Sri Lanka govt. says 70 Tamil rebels killed in latest fighting

(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan army destroyed six Tamil Tiger boats and killed 70 rebels in a lagoon on the western edge of a no-fire zone early Sunday, Sri Lanka's Media Center for National Security has said.

Sri Lanka's defense ministry says this handout photo shows troops with a captured Tamil Tiger craft Thursday.

Independent reports were not possible since media are not allowed into the area. Reports indicated fighting had intensified as troops scrambled to clear a remaining 1.2 square kilometers before the government could announce that military operations had ended.

Sri Lanka's prime minister warned Saturday that his country "stands on the brink," as its soldiers cornered Tamil Tiger fighters in an assault that is trapping more than 50,000 civilians on a small plot of coastal land.

Government troops seized the last remaining coastal stretch under the control of Tamil Tiger rebels, the Ministry of Defense said Saturday, marking a possible end to more than 25 years of fighting in the island nation.

The seizure marks the total capture of coastline territory previously controlled by the rebels, it said, after army divisions advanced from the north and south to link up.

An international aid worker said the United Nations, which believes there are 50,000 people in the battle zones, was expecting about 20,000 of them to arrive in refugee camps Sunday. There were no medical services in the no-fire zone, the aid worker said.

The Media Center for National Security claims 50,097 have come out of battle zones.

The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- have fought for an independent state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned from Amman, Jordan, on Sunday. Rajapaksa was attending a summit of developing nations and the World Economic Forum.

In an address to the summit in Amman on Saturday, Rajapaksa said the Sri Lankan armed forces had defeated the rebels.

"I will be going back to my country Sri Lanka that has been totally freed from the barbaric acts of terrorism of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30 long years," Rajapaksa said.

Hindraf leader to defy notice to return to Kamunting

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 – Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Uthayakumar today reiterated his stand not to return to the Kamunting Detention Camp despite being served a notice instructing him to return in two days time.

Speaking to his supporters after performing prayers in Batu Caves here, Uthayakumar said he is not bound to the conditions set by the Home Ministry upon his release from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and therefore need not reply to the notice.

“I am a free man. Article 5 of the Federal Constitution says that no person may be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with law.

“I did not pen down my signature to the conditions set upon my release. When they told me of the conditions, I shut my ears so I could not hear,” he told the crowd in Tamil.

The release of all the Hindraf leaders including Uthayakumar, were conditional. Among the conditions is the prohibition to speak at public gatherings.

Uthayakumar however said on his release that he did not agree to the conditions and would rather stay under detention than being released with conditions. He was subsequently released without signing the conditions.

Unlike Uthayakumar, the other Hindraf leaders had all agreed to the conditions placed on their release.

Last Friday, Uthayakumar was served with a notice asking him to return to Kamunting to appear before the detention camp’s advisory board.

It is learnt that the notice indicated the government’s intention of revoking his early release. This could be due to his refusal to obey the conditions set for his release.

Meanwhile, Uthayakumar said the movement’s leaders will be meeting next week to discuss its future plans. He however did not reveal the details of the meeting.

The Malaysian Insider has learned that Pakatan Rakyat parties like PKR have approached Uthayakumar and invited him to join them but the latter said he needs time to think about it.

Apart from this, Uthayakumar also blasted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept as hypocritical.

“He wants a one Malaysia but practices a two system,” he said accusing the double standard practised by a Malay-dominated government when it comes to safeguarding the welfare of the Indian minority.

Hindraf supporters join Uthayakumar at Batu Caves

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 - About 1,000 Hindraf supporters gathered at the Batu Caves temple complex from as early as 9am to pray alongside their recently-released leader P. Uthayakumar.

Uthayakumar will shave off the long hair and beard he has kept since he was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) 17 months ago.

There was an air of festivity in the complex as the supporters, many wearing orange which is the official colour of the banned movement, marched some 300 metres to the river where the ceremonial shaving will take place.

Kapar MP M. Manickavasagam, who had had arrived earlier, waited with the cr owd for Uthayakumar who finally arrived at 10.30am.

He was given a hero's welcome. The narrow street next to the river was crowded with his supporters and shouts of Makkal Shakti rang through the air.

A group of youths beating tablas accompanied him as he walked towards the spot for the ceremonial shaving where several supporters are also joining in this cleansing ritual by having their heads shaved as well.

Special Branch officers watched from nearby.

Shortly before noon, the river carried Uthayakumar's beard and hair shavings away.

His supporters, watching the shaving ritual of their leader every step of the way, shouted with joy at the sight of a clean-shaven Uthayakumar.

The Hindraf leader was then carried off to the streets and all the way to Batu Caves, as the crowd made its way to the Sri Subramaniam temple there.

By this time, the crowd had grown to some 2,500 people, causing massive traffic congestion just outside Batu Caves.

Uthayakumar then performed his prayers at the temple together with close relatives, including the wife and daughter of his self-exiled brother, P Waythamoorthy.

He then climbed up the steep Batu Caves steps, accompanied by his supporters, to perform further prayers at another temple within the cave complex. As he walked up the stairs, he shook hands with bystanders, many of whom were keen to rub shoulders with the controversial figure.

After coming down from the cave complex at about 1.55 pm, Uthayakumar addressed his supporters from the back of a pick-up truck parked at the entrance of the stairs that led to the cave complex.

He recounted his days under detention saying that it was a mental torture for him but not once did he let it affect his perseverance to continue with the Hindraf struggle.

"They cannot scare us anymore," Uthayakumar told the crowd. "The number of people present speaks for itself," he added.

The crowd dispersed at about 3.30 pm.

Despite being a banned movement, no arrest was made.

For Murugiah, the door is still ajar

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 – It appears that the embattled Senator Datuk T. Murugiah’s days in the PPP are not exactly over.

All he has to do is bottle up his pride, put his bruised ego on the backburner and kowtow to the PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas.

“It is not too late…but he must show remorse and not act as if he is the president,” Kayveas told The Malaysian Insider. “The PPP is one big united ship with one acknowledged captain and that’s me.”

“If he is willing to follow the rules and respect the hierarchy, we can show mercy,” Kayveas said adding Murugiah, a former PPP youth leader, had the right of appeal to the Supreme Council and if unsatisfied, to the PPP’s general assembly.

The party’s disciplinary board, in a statement Saturday said Murugiah, a deputy minister, and six of his supporters were sacked for tarnishing the party’s image and for making defamatory remarks against the leadership.

“This is a serious action and requires appropriate punishment,” party leaders said.

Murugiah, who could not be reached for comments, and the six others have two weeks to appeal the decision.

Others sacked were N. Shanmuganathan, M. Jeyaratnam, former Selayang division leader K. Thanggaraju, S. Kanesan, S. Saravanan and R. Rajandran.

Murugiah told the New Straits Times Saturday he would leave “everything” to Najib – another foolhardy move, PPP insiders said, adding that to seek cover under Najib’s wings would only infuriate Kayveas and other Supreme Council members.

“Murugiah has to understand that nearly every Supreme Council member is against him for rushing to Najib for protection,” said a PPP supreme council member.

“He cannot use an outside force in Najib to browbeat the PPP into saving himself. What kind of a relationship would that be? No self respecting party leadership would tolerate such a humiliation,” he said.

Several PPP members had held press conferences urging the Registrar of Societies to deregister the party which was founded by the Seenivasagam brothers – D.R. and S. P. Seenivasagam in Ipoh in 1953.

But the PPP’s fortune plummeted after it joined the Barisan National and by the 1980’s had hit rock bottom because of constant infighting.

It was “saved” by Kayveas who first appeared on the PPP scene as a lawyer for one of the feuding factions.

Kayveas reorganised PPP into a dynamic, multi-racial party with largely a middle-class Malaysian membership but despite the new image, the party had difficulties persuading Umno to give them “safe” seats to contest in the general elections.

The future of the PPP is in question as after the 2008 tsunami there are no longer any “safe” seats even for the Barisan Nasional.

It is in this context that Umno is unhappy with the Kayveas-Murugiah fight which they see as damaging to the Barisan and entirely unnecessary, especially with Murugiah performing above average as a deputy minister.

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had twice indirectly warned PPP that they should be concerned about “deregistration” if the claims by some PPP members were accurate.

He was hoping to use the danger of “deregistration” as a stick to persuade Kayveas not to sack Murugiah but apparently it has not worked.

Anifah to Anwar: See you in court

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

SEPANG, May 17 - Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman today said he is ready to face Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in court over his statement that Anwar had offered him the deputy prime minister's position if he crossed over to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) last year.

"Oh yes, I have no problem with that, as the foreign minister I have better things to do, Anwar is the least of my concern," said Anifah when asked whether he is prepared to face legal action by Anwar after he refused to retract his remark.

Anifah, at a joint press conference with Hillary Clinton in the United States on Thursday, said Anwar had offered him the deputy prime minister post to lure him to defect to PR, but Anwar had yesterday denied the allegation and threatened to take legal action.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival from the United States, Anifah said that Anwar had called him once last year to make the offer.

"I told him, 'Don't waste your time, I am not willing to leave Umno and Barisan Nasional'," said Anifah adding that the matter was an open secret.

When asked when the call was made he said he could not remember as he did not treat the call from Anwar as something important.

Anifah said he only revealed what Anwar did in Washington because a reporter there had asked about the charges against the opposition leader.

"There was a reporter who asked a question about whether all the charges against Anwar were politically motivated so I told the reporter that I have utmost faith in our judicial system, there is no need to doubt, our judicial system is free and independent," said Anifah citing the recent High Court declaration on the Perak crisis which favoured the PR.

He added that Anwar was being irresponsible by tarnishing the country's image in the United States which is Malaysia's largest trading partner.

"I believe it is necessary to tell the Americans the truth," said Anifah.

Mahathir won’t influence Govt over bridge project

(The Star) - Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he will not influence the Government to revisit the crooked bridge project.

However, he said, he still hoped the bridge would be realised to overcome the congestion at the Johor Causeway.

“Although I believe there are no reasons why the project cannot proceed, the decision is not mine,” he said in Subang Jaya yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said that when the Johor Causeway was built, there was probably only a car for every 1,000 population.

“Now we have 10 million cars for a population of 27 million.

“That is to say for every 2.7 person there is a car. So the traffic problem is getting more and more serious.

“If we don’t have proper facilities we will face congestion that is far worse,” Dr Mahathir said.

Serious case of foot in mouth disease

The US made it clear it viewed the latest sodomy charge against Anwar as a sham charge similar to the first one back in 1998. And you respond by grumbling about people linking Najib to the Altantuya murder and about how you turned down a bribe?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

On Thursday (May 14), at a joint press conference after meeting with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC, Anifah was asked about the fresh sodomy charge against Anwar, which State Department had earlier said was politically motivated.

“He said that he will form the government on September 16 and he had changed the dates many times. And he was trying to entice members of parliament (to defect),” said Anifah, who is the brother of Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

“And I was personally offered to jump into the opposition and offered a very lucrative position – it’s like a deputy prime minister (in the Pakatan government). And this is not known to the world at large.”

Anifah defends Najib on Altantuya

At the press conference, Anifah also defended his boss, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who was accused of being linked to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibauu.

“And insofar as Anwar Ibrahim is concerned – we know him very, very well. Most of the things (allegations) are untrue; for example, like the involvement of our honourable prime minister and the murder of a Mongolian citizen. And he has repeatedly said before the elections that he will provide evidence and yet, until today, he has not given anything.”

Expressing shock over Anifah’s allegations, Anwar chided the minister for faring poorly in his international debut as foreign minister, which he said reflected his inexperience and immaturity.

“I have spoken to Anifah only once on the phone and that’s it…,” said Anwar after a meet-the-people session in his Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency.

“I never offered the DPM post to him for him to defect. The issue indeed was never raised. He was never qualified for such a position anyway. Perhaps it was his dream to become deputy prime minister.”

He suggested that the minister was perhaps overawed and overwhelmed by the occasion. “After all, being a new minister before an international audience for the first time, he was probably prompted to impress his new political master,” chided Anwar, confirming that he would soon be filing a civil suit against Anifah for defamation.

“As the matter would be in court, I prefer not to comment further on the issue,” he said, adding that Anifah was seeking to tarnish his image abroad.

Malaysiakini

*************************************************

To understand the above, one must first understand Sabah and Umno politics, which is not that easy to understand when it involves Umno Sabah. Umno Sabah is not part of Umno Peninsular Malaysia in the true sense of the word. Umno Sabah considers itself a ‘separate entity’ and ‘kingmaker’, the party that more or less keeps Umno in power. And the same goes for Barisan Nasional Sarawak as well although there is no Umno in Sarawak -- at least while the Grand Old Man of Sarawak politics is still alive.

Sabah has 25 parliament seats, Sarawak another 31. Out of a total of 222 parliament seats, this gives Sabah and Sarawak about 30% of the total. In the last general election, Sabah and Sarawak lost only one seat each to the opposition. This means Sabah and Sarawak are Barisan Nasional strongholds and without these two states Umno would never be able to form the federal government.

According to the agreement, Sabah and Sarawak must comprise of not less than 25% of the total number of parliament seats. Therefore, every time they increase the number of seats in Peninsular Malaysia, they must also do so correspondingly in Sabah and Sarawak. This puts these two East Malaysian states in a very advantageous position where they can demand a lot and get away with it -- and whoever so wishes to form the federal government just can’t ignore Sabah and Sarawak.

However, Musa Aman, the Chief Minister and head of Umno Sabah, does not have the support of all the 25 Umno divisions. At best he has the support of only seven with 18 opposed to him. This is quite normal for Sabah though where infighting is always fierce considering that East Malaysian politics is politics of the warlords. And there are certainly many warlords in Sabah.

It is said the poorest Sabah warlord is worth only RM200 million. If that is all you are worth then nobody talks about you because wealth in Sabah is measures in terms of billions -- half a billion, one billion and so on. To be worth only RM200 million means you are in the small boys club and not yet worthy to sit with the real man.

Is it any wonder that when they are not visiting their constituency once or twice a year these warlords would be throwing their money away in Australian casinos plus those in other parts of the world? Of course, they make up for this by going to Mekah at least once a year so that they can cleanse their gambling sins and be ‘reborn’ to repeat the routine all over again.

Musa was at the crossroads of his political career in the run-up to the last general election. There was talk that since he could not get the support of the majority of the 25 Sabah divisions he would most likely be dropped. But the problem with this was, while he may command the support of only seven of the 25 divisions, this was also the same for the others as well. No one commanded majority support. And even though Musa may command the support of only seven divisions, neither can any of the other warlords better this.

In a nutshell, Musa may not be the best, but he is certainly not the worse. No one really commands majority support and replacing Musa would only mean you are replacing one problem for probably an even bigger problem.

But Musa was not going to take any chances. He knew he was living on borrowed time and Sabah’s performance in the 8 March 2008 general election would decide his fate. If he can keep the opposition out, then he would be guaranteed another term. But if the opposition makes inroads, then it would be good-bye Musa. His best bet then would be to keep close links with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and serve him in whatever way necessary, through the son-in-law and the Fourth Floor team of course.

However, what would happen if Abdullah Badawi gets ousted and Najib takes over? Well, then Plan B comes into play. And plan B would involve his brother Anifah. Anifah, therefore, has to stay close to Najib so that he would be the bridge Musa builds to Putrajaya in the event Abdullah Badawi is sent into retirement.

When Rosmah throws a private birthday party for Najib where only close friends are invited, Anifah is on the guest list, the only Sabah warlord to receive an invitation. Anifah’s links with Najib therefore extends beyond politics. It is on a very personal level.

But how would Musa explain to Abdullah the reason why his brother is a personal friend and buddy of Najib? Is Musa hedging his bets? If Abdullah stays on then he is okay. If Najib takes over he is still okay, through his brother. This appears like Musa is trying to get the best of both worlds.

To cover their tracks, they got to make it appear like Anifah is the prodigal member of the family. He is a loose cannon. He is what every family dreads, the black sheep of the family. In fact, Anifah is beyond control and would probably even go join the opposition if pushed too far.

This ‘may join the opposition’ story also works in Anifah’s favour. Anwar Ibrahim has said that if Pakatan Rakyat forms the federal government then there may be two or even three Deputy Prime Ministers. Maybe DPM1 would be Malay, DPM2 non-Malay rotated between the Chinese and Indians, and DPM3 would be someone from East Malaysia, rotated between Sabah and Sarawak.

Yes, that is a good plan and something the non-Malays and East Malaysians have been asking for a long time now. Ah, but that is not all. Do you know that Anwar has offered the post of DPM3 to Anifah?

Yes, that was the story relayed to Najib. Therefore, when Najib takes over, he had better offer Anifah an important Cabinet position. Not just Deputy Minister of Welfare or something totally useless. Anwar has offered him the post of DPM. Surely Najib can match that with something worthwhile, even if it is not the post of DPM?

That was the Aman family spin. So now Anifah has to announce to the world that he turned down a lucrative offer of the post of DPM for a lesser post of Foreign Minister. That was the story he told Najib to be able to get this senior cabinet position. So he has to maintain this story for the sake of consistency.

Honestly though, would Anifah really make a suitable DPM? Look at how he talks in his meeting with the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He really put his foot in his mouth on this one. A Malaysian Foreign Minister meets the US Secretary of State and he talks about Najib and Altantuya? And he reveals to the Americans that Anwar tried to bribe him with the post of DPM? Hello, either he is more stupid than we thought or he is trying to ruin Najib in the international scene.

Those are not the things you talk about when you meet foreign governments. The US made it clear it viewed the latest sodomy charge against Anwar as a sham charge similar to the first one back in 1998. And you respond by grumbling about people linking Najib to the Altantuya murder and about how you turned down a bribe?

Sheesh, talk about a huge political blunder. The US already thinks that Najib is linked somehow to the murder. In fact, not only the US, but also all the foreign missions in Malaysia as well. Just speak to any Ambassador and they will tell you that they believe Najib’s hands are not clean and that Altantuya’s murder leads to Putrajaya.

There is nothing Anifah can say that will convince them otherwise. And the US did not ask Anifah whether it is true that Najib is guilty. They asked about what they thought was a sham sodomy charge that will soon lead to a sham sodomy trial. And Anifah responds by talking about Najib and Altantuya and the bribe he turned down instead.

BN SC tomorrow - dare UMNO, MCA, Gerakan and MIC leaders speak the truth to Najib to cut losses in Perak and face state general election?

By Lim Kit Siang,
Tomorrow is the first Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and it is shaping up to be an acid test whether the BN Supreme Council is going to be a new meeting of equals or of just like the past, between the Umno hegemon with subservient characters from the other Barisan Nasional component parties.

The May 31 Penanti state assembly by-election in Penang will be on the agenda, but even more important is the three-and-a-half-month-long Perak political and constitutional crisis which have brought one national institution after another into disrepute as well as undermined Malaysia’s international image and competitiveness.

Not only Pakatan Rakyat parties of DAP, PKR and PAS, but also independent organisations and NGOs like Suhakam, Bar Council, Council of Churches, Chinese guilds and associations, but also individual leaders from BN component parties have spoken up for the only viable solution to the Perak constitutional and political impasse – dissolution of the Perak State Assembly to return the mandate to Perakians in state wide general elections.

The question is whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC top leaders dare to speak the truth to Najib at the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting tomorrow that Najib should put national interests above party and personal interests, cut losses in Perak and face Perak state general elections to allow the people of Perak to decide their own political future.

The Perak political crisis would have been behind the country for two months if my proposal in mid-February for a dissolution of the Perak State Assembly and the holding of Perak state general elections within 30 days been heeded by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak – with Perakians and Malaysians able in the past two months to single-mindedly focus on acting in unison to face the world’s economic crisis in a century!

It the tragic to see the Perak political and constitutional crisis being dragged out for three-and-a-half months without any proper solution which respects the sovereign rights of the Perakians to elect the state government of their choice in sight.

What is worse, with each passing day, more and more damage is being done to the credibility, integrity and legitimacy of key national institutions, whether the police, the Election Commission, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency, the civil service, the media, judiciary, the monarchy and the office of the Prime Minister!

Or dare Najib own up to the BN Supreme Council meeting tomorrow that the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab he orchestrated in Perak in early February has turned out to be his greatest mistake in his preparation to become the sixth Prime Minister, and demonstrate the courage to rectify colossal error by proposing the dissolution of Perak State Assembly and the holding of new state general elections?

Do some soul-searching, Bar told

The New Straits Times
By Lee Shi-Ianshiianlee@nst.com.my

SEPANG: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan yesterday told the Bar Council to do some soul-searching before questioning the arrest of the five lawyers on May 7.

"First we should ask these questions, are lawyers above the law? Are they immune from actions if they commit an offence?"

"If they commit an offence, can it be said that they were trying to carry out their professional duties and responsibilities? These questions should be answered first," Musa told reporters here at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

"If the Bar Council wants to be a pressure group, then they might as well become a non-governmental organisation. Lawyers are supposed to be professionals," he said.

"I will not allow Malaysia to become another Thailand. No organisation or body or person will be allowed to threaten national security and public order," Musa vowed.

On Friday, the Bar Council held an extraordinary general meeting and motions were passed demanding the resignations of Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Musa.

A resolution was also passed to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and to ask Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi and the Human Rights Commission to look into the arrests of the five lawyers.

The five lawyers were arrested for gathering in front of the Brickfields police station to provide legal aid to those nabbed during a candlelight vigil in support of Bersih activist Wong Chin Huat.

Meanwhile, Musa said the recently-concluded 29th Aseanapol meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam had been very productive with police from various Asean nations agreeing to forge closer working ties.

"Tackling transnational crimes issues such as cyber-crime, terrorism, human and drug trafficking were top of the agenda. There are plans to set up a database on criminals which can be accessed by all Asean police," Musa said.

Dr M 'blames' media for self-censorship - Malaysiakini

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has denied that during his long tenure as prime minister, he had imposed censorship on the mainstream media.

MCPX

In his 30-minute speech at the Bloggers United Malaysia (BUM) dialogue in Subang Jaya this evening, Mahathir said the media self-censored itself because it tried to 'second guess' what government leaders want.

According to the 84-year-old politician turned blogger, there were a lot of praises made during his time as prime minister “except for vernacular papers or party organ papers which were quite criticial” of him.

“But mainstream media such as New Straits Times or Utusan Malaysia sort of second guessed what kind of things they want to print (about the leaders). Ssometimes they were wrong,” he said.

He claimed that the situation became worse after he stepped down when the press practised self-censorship more extensively.

He blamed this on former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Kalimullah Hassan, a known loyalist of Mahathir's successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“He would do this (self-censorship) in whatever you report and it went on very quietly. The press never complained and gave the impression that there was no interference, but there was,” argued Mahathir.

According to him, blogging could get around media censorship because “government control (of the Internet) is just impossible”.

Although the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) promised not to censor the Internet, Mahathir said a simple code of ethics should be agreed by the bloggers in “sticking to the facts”.

The former premier argued that blogging could eventually displace the traditional media and other electronic media completely.

With the number of bloggers growing everyday, Mahathir noted that it would be very frustrating for the government of the day to “play hide and seek” with them when it comes to censorship.

“Because there is nothing to stop him (the blogger) from setting up another blog... the only thing I’m glad is that I’m no longer the PM (to take care of this) so to the government of the day, I wish them luck,” he quipped.

106 people arrested under ISA

Mahathir had been accused of imposing self-censorship on the media in his two decades as prime minister, especially during the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987 when the police cracked down on opposition leaders and social activists.

The operation saw the arrest of 106 persons under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the revocation of the publishing licences of three dailies - The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Watan.

However, said Mahathir, he had nothing to do with it as they never stopped the papers from saying "nasty things" about him.

“There were accusations thrown at me, saying that I was worse during my time. But I would like to say that newspaper editors are very sensitive people especially those in mainstream media.

“They self-censor because they believed I would not like (what they report) and that I would object - that was all. Other papers said nasty things about me but I never stopped them,” said Mahathir.

He further justified the ISA crackdown because "the situation was moving towards (racial riots of May 13) 1969".

“It was increasing to a point that Umno wanted to have 500,000 people to show their strength and I thought it would escalate, that was why we had to take action,” he said.

'Treated something like a pariah'

Instead, Mahathir stressed, the decision was made by those in charge of security - the police.

“If I had told them not to, they would soon feel that I was not very supportive. The police have the guns and the power, and we don’t. When managing people with guns, you have to be very careful,” he said.

At a press conference later, Mahathir also expressed his disappointment towards the mainstream papers and that he himself has “stopped reading the New Straits Times”.

To back his claims that the media have been practising self-censorship, he said he was “gagged by the media completely during his successor’s tenure, that of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi”.

The owner of a million-hit blog called Chedet, Mahathir said that he was “treated something like a pariah” as he was cut off completely by members of government even though some of them were appointed by him.

In his speech earlier, Mahathir recollected the events which led him to take up blogging exactly a year ago.

“I had at least 14 invitations from Umno members to give a talk but these people were later told to withdraw their invitations, which they did.

"So I was cut off from being able to give my views even to members of my own party,” he said.

'I was cut off from the press'

Mahathir also put the blame on Abdullah for “erasing the existence of the previous PM who had appointed him” instead of being “slightly grateful to his predecessor”.

“But strangely, the moment the new PM took over, he seemed to think that he needed to erase the existence of the previous PM.

“Soon after that, I was cut off from the press... reporters were not allowed to interview me... and they were not allowed to print anything I said,” said Mahathir.

Gagging a politician from talking is not a good idea, added Mahathir, because “we politicians like to talk”.

“You can kill a politician by preventing him from talking... I have a big mouth so I use it quite often,” said Mahathir to the laughter from the 200-strong crowd.

He said it was not until 2008 - four years after he stepped down - that he had to resort to blogging.

Mahathir revealed he had trepiditon taking up blogging as he thought he might not be able to handle criticism.

“I was afraid that I couldn’t handle some nasty comments thrown at me and scared that I could not reply to all of them... it is a torture. I hesitated for quite a long time until I (started to) blog,” said Mahathir.

PAS jalin kerjasama dengan pihak pro-bubar DUN Perak

Nik Aziz says no to talks over Perak crisis

KOTA BARU, May 16 — PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said he does not want any talks between the opposition and Barisan Nasional (BN) to resolve the political crisis in Perak.

The Kelantan Mentri Besar said he was unconvinced that the discussion could end the crisis.

"The best way is to dissolve the Perak State Legislative Assembly," he told reporters after launching an enviromental campaign today.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's willingness to meet opposition leaders about cooperation to resolve the crisis. — Bernama

PPP sacks Murugiah and six others

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — The People's Progressive Party's (PPP) disciplinary board has expelled seven party members including its supreme council member Datuk T. Murugiah.

The six party members expelled are M. Jeyaratnam, N. Shanmuganathan, K. Tanggaraju, S. Kanesan, S. Saravanan and R. Rajandran, according to a statement issued by the board after its meeting today.

Thirty-nine disciplinary board members attended the two-hour meeting. Also present was the party's president Datuk M. Kayveas.

Those unhappy with the decision can appeal in writing within 14 days from the date of the decision to the supreme council for the attention of the secretary-general, the board said.

"We feel very sad to make this decision as we have given time to T. Murugiah to meet the supreme council on many occasions for the past 10 months.

"Looks like all of them have asked to be sacked," the board said.

The board said Murugiah was sacked for using his deputy minister's office in the Prime Minister's Department to organise a press conference which tarnished the good name of the party and making highly defamatory remarks against the party, the supreme council and party's leadership.

It also said that Murugiah used a bankrupt to make the defamatory remarks against the party as the party would be unable to take any legal action against a bankrupt.

Furthermore, Murugiah had threatened the party's lawyer and a supreme council member that he would use all his powers to get PPP deregistered.

"This action the disciplinary board considers as a very serious offence under the party constitution and cannot be excused without facing disciplinary action.

"Asking your own party to be deregistered is tantamount to an action by traitors of any organisation," the board said.

On May 9, PPP's supreme council had made an overwhelming request for Murugiah to be sacked from the party but the decision was deferred by Kayveas.

This was simply because the president was kind enough giving him ample opportunity and time to patch up with supreme council members and state leaders, the board said.

"When the party did not sack him and neither took any disciplinary action against him, he created an atmosphere that he was sacked and attempted to get sympathy from various sources," the board said.

With the decision, the board said that PPP would not "say anything against this seven people".

Likewise, it said, the expelled members were advised not to speak anything about party and leadership anymore as they remain expelled until the hearing of their appeal.

Meanwhile, Selangor PPP plans to hold and extraordinary general meeting to ask its members to approve a motion for a vote of no confidence to be instituted against Kayveas.

Selayang PPP head K. Tanggaraju, who was among those expelled, the action was necessary as Kayveas was acting according to his "whims and fancies". — Bernama

Kugan’s death: Questions unanswered

By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

SHAH ALAM, May 15 — The police have already wrapped up their investigations into the death A. Kugan who died in their custody almost five months ago.

The suspected car thief was arrested on Jan 15 but died at the USJ 8 police lock-up five days later.

Datuk Seri Bakri Mohd Zinin said: “It’s up to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to charge.”

The visibly-annoyed Criminal Investigations Department director said the police were only tasked with investigating the case.

“Which press are you from? Why are you asking me?” he retorted when asked for an update on the murder case this morning.

Earlier, 11 policemen were transferred to desk duty at the Selangor police headquarters after the death but questions on who is responsible for the death of the 22-year-old suspect remain unanswered.

When contacted, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail did not want to comment. “I am not going to say anything, I am at a meeting,” he said.

Hill-cutting scars Pulau Jerejak - Anil netto

Pulau Jerejak is not spared the ravages of “development” - Photos by Max

An excavator, a dumptruck, two fuel tanks and a stack of waterpipes

Wonder what they are doing here at Pulau Jerejak. Much of the island is supposed to be a state park, which could be a haven for Penangites wanting to escape from the hustle and bustle of city-life.

Wouldn’t it have been great to have a relatively untouched natural sanctuary so close to Penang Island?

But the PBA is constructing a 45 million-litre reservoir in Pulau Jerejak for the Bayan Lepas industrial area. Is that the construction work in the picture?

What a pity that we have to cut and chop yet another hill and trample on another green lung, especially in this era of global warming.

Why aren’t we looking into rainwater harvesting?

IPF to apply to join Barisan

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — The Indian Progressive Front (IPF) will apply to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the party to join Barisan Nasional (BN), said its president Puan Sri Jayashree Pandithan.

"We have remained loyal and faithful to the BN for the last 20 years and now it is already 21 years and we are still unable to enter the coalition as a component party.

"I therefore appeal to Prime Minister to consider wisely our application and bring about a change in the fate of thousands of poor and downtrodden Indians by giving IPF the recognition it wanted over the last 20 years," she told a press conference today.

IPF would always support BN and was committed to restoring the Indian community's support for the coalition, she said.

Jayashree said she would seek to meet Najib, who is also BN chairman, for the latter to consider the party's application.

On another note, she said irresponsible parties who were trying to deceive and confuse the grassroots with the intention of tarnishing the party's image would face the consequences.

"Now that it is all clear that my leadership which got its new mandate at the party's AGM on Dec 14, 2008 is the legal and legitimate leadership, I would like to urge all party members to forego their differences and unite under one single banner, which is the IPF formed by the late Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan," she said.

Meanwhile, IPF's legal adviser S. Selvam, who also present at the press conference, condemned the action of former IPF deputy president V. Senggutuan for allegedly abusing the Registrar of Societies (ROS) letter to the party, dated Jan 30, 2009, which declared that the appointment of Jayashree was not in accordance with the Societies Act 1966.

"Jayashree had appointed Youth leader R. Suraienthiran to file for a judicial review to review the ROS letter dated Jan 30, which we did at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Feb 13.

"ROS then wrote to the Attorney-General's office on April 17 to explain that the letter of Jan 30 was an ordinary letter in the form of an advice and not a decision or order from the Registrar under the Societies Act 1966," he said.

Selvam said the Attorney-General's office wrote a letter to his firm dated May 11 advising IPF to withdraw the judicial review pursuant to the letter by the ROS dated April 17.

"We will do as advised. The response from ROS and the advice given by the Attorney-General's office confirms the president of IPF is none other than Jayashree, that the party's general assembly on Dec 14, 2008 is valid and the removal or suspension of Senggutuan is valid and the issue is now resolve," he said.

On Feb 14, Senggutuan had called a press conference where he claimed that the IPF had plunged into a crisis after the ROS declared as void the election of Jayashree as party president on Dec 14, 2008.

Among others, Registrar Datuk Md Alias Kalil, in a letter to the party dated Jan 30, 2009, declared that the appointment of Jayashree was not in accordance with the Societies Act 1966.

The ROS in a letter also declared void the suspension of Senggutuan and vice-president M. Mathyalagan and issued a show cause notice to 12 IPF supreme council members concerning the Dec 14 AGM. — Bernama

Nik Aziz Says No To Talks With BN Over Perak Crisis

KOTA BAHARU, May 16 (Bernama) -- Pas general adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said he does not want any talks between the opposition and Barisan Nasional (BN) to resolve the political crisis in Perak.

The Kelantan Menteri Besar said he was unconvinced that the discussion could end the crisis.

"The best way is to dissolve the Perak State Legislative Assembly," he told reporters after launching an environmental campaign here Saturday.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's willingness to meet opposition leaders about cooperation to resolve the crisis.

Meanwhile in Butterworth, Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he was willing to negotiate with BN anytime over the issue.

"We have said we are ready, so we wait. We have given a statement openly, so it's up to them," he told reporters after meeting the residents at Sungai Semambu n Permatang Pauh.

He also said that he was ready to listen to BN's views and hoped BN was also ready to listen to his.

Hakim yang benarkan Zambry ; hakim lantikan VK Linggam

By Chegubard,

Patutlah tak sampai beberapa jam dah boleh bagi "stay of execution". Itu pun dia bagi penghakiman yang begitu tidak jelas sehingga sekarang ini hakikat sebenarnya MB Haram, Zambery sedang melakukan tugas-tugas yang sepatutnya dilakukan oleh MB sah yakni Nizar.

Ramly Mohd Ali ini yang dinamakan oleh VK Linggam dalam perbualan yang rakamanya menggemparkan negara sedikit masa dulu. sila klik sini untuk baca butiran rakaman video Linggam

Mengikut perbualan itu, VK Linggam telah menyebut nama tiga orang yang sepatutnya hendak dilantik sebagai hakim. Mereka adalah Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof, Datuk Ramly Ali dan Dato Ahmad Maarof. Ketiga-tiga nama ini telah dilantik sebagai Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi oleh Yang Dipertuan Agung pada 1 February 2002.

Juga, mengikut Jeff Ooi, Hakim Ramly ini baru menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan pada 15 April 2009, yakni 27 hari sebelum Zambery merayu kes itu di mahkamah.

Sepatutnya hakim-hakim yang dinamakan oleh Linggam ini disiasat atau diberhentikan kontrak mereka, bukannya dinaikkan pangkat ke Mahkamah Rayuan. Dan tidak sepatutnya mereka mendengar kes yang begitu serius dan besar seperti ini.

Dan kita pun nampak betapa mudahnya Hakim Ramly ini mendengar kes rayuan dari Zambery MB Haram. Mungkin Hakim Ramly ini terhutang budi dgn UMNO. Apa pun beliau bukan seorang hakim yang boleh diyakini sebagai tidak memihak kerana perlantikan beliau sebagai hakim adalah atas ihsan Umno melalui VK Linggam.

Apabila Nizar merayu, terpaksa menunggu 5 hari dan terpaksa berhadapan dengan panel 3 hakim pula. Heran, heran heran. (Correct, Correct, Correct)

Kes sebesar ini seharusnya didengari oleh sebuah panel hakim yang tidak kurang dari 3 orang dan mestilah dari kalangan hakim yang tidak terpalit skandal dan mempunyai pengalaman yang lama. Kes ini melibatkan pemerintahan sebuah negeri yang mempunyai 1.5 juta jiwa. Ianya adalah kes yang bersangkutan dengan kepentingan awam yang amat besar.

Malangnya, kes rayuan Zambery ini telah di dengari oleh hakim yang paling "junior" serta hakim yang sama terpalit dalam skandal VK LInggam (Correct, Correct, Correct).

Inilah dia rupa keadilan Malaysia. UMNO telah berjaya melacurkan mahkamah di Malaysia untuk menjadi pelacur kelas satu kepada UMNO.

Mengikut sumber pasukan peguam Nizar, mereka mengalami sedikit kesukaran untuk membuat rayuan terhadap keputusan Hakim Ramly Ali kerana tiada keputusan bertulis dibuat, Adakah ini kerana Hakim Ramly takut dia dirakam dalam sejarah dengan imej yang buruk ?

Keputusan Hakim mahkamah rayuan, Ramly Ali yang membenarkan permohonan Zambry Kadir untuk mengantung perlaksanaan penghakiman Mahkamah Tinggi telah membelakangi prosuder perundangan.

Menurut teman seorang peguam, barisan peguam Zambry seharusnya memfailkan permohonan rayuan untuk menggantung deklarasi yang mengistiharkan Nizar Jamaluddin sebagai Menteri Besar Perak yang sah itu di Mahkamah Tinggi.

Ramai hairan apabila hakim Ramly membicarakan permohonan Zambry tersebut dengan bersidang seorang diri sebagai Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan.

Mengikut undang-undang dibawah Aturan 14 Kaedah Mahkamah Rayuan bahawa “melainkan dinyatakan sebaliknya, apabila sesuatu permohonan itu boleh dibuat di Mahkamah Tinggi atau Mahkamah Rayuan, ianya hendaklah dibuat di Mahkamah Tinggi dahulu”.

Bermakna permohonan Zambry sepatutnya difail dan didengar oleh Hakim yang membuat keputusan itu dahulu iaitu Aziz. Malahan Hakim Aziz telah pun mengarahkan peguam Zambry supaya memfailkan permohonan secara bertulis.

Dalam peruntukan dibawah aturan 13 Kaedah Mahkamah Rayuan dengan jelas ada menyebut bahawa “sesuatu rayuan tidak boleh menggantung penguatkuasaan sesuatu

Ini bermakna dari segi prinsip perundangan, sesuatu penghakiman itu tidak boleh digantung atau ditahan penguatkuasaannya kecuali pihak yang merayu tersebut boleh membuktikan ujud satu keadaan istimewa dimana jika penghakiman itu dilaksanakan akan menyebabkan rayuan mana-mana pihak akan menjadi hampa (jika rayuannya dibenarkan).

12 Februari lalu, mahkamah rayuan telah membenarkan permohonan Zambry semalam untuk supaya ditangguhkan pelaksanaan perintah pengisytiharan itu sehingga kes rayuannya selesai diputuskan oleh mahkamah.

Permohonan rayuan Nizar bagi mengetepikan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan semalam yang membenarkan penangguhan pelaksanaan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi pula akan didengar 16 Mei ini.

Dalam afidavit sokongannya, Nizar berkata keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan semalam untuk memberikan perintah penggantungan itu kepada Zambry adalah salah dan beliau (Nizar) mengemukakan permohonan untuk membetulkan perkara itu.

Nizar berkata Mahkamah Tinggi telah membuat takrif yang betul terhadap Perkara 16 (6) Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Perak.

Beliau berkata sekiranya perintah pelaksanaan itu diberikan ia akan merampas haknya serta membuat keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi mengisytiharkannya menteri besar Perak sebagai sia-sia.

Menurutnya perintah yang diperoleh Zambry itu akan mengganggu pelaksanaan secara lancar dan baik pentadbiran kerajaan negeri Perak selaras dengan peruntukan Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Perak.

Nizar juga berkata perintah berkenaan akan mengelirukan rakyat negeri itu mengenai siapakah menteri besar yang sah serta menjadikan keadaan politik lebih tegang dan krisis perlembagaan lebih mendalam.

* kutipan dari beberapa sumber

Spy versus spy

No, I did not invent the title above. I stole it from Mad magazine. Maybe some of you have never read this magazine before. Well, if you have not, then I suggest you don’t. If not you might turn out like me. And we don’t want that do we? Anyway, for your weekend reading, I shall walk you through a host of issues in response to what currently ails this country.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

PPP set to oust Murugiah today

The PPP is expected to expel supreme council member Datuk T. Murugiah from the party today. The supreme council is meeting to follow up on its near-unanimous decision last week for Murugiah to be removed.

Party president Datuk M. Kayveas confirmed that action would be taken against the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. “Under the party constitution, we can institute action against him which includes suspension or expulsion. He has acted in serious breach of party rules and I will not defend him this time,” he said in an interview.

Kayveas said the next course of action would be for the party to seek Murugiah’s removal as Deputy Minister. “I will submit the name of his replacement to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” he added.

Kayveas said Murugiah was welcome to attend the meeting and “present his case”, adding that the supreme council would sit as the disciplinary board today.

Kayveas had said last week that Murugiah was involved in money politics and had offered contracts to party members to strengthen himself in his bid to contest a post in the coming party elections. – The Star

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Did Murugiah really do that -- play money politics? I don’t know -- but if he did what is wrong with that? I mean, isn’t that the SOP for Barisan Nasional? (For the uninitiated, SOP means Standard Operating Procedure and not Son Of Prostitute, although when it comes to Barisan Nasional you sometimes really can’t tell the difference).

What is Murugiah’s real ‘crime’? Word has it Barisan Nasional is upset because he was involved in the group that ‘invaded’ the mortuary to photograph Kugan’s badly mutilated body.

The government says Kugan’s family and supporters locked themselves in the mortuary after illegally forcing their way in and mutilated Kugan’s family for the benefit of the photo shoot. As my late mother used to say: pull my other leg, it’s got bells on it. No, I am not going to explain what that means for the benefit of those who learned English in Bahasa Malaysia. If you don’t know what that means then blame the Malaysian education system.

Make no bones about it. Murugiah’s only ‘crime’ is to contradict the government. And this is most embarrassing to the government because they can’t any longer sweep the Kugan issue under the carpet and accuse the family of faking the injuries.

Actually, this is not the first time Murugiah has crossed swords with the government. Murugiah should do what Zaid Ibrahim did. He should resign as a Minister and join the ranks of the ‘independent politicians’ to fight for truth and justice outside the established political party platform.

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Stop troubling the people, Khairy tells Opposition

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has told the opposition to stop troubling the people with unnecessary by-elections.

“During the economic slowdown, all efforts should be focused on generating development and the economy for the people’s benefit instead of busy calling for by-elections,” he said after a function at the Guar Perahu community hall here. — Bernama

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In spite of Khairy’s most impressive educational background, he still does not appear to get it. Elections are good for the people. Let me repeat that: elections are good for the people. This is the time when Barisan Nasional returns to the people the billions it has stolen.

Do you know that when Umno announced they might be boycotting the Penanti by-election many Umno people were very disappointed? They were hoping to see at least one by-election every month. This is when money would flow like there is no tomorrow.

Hundreds of million are spent on by-elections. Even small dirt tracks that have never seen tarred roads in 52 years since Merdeka are surfaced overnight. Dinners are held every night and ang pows are handed out to each and every voter, even to members of the media.

Read what Din wrote in his Blog below.

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Let me open another open secret.

UMNO survives out of mostly the volunteers, sympathisers, and machinery outside the UMNO organisational structure. In other words, outside Gurkhas.

Unlike the opposition, UMNO members are not generally true members and real activists. UMNO is dependent on outsiders rather than within themselves. A simple thing like putting up posters is done by paid contractors; who could be opposition sympathisers; and not they themselves doing it!

http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2009/05/of-ahmad-maslan-bloggers-seeked-and.html

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Yes, that’s right. Umno practices outsourcing. People are paid to string up posters and banners. Everything is money, money, and even more money. The opposition supporters walk over to the Umno operation centre to receive money. But they will vote for the opposition.

It is quiet hilarious, really. You see these opposition supporters climbing trees and lampposts to put up Barisan Nasional flags and posters. And they are paid good money to do that. And then they walk over to the opposition operation centre to collect the opposition posters and banners and put them up free of charge.

Voters are paid money to attend free dinners and ceramah organised by Barisan Nasional. After that, they pay to attend the opposition dinners -- even if there is no longer any food to eat because of the overwhelming response. And then, when the donation box if passed around, they take out the money from the ang pows they received from Barisan Nasional and put the money into the opposition donation box.

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Off late, particularly after the General Election, there has been much attention given to Bloggers to seek their assistance to disseminate information.

On the event day of BUM 2009, I say that that is what Bloggers should not be doing. Bloggers are independent individuals who should freely Blog to express and share their thoughts and viewpoint with honesty and clarity.

They are supposed to be independent, critical thinking and fair-minded. They are not supposed to be told what to pursue and not pursue. They are not somebody else's mouthpiece and to pursue subject of their own interest. We are not supposed to waste our space, bloody airtime, and traffic of readers to be only doing the bidding for UMNO or PKR or PAS or BN or DAP.

http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2009/05/of-ahmad-maslan-bloggers-seeked-and.html

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Exactly! I agree with what Din said. Once upon a time I used to run the Free Anwar Campaign website. As the name suggests, that website was meant to campaign for Anwar Ibrahim’s release from prison. Simultaneously, I was involved with Berita Keadilan, and then Seruan Keadilan, the PKR party newspaper -- now called Suara Keadilan.

The problem, though, was that I was not allowed to be independent. The website carried Anwar’s name and the newspaper the party’s name. So I was forced to observe certain rules and regulations.

My commentaries, which were critical of the opposition, were not well received by the party leadership. I even received memos from Anwar with the Sungai Buloh Prison logo on them chastising me for being too independent.

I have no problems with that. When you work for an organisation then you have to observe the rules and regulations of that organisation. And if you don’t like it then leave.

And that is what I did. I left and started my own website, Malaysia Today, which allows me to maintain my independence. Of course, there are those who interpreted this as me going into crisis with Anwar Ibrahim. And when I joined forces with Tun Dr Mahathir in 2006, they took that as proof that I had fallen out with Anwar and had ‘crossed over to the other side’.

How narrow-minded these people are. They scream about independence. Yet they can’t understand the meaning of the word. In the early stages of the Bloggers Union, I told both my Umno friends as well as those from the opposition that I would like to see the day when we can all sit at the same table and buy each other a drink although we may subscribe to different political ideologies.

This almost happened -- although we were merely united by our opposition to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi rather than for any other reason. But never mind, I thought. The reason may be less than noble. But if that can be the start of a union of Bloggers that cuts across all political divides then why not?

But the union was short-lived -- mainly because of the Malaysian mindset. Malaysians can’t see the wood for the trees. And this is not just the Umno chaps but also the opposition supporters as well who are guilty of this.

Take the case of the Perak Sultan as an example. I oppose the MANNER in which the Sultan resolved the crisis but I understand the REASON. Now, what is the difference between the two?

The pro-opposition supporters would close their minds to the reason and just focus on the manner. And if we say we agree with the reason they take it that we also agree with the manner or are pro-Monarchy or whatever.

That is stupid -- so, so stupid. And if there’s one thing that irritates me like hell and puts me off sex for a whole hour it is stupidity. I detest stupidity. I have a very low tolerance for stupidity. Call me arrogant if you wish. Accuse me of thinking that I am too smart, smarter than everyone else, if that makes you happy. But stupidity just turns my stomach.

Soon after the 8 March 2008 general election, the Sultan summoned all the Pakatan Rakyat State Assemblypersons to the palace to get their individual and personal assurances that they agree to form a unity government in Perak. And they all said yes, yes, yes.

That’s right, the Pakatan Rakyat Perak government was a unity government. Barisan Nasional is a party of 14 component members. Pakatan Rakyat is not a party of three component members. It is a unity government of three parties. So the Sultan had to tread very carefully here. Individually, Barisan Nasional has more seats than DAP, PKR and PAS -- although, collectively, it may appear like Pakatan Rakyat has more seats.

Yes, collectively, is the key word here.

So we need to collect all the seats of the three non-Barisan Nasional parties and merge them into a unity government. Only then would they out-gun Barisan Nasional. And this was what was done.

But when the unity government broke apart and they lost their majority, then the agreement originally entered into no longer exists. Yes, it was an agreement. And the agreement was that the DAP, PKR and PAS State Assemblypersons all agree to combine or merge their seats under a unity government.

But what the Sultan should not have done is to sack the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar. He should have allowed the Perak State Assembly to pass a vote of no confidence against the Menteri Besar. And if the vote of no confidence is passed with a majority vote then the Pakatan Rakyat government falls.

So, people, oppose the Sultan for the manner the government was changed. But question Pakatan Rakyat, not the Sultan, on the reason. It is not the Sultan’s fault that three State Assemblypersons crossed over. But it is the Sultan’s fault that a deadlock exists in Perak today.

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The truth is that, it was e mailed to me by someone whom Raja Petra trusted and personally gave him a copy of the document. That is something I can prove.

When the SD was published in the blogs, which caught him really by surprise. He intended to use the SD for something ‘big and planned’. When it was produced in public domain earlier than his plan, it somewhat disrupted his plan.

http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/raja-petra-the-compulsive-liar/

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Yes, that is what Zakir revealed in his Blog. He thought he managed to put a spanner in the works by pre-empting my move. Actually that is not the reason at all. And I am not sure whether he knows this so I will give him the benefit of the doubt in the spirit of friendship.

You see, I was hauled up by the police and eventually charged not because I had signed that Statutory Declaration. Even if they had wanted to charge me, at the most it would have been for a charge of signing a false declaration.

And this would mean they would have to prove I had signed a false declaration. I need not do anything. I just sit back and wait for them to prove it. The onus is on them to prove my guilt. And, better still: if I can instead prove I did not sign a false declaration but, in fact, what I signed was true, then they would be sunk.

But they moved the goalposts. What they did instead was, they hauled me up because my Statutory Declaration had gone public and was published on Zakir’s website. It is not the signing of the Statutory Declaration that was the issue. It was the publicising of it. And that fact has now been admitted by Zakir himself.

The issue the police focused on is whether I was the one who gave Zakir a copy of the Statutory Declaration with instructions to publish it on his Blog. It was not the signing of it that troubled them. It was the publishing of it. And was the publishing of it my idea?

So it was Zakir, a fellow Blogger, who helped the police nail me. By publishing it in his Blog he helped the police build their case against me. I am now facing criminal defamation charges because my Statutory Declaration appeared on Zakir’s Blog.

So now they need no longer talk about whether what I signed is true or false. They only need to prove that I signed, which they can do easily enough since I never denied it, and then send me to jail for three years plus for whatever additional years in the event I fail to pay the fine imposed.

I don’t know whether Zakir knows it is because of him I am now inevitably facing a jail sentence. Or was this intended all along?

Hmm, serves me right for trusting an Umno Blogger and thinking that he is one of the rare types who is matured enough to agree to disagree. I suppose Umno will always be Umno, never mind how highly educated they may be or where they went to school. Maybe it is in the Malay gene. Sad, very sad. There goes the Malayu Baru that I thought the Internet had helped develop.