Buat rumah elok...tiang perlu kuat

Bagi Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, apabila beliau melakukan reformasi dua institusi penting dalam negara iaitu pencegahan rasuah serta institusi kehakiman, niatnya jelas.

Kata Perdana Menteri, “Buat rumah elok, tiang mesti kuat”.

Tidak sukar mentafsir maksud kata-katanya itu. Ringkasnya, beliau mahu Malaysia mempunyai undang-undang yang boleh memberi keyakinan dan keselesaan kepada rakyat, pelabur mahupun peniaga pada masa depan.

Ini juga bagi membetulkan persepsi kononnya bidang pencegahan rasuah dan kehakiman di negara ini kurang berwibawa.

Sebab itu, Abdullah membentangkan Rang Undang-Undang Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) 2008 dan Rang Undang-Undang Suruhanjaya Perlantikan Kehakiman (SPK) 2008 pada sidang Parlimen ini.

Beliau berkata, usaha untuk menambahbaik dua institusi berkenaan melalui perubahan undang-undang dua badan itu adalah janji kerajaan pada pilihan raya umum 2004.

Namun, bukan semua perkara baik diterima dengan mudah. Rang undang-undang SPRM dibahaskan selama dua hari sebelum diluluskan.

Ketika barisan pembangkang mempersoalkan masalah teknikal pelaksanaannya, ada pula cerita-certia dikalangan pemimpin Barisan Nasional (BN),kononnya Abdullah ada muslihat tertentu dengan pembentangan undang-undang itu sebelum peralihan kuasa Mac depan.

Bagaimanapun, Perdana Menteri dalam pertemuannya dengan Agendadaily di rumahnya di Jalan Bellamy ,Kuala Lumpur Selasa, menolak cakap-cakap bahawa undang-undang baru yang akan berkuat kuasa awal tahun depan diasaskan dalam tempoh tiga bulan sebelum melepaskan jawatan, mempunyai tujuan tertentu.

Dalam pertemuan itu, Abdullah lebih mempersoalkan sikap ahli parlimen pembangkang yang membuang masa ketika membahaskan rang itu dengan bercakap perkara-perkara lama.

“Pembangkang buang masa, mereka patut cakap terus apa yang setuju;;;tak setuju dengan rang undang-undang ini. Bagi tau pindaan, sokong atau tidak. Bukan bercakap benda-benda lama berulang kali,” ujar beliau.

Beliau melihat, perbahasan itu banyak menimbulkan perkara yang negatif.

“Kalau anggap rasuah tak baik, sokonglah SPRM kenapa nak cakap orang tu korup, orang ni salah guna kuasa,” katanya.

.

Abdullah menjelaskan, reformasi ini adalah bentuk modal insan melalui pendekatan Islam Hadhari bagi lahirkan manusia bermoral dan berilmu.

Beliau menjelaskan, SPRM ini merupakan value add pada undang-undang atau peraturan sedia ada.

“Macam ini, baru boleh maju. Macam orang bisnes, kena tambah nilai, baru ada peningkatan dan kejayaan,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri memberi gambaran pembangunan yang perlu ada keseimbangan dengan tidak tertumpu di bandar sahaja tetapi infrastruktur luar bandar perlu ditambah bagi meningkatkan kualiti hidup rakyat.

“Ini sebahagian besar (masalah) dalam pembangunan negara. Macam-macam persepsi rakyat terhadap polis, hakim dan penguatkuasa di negara ini. Buat rumah elok, tiang perlu kuat,” ujar beliau.

Katanya, inilah kekuatan dan integriti dalam pelaksanaan pencegahan rasuah serta kehakiman supaya beri keyakinan kepada rakyat.

“Kita kena fahami apa yang tersirat, bukan yang tersurat sahaja,” tegasnya.

Menurut beliau, ianya juga dapat memperlihatkan kepimpinan kerajaan dan Melayu yang adil kerana kewajipan orang Islam adalah menghakimi secara adil dan ini tidak terhad kepada orang Islam sahaja.

Abdullah turut menekan betapa perlu mengubah minda supaya tidak lagi melihat rasuah hanya di sektor awam sahaja sebaliknya usaha melawan rasuah perlu memasuki sektor swasta.

Katanya, penyakit dalam jiwa serta persepsi terhadap masalah ini mesti dihilangkan.

Beliau mengakui punca dakwaan rasuah di negara ini serius disebabkan ada pihak mudah mencipta persepsi sedemikian.

“Masalahnya, kita mudah cipta persepsi…tuduh kerajaan, pemimpin dan menteri korup.

Ini semua pemikiran negatif – macam-macam bermain dalam kepala,” jelasnya.

Baginya, akta pencegahan rasuah 2008 bukankah sesuatu yang perfect.tetapi Ketua Pembangkang yang juga bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dalam perbahasannya mengakui apa yang ada kini lebih elok daripada akta BPR 1997.

Bagaimanapun, Abdullah tidak hairan jika pembangkang sentiasa menolak cadangan-cadangan atau idea dikemukakan kerajaan kerana pemikiran mereka memang begitu.

“Mereka dok fikir PM macam-macam, PM rasuah, PM salah guna kuasa dan macam-macam lagi..Kenapa tidak fikir yang positif…PM boleh buat kerja lagi,” kata beliau,

Perdana Menteri berkata, sikap dan pemikiran pembangkang hari ini tidak sehebat seperti ketika Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye dan Tan Sri Tan Chee Koon menjadi pemimpinnya.

Mengenai Suruhanjaya Perlantikan Hakim, Abdullah berkata, isu utamanya hanyalah soal pelantikan, bukannya siapa bakal dilantik.

“Kita cadangan kaedah pemilihan yang ada ketelusan…sama ada terima atau tidak, itu kuasa prerogatif atau hak muthlak PM…dan tak akan korbankan prerogatf PM dengan pelantikan hakim yang tidak layak” jelasnya.

“ Dulu (akta) 1997..kini kita tambah nilai atau penambahbaikan.. jangan sikap buruk sangka dengan halang apa jua rancangan kerajaan. Jangan kita terperangkap dalam pemikiran negatif pada kerajaan,” pinta beliau.

Perdana Menteri yakin kedua-dua suruhanjaya itu apabila dilaksanakan kelak akan membawa perubahan dalam bidang berkenaan,

Persidangan Dewan Rakyat, petang Selasa meluluskan rang undang-undang itu dengan pindaan kecil pada Fasal 36(1)(b), bagi meminda perkataan Pendakwa Raya kepada Pegawai Pesuruhjaya.

Rang Undang-Undang Suruhajaya Pelantikan Hakim pula masih dibahaskan.

Pada pertemuan itu juga, Abdullah menegaskan beliau akan tunaikan semua tanggungjawab yang ada selagi masih Perdana Menteri dan akan melaksanakan amanah tersebut sampai ke saat terakhir.

Melayu Mudah Lupa

1. Kadang-kadang kita lupa. Oleh itu izinkan saya catat semula laporan akhbar Berita Harian (Mac 24, 1993) berkenaan kenyataan Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim apabila DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Azlan Shah memberi perkenan kepada Undang-Undang Perlembagaan (pindaan) 1993 (kekebalan Raja-Raja).

2. Katanya "Isu ini sebenarnya memberi pengajaran berguna kepada semua pihak termasuk Raja".

3. Dalam New Straits Times (Mac 24, 1993) pula dilaporkan: "In Butterworth, UMNO Vice-President and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the royal assent has helped close the chapter on the subject which he described as a milestone in the process of political maturity of the nation.

4. "One lesson to be learnt from the whole episode is that the issue was not entirely confined to the abolition of the Malay Rulers legal immunity in their personal capacity.

5. "It concerns the understanding and maturity of all quarters involved with regard to the real meaning of freedom and the rule of law".

6. Lain padang lain belalang.

The No Bridge Decision

1. The Star reports on the traffic congestion at the new Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johore Bahru. Most of the congestion was caused by traffic from Singapore entering Malaysia.

2. At the risk of boring visitors to my blog, may I point out that the idea of a bridge to replace the causeway, connected to the CIQ building by an elevated highway was in order to avoid the traffic congestion. Replacing the elevated highway with a road at ground level must cause a clash between traffic to end from Singapore and the Johore Bahru east / west traffic.

3. The problem can only get worse as more and more cars will take to the road in future.

4. But we must endure these jams because we must not annoy our neighbour.

S Jayathas: "Lagi mau jadi mandor lagi"

'Lingam tape' witnesses show up

Ungrateful ‘Orang Asing’

What has become of our Malaysian society that some of these ‘orang asing’ cannot seem to be grateful for the goodwill of the Umnoputeras anymore. Why does the Malaysian Indian Business president, P. Sivakumar, not follow in the footsteps of such ‘orang asing’ as Samy Vellu of the MIC and other obvious ‘orang asing’ in the MCA, Gerakan, and the PPP and be more submissive, meek, and obedient? Instead, he has to make a fuss about being called ‘orang asing’ by ‘a high-ranking official’ of a ‘government-linked bank.’

Very surprising that Malaysians would get upset about something like that. In fact, another thing that surprised me about this episode is that Samy Vellu’s ‘MIC communication team’ has not come out to condemn Sivakumar for being so arrogant and ungrateful as to make a big fuss about this issue. I would have thought surely, the ‘MIC communication team’ would be out by now forcefully defending these kinds of ‘high-ranking’ officials who continue to insist on invoking such naturally appropriate and unproblematic jargon. After all, surely Samy Vellu’s MIC and its other race-based compatriots, which have for decades been essentially, as some would say, ‘bum-lickers’ of their political master, would be offended that any non-bumiputra would be upset about being referred to as ‘orang asing.’

How dare Sivakumar ask for an apology about being called an ‘orang asing.’ Does he not realise that the MIC and other race-based cronies of UMNO have for years been enabling and reinforcing a culture of ‘tiered citizenship’? Yes, this is essentially the system – much like that of South Africa’s former apartheid system - where some citizens, due to their ‘race’ are legally more privileged than others. This is what the MIC, MCA, Gerakan, and PPP subscribed to and have supported with great vigour. This tradition has given us a culture where Umnoputeras freely and sometimes belligerently divide Malaysians into two distinct classes – those who are privileged and those who are not. But you know this already.

To quote Sivakumar himself, ‘Let us not make a mountain out of a molehill.’ This is precisely my point. And I suspect that Samy Vellu’s ‘MIC communication team’ would also concur. Of course, it’s not pertinent that ‘high-ranking officials’ who utter such terms about their fellow citizens know all too well that the ‘non-bumiputeras’ are anything but ‘orang asing.’ After all the flare up about references to the ethnic Chinese as ‘pendatang,’ surely these so-called ‘high-ranking officials’ cannot be having their head in the sand not to really appreciate the charged nature of such divisive terms. Indeed, this kind of language is no different than the deliberate and calculated use of terms like ‘keling,’ or ‘balik Cina,’ which have been strategically invoked to ‘celebrate’ and ‘acknowledge’ the hospitality and generosity of UMNO, which the other race-based parties of BN so wilfully celebrate and appreciate.

Any wonder also that whenever there have been high-profile episodes of the denigration and degradation – tacitly or blatantly – of ‘orang asing,’ the prime minister ‘for all Malaysians’ has been, for all practical purposes, ineffectual in enabling the country to transcend such pathetically parochial discourse. Is it any wonder then, that other ‘high-ranking’ officials (bureaucrats or politicians) find it unproblematic – indeed, legitimate – to invoke such rhetoric?

Understandably, then rather than expect entities such as the MIC to vociferously condemn such discourse, I for one often expect them to revert to their normal posture. [I think you can visualise what that is.] Accordingly, I am surprised that the ‘MIC communication team’ has not come out to ask Sivakumar to retract his disapproval of the ‘high-ranking’ bank official’s use of the term ‘orang asing.’ Sivakumar must realise that his non-marginalised ‘orang asing’ should all be grateful for being offered the right to citizenship, and he and other ‘orang asing’ will persistently be designated as less than full-fledged citizens.

Come on, all you ‘orang asing,’ let us get with the program; recognise the kindness and patronising arrogance when you’re referred to derogatorily and with contempt. Follow in the footsteps of our esteemed ‘leaders’ from the MIC, Gerakan, and PPP, and ‘celebrate’ such insults. Stop being so ungrateful, lah!

G. Krishnan

Second day Hindraf hunger strike

Our spirit is high and hope that the UMNO regime will listen to our demand to abolished ISA, shut down KEMTA, release HINDRAF Lawyers who fought against discremination, colonialization, marginalization and oppression by UMNO regime, And we also demand that UMNO regime accept our 18 point demand and allow our Chairman, P. Waytha Moorthy to return to Malaysia unconditionally. The medical group visited us and ran a check up on us. Two of the participants S.Jayathas and V.Shanti were adviced to abort the hunger strike as they were found to be unfit to fast. However, both of them are determine to continue with the hunger strike.

Justice For Malaysian

Makkal Sakthi

S.JAYATHAS

0126362287

Banish race and religion hate-monggers

Despite what many have cried out against. Despite what the Regent of Perak has so wisely and with clear conscience pointed out with a hint of warning. Despite the writings on the wall. Despite the race riots of 1969.

Despite all these, the nation continues to experience so much of focus on race and religion along divisive boundaries.

Do the foolish politicians and dumb citizens who keep jostling for political mileage not realize that they are truly the nation's number on enemy? Of course they do not care.

Why is the nation's leadership unable to act decisively and full of power against anyone who even hints of racial and religious slight?

In the first place the Indians and Chinese of Malaysian citizenship are not immigrants. They are the sons and daughters of early settlers. Do they not want to recognize the very fact that this beloved land was even called The Straits Settlement by the 'white rajahs' of a bygone era?

So why are we getting warped in racial rights when we should be debating citizens' rights?

And what is all this clamoring about whose god and religion is more superior or truer? Please, we are not living in caves --- or are we still?

Why is the government of the day so gungho about ketuanan-ism? Do the leaders not have the courage, mindset, and conviction to declare that Malaysia is for ALL Malaysians?

Why are we still tearing each other up by pitting one 'race' against another with all kinds of political rhetoric?

Please stop destroying this land that belongs to all Malaysians. Do not even entertain thoughts of "we gave citizenship" in your minds. For therein lies the nation's true enemy which will bring this country down beyond recognition.

Many have expressed their concerns. Many have demanded for equality for all citizens irrecs[pective of creed, color and party allegiance.

Many have demonstrated that at the village level and down the streets of every township, Malaysians accept each other with respect and honor.

But the picture that politicians and their stooges paint or keep drumming up is the direct opposite of the peace and love that Malaysians want, share and uphold. Why?

Perhaps it is time for the revered Rulers of this fragile nation got together and issued an ultimatum: Either shut up and shape up or face 'buang negeri'.

If we continue fanning this race and religion fire ceaselessly, this nation will be doomed. We do not need ISA to fight this war. Just banish the racists and religious freaks. After all there are only so many of those terrors of Malaysia.

Perhaps all the religious leaders and heads of all faiths in the country should hold a common day of prayer expressing the trust, honor, peace and respect shared by all their faithfull. And the media should give widespread publicity to this event.

That should shut the devil's advocates for a start. Next, our trusted Rulers must convene to pass an edict.

Otherwise, soon one day all may be lost and the shambles to share is what would be left to cry over. Do we want this?

- J. D. Lovrenciear, Semenyih

Why afraid of a Special Parliamentary Commitee on MACC?

(Lim Kit Siang)

Second Amendment to MACC Bill -

Fasal 14:-

Menggantikan “Jawatankuasa Khas Mengenai Rasuah” dengan “Jawatankuasa Parlimen Mengenai Rasuah” setiap kali perkataan-perkataan berkenaan muncul di dalam Rang Undang-undang

[Replace “Special Committee on Corruption” with “Parliamentary Committee on Corruption” where it appears in the Bill.]

Pindaan Fasal 14(2)

MEMOTONG dan DIGANTIKAN dengan “Jawatankuasa Parlimen hendaklah terdiri daripada tujuh anggota yang hendaklah dilantik oleh Dewan-dewan Perwakilan yang menggambarkan perwakilan di Parlimen dan diketuai oleh seorang Ahli Parlimen Pembangkang, dan tiada seorang daripada mereka merupakan anggota pentadbiran

[Clause 14(2) - DELETE and SUBSTITUTE: “The Parliamentary Committee shall consist of seven members to be appointed by the House of Representatives reflecting the representation in the House and headed by an Opposition Member of Parliament, none of whom shall be a member of the administration.]

Pindaan Fasal-fasal 14(3) dan 14(4)

Memotong Fasal 14(3) dan 14(4)

[Delete Clauses 14(3) and (4)]

Pindaan Fasal 14(5)

Penomboran semula Fasal 14(5) sebagai Fasal 14(3) yang dipindakan menjadi “Jawatankuasa Parlimen hendaklah, tidak lambat daripada mesyuarat Parlimen pertama pada tahun berikutnya, mengemukakan laporan tahunannya kepada Parlimen mengenai semua aktivitinya sepanjang tahun yang berkaitan dengan laporan berkenaan.”

[Re-number Clause 14(5) as Clause 14(3) which should be amended to read: “The Parliamentary Committee shall, not later than the first meeting of Parliament of the following year, submit its annual report to Parliament of all its activities during the year to which the report relates.”]

Before his highly-principled resignation as the de facto Law Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in September over the gross abuse of government powers which saw the arbitrary and frivolous detention of DAP MP for Seputeh and Selangor Senior Exco Teresa Kok, Sin Chew senior reporter Tan Hoon Ching and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had spoken publicly of the proposed legislation for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

He said that a constitutional amendment would be needed as well as a new MACC Act to replace the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

He spoke about the need to set up a Special Parliamentary Committee on the Prevention of Corruption and an Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, as well as the proposed Operations Review Panel and the Corruption Prevention and Consultancy Panel, the former two under the new legislation while the other two could be done administratively.

Under the MACC Bill before the House, the Special Parliamentary Committee on the Prevention of Corruption has disappeared and instead we have in Clause 14 a “Special Committee on Corruption” which clearly is not a Parliamentary Committee in the true sense of the term which establishes the principle of MACC responsibility to Parliament but a mere Special Committee on Corruption comprising MPs but which is finally responsible to the Prime Minister rather than to Parliament.

As a result, this Special Committee on Corruption comprising MPs is not a creature of Parliament but a creature of the Prime Minister, making a mockery of the claim that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is to enjoy true independence from the Executive coming under parliamentary responsibility.

The other four “check-and-balance” committees, whether the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board; Special Operations Review Panel; Corruption Prevention and Consultative Council; and a Complaints Committee are all beholden to the Prime Minister or the Executive, making nonsense of the principle of parliamentary responsibility of the MACC.

In fact, the MACC Bill is so watered down that the principles of its independence from the Prime Minister’s control and accountability/responsibility to Parliament can be quite tenuous and even fictitious.

The original intention to amend the Constitution to give the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission a constitutional status has been abandoned while there is no clear-cut provision to establish its responsibility and accountability to Parliament.

The appointment provision is quite ludicrous – the seven members to be appointed by the Yang di Pertuan Agong, which means on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Clause 14 (3) provides that seven MPs shall be nominated by the Leader of the House of Representatives, who again is the Prime Minister, i.e. the Leader of the House (who is the Prime Minister) advising the Prime Minister to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on the appointments.
As the Special Committee on Corruption is to comprise MPs, why is the Prime Minister shy in calling it the Parliamentary Committee on Corruption?

Is this just to give the impression of some form of “parliamentary” scrutiny without actually permitting robust and proper parliamentary stewardship?

If such a Parliamentary Committee on Corruption is to be meaningful, its composition must reflect the parliamentary representation of the different political parties in the House and its membership decided by MPs themselves and not by the Executive. Furthermore, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Corruption should be an Opposition MP.

(Speech 2 when proposing amendments to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Bill during committee stage in Dewan Rakyat)

SELANGOR POLICE CHIEF LIED

JERIT who had been accused of involving under aged children to highlight their several issues affecting the people by the Selangor Police Chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar yesterday have issued a statement claiming the police chief had 'lied and misled' the public on the actual situation. Yesterday, with the arrest of 50 cyclists in Rawang, Selangor, Datuk Khalid informed the mainstream medias that it was discovered that 28 of the cyclists arrested were found to be under the age of 18 years.

Datuk Khalid disclosed that the police had to detain the cyclists and organisers to save the children from irresponsible people who were exploiting and misusing them. This act was discovered by taking their statements, that these children involved reported that they did not know why they were asked to participate in the cycling event.

It is reported that the cyclists and several Jerit coordinators were arrested and investigated for public processions under the Police Act and for abusing children under the Child Act is underway.

Meanwhile, Jerit today issued a statement that all the under-aged cyclists had parental consent to take part in the cycling campaign, while they reveal that the children actually refused to say anything to the police officers as they did not want to cooperate with the police as they are being detained illegally. The police had also questioned the children on whether they were paid to take part. Jerit claimed that this line of questioning by the police were really unwarranted and undermined the credibility of the Jerit campaign.

In the meanwhile, Jerit informed that they were very responsible in taking care of the cyclists' welfare from inception. Furthermore the Selangor police chief had 'lied and misled' the public on the actual situation of the event.

S'gor police chief is lying, claims Jerit

Hingga saat akhir...

Menjelang tiga bulan terakhir memegang jawatan Perdana Menteri, banyak spekulasi yang berlegar mengenai usaha-usaha pembaharuan yang dibawa oleh Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Ada pandangan yang sinikal yang mempersoalkan apa yang boleh dilakukan oleh Abdullah dalam tempoh tiga bulan sebelum melepaskan jawatannya Mac depan.

Lebih khusus, usaha pembaharuan dalam bidang pencegahan rasuah dan institusi kehakiman melalui pembentangan Rang Undang-Undang Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah dan Suruhanjaya Kehakiman di Dewan Rakyat mendapat reaksi yang bukan sahaja daripada pembangkang tetapi juga kalangan ahli-ahli parti pemerintah sendiri.

Ada yang mempertikaikan kenapa rang undang-undang tersebut perlu diadakan, adakah ia mempunyai muslihat tertentu dariapda sudut politiknya dan pelbagai andaian lain.

Malah tidak kurang juga yang mempersoalkan apa yang boleh dilakukan oleh Abdullah dalam tempoh tiga bulan sebelum bersara.

Menjawab segala persoalan tersebut, Abdullah dengan tegas berkata, beliau tidak akan lari daripada amanah dan tanggungjawab yang digalasnya sebagai Perdana Menteri.

“Saya akan tunaikan semua tanggungjawab yang ada…selagi saya masih Perdana Menteri saya akan melaksanakan amanah tersebut sampai ke saat terakhir,” ujarnya sambil menegaskan, beliau tidak akan hanya berdiam diri menunggu masa untuk bersara.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam pertemuan khas dengan Agendadaily di kediamannya di Jalan Bellamy, Kuala Lumpur hari Selasa.

“Saya akan terus berada di sini bagi menyelesaikan apa yang telah saya janjikan,” tegas Abdullah lagi.

Pada pertemuan tersebut, Abdullah melahirkan segala yang hasrat dan harapan beliau untuk melihat institusi kerajaan diperkasakan dan mendapat keyakinan semula daripada masyarakat ekoran wujudnya pelbagai persepsi negatif khususnya institusi pencegahan rasuah, kehakiman dan penguatkuasaan.

Abdullah turut ditanya, apakah kekecewaan yang dirasainya dalam usaha melakukan agenda perubahan berkenaan.

Katanya, jika ada pun rasa kecewa terhadap sikap ahli-ahli UMNO dan BN dalam usaha beliau melakukan perubahan sepanjang tempoh menjadi PM ialah mereka terlalu diselubungi dengan persepsi negatif.

”Mereka hanya lihat sesuatu pembaharuan itu daripada sudut negatif sahaja tanpa mahu memahami apa yang tersirat di sebalik hasrat. Segalanya mereka lihat daripada apa yang tersurat sahaja,” jelasnya.

Rasa kecewa beliau itu lebih merujuk kepada sikap yang tidak mahu memahami hasrat serta pandangan negatif yang diberikan terhadap pembentangan Rang Undang-Undang Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah dan Suruhanjaya Kehakiman di Dewan Rakyat.

Di sela-sela pertemuan berkenaan, Abdullah turut ditanya adakah beliau akan terima jawatan sebagai Menteri Kanan selepas bersara Mac depan seperti yang disuarakan oleh beberapa pemimpin UMNO.

“Biaq pi kat depalah,” ujarnya sambil gambarkan tidak pernah terlintas di fikirannya mengenai perkara itu.

Mengenai adakah beliau akan memantau kerajaan selepas bersara nanti, beliau menegaskan, “saya tidak akan jadi macam itu”.

Malah pada pertemuan berkenaan beliau turut menegaskan, tidak akan mengganggu kerajaan pimpinan baru selepas Mac depan

Selangor CPO implies that kids are better off in custody of cops than parents?

by Nathaniel Tan(jelas.info)

Oops. He did it again.

Selangor Chief Police Officer, (newly minted Datuk) Khalid Abu Bakar:

The police had stopped a team of more than 50 cyclists of Jerit’s ‘Ride for Change’ campaign in Rawang yesterday with the intention to save the under-aged cyclists from being exploited.

“As for the children, we have actually saved them from being misused and exploited by irresponsible people… we are not arresting them,” he added.

He also said that the police had contacted the children’s parents to take them home and would also investigate whether the children had received their parents’ permission to take part in the event.

Apart from the 28 under-aged cyclists, 29 others were arrested and investigated under the Police Act for illegal procession and under the Child Act for abusing children.

“We will call their parents and ask their parents to take them back. We would also be calling child service to discuss on the details of allowing the children to be returned to their parents” he added.

Compare this with this e-mail update from Jerit sent out about 1pm:

Update : 1pm

Parents of 26 below 18 cyclists are not allowed into the police station to get their children out.

Police are blocking them from entering the police station.

Please give pressure to the CPO : 019-2408647 / OCPD : 03-61262222

So, now Malaysia’s police think they can be better parents than… well, parents.

The low regard and disdain top policemen have for parents is well documented. During the Nurin and Sharlinie tragedies, they were quick to make the suffering parents the target for blame.

Now, despite signed letters of consent from parents, who already happen to be there and as I understand are lodging police reports against the police, *and* after having harassed and made these kids stand out in a cold rainstorm without any shelter, they presume to give us parenting lessons.

:|

I’m not going to stop repeating it: dudes, why don’t you just spend more time catching snatch thieves? Patrolling our neighbourhoods? Betul-betul tak lain kerja ke?

And Datuk Khalid, this is strike two. I can’t for the life of me think who you are ‘helping’ by spinning such unbelievable bullshit, in some vain, deluded hope that someone out there is stupid or prejudiced enough to buy it.

Jerit recommends lodging a police report:

Dear All,

We need your kind attention to highlight the intimidation by the CPO Selangor Dato Khalid Abu Bakar towards the JERIT cyclist and the activist yesterday at Rawang. The intimidation by the police should be stop immediately. Therefore, we would like to request all of you to lodge a police report on CPO Selangor. Attach here is the sample police report that you can use to lodge your report. Please send us a copy of your report by fax to 03 77843526 or scan and email to suaram@suaram.net.

We appreciate your attention and solidarity support.

Regards,

Nalini.E
Suaram Coordinator

[Sample Police Report]

Aduan Dibuat Oleh: (Your name and IC Number)

Aduan dibuat Terhadap: CPO SELANGOR DATUK KHALID ABU BAKAR

Saya / Kami …………………………………… NO KP ingin buat aduan terhadap Ketua Polis Selangor atas tindakan beliau menahan 56 orang pasukan pengayuh yang mengambil bahagian dalam Kempen Basikal Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan , JERIT pada 15 hb Disember 2008 di Balai Polis Rawang.

Pihak CPO telah menahan semua pengayuh lebih 18 tahun diatas tuduhan perhimpunan haram adalah satu penipuan besar kerana tiada perhimpunan yang berlaku dan tuduhan itu adalah palsu. Bukan itu sahaja, tindakan beliau yang menahan pengayuh dibawah 18 tahun walaupun ada surat kebenaran ibubapa meraka adalah satu tindakan yang tidak sah dan melanggar undang-undang. Lagipun penahanan pengayuh di bawah 18 tahun dijalankan tanpa kehadiran pegawai Jabatan Kebajikan dan mereka disimpan di Balai Polis satu malam adalah tidak dibenarkan dibawah undang-undang.

CPO Selangor juga telah menipu media dan rakyat dengan mengatakan bahawa para pengayuh tidak tahu menahu sebab mereka mengayuh basikal. Ini adalah satu penipuan besar kerana semua pengayuh dan keluarga amat mengetahui sebab dan bagaimana kempen ini akan dijalankan.

Tindakan CPO yang tidak memberikan tempat berteduh untuk para pengayuh sehingga mereka basah kuyup dan tidak memberi makan malam sehingga 11 malam adalah satu tindakan yang melanggar hak asasi manusia. Aktivis dan pengayuh yang cuba mencari tempat berteduh di ugut dengan menggunakan kayu oleh polis di Balai Polis Rawang. Selepas tekanan demi tekanan diberi baru pengayuh dibawah 18 tahun di bawa ke bilik dalam balai manakala yang lain dibiarkan di luar. Polis juga tidak membenarkan kawan-kawan mereka memberi pakaian untuk mereka tukar. Ini adalah satu tindakan pencabulan hak asasi.

Kempen JERIT adalah satu kempen yang diketahui umum. Pengayuh tidak perlu ambil permit untuk berbasikal. Intimidasi dan tindakan CPO dan polis secara keseluruhannya untuk menganggu dan sabotaj kempen basikal JERIT adalah satu tindakan yang tidak sah dan berunsur jenayah. Saya/Kami mengecam tindakan CPO yang tidak professional dan berperikemanusiaan.

Kami membuat aduan ini supaya tindakan diambil keatas CPO Selangor yang mencabuli hak asasi pengayuh JERIT dan menyeksa mereka. Sekian.

PETITION OF PEOPLE'S POWER TO YAMTUAN NSDK

MAKKAL SAKTHI

135-3-A JALAN TOMAN 7

KEMAYAN SQUARE 70200 SEREMBAN.

The Secretary to

DYMM Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan

Istana Hinggap

Seremban

16 December 2008

Dear Sir

RE: HANDING OF PEOPLE’S PETITION (PETITION RAKYAT) TO SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO RULERS BY MALAYSIAN INDIANS.

We refer to the above matter.

MAKKAL SAKTHI is a popular grass root movement of People’s Power, which arose as a result of the recent HINDRAF ban.

Kindly take note that on behalf of all loyal Malaysian Indians, we would be submitting a People’s Petition to swear our allegiance to the Rulers’ and we wish to do so as follows:

Date : 20^th December 2008-12

Time : 3.00 PM

Venue: Istana Hinggap Seremban.

Kindly make yourself or your representative available to receive this petition on behalf of the loyal Malaysian Indian community.

Should there be any formalities to be adhered kindly contact our Mr.Jayathas on 012- 6362287.

Thanking you.

Yours in Service

P.Waytha Moorthy

KJ: Good governance as ............

Witness protection, with new identity and job

UPDATED

By Adib Zalkapli (Themalaysianinsider)

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — The government will introduce a witness protection programme to protect whistle-blowers and give witnesses a change of identity as part of the government's widespread reforms to fight graft and other dangerous and organised crimes.

The programme will be under the supervision of a director-general of witness protection, who can take all action "that is considered necessary and reasonable" to protect the welfare and safety of a witness.

Such actions will include providing the witness a new identity and to provide compensation and accommodation for the participant.

Necessary steps would also be taken to help the witness gain employment.

A law to introduce the programme was tabled in Parliament today by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

The Witness Protection Bill is the fourth major law being proposed by the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration in the past two weeks.

Last week, the prime minister tabled legislation to set up the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).

Yesterday a Bill to establish a judges' ethics committee was also tabled.

These laws are seen as part of reforms to the administration of justice and the way graft is tackled in the country, which are being rushed through in the waning days of the Abdullah administration.

The prime minister has promised to introduce a series of reforms before he leaves office, probably in March.

Today, the Witness Protection Bill, a groundbreaking law which will give a fillip to efforts to persuade witnesses to come forward in corruption and other serious cases, was tabled for first reading.

Under the provisions of the Bill, any application to be admitted under the programme would be vetted by the Attorney-General.

Applicants can appeal to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department should the application be rejected by the A-G.

The applicants' criminal records, mental health and whether alternative protection can be provided are among factors to be considered before being admitted to the programme.

Protection can also be revoked by the A-G upon the recommendation of the director-general of the witness protection programme.

Last month Nazri had promised to provide better protection for witnesses by introducing the new law.

The Bill also sets out what a witness would have to disclose to the DG when applying, such as details of criminal history, outstanding tax, bankruptcy proceedings, immigration status, business dealings, financial liabilities and assets as well as general medical condition.

The final decision whether or not to allow a witness into the programme will be made by the A-G.

A registrar of witness protection will also be appointed to maintain a register of participants and that only the A-G, DG, minister and any other person authorised by the DG would have access to the register.

This register would also not be produced in court.

Insufficient protection for whistleblowers: Khairy

The Sun

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Bill is insufficient to protect potential whistleblowers and witnesses, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin said.

“The bill is not wide enough to protect whistleblowers and witnesses. We need a Whistleblowers and Witness Protection Act that can be complementary (to the MACC Bill),” he said.

Such an act was necessary to ensure that those reporting felt safe to come forward. “The acts can be separate, one for whistleblowers and one for witnesses. Both are different but they can also be merged,” he said.

Khairy said there should be a fair composition on the Special Committee on Corruption to retain public confidence in the commission.

“I hope that through convention, we will see a representation (on the MACC Special Committee) that is proportionate to the representation in the Dewan Rakyat,” he said.

“If this is not done, the rakyat will question the committee and the commission because we set this commission up to show that the government is sincere in eradicating corruption. So, once you have set up this commission, I do not think that the government will want to see it fail just because of the membership of the committee,” he said.

He said it would be “irresponsible” if the composition of the committee caused the commission to lose credibility.

“It is imperative for the government to recommend to the prime minister and the King that the membership is at least proportionate, or has a meaningful representation, by the Opposition,” he said, describing the current mix of powers between Parliament and the executive “the best of both worlds”.

“I think what you have for now is a hybrid, where it is not entirely under executive control, and it is not entirely under parliamentary control either. What you have now is you have evolved the ACA from being a creature of the executive to one that has parliamentary oversight,” he said.

“So, maybe, instead of going all the way towards parliamentary jurisdiction, you have a balance between executive responsibility over the commission and parliamentary oversight.”

Where’s code, ask Karpal and Gobind

The Sun

FATHER-AND-SON MPs Karpal Singh (DAPBukit Jelutong) and Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) questioned the tabling of the Judges’ Ethics Committee Bill when, they said, the main reference of the bill – the Judges’ Code of Ethics 2008 – was non-existent.

Karpal told a press conference at the Parliament lobby: “The 1994 (judges’) code of ethics must be repealed by the 2008 code of ethics, the one which is intended to be brought in force. Both cannot remain.

“The 2008 code of ethics is not in existence. We do not know what it is. It is extremely shoddy that the government presents such a bill.”

According to Bernama, he likened the tabling of the bill as “putting the cart before the horse”.

Gobind said “key aspects” of the bill were “left blank”.

“If you do not know what the code of ethics is, and it is left blank, how do you even debate a bill like this?” he asked.

Chee Seng residents want Bolton project stopped

Scary hill-slope project in Chee Seng Gardens, Penang

Residents want the project stopped

(By Anil netto)This is a message from George Aeria of Chee Seng Gardens, which covers the Old Chee Seng Gardens, the newer parts (houses built by Leader Gardens), Straits Regency, Coastal Towers, Twin Towers and Marina Towers.

The residents are upset with the Bolton Surin project undertaken by GLM Property on a steep hill-slope, which has previously resulted in flooding in the area. They are also asking the Penang state government to emulate the stand taken by their counterparts in Selangor with regard to Class III and Class IV hill slopes.

Over 80 residents attended a meeting on 13 December with the main press in attendance. “YB Teh gave a short speech and took several questions and his message that we got is YAB Lim Guan Eng is not going to be on the side of the residents and will be alowing the Class IV hill slope construction to continue,” said Aeria.

“We have told him that if he does not stop the developers, than our vote for change has come to naught, i.e. we wanted the Gerakan and Umno government of Penang out and wanted DAP to start controlling the developers but if he does not, then we will NOT support the DAP government.”

The residents told the state government reps that if they do not stop Class IV hillslope construction, they would support any other party, including the BN i.e. they would play off one party against the other.

Walau harga turun...berjimatlah

Agenda Daily

Penurunan harga petrol dan diesel sebanyak 10 sen yang diumumkan kerajaan hari Isnin bukanlah menjadi jaminan bahawa harga tersebut akan kekal pada tahap berkenaan atau akan diturunkan lagi.

Kerajaan membuat keputusan menurunkan harga minyak setelah dinaikkan kepada paras harga RM2.70 seliter Jun lalu,ekoran penurunan mendadak harga minyak mentah dunia di pasaran antarabangsa.

Mengulas sama ada penurunan harga petrol dan diesel akan turun lagi, Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad berkata, rakyat jangan terlalu berharap sangat bahawa harga runcit petrol dan diesel akan diturunkan lagi selepas ini.

Sebabnya menurut beliau, harga minyak mentah di pasaran antarabangsa kini sudah mula menunjukkan trend peningkatan.

Walaupun peningkatan tersebut masih belum lagi ketara tetapi tanda-tanda kenaikan berkenaan memberikan indikasi bahawa harga komoditi berkenaan tidak dapat dijamin kekal pada paras yang sedia ada pada masa kini.

Harga pasaran minyak dunia kini berada di bawah USD50 setong tetapi terdapat petunjuk bahawa harga berkenaan akan melonjak sedikit melepasi paras USD50.

Kerajaan hari Isnin menurunkan harga runcit petrol dan diesel sebanyak 10 sen menjadikan harga petrol turun kepada RM1.80 manakala diesel pula kepada RM1.70.

Penurunan harga yang terbaru itu, adalah kali yang keenam dilakukan oleh kerajaan sejak harga runcit kedua-dua bahan bakar berkenaan dinaikkan kepada RM2.70 Jun lalu.

Ditanya adakah penurunan harga ini ada kaitan dengan pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Kuala Terengganu, 17 Januari depan, Shahrir menolak andaian tersebut.

“Ini bukan gula-gula politik walaupun pembangkang jadikan minyak sebagai isu politik. Ini adalah janji kerajaan untuk menurunkan harga minyak,” katanya.

Andaian sama juga diberikan apabila kerajaan buat pertama kali menurunkan harga minyak sebanyak 15 sen sebelum pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh, Ogos lalu.

Namun cakap-cakap bahawa penurunan harga minyak tersebut kerana kepentingan politik akhirnya lenyap apabila kerajaan terus menurunkan harga runcit petrol dan diesel ekoran penurunan harga minyak mentah dunia di pasaran.

“Dulu bila kita turunkan harga sebelum pilihan raya kecil Permatang Pauh, orang kata ini kerana politik tetapi selepas itu bila turun lagi, terbukti kerajaan sebenarnya menunaikan janji,” jelasnya.

Beliau berharap, penurunan harga runcit petrol dan diesel di bawah paras RM1.92 selepas naik kepada RM2.70 Jun lalu akan memberi banyak manafaat kepada rakyat.

Cumanya beliau mengingatkan, walaupun harga petrol dan diesel turun dan rakyat mempunyai lebihan untuk berbelanja, mereka dinasihatkan agar berjimat.

Miba kesal pegawai bank sebut 'orang asing'

By Malaysiakini
Persatuan Perniagaan India Malaysia (Miba) kesal dengan sikap tidak sensitif seorang pegawai bank milik kerajaan yang menggunakan istilah 'orang asing' terhadap kaum lain ketika berucap di seminar anjuran Miba di Kuala Lumpur hujung minggu lalu.

Seminar tersebut dianjurkan bersama oleh Miba dengan sebuah bank milik kerajaan berhubung kemudahan bantuan dalam bentuk pinjaman kepada ahli-ahli Miba.

Kira-kira 70 peniaga menghadiri seminar tersebut.

Presiden Miba, P Sivakumar memberitahu Malaysiakini bahawa peserta merasa jengkel apabila seorang pegawai tinggi dari bank tersebut didakwa mengulangi perkataan 'orang asing' itu sebanyak dua kali.

Katanya, pegawai berkenaan "merujuk kepada masyarakat India" ketika memberitahu para hadirin bahawa 'orang asing' kini boleh memohon pekerjaan di bank-bank berkenaan.

Sehubungan itu, Sivakumar menggesa para penceramah di seminar-seminar awam supaya lebih berhati-hati dan lebih bertanggungjawab.

Beliau juga menyifatkan insiden itu sebagai sesuatu yang "memalukan", tidak bertanggungjawab, tidak berperlembagaan dan berunsur hasutan.

"Masyarakat India adalah rakyat negara ini. Beberapa generasi telah berlalu sejak Malaya mencapai kemerdekaannya," tegas beliau.

"Harus diperjelaskan bahawa negara ini mencapai kemerdekaannya dari British hanya selepas ketiga-tiga kaum utama melalui Umno, MCA dan MIC bersetuju dengan Pengisytiharan Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk mencapai kemerdekaan," katanya.

Sivakumar berkata, masyarakat India telah menyumbang kepada kemajuan negara sejak awal lagi dan turut bekerja keras untuk kemakmuran negara.

"Bagi kini, negara ini adalah tanahair kita, tetapi malangnya masih ada mereka yang menganggap kita sebagai orang asing dan terus menerus menyemai rasa tidak percaya," tambahnya.

Mesti minta maaf

Bagaimanapun, Sivakumar berkata beliau tidak mahu isu ini disensasikan oleh pihak-pihak lain, termasuk parti-parti politik.

"Tidak perlulah kita memperbesar-besarkannya. Ia adalah satu kes terpencil," tegasnya.

Sivakumar berkata, Miba telah menulis surat kepada pegawai terbabit dan juga akan menulis surat aduan kepada pihak bank berkenaan, Gabenor Bank Negara dan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"Kita mahu beliau (pegawai berkenaan) memohon maaf. Ia juga bukan untuk kepentingan kita tetapi demi kepentingan umum. Ia harus menjadi peringatan kepada yang lain," katanya.

Menurut beliau lagi, insiden itu juga tidak memberi contoh teladan yang baik kepada pegawai-pegawai baru bank yang turut hadir di seminar tersebut.

"Pegawai-pegawai ini memegang jawatan penting dan semestinya bersikap tidak memihak dalam menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka. Lagi pula, beliau adalah pegawai bank dan tidak seharusnya bersikap seperti seorang ahli politik," katanya.

Message from Mr.Uthaya to all Hindraf supporters

Dear HINDRAF Supporters,

Though HINDRAF has been banned by this Government I urge all of you to continue the true spirit of HINDRAF that has been to pressure the government to address all issues affecting the Malaysian Indian Community.

The most crucial demands of the Malaysian community are contained in the 18 demands we had submitted in August 2007 and I stand by those demands and am willing to be in prison for as long as it takes for the Government to fulfil those urgent needs of the community.

I take full responsibility for those demands made and urge the Government to release my fellow Lawyer brothers who merely acted in helping me and my brother Waytha Moorthy in various matters in court. The 3 Lawyers have suffered in prison for a year and there are no valid reasons for the Government to hold them and they should be immediately released.

This one year of prison life has taught me to be strong and I am resolved to struggle for the rights of Malaysian Indians. UMNO Government has cheated the Malaysian Indians for more than 51 years and this has to come to an end.

Let us all unite as one voice to speak for our rights. Keep our differences at bay. No two man can think alike and have the same opinions. But basic rights are something that we should all demand equally and to do so we have to have a single voice. With this single voice we should continue to push forward and I urge all of you to be prepared for a higher task of not only demanding our rights from this government but to also make yourselves available to serve the community in a positive way.

Year 2009 should be dedicated to serve the community and I urge all of you to come forward to join us in our next agenda to serve the public.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE WILL TOGETHER COMPLETE THE GREAT TASK THAT LIES AHEAD.

Outlawed Hindraf's spirit lives on

Outlawed Hindraf's spirit lives on

Kohila: We have been in existence since 2002

IPF set to join BN

Commemorate the 1st Anniversary of the ISA Detention of the Hindraf 5

by Andrew Khoo Chin Hock

13 December 2008

Marked the first anniversary of the arrest under the Internal Security Act 1960 (“ISA”) of P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kengadharan and K. Vasantha Kumar, otherwise known as the “Hindraf 5”.

Approximately 40 people comprising the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer and members of the Malaysian Bar, family members of some of the Hindraf 5, family members of other persons currently being detained under the ISA and members of the public gathered at the Bar Council Auditorium for a simple yet meaningful ceremony to remember the occasion.

In her brief opening remarks, President of the Malaysian Bar Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan noted that apart from the ISA, there was other legislation that allowed for detention without trial, and that approximately 2,000 people were being detained. In respect of Hindraf, she questioned the logic of the Government in banning not an organisation per se but a cause. She wondered whether this was a first anywhere in the world. In her subsequent remarks after members of families spoke, she commented that she had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs about the issue of no physical contact between family members and detainees. She also said she was very concerned during recent releases when detainees were referred to as terrorists, etc. None of this had been proven, and such references only served as an attempt by the Government to “legitimise” their detention.

Vice-President of the Malaysian Bar Ragunath Kesavan articulated the need to continue to support the 4 members of the Hindraf 5 who were practising advocates and solicitors, many of whom were sole proprietors. He said that all of them were struggling to maintain their practice, but the Malaysian Bar would do what it could to help them with their Sijil Annual applications. He wanted them to be able immediately to return to the practice of law once they were released. The Malaysian Bar would also continue to issue press statements and mount signature and other campaigns to call for the release of the Hindraf 5, as well as all those being detained. He also praised Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (“GMI”) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia who have been doing a lot to keep the issue of the ISA in the forefront. He said that the Government did not like the public saying they did not want the ISA, or for ordinary citizens to be cycling around the country distributing flyers highlighting human rights issues. He re-iterated the fact that the Government had not produced any evidence to justify the continued detention of persons under the ISA. He added that the injustices of the ISA had been highlighted and brought home to the ordinary citizen with the arrests of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Theresa Kok MP and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng.

Next to speak was Mrs. Puvaneswary, the wife of V. Ganabatirau. She related the experience of herself and her 2 children in the year since her husband’s arrest and detention. Her older child kept asking daily where “Papa” was, while her younger child was unable to recognise her father since she was very young when Ganabatirau was arrested. She maintained that her husband had done nothing wrong, and so should never have been arrested. She thanked members of the Bar, especially those who had been helping very closely, for their assistance. She had had to rent out half of her husband’s office space in order to make ends meet. She added that clients had also been very understanding.

The Master of Ceremonies for the event, Malaysian Bar Treasurer George Varghese, then read out a letter from Dr. Kalaivani, the proud wife of R. Kengadharan. She apologised for not being present in person due to her once-a-week visit to her husband in Kamunting. She too highlighted the cost to her parents-in-law and her young son of her husband’s detention, and spoke of the nightmare which evolved on 13 December 2007. Their 2½ year old son’s first word was “Papa”, but now he spoke it very rarely. At every family visit to Kamunting, their son has to be reminded to hug and kiss “Papa”. Their home environment was lifeless, empty and lonely. She thanked Prabhakaran, her brother-in-law, who toiled each day and most nights to keep Kengadharan’s law firm going, as well as to some members of the Malaysian Bar who helped him along, and also clients who continued their support. She was glad that the issue of the ISA was now being addressed by many individuals, groups and parties including the Malaysian Bar, and hoped that this struggle and the call for the immediate release of the Hindraf 5 would continue. She hoped and prayed that the suffering would end as soon as possible.

Puan Norlaila Othman, wife of almost-7-year detainee Mat Sah Satray, also spoke about the plight of families of ISA detainees. She mentioned Dr. Abdullah Daud, who had been arrested in December 2001, as the current longest-serving detainee. She highlighted the isolation of family members not being able to touch their loved one, and of speaking over an intercome separated by a glass window. She said that this last Hari Raya Haji visit was the first time in 4 years that she had touched her husband and for her son to hug his father. She half-humorously complained that she was jealous of the lawyers who visited Kamunting, who were allowed to shake hands with the detainees and meet them without physical barriers. She spoke of the emotional assistance rendered through the mutual giving and receiving of support among ISA detainee families, even if they initially did not know each other.

Puan Norlaila also provided some statistics on current and recently-released detainees. According to her, 46 people were still being detained under the ISA. She drew attention to the fact that her husband had been questioned by Special Branch on her activities with GMI, and said it had been suggested to her husband that he could be released if she stopped. But he had told them that it was up to his wife. So his continued detention was no longer about what he had been alleged to have done, or whether he continued to pose a threat to the security of the country. Indeed, others arrested around the same time as him had been released. However the issue was no longer simply about fighting to free her husband but to ensure that other people would not be subject to the ISA. She reminded those present that Nelson Mandela had been detained for 27 years. She also said she had now become a blogger.

Haris Ibrahim was invited to say a few words. He mentioned the continued vigils being carried out, including a few for which permits had been applied, and the ludicrous permit conditions. He spoke about recent efforts by the police in Batang Kali to prohibit Hindus from praying for Hindraf in temples.

Puan Hendon Mohamed, a former President of the Malaysian Bar, recalled that even when she was a schoolgirl she had known people detained under the ISA, for example the Puthuchearys and Sidney Woodhull. There was, and still is, total disregard for the rule of law through the use of draconian legislation.

The commemoration ended with two songs presented by Amin Iskandar, better known as “Black”.

Dare ACA or MACC answer like this?

By Lim Kit Siang

Q: How does the ICAC maintain its independence?

A: We are independent. There is nothing to maintain.

This is from the Sunday Star interview with Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) deputy commissioner and head of operations Daniel Li to illustrate the difference between ICAC and Malaysia anti-corruption body, whether the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) or the soon-to-be MACC.

I quoted this Q & A in Parliament during the debate on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC).

I asked which Malaysian anti-corruption chief would dare to answer with such insouciance and categorical assurance without any hesitation or shadow of doubt about the independence of the Malaysian anti-corruption body?

Unthinkable! Only last Thursday, the No. 2 in the ACA was publicly admitting that the ACA was being perceived as a “lapdog” of the authorities!

This was my answer to attacks from UMNO MPs in the debate for my criticism of Daniel Li who had praised the MACC Bill as even better than Hong Kong anti-corruption legislation and had gone on to praise the “determination” of the Malaysian Government to fight corruption.

I said I accepted Donald Li as an authority on ICAC and the battle against corruption in Hong Kong but that does not make him an authority on the MACC Bill or the corruption situation in Malaysia.

In my speech, I said when standing up to debate the MACC Bill, I had four images following the day-to-day developments in the country after the first reading of the Bill last Wednesday:

(1) First the pervasiveness and the far-reaching effects, including lethal consequences, of corruption arising from the Malaysiakini (10/12/08): report “Landslide survivor: We are victims of corruption”, which stated:

“A furious Ungku Farid Ungku Abdul, 54, did not hesitate in identifying the cause – and culprits – of last Saturday’s landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa.

“’We are victims of the corruption in Malaysia’, alleged Farid, a businessman, whose house was one of the 14 destroyed in the incident.” Read more

Vigil outside Rawang police station as cyclists held

By Anilnetto
2050: Police are now recording the details of 45 Jerit northern team cyclists in the Rawang police station (phone 03-6091 6222). Outside the station, a candlelight vigil is now being held

At first, the police tried to use Section 32 of the Child Act; they wanted to hold the cyclists until their parents came. Then they tried the usual s112 of the CPC. Now, they are just documenting the particulars of the cyclists - name, IC number, address.

“They seem disappointed that all the cyclists below 18 have consent letters from their parents,” says one of the Jerit coordinators inside the station.

Meanwhile, the Jerit southern region cycling team have been freed and they are now in Kajang.

Court to hear bid against Jayashree on Thursday

Bernama, Dec 15 2008 -- The High Court has fixed Thursday to hear the application by Indian Progressive Front (IPF) vice president V. Mathiyalagan to stop Puan Sri Jayashree Gnanapandithan from continuing to serve as the party’s president.

The date was set by Deputy Registrar Diana Md Razali after the case was mentioned before her here today.

Mathiyalagan brought the suit on Nov 24, naming Jayashree, party secretary-general K. Velayutham and assistant secretary K. Neducheralanathan as defendants.

Besides the injunction, he also sought aggravated and exemplary damages, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

He also sought a court order to stop Jayashree from intervening in the affairs of the party and a declaration that she was not a legitimate IPF president and all actions by her as the president were null and void.
He also sought a declaration that the letter appointing Jayashree as party president dated April 20, 2008 and the meeting of the party’s supreme council held at Kuala Lumpur Hospital on April 20, 2008 also null and void.

Mathiyalagan alleged that the IPF supreme council’s statement on Jayashree’s appointment as acting president and later party president in place of her late husband, Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan, was a fraud.

He said Jayashree’s action in calling herself IPF president without any legitimate policies or powers had brought confusion to IPF supreme council members, IPF members and the public.

In her reply filed on Dec 11, Jayashree said there was no fraud, complot or falsification in her appointment as party president and sought the court to throw out Mathiyalagan’s application.

The three defendants were represented by lawyer S. Selvam while K.

Saraswathy acted for Mathiyalagan.

PAK MAN TELO - NEW YORK

1. Today's Starbiz reports that 50 billion US dollars of investor's money were lost by just one man.

2. Bernard Madoff invested US5000 of his money to set up an investment firm. Such was his personality and sales talk that he was able to convince lots of rich people to invest their money with him. The returns were so good that his fund became exclusive, open to select people only.

3. When he was arrested recently by the FBI he admitted that "There is no innocent explanation".

4. We got on to Pak Man Telo ponzi scheme quite early. He caused the naïve Malaysian who invested in his scheme several millions, I believe.

5. Apparently the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of America did not detect Madoff's operation for years. He was even made Chairman of Nasdaq Stock Market.

6. He was living a high life, with a 5 million dollar mansion in Manhattan and membership of the most exclusive clubs.

7. Pak Man Telo would probably have done better if he had gone to New York where he would not have the Malaysian Government overseeing such activities. Or perhaps the SEC might learn some lessons from Malaysia as indeed the US Government has learnt about bailing out companies.