Share |

Monday, 20 July 2009

Top advisers may quit MACC over Teoh’s death

By Debra Chong - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — With the public baying for blood over the mysterious death of political secretary Teoh Beng Hock, talk has been rife that the national anti-graft body's top advisers might quit or demand changes to interrogation procedures.

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, who heads one of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) five advisory panels, confirmed today that several of his fellow advisers have indicated they may quit their appointed posts to protest the methods in which witnesses are questioned for information.

While he said none have openly declared they would step down for certain, the chief of the Panel on Consultation and Prevention of Corruption seemed to feel the rising heat and pressure from the public.

“Speaking for myself, I want to carry on,” Navaratnam told The Malaysian Insider when asked if he would step down in protest.

“No point in resigning. That's the easy way out. We've got a public trust to fulfil,” the former civil servant explained, stressing that the challenge was in taking accountability for something he had committed himself to.

Navaratnam said he fully backs the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the MACC, which is suspected to have had a hand in the death of Teoh.

The 30-year-old had been questioned for over eight hours straight by an MACC officer on a case of alleged fraud over state funds involving his boss, Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah.

The MACC said it released him at 3.45am on the day he was to get married. His body was found sprawled on the rooftop of the block beside the MACC's headquarters in Shah Alam at 1.30pm later that same day.

Navaratnam pointed out he was the first among the 42 people who were appointed early this year to oversee the fledgling MACC to publicly condemn the manner in which the officers carried out their job.

Six months ago when it was launched, the MACC enjoyed the full weight of public approval behind it as it took over the anti-graft fight from disgraced predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), although the personnel remained the same.

Today, the supposed giant of reform is reeling from the full weight of the public's fury.

CID hints at possible coroner’s inquest into Teoh’s death

By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 – Federal CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin today suggested the case of Teoh Beng Hock could end up in a coroner’s court.

Mohd Bakri said an inquest would usually be conducted by the court for cases of “sudden death” which is what Teoh’s case is classified as.

He declined to elaborate further but added police investigations into the death of the 30-year-old political secretary, who fell to his death at Plaza Masalam on Thursday, are ongoing.

Inquests are judicial investigations carried out by magistrates, usually upon request by the public prosecutor.

Teoh was found dead on a balcony at the fifth floor of the building by a janitor at 1.30pm.

He was questioned earlier by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) at their Selangor MACC headquarters on the 14th floor of the building but its officials maintained that Teoh was released at 3.45am.

Speaking in Bukit Aman, Mohd Bakri slammed the opposition for allegedly linking the police to Teoh’s death.

“Please don’t blame us,” he said, adding that Teoh was never in police custody.

He said the police were independent and not involved in politics.

“We are looking into all angles and we will not hide anything.” said Mohd Bakri.

To date, the police have recorded statements from 33 witnesses including 25 MACC officers.

Don’t turn Teoh into racial issue, Nazri warns opposition

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 – People, especially the opposition, should stop speculating on the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock or make it a racial issue.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the opposition, especially the DAP’s parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, should let police investigate before making any conclusion.

“Do not divert the issue to something else, I’m the Minister of Law, I know what I said and don’t try to put words into my mouth, I think he’s the one who should shut up and not make a racial issue out of this. Allow the police to investigate,” Nazri told reporters after his speech at the ‘Forum on Integrity and Compliance: The Malaysian Agenda’ organised by Siemens here today.

The body of Teoh, 30, was found in the corridor on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, last Thursday believed to be from a fall from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the 14th floor of the same building. He was a witness in investigations into allegations of misapppropriation of Selangor state allocation funds.

Mohamed Nazri said the MACC could not be directed to stop its investigations.

Asked if MACC officers involved should be suspended or not, he said the question did not arise as the case was still under police investigation.

On the actions of people questioning MACC investigation methods, he said they had been used for years. He said the same process was also used on Barisan Nasional exco when they are investigated.

Mohamed Nazri also said the absence of lawyers during questioning was not a big problem.

He said he believed MACC officers were professional and saw the matter with “colour blind eyes” and would investigate without taking into account race.

Meanwhile, MCA presiden Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat slammed quarters that played dirty by twisting and politicising the death of Teoh.

Classifying such actions as “self-fulfilling lies”, Ong said certain quarters were willing to do this to get “political mileage”.

He said he had received a report last night regarding an online report that misused the name of the MCA communication bureau chairman Lee Wei Kiat by issuing a statement that was contradictory to what was issued earlier by Lee.

Ong, who is Transport Minister, said Lee had earlier issued a statement that called for a Royal Commission to be set up to comprehensively investigate Teoh’s death.

“Unfortunately his statement was twisted … that Lee said Teoh’s death was a his personal choice and it should not be shocking,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of inderstanding among Bernama Radio24, Sunlight Radio Taxi Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association at Wisma Bernama here. – Bernama

The two standards of Guan Eng

Politicians will always be politicians. They can say anything that suits their purpose for the moment and then switch wily nily when the tables turn. See what Guan had to say about the Bukit Cina case in a speech titled:

‘Vision 2020 Of Malaysia Being A Developed Nation Will Be Not Succeed If There Is No Clean Government, No Balanced Growth, No Human Resource Development And No Equitable Distribution Of Economic Benefits’
At The Save Bukit Cina 20th Anniversary Dinner on Nov 28, 2004
He said “…..(Malacca, Sunday): DAP’s success in saving Bukit China from being demolished by the then BN and MCA in 1984 shows the importance of preserving important cultural and historical heritage over development projects for the sake of private gain. Both BN and MCA saw only ringgit signs when they proposed leveling the oldest Chinese cemetery in Malaysia to build houses, shophouses and shopping complexes.”
Our comment: See the hypocricy in his words. What we are now saying about Kampong Buah Pala and about the move to level the only remaining Indian Heritage Village in Penang to build luxury condominiums is that it is a heritage location and must remain so for posterity of all Malaysians. But does he care. He seems to be more interested in pleasing his investor benefactors all in the name of the ringgit signs he talks about..

He continues “…..Unlike BN and MCA may see ringgit signs in the largest piece of available land in the centre of Melaka town, DAP and the people of Melaka saw 3 important links in preserving Bukit China namely:

· cultural and historical heritage not only for the Chinese community but also as an important mark of friendship between Chinese and Malays when Princess Hang Li Po married the Melaka Sultan;

· environment heritage in providing a green lung that made Melaka a more natural and livable area for resident apart from helping to maintaine its historical atmosphere; and

· an important tourist site that attracted foreign tourists and revenue helping Melaka’s economy.

Our comment : So is Penang different from Melaka that the logic does not apply, or is it because it is Indian heritage and the logic does not apply because the Indians are too powerless to matter, or it is because he is now Chief minister and the logic does not apply any more. Everything of what he said about Bukit Cina applies to Kampung Buah Pala.

In that same speech he goes on to say “…It is indeed shocking how UMNO Kota Melaka can be allowed to owe quit rent for 25 years of RM 83,701.15 and UMNO Jasin allowed to owe cukai pintu for 18 years of RM 83,701.15 without any action taken. In contrast there have been cases where private landowners who owe only 2 years in quit rent have their land confiscated by the state government. UMNO and MCA should be ashamed for not respecting the law even though they are the government..”

Our comment: We are saying that there is fraud involved in the sale of land not owned by Penang State to a private developer. But he chooses to totally ignore this point as it will instantly make the sale null and void. This will turn the whole picture around – something he is showing clearly he does not want to do now. Which bigwig is he trying to protect like UMNO in Melaka? Guan Eng should be ashamed for not respecting the law even though he is the government, by not taking action on such fraudulent activity within the Government.

All his arguments that he cannot do anything other than pay compensation to the Villagers do not hold water as he has not exhausted all the options available. He has held this position steadfastly reiterating like a parrot that he could not do anything against the court order, as if that was what we are asking him to do. He is playing very dumb here.

His argument that this sale will affect investor confidence is utter nonsense as the instability that will be caused by any move to raze the village is more and he fully well knows that which is why he is in such a hurry to sweep the problem under, by teasing the Villagers and offering the Villagers compensation for their land.

His argument about the precedence this will create is just more rubbish – this is the kind of precedence any government will want to set, which touts Competency, Transparency and Accountability as its operating philosophy.

In summary, Guan Eng should stop his antics ,should stop trying to fool the people and come clean and save the village or he and his DAP will face the same ignominous doom as UMNO. He is up against an aware citizenry. He has no where to run.

SPRM tidak dipercayai, tubuh Suruhanjaya Diraja segera - Husam Musa

KELANA JAYA, 20 Julai (Harakah) - Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dato' Paduka Husam Musa menegaskan bahawa Suruhanjaya Diraja perlu ditubuhkan dengan segera kerana institusi lain seperti polis dan SPRM sudah lagi tidak boleh dipercayai.

Beliau yang tidak bersetuju dengan pihak polis sendiri yang menyiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) dalam isu berhubung dengan kematian pembantu exco kerajaan negeri selangor, Teo Beng Hock baru-baru ini ketika dalam tahanan siasatan SPRM.

"Kita tidak bersetuju polis menyiasat SPRM keranan sendiri buat salah dan sendiri siasat, sampai bila kita tidak akan jumpa jalan penyelesaiannya, polis dan SPRM adalah sama sahaja," tegas beliau.

Tambah beliau, pihak polis dan SPRM adalah sama sahaja bahkan polis kadang kala lebih buruk dari SPRM dan SPRM lebih buruk dari polis.

Beliau memberi contoh kes Kugan yang mati dalam tahanan polis sehingga sekarang tiada sebarang pembelaan.

"Apa jaminan polis siasat SPRM, mereka akan dakwa pembunuh Teo Beng Hock, tidak ada jaminan sama sekali.

"Kita tidak boleh mempercayai sesiapa sahaja, tidak kira polis, ketua hakim, SPRM hatta Perdana Menteri itu sendiri. Kami tidak menaruh kepercayaan kepada pihak-pihak ini.

"Kerana itu, kita minta satu Suruhanjaya Diraja ditubuhkan dengan segera supaya kita boleh menyiasat keseluruhan episod ini," katanya.

Sementara itu, beliau menyifatkan anak muda ini sebagai hero Pakatan Rakyat kerana menyekat niat jahat BN mahu merampas Selangor dan usaha yang dilakukan oleh teo patut dihargai.

"Kita mesti memperjuangkan keadilan kepada hero kita ini dan keadilan yang kita tuntut ialah dalam masa sekarang ini," katanya sambil menyifatkan kematian Teo Beng Hock dan keluarganya adalah hero Pakatan Rakyat.

Katanya, dengan berlaku kematian Teo, usaha Barisan Nasional (BN) untuk menjatuh kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Selangor seperti yang pernah dilakukan untuk menjatuhkan kerajaan Perak menemui jalan kegagalan.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapan Himpuanan Soldariti 'Keadilan Untuk Teo Beng Hock' yang diadakan di Stadium Kelana Jaya dekat sini semalam yang dianjurkan oleh kerajaan negeri Selangor.

Hadir sama dalam Himpunan Solidariti itu ialah Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim; Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang dan semua Adun dan ahli exco kerajaan negeri Selangor.

Lebih 3,000 orang hadir memeriahkan solidariti ini dan diakhir perhimpuanan ini, ada pengunjung betindak membakar akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan Berita Harian.

Tindakan ini berhubungan dengan kenyataan dalam akhbar tersebut mengenai kematian Teoh adalah berkenaan dengan isu perkauman.

Berkaitan dengan isu ini, Husam berkata, menurut Pengerusi SPRM, Ahmad Said Hamdan patut sedar bahawa isu kematian pembantu exco adalah bukan isu perkauman.

"Dia harus tahu bahawa Beng Hock adalah sama nilai nyawanya dengan nyawa orang melayu. Pedulikan melayu, cina dan india.

"Kita adalah anak bangsa Malaysia. Apabila salah seorang dibunuh kita wajib menuntut bela di sisi agama Islam," katanya sambil diiringi dengan tepukan yang gemuruh dari hadirin.

Silent outrage at Teoh's funeral - Malaysiakini

More than 2,000 people gathered for the funeral of Teoh Beng Hock in Alor Gajah, Malacca.

During the funeral rites, which began at 9.45am, Teoh's pregnant fiancee Soh Sher Wei (right) read out a moving tribute.

She called on Teoh to "come back". Many were in tears as they listened to her.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok represented DAP as she read out the party's condolences.

Among those present were representatives of several Chinese guilds and associations, and members of Pakatan Rakyat.

The funeral procession began at 10.45am. The crowd accompanied the hearse, which was decorated with red trimmings to signifiy sudden death.

Family members and Pakatan leaders and supporters followed the cortege on foot for about 1km from the house to the main road.

Many were crying openly. His sisters murmured "rest in peace".

Black-and-white A4 posters with Teoh's photograph were held up by many in the crowd, displaying the words jangan biarkan Beng Hock mati sia-sia (don't let Beng Hock's death be in vain).

A huge black-and-white poster, prepared by PKR, was carried in front of the hearse. It bore the words 'Justice for Beng Hock'.

Other banners had wordings in Chinese that read 'Justice for Beng Hock' and 'The people want answers'.

At 11.05am, the procession ended and many transferred to vehicles for the rest of the journey to the Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih, where the burial will be held.

The convoy arrived in Semenyih town at 12.50, where people were waiting with banners and flowers.

Earlier today, some 500 people had gathered at Teoh's house by 9am. The atmosphere was one of silent outrage, with dozens of banners being displayed outside the premises.

These bore messages ranging from 'Don't let Beng Hock die in vain', ' Justice for Beng Hock, answers for rakyat', ' Set up royal commission (of inquiry), let justice be served'.

It is learnt that the family had requested a low-key reaction from mourners and that the crowd had complied by not shouting slogans.

All the main Pakatan leaders paid their last respects at 10.18am. They were joined by former MCA vice-president Chua Jui Meng, who had only joined PKR last Saturday.

They were followed by Malacca MCA exco member Gan Tian Loo.

About 10 police personnel, including traffic police, monitored the situation and directed traffic.

'Do it now, Najib'

DAP leaders led by Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh and Guan Eng held a press conference about 9.30am.

Kit Siang said he wants premier Najib Abdul Razak to announce that a royal panel will be set up immediately on his return to Malaysia today, rather than wait until the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to make a decision.

He also urged Najib to order the MACC to "stop the war against Pakatan", adding that the anti-graft body has "become Umno's tool to topple the Selangor government".

Karpal said he wants Najib to suspend Ahmad Said as MACC chief.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim also spoke briefly to the press, calling for stringent action.

He said the government must not dilly-dally and that both the police and anti-corruption heads have to assume responsibility for the situation "because the questioning of Teoh broke some rules".

Pakatan leaders will meet in the shortest time to discuss the issue, he added.

PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub backed calls for a royal commission of inquiry, saying Malaysians should be told what had happened to Teoh.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said: "We want to tell Beng Hock that he will not be forgotten. We also want to tell the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that we will not let them off (the hook)".

Teoh, 30, the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead last Friday.

He had been picked up on Thursday about 5pm for questioning by the Selangor MACC in relation to a proble into the spending of constituency funds.

His body was found about 1.30pm the next day on the fifth floor balcony of the building in which the MACC is housed in Shah Alam.

Investigations are in progress.

Documents and CCTV recordings seized at office of Selangor MACC

(The Star) SHAH ALAM: Police investigating the death of Teoh Beng Hock have seized documents from the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office here.

They also seized closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) recordings from Plaza Masalam, where the state MACC office is located.

The police team leaving the office of the Selangor MACC with seized computer processors and documents. — Picture courtesy of Utusan Malaysia

It is learnt that a window latch from the office on the 14th floor was removed for inspection.

About 20 police forensics personnel, led by Se­langor deputy CID chief (administration) Asst Comm Omar Mammah, went to the MACC office at about 5.30pm.

The team first went to the building’s operations centre on the ground floor and took away the CCTV recordings.

They then went up to the MACC office and spent several hours recording statements from MACC staff.

At about 7.50pm, the officers were seen leaving the MACC office carrying documents.

It is learnt that a handphone belonging to Teoh, 30, who was the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken away by police on the day of his death on Thursday.

It is learnt that police are tracing the last phone calls Teoh made before his death.

A janitor found Teoh’s body at the fifth floor of the plaza at about 1.30pm.

Teoh, who was picked up by the MACC for questioning on Wednesday afternoon, was released at 3.45am the following day.

Selangor MACC director Jaafar Mahad said his officers would give their fullest co-operation to police in their investigations.

“Whatever they want, whoever they want, we will gladly oblige if it will help unearth the truth.

“We ourselves are from an enforcement agency and we know what investigations are all about.

“We will not hide anything because there is nothing to hide,” he said.

'Pressman beaten up, and cops just watched'

(NST) MALACCA: A photographer with New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd has reported being assaulted by five men while he was taking pictures of a hit-and-run accident in Jalan Tun Fatimah in Malim Jaya here early yesterday.

Photographer Muhammad Rasul Azli Samad, 26, said he was taking shots of the incident, when five men, believed to be related to the hit-and-run victim, appeared suddenly and surrounded him.

He said they snatched his camera and tried to smash it but he managed to grab hold of it. However, the men seized the camera's memory card and dashed off before he could do anything.

He said there was a patrol car nearby when the incident occurred but the two policemen inside did not come to his aid.

He also claimed several reporters were at the scene.

Rasul later lodged a report at the Malim police station.

"I managed to escape from getting hurt, but I am sad that the policemen just sat in the car and watched the whole incident.

"Even the police officer who took down my report did not take much notice of the matter."

The victim of the hit-and-run accident, Muhammad Hitam, 66, was killed when a car ran into him while he was walking home from his son's restaurant.

Muhammad was pinned to the car and dragged a few hundred metres before the victim's family stopped the car and attacked the 26-year-old driver.

A police spokesman said Muhammad died on the spot while the driver was admitted to the Putra Specialist Hospital for his injuries.

Meanwhile, Kelab Media Massa Melaka president Mohamad Rafi Bachik, said the association regretted the lackadaisical attitude of the policemen.

"We will write to the state police chief Datuk Mazlan Mansor to get an explanation on the whole incident and we want them to investigate the case.

"The police are supposed to come to the aid of the public who are in trouble and this includes members of the press.

"I hope the police would act on this matter as this is serious and I advise the media to be more careful when carrying out their duties."

RPK – How can you play a role, if the public is not ready to stand without fear or favour

By R. Shan (Human Being)

Dear RPK,

I presume you run a close-knit organization for fear of infiltration. You and those alike you are the soothsayers without an agenda. I digest that 90% of your commentors have no balls or no clue as to what is right or wrong but use your blog as a platform to voice everything and anything to say what they can’t say outright for fear and for what they feel they may lose in their own subjective minds. Typical NATO.

I can’t blame them for what they have imbibed. I guess for you it is how it should be and that is why we have the pretenders who will tag along without action as you provide them with their escapism with your endless efforts.

Dear RPK, you have done your part and keep doing it, but idiotic Malaysians will always fall prey to the machinations and what fits them because you can’t even gather 200 people to stand up for you physically but millions in cyberworld will claim they do.

I think you should change your modus operandi. You take all the trouble to do your part yet most do not even understand that it is all about making a change. Sure, we have Teoh Beng Hock as our latest edition; but how far-fetched will I be to say this is only a temporary thing? RPK, you have provided more input and more sense than everyone else on the mechanism of divide and rule, yet I am fascinated that all your commentors become more racist by the day.

I feel pity for all the efforts that you have put in, yet all we hear is racism and religion but nobody is sober enough to see that we can unite as a truly Malaysian nation irrespective of which group we belong to. I do applaud your efforts and wish you best of luck to create a truly Malaysian nation.

A truly Malaysian nation can come about if all these individuals can collectively act to make it a better place for us all. RPK, you have spent your time and effort. It is people like us that need to heed and move forward to make the change we desire rather than brooding in your site.

We don’t need escapism through RPK, we need solid and conscientious people to enhance the cause that RPK started rather than playing ping pong with people whose only concern is with their own individual welfare as opposed to the welfare of the nation.

Curse me or hate me, it matters not if you cannot see, accept and deal with this. You are part of why Malaysia is in the state it is today.

RPK is not important, I am not important, everything else around is not important but humanity is important. It is your choice as without humanity, nothing survives.

Malaysia no longer a "Tanah Melayu"

Azly Rahman

Today is July 19, 2009, 40 years after the May 13 1969 tragedy.

I dedicate these notes to Teo Beng Hock, a young Malaysian who ought to be an inspiration to many wishing to call Malaysia home.

Because we have agreed to become a country rooted in a social contract that ought to give equality, equity, and equal opportunity to all who have given up their natural rights in exchange for "citizenship" and the rights of the State to tax them (with or without representation), we must recognize that Malaysia is for Malaysians.

This will be the most humane perspective we ought to work towards in holding. What is needed is a system of check and balance that will ensure that each generation of Malaysians will progress without the trappings of mistrust, hatred, and institutionalized racism.

But first, we must all fight for the installation of this reality. Political will that will move this agenda of ethical liberalism must be harnessed and be made the driving force for social, cultural, educational, and psychological change.

The idea of "Tanah Melayu" must be reflected upon -- of its relevancy and whether it is a kind of ideological thinking that will help develop a culture of peace or help nurture inter-racial hatred.

Communal politics is an old school thinking that cannot survive the wave of cosmopolitanism; just like the any idea that could not survive the inevitability of historical change propelled by changes in material condition and consciousness.

In Malaysia, the days of communal politics are numbered, however well it is packaged and propagandized. Multiculturalism, and in fact radical multiculturalism, or better still radical marhaenism is the next wave. Institutions that promote racism must be deconstructed and abolished; institutions that are funded by the ruling regime to ensure the hegemony of this or that race. Dismantle them before they become yet another layer of complexity in our consciousness; a layer that hides the structural violence inherent in a system of racism and false consciousness called "nationalistic history".

The only permanent thing is change, as the Chinese philosopher and mystic Lao Tzu said. Man has no nature, what he has is history, said the Spanish philosopher Ortega Gasset.

And there will be beauty in this change if we know how to destroy the beast within.

I am reproducing an essay I wrote sometime ago on "Ketuanan Melayu"

--------------------------------------------------------


A Malay view of 'Ketuanan Melayu'
Azly Rahman | Feb 4, 08 2:51pm

‘O people! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety. Indeed the noblest among you is the one who is deeply conscious of God.’ - a saying of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him)

‘Malaysia - to whom does it belong? To Malaysians. But who are Malaysians? I hope I am, Mr Speaker, Sir. But sometimes, sitting in this chamber, I doubt whether I am allowed to be a Malaysian. This is the doubt that hangs over many minds, and ... [once] emotions are set in motion, and men pitted against men along these unspoken lines, you will have the kind of warfare that will split the nation from top to bottom and undo Malaysia.’ - Lee Kuan Yew, now Senior Minister, Republic of Singapore

Instead of defining Ketuanan Melayu as ‘Malay superiority’ which is quite meaningless, philologically inaccurate, and philosophically arrogant, I think the word ‘dictatorship’ is closer in meaning. As you read this piece, please refrain from value judgment and from bring trapped in the prison-house of language pertaining to the word ‘dictatorship’.

To dictate connotes to tell, which connotes to narrate. To narrate means to weave a story based on an ideology. To ideologise means to encapsulate. To encapsulate means to be trap. Dictatorship, here might also mean an entrapment. Instead of acknowledging one's freedom to rule, one is acknowledging being in an entrapment - and to rule out of that condition. This is a form of false consciousness.

Words, as a literary theorist Raymond Williams might say, must also be contextualised/situated within the economic condition they emerge in. Marx's famous dictum that human beings' existence is defined by the economic condition they are in and that this condition is already predetermined. This is a deterministic view of human history.

I first read heard the phrase Ketuanan Melayu in the mid-1980s from a book by one Malik Munip. I was reading his work, at the same time reading Lim Kit Siang's ‘Malaysia in the dangerous 80s’, to get a sense of the argument. I was an undergraduate reading Literature, Education and International Politics.

I also heard that Malay students were discouraged from reading Kit Siang's work and encouraged to read ‘Ketuanan Melayu’. I love banned books and books that others tell me not to read. There is a sense of intellectual challenge to be able to read banned books.

I read Mahathir Mohamad's ‘The Malay Dilemma’ and Syed Husin Ali's ‘Malays: Their Problems and their Future’ and Syed Hussein Alatas’ ‘The Myth of the Lazy Native’ at the same time. Again, to get a sense of balance.

I read Malaysian official publications on economic outlook, juxtaposing them with a close reading of analyses on the political-economy of the Malaysian capitalist state.

I read the work of Freud and Marx to see where some of the major authors of the Frankfurt School of Social Research are going with their arguments on totalitarianism. I read the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata to see where the arguments on race superiority lie and what the fate of humankind will be.

The idea of social dominance and racial superiority might all be primarily about economics, if we are to read the history of the development of ideologies of superiority. But my question is - who has the right to claim that this or that land belongs to this or that group of people. At what point does culture and citizenship meet and negotiate the issue of egalitarianism? When does ‘the truth of one's culture’ reach its limit and the question of ‘the truth of citizenship’ dominate?

This is a very complex question Malaysians must answer after 50 years of Independence. We must open up the dialogue on this issue.

Lyrical propaganda

Let us look at how the idea of ketuanan Melayu is disseminated to the young. One way is through indoctrination camps in which songs are used.

Over the decades, perhaps millions of Malay students like me were taught the dangerous propaganda song, ‘Anak Kecil Main Api’(A Child Plays with Fire). One verse concerns the power of the Malays::

… kini kita cuma tinggal kuasa

yang akan menentukan bangsa

hasil mengalir, ke tangan yang lain

pribumi merintih sendiri…

My loose translation of this 1980s propaganda song by the Biro Tata Negara reads:

… political power is what we are only left with

one that will determine the fate of our nation

wealth of this nation flows into the hands of others

sons and daughters of the soil suffer in solace...

I do not think we have a clear understanding of what the lyrics mean. I doubt if the songwriter even understand what a 'people's history of Malaya' means. It is a song based on racist intents; its lyrics penned by one who does not have a good grasp of the political-economy of Malaysian history, let alone the latest advances in the field of psychology of consciousness.

The training programes that encapsulate the theme of this song are meant to instill fear of the Malays, not of others but of themselves, and to project hatred onto other ethnic groups without realising who the enemy of the Malays really are.

Using relaxation techniques to bring the brain waves in the alpha and state (conducive for suggestive and subliminal messages), trainees were put under ‘half-asleep’ conditions to get the ketuanan Melayu message to colonise the consciousness. The technique pioneered by Russian brain scientists Barzakov and Lozanov in the1970s, called ‘suggestopedia’, is used to instill the deep sense of fear for oneself and hatred of others.

History is a complex syntagmatic pattern of interplay between technology, ideology, culture, inscription and institutionalisation not easily reduced to simplistic lyrics as such sung to the tune of pre-war German-nationalistic-sounding compositions.

History is about the complex evolution of the ruling class which owns the technologies of control. As Marx would say, at every epoch it is the history of those who own the means of production that will be written and rewritten. The winners write history, the losers write poetry or study anthropology, some would lament.

Back to the lyrics. After 50 years of independence, who is suffering in Malaysia? Who has become wealthy? Who has evolved into robber barons? What has become of our judiciary system, our universities, our city streets, our sense of public safety and security, our schools, our youth, and our entire socio-economic arrangements at the eve of the 12th general election. How has the idea of ketuanan Melayu contributed to this state of affairs?

Language of power and ideology is at play in those lyrics. The definition of ‘bumiputera' is at play. It has become a problematic word in this age of deconstructionism; an age wherein as the poet WB Yeats said, "the centre cannot hold".

Rock musicians will recall the Scorpions' famous song 'Winds of Change' to serenade the fall of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the breakdown of the Soviet Empire. We have to face the 'wrath' of the word.

Put an end to Ketuanan Melayu

For Muslims in Malaysia, this saying by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is familiar: ‘Your descent is nothing to be proud of. Nor does it bring you superiority. O people! All of you are the children of Adam. You are like equal wheat grains in a bowl ... No one has any superiority over anyone else, except in religion and heedfulness. In order to consider someone a wicked person, it suffices that he humiliates other people, is mean with money, bad-tempered and exceeds the limits…’

I would say that ketuanan Melayu is a dangerous concept that is threatening race relations. It is an arrogant interpretation of selective history; of a history that is largely benefiting those who profits from the ideology.

Those promoting this concept are not well-versed in the matters of philosophy of history. I do not think thinking Malays these days subscribe to the idea of ‘Malay dominance and dictatorship’. If there is a ketuanan of one race, then the rest are ‘slaves’ and ‘serfs’ and ‘sub-citizens’, if we are to analyse it from the point of view of ‘Master-Slave’ narrative?

As a Malay wishing to see the withering of and an end to the concept of ketuanan Melayu and the birth of a new consciousness that will respect the dignity of all races and the humility of all ethnic groups, I call upon Malaysians to continue to be critical of any attempt by any race to project their own sense of false superiority that would only breed dangerous ethnocentrism bordering on xenophobia.

We should work together to deconstruct all forms of race-based political arrangement and work towards establishing a new order based on a more egalitarian economic design that takes into consideration the basic needs and dignity of all races.

We should teach our schoolchildren how to deconstruct such sense of racial superiority, through the teaching of not only tolerance but social egalitarianism - via peace education strategies. We will have a lot to gain for generations to come.

OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
While the opinion in the article is mine,
the comments are yours;
present them rationally and ethically.

AND -- ABOLISH THE ISA -- NOW!

Thousands say goodbye to Teoh

Mourners carry banners calling for ‘Justice for Beng Hock’ and ‘We want and answers and truth’ as Teoh Beng Hock’s funeral gets under way. — Picture by Choo Choy May

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

ALOR GAJAH, July 20 — Nobody knows how he died even though the autopsy report says he died from internal injuries sustained in a fall. But what were his thoughts just before he died? Was he alone?

Today, at his funeral, thousands of people were determined that Teoh Beng Hock would not go to his final resting place alone. The funeral procession is led by a group walking ahead of the hearse and carrying a huge black banner that says, “Justice for Beng Hock, Answers for Rakyat.”

A band is playing and his crying siblings walk behind the slow-moving hearse. They each have a hand on the hearse as it moves through the congested road in Melekek.

His parents mourn at home, following a Chinese custom that dictates parents do not attend the funeral of a child.

A whole phalanx of Pakatan Rakyat politicians walk behind the Teoh siblings while hundreds line the road, saying their farewell to the 30-year-old political aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah.

A little after 11am, the procession ends and the cortege makes its way to the cemetery in Semenyih.

And so the final goodbye begins, funeral procession starts

The hearse bearing Teoh Beng Hock’s body leads the way as the funeral procession starts. — Picture by Choo Choy May

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

ALOR GAJAH, July 20 — Since the body of Teoh Beng Hock arrived in his family home on Friday, crowds of family, friends, and politicians have gathered in the modest neighbourhood to pay their last respects.

The morning of his funeral was no different. By 8.40am, hundreds of mourners including DAP lawmakers were already in attendance at the Teoh family home.

However, the lid of the casket has been completely removed for a last viewing before the funeral begins.

Everyone is calm, as family and friends prepare to say their final goodbye to Teoh. The atmosphere is casual outside under the tent but hushed inside the house.

At 8.50am, people start forming a queue: one by one, they light a joss stick at an altar set up in the front to face the crowd. The funeral band arrives.

As the siblings perform the last rites at the altar, Teoh’s younger sister is seen crying openly. It is a heart-wrenching moment in this human drama that has gripped the nation.

The crowd grows in size and you can see it is multi-racial in make-up: Malays, Indians and, of course, Chinese.

Teoh’s mother, Teng Shuw Hor, who has looked shell-shocked throughout the many hours of the wake, is breaking down. She is crying loudly and Teoh’s godmother is hysterical. Family members try to calm her down and take her away from the casket.

The wailing is heard all the way down the nine-house long tent. Teoh’s casket is now placed behind the altar and several people in the crowd are seen crying.

At 9.20am, the lid of the casket is taped shut and a yellow cloth is draped over it. On it is some Chinese writing, prayers presumably.

The priest performs the last rites but Teoh’s parents are inside the house. It is customary in Chinese culture for the parents not to participate in the funeral of a child.

DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, who is among the mourners, said: “This shouldn’t have happened. It happened because MACC launched a war against Pakatan Rakyat. Najib must stop this war.”

He was referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) on-going investigation into the misuse of state allocations by Selangor DAP assemblymen. Teoh Beng Hock was hauled in for questioning by the agency on July 15 in connection with the investigation.

The political aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah was found dead outside the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam the next day.

While Teoh’s siblings continue with the funeral rites, the crowd has grown to more than 500. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and DAP’s Karpal Singh have arrived for the funeral.

At about 9.40am, Teoh’s fiancee Soh Cher Wei performs the last rites. Overcome by emotions, Teoh’s mother comes out of the house and starts wailing and crying. Teoh’s siblings are also overcome. Soh, who at first looked composed, starts to cry as well.

Non-family members are invited to pay their last respects. They come forward to the altar and bow. Among those seen paying their respects are Karpal Singh and his son Gobind.

DAP’s Teresa Kok then makes a farewell speech to Teoh. “You cared for the people and the country. We bid you farewell. Rest in peace.”

At a little after 10am, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrives at the funeral with Datuk Chua Jui Meng and Azmin Ali.

Anwar, Chua and PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub bow twice at the altar and Teoh’s family “replied” with one bow.

The heavy presence of politicians at the funeral is threatening to turn the gathering into a political one as the crowd jostles forward for a chance to rub shoulders with the Pakatan heavyweights. The crowd number has now swelled to more than 1,000.

The entire stretch of the road to the house is now filled with people, all keen to accompany Teoh on his final journey.

Ten minutes before 11am, the casket is loaded onto the hearse. The funeral procession begins. Teoh’s siblings walk behind the hearse, one hand on it as it proceeds slowly out of the housing estate.

PR politicians are walking behind them, the road is lined with hundreds of people, many holding banners and posters. One of them reads, “Jangan biarkan Beng Hock mati sia-sia.”

Guan Eng, we’re going to hold you to your word, but only if…

By Haris Ibrahim,

Beng Hock’s family has spoken.

Yes, they want to know the truth.

Yes, they want a Royal Commission of Inquiry.

However, they’ve also asked that Beng Hock’s death not be politicised.

Both sides of the political divide must respect their wishes.

That means don’t make this young man’s death a political football, to score goals against political opponents.

I attended the memorial at Kelana Jaya yesterday silently hoping that this wish of a family in mourning would be honoured.

I have to say that I heard speeches that payed scant regard to this simple request.

Not many, but even one is too many.

Sad.

Must politicians always look to make political mileage in every issue that crops up?

Can we not come together as we did yesterday at the stadium to just do what is right, without looking to score points?

Can we not demand to know the truth about Beng Hock’s death, without more?

Soon after I arrived at the stadium, and before I had a chance to listen to the speeches, PKR treasurer William Leong came up to speak to me.

I told him that if the memorial at the stadium and the convoy to accompany Beng Hock’s remains to its final resting place today is not just a case of Pakatan seizing the opportunity, brought on by the circumstances surrounding Beng Hock’s death, to hammer away at BN, we would expect the four Pakatan state governments to continue to hold these weekend memorials in stadiums in their respective states until the BN authorities give in and allow for the appoint of the Royal Commission, with terms of reference and composition that will us in no doubt as to its independence.

Then I heard the speeches. You can read about them in the Malaysianinsider and Malaysiakini.

And I heard Guan Eng make a promise to take a campaign through the country to force the government to appoint the Royal Commission.

I’m all for this, and I’m going to badger Guan Eng’s office to honour his word to the crowd gathered at Kelana Jaya yesterday, but only if they will strictly honour the family’s wishes.

If they can’t, then don’t bother.

The crowd yesterday?

Malaysiakini puts it at more than 3,000.

I think that’s about right.

poc1poc2poc3

Which brings me to my next question.

Where were the rest of you?

Couldn’t bring yourselves to give up you Sunday siesta?

Twitter updates from Teoh Beng Hock’s funeral at Alor Gajah

By Lim Kit Siang,

TBH hearse on way 2Semenyih Memorial Park 4burial DAP leaders following Selangor MB Khalid will b there
Monday, July 20, 2009 11:25

After last respects by reps of assns societies public solemn ceremony ended with 1km procession involving thousands 2AG historic funeral
Monday, July 20, 2009 11:21

Pakatan Rakyat leaders of DAP PKR PAS pay last respects 1st time in PR history
Monday, July 20, 2009 10:28

Anwar arrives w PKR leaders 2pay last respects
Monday, July 20, 2009 10:25

Have 2hold back tears in DAP cec last respects
Monday, July 20, 2009 10:22

PASVice president n MP Sallehuddin arrives last respect on behalf of PAS leadership
Monday, July 20, 2009 10:00

Relatives n friends massed in front of cortege paying last respects
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:57

Over thousand people in tears or redeyed over dastardly tragedy which shld not have happened
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:55

Siblings’ heart-wrenching recollection of their joyful n purposeful days 2gether in past never 2return or 2hear his voice again
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:53

TBH siblings bidding farewell Why shld all this happen in Malaysia Boleh?
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:48

TBH fiancee Ser bids farewell with heart”wrenching parting words Tears in many
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:46

Present karpal guan eng betty kok wai teresa ronnie tony nienching xavier dak kee jenice anthony thomas n more
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:44

Final ceremony 4TBH’s last journey begins Grief anger shroud ceremony Nation stands in shame
Monday, July 20, 2009 09:40

MCA topguns OngTeeKeat LiowTiongLai appeared at TBH wake AG late in nite 1120pm but despite TBH family demand no commitment RCI by Cabinet
Monday, July 20, 2009 07:02

Nation mourns for TBH. Leaving PJ now 4 AlorGajah 4 TBH’s last journey. Let’s translate nation’s grief and anger into People’s Power 4change

LIVE: Teoh Beng Hock's final journey


At the Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih, just before 1.30pm – Photos by an eye-witness (for best results, view slideshow using Firefox browser)

1327: The crowd at the Park is now waiting for the arrival of the MB and Kit Siang.

1302: The cortege is just arriving at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih, accompanied by a long convoy of cars, according to my contact at the scene.

Earlier, in the morning, another eye-witness said the convoy from Malacca was perhaps a kilometre long; it was hard to tell for sure.

More than 2,000 people reportedly attended Beng Hock’s funeral at his home in Alor Gajah.

Kelantan prince sues wife, mum-in-law for RM105m

The Star (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra was granted a leave application to commence legal proceedings against his estranged wife Manohara Odelia Pinot and her mother Daisy Fajarina for alleged defamation.

He is suing them for RM105mil.

High Court Senior Registrar Safarudin Tambi granted the leave application in his chambers at 11:15am Monday.

The Kelantan prince filed the leave application earlier Monday.

Manohara and Daisy Fajarina have 21 days to file their statement of defence over the RM105mil suit.

On July 5, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry had filed two separate summonses against Manohara at the Syariah High Court in Kota Baru, demanding the return of a nearly RM1mil loan and that she be loyal to him.

The Kelantan prince filed the first summons with the Syariah High Court seeking the return of RM972,750 borrowed by his Manohara and her mother Daisy Farajina.

In his affidavit, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry claimed that before their marriage, Manohara and her mother had borrowed money from him totalling RM338,500 including RM174,000 to buy a Swiss-made Audemars Piguet watch.

He also claimed that before their marriage on Aug 26, last year, both the mother and daughter had borrowed RM634,250 and that it was understood that the sum should be repaid.

He said to date, the loan had not been settled and sought the court to issue an order for Manohara to pay the sum borrowed with costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

The summons for Manohara, who carries the title Cik Puan Temenggong, to be loyal was filed at the Syariah Lower Court as she has yet to return to him although an ultimatum for her to do so has been issued.

Tengku Muhammad Fakhry said Manohara’s action had tarnished his name and the Kelantan Royal Palace. He claimed that he had issued an ultimatum to Manohara on June 26, through the local media, to return to his side by July 2 and carry out her responsibility as a wife under the Syariah laws.

He asked the court to issue an order for her to be loyal or deemed to be nusyuz (recalcitrant).

The Syariah Court set Aug 2 for mention of both the cases.

Manohara, 17, a former Indonesian teen model, fled from her husband on May 31 when they were in Singapore to visit his father, the Sultan of Kelantan, who was being treated at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital for a heart ailment.

She returned to Jakarta after accusing the 31-year-old prince of abusing her physically and sexually.

A medical examination in Jakarta allegedly stated she was repeatedly slashed with sharp objects on her chest and had been burnt with a cigar on her forehead.

Manohara had previously said she wanted to divorce her husband. Tengku Muhammad Fakhry lodged a police report on June 11 against her allegations.

Thousands throng stadium for Teoh

Uthayakumar forms Human Rights Party - Malaysiakini

Did I not tell you?

Image

The Chinese call these people running dogs. I would not call them that though. I think it is not right to call them running dogs. I love dogs. I think dogs are lovely creatures. Why should we honour these 13 non-Malay members of Barisan Nasional by calling them running dogs?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Umno papers slam MACC critics in Teoh’s death
The Malaysian Insider, 19 July 2009

Umno-controlled newspapers, Berita Harian and Mingguan Malaysia, today slammed critics for demonising the country’s graft-busters over Teoh Beng Hock’s death, with one suggesting there is an agenda to weaken Malay-controlled institutions.

Both newspapers accused the opposition of politicising the political secretary’s death on July 16, with Mingguan saying the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was using the incident to divert attention away from internal problems and weaknesses.

But Berita Harian suggested the agenda was to weaken Malay-controlled institutions in the article, “Kematian Teoh timbulkan pelbagai spekulasi politik”, written by the New Straits Times group managing editor Zainul Ariffin Isa.

He wrote that political opportunism can turn grief into political capital, and death can be made a catalyst to stoke anger and racial sentiments.

“It is not just the Chinese or supporters of the Pakatan Rakyat who know anger and seek justice.

“Suspicions have been raised especially among the non-Malays that MACC, which like other departments have many Malay officers, selectively chose non-Malays to be investigated,” he wrote.

The new boss of the Umno-owned New Straits Times group did not, however, address complaints raised by two DAP men who were also, like Teoh, brought in for questioning.

The two DAP men, one a Chinese and the other a mixed Malay-Chinese, claimed racial insults were hurled at them by the MACC officers.

Like Teoh, both men were not suspects, but “witnesses,” according to MACC officers.

So far, leaders of the PR alliance, led by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, have not referred to race in their statements demanding the MACC be held responsible for Teoh’s death.

Zainul appeared to suggest that Teoh’s death was an accident and that the MACC officer involved was Malay when he wrote in Berita Harian that “when a victim of an accident was non-Malay, who was previously investigated by a Malay, the speculation is great.”

By suggesting anti-Malay sentiment in Teoh’s death, he also appeared to suggest that government departments were Malay-based institutions rather than a non-partisan civil service.

“Why did the Selangor MB, a Malay, question those of his own race to act fairly?” Zainul wrote.

Mingguan Malaysia, which is also owned by Umno, also attacked the PR alliance for politicising the death.

The newspaper said the controversy could not be resolved through demonstrations or wild accusations.

Mingguan suggested instead that the opposition was using Teoh’s death to distract attention from its own problems.

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

I have tried to explain this in the past but it has fallen on deaf ears. Some even think I may be seeing ghosts in the shadows. But I have attended enough Umno gatherings in my lifetime and have enough Umno friends in high places to know what I am talking about. Nevertheless, most of those who disagree with my views are those who comment from the comfort and safety of their homes and offices and would most likely not be at the Kelana Jaya stadium today. This means, basically, they do not really have their ears to the ground and comment without the benefit of having their fingers on the pulse.

Let me put this to you in plain words and as clearly as I can. Umno considers the government machinery as a Malay vehicle. The government machinery -- whether it be the Election Commission (SPR), police, the anti-corruption agency (MACC), the Information Ministry (that controls the mainstream media and radio and television stations), institutions of learning (from kindergartens right up to universities), etc. -- are there to serve Malay interests. And make no mistake about this.

There is a government propaganda outfit called Biro Tata Negara (BTN) whose job is to conduct courses and deliver lectures around the clock to government officers and students before and after they enter university. BTN’s main focus is to indoctrinate Malays with the idea that Malaysia is a Malay country. The Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ are immigrants. After allowing them citizenship status these Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ now demonstrate ingratitude and start demanding all sorts of unreasonable things such as equal rights -- forgetting that they are mere guests in this country and are therefore second-class and not first-class citizens.

The army is Malay. The police is Malay. The universities and all institutions of higher learning are Malay. In fact, you name it and it is Malay. There are no two ways about it. And if the Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ refuse to accept this then they should leave this country and go back to the country where they originally came from -- be it China, India, or wherever.

Okay, you may argue that today’s Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ were all born in Malaysia. None were born in China, India, or wherever. Their grandparents or great grandparents may have been born in China, India, or wherever. But almost all the Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ were born here in Malaysia. So that automatically makes them citizens and not immigrants although they may be descendants of immigrants.

I mean, every single US citizen (other than the native Indian) is a descendant of immigrants even if they themselves may have been born in the US and did not migrate to America. So, grandchildren or great grandchildren of immigrants are not called immigrants but are called US citizens. And all US citizens are regarded equal. No US citizen has more rights than another US citizens based on which country his or her forefathers came from.

But that is in the US. That does not apply to Malaysia. In Malaysia, the descendants of the immigrants who came from one of the Indonesian islands have more rights than the descendants of the immigrants who came from China, India or any territory that is not part of the Indonesian islands. That is how it works in Malaysia.

And the Malays are constantly reminded about this. And all those descendants of immigrants not from one of the Indonesian islands will also be constantly reminded that they are guests in this country, do not have equal rights, and are classified as second-class citizens akin to an immigrant.

And that is why Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ are treated more brutally when arrested or detained. They not only suffer verbal abuse and racial slurs but will be physically abused as well. And that is why the death under detention rate for those who are not descendants of immigrants from one of the Indonesian islands is very high. Most, however, die ‘sudden deaths’ or collapse and die for no apparent reason other than medically related ‘natural causes’.

Let me make it clear, again. The Malaysian government is a Malay government. The government’s job is to serve the Malays and protect Malay interests. Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister said so in case anyone may have forgotten this. And this will remain so as long as Barisan Nasional stays in office. Umno has promised the people this.

And any Malay who wants to change this arrangement is a traitor to his race. His or her citizenship should be withdrawn and he or she should be expelled from the country. This, Umno has made very clear more than once.

The descendants of immigrants from China, India or any territory not within the Indonesian islands have no problem with this though. They accept the fact that they are second-class citizens under the classification of pendatang. And that is why they are members of Barisan Nasional. And the job of these 13 non-Malay members of Barisan Nasional is to ensure that Umno stays in power although Umno has less than half the seats in Parliament. On its own Umno is out of office. With the 13 other non-Malay members giving Umno the mandate it can stay in office.

The Chinese call these people running dogs. I would not call them that though. I think it is not right to call them running dogs. I love dogs. I think dogs are lovely creatures. Why should we honour these 13 non-Malay members of Barisan Nasional by calling them running dogs?

Pakatan, reunited by death

The crowd of thousands at the Kelana Jaya stadium to protest the suspecious circumstances surrounding Teoh Beng Hock's death. - Picture by Jack Ooi

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, July 19 – Showing cracks just recently, a mere 16 months after their historic electoral gains, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today once again attempted to strengthen their alliance and present a united front days after the death of DAP activist Teoh Beng Hock.

Teoh, political secretary to Selangor executive councillor, Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam. The 30-year-old was earlier questioned for alleged abuse of public funds by his superior.

“Beng Hock is our hero,” Datuk Husam Musa, a member of PAS’s central working committee, declared to the some 2,000 people at Teoh’s memorial in Stadium Kelana Jaya.

“There is no doubt that Beng Hock was murdered,” the PAS leader told the crowd who were mostly clad in black for the memorial. “Malaysia is not safe anymore,” he added.

Just days before, MACC opened investigations on seven Selangor lawmakers, including Ean Yong Hian Wah, the state executive councillor came under attack from Pakatan’s own backbenchers.

PKR’s Azmin Ali, who is the party’s chief whip in the state assembly, called for the executive council posts to be reshuffled, questioning the ability of some of the members of the administration to perform their duties.

Protestors burning copies of Umno-owned Berita Minggu for turning anger over Teoh Beng Hock's death into a racial issue. - Picture by Jack Ooi

PKR MP Wee Choo Keong, who left DAP to form his own party before standing on the party’s ticket in Election 2008, joined in to accuse an unnamed state executive councillor of having ties with secret societies.

Today, leaders of the three PR parties, including Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, shared a stage to take advantage of the public anger over Teoh’s sudden death.

“How can a bright young man walk into MACC office as a witness, only to return as a dead body?” DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang asked the crowd.

Lim reiterated his stand for Royal Commission of Inquiry to be formed to investigate the death, adding that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s cabinet should resign if that did not happen.

He also asked for the cabinet to take responsibility and demanded that MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan resign over Teoh’s death.

Lim dismissed the suggestion by Malay dailies today that the federal opposition was trying to undermine Malay-led institutions.

“MACC is not a Malay institution, it is a Malaysian institution,” declared the DAP veteran.

After the speeches PR supporters were seen burning copies of Malay newspapers to express their anger over the articles criticising the opposition for allegedly politicising Teoh’s death.

The rally ended just before sunset with DAP chairman Karpal Singh declaring that the party will take MACC to court.

Teoh’s funeral will be held tomorrow at his hometown, Malacca, and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend.

Najib’s representative faces hard questions from Teoh family

Oh spending time with the grieving parents of Teoh Beng Hock. - Picture by Choo Choy May

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid- The Malaysian Insider

ALOR GAJAH, July 19 – The prime minister’s personal emissary to the Teoh family home here – political secretary Oh Ei Sun – was taken aback when Teoh Beng Hock’s mother confronted him, demanding that he do something about her son’s tragic death.

Oh, who had come to convey the PM’s condolences, was visibly shaken but he quickly recovered and spoke to the family for a few minutes.

Later, at a brief press conference, he said: “I received a phone call from the prime minister last night. He told me to come here and offer his personal condolences to the family.”

While he was speaking to the media, Teoh’s younger sister came out and confronted him again, “What are you going to do about this?”

Oh told her that he would convey to the prime minister the family’s demand for a royal inquiry into Teoh’s death. He also said the Cabinet would discuss the matter this Wednesday.

Teoh’s family told Oh that they want to make it clear that they chose not to have a second autopsy because they did not want to prolong the pain, and not because they accepted the first report. Also, they want the PM to attend to this personally.

On the distraught family taking out their anger on him, Oh said he was not upset but emphatised with them as he, too, had suffered a personal loss recently.

After the press conference, there was a poignant moment when Beng Hock’s father, Teoh Leong Hwee, grasped Oh’s hand and pleaded for help to find out how and why his young son died.

Uthayakumar forms Human Rights Party - Malaysiakini

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar today announced the formation of a multiracial party called the Human Rights Party (HRP).

"We will fight our own cause... we can't count on others to do so for us," he said, adding that Pakatan Rakyat, like Barisan Nasional, is not addressing the needs of marginalised groups.

"But now the time has come for us to move forward with the Hindraf people's Makkal Sakthi wave," the pro-tem secretary general told some 2,000 supporters in Klang.

HRP will continue to champion Hindraf's 18 point-demand.

"I have identified 15 parliamentary and 38 state assembly seats... with about 20 percent to 46.2 percent Indian voters in about nine states," Uthayakumar said.

Nevertheless, he affirmed that Hindraf would remain apolitical and would be led by his brother Waythamoorthy, who is in self-exile in London.

Launches book penned in detention

Besides announcing the advent of the new party, Uthayakumar, who is a lawyer, also launched his book titled 'Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy: The Way Forward'.

According to him, the book was conceived during his 514 days in detention under the Internal Security Act.

Uthayakumar and four other Hindraf leaders were detained under the ISA in 2007 shortly after staging a mammoth street protest which drew tens of thousands of disgruntled Indian Malaysians to the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Addressing his supporters, Uthayakumar said: "I don't want to be known as a politician. I would rather be known as a political activist."

"Our main thrust is to be the focus group in putting the Indians in Malaysia back on the mainstream development of Malaysia after 52 years of having been left out," he added.

Although the party's struggle focuses on the upliftment of the Indian community, Uthayakumar however stressed that it would not shut its doors to the plight of other communities.

Despite submitting their application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on June 18, HRP has yet to receive the green light.

This, according to Uthayakumar, is in stark contradiction to the Makkal Sakthi party which was registered within two weeks.

Uthayakumar launching his new party

Part 1


Part 2

Royal Commission = Royal Circus of Malaysia

ImageLoyar Burok
Fahri Azzat



This post is reproduced from here

Like many others, I am appalled at the death of Teoh Beng Hock at the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) building. But like them, I remain unsurprised. The Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) has for many years had suspects and persons accused of crime ending up dead whilst being in their custody. Predictably no action was taken in most of those deaths. No reforms were carried out to stem the corruption in the RMP. MACC has in that respect raised the bar and outdone the RMP with the death of a mere witness who was in their custody. So let us applaud MACC for meeting expectations on their performance. I certainly hope that they will not live to their high standards so that witnesses and suspects emerge alive after their interview with them.

What I find disappointing with regards to this crime is that Teoh’s family and many others are calling the government to set up a Royal Commission to investigate. I am not sure who advised them to make such a demand and why others are calling for it, but it really is a very sorry demand. Those making such a call are asking for so much less than what Teoh deserves and speaks tellingly of an intellectual bankruptcy and the utter desperation in our country.

Why do I say this?

Firstly, the Royal Commissions of Malaysia are in truth the Royal Circus of Malaysia. There is acrobatics, illusions, mind-boggling stunts, pomp, fanfare, widespread media coverage, outstanding characters and a host of willing participants. The only difference is that the tax payers, you and me, pay for this circus instead of those who attend it. After the show, everybody goes home, discusses it at the kopitiam for a week or so and forgets about it. Corruption, abuse of power and elitism continues unabated, unrestricted, unlimited, and then intensifies.

Second, since the Royal Commission is really a circus, we cannot expect anything meaningful to come out of it. The purpose of a Royal Commission is the illusion of doing something meaningful when its true purpose is entertainment - both to the power elite and the rakyat. I am certain that those in power like to call this a ‘win-win’ situation. The rakyat gets their little show of accountability and the powerful have the opportunity to show they care when they really don’t give a damn and are ready to blow any of us up if we become a real nuisance. Like Altantuya. Like Bala. Like Raja Petra. Like all those other people we don’t know who were killed on instructions of the powerful.

From my count from Wikipedia, we have had 9 Royal Commissions. Before calling for another, we should stop to ask what the ratio is of Royal Commissions held to meaningful significant reform occuring as a result of the Royal Commission. The results are pathetic. Let us consider the last two Royal Commissions.

Has anything meaningful come out of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the VK Lingam tape in 2007? Former premier, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, confirmed before his retirement that of the four files opened in purported investigation, three have been closed for no further action. Naturally, he did not disclose what or who were the subject in those files that were closed and the one remaining open. VK Lingam is still happily appearing in court without any hinderance or difficulty. Tun Ahmad Fairuz is comfortably drawing his pension and retirement though the Commission found him to be lying. Tan Sri Vincent Tan is still a successful influential tycoon in our country. All those who stand accused at the Royal Commission are still going about their business as if the entire affair was one long, tedious and facical documentary.

And has anything come out of the The Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police held in 2004? Nothing, except the recent statement by the present Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, on 23 June 2009 to assure us that his Ministry will be completely ignoring the Royal Commission proposals and ‘come up with a new strategy to boost public confidence in the police force, instead of revisiting the 125 recommendations made by the Royal Commission’s report on the police.’

So if a Royal Commission is held for Teoh, that is what will happen. It will prove entertainment for the nation for a few days or weeks and then his death, what he stood for, what he tried and wanted to achieve for our country will be forgotten. This is a country that forgets easily. And nothing helps it forget more easily than circuses like this that reduce this tragedy into mere consumer entertainment - consumed and annihilated.

So I would urge forgetting about calling for the Royal Commission. Understand that it is a tool of repression. Do not be fooled by the label. The power elite are not going to do anything that would significantly harm their own self-interests. If this Royal Commission was really going to bring the perpetrators to the book, do you really think they will expose themselves to such a liability? No. There will be fall guys that will turn the entire proceedings into a charade. Look at the prosecution in the high profile cases - the mastermind is never caught. Only the actual hands of the operations, are charged and convicted. Altantuya is exemplary of this - the two Special Branch officers may have killed her, but what was their motive? They had instructions - who issued them? Who stands to gain from her death and their convictions?

Let us honour Teoh Beng Hock properly and take the cue from his family when they called for others to not politicise his death. Let us call for something meaningful and that would shame both the RMP and the MACC.

Let us call for Teoh Beng Hock’s death to be investigated independently by the Scotland Yard and then disclosed directly to the public by them. Let us leave it to the professionals and leave the politicians out of it. Leave it to an agency with no interest in our politicians or our system, whose only interest is in the culprits.

Because to call for the Royal Commission, would be akin to Teoh Beng Hock dying needlesly, wastefully and tragically, all over again.

Developer threatens to sue Penang state govt for RM150 mil

The Sun
by Himanshu Bhatt and Bernard Cheah

SEBERANG PERAI (July 19, 2009): The developer of the Kampung Buah Pala land has told the state government that it would sue for at least RM150 million if its plans for the site are obstructed, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd sent a letter to the state last week saying it would claim compensation for losses incurred if the state took action to block it, Lim said.

Nusmetro has given villagers until Aug 2 to move out before it takes possession of the land.

Lim had told reporters on July 8 that the state was considering its powers under section 116 the National Land Code which stipulates a building on alienated land cannot be demolished, altered or extended without prior consent in writing of the appropriate authority.

Lim had said although a writ of possession had been served on the villagers, the developer still needed local government approval to demolish the houses.

Yesterday, he said the state legal adviser was in the process of referring the matter to the courts.

"We will still go ahead with getting a solution for the residents," he said, adding that the state would not be deterred by the developer’s letter.

Lim, who is also Bagan MP, said this at a press conference after opening a free medical consultation camp at the Sri Bagan flats in Bagan Dalam.

Also present were Permatang Pasir MP Datuk Mohd Hamdan Rahman and Bagan Dalam state assemblyman A. Thanasekharan.

The event included a registration exercise for elderly people under the state’s new senior citizens registration programme.

Lim said that under the programme, an heir specified by a senior citizen in his or her registration form would be given RM1,000 by the state upon the demise of the senior citizen.

"This is meant to encourage and cultivate caring among the people for their elders," he said.

The scheme would be effective after March 8 next year when the state-wide registration exercise is expected to be completed.

Lim said the state would by that time also unveil its policy to support its senior citizens.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister (II) Prof Dr P Ramasamy said the state was committed to helping Kampung Buah Pala residents, despite them releasing 20,000 DVDs containing footage of several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders, including Ramasamy, making pledges to preserve the village before the general election last year.

He said a second meeting with the villagers had been fixed for Wednesday night. An earlier meeting last Thursday was attended by only 10 residents or their representatives.

Pas Selangor Desak Tubuh Suruhanjaya Siasatan

KENYATAAN MEDIA
BERHUBUNG INSIDEN KEMATIAN MENDIANG TEOH BENG HOCK DI DALAM TAHANAN SPRM

PAS SELANGOR MEMANDANG SERIUS INSIDEN KEMATIAN SETIAUSAHA POLITIK KEPADA SALAH SEORANG EXCO SELANGOR, MENDIANG TEO BENG HOCK SEMASA BERADA DI DALAM TAHANAN SPRM.
PENDIRIAN PAS SELANGOR ADALAH SEPERTI BERIKUT :-
1. PAS SELANGOR MENGGESA AGAR KERAJAAN MENUBUHKAN SATU SURUHANJAYA BEBAS YANG DIANGGOTAI OLEH SEMUA PARTI POLITIK SERTA PANEL BERKECUALI DIDALAM TEMPOH 14 HARI DARI TARIKH INSIDEN YANG BERLAKU DAN MENDESAK AGAR SURUHANJAYA TERSEBUT MENGELUARKAN KERTAS PUTIH YANG DIUMUMKAN KEPADA RAKYAT.
2. PAS SELANGOR BERPENDIRIAN BAHAWA SPRM HANYA BOLEH DISIASAT OLEH SURUHANJAYA BEBAS YANG LAIN KERANA PIHAK POLIS TIDAK MEMPUNYAI BIDANGKUASA YANG MENCUKUPI BAGI MENYELESAIKAN KES INI DAN SEKALIGUS MEMBERSIHKAN NAMA SPRM KERANA TERIKAT KEPADA PERATURAN YANG DIILETAKKAN OLEH MENTERI DALAM NEGERI.
3. PAS SELANGOR MENDESAK AGAR SEMUA SIASATAN YANG DILAKUKAN TERHADAP MANA-MANA EXCO KERAJAAN NEGERI SELANGOR DIHENTIKAN SERTA MERTA SEHINGGA SURUHANJAYA SIASATAN SELESAI MELAKUKAN SIASATAN DAN SPRM MEMBERSIHKAN NAMANYA.
4. PERISTIWA INI SANGAT MEMALUKAN SPRM DAN MENGHILANGKAN KEYAKINAN RAKYAT TERHADAP SPRM TERUTAMA TERHADAP TAHAP KESELAMATAN SAKSI SEMASA BERADA DI DALAM TAHANAN.
5. JIKA SURUHANJAYA INI TIDAK DILAKUKAN, MAKA PROSES PENGEMBALIAN KEYAKINAN TIDAK BERLAKU, KREDIBILITI DAN PROFESIONALISME SPRM SEBAGAI AGENSI PENGUATKUASA KERAJAAN AKAN TERUS DIPERTIKAIKAN OLEH MASYARAKAT.
PAS Selangor juga mengucapkan takziah kepada keluarga dan sahabat mendiang di atas peristiwa yang sangat menyedihkan ini. Semoga, pihak yang terlibat dapat bersabar di atas kehilangan tragis orang yang disayangi.

Shah Alam. 17hb Julai 2009,
Mohd Khairuddin Othman
(O19 289 7187)
SETIAUSAHA
BADAN PERHUBUNGAN PAS NEGERI SELANGOR

Chua's Quit Decision Will Not Impact Johor: MB

JOHOR BAHARU, July 19 (Bernama) -- Datuk Chua Jui Meng's decision to quit MCA and join Parti KeAdilan Rakyat (PKR) would not be of much impact to the political scene in Johor, said state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

He said, in as far as the opposition coalition in the Pakatan Rakyat was concerned, the people's support appeared to have waned, right after the 12th general election.

"The support was fierce in the election and we thought Pakatan Rakyat would blossom in Johor. But when the election was over, the support seemed to have faded," added Abdul Ghani, who is also menteri besar.

He was speaking to reporters after chairing the Johor Umno Liasion Committee meeting at the party's office here Sunday.

Taking that into consideration, Abdul Ghani did not think that the move by Chua, a former health minister, would spark new support for PKR.

He believed that PKR was trying to take advantage of the racial diversity that Johor had, by enticing support from the Chinese community.

Despite the waning support, Chua was expected to bring some support into PKR, especially in Bakri, where he had some followers after being a MCA leader there for many years, observed Abdul Ghani.

He reminded BN component parties in state to view the matter (Chua's quitting) as a signal for them to start making some changes to strengthen themselves.

Many Indian Parties Not Healthy

SEREMBAN, July 19 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today said having many Indian-based political parties could cause the community to be split.

He said he took a serious view of the matter and urged the government to be careful when approving such new parties.

"The MIC is having a programme to unite the Indian community, such developments are not healthy for the community so I urge the political parties to work with us," Samy Vellu told reporters after officiating the 63rd Negeri Sembilan MIC delegates convention here Sunday.

He however was confident that the Indian community would support the MIC given that the party was established for 63 years.

"Many Indians meet me about problems and this is proof that the MIC is still relevant and can look after the interests of the Indians," he said.

To date there are about six Indian-based parties, namely the MIC, the Indian Progressive Front, the Malaysian Indian United Party, the Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party, the Malaysian Indian Democratic Action Front (Mindraf) and the Parti Hak Asasi Manusia.

Samy admitted that a small number of Indians alleged that the MIC did not look after the interests of Indians with problems.

As a result about 40 per cent of the Indian support had swung towards the opposition since 2008, he said.

"Today we see the Indian support for the MIC and the Barisan Nasional returning," he said.

He said the MIC today wanted to change and take steps to set up the party's community service centres in every state to help the Indian community.

Earlier the centre was only based in Kuala Lumpur and did not include centres set up by state assemblymen and members of parliament.

'Beng Hock is our hero'

By Jeff Ooi,

An impromtu call attracted more than 3,000 people to the Kelana Jaya stadium this afternoon, or what ought to be a lazy Sunday. It was a two-hour gathering to mark the political murder of Teoh Beng Hock in the MACC Selangor HQ.

It wasn't about the death of a Chinese Malaysian.

Teo_090719_Stadium_Canvass.jpg

Rather, it was about the death of an Anak Malaysia, as evident from the diverse demographics of the crowd, and the speakers who offered their eulogies.

Teo_090719_Stadium_01.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_Kit.jpg

“How can a bright young man walk into MACC office as a witness, only to return as a dead body?” Kit Siang asked the crowd.

Kit reiterated the party's demand for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to be formed to investigate Teo's death, and he wanted Umno, MCA and Gerakan to support the call.

He also asked for the cabinet to take responsibility and demanded that MACC chief commissioner Ahmad Said Hamdan should resign or be sacked over Teoh’s death.

Emphatically, Kit dismissed the suggestion by the two Umno-owned Malay papers that said that Pakatan Rakyat was trying to undermine Malay-led institutions.

“MACC is not a Malay institution, it is a Malaysian institution,” Kit declared to roaring applause of the crowd.

Teo_090719_Stadium_JO.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_02.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_Husam.jpg

“Beng Hock is our hero,” Datuk Husam Musa, a member of PAS’s central working committee, declared to the stadium crowd. “There is no doubt that Beng Hock was murdered.”

Teo_090719_Stadium_Tunku.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_LGE.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_Khalid.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_03.jpg

Teo_090719_Stadium_05.jpg
All pictures by Paul Choo, LensaMalaysia

Photographer Paul Choo and I will drive to Alor Gajah, again, to join the mourning masses and attend Teo's funeral tomorrow morning.

You are our Malaysians' Malaysia hero. You will not die in vain.


I was quoted in three separate press statements -- here (in Malacca), here (in Kuala Lumpur) and here (in Malacca).

Keadilan Untuk Semua

Bahagian 1:

Bahagian 2:

Bahagian 3:

Bahagian 4:

Saya pernah dipukul dan diaibkan. Dibiarkan terbujur kaku kesejukan di dalam pusat tahanan Bukit Aman. Tiada rawatan segera, hanya menanti takdir Tuhan, tidak pasti selamat ataupun tidak. Sudah pasti ramai yang tidak menyangka, malah saya sendiri sukar membayangkan, ada di antara pimpinan intitusi keselamatan dan keadilan negara ini, yang diharapkan melindungi rakyat, mampu bertindak melampaui batas. Lebih dari 10 tahun telah berlalu, rakyat Malaysia mahukan yang lebih baik untuk semua. Akan tetapi penguasa semakin lalai dari amanah yang diberikan.

Belum lagi negara kita pulih dari kesedihan dan kemarahan kerana dikejutkan dengan kematian sdr Teoh Beng Hock. Sudah ada mereka yang sanggup merendahkan akal budi serta harga diri dengan terjun menjerumus ke dalam jurang yang paling dalam; jurang kebencian dan perkauman. Kerana ingin mengampu, ada di antara media kongkongan umno-bn sedang mula mencatur serta menuai bibit-bibit perkauman sempit, demi melepaskan beban tanggungjawab beberapa institusi seperti SPRM, Kehakiman dan Polis.

Terhakisnya keyakinan rakyat terhadap institusi Kehakiman, Polis serta SPRM adalah akibat perbuatan sendiri. Rakyat tidak sesekali boleh diperbodohkan. Mereka menuntut penjelasan berhubung skandal pita video V.K Lingam, skandal PKFZ, skandal pembelian Eurocopter komisen kapal selam beratus juta dan tuduhan pembabitan pegawai atasan polis dengan kumpulan kongsi gelap.

Berhadapan dengan kemarahan serta ketidakyakinan rakyat terhadap sistem yang mereput, maka tidak menghairankan lah propaganda murahan dianyam oleh sang picisan, walaupun ianya ternyata gila. Hasrat dan keinginan rakyat diketepikan, yang penting penguasa tidak dituding bersalah dan terpaksa memikul beban. Para pengampu tidak pernah peduli sekiranya apa yang ditulis dan disiarkan meloyakan. Makanya kegilaan dan meloyakan, bukanlah sesuatu yang asing melainkan ianya senantiasa bertaut demi mengolah persetujuan mereka yang diperintah.

Kegilaan dan alasan meloyakan seperti ini mengingatkan saya kepada bait-bait kisah yang terkandung di dalam Illiad dendangan penyair buta Homer. Apabila ditanya kepada Agamemnon, mengapa bertindak merampas kekasih Achilles. Sang penguasa menjawab, bukan salahnya sendiri melainkan ianya kerana mahkluk Erinys merasuki dengan ate(keinginan), lalu menyebabkan dia merampas kekasih kesatria Greek tersebut. Agamemnon, takut dan gusar amarah Achilles serta tentera Greek sekaliannya, sanggup menyajikan alasan seperti itu, biarlah ianya meloyakan dan tidak masuk akal. Persamaan di antara Agamemnon, penguasa rakus Greek dan para pengampu yang wujud sekarang amatlah jelas sungguhpun hidup di zaman berbeza.

Namun saya yakin Rakyat Malaysia sedar isu pokoknya ialah Keadilan. Samada ianya membabitkan mendiang Teoh, Kugan dan Allahyarham Rumie Azzan Mahlie, apa yang dituntut ialah Keadilan. Kezaliman tidak pernah mengenali warna kulit, asal ras dan kepercayaan. Mereka yang menzalimi dan dizalimi, bukannya hak eksklusif mana-mana kaum dan agama. Merenung pesan Al- Quran jelas sekali gesaan agar ditegakkan Keadilan dan menentang kezaliman.

“Demi sesungguhnya! Kami telah mengutus Rasul-rasul Kami dengan membawa bukti-bukti dan mukjizat yang jelas nyata, dan Kami telah menurunkan bersama-sama mereka Kitab Suci dan keterangan yang menjadi neraca keadilan, supaya manusia dapat menjalankan keadilan…” (surah al hadiid: 25)

Kebobrokan dan kezaliman berterusan tidak boleh lagi dibiarkan. Oleh kerana itu PAS, DAP dan PKR bersatu di bawah payung Pakatan Rakyat. Kami bertekad menegakkan Keadilan dan membawa perubahan kepada sistem yang sepatutnya berkhidmat kepada rakyat melewati batas ras kebudayaan serta kepercayaan. Tragedi yang menimpa Allahyarham Rumie Azzan Mahlie, Kugan dan Teoh sewajarnya mengingatkan kita, Melayu, Cina, India, Kadazan dan Iban untuk bersatu segera melakukan Perubahan.

ANWAR IBRAHIM