indian Brigades had to be amalgamated as t he 6/15th Indian brigade because of heavy losses in men and arms. The 1st Leicester Regiment and the 2nd East Survey Regiment merged to form the one and only one British Battalion who won their honor and battle honours at the epic Battle of Kampar (30th of December 1941 to 2nd of January 1942). The 1/8th Punjab Regiment merged with the 2/9th Jat Regiment to form Jat/Punjab Regiment.

The men reached Ipoh on the 19th and 20th December 1941, where they were refitted with new weapons and equipment. Two days later the refitted 6/15th Indian Brigade moved to Kampar by train and road. Kampar was chosen by Lt. General  Arthur Percival, the G.O.C, Malaya Command to make ten days stand to hold the Japanese advance as the three low ridges just a mile north of Kampar town command the main road approach and also the railway line on the flat tin mining terrain was ideal ground for the British to utilize the superior British artillery.

The 28th Indian Brigade guarded the Kuala Dipang-Sahum road to the east of Gunong Bujang Melaka (4070ft). The 12thy Indian Brigade held the Jeram to Kuala Dipang iron bridge section (now a little up-stream of the present new brigade). There was heavy fighting on the 28th and 29th December 1941 for the vital Kuala Dipang iron bridge over Sungai Kampar.

The Japanese supported by 14 medium tanks made a frontal attack from Jeram and due to the lack of anti-tank guns ; the 12th Indian Brigade had no alternative but to withdraw. The 28th Indian Brigade withdrew to the Sungai Siput to Sahum road. When the rear of the 12th Indian Brigade crossed the Kuala Dipang iron bridge, it was blown up and due to the heavy rain, only the middle span was destroyed. The British artillery was ranged on the iron bridge and the Japanese were delayed for few hours. The defense of Kampar was left to the 6/15th Indian Brigade and the forward defense was held on the three low ridges north of Kampar. The defenders had only eighty days to dig trenches and artillery positions to face the powerful Japanese assault.

Luckily the Japanese tanks were held up by the damaged Kuala Dipang iron bridge and the five bridges further down the road to Kampar. The strong British artillery made up of the powerful 25 pounders and the mortars kept the Japanese from repairing the dynamited bridges. For the first time in the campaign, the British artillery bombardment frustrated the Japanese advance. During the daytime from 30th December 1941 to 2nd January 1942 the Japanese planes bombed and machine-gunned the British positions on the two forward ridges.

To the west of Kampar, 1/14th Punjab Regiment, 2/16th Punjab Regiment and 3/16th Punjab Regiment held the railway line from Malim Nawar to Tronoh Mines. This area now known as Bandar Baru was strongly covered by the British artillery of 25 pounders and howitzers (88th Field Regiment RA). To the east of Gunung Bujang Melaka (4070ft) was the 28th Indian Brigade of 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/9th Gurkha Rifles supported by the strong 155 Field Regiment RA.

The main road defense position were covered by the British Battalion and 6/15th Brigade reserve the Jat/Punjab Regiment. From 30th to 31st December 1941the main defenses of the British Battalion were attacked by Japanese infantry and many Japanese died in their unsuccessful bonsai charges on the forward slope of Thompson Ridge. The eastern flank failed because the Japanese underestimated the tough fighting of the Gurkhas and many Japanese died when the gallant men from Nepal used  the deadly kukri with success. On the west the Japanese were caught in the heavy saturation bombardment of the 88th and 122nd Field Artillery RA. The Japanese were caught in the swamps and deep mining pools and many died by drowning.

Lt. General Matsui the Commanding Officer of the 5th Division from Hiroshima had to press the attack against the main road defenses of the British Battalion who withstood continuous bombing and strafing and mortaring from the Japanese units. On the 1st of January, 1942 the Japanese infantry had reserves and all units were replaced by fresh reinforcement.

The British and Indian defenders did not have reserves to replace the wounded and the tired defenders. The Japans pressure was telling on the tired and exhausted defenders of the British Battalion. They held on grimly and on the 2nd of January 1942 , the Japanese launched two strong assaults on the eastern flank of the British Battalion. Some eastern trenches were overrun and the Japanese were occupying the trenches. Two British reserve companies made two counter attacks to reoccupy the lost trenches. The British in spite of causalities retook the trenches and drove out the Japanese. Later in the afternoon the Japanese applied great pressure after heavy Japanese artillery bombardment, the British defenders had to give up as they were short of ammunitions and mounting causalities.

The Japanese occupied  the trenches . Brigadier Moorhead the Commanding Officer of the 6/15th Indian Brigade ordered the Jat/Punjab Regiment to counter charge to remove the Japanese on the east. The first Jat/Punjab Company suffered badly and had to give up. Later at about 5:00pm. Captain Graham assisted by Lt.Lamb led a company of Sikhs and Muslims to counter charge the Japanese postions.

Captain Graham  led his company up Greed Ridge and gave his final instructions. All men were given two drams of rum and then he ordered them to fix the 18 inch steel bayonets to the rifles. He led the group down the trench from Green Ridge. Captain Graham told his men that the attack must succeed and the honour of 1/8th Punjab Regiment depended on it. He wished them all the best and the counter charge up the rear of Thompson Ridge started.

Captain Graham and Lt. Lamb led their men to their desperate venture. From the very start, the brave attack was greeted by Japanese devastating fire and brave men fell like ninepins. Lt. Lamb was among the first to be killed in the hail of machine gun fire. However the second line inspired by Captain Graham’s example shouted their battle cries.

The bearded Sikh warriors yelled the blood curdling cry of “Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal”and the Mussulman shouted “Ya Ali”. The front line Japanese trenches were breached and close hand to hand combat with shining bayonets proved the tall Sikhs superior to the short Japanese. They continued their braved counter – charge like men possessed. Captain Graham was everywhere giving exhortation to his inspired men.

The Sikhs and Gujars succeeded in dislodging the second line of Japanese. Undeterred by heavy causalities Captain Graham by now wounded urged his men onwards to clear the third line . His gallant company was by now depleted in strength and weapons . He led his men for the final assault and before he reached the Japanese third line of trenches  a Japanese trench mortar bomb fell into the trench and blew off both his legs below the knees. Mortally wounded, Graham Sahib shouted encouragement to his few Sikhs and Gujars, kneeing on his shattered stumps and hurling grenades as the remnants of the 41st Japanese Regiment fled towards the jungle.

The third line was held when Graham collapsed and was carried back to Green Ridge first aid post. He was attended by Captain Doctor Roy of the British Battalions and sent by ambulance to the 11th Indian Division hospital at Tanjong Malim. He died from loss of blood a badly damaged kidney and liver. After Graham’s counter-attack Brigadier Moorhead and Lt. Col. Morrison of the British Battalion reported that the Kampar positions could not be held indefinitely as news of new Japanese west flank landings had occurred at Telok Anson and at Bagan Datoh to the South West of Kampar.

Indeed the epic four day Battle of Kampar was throughout a tribute to the endurance and valour of the 11th Indian Division after its heartbreaking experience in North Malaya. The Battle of Kampar where the British, Indian and Gurkha troops fought extremely well showed that untrained troops are at least the equal to the Japanese troops.

“ To the struggle which had been going on at Kampar from dawn to dusk on the 2nd of January 1942 it is difficult to do full justice. It is a classic example of what can be achieved by grit and determination and it brought out the finest characteristic of the various troops engaged. There were the enemies repeated attempts to gain possession of Thompson and Green Ridges commanding positions which would have enabled them to enfilade our positions on the lower ground. The attacks were made with all the well known bravery and disregard of danger of the Japanese soldiers. There was the dogged resistance, in spite of heavy losses by men of the British Battalions and their supporting artillery and finally when the enemy had captured a key position and the battalion reserves were exhausted, there were the traditional counter-charges by the men of Jat/Punjab Regiment. The final charge of the Sikhs and Gurkhar of the 1/8th Punjab Regiment. Through a tremendous barrage of trench mortars and machine gun fire. The gallant men went let by their Company Commander Captain John Graham, until he fell mortally wounded. Their cheering rose to a roar, “Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal” as they charged. The situation was completely restored buy only 30 men of this gallant company remained. The Battle of Kampar had proved our trained troops whether they were British or Indian, were superior man for men to the Japanese troops.

Lt. General Arthur Percival CB.DSO.OBE.MC. G.O.C Malaya Command 1941 – 1942

12 individu Muslim beri keterangan 15 Ogos

Waran tangkap akan dikeluarkan jika mereka gagal hadir memberi keterangan, kata sumber dalaman Jais.

PETALING JAYA: Seramai 12 individu Muslim yang ditahan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) ketika menghadiri majlis makan malam di Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama (DUMC), Seksyen 13 minggu lalu akan hadir memberi keterangan Isnin depan.

Perkara itu dimaklumkan oleh sumber dalaman bahagian penguatkuasaan Jais dan ini sudah
dimaklumkan kepada 12 individu berkenaan kelmarin supaya hadir di pejabat jabatan agama itu di Shah Alam.

Menurut sumber itu, peguam dari firma guaman Tetuan Lee Hishamuddin yang mewakil 10 daripada 12 individu Muslim itu memahami situasi terbabit dan membenarkan anak guam mereka hadir memberi keterangan kepada Jais.

“Sebelum ini, mereka sudah menerima surat untuk hadir memberi keterangan namun gagal berbuat demikian pada Selasa lalu.

Sedangkan mereka adalah saksi kepada kes penyebaran agama bukan Islam kepada Islam, jadi kita perlu memanggil mereka untuk merekodkan kenyataan.

“Peguam mereka sudah memahami keadaan ini. Peguam benarkan anak guam mereka untuk hadir. Namun jika masih gagal berbuat demikian maka waran tangkap akan dikeluarkan kepada 12 individu tersebut,” katanya kepada FMT.

Pada 3 Ogos lalu, Jais menyerbu gereja DUMC selepas mendapat maklumat kehadiran sebilangan orang Islam pada majlis makan malam di gereja berkenaan.

Ketika serbuan dilakukan kira-kira jam 9 malam, seorang penceramah menyampaikan ucapan dengan menyelit ayat-ayat Al Quran dan terdapat bukti kegiatan penyebaran agama bukan Islam terhadap penganut Islam.

Berpandukan kepada siasatan awal, mereka yang terbabit boleh didakwa mengikut  Seksyen 10 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah 1995.

Di bawah seksyen itu, seseorang yang didapati melakukan kesalahan memujuk, mempengaruhi atau menghasut seseorang yang beragama Islam supaya cenderung kepada mana-mana agama bukan Islam, atau supaya menjadi penganut atau anggota mana-mana agama bukan Islam, atau supaya meninggalkan atau tidak suka kepada agama Islam.

Mereka boleh disabitkan mengikut seksyen kecil (1) dan jika didapati bersalah boleh dikenakan penjara sehingga satu tahun atau denda tidak melebihi RM10,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali.

Hindraf’s UK lawyer Imran Khan deported

Imran Khan, deemed to be a security threat, was stopped at the KLIA and sent back to the UK early Saturday morning.

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s UK-based lawyer Imran Khan was deported back to United Kingdom upon his arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 1.50pm on Friday.

London-based Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy said Imran Khan, a prominent British human rights lawyer, was forced by the Malaysian authorities to fly back to England at 2am on Saturday, 12 hours after he was refused entry to the country.

“The authorities deemed Imran as a threat to Malaysia’s security,” said Waythamoorthy told FMT today.

Throughout his ordeal, Imran was kept stranded at the immigration checkpoint. Imran was originally scheduled to leave the country only on Aug 18. His colleague, G Suresh however was allowed entry.

Waythamoorthy said Hindraf was appalled by the excessive and unwarranted act of the Malaysian police and Home Ministry to deny entry to an internationally-renown human rights lawyer.

He also slammed the government’s act of branding Imran as a security threat. This is “absolute nonsensical and cheap stunt.”

The deportation confirmed Hindraf’s fear that the Putrajaya administration would do a ‘Bourdon’ on Imran and his colleague upon their arrival in Malaysia.

French human rights lawyer William Bourdon was deported by the government when he was here to give a speech pertaining to the billion-dollar Scorpene submarine scandal last month.

“The refusal of entry to Imran in essence means that as far as the Malaysian Indians are concerned or their cause, the government can act in authoritarian ways against the rule of law,” slammed an upset Waythamoorthy.

Following orders

The Hindraf leader said that upon his arrival at KLIA, Imran had presented himself at the immigration counter.

Imran then informed the female officer that he was in Malaysia to meet his clients, who wish to engage him on a class action suit against the former colonial, United Kingdom government.

The officer checked in her list of “wanted” persons and immediately told Imran that his request to entry was being refused.

Upon insistence, Imran then met senior immigration officers who could not give any valid reason for refusing his application to enter Malaysia.

“All that the senior immigration officer could say was that he had no problems giving Imran entry.
“But the officer said his decision to bar Imran from entry came from the top most office of special branch in Bukit Aman and the Home Ministry.

“The officer added that the police deemed Imran as a threat to Malaysia’s security,” said Waythamoorthy.
He said Imran’s deportation showed that the government has something serious to hide, thus it makes arbitrary decisions pertaining Malaysian Indian issues.

He said Imran was coming to Malaysia to represent his clients from the underclass segment of the ethnic Malaysian Indian community.

Meeting will take place tomorrow

Imran was to meet his clients, or potential clients, on Sunday morning at the Klang Hokkian Hall to consider them as co-claimants for the British, which Waythamoorthy plans to re-file soon.

Waythamoorthy said he learnt that the British Foreign Office in London had tried to engage officials from its Malaysian High Commission to make representations on behalf of Imran.

But it’s learnt that the Malaysian authorities did not cooperate favourably.

Waythamoorthy said this was clear Umno government’s apathy culture, which is “despicable and embarrassing.”

Despite Imran’s departure, Waythamoorthy said local Hindraf leaders will proceed with the closed door meeting to brief local clients, activists and sympathisers on the suit.

Waythamoorthy originally filed the class action suit on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, against the United Kingdom London courts for US$4 trillion.

However, it was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of its lawyers under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

The suit was to demand compensation for Indian Malaysians whose ancestors were brought in by the colonial government as indentured labour.

The suit claimed that, after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the Malay extremism practiced by Umno government.

Large European Cities Overwhelmed by Muslim Population - Expert

Muslims attend the morning prayer during the religious festival Eid-al-Fitr. Photo by BGNES

Muslim population in many big European cities already exceeds 20%, according to Alex Alexiev, an expert in international security and radical Islam and visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C.

In his words, however, what is especially worrying is that these Muslims are getting radicalized.
The expert reckons that almost all Western European countries are marked by a high degree of radicalization.

"Unlike our Muslims from the Balkan Peninsula, they are much more prone to radicalization because the religious organs in Western Europe, the Muslim religious organs, are controlled and commanded by radical Islamists, subsidized/financed by Saudi Arabia and other places, and preach the ideologies of the Muslim Brotherhood and etc", Alexiev explains in an interview fir the Focus news agency.

According to him, it seems to escape public notice that almost all Muslims in Western Europe are people residing in big cities.

"Muslims in rural areas and small towns are hard to find. If we take the city of Marseille as an example, the Muslim population there exceeds 30%, the share of the young generation below 20 years of age is already above 50%, meaning that Marseille is on its way to become an exclusively Muslim city. The same applies to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Malmö, and Antwerp", the expert says.

He also notes that there is a region in the very heart of London where the Muslim population below 20 years of age constitutes a majority and where radical elements are quick to creep in.

According to Alexiev, the unrest in London in the past few days involved people of Caribbean origin, African-Americans, etc, as well as many people with big beards and no moustaches, which is typical of Islamists - they keep their beards but cut their moustaches short.

"These things are not accidental", he concludes, stressing that this community to a large extent fails to recognize European culture, is unwilling to integrate and poses a huge threat for the future.

Ezam wants to burn down online news portals

Ezam says he is doing it in the name of Islam and will wage war against those who convert Muslims.

UPDATED - FMT

SHAH ALAM: Umno senator Ezam Mohd Nor said he has to come to the defence of Islam and will wage war against those who tarnish the religion, including burning online news portals.

He also warned Muslim staff of Malaysiakini and Malaysian Insider not to become agents for infidels.
“Don’t be a (Brutus) for the infidel’s agenda. You can find employment elsewhere,” Ezam said after claiming that these portals showed strong stance against the JAIS action at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).

“We give you a last warning. If you don’t stop, we’ll burn,” said Ezam, a former ally of Anwar Ibrahim.

He also extended his threat to the Muslims who abet the non-Muslims in conversions out of Islam.
“We have no choice but to wage war to protect the Muslim faith,” said Ezam in front of 500 fellow Muslims at the compound of the Selangor state mosque in Shah Alam.

Other personalities present included Umno Youth exco  Lokman Nor Adam and Kulim Bandar Baharu MP, Zulkifli Noordin.

The gathering organised by newly formed Gerakan Cegah Murtad was meant to show their support for the action taken by Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) against DUMC.

Last week, JAIS raided DUMC over allegations that Muslims were being converted.

Warning to MB and exco members

On a similar note Ezam told dozens of reporters that Muslims have no issues with non-Muslims.

“We have a problem if the Menteri Besar pawns Islam for votes,” he said in reference to Selangor Menteri Besar, Khalid Ibrahim.

“We have a problem if Shah Alam MP pawns Islam,” Ezam added, and extended his warning to Selangor’s Christian exco members- Teresa Kok, Elizabeth Wong, Ronnie Liu and Xavier Jayakumar.

“We have problems with infidels who convert  Muslims,” he said.

Meanwhile Zulkifli Nordin outlined four steps the group would take in the coming days.

“We will send a memorandum to JAIS to help them. We’ll also pressure the authorities for action against churches especially DUMC since it is illegal,” said Zulkifli.

He added Muslims would also be askde to lodge police reports in all districts within Selangor for police action.

Lastly he said that the group would meet the Sultan so that the Sultan can rectify the problem.

Prosecute Ezam, says PKR veep

In an immediate reaction, PKR vice president N Surendran said the police should take action against Ezam over his threat against the online media.

“The police and the Attorney General must take immediate action against Ezam under Sections 503 and 505 of the Penal Code, for criminal intimidation and mischief,” he said in a statement.

He said Ezam should not be let off the hook simply because he was “from the ruling party or aligned to the government”.

He added that it was appalling that a sitting member of the Dewan Negara had uttered such words and threatened publicly to carry out criminal acts.

“This is an outrageous threat to the property and offices of these two news portals; more seriously it is also a threat of grievous harm or death against their staff, writers and other occupants,” he said.

Hindraf lawsuit to correct historical wrongs

A UK-based solicitor and lawyer - appointed by Hindraf Makkal Sakthi - is scheduled to meet with members of the Malaysian public this Sunday.

His fact-finding mission is to help him better understand the situation on the ground and interview those participating in the Hindraf class action suit. This lawsuit against the British government seeks to correct historical injustices inflicted on Indians who were brought to the peninsula by the white colonialists.

The Hindraf move is almost certain to court a fresh storm of controversy and criticism from Umno, the party that will be most embarrassed when full details of the Indian marginalisation emerge. The extent to which the local Indian community, particularly Hindus of Tamil stock, is excluded from the nation's progress and well-being can only reflect badly on the Malaysian government.

Due to the stony deaf ears at home, Hindraf has had no choice but to petition abroad for redress, as outlandish as the amount of relief sought might sound. The case being heard in England will enable it coverage from the international press. The deliberate neglect of a minority that perceives itself as oppressed by a government acting in bad faith will soon be laid bare to the world.

Umno's extremist supporters such as Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia persist in denying allegations of discrimination against Indians although the plight of the community's underclass is evident to all. Just look at who are the homeless people who sleep along five-footways in the derelict parts of town.

Only small minority benefitted

More thoughtful Malaysians, however, are aware that the Indian community has come down, and continued falling a long way, in their socio-economic development and life prospects.
Accusing the Indian-based organisation Hindraf of disloyalty and worse is merely closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

During the past 50 years since Independence, only a small minority of Indians have benefitted from the political and economic largesse handed out by the government. The majority have seen little or no improvement despite the fact that the much of the economic prosperity and development of the country was built, almost literally, on their back and their hard labour.

Disclosure of the exact socio-economic status of the community is hampered by a system in which there is a lack of transparency in the collection and release of data that may relate to the plight of non-Malays - the apparent fudging excused on grounds of ethnic sensitivity but more likely due to other politically driven manipulation and agenda.

Although difficult to come by, all available data clearly point to the fact that the relative performance of the Indian community has deteriorated across a wide range of socio-economic indicators.

The decline has been especially steep over the last four decades after 1970 with the commencement of the NEP.

Indian displacement

Indian impoverishment can be traced to two major developments.

One is the displacement (and also the lack of replacement) of Indians in the civil service. In 1966, one third of all Indian workers were employed in government or quasi-government jobs. In 2006, only 2.8 percent of Malaysian Indians employed were still to be found working in the public sector.

The other development has been the displacement of Indian rural workers by the massive unchecked and officially sanctioned influx of over three million foreign workers, and the absence of any compensatory programmes, including access to state and federal land and rural development schemes.

The predominantly Muslim foreign workforce, largely from Indonesia, the southern Philippines and Bangladesh, has displaced Indians from their traditional habitats and livelihoods so that Indians now form an urban and semi-rural underclass. The slums in which they live today are largely ignored by the government and racked by social and family breakdown and disorder.

Of course, ethnicity is not the only variable in determining access to social services, education, health benefits, land and other forms of development assistance provided by the government in Malaysia.

Politics, class, region, family background and other variables also come into play. But for many poor and lower middle-class Indians - especially those from the younger generation - the fact that they are not bumiputera or Muslim mark them out for special discrimination and marginalisation.

Some will make it and escape poverty but the majority will remain severely disadvantaged unless there is a dramatic reversal in state policy.

Malaysians must raise their voices and oppose the state planned policy of exclusion and its unabashed execution by the authorities, all the way from national down to district level even if what amounts to a one-party state system has successfully managed to steam roll it through.

All talk without any walk

When the Hindraf class action suit is heard in London, then the morally repugnant practice of pushing the weakest segments of society to the brink will be made better known to all.

If we are to survive well as a nation and society, the government - and this includes the state governments presently controlled by the opposition - must not only pay attention to the needs of the politically dominant majority.

Those holding the reins of power (from whichever party) should ensure justice and fairness in the way they treat the minorities, especially the smaller non-Muslim minorities that lag behind the Malays and Chinese, and are lacking in political and economic clout.

How the government responds to the admirable campaign for inclusion, justice and equality for poor Indians will demonstrate to Malaysians whether 1Malaysia is all talk without any walk or whether the government may have finally found the political will and moral fibre to right this long-standing historical wrong.

DR LIM TECK GHEE is director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives

British lawyers to visit M'sia over Indian plight

(Malaysiakini) Two British lawyers acting for Hindraf will be meeting with marginalised Indians on a fact-finding mission as they prepare to re-file a class action suit against the British government.

The visit by lawyers Imran Khan and Suresh Grover is part of Hindraf's effort to build its case against the British government, which is accused of abandoning Indians without protection after bringing them in as labourers to then Malaya.

“The lawyers will go to the ground and interview first-hand cases such as denial of identity cards and education among marginalised Indians,” said Human Rights Party (HRP) information chief S Jayathas (left).

The meeting, to be held at Klang Hokkien Hall, will begin at 9am this Sunday.

Jayathas, who is also a Hindraf activist, said when contacted that the movement is expecting a large turnout but stressed that it is strictly a discussion meeting, and is optimistic that there will not be any problems with the police.

30,000 documents to support the lawsuit

The fact-finding mission is one of many efforts by Hindraf to gather evidence as it picks up from its similar suit in 2007 which was stalled when top Hindraf leaders were detained under the Internal Security Act following the landmark Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur.

“We had three months to pursue the case when we filed the suit in 2007, but we decided to focus on securing the release of our Hindraf leaders first. Also, back then, we still needed more documents (to support our case).

“So far we have found 30,000 documents (in Britain) to support our claims and this meeting will be one of the things that we will need to do before we re-file the lawsuit soon,” he said.

Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy, who filed the previous suit, remains in exile and is leading the charge in Britain.

However, his brother, HRP president and former ISA detainee P Uthayakumar, is expected to attend Sunday's meeting.

Perception: Parti Sosialis Malaysia Today

Juadah babi: PERKASA hantar memo pada akhbar

ROS rejects HRP’s application

The P Uthayakumar-led party's bid to become a registered political entity has hit a snag and its secretary-general cries foul.

PETALING JAYA: The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has rejected the application by the Human Rights Party (HRP).

HRP which applied to be a registered entity on Nov 25, 2010 was informed of the rejection via a letter dated Aug 4.

ROS said the rejection was based on two reasons – HRP’s application was not in order (tidak teratur) and that the party constitution did not fulfill requirements.

Crying foul, HRP’s secretary-general P Uthayakumar claimed that it was a delaying tactic by the ROS and Home Ministry.

“ROS said our application was not in order but did not specify which section of the application was not in order,” he told FMT.

He also questioned how HRP’s constitution could fall short of the ROS’ requirement as it was based on the “tried and tested constitution” of the 46-year-old DAP.

“Ninety-nine percent of our constitution is based on the DAP constitution. The differences are insignificant – like terms for party positions.

“DAP calls their leader chairman, we termed ours president. They have a deputy treasurer, we don’t, things like that…,” he said.

“So why have they rejected our application? It is just a delaying technique to deny the party from registering as a legal party and preventing us from standing in the next election under our own banner,” he said, adding that it was done in bad faith.

Appeal to be filed

Uthayakumar said the party would appeal against the rejection as granted by Section 18 of the Societies Act 1966.

He, however, anticipated the application to be rejected as well and the next step would be to take the matter to court.

HRP was already locked in a court battle over the delay in notifying the party with regard to the status of its application.

In the April 2010 hearing, the judge had instructed the ROS and Home Ministry to inform HRP of the status.

The hearing continues next week but Uthayakumar noted that the ROS’ rejection had rendered the matter academic.

However, the lawyer said that he would file for a judicial review in anticipation of the ministry’s rejection of HRP’s appeal.

CJ told to ensure justice for the poor

Bukit Jalil residents say the judiciary has no compassion.

PETALING JAYA: The residents of Bukit Jalil Estate have called upon Chief Justice Zaki Azmi to restore in the Malaysian judiciary a compassion for the poor.

Disappointed with a High Court dismissal of their suit against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) yesterday, the residents this morning submitted a memorandum to Zaki expressing regret that the court system seemed no longer interested in doing justice to the poor.

They handed the memorandum to Zaki’s special officer, Shazani Hidayat.

The 41 families living in the former estate land have been at odds with City Hall since March, when it issued them eviction notices under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

Their argument was that the EO could be used only to evict squatter settlers, not former estate workers.
However, in May, High Court judge Zabariah Mohd Yusof refused to allow an injunction against DBKL.

Yesterday, Zabariah again disappointed the residents by dismissing their suit challenging DBKL’s use of the EO. The judge said they had sued the wrong party.

The residents have also sent letters to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, urging them to intervene in the matter.

They have sent copies to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department G Palanivel, Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam and Kuala Lumpur mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary general S Arutchelvan told FMT that Zabariah made a mistake in dismissing the residents’ suit against DBKL.

He agreed that the land now belonged to the Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi), but he pointed out it was not Jawi that was trying to evict them.

“And DBKL did not indicate in their notices that they were acting on behalf of Jawi.”

He also said it was wrong for Zabariah to allow the use of the EO to evict plantation workers.

“The law can only be used against squatters,” he said. “This is the first time EO is being used to evict estate workers.”

The residents have filed an appeal against Zabariah’s ruling, but Arutchelvan said it would be an exercise in futility if the homes got demolished before the appeal was heard.

“You can compensate for their houses, but how would you compensate for a way of life?” he said.
He urged Najib to come up with a political solution, pointing out that DBKL came under the federal government’s purview.

“The Penang state government intervened in the Kampung Buah Pala issue though it involved a private land,” he said. “It is easier in this case as the land belongs to the federal government.”

GCM isytihar ‘perang’ jika isu murtad tidak selesai

Senator Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor berkata tindakan ini demi mempertahankan akidah sekiranya mereka tidak berhenti menyesatkan umat Islam.

VIDEO INSIDE - FMT

SHAH ALAM: Gerakan Cegah Murtad (GCM) memberi amaran akan melancarkan ‘perang’ jika isu memurtadkan umat Islam tidak ditangani dengan segera.

Senator Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor berkata tindakan ini demi mempertahankan akidah sekiranya mereka tidak berhenti menyesatkan umat Islam.

 

“Kepada masyarakat bukan Islam, kami tiada masalah dengan anda. Tetapi kita ada masalah besar dengan orang-orang bukan Islam yang biadap dengan agama Islam dan yang cuba menarik umat Islam keluar daripada agama,” katanya di hadapan kira-kira 500 orang awam yang baru selesai menunaikan solat Jumaat di Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah di sini hari ini.

Beliau turut menyelar pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor yang enggan mempertahankan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) semata-mata untuk menyelamatkan kedudukan mereka.

“Kita tiada masalah dengan mana-mana Menteri Besar daripada mana-mana parti tetapi kita ada masalah dengan mereka sekiranya sanggup menggadaikan Islam dan Allah semata-mata untuk mempertahankan kedudukan…..begitu juga dengan Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Kulim-Bandar Baru Datuk Zulkifli Noordin berkata isu yang berlaku di Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama (DUMC) bukanlah sesuatu yang baru, tetapi hanya sebahagian kecil sahaja jika dibandingkan dengan usaha memurtadkan umat Islam diseluruh negara.

Malah beliau menolak isu ini dijadikan alat politik untuk kepentingan tertentu.

Ini bukan isu politik

“Isu ini bukan isu politik, tiada kena mengena dengan Anwar (Ibrahim) atau PAS tetapi ia isu umat Islam. Ini isyarat jelas kita perlu bersatu dalam isu ini dan umat Islam tidak rela akidah dipermainkan,” katanya.
Beliau turut memberi amaran kepada portal web Malaysia Kini dan The Malaysian Insider agar menghentikan segera provokasi terhadap isu ini jika tidak mahu tindakan keras diambil terhadap mereka.

“Jangan jadi barua…kalau nak cari makan carilah makan ditempat lain,” katanya yang bercadang mahu menghadap Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah bagi membincangkan isu ini dalam masa terdekat.

Sementara itu, Exco Pemuda Umno Lokman Nor Adam berkata semua pihak perlu menghormati tindakan Jais yang cuba membanteras penyelewengan agama di kalangan umat Islam.

GCM terdiri daripada kira-kira 45 badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Islam seluruh Selangor yang berjuang melawan isu murtad.

Hindraf: Govt need not dread UK lawyer’s visit

Imran Khan's meeting with potential clients on Sunday at Klang’s Hokkian Hall will be an orderly affair, assures its chief Waythamoorthy

GEORGE TOWN: Putrajaya need not be wary of UK human rights lawyer Imran Khan meeting local clients pertaining to Hindraf’s US$4 trillion class-action British suit.

London-based Hindraf supremo P Waythamoorthy assured that the meeting would be a closed door affair between Imran and several hundred potential co-claimants in the suit.

Waythamoorthy said the meeting has been arranged to held at Klang’s Hokkian Hall on Sunday morning.
“It’s a rare chance for local underclass Indians to meet their lawyer. It would be costly for them to travel to London to meet Imran.

“The government need not worry and be panicky about it,” said Waythamoorthy, who originally filed the suit against the UK government in London on Aug 31, 2007.

The suit, filed on the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, is seeking compensation for Indian Malaysians whose ancestors were brought into Malaya as indentured labourers.

However, it was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and the arrest of several lawyers under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The suit laid claim that, after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the Umno government.

Hndraf’s activists and sympathisers fear that the government may do a ‘Bourdon’ on Imran and his colleague upon their arrival in Malaysia this evening.

French human rights lawyer William Bourdon was deported by the government when he was here to give a speech pertaining to the billion-dollar Scorpene submarine scandal last month.

Waythamoorthy called on the federal government not to press the panic button and waste public resources to halt the peaceful lawyer-client meeting.

Prominent human rights lawyer

“Clients should be able to meet lawyers without fear and intimidation. Most clients are without means to travel to UK as they belonged to the underclass.

“I hope Imran would not be stopped upon his arrival in Malaysia this evening,” said Waythamoorthy.

Imran, a prominent lawyer in UK is best known for his human rights work, one of which was representing the family of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racist attack in 1993.

In that case, Imran exposed institutionalised racism existing in the police force, prompting the government to carry out numerous reforms within the force.

His work on case catapulted him to national and international attention attention and to the establishment of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

The impact of this inquiry reverberated throughout the British criminal justice and public service systems.
His other notable representations were for families of eight-year-old Victoria Climbe (who was tortured to death in February, 2000) and Zahid Mubarek (murdered by his racist cellmate in March 2000).

His work led to public inquiries into their deaths and brought about substantial social changes regarding the care of children and prisoners in the UK.

Imran has lectured nationally and internationally on human rights and criminal law and has also written extensive on these subjects.

He has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates in recognition of his work.

Malaysian PM's Office Drops Controversial TV Contract

Friedman, Najib. All over?

Planting favorable news stories in the international media now over? 

(Asia Sentinel) The Malaysian government appears to have abruptly dropped a controversial multi-million contract with a London-based media company that was designed to plant favorable news stories about Malaysia with some of the world’s leading television networks, according to a Kuala Lumpur news portal, Malaysian Insider.

Publicity over the contract, first reported by the Sarawak-based blog Sarawak Report, has resulted in embarrassment to both Malaysia and some of the world’s biggest television networks.

Tengku Sarifuddin, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s press secretary, said in a telephone interview that he hadn’t seen the story and asked for time to read it. He did not respond to repeated telephone calls after that. If the contract was dropped, as Malaysian Insider reported, it was uncertain when. The news portal said only that it was “in the past week.”

As Asia Sentinel reported on Aug. 11, the Malaysian government and Sarawak State Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud paid separately for Fact Based Communications, which describes itself on its website as a “European-based media and entertainment group specializing in television format creation, production and distribution,” to plant the stories with international television networks including CNBC, BBC and CNN, all of which have abruptly dropped the company’s programming and ordered investigations into the content. Prime Minister Najib was interviewed by one CNBC program produced by FBC Media 10 times over two years.

The story appeared to have escaped the notice of the media both inside and outside of Malaysia. Fact Based Communications, also known as FBC Media, reportedly was touted to Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak as a cure for Taib’s severe image problems in the wake of convincing allegations that he had funneled billions of dollars out of the state into companies owned by his family in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia and denuded the East Malaysian state of most of its tropical hardwood timber through illegal logging permits.

Taib is being investigated by Swiss authorities on allegations that he has stashed millions of dollars in Swiss banks. Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission has announced it would investigate the charges as well.

Malaysian budget records show that between 2008 and 2009, the prime minister’s office paid RM57.68 million (USS$10 million at exchange rates at the time) to FBC Media to conduct a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign” for the Malaysian government. The government’s supplementary budget 2010, according to Sarawak Report, specifies another RM28.35 million to pay the cost of implementing a similar campaign for 2009 and a further RM42 million was spent in 2010 on “Public Affairs and Government Services and Strategic Communication, Public Relations and Press Outreach.”

Efforts to reach Alan Friedman, the FBC Media chairman, were unsuccessful. An aide in his office routed all requests to Friedman’s email address but he didn’t answer a request for comment. However, according to the company’s website, the company’s syndicated stories reach more than 300 million television households in seven languages in 100 countries and more than 30 of the world’s leading airlines.

Companies like FBC Media have been reaping a bonanza over the past two to three decades as television news bureaus have continued to contract, bitten by declining revenues and falling viewership. The networks’ answer has been to buy “video news releases” off the shelf. Often the videos are nothing more than out-and-out propaganda for governments and corporations that is disguised as news. The stories are rarely if ever identified as having been produced at the behest of corporations or countries that paid the media agencies to produce them.

FBC Media itself says on its website says the firm’s “team of senior-level executives provides one-on-one strategic communications advice and support to government and corporate leadership as well as one-stop management of media buying and media partners.” The team, the website said, “handles all relations with news channels and media partners in order to maximize prices, discounts and value for money for its clients.

“These face-to-face meetings with editors and senior representatives from leading publications ensure that our clients’ events stay firmly on their radar.” Elements of the process, the website said, include “proactive news stories: managing the news agenda; Reactive news stories: reacting to the news agenda; Forward features: influencing the news agenda.”

Taib was reported by the Sarawak Report to be paying FBC Media RM15 million (US$5 million) annually to produce its reports. The website singled out BBC World’s ‘Develop or Die’ series, made by FBC Media, which concentrates on Malaysian palm oil and the claim that “sustainable development is being used increasingly as a convenient argument by those in the richer world to protect their global economic dominance.”

Sarawak Report accused of FBC Media of also establishing a network of bloggers to tear apart the NGO’s reports on Taib in a US$55,000 campaign using online sites and “special blogging” in order to ”provide a blanket of positive coverage” about Taib and Sarawak in the Western media.

Still dreaming of a Malaysia to call Home — Farish A. Noor

AUG 12 — A Malaysian ambassador once asked me if, after living and working abroad for more than 2½ decades, I still kept my Malaysian citizenship. And I answered yes. He was surprised somewhat and added: “Thank God, at least we haven’t lost you as well.” I replied: “Well, we have lost so many good academics and professionals by now I’m not sure if that makes any difference by this stage...”

Yet out of some naïveté on my part I would still state that I believe in the Malaysian project, for all its quirks and shortcomings. And now, as Malaysia looks ahead at a decade that will undoubtedly transform the face of Southeast Asia and will witness the gradual decline of American influence and the rise of China’s in Asean, we hold fast to the ship of state that is due for a severe battering as never before.

While the inflow and outflow of foreign capital investment FDI in and out of Asean will radically re-draw the political boundaries of the region and lead to the rise of new growth centres and the decline of old ones, our national politics is dominated by horror stories, amok stories, bomoh stories and of course the motley crew of communitarian heroes and ethnic champions who care only about their own respective ethno-religious communities.

Every ethno-racial demagogue talks about having to champion the cause of “his people”; regardless of the fact that “his people” may not have appointed him to that task. Oppositional dialectics rules the roost as identities are configured in exclusive oppositional terms time and again: us against them, in-group versus out-group. This has been the mottled landscape of our national consciousness since independence, and we still cannot get out of this narrow and blinkered mode of thinking.

During my long sojourn abroad, I constantly met Malaysians who could discard and/or transcend their limited ethnic confines while overseas, for there they are Malaysians. Yet it seems as if a spell has been cast upon all of us, for as soon as we step back into Malaysia the first question that comes to our lips is: What race are you?

As someone who has researched across South and Southeast Asia for more than 12 years, I am struck by this peculiar habit of ours: in India and Indonesia — two countries I love as much as Malaysia — no one has ever asked me that question. And indeed, in both countries I often pass as a local and the case is closed. Few attempts, if ever, are made to locate me in the ethnic landscape of the country. Nobody asks what race I am, which religion I belong to, etc. Why?

I refuse to believe that Malaysians are condemned by history or genetics to remain in the rut that we have built for ourselves. There is nothing biologically unique about us as to condemn us to such narrow solipsism for eternity. And if we Malaysians can transcend narrow ethnic and religious compartmentalisation abroad, why can’t we do it at home?

Which brings me to the subject of home, and homeliness. “Home” is where we are meant to be happy and content; safe and assured; comfortable and at ease with ourselves. Home is where we need not wear our identities on our sleeves, or as armour to protect ourselves from whatever hostile influences there may be without. And if Malaysia is home to us, then it ought to be the one place on this God’s earth where we can be ourselves without having to apologise for it.

Yet the divisive nature of our communitarian politics has robbed us all of this sense of comfort and homeliness, for it seems that comfort can no longer be shared among all Malaysians, our fellow citizens. The comfort zones of each community has become something sacrosanct, thanks to the politicking of the various parties and politicians of the country, who continue to harp on the need to first protect, and then to expand, the respective comfort zones of their exclusive communities.

As a result, the boundaries of these different comfort zones are bound to clash, and the result is the antagonism we see everywhere in the media today: Harassment of intellectuals and non-partisan articulators; scare-mongering campaigns about how the “Other” is about to undermine “Us”; rumours of plots and stratagems used by “Them” against “Us”, etc. Where, pray tell, is the national body then in the midst of this mutual apprehension and distrust? How can a nation be built when its components do not think as a nation in the first place?

I write this only as an academic who constantly reminds his students that national identities are constructs that have to be sustained in the imaginary of individual subjects. As I have said countless times before, the trees and hills, rivers and valleys, roads and malls we see around us are not Malaysian: They have no consciousness and no awareness of what they are or even where they are. “Malaysia” is a construct that exists in us, Malaysians — and it is we, Malaysians, who bear the identity of the nation over time.

WE are Malaysia, and WE are the nation. But that can only come true if we genuinely think of ourselves as Malaysians and we are prepared to step beyond our comfort zones in order to recognise, defend and uphold the common citizenship we share with each and every other Malaysian citizen around us. Every Malaysian is a brother or sister to his/her fellow Malaysian; and as such the qualms we have about the poverty and injustice we see meted to our fellow citizens is a concern to all of us. We cannot continue to racialise poverty as if it was an ethnic concern of one group only; any more than ownership of the nation can be claimed by one segment of the populace.

I do not think I will live to see the day when this sense of collective, common and equal nationhood will ever be internalised and normalised in the country, frankly. So to go back to the ambassador’s question as to why I never gave up my citizenship; I can only put it down to a naive, childish faith that may well be blind as well. (I am only thankful that I do not have any children and am unlikely to have any at my age now, for I genuinely fear for the future and where the future may take them.)

But faith, however feeble and irrational, is still required to give birth to nations that are born out of the collective aspirations of many. I do not know how much longer I can keep up my work, or doing what I do — for time seems to be running out for me and the end of the road is nowhere in sight. But as the storm clouds gather as the geopolitical winds build up across our region; and as talk of clashes between the great and emerging powers grow louder by the day, I fear not for myself but rather for Malaysia as a whole.

Our politicians seem to have an attention span that lasts only up to the next by-election or general election; our public figures play the racial or religious card whenever it suits them. Our nation is sorely in need of a reminder that we are all on the same boat, and whether it sinks or swims, it will carry all of us whether we like it or not.

For the first time in my life, I feel genuine fear for the future — made all the worse by the apparent absence of political wisdom and leadership of any meaningful kind. And in the face of fear, all I can hold on to is faith; faith in the Malaysian project.

* Dr Farish A. Noor is a Senior Fellow at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.