Family performs final rites for PI Bala

A distraught wife Sentamilselvi and her three children perform the last rites for the private investigator who died of heart attack yesterday

RAWANG: More than hundred people turned up to pay their respects to P Balasubramaniam, better known as PI Bala, at his home in Taman Pelangi, here this afternoon.

The last rites for the private investigator, who died from a heart attack yesterday, began at noon and the cortege left for the Cheras crematorium at about 1.30pm.

Bala leaves behind a wife Sentamilselvi, 43, and three children Kishen, 16, Menaga, 14 and Rishi, 11. A distraught Sentamilselvi, 43 fainted when the cortege left his home.

Bala, rocked the nation with a statutory declaration implicating Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He then retracted his allegation in a second SD, following which he left the country.

Upon his return recently, Bala swore on the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu holy book, that the contents of his first SD was true.

Bala suffered heart problems on March 5 and was admitted to the SJMC for tests and discharged on March 12.

Wan Azizah: Bala was a noble man

On Tuesday, Bala said he needed to rest at least a month, putting the breaks on the opposition’s plans for his nationwide ceramah before the 13th General Election.

His nephew, Manimaran, 28 said the family did not want any sort of media attention in their hour of grief but this seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, further upsetting the family.

Asked by FMT, why there were few politicians at the funeral: “I don’t know where are they now.

Manimaran also said Bala’s post mortem report would only be ready on Monday.

Seen at the funeral were PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Selayang MP William Leong and Rawang state assemblyman Gan Pin Yi.

Wan Azizah, after paying her respects, told reporter that said Bala was a noble man, “who only spoke for the people.”

“I feel sorry for his wife and children, they have my heartfelt condolences.”

Meanwhile, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Goh Burne who turned up at the crematorium said he had been in communication with Altantunya’s father Dr Shariibuu.

“I’ve been communicating with Dr Shariibuu in regards to Bala’s death, he was upset as he was planning to pay him a visit in order to help Bala reveal the truth behind his daughter’s murder,” he said.

Subang MP R Sivarasa who was present at the crematorium expressed his heartfelt condolence to Bala’s family.

“He was a very brave man, we will never forget what he did to make a change in this country. Bala was a person who was willing to fight till the end for the truth, I’m sure his crusade will not end with his untimely death,” he told reporters.

.Also present was Bala’s lawyer Americk Sidhu, who was devastated by Bala’s untimely death.

“I’m sad, I’m angry…but this will not end here. Bala has given me all that is needed to reveal the whole truth,and in due time it will be out in the open,” he said.

Najib instructed Cecil on SD2, Bar AGM told

Senior lawyer Cecil Abraham has allegedly admitted acting on Najib Abdul Razak's instructions to prepare the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam’s controversial second statutory declaration (SD).

Bala's lawyer Americk Sidhu revealed this during the Malaysian Bar annual general meeting (AGM) today in Kuala Lumpur.

The AGM was debating a motion on setting up an independent committee to investigate who had drafted the second SD.

"Cecil met me and admitted to drafting the second SD without Bala's instructions. The instructions came from Najib," he had said at the closed-door meeting.

The revelation has set cyberspace abuzz, with some lawyers tweeting the matter and reporting that Americk (right) had received a standing ovation for his disclosure.

Several lawyers when met outside the AGM venue told Malaysiakini they can corroborate Americk’s claim, saying the latter met Abraham two weeks ago.

Abraham however refused to comment on the matter when asked by Malaysiakini in January.
'Najib must respond'
In an immediate response, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo called on Prime Minister Najib, who was deputy prime minister at the time the two SDs were issued, to answer to Americk’s allegation.

He also slammed the Bar Council for its sluggish actions.

“The Bar Council should also tell us why there has been a delay in the probe into this complaint.

“The Bar Council is obviously unusually slow in its probe of this matter,” said Gobind in a statement today. 
It has been alleged that Bala's second SD, made to retract his first SD that implicated Najib in the case of the murdered Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu, was on the order of higher-ups.
A group of lawyers had proposed a motion at the AGM today to call on the Bar to probe the lawyer involved in the preparation of the second SD.
In a dramatic turn of events, Bala passed away yesterday, reportedly from a heart attack.
Lawyers at the AGM today also made donations to Bala's family and the total RM18,500 in collections was passed to Americk to be given to Bala’s widow.
A sleepless night for Americk
Americk, when met after the AGM, said he had spent a sleepless night yesterday and admitted to breaking a promise in revealing what he had at the meeting. 
However, he said he wanted to carry on with Balasubramaniam's quest for justice and this is not for himself but for the dead Mongolian woman (Altantuya Shaariibuu) who the private investigator had met briefly.

"I informed the AGM after much torment of a sleepless night."
He said approximately two weeks ago he had a meeting with Cecil at a restaurant near his office. It was a mutual meeting arranged by another lawyer.

"Cecil admitted to me that he was the one who drafted the second SD and that he was under Najib's instructions to do so. Cecil apologised to me for it and I accepted his apology," he said.

Americk also said he told the AGM he was not interested in lodging a complaint with the Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board as this was not his agenda.
He pointed out that they had been saying all along that Corporal Sirul (Azhar Umar) and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri were acting under orders.

"If you look at Sirul's 112 cautioned statements, he categorically had said that they were offered RM50,000 to RM100,000 to get rid of this woman.

"The question here is who ordered it. Why the chain of command was not brought up in court. We have Musa Safri (Najib's former aide de camp), their superior officer, but he was never introduced as a witness.

"That is the agenda today - to bring this up to everybody. It is not hearsay evidence as I was told this by Cecil and he cannot deny it.

"I have no agenda against Cecil. I will not pursue this matter. I have achieved what I had to achieve - that is to find out who was behind the second SD," he said.
Not proud to have broken his promise 
Americk said he had broken his promise and admitted at the AGM that he was not proud of revealing it and had balanced the situation with what Balasubramaniam was fighting for.

In Balasubramaniam's memory, he said that he had to do this (to reveal what had transpired) so it was necessary for him to press on with his quest.

“I told Bala before he died that Cecil (left) had confessed to it and he was quite happy about it.
"I told him to let nature takes its course. He agreed with me and I have to continue with this for Balasubramaniam,” he added.
Asked on the options available to the Bar, he said that their investigations were on-going and there were other witnesses, such as carpet trader Deepak Jaikishian, who had filed a suit.

Americk said Deepak’s suit details the second circumstances of events leading to the second statutory declaration.

Egypt's Islamists warn giving women some rights could destroy society

(Reuters) - Egypt's ruling Muslim Brotherhood warns that a U.N. declaration on women's rights could destroy society by allowing a woman to travel, work and use contraception without her husband's approval and letting her control family spending.

The Islamist movement that backs President Mohamed Mursi gave 10 reasons why Muslim countries should "reject and condemn" the declaration, which the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women is racing to negotiate a consensus deal on by Friday.

The Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party propelled Mursi to power in June, posted the statement on its website, www.ikhwanweb.com, and the website of the party on Thursday.

Egypt has joined Iran, Russia and the Vatican - dubbed an "unholy alliance" by some diplomats - in threatening to derail the women's rights declaration by objecting to language on sexual, reproductive and gay rights.

The Muslim Brotherhood said the declaration would give "wives full rights to file legal complaints against husbands accusing them of rape or sexual harassment, obliging competent authorities to deal husbands punishments similar to those prescribed for raping or sexually harassing a stranger."

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice last week touted at the commission - a global policy-making body created in 1946 for the advancement of women - progress made by the United States in reducing the rate of violence against women by their partners.

"All 50 states in our union now have laws that treat date rape or spousal rape as just as much of a crime as rape by a stranger," Rice said. "We cannot live in truly free societies, if women and girls are not free to reach their full potential."

The contrasting views show the gap that needs to be breached in negotiations on the declaration, which this year is focused on urging an end to violence against women and girls. The commission failed to agree a declaration last year on a theme of empowering rural women due to similar disagreements.

WORLD IS WATCHING

Egypt has proposed an amendment, diplomats say, that would allow countries to avoid implementing the declaration if it clashed with national laws, religious or cultural values. But some diplomats say this would undermine the entire declaration.

The Muslim Brotherhood warned the declaration would give girls sexual freedom, legalize abortion, provide teenagers with contraceptives, give equality to women in marriage and require men and women to share duties such as child care and chores.

It said the declaration would allow "equal rights to homosexuals, and provide protection and respect for prostitutes" and "equal rights to adulterous wives and illegitimate sons resulting from adulterous relationships."

A coalition of Arab human rights groups - from Egypt, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Tunisia - called on countries at the Commission on the Status of Women on Thursday to stop using religion, culture, and tradition to justify abuse of women.

"The current positions taken by some Arab governments at this meeting is clearly not representative of civil society views, aspirations or best practices regarding the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls within our countries," said the statement issued by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies.

Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile and head of U.N. Women, which supports the commission, said the commission was unable to reach a deal a decade ago when it last focused on the theme of women's rights and ending violence against women.

"Ten years later, we simply cannot allow disagreement or indecision to block progress for the world's women," Bachelet told the opening session of the commission last week. "The world is watching ... the violence needs to stop."

(This story corrects second paragraph to show Mursi has resigned from the Muslim Brotherhood, and corrects third paragraph to make clear it was Mursi who was elected in June, not the Muslim Brotherhood)(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Bangladeshi Hindus under attack, temples destroyed

Zeenews Bureau

Dhaka: The revenge attacks on Hindus that began after a top Islamist leader was sentenced to death for war crimes continue unabated in Bangladesh with the government appearing to be in position to contain the violence.

Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to death on February 28 for crimes including rape and murder committed during the 1971 independence conflict.

The death sentence to Sayedee and other JeI leaders has triggered the worst violence in the Muslim-majority country since independence; 85 people have so far lost their lives in the unrest.

Hindus, their houses and temples had come under attacks in districts like Noakhali, Satkhira and Sirajganj.

As per an organisation that looks after Hindu temples in the country, 47 temples and at least 700 Hindu houses had either been torched or vandalised by members of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Jamaat, which is an ally of Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nation Party, has denied any role in the attacks, blaming supporters of the ruling Awami League party for the violence.

For the record, Zia has demanded that the government identify and punish the perpetrators through "neutral" investigation and compensate the victims.

"I called upon the administration and law enforcers to prevent such attacks on minorities with an iron fist," said Khaleda.

However, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni had said last week told diplomats last week that Jamaat and Shibir attacked Hindu temples and houses in a "pre-planned manner".

Related Stories

Anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh: Jamaat leader held

Amnesty International has made an urgent appeal to the Bangladesh government to provide its minority better protection.

“The Hindu community in Bangladesh is at extreme risk, in particular at such a tense time in the country. It is shocking that they appear to be targeted simply for their religion. The authorities must ensure that they receive the protection they need,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty’s Researcher.

Hindus, who make up 8-10 percent of Bangladesh's 153 million-strong population, are traditionally seen as supporters of the Awami League, which brands itself as a secular party.

They were the main targets during Bangladesh's 1971 independence war against Pakistan and during post-poll violence in 2001 when a centre-right party allied with Jamaat won a two-thirds majority.

PI Bala dies, aged 53

PI Bala passes away in Rawang, aged 53

Private investigator P Balasubramaniam passed away in Rawang this afternoon, apparently from a heart attack.

He checked out of the Sime Darby Medical Centre on Tuesday, but suffered breathing difficulties when having lunch at his home in Rawang about 1.40pm.

"After a medical check-up in Subang Jaya (this morning), Bala came back like normal. Then after lunch, he had something like hiccups, and then he collapsed.

"We rushed him to a clinic, the ambulance came, but the doctors said he had passed way,” said Bala's friend Ganeson Suppiah, who added that he was with Bala at that time.

According to Ganeson, the doctors said Bala was already dead by the time he was taken to the clinic, and efforts to resuscitate him proved futile.

An ambulance from Sungai Buloh Hospital, that had been called, arrived soon afterwards.

"He was due to have a heart bypass operation in about three weeks," lawyer and Subang parliamentarian R Sivarasa told Malaysiakini while on his way to the hospital.

Last month Balasubramaniam suffered a minor heart attack while  speaking at a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah in Kota Bharu.

Following a medical check-up on his return to Kuala Lumpur, he was warded for 10 days at the Sime Darby Medical Centre in Subang Jaya.

'Okay with man upstairs'

The 53-year-old gave his last interview to Malaysiakini on Monday.

In that interview, believed to be his last with any media, the late Balasubramaniam appeared to be in high spirits, adamant that he would still continue to help Pakatan in its election campaign despite his heart condition, calling it "a small thing".

Appearing slightly pale when met at the cardiac ward of the Sime Darby hospital five days ago, Balasubramaniam flashed a smile and said he was determined to go back on the GE campaign circuit once he recovered.

He joked that he was okay with "the man upstairs" and that the spirit of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu would not want him to die.

Balasubramaniam said he was still needed to expose the truth about his involvement with and knowledge of those whom he believed were responsible for her murder.

In the interview, Balasubramaniam urged Malaysians to vote for a change of government as this is the only way that justice could be found for Altantuya and the two police officers who he believed were wrongly blamed for her death.

He added that his dramatic return to Malaysia was a blessing as he otherwise would not have discovered his heart condition.

"This is good. If I didn't come back for the campaign, I might not have known (about my heart condition).

"I might have stayed in India. I might have died silently."

Deepak pays last respect

Since this afternoon, friends, neighbours and media representatives have gathered at Balasubramaniam's house in Rawang.

They gathered under a tent - which had been erected in front of his house - as a short spate of rain fell.

Well-connected carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan was also spotted paying his respects, wiping his eyes as he quietly left.

The late Balasubramaniam's still body was placed in the living room, draped under a white funeral cloth, a wreath of flowers placed on his chest.

His wife, Selvi, and three children - two sons and one daughter - kept vigil, sitting around the body with close friends and family members.

Menaga, his 16-year-old daughter, was seen sitting at the late Balasubramaniam's body holding on to his feet.

Once in a while the wailing voice of his wife can be heard drifting from inside the house to the courtyard beyond.

Amongst those present to pay their respects included Subang MP R Sivarasa and fellow leader PKR Badrul Hisham, better known as Chegu Bard.

According to a close family friend, at the moment, the family is preparing to send Balasubramaniam's remains to a hospital for a post-mortem.

Details are still being arranged by the family members and Sivarasa.

At 5.12pm, a funeral van arrived at the house to take away Bala's remains to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, where an autopsy has been arranged.

Balasubramaniam's lawyer Americk Sidhu was shocked by the death.

"My dear friend, whom I was very proud of for his bravery in the face of oppression and his gallant fight for justice, has just died. May his beautiful soul rest in peace forever more," he said.

Malaysia ranks 64 in human development, same as Libya and Serbia

The UNDP noted that the average Malaysian was now living seven years longer, had furthered his schooling by five more years and had seen his gross income raised by about 191 per cent. — file picKUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — The average Malaysian has a longer life expectancy, is better educated and earns more money but the country was still ranked only 64th out of 187 nations in the latest United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), tied with Libya and Serbia, which are still picking up the pieces years after internal strife tore apart both countries.
Southeast Asia’s third-biggest economy lagged behind neighbouring Singapore (ranked 13th) and even tiny Brunei (30th) in the 2012 index, which measures a country’s progress based on three key areas — life expectancy, its access to knowledge and standard of living—but ahead of regional giants Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia which placed 103, 114 and 121 respectively.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its Human Development Report 2013 released today said Malaysia’s scored 0.769 points, which was better than the global average of 0.758 points, putting it in the high human development group.
It noted the ranking had improved slightly when pitted against its 2011 rank at 61st spot out of 187 countries, but added that comparisons should not be made as the UNDP had revised its methodology.
The UNDP noted that the average Malaysian was now living seven years longer, had furthered his schooling by five more years and had seen his gross income raised by about 191 per cent.
The UN agency also reported that Malaysia had far to go when it came to equal opportunities for women as compared to men.
In its latest Gender Inequality Index, Malaysia ranked 42 out of 148 countries surveyed last year.
While it performed better than Thailand (66), the Philippines (77) and Indonesia (106), the country again trailed Singapore which placed 13 in the chart that graded countries based on the level of women’s empowerment, their economic activity and their reproductive health.
While women make up half of Malaysia’s 13.1 million-strong registered voters, according to the latest statistics from the country’s election regulator, the UNDP noted that women formed only 13.2 per cent of the elected lawmakers in Parliament.
Political analysts and observers, however, noted that women and young voters form a significant voting block that could decide which party wins the 13th general elections due just weeks away.
The UNDP also reported that women made up 43.8 per cent of the workforce for Malaysia, showing men still dominated the labour market.
In education, 66 per cent of adult women graduated from secondary school compared to 72.8 per cent of their male counterparts.
And according to the UNDP, 29 Malaysian women died from pregnancy-related problems for every 100,000 who delivered their babies safely.

‘Please let Pornthip conduct autopsy’

C Sugumar's family wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to decide within 48 hours on Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand's status.

PETALING JAYA: The family of deceased security guard C Sugumar wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to rescind the government’s alleged objection against having Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand conduct a second post-mortem.

In a letter to Najib, Sugumar’s uncle A Kuppusamy said the family wanted “justice and truth for Sugumar”.

“We would like you [Najib] to revoke the government’s objection and invite Pornthip to conduct a second autopsy on Sugumar.

“Our family is saddened by the fact that we are unable to conduct the funeral rites for Sugumar. We want justice and truth for Sugumar,” said the letter which was handed to the Prime Minister’s special officer, Saiful Azhar Shaharun, this morning in Putrajaya.

Kuppusamy said the family hoped Najib would reply to them within 48 hours.

The family had made a similar request on March 11 through their lawyers. That request, however, had no time-frame.

Sugumar died after being beaten by the police and a group of men on Jan 23.

The initial post-mortem conducted in Serdang Hospital concluded that he had died of a heart attack. The family, however, doubted this and had requested for Pornthip to conduct the post-mortem, although the Malaysian Medical Council’s regulations bars her from doing so since she is not registered with the council.

Pornthip, however, had supervised the second post-mortem on Teoh Beng Hock, a political aide of a Selangor executive councillor who died under mysterious circumstances while being investigated for alleged corruption in 2009.

Sugumar’s family is hoping that this would be a precedent and the government will allow for Pornthip’s presence here.

‘Where did the Sultan get money from?’

The former premier says that 'some people' would think an invasion would be beneficial to them.

PETALING JAYA: How did a poor man like the Sultan of Sulu amass enough money to mount an armed incursion into a foreign country?

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad posed this question today when asked to respond to claims of a third party’s possible involvement in the Royal Sulu Army’s attacks on Sabah.

“The question is this: all operations cost money. If you are completely bankrupt I don’t think you can mount an invasion. So where does the money come from?” he asked.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had previously said in an interview that Philippine President Benigno Aquino had informed him that the people behind the Lahad Datu attacks were quite poor.

“They certainly don’t have the means to launch such an operation against Malaysia and, therefore, he thinks they are funded from somewhere,” Najib had said on the “Conversation with the PM” programme aired on TV3.

Mahathir suggested today that “some people” would think an invasion would somehow benefit them, although he stopped short of naming them.

“This is a question I personally want to ask and I think the police want to know where the money has come from,” he added.

The Philippine media as well as international news agency Reuters had linked the army’s incursion to a politician allied to the Malaysian opposition.

Citing the international media as sources, Barisan Nasional-owned media such as TV3 and Utusan had reported that Anwar Ibrahim was behind the armed attacks.

The opposition leader denied the claims and sued both media for defamation.

However, Anwar reportedly refused to sue either the Philippine Daily Inquirer or Reuters on the grounds that they had not named him in their reports.

Meanwhile, Najib had ordered an investigation into the allegations, although he said sufficient evidence was needed “before we point a finger at anyone”.

Yesterday, PKR vice-president Tian Chua was charged with sedition for allegedly accusing Umno of being behind the Lahad Datu incursion.

‘Defensive war not a crime’

Meanwhile, Mahathir also insisted that Malaysia’s attacks against the Sulu army was not a crime, amidst international criticism that the country committed “crimes against humanity”.

“The Perdana Global Peace Foundation is about making war a crime. But of course a defensive war cannot be regarded as a crime,” said Mahathir, referring to the organisation he was representing today.

“We are not invading anybody, we are defending our country and even if there are loss of lives on both sides… we have to accept it because we have a legitimate right to defend our country,” he added.

He said he also supported the idea of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the invasion.

Mahathir, who is Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) president, presented a cheque of RM80,000 to the police’s welfare department at Yayasan Al-Bukhary.

‘Ubah’ is just an illusion of change

Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy pens his political thoughts while on his fifth day of hunger strike.
COMMENT

This is the fifth day of my hunger viratham (hunger strike). I am beginning to feel weak. I wrote this article last night, so I am still able to directly communicate with you all.

I will continue publishing my thoughts, but it will be from articles I had prepared in anticipation. My resolve gets stronger with each passing day.

In this part, I will be penning my thoughts on the way the resources of a nation are allocated by the policy makers.

As I begin this part, I would like to clarify who these people, “the elite” that I keep referring to so often, are.

In short they are the top level people who hold all decision making authority in their respective large organisations and who collectively make policy decisions of the country as a community.

I have made an attempt to list them at the end of this essay to clarify.

These elites have various methods, devices and processes to achieve this influence over national policy.

The various chambers of commerce, the industry associations, the think tanks, the analyst community who evaluate and comment on policy, the ratings agencies which evaluate policy and give credit ratings, the stock markets, international agency advisories and the movement of investment funds are some key methods and devices by which the elite influence and control national policy.

A situation of control of national policy falling into the hands of the financial elite of the US is described in this seminal article ‘The Quiet Coup‘ in the Atlantic Monthly magazine about the situation in the US at the peak of the sub-prime crisis. This will throw light on how it may work here in our country.

The politicians are really only front men for these elites. Their job is to ensure that the policies dictated by the elites are made palatable to the people.

They develop justifications, campaigns, high sounding programs in order to achieve this. The more effectively they can front for the elites, the more support they will get from these members of the elite, and the more funds they will get and have in their war chests for the next elections.

Plan for the displaced estate workers

In our five-year blueprint for the upliftment of the Indian poor, we had laid out several plans. I would like to just touch on one of those plans and relate it to this discussion on national policy to help understand why we are facing resistance from the political class to its adoption – to a plan that is entirely justifiable whichever way you look at it.

The ‘Displaced Estate Workers (DEW) Land Allocated Contract Farming Project’ is that plan. This is a program similar to the Felda scheme, in that each participating household gets 10 acres of land that they will put to a variety of agricultural use.

The agricultural activity could include padi farming, livestock farming, vegetable farming, fresh water shrimp or fish farming among others that may be feasible.

Our proposal is to develop this program for 20,000 DEW households. The budget that we had proposed for this project is RM2 billion per year for five years or a total investment of RM10 billion on this project over the period of development of this project.

Here is the interesting part. This is only an investment. The money plus more will be returned to the nation when the project gets successfully implemented.

The benefits of this program are significant and many:

1) Human capital wastage will be put to highly productive use. So many Indian youths get sucked into crime because they cannot find alternative and productive employment with potential for upward mobility. This program will absorb a large number of such youth. Besides utilising this potential, this will be a great program to reduce crime in the country.

2) About a million metric tones of rice and about 100,000 metric tones of milk powder are imported annually, just to take two of the potential agricultural products that could be made part of the scheme. This will reduce our import dependence on two key food items and save valuable foreign exchange.

3) Upstream and downstream activities can be nurtured and further value added activities can be generated within our economy that could have a further impact on imports, foreign exchange and development of the productive potential of the economy.

4) Land is the key capital input for this project. Currently idle land could be put to productive use. Getting idle capacity to be productive, land and human capital simply means greater efficiency in our economy.

These are all significant benefits for the nation. But do the policy makers see it in this way?

Unless the project has significant benefit for the elites, projects such as these that largely only benefit the people get put on the backburner.

Benefits for the elites come in many forms – rentier commissions, fees, bribes, profits, subsidies to the elite, soft loans, loan guarantees, inflated pricing, guaranteed purchases are some examples.

The policy makers have no trouble in spending our national resources in setting up National Feedlot Centres and giving out hundreds of millions of ringgits that get spent off somewhere else or in the purchase of military hardwares that cost billions that we will never ever need.

There is not the same impact to the economy with those decisions, yet that is the slant of most decisions made by the policy makers.

These things do begin to make sense when you have an appropriate model for understanding how things really work in our universe.

Elites control everything


The principle that applies here is that “ whatever promotes and preserves the interests of the elites get the resources and everything else gets the boot”. The interest of the people will always be forsaken by the elites.

But the elites cannot get away with all that, can they, you may ask. The answer is they always do, except in occasional cases when there is a conflict or there is a slip up, then we get a glimpse of what really happens at all other times.

But this is quickly whisked off as the occasional aberration of the system. Some unfortunate rookie takes the hit and life goes on as usual after that.

The elites control everything, including what we know and what we think, so no problemslah!

When the polticians say “Ubah”, what they mean is something that looks like a change –an illusion of change.

They create these illusions so that they may be seen to be doing more for the people than their contending opposition. However the unfortunate fact of life is that the system will only change when the elites decide it is time to change or the elites are defeated by the people in a conflict with the people and have no choice but to change.

That is one of the purpose of my hunger viratham. It is to focus attention on the nonsense in all this and hopefully to create the awareness of how things really work in our universe.

The elites and the politicians pit people against people with their confusing illusions and they get away scot free with their pillaging. This will stop when the people become sufficiently aware of how things truly work in the universe.

I hope this hunger viratham writing contributes to that education.

My list of the possible elites

The Malaysian economic and political elite:

The richest individuals and families in the country. Go to Forbes website for the top 40 Malaysians.

The top and senior level politicians and their families from the ruling coalition, serving and retired.

Nazir Tun Razak, the brother of Najib Tun Razak and group managing director/chief executive officer of CIMB

Harris Hussein Onn, the brother of Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, a major shareholder of the DUKE highway

Top and senior level civil servants, currently serving and retired.

Top and senior level police and army brass, serving as well as retired.

Top level executives in GLCs, including Petronas and Khazanah

Top level executives in private businesses, directors in large publicly and privately held businesses and their top managemnt

P Waythamoorthy is the Hindraf chairperson. He has been on his hunger strike since March 10.

Himpunan ‘Anwar dalang Lahad Datu’ depan Masjid Negara

Antara NGO terbabit Pertubuhan Peribumi Perkasa, Jalur Tiga, Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim serta Jaringan Melayu Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cubaan mengaitkan Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai dalang krisis keselamatan di Lahad Datu, Sabah secara terbuka bermula dengan himpunan di Masjid Negara tengahari tadi.

Siri jelajah ‘Anwar Dalang Lahad Datu’ anjuran badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) berhaluan kanan itu bermatlamat meyakinkan orang awam supaya menolak Pakatan Rakyat dalam pilihan raya umum (PRU) 13 kerana menjadi punca pencerobohan ‘Sultan Sulu’ di Lahad Datu.

Antara NGO terbabit Pertubuhan Peribumi Perkasa (Perkasa), Jalur Tiga (Jati), Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim (Tibai) serta Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM).

Selain Anwar, beberapa pemimpin Pakatan termasuk Naib Presiden PKR Tian Chua juga dibidas kerana kenyataannya mengaitkan Umno dengan insiden tembakan antara anggota keselamatan dengan kumpulan penceroboh.

“Kita takkan biarkan Tian Chua berkuasa…lepas PRU kita humban dia dalam longkang,” laung Mursyidul Am Tibai Zahid Mat Arip dihadapan kira-kira 100 orang selepas menunaikan solat Jumaat.

Menjadikan lori sebagai pentas bergerak untuk ceramah, nyanyian lagu ‘Negaraku’ serta bendera Jalur Gemilang turut diagihkan kepada umum.

Presiden Perkasa Datuk Ibrahim Ali ketika berucap mendesak supaya segera diwujudkan Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja (RCI) mengenai isu Lahad Datu.

Katanya, semua pihak termasuk anggota keselamatan dan pembangkang perlu dipanggil membantu siasatan.

`Wujudkan kertas putih’

“Kita mesti desak wujudkan kertas putih untk hilang keraguan siapa dalang di sebalik insiden Lahad Datu.

“Kalau tak berbagai tuduhan akan terus berlaku dan takkan selesaikan masalah,” katanya.

Beliau turut mendakwa suasana politik Malaysia yang mengalami pelbagai masalah dalaman antara punca penceroboh ‘Sultan Sulu’ berani masuk ke Sabah.

“Bukan saja kumpulan kecil Sulu itu, malah penjenayah lain juga akan berani menangguk di air keruh kerana masalah dalaman yang timbul di negara ini,” katanya.

Himpunan itu berakhir sejam kemudian selepas Presiden Jati Datuk Dr Hasan Ali mengetuai doa memohon keselamatan rakyat di Lahad Datu serta buat wira negara yang gugur mempertahankan negara.

Orang ramai juga dilihat meninggalkan perkarangan masjid tanpa sebarang provokasi sambil diperhatikan kira-kira 20 anggota polis yang mengawal keadaan termasuk lalu lintas.

DAP must lead the southern assault

Three states hold the key and the time is ripe to move into Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, says M Manogaran

PETALING JAYA: Teluk Intan DAP MP, M Manogaran, said that Pakatan Rakyat’s best chance to wrest Putrajaya is by taking over three main states, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

Manogaran said that Pakatan is well placed to retain its Parliamentary seats in Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and the Federal Territory in Kuala Lumpur.

“PAS has made its first move by announcing that Salahuddin Ayob will be contesting in a Parliamentary seat in Johor,” said Manogaran.

He said that Pakatan should have a strategy to mount an offensive in Johor as the time looks ripe for a southern assault.

“DAP heavyweights must move to Johore to crack the Umno-BN fortress because this is the first time in history BN is being challenged in all states including, Johor,” he said.

Manogaran also added that Pakatan has to send at least five heavweights to contest in Johor in order to secure a win.

“It is my wish that Lim Kit Siang, M Kulasegaran, former Senator S Ramakrishnan, and several others including Liew Chin Tong who can contest for parliamentary seats in Johor,” he added.

However, Manogaran stressed that taking over Johor will not be easy unless PKR and PAS joins forces to win the state over.

“This must of course be follwed by heavyweights from PKR and PAS.

“It will then set the momentum for the southern assault and rock Johor in order to liberate the state from the clutches of BN-Umno,” he said.

My political thoughts during the Hunger Viratham Day Four

There are six major proposals in Hindraf’s 5 year blueprint. The first 5 are specific to programs and recommendations that directly impact the lives of the Indian poor. The sixth proposal is however universal in its implications to all of Malaysian society and is clearly a proposal that when realized will make Malaysia a mature democracy.

P. Waythamoorthy

This is the fourth day of my Hunger Viratham. Today I have begun limiting my talking. I spend my time in prayers, thinking, writing and resting.

In this third part I will be penning my thoughts on the contributions that Hindraf is making and has made to move Malaysia to be a true democracy.

Part 3

Hindraf is moving Malaysia towards true democracy

There are six major proposals in Hindraf’s 5 year blueprint. The first 5 are specific to programs and recommendations that directly impact the lives of the Indian poor. The sixth proposal is however universal in its implications to all of Malaysian society and is clearly a proposal that when realized will make Malaysia a mature democracy.

The sixth proposal in the Blueprint reads:

6. Bringing Human Rights Practice in Malaysia up to International Standards

1)        To bring the standard of Malaysian law to be consistent with international human rights law and international humanitarian law by signing and ratifying the following International Covenants of the United Nations and then to adjust the Malaysian laws to be consistent with our commitment to these International laws.. 

·                International Covenant  on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR)

·                International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

2)        To adopt the guiding principles as set forth in the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement by the United Nations.

The implications of the signing and ratification of these UN Covenants obliges Malaysia to the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. Parties are obliged to not discriminate on the basis of race, not to sponsor or defend racism, and to prohibit racial discrimination within their jurisdictions. They must also review their laws and policies to ensure that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, and commit to amending or repealing those that do.

This sixth demand in our blueprint is clearly consistent with all the Human Rights work that Hindraf has been doing. These Human Rights legislations are protective laws. Malaysia is a multicultural, multiethnic society and  is vulnerable to manipulations of greedy elements within.

Just look at what has happened in our country. An institutionalized racist regime has developed since the inception of the nation. Dr. Benjamin Bowling of School of Law, King’s College London defines Institutionalized racism thus: Institutionalised racism is the process by which people from ethnic minorities are systematically discriminated against by a range of public and private bodies. If the result or outcome of established laws, customs or practices is racially discriminatory, then institutional racism can be said to have occurred.

The hallmarks of the institutionalized racist regime in our country are:

a)        The Federal Constitution basically establishes 2 classes of citizens, vide Article 153, the root of the racist system. 

b)        The State sanctions racist and religious extreme laws and policies

c)        The State controls the Government Administration through one racial and religious group

d)        The State channels most funds for economic/education/social development programs and licenses, permits etc., to one 

           race

e)        The State controls Religious freedom to the disadvantage of non-Muslims, imposes of Muslim religious laws on non- 

            Muslims and extends the jurisdiction of the Syaria Courts onto non-Muslims.

f)         The State sponsors violence and threats of violence both directly and indirectly (outsourced) on the citizens to create 

           fear among the non-Malay non-Muslims.

g)        The State sanctions draconian, punitive laws and gives blank cheques to the Police to make arbitrary arrests of 

           dissenters.

h)        The State explicitly and implicitly declares that the Malays  are the masters  (Malay Supremacy) and the sons of soil.

All of this is in direct contravention to the stipulations of the International laws. Hindraf in including this into the Blueprint is boldly speaking up for all Malaysians.

The Blueprint document that boldly calls for the establishment of a set of laws that will eliminate racism in our country is categorized as a narrow race-centred document by our detractors. Both BN and Pakatan today are not inclined to open their mouths on these issues now or ever. Yet they can call themselves “ Beyond Racial Boundaries” and “1Malaysia” and turn around and brand Hindraf as a racist or an extremist organization.

In addition to these demands in the Blueprint, much of what Hindraf pursues relates to changes that are fundamental in nature. It is our belief that only changes that are fundamental can promote the cause of true democracy. Instead what we get today that which is called change and progress towards more democracy are cosmetic changes, one upmanship changes or just simple face changes. What we need are some fundamental changes like:

• Clear and unambiguous commitment to the principles of Equality for all as stipulated in Article 8 of the Federal Constitution as in the original Reid Commission submission.
• Strict adherence to the original spirit and intention of the Malaysian Constitution .
•  Constitutional amendments  to incorporate a truly impartial and independent Constitutional Court .
•  Increased checks and balances to maintain integrity of the key institutions of the Government.
• To implement new economic programs to benefit all Malaysians irrespective of   race and religion.
• To provide protection for minority rights.
• To give Borneo states their promised autonomy as per the 1963 Malaysia agreement.
• To adopt and ratify all International Human   rights treaties and to abolish all repressive laws.

These are some of the fundamental changes that Hindraf struggles for. In doing this Hindraf is promoting the cause of a more mature democracy in our country, of a more robust and prosperous Malaysia for all. The reality of Malaysia is it is a multicultural and multiethnic nation. The way forward is more fundamental change consistent with this reality. If all we tinker around with is some nominal change at the fringes we are going to be getting more of the same for years to come.
Those that wish to see our demise cast us as a narrow racist organization, inspite of the fcat that we struggle to promote democracy boldly. They use a convoluted definition of racism to cast us thus. We we stand up for the victims of institutionalized racism, and in which book of true learning does that constitute racism. The basis for truth cannot be who can shout louder.

Bar finishing probe over PI Bala’s declaration

The Star
by SHAILA KOSHY

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council is near the end of its inquiries into allegations of misconduct against a lawyer who allegedly prepared the second statutory declaration (SD2) for “PI Bala”.

“The target is to make a decision at the council meeting in April,” said its chairman Lim Chee Wee.

“If we find prima facie evidence of misconduct, we will lodge a complaint with the Disciplinary Board.”

Lim, whose term as chairman and Malaysian Bar president ends tomorrow after the Bar’s annual gerneral meeting, admitted it was “unfinished business” but denied they had dragged their feet.

He said he wrote to everyone conceivably related to the issue to come forward but none had.

He then wrote to the lawyer whose name had come up in speculations as having drafted the SD2.

“I received a response and we are engaged in further correspondence,” he said, adding that he had also written to the lawyer’s son, a Bar member, whose name had also cropped up.

Lim has also spoken with private investigator Balasubramaniam Perumal and carpet dealer Deepak Jaikrishnan’s lawyer.

He said this when asked about a motion for debate at the AGM calling for an independent investigation committee to look into the facts and circumstances of the preparation and execution of the SD2, purportedly affirmed by Bala on July 4, 2008.

The motion said the SD2 repudiated SD1, allegedly affirmed by Bala on July 1, that purportedly revealed facts about the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Bala was a prosecution witness in the murder trial.

The motion said recent exposes on the SDs had implicated a Bar member and public confidence might be undermined if they thought the Bar had “chosen to take no or minimal steps in addressing the matter”.

On the motion calling for council members and office bearers to be elected at the AGM, Lim said the current system of postal ballots was more manageable and representative of the 14,530-strong Bar.

Legal observers say the motion could be the result of complaints that some of the council’s actions or Lim’s statements as president were deemed pro-Opposition and not reflective of the Bar as a whole.

On the motion urging for e-filing fees to be reduced, Lim said the council was in favour, adding that they wanted to see open, competitive bidding when the present fee charger’s contract expired.

Ceramah Perdana Di Lumut Perak

Ministry Willing To Assist Tamil Theatre - Maglin

KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 (Bernama) -- The Information, Communications and Culture Ministry is prepared to assist Tamil by providing financial assistance, teaching force, equipment and training.

Its deputy minister, Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz, said the assistance would be provided to help it to produce more creative works, as well as scout for new talents in the industry.

"Tamil theatre is scare now. The young generation prefers to watch movies and see Tamil drama on websites and compact discs.

"Therefore, to promote Tamil theatre, especially in Malaysia, we are prepared to to provide the necessary assistance, as well as market them to international markets," he told reporters after watching a Tamil theatre performance , 'The Countdown Begins' here Friday night.

He also said various incentives were also provided by the government to develop the local creative industry, like the setting up of the 1Malaysia Artiste Foundation, tax exemption for films and group insurance for local artistes.

The theatre, 'The Countdown Begins', directed by local Tamil director Allabas Abdul Karim, is about the lives of 10 tenants, who are from various backgrounds, staying together in a house.

Malaysia Asks The Philippines To Claim Bodies Of Sulu Terrorists

LAHAD DATU, March 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has written officially asking the Philippines to claim the bodies of its citizens killed in the "Ops Daulat" offensive against Sulu terrorists who had intruded into Sabah on Feb 12.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the letter was sent after the post mortem of the bodies was completed.

The Philippines has three days, as per the Geneva Convention, to respond, he said.

"If there is no response in three days, we will go ahead and bury the dead," he told a news conference, at which Army First Division commander Maj Gen Datuk Ahmad Zaki was also present, at the Ops Daulat command in the Felda Sahabat 16 plantation near here.

Hamza said 61 terrorists had been killed up to the 11th day today of the government offensive.

As of 5 pm Friday, 27 of the bodies had been removed from the operations zone.

"we believe 10 more bodies have yet to be brought out of Kampung Tanjung Batu," he said, confirming that the security forces found three gravesites and 15 bodies in Kampung Tanduo.