Cops are sorry actors in 'New Year's Eve chaos' sandiwara

MP SPEAKS The Malaysian police force has presented a sorry spectacle of itself recently, undermining its professional image as an independent, efficient and world-class police force, but what is worse, tarnishing the international image of Malaysia by trumpeting to the world as if Malaysia has become a 'basket case country' on the verge of political and economic collapse.

And the person who led the charge to undermine the professional image of the police and the international image of the country is none other than the country’s No 1 policeman, the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar (right), who shocked the country and the world with the wild and reckless 'fairy tale' two weeks ago of a plot to 'topple the government' on New Year’s Eve.

Neither the IGP nor the police force have been able to produce any evidence of a 'topple government' plot on New Year’s Eve, as Khalid was only acting on a 'hunch' or brainwave (planted or inspired by Umno conspirators), and I cannot think of a more 'anti-national' act than this to end 2013.

Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh said that the police had received 588 reports nationwide in protest against the New Year’s Eve rally to 'bring down the government', alleging that four NGOs were out to “create chaos” in Dataran Merdeka and would be bringing various weapons, including grenades and gas mark to stir up a commotion.

My first reaction to the 588 police reports (probably the 600 mark would be crossed by now) is the amount of wasted national energies provoked by the IGP’s 'fairy tale' plot to topple the government - or was this the whole intention of the IGP in the first place?

Are there no better, more useful and productive things for Malaysians to do than to lodge 588, or over 600, police reports on a 'fairy tale' plot? No wonder Malaysia is losing her competitiveness in the global marketplace.

No evidence required

Secondly, the false impression given by the police as if a 'plot to topple the government' with grenades and explosives thrown in could be hatched in Malaysia any minute like a common magic trick - which cannot be good in assuring international community whether investors or visitors about the political and economic stability and direction of the country.

It is not that the police had not come out with such 'cock-and-bull' stories in the past to justify police overreactions, as in the run-up to Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, 2011, when the police claimed to have found parangs and Molotov cocktails, and the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, 2012 which the Prime Minister Najib Razak alleged as a Pakatan Rakyat 'coup d’etat' attempt to overthrow the  BN government.

Or the subsequent acknowledgement by the then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nazri Aziz, in Parliament that “salt, water bottles, handphones" were dangerous weapons during Bersih 3.0, capable of “toppling” the elected government of the day!

But should the Malaysian police force continue to be haunted and hounded by such 'imaginary enemies' just to prop up the existing regime against democratic empowerment of the people?

The Malaysian police in the first decade of the 21st century should conduct itself as a mature, efficient, professional and world-class police force fully mindful of its primary task of 'democratic policing' and liberated from the obsession of 'upholding the regime' to oppose democratic change at all costs.

The police have summoned the PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli for questioning this morning, allegedly over allegations by Umno cybertroopers that he is planning to plant bombs in certain locations in Dataran Merdeka on New Year’s Eve.

These are serious and heinous charges and the police action is utterly ridiculous and outrageous.

This is why I had tweeted this morning that the police should have hauled up the Umno blogger and not be harassing Rafizi as in other countries where there is proper respect for the rule of law, the police would have arrested and prosecuted the Umno blogger if he is unable to produce evidence for such irresponsible and incendiary posting.

In Najib’s 'Malaysia Boleh', however, the victim suffers the double jeopardy of a defamatory and seditious allegation as well as being hauled up by the police to prove his innocence, in blatant disregard of the principles that 'one is innocent until proven guilty' and the person who makes an allegation has the onus to adduce evidence to prove it.

Malaysians love price hikes?

The police should stop harassing Rafizi and should take action against the Umno cybertroopers responsible for the reprehensible posts of lies, hatred and incitement with regard to the New Year’s Eve countdown at Dataran Merdeka.

The Minister for Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Hassan Malek has said that the failure by Malaysians to officially complain of price increases caused by government measures indicated their approval for the policies.

Hassan cannot be more wrong, ill-advised and misguided.

In the circumstances, the police should not stand in the way of Malaysians who want to peacefully demonstrate their objections and opposition to the pile of price hikes whether sugar, petrol, power, toll or house assessments and the long list of other price hikes to come, so that ministers and  BN leaders have a proper and correct understanding of the real voices and aspirations of ordinary Malaysians on these issues.

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LIM KIT SIANG is DAP parliamentary leader and MP for Gelang Patah

Girl, 7, bartered for goats, food items, to 35-year-old man

A father sold his minor daughter to a 35 years old man in return for some animals and food items, officials said Thursday.

The sale of Ghancha Gul, 7, in northern Jawzjan province drew denunciation from human rights campaigners, attorneys and law-enforcement officials.

Officials of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) condemned the act as an outrage and blamed provincial authorities for failing to prevent it.

Ewaz Ali Sabiri, an AIHRC official, said Ghuncha Gul was sold to Asadullah -- a drug addict -- by her father in return for 200 kilograms of wheat, 70 kg of rice, two goats, a donkey and some other goods.

Sabiri said Asadullah later secretly arranged tied the knot with the girl. He has been arrested but the Imam who solemnised the marriage is yet to be detained.

Salamat Azami, another AIHRC official, promised to do all he could to resolve the issue if the provincial government failed to deal with it.

Meanwhile, the provincial attorney office said the issue had been addressed to a large extent and they would update the rights watchdog on the progress made.

http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2013/12/26/jawzjan-girl-bartered-for-goats-food-items.html

Selagi Anwar jadi pemimpin, ia akan untungkan BN, kata Utusan

 

Mingguan Malaysia hari ini menyatakan untuk survival dan demi imej 

pergerakan  pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim patut dipecat segera. Gambar fail.

Akhbar Umno, Utusan Malaysia memberitahu rakyat negara ini, jika Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berterusan mengemudi pembangkang ia akan menjadi kelebihan kepada Barisan Nasional (BN) selaku parti pemerintah.

Menurut penulis yang menggunakan nama Awang Selamat dalam Mingguan Malaysia hari ini, untuk survival dan demi imej pergerakan pembangkang, penasihat itu patut dipecat segera.

Bagi penulis itu, imej Anwar yang menghadapi isu moral yang amat serius sudah tidak mampu dibaiki lagi walaupun menggunakan lampu ajaib.

"Buatlah 1001 demonstrasi terhebat sekali pun, pembangkang tidak akan ke mana selagi ada kelibat dan bayang Anwar," tulis Awang Selamat.

Anwar mula menjadi ikon utama pembangkang dan kemudiannya Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sejak tahun 1998 apabila beliau dipecat daripada jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri.

Dalam pilihan raya 2008, buat pertama kalinya pembangkang berjaya menafikan kuasa dua pertiga kerajaan BN di Parlimen dan berjaya menguasai lima negeri di samping Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Dalam pilihan raya 2013 baru-baru ini, PR pimpinan Anwar di samping berjaya lagi menafikan kuasa dua pertiga BN juga berjaya mendapat undi popular rakyat Malaysia.

Namun, melalui sistem yang ada, first past the post, BN kekal sebagai kerajaan walaupun hanya kerajaan minoriti.

Sehari dua ini BN melalui jenteranya termasuk media dan polis sedang berkempen, pembangkang sedang menyusun himpunan untuk menggulingkan kerajaan melalui himpunan 31 Disember ini.

Padahal ia hanya himpunan yang dianjurkan oleh anak-anak muda yang mahu mendesak kerajaan agar menurunkan harga barangan dan perkhidmatan yang bakal naik mendadak mulai 1 Januari 2014 ini.

Antaranya kenaikan tarif elektrik, kadar tol, tambang bas sekolah yang kesemuanya dikawal kerajaan BN. Sebelum ini kerajaan telah menaikkan harga minyak dan bakal mengenalkan Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) pula selepas ini.

"Awang hairan dengan pembangkang. Strategi mereka sangat salah dan bercelaru. Selagi parti-parti pembangkang terbabit dengan demonstrasi haram dan menghasut rakyat merusuh, selagi itu mereka tidak akan mendapat simpati majoriti.

"Nasihat Awang, tanamkanlah keyakinan kepada rakyat terlebih dahulu dengan membawa pendekatan politik yang sihat, disegani dan budiman," tulis Awang Selamat sebagaimana yang disiarkan Mingguan Malaysia hari ini.

NGO to top cop: Retract weapons claim, or we sue

Jingga 13 has urged KL deputy police chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh to withdraw the claim that the NGO is allegedly involved in a plot to cause unrest during an anti-price hike protest on New Year’s eve at Dataran Merdeka, or face legal action.

Jingga 13 deputy coordinator Amizudin Ahmat (right) said such allegation was malicious, defamatory and nonsensical, aimed at diverting attention from the real issue, which is rising costs.

“Jingga 13 has never, at any time, released any statement or instruction to anyone, through whatever instrument, planning to cause any unrest, what more involving the use of weapons of bombs with the intention of toppling the government,” he said after lodging a police report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters today.

He was referring to a statement by Amar Singh yesterday alleging that protesters from four NGOs plan to use various weapons, including grenades, to spark unrest.

The four NGOs named were - Jingga 13, Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup (Turun), Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) and Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM).

Amizudin today further demanded that police produce evidence to back this claim.

He added that the organisation was also mooting filing a defamation suit against Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia and TV3 should Amar Singh not retract his claim.

“Jingga 13 stresses that these malicious accusations against us is slander intended to spoil our reputation and intimidate the rakyat with claims of chaos, weapons and hand grenades,” he said.

Meanwhile, SAMM has stated it will send a letter of demand to Amar on Monday.

Turun chief Azan Safar (left), who is the main mover of the anti-price hike protest on Dec 31, has accused the government of attempting to divert attention from bread and butter issues.

Azan has insisted that the protest is solely aimed at putting pressure on the government for increasing prices of electricity, sugar, fuel and other essential items.

Peniaga harap perhimpunan batal

Peniaga di sekitar Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) dan Dataran Merdeka di sini berharap hari terakhir 2013 akan membawa pulangan berganda kepada mereka.

Oleh Siti Salwa Shaari dan Lili Mazlina Nordin

KUALA LUMPUR: Golongan peniaga sekitar ibu kota berharap sambutan ambang tahun baharu Selasa ini, tidak dicemari perhimpunan yang dikatakan untuk menggulingkan kerajaan kerana akan menjejaskan pendapatan mereka.

Tinjauan Bernama di sekitar Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) dan Dataran Merdeka di sini hari ini mendapati para peniaga di sekitar kawasan itu amat berharap hari terakhir 2013 akan membawa pulangan berganda kepada mereka memandangkan orang ramai akan tertumpu di ibu kota bagi mengikuti pelbagai aktiviti anjuran Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Pengurus Persatuan Perniaga dan Penjaja Lorong TAR Mahdir Jaafar, 57, berkata perhimpunan itu tidak wajar diadakan kerana kerajaan sedia ada telah dipilih rakyat berdasarkan suara majoriti pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 pada 5 Mei lalu.

“Jika ada rasa tidak puas hati atau sebagainya, ada cara yang tepat untuk meluahkannya, bukan melalui perhimpunan yang boleh menjejaskan periuk nasi orang lain,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.

Perhimpunan itu, yang didakwa akan diadakan pada Selasa malam di Dataran Merdeka oleh badan bukan kerajaan, disebarkan melalui laman sosial Facebook dan Twitter, menimbulkan rasa kurang senang kepada pengurus sebuah hotel di situ.

`Pintu hotel pecah’

Pengurus Besar Swiss Hotel Roy Marshall, 34, berkata beliau berharap perhimpunan itu tidak akan diteruskan memandangkan hotel beroperasi 24 jam dan berada hampir dengan Dataran Merdeka.

“Jika mereka bertegas untuk berhimpun, penganjur perlu pastikan ia berlangsung dalam keadaan aman.

Perhimpunan akan tetap menyukarkan pengunjung dan pekerja untuk datang ke hotel kerana bas dan teksi tidak boleh melalui jalan ini.

“Tetapi, jika berlaku kekecohan seperti perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 (pada 9 Julai 2007), pintu kaca hotel pecah dan lif rosak kerana terlampau ramai yang merempuh masuk, kononnya untuk berlindung,” katanya.

Beliau berkata sekeping pintu kaca hotel memerlukan RM5,000 untuk diperbaiki Sementara itu, pekerja kedai runcit Namneet Singh, 25, berkata dia masih ingat kejadian perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 pada 28 April 2012 apabila terpaksa berkurung di dalam kedai selama enam jam.

`Takut keluar’

“Walaupun tidak ada kekerasan berlaku, saya takut untuk keluar. Hanya duduk diam di dalam (kedai). Nasib baik kedai runcit, jadi boleh makan makanan ringan dan tidak lapar sangat dalam tempoh itu,” katanya.

Namneet, yang telah tujuh tahun bekerja di situ, berkata dia juga masih trauma dengan pengalaman ‘disimbah’ gas pemedih mata semasa dalam perjalanan ke kedai pada perhimpunan Bersih 2.0.

“Saya harap mereka yang tidak terlibat dengan perhimpunan itu nanti tidak mengalami nasib seperti itu. Kami berada di sini hanya cari makan,” katanya.

Bagi Sheikh Shafqat Ali, 52, dia sedih jika perhimpunan itu diteruskan kerana baru sahaja berpindah ke Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman sebulan lalu, selepas mendapati kawasan itu sesuai untuk berniaga kain dan tudung.

Peniaga itu, yang sebelum ini berniaga di Sentul dekat sini, berkata kedainya masih dalam proses pengubahsuaian dan berharap waktu perniagaan boleh berjalan seperti biasa Selasa ini bagi memastikan kerja-kerja pengubahsuaian dapat diteruskan.

“Sekarang ini, saya masih tidak tahu sama ada perlu atau tidak untuk pendekkan waktu perniagaan.

“Susah macam ini. Berniaga macam kami ini bermaksud setiap hari adalah ‘income’. Jika tutup macam mana? Apatah lagi esoknya (1 Jan 2014) adalah cuti umum, jadi pelanggan lebih ramai,” katanya.

Bernama

Cops serious about chaos email

The police have questioned PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli over an e-mail purportedly on a plan to create chaos at the New Year eve's celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police view the case of an email, purportedly sent by Abdul Rahim Ghouse, a close friend of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) director of strategy, Rafizi Ramli, on a plan to create chaos at strategic locations in conjunction with the New Year celebrations on Tuesday, seriously.

The email is said to have surfaced on social website, Facebook.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Hadi Ho Abdullah said police had called up Rafizi, who is also Pandan Member of Parliament, to assist investigations.

“The public are advised to respect peace and order in the country while celebrating the new year,” he said in a posting on the Royal Malaysian Police Force (PDRM) Facebook.

He said until today, police had received 1,151 reports against a planned assembly, aimed at causing creating public disorder.

Meanwhile, a weekly newspaper, Mingguan Malaysia, today reported that Abdul Rahim denied sending the email.

Meanwhile, Rafizi, when met by reporters after giving his statement at the Dang Wangi police station here today, denied he was responsible for sending the email.

He was seen entering the police station with three men at about 10am and left at noon.

Do MIC top two deserve cabinet posts?

G Palanivel and Dr S Subramaniam have yet to prove their contributions to the community seven months after being appointed as Ministers.


COMMENT: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is likely tinker his barely a-year old cabinet following the conclusion of all Barisan Nasional component party elections.

Even if he does not make major changes, he will try to twick his cabinet list to accommodate those who had won positions in their respective party polls.

However, the burning question is what would be the fate of non-performing Ministers, who hold important posts in their parties.

While Ministers from Sabah and Sarawak deserve their positions in Najib’s latest cabinet, questions are being asked on the appointment of two cabinet Ministers from the MIC.

MIC is the nation’s largest Indian-based political party, representing the nearly 2 million Malaysian Indian community in the ruling Barisan Nasional, which had ruled this country for the last 56 years.

The party for years had only one Minister but that changed under Najib’s administration. He wanted to give the Indians and bigger voice and extended an extra cabinet position for the party.

He appointed MIC chief G Palanivel and party deputy president Dr S Subramaniam as Natural Resources and Environmental Minister and Health Minister, respectively.

The reason to give the Indian community two cabinet positions was to allow the minority community more voice in the country’s decision making process.

But, after seven months, since the 13th general election, questions are now being asked if the two Indian ministers were effective in bringing the woes of the community to the cabinet. Their performance in their respective Ministries are also being queried.

Are they really doing their job? Have both these leaders contributed anything for the betterment of the community?

These are just two questions that they need to answer.

The plight of Tamil schools is always a major issue among the Indian community. Despite, Malaysia’s independence some 56-years ago Tamil schools are still in deplorable condition.

To make matters worse, the government’s latest education blueprint is devoid of policies and measures to safeguard the continuity and development of vernacular schools.

Chinese educationist say the gist of the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is to ensure a single language (monolingual educational) policies.

While MCA and Chinese educationist have come out against this, there isn’t a single statement by these two MIC ministers on the matter.

Some feel, they would not be surprised if Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam did not even know the actual content of the blueprint.

The two leaders have also failed to ensure adequate matriculation seats were awarded to deserving Indian students.

The confusion over how many matriculation seats were awarded to Indian students still reigns.

The Prime Minister in 2011 announced that the government would allocate 1,500 matriculation seats for Indians.

In 2013, an astounding 6,185 Indian students applied for the 1,500 seats but only 892 students were given seats by the Matriculation Department.

The disclosure saw affected students, parents and NGOs protesting against the injustice. But, the two MIC Ministers were silent as though nothing was wrong.

They were also silent when a small part of the Bujang Valley, an ancient temple locality in Kedah, was demolished by a private developer. They were equally silent when the Malacca state government proposed a housing project in the 599-year old Kampung Chetty.

While they have been ineffective in fighting for the community so far, they have also been sluggish in their ministerial portfolios.

Being the Natural Resource and Environmental Minister, Palanivel was ‘missing in action’ during the recent floods in the east coast states which forced evacuation of over 40,000 people.

He has also skipped the Umno, MCA and Gerakan annual general assemblies. FMT learnt that he was the only Minister who attended only one cabinet meeting in December.

Dr Subramaniam on the other hand, is pretending to be in the dark over the re-recognition of the Crimea State Medical University(CSMU), an Ukrainian based medical school, which was derecognised by the government some 15-years ago.

Although the community, including MIC leaders, want Dr Subramaniam to push for government recognition of CSMU, he is still silent on the matter even after the medical school went on record to say that it was willing to comply by all conditions set forth by the government for the recognition.

The Health Ministry’s failure to give proper answers and initiate action against the contractor of the Serdang Hospital, which had its ceiling collapse for the seventh time, has also irked many.

Dr Subramaniam is also unable to find a permanent solution for lack of housemanship places for newly graduated medical doctors and this has also questioned his performance as Health Minister.

This brings us to another important question: Does the Indian community need these two leaders to represent them in the cabinet?

What is obvious is that Indians are now bypassing these two ministers and seeking direct solutions to their problems to their woes.

Najib has set a new trend by having direct connection with the community through various programmes and initiatives. There may come a time when Najib will realise that he does not need “middlemen minister” like Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam.

When he can run a government without proper Chinese representation, he can do the same to the Indians.

All that is needed to be done is to have more Indian civil servants in high positions so that the plight of the community can be highlight in government policies and initiatives.

This will effectively reduce Najib’s dependence on Ministers like Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam.

Selangor Perkasa lodges report against Herald editor

(Bernama) - Some 70 members of the Selangor Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), led by their president, Abu Bakar Yahya, staged a peaceful protest infront of the Shah Alam district police headquarters here today.

The demonstration was held after the organisation lodged a police report against Catholic weekly Herald editor Rev Father Lawrence Andrew over the latter’s statement in an article posted by the news portal, themalaysianinsider.com, last Friday.

In the statement, Andrew said that the catholic churches in Selangor would continue to use the word Allah in their weekend services in Bahasa Malaysia despite the State Islamic Religious Department’s intention to send them reminders on an enactment prohibiting the use of the word by non-Muslims.

Abu Bakar, in a statement issued to media members, described Andrew’s action as not only challenging the sensitivities of Muslims, but also having no respect for the law.

He said Selangor Perkasa regarded Andrew’s act as a provocation to disrupt unity and harmony in the country.

Meanwhile, the police confirmed receiving a report from Selangor Perkasa.

Thunderstorm Warnings In National Waters Until Pre-dawn Tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- The thunderstorms occurring in the waters of Sarawak, Labuan and on the West Coast of Sabah are expected to continue until pre-dawn tomorrow.

The Meteorological Department in a statement here Sunday night said the condition could result in strong winds of 50-60km per hour and turbulent seas up to 4.5 metres.

Thunderstorms were also expected in the waters of Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and West Johor resulting in winds of up to 50km per hour and stormy seas with waves touching 3.5 metres and expected to continue until pre-dawn tomorrow.

The situation is the same in the waters of Reef North, Bunguran, Layang-Layang and Palawan resulting in wind speeds in excess of 60km per hour and choppy seas with waves of up to 5.5 metres, which were also expected to end before dawn tomorrow.

The condition is dangerous for all coastal activities and shipping including fishing, activities on oil rigs and ferry services.

Marseilles is now 30-40% Muslim. Excessive violence, riots, and rapes are turning it into a third world city in the heart of Europe

France is probably the worst affected of all western nations by immigration, since it is on the brink of losing its European identity to the insistent Muslims increasing in numbers within French borders. As they grow in population, they come to believe they can impose the will of Islam on the French people, and when they don’t get their way, they often resort to violence.


A number of extraordinary stories have come out of Marseilles in recent weeks. Collectively, they attest to the fact that the city is sinking rapidly into the third world. It has been massively colonised by Muslims, and they are now reproducing there the conditions found in their home countries.

The first bizarre incident to make the headlines was a Wild West-style train robbery. Shopping carts, rocks and bits of metal had been placed across a railway track, forcing a passenger train to stop. A cargo train arrived some time later and found its way barred by the passenger train. Around 20 hooded jeunes (youths) [this is the code the French elite use for Muslims, much like 'Asian' in the British media] then appeared, broke into the cargo train and made off with some of the boxes it contained. According to the news reports about the incident, this was not the first time it had happened.
[...]
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