=0925HRS - THE BAILIFF AND THE VILLAGERS ARE NEGOTIATING ON THE TERMS IN THE RULE OF COURT AND THE POSSIBLE WAY TO RESOLVE THE METTER.
- SOME SUPPORTERS AND THE VILLAGE COMMITTEE IS DISCUSSING ON THE IDEAS GIVEN.
0925HRS - THE BAILIFF AND THE VILLAGERS ARE NEGOTIATING ON THE TERMS IN THE RULE OF COURT AND THE POSSIBLE WAY TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. - SOME SUPPORTERS AND THE VILLAGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE DISCUSSING ON THE IDEAS GIVEN.
0955HRS
- THE BAILIFF WANTS TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE NO.467 BUT THE OWNER IS NOT AROUND. SO THE VILLAGERS ARE DISCUSSING ON THE NEXT STEP.
DEVELOPER THOMAS CHAN CLAIMS THAT THE OWNER MR.SARAVANAN HAS SHIFTED AND TAKEN MONEY FROM HIM AND ASKED HIM TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE, THE KEY HAS BEEN PASSED TO HIM FOR DEMOLITION PURPOSE, CLAIMED THOMAS CHAN OF NUSMETRO.
- THE VILLAGERS HAS GIVEN THEM 2 OPTIONS, 1. TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE BY THE OWNER THEMSELF.
- ONLY 3 DEVELOPERS WORKERS ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PREMISES AND DEMOLISH THE HOUSE WITHOUT THE NUSMETRO GREEN UNIFORM.
- THE HOUSE OWNER WHO IS NO LONGER STAYING THERE LONG TIME AGO WAS LET TO BE DEMOLISHED BY THE DEVELOPER, ANYHOW NEWS IN STAR ONLINE STATED THAT THE OWNER HAS ACCEPTED THE COMPENSATION AND HANDED OVER THE KEYS IS MISLEADING, THE OWNER HAS DENIED THAT HE HAS RECEIVED THE COMPENSATION BUT HE HAS SOLD THE HOUSE TO SOMEONE ELSE.
*THE HOUSE HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED! DUE TO THE ZERO EFFECT TO THE VILLAGERS AND THE HOUSE IS NO LONGER SUITABLE FOR STAYING!
- POLICE HARRASSMENT IS STILL CLEARLY SEEN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPER, I WAS ALMOST ATTACKED BY GARY HO BUT POLICE HAS DEFENDED HIM AND DRAGGED ME AWAY FROM HIM BY PULLING MY SHIRT AND DAMAGED MY CAMERA. THE POLICE OFFICER THAT DRAGGED ME WAS OCS JELUTONG CHIEF INSPECTOR JAMALUDDIN.
- ANOTHER VILLAGER BY THE NAME OF S.RAGUBALAN WAS INJURED IN RIGHT DUE TO HARASSMENT BY THE POLICE OFFICER TOO.
- PEMUDA MIC WILL BE FILING A CASE AGAINST ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICER BY THE NAME OF AZMAN BECAUSE HE CALLED THE VILLAGERS OF BUAH PALA AS ANAK HARAM(BASTARDS).
Rwindraj@Cryingvoices
0903HRS - THE GANGSTERS ARE MORE THAN THE VILLAGERS AND SUPPORTERS, POLICE HAS SET UP ROAD BLOCK AT BOTH ENDS OF JLN KAKI BUKIT, SUPPORTERS CAN CONTACT ANY OF THE VILLAGERS FOR ALTERNATE ROUTE TO JOIN OUR STRUGGLE!
MR.SUGUMARAN AND MR.INDRAN THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE VILLAGERS ARE IN THE POLICE CABIN FOR A DISCUSSION(MATTER TO BE UPDATED SOON)
PLEASE COME NOW, LET YOUR CONTACTS KNOW ABOUT THIS HARRASSMENT AND ASK ALL OF THEM TO JOIN US! THE DEVELOPERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH PARANG(KNIFE) AND IRON RODS SUPPORTED BY THE POLICE... AGAIN.
BANGLADESHI ARE AMONG THE GANGSTER TEASING THE VILLAGERS!
0600HRS- ARRIVAL OF OUR SUPPORTERS
0739HRS- ARRIVAL OF POLICE PERSONNEL TO SET UP TEMPORARY POLICE POST
0745HRS- ARRIVAL OF DEMOLITION GANGSTERS
(TOP)THIS IS NORDIN THAT REPORTED AGAINST SUGUMARAN & STEPHEN
0800HRS -SUPPORTER FROM ALL WALK OF LIFE, POLITICIAN,NGO'S AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
Rwindraj@Cryingvoices
HINDRAF is not surprised that the Home Minister is in full support of
the group that paraded in public carrying a severed cow’s head and
issuing seditious statements to incite and inflame racial discord.
The Home minister condones to the residents’ action and rather plays
politics by passing the buck to the Selangor government for their
inability to resolve this matter.
Quote “If we don't give them room to voice their opinions, they have
no choice but to protest” he says.
HINDRAF have been voicing and sending thousands of memorandums to the
UMNO led BN government for resolutions, yet when we conduct peaceful
rallies carrying posters, flowers and candles, our supporters are
assaulted, charged and even detained under ISA.
Such double standard and fascist attitude by the Home Minister only
ascertains the fact that UMNO will never change its way or attempts to
change for the betterment of the public but is rather more interested
in maintaining its hegemony for those elite UMNO leaders and their
“mandores” in their alliance against the public’s interest.
The continuous fascist attitude taken by the UMNO leaders as seen by
the Home Minister’s endorsement of the inflammatory protest that took
place on August 28, 2009 will only further aggravate and alienate the
public further.
This kind of fascist act clearly will lead to an authoritarian
government leaning towards a totalitarian state as oppose to the false
democracy that is supposedly practiced in Malaysia.
HINDRAF urges MPs, their parties, NGO movements and the general public
to come together and act in unity in ensuring that such provocative
and inciting actions should not go undeterred for the fascist stand
that the UMNO government had taken in this incident.
Thank you.
P.Waythamoorthy
HINDRAF - Chairman
By I Love Malaysia
Those who believe Chua Soi Lek was expelled due to the sex DVD scandal also believe that Elvis is still alive and living out the remaining years of his life in Pangkor Laut Resort. No one, not even Ong Tee Kiat's inner circle, buy the idea. How could they? The sex scandal was just an inconvenient excuse Ong Tee Kiat had to fall back on to give his deputy the boot.
Jeyakumar chided the Umno vice-president for interfering in police investigations by talking to those suspected of carrying out the bigoted Hindu temple protest, as cows are sacred in Hinduism.
“We ask for him to step down or be sacked as minister of internal affairs as he has broken the trust placed in him by Malaysians,” the Selangor state executive councillor said in a statement.
He noted that Hishammuddin had met with “a group who has no respect for other Malaysians and worse still, defends them, forgetting that he is the Minster of Internal Affairs of all Malaysians”.
Hisham’s (centre) overt support for the protesters in the cow-head protest has Selangor Pakatan leaders calling for his head. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Other Pakatan Rakyat leaders have accused Umno of being behind the protest by Section 23 residents who are against the relocation of the 150-year-old Sri Mahamariamman temple from Section 19. The residents claim their area is a Malay-Muslim majority neighbourhood although the state says there is a significant presence of Hindus there.
In a sarcastic aside to the home minister, Jeyakumar said, “Hey — all you thieves, murderers, rapists, corrupt officials and whoever else can now turn to Hishammuddin before the Attorney-General decides what to do.”
He added that Hishammuddin had in the past “waved his keris inciting bloodshed, supported the arrest of lawyers who went to defend those detained by the police, arrested 580 people (this is a record) for standing up for their rights to protest against the ISA and now defends a group who is prepared to bring about racial unrest and bloodshed”.
“This shows that he has utter disrespect for the rule of law and uses his position and power for his own political gain,” he added.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday it was up to the Attorney-General and police to decide prosecution, brushing aside his cousin’s views of a possible solution that could prevent legal action.
Jeyakumar claims Hisham’s actions have eroded people’s faith in his as home minister. — Picture by Choo Choy May
By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider
GEORGE TOWN, Sept 3 — It’s become an all too familiar scene at Kampung Buah Pala: residents facing off with the demolition team sent to demolish the village.
More than 50 police personnel together with 30 demolition team members are standing by while 150 villagers have gathered, along with dozens of journalists.
Residents’ Association secretary J. Steven said, “They are here but we will resist them.”
Discussions were held between village heads, legal advisor, developer, and the court bailiff. The village heads have agreed with the developer to allow the demolition of three houses, whose occupants had already accepted compensation.
However, one of the three owners said he was not ready because his belongings were still in the house. It was then decided only two houses will be demolished today.
To preserve their dignity, the villagers are appealing to be allowed to dismantle the two houses themselves while the court bailiff later verifies the homes have been torn down.
A villager urged the media not to record the move as it was emotionally painful. The reporters present agreed.
Police were forced to intervene after a scuffle broke out between the developer and villagers, when demolition workers tried to enter the village to demolish the two houses.
MIC youth members who came to support the villagers were alleged to have pushed Nusmetro Ventures director Gary Ho during an argument.
Rajan had sent in a comment to this blog to ask if I would attend a Hindraf organised candle light vigil on 5th September.
I had responded to inquire which Hindraf was organising the vigil; the Hindraf for all marginalised anak Bangsa Malaysia or the Hindraf that only championed the cause of the marginalised anak Bangsa Malaysia of Indian origin?
I had then obviously not yet seen the Malaysiakini report, for if I had, I would not have posed the query.
I have been having frequent talks with Moorthy by phone and have been urging him to take a leap of faith and, as the leader of Hindraf, to join hands with other initiatives in civil society and collectively, fight for all marginalised anak Bangsa Malaysia.
I read Moorthy’s call as reported in Malaysiakini today as just that.
“Hindraf calls upon all peace-loving Malaysians, irrespective of colour, creed and race, and from all walks of life, to come together and join hands at the candlelight solidarity vigil…Let’s show the small groups of extremists everywhere that we are not cowed or intimidated by anyone…We, the majority, must not allow anyone to create a climate of fear and public insecurity. Our children and grandchildren are looking to us for leadership in these trying times.”
Moorthy, I hear your call and I thank you for the same.
Rajan, see you on the 5th.
By Lim Kit Siang,
Utterly incredible!
Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein as Home Minister has done the equivalent of wielding the keris at the Umno Youth General Assembly for three consecutive years as Umno Youth leader which had been accepted by Barisan Nasional leaders as a major factor in the political tsunami of the March 8 general election last year!
It would appear that Hishammuddin is determined to make another unforgettable contribution which would ensure that the uncompleted political changes in the political tsunami of the March 8 general last year could be fully accomplished in the next general elections.
Yesterday, Hishammuddin usurped the roles of the Attorney-General and the police to defend and justify last Friday’s cow-head demonstration in Shah Alam, totally insensitive to the insult and profanity of such an act of sacrilege to Hindus in the country.
It is sad and tragic that in his obsession to defend the Umno role in the cow-head demonstration and to further the Umno/Barisan Nasional agenda to weaken and topple the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government, Hishammuddin is oblivious that what he was discrediting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia motto by aggravating the polarization of Malaysians along both race and religion lines.
This is because Hishammuddin is demonstrating that what we have in Malaysia is not 1Malaysia but 2Malaysia – where there is one law for Umno and their supporters and another law for the rest.
Would any Malaysian wonder what would have been Hishammuddin’s reaction, based on his truculent and aggressive responses to peaceful protests against arbitrary police arrests or for the repeal of the Internal Security Act, if the act of sacrilege had been against Islam?
Hishammuddin is doing a great disservice to his portfolio as Home Minister when he tried to champion those responsible for the cow-head demonstration and made them into heroes when they had given Malaysia a “black-eye” in international society with the adverse world media reporting on the outrage.
Hishammuddin’s defence and championing of their cause will give Malaysia another international “black-eye”.
Can the Cabinet rein in Hishammuddin from another major blow to Najib’s five-month-old 1Malaysia policy?
Are the MCA factions of Ong and Chua, the MIC factions as well as the Gerakan, capable of temporarily burying their hatchets to unite to convene a Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting to deplore Hishammuddin’s defence and justification of the cowhead demonstration and to demand that Umno politics must not be allowed to intrude and prevent the law from taking its rightful course or to discredit Najib’s 1Malaysia policy?
By Zedeck Siew
thenutgraph.com
"MALAYSIAN society is faced with a collision of values," says new Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) president Muhamad Razak Idris. "There are two elements in this conflict. First, the rise of commitment to living according to Islamic religious values. Second, the increasing influence of liberal ideas, due to globalisation."
Razak, a lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)'s Islamic Studies faculty, believes that Abim's role in Malaysia today is to be a mediator between these two sides. "We hope to begin a process of reconciliation between these two values," he explains.
Abim was founded in UKM in 1971. Out of its ranks have come numerous Malaysian leaders, most famous of which is Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. While it isn't the only significant Muslim organisation today — Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) springs to mind — Abim is still in a position to affect the nation's direction.
Before the 28 Aug 2009 cow-head protest by a group of Muslim men in Shah Alam, The Nut Graph sat down with Razak on 19 Aug to find out Abim's stand on the bigger issues of Islam in a multi-cultural Malaysia. Razak also talks about why he's in Abim and what he means by "moderate Islam".
TNG: You have been involved with Islamic youth organisations for a while now; first, with Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM) when you were in university, and now with Abim. Why do you feel called to participate in Muslim and youth-oriented organisations?
Razak: I think that the place of Muslim youth in our nation is very important. Muslim youth are the majority in Malaysia. Today, this group is not only represented by Malay [Malaysians]. It also encompasses youth from Chinese and Indian [Malaysians], [and] the bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the Orang Asli. That is the result of a long process of Islamic proselytising.
So [Muslim youths] are very influential. They are a pillar on which Malaysia's future direction rests. They are our future leaders. If we can instil strength in this group, they will be able to contribute to society.
This is one of the factors why I'm so active. And Abim is the most suitable avenue for me, personally, to participate [in].
You are Abim's new president. What role do you think it should play within Malaysia? What form of Islam would Abim represent?
Look at the history of Abim. It was founded on the effort to renew national systems in the framework of holistic Islam. We are moderates. Our roots are in the Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah, and our faith based on objective scholarship.
Abim believes that an understanding of Islam is capable of providing solutions to all aspects of life: society, the economy, politics. We don't see Islam as a personal thing: going to the mosque, and back. For Abim, a complete Muslim is someone who is active not only in the religious rituals, but also in improving society.
Islam is inclusive. Faith is one thing — but Islamic values, which are universal values, can be shared by everyone, including non-Muslims. Just take, for example, Islamic finance. Its benefits are not limited to Muslims.
A big concern, when it comes to values, is how these values get enforced. What are your thoughts on moral policing? Is it justifiable for the state to force its citizens to share [the same] moral standards?
The issue of moral policing must be seen holistically. It is an example of the clash between Islamic values and liberal values.
In a secular society, morals are individual; how you behave is part of your human rights, and so on. This attitude is growing today. But, for Islam, moral aspects are not only individual. They are also society's responsibility. Priority is given to "maslahah masyarakat" — social harmony. If there are any elements that can disturb this harmony, it is the responsibility of a society's authorities to correct it.
This is because, while an individual has personal rights, when you participate in society, you are part of society — and you must follow the rules and regulations of that society.
Take unrestricted mixing between the sexes, to the point that they contravene social norms — like kissing in public, or consuming alcohol. The public cannot accept such acts that go against their values.
So far, we are talking about actions in the public sphere. What about things like drinking or intimacy in private?
If it is in a private place, then this is one's personal right. However, even if that is the case, this doesn't mean we encourage such acts. Muslims should try to live by Islamic teaching, and Muslims in this country are bound by Islamic law that governs their behaviour.
So you would agree with empowering religious authorities to carry out raids into private spaces?
There are provisions in the religion that allow for preventive measures to be taken. Moral policing should be seen as a form of prevention.
The collision between Islam and other faiths in Malaysia is undeniable. This is best exemplified in the unilateral conversion of minors, as was seen in the Indira Gandhi case. What is Abim's stand on the issue?
Conversion is a legal matter that is quite convoluted. This problem has arisen because we inherited a legal system from colonial times. A way out has to be found.
As far as Abim is concerned, we are prepared to support any solution that is able to provide justice to all parties involved. That is the most important Islamic principle we need to fulfil.
You mention the legal aspects of Islam in Malaysia. We currently have two sets of laws: syariah law, under which Malaysian Muslims are bound, and civil law, which governs all Malaysians. Is this ideal?
It is time for one system of law. The source for this system should be syariah law, while still retaining the principles of civil law that do not conflict with syariah. The time has come, and there are signs that the process of harmonising the two has begun.
I want to emphasise that Abim believes that syariah law is inclusive, and capable of delivering justice to everyone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.
What are your plans for Abim, moving forward?
We will continue our efforts in educating and training youths in moderate Islam. We will also involve ourselves in efforts to reinforce fair democratic systems, and step up our political programmes to do this. One of our focuses is the development of Muslim women, to become a force to be reckoned with.
Most important is that we address the problems and social ills affecting youth at all levels. Drugs, crises of identity, a lack of direction in life. All these put them at risk.
Abim needs to provide them with alternatives. We want to focus on Muslim youth development, so that they can be citizens who are able to contribute to the country.Citing Subramaniam Vythilingam vs Suhakam and ORS (others), Munusamy said the investigation by Suhakam officers was referred to as an “interview”, which meant there was no requirement for authentication as this was done on a voluntary basis.
Kg.Buah Pala will be demolished no matter what, by the Developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Berhad.
They are threatening the villagers, that they will demolish the village no matter what it takes and they are not bothered about the consequences and the legal matters. We urge the supporters to be here in Kg.Buah Pala as early as 8.00am since there will be some distraction and roadblocks by Police at about 8.30 and above. The Villagers are still strong with and standing in the highest spirit to defend their heritage land!, from the legal point and humanitarian basis, we know that Kg.Buah Pala is a legal heritage site and the villagers are not given a chance to explain to the court in a full trial! Upto now they have not given a chance in the reason that they dont have locus standi! How can they have locus standi? The Land transaction was carried out during the application of the case in the court, and they loose locus standi there. I m putting it in the simple words. I am not bothered about the law and order and what the legal form says since there was nothing legally done, and full trial was not carried out in this case.
We are defending to the maximum and we are not allowing the Developer to even move one brick away from our house, no matter how much risk for us to face! According to the Developer and the state Government, there are about 11-13 of them has signed the agreement and they have agreed that they are receiving a compensation of RM8000.00 from DCM2 Ramasamy, but that news are a false, all the villagers are united and some of them signed that invalid document out of fear from the harrassment by the Developer's gangsters and the police.
We are a legal resident and we will not move out, we will fight for justice and will remain here until justice is served! We are not against anyone and we are not disturbing anybody, we just dont want to be disturbed and we dont want to be bullied by the Developer's gangster, the bangladeshis who work for the Developer's mastermind Thomas Chan and Gary Ho!
Who the hell are that Bangladeshis to come to malaysia to work as Labours and raped many women including school kids and now trying to be a gangsters and bullying the citizen of malaysia and our brother and sisters!
Rwindraj@Cryingvoices
Press Statements (original) :
Adakah developer telah memperolehi persetujuan atau restu dari Kerajaan Negeri
untuk merobohkan rumah rumah kami?
Kerajaan Negeri mengheboh hebohkan bahawa akta 116D telah siap dan akan difailkan
bila bila masa. Ini diberitahu sejak satu setengah bulan lalu. Akankah kerajaan
Negeri Kotakan janji janji mereka? Ini merupakan satu tipu helah oleh Kerajaan
negeri untuk menipu masyarakat Kg.Buah Pala atau seluruh masyarakat Pulau Pinang.
Kerajaan Negeri semalam, menawarkan RM8000.00 pampasan ex-gratiadan menyuruh penduduk
meningalkan Kampung ini. Selepas Perobohan, baru perbincangan akan dijalankan menurut
Prof.Ramasamy.
Salah satu daripada syarat dalam mesyuarat Exco lalu, telah diputuskan bahawa pampasan
pada penduduk kampung harus dibayar sebelum tanah ini dipindah milik.Ini adalah satu
skandal dilakukan oleh Kerakaan Negeri sekarang.
Dimana perginya janji-janji oleh DSAI sebelum pilihanraya, mengatakan kampung ini akan
dikekalkan sebagai kampung warisan India.
Walaupun kami sedang dalam perbincangan dengan pihak tertentu untuk menyelesaikan isu
kg.buah pala. Tetapi Pihak Pemaju dengan bantuan dari pihak kerajaan Negeri PP masih
meneruskan kerja pemilikan kosong.
Pelbagai perbincangan telah diadakan diantara pihak Kerajaan negeri dengan penduduk
penduduk Buah pala berkenaan pampasan, tetapi, segala yang disiarkan adalah bukan
perkara yang dipersetujui.
Surat tawaran yang diterima dari pemaju (Nusmetro) mempunyai kelebihan kepada pihak
pemaju dan bukan berpihak kepada penduduk penduduk Kg.Buah Pala. Dan tawaran yang
disebut diatas kertas itu tidak ada jaminannya. Pihak kerajaan Negeri Menyokong
surat tawaran itu. Apakah kepentingan kerajaan negeri diatas projek ini? kalau bukan
untuk Rakyat yang mengundinya dan menyokongnya sempena Pilihanraya.
covered up by the state gov. by manipulating news in the papers espc. The mandarin
papers.
more news soon....
2nd Sept 2009
Last Indian Heritage Village to be demolished tommorow morning at 8.00am! Calling all the good hearted people, any race and any background or any political belief. Please come forward and show your support to the poor and harassed victims. Call all the Pakatan Rakyat Indian MPs and ADUNs to come forward and look at this discrimination! Invite them to listen to the crying voices and enjoy the tears of this poor villagers!
Please call or sms the PR Leaders not to support the Demolition of Kg.Buah Pala.
CM Lim Guan Eng 012-6823338- caused the sufferings
DCM Ramasamy 019-3804022- caused the sufferings
Dato Seri'Anwar 017-2802211
Gobala Krishnan 016-4153737
Manika 016-2656911
Rayer 019-4132681- caused the sufferings
Mano 012-3005005
Sivanesan0193838896
Kula 012-5034346
P.Guna 012-3388440
Sivarasa 012-2138613
Sept 2nd 2009
Kg.Buah Pala to be demolished tommorow according to the our importing source, the villagers are not shaken and they want to face the discrimination and would like to fight for their rights not matter what it takes. Police has their own agenda, they want to arrest the main committee members in the reasons of criminal records which does not exist! The exercise started since 29th and 30th Aug 2009, when Sugumaran, Stephen and Tamaraj was arrested to the offences they did not commit.
Today Ramasamy has told to some the villagers that they will be given RM8000 for moving out and the rest of the agreement to be discussed after the Demolition! Why Dont he show them the agreement and let them sign it before the demolition? No Agreements has been offered to the villagers except this offer letter : http://cryingvoices.webs.com/apps/blog/show/1617282-nusmetro-agreement-to-the-villagers-.
Whatever perception the public has on the Kg.Buah Pala issues are based on the political angle and not in the view of Justice and Humanitarian. We have did whatever we could to save the Village and our rights, the rest leave we leave it to God to judge! and we will strive to uphold justice, said Villagers!
Money and political power and authority plays an important role in the determining the future of the poor and minorities!
Rwindraj@Cryingvoices
The Indonesians accuse Malaysia of stealing their song Terang Bulan and turning it into our national anthem, Negara Ku. The Indonesians are mistaken and should therefore apologise to Malaysia for pelting our embassy in Jakarta with rotten eggs. Malaysia actually stole the song from Hawaii, not Indonesia, and the original song is called Mamula Moon. It looks like the Indonesians also stole this song, just like Malaysia did.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 – In just under a week, a grassroots campaign to remove Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat as president of MCA has gathered sufficient quorum as required by the party constitution to convene an extraordinary general meeting.
The campaign was launched last Thursday just hours after Ong’s former deputy and bitter rival, Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek was sacked from the party by the presidential council for tainting the party image via a sex DVD scandal that was exposed two years ago.
The campaign for the EGM is also seeking to overturn the presidential council decision to sack Chua.
In a posting on his blog this evening, Chua said that the campaign has already collected more than 800 signatures, surpassing the minimum signature threshold required, despite initial forecasts that it would take two to three weeks to canvass the nation.
MCA’s constitution requires that at least one third of the party’s roughly 2,400 delegates must back the petition for an EGM to be convened.
“I must say that the response is overwhelming. I wish to thank the grassroots leader who wants to see justice and fair play as well as democracy in the party,” he said.
With the apparent show of grassroots support, it is almost certain that Chua’s supporters will ignore a call from the party secretary general to combine their EGM with one that Ong had himself called on Monday.
“Since we started the idea of the EGM first, it would be a better idea if the President could incorporate his resolution into our resolution. Our resolution is the reflection of the aspiration of the grassroots. The resolution for the EGM initiated by the President is still unknown. The grassroots’ wishes need to be respected if we want to restore democracy in the party,” said Chua.
Ong exercised his power as president to call an EGM to seek the approval from the party’s 2,400 delegates over Chua’s sacking as well as Ong’s leadership and handling of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.
With Chua’s supporters having the required number of signatures to convene their own EGM, the race is on to see who will be able to convene their EGM first.
Party secretary general Datuk Wong Foon Meng had yesterday tried to avert a two-EGM scenario, saying it would be a waste of the delegates time and headquarter resources, and gave Chua’s supporters till Friday to submit their agenda for incorporation into Ong’s EGM, which is scheduled to take place sometime before the end of the month.
When contacted, Datuk Theng Book, one of the leaders of the campaign to oust Ong, told The Malaysian Insider said that despite reaching the minimum number of signatures, the nationwide signature collection efforts will continue.
He also said that while he does not speak on Chua’s behalf, he does not plan to submit the EGM agenda to the party headquarters so that it can be incorporated into Ong’s EGM as directed by Wong.
“It’s not constitutional to impose a deadline on us,” he told The Malaysian Insider. “I advise him (Wong) not to confuse the members.”
Asked if he would still push for an EGM if Ong’s EGM goes ahead first, Theng said that they would.
“Even if they pass their resolutions, we can still overthrow it,” he said.
The two EGM scenario is symptomatic of a party split down the middle.
Chua evidently still commands significant grassroots support and has apparently won the backing of two ex-presidents as well as his former rival for deputy president, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
Ong, meanwhile, has the presidential council behind him and many of the central committee members as well.
Ong’s supporters say that Chua’s sacking was done in the best interest of the party while Chua’s supporters claim that Ong is being undemocratic for sacking a man who was voted deputy president by over 1,000 central delegates last year despite resigning from all party and government posts after his sex scandal was exposed.
Chua has also gone on the offensive and continued to attack Ong for allegedly politicising his ministry’s probe of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.
While his EGM agenda has not been finalised, Ong is expected to seek the approval of delegates over his handling of the troubled transshipment hub and Chua today alleged that Ong is attempting to gain political mileage from the investigation efforts.
“If the agenda is to endorse the investigation of the PKFZ, then this will be unprecedented. This is the case where the Minister brings his ministerial work and function to the political party for endorsement. It is like using a political party to do a referendum on the Minister’s responsibilities.
“One can then postulate that the PM Najib can bring policy statements to Umno and get it endorsed in the Umno EGM and tell the rakyat that whatever he’s doing is backed by Umno,” said Chua.
“One should not hide under their political party in their discharge of ministerial duty. Therefore, the PKFZ issue should not be politicised. It is the duty of the Minister of Transport and it is his duty to investigate the port and the abuse of power and corruption, if there is any. The PM and the cabinet has endorsed the Ministry of Transport’s investigation of the PKFZ.
“Thus, the notion that only the (MCA) President dares to conduct an investigation of the PKFZ and that no one in BN is supporting him is misleading.”By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani - The Malaysian Insdier
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 - Datuk Seri Najib Razak played down today anti-Malaysian protests the past few days by Indonesians in Jakarta, insisting the apparent strain would not affect ties between the two countries.
Yesterday, Indonesian television showed a group of students from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta protesting against the presence of Malaysian students and burning the Malaysian flag.
Today, Indonesian students reportedly pelted the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta with rotten eggs. They also tried to raise an Indonesian flag at the embassy gates.
The latest attack was sparked by apparent anger over a belief in Indonesia that Malaysia’s national anthem had been copied from an Indonesian song, Terang Bulan.
The protests come on the back of the recent controversy over a Balinese dance being used to promote a satellite television show about Malaysia.
“The president SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) has told me that he wants a close and friendly relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia. The president also calls me personally about any issues regarding the two countries,” Najib said today.
But, despite the prime minister’s remarks, it has been apparent that Indonesia-Malaysia ties have been strained in recent months, especially over the Ambalat issue.
Indonesia claimed that Malaysian warships had entered the Ambalat area in the Sulawesi sea in early June.
Soon after that, Indonesia also stopped allowing its citizens from being sent to work as maids in Malaysia after reports of abuse by Malaysian employers.
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part. There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.” he said.
He added that the residents only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative because it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat last Friday, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.
The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the police allowed the demonstrators to proceed because the numbers of protestors were small.
“They said that they were very conscious and all that they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness about the willingness of the state government to listen to their requests. I was told that even the Hindus there are not so passionate that it is built there (section 23),” he said.
Hishammuddin refuted claims that the protest was organised by Umno and said that the location allocated by the state government is not suitable because Section 23 is predominantly Malay.
However, a check last week showed the neighbourhood was multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
“If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions,” Hishammuddin said.
He tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used.
“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag,” he said, but offered no details of such an act.
The Umno vice-president warned irresponsible parties not to provoke racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of 1 Malaysia.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the residents had met with Hindu Sangam two days ago and both parties will be releasing a media statement tomorrow.
“If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other ... why would we want to penalise anybody?” he said, suggesting he was not in favour of legal action to be taken against any of the protestors.
Well both Malaysiakini and Malaysianinsider have it that the Home Minister not only bought into this story after meeting up with the residents, but he has come out in defence of the demonstrators.
Whilst I would not quarrel with anyone who insists that the Home Minister is idiotic enough to believe this yarn, I don’t believe for even one moment that story by Mahyuddin or that Hisham believes it.
Before I say anymore on this, let’s just note first that Malaysiakini today also reports that the Selangor CPO has confirmed that the police investigations into the ‘cow head’ incident has been completed and forwarded to the AG’s chambers and they are awaiting further instructions. In these circumstances, I think the Home Minister has no business making public statements justifying the actions of the demonstrators, as this may be seen as an attempt to influence the decision-making at the AG’s chambers.
In this regard his comment, as reported in Malaysianinsider that “If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other … why would we want to penalise anybody?”, is plainly mischievous and improper.
The Home Minister must know better.
More disconcerting, though, were his remarks as reported in Malaysianinsider, that “If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions”, the report adding that Hisham “tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used”.
“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag”, Hisham is reported to have said.
Firstly, I’m convinced that certain quarters are using this latest incident together with several others that have occurred and still more waiting to happen, to create chaos in Selangor.
And its all about taking Selangor back into BN’s stable, whatever the cost.
This aside, someone must tell this idiot that citing the occurrences of past inflammatory acts or incidences cannot justify or water down what was done last Friday.
In any event, given the pigheadedness that prevails in UMNO, a few on the outside would go unnoticed.
Speaker Sivakumar tries to convene the Perak State Assembly near the Democracy Tree, but the Pakatan reps are blocked by police and later hold a session at the Heritage Hotel – Photos by Kinta Kid
Photo story:
SHAH ALAM, Sept 2 – The Selangor state government has decided to engage with all interested parties, including media, NGOs, state and federal representatives, and grassroots leaders over the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple which was the subject of an ugly protest in the state capital last Friday.
The dialogues, which are to take place this month, are in addition to a planned town hall meeting with Section 23 residents on September 5.
A pamphlet will also be made available to the public on Saturday to explain the state’s decision to relocate the 150 year old Sri Maha Mariamman Temple from Section 19, where it is now surrounded by a housing estate, to Section 23 in Shah Alam.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government is not legally obligated to hold the talks as the proposed site meets existing town planning laws but it appears to be trying to show it is being transparent on the issue and head off any attempts by its political rivals to take advantage of the temple relocation.
Kegagalan pihak pendakwa untuk menyediakan sijil berkaitan hari ini menyebabkan perbicaraan ditunda ke tarikh 3hb November 2009. Tidaklah mengejutkan pula sekurang-kurangnya buat saya apabila pendakwa memohon penangguhan atas alasan rayuan mereka menolak keputusan hakim menyerahkan sebahagian dokumen.
Tuntutan mereka itu akan didengar oleh Mahkamah Rayuan tanggal 23 Oktober nanti. Sementara itu esok, 3hb September, inshaallah saya akan hadir ke Mahkamah Tinggi Kuasa-Kuasa Khas dan Rayuan di Kompleks Mahkamah Jalan Duta pada jam 2.30 petang bagi mendengar permohonan untuk mengenepikan pasukan pendakwaan.
Manakala itu, “secara kebetulan” pula tarikh 3hb November merupakan hari mahkamah tinggi kuasa-kuasa khas mendengar permohonan saya untuk mengenepikan pertuduhan ini selepas pihak pendakwa secara sengaja tidak menyediakan kepada mahkamah laporan perubatan dari Pusrawi dan Hospital Kuala Lumpur yang jelas menafikan pertuduhan fitnah ke atas diri saya.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
A little bogged down with work these days, but a quick comment on this morning’s fracas in Perak:
Meanwhile a second group of people - pro-royalist/BN crowd wearing yellow shirts - also started arriving at the area at about 10am, shouting slogans in support of the Barisan Nasional state government, Perak sultan and the state assembly’s sanctity.
The police quickly moved in to disperse this crowd, which they did, but not before unfurling banners just next to the Pakatan supporters.
“Dr Zambry and BN government are the people’s choice,” read one banner.
Ah. Really ar? Sorry, when did the people choose Dr. Zambry as MB?..
Oh yeah. There hasn’t been fresh elections, so….
THEY DIDN’T :P
ps- keep an eye on Selangor. there’s been recent cause for worry, and indications that BN is not mucking around with this whole takeover by crossover business :P
By Mohd Nasir Yusoff
Screenshots outed OC Phang as early as August 13, 2007, when theSun first exposed the PKFZ Scandal.
PAC chairperson Azmi Khalid has this to sum up about the woman: "She doesn't even know what we mean by cash flow projection."
Azmi said the financial management of Phang and her team were 'weak and poor', and that no cash flow projection was made for the project.
"Such a projection could have ensured there was enough income to repay the loan," Azmi said.
Malaysians should know that OC Phang has been the general manager of the Port Klang Authority since 1997, during the time retired MCA chief Ling Liong Sik was the Minister of Transport.
Her position as the Chairman of Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) was also appointed by the Minister of Transport.
OC Phang, however, "retired" last year when the PKFZ Scandal really blew up.
She was succeeded in June 2008 by lawyer Lim Thian Shiang, who was tasked to oversee the management of the controversial PKFZ project as a going concern.
However, Lim was later removed in shrouded mystery in the midst of the PKA making final preparations to release a detailed report on the PKFZ Scandal.
The Edge Financial Daily reported May 20, 2009, quoting sources, that Lim had a falling out with Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat on several issues related to PKFZ. Quote:
“A few weeks ago PKFZ gave a briefing to Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers on the project.""It is said that the briefing was held without approval from the higher-ups. There were also several other instances which have caused some differences in opinion between Lim and ministry officials,” said the source.
Jafza pull-out
The role of OC Phang on the PKFZ Scandal first hit the headlines when award-winning investigative journalists R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez ran the expose.
According to theSun in 2007, OC Phang was the key person at PKFZ when Dubai-based Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) decided to pull out of the management of PKFZ for "strategic purposes", but in an acrimonious manner. Quote:
Noel Gulliver, Jafza's man acting as PKFZ general manager, was escorted from his office to the Immigration Department for "being in gainful employment without a work permit" - although the agreement between Jafza and Port Klang Authority (PKA) indicates that it is PKA's responsibility to obtain a permit for Gulliver.theSun quoted an e-mail from Gulliver to Jafza International senior vice-president (international operations) Chuck Heath last October 30, stating that Phang had given him (Gulliver) three months to "toe the line", ordering Gulliver to report to PKFZ and not Jafza.
theSun had cited a host of documents, which include strongly-worded e-mails, revealing that Jafza bailed out because of bureaucracy, interference by politicians and others with vested interests, and deliberate incorrect minuting of meetings.
"The dossier, which borders on deceit and lies, points the cause of the collapse of the deal between Jafza and PKFZ at the government machinery and one woman, O.C. Phang," theSun says.
PKA wants MACC probe on OC Phang's ties
August 26, 2009, OC Phang was named, among four parties, responsible for the PKFZ Scandal in a report lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) by Port Kelang Authority (PKA) chairman, Lee Hwa Beng.
Lee said PKA had requested MACC to investigate OC Phang, and the relationship between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB), its President/CEO Tiong King Sing, BTA Architect and/or Bernard Tan Seng Swee as the Consultant appointed for the development works in the PKFZ Project, and OC Phang.
Lee stated that, based on the instances set out in his report, PKA has strong reason to believe that there is a possible conspiracy between these 5 parties.
As for Malaysians at large, we are anxious to know whether OC Phang acted entirely on her own, or just a lame chess piece dictated by her masters?
Critical sideshow
As a sideshow, KDSB and the current Transport Minister, MCA president Ong Tee Keat, are embroiled over a RM10 million political fund, exposed on August 12, that went unaccounted for between the donor and the supposed recipient.
Malaysiakini today reported the details of the RM10 million political fund purportedly contained in a police reported lodged on August 26 by KDSB's Tiong King Sing.
According to the police report, said Malaysiakini, the money was delivered to Ong on three different occasions, amounting to RM5 million, RM1 million and RM4 million respectively.
The dispatch points were at the Petaling Jaya Hilton, the car park opposite Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya, and at Carcosa Sri Negara, respectively.
However, we haven't seen any action from MACC on Lee's request for investigation on OC Phang, or the roping in of Ong over Tiong's allegations.
Perhaps, MACC is too busy with efforts to overthrow the Selangor state government right now.
Or there are two sets of law for Malaysians. They and us.
