Power is duty, not a prize

By
Razaleigh Hamzah

Jun 19, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Malaysia’s post-colonial history began with optimism and a grand hope in 1957. When Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first prime minister of Malaysia, proclaimed our Independence at the Merdeka Stadium in the unforgettable words that “Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy with an independent judiciary,” he had a vision of a happy people in spite of the formidable economic problems we needed to solve.

After that dawn of independence, there was a search of how we could achieve this happy society, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of all Malaysians which was to continue for the generations to come. He symbolised the concept and conviction of generational responsibility in his vision.

Tunku Abdul Rahman and his generation were dedicated leaders, not for power but a sense of duty to the present and the future. They were not in politics for the money or for themselves. Indeed, even after they had assumed power, they never used their position to benefit themselves or their families, nor did they build loyal cronies who would act as their financiers or hold any wealth unlawfully earned at the expense of the people.

The guiding philosophy was responsibility of public office. Public office was seen as a duty, not as an opportunity. The public office was also part of their sense of political commitment to create a Malaysia that was fair, just, cohesive, and balanced. This was combined by a deep conviction of generational responsibility for those who would come after them.

Our three lost decades

One of the greatest losses in public life and in politics today in Malaysia is that loss of generational responsibility. Everything seems to be surrounded by greed and the desire to be billionaires.

This had led to a pyramid of cronies within the incumbent political parties and their associates in business. It is this combination of the hierarchy of political cronies and business cronies that led to the centralisation of power in the incumbent political leadership and in the Office of the Prime Minister.

This power in one individual allowed the manipulation of the political system; I mean by this the institutions of power including the media. In exchange for the centralisation of power, greed and self-interest were encouraged by example and in the guise of racial loyalty deserving rewards.

This is the case in all the parties within the power structure. This state of affairs is one of the most dangerous and difficult to dismantle because there has been three decades of centralised power.

The political style that has dominated in these lost three decades has been “double-think” and “double-talk”. One of the features which is alarming in this plan to maintain status quo is the encouragement covertly of racial and religious obscurantism.

The underlying theme was a policy of using a balance of racialism and religion on the one hand and talks of unity on the other hand in order to make the people hostage to the status quo of power.

As a result, racialism and racial concerns seem to have a grip on all aspects of our lives, in politics, economics, education and employment, irrespective of the present reality which has got nothing to do with race or religion. We are deliberately made to feel that we are hostage to these forces.

Freedom of speech and expression of our political concerns to change the atmosphere are restrained by how it will be interpreted by those who want to deny us the right to differ.

Article 10 of the Constitution which guarantees this freedom is almost non-existence or subject to fear of retaliation or defamation. Legal suits intended to silence legitimate concerns of public responsibility are increasingly used.

Unfortunately, our judicial system has forgotten the fundamental importance of Article 10 to the democratic life of Malaysia. Common sense seems to have been taken out of the law.

Obscene income inequality gap

On the economic front, income inequality in Malaysia has widened. Some studies suggest that Malaysia’s inequality is wider than Thailand’s or Indonesia’s.

Historically, the concern was about ownership and control of the economy. It was the view of some that if ownership was de-racialised or balanced at the top, economic justice would follow. It is no longer a valid premise for the future.

Income inequality is no longer a problem between races; it crosses the racial divide and it is a problem of the majority of Malaysians who feel the pressure of inflation in almost every essential aspects of their lives, challenging their well-being of themselves, their families, and their future.

Today and in the near future, this is the most serious challenge we face. It is not an easy challenge to overcome. It is a time when Malaysia needs leadership of the highest quality and of those who have the moral courage to change and re-think our economic policies.

It is in these circumstances that we face the serious problem of rising food prices, inflation in price of houses compounded by shortage in housing for the vast majority of young Malaysians.

Lack of economic expansion to give all levels an opportunity to use their talents to seek work that is commensurate with their contribution, their needs of daily life, and to narrow the inequality gap, is the threat of the future.

Therefore, we should be concerned about the justification of the removal of subsidies that affects the low income because that will further widen the inequality and open the society to social disorder and disintegration, and increase social incohesion.

It is in this context that I raise the issue about independent power production companies (IPPs). The privatisation contracts are today protected by the Official Secrets Act, and therefore we are unable to really know whether or not the public and Petronas, as trustees of the public, are directly or indirectly subsidising these companies and the tycoons who are benefitting at the expense of the public.

Related to the question of the withdrawal of subsidies is the deficit that the government suffers from in managing the economy. This question cannot be separated from the way that the government has managed the nation’s finances.

If the deficit is as a result of wastage, corruption and extravagance in the use of public funds, then the solution to the problem should not be passed on to the public. What is needed is a reexamination of the management of the country’s finances before taking any drastic steps that would affect the well-being of the people.

We need to know the reality behind the apparent subsidies that are given to the public and its relationship in the totality of the management of the public finance. Only after we know the truth – and the whole truth – should any change in the policy of subsidies be implemented, as the consequences would have life-changing impact on the livelihood of the people.

In the circumstances of rising inflation in food, stagnation of the economy and income, we should not do anything that would widen the disparity of income which would cause social instability.

Rule of law, not of men

The challenge today is for the return to generational responsibility in politics and public office. This can only be achieved if we have democracy and parliamentary power which is responsible.

Democracy was the basis of the founding of the state of Malaysia by the Constitution in 1957. When it was briefly suspended in 1969, the leaders of that generation were uneasy, and they restored democracy as soon as possible.

That is because they realised that democracy has an intrinsic value in creating a citizenship that is not made up of sheep but of responsible citizens. Only responsible citizenship that understands democracy can bring about stability, cohesion and economic prosperity.

During those days, it was ingrained in that generation of leaders that democracy was not only a form but a value system that respected the essential institutions of democracy like the independence of judiciary, the supremacy of parliament subject to the Constitution, the respect for fundamental rights, and free speech.

They also understood the meaning and primacy of the rule of law and not of men. They also knew that democracy is the common heritage of humanity that we inherited and have a duty to continue. The law that they understood was also from the common heritage of all civilised nations.

And one of our inheritances is the common law system of the rule of law which is enshrined in our constitution. They knew that the phrase “common law” meant the wisdom that is passed to us in the progress of law and the values that are encapsulated in the law governing public office and responsibility to society. That laws are meant to enhance democracy and freedom but not to maintain and continue political power that is inconsistent with the rule of law and the constitution.

Independence did not come with peace but with very difficult problems, particularly the management of the economy and transforming it to bring about a balance between all the racial groups.

They realise that some of their problems had roots in the history of Malaysia. There was a serious imbalance between the countryside and the urban sector with racial dimensions which were too sharp. Indeed, poverty was also quite prevalent. There were open discussions and experiments.

Some of you may remember that one of the highlights of public debate was organised at the University of Malaya under the title, ‘The Great Economic Debate’ every year. That disappeared with the changes in the Universities and University Colleges Act and the decline of universities’ autonomy.

The search was to eradicate a sense of inequality between the various peoples of Malaysia, whether because of one’s identity and social origins, or for other reasons. It was as part of this search that during Tun Abdul Razak’s time, the Second Malaysia Plan was launched in 1971.

We need to be reminded of the objective of that plan:

“National unity is the over-riding objective of the country. A stage has been reached in the nation’s economic and social development where greater emphasis must be placed on social integration and more equitable distribution of income and opportunities for national unity.”

Erosion of the Malaysian Dream

That dream was slowly eroded from the mid-1980. The hope that we had at that time is now challenged in the most serious way.

Recently, Petronas announced that it had made a RM90.5 billion pre-tax profit. If we accumulate the profit of Petronas over the years, it would come to a mind-boggling figure of billions and billions.

Yet, the greatest poverty is found in the petroleum producing states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Sarawak, and Sabah. This moral inconsistency in a way exemplifies how the nation’s economy is mismanaged and how the institutions set up in the 1970s have lost their objective and commitment to solving the immediate and pressing problems of the nation.

Petronas was set up with the objective of serving the nation’s interest as a priority. It was never intended to give Petronas a life of its own as an incorporated company for selected individuals to profit at the expense of the national interest, nor was it the objective to allow Petronas a cooperate existence independent of national interest.

What is needed is for institutions like Petronas is to have a national focus rather than maintain a multinational status. The aim of making Petronas a multinational cooperation at the expense of national interest is contrary to the Petroleum Development Act.

Petronas should have a Petroleum Advisory Council to advise the prime minister on the operation of the law as well as the management and utilisation of its resources as spelt out in the Petroleum Development Act.

Another example of the abuse of power is the privatisation of certain government institutions which were set up as a public service to serve the people.

Bernas is one example of a privatisation of an essential commodity as a monopoly for a group of people and owned partially by two companies in Hong Kong. An essential commodity such as rice should not have been privatised for business purposes. We are the only rice producing country that has privatised and given as a monopoly to one company the importation and distribution of all rice products.

The reality today is Thailand and Indonesia are self sufficient in rice and we are dependant on 30 percent of imported rice. But because it is a monopoly, imported rice is cheaper in Singapore than Malaysia.

Privatisation for the benefit of private individuals to profit from such an essential commodity is a clear abuse of power. It would not have happened in those days. But with the centralisation of power in the office of the prime Minister who had the party under his absolute control, anything was possible!

I will suggest to you that there was a deliberate plan to centralise power in the leadership in a surreptitious manner. Unfortunately the nature of racial politics blinded us of the reality behind certain policies and conduct of leaders at that time.

RM880 bil in capital flight

The decline of democracy, the abuse of power, and the mismanagement of our economy and the nation’s finances, the economic waste, the lack of national cohesion in our economic policies led to the flight of capital in the region of RM880 billion over the years from the 1980s.

That was the beginning the lost decades and the full impact of the consequences of the economic policies which has continued since then, is yet to have its full impact on our national lives. And when it does the consequences are unpredictable.

The centralisation of power in the Office of the Prime Minister and the attorney-general had a major role in this state of affairs. The challenge today is to reverse the centralisation of power and restore the check and balance of a genuine democracy.

We need to reclaim as citizens of Malaysia our rights in a democracy; that power and authority are positions of trust and responsibility, not to serve personal interest or as an opportunity for personal enrichment. We need to reassert as politically active and responsible citizens the concept of social obligation and public service in those who seek political office. Power is duty, not a prize.

We need to rethink our economic policies. Particularly in the focusing on the national objectives that are urgent; economic policies is not only about wealth creation but needs to have a moral dimension which takes into account the well-being of all citizens as the ultimate priority over profits.

I have given you a broad sweep of the past and a bird’s eye view of the looming problems of managing our economy as it is today. I hope this will open a dialogue which benefits all of us.

* TENGKU RAZALEIGH HAMZAH is former finance minister and Gua Musang MP. The above speech was part of the Perak Lectures, organised by Perak Academy on June 18 in Taiping.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 June 2011, 11:13 am and is filed under
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Soi Lek says Tourism Facebook pages incur more cost than personal ones

By
Yow Hong Chieh

The Malaysian Insider

Jun 18, 2011

The Facebook pages operated by the Tourism Ministry are “complicated” and cost more to run than similar personal pages on the world’s most popular social networking site, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said tonight

The MCA president waded into the controversy surrounding the RM1.8 million paid for six Facebook pages by the ministry helmed by party vice president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, saying it might cost nothing to start such pages but maintenance had costs.

He added that it was difficult to put a dollar figure to the creativity of the IT consultants used, which he suggested was the largest variable in the bill.

“That creativity, I don’t know how much they will charge,” he told reporters after attending a fundraising dinner at SMJK Chong Hwa here.

“It’s something that you cannot measure, not like the server and the software. That one you can quantify the amount.”

Dr Chua pointed out that the high-value of creativity was the reason 23-year-old Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg was named youngest billionaire by Forbes in 2008.

He, nonetheless, said he will request from Ng the minutes of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, which was convened to seek clarification from her on the RM1.8 million outlay.

The Malaysian Insider, quoting sources, reported yesterday that Ng had been told not to waste time by her fellow ministers after it became clear she had no intention of providing a breakdown of the costs.

The debacle over the Tourism Ministry’s Facebook expenses began on Tuesday when Ng’s deputy, James Dawos Mamit, revealed in Parliament that RM1,758,432 had been spent developing six Facebook pages for the ministry.

He had said each of the six pages — Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, Karnival Jualan Mega 1Malaysia, Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1Malaysia, Kempen 1Malaysia Bersih and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia — cost RM293,072.

The announcement drew condemnation from the online community, sparking a spontaneous campaign that same evening which invited thousands to condemn Ng’s exorbitant spending.

Her ministry first entered the spotlight late last year when it was revealed in Parliament that Ng had spent more for her official trips abroad despite slashing the tourism promotional budget.

Ng again came under fire after Tourism Malaysia’s former advertising agency alleged that the ministry had asked for bribes in exchange for a promotion contract.

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Utusan: Bersih is Pakatan’s bid to spark Middle East-style protests

By
 Yow Hong Chieh

June 19, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — The opposition will use next month’s Bersih 2.0 rally to trigger an uprising similar to the popular protests which toppled Egypt’s Mubarak regime and now threatens governments in Libya, Syria and Yemen, Utusan Malaysia said in its Sunday edition today

Its Mingguan Malaysia weekend edition said those who intend to mass in the capital on July 9 to demand electoral reform have lost faith in democracy after realising they cannot win federal power through the ballot box.

“Peace is no longer important to them. They want only to seize power and install their leader as Malaysia’s prime minister using whatever means possible,” the Umno-owned daily said in its Maulana Arrif column.

“The enemies of Islam, both humans and syaitan-syaitan (devils), are working to aid them,” it added.

The column appeared to follow Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s comments that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will use the Bersih rally to capture Putrajaya from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

But Bersih 2.0 said it is marching to demand for electoral reforms, including a minimum 21-day election campaign period that was practised until the 1969 elections. A race riot after the polls caused the government to impose a state of emergency and stop lengthy campaign periods. A typical campaign period now is nine days.

The columnist also used an allegory inspired by a passage in the Sahih Muslim hadith about goats to describe the devotion shown by PAS supporters to the party leadership and opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The female goats first slavishly followed the male goats with white hair on their heads and beards… Suddenly there appeared in front of them a male goat with thick black hair on his head,” he wrote.

“The male goat was good with words and spoke like the goats in countries with four seasons… And so they followed the male goat with black hair.”

The column went on to say that the black-haired male goat – who nearly became leader of all animals before being ejected into the wilderness — believed it was his God-given right to be ruler and would use any trick in the book to achieve this goal.

PR component parties and activists are gearing up to march on July 9 in the second such rally by election watchdog Bersih.

The first rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the streets of the capital, where they were dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water cannon.

The 2007 rally has been credited for the PR’s record gains in Election 2008, where the opposition pact was swept to power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.

PAS has promised to bring some 300,000 protestors this year in hopes that it will galvanise support for the opposition in the next general election, expected to be called within a year.

Umno Youth and Malay rights group Perkasa has said they also will march on July 9 to counter the Bersih rally.

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What creativity?’ Kit Siang asks Soi Lek

By
Shannon Teoh

June 19, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Lim Kit Siang mocked today Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s defence of the “unquantifiable creativity” behind the tourism ministry’s RM1.8 million Facebook project.

The Ipoh Timur MP pointed out that a Facebook page protesting the project has already garnered three times the support of the Tourism Malaysia ~ Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia page.

“Chua is defending the indefensible. What creativity is Chua talking about?” said DAP’s parliamentary leader of the MCA president’s statement yesterday defending Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

The Curi-curi Wang Malaysia community page has raced to nearly 120,000 “likes” in just five days while the official Tourism Malaysia page is yet to hit 40,000 despite being set up in May.

Dr Ng was reported to have earned the ire of her Cabinet colleagues on Friday, who refused to accept her explanation for the cost of maintaining six Facebook pages over seven months.

Dr Chua defended his vice president yesterday, insisting that one could not put a price on creativity.

“Going by this impeccable logic, Malaysians must thank their lucky stars that they had not been charged RM18 million or RM180 million for six Facebook pages to promote tourism to Malaysia although Facebook pages are free,” said Lim sarcastically.

The debacle over the Tourism Ministry’s Facebook expenses began on Tuesday when Ng’s deputy, James Dawos Mamit, revealed in Parliament that RM1,758,432 had been spent developing six Facebook pages for the ministry.

He had said each of the six pages — Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, Karnival Jualan Mega 1Malaysia, Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1Malaysia, Kempen 1Malaysia Bersih and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia — cost RM293,072.

The announcement drew condemnation from the online community, sparking a spontaneous campaign that same evening which quickly saw tens of thousands condemning Dr Ng’s exorbitant spending.

Her ministry first entered the spotlight late last year when it was revealed in Parliament that she had spent more for her official trips abroad despite slashing the tourism promotional budget.

The Raub MP again came under fire after Tourism Malaysia’s former advertising agency alleged that the ministry had asked for bribes in exchange for a promotion contract.

Lim also questioned whether Dr Chua’s request for Dr Ng to show him the minutes of Friday’s Cabinet meeting was a violation of the Official Secrets Act as they were classified material.

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Why reject my questions, Chong asks S’wak speaker

BY
Ang Ngan Toh

Jun 19, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Kota Sentosa state assemblyperson Chong Chieng Jen has criticized state legislative speaker Awang Asfia Awang Nasar for rejecting two of his questions for the question and answer session of next week’s assembly meeting.

Chong, who is also the Bandar Kuching member of parliament, said the speaker rejected the two questions because they breached the august house’s Standing Order 20(1) (a), (c) and (l).

The first question was to the chief minister to state:

a) In the last 15 years, the list of the parcels of land alienated to companies whose shareholders consist of the son, daughter, brothers and/or sister of the honourable chief minister and the acreage of these parcels of land;

b) The premium charged by the state government for the alienation of such land to these companies;

c) Are these land alienated to these companies through open tender? If not, what are the reasons for alienating these parcels of land to these companies?

The second question was to ask the chief minister to state:

a) given that the Syarikat SESCO Berhad has entered into agreement Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd to purchase electricity power generated by Bakun Dam at the price of 6.25 sen/KwH, whether the government has any plan to reduce the domestic, commercial and industrial electricity tariff of SESCO for the local consumers, businessmen and industrialists?

b) who will be the beneficiaries of the cheap electricity generated by the Bakun Dam?

Expressing indignation that his questions had been rejected, Chong said there is “nothing wrong” with them, he told reporters yesterday.

He said they were fair questions and ought not to have been rejected.

Chong also insisted that the two questions did not breach the clauses of Standing Order 20(1)(a),(c) or (l).

Clause (a) states that a question shall not include the names of persons or statement not strictly necessary to render the question intelligible, while Clause (c) states that a question shall not contain any argument, inference, opinion, imputation, epithet or misleading, ironical or offensive expression.

Clause (l) states that a question shall not be asked seeking information set forth in acceptable documents or ordinary works of reference.

Chong said the people have every right to know how much of state land has been alienated to Taib’s family members (above, with Taib in the middle) and to their companies.

“If the chief minister has nothing to hide, he should allow the questions to go through,” he said.

Chong also stated that he had no improper motive nor was he suggesting any imputation in asking Taib to list out the parcels of lands alienated to his family members.

He also asked the speaker (right) why he was so protective of Taib when questions were asked about the chief minister.

On his questions concerning electricity tariff, Chong said the state government should make public who the real beneficiaries of the cheap electricity generated by the Bakum dam are.

“I don’t really understand why this question was rejected unless there is something to hide.

“Or is there any top secret that the government does not want us all to know?” he asked.

Chong said despite the rejection he would pursue the questions in one way or the other.

On Friday, the speaker had said that he had rejected 10 questions submitted for the questions and answer sessions of the assembly, which will sit from June 20 to 29.

Chong also criticized state Public Health and Environment Minister Wong Soon Koh for saying that he would be under attack by the DAP legislators at the assembly meeting.

“I can assure Wong that our attacks and criticisms will be on corruption, abuse of power and cronyism, and if any of the state ministers are involved, we would deal with them accordingly,” he said.

“Our track records show that we speak of corruption, abuse of power and cronyism by any state ministers, regardless of their party positions or from which party they come from,” he added.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 June 2011, 3:08 pm and is filed under
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A nation divided?

by
Kapil Sethi

The Malaysian Insider

Jun 19, 2011

JUNE 19 — On the one hand there are the Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia Truly Asia, Vision 2020, the Economic Transformation Programme, the Government Transformation Programme, National Key Result Areas and the prime minister’s international call towards moderate Islam.

On the other hand is Malay First, Malaysia Second, Perkasa calling for jihad against Christians trying to take over Malaysia, the cow head and Allah controversies, the failure of the New Economic Model, legalised child marriage, female genital mutilation and the latest additions being the Obedient Wives Club and the Polygamists Club.

The former aims to project Malaysia as a responsible, progressive member of the community of nations committed to inclusive spiritual and material growth. The latter reflects the changing social realities on the ground, where there seems to be a regression of sorts towards a narrow backward looking society, distrustful of multiracialism, insecure about its own identity and religious practices, and hell bent on seeking comfort in extreme traditionalism.

At a deeper level, this points towards a fundamental shift away from the quintessential Malaysian belief in the middle way, where everyone understood the fragility of the peace between the races and instinctively stayed away from trampling on the sensitivities of others.

It can be argued that the real social contract post 1969 was not political in terms of an exchange of citizenship for special privileges, but one where the similarities between the races as humans took precedence over the differences.

And it had a lot to do with the generosity and welcome provided by the majority community in integrating the races at a people to people level. Like it or not, the way the majority community sees itself and the world determines the national discourse to a large degree.

At a time when the majority community was comfortable in its own skin, convent schools were popular for the quality of education they offered and open houses promoted true integration. The media played its part by highlighting the positives and suppressing the negatives.

For a period of time, coupled with steady economic growth this resulted in the emergence of the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity that came to be seen as distinctively Malaysian. The global success of Malaysia Truly Asia had less to do with the originality of the slogan and more to do with the fact that it was an accurate reflection of Malaysian social reality.

In retrospect, it was too good to last. With the advent of new media, the iniquities and injustices of the 90s were laid bare. As Malaysians were exposed to global best practices in the areas of politics and economics, this new generation of Internet savvy citizens were the first to be outraged. It led to the dramatic 2008 elections which forced the powers that be on both sides of the political divide to reassess their positions.

While both political coalitions jumped to take ownership of the progressive liberal agenda through slogans such as 1 Malaysia and Malaysian Malaysia, a justifiable fear that the erstwhile beneficiaries of the NEP would not take kindly to its reversal forced the ruling coalition to devise a two-pronged Jekyll and Hyde policy. A debate over competing policies of growth, welfare and distribution of resources, normal in any country was suddenly tinged with racial undertones.

More than anything else, this attempt to be everything to everybody at the same time, moderate and extremist, inclusive and separatist, traditional and modern, has led to the current situation. The majority community now feels under siege and is forced to adopt a defensive approach in the face of the negative portrayal of some of its erstwhile leaders and their policies.

Ordinary people are being forced now to choose rather than co-exist. Are you more proud of your race or your country? Will you go to your neighbour’s house for a meal even if she is not a co-religionist? How will you decide where to live, where to educate your children? What criteria will you use?

From a society that could effortlessly internalise, reconcile and even celebrate differences, symbolised most memorably by the sight of girls wearing the tudung on top of a pair of Levi’s, Yasmin Ahmad’s Petronas commercials, or the universal popularity of the baju, to today where Man U T-shirts are the work of the devil, religious belief is worn on the sleeve rather than in the heart and educational and housing patterns reveal progressive ethnic segregation.

The biggest clue as to which direction has more appeal to Malaysian society today will come in the next general election. In many ways by simply stating its commitment to a needs- and merit-based vision for Malaysia independent of race, the opposition has been able to actually appropriate the underlying meaning of 1 Malaysia to itself and to portray the ruling coalition as majoritarian and conservative, more 1 Bumi than 1 Malaysia.

This allows the opposition to ignore its own internal differences, or propose its own coherent, detailed vision for the country and rely on the rakyat merely deciding whether they want to be part of 1 Bumi or not.

Therefore the next GE should reveal the relative appeal of different worldviews, epitomised in a microcosm, by say the Sisters In Islam versus the Obedient Wives Club or Malaysia Inc. versus PKMM (Bumiputera Contractors Association). And it will determine the future social fabric of this country.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 8:11 am and is filed under
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Ambiga: Bersih 2.0 good for BN too

By
Yow Hong Chieh

The Malaysian Insider

Jun 20, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Clean and fair elections will not only benefit all political parties including those under the Barisan Nasional (BN) umbrella, Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said last night.

She said electoral reform will “legitimise” BN’s rule in the eyes of the people and lend credibility to ruling coalition, which the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition pact has repeatedly accused of electoral fraud.

“We want clean and fair elections for everyone and this is good even for Barisan Nasional, because if they come in on free and fair elections, they’re legitimately there,” she told nearly 600 supporters at the launch of the Bersih 2.0 rally here.

Ambiga said the door was still open to BN component parties who wished to join Bersih on July 9 to demand electoral reform, stressing that she wanted the rally to be a bipartisan affair.

She lamented that, while the coalition sent invitations to all political parties, only the opposition had agreed to join the rally.

Ambiga also reiterated that Bersih wants to work hand-in-hand with police to help the people exercise their right to assembly, as guaranteed by Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.

“They (the police) will tell you that we have legislation, Police Act and the rest. That’s what they will say, and they will use that.

“But I tell them: Read the Constitution. Whatever Act you have cannot nullify my right under this Federal Constitution. You may restrict it a little bit but you cannot take it away,” the former Bar Council president said.

PR component parties and activists are gearing up to march on July 9 in the second such rally by election watchdog Bersih.

The first rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the capital’s street, before they were dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water cannons.

The 2007 rally has been credited for the PR’s record gains in Election 2008, where the opposition pact was swept to power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.

PAS has promised to bring some 300,000 protestors this year in hopes that it will galvanise support for the opposition in the next general election, expected to be called within a year.

Malay rights group Perkasa and 164 other non-governmental organisations as well as Umno Youth have said they will march on July 9 to counter the Bersih rally.

Perkasa earlier yesterday kicked off its counter-protest to Bersih 2.0 by burning images of Ambiga and warning the Chinese to stay indoors as “anything could happen”.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 8:17 am and is filed under
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Bersih 2.0 launch: The show must go on

By
Hazlan Zakaria
 | Jun 19, 11

Malaysiakini

To a clatter of drums and flashing placards, Bersih 2.0 chief S Ambiga launched the eight point demands of the free and fair elections advocacy coalition in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

The eight point demand will spearhead the massive Bersih 2.0 ‘Walk For Democracy’ planned for July 9 that has been hot topic all of last week.

Ambiga’s speech was read to the thunderous applause and cheers of the over 700 activists, civil society and NGO members crammed into the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

The crowd’s reception to the planned peaceful public demonstration was rousing, seemingly undaunted by the threats of counter rallies by Malay rights group Perkasa and Umno Youth as well as warnings of stern action by the authorities.

“As of now, the rally will go on,” assured Ambiga, adding that whatever happened to her personally would not impede the plans for event as the walk represents the wishes of the rakyat.

Earlier Perkasa promised to counter Bersih’s march with their own until the latter backs down, stomping on images of Ambiga and making a plethora of threats.

As the day developed, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim threw a gauntlet to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that if the premier can assure free and fair elections by tomorrow, he would ask Ambiga to call off the Bersih rally.

Undaunted, Ambiga said the rally was “not about me” and it was not Anwar’s place to make such a call to halt the people’s demand for a fair and free electoral process.

Malaysians abroad marching along

Ambiga meanwhile also announced that Malaysians and supporters of democracy overseas will also be holding peaceful demonstrations in front of their respective Malaysian embassies or high commissions in solidarity with Bersih 2.0.

At 2pm local time on July 9, simultaneous demonstrations will be held in London, Canberra and Sydney as well as Taiwan..

These overseas demonstrations will show that Malaysians everywhere are united in the cause for free and fair elections in the country, she said.

Earlier when approached by reporters before the launch, Ambiga rubbished Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim’s allegations that hackers who had crippled 41 government websites last week were linked to the electoral reform movement.

“We are not great,” she joked, calling the claims farfetched.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 11:21 am and is filed under
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Biarkan rally Bersih diadakan

By
Aspan Alias

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

20 JUN — Pihak parti-parti dan kerajaan yang memerintah usaha mereka ialah untuk menggagalkan niat Bersih untuk mengadakan rally besar-besaran pada 9 Julai nanti. Semua pihak tahu lebih-lebih lagi pihak pemerintah dan parti-parti yang berkuasa bahawa rally anjuran Bersih ini pasti akan mendapat sambutan yang ramai, malahan dijangkakan lebih besar dari yang dianjurkan pada 2007 yang lalu.

Inilah yang sangat ditakuti oleh Umno terutamanya kerana Umno tahu jika rally ini berlaku kali ini, ianya akan membawa kemenangan tambahan kepada Bersih seperti yang dialaminya pada 2007 yang lalu. Sebagai pihak yang memerintah memanglah mereka tidak mahu melihat Bersih mengulangi kejayaan itu lagi kerana pilihanraya umum ke13 akan diadakan tidak lama lagi.

Kalau kita kaji dengan teliti pihak yang bersama pemerintah pada hari ini terlalu defensif dan banyak kenyataan-kenyataan yang didengar dari pemimpin kerajaan membayangkan rasa takut dan gementar itu dengan melayangkan tuduhan-tuduhan yang tidak releven kepada penganjur rally ini.

Sesungguhnya BN terlalu tertekan dengan gerakan yang dilakukan rakyat dan baru sekarang ini BN merasakan yang kelalaian mereka selama ini akhirnya membawa mereka kepada situasi terdesak untuk mengekalkan pengaruh di kalangan rakyat.

Sekarang mereka harus sedar yang kuasa yang mereka dapati dari rakyat selama ini tidak begitu “legitimate”. Mereka hanya mampu bertahan selama rakyat belum menyedari apa yang kita lakukan itu.

Apabila rakyat mulai sedar baru lah kita tahu yang rakyat sudah menyedari yang pilihanraya selama ini merupakan pilihanraya yang berat sebelah. Rakyat sudah menyedari yang kedua belah pihak yang bertanding di dalam pilihanraya mesti diberikan peluang yang sama-rata di media perdana bagi rakyat menentukan pihak mana yang layak di berikan mandat.

Rakyat mulai sedar yang ada calun yang memerintah memenangi pilihanraya kerana undi pos yang diwas-waskan kebersihannya. Najib Razak pernah memang dengan hanya 241 undi apabila datang undi pos yang datang entah dari mana di saat-saat akhir pengiraannya.

Jika sebenarnya Bersih ini tidak membawa apa-apa pengaruh kepada keadaan di dalam pilihanraya nanti masakan ianya menjadi isu yang begitu besar kepada pihak yang sedang memerintah. Kenapa ada ugutan akan ada pertumpahan darah dan sebagainya. Kenapa tidak dibiarkan sahaja mereka berarak secara aman untuk menunjukan manifestasi mereka?

Ini tidak. Apabila perarakan berlaku secara aman pihak penguatkuasa pula yang cuba memecahkan perarakan itu dengan menahan perarakan itu di atas nama menjaga keselamatan. Ada tanda-tanda di antara mereka yang berarak itu adalah orang yang memerintah dan memulakan kekasaran dan mengalihkan kesalahan kepada kumpulan yang berarak secara aman itu.

Segala usaha dilakukan untuk menunjukan yang kekasaran itu datangnya dari pihak yang merancang rally secara aman itu.

Lagi kuat usaha dilakukan untuk menggagalkan perarakan ini lagi jelas bukti yang kerajaan yakin rakyat sebenarnya memberikan sokongan kepada perarakan secara aman ini. Pengaruh kita bukan boleh ditambah dengan menyekat orang ramai untuk datang ber rally itu. Sokongan letaknya di dalam sanubari dan pemikiran. Polis dan penguatkuasa tidak mampu untuk menahan pemikiran dan persepsi orang ramai.

Apabila Bersih merancang rally ini ada pula Pak Menteri yang menuduh godaman terhadap siber terhadap laman web kerajaan. Lemah sendiri tuduh orang lain melakukan godaman itu. Tuduhan melulu Pak Menteri ini sendiri menunjukan yang pihak mereka yang sedang berkuasa menunjukan gementar mereka dan mengakui Bersih bakal mendapat sokongan ramai dan sekali gus menambah pengaruh kumpulan Bersih ini di sisi rakyat. Bersih tetap telah berjaya mempengaruhi psikologi rakyat ramai.

Perkasa juga ingin menunjukan yang mereka juga berpengaruh dan berdemonstrasi ini bukan sahaja hak Bersih tetapi juga hak mereka. Kita terima alasan itu. Tetapi kenapa pula Perkasa juga memilih hari yang sama untuk mengadakan demonstrasi itu, Kenapa tidak buat dihari yang lain dan tunjukan yang Perkasa juga merupakan bada NGO yang sangat berpengaruh serta mampun untuk menyaingi Bersih dengan mengeluarkan 300 ribu rakyat di hadapan mata orang ramai. Bukankah dengan mengadakan di hari yang sama itu bertujuan untuk bertembung dan mencari pergaduhan?

Pemuda Umno juga akan mengadakan rally yang sama dengan tujuan dan isu yang sama dengan Bersih. Jika isunya sama kenapa tidak bersama Bersih dan mengadakan rally bersama NGO itu? Diharap Khairy Jamaluddin sebagai pemimpin muda yang mempunyai kemampuan pemikiran akan melakukan tindakan yang terbaik.

Apa pun setengah pihak bercakap tentang Khairy saya tetap mempunyai harapan yang tinggi kepada Ketua Pemuda ini untuk menunjukan kualiti kepimpinan yang berbeza dengan kebanyakan kepimpinan yang ada dalam barisan kepimpinan tertinggi Umno itu.

Jika Umno betul-betul serius saya harapkan semua kepimpinan Umno akan memberikan sokongan terhadap tindakan Pemuda pimpinan Khairy ini. Jika Umno mahukan imej yang bersatu di mata rakyat apa yang dilakukan oleh Khairy wajar mendapat sokongan dalam usahanya untuk membuahkan persepsi yang pilihanraya di negara ini dilaksanakan dengan bersih dan terhindar dari permainan kotor pihak yang sedang berkuasa.

Walau bagaimana pun kita lihat perkembangan dari masa ke semasa. Kita hanya ingin melihat rakyat dibenarkan melakukan rally secara aman dan pihak berkuasa menjaga rally itu dengan baik dan tidak memporak perandakan rally itu semata-mata bertujuan untuk menunjukan kesalahan kepada pengajuran oleh Bersih dan Pemuda Umno itu.

Jangan pula menyelitkan pihak tertentu untuk melakukan pergaduhan dan dengan senang mengarahkan kesalahan itu kepada Bersih.

* aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 9:57 am and is filed under
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DAP faults Umno for Perkasa threats

By
Debra Chong

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — DAP’s Lim Guan Eng pronounced Umno guilty today of fanning racial and religious strife for its tacit support of Perkasa’s “Nazi-like” threat against ethnic Chinese ahead of three massive — and conflicting — marches on July 9.

The DAP secretary-general further accused the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin of being “politically bankrupt” for resorting to provocation to cover its own shortcomings.

Lim pointed out Umno and the BN government have been deflecting questions on health and environmental safety over Australian miner Lynas Corp’s RM700 million rare earths project in Pahang and the Tourism Ministry’s RM1.8million Facebook scandal.

Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 has called on civil society to join its march in the national capital here as it lobbies the Najib administration to carry out electoral reforms. This is also being countered by separate rallies on the same day from right-wing Malay nationalist group Perkasa and Umno Youth.

Perkasa founder and president Datuk Ibrahim Ali kicked off yesterday its counter-strike to Bersih by burning images of its chief, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, whom he labelled a “dangerous Hindu woman”.

Ibrahim also warned the minority Chinese community to stay home and stock up on food as “anything could happen”, once again resurrecting the ghost of the bloody May 13, 1969 race riots.

Lim denounced the Perkasa man’s actions and remarks at Kampung Baru as “vile and malicious… nothing short of seditious”.

“By allowing such fascistic and Nazi-like threats by Ibrahim Ali, Umno is indeed showing its true colours as a party that survives on racial division,” the Penang chief minister said in a statement today.

“In its refusal to take action, Umno is therefore guilty of supporting Perkasa and its stand,” he added.

Lim demanded Umno stop the issuance of such provocative racial and religious sentiments, saying they were dangerous and could lead to unrest.

The Bagan MP reminded Umno the provocation has been going on for a while, and highlighted what he called “Umno’s lack of will in taking action” in past incidents, such as the 2009 cow-head protest and derogatory remarks by Umno leaders equating Indians to beggars and Chinese women to prostitutes.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 4:42 pm and is filed under
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DAP: Inaction on Perkasa shows Umno’s true colours

Malaysiakini
 | Jun 20, 11

Umno’s inaction over Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s allegedly seditious and racist statement yesterday, has showed its true colours as a party that survives on racial division, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

In a statement today, Lim (left) said Ibrahim had raised the threat of another May 13, by proclaiming himself a ‘war general’ and warning of severe repercussions for the Chinese community if they proceed with the Bersih march.

“Never before in Malaysian history has anyone issued such an irresponsible and racist statement by calling on a certain community to stock up on food. Such a remark is clearly unacceptable by every peace-loving Malaysian,” read the statement.

Lim then directed his fire at Umno for its inaction on Ibrahim.

“By allowing such fascistic and Nazi-like threats by Ibrahim Ali, Umno is indeed showing its true colours as a party that survives on racial division. In its refusal to take action, Umno is therefore guilty of supporting Perkasa and its stand,” he said.

The Penang chief minister recalled several previous incidents where Umno was seen as reluctant to take action including the cow’s head protest in 2009 and various remarks by Umno leaders equating Indians to beggars and Chinese women to prostitutes.

“This clearly proves that 1Malaysia is nothing more than an exercise in self-delusion and mass deception.

“It is obvious that Umno, which is now politically bankrupt, is unable to raise any other issue besides race and religion, which is conveniently used to not only scare the people, but also to cover up their shortcomings,” he added.

Burning and stomping

During the launch of Perkasa’s ‘Peace March’ yesterday, members of the purported Malay rights group took to burning and stomping on pictures of Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, who is also a former Bar Council president.

Ibrahim then threatened that chaos will ensue if the demonstration by the coalition of opposition and political activists was not cancelled.

“Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it – if they don’t cancel it on July 8 or 9 – I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home.

“Anything can happen on that day,” the Pasir Mas Independent MP added.

Following the announcement by Bersih 2.0 to hold a rally on July 9 to push for free and fair elections, Perkasa called for a counter-rally dubbed ‘Peace March’ on the same day.

Simultaneous rally

Umno Youth also planned to have a simultaneous rally to defend the current electoral system.

On the other hand, Gerakan urged all parties including Bersih 2.0, Perkasa, PAS and Umno youth to call off their own rally.

“If there is need for rallies, then do it in stadiums instead of city centres,” said Gerakan vice-president Mah Siew Keong (right).

“Don’t put fear and worry on the whole nation with a rally and other rallies against the rally. So many rallies will only cause fear and worry among the public and give a false impression to foreigners that Malaysia is politically unstable,” he said in a statement issued today.

On Ibrahim’s warning, Mah wanted him to stop making statements that cause unnecessary tension and panic.

“I have received many calls from people who are frightened by this irresponsible statements.” he said.

He reiterated Gerakan persident Koh Tsu Koon’s stand that dialogue and talk are the better channel to deliver message.

“The government is always willing to listen to the voices of the rakyat and we hope that people would use this channel to communicate with the government instead of organising rallies which does no good to anyone,” Mah added.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 4:56 pm and is filed under
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DAP takes offence at pig snout comic book

By
K Pragalath
 | June 20, 2011

Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng and veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang criticised the Prime Minister’s press secretary, Akmar Hisham Mokhles on how he portrayed the Chinese in a comic book.

Guan Eng who has apparently not see the book said: “If it is true, it is an act of self delusion and mass deception. I am utterly shocked.”

Guan Eng who is also the Penang Chief Minister said: “It is utterly deplorable, and unacceptable.

The criticism against Akmar comes following the depiction of the Chinese with pig snouts in a comic book entitled Transformasi Najib that Akmar authored.

A source who attended the First Asean – Malaysia Bloggers Conference that was held in April this year highlighted this to FMT last week.

The comic book was distributed to all participants at the conference.

When asked on the reason for exposing the comic book, the source said that she believes it was a larger trend to demonise the minorities which was not an isolated case.

The 109-page book published by Qalif Umar Creative depicts the life of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and the new socio-economic and political changes introduced under his administration.

Guan Eng added that the depiction of using cartoons to put down the minorities is not right.

DAP parliamentary leader and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang urged Prime Minister Najib to distance himself from people like Akmar.

Likening Akmar to Najib’s former aide, Nasir Safar wo two years ago called Indians beggars and Chinese women prostitutes, the senior Lim said: “These people who are the brain trust of the nation are making a mockery of 1Malaysia.

“He (Akmar) should publicly apologise and the Prime Minister should sack him,” said Kit Siang

FMT contacted Akmar but he declined to comment.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 4:49 pm and is filed under
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Fleeing talent would stay for family, survey finds

By
Yow Hong Chieh
 | June 20, 2011

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Only one in 50 Malaysians seeking greener pastures overseas will consider staying to contribute to national interest, a Jobstreet survey has shown.

Half of those who intend to go abroad — who made up 87 per cent of those surveyed — told the recruitment company they were, however, willing to remain here for family.

The Jobstreet poll also confirmed that higher pay (42 per cent), better career prospects (24 per cent) and children’s education (13 per cent) were the primary reasons for Malaysia’s ongoing brain drain.

Other respondents said they wished to explore travel opportunities (nine per cent) and follow their spouses (three per cent).

Almost one-third of those wanting to leave the country were already actively seeking employment overseas, 30 per cent were “passively looking” while another 30 per cent were still weighing the pros and cons of going abroad.

Top destinations include Australia (24 per cent), Singapore (16 per cent), the UK (15 per cent) and US (10 per cent). Another eight per cent were keen on China, Japan and Korea while New Zealand was favoured by seven per cent of those interviewed.

Singapore, however, remained the favourite destination for senior managers, who made up 16 percent of respondents.

Most preferred to hire recruitment firms and head hunting agencies to help secure jobs overseas while those who went through referrals and advertisements posted in newspapers and websites each made up 17 percent.

JobStreet is an online recruitment company that operates in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Japan and Thailand. It currently services over 60,000 corporate customers and boasts over nine million jobseekers in its database.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 12:53 pm and is filed under
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Is asking for free and fair elections too much?

By
The Malaysian Insider

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 20 — The Bersih 2.0 has attracted its fair share of supporters and detractors, especially those who believe that Malaysians shouldn’t march or assemble for a series of demands and causes that will lead to greater democracy.

Perkasa’s curiously named Gerak Aman movement, which ironically said it won’t be responsible for any violence if Bersih 2.0 continues with its July 9 march, believes it, too, will exercise its democratic right to march on that day.

For that matter, Umno Youth, too, wants to march for democracy although it doesn’t support the Bersih 2.0 demands. And funnily enough, its parent body, Umno, feels it shouldn’t take to the streets at all.

This is funny, funny-strange, coming from a party that took to the streets to protest the formation of the Malayan Union. Then again, the Umno of today is not the Umno of 1946 that was born in a Johor palace. That Umno died in 1988. Today’s Umno was born in the late Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat’s house in Damansara but holds on to the glory of its democratic past.

And it is this very democracy that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin did not refer to when saying Bersih 2.0 was compromised by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks that he can stop the rally if their demands are met.

“He (Anwar) thinks that Bersih is an agenda of and platform for the opposition. That shows Bersih is compromised, because if Anwar can think that it (Bersih) belongs to the opposition then Bersih’s objectives are jeopardised. They (Bersih) are being used by the opposition,” he told reporters during a press conference here today.

If that is all there is to show a compromise or that the rally’s objectives have been jeopardised, then Khairy needs a reminder as to what the Bersih 2.0 rally is all about. It’s about asking for free and fair elections with a lengthy campaign period that used to be the case until the 1969 elections.

Those elections were marred by race riots in the aftermath of polling day, the same spectre that is being raised by Perkasa and groups of the same ilk — the people that Umno panders to and supports when it suits their agenda.

Now we know that Khairy and Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali don’t see eye-to-eye on any issue but when it comes to Bersih, they stand together. Does this mean Khairy or Umno Youth is compromised by being on the same side against Bersih 2.0 although the Rembau MP is against any form of violence?

It would be too simplistic to draw that conclusion. As it is, Khairy and his baggage did not help him win his Youth post. He should know better than to harp on a throwaway line rather than focus on the substance of the Bersih rally.

Bersih wants free and fair elections. Isn’t that what Khairy wants too? Or for that matter any Malaysian no matter their political affiliation? How hard is it to allow anyone to march or gather peacefully? How hard is it to have free and fair elections?

If that is already in place, then it’s just a day to walk through Kuala Lumpur for Khairy, Gerak Aman and Bersih 2.0. Neither the ruling government nor Anwar has the authority to stop that or insult it with comments that do not make any sense.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 5:47 pm and is filed under
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It’s clear, Ibrahim Ali out to create chaos

Malaysiakini Your Say
 | Jun 20, 11

‘Ibrahim Ali is openly threatening racial violence against the Chinese community. As usual, we expect the home minister to do absolutely nothing.’

Anything can happen on July 9, Perkasa warns

Anonymous_40a7:
 “I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home,” said Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali.

Is that a thinly veiled threat against the Chinese community, Ibrahim? You should be charged under ISA for this… oh wait, I forgot he’s untouchable.

By the way, I feel bad for the people of Pasir Mas who voted for this bigot because instead of having a person who serves his constituency faithfully, they ended up with someone who is hell bent on destroying everyone he doesn’t see eye to eye.

“If you want to arrest, arrest everybody, as long as our nation is at peace,” said Ibrahim. Yes, I agree. Starting with you.

Quigonbond:
 Chinese storing up food? Don’t be ridiculous. There is no racial tension, just Perkasa thugs trying to prevent the masses from exercising their constitutional rights.

Perkasa is just an outsourced outfit of the Home Ministry – their new strategy is to use thugs to stop peaceful gatherings instead of sending in the FRUs after all the bad press in 2008. It’s laughable of course, since permitting the thugs to do their dirty job, they end up tripling their 2008 error.

Instead of gathering and test their actual strength, they prefer to resort to threats of violence to win – typical of a school bully who is full of false bravados on the outside, but chicken on the inside.

Dhammika:
 Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali is the real national threat. If there is a clash, who else will be responsible? How can the police let him have the freedom of speech to sow hatred and racial enmity?

If the police are do their job, then they must set a site for Perkasa to rally far away from Bersih’s.

Disgusted:
 Ibrahim and Perkasa has made me more determined than ever to be present at the Bersih 2 rally – not to provoke violence but to take part in a peaceful march.

Remember to bring along a lot of water and a mask or protective goggles to overcome the tear gas and chemical-laced water sprayed by the police. If Ibrahim and Umno provoke a riot then they will face the wrath of rakyat in the general elections.

Malaysiakini and the ‘media rakyat’, do have your cameras ready to capture all that happens so that the nation and world will know what type of government rules Malaysia and that they are no better than Libya, Bahrain and Syria. This is the way ‘Islamic’ rulers behave.

Md Imraz Muhammed Ikhbal: And Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein still wants to assert that no one is above the law? Ibrahim Ali is above the law, and it is high time our home minister stop thinking we are idiots.

Bozo:
 Don’t threaten us with chaos, Ibrahim. The only people who would create problems will be Perkasa.

Bersih will continue its march peacefully and we are ready for any eventuality. Let democracy prevails. Perkasa is only good at burning flags, photos and creating trouble.

AnakBangsaMalaysia:
 Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa are openly threatening racial violence against the Chinese community. And as usual, we expect the police and home minister not only do absolutely nothing, but actually go out of their way to play the role of cheerleading Perkasa.

We have not forgotten that Hishammuddin Hussein himself personally appeared at a press conference to endorse the actions of the Perkasa/Umno mob who defiled a severed cow’s head in Shah Alam, and that the police stood by and did nothing.

When the entire judicial apparatus is as corrupt as it is in Malaysia, we expect nothing. The system is too rotten to be repaired; only a thorough change and reform can save Malaysia now.

Anonymous_5fb:
 Ibrahim Ali, you said you want to help the home minister by getting Malaysians to observe the law, but you broke the law by burning and stomping on pictures of Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and issued threats that there will be chaos if Bersih 2.0 is going ahead with its rally.

Don’t be a hypocrite. It seems you learn well the art of hypocrisy from the infamous doctor. It is sickening to see your type of Muslim that brings shame to Islam, as if Islam allows you to create chaos.

Malaysian Born:
 It’s amazing that this fool is actually threatening a May 13 type action against the Chinese as retribution for the Bersih march going forward, and he is doing it openly.

TehTarik:
 The Sturmabteilung (SA), or Stormtroopers, functioned as a paramilitary organisation of the German Nazi Party. It played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s.

SA men were often called ‘brownshirts’ for the colour of their uniforms (similar to Benito Mussolini’s blackshirts). The hallmark of these stormtroopers was the use of violence to disrupt peaceful rallies by opponents of the Nazi Party .

The stormtroopers also believed in the superiority of the Aryan race. The SA regularly threatened Jews and other minorities. They also questioned their patriotism and threatened to expel them from Germany. Can you see the eerie similarities?

KSN:
 What are the police waiting for? Ibrahim Ali has promised, in his own words, chaos. If that is not a threat to national security and peace, then what is?

Multi Racial:
 This time Ibrahim Ali has gone too far. He talks without thinking, and he thinks he can say and do anything without consequences. It is obvious that if there is a riot on July 9, Ibrahim Ali and his people are responsible for it.

Malaysians of all races will not be threaten by this racist bigot. Shame on you, Ibrahim Ali.

Tamma:
 A kampung (village) boy can figure out what Ibrahim Ali is up to. His people will wear yellow T-shirts and mix with them and damage public properties. Then the government will put the blame on Bersih. Am I right?

Buffalo_Bill:
 How can the BN government, which claims to be the true champion of multiracial Malaysia, tolerate this Malay supremacist-cum-racist? All we hear is deafening silence from our 1Malaysia PM.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 11:19 am and is filed under
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Kit Siang demands action against Perkasa

By
Joseph Sipalan

Jun 20, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Senior opposition parliamentarian Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) today demanded that the government take a clear position on Perkasa and its recent string of allegedly seditious statements against the upcoming Bersih 2.0 rally this July 9.

In trademark style, Lim (left) made clear his incredulity over Perkasa’s controversial behaviour as he hammered both the government and the right wing Malay rights NGO for the growing tension surrounding the planned mass gathering.

“Never in the history of Malaysia, since independence, have such threats been made so openly.

“Most recently the Perkasa president commented on stocking up food… this is a threat to the Chinese. To all the ministers, what’s your stance?” he asked when debating the supplementary supply bill in Parliament.

Yesterday, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali said during the launch of their counter-protest against Bersih 2.0 that “anything can happen” if the rally goes ahead, adding that the Chinese would most likely have to “stock up” on food at home.

Lim said Ibrahim’s statement makes a mockery of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia campaign, for the simple fact that the Perkasa president can openly issue allegedly racial and religiously-charged threats without fear of the law.

“The issue is not Ibrahim Ali. He is just a clown… the issue is why he can make such threats? Why have we come to this stage? What is 1Malaysia?

“There was jihad, all the treasonous allegations… why the impunity? Where is the rule of law?” he said, referring to Ibrahim’s holy war speech last month.

‘Perkasa speaks for Umno?’

Lim also attacked the government for its hard-line position against the rally while at the same time being allegedly non-committal when it comes to Perkasa, questioning the government’s motivations.

“Is it because he (Ibrahim) speaks for select Umno leaders? You can oppose, but why threaten the Chinese by saying they will have to stock up (on food)?

“Our electoral system is so flawed. We want a clean system. Why (counter-protest) on the same date? This is not expression, but provocation.

“This is a peaceful gathering… is the Bersih rally capable of toppling the government? What’s wrong with toppling the Umno/BN government?” he said.

Ibrahim later stood in defence of Perkasa’s opposition to the rally, throwing back the question of the gathering’s legality to Lim and Bersih 2.0 leaders S Ambiga and PAS deputy president Muhamad Sabu.

“I have said there was the possibility of a clash, but at the same time I said if they cancel (their rally), we will also cancel… when the police say it is illegal, and no permit will be issued, is it not wrong (to hold the rally) and a threat to national security?” he said when interjecting during Muhamad Aziz’s (BN-Sri Gading) (right) turn to debate.

Muhamad Aziz threw his support behind Ibrahim, saying that he sees “nothing seditious” about the Perkasa chief’s statements.

“This rally is a move to show unrest in the country, when there is no such thing. The Malays, Chinese and Indians live together in harmony.

“The majority of the rakyat love peace, so before seeking the cure, we should prevent. Before this (rally) happens, arrest this former Bar Council president and Mat Sabu,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 10:07 pm and is filed under
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Kit Siang slams inaction over Ibrahim’s veiled threats

By
Debra Chong
 | June 20, 2011

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Calling it the most “bloodcurdling and incendiary” statement made in public, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang questioned today Putrajaya’s silence against Perkasa’s warning to ethnic Chinese to “stay home” and “stock up on food” on July 9.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who founded the grassroots Malay nationalist group, had yesterday launched a counter-strike to the July 9 public rally organised by electoral reform group Bersih 2.0.

There, he declared “If the Bersih rally is not cancelled… I believe the Chinese community will have to stock up on food”.

“If an emergency declared, will the Agong be able to appoint a caretaker leader? Maybe they (the opposition) will take to the streets and demand that they take over the government,” the Independent Pasir Mas MP added.

Lim, who is Ipoh-Timur MP, said he was shocked by his parliamentary colleague’s provocative remarks, highlighting that the Bersih campaign is about free and fair elections and had nothing to do with race.

He demanded the federal government explain why no action has been taken against Ibrahim.

“The question is not about the tirade from Ibrahim Ali but why has he been given the immunity and impunity to make such provocation.

“Why is the home minister, the prime minister and the IGP closing their eyes to such provocation and strengthening the impression they are complicit or conspiring with such a threat?” the seasoned DAP politician asked.

He added that it was not only Ibrahim but Umno-owned newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, which was behind the move to “demonise the Bersih campaign in racial terms and to subvert the democratic process and topple a democratically-elected government, without basis”.

The opposition leader said the show of muscle reflected the desperation of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition’s lynchpin, Umno.

“They know they’re in their last months of power because they have lost the public’s confidence,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider.

Klang MP Charles Santiago slammed Ibrahim for Perkasa’s provocative stand, labelling the latter an “unmitigated bigot”.

“By focusing on the Chinese, he is saying that the Chinese are weak politically, cowing them into subordination,” he said.

Santiago, who is also a DAP member, echoed Lim in saying the Bersih march was not about Chinese, Indian or Malays but fighting for a level playing field in Malaysia.

“This is a wakeup call. We don’t need bigots like Ibrahim Ali, he is a man looking for relevance,” he said.

Perkasa had kicked off its “Peace March” at the centre of Malay nationalism, the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampung Baru here yesterday by burning images of Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Its self-declared “war general”, Ibrahim, said Perkasa will also march on July 9 if Bersih does, but washed his hands off responsibility for any untoward incident that might happen on that day.

“Yes, anything can happen. And so I ask the police to act and use whatever powers are at their disposal,” he told some 500 supporters at the launch.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 4:40 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #70

By
M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and Leadership

Lack of Checks and Balances in Malaysian Leadership

One unhealthy trend in the Malaysian leadership is the increasing concentration of power and the consequent absence of checks and balances. Invariably this leads to the lack of accountability and potential abuse. It is not so much that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, as Lord Acton had put it, rather we do not have a system that prevents the inherently corrupt from becoming powerful.

            Consider that Mahathir is not only the chief executive (Prime Minister) of the country; he is also the leader of his party, chairman of a number of government corporations, as well as being the finance minister! With the lack of an effective system of checks and balances, such a structure is a set up for either spectacular achievement given a competent, honest and humble leader, or the destruction of the country given a lesser mortal.

            A system with effective checks and balances could handle even the most evil and corrupt. America survived Richard Nixon; he was forced to resign. The American system could also deal with the personal moral turpitude of a president, as when Clinton was impeached, albeit unsuccessfully.

            In Malaysia even at the state level we see this same pattern of concentration of power and lack of checks and balances. The chief minister, apart from being the chief executive of the state, is also the state leader of the party, mayor of the capital city, and chairman of various state corporations. Any of those jobs would have consumed the full attention of a skilled executive, yet we have these politicians, many with no formal training in management or special executive skills, who think they can credibly perform all those functions at the same time. No wonder nothing gets done.

            If we distribute the power, not only would we ensure the jobs would get done, but there would also be greater accountability. I see no reason why the head of the ruling party should be the same person as the prime minister, or that cabinet positions be reserved for top party officials. The prime minister should be able to select the best person to be in his cabinet and not be hamstrung with whether that person has been elected to a top position in UMNO. The skills to run for a party position are not necessarily the same skills needed to manage a ministry or agency. Similarly if the state UMNO leader and the chief minister were different persons, they would both keep each other on their toes.

            Again reverting to the American example, George W. Bush may be the President, but he is not the head of his Republican Party. Although he has the sole power to appoint his Cabinet Secretaries and other senior officials, nonetheless those too are subject to Senate confirmation – a check on presidential power. Even if the president’s party were to control both houses of Congress, there is no guarantee that the president would get a free ride from the Speaker of the House and the Leader of the Senate.

            Another unhealthy trend in Malaysia is the lack of regular challenges to the senior leadership. Such challenges are important even when the leaders are strong and popular as such exercises then effectively become an evaluation of the leaders. Earlier leaders of UMNO right down to Mahathir’s immediate predecessor, Hussein Onn, were all routinely challenged at their party’s leadership conventions. Those challengers all had no realistic hope of winning, nonetheless the number of votes they garnered became a surrogate evaluation of the leader. Such exercises would also prevent leaders from becoming another Saddam Hussein. He routinely would get reelected with over 99 percent of the votes. And if he could determine who those 1 per cent of voters who did not vote for him, the next election would see Saddam returned with a 100 percent approval!

            Since the debacle of 1987 UMNO leadership crisis where Mahathir was challenged and nearly toppled by Tengku Razaleigh, a new culture has developed within the party, that of not challenging the senior leaders. All in the name of party unity! This is a retrogressive step. Such regular challenges and open competitions are important not only to keep a check on the leaders but also to encourage the emergence of new talent.

            What Malaysia needs today is a fresh generation of leaders with new vision, or to pursue my wings analogy, a new set of backswept or delta wings to go with its turbocharged engines. Unfortunately, the very nature of the political structure generally and UMNO in particular, does not encourage new talent. Apart from the emerging tradition of not challenging the senior leaders, the rules for candidates vying for party positions in UMNO are skewed to favor incumbents heavily.

            Candidates have to have the backing of at least 10 percent of the divisions before they could be nominated. I am surprised that they did not make that 50 percent and then do away completely with the election!

            As with the party, so it is with the country. In the general election of 1999 there was much hype about Mahathir fielding fresh candidates. Alas that was mere hype as in the end they were the same old tired faces being reshuffled. In striking contrast, Singapore had an election in November 2001 that saw over a third of the candidates from the ruling PAP being new faces. Their leaders knew they needed a new set of wings.

            I do not see that the political line up in Malaysia to change much in the foreseeable future. The country seems stuck, with minimal influx of fresh talent. UMNO made a tepid attempt at attracting young women professionals with its new Puteri (princess) wing, but that met with considerable resistance from the established order.

            The party that is successful at drawing in new talent is PAS. But if that party ever hope to rule the country, these new leaders must replace the rigid set in the ulama council and make that supreme body directly elected by and accountable to the members.

            Malaysia’s present senior political leaders do not appreciate the serious need to attract fresh candidates. They simply assume that politics and public service will continue to attract the best and talented. These leaders are in a dream world. With opportunities in the private sector so much more challenging and enticing, Malaysians no longer value public service, and in particular, politics. The marked discrepancy in pay between the public and private sector only aggravates the situation.

            The next Malaysian leader will need the IQ (Intelligence Quotient) of a Tun Razak and the EQ (Emotional Quotient) of a Tunku Abdul Rahman. Thanks to the successes of Mahathir’s policies, Malaysia now does not lack for such individuals. The challenge is to entice them into public service.

            The Malaysian leaders of tomorrow will not be those who simply bark out orders a la the drill sergeant. Rather they will be individuals with proven personal and professional achievements who can share their vision for the country’s future with their followers. They will be more like the symphony conductor, cajoling and encouraging in order to bring out the best from the citizens. These leaders will lead through personal examples of competence, integrity and excellence, and not merely by manipulating personnel, information, and institutions.

            In addition to the political leadership, there is also the leadership of the hereditary class, principally the sultans and territorial chiefs. These hereditary leaders are found only in the nine sultanates; the remaining four states of Sabah, Sarawak, Penang, and Melaka are fortunately spared this additional burden. These hereditary leaders add another layer of inertia to change. The royalty and nobility classes have never provided much leadership to Malays either in their official or personal capacity. Unlike European kings and dukes who through their patronage provided for the development and nurturing of talented artists, musicians, and scholars, Malaysian royalty and aristocrats feel no similar obligation.

            A new development among members of the royalty is their increasing involvement in business. To the extent that they are now contributing to the economy, that is good. But if they are using their royal clout to secure unfair advantages over their competitors, that would be dangerous. We must also be mindful of Ibn Khaldun’s admonition about the ruinous effect of rulers’ involvement in commerce. There would be less criticisms if members of the royal family were well qualified and competent to run their businesses, but if they were content in being merely silent partners and figureheads or sultans of their enterprises, then that would easily evoke the hostilities of not only their competitors but also their subjects.

            Another trend that I view with increasing concern is the current vogue of installing sultans or their consorts to important bodies such as chancellors of universities. I do not mind them becoming chairman of the Malaysian Society of Orchid Lovers, but for them to be directly involved with important organizations would be unhealthy. Given the typical Malaysian obsequiousness in the presence of members of the royalty, I cannot imagine any substantive discussions taking place in such meetings chaired by these sultans. The government is doing these bodies a great disservice by appointing these royal luminaries. If the government were to honor these bodies, than by all means appoint the sultans in an honorary capacity.

            Malaysian sultans and nobilities are akin to bulkheads on a ship rather than propellers. Not only do they not help in pushing the ship of state forward, on the contrary they effect a significant drag. They are an expensive burden to boot. They also set a very poor example to the masses. They sit at the apex of the privileged heap and do not contribute.

            The sultans also disproportionately influence Malays by being not only the secular leader but also as head of the Muslim faith. This latter function protects the sultans from criticisms from the masses, for doing so would be tantamount to criticizing the faith itself. And because the citizens are discouraged from criticizing the sultans, this habit is carried over to all the other leaders, including political leaders and also their superiors at work. In short Malaysia has all the makings of a compliant and robotic society – a flock of sheep.

            There is one other important factor that accelerates this trend. That is the attitude towards and the influence of Islam, especially in Malay life and culture. This is such a significant bearing that I have a devoted the entire next chapter to it.

Next:   Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 11:15 am and is filed under
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Now Putrajaya hands LRT deal to UK firm ahead of Najib visit

By
Shannon Teoh

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — A Finance Ministry committee has changed its mind by awarding the contract for the Kelana Jaya light rail transit (LRT) extension to a consortium led by British firm Colas, after controversially ordering a deal last week with another joint-venture.

But the committee’s latest decision continues to ignore the recommendation of LRT operator Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad for the contract to be awarded to a third company in the frame.

The Singapore Straits Times reported today that the joint-venture between Colas and CMC Engineering Sdn Bhd would be awarded the project, citing senior industry executives and government officials close to the tender as its source.

Last week The Malaysian Insider reported that a finance ministry committee ordered Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd to award the deal to the Hartasuma Sdn Bhd-Bombardier joint-venture, whose RM890 million bid is nearly 50 per cent higher than the RM610 million quoted by the LRT operator’s choice, Ingress Corp Bhd-Balfour Beatty Rail Sdn Bhd.

This new about-turn, if confirmed, comes ahead of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s official visit to London next month where he is hoping to meet his British counterpart David Cameron.

The Singapore Straits Times quoted political analysts and industry executives as saying that the “behind-the-scenes intrigue shows how opaque and non-transparent practices that have long characterised large public-sector contract awards remain the order of the day in Malaysia.”

Calling the LRT deal “a strong test case” for Najib’s administration, the ST said that the decision to override Prasarana would “likely to dull Kuala Lumpur’s efforts to attract much-needed foreign investment.”

The project will extend and upgrade of electronic and mechanical systems for the Kelana Jaya line that will now stretch another 17km to Subang Jaya.

Prasarana is spending some RM7 billion for the extension of both the Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT rail networks. The Ampang network will be extended by another 17.7km.

The wholly-owned unit of the Finance Ministry was forced to cave in to pressure from Malay rights groups last month when it revised pre-qualification criteria for several construction packages for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) by allowing joint-ventures or consortiums.

It had on March 30 imposed additional criteria on contractors taking part in the project tender which disallowed them from forming joint ventures or consortiums.

Perkasa, however, accused Prasarana of blocking Bumiputera contractors from participating by enforcing “strict” guidelines that would only benefited “rich non-Bumis”, saying that project delivery partner MMC-Gamuda was “looting and monopolising” the project.

The MRT is expected to be the largest-ever construction project in Malaysia and had earlier been estimated to cost between RM36 billion and RM53 billion.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 11:15 am and is filed under
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One refugee without hope is too many

By
Nora Murat

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 20 — Whirring helicopter blades, cast a mini tornado over the mass of humanity below. Outstretched hands from rooftops reached towards the magnificent soaring machine.

As its silhouette shrunk into the horizon, the many bodies pressed against one another slumped in exhaustion. Nevertheless, hope like morning dew on the parched surface of nature continued to balm their panic.

In the darkness of the night, like crayons jammed into a Crayola box, they packed themselves into boats. The elderly, babies, toddlers, youth, adults indiscriminately set sail through the treacherous tides of the South China Sea hoping to escape the fate of approximately 65 000 Vietnamese who were executed by the end of the Vietnam War.

Did they really fare any better?

When Saigon fell to the National Liberation Front (NLF) in 1975, the world witnessed an exodus of what we now refer to as the ‘boat people’. These were Vietnamese people who now feared retribution from their new ‘masters’. Malaysia was among one of the countries whom these refugees turned to.

In credit to Malaysia, it has been reported that Malaysia initially accepted the boat people liberally. Nevertheless, following an overwhelming influx of about 500 arrivals daily which pushed the population of refugee camps to more than 45 000 people, a crackdown was ordered by the government.

Police and naval personnel then resorted to turning away all seaworthy refugee boats. This in turn led to boats being deliberately sunk offshore to stop authorities from towing them back out to sea. An Edmonton Journal report dated December 2, 1978 documents the death toll of boat people fleeing Vietnam to be more than 300.

Even so, at that time Malaysia in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were housing refugees in camps around the country albeit in overcrowded conditions.

One of the main camps was in Pulau Bidong. At a point in time, Malaysia had given temporary asylum to nearly 255 000 Vietnamese boat people. This cooperation with UNHCR continued up till 2005.

The last camp was closed in 2001 and the last Vietnamese boat refugee left Malaysia on 30 August 2005. It has been said that this signalled the end to an era of ‘voluntary’ Malaysian cooperation with the UNHCR.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises the right to “Freedom of Movement” (Article 13) as one of the fundamental parts to the liberty of a man. Freedom of movement means being able to move and reside freely within the borders of each State as well as having the right to leave any country, including his/her own and later returning.

Denial of this right to leave one’s home may lead to repression and persecution. In fact, this is the main dilemma refugees face.

A refugee is defined in the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention) as a person who due to fear of being persecuted for reasons of “race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion is unable to continue living in the country he/she currently resides in.

While International Law does not oblige states to provide asylum, Nations sometimes offer ‘temporary protection’. In 2004, in the aftermath of devastation swept in by the tsunami, Malaysia allowed Acheh refugees to temporarily reside and work in the country.

As we mark World Refugee Day on June 20, 2011, Amnesty International Malaysia calls to the wisdom of all Malaysians’ consciences to discard the prejudices we may hold towards this group of human beings.

We also acknowledge and recognise with gratitude the significant contribution this community has made as a workforce towards the development of the country. Most importantly, we call for Malaysians to regard refugees as fellow humans.

According to Amnesty International’s Report, ‘Abused and Abandoned: Refugees Denied Rights in Malaysia’, there are between 90 000 and 170 000 refugees and asylum seekers living in Malaysia.

It is important for us to realise that behind each number lays a person, a soul with a story. Each refugee could be a brother, a sister, a mother, a father, or a friend. They could be yours.

Hence, amidst the rhetoric of swapping asylum seekers and the Government’s 6P Amnesty Programme, let us first solidify our commitment to creating and upholding better human rights standards.

It is Amnesty International Malaysia’s hope that the Government will:

 * Ratify the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and bring domestic law, policy and practices in line with these instruments. This would recognise the existence of refugees distinguishing them from undocumented immigrants thus giving them legal status to work and protection from arbitrary detention and arrests.

* Ratify the Convention Against Torture.

* Ensure that basic human rights standards are met in detention centres.

* End criminal penalties and corporal punishments for refugees and asylum-seekers, including in relation to irregular entry.

* Ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is respected.

The United Nation has set the theme for this year’s World Refugee Day as “One Refugee without Hope is too Many” and the Refugee Convention will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary. It’s about time we honour the Grand Dame with ratification.

* Nora Murat is executive director of Amnesty International Malaysia

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 5:50 pm and is filed under
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Ready for psychological warfare

By
Samuel Aubrey

June 20, 2011 | Borneo Post

KUCHING: State BN elected representatives have braced themselves for a possible massive ‘onslaught’ by the opposition during the eight-day State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting which starts today.

Chief Minister and State BN chairman Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud told reporters yesterday that they (BN assemblymen) were now prepared to respond to members from the opposition in the august House.

A 3-day ‘Parliamentary Discourse on Government 2011’ seminar was held, beginning last Thursday, to toughen up the assemblymen.

The pre-Council meeting at PBB headquarters yesterday was also one of the preparations for the DUN sitting which ends on June 29, Taib added.

“They were given a course to understand the procedures. They were also briefed on the possible issues to be raised by the opposition and to understand their (the opposition’s) attitude … such as what drives them.

“We also need to know

how we must handle them (opposition) because it can become too political (in the DUN). This is not about focusing on individual interests,” he explained.

Taib had earlier chaired the pre-Council meeting which was attended by cabinet ministers, assistant ministers and government backbenchers.

The meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, was also attended by DUN Speaker Dato Sri Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar.

In the April 16 polls, the BN won 55 of the 71 seats it contested in.

However, in the 2006 state election, it had won 63 seats.

The opposition’s strength increased to 15 seats after DAP won 12 and PKR three.

The remaining seat in the 71-seat Assembly was won by an Independent candidate.

This DUN sitting, which is the first after the April 16 polls, will see a total of 23 new assemblypersons, including 11 from the BN.

Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng will declare open the DUN sitting today.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 10:13 pm and is filed under
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Refugee swap: Still no human rights commitment

By
Aliran

June 20, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 20 — Asylum seekers in Malaysia have never had any guarantee of safety in this country as Malaysian immigration laws do not recognise those granted official UNHCR refugee status. This month, as in years past, is the month of the refugee. World Refugee Day falls on 20 June, a day significant to all refugees and asylum seekers hoping to be freed from fear and danger to life and liberty.

Yet, what Malaysia has to offer asylum seekers has always been less than a safe place. Asylum seekers and refugees constantly remain at risk of arrest, detention and human rights violations in this country, which some see as a shade better than where they came from.

The non-recognition of asylum seekers and refugees in immigration legislation and regulations, and criminalisation of those undocumented are two very sharp prongs of a fork keeping asylum seekers and refugees at bay, so it seems.

But asylum seekers and other undocumented and irregular migrants still appear undeterred by these risks – despite the added dangers of falling into the hands of local security enforcers like Rela, detention in overcrowded immigration detention camps, whipping, and other physical and mental abuse.

The May 1 announcement by the Australian and Malaysian governments of a refugee–asylum seeker swap deal, pending further negotiations, sent a wave of anxiety among refugee communities in Malaysia. Another door had been slammed in their faces, dashing hopes of finding a safe haven.

Even so, this deal did not go down well with Australian parliamentarians on June 16, 2011 who voted against it by a 70 – 68 margin. In the background and the run up to this resounding Australian parliamentary decision, there was rigorous civil society and opposition political party lobbying in both countries.

We are grateful to the Australian parliamentarians who opposed this deal. In Malaysia the opposition lobby is completely ignored by the government-controlled mainstream media. But politically and socially aware Malaysians and others exercised their human rights to freedom of information and freedom of expression in cyberspace and have shown support in various ways using social networking tools.

The struggle for refugee and asylum seeker recognition and human rights protection is still far from over. Both governments, with the support of the UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) intend to push ahead with this, amid the on-going controversy over potential continuation of human rights violations of asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia.

According to Minister of Home Affairs Hishammuddin Hussein, “We may be embarking on something that people might want to adopt 50 years from now… Business cannot be as usual.”

However, the Malaysian government has not shown any inclination to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol, so far. It has even requested the omission of references to human rights in negotiations in this asylum seeker-refugee swap deal, which undermines the requirements of the UN Refugee Agency’s mandate of refugee protection.

It would be wise for Malaysia to follow the example of Nauru in ratifying the 1951 Refugee Convention first, if it insists in pursuing the claimed benefits of this refugee swap deal. The deal seems to serve as a back-door out of Australia’s obligations under the Convention to implement refugee status determination on its own soil.

Aliran urges the UNHCR to take a firm stand and make human rights a mandatory, fundamental and inherent condition of any undertaking or agreement involving asylum seekers and refugees, whether unilateral, bilateral or multilateral.

We strongly urge the Malaysian government to amend current immigration and related laws and regulations to recognise asylum seekers and refugees. The government should also establish facilities and services to cater for persons claiming asylum from persecution under Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We repeat our call to the Government to become a state party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol as well as to ratify the remaining international human rights conventions to guarantee the observance, protection and promotion of human rights of all citizens and non-citizens resident in this country.

If the government refuses to ratify these human rights treaties, it should withdraw from the swap deal with Australia in the interest of the nation, Malaysian citizens and the international community.

Failing this, there are no concrete legally binding or lasting guarantees that asylum seekers and refugees will be afforded protection against human rights violations and deportation to countries where they will be at risk.

The Malaysian government’s latest policy proposal to legalise undocumented and irregular migrants in Malaysia falls short of a definite commitment to uphold human and refugee rights.
 — aliran.com

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 June 2011, 5:52 pm and is filed under
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