Something that has no comparison anywhere else in the world

by Loh Meng Kow

“Are the Malays that evil as to be accused of the horrific crime of ethnic cleansing? Are the Malays that ‘bad’ as to allow Chinese and Tamil Schools to continue to receive government funding – something that has no comparison anywhere else in the world?”—A statement by a Malay leader.

I shall deal only with the second question which concerns non-Malays since independence.

Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 reads:

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

The colonial government in Malaya respected the rights of the parents to choose the kind of education they wanted for their children, and we had Chinese, Indian and Malay schools, in addition to the English schools in Malaya before Independence.

The three main races joined in the ‘fight’ for Independence of Malaya with the objective that the individual community and  they together should enjoy as much, if not more, rights and autonomy after the independence than during colonial rule. Thus the availability of schools in the mother tongues of the choice of the parents should be a given. The Chinese and Indian schools should have as a matter of course, received full government funding as it provides to national schools. The comment ‘that it has no comparison anywhere else in the world should be correct in true spirit that the vernacular schools should not have been ‘marginalized’.

The sarcasm is brought about by the fact that succeeding leaders of UMNO considered it appropriate to place obstacles on the vernacular education.  It was considered that this was not done elsewhere in the world because other country is blessed or cursed with its multiracial composition like we have here, and yet it was ruled on racial ground, where a slight majority in population could win the right to perpetual rule.

All citizens are equal before the law, including those with respect to Inland Revenue. All schools irrespective of the medium of instructions should have been entitled to receiving government funding. That should have been the responsibility of the government. But, not all Chinese or Indian schools in the country received full funding from the government. Many of the buildings and facilities of vernacular schools depended on donations, unlike those of the ‘national schools’ which are fully funded by government. The number of Chinese and Indian schools does not increase in keeping with population growth. It is the use of political might to place obstacles on the education of the minority groups which would not have happened anywhere in the world. Yes, that was something that has no comparison anywhere in the world.

Some 60,000 Malay students have enrolled in Chinese primary schools. These Malay parents, the silent minority, have indicated that Chinese schools are their choice. The Education Minister could not have missed this fact and he should realize that the surge of Malay students in Chinese schools would put pressure on existing facilities available to them. He pledged no closure of Chinese primary schools, as though that was the greatest gift for buying votes from the Chinese community. It would appear that the minister defies the universal declaration of human rights, and he considers his post in the ministry an extension of his office in UMNO.

The declaration of 1948, article 26 (a) provides also that higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. 59 years after the declaration, and 50 years after Independence, only 10% of the places in matriculation courses is available to non-Malays who formed 40% of the population. Even on quota basis, it was not equally accessible. It was not on the basis merit for admission at the Matriculation level. It was also not on the basis of merit when grades of the Matriculation equate that of STPM for university admission. Again like what the Malay leader said, that is something that has no comparison anywhere else in the world

                This entry was posted on Friday, 21 December 2007, 8:48 am and is filed under
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Somnambulant Governance at work (2) – “Ban” of International  Building Bridges Conference 2007 in KL

On Wednesday, I asked in Parliament whether the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was crafting a new form of governance –
somnambulant governance
.  Oxford Dictionary defines “somnambulism” as “sleepwalking”.

I posed this question when Abdullah’s public response to the proposal by the Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC) for the establishment of a department for Non-Muslim Affairs to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion resulted in  two extraordinary developments:

Firstly,  producing three different newspaper headlines the next day – that the government was  setting up such a department, to the government studying the proposal and an outright dismissal of the proposal as “not necessary”.

Secondly, his “on-the-run” Cabinet appointments of MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting as Minister for Buddhist Affairs, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu as Minister for Hindu Affairs and President of United Pasokmomogun Murut Organisation (UPKO) as Minister for Christian Affairs – which rate as  the most highly-kept secret of the Abdullah administration as it is not only the  26 million Malaysians  and the various religious organizations directly involved who are not aware of such Cabinet appointments.

I had congratulated one of the Ministerial trio  on Wednesday for  his additional Cabinet responsibilities but he was so embarrassed as he did not know how to react  to the Prime Minister’s announcement when he knew nothing about it!

I will give another  example of Abdullah’s somnambulant governance which is also pertinent to the problem of  increasing religious polarization in Malaysia, worst under any Prime Minister in the 50-year history of the nation.

Seven months ago, I had written a blog
“Strange, stranger and strangest”
 on the sudden cancellation of the International Muslim-Christian dialogue – the unique annual series of Building Bridges Conference organized by Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury which brings together Christian and Muslim scholars of international reputation in a seminar examining major themes of current intrest and importance from a religious perspective.

I had raised in Parliament the last-minute  cancellation of the Building Bridges 2007 Conference in Kuala Lumpur from May 7-11 in Parliament on May 10, 2007 during the debate  on the interim report of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity and National Service,  describing it as “a big blow to our  international reputation as a successful and model multi-religious nation”.

I had said during the
debate
in Parliament:

“The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi goes to international forums to preach the virtues of inter-religious dialogue but at home,  the government is not prepared to allow an international inter-religious conference to be held.

“In the country, we also do not encourage the holding of inter-religious dialogue involving Muslim and non-Muslim religions, limiting inter-religious dialogue more and more only among the non-Muslim faiths themselves.

“This will not contribute to inter-religious understanding and national integration.

“Malaysia is a multi-religious nation but religion had never been a flashpoint of division, disunity and discord in our society until the recent years.”

The Prime Minister then broke his  silence and said that the international Building Bridges  Muslim-Christian dialogue had not been cancelled but postponed because he had to attend to some urgent matters that coincided with the seminar which was scheduled for May 7-11, 2007.

He  said he did not want the inter-religious conference to proceed without him.

Abdullah said: “I have an important role to play in the conference and I don’t want it to be held when I am not around.”  The government would have to find another suitable date for the international  inter-religious dialogue.

This provoked my
“Strange, Stranger and Strangest”
 blog for the following grounds:

•
Strange
 because when news first broke in London Times on May 10, 2007  that there had been a “last-minute cancellation” of Building Bridges Conference  in Malaysia, nobody knew its reason despite numerous attempts by various persons and bodies responsible for organizing it to seek explanation from the authorities. The international Muslim-Christian dialogue was cancelled with just a short two-week notice although it was mooted a year ago causing great disruptions as many international participants had finalized their flight arrangements.

•
Stranger
 because when I raised the last-minute cancellation in Parliament on the very same day, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr. Maximus Ongkili could not respond as he knew nothing about it although he is a member of the Cabinet.

•
Strangest
 because no date has yet  been fixed for the “postponed” international Muslim-Christian dialogue – which was really unthinkable, raising questions about the Prime Minister’s seriousness in “walking the talk” to promote inter-religious dialogue in international forums.

Now the truth is out and the cat is out of the bag.  The last-minute abortion of the Building Bridges Conference 2007 in Kuala Lumpur was no “postponement” but “cancellation” – as the 2007 Building Bridges Conference was held in Singapore on December 6, 2007 where the Archbishop of Canterbury was the keynote speaker  who gave a lecture on why social cohesion needs religion.

The Building Bridges Conference 2007, which follows from similar seminars in London, Qatar, Sarajevo and Washington, was hosted by the Department of Malay Studies, the Religion Research Cluster, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and the University Scholars Programme all based at the National University of Singapore.

The Prime Minister should explain why he could not find the time in the whole of 2007 to fit the Building Bridges Conference into his schedule  so that he could participate in the inter-faith dialogue in Malaysia.

Or has the  prestigious international Muslim-Christian dialogue been banned without having to use the dirty word “ban” altogether – a manifestation of somnambulant  governance?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 21 December 2007, 1:28 pm and is filed under
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Fake thesis and pseud-PhDs – why no action by Mustapha and higher education ministry?

New Straits Times
carried a scoop today with its front-page expose:
“PSST, WANT YOUR THESIS WRITTEN”
 and its page 4 lead story

“Phantom writers an ‘open secret’”
 on “Hundreds of master’s and PhD students are getting ‘professional thesis writers’ to pen their theses”.

The Higher Education Ministry is aware of such intellectual fraud and university scam but is not doing anything about it.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Kiat admitted:

“I have heard that some students are even placing notices at campuses requesting for the services of thesis writers.

“There are also those who offer their services by placing notices at the campuses.

“The institutions should immediately find out who these people are.”

Ong advised students not to resort to such unethical means to obtain their degrees as they were not only cheating themselves but also society.

He said his ministry was unable to take action as neither the students, the professional thesis writers nor the institutions of higher learning had come forward with complaints or information.

The NST reported a case of RM8,000 paid by a mature student to get a Masters thesis written.

The market rate for such fake thesis writing are:

General

Term Papers 	RM17  per page

Academic writing	RM153 per page

Custom-made term papers

5-10 Days Delivery		RM44.20 per page

3-4 Days Delivery		RM51      per page

2 Days Delivery		RM68      per page

14-Hour – Next Morning

Delivery			RM92 per page

Ong is wrong and  seriously remiss in discharging his duties as Deputy Higher Education Minister in not doing anything to check and eradicate these intellectual fraudulent malpractices  in our universities.

Since Ong knew about such intellectual fraud of fake thesis writing and pseudo-PhDs, the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapha Mohamed would have known or Ong would have failed in his duty in not keeping  his Minister informed of such serious intellectual transgressions in our universities.

Why didn’t Mustapha or Ong sent officers from his Ministry incognito into universities where such intellectual malpractices are rampant to verify and root them out?

Is this because intellectual dishonesty is the order of the day in the entire Malaysian university system with the adoption of the fraudulent meritocracy system by equating two completely different examinations – STPM and matriculation – of the same standards  for university entrance despite the vast gap in intellectual attainments for both examinations?

So long as Mustapha and Ong continue to defend the indefensible, claiming that STPM and matriculation are of the same standards, refusing to  jettison the fraudulent meritocracy system and replace it with a common university entrance examination for all students, nobody can expect them to be rigorous about upholding  high  intellectual standards to ensure university quality and excellence.

It is no wonder that our universities are also plagued by other abuses and malpractices of intellectual dishonesty or fraud, like plagiarism by university lecturers. In fact, there is one case where an academician who was promoted to be Vice Chancellor although he had been dogged  by serious allegations of plagiarism.

Mustapha and Ong cannot sit pretty doing nothing about the New Straits Times expose of  fake thesis writing  and pseudo-PhDs if they are serious about the Higher Education Strategic Plan to create world-class universities – even if it is going  to take decades.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 22 December 2007, 2:31 pm and is filed under
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No IPCMC “lion” with teeth and claws but a toothless/clawless SCC mouse

The Parliamentary Roundtable on the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill – the fake Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) – will be held in Parliament House next Friday, 28th December5 2007 at 9.30 am. Instead of the originally announced Thursday, 27th December.

This is because on Thursday, 27th December 2007, I will be in Shah Alam Sessions Court for the sentencing of the Batu Caves 26 for unlawful assembly and causing mischief charges.

Although the ludicrous “attempted murder” charges against the 31 – and the manhunt for at least another 30 on a similar charge of attempted murder of a cop – had been dropped, the ordeal of the  total of 403 days which the 31 had to spend under incarceration in prison (i.e. 13 days each) as they were not allowed bail, is an unforgettable experience for the 31 who were innocent of the attempted murder charge and a blot on the system of administration of justice in Malaysia!

I will be at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on Thursday  as a sign of solidarity with the Batu Caves 26 (as charges against five students had been withdrawn) and well as a gesture of protest against the system of justice which could deprive a total of 403 days of freedom from 31 innocent persons!

Is the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail prepared at minimum to publicly tender a public apology for the 403 days of incarceration he had caused the Batu Caves 31 when was a clear abuse of his discretionary prosecutorial powers – not to  mention the sufferings he caused the families concerned as well as hardships for those who lost their jobs as a result of the unjust incarceration ?

Invitations to NGOs and NGIs, as well as the 16 Commissioners of the Royal Police Commission, to the Parliamentary Roundtable on the SCC Bill next Friday are in the process of being sent out.

Instead of an IPCMC “lion” with teeth and claws, a toothless and clawless SCC  mouse has been produced wasting four years of the Abdullah premiership, making a total mockery of Abdullah’s pledge to reform the police and the Royal Police Commission Report with its 125 recommendations to create an efficient, accountable, incorruptible and professional world-class police service to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.

The challenge facing all NGOs, NGIs and Malaysians concerned about the unchecked breakdown of law and order with the rise of endemic crime in the country is how to salvage the original IPCMC proposal of the Royal Police Commission in the face of relentless opposition by the police and the lack of political will and authority of the Prime Minister who is also Internal Security Minister.

The Police has won its battle to water down the IPCMC proposal of the Royal Police Commission, to the extent that the Inspector-General of Police is to become a permanent member of the SCC when the Royal Police Commission had barred serving or former police officers from being appointed as IPCMC commissioners.

All the international best practices in other advanced countries for an effective oversight mechanism over police conduct is for it to be completely independent, excluding all police participation.

The United Kingdom Police Reform Act 2002, for instance, provides for the appointment for a Chairman and not less than ten other members of the  Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). It provides that no person who “holds or has held office as a constable in any part of the United Kingdom” or “is or has been under the direction and control” of a chief police officer could be appointed as Chairman or commissioner.

Why is Malaysia buckling this trend of international best practices if the Police and Government are serious in wanting to make the oversight mechanism over police misconduct a successful one rather than a scandalous failure?

Can  the original IPCMC proposal be salvaged and is it worth the effort to try to salvage it.

This is the first issue the Parliamentary Roundtable on the SCC Bill (fake IPCMC) next Friday must grapple with.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 22 December 2007, 12:51 pm and is filed under
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Political tsunami by Malaysian Indian voters in next general election?

There is a political awakening akin to a political “uprising” among the Malaysian Indian community, seeking to shake off their long-standing political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization by asserting their political rights as Malaysian citizens.

Can Malaysian Indian voters create a political and electoral tsunami in the next general election expected next March in 50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats where they comprise more than 10 per cent of the electorate, or in 21 parliamentary and 73 state assembly seats where they constitute more than 15% of the electorate?

I had said in Ipoh yesterday that there are 62 parliamentary seats and 138 state assembly seats where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and that there are 28 parliamentary and 78 state assembly seats where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the voters where they can play the role of “kingmaker” in the electoral outcome.

These figures are wrong as they  were based on the 2004 general election electoral roll. The latest electoral data gives a different picture as there is  a reduction of these constituencies –  i.e.  50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and 21 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the electorate.

On Thursday night, the MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu  did the greatest disservice to the Indian community and Malaysian nation when he appeared on RTM1 programme 60 Minit Bersama Menteri as he continued to mislead the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the country in denying deep-seated, widespread and most legitimate grievances of the Malaysian Indians at their long-standing marginalization as to become the new underclass in the country.

Let us recognize from the outset that the marginalization and the discontent of the Malaysian Indians is not solely an Indian problem but a Malaysian problem for it represents a Malaysian crisis of identity.

In denying the marginalization of the Indian community, Samy Vellu had again tried  to smother the “cry of desperation” of the 30,000 Indians from all over the country who had gathered peacefully  in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 25 in support of the Hindraf demonstration and undo the two-hour special meeting between the Prime Minister and Indian NGOs last Friday.

Representatives from Malaysian Hindu Sangam, Malaysian Indian Business Association and Malaysian Indian Youth Council have spoken up  loud and clear about  the long-standing  neglect and discrimination suffered by the Malaysian Indians  resulting in their marginalization as the new underclass in Malaysia.

Samy Vellu was present at the dialogue between the Prime Minister and the Indian NGOs although as a silent observer and note-taker.  He must make a very bad note-taker for he is singing a completely different tune from what the Indian NGOs have told the Prime Minister in the dialogue.

If Samy Vellu still needs convincing about the legitimate grievances of the Malaysian Indians about their long-standing marginalization, let me just quote from an independent report, which said:

“Malaysian Indians are increasingly being marginalized, economically as well as socially. More than 30% of Indians do not own a house; over 300,000 Indian poor have been evicted from their plantation livelihoods and residences; and there were 21.1 suicides per 100,000 Indians a year 2005, the highest rate amongst all communities. Indians also have the lowest life expectancy at birth amongst the major races.”

This report came out 18 months ago and was by the Centre for Public Policy Studies of the Asian Leadership and Strategy Institute (ASLI).

Why is Samy Vellu denying the undeniable when he should be in the vanguard to demand and ensure the end of such unjust and unfair marginalization of Malaysian Indians, who are entitled to a rightful and equal place under the Malaysian sun?

Samy Vellu should apologise to the Malaysian Indian community and the Malaysian nation for his hour-long RTM1 interview for giving a completely false picture about the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians.

The Malaysian Indian community must continue to exert legitimate political pressure on all leaders in the MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties to end their denial syndrome and own up to the injustices suffered by the Malaysian Indians because of the long-standing marginalization in the Malaysian scheme of things.

Today, Gerakan Youth vice chief
S. Paranjothy
 has stepped forward to speak the truth.

 Paranjothy criticized Umno leaders for “inciting racial sentiments among their community in a petty attempt to further their political career”, referring specifically to the keris-wielding by Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the chauvinistic approach of the Umno Youth deputy leader Khairy Jamaluddin when he castigated Indian news vendors for going on a holiday during Deepavali, causing the speech of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno President to be blacked out during the press holiday.

In fact, it is Abdullah and UMNO who should be apologizing for holding the Umno general assembly on Deepavali instead of Khairy berating the Indian news vendors for taking their Hindu “Festival of Light” seriously.

Malaysiakini
reported Paranjothy as saying that the 30,000 Indians took part in the Hindraf demonstration to express their “frustration and anger” because the community had been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

It has taken Paranjothy one month from the 30,000-strong  Hindraf demonstration on Nov. 25 to find his conscience and  voice, but it is better late than never.

When will Samy Vellu and the MIC leaders wake up to the truth and find their conscience and voice?

As Malaysian citizens, Malaysian Indians have the unquestioned democratic and constitutional  right to unite and mobilize support for change and justice to end their long-standing marginalization, in particular in a three-point demand:

•	Immediate and unconditional  release of the Hindraf Five under the Internal Security Act who they should be charged and tried in open court if are guilty of any offences and not put away in detention without trial indefinitely;

•	A Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Kampong Medan riot and the 30,000-strong Hindraf demonstration, particularly over the police mishandling of the gathering; and

•	A New Deal which should be adopted by the government to end the marginalization of Malaysian Indians and all other marginalized groups in the country, whether Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) in Sabah, the Ibans, Penans and other minorities in Sarawak, the Orang Asli as well as the marginalized Malays and Chinese.

(Speech  at the DAP forum on “ISA arrests of Hindraf 5 – Ops Lalang2 coming?” at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on Friday, 21st December 2007 at 10 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 22 December 2007, 7:44 am and is filed under
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Unfree Penang Free School

by
Allen Chee

I am your blog’s regular reader and an active follower of the Malaysian Politics.

Today I read your assertions on the various dysfunctional measures which the Government have undertaken that promotes racial polarisation and intolerance amongst the different races in Malaysia. I would like to point to Saudara Lim to a particular matter which I have taken a personal interest.

I believe Saudara Lim would know that the oldest school in Malaysia is Penang Free School. I am from this school and I am very proud to be associated with this school as an ex-student.

However the impression of Penang Free School being a premier school started to change over the past decade where efforts are covertly undertaken to islamize the school. The changes, have effectively change the landscape of education in the school with more islamic activities being conducted and so on and so forth.

I heard from anxious parents and ex-frees about all these and to be honest, I felt rather helpless on how to stop this from happening as technically speaking it is not legally wrong but perhaps only morally wrong.

The last straw for me, however was when I saw a two new signages being installed at the main entrance of Penang Free School, one on the left and one on the right. One is in English, and the other is Jawi. The one in Jawi is totally written in Jawi except for the name Syed AIdid Murtaza whom I think is the person donating this signage.

The question is..why?? Penang Free is not a islamic school. It is a premier secular school with proud traditions. Further, why Jawi?, aren’t we suppose to use Bahasa Malaysia??

The last time I check and maybe Saudara Lim could correct me if I am wrong, Bahasa Malaysia IS the national language. Jawi is just the language being used on the Al-Quran. Most of the people in Penang would not be able to read that signage.

I took up the matter as I felt it is the right thing to do. Now it has become a personal crusade of some sorts. I am not letting up on this, and I hope Saudara Lim can take the matter as well.

I have called upon the office of Deputy Minister of Education Dato’ Hon Choon Kim and spoken to his PA. He said he will inform the Minister. Then I manage to speak to Mr Rajen, the assistant for Miss Kumala Dewi (parliamentary Secratery for the Ministry of Education) and he said he will look into the matter.

I have tried calling the Chief Minister of Penang TanSri Koh, and managed to speak to Mark Ooi who is TanSri Koh’s PA. He said he will inform the CM.

I have tried calling Penang Free’s principal, but he is on holiday till 26th. I managed to speak to the senior assistants and they refused to comment. I have spoken to Old Frees Association of KL and Penang, and they sounded weak. I called the Pengarah of State Education Department, and he sounded irritated though he said he’ll check.

I’ve called YB Toh Kin Woon as he is the Exco for Education for Penang, and he said he’ll take up the matter as he said he felt strongly on this issue. I have tried calling Syed Aidid Murtaza whom I believe but without any proof donated the signage and left my number with the secretary, he did not call back.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 22 December 2007, 7:43 am and is filed under
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Indian marginalisation – Hishammudin’s ultimatum to Tsu Koon threatening severance of ties (Breaking News)

UMNO Youth leader has issued an
ultimatum
 with the threat of severance of ties  to the Acting Gerakan President, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to explain the
statement
 by the Gerakan Youth vice chief S. Paranjothy on Friday that the 30,000 Indians had taken part  in the November  25 Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur “to express their frustrations and anger” because the community has been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

Paranjothy blamed Umno leaders, particularly the Umno Youth Leader Hishammuddin and Deputy Umno Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin for  racial posturing and inciting racial sentiments among Malays to gain political mileage – citing against the former  the  keris-wielding episodes  and against the latter his  berating of the Indian news vendors when the Umno presidential address  of Prime Minister and  Umno President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not carried in the press the next day as Umno general assembly fell on Deepavali,  with the next day an annual press holiday.

Paranjothy had described  the  Indians as “fourth-class citizens” who  form the most neglected group in economic terms, as shown by key performance indicators such as tertiary education.

He said: “Where the Indians predominate over their fellow Malaysians is mostly in prison, violent crimes, gangsterism, suicide and social ills. Government policies have failed to improve (their situation).”

Paranjothy also criticized the government’s hardline stance against public demonstrations, hitting out at   the government for  practising double-standards in the issuance of police permits.

He said: “I have participated in street demonstrations and rallies organised by Barisan Nasional Youth, spearheaded by Umno Youth, to handover a memorandum… over certain issues that had taken place (abroad) which I believe would not have benefitted Malaysia.

“Did BN Youth obtained a permit to hold the rallies or demonstrations?… Looks like the government is one-sided when it came to the issuance of permits for public gatherings. BN started this culture of street demonstrations and now others have emulated it.”

In his ultimatum which appeared in today front-page of
Mingguan Malaysia
,

“Kata dua Hishammuddin kepada Gerakan”
, Hishammuddin threatened a break of ties by Umno Youth and Barisan Nasional with Gerakan if Tsu Koon fails to give a reply or or his explanation is  unsatisfactory.

Mingguan Malay
sia reported:

MACHANG 22 Dis. – Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO mendesak Pemangku Presiden Parti Gerakan, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon segera memberi penjelasan berhubung kenyataan Naib Ketua Pemuda parti itu, S. Paranjothy yang mendakwa UMNO adalah salah satu punca mengapa kaum India terpinggir.

Ketuanya, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein menegaskan, sekiranya penjelasan tersebut gagal diberi atau tidak memuaskan, tidak mustahil hubungan Pemuda UMNO serta Barisan Nasional (BN) dengan Parti Gerakan akan putus.

“Buat masa ini kita tidak mengeluarkan sebarang pendirian berbentuk mengutuk dan sebagainya tanpa terlebih dahulu mendapat penjelasan Gerakan kerana bagi BN, apabila timbul isu dari kalangan parti komponen, kita perlu dengar penjelasan.

“Namun ini bukan bermakna Pemuda UMNO beralah. Sekiranya penjelasan tidak memuaskan, kita sanggup putuskan hubungan. Hal ini bukan main-main,” katanya.

At the
DAP forum
on
“ISA arrests of Hindraf 5 – Ops Lalang2 coming?”
 at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on Friday, I had commended Paranjothy for stepping forward to speak the truth although it has taken him  one month after the 30,000-strong Hindraf demonstration on Nov. 25 to find his conscience and voice, but it is better late than never.

I had asked when  Samy Vellu and the MIC leaders will  wake up to the truth and find their conscience and voice?

This question must be widened to Tsu Koon, Gerakan and all other Barisan Nasional component parties and their leaders as the marginalization of the Malaysian Indians as a new underclass is not just a Indian problem but a national problem.

But Tsu Koon and Gerakan has a more pressing question to answer – Will Tsu Koon and Gerakan wilt under the ultimatum by Hishammuddin threatening severance  of ties as to dissociate from and penalize Paranjothy and even to apologise to Umno Youth  when Paranjothy’s only fault was to speak the truth?

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 23 December 2007, 12:48 pm and is filed under
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PM/IGP – heed Nazrin/Musa, respect Constitution and allow peaceful demonstrations

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, all Cabinet Ministers and the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan should give serious heed to the advice by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah  that “the desire to maintain public order should not be an excuse for never allowing peaceful assemblies” as the holding of peaceful demonstrations to voice their grievances  is a constitutionally-enshrined  right of Malaysian citizens.

In an interview with
New Sunday Times
  series
“VOICES 08”
, Raja Nazrin said:

“Freedom of expression through peaceful demonstrations is a right people can reasonably expect to enjoy in a democratic society.  This right is enshrined in our Constitution.

“So people are acting within their constitutional rights in wanting to voice their grievances by holding peaceful demonstrations.

“The right to live in peace and harmony in a safe environment is also a right people can reasonably expect to enjoy in any well-run society.  The government is responsible for public order.

“The right to demonstrate must always be balanced by the need to maintain public order.”

All Malaysians can accept Raja Nazrin’s formulation of the relationship between public order and the people’s constitutional right to peaceful demonstration as part of the fundamental liberties of Malaysians to freedom of expression.  They also agree with Raja Nazrin that striking the balance between public freedom and public order is never an easy thing to do and that it is a judgment the authorities have to make on the available information.

The current controversy  over peaceful demonstrations lies in the failure of the authorities concerned to observe  the important qualification highlighted by  Raja Nazrin  when he stressed that “the desire to maintain public order should not be used as an excuse for never allowing peaceful assemblies” – as there is now a blanket ban by the police  on all  peaceful demonstrations in the country for people to express their grievances!

Let 2007, the year celebrating the 50th Merdeka anniversary of independence and freedom for Malaysians, end with a “win-win” scenario with the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Inspector-General of Police drawing up guidelines for Malaysians to exercise their constitutionally-sanctioned right to hold peaceful demonstrations to voice their grievances  while maintaining  public order.

Malaysia, which claims to want to join the ranks of the first-world developed nations, has a lot to learn from advanced countries  in order to shake off our  “third-world mentality” and replace it with a “first-world mindset”.

In London, Paris, Berlin or  Washington, peaceful demonstrations are a common occurrence involving thousands, tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of people, where  the police help to maintain law and order,  facilitate crowd control and  smoothen traffic flow  – unlike in Malaysia where the police will create a gridlock paralyzing traffic and  locking down the federal capital if there is a whiff of a peaceful demonstration, however small!

It is time that the government and police listen to sane and rational voices like those of Raja Nazrin and former Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Musa Hitam, who in a  New Sunday Times interview a fortnight ago made a powerful case for peaceful assemblies in Malaysia.

Asked whether Malaysia is ready for peaceful assemblies, Musa who was formerly  Home Minister and was the first Suhakam Chairman, replied without hesitation: “Yes! Come on, we have been independent for 50 years.”

Musa was clearly in full agreement with Raja Nazrin as the elder ASEAN statesman  said:

“The right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in our democratic institution.  That right also gives the right to the government to refuse.

“The thing at issue is not that the rights are not there. The rights exist. It is the application of the right and the administration of the right that I am taking issue with.”

This is why it is shocking to see the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, leading a nation-wide campaign to drum up support against peaceful demonstrations and even  seeking to poison the minds of teachers and students by subverting the fundamental liberties enshrined in the constitution – especially  the right to  peaceful demonstration for Malaysians to express their grievances.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 23 December 2007, 11:22 am and is filed under
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Remove the “national security” straightjacket!

by
Azly Rahman

“Work with me …. not for me”

                    — Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who ruled for 22 years, once spoke about the nine challenges called ‘The Way Forward-Vision’, said to be a culmination of his work throughout his tenure.

The document charted the challenges the nation must confront in order for it to develop on par with the advanced nations.

These challenges are summarised as follows:

1. Establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny

2. Creating a psychologically liberated, secure, and developed Malaysian society with faith and confidence in itself, justifiably proud of what it is, of what it has accomplished, robust enough to face all manner of adversity

3. Fostering and developing a mature democratic society, practising a form of mature consensual, community-oriented Malaysian democracy that can be a model for many developing countries

4. Establishing a fully moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and with the highest ethical standards

5. Establishing a mature, liberal and tolerant society in which Malaysians of all colours and creed are free to practise and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs and yet feeling that they belong to one nation

6. Establishing a scientific and progressive society, a society that is innovative and forward-looking, one that is not only a consumer of technology but also a contributor to the scientific and technological civilisation of the future

7. Establishing a fully caring society and caring culture, a social system in which society will come before the self, in which welfare of the people will revolve not around the state or the individual but around a strong and resilient family system

8. Ensuring an economically just society… in which there is a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation, in which there is full partnership in economic progress

9. Establishing a prosperous society with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient

With the Internal Security Act (ISA), how do we then meet these challenges? How is it an antithesis to what a civil society means? Do we still deserve the ISA?

Snapshot of protests

We are on the threshold of 2008. We have created a larger middle class, educated and imbued not only the taste of progressive Western secularist ideals synthesised with deep cultural and/or religious values still preserved, but also a better understanding of the principles of human rights. We know that Malaysia ratified the 1946 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We know that these involve the rights to the freedom of speech and assembly.

Our nation no longer deserves the ISA or any other intolerable Acts that kill the creativity and imagination of its nation. The ISA is an ideological state apparatus must go if we are to move forward as a nation that is known for it wisdom, intelligence, tolerance, and commitment to social justice – one that takes care of the needs of the poor of all races, without fear or favour.

The ISA which provides for detention without trial for up to two years at a time is anathema to the idea of a civil society. If we charge the detainees in court, we could learn a lot more about the meaning of ‘national security’. It is not merely about maintaining public order but about trying to understand why citizens are publicly acting in manner deemed ‘disorderly’. The history of the use of the ISA is tied to the history of the ruling class and how those who own the means of production own the means of silencing progressive voices of change.

Let us look at some snapshots of the protest movements in our history:

Why did Raja Haji the legendary Bugis warrior mount a revolt against the Dutch, ending in his martyrdom atop a hill in Malacca? Why did Mat Kilau, the legendary warrior from Pekan Pahang act up against the British ending in his mysterious self-imposed exile and death by natural cause at the age of 122? Why did the Malay Nationalist Party, a continuation of Kesatuan Rakyat Indonesia Semenajung and an early radical Malay party in the late 1940s act up, only to be met with witch-hunts by the returning British?

Why did those fighting for Independence in the 1950s under the banner of Saberkas act up against the dying colonial British Empire, paving the way for the creation of what is now knows as United Malay National Organisation? Why did those truly multiracial group of social activists act up by organising the hartal against the British in the early 1960s only to be met with heavy- handed reaction? Why did those calling themselves the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army revolt against the powers-that-be, end their persecution by the British that returned to power when the Allied Powers crushed the Axis Powers?

Why did the Malaysian intellectuals and social activists speak out over almost 20 years of the Kondrietiff cycle, beginning from May 13, 1969 to October 1989, to this moment in time to be met with the American McCarthy Era-type of response form the present government?

The answer lies in economics. Human existence, motivation, the rise and fall of nations has been attributed to economics. One’s existence is defined by the material condition one is in or born into.

Question of power

Deeper than simple economics lies the question of power and the powerless, and the politics of under- representation. The Americans revolted against the British in the late 1770s under the banner ‘no taxation without representation’, symbolically registering their protest with the Boston Tea Party.

Essentially they revolted against intolerable laws set forth by the British – the 1765 Quartering Act and Stamp Act of 1765, Townshend Act 1967 and Coercive Acts 1774.

In our case, the answer lies in the ideology of Malaysia-style Oriental Despotism. The complex, dynamic, systematic, contradictory, sustaining, and consensual politics of the political-economy of a dependent communal-based capitalist state has made it possible for the use of the ISA to be rationalised and legitimised by arguments that touch merely on the symptoms of the breakdown of public order, rather that the root cause of the order in which the public need to be organised.

Had there been a sound developmentalist agenda from the onset of Independence – an agenda that retards the evolution of a corrupt corporate capitalist pluralist neo-feudalistic neo-colonialist capitalist state – we would have avoided or abandoned the use of the ISA and seen the evolution of a truly civil society that practises politics of inclusion.

To put it in simple words: we have made the wrong historical turn. We have to come back to where we began – back to the drawing board. This is the challenge – how do we undo hyper-modernisation and the politics of mistrust?

We are actually doomed as a nation. We need to get out of this quagmire if we are to save ourselves from total destruction in an age wherein the centre cannot hold, as the poet WB Yeats wrote.

How are we doomed? Why have we come to a point in which the ultimate keris – the ISA – is used to silence the voices asking the government to look into the plight of the oppressed and the desolate? Why is the voice of reason cast aside and force used instead? What might the consequence of this in an age of globalised, high speed, split-second information flow, consumption, and instantaneous revolution?

How do we evolve – or rise form the ashes of destruction brought about by internal contradictions that we have failed to resolve?

This nation needs to conduct soul-searching. Urgently

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 23 December 2007, 6:58 am and is filed under
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Samy Vellu booed and jeered?

This SMS was sent to me at 10.56 pm last night:

“d crowd jeered loudly at semi value (samy vellu) at ‘d atta 100 vagai’ at PISA in penang just now (22/12). d crowd booed loudly when DJ announced samy vellu’s presence.  d ‘BOO’ was so loud dat no one heard anything. Within 2-3 mins he moved back 2 d stage. A very gd lesson 4 d spineless… I’m here in PISA. samy has left d arena.”

May be those who were present  at PISA in Penang last night could give us eye-witness accounts of this episode.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 23 December 2007, 7:10 am and is filed under
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Gerakan to expel Paranjothy – George Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum reigns supreme in BN

What a weak and panicky  start for Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon as Gerakan’s No. 1 – immediately
buckling under pressure
by Umno Youth leader, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to take disciplinary action against the Gerakan Youth vice chief S. Paranjothy who dared to speak publicly what others only muttered privately. – that the 30,000 Indians who took part in the Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 did so to express their frustration and anger because the community had been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

Paranjothy  had also blamed, and rightly,  Umno leaders, particularly the Umno Youth Leader Hishammuddin and Deputy Umno Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin for racial posturing and inciting racial sentiments among Malays to gain political mileage – citing as examples the keris-wielding episodes against the former and the public castigation  of the Indian news vendors by the latter  when the Umno presidential address of Prime Minister and Umno President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not carried in the press the next day as Umno general assembly fell on Deepavali, with the next day an annual press holiday.

There can be no doubt that if a private vote  had been taken among the Gerakan  leaders, in fact, even MCA and MIC leaders, all would have agreed with the sentiments expressed by Paranjothy!

Hishammuddin had immediately  issued an ultimatum to Tsu Koon  with the threat of severance of ties with Gerakan not only by Umno Youth but also by Barisan Nasional unless  Tsu Koon could give a satisfactory response and explanation.

What was  Tsu Koon reaction?  Although he protested that  “it is not right” for Hishammuddin to issue the threat and ultimatum of severance of all relationships with Gerakan, Tsu Koon clearly panicked, which was why he complied instantly by referring  Paranjothy to the Disciplinary Committee and even anticipated the disciplinary process by saying that the Gerakan Youth vice chief would be suspended or expelled!  Nanyang Siang Pau’s headline today is “Gerakan to sack Paranjothy”!

Is Barisan Nasional a coalition of equals of 14 political parties?

Could the Youth leader of Gerakan, MCA, MIC, PPP or any other component party issue a threat or ultimatum   to the Umno President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the manner Hishammuddin had done to Tsu Koon?

Isn’t  this itself a breach of Barisan Nasional discipline and what is Tsu Koon doing  about it – just swallow it and pretend it has not happened?

Or does George Orwell’s  Animal Farm dictum, that “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”  reign supreme  in Barisan Nasional?

Is this why even Khairy as  deputy Umno Youth leader could publicly insult and humiliate Tsu Koon as Penang Chief Minister and Gerakan No. 2 last year accusing the Gerakan Penang State Government of  “marginalizing” the Malays in Penang, and   “facing the same fate of being marginalised as the Malays in Singapore”?

Did the Gerakan leadership issue an ultimatum demanding  a satisfactory explanation from the top Umno leadership over Khairy’s breach of Barisan Nasional discipline with the threat of severance of ties between Gerakan and UMNO?

If Khairy was not guilty of any breach of Barisan Nasional discipline in his open criticism of Tsu Koon, why should Paranjothy’s open criticism of Hishammuddin and Khairy be such gross breach of discipline that Tsu Koon is talking publicly about expulsion?  Isn’t  this just kowtowing to Umno Youth?

When the five Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabathirau, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasanthakumar were detained under the Internal Security Act on 13th December  2007, Tsu Koon provided instant support on the same day declaring that the Prime Minister-cum-Internal Security Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, must have compelling reasons to invoke the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

Tsu Koon and the Gerakan leadership also fully supported the infamous Operation Lalang mass arrests under the ISA and the series of assaults on the independence and integrity of the judiciary by the executive in the past 19 years, starting with the 1988 “mother” of judicial crisis with the arbitrary sacking of Tun Salleh Abas as Lord President and Datuk George Seah and the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh as Supreme Court judges.

What has happened to Gerakan’s claim as the “conscience” of Barisan Nasional?

                This entry was posted on Monday, 24 December 2007, 11:58 am and is filed under
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Malaysian Indian political awakening – must not fall into trap of being tarred “anti-Malay”

MIC President and sole Indian Minister for more than 28 years, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu should have realized by now that it was a fatal mistake for him to  believe that the “frustration and anger” of the Malaysian Indians who had taken part in the 30,000-strong Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 25 was not directed against him.

In his
second TV appearance on RTM in four days
, this time over the hour-long Tamil programme
Karuthu Kalam
or Opinion Forum on Saturday, Samy Vellu said the Indians had taken part in the Nov. 25 Hindraf demonstration “to register their anger over the inadequacy in the implementation of projects by the Government” and that their anger was not directed at him because he  had not raised questions about or fought for the plight of the community.

Samy Vellu is wrong.  The Hindraf demonstration had clearly two targets: Firstly, as  the Gerakan Youth vice chief
S. Paranjothy
said, the 30,000 Indians took part in the demonstration to express their “frustration and anger” because the community had been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

But there is a second target – none other than Samy Vellu himself for his failure after more than 28 years as MIC President and sole Cabinet Minister to prevent the long-standing political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization of the Malaysian Indians as to become a new underclass in Malaysia.

If Samy Vellu was in denial for almost a month after the Nov. 25 Hindraf demonstration, Samy Vellu should have begun to sense the truth when he was publicly booed and humiliated  by a crowd of 2,000 – 3,000 at the
Aattam 100 Vagai 3
 (100 types of dance) cultural performance at the Penang International Sports Area (Pisa) on Saturday night.

There is palpable anger on the ground among the Indians in Malaysia at  their long-standing marginalization, raising the question whether this political awakening  could become  a political tsunami by the Malaysian Indian voters  in the next general election, creating upsets and surprises.

It is important that the political awakening of  Malaysian Indians in the run-up to the  next general election must not fall into the trap of being  tarred  as anti-Malay but must be solidly anchored as part of Malaysian national aspirations for justice and a proper place under the Malaysian sun  for all marginalized groups.

Considerable  political and propaganda efforts are being invested to label the political awakening of the Malaysian Indians as racist, chauvinist and anti-Malay, so as to accentuate racial and religious polarization and  stampede  Malays to unite solidly behind Umno in response to the perception that the Malays are under attack.

If the political awakening of the Malaysian Indians to end their long-standing marginalization falls into the trap of being tarred as anti-Malay, it would then be easy to counter and  neutralize it challenge, making it counter-productive and  destroying its  potential to maximize the electoral possibilities in the next general election.

I had asked on Friday whether Malaysian Indian voters could  create a
political and electoral tsunami
in the next general election expected next March in 50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats where they comprise more than 10 per cent of the electorate, or in 21 parliamentary and 73 state assembly seats where they constitute more than 15% of the electorate?

I had said in Ipoh last Thursday that there are 62 parliamentary seats and 138 state assembly seats where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and that there are 28 parliamentary and 78 state assembly seats where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the voters where they can play the role of “kingmaker” in the electoral outcome.

These figures were wrong as they were based on the  electoral roll used for the 2004 general election. The latest electoral data gives a different picture as there is a reduction of these constituencies – i.e. 50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and 21 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the electorate.

The 50 Parliamentary constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate are as follows:

Kedah  (4)
	–	 	 %

Padang Serai –		21.78

Merbok	–		17.16

Kulim Bandar Baru	11.04

Sungai Petani –		10.40

Penang (3)

Batu Kawan	–		22.35

Nibong Tebal –		14.43

Bagan	–		13.27

Perak (13)

Sungai Siput 		22.45

Bagan Datok 		22.36

Ipoh Barat 			21.24

Tapah 			19.67

Telok Intan			 19.02

Tanjong Malim		 17.29

Beruas			13.75

Taiping			13.15

Tambun			11.53

Lumut			11.04

Batu Gajah			10.74

Bagan Serai			10.45

Kampar			10.04

Pahang (1)

Cameron Highlands	22.72

Selangor (14)

Kota Raja			25.91

Kuala Selangor		21.32

Hulu Selangor		19.01

Kuala Langat		17.99

Sepang			17.73

Kelana Jaya			17.59

Klang				17.43

Selayang			15.23

Shah Alam			14.71

Puchong			14.20

Subang			13.85

Petaling Jaya Selatan	13.38

Tanjong Karang		11.89

Kapar				11.77

Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur (3)

Lembah Pantai		17.94

Batu				14.31

Segambut			12.09

Negri Sembilan (6)

Telok Kemang		22.64

Rasah			19.15

Rembau			14.94

Jempol			13.35

Seremban			11.16

Malacca (1)

Alor Gajah			11.64

Johore (5)

Labis				14.63

Tebrau			12.70

Pasir Gudang		11.13

Segamat			11.08

Gelang Patah		10.87

As there is no single parliamentary or state assembly constituency in Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute the majority of the electorate and could singly decide who would be elected the MP or State Assembly representative, it is vital that the political awakening or even “uprising” must not be perceived as a  threat to the other communities, such as falling into the trap of being tarred as “anti-Malay”,  but as part of a Malaysian awakening of all  marginalized groups in the country  to demand for justice and an equal place under the Malaysian sun.

It is only if the  Indian voters can join forces with voters from other communities to demand for an end to the marginalization of all Malaysian groups that the “political uprising” of the Malaysian Indians has the opportunity to create  a political tsunami in the next general election, such as  producing the historic result of denying  the Barisan Nasional its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 24 December 2007, 4:55 am and is filed under
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Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to Christians and Malaysians.

These are difficult and challenging times with growing religious polarisation from greater religious intolerance and constitutional encroachments of  our fundamental rights.

Are we prepared individually and collectively to stand up for the fundamental rights entrenched in our Constitution or are we going to be a party, though a silent and passsive one, to their progressive erosion and  our own disenfranchisement.

Let  us give serious thought to  this grave subject when celebrating Christmas 2007!

                This entry was posted on Monday, 24 December 2007, 9:38 pm and is filed under
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PM  should overrule Johari and rescind Internal Security Ministry order to HERALD

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should
overrule
 Internal Security Deputy Minister, Datuk Johari Baharum  and rescind the Internal Security Ministry order to Herald, the Catholic weekly to discontinue the Bahasa Malaysia section, so that Christmas Day this year will not be celebrated under a cloud of burgeoning religious intolerance and constitutional encroachments.

Johari has
admitted
that he had made the decision that the  word ‘Allah’ can only be used in the context of Islam and not any other religion, and to impose the new condition on this restriction on the Herald when the annual publishing permit of the Catholic weekly is next renewed.

Although Johari said that his decision was based on a report submitted by the publications department of his ministry, it is an indictment  of the arbitrary nature of  the decision-making process  and even misgovernance that there had been no consultation whatsoever with the  religious organizations which will be affected by the decision.

Even more arbitrary and deplorable was the ministry’s decision to abolish the Herald’s Bahasa Malaysia section, which is not only unconstitutional but shows that the government itself does not give pride of place to Bahasa Malaysia.

As the word “Allah” has been used to refer  to God among Christians for generations in many countries and is never meant to offend or confuse the Muslims, Abdullah should intervene to rescind such retrogressive measure by the Internal Security Ministry or it will be another signal that Malaysia is down the slippery slope of more religious restrictions for non-Muslim faiths, whose constitutionally-entrenched guarantees of freedom of religion are not being honoured by the government.

The year 2007 is already the worst year for religious polarisation in the 50 year history of the nation and the country cannot afford another lurch towards religious intolerance and constitutional encroachment of the fundamental rights of Malaysians in the last fortnight of the year.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 24 December 2007, 9:24 am and is filed under
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Losing battle for Pak Lah’s soul

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave an excellent
Christmas message
 when he called on Malaysians  to move forward and put the country’s interest before any “narrowly-defined demands” as “over the past few months, narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group has served to test our faith in each other”.

Ask the over two million Christians in Malaysia celebrating Christmas today whether they agree with the Prime Minister’s sentiments and I have no doubt that there will be a thumping unanimous “Yes”.

Ask them to cite a recent example of “narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group” which had undermined the national interest with their “narrowly-defined demands”, I also have no doubt of a thumping unanimity of response by the Christians in the country – the narrow-minded decision by the Deputy Internal Security Minister,. Datuk Johari Baharum to disallow  the renewal of the Bahasa section of the HERALD, the Catholic weekly and to  ban the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslim Malaysians and non-Muslim faiths.

Abdullah’s  Christmas message  this year has served to illustrate in a most vivid fashion the losing battle for  the soul of the Prime Minister to convince him to  walk the talk to project Malaysia as a world model for inter-faith understanding, goodwill and harmony.

It is clear that the writer of the Prime Minister’s Christmas message does  not  belong to the the Putrajajya fourth-storey “movers and shakers” of the Abdullah administration who exercise real power and are not just wordsmiths but  people responsible for  a series of “narrowly-defined demands” undermining the national interest in the past four years.

Is Abdullah prepared to strike down the most recent  blatant example of “narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group”, regardless of whether they are hiding in the bureaucracy or outside?

MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, MIC President, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and former Gerakan President, Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik have issued very sweet-sounding Christmas messages. Will they support Abdullah in striking down   “narrowly-defined demands” undermining the national interest emanating from within the government machinery, beginning with Johari’s unconstitutional edict?

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 25 December 2007, 12:26 pm and is filed under
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Tsu Koon puts foot in his mouth once  again

Just left the Christmas High Tea Reception hosted by the Christian Federation of Malaysia at Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur when I received an irate call from Penang.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who attended the Christmas Reception with his wife and a retinue of MCA Ministers and Deputy Ministers  (unlike last year, when he sent the Deputy Finance Minister, Ng Yen Yen instead – causing great annoyance all-round) had left and guests could leave.

I was in DAP MP for Seputeh, Teresa Kok’s car when I got the call. It was 5.06 pm.

At first I could not make head or tail why the caller was so indignant – something about what the new Gerakan No. 1 and Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon had said in his Christmas message and which appeared in New Straits Times.

I had read the Christmas messages of the Prime Minister (and blogged about it) and  those of Ong Ka Ting, Samy Vellu and Lim Keng Yaik but missed Tsu Koon’s message.

The caller, a leading Penang NGO activist, poured out his fury and asked  how Tsu Koon could say in his Christmas message that Malaysians, while celebrating Christmas, must respect Islam as the country’s official religion.

He said he was calling from a Christmas party and all who attended were very angry with Tsu Koon’s Christmas message, as what has celebration of Christmas got to do with Islam as the official religion.

I tended to agree but I said I had not read Tsu Koon’s Christmas message and it would not be fair for me to comment until I have read his Christmas message in its entirety. He asked me to check with New Straits Times.

When I arrived back at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya, I immediately looked for a copy of the New Straits Times.  I went through the pages and could not find Tsu Koon’s message. I had to check the paper a second time to find that Tsu Koon’s Christmas message was tucked away in a half-page  of Christmas messages  in page 2, which was dominatede by three personalities with accompanying photographs, Samy Vellu, Keng Yaik and Musa Aman (Sabah Chief Minister) and others without pictures like Ong Ka Ting.

Tsu Koon’s message was tucked away inconspicuously and without any accompanying photograph, would have been missed by most readers.

And his Christmas message was just one paragraph: “Malaysians, while celebrating Christmas, must respect Islam as the country’s official religion.” There was no larger context.

I agree with the irate caller.  Tsu Koon has put his foot in his mouth once again.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 25 December 2007, 6:46 pm and is filed under
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Herald controversy – Is Abdullah leader of Malaysian moderates protecting middle ground against extremists?

It is a great Christmas letdown and disappointment that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not assure Malaysians that he will not allow the middle ground to be intruded and encroached by extremists in Umno  or the  civil service by striking down  unreasonable, arbitrary and unconstitutional restrictions on Herald, the Catholic weekly.

I was expecting Abdullah to put to rest  the  controversy over the use of ‘Allah’ by Herald in its Bahasa Malaysia section when he attended  the Christmas High Tea Reception hosted by the Christian Federation of Malaysia at Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur yesterday, and I dare say that my sense of disappointment was not mine alone but of the entire audience with representatives from diverse religions in the country – Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism,  Sikkhism and Taoism.

In his speech, Abdullah reminded Malaysians not to allow extremist tendencies to take root and undermine interracial harmony in the country.

He  said the moderates should play a role in ensuring that members of the public were not swayed by extremist propaganda which played on people’s emotions by raising sensitive religious and racial issues.

“I’m really concerned when issues involving religion are brought up from time to time and the attendant problems that all of us would need to address.

“If moderates don’t take centre stage, surely extremist elements will occupy it, making us fall for their extremist approach being touted as a religious or national approach.”

Abdullah cannot be more right that the greatest threat to inter-racial and  inter-religious understanding, goodwill and harmony stem from religious extremists hiding in religious groups,  political parties and the civil service who have been intruding and encroaching into the middle ground, edging out the moderates from  the centre stage.

This is the main reason why religious polarization has surfaced in its most serious and dangerous form in the  past four years in  the 50-year history of the nation, gravely undermining national unity and the nation-building process.

Johari has
“>admitted
 that he was personally responsible for  the decision that the word “Allah” can only be used in the context of Islam and not any other religion, and to impose the new condition on this restriction on the Herald banning the use of the word  “Allah” as well as the publication of its Bahasa Malaysia section when the annual publishing permit of the Catholic weekly comes up for renewal in the next few days.

Abdullah owes Malaysians an explanation whether he was privy to Johari’s decision or he only knew about it when there was a public furore and protest over the unreasonable, arbitrary and unconstitutional restrictions for the renewal of the Herald publications permit.

A
poster
 on my blog has most pertinently pointed out that if the term  “Allah” cannot be used by Christians to refer to God in Malaysia, then Malaysia may become an anomaly among the nations of the world, because of the following reasons:

1. The term “Allah” was in use long before there was Islam religion in the world.

2. The term “Allah” was used to refer to God by Arabic-speaking Christians before Arabic-speaking Muslims existed.

3. Malaysia is probably the only nation where the use of the term “Allah” by Christians to refer to their God is prohibited, whereas its use to refer to Christian God has never been prohibited in many countries in the Middle-East and the Americas.

There are approximately 1.8 billion Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world, after Christianity. How many Muslims and others objected to Malaysian Christians’ use of the term “Allah” to refer to their God? Is it just only the government of Malaysia with over 15 million Muslims, comprising less than one  per cent of the world Muslim population?

Several states, including Johore, Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu use  the word “Allah” in their state anthems. Does this mean that these  State Anthems will have to be amended to conform to the  new Johari directive banning the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims?

Abdullah must not only rail speak up  against extremist and intolerant elements who are undermining  the middle ground  and national interests with their “narrowly-defined demands”, but must be prepared to act against them regardless of  whether they hail from religious groups, political parties or from the bureaucracy.

The unreasonable, arbitrary and unconstitutional Johari order to Herald to ban its Bahasa Malaysia section and the use of “Allah” is an acid test as to whether the Prime Minister is a leader of Malaysian moderates from all faiths  defending the middle ground from extremist and intolerant groups.

Is Abdullah prepared  to strike down the Johari order to demonstrate that he is a leader of moderates in Malaysia, not just in words but also in action?

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 8:48 am and is filed under
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
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Hishammuddin threat – Tsu Koon should requisition BN Supreme Council meeting to stop bullying/intimidation

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has
denied
that his statement on what Gerakan Youth deputy chief S. Paranjothy said was a threat.

Hishammudin said he was not threatening anyone nor being emotional when he said that Umno Youth and Barisan Nasional would sever relationship with Gerakan if the Gerakan Acting President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon could not give  a satisfactory explanation and response on Paranjothy’s statement for saying two things:

•	that the 30,000 Indians who took part in the Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 did so to express their frustration and anger because the community had been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

•	Blaming  Umno leaders, particularly the Umno Youth Leader Hishammuddin and Deputy Umno Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin for racial posturing and inciting racial sentiments among Malays to gain political mileage – citing as examples the keris-wielding episodes against the former and the public castigation of the Indian news vendors by the latter when the Umno presidential address of Prime Minister and Umno President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not carried in the press the next day as the Umno general assembly fell on Deepavali, with the next day an annual press holiday.

Hishamuddin’s denial that his statement on Paranjothy was a threat  raises the question what would be Tsu Koon’s reaction if the Umno Youth had issued his “threat”.

Hishammuddin was however denying the undeniable as everyone, except him, would have recognized that he had issued an ultimatum and a threat.

Tsu Koon had issued
a plaintive complaint
 that Hishammuddin should not make statements ”that can mar relationship between component parties within Barisan” when  he should have berated Hishammuddin for his arrogance and presumption  in threatening that the Barisan Nasional would sever relationship with Gerakan as if all the 14 Barisan Nasional component parties and their leaders, including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, have no minds of their own and were all at the Umno Youth leader’s beck and call!

In being forced to take disciplinary action against Paranjothy, Tsu Koon should have protested against Barisan Nasional  double-standards where Umno and Umno Youth leaders enjoy immunity from disciplinary action for criticizing,  insulting and even  threatening leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties while ultimatums are issued by Umno and Umno Youth leaders against leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties if they are criticized by the other Barisan Nasional component parties.

The least Tsu Koon should have done when referring  Paranjothy to the Disciplinary Committee  is to lodge a strong protest against the strong-armed tactics and double standards of Hishammuddin, as well as validating Paranjothy’s  sentiments about the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians leading to the Nov. 25 Hindraf demonstration by 30,000 Indians as being most  pertinent and legitimate.

Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said yesterday that  the people should give little importance to the remarks by Paranjothy because there were more people with a rational mind in the Barisan Nasional component parties who could make themselves heard above him.

But Hishammuddin clearly does not agree for he had said in Maran that Umno Youth will answer all allegations made by Paranjothy against Umno and its leaders as Paranjothy’s  accusations were serious and  aimed at Umno Youth leaders, including Khairy Jamaluddin and himself.

Tsu Koon should requisition  for a Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting to demand that Umno and Umno Youth leaders stop bullying and intimidating the leaders from the other Barisan Nasional component parties and a review why the Barisan Nasional has  deviated so far from its original concept as a coalition of equals to one which is ruled by an  over-dominant Umno and 13 other voiceless and powerless component parties.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 2:01 pm and is filed under
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Man may not solve man-made problems

I have taken the liberty to copy from the letter
Remove the “national security” straightjacket!
 by
Azly Rahman
 which appears in this blog, in particular the summary of the nine challenges called “The Way Forward-Vision” spoken about by TDM. That was said to be a culmination of TDM work throughout his tenure. I like to make some comments on some of the nine challenges summarized by
Azly Rahman.

1. Establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny

Any nation where the citizens enjoy equal rights would automatically wish for the well beings of the country which would determine their own destiny. Unless the government acts contrary to the equal rights expectation of the citizens, that the nationals have a common and shared destiny is given. However, when the government chooses to implement its divide and rule policies, the nationals would not share a sense of common destiny for the nation. TDM was the main actor in highlighting the differences among different ethnic groups in the country. Whatever intentions  he harboured in the name of making his race dominate in political and economic life, he has set the people who benefited from his reign on the path of get-rich quick, and grounded with the mindset of entitlement and supremacy. He would not be able to return the genie into the bottle, however hard he tried, if he was sincere in seeing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common shared destiny.

Modern science and technological developments make easy changes to mountains and streams, but it is almost impossible to set right human thoughts which have gone haywire. It takes decades to develop cultured human beings who internalize the noble quality of modesty, politeness, righteousness, reasonableness, fair play and justice. These noble values are set aside when morally wrong actions are legalized, for the powerful and connected, and even for beneficiaries of state institutionalized corrupt and unfair practices, in the name of affirmative actions. The belief that moral values could be temporarily suspended to be returned later, to experiment with some social engineering work for leveling playing fields, proved  futile. The temporary indulgences turned out to be permanently temporary, where the all powerful emperor TDM was not able to end NEP in 1990. Or did he choose to be politically correct, or worse, pretended that the 30% equity target were yet to be achieved. The lesser ruler PM AAB is simply gutless to examine whether the ASLI’s calculations truly confirm that the targets had already been achieved. He promised to reveal the methodology a year ago. The methodology adopted by EPU only tells half the story, the other half relates to what have and have not been correctly included in the computation of the single most important economic figures, when the results of which should have been acted upon to end the most important obstacle to returning to Malaysia a future where the people share a sense of united and common destiny.

It is the government’s active social engineering experiments which have now made the country deviating from the path where the people automatically share a sense of united and common destiny.

2. Creating a psychologically liberated, secure, and developed Malaysian society with faith and confidence in itself, justifiably proud of what it is, of what it has accomplished, robust enough to face all manner of adversity

Malays are led to believe that they have no place under Malaysian sun unless they support the racist policies of UMNO. Malays are psychology insecure as to their ability to survive without government crutches, so declared UMNO as savior of Malays. The insecurity could turn into riots if the concessions do not continue, as uttered by delegates to the UMNO general assembly, displaying a report and reminding the nation of May 13. Until UMNO stopped using race differences to collect votes, the challenges have no solution. In fact it is doubtful whether a solution was indeed desired as claimed.

3. Fostering and developing a mature democratic society, practising a form of mature consensual, community-oriented Malaysian democracy that can be a model for many developing countries

The government has the control of the development, or more correctly the curtailment of democracy in the country. The community-based political parties were convenient to satisfy the demand of the British for obtaining independence for the country. Had the UMNO leadership the vision and desire to forgo the community oriented political parties, the society would not have been as polarized like it is today. A community-oriented democracy is against the basic requirement of fair play for all its citizens, and the set-up of race based political parties cannot foster a mature democratic society.

4. Establishing a fully moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and with the highest ethical standards

The community based political parties do not provide the environment for the stated objective.

5. Establishing a mature, liberal and tolerant society in which Malaysians of all colours and creed are free to practise and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs and yet feeling that they belong to one nation

The political set up of the country works against the objective.

6. Establishing a scientific and progressive society, a society that is innovative and forward-looking, one that is not only a consumer of technology but also a contributor to the scientific and technological civilisation of the future

That can only come about when the society practices meritocracy. But the powers-that-be chooses to operate a pseudo meritocratic system such as equating the results of matriculation to STPM for evaluating university admission, while reserving 90% of the examination candidates to one race, the dream can continue.

7. Establishing a fully caring society and caring culture, a social system in which society will come before the self, in which welfare of the people will revolve not around the state or the individual but around a strong and resilient family system

All the good ingredients for developing into the society were destroyed when the state thought it proper to bribe the entire community for electoral votes. Half the population more were made to be dependent on the state from cradle to grave. NEP made the undesirable effects irreversible.

8. Ensuring an economically just society… in which there is a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation, in which there is full partnership in economic progress

That is the thought of a man who thinks that he is more capable than God. The society would have justice at the macro level when the people practices justice and fair play at the lower level. To a person at his and his family level, besides health, wealth was important. They get the leisure time to count their money when they have been able to earn a decent means of living. For him, any assistance to lighten his load in earning his keep is appreciated. This is true for all races. The surplus one has can go to finance how a person looks goods, and to feel proud of his achievements. The invisible hands make the economy ticks, and the same hands direct how economic decisions are made. The statistics on cumulative wealth remains a statistics, and serves no useful purpose in terms of the success of the individuals. Politicians certainly could make use of the statistics, and most importantly, they distorted figures to serve the route to political success. If the powers-that-be truly believes that cumulative wealth of a community is a basis for them to keep peace, then he has created a following to chase after something nebulous.

9. Establishing a prosperous society with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient

As the nation moves in tandem with social and economic developments of its neighbouring countries and the world, and the government observes proper governance of a civil, fair and democratic society with freedom for the people to alert the government to its wrong policies or implementation, the society should attain the aims as desired by the rest of the world. The requirement must be that the government should be made up of people who intend to serve the nations rather than taking the official positions to enrich themselves. They should then be happy to allow others to serve the nation, and be modest to accept that there are other capable hands which are honest to serve the public. A fair and clean election allows regular renewal of talents. For a start, the race-based parties which have outlived it usefulness should cease to exist. Government policies and regulations should respect no race, and be equal for all. Religion should be a matter between the persons and his god. People should not make use of political position to create religious merit.

Conclusion

The preamble of the text of the United States declaration of Independence has the following sentence: (from Wikipedia).

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The original Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaya was to be reviewed after 15 years from 1957. That article is not equal to the concept of ‘all men are created equal’. Though USA cannot be considered a perfect country, except for item3, it has at least overcome eight of the nine challenges listed above. There may not be great thinkers in USA who set up specific vision to accomplish, and yet it is the country that attracts people who are capable to work in the pursuit of happiness.

The nine challenges would remain insurmountable because the nation does not accept the concept that all men are created equal.  In particular challenge 3. Fostering and developing a mature democratic society, practising a form of mature consensual, community-oriented Malaysian democracy that can be a model for many developing countries implies a continuation of the race-based political parties in the country. The leaders of the more powerful race-based party would not forgo the decade-old tested ‘kampong champion’ strategy to win political power, and hence they would be embroiled in racial politics rather than endeavoring the charting of common destiny for the people.

The first step towards establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny begins with accepting that all men are created equal, and they are so treated by the government, the institutions, and the public at large. Until that first step is taken, the vision remains a dream.

(Note: I wish to acknowledge that the questions quoted in my letter in this blog:
“Something that has no comparison anywhere else in the world”
was from the translation by Darkhorse, also from this blog. I am unable to make comments directly in the blog, because of peculiar ‘virus’ problems.)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 5:26 am and is filed under
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I’m on facebook.

All the buzz around
facebook
, thought should check it out for myself. Feel free to add me as your friend.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 27 December 2007, 6:40 am and is filed under
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Next general election in next 80 days or it will be mid-year or third quarter

MIC Deputy President Datuk G. Palanivel is confident that the Indians will continue to vote for Barisan Nasional because of the hard work put in by the MIC.

“The Indians are loyal to Barisan.  They know we have served our constituencies and cultivated the relationship with the people.”

Palanivel was clearly “whistling in the dark” (i.e. keeping the courage up) when the MIC leaders are facing the greatest crisis of confidence and credibility in its party history.

In the past 50 years, the Indian voters were taken for granted by the Barisan Nasional as the unquestioned  vote-bank, but there is now a sea-change in the political attitudes of the Malaysian Indians as a result of their  political awakening caused by the high-handed and arbitrary disregard of their basic feelings and fundamental rights in their cry of desperation for government attention and action to end their long-standing marginalization as the new underclass in Malaysia.

Nanyang Siang Pau
reported that the next general election will be held in the next 100 days. I believe that the polls will be held in the next 80 days or it will be held much later.

A date which had been bruited as given by the Prime Minister’s Feng Shui maestro  is March 15, 2008.

I believe if the polling date is not held by the middle of March, we are looking earliest at mid-year or  after.

This is because the next Parliamentary meeting is scheduled to begin on March 17, which will be officially opened by the Yang di Pertuan Agong for a 23-day meeting for the Dewan Rakyat till April 23, 2008 to be followed by the Senate meeting.

It would be ridiculous and highly contemptuous of Parliament and the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament when it has just been officially opened as there would be  no national emergency, like a loss of confidence by the government-of-the-day, to justify such an action.

Either the next general election is held within the next 80 days without  the next parliamentary meeting  or it will be held in mid-year or the third quarter.

The next general election will be most unprecedented as the  Indian voters will be playing the most decisive role in 12 general elections in 50 years.

From the latest data, there are  50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and 21 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the electorate.

The 133 state assembly states in Peninsular Malaysia with Indian voters comprising more than 10% of the electorate are:

Perlis (2)

  % of Indian voters in constituency

Tambun Tulang               11.21

Chuping                           10.60

Kedah (10)

Bukit Selambau              27.39

Lunas                             23.64

Sidam                             19.62

Merbau Pulas                 19.55

Gurun                             17.26

Kulim                              14.68

Bakar Arang                   12.28

Pedu                               11.51

Sungai Tiang                   11.47

Kuala Ketil                       11.45

Penang (11)

Perai                                 34.77

Bagan Dalam                    21.01

Jawi                                  19.93

Bukit Tengah                    17.53

Bukit Tambun                   15.80

Sungai Bakap                   14.10

Kebun Bunga                    13.15

Bagan Jermal                   12.97

Batu Uban                         11.48

Seberang Jaya                  11.07

Tanjong Bunga                  10.22

Perak (27)

Buntong                              44.30

Hutang Melintang               30.39

Jalong                                 26.11

Changkat Jong                   26.04

Chenderiang                       24.95

Sungkai                              19.76

Jelapang                             18.60

Behrang                              18.15

Lintang                                18.11

Pasir Panjang                     17.78

Alor Pongsu                        16.89

Aulong                                 15.84

Pantai Remis                       15.22

Ayer Kuning                         14.98

Hulu Kinta                            14.84

Slim                                      13.82

Pengkalan Hulu                   13.69

Pasir Bedamar                     13.39

Teja                                      13.38

Trong                                    13.30

Kamunting                            13.28

Tualang Sekar                      12.37

Kepayang                             12.03

Pengkalan Baharu                11.18

Tronoh                                   11.00

Rungkup                                10.80

Pokok Assam                        10.05

Pahang (8)

Tanah Rata                          26.67

Sabai                                    20.01

Lancang                               17.19

Jelai                                     16.29

Jenderak                              11.65

Bebar                                   11.33

Benta                                    11.13

Tras                                      10.19

Selangor (37)

Bukit Melawati                     30.19

Seri Andalas                        29.94

Seri Setia                             27.92

Ijok                                       27.08

Sementa                              21.83

Kuala Kubu Baharu             21.66

Permatang                           21.64

Kota Alam Shah                  21.59

Teluk Datuk                         21.54

Batu Caves                          21.42

Sri Muda                              20.86

Rawang                               20.74

Sungai Pelek                       20.67

Batang Kali                          19.61

Dengkil                                 17.85

Kuang                                  17.84

Sijangkang                           17.63

Batu Tiga                             15.93

Pelabuhan Klang                 15.90

Morib                                   15.72

Bukit Lanjan                        15.63

Taman Medan                     15.57

Hulu Bernam                        15.45

Semenyih                             15.26

Pandamaran                         15.17

Seri Serdang                        15.02

Tanjong Sepat                      14.79

Kota Damansara                  14.01

Kota Anggerik                      13.51

Kinrara                                 12.71

Bangi                                   12.25

Paya Jaras                          12.20

Lembah Jaya                       11.56

Meru                                    11.30

Jeram                                  10.93

Taman Templer                   10.93

Bukit Gasing                        10.82

Negri Sembilan (19)

Jeram Padang                   38.55

Port Dickson                      27.45

Bagan Pinang                    24.43

Rantau                               23.26

Linggi                                 20.97

Chuah                                20.79

Rahang                              20.38

Bukit Kepayang                 19.84

Mambau                             19.51

Nilai                                   19.23

Lukut                                  19.09

Labu                                  17.89

Senawang                         17.76

Repah                                17.47

Paroi                                  17.34

Lobak                                 14.65

Gemencheh                       12.46

Sungai Lui                          11.00

Chembong                         10.89

Melaka (7)

Rim                                  15.44

Merlimau                          14.10

Machap                            14.00

Bemban                           13.48

Rembia                            13.15

Asahan                            11.42

Gadek                              10.82

Johor (12)

Bekok                               16.95

Paloh                                16.88

Permas                             15.59

Layang-Layang                 15.53

Tiram                                 14.01

Buloh Kasap                      13.75

Mengkibol                          12.46

Tenang                              11.60

Puteri Wangsa                   11.07

Skudai                                10.88

Nusa Jaya                          10.86

Bukit Permai                       10.43

                                        Lim Kit Siang

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 27 December 2007, 1:26 pm and is filed under
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