Malayur News: 09/25/08

Thursday, 25 September 2008

PEGGING

1. I am not in the business of advising the Government. When I mentioned the advisability of pegging the Ringgit, it was in answer to a question posed by a…

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1. I am not in the business of advising the Government. When I mentioned the advisability of pegging the Ringgit, it was in answer to a question posed by a reporter. If the Government noticed the report I would feel flattered.

2. Pegging currencies is not as easy as it sounds. The whole thing must be studied very carefully. Even getting agreement by a select panel is not easy. A decision made on the spur of the moment that pegging is not possible cannot really reflect the assessment made together with experts in consultation.

3. Pegging need not be always with the US Dollar. But the fact that the US Dollar is currently not stable is no reason why the idea should be summarily dismissed.

4. There can be other options. Other more stable currencies can be used or a basket of currencies may be used to reduce extreme volatility.

5. The US Dollar is backed by nothing, not even reserves in foreign currencies and gold which other countries hold in order to back their own currencies. The US is a bankrupt nation which means it is not in a position to provide foreign currency backing for its money.

6. The gold in Fort Knox has been depleted long ago and the pegging to gold of a certain amount as agreed to at the Bretton Woods has been done away with by President Nixon. No more gold standards. Yet the US Dollar still commands a certain value in the market. It is still being used for trade payments. This in fact gives the US Dollar a certain value even though the value, in exchange rate terms may change.

7. If the US Dollar is not used in international trading, it will have no value at all. This will of course hurt a lot of countries including Malaysia which carry substantial sums of US Dollar as reserves. Countries like China, Saudi Arabia and tiny Singapore would want to support trade payments made in US Dollar. They do not want their huge reserves of US Dollar to become worthless.

8. What we see here is the importance of international trade payments in sustaining the value of a currency.

9. Long, long ago I suggested the use of a special currency for trade. The currency should be equal in value to a fixed amount of gold. It should not be used domestically as each country would have its own currency pegged to the special trading currency.

10. The price of gold may go up and down but we know that the price of gold today is more than, say, 30 years ago. If we keep gold long enough we will eventually see it appreciating. It is not as volatile as currency notes.

11. So gold is an ideal standard for a trade currency. Effectively we would be going back to the Gold Standard, both for the trading currency and the domestic currency. For the domestic currency the rate against gold can change in keeping with inflation.

12. It was suggested that we call this trading currency the "dinar". Transactions would of course not be in solid gold dinars but with equivalent papers. It is not practical to carry around so much gold dinars but this will not be necessary if a country's export to another country and its import from that country is fairly balanced and only the difference need to be paid.

13. I am not an expert in this area but we can get experts to study whether pegging or the gold dinar are feasible. I would not dismiss the eficacy of these so easily.

14. Perhaps I can make a ridiculous suggestion. Why not make all Malaysian trade payments in Malaysian Ringgit?

15. We are a big trading nation. We export more than 200 billion Ringgit worth of raw material and manufactured goods and we import slightly less than that. Traders cannot just ignore us or boycott us. They need our exports and they need to sell their products to us.

16. All we need to do is to demand payment in Malaysian Ringgit for our exports. We can require payment for our imports in Ringgit according to the current value in an international trading currency or gold.

17. If we do this there will be a constant demand for Ringgit and this will keep the value of the Ringgit at a certain level which we can fix, taking into consideration factors which influence its value.

18. This may sound like a ridiculous suggestion. But not being a trained economist or financier I can allow myself the privilege of unorthodox thinking.

Pak Lah's Insider

According to the Malaysian Insider:

It appears that the DPM has lost control of his own warlords on the ground. He admitted as much in talks with…

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ISA no longer a 'necessary evil'

By Baradan Kuppusamy

In the old days the aristocracy the world over could pass by your hut, size up your wife or daughter or your harvest and take one or…

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By Baradan Kuppusamy

In the old days the aristocracy the world over could pass by your hut, size up your wife or daughter or your harvest and take one or all.

There were laws in traditional society but the king was above the law and there was nothing you could do.

Today's rulers use the ISA for the same purpose and in the same manner - to silence critics, curb dissent, decimate the political opposition and above all stay in power.

Leaving rebel minded former de facto lawyer minister Zaid Ibrahim aside, even a establishment man like Tengku Razaliegh Hamzah, a prince, opposes the use of the ISA against legitimate dissent.

The ISA is a primitive and powerful weapon of statecraft to strike fear into the hearts of critics, political opponent and ordinary people.

But it is a tool of the past and any democracy worth its salt must give it up.

In recent weeks the fear of ISA has been easing among ordinary people, and many of them have been boldly gathering to oppose the ISA.

The opposition, who were frequent victims of the ISA, have always protested detention without trial.

But now ordinary people, cabinet ministers, the Catholic church and ulama from PAS and Hindu priests have all linked up to oppose the ISA seeing it as an evil in a democratic society.

There is a definite groundswell against the ISA with more people by the day who had previously supported the law as a necessary evil now seeing it as a shame and a blot in a maturing democracy.

Across the country people are lighting up candles, holding vigils and organising anti-ISA forums and urging the authorities to free all ISA detainees including detainees held, without charge or trial, in an ambiguous manner under various Emergency Ordinances that have been passed in the country since the May 13 1969 incident.

The people by and large are now saying they want the ISA repealed altogether, not amended, reviewed or re canned into a different name or shape.

While ministers and other community leaders are divided over the next step with the ISA - repeal or revise - increasingly more Malaysians want a straightforward end to this draconian law seeing it as a unnecessary evil.

"No democracy can tolerate a law like the ISA…it is a shame on a country, its people and society at large," said Raymond Tan, an accountant who attended a packed "abolish ISA" forum at the Chinese Assembly hall here on Wednesday.

Under the ISA police can arrest a person on suspicion, file "charges" that never come up before a judge or a court, interrogate a person for 60 days in isolation and in severe breach of all norms of civilised behaviour.

Usually the person is "soften-up and turned" through mental torture and other techniques.

By the time the 60 days are up the "target" is ready to confess to his or her "mistakes or crimes."

Previously the public had supported the ISA as a "necessary evil" to curb racial or religious riots and to put away terrorists and religious fanatics to save society from turmoil.

But now the "necessary evil" position is giving way to a strong public demand for repeal of the ISA altogether.

The large number of people, mostly comfortable middle class parents, some with their children in tow, at the Anti-ISA forums and candle light vigils across the country, is an indication that middle Malaysia is now strongly against the ISA.

You just have to look at the luxury cars they parked by the roadside and the laptops they carried when attending the forums to see that these are not the type of citizens you can easily satisfy with the "necessary evil" argument.

The government's current position that the ISA stays as it is, is increasingly untenable in the face of strong public opposition sparked by the arrest of Sin Chew Daily journalist Ms Tan Hoon Cheng, DAP MP Teresa Kok and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

The arrest has touched a raw nerve especially with Home minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar passing the buck to the police and later giving incredulous excuses for the arrest and subsequent release of the journalist and the opposition lawmaker.

In the case of Raja Petra the use of the ISA is unacceptable because he is already charged with sedition and defamation and the cases are before the courts.

"He should be heard in court and only a judge can convict him if at all he is guilty," said Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam in an interview with The Malaysian Insider.

"It is very disturbing that the ISA is being increasingly used against those who freely and sincerely express honest and transparent views," he said.

"The easy and unnecessary use of the ISA is a major setback for the maturing democracy in Malaysia," he said.

"These repressive laws are archaic and outdated and not relevant anymore in a progressive and lively democracy," he said calling for the immediate release of Raja Petra and all ISA detainees and the repeal of the law in words that echo public sentiments.

Khairy also claims sabotage

KOTA BAHARU, Sept 25 - Umno Youth vice-chief Khairy Jamaluddin has claimed being sabotaged by certain quarters who prevented party members from meeting him.

The Rembau member of parliament who…

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Early transition date?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Will the special Umno supreme council (MT) meeting tomorrow decide to set an early power transition date between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Will the special Umno supreme council (MT) meeting tomorrow decide to set an early power transition date between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak or discuss more effective ways to strengthen the party?

The former was the question uppermost among politicians and political observers soon after it was made public that Umno would convene an MT meeting at 10am tomorrow at the party's headquarters here.

Over the last two days, the political rumour mill has been going on overdrive, with speculation that the nation's top two leaders were involved in "re-brokering" the transition date originally set for June 2010, which some say had caused dissatisfaction among Umno members aligned to some leaders.

The two leaders had earlier agreed that Abdullah would transfer power to Najib by June 2010, but this was seen by some segments in Umno as being too long, especially with the largest political party in the country holding its party polls in December this year.

The first signs of dissent was evident after Abdullah on Sept 17 made a public announcement that he did not rule out an early handover of power and was swapping his Finance Minister portfolio with Najib's defence portfolio.

Political observers interpreted this move that the handover of power would come sooner than 2010, with some predicting that it could even come as soon as December, this year.

Speculation picked up steam yesterday evening after the Deputy Prime Minister's office in a statement said that Najib had cancelled his trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly from today till Oct 1.

This was followed by a series of "secret" meetings between the two leaders and their supporters, and speculation was rife that an agreement on the transition was reached late last night after both parties agreed on a deadline for the power transfer.

Midnight yesterday, calls and short-message-system (sms) were aplenty predicting that an early transition date had been set and that it could be a year earlier than the 2010 original date.

This speculation was further strengthened when news leaked that Abdullah and Najib were huddled in a meeting at the Prime Minister Office in Putrajaya this morning, which was neither denied nor confirned by Najib when met by newsmen later in the day and was only willing to say, "I always meet the Prime Minister".

There is also speculation that the December polls would be postponed to June 2009 to ensure a smooth transfer of power and minimise internal politicking.

"We are expecting something positive to come out tomorrow at the meeting," a party insider said.

"It would be a win-win situation between those calling for an immediate hand over and those wanting to stick to the original date (June 2010)," he added.

He also pointed out that the two top leaders did not want to announce the decision before obtaining the endorsement of the all powerful MT, the party's highest decision making body.

"They do not want to repeat the mistake...the last time they reached a deal, there were grouses that it should have been the MT and members that decided the handover date and not the two men. They can only propose but the MT must endorse and members must accept it ," a party source said.

This latest speculated proposal, if accepted by the MT, would help avoid a bitter power struggle in the party, which Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional, can ill afford especially after the coalition was battered in the March 8 general election.

Another indication that something "big" is on the cards was Najib refusal to answer any political questions at a press conference at the Finance Ministry this afternoon.

He only confirmed that a special UMNO MT meeting would be held tomorrow at Menara Dato' Onn.

"Any political questions will only be answered tomorrow," he said in reply to a question on the speculation that the Umno polls would be postponed until next year.

Such was the sensitivity of the issue at hand that top Umno leaders politely refused to divulge details of the latest party transition plans.

While the nation waits in anticipation over the next 24-hours, it can be assured that the top two leaders would do what is right for the country and its people. — Bernam

Anwar works behind the scenes … and waits

Let’s see what happens tomorrow at the emergency supreme council meeting. Umno seems to be facing a leadership crisis. The sand in the hourglass is emptying rapidly for Abdullah.

And…

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Tukar k'jaan: Hanya Anwar boleh buat kenyataan

Jimadie Shah Othman | Sep 25, 08 (malaysiakini.com)

Atas alasan strategi, mesyuarat khas Majlis Pimpinan Tertinggi (MPT) PKR malam tadi memutuskan bahawa hanya penasihatnya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang boleh…

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Jimadie Shah Othman | Sep 25, 08 (malaysiakini.com)

Atas alasan strategi, mesyuarat khas Majlis Pimpinan Tertinggi (MPT) PKR malam tadi memutuskan bahawa hanya penasihatnya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang boleh membuat kenyataan mengenai usaha pembentukan kerajaan baru.

anwar ibrahim 02 060207

Selain beliau, hanya individu yang mendapat kebenaran parti dan Anwar yang dibenar mengeluarkan kenyataan mengenainya, demikian menurut sumber-sumber yang hadir dalam pertemuan tersebut.

"Sebarang kenyataan hanya akan mengganggu proses (tersebut).

"Sepatutnya sebelum dibuat, hendaklah berbincang dengan Anwar, hanya beliau yang tahu apa ceritanya,” kata sumber-sumber itu ketika ditanya mengenai mesyuarat tergempar itu yang berlangsung di ibu pejabat PKR di Petaling Jaya.

Selain anggota-anggota MPT, beberapa ahli parlimen dan ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) PKR, turut dijemput menghadirinya.

tian chua 03

Dalam mesyuarat itu juga, ketua penerangannya Tian Chua turut ditegur oleh Anwar kerana memberikan kenyatakaan kepada media tanpa merujuk kepimpinan parti terlebih dahulu.

Kelmarin, Tian Chua dilaporkan berkata, Pakatan Rakyat telah mula berunding dengan kerajaan berhubung penggantian kerajaan BN.

Tian juga dilaporkan berkata bahawa hubungan awal itu dibuat melalui "orang tengah" gabungan pembangkang dengan orang tengah perdana menteri.

Bagaimanapun, ia dinafikan oleh Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada hari yang sama dan menyifatkannya sebagai "laporan yang paling gila" pernah didengarnya.

Anwar juga menafikan wujud rundingan seumpama itu.

Malaysiakini difahamkan pertemuan yang dimaksudkan Tian, juga ahli parlimen Batu, itu "memang wujud" tetapi tidak wajar didedahkan kepada umum.

Selain Tian, ahli jawatankuasa pusat PAS Mujahid Yusuf Rawa juga mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menambahkan kekeliruan berhubung projek pembangkang menumbangkan kerajaan BN.

Beliau menyatakan surat rasmi telah diutuskan kepada Istana Negara untuk membolehkan pemimpin-pemimpin Pakatan menghadap Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Bagaimanapun sekretariat Pakatan kelmarin menafikan surat itu telah dikirimkan kepada istana.

Menurut sumber-sumber lagi, senarai penuh ahli parlimen BN yang akan melompat kepada Pakatan juga tidak dibentangkan.

Bagaimanapun Anwar menunjukkan dokumen persetujuan bersama ketiga-tiga parti Pakatan Rakyat berhubung jaminan kebebasan beragama dan Islam.

Mesyuarat semalam mensasarkan pembentukan kerajaan baru dapat dibuat selepas hari raya Aidilfitri ini yang akan jatuh minggu depan, tambah sumber.

Mesyuarat juga menyarankan supaya diperbanyakkan program penerangan untuk menjelaskan kepada rakyat mengenai peralihan kuasa secara aman.

Anwar, yang juga ketua pembangkang di Dewan Rakyat, gagal menunaikan hasratnya untuk membentuk kerajaan baru pada 16 September seperti diuar-uarkannya sejak April dan gagal memanggil sidang tergempar Parlimen untuk tujuan mengusulkan undi tidak percaya terhadap Abdullah.

Mesyuarat tergempar MT esok

Sep 25, 08 2:59pm

kemaskini 8:39pm Mesyuarat tergempar Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno akan diadakan jam 10 pagi esok, dipercayai untuk membincangkan penangguhan pemilihan parti, yang dijadual…

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Mesyuarat tergempar MT esok

Sep 25, 08 2:59pm

kemaskini 8:39pm Mesyuarat tergempar Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno akan diadakan jam 10 pagi esok, dipercayai untuk membincangkan penangguhan pemilihan parti, yang dijadual Disember ini, ke tahun depan.

Ketua penerangan Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib mengesahkan pertemuan tersebut kepada Malaysiakini hari ini.

Beliau bagaimanapun mendakwa tidak mengetahui agenda yang akan dibincangkan.

Mesyuarat di bangunan parti itu di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) itu juga dijangka membahaskan saranan untuk menyegerakan peralihan kuasa Presiden Umno Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi kepada timbalannya setahun lebih awal.

najib abdullah umno 100408 Pada asalnya, Abdullah dan Datuk Seri Najib Razak merancang pelan peralihan kuasa itu akan berlangsung pada pertengahan 2010.

Walaupun enggan mengulas sama ada perkara ini menjadi satu agenda pertemuan esok, seorang lagi anggota MT Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz memberitahu Malaysiakini, Umno kini terbelah dua kepada dua kem.

Satu pihak bersetuju dengan pelan tersebut, sementara satu lagi ingin menyegerakannya.

Beberapa anggota MT, termasuk tiga pemimpin kanan Umno, bersuara dalam pertemuan bulanan majlis itu Khamis minggu lepas agar tarikh peralihan kuasa Abdullah-Najib dipercepatkan.

Ahli-ahli MT Umno dihubungi pagi ini untuk menghadiri mesyuarat mengejut itu selepas pertemuan dua tokoh tertinggi negara hari ini.

Bercakap kepada pemberita di Kementerian Kewangan petang ini, Najib juga mengesahkan mesyuarat MT akan diadakan esok tetapi enggan menjawab sebarang soalan mengenai perkembangan politik.

"Soalan mengenai politik hanya akan dijawab esok," katanya, apabila ditanya menyegerakan peralihan kuasa dan penangguhan pemilihan agung Umno seperti desas-desus.

Najib semalam membatalkan secara mengejut lawatan kerjanya ke Amerika Syarikat, yang sepatutnya bermula hari ini, untuk menghadiri sidang ke-63 perhimpunan agung Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu.

Beliau digantikan oleh Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim sebagai ketua delegasi Malaysia untuk menyampaikan ucapannya di PBB, New York, Ahad ini.

(from Malaysiakini.com)

Razaleigh: Use of ISA has affected govt's credibility

KUALA LUMPUR: Another Umno stalwart has criticised the recent use of the Internal Security Act, saying it had eroded the government's credibility.

Gua Musang member of parliament and Umno presidential…

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Murugiah to Syed Hamid: It IS my business

KLANG: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah has hit back at Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar for asking him not to “interfere” in his ministry…

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Malaysia leader's power transfer plan in jeopardy

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia's government sought to allay fears Thursday that growing demands for the prime minister's resignation could spark rifts in the ruling party and enable its…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia's government sought to allay fears Thursday that growing demands for the prime minister's resignation could spark rifts in the ruling party and enable its opposition foes to seize power.

Speculation about political strife increased after Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak canceled a trip to the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York just hours before his scheduled departure Wednesday.

Najib said government duties kept him from leaving, but independent news portals reported that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib were discussing when Abdullah should hand power to his deputy.

Abdullah has said he will defend his position as chief of the ruling United Malays National Malay Organization in December elections and that he wants to remain in office until mid-2010 _ though he has said he could retire earlier. Every prime minister since independence in 1957 has been the UMNO leader.

International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he hoped "something very positive" would soon come from talks between Abdullah and Najib.

"There is no power struggle," Muhyiddin told reporters. "We would leave it to the two leaders to work out what would be the best arrangements, not only for themselves but more importantly for the country."

Some party officials have reportedly suggested a compromise by delaying the party elections until mid-2009 when Najib could take over.

Ruling party representatives in 191 districts are next month expected to nominate their preferred leaders to stand in the December elections. Abdullah's supporters fear other prominent party members, including Najib, could present a serious challenge to his leadership.

Abdullah's support has slumped since he led the National Front governing coalition to its worst electoral results ever in March national polls, when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's alliance captured one-third of Parliament and took control of five of Malaysia's 13 states. A general election is not due until 2013.

Anwar's People's Alliance now has 82 seats in the 222-member Parliament compared to the National Front's 138. Anwar claims he has pledges of loyalty from enough government lawmakers to topple the coalition that has led Malaysia for more than 50 years.

Raja Petra to undergo religious rehabilitation

PUTRAJAYA: Internal Security Act detainee Raja Petra Kamaruddin will have to undergo religious rehabilitation at the Kamunting Detention Centre.

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GUAN ENG: Only Anwar knows who's on crossover list

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has held the list of Barisan Nasional MPs allegedly "crossing over" to the Pakatan Rakyat so close to his chest that even…

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Malaysia: Changing the Climate of Fear

The extension of Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s period of detention to two years is another example of the nefarious uses of Malaysia’s Internal Security Act, says Daniel Chandranayagam. But the reaction…

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By 11pm on 12 September, the streets of Kuala Lumpur were quieter than the usual Friday night. Just after noon that day, blogger and webmaster of news portal, Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK), had been detained without trial under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA). But many were not surprised. RPK himself told the BBC that he was expecting such an arrest just days before his detention.

Things got more sinister at around 8 in the evening, when Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng was also apprehended under the ISA. By the time the last detainee, opposition MP Teresa Kok, was arrested at around 11pm, it was the kind of Friday night Malaysia had not experienced in many years. You could almost hear a pin drop.

Stifling freedom of expression through fear is not an uncommon occurrence in Malaysian history. The arrests of these three dissidents are almost parallel with Dr Mahathir’s Operasi Lalang in 1987, during which 49 dissidents were held without trial under the ISA. And like Operasi Lalang in the 1980s, three newspapers — Sin Chew Daily, the Sun and Suara Keadilan — were recently given show-cause letters (a legal injunction forcing a publication to explain why its licence shouldn’t be revoked) on recent political and social commentaries and opinions published.

In fact, there is a perceived ‘climate of fear’ in Malaysia. While many of the mainstream press is either owned, controlled or has affiliations to the ruling party and the economic elite, the government still constantly reminds the press to report ‘responsibly’ and to even practise self-censorship. Dissenting voices, mostly online, also are habitually reminded to ‘behave or else’. Alternatively, bloggers and online dissidents are discredited as ‘snipers’ or rumour-mongerers. On occasion, legal means or threats by ‘unknown persons’ [see Blogging and Democratization in Malaysia (2008 Strategic Information and Research Development Centre) Tan, Jun-E and Ibrahim, Zawawi] have been used to mute online dissidents.

The three recent detainees were considered champions by many. RPK was arrested because the authorities claim he had published articles on his news portal which tarnished the leadership of the country and insulted the sanctity of Islam. RPK’s troubles do not end there; he also is facing sedition charges as well as defamation law suits.

Tan’s arrest was believed to be in relation to her report on racist remarks made by a member of parliament from the ruling coalition, Ahmad Ismail. This appeared the most feasible reason, especially since Sin Chew Daily, in which Tan’s report was published, was given a show-cause letter by the Home Ministry, asking the publication why the government should not revoke its licence for having reported the racial slur.

Finally, Kok was detained as she had allegedly petitioned mosques to turn down the volume for their calls to prayer. In response, Kok had denied this accusation, with the religious leaders from the mosques confirming that she had done no such thing. This notwithstanding, she was still apprehended. Kok was released six days after her arrest.

Although fear and Malaysians are no strangers, they have been somewhat estranged in the last few years. Many Malaysians hope for a country with new leadership soon, leadership that will be more accountable and transparent. This hope culminated in Anwar Ibrahim’s by-election win in Permatang Pauh in August.

During this by-election, Ahmad Ismail, a Malaysian politician from the ruling coalition, was reported to have made a racial slur. The newspaper which had initially reported his racist remark, Sin Chew Daily, was given a show-cause letter by the Home Ministry, asking the newspaper why the government should not revoke its license for having published the racial slur. The aftermath of Ahmad’s racist comments, including his defiance, was fanned by some of the mainstream press and the ruling coalition. This brought to some minds the incident of 13 May 1969, Malaysia’s infamous race riots, which witnessed the loss of many lives.

Surprisingly, this time around, Malaysians did not take too kindly to the attempt of instilling fear. By Saturday afternoon, press and bloggers began to voice their outrage. Vigils for the three detainees were arranged. Many civil society groups, opposition leaders and even some politicians within the ruling coalition protested the use of the ISA, and had called for the abolition for the laws on detention without trial.

By noon the following day, Tan was released, just 18 hours after her detention. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, was reported to have said that Tan was detained under the ISA for her own good, since she had purportedly received threatening phone calls. This statement caused more public outrage than anything else.

Despite efforts to keep people in a state of fear, for example by telling them that they should not question the government’s decision on detaining the three, mounting pressure to release the detainees continued. De facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim resigned from his position as a principled stand on the use of the ISA on civilians.

On 19 September, opposition MP, Teresa Kok was freed, after the authorities determined that she wasn’t a threat to national security. Her release was a surprise to everyone, considering that the authorities had issued a statement that she would be in detention for 28 days.

Unfortunately, the fate of RPK is less encouraging. On 23 September, the Home Minister had signed a detention order of two years for RPK, stating that the police found strong grounds for a detention of two years. However, the Home Minister had stated that there would be reviews after three months and six months. The civil society group Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) stated that this move was designed to frustrate RPK’s bid for freedom. GMI chairman, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, was reported to have said, ‘We believe the invoking of section 8 of the ISA for a two-year detention period subsequent to eight days of detention [from a maximum of 60 days under Section 73(1)] is to bypass the habeas corpus hearing of Raja Petra scheduled today.’

This appears to be analogous with a blog post RPK managed to put up while in detention, where he wrote, ‘… I am already facing one sedition charge for the article, “Let’s send the Altanthuya murderers to hell”, plus three charges of criminal defamation… Assuming I win my cases in October and November, they can still hold me under the ISA. Either way I will still remain under detention; heads they win, tails I lose.’

Even so, the spirit of defiance, and sometimes even ridicule, on the recent stifling of these dissenting voices, appear to be predominant among Malaysian urbanites. Perhaps backed by the hope of a new government, or perhaps because they know that there is international pressure not to use the ISA for the peaceful expression of political views, perhaps because even Tun Dr Mahathir, the prime minister under whom the Operasi Lalang was conducted, has spoken up against the ISA detentions, it appears that the 21st century is blowing away the climate of fear which pervaded Malaysia.

Published in http://www.indexoncensorship.org/
Daniel Chandranayagam blogs at http://puttotask.wordpress.com/

S'gor PR government under fire over temple demolition

;">KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 - The Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor has come under fire from the MIC over the demolition of a Hindu temple in Ampang earlier this month.…

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"MPAJ Demolished the Hindu Temple in Ampang, The Local Coucil & MP Had No Knowledge, Until It Was Too Late!"

The title of this post & all the info I am sharing here is from my short phone conversation with the Ampang MP, Puan Zuraida Kamaruddin. This is her blog…

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How to be happy

The idea of enacting a law that deals specifically with race relations in this country is a good one. It is evident that politics, tunnel vision and a lack of…

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The idea of enacting a law that deals specifically with race relations in this country is a good one. It is evident that politics, tunnel vision and a lack of imagination have resulted in our society being a great deal more fractured than it should have been, all things considered.

Who would have thought in 1957 that fifty plus years down the line, there would still be a demand for supremacist rhetoric and the fruits of discrimination. But here we are; confused and frustrated, trapped in a labyrinth of our own making. So much so that we have lost sight of plain and obvious truths that could lead us into an age of miracles if rediscovered.

A long while ago, I was rummaging amongst a friend’s book collection and came across a little book by the current Dalai Lama entitled, I think, “How To Be Happy”. Wanting to be happy, I turned to the first line on the first page. If I remember correctly, it said something to this effect: in order to be happy, one had to be happy.

You can imagine how I was somewhat put out by this. If it were that simple, I mused somewhat cynically, we would all be a lot happier. There was surely more to it than that for how else was one to deal with the mysterious complexities of life, I grumbled. I put the book back where I had found it and moved on to a glossy magazine with great photographs.

In hindsight, I realized that I should have paid more attention to that drop in the ocean of wisdom.

Quite a few years later I suddenly realized that over time, life had compelled me to simplify how I dealt with it. It was either that or become victim to the stresses and turmoil that I seemed to have had a knack for subjecting myself to. More and more, I had learnt how to accept the obvious and to say ‘no’ when I needed to, distancing myself from distress, even as I found out how to accept what I did not understand with a more open heart. I saw then that though I had some way to go on my journey, I was relatively happy and that I had got there by, well, trying to be happy.

I tried to find that book again but it had moved on to illuminate someone else's life.

The most obvious truth about being a Malaysian is that all of us, regardless of our background and ethnicity, call this country home and share it with everyone else. We got together at independence because we all believed that we had a place here and that we could live together harmoniously and respectfully for all our benefit. That made us all fulfilled and each of us contributed to its, and each others’, growth.

Somewhere along the way however, we began to take that truth for granted and after a while it was left by the wayside, forgotten. In its place was a void that was soon filled by resentment with a deep, burning need for recognition and belonging that we sated with anything that offered immediate gratification. Race, religion, anything that gave us an identity, was soon being fed to that driving hunger. As with all gangs, those with stronger numbers and greater resource soon ruled the day and discrimination became a way of life.

It still is, and for being so interleaved with so many aspects of our life, is the single, biggest obstacle to our living together harmoniously. It is also the greatest cause of distress and for being that, is something that we must collectively distance ourselves from as we learn how to appreciate and embrace the self-evident truths of being Malaysian.

Discrimination has however become so entrenched that the way forward needs the careful guidance that only a structured policy can offer. A race-relations law, providing for the necessary structures such as a race-relations commission, is arguably the only effective way for such a policy to be introduced and implemented.

Worryingly though, those who have proposed such a law seem more focused on creating more strictures in an already hidebound existence rather than on creating a shared platform for sustainable and inclusive development. This is not the correct approach. We do not need more regulations on what we can or cannot say, we have too many already. What we need is a way to ensure that no Malaysian is sacrificed in whatever way to satisfy the need of another.

For that, a sustained effort must be made to fully eliminate any and all forms of discrimination in public life in this country. Where the race-relations law is concerned, the focus must be on racial discrimination. The law should aim at creating an environment in which the equality of all citizens can be promoted and fostered in the way that the Federal Constitution guarantees. The constitutional scheme aimed at protecting disadvantaged Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak through objectively applied affirmative action is not inconsistent with such a goal.

Can we be happy? I think so. It requires us to open our hearts and accept some truths. It needs a little creativity and a lot of trust.

I would like to think we are up to that challenge.

(Malay Mail; 23rd September 2009)

MIS

Msia locks up bloggers, Euro wants them banned

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Euro MPs are preparing to put to vote this week a proposal to regulate or even ban blogs which are dangerous, malicious and which contain hidden…

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Just too much ado over race

Thursday, 25 September 2008 08:39am

©The Star
Along The Watchtower by M. Veera Pandiyan

Show seriousness in punishing racists instead of wasting time drawing up new laws to safeguard…

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Thursday, 25 September 2008 08:39am

©The Star
Along The Watchtower by M. Veera Pandiyan

Show seriousness in punishing racists instead of wasting time drawing up new laws to safeguard race relations.

WHAT’S the big fuss about race and ethnic origins? It’s all about how far back into your ancestry you want to go. If we trace our lineage back to 60,000 years, we are all Africans.

There is this fascinating National Geographic documentary on the genealogy of humankind on TV this month.

Just as I finished watching it last week, the news was on and among the highlights was the Government’s plan for a proposed new law to safeguard race relations in the country.

The Journey of Man, hosted by geneticist Dr Spencer Wells, shows that all humans descended from a group that walked out of Africa about 60,000 years ago (or perhaps another 40,000 years earlier, if the opinions of dissenting archaeologists are taken into consideration).

His study is based on DNA €“ the scientific historical link that we carry in our blood.

Tiny spelling mistakes in our DNA, in the form of changes in sequence which happened in the past, provides the linkage in genealogical ties.

Dr Wells has traced our common DNA to the Y-chromosome of this man, our veritable Adam, who lived in the eastern or southern part of Africa.

He suggests that our early ancestors could have looked like the San bush people of the Kalahari, whose facial features make up a composite model of people from all the world.

He posits that the first batch followed the southern coastline of Asia, somehow crossed about 250km of sea to Australia 50,000 years ago, leaving behind the current aborigines as their descendants.

Archaeologists, however, say the first wave of migration could have occurred about 100,000 years ago, based on fossil records.

Earlier this year, three studies that looked at human diversity through genetics, supported Dr Wells’ contention that humans left Africa, walked into Central Asia and fanned out east and west to populate the planet.

They also confirmed that the ancestry of many seemingly “purebred” ethnic groups were traceable to more than one continent.

What does all these tell us? We now know that scientifically, there is no such thing as a pure race.

Not a single characteristic, trait or gene distinguishes members of one “race” from members of another.

Genes influencing skin colour have nothing to with the genes influencing blood types, type of hair or shape of eyes.

As Dr Well explains, humans who first evolved in Africa had dark skin because they needed protection in the form of melanin, our natural sunscreen.

Those who moved into the northern hemisphere 40,000 years ago did not need such protection and lost some of their pigmentation to allow sunlight to synthesise Vita-min D needed to grow strong bones.

“Our differences are only skin deep. We are all African cousins separated by, at the most, some 2,000 generations,” he says.

But if race is a relatively recent concept, why does it invoke such fervour, even to the point of dying or killing for?

Deep down, it is just a powerful social and political means for groups of people to gain access or protect geographical territories and resources.

Throughout human history, the concept of race or the assumed superiority of one over another, have been used to justify territorial wars, hegemony, slavery, ethnic cleansing and other abominations.

Even in countries deemed to be progressive and democratic, racial practices such as segregation and apartheid were institutionalised norms not too long ago. They still exist today, although in more subtle forms.

How about us? Let’s not pretend that racial sentiments do not lurk as the underlying factor in most aspects of our lives.

From cradle to grave, Malaysians are constantly reminded of the race they belong to, resulting in a segment of the population feeling that they can never be regarded as equal citizens of a diverse and potentially dynamic nation.

This fanatical focus on race has since spawned more despicable forms of racism such as hate crimes against foreigners, the latest being the senseless murder of an African student from Chad last week.

As for politicians, publicly they spout about national unity, but in reality many remain unrepentant rogues when it comes to using race as an expedient tool.

Against such a backdrop, talking about a Race Relations Act akin to the law that Britain has, sounds like a bad joke.

It’s farcical to formulate a new law to fix racial discord when we choose not to see the root causes of our problems.

Over the years, we have heard endless racist talk from politicians who should know better, the latest being Bukit Bendara Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s infamous “squatter” remarks.

Just how many of them have been arrested, investigated charged in court? Or even counselled to change their ways, as in cases of recalcitrant religious deviants?

Instead of wasting more precious time drawing up new legislation, the Government should show immediate seriousness in punishing offenders using the array of existing laws.

It should also consciously help educate all Malaysians on the need for unity and eliminate practices and programmes that cause disunity among the people.

Perhaps the most urgent task at hand is a review of the National Civics Bureau (Biro Tata Negara), a training institution that is supposed to be conducting nation building programmes to instil loyalty and discipline among tertiary students and those on Public Service scholarships.

Shocking allegations of BTN’s “racist” indoctrination courses which seem to be in conflict with national unity, the principles of Rukun Negara and the aspirations of Bangsa Malaysia, have been circulating in cyberspace for several weeks now.

Strangely, there has been no clarification or denial yet from the Prime Minister’s Department, which BTN comes under, the Home Ministry nor the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry.

> Associate Editor M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by an unknown author: Racial superiority is a mere pigment of the imagination.

'Stateless' man drives north to see Sultan Azlan Shah

Thursday, 25 September 2008 08:35am

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Thursday, 25 September 2008 08:35am

R. Ragu and his family will stay in their car while waiting to meet the sultan. ©New Straits Times
by Jaspal Singh

IPOH: It was their maiden trip to the city, but instead of enjoying the sights and staying in a hotel, R. Ragu, his 27-year-old asthmatic wife and their three children spent the first night sleeping in their car at a petrol station in Simpang Pulai, near here.

This is because they are not on a family holiday.

Instead, they are on a mission to meet with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah.

"I need to see Sultan Azlan Shah because I need him to help me obtain a permanent identification document," he said at the office of state executive councillor A. Sivanesan here yesterday.

Out of curiosity, reporters had earlier asked him why he was at Sivanesan's office with his wife and children.
"The Sultan is my last resort.

"I have been given the run around by the National Registration Department (NRD) and all I want is just to obtain a MyKad for myself."

Ragu had driven with his family from Segamat in Johor on Tuesday.

He claimed that Home Ministry staff had told him to obtain a letter from the Perak ruler to support his application for a MyKad.

He said his problem started when he was abandoned by his parents at the age of 4 in Parit Buntar.

The police found him by the roadside and handed him to the Social Welfare Department, where he was cared for until he was 16 years old.

"Ten years ago, the department helped me to get a birth certificate in which 'Rajamani' was stated as my father's name and Bagan Serai, Perak, was listed as my place of birth," he said, adding that he did not know the real name of his parents or where he was actually born.

With the birth certificate, he was able to obtain a temporary identification document which had to be renewed every year.

However, in 2004, the National Registration Department declined to renew his temporary document.

After visiting the NRD headquarters in Putrajaya many times in the last four years, he received a letter from the Home Ministry in July which stated that his temporary identification document could not be renewed due to the government's instruction.

"The Home Ministry staff in Putrajaya told me to obtain a letter from the Sultan of Perak to support my application for a permanent MyKad because according to my birth certificate, I was born in Perak.

"I have sought the help of many senior politicians but no one could help me. I will wait for the Sultan."

Ragu said he had been unable to get a permanent job because of his "stateless" status.

His wife, G. Neelaawathi, is unable to work because of asthma and kidney problems.

Asked where he planned to stay until he could see Sultan Azlan Shah, he said he and his family would sleep in their car and shower at petrol stations.

"My family and I have put up with a lot of difficulties over the years... what is a few more days of hardship?"

Sivanesan, who met Ragu and his family yesterday evening, said that he would take Ragu to the Perak NRD to help him apply for a MyKad.

ISA no longer a 'necessary evil'

By Baradan Kuppusamy

(Malaysiainsider)In the old days the aristocracy the world over could pass by your hut, size up your wife or daughter or your harvest and take…

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By Baradan Kuppusamy

(Malaysiainsider)In the old days the aristocracy the world over could pass by your hut, size up your wife or daughter or your harvest and take one or all.