We went to Bersih 4 as patriots

by Jean Yeoh

Malaysiakini

Sep 2nd, 2015

Bersih 4 was my second street protest experience as a 70-year-old retired teacher, minus the excitement, but added more mixed feelings. I went to Bersih 3 with only one intention, for my three grandchildren. I went to Bersih 4.0 with two demands, spelt out on my self-made poster: for the next generation (in Chinese) and ‘utamakan pendidikan berkualiti (prioritise quality education).

Again my family gave me full blessing to participate, though knowing very well that it would be a bigger risk-taking adventure for me as what happened in Bersih 3 was still fresh in everybody’s mind.

But, ‘to Bersih 4 I will go’, despite reading lots of negative comments such as ‘so near the Low Yat fiasco, sure something more horrible will happen’, ‘what if the Red army came with bricks, sticks and even parangs’ ‘what is the use of going, still the same Malaysia and even worst then after Berish 3’and ‘Najib Abdul Razak is so desperate now he will try to create a scene so that emergency can be declared’.

My mind was made up. I felt that it was my duty as an educator who is as convinced as Dr Mahathir Mohamad that the street protest is the last avenue for the concerned rakyat to demand a change in the country’s leadership for our beloved country in such sorry stage.

I am saying loud and clear that Najib was wrong to label the Bersih 4 participants as disloyal citizens.

It was because we care so much that we took great risk to join in the protest, prepared to be arrested, to be beaten like in Bersih 3, to suffer tear gas and water cannon, and to take up the feat knowing very well that Bersih 4 would be worst with the ‘Red Shirts’ anti-protest threat, climaxed with a last minute ban for anything yellow bearing the words Bersih 4.

Was I deterred at last? No, so did the hundreds and thousands of Bersih 4 participants storming the streets near Dataran Merdeka on Aug 29, 2015 with a sea of brave yellow.

We were martyrs – like loyal citizens defying the government’s order, just because we were determined to grab the opportunity to demand for a better and clean government so that we and our next generation can lead a more respectful life with our heads held high internationally.

Some friends asked me this question – are you not worried that you may lose your pension? My reply was: No. On the contrary, if I don’t go I don’t deserved to get paid. The Chinese has a saying ‘ if you get paid, then you have to help solve your boss’s problem (na ren qian cai, tie ren xiao zai).

Now that the government is in deep trouble, as a pensioner, I just can’t sit there and do nothing! If nothing is done, our country will one day be like Greece, pensions cant be paid due to eventual bankruptcy!’

At the rate scandals are emerging in our country just within a short span of a few weeks is shocking: PM confirmed to have pocketed RM 2.6 billion, the deputy PM and another minister removed, attorney-general sacked at the helm of drafting criminal charges (admitted by one yes-man), investigators either became investigated or transferred or asked to take leave or warned, sacked official exchanging PR with lips sealed…

Anyone with a sound mind will be suspicious that our leaders have many things to hide! Can we, citizens who are still sane, just accept all these atrocious happenings and do nothing? To Bersih we went – to demand for the rationale behind all the madness. But, unbelievably, our PM labeled us ‘disloyal’ while his yes men echoed in with ‘kotor’, ‘childish’, ‘tak sopan’…

Hilarious statements

As a teacher, I feel dismayed and utterly unbelieving that there are ministers who not only accept such glaringly insane actions taken by our desperate PM, but even go to the extent of ‘making up’ hilarious statements to justify his involvement in the ‘donation’ scandal.

We had a minister who harped on GPA 3.85 to defend his nonsensical comments; we had another minister who could not even bother to check chronicle before announcing that the RM 2.6 billion was donated in 2013 to the PM to fight the non-existent-yet IS; we had yet another minister, fearing being out shone, stated that it was nothing wrong for the PM to receive a donation to win the 2013 general election against DAP, funded by the Jews and Christians, and forgetting the fact that if it were so, DAP’s registration would have been immediately revoke then!

Our education is truly in crisis. The unintelligent statements uttered by some outspoken ministers lately have one thing in common: they show that our education system is in deep trouble. It is a crisis that a responsible and accountable government would seriously address . Forget about the 2020 vision. We will not be able to achieve it because we are marching backwards instead of forward in academic performances.

he younger generation is the nation’s architects . We need their critical, creative and yet constructive thinking power to help Malaysia stay competitive in the challenging 21st century.

Malaysia’s dismay performances in international assessment on students’ academic performance have given enough evidence that our education system needs serious and genuine effort to address the deterioration.

We were ranked 50 out of 65 in 2012 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) and our students’ academic standard was found to be seven years lagging behind the top scoring countries such as Singapore, China, and South Korea. Even Vietnam from where we import our domestic helps and foreign workers did better than us! (ranked 17th).

It is no wonder that we are hearing comments like ‘if we don’t buck up, we will be one day become an exporter of Malaysian cheap labour instead.’ The Philippines is an example for reference.

Time and again we read about corruption in the education departments through the auditor general’s reports, such as purchasing poor quality but over priced computers, lab equipment, teachers’ PBS keep-on-hanging online system etc etc. But, were actions taken to punish the culprits in order to eradicate corruption in education which is most crucial to national building?

I demand ‘utamakan pendidikan berkualiti’ as a patriotic Malaysian who cares about the education of our torch-bearers, our national builders, our hope for the future . Is that ‘kotor’,’ disloyal’ or ‘stupid’?

What about the racial make up of the Berish 4 participants ? Yes, it is true that the number of Chinese street protesters is increasing over the years, especially noticeable at Bersih 4 when PAS refused to participate.

More willing to show their real sentiment

I would say that it is a good sign that the Chinese are more willing to be seen in showing their real sentimental towards an oppressive government, for being a punching bag when something goes wrong, even in the case of PM’s 2.6 billion scandal.

My hat off to the deputy minister’s creativity in bringing the Chinese into the picture: that our PM had to receive a gigantic political donation of RM 2.6 billion to help Umno defeat the Chinese chauvinist DAP in GE 13!

Most of the Chinese X generation are ‘kaisi’. Their main objective in life is to earn a decent and prosperous living in Malaysia. They do not care and dare not question who governs. Time and again they are called ‘pendatang’ no matter how hard they try to be part of the country loyally – by paying income tax dutifully to help financing the country’s infrastructure, to take care of the payroll of the ministers and the oversized civil service.

They know very well that riots may affect their business, destroy their hard earned status, hence they forbid their younger generation to be involved in any anti-government activities. The Chinese crowd was absent in previous Bersih mainly due to this ‘kaisi’ attitude of the elders.

However, the present unprecedented scenario with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) forcing many traditional businesses to round up, the ringgit shrinking, share market tumbling, PM pocketing huge donation from mysterious donor said to be for fighting the Chinese, with the future looking more and more uncertain, they feel that it is time they take the risk and join in a street protest to ‘let off steam’.

While most simple-minded rural Malays were hesitant as to what route to take in the chaos, to show loyalty to their leader or to demand a change of leadership, coupled with the unwillingness of PAS to mobilise their grass roots, the racial composition for Bersih 4 was dangerously upset.

Of course, this God sent outcome is favourable to Najib’s camp who is all ready to use it to resuscitate their drowning leader amidst a determined old man’s onslaughts. Again the Chinese are receiving the punches!

Much to the organisers’ relief, the Malays’ disappointing decreased participation in Bersih 4 was offset by the sensational repeated appearances of the iconic Dr Mahathir Mohamad. I gave this energetic old man a hearty salute. He chose the right time to land his strike – by appearing in Bersih 4 to show his support to the rakyat demanding for leadership accountability and clean governance.

Like a prodigal son

He is like a prodigal son, pardoned for all his wrongdoings and respected for mending up.

Now that hundreds and thousands of Malaysians have bravely stood up in the country and worldwide, Najib and his yes men must not be harping on the fact that the rest of the Malaysians are with the government and carry on ‘business’ as usual. The country is definitely not all right!

Najib must resign and let another Umno leader take over the captainship until the next general election. No other excuses for pocketing the RM 2.6 billion can be accepted anymore. The trust is gone! Dr Mahathir and the Bersih 4 participants have done their part. The baton is now passed to you, the silent majority, especially the Umno Malays. It is only you who can save our beloved country now!

Listen to Dr Mahathir. He is not senile at 90, but on the contrary, he is still able to argue his case convincingly. I hope respectful leaders like Saifuddin Abdullah, Zaid Ibrahim, Rafidah Aziz and Noor Faridah Ariffin together with the G25, will keep on their effort in guiding the Malays to save the country, by demanding the PM to go and his yes-men who also have also pocketed millions (as admitted by one) be replaced.

Finally, I would like to complement the police force and the Bersih 4 organisers for doing a great job to make sure that the 34 hours demonstration was peaceful throughout, with the ‘red shirts’ pre-warned by the police not to provoke and the Bersih 4 security guarding the forbidden Dataran Merdeka.

We know that the policemen were also silent supporters because we saw some thumbs-ups when the police trucks passed by. After all, they are also concerned parents who wish for a brighter future for their next generation!

Joining Bersih 4 to demand for reform for a better Malaysia is not disloyal. Accepting huge donation as much as RM 2.6 billion from a foreign country which may have undisclosed conditions attached is definitely denting one’s loyalty to the country. Corruption in the form of cash or deeds is like a cancerous tumour that must be removed. If Bersih 5 is needed to demand for a clean and accountable government, I will still join in as a patriot. Will you?

R

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 3 September 2015, 10:49 pm and is filed under
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First to take the “Bina Bangsa” module should be Mahdzir himself and Malay-supremacist UMNO Ministers and leaders who continue to be racially-minded instead of trying to be Malaysian first and race second

The Education Minister Datuk Mahdzir Khalid has admitted his earlier mistake and said that the new “Bina Bangsa” module, once implemented, would affect both national primary schools and vernacular schools.

DAP Parliamentary Spokesman for Education, MP for Bukit Bendera Zairil Khir Johari had yesterday questioned the need for the “Bina Bangsa” module to be introduced only in vernacular primary school when the non-Bumiputera enrolment at national schools were at an all-time low.

Zairil said that contrary to general perception, national schools are actually now more mono-ethnic in its make up as compared to vernacular schools, especially Chinese schools.

He also said it was very “mischievous” for Mahdzir to imply that vernacular schools were an obstacle to national unity as such an assertion was without basis.

Zairil stressed that what  the ministry should do instead is to look into the values that are imparted as well as the quality of education available, especially in national schools.

I am glad that the new Education Minister has taken heed of Zairil’s criticisms but there is an even more fundamental question about Mahdzir’s proposal of a “Bina Bangsa” module.

The nation has just celebrated the 58th Merdeka anniversary, but what should be a matter of grave concern is the absence of the spirit of Malaysian nationalism even among Cabinet Ministers and top government leaders as distinct from their communal affinities and loyalties.

This is very obvious from the numerous speeches made by UMNO Ministers and leaders  in the various UMNO divisional meetings in the past month – showing that some of them are just Malay supremacists with no appreciation or acceptance of the 1Malaysia objective of trying to be Malaysian first and race second.

Mahdzir himself is one such example, as from his reported speeches at Kepong, Kota Bahru, Hulu Langat and Kota Raja UMNO divisional meetings, he has come over as one of the “Malay supremacist” UMNO leaders who reject the 1Malaysia objective of trying to be Malaysian first and race second.

It is Mahdzir and other UMNO Ministers and leaders like him who continue to be racially-minded instead of trying to be Malaysian first and race second who should be the first to undergo the “Bina Bangsa” module and not our school children.

Mahdzir has still to respond to the demand by church groups in the country who want him to apologise for  his “Christians splitting Malays” wild allegations during his UMNO divisional road-show.

Rev Dr. Herman Shastri, the secretary-general of Council of Churches (CCM) had asked  Mahdzir to  apologise and clarify what he meant when he accused the minority faith group of being in cahoots with Jews and London-based whistleblower site Sarawak Report of an attempt to divide the Malay Muslim majority.

So far,  there has  only silence from Mahdzir, doubling doubts about his suitability to be Education Minister responsible for the upbringing of  the young generation of a plural society with diverse races, languages, religions and cultures into one united national entity.

Even after his appointment as Education Minister, Mahdzir was spewing racial ill-will and polarization among the races instead of promoting unity and harmony.

I do not think it is necessary for me to detail the obnoxious and anti-national things Mahdzir  had been uttering at the various UMNO divisional meetings, which is why he and other UMNO Ministers and leaders of like-mind should be the first to undergo the “Bina Bangsa” module to become more Malaysian minded and less race-centric.

Others who should be sent to the “Bina Bangsa” module are UMNO/BN leaders who insist on racializing non-racial events, as demonising the Bersih 4 overnight rally on August 29 and 30 as a Chinese challenge to Malay political power, as if the 40% of the Malays at the second day of the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur of over 300,000 people and the Indians, Kadazans and Ibans who took part in the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching  in huge numbers did not exist!

It may serve the agenda of communalists to distort and demonize the Bersih 4 rally into  a Chinese rally against the Malays, when it was in fact an unprecedented coming together of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, age, gender or even politics, to demand a clean government and free and fair elections.

Bersih 4 was in fact an important milestone in Malaysian nation-building as the 500,000 Malaysians who converged in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu on August 29 and 30 came not as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans or Kadazans; Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs or Taoists; but simply as Malaysian patriots who care for the future of the country and the coming generations.

It is still not too late for the Prime Minister and the Umno/BN Cabinet and Government to embrace the Bersih 4 spirit instead of  trying to vilify Bersih 4.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 1:02 pm and is filed under
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Following pullout from IACC, will Najib be avoiding all international conferences unless  held in the Third World or he can be assured that no “hard questions” would be asked?

One upshot of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s last-minute pull-out from the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Putrajaya is whether this would also mean that Najib would be avoiding all international conferences unless they are held in the Third World or he can be assured that no “hard questions” would be asked?

Transparency International (TI) has confirmed that Najib was told that he would have to face hard  questions from participants at the 16th IACC, like the ones that were asked by TI President Jose Ugaz in his opening speech with regard to the RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal bank accounts – “Who paid the money and why?” and “Where did it go?”

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Low owes Malaysians a proper explanation as to why he advised the Prime Minister against attending the IACC due to his “personal issues” and “a possible hostile reception”.

What are these “personal issues” – is it  that Najib is now regarded by the 1,000 participants at the 16th IACC as one of the corrupt leaders of the world, like Otto Perez Molina who resigned as Guatemala President yesterday mired in a massive, multi-million customs corruption scandal?

And what Low meant about “a possible hostile reception” – did he mean that Najib would have run the risk of being assaulted or manhandled by agitated 16th IACC participants if the Prime Minister had kept to this original promise to officiate at the opening of the IACC, and whether this is not only his personal view but also the concern  of the security people responsible for the Prime Minister’s personal safety?

The last two days had been the most embarrassing and even shameful ones  not only for the Prime Minister but the whole country, with  country’s head of government publicly and internationally flagellated like a rogue student caught red-handed for gross misconduct.

At the first day of IACC on Wednesday, it was the TI President Jose Ugaz who swung the cane for Najib’s failure to answer very simple questions of who gave the RM2.6 billion “donation”, why and where the money has gone to.

Yesterday, it was the TI co-founder Michael J. Hershman,  who was former adviser to Najib and the government on anti-corruption matters, who carried out the unpleasant duty of chastisement, telling Najib to come clean on the RM2.6 billion donation that he received.

Hershman said Najib’s inability to address questions about the donation had affected the prime minister’s credibility and advised Najib not to cover up, not to obstruct justice because it doesn’t work.

He said: “Tell the truth about where did the money come from and address the accusation. And if he did something wrong, then asked for forgiveness and face the consequences.”

Stressing that such delays would not make the allegations go away, he said: “The truth will come out and in my experience the sooner it comes out the better it is for the accused and for the country.”

Hershman said the explanations given so far were not good enough.

“If it came from the Middle East, who did it come from? When did it come and for what purpose? These are very simple questions.”

He added that since Najib had control of the account, he must know where it came from.

He said: “There is no reason for a panel for investigations. Just tell the truth. Get it out in the public.”

Considering that Malaysia was in the sixties the second in the pack of developed countries in Asia, we should already be a First World country like South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, but the past half a century has relegated Malaysia perilously close to  the rank of Third World countries like Guatemala, which is ranked No. 115 out of 174 countries in TI Corruption Perception Index 2014 (Malaysia is ranked No. 50).

Following the resignation of Otto Perez Molina as  the Guatemala President over a corruption scandal, the question that will inevitably surface is why Najib is not taking leave as Prime Minister for the RM50 billion 1MDB  and RM2.6 billion “donation” scandals to be fully and independently investigated?

As the theme of 16th IACC is “Ending Impunity:  People. Integrity. Action”, is the IACC prepared to offer the services of  an international  commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of both these scandals to give teeth and substance to the IACC theme?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 7:33 am and is filed under
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Handling of 1MDB, RM2.6b probe will test independence of institutions, Malaysia told

by Ida Lim

Malay Mail Online

September 4, 2015

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 — Malaysia’s handling of the investigative process of state-owned firm 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion controversy involving the prime minister will be a “test” of the independence and strength of the country’s institutions, seasoned anti-corruption advocate Akere Muna said today.

Muna, who chairs the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) council, said the solution for the controversies faced by the country would have to be both political and systemic.

“This is a systemic test of the country and the way it gets out of it will determine the strength of the system,” he said in an interview here.

“The way all of this plays out, you will be able to judge the autonomy of MACC, the independence of the judiciary and whether the powerful can be treated differently,” said Muna, who is also a lawyer and former Cameroon Bar Association chief.

“It’s a test, and from that test, you will know whether your country needs systemic adjustment,” the former vice-chair of global watchdog Transparency International added.

He said the way a democracy’s key institutions — the judiciary, the executive and the legislature — function are key in producing a country based on the rule of law.

Noting that systemic failure would lead to impunity, Muna said a country’s system should be “robust enough to allow all the institutions to play their role fully”.

Muna stressed the importance for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to be independent and autonomous, but noted that media reports suggest that it is not “fully independent” with officers said to be taken off during ongoing investigations.

Early last month, several senior MACC officers were arrested and quizzed over an alleged leak of official information.

The MACC was then in the midst of a still ongoing probe on former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International and a RM2.6 billion donation that made it into the prime minister’s private accounts.

Muna pointed out that independence is not given but is “claimed”.

“So I think the MACC should act independently and without fear or favour and affirm its own independence,” he said, having referred to the anti-graft body’s independence requirement in line with Article 36 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) which Malaysia is a signatory to.

The theme of the three-day 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference hosted by Malaysia and ending today is “Ending Impunity: People, Integrity and Action”.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 4:06 pm and is filed under
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Scandal-hit Malaysian PM Najib drops speech at anti-corruption conference

Oliver Holmes

Guardian

4 September 2015

Facing multimillion-dollar graft allegations, the timing of the international summit could not be worse for Malaysia’s prime minister

Malaysia’s prime minister has quietly cancelled his appearance and keynote speech at an anti-corruption conference after organisers warned him he would have to respond to allegations surrounding how millions of dollars had come into his personal accounts.

“The prime minister did cancel his appearance at the conference. We told his office that if he came he would face hard questions,” Neil Martinson, director of communications at Transparency International, told the Guardian.

The summit was agreed to be hosted just outside Kuala Lumpur months before reports emerged that $700m (£456m) linked to the debt-laden state fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) had allegedly entered Najib Razak’s personal accounts.

It could not have come at a more awkward time.

Najib is fighting his way through the worst political crisis of his career. He has denied allegations but also sacked four ministers, his attorney general and deputy prime minister in a bid to disarm his critics.

Authorities have blocked two news websites and a British-based whistleblowing website that is run by Gordon Brown’s sister-in-law.

And when a coalition of non-governmental organisations named Bersih asked people to rally at the weekend and wear yellow T-shirts to show support, the home ministry briefly banned the colour.

Transparency International Chair José Ugaz told about 1,000 delegates at the conference held this week that “these are not the actions of a government that is fighting corruption.”

“No one can be in Malaysia and not be aware of the corruption allegations of recent months and how damaging they are to the country. There is a corruption crisis here,” he said.

“We want to see more progress but that cannot happen while there are unanswered questions about the $700m that made its way into the prime minister’s personal bank account.”

“There are two questions that need to be answered: Who paid the money and why? Where did it go?” he said. “One man could answer those questions.”

Tens of thousands staged a 34-hour protest in the centre of the capital, despite warnings from authorities the rally was illegal.

Bersih, which means “clean” in Malay, said it was demanding answers for “one of the greatest multi-billion dollar corruption scandals in Malaysia’s history and the government’s most oppressive crackdowns on free speech”.

The ex-prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, an influential leader who ruled Malaysia for 22 years, joined the protests on both days. He had accused his former protege of halting an investigation into corruption and buying politicians. Police said on Thursday they would question Mahathir over corruption accusations he made at the protests.

A senior anti-corruption official in Malaysia said at the conference that actions by the government during an internal investigation into the allegations had been “ill-advised.”

Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, chairman of the advisory board to Malaysia’s anti-corruption commission, said “there is, apparently, some meddling going on … and I think this is unfortunate.”

Many Malaysians are already angry following the implementation of a goods and services tax this year as well as a devaluation in the local ringgit currency to a 17-year low.

International pressure is growing too. Swiss authorities this week froze funds in Swiss banks belonging to 1MDB.

“The office of the attorney general of Switzerland (OAG) has frozen assets amounting to several tens of millions of US dollars on Swiss bank accounts,” an OAG spokeswoman said by email, in response to an enquiry by the AFP news agency.

She said: “At this early stage of the procedure, the OAG is analysing and consolidating evidence. The OAG is already in contact with the Malaysian authorities. International cooperation with foreign countries, in particular with Malaysia, will probably be necessary to establish the facts.”

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 11:53 pm and is filed under
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The paranoid government

Syerleena Abdul Rashid

The Malaysian Insider

4 September 2015

“You’re either with us or not” – this is the fact that the ruling regime has hammered into the minds of many Malaysians for the past several decades.

Fact is, although, they may have succeeded with our predecessors, they have lost their iron clasp hold on this generation and this is something the ruling regime is fully aware of.

The recent Bersih 4 rally – and like the other three rallies that came before, showed them just how upset Malaysians are.

Of course, the usual suspects will downplay the numbers and will try their very best to tell the rest of the world that the rally was ineffective and had failed to create any sort of revolutionary wave that can deliver reforms.

We know that our country is becoming increasingly unstable – the depreciation of our currency and a battered “head” who has held the entire nation political hostage.

With each passing day, every single Malaysian is reminded that we are “potential threats” – assumed guilty until proven otherwise by a paranoid government.

Malaysians are frequently told that such restrictions of freedom and limitations of personal expression are for our own safety and protection.

Wrong. It is only there to protect them and those well connected enough to enjoy the same piece of the pie.

The irrational suspicion they have over us justifies their need to intercept our social media accounts, track our trails on the internet and keep tabs on our daily routines.

They tell us social media will pave the way to anarchism or God forbid – communism, but the justification given to censor the internet is a glaring contradiction to the democratic principles enshrined in our Federal Constitution.

Citizens living in a functioning democracy have every right to know what their government is up to; they can demand a public explanation as to where exactly RM2.6 billion came from.

Citizens of a functioning democracy can exchange ideas and deliberate over policies or decisions made without looking over your shoulder every 5 seconds or worst yet, without having the police knock on your door in the middle of the night and drag you out for questioning.

In fact, the paranoia this government is becoming well known for these days is far more serious than the fear of spiders or even the fear of this country being overrun by “pendatang”.

The former being nothing more than petty whilst the latter is nothing but fabrications aimed to divert Malaysians from real pressing issues plaguing our country.

The paranoia perpetuated by them displays the irrational fear of losing power and eventually, having to return the money making gravy train back to the rakyat – to whom it rightfully belongs to.

They ban certain words, certain colors and these days, even yellow coloured balloons can land you in jail.

As the rest of the nation looks on in disbelief at the heightened level of crazy presented to us by our right wing countrymen, it needs to be understood that the political insanity that has gripped them is nothing more than paranoia.

Yes, the right wing conservatives are paranoid and they validate such claims by selecting representatives that indulge in their skewed political opinions.

What we have right now is a police state disguised as a generous democratic government that glorified its own supremacy.

But after 58 years of gaining freedom from the shackles of our former white colonial masters, what have Malaysians learnt so far?

Have we truly gained our independence or have certain issues cast shadows of doubt to nullify the achievements our forefathers attained in the name of integrity and nationhood?

Or are we now waking up to the notion that this is another case of out of the pan and into the fire?

Like most Malaysians, we know that a majority of our grouses stem from our country’s increasing suspicions but what makes it worst is how certain groups are blindly lashing out in ignorance and fear.

With every illogical decision made and irrational behavior displayed, the one simple question remains – is this the behaviour of a government that respects its citizens?

No, I don’t think so. – September 4, 2015.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 8:57 pm and is filed under
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The problem with vernacular schools

Zairil Khir Johari

The Malaysian Insider

4 September 2015

A question that is often thrown at me, usually with the intention to provoke, is whether I support the abolishment of vernacular education, and correspondingly whether I believe that the answer to our national unity woes lies in having single-stream education.

My answer each time I am asked this is no, and not because I am rehearsing a political line. I say no because I am a firm believer in choice and competition in education, as well as the fact that neither language of instruction nor ethnic make-up of schools cause disunity or a predilection for racism.

To be sure, it is an easy premise to believe – if children go to schools that are made up of only one race and speak only one language, they would find it difficult as adults to mix with those who look and speak differently.

One recent high-profile advocate of this line of thought is the newly appointed Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who announced that a new nation-building module called “Bina Bangsa” would be introduced next year for vernacular primary schools, in order to address what he deems the cause for disunity among Malaysians, viz the lack of interaction between schoolchildren of different races.

Explaining the rationale for this programme, Mahdzir lamented that national schools faced difficulties in attracting non-Bumiputeras because of the existence of vernacular schools, which provided education in the Chinese and Tamil mother tongues. Therefore, a compulsory programme was needed to force vernacular schoolchildren to mix and mingle with their counterparts from other schools.

While the idea of encouraging more cross-cultural engagement is laudable, and by itself not a problem, the rationale behind the education minister’s logic of applying the programme exclusively on vernacular schools is deeply flawed.

Firstly, by suggesting that only vernacular schools require “nation-building” programmes, the minister is mischievously implying that such schools are an inherent obstacle to national unity. This hypothesis has no rational basis.

By Mahdzir’s logic, everyone from Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), by virtue of it being an all-Malay school, should turn out to be parochial racists who view non-Malays with suspicion and mistrust. However, having many friends and relatives who graduated from MCKK and many other Malay boarding schools, I can genuinely affirm that not to be true.

At the same time, I also have friends who studied in Chinese vernacular schools all their lives, and who are today as Malaysian in outlook as the best of MCKK. Similarly, I have also met countless Europeans who are not the least bit bigoted, despite some of them growing up in all-Caucasian environments without having interacted with any non-Caucasians until they entered university or began working.

On the other hand, if a child goes to a multi-ethnic national school but is repeatedly told not to eat, mix or mingle with their non-Muslim friends, or that those of a different race are immigrants who do not deserve the same rights as they do, what kind of a worldview would they form?

Secondly, the idea that vernacular schools breed disunity while only national schools are able to unite Malaysians is an empirical fallacy. Contrary to general perception, national schools are now actually more mono-ethnic in make-up compared to Chinese vernacular schools. While national schools in the 1960s and 70s could boast of high non-Bumiputera enrolment, this trend has long since seen a decline. In fact, according to the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB), Bumiputera students now constitute 94% of enrolment in national primary schools. This means that non-Bumiputera enrolment in national schools has dropped to an all-time low of only 6%.

Meanwhile, the MEB interestingly reports that non-Chinese enrolment in Chinese vernacular schools has increased to 12% – and is on the rise. This effectively means that Chinese schools are today more multiracial compared with national schools. In fact, there are Chinese schools with very significant numbers of non-Chinese enrolment. One such example is SJKC Tiong Hua Kok Bin in Klang, which has about 45% non-Chinese students.

The fact that fewer and fewer non-Bumiputera parents choose to send their children to national schools while more and more Bumiputera parents now prefer Chinese vernacular schools both debunks the myth that vernacular schools are a cause of racial disunity and proves that parents value quality of education and competitiveness as main considerations for school selection.

At the end of the day, it is not so much the ethnic make-up or language used in one’s environment that shapes one’s worldview, as it is the values imparted in school and at home. As long as our schools encourage respect and appreciation of each other’s heritage and celebrate cultural diversity as a source of strength, then there is no question that our children will grow up to be decent and inclusive Malaysians.

On the flipside, if indeed we are facing a problem of disunity today, then perhaps we should seriously question the values and narratives being propagated in our national school syllabus, rather than shift the blame on the multiple-stream education system that we have inherited since independence.

Therefore, the problem with vernacular schools is not vernacular schools per se, but the prevalent and misguided opinion that these schools create racial division and lack of harmony among Malaysians. After all, I doubt any Perkasa member attended Chinese schools. – September 4, 2015.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 4 September 2015, 8:50 pm and is filed under
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Call on Home Minister and IGP to take strong action against anyone trying provoke or foment racial strife in plural Malaysian like the so-called September 16 Incident

The Bersih 4 overnight rally on August 29 and 30 was a credit to both the organisers and participants on the one hand and the police on tother, for it showed to the world that peaceful assemblies numbering some 500,000 people in three venues, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for two days could be held peacefully in exercise of the democratic and constitutional rights of Malaysians.

But it is shocking and outrageous that after Bersih 4, there are irresponsible people who are distorting a non-racial Bersih 4 rally into a Chinese rally and challenge to Malay political power and are calling for a “Malay rally to counter the purported “Chinese Bersih demonstration” in Kualal Lumpur on Sept. 16.

In the first place, there had never been a “Chinese Bersih demonstration”, as the Bersih 4 participants were Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, age, gender or politics, and although the Malay participation in the first day of Bersih 4 was low, on the second day, Malay participation was easily some 40% of the crowd.

Furthermore, the participants were not only from all races, their demands for a good government and free and fair elections transcend race altogether.

If there is a group calling for a “Chinese rally to counter the Malays”, the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi would have swung into action, both by word and deed, and those organising such a “Chinese rally to counter the Malays” would end up, and rightly so,  in police custody.

Why then are those irresponsible elements inciting a Malay rally to counter the purported “Chinese Bersih demonstration” given the impunity and liberty to create racial strife, distrust and hatred in the country?

Yesterday, the police offered monetary rewards to those who can give information leading to the arrest of several Bersih 4 rally-goers who stomped on a poster which had images of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

DAP has deplored the actions of those who stomped on the poster with the images of Najib and Hadi as this is not the politics or culture we want to nurture in Malaysia – as the political culture DAP wants to see is one of civility and tolerance despite differences of opinion.

Those who had stomped on the images of Najib and Hadi were wrong and should apologise for their actions, but why is the Police giving higher priority to such wrong and misguided conduct as compared to criminal acts  like inciting racial hatred and strife as launching a Malay rally against the Chinese, by falsely accusing that Bersih 4 rally as a Chinese demonstration?

I call on  the Home Minister and the IGP to take strong action against anyone trying provoke or foment racial strife in plural Malaysian like the so-called September 16 Incident.

(Media Conference Statement  in Gelang Patah on Saturday, 5th September 2015 at 2.30 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 5 September 2015, 4:19 pm and is filed under
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Low, your problems start when you start talking

TK Chua

Malaysiakini

Sep 3rd, 2015

Minister Paul Low, if you have just sat quietly with your head buried under the sand, I think many would have perfectly understood and tolerated you. After all, we have not expected much from you. You were not even elected and no one for sure knew what you stood for except from during your short tenure in Transparency International- Malaysia.

Your problems start when you start talking. When you try to defend the indefensible, explain the unexplainable, justify the unjustifiable, and rationalise the most bizarre, that is when many are annoyed.

No one is asking you to be a ‘loose cannon’, much less to make accusations without evidence or proof. So it is not necessary for you to defend yourself in that regard. But as the minister in charge of integrity, we expect you to protect the honour and robustness of any investigation. Have you been able to do that?

Can you show us evidence that you have diligently, dutifully and fearlessly defended the investigation process regardless of the target of investigation? Please, we want an honest answer from you, no more and no less.

You said at the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) that you have to wait for investigation to be completed before disclosing details to the public. This is just too convenient a ‘tai-chi’ tactic. First, how sure are you that the investigation is still on-going? Second, what is the time frame of that investigation, if not already derailed? And third, if ever the investigation is completed, will it be made public?

Many of us have every reason to be pessimistic; after all, as the minister, have you read the auditor-general’s interim report on 1MDB that was completed in June, 2015? When will the report be made public?

You are on record to have said that too much openness is akin to pornography. I do not want to accuse you for being distasteful because that is your choice of words and analogy. But you have to define for us the meaning of openness. If I’m mistaken, are you implying that our transparency standard is already too high and therefore any further improvement would make us completely naked? I think you are probably confusing inputs with outputs.

You must be thinking that if Malaysia has an anti-corruption commission, our integrity standard must be higher than say Singapore which only has a bureau. If Malaysian has a minister in charge of integrity, our governance standard must be higher than other countries which have none.

If Malaysia has numerous advisory panels formed to watch over the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), our fight against corruption must be more robust and stringent than others. And don’t forget, if Malaysia presents its audit reports three or four times a year, our transparency standard must be higher than other countries which present their reports only once a year.

I am sure you have heard of the saying – the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It is useless to claim we have done great things when unexplained 1MDB debts, political ‘donation’, the wheeling and dealing of government lands, personal bank accounts, and Cayman Islands are tanking the country right now.

A separate service

Now you want to make MACC a separate service out of the purview of the civil service and the tenure of its chief commissioner more secure. You also want the auditor-general to report to a bi-partisan special committee in Parliament. All these proposals seem reasonable but they may be too simplistic and too late in the day.

As you may be aware, the civil service, too, has a Public Services Commission which is supposed to safeguard civil service neutrality and independence. But do we have a civil service that is neutral and independent today?

On the security of tenure of the MACC chief commissioner, I suggest we look at judges, the auditor-general and the attorney general. Right now, they enjoy security of tenure under our constitution but do all of them behave independently, professionally and without blemish?

I hope you have considered holistically how a separate service commission for MACC and how a secured tenure for its chief commissioner would make a significant difference to our fight against corruption? Sometimes we think there are simple solutions to complex problems. Usually they don’t.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 5 September 2015, 6:55 am and is filed under
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‘Malaysian’ in tourism posters, ‘Chinese’ in rallies

by RK Anand

Malaysiakini

Sep 3rd, 2015

COMMENT
 He dropped the bombshell midway through dinner. The reasons, he argued, were better opportunities and having grown tired of racism in Malaysia.

But racism exists everywhere, I protested, hoping it would dissuade him from emigrating but it was greeted with laughter instead.

“I do not mind being called an immigrant elsewhere. But it hurts when I am told that I am a ‘pendatang’ in the land where my father and I were born. I do not want my children to endure this as well.”

With that, I knew nothing more could be said or done except to bid him farewell.

The racial remarks that keep piling in the aftermath of last weekend’s Bersih 4 rally reminded me of that conversation with a friend, who is now residing in New Zealand, where he claims to be happier – at least on non-gastronomical terms.

It seems that the minority Chinese community is accepted as Malaysians by certain politicians and their demagogues as far as tourism posters or advertisements are concerned.

But when a predominantly Chinese crowd takes to the streets to protest against the government, their actions are viewed through racial lens, evoking calls of counter-rallies and warnings of racial bloodletting.

Then again, how is calling for reforms to ensure free and fair elections as well as good governance a racist agenda?

If that is the case, then this brand of “racism” should be propagated. And the “racists” should be proud of themselves for wanting to create a better tomorrow for all.

Granted, some of the incidents which occurred during the protest were distasteful and disrespectful.

But this is not confined to Bersih 4 – there were protests with the severed head of a cow as well as the slaughtering of chickens and smearing of their blood on a banner with images of DAP leaders.

And do not forget how the Bersih 4 protesters waved the Jalur Gemilang and rendered the national anthem with patriotic zeal.

Malays in a political conundrum

The response to the racial composition of Bersih 4 was expected. After all, it came as a blessing in disguise for certain political parties.

The Malays are in a political conundrum.

On one hand, Umno appears to be plunging into chaos due to internal rumbles, and on the other, without Anwar Ibrahim and PAS, DAP appears to be dominating the opposition.

Bersih 4 provided the perfect excuse for Umno politicians to whip up anti-Chinese and anti-DAP sentiments, with photographs of protesters ridiculing and disparaging Malay leaders, including the PAS president, an Islamic scholar.

Angering the Chinese in the process is of no consequence to these politicians since their votes are cast for the opposition.

And so the focus shifted from the objectives of Bersih 4 to the skin tone of its participants.

To be fair, racism is not exclusive to one particular group; it is found among all races and the social media exposes this underbelly, where comments are sometimes peppered with racial slurs.

The danger however is when it is exploited for a political agenda and the authorities turn a deaf ear, thus legitimising the racial threats and acts of provocation.

As for the prime minister, who happens to be the central figure in all that is transpiring at present, he is similar to the inflatable punching bag which protesters had pinned a caricature of him to and rained blows on.

Refusing to be knocked out, he keeps bouncing back.

Even the devastating upper cuts of Dr Mahathir Mohamad – which had knocked out numerous formidable opponents in the past – appear unable to floor him.

And now Mahathir is pushing for a vote of no confidence in Parliament and it remains to be seen if the former premier would be able to convince Umno lawmakers to deflate their president.

RK ANAND is a member of the Team Malaysiakini.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 5 September 2015, 5:51 am and is filed under
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Soal AS$700 juta masih jadi tanda tanya

OLEH SHERIDAN MAHAVERA

The Malaysian Insider

5 September 2015

Minggu lepas, kira-kira 500,000 rakyat Malaysia turun ke jalanan menuntut Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak menjelaskan derma sebanyak AS$700 juta (RM2.6 bilion) yang diterimanya.

Minggu ini pula, beberapa badan dunia yang terlibat dalam membanteras rasuah melakukan perkara yang sama, bukan di jalanan tetapi pada Persidangan Antarabangsa Pencegahan Rasuah (IACC) ke-16 di Putrajaya, tidak jauh dari pejabat Najib.

Najib bagaimanapun tidak menghadiri IACC itu, atas nasihat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Senator Datuk Paul Low, kerana bimbang perdana menteri mungkin berdepan dengan reaksi negatif.

Bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yang menghadiri perhimpunan Bersih 4 sebanyak 2 kali, menegaskan beliau tidak menyokong tuntutan penganjur, tetapi berdiri bersama rakyat Malaysia yang mahukan jawapan kepada AS$700 juta yang disalurkan ke dalam akaun peribadi perdana menteri.

Tema pada 2 peristiwa itu, Bersih 4 dan IACC, senada – tindakan harus diambil kepada sesiapa saja yang terlibat rasuah, tanpa mengira kedudukan.

Setakat ini Najib seolah-olah memekakkan telinga kepada rakyat Malaysia. Tetapi dengan mengabaikan saranan beberapa pejuang rasuah ternama dunia, akan menunjukkan beliau mempermainkan janjinya bagi membasmi rasuah di negara ini.

Dan demikian merupakan perkara utama yang diambil kira daripada IACC – persidangan terbesar seumpamanya di dunia – jika Malaysia serius dalam menangani rasuah dan menyertai liga negara maju seperti diinginkan Najib, maka tiada sorang pun yang boleh terlepas, termasuk perdana menteri.

Cobus de Swardt daripada Transparency International-Afrika Selatan mendakwa Najib tidak boleh berdiam diri jika beliau mahu meyakinkan dunia, terutama pelabur, untuk membuat pelaburan di Malaysia.

Kepercayaan pasaran terhadap ekonomi Malaysia amat penting sekarang apabila negara ini berdepan dengan masalah kejatuhan nilai ringgit dan keuntungan hasil minyak yang berkurangan.

“Langkah berdiam diri pegawai tertinggi di negara ini akan menghakis apa saja kepercayaan yang terdapat di negara ini,” kata de Swardt kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Beliau berkata pertumbuhan ekonomi yang berterusan tidak dapat dikekalkan jika terdapat amalan rasuah dan ini terbukti di beberapa negara yang mengamalkan rasuah pada tahap tinggi.

Terus berdiam diri juga akan menimbulkan satu penghinaan terhadap usaha pentadbiran beliau sendiri dalam memerangi rasuah di setiap lapisan masyarakat kerana mesej yang dihantar adalah individu tertentu tidak perlu bimbang yang mereka akan didakwa.

“Kami bersetuju dengan ribuan rakyat Malaysia yang turun ke jalanan mendesak perdana menteri menjawab soalan berhubung dana AS$700 juta dalam akaunnya,” kata Naib Pengerusi Transparency International (TI) Elena Panfilova.

Panfilova dan de Swardt adalah yang terkini di kalangan pegawai TI – kumpulan anti rasuah peringkat global yang mengkritik sikap berdiam diri Najib tentang sumbangan derma itu.

Sepanjang 3 hari lepas, peserta persidangan yang merupakan pegawai tertinggi dan pakar anti rasuah di negara masing-masing mengemukakan 3 soalan kepada Najib:

* Siapa yang memberikan AS$700 juta itu?

* Apakah tujuan derma itu?

* Apakah jenis pertalian, jika ada, yang berhubung kait derma itu?

Pada hari kedua persidangan itu, Pengerusi TI Jose Ugaz menggambarkan sumbangan itu sebagai satu kes rasuah dahsyat, yang boleh memberi kesan kepada hak asasi manusia.

Sehingga kini, Najib hanya mendedahkan yang wang itu adalah sumbangan penderma dari Timur Tengah dan ia bertujuan membantu Malaysia menentang kumpulan militan Negara Islam Syria dan Iraq (Isis).

Pengkritiknya menolak penjelasan yang dibuat beliau kerana wang itu dipindahkan secara berperingkat ke akaun beliau pada 2013, sedangkan Isis hanya ditubuhkan pada 2014.

Beberapa menteri dalam Kabinet beliau mengatakan derma itu bukan satu isu besar atau ia perkara biasa bagi Najib sebagai presiden Umno untuk menyimpan wang amanah dalam akaunnya.

Ini meningkatkan pandangan orang ramai yang Najib seolah-olah terkecuali daripada menerima akibat atas sebarang tuduhan salah laku.

Walaupun Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata tidak akan ada pengecualian ke atas sesiapa pun yang dituduh rasuah, Panfilova berkata:”Kami harap beliau bertanggungjawab mengotakan janjinya.”

Beliau segera menambah, “menghentikan pengecualian bukan dengan kata-kata, tetapi dengan tindakan”. – 5 September, 2015.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 5 September 2015, 8:56 am and is filed under
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Three days of global PR disaster for Malaysia in the 16th IACC  warrants Emergency Parliament in next fortnight to find answers to the corruption crisis in Malaysia

The three-day 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Putrajaya were  three days of global public relations (PR) disaster for Malaysia, a shameful 72-hour torment on the pride, honour and dignity of Malaysia never experienced by Malaysians in nearly six decades of nationhood.

It started with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s last-minute, panicky and ill-advised pull-out from the opening ceremony of the IACC (in fear of hard questions, “personal issues” and “a possible hostile reception”), replaced by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Low, who started his speech with the cryptic remark: “I am not here to defend the PM. I am here fighting for my job.”

Right from the very beginning of the opening ceremony, Malaysia’s corruption crisis, in particular the “two elephants in the room”, the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” financial scandals, took centre-stage and remained the most obsessive issue throughout the three-day conference, up to the closing ceremony.

Right from the beginning of the IACC, Transparency International President Jose Ugaz opened up with a powerful plea for “honesty and integrity” from the Najib administration, asking Najib pointedly to restore confidence and trust by answering questions about the US$700 million in his personal bank accounts – (1) who paid the money and why; and (2) Where did it go.

This was followed up on the second day by the TI co-founder and erstwhile adviser to Najib on anti-corruption matters, Michael J. Hershman,   telling Najib to come clean on the RM2.6 billion donation that he received.

Hershman advised Najib: “Tell the truth about where did the money come from and address the accusation. And if he did something wrong, then asked for forgiveness and face the consequences.”

Hershman said the explanations given so far were not good enough.

He said; “If it came from the Middle East, who did it come from? When did it come and for what purpose? These are very simple questions.”

He added that since Najib had control of the account, he must know where it came from.

“There is no reason for a panel for investigations. Just tell the truth. Get it out in the public,” he added.

On the third and last day yesterday, the criticisms became an avalanche.

Global Investigative Journalism Network executive director David Kaplan said those attempting to cover up the matter are out of touch with the times and that the government cannot conceal information on the RM2.6 billion deposited into PM  Najib’s personal bank accounts in the digital age.

Amnesty International secretary-general Salil Shetty asked  if the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s personal bank accounts was “grand corruption”.

Transparency International managing director Cobus De Swardt warned that in the absence of answers and an independent investigation, “suspicion of corruption, mistrust and appearance of being above the law will prevail”.

The Chairman of  UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) coalition, Manzoor Hasan,  wants Najib to step down as Prime Minister  to allow the investigation into the RM2.6 billion donation he received to proceed without interference.

Malaysia’s travails went on till the very close of IACC with the Transparency International vice president Elena Panfilova reiterating  that Najib has to come clean on the RM2.6 billion in his personal bank accounts.

Malaysia was literally hauled over the coals at the IACC for the corruption crisis in the country as no one in Government could give any satisfactory or acceptable answer – which is understandable when even the Prime Minister had turned tail from the IACC – although Najib’s Ministers could have done a better job.

When the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Datuk Abdul Wahid  Omar in the closing address, had to invoke God, saying that those who had committed any crime would ultimately be punished though not immediately, pronouncing “If not today, tomorrow, next month, or five years down the road or 10 years down the road. Rest assured, there is God in this world and the truth will prevail”, it was tantamount to Q.E.D about the corruption crisis in Malaysia.

The last three days had been Malaysia’s most shameful and embarrassing experience – we providing an international platform to be lectured by a Peruvian,  Cameroonian, Russian, Australian and American among others as if Malaysia is a rogue student caught red-handed in gross misconduct.

However mortifying the 16th IACC had been for Malaysians for the last three days, it is not the end but the beginning  of Malaysia’s humiliation on the international stage unless we are capable of change and reform.

In the digital age, where information travels at the speed of light, the world through the 1,000 IACC delegates from 130 countries, will follow with sharp and keen interest and concern whether Malaysia sinks into the bottomless pit or is capable to get back our bearings in our quest for a society with zero tolerance for corruption.

Malaysia’s corruption crisis, and the failure of the Prime Minister to open the conference  and to come clean, has rendered the 16th IACC theme, “Ending Impunity: People. Integrity. Action” a failure, as good as excising  the word “Ending” of the 16th IACC theme  to reduce it to: “Impunity: People. Integrity. Action”.

Malaysians cannot be bystanders to address and resolve Malaysia’s  corruption crisis which has been internationalized by the 16th IACC into a global corruption scandal.

Although the Parliament Secretary has sent out notice for the Parliamentary budget meeting beginning on Oct. 19, Malaysians and the world cannot wait for six weeks for parliamentary action to be taken to address the corruption crisis in Malaysia.

For this reason, I call on Najib to convene an Emergency Parliament within the next fortnight, which should meet for at least two days, to continue from where the 16th IACC left off to find answers to the corruption crisis in Malaysia – and which can, among other things, end the sabotage of parliamentary investigations on 1MDB by filling  the vacancy of Public Accounts Committee Chairman and three other PAC members as well as to resolve on the immediate public release of the Auditor-General’s interim report on 1MDB.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 5 September 2015, 8:36 am and is filed under
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Gravely concerned about whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who  brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour

Recently, many strange things are happening in our country which are not amenable to simple explanations.

The most recent strange happening in the country is the disappearance of prominent deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais since Friday.

Kevin, who was previously seconded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) until more than a year ago, was last seen leaving for work from his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, Friday morning.

I am gravely concerned about  the whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who  brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour.

The discovery of a burnt car in Kampung Sungai Samak, Hilir Perak has cast a pall over Kevin’s case.

I am concerned as among other things, Kevin was my constituent when I was Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor before I contested in Gelang Patah in the last general election.

Another strange thing is the two-week disappearance of seven orang Asli students of  Sekolah Kebangsaan Tohoi in the interiors of Gua Musang, Kelantan, and even stranger, the letter by the principal of Sekolah Kebangsaan Tohoi to  parents of the missing children to  bring them back to the school  within 31 days or risk having them expelled.

One of the parents, Midah Angah said: “This is an outrage. Our children went missing from the school and now we get this?

“How can we bring back our children when they got lost on school grounds and we don’t know where they are.

“Everyone knows the kids are missing. How can the school authorities send such a letter to us knowing fully well that there is a search party out there looking for them.”

The children, missing since Aug 23, are believed to have left the school after being scolded by a teacher for going swimming without permission.

This is indeed ridiculous and nonsensical and I call on the Education Minister, Datuk Madzir Khalid to give his personal attention to this problem and to help resolve it with common sense and sensitivity, and not to use any bureaucratic red-tape and haughtiness to handle the problem.

A third strange thing in recent days is the three-day 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Putrajaya, which was hosted by the Malaysian Government to  use the 16th IACC to show the world that Malaysia is a nation whose anti-corruption record deserves international respect and recognition.

The outcome was the exact opposite, as the 1,000 delegates from over 130 countries have dispersed from the 16th IACC with the worst-possible impression of Malaysia’s anti-corruption record, especially as the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself pulled out of the official ceremony in the last minute as he could not  explain simple questions about the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal – who gave the donation, how much was donated and what has happened to the money!

The fourth strange thing in Malaysia is the recent gyrations of Ministers over a “no confidence” motion against the Prime Minister in Parliament, which is an accepted as an ordinary and  integral part of parliamentary democracy all over the world but not in Malaysia.

At first, any association with a “no confidence motion” against the Prime Minister was tarred with the brush of being disloyal, anti-national and even an act of treason; but although such a ridiculous attitude was not persisted with, there are still Ministers who still regard a “no confidence motion” against the Prime Minister as a coup to “topple” the Prime Minister and therefore undemocratic  and not permissible.

The fifth strange thing is the government’s attitude towards the Bersih 4 overnight rally, where Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region, sex, gender or even politics gathered together for a common cause for good governance and free, fair elections – issues which transcend race.

Several Ministers have persisted in regarding Bersih 4 as a Chinese show of force against Malay political power, when there is no tinge of racialism at all in the Bersih 4 rally. It would appear that in insisting to see the Bersih 4 in Malay-Chinese terms, the presence of over 20,000 Indians as well as Ibans and Kadazans  in Bersih 4 were just ignored or regarded as “non-persons”.

These and other strange things happening in Malaysia are not conducive to  the healthy development of a mature and united Malaysian nation.

It is time that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Ministers set a good example to all Malaysians instead of being bad examples in both word and deed aggravating the national crisis of confidence in the country.

(Speech  at the DAP  forum “Future of Indian Community” at Good Hope Hotel, Gelang Patah on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015 at 5 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 6 September 2015, 7:05 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia scandal sparks dispute over political funding reform

By Michael Peel

Financial Times

4th Sept 2015

An official push for reform to political party funding in Malaysia has deepened a dispute over how authorities are dealing with the financial scandal engulfing Prime Minister Najib Razak.

A special committee, set up in the wake of revelations that more than $675m landed from overseas in Mr Najib’s bank account shortly before the last general election, is proposing to introduce landmark campaign finance rules.

But sceptics see the promised change as part of an official effort to whitewash both the payment to the prime minister’s account and a wider probe into more than $11bn in debt racked up by the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad state investment fund. The Najib government has already removed officials involved in various investigations into the affairs, as well as cracking down on critics in the opposition and media.

“This is a clear attempt to legitimise the [$675m] transaction by framing it as a political donation,” said Tony Pua, an opposition MP who has been slapped with a travel ban and was called in by police for questioning on Friday. “This is meant to be Najib’s ‘get out of jail’ card.”

The dispute highlights an extraordinary impasse in a scandal that is stoking political turmoil and adding to growing financial woes in the Southeast Asian country. The national anti-corruption commission has said the payments made to Mr Najib’s account in March 2013 came from an anonymous Middle Eastern donor, yet the prime minister has offered no further details — and, according to the official heading the political funding reform effort, has no duty to do so.

Paul Low Seng Kuan, also a minister in the prime minister’s department, said existing political funding rules meant Mr Najib was not obliged to account for the payments.

“That is up to him to explain,” Mr Low said in an interview. “But there is no law that requires him to explain. That’s why I am formulating the political financing laws. That’s precisely the reason why I’m appointed to deal with it.”

Mr Low said his committee was examining law changes including forcing disclosure of donors’ identities and ensuring money be paid directly to parties, rather than personal accounts of officials. It was also looking at prohibiting foreign donations.

“Many countries ban financing from overseas, from non-citizens . . . for obvious reasons, because of sovereignty and all that,” said Mr Low, a former president of the Malaysia chapter of Transparency International, the anti-graft group. “The other thing is the issue of transparency and accountability.”

The emergence two months ago of news of the hundreds of millions of dollars of payments to Mr Najib’s account has piled pressure on a prime minister already under fire for his stewardship of 1MDB, whose advisory board he chairs.

Protesters took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur late last month to call for his resignation. Mahathir Mohamad, the long-ruling ex-premier, has also joined the campaign to topple his predecessor.

Mr Low suggested the wider probe into 1MDB was “not an issue so much of corruption” as of governance, despite the many questions raised about the funds’s dealings in the Middle East and elsewhere. The minister insisted there “shouldn’t be a problem” for the troubled institution to repay its debts, through sales of assets in sectors such as energy and property.

“I am sure that within six months, towards the end of this year, they will have resolved most of the problems,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 6 September 2015, 7:56 pm and is filed under
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Top priority should be given to  blueprint to capture Johor in 14GE by the new Opposition coalition of DAP, PKR and PAN after the launch of PAN on Sept 16

For 56 years, Johor was the bastion and invincible “fixed deposit state” of UMNO/BN, to the extent that in the  2008 General Election campaign, the UMNO/BN leaders were so cocky as to put up the campaign theme of ensuring  that Johor will be a “zero-Opposition” state.

The 13th General Election of May 5, 2013 had completely rewritten the electoral arithmetics in Johor with the then Pakatan Rakyat of DAP, PAS and PKR winning 18 State Assembly seats, one seat short of denying UMNO/Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in the Johor State Assembly.

From a political backwaters’ state, Johor transformed overnight as the barometer of Malaysia’s political future and the new engine of political change in Malaysia.

Penang and Selangor spearheaded political change in the 12th GE in the 2008.

Johor must now take over this leadership responsibility as the engine of political change particularly for  Pahang, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perak.

Today, in Peninsular Malaysia, Johore holds the key in unlocking the gates to Putrajaya.

With the emergence  of Parti Amanah Nasional on Sept. 16, the Battle of Johor for the Battle of Putrajaya in the 14th General Election will be  back on course.

The top priority after the announcement of AMANAH on Sept. 16 should be the drawing up and implementation of a blueprint to capture Johor in the 14th GE by the new Opposition coalition comprising DAP, PKR and PAN.

I propose that the top Johor leaderships of DAP, PKR and PAN should meet immediately after Sept. 16 to draw up and implement such a blueprint, for precious time had been lost in the past two years to follow up on the great gains achieved in the 13th General Election to bring about political change in Johor and Malaysia.

If we are to win the Battle of Johor as an important strategy to win the Battle of Putrajaya, there must be full commitment by the leadeers of DAP, PKR and PAN at all levels, whether national, state or local to spread our message of national unity, good governance, the rule of law, end of corruption and abuses of power, socio-economic justices for all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or class as well as respect for democratic freedoms and human rights.

(Speech at the “Majlis Minum Petang bersama Pemimpin” at Kampung Ladang, Gelang Patah on Saturday, 5th September 2015 at 7 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 6 September 2015, 8:47 am and is filed under
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“Walking Dead” – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid thing?

Just 12 days ago, the CIMB Group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak warned those he described as “power people”  against issuing stupid remarks amid the continuing decline in the value of the ringgit, which had plunged to levels unseen since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.

In an Instagram post, Nazir, who is also the brother to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, urged the “power people”: “Accept & adjust quickly” as “capital is super sensitive; bad news & bad signs amplified” asking  “power people” to  avoid saying “stupid things”.

But instead of heeding Nazir’s advice, Najib’s “power people” have got even worse, increasing the stupidity, volume and velocity of their statements in the past 12 days that Malaysians are entitled to ask whether there is a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things!

The velocity of “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s Ministers and “power people” have increased to notch more than one a day in the past 12 days –  in fact to more than half-a-dozen a day  in the past two days, as can be gleaned from the following headlines in the past 48 hours:

1.Minister: Malaysia will run out of PMs if Najib quits over graft allegations (MMO);

2. Guests should not criticise hosts, Ku Nan says after drubbing at anti-corruption conference (MMO);

3. Anti-corruption conference not right venue to talk about RM2.6b donation, minister tells TI president (MMO);

4.  Fact that they took my statement proof MACC are fearless, minister says (MMO);

5. ‘People’s power’ to choose government only during elections, says Najib (TMI);

6. IACC critics were ‘possessed’, says Ku Nan (TMI);

7. Civil service serious in fighting graft, says chief secretary (TMI);

8. Minister blames poor Bersih signage for billing boo-boo (Mkini);

9. Zahid: Umno grassroots ‘poisoned’ to turn against Najib (Mkin);

10.MACC says faces no interference in PM probe (Mkini)

11. ‘There will be no IACC here if Putrajaya not against graft’ (Mkini);

12.Minister tells anti-graft meet there is God, mustn’t worry (Mkini);

13. MACC: M’sia critics at IACC may not have all facts (Mkini).

Malaysians must be thorougly shocked – at least 13 “stupid things” said by Najib’s “power people” in the past 48 hours –  setting a world record of at least half a dozen a day!

No wonder, Malaysia is in such deep trouble.

The term “dead man walking” has been used twice in the past month, the first time by a Malaysian columnist in an international publication against Prime Minister Najib and the second time only today by a MCA Division Leader against the MCA leadership, both reminding Malaysians of the popular  television series “The Walking Dead” – about the world of zombies and some humans who are even more dangerous than the zombies themselves.

It is time that Najib and his Cabinet return to the real world of Malaysians and not remain in the world of “walking dead” and “zombies”.

Najib should set the lead – stop the fatal “denial syndrome” which refuses to see any good  either in the historic Bersih 4 overnight rally which have brought some half a million Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, age, gender or even politics to converge in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to espouse a common cause of good governance and free, fair elections which transcends race or the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) which brought 1,000 delegates from over 130  countries to Putrajaya to demand a zero-corruption Malaysia by calling for  an end to impunity and answers to the two mega financial scandals in Malaysia – the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” financial scandals.

The Cabinet on Wednesday should craft constructive and positive responses to both Bersih 4 and 16th IACC and stop its “Walking Dead” responses.

(Speech  at the launching of new Chinese edition of 1978 book “Time Bombs in Malaysia” at Y Cube cafe,  Johor Baru on Sunday, 6th September 2015 at 1 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 6 September 2015, 12:10 pm and is filed under
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Call on Cabinet and the UMNO Supreme Council to take a clear  Malaysian stand against any rally seeking to provoke and  incite tension and hatred of one race against another in Malaysia, whether Sept. 16 and Oct. 10 gatherings

The Cabinet and the UMNO Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday should take a clear Malaysian stand against any rally seeking to provoke and incite tension and hatred of one race against another in Malaysia, whether the proposed Sept. 16 or Oct. 10 gatherings.

The fundamental right to freedom of assembly to peacefully advocate constitutional rights and liberties of Malaysians must be defended as a  basic democratic liberty and human right of Malaysians, but there can be no right whatsoever to commit heinous crimes  as inciting racial or religious tension, hatred and conflict in plural Malaysia.

It is in fact the basic duty and responsibility of any government to ensure that those who want to provoke or incite racial or religious hatred to create conflict, disharmony and chaos in plural Malaysia must be stopped in their tracks, and not allowed any room whatsoever to commit the heinous crimes of inciting  inter-racial or inter-religious tension and conflict.

The Sept. 16 and Oct.10 rallies were conceived as Malay counter to the purported Chinese Bersih 4 rally of August 29 and 30, alleging that Bersih 4 was a Chinese show of force against Malay political power – which is a most irresponsible allegation totally without basis, as there was not a tinge of racialism at all in the Bersih 4 rally where Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, sex, gender or even politics converged in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for a common cause for good governance and free, fair elections – issues which completely  transcend race.

In insisting to see the Bersih 4 purely in Malay-Chinese terms, the presence of over 20,000 Indians as well as Ibans and Kadazans in Bersih 4 have been completely ignored and reduced into  “non-persons” – which is most defamatory of Malaysian of all races at Bersih 4 rally and a most irresponsible act.

It is true that Malay participation on the first day of Bersih 4 on August 29 was far from satisfactory but Malay participation on the second day of Bersih 4 on August 30 easily shot up to some 40 per cent of the crowd, demonstrating not only the non-racial character of Bersih 4 objectives, but the ability of Malaysians regardless of race to take a common stand with Malaysians of other races for the common good of the populace and nation – like transparency, integrity and good governance.

Berish 1 in 2007 had easily some 80% Malay participation. Would it be right to regard Bersih 1 as a Malay show-of-force against the Chinese to entitle the holding of a Chinese counter demonstration against the purportedly Malay Bersih 1?

Of course not, because the Malays who came out in support of Bersih 1, 2, 3 and 4 came out not because they were fighting for a Malay cause – just as non-Malays came out in Bersih 1, 2, 3 and 4 did not do so for a Chinese objective – but because transparency, integrity and good governance are Malaysian causes which deserve the support of all thinking and patriotic Malaysians, regardless of race.

DAP had been accused of being the mastermind of Bersih 4, with DAP leaders accused of being in  real control and command of the Bersih 4 overnight rally.

I had been quite a critic of police efficiency and professionalism in my nearly 50 years in politics, especially in terms of their statutory objectives to keep crime low and make the homes, streets and public places safe for Malaysians, investors and visitors.

But I had always the highest respect for the professionalism of the Special Branch in Malaysia, as thanks to the previous British administrations,  Malaysia has undoubtedly one of the best and competent Special Branch in the world.

The Special Branch and police intelligence officers know that DAP was not the mastermind and DAP leaders were not in control or command of the Bersih 4 overnight rally in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

DAP supports Bersih 4, and our leaders and members all over the country, came out in support of Bersih 4, but we cannot claim credit for the success of the Bersih 4 in its ability to mobilise some 500,000 people regardless of race and religion to support a cause which transcends race –  good government and free, fair elections.

But this truth, that the DAP was not the mastermind and not in control and command fo Bersih 4 overnight rally, does not suit the script of UMNO/BN political masters, who want to be able to blame the DAP for being the mastermind and the real persons in control and command of Bersih 4, so that they could further twist the story by claiming that Bersih 4 was a Chinese challenge to Malay political power in Malaysia and the need for a counter Malay rally like the rallies  being mooted for Sept. 16 and Oct. 10 – which were openly framed and propagated as a Malay counter rally  to a purportedly  Chinese Bersih 4!

Unable to get much professional Special Branch support as there is no evidence of DAP being mastermind or in control or command of Bersih 4, the MCA leadership has instead  offered to UMNO racists and opportunists its  political endorsement instead.

This is why  MCA leaders like the MCA President Liow Tiong Lai have suddenly come out publicly to  denounce the  DAP of “hijacking” Bersih 4 and  “sowing the seeds of racial discord compromising peace and security of the nation” when there are no such evidence whatsoever.

But the baseless and irresponsible allegations by the MCA leaders are good enough as justification for UMNO racialists and extremists to promote a racist counter to Berish 4 by alleging  that DAP had hijacked Bersih 4  and turned it into a Chinese challenge to Malay political power.

This is why I fully agree with the Kluang MCA division chief Gan Ping Sieu who  criticised MCA President as “dead man walking”  for failing to provide leadership to both members and Barisan Nasional.

Malaysia’s multiple crisis of confidence, political, economic, good governance and nation-building deepened today with the Malaysian ringgit hitting a new 1998 low this morning, breaching 4.3 ringgit against the US greenback as well as declining against the Singapore dollar to 3.019; while on the stock exchange front, the KLCI lost 18.13 points to 1,570.85.

I want to ask the Prime Minister whether Malaysia is aiming to achieve a hat-trick in reverse.

A  hat trick in sports is the achieving of a positive feat three times in a game, or other achievements based on threes in some sports.

We risk achieving a hat trick in reverse if the Sept. 16 counter-Malay rally to the false and purported Chinese Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur is allowed to be held.

We have  firstly the Bersih 4  rally on August 29 and 30 – which was turned into a “minus” when it should be a plus accruing great credit to the nation if the government accepts Bersih 4 as a great evidence of the thriving of Malaysia democracy.

There is then the second event of the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Putrajaya on Sept. 2-4 which instead of being a show-case of Malaysia’s coming-of-age in the National Transformation Programme on accountability, integrity and good governance turned out to be the country’s worst global PR disaster for three consecutive days.

Is the Najib government going to perform a “hat-trick in reverse” with the holding of the Sept. 16 counter Malay rally against the purported and baseless Chinese Bersih 4 challenge to Malay political power, which will plunge an already-jittery national and international confidence in Malaysia and the Najib government to a new low?

Malaysia is in dire straits and facing a confidence crisis on a whole  battery of fronts.

Najib and the Cabinet on Wednesday must demonstrate leadership to arrest and reverse the sharp fall of the  confidence factor in Malaysia, and this is the reason why there is an urgent need for an Emergency meeting of Parliament as the country cannot afford to have a headless and direction-less  government till Oct. 19 when Parliament is  next scheduled to reconvene for the 2016 Budget meeting.

In the meantime, firm action must be taken against those who want to provoke and incite inter-racial and inter-religious peace and  harmony in the country or Malaysia  will hurtling in the direction of a rogue and failed state.

(Media Conference Statement at DAP Hqrs in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 7th September 2015 at 2.30 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 7 September 2015, 2:15 pm and is filed under
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Two more questions for Najib about the RM2.6 billion in his personal accounts – which were 26 times more than the legally permissible limit to be spent by all the 222 BN parliamentary and 505 state assembly candidates in 13GE

Thanks to the Malaysian government hosting the three-day  16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Putrajaya from Sept. 2 – 4, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal has been transformed  from a national scandal into a global one.

Henceforth, through the 1,000 delegates representing the foremost anti-graft fighters from 130 countries who attended the 16th IAAC, the world will be following closely the development of Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal – to determine whether it will be a classic case of the theme of the 16th IACC, “Ending Impunity: People. Integrity. Action” in the most  negative sense!

This year of 2015  should the best possible year for Malaysia in terms of international publicity, as Malaysia is the chair of ASEAN and a member of the UN Security Council, but it is shaping up to be Malaysia’s worst and most horrible  international year in the nation’s history – really annus horribilis for Malaysia!

For three days, through the 16th IACC, Malaysia was not only lectured by Europeans, Australians and Americans, but also by Africans and South Americans such as by countries like Peru, Cameroon and Russia, about the deplorable state of integrity and ant-corruption in Malaysia.

Now the whole world knows that the Malaysian Prime Minister could not answer  simple questions, to the extent that he had to pull out from the official ceremony of the 16th IACC, which is probably the first time where the head of government of a host country had to run away from an international conference!

As the Transparency International chair Jose Ugaz said at the opening of the IACC, “there are two questions that need to be answered, who paid the money and why, and where did it go?”

Or as the TI co-founder and former adviser to Najib and the Malaysian government on anti-corruption matters, Michael J. Hershman said on the second day, “Tell the truth about where did the money come from and address the accusation. And if he did something wrong, then asked for forgiveness and face the consequences.”

And more pointedly, Hershman said: “If it came from the Middle East, who did it come from? When did it come and for what purpose? These are very simple questions.”

Hershman said  since Najib had control of the account, he must know where it came from, adding: “There is no reason for a panel for investigations. Just tell the truth. Get it out in the public.”

RM2.6 billion is not a puny sum. It is in fact 26 times more than what is permissible to be spent by all the 222 Parliamentary candidates and 505 State Assembly candidates of the Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Elections.

The maximum expenditure which is legally permissible for a parliamentary candidate is RM200,000 while the maximum legal expenditure for a State Assembly candidate is RM100,000.

With 222 Parliamentary candidates and 505 State Assembly candidates, the maximum legal electoral expenditures for all the 222 Parliamentary and 505 State Assembly candidates of UMNO/Barisan Nasional  in the 13th General Election will come to  RM44.4 million for  all parliamentary candidates and RM50.5 million for all state assembly candidates or a grand total of RM94.9 million – not even reaching RM100 million!

The RM2.6 billion in Najib’s personal accounts for the 13th General Election is therefore more than 26 times the legally permissible limit to be spent by all the BN parliamentary and state assembly candidates in the 13th General Elections.

Najib will have to explain this great disparity if he believes in accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

Tonight, I want to ask two more questions to Najib about the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal:

1. What are the total donations in his personal accounts for the 13th General Elections – as it is most unlikely that they were just RM2.6 billion which was exposed by the Wall Street Journal in its report of July 3, 2015; and if so, Najib should reveal what were the total donations in his personal accounts for the 13th general elections – whether they were just RM2.6 billion or many times more, and if so, the actual figures.

2. How many foreign donors and the total sum of donation from foreign sources for the UMNO/Barisan Nasional campaign in the 13th General Elections, and whether he agrees that this is most questionable as it undermines the independence and sovereignty of Malaysia and that no political party should receive a single sen of foreign donation for general election purpose.

 Najib should answer the two earlier and now  the two additional questions on the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal as he cannot keep running and trying to  hide away from these probing questions.

(Speech at the DAP Kota Tinggi DAP Branch solidarity dinner in Kota Tinggi on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015 at 10 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 7 September 2015, 7:09 am and is filed under
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