Zaid Ibrahim - a triumph card for Malaysians

By George Lee,
As the media reported that Zaid Ibrahim has now joined PKR, I have been in a buoyant mood not from the PKR or Pakatan Rakyat perspective but Malaysia as a whole. Action speaks louder than words.

For the past one year, there are two bumiputera leaders worthy of their places in the heart of Malaysian people. This is especially true as the ordeals they are both enduring are full of twists and turns in the highest measure of the country’s political panorama.

Both Zaid Ibrahim and Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin conspicuously stand out for their continuous tussles with the authoritative government, monarchy as well as pro-government individuals.

For ordinary laymen, Zaid and Nizar cut across the race and religion boundaries and I believe they are loved by many Malaysians on the street. We are very fortunate that politicians of such genuine character and truthful conscience still come through the pipeline and give us a glimpse of hope.

Hope that is threatening to vanish into the darkness which is going to loom upon us until the dawn of next general election.

Truthfully, the country’s constitution and social contract previously agreed upon means that only a bumiputera can sit at the helm and be accepted by all Malaysians. To this, many Malaysians do not have any qualms provided it is fairly and properly implemented.

We have seen many bumiputera leaders emerging over the years but none were really endowed with the magnetism as illustrated by these two men in the short period they have surfaced. There is also no lack of bumiputera public figures combing the political scene.

There are those from the rich and famous political dynasties as well as educated scholars whose social prominence have escalated after becoming famous as a ‘in-law’. Last but not least, the hardcore and power-crazy fanatics who have disregarded and defied moral values to reach the pinnacle.

It is indeed heartwarming to see Zaid crossing the line. Very few individuals can do what he has done which is mainly due to a personal commitment and agenda.

It takes an extraordinarily altruistic mindset to relinquish all that fame and impending wealth he could enjoy and instead take the long and winding journey that could prove to be frantic.

His unreciprocated giving to the Malaysian cause is a great contrast to those who achieved their wealth through unscrupulous means like the prominent bumiputera who was once implicated in a murder trial and who recently obtained a doctorate degree.

Zaid sacrifices are worth many times any academic achievement, the latter which is worth nothing if an individual’s personality is profoundly tarnished. Instead of wallowing with those in power, Zaid has chosen to be with the people and holding on to his impartial standpoint on issues such as the judiciary, the ISA, the Perak debacle and other pertinent contemporary issues.

This is indeed a revitalising feeling for the ordinary folk who want so much for their voices to be heard.
Enough of praises bestowed upon this new Malaysians icons. On the other hand, I strongly believe that this move to join PKR is in anticipation of the forthcoming sodomy trial that Anwar Ibrahim is about to embark upon.

If Anwar is submerged in the scuffle with the attorney-general and the police, it is essential for PKR or Pakatan Rakyat followers to have another influential individual in the same mould of Anwar in their hearts.

This is a perfect strategy because no one comes close to having the articulation and tenacity of Anwar especially after the traumas he has gone through after being disposed off as the second most powerful person in the country.

It is with hope that Zaid’s move would stir up an honest and healthy political playing field in the country which Malaysians are dying to see. It would take unusual flair and attitude to thaw down the obdurate system that is entrenched in its present position for slightly over half a century.

The central government has far too many parasites that it is a matter of time before the main body crumples to its own infliction. The fact that Pakatan Rakyat has been picking up by-elections victories with so much ease further illustrates that recovery and change are beyond the central government and that it is doomed.

The present central administration is going to regret that it did not take Zaid’s advice but instead kept its habitual values that are detrimental and invalid in the present climate. It is irony that that the same advice would still be coming from the same man but this time on the opposite side of the fence.

With anticipation, I would also like to see that the coming forward of Zaid would put those brainless and bad-mannered ministers - like the de facto law minister - in their own places which could, to some extent, eradicate the occasional, infuriating howling these people indulge in.

After all, we are talking about a different class of people. Once again a shooting star has risen from nowhere. I hope that Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region would rise to the occasion to welcome Zaid.

Ttogether with Nizar, they are no ordinary bumiputera as they are the leaders truly worshiped by Malaysians from different diverse backgrounds. They symbolise a better tomorrow for Malaysia.

Dr Mahathir: Seek all views

(The Star) - Umno should seek views from party members as well as those from Barisan Nasional’s component parties at the grassroots level before proceeding with the idea of a proposed unity government, former prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said.

“We don’t even know the opinion of our own Umno members.

“Are we going to leave out our peers in Barisan to form a 100% bumiputra government? If we go ahead and do that, we are going to have a racial confrontation and that’s not healthy for the country.”

He also said that the idea for unity talks was an important issue that should be made clear to everyone involved.

“We’re not sure if they only want Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan to come together or if it’s only between PAS and Barisan. Since we are not clear about this, how are we to make a decision?” he said after launching Syed Akbar Ali’s new book Things in Common yesterday.

Asked for his personal opinion, the former premier said a unity government was not a good idea.

“I think the country doesn’t want a 100% bumiputra government.

“We’ve always had a division of authority with Barisan’s component parties. Why must we abandon them just for the sake of forming a government that spells racism? It (unity government) will only burden the rakyat,” he said.

PAS moves to patch cracks in party leadership and coalition

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — PAS, which is facing what could be its worst crisis yet, will hold a series of meetings with coalition partners as well as among its top leaders to defuse tensions over the proposed unity government talks with Umno.

Party leaders said that at least four meetings have been scheduled, starting with a meeting involving PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP in Parliament on Monday.

The meeting will be the venue for PAS to state its stand on the unity talks issue, they said.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali told Bernama that besides him, the party would be represented by president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and two vice-presidents.

This will be followed by PAS special central working committee meeting at its headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut at about 8.30pm.

“Normally, we will discuss things at length ... this is definitely going to be a long meeting,” Mustafa said.

He declined to reveal details of the meeting but party sources said it would discuss, among other things, the need to cool things down following the fallout from the proposed unity talks and to discuss the recent outbursts of the party’s top religious leader, Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Nik Aziz had asked Nasharudin to quit the party and join Umno if he insisted on pursuing the idea of a unity government with Umno.

Apart from the two meetings, a meeting involving Nik Aziz, Nasharudin and Abdul Hadi was also being proposed so that they could thrash out their differences over the divisive unity talks issue.

Mustafa did not say when the meeting would take place but party leaders said it could be held sometime next week. – Bernama

Gerakan VP Huan suspended three years

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Gerakan vice president Huan Cheng Guan has been suspended for three years from the party, reigniting speculation that the Penang politician would be heading soon towards a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party.

The beleaguered Barisan Nasional (BN) party, which has been reduced to a minor party after it lost all its seats in its Penang stronghold in last year’s general elections, decided at its central working committee meeting last night to suspend Huan’s membership.

He has 14 days to appeal against the punishment, which is being meted out because of his recent public outbursts against party colleagues.

Under the party’s constitution, “the suspension shall be reviewed every six (6) months, if not lifted earlier.”

During the period of suspension, “the member concerned shall not take part in any party activity and shall be deemed to be also suspended from any elected or appointed party post.”

“I have served this party so much, you can ask the grassroots. I feel this harsh punishment has a political agenda,” Huan told The Malaysian Insider.

In a statement, party secretary-gene4ral Teng Chang Yeow said Huan’s “excessive negative behavior” was unacceptable.

“It was the view of some leaders that the severe nature of his misbehaviour actually deserved an even more severe punishment.”

Teng added: “Such action was taken because of Huan’s conduct which was prejudicial to the interest of the party by openly attacking the party and the party leadership, declaring his resignation and threatening to bring his supporters out of the party.

“All these open highly detrimental remarks in the media were made just because he and some grassroots leaders and members objected to the appointment of a co-ordinator in one constituency in Penang.”

Huan had recently decided to stick it out in Gerakan despite implying he was planning to leave the BN party.

Last week, the Gerakan man claimed he was still a loyal party man, and that his decision to stay back in the party was prompted by the overwhelming backing he received from the grassroots.

Still, Huan is a relatively unknown politician outside Penang and yesterday’s CWC decision suggests the party leadership was prepared to lose him and his supporters for the sake of party discipline.

His unhappiness with the party leadership appeared to have been also sparked by a relatively minor issue of the appointments of branch coordinators particularly in the Machang Bubok divison in Penang.

Huan’s backers feel that he is highly influential in Penang and would be an asset to Gerakan’s attempt at recapturing the state from the DAP and PR.

But Huan has been at odds with Penang chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan over the appointment of coordinators for parliamentary and state seats traditionally contested by Gerakan which led to Huan being served a show-cause letter.

Last week, the former Batu Kawan MP also apologised for any offence his recent actions had caused to party leaders and said he would accept the decision of the top leadership even if it decided to give him the sack.

Several branch and division leaders have also threatened to leave the party should Huan decide to do so. Branch and division leaders from the mainland of Penang have claimed that 1,000 members would follow Huan.

Huan, who was the only top leader elected in party polls last year not aligned to president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, contested the Bukit Tambun state seat in the last general election but lost to a PKR candidate.

PKR is understood to be courting Huan and his supporters.

Muhyiddin pushing for Umno-Pas unity government makes a total mockery of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept, undoing 52 years of Malaysian nation-building by f

By Lim Kit Siang
At the meeting of DAP MPs in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, I said that Malaysian politics is in the throes of great flux and even lightning change.

This has been borne out by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin pushing for Umno-Pas “unity government” talks, trying to expedite an Umno-Pas meeting “in the next few days, anytime, no problem”, even sugarcoating it by declaring that Umno “will not impose any conditions and we accept whatever terms set by PAS”.

If any political leader or observer had been asked before Muhyiddin’s overture in Kuala Krai yesterday whether the No. 1 or No. 2 Umno leader could have made such a public proposition to PAS, nobody would have answered in the positive.

So what game is Muhyiddin up to?

Muhyiddin’s political gambit is all the more intriguing as his latest mentor, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had on the same day expressed his disapproval of the proposed unity talks between Umno and PAS, saying he did not think that the country wants a government which is 100 per cent Malay.

What makes Muhyiddin’s stand even more intriguing is that the Deputy UMNO President should know that even with their full parliamentary representation, Umno with 78 MPs and Pas withy 24 MPs only total 102, which is still 10 short of the requisite majority in the 222-member Parliament!
Why then is the Deputy Prime Minister publicly making the call for Umno-Pas “unity government” talks, knowing that it is not possible to form an all-Malay Umno-Pas government with only 102 parliamentary seats – when the political and nation-building costs would be phenomenal.

This is because Muhyiddin’s pushing for Umno-Pas unity government immediately discredits by making a total mockery of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept, undoing 52 years of Malaysian nation-building by five previous Prime Ministers.

Why then is the Deputy Prime Minister prepared to be so irresponsible to pay such a heavy price in political and nation-building costs?

There could only be two reasons: firstly, the top Umno leadership sees in the present political scenario a golden opportunity to divide PAS and split the Pakatan Rakyat; and secondly, Umno continues to play the role of the political hegemon in the Barisan Nasional, with the other BN component parties whether MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SUPP, PBS totally irrelevant as mere puppets, digits and ciphers.

This episode illustrates the great difference between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. PR is a coalition of equals among DAP, PKR and PAS. BN however continues to be a political grouping headed by a hegemon, Umno, while the other component parties have no say whatsoever in charting their policies and future directions.

Pakatan Rakyat leadership council will meet on Monday and will discuss for the first time the so-called Umno-Pas “unity government” talks, and the sudden subject of “BN-PR unity government” talks.

I do not see any problem with talks but only with the purpose of the talks.

We are all Malaysians and there is no reason why we cannot sit down to talk about issues concerning the people and nation but “Umno-PAS unity government” is inimical to the whole concept of Malaysian nation-building while “BN-PR unity government” talks is more than premature.

Let the BN and PR parties sit down to talk about the burning issues confronting the country like the protracted political and constitutional crisis in Perak caused by the unethical, undemocratic and illegal coup d’etat in Perak; a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal; how to make Najib’s slogan “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” really meaningfully; restoration of public confidence in the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary and key national institutions like the Police, the Elections Commission, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC); parliamentary reforms to have a First-World Parliament; how to unite Malaysians to successfully face the worst global crisis in a century and transform Malaysia into a high-income developed nation; make Malaysia safe for its citizens, tourists and investors; eradicate corruption, etc.

If we cannot even sit down to talk about these burning issues to find solutions to them, any talk of “Umno-Pas unity government” or “BN-PR unity government” is either detrimental to the cause of Malaysian nation-building or utterly unrealistic and just a political ploy to undermine democracy and to impede the process of political change heralded by the political tsunami in the March 8, 2008 general elections.

30 Inmates Escape During Riot At Rehabilitation Centre

BUTTERWORTH, June 20 (Bernama) -- About 30 inmates escaped during a riot at the Kampung Selamat Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Tasek Gelugor near here yesterday evening.

Penang police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said only 492 of 522 inmates were accounted for when a head count was conducted after the three-hour riot was quelled at 10.15pm.

He said police had picked up two of them in Padang Serai near the Penang border with Kedah.

The inmates accounted for will be shifted to nearby rehabilitation centres, he told reporters at the scene.

He said 589 policemen and Federal Reserve Unit personnel were involved in the operation while 57 firemen fought the blaze that had destroyed three blocks of building at the centre.

There were no casualties in the incident.

Roadblocks have been mounted around the state to nab the remaining escapees.

Arrests at Aung San Suu Kyi birthday 'bash'

Nizar rayu penghakiman semula, minta maksima 11 hakim

Art Harun: Ketuanan Melayu

(Terjemahan daripada bahasa Inggeris oleh Centre for Policy Initiatives)

Sepanjang bulan Oktober, saya telah menahan diri dari menulis tentang politik. Saya terlalu muak melihat keadaan politik Malaysia sehinggakan saya berasa ingin menjauhkan diri dari segala-galanya. Kini tiba bulan November [2008]. Dan sekarang ini, saya terfikir saya patut mengulas tentang perkara ini.

Biasanya, saya mampu menggenggam sesuatu konsep dengan baik, memahaminya, membezakannya dari konsep-konsep yang seakan-akan searus dengannya, mengenalpastikan nilai-nilai positif dan negatifnya dan menggunakannya. Akan tetapi, saya tidak boleh sama sekali memahami konsep Ketuanan Melayu, walaupun saya telah mencuba dengan sedaya upayanya. Hendak mengenalpasti unsur-unsur konsep ini pun tak terdaya.

Kini saya terasa ragu-ragu – adakah saya telah hilang kewarasan saya? Saya sudah hilang akal, mungkin itulah sebabnya. Ataupun mungkin konsep seperti ini tidak pernah wujud. Mungkin sebab itulah saya tidak dapat mengenalpasti apa ia 'Ketuanan Melayu'.

Sepanjang masa saya belajar di sekolah kerajaan, dan kemudian di universiti kerajaan, dan termasuklah tempoh setahun yang saya belajar di sebuah universiti Mat Salleh, saya tidak pernah menemui konsep Ketuanan Melayu di dalam mana-mana sukatan pelajaran saya. Ini memang menghairankan sebab Sejarah merupakan matapelajaran kegemaran saya. Lebih pelik lagi, saya bukan sahaja telah mengambil kursus Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia, malah saya juga telah mengambil kursus Undang-undang Pentadbiran Awam Malaysia serta kursus Perbandingan Undang-undang Perlembagaan sebagai kursus tambahan. Dan tidak ketinggalan juga kertas Pembelajaran Politik yang ditawarkan oleh fakulti Ekonomiyang ditawarkan oleh fakulti Ekonomi – itu saya ambil untuk acah sahaja.

Aneh betul. Tak pernah saya temui konsep ini sepanjang waktu persekolahan saya. Tiada. Tak pernah!

Ini mesti kerana saya yang tak hadir semasa kelas syarahan ataupun kelas tutorial tatkala perkara Ketuanan Melayu diajar atau dibincangkan (atau kemungkinan besar saya terlena, kot). Ataupun, mungkin perkara ini tidak pernah diajar atau dibincangkan.

Sekiranya ia tidak pernah diajar atau dibincangkan, penjelasan yang paling munasabah adalah kerana konsep Ketuanan Melayu ini tidak wujud sama sekali. Inilah yang difahami oleh minda logik saya. Saya tidak boleh memikir secara tidak logik tentang persoalan ini kerana saya adalah seorang yang berfikiran logikal. Mungkin YB Zulkifli Nordin mempunyai pandangan yang berbeza. Saya kurang pasti. Mungkin dia ada pandangannya sendiri. Dan juga pandangan-pandangannya yang lain. Sebab dia tu orang bijak.

Maaf, saya terpesong tadi.

Jadi, kalau Ketuanan Melayu tidak pernah diajar atau dibincangkan selama pendidikan saya sepanjang 18 tahun, walaupun saya telah mengambil kursus-kursus di mana perkara seperti ini sepatutnya lazim menjadi topik perbincangan, boleh saya simpulkan konsep ini tidak pernah wujud. Tetapi kalaulah benarpun ianya wujud, maka ini bermaksud bahawa kepentingannya dan relevennya kepada sejarah dan undang-undang kita terlalu kurang sehinggakan ia tidak dipedulikan sama sekali.

Berikutan itu, bagaimana pula konsep ini berjaya menyelinap ke dalam pentas sosial dan politik kita kebelakangan ini? Dr Mahathir telah memberikan kata duanya. Zaid Ibrahim telah mengatakan bahawa konsep ini telah gagal.

Shahidan Kassim telah menegur Zaid dan meminta beliau bertaubat kerana telah berkatakan demikian. Syed Hamid Albar pula meminta Zaid memohon maaf dan telah memanggil Zaid seorang penderhaka bangsa! Shahidan meneruskan serangannya dengan menyatakan yang Zaid patut keluar dari Melayu dan beliau sepatutnya insaf dan bertaubat!

Soalannya, sekiranya Zaid 'berbangsa Melayu' (dan adakah ini betul? Awak bagaimana? Saya pula?) macam mana hendak keluar Melayu? Bagaimana caranya hendak mengenyah-Melayukan diri? Ataupun Shahidan sedang merujuk kepada konsep bangsa Melayu seperti yang dimaktubkan dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia?

Di dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia seorang Melayu ditakrifkan sebagai seorang yang:

i) mengamalkan adat dan cara hidup Melayu

ii) beragama Islam, dan

iii) bertutur dalam Bahasa Malaysia (ataupun Bahasa Kebangsaan ataupun Bahasa Melayu yang kemudiannya bertukar menjadi Bahasa Malaysia dan kemudiannya ditukarkan kepada Bahasa Melayu semula dan kini dikenali sebagai Bahasa... tak tahulah saya).

Berikutan daripada takrifan sebegitu, rasanya Zaid boleh mengenyah-Melayukan dirinya dengan tidak melakukan seperti yang disifatkan dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia.

Mari kita merenung sebentar. Perhatikan syarat yang pertama di atas. Seseorang itu berbangsa Melayu sekiranya beliau mengamalkan adat dan cara hidup Melayu. Itu seperti mengatakan yang seseorang itu berbangsa Inggeris jika beliau berbangsa Inggeris. Macam mana nak tahu apa itu adat Melayu dan cara hidup Melayu apabila perkataan 'Melayu' sendirinya belum lagi ditafsirkan?

Adui...

Dulu Melayu membawa keris merata tempat. Kini tiada seorang pun Melayu yang waras akan membuat sedemikian. Apakah ini bermakna yang tiada lagi Melayu di dunia ini? Dulu Melayu boleh melawat para jiran pada bila-bila waktu tanpa membuat temu janji. Kini kebanyakan Melayu bandar amat segan membuat sedemikian. Malah, 'rumah terbuka' hari raya kini hanya 'terbuka' kepada tetamu yang dijemput sahaja. Adakah ini bermakna yang Melayu bandar bukan lagi berbangsa Melayu? Saya kurang pasti, hanya setakat bertanya sahaja.

Berbalik kepada Zaid dan Shahidan Kassim. Soalan saya: Macam manakah Zaid boleh mengenyah-Melayukan dirinya? Kemudian, dikatakan Zaid patut 'bertaubat'. Taubat menyifatkan perbuatan yang berkaitan dengan agama. Seseorang itu bertaubat sekiranya telah berdosa. Jika begitu, ingin saya bertanya lagi. Sejak bilakah ia menjadi dosa untuk mempertikaikan atau mencabar keberkesanan Ketuanan Melayu?

Shahidan juga berkatakan yang Zaid patut meninggalkan rumpun Melayu. Biar betul. Biasalah … ingat lagi tak kata-kata YB ini di dalam Dewan Rakyat tidak lama dahulu? “Jika pendatang-pendatang ini tidak suka berada di sini, mereka patut tinggalkan negara ini!” Bijaknya. Perbahasan yang amat memberangsangkan. Hebat sekali hujahnya! Caya la, Shahidan.

Baiklah, katakanlah kita terima yang konsep Ketuanan Melayu ini merupakan suatu kenyataan. Dan mari kita andaikan yang Perlembagaan Persekutuan kita adalah berlandaskan konsep seperti tersebut ini.

Soalan pertama: Apakah gunanya jika Melayu digelar Tuan di dalam segala-galanya tetapi pencapaian orang Melayu masih ketinggalan di dalam semua bidang di dalam negaranya sendiri?

Soalan kedua: Bagaimana hendak menyelaraskan fahaman ketuanan ataupun dominasi kaum Melayu dengan fahaman Umno dan pemimpin-pemimpin kita yang menyatakan bahawa Melayu masih harus bersandarkan subsidi dan layanan istimewa untuk menolong mereka berjaya (ini digelarkan oleh Dr Mahathir sebagai "tindakan afirmatif")?

Soalan ketiga: Apabila memperkatakan Ketuanan Melayu atau dominasi Melayu, Melayu sebenarnya mendominasi ataupun menjadi Tuan ke atas apa dan siapa?

Pada zaman dulu, konsep 'dominasi' membayangkan penggunaan kekuatan fizikal untuk mengawal sesuatu. 'Ketuanan' pula adalah keadaan dimana sesuatu menjadi tuan kepada segala yang lainnya. Dalam fahaman sosial-politik, Ketuanan Melayu bermaksudkan bahawa Melayulah yang ditabalkan dan diteruskan sebagai kuasa teragung di dalam masyarakat dan negara. Di dalam sejarah, kita harus kembali ke era Kesultanan Melaka semasa tahun 1400-an untuk menemui contoh-contoh ketuanan atau dominasi oleh Melayu, itupun kalau kuasa sebegitu benar-benar wujud.

Ketibaan Portugis, Belanda dan kemudiannya Inggeris dan seterusnya Jepun telah memusnahkan kesemua status ketuanan sosial-politik Melayu dan raja-raja mereka. Sejarah menunjukkan yang pihak Inggeris telah memaksa Raja-raja kita bersetuju mengambil penasihat-penasihat Inggeris, di mana nasihatnya mesti diterima dan dilaksanakan oleh Raja-raja. Perkembangan ini telah menghapuskan segala cebisan unsur dominasi atau ketuanan pihak Melayu ke atas masyarakat dan negara. Jika kesannya di dalam arena sosial-politik telah dirasai serta-merta, kesannya ke atas ekonomi bakal terasa juga.

Pihak Jepun sebaliknya lebih bertoleransi kepada status raja-raja Melayu dan kaum Melayu secara amnya. Akan tetapi ini adalah kerana pihak Jepun memerlukan sokongan daripada kaum Melayu (paling tidak pun perlu diterima oleh mereka). Ini adalah kerana kaum Cina jauh lebih giat bertempur menentang tentera Jepun di Malaya. Semangat mereka dilahirkan dari permusuhan di antara negara Cina dan Jepun yang sudah bersejarah panjang. Oleh itu, layanan istimewa telah diberikan kepada kaum Melayu dan juga raja-rajanya oleh penjajah Jepun.

Semua itu berubah dengan kembalinya British. Malayan Union yang diwar-warkan oleh pihak British bakal menjadikan raja-raja Melayu, dan kaum Melayu setakat rakyat biasa sahaja dan setara dengan rakyat lain kerana pihak British lebih cenderung menubuhkan sebuah negara demokrasi berasaskan kerangka Westminster. Akan tetapi nilai-nilai British ini kurang disenangi oleh kaum Melayu yang menuntut hak asal dominasi dan ketuanan seperti yang difahami dahulukala.

Di sinilah lahirnya tuntutan untuk sebuah 'kontrak sosial'. Ia berdasarkan andaian yang sebuah perjanjian di antara kaum Melayu dan pihak British telah dimaktubkan – seperti sebuah perjanjian Magna Carta zaman moden – di mana kaum Melayu akan bersetuju memberi kewarganegaraan kepada kaum Cina dan India selagi hak-hak istimewa Melayu dan kedaulatan raja-raja Melayu dikekalkan. Justeru itu peruntukan-peruntukan dalam Artikel 152 dan 153 di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan telah diwujudkan.

Jika kita menerima kewujudan sebuah 'kontrak sosial' – dan saya tidak syak yang ianya benar-benar wujud – semestinya konsep dominasi Melayu atau Ketuanan Melayu tidak harus wujud lagi. Sepatutnya konsep seperti ini telah digantikan oleh peruntukan-peruntukan di dalam Perlembagaaan Malaysia dan juga 'kontrak sosial' yang [sekian ini] giat dipertahankan sebagai perjanjian suci dan yang dipeluk ketat oleh ahli-ahli politik kita.

Yang pastinya, pertubuhan sebuah negara Persekutuan berdemokrasi ala Westminster adalah bertentangan dengan konsep dominasi Melayu atau Ketuanan Melayu kerana kedua-dua konsep ini langsung tidak sehaluan dan mustahil dikembarkan.

Banyak yang telah diperkatakan mengenai kontrak sosial ini. Fokus utamanya adalah pada hak-hak kewarganegaraan yang telah dianugerahkan oleh kaum Melayu ke atas kaum bukan Melayu (ada yang menggelarkan kaum bukan Melayu ini sebagai 'pendatang'). Akan tetapi, tiada seorang pun yang sanggup melihat kontrak sosial ini dari pandangan kaum bukan Melayu.

Yang pasti, kaum bukan Melayu juga mempunyai harapan mereka sendiri apabila menerima kontrak sosial ini. Sebenarnya, kontrak sosial ini adalah perjanjian di antara dua pihak – kaum Melayu dan kaum bukan Melayu – di mana kedua-duanya mempunyai hak masing-masing yang harus dipertahankan dan tanggungjawab yang mesti dilaksanakan.

Justeru itu, tidakkah ia munasabah untuk mengatakan bahawa apabila kaum bukan Melayu telah memeterai kontrak sosial ini dengan kaum Melayu, mereka berhak menjangka yang mereka tidak akan ditundukkan di bawah Ketuanan Melayu dan semua rakyat adalah dianggap setara di bawah undang-undang dan tiada segmen rakyat yang dianggap sebagai tuan kepada segmen yang lain?

Saya berfikiran sepatutnya begitu.

Dr M says no to third bridge, and no to unity talks

By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad added today to the growing chorus of criticisms against Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s proposed third bridge to Singapore. He also warned Umno against pursuing the so-called unity talks, in a sign that he is beginning to disapprove of some of Najib’s policies.

The former prime minister said it would be a bad idea to have a government comprising only Malays.

He also revived the idea of building a crooked bridge to replace the Malaysian half of the Causeway, since Singapore was not in favour of a new bridge to replace the structure.

“I think it’s better for the government to build the crooked bridge instead of third bridge,” he told reporters after attending a book launch today. He fears a third bridge would affect operations at the Pasir Gudang Port, adding that replacing the existing Causeway between Johor and Singapore would be more beneficial.

Besides reducing traffic congestion at the Causeway, he said it would allow the free movement of water which would make the straits cleaner.

Dr Mahathir also said that the new Customs, Immigrations and Quarantine (CIQ) complex at the Causeway was not operating at what should be the optimal level.

The CIQ was built to accommodate a new bridge which would have replaced the Causeway but the project was cancelled when Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was prime minister.

On the stand by the Johor Sultan, who also objected yesterday to a third bridge, Dr Mahathir said the “Sultan has his rights and so does the Federal Government”.

The cancellation of the the crooked bridge by Tun Abdullah was one of the significant reasons for the falling out between the two men.

Dr Mahathir eventually left Umno last year and only returned to the party this year when Najib replaced Abdullah as prime minister.

Since then he has refrained from openly criticising government policies.

Besides backing growing concerns that the construction of a third bridge would result in Johor having to lift its ban on the sale of sand to Singapore, Dr Mahathir also expressed his disapproval of the proposed unity talks between Umno and PAS.

He said a unity government with PAS could jeopardise Umno’s relationship with other Barisan National (BN) partners.

The former prime minister said the government needed to explain what their objective was and if they were willing to leave their ‘friends” to form a government which only comprised the Malays.

“I don’t the country wants a government which is 100 per cent Malay”

He said the government has always included non-Malays and cautioned there would be difficulties if non-Malays were excluded.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea”.

Calling all Malay youth and Mat Rempits

Umno Youth to organise an anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng today in response to his call to allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysia.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Today, Umno Youth will be organising an anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally in response to his call to allow Chin Peng to be allowed to return to Malaysia.

The rally, to be called ‘Kebangkitan Pemuda’, will be similar to the Pemuda Umno anti-Chinese rally at the TPCA Padang in 1987.

The rally, which will be for just two hours, is headed by the new Federal Territory Minister and will be held along Jalan Yap Kwan Seng not far from Kampong Baru.

Those who are interested in participating in this rally please contact your nearest Umno office.

RM100.00 will be paid to each participant and food, drinks and transport will be provided.

Banners whacking Chin Peng, Anwar Ibrahim and the Chinese will be provided free.

Syabas Muhyiddin, Nik Aziz Pasti Setuju

By Sheih Kickdefella
Bila pemimpin bijak berunding, perundingan tidak perlu berlaku menerusi perjumpaan dalam gelap. Bila pemimpin pintar berunding, perundingan tidak perlu berbentuk dua hala. Bila pemimpin hebat berunding, tiada siapa pun menyangka dia sedang berunding.

Tetapi, semua akan terkejut dengan keputusannya. Pantas dan tepat seperti dimahukan.

Muhyiddin hari ini telah membuka laluan seluas-luasnya buat PAS untuk berunding dengan UMNO. Ramai terkejut dan merasakan ianya adalah satu perangkap atau satu petanda betapa desperadonya UMNO. Tetapi semua silap.

Ini adalah petanda betapa jujur dan seriusnya UMNO mahu berunding dengan PAS.

Timbalan Presiden UMNO hari ini berkata,

“We will not impose any conditions and we accept whatever terms set by PAS. As far as I’m concerned, we have to be open,”(di sini)

Muhyiddin mengajak pemimpin, ahli dan penyokong PAS lupakan yang lalu, let bygones be bygones katanya. Muhyiddin dengan ikhlas bersetuju untuk UMNO tidak meletakkan sebarang syarat tetapi sebaliknya bersedia menerima sebarang syarat dari PAS supaya rundingan ini berjaya.

Syukur kepada yang Maha Kuasa, akhirnya dianugerahkan kepada UMNO seorang messiah yang akan membuka pintu kebenaran buat UMNO.

Keikhlasan Muhyiddin pasti bersambut, kecil tapak tangan, nyiru kami tadahkan.

Memandangkan Muhyiddin bersedia menerima sebarang syarat, saya mencadangkan kepada Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz untuk mengusulkan syarat-syarat berikut sebelum rundingan bermula.

• Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia harus mengambil cuti dan serahkan kedua-dua jawatan tersebut kepada Muhyiddin Yassin sebagai Pemangku sepanjang tempoh perundingan.
• Suruhanjaya DiRaja perlu ditubuhkan segera menyiasat kes pembunuhan Altantunya dan mencari segala jawapan yang tidak terjawab didalam perbicaraan di Mahkamah dengan tujuan membersihkan nama Najib Razak buat selamanya. Sesiapa yang didapati bersubahat didalam kes ini harus didakwa segera.
• UMNO dan BN harus mengundurkan jenteranya dari Manek Urai segera dan bukan sahaja tidak bertanding tetapi tidak akan meletakkan calon-calon bebas di situ. PAS wajib diberi kemenangan tanda bertanding.
• Muhyiddin Yassin terus mengetuai perundingan bagi pihak BN sehingga nama Najib dibersihkan.
• Kedua-dua parti, UMNO dan PAS perlu memanggil EGM segera bagi mendapatkan mandat perundingan.

Dengan persetujuan UMNO menerima syarat tersebut, rundingan boleh dimulakan segera.

Berikut adalah saranan intipati rundingan.

• UMNO dan PAS hendaklah dibubarkan.
• Sebuah parti baru ditubuhkan yang menggabungkan ahli kedua-dua parti tersebut. Ini supaya parti yang lebih besar tidak menekan parti yang lebih kecil untuk tujuan politik.
• Parti baru hendaklah mengangkat Al Quran dan Hadith sebagai pedoman dan intisari perlembagaannya.
• Parti baru hendaklah ditadbir berlandaskan pertadbiran yang Islamik dari segenak aspek.
• Parti baru hendaklah diterajui berdasarkan konsep kepimpinan Ulama iaitu, ianya dikawal oleh sebuah Majlis Perundingan Ulama-ulama tertinggi di dalam parti tersebut. Ini tentu tidak menjadi masalah kepada ahli-ahli dan pemimpin UMNO kerana beberapa bulan kebelakangan ini mereka berpegang teguh kepada Ulama memimpin parti.
• Parti baru perlu komitted untuk menjaga kebajikan dan mempertahankan kebebasan mereka yang bukan Islam dan bukan Melayu.
• Parti baru hendaklah komitted mempertahankan pengagihan kekayaan negara secara adil kepada semua rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira agama dan bangsa keturunan.
• Barisan pimpinan parti hendaklah di pilih terus menerusi pengundian oleh ahli-ahli dengan menghapuskan kuasa perwakilan bagi memastikan segala elemen yang memakmurkan politik wang dalam UMNO dahulu tidak merebak ke parti baru.

Selamat bersatu umat Melayu dan selamat melangkah sebagai ummah.

Poll : Do you have any faith in Najib’s 1Malaysia?

Poll : Do you have any faith in Najib’s 1Malaysia?

June 19, 2009

I don’t.

And I’ll share my reasons with you over the next couple of days.

You?

Go on, have your say.

And after you’ve cast your vote, you may want to leave a comment as to why you do or you don’t.

Do you have any faith in Najib's 1Malaysia?

Our PM loves all Malaysians. Surely, lah!
How to trust the fella?

View Results
Polldaddy.com

Muhyiddin the latest political leader to do the somersault to become the champion of “Umno-Pas unity government talks” and repudiate Najib’s 1Malaysia

By Lim Kit Siang,
Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is the latest political leader to perform the somersault – taking a diametrically opposite position from the one he had postured only a few days or even a few hours ago!

Speaking in Kuala Krai this morning, Muhyiddin said Umno wants talks on a unity government to be sped up and asks PAS leaders to forget past conflicts in the interest of the unity of Muslims in the country.

He said he wanted the talks to materialise because he feared that if the matter was allowed to drag on, it would create disunity among the Muslims.

He declared: “We will not impose any conditions and we accept whatever terms set by PAS. As far as I’m concerned, we have to be open.”

The Umno deputy president urged PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to forget about the conflicts between PAS and Umno in the ‘70s, when both parties cooperated to form the Kelantan state government and the national government.

“As Muslims we are encouraged to forgive. That was in the past,” he said.

He even expressed the hope that the meeting between Umno and PAS could take place “in the next few days, anytime, no problem.”

This is a fantastically speedy turnaround for Muhyiddin who had been adopting a very critical and even sceptical stance to the Umno-Pas unity government proposal.

From his first public stance in Sri Kembangan on June 9 wanting Pas to explain what it meant by a unity government; to the critical position in Langkawi on June 13 questioning the seriousness of Pas in proposing Umno-Pas unity government as “Until today, there is nothing concrete” and predicting that the proposal would not become a reality because of “differences within Pas itself and the other Opposition parties”, Muhyiddin has transformed himself to become the foremost champion for Umno-Pas unity government talks, abandoning all his earlier reservations and pre-conditions to propose the holding of immediate Umno-Pas unity government talks “in the next few days, anytime, no problem” on “whatever terms set by PAS”.

Pressing for such a Umno-Pas unity government meeting in the next few days, Muhyiddin said

that initially the meeting should be between PAS and Umno only before the matter was discussed in a comprehensive manner with component parties of Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition alliance.

Many questions come to the surface. Is Muhyiddin speaking for the Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and if so, why such a desperate hurry and even unholy haste?

Did Najib and Muhyiddin get the approval of the leaders of the other Barisan Nasional component parties, in particular MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, MIC President, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu that Umno to conduct such “Umno-Pas unity government talks” or is there just no necessity for such prior consultation as MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the other Barisan Nasional component parties are just pawns, digits and ciphers which just do not matter or count in the Barisan Nasional scheme of things?

Thinking Malaysians must be asking however how Umno’s support for “Umno-Pas” unity government talks reconcile with what Najib claims to be the underlying philosophy of his premiership –“1Malaysia” concept.

Surely, Najib does not expect Malaysians to take his talk on “1Malaysia” seriously when the first fruit of the Najib premiership is “Umno-Pas unity government talks”!

It would appear that it is none other than Muhyiddin who is making the strongest repudiation of the “1Malaysia” concept!

“Syariah court’s jurisdiction only over Muslims”

thenutgraph.com

Shanmuga (left) and Rajesh

SHAH ALAM, 19 June 2009: The religious status of deceased film director Mohan Singh must be heard in the civil court based on the most recent court judgements about the syariah court's jurisdiction and position, the High Court here heard.

Rajesh Kumar, the lawyer for Mohan's family, told the High Court, which began hearing arguments on jurisdiction today, that all parties to a dispute must be Muslims before the case can be heard in the Syariah Court.

Rajesh referred High Court judge Rosnaini Saub to the Federal Court's ruling on Latifah Mat Zin vs Rosmawati Shariban & Anor, a case involving inheritance, on 25 July 2007.

"The federal court held that it is not enough that the subject matter of the dispute is within the Syariah Court's jurisdiction. In addition, it must also be shown that all parties to the dispute professed Islam. The Syariah Court only has jurisdiction if both requirements are fulfilled," Rajesh said.

He noted that the Latifah decision had come after the Lina Joy case on 30 May 2007, also decided by the Federal Court, which ruled that her renunciation of Islam had to be determined in the Syariah Court.

"Since the Latifah case is the latest, we follow the latest case," he said.

Mohan's family, comprising his step-father and sisters, are disputing a claim by the Selangor Islamic Council (Mais) that he was a Muslim when he died on 25 May 2009. Mais has obtained an order from the Shah Alam Syariah High Court which declared that Mohan was a Muslim.

Mohan's body has been kept at the Sungai Buloh Hospital which will not release it until his religious status is determined.

Mais claims that Mohan, 41, converted to Islam in 1992. However, his family said no one had knowledge of his conversion and that he was a practicing Sikh until his death.

Besides Mais, Mohan's family is also suing the Health Ministry, the Sungai Buloh Hospital director, the Selangor government and the federal government.

The court only heard submissions from Mohan's lawyer today. Rosnaini fixed 23 and 24 June to hear submissions from the other respondents.

Position of Syariah Court

Rajesh also cited the High Court judgement on Dato Kadar Shah Tun Sulaiman v Datin Fauziah Haron in 2008, which affirmed that the high courts, being creations of the Federal Constitution, had supervisory powers over syariah courts which were "mere courts" established by state law.

"When there is competing jurisdiction between the civil court and syariah court, proceedings in the High Court of Malaya and the High Courts of Sabah and Sarawak must take precedence over the Syariah Court," Rajesh said.

The 2008 judgement reaffirmed that that the syariah court was an inferior court in legal terms.

"It doesn't mean that the Syariah Court is a less good court. It only means in legal terms, that it is inferior in the sense that the High Court supervises it," lawyer K Shanmuga, who is also representing Mohan's family, told reporters later outside the courtroom.

"Nobody can abolish the High Court. It is in the Federal Constitution. You need a two-thirds majority [in Parliament] to remove and even then, it's arguable if it can be done.

"But tomorrow, the Selangor state assembly could decide to abolish the Syariah Court as these courts are created by state assemblies," he said.

Definition of a Muslim

Rajesh also argued that it was unconstitutional to define Mohan as a Muslim under Selangor Islamic law.

He said the State Administration of Islamic Law Enactment which defined a Muslim as one who had converted at any time in their lives, went against the Federal Constitution's definition of a Muslim.

The Federal Constitution defines a Muslim as one who professes Islam. Mohan's lawyers are arguing that the literal meaning of the word "profess" refers to the present religion the person claims to believe in.

"Based on case law, and based on the dictionary definition of professed, it means that even if you converted 25 years ago, what is important is what you say today," Shanmuga told reporters later.

Rajesh had also argued in court that Mohan's identity card did not bear a Muslim name nor Islam as his religion after he allegedly converted in 1992.

The court was also given Mohan's marriage certificate and his daughter's birth certificate as evidence that had married a Christian woman in 1997, who gave birth to his daughter in 2000.

Rajesh pointed out that in both documents, Mohan's Sikh name was maintained, as was "Sikhism" as his religious status.

Mohan had also performed Sikh burial rites for his mother when she died, and had continued celebrating Vasakhi, the Sikh holiday, even after his alleged conversion, the court was told.

Credibility of witnesses

Appealing to the judge for a fair trial, Rajesh said Mohan's family members would not be considered credible witnesses if the case was heard in the Syariah Court.

Rajesh cited the Syariah Court Evidence (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003, which stated that non-Muslims could only give bayyinah, the least credible form of evidence under Islamic law.

There are three types of evidence, the strongest being iqrar, a confession given freely by a Muslim, followed by shahadah, the testimony of an eye-witnesses given on oath.

Bayyinah is considered mere evidence and not a testimony on oath.

Muslims who did not fulfil certain criteria in order to give shahadah could only give bayyinah. Such Muslims were those who were considered to be of unsound mind, not of full age, whose credibility was suspect, and who had committed major sins or habitually committed minor sins.

"Non-Muslims as a whole are put together with these categories of persons and are also only allowed to give bayyinah," said Rajesh.

High Chaparral villagers hold candlelight vigil

Some 200 villagers and their supporters gathered tonight in Kampong Buah Pala in Gelugor, Penang, for a candlelight vigil and dinner in a show of solidarity against impending eviction.

Candles twinkled on either side of the roads in and leading to the village. A group of plainclothes police kept an eye but did not intervene.

Rang Undang-Undang DNA Konspirasi Jahat Ke Atas Anwar Ibrahim

(Video ehsan MalaysiakiniTV)

16 arrested for trying to celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday

by Nathaniel Tan

Once again the might of Malaysia’s indefatigable police force is brought to bear upon…….. people celebrating a birthday :(

As if the Burmese haven’t been made to suffer enough already, back home and back in slave trading Malaysia.

Why? Why is it so hard for cops to just concentrate on preventing real crime?

I

just

don’t

understand.

Suaram:

URGENT APPEAL: 19 JUNE 2009
16 Refugees arrested during a Special Celebration of Burma’s Democratic Leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64 Birthday at Taman Jaya

The authority’s intolerance to peaceful assembly continued, when the police arrested 16 Burmese refugees at Taman Jaya during a special celebration of Burma’s democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64 birthdays before the event started.

The Pakatan Rakyat Selangor and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) hold a special celebration today on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64 birthdays and to show solidarity support to her who still under detain by Burma military junta.

All of them were arrested around 9pm after people started gather for the event. All those arrested now are detained in the Petaling Jaya district police station and denial lawyer access. They might be moved to immigration.

We strongly urge the police to release all the individuals arrested immediately and unconditionally. We also demand that the Malaysia government recognise the refugee’s status and providing protection to them, while guaranteed the people rights to assembly and stop the assault on freedom of expression.

Released By,

Temme Lee

SUARAM Coordinator

016-4898224

Urgent action needed:

Please write protest letters to the government and the police to express your strongest condemnation of the arrests and the ongoing denial of rights of expression. Please also demand the Malaysian government for the immediate recognize the refugee’s status and unconditional release all those arrested.

Your protest letters should be sent to:

1. OCPD Petaling Jaya

Ibupejabat Polis DaerahPetaling Jaya
Polis Diraja Malaysia
Petaling Jaya
Jalan Pencala
46050 Selangor

Tel: 03-79662222

Fax: 03-79548740

2. Inspector-General of Police

Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia ,
50560 Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia .
Tel: +603 2262 6015
Fax: +603 2272 5613

4. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,

Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Prime Minister’s Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444
E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my

SAMPLE LETTER

[Letterhead of your organization]

Prime Minister,

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,

Prime Minister’s Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444

E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my

Dear Sir,

Re: Release those 16 Refugees arrested during a Special Celebration of Burma’s Democratic Leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64 Birthday at Taman Jaya

We are writing to you, once again, to express our outrage and our strongest condemnation over your government’s ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression.

We are appalled by your government and the police’s latest actions and view this as yet another attempt by your government to intimidate people from exercising their freedom to express their views.

We demand that the 16 individuals should be released immediately and unconditionally. We further demand that your government recognise their refugee’s status and providing protection to them.

We would like to remind you that freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Yours sincerely,

[Name]

Nizar appeals, seeks 11-member bench - Malaysiakini

With three days to spare, ousted Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin today filed his application for leave to appeal at the Federal Court registry - without the two written grounds of judgment from the three-person panel Court of Appeal that removed him as Perak menteri besar.

MCPX

Hearing has been fixed at the apex court for two days beginning July 9.

Nizar (centre in photo), who had earlier this week taken his oath as Bukit Gantang MP, has also applied for the maximum number of Federal Court judges - a full 11-member bench - to hear the constitutional matter.

There are currently 12 federal court judges.

According to Nizar, his application could very well determine the powers of the Yang Di Pertuan Agong should the question of removing a prime minister ever arise.

This is part of the constitutional questions or issues posed to the Federal Court.

"What if one day, the Yang Di Pertuan Agong tells Najib (Abdul Razak) 'You do not command the majority and hence, I sack you. Does His Royal Highness have the prerogative to do that?" he asked.

"The federal constitution and the Perak constitution are similar and the interpretation of this question posed to the court is vital in determining the future of democracy in this country and where the country is heading.

"Whatever is being decided would also have an impact at the federal level," said Nizar at a press conference after the filing.

This, he said, was one of the matters that the court has to decide on as the country has adopted a constitutional monarchy and a representative democratic system.

"If this is not respected, what then is the use of elections?," he asked.

The Bukit Gantang MP was accompanied by his lawyer Leong Cheok Keng (right) and supporters at about 3.05pm. They immediately mobbed by a swarm of photographers.

Judgements not written

The appellate court had on May 22 overturned the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision which ruled that Nizar was the rightful menteri besar of Perak.

It is learnt that one of the three judges who delivered the unanimous decision, Justice Mohd Raus Sharif, has already written his grounds for the appellate court's decision in allowing Zambry's appeal.

However, another judge, Justice Zainun Ali, has yet to finish preparing hers and checks done today confirmed this.

The third judge, Justice Ahmad Ma'arop, is also said to be preparing the written grounds of his judgment.

When a decision is unanimous, it normal that only one written judgment is required but in this matter, all three judges are submitting their written grounds.

In filing his application, Nizar has posed three questions to be decided by the apex court should he be successful in obtaining leave to file his appeal.

He is also seeking for a stay of the appellate court's decision which allowed his rival Zambry to be the menteri besar.

In civil cases - unlike criminal cases - a leave of application has to be heard first before an appeal proper can be filed. There is no automatic right of appeal to be heard at the apex court level.

Question of law

The three constitutional questions which he would liked to be answered and clarified are:

1. A proper interpretation of Article 16(6) of the Perak constitution under which a menteri besar can advise the sultan to dissolve the assembly.

But what if there is no dissolution of the assembly, no motion of non-confidence against the MBand what if the MB did not resign?

2. Can the sultan determine if a menteri besar commands the confidence of the majority of the House?

Article 16(6) of the state constitution also relates to a motion of no-confidence being made at the state legislative assembly and an interpretation is being sought on this.

3. Whether the state constitution allows the sacking of a menteri besar or can the position be deemed vacant if he chooses not to resign.

In Nizar's supporting affidavit, he states that an interpretation of Article 16(6) would affect Article 43(4) of the federal constitution regarding the position of the prime minister of Malaysia.

Rationale for 11 judges

Nizar explained that his reason in asking for a full bench is because the people are "craving" for justice.

"The people want to see that justice is served as this affects not only Perak but also the whole nation," he said.

"That is why we want the judges in the highest court of the land to consider these constitutional questions," said Nizar.

He pleaded with the apex court judges to disregard their "political affiliations, economic gains, ethnicity and political pressure" when hearing the case.

"What they should consider is providing justice to the people of Perak and the nation," he said.

Leong said the issue provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for the judges to hear the case because such constitutional issues do not come everyday.

"If I am a judge, I would certainly want to hear this case," he said.

Nizar also blasted the Court of Appeal judges for not providing their written judgments given that they had earlier promised to have them done within a week.

Working 'around the clock'

"Now it is almost 30 days and we have yet to see their written judgments.

"My lawyers have been working round the clock in trying to understand the rationale of the five-minute oral judgment given in order to formulate the questions to the Federal Court," he said.

"Similarly, Justice Ramly Ali who granted a stay a day after the High Court judge ruled in my favour as the rightful menteri besar, has yet to provide his written grounds," he said.

Nizar said if High Court judge Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim managed to write his 78-page judgment within four days, "...how come these judges cannnot provide the written grounds of their judgments?"

Parti komponen BN tak bersuara tentang 1Malaysia

myzaidibrahim,

Mana-mana Perdana Menteri yang baru suka benar memulakan pemerintahan masing-masing dengan slogan atau ungkapan yang dicipta untuk mencerminkan hala tuju pentadbiran mereka. Tetapi lazimnya slogan itu tidak ada sedikit pun mampu melaksanakan hala tuju atau matlamat mereka. Slogan “Bersih Cekap dan Amanah” ciptaan Dr Mahathir Mohamad pada awal tahun 1980-an dahulu begitu memberangsangkan tetapi dari era itulah bermulanya rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa yang menjadi barah pentadbiran negara sehingga ke hari ini. Begitulah juga matlamat melahirkan kerajaan berintegriti dan ketelusan yang diketengahkan sewaktu kepimpinan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang gagal dari segi pelaksaanaan kerana para pemimipin UMNO tidak bersedia untuk walk the talk. Mereka cuma cakap tak serupa bikin.

Hari ini rakyat dibebankan pula dengan slogan 1Malaysia. Perdana Menteri Najib mencipta slogan baru kerana tidak mahu teruskan slogan Pak Lah. Entah ke mana perginya integriti dan ketelusan. Di mana hilangnya “Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang”? Menentang rasuah juga tidak lagi kedengaran. Perdana Menteri sekarang berhempas pulas cuba perjelaskan konsep idamannya itu tetapi makin lama makin keliru rakyat Malaysia. Rakyat jelata terus kebingungan. Najib kata 1Malaysia bukan proses asimilasi dengan memberi jaminan identiti kaum dan etnik tidak dilenyapkan. Dia kata teras perpaduan akan dikekal dan diperkuatkan. Dengan lain perkataan Malaysia akan terus melaksanakan prinsip-prinsip kenegaraan kepada semua kaum berasaskan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Malah katanya Rukunegara akan kekal sebagai teras kenegaraan.

Kalaulah semua ini yang dimaksudkan dengan 1Malaysia, mengapa perlu slogan yang baru? Mengapa perlu ungkapan baru mengenai perkara-perkara yang jelas termaktub dalam Perlembagaan sejak 52 tahun dahulu? Kecualilah kalau Perdana Menteri ada tafsiran baru bagi peruntukan -peruntukan dalam Perlembagaan Negara. Kita selalu mendengar semua pihak yang bertelingkah juga tidak segan silu mengakui bahawa tindakan dan tafsiran mereka lah yang tepat mengikut Perlembagaan. Selagi kefahaman rakyat tentang Perlembagaan Persekutuan tidak bagitu meluas dan mendalam, selagi itu lah pemimpin politik akan terus bersandiwara mengaku dasar dan polisi mereka itu secucok dengan Perlembagaan ; walaupun pada hakikat nya tidak sama sekali.

Tetapi di Malaysia yang serba boleh ini, kita sudah lihat hakim-hakim yang mendengar kes yang timbul dari krisis politik Perak telah kerap sekali membawa tafsiran dan terjemahan baru kepada konsep dan prinsip Undang-Undang Perlembagaan atau Constitutional Law sama ada dalam bidang kuasa Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya dalam menentukan sama ada sesebuah kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri itu kosong atau tidak; atau pun dalam soal kuasa Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri semasa menjalankan tugas sebagai Speaker; atau pun kuasa Raja Berperlembagaan dalam soal melantik Menteri Besar. Mungkin sekarang telah masuk era baru di Malaysia di mana Perlembagaan Persekutuan akan ditafsir dan diterjemah bukan lagi mengikut saluran yang sah dan berpandukan prinsip keadilan tetapi hanya yang secucuk dengan kehendak slogan 1Malaysia.

Bila bertemu dengan kumpulan kecil Pewaris yang suka menggelar diri mereka pembela bangsa, Perdana Menteri terpaksa tunduk dan memberi jaminan kepada mereka bahawa konsep 1Malaysia itu adalah berteraskan Perlembagaan dan tidak ada apa-apa yang akan “di longgarkan”. Itulah drama politik UMNO; setiap kali pemimpinnya mengutarakan sesuatu yang nampak inklusif untuk semua rakyat Malaysia, maka masa itu juga ada kumpulan UMNO yang menuntut supaya jangan tunduk kepada sesiapa pun. Tidak ada langsung satu pendekatan yang objektif dan rasional yang mahu mencari penyelesian tetapi hanya reaksi panas dan emosi. Seolah-olahnya ada warga negara Malaysia yang dianggap tidak mempunyai hak di negara yang dikongsi bersama ini.

Lihatlah kepada kumpulan intelek yang dipanggil untuk berseminar di Trengganu pada 7 Jun lalu. Seminar Gagasan Satu Malaysia – Kesinambungan Satu Perjuangan yang sepatutnya menjelaskan konsep 1Malaysia sebenarnya gagal memudahkan kefahaman orang ramai. Malah ia menambah kekeliruan ada. Ramai akademik membentang kertas kerja seperti Dr Thock Ker pong dari Universiti Malaya, Dr Kamaruddin Said dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia dan Dr Sivamurugan Pandian dari Universiti Sains Malaysia. Mereka menceritakan soal rasa kepinggiran atau sense of alienation. Dr Kamaruddin menceritakan rasa kepinggiran Melayu dalam negara sendiri dengan menyalahkan semua ini kepada penjajah British tanpa menyebut langsung tentang kesalahan dan kelemahan dasar kepemimpin Melayu sejak lebih 50 tahun kita merdeka. Dr Thock pula berkongsi rasa kepinggiran Cina kerana pelaksanaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru manakala Dr Sivamurugan menyebut rasa kepinggiran India secara keseluruhan. Seminar ini jelas menunjukan semua kaum rasa terpinggir tetapi pihak intelek dan akademik gagal mencari kata sepakat mengapa kita rasa terpinggir dan mengapa kita rasa liat untuk bersatu.

Seperti kebanyakan seminar anjuran kerajaan atau universiti awam, tidak sah kalau Menteri tidak rasmi. Maka yang merasmikan seminar itu ialah tidak lain dari Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, kini sebagai Menteri Pertahanan dan kata sesetengah penganalisa politik, bakal Perdana Menteri satu hari nanti. Zahid menyarankan Gagsan Satu Malaysia perlu “dimasyarakatkan” agar sentiasa difahami, dihayati dan dijadikan pedoman dalam proses pembinaan negara bangsa oleh setiap lapisan masyarakat. Rasanya saya pernah dengar ungkapan “dimasyarakatkan” tapi entah apa pula maksudnya. Agaknya ia bererti konsep 1Malaysia itu mestilah mudah difahami lalu diterima oleh semua rakyat. Tetapi bila pemimpin-pemimpin pun belum faham konsep itu sampai ke hari ini, bagaimana mahu dimasyarakatkan?

Zahid turut menyebut tentang pandangan “ caca marba” dari banyak pihak akibat sistem pendidikan yang berbeza. Ini bererti Menteri orang kanan Perdana Menteri sendiri mahukan sistem pendidikan yang ada sekarang ditukar kerana keadaan caca marba yang disebut itu timbul kerana bahasa pengantar yang berbeza. Adakah Zahid mahu supaya bahasa pengantar di semua sekolah ditukar kepada satu bahasa? Kalau ini saranan Menteri, bukankah ini asimilasi yang Najib bersungguh-sungguh nafikan di Parlimen? Mengapa sistem pendidikan sekarang yang dilaksanakan oleh UMNO dan Barisan Nasional sendiri sejak merdeka kini dianggap caca marba oleh Menteri Kanan itu? Bagaimana pula pendirian Menteri Pelajaran dalam hal ini? Nampaknya bukan saja 1Malaysia kelam kabut, sistem pendidikan yang dicipta mereka sendiri juga sudah diakui kelam kabut.

Zahid juga mahu diwujudkan level playing field atau kesetaraan peluang dan keupayaan sebagai satu usaha kearah mencapai matlamat 1Malaysia. Kesetaraan peluang atau equal opportunity boleh kita faham tetapi kesetaraan keupayaan itu apa erti nya? Bunyinya macam peruntukan dalam sistem sosialis atau komunis tapi benarkah begitu? Ini perlu diperjelaskan kerana pentadbiran Najib tidak boleh berselindung di sebalik bahasa dan ungkapan yang sukar difahami rakyat. Apatah lagi kalau para pemimpin BN pun tak sekata apa itu 1Malaysia.

Torture: Jakarta may stop sending maids - Malaysiakini

Cases of Indonesian maids being abused by their Malaysian employers have constantly been a thorn in the ties between the two nations.

MCPX

The horrific cases of Nirmala Bonat (left) and Siti Hajar, among others, have fueled anti-Malaysian sentiments in the republic.

Under pressure from rights groups, the Indonesian government has today threatened to temporarily halt sending their domestic helpers to Malaysia.

"We will likely stop it (dispatch of domestic helpers) temporarily," Indonesian state news agency Antara quoted Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno as saying.

"But we will first invite relevant ministers and parties to a meeting on June 23 to make a preliminary evaluation," he added.

Siti Hajar's case came to light after the Malaysian media reported that she was hospitalised due to severe injuries and burns (right).

Siti, who worked for a Malaysian widow in Kuala Lumpur, alleged that she had been beaten with a cane and scaled with boiling water over a three-year period.

Her employer's family subsequently went to the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to apologise and to settled the maid's unpaid three-year salary, totalling RM17,000.

But it did not stop the employer, Hau Yuan Tyung, 43, from being charged yesterday with causing grievous bodily harm and faces a 20-year jail term.

Siti's plight had even led to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono making a personal telephone call to her.

Last November, a Malaysian former flight attendant was sentenced to 18 years in jail for using an iron and boiling water to inflict horrific wounds on her Indonesian maid.

'I want it stopped'

According to Antara, Malaysian representatives will also be invited to the June 23 meeting in Jakarta.

Others slated to attend are Indonesian minister for women's empowerment, the foreign minister, the law and human rights minister, the home affairs minister, the national police chief and the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia.

Erman said the decision to be taken at the meeting would have a "systemic impact" and his ministry could not decide on its own the problem relating to the dispatch of domestic helpers to Malaysia.

"But I want it (the dispatch of domestic helpers) stopped until there is a response from the Malaysian government on protection of Indonesian migrant workers there," he said.

Malaysia has no laws governing conditions for domestic workers but the government has promised to draft legislation to protect them from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor conditions.

Erman said the government would block the flow of domestic servants "until the Malaysian government gives us an assurance that it will protect Indonesian migrant workers there."

Jakarta wants to review MoU

Delegations from the two countries are also scheduled to hold talks on July 15 to discuss the problems facing Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.

At this meeting, the Indonesians plan to press for a review of several clauses in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation which both sides have signed early this year.

The clauses, among others, involve the protection of Indonesian migrant workers as well as improvement to their salaries.

"If there is no agreement on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers is reached, we will consider putting a temporary stop to the dispatch of domestic helpers," Erman warned.

Erman said he discussed the abuse of Indonesian workers with Malaysian Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam early this month when they attended the 98th International Labour Conference in Geneva.

Contacted later, Subramaniam declined to comment on the matter as he has yet to receive an official statement from the Indonesian side.

M'sia blacklisted

Malaysia has gained worldwide notoriety over its treatment of both migrant workers and refugees.

On Wednesday, the United States put Malaysia back on the blacklist of countries trafficking in people after removing the country from the list last year.

Among the reasons stated included the poor treatment of foreign domestic helpers.

Yesterday, another report declared Malaysia as the worst place for refugees for the second consecutive year.

According to English daily Malay Mail, more than 1,000 maids, mostly Indonesians, flee their abusive employers every year.

Of the estimated 300,000 maids in Malaysia, Indonesians make up 90 percent while Filipinas constitute eight per cent.

Indonesian Embassy second secretary (consular affairs) Susapto Anggoro Broto had told the daily that Malaysia was the most problematic of all the Asian countries that take in Indonesian maids.

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Siti Hajar: I want to forget the hell

Siti Hajar, the Indonesian maid who was badly scarred after allegedly being repeatedly tortured by her employer in Malaysia, wants only to forget her three years of torture and return home to her family in West Java, thestar.com.my reports.

The 33-year-old from Garut said she longed to be with her family so she could forget the torture she suffered at the hands of her employer.

“I want to put all the misery I went through behind me. I just want to be with my family,” said Siti when met at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) where she was being treated Tuesday.

Siti had travelled to work in Malaysia in July 2006 after her separating from her husband, an ice-cream vendor.

Asked if she would return to Malaysia to work, Siti was not sure, but said "I don't think all Malaysian employers are bad.”

It was being investigated whether the maid had also been sexually abused.

Relating her ordeal, Siti said she had tried to escape on a few occasions when she could no longer stand the physical abuse but was always caught by her employer.

She claimed that her employer had even hit her in front of her (the employer’s) 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.

Her 43-year-old employer, a single mother of two, had also allegedly poured boiling water over her and had repeatedly beaten her with a cane since 34 months ago.

The maid had also claimed that she was only fed plain rice twice a day and forced to eat pork at times.

An Indonesian Embassy official who declined to be named said Siti had spoken to her family on the phone.

“Her family is anxious for the case to be resolved as quickly as possible because they want her to return to Indonesia,” he said.

Siti escaped from the employer’s residence in Lanai Kiara Condominium in Mont Kiara with help from a neighbour at 7.30am on Monday.

“I used a steel rod to prise open the front grille and with the help of a neighbour, I took a taxi to the Indonesian Embassy.

“I reached there at 8.30am and the taxi driver gave me RM10 after he heard what had happened to me,” Siti said.

Brickfields police chief Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the employer had been remanded for five days beginning yesterday.

Police will also record statements from the taxi driver who took Siti to the embassy.

On Monday, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Tan Sri Da’i Bactiar said the employer had willingly admitted to abusing Siti.

“She cried and apologised for abusing Siti,” he said.