Another passionate MP in Kg.Buah Pala now.. 2222hrs 15th Aug

Dr.JeyaKumar is a passionate MP who came all the way from Sg.Siput and consoling the villagers and advised not to use violence under any circumstances and observe patients to all the injustices thats going on to the Villagers of Buah Pala. he listened to all the plight and grievences of the community here, and made the villagers here feel relieved for now. Thank you YB!

Beautiful Kg.Buah Pala..

This is the photos of this beautiful Kg.Buah Pala, Indian High Chaprral!

This is not a squatters! as claimed by the Uneducated Developer!

Banana and many tropical fruit available 365days a year

NATURE WELL PRESERVED IN BUAH PALA

BORN ON 12.08.09

BORN ON 13.08.09

VILLAGERS ARE HAPPILY AND IN PEACE FOR SO LONG

Kg.Buah Pala is not safe for High Rise Building!

Source: Cryingvoices

Why? Ex-Adun for Sri Delima said early this year that the Land in Kg.Buah Pala is not a safe place for Highrise building due to the condition and structure of the earth in this area which contains flowing underwater passage, this can be proven with the amount of Wells that's available in this Village till today!

One of the village is suprised to know that a portion of cement cracked and fell as deep as 2metres and shocked to see water rushed and made a well, the well is not man made until the villager realise the changes in the ground and made it as a well now.. check the photos below :

This is the portion of the well that has collapsed unexpectedly and re-built by the Owner as a well last month!

in the middle of house! Think .. what will happen to the oasis condo!

This is one more well and there are many other around this area!

Q&A: 'Why I filed the suit against the British'

In this first an two-part exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, Hindraf chairperson Waythamoorthy talks about his struggle for the betterment of the Indian community, the civil suit, his ties with Pakatan and the Nov 25 rally that changed the Malaysian political landscape.

He claimed he was tortured during his four-day imprisonment in November 2007 in the Sungai Buloh prison. However, he declined to provide further details.

"There were other kinds of torture and threats which I don't wish to reveal at this point in time because I'm planning to come back home," he told Malaysiakini during an interview in London.

Malaysiakini: Your civil suit in 2007 propelled Hindraf into prominence. What made you file a suit against the British and not the Malaysian government?

Waythamoorthy: They Indians have suffered tremendous injustices. I researched the history of the country's independence and discovered that the British colonial governance was the root of the Indian predicament in Malaysia. The British, through its East India Company, brought in thousands of Indians from India as indentured labourers.

They failed to safeguard the interests and rights of Indians when the British drafted the Malayan Federal Constitution prior to the independence. Because the constitution was vague, Indians remained colonialised by the Umno government.

The Indians were exploited for nearly 150 years by the British and thereafter by the Umno-controlled federal government for over 50 years until today. Therefore the British colonial government was the root of the problem.

So I told the Indians that they should go after the British. Since I had no confidence in the independence of the country's judiciary, I filed the civil suit against the British.

I claimed £1 million for each of the estimated 1.8 million Indians in Malaysia in damages for the suffering of their forefathers and the present generation. Based on this, the AFP report summed up my claims at US$4 trillion.
The AFP report became international news.

What's the status of the suit now?

I filed the civil action on the eve of the country's 50^th anniversary of independence. But I have not served the writ on the defendant, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It should have been done within three months of filing the case. I could not serve it because I did not have British solicitors and barristers to do so. I need a legal team to proceed with the suit.

I filed the action as a symbolic gesture with the intention of serving it to the defendant. I was hoping that by handing over the letter of appeal, which had 130,000 signatures, to Her Majesty the British Queen via the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, I would be able to secure free services of Queen's counsels and solicitors to pursue the case further in the British courts.

However, my effort was spoilt by the Malaysian government and the police. The authorities, not Hindraf, turned an originally pre-planned peaceful march to the British High Commission into an anti-government rally. As a result, the status of my suit remains as it is, pre-Nov 25.

It's not an overstatement then to say that your civil suit shot Hindraf to prominence?

I would not agree with that assessment because my civil suit was filed in my personal capacity. It had nothing to do with Hindraf. But, since I'm Hindraf chairperson, public perception swiftly linked the suit to Hindraf, and I eventually adopted it. It put Hindraf at forefront of the Malaysian civil rights movement.

The suit opened up the eyes, ears and minds of the Indian community on their legitimate rights, interests and benefits they are entitled to. They had been engulfed by a colonial mindset up until then.

Although the majority of the younger generation does not have the mindset, over the years they have been instilled by their parents and the Umno government that Indians are migrants and squatters in Malaysia. Indians have been frequently told that they don't deserve equality, fairness and just policies. Article 8 of the Federal Constitution stipulates clearly that all citizens shall be treated equally.

Therefore the suit actually raised the issue of citizenry rights and what Indians justly deserve and were entitled to.

Why did Hindraf hold a nationwide road show?

We conducted the roadshow due to overwhelming public interest in the civil suit. They wanted to know more about what it meant for them. I never thought it would attract such large crowds. I was surprised by the thousands who turned up. The people trusted Hindraf. They saw a different breed of activists. They knew that we were genuine, honest and sincere in fighting for their rights, something that the Indians never had all this while.

What do you hope to achieve for Indian Malaysians with your suit?

It's an interesting and unprecedented suit. It will open the floodgates. I don't want to reveal just what my plans are. But a close perusal of my writ and statement will give you an indication of what my civil suit is capable of achieving.

What was the Nov 25 rally all about?

The rally was originally planned as a peaceful march to handover an appeal letter to the British Queen. However, the Umno government turned it into an anti-government rally.

Firstly the police rejected our application for a permit to hold the march. My letters for a meeting with the IGP Musa Hassan to explain the march were ignored. Then the prime minister, deputy prime minister, home minister, the IGP and attorney-general issued a series of media statements to warn Malaysian Indians against attending the rally.

They threatened and intimidated the public with jail and detention without any reason. That was their mistake. This angered Malaysian Indians who have been unhappy for far too long. They wanted to show solidarity and support for the civil suit.

The government had also locked down Kuala Lumpur for four days prior to the rally.
Indians were denied entry into the city. Even those working in Kuala Lumpur had a hard time getting into the city.

Then the government followed it up by arresting me, my brother Uthayakumar and Ganabatirau on Nov 23. We were charged with sedition. This provoked the Indians.

I initially expected only about 5,000 Indians to turn up at the rally. But it ended up with tens of thousands thronging into the city.

So the Umno government was at fault for turning a simple straightforward peaceful event into an ugly and brutal anti-government rally. The Indians then realised that the government agenda's was to stop us from handing over the letter.

Why you think the government resisted the rally?

My guess is that the Umno government got worried when it received intelligence reports pointing out that Indians across the country were united in fighting for their rights. Umno did not want this because the government would face difficulties in handling a united Indian community. Umno was worried that the government would lose its popularity and relevance among Indians in the country. That's the reason why I think the Umno government went out of way to clamp down on the rally.

When you were detained and charged with sedition, you refused bail. Why?

It was a protest to send a clear message to the government that Indians no longer feared intimidation and imprisonment. Secondly, since the city was locked down, I wanted to compel the government to allow Indians to come into Kuala Lumpur peacefully.

We were charged with sedition because the government wanted to instil fear as a way of intimidating the Indians that something bad would befall on them if they attend the rally on Nov 25.

So I wanted to send a signal to the authorities that the days of Umno government instilling fear on Indians were over. I'm told I was the country's first human rights lawyer to voluntarily refuse bail and stayed in jail and go on a hunger strike.

I was sending a clear message we don't fear the prison and the days of criminal intimidation on Indian were over. We are a new breed of Indian activists who are prepared to face any consequence to uphold truth and justice.

You stayed in jail for four days and missed the rally. Would you like to narrate your experience in jail?

During the four-day imprisonment in Sungai Buloh, I was jailed in the maximum security cell unit meant for suspects of serious crimes such as murder and drug traffickng. Mine was a special cell, small, filthy, full of insects, without air circulation and a locked in by a thick door. It was extremely bright with a special flickering light. Some of insects were of species that I have never seen in my life.

I was inhaling and exhaling the same air. On the second day, they deliberately stopped tap water supply to the filthy toilet in my cell. I believe that I was deliberately put into it because the authorities wanted to teach me a lesson.

There were other kinds of torture and threats which I don't wish to reveal at this point in time because I'm planning to come back home. Even though I underwent tremendous torture, when I was taken to court on the morning of Nov 26, I told the jail director that I would come back to the cell later that evening because I planned to refuse my bail further.

However, I was surprised by the court's decision to discharge me not amounting to an acquittal.

How did you sneak out of the country during the police clampdown on Hindraf activists?

I don't think I sneaked out. I believe the government planned the clampdown much later after I had left the country. Following my release on Nov 26, I had nightmares of the torture and could not sleep at night. I was mentally disturbed by the memories of my four-day imprisonment. I was restless and did not have a peace of mind.

On Nov 27, I decided to go to India for my annual pilgrimage to regain my physical and mental strength. I normally do this in early December. I got my visa on Nov 27 and left for India the next day. My initial plan was to stay in India for a week.

A few days after I left for India, allegations linking Hindraf with the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers surfaced. Although Uthayakumar and I denied such links, the media was not with us.

Uthayakumar suggested that since I was already in India, I should start my international lobby to garner global support for Hindraf and its legitimate struggle. So I started my international lobby in India and finally ended up going to England.

The government linked Hindraf with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Any comments on it?

IGP Musa and the attorney-general Gani Patail maliciously wanted to brand Hindraf as a terror organisation linked to terrorists. They cooked up the story to justify the subsequent arrest of the Hindraf Five under ISA.

When you realised your passport was revoked, how did you manage to seek political asylum from the British government?

I found out that my passport was revoked by the Malaysian government when I returned to Britain from Geneva on April 19, 2008. The Malaysian government's intention was to prevent me from carrying out my international human rights lobby.

Under the British immigration law, I was supposed to be deported back to my last port of entry - Geneva. I decided to exercised my rights stipulated in the Geneva Convention to seek British political asylum. On April 21, I applied for political asylum and the British authorities processed my application the same day.

The authorities sought more evidence to back my application. Through the help of a Queen's counsel, I managed to appoint a solicitor to manage my application. A month later, I was interviewed formally and in three months, my application was granted.

Isn't it strange that the British government granted you asylum while you are suing the same government for neglecting Indians in Malaysia?

That's the beauty of British governance. The British government knows how to differentiate between a political asylum and a civil suit. The civil suit is my personal right while my request for asylum was a matter of justice. It's only just for the British government to grant my application.

The Nov 25 rally was hailed by many as the catalyst to the political tsunami that swept Malaysian electoral politics on March 8, 2008.

Hindraf never planned the rally to create a political tsunami. We least expected it. It's the Umno government fault to turn the event ugly. Assuming that the government had allowed us to hand over the appeal letter and returned home safely, the Indians would have been only excited, that's all.

The hardline action taken on Hindraf activists before and after the rally, and the police's brutal action on that day angered not just Indians but all decent Malaysians and it translated into anti-BN votes.

Why did Hindraf decide to support and subsequently called on Indians to vote for Pakatan Rakyat during the general election in 2008?

There was a groundswell of Indians demanding an electoral stand. Then we held the Rose Rally during Valentine's Day celebration in February. A few days before the rally, Parliament was dissolved.

The Umno government again reacted brutally against peaceful demonstrators holding roses. Like Nov 25, chemical spraying and tear gas marred the rally. That was the final nail in Umno's coffin.

Indians were asking why the government did not treat them as children of Malaysia. When they asked for my advice, I told them that Indians have suffered enough under Umno's discrimination and brutality.

The Rose Rally was a message of love and peace. But we were treated badly by our very own government.

I told them to vote against BN enbloc. Thousands of our supporters were working on the ground to ensure the success of Pakatan. For the first time, the Indians, a minority community, embarked on bulk voting in the country's electoral process. They voted against BN and Umno.

Indians proved that a minority community's bulk votes had the power to make a change. The Chinese were traditionally fence sitters. Their voting pattern are dependent on the political and economic climate.

They knew they only could increase the number of opposition parliamentarians but can't possibly change the government. When the Chinese saw Indians changing trend, they knew the time had come for a change.

Seasoned politician, Lim Kit Siang even acknowledged that Indians can make a difference in more than 50 parliamentary constituencies.

But I'm not sure about the Malays because they were given the impression that Hindraf comprised a group of fanatics out to topple a Malay government.

We now hope that the Malays would have a better understanding of Hindraf's struggle and we can all work together in the next general election to effect a change at federal level.

The majority of Indians have voted for BN faithfully for 50 years. I think the Umno government had taken the Indian support and votes for granted. The government has been disrespectful to Indian votes, rights and feelings by continuing to oppress and suppress them.

The best way to teach Umno and BN a political lesson is to hurt them at the ballot box. After all the Umno government leaders were arrogant enough to frequently challenge the people to demonstrate their grouses and unhappiness through the ballot boxes.They took their electoral victories for granted.

So Hindraf called on Indians to vote against the Umno government and its hegemony.

Hindraf played a decisive role in changing the country's political landscape. Has it addressed the inequality among races that you were seeking?

No, because the same BN is ruling the federal government. The Umno dominated government has been throwing craps and scraps here and there. But it has done nothing worthy. The Pakatan states too, have done little for the Indians.

Thus far Pakatan states have not formulated, let alone implemented, any worthy long term policies benefiting Indians. Pakatan leaders claim that they are new to state administration and are not in control of the federal government.

They have been in power for 15 months now and the Pakatan states cannot go on singing the same tune. They are duty bound to carry out constructive policies to upgrade the Indians. Pakatan states must do something worthy for Indians before the general election.

Lately though, it seems Hindraf and Pakatan are having an uneasy relationship.

Hindraf will remain apolitical. We will point political mistakes committed by both BN and Pakatan. Just because Indians supported and voted for Pakatan, Hindraf will not remain idle if the coalition made a mistake. We must speak out. It's better for us to speak out now than later.

Pakatan states must understand that they have a responsibility to help the marginalised minority communities, especially Indians. They will have to rule with justice, equality and fairness to all. Currently there are rifts between Hindraf and Pakatan in certain states, especially in Penang on Kampung Buah Pala.

What about the Kampung Buah Pala issue?

Firstly, DAP leaders had promised to safeguard the village for the residents before and after the general election.

DAP acknowledges the land deal was a fraud committed by the previous BN government but why are they now siding the developers and the Koperasi who are part of the fraud?
And it's puzzling that the DAP government accepted the balance payment of the land premium and effected the actual land transfer of Kampung Buah Pala.

This happened even after the DAP government was advised against it by a senior lawyer and its own leaders have promised to secure the village land for the residents prior to the last elections. The DAP government may have condemned the previous Gerakan government for alienating the land.

But now it is colluding with the landowner, Koperasi Pegawai Pegawai Kanan Kerajaan Pulau Pinang, and developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd to evict the residents from their own land. We are shocked. We are shocked that the same socialist DAP leaders, who are supposed to champion the cause of poor and the marginalised communities, are now collaborating with capitalists.

What you think the DAP government should do now?

Simple. They have to undo it, with a mere stroke of a pen. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has the power under the National Land Code and Land Acquisition Act to acquire the land for the villagers and undo the unjust.

He is dragging his feet and deliberately refusing to exercise his power. He is also justifying his inaction by lamenting that he had to spend millions to acquire the land.

First he claimed it was RM150 million and now he had lowered the sum to RM100 million to acquire the land.

How did he pluck out those sums? According to the land law, an independent land administrator shall assess the land value.

So how did a responsible chief minister come up with such sums? The land was sold for RM3.21 million. The state government could buy back the land for the same amount or even lesser. The residents are not squatters. They are rightful owners of the land. It was stolen from them.

If the DAP government fail to acquire the land for the villagers, I think the Indians in Penang will punish them in the next general election. Hindraf will be duty bound to expose DAP's inaction to Indians in Penang and nationwide. The party should not hold Hindraf responsible for it.

Will the Kampung Buah Pala crisis affect the DAP in long run?

The ball is in DAP's court. DAP can choose to maintain its position or the party can forsake justice and fairness. If the DAP allows the village to be demolished, it will be the beginning of its demise. Guan Eng will be another Khir Toyo.

There seems to be concerted effort in the media and in blogs to attack Hindraf, you and Uthayakumar personally over the village crisis.

Normally I don't read blogs but I have heard criticisms leveled at us. I have read this in Pakatan, and DAP linked websites. Obviously these mails were posted by DAP supporters.

I would like to stress here that I was inspired by DAP senior leader Lim Kit Siang... inspired by his book 'Time Bombs in Malaysia.' I was inspired by Karpal Singh (right). Indeed DAP's political struggle over the years has inspired and shape up my political thinking.

But if the DAP commits a wrong or an unjust act then I'm duty bound to point out the mistake. It is the bloggers fantasy to accuse me of being bought over by BN and collaborating with Umno to come back to Malaysia.

I'm not a politician. I have forsaken all that I had, to fight for justice and truth which is often is buried and clouded by the rich and powerful.

These die-hard supporters of DAP should in fact find out the truth and advise their party to act in accordance to what is right and just. But such criticisms will not deter me. I will continue to oppose any form of injustice and unfairness.

Certain DAP leaders are allegedly touchy whenever criticisms are levelled at them. They apparently use bloggers and ghost writers to launch personal attacks on their critics.

I think some DAP leaders are instigating certain ghost writers and bloggers to attack their critics by feeding wrong information, facts and figures.

I don't think this propaganda would benefit the DAP in the long run, like how the pro-establishment mainstream media had not really benefited Umno. People finally realised that Umno controlled the mainstream media, spreading lies and disseminating false information.

People have now refused to believe the mainstream media. Eventually this will happen to DAP. Just because bloggers played a big role in creating awareness among the people in the last general election, it doesn't mean that the people will continuously believe bloggers. Malaysians from all walks of life are politically matured and they can see lies.

Maybe in the short term, DAP could succeed. Eventually they will say all these lies were spread and instigated by DAP leaders. I just hope DAP can come out of this denial syndrome and address issues intelligently - after all, I'm one of those Malaysians wishing and praying to see Pakatan take over the country from the clutches of BN.

Premier Najib Razak has come up with a 1Malaysia slogan. Any comments on it?

I noticed that each time a new prime minister comes to power, he comes up with a punchy slogan to woo the people. Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) came up with 'Cekap, Bersih, Amanah', then Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with 'Islam Hadhari', now Najib with '1Malaysia.'

Najib is talking about 1Malaysia but it two systems, one system for the Malays and another for non-Malays. The 1Malaysia concept is obviously a non-starter when the government runs two systems.

If he is serious in realising 1Malaysia, first and foremost Najib has to educate and revamp Umno and its members, and stop propagating the Malay supremacy agenda. If he can do that then all his 1Malaysia programmes would be successful.

Can the Pakatan states work to meet Hindraf's 18-point demand?

Maybe not all of them. The state governments are vested with certain powers to carry out policies that could meet our demands. For example, the federal government claims that it cannot make Tamil schools fully aided because most of them were sitting on private lands. Land issues are under the purview of state governments.

The menteri besars and chief ministers can acquire these privately-owned Tamil school lands under the National Land Code and Land Acquisition Act, and hand over the lands to the federal government. Thereafter, we will go after the federal government if it fails to make the schools as fully aided.

On the religious aspect, the state governments can enact amendments to the state Islamic laws to provide greater freedom for religion. Additionally they can gazette all temples that existed before independence in 1957 as places of worship. Pakatan state governments are vested with the power to do that.

They could also open up the state government policies to include all marginalised societies to be included in the mainstream economic upward mobility programmes and get all races equally entitled to all state economic and development projects.

If the state governments refused to use their power then there is no difference between them and Umno governments.

How can the BN government meet Hindraf's 18-point demand?

For a start, the BN government could hold a dialogue with Hindraf, which we have been asking from the very beginning. The dialogue can be the forum to explore various ways and means to resolve the plight of the Indian community.

Do you think Indians would stay with Pakatan in the next elections?

It depends on how Pakatan leaders address the Indian issues. They have to address the problems objectively and not adopt the Umno method of employing mandores to address the Indian issues.

BN is already working out a strategy to win back the Indian voters and thus regain the 50-odd lost parliament seats whereas Pakatan are in their new-found shell of fiefdom in their respective states as menteri besars and are not looking beyond their states.

The four Pakatan states have to prove themselves as leading the onslaught to capture the federal administration in the next general election. Unfortunately they are not addressing the issues let alone resolving them. From 2010, I believe Umno-led BN are going to implement major strategies to win back the Indian voters.

The Indian grassroots are already complaining about the inaction of Pakatan states mainly Selangor, Kedah and Penang. My sincere hope is that Pakatan does not make the same mistake BN did - that is living in denial.

Pakatan states have to show they are people-friendly governments, easily accessible and work for people. Immediate and simple problems that have existed from the BN rule has to be resolved or else I can't see how they could maintain the trust of Indian voters. Indians are politically mature these days compared to few years ago.

Would you prefer Pakatan take over the federal administration in the next general election?

Yes, but it is not going to be easy. Pakatan national and grassroots leaders have to stop their infighting and present themselves as the future government. A shadow cabinet is essential. Alternative national policies have to be formulated and presented to the people.

There is no point talking about change when the people are not given the opportunity to envisage the change. You can't expect the people to fantasise the change without concrete plans and policies. The current four Pakatan-controlled states must present itself as a truly democratic and people friendly governments.

Buah Pala World Heritage Application.

This is the letter submitted to the world Heritage Centre Chief for Asia-Pacific Unit Mr.Giovanni Boccardi and has been endorsed in conducting study on this Village!

MIC WOMEN BUSY WITH ELECTION ONLY!

Wanita MIC is so busy with the internal election and talking about womens' problem among themselves, they are only good in talking but, have anyone of you came to the aid of Kg.Buah Pala womens?? The women here are suffering and struggling for their home and the welfare of the family! Komala has been rejected by the own constitution voters but still speaking as if she did everything in her best effort.. Do something for the society, and do it good, then go for the position, dont just show your face in the paper, show your face to the people thats suffering, I ve never seen komala on ground working for the Rakyat, she is always giving her pose with all her makeups and hair-dos.. with her expensive saree, and pretending to be working for the people.. what is this? if you cant work hard for the people and pretending not to aware about the suffering of the people, please quit and sit at home with all your makeups! Cheers! Dont take it in a wrong way, take it positively!

SMSes are not true!

One Sms has been spread which sounded;

"I lived in the village. I am saddened that my own race spoke with lies and deception. When the Pg govt. came with a solution mind you, my Indian leaders told me to ignore it.I knew the previous govt. had sold us off like like cows.LGE met us 4 times and spoke with truth. Now, i hve accepted the offer and I hope the leaders in PR are real unlike Hindraf and MIC! Raj, former Kg.Buah Pala resident.

fwd from 019-4711491...

There is no former resident by the name of Raj, Someone trying to tarnish some parties name and this sms sounds instigating! This is not the sms from the villager and it must be from some outsiders trying to create chaos and taking advantage of the situation!

Next Course of Action By Kg.Buah Pala!

By Lawyer Darshan,

Federal court judgement will be heard on Tuesday, Another case will be filed on Monday at the Penang Court and a caviat will be applied to claim ownership of the Land Kg.Buah Pala. Hope the Villagers will face Justice and Justice alone!

Updates on Press Conference from Buah Pala

Press conference has just started, Dr.ganesan, Mr.Tamaraj and Lawyer Darshan is answering and explanining to the reporters, this is a life report so more details to be updated after the press conference.

All details will be in point form :

By Mr.Tamaraj

- Buah Pala Villager was harrassed by the Nusmetro Gangsters on the 13.08.09.

- 24 july Lim Guan Eng said he will do something for kg.Buah Pala Village for the second time. and it has been going on again and again

- Karpal was sick is one of the reason.

What Lim Guan Eng said ; using my authoruty as the chief Minister to direct MPPP to immediately revoke the development order issued to Nusmetro!

Dr.Ganesan. .. The changes in need from the BN government and now the DAP government has no changes in any of it's policies,Its a waste in of Human Potential in terms of Culture and Heritage.

The opressed and the marginalised people are kept that way even with the new Governme

Tamaraj has explained the agreement by Nusmetro.. details on my previous article.

- the agreement does not look like an agreement and has not been stamped and signed with name and no company chops!

Mr.ganesan continued that non of the POlitician from the State Government has visited the village before and after the incident on the 13th Aug. We were abondoned said the villagers.

A meeting has to be arranged between the Villagers, Developer, State Government and Land Owner, and the developer cannot contact my clients said Lawyer Darshan. The meeting has to be arranged on a written form, not through calls.

No one has invited the Villagers for a meeting in the State Government but the residents went and saw Prof.Ramasamy by their own will, and were asked to sign an empty Paper as an agreement, said some residents!

On the 13.08.09 the bailiff has produced one agreement which has been hand written and the villagers were asked to sign the paper, but non of the villagers has signed the paper and only 3 members from the Makkal Sakthi political Party has signed the paper, including its leader Thananthiren.

Lawyer Darshan said that all the Land Transaction will be freezed at the first week of his nomination as the Chief Minister, but nothing has been utilised so far, and he also said that all land as the Lease Hold will be converted to Free hold! Not even one land has been converted so far by Lim Guan Eng!

100 Gangsters from Chong Nam Gangsters has assaulted the villagers on the 13th Aug 2009. it has been assured by the Villagers whom recognised them and willing to be sued if they are wrong!

Lawyer Darshan also added that there is an agreement between Nusmetro Ventures and the Koperasi pegawai pegawai kerajaan Pulau Pinang but the state government or any one of them refused to produce the agreement to the the villagers Lawyer.

Linked house 2storey building has been signed by only 6 resident in an invalid agreement and 4 of them has signed a blank paper at the Ramasamy's office, by residents!

RSN Rayer! The Best Adun In Malaysia!

This is to announce that RSN Rayer has been awarded as the Best Adun In Malaysia by Kg.Buah Pala Villagers and the surrounding area which has the same time zone.

This award was presented to him on few merits ;

1. he was not here for the people under his constituency, at the time they suffer!

2. Giving press statement without even accessing the exact condition that is going here in Kg.Buah Pala.

3. Never even once visited the village from the time I came here on the 12.08.09.

4. Not answering the phone calls from the villagers

5.The Ungrateful Adun of the year.

You are the worse Adun that I have seen in Malaysia! You are just staying less that 1.5KM from Kg.buah Pala but did not even come and visit the Villagers for the past 8month. He is the Adun for the Family and his wife and not for the people who voted for them!! Koy Kah Hwa, former Delima Assemblyman has visited the villagers more than any other Aduns here, he is the one who stated that the soil test results made in Kg.Pala is not suitable for the High Rise Building development! He was concern about the villagers more than RSN Rayer!

Kg Buah Pala just won't leave us alone

Source: Anilnetto.com

It’s like a bad dream… but it’s more than that. At least with a nightmare, we can soon forget about it. But no matter how hard we try, Kg Buah Pala won’t go away. When an injustice has been perpetrated, it will fester like an open sore, causing the entire body pain and anguish. In our anguish, the questions linger:

Why is it taking so long for the MACC to carry out its investigations after several reports have been lodged?

What is the outcome of the probe into the land deal by the Penang state government’s investigative committee?

Why are Koh Tsu Koon, his former deputies and those in charge of land deals back then not shedding more light into this fiasco? Why was prime land sold for peanuts?

Why is Mohd Faridz Karim, the main shareholder of Asia Link-up Sdn Bhd (the parent company of Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd) keeping very quiet?

How was MPPP permission given before the land title was registered in the name of the Koperasi?

Why is the Koperasi proceeding with its condo development plan with Nusmetro when there is a restriction on the temporary land title forbidding any transactions?

P Gunasegaram, managing editor of Star Biz, raises five other important questions here.

Kg Buah Pala is not just another village. It is also a symbol of what the rest of us have largely lost in the concrete jungles of our age. Here’s a reflection I wrote for Aliran:

Yesterday’s (13 Aug) unsuccessful demolition of Kg Buah Pala revealed how strongly the villagers feel for their homes and the affinity they have for the land.

Women, men and children marched up to confront grunting bulldozers and a menacing demolition team backed by red-helmeted riot police. The developer and his team were clearly taken aback by the resilience and determination the villagers displayed in defending their homes. Full article here.

Nusmetro & Malaysiakini are now LGE’s buddies in the Kg Buah Pala issue

Watching the video on “Nusmetro speaks” on Malaysiakini, I wonder
whether the script writers for both LGE and Thomas Chan are the same
person. What is even more disgusting is the reporter from Malaysiakini
has already decided $500,000 is the “durian runtuh’ for those
residents.

Wah!! Since when have reporters become property appraisers or has it
been decided that the residents are just about $$$$ although they have
time and time stated they would rather preserve their way of life?

Aren’t reporters supposed to be objective in their personal views? It
must be happening only in Penang and in particular in Kg Buah Pala.
When the world braces itself with world recession and depreciation of
properties, only in Penang and more so in Kg Buah Pala that land is
valued at $357.14 per sq foot even without the building being there.

At this current stage I am beginning to doubt the credibility of some
of Malaysiakini’s citizen journalists as they seem to be biased in
their thoughts by making their own subjective minds as opposed to the
neutrality that is expected from them.

Look at the questions posed by the reporters; it seems so dictated and
in tune with what has been reported to create a negative perception on
the Kg Buah Pala residents to ensure that LGE’s government who is in
cohorts with the Developer are supposedly doing the right thing.

Where are the questions such as how can you launch your project and
conduct sales even before it was approved, how come your brochure
stated over 1,000 sq feet but in the S&P it is only 700 sq feet, why
hasn't the Joint Venture agreement with the Koperasi been made public,
why have so many banks refused to finance the prospective purchasers,
what are the sale figures and how many purchasers have cancelled their
purchase. I could go on and on and bore you. Where are the objective
questions that are there to gauge public sentiments rather than
helping to blow the trumpet for LGE and Nusmetro?

If you are objective in your mind, you will notice that all
Malaysiakini's questions seem to be tailored to fit the agenda and
that is disappointing. What difference is there between the UMNO run
media and those media that is supposed to unearth the truth in an
objective manner? I would rather stick to MT in this issue.

To be precise - is this another propaganda scam by the LGE government,
this time with the assistance of the Developer and Malaysiakini to
blemish those Kg Buah Pala residents?

The sad path of the whole affair, at least in the media's mind, is
that nobody seems to address the plight of the Kg Buah Pala residents
but only how the media can swing the whole thing mainly through
reporters who fail to be objective in their reports for reasons known
best to them.

Whatever that has been said and done, I respect the resilience of the
Kg Buah Pala residents to right a wrong for they have been the victim
of both the previous government and the current government on false
hopes.

I just wish we the general public can unite and be as resilient as
they are as they fight a cause for what is just and fair whether it is
BN or Pakatan. Our thoughts and actions should actually reinforce our
strength rather than hinging on someone else or on false propaganda
that we are so used to.

You want to reach me, do so at wongmunchee@gmail.com

Hindraf still a force for Indians, says Waytha - Malaysiakini

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) became a household name in Malaysian socio-political activism when it organised a mammoth rally in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Tens of thousands took part in the rally on Nov 25, 2007, which turned out to be biggest street protest by Malaysian Indians to demand for their rights.

The rally was a watershed moment for Indians in Malaysia. It changed the mindset of the ethnic Indian minority community in the country.

It shattered the community's hiterto, undivided loyalty and allegiance to the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional coalition.

The arrests of P Uthayakumar, T Vasanthakumar and M Manoharan, V Ganabatirau and R Kengadharan under the Internal Security Act further alienated the community from the ruling coalition.

The Hindraf rally was instrumental in triggering the political tsunami of March 8, 2008 that dramatically changed the Malaysian political landscape.

Despite the Umno-led federal government's relentless efforts to break up Hindraf, the movement survived the turbulent period and is still going strong.

The current Kampung Buah Pala 'High Chaparral' crisis is testimony to Hindraf's resilience, relevance and prominence among Indians in the country.

Hindraf still calling the shots

The movement is perceived as the only Indian-based human rights group capable of standing up to the injustices meted out on the community. The government banned the movement in October last year, and its leaders detained without trial in Kamunting in late 2007.

How did Hindraf manged to stay relevant and continue to call the shots in the Malaysian socio-political scene?

It can be attributed to one man, P Waythamoorthy (above), the Hindraf chairperson who is under political asylum in London.

Waythamoorthy left the country on Nov 28, three days after the Nov 25 rally, first to India then to London.

His Malaysian passport was revoked by the Putrajaya administration in April 2008.

Contrary to rumours, Waythamoorthy is living a simple lifestyle and is dependent on financial support from his wife and contributions from well wishers in Malaysia and London

His cubical-sized rented room in London's suburbs is not one not to envied. He uses London's efficient rail transport service to travel and goes for the cheapest meals available at fast food outlets.

Waythamoorthy recently underwent surgeries for a peculiar heart condition.

He has recovered remarkably and is determined to continue his fight for the rights of Indians and the downtrodden back home.

One man, one vote

Among the matters to be decided at the special Umno assembly in October will be whether some 60,000 members at the divisional level, as opposed to 2,500 delegates, or all Umno's three million members will be given the right to elect party leaders.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I have been writing about this matter for more than ten years. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has also been saying the same thing. Umno has to change. There are of course many changes needed in Umno. But the most crucial change of all is Umno needs to implement the ‘one man, one vote’ system.

Some may argue that what happens in Umno is an internal matter of the party. Non-Umno members should not interfere in Umno’s internal matters. That may be so for most issues. But not the issue of how it chooses its president. This is because Umno is not just choosing its president. Umno is also choosing the Prime Minister of Malaysia. He who becomes the Umno president invariably becomes the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The issue of how Umno chooses its president is therefore not just the business of Umno. It does not concern just the three million Umno members. It concerns 27.7 million Malaysians, almost 25 million who are not Umno members.

Currently, only 191 Malays decide who becomes the Umno president. So 191 Malays also decide who rules over 27.7 million Malaysians. This is not democracy. This is power being concentrated in the hands of a very few. This is worse than colonialism. This is worse than having a Monarchy system. This is even worse than having the army ruling over Malaysia. Only 191 Malays decide the fate of all of us.

As the present system goes, 20,000 Umno branches hold their annual meetings. These 20,000 branches then elect their delegates to the division meetings. Once all the 20,000 branches complete their annual meetings, the 191 division meetings are held.

At these 191 division meetings they choose their 2,500 delegates to the annual general assembly. They also nominate the candidates for the positions of president, deputy president, the three vice presidents and whatnot. The names nominated are those who the 191 division heads want.

If any member tries to nominate names outside this list, his or her nomination is blocked. Sometimes these ‘wayward’ members are even prevented from attending the division meetings so that no ‘outsiders’ can get nominated.

In other words, the 191 division meetings are ‘controlled’. Members not toeing the line are ‘locked out’ of the meeting. Names not ‘approved’ are blocked. Members have sometimes been served bankruptcy notices at midnight, just a few hours before the division meeting, to ensure they are disqualified from attending the meeting.

Rest assured democracy is not practiced at these division meetings. Only those whom the 191 division heads want to get nominated are nominated. No challengers will be allowed. Those nominated for the positions of president, deputy president, the three vice presidents and whatnot will be decided by these 191 Malays and woe to those who try to upset the equation.

The Umno party election is a farce. The three million Umno members have no say in who become the top national leaders. The 20,000 branches also do not have a say. The 191 divisions are no less excluded from the process. Only the 191 division heads have the power to decide on the top national leadership. This means only 191 Malays decide who becomes the prime minister of 27.7 million Malaysians.

So this is not about Umno. It is not an internal party matter of Umno. It is a matter than concerns all of us, 27.7 million Malaysians.

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

Persuading grassroots to accept changes
Zubaidah Abu Bakar, New Straits Times

In an attempt to forestall money politics by devolving party elections to the divisional level, Umno is facing objections among its grassroots, observes Zubaidah Abu Bakar

UMNO is about to tread a new path that should reduce, if not eliminate, money politics in internal elections.

The party's top leaders are ready to institute drastic reforms; they have understood the need to change, with an electorate tired of corruption. But the Umno ground appears yet to be convinced.

The party's grassroots may be an obstacle to such change. Urgency is lacking on the ground. Is this an indication that the grassroots do not realise that voters have changed?

When Umno's Bukit Mertajam division rejected the proposed amendments to the party constitution at its annual meeting last week, party watchers were not surprised. The division in Pakatan Rakyat-controlled Penang is known to be vocal, and it was not out of the ordinary for Bukit Mertajam chief Senator Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir to table a motion to reject the proposed amendments.

Musa said the amendments were being done in a hurried manner, and divisions should be given more detailed explanations as well as time to consider them.

This from the man who appalled the Umno general assembly earlier this year when he spoke against the party taking measures to curb money politics -- and at a time when the party was resounding with calls to address the malaise that had plagued it for decades.

But Musa was not alone -- there were delegates who nodded in agreement when he argued that the party was making a mistake in trying to curtail money politics, as this would show that Umno leaders were "ungrateful" to the members.

"Without money, how can the delegates come to Kuala Lumpur to attend the assembly?" Musa had asked. "Please look at where they are staying, some of them are sharing a room with seven or eight people."

When the 173 delegates from 38 branches in Musa's division unanimously rejected the amendments, which also included allowing more members to have a say in the election of supreme council members rather than limiting that say to some 2,500 delegates as at present, members of other divisions quietly agreed.

Some divisions that held their meetings also did not discuss the amendments, despite receiving notices explaining the draft proposals from the special committee on the Umno constitutional amendments.

The secretary of one division in Kelantan had glanced at the letter and left it at the division's office without revealing its contents to the division committee, dismissing it as just "one of those circulars".

He only took a second look after being alerted to the importance of the amendments by a committee member who had learned about the matter from colleagues from another state.

However, there are also divisions that have set up special committees to study the proposals.

Among the matters to be decided at the special Umno assembly in October will be whether some 60,000 members at the divisional level, as opposed to 2,500 delegates, or all Umno's three million members will be given the right to elect party leaders.

The aim, as party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak emphasises, is to ensure Umno will be more democratic and clean as a party that empowers its members to elect their leaders.

Umno wants to ensure it has an election system capable of shutting out money politics and other unhealthy activities. It wants leaders elected to party posts to be clean and acceptable to the people.

There are serious doubts among Malaysians over the Umno disciplinary board's determination to tackle money politics, while allegations of selective prosecution abound.

The opposition's allegations of corrupt practices in Umno cannot be brushed aside; they are Umno's enemy and will harp on corruption issues until the nation goes to the next general election.

Voters in the last general election showed they loathe corruption and will now reject candidates who are corrupt or perceived to be corrupt.

The Malays now are no longer exclusively for Umno, as evident in the loads of young people who turned up at the anti-ISA rally early this month --- the Malays who participated in the anti-government march were either supporters of Pas, another Malay-based party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a Malay-based party with a multi-ethnic platform, or apolitical.

As Umno cannot afford to lose the Malay ground, it has become inevitable for the party to consider radical steps to revitalise itself. With members' support, the party could rebound as it did after being declared illegal in 1988. Many took the court's ruling then as a sure sign of Umno's eventual demise, but that did not happen.

Umno leaders are now committed to tightening the party's election process. This has to be done if it is to woo runaways back to the fold and gain new support among young Malays. Giving more members the right to choose their top leadership would recognise that the real power in the party is at the grassroots.

It will also have a direct bearing on the nation as, by convention, the president and deputy president of Umno are also Malaysia's prime minister and deputy prime minister respectively. - 14 August 2009

Umno Youth says PAS stands for DAP, not Islam

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

Khairy launching into attack mode at the ceramah in Shah Alam last night. - Pictures by Jack Ooi

SHAH ALAM, Aug 15 – Umno Youth stepped up its attacks against the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government, accusing PAS of abandoning its Islamic ideology, and of becoming so liberal that “pork would soon be sold openly on the streets here.”

PAS’s Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partner DAP was portrayed as the enemy of Islam and the Malays, and the Islamist party was chastised for bending to the will of the Chinese-dominated party, before a gathering of more than 1,000 mostly Malay residents here

The vitriolic attacks against PR by Umno Youth leaders at last night’s rally here suggests the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin is determined to continue its hardline racial rhetoric to create a siege mentality among the Malays to unite behind them.

Taking the cue from deputy party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent remarks, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin also called Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a traitor to the Malays.

Lokman Adam making allegations against PAS and PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over their efforts for greater unity with Malaysia's non-Muslim population.

He challenged the former deputy prime minister to sue all 750,000 members of Umno Youth whom he said supported Muhyiddin’s statement that Anwar was a traitor.

Others who spoke at the rally took aim at PAS.

“PAS used to fight for Islam but now they have become liberal,” Umno Youth exco member Lokman Adam told the crowd.

The founding member of PKR also questioned why the Shah Alam Municipal Council (MBSA) now controlled by PR did not revoke the license for Carlsberg brewery to operate in the district.

“When PAS wanted to ban alcohol, they did not refer to the Quran or the Sunnah, but they referred the matter to DAP,” said Lokman.

Earlier, a member of the movement’s orator team led by Lokman, started the rally declaring that voter support for PAS had only strengthened DAP.

“A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP. Don’t think that a vote for PAS is a vote for Islam. It did not happen in Penang, or in Selangor. Instead Islam has been insulted,” he said.

Watched by his chief, an Umno Youth protester putting his signature on the vitriolic campaign against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Selangor Umno Youth chief Suhaimi Ghazali complained that vice activities had become more rampant under the PR leadership.

“Maybe one day pork will be sold openly in Shah Alam,” said Suhaimi.

Should Pakatan Rakyat agree to disagree?

By Hussein Hamid

There is much talk these days of internal strife within Pakatan Rakyat. These talk generally comes from people who does and does not matter. (Lest I upset anybody–put yourself where you think you deserve to be). They make their comments from information based on what crumbs they obtained from government control media, talk in the kedai kopi and hastily scribbled messages over the net (careful here brother and sisters–the SB is looking over your shoulder!) Let us be clear on a few things.

PR is a coalition that celebrates diversity – in religious, racial and political beliefs. What do you expect? We have a past UMNO President that left the party until what he perceived were wrongs was made right. Do you think this past President and the past PM before Najib would ever be able to sit and converse in a civil manner? No they will not be able to. Do you think the past UMNO Ketua Wanita and the current Ketua Wanita would be able to sit and chat over a teh tarik. No they cannot. We are talking about a party established over 50 years ago having problems at the highest level – out in the open for all to see.

Why have there not been problems between UMNO, MIC, and MCA? At least to the naked eye we see no hostility between these parties. I will tell you why. MCA and MIC are without meaningful representations within Barisan. Like sheep they follow the herd. If there dare to dissent they will be sent to the corner complete with a “DUNCE” cap on their head…and then there is detention class if there is more dissent. You have that ridiculous situation of MIC preventing a deserved entry by IPF into Barisan simply because that Samy son of Velu (not MIC per se but Samy Velu in his individual capacity) said “NO”. And he continued to say “NO” until realizing that Pandithan was no longer a threat because he had not too long to live – he then said something to the effect of “Let us bury the hatchet”…yes we will right into your back!

In as far as MCA is concern – they have their hands in the Nation’s pocket as deep as UMNO. Birds of a feather ……need I say more?

In PR they call a durian a durian. Of course it is difficult for PAS to work with DAP. Hell PAS cannot work even with UMNO – their previous partners in the years gone by. PAS are Malays. UMNO are Malays. PAS are Muslims. UMNO are Muslims. So what is the problem? They cannot see eye to eye on too many issues and for these Malays and Muslims to sit together and discuss matters relating to their race and their religion is almost impossible. Not even (as UMNO has so often pleaded) for their own vested interests or Malay unity.

So where does that put DAP and PAS in the scheme of things. Will there ever be consensus on what will arise in the governing of our country? There will be times when there is consensus and times when that is impossible to achieve. What matter, and this have been proven over time, what matters is the willingness to talk to each other openly, agree to disagree and then together with Keadilan – come to a consensus on what needs to be done and what can be done taking into consideration each other’s point of view and the realities of a multi ethnic situation. In as long as they are able to do so – and they have been able to do so – then the goodwill and trust generated through the last election will flow on to the next. What will come after that is for time to tell.

Realistically dissent and disagreement on many issues will from time to time dominate this coalition. At times in the heat of the moment there will be need for our leader to take the wisest course of action – step back and allow for tempers and personalities to cool down – then in a calm and focus manner – sit down to work out what is possible and acceptable to PR and the people.

If we think this through carefully we will need to acknowledge the possibility of disagreement on many issues and make space and functionality adequate to allow for time and common sense to be the decider of any disputes – that agreeing to disagree amongst ourselves should be the solution and not be part of the problem. That we will agree to disagree to ensure that in consultation with each other, we will hope to find solutions to the problems we have and move forward upon settling them

What we need to fear is an attempt by PR leadership / decision-making process to emulate the situation in UMNO/Barisan. That no dissent is good news – until you lose 4 states as Barisan did, until you lose a sitting PM as UMNO has, until you have forces within UMNO that can no longer be silent, then all hell break lose after the fact. It’s to late.

So let there be healthy dissent within the coalition of the willing against a coalition of desperate people. Let us move forward and accept that healthy dissent is good. That strife within Pakatan Rakyat is a given fact of life. Let us agree to disagree and move forward.

Who wants a united Malaysia?

By Jacqueline Ann Surin
thenutgraph.com

TM ad as featured in Berita Harian, August 2009 I DON'T know about anyone else, but I'm confused about whether our political leaders, from both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), really want national unity as they claim.

Predictably, ever since the prime minister announced the ideals of 1Malaysia, we've had a spate of government announcements and corporate advertisements extolling the virtues of the 1Malaysia brand of unity. But long before the BN lost ground in March 2008 and dreamt up 1Malaysia, the opposition parties and civil society had already been talking about the need for a Malaysia that recognised merit and need, rather than race.

Still, the actions of some parties within both the BN and the PR coalitions have repeatedly been inconsistent with the principles that ensure national unity and mutual respect for one another's cultures and rights. More alarmingly, since the March 2008 elections, these parties — notably Umno and PAS — have actually demonstrated a willingness and the intention to negate equal rights for all Malaysians.

In the BN corner

On 8 Aug 2009, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir was quoted as saying that Malaysians should not be required to state their race in forms except where required to gain special bumiputera privileges.

"I would highly encourage that such columns for race be removed [from these forms]. This is in line with the 1Malaysia concept," he said after delivering a talk in Nibong Tebal.

MukhrizThe statement by the deputy international trade and industries minister, who is also Umno Youth exco member, is revealing. It tells us that maintaining artificial racial categorisations serves one purpose. It helps the BN government, especially Umno, uphold the privileging of one racial community over others, not based on need, but on arbitrary constructions of racial identity.

Compare Mukhriz's suggestion with that of Project Irrelevant, a civil society initiative that urges Malaysians to answer "Bangsa Malaysia" when asked what race they were. Blogger and human rights activist Haris Ibrahim says that when Malaysians are asked to fill in their race and religion, the impact is actually one of "dividing and 'communalising'" Malaysians.

So what is Mukriz's proposal all about, then? His message about 1Malaysia is this: yes, we can have a united Malaysia, but only if one group of citizens is privileged over others based on the colonial definitions of what constitutes a particular race. Why should race be unimportant to Mukhriz except in situations involving special bumiputera privileges? Because Mukhriz's — and by extension, Umno's — 1Malaysia actually wants to continue keeping the different communities divided over opportunities, privileges and rights.

Mind you, he isn't the only Umno leader who has been quick to adopt the slogan "1Malaysia" for the purposes of appearing to want national unity. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, for one, was quoted as saying that he, like his grandfather Datuk Onn Jaafar, dreams of a united Malaysia. "I continue to dream of a united Malaysia and I continue to hold on to that dream," he told a Melbourne Umno Club seminar titled Racial integration and its challenges in the Australian city on 9 Aug 2009.

Hishammuddin (File pic courtesy of
theSun)This former Umno Youth chief was the same politician who raised and waved the keris at both the 2006 and 2007 Umno general assembly in stubborn denial and rejection of other communities' fears. Indeed, it would be safe to say that if not for the March 2008 trouncing by the electorate, Hishammuddin and other Umno Youth members would have continued to assert their brand of Malay supremacy.

And so, should we believe the new home minister when he asserts today that having a united Malaysia "is a [topic] that is very close to me personally" because he is the grandson of Onn, who wanted to open Umno to all races?

In both these examples, glib is what comes to mind when politicians' claims are so clearly unsupported by their actions.

In the PR corner

Unfortunately for the electorate, the performance of some PR leaders hasn't been that inspiring either. One classic example has been how Selangor PAS tried to push for the ban of alcohol sales in Muslim-majority areas in the state.

The whole of Malaysia, as it has already been pointed out by others, is a Muslim-majority area. By suggesting that Islamic prohibitions should inform public policy in Muslim-majority areas, isn't Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hassan Ali actually saying that Muslims have more rights than non-Muslims in such areas?

If we are to follow Hassan's logic, what he really wants is for Muslim rights (the different interpretations about alcohol consumption aside) to take precedence over non-Muslims'. And it wouldn't just be in Selangor, since Muslims make up more than 60% of the nation's population.

If it were Hassan and PAS in power today, what would non-Muslims have to give up next in Malaysia? It is not unfathomable that pork sales and keeping pet dogs would also be banned in the interest of the majority.

Why unite?

(Pic by ba1969 / sxc.hu) To be fair, the same can also be said about Umno. After all, pork consumption and having pet dogs have all been made into "sensitive" issues under Umno rule as well.

Hassan may be couching the banning of alcohol as the need to "respect Muslim sensitivities", just as Umno often defends and promotes "Malay Muslim sensitivities"; but we need to be aware of the principle underlying such rhetoric. What both Umno and PAS are saying is: in Malaysia, Malay Muslim rights will always be more legitimate and will always override non-Malay, non-Muslim rights. Why? Because they are the majority, while the rest of us the minority.

Is it any wonder then that both parties continue to flirt with each other over the idea of a unity government that would unite Malay Malaysian Muslims into an impregnable majority?

How does denying equal rights to minority groups of citizens promote national unity? How can Malaysians feel that they are 1Malaysia or Bangsa Malaysia or whatever else the slogan may be if some are made to feel that they need to constantly defer to the "sensitivities" of the majority?

In any relationship, it is hard to remain loyal and committed if one is constantly made to feel less important and less valued than the other. But more than that, it is hard to feel united as Malaysians if one group is constantly made to feel like it is on the brink of offending another. Indeed, happy relationships are not born from being subjected to inequality and manufactured "sensitivities".

But inequality is exactly what Umno and PAS are offering the rakyat, no matter what the branding. Only fools would settle for anything less than equality. And one can only hope that Malaysia isn't a nation of fools.

Segera Pastikan Negara Keluar Dari Kemelesetan

Angka dan data yang diumumkan semalam menunjukkan Hong Kong mulai keluar dari bahana kemelesetan. Susulan dari perkembangan baik ini, Pentadbiran Hong Kong akan menyemak semula unjuran Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar sebelumnya yang menjangkakan kemerosotan di antara 5.5 % dan 6.5%.

Memerhati laporan perkembangan ekonomi serantau, ternyata ada berita baik di kalangan negara jiran. Singapura dan Korea Selatan misalnya, secara teknikal, boleh dikira berada dalam fasa selesa. Malahan menurut Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, Indonesia juga memperlihatkan perkembangan positif.

Perkembangan ini membuatkan beberapa persoalan menerjah minda saya. Ada berita baik untuk rakyat Malaysia dari pentadbiran yang acap kali mewar warkan perkataan pencapaian? Sudah tentu pelbagai janji ditabur dengan harapan kegusaran rakyat dapat dileburkan.

Hakikatnya ekspot negara kita merosot sekitar 25%-30%. Dan lebih memburukkan keadaan, tiadanya perubahan sistem dan polisi. Skandal PKFZ, tercalarnya imej SPRM, keganasan polis di perhimpunan aman dan propaganda sentimen perkauman sempit pastinya tidak membantu negara kita keluar dari kemelesetan. Moga bulan kemerdekaan ini menyedarkan pimpinan umno-bn untuk segera melakukan sesuatu yang munasabah demi menyelamatkan negara. Jangan khianati amanah rakyat kerana itulah patriotisme sejati.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Kg.Buah Pala 1Million USD each!

Basically there were no sensible offer made by Nusmetro or anyone! No cash money or in any term or value has been promised to the Villagers! as claimed by some party in the value of 500K or 200K... No such thing! First of all why must Nusmetro prepare an agreement for the villagers? Nusmetro is not the land owner and they are not the developer for the villagers since no one from this village has bought any properties from them!

Lets look at the Invalid agreement letter prepared for the villagers by Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd. A signed letter without a valid company stamp and Name signed under the name of Pengarah. Have anyone of you seen an agreement without a valid name and details on the signee and without legal stamp on any agreement letter?

Details on the agreement stated; Tuan Tanah (Land Owner) stated as Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Berhad joint venture with Nusmetro to develop Kg.Buah Pala and the land beneficial rights given by Penang State Government. Where was the so called Land Owner during the Demolition Riot on the 13.08.09?

Why were they not present at the scene? Only police and the developer's boss and the demolition team were present at the scene, do they has anything to do with the villagers?

In the agreement it is also stated that the agreement is based on Humanitarian and Ex-Gratia grounds. Only if : The Villagers clears the Land to give way to the development; and if they widraw all the Legal Actions taken against them; and there can't be any legal action taken against them or the project in the future! This is the trick and Trap!

No legal action can be taken against Nusmetro or anyone or anything relating the project and land! 2storey house to be build for each of the houses demolished in the village. The houses to be built on a ground decided by the developer (Nusmetro). Ok, lets discuss about this matter now, 2storey house? wooden house? box house? what material to be used to build the house? no detail has been stated in the agreement! How if the house is built with a plywood?and when will be the project completed? in 2years? 10years? 100years? which is not stated too, what will this villagers do for such a long time, renting in a place until the project is completed? Who will pay their rental? can they sue the developer in the court? No way!! because they have signed this agreement, and no legal action can be taken on any matter relating to this matter! can u see the trick here? What will be the quality and value of the house? It is not stated in the agreement too! Where will the house built? in Johor? Indonesia? or South Africa? because it is also not stated in the agrement about the location! Once the villagers sign this agreement they are bound to the rules that their house can be demolished at anytime, it could be right the next day after signing!

One more shocking fact in the agreement is, if in any case; the project is halted, stopped or any approval relating to this project is disapproved or unapproved; or if the state government or the Local Council or any related authorities, did not approve any matter relating to this project, the agreement is considered CANCELLED and INVALID! That means if this village has been demolished and the new project is stopped halfway or if there is any problem related to any problem from any authority or any formalities, then the dream of getting the 2storey house will be building castle in the air! Now Judge for yourself! Will you sign an agreement that sounds exactly like what I explained? Are these people in Kg.Buah Pala making any ridiculous demands? Who is paying them 200K? 500K? ask them to come forward and meet me or any of the villagers, we will be happy!

Rwindraj@Cryingvoices!

Live from Kg.Buah Pala!

Suhakam inquiry into lawyers' arrest begins

RM250,000 for a Negeri Sembilan Datukship

In 2004, Malaysia Today wrote two articles about how for RM250,000 you could buy a Datukship from Negeri Sembilan. The Negeri Palace subsequently made a police report against me and the police came to my house to confiscate my computer. I was also orderd to report to Bukit Aman for interrogation. I challenged the police to charge me in court where I would reveal my evidence of Datukships being sold for RM250,000. They decided to drop the charges, just in case.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Also read: The Chinese penchant for Datukships

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'I was awarded datukship in 1991'

Malaysian Mirror, 14 August 2009

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president Joshua Peter Tan finally cleared the air over his datukship when he produced documents to prove that he had indeed been awarded a Negri Sembilan datukship in 1991.

At a media conference yesterday, Tan produced the papers, including the list of prominent people in Negri Sembilan who received awards up to the year 2001/2002 which included his name as one of the recipients of the Darjah Dato’ Setia Negeri Sembilan (DSNS) award which bears the title “Datuk”. (Right - Star image)

According to the Star, Tan also said he went to the Negri Sembilan state secretariat yesterday to meet the officer who issued the July 15 letter which stated that he was never bestowed a datukship.

According to him, the secretariat said they had made a technical error.

Blame detractors in Matta

“The letter was made based on the fact that they looked into their files and did not find anything about me in the past seven years. They did not go further to search documents dated 20 years back,” he said.

Tan also showed reporters present, a framed letter issued by the state secretariat dated July 4, 1991 which showed the conferment of his title and a photograph of the inauguration ceremony.

However, he did not put the blame on the state secretariat but lashed out at the group of 16 Matta members whom he felt were out to topple him from his presidency.

Last week, a newspaper queried Tan on his title, which he claimed was from the Negri Sembilan state government and that he had the letter to verify it.

The authenticity of Tan’s position as Matta president was also being questioned after it was alleged that the association’s membership rolls used in the June 27 annual general meeting and elections were tainted with dubious members.

It resulted in a split in Matta’s leadership with Tan maintaining that he was the rightful president until the Registrar of Societies completed its investigations into the matter.

RTM reporter does not know who Karpal is

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — RTM reporter Eliana Mazlan admitted that she does not know which party Karpal Singh belongs to during his sedition trial in the High Court today.

She also does not know who Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is and only described him as the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Eliana, the prosecution’s second witness, was subjected to a rigorous cross-examination by defence counsel Jagdeep Singh, and appeared rattled by the lawyer’s questions on the third day of Karpal‘s sedition trial.

She could not identify the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat and was taught a history lesson by Jagdeep on what transpired in the 2008 general election.

Eliana was also unable to show a clear understanding of Jagdeep’s questions on the transcript of the tape recording during Karpal’s press conference on Feb 6 this year.

The 26-year-old reporter had only been on the job for two months on the day of the press conference and her testimony is crucial to the introduction of an RTM video recording of Karpal’s statement to the press.

By questioning her understanding of what transpired during Karpal's press conference, the defence is attempting to prove she is an unreliable witness.

The DAP chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP was charged on March 17 with sedition, under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948, for saying that Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin's removal as Perak mentri besar by Sultan Azlan Shah could be questioned in a court of law.

Karpal is further accused of several other seditious statements related to the entire Perak constitutional crisis which began two months ago.

He is accused of committing the offence during a press conference at his law firm here on Feb 6.

During cross-examination, Jagdeep decided to use the video after Eliana failed to answer several questions based on the transcript.

Jagdeep: Do you understand the meaning of ultra vires?

Eliana: I am not sure.

Jagdeep: So you don’t understand or not sure?

Eliana replied that she understood and the defence counsel asked the reporter to define the term.

Eliana: Actions that are above the law.

The defence counsel then asked her if she believes that definition provided by her colleague was correct.

Eliana: I am not sure.

Jagdeep: So it might be right?

Eliana: It might be right, it might be wrong.

On Wednesday, Utusan Malaysia reporter Mohd Nizam Mohd Yatim told the High Court that he thought the phrase “ultra vires” contained in a press release issued by Karpal meant the DAP man was insulting the Perak Sultan.

The defence counsel then referred to the video and asked the reporter if she understood what was shown on the clip.

Eliana: Karpal said that he will sue the Sultan of Perak because the Sultan is not qualified to interfere.

Jagdeep then asked her if she really believed what she said until the reporter finally admitted that she was not sure and asked for the clip to be replayed.

“So you are not sure. This is serious, you cannot just give answers like that,” Jagdeep scolded.

Judicial Commissioner Azman Abdullah then accepted the reporter’s request for the clip to be replayed.

Jagdeep: So do you agree that in the clip Karpal Singh said that we will sue the Sultan together with the new state government as defendants if they persist.

Eliana: We could mean I.

Jagdeep: So what is we? Do you understand English? What is we? So do you agree that we is not I?

The reporter kept quiet.

Jagdeep: So do you agree that your understanding (of the word we) was a complete misunderstanding?

Eliana: I don’t know.

The defence counsel continued to argue that based on the video and its transcript, Karpal did not force his opinion and was only giving his view.

Karpal also explained in the transcript that if the Sultan does not agree with his opinion then the Sultan can refer to the Federal Court under Article 64 of the constitution for a judicial review on whether the three assemblymen were still members of the state assembly.

Jagdeep: Do you agree that Karpal repeated three times in the transcript that the Sultan can refer to Article 64?

Eliana: Agree.

During the prosecution's re-examination of the witness, the lead deputy public prosecutor Datuk Kamaludin Md Said asked if the reporter understood the supplementary case studies provided with the press release during the press conference.

Eliana: No, I didn’t read.

Kamaludin: Do you understand law?

Eliana: No, I do not understand.

The DPP began to read the case studies and asked the reporter if she agreed that what he read was part of the law.

Eliana: I am not sure.

The DPP then asked the reporter if Karpal read the case studies handouts during the press conference and she replied no.

The trial was then adjourned to Tuesday morning.

Great, now assure the rest of us, PAS - Haris Ibrahim

Malaysianinsider reports that PAS has assured its partners in the Pakatan Rakyat that it is committed to this loose political alliance, are in agreement with the other two component parties to form a common platform, the details of which are now in the hands of Zaid Ibrahim.

That report quotes a Pakatan leader who was present at the top-dogs meeting yesterday as saying that “PAS is committed but feels a need to bring up issues concerning Islam, but they acknowledged the need to articulate such issues better.”

Bring up issues touching on Islam, by all means.

Don’t, however, dictate who can and cannot respond to the points of view you raise.

And as you raise those issues, keep sight of lessons you ought to have learnt from the past.

Like, how you fell for Dr M’s needling in 2003, came out with your Islamic state blueprint, and got gazoomed in the 2004 GE.

We’re not naive to think that you’ve given up your aspiration to turn our country into an Islamic state, whatever that might mean, and whoever’s brand of Islam you have in mind.

We’ll respect your aspiration.

Please respect the aspiration of a great many of us to retain our nation as a secular state, as was clearly intended by the founding fathers.

And please, please, don’t join the ranks of some dishonest religionists who will want to equate ’secular’ with being ‘anti-God’.

You know we don’t mean that, so please distance yourselves from this falsehood.

YB Dr Zul’s assurance at a public forum about two years ago that PAS would never resort to unconstitutional means to achieve its aspiration to form an Islamic state was reassuring. Why not reiterate this?

It would go along way to assuage concerns in civil society given your Hassan Ali’s recent fiasco in Selangor and Husam Musa’s cock-up during his debate with Khairy some time back, just before the KT by-elections.

Your slogan reads “PAS for all”.

Time for you to reassure us that you mean what you say.

I had a quick chat with Zorro a little while ago about a tough decision that the Barisan Rakyat Bloggers must make.

Do we go down to Permatang Pasir for the by-election and, as we’ve done thus far, throw our every effort behind Pakatan Rakyat?

Do we sit out this by-election, to register our discontent and dissatisfaction with Pakatan Rakyat for a lot of the happenings and non-happenings?

Or do we proactively launch a sms campaign to register our unhappiness, go down to Permatang Pasir and share those grievances with the voters and outreach to the Kelab Penyokong PAS to do the same?

I just finished speaking with Zaid Ibrahim.

He has assured me that he is doing everything he can to get Pakatan Rakyat on track so that it is in sync with the aspirations of the rakyat.

All of the rakyat.

“Haris, things will only get better. I’ll stake my life on this”, he said.

I’ve known Zaid to be a gentleman who has always kept his word.

Just spoke to Zorro again.

We’re both going to sleep on this until Sunday morning.

PAS, a little assurance now would go a long way.