Get out of BN: Umno division to MCA

By FMT Staff

KUANTAN: An Umno division has called on MCA to leave Barisan Nasional following its failure to deliver the Chinese votes in the recently-concluded Hulu Selangor by-election.

Paya Besar Umno division chief Ahmad Tajuddin Sulaiman told MCA to stop making “silly excuses.”

He said MCA should leave the ruling coalition for not mustering Chinese support for the BN candidate.

As a result, he claimed that BN managed to retake the seat by a slim majority.

Ahmad Tajuddin said MCA’s best option was to withdraw from the coalition, and not continue to be a burden on BN.

“Leave BN to prevent yourselves from becoming a burden to the other component parties. Don’t point fingers at others for your own failure.

“They (MCA leaders) should admit their mistakes and not blame others,” he said, in referrence to their recent comments blaming Perkasa for the loss of Chinese support.

'Covering up their own failures'

The Umno leader said MCA’s allegations are merely to cover up their own failure to secure the support of the Chinese.

“To me this is an irresponsible action. MCA has failed to convince the Chinese community to support the BN candidate (P Kamalanathan) from MIC.

“If Umno could convince the Malay candidates to support the MIC candidate, why couldn’t MCA? Don’t create silly excuses to cover your mistakes,” he said.

Ahmad Tajuddin said MCA must admit that the party no longer holds the trust of the Chinese community.

“It not only happened in Hulu Selangor but also in the 2008 general election,” he said.

In the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat by-election, Kamalanathan beat PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim by a 1,725 vote majority.

The Chinese community’s vote went to PKR.

Shot teen and cops in 6km high-speed chase

SHAH ALAM: (Free Malaysia Today)Aminulrasyid Amzah, 15, was involved in a 6km high-speed chase with policemen before he was shot dead.

This was revealed by Inspector-General of Police Musa Hasan, who visited the scene of the incident this morning.

"We are saddened by this incident. You should stop when ordered by the police.

"Even if you have no licence you should not fear. At most you will be fined. Once again, let me remind you, do not run away as it will create suspicion," he said.

Aminulrasyid was allegedly shot when he attempted to reverse his car into the policemen.

The police have come under intense fire over the shooting, with the matter being raised in cabinet as well.

Probe papers handed to DPP

Meanwhile, Musa said the police have submitted the investigation papers on the fatal shooting to the deputy public prosecutor.

He said the police welcomed an inquest into the incident to establish the truth and the cause of the incident.

"The investigating officer of the case had submitted the investigation papers to the DPP today for further action.

"I asked for an inquiry to be conducted first to see whether there was justification in the police's action," he told reporters after visiting the scene of the shooting at Jalan 11/2G in Section 11 here today.

Earlier, he was briefed on how the events had occurred.

Religious persecution is widespread, report warns

(CNN) -- The numbers are shocking: 12,000 people killed in a cycle of violence between Christians and Muslims stretching back more than a decade.

The location: Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, lying on the continent's fault line between the largely Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

The number of people convicted and sentenced for the killings: Zero.

That's just one of many stark assessments about the level of religious persecution around the world today in a huge new report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The report names more than two dozen countries as offenders. Some engage in what's classically thought of as religious persecution.

Egypt, for example, not only imprisons members of the Baha'i faith and members of minority Muslim sects, but also has some fired from their jobs, kicked out of universities and barred from having bank accounts, driver's licenses, even birth certificates, according to the report.
Worldwide religious repression

Other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, export "extremist ideology," the commission charges. But the kind of religious persecution seen in Nigeria and some other countries is "equally egregious," the report says. "Many governments fail to punish religiously motivated violence perpetrated by private actors," it says, warning that "impunity... often leads to endless cycles of sectarian violence."

It calls Nigeria "a tragic case in point," saying that in the most recent outbreak of killing in Nigeria's Jos State several months ago, 500 "men, women and children were hacked to death with machetes and then dumped into wells.

"Not a single criminal, Muslim or Christian, has been convicted and sentenced in Nigeria's ten years of religious violence," the report claims.

The commission did have limited praise for Nigeria's government, saying that when an USCRIF team went to the African nation in March, it found officials "attentive and even grateful for its concerns."

The Ministry of Justice filed 41 prosecutions while the American team was in Nigeria, the report said. Even so, the commission recommended that the United States include Nigeria on a list of 13 nations called "countries of particular concern" which engage in "severe violations of religious freedom."

CNN has reached out to the governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria for comment, but has so far not received a response to the report.

The other countries were North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Myanmar (also known as Burma) and Iraq. (Commissioners were not unanimous in including Iraq on the list.)

That's five more countries than are on the State Department's "countries of particular concern" list from its 2009 report on religious freedom. That list doesn't include Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan or Vietnam.
Not a single criminal, Muslim or Christian, has been convicted and sentenced in Nigeria's ten years of religious violence.

The list is similar to one compiled recently by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, but not identical. The Washington-based think tank put out a global survey of restrictions on religion in December. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Egypt, Myanmar/Burma, the Maldives, Eritrea, Malaysia and Brunei topped that list of countries with the most government restrictions on religion.

More than two out of three people around the world live in countries with high or very high restrictions on religion, the Pew Forum concluded.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom studied only 28 countries, but since it is a congressionally mandated body, its recommendations can have significantly more impact than those of the Pew Forum.

Designation as a "country of particular concern" can prompt concrete action from the United States, such as restrictions on arms exports or other trade.

But in reality, the government often waives or circumvents sanctions on countries of strategic importance, such as Saudi Arabia and China, a chart in the USCRIF report shows.

The commission report also has a watch list of countries which "require very close attention." That list includes Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey and Venezuela.

It recommends that three other countries -- Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka -- be "closely monitored."

Many of the incidents which worry the commission made international headlines in the past year, including China's crackdown on Uyghur Muslims in the west of the country, and Iran's labeling its domestic political opponents "enemies of God" -- a capital offense.

But others are ongoing problems that often attract little attention, such as Eritrea's harrassment of Orthodox Church members and Jehovah's Witnesses, or the imprisonment of Buddhists and Protestants in Vietnam.

The report also criticizes the United States government itself for not doing enough to fight the problem.

"Neither prior Democratic nor Republican administrations, nor the current administration, have been sufficiently engaged in promoting the freedom of religion or belief abroad," the commissioners charge.

The commission based its report on visits to some of the countries at issue, meetings with bodies such as the European Union and the Vatican, news reports and the findings of government agencies and international organizations ranging from the American Islamic Conference to the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society.

The paper published Thursday is the 11th annual report since the commission was established by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act.

Cops hand kid-shooting report to AG

SHAH ALAM, April 20 — The police have submitted the investigation papers on the fatal shooting of

Aminulrasyid Amzah, 15, to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

He said the police welcomed an inquest into the incident to establish the truth and the cause of the incident.

“The investigating officer of the case had submitted the investigation papers to the DPP today for further action.

“I asked for an inquiry to be conducted first to see whether there was justification in the police’s action,” he told reporters after visiting the scene of the shooting at Jalan 11/2G in Section 11 here today.

Earlier, he was briefed on how the events had occurred.

Musa (picture) said he was told by the chief investigating officer that Aminulrasyid was pursued by the police in a six-km high speed chase before the shooting.

“We are saddened by this incident. You should stop when ordered by the police.

“Even if you have no licence you should not fear. At most you will be fined. Once again, let me remind you, do not run away as it will create suspicion,” he said. — Bernama

Ipoh Court delays ruling to review conversion to May 7

Indira’s application has been delayed to await a Federal Court ruling on a similar case. — file pic

By Clara Chooi - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — The Ipoh High Court today delayed its decision on a judicial review application by kindergarten teacher, M. Indira Gandhi, to quash the conversion of her three children last year.

Lawyer M. Kulasegaran said the delay was to allow the court to wait for the outcome of another case involving Hindu mother S. Shamala, which is due in the Federal Court on Monday.

“The court was afraid that the Federal Court’s decision would affect Indira’s case so he (the judge) fixed the matter for next Friday, May 7, instead,” he told The Malaysian Insider this morning.

He noted that this was conveyed to the lawyers for both parties in chambers by High Court Judge, Zainal Adzam Abdul Ghani.

The judge had already dithered on the case earlier this month after hearing submissions from both parties, saying the matter involved complex points of law and would likely be a landmark decision.

Indira is seeking for the religious conversions of her three children to Islam to be quashed, and declared null and void.

During submissions, the defendants in the case had argued that the civil High Court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter as it involved three Muslim children.

Kulasegaran, however, maintained that as a non-Muslim, Indira had no other avenue for legal redress other than in the civil courts.

He had also claimed that the conversions were mere allegations for now, as the three children had been converted when they were still of infant age.

Indira is also arguing that during the time of the conversion last year, only her Muslim-convert husband, Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah (formerly known as K. Pathmanathan) had been present.

He had named his eldest Tevi Darsiny, 13, as Umu Salamah; his son Karan Dinish, 12, Abu Bakar; and toddler Prasana Diksa, two, as Umu Habibah.

Like Indira, Shamala is also a Hindu mother whose two children were converted to Islam by her husband, Dr Jeyaganesh C. Mogarajah, without her knowledge or consent.

Earlier this month, a separate High Court in Ipoh had granted full custody of the three children to Indira.

Mohd Ridzuan, however, had ignored the order despite failing to obtain a stay on the decision and continued to keep custody of his youngest daughter, Prasana, who presently resides with him in Kelantan.

Indira will soon initiate contempt proceedings against her estranged husband for failing to abide by the court order.

Cabinet reshuffle coming soon?

By RK Anand - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh from his victory in Hulu Selangor, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is said to be mulling a Cabinet reshuffle in preparation for the next general election.
Putrajaya sources claimed that the announcement could be made as early as next week. But this could not be confirmed.
The Barisan Nasional chairman, added the sources, is also considering expanding his Cabinet to introduce several new faces.

Following this weekend's Umno retreat in Janda Baik, the sources said Najib might include several "high-performers" into the fold.

The retreat, to be chaired by Najib, would see all 192 Umno divisions table their Key Performance Index (KPI) reports on efforts to strengthen the party ahead of the next general election.

“The reshuffle could also see several big names being dropped such as MCA's former president Ong Tee Keat and Umno's Nor Mohamed Yakcop,” they told FMT.

“We can't exactly say what the prime minister has in mind, but he wants a formidable line-up in order to face the next election,” added the sources.

Ong, who is transport minister, was defeated in last month's MCA polls by Dr Chua Soi Lek for the top post whereas Nor is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit.

Nor's political secretary, who had since resigned, was detained during a raid by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in February.

The raiding team seized cash in bundles of RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100 notes totalling about RM2 million from an apartment in Butterworth, Penang.

The sources also claimed that Najib is thinking of bringing back former tourism minister and Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who was implicated in the infamous "Lingam Tape" scandal.

Will Khairy be included?
The sources also said it would be interesting to note what Najib proposed to do with Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

The last time around, Najib had snubbed Khairy by not including him in the Cabinet, while he named Mukhriz Mahathir as deputy international trade and industry minister.

Khairy, who is the son-in-law of former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had defeated Mukhriz, the son of Abdullah's predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for the Umno Youth chief post last year.

Back then, it was said that Mahathir played a pivotal role in ensuring that Khairy did not tread the corridors of power as he was sore with the Oxford graduate and his father-in-law for undermining his legacy.

“Since then, Khairy has been working very hard to get into the good books of Najib. He has repeatedly praised the prime minister and his policies.

“The Rembau MP has also been very vocal in Parliament, always being among the first to scramble to his feet in defence of the government when attacked by the opposition,” said the sources.

Additional minister post for MIC?
The MCA line-up in the Cabinet is also expected to change, said the sources, adding that its four senior ministers and retinue of deputy ministers might be given different portfolios.

On April 8, Chew Mei Fun had resigned as MCA Wanita chief and as deputy women, family and community development minister.

Prior to the March 28 MCA elections, Chew vowed to step down if Chua, who was embroiled in a sex scandal, is elected president.

The sources said Chua, however, would not be included in the Cabinet as he wants to concentrate on rebuilding and reuniting the faction-ridden party following its protracted leadership tussle.

As for MIC, the sources claimed that Najib might award the party another full minister post.

MIC's sole Cabinet minister is its vice-president Dr S Subramaniam, who oversees the human resources portfolio.

Subramaniam was the first new Indian minister in nearly three decades, as the title was held by MIC president S Samy Vellu, who was the works minister, up to his defeat in the 2008 general election.

“The Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor by-elections witnessed a swing in Indian support for BN, and the prime minister is pleased with this.

“An additional full minister post would definitely boost Indian support further. Najib is giving this serious thought,” said the sources.

With MIC deputy president G Palanivel being slated to be sworn in as senator next Monday, the sources added that he could be offered the post.

“Najib might do so in order to placate both Palanivel and Subramaniam since the PM is looking at re-building MIC with these two leaders after Samy Vellu steps down,” said the sources.

“The combination is ideal since the two are seen as 'clean' and would work hard to win back Indian support,” they added.

Previously, it was speculated that Palanivel could be given a deputy minister post.

“Then again, it all depends on Najib. But one thing is certain, the PM wants to score big in his first general election as captain, and he needs a strong team to achieve this.
"Najib is pushing all the right buttons, and with Pakatan (Rakyat), especially PKR, shooting itself in the foot, the PM is headed for a big win," said the sources.

Zaid has a strong case, says Karpal

By S Rutra - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP stalwart Karpal Singh has welcomed PKR supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim's decision to file an election petition to declare the Hulu Selangor by-election result null and void.
The renowned lawyer also pointed out that Zaid should not be seen as a “sore loser” for taking the matter to court.
Karpal claimed that the former law minister had strong grounds for the petition, given the “rampant bribery” by Barisan Nasional, led by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak himself.

"His (Zaid's) action is necessary and whatever happened in Hulu Selangor should not be allowed to recur in any other election,” he told FMT.

The DAP MP claimed that there is strong evidence against Najib and other BN leaders to prove their “blatant violation” of the Election Offences Act 1954.

By filing the petition, Karpal said Zaid has taken the right step towards restoring clean and fair elections.

Furthermore, he pointed out that Zaid was duty-bound to protect the interest of the public by taking up the matter, since the Election Commission has failed to do so.

“Any election must be a fair and clean process. Democracy will be defeated if political parties use money to decide the outcome of a contest,” he said.

RM3 million pledge
According to Karpal, Najib's RM3 million pledge for a Chinese school in the constituency on the eve of polling day was nothing short of “bribery of the highest order”.

He said the prime minister's announcement, regarding the pledge, was widely reported and this was sufficient evidence for the EC to act.

"Najib was probably not aware of laws governing the election process or maybe he was just being arrogant in abusing the government machinery,” he added.

In view of this, Karpal urged the EC to work together with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to take the necessary action.

Besides the election petition, Zaid, who founded the country's biggest law firm, is also taking legal action against EC and the Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.

Umno, on the other hand, is mulling dragging Zaid to court for his allegation of corruption in the by-election.

On Sunday, BN candidate P Kamalanathan defeated Zaid by a 1,725 vote-majority to reclaim the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency.

The seat fell vacant following the death of PKR incumbent Zainal Abidin Ahmad on March 25.

“I am sad by what happened to the victim and his family. I am sadder that my statement had been twisted to give another meaning” – IGP

By Haris Ibrahim,

Reported in Malaysiakini today.
The nation’s top cop’s sorrow at Aminul’s senseless killing at the hands of his officers is overshadowed by his anguish that his reputation might have been sullied by reckless reporting by the media that he had threatened to take his officers off the streets if we ungrateful citizens continued to rip into PDRM over Aminul’s death.
His reputation, it would seem, weighs more heavily on the mind of our IGP than this young life gunned down by men under his charge.
Musa really must go.
Now.

Why didn’t someone shoot us then? Are things so different now?

Note : Thanks, Chee Seng, for the alert. Aminul’s partner in crime lodged a police report of his version of what happened that morning. You can read the same HERE.

______________________________________________

We were all in Form 4 then.

Honeymoon year.

The rule was to always have a t-shirt or some other shirt stashed in the school bag so that, at a moment’s notice, we’d be ready to sneak out of school and chill out at some place cool.

That particular morning, about 10 of us scaled the gate at the back entrance to school, squeezed into 2 taxis, headed out to Ampang Park Shopping Complex, made our way to the toilet, got out of our uniforms and were ready for a fun-filled day.

Or so we thought.

One of us sauntered into a shop selling cassettes and cartridges. Ten minutes later, he was out, having first stuck a number of cartridges into his school bag without paying for the same.

He had just shoplifted and this became the dare of the day.

“Whoever did not go into a shop and nick something didn’t have b***s”, so the dare went.

We dispersed, heading out to different shops to prove our manhood, agreeing to meet back at the ground floor in 30 minutes to look at who got what and then make our getaway.

Strangely, everyone made a beeline to the numerous shops selling cassettes and cartridges.

30 minutes later, we converged at the agreed meeting point.

Only to find ourselves surrounded by security guards.

We were hauled up to the complex manager’s office.

When the contents of our school bags were emptied on to the manager’s table, he flipped.

About 20 cartridges and cassettes tumbled on to the table, all unpaid for.

What really pissed him off was that we were all from his alma mater.

After putting the fear of God in us by threatening to inform our parents of our thieving ways before sending us off to the police, he finally gave us a choice.

Pay a fine equal to the value of the items we had stolen, or get handed over to the cops.

A little under RM300.

Damn! We didn’t have that kind of money on us!

He allowed us 1 phone call.

I called Z, who would have been with us that morning except that he was down with the flu.

Z begged and borrowed, raised the money, and came over and paid the fine.

Of the ten shoplifters that morning, one is a senior banker today.

All the others have gone on to make something of their lives.

And I’ll confidently say that none of us have forgotten the lesson that morning.

Next year was exam year.

MCE.

Some of us left the studying to the very last.

About 1 month to the exams.

3 of us camped out at Z’s house to do some serious group study.

Man, this was stressful!

And to release all that stress, round about 2 in the morning every other day, when Z’s parents were asleep, we’d push Z’s dad’s Holden Kingswood out on to the main road, then drive all over town, get up to all sorts of mischief and be back before dawn.

All 4 passed the exams.

And one of the 4 is a big time accountant today.

Really big time.

My son is 14 years old this August.

Same age as Aminulrasyid.

I’d like to think that I know my son well enough to know all that he gets up to.

And yet, even as my parents knew me, they did not know all that I got up to.

Aminul’s mum is convinced her dead son was not what the police are now trying to make him out to be.

And maybe, like my parents, she did not know every single activity that Aminul got up to.

In truth, is not every parent in the same position as Aminul’s mum?

What was Aminul and his friend up to that night anyway?

True, like Z, I and two others almost 30 years ago, Aminul had broken the law, being in control of a motorvehicle on the road without being in possession of a valid driving licence.

Were Aminul and his buddy, like Z, I and two others almost 30 years ago, doing no more than being boys, out in town to chill out?

The Selangor CPO would have us believe otherwise.

Just as he would have us believe early last year that Kugan’s death at the Taipan police station was not in any way related to police brutality.

Selangor CPO says a machete was found in the car.

Should we believe him?

Haven’t we seen so many scenes on TV where, after a high speed chase where the vehicle in pursuit, for some reason or another comes to halt, the pursuing police officers would place their vehicle(s) in such a way so as to prevent the first vehicle from resuming its flight?

Haven’t we seen so many times on TV how police officers would shield themselves behind the open car doors of their patrol cars, whilst ordering the occupants of the vehicle pursued to alight with their hands in the air?

If we are to believe the version being presented by the Selangor CPO, none of these scenes depicted on TV happened in the early hours of that fateful morning.

The police personnel in question did not park their vehicle in such a way so as to prevent Aminul from resuming his high speed flight.

There was enough time for Aminul’s companion to open the car door, step out, and flee, according to the Selangor CPO.

The police personnel in question then approached the vehicle from the rear and must have been sufficiently close when Aminul begins to reverse.

The police feared for their safety. They feared they would die.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

One 14 year old, unarmed, bullet in the head, lay dying alone in a vehicle he was not old enough, in law, to drive.

All this, according to the Selangor CPO who would have us believe that Kugan’s death entailed no wrongdoing by any police personnel.

So many questions remain unanswered.

I have two.

Was Aminul’s crime such that he had to die?

Must my teenage son, and yours, pay with their lives, for the silly adolescent mistakes they will surely make?

Suhakam denied shooting guidelines

thenutgraph.com

PETALING JAYA, 30 April 2010: The police have denied the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) a copy of its written guidelines on the use of firearms despite requests following a shooting that happened last year.
"The police have told us that there are written guidelines. However, it is a very confidential document," Suhakam commissioner Datuk Siva Subramaniam told The Nut Graph in a phone interview.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng visits Aminulrasyid's
family (file pic courtesy of DAP)"The police have told our officers that they may read [the relevant provisions] but that we cannot have a copy," Siva added.
He said Suhakam asked for the police guidelines following the police shooting of Norizan Salleh who was shot five times but survived. On 26 April 2010, 15-year-old Aminulrasyid Amzah was shot dead in a car by police in Shah Alam.
Siva said that the police standard operating procedure on the use of firearms should be made public.
"The public doesn't welcome a trigger-happy attitude from the police," said Siva.
Internal and restricted
Earlier attempts by The Nut Graph to obtain the police guidelines were also unsuccessful.
When asked by The Nut Graph on 2 Mar 2010, at a ministry event, about Norizan's shooting, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein sidestepped the question about shooting guidelines.
The Nut Graph then wrote to the ministry on 3 Mar 2010 to request for the guidelines to be disclosed in the interest of public accountability.

Letter from the Home Ministry
(click thumbnail for larger size)

The ministry replied in a letter dated 30 March with the following: "The ministry takes note of your request for the guidelines on the use of firearms by the Royal Malaysian Police.
"In relation to the aforesaid request, you are advised to liaise directly with the police at the following address."
The letter provided the Inspector-General of Police (IGP)'s address at Bukit Aman.
The Nut Graph sent in a written request on 28 April to the IGP for the written guidelines and is awaiting a response.
The Nut Graph was informed in March by Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah that the guidelines were an "internal, restricted administrative document not meant to be circulated in public."
Trigger-happy?
Klang Member of Parliament Charles Santiago said that media reports show there were 39 fatal police shootings in 2009 while a Suaram statement said there were 44 such deaths the year before.
According to these statistics, there are on average more than three reported deaths per month from police shootings.

Police report of finding a machete in Aminulrasyid's car is met with doubt from the public

"While we concede that police have the right to self-defence, in cases such as [Aminulrasyid's], the public won't buy the story. They even doubt the report that police found a [machete] in the car. It is vital that an inquest is held into the death to build up public confidence in the police," Siva said.

Abdullah should explain whether he had signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang a month before he stepped down as Prime Minister and why

Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah should explain whether he had signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang a month before he stepped down as Prime Minister in March last year and why.

The disclosure by former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir that there had been such a deal is most shocking and even outrageous, demonstrating how gravely good governance had deteriorated after Merdeka in 1957, as this is something Abdullah’s predecessors as Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein and even Tun Mahathir himself, would not have done without proper consent of Cabinet, Parliament and the Malaysian people.

Malaysians would have continued to be kept in the dark of this deal if not for Mahathir’s latest blog entry “Malaysia’s Generosity” yesterday where he disclosed that Malaysia had lost a substantial oil producing offshore area in the South China Sea, namely Block L and Block M.

Mahathir wrote:

“ Block L and Block M had been claimed by Malaysia based on historical facts. Accordingly, Petronas entered into a production sharing contract with Murphy Oil to start drilling to produce oil. It is estimated that the reserves amounted to almost 1 billion barrels.

“ Abdullah Badawi negotiated with the Sultan to get back Limbang in Sarawak. In return he agreed to surrender the two blocks to Brunei. No Petronas representatives were present, only foreign office staff and the foreign affairs adviser to the PM.

“ As we all know Abdullah triumphantly announced that he had settled the Limbang claim with Brunei. No mention was made of the two blocks.

“ Brunei disclaimed that they had agreed to give up Limbang. The foreign office and Abdullah did not rebut Brunei’s statement.

“Now it is made clear that the two blocks are no longer a part of Malaysia.

“ Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia’s oil in this agreement.”

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should explain the true situation – whether Abdullah had signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang, that Brunei’s claims to Limbang remains unaffected despite Malaysia losing these two blocks of offshore oil areas, and even more important, why the Abdullah Cabinet at the time of which he was Deputy Prime Minister had agreed to such unilateral and arbitrary sell-out of the country’s sovereign rights.

Police Submit Papers On Fatal Shooting Of Youth

SHAH ALAM, April 20 (Bernama) -- The police have submitted the investigation papers on the fatal shooting of Aminulrasyid Amzah, 15, to the deputy public prosecutor, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

He said the police welcomed an inquest into the incident to establish the truth and the cause of the incident.

"The investigating officer of the case had submitted the investigation papers to the DPP today for further action.

"I asked for an inquiry to be conducted first to see whether there was justification in the police's action," he told reporters after visiting the scene of the shooting at Jalan 11/2G in Section 11 here today.

Earlier, he was briefed on how the events had occurred.

Musa said he was told by the chief investigating officer that Aminulrasyid was pursued by the police in a six-km high speed chase before the shooting.

"We are saddened by this incident. You should stop when ordered by the police.

"Even if you have no licence you should not fear. At most you will be fined. Once again, let me remind you, do not run away as it will create suspicion," he said.

Iran pulls out, so Malaysia is in.

by Andrew Khoo

The Islamic Republic of Iran has withdrawn from the election to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council based in Geneva, Switzerland.  Only 4 countries will now go forward to fill the 4 vacancies reserved for countries from Asia on the 47-member Council.  This means that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, all 4 countries, the Maldives, Malaysia, Qatar and Thailand, will become members of the Council for the term 2010-2013 without the need for an election. 

Without any fanfare, the Malaysian Government had apparently released a letter dated 9 March 2010 declaring its candidature for the Council and seeking the support of the international community.  In the letter, Malaysia “reaffirms its full commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights both at the domestic and international levels”.  If elected, Malaysia pledged to “continue to support as well as enhance the work of the Human Rights Council in its role as the principal United Nations body mandated to advance the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world”.  Together with this letter, Malaysia transmitted its updated pledges and voluntary commitments.

Malaysia has highlighted its “softly, softly” approach to human rights.  It says that, “we have sought to promote a constructive and pragmatic, rather than a confrontational and ideological approach to human rights issues.  We firmly believe that such an approach, based on dialogue, non-politicization and technical cooperation, affords the best way of realizing the full spectrum of human rights for all.”  It added, “as a developing country, the promotion and protection of human rights have been achieved inter alia through much emphasis on Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) rights, including through the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  That said, with increased affluence and prosperity, the Government is increasingly sensitive of the need to balance its traditional emphasis on ESC rights with civil and political rights.”

In highlighting specific laws, the Government has intentionally touted our Penal Code and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007, proving that it is keenly sensitive to criticisms in this area.  It has also referred to our Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, but without mentioning that the work of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities is purely advisory and persons with disabilities will have no legal rights of redress if they are discriminated upon.  It says that the 6-person Malaysia Law Reform Committee will need 2 years to review 703 principal Acts of Parliament for their continued relevance.  It promises public feedback on changes to legislation via a website, and referred to the Government Transformation Process road shows as evidence of public participation.

Malaysia highlighted its huge expenditure on education as proof of “the importance of education as a major tool for national development”.  It declared that “Malaysia is in full compliance with its treaty obligation under the CRC [the Convention on the Rights of the Child], prescribing all children in Malaysia will not be denied access to education”.  It spoke of “[c]onstant engagements….with various international organizations…. and civil societies [as reflecting] the need in ensuring that children of illegal immigrants attend informal classes to be conducted by NGOs such as through community-based schooling”.  It however did not mention that it was not offering such NGOs protection from harassment by law enforcement agencies such as the police, immigration authorities and RELA.  It also did not mention that such NGOs, whilst helping Malaysia to meet its CRC commitments, did not receive any regular government funding.

Categorised under cultural rights was a statement that “the various ethnic groups are given the opportunity to participate at every level of political and decision making process as well as administration of the country”, without admitting that the non-Malay level of participation has been shrinking to dangerously low levels over the last few decades.

In terms of Gender Empowerment, Malaysia characterises a 10.5 percentage point difference between men’s and women’s labour force participation rate (57% versus 46.5%) as “only a slight difference”.  It also characterises a 0.9 percentage point improvement in women’s participation in politics between 2005 and 2007/2008 (from 12.2% to 13.1%), as “a significant increase”.

As the Government pointed out, “the present situation [with respect to the desecration of places of worship] is the result of a court decision, in which the High Court had found that the Government had erred in its decision to ban the use of the world “Allah” for “God” by non-Muslims.  The fact that this situation arose from a court decision is a firm indication of the independence of the Malaysian judiciary, and as an indication that there is a need to balance human rights concerns with those of public order and safety, particularly in multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies.”  No doubt this is why the Government has refused to support this decision as an established and acceptable expression of the freedom of religion, and is instead proceeding with an appeal against the High Court decision.

Malaysia went on to say that these national level measures were supplemented by the fact that:-

-    The Malaysian Human Rights Commission “regularly undertakes public inquiries into allegations of human rights infringements free from Government interference”, but without stating that the Government rarely if at all took any notice of the recommendations arising from such public inquiries; and

-    “the Government continues to ensure that Malaysian practices are compatible with the provisions and principles of [CRC], [CEDAW, the full name of which the document did not even get right] and the [CRPD]”, without admitting that there were still major reservations by Malaysia to both CRC and CEDAW.

The national level measures were also further supplemented by regional measures such as the signing of the ASEAN Charter and the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body.  Malaysia, not unjustifiably, boasts of its participation in international peace-keeping operations by the United Nations since 1960, and its donations to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, as well as bilateral disaster financial assistance to various countries.

Finally, it highlights some of the international conventions to which it is now a party, namely the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery; Convention on the Nationality of Married Women; and Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.  For good measure, it mentions that Malaysia attends the Annual Sessions of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization; the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting; and the Meeting of Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministries, and that SUHAKAM attends various international meetings.  However nothing is mentioned about any positive outcomes from such meetings that have actually been implemented.

After stating all this by way of background and introduction, Malaysia then set out its 12 pledges and voluntary commitments.  Sadly, some are simply repetitions of a similar document issued by Malaysia in 2006.  Those pledges ring somewhat hollow, for example commitments to engage more with civil society.  In coming up with this document, the Government ignored the recommended best practice by the Human Rights Council itself for there to be discussion with and involvement of civil society.

Further training and sensitisation of law-enforcement officials has taken place, and yet we still see regular examples of denial of human rights and moral policing (to the extent that deaths occur as a result).  Notwithstanding these nice-sounding statements, distinction and discrimination on the grounds of gender, sexual identity and orientation continue unabated.  Nothing is mentioned about protecting refugees and asylum seekers.  Broadly speaking, Malaysia’s document is “long” on generalities and “short” on specifics.  Human rights groups will have a challenging time taking up these issues with the Government in the course of the next 3 years.  They certainly have their work cut out for them.

(Andrew Khoo is Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Malaysian Bar Council.)

Limbang, Blocks L and M: Tell us the real deal - Anil Netto

More questions have been raised on the surrender of Blocks L and M to Brunei during the Abdullah Badawi administration.
Blocks L and M, which were given up to Brunei, are reportedly referred to in Brunei as Blocks J and K or there is some kind of overlap in the Exclusive Economic Zone. Essentially, Brunei appears to have awarded the blocks to Total and Shell prospectors while Malaysia awarded the same or overlapping blocks to Petronas Carigali and Murphy Oil. Both these blocks are located near the huge oil-rich Kikeh discovery.
Block J alone is projected to produce more than 150,000 to 200,000 barrels per day, which could double Brunei’s oil production.
Mahathir claims that Abdullah negotiated with the Sultan of Brunei to get back Limbang – though Limbang was reportedly not mentioned in the letters of exchange – and in return the two blocks were surrendered. “No Petronas representatives were present, only foreign office staff and the foreign affairs adviser to the PM,” writes Mahathir. (Ironically, the Far Eastern Economic Review was sued in 1987 during the Mahathir administration for suggesting that there could be a “possible sale” of Limbang to Brunei.)

He adds in a blog post sarcastically titled ‘Malaysia’s generosity’:

As we all know Abdullah triumphantly announced that he had settled the Limbang claim with Brunei (here). No mention was made of the two blocks. Brunei disclaimed (here) that they had agreed to give up Limbang. The foreign office and Abdullah did not rebut Brunei’s statement. Now it is made clear that the two blocks are no longer a part of Malaysia.

Mahathir alleges Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US$100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia’s oil in this agreement. “Can Wisma Putra please explain why it did not stop Abdullah.”
The exchange of letters between Malaysia and Brunei reportedly took place on 16 March 2009 – that is, 18 days before Abdullah stepped down as premier to make way for Najib.
The other big question is, why was Parliament kept in the dark about this whole affair. (Check out the confusion over  Limbang which I blogged about in March 2009.) Can you really go and negotiate a territorial disputes without the matter first being debated thoroughly in Parliament? This is what happens when the Executive thinks it is superior to Parliament.
An independent inquiry needs to get to the bottom of this. Abdullah himself has to clarify exactly what the terms of the deal were. Not only that, the following also could shed more light on what happened: Petronas, Wisma Putra, the Brunei embassy and Murphy Oil.

Leaders who misuse mosques not welcome in S'gor

Dr M: Perkasa helped BN bag Hulu S'gor

Ibrahim Ali sues The Sun Ibrahim Ali sues The Sun

Long wait for truth in submarine scandal expected

Racism in the treatment of the victims of Police killings. Compare how the the recent killing of Aminul Rasyid Amzah compares with the killing of so many Indian youth previously by the Malaysian Police.

Racism in the treatment of the victims of Police killings. Compare how the the recent killing of Aminul Rasyid Amzah  compares with the killing so many Indian youth previously by the Malaysian Police.
First of all our our condolences to the family of 15 year old Aminul Rasyid Amzah. On the very next day of his shooting we had stated in very strong terms” ‘Put teen killer cops behind bars, not desks’ (Free Malaysia today 27 April 2010).
Nothing we write in this article means any disrespect to the dead boy. It is just our attempt to show how pernicious this UMNO concocted and perfected racist system is, even in such horrendous acts as the murder of citizens by the police.
Aminul Rasyid Amzah  rightly got the attention as follows:-
1. PKPIM forms Facebook group for Aminulrasyid (www.malaysiakini.com 28 April 2010.)
2. ‘Jangan lapor bukan-bukan’, rayu ibu Aminulrasyid (www.malaysiakini.com 27 April 2010 )
3. Saran s’jaya bebas siasat kes Norizan, Aminulrasyid (www.malaysiakini.com 28 April 2010)
4. Motion to debate schoolboy shooting filed (www.malaysiakini.com 28 April 2010)
5. Police to investigate teen’s shooting in fair and transparent manner (www.NewSabahTimes.com.my 29 April 2010)
6. Outrage over killing of boy by KL cops The Straits Times, 29 April 2010
7. Only one cop fired shots The Star/Asia News Network, 29 April 2010.
8. Cop’s son witness in shooting case news@nst.com.my , 29 April 2010
9. ‘Only one cop opened fire’ thestar.com.my, 29 April 2010
10. Neighbours’ anger over trigger-happy cops The Malaysia Insider, 28 April 2010.
11. ‘My son not a criminal’ newsstraitstimes online, 27 April 2010
12. Cabinet expresses sadness over fatal shooting of teen newsstraitstimes online, 28 April 2010.
13. Special panel to look into fatal shooting of schoolboy newsstraitstimes online, 28 April 2010.
14. Cabinet expresses sadness over fatal shooting of teen , Utusan online 28 April 2010.
15. Home Minister promises a thorough investigation, thestar.com.my 29 April 2010.
16. Suitable balance needed to guide police actions, NST online 29 April 2010.
17. Time to disarm our cops , Malaysian Mirror 29 April 2010.
18. Fatal shooting of teen: Police investigations to be ready by Friday, NST online 28 April 2010.
19. A closer look at police shootings The Malaysian Insider 29 April 2010
20. Don’t call him a robber, says mother of teenager shot by police Bernama 27 April 2010.   
Based on the newspaper cuttings and news in web portals  the Malay-sian Cabinet Home Minister, Agriculture Minister, Welfare Minister, Selangor Menteri Besar, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, T.Murugiah, Inspector General of Police, Facebook, UMNO Youth, Bar Council President, PAS, Suhakam, MCA President all either issued some statement or visited the breaved family. That is quite a list.
The Police take ten witness statement within three days. Ten in three days – when was the last time you heard that for Police killing.
Deputy Home Minister creates a panel and heads it up to looking into fatal shooting of Aminul Rasyid Amzah  . But only for this one killing. What about all the previous ones.
In the cases involving Indian victims – P.Gunasegaran who was killed in police custody and R Logeswaran, 38 & Satchithananthan, 25 shot dead by the police three weeks ago. There was almost zero or none of the above attention, media coverage, care, concern, protest or championing. None  whatsoever! Just because the victims were poor Indians?
Aminul Rasyid also received attention from M.P for Kapar S.Manickavasagam (www.malaysiakini.com 14-year-old student killed by police), (victim prejudged by cops ) PPP’s Dato Murugiah from the Indian elite.
Similarly in the last two days, Teoh Beng Hock received wide media coverage and serious pro active actions even by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to cite the (Law) Minister Dato Seri Nazri for contempt of court and as follows:-
1. A-G allowed to intervene in Nazri contempt application (The Sun 29 April 2010).
2. Hina mahkamah: Peguam Negara dibenar jadi pencelah (Utusan Malaysia 29 April 2010).
But three weeks ago when brothers R Logeswaran, 38 & Satchithananthan, 25 were shot dead and killed by what is believed to be the police shoot to kill squad on a shoot to kill order, none of the above, none were around to even attend the funeral, let alone to champion the cause.
The cold blooded murder by the Polis Raja Di Malaysia was witnessed by eye witnesses (see our videos dated April 13, 2010 Malaysian Police Shoot to Kill Policy- 2 Ethnic Indian youth shot dead-HINDRAF HRP in the www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com  website). One of this victim was even shot in his eye. (see photo) And both were shot almost all on the head. In spite of such brazen acts by the police, there was no action at all, zero, let alone attention by the erstwhile individuals above or reports in the media.
An urgent letter was written by HRP to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to prosecute the police murderers and for a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
A similar letter was written to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to move an emergency motion in Parliament and to call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
But as usual there is zero response from both UMNO and PKR. Why? Because the victims were poor Indians.
There was instead pin drop silence even from the print and electronic media including “our” Malaysiakini.com, NGOs’, Bar Malaysian civil society. Why? Because the victims were poor Indians?
And on the very same day Teoh Beng Hock was killed in Police custody, poor P.Gunasegaran was also killed at the Sentul police station literally but zero coverage by the media, UMNO, PKR, DAP, PAS,NGOs’ etc.
Why? Because P.Gunasegaran is a poor Indian?
A.Kugan’s case was about the only exception which got some attention because of the very brutal and bloody pictures that unprecedentedly came out and because of the 5,000 odd Hindraf people power forces at his funeral.
But even In Kugan’s case, because the Malay gangster group Pekida (read largely consisting of civil clothes policemen) had lodged a police report against the Attorney General on the Kugan’s case, the charge was downscaled from murder to a token causing injury case for which, one Indian policemen was prosecuted and that too after a long Hindraf supported public campaigns, the last being an assembly outside the King’s Istana Negara.
In the western civil societies, the majority communities bend backwards to champion minority causes. But in Malaysia, the majority always almost bend backwards to champion the injustices to the majority and “gallery” Malay, and Chinese issues and ignore minority issue with impunity.
In Malaysia the most serious Indian problems gets sidestepped because they are so serious to the point of being in a “condemned” state. Malaysians generally refuse to go by the seriousness or gravity of the problems and issues. They go by the ethnicity of the victims. We have been saying this over the last 20 years and repeat the same herewith. Strange “multi-racialism” ala Malaysia.
Had UMNO, PKR, DAP, PAS, NGOs’ Bar Council and the print and electronic media gave the same level of care, concern and attention as was and is done for Aminul Rasyid Amzah , hundreds of Indian victims shot dead by the police and killed in police lock ups over the last twenty years or so would have been saved, their families would not have suffered the pain, suffering, stigma etc.
On 7/11/2009 there were three coffins of police shot dead Indian victims in one house, all side by side.
The sister of the fourth of the five victims gunned down by the police in that incident could not take the pain of the injustice and committed suicide by drinking poison. Her four children who were also given poison somehow survived but are likely to suffer from serious medical problems in due course. (See our video- November 2009).
But there was zero public outcry. Malaysians again did not care merely because the victims of these UMNO police atrocities were poor Indians.
In 2009 95% of the Malaysian police shot dead victims and death in police custody victims are Indians.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the atrocities against the Indians in Malaysia for which the multiracial Malaysians including the elite Indians do not care.
The supposed caring, sharing and civil society and multi-racial Malaysian society contribute to these atrocities not by commission but by omission.
The kind of racism that we see here runs deep in our so called multiracial society, Anwar Ibrahim , please take note. It is the most pernicious form where it has internalized so deeply into the psyche of a people that they do not even know they are committing it. It is natural that these Indian suspects must be shot dead like stray dogs, that is all OK.
But when we raise these race based injustices, we are instead accused of being racist.
This is the only country where when you cry against racism you instead get accused of being a racist. Welcome to Real Life Malaysia.
P.Uthayakumar

Lim Guan Eng – Stop Colluding with the Developer and Stop the Continuing Bullying of the Remaining Kampung Buah Pala Ranch.

High Chaparral cows and goats were left strayed on the streets when a developer’s demolition team flattened one of the two livestock ranches in the former Kampung Buah Pala here on Wednesday morning. The remaining ranch could be demolished tomorrow Friday, its owner had been warned.
According the affected cowherd K Sivanandam, a group of Malay and Bangladesh gangsters ran riot and demolished his ranch about 11.30am using an excavator and sledgehammers.
He even named several trespassers as Johan, Izad, Noordin and Helmi in his police report lodged at Jelutong police station last night.

The four were allegedly were part of the developer’s demolition team that demolished homes and annihilated the Indian traditional village in September last year.
Sivanandam claimed that the gangsters stormed into his ranch and wrecked it without even producing any notice of evacuation from relevant authorities.

The frightened cows and goats fled all over the places fearing the rampage.
“When I asked who they are, they acted aggressively against me and said that they have power to demolish my ranch.“I was all alone and could not fight back,” Sivanandam told newsmen at the site today.
He estimated his losses at RM30,000.
The demolition team was accompanied several uniformed and plain clothed policemen. According to police sources, they were merely acting on the ‘directives’ of several higher ups in the Pakatan Rakyat state government .

However, at a separate press conference, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as expected was non-committal and claimed that he was unaware about the demolition.He said that the state government wouldn’t interfere in the issue and would leave it to the developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd and cowherds to resolve the dispute.
Ironically, Lim’s statement indirectly confirmed that the developer carried out the unauthorised demolition.

At another press conference, Penang Island Municipal Council president Patahiyah Ismail said the council had not issued any notice of evacuation to the ranches and its enforcement unit was not involved in the demolition.Northeast district land office officials also confirmed it and re-affirmed that the cow ranches were sitting on a state land, not the developer’s land.

Kampung Buah Pala was once known as Penang Tamil High Chaparral for its population of cowherds, cattle, goats and other livestock, unique Indian cultural features and festivities.The 200-year-old Indian traditional village was demolished last September by Nusmetro, while families were still in their homes, to pave the way for a posh condominium project called the Oasis.

Consumer Association of Penang officer NV Subarrow said the developer has no authority to demolish a cow ranch outside his land.
“The authorities must explain this injustice,” he told newsmen.He said the state authorities should resolve the problem by identifying a suitable alternate site for the cowherds to breed their livestock.“It’s their livelihood being affected and the state authorities must help them,” insisted Subarrow.

The other cowherd R Subramanian, who rears some 200 cows and goats, said he was warned by the same developer’s gangsters that his nearby ranch would be demolished tomorrow.Sivanandam and Subramanian are in dilemma now on where to relocate their cattle and livestock.
Producing notice of a meeting with the land district office last month, they said they had been in discussion with the land officers to find an alternate site to relocate and rear their livestock.
“We are not saying we wanted to stay put here.
“We want an alternate site and authorities should help us here,” said Sivanandam and Subramanian, whose family have had been breeding cattle and livestock in the village for more than 100 years.



Nadodi Mannan

Police killings: Malaysians finally wake up after Malay boy killed

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Shooting of teen: Don’t cover up, MP tells police.

Malaysia has finally woken up. Malaysia finally wakes up to the reality of the trigger-happy cops.

It has taken a shooting of a boy from the Malay heartland to bring home this message to the skeptical majority.

For years and years ans in spite of many citizens’ complaint as well lawyers’ and families’ frustration, the police have been brushing away allegations of reckless and needless shooting. Many families’ pleas with the government in the past have been met with derision as well as extreme labels such as the victims were allegedly ‘hardcore criminals’.

Lawyers who championed these matters in the past have been needlessly labeled ‘troublemakers’ and only the New Media gave such wanton shooting cases any credible coverage.

Why only now is it being brought to the front pages with MPs from both sides of the political divide crying out loud and ministers wanting to bring this matter to the cabinet level? Why only now?

There have been so many cases of citizens being shot after allegedly showing a knife at the police and as well as many cases of deaths in custody. How come no one made this much noise before? The answer is very obvious isn’t it?

This time, apparently, got parang and all. Really?

This is no different from the many other cases where the mothers and families claimed that their children had done no wrong and were in no way criminals but no one cared. Everyone just assumed that if he police shoot you, you must be guilty. P Uthayakumar has been saying the opposite for years.

The time has come for all shooting and custodial deaths to trigger an automatic inquiry either by a coroner or a public panel. That’s the only way forward.

This brings me the case of the actor Khaireyll Benjamin Ibrahim or Benjy who was rearrested after being released by the courts. Again, this is a standard police reaction to many court decisions in the past. Only difference is, since he the son of a celebrity and the papers have been giving wide coverage, the police made the very uncommon decision to have a press conference to explain. That was rarely done before.

I hope this is a sign of better things to come and the beginning of all involved to take note and make sure this sort of illegal police enforcement does not happen anymore no matter what colour you are.

Police Police Special Branch robs P.Uthayakumar of his lap top, video camera, camera, diary and important HRP data.

P.Uthayakumar and S.Jayathas were loading the Naza Citra car with the projector, giant screen, leaflets, books campaign materials etc en route for the Chitra Powrnami festival at Teluk Intan on 27/4/10.
P.Uthayakumar had loaded his lap top bag into the car and had just stepped  into the HRP office. 
The civil clothes Police Special Branch Personnell who usually loiter outside the HRP HQ suddenly sprang into action when two of them using their motorcycle and within five seconds went straight for P.Uthayakumar’s lap top bag which they know has the data they want and made a dash. Luckily they did not attack us in a similar fashion.
In another five seconds time a police patrol car was seen passing by. This is an almost similar pattern in 2006 when P.Uthayakumar was attacked at gun point by civil clothes policemen who went straight for his mobile phone with important data and when his car windscreens were smashed up using a sledge hammer and a police patrol car passing by a couple of minutes later.
The actual robbery accounts are from the playback from the recorded CCTV which we only got to view this afternoon.
This is the real time police state in action.
But our Hindraf people power struggle goes on irrespective even by risking our lives.
We have lost confidence in the Polis Raja Di Malaysia.
We would not bother lodging a police report as we cannot expect the thief to catch the thief.
S.Jayathas

Unscrupulous enforcement officers chased away at Hindu festival at Teluk Intan

Teluk Intan 28/04/2010. In the midst of the annual Chitra Powranmi hindu festival, a group of four personnel from the UMNO Domestic Trade and Industry Ministry were harassing Indian petty traders along the road leading to the main Teluk Intan town Sri Tandayuthabani Hindu temple P. Uthayakumar, S. Jayathas, Taiping HRP Chief Siva, RCA Moorthy and Nagen caught these personnel conducting an unauthorized “cari makan” operation. When told off not to disrupt an otherwise harmonious religious festival these UMNO Ministry personnel quickly backed off and disappeared in thin air. See video of Hindraf and HRP people power in action.
S. Jayathas

Anwar wrests defeat from the jaws of victory

by Joe Fernandez @ Fernz
COMMENT Akhirnya sia sia sahaja (In the end, it was all in vain). Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim yet again proved himself his own worst enemy in Hulu Selangor and led his people to a humiliating defeat. It was so very unnecessary for them. Indeed, it would not be too far-fetched to say, in the words of Winston Churchill, that he has an uncanny ability to wrest defeat from the jaws of victory. He proved it in Batang Ai despite the best advice, in Bagan Pinang, and again in Hulu Selangor.
If this keeps up at this rate, he can kiss his chances of entering Putra Jaya in triumph goodbye. Even most of the gains brought by the political tsunami of Sat March 8, 2008 – the result of him jumping on Hindraf’s makkal sakthi (people power) bandwagon — will evaporate into thin air. There must be a price to pay for political opportunism.
Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and HRPM (Human Rights Party Malaysia) must be laughing their heads off to death. This was virtually conceded in an email last night from Ganesan Naragan, the advisor to both outfits. But more on that later because it’s turning out to be really very boring stuff. Both Hindraf and HRPM sound like a musical record stuck in the groove.
Patently, the post-mortem will blame the Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) loss of the parliamentary seat in its own heartland on any number of known external reasons. These include as well the en bloc transfer of voters by the Election Commission, preventing certain Orang Asli villages from casting their votes until very late in the day or not at all, police roadblocks to discourage young Malay voters – think motorcycle licenses – from voting and outright buying of votes etc. These could be the subject of an election petition.
All the Election Court has to consider is whether the commission of election offences and fraud, overtly and covertly, were of sufficient seriousness and magnitude to deny PR (Pakatan Rakyat) pro-tem chair Zaid Ibrahim another 863 vote shift which would have handed him victory in Hulu Selangor, albeit by a magical one-vote margin. Indeed they were!
Anwar himself claims in an email that he’s frantically sending around cyberspace that Umno spent RM 100 million or RM 65, 000 per person in Hulu Selangor for a thin victory. As if this is supposed to absolve him or the other Ibrahim – Zaid — of any blame. What does Anwar expect of Umno? That they would not pull out every dirty trick in the book to win Hulu Selangor? What a naive fellow! He was with Umno before and employed dirty tricks as well especially in Sabah. He should come down from his pompous high horse and see that he’s now the proverbial Emperor with No Clothes.
Anwar’s email to his equally gullible people – “a diarrhoea of words” — is the beginning of his usual blame game and finger-pointing. Does he conveniently forget that he recently dismissed Hindraf as a racist organisation twice within the same week i.e. the second time in London and earlier in an interview in Kuala Lumpur with Tamil Nanban. Words cannot describe the uproar this created among the Indian underclass. This made them realise that PR was another dead-end for them like the MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress).
Did he ever pause for even a moment to consider the consequences of such a political statement, so rash and so untrue!
To add insult to injury, fugitive self-proclaimed royal blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin hyped Anwar’s racist take for all and sundry within days. Why shouldn’t he when he’s in refuge in London under the protection of Anwar’s financial well-wishers. 
These are two political rascals who don’t know which side their bread is buttered. Where’s the realpolitik? Instead, they keep up some pompous high horse stuff that the Orang Asli, Sabah, Sarawak and the Indian underclass cannot relate to in their politics.
Why doesn’t Anwar mention the 4,000 votes of the Indian underclass in Hulu Selangor which Hindraf and HRPM offered on a silver platter to Zaid Ibrahim, if not PR and PKR, but provided the Selangor government comes through with state land for all the 98 Tamil schools in the state?
Instead, he broke a solemn promise to PKR vice president Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan in Sibu that he will impress upon Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim the urgency of getting the Tamil school land deal out of the way before April 25. Back in KL, Anwar didn’t lift a finger on the Tamil school land deal. Instead, he was muttering to everyone within earshot the tired old phrase that Hindraf and HRPM were racist organisations always making racist demands. Hindraf and HRPM had 300 committed cadres waiting and willing to go all out in Hulu Selangor for the opposition. These are people money would not buy and they work without a sen for the two outfits. Alas, they waited in vain.
Why is it okay for everyone to ask for something from the government but not the Indians or the Tamils?
Why is it okay for Chinese, Malay, national, religious and mission schools to sit on their own land but not the Tamil schools?
HRPM, by their own estimate, has over 100 “Indian” issues to bring up with the government, both Pakatan and BN, but they were willing to settle for the resolution of just the Tamil school land issue in time for Hulu Selangor. If Anwar can’t make good even this one promise, what good is he for the Indian community, especially the underclass?
Indeed, what good is Anwar even for the people of Sabah and Sarawak where he has left a trail of broken promises?
Meanwhile, Anwar’s people are putting it out, in the wake of Hulu Selangor, that “it’s more imperative than ever that Pakatan forges an election pact with Hindraf”. Ha ha ha. It’s really amazing that there’s this sudden realization as if some are beginning to see the light. That’s a good one. This will go down as the best joke during the next 50 years that BN, or a variation of it if Tengku Razaleigh comes through, will rule Malaysia.
Why don’t they also talk about Dap stalwart Lim Kit Siang taking leave of his senses and going for 85 per cent of the Chinese votes cast in Hulu Selangor?
These are the very same Anwar people, with a few little Napoleons in tow, who sabotaged Jeffrey’s mission to the Orang Asli areas, his plan to have a walkabout with HRPM pro-ten secretary-general UthayaKumar PonnuSamy in Hulu Selangor and earlier his trip to London to present a paper on the Malaysia Agreement at the British Parliament. Jeffrey even had RM 11, 000 tickets, including for an aide, booked and paid for London by PKR but cancelled at the very last minute and the non-refundable money flushed down the drain.
PKR picked up Zaid’s tab for his trip to Singapore on Mar 29 to meet with Hindraf chair WaythaMoorthy PonnuSamy to get a carte blanc on Hulu Selangor. Zaid didn’t off anything in return except for vague assurances while more pre-occupied with chomping on his expensive cigars.
A day later, PKR refused to pick up the tab for Jeffrey on a similar mission to Singapore but he went anyway at his own expense for Zaid’s sake. Jeffrey was referred by Waytha to his elder brother UthayaKumar.
Back in Hulu Selangor, a Sabah PKR man supposedly with the party funds for the Jeffrey mission to Hulu Selangor, went missing in action for over a week before the by-election. The excuse later for cutting off the funds was that Jeffrey was using it to promote CigMa, his ad hoc apolitical Common Interest Group Malaysia, among the Orang Asli.
It was bad enough that PKR Headquarters actively dissuaded Jeffrey from entering the Orang Asli areas – “under control” according to them – and advised him to stay away from Uthaya if not Waytha. It is against party policy, whispered some reliable sources, for the Indians to be seen getting together with the Orang Asli, Sabah and Sarawak. They suspected some emerging “Third Force” mischief afoot fomented by Jeffrey’s CigMA. Jeffrey has never denied the Third Force plan endorsed by all his allies.
All this meant that Zaid Ibrahim lost in Hulu Selangor. Had 863 of BN’s 1,725 votes shifted his way, he would have won by a one-vote margin. Alternatively, the 4,000 Indian underclass votes offered by Hindraf and HRPM was sufficient to give victory to Zaid by a margin of 2,725 votes.
Unfortunately, Anwar suffers from the delusion that he was single-handedly responsible for the political tsunami of 2008 and that Hindraf had no part to play in it. His delusion extends further to the theory that the strong Chinese opposition vote and the splintering of Malay votes are sufficient to bring him victory at the ballot box.
True, Chinese and Malay votes are important to the opposition but these are in any case assured up to a point. But will they give the opposition the winning edge at the ballot box? Only the Indian underclass, the Orang Asli and Sabah and Sarawak can give the opposition Putra Jaya. This is where Umno “plays its cards right”, albeit by indulging in outright bribery of the vulnerable, and not the fancy words associated with Anwar Ibrahim who conveniently forgets that he has the reputation of being a noted racist in Umno.
All Anwar has to do is to include the marginalized groups in his politics and not pawn them off with empty promises while calling them and their leaders names – he’s noted for this — behind their backs. Anwar needs the Indian underclass in particular, not all Indians, if he’s to have sustaining power.
Anwar wrests defeat from the jaws of victory Thurs 29, April 2010