Maybe Najib Rides it Out: a flashback of 2007

Despite a damaging week of revelations in the Mongolian murder case, clout and connections are likely to keep Malaysia’s deputy prime minister where he is

Given Abdul Razak’s close relationship with Najib, there is little doubt that he at least met her, and may well have shared conversations with an increasingly desperate Abdul Razak, who was being blackmailed by Altantuya, a fact she even acknowledged in a letter read in court.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Matt Salleh, The Asia Sentinel, 7 July 2007

It has been a bad week for Najib Tun Razak, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia.

With his close friend Abdul Razak Baginda on trial for her murder, Najib was identified Monday by a witness as having had his picture taken with the victim, Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

But the worst could be over, leaving Najib weakened in his quest to succeed Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Malaysia’s prime minister, but probably able to fend off political demise, unless there are further revelations. Burmaa Oyunchimeg, Altantuya’s cousin, who said she had seen the picture of Abdul Razak, Najib and Altantuya having dinner together, finished her testimony and has returned to Mongolia. No picture has been shown in court and none is likely to be.

Earlier in the week, there were reports that Tengku Razaleigh, a Malay prince and member of the old guard, former finance minister and one time pretender to the premiership, was working to challenge Najib for the job of deputy prime minister. But that challenge appears to have been blunted as well.

Altantuya was murdered on October 19 last year and dumped in a jungle clearing near the suburban city of Shah Alam, her body blown up with explosives after she had been shot twice. Abdul Razak is accused of engineering the killing at the hands of Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Constable Sirul Azhar Umar. Azilah was head of Najib’s personal security team and both men served as bodyguards to the country’s top political leaders. According to testimony this week, Azilah told officers that Sirul had killed the woman. There are questions over the admissibility of the confession and Sirul took the stand Friday to deny he had confessed.

Because the links of the case to top political figures, the trial is being treated with extraordinary sensitivity by the tame local press, partly because the leading newspapers, the New Straits Times, the Star and the top Malay-language papers, are controlled by the country’s ruling ethnic political parties. Thus, the photo revelation – an obvious front page story was buried deep inside the major papers.

At the time of Altantuya's death, Abdul Razak was head of the Malaysian Strategic Research Center and perhaps Najib’s closest advisor. In an affidavit filed in December in his defense, Abdul Razak said he had contacted Azilah through Musa Safri, Najib’s aide-de-camp, to ask for help in dealing with Altantuya, who by that time was demanding as much as US$500,000 for the care of a baby she said Abdul Razak had fathered.

But despite the connections between Najib, the bodyguards, Abdul Razak and Altantuya, so far there has been no suggestion that Najib knowingly supplied the bodyguards to Abdul Razak. That gives Najib, the son of the late Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and the presumptive heir to the premiership, the chance to rebuild his battered connections with the old guard of the United Malays National Organisation, the lead party in the country’s ruling national ethnic coalition, the Barisan Nasional.

“Najib's credibility ahead of taking over as PM is certainly dented to an extent over the Altantuya case,” says a Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer. “Despite the allegations of complicity in the murder trial and questions about the submarine sale (Abdul Razak and Najib have both been accused of profiting from a Malaysian government purchase), the fact remains that Najib is a well-entrenched politician. The Razak family history practically guarantees his rise.”

The universal assumption in Malaysia’s political and business community is that Najib certainly knew Altantuya and may well have partied with Abdul Razak and the woman, a petite, jet-setting beauty the political analyst met in Hong Kong and escorted on a whirlwind romance through Europe, showering her with money and jewels. Given Abdul Razak’s close relationship with Najib, there is little doubt that he at least met her, and may well have shared conversations with an increasingly desperate Abdul Razak, who was being blackmailed by Altantuya, a fact she even acknowledged in a letter read in court.

Prior to publicity over the murder, many in Malaysia thought Najib was growing powerful enough to challenge Badawi for the premiership, especially with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad carrying on a vitriolic campaign against Badawi, who has been perceived as a weak and tired leader. Considerable resentment also has been stirred up against Abdullah Badawi’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, whom many see as an opportunist.

“There is very little faith in Pak Lah (Badawi) and the feel good-factor has long dissipated,” one observer said. “Parliament debates this or that and the fact is that Badawi is never around, always overseas.” Thus much of the day-to-day administration of the government falls to Najib, who also functions in the powerful position of defense minister.

“Much of the real administration or tackling of issues lies with Najib. I understand that Najib since the beginning of being deputy prime minister is chairing more than 25 committees,” the lawyer said. “Most public pronouncements on major issues are made by Najib,” giving him increasing clout both with government figures and with those who need government favors.

But, says another Kuala Lumpur-based analyst, “The Mongolian affair altered the whole power formula. Najib's previous arrogance towards Pak Lah has been replaced by humble deference.”

Certainly, Badawi has relied heavily on Najib to provide a semblance of leadership and discipline. He is likely to allow Najib to stay on if he can be assured of Najib’s loyalty. Onetime head of UMNO youth and a parliamentarian since he was 23, the 54-year-old Najib is now deputy president of UMNO and deeply entrenched in its leadership and political machinery.

“Najib could probably contribute more than any other UMNO minister towards ensuring the prolongation of UMNO’s political power,” said the analyst.

“Tengku Razaleigh is a dark horse. His recent reactivation in UMNO politics is a reflection of his undying ambition and considerable backing by UMNO veterans to fill the leadership void, particularly after the Mongolian affair, when Najib has become very vulnerable,” said an observer. But don’t look for it to happen.

Malaysians accept all these scandals as a way of life here, said the lawyer, who is close to the Mahathir family. “A lethargy has set in. Our Inspector General of Police, Deputy Security Internal Minister and others have been accused of corruption, and all sorts of other scandalous allegations are swirling around. After a while, people get tired and confused. And really the system allows it. They pat your back and tell you to do it again.”

Human Rights report 2008

2008 Human Rights Report: Malaysia

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Human Rights Report 2008

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Periodicals & Report report human

Sick of Being A Malay?

By Sheih Kickdefella

Many Young Malays nowadays are too shy to acknowledge themselves as Malay. Please don’t slam them as lacking of ‘jatidiri’ or ’tak sedar diri’ before we understand where all this problem came from.

“When we die, god will not ask whether we are a Malay, Chinese or Indian,” The MB of Kelantan once told me.

Nik Aziz, has never failed to surprise me with the depth of his thinking. When I interviewed him a month ago, he shoot this to me, “When the Chinese (in Malaysia) has the Chinese medium school, nobody made a noise, there is TV news in Chinese, nobody make any noise, there is newspaper in Chinese, nobody demonstrate against it, but when they wanted to put a road sign in Chinese, people jump sky high! Lagu mano ni?

“The problem with us is that our thinking is too shallow, we think the way we wanted ourselves to think, not the manner God wanted us to us our brain…”

“This is the problem with UMNO (and many of the Malays).”

“I pray to god (to open the heart of the Malaysian) to elect to office more non Muslim Malaysian who are more Islamic friendly to replace the Malays leaders who are Muslim but afraid to fight for the sake of Islam”.

My exclusive interview with Tok Guru is in the latest Qiadah, published during the Chinese New Year.

The sickness that Malaysia is suffering now is due of over dosage of Malay-ism. This is a long time game plan by a shrinking brain of UMNO politician. UMNO wants us to keep remembering that the Malays owe them for what the Malays are today.

What is the Malay today? Do our children still enjoy the benefits of being a Malay like we and our father enjoy decades ago?

What happen today is only selected few Malays are enjoying the benefit of being a Malay. While some quarters are rubbing shoulders with the selected few hoping to get some lose change from them, the rest of the Malay are just getting what other races are getting.

So why should the rest of the Malay subscribe to the Malay Supremacy ideology if only it was mend for those selected few like the Kings and Sultans and the UMNO elites?

Why not we all not just equal like all Malaysian at least we are not being cheated neither are we cheating our own self.

During the old Malay Nationalists time in UMNO, those Malay leaders whom were decorated with power as Ministers, fights for the Malays through series of policies that benefits the Malay but at the same time did not discriminate other races. This method basically died a natural death slowly after Tengku Razaleigh lost to Tun Dr. Mahathir in 1997.

Since then UMNO has never been the same pillar of strength for the Malays. UMNO radically subscribe to a different ball game altogether. Everything turns to dollar and cents.

Instead for fighting for the Malays, most of the UMNO elites found that it is more important for them to fight for their survival in UMNO. Instead of paving changes through government policies, the leaders in UMNO wants only status quo while forcing the Malays to accept them through series of organised bribery.

If the Malays really love UMNO then they must willing to let go of UMNO for as long as UMNO still receive their support, they will never change. The Malay will only get worst.

Can the Malay imagine how their future will look like when the future of UMNO today lies in the hand of those people like Ahmad Ismail, Neena Merican and Azeez UMNOPUTRAS, not to mention those UMNO ‘dignitaries’ like Hishamuddin, Khairy, Khir Toyo and even Mat Taib?

For those who question the land deals in Perak and the manner the PR government given it to the Chinese, I wish to ask them, hasn’t the Chinese has given so much to the state. If you understand the history of Perak, then you will understand that the Chinese has played such an important role to make it what it is today.

I felt very uncomfortable to describe this beautiful Malaysia by mentioning the races name, I feel much more lighten up to just think of us as Malaysians. We have been segregated by races differences to long and it has brought us more harm than glory. Let us celebrate those differences and think of us as only Malaysians.

It should be easy for the Malays as most of them are Muslim. Didn’t Islam teaches us to accept the differences in all of us as the sign of how magnificent our creator is. So in each languages, each skin tones and each physical differences is the sign of how great the Al Mighty is. Furthermore Islam also teaches that none of us is greater than the other, none of us is special then the other and none of us should claim this land is ours, for we are only His slaves.

For this reason, I found more and more non-Malays are finding comfort in PAS then in UMNO. Me too feel the same.

And for the young Malays, most of those in the private higher learning institution, all the embarrassment does not mean that they has become traitor but because for many years they have been betrayed by the brand behind the Malay name.

The brand that they see in Najib Razak, Mat Taib, Rahim Thamby Chik, Hishamuddin Rais, Khairy Jamaluddin and lots more. There is nothing wrong with them, but a whole lot of ‘wrong’ in those who shouted ‘ketuanan Melayu’.

tear gas for schoolteachers

By Tengku Razaleigh

I just got back from Gua Musang only to hear news of what happened to the thousands of GMP (Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI) demonstrators as they marched peacefully toward the Istana Negara. I am astonished at the way they have been treated. Was it necessary to tear gas Malay teachers and linguists, and a 76 year-old national laureate?

This government appears to be no longer capable of dealing with the rakyat without the use of force. This comes at the end of a week in which the Executive Branch has violated fundamental principles of the Constitution, and deployed the instruments of state against elected representatives of the people. A government sworn to uphold the Constitution now tramples upon it, and sets itself against the rakyat it was elected and appointed to serve.

Umno is utterly alienated from its meaning, purpose and spirit. No longer the party of the Malay schoolteacher but of the power that directs water cannons and teargas at them. No longer the grassroots party of the Malays, but of opportunists who hide behind the Rulers while they fan hatred between the people.

Sombre curtain closers marking Abdullah’s abysmal failures in police reforms

By Lim Kit Siang

The police used excessive and unnecessary force today, firing tear gas and water cannons, against peaceful protestors gathered to submit a memorandum to the Yang di Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara opposing the use of English to teach science and mathematics from Standard One.

It is another example of the failure and futility of the blue-ribboned Royal Police Commission set up by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he first took office in 2003, and which came out with 125 recommendations to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional, world-class police service with three core functions to reduce crime, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.

In Abdullah’s last hundred days as the fifth Prime Minister, illustrations galore are being given by the police highlighting the failure and futility of the Royal Police Commission, with a former Chief Justice, Tun Dzaiddin Abdullah in the chair and the country’s most famous and longest serving Inspector-General of Police, Tun Hanif Omar as deputy chairman.

These recent police outrages and scandals include:

• Suspected car-thief A Kugan’s brutal murder while in police custody, with a second autopsy report revealing a major cover-up, involving the police and the Serdang Hospital pathologist, as well as raising serious questions about the responsibility and accountability of the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, with shocking evidence that the 22-year-old deceased endured severe beatings and was also starved during his incarceration – while the Serdang Hospital pathologist’s post-mortem report said the cause of death was inconclusive.

• The police harassment Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar and the other 27 Pakatan Rakyat Perak State Assemblymen and women for their historic “raintree” Perak State Assembly in Ipoh on 3rd March 2009, as well as the Perak State Assembly Committee of Privileges members, in violation of the fundamental doctrine of the separation of powers and Article 72(1) of the Malaysian Constitution that “(1) The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court” and “ (2) No person shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him when taking part in proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of any State or of any committee thereof.”

• Breach of Abdullah’s promise to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to provide an effective external oversight mechanism to prevent police abuses of power and corruption.

These incidents provide somber curtain closers to mark the abysmal failure of Abdullah on police reforms.

Or is Abdullah no more in control of the Malaysian government in his last few weeks as PM?

March 8th Anniversary: Anwar’s “State of the Union” speech live online, 4.30

By Nathaniel Tan

A quick plug for an event happening tomorrow on the anniversary of March 8th (see below).

I don’t think I will be writing anything specific for tomorrow, maybe a bit later.

Anwar’s theme will be on Ketuanan Rakyat, a concept which I was surprised to find is still attacked out there.

Anyhow, the details:

PIDATO KEBANGSAAN 2009
YB Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim | “Ketuanan Rakyat” | MBSA Auditorium, Shah Alam
Watch live at 4:30 PM (GMT +8), Sunday March 8, 2009

On March 8th 2009 Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim will deliver a National Address on the one year anniversary of the 12th General Elections in which the Pakatan Rakyat achieved unprecedented gains.

His speech will call for unity among the Malaysian people and declare a firm resolve on the part of the Pakatan Rakyat to work hard to face the challenges of the economic recession, create new jobs for Malaysians and improve access to quality education. He will also highlight the many successes achieved by Pakatan Rakyat governments in the five states to reduce corruption, increase investment and create jobs during a period when thousands of Malaysians have been left unemployed.

The speech, which will take place at the Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam Auditorium, will be broadcast live on AntaraTV. It is the first National Address since the March 2008 elections.

Gambar terkini dari Himpunan anti PPSMI - Chegubard

Gambar - gambar ini dikutip dari perbagai laman. cheGuBard mohon izin dari tuan punya gambar.

Ada sesiapa nampak orang ini lari bawa selipar dia yang putus dalam himpunan tadi ?

Bukti polis tidak tembak di udara seperti sepatutnya sebaliknya terus menembak gas pemedih mata ke arah rakyat untuk tujuan mencederakan. Seorang teman dari Rembau, Azhar terkena di kakinya dan cedera.

Gambar bukti gas pemedih mata dibedil kedalam masjid, ada banyak kali gas pemedih mata dibedil dalam masjid Negara termasuk ditembak air 'kotor dan asid'. Ini salah satu nampak gas peluru jatuh dalam kolam.

Perhimpunan aman, ramai yang datang dengan anak dan ada OKU juga turut serta tetapi mereka ini tetap diganasi polis tanpa belas kasihan

Inilah perhimpunan yang media Bn akan kata gagal dan hanya bawah 5 ribu. hahahahaha

Tokoh of the day ! Dia nie cukup tenang dan memang berani, jauh lebih berani dari kebanyakan pejuang bahasa yang muda !!

ini bukan kabus di awal pagi tetapi kabus asap gas pemedih mata. Ada kereta yang pecah cerminya kerana terkena gas pemedih mata.

Laungan rakyat !!

InsyaAllah dua tiga hari ini akan cuba 'update' catatan pengalaman perhimpunan. Untuk laporan sementara ini boleh klik sini.

Altantuya: Tuanku Mirzan bakal tolak perlantikan Najib??

Nampaknya isu Altantuya kembali mengantui bakal PM kita dikala beliau sedang bertungkus lumus mengharungi ‘Lap’ terakhir menanti ketibaan April 1 dengan halangan halangan pelbagai isu isu yg sedang merundung politik UMNO dan BN. Baru baru ini, Isu pendedahan wartawan Perancis Arnaud Dubus dalam surat khabar Liberation telah sekali lagi membuka kotak misteri kes Altantuya dengan dikaitkan kembali VIP VIP tertentu Negara dan menjadi perbualan hangat seterusnya.

Umum pasti tertanya kredibiliti serta kesahihan berita ini kerana mengenai kredibiliti dan kesahihan berita ini. Jawapan-nya, tanya sahaja rakan rakan yg pernah ke Europa mengenai kredibiliti surat khabar Liberation yg semestinya lebih mulia dari Utusan Malaysia atau Harian Metro yg main pakai tembak dan putar belit propaganda tak tentu pasal.

Pendedahan wartawan Liberation tersebut boleh dianggap sebagai satu tamparan hebat terhadap kredibiliti bakal Perdana Menteri kita, apa tah pulak berita ini luas tersebar di Europa dan seluruh dunia amnya. Harus juga diambil kira bahawa pendedahan sebegini rupa terhadap seorang bakal PM pasti berdasarkan fakta dan bukti yg kuat kerana perkara tersebut bakal membawa komplikasi perundangan dan saman menyaman. Persoalan nya sekarang, apakah kesan pendedahan terbaru ini mengelang April 1 kelak?

Saya disini ingin merujuk kepada transkrip Taklimat Isu Isu Semasa Dato Seri Dr Rais Yatim baru baru ini dimana beliau telah mengupas isu isu semasa seperti krisis demokrasi di Perak sampai terpaksa bergelut gelut dengan diri sendiri. Biarpun Rais Yatim dikenali sebagai ahli politik yg mempunyai reputasi jijik memutar belit dan menukar pendirian dan hujah akademik beliau mengikut saiz dompet dan kerusi jawatan tetapi dalam taklimat perbaru beliau, beliau telah memperjelaskan satu perkara yg mungkin boleh dikatakan menarik untuk peristiwa April 1 kelak.

Datuk Rais dalam taklimat tersebut telah berhujah bahawa Istana mempunyai siding kuasa khas atau istimewa dalam perlantikan seseorang Menteri Besar atau pemimpin tanpa perlu apa apa rujukan dan garis panduan. Beliau juga telah menjelaskan bahawa kuasa sultan boleh menjangkaui segala bidang kuasa lain dan Baginda Sultan boleh menolak atau menerima seorang pemimpin yang beta berkenan ikut budi bicara Sultan.

Dalam perkara ini Datuk Rais telah menyebut kejadian di Perlis, Perak dan Terengganu sebagai bukti kebangkitan bidang kuasa khas atau istimewa yg beliau nyatakan sebagai bukti penguna pakaian kuasa ini oleh pihak Istana di negeri negeri tersebut. Persoalan nya sekarang, mungkin kah YDP Agung Tuanku Mirzan akan sekali lagi menolak seorang pemimpin yg dikemukan kepada beliau oleh pihak eksekutif dan dalam hal ini Perdana Menteri Malaysia mengikut budi bicara beliau?

Mungkin pengikut Najib akan berhujah mengenai faktor demokrasi dan mandat rakyat dan dalam hal ini hujah bahawa beliau dipilih dan dinobatkan sebagai pemimpin oleh UMNO dan Barisan Nasional. Akan tetapi jika dilihat insiden terbaru di Perak, jelas sekali faktor mandat serta keperluan demokrasi serta keluhuran prosedur perlantikan yang diperakui rakyat jelata pun dah tak laku, ini kan pulak mandat serta persetujuan satu parti politik semata mata.

Jika kita meneliti pulak kejadian kejadian di Perlis dan Terengganu, umum pasti tertanya apa kah sebab disebalik penolakan YB Shahidan Kassim dan Idris Jusoh yg di pilih oleh Perdana Menteri sendiri. Adakah wujud faktor serta standard penilaian baru dan khas dalam penobatan seorang pemimpin menurut budi bicara pihak Istana. Adakah faktor serta penilaian tersebut menambil kira ‘track record’, kredibiliti serta keperibadian seseorang pemimpin tersebut untuk menduduki kerusi kepimpinan tertinggi Negeri? Persoalan ini mungkin dapat dijawab oleh rakyat sendiri dan bagi saya faktor penilaian kredibiliti jelas wujud dan telah diguna pakai oleh pihak istana termasuk Sultan Terengganu yg juga Yang Di Pertuan Agong yg bakal berdepan dengan penobatan Perdana Menteri Malaysia kelak.

Jadi, adakah April ini kita akan melihat YAB Abdullah Badawi meneruskan mandat sebagai Perdana Menteri ataupun adakah beliau akan digantikan oleh YB Najib Tun Razak ataupun kedua dua mereka akan digantikan dengan nama baru yg mungkin dipilih oleh Yang Dipertuan Agong?

Mungkin kah YDP Agong akan mengambil kira pandangan umum yg masih melihat YB Najib sebagai tercemar dengan darah seorang raykat Mongolia. Adakah YDP Agong akan mengambil kira kontroversi pendedahan surat khabar Liberation serta rangkaian tuduhan tuduhan lain seperti tuduhan SMS kontroversi peguam Shafiee, perakuan sumpah penyiasat bebas Bala dan affidavit Raja Petra yg masih belum terjawab sampai hari ini? Adakah YDP Agong akan mengambil kira notis peguambela kes Altantuya untuk pendengaran semula kes pembunuhan Altantuya yg jika dilihat dari kaca mata perkembangan terkini mungkin mengheret Bakal Perdana Menteri Negara ke mahkamah dan adakah juga YDP Agong meneliti memorandum YB Karpal Singh terhadap Ketua Hakim Negara yang turut dicemari dengan tuduhan rasuah serta keangotaan beliau di dalam UMNO sebelumnya.

YDP Agong juga bakal berdepan dengan persoalan masalah politik wang yg mencemari proses demokrasi pemilihan parti UMNO sebagai penentu utama perlantikan calon Perdana Mentari kelak? Jika di lihat kesemua persoalan persoalan ini serta persoalan persoalan lain dan yang mungkin akan dating, jelas YDP Agong bakal berdepan dengan satu persoalan baru. Adakah kebangkitan Institusi diraja ini bakal berakhir dengan hanya sekadar ‘rubber stamp’ ataupun kebangkitan ini bakal membentuk satu institusi ‘check and balance’ dan sebagai institusi amanat dan kepercayaan rakyat.

Mungkin kah YDP Agong akan membuat sejarah dengan menolak perlantikan YB Najib dan seperti yang ramai percaya dapat mengembalikan semula keagungan sistem Institusi Raja yang baru baru ini mengalami cabaran cabaran tertentu.

Biar apa pun, kita tidak boleh leka dengan fakta utama dimana YB Abdullah Badawi masih Ahli Parlimen yg mendapat mandat Dewan Rakyat sebagai Perdana Menteri dan beliau akan terus berada di Parlimen selepas pemilihan UMNO kelak. Yang jelas disini adalah proses pemilihan dan penentu mandat di Dewan Rakyat. Mungkin Pak Lah akan bertindak untuk membenarkan proses siding Dewan Rakyat untuk memilih penganti beliau dan dalam hal ini mungkin perebutan mandat Dewan Rakyat bakal melihat persaingan diantara YB Najib dan individu individu lain. Dalam hal pemilihan juga, adakah kita mungkin berdepan dengan satu phenomena baru dimana mandat Dewan Rakyat dalam perlantikan Perdana Menteri melibatkan undi dari pihak pembangkang atas sebab ketiadaan mandat 2/3 Barisan Nasional.

Biar apa pun, kita tunggu dan lihat apa yang akan terjadi April ini. Adakah tarikh 1 April akan menjanjikan kemenangan kepada YB Najib ataupun hanya sekadar April Fool semata mata. Tidak dapat dipertikaikan bahawa jawatan Perdana Menteri dari segi konvension politik, menekankan keperibadian bersih, kredibiliti serta kepercayaan umum dan rakyat jelata secara amnya.

Jika tanpa diduga kita melihat Yb Ahmad Said dan YB Isa Md Sabu yang tidak begitu terkenal menjadi Menteri Besar Terengganu dan Perlis. Persoalannya kini mungkinkah kita bakal melihat Tengku Razaleigh sebagai Perdana Menteri baru Malaysia kelak?

artikel ini ditulis oleh seorang teman, K.Shan.

Independent probe into two autopsy reports on Kugan

Two days back I wrote an article that the ruling party and police going to turn Kugan’s case upside dpwn. UMNO and police can do everything they want even they can bribe the judges and AG. The people of Malaysia are watching to their fun. It is not anymore fun for Malaysians. UMNO and BN going to be collapse in the next election. Poeple are being fed up with their dealing. If they don’t change now, Next election will be the answer. Here is the link for it:- http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com/2009/03/kugans-post-mortem.html

The Health Ministry will launch an independent probe into the two autopsy reports relating to the controversial death of 22-year-old suspected car thief, A Kugan, who died while in the custody of the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya on Jan 20.

Bernama reported that Health Ministery director-general Mohd Ismail Merican said the step was being taken to ensure impartiality following various allegations directed at the ministry over the matter.

He stressed that the Health Ministry did not hide the facts and findings of the post-mortem conducted by the Serdang Hospital as had been reported by certain parties.

“The forensic pathologist from Serdang Hospital, who has over 20 years experience, had performed his duty ethically and professionally while conducting the post-mortem examination.

“Nevertheless, the ministry will be conducting a formal independent inquiry on both post-mortem reports in the interest of justice and fairplay and will inform the public of the outcome of the investigation," he said in a statement.

A controversy arose on the Serdang Hospital post-mortem after a second autopsy done at the request of the deceased's family at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) indicated Kugan's death was due to multi organ failure because of severe beating.

Need to refer to independent experts

Meanwhile, the Serdang Hospital report had stated that death was due to fluid accumulation in his lungs.

Mohd Ismail said forensic pathologists conducting post-mortem examinations may have differences in opinions as to the actual cause of death but what was important was that the findings during the examination should be almost similar as evidenced in this case, which for the lungs was pulmonary haemorrhage, edema and congestion.

On the difference in the cause of death, he said it needed to be referred to independent forensic experts, based on the findings of the two pathologists doing the post-mortems.

He also dismissed claims by Kugan's family, that the Serdang Hospital pathologist had listed 22 injuries on the body compared to the 40 additional injuries, burn marks and scratches indicated in the second report.

“The Serdang Hospital report showed 83 wounds and injuries. The description of each is more detailed in the Serdang Hospital report," he said, adding that the UMMC report was also not accurate as some of the wounds reported were caused by cutting during the first post-mortem examination.

He said the Serdang Hospital report made available to Kugan's family and published on the website was a comprehensive report while the record of the detailed findings and pictures taken during the first post-mortem were kept at the Serdang Hospital for court reference.

“It is not fair for anyone to make baseless allegations in this case as the Serdang Hospital pathologist had carried out his duties ethically and professionally," he said.

Mohd Ismail added that the ministry did not want discuss the cause of Kugan's death in the open and urged the public not to make any more baseless allegations until the responsible parties completed their investigations, including the ministry itself.

He further assured that the case would be given serious attention, but at the same time, he said the ministry hoped the public would be patient until the independent panel completed its job.

20090307 PPSMI protest

Nathaniel Tan: Viable political alternatives possible in Malaysia

Under the tree: Democracy or mockery?

PM wants quick decision on use of English in maths and science

PETALING JAYA, March 7 — Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants an immediate decision to be made on the use of English in the teaching and learning of mathematics and science to prevent a bigger issue from cropping up.

The Prime Minister said the government acknowledged that there was strong pressure from the people, especially the Malays, who were giving much attention to the matter.

"I hope the decision will be made immediately. Otherwise non-governmental organisations will continue to put pressure and create a bigger issue," he told reporters after launching the novel "Dragon Fire Hammer" today.

Abdullah said the Education Ministry had held several meetings with the NGOs to discuss the matter.

However, the Education Ministry was not prepared to announce the nature of the decision taken for the time being. — Bernama

RIOT POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS INTO LANGUAGE MARCH PROTESTERS TO ISTANA NEGARA

Riot police used tear gas to disperse thousands of of peaceful people marching to Istana Negara in protest of the use of English in the teaching of Mathematics and Science at 2.40pm today. This march was organised by GMP, known in its Malay name as Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI, is a coalition of 14 NGOs. and some of its pro-tem committee members include opposition politicians.

The crowd that commenced their march from Masjid Negara and when their approached Tun Sambanthan building the riot police began shooting tear gas at them. Many in the crowd ran away as the scene filled with smoke. It was revealed that the Federal Reserve unit trucks were initially stuck in traffic but caught up with the crowd and also started firing tear gas at this peaceful crowd.

The crowd are expected to regroup and return with their intention to submit a memorandum to the Yang DiPertuan Agong, that appeals for the return of the use of Bahasa Malaysia in the teaching of the two subjects be seriously considered.

At the meanwhile, police and FRU have thrown a safety perimeter at the Istana Negara to restraint any such submission of memorandum by the rakyat.

It is reported that many people including Opposition Members of Parliament have be laced with chemical water to prevent them from submitting or taking part in this peaceful march.

news n pictures courtesy of The Might of the Pen n Malaysiakini

MCPX

Health Ministry to hold probe into Kugan autopsies

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — The Health Ministry will launch an independent probe into the two autopsy reports relating to the death of A. Kugan, 22, the suspected car thief who died while in police custody on Jan 20.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said this was to ensure impartiality following various allegations directed at the ministry over the matter.

He stressed that the ministry did not hide the facts and findings of the post-mortem conducted by the Serdang Hospital as had been reported by certain parties.

"The forensic pathologist from Serdang Hospital, who has over 20 years’ experience, had performed his duty ethically and professionally while conducting the post-mortem examination.

"Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health will be conducting a formal independent inquiry on both post-mortem reports in the interest of justice and fair play and will inform the public the outcome of the investigation," he said in a statement today.

A controversy arose over the Serdang Hospital post-mortem after a second autopsy done on the request of the deceased's family at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre indicated Kugan's death was due to multiorgan failure because of severe beating. The Serdang Hospital report had stated that death was due to fluid accumulation in his lungs.

Dr Mohd Ismail said forensic pathologists conducting post-mortem examinations may have differences in opinion as to the actual cause of death but what was important was that the findings should be almost similar as was in this case, which for the lungs was pulmonary haemorrhage, edema and congestion.

On the difference in the cause of death, he said it needed to be referred to independent forensic experts based on the findings of the two pathologists doing the post-mortems.

He dismissed claims by Kugan's family, which were reported by the Malaysiakini website, that the Serdang Hospital pathologist had listed 22 injuries on the body compared to the 40 additional injuries, burn marks and scratches indicated in the second report.

"The Serdang Hospital report showed 83 wounds and injuries. The description of each is more detailed in the Serdang Hospital report," he said, adding that the UMMC report was also not accurate as some of the wounds reported were caused by cutting during the first post-mortem examination.

He said the Serdang Hospital report made available to Kugan's family and published on the website was a comprehensive report while the record of the detailed findings and pictures taken during the first post-mortem were kept at the Serdang Hospital for court reference.

"It is not fair for anyone to make baseless allegations in this case as the Serdang Hospital pathologist had carried out his duties ethically and professionally," he said.

Dr Mohd Ismail added that the ministry did not want discuss the cause of Kugan's death in the open and urged the public not to make any more baseless allegations until the responsible parties completed their investigations, including the ministry itself.

He gave an assurance that the case would be given serious attention, but hoped the public would be patient until the independent panel completed its job. — Bernama

For Anwar, complacency is now the enemy

By Adib Zalkapli- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — When PKR surprisingly won the highest number of seats among the opposition parties, it was evident that the party would face problems managing its success as party leaders scrambled for positions and rewards.

Even before the formation of the PKR-led Selangor state government last year, party leaders and activists made a beeline to meet de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to lobby for senatorships, government contracts and even city councillor posts.

Some even openly demanded more opportunities and greater roles in Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states.

At the PKR Youth congress late last year, the topic of government rewards and contracts dominated the policy speech and the debate.

But on the eve of the first anniversary of March 8, the Opposition Leader issued a stern warning to leaders who asked to be rewarded after the party’s impressive performance.

“I had a special session with party stalwarts last weekend and we acknowledge there is a danger of complacency and lethargy creeping in and there is a need to rejuvenate and probably without dubious elements like those who consider Pakatan Rakyat governments as the means for them to reap benefits.

"So we made it categorically clear we cannot condone such excesses. We were given a mandate to serve with a clear agenda, we cannot depart from that,” said Anwar when met at Parliament last week.

He even challenged members who threatened to quit the party if their demands are not fulfilled to leave.

“There is a danger of complacency and people trying to resort to ultimatums or demands which I consider unreasonable.

"They probably have forgotten, some of them at least, the ideals of the party and their party agenda. So I think that was a timely reminder. You wish to support the agenda you remain, you wish to enrich yourself you join Umno,” said Anwar when asked on the motivation behind his harsh speech.

But overall he was satisfied with the progress made by PR states especially in terms of service and efficiency in governance and their success in becoming more inclusive.

“At the same time you find a semblance of greater confidence and willingness to embrace the Chinese and Indians as a team and this is generally well regarded by many,” said Anwar.

But the immediate challenge faced by Anwar and his coalition is what he claimed to be the continuous attempts made by Barisan Nasional leaders to topple PR governments by resorting to “kidnappings and threats”, which resulted in the collapsed of the Perak government.

“In Perak, they managed to kidnap two and threatened them and you can see there is a stalemate. We want to go back to the people for a fresh mandate but they refused.

"We want to convene a special assembly and they have also rejected, so it is very odd for this country not to agree to have a fresh mandate from the people or to disallow us from having a proper sitting of the assembly,” said Anwar.

He did not rule out speculation that Kedah and Selangor have become BN’s targets after former Bukit Selambau representative V. Arumugam was forced to resign and the swift action by the newly-formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in investigating Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim over the purchase of cattle and maintenance of his personal car.

“This means they have not given up on draconian methods to seize power,” said Anwar.

Police fire tear gas at crowd marching to Istana Negara

Riot police fire tear gas to break up the protest march against the use of English to teach maths and science in Kuala Lumpur today. — AP pic

UPDATED

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — Riot police fired tear gas to disperse more than 2,000 people who tried to march to the Istana Negara today to protest the use of English to teach maths and science.

The demonstrators sought to submit a petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to demand that Bahasa Malaysia be reinstated in schools for the two subjects.

Many Malay teachers and linguists complain that a six-year-old policy of using English has hurt efforts to modernise their mother tongue and to develop a scientific lexicon in Malay.

The protesters marched through busy traffic, chanting "Long live the Malay language!" for about half an hour after gathering at Kuala Lumpur's main mosque. Police then fired several rounds of tear gas, causing them to disperse.

Authorities warned people earlier this week not to attend the demonstration, saying organisers had not obtained a necessary police permit to hold a public rally.

The Star newspaper reported on its website that police detained 124 protesters.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan told The Star that authorities "had no choice but to use tear gas to disperse the crowd who refused to listen to police warnings."

English was once the medium of instruction in most schools in Malaysia, a former British colony. Nationalist leaders reversed the policy and made Malay the main medium of instruction less than two decades after independence in 1957.

In 2003, believing that poor English-language skills were undermining students, authorities started a programme to resume teaching maths and science in English. Other subjects continued to be taught in Malay.

The government began a review to gauge the policy's success last year. But protracted discussions with teachers, parents and political activists have so far achieved no clear solution.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that mastering foreign languages is a beneficial skill that should not be misconstrued "as negating the importance of the Malay language itself."

Bernama quoted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today as saying he hopes that a decision on the review is made immediately to prevent it from becoming a bigger issue. — Agencies

Polis tembak gas kepada penentang PPSMI - Malaysiakini

kemaskini 3.48pm Perhimpunan membantah pelaksanaan dasar Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) bermula di Masjid Negara dengan kawalan ketat polis.

Perhimpunan yang dibenarkan oleh pihak berwajib itu berarak ke Istana Negara bagi membawa memorandum kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong bagi memohon campur tangan baginda dalam pemansuhan dasar kontroversi itu.

Polis bagaimanapun melarang sebarang perarakan ke istana dan juga perhimpunan di dua lokasi lagi seperi dirancang, Pasar Seni dan kompleks membeli-belah Sogo.

Polis kelihatan berkawal dekat mahkamah syariah Wilayah Persekutuan, beberapa ratus meter dari Masjid Negara, jalan menuju istana.

Untuk memintas sekatan polis di situ, kumpulan lebih 2,000 penentang dasar tersebut di kalangan aktivis bahasa dan penyokong pembangkang bergerak melalui jejantas depan masjid menuju Kampung Attap, dekat istana.

Polis melepaskan gas pemedih mata kepada penentang dasar PPSMI di situ sehingga memecahkan kumpulan tersebut kepada dua kelompok kecil.

Tembakan gas pemedih mata juga kelihatan di lebuh raya tersebut, dekat jejantas di atas Jalan Syed Putra.

Suasana kelam-kabut, orang ramai berpakaian putih - sebagai lambang membantah PPSMI - bertempiaran lari. Belum ada laporan tangkapan diterima, setakat ini.

Walaupun kelihatan asap gas pemedih mata berkepul-kepul di udara, barisan peserta perhimpunan menentang PPSMI terus bergerak ke depan, dengan harapan dapat menuju Istana Negara.

Walaupun mereka bersurai seketika cuba mengelak asap gas pemedih mata, sebahagian terus berdegil cuba berarak ke istana.

Manakala polis antirusuhan pula memancutkan air kepada orang ramai di jalan menuju mahkamah syariah dari arah Jalan Syed Putra.

Sebahagian peserta demonstrasi telah kembali ke Masjid Negara selepas jam 3 petang tadi.

Ratusan orang ramai yang berkumpul di perkarangan dan di dalam masjid kemudian ditembak dengan gas pemedih mata.

Sekurang-kurangnya tiga gas kelihatan dilepaskan.

Sementara di Istana Negara, kawalan lebih 150 anggota polis dan unit pencegah rusuhan FRU, termasuk kenderaan pemancut air.

Polis menutup Lebuhraya Mahameru - dari arah Sungai Besi - bagi menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan kehadiran peserta perhimpunan tersebut.

Difahamkan seorang lelaki ditahan polis depan istana. Butiran lanjut belum diperolehi.

Penasihat Gabungan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP), yang menganjurkan perhimpunan itu, Sasterawan Negara Datuk A Samad Said dan pengerusinya Datuk Dr Hassan Ahmad menyerahkan memorandum anti-PPSMI kepada penolong Datuk Paduka Maharajalela, Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini di pintu masuk utama Istana Negara kira-kira jam 2.50 petang.

Lima lagi pemimpin GMP yang dijadual menyerahkan memorandum tersebut tidak kelihatan, dipercayai tersekat dalam kumpulan penyokong gerakan itu.

Kawasan tersebut, yang dijadikan daya tarikan pelancong, kini dikawal ketat oleh polis.

Laporan awal:

Sebelum mereka berarak kira-kira jam 2.10 petang tadi, kelihatan ketua Persatuan Penulis Nasional (Pena) Datuk Baha Zain dan naib presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu di Masjid sejak sebelum solat zohor, kira-kira jam 1.15 petang tadi.

Demonstrasi anjuran Gabungan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) itu turut disertai Sasterawan Negara terkenal Datuk A Samad Said dan Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

Assault on Legislature, Constitution dead

The savagery of what has happened in Perak and the utter disregard of consequence on the part of those orchestrating the campaign go far to show how foolish I was to have believed that all of us, without exception, recognise that some costs are too great and for that, even blind ambition has its limits.

By Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, The Malaysian Insider

Discussing the Perak situation with specificity is, by this stage, a difficult thing to do. So much has happened so quickly. Nuanced actions and counter-actions, some of them in uncertain legal terrain, and relatively scarce details have made it precarious to consider certain key events — the legal action against the Speaker and its incidents, for instance — with the depth that only certainty would allow for.

Having said that, whatever the specifics may be and whoever may be right as to the validity or legality of certain aspects of the unfolding saga, when considered from a broader perspective and with reference to the fundamentals of democracy, I do not think that the
situation in Perak is very complicated at all. As Tengku Razaleigh recently observed, a chain-reaction of illegality has left Perak possibly without a legitimate government and the Constitution a dead piece of paper.

I was too young to fully appreciate the terrible impact on democracy that the events of 1987 and 1988 had. Understanding came later, as I learnt to see what needed to be seen: the supremacy of the Constitution, the separation of powers and the check and balance it is aimed at, the independence of the judiciary and, correspondingly, the legislature. But even as my awareness of what had happened and how it had happened increased, I rather naively found myself thinking that it was unlikely that we would ever see anything of the likes again. Those events had simply been too heinous and the injuries inflicted on this nation too serious to ignore, even by those who had been responsible and those who would possibly follow in their footsteps.

Or so I thought.

The savagery of what has happened in Perak and the utter disregard of consequence on the part of those orchestrating the campaign go far to show how foolish I was to have believed that all of us, without exception, recognise that some costs are too great and for that, even blind ambition has its limits. It is clear now that this is not necessarily the case; for some, even the nation itself is expendable.

In saying savagery, I recognise that there has been neither bloodshed nor preventive detentions, though it is still too early to say for sure that things will stay that way. The incitement carries on, and mobs are being driven to frenzy to the throb of the war drums. Amidst the calls for blood, bullets have been sent, a disabled parliamentarian assaulted and some of his colleagues battered. The police have apparently too much on their hands to move with the speed that they are capable of and, as such, as things stand serve no useful role as the deterrent that the situation sorely requires.

Violence has however been done; to the federal and state constitutions, to the Rule of Law and to all that these fundamentals represent. War has been waged on democracy itself.

I can think of no other way to characterise events.

As thing stands, the Speaker is still the Speaker. He has been at all times vested with the full powers of his office and the discretion to exercise those powers. He may have committed mistakes in arriving at certain decisions, but those are matters for the Legislative Assembly itself or, where legal limits have been transgressed, for the courts whose powers in this regard are limited by reason of the separation of powers. Until corrected, the Speaker’s decisions stand, be they the acceptance of the resignation of the three members who crossed the floor, the issuing of the show-cause notices to the alleged usurpers of power and the effecting of their suspension, or the calling of the emergency sessions of the assembly.

And yet under the hand of the Executive, in a manner reminiscent of the locking up of the Supreme Court in 1988 the Legislative Assembly itself was put out of bounds to members of the assembly, This was done at the instigation of the State Secretary, an officer of the executive and as such its representative, with the assistance of a police force duty bound to protect the system of governance and associated freedoms put in place by the constitutions of this nation.

In doing so, the Executive laid siege on the Legislature. The sight of the Federal Reserve Unit barring the way into the Legislative Assembly, fangs bared and water cannon poised, was as close a physical depiction of democracy being taken hostage as we will ever see. The underlying intention of the exercise brings this further into relief. It was apparent that the assembly had to be prevented from meeting for as long as it took for the lawyers to do what they could in court. Injunctions against the Speaker had been applied for. Once these were granted, the process that the Speaker had started would be brought to a halt.

The fact that the injunctions had been applied for shows clearly how far democracy was subverted. The making of the applications underscores awareness on the part of those orchestrating the campaign that self-help was not permissible. The validity of the Speaker’s actions had to be tested before a court of law. If they were not needed, the injunctions would not have been sought.

Despite this appreciation of the obvious, the might of the state was brought to bear. A federal agency was brought in and tasked to do what it was not mandated by law to do: keep the assembly at bay to protect the interest of a coalition of political parties.

There is no law that allows police officers to deny members of a legislative chamber access to that chamber for the business of Legislature. It is not for any police officer to unilaterally determine that the business being conducted is not within the ambit of the legislature, no matter who might say it is. What the police force did was not justified in law. No crime had been committed. Though the gathering masses was reason enough for a police presence, breaches of the peace did not occur nor were orders to disperse issued, unsurprising given that the focal point was the denial of access to the Legislative Assembly.

It is glaringly obvious that confronted with a scenario that left it vulnerable to a tactical manoeuvring of legislative procedure, and an inability to resolve the imbroglio to advantage, the Barisan Nasional at the state and federal level collectively took the law into its own hands. The plan to capture Perak had run into a brick wall and rather than go around it, they decided to blow it up and everything else with it.

The situation is comparable to a hypothetical scenario in which Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament barricaded Parliament House to deny Barisan Nasional Members and the Speaker access so as to prevent them from legitimately making a law that they would otherwise have. The only difference is if that had occurred, the Barisan Nasional would have denounced the exercise as an attempted coup d’etat and punished those involved to the full extent of the law at its disposal.

It does not make any difference that the Barisan Nasional forms the federal government of the day and is in a position to direct the police force; like all other institutions, these institutions are bound to act constitutionally and in accordance with the law. Malaysia is still a democracy predicated on constitutional supremacy. The expectation that all affairs will be conducted to the exclusive convenience and the advantage of the Barisan Nasional and its leaders is more suited to a dictatorship in which the Rule of Law means nothing.

Through the last week Malaysians have borne witness to a shameless display of belligerence and arrogance. We have heard a senior minister describe the emergency session, held by necessity under that now immortalised raintree, as “uncivilised”. Another senior minister described the Speaker as a “boy”. Though in line with the other ridiculous observations from ambitious Umno leaders Malaysians have had to endure since the beginning of the Perak affair, they do little to mask the obvious; that the Barisan Nasional appears to see no limits to what it is permitted to do to achieve its objectives.

And if it could do this in one state, what is to stop it from acting in the same way in other states or at the federal level. Judging by the way in which it has responded to criticism over its actions these past few weeks, it would seem nothing much. It is manifest that the Barisan Nasional considers itself a law unto itself.

That is the painful truth that lies at the heart of Tengku Razaleigh’s declaration that the Constitution is dead.

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is the current president of the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) and a lawyer. He has been at the forefront of efforts aimed at promoting constitutionalism and the Rule of Law, particularly in the face of worrying trends of Islamisation and race politics in government and wider society. His blog “Disquiet”, and weekly column of the same name with the Malay Mail, is widely read.