Downright insulting! DAP MP censures Dr M over 'orang asing' remark

Malaysiakini

Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks on how the Malays were forced to accept orang asing (foreigners) during British rule in exchange for independence is downright insulting and unbecoming of a prime minister who represents all Malaysians, said DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh.

Ramkarpal was referring to the prime minister's speech at yesterday's Malay Dignity Congress, where Mahathir said: “.. Orang asing berasa selesa dengan negara kita dan mereka ingin tinggal di sini. Nak tak nak pun, kita terpaksa terima, kalau tidak kita tidak akan mencapai kemerdekaan (The foreigners felt comfortable in this country and wanted to stay. Like it or not, we were forced to accept or we would not have achieved independence).”

Describing the statement as uncalled for, Ramkarpal said Mahathir should have known better.

“The PM should know that such remarks are highly sensitive and threaten racial harmony in the country and can lead to a divided nation along racial lines, which must be avoided at all costs,” he added.

The Bukit Gelugor MP also noted how Mahathir claimed he did not hear the organiser of the congress Zainal Kling's statement that “Malaysia belonged to the Malays” when opening the congress.

He said the prime minister should have corrected the academician and if it is true that he did not hear the remark, then he should set the record straight now.

Ramkarpal reminded Mahathir that he won the last general election largely because of the support of non-Malays.

“That support was to see reforms for the betterment of this country and to move it forward, not to see the country becoming divided along racial lines.

“I call on the PM to take the lead in narrowing the gaps among the races in the country and dispelling the false notion that the Malays are under threat.

“Reprimanding Zainal for his insensitive remarks would be a good start and I urge the PM to do so forthwith,” Ramkarpal added in a statement this afternoon.

The 1MDB atomic bomb hit everyone, Kit Siang tells Umno leader

MP SPEAKS It is not just Umno but the whole Malaysian nation which had been hit by the 1MDB scandal like being blasted by an “atomic bomb”, with the crowning ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”

I do not know whether the police will open an investigation paper under Section 506 of the Penal Code against the Shah Alam Umno chief Zahari Shaari, who lamented this morning that the 1MDB scandal had hit Umno like an “atomic bomb”.

This was what the police did the last time an “atomic bomb” reference made news two months ago during the Kuala Kangsar by-election, when the PKR secretary-general and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said that if the Amanah candidate, nuclear physicist Ahmad Termizi Ramli, was elected in the by-election, Termizi would be asked to hurl an “atomic bomb” at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Parliament.

Police reports were lodged against Rafizi and even an Umno minister admonished Rafizi for joking about an “atomic bomb”, although eventually nothing came out of the hullabaloo over Rafizi’s “atomic bomb” joke.

But Rafizi was joking while Zahari was deadly serious in comparing the after-effects of the 1MDB scandal to that of a mushrooming “atomic bomb” explosion.

I find some solace that there are people in Umno, even at the divisional level, who have not yet become mere robots as a result of the “Cash is King” politics and have not succumbed fully to the “mind control” of the Umno strategists, but are still capable of exercising clarity and independence of thought.

In fact, during the brouhaha over Rafizi’s “atomic bomb” joke at the Kuala Kangsar by-election, I had identified the 1MDB global scandal as one of the five issues of “atomic bomb proportion” afflicting Malaysia under Najib’s premiership.

It is not just Umno but the whole Malaysian nation which had been hit by the 1MDB scandal like being blasted by an atomic bomb, with the crowning ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy” as a result the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits to forfeit over US$1 billion assets in the US, UK and Switzerland as a result of US$3.5 billion criminal embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds.

But the catastrophic after-effects of the 1MDB scandal have not ended with the DOJ action as evident from a greater and further loss of national and international confidence in Malaysian governance, when there was no official proactive response to the DOJ complaint despite the mass of details about the criminal conduct and grand larceny of 1MDB-linked funds involving the highest authority in Malaysia, euphemistically referred to as “Malaysian Official 1”.

This is on top of the latest developments over the class action suit by ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's former political secretary, Matthias Chang and former PAS leader Husam Musa in the United States against individuals linked to 1MDB.

Against such a backdrop, three recent developments have made it clear that the storms from the “atomic bomb” explosion of the 1MDB scandal will not recede but will continue to haunt and hound Malaysia in the coming months and even years.

Firstly, the refusal of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to re-open investigations into 1MDB;

Secondly, the announcement by the Bank Negara governor Muhammad Ibrahim that there would be no re-opening of investigations against 1MDB despite the damning 136-page DOJ complaint; and

Thirdly, the statement by the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad that his main focus is to ensure a civil service which is clean of corruption, misappropriation and power abuse, completely avoiding what should be the greatest challenge of MACC - to purge and save Malaysia from the international ignominy of a global kleptocracy.

The time has come for every Malaysian to know the meaning of kleptocracy - defined as a rule by a thief or thieves.

Is this Malaysia’s new national destiny - to become a global kleptocracy?

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

Karpal’s driver freed of reckless endangerment charges

KAMPAR: C. Selvam, the late Karpal Singh’s driver, has been acquitted and discharged by a magistrate’s court here of reckless endangerment resulting in the death of the former DAP chairman two years ago.

In finding Selvam not guilty, magistrate Mohamad Ibrahim Mohamad Ghulam said the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the Indian national.

A total of 21 prosecution witnesses had testified during the course of the trial.

On July 9, 2014, Selvam claimed trial to a charge of reckless endangerment resulting in the death of Karpal and his aide – Indian national Michael Cornelius – when their vehicle collided with a lorry.

Selvam was said to have committed the offence while driving a vehicle with the registration number KS9898 at KM306.1 of the northbound lane of the North-South Expressway at about 12.40am on April 17 that year.

The offence under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act carries a maximum two-year jail and up to RM20,000 fine upon conviction.

When met outside the courtroom, 20-year-old Selvam told reporters he was extremely relieved that his problems were now over.

“I feel good. I’m very happy to be going home to see my family,” he said, breaking down in tears.

“I want to go home as soon as I can,” he added, before thanking his lawyer Baljit Singh, who had taken up the case pro bono, and Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan who had posted his bail and sheltered him over the past two years.

Selvam, however, kept mum when asked if he had any words for Karpal’s family.

If Najib can deliver, why need MIC?

Why is the MIC still on the political scene? It has miserably failed Indians in the decades following independence and there is no guarantee that the party is in position to deliver goods for the Indian community.

By P Ramasamy

Najib Tun Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, has learnt one thing while in office; that he cannot trust or depend on the MIC to deliver goods to the Malaysian Indians.

He might have been besieged by the controversy surrounding the 1MDB issue and the “unaccountable” money that went into his private accounts, but still he knows who can be trusted in the Barisan Nasional.

The MIC might be around for a long time, but the leadership of the party is in a complete disarray. It has lost its direction and the purpose of its existence.

The recent actions of Najib convey the idea that he does not trust the MIC leaders. This is the reason why, under him, funds meant for the Indian community are not given directly to the MIC or its leaders. Rather in the last few years or so, funds are allocated directly to the Indian NGOs through the Prime Minister’s department.

He knows very well that the MIC, given the intense infighting within, is unable to deliver goods to the Indian community. Whatever funds allocated to the Indian community via the MIC have not reached the target group – the poor and neglected Indians.

Yesterday, Najib, in his campaign speech in Kuala Kangsar, announced special allocations for the Indian community there.

He allocated: RM100,000 for the upgrading the upgrading of the wall of the SJKT Ghandi Memorial; granted 0.6 hectares of land for a playing field; RM750,000 to the local Indian Association for a new building; RM115,000 to repair the fences and pave the road to a crematorium; and urged the Perak state government to resolve the housing problem of 20 Indian families in Bukit Merchu.

Following this, he asked the Indian community to support the BN candidate for Kuala Kangsar in the coming by-elections.

If this is the attitude of senior Umno leaders towards the MIC, then what is the purpose of the MIC? The party has miserably failed Malaysian Indians in the decades following independence and there is no guarantee that the party is in a position to deliver goods for the Indian community.

Shouldn’t the MIC quit the political scene?

P Ramasamy is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang.

Noh Omar flays DAP for disrespecting Amanah

SG BESAR POLLS Putting up inflammatory billboards without Amanah's approval shows that DAP doesn't respect anyone, said Selangor BN chief Noh Omar.

"If there was no permission from Amanah, this shows that DAP never respected Amanah and will do as they please.

"Maybe DAP thinks PAS and Amanah are the same. DAP never respected PAS and now it's proven they don't respect Amanah," Noh told Malaysiakini after attending an event in Sungai Besar today.

He was commenting on the billboards bearing Amanah's logo that DAP had put up in Sekinchan yesterday, which attacked BN, PAS and Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos.

The billboards, which among others bore a quote by Jamal saying it was not wrong to say 'Cina babi' (Chinese pigs) caused a stir and was promptly taken down by the Election Commission.

Noh said besides disrespecting Amanah, the billboards clearly showed that DAP was a racist party.

"DAP wants to create provocation, and play racist sentiments in this by-election. "

Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua had defended the banners, saying these were issues they wanted to highlight.

Amanah communications chief Khalid Samad however said he has sorted it out with DAP, and that they would not put up any more provocative billboards.

Amamah is facing both BN and PAS in three-cornered fights for the Sungai Besar parliamentary seat, as well as in Kuala Kangsar.

Both constituencies will go to the polls on June 18.

Dr M to speak at DAP's 1MDB events at twin polls

The last time Dr Mahathir Mohamad hit the campaign trail was during the 2013 general election, where he, among others, went to Gelang Patah in Johor to urge voters to place DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang’s political career six feet under.

Much has changed since then.

Now, the former premier is set to make his first appearance in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections at DAP-organised events over the weekend.

Mahathir is slated to deliver the keynote address at a special colloquium on 1MDB and the multi-billion ringgit deposits in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's bank accounts.

Announcing this, DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua said the two-day event is titled: "Special Colloquium: 1MDB & Najib's Donation: The Straw that Breaks the Camel's Back?"

"In conjunction with the twin by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar, DAP is organising a special two-day colloquium to discuss the impact and implications of the RM55 billion 1MDB and Najib’s mysterious US$1 billion ‘donation’ scandals.

"Mahathir has kindly agreed to deliver the keynote opening address of the colloquium in both Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar,” he added in a media statement.

Lim would be closing both sessions.

Mahathir had said he is prepared to speak during the by-elections on the Citizens' Declaration platform if any party was willing to organise such an event.

To date, he has yet to make an appearance.

Pua said the event would be held at Dewan Restoran Hao Xiang Chi in Sungai Besar and Dewan Restoran Chun Ji in Kuala Kangsar concurrently beginning at 9.30am until 2pm on June 11 and 12.

He said the events would discuss whether the scandals were merely a storm in the teacup as claimed by Najib's supporters or would ultimately be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

"The by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar will also measure the people's endorsement of Najib's involvement in the 1MDB’s global financial scandal which has already brought down a 143-year-old Swiss BSI Bank," he said.

He said the speakers for Sungai Besar include Cynthia Gabriel, Abdul Aziz Bari, Dzulkefly Ahmad, P Gunasegaram, Zaid Ibrahim, Clare Rewcastle Brown (via skype) and Pua himself while the panellists in Kuala Kangsar include Ambiga Sreenevasan, Husam Musa, A Kadir Jasin, Maria Chin Abdullah, Nga Kor Ming and Khalid Samad.

The event would be conducted in both Malay and English.

Najib has denied abusing public funds for personal gain, and blamed such allegations on Mahathir and those in cahoots with the former premier to engineer his downfall.

‘Najib’s removal will have domino effect’

DAP national vice-chair M Kulasegaran, while canvassing signatures for the Citizens’ Declaration in Ipoh over the weekend, said it was incorrect to view the document as focused on the removal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak without emphasis on institutional reform.

Campaigning for signatories to the declaration in thoroughfares in the city, Kulasegaran said the drive to remove the PM for gross negligence in financial and political matters was not personality-focused but issue-driven.

“True, the document urges the removal of the PM but seeing it as a move to replace one bad leader with another from the same mould is oversimplification,” remarked the MP for Ipoh Barat.

“Najib’s removal will have a domino effect because those complicit in his misdeeds or in the cover-up will have to yield to popular pressure to go once the head honcho goes,” opined the lawyer-legislator.

Citing another instance which he said reflected an identical narrowness of outlook, Kulasegaran said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s criticism of DAP as having interfered in Islamic matters by its opposition to hudud is “tunnel-visioned”.

“He doesn’t stop to consider that the measure he proposes has grave implications for the principles and postulates enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he remarked.

“Our concern is with these implications. DAP legislators would remiss in their parliamentary duty if they did not take heed of them.

“For the top leader of a major political party to say that the DAP is interfering in Islam by opposing hudud is to mistake the forest for the trees,” asserted M Kula.

He said the DAP has to comment on Hadi’s Bill on hudud by way of pointing out what the thrust of the bill bodes for sacred tenets of civil society such as equality of citizens before the law, gender equality and avoidance of cruel and unjust punishments.

“That Hadi doesn’t seem to understand the implications of his bill for such principles and postulates of democratic and civil society is astonishing,” commented Kulasegaran.

He's a failed student, Mahathir shells Najib with DAP's rocket

Since launching his campaign against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been redrawing the political battlelines, recruiting troops from both sides of the divide.

He has now launched his latest salvo using DAP organ Roketkini.

In an exclusive interview with the online publication, the former premier is asked about his role as a mentor to Najib and whether the latter is employing lessons gleaned from him.

The disappointed master, however, disagreed.

"Many learned from me, not all followed (my teachings). But this one (student) failed. This one (Najib), his intentions are different," he said.

Mahathir also lashed out at Umno and complained about the scourge of corruption plaguing the nation.

The former Umno president, who quit the party in protest against Najib, claimed that division leaders are preventing those with calibre from joining.

"When he (the division leader) dies, who replaces him? Someone dumber than him. Umno (now) has shrunk into a party led by dimwits (orang bodoh) without principles," he said.

On the issue of corruption, Mahathir claimed that government servants are learning from politicians.

"... Because they see leaders taking billions, so how can he (the government servant) just take one or two million," he said.

In the interview, Mahathir also outlined the differences between Najib and him, lamenting how the late author Barry Wain had made him a victim for the sake of sensationalism in order to boost sales in the book 'Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times'.

"Najib has debts. I don't have debts. I did not allocate government funds for myself. When there was an allocation, it was in the hands of the civil servants. I was not involved in changing the money from here to there

"Najib is the principal in 1MDB. His signature is required for everything. He is the CEO in 1MDB despite calling himself the adviser," he said.

On another matter, Mahathir vowed to campaign in the upcoming Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

However, the 91-year-old former Kubang Pasu lawmaker clarified that he has no intention of contesting.

"I don't want to be the candidate. I am too old. Those who support the Citizens’ Declaration must back whoever is opposed to Najib," he said.

The prime minister has denied abusing public funds, blaming such allegations on Mahathir and those conspiring to topple him from power.

Leave King out of Zakir Naik controversy

The Teluk Bahang assemblyman who is demanding P Ramasamy apologise to the King for calling Zakir Naik "satan" is only engaging in a cheap publicity stunt to gain political mileage for himself.

I write in response to a news article titled “Apologise to King over Zakir Naik insult, Ramasamy told” published on May 18 by FMT.

It was reported that Teluk Bahang assemblyman, Shah Headan bin Ayoob Hussain Shah, in his motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, had demanded Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang, P Ramasamy, to apologise to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for calling Dr Zakir Naik “satan.”
Shah Headen was of the view that insulting a person who has received an award from the King is tantamount to insulting the King himself.

First of all, let there be no confusion that Ramasamy used the word “satan” as a figure of speech. Certainly, he was not testifying that Zakir is Satan.

The controversies surrounding Zakir are not unknown to the public. According to a news article published on Dec 10, 2012 by Hindustan Times, the globally renowned Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband in India, slammed the religious views of Zakir in a fatwa and at the same time urged Muslims there to ignore his teachings.

The same fatwa also states that Zakir is a “ghair muqallidin”, a term used to describe those whose teachings are not directly based on any one of the four accepted schools of Sunni Islamic thought.

Last year, Mangalore City Police issued a prohibitory order banning Zakir from entering the city in Karnataka, India due to his radical thoughts and disparaging remarks on other religions.

The president of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, MB Puranik, argued: ‘Dr. Naik has been making derogatory speeches by mocking Hindu gods. He has been speaking against Hindu religious practices including idol worship. Moreover, he has shown disrespect to an Indian patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram’ and called upon the Muslims in India not to sing it.”

If a person is ignored and not welcomed by the religious and legal authorities of his own country, then there is certainly no reason for that person to be invited into ours. It is for this very purpose that Ramasamy opposed Zakir’s public talks in Malaysia.

Now, whether or not Ramasamy has any right to insult Zakir is beside the point. The point is, however, by no stretch of the imagination can we conclude that calling Zakir “satan” is equal to having gone, in the words of Shah Headen, “against the spirit of the Federal Constitution and affected the credibility of the King.”

If the above is a possibility, then what about the shameless incident of doing butt-exercises in front of Ambiga Sreenevasan’s house? Is not that also an insult to the Perak royalty since Ambiga was conferred a datukship by the Sultan of Perak?

Ramasamy categorically said in his press release dated April 12 that his Facebook posting was not against Islam or Muslims in general but against Zakir specifically.

Before making frivolous demands and wild accusations, Shah Headen should have taken note of the facts that Ramasamy fought for the Muslims in the troubled Aceh in the early 2000s and further acted as an adviser during the signing of the Helsinki MoU between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement.

Consequently, Aceh was bestowed with a special territory status while Ramasamy’s contract as a professor of political science at UKM was sadly not renewed. He paid the price for advocating a noble cause.

Therefore, I see no reason for Ramasamy, with all due respect, to apologise to the King for what he said about Zakir.

On the contrary, I call upon Shah Headen to apologise to all Malaysians for using the King’s name to earn political mileage for himself through the use of cheap publicity stunts, like the one mentioned here.

Shamsher Singh Thind is legal adviser to P Ramasamy and publicity secretary to DAP Chai Leng Park Branch.

With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.

'IGP jumped the gun with posting probe order'

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar is accused of jumping the gun by instructing the Penang police to act on a Facebook posting attributed to Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, which says he has no fear of facing the Malays.

Ramasamy said the posting Khalid referred to was "doctored" by BN cybertroopers, and carried a challenge to the Malays to bring on the May 13.

"It is a malicious lie out to slander me. Whoever did it even spelt my name wrongly. Didn't the IGP notice that? This is the work of BN cybertroopers," he said.

"The IGP should investigate the matter first, to see if the posting really came from me, before instructing the Penang police chief (Abdul Rahim Hanafi) to come after me," Ramasamy (left) told Malaysiakini.

Today, the IGP tweeted a photo of the alleged Fcebook posting by Ramasamy, which says, "Saya tidak pernah gentar berdepan dengan orang Melayu. Sekiranya peristiwa berdarah itu berulang kembali pada hari ini. Kerana saya sudah lama bersedia. MIC, Gerakan dan MCA mungkin takut. Jika anda mahukan 13 Mei, anda bawa la sekarang...".

The posting was signed off as "R. Ramasami, Deputy Chief Minister II."

(Translation: I have never been afraid of confronting the Malays. If the bloody incident recurs today. Because I have long been prepared. MIC, Gerakan and MCA may be scared. If you want 13 May, bring it on, lah).

About 9am this morning, Khalid had tweeted "Kerap kali @PDRMsia ingatkan supaya hati2 keluarkan statement, masih ada yg degil. KP Pg sila jlnkan tugas..."

(Translation: The PDRM has constantly reminded people to be careful when making statements, there still are the stubborn. Penang police chief, please do your duty...).

May 13, 1969, was the worst racial riots the country has seen and both sides of the political divide have been reminding the nation not to encourage a repeat of the bloody incident.

Ramasamy said he was already investigated by the police last year about a tweet on May 13, but nothing came out of the case.

The statement then was a response to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who said it was possible May 13 would recur if there were no efforts to preserve racial harmony in the country.

"I am ready to be called in by the police, but please do your homework first before seeking me out," added Ramasamy, who is the assemblyperson for Perai.

Auditor-General’s assurance of professional audit of 1MDB most welcome although public confidence have not been helped by contradictory or uncharacteristic statements by MACC and Police

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

I welcome the promise by the Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang that his department will call up any individual necessary even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in completing an independent audit on strategic fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The Auditor-General’s assurance of professional audit of 1MDB and not to be swayed by extraneous considerations is most welcome, although public confidence that the various authorities would adopt a professional, accountable and responsible approach in the handling of the 1MDB scandal had not been helped by contradictory or uncharacteristic statements by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Police.

Suddenly, there seems to be a competition among the various departments to show courage and eagerness to investigate the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself – as not only Ambrin does not rule out such possibility, even the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar pointedly said that Najib would be one of the targets of investigation by a three-agency task force to probe the 1MDB scandal.

In fact, the IGP’s announcement has detracted the credibility of the Auditor-General’s statement that his department’s audit would not exclude an investigation into the Prime Minister, for who would believe the IGP’s claim when he had been guilty of kid-glove treatment to BN Ministers and leaders, letting off the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Datuk Ismail Sabri for the most racist and seditious incitement in calling on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businessmen and allowing the former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Mashitah Ibrahim to enjoy impunity and immunity for spouting heinous lies to incite religious hatred, conflict and tension in plural Malaysia.

In contrast, the IGP had shown neither mercy nor respect for Pakatan Rakyat leaders, and the treatment meted out to Selangor State Exco Member, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as if he is a common criminal is the most telling indictment of the IGP’s partisan bias and double-standards.

But there is another contradiction, as just a few hours before Khalid announced yesterday a three-agency task force comprising members of the police force, MACC and the Attorney-General’s Chambers to probe 1MDB, the MACC Chief Commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamad had declared that the MACC would wait for the Auditor-General’s report on 1MDB before starting its own probe.

One issue which deserves the Auditor-General’s immediate attention is the conflict-of-interest situation, not over the Auditor-General submitting its report to PAC, but from the Prime Minister also being the Chairperson of the 1MDB advisory board and Finance Minister.

As Auditor-General, Ambrin should focus and advise on whether the Prime Minister continues to be caught in a conflict-of-interest situation in doubling up as Chairman of the 1MDB advisory board and Finance Minister.

Kula lashes out after another custodial death

Is the government blind, incompetent or both, MP asks integrity minister Paul Low

FMT

GEORGE TOWN: Once again the Coroner Court has pinpointed to police negligence as the cause of a custodial death two years ago, prompting Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarian M Kula Segaran to mock the federal government’s pathetic apathy.

Yesterday the Coroner Court decided that police had committed an unlawful omission for their failure to send a detainee C Sugumar to hospital to treat his illness.

Coroner Rozi Bainun held that police were responsible for the death of Sugumar two years ago as he was then under their custody and handcuffed.

Sugumar 39, had been detained by police in a public area in Kajang, Selangor on January 23, 2013.

“Another shocking death which ought not to have happened,” said Kula on Sugumar’s death.

“Is the government blind or incompetent or both in police custodial deaths, Datuk Paul Low?” asked the elected representative, referring to Senator Paul Low Seng Kuan, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Kula said something was seriously wrong with police training when professionally trained personnel, supposed to be responsible to protect lives, could commit such inhumane behavior.

“A death is not just a statistic. Custodial deaths must not become the rule of the day,” said Kula, the DAP national vice-chairman and Ipoh Barat MP.

The verdict on Sugumar case followed another court ruling on Jan 16 this year in the death of a lorry driver, Chandran Perumal, in custody,

The Coroner’s Court ruled that the death of lorry driver Chandran Perumal in a police lock-up two years ago was due to police negligence.

In June 2013, Paul Low, who is charge of integrity and corruption, assured that the federal government was determined to stop all future tragedies behind bars. “Do not think they are blind to what is out there. It is just that the process of government needs to find a solution to stop this,” he said.

Kula dismissed Low’s assertions. “So what has happened after Paul’s assurance? More custodial deaths!” Kula said, reiterating his call on setting up an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, as recommended by a royal commission in 2005 headed by former Chief Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah.

The Dzaiddin Report had made 125 recommendations with the independent police complaints and misconduct commission as the core proposal.

Apart from Chandran and Sugumar, other victims of custodial deaths over the years were Suresh Kunasekaran, Samiyati Indrayani Zulkarnain Putra, A Kugan, M Krishnan and K Sivam.

Najib's lawsuit won't silence me on 1MDB

MP SPEAKS I will not be shackled by the defamation suit brought by Prime Minister Najib Razak because I am supported by millions of Malaysians out there who demand good governance, transparency and accountability from the Prime Minister and his Government

My lawyer, Gobind Singh who is also the MP for Puchong, has received the writ served by Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s lawyers at 4.30pm yesterday evening.

The suit by the prime minister accused me of having defamed him in my speech at a DAP Petaling Jaya Fund-Raising Dinner on November 3, 2014 where I spoke extensively on the “mother of the mother of the mother of all scandals”, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

This suit is the first defamation suit ever brought by a prime minister against a member of parliament in Malaysia.

It appears that the timing of the suit is coming at a time when 1MDB is facing a massive crisis on all fronts - the inability to service its massive RM42 billion debt, and mounting exposés on fraudulent transactions and even possibly embezzlement billions of ringgit of 1MDB funds.

Hence the suit could have been filed as a strategy to silence me and other government’s critics.

However, I would like to inform the prime minister that if that was the plan, he has failed miserably.

Resolve strengthened

Instead, the suit only strengthened my motivation to pursue, investigate and expose more corruption, abuse of power and incompetence in 1MDB as well as other government activities, knowing that I am on the right track.

I will certainly not be shackled by the suit because I know I am supported by millions of Malaysians who are equally astounded by the sheer audacity of the 1MDB scam.

Like me, they demand good governance, transparency and accountability from the prime minister and his government.

I would like to declare here that I will contest the suit by the prime minister. At the same time, I would like to express my gratitude to the many lawyers who have contacted me to offer their services pro bono.

---

TONY PUA is Petaling Jaya Utara MP.

Why police presence at EC public hearing, asks DAP

Sarawak DAP has accused the Election Commission (EC) of breaking its rigid “closed door” rule in the public objections to its proposed redrawing of the electoral boundary in Miri with the presence of four police personnel, believed to be from the Special Branch Unit.

DAP Senadin branch chairperson, Eunice Lim questioned why the cops were allowed to take part but barred the public and media from the series of hearings in Kuching and other major towns in the state.

“Why were the SB officers allowed inside the hearing?” she asked.

“Their presence create a sort of fear to those who were making their presentation,” Lim said, referring to an incident last Thursday.

“I did not realise their presence when I was making my presentation,” she said.

“We only came to know about it when my colleague (Piasau assemblyman Alan Ling) spotted the officers sitting with the EC officers before making his own presentation.”

Lim said when Ling asked the EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof on the matter, he appeared, "from his body language, to be quite surprised".

She claimed that what was more surprising was when the EC chairman replied: "What's wrong with that?”, implying that the four were indeed police officers.

Ling then posted the matter on his Facebook page and further stated that with the police presence, the EC should also allowed the public to listen to the inquiry.

“So my question now is, what is wrong with allowing the public to come in and hear the inquiry?

“Is this a form of intimidation towards the presenters? The whole proceeding is not friendly at all," he said.

Meanwhile, following this incident, Lim said her elected colleagues to Parliament and the state legislative assembly would raise the matter in the two legislatures for answers.

The Parliament convenes next week while the state legislature is expected to sit in May. – March 7, 2015.

Will cabinet discuss elephants in the room?

Will today’s weekly cabinet meeting address burning national issues or will it again skirt around them, asks veteran opposition lawmaker Lim Kit Siang.

Lim pointed out that a number of issues have been dominating public discussions over the past week. They include:

1. 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) RM42 billion scandal;

2. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's family wealth; and

3. National and international criticisms of judicial independence in Malaysia.

“Can Malaysians expect the prime minister or some minister to inform them later in the day of what the cabinet has decided on these three dominant issues of the day?

“Or whether the cabinet had cowardly and irresponsibly steered completely clear of all these three issues in their cabinet meeting?” he asked in a statement today.

The Gelang Patah MP brought up the need for the cabinet to “take the bull by its horns” in handling the 1MDB mega-scandal exposes and urged all BN component parties to be responsible and not just “pass the buck” to Najib.

A full scale inquiry is needed

He once again illustrated the need for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) headed by former law minister Mohd Zaid Ibrahim, or to give support for a full-scale Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into the scandal.

“Will the cabinet end its traditional three monkeys stance of “eyes that see not, ears that hear not and mouths that speak not” on the 1MDB scandal for the past six years?” Lim, who is also DAP parliamentary leader, asked again.

The debt-laden outfit reportedly settled an RM2 billion debt due to several banks  last week, under suspicious circumstances.

As for the issue on Najib's family wealth, Lim asked whether ministers at today’s cabinet meeting would have the gall to ask Najib to “come clean” with the cabinet.

“Will any minister in the meeting today dare to ask the prime minister to come clean with the cabinet about his family’s wealth as well as what the PMO meant by  its statement on ‘...the alleged contents of any safes...’?

“How many such ‘safes’, are there? In which country and what are in these ‘safes’,” he asked.

An extensive report by the New York Times published on Feb 8 highlighted Najib's family wealth.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) responded with a statement saying: “Neither any money spent on travel, nor any jewellery purchases, nor the alleged contents of any safes are unusual for a person of the prime minister’s position, responsibilities and legacy family assets."

Lim pointed to several issues that have taken place since last year that have brought the country into international spotlight, albeit negatively.

These range from the incarceration of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to the conviction and death sentence delivered on former police commandos Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

With all these events, the question now lies as to whether "there is truly an independent judiciary" and a just rule of law in Malaysia, Lim added.
 

Kula tells Umno to stay away from MIC

MIC will never regain respect among Indians with an Umno-appointed puppet President and constant interference.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, coming to the defence of MIC, reminded Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in particular that since the party claims to represent the Indian community, it should be allowed to resolve its internal problems in any manner it sees fit. Otherwise, he warned, it would never have the respect of the Indians it’s trying to woo.

He was commenting on Muhyiddin’s unusually tough language when taking issue with the MIC referring its differences with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to Court by way of a Judicial Review.

Muhyiddin, in a veiled threat, warned MIC that it has only itself to blame if it gets into deeper trouble. He did not elaborate.

“Since Muhyiddin has said that Barisan Nasional will only advice, there is no reason for him to be upset and angry if his or BN’s advice is not accepted. Otherwise, that is not advice anymore,” said Kula. “Muhyiddin has to realize and accept the fact that the MIC leaders and members have the right to resolve their own problems the way they see fit.”

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received bouquets and brickbats at the same time from Kula for casting doubts on the MIC’s ability to help the Indian community when “it’s unable to solve its own problems”.

“Zahid was right. He must also realize at the same time that MIC can’t champion the Indian community with Umno interfering in the internal affairs of the party and giving it so-called advice,” said Kula. “Umno must not be seen as trying to rescue MIC.”

Kula cited a recent example of Umno’s interference in MIC.

The Ipoh Barat MP, referring to a statement by MIC vice-president M. Saravanan, expressed shock that current MIC president G. Palanivel was in fact the choice of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and not party members.

“So the truth is out. MIC has a puppet President who is the weakest among all its former Presidents,” said Kula.

“I also wish to remind MIC that decades of the BN government’s failed and unfair policies have resulted in the Indian community being marginalized.”

Tun Arifin Zakaria is duty-bound as Chairman of JAC to satisfactory account for the by-passing of promotion to Federal Court of the country’s most respected serving judge, Justice Hishammdin

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

The Chief Justice, Tun Arifin Zakaria is duty bound as Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to satisfactorily account for the by-passing of promotion to the Federal Court of the country’s most respected serving judge, Justice Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus.

Arifin had previously tried to shirk from his duty of national accountability when he was asked in September 2013 why Justice Hishammuddin was by-passed from promotion to the Federal Court in the batch of judicial elevations at the time, claiming that the elevation of judges was made without the influence of anyone and that it was at the prerogative of the Yang di Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Arifin is right that the elevation of judges is not 100 per cent the prerogative of the JAC, but it is beneath the dignity of the Chief Justice to hum and haw claiming that it is unfair for the media or anyone to question the fate of any particular judge.

It has been reported that Justice Hishammuddin’s name was omitted from the promotion list in 2013 as a result of a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office, after the recommendation of his elevation to the Federal Court had passed through the JAC.
Justice Hishamudin’s name was missing again on the promotions list released on Feb. 16 this year, this time by-passed in favour of Justice Zaharah Ibrahim.

This is the era of accountability, transparency, open government with the Prime Minister’s much-flaunted National Transformation Programme.

The black-listing and by-passing of Justice Hishamuddin from elevation to the Federal Court is the best proof that the JAC had acted arbitrarily to sideline independent judges of unquestioned integrity who are fully committed to uphold the law and the Constitution instead acceding to pressures from various quarters.

Malaysians still remember the horrors in the appointment of judges revealed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Tape Scandal, and the still unresolved issues from the RCI Report.

Arifin should not be satisfied with low fruits and standards saying that there is now more transparency in judicial appointments since the formation of the JAC compared with appointments done before 2009.

Malaysians do not just want a system better than the horror-days of the Lingam Videotape Scandal, but a judicial appointment system comparable to the best in the world which can bear public scrutiny and criticism, like the present case for the by-passing of Justice Hishammuddin not only twice from elevation to the Federal Court, but also for the earlier injustices suffered by him when he was overlooked for promotion to the Court of Appeal and was stuck as a High Court judge for 14 years.

Was Justice Hishammuddin being punished for life in the judicial service as being too independent-minded and for his series of landmark judgements, which shows his respect for the law and constitution?

It would be difficult to find another judge who could command as much respect from the Bar for his integrity, independence and respect for the law and Constitution.

If the lawyers have a say, Justice Hishammuddin would have been the favourite choice to be the Chief Justice of the land leading Malaysia to a golden age of new international respect and acclaim for a truly independent judiciary and a just rule of law instead of languishing for 14 years as a High Court and compulsorily retiring in September this year from the Court of Appeal.

If the Chief Justice is unable to give any or satisfactory explanation on behalf of the JAC for the by-passing of promotion of Justice Hishammuddin to the Federal Court, the Bar and lawyer should demand their voices should be heard loud and clear.

Surely Malaysia doe not need another Royal Commission of Inquiry into another judicial scandal before standards of judicial ethics and appointments are raised?

Let MCA and Gerakan Presidents explain whether MCA and Gerakan had agreed to Kelantan UMNO Assemblymen supporting PAS’s hudud legislation in Kelantan State Assembly next month as part of the UMNO strategy to break up Pakatan Rakyat?

By Lim Kit Siang blog,

The MCA President, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and the Gerakan President, Datuk Mak Siew Keong should explain whether MCA and Gerakan had agreed to Kelantan UMNO State Assemblymen supporting PAS’ hudud legislation for implementation in the Kelantan State Assembly next month as part of the UMNO strategy to break up Pakatan Rakyat?

Suspicion of such an agreement has been caused by three developments:

• firstly, the sudden increase in the number of speeches and statements by all levels of MCA and Gerakan leaders on this issue in the past few days;
• secondly, the sudden two-hour meeting of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council last Friday night within 24 hours of the death of Tok Guru Nik Aziz on the night of Thursday, 12th February, necessitating the holding of a by-election in the Chempaka state constituency; and
• thirdly a statement by a UMNO Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Deputy Umno Youth leader Razali Ismail on Tuesday, 17th February that “despite the death of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, UMNO will continue to support the Islamic party on the implementation of hudud in Kelantan”.

So is the stage set for a “big drama” from the Barisan Nasional component parties for next month’s Kelantan State Assembly, with Kelantan UMNO State Assemblmen voting in support of hudud implementation in Kelantan but ignored by MCA and Gerakan leaders and publicists who will concentrate on their attacks on the DAP and PKR for “selling out the rights of the non-Muslims in Malaysia” because of PAS Kelantan State Assemblymen and women voting for implementation of hudud in Kelantan?

In the uproar and din of multi-party attacks and counter-attacks, accusations and counter-accusations, the inability of the Kelantan State Assembly to implement hudud unless Parliament authorizes it will be temporarily forgotten.

In the Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council meeting on 8th February 2015, it was unanimously agreed by PKR, DAP and PAS leaders, led by PKR Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng that as hudud and local government issues were outside the PR Common Policy Framework, the two issues would be specifically discussed at the following PR Leadership Council meeting and that no further steps would be taken to pursue these two issue in the meanwhile – which meant that any intention whether to propose an amendment to the hudud enactment in the Kelantan State Assembly or a private member’s bill in Parliament should first be brought to the PR Leadership Council for discussion and decision. This also applies to any proposal to follow-up on local government elections.

I have consistently taken the position that it is the paramount duty and challenge of every PR leader to jointly save PR by adopting an Eight-Year PR Roadmap to reaffirm the secret recipe of the PR success in the 2008 and 2013 general elections, namely adherence to the PR Common Policy Framework which binds all three parties and the operational principle of consensus requiring the consent of all three parties before any policy, issue or decision could be made or changed.

Nik Aziz will be missed greatly, especially with the revived campaign orchestrated by UMNO strategists for a “unity government” between UMNO and PAS reaching a new crescendo.

If Nik Aziz is still alive, there would be no possibility even for a revival of the “unity government” conspiracy, for he was the bulwark in PAS in opposition to it.

Now, it would appear that MCA and Gerakan top leaders have also bought into the “unity government” proposal of the UMNO strategists to break up Pakatan Rakyat, as they ware persuaded that with Nik Aziz’s death, this is the best gambit to break up Pakatan Rakyat – a two-prong attack with Umno staying out of Chempaka by-election and Kelantan UMNO State Assemblymen giving support to Kelantan PAS proposal in the Kelantan State Assembly next month for hudud implementation.

MCA President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and MCA Datuk Mah Siew Keong should declare their party’s stand on both these issues as noises by their subordinate officials carry no weight whatsoever.

The UMNO leadership has yet to give a commitment to support a PAS private member’s bill in Parliament but it has given a commitment that its PAS Kelantan State Assembly persons would support PAS proposal in Kelantan State Assembly for hudud implementation.

Why is MCA and Gerakan supporting UMNO and UMNO Kelantan State Assemblymen endorsing hudud implementation in Kelantan?

Call on all Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including PAS President Hadi Awang, to focus single-mindedly on how to save Pakatan Rakyat and discourage efforts and elements within our ranks who are prepared to destabilize and even destroy PR

By Lim Kit Siang Blog,

In my Chinese New Year Message on 17th February, I had said that many issues will jostle as the top Malaysian concerns and conversational topics during the Chinese New Year.

This is the third day of the Chinese New Year, and I confess that I had expected Anwar’s conviction and five-year jail sentence for Sodomy II by the Federal Court and his fourth incarceration in his 47-year political struggle as the No. 1 conversation topic of all Malaysians in the Chinese New Year.

I was however wrong, for another issue caught up and gained an edge over Anwar’s conviction and 5-year jail sentence to compete for the No. 1 Chinese New Year top conversation topic – another Federal Court decision concerning a nine-year-matter, the heinous murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and the blowing up of her body with military C4 explosives in the Shah Alam bushes on Oct. 19, 2006.

On the day I issued my Chinese New Year Message on 17th February, Sirul Azhar, one of the two convicted murderers of Altantunya who had absconded and is seeking asylum in Australia, told Malaysiakini that he was mulling over the possibility of “telling all” about the Altantuya murder as he was only acting “under orders”.

The fast-paced five-day developments of the Altantuya murder case from the Sirul perspective, threatening to reveal “all” in a video conference from Australia tomorrow (Monday) morning, catapulted the issue into a greater cause celebre during the Chinese New Year family re-unions, get-togethers, discussions and coffee-shop talks than the Anwar case – although both these cases were unchallenged as the two top-most first and second conversation topics in the Chinese New Year.

These two high-profile cases highlighted a common defect in our system of governance – a deep rot in the leadership of the 130,000 strong police establishment to allowing the men and women in blue to act efficiently, independent and professionally to uphold what is right and lawful rather to be subverted to glorify “might is right”’ and the shocking lack of commitment and quality of performance by the political leadership and public service to provide good governance.

I am thoroughly shocked and outraged at the failure of our system of administration of justice in both these high-profile cases in keeping with the maxim to ensure that “justice is not only done, but seen to be done”.

There were several burning issues which qualify to be described as the concerns and top conversation topics of all Malaysians on the occasion of the Chinese New Year of the Goat in the past few days, and among those competing for the second tier level of the Chinese New Year concerns and top conversation topics are:

3. Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri’s racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses and the impotence and lack of political will and commitment to 1Malaysia by the Najib premiership to resolve the issue in a satisfactory and acceptable manner despite the passage of some three weeks.
4. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s intensification of his campaign to topple Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister of Malaysia and UMNO President. People are speculating whether Najib could survive as PM till the end of the year, or even by mid-year or even earlier.
5. The massive 1MDB Scandal;
6. The continued educational, economic and environmental decline in the country and the unchecked deterioration of all the indices of good governance, threatening to end up with Malaysia as a basket case joining the ranks of the “failed states”.
7. Rearing of the ugly heads of extremism, bigotry and intolerance in the public domain, with the voices of moderation remaining muted and silent, resulting in the country seeing the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history.
8. Unchecked corruption, greed and abuses of power in top decision-making circles.
9. The far-reaching consequences of the implementation of GST from April 1.

There were other ongoing developments and issues competing for attention as the top Chinese New Year concerns and conversation topics, including:

1. The fate of Pakatan Rakyat, with Anwar back in jail and the death of Tok Guru Nik Aziz, whether PR component parties could take stock, regroup and reunify to “return to the basics” to be guided by the two fundamental principles of PR Common Policy Framework and consensus operational principle which had brought success to PR in the 12th and 13th General Elections, or whether PR would explode and disintegrate.

2. The escalation of crackdown on human rights and fundamental liberties as witnessed by the arrest of human rights lawyer, Eric Paulsen, cartoonists Zunar, social activist Lawrence Jayaraj, student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim, DAP Penang Exco and Wanita DAP chief Chong Eng, PSM Secretary-General S. Arutchelvan and impending arrest of DAP for Taiping, Nga Kor Ming.

It is most outrageous and scandalous that the Malaysian police showed neither respect nor sensitivity whatsoever when three cops appeared at Perak Pakatan Rakyat Chinese New Year Open House in Ipoh this morning to publicly serve Nga with the official notice to show up at Bukit Aman police headquarters tomorrow at 11.30 am to have his statement recorded with regard to a sedition probe against him.

Why such high-handedness, selectivity of treatment and even harassment of PR leaders when police want to conduct investigations as compared to the servile and submissive police attitude when faced with UMNO Ministers, a former Deputy Minister and activists who were accused of making racial and religious hate statements or speeches?

The UMNO/Barisan Nasional would be sorely mistaken if the think they could cow and subdue patriotic critics and dissenters with such boorish and insensitive attitudes.

Clearly, the country needs a change but the past 18 months after the 13th General Elections have exposed one stark reality – that such change is not possible under the present Umno/BN government, whether Najib or anyone else.
In fact, we have one of the weakest Prime Ministers in the nation’s history, as Datuk Seri Najib is even weaker than his predecessor, Tun Abdullah Badawi. But he is a powerful UMNO President who is not easy to be dislodged or removed inside UMNO. And if Najib can continue as UMNO President, he position as the sixth Prime Minister is safe.

Najib has lost the sense of national direction, as exemplified by the fact that he now hardly talked or promoted his three key official programmes – the 1Malaysia Policy, the National Transformation Programme founded on a New Economic Model (NEM) and his initiative of a Global Movement of Moderates.

This is why there is even greater hope among Malaysians that the Pakatan Rakyat would be vehicle for national change among Malaysians of all races, and that the 14th General Elections would provide such an opportunity after it was stolen away in the 13th General Elections because of undemocratic electoral constituency delineation despite the Pakatan Rakyat winning a majority of 52% of the national vote.

However, the Pakatan Rakyat is facing the greatest crisis in its seven-year history, which has been aggravated by the imprisonment of Anwar Ibrahim and the death of Tok Guru Nik Aziz.

Can the Pakatan Rakyat ride through the crisis and emerge even stronger than ever or would it disintegrate and die?

This a question awaiting answer not only by Pakatan Rakyat leaders but supporters as well.

I want to appeal to all Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including Pas President, Datuk Seri Ahmad Hadi Awang, to focus single-mindedly on how to save Pakatan Rakyat and discourage efforts and elements within our ranks who are prepared to destabilize and even destroy PR.

The latest political developments and the death of Nik Aziz has revived the UG (Unity Government) idea of certain UMNO strategists out to divide and destroy PR and it is most likely that UMNO will not contest the Chempaka by-election in the Kelantan State Assembly arising from the death of Nik Aziz.

In today Mingguan Malaysia, UMNO’s mouth piece, former Chief Justice, Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad said PAS and Umno must unite to save Barisan Nasional (BN) should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win the 14th general election, making the baseless and wild allegation that the DAP will destroy the rights of the Malays and Islam’s special position if it gained power.

It is most irresponsible for UMNO quarters to stir up and indoctrinate Malays particularly in the rural areas with racist smears and racialist outrages in the rural areas, where there is adequate access to internet and which is one reason why they are so vulnerable to such false and base attacks.

Who will be the next Opposition Leader? It is premature to talk about it now, as under the Constitution, Anwar is still MP for Permatang Pauh and Parliamentary Opposition Leader.

However, if there is need for a new Opposition leader, I believe there is no shortage of talents from three PR parties to helm this position.

In DAP, there is Lim Guan Eng Penang Chief Minister and the coterie of young but tested DAP leaders; in PKR there are Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Datuk Azmin Ali, Nuruk Izzah; and in PAS there is Hadi Awang and new generation of PAS leaders.

The paramount task is for every PR leader to jointly save PR by adopting an Eight-Year Roadmap reaffirming the secret recipe of the PR success in the 2008 and 2013 general elections, namely adherence to the PR Common Policy Framework which binds all three parties and the operational principle of consensus requiring the consent of all three parties before any policy or issue could represent that of PR.

There have been dissenting voices, like those who said that the immediate implementation of hudud cannot be compromised and must be effected.

This is why PR will miss Nik Aziz greatly. Firstly, it was because of his staunch opposition to UG idea that the concept did not get very far.

Secondly, Nik Aziz will be able the see the Big Picture on the need to endorse the eight-year PR Roadmap to ensure the survival, success and victory of PR in the 14th General Election.

Nobody doubts that Nik Aziz would himself want to see the immediate implementation of hudud, but he is realistic enough to know that it was not part of the PR Common Policy Framework and that any insistence without arriving at a PR consensus to implement it would lead to the disintegration of PR.

Nik Aziz would have understood the arguments that the implementation of hudud is not a top priority issue as compared to ensuring the survival and success of PR, the defeat of Umno/BN and in capturing Putrajaya Federal Government in the 14th GE to immediately implement policies which will restore freedom, justice, human dignity and good governance in Malaysia.

Nik Aziz had given great support to the formation and sustenance of PR, although hudud is not part of the PR Common Policy Framework.

This is why I cannot buy the argument that it will be going against Islamic principles if hudud is not implemented, for it would mean that Nik Aziz and all Pas leaders and members had betrayed Islamic principles for six years from the 12th to 13th General Elections when the issue of the implementation of hudud was not presented as one of the core principles of PR in the 13th General Elections.

I earnest hope that the PR leaders can single-mindedly work on a formula to save Pakatan Rakyat, which will at the same time save the country as well as save Anwar from five-year incarceration followed by another five years of disenfranchisement of his civil and citizenship rights to stand for elective office and even to cast his vote.

Let us do what we can to achieve three Ss – Save Pakatan Rakyat, Save Malaysia and Save Anwar!

Speech at the Penang DAP Chinese New Year Open House held at Penang Chinese Town Hall on Sunday, 22nd February 2015 at 8.30 pm

The 'feet of clay' of decision-makers exposed

MP SPEAKS Sirul Azhar Umar is showing to the whole world the “feet of clay” of our inspector-general of police, the attorney-general, the judiciary and our prime minister in their mishandling of the 2006 Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case.

In his first telephone interview with Malaysiakini on Tuesday, Feb 17, Sirul said: "I was under orders. The important people with motive are still free.

"It is not like I do not love the police (force) or the country, but I acted under orders."

But this is exactly what Sirul has done, for in one swoop he exposed the “feet of clay” of the pillars of our country, Inspector-General of  Police Khalid Abdu Bakar, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, the judiciary and Prime Minister Najiob Abdul Razak.

Many Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including the DAP MP for Bukit Gelugor Ramkarpal Singh, who is also lawyer for the family of the murdered Mongolian woman, have called on IGP Khalid to initiate fresh investigations into the Altantuya’s murder after Sirul claimed that he was ordered to kill her.

However, Khalid is obstinate that  the police will not re-investigate Altantuya’s murder, even though new allegations have surfaced, on the ground that Sirul had not divulged information that merits renewed scrutiny into the case.

Khalid had been heading the federal police force since May 2013, and was Deputy IGP from April 2011.

Is Khalid saying, ‘I never knew’?

Is Khalid seriously suggesting that he had never known that Sirul’s first police statement, on Nov 19, 2006,  after his arrest for the murder of Altantuya, was to confess that he was acting under orders and was offered money to kill Altantuya and destroy all evidence by blowing up her body with military explosives?

If Khalid really did not know about the existence of Sirul’s police statement of Nov 19, 2006, it raises a serious question about his fitness to continue as  the No 1 Policeman in the country.

In the circumstances, what Sirul said in Australia is merely a re-statement of what he told the police in November 2006, not only that he and  Azilah Hadri had murdered Altantuya, but that they were acting under orders and had been offered money for the killing.

So, why didn’t the police act on Sirul’s statement to the police in November 2006?

With Sirul reaffirming what he had then told the police, isn’t this sufficient evidence for the police to re-open investigations as to the mastermind and the motive for the murder of the Mongolian translator?

While the Federal Court’s conviction of Sirul and Azilah is not disputed, why had the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Federal Court judges failed to raise the question that both Sirul and Azilah had no motive to murder Altantuya, and that the police should continue investigations to bring to book the “mastermind” who had the motive to order Sirul and Azilah to murder Altantuya?

Prime Minister Najib had made the same mistake committed by his one-time confidante, Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted of abetting in the murder of Altantuya, when Razak blabbered at the end of last month about the motive of Altantuya’s killing, saying: “Only the two policemen know. Rogue police do kill people, like in so many remand cases.”

Was Sirul a “rogue policeman” on his own accord or was Sirul a “rogue policemen” under orders?

I am surprised that the IGP, who is supposed to defend the image and integrity of the 130,000-strong police force, was so meek and ineffectual when his men and women in blue were maligned by Razak Baginda’s aspersions.

This is because all Malaysians, as well as the entire police force, had expected a more forceful response from Khalid to Razak’s insinuation that all cases of custodial deaths were due to “rogue policemen”.

The outburst by Najib at the MCA Chinese New Year open house yesterday. that it was “utter rubbish” and “total rubbish” for Sirul to claim that he had acted under orders to murder Altantunya, was really very rash and imprudent, as his cry can be seen as self-incriminating as well.

Najib’s outbursts are still ricocheting throughout  the country, for everyone is asking as to how Najib could know that Sirul’s claim was “utter rubbish” and “total rubbish”!

Is Najib prepared to explain what he meant by his outbursts?

It is a very painful and shameful affair for Malaysians to see the pillars of our country, IGP Khalid, AG Gani, the judiciary and the prime pinister exposing their feet of clay to the world as a result of Sirul’s statement in Australia.

When will this chapter of shame for Malaysia end?

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LIM KIT SIANG is DAP Parliamentary Leader and the party’s MP for Gelang Patah.