HRP to Pakatan: Give us 15 parliamentary seats

Hindraf-Human Rights Party (HRP) has issued an ultimatum to Pakatan Rakyat to back out and allow the Indian-based party to take on BN in straight fights in 15 parliamentary seats and 38 state seats in the next general election.

In a letter sent today to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Hadi Awang, HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar said that if Pakatan does not heed HRP's call, the opposition coalition will find itself in three-corner fights in the constituencies.

In return for giving way to HRP, pledging support and providing machinery assistance to HRP, Pakatan will get “unequivocal support and cooperation in all the other 207 parliamentary and 538 Pakatan state assembly constituencies” to win back the lot of ambivalent Indian voters.

“We have shown magnanimity in throwing our lot behind (Pakatan) in the 12th general election, now we ask you to return that favour.

“We hope Pakatan will not field candidates in these (constituencies) to become the spoiler and cause three-cornered fights against our common political enemy (Umno-BN),” he said in the letter.

Wanted: Ijok, Lembah Pantai, Padang Serai
Speaking at a press conference in HRP headquarters in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Uthayakumar said that the seats chosen had significant proportions of Indian voters and include seats currently held by Pakatan Rakyat such as Padang Serai in Kedah, Ipoh Barat in Perak, Kota Raja in Selangor and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur.

They are also eyeing Sungei Siput, Perak, currently held by socialist party PSM central committee Dr D Jeyakumar.

He added that 15 loyal Hindraf activists have been short-listed as candidates.

“They have been tried and tested, have been part of Hindraf since day one, won't jump ship to another party and are as strong as PAS candidates,” he said.

When asked why HRP chose not to back Pakatan candidates in these chosen constituencies, Uthayakumar said that this is because the issues faced by the Indian poor in these areas have not made their way to Parliament under the present MPs.

“Yesterday, in his tweet to Anwar, (Padang Serai PKR parliamentarian) N Gobalakrishnan said that Indian poor in Ijok are sharing drinking water with ducks, even though water is under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Pakatan government,” he said.

'We'll join Pakatan if…'

However, HRP does not rule out the possibility of contesting under the Pakatan banner if they fail to register themselves as a political party with the Registrar of Societies by the next general election.

“We have given all the documents required by ROS on Nov 25, but whether we are registered or not we will contest…the worst case scenario is that we will contest as independents.

“MIC is given at least nine parliament seats and 20 state assembly seats on a silver platter. Why can't we be allocated some, too?” he asked.

When asked if this means that HRP is interested in joining Pakatan, party advisor N Ganesan (in photo, next to Uthayakumar) said this will only happen if the coalition is willing to incorporate into their mission HRP's goal of getting the working class into the mainstream.

“The ball is now in (Pakatan's) court. In a one-on-one (contest), we stand a better chance of beating BN than Pakatan (in these constituencies),” he said.

Parliamentary seats that HRP demands is:

1. Padang Serai (Incumbent: PKR - N Gobalakrishnan)
2. Batu Kawan (DAP - Ramasamy)
3. Sungei Siput (PSM - Dr D Jeyakumar)
4. Ipoh Barat (DAP - N Kulasegaran)
5. Bagan Datoh (BN - Ahmad Zahid Hamidi)
6. Cameron Highlands (BN - SK Devamany)
7. Hulu Selangor (BN - P Kamalanathan)
8. Kuala Selangor (PAS - Dzulkefy Ahmad)
9. Klang (DAP - Charles Santiago)
10. Kota Raja (PAS - Siti Mariah Mahmud)
11. Rasah (DAP - Anthony Loke)
12. Teluk Kemang (PKR - Kamarul Baharin Abbas )
13. Alor Gajah (BN - Fong Chan Onn)
14. Tebrau (BN - Teng Boon Soon)
15. Lembah Pantai (PKR - Nurul Izzah Anwar)

Book lauch tonight

Tonight, Uthayakumar is also due to launch the second book that he wrote during his 514 days of detention under the Internal Security Act.

Entitled 'Nov 25 Hindraf Rally 2007', the 400-page book is his personal account of the events leading up to the historic rally that saw some 30,000 people take to the streets protesting discrimination against ethnic Indians, and his experiences under the ISA.

HRP has since built a 'replica' of Uthayakumar's Kamunting cell at its headquarters as a memorial, including a dummy of the lawyer dressed in his prison uniform.

“This book tells you the story of Hindraf. We have printed 1,000 copies each in both (English and Tamil) and will print more depending on sales,” the author said.

WikiLeaks founder bail challenged

Swedish prosecutors have said they would appeal against a British judge's decision to grant bail to
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been arrested in Britain on Swedish allegations of sex crimes.

Prosecution lawyer Gemma Lindfield announced the decision at a court hearing on Tuesday, without giving reasons.

Assange had been granted bail with strict conditions by a London court, but must now remain in jail pending the outcome of the appeal.

The 39-year-old Australian applied for bail on Tuesday a week after being remanded to custody on a European arrest warrant issued by Sweden.

Earlier in the day, Assange's supporters, gathered outside the Westminster magistrate's court, cheered when they heard Assange had been granted bail, the terms of which included wearing an electronic tag, living at a registered address, observing a curfew and lodging $317,400 with the court.

The website founder's lawyers have previously said the charges against him are politically motivated after thousands of US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks angered governments around the world.

Statement from prison

Earlier Assange denounced Visa, MasterCard and Paypal for blocking donations to his website in the wake of the release.

Speaking to his mother from his prison cell, Assange said the firms were "instruments of US foreign policy" but said their actions would not stop WikiLeaks from continuing to publish 250,000 cables.

"My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have expressed," he said in a statement to Australian television, dictated by his mother Christine Assange.

"These circumstances shall not shake them. If anything, this process has increased my determination that they are true and correct."

Assange was accused in August of sexual misconduct by two female Swedish WikiLeaks volunteers during his stay in Sweden.

A Swedish prosecutor wants to question him about the accusations, although the chief prosecutor, Eva Finne, cancelled a previous arrest warrant on the grounds that there was no "reason to suspect that he committed rape".

The crime Assange is suspected of is the least severe of three categories of rape, carrying a maximum of four years in jail.

Assange has voiced fears along with his lawyers that US prosecutors may be preparing to indict him for espionage after embarrassing leaks by his website.

The US justice department has been looking into a range of criminal charges, including violations of the 1917 Espionage Act, that could be filed in the WikiLeaks case.

Assange's Swedish lawyer has said he would fight any attempt to extradite his client.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies

Hindraf lawyers unlawfully detained under ISA three years and one day ago today . Abolish the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) release all ISA prisoners and shut down “Malaysia’s Guantanamo Bay” Kamuniting ISA detention Camp

14/12/2010

YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak

Prime Minister of Malaysia,

Block Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra, Fax : 03-8888 3444

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,

62502 Putrajaya. E-Mail : najib@pmo.gov.my

Y.B Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein,

Menteri Kementerian Dalam Negeri,

Kementerian Dalam Negeri,

Blok D1 & D2, Kompleks D,

Pusat Pentadbiran,

Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax:03-26933131
62546 Putrajaya E-Mail: menteri@moha.gov.my

Re: Hindraf lawyers unlawfully detained under ISA three years and one day ago today .

Dear YAB/ Y.B,

Yestersday was another Black Day for the Indian community in Malaysia because 3 years ago today, on the 13th of December 2007 you decided to place and one day in detention without trial, our Hindraf Lawyers, by invoking the draconian law, the Internal Security Act.

On this day we call upon you to immediately abolish this draconian and unjust Internal Security Act and to release all detained without trial under this Act at the Kamunting Detention Prison.

On 13/12/2007 the ISA was used against Hindraf lawyers whose only crime was to speak up loudly and clearly for the marginalized and segregated minority Malaysian Indians who for 53 years have been oppressed by the segregationist and religious supremacist policies of the UMNO regime. The crux of the demands of the marginalized and segregated minority Malaysian Indians is listed in their 18 point demand of the 12th of August 2007. Instead of addressing these issues squarely, the leaders in the UMNO led Government, including yourself, maliciously and falsely labeled the Hindraf Lawyers as Hindu extremists who had secret links to the LTTE and who posed a threat to internal security and invoked the Internal Security Act against them. You did this only so that you can get public opinion on your side to put them away without trial. You did this as a show of your power to act, to punish those that dare defy your regime and to silence all the voices calling for change.

While in detention P.Uthayakumar wrote a moving letter on his 500 days in detention under ISA. In his letter he wrote that even though he is a Lawyer himself and had defended many in the court of law he was himself unable defend against this false and malicious charge against him because he has been shut up by this draconian law which utterly denies him any right to be heard. What irony, he wrote.

Further, the exercise of the Internal Security Act for the charges you have laid upon the Hindraf lawyers is in violation of Article 8 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution on equality. Article 8 provides that all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection and that there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent and gender or place of birth.

This regime of rule of law requires every man to be given a right to be heard, Audi Altrem Partem.

In your wisdom you have decided otherwise.

By this act of detaining the Hindraf lawyers without trial, you have decided that the articulation of the 18 point demand to correct the excesses of the past on the Indian minority community does not require to be dealt with by the rule of law. Anyone defying the racist and religious supremacist regime that the UMNO led Government has built up over the 53 years is not entitled to equal treatment before the law in spite of the guarantee in the Federal Constitution.

On the personal side, the pain and torture of detention under the ISA is worse than the pain of incarceration of the ordinary prisoner, because the ordinary prisoner knows the exact date when he will be free again. Not the ISA detainee. This is in the design of the method of punishment – mental torture every day of detention. To use this law is in total violation of the norms of a free, fair and humane society.

Equality and Freedom of Expression are pillars of Human Rights. Human Rights is the foundation of a just and free society. To deny equality and the freedom of expression is to continue to bottle in the true potentialities of our society. Only through the processes of maintaining equality and allowing freedom of expression do societies establish a basis for prosperity and progress for all in society. The voices speaking up to realize this must be allowed to be heard.

The Internal Security Act flies in the face of all of this wisdom.

We the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP),call upon the Home Minister to immediately abolish the draconian ISA and shut down “Malaysia’s Guantanamo Bay” Kamunting ISA Detention Camp and to move on forward with the wishes of the people.

“Rights not Mercy”

N. Ganesan

Adviser

Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP)

Singapore denies WikiLeaks’ expose on Malaysian politics

KUALA LUMPUR, DEC 14 — Singapore moved to smoothen ruffled feathers in Malaysia tonight by denying a WikiLeaks expose on disparaging remarks made by its senior officials, saying what was alleged to have been said “did not tally with our own records.”

The island republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said Minister George Yeo had called his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Anifah Aman today “to clarify Singapore’s policy of not commenting on leaks”.

“On the specific complaints raised by the Malaysians, what Singapore officials were alleged by WikiLeaks to have said did not tally with our own records. One purported meeting did not even take place.

“Minister Yeo and Minister Anifah agreed on the importance of good bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation further,” said a media statement attributed to an MFA spokesman on the ministry’s website.

The spokesman also confirmed that Singapore’s High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur T. Jasudasen had been asked to see Anifah earlier today and had received a protest note regarding press reports of US Embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks.

Anifah told reporters in Parliament that he conveyed Malaysia’s deep concern and displeasure over the comments as revealed by WikiLeaks and subsequently reported in the media.

The remarks made by Singapore’s senior government officials and aired in the whistleblower website had been “uncalled-for and unjustifiable”, he had said.

In their remarks, the Singapore officials had reportedly said “Malaysia’s decline” was fuelled by incompetent politicians. These officials were also less than complimentary about Malaysia’s prime ministers, past and present, with one of them calling Najib “an opportunist”.

But Anifah rubbished the remarks and pointed out that there was a vast difference between running a country like Singapore and Malaysia.

“As an MP, when I go down to the ground, some requests I get from the people is quite out of this world. Like in one village with five homes, there is a highway there and yet they asked me to build a bridge for them.

“I told them I cannot build such a bridge but I can build it in a different way. You may laugh but it is true.

“If I were to air the views of the electorate, Singapore would probably say – what is this?” he said.

Anifah reiterated that it running a city-state like Singapore was different from running a country like Malaysia.

“They do not have rural folks. Pehaps they face the same problems that what do. So what is this ‘incompetency’? Does it refer to how we run our country?” he said.

Malaysia’s move came after a day after Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday told Malaysians to ignore contemptuous regional neighbours and focus on achieving the country’s goals instead, in his first public comments about a WikiLeaks expose of diplomatic chatter from Singapore.

“We can show to our neighbours, that although sometimes they make disparaging remarks about us, that Malaysians can actually achieve,” Najib said in a speech at the 1 MCA Medical Foundation fund-raising dinner last night.

Singapore has also adopted the same tone.

“These relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and mutually beneficial co-operation in many areas,” said a foreign ministry spokesman from the Lion City.

“Singapore has long-standing, robust and positive relationships with all countries in our region,” the spokesman said, adding countries based relationships on their own interests and “not hearsay or gossip”.

PKR officials had earlier asked Jasudasen, the Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia, to clarify the remarks made by the officials in 2008 and 2009.

Whistleblower WikiLeaks had on Sunday made available diplomatic cables disclose discussions between senior US officials and their Singapore counterparts Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Tommy Koh. The contents of the cables were published by Australian newspaper The Sunday Age.

All three Singaporeans gave damning assessments of Malaysia. The discussions between the Singaporean and US officials took place in 2008 and 2009.

The trio had reportedly said “Malaysia’s decline” was fuelled by incompetent politicians.

These officials were also less than complimentary about Malaysia’s prime ministers, past and present, with one of them calling Najib “an opportunist”.

In September 2008, Kausikan, a senior foreign affairs official, told the US Deputy Secretary of Defense for East Asia David Sedney that the “situation in neighbouring Malaysia is confused and dangerous”, fuelled by “a distinct possibility of racial conflict” that could see ethnic Chinese “flee” Malaysia and “overwhelm” Singapore.

“A lack of competent leadership is a real problem for Malaysia,” said Kausikan, citing the need for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to prevail politically in order to avoid prosecution in connection with the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

“Najib has his neck on the line in connection with a high-profile murder case,” noted Kausikan.

A few months earlier, Peter Ho told another US official: “The political knives will be out for Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi’s) son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, whom nobody likes because he got where he is through family ties...”

Khairy is now the Umno Youth chief but has not been given an administrative post in Najib’s government despite being seen as one of the shrewder politicians in the country.

“As for Najib Razak, he is an opportunist. Although he has not been critical of Singapore, he will not hesitate to go in that direction if it is expedient for him to do so. Najib’s political fortunes continue to be haunted by the murder scandal,” Ho had reportedly said.

The leaked cables will give ammunition to hawks in the Malaysian government and Umno who believe that it is unproductive to have good relations with Singapore, whom they describe as calculative and condescending.

The Najib Administration has attempted to keep the relationship on an even keel and even untangled a long-standing dispute over Malaysian-owned railway land in the republic.

This breakthrough was made despite opposition by some quarters in the ruling party.

Both governments have agreed to set up a joint-venture company by December 31 to develop land parcels swapped for the prized railway land that cuts through the island state.

Anifah insisted today that despite the damaging comments by the officials, bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore were still sound.

“Ties are still good. That is why I said... I took solace in the fact that it was only issued by these officials and not the leaders of the nation. But then again, these people should have also taken into consideration the feelings of their neighbours.

“While it is their prerogative to say so, they must take into consideration their bilateral relationship with their closest neighbours,” he said.

Anifah however admitted that the incident would not benefit both nations, seeing as both prime ministers shared a good relationship.

“Of course, this whole thing was confidential. But if it is true that it was said, then at least we can explain to the people why,” he said.

According to the leaked cables, Singaporean and Australian intelligence officials had also noted that the sodomy charge facing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim — Najib’s political rival — was a “set-up job” but the opposition leader had walked right into it.

The Australian intelligence had also claimed that it believed Anwar had engaged in sodomy, adding that the source was from Malaysia’s Special Branch police.

The opposition leader has since refused to take calls to comment on Australia’s The Sun-Herald report but responded via his Twitter micro-blogging account when queried.

“Source? Polis SB Msia. Bukti tak ada (Who is the source? Malaysian police Special Branch. There is no proof whatsoever),” Anwar replied.

In an earlier reply, the former deputy prime minister wrote: “Source? Msian SB ha ha.”

Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have also demanded Singapore respond to the WikiLeaks’ revelation that regional intelligence agencies believe Anwar had committed sodomy, claiming that it was a “high-level conspiracy” implicating both the Malaysian and the island republic’s Special Branch police.

Anifah today noted that he had not met with Anwar on the matter but offered that the opposition leader had every right to declare his stand on the matter.

“It is true that when I travel overseas, his sodomy case is the most asked about issue. And although it is subjudice and I cannot speak about it, it is up to him to explain himself.

“But the point I would like to drive home now is that – everytime something is said, they always call it conspiratory politics,” he said.

Anifah pointed out that the claim against Anwar had not come from Malaysian leaders this time but from officials from neighbouring countries.

“Anwar has the avenue to explain,” he insisted.

A dabbler but seeker after truth

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

FMT EXCLUSIVE: Kee Thuan Chye belongs to the old school of journalism. One that upholds a syllabus of integrity, critical thinking and reporting without fear or favour.

And in a time when the media is heavily pressured to foster the right political alignment, 56-year-old Kee is grateful to have hung up his journalist hat.

Kee's journalistic career spanned a noteworthy 32 years throughout which he graced the seats of editor and associate editor of the country's two main English dailies.

But these high-ranking positions paled in comparison to the social responsibility that he believed a newspaper should undertake and which he was prevented from executing.

“Mainstream journalism today is worse than it was during my time,” he deplored. “Everything is controlled now. Editors get calls from the Home Ministry and have to apologise. You can't say anything unflattering about a minister. And I blame (former prime minister) Mahathir (Mohamad) for this.”

“During his time there was a running joke in the newsroom that all Mahathir needed to do was f**t and it would make for 20 paragraphs on the front page. He started this whole rot and the media has deteriorated since. So what journalism is there left?”

When prompted to answer his own question, Kee replied that he didn't know what to say. But of course he did. And when he leaned forward with an answer, he didn't bother mincing his words.

“Mainstream journalism is a PR rag that serves the government, provides entertainment and spins the news in a manner that hurts the opposition,” he said forcefully. “It saddens me. Young reporters entering the profession are being taught the wrong values.”

“This is why we should be grateful for the emergence of online media. It is a godsend in bringing alternative news and truth to the people. And we need this because we're not yet ready for total neutrality or developmental journalism.”

Kee explained that developmental journalism is one that is geared towards the development of a country but not at the expense of being constructively critical.

Unfortunately, he added, it had become a dirty word in Malaysia for its propensity to unearth the unsavoury details of parties and politicians.

“But let's not forget that criticism also spurs development,” he said. “The problem with our mainstream journalists is that they're not even questioning which is the first step towards being critical.”

Kee has allowed his critical eye to roam beyond newsprint and onto the stage in the form of plays. In many circles he is known as a journalist, playwright, actor and poet.

“I'm a dabbler,” he chuckled in response to which of those roles best fit him. “I dabble in many areas which is why I haven't mastered anything.”

But that's where he's wrong. Kee has mastered the art of seeking the truth and in the process, he has discovered his own answers to the questions that hang over our nation.

On the education system

“The government needs well-educated people if it wants to realise the goals of its Economic Transformation Program (ETP). And the graduates we are producing today are not up to scratch.

The government has spent the past decades lowering the standards of education and the passing mark in order to pass more students. And for what?

They are hopeless graduates who can't even hold themselves during an interview. And then they have to undergo re-training which incurs more cost.

I don't see any signs at the moment of the education system being revamped for the sake of improvement. And in any case it's going to take a long time for it to be hauled up to a certain level. So things don't look very hopeful right now.”

On Talent Corp's role in stemming brain drain

“It's a tall order. Who in their right mind, having made it overseas, would want to come back to uncertainty? And how would they know that they would get to be on a level playing field?

A friend in Washington said that where he works everything is based on meritocracy but he cannot expect the same if he were to return home. The government is desperate now and is going to try everything it can to bring well-educated, well-qualified Malaysians home.

It should be given a chance to exhaust every avenue but as far as I'm concerned, these are still dreams. (Prime Minister) Najib (Tun Razak) is a damn good dream merchant. If he wasn't the prime minister, he would be a salesman.”

On ketuanan Melayu

“Ketuanan Melayu has been abused and interpreted according to the whims and fancies of the ruling party in order to suit their agenda. It claims that questioning Ketuanan Melayu is akin to questioning the royalty. That's nonsense!

The royalty's position is already enshrined in the constitution. You cannot question it. And no right thinking non-Malay who has been conditioned to be subservient would question the constitution.

But we question the existence of ketuanan Melayu when equality of all citizens is also enshrined in the constitution. My contention has always been that there is a contradiction in the constitution itself which our founding fathers overlooked.

If you take away the whole notion of ketuanan Melayu and just accept that all Malaysians are equal because the constitution states so, then there won't be an issue. Then it will be ketuanan rakyat as PKR said.

Politicians have been using ketuanan Melayu to play to the gallery. They say different things to the Malays and the non-Malays, and then they go to their Malay mainstream media and spread all kinds of nonsense and racial propaganda. Now that is being anti-national.”

On the younger generation

“I always have hope for the younger generation but they must be well-educated politically. They must know what is right for the country and mustn't become absorbed by the system. They must not be sold on the illusions sold by the incumbent ruling party.

An they shouldn't waste their opportunity to vote. What they need to do is study the options carefully and ask themselves which of the two would give them a better hope for the future, for change and for the better.

Do they want to stay with an incumbent that has a baggage of corruption and finds difficulty in reforming itself because there are so many warlords running the show? Or do they want to have a newbie who is untested but without quite as heavy a baggage?

They should also ask themselves why the ruling coalition is still founded on race-based parties and if they still want such parties to dominate the political scene.”

Huge turnout at Pakatan rally to hear about Kuan Yew, Dr M, Najib and Altantuya

A multi-racial crowd packed the night-market compound

Dinesweri Puspanadan and Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

UPDATE5 Despite police discouragement, more than a thousand people packed the night market compound in Taman Melati, Wangsamaju to hear a Pakatan Rakyat political lecture led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

They were not disappointed. A star-studded line-up greeted them with speeches that soon had them cheering and clapping. Pakatan leaders such as Tan Tee Kwong, Tian Chua, Khalid Samad,Teresa Kok and Shamsul Iskandar Akin renewed the coalition's pledges of change and reform.

The multi-racial crowd was also clearly eager to hear Pakatan's explanation of the accusation made by Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew against Anwar. They wanted to know why the elder statesman would make such a remark on WikiLeaks and were also keen to hear Anwar talk about former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who has insisted Kuan Yew's facts are right.

Anwar - has not lost his charisma

"Do you think I'm dumb to go into a trap knowing it is a trap? Don't challenge me too much! I will open up the murders - committed and covered up!," Anwar told the crowd, which roared back their support.

"WikiLeaks, do you have technical evidence? If you do, bring Lee Kuan Yew to court. Whether you think I did it or not, that's none of my business. You have any video recording or doctors' notes, produce them at court."

Most of the Pakatan's side of the story has been blacked out in the mainstream media which only carried news that Kuan Yew had told Australian officials that he believed Anwar was framed, but he had also committed sodomy.

Tan Tee Kwong

Anwar has repeatedly denied these charges and his lawyers have earlier today announced he will be suing Mahathir. It is likely Anwar's defense team may try to subpoena Kuan Yew to testify in his Sodomy II trial.

"Lee Kuan Yew is afraid that Singaporeans will seek reformasi as the party in Singapore is the same like Umno which has never changed. We are not afraid, confused, or shocked with this allegation," Tian told the crowd.

But most sought-after were the Najib tidbits

But above all, the crowd appeared most eager to hear the latest tidbits about Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was also criticized by Singapore officials. WikiLeaks had also exposed these comments but the mainstream press had again blacked out this news.

Tian Chua

"If Utusan published about WikiLeaks on sodomy, why did it not publish about Najib's link to the Altantuya murder which was also said by the same Singapore intelligence. We want Singapore to bring the evidence about the sodomy and the murder of Altantuya to court. I want to propose to the Dewan Rakyat to debate on the issue of WikiLeaks - the sodomy and Altantuya murder and expose all the evidence to the public. Dr M responded for sodomy but what about Altantuya's murder and the link to the PM?" asked Tian.

Top Singapore diplomats such as Tommy Koh, Peter Ho and Bilahari Kausikan had in comments to their U.S. counterparts called Najib an "opportunist", saying his involvement in the Altantuya murder was tarnishing Malaysia. They also said Malaysia was on a decline due to "incompetent politicians".

Standing room only - total crowd size of around 2,000

Najib had tried to keep a lid on these explosive comments by asking Malaysians to ignore the Singaporean criticism. But tremendous pressure from Malay groups have forced him to issue a letter of protest to the Singapore High Commission today.

"Now, it's not me who said Najib is involved in the Altantuya murder but WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks is the one who says our prime minister in involved in a murder," said Anwar.

"The Umno media create havoc about sodomy but sideline the Altantutya link to Najib, which was also in WikiLeaks. Najib is now desperate to defend Putrajaya because he is scared the Altantuya murder will finally be fully exposed. I challenge Najib to challenge Singapore to prove his link with the Altantuya murder is false."

Shamsul Iskandar

Dissolve Parliament, hold snap polls

Anwar also told the crowd that if Parliament suspended him for linking Najib's 1Malaysia with APCO, a U.S. based firm with Zionist links, he would tour the country and speak to the people.

Police had earlier set up road blocks nearby to Taman Melati but decided to allow the ceramah to carry on as a permit had already been obtained.

Meanwhile, PKR Youth Chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin challenged Najib to dissolve Parliament and hold snap general elections if he truly believed Malaysians were behind the Umno-BN.

Political academics have been reported as saying BN would still win the next general election. However, they were not sure if it could regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority lost to the Pakatan in 2008. They warned that a Third Force, promoted by several prominent bloggers and whom many Malaysians believe are actually funded by Umno, may further undermine the Pakatan's chances.

Teresa Kok

In her speech, Teresa also lambasted the Selangor Umno for spreading lies about the Pakatan state government.

"The federal government alleged that Selangor was suffering a drop in investment. From January to September, we drew RM6.53 bil, the highest in Malaysia whereas Johor - despite all of BN's Iskandar corridor efforts only pulled in RM3.57 bil," she told the crowd.

She also explained the Selangor administration's need to regain control of the state's water assets including revoking the existing monopoly granted to Umno crony firm SYABAS, which currently has sole rights over water distribution in the state.

"If we don't take over SYABAS, the price of water tariff would increase," warned Teresa.

Malaysia Chronicle appends below the details of the next ceramah due to be held in Negri Sembilan 

16 Disember 2010 (Khamis) – Negeri Sembilan & Melaka

Masa : 9.00 – 12.00 malam

Lokasi  1 -  Ceramah Perdana 1
                    Dataran Muhibah, Kampong Ismail,
                   Ampangan, Negeri Sembilan
   
Penceramah:
i)                YB Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim
ii)               YB Azmin Ali
iii)              YB Saifuddin Nasution
iv)              YB Loke Siew Fook
v)                YBhg Zulkifli Omar Muhammad

          Lokasi 2 – Ceramah Perdana 2
                             Markas PAS Paya Dalam,
                             Air Molek, Melaka

          Penceramah:
i)                YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
ii)               YB Sallehudin Ayub
iii)              YB Goh Leong San
iv)              YBhg Ustaz Abd Ghani Abd Rahman
v)               YBhg Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin
vi)              YBhg Ustaz Dr Badrul Amin 

Lim Kit Siang persoal kerajaan tutup kes P.Balasubramaniam

(Selangor Kini) - Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Timur, Lim Kit Siang menyifatkan keputusan kerajaan menutup kes melibatkan penyiasat persendirian, P. Balasubramaniam yang diumumkan di Parlimen hari ini sebagai tidak menyakinkan.

Menurut Kit Siang, tidak masuk akal apabila Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz mengatakan bahawa tidak ada kesalahan dilakukan oleh Bala berhubung dua akuan bersumpahnya yang bercanggah.

” Penerangan yang diberi dalam parlimen untuk menutup kes penyiasat swasta, Balasubramaniam tidak meyakinkan dan memperkukuhkan kesimpulan bahawa ada ‘double standard’ dalam perkara ini bahawa tidak ada keadilan dalam urusan pentadbiran.

” Dalam dua akuan bersumpah, tentulah ada satu yang tidak benar dan Balasubramaniam sendiri ada mengakui bahawa akuan bersumpah yang kedua adalah yang tidak benar dan dipaksa untuk dibuat,” jelas Kit Siang ketika dihubungi Selangorkini.

Nazri hari ini dalam Dewan Rakyat menjelaskan bahawa setelah penelitian dilakukan, didapati kedua-dua akuan bersumpah yang bercanggah bukanlah satu kesalahan kerana ia bukan dibuat bagi tujuan prosiding mahkamah.

” Oleh yang demikian, elemen di bawah 199 akta 574 tidak dipenuhi dan perbuatan Balasubramaniam dalam membuat dua akuan berkanun yang bercanggah tidak menjadi satu kesalahan di bawah seksyen tersebut.

” Setelah penelitian dibuat dan mengambilkira semua keterangan yang dikumpulkan oleh pihak polis serta fakta bahawa Balasubramaniam masih belum dikesan sehingga kini dan dipercayai berada di luar negara, Jabatan Peguam Negara telah membuat keputusan untuk menutup kes tersebut kerana percanggahan dalam kedua-dua akuan berkanun Balasubramaniam tidak memberi apa-apa kesan kepada kes Altantuyaa Shaariibu,” jelas Nazri.
[balasubramaniam]

Bala sebelum ini mengemukakan dua akuan bersumpah berkenaan pembunuhan Altantuya tetapi menarik balik pernyataan itu menerusi akuan bersumpah kedua pada keesokannya.

Bala kemudiannya tampil menjelaskan perkara tersebut dan mengakui bahawa akuan berkanun pertamanya itu adalah benar.

” Sebab itu tidak masuk akal untuk perkara ditutup apabila Balasubramniam sendiri ada berkata, akuan bersumpah pertama benar dan kedua tidak benar,” tambah Kit Siang lagi.

Dilaporkan Bala kini berada di London.

Beliau yang sekian lama bersembunyi kerana khuatir dengan keselamatan diri dan anggota keluarganya, tampil menawarkan untuk memberi keterangan kepada Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) pada pertengahan tahun ini.

Ironinya kerajaan Malaysia terutama SPRM setelah mendapat peluang bagi merakamkan keterangan yang ditunggu-tunggu selama ini membatalkan hasrat tersebut pada saat-saat akhir.

S'pore clarifies but does not deny Najib's Altantuya, opportunist remarks

(The Straits Times) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Singapore's High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur T Jasudasen had been asked to see Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Seri Anifah Aman this morning regarding press reports of US Embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks.

He also received a protest note.

Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo called Mr Anifah later on Tuesday to clarify Singapore's policy of not commenting on leaks.

Highlighting a disparity of facts, the MFA spokesman said the 'specific complaints raised by the Malaysians, what Singapore officials were alleged by WikiLeaks to have said did not tally with our own records'.

'One purported meeting did not even take place.' the spokesman added.

Both Mr Yeo and Mr Anifah have agreed on the importance of good bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation further.

Surat Rasmi KEADILAN Kepada Kedutaan Besar Singapura Mengenai Isu ‘Wikileaks’

Ref no: MISC/PAR/10/10/yh

H.E. T Jasudasen
High Commissioner
The Republic of Singapore

Dear Sir,

Greetings. The latest exposure in WikiLeaks has triggered a serious and alarming signal for Malaysia-Singapore relations. While I agree that the confidentiality of diplomatic correspondence must be respected, I also hold that a healthy friendship with neighbouring countries must be based on trust and mutual respect.

The cables released by WikiLeaks contain the opinions of Singapore’s senior politicians and diplomats. Their comments show, despite being our close neighbour, Singapore Government leaders view Malaysia with contempt and disdain. For example, Malaysian developmental decline was simplistically attributed to “incompetent” leadership. Besides the defamatory remark by Lee Kuan Yew that the Opposition Leader was “set-up”, Singapore’s Government senior leaders also described Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak as an “opportunist” and asserted that he was involved in a murder case.

These comments, coming from Singapore Government officials, were not expressed in private conversations or within a close circle. Instead, the cables revealed that Singapore’s political leaders and diplomats had been actively communicating such damaging remarks to the international community. From the nature of these communications, one can not help but to interpret that Singapore is actively engaging in a covert exercise to undermine Malaysia’s international standing. As a Malaysian, despite my differences with the ruling parties, I find it extremely offensive when a foreign government deliberately spreads unverified information to tarnish my country’s image.

For decades, Malaysia-Singapore relationship has been marred by suspicion and mistrust. I personally believe that there is room for improvement in the relationship between our two countries. We place high hope in professional diplomats to play an important role in promoting positive relations between countries.

But unfortunately, in spite of our proximity and long-term cross-border exchanges, Singapore diplomats have still failed to assess Malaysia accurately. It is particularly insulting when Singapore informs other countries that Malaysia was on the brink of ethnic riots, and Singapore risked having to face a flood of refugees of ethnic Chinese from Malaysia.

I believe I am not the only Malaysian who feels disturbed by the patronizing and arrogant attitude of Singapore’s leaders. I hereby, seek your clarification on the above-mentioned issues. I hope the Singapore High Commission on behalf of the Singapore Government will explain to the Malaysian public whether the opinions of its officials as revealed on WikiLeaks reflect the government’s official view on Malaysia.

Finally, I would like to reiterate that as a Malaysian Member of Parliament, I value a good relationship with our neighbour Singapore and have no intention to create a diplomatic brawl over the leaked information. However I seek an honest explanation so that our future relations can again be placed on a sound footing.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

TIAN CHUA
Vice President of the People’s Justice Party
Member of Parliament Malaysia [Batu]

Dr Jeffrey Kitingan To Quit PKR Thursday, Say Sources

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice- president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is expected to announce his resignation from the party on Thursday, according to sources.

A special press conference has been arranged for Dr Jeffrey to make "a very important" announcement on that day, they said.

The sources said Dr Jeffrey, who is former Bingkor assemblyman and younger brother of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, might also announce the setting up of a movement to continue his political career in anticipation of a snap general election next year.

"Dr Jeffrey is not quitting politics ... instead he is upgrading his political struggle," the sources told Bernama.

The sources declined to say whether the movement was linked to the formation of a third political block in the country which is said to be headed by former PKR stalwart Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

Political pundits see Dr Jeffrey's imminent resignation as a major blow to PKR's attempt to strengthen itself in Sabah, dubbed as "the fixed deposit" for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

Syariah Court should be cautious on child marriages, says Shahrizat

The Sun
by Shalini Maheswaran

PETALING JAYA (Dec 13, 2010): The Syariah Court should tread carefully when deciding on cases pertaining to child marriages, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today.

She hoped the welfare of the child will be paramount before the courts approve applications for such marriages.

"The Syariah Court has the power to grant permission to applicants. However, we request the court to examine the circumstances before approving any application," she told reporters after delivering her keynote address at the International Conference on the Family Institution in the 21st Century here.

"The syariah family law states that any Muslim under the age of 16 needs the consent of the Syariah Court in order to marry. (But) we also have to think of the future implication of child marriages, especially after the couple have children ... it is like a child parenting another child."

Her comments came in the wake of the recent marriage of 14-year-old Siti Maryam Mahmod to teacher Abdul Manan Othman, 23. There has been pressure from various groups on the government to look into allowing child marriages.

Shahrizat also said her ministry will conduct research to determine the need to increase maternity leave.

"We are looking into the possibility of increasing maternity leave and have sent a letter to the Human Resource Ministry asking to extend the leave to 90 days for private sector employees," she said.

Currently, female workers in the private sector are entitled to 60 days maternity leave. The move to increase maternity leave faced objections from several quarters like the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), which cited higher costs as a reason.

On Friday, the ministry will submit a memorandum on the National Family Policy for cabinet approval. 

UK considers ban on US pastor visit

The American preacher who planned a mass burning of the Quran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks could be banned from entering Britain under incitement and national security laws.

US pastor Terry Jones said in his website that he had been invited to address a rally in February, organised by English Defence League (EDL), a far-right group, about "the evils and destructiveness of Islam".

Theresa May, Britain's interior minister, said on Sunday she was "actively looking" at the case. She said Jones had "been on her radar for a few months" and, as home secretary, she could ban his entry if he was a threat to national security.

'Public threat'

The government has the power to bar people considered a threat to public safety or national security.

"Only extremists will benefit from his visit"

Nick Lowles,
director of Hope Not Hate

"It wasn't clear that he was definitely coming to the UK but if it is now clear that he's definitely coming to the UK, then of course this is a case that I will be actively looking at," May told UK's Sky News television.

The EDL has emerged in the past couple of years to oppose what it calls the spread of Islam, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in England.

Its opponents say the group is racist and stages violent protests.

Jones' website says he intends to visit an EDL rally on February 5 in Luton, which has a significant Muslim minority.

"During the protest, Terry Jones, will speak against the evils and destructiveness of Islam in support of the continued fight against the Islamification of England and Europe," the website says.

Jones told Sky News he would "respect the laws" of any country he visited.

"I would by no means advocate something, preach something, speak something that will cause that type of riot or disturbance," he said.

A previously obscure preacher, Jones gained infamy through his effort to burn the Quran. He cancelled the event after international pressure.

Anti-racism campaigners deplored the idea of such a visit and say his visit will only breed hatred and violence.

Nick Lowles, the director of the campaigning group Hope Not Hate, said Jones should be barred because "only extremists will benefit from his visit".

Eleven men were arrested by police in Peterborough, eastern England, during an EDL rally on Saturday. About 1,000 people attended the march and another 200 held an opposition rally staged by the local trades union council.

Source:Agencies

'WikiLeaks 'expose' on Anwar an open secret'

Ibrahim on Namewee: Up to the government

Anwar acts to stem WikiLeak effect on sodomy case

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Monday moved to stem the impact on his sodomy trial of US cables released by WikiLeaks claiming he had sex with a male aide in a honey trap set by enemies.

Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair told AFP he will file a complaint with the court hearing Anwar's sodomy case over articles in the local media which could affect the former deputy premier's ongoing trial.

Most newspapers in the country carried the allegations on their front page with influential Malay daily Utusan Malaysia running a headline stating: "Singapore spy agency verifies sodomy act".

"Clearly it's a case of sub-judice, it's hearsay and conjecture, intelligence reports are not based on facts generally, they are based on rumours and I have served in the security services before so I know that the last thing you do is to trust such a report," said Nair.

"The judge must call up the newspapers and ask them to explain why they wrote the piece and to show their proof.

"If they can't do this then they will be cited for contempt," he added.

"If this is not sinister then it is totally unethical reporting. I have advised my client to file a lawsuit against these papers as well."

'Did indeed commit the acts'

The leaked US state department cables from November 2008 were given to Australia's Fairfax media group, which reported Sunday the Australian and Singapore intelligence agencies' assessment of Anwar's ongoing case.

"The Australians said that Singapore's intelligence services and (former prime minister) Lee Kuan Yew have told ONA (Office of National Assessments) in their exchanges that opposition leader Anwar 'did indeed commit the acts for which he is currently indicted'," the cable read.

"ONA assessed, and their Singapore counterparts concurred, 'it was a set-up job and he probably knew that, but walked into it anyway'," according to the cable.

Anwar, 63, has vehemently denied sodomising his aide, 25-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, claiming he was the victim of a political conspiracy.

He faces 20 years in prison if found guilty of sodomy, a serious crime in Malaysia.

Human Rights Watch has urged Malaysia to drop the charges against Anwar, condemning the case as a "charade of justice".

- AFP

Memorandum to mark “13th December 2007 HINDRAF ISA Black Day” & call to release all 16 ISA prisoners, Abolish the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and shut down “Malaysia’s Guantanamo Bay” Kemunting ISA detention Prison.

13/12/2010

YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Block Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax : 03-8888 3444 62502 Putrajaya. E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my

Y.B Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Menteri Kementerian Dalam Negeri,Kementerian Dalam Negeri,
Blok D1 & D2, Kompleks D,
Pusat Pentadbiran,
Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-2693 3131
62546 Putrajaya E-Mail: menteri@moha.gov.my

Dear YB,

Re : Memorandum to mark “13th December 2007 HINDRAF ISA Black Day” & call to release all 16 ISA prisoners, Abolish the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and shut down “Malaysia’s Guantanamo Bay” Kemunting ISA detention Prison.

Today is a Black Day for the Indian community because on 13/12/2007 Hindraf lawyers were arrested under this draconian law ISA. We call upon you to Abolish ISA and release all ISA detainees who are still being detained without trial at the Kamunting Prison in Taiping.

On 13/12/2007 ISA was used against Hindraf lawyers who were voicing out of the marginalization and segregation of minority Malaysian Indian from the National Mainstream Development of Malaysia by the UMNO regime.

Instead of UMNO regime addressing the pressing issues of Indian poor marginalization that were brought by Hindraf Chairman P.Waytha Moorthy’s on Hindraf 18 point demands dated 12/8/2007, Hindraf lawyers were falsely and maliciously labeled as Hindu extremists which had link with LTTE and detained under the draconian law ISA and were send to Kamunting Prison without trial.

While P.Uthayakumar was under ISA, he wrote a heart moving letter on his 500 days detention under ISA. He says that he being a Lawyer himself had defended others in

court of law but he was unable defend himself because of this draconian law that denies the right to be heard. Hindraf lawyers were detained for 514 days.

This is evidence that racist and religious supremacy in Malaysia used by UMNO regime to maintain and sustain their already 53 year old rule of Malaysia.

The use of ISA violates the Article 5 and 8 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution- Equality. Article 5 provided for Liberty of the person and free from arbitrary detention and Article 8 provides that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to its equal protection and there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent and gender or place of birth.

The rule of law is for every man to be given a right to be heard, a fair hearing as per the Latin maxim Audi Altrem Partem.

Under the law every man is presumed innocent until proven guilty and therefore no one should be arbitrarily detained under the ISA but instead should be given a full hearing and be tried in an independent and fair Court of law and that too only if there is a genuine case against him and the powers of the Attorney General cannot be arbitrarily used to embark on political prosecutions.

The pain and torture of detention under the ISA is a lot worse than for the ordinary prisoners who would know exactly when they would be released. But for the ISA detainees, their detention is indefinite and they would not know when they would be released. This alone is designed to make it a lot painful and most suffer from mental torture on a day to day basis.

We the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) and HINDRAF Makkal Sakthi call upon the Home Minister to forthwith release all remaining 16 ISA prisoners, Abolish the draconian law ISA and shut down “Malaysia’s Guantanamo Bay” ie the Kamunting ISA Detention Prison.

“Rights not Mercy”

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

………………………..

S.Jayathas

Information Chief/ National Info Coordinator

Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP)

HINDRAF Makkal Sakthi
Note: Memo received on behalf of Home Minister by Datuk Loo Yeng Peng (Special Officer to Minister of Home Affairs)

Ministry to probe claims of history books bias

Ng said that sections on the country’s fight for independence had been left out.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — The Education Ministry will order an investigation into claims that history textbooks are biased, factually wrong and used as political tools to propagate a false sense of nationalism.

When told of the allegations, made by two local history textbook writers in a news report today, Deputy Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi admitted he was unable to provide an immediate response.

But he gave his assurance that he would speak with director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud on the matter.

“I am sorry I cannot comment [yet]. I will call him and ask him to respond immediately about this,” he said when approached by reporters in Parliament this afternoon.

When pushed for his opinion on whether the allegations were a cause for concern, Puad hesitated before insisting that the matter should be handled by Abdul Ghafar after the latter investigated the complaints.

“I think it is better for the DG to comment because it involves our curriculum division, they have to give their full report to me,” he said.

In a report front-paged in theSun today, textbook authors Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi and Ng How Kuen alleged that school history textbooks were littered with factual errors and distortions, adding that these failed to give fair recognition to the country’s non-Malay nationalists.

Dr Ranjit, who is currently an advisor to the ministry on history textbooks, also claimed that secondary school history textbooks have been used to promote political interests.

He further claimed that when he once pointed out the errors and distortions, a ministry official had labelled him as “anti-national”.

“Secondary school history textbooks have been used to promote political interests. It should be a scholarly pursuit and not politically-motivated.

“Five out of 10 chapters of the Form Four history textbook deal with Islamic history as compared to only one chapter in the earlier textbook. The intention of the earlier syllabus was to expose our students to World History,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr Ranjit added that historical personalities like Yap Ah Loy (third Kapitan Cina of Kuala Lumpur), Gurchan Singh (the “Lion of Malaya”) and Sybil Karthigesu were not given sufficient recognition in the local textbooks.

Ng added that in the stories on the country’s fight for independence, the contributions of the communists had been left out.

“Students do know the truth but as textbooks are written according to approved curriculum, students end up learning history that is skewed,” Ng was quoted as saying.

Both men had been commenting on the announcement that the history syllabus would be reviewed and that the subject would be made a compulsory pass in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) from 2013.

The newspaper also quoted Dr Ranjit as saying that it was inaccurate to assume that the new policy would instil a better sense of patriotism in students if the syllabus was inaccurate and failed to provide them with a sense of belonging to the country.

Zaid Ibrahim now an Akim member

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who left PKR last month, is now a member of the Malaysian People’s Justice Front or Akim, said its president Zakaria Salleh today.

Zakaria told The Malaysian Insider that the former PKR deputy presidential contender joined the tiny Kelantan party last month.

Zaid (picture) had planned to quit PKR on December 16, but the party supreme council accepted his resignation on November 19.

“He is now an Akim member; he submitted his application last November. He is officially our member,” said Zakaria.

When asked if Zaid would take over the party’s presidency, Zakaria said it is up to the former law minister to decide.

“It is up to Zaid if he wants to contest or not, if he wants to I would step down. But members must agree, I alone cannot make the decision,” said Zakaria.

Akim is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday to elect a new leadership.

“Zaid will most probably attend the meeting,” said Zakaria.

Zakaria had last week confirmed that Zaid was in discussion to take over the party which would be relaunched as his new political platform.

Zaid had said early this month about the need of a new political party, describing existing parties as “unwilling to make a stand on defending fundamental principles.”

Akim was founded in 1995 but has been unable to make any impact, even in Kelantan which has been under PAS rule since 1990.

In 2008, the party contested in the Permatang Pauh by-election but its candidate Hanafi Mamat lost his deposit when he obtained only 92 votes.

Akim faced a leadership crisis recently but it was resolved after intervention by the Registrar of Societies which later confirmed its registration status on December 1.

After GE13, a hung Parliament, says RPK

Raja Petra

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Influential blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has predicted that Malaysia will go Britain’s way in the coming general election, widely speculated to be held in the next three months.

Before Election 2008, he had declared that the opposition would take 90 federal seats and five states, which was startlingly close to the final results.

“I predict it will be a hung Parliament,” the self-exiled editor of the Malaysia Today news site said last night in an Internet broadcast live from London.

A hung Parliament, also known as a balanced Parliament in a two-party system, is one in which no party has an overall majority and will need to coax support from rival party members to pass laws.

The vocal government critic was replying to a question on which political pact will next form the federal government raised by a member of the audience off camera at the first Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) public forum.

The MCLM is an independent outfit Raja Petra co-founded two months ago and is made up of Malaysians abroad who are lobbying for political reform by offering political parties a stable of professionals and non-partisan civil rights activists to stand as candidates in the 13th general election.

Raja Petra has named prominent lawyer and human rights activist Malik Imtiaz Sarwar as the first candidate of the MCLM. Others will be named later in KL, he added.

The 60-year-old based his view of a hung Parliament on the growing groundswell of discontent in east Malaysia, which he observed has supplied the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition its majority support for decades.

“How Pakatan handles east Malaysia will have a very great factor in who forms government,” said the blogger popularly known as RPK.

Raja Petra, who has staunchly backed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim since the first wave of reformasi in 1998, withdrew his support for the opposition leader and the DAP-PKR-PAS pact earlier this year.

Raja Petra noted that Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, which have traditionally voted for the ruling BN, have become fed-up with being treated as little else but a “vote bank” by Putrajaya.

He foresees the voting pattern is likely to change because of this.

The two states and one federal territory in east Malaysia together occupy 57 seats out of a total of 222 in the Dewan Rakyat, and make up nearly a quarter of the members in the lawmaking hall.

Their votes have traditionally been cast in support of the BN, but Raja Petra foresees it is likely to change.

“Currently, the sentiment in Sabah and Sarawak is that Pakatan and Barisan are both totally worthless.

“My sentiment is that it’s going to be a lot of three-cornered fights in east Malaysia with lots of independents contesting,” he said.

Sporting a blue beret and Harry Potter-like round glasses at the talk yesterday, Raja Petra observed that the federal opposition pact, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), had failed to make use of the growing grassroots’ unhappiness to sway more supporters to its side.

“My view is that Pakatan is not handling east Malaysia properly… and it’s going to backfire,” he added.

He pointed to the racial-religious posturing between Umno and PKR and said the challenges over racial and religious supremacy have no traction in east Malaysia where multiculturalism is part of their lives.

But he added, it does mean the BN will win.

“If you ask me again during Chinese New Year, I can give a more accurate prediction,” Raja Petra said.

The UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are examples of the latest round of hung Parliaments.

A hung Parliament means the party in power will need to coax its rival party members to pass laws.

Two years ago, before Malaysia went to the polls, Raja Petra had predicted the opposition pact would win 90 seats and take over five state governments – Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Perak and Pahang.

The three parties came out winning 82 seats but failed to take over Perlis and Terengganu. Instead, they toppled the BN state governments in Penang and Selangor.

Don't cry conspiracy, Perkasa boss tells Anwar

By Patrick Lee - Free Malaysia Today

FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: On his first day back in Parliament, independent Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali told Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim not to cry conspiracy over WikiLeaks.

"I don't know if it is a trap or not... for me, what's important is that when we do something wrong, and when people take the opportunity to trap us, we cannot accuse others of conspiracy," the Perkasa president told reporters.

Read: Anwar acts to stem WikiLeak effect on sodomy case

According to Internet whistleblower WikiLeaks, a US department cable issued in November 2009 showed that Singapore officials believed that Anwar was guilty of his sodomy charge.

The revelation, which was contained in a message between the Singaporean intelligence and an Australian agency, said that Anwar "did indeed commit the acts for which he is currently indicted".

Reacting to the message, Anwar had accused the Malaysian police and their Special Branch division of contributing to the leak.

However, Ibrahim, who spent the last two months recovering from a heart bypass surgery, said that he was not surprised with Anwar's reaction.

He also advised the opposition leader to take action against WikiLeaks.

"I am not surprised at all (with Anwar). We have talked about him for many years, even during (former prime minister) Mahathir Mohamad's time, to the time where he was sacked as deputy prime minister," Ibrahim said.

"The best thing for him to do is to sue (WikiLeaks). I don't know (how to do so) from what point of the law, but that is the best way for him."

The firebrand MP also criticised the government for not taking action against controversial rapper Wee Meng Chee, or better known as Namewee.

'BN may lose some votes'

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz previously defended Wee and absolved him of accusations made against the rapper.

“If the government feels that by not taking action against Namewee it can bring more votes to BN, then by all means (go ahead). I am only afraid that this may lose some votes (for BN),” he said in a thinly veiled threat to the Najib administration.

In August, Kulai headmistress Siti Insyah Mansor allegedly told the non-Malay students in her school to go back to China and India. She was also said to have uttered: “If I were to helm the government, I will allocate 70% of the wealth to Bumiputera and only 30% to non-Bumiputera.”

In response to Siti Insyah's remarks, Wee composed a three-minute rap title called “Nah!!” on YouTube, heavily condemning the headmistress.

However, the Perkasa boss questioned if Siti Insyah actually made those remarks.

“Did the headmistress actually say such things? I went to see her, met a few other teachers and students, and asked them what had happened,” he said, adding that Siti Insyah's outburst was no more than “angry words”.

“(They were) nothing more than angry words used against students, like parents to their children...,” he said.

Ibrahim also said that the issue was blown into a racist matter merely because Siti Insyah was a Malay, and that action had been taken against her even before she had been taken to court.

Turning his guns on Wee, he asked the government to get rid of the Sedition and Internal Security Acts if it was not going to use them.

“(The ISA is) still relevant. But if they don't want to use it, just get rid of it...,” the Perkasa boss said, and asked the government to make the right decisions in enforcing national security.

“You cannot satisfy everybody, but our past leaders made many major decisions for national security. At the end of the day, the majority of the people supported the government's decision,” he said, citing the 1987's Ops Lalang that was “at last, appreciated by the people”.

Anwar acts to stem WikiLeak effect on sodomy case

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today moved to stem the impact on his sodomy trial of US cables released by WikiLeaks claiming he had sex with a male aide in a honey trap set by enemies.

Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair told AFP he will file a complaint with the court hearing Anwar's sodomy case over articles in the local media which could affect the former deputy premier's ongoing trial.

Most newspapers in the country carried the allegations on their front page with influential Malay daily Utusan running a headline stating: "Singapore spy agency verifies sodomy act".

"Clearly it's a case of sub-judice, it's hearsay and conjecture, intelligence reports are not based on facts generally, they are based on rumours and I have served in the security services before so I know that the last thing you do is to trust such a report," said Nair.

"The judge must call up the newspapers and ask them to explain why they wrote the piece and to show their proof. If they can't do this then they will be cited for contempt," he added.

"If this is not sinister then it is totally unethical reporting. I have advised my client to file a lawsuit against these papers as well."

The leaked US state department cables from November 2008 were given to Australia's Fairfax media group, which reported Sunday the Australian and Singapore intelligence agencies' assessment of Anwar's ongoing case.

"The Australians said that Singapore's intelligence services and (former prime minister) Lee Kuan Yew have told ONA (Office of National Assessments) in their exchanges that opposition leader Anwar 'did indeed commit the acts for which he is currently indicted'," the cable read.

"ONA assessed, and their Singapore counterparts concurred, 'it was a set-up job and he probably knew that, but walked into it anyway'," according to the cable.

Anwar, 63, has vehemently denied sodomising his aide, 25-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, claiming he was the victim of a political conspiracy.

He faces 20 years in prison if found guilty of sodomy, a serious crime in Muslim-dominated Malaysia.

Human Rights Watch has urged Malaysia to drop the charges against Anwar, condemning the case as a "charade of justice".

- AFP

Penang DAP polls: Outsiders now insiders

By Hawkeye - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: Delegates who walked into the hall in Komtar would have noticed an imposing banner which spelled out that they were gathered for an ordinary Penang DAP convention.

The words on the banner essentially captured Sunday's event as just a normal process - nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The 400 plus delegates voted in most of the incumbents during the bi-annual party election, while some personalities who lost were reappointed promptly as part of the process to close ranks.

Penang is now firmly a DAP bastion as its veteran chairman Karpal Singh put it, a "frontline state."

Although perceived to be parochial, Penang had accepted outside DAP leaders who were delicately planted in the state political lanscape.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng whose previous political base was Malacca, Johorean strategist Liew Chin Tong and Kuala Lumpur-based Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi were seen as "outsiders" before.

Today, they are firmly entrenched in the state, especially Guan Eng who played a behind the scene role to ensure the party election here was calmer and orderly compared to Perak and Selangor.

Yet, the rumblings on the ground by some quarters was how could the party reconcile between government and party posts since DAP was now a party in government and no longer just an opposition force per se.

Notable loser

The notable loser during the Penang DAP election was veteran member Phee Boon Poh who is a two-term Sungai Puyu assemblyman.

Phee is an affable state executive councillor and had held the party's torch during the "down" times in Penang.

He also played a key role in arranging for last month's state funeral of former chief minister Dr Lim Chong Eu.

After being edged out, Phee wondered aloud about how he went wrong.

"Is it because I was too busy performing the role of a state exco member! Perhaps, I had neglected my party grassroots," he said.

Political observers credit him for his good governing skills such as his move to preserve the environment, his attention to detail on public health and his caring society activities.

Yet, Phee lost. His bitterness was apparent when he declined to give a firm commitment on whether he would accept an offer to be an appointed committee member.

Phee's political circumtances could be similar to a certain degree with another DAP state exco member, Ronnie Liu from Selangor.

Both are hardworking state government representatives but somehow got detached from the DAP grassroots with Liu probably paying the price by earlier axing his strongest grassroots ally, Tee Boon Hock.

DAP now needs to manage both government and party roles best, said newly appointed Penang DAP treasurer Wong Hon Wai.

'Collateral damage'

They were also several assemblymen out of the 73 candidates who were "collateral damage” after the state election outcome was known.

Among them were state DAP Youth head Yeoh Soon Hin who is the Paya Terubong state assemblyman, local councillor Tan Hoon Wooi, Bagan Dalam state assemblyman A Tanasekharan, Padang Lalang assemblyman Tan Cheong Heng and Pengkalan Kota state assemblymen Lau Keng Ee.

Others who lost included Sungai Pinang state assemblyman Koid Teng Guan and observers said that some of them were actually performing well as assemblymen and government actvists but when it came to the party, they were left out or outright booted out.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai barely made it but it came at the expense of him being removed from holding the state secretary post which was now held by Guan Eng's political secretary Ng Wei Aik.

The political comeback of Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng and Batu Lanchang assemblyman Danny Law Heng Kiang were good sentiments for the senior ranks but it came at the expense of younger leaders.

Meanwhile, Karpal openly declared that he would not support the concept of DAP leaders holding too many posts.

He wanted them to hold either a state or a parliament seat while government duties must be balanced to avoid an overload of responsibilities.

Karpal, however, said that an exception should be given to the Penang chief minister post, meaning the individual could hold both a state and parliamentary seat, as it can help improve the state's governance.

Although the dust had settled, the record number of 88 candidates seeking just 15 slots, was an indication that more members were now clamouring for posts because they presume that DAP had much to offer since it is in government.

In the meantime, Guan Eng is repeating the the word “united” over and over at all party gatherings in view of speculations that the general election is around the corner.

By the people, for the people

The Write Way by Tiberius Kerk - Free Malaysia Today

(BOOK REVIEW March 8: Time For Real Change by Kee Thuan Chye and Fellow Malaysians) Back in the 1960s, the general election campaign was an exciting time for children. In Ipoh where I was growing up at that time, political party campaigners would send cars with loudspeakers announcing their arrival on certain dates at specific venues.

Children like me were thrilled because we knew we were in for a great time. It meant free cinema shows out there in the neighbourhood field. A big screen would be put up and enthusiastic young viewers would be treated to a Hollywood film, invariably a Western.

If we were lucky, it would be John Wayne, all in magnificent black and white. Before the movie began, the campaigners would pass out free Consulate cigarettes. Naturally, they bypassed us eager beavers even though we thought we could tolerate a puff or two and feel “cool as the mountain spring”.

But that was two generations ago. These days, politics has become much more complicated. What were simple issues had been made complex.

In the days of old when Internet had yet to surface and television was still in its black and white splendour, it was a simple case of voting for “the Ship” (Alliance Party) or the other side with the “Buffalo head” symbol.

Fast forward to the 21st century, there are now more political groups thann we care to remember. Information has long been on the overload mode. The Internet super highway, 3G mobiles and other wired devices are utilised to tug at the ears of the masses

Unfortunately for Malaysia, written materials like books are still being shunned by the majority. At last count, official statistics put the number habit of Malaysians at eight to 12 books a year.

However, I suspect somebody at the Statistics Department was being over-generous. It is more like one to two books per person annually.

Thought-provoking essays

So it is a safe bet that one of the latest additions to the book market, “March 8: Time For Real Change” by Kee Thuan Chye and Fellow Malaysians will find a limited audience.

It is an upgraded and revised edition of the 2008 original. Still hot from the printing press, as they say, this book has some of the most thought-provoking essays and interviews about the current Malaysian political situation seen in recent years.

Kee has lit a beacon and its light is drawing fellow Malaysians who share his concern about the nation’s state of affairs to his corner.

In total, there are 42 articles spread over three sections, aptly labelled “Where We Are Now, Back To The Beginning” and “Where Do We Go From Here”.

It is heartening to learn that Malaysians of all races, creeds and professions have voiced their aspirations, good wishes and grievances about this country which they love so much.

Young and old, professionals and students have argued eloquently on the burning issues of the day. And these issues which are debated incessantly in coffeeshops, boardrooms and within the sanctity of one’s own home are about corruption, justice and education system and the rule of law.

Kee himself has contributed seven of the 42 articles in the book. One of the most interesting was his interview with Lim Guan Eng, the Chief Minister of Penang.

In that chapter, Guan Eng says “this victory of ours can be ephemeral. And time and tide waits for no man, so we do whatever we can. I prefer to fail trying than failing to try”.

Guan Eng was replying to the question: “In order for you to realise your plans for Penang, which could take a long time, do you foresee you need to stay more than five years in office?”

Outrageous comments

But some of the most outrageous and hilarious comments must surely belong to Raja Petra Kamarudin. RPK, as he is more commonly known, is famous for his outspoken views.

Reading what he has to say about some of the more sensitive issues that seem to persistently knock at our doors will tickle the reader’s funny bones.

At the same time, RPK thinks nothing of figuratively slapping you around to knock some sense into your head. The thought of the day, according to RPK’s book of quotations, is that even in our darkest political hour, we must learn to laugh at ourselves.

If we can do it at other people’s expense, that’s even better!

RPK is always great fun. He expresses opinions like Mount Merapi spewing ashes over Java. Most of his views are succinct and sharp as an arrow. He won’t beat around the bush when he could just conk you on the head.

The good thing is we often end up laughing with him.

On the other end of the political spectrum is people like Dr Lim Teck Ghee, the CEO and director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives Bhd. Lim was the director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies at the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute.

He resigned from the institute in 2006 after an official disagreement over his findings about some vital issues.

Lim’s dispassionate and clinical opinions on the NEP demand attention from all thinking individuals and close scrutiny from those who are in position to shape the future of Malaysia.

Malaysia is now at a crossroads. From the quiet town of Kangar, Perlis, to the tantalising plains of Tamparuli, Sabah, Malaysians striving or thriving in the melting pot of diversity must ask themselves: what do we want for our grandchildren and great grandchildren?

As citizens of this blessed country, we have listened to the radio, seen on TV, read the mainstream newspapers and attended talks, now we owe it to ourselves and others who will come after us, to lend our ear to the other voice.

“March 8: Time For Real Change” is the other voice. It shouts with great passion from across the wide gulf that separates some of us but nevertheless it wants to be heard. We will be doing ourselves a disservice, if we turn a deaf ear to our own people.

From 1957 to 2010, it has always been one person, one vote – your call.

The book is available in all major bookstores. FMT's interview with Kee Thuan Chye will be published tomorrow.