When silence isn’t an option for the Attorney General

Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail met journalists yesterday to discuss two issues – a rape
case involving a teenage bride, and the decision by the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) not to appeal former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik's acquittal in the cheating case.

But the top government lawyer did not address the pink elephant in the room – the allegations of corruption against him by retired police investigator Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim.

The former Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigations Department chief had been going at it for the past year with hammer and tongs against Gani - writing letters to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and finally making a statutory declaration (SD) of all his allegations.

He even met Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad this year to brief the country's longest-serving prime minister of his allegations against the chief prosecutor.

Nothing happened. The police have asked him to lodge a report instead of putting a sworn statement.

Meantime, the AG continues to remain silent.

For any person, from the humble manual worker to the powerful prime minister, the one thing of real value is his reputation. In most cases, one fights tooth and nail to protect one's reputation.

In Gani's case, he could have filed a police report against Mat Zain or sued him for defamation.

Or even given a point by point rebuttal to the serious allegations raised by Mat Zain, some of which point to treason and a miscarriage of justice.

Instead, Gani speaks to the press and tries to convey the message that it is business at usual at the AGC.

His silence is a damning indictment of this whole episode.

Putrajaya too has yet to come to Gani's defence, except to say that there is nothing to investigate as it is just a statutory declaration. But Mat Zain is a former police detective and knows his law.

His sworn statement now is in wide circulation, even if the media is circumspect to publish all its contents. As one lawyer put it, the SD is explosive.

The AG should not remain silent any longer. That option will only further reinforce the perception in the court of public opinion that he is in the wrong.

Malaysia needs an AG who prosecutes without fear or favour, not one tainted by allegations that can undermine the entire government. - December 3, 2013.

IGP's Xmas hit - You better watch out

I am on the waiting-list for membership of the exclusive ‘Sedition Club Uniting Malaysians’, (SCUM) which has several distinguished members like Adam Adli, Haris Ibrahim, Tian Chua, Tamrin Ghafar, Safwan Anang and Zunar. I don’t think many people know the criteria which makes one eligible for membership.

Who would have realised that a well-meaning article ‘One Idealogy, Two Reactions’ about the need to be compassionate to Malaysians, regardless of their political leanings or social background, would have upset the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar?

Does Khalid (right) suffer from an inferiority complex or was he under extreme pressure to explain his involvement in the Lahad Datu debacle?

More importantly, he wanted to divert attention from the terrible handling of the Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab story, by the Malaysian government and himself. They probably thought they would capitalise on the story of Aishah’s enslavement.

Initially, the Metropolitan police in England refused to divulge the identity of the Malaysian woman who had been “freed”, but Khalid jumped the gun and blurted out her name before the English police were ready to make this public.

Even before Kamar Mahtum and Hishamuddin Rais arrived in London, the IGP was already boasting about the welcome they would give Aishah on her return, home. Khalid said she would not be arrested as her “crime” was in the past. Meanwhile, the women’s minister talked about providing counselling.

It was like a couple expecting their first child, preparing the nursery to receive the baby, except the ‘baby’ - Aishah - refused to come home.

As information trickled back to KL, the IGP was probably told that Aishah had not deviated from her ideology. She had not been enslaved, as was previously reported. She had no intention of returning to Malaysia. She was not remorseful, nor did she want to resume ties with the land of her birth. Sources also allege that the reunion between Kamar and Aishah was far from cordial.

If Aishah really wanted to flee from her captors, she would have.

Khalid and the government realised, too late, that Aishah had outsmarted them. Aishah did not follow the Umno Baru script.

The IGP and Najib Abdul Razak probably wanted to give Aishah a heroine’s welcome at KLIA. Then, after a six month religious rehabilitation at one of the indoctrination centres, arrange a photo-shoot of Aishah kissing Najib’s hand, renouncing her previous ideology, giving up her Marxist beliefs, and praising Najib’s government as the saviour of her body and soul.

The penny must have dropped as Kamar and Hisham passed through passport control at Heathrow, on Saturday morning to return home. So, Khalid had to divert attention from the government’s terrible handling of the Aishah story. A distraction had to be found. Me! The rest is history.

A means to intimidate the public?

Did Khalid, in a moment of madness, lose his judgment and decide to abuse his position and utilise the publicity machinery of the state, and use me as a means to intimidate the public?

He was foolish to think I would be intimidated. Perhaps, he wanted me to be cowed and cower under the bed, as a certain politician, who was caught in flagrante delicto in Port Dickson, was alleged to have done.

Khalid believes that writers for the alternative media write, merely to get hits. They don’t! One would like to ask the IGP if his men have been given orders to use their weapons, just to score hits, on their victims?

Will Khalid understand that one of the reasons the mainstream media is failing the public is because they are economical with the truth. They manipulate facts and tell lies to incite hatred.

If Khalid were to talk to former Utusan journalists, he would learn many painful truths. Those who joined the exodus, in 2007, have alleged that their wages have not been paid. Another journalist alleges that the paper is losing money, because Umno Baru takes out full page advertisements in Utusan, and then fails to pay the paper.

Utusan loses revenue, and Najib, the president of Umno Baru knows that the party is bankrupt. So, he urges the government-linked companies (GLCs) to place advertisements in Utusan Malaysia.

My calling is to continue informing the public and stimulate them to ask questions of their parliamentarians and people in positions of responsibility, like the IGP. What are Khalid’s good points?  People have lost faith in the police because of leaders like Khalid.

One would have thought that Khalid would have understood the nuances of my article.  Surely, someone could have explained them to him, before he was allowed to shoot his mouth off.

It was Khalid who incorrectly mentioned race as the reason for the different treatments meted out to Chin Peng and Aishah. Perhaps, he would like to tell us why the dead Malaysian terrorists like Dr Azahari Hussein and Noordin Mat Top, the masterminds of the Jakarta and Bali bombings, were allegedly given the VIP treatment? Not many dead Malaysians would be returned to Malaysia at the taxpayer’s expense, in an RMAF transport.

Khalid warned me via a Bernama report that, “She (Mariam Mokhtar) had better watch out...”

Despite his failings, we should praise Khalid for his ‘1Malaysia’ spirit. During his visit to multicultural and predominantly Christian Sabah, he has kicked off the Christmas season with the classic song ‘You’d better watch out’. Most readers may know it by its original title, ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’.
A Malaysian makeover

With apologies to the original songwriters, J Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, whose song made its debut in 1934, I have given the song a Malaysian makeover, and substituted the words ‘Santa Claus’ with ‘The IGP’.

The older generation may recall Fred Astaire, Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra singing this song. Khalid and younger Malaysians may prefer Miley Cyrus’ catchy rendition on YouTube.

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
The IGP  is coming to town!

He’s making a list,
He's checking it twice,
Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.
The IGP is coming to town!

He sees you when you’re sleeping,
He knows when you're awake.
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

So...You better watch out, You better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why.
The IGP is coming to town.

Who knows? The Khalid inspired song, ‘You Better Watch Out’, may prove to be this year’s Christmas hit.

Khalid was wrong to attack and intimidate members of the rakyat. This harassment should be our catalyst for real, meaningful change. It is Khalid and Umno Baru who had better watch out!

---

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

GLCs Need To Prepare Comprehensive Plan To Assist Bumiputera Companies - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The need for government-linked companies (GLCs) to
prepare a comprehensive plan to assist Bumiputera companies is among seven initiatives that should be implemented in near term in support of the implementation of the Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Agenda.

Outlining the seven initiatives, Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said GLCs should also list opportunities that could be seized by Bumiputera companies, apart from submitting periodical performance reports to the Bumiputera Economic Council.

He said this was in line with the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) prescribed for GLC chief executive officers under the Bumiputera Economic Agenda.

The construction of more vocational training colleges should be expedited to meet the growing demand of Bumiputera students in pursuing vocational training, he said when simultaneously opening the general assemblies of the Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri movements in conjunction with the 2013 Umno General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here Tuesday night.

"This is in line with efforts to produce more skilled Bumiputera workers to cater to market needs and high-income economy," said.

Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, said the government should redouble its efforts to produce more Malay and Bumiputera professionals in various fields.

"To date, the government has succeeded in raising the number of Malay and Bumiputera professionals through training schemes and higher education to churn out up to between 40 and 50 per cent Malay and Bumiputera professionals among doctors, dentists, veterinary doctors, engineers and surveyors.

"This effort should be continued in all professional fields to reflect the racial composition of the country," he said.

Muhyiddin said Malay and Bumiputera businessmen and traders should improve their competitiveness and be willing to adapt to the market-friendly business environment.

"Hence, they must accept the principles of transparency and competition to enable them to enjoy government support and seize the opportunities available," he said, adding leakages and wastage should be plugged to enhance the effectiveness of efforts to help them.

Other initiatives outlined by Muhyiddin included continuing efforts to develop assets belonging to the Malays and Bumiputera to further strengthen their economic progress.

He also stressed on the importance of implementing more programmes to generate income, especially in rural and urban poor areas, to offset the high cost of living.

The deputy prime minister said the government should expand agro-based industries through various forms of support such as capital and training, by empowering small and medium-scale industries, and helping small business owners, farmers and fishermen.

"Agencies provide financing should ease loan processing for qualified Bumiputera entrepreneurs and traders," he said, adding that local authorities should facilitate licensing of small businesses.

As such, he urged Wanita Umno, Youth and Puteri wings, particularly their economic bureaus, to cooperate with relevant government agencies to pioneer efforts to help raise the income of Bumiputera entrepreneurs and traders.

Muhyiddin also wanted the Affordable Housing Scheme to be extended, apart from introducing affordable house rental scheme in an effort to improve the well-being of Bumiputera living in cities.

Malaysia's one-spot jump in corruption index 'not enough'

Malaysia’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score this year has improved by one step from the previous year but there are still many matters to be concerned about, stated Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M).

Malaysia had scored 50/100 compared to last year’s 49/100 in the CPI, and the country ranked 53 out of 177 countries compared to last year’s 54 out of 177 countries.

However, despite the improvement, there are still massive improvements to be done in the judiciary sector, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sector and the corporate sector, said TI-M president Akhbar Satar.
“So there are some improvements (this year), of course we have a lot of things to do,” said Akhbar during his speech announcing the results.

Malaysia is currently ranked third among the 10 countries in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), with Singapore and Brunei ranking first and second.

It is a popular adage that a country with a higher gross domestic product (GDP) will be less corrupted. Malaysia, with a current GDP per capita of US$10,381 is the third highest in Asean, and this is reflected in Malaysia’s improvement in the CPI index.

Singapore is ranked fifth out of 177 countries, alongside Norway with a CPI score of 86. Norway is currently holding the highest GDP per capita of US$99,558, but did not obtain the top spot.

In this year’s CPI overall ranking and score, Malaysia is on par with Turkey. Denmark and New Zealand top the chart with a CPI score of 91.

Among those at the bottom of the chart, Somalia had retained its last spot for 10 consecutive years with a CPI score of eight.

The CPI has been published by Transparency International (TI) since 1995 to annually rank countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessment and opinion surveys.

The scale used to determine the severity of a country’s corruption range from zero to 100, zero being the most corrupted to 100 being clean from corruption.

TI-M had pointed out concerns over the lack of investigations and convictions in high-profile cases, privatisation and mega projects awarded without open tenders or competitive bidding.

Concerns over Official Secrets Act

Other than that, TI-M also pointed out concerns over the government’s Official Secrets Act, no public disclosure of assets, and corruption in the corporate and political sector.

Thus, TI-M had made several recommendations to improve on Malaysia's CPI score and to curb corruption:

• Pursue corruption cases of officials at the highest levels without fear or favour to restore public confidence in the fight against corruption.

• Improve transparency by repealing the amendment to Section 203A of the Penal Code. Repeal the Official Secrets Act and replacing it with a Freedom of Information Act. There must be public disclosure of assets, as well as a review of the weaknesses in the Whistleblowers Protection Act.

• Grant MACC more independence without undue pressure or interference. MACC should improve and increase enforcement, intelligence and evidence-gathering.

• Amend the MACC Act 2009 to close loopholes:
  
  Section 23 - A member of the administration can award contracts, tenders and procurement to a relative or associate merely with a declaration of interest.
  
  Section 36 - No power to require a declaration of assets without initiating a corruption investigation.

• Companies should be punished along with their employees for corruption offences committed by their employees for the companies’ benefit.

• More severe punishments for corruption convictions.

• Political parties to be more transparent and accountable in how they receive and spend political donations.

• No privatisation and mega projects without open tenders and competitive bidding.

• Electoral reform along with the Election Commission for better accountability and to ensure integrity at federal and state elections.

• Adoption of ‘Open Government Partnership’ to ensure better representation, better laws, better governance and better results.

'Wrecking of Bujang Valley candi federal gov't's fault'

PAS has blamed the BN-run federal government for approving the Bujang Valley developer, which acknowledged that the remains of an 8th century temple was demolished to make way for a housing project.

Bandar Saujana Sdn Bhd spokesman Saw Guan Keat had told The Star newspaper that its plans to develop Bujang Valley were approved by the Sungai Petani district council between 1994 and 1995.

Saw was reported as saying that the land was purchased from another developer in February this year and the work of levelling the land in the area began in September.
He also acknowledged that they had destroyed the remains of the temple.

But when contacted, PAS said its responsibility was limited to the sale of the land.

Former Kedah executive councillor, Dr Hamdan Khalid, who had been in charge of the state's arts and heritage affairs committee, said the PAS-led government had then only approved land acquisition in an area of the historical site.

"Pakatan Rakyat in Kedah under (late leader) Azizan Abdul Razak as menteri besar very much supported any project under the federal government at that time.

"We supported and approved the purchase and acquisition of the land as decided by the federal government... we could only do so much.

"Everything else was under the purview of the central government (Department of National Heritage)," Hamdan (right) said in an SMS to Malaysiakini.

The former state assemblyperson for Tanjung said PAS was in the dark about the demolition of the remains of the ancient temple at the heritage site, which was brought to public attention by NGOs over the weekend.

Hamdan reiterated that the project was under the supervision of the federal Department of National Heritage and not under the supervision of the state government.

"The state was not involved (in the monitoring of the project)," he added.

Builder unaware of 1,000-year-old candi at site

Housing developer Bandar Saujana Sdn Bhd, which demolished a more than 1,000 years old candi in Lembah Bujang, Kedah, which sparked public outrage, said it was not aware of the structure's historical value.

"We had a site visit before land clearing started in September. We saw a stone structure (candi). We did not know what it was," the company's project manager Saw Guan Keat is quoted as saying in The Star today.

Following the demolitions, Saw said, the rubble of bricks and pebbles have been disposed of.

"If we had known the structure was a historical site, we would have not have cleared it," he said.

Saw added that he only learnt the significance of the candi after reading about it in the newspapers.

According to the report, Saw said his company had purchased eight lots of land from a previous housing developer after carrying out a land search with the Kedah Land Office on Jan 14.

"The company proceeded to buy the land in February. When we did another search at the Land Office on July 30, again, we did not find any encumbrance," Saw is quoted as saying.

He said a plan for a mixed development project submitted by the previous developer had been approved by the Sungai Petani Municipal Council and the state exco, between 1994 and 1995.

His company, Saw added, had merely taken over the project. He has lodged a police report on Nov 29, following the demolition of the candi.

View comments (39)

Our Nusantara multicultural past

COMMENT We have yet to know the extent of the damage done by a developer in the Bujang Valley historical area, where a candi was found to have been demolised.

Until there is greater clarity on what happened, it is unwise to cast aspersions on the authorities in Kedah, especially those custodians of our national heritage. Let us give them the benefit of the doubt.

What we cannot excuse however is how the Bujang Valley historic site has been managed.
Unfortunately, Malaysians have woken up to the poor condition of care for this historic site after the “demolition” of the historic Sg Batu Candi (No 11).

If it is true that a private developer had been given permission to “clear the land” for development, the Sungai Petani Municipal Council (MPSP) must explain how it came to giving such consent especially as the Sg Batu Candi is quite well-known.

Finger-pointing aside, the MPSP needs to come clean about what happened and more importantly, how can it happen.

Right thinking Malaysians must be wondering how a developer and a local council can be so derelict in the performance of their duties. But a more important question is: why are we talking about the Bujang Valley only now?

I suspect there many Malaysians who are not aware of the special significance of the Bujang Valley. Put simply, they do not know or care about this our common heritage.

About a month ago, I visited the Bujang Valley museum with some colleagues. It took us some time to locate the museum as the signage was not very helpful on the highway.

The museum, which resembles a 1980s archaeological gallery, has seen better days.
A group of school children from Putrajaya came, led by their teachers. One of them, upon examining the artefacts on display, said to his friend: “This must be Shiite religious instruments.”

No one corrected him and they left without having had any kind of meaningful guidance.

Recalling my primary and secondary education History syllabus, I was very sure that our text books had extensive descriptions about Malaysia’s pre-Islamic history. After all, our oldest Malay royal family is the Kedah royal household. It can trace its lineage back to its Hindu-Buddhist past in the 10th century.

The Malaysian education system cannot be so bad that it is not providing knowledge about the Hindu-Buddhist periods, an era that gave us words like ‘kerajaan’, ‘cinta’, ‘putera’, ‘bumi’, ‘menteri’ and other markers of our national language. Perhaps History text-books in schools have yet to catch up to the latest discoveries.

The Bujang Valley historical site, which covers a vast area, has sites dating back to the 1st century BC. Latest discoveries at the Sg Batu archaeological site, verified by the Department of National Heritage and international scholars, has been proven to be the oldest iron-age human settlement in all of Southeast Asia.

When iron ingots were being produced and exported to southern India from the ports of the Bujang Valley, there were no other trading ports in the region as sophisticated or a community so well organised. It would be another 600 years before Borobudur was built and 800 years before Angkor Wat was conceived.

As the Global Centre for Archaeology at Universiti Sains Malaysia does not have enough funds, we were told during our site visit that excavation works have been scaled back. By September this year, a picture of this well-organised iron production centre had been documented and a small gallery set up at the site.

There is even evidence of jetties, foundries, an administrative centre and temples. It is particularly interesting that the Sg Batu site is not an expatriate colony but more likely a combination of both settlement and a local civilisation.

Challenges of management

In many ways, the reason why the Bujang Valley historical site is so badly managed is bound up with Malaysia’s inability to understand who we are.

Having evolved at the crossroads between East and West, with India and China as major influences, it is inevitable that Southeast Asian societies are very open to different cultural and religious influences. If it is difficult to pinpoint a set of cultural markers that make us Malaysian, it is because we share our identity markers with so many different ethnicities and civilisations.

Archaeological discoveries at Bujang Valley are a clear showcase that the people there may not have started out as Hindu-Buddhists although it is clear that in later times - especially in the 5th to the 8th century AD - both Hinduism and Buddhism were dominant.
Seen in this continuum, it is not surprising that present-day Kedah should be a bastion of Islam as it was the first Malay kingdom to embrace Islam.

Lest we forget, the Bujang Valley site covers an area of more than 100sq-km. It covers coastal and riverine areas right up to the Jerai Peak. It also stretches all the way to Ceruk Tok Kun in Seberang Perai (in Penang) and comes under the Sungai Petani municipality.
Obviously, urban planning and development, often superimposed over this area before historical discovery, allowed for plantations and housing development.

If Malaysia is having to meet the challenge of accommodating places of worship that spring up along crossroads and other significant areas, this is because some of these religious sites are scattered over a vast area that may have once been poorly inhabited.

The same is the case for the Bujang Valley site, with candis found in paddy fields and in rubber and oil palm estates.
In fact, one of the reasons why the Sg Batu site was so easily discovered was because the top soil that protected the site had been stripped away for rubber and oil palm planting. It did not take archaeologists too long to reach their target as the top soil was not more than a couple of feet deep.

For readers who have not been to the Bujang Valley or have not ventured outside the parameters of the Bujang Valley museum, it is a worthwhile trip to go experience the site personally.

Once there, the challenges associated with its management and care become very obvious. The local communities no longer identify themselves with these historic sites especially those having been buried for more than a millennia.

More importantly, the tourism infrastructure around these sites is poorly developed and as such, there is very little incentive for the local community to ‘look after’ the sites. The best that we can hope for is for these communities to leave the sites alone.

The best thing for the Bujang Valley now is to have a complete audit of where these historic sites are and design a heritage management plan around them. This should be embedded into the State Local Plan that regulates development at the local level. It is also important to provide more resources to the Department of National Heritage as it can help build local capacity to care for these sites.

Finally, as all land matters come under the jurisdiction of the Kedah government, there needs to be greater vision to see the great potential for the Bujang Valley, which is just a skip and a hop away from the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as the Lenggong Valley Unesco site.

Going forward, this is the perfect opportunity for the government to take the lead in protecting and developing the Bujang Valley. Archaeological studies have shown indisputably that the site is a result of local and foreign interactions.

It is a clear reminder that, for more than 2,000 years, the people of the Malay peninsula have remained open and supportive of sojourners, migrants and settlers.

Here is clear evidence that the ethnocentric cries of some groups in the country today is a clear blip in our longer history of Malaysian identity-making built upon openness, friendship and mutual respect.

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NEIL KHOR completed his PhD at Cambridge University and now writes occasionally on matters that he thinks require better historical treatment. He is quietly optimistic about Malaysia's future.

'Developer's historical ignorance not surprising'

It is a historical site that houses the ancient ruins of temples that date back more than 2,000 years. The Bujang Valley in Kedah commemorates the nation's Hindu-Buddhist past.
  
And while such archaeological treasures are celebrated in other parts of the world, Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Barathidasan said the situation is different here.

So, according to him, it comes as no surprise that the developer Saujana Sdn Bhd, which demolished one of the temples, was not aware that the area was a historical site.

"This is because our education system is only concerned about highlighting the country's Islamic past. There is little or no emphasis given to the rest.

"It is common knowledge that our history textbook syllabus keeps changing over the years, tailor-made to suit the warped agendas of certain groups," he told Malaysiakini.
Against this disappointing backdrop, Barathidasan said foreigners appear to have a better understanding about Malaysia's history as opposed to Malaysians themselves.

The Mipas secretary-general said he was also disappointed to read that the housing developer's checks with the Kedah Land Office showed that the land had no encumbrances.

"This is how dismissive the authorities are when it comes to the nation’s non-Islamic past, once again punching a gaping hole into the prime minister's so-called 1Malaysia," he said.
Malaysian heritage

However, Barathidasan stressed that Bujang Valley is not a Hindu or Buddhist historical site, but rather a Malaysian heritage that must be celebrated by all irrespective of colour or creed.

"What is the point of the government promoting tourism campaigns vis-a-vis the Visit Malaysia Year when such blatant historical massacre happens?" he asked.

Barathidasan urged all politicians not to use this issue to gain political mileage by twisting the facts.

"Mipas hopes that the people do not fall into this trap. Keep your political differences aside, this is about saving the nation’s historical heritage," he added.

Barathidasan called on both the state government and federal government to intervene and stop this unpardonable destruction.

"Bujang Valley must be given due recognition and not be kept under wraps.

"It is heart breaking that the site gained national prominence, only after a temple had been demolished," he added.

Barathidasan also called for action to be taken against the officials who facilitated the selling of the land for commercial development, knowing well that it has invaluable historical significance.

"If this nation is to progress, then there is no room for people with such regressive mentalities in our midst," he said.

"In more mature democracies, heads would have rolled for this incident. But then again... this is Malaysia," he added.
Badan Warisan Malaysia concerned
Badan Warisan Malaysia (BWM) expressed concerns over the intentional demolition of the 8th century temple remnants.
Executive director Elizabeth Cardosa said it was alarming that only some monuments in the Sungai Batu area in the Bujang Valley had been gazetted in 2012 under the National Heritage Act, while others remain without any legal protection.
BWM warned that unless there is a rigorous management and protection of such monuments - along with punitive action by the official custodians of the country's heritage - the destruction would continue and the people would only be able to stand and watch helplessly.
"This loss undermines the rich character and texture of our cultural history which is important to all Malaysians," Cardosa said in a statement.
"Hence, we urge the National Heritage Department and Kedah government to immediately put measures in place to halt the needless destruction of this ancient archaeological site and accord them the necessary protection.
"BWM believes this archaeological site has enormous potential and outstanding values to world history and culture and that steps should be taken quickly to inscribe it on the tentative list as a World Heritage Site before more monuments fall prey to further furtive and irresponsible acts of destruction."

Acid attack: Two women burned by husbands

The man, 90, had suspected that his [young] wife was having an illicit relationship, said Police. PHOTO: FILE

BAHAWALPUR / MULTAN: An elderly man was arrested on Sunday for throwing acid at his wife.

The woman was taken to the rural health centre, where she was said to be out of danger. Doctors treating her said her chest had been affected.

Police said they were told that Ghulam Qadir, a resident of Taranda Muhammad Panah, was suffering from a psychological disorder.

They said his wife had died a decade ago. A few years ago, they said, he married a young widow from the same village. Police quoted some neighbours as saying that Qadir suspected that his wife was having an illicit relationship. They said he often beat her and would stop after some neighbours’ intervention.

On Sunday, police said, some neighbours heard the woman’s cries. When they rushed to her rescue, they found that Qadir had thrown acid at her.

Police were called and Qadir was arrested. Police said they were investigating the matter.

“Burned for giving birth to a girl”

A woman was burned with acid allegedly by her husband apparently for giving birth to a girl, who their relatives said was thrown into a canal. The relatives told the police that the man told them that his wife had had a still birth.

The woman was taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan where doctors said she had 60 per cent burns. They said she would likely survive.

The assailant fled and has been missing.

Police said the 22-year-old Saiqa Bibi* of Jinnah Colony in Jahanian had married Muhammad Alam, 24, a daily wager.

Saiqa Bibi told police that Alam had been quarreling with her since the day he discovered that she was pregnant with a girl. She said he often beat her publicly. She said he had wanted a son.

On Sunday, she said, shortly after she gave birth to a girl, he told the midwife to leave.

She said he took the newborn with him and returned a few hours later without it. He told them that the baby was dead and that he had thrown it in the Lower Bari Canal in Chak 10-R.

She said when she started shouting, he threw a jug full of acid at her that he had brought with him. He fled.

She said some neighbours rushed to help her and took her to the tehsil headquarters hospital, from where she was sent to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. Doctors treating her said her face was unharmed. They said her chest, abdomen and arms had been burned.

Khalida Bibi, an aunt of the woman, told police that she was at the house when Alam took the baby and attacked his wife.

She said he had taken the child as soon as it was born. She said she was not sure if the child was alive or not. “It wasn’t crying,” she said.

Jahanian SHO Asim Shaheen said the police were looking for Alam and the midwife. He said rescuers had been asked to look for the baby in the canal.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2013.

Kedah issues stop-work order on relic site

The Kedah state government has ordered the housing developer involved in the demolition of several 8th century heritage site temple remnants known as Candi Sungai Batu or Bujang Valley site 11, to stop development at the site immediately.

Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said the developer was asked to stop work immediately after a request made by Kedah exco member Tajul Urus Md Zain today.

"I cannot comment further because I need the full report of what happened there. I will have a meeting to find out what actually happened because there seem to be two versions of what happened in Sungai Batu and I want to get the actual picture myself," he said.

The Bujang Valley is an archeological site and excavation had revealed jetty remains, iron-smelting areas and a clay-brick monument dating back 110AD, making it the oldest man-made structure to be recorded in South-east Asia, said a report.

It is said to be the most important entry port before Melaka (15th century) and Singapore (19th century) as the Bujang Valley was believed to be a transit point for Arab nations, India and China.

Mukhriz who officially opened the 'New Seasons Ward' at the Kedah Medical Centre (KMC) in Alor Setar today was asked to comment on the outrage of netizens after a tomb temple was destroyed by a developer.

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said the state government which owns 46 percent share of KMC had spent RM3 million to upgrade the New Seasons Ward at the 7th floor of the hospital with 28 beds, including a VVIP room.

He added that such investment was necessary to cater for the growing demand for quality service and privacy.

MIC leader: How can you sell history?

An MIC leader is shocked that the Kedah state government sold the land that housed ancient Hindu temples and wants the state administration to repurchase it.

"Can the present state government disclose when it was sold?

"Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government? In any event, it is unpardonable, no matter which government did it," said S Murugesan (right).

The MIC central working committee member said Bujang Valley is a historical and archaeological site that is even older than the Malacca Sultanate.

"What were they thinking of when they sold the land to a developer?" Murugesan asked.

He also said he was not convinced by Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed any time soon.

"Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and it is part of our history and heritage.

"Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who made the decision," Murugesan added.

He urged the menteri besar to repurchase the land and ensure that the area remains a historical site that belongs to all Malaysians.

Poultry traders cry foul over slaughter ban

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has been urged to suspend the ban on poultry slaughtering at the Pudu wet market until the new centralised abattoir at Desa Tun Razak is completed.

At a press conference today, Pudu Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Jeff Tan said traders are unable to adhere to the ban, which comes into effect on Jan 1, without the new abattoir.

Compounding the issue further was the fact that DBKL has yet to inform the traders of the completion date for the new abattoir and Tan said little was currently known about the facilities to be provided.

"They ordered us to cease slaughtering, but never informed us when the the new abattoir will begin operation. Where should we do our poultry slaughtering? In our homes?

"We want this ban to be suspended until the abattoir is ready. We are not certain how the abattoir will function. We want to know there will be transparency in its management," Tan said.

Poultry traders were issued with notices in September and November, informing them that poultry slaughtering could no longer be carried out at the Pudu wet market, for reasons of hygiene.

A monopoly in the offing?

Tan warned that if the order was not rescinded and put off until the abattoir was completed, the livelihoods of many poultry traders would be affected.

Meanwhile, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said he had written two letters to DBKL, on Nov 8 and Nov 29, to urge the city council to suspend the poultry slaughter ban and urged it to consult the hawkers involved.

"I want to ensure that the proposed abattoir is managed transparently, will have a fair distribution and cost to the hawker traders. I do not want this to be monopolised by any crony out there," said Kok Wai, who is the association's adviser.

He also dismissed DBKL's claim that the poultry slaughtering techniques currently in practise by the hawkers are unhygienic, noting that the current practise has not changed for decades.

Putrajaya has considered banning the slaughter of poultry in markets following the outbreak of the the H5N1 virus in 2005, not no action has been taken on this since then.

Explain 'cultural barbarism', Najib, MB told

Describing the destruction of an ancient Hindu temple in Kedah as nothing short of “cultural barbarism”, an opposition MP has called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to break their silence on the matter.

Padang Serai MP N Surendran (left) said the nation is stunned by the destruction of the ancient temple structure dating from the 8th century in the historic Bujang Valley archaelogical site.

“The destruction, carried out by a private developer, is an act of cultural barbarism, comparable to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban.

“It is a shame and embarrassment to our country,” added the PKR vice-president.

Bujang Valley, said Surendran, is the most important archaeological site in Malaysia, and is famed throughout Southeast Asia.

The destroyed Candi Number 11, he added, was a tangible part of Malaysian history and invaluable to the nation.

“It is simply incomprehensible that the area was not gazetted as a historical site. How could the federal government and Kedah government allow this to happen?” he asked.

'What's the use of Culture and Tourism Ministry?'
Surendran also took the state government to task for its excuse that the land was privately owned, calling this “pathetic and unacceptable”.

“Why did the Kedah state authorities give the necessary approvals for development to proceed, knowing full well that the area is historically significant?

“The Kedah government and authorities have displayed breathtaking irresponsibility and cultural philistinism in allowing the development to proceed,” he added.

The federal government, he said, also has a positive duty to ensure that historically significant sites are preserved.

“What is the use of having a Ministry of Culture and Tourism if the nation's heritage is so easily destroyed for private profit? How do we answer for this cultural vandalism to future generations of Malaysians?” he added.

The PKR leader called on the Kedah government and the federal government to take urgent and effective steps to protect the Lembah Bujang archaeological site.

“We demand that the state government immediately issues a stop work order for the development projects at the site.

“We further call  for the urgent preservation of the debris and wreckage of Candi No 11 with a view towards repair and full restoration.

“Meanwhile both Najib and Mukhriz must break their silence on this matter. The people are entitled to an explanation,” he added.

Kedah to get 'experts' to probe ruins before acting

Amid the outcry over alleged destruction of ancient ruins in Kedah's Bujang Valley, the state said it will act only after engaging experts to probe the claims.

The state's arts, culture and heritage committee chairperson Aminuddin Omar told Malaysiakini that they are bringing in experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to investigate the priceless archeological site.

Aminuddin said the state government was aware of the situation but needed experts to investigate the site before any action could be taken.

"Both Tanjong Dawai assemblyperson Tajul Urus Mat Zain and USM academic staff will meet up to identify the exact area involved and its focal point," he said when contacted yesterday.

Aminuddin said that Bujang Valley comprises a huge land area which could not be completely gazetted as a heritage area.

He was responding to questions on the destruction of the remnants of a 8th century Hindu temple in Bujang Valley, known as Candi Sungai Batu.

Some groups are appealing to the state government to recognise the historical significance of the site as it is a sign of early civilization in what is now known as Merbok, Kedah.

In an oil palm estate

Meanwhile, Tajul Urus told Malaysiakini that the location of the demolished heritage site was situated on private land.

"We will identify if any candi was demolished (as reported). I drove by the said area, and I only saw an oil palm plantation.

"We will get the archaeologist to look into this," Tajul Urus said, while sounding a bit sceptical.

Tajul Urus said he will try his best to have the site preserved if the veracity of the claims were confirmed, adding that there are numerous ancient temple ruins throughout the Bujang, Merbok and Semeling districts.
Proposed funding from federal gov’t or Unesco

Meanwhile, The Star reports that Kedah exco member for Religion, Indian and Siamese Community Affairs Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid had said that the housing developer could have deliberately failed to inform Sungai Petani Municipal Council about the presence of the candi structure within its development plan.

In expressing disappointment over news reports that the Candi Sungai Batu had been demolished, he said the developer could have neglected to inform the officers over the candi’s location and the officers themselves could have overlooked its significance.

Mohd Rawi said it may need huge amounts of fund as Lembah Bujang covers a vast area containing about 50 candis.

“The state government wanted to protect such heritage monuments and I will propose to the Kedah exco that a special allocation be provided by the federal government or through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) so steps can  be taken to purchase back the land with the heritage sites.

“If we want to block everything, we need to buy it (the land) back,” said the Kedah exco member. 

Has MIC no more energy to assert its position in BN?

ANALYSIS Having postponed its party elections in order to accommodate the hotly-contested 13th general election last May, MIC now stands at the crossroads, appearing to have run out of ammunition to assert its strength within the BN coalition - as evidenced at its annual general meeting in Malacca yesterday.

The party delegates did not miss the chance to openly express their worries about the "cold shoulder" Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak gave them when launching their AGM.

Contrary to the handouts and programmes Najib constantly dolled out to Indians before GE13, the prime minister this time around did not have any cheerful announcements to make at the MIC event, despite explicit requests from party president G Palanivel in his speech just before Najib's address.

In fact, Najib took time taking sly shots at MIC leaders, at varying degrees, in his speech. First, he said that MIC could not claim to be the best party representing Indians in this country unless it earned the overwhelming trust of the community at the grassroots level.

He called for the party to have more professionals as its grassroots leaders, and even called for a show of results and implementation before he would consider increasing allocations, as requested by the party.

'Account for all the money allocated'

The prime minister is now asking MIC to account for all the money that Najib purportedly has allocated to Indians via the party's coffers.

Whether Palanivel and his team of leaders will actually take the pains to show these results to the PM and convince him that their programmes delivered the right results is beyond anyone's knowledge.

But one thing was certain: the party leaders did not take pains to explain to their own delegates as to how they spent these allocations specifically, instead of just dolling out numbers, time and again, and claiming that their programmes benefited "many" Indians.

The delegates in their brief, often interrupted speeches, displayed the kind of rupture in the party structure.

Many asked where the money had gone to, many expressed disappointment with the PM, even more said that the party needed to be more assertive on Indian issues, and quite a few spent their time talking about money politics that affected the elections.

Palanivel claimed pride yesterday in conducting what he claimed to a clean and transparent party election, and he used the fact that 40 percent of the central working committee and vice-presidents posts experienced changes in this party elections to drive home this point.

While change is welcome in a party that increasingly looks like a junior party and is largely silent on issues pertaining to the very community it claims to represent, any real change in direction will not take place unless there is an overhaul in the top leadership of the MIC.

The 40 percent changes is irrelevant, unless the president and deputy president's posts are contested.

Allegations of money politics will always to surface, but watching delegates feeding RM50 notes to one another, while claiming that a candidate had channelled this money to the recipient, smacks of a party that has not even matured beyond the ad-hoc value of delegates' votes.

Campaigning with eight pretty models displaying their sarees, textile giant R Raghu Moorthy stormed to first place in the CWC elections.

Attracted by quirky campaigning methods

And the MIC delegates seemed to know more about a candidate through their quirky campaigning methods instead of knowing about them through word of mouth, or having any real knowledge about the candidate's grassroots connections and leadership potential.

While leadership change makes it seem like a fruitful election, the almost comical way with which the election was conducted, with bad handling of the media, and even their own delegates, says a lot about the unity in the party, post the general election.

Media personnel were initially only provided two measly tables to work on, before the room was expanded, and were not even provided with a monitor to watch the speeches and the voting process from their work stations, leaving them to fight out with delegates to get a decent peek at the stage.

Delegates who did not know where and how to vote simply flooded the hotel lobby, hardly leaving any space for the other hotel visitors to get to the concierge.

And when there was no handout from Prime Minister Najib to cheer on, all that was left for the delegates was to have a go at their own newly-elected leaders on the party's past and future directions.

When there is no money, the crack in MIC is so painfully obvious to the anybody who chances by the AGM venue. When the party can't represent its own interests within the BN coalition, how can it claim to represent the Indians out there who need real, genuine help?

‘Demolished temple site for Unesco listing’

Historian describes the demolition of ancient several temples sites in Bujang Valley as shameful and unforgivable.

PETALING JAYA: The ancient temple area in Bujang Valley, Kedah, has been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site and it is shameful and unforgivable to demolish the structures before the listing.

Penang Heritage Trust honorary secretary Clement Liang slammed the Kedah government today for “carelessly letting a private developer destroy heritage sites”.

“I cannot believe it. This is unforgivable. Why are they allowing the developer destroy the sites when they should do everything to save it,” Liang told FMT today.

“Any other country will not do such a thing. We cannot feel proud for what we have done,” he said.

Liang said Bujang Valley “is a very important archeological site” and had been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site.

“However, before Unesco can certify it, we have disqualified ourselves first,” he said.

“It’s so disappointing. I feel we don’t deserve to be listed,” he added.

MIC central working committee member S Murugesan expressed shock over the Kedah state government’s decision to sell land upon which the Bujang Valley temple was situated on.

“Can the present state government disclose when it was sold? Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government?” he asked.

“In any event, it is unpardonable no matter which government did it,” he said in a press statement.

Murugesan disclosed he was not convinced by Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed anytime soon.

“Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and its part of our history and heritage. Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who took the decision.

“I call upon the present MB to buy back the land and ensure that the the historical site belonged to all Malaysians,” he added.

No action from authorities

Last Friday, it was reported that a housing developer had demolished several temple sites, including an 8th century heritage site, in Bujang Valley, and the authorities are not taking any action to stop the act.

Non-governmental organisation Bujang Valley Study Circle chairman V Nadarajan had urged the Tourism and Culture Ministry to stop the developer from further destroying the area and preserve the site.

Nadarajan said several ancient temples, called Candi or tomb temples, had been demolished in the last few years to make way for development.

He said the developer had now demolished the remants of the most famous 8th century temple, Candi Sungai Batu estate or Bujang Valley site 11.

Nadarajan, who is a lawyer, urged Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to stop the demolition process.

Sivarasa: Tengku Adnan misled the House

The Subang MP says Justice VT Singham's court order on July 5, 2012 did not approve the demolition of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor was today accused of misleading the House when he said a court order was given to approve the demolition of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple.

Subang MP R Sivarasa told reporters in Parliament today that presiding judge of the case, Justice VT Singham, had clearly said in his judgment that the court order cannot be used to demolish the temple.

“The order of the court dated July 5, 2012 does not include any order of demolition of the wall of the temple building and it is also not an eviction order,” stated the judgment.

Sivarasa added that as such, Tengku Adnan’s statement amounts to contempt of the House and he can be referred to the rights and privileges committee.

“The question is whether he did it knowingly or not. If he says he did not say it knowingly, he must then explain why and how he was given the wrong information,” said Sivarasa.

Sivarasa said Tengku Adnan must also explain the action he will take against the civil servant who misinformed him.

“Since he is the minister in charge, he should be more careful in his statements,” said Sivarasa.

City Hall had demolished a part of the temple located in the city centre on Nov 10.

Get your facts right

Commenting on his eviction from Parliament last week, Sivarasa said that as the Speaker, Pandikar Amin Mulia should not have taken sides and instead be neutral and unbiased.

“The Speaker and Tengku Adnan must get their facts right,” he said.

Sivarasa was thrown out of Parliament last Wednesday for bringing up the issue on the temple’s demolition.

Sivarasa had refused to budge when Pandikar asked him to move to another topic and was then suspended for two days.

On Tengku Adnan’s statement which stated that the temple was only a shrine, he said: “It’s not a matter of interpretation, rather, it’s a false statement.”

Defeated duo accept results of ‘clean election’

Early favourite for MIC veep post Jaspal Singh and defeated incumbent SK Devamany say they will now concentrate on working for the Indian community.

PETALING JAYA: Two defeated candidates in the MIC vice-presidential race said that they were satisfied with their showing and would accept the results.

Both party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh and defeated incumbent SK Devamany told FMT today that they would concentrate more on working for the Indian community now.

Jaspal was tipped to be a hot favourite to win one of the three available slots and in the first count on Saturday had come in third.

However after recounts, he was pushed to the fourth slot, losing out to another newcomer, Johor Baru division chief S Balakrishnan.

The top slot was won by former party vice-president S Sothinathan who made a comeback to MIC politics after a five-year gap. He was out of the scene after losing to G Palanivel in the 2008 deputy president contest, with the latter eventually becoming the party president.

Second in the vice-president’s race was incumbent M Saravanan.

Initially Jaspal was said to be upset with the outcome with SMSes believed to be from him being sent out to delegates to express his disappointment.

The SMSes stated that Jaspal was not satisfied with the results and had questioned the existence of an additional 77 ballot papers in the second recount of votes.

However when contacted today, Jaspal said that he accepted the results and thanked those who voted for him.

“The election was close and I accept the result with a willing heart,” he said.

“Even though I lost, I am happy to get so many votes. I am thankful to the MIC members that voted for me.

“MIC members still have trust on me,” he said.

Jaspal said he will continue to serve the Indian community and hoped that more of the younger generation Indians will support MIC.

Devamany too when contacted said his defeat would not mean he would stop working for the Indian community.

He also rubbished claims that there were irregularities in the elections.

“It was a clean election and I accept the loss,” he said.

“The main priority for me now is to serve the community,” he added.

He congratulated the candidates that won and hoped that they will be responsible in their selected positions.

The final outcome of the vice-presidential race is as follows:

1. S Sothinathan: 717 votes

2. M Saravanan: 716

3. S Balakrishnan: 683

4. Jaspal Singh: 670

5. SA Vigneswaran: 572

6. T Mohan: 530

7. SK Devamany: 332

8 James CS Selvaraja: 52

Mukhriz, Najib ticked off over Bujang Valley

PKR veep N Surendran hits out at Kedah MB Mukhriz Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for their indifferent attitude in preserving the historical site

PETALING JAYA: Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak were taken to task for allowing the destruction of the 8th Century Bujang Valley temple structure in Kedah

“How could the Federal government and Kedah state government allow this to happen? The Kedah government’s excuse that the land is privately owned is pathetic and unacceptable.”

“Why did the Kedah state authorities give the necessary approvals for development to proceed, knowing full well that the area is historically significant?” asked PKR vice president N Surrendran.

Surrendran, the first-term Padang Serai MP who is currently suspended from Parliament, was responding to Friday’s FMT’s report ’8th century temple site in Bujang Valley demolished’.

A NGO called Bujang Valley Study Circle revealed that a private developer demolished the most famous eighth century temple remnants in Bujang Valley’s Site 11.

Excavations at the archeological site had revealed jetty remains, iron-smelting areas and a clay-brick monument dating back to 110AD, making it the oldest man-made structure recorded in Southeast Asia.

‘Cultural barbarism’

The Kedah government has said that it was powerless to act since the land is owned by a private company.

Calling the destruction ‘cultural barbarism’, Surendran said the irresponsible act is equivalent to the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan by Talibans in 2001.

He added that the Kedah state government and authorities were irresponsible and ignorant of ancient cultures and that they favoured developers demolishing the site in Bujang Valley.

He also vented his anger at the Najib administration.

“The federal government also has a positive duty to ensure that historically significant sites are preserved. This they have miserably failed to do in the case of Lembah Bujang.

“What is the use of having a Ministry of Culture and Tourism if the nation’s heritage can be destroyed for private profit? How do we answer for this cultural vandalism to future generations?” he asked.

Rumblings of rebellion in MIC Youth may spoil Palanivel’s party

MALACCA: MIC president Datuk Seri G Palanivel must be heaving a huge sigh of relief with the new line-up of vice-presidents and central working committee (CWC) members voted in at the party’s annual general assembly on Nov 30.

After all, two of the vice-presidents and 17 of the 23 elected CWC members are believed to be the president’s men.

He has yet to appoint another seven CWC members, which will surely be his men, effectively putting decision-making control in his hands.

But Palanivel might not want to be overly jubilant just yet for he might have underestimated the power of the Youth wing in the party.

A party insider, who spoke to theantdaily on condition of anonymity, said the Youth wing is not going to keep quiet about its former leader Datuk T Mohan being ousted in his bid for the vice-presidency.

Mohan was one of eight candidates who vied for the vice-presidency in the election, which saw former vice-president Datuk S Sothinathan, incumbent Datuk M Saravanan and Johor Baru division chairman Datuk S Balakrishnan elected as the three vice-presidents.

The other candidates were Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk SK Devamany, former Youth chief Datuk SA Vigneswaran, MIC treasurer-general Datuk Jaspal Singh and Bukit Bintang division vice-chairman James Selvarajah.

The elections drew the ire of many delegates as a Tamil daily, regarded as Palanivel’s “mouthpiece”, had splashed photographs of Sothinathan, Jaspal, Vigneswaran and Balakrishnan as the president’s preferred choice of candidates a week before polling.

“It’s no longer fighting behind closed doors and presenting a united front to the public, it’s now outright war. The fight is now personal and public,” said the party insider.

This is also due to the fact that newly elected MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh is closely aligned to Mohan.

The party insider said MIC elections had always been determined by two factors, namely the party president and the caste-based system.

“This is the reason factions are created within the party. Sothinathan’s win is proof of this. Usually the whole contest will be determined by the combination of the above two factors,” he said.

Saravanan and Mohan are believed to be in Team B who are said to be aligned with former MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu and who also happens to command huge support within the party. Those aligned to Palanivel’s camp are said to be in Team A.

How will the election results affect party unity?

“Mohan’s loss is a major issue in the party, especially since he still exerts a strong influence on the Youth wing. With Saravanan being the only surviving lone ranger from the other camp in the vice-presidential list, this effectively wipes out the influence of Team B in the party.

“Going down to the grassroots level and fighting for Indian issues, such as temple demolitions and statelessness, was the Youth wing’s job, which was then led by Mohan. So the youth of the party were the ones upholding MIC’s public image of standing up for the Indians.

“Removing Mohan is a clear indication that the Youth wing may not work along with the party president. Unity in the party will be affected,” said the party insider.

He believes the latest results will push the Youth wing to test the boundaries of party solidarity.

“Even though Team B members will not be in the top echelons of the party, they can still cause mischief from outside and this will be seen as outright disloyalty to the president, which will further fracture unity within the party.

“Closing ranks does not seem likely unless the new Youth chief and his new team decide to make a U-turn and support the president. This seems highly unlikely as Mohan still wields considerable influence over the Youth wing,” he said.

He said that although there was disunity within the party in the past, it was handled internally while a united front was presented to the public.

“There will always be problems within the family, but we all have a common aim. We can fight with the party president when it comes to issues but we work towards a common aim. Now Team B will only have one agenda, that is, to transform the party which would include removing a few selected people.

“They will not present a united front anymore. The fight is now personal and public,” said the party insider.

In his keynote address at the MIC AGM on Dec 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak congratulated the MIC on transforming itself with more Indian professionals in the party.

Najib also stressed that unity within the MIC is an important factor.

But the problem with professional Indians is that they are no longer just prepared to be “yes men” of the president and are not afraid to speak up, even publicly, when they feel something is not right.

So will Najib’s united MIC be just a pipe dream?

Maybe Palanivel realised this and that is why, in his policy speech at the AGM, he said: “MIC is not just an Indian party. It is a party for all but they must be loyal to the general. That is very important.”

BLOG: IGP, what is seditious in Mariam’s article?

Columnist Kee Thuan Chye is saying the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is highly unwarranted and deserves to be censured.

I cannot see a fellow writer being threatened by someone in public authority for what she writes and not stand up for her. I’m therefore saying that the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is highly unwarranted and deserves to be censured.

Now, if the IGP was giving her friendly advice in saying she should not write articles that were seditious, he might have good cause to do so. Even if the articles she has written so far have not proven to be so. But that does not seem to be the tone and tenor of what he said a few days ago.

What makes his remark deserving of censure is what he added: “She had better watch out or we will go after her.” That comes across, undoubtedly, like a threat. And it’s inappropriate coming from someone like the IGP.

I don’t know Mariam personally and have never met her. (Sorry for sounding like Najib Razak talking about a different person – I think you know who.) I also can’t say I’ve read every article she’s written. But those I have do not strike me as being seditious - certainly not as is spelt out in the Sedition Act.

In fact, her writing impresses me as that of someone who cares about her country and wants it to be better. She criticises wrongdoing by people in power, exposes their foibles and points out the contradictions between what they say and what they do in order to make Malaysians aware of right and wrong.

She provides a much-needed public service by highlighting issues of pressing and immediate concern to Malaysians, giving voice to thoughts that many of her fellow countrymen and women may share but are unable to articulate.

She has written about racial discrimination, social injustice, domestic violence, child abuse, the rise in crime, political scandals, the ‘Allah’ issue, the ineptness of Najib as prime minister, the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the illegal immigrants in Sabah, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s attempt to muzzle the media, the disservice to the Malaysian electorate done by the Election Commission … and many, many more topics of public interest.

She should not be intimidated for creating awareness and putting issues in perspective. She should not be shut up.

IGP Khalid Abu Bakar is reportedly displeased with her article ‘One ideology, two reactions’ that appeared on the online news website Free Malaysia Today on November 29.

In it, she asked why the Government was willing to welcome home Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab from London when it had been dead against allowing even the ashes of the late Malayan Communist Party leader Chin Peng to be brought back from Thailand.

After all, Siti Aishah was also a left-winger. She was on the Malaysian police’s ‘wanted’ list in the 1970s for being considered an extremist. When she went to study at the London School of Economics, the police kept her under surveillance. Subsequently, she was allegedly held as a “slave” in London by a Maoist sect for 30 years, until she escaped several weeks ago.

Khalid said Mariam’s article was “highly seditious”.

I have since read it a few times, but I cannot in all honesty find anything in it that is seditious.

Mariam states the facts about Siti Aishah and Chin Peng. She asks a pertinent question: “Malaysians must wonder why Aishah is considered safe but Chin Peng’s ashes are deemed a national threat.” Indeed, that has been in the minds of many people this past week.

She informs us, “The High Commission in London has said that it would extend its full cooperation to reinstate Aishah’s citizenship if she had unknowingly lost her identification papers during her 30-year imprisonment. We are thankful that the global network of the Foreign Ministry is diligent in performing its responsibilities in assisting Malaysians in various parts of the world.”

She asks, again pertinently: “So why can’t the same assistance be made available by the necessary departments in Malaysia to serve the hundreds of thousands of stateless people who were not registered by their poor and uneducated parents? Parents who may be the rural Orang Asli, the interior bound Penan or Indians who live on rubber estates?”

What is wrong with any of that? What is seditious in what she has written?

She also writes: “Wisma Putra, the Women’s Ministry and the IGP are keen to help Aishah. By all means show compassion but make sure that compassion is extended to all Malaysians and not a select few individuals who just happen to be making headlines in the developed world. If Aishah is promised counselling, the same should be given to the traumatised victims at home; the ostracised Penan women and young girls who were raped by timber workers, the family members of people killed in violent incidents like Batangkali, Memali, Kampung Medan and May 13.”

Again, I ask, where is the sedition?

She is asking for social justice and compassion across a wide spectrum. That’s a positive thing. Does that constitute sedition?

So why is the IGP displeased?

And why must he invoke sedition? The Sedition Act has of late become too obvious an instrument being used by the ruling party to bully citizens who speak up because they want things to be better, like cartoonist Zunar, activists Hishamuddin Rais and Haris Ibrahim, student leaders Adam Adli and Safnan Awang.

On the other hand, people like Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali, ex-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and politician Zulkilfli Noordin and the newspaper Utusan Malaysia that have said things for the worse, like insulting the religions of others or causing hatred between the races, have not received even the slightest ticking off from the authorities. Ironically, what they have said subscribe more to the definition of sedition as spelt out in the Act. And yet they are seemingly immune to prosecution.

So, please, IGP, don’t threaten Mariam with sedition and appear so obviously selective with your targets. Go instead after the people who really commit sedition. Don’t turn this into another farce as you did with your explanation of how policemen lost their guns (the weapons fell into the sea!).

And do learn how to make a critical discourse analysis of a piece of writing so that you don’t see things that are not in it. I arrived at my conclusion that ‘One ideology, two reactions’ is not seditious by using logic and reasoning. What did you use to arrive at yours?

Oh, one last point. The Malaysian police were monitoring Siti Aishah when she was in London. How did they miss the moment when she got ‘enslaved’ by the Maoist sect? And were they unaware of it for 30 years? Can we conclude from this that the police were slack in their work? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?

These are not seditious questions, IGP, so please provide us the answers.

* Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to MSN Malaysia

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the new book The Elections Bullshit , now available in bookstores.

Police Station Special Team To Curb Smuggling Of Firearms

KOTA BAHARU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Kelantan police have stationed a special team to monitor smuggling activities involving fire arms and weapons through the Malaysia-Thailand border from Tumpat to Jeli.

Kelantan police chief, Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said they (Malaysian police) have initiated a close working relationship with the police force in Thailand to curb activities involving weapons and the use of fire arms.

"The sales of firearms as reported by local dailies happen in Sungai Golok, Thailand and outside the jurisdiction of Malaysian police. The Malaysia-Thailand border, especially in Sungai Golok, is vast and difficult for the police to have total control.

"We also cannot deny the fact that some firearms have been smuggled out. However, we (Kelantan police) are serious in curbing such smuggling activities and throughout 2013, we seized 31 firearms of various make and models that were smuggled in," he said in a statement, Monday.

Jalaluddin when commenting on reports that criminals from Malaysia bought their firearms from Sungai Golok, said the motive for such initiatives could be to safeguard their drug trafficking activities or to seek revenge against their enemies.

Over the past two years, serious crimes involving firearms had seen a drastic increase in Malaysia since many people have been shot dead using guns.

"People with information must come forward to inform the police about such activities. The people must also be the eyes and ears of the police to combat crime and smuggling activities," he said.

Centuries-old temple ruins in Bujang Valley furtively destroyed

  

Lembah Bujang in the Merbok district of Kedah has more than 50 ruins of candi or temples with Hindu or Buddhist influences like this one. — Pictures by K.E. Ooi

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 1 — Prehistoric ruins at an archaeological site in Bujang Valley some 1,200 years old were secretly demolished by a land developer, a Penang lawmaker said yesterday, even as Badan Warisan Malaysia seeks to list the historical spot as a Unesco world heritage site.

Confirming the matter with The Malay Mail Online, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy said he was shocked to discover the ruins of candi (tomb temple) site number 11 dug up from its spot near Sungai Batu and cast aside in a pile of debris.

“The candi was located at Sungai Batu and it was demolished by the developer, who is clearing the land for development, more than a month back,” he told The Malay Mail Online after he visited the site yesterday.

According to the Penang lawmaker, he received reports of the demolition last week and decided to visit the site to verify if they were true.

“This particular candi is hidden from sight behind an old oil palm estate so the developer probably demolished it first before clearing the oil palm trees,” he said.

Lembah Bujang is the richest archaeological site in Malaysia. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/centuries-old-temple-ruins-in-bujang-valley-furtively-destroyed#sthash.UJVcEXv3.dpuf

Lembah Bujang, in the Merbok district of Kedah, is well-known as the richest archaeological site in Malaysia, with more than 50 ancient candi at the site.

Most of the candi are in ruins, and some have been reconstructed and moved to a site near the Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum. Others, including candi number 11, were rebuilt at their original sites.

The ruins of these candi and other archaeological discoveries unearthed in this area date back more than 2,000 years. The destroyed example, candi number 11, is believed to have been built between the 11th and 13th century, according to research by historian Dr Mohd Supian Sabtu.

Outraged that such an ancient and significant archaeological site was not only unprotected but also allowed to be dug up to make way for development, Ramasamy said he will be writing to Badan Warisan Malaysia to seek action against the developer and the authorities complicit in the destruction.

“I learnt that the Merbok land office had given the developer the go-ahead to clear the land because ‘there were no historical sites’, so the land office should also be held accountable for this,” he said.

Lembah Bujang is the richest archaeological site in Malaysia. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/centuries-old-temple-ruins-in-bujang-valley-furtively-destroyed#sthash.UJVcEXv3.dpuf

Ramasamy also said the Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum officials he spoke to appeared to have their “hands are tied” as they had no authority to stop the developer.

“Only Badan Warisan can do something and the Kedah state government should also do something as we are talking about an important historical site that should be preserved and protected,” he said.

embah Bujang is the richest archaeological site in Malaysia. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/centuries-old-temple-ruins-in-bujang-valley-furtively-destroyed#sthash.UJVcEXv3.dpuf

 

 The destruction of candi number 11, rebuilt on its original site back in the 1970s by an archaeological team, was chanced upon by a scholar who happened to be investigating the historical valley.

“A researcher, Datuk V. Nadarajan, who is conducting a study on the Lembah Bujang site, is the one to discover that the candi was demolished and had lodged a police report to stop the developers but nothing happened,” the Perai state assemblyman said.

Pointing out that Badan Warisan Malaysia was planning to apply to Unesco for Bujang Valley to be listed as a heritage site, Ramasamy said it only made sense that it should be doing everything to protect the site instead of ignoring this.

“In Penang, we do everything in our power to protect our heritage sites because George Town is a Unesco world heritage site, so how could the Kedah state government allow this to happen to the oldest archaeological site in the country?” he asked.

Bujang Valley is home to the oldest man-made structure recorded in Southeast Asia — a clay brick monument nearly two millennia old.

Excavations on the site have also uncovered jetty remains, iron smelting sites and relics with Hindu and Buddhist influences that point towards a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that traces as far back as 110 CE.

The site has been at the centre of research by various historians, archaeologists and university students in the past two decades.

Tamil secondary school? DPM put on the spot

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was today put on the spot after he was asked to approve a Tamil secondary school when launching a Tamil literature event.

Makkal Sakthi Party president R Thanenthiran, who was the host of the event, had made the request during his opening speech. Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, was the guest of honour.

"We have been independent for almost 57 years and there are so many Chinese secondary schools but not a single Tamil secondary school.

"I know Muhyiddin is sensitive and caring to the Indian community. Thus, I believe this request is something he will consider seriously," he said.

Muhyiddin who took the stage later after being garlanded with flowers that reached his feet acknowledged that the suggestion can become a bit of a hot potato.

"About the proposal for a Tamil secondary school, I need to be careful about this since there is already a national education policy.

"Whether a Tamil secondary school is needed and suitable has to be studied thoroughly," he said.

DPM: Vernacular schools will remain

Although Muhyiddin was non-committal about the idea, he did highlight efforts made by the federal government to promote Tamil education, which includes building Tamil primary schools on its own initiative.

He added that he will use his authority as education minister to ensure that Chinese and Tamil schools continue continue to be part of the education system.

"I have included in the National Education Blueprint (NEB) - so long as there is the sun and moon, so long as this government is BN, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools will remain in the country.

"Do not heed claims that such schools will be closed as it has never been the case and the NEB solidifies their (vernacular schools)  position in this country."

Part of Malaysia's heritage

Muhyiddin said such schools were part of Malaysia's heritage and thus should be preserved.

"Malays, Chinese or Indians, everyone have their mother tongue and are the country's asset.

"They must not be allowed to die and must be defended while the Bahasa Malaysia will remain the national language and English as the second language," he said.

Muhyiddin later officially launched ten Tamil literature books which he suggested to be translated to the national language by the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books.

"So even though I do not know Tamil language, I can still know what the Tamil writers are saying," he said.

The NEB had previously come under attack from Chinese educationist group Dong Zong, which claimed that the plan did not acknowledge vernacular schools.