Vwaishhnnavi waytha moorthy and 11 others have been arrested as she fulfilled her task of handing over a Deepavali appeal to PM to seek the release of HINDRAF 5, RPK…

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Vwaishhnnavi waytha moorthy and 11 others have been arrested as she fulfilled her task of handing over a Deepavali appeal to PM to seek the release of HINDRAF 5, RPK and all ISA detainees before Deepavali. They are remanded at Putrajaya Police Station.
 
Please send sms messages to your friends to make way to Putrajaya Police Station to show support.

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Only one BN lawmaker supports ISA review

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — A Barisan Nasional MP and two independents are among 77 mostly opposition legislators who have so far signed a petition to the…

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By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — A Barisan Nasional MP and two independents are among 77 mostly opposition legislators who have so far signed a petition to the Prime Minister calling for a debate in Parliament to review or repeal the Internal Security Act.

The anti-ISA parliamentary caucus did not, however, reveal the name of the BN MP, but chairman Lim Kit Siang of the DAP said he hopes to get more MPs from the BN to sign the petition and make it a bipartisan effort.

Lim told reporters in the Parliament lobby today that 77 MPs had signed a petition calling for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to prioritise a motion to debate the review and repeal of the Internal Security Act when the House reconvenes next Wednesday.

"This includes one BN MP, two independents and 74 Pakatan Rakyat MPs," the Ipoh Timur MP said, explaining later that other PR legislators were out of town and unable to sign the petition.

He also revealed that the two independents were Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui and Eric Enchin Majimbun, the MPs from SAPP, which recently exited the BN coalition.

"If more than a third of MPs show their desire to debate this issue, then the Prime Minister must make it a top priority if parliamentary democracy has any meaning here. If he says no, he is completely irresponsible.

"I regret that only one BN MP has supported the motion," the DAP parliamentary leader said, adding that it was not even a motion to abolish the ISA but merely to debate it.

Caucus secretary Fong Po Kuan also stated that 23 BN MPs had been approached so far to sign the petition but only one agreed.

PKR Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul said that "some personally agreed but did not dare to sign as they needed to see what those above had to say. Maybe in three or four days they will change their mind."

"At their national delegates conferences, both Gerakan and MCA called for a repeal of the ISA. By not supporting this petition their ministers and MPs have betrayed the trust of their delegates," Lim added.

He also said that a second batch of signatures would be sent after the Deepavali break.

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Anwar’s options to take power diminishing

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has missed several deadlines to unseat the government, says he is running out of options to replace the…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has missed several deadlines to unseat the government, says he is running out of options to replace the ruling coalition.

Seven months after reducing the Barisan Nasional’s majority in Parliament in the March general election, he has failed to get BN lawmakers to cross over to the opposition and to table a vote of no confidence in Parliament in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The premier's response was to accelerate a power handover to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak, according to Bloomberg.

"I'm not saying we have no options left, but I'm saying it's getting to be much more difficult," Anwar said in an interview with Bloomberg yesterday.

His three-party Pakatan Rakyat coalition remains confident it can woo the 30 BN MPs it needs to form a majority in Parliament after taking control of 5 of 13 states in the March elections, he said.

Anwar's assessment, the most pessimistic since the election, suggests the transfer of power to Najib will be smooth, removing the uncertainty that has contributed to a 37 per cent decline in the benchmark stock index this year, the report said.

"It's only right for Anwar to clarify Pakatan's stand to the public," regarding their diminishing options, Bloomberg quoted Tricia Yeoh, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, an independent research institute in Kuala Lumpur, as saying. "They should focus on administering the five states well and strengthening the bonds within the parties. This will demonstrate that they can be a formidable alternative federal government."

Anwar failed to meet his Sept 16 deadline to oust Abdullah, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of Malaysia. He was also unable to persuade the prime minister to recall Parliament for a confidence vote or even meet with Abdullah to discuss a change of government.

According to Bloomberg, Anwar said he was exploring other options for a takeover that would be "peaceful and orderly" and adhere to the constitution, without elaborating.

Abdullah, 68, agreed this month to hand over power to Najib in March. Previously the transition had been planned for June 2010, three years before the next general election must be held.

In a separate interview, Bloomberg quoted former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as saying that "the opposition wants Abdullah to carry on, because they believe if he leads the party in the next election, their chances would be enhanced".

Dr Mahathir, the nation's longest-serving leader, handpicked Abdullah as his successor, a decision he said he now regrets.

Anwar returned to Parliament in a by-election on Aug 26. He was fired as deputy prime minister by Dr Mahathir in 1998 and jailed on charges of having illegal sex with a man and abuse of power. The sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004.

Anwar is currently facing similar sex charges after a 23-year-old former male aide filed a complaint with police.

"They don't have a case. That I know for a fact," Anwar told Bloomberg. "What they want to do is to embarrass me."

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Youth, sex and doing business

The Star A writer's life by Dina Zaman In business, it’s not just about brokering deals; it’s about drinks and entertainment, and sadly, who you supply to sweeten the deal.…

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The Star A writer's life by Dina Zaman In business, it’s not just about brokering deals; it’s about drinks and entertainment, and sadly, who you supply to sweeten the deal. How does one educate business folk that young girls and boys are not to be touched? A few months ago, yours truly and friends were invited to a little do at a posh nightclub. Once in a while, this writer needs an airing, so off she went with her friends. Let’s just say the club was a bastion of Malay Datukness, if there is such a term. It was filled with men who smoked cigars, and we recognised a number of faces, all seen in business pages. The men oozed wealth and knew it. The place, situated in a hotel right smack in the city, had been heralded as the place to be seen. It was a departure from my idea of a night out. Then again, my friends and I prefer quiet dinners with our boyfriends and close friends, so that night, was quite a revelation, to say the least. The women who were there, I hesitate to say and judge, were not there to dance. They were there for the “kill” as they eyed their prey. It was halfway through the soiree when two young women appeared at our tiny table. We initiated small talk but they looked at us blankly. A newly-made male acquaintance whispered to me that the two young women were 16 years old, and were there to look for rich boyfriends. No, they were not working girls. They went to a school nearby. The two butterflies then moved on to flit on a more prosperous table, filled with laughter and cigar smoke. In a matter of minutes, they were well acquainted with the men. Women hunting for rich men as husbands or paramours are nothing new. Growing up, there were a few girls in class who aspired to be that: wives of rich men. But still, as I sat in a corner, observing the two young women, whiling their youth away, as they flirted with the men, and were grabbed at by their newfound companions, I wondered to myself, why, why weren’t these girls at home? Perhaps I may come off as naive, but at 16, whether one is a boy or girl, he or she should be doing what 16-year-olds do. Studying, playing with PSII, arguing with parents over why he flunked Maths again. For 16-year-old girls, they should be playing around with make-up and clothes, and talking about love and pop stars. And, who they want to be when they are 21. My friends and I left at 11.30 in the evening, to our great relief. I dashed home eagerly — a pile of books was waiting to be read — having gleaned some useless information from the outing such as recognising the difference between Trophy Wife Hair and Mistress Hair. But I was disturbed by what I had seen, and conveyed that to a few colleagues who worked with children and youth rights, and child trafficking. Horrifying stories of VIPs and rich businessmen molesting underage girls waitressing at clubs emerged. “Hey, I’m a VIP, I can do whatever I want. Besides, it’s consensual,” these men say. It is one thing to educate parents and children about their rights over their bodies and themselves, but how does one educate the business community that young girls and boys are not to be touched? In business, it’s not just about brokering deals; it’s about drinks and entertainment, and sadly, who you supply to sweeten the deal. This is a business truth, and has existed for thousands of years. The commoditisation of youth and sex has a huge appeal to a number of businessmen. It feeds their egos, and it shows off their power. They forget that they have daughters at home, while they play with schoolgirls their daughters’ age. Sometimes, it is young boys. Impresarios of the night know, to pull in the big bucks, young, fresh blood is desirable. Teenagers whose youth and enthusiasm light up the night, and laughter which will ring in the dawn. This underage limit restriction they say they have is just a front. Who does not love a good party? And parents. Socially ambitious mothers. You’d be very surprised. Nothing to do with poverty, though it can be a push-factor. A few aspirant mothers train their daughters to do whatever it takes to get there. Sometimes you see these young women, and yes, boys in events and society pages and wonder whether the problem really lies with you, because of your human rights sensibilities. “Oh, that’s nothing. Wait until you meet my eight-year-old sex workers,” a colleague sighed. Even at that age, these young children already know the power of seduction. Who then takes care of the children? The state? Ngos? Parents will cry out against the invasion of their rights as parents. But are some parents capable of caring for their children? In my work, I meet many people. I think I can’t be shocked anymore, but always, something will throw me for the loop. A young up-and-coming professional bragged to me, how he only beds young girls between the ages of 17 to 19, whom he meets at clubs, because “… they’re cleaner, and haven’t been around too much”. I read international media reports on how young American girls all want to be Britney, Paris, Lindsay, and think, it’s the same everywhere. Why do I have to make this my battle? Is my childhood, my colleagues’ childhoods, the childhoods these young children should have? Would these kids want to trade places and play with cowpat, dash into the sea and be chased by irate goats? All I can say is, that night, what I saw, was wrong. For sure, these street-wise 16-year-old girls would grimace at what we think is the right childhood for them. Maybe they’re happy. But at 16, or eight, or whatever age a boy or girl is, they shouldn’t be selling their souls that way. The writer can also be reached at dzawriterslife@gmail.com.

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Hindraf Media Event

RE : DEEPAVALI APPEAL TO PM FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL ISA DETAINEES IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE RELIGION OR THE ACCUSATIONS THEY FACE.

DATE : 23RD OCTOBER 2008

TIME :…

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RE : DEEPAVALI APPEAL TO PM FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL ISA DETAINEES IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE RELIGION OR THE ACCUSATIONS THEY FACE.

DATE : 23RD OCTOBER 2008

TIME : 2.30 PM

VENUE : PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

PUTRAJAYA

ALL MALAYSIANS SEEKING JUSTICE AND PEACE ARE CORDIALLY INVITED.

P.WAYTHA MOORTHY

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Hindraf reveals 'proof' of passport revocation

Syed Hamid denies lying about Hindraf leader’s passport

PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has denied he lied about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waythamoorthy’s passport.

He said there had previously been a directive…

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PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has denied he lied about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waythamoorthy’s passport.

He said there had previously been a directive for the Hindraf man to surrender his passport to the Malaysian High Commission in Britain, where he is now living in self exile.

“The order was for him to surrender his passport so that it could be cancelled and we could bring him home for a warrant of arrest to be executed against him under the Internal Security Act. However, he never went.

“I never lied. The passport was never cancelled when I gave my first statement. How can it be cancelled if he never came to the High Commission? We would need to have take it back and stamp the word ‘cancelled’ on it.

“However, I subsequently gave the order in my first meeting as Home Minister -- and I am sure they would have implemented it -- for this directive to be rescinded,” he told reporters after attending the Rela Hari Raya open house at Taman Warisan here on Wednesday.

“He can travel and come back to face the consequences of his action then. They (Hindraf) have been distorting and misinfoming (people on) the issue,” Syed Hamid alleged, responding to claims made by Hindraf coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran.

Thanenthiran said group, which has since been declared illegal by the Malaysian Government, had a letter from the United Kingdom border agency saying that it had received a notice of cancellation against the passport because Waythamoorthy was being sought for “criminal charges.”

In the letter dated Sept 23, it was stated that the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was notified of the cancellation on March 14.

Comments from M2day

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written by onnetline, October 23, 2008 00:48:43

SOB ....... this Said Al Blur !

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Votes: +7

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written by kkselvam, October 23, 2008 00:48:45

You are a damn BIG liar and you can lie through your arse too! You are that damn good. Bloody eunuch!

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Votes: +11

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written by Mee Udang, October 23, 2008 01:16:52

The biggest LIAR of the day!!!! Clap...Clap....Clap....!
2nd runner up goes tooooooo....... TEMPEEEEEEE....!!!!

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Votes: +6

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written by bn haramjadah, October 23, 2008 01:59:58

this yemeni reject is a bloody joke of a minister, hoi botak, what criminal offense has he committed, is there a warrent of arrest out for his arrest, why don't the british authorities deport him immediatly if he is a criminal, don't forget britain would be more and ready to kick wahyamoorthy out, hasn't he sued their queen? The reality PARIAAAAAH HALBAR is because he is a political dissenter, he is flushing umno waterface in the toilet of world opinion, UMNO IS KNOWN AS THE TOILET FLUSHED AND SHITE COVERED DICK-tator-tots.

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Hindraf gesa kerajaan serah semula pasport Moorthy

Oleh ARIFFUDDIN ISHAK, mSTAR

Kumpulan Hindu Right Action Force (Hindraf) hari ini menyerahkan memorandum bagi menggesa kerajaan menyerahkan semula pasport antarabangsa milik pengerusinya, P. Waytha Moorthy yang kini berada di…

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Oleh ARIFFUDDIN ISHAK, mSTAR

Kumpulan Hindu Right Action Force (Hindraf) hari ini menyerahkan memorandum bagi menggesa kerajaan menyerahkan semula pasport antarabangsa milik pengerusinya, P. Waytha Moorthy yang kini berada di Britain bagi mendapatkan perlindungan.

Wakil pertubuhan itu, N. Thianenthan mendakwa Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bercanggah berhubung status sebenar pasport milik Waytha.

"Tempoh hari beliau bercakap di Parlimen dengan mengatakan bahawa pasport Waytha tidak dibatalkan.

"Ternyata beliau berbohong dan hari ini kami membawa surat daripada pejabat Menteri Dalam Negeri United Kingdom (UK) untuk menunjukkan bukti yang kukuh bahawa kedutaan Malaysia di UK mengarahkan supaya pasport beliau dibatalkan," katanya dalam sidang media di Parlimen di sini, hari ini.

Memorandum tersebut diserahkan kepada Ahli Parlimen Subang, R. Sivarasa.

Gesaan ahli keluarga Waytha dan penyokong pertubuhan itu dilakukan bagi mengembalikan hak pemimpin Hindraf itu untuk pulang merayakan Deepavali bersama anggota keluarganya.

"Jadi kami minta supaya beliau diberikan semula haknya untuk balik dan bebas ke mana sahaja terutamanya untuk merayakan Deepavali yang semakin hampir," katanya.

Mengulas lanjut, beliau berkata pada mulanya, Syed Hamid mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa pasport Waytha telah tamat tempoh, namun mengeluarkan kenyataan kedua di Parlimen bahawa pasport itu tidak dibatalkan.

"Beliau selaku Menteri kanan boleh berbohong sedemikian. Beliau harus disiasat dan ditahan di bawah Akta Hasutan kerana mengeluarkan kenyataan yang bercanggah dan menghasut," katanya.

Dalam pada itu, Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Timur, Lim Kit Siang yang turut hadir dalam sidang media tersebut berkata beliau akan membawa usul tersebut di Dewan Rakyat supaya Syed Hamid dihadapkan ke Jawatan Kuasa Hak dan Keistimewaan Parlimen kerana berbohong di Parlimen.

"Kita akan membawa usul ini sama ada hari ini atau esok untuk dibahaskan," katanya.

Dalam sidang media yang sama, kumpulan tersebut turut meminta Kementerian Dalam Negeri menarik balik pengharaman Hindraf.

Mereka turut meminta supaya lima pemimpin Hindraf yang ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dibebaskan.

"Memandangkan Deepavali sudah dekat, jadi kami harap mereka dibebaskan segera sekurang-kurangnya sebelum Deepavali," katanya.

Sebelum itu, kumpulan tersebut melepaskan dua ekor burung merpati putih sebagai simbolik menuntut kebebasan Waytha dan pemimpin Hindraf yang ditahan ISA.

Mereka memasuki bangunan Parlimen kira-kira pukul 11.30 pagi dengan campur tangan beberapa Ahli Parlimen Pakatan Rakyat iaitu Sivarasa, Lim Kit Siang dan N.Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai).

Mereka juga membawa bersama seorang kanak-kanak perempuan sebagai 'duta kecil' menuntut ISA dimansuhkan.

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Lim Kit Siang says, “suspend deal until after parliamentary probe”

The RM2.3 billion military helicopter deal with Franco-German company Eurocopter should be suspended until a bipartisan parliamentary committee has probed the purchase, urged an opposition leader.

MCPX

“I call on…

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The RM2.3 billion military helicopter deal with Franco-German company Eurocopter should be suspended until a bipartisan parliamentary committee has probed the purchase, urged an opposition leader.

MCPX

“I call on the cabinet to take a definitive decision at its Friday meeting that the Letter of Intent awarded to Eurocopter is suspended until the outcome of the scrutiny of the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) on the helicopter deal,” said DAP leader Lim Kit Siang.

According to Lim, PAC has decided last Wednesday to scrutinise the three “mega-scandals” highlighted by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition in the 2009 budget debate.

• the RM5 billion Maybank purchase of Bank International Indonesia at five times the book value

• the RM2.3 billion defence deal for 12 Cougar EC725 helicopter

• the awarding of the RM11.3 billion high-speed broadband contract to TM Bhd

Lim described Defence Ministry secretary-general Abu Bakar Abdullah’s statement last Friday claiming that the decision to procure the Eurocopters had followed proper procedure as “unsatisfactory”.

“No satisfactory answer had been given to queries as to why the full technical evaluation process had not followed standard international practices and lacked transparency,” said Lim in a statement today.

Lim, who is Ipoh Timor parliamentarian, said that “all information and data must be presented to the PAC for its scrutiny, including the outcome of the respective technical, offset and price evaluations for each tender bid”.

He said representives from each of the seven tender bidders should be invited to appear before the committee “as only they will know how the tender process had disadvantaged or sidelined their aircraft”.

PAC, which is tasked to scrutinise and monitor the utilisation of public funds, comprises 13 members from both sides of the House - five of whom are from Pakatan.

The committee is headed by former home minister Azmi Khalid (Umno-Padang Besar) with Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) as deputy chairperson.

“In its scrutiny, the PAC should have the benefit of independent expert advice and not be totally dependent on the Defence Ministry or Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF),” added Lim.

“Parliament should empower PAC to engage consultants who is knowledgeable in the aviation field especially the helicopter industry and profession.”

Why Brazil can get a better deal?

Lim said that the committee should also investigate the way the “tender team has carried out the selection and check the scoring system to ensure there is no partiality in the grading”.

“Of particular interest to the PAC is the price differential in the Eurocopter deal by Malaysia as compared to Brazil, which is acquiring 50 ‘Super Cougar’ units from Eurocopter at a price consideration of US$1.2 billion, of which the first unit will be delivered in 2010, giving an average unit price of RM84 million as compared to the average unit price of RM193 million for the RMAF’s 12 Cougar EC725 helicopters.”

The Eurocopter controversy was first highlighted in a letter dated October 7 addressed to former defence minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also deputy prime minister and finance minister.

In the five-page letter, Mentari Services Sdn Bhd chairperson Capt (rtd) Zahar Hashim suggested that the tender process, initiated during Najib’s tenure, could have been a “gimmick” since the ministry appeared to favour one company.

Zahar also accused Najib of providing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who took over the defence portfolio on September 17, with an “inaccurate” report pertaining to the contract.

He said the government could have purchased the same number of helicopters from Kelowna, the firm he represents, and save almost RM1.5 billion.-Malaysiakini

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Raja Petra's detention order mala fide, says Counsel

Justice Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy • Raja Petra trial: ‘It should be handled by religious authorities then’ ©Bernama SHAH ALAM, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- A lawyer representing Internal Security…

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Justice Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy • Raja Petra trial: ‘It should be handled by religious authorities then’ ©Bernama SHAH ALAM, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- A lawyer representing Internal Security Act detainee Raja Petra Kamaruddin told the High Court here Wednesday that his client's detention order under Section 8 of the Act issued by the Internal Security Minister was mala fide. Azhar Azizan Harun said there was an obvious inference that the detention was not prompted by concerns about national security but a desire to silence a vocal and influential critic of the government as well as the political parties and individuals in the government. "The applicant has at times been critical of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the respondent (Internal Security Minister), among others. This has been undermining the political interests of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) as can be seen from the shift of voter support," he said. He also said Raja Petra had never been told of the reasons for his arrest or detention except for the document which he was asked to sign at the Jalan Travers police station on Sept 12, which merely states that he had insulted Islam and that he was a threat to national security. "Under Section 8(1) of the ISA, the respondent has to be satisfied that the detention was necessary to prevent the detainee from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia. The respondent therefore must look at all facts and circumstances to form an opinion that the applicant was a threat to national security before he could be satisfied that the applicant's detention was necessary to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia. "The applicant also is innocent of any crime; he has been charged with various offences and the trials are still pending. As there is no act which is alleged to be done in the future which could prejudice the security of Malaysia, the Section 8 detention order is obviously an exercise of power which was mala fide in nature," he said. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar who also represented Raja Petra, said if one of the bases of the detention was because he had intentionally, willfully and recklessly published articles on Malaysia Today that insulted the Muslims, why had he not been charged with the offence of insulting Islam by the religious authorities for that matter. He said there was no "fatwa" that the applicant had insulted Islam or had in any way acted contrary to the principles of Islam. "The matter of whether the applicant had insulted Islam is a matter within the exclusive domain of the Selangor religious authorities. The respondent cannot usurp that function. Though the respondent does have authority over matters of security under the ISA, this authority does not empower the respondent to determine issues pertaining to matters of Islam. "It would be necessary for the respondent to acquire confirmation from the state religious authorities or the state syariah courts that the action complained of is an insult to Islam or is otherwise in contravention to Islam before he can take steps under the ISA. On this ground alone, the detention ought be declared unlawful," he said. Raja Petra is applying for the writ of habeas corpus to secure his release from detention under the ISA on the ground that his detention was unlawful and unconstitutional. He named the minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, as the respondent. His wife, Mable @ Marina Lee, and two daughters -- Sarah, 19, and Suraya, 34, -- and several supporters were seen in court. Meanwwhile, Senior Federal Counsel Abdul Wahab Mohamad submitted that the detention order made under Section 8 of the Act was valid and in accordance with the law. "If the decision was made upon a proper evaluation in the facts and surrounding circumstances and after due deliberation -- that was all which could be required for the issue of an order based on subjective satisfaction in the present case -- this is what the minister has done," he said. Another senior federal counsel, Dusuki Mokhtar, said although the applicant had yet to be convicted of the charges that he was facing, it did not hinder the power of the minister to issue the detention order, and the power of the minister and Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail should be well distinguished. "So just as the attorney general has power to institute proceedings but not the power to order detention, the minister has power to order detention but not to institute proceedings. Just as it is not within the power of the attorney general to consider making an order of detention, it is also not within the power of the minister to consider the institution of criminal proceedings," he said. Judge Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad fixed Nov 7 for decision on the habeas corpus application.

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LGE on IPP windfalls & Khairy

Abdullah’s legacy: From 104th to 132nd in press freedom

Abdullah’s legacy: From 104th to 132nd in press freedom

Not surprisingly, Malaysia has dropped from 124th last year to 132nd place in 2008 in the RSF press freedom ranking.

Among…

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Abdullah’s legacy: From 104th to 132nd in press freedom

Not surprisingly, Malaysia has dropped from 124th last year to 132nd place in 2008 in the RSF press freedom ranking.

Among ten South-East Asian nations, Malaysian remains in 5th place while Timor-Leste, which has the freest press in the region, showed the biggest improvement in the global rankings, shooting up 29 places to 65th. Thailand climbed 11 places to finish above Malaysia at 124th place. Singapore, Laos, Vietnam and Burma prop up the regional table with the least press freedom - unchanged from last year.

For all the talk of reforms under Abdullah Badawi, Malaysia’s press freedom ranking has actually dropped from 104th place in 2003, the year Abdullah took over, to 132nd place now. That’s a plunge of 28 places.

Abdullah’s brightest year was in 2006, when Malaysia’s ranking reached a high of 92nd spot, making it the second freest in South-East Asia after Timor-Leste. But since then, we have sunk 42 places within the space of two years to reach 134th! What happened, Abdullah? Did your administration have to crack down on mounting disenchantment when your promised reforms failed to take off fast enough?

Here is the RSF global ranking for 2008: Click Here

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Hindraf Members Deliver Memorandum At Parliament Over Leader's Passport

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Eleven supporters of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) caused a commotion at Parliament today when they wanted to submit a memorandum to the…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Eleven supporters of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) caused a commotion at Parliament today when they wanted to submit a memorandum to the Speaker seeking his intervention to have the government reactivate the passport of their leader.

The group claimed that the passport of P. Waytha Moorthy, who is now in exile in Britain, had been revoked, and as such, he could not return to Malaysia to celebrate Deepavali with his family.

Through the intervention of several leaders of the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition, they were allowed to enter Parliament at 10am after waiting over an hour outside the main gate.

The group then passed the memorandum to PKR vice president R. Sivarasa to be handed over to Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

They then left.

-- BERNAMA
********

Syed Hamid denies lying about Hindraf leader’s passport

By SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has denied he lied about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waythamoorthy’s passport.

He said there had previously been a directive for the Hindraf man to surrender his passport to the Malaysian High Commission in Britain, where he is now living in self exile.

“The order was for him to surrender his passport so that it could be cancelled and we could bring him home for a warrant of arrest to be executed against him under the Internal Security Act. However, he never went.

“I never lied. The passport was never cancelled when I gave my first statement. How can it be cancelled if he never came to the High Commission? We would need to have take it back and stamp the word ‘cancelled’ on it.

“However, I subsequently gave the order in my first meeting as Home Minister -- and I am sure they would have implemented it -- for this directive to be rescinded,” he told reporters after attending the Rela Hari Raya open house at Taman Warisan here on Wednesday.

“He can travel and come back to face the consequences of his action then. They (Hindraf) have been distorting and misinfoming (people on) the issue,” Syed Hamid alleged, responding to claims made by Hindraf coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran.

Thanenthiran said group, which has since been declared illegal by the Malaysian Government, had a letter from the United Kingdom border agency saying that it had received a notice of cancellation against the passport because Waythamoorthy was being sought for “criminal charges.”

In the letter dated Sept 23, it was stated that the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was notified of the cancellation on March 14.

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RM 5 Bilion Untuk Pasaran Saham, Tindakan Tidak Bertanggungjawab!

Pakatan Rakyat sentiasa konsisten dan komited di dalam merangka sebarang dasar mahupun program untuk rakyat. Kita malah berulang kali menegaskan pentingnya tidak dibebani dengan kadar inflasi yang tinggi sekaligus mengakibatkan…

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Pakatan Rakyat sentiasa konsisten dan komited di dalam merangka sebarang dasar mahupun program untuk rakyat. Kita malah berulang kali menegaskan pentingnya tidak dibebani dengan kadar inflasi yang tinggi sekaligus mengakibatkan kerencatan ekonomi negara. Tindakan kerajaan untuk menaikkan harga minyak petrol serta dengan boros membelanjakan wang untuk menjana projek mega amat mengecewakan.

Di dalam perbahasan belanjawan tempoh hari, saya menegaskan belanjawan 2009 yang dibentangkan sudah tidak bermakna lagi. Unjuran yang dibuat berasaskan angka dan fakta lapok! Malah saya menggesa Menteri Kewangan yang baru agar segera membentangkan belanjawan berdasarkan unjuran yang terkini. Ternyata gesaan ini dipandang sepi walau ianya memanfaatkan negara dan rakyat. Jelas ini merupakan satu tindakan tidak bertanggungjawab oleh kerajaan.

Semalam kerajaan sekali lagi bertindak terburu-buru dengan membelakangkan kepentingan rakyat dan negara. Pengumuman Menteri Kewangan bahawa Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja akan meminjamkan sejumlah RM 5 Billion kepada Valuecap Sdn. Bhd. untuk menyokong pasaran saham tempatan menampakkan ketidakcekapan di dalam mengurus ekonomi negara.

Tindakan ini mengesahkan kenyataan kami bahawa asas ekonomi tidak kukuh dan langkah drastik dan berani harus segera diambil. Rasuah, ketirisan harus dibasmi dan ekonomi negara harus dipacu dan dikendalikan oleh orang yang berkebolehan, bukannya oleh segelintir yang dekat dengan pemerintah.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

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BIDAS MEMBIDAS

1. Saya terkejut apabila Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi membuat kenyataan bahawa sebagai seorang yang bukan ahli UMNO saya tidak berhak memberi pandangan saya terhadap apa yang sedang berlaku dalam…

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1. Saya terkejut apabila Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi membuat kenyataan bahawa sebagai seorang yang bukan ahli UMNO saya tidak berhak memberi pandangan saya terhadap apa yang sedang berlaku dalam UMNO.

2. Saya teringat akan jawapan Tun Abdul Razak sebagai Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri apabila ditanya oleh pemberita tentang komen saya berkenaan UMNO dalam tahun 1970. Beliau berkata sebagai orang yang bukan ahli UMNO (saya telah disingkir oleh UMNO pada masa itu) saya bebas berkata apa sahaja.

3. Saya hairan kenapa semasa saya masih ahli UMNO setelah letak jawatan sebagai Presiden UMNO saya juga tidak dibenar berjumpa ahli UMNO dan pemimpinnya dari peringkat bahagian sehingga peringkat Majlis Tertinggi. Ahli UMNO juga dilarang daripada menjemput saya untuk berucap dalam majlis UMNO atau menghadiri apa-apa majlis di mana saya akan berucap. Saya juga tidak dibenar berucap di Universiti. Jemputan kepada saya ditarik balik atas arahan orang tertentu dalam Kerajaan dan parti.

4. Yang mutakhir apabila saya dijemput oleh Kelab UMNO Melbourne dan saya terima untuk membuat ucapan berkenaan tajuk yang tidak menyentuh politik dalam negara, tiba-tiba Kelab UMNO Melbourne menarik balik jemputan atas arahan Ibu Pejabat UMNO.

5. Ternampak jelas samada saya ahli UMNO atau tidak saya tidak dibenar atau dihalang daripada memberi apa-apa pandangan berkenaan UMNO atau berkenaan apa-apa perkara lain.

6. Seperti biasa "orang Pak Lah" menyokong bidasan terhadap saya oleh Yang Amat Berhormat Perdana Menteri. Hanya Dato Seri Rais Yatim dengan berani bertentangan dengan Perdana Menteri dan berkata saya berhak memberi pandangan saya.

7. Buat kali pertama saya bersetuju dengan "orang Pak Lah" bahawa beliau berhak membidas saya, walaupun tindakan beliau tidak boleh ditafsir sebagai "elegant silence" Tun Musa. Tetapi samada saya bidas balik adalah hak saya juga. Jikalau tak bersetuju dengan pendapat saya, itu juga hak masing-masing. Blog saya terbuka. Jika tidak memaki hamun blog saya terbuka kepada Pak Lah dan konco-konconya.

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