Molotov cocktails, parangs found with Bersih T-shirts

However, no arrests have been made as police are still attempting to track down owners of the weapons.

PETALING JAYA: Police last night uncovered a stash of weapons, including parangs…

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However, no arrests have been made as police are still attempting to track down owners of the weapons.

PETALING JAYA: Police last night uncovered a stash of weapons, including parangs and petrol bombs, which they believed are to be used during the July 9 rallies planned by Bersih 2.0, Umno Youth and Perkasa.

Sources said that the secret cache was discovered in a jungle area behind a temple at Batu 12 of Jalan Gombak Lama, Gombak, by orang asli men before policemen were alerted.

“We found five traveller bags and two garbage bags. Inside are 44 T-shirts with the ‘Bersih’ logo in two bags, 20 parangs, 36 Molotov cocktails, 16 lighters, and hundreds of metal ball bearings for use as slingshots,” a police source said.

“We believe certain quarters planned to use them to create havoc on Saturday,” said the source.
The source said that police have launched an investigation to find out the owner of the items, but no arrests have been made. The case is classified under the Explosives Act 1957.

Meanwhile, local daily New Straits Times reported that four Molotov cocktails and Bersih T-shirts were found near the Sogo ShoppingComplex in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman at 4.30am.

Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh was quoted as saying that a civilian saw three men throw the plastic bag containing the items near some flowerpots and alerted the police.

Pictures by China Press

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International community piles pressure on PM

The international human rights community is very concerned over the use of the Emergency Ordinance to arrest people and intimidate Bersih supporters.

PETALING JAYA: The international human rights community today…

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The international human rights community is very concerned over the use of the Emergency Ordinance to arrest people and intimidate Bersih supporters.

PETALING JAYA: The international human rights community today expressed its strongest condemnation yet of the crackdown on Bersih 2.0 with an open letter to prime minister, Najib Tun Razak.

The three-page letter was signed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, World Organisation Against Torture, International Federation for Human Rights and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development.

Copies were also sent to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Nazri Aziz and Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar.

While the NGOs decried the spate of arrests and the banning of the rally, their most vocal opposition was against the use of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) on the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members.

They stated that Malaysia’s use of draconian preventive detention laws was incompatible with its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The NGOs also reminded Najib of his pledge in 2009 to “uphold civil liberties” and “regard for fundamental rights of the people of Malaysia”.

“We call on you to turn these pledges into concrete action by asking law enforcement officers to immediately cease use of all preventive detention laws, and by starting a time-bound process to repeal those laws,” the letter read.

“The Malaysian penal code and criminal justice system are fully capable of addressing situations of internal security, and should be allowed to do so without resorting to preventive detention.”

Alarm bells

The NGOs pointed out that government was violating the right to freedom of association by designating Bersih as an “illegal organisation” under Section 5 of the Societies Act of 1966.

“Your government has failed to provide any credible evidence to substantiate the Registrar of Societies’ claims that Bersih is trying to topple the government, or is a risk to public order, safety, economy and sovereignity,” they added.

Meanwhile the deputy director of the Human Rights Watch Asia division, Phil Robertson, stated that the crackdown on peaceful activists indicated that Malaysia’s leaders have abandoned any pretense of honouring the obligations they made while running for the UNHRC seat.

“Governments that supported Malaysia’s candidacy at the UN HRC should be burning up the phone lines to Putrajaya,” he urged.

“They should raise serious concerns that Malaysia keep its word to respect rights, step back from this intimidation campaign, and negotiate with Bersih and it’s supporters in civil society to address their legitimate concerns for electoral reform.”

Robertson had told FMT in an earlier interview that the government’s crackdown has sent alarming bells ringing through the international community and has tarnished Malaysia’s reputation within the UN HRC.

He had also said that a number of foreign diplomats have attempted to pacify the Malaysian government but that the exact details of those talks have been kept confidential.

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Neeraj Grover Murder Case : 300 Pieces of Humanity and Bizarre Anti Hindu Press.

300 PIECES OF HUMANITY AND BIZARRE PRESS.

by Somiksha C Mohanta 

Can god drag a murderer closer to him after he or she commits a brutal murder? The…

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300 PIECES OF HUMANITY AND BIZARRE PRESS.

by Somiksha C Mohanta 

Can god drag a murderer closer to him after he or she commits a brutal murder? The first answer to this question that I got is 1300 years old. Mohammed brainwashed the Muslims in IBN E MAJAH (vol-1, page- 697) that “when one murders another, property of the murdered becomes the property of the murderer.” Here the Islamic god is teaching the faithful the benefits of murder. The second answer I got was just one day ago. From Maria Susairaj, a modern, educated and gorgeous women. Islam is born in the womb of desert tribal illiteracy by the offspring of Arabian  fanaticism. That’s why even as a major sect of xtianity welcomed renaissance, muslims strategically avoided it. But alas, even after being xtian, maria was untouched by the renaissance.

Yes, I am talking about Maria Susairaj, the infamous Kannad actress. She was engaged in love with a Hindu boy Neeraj Grover who was killed by Emili Jerome, the fiancé of her decided by her parents. Neeraj’s body was found in a 300 split. But neeraj’s biggest misfortune is his Hindu identity. For last 3 years this brutal killing was suppressed by media.

Now Maria is happy to be released, struggling to hide her smile. She has passed her time in jail “by painting and praying to god.” She said, “MY DAYS INSIDE JAIL WAS BLESSED. In these 3 years I came closer to my god. He knows what I have done is not a sin.” She visited church on the pretext, “I need to visit who got me out of here”. All these drama was going on in a bizarre press conference.

Meanwhile many things have been tracked by me that my radar carefully caught from passing away.

Actually, Hindu Neeraj lost his Love Equation with his Christian Lover Maria Susairaj (an infamous Kannad Actress) and eventually murdered by her family approved fiancé Emili Jerome. May I request my liberal friends to find some truth from it.

• Firstly, whenever someone is brutally killed in delhi, there is a huge hue and cry. We have seen in the case of Priyadarshini Mattu, Jessica Laal etc. but are the non metro people less important?
• Neeraj was killed and then cut into 300 pieces, but what about the Hindu lovers like CHANCHAL SADHUKHAN, ARKA BANNERJEE, SAIBAL MANDAL, SAILENDRA PRASAD , RAJNEESH SHARMA. The last was killed by Kashmir police for loving Amina Yusuf @ Anchal Sharma, a Muslim lady. All others were beheaded into two pieces alive and then made numerous pieces. Why there are no hues? The answer is these poor Hindus didn’t have any friend like film maker ASHOK PANDIT who could launch silent protest that would be bizarrely spotted by media that could be posted in facebook.
  

  Same Media : Two Treatments
• All coverage hungry crocodiles barked for RIZWANUR, but none for these people? Why??????? Don’t these Hindu men have hearts?
• In the media coverage in times now a footnote comes as, “Sharif Sheikh says, Maria will not join Bollywood.”  That means certainly the media questioned about her plans for Bollywood . Is this the media ethics, to make a murderer a celebrity ? Is it? So is it believable when media glorifies one person ?
• Ramgopal verma now is making a film on the story as “NOT A LOVE STORY”. Generally if any Hindu organization come in support of the slain, media calls it “politicizing” but when Bollywood is doing so, why not they are maligned for encasing a tragedy?
• Live India tv telecasted a show, “murder karo…heroine bano”. Here the controversial film maker Kamal Khan was the guest. The debate was that has it been the key to get into bollywood, the wrong deeds ? Kamal Khan got a scope to blame Baba Ramdev. As the anchors were exemplifying how reality shows glorified, Abbas Kaazhmee, Poonam Pandey, Rahul Bhatt.. All known for wrong reasons. Then Kamal Khan said, “Baba Ramdev for example, he is a product of controversy. None knew him before his frauds.” The male Muslim anchor was silent but the female Hindu anchor retaliated in angry mood, “what he has done for yoga is a milestone and he is fighting for a good cause.” Kamal said, “at least I did not know him”. This joker is not any encyclopedia or Wikipedia that his grey cells would contain all information. He looks like moron, and when he does hip hop he achieves more perfection in moron-ness. In fact, Kamal was famous for his controversies, neither ago, nor after. But how come live India did not show Kamal’s controversies? Don’t they have guts?

I am eager to know that how far people and media would take to count all people as equal, regardless of Rizwanoor Rehaman or Rajneesh Sharma? Why Hindus have been rejected rights in their own homeland under state sponsored strategy to oil Islamic fanaticism?

When far we would get our answers? How far humanity would be split into 300 pieces?

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EMIRATES: FACEBOOK THREATS RISE, WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE***

(ANSAmed) - DUBAI, JULY 4 - There's the version of Facebook which contributed toward coordinating and upholding social aims, fostering the explosion of the Arab Spring, but there's also the…

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(ANSAmed) - DUBAI, JULY 4 - There's the version of Facebook which contributed toward coordinating and upholding social aims, fostering the explosion of the Arab Spring, but there's also the other version, which is set to crash head-on into the deeply-rooted traditions of that same Arab world, alarmingly highlighting women's vulnerability.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the country with the highest incidence of social network usage in the region (45%), the number of cases which see women blackmailed in exchange for money or sex for having posted pictures in which they are wearing "dishonourable" attire are increasingly rising.

Pictures in a bathing suit, or in an off-the-shoulder top, are explosive tools in a society where, despite the wide liberal margin granted to the majority of the foreign population, respect for traditions, religion, family and honour are still strongly considered to be fundamental principles. The risk of being killed by a male family to rid the family of the shame of dishonour is infinitely smaller than in countries such as Jordan for example, where "honour killings" are still a potential - though increasingly frowned upon - solution to women's disrespectful behaviour.

The blackmailers are looking for money, forced sexual relations or emotional and psychological control, according to operators from the dedicated department set up by the Ministry of the Interior to tackle this growing phenomenon which has women in the Emirates stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they turn to the police to report cases of abuse they could be arrested. In cases where there were consensual sexual relations, despite being forced through blackmail, the victim can be arrested and locked up for having consented to a sexual act outside of marriage. This is an illegal and punishable act in the UAE.

The ministry's social department is victims' only safe harbour at the moment. "We offer victims total privacy", states a staff member at the office, who requested that he remain anonymous, "but acting as a police department we carry out inquiries and when necessary, such as in cases where there are other victims forced to perform criminal acts, we cannot merely protect, we must also report". Such would be the case if, for example, the investigation lead to the discovery of a criminal organization, making it more difficult to defende the victims' privacy. The younger generation's comments reveal the paradox within a country which is on the fast track toward futuristic investments and projects on the one hand, and proudly tied to Islam and the ancient Bedouin culture on the other. On the one hand, some people praise parents who allow their daughters to open Facebook accounts, even though they ban them from posting pictures, while on the other young men berate "easy" women who "market themselves" using social networks, girls they "would never marry". (ANSAmed).

© Ansamed - all right reserved

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Khairy offers to work with Bersih if rally called off

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Umno Youth will call off its counter-rally and instead back some Bersih 2.0 demands if the latter cancels its July 9 march, says Umno Youth…

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Umno Youth will call off its counter-rally and instead back some Bersih 2.0 demands if the latter cancels its July 9 march, says Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy told The Malaysian Insider yesterday the youth wing will offer the olive branch as it has always acknowledged that the present system required improvements that could be worked out with the Election Commission.

“We believe that a united bipartisan front on points that we agree on will be more effective if Bersih really wants change,” the Umno Youth chief said.

In an unexpected turn of events yesterday, Bersih pledged to abide by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin’s advice to negotiate with the government instead of forcing a confrontation.

Former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan who leads the coalition — which was declared illegal last week by the government — of 62 NGOs said she will seek an audience with the King before Saturday and call off the rally if told to do so.

“I’ve always said that we support the present system but that acknowledge improvements are needed,” Khairy (picture) added.

The Rembau MP, who is still overseas on a volunteer mission to Gaza, Palestine, said that Umno Youth would support a cleaning of dead individuals on the electoral roll, overseas voting, free access to all media and television slots for all parties contesting elections.

“These can all be on the table for negotiation,” he said.

Both Perkasa and Umno Youth had declared earlier yesterday they’d reciprocate a Bersih stand down.
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin’s statement Sunday led to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak making an offer yesterday to provide Bersih with a stadium for their rally if they opted out of a capital march.

Najib’s offer came after the government’s nationwide clampdown on Bersih 2.0, hoping to block the now-outlawed coalition’s July 9 rally which Barisan Nasional insists is politically motivated.

Police have made hundreds of pre-emptive arrests, raids, confiscation of rally-related materials.
The Emergency Ordinance has been used on six Parti Sosialis Rakyat (PSM) members as well.

But Najib is risking damage to his reputation and commitment to reforms as a result of the crackdown.
Opposition politicians have accused the government of abusing the law to arrest activists and seizing rally items.

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Estate workers cry foul over land approval

Several families from a plantation in Hulu Selangor have alleged abuse by the district Land Office.

HULU SELANGOR: Irked plantation workers are demanding that the Hulu Selangor Land Office reveal…

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Several families from a plantation in Hulu Selangor have alleged abuse by the district Land Office.

HULU SELANGOR: Irked plantation workers are demanding that the Hulu Selangor Land Office reveal how one of its officers allegedly secured a temporary occupation licence (TOL) for a much sought-after plot here.

Speaking on behalf of residents from the Nigel Gardner estate, M Radha Krishnan claimed that Hulu Selangor Land Office had awarded two acres of the land to a staff named Abdullah Kutty and his daughter Shalina Abdullah Kutty.

He said this had come as a surprise to them because an assistant district officer had told them that no one could hold the licence for the particular land.

“Since 1999 we (the nine families) have been applying (for TOL). Each time when we go to the Land Office to follow up on our submission, we were told that our applications were lost.

“We have repeatedly submitted our application. We have re-applied three times.

“But now again our forms have gone missing.

“We are really fed up with the Land Office… there is something fishy here,” Radha Krishnan, adding that he was convinced that Abdullah Kutty had more than two acres.

“I believe they (Land Office) have awarded him the whole nine acres which we have been applying for,” he added.

Power abuse

According to Radha Krishnan, the land was originally cultivated by their fathers.

“They planted vegetables for daily use until 1963 when Socfin Plantation Sdn Bhd took over the land and planted oil palm trees in the nine acres.

“But when in 1999 Socfin sold the land to Berjaya Plantation, the Land Office declared the nine- acre land as reserve land.

“But since the Land Office did not clear the oil palm trees, Socfin allowed our nine families from Nigel Gardner to harvest the area.

“We have been here for a very long time. This is a very serious matter. We believe the Land Office is abusing its power by occupying reserve land,” he said.

Radha Krishnan wants the Pakatan Rakyat government to look into this matter, saying that he is sure there are similar cases in other districts in the state.

FMT, meanwhile, could not reach any officials from the Hulu Selangor Land Office. They were all allegedly at a meeting.

It was learnt, however, that the District Officer had agreed to meet all the nine families on July 8.

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Latest on BERSIH (UPDATED)

This is just a quick note to inform you of the latest developments of the planned BERSIH rally this Saturday, 9th July 2011. I will update this page and tell…

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This is just a quick note to inform you of the latest developments of the planned BERSIH rally this Saturday, 9th July 2011. I will update this page and tell you more once I get the latest news from BERSIH.
NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There appears to be some confusion within the ranks of the BERSIH committee. If the purpose of His Majesty the Agong’s announcement yesterday was to throw the cat amongst the pigeons then it certainly worked. It looks like someone else has been reading up on Sun Sze as well.
Anyway, as you read this, the BERSIH committee meeting is in session to decide how to respond to His Majesty’s ‘titah’. Titah means the Monarch’s royal edict or command.
The question here would be: was this really His Majesty’s titah or was it crafted for His Majesty? Most Malaysians now understand how the system works and are no longer awed by such royal edicts or commands.
Two members of my own family have sat on the throne as Agong -- so we know that His Majesty, at best, lives in a diamond-studded golden cage. The cage may be golden and diamond studded, but it is still a cage nevertheless.
Remember back in the late-1950s when Tunku Abdul Rahman was the First Prime Minister of Malaysia and Tuanku Abdul Rahman the First Agong? A British cabinet minister tried to barge in to the Tunku’s office without an appointment and the Prime Minister refused to see him. Malaysia, after all, had gained independence and was no longer a British colony so who did this Kwailo think he is?
Later, during an audience with the Agong, the British cabinet minister complained to His Majesty and suggested that His Majesty sack the Prime Minister for his kurang ajar (insolence).
To this suggestion His Majesty the Agong replied that in Malaysia it is not the King who sacks the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister who sacks the King.
That was way back 50 years or so ago and things have not changed much since then. In fact, since Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over as Prime Minister 30 years ago, it has become worse.
Was not Dr Mahathir the man who engaged the Monarchy in a Constitutional Crisis back in the mid-1980s where Umno openly and loudly reminded Their Highnesses that the Federal Constitution of Malaysia clearly states that the King has to ‘take advice’ from the Prime Minister and the Sultans from the Menteris Besar?
Many Malaysians at that time lauded and applauded Dr Mahathir’s ‘brave’ effort at ‘cutting down the royalty to size’. And His Highnesses were sent running back to their palaces with their royal tails between their legs, metaphorically speaking.
Today, how many believe that the Rulers make their own decisions? How many believe that a statement from Istana Negara is a statement from the mouth of His Majesty the Agong?
Does not Istana Negara come directly under the Prime Minister’s Department? And since the time of Dr Mahathir are not all statements from Istana Negara first vetted by the Prime Minister’s Department and first approved by the Prime Minister’s Department before they can be released? And is it not the procedure that the Prime Minister’s Department drafts all statements and speeches of the Agong?
I remember when the late Sultan of Johor was the Agong and, as was customary, he read out his speech prepared by the Prime Minister’s Department. His Majesty had never seen that speech until it was time to deliver it and clearly he was struggling with it.
Halfway through the speech, His Majesty, with a look of irritation on his royal face, retorted: siapa tulis ni (who wrote this)?
But then His Majesty the Johor Sultan has been known to do things ‘out of script’ like jumping over the fence during a football match or stepping down from the VVIP stage to try his hand at riding a superbike during the Merdeka Day parade.
Never has Malaysia seen such a ‘colourful’ Agong in its 53 years of Merdeka and probably never will again.
So there you have it: my short story on Malaysia’s monarchy and why BERSIH must first explore whether the titah from the Agong released yesterday needs to be further clarified before the committee decides whether to call off the planned BERSIH rally of Saturday, 9th July 2011 or proceed with it. And later today we will know the answer to that question.

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LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

BERSIH will seek an audience with His Majesty the Agong to get clarification on yesterday’s titah. If clearly His Majesty wishes to avoid any security problems and would like the march to be called off then BERSIH will try to hammer out a compromise.
One compromise would be to hold the rally in a stadium instead of marching on the streets as originally planned. The Stadium Merdeka is one such stadium that is being suggested.
The BERSIH committee appears divided on this matter. Understandably, not many want to be seen as durhaka (treasonous) by ignoring His Majesty’s titah -- if it really is His Majesty’s titah in the first place.
Some are of the view that the BERSIH chairperson may have become intimidated by this latest development of the Agong’s titah -- plus with the warnings of the army stepping in, more detentions without trial, the four million silat exponents taking to the streets to oppose BERSIH, May 13 Version 2.0, the Muslims declaring a holy jihad against BERSIH, etc.
If Ambiga feels that things have got out of hand and have become very dangerous then she might have to consider bailing out to allow someone else more prepared to face the consequences to take over. We can quite understand if Ambiga is now living on the edge and is fearful for her life and under the present circumstances no one will fault her if she throws in the towel.
Nevertheless, whether the BERSIH march finally gets aborted, or is held in a stadium, or proceeds as planned, the message has been delivered. What BERSIH wanted to do was to draw attention to the need for electoral reforms and this has been achieved.
Let us wait and see where BERSIH goes from here.

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Now what, Mr Prime Minister — Lucius Goon

JULY 4 — Unbelievable. Incredible. Astounding. These should be the headlines in the lamestream media following Prime Minister Najib Razak’s u-turn on the Bersih rally on July 9.

It now…

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JULY 4 — Unbelievable. Incredible. Astounding. These should be the headlines in the lamestream media following Prime Minister Najib Razak’s u-turn on the Bersih rally on July 9.

It now transpires that he says that Bersih organisers can go ahead and have their gathering in a stadium.
“We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets.

“The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don’t hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation,” Najib was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insider today.

This after he called respected lawyer Ambiga Sreenivasan an enemy of Islam and allowed his government to demonise her and others as enemies of the state.

This after his cousin, Hishammuddin Hussein declared Bersih an illegal organisation and encouraged the police to round up anyone wearing a yellow Bersih T-shirt.

This after the government and police colluded and came up with some false charges of reviving communism and Christian funding for Bersih and justified the use of the emergency detention laws against an elected representative and social activists.

I can imagine that Najib’s aides will try and spin his offer as the sign of a reasonable leader. I am sorry but I can’t buy that version. The handling of the Bersih event has been a joke, showing up cabinet ministers as incompetent and untruthful.

Wouldn’t it have been easier for the Najib administration to offer Bersih the use of the stadium and speak conciliatory language two weeks ago?

Or did Najib and his cabinet believe that ordinary Malaysians would be cowed by communist regime tactics?

Instead they allowed Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa and other individuals like Ali Rustam to run roughshod over the sensibilities of Malaysians.

What a shameful performance by the Najib government.

* Lucius Goon reads The Malaysian Insider.

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Anak muda negara sedih satu demi satu tanah (kedaulatan negara) gagal Najib pertahankan.

Najib dan Umno sudah tidak mampu lagi pertahan kedaulatan negara. Satu demi satu kedaulatan negara hancur terlepas kepada negara asing. Ini bukan pengkhianatan kepada Melayu tetapi penghinaan kepada semua warga…

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Najib dan Umno sudah tidak mampu lagi pertahan kedaulatan negara. Satu demi satu kedaulatan negara hancur terlepas kepada negara asing. Ini bukan pengkhianatan kepada Melayu tetapi penghinaan kepada semua warga negara.

"Selamat tinggal Tanjung Pagar" mungkin paling tepat diucapkan apabila bermula hari ini, tanah Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTMB), di Tanjung Pagar bukan lagi milik Malaysia.

Ianya kerana pada 24 Mei tahun lalu, kerajaan BN melalui Perdana Menteri Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Razak bersetuju menamatkan khidmat KTMB di Tanjung Pagar bermula 1 Julai 2011 dan akan dipindahkan ke Pusat Pemeriksaan Kereta Api Woodlands (WTCP).

Kehilangan tanah KTMB itu membuktikan BN tidak lagi mampu mempertahan kedaulatan negara ini.

Rakyat perlu melihat ketidakmampuan kerajaan BN itu apatah lagi untuk menjaga dan mempertahan perkara bertindih yang lain. Barisan Nasional tidak boleh lagi menjamin kedudukan politik dan kedaulatan negara dengan lebih baik pada masa akan datang. Itu warisan terakhir tanah Malaysia di Singapura. Ia hilang dan gagal dipertahankan dibawah era pentadbiran Najib. Kita tak tahu apa apakah kita akan kehilangan lagi perkara-perkara berkaitan pertindihan yang masih tidak selesai. Ia tak boleh dipertahan.

Ini reaksi SAMM terhadap kehilangan tanah seluas 200 hektar atau 494 ekar termasuk laluan keretapi dan stesen di Tanjung Pagar mulai hari ini, 1 Julai 2011. Kesemua tanah itu dimajukan oleh sebuah syarikat usaha sama Malaysia-Singapura dikenali M-S Pte Ltd.

Syarikat itu melibatkan Khazanah Nasional Berhad dari Malaysia yang akan memegang 60 peratus kepentingan, dan Temasek Holdings Limited, cabang pelaburan kerajaan Singapura, yang akan memegang baki 40 peratus ekuiti dalam syarikat usaha sama itu. Sebelum ini kita kehilangan Pulau Batu Puteh. Sekarang tanah KTMB pula. Kita tak punya lagi warisan yang memberi erti yang besar dalam konsteks warisan negara. Seharusnya jika rundingan dibuat, pertimbangan tidak boleh merugikan negara, atau sekurang-kurang dalam keadaan 'win-win
situation.

SAMM amat kesal dengan kehilangan itu. Dah sampai masanya rakyat untuk melihat sikap Barisan Nasional.

Seluruh rakyat Malaysia sepatutnya bersedih mulai minggu ini, apabila tanah Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) yang telah dipajak selama 79 tahun hilang buat selama-lamanya dari pemilikan Malaysia kerana diserahkan kepada pihak Singapura.

Sebagai balasannya, pihak Singapura akan menggantikan kepada Malaysia (Johor) dengan tanah bertaraf antarabangsa di empat lot Marina South dan satu bidang di Ophir Rochor.

Penyerahan tanah KTMB yang berlaku 1 Julai menjadi satu sejarah penting kepada negara dan memberi banyak pengajaran kepada generasi akan datang. Pangajaran yang paling besar adalah Kerajaan Malaysia sanggup menyerahkan tanah KTMB kepada Singapura demi mengejar keuntungan material semata-mata dengan mengenepikan persoalan maruah rakyat dan negara tercinta ini.

KTMB mempunyai tanah pajakan dengan Kerajaan Singapura selama 999 tahun bermula tahun 1932 seluas 217 hektar. Tanah sepanjang 30 km ini adalah dari Woodland, Kranji, Tanjung Pagar dan 3 lot di Bukit Timah (lot 76-2Mk 16, lot 249 Mk 4 & lot 32-10 Mk 16).

Tanah tersebut, cukup strategik kerana terletak di tengah-tengah Singapura, terlengkar dari utara di Woodland hingga ke Selatan di Tanjung Pagar.

Hari ini,tanah tersebut tidak akan kembali lagi kepada kita dan digantikan dengan tanah di empat lot Marina South dan satu bidang di Ophir Rochor yang akan dibangunkan oleh syarikat usahasama Malaysia dan Singapura, M-S Pte Ltd yang dimiliki 60 peratus ekuiti oleh Khazanah Nasional Berhad dan 40 peratus ekuiti oleh Temasek Holdings.

Persoalannya, mengapa Syarikat M-S Pte Ltd belum menunjukkan sebarang progres projek tetapi tanah KTMB sudah dilepaskan kepada Singapura?

Di manakah maruah rakyat dan negara Malaysia jika Syarikat M-S Pte Ltd gagal sedangkan tanah KTMB telah diserahkan kepada Singapura?

Tanah di Marina South dan Ophir Rochor yang dibangunkan oleh M-S Ptd Ltd itu bakal dijual kepada pasaran setelah siap dibangunkan.

Oleh itu, tanah ini akan terdedah kepada pemilikan bebas. Berkemungkinan tanah ini sedikit demi sedikit akan hilang daripada pegangan Khazanah Nasional.

Akhirnya rakyat Malaysia sudah tidak memiliki tanah di Singapura yang boleh dibanggakan oleh generasi akan datang. Apakah jaminan tanah di Marina South dan Ophir Rochor tidak terlepas kepada pihak luar?

Di kesempatan ini juga mengajak rakyat meninjau aspek ketidak kemampuan Najib secara peribadi mempertahankan kedaulatan negara. Pada 25 Jun 2010, che'GuBard sendiri telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bertulis yang merakamkan kekhuatiran ini. klik sini untuk baca kenyataan penuh.

Dalam kenyataan tersebut secara jelas dirakamkan :

Seolah seperti ada sesuatu yang mengikat Najib untuk akur walaupun ia jelas merugikan Negara. Dari aspek politik juga Najib jelas akan rugi kerana suara bantahan yang keras sudah mula kedengaran. Namun Najib seolah terpaksa meneruskan.

Adakah Najib diugut dalam mempersetujui perjanjian ini ?

Berdasarkan kenyataan bersumpah yang di ikrarkan oleh Balasubramanian pada 1 Julai 2008 menyatakan Antara dakwaan Bala dalam surat akuan itu ialah, Najib telah memperkenalkan Altantuya yang dikenali sebagai 'Aminah' kepada Razak di Pameran Berlian di Singapura. Maknanya Najib pernah berada di Singapura bersama Altantuya.

Adakah ‘perisik’ Singapura telah mengumpulkan rekod tersebut ? Adakah rekod tersebut digunakan untuk mengugut Najib dalam akur dan bersetuju dalam satu lagi penggadaian hak dan kedaulatan Negara ?

Najib perlu tampil dan berterus terang depan rakyat Malaysia. Jika benar dia diugut rakyat Malaysia seharusnya bangkit bersatu bersama Najib yang sedang menghadapi ugutanmelalui rekod maklumat risikan Singapura ini.

SAMM mengajak rakyat melihat isu ini sebagai isu besar kedaulatan negara. Lokasi strategik (keselamatan dan ekonomi) negara tergadai. SAMM pernah mengedarkan ribuan bahan kempen seperti ini namun Regim terus senyap. Maka rakyat harus membuat pilihan kerana ternyata regim ini dan Najib secara peribadi tidak lagi mampu menyelamatkan maruah negara.

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'Online Human Right Abuses' monitoring system

Muslims Condemn US Support for Pakistani Gays

Islam's position on homosexuality, in a nutshell

Pakistani gays can also be secure in the knowledge that their queer brothers and sisters around the world will be supporting them too.…

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Islam's position on homosexuality, in a nutshell

Pakistani gays can also be secure in the knowledge that their queer brothers and sisters around the world will be supporting them too. No, wait…

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A group of conservative Islamic political and religious officials has condemned a meeting by the U.S. Embassy supporting gay rights in Pakistan as “cultural terrorism” against the country.
The group, which included the head of Pakistan’s largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, claimed the meeting — the first of its kind held by the embassy — was the second most dangerous attack by the U.S. against Pakistan, following missiles fired from unmanned drones.

The meeting on June 26 was hosted by the U.S. deputy ambassador, Richard Hoagland, and was meant to support the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Pakistan, said the embassy.


“Such people are the curse of society and social garbage,” said the statement issued by the Islamic officials on Sunday. “They don’t deserve to be Muslim or Pakistani, and the support and protection announced by the U.S. administration for them is the worst social and cultural terrorism against Pakistan.”

Homosexual acts are illegal in Pakistan. Homosexuality is not explicitly mentioned in Pakistan’s penal code, but “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” is punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment for a period of two years to life, according to the United Nations.

Also, under Islamic, or Sharia, laws in Pakistan, homosexual acts are punishable by whipping, imprisonment or death, according to the U.N.

Hoagland, the deputy ambassador, said during the meeting that the U.S. would support LGBT rights in Pakistan.

“I want to be clear: the U.S. Embassy is here to support you and stand by your side every step of the way,” said Hoagland in a statement released by the embassy.

Over 75 people attended the meeting, which was co-hosted by the Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, the embassy said. The crowd included U.S. Embassy officials, military representatives, foreign diplomats and leaders of Pakistani gays and LGBT advocacy groups.

The Islamic officials demanded the Pakistani government arrest the participants under the country’s laws and said the meeting was “tantamount to stabbing the Muslim world in the chest.”

“Such people are the curse of society and social garbage,” Pakistani Islamic officials statement on homosexuals

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Street protest will be destructive, says Najib

The premier also reiterates the government's stand that Bersih can hold its rally in “a stadium from morning until night”.

PUTRAJAYA: Najib Tun Razak has reminded the people not to…

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The premier also reiterates the government's stand that Bersih can hold its rally in “a stadium from morning until night”.

PUTRAJAYA: Najib Tun Razak has reminded the people not to destroy what has been built over the years.

The Prime Minister said the planned illegal rally by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) on July 9 is not a good way to find a solution.

“The illegal rally is not intended to correct the system but is politically motivated to gain power via undemocratic means.

“Street protest… if it does happen… will give a free ride to many people. There is no guarantee that everything will proceed peacefully.

“Those who love rioting and chaos will take advantage of the situation. This is what we want to avoid,” he said at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly gathering here today.

Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan and several Cabinet ministers.
Najib said there are other ways to address the issue and that they should not be influenced by emotion.

“This is a reminder before its too late. If they want to submit a memorandum and so forth they can show democracatic decency by cooperating with authorities.

“We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets….they must have other ideas.

“The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don’t hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation,” he said.

If the illegal rally’s goal is to correct the election system, then how did Barisan Nasional lose five states in the 2008 general election, he asked.

Listen to the King

Najib said this shows that the election system conducted in the country is free and fair.

The Election Commission (EC) is also willing to make improvements by introducing a biometric system.
“The funny thing is when when they win there is silence on phantom voters. But it reappears when election is near. This type of phantom comes and goes.”

He reminded the people to listen to advice from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin who is worried that the illegal rally will bring more harm than good.

“I hope we remember and realise the responsibility to take care of the country’s future for the sake of the children and the survival of Malaysia that we love.”

Malaysia has since independence, developed into a successful nation based on five principles of racial harmony, political stability, open market system, upholding the constitution and law and introducing policies that will be implemented.

Najib said the government has successfully implement the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) in the first six months of the year.

“We are and will continue to make efforts to alleviate the people’s burden. We don’t want to burden the people and plan to upgrade their quality of life from time to time,” he added.
- Bernama

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Dr M’s daughter slams crackdown

Marina Mahathir says the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators.

PETALING JAYA: Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad –…

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Marina Mahathir says the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators.

PETALING JAYA: Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad – who had little tolerance for dissenting voices – criticised the clampdown on Bersih 2.0 supporters.

Speaking on behalf of Sisters In Islam, one of the 62 NGOs that form the Bersih coalition, she said the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators.

“Only those in fear would resort to such things… we are behaving like a third world country or less,” she told a packed press conference here, flanked by several representatives from Bersih.

More than 150 people were detained, mostly for wearing yellow T- shirts with the word “Bersih” in connection with the polls watchdog’s planned rally on July 9.

Opposition leaders, some of whom had been hauled up for questioning for backing Bersih’s call for a rally to demand electoral reforms, said the mass arrests was one of the harshest crackdowns in the country’s political history.

Marina said the government’s crackdown was not reflective of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s efforts to transform Malaysia into a developed country.

“We are a developing country, we should behave like one and rise above (all this) and have some faith in our people,” she said.

Marina also condemned the personal attacks on Bersih chairperson S Ambiga, whom she praised for having an excellent track record in fighting for human rights.

“The personal attacks are unwarranted. They should use better arguments to resolve the issue and not resort to personal attacks,” she said.

Najib had called Ambiga, the former Bar Council president, a stooge of Pakatan Rakyat.

Marina’s stand on this issue ran contrary to her father’s position. The latter had echoed Najib’s accusation that the planned rally was not to demand electoral reforms but to create another “political tsunami” to wrest power.

At the press conference today, Bersih representatives denied that the rally had any hidden political agendas and reiterated that it would be peaceful.

They also called on the authorities to find an amicable solution without calling off the rally.

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Sosilawati killing: DPP to rely on DNA, cricket bat and zinc sheets

The prosecution will also be calling two plantation workers, U Suresh and T Sarawanan, to tell the court how the murders were planned and executed.

SHAH ALAM: The prosecution in…

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The prosecution will also be calling two plantation workers, U Suresh and T Sarawanan, to tell the court how the murders were planned and executed.

SHAH ALAM: The prosecution in the murder trial of cosmetic millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya and three others will submit evidence to prove that N Pathmanabhan and his three workers committed the murders.

Deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff, in his opening speech, said the evidence was based on the findings of the victims’ DNA on the exhibits that had been tendered, like cricket bat and the zinc sheets used for burning the victims’ bodies.

Pathmanabhan, a former lawyer, and three plantation workers, T Thilaiyagan, R Matan and R Khatavarayan, pleaded not guilty to murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

They are alleged to have committed the murders at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, on Aug 30 last year.

The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The victims were first reported missing on Aug 30 after informing their families that they were going to Banting over a land deal.

Ishak told judge Akhtar Tahir that the prosecution would be calling two plantation workers, U Suresh and T Sarawanan, to tell the court how the murders were planned and executed.

Suresh and Sarawanan are now undergoing a 20-year jail sentence, handed down by the High Court early this year, for disposing the bodies of the four victims.

“The witnesses will also confirmed that Sosilawati had business dealings in Penang with the first accused (Pathmanabhan), who handled the land sale from Southern Symphony to Ample Quality where RM2.9 million, which was 10 per cent of the land price of RM29 million, had been paid,” added Ishak.

Missing persons reports

Ishak, who is leading the prosecution team, said he would also call witnesses at the scene who saw the bonfire from their homes, as well as witnesses who would confirm the exhibits, like watches and mobile phones, belonged to the murdered victims.

He said that Sosilawati’s ex-husband, Buhari Mohamed, contacted Pathmanabhan to ask whether his former wife had met him (Pathmanabhan) on Aug 30, 2010, to which Pathmanaban said that Sosilawati did contact him on that day, but that he was not free and asked Sosilawati to see him on Sept 2, 2010.

He said Sosilawati’s daughter, Erni Erinawati Sofia Buhari, lodged a police report on her mother’s disappearance at the Dang Wangi police station on Aug 31, 2010 and again on Sept 2, 2010, after suspecting that her mother had been threatened, abducted and confined by the individuals concerned.

Ishak said that on Sept 3, 2010, Ahmad Kamil’s wife, Sabrina Adnan, lodged a report on her husband’s disappearance at the Brickfields police station, while Noorhisham’s wife, Suzana Radin Pangit, did so on the same day at the Dang Wangi police station.

“Kamaruddin’s sister, Zaidah Shamsuddin, also lodged a report at the Kuantan police station in Pahang on Sept 6, 2010, on her brother’s disappearance,” he added.

Ishak said a sales assistant would also be called to testify that Sosilawati and a man went to her shop on Aug 30, 2010 and bought Raya cookies, worth more than RM200, before leaving in a black BMW X5 at 5.20pm.

Besides Ishak, others in the prosecution team are deputy public prosecutors Saiful Edris Zainuddin and Idham Abd Ghani.

Pathmanabhan is represented by lawyers Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Pushpa Ratnam, Thilaiyalagan by lawyer Gurbachan Singh, Matan by lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad and Kathavarayan by lawyers Ravi Nekoo and Datuk Ng See Teong.

Police witnesses

Meanwhile, for police photographers testified during the first day of trial where 618 photographs which they took at several locations, including at the crime scene and at Sungai Panchau, Jalan Morib, Banting, were tendered as exhibits.

The photographers are Detective Corporal Mokhtar Hussain, from the Selangor forensic unit; Lance Corporal Abdul Aziz Ahmad and Detective Sergeant Mhd Rasdi Mhd Safien, both from the Kuala Langat district police, and Detective Corporal K.Velamal, from the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department.

The hearing continues tomorrow.
- Bernama

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Police to investigate Ambiga’s foreign funds

The IGP says that they will work with Bank Negera on allegation that the Bersih leader used a local bank to receive funds from foreign NGOs.

KUALA LUMPUR: The police…

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The IGP says that they will work with Bank Negera on allegation that the Bersih leader used a local bank to receive funds from foreign NGOs.

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have begun investigations into an allegation that Bersih 2.0 chairman S Ambiga used a local bank account to receive funds from several foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said today the police would work together with Bank Negara to investigate the allegation.

“We will investigate anyone who has elements which indicate something that could jeopardise the public peace,” he told reporters after launching the Command Post Exercise for the police and the armed forces here.

A local newspaper today reported that the bank account, one of five belonging to Ambiga, a former Bar Council chairman, had received hundreds of thousands of ringgit, via foreign funds.

According to the report, the bank was chosen by Ambiga and foreign NGOs “to realise their plan to cause chaos to Malaysia” because a part of the bank’s shares was owned by an opposition leader.

Commenting on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s statement yesterday which reminded the people to ensure the demand for democracy would not bring destruction to the country, Ismail urged the public to abide by the statement.

“As Malaysian citizens, we must give attention to the Seri Paduka Baginda’s statement as a guidance to be followed to maintain the country’s peace and harmony,” he said.

Ismail said the police would take action against anyone who broke the law, especially involving the scheduled illegal assembly.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Deputy Director of Management (Public Relations) Assistant Commissioner Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the police had received 4,000 reports on the scheduled rally, so far.
He said, of the 220 people detained, 170 were released. The rest were remanded to facilitate investigations.

- Bernama

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P Chitirakala's days in court may soon come to end should the AG decide drop the cheating charges against her.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former chief executive officer of the Maju Institute…

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P Chitirakala's days in court may soon come to end should the AG decide drop the cheating charges against her.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former chief executive officer of the Maju Institute of Educational development (MIED) P Chithirakala can look forward to her days in court being cut short due to some “new developments” in the case.

Her trial scheduled to resume today till Friday was postponed to July 21 for her lawyers to submit a fresh representation to the Attorney-General’s Office.

Contacted by FMT, Chithrakala’s counsel Jadadish Chandra confirmed that a fresh application would be filed to settle the matter after a settlement was reached in the civil proceedings concerning MIED recently.

Chandra declined to reveal further information as to whether the representaion was to drop all the three cheating charges faced by Chithirakala.

A source close to the trial when contacted confirmed that it was related to the civil proceedings where former MIC Youth chief S Vigneswaran and MIED chairman S Samy Vellu together with the trustees of MIED reached a settlement last month.

It was also learnt that the parties involved in the civil matter had also agreed to return part of the money back to MIED’s coffers.

A senior deputy public prosecutor when contacted said that the AG’s office had the discreation to drop any criminal charges against the accused.

He said it could be done even at the end of the defence’s case as long the AG agreed with the parties which filed the representation that it was in the interest of justice and the public in general.

Chitirakala’s trial before judge Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh was scheduled to see Rashid Manan taking the stand as the prosecution’s third witness.

Rashid was given 30% of shares of MIED’s capital, and Samy Vellu told the court that he was a personal friend and secured RM5 million as loan for the construction of the MIC-owned medical college AIMST in Kedah.

Rashid was eventually asked to take over the project after the main contractor faced difficulties in completing it.

Samy Vellu, the former MIC president, testified as the prosecution’s first witness, followed by his son Vell Paari.

The trial started on April 6 with Chithirakala facing three counts of cheating MIED of RM4 million.

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Ibrahim raps Ambiga for ‘ultimatum’ over King’s advice

Tuanku Mizan (centre) yesterday told Putrajaya and Bersih 2.0 to talk over the rally. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali today accused Bersih 2.0 chairman…

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Tuanku Mizan (centre) yesterday told Putrajaya and Bersih 2.0 to talk over the rally. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali today accused Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan of being disrespectful to the King for purportedly issuing an “ultimatum” that she would only call off the rally if she was granted a royal audience.


The Perkasa president also urged the King not to entertain to Ambiga’s request, saying it would set a precedent that future rally organisers would use in order to seek an audience.

“Like us, we have never been given the opportunity to meet with the King, only to send memorandums. But we do not threaten the government because of it.

“I could use these issues — Malay sentiment, scholarship issues — I could turn it emotional but we do not because we love our country and we do things through resolutions, our congress and by submitting memorandums,” he said.

Ibrahim then repeated his claim that royal assent to Ambiga’s request would encourage others to follow suit in future.

“Like if I say I want to hold a demonstration next week. Then the King says not to do it and then we tell him, ‘okay, we will cancel it but we must meet first.’ That is not right,” he said.

The Pasir Mas MP told Ambiga that if she was “principled and cultured enough as a learned solicitor”, she should first call off Bersih’s rally and wait until the situation calmed before requesting to meet with the King.

“It is uncalled for and it is very rude of her. We urge the King not to agree to meet with her until she calls off the rally,” he said.

Earlier, Ibrahim also announced that Perkasa was ready to cancel its rally out of respect to the King, but would proceed if Bersih does so.

In an unprecedented move yesterday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin stepped in to diffuse tension by advising the Najib administration and Bersih 2.0 to hold consultations over the issue of free and fair elections.

The constitutional monarch rarely issues edicts or statements but the heightened atmosphere over the past week has prompted Istana Negara’s intervention.

In an immediate response to the development, Ambiga chaired an emergency meeting of the Bersih 2.0’s steering committee last night, where it was decided that the group would abide by the King’s advice.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, the former Bar Council president announced that she would seek an audience with the King before Saturday and would be willing to call off the July 9 rally.

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Perkasa, Umno Youth say willing to call off rallies

Ibrahim said Perkasa’s decision hinges on Bersih’s own. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Perkasa and Umno Youth declared today their willingness to cancel counter-protests against Bersih 2.0…

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Ibrahim said Perkasa’s decision hinges on Bersih’s own. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Perkasa and Umno Youth declared today their willingness to cancel counter-protests against Bersih 2.0 this July 9 as a sign of respect for the King’s call for peace last night.


Both groups, however, said their final decisions hinges on whether Bersih 2.0 choose to abide by the monarch’s advice and call off its rally.

Despite praising the King for his “humble” advice, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali told a press conference here this afternoon that Perkasa would have “no choice” but to proceed with its counter-protest if Bersih persisted with doing so.

“The question now is whether Bersih will abide by the King’s advice. If they don’t, that means they are being traitorous to the King and to the Rukunegara, so Perkasa will have no choice but to proceed, but this is my personal view,” he said.

Ibrahim added that Perkasa will convene an executive committee meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on all aspects of the matter and decide whether to proceed with the protest.

But he said that if Perkasa were to continue with its protest, it would do so in a controlled environment to prevent any clashes with Bersih 2.0 protestors that could lead to chaos.

“It will be held in an organised fashion, merely for us to express our rejection of Bersih,” he said, adding that Perkasa protestors would be labelled as “peace warriors” as they planned to help the authorities prevent chaos in the country.

The Pasir Mas MP revealed that Perkasa has already printed 15,000 white T-shirts bearing the words “Aman” (Peace), “Perkasa” and “Pertahankan keamanan negara” (Defend the country’s peace), adding that than 15,000 supporters have registered to participate in the counter-protest.

“We are ready for this event. We have 5,000 registered peace warriors from the Federal Territories, 5,000 from Selangor and the rest are from Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and elsewhere,” he said.

When asked if it would still be considered “treasonous” for Bersih 2.0 to proceed with its rally in a closed environment such as a stadium, Ibrahim said the group could go ahead and it would make him feel more “at ease”.

Kelab Putera 1 Malaysia chairman Datuk Azeez Rahim, who co-organised the “Patriot” counter-rally with Umno Youth, also said the group was willing to “stand down” in deference to the King’s wishes.

But he similarly warned that, if Bersih carries out the street rally as planned, Patriot will be “at the frontlines” to protect the country from chaos.

“If they stand down, we agree... But we remind all parties not to be traitorous to the King,” he told reporters at Umno Youth headquarters here.

Azeez said this was because “Patriot” exists to make known the wishes of the “silent majority” of Malaysians opposed to the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally.

He further urged the police to take action against any party that does not heed the King’s words.

Umno Youth information chief Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican added that “Patriot” supporters will be willing to “fight to the very end” to defend the King and Constitution from any party that threatens either.

“We will not back off even an inch,” he said.

In an unprecedented move yesterday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin stepped in to diffuse tension by advising the Najib administration and Bersih 2.0 to hold consultations over the issue of free and fair elections.

The constitutional monarch rarely issues edicts or statements but the heightened atmosphere over the past week has prompted Istana Negara’s intervention.

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PSM activists under EO still denied legal access

Round and round the mulberry bush

Alternative Action Team president, B. Kalai Vanar, wants Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to revoke Bersih chairperson S. Ambiga’s citizenship for going ahead with the plan to organise…

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Alternative Action Team president, B. Kalai Vanar, wants Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to revoke Bersih chairperson S. Ambiga’s citizenship for going ahead with the plan to organise a mass rally on July 9. Kalai said his movement was backed by Pusat Penyelidikan Tamil Malaysia. -- Free Malaysia Today

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin
Datuk: Tan Sri, I think I may have found the solution on how to handle BERSIH.

Tan Sri: Finally….a solution. Shoot!

Datuk: We can withdraw Ambiga’s citizenship.

Tan Sri: Now hold on! Won’t that make the Indians angry? We already have problems with HINDRAF. I don’t want a new movement called AMBIGARAF to be launched by the Indians.

Datuk: AMBIGARAF?

Tan Sri: Yes, Ambiga Rights Action Force.

Datuk: Oh, that won’t happen, Tan Sri. It is the Tamils themselves who are asking His Majesty the Agong to withdraw Ambiga’s citizenship.

Tan Sri: Oh good, if the Tamils themselves are asking for it then no problem.

Datuk: Yes, then later when we withdraw the citizenship of other Indians the Tamils cannot complain since they started this whole ‘withdraw the citizenship of Indians’ thingy.

Tan Sri: Hmm…yes…I like that. Once we open the Pandora’s box the Indians can’t complain any longer.

Datuk: Pandora? Is he also a Tamil?

Tan Sri: Oh never mind…sigh…how I wish we did not change our medium of education from English to Malay. When can we withdraw her citizenship?

Datuk: As soon as we sort out one tiny problem.

Tan Sri: What tiny problem?

Datuk: If we withdraw her citizenship and she is no longer a Malaysian citizen, she can no longer remain in Malaysia. All non-citizens will have to be deported.

Tan Sri: So? That’s the whole idea isn’t it? To kick her out of Malaysia.

Datuk: Yes, but where do we deport her to?

Tan Sri: To India of course.

Datuk: But she is not an Indian citizen.

Tan Sri: So what? That would become India’s problem, not ours.

Datuk: But how do we send her back to India?

Tan Sri: On a plane of course, like how all Indians go to India.

Datuk: But she won’t have a Malaysian passport since we would have to cancel her passport once we withdraw her citizenship.

Tan Sri: Naturally. But why would that be a problem?

Datuk: No airline would allow her to board a plane without a passport.

Tan Sri: Then how would we send her back to India?

Datuk: Exactly. That is what I meant.

Tan Sri: So we can’t let her remain in Malaysia because she is no longer a Malaysian citizen but we can’t deport her since she no longer has a passport.

Datuk: Right. That's the tiny problem I was talking about.

Tan Sri: Sheesh….Catch 22.

Datuk: You want me to catch who?

Tan Sri: Sigh….Malay medium education…never mind.

Datuk: So what do you suggest we do, Tan Sri?

Tan Sri: Me? You were the one who suggested we withdraw her citizenship.

Datuk: The suggestion came from the Tamils, Tan Sri.

Tan Sri: Aiyah…these Tamils are talking…..

Datuk: Tamil?

Tan Sri: I was going to say 'talking cock'. So that means it is not possible to withdraw anyone’s citizenship then?

Datuk: Not unless we can figure out what to do with them once we withdraw their citizenship.

Tan Sri: Aiyah…this will not work. Go figure out another solution.

Datuk: Okay, Tan Sri. And what should I tell these Tamil people?

Tan Sri: Tell them to stop talking….

Datuk: Cock?

Tan Sri: No, Tamil. 

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PAS, PKR, DAP all for an audience with Agong

(Harakah Daily) - Responding to a call by the Agong for all quarters to go to the negotiating table, Pakatan Rakyat leaders have lent support to Bersih's decision to seek…

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(Harakah Daily) - Responding to a call by the Agong for all quarters to go to the negotiating table, Pakatan Rakyat leaders have lent support to Bersih's decision to seek a meeting with the Agong to explain the coalition's demands on electoral reforms.
PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang said the confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the rally planned for July 9 was due to the traditional media's campaign against the event.

“Such a misunderstanding has led to provocations by several parties to give the impression that the situation is out of control to the extent that the country’s law is no longer respected by the authorities,” he said.

The intense crackdown on Bersih's second major rally this Saturday took a twist yesterday after the Agong called on all quarters to engage in negotiations. This followed an earlier statement by deputy inspector general Khalid Abu Bakar declaring that all doors to negotiation had been "closed".

Bersih has listed eight demands on the Election Commission, including a total revamp on the controversial "postal vote" which critics say has been always manipulated.

'All countries undergoing reforms except ours'

Welcoming the Agong's advice to rally organisers to rethink their plan and for the government to act with justice and wisdom, PAS, said Hadi, was grateful for the Agong's concern in his capacity as the head of the Federal constitution.

Hadi urged an investigation into the basis of criticisms over the country's electoral system, saying all parties must face the realities about the system's weaknesses with open heart.

“This is inline with Tuanku’s decree that the government should carry out their responsibility entrusted to it by the people in a just and wise manner.

"The protest is mooted because there are too many weaknesses in the Malaysia’s electoral practice tainted by cheating, corruption, power abuse and an undemocratic media,” added Hadi, who said election abuses had increased recently.

Hadi said that while other countries "have undertaken much reforms on their electoral systems and democracy for the good of their people", Malaysia appeared to be taking a step in the opposite direction.

DAP to Najib: Heed Agong's call

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang welcomed the Agong’s intervention in the war of words between the rally organisers and its detractors, namely UMNO Youth, Perkasa, the police and the government, who so far arrested close to 200 people, mostly for wearing the yellow Bersih t-shirts.

Lim urged prime minister Najib Razak to heed the royal advice and meet Bersih 2.0 leader to find a solution to improve the country’s election system.

He added that such a meeting was crucial to address public concerns over free and fair elections in the run-up to the 13th general election.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali also expressed the party’s readiness to seek an audience with Tuanku Mizan before July 9.

"I'm glad that Dato Ambiga (Sreenevasan) is now seeking an audience with the King and Pakatan Rakyat will also do the same so that we can bring our evidences and proofs to back our explanations", said Azmin, who is also the Gombak member of parliament.

Earlier, the Bersih 2.0 steering committee decided to seek an audience with the Agong.

“We will communicate with Agong before making our final decision,” the coalition representing more than sixty groups of various backgrounds said after a discussion in Petaling Jaya.

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Marina Mahathir: Attacks on Ambiga in bad taste

Petition in support of Bersih 2.0 Global Solidarity for Clean and Fair Elections in Malaysia

I am signatory No. 432
____________________
We, the Malaysian and international community, are shocked and appalled at the ongoing crackdown on Malaysian political and civil society activists over the last…

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I am signatory No. 432
____________________
We, the Malaysian and international community, are shocked and appalled at the ongoing crackdown on Malaysian political and civil society activists over the last week. The events unfolding in Malaysia in the lead up to the Bersih 2.0 rally, a civil society coalition calling for clean and fair elections, have jarred a nerve with many Malaysians both at home and abroad.

Since the 24th of June 2011, more than 100 activists have been arrested or questioned by police for their role and participation in activities related to the Bersih rally and other peaceful political initiatives.

You can reac the rest of the petition HERE.

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PAS Menjunjung Kasih Titah Tuanku Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Dipertuan Agong

Parti Islam Se-Malaysia PAS menjunjung tinggi titah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong pada hari Ahad 3 julai 2011 mengenai isu perhimpunan aman BERSIH 2.0 yang…

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Parti Islam Se-Malaysia PAS menjunjung tinggi titah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong pada hari Ahad 3 julai 2011 mengenai isu perhimpunan aman BERSIH 2.0 yang hangat diperkatakan pada waktu ini. Seluruh kepimpinan PAS merasa amat berbesar hati dengan keprihatinan dan perhatian yang diberikan oleh Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku sebagai pelindung keluhuran perlembagaan negara dan lambang berdaulat negara kita ini.

Titah Seri paduka Baginda Tuanku bahawa dalam setiap permasalahan yang timbul, sebagai masyarakat yang bertamadun kita hendaklah mencari jalan penyelesaian secara rundingan dan tidak mengikut perasaan. Ini adalah amat tepat sekali dalam merungkai perkara yang dibangkitkan, iaitu pembaharuan terhadap keseluruhan sistem pilihanraya bagi menyuburkan demokrasi dalam negara kita ini.

Sehubungan dengan itu, maka PAS bersedia untuk menghantar wakil bersama dengan BERSIH 2.0 dan rakan politik dalam Pakatan Rakyat serta semua pihak yang cintakan keamanan untuk berunding dan seterusnya mengadap ke bawah Duli Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku bagi menjelaskan kekeliruan yang timbul hasil dari liputan buruk yang dimainkan terhadap bantahan aman ini. Kesan dari salah faham initelah menimbulkan provokasi pihak tertentu yang memberi gambaran seolah-olah keadaan sudah tidak terkawal sehingga undang-undang negara juga sudah tidak dihormati lagi olehpihak berkuasa.

PAS percaya bahawa asas penyebab utama bantahan ini perlulah digali-selidik dengan hati terbuka dan penuh keikhlasan, terutamanya oleh pihak kerajaan yang memegang tampuk pemerintahan dalam negara kita pada ketika ini. Ini juga selari dengan titah Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku supaya pihak kerajaan wajar untuk melaksanakan amanah dengan secara adil dan bijaksana. Tercetusnya idea bantahan ini adalah kerana terlalu banyak kelemahan dalam amalan pilihanraya di Malaysia dengan berlakunya penipuan, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa dan media secara tidak demokratik. Keadaan ini semakin buruk walaupun kita telah mencapai kemerdekaan lebih dari 50 tahun dan sudah dua belas kali pilihanraya umum diadakan. Sejak Sekian lama ini,kerajaan Barisan Nasional telah banyak menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka di atas nama demokrasi, walaupun negara-negara di seluruh dunia sudah banyak melakukan reformasi terhadap sistem pilihan raya dan demokrasi yang membawa kebaikan kepada seluruh rakyat.

Dato’ Seri Tuan Guru Hj Abdul Hadi Awang
Presiden Parti Islam Se-Malaysia
4 Julai 2011/ 2 Syaaban 1432 H

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Saudis Create Chaos For Overseas Workers

Pretty Maids All in a Row

Decision to ban Indons, Filipinos seen as pique after criticism of beheading of Indonesian maid

The decision last week by the Saudi Arabian government…

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Pretty Maids All in a Row

Decision to ban Indons, Filipinos seen as pique after criticism of beheading of Indonesian maid

The decision last week by the Saudi Arabian government to stop hiring maids from the Philippines and Indonesia as of Aug.1 has created chaos in the overseas labor markets of the two countries, with the fate uncertain for tens of thousands signed up by labor contractors waiting to leave for the gulf kingdom.

The Philippines has some 25,000-35,000 prospective workers in the pipeline to go to Saudi Arabia and 360,000 workers there now, a government spokesman said Friday. Some 180,000 are domestic helpers.  Saudi Arabia is the top destination of Filipino overseas foreign workers in total and fourth for domestic helpers. Those numbers are dwarfed by Indonesia, which has 927,000 migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, mostly working as housemaids, according to the Indonesian government news service Antara.

It is questionable how long the ban will last. Most observers believe it will be lifted relatively soon. With nearly a third of its population made up of foreign workers, Saudi Arabia has a seemingly insatiable thirst for foreign workers and both Indonesia and the Philippines have a strong need to keep sending people overseas.  According to the World Bank, overseas workers provide 10 percent of Philippine gross domestic product and a major share of private consumption. The country has a whopping 11.2 million of its 40-million work force unemployed.

The English language news site Arab News quoted Hattah BinSaleh Al Anzi, a spokesman for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Labor, as saying the ministry had made the decision in retaliation for moves by the two countries to impose stricter conditions on prospective Saudi employers.  However, many observers believe the decision to halt the import of foreign workers actually stems from the embarrassment the Saudis encountered after they beheaded an Indonesian maid with a sword after she had murdered her employer.  The Indonesian government recalled its ambassador for consultations, saying the Saudis hadn’t informed the Indonesian government of its decision to execute the woman, a video of which was carried on a Saudi website. Another22 Indonesian workers face beheading by sword, according to Indonesia’s justice and human rights minister.

Both the Philippines and Indonesia have sought to impose new conditions on Saudi employers.  The Philippine government has been in negotiations to require foreign employers to pay domestic workers a minimum monthly wage of US$400 plus give additional details of the living conditions in which domestic workers will reside. The Saudi government has also vetoed a Philippine proposal to require medical insurance for maids. 

A Saudi government delegation arrived in Manila in April to negotiate the labor dispute, but the talks have broken down.   A request to reconvene the talks has not been answered.

Although the Philippine government says there are other host countries willing to absorb the displaced Filipino workers, it is unsure where they will go. John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator for Migrante-Middle East, told local media that the ban is “a huge setback to the Philippine economy, which is too dependent on OFWs’ remittances.”

Human rights organizations for years have been complaining about the treatment of overseas workers in the Saudi kingdom.  Foreign workers, Human Rights Watch said, “face torture, forced confessions and unfair trials when they are accused of crimes.”  Foreign workers, the organization said in a 135 page report. “have been denied consular visits and forced to sign confessions that they could not read.”

Amnesty International, in its 2011 report on Saudi Arabia, said that “The sponsorship system governing employment of foreign nationals (in Saudi Arabia) continued to expose them to exploitation and abuse by private and government employers, and allowed them little or no redress. Typical abuses included long working hours, non-payment of salaries, being refused permission to return home after completing their contracts and violence, particularly against women domestic workers.”

Some of the cases cited by Amnesty International are horrific. “An Indonesian domestic worker, Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa, was hospitalized in Madina following reports that her employers cut her face with scissors, burned her with an iron and beat her, according to Amnesty International. “The mutilated body of another Indonesian worker, Kikim Komalasari, was found in a skip in Abha. The Saudi Arabian and Indonesian authorities were said to be investigating the cases.” A Sri Lankan employed as a domestic worker was found to have had 24 nails and a needle driven into her hands, leg and forehead after she complained about her heavy workload, the report said. 

 “When female domestic workers ready themselves for the daily treadmill of barbarously petty housework activities (there is no clear delineation of tasks), they live with the knowledge that rape and murder are occupational hazards, wrote wrote Khara J Jabola-Carolus for the website Migrant-Rights.org. “Indeed, female returnees recount stories of wearing three or four pairs of underwear at night and barricading themselves in their quarters with chairs jammed beneath their doorknobs. Rape is not sex in the sense that a woman is attractive and a man can’t resist her. Elderly women and babies are raped. It’s about being a convenient victim and dominance. The domestic worker is the highest manifestation of “convenience.”

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Bersih 2.0 is Najib’s biggest challenge — Ooi Kee Beng

JULY 4 — As July 9 looms closer, the administration of Malaysia’s Premier Najib Abdul Razak feels itself more and more pushed into a corner.

This coming Saturday threatens to…

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JULY 4 — As July 9 looms closer, the administration of Malaysia’s Premier Najib Abdul Razak feels itself more and more pushed into a corner.

This coming Saturday threatens to be a day of reckoning for his administration, which from the beginning preferred tweaking the system to reforming the system. Now, two years after he took power from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, another leader who failed to live up to his own reformist image, he is running out of options.

At the same time, many of his countrymen have run out of patience. Even those sitting on the fence had been hoping against hope that the Barisan Nasional would be able to somehow reverse the degradation of governance that the country has suffered since the days of Dr Mahathir Mohamed.

A non-government organisation calling itself Bersih 2.0 is arranging a huge demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on July 9 to demand electoral reform. The first time such a rally happened was on November 10, 2007. That had amazing results. An estimated 40,000 people took to the streets wearing yellow to symbolise loyalty to the King, not the government.

A huge Hindu rights rally followed a few weeks later and the impetus from these protests almost floored the Barisan Nasional government in the general election that followed soon after.

Now with the many deliberate signals sent by Prime Minister Najib recently that fresh elections might be around the corner, there is reason to believe this second Bersih rally will hold great consequences for the country’s democratic development. The government certainly believes so and has been making arrests for offences such as wearing yellow T-shirts and even the “hidden” wearing of the apparently seditious apparel.

Solidarity rallies in support of Bersih 2.0 are planned in Seoul, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Osaka, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York and perhaps other places as well. In Kuala Lumpur, at least twice the number of participants as before is expected to march for fairer elections.

As before, a memorandum with eight demands will be handed to the King. No demonstration permit has officially been sought by Bersih 2.0 or Perkasa, the right-wing Umno-supported group that will be carrying out a counter demonstration.

Umno Youth, which under Mr Khairy Jamaluddin will also hold its own march on that day, has formally applied for a permit.

In what seems like a bad overreaction, Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has banned Bersih and arrested members of the Parti Socialis Malaysia while taking no action against Umno Youth and Perkasa, despite threats of racial violence from the latter.

Perkasa’s eccentric leader, Mr Ibrahim Ali, has been issuing warnings to Chinese about taking part in the demonstration. This makes little sense since a large majority of the marchers are expected to be followers of Parti Islam SeMalaysia.

In truth, the government’s unwillingness in recent months to charge Mr Ibrahim with sedition or take the Umno newspaper Utusan Melayu to task for making statements of this kind, has been a source of anger for many.

Electoral fairness

To be sure, demanding electoral reforms has shown itself to be a cogent way of mobilising Malaysians and increasing their political involvement. There are different reasons for this.

First, a democracy’s credibility and efficacy depends on the perceived fairness of the electoral system and Malaysia’s has not met that for a long time now. This point is intuitively understood by the common man and woman.

Second, electoral fairness is an issue that does not turn racial easily and has therefore functioned well as a lightning rod for general discontent.

Third, there have been many by-elections in Malaysia and these cannot help but showcase official disregard for clean and fair elections.

What Prime Minister Najib should be learning from this is that his barrage of reform terms — 1Malaysia, New Economic Model, Economic Transformation Program or Government Transformation Program — suffers a serious credibility problem. His coalition may not have lost much ground but it has not gained any either, as the recent Sarawak state election showed. Now in his third year as prime minister, his failure to be decisive on reform is perceived as conscious policy, and not the result of inexperience or bad advice.

His nemesis — Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition coalition — has survived three impressive years and more and more Malaysians now believe that elections can lead to change even when the dice are loaded in the government’s favour. Should the demanded reforms be carried out, the ruling Barisan Nasional would lose more ground in the next elections.

To conclude, the fourth and most important reason for civil society to call for electoral reforms is that the demands are clearly sensible.

The fact that things are now coming to a head and the police are making arrests with no credible legal grounds, shows the inefficacy of parliamentary debate in Malaysia today and the government’s inability to reverse the wave of dissension that has been growing since before the first Bersih demonstration in 2007. — Today

* The writer is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

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DPM Urges Ambiga To Cancel Illegal Rally Before Having Audience With Agong

ALOR GAJAH, July 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has urged the organising chairman of the illegal rally scheduled on July 9, Datuk S.Ambiga, to cancel…

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ALOR GAJAH, July 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has urged the organising chairman of the illegal rally scheduled on July 9, Datuk S.Ambiga, to cancel the plan before having an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

"Rumour has it that she wants to have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong, I think she better cancel the rally first.

"God knows what she would say (to the King), she might say something like 'sembah derhaka" (disobeying the King's word)," he said when addressing a gathering at a "Kenduri 1Malaysia" event held at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Machap Baru here Monday.

Ambiga was reported to have said today that she was willing to cancel the rally if she was granted a royal audience with Tuanku Mizan and ordered by the King personally.

Muhyiddin said illegal rallies could affect peace and harmony, which had been enjoyed by the multi-racial people in the country all this while.

He said all the projects and development carried out by the Barisan Nasional government were meant to be inherited by the future generation.

Hence, he called on all people to work with the government to defend the stability, peace and harmony in the country.

Present were Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, Alor Gajah Member of Parliament Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn and Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop.

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Bersih seeks audience with Agong, may put off rally