Chechen rebel leader claims he ordered attack on Moscow subway

A recent picture taken from cecenonline.com reportedly shows Islamist leader Dokku Umarov.

(CNN) -- Chechen rebel leader Dokku Umarov claimed that he personally gave orders to attack the Moscow subway this week, according to a Chechen rebel Web site.

Kavkaz Center, a Web site that regularly carries messages from the rebels, released a video in which Umarov said he was behind the Monday attacks.

The attacks were revenge for what Umarov called a "massacre conducted by the Russian occupants against the poorest residents of Chechnya and Ingushetia," the Web site says.

According to the site, the video was taped the same day as the attacks.

The incident Umarov referred to is a February special operation by Russian forces, after which there were accusations of Russians killing innocent civilians.

In the video, Umarov said the victims were simply gathering garlic to make a living.

According to Russian officials, at least four civilians were killed during the special operation near the Ingushetian village of Arshty on February 11. After investigating the incident, the officials admitted that it was "the season to collect wild garlic" and civilians may have been doing just that despite requests for "evacuation" from the area.

The president of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Evkurov expressed condolences to relatives of the deceased and provided material support in the amount of 50 thousand rubles (about $1,700) for each family.

The president noted that during the raid 18 militants were also killed.

The attacks in Moscow, in which two female suicide bombers killed at least 39 people and wounded more than 60 others, were legitimate retribution for what happened in Chechnya, Umarov said in the video. He also promised "new acts of vengeance" in Russia.

Russians will no longer be able to simply observe the battles in the Caucasus, Umarov said.

"Therefore, the war will come to your streets, and you will feel it for yourselves and with your own lives," he said in the video.

Monday's blasts tore through the Lubyanka and Park Kultury stations in central Moscow -- the female bombers detonating their explosives about 40 minutes apart, starting just before 8 a.m. (12 a.m. ET).

On Tuesday, Russian police released photographs of the two women suspected of carrying out the attacks.

Special services were also seeking three suspected accomplices of the bombers, Russian state TV reported, citing Moscow police spokesman Viktor Biryukov.

They were hunting for a 30-year-old man from the Northern Caucasus who was seen on security cameras wearing dark clothes and a black baseball cap, and two women, aged 22 and 45, both ethnic Slavs, who allegedly assisted the man, state TV reported.

"Our preliminary assessment is that this act of terror was committed by a terrorist group from the North Caucasus region," said Alexander Bortnikov of the Federal Security Service, in reference to the investigation at one of the blast sites.

The current round of the Russia-Chechnya conflict dates back nearly 20 years, with Chechens having laid claim to land in the Caucasus Mountains region. Thousands have been killed and 500,000 Chechen people have been displaced by the fighting.

Chechnya is located in the North Caucasus region of Russia between the Black and Caspian seas.

Nothing wrong with being a Malay first, says PM

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

PUTRAJAYA, April 1 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today defended his deputy’s declaration that he considered himself “a Malay first”, and only then a Malaysian, saying there isn’t a contradiction.

“I think what he was saying reflects the provision in the constitution, the provision in the constitution is based on which ethnic group you belong to,” the prime minister said.

“He also said he is committed to 1 Malaysia, so I don’t see that as a contradiction. Being a Malay doesn’t mean you are against 1 Malaysia, similarly if you are a Malaysian Chinese, doesn’t mean you don’t think like a Malaysian or subscribe to 1 Malaysia,” he added.

Responding to a challenge from DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture) yesterday said that it was not proper for him to identify himself as Malaysian first and Malay second.

Lim had earlier dared Muhyiddin to state that he was Malaysian first, and Malay second to prove that he did indeed believe in the concept of 1 Malaysia which had been Barisan Nasional’s “unifying” slogan.

Muhyiddin also described Lim’s challenge as an attempt to drive a wedge between him and Najib.

“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia is based on the Constitution,” said Muhyiddin said yesterday.

“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?” he said.

Lim had also alleged that Muhyiddin had been making public statements that were in apparent conflict with Najib’s 1 Malaysia message forcing the Umno deputy president to declare his support to the campaign.

Najib introduced the 1 Malaysia concept when taking office last April 3, pledging to listen to the people and declaring that “the era where the government knows best is over”.

The opposition have called such initiatives populist moves to win back support for the BN which suffered unprecedented losses in Election 2008 in which Pakatan Rakyat (PR) captured four more states and 82 federal seats to deny the ruling coalition its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Pahang Sultan commutes Kartika’s sentence

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — A day before Kartika Sari Dewi Sukarno (picture) was to surrender herself to the Pahang Islamic authorities, the Sultan of Pahang has commuted her caning sentence according to an AP report.

The 33-year-old part-time model was supposed to be caned six times last August for the 2008 offence but it was called off at the last minute.

She would have been the fourth woman to be caned under Syariah law in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the punishment was to have been carried out within a month of the department’s final decision.

Wary MTUC cautions Najib over use of EPF funds

By Free Malaysia Today Staffs

KUALA LUMPUR: While many are mulling over the implications Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s New Economic Model (NEM), which among others, allows the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to increase its investments overseas, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress has issued a caution.

MTUC expressed its reservations over Najib’s announcement on Tuesday, reminding EPF that it held in trust people’s life and old-age savings.

Said MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud: “We understand the need to expand and move into heavy investments. But we implore the government and EPF to be careful with the people’s savings.

“High investments usually means bigger risks. We have seen how hugely successful companies like Enron (in the US) collapsed overnight due to mismanagement. EPF must be very careful. “

Syed Sharir said while he accepted the Government’s aim to enhance the liquidity of the local market through the involvement of foreign fund managers and investors, it was imperative that dealings are transparent.

He said the government and EPF must “double and triple verify” the background of fund managers it hires to ensure their credibility.

“Whatever it is the government and EPF must be prudent and transparent in all its dealings. Malaysians will watching them closely,” he said.

EPF has over the years limited its major investments to the domestic front. Currently 70 percent of EPF’s investments are classified as low risk types.

At the end of 2008, EPF was the controlling stake holder in two listed companies, Malaysia Building Society Berhad (63.33 percent) and in RHB Capital Berhad (57.27 percent).

EPF also holds equity in 30 other companies. Its stakes range from from 11.68 percent (YTL Corporation Bhd) to 31.59 percent (Malaysia Resource Corporation Berhad).

“On the domestic front EPF’s investments have been robust. In 2008 the EPF Board announced a dividend rate of 4.50 percent. The government guarantees a minimum 2.5 percent on all contributions,” he said.

EPF, with 12.4 million members, has a fund size of over RM307 billion.

Cronies and gluttony

Meanwhile Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim has urged the rakyat to be wary of the NEM in relation to the EPF funds.

He said there were concerns over Najib’s announcement that the EPF funds will be used to buy into companies and participate in new investments.

“This is worrying because in future millions of our employees will become victims of greed and gluttony by leaders and their cronies who will take the opportunity to use public funds to enrich themselves.

“It is the responsibility of all Malaysians to stay alert and monitor whatever decisions or purchases made by EPF after this because we are certain there will be interferences which will force or influence EPF’s decisions.

"The bigger responsibility however lies with the PM and the government.

“Najib needs to list out all the steps taken to ensure that the process of investment and involvement of EPF in new businesses is carried out in a transparent manner,” Anwar said.

Sabah left out of NEM, says former CM

KOTA KINABALU: The much anticipated New Economic Model (NEM) launched by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on Tuesday is a disappointment, said a top Sabah politician.

Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee said the NEM had missed out on strategies on lessening imbalances in development between the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.

"A key disadvantage to Sabah’s economic competitiveness is our higher freight charges caused mainly by the federal cabotage policy which favours shipping lines based mainly in Peninsular Malaysia.

"This issue has been completely left out of the NEM," said Yong who was once the chief minister of the state.

He said of the eight key sectors, only oil and gas, oil palm and tourism are directly relevant to Sabah.

"Even then, the potential of these three key sectors are because of Sabah’s own natural resources like oil and gas, land and eco-tourism assets.

"These are the assets of Sabah that have contributed to the national economy and not the other way round," he said.

Yong said it was also worrying that the NEM omitted forestry as a key sector.

"Although state revenues from timber royalties has dropped over the years, forestry remains a key sector in Sabah because of its great potential in terms of scientific research, environment, eco-tourism, carbon trading and employment in wood-based industries.

"Forestry remains one of Sabah’s biggest factors in our economic development. It should not have been omitted."

He said Najib had missed an opportunity to boost business confidence in Sabah by committing the federal government to the building of the Labuan Bridge in either the 10th or at the latest the 11th Malaysia Plan.

"The NEM also missed out on any strategies to enhance maritime activities and trade in the East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

“These are macro issues that are relevant to Sabah’s well being but not included in the NEM.

"Our new economic model should have answers on the crisis of youth unemployment, over- reliance on foreign workers, living wage and escalating costs of living. Sadly, these are lacking in the NEM."

Yong also found the NEM lacking in its energy policy.

"On the one hand, the government talks highly of green technology but on the other hand, Tenaga Nasional (TNB) insists on a coal power plant for Sabah," he said of the controversial push to build the plant despite the objections of a wide section of the state's population.

He said SAPP feels that it is the responsibility of the BN governments, at both the state and federal levels, to rectify these shortcomings and defects in the NEM.

"Failure to do so would condemn Sabah and our people to another decade of economic backwardness, misery and dependence on federal hand outs."

Perkasa are opportunists, says Nazri

(The Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz slammed Perkasa as political opportunists after the right-wing group claimed that the proposed Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) is against the country’s constitution.

The EOC is a mechanism under the New Economic Model (NEM) unveiled on Tuesday but Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali argued it was against Article 153 of the Federal Constitution because it ensured every Malaysian would be given equal opportunities.

The de facto Law Minister explained that Article 153 would not be in any jeopardy because the EOC is subjected to the framework of the constitution.

“You can have the Equal Opportunity Commission subject to the requirement of the constitution. Equal opportunity for all must be subject to the provisions of the constitution,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider last night.

Read more at: Perkasa are opportunists, says Nazri

RPK Speaks His Mind - Kuasa dan Muslihat disebalik PERKASARPK Speaks His Mind - Kuasa dan Muslihat disebalik PERKASA

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

What ‘social contract’ entails

The term has been hijacked by those who choose to invent their own meaning of the expression.

By Azmi Sharom (The Star)

AH ... the social contract — a theory propounded by the philosopher Hobbes where the citizens of a country agrees to give power to a government in exchange for the guarantee of their own civil liberties and rights.

It is a term meant to dictate a type of governance where the needs of a powerful authority are balanced by the protection of citizens from abuse of that power. In this Hobbesian philosophy we find a weapon against tyranny.

But this is not so in Malaysia. The term “social contract” has been hijacked by those who choose to invent their own meaning of the expression. When “social contract” is used on these shores, it means that Malay political power must always hold sway and a state of perpetual pro-Malay economic policies must remain in place and everyone else must keep quiet as their forefathers had agreed to it.

The founders of this country did not have such racialist aspirations when we obtained our independence in 1957. The provisions in the Constitution which provides for the “special position” of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak (note there is no such thing as “Malay rights” in our Constitution), were meant as a stop gap measure but not a permanent crutch.

Tun Dr Ismail likened it to a gold handicap where you give the weaker party a boost until he reaches a point where he can play on equal terms. Indeed the time limit initially set was for the affirmative action to last 20 years.

But hey, don’t take my word for it. Allow me to regale you with some quotes that can be found in the Report of the Federation of Malaya Constitutional Commission “… in an independent Malaya all nationals should be accorded equal rights, privileges and opportunities and there must not be discrimination on grounds of race and creed …”

And the people who said this were not the British and their pompous hats. It was the Alliance which in case you have forgotten who they were, consisted of the Malayan In-dian Congress, the Malayan Chinese Association and the United Malay National Organisation. That’s right our great leaders of Umno hoped and dreamt of a Malaya based on equality. And you can see this aspiration reflected in the Constitution. Article 8 guarantees equality except in situations specifically provided for in the Constitution. In other words, if an affirmative action is not specifically allowed for in the Constitution, it is unlawful.

And there are other provisions as well; like Article 136 which states that all government servants must not be discriminated against based on race and creed. So our non-Malay public servants have a Constitutional protection against poor treatment for example in promotions. I don’t see all these “warriors for the social contract” waving placards demanding impartial treatment to all civil servants. Of course not, it would not do to defend the non-Malays, will it?

By the way, it is not only the politicians who wanted a country where there is racial equality, the rulers, our Sultans themselves said that they “... look forward to a time not too remote when it will become possible to eliminate communalism as a force in the political and economic life of the country”.

But in case you think I am making this up, it’s in the report mentioned above on page 71. Check it out yourself.

So the next time some ex-premier, or multi-millionaire Malay, or racist rhetoric politician, go on and on about the “social contract”, please be informed that this kind of self- serving bigoted behaviour was not part of the dream that is independent Malaya. Our founders did not have such base ideals they wanted better, and so should we.

The real pribumi of Malaysia

thenutgraph.com

Orang Asal at a September 2008 gathering in Kuala Lumpur

IN an interview with The Nut Graph, Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa) president Datuk Ibrahim Ali was careful to mention that Perkasa wants affirmative action for all races. He was also careful to mention "native rights" in the same breath as Malay Malaysians.

But despite the word "pribumi" in its name, Perkasa has championed little for the Orang Asli and Orang Asal of Malaysia. Despite professing to be defenders of Malay Malaysians and native bumiputera, Perkasa's rhetoric has focused solely on the Malay Malaysian race.

As shown in recent reports on the plight of the Orang Asli regarding their rights to healthcare and ancestral lands, the original peoples of Peninsular Malaysia only have the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA). The JHEOA's commitment and capabilities, however, are suspect if evidence compiled by civil society groups is anything to go by.

And even as Perkasa loudly champions for Malay bumiputera rights and privileges, some of which are constitutionally enshrined, who really looks after the Orang Asli, who are the only non-migrants in this country?

No constitutional protection

Article 153 of the Federal Constitution on the special position of Malay Malaysians and bumiputera omits mention of the peninsular Orang Asli. Only the natives of Sabah and Sarawak are specified. That's why Parti Keadilan Rakyat supreme council member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had to correct Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's assertion that Orang Asli had the same constitutional rights as bumiputera. Zaid also noted that the poorest Malaysians were Orang Asli.

Orang Asli in Kampung Rembai, Selangor (Pic by Azdla @ Flickr)

"Others are dictating to the Orang Asli what they deserve. They are treated as charity cases, which is completely wrong. Orang Asli should be allowed to work within the government system, to contribute to the advancement of their own people, and to make decisions for themselves.

"This paternalistic attitude towards the Orang Asli has to stop, and a complete change in the system has to be made," Bar Council past immediate president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasen tells The Nut Graph. She represented Orang Asli at their 24 Feb 2010 protest against the JHEOA.

Ambiga

Outside government

What has evolved over the years is that advocacy for the Orang Asli has developed on a separate track outside the government's ambit. Civil society groups like the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) are the ones pursuing research on what affects the Orang Asli. Church groups are providing food and medical assistance to villages. Many churches maintain long-standing ties with Orang Asli villages, and have been helping develop community projects.

I know this because of my own participation in church efforts to give tuition to Orang Asli children in the Tras area in Pahang. Several of these kids were enrolled late in school, some attending school for the first time at age 11.

The common complaint by their parents was that nobody from the JHEOA came to their villages to register new births or to ensure that their children were schooled. Some parents did not even know they had to register their children's births.

On 27 March 2010, I attended the opening of a boarding home for Orang Asli children in Tras. Some 25 indigenous children live there as it is closer to the school they attend, as opposed to travelling daily from their villages in the jungle interior. The home, run by staff of a Christian non-governmental organisation, was officially opened by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok. Tras assemblyperson Choong Siew Onn was also present.

Dompok, in his speech, said that while he may not be able to directly affect change for the Orang Asli in his ministerial capacity, he would always be available to listen to their concerns and raise them in cabinet.

Dompok giving his speech (Pic courtesy of Eugene Khoo) That's commendable of Dompok. But in the larger picture, what does this indicate? It suggests to me that higher levels of authority are indeed aware of how JHEOA has fallen short of fulfilling its mandate. Despite this awareness, there is a lack of political will within the government to reform the entire system of Orang Asli welfare and development.

Perkasa's rhetoric

Do we need the Orang Asli to be specifically mentioned in the constitution before their status as the poorest of Malaysia's poor is to be taken seriously? Are they not logically the true pribumi of Peninsular Malaysia? Why, then, do they rarely figure in public discourse and policy about disadvantaged Malaysians?

To let a group like Perkasa get away with claiming that it fights for all pribumi when it is only concerned with Malay Malaysian privileges is an injustice to the Orang Asli who are pribumi.

It is also a distortion of historical fact to equate Malay Malaysians with pribumi when the only ones who can rightfully claim to be the original inhabitants of this land are the indigenous peoples. As the ancestral stories of many Malay Malaysian interviewees in The Nut Graph's Found in Malaysia section show, Malay Malaysian bloodlines originated from a variety of places through migration and inter-marriages.

Perkasa's rhetoric holds that Malay Malaysians, as the majority, deserve the most help. Unfortunately, it's a view that has long shaped the minds of some of our policymakers and executors. What about the Orang Asli, who are a minority, but in fact the original dwellers of this land?

Challenge to all the other 17 UMNO Ministers and other BN Ministers to stand up and be counted to declare whether they are Malaysians first and Malays

by Lim Kit Siang

In response to my challenge on the four acid tests of whether he really supports Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared he is “Malay first” and then only a Malaysian.

He said: “I am Malay first! But being Malay does not mean you are not Malaysian. It is not a race issue.”

Again accusing me of trying to drive a wedge between him and Najib, he said:

“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia is based on the Constitution.

“How can I say I’m Malaysian first and Malay second? All the Malays will shun me and say that it is not proper.

“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?”

He even challenged me to declare that I am Malaysian first and Chinese second, until he was told by reporters that I had already made such a declaration – in Parliament during the debate on the Royal Address on 18th March.

I feel very sorry for the Prime Minister that his signature concept of 1Malaysia as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia has been torn into smithereens by his deputy just on the eve of his first anniversary as Prime Minister on Saturday on 3rd April.

In fact, thanks to Muhyiddin, Najib’s 1Malaysia concept has been turned nationwide into an April Fool’s joke, as today is April 1.

I never said that a person who regards himself as a Malay first and Malaysian second is not a Malaysian – but clearly he does not qualify to become a “1Malaysian”.

Who is a “1Malaysian”?

This is clearly spelt out in the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap launched by the Prime Minister at the end of January, which declared that the goal of 1Malaysia is “to make Malaysia ….a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society”.

I had said in my speech in Parliament on March 18 that the the biggest enemy of 1Malaysia is not from outside Barisan Nasional but from inside Umno and Muhyiddin has proved me right.

I had wondered during my speech how many Cabinet Ministers and Barisan Nasional leaders have the 1Malaysia DNA as to be able to pass the four simple 1Malaysia tests I had formulated.

During my speech in Parliament on March 18, when I put forward the four 1Malaysia acid tests, UMNO MPs including the UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin ran for cover and dared not give a straightforward answer.

Let me challenge all the other 17 UMNO Ministers and other BN Ministers to stand up and be counted to declare whether they are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans second or the reverse.

In fact, I want to ask the Minister responsible for the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap, Senator Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon whether it is tenable for him to continue as Cabinet Minister when the very rationale of his portfolio – 1Malaysia GTP – had collapsed and destroyed by none other than the Deputy Prime Minister?

New Anti-graft Measure In Government Procurement Begins Today

PUTRAJAYA, April 1 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that from Thursday, three additional steps will be implemented to enhance integrity and prevent corruption in government procurement.

He said all bidders would be required to sign the Bidder Declaration Letter while the successful bidder the Successful Bidder Declaration Letter.

Further, they would have to sign the agreement text which contains the Anti-Corruption Clause in Government Procurement, he said.

He said this measure was an additional initiative of the Finance Ministry that had already required an Integrity Pact clause to be included in all agreement texts relating to government procurement contracts from Feb 28, 2009.

"All the initiatives are taken to improve and strengthen the level of integrity and transparency of the goverment procurement system," he said after launching the Government Procurement Information Centre, My-Procurement, at the Finance Ministry here.

Najib, who is Finance Minister, told reporters that the special clause was the successful bidder's commitment and pledge, and if they failed to fulfil it action would be taken.

"It means that they have understood their responsibilities as the winner of a contract; the do's and don'ts," he said.

On My-Procurement, he said that through the portal, results of a tender would be posted within 14 days or earlier after the acceptance letter had been issued to the successful bidder.

Information on the portal will be upated on an hourly basis by the relevant ministries.

In a speech earlier, Najib said the portal's development was among the latest measures to enhance transparency and ensure uniformity in disseminating information relating to government procurement.

He said that through the website, the government would post various information relating to government procurement like tender advertisements and results, government procurement policy and procedure, and the Integrity Pact.

"As a start, the portal will post tender advertisements and tender results of all ministries from June last year until the latest," he said.

Najib said he hoped that with the portal, all parties would have accurate information n government procurement and have knowledge on the development and reform in government procurement.

"I would like to remind all Controllers to be committed to ensuring all information relating to their respective ministries' tender advertisements and results are constantly updated and uploaded into their websites," he said.

He said the information that had been uploaded must be quick and accurate to ensure integrity of the data so that no one would dispute the information that was posted for public knowledge.

Najib said the portal's development in a short period of time, namely five months earlier than scheduled, was in line with his previous call on the importance to make quick, good and accurate decisions.

He said this would increase people and market confidence in the government, which was very important to the Finance Ministry and agencies that are involved in national economic development.

"We must meet two main criteria, namely people's expectations and aspirations and market expectations through efforts carried out.

"If there is only one, our aim to become a developed and high-income country will not be achieveable," he said.

Home arrow News arrow Legal/General News arrow Protest over manhandling of lawyer * * Malaysian Bar Web Ads * Malaysian Bar Web Ads

The Sun

KUALA LUMPUR (March 31, 2010): About 50 lawyers, accompanied by MPs, human rights activists and supporters gathered at the entrance of the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters here today to protest the alleged manhandling of a lawyer by policemen at the Jalan Duta Court Complex last week.

The lawyers were enraged after lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who was handling the drug possession case of actor Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim, better known as Benjy, on March 25 was physically restrained by several policemen.

Amer had intervened and tried to seek an explanation from the police who had waited outside a courtroom to re-arrest Benjy, the son of actress Azean Irdawaty, who was charged with possessing methamphetamine and released on bail.

At noon, the group including Amer, Benjy's sister Elza Irdalynna Khairil Anwar, Bar Council president K. Ragunath, MPs and members of several human rights NGOs handed over a memorandum addressed to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan. A police officer from the public relations department accepted the memorandum on behalf of the IGP.

"This is a mockery of the law to deny an individual of their right to a counsel. I merely sought an explanation from the police personnel and asked them for their authority cards but they held me by my arms before briefly arresting me. I was then released after they had taken away my client.

"Benjy was released and then to have him arrested under preventive laws which disallows a fair trial is unacceptable. We are against all preventive laws," said Amer.

Lawyer N.Surendran said the group had come in solidarity and wanted the IGP to take stern action against the police personnel involved in manhandling Amer.

"There should be no interference from any party when a lawyer is executing his duties on behalf of his client, otherwise it is a serious breach of human rights" he said.

Elza said police told her family that they were not allowed to meet Benjy, 32, for the first two weeks of his detention under the Special Preventive Measures law of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

"Benjy is asthmatic and needs his medication. Though we could not meet him, my father managed to hand over some medication to the investigation officer to pass to Benjy," she said, adding that her brother is currently being held at the Bukit Jalil police station.

On Monday, theSun reported that Benjy was re-arrested to initiate a thorough investigation into his alleged drug dealing activities.

Kuala Lumpur police narcotics department chief ACP Kang Chez Chiang said police detained Benjy as investigators have grounds to believe the actor's further involvement in narcotics.

SIASATAN DIPERLUKAN DI PENANG MEDICAL KOLEJ

Yang Berhormat Tuan,

SIASATAN DIPERLUKAN DI PENANG MEDICAL KOLEJ

PIHAK IRISH HARUS DISIASAT DAN DI KAWAL

Atas jasa baik Tuan supaya dapat saya kemukakan aduan terhadap institusi Penang Medical College

Saya ingin berbuat demikian bagi pihak pelajar dan ibu bapa pelajar pelajar yang menderita kerana aktiviti buruk yang di lakukan oleh pihak pengurusan institusi

Institusi PMC tersebut di tubuhkan untuk melatihkan pengamal perubatan yang cekap supaya dapat mereka mengamal dan berkhidmat sewajarnya kepada pesakit pesakit . Tetapi dukacita dima'alumkan pengurusan tidak berberapa cekap dan jujur.

Pengurus CEO hanya menjaga kepentingan diri sendiri dan tidak memberi pertimbingan kepada keperluan pelajar perubatan.. Beliau telah memberi arahan supaya perpustakan ,bilik rehat pelajar pelajar perubatan, serta kantin makanan dan minuman di pindahkan dari tempat asal nya di main campus ke sebuah bangunan yang di sewa. Baangunan ini jauhnya 1 kilometer dan lebih kurang 30 minit berjalan kaki jauhnya Kebanyakan pihak pelajar tidak setuju pindahan tersebut tiada dapat mendatangkan faedah apaapa pun kepada pihak pelajar dan sebalik nya merupakan sesuatu langkah tidak sesuai dan kemungkinan merbahaya kepada keselamatan pelajar terutama pelajar wanita kerena bangunan tersebut terpencil dan dapat nya seseorang pelajar wanita tercedera dirompak perompak bermotosikal.

Kalau perpustakaaan, kantin dan bilik rehat pelajar dikampus kedua yang tersebut di atas, diasingkan dari bilik lecture dan bilikbilik tutorial susahnya pelajarpelajar gunanya.Rombongan pelajar PMC student association telah merayu terhadap pindahaan ini tetapi pihah

pengurusan dan CEO tidak ingin bertolak ansur, dan tidak ingin berunding.

Pihak CEO sebutkan tujuannya adalah kerena bangunan tiada mencukupi dicampus yang asal. Tetapi hairannya, terdapat consulate negara Sweeden dan pejabat research di bangunan PMC.Keduadua perkara tersebut tiada mempunyai hubungan apaapa pun dengan pelajar pelajar perubatan. Sesuatu siasatan terhadap salah guna kuasa harus di jalankan

Pihak CEO mengikut pendapat kebanyakan pelajar pelajar harus mengambil tindakan meningikan taraf faciliti dan bangunan termasuk membina bangunan. Tetapi dukacita dima' alumkan beliau tiada berbuat demikian . Beliau hanya menjaga diri sendiri serta keperluaan pihak orang putih. Pihak orang putih ,kebanyakan adalah pihak yang telah bersara, tidak minat menjalankan ajaran, tidak bertanggung jawab, tidak faham bahasa tempatan,dan tidak berpengalaman luas dalam pelajaran perubatan dinenara negara asal masingmasing. Kegiatan dan kepercayaan pihak orang putih , kebanyakannya melangar ajaran agama agama tempatan

Golongan orang putih , lama kelamaan akan merupakan golongan yang tidak sesuai untuk menjadikan tauladan pemuda pemuda pelajar pelajar perubatan

Salah suatu akibat buruk adalah kesilapan curriculum ,pelajaran general practice hampir tidak dijalankan dan dapat di jalankan mengantikan pelajaran houeseman shadowing. Sedemikian adalah kebatalan pelajaran dan pelajaran pelajaran dijalankan oleh pihak tidak berpengalaman saperti pegawai pegawai perubatan yang berpengalaman melebihi lima tahun.

Pihak CEO mengambil berat menjalankan langkah supaya dapatnya faedah dan keuntungan kewangan diri sendiri serta pihak sebangsa dan pihak pensyarah orang putih di PMC

Salah suatu kejadian saperti di atas adalah beliau menganjuran Irish games apabila ditugaskan sebagai kakitangan PMC . Kemudahan kewangan dan waktu bekerja resmi PMC di gunakan untuk Irish games. Kalau siasatan di jalankan , kemungkinan tinggi terdapat bukti kesalahannya dan bukti salah guna kuasa dan salah guna budget kewangan kolej PMC .

Penang Medical College telah ditubuhkan sebagai program twinning pelajaran perubatan diantara Kerajaan Pulau Pinang dan pihak Irish . Pelajaran preklinikal tahun foundation, tahun1, tahun2, dan separuh tahun3 di jalankan dinegeri Ireland. Pelajarpelajar selepasnya pelajaran 2.5 atau 3.5 tahun(jika diperlukan belajar tahun foundation) kembali ke tanah air supaya menjalankan pelajaran klinikal dihospital Pulau Pinang selama 2.5 tahun.

Yuran pelajaran , pelajaran preklinikal diIreland bertinggitinggi jika dibandingkan dengan program pelajaran swasta

diTanah air kita . Yuran pelajaran satu semester pelajaran diIreland sebanyaknya 30,000 mata wang Euro (RM 135,000). Perbelanjaan cos

program PMC dianggap RM800,000. Pelajarpelajar pembelanjaan swasta , kebanyakannya tidak mampu belajar. Justeru ini kebanyakan pelajarpelajar adalah biasiswa JPA dan MARA (yang menhadapi pembayaran penalti sebanyak RM 600,000 , jika tiada menamatkan jangka perkhidmatan kontrek masingmasing 10 tahun.)

Pembelanjaan diPMC berlebihan dibandingkan programprogran pelajaran perubatan swasta lain di Malaysia kerena yuran pelajaran diIreland berlebihan. Pendapatan pihak Irish tinggi. Kalau tanpa dapat mengunnakan hospital di Pulau Pinang untuk ajaran pihak Irish tidak menjalankan program preklinikal diIreland kerena mereka tidak mempunyai kemudahan teaching hospital yang mencukupi.

Berlagaknya pihak Irish bahawa ijazah perubataan Irish adalaah ijazah antarabangsa, tetapi dukacita dimaalumkan ijazah

perubataan Pnang Medical College laku diIreland dan Malaysia sahaja . Ijazah PMC tidia lakunya di Singapore, Australia , UK dan USA.

Kalau graduate PMC ingin melanjutkan pelajaran kepakaran bidang perubatan,mereka terpaksa menhadapi periksaan perubatan qualifying di negeri tersebut.

Mengikut fahaman orang ramai , Pihak Irish diberi kontrak untuk menganjurkan program pelajaran perubatan twinning PMC kerena dianggap orang ramai ijazah Irish dapatnya direcognisasi antarabangsa. Tetapi dukaciya di maalumkan ijazah Irish tidak dapatnya recognisasi antarabangsa. Hanya dapatnya recognisasi hanya di Malaysia dan Ireland.

Pihak Irish diberi kontrak menjalankan program perubatan PMC kerena anggapan salah bahawa ijazah adalah ijazah taraf antarabangsa.Oleh kerana dapatnya pihak Irish lesen menjalankan pelajaran perubatan klinikal dihospiatl Besar Pulau Pinang, dapat nya mereka menjalankan progran perubatan preklinikal diDublin dan dapatnya Irish faedah kewangan berlebihan dari pelajarpelajar Warga negara Malaysia

Pada pendapat kebanyakan pelajar serta ibu bapa kesalahan telah di lakukan apabila pihak Irish telah di beri kuasa untuuk menjalankan pelajaran perubatan dengan mengunakan Hospital Pulau Pinang. Mereka patut di kawal dan di kuasai. Tentu pertubuhan tempatan saperti IMU, MANNIPAL, ALLIANZ dan AMIST dapat menjalankan program pelajaran medical college dengan yuran pelajaran yang kekurangan jika dapat nya kemudahan ajaraan hospital hospital saperti dihospital Pulau Pinang di Pulau Pinang

Pada pendapat kami skandal Penang Medical College yang mendatangkan faedah kewangan yang berlebihan kepada pihak Irish harus disiasat dan ditamatkan . Kegiatan pihak Irish yang mengikutnya pinak jajahan harus di hentikan. Feadahfaedan harus di simpan di Malaysia.

Pelajarpelajar yang ingin mendapat ijazah yang direconnisasi antarabangsa harus mencari pelajaran diKolej Perubatan luar negara. Kemudahan

serta faciliti pelajaran perubatan di tanah air haus digunakan untuk menjalankan pelajaran perubatan dan menjalankan latihan untuk pengamal perubatan tempatan .Pihak Irish yang mengexploitasi keadaan anggapan salah dan merupakan penipuan bahawa ijazah Irish adalah ijazah antarabangsa harus di siasat dan dikawal.

Kalau siasat kemungkinkan tinggi dapat bukti kesalahan salah guna kuasa dan salah guna kewangan

Diharap kami supaya atas jasa baik Tuan dapat Tuan menjalankan siasatan dengan sewajar nya,

Diharap kami supaya dapat siasatan terhadap arahan perpindahan perpustakaan, bilik rehat pelajar dan bilik kantin

Di harap kami supaya dapat Tuan kemukakan perkara ini kepada pihakpihak berkuasa berkenaan

Sekian

Ribuan Terima Kasih

Lawyers protest over manhandling incident

Muhyiddin: I'm Malay first

PERKASA ancam tentang EOC jika 153 dicabuli

Khir endorses MIC candidate but Anwar Ibrahim will not endorse HRP candidate. Anwar or Hindrafs’ racist agenda?

Even the cruel ex Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo the biggest demolisher of hindu temples in Selangor (at the rate of one hindu temple in every ten days) had said “In the concept of sharing power among the various races and mutual understanding, it is fair that an MIC candidate should be allowed to stand in the (Hulu Selangor) by-election. (The Star 31/3/2010 at page N31).

But PKR Supremo Anwar Ibrahim would never similarly endorse an Indian HRP candidate (at least to maintain status quo if not to display greater multi racialism that he claims). At least in this instance who is more multi-racial? Khir Toyo or Anwar Ibrahim?

In fact PKR’s history could be traced and tracked back from the very first general elections it contested in 1999 onwards when PKR had arm twisted DAP and had filed Malay candidates in many traditionally DAP Indian constituencies.

In the 2004 and 2008 general elections PKR grabbed these traditional Indian DAP seats. In fact in the 2008 general elections PKR and PAS Malay candidates defeated the MIC candidates in Hulu Selangor, Teluk Kemang, Lunas, Pasir Panjang, Behrang, Bukit Melawati as if the already suppressed and oppressed by UMNO Indians did not need the political additional representation if not any and every political representation.

In the year 2000 Teluk Kemang by- elections PKR had similarly filed Roslan Kassim against S.Sothinathan of the MIC. Why not N.Gobalakrishnan who was the original PKR candidate in the 1999 general elections? Roslan Kassim and many other especially serving PKR MPs and state Assemblymen have since defected to UMNO. But no Indian elected representative has ever defected to B.N.

In the 2001 Lunas by- elections, PKR had similarly filed Saifuddin Nasution against the MIC candidate and by passing the original 1999 general election DAP candidate Mr.Kathirvelu.

In the 2007 Ijok by elections, PKR similarly filed Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim against Parthiban of the MIC and by passing the original Indian DAP candidate.

Had it not been for independent candidate Arumugam in Bukit Selambau when the PKR Malay candidate was disqualified in the 2008 general elections, Kedah Indians would have lost all their state political representation in particular it’s sole Exco cum state assembly seat after Lunas having been grabbed by a PKR Malay candidate.

In the 2009 Bukit Selambau by elections even the Hindraf Makkal Sakthi people power proposed lawyer who would stand up without fear or favour also in particular for the poor Indians was excluded by PKR because he was no mandore not a PKR pushover but instead an unknown Indian kow-tow mandore but who would otherwise toe PKR’s line was selected the candidate and then made an Exco Member.

To the direct contrary each time it is a Malay seat beginning from the by elections in Teluk Kemang 2000, Sanggang 2000, Lunas 2000, Pahang 2001, Indera Kayangan 2002, Kuala Berang 2004, Pengkalan Pasir 2005, Batu Talam 2007, Machap 2007, Ijok 2007, Bukit Selambau 2009, Penanti 2009, Manek Urai 2009, Permatang Pasir 2009, Bagan Pinang 2009, Permatang Pauh 2008, Kuala Terengganu 2009 and Bukit Gantang 2009 the pre existing Malay seat is always contested by a Malay PKR or PAS candidate without any hitch. Why not an Indian candidate in these seats as Anwar Ibrahim claims not to have a racist agenda but instead alleges that it is Hindraf that has a racist agenda.

Similarly in the Chinese seats of Ketari and Indera Kayangan by elections it was contested by the PKR and DAP Chinese candidates respectively again without any hitch.

In effect 100% of the Malay and Chinese seats in any of the by elections since 1999 to date in 2010 was always contested by the Malay and/ or a Chinese candidates from PKR, DAP and PAS but to the contrary 100% of the Indian seats were arm twisted and grabbed by the PKR Malays.

And now finally coming to the Hulu Selangor by elections PKR will not make way for even a strong and deserving HRP Indian candidate who has a track record of speaking up without fear or favour especially on the critical Indians problems and where there are few if not no takers. (This point is now academic as HRP has decided not to contest but would instead focus on it’s 15/38 Indian political empowerment strategy- the way forward. But the principle remains). Just because the Hulu Selangor seat is a Malay majority seat and a Malay candidate has the best chances of winning or the race based winnability factor and/or PKR prefers someone never seen to be championing Indian issues, thus a Malay candidate would thus be filed. Going by this PKR standards, there will eventually be no more Indian MPs’, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Exco Members or State Assemblymen as there is not a single Parliamentary or State seat in Malaysia which is an Indian majority seat. Thus PKR takes advantage of the Indians.

As if we do not have enough (state induced) racial problems already in the country, a Malay candidate in Hulu Selangor would accelerate racial tensions between the Indians and the Malays like what had happened in particular in Teluk Kemang, Lunas and Ijok where we recollect the election campaign going out of hand, racial slurs being hurled and in Teluk Kemang in particular even the person of no less than the Returning Officer cum District Officer had in the early hours of the next morning used his four wheel Pajero to tear down a part of the hindu temple in Port Dicksom which was under construction. But does this matter to Anwar Ibrahim ? To the contrary we were envious of how the UMNO Division Chief had become the Pengarah pilihanraya to ensure and secure an Indian candidate winning the seat, how the UMNO Mak Ciks and Pak Ciks greeted and accepted the MIC candidate which has never happened to any Opposition Indian candidate from PKR in a by elections where the nation’s focus is and will be remembered for a long time.

We have said it before many times and we say it again that where it concerns sharing of Parliamentary and state assembly seats, UMNO has been fairer to the Indians than PKR. Even at the last general elections MIC was guaranteed and free to choose it’s own Indian candidates in the Nine Parliamentary seats and twenty state seats allocated to it to contest.

But Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Hadi Awang may say “Look there are 11 Indian PKR and DAP MPs’ in Parliament and 14 PKR and DAP Indian State Asseblymen in the PKR, DAP and PAS ruled states of Perak, Selangor, Penang and Kedah state Assemblies including one DCM II and (initially) three and now two Exco Members and also in Perak and N.Sembilan. But PKR, DAP and PAS had been careful in choosing mandore material Indian candidates who would play to the tune of the majoritarian Malay, Chinese and natives gallery but hardly ever on a serious tone raise critical Indian problems save and except for the odd wayang kulit Indian issues. For instance in the last traditional Indian village of Kg Buah Pala demolishment in Penang, the Ladang Batu Pekaka hindu cemetary demolishment in Kedah and the demolishment of the Ampang hindu temple in Selangor or in any of the other scores of critical Indian problems primarily and as recently outlined in “Human Rights Violations Against the Ethnic Minority Malaysian Indians. HRP briefing for foreign and diplomatic missions in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 26/3/2010” none of the 11 Indian MPs’ on their own and/or in unison with PKR, DAP and PAS leaders and/or MPs’ ever once walked out of Parliament, put in an emergency or other motions, organised even one protest forum, sued the local and other authorities or embarked on public campaigns etc. Because they are all subservient and have to kow tow to PKR, DAP and PAS Malay and Chinese leadership (just as how MIC has to prostrate and kow tow to UMNO) and have to toe their party line where the critical Indian issues are not a priority and cannot be seen to be “pro Indian” and coupled by the fact that they all won on up to about 88% Malay and Chinese votes thereby rendering them not empowered enough to put their foot down on the aforesaid Indian problems let alone the scores of the other critical Indian problems also carried forward from the 53 year old UMNO regime rule.

Who now has the racist agenda? Anwar Ibrahim or Hindraf ?

Who now has more of the racist agenda? Anwar Ibrahim or Najib Tun Razak?

It is given that UMNO has to lose in the 2012/2013 general elections. Most of the injustices and atrocities in the country today is because of UMNOs’ 53 year old rule of Malaysia without a break in the chain. Malaysia will overall become a better country after UMNOs’ fall in 2012/2013.

But based on the above and even when state land is refused to be given to all 98 Tamil schools in Selangor which is 100% within the purview of the PKR Selangor government is Anwar Ibrahim going to make a difference to the daily lives of in particular the Indian poor who have laboured and suffered for 53 long years under the UMNO regime. Is Anwar Ibrahim sincere vis a vis seriously addressing the critical Indian problems.

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Hindraf’s Waytha seeks debate with Perkasa (Free Malaysia Today)

By Joe Fernandez

KOTA KINABALU: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi will invite Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali and his most prominent supporter, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to a conference on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which it plans to hold in the British Parliament.

“This will be a chance for the duo to flog their racist cause before the world once and for all,” said Kelantan-born Hindraf chief Waythamoorthy Ponnusamy, who is in exile in Britain.

Speaking to FMT by telephone from Singapore, he said the proposed conference would also prove de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz wrong about Article 153.

Nazri recently said the article could not be questioned and that it was because Waythamoorthy had broken this taboo that he could not be allowed back in the country.

“I did not merely question Article 153,” said Waythamoorthy. “I have repeatedly called for it to be scrapped.”

He said the proposed conference will see “a distinguished gathering of Queen’s counsel” debating Article 153 within the full scope of the Federal Constitution and declassified documents pertaining to the Merdeka talks.

“Hindraf will be holding talks with two QCs from the Doughty Street Chamber on April 6 in London in preparation for the conference,” he said.

“We have not finalised whether the conference will be in the House of Commons or the House of Lords, but most probably the latter.”

The conference will discuss at least four topics:

* Special Malay privileges is a myth created by Umno’s propaganda machine and does not exist in Article 153;

* Article 153 also covers the legitimate aspirations of the non-Malay communities besides mentioning the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and the Malays;

* The powers of the King over Article 153 have been systematically usurped by Umno as a party and government since independence in 1957 and this must be viewed as treason; and

* Article 153 was supposed to be scrapped 15 years after independence.

Declassified papers

Waythamoorthy said he would also invite the Attorrney-General “to state the Malaysian government’s position before the international community”.

He rejected a comparison between Hindraf and Perkasa and the allegation that both are racist organisations.

“It doesn’t mean that we are racist just because we talk about the plight of the Indians all the time,” he said. “We are only seeking our rights under the Federal Constitution which have been denied us. We are not out to deprive anyone of his place in the sun, unlike Perkasa, although they will deny it like all racists.”

He does not rule out participation in the London conference by apolitical groups like the Common Interest Group Malaysia (CigMa) headed by Jeffrey Kitingan and various Orang Asli associations who were involved in a rare demonstration recently in Putrajaya.

However, he said, he saw little point in Umno taking part in the conference since the party, he alleged, had out-sourced its racist ideology to Perkasa in order to stay relevant in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

“We are going to prove through the conference that Umno has been misleading everybody on Article 153 and taking them for a ride,” he said. “We will easily establish this. We are backed by the Federal Constitution, including Article 153, and the declassified papers on the Merdeka talks.”

He pointed out that the declassified papers, although still considered official secrets in Malaysia, were no longer so in Britain.

The bottomline is that Hindraf wants Article 153 scrapped but would consider supporting a new article guaranteeing protection for the underprivileged of all races.

“The weakness of the present Article 153 is that it has been ignored and the legitimate aspirations of the non-Malay communities have been legislated against subsequently by Umno and institutionalised in various forms to discriminate against them,” fumed Waythamoorthy.

He conceded that the Malays, as well as the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, were still claiming that they were backward and needed affirmative action by the state.

“Over one trillion ringgit was poured into the Malay economy alone under the New Economic Policy,” he said. “It’s time that the Malays stood up as a community and asked their leaders what happened to the money. Why isn’t it in their pockets?”

NEM = NEP for UMNO’s Malay supremacy and designed to exclude especially the Indian poor

After much hype the UMNO led government announced it’s New Economic Model (NEM) promising among others:-

1) Our first priority must be eradicate poverty, irrespective of race. We cannot have the high-income, sustainable and the inclusive economy we seek, when disparities in income are not addressed.

2) It will put in place mechanisms to strengthen the capability of the 40% of households in rural and urban areas that earns less than RM1,500 a month.

3) The aim is to help the lowest income group take advantage of the opportunities to secure better jobs, raise productivity, and dabble in entrepreneurial ventures and other economic activities that will boost their income.

4) Stressing no one would be left behind, the council said a coherent and comprehensive need-based social safety net would support vulnerable groups, particularly those with disabilities.

5) For too long, the implementation of our affirmative action policies has not reached those who needed them most.

6) “We can no longer tolerate practices that support the behaviour of rent-seeking and patronage, which have long tarnished the altruistic aims of the NEP,” he said.

7) “Fishermen, petty traders and small farmers also fall under this category and not forgetting the orang asli and low-income urban dwellers seeking out a livelihood in tough economic circumstances,” he said.

Najib said the ultimate goal was no Malaysian to live in poverty.

9) All will get the chance to succeed and share in prosperity. For those who struggle with low incomes and live in harsh conditions, we will always provide special support to help lift them out of the poverty trap,” he said. (The Star 31/3/2010 headlines and at page N4).

When implementing the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1970 the then UMNO Prime Minister Tun Razak, the current Prime Minister’s father had assured all Malaysians including the Malaysian Indians that the main objective of the NEP is the eradication of poverty irrespective of race. But in the 40 years of it’s implementation, especially the Indian poor were by UMNOs’ design, excluded from especially the upward mobility opportunities in the national mainstream development of Malaysia.

Today after 53 years of independence, the suicide rate arising out of or related to poverty is 600% higher than in the Malay community 500% higher single parent rate, also arising out of poverty or poverty related, than in the Chinese community, 90% of Tamil school students entering year one cannot read or write because they never went to kindergartens as their parents could not afford the same, 60% of the inmates are Indians when they form only 8% of the population, which is related to denial of upward mobility opportunities in education, jobs and the business and economic sectors. UMNO has by design made 70% of the Indians to be in the poor and hardcore poor category. For further details please refer Human Rights Violations Against the Ethnic Minority Malaysian Indians – HRP Briefing for foreign and diplomatic missions in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 26/3/2010.

But the shrewd excuse UMNO has been giving us is that the policy was good but it was it’s implementation vis a vis the Indians that was bad. But the coincidence is that the implementation for the Malays somehow reaches target. There seems to be no problems, no error in the implementation when it comes to Malays.

And today the present Prime Minister, after 40 long years of the NEP, is telling us the same thing, ie, NEP is replaced by NEM without a specific mention on specific affirmative action for the Indians to undo UMNO’s injustices to the Indians in the last 40 years of the NEP, and specific implementation mechanisms to bring the Indians into the national mainstream development of Malaysia.

In over the last 40 years of the NEP (and we believe to will be continued under the NEM), 1,016,799 (UM 21/6/09 at page 19) civil servants have been specifically trained under the Biro Tatanegara courses to implement UMNO’s racist, religious extremist and supremacist policies, and specifically to keep the Indians out of the national mainstream development of Malaysia.

The Equal Opportunities Commission proposed by the UMNO Prime Minister is a non starter unless these 1,016,799 racist Biro Tatanegara graduates are retrained to implement policies so as not to exclude the Indians from the national mainstream development of Malaysia. It would help and would in fact go a long way if the UMNO Prime Minister goes one step forward by instructing the Chief Secretary of the Government to issue a circular to all the government departments to stop all forms of discrimination in particular against the Malaysian Indians as the Prime Minister and the Government of Malaysia has decided that the Indians cannot and should not be excluded from the National mainstream development of Malaysia vis a vis the non implementing for the Indians the eradicating of poverty irrespective of race.

But UMNO won’t to this because they were ab initio (from the very beginning) never sincere in the inclusiveness as per the sub headlines in the Star herein below.

While UMNO implements these injustices by commission the Opposition parties namely PKR, DAP and PAS watch silently this “blood letting” and by omission perpetuate these injustices especially to these poor Indians.

To conclude in short the UMNO led Malay-sian Prime Minister’s NEM is actually the NEP in a new name ie, old wine in new bottles.

P.Uthayakumar

Tamil schools have to “beg” to pay electricity and water bills

Upon reading the article in the NST 30/3/2010 at page 24, 196 (including 134) (NST 18/10/09 page 12) Tamil Schools in Perak get help to pay bills. We telephoned a Tamil school headmaster who had confirmed that when they run out of the set yearly allocations for utilities bill, they have to “beg” for money from the pre-existing poor Indians parents and well wishers. Whereas for the Malay schools, a circular would be sent out from the District Education Department asking headmasters to apply for extra funding, should they require so.

As for the Chinese schools they probably will not bother with the Education Department allocations as they have a very strong business corporate, banking and financial sector support.

UMNO Prime Minister’s One Malay-sia?

P.Uthayakumar

UMNO PM’s Pintar Programmes excludes Tamil schools

The Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah heads the Pintar Kindergardens, which are built in primarily Malay neighbourhoods. Save and except for the token wayang kulit Indian child here and there, this Pintar programme is excluded to especially the poor Indian children. (See NST 31/3/10 at page 26).

Why this discrimination even when it comes to children? How then does UMNO not expect these Indian children to grow up not hating the UMNO led Malay-sian government?

Children are children in any part of the world except in UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malaysia.

Malaysia has ratified the U.N Convention of the Rights of the Child. But at the implementation level UMNOs’ 1,016,799 (UM (B) 21/6/09 at page 19 ) Biro Tatanegara civil service graduates implement UMNOs’ racist, religious extremist and supremacist policies.

P.Uthayakumar

UMNO DPM: Tamil schools not neglected, but the fact is many have to buy their own chairs and tables

The DPM and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yasin claims’ is the typical UMNO answer in Parliament that RM1.8 billion is spent on Tamil and Chinese school teachers. But only an estimated 5% of this goes to Tamil schools. The lion’s share goes to the giant Chinese schools.

For 53 long years UMNO in order to camouflage the pathetic and dilapidated state of Tamil schools they lump Tamil schools with the Chinese schools thereby giving a false impression that sufficient funds actually reaches Tamil schools. UMNO has similarly done the same by lumping the Indians and Chinese in economic business, commerce and corporate sector calculation when implementing national policies.

But up to date hundreds of Tamil school temporary teachers remain untrained and have to end up going for School Holiday Courses (KDC) to qualify as full qualified teachers.

For scores of Tamil schools, for example the Kalai Magal Tamil School in Sg Petani, and the Kulai Tamil School as the latest examples, parents have to buy their own chairs and tables for their schoolchildrens’ use. PKR, DAP and PAS won’t speak up on this matter.

One Malaysia? Multiracial PKR, DAP and PAS?

P.Uthayakumar