I contributed to Zul’s victory & I’m sorry

By Nomad Muslim | The Malaysian Insider

MARCH 2 — Dear Editor, I would appreciate if you publish this long but terribly important letter on Zulkifli Nordin, Umno, the Malays and the tragic state Malaysia finds itself in today. Thank you and may Allah (sw) bless you.

The letter:

I did contribute to Zulkifli’s victory and I’m sorry dear Malaysians

I’m a Muslim student in Malaysia from an African non-Muslim country. I have been here for a while to know much about this country.

Although I’m in the science stream, I follow the Malaysian political scene with fervour. In fact, foreign students particularly Muslims follow Malaysia’s sorry state with disgust and shock.

A nation we thought we could be proud of and sell to others including our countries, but unfortunately hell-bent on proving that God’s Grace can be a curse.

As Malaysia prepared for the now historic March 08 elections, we did whatever we could in our own simple ways of contributing to the Pakatan (later formed of course) groups particularly PAS and PKR.

Either we encouraged our Malay brethren whom we knew were registered to go and vote or at least help in disseminating the PAS and PKR political platforms and popularize their candidates. One such candidate was Nulkifli Nordin, a Reformasi stalwart.

Reading his blog then which was started in Feb 2008 was interesting. What a shameful metamorphosis indeed! In case he deletes it, we have captured it for posterity and Allah (sw) knows much more. Now here comes what I did.

On March 02, 6 days before the poll, as I went through Malaysian blogs, I came across damaging information against the UMNO candidate for KULIM Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir published in the blog of former DAP MP James Wong, who linked to a statement issued by The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).

The statement was carried by The Merdeka Review and it was in Chinese. I immediately alerted Zulkifli through email and a comment left at his blog. I also sent him the link to Lim Kit Siang’s reaction to what Abdul Azizi has done by threatening to burn down the KLSCAH in 2000.

By then, the people who were visiting his blog were very small in number. He was desperately popularizing his blog through Malaysia-Today, Harris Ibrahim and Zorro blogs which are of course very popular. But my information will change a lot. As I left the comment in his blog, I requested that his not publish my comment but act on its message. He heeded my call. To him, I was just a concerned “Malaysian” who was fighting with him (or for him?) to secure him a victory against Umno.

Zulkifli Nordin thanked me and on the same date that I alerted him published the KLSCAH information plus Lim Kit Siang’s press statement on Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir’s antics. Using the photo provided by Merdeka Review, he added: Tolak budaya samseng and then wrote: (We thank you wanyama for alerting us on this news….).

Wanyama was the fake name I used to sign in. The reaction was swift. That particular entry was published in Malaysia today. I personally linked it to Harris Ibrahim’s blog and Zorro’s too through commenting in their blogs. 20 people including me commented on the entry and I wrote: “Well, I’m the one who rang the alarm bell. Mr Zulkifli, this is a big chance to awaken the Chineese. It should be printed today and made sure every Chinese voter gets it. It is politics of honesty, accountability, responsibility and good manners. UMNO samsengs have no such qualities no wonder they are threatening people with fire. How can such people be made MPs? Kulim voters, be they Chinese, Malays or Indian, reject samseng.”

Zulkifli who was struggling with the Chinese vote got a golden chance to awaken the Chinese in Kulim and distributed thousands of flyers over this “Extremist” UMNO man (to use his own words…how days change). This also proved fatal to UMNO. Desperate to defeat him, UMNO was distributing demonic CDs against Anwar Ibrahim in Kulim and Zulkifli was campaigning on the premise that he was a Reformasi man and that he was DSAI’s lawyer. Rather than continuing on its demonic spree against DSAI, UMNO in Kulim was put on the defensive and by March 06, it was clear that Zul was headed for an emphatic history.

UMNO tried to disqualify him 2 days to the polling date on the premise that he didn’t submit his Account Statement and he lodged a police report against the Returning Officer and also sent a scathing letter to The Star for publishing a report titled: “Question mark over Zulkifli” and demanded that it publishes his press statement. Later the EC clarified that he was eligible to contest. Note that UMNO wanted to act against him only after his chances of winning became clear and didn’t object to his candidacy on the nomination day as usual.

Then the DAY came and Zul went on to win the Kulim seat. His ranted against the evil, corrupt, extremist and disgraceful Umno (his words) and the people listened and voted for him. One day after the victory, a Mahathirist commentator who used the pen name: arb_ok wrote: “Assalamualaikum YB, Congratulations on your recent election as the people’s representative. On behalf of my friends from KL who went back all the way to Kulim just to vote you, we sincerely hope that you shall carry your new responsibilities to the fullest.

Please remember not to take the voters for granted. The Kulim folks are no longer awed by the BN. I personally hope that despite you winning on Keadilan ticket, you shall not pursue the cause of DSAI as he is a gone case. Please remember to serve the Kulim folks well and you shall be rewarded handsomely.

And I must let you know that my vote went to the candidate and not the party. I despise Keadilan for their struggle on Anwar. Largely the Kulim folks are not fond of Anwar but we were simply sick of the PM and his advisers.

Selamat berkhidmat. Wassalam and syabas YB.”

I responded to this rabid Mahathirist and defended Anwar, Zul and PKR as a “Malaysian” and I wrote:

“Dear arb_ok

Ass.wr.wb

Your understanding is warped and your intellectual poverty is immense and heartrending that it needs attention. Let me address the issues that you have raised one by one.

1. You congratulated the new YB on his victory which is right. Then you went on to claim credit on behalf of your friends in KL. Well, you need to show the evidence that there were friends of yours who authorized you to speak on their behalf. I myself is from KL and went to vote in Kulim for Noordin. You said the new YB should carry his duties well since Kulim voters are no longer awed by BN. Agreed! But it is Malaysia which also is not awed by BN and its pussyfooters.

2. Then you addressed the new YB saying that he shouldn’t pursue the cause of DSAI since he is a gone case. It is here that I’m very interested in. first of all, what’s DSAI’s cause and who determines that cause? Secondly, how did you know that he was gone? Using which barometer? By what law, by what justice? Your calculation that you voted for the candidate but hates his party unearths your buffoonery since at the end of the day a candidate is voted on the basis of the ideals and manifestos of his/her party. Moreover, if Noordin is good, then it means the party that fielded him must have been good in the sense that it looked for the good people.

3. You wrote: “I despise Keadilan for their struggle on Anwar.” I must say that your hatred to Anwar the person has rendered you a buffoon beyond salvation point. This is because KeADILan is a party made of diverse people with diverse background driven by one goal: a better Malaysia. The fact that Anwar is part of that mass movement or party shouldn’t confuse you my dear. Yes, I can see you hate Anwar but Anwar even is not aware of your existence, so it will be civil and informed not to nag others about him as you are desperately doing here. Furthermore, the fact that KeADILan was formed after Anwar was jailed doesn’t make it an Anwar party. In any way, a party is borne at a given moment due to a certain political, economical or national cause at a given moment too, and therefore KeADILan’s birth at the height of the political assassination of DSAI doesn’t make the party bereft of any idea or its multifarious supporters and winners a hapless bunch of people wallowing in intellectual penury.

4. You said Kulim people are not fond of Anwar. Hehehe Which Kulim people are you talking about? It is just like how you said on behalf of KL friends. Mah! You are so cheap and condescending my dear. Your view and atavistic rage against Anwar can’t be said to be that of Kulim or its people. I’m sorry to inform you that Kulim is not you. Kulim has thousands of people with different ideas, perceptions, beliefs and orientations, therefore, your childish rants that the people of Kulim are anti-Anwar as if you are the Kulim itself makes your argument utterly naïve and ludicrous. Just say, as far as I’m concerned, ok? Thanks, wassalam.”

One may ask why all this trouble, well, we did all this to support the change and Malaysia’s prospect for a better tomorrow. We support the Islam of Tok Guru Nik Aziz (note I say Nik Aziz and not Ustadh Hadi) and the leadership of DSAI and now Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. We did this in order to support the people we thought were conscientious enough to understand that there is a crying need for a new paradigm in this nation and the salvation of this outwardly glamorous nation but deeply rotten inside. We did this because we have seen how rotten the system is, how failed Malaysia is becoming and how defeatist culture and inherent opportunism is becoming the accepted norm.

In 2006, a friend from another country was arrested in Kedah while he was going to Thailand. He was informed that his visa had expired the previous day by the Kedah Immigration and then he was detained. A relative of his requested me to accompany him to Alor Star to visit the man. I did. What I saw was shocking. Rather than putting the man through due process, the Immigration men demanded RM10,000. And when we informed them that his case has already being taken to court, a lawyer from UiTM who was working with the Immigration men said this to me: “all this will be solved. Both the prosecutor and the judge are known to me and he will be released immediately provided you pay the amount”, and then he gave me his account number.

He was a treacherous man selling his motherland. He is a product of a corrupt system that’s hailed as a success. We wanted the likes of Zulkifli to do something for Kedah, Malaysia and all those who love this nation. And those petty Umnoputras who rant against the world for demanding a fair tribal for DSAI, it is because even poor foreign students know how corrupt Malaysia’s judiciary is. We are witness to it and the world knows much than you can imagine.

Like would a Malay(sian) student in the US would in all probability support Obama, or the same student in India would do a dig for the Congress, the overwhelming majority of foreign Muslim students in Malaysia unequivocally support Anwar Ibrahim. Make no mistake about it and we aren’t stupid about it. We also salute beloved Tok Guru Nik Aziz whose courage and fatigue represent the spirit of the nation. And we also salute the always urbane and truly patriotic Ku li. For me and many others, these three men (plus many others in the trenches) are the real patriots. A patriot is the one who demands the best of his/her nation, not a vile, tribal posturing, knife (keris) waving buffoon who can’t express himself in an intelligent way. These three men also have been victims of the system and they are ones who can only correct it.

For us, Zul was part of the true patriots. The man who accused his UMNO rival of extremism became its ugly and unacceptable face. There was no intellectual input from him on any issue, a typical Ibrahim Ali, only younger. The fact that Ibrahim Ali is a vile character who can bad mouth others isn’t a sign of patriotism and neither would his empty tribal rhetoric take the Malays to a new frontier. I have been observing Zul, and I must say I feel sorry that I did little to help him win an argument against a rival whom he embraces today betraying the men and women who struggled with him all along. May be the Arab saying that revolution eats its children is true.

In fact, the Malays are very strange people if not the strangest on earth. Say, if you work together and you disagree, they will become your enemies and even do unimaginable things to you simply because you parted ways. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

They will also go to your “original” enemies simply to spite you but it is they who spiting their own souls and dignity. You can say they are a people who cut off their noses to spite their faces. Ya Allah! Take former PKR Secretary General Dato Salehuddin Hashim for example. The fact that he has had few disagreements with (may be) some PKR leaders, today, he wants to destroy the party! That’s his way of his struggle and reformasi. Reading his statements in the Malaysian Insider and The Edge yesterday reminded me of the Quranic verse: “And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong [by] taking your oaths as [means of] deceit between you because one community is more plentiful [in number or wealth] than another community. Allah only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ.” (16: 92)

When Malaysian MPs were going to Korea two weeks ago, I was at KLIA leaving for my country-South Africa. As I waited for my flight and roamed the airport, I saw PKR MPs Zuraidah Kamaruddin and Kapar MP M. Manickavasagam, PAS MPs like Dr Hatta Ramli and Dr. Lo’lo Ghazali and some UMNO MPs. Zul was the loudest and the most uncouth. Wearing a tight jeans and a T-Shirt (infidel clothes I guess), he never even greeted the Pakatan MPs. He stuck with UMNO MPs and you could see him haughtily laughing from around the corner. Loudly speaking on the phone, you could think he was excited for flying. I almost wanted to talk to him, but some UMNO MPs guarded him and I was fearful knowing that I’m a foreigner even if a Muslim.

Definitely he was a trapped man, and a perfidious character devoid of God’s fear. I want to say this to Zul, dishonesty and betrayal of ideals and friends is not part of serving Islam. And Islam is not served by attacking private premises, bad mouthing others, tribalising its universal message and turning it into a base political tool. Islam is more than that my dear! One way of serving Islam is respecting your friends and comrades even if they are non-Muslims let alone Muslims and disagreements in ideas and ideologies in Islam is a mercy. If certain PKR leaders take a position and you take another, that’s a mercy unto you all. Don’t force others to take your position and don’t humiliate others and be conscious of God in Whose Court you shall answer alone. Your intentions should be for Him and remember God wants us to prove that we love Him by loving humanity.

Zul today wants PAS and PKR to severe ties with DAP but he thought it fit that he should use DAP support to win. He saw it fit to use Lim Kit Siang’s statement against his UMNO rival to get the overwhelming Chinese vote and today he talks as if UMNO gave him the seat. Any person with an iota of intelligence will tell you that Lim Kit Siang is more pro-Islam and Malay today than he was on March 07, 2008. Rather than capitalizing on that; and bringing the nation together and giving the Malays dignity and bringing to an end this heartrending mentality of: “we are sensitive people, (you mean others aren’t?), we will ran amok. We are weak, we need eternal crutches”, Zul is going back, back on anything good.

If he was a visionary leader, he would have understood that neither UMNO nor the current mentality will sustain the Malays. He would have taken his people to a new frontier much as they may hate it because a great leader takes his people where they DON’T want but aught to be while a leader (UMNO type) takes his people where they WANT. (Responding to base reactions, empty rhetoric and visionless politics devoid of God’s fear and based on brutal tactics).

Allah (sw) has been good to you Malays in many ways. He made you Muslims, He brought the Chinese and Indians to this country, if you doubt their benefit and contributions, ask others. Ask us! After Islam, the presence of the Chinese and Indians in this country is the greatest grace Allah (sw) has bestowed upon you Malays. He gave you a beautiful, an abundant nation. He gave you meek people who accept second class status and never demand much-the Sabah and the Sarawak Bumis. He gave you resources and a strategic place to call home. Rather than glorifying God and taking care of this nation, you cry daily, whine daily, threaten others daily, refuse to ask yourselves critical questions. Blame others, shame yourselves by repeatedly saying ‘we are weak, we are sensitive’ and defame Islam by using it as a tribal bomoh culture rather than a universal message.

You cry our “Allah”, since when did Allah become your tribal god? Please explains to us Muslims from the four corners of the earth why “Allah” is yours for example? You are not more Muslims than us. Are you? So tell us why? You won’t respond and if you do, it will be along the usual lines: “Our people will be confused.” All that you know is to say: our people are weak, our people are sensitive, our people are easily confused, and our people can easily run amok”. Is that’s how you prove your intelligence? Is that’s how you want others to respect you? Is that’s how you want Muslims in other countries to take your case and explain it to others? Is this is how you want to be viewed globally? My dear brethren, my dear Malays…till when? For us Muslims in other parts of the world, we know why! Unfortunately the people who are responsible for this tragic state are the same people who are leading you today and you never even stop for a moment to ask: where are we heading. May be you will wake up when you have already fallen to the pit!

Islam is not for Muslims alone. Non-Muslims can use Islam against us if they feel we aren’t being true to what we purport to believe in. If the Chinese and Indians say NEP is un-Islamic, that’s true. The Prophet (pbuh) would have decreed the same today. The Prophet (pbuh) would have issued a decree saying the poor Chinese and Indians should be given aid too. But a typical UMNO-Zulikifli type would respond: “We are sensitive, hak kita, ini bumi kita…we will use the keris… we will run amok…May 13” There won’t be a single intelligent response. An Islamic input, a humanist input, an economical input. It will be the same Ibrahim Ali and May 13 rhetoric. Not only you shame yourselves, you do that to those who love you because of Islam.

There is a crying need for the Malays to wake up and realize that business can’t be as usual. That protests don’t build a powerful community. They need to realize that Islam is for all and that UMNO’s tribal posturing will harm them more others and that the world isn’t waiting for them. You are being overtaken by all and sundry while you rant and rave, stuck in your own created quagmire. The Ibrahim Alis, demonic Utusan-undoubtedly Malaysia’s face of evil-, the Puad Zarkashis, The Alhabshees, BTN, and opportunist, inherently dishonest turncoats who can be bought for few Ringgits won’t help you in becoming a better people and a nation.

A man who can’t show your capability, but rather trades in your anguish, a man who sacrifices your future for political expediency, a man who doesn’t share with you the latest economic figures, research out, etc but sings a tribal song to you in order to inflame you and arouse your base emotions is not the one who will make you prosper and succeed in the Two World. You need intelligent leadership, a God fearing leadership, an honest leadership, true Malay leadership. You need Ku Li, Nik Aziz and DSAI. Allahuma Fashhad (O God be the witness).

“And that ears (that should hear the tale and) retain its memory should bear its (lessons) in remembrance.” Holy Qur’an 69: 13)

School Improvement Programme To Help Raise Performance Of Schools

PUTRAJAYA, March 2 (Bernama) -- The Education Ministry will introduce the School Improvement Programme to help raise the performance of schools nationwide.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday the programme would focus on schools with not so inspiring performance, especially those in the rural and interior areas.

"We will introduce this programme so that no one makes the assumption that the high performance schools (HPS) are elite schools and the Education Ministry only focuses on helping the 20 such schools.

"We have 10,000 schools nationwide. We want to take care of all of them. It's important to raise the performance of schools whose achievement is less than 40 per cent," he said at the ministry's month assembly here.

Present were the two deputy education minsiters, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong and Dr Mohd Puad Zakarshi.

Muhyiddin said the ministry also proposed to reward school principals, head teachers and teachers who succeeded in raising the performance of their schools through this programme, just like what was given to administrators of the HPS.

"The most important component to raise the performance of a school is the school leadership, including the principal, head teacher and teachers.

"It may take a long time for a school to achieve the HPS status but if it can raise its performance by 10, 20 or 30 per cent, it is regarded a success.

"Such principals, head teachers and teachers will be given rewards and incentives because they have proven to be successful in raising the performance of their respective schools and deserve to be rewarded," he said.

Muhyiddin dismissed the assumption that the selection of the 20 HPS was orchestrated, saying that the aim of the HPS was to set a benchmark for other schools in the country to achieve the highest standard.

On another matter, Muhyiddin said the ministry's Arts, Sports and Co-curriculum division would be revamped with sports being placed separately in efforts to strengthen sports in schools.

Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Sports, said the committee planned to make sports a currucilar or compulsory activity in schools instead of co-curricular as was the practice now.

To achieve this, the number of teachers trained in sports would be increased and the development of sports infrastructure would be given attention.

"There are not enough trained sports teachers now. So, in the interim, we will form strategic ties with the Olympic Council Malaysia, National Sports Council and sports associations (to train the students) and we will pay them an allowance," he said.

He said he was focusing on sports because it could not only build the character of students but also had huge prospects.

He urged the ministry staff to set up a stronger communication system with the people, parents and organisations with a stake in the nation's education system to further strengthen sports.

1Regular 1Water supply for 1UMS-KAL, please - Anil Netto

It looks as if the water shortages in Labuan, previously highlighted in this blog, have not yet been resolved, judging from this letter by an upset parent.

Since July-August 2009, many letters have been written to everybody and anybody in authority to resolve the major water crisis that has hit the Universiti Malaysia Sabah-Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan. Despite all the requests and pleas and the resulting promises, there seems to be no end to the water shortage crisis. If anything the situation has worsened, with the static tanks that have been set up not being filled up when empty. Invariably, students have to endure a day in every three days with ZERO water.

Many students have been spending time in town to find clean food as there is insufficient water to wash the dishes properly. My daughter had told me that many of the male undergraduates have resorted to staying at the Labuan International Airport from Friday to Sunday night, or whenever there is a holiday. The airport is the one place where there is regular water supply, air-conditioning, and Internet access. During the Mauladur Rasul holiday weekend, there were so many UMS-KAL students at the airport, that airport officials started to scold them and they were chased out from the airport.

The air-conditioning in many of the buildings in UMS-KAL has also been switched off as there is insufficient water for the air-conditioner cooling towers. In the last report from the Labuan Authority, they re-assured the undergraduates that a dozen tankers would be put into service from 1 February. However the hostel undergraduates have not seen any improvement except that the water smells of diesel as diesel tankers are believed to have been converted to water tankers without a thorough clean-up.

Is this how the Higher Education Ministry and the Government train and nuture the future professionals of this country? Are we telling them mediocrity is acceptable? There is no use even duscussing 2020 ‘developed nation’ status when a basic amenity like clean water supply cannot be provided to a university for the last one year. Tan Sri Koh Tsu Khoon, please do include this as one of the main KRA for 2010.

JKR Labuan, please do something fast, and Ministry of Higher Education, please don’t leave the students in a lurch. To the PM, all we are asking from 1Malaysia is 1Regular 1Water supply for our 1UMS-KAL.

Frustrated Parent
Butterworth

Anwar: No way are they sending me back to jail

Full-paying patient scheme slammed

No reason to question LGE's integrity

HRP attempts to carve Indian-majority seats

Athi Shankar (Malaysiakini)

The Human Rights Party launched its voters’ registration campaign in Prai as part of its strategy to create Indian-majority constituencies at the state and Parliament-level.

HRP believes the Prai state legislative assembly constituency could be the launchpad for its political quest to create at least 15 Indian-majority state seats across the country.

Prai, a state seat under the Batu Kawan parliamentary constituency, has 14,175 registered voters of which 5,074, or 36 percent, are Indians.

Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy currently holds both the Prai state and Batu Kawan parliamentary seat.

HRP hopes to register about 4,100 more Indians in order to turn Prai into an Indian majority seat.

‘Giving Indians a voice’

The voter registration drive was launched by HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar in Penang yesterday.

He said the Prai state seat was key in the party’s plan to kick-start its ‘Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy’ to create 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats with an Indian majority.

According to Uthayakumar, the Indian community is plagued with problems because they do not form the majority in any constituency.

“By having Prai as a Indian majority seat, HRP and Indians would have a more say in the state policies.

“We can demand for better treatment for Indians from the state government,” he said.

He said HRP outlined its empowerment strategy because Indians could no longer trust any of the elected representatives, regardless of whether they are from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

PM Najib practices true oppression against Indians in One Malay-sia

But his kosong UMNO propoganda otherwise is “Aim for a truely united country” (The Star 1/3/2010 at page N8).

Penang DAP Kapitan – mandore axis

This is the comment we had just received from our supporter Siva of Parit Buntar.

“ Dear mandore Ramasamy. Penang under DAP administration. More than 2 years ready nothing have been done for 28 tamil schools in Penang. You keep on promising to give land to Valdor Tamil school which under your Parliment for 7 months but yet to get land title. Simple calculation 4 years for 1 tamil school. You need One hundred and twelve (112) years for 28 tamil schools. You will do better than UMNOs’ mandore Dato Seri S Samy Vellu and proven that you are good mandore for Kapitan Lim Guan Eng.”

S’gor PKR Indian Exco mandore’s kosong one new Tamil school Tamil paper politics ala MIC

This Selangor PKR Exco mandore seems to be as thick skin as his 50 year predecessor MIC mandore in that he still continues with his Tamil school Tamil paper kosong politics ala MIC despite our repeated exposure of this his political rhetoric and even our formal complaint letter to his “tuan” Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim vide our letter dated 23/2/2010.

He has turned out to be a “fine” mandore politician as what his “tuan” Anwar Ibrahim and Tan Sri Khalid of PKR wants him to be.

But this Indian Exco mandore merely (kosong) promised the building of one new Desa Riya Tamil school in Petaling Jaya to generate excitement, play to the gallery and score political points and to stay politically afloat and alive and relevant among the especially vulnerable the Indian community.

But we ask again:-

1) Contrary to the Tamil paper sub headlines “New Tamil school for Desa Ria Tamil School” announces Xavier. (MO 1/3/10 page 2) Where is the truth of it?

2) Where is the official letter of this by the Selangor State government?

3) The land title or the aforesaid official letter to this proposed Desa Ria Tamil school was never made public at the announcement ceremony!

4) The approval letter by the Federal Government Education Ministry and the relevant authorities to the Selangor State government was never made public by this PKR Indian Exco mandore!

5) What about Tamil school land by the Selangor government to all 98 Tamil schools in Selangor all in one go! which would force the UMNO Federal government to grant full financial aid! Why no announcement on this by this EXCO mandore’s Tuan Menteri Besar Selangor. Why this piecemeal and temporary and/or non existent political rhetoric to fool and pull wool over the Indian communities’ eyes. Why not a wholesome and permanent solution by this mandore’s tuan Menteri Besar’s public announcement all in one go and with the effect of a wholesome as opposed to the present piecemeal and temporary solution on the Selangor state governments’ letterhead that all 98 Tamil schools are henceforth given state government land.

After all it has already been two years since PKR is ruling Selangor. And they only have a mere two more years to go before the next general elections and they may or may not be retained as the next Selangor state government thereafter. Why can’t PKR grant Selangor state land to all 98 Tamil schools in Selangor during their tenure as there is no way UMNO is going to do it if the come back to power in Selangor? PKR and their Indian Exco mandore would not do so as they fear losing Malay votes! But never mind these Tamil schools’ dilapidated and near cow shed like conditions.

And that brings us to the next question of what then is the difference between UMNO and PKR, DAP and PAS?

Based on his previous records, this PKR Indian Exco mandore is expected to hatch and rehatch over and over again this one new proposed Tamil school right up to the next general elections and maybe even thereafter as the malay proverb goes “Ayam telor sebiji rioh sekampung”. Further he is going to say that the Selangor state government had done their part but it is now the Federal government that has derailed this new Tamil school plan. If that be the case why then this premature new Tamil school announcement in the first place.

Admin.

Lim Guan Eng’s no land title & no show after HRP urged him to announce land for rare seafront hindu temple.

It was the Malaysia’s leading Masi Magam annual festival at the Sri Singamuga Kaliamman, Teluk Bahang hindu temple in Penang on 28/2/2010 which drew some 30,000 hindu devotees from especially all over Penang, Seberang Perai, South Kedah and North Perak. Our pro tem Secretary General P.Uthayakumar, National adviser N.Ganesan, Penang state HRP leader Kalai were all at the Human Rights Party stall. The police special branch set up shop right opposite our stall pretending to sell ice water and peanuts but monitoring and video recording with hidden video cameras. (See photos of Police SB). HRP was least perturbed.

HRP was warmly greeted by the old and young alike. Among our surprise was the eight month old sixth generation Kg.Buah Pala baby whose mother was expecting when Kg Buah Pala was ruthlessly demolished by the DAP Chief Minister of Penang Kapitan Lim Guan Eng. P.Uthayakumar had told her parents that he had read about this expecting mother and her predicament (from behind bars without trial at Kamunting Prison during his 514 days of incarceration.)

The HRP team received warm greetings, hugs, people crying, first emotional meeting since P.Uthayakumar’s release from Kamunting prison. Our valuable feedback from the general public was in effect that their only hope is in Hindraf and HRP. They see our sincerity and selfless struggle without fear and favour of both UMNO and PKR, DAP & PAS.

Some appeared to be confused as a result of UMNO’s and the police special branchs’ multi million Ringgit Malaysia “Ops Padam Hindraf” outlawing of Hindraf to confuse and break up the Hindraf and HRP people power movement by the creation of the Makkal Sakthi Party, ASP Vasanthakumar’s leading role in Operasi Padam Hindraf etc which is ably backed up by UMNOs’ control of the print and electronic media especially through the Home Ministrys’ KDN instructions to the three Tamil dailies. Our nett assessment is the Indian community’s support seems to be currently only simmering but waiting to peak and explode at the right time ie during the 2012/2013 general elections.

Given time this confusion, clouding and the impression of a break up in Hindraf will clear up within months.

HRP made their presence felt, launched their kempen Tawan Perai State seat and Batu Kawan Parliamentary seats by making them at least 60% Indian majority seats as per P.Uthayakumar’s book “Indian political empowerment strategy- the way forward”.

http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/books/TheWayForwardTamilVersion.pdf

This book, HRP’s latest February buletin and an exhibition on the Hindraf and HRP struggle was also put up by the very dedicated Penang HRP state committee.

When invited to make an impromptu speech by the said temple committee leaders, P.Uthayakumar made only two briefs but spot on points:-

1) The launch of the aforesaid Tawan Perai and Batu Kawan state and Parliamentary seats respectively vis a vis the Indian political empowerment strategy.

2) He asked the temple committee chairman in their welcoming speech later that evening to ask that the Penang Chief Minister Kapitan Lim Guan Eng should announce and backed up with the Penang State Government official letter that this 200 over year old hindu temple is henceforth granted the two acre seafront land that the temple is sitting on and with an undertaking that the title to the land would be granted within 60 days especially so in recognition of the History and Heritage status of this rare seafront hindu temple vis a vis the Indian fishermen who had lived and died in Penang.

But it is believed that this racist Kapitan Lim Guan Eng upon getting this information gave this function a miss and instead as usual assigned his “able” DCM II Indian mandore to attend the function vis a vis to be the fall man cum punching bag ala what MIC had been for UMNO.

After all it has already been two years since DAP is ruling Penang. And they only have a mere two more years to go before the next general elections and they may or may not be retained as the next Penang state government thereafter. Why can’t DAP grant to this temple Penang state government land during their tenure as there is no way UMNO is going to do it if the come back to power in Penang on or after the 2012/2013 general elections.

We are here talking about “our” Penang state government as 90% of the Indians had voted for PKR, DAP and PAS in the 8^th March 2008 general elections on our political directions.

S.Jayathas,

Information Chief

Samy Vellu To Consult MIC Members On BN Open Membership Proposal

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 (Bernama) - MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu on Sunday maintained that the party was not against the Barisan Nasional's (BN) proposed open membership system but stressed that he would still have to gauge the feelings of party members on the proposal.

He said the MIC, being the third largest BN component party, did not object to the proposal mooted by Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the BN Supreme Council meeting on Feb 19.

"The prime minister wants to further strengthen the BN, and we will back him in his efforts. However, we have to know what our members feel and think about the proposal," he told reporters before handing out diplomas to the party's TAFE College students here today.

Najib proposed the move to allow individuals and non-governmental organisations friendly to the BN to be part of the BN in a move to strengthen the coalition, especially to face the next general election.

Samy Vellu said a sub-committee headed by him would be formed to study the proposal.

"The matter will also be discussed at the MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting so that we can get a collective view on the matter. There may be differences in opinion and we have to come to a consensus," he said.

He said the party's views and recommendations would then be submitted to a committee formed by the BN Supreme Council and headed by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to study the proposal.

"This proposal has to be deliberated and studied carefully by the respective component parties. The important thing is to get the feedback of their (respective) members. This is what we will do," he said.

Samy Vellu said the implementation of the proposal could not be rushed as time was needed to gauge the feelings of the members of the component parties.

The MIC chief said the party acknowledged the role of the NGOs, especially in mobilising the people's support for the BN.

"The MIC is already working closely with several NGOs and we have also formed consultative councils involving the MIC and NGOs in many states like in Perak and Johor," he said.

Samy Vellu said the MIC had also roped in the NGOs to discuss and make their recommendations on several issues affecting the Indian community such as the 10th Malaysia Plan.

On another matter, Samy Vellu urged school drop-outs and unemployed Indian youths to enlist with the various government-run skills training centres as some of the institutes have relaxed their entry requirements.

He said the MIC, with the cooperation of NGOs, would initiate more campaigns and publicity drives to recruit Indian youths to register with the institutes.

-- BERNAMA

********
Kayveas Welcomes Proposal For Direct Entry Into BN

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 (Bernama)-- People's Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas on Sunday welcomed the proposal by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to open direct entry to individuals, political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to join the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Kayveas said the proposal could further strengthen the BN besides uniting members of the component parties.

"The BN should become one party, I welcome the Prime Minister's suggestion for the direct membership to all individuals, political parties and NGOs under BN to strengthen the unity between members of the party," he said at a media conference after a meeting of the PPP Supreme Council, here.

He said the proposal would also unite the minority groups such as the Indians who were divided due to the existence of many parties in the country.

Meanwhile, Kayveas said the PPP Supreme Council meeting today focused on efforts to update membership in its 3,857 branches throughout the country besides registering those who were eligible to vote.

The PPP now has 577,000 members in 154 divisions nationwide.

Kelantan assembly agrees to take oil royalty issue to court

Datuk Husam Musa has confirmed that Kelantan will bring its oil royalty claims against Petronas to court.

By Mohd Zuharman - The Malaysian Insider

KOTA BARU, March 1 — The PAS-controlled Kelantan state assembly, including three out of six Barisan Nasional assemblymen, today unanimously agreed to take the state’s oil royalty claims against Petronas to court.

The BN lawmakers’ support for Ayer Lanas assemblyman Abdullah Yaakub’s motion has undercut the federal government’s argument that Kelantan is not entitled to 5 per cent royalty under the Petroleum Development Act 1974.

The trio are state Opposition Leader Datuk Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad (BN-Kok Lanas), Mat Yusof Abdul Ghani (BN–Nenggiri) and Datuk Abdul Rashid Aziz (BN–Kuala Balah).

“Referring to the Act shows clearly that it provides for states that produce oil whether on land or at sea are entitled to cash payments or royalty,” Abdullah said when tabling the motion.

“So it is decided that the assembly gives the mandate to the State Executive Council to bring the oil royalty claim to court,” he told the state assembly this morning.

State speaker Nasharuddin Daud then called for a vote which all 38 PAS assemblymen and three out of six BN lawmakers supported.

However, Datuk Nozula Mat Diah (BN-Paloh) and Adhan Kechik (BN-Bukit Bunga) did not stand up to vote while their colleague Datuk Noorzahidi Omar (BN-Pengkalan Kubur) was not in the assembly when the vote was taken.

Mat Yusof was quoted by the Malaysiakini news portal as saying the BN lawmakers have revoked their support as the motion had included amendments. It is not known if their revocation has been accepted by the state assembly.

Petroleum Committee chairman Datuk Husam Musa said yesterday the state government decided to bring the matter to court as it was an issue that needed a thorough review.

He also said the state government also needed the state assembly’s support as the vesting deed signed between Kelantan and Petronas in 1975 for the 5 per cent oil royalty for the state and the same amount for the federal government had required the assembly’s approval.

However, he said yesterday he wasn’t sure if the assembly would discuss the issue when it met this morning.

“I don’t know, we wait and see first. The assembly sits tomorrow and the day after. I don’t have to discuss it now,” Husam had said.

Former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas last night gave a briefing on the issue. Others who were present included former officers from the Attorney-General’s Chambers including Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman and former Petronas legal department chief Nik Saghir Mohd Nor.

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has clashed with his Umno party over the issue, saying the law was clear that Kelantan deserved the 5 per cent oil royalty and not goodwill payment of RM20 million proposed by the Najib Administration.

The federal government has already said it will disburse the money through its agencies, similar to its move in Terengganu when it suspended oil royalty payments in 1999 when PAS captured the oil-rich state. It has since reversed its decision in Terengganu after capturing the state in the 2004 general elections.

PKR defectors’ independence questioned

DAP's Lim Kit Sian points out that PR has to undergo a self-cleansing process

By Clara Chooi -The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians and analysts have dismissed a suggestion that the recent defection of two PKR MPs and the threat of more defections would result in the emergence of a bloc of Independent lawmakers in Parliament.

PAS national unity committee chairman Mujahid Yusof Rawa scoffed at the possibility of an Independent bloc in Parliament and said that in Malaysian politics, there was no such thing as a “truly independent” lawmaker. “They are either here (PR) or there (Barisan Nasional),” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The Parit Buntar MP cited the example of the Perak when three PR assemblymen — two from PKR and one from DAP — left their parties to become Independents friendly to BN.

“This is just a political game. They announce that they are leaving now but they will later say they are friendly to Barisan,” he said.

Even if the deserters remained as Independents, said Mujahid, he predicted that the bloc would be used as a back-up for the BN government to win votes in Parliament.

Former PKR secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim, who has also quit his party, predicted today an exodus of PKR lawmakers. This would result in a whole new faction in Parliament — an Independent bloc — which Salehuddin did not discount happening.

DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said the defections showed that “painful and agonising though it may be”, PR needed to undergo a “self-cleansing process”.

Lim told The Malaysian Insider that if PR wanted to regain voter confidence, they needed to clean up house. “It may be painful and agonising but we have to go through it,” he said.

Lim did not want to speak on the viability of having an Independent faction in Parliament and merely said: “Let them play up the theatre first and we will see what happens. All I want to say for now is that Pakatan needs to undergo some self-cleansing.”

PKR national vice-president Dr Lee Boon Chye said the PKR defectors would find themselves to be fairly restricted in their quest to become truly independent MPs in Parliament.

“Already in the current situation, even as a strong opposition with a third of the seats, we find it difficult to balance the dominance of the Barisan so what more when you are an Independent,” he said.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat agreed with this and echoed Mujahid’s views that Malaysian politics did not have room for a “third force”. He noted that the independent MPs would not be truly free from influences from either PR or BN. “After all, how many lawmakers do you know are truly aware of their duties? Defecting from their respective parties do not make them better Parliamentarians,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

He also pointed out that defectors would have little influence in winning over votes for BN. “The voters have already made up their minds so they do not want a third force. At the end of the day, these ‘independent MPs” would have to choose which side they want to be friendly with. “If in the next elections they want to stand in a three-tiered fight, they would lose,” he said. “The real damage is if the people think that these defections mean that the PKR is split and that Pakatan is weakening,” he said.

In announcing his departure from PKR today, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng said that he would remain as an independent candidate and would not be “friendly” to either coalitions. “If I am ‘friendly’ then I am not independent, am I?” he told a press conference this afternoon.

Tan’s departure is the latest departure of PKR’s federal lawmakers, following Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim’s recent decision to also leave PKR.

Former PKR deputy president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said he believes that the existence of more independent lawmakers was a healthy scenario but admitted that the group would have little legislative influence. “If you look at the Malaysian Parliament, the ruling coalition has a comfortable majority to a point that they do not really need these independent legislators to pass bills. Unless of course, they have problems with the attendance of their own MPs,” he told The Malaysian Insider tonight.

He noted that he had little confidence that the group of independent MPs would represent a unified voice in the Parliament as they all came from different ethnic backgrounds.

“Tan and (Pasir Mas MP) Ibrahim Ali will not team up, for example. However, if they could stand united on certain issues especially on ethnic issues, then they can play the role of a multi-ethnic bloc. They can become bridge-builders and this would be very good,” said Dr Chandra.

At this point however, he said that it was difficult to imagine such a thing happening and noted that truly independent lawmakers were hard to come by, especially if they chose not to vote with their conscience in Parliament and instead began, again, to take sides with either party.

BN currently controls 137 seats in Parliament while PKR has 29, DAP have 28 seats and PAS 23 seats. Five others are independents. BN needs 11 seats to retain its two-thirds majority.

Zul Noordin denies quit rumours

Kulim Bandar Baharu MP, Zulkifli Noordin seen leaving the PKR headquarters. - Picture by Jack Ooi

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, March 1 — Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin has denied rumours of quitting PKR, saying he will continue defending himself before the party’s disciplinary board.

The first-term MP said his presence at the board’s hearing today showed that he is serious to stay on in the party. He was referred to the disciplinary board for lodging a police report against PAS’s Khalid Samad over the “Allah” row

Rumours of Zulkifli’s defection emerged this morning when Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng declared his intention to turn independent over his spat with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“I have said earlier that the ‘little pharaohs’ in the party can’t wait to see me expelled, up to this morning I heard stories of my refusal to attend the hearing,” Zulkifli told a press conference after meeting the disciplinary board for an hour.

“I have been very sincere and I have written three letters to the disciplinary board,” he added.

He also denied reports that he had arranged Tan’s press conference this morning.

“It had nothing to do with me, these stories were made up,” said Zulkifli.

However he was saddened by Tan’s decision to leave the party.

“I am disappointed that he decided to quit, but maybe he had reached a stage where he can no longer compromise,” said Zulkifli.

On former secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim’s statement that up to 10 PKR lawmakers are planning to defect, Zulkifli said he is not one of them.

“You have to ask the secretary-general,” he said.

On his disciplinary proceedings, Zulkifli said he had orally raised eight issues to be deliberated by the board.

“They decided that they need time to study the issues that I have raised and they agreed to investigate the matter,” he said.

Zulkifli however refused to disclose the issues saying that it is inappropriate for him to discuss them publicly.

He said that the disciplinary board will deliver its decision on Mar 4.

Zulkifli also agreed that he has been treated fairly by the board.

“I don’t think anybody will be happy to be dragged to the board, but so far yes, although I am not happy that they did not reply to the letter,” he said.

Zulkifli claimed that he had written to the disciplinary board on Feb 16, 23 and 27 to explain himself, but the body did not reply his letters.

But according to sources close to the disciplinary board Zulkifli has been incommunicado since his return from Korea last week.

A PKR insider said the last email was sent by Zulkifli on Feb 16 requesting the proceedings to be held between Feb 28 and Mar 5.

Zulkifli’s hearing was initially set for Feb 23 but he was in Korea for a leadership conference.

Head hunt for candidates, and do it now!

It is time the opposition looked outside the party. Party loyalists can revert to party un-loyalists if the price is right. So who cares about party loyalty when it comes with a price and loyalty can be bought and sold? I would look at those who have proven themselves as champions of the people rather than champions of the party -- the party that pays them the most money.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The policy was to contest every single seat, parliament as well as state. Barisan Nasional must never be allowed to win a single seat uncontested. No menang tanpa tanding (walk over) for Barisan Nasional. They would be given a fight even in constituencies where Barisan Nasional can easily win without any effort.

For example, in Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah would be able to win whether he contested as an Umno candidate, on an opposition ticket, or even as an independent. There was no way the opposition can dislodge Ku Li from his ‘kingdom’. Whomsoever contests in Gua Musang against Ku Li would be committing hara-kiri. It is a suicide mission and ‘sure death’.

Nevertheless, an opposition candidate would be fielded against Ku Li -- even though it was a futile exercise and ‘the Prince of Kelantan politics’ can retain his seat with both eyes closed and two hands tied behind his back. Someone would be ‘sent to his death’ in Gua Musang. He will be the sacrificial lamb, the kambing hitam to be slaughtered by Ku Li. Ku Li would definitely win and the opposition candidate would definitely be defeated, maybe even lose his deposit as well if the loss is that great. But a candidate will still be fielded against Ku Li, not with the possibility that he could win but just for the heck of it.

This strategy almost worked if not for the fact that some opposition candidates went MIA (missing in action). Something happened on the way to the office, the stand-up comedian would normally say. In this case, something happened on the way to the nomination centre. Some opposition candidates were paid off to disappear and to not turn up at the nomination centre. A few Barisan Nasional candidates did win uncontested after all when the opposition could not find their missing candidates.

When the nominations closed, Barisan Nasional got in with a few seats uncontested. However, except for these few, the majority of the seats were going to be contested. Barisan Nasional would win many more come polling day. A handful of the opposition candidates would win, of course, but a mere handful. Maybe Kelantan would remain opposition. The other states would remain Barisan Nasional. And Barisan Nasional would come in with a two-thirds majority in Parliament with, at best, 30 or 40 seats going to the opposition.

There are those who questioned the logic of contesting every single seat, knowing that the opposition could never win every single seat. Why not pick and choose only the ‘winnable’ seats to contest? Why contest those seats that you know you can’t win? After all, the opposition does not have enough candidates, or money needed to finance the many candidates. So why not just contest the seats the opposition can be assured of winning? Why also contest the seats you know you are going to lose, or spend all that money you do not have?

That was the other school of thought. And this was what people like Dr Chandra Muzaffar too believed, at the time when he was still an opposition leader of course. Select the winnable seats and contest only those seats. Forget about the seats that Barisan Nasional will never lose. It costs money to contest the general election. So why waste money you don’t have? And why field candidates in sure-lose seats when, in the first place, do you do not have enough candidates?

But no, the ego of the opposition would never allow Barisan Nasional to win any seat without a contest. Even if we lose we must still fight. We fight not only when we can be assured of winning. That is a coward’s strategy. We fight even if we know we are going to lose. That is what a ‘real man’ must do.

So it does not matter who the candidates are. After all, they are not going to win anyway. Send anyone. It does not matter who that person is. No need to choose our best man. We are going to lose that seat anyway. So why send our best man? We just want someone who is prepared to ‘die’, as he surely will. So why send our best man to die? Send someone not that good. We are sending him not to win but to be sacrificed.

That was the strategy. It was not a strategy to win. It was a strategy to make up the numbers. It was a strategy to send our best candidates to constituencies which we can win and the not so good to constituencies we can never win in a million years.

It was a good strategy. It was a good strategy if we are assured of winning a few seats and assured of losing many seats. The good candidates would be saved for the sure-win constituencies. And the not so good candidates would be sacrificed in the sure-lose constituencies.

It is not that easy to get good candidates anyway. Who would want to contest the general election on an opposition ticket? Who wants to make a fool of himself or herself by contesting the general election just to lose? Why contest when you are guaranteed of losing?

So the opposition lacked the ability to attract good candidates. And this was quite understandable. Those with any brains would never back a loser. Only brainless losers back losers. And the opposition is far from being the winner. The 2004 general election proved this. In 2004, many opposition candidates not only lost the election but lost their deposits as well. That was how disastrous it was in 2004. And why should 2008 be any different?

But the unexpected happened. What no one thought would happen did happen. The opposition won the seats they never expected to win. And lo and behold, they had fielded their ‘Grade B’ candidates in these seats. Some were not even ‘Grade B’ but ‘Grade C’. These are seats they thought they were never going to win in a million years. But these are seats they did win in 2008.

The opposition was caught with its pants down. It won many seats in 2008. And many of these seats were seats it did not think it could win but did win. And the candidates in these seats were not their best candidates. They were candidates who were supposed to lose. They were candidates sent out to ‘die’. They were candidates selected as sacrificial lambs, to be eaten by the Barisan Nasional lions.

But the lions did not eat the sacrificial lambs. Instead, the sacrificial lambs ate the lions. And the opposition ended up with many seats it never figured it would end up with. And the people now holding those seats are people the opposition would rather do without.

It was a good strategy. Field the best candidates in the winnable seats. Simply field anyone in the non-winnable seats. Pick whomsoever happened to be around that day and slot them in the seats you know you are going to be massacred. Just give an appearance of challenging Barisan Nasional in every constituency. It is only an appearance. You are not really giving Barisan Nasional a fight since you did not field your best candidates in those seats.

Yes, it was a good strategy. But it was a strategy that went wrong. You ended up with more seats than you thought you would end up with. And you ended up with more state assemblypersons and parliamentarians than you thought you would end up with. But not all are people whom you would have liked to have as state assemblypersons and parliamentarians. They were supposed to have lost the elections, the sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered by Barisan Nasional.

And now that strategy gone wrong has come home to roost. The opposition is seeing these candidates leave for greener pastures. They were not supposed to have won in the first place. They were supposed to have lost. But they did win. And now that they have won they want to leave the opposition to join Barisan Nasional where the pickings are better.

This is both good and bad. It is good in the sense that the opposition has now learned not to take things lightly. Don’t contest half-heartedly what you thought were non-winnable seats by fielding the worst candidates in those constituencies. You never know. You might end up winning those seats instead.

It is bad in that Barisan Nasional has also learned its lesson. If they can get enough opposition parliamentarians to cross over to Barisan Nasional then they will regain their two-thirds majority in parliament where they can redraw the election boundaries so that 2008 can never be repeated.

The opposition can, again, win 50% of the votes in the next general election. But the opposition’s share of 50% of the votes would translate to less than one-third of the seats in parliament while Barisan Nasional’s 50% will give them two-thirds. This is what they can do if they can get enough opposition parliamentarians to cross over before the next election.

Fine, looking at what happened in 2004, no one can blame the opposition for thinking that 2008 would be no better. However, against all odds, it was better. And this is why we are seeing the current exodus of crossovers. It is because of a good strategy that backfired, which means it was not that good a strategy after all.

Who do we blame for this? On hindsight, the opposition is to be blamed. But it is always easy to be an expert on hindsight. What about on foresight? If we feel that the opposition made a mistake in fielding bad candidates, whose fault is it? The opposition was begging for potential candidates to come forward and offer themselves as candidates. But not many were prepared to offer themselves as candidates. So the opposition was forced to select those not worthy of being candidates to field in the election.

Next time around, those of calibre must come forward to offer themselves as candidates. And the opposition must, on its part, be prepared to select people from outside the party. Never mind if they are not party people. Never mind if they are from the NGOs, civil society movements, activists, academicians, writers, Bloggers, or whatnot. Select them as candidates even if they have no party track record but are qualified and capable. This is what must happen the next time around, if there is a next time.

Head hunt for candidates for the next general election. And do it now rather than later. Identify good potential candidates and start talking to them now. And if the government suddenly holds a snap election you will not be caught off-guard. You will have your list of potential candidates ready. Then you won’t scramble to fill in the slots and be forced to field half-past-six people as candidates like last time.

I have my own list of some possible candidates. There are of course many more. These are not party people. In fact, some may have even been critical of the opposition, and even more critical of Barisan Nasional. These are people with qualifications and calibre. These are people with integrity and commitment. These are people who could become rich if they went into Barisan Nasional but choose not to even if they remain poor. These are people who not only know how to serve the country but also can never be made to change sides even if millions were at stake.

It is time the opposition looked outside the party. Party loyalists can revert to party un-loyalists if the price is right. So who cares about party loyalty when it comes with a price and loyalty can be bought and sold? I would look at those who have proven themselves as champions of the people rather than champions of the party -- the party that pays them the most money.

Is the opposition ready to break away from tradition? Is the opposition ready to abolish cronyism, the very thing they accuse Barisan Nasional of but which exists in the opposition as well? Has what is going on of late taught the opposition the lesson it dire needs?

I hope to see at least, say, 20 candidates for parliament and, say, 50 candidates for the state seats come from the ranks of the NGOs, civil society movements, activists, academicians, writers, Bloggers, or whatnot. That is only 10% or so of the total number of seats. Is 10% too much to ask? Is it not better to ‘lose’ 10% of the seats to these types of ‘non-party people’ rather than lose ‘party candidates’ to Barisan Nasional due to crossovers?

The ball is now at the feet of the opposition. I just hope they know which direction the goalpost is. I can forgive the opposition for its disaster in choosing candidates in the 2008 general election because I know why that happened. But there is no excuse or forgiving if it happens again after we now know what must be done. If they do this again even I might leave the opposition in disgust and go into retirement.

Big break for Teoh's lawyers, Pornthip to arrive Apr 19

(Harakah Daily) - Lawyers acting for Selangor political aide Teoh Beng Hock, who died in suspicious circumstances, have described the admission by a government pathologist that he could have been strangled prior to death as a major break in their quest for the truth.

Gobind Singh Deo, counsel for his family, and Malik Imtiaz, counsel for his employer the Selangor state government, wrung the hard-won admission from Sungai Buloh head pathologist Dr Shahidan Md Noor during cross-examination on Monday.

They are now waiting for Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, whom Gobind told Harkahdaily would arrive on April 19 to add further clarity to the case, in which the Malaysian authorities have been widely accused of trying to cover up.

“It is a very significant break. Initially all three government pathologists refused to acknowledge the possibility of strangulation even though Dr Pornthip could spot the pressure marks around Teoh’s neck just from looking at the photographs taken of the body,” Gobind told Harakahdaily.

“Now Dr Shahidan has conceded that the first autopsy conducted by the other two government doctors were not carried out in proper procedure and he has also confirmed he saw the abrasions on the neck.”

Pornthip could spot it, but not the government doctors

Shahidan had been asked to carry out the second post-mortem on Teoh after the Coroner ordered an exhumation following testimony by Dr Pornthip that there was an 80 percent chance that Teoh had been murdered.

At the start of today’s inquest, Shahidan explained that the signs to look for in cases of custodial death are pressure marks around neck for possible strangulation, and conducting dissection of limbs and muscle for signs of possible beating and internal injuries.

He agreed that both procedures were not carried out in the first autopsy and concurred with Gobind that it was strange that abrasion marks on the neck were not in the post-mortem reports issued by Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim and Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar.

Dr Shahidan also admitted that his own report lacked details of investigations into the abrasions. In fact, his admission in court today that it was possible Teoh could have been strangled directly contradicts his report, which rules out manual strangulation although there was evidence of bruises on and contusions to Teoh’s neck.

Nevertheless, he still tried his best to defend his government colleagues against Gobind’s accusations of incompetency.

“The superficial injuries on the neck would have only been evident after 24 hours, that’s why they couldn’t see the marks. The signs of asphyxia were not apparent on Teoh Beng Hock’s neck,” Shahidan said during cross-examination.

“If it weren’t for Dr Pornthip’s testimony, we would not know about the cause of injuries to the neck of the deceased. Now, there is a possibility that Teoh Beng Hock was strangled on the 14th floor of the MACC. Now I didn’t say strangled to death, I said strangled. These are material facts to be considered in this case,” Gobind retorted.

Plot against his boss, Ean Yong

The court has fixed March 10 for the cross-examination of Dr Shahidan to continue. It will also call on Kajang councilor Tan Boon Wah to take the witness stand.

The body of the 30-year Teoh - a former journalist - had been found on the fifth floor podium of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, where he had visited the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s 14th floor office for questioning as a witness into alleged corruption by his boss, Seri Kembangan assemblyman and state executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah.

There have been widespread accusations that Ean was being victimized as part of a plot by senior Umno leaders to topple the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government. Till now, the MACC – frequently lambasted as a stooge for top Umno leaders – have not pressed any charges against Ean.

The MACC and all three government pathologists including Shahidan have alleged that Teoh committed suicide. But Teoh’s family and his employers are adamant he was murdered as he was due to register his marriage on the day his body was found. He was also looking forward to the birth of his son with his long-time fiancée Soh Cher Wei.

"We pray that more and more of the truth will be revealed as the inquest takes its course. Today was very encouraging and we hope that Beng Hock will get the justice that he deserves," Ean told Harakahdaily.

MCA bidas Ibrahim Ali

(Harakah Daily) - MCA hari ini membidas sekeras-kerasnya kenyataan Presiden Pertubuhan Peribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa) Datuk Ibrahim Ali yang mendesak kerajaan menghentikan pemberian projek atau tender istimewa kepada syarikat korporat Cina yang tidak tahu berterima kasih.

Demikian kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Datuk Ti Lian Ker, Pengerusi Biro Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan MCA

Bagi beliau, kenyataan Ibrahim berlandaskan ras dan berbau perkauman adalah satu kenyataan yang tidak bertanggungjawab dan boleh mencetuskan sentimen prasangka perkauman yang semakin menebal dalam negara kita.

Kenyataan sedemikian akan menimbulkan ketidaktenteraman bangsa Malaysia yang sedang diancam oleh ancaman luar dan dalaman di mana keharmonian negara buat pertama kalinya terancam oleh pelbagai isu nasional yang sengaja diwar-warkan oleh pihak tertentu yang mempunyai agenda merosakkan ketenteraman negara, katanya.

Bagi Ti, kenyataan Ibrahim itu seharusnya merujuk kepada semua kaum berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip yang murni dan bukannya mendedahkan kehodohan muka perkauman Ibrahim yang berselindung di bawah pertubuhan Perkasa dengan agenda politik peribadi semata-mata.

"Minda zero sum game berlandaskan batasan kaum juga akan merugikan negara dan bangsa dalam kegawatan ekonomi yang sedang dihadapi oleh semua," katanya.

Beliau menyifatkan, kenyataan Ibrahim yang melulu dan tidak berasas adalah satu strategi politik lampau yang tidak boleh lagi diguna pakai dalam era 1Malaysia yang mempromosikan keberkesanan dan sumbangan positif kepada pembangunan negara yamg dapat membawa keuntungan optimum kepada semua rakyat Malaysia.

Dengan menjadikan korporat Cina sebagai sasaran akan menghalang kemasukan pelabur-pelabur asing dan kepakaran apabila mereka mengubah haluan akibat ketidak selesaan terhadap dasar negara yang menjadikan mereka mangsa tuduhan dan tohmahan, katanya.

"Kenyataan Ahli Parlimen Bebas itu bolehlah disifatkan sebagai dangkal dan tidak relevan dalam era globalisasi yang semakin mencabar dan terbuka," katanya.

Menurut Ti, semua pihak sepatutnya memberikan tumpuan tuntas dan fokus kepada usaha meningkatkan tahap daya saing ekonomi negara yang kini sedang berhadapan dengan saingan dan peluang kebangkitan ekonomi dari negara-negara jiran.

“Ini bukan masanya untuk kita berdebat mengenai siapakah yang seharusnya menikmati pai ekonomi negara yang lebih banyak," katanya.

Kita ketinggalan

Bagi beliau, dalam keadaan daya saing ekonomi negara kita yang kini semakin ketinggalan berbanding dengan negara-negara jiran, inilah masanya untuk semua pihak bersepakat duduk berbincang dan mencari jalan bagaimana untuk merencanakan kembali ekonomi negara tanpa menimbulkan isu-isu emosi berlandaskan politik semata-mata.

Ini kerana akhirnya, ia akan merugikan negara dan rakyat jua yang akan sengsara.

Justeru, kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Ibrahim itu adalah “counter-productive” dan cenderung kepada agenda membinasa daripada agenda membina.

Cara dan pendekatan beliau yang ingin mengapi-apikan emosi perkauman, untuk memonopolikan peluang-peluang ekonomi berasaskan perkauman adalah ketinggalan masa dan tidak lagi secocok dengan hasrat kepimpinan negara. Rakyat sekarang inginkan ketelusan, keadilan dan kesaksamaan demi masa depan mereka.

MCA berpandangan, kata Ti, mana-mana kontraktor yang mempamerkan sikap positif dan keupayaan terutamanya dari segi kesanggupannya, kemampuan dan keberkesanannya, harus dan perlu diberi peluang yang setimpal untuk bersaing supaya mereka kekal dan terus menyumbang ke arah pembangunan ekonomi negara.

"Polemik politik Ibrahim akan menjejaskan kepentingan dan kestabilan negara. Tindakan beliau dikhuatiri akan menakutkan pelabur dalam negara. Inilah masanya kita menunjukkan sikap mesra pelabur dan bukannya kehodohan perkauman," tambahnya.

Bagi beliau, tiada gunanya negara menampung kontraktor yang tidak berkesan dan kurang berprestasi yang pada akhirnya akan menggadaikan mutu pembinaan, selain mengancam keselamatan rakyat. Imej negara juga akan terjejas.

Pengorbanan piawaian dan rasuah kuasa telah menyebabkan kerajaan dan rakyat mengalami kerugian atas keuntungan segelintir individu. Masalah ini juga telah mengancam kestabilan ekonomi dan keselamatan pengguna dan rakyat.

Oleh yang demikian, sekiranya kontraktor-kontraktor yang mendapat tender tidak mempamerkan prestasi yang cemerlang dan tidak mematuhi peraturan yang ditetapkan, maka peluang mendapat tender itu tidak harus diberikan kepada mereka lagi di masa hadapan sejajar untuk memupuk prestasi keberkesaan , penyampaian dan amanah di bawah slogan "Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan."

As expected Tan joins Zahrain, Zulkifli in the queue

Wong Choon Mei

As expected, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng has decided to quit PKR ahead of disciplinary punishment for lashing out at his party and coalition mates.

Tan, the son of Penang Gerakan leader Tan Gim Hwa, announced on Monday morning that he would leave PKR to stand as an independent lawmaker.

But few of his party colleagues doubt that he will be a BN-friendly Independent, much in the same way as DAP’s Jelapang assemblywoman Hee Yit Foong, with whom he is now frequently compared with.

“Given the out-of-control way in which he has been attacking his own party and coalition, how can we be surprised? But sometimes, you need to get rid of the pus before the wound can heal,” Penang PKR chief Dr Mansor Othman told Harakahdaily.

Guan Eng just the bogeyman

The temperamental Tan also joins PKR compatriots such as Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohd Hashim, Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Radzi and Changkat Jehring assemblyman Mohd Osman Jailu.

Together with Zahrain, Tan had lashed out at Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, accusing the latter of marginalizing their interests. Their Pakatan colleagues however believe that Zahrain and Tan had already knocked out a deal with Prime Minister Najib Razak to destabilize Guan Eng's administration.

Hugely popular with the majority of Penangites, Guan Eng is now being used by the racists in Umno as a bogeyman and an example of how the position of the Malays could be usurped by the Chinese and Indians if they allowed Pakatan to win at elections.

"It has all the traditional hallmarks of Umno. They are using race and religion to shatter Malaysian society for their own political benefit," PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Harakahdaily.

"But the Penang government is still standing strong and Penangites still fully behind Guan Eng and Pakatan. The people, including the Penang Malays, can see through Tan and Zahrain resigning to avoid disciplinary action. I think it will be extremely hard for either of them to retain their seats in the next election.

Next - Zulkifli, the wishful hero

Another PKR federal lawmaker, Kulim Bandar Bharu MP Zulkifli Noordin is expected to follow in the footsteps of Zahrain and Tee Beng.

Zulkifli is due to face the PKR disciplinary panel on Monday but has already announced that he will not be attending. Zulkifli was hauled up for lodging a police report against PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad over the Allah issue.

Despite a gag order, he has since lambasted the DAP as a chauvinist Chinese party, appealing to PKR and PAS to dump DAP and join forces with Umno.

“We will be least surprised if Zul is the next. He is trying to force PKR to sack him so that he can appear to be a political martyr - a hero - when he joins Umno, instead of just another turncoat," a PKR insider told Harakahdaily.

"No doubt, he will say he left because of disappointment over the Allah issue and because he realizes now that only Umno can save the Malays and Islam."

Najib pressured by Pakatan's growing success

Troubled by the rousing success of the Pakatan’s recent nationwide Lunar New Year tour including to Sabah, a key state in determining who will control the federal government at the next general election, Najib has clambered back on the Umno bandwagon of racial and religious politicking.

He has tried to steal Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s thunder by luring over defections and is said to have targeted a total of 10 federal lawmakers in order to regain a two-thirds majority at Parliament.

Such an outcome would help him railroad through gerrymandering attempts to re-draw constituencies and make it tougher for the Pakatan to win at the 13th general election, due latest by March 2013.

"I was at Pokok Sena in Kedah over the weekend and there were crowds of 20,000 to 30,000 who came out to cheer for us. It was the same in Selangor and Sabah. Obviously, this has strengthened Najib's resolve to buy over MPs and ADUNs. If Umno were to rely on free and fair elections, Pakatan would be in Putrajaya today itself," Tian said.

Syed Husin’s bombshell

On Sunday, Najib - who is also the Umno president - personally welcomed former PKR deputy chief minister of Penang Fairus Khairuddin into Umno, declaring the crossover as a victory for Umno and the Malay race.

However, the Umno president’s happiness was short-lived as PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali dropped a bombshell. Syed Husin issued a press statement revealing that Fairus left because Najib had offered a more ‘lucrative’ deal.

“Parti Keadilan Rakyat should be grateful to Allah (SWT) that Fairus Khairuddin has left the party. Since he participated in Penang Government and his departure from that until now, he has always been a liability,” Syed Husin said in the statement.

“Fairus has given racial and religious reasons for leaving Keadilan. How shameful. He, his friends and Allah know best the truth.”

The well-respected Syed Husin also revealed that it was Fairus who had been “performing below par” and he eventually quit his state posts last year due to investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly receiving bribes from several quarry firms.

“When he left, he demanded that the party cleared all debts on his two luxurious cars and pay him RM15,000 a month for as long as he determined. There was no reason to concede to these demands. Furthermore the party does not have the means to do so,” Syed Husin said.

“In pity of his wife and children, a kind person gave him a ‘job’ for which he was paid RM4000 monthly. He was dissatisfied and continuously attacked the party leadership. Now he has found an Umno leader who can pay him much, much more than this.”

Lebih 10 wakil rakyat PKR akan keluar parti

(Utusan Malaysia) - Bekas Setiausaha Agung Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Salehuddin Hashim menjangkakan lebih 10 wakil rakyat akan keluar dari parti itu tidak lama lagi.

Beliau berkata, langkah itu yang akan dilakukan secara berperingkat-peringkat adalah kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan corak kepimpinan parti itu yang kebudak-budakan.

"Anda sendiri boleh menjangkakan siapa mereka ini kerana wakil rakyat terbabit adalah terdiri daripada mereka yang bukan berfahaman sosialis, tiada latar belakang pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dan juga bukan golongan liberal atau kroni,'' katanya pada sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.

Of the op, obstacles, opportunity and oblivion!

By Martin Jalleh

The public has increasingly perceived the fledging PR to be a “fragile”, “feuding”, “fraying” and “faltering” coalition – one that was “not on a firm footing”.

Last year saw the end of the euphoria that enveloped the whole country after the political tsunami of March 2008. It was a year during which the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), was brought down to earth and forced to face the enormity of the challenge to deliver what it had promised during the elections.

It was also a year when the public increasingly perceived the fledging PR to be a “fragile”, “feuding”, “fraying” and “faltering” coalition — one that was “not on a firm footing”. In light of this scenario, the PR was hard pressed to convince the public that they could form the next federal government.

One would have thought that the PR, after having lost Perak to the BN in February 2009, would come to its senses about the need to be united.

But it continued with its petty and puerile public inter and intra-party squabbles, spats and skirmishes, much to the surprise and scorn of the public and the satisfaction of Umno!

Meanwhile, the great hope which the apolitical Hindraf gave to the Indians and in fact to Bolehland came to a halt.

Its high-browed leaders haggled over its future, hurled accusations at one another and accused PR of hypocrisy. By year’s end, Hindraf appeared headless, helpless, hopeless and headed for oblivion!

Coming back to the PR, in contrast to those disappointed, disillusioned and even disgusted over what they felt was the coalition’s failure to deliver and to stop its disunity, there were the PR die-hards who felt that it was too early to dismiss PR altogether or to write its death sentence.

It deserved more time and trust to prove itself.

The opposition coalition was only less than two years old as compared to the BN of more than 50 years.
The PR was made up of many first-timers with divergent ideologies and inclinations and like any coalition, has varying kinds of leaders/members such as the enlightened, the erratic, the eccentric and the egocentric!

Further, the PR in fact had ruled well in their states. The Auditor-General (AG) gave the highest rating to Selangor and Penang in terms of good governance since March 2008, which compared very favourably against BN-ruled states.

The AG also gave a commendable rating to the PR’s performance during its 11-month rule in Perak.

In 2009, PR also contributed significantly to Parliament in the form of better participation and stronger arguments during Question Time and debates.

In July, the PR formed parliamentary committees in tandem with 25 government ministries to help its MPs deliberate important bills and issues including the Budget.

Even in terms of by-elections, the PR fared well.

There was a time when it was a foregone conclusion that the BN would be the winner in any by-election. But in 2009 (a year of by-elections), the PR and the BN faced off seven times, with the opposition pact winning five times to BN’s two.

The PR successes in 2009, however, were overshadowed by its many shortcomings. In August 2009, Anwar conceded that his party PKR was the “weakest link” in PR and that “there is a flaw in our vetting system. We rushed to choose candidates to contest in the last general elections but I promise that this will be improved.”

In October 2009, the PR was humbled in the Bagan Pinang by-election. There were a host of lessons to be learned. Anwar did not hesitate to admit that the defeat was due to the “weaknesses and shortcomings” in PR. Some PR supporters even heaved a sigh of relief that the PR had lost! It was a heaven-sent harsh wake-up call.

In the same month, an exasperated Lim Kit Siang warned: “Pakatan Rakyat had been suffering a prolonged and unceasing bout of loss of public confidence… to convince the Malaysian electorate in its credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose.” PR may be only a “one-term miracle”, he prodded them.

Lethargy set in as the year went by. If not for the political lassitude of 20 missing PR MPs in Parliament, the BN’s Budget Bill (in mid-December 2009) could have been voted out and the PR could have won a vote of no-confidence against the BN government.

PR appeared to be resting on its laurels. How long would it last?

In 2009, Karpal Singh slammed Anwar for “creating enough trouble” and asked him to quit. Raja Petra said Anwar was in a “self-destruct mode”.

Umno shamelessly labelled the PR chief a “chameleon” (which Umno politician is not?) and a High Court ordered him to stand trial for sodomy charges! But Anwar soldiered on.

Umno spent the year systematically sabotaging the PR-ruled states by abusing varous institutions of democracy.
The PR was portrayed as weak, wavering and wobbling and Umno as having bounced back stronger to stamp its “supremacy”. Najib was back in the saddle (taking the country for a ride) with his slogans!

The PR’s successes were downplayed. Umno’s scandals were diverted. Federal funds were denied or delayed or distributed discriminately.

PR leaders were demonised and Umno portrayed as the champion of Islam and the Malay race, and the defender of the royalty. Umno was bent on destabilising and destroying PR!

The PR was undaunted by the task ahead. In December 2009, Pas MP Dzulkefly Ahmad introduced the PR’s Common Policy Framework as a “Dawn of a New Awakening” — a daring framework of common goals and grounds derived out of debate and dissent among the three parties, determined to deliver the “revolution of a political culture”.

The road to Putrajaya requires stomach, stamina, solidarity and the sacrifice of personal agendas and parochial party issues for the the larger national agenda. Sloganeering will not do.

The 1,500 delegates at PR’s first national convention were reminded of the dictum “Perform or Perish”.

Malaysians Have Moral Obligation In Lodging Report On Child Abuse Cases

By M. Santhiran KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 (Bernama) -- Did public apathy rear its ugly head and lead to the death of three-year-old Syafia Humairah Sahari following abuse over a period of time by her mother's boyfriend?

There is reason to believe that the girl could have been rescued from the monster, had neighbours -- who were aware of the goings-on at her family home -- alerted the police or the welfare authorities.

While finger-pointing at this stage in time is not going to bring Syafia back from the grave, it is imperative that the public understand it is their moral obligation to report child abuse cases to the authorities.

They should not wait for the long arm of the law to stumble on such cases. Rather, they could act as the eyes and ears of the law to prevent potential child abusers lurking in our society, from preying on the lives of the innocent.

Bernama spoke to some quarters for their views on public apathy and the need to educate the public in reporting child abuse to the relevant authorities.

The legal fraternity has generally urged society to show their moral obligation in reporting child abuse cases, rather than wait for the authorities to enact laws to punish those who failed to report such cases in their neighbourhood.

Counsel Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said the people should partly be blamed for Syafia's death since they were disinterested over what was going in their surroundings or next door.

"In Syafia's case, those who claimed that they were aware the child was subjected to abuse, are considered to have 'abetted' in her murder for failing to stop or act on such inhuman crime on a defenceless child," stressed Hafarizam.

He said targeting a child to show a person's frustration or anger, was definitely not the answer and those witnessing such incidents, by not reporting it to the authorities, were totally neglecting their moral obligation.

Hafarizam said, even he had stopped using the rotan on his own child after a couple from Malta reprimanded him by telling him that a child at a tender age should not be subjected to such punishment, when he was pursuing his tertiary education in London about 10 years ago.

A senior counsel-cum-lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia, A.Athimulam, said the law was silent on the matter and probably, the Attorney-General's Office should look into the matter and advise the government on how to encourage more people to come forward to assist enforcement agencies.

"Here, it is more an issue of moral obligation rather than law, it's not an offence for someone who witnesses such incidents and not lodge a report against it," he said.

Athimulam urged the public to put aside their differences and unite to put an end to child abuse in the country.

Syafia is believed to have been abused to death at her home in Kampung Batu 30, Ulu Yam lama, Batang Kali last Thursday. Initial post-mortem report revealed she suffered internal bleeding in the head, abdomen and kidneys, besides bruises on the body.

A 28-year-old suspect has been detained in connection with the case. Syafia's father, a former policeman, is serving sentence at the Sungai Buloh Prison since 2002, for the murder of an Indonesian man.

Human rights lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said it was about time the authorities looked into provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), especially Section 13, which clearly stated that individuals could be brought to court if they failed to report to the authorities, in cases like murder.

"The burden is on the person who is aware that a crime had been committed to report it to the police, but the issue here is, how many people are aware about this provision?," he asked.

He said the authorities should adopt a more holistic approach by educating the public on the seriousness of child abuse cases.

"You can't punish, penalise just like that, first educate them before taking drastic approach in dragging them to court," added Amer.

Malaysian Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan said the law was clear that whoever witnessed a crime committed, had the civil responsibility to report the act.

"It is shocking to know that people are not coming forward in lodging report since we have numerous institutions like the welfare department and non-governmental organisations, besides the police department," he said.

He said the public should be blamed for their apathy, resulted in more cases going unreported.

"Syafia's murder is a sad case when the community does not react," he noted.

HRP aims to create Indian-majority areas

GEORGETOWN: The Human Rights Party (HRP) launched its Prai voters’ registration campaign as part of its strategy to create Indian-majority constituencies in the country.

HRP believes the Prai constituency could be the launch pad for its political quest to create at least 15 Indian-majority federal and state seats across the country.

Prai has 14,175 registered voters, including 5,074 Indians or 36 percent.

Prai comes under Batu Kawan parliamentary seat. Both seats are now being held by Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2 P Ramasamy.

HRP aims to register about 4,100 more Indians as voters to turn Prai into an Indian-majority state seat.

HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar launched the campaign during the Singhamuga Kaliamman Kovil ‘Masi Maham’ festival in Teluk Bahang today.

He said that the Prai state constituency would be a key seat for the party to achieve its “Malaysian Indian political empowerment strategy” across the country.

Uthayakumar blamed the current predicament faced by working- class Indians on the non-existent of a single Indian majority constituency.

In Penang, HRP plans to create Batu Kawan and Prai as Indian- dominated seats.

Batu Kawan has 47,378 voters with Indians forming 22.8 percent or 10,802, making it among the federal seats with the largest percentage of Indian voters.

“By having Prai as a Indian majority seat, HRP and Indians would have a more powerful direct say in the state policies.

“We can demand for better treatment for Indians from the state government,” said Uthayakumar.

He added that HRP was pursuing its empowerment strategy because Indians could no longer trust any of the elected representatives either from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

“All these Indians representatives are mere mandores, not policy or decision-makers,” he said

Hindraf adviser N Ganesan pointed out that the current stateless status of many Penang Indians, who were living without proper identity documents, and landless 28 Tamil schools were major issues in Penang.

Other issues are lack of education, scholarships, job and business opportunities, and virtually non-existent career growth for Indians in both public and private sectors.

He said the indiscriminate demolition of Indian traditional village Kampung Buah Pala had certainly stirred up Indian sentiments.

He said despite having two Indian MPs and five Indian state representatives, Pakatan government has until today ignored and neglected its duty to address the Penang Indian plight.

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