Let not Malaysia gain a new world infamy and ignominy as a nation which does not know shame for becoming a global kleptocracy

I fully agree with the DAP PJ Utara MP, Tony Pua, that the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Said Keruak is “completely untutorable” on the BMF, Bank Negara forex and 1MDB scandals, when Salleh could insist he was right and even brilliant to say that the Bumiputera Finance Scandal in the 1980s is worse than the ongoing 1MDB scandal as the government’s “real exposure” in 1MDB scandal is only RM1 million in its initial paid-up capital.

I tried to help Salleh understand the implications and magnitude of the 1MDB scandal, which for the first time in the nation’s history, has plunged the country into the international infamy of a global kleptocracy, suggesting three separate tutors for him for the BMF, Bank Negara forex and 1MDB scandals but it was in vain for Salleh was not prepared to be educated.

As Tony pointed out, Salleh is spinning a story that even the CEO for 1MDB, Arul Kanda has stopped spinning since a year ago – that the government exposure to the 1MDB scandal is only RM1 million, an incredibly naïve understanding of the 1MDB scandal which even students in schools would not be guilty of.

It is obvious that Najib’s Cabinet  Ministers, not very outstanding in their IQs, also feel embarrassed by Salleh’s incredible naivetee, and have virtually given up on Salleh who has shown that he is “untutorable” on the BMF, Bank Negara forex and 1MDB scandals.

This was why the Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday, discussed the possibility of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI)  or some official probe into Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago.

If Youth Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin was right on the Cabinet meeting, there was no mention not only of the current 1MDB scandal but also the BMF scandal more than three decades ago.

If all other Cabinet Ministers agreed with Salleh that the BMF scandal is worse than the 1MDB scandal, limiting the damages of  the 1MDB to RM1 million, Najib and his  Cabinet would not have let Tun Mahahir off the BMF hook so easily.

However, if Najib and his Cabinet are only prepared to consider the possibility of a RCI into Bank Negara forex scandal but not prepared to consider a RCI for the 1MDB scandal, all  the Cabinet Ministers are not only guilty of colossal negligence and irresponsibility of the first degree, they are also guilty of the most petty politicking, misusing their positions as Cabinet Ministers to carry out a political war against Mahahtir in order to secure his silence on Malaysia’s kleptocracy under Najib.

Let me tell Najib and all the Cabinet Ministers – having political leaders in government who do not feel any remorse or shame at Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy for being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy is bad enough, let Malaysia not get another ill reputation as a nation which does not know the meaning of shame.

I urge Najib and the Ministers to place the 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal squarely and firmly on the Cabinet agenda next Wednesday and forthrightly deal with the 1MDB scandal and what Malaysia can do to clear or cleanse her reputation worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

Let not Malaysia gain a new world  infamy and ignominy as a nation which does not know shame for becoming a global kleptocracy!

                This entry was posted on Friday, 10 February 2017, 11:54 am and is filed under
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Anifah must surface to clear the air or Sabahans and Malaysians cannot be blamed for concluding that some political power play is taking place among the top  echelons of the UMNO leadership

In the last 24 hours, Sabah has suddenly become the epicentre of a political storm in Malaysia.

It all started with a tweet by the Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Azmin Ali asking whether a senior minister had resigned over the 1MDB imbroglio.

Then the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, got into the picture himself, declaring last night that he was not informed of any resignation from his ministers.

He demanded  Azmin reveal the name of the said minister to prove he wasn’t lying.

Azmin countered by saying that Najib denying the claim was not a surprise, declaring  that he had been informed of this by the minister himself.

For some 18 hours, the social media swirled with the subject as to whether a senior Minister had resigtned, whether it was because of 1MDB and the identity of the Minister.

Then the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid gave a face to the senior Minister in the social media storm, that it was none other than the Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman, but the Zahid accused Azmin of lying, saying that there was no resignation tendered by any senior minister, and that he was with Anifah last night and that “today, he has gone to Brussels representing Malaysia as the Foreign Minister”.

Although Zahid claimed that he had attended a Sabah UMNO event with Anifah and the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Musa Aman, and he had even posted a picture of himself and Anifah through Twitter, he Deputy Prime Minister should know that his explanation lacks credibility.

As the social media storm had erupted last night about a senior minister resigning over the 1MDB scandal, with the finger pointed at Anifah,  why didn’t Anifah rebut the story before he left for Brussels?

Zahid and Anifah should know that in this age of information 24/7, there is no way a person can hide from the public wherever in the world.

Anifah must surface to clear the air or Sabahans and Malaysians cannot be blamed for concluding that some political power play is taking place among the top  echelons of the UMNO leadership.

I believe that Azmin was telling the truth when he said that a senior Minister had told him that he was resigning over the 1MDB scandal.  The senior minister could be persuaded not to go through with the resignation.

I for one would require a lot of convincing that a senior Minister would resign over the 1MDB scandal, as it have been months and even years since the 1MDB scandal  had erupted, staining the country with the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

Could it be that Anifah is feeling the shame and humiliation for being a foreign minister of a global kleptocracy?

I have grave reservations that this would be the case, which means that while the 1MDB scandal is being used as an issue, the real reason for any such resignation would be something else.

May be the news of impending Sabah state general elections would be the real cause of the social media storm.

This year, 2017, is likely to be an election year.

In fact, there is talk that Sabah State elections is very imminent, and the Sabah State Assembly may be dissolved next month and Sabah state general elections held in April.

The primary reason  for separate state general elections from the national polls  is to free the state Barisan Nasional from the onus of having to carrying the Najib burden, with all the attendant 1MDB and global kleptocracy issues.

Yesterday,  Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in Sarawak that Putrajaya is willing to return rights to Sarawak that may have been eroded over the years.

He said that in the process of implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963, if the Federal Government  have inadvertently taken the rights of Sarawak, he is  willing to consider giving it back to Sarawak.

He said the Sarawak and federal governments are discussing and interpreting issues surrounding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

This is quite a remarkable statement. What about the rights of Sabah which had been taken away by the Federal Government in violation of both the spirit and words of the Malaysia Agreement 1963? Will they all be restored as well?

Over the years,  DAP MPs have been calling for Commissions of Inquiry to allow for public hearing of the dreams and  aspirations as well as the  disappointments and heart-breaks of Sabahans and Sarawakians since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, but unfortunately these calls have fallen on deaf ears from Putrajaya.

We are now making some headway for the legitimate aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians to be heeded, but the whole process is going too slowly.

Furthermore, Putrajaya may just been going through the motions of responding to the pent-up  legitimate aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians because of the impending elections but with no intention to ensure that these aspirations are fully met – unless there is a complete change government both at the state and federal level.

Equally important, is there a commitment to introduce a new federalism in the country, involving not only the restoration of the rights of Sabah and Sarawak which had been eroded over the years, but to ensure greater autonomy to all the eleven states in Peninsular Malaysia as well – which is the new trend of governance all over the world?

However, instead of decentralisation and greater devolution  of power to the states and local authorities, there are those in Putrajaya who are thinking of greater concentration of power at  the centre to the extent that they are talking about extinguishing the Penang state by making it a federal territory, abolishing Penang State Assembly elections and doing away with the Penang State Assembly, the Penang State Executive Council and the Penang Chief Minister.

Tengku Adnan said he wants to make Penang a Labuan, claiming that the Federal Government had invested over RM5 billion  in Labuan since the date of take-over 34 years ago.

Malaysia has a lot of talents in the Cabinet to be jokers and clowns.

Imagine a statement by a Federal Minister about making Penang a Labuan, by making Penang a federal territory so that Putrajaya can allocate more funds to Penang!

When Harris Salleh decided to cede Labuan to the Federal Government, he hoped that Labuan would become a “little Singapore”. What has Labuan become today after 32 years as a Federal Territory and RM5 billion of alleged federal allocations?

Definitely not a “little Singapore”! Not even a “little Kangar” to the extent that Harris Salleh last year openly called on the Federal Government to return the island to Sabah immediately. It will take light years before Labuan could even become a “Little Penang”!

Harris wants Labuan to be returned to Sqbah because the Federal Government had failed in its promise to make Labuan an economically viable island city.

He said:

“It is not right for the Federal Government to take over Labuan only to consign it to political and economic oblivion.

“The people of Labuan deserve better.

“I expected Federal to look after Labuan in a fitting manner and not to abandon it for whatever reasons.

“I have been watching, with great dismay, the declining interest of the Federal Government for some years now.

“I must be forthright and say that I am disappointed. If the Federal Government is not prepared to change direction with regards to the future of Labuan, then I would like to appeal for it to be returned to Sabah.”

May be the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should open an investigation as to what had happened to the RM5 billion which Tengku Adnan said had been spent on Labuan since its becoming a Federal Territory but to no purpose, as Harris said that the Federal Government had “abandoned Labuan to its own fate for a long time” – sacrificed in the “Game of Thrones”, which Harris should elaborate.

(Speech at the Sabah DAP State Chinese New Year Open House in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday, 11th February 2017 at 5 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 February 2017, 6:44 pm and is filed under
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DAP is both a national and a Sabah local party and will co-operate with other parties to change government in Sabah and Putrajaya to save Sabah and Malaysia

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in Sarawak yesterday that Putrajaya is willing to return rights to Sarawak that may have been eroded over the years.

He said that in the process of implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963, if the Federal Government have inadvertently taken the rights of Sarawak, he is willing to consider giving it back to Sarawak.

He said the Sarawak and federal governments are discussing and interpreting issues surrounding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

This is quite a remarkable statement. What about the rights of Sabah which had been taken away by the Federal Government in violation of both the spirit and words of the Malaysia Agreement 1963? Will they all be restored as well?

Over the years, DAP MPs have been calling for Commissions of Inquiry to allow for public hearing of the dreams and aspirations as well as the disappointments and heart-breaks of Sabahans and Sarawakians since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, but unfortunately these calls have fallen on deaf ears from Putrajaya.

We are now making some headway for the legitimate aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians to be heeded, but the whole process is going too slowly.

Furthermore, Putrajaya may just been going through the motions of responding to the pent-up legitimate aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians because of the impending elections but with no intention to ensure that these aspirations are fully met – unless there is a complete change government both at the state and federal level.

Equally important, is there a commitment to introduce a new federalism in the country, involving not only the restoration of the rights of Sabah and Sarawak which had been eroded over the years, but to ensure greater autonomy to all the eleven states in Peninsular Malaysia as well – which is the new trend of governance all over the world?

However, instead of decentralisation and greater devolution of power to the states and local authorities, there are those in Putrajaya who are thinking of greater concentration of power at the centre to the extent that they are talking about extinguishing the Penang state by making it a federal territory, abolishing Penang State Assembly elections and doing away with the Penang State Assembly, the Penang State Executive Council and the Penang Chief Minister.

Tengku Adnan said he wants to make Penang a Labuan, claiming that the Federal Government had invested over RM5 billion in Labuan since the date of take-over 34 years ago.

Malaysia has a lot of talents in the Cabinet to be jokers and clowns.

Imagine a statement by a Federal Minister about making Penang a Labuan, by making Penang a federal territory so that Putrajaya can allocate more funds to Penang!

When Harris Salleh decided to cede Labuan to the Federal Government, he hoped that Labuan would become a “little Singapore”. What has Labuan become today after 32 years as a Federal Territory and RM5 billion of alleged federal allocations?

Definitely not a “little Singapore”! Not even a “little Kangar” to the extent that Harris Salleh last year openly called on the Federal Government to return the island to Sabah immediately. It will take light years before Labuan could even become a “Little Penang”!

Harris wants Labuan to be returned to Sqbah because the Federal Government had failed in its promise to make Labuan an economically viable island city.

He said:

“It is not right for the Federal Government to take over Labuan only to consign it to political and economic oblivion.

“The people of Labuan deserve better.

“I expected Federal to look after Labuan in a fitting manner and not to abandon it for whatever reasons.

“I have been watching, with great dismay, the declining interest of the Federal Government for some years now.

“I must be forthright and say that I am disappointed. If the Federal Government is not prepared to change direction with regards to the future of Labuan, then I would like to appeal for it to be returned to Sabah.”

May be the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should open an investigation as to what had happened to the RM5 billion which Tengku Adnan said had been spent on Labuan since its becoming a Federal Territory but to no purpose, as Harris said that the Federal Government had “abandoned Labuan to its own fate for a long time” – sacrificed in the “Game of Thrones”, which Harris should elaborate.

This year, 2017, is likely to be an election year.

In fact, there is talk that Sabah State elections is very imminent, and the Sabah State Assembly may be dissolved next month and Sabah state general elections held in April.

The primary reason is for separate state general elections from the national polls is to free the state Barisan Nasional from the onus of having to carrying the Najib burden, with all the attendant 1MDB and global kleptocracy issues.

DAP is both a national and a Sabah local party and will co-operate with other parties to change government in Sabah and Putrajaya to save Sabah and Malaysia.

But it is a non-starter for any political party to suggest that the DAP should not contest in the Sabah State elections.

(Speech at the Sabah DAP State Chinese New Year Open House in Sandakan on Saturday, 11th February 2017 at 11 am)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 February 2017, 3:56 pm and is filed under
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Congrats Ismail Sabri  –  ten lies in short five-paragraph statement attacking me

I want to congratulate the Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, for another dubious  “first” in Malaysian politics – telling ten lies in a short five-paragraph statement.

I am prepared to appear in a joint media conference with him for me to point out the 10 lies he had told in his five-paragraph statement attacking me yesterday.

Let us see whether Ismail Sabri dares to accept this challenge.

I do not think Ismail Sabri wrote these ten lies in his short five-paragraph statement, just as I do not think the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, penned the following tweet yesterday:

“Lim Kit Siang is Pakatan’s de facto leader. DAP should stop trying to hide it. Voters know DAP has the most opposition seats and Lim Kit Siang calls the shots.”

But Najib  and Ismail Sabri were happy that the tweet for the former and the five-paragraph statement for the latter were issued in their name.

Both Najib’s tweet and Ismail Sabri’s statement only confirm that heavy artillery are being brought out by the UMNO’s propaganda machinery to demonise me and the DAP in the run-up to the 14th General Election.

Even more noteworthy, they are also an admission of the failure of their earlier campaign to spread the politics of fear, hatred and lies about me, whether through the UMNO/BN owned and/or  controlled mainstream media, especially TV 3, New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, with a number of  their  propaganda digits (including Ministers) rendered impotent in destroying their own credibility by making the stupidest of statements.

There is however one fatal flaw in the UMNO/Barisan Nasional campaign of fear, hatred and lies against me, because of one fatal inner contradiction of their campaign.

UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers accuse former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir of being my puppet and stooge, while MCA and Gerakan leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers say the opposite, that I have become Mahathir’s puppet and stooge.

UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers should straighten out their propaganda campaign of fear, hatred and lies – whether Mahathir is my puppet and stooge or whether I have become Mahahir’s puppet and stooge.

Both cannot be true. Its one or the other, or both are falsehoods.

Let me advise the UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers to straighten out this fatal flaw in their propaganda campaign to demonise me and the DAP – and Ismail Sabri and I can then  hold the joint media conference on the ten lies in Ismail Sabri’s short five-paragraph media statement attacking me yesterday.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 12 February 2017, 4:36 pm and is filed under
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Najib emulating Trump in using tweets to spread his politics of fear, hatred and lies

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is clearly a secret admirer of the US President Donald Trump, as he is emulating Trump in using tweets to spread his politics of fear, hatred and lies.

This could be seen by Najib’s tweet this evening:

“Lim Kit Siang is Pakatan’s de facto leader. DAP should stop trying to hide it. Voters know DAP has the most opposition seats and Lim Kit Siang calls the shots.”

I am reminded by Najib’s earlier politics of fear, hatred and lies when he tried to panic and scare the Malays into believing that if UMNO loses, I will become the Prime Minister of Malaysia as I am anti-Malay and anti-Islam and that the Malays will lose all their rights in the country.

There is one  fatal flaw in the UMNO/Barisan Nasional campaign of fear, hatred and lies because of one great inner contradiction of their  campaign – UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers accuse former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir of being my puppet and stooge, while MCA and Gerakan leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers say the opposite, that I have become Mahathir’s puppet and stooge.

UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and  cybertroopers should straighten out their propaganda campaign of fear, hatred and lies – whether Mahathir is my puppet and stooge or whether I have become Mahahir’s puppet and stooge. It is one or the other, as it cannot be both.

In actual fact, all these are lies and falsehoods – that Mahathir is my puppet and stooge, or that I have become Mahathir’s puppet and stooge.

It is also a downright lie that I am anti-Malay and anti-Islam, or that DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng went to jail and lost his parliamentary membership to defend the rights and dignity of an underaged Malay girl. Has any UMNO/BN leader gone to jail to defend the rights of the ordinary people, even of his own race, not to mention for the human rights and dignity of a member of another race or religion?

Najib has a lot to learn from the ordinary people of Donggongon from the Chap Goh Meh celebration tonight, where we see a lion dance being performed not only by Chinese but also Kadazan lion troupe members.

In fact, tonight’s Chap Goh Meh celebrations by Sabah DAP Wanita is most meaningful, for it is the first Chap Goh Meh event I have attended which is celebrated not only by the Chinese community, but by Kadazandusun community as well.

I have always believed that Malaysia’s diverse races, languages, cultures and religions are actually the greatest strength and heritage of the nation – and that only those who accept the role and place of the  different races, languages, cultures and religions  in the country qualify to be  Malaysian patriots.

In other words, anybody who is anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan or anti-Dayak do not qualify to be a Malaysian patriot – and this applies to anyone who is anti-Islam, anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist or anti-Hindu.

Malaysia should develop towards a stage where all Malaysians, regardless  of religion or culture, celebrate the great festivities of all races and religions in the country as part of their festivities – whether Chinese New Year, Chap Goh Meh, Hari Raya holidays, Christmas, Thaipusam, Deepavali, Hari Kaamatan, Hari Gawai because these festivities have become Malaysian festivities regardless of race, religion or culture.

It would be  completely unthinkable for me to be anti-Malay or anti-Islam for it would go against all that I believe  what a model Malaysian must be.

It is for this reason that  in the  51 years of my political life I have never accused anyone  of being anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan, anti-Dayak or anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist or anti-Hindu.

UMNO/BN propagandists have been accusing the DAP-led Penang State Government of being anti-Malay and anti-Muslim, but  they hide the fact that in the 13th General Elections in 2013, more Malay and Muslim voters in Penang support the DAP-led state government with UMNO losing support of more Malay voters, with 11 UMNO state assembly seats reduced to 10. In the 14th General Elections, UMNO’s present 10 UMNO state assembly seats will be further reduced.

This is because UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers could spread the lies and falsehoods outside Penang that the DAP-led Penang state government is anti-Malay and anti-Islam, but the Malay and Muslims voters in Penang know the truth –  that the DAP-led Penang State Government had done more for Malays and Islam in Penangn than previous UMNO/BN administrations since winning state power in the 2008 general election.

I call on Najib to learn from the good and ordinary people of Donggongon – where Chap Goh Meh is celebrated by Malaysians regardless of race, religion or culture; where we strive to become model Malaysians who is not anti any race, religion or culture; and where we avoid telling lies about others.

I have said I have never thought of becoming Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Pakatan’s “de facto leader”.  I and DAP had never “called the shots” in Pakatan Harapan.

All Malaysians must do their part to make Malaysia a better country for our children and children’s children.

This is why we must feel very ashamed and humiliated that Malaysia has gained the infamy of “global kleptocracy”.

I would advise Najib to lead the country to restore Malaysia’s international reputation as a country of great  culures and religions which teach our citizens and government to be clean, honest and morally upright and  not to  become a “global kleptocracy”.

This is the lesson of the Chap Goh Meh celebrations in Donggongon for Najib tonight.

(Speech at the Chap Goh Meh celebrations organised by Sabah DAP Wanita in Donggongon, Sabah on Saturday, 11th February 2017 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 12 February 2017, 7:21 am and is filed under
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Has Ismail Sabri nothing to say when I charged him of making ten lies in a short five-paragraph statement attacking me?

Has the Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, nothing to say when I charged him of making ten lies in a short five-paragraph statement attacking me?

In response to his statement, which deserves to go into the “Guinness Book of Records” for telling ten lies in five paragraphs, I challenged him to appear in a joint media conference for me to point out the 10 lies in his five-paragraph statement.

But Ismail Sabri has kept a thunderous silence.

I will not let this matter rest and will pursue Ismail Sabri even in Parliament for his “ten lies in five paragraphs”, as he must accept responsibility for his statement although I do not think Ismail had written the statement – but he allowed his name to be used.

Is Ismail Sabri going to apologise for these 10 lies in five paragraphs?

Najib’s tweet on Saturday and Ismail Sabri’s statement had  confirmed my view  that heavy artillery are being brought out by the UMNO’s propaganda machinery to demonise me and the DAP in the run-up to the 14th General Election.

But even more noteworthy, they are also an admission of the failure of their earlier campaign to spread the triple politics of fear, hatred and lies about me, whether through the UMNO/BN owned and/or  controlled mainstream media, especially TV 3, New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, with a number of  their  propaganda digits (including Ministers) rendered impotent in self-destroying their own credibility by making the stupidest of statements.

There is however one fatal flaw in the UMNO/Barisan Nasional campaign of fear, hatred and lies against me –  one fatal inner contradiction of their campaign.

UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers accuse former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir of being my puppet and stooge, while MCA and Gerakan leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers say the opposite, that I have become Mahathir’s puppet and stooge.

I have advised UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers to straighten out their propaganda campaign of fear, hatred and lies – whether Mahathir is my puppet and stooge or whether I have become Mahahir’s puppet and stooge.

Both cannot be true. Its one or the other, or both are falsehoods.

Ismail Sabri’s infamous statement of ten lies in five paragraphs was given prominent coverage by The Star.  But The Star “blacked out” my reply.

I am asking my lawyers to look into the matter, with regard to both Ismail Sabri and The Star.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 13 February 2017, 4:28 pm and is filed under
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Is UMNO such a hegemon in BN that it could disregard MCA, Gerakan, MIC and Sabah/Sarawak BN component parties as  to unilaterally  support and take over Hadi’s private member’s bill in Parliament next month?

Constitutional expert Prof Datuk Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi yesterday told a forum in Kuala Lumpur that PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill is about enhancing punishments for crimes that are clearly outside the legal jurisdiction of the states and therefore unconstitutional.

Furthermore, Hadi’s private member’s bill could create inequality between Muslim and non-Muslim criminals, which would violate the equality provision of Article 8 of the Constitution.

Perlis mufti Datuk Dr Asri Zainul Abidin expressed disappointment that the issue could not be properly debated as Muslims would be accused of being anti-Islam when they try to discuss the matter.

He said: “It is as if those who criticise Act 355 is not Muslim and are against Islam,” he added.

Asri made a most valid point, which was why the civil group G25 issued a statement last week upholding the right of Malaysians to comment on the scope of Islamic law in the country as part of the democratic process.

This is because those who oppose Hadi’s private member’s bill are being accused of being anti-Islam.

What is not generally known is that the former PAS Mursidul Am and former Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk  Nik Aziz Nik Mat was  very critical of Act 355 in his speech in Parliament  in October 1984.

But there is also the political point.

Is UMNO such a hegemon in the Barisan Nasional  that it could disregard MCA, Gerakan, MIC and Sabah/Sarawak BN component parties as to unilaterally  support and take over Hadi’s private member’s bill in Parliament next month?

This is a question which must not only be answered by the UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but also by the leaders of all the other Barisan Nasional component parties.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 13 February 2017, 12:17 pm and is filed under
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Apology to people of Malacca for the defection of one Member of Parliament and three State Assemblymen in Malacca

Firstly, I want to apologise to the people of Malacca for the defection of one Member of Parliament and three State Assemblymen in Malacca.

I started my parliamentary life in Malacca, where I contested and won the then Bandar Melaka parliamentary constituency in 1969.

I have served three terms as Member of Parliament for the seat of Bandar Melaka, later re-named Kota Melaka, in 1969, 1974 and 1982.

Although I have left Malacca for 31 years, Malacca is always a special place in my 51 years of political struggle to help create a more just, equal, democratic, prosperous and united Malaysia.

I was detained under the Internal Security Act a week after I was elected Member of Parliament of Bandar Melaka in 1969.

Although I have recently been accused by UMNO propagandists and cybertroopers of causing the May 13, 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur, my ISA detention in 1969. where I was detained for 17 months, had nothing to do with the May 13 riots – as the charges of my detention made no reference whatsoever to the May 13 riots.

During the Special Branch interrogation in my first 60 days of police custody at the Kuala Selangor Police Station lock-up, I was never questioned about the May 13 riots, for the police knew that I had nothing to do with it.

In fact, I was in Kota Kinabalu when the May 13 riots took place in Kuala Lumpur on May 13, 1969.

After the 1969 General Elections on May 10, 1969. I was never in Kuala Lumpur. The results of the 1969 General Elections were only known in the early hours of Sunday. May 11, 1969 after the mountain of votes from the various polling centres were brought to the Counting Centre and counted.

I went back to my family in Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya later in the day of May 11 to recover from a very hectic and long 51-day campaign period, which took me all over the country and I had at least 10 public rallies in Malacca town.

Going through archives, one of the issues in my first parliamentary contest was a three-point plan which I unveiled in a public rally at Bachang Chew Loy to save Malacca from the fate of a “dead city”, by developing the port of Malacca, establish an industrial estate and develop the rich tourist potention of Malacca with all its historic sites and memories.

I was probably the only elected MP in 1969 who had a “thank-the-voters” procession and a “thank you” public rally, which were hurriedly held on Monday, May 12, 1969, as on Tuesday, May 13, 1969, I was booked on a early morning flight to Kota Kinabalu to help in the election campaign for independent parliamentary candidates, as Sabah and Sarawak general elections of 1969 were staggered two weeks after the elections in Peninsular Malaysia.

I was speaking at a public rally in Kota Kinabalu on the evening of May 13, 1969 when someone whispered to me that riots had broken out in Kuala Lumpur.

The next day, May 14, 1969, the Sabah immigration authorities visited me at my hotel and served an expulsion order from Sabah, nothing to do with the May 13 riots in Kuala Lumpur, but because of my public rally speech in Kota Kinabalu as I had not spared the then Sabah Chief Minister, Tun Mustapha for his abuses of power and profligate ways.

Although I deliberately missed the flight out of Kota Kinabalu that day, I had probably saved my life as the supporters of Tun Mustapha were so incensed with my criticisms of Mustapha at the public rally that they went to the airport to “finish” me off.

I left Kota Kinabalu on May 15, 1969 but as Subang airport was closed down because of the curfew in Kuala Lumpur, I dropped off in Singapore for the next three days.

I was advised by DAP leaders and my family not to return, as I was on the “wanted list” for ISA arrest.

But staying abroad to avoid ISA arrest was never an option for me. I had just been elected MP for Bandar Melaka, and when the people are in trouble, it is not the role of a leader to abscond overseas.

I flew back from Singapore on May 18, 1969, and sure enough, the Special Branch were waiting for me and I started my first detention under the ISA – spending my first 60 days under the ISA in Kuala Selangor and the rest of the term in the Muar Detention Centre.

I was unconditionally released on Oct. 1, 1970, as part of the process to end the suspension of Parliament, which took place after the May 13 riots and the declaration of Emergency.

My years as MP for Bandar and later Kota Melaka were exciting times, not only about the expose of mass infant deaths at the Malacca Hospital because of negligence, but the campaign to Save Bukit China to preserve the historic site in Malacca.

I have always been guided by one principle in my 51 years in politics – to serve all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or socio-economic background.

I have always believe that Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious diversity is Malaysia’s greatest asset although there are people who wrongly regard this factor as one of the national ills in the country.

Malaysia can only build a great future and great Malaysian civilization if all races, religions, languages and cultures fully participate and contribute to the Malaysian vision.

In this sense, no one can claim to be a truly Malaysian if he is anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan, anti-Dayak or anti-Muslim, anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist, anti-Hindu or anti-Sikh.

While a Malaysian is a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Dayak, no one can claim o be a Malaysian if he is anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan, anti-Dayak or anti-Muslim, anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist, anti-Hindu or anti-Sikh.

In my 51 years in Malaysian politics, I have never called anyone anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan or anti-Dayak, or anti-Muslim, anti-Buddhist, anti-Christian, anti-Hindu or anti-Sikh as I will in fact be challenging his or her very core existence as a Malaysian!

Malaysia needs a new political culture of honest, moral and ethical politics in Malaysia, involving three Noes – No politics of fear, no politics of hate and no politics of lies.

In our 51 years of political struggle, DAP had never been anti-Malay or anti-Islam.

This is why we have Malay and Muslim Members of Parliament, both in Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, and State Assemblymen, as well as the unprecedented example of Lim Guan Eng crossing the racial and religious divide to defend the honour of an underaged Malay and Muslim girl, going to jail in Kajang Prisons, forfeiting his position as Member of Parliament and disenfranchised from standing for elections for five years from his release from prison.

Has any UMNO leader sacrificed his political career for the honour and dignity of a Malay or Muslim, let alone crossing the racial and religious divide to defend the rights and honour of a non-Malay or non-Muslim citizen?

I am making this re-statement of my political creed and beliefs over the defection of one DAP MP and three State Assemblymen in Malacca.

I call on the people of Malacca to continue their support of the DAP struggle for a just, equal, democratic, prosperous and united Malaysia, and in particular, to save Malaysia from becoming a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state.

Media Conference Statement in Malacca on Tuesday, 14th February 2017 at 11.30 am

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 14 February 2017, 11:48 am and is filed under
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Both Malays and non-Malays must realise that Malaysia can only be saved from becoming a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state if they are prepared to make this issue the foremost political agenda in the 14GE

There are  those who say that Lim Kit Siang has betrayed the objectives and principles of the DAP for co-operating with Tun Mahathir to save Malaysia from a global kleptocracy and a failed and a rogue state, but they have not been able to give an iota of reason to substantiate their allegations.

Recently, this was given as one of the reasons for the defection of one DAP MP and three State Assemblymen in Malacca.

Their tune and song are no different from what UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers have been attacking the DAP.

For instance, the UMNO Minister for Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri issued three days ago attacking me. It was a short five-paragraph statement but should go into the “Guinness Book of Records” for it told more than ten lies in five paragraphs.

I had challenged Ismail Sabri to a joint media conference  for me to expose his  more than 10 lies in five paragraphs, but he has not dared to respond for the past three days.

Let me deal with his 10 lies in the first two paragraphh of his five-paragraph statement.

1. “Lim Kit Siang seems totally relying on Mahathir to rescue his son Lim Guan Eng from going to jail.”

2. “…Kit Siang is now desperate to stop his son and heir in the Lim family dynasty – also known as DAP – going back to prison.”

3. “Lim is making a huge embarrassing U-Turn of his own”.

4. “Now he conveniently forgets what he said and wrote before.”

5. “He defends Mahathir on the BMF scandal and Bank Negara Forex losses so that Guan Eng escapes jail.”

6. “Also, Kit Siang hopes to be deputy prime minister while Mukhriz becomes Prime Minister if the DAP-Opposition wins power.”

If Ismail Sabri has proof of these ten allegations, and they are not just baseless lies, he would have welcomed with open arms a joint media conference to publicly embarrass me no end. Why is he  keeping silent?

Let me make the following statements to rebut his ten lies that  I am exposing tonight.

Firstly, his statement ““Lim Kit Siang seems totally relying on Mahathir to rescue his son Lim Guan Eng from going to jail.” Let me declare that in the past year that I had met and discussed current national issues with Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad starting  with the Citizen’s Declaration in March last year, I had never discussed Guan Eng’s corruption case with Mahathir, let alone asking the former Prime Minister  to intervene to “rescue” Guan Eng from going to jail.

What power has Mahathir to “intervene” to “rescue” Guan Eng, when Mahathir himself may be the first  former Prime Minister to be charged in court one day!

Secondly, his statement  “…Kit Siang is now desperate to stop his son and heir in the Lim family dynasty – also known as DAP – going back to prison”.

If there is any political leader in Malaysia who is “desperate”, he is none other than the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has led Malaysia to become a “global kleptocracy”.

Although Najib refuses to acknowledge the existence of the 1MDB global kleptocratic money-laundering scandal, the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal refuses to go away as for some two years, the 1MDB scandal continues to make international headlines.

Malaysians have not forgotten the Teoh Beng Hock scandal, where the life of a young idealistic Malaysian was snuffed out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in an attempt to falsely implicate the DAP in a alleged corruption case.

In an attempt to cover up the 1MDB kleptocratic scandal, efforts are being made to create another victim with another false  corruption allegation against a DAP leader.

I do not feel “desperate” but very sad that Malaysia has regressed so badly, becoming a global kleptocracy and heading towards a failed and rogue state when we should be one of the top nations in the world.  I am more resolute to mobilise Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, to Save Malaysia from a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state.

Thirdly, his statement “Lim is making a huge embarrassing U-Turn of his own”.

This is also the reason repeated to justify the defection of one DAP MP and three State Assemblymen in Malacca.  If this allegation is true, Ismail Sabri should have no qualms in a joint media conference to publicly expose him. I invite all who make this baseless allegation to cite an instance where I had made an “embarrassing U-Turn”.

Fourthly and Fifthly, his statement “Now he conveniently forgets what he said and wrote before.” There are two lies here – that I “conveniently forgets” what I  (I) said and (ii) wrote. Just cite one instance to substantiate this garbage of an allegation – and this applies to Ismail Sabri as well as the four elected representatives who had betrayed the DAP and the voters of Malaysia.

Sixthly to Ninthly, his statement “He defends Mahathir on the BMF scandal and Bank Negara Forex losses so that Guan Eng escapes jail.” There are four lies here. I have never defended Mahathir whether on the BMF scandal or the Bank Negara Forex losses, and neither of these two cases have anything to do with “Guan Eng escapes jail”.

Tenthly, his statement  “Also, Kit Siang hopes to be deputy prime minister while Mukhriz becomes Prime Minister if the DAP-Opposition wins power.”

There had been an accusation that there had been a Lim Kit Siang-Mahathir secret meeting on Dec. 3 to seal a deal that Mukhriz Mahathir would become Prime Minister and I would become Deputy Prime Minister.

There was not only no such Dec. 3 meeting between Mahathir and myself, I can declare that in my meetings and discussions with Mahathir, we had never touched on  who should be Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister.

But let us go back a bit into history.

When US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin co-operated during the Second World War to halt  Hitler’s Nazi German aggression, were Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin betraying their nation?

When Mao Tse Tung and Chiang Kai Shek combined against Japanese imperialist invasion of China, was Mao and Chiang individually betraying their party’s objectives and principles?

Only those who are blind to history or mentally incapacitated will make any  such allegations!

Some people have asked how I could extend an olive branch of peace to invite PAS President, Datuk Seri Ahmad Hadi Awang to a movement to Save Malaysia from global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state.

It would appear that to some of these people, they do not have too strong an objection to the invitation to the UMNO President and leaders of Barisan Nasional parties.

Firstly, the term “olive branch of peace” was never used by me. It was used by the media.

Yes, there are people who said that my personal proposal was an “olive branch of peace”. But  there are also other people who said that the proposal was a “poisoned chalice”, meant to expose and isolate Hadi as a Malaysian political leader who is prepared to support a global kleptocrat as a Malaysian  national leader because  this does not matter so long as the leader is an Islamic leader.

I never said my personal proposal to “Save Malaysia from global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state” was an olive branch of peace or a “poisoned chalice”, but it has the effect to put every political leader to the test whether he or she is prepared to put aside our differences for a national purpose – and what could be more noble and higher in purpose than to Save Malaysia from a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state.

Malaysians, whether  Malays and non-Malays,  must realise that Malaysia can only be saved from becoming a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state if they are prepared to make this issue the foremost political agenda in the 14 General Election.

In the last few days, Mahathir’s speech in Alor Setar on Saturday had been making the rounds in the country.

Mahathir Mohamad conceded that he had in the past contributed to DAP’s poor reputation among Malay voters.

He added that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was also continuing with the demonisation of DAP.

He said: “They are afraid to vote (for DAP because) if DAP wins, (they think) Lim Kit Siang will become prime minister.

“Therefore the Malays fear DAP. To some extent, I contributed to DAP’s poor reputation.

“I portrayed DAP as an evil party that wanted to control Malaysia and did not care about the fate of the Malays.”

However, Mahathir indicated that he had done so as a political strategy.

“Of course, if you want to win… you have to demonise the opponent.

“They too demonised me… They called me Mahafiraun (great pharaoh) and mahazalim (great despot), they accused me of all kinds of things,” he said.

The DAP and I have been demonised in the past five decades as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, when there was no basis whatsoever. Lim Guan Eng went to jail for an underaged Malay and Muslim girl to protect her rights and dignity, and lost his MPship and was disenfranchised for five years when released from Kajang Prison, unable to contest in any elective office or even to cast his vote. Did any UMNO or  BN party leader go to jail to sacrifice his political future, whether as MP or Assembly representative?

In my 51 years in politics, I have never called any political opponent anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Malay, anti-Kadazan, anti-Iban or anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist, anti-Hindu or anti-Islam.

We must Save Malaysia by starting a new political culture – no politics of fear, no politics of hatred and no politics of lies.

Mahathir is trying to undo his demonisation of DAP and I are anti-Malay and anti-Islam. Let all Malaysians rise above race, religion or region and have a Malaysian vision, because no single race or religion can save Malaysia.

Finally, let me state that I had never called Mahathir “Mahafiraun” or “Mahazalim”.

(Speech to DAP State and branch leaders and members  at DAP Malacca premises on Tuesday. 12th February 2017 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, 6:45 am and is filed under
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Most ambitious “Black Ops” to destroy DAP in four decades, involving Ministers and the Prime Minister himself

We are seeing the most ambitious “black ops” operation by the UMNO/BN leaders and propagandists to destroy the DAP in four decades, employing the triple politics of fear, hate and lies, involving Ministers and even the Prime Minister himself.

When the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted last Wednesday,
“Lim Kit Siang is Pakatan’s de facto leader. DAP should stop trying to hide it. Voters know DAP has the most opposition seats and Lim Kit Siang calls the shots”,
 it was all part of the “Black Ops” campaign to create panic and fear among the Malays, seeking to make them believe that if UMNO loses, I will become the Prime Minister of Malaysia and that  I am anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

When the UMNO Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, issued the infamous five-paragraph statement with more than ten lies to attack me, it was again part of the “Black Ops” campaign to destroy the image of DAP.

Yesterday in Malacca, I pointed out the ten lies in the first two paragraphs of  Ismail Sabri’s five-paragraph statement. There are at least another five lies in his remaining three paragraphs. No wonder, Ismail Sabri dared not accept my invitation to a joint media conference with me to expose his lies.

In the past week, the UMNO/BN mainstream media  had fully participated in  the UMNO/BN “Black Ops” campaign against the DAP, for instance a news headline today
“2 MORE DAP LEADERS TO QUIT” a
nd another headline
“MCA: Kit Siang and Guan Eng should quit for helping PAS”
, fully exploiting the untenable reasons given for the defection of one DAP MP and three Assemblymen in Malacca.

The masterminds of the “Black Ops” is trying to orchestrate an implosion of DAP, hoping to get more DAP leaders, members and  branches to quit the party.

These politics of fear, hatred and lies against the DAP will not succeed in destroying the DAP. As is very clear during my visit to various parts of Malacca yesterday, the people are disappointed at the defection of one MP and three Assemblymen in Malacca, but their support for the DAP remains as strong as ever as they know that the DAP had not betrayed  the party’s founding principles and objectives for an united, just, equal, democratic, prosperous and progressive Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, 5:31 pm and is filed under
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Zahid should explain why security at KLIA is so lax that it could become playground for foreign agents to assassinate half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi should explain why security at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is so lax that it could become playground for foreign agents to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un’s half brother, Kim Jong Nam, 46.

As far as bad news for Malaysia on the world stage, the phrase “it never rains but it pours” is most apt.

Today, a Swiss newspaper gave  a two-page spread to what it described as “Biggest Misappropriation of Funds in History”, referring to the international multi-billion 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal, in a coverage under the headline “LA FACE SUISE D’UN SCANDAL” which is google-translated as  “THE SWISS FACE OF A SCANDAL” with photographs of the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the company of Justo, Sturzengger and Di Caprio, with Najib described as “L’INSTIGATUR” (“THE INSTIGATOR”).

But all over the world, the headline news today is about the police manhunt in Malaysia after the half-brother of the North Korean leader was assassinated at the KLIA on Monday after  being attacked with a chemical spray or needle.

Unnamed South Korean government officials had stated that two female North Korean agents stabbed Kim Jong-nam with a “poisoned needle”.

Bloomberg has quoted  Lee Cheol-woo, chairman of the intelligence committee in South Korea’s Parliament, as saying after briefing by South Korean intelligence officers that that two Asian women suspected in the murder of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s half-brother are believed to be still in the country in Malaysia.

If South Korean intelligence officers can brief South Korean legislators, why can’t Malaysia’s intelligence officers brief Malaysian parliamentarians on an issue which is extremely embarrassing for Malaysia?

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, 4:16 pm and is filed under
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All Cabinet Ministers guilty of colossal negligence and irresponsibility of the first degree when they could set up a special task force (STF) to conduct a probe into Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago but dare not breathe a word on the monstrous  1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal

ll Cabinet Ministers are guilty of colossal negligence and irresponsibility of the first degree when they could set up a special task force (STF) to conduct a probe into Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago but dare not breathe a word on the monstrous 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering  scandal.

Only yesterday, a Swiss newspaper gave  a two-page spread to what it described as “Biggest Misappropriation of Funds in History”, referring to the international multi-billion 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal, in a coverage under the headline “LA FACE SUISE D’UN SCANDAL” which is google-translated as  “THE SWISS FACE OF A SCANDAL” with photographs of the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the company of Justo, Sturzengger and Di Caprio, with Najib described as “L’INSTIGATUR” (“THE INSTIGATOR”).

But all the Ministers of the   Najib Cabinet yesterday preferred to play the role of traditional three monkeys, with eyes that see not, with ears that hear not, with mouths that speak not what the whole world and Malaysians can see, hear and speak – to the extent that Malaysia is regarded worldwide as a new and instant “global kleptocracy” under the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

After the Cabinet meeting last week, UMNO Youth Chief and Minister for Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin said that the Cabinet will decide this week whether there should be an official inquiry into the Bank Negara forex losses in the early 1990s.

I asked Khairy to speak for all the youths in Malaysia, that they do not want Malaysia to be known worldwide as a global kleptocracy as a result of the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal, and that while investigations can be launched into the scandals of the past, whether BMF or Bank Negara forex losses, there must be full accountability for the greatest Malaysian financial scandal which is even regarded as a world-class financial scandal – the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal!

Did Khairy speak up for the aspirations of all Malaysian youths in the Cabinet yesterday, to demand that there should not only be a Special Task Force on the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago, but into the 1MDB scandal which is continuing to make world headlines all over the world almost every other day?

Let Malaysians demand full accountability from all the Ministers from today onwards, wherever the Ministers appear, why they agree to the establishment of a Special Task Force on the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago but acted like the three traditional three monkeys on the 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal?

Undoubtedly, the Cabinet meeting yesterday was the lowest point ever plummeted by any Malaysian Cabinet in the nation’s 60-year history, when it set up a Special Task Force into  the Bank Negara forex losses scandal more than two decades ago while completely indifferent and uninterested in the 1MDB scandal which is making world headlines and news almost every other day and making Malaysians ashamed to admit they are Malaysians when they are abroad.

Just in having such a colossal blind-spot, all Ministers are not fit to be in the Cabinet, for they seem more interested in exacting vendetta and personal vengeance instead of protecting the rights, interests and good name of Malaysia.

(Media Conference Statement in Klang on Thursday, 16th February 2017 at 11 am)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 16 February 2017, 8:52 am and is filed under
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Home Minister Zahid should propose the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) in March Parliament to end  criminal police custodial deaths as the EAIC is just a toothless creature

Together with the DAP for Klang, Charles Santiago, I visited Natthanan Yoochomsook, the widow of the latest police custodial death, S. Balamurugan, 44 and his 14-year-old daughter Yanika Balamurugan at their house at Solok Bukit Mertajam off Jalan Kapar in Klang.

As Charles said, quoting Suhakam, Balamurugan is the 243rd death in police custody since 2000.

This is most shocking and outrageous, as 12 years ago, a Royal Commission was established to end criminal police custodial deaths and to create in the police force a culture of zero tolerance for criminal police custodial deaths.

But the situation has not improved and may have even worsened when compared to more than 12 years ago.

What has happened?

Why are we regressing instead of improving in good governance, accountability and transparency in all aspects of our public institutions?

Balamurugam’s death in police custody, and the latest case of official impunity for breach of the  rule of law and the  utter disregard for the sanctity of human life in the case of Penang prison inmate Chandran Muniandy, who nearly met death from his treatment in prison, must be the final cases of a broken-down criminal and penal system.

The Police system is undergoing a critical test whether it could ensure justice in the criminal police custodial death of Balamurugan and ensure that there will be no other criminal police custodial deaths in the country – or whether only a change of government in the 14th General Election is the only way and guarantee to effect such a change.

The Home Minister and the Inspector-General of Police should re-read the
“Report of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police”
, set up in the early months of the premiership of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in particular, Section 2.10 of chapter 10 of the Police Royal  Commission Report on
“Recommendation Ten: Conduct Inquiries into all cases of custodial deaths and make the process more expeditious, transparent and accountable”
.

The Royal Commission found that “current provisions for inquiry into deaths in police custody in the CPC are not sufficiently rigorous and do not provide for a transparent and accountable process”.

It said: “The number of deaths in custody, amounting to 80 deaths in the period 2000-2004, is a serious cause for concern. Of even greater concern also is the fact that the inquests were only held for 6 of the 80 deaths, when s334  of the CPC makes it mandatory for the Magistrate to conduct an inquest.  Even if there were no foul play, the fact that the deaths occurred in police custody, sometimes in circumstances that give legitimate cause for suspicion, makes it imperative that inquests are held expeditiously and in a transparent and accountable manner in each and every case. Post mortems that establish the cause of death are not sufficient. What is necessary also is the manner in which death occurred.”

The Royal Commission also proposed the establishment of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission” (IPCMC) to investigate into complaints about police wrongdoings, reduce police misconduct and  corruption and restore public confidence in the police.

The Police objected to the IPCMC and only the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) was formed, which had proved to be a poor substitute, as the EAIC had not gained confidence whether by the police or the Malaysian public.

The recent outrageous cases of Balamurugan and Chandran have brought back to the fore the need for implementation of the IPCMC proposal of the Police Royal Commission – and this should be the first task of the Home Minister in the March meeting of Parliament.

Zahid should propose the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) in March Parliament to end  criminal police custodial deaths as the EAIC is just a toothless creature.

I propose to meet the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, the Inspector-general of Police Tan Sri Abu Bakar Khalid, Suhakam and EAIC this month on the completely unacceptable state of police custodial deaths in the country.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 16 February 2017, 5:05 pm and is filed under
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I am prepared to serve on public probe into government financial scandals, provided its terms of reference includes 1MDB and BMF scandals

I arrived in Gelang Patah from Kuala Lumpur and my attention has been drawn to the statement by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azlalina Othman Said, who said that I should assist the special task force set up to probe the foreign exchange losses incurred by Bank Negara more than two decades ago.

Azalina said I should be the first man to support the task force.

She said:

“This is because he was so vocal in the 1990s in the Dewan Rakyat by bringing up various motions to propose the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the losses.

“Thus, this is the best opportunity for him to prove he had basis to bring up the motions in 1993 and 1994. He should assist the task force by reviewing thoroughly all the relevant facts. Or, was he just confusing the House at the time?”

Azalina is doing the Cabinet no service in coming out with such a puerile and laughable statement. The very fact that the Cabinet is forming a special task force into the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago vindicates what I said in Parliament in the early nineties.

Otherwise, why is the Cabinet forming a special task force on the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago? On a wild goose’s chase?

However, there is a new dimension after the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago.

I would advise Azalina to study my statements that all the Barisan Nasional Ministers are guilty of colossal negligence and irresponsibility of the first degree when at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, they could set up a special task force (STF) to conduct a probe into Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago but dare not breathe a word on the monstrous 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal.

Actually, the Cabinet Ministers have done worse.

They have shown that they lack Malaysian patriotism, that they could be indifferent and unmoved by Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.

Azalina has nothing to be proud for being a poor specimen of Malaysian patriotism.

Which Malaysian who loves Malaysia and is patriotic can be indifferent to the country’s shame, infamy and ignominy of being regarded as a global kleptocracy – when even ordinary Malaysians fight shy of admitting that they are Malaysians when abroad for they will be confronted with a load of questions about Malaysia being a global kleptocracy!

I call on all Barisan Nasional Ministers to resign as Ministers if they are not prepared to do anything to give top priority to clear or purge Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

Are there no other leaders in the 13 parties in Barisan Nasional who are patriotic enough to want to make the clearing or purging of Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy the top national agenda of the country?

If so, then it is a very sad day for Malaysia, when even the PAS President Datuk Hadi Awang has no problem with Malaysia being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy so long as Muslims are the leaders in the country – ignoring the fact that even if UMNO is ousted from Putrajaya in the next general elections by Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu, it is a Malay and Muslim who will be Prime Minister and not a non-Malay or a non-Muslim.

Although the leaders of the Barisan Nasional parties and even PAS can accept Malaysia as a global kleptocracy, I do not believe that the ordinary members of UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, the Sabah and Sarawak Barisan Nasional component parties, or even PAS, can accept Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy of being a global kleptocracy.

If there is a national referendum as to whether the objective of clearing or purging Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy should be the top  national priority, I have no doubt that the ordinary members of UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, Sabah and Sarawak BN parties, as well as of PAS, will stand on a united front with the members of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu to want to clear or purge Malaysia of the ignominy and infamy of a global kleptocracy as they are all Malaysian patriots.

If the top leaders of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional parties, as well as PAS, are not prepared to be patriots and to be proud of Malaysia as a model of integrity, tolerance and moderation where different races, religions, languages and cultures could co-exist in peace and understanding, I believe the ordinary members of UMNO, Barisan Nasional parties, PAS can agree with the ordinary members of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu that as Malaysian patriots, we want a clean, incorruptible, moral and good government!

Last week, the Minister for Multimedia and Communications, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak said the Bumiputera Finance Malaysia (BMF) scandal during Mahathir’s administration was worse in terms of national exposure than the 1MDB scandal, making the ludicrous claim that the government’s exposure through 1MDB involved only the paid-up capital of only RM1 million.

If Salleh is right, then why didn’t Cabinet also set up a special task force on the  BMF scandal?

The Cabinet should initiate official inquiries into both the BMF scandal and the Bank Negara forex losses, but even more important and urgent, is official probe and accountability into the 1MDB scandal, which is the worst financial scandal in the nation’s history.

Let me reply diretly to Azalina’s statement today: I am prepared to serve on a public probe into government scandals on BMF and Bank Negara forex losses, but the terms of reference must give priority to the 1MDB scandal which has been haunting and hounding Malaysians in the past two years and appears set to do so in the years to come under the rubric of Malaysia as a “global kleptocracy”.

Is Azalina prepared to table at next meeting of Cabinet next Wednesday two proposals – firstly, inclusion of 1MDB scandal in the terms of reference of the public probe; and secondly, appointing me as a member of the public probe?

The ball is in the court of Azalina and Najib’s Cabinet.

(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Friday, 17th February 2017)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 17 February 2017, 5:23 pm and is filed under
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Ministers have shown that they lack Malaysian patriotism as they are indifferent and unmoved by Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy as a result of 1MDB international money-laundering scandal

All Barisan Nasional Ministers are  not only guilty of colossal negligence and irresponsibility of the first degree when at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, they could set up a special task force (STF) to conduct a probe into Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago but dare not breathe a word on the monstrous 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering  scandal, they have done worse.

They have shown that they lack Malaysian patriotism, that they could be indifferent and unmoved  by Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.

At the last Parliamentary meeting, I had explained  that kleptocracy is a government of 3Ps – Pencuri, Perompak and Penyamun.

Which Malaysian who loves Malaysia and is patriotic can be indifferent to the country’s shame, infamy and ignominy of being regarded as a global kleptocracy – when even ordinary Malaysians fight shy of admitting that they are Malaysians when abroad for they will be confronted with a load of questions about Malaysia being a global kleptocracy!

I call on all Barisan Nasional Ministers to resign as Ministers if they are not prepared to do anything to give top priority to clear or purge Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

Are there no other leaders in the 13 parties in Barisan Nasional who are patriotic enough to want to make the clearing or purging of Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy the top national agenda of the country?

If so, then it is a very sad day for Malaysia, when even the PAS President Datuk Hadi Awang has no problem with Malaysia being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy so long as Muslims are the leaders in the country – ignoring the fact that even if UMNO is ousted from Putrajaya in the next general elections by Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu, it is a Malay and Muslim who will be Prime Minister and not a non-Malay or a non-Muslim.

Although the leaders of the Barisan Nasional parties and even PAS can accept Malaysia as a global kleptocracy, I do not believe that the ordinary members of UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, the Sabah and Sarawak Barisan Nasional component parties, or even PAS, can accept Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy of being a global kleptocracy.

If there is a national referendum as to whether the objective of clearing or purging Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy should be the top  national priority, I  have no doubt that the ordinary members of UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, Sabah and Sarawak BN parties, as well as of PAS, will stand on a united front with the members of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu to want to clear or purge Malaysia of the ignominy and infamy of a global kleptocracy as they are all Malaysian patriots.

If the top leaders of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional parties, as well as PAS, are not prepared to be patriots and to be proud of Malaysia as a model of integrity, tolerance and moderation where different races, religions, languages and cultures could co-exist in peace and understanding, I believe the ordinary members of UMNO, Barisan Nasional parties, PAS can agree with the ordinary members of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu that as Malaysian patriots, we want a clean, incorruptible, moral and good government!

Last week, the Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak said the Bumiputera Finance Malaysia (BMF) scandal during Mahathir’s administration was worse in terms of national exposure than the 1MDB scandal, making the ludicrous claim that the government’s exposure through 1MDB involved only the  paid-up capital of only RM1 million.

If Salleh is right, then why didn’t Cabinet also set up a special task force on the  BMF scandal?

The Cabinet should initiate official inquiries into both the BMF scandal and the Bank Negara forex losses, but even more important and urgent, is official probe and accountability into the 1MDB scandal, which is  the worst financial scandal in the nation’s history. Will Salleh propose an official inquiry into the BMF scandal or does he admit that his earlier comments about the BMF scandal was both superficial and irresponsible?

It has been said that a picture tells a thousand words.

Such a picture appeared in the local media today when the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak  attended the UEM Group anniversary dinner yesterday. Flanked on the left was the UEM Group chairman Tan  Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali and on his right was the Khazanah Nasional Bhd deputy chairman Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

UEM Group is wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Bhd, but the interest is not on UEM or Khazanah but on the Mohd Yakcop, the former Minister because he was the key player in the Bank Negara forex losses more than two decades ago.

Mohd Yakcop had been hiding important national secrets from the people of Malaysia for over two decades, and it  is time that he should tell the people the truth about the Bank Negara forex losses.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 17 February 2017, 12:04 pm and is filed under
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Just as the grit, commitment and stamina of DAP members for a just, democratic and progressive Malaysia had defeated four major “Black Ops” to destroy the DAP in past half a century, the most ambitious “Black Ops” campaign underway against DAP will also fail

In a month’s time on March 18, 2017 DAP will be celebrating our 51st anniversary since the registration of the party on 18th March 1966.

DAP is today solely because of the contributions, sacrifices and selflessness of veteran DAP leaders and members of the past half a century, and today we gather here to pay tribute to these DAP veterans in Johor, which has now been transformed from a political back-water state into a front-line state for the 14th General Elections, which will decide not only who will run Johor state government but also the Federal Government for the next five years after the 14th General Elections, which appears likely to be held this year.

The following tables showing the vote-share obtained by the various political parties from the 1969 to 2013 General Elections give an idea of how the Barisan Nasional, which had won as high as 77.3% of the total votes cast in the state in 1978 GE  and fallen to 53.9% in the 2013 GE, is now fighting a life-and-death struggle to retain power in the Johor State Government in the 14GE.

Johor Party Vote Share GE1969 to GE2013

click to enlarge

The greatest irony of the forthcoming General Election is that UMNO/Barisan Nasional are now praying and  hoping that PAS will be their saviour and help them to secure their  hold on Johor State and Federal power by co-operating with PAS.

UMNO/BN may get their wishes as  the PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has  declared that Malaysia being regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy” because of the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal is not as important as ensuring that a Muslim, Datuk Seri Najib Razak remains as Prime Minister.

This is why the UMNO/BN coalition  and Cabinet  have  sanctioned the PAS rally on RUU355 later today, as  by the principle of collective responsibility, no Cabinet Minister would be attending the PAS rally without such a sanction, whether explicitly or implicitly.

Even the most politically illiterate would not believe that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom would be attending the PAS rally on RUU355 in his personal capacity.

If Jamil Khir is attending in his personal and not Ministerial capacity, then ask him to announce his resignation from the Cabinet at the rally; and to return to the Cabinet when his attendance at the PAS rally  has the approval of all Barisan Nasional parties!

DAP’s contribution in the past half a century is second to none in the battle for democracy, justice, equality and for a united multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation in Malaysia.

In the past 50 years, many DAP leaders, members and supporters had paid a heavy price for their political beliefs, losing their personal liberties when detained without trial or prosecuted in the courts on politically trumped-up charges, or victimised in a large variety of ways.

In the past half a century, there had been at least four major “Black Ops” campaign to destroy the DAP by breaking and buying of DAP leaders, members and supporters.

The first major “Black Ops” campaign to destroy the DAP was after the DAP’s success in the 1969 general elections – the first GE contested by the DAP. In fact the UMNO/BN leaders and their controlled media were so confident about the “Black Ops” campaign that they publicly announced at the time in the early 70s that DAP “telah masuk kubur”.

I was detained under the Internal Security Act, the party’s secretary-general was pressured to resign from his post, Fan Yew Teng was charged with sedition and although we won 13 parliamentary seats and 31 State Assembly seats in the 1969 GE, DAP lost 4 of its 13 MPs and 11 of its 31 State Assemblymen (one became a MCA Minister and another a many-term MCA State Executive Councillor) from expulsions, defections and betrayals indicative of the success and severity of the first “Black Ops” campaign against the DAP.

In the second “Black Ops” campaign against the DAP from 1974-1978, Sdr. P. Patto and I were charged under the Official Secrets Act, Datuk Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit were detained under the ISA for four years and nine months  while the campaign to induce or intimidate DAP elected representatives to betray or defect from the party continued  apace although with lesser success.

The third “Black Ops” campaign against the DAP from 1978 – 1982  orchestrated the defection of two DAP MPs and several DAP Assemblymen, creating quite an upheaval in the party, where I was demonised as “anti-Chinese educated”.

The climax of the  the fourth “Black Ops” campaign from 1982 to 2000 was the mass ISA arrests under Operation Lalang in October 1987, where DAP national and state leaders fell victims in the dragnet, with seven DAP MPs formally detained in Kamunting Detention Centre – namely Karpal Singh, P. Patto, Tan Seng Giaw, Lau Dak Kee, V. David, Lim Guan Eng and myself.  Guan Eng and I were among the first DAP leaders to be arrested but we were both the last two to be released in April 1989.  After his ISA release, Guan Eng was subsequently jailed in Kajang Prisons and disqualified as an MP and disenfranchised of  his civil rights for five years after imprisonment for defending the rights, dignity and honour of a underaged Malay Muslim girl.

After a lapse of more than a decade, we now an a very ambitious and highly-funded  “Black Ops” using the triple politics of fear, politics of hate and politics of lies, to destroy the DAP.

After the murder of DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock who “fell” to his death at MACC headquarters in Selangor, DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is being  prosecuted for corruption.

Just as the grit, commitment and stamina of DAP members for a just, democratic and progressive Malaysia had defeated four major “Black Ops” to destroy the DAP in past half a century, the most ambitious “Black Ops” campaign underway against DAP will also fail.

Suspicions as to whether the  resignation of one DAP MP and three State Assemblymen  in Malacca were connected to this ambitious “Black Ops” to destroy the DAP were caused by two factors:

Firstly, their  ferocious attacks that DAP and I have deviated and betrayed the DAP’s founding principles and objectives.  If DAP and I have deviated or betrayed the DAP’s founding principles and objectives, then both DAP and I do not deserve support.  But my ground visit to Malacca last Tuesday to meet with the people in markets, shops and on the streets showed that they still support DAP although they regret the convulsions in the party.

Secondly, their apology for asking the voters in the 13 GE to support PAS candidates which was immediately used by MCA  and Gerakan leaders and propagandists to attack the DAP.  Was this planned or accidental?

I note that Sim Tong Hin had said in yesterday’s paper that it would appear that the DAP leadership would not welcome their return to DAP.

I have helped Sim twice,  the first time before the 1986 general election and the second time in the 2013 GE when he stood as an independent candidate for a state assembly seat although DAP had fielded him as a parliamentary candidate.

I am prepared to help him a third time if he want to re-apply to return to the DAP,  to personally take up his re-application to the DAP Central Executive Committee although I cannot guarantee what would be the outcome.

However, he would first have to withdraw and  apologise for his baseless allegations against the DAP and DAP leaders for having deviated or betrayed the DAP’s founding principles and objectives, as well as apologise and withdraw his apology  for asking the voters  to support PAS candidates in the 2013 GE, as the DAP stand in calling for voter support for all Pakatan Rakyat candidates in 2013 GE was right and proper as all PR parties had agreed to a Common Policy Framework which was violated the PAS leadership after the 13GE.

[
Speech at the DAP Johore State lunch in Yong Peng to pay tribute to veteran DAP members in the state on Saturday, 18th February 2017 at 12 noon
]

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 18 February 2017, 12:44 pm and is filed under
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My name is Mujahidin, I am a Muslim and I reject Hadi’s bill

Mujahidin Zulkiffli

Free Malaysia Today

February 19, 2017

“Maybe many will question why I reject Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposed amendments to Act 355. If I am a Muslim, aren’t I compelled to accept shariah law?”

COMMENT

I am a Muslim. I am far from a perfect Muslim but I believe in Allah.

Maybe many will question why I reject Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposed amendments to Act 355. If I am a Muslim, aren’t I compelled to accept shariah law?

My first response is that this is not Allah’s law. It is a man-made law. It does not state in the Quran and hadiths that punishments is paid in ringgit or any currency for that matter.

There is no summons or punishment prescribed in shariah, What is prescribed is compensation in place of Qisas (law of retaliation). So my question is where does the punishment of paying a fine come from?

From Allah? Or has Hadi become God?

In the Quran, Allah says: Allah will not burden his people with that which they have no ability to bear (Surah Albaqarah).

Who can afford to pay the RM100,000 fine which Hadi is seeking? Only the rich and if the proposed amendments are passed, where is the social justice should the fine be too heavy for the poor?

And if a judge has the discretion to heavily fine a rich person and give a poor man a lighter punishment, then isn’t this prejudice which goes against Allah’s commandment?

“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (An Nisa 135).

Only Allah is fit to judge a person. A prejudiced judge is a judge who isn’t accepted by Islam. Punishments which aren’t based on the Quran or hadiths should be abolished not misused.

Secondly, the punishment of 100 lashes of the cane is a hudud punishment. It is indeed found in the Quran but for zina (unlawful sexual relations). In carrying out this punishment, you need four Muslim male witnesses.

The witnesses have to be of good character, clever, fair and someone who is not fasiq or unreliable (by virtue of intentionally and constantly transgresses boundaries prescribed by Allah, and considered unreliable).

Let us look at khalwat (close proximity) raids.

Most of the raids are carried out by officers who don’t appear to be of good character (a lack of manners means not of good character, right?), and they don’t appear to be clever or else they would be doctors, engineers or lawyers, right?

Ok, maybe they are clever because the requirement for being clever is not being insane, but are they really not insane? Hmmm… at a glance, some of them look crazy enough.

And are they fair? If their KPI is to arrest people, then there is a problem because a lack of arrests can be seen as them not doing their job.

And if they are seen as not doing their job they can be sacked. So how can we be sure they will be 100% fair?

And are they really not fasiq? Do they not commit the smallest sins? Who doesn’t commit the smallest sins? Most of them smoke and that is enough to constitute a small sin (and since smoking is haram according to a previous fatwa). This makes them unreliable.

And if the 100 lashes is a hudud punishment, why are they lying by saying the proposed amendments aren’t hudud? If they can lie like this why do we want to accept liars as our leaders?

They might feel this is tazir punishments (punishments at a discretion of a judge or ruler) but tazir punishments cannot be as heavy as hudud punishments.

This was agreed upon by the Islamic jurists Al Shafie, Al Hanbali and Hanafi. Only Maliki feels tazir punishments can be heavy but not excessive.

But if we want to follow the Maliki school of thought, we also have to accept that dogs aren’t unclean? Hah? Why not, right?

Also, the 30-year jail sentence isn’t in the Quran. This punishment is excessive for our existing shariah offences. In fact, it goes against the views of the Islamic jurists, including Maliki.

Fourthly, shariah law will disrupt the lives of non-Muslims. A khalwat raid on a couple where one person is a non-Muslim will have an impact on that person.

The need for witnesses who are Muslim will also have an impact on non-Muslims as they can’t be witnesses. If they can’t be witnesses, how can they get justice?

As an example, if a non-Muslim husband or wife has an adulterous relationship with a Muslim, they cannot accuse the Muslim of adultery.

Thankfully, they aren’t punished by our shariah laws or else they would receive 80 lashes of the cane.

Once more, most importantly, if such punishments aren’t prescribed in the Quran and hadiths, why is it called Allah’s law?

Astargfirullahalazim… we shouldn’t simply come up with worldly punishments and label them as Allah’s law. Don’t lie and more importantly, don’t slander Allah.

Allah commands that slander is worst than murder. More importantly, Allah commanded prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his own loss.” (Qur’an 39:41)

If the Prophet Muhammad was advised against controlling the actions of others, who is Hadi?

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 February 2017, 4:09 pm and is filed under
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RUU355’s six intolerant and fanatical practices

— Joshua Woo

Malay Mail Online

February 19, 2017

FEBRUARY 19 — There were about 25,000 people gathered for the RUU355 rally yesterday. Non-Muslims were among the supporters for the proposed amendment.

One of the non-Muslims, who self-identified as a Roman Catholic, was recorded saying that he was there because he believed that we should “respect each other’s religion”.

(https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=2qWPAGzeTnM) One Muslim participant pleaded with non-Muslims to “respect the Muslims. Do not protest Act 355.” (https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ruu-355-rally-kelantan-mb-094420651.html)

They are right that we should respect each other’s religion. Unfortunately, supporting RUU355 is nothing of that sort. Therefore those who are pro-RUU355 have wrongly imply that anyone who does not support the motion are not respecting others’ religion.

What I want to point out here is that the support for RUU355 is not only disrespectful of Islam but actually approves and respects at least 6 extremely intolerant and fanatical practices that are detrimental to many, including Muslims:

1. Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting the distortion of Islam through its politicisation. Muslims such as Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd. Asri Zainul Abidin and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim have remarked that RUU355 is not about the religion Islam but an exploit of politicisation of Islam, which distorts the religion.

Therefore, pouring support for RUU355 is not respecting other’s religion but approving the continual distortion of Islam. This is disrespectful of the religion.

2.  Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting inhumane cruelty. The proposed amendment will increase penalties up to 30 years’ jail, RM100,000 fine, 100 strokes and potentially leads to amputation.

There are ways to confine and rehabilitate offenders back into the society as functional citizens. But RUU355 is not about giving people second chance and improving lives. It is about deterrence by shedding blood, blood, and more blood. Very much like how Syrian ISIS militants behead their hostages to deter others from going against their version of Islam. Supporting RUU355 is approving, respecting, and endorsing the deterrence logic and method of ISIS militants.

3. Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting regression in Islamic thinking. As already being pointed out by various Islamic scholars, the future of Islamic legal system is not to go back to the past when Muslims construed the society into the “House of Islam” and the “House of War”, where Muslims and non-Muslims were governed by different laws and treated unequally.

An Islamic legal system that is just for all must take into account the multicultural dimension of the society of nation-states such as Malaysia. Supporting a dual legal system such as proposed by RUU356 is approving and respecting regression in the evolution of Islamic thoughts.

4. Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting the robbing of the civil court’s power to protect all Malaysians as equal before the common law and God. RUU355 will expand areas where civil court will not be able to make judgement, especially over inter-faith cases like children custody between parents from different religion, burial rite, inheritance dispute, and conversion decision.

All these matters can be solved rather straightforwardly and fairly via civil court. RUU355 will disrupt and diminish the mechanism for justice in the country for all, as ably argued by constitutional law expert Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi. Thus, to support RUU355 is to approve and respect an unjust legal system.

5. Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting deeper fragmentation between different religious communities. As the proposed amendment subjects the Muslim and non-Muslim under different legal system, it will further deepens the differences between us.

Differences in religion will then become differences in law, and thus alienating the communities further. This will increase the possibility and propensity for misunderstanding, making it much more difficult for live together.

6. Supporters of RUU355 are approving and respecting the hegemony of a regressive and cruel version of Islam over other more moderate understanding and expression of Islam. The fact that there are Muslims who are against RUU355 should have cautioned all of us from naively thinking that to support the proposal means we are respecting Islam, while disagreeing with means that we are being disrespectful.

Although the proposal is being promoted as an Islamic matter, it should not cloud us from the fact that the RUU355 is an aggressive attempt by PAS to save whatever goodwill it has left by boosting its Islamic credential in implementing its hegemony over other Muslims. As a political move, it distracts from the dire flooding and illegal logging issues hurting the people in Kelantan.

In conclusion, no doubt that many non-Muslim supporters of RUU355 believe they are respecting other’s religion, and many Muslims believe their desire for the implementation of the amendment should be respected. Yet, if we examine the whole proposal carefully from the angle of law, sociology, political science, and Islamic theology, we will discover what a Trojan horse it is to bring down our country’s legal system, social cohesion, and Islamic thinking.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 February 2017, 4:28 pm and is filed under
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The most urgent task is to ensure that the horrible tragedy in Johor Baru yesterday, taking the lives of eight teenagers and injuring four others, can never recur anywhere else in Malaysia in the future

Together with DAP Johor Chairman and MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong, DAP Johor State Assembly representatives Cheo Yee Hau  (Pengkalan Rinting), Andrew Chen (Stulang) and Liow Cai Tong (Johor Jaya), I was at the Tanah Perkuburan Bukit Alif Kempas yesterday for the burial rites of one of the eight teenage  casualties of the horrible tragedy at Middle Ring Road in Johor Baru in the early hours of yesterday.

I grieved for Shahrul Izwan, 14, who was buried at the cemetery, the seven other teenage cyclists who died in the accident,  Fauzan Halmijah, 13; Muhammad Harith Iskandar Abdullah, 14;  Mohammad Azrie Danish Zuldefli, 14; Muhammad Shahrul Nizam Maruddin, 14; Mohamad Azhar Amir 16;  Muhammad Firdauz Danish Mohd Azahar 16; Haizal Kasrin, 16; and eight other kids were injured in the  horrible accident.

I grieved for the parents and family of Shahrul Izwan; the parents and families of the  seven other casualties; as well as the parents and families of the those injured in the accident.

I grieved for the 22-year-old saleswoman driver who will have to live with a  life-long trauma of having caused the death of eight teenagers and injuring many others, although this was never her intention whatsoever.

The Sultan of Johore, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar,  in extending his condolences to the next-of-kin of the victims at the Sultan Aminah mortuary , rightly said:

“The dead will not come back, let them go, this is also a lesson to parents not to allow their children go out at night.

“Let them (children) cry, rather than us. I also had a son who had passed on never to come back, if I am sad, you as parents to the victims must be more so.”

Sultan Ibrahim said parents must monitor the movements and activities of their children and not allow them to play in dangerous areas.

There is indeed nothing more heart-breaking than for the “white-haired” to send off the “black-haired”, or the elder to send off the younger generation.

Who is to be blamed for the horrible tragedy in Johore Baru yesterday?

I think we must all bear part of the responsibility for the tragedy yesterday as it is the the failure of everyone –  parents, teachers, community leaders, politicians and   official institutions which, by their indifference, negligence and irresponsibility, have contributed to the making of yesterday’s tragedy and disaster.

Our collective  immediate task is to ensure that those who died or suffered injuries in the Johor Baru tragedy yesterday would not do so in vain, and that immediate and urgent actions would be taken to ensure that what happened in Johor Baru can never recur, whether in Johor Baru, Johore or anywhere in Malaysia.

Let all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics come together to pin-point the causes and formulate and implement measures which would prevent the recurrence of the horrible Johor Baru tragedy anywhere in Malaysia in future.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 February 2017, 1:48 pm and is filed under
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