I feel terrible, says Ambiga

Stephanie Sta Maria

May 19, 2012

Free Malaysia Today

The horror endured by 19 victims of police brutality during the Bersih 3.0 rally has shocked the electoral watchdog’s chairperson.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga has heard countless accounts of police brutality taking place during the April 28 rally but she was still “deeply shocked” by those of 19 victims who shared their stories with the media this morning.

“I feel terrible,” Ambiga told FMT after the media conference at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).

“Every time I hear a single one of these stories it gives me a deep shock. I’ve heard that one may even go blind and that is very shocking,” she said.

The narratives of the 19 victims were similar in that they were confronted by groups of unidentified policemen who beat them for either being a rally participant, recording the on-goings or attempting to help another victim.

Some reported being punched and kicked, another said he was pushed down a flight of stairs and yet another recalled the barrel of gun being shoved into his chest.

One victim was facing the possibility of blindness after being hit by a tear gas canister while others suffered injuries requiring stitches.

“People must remember that there was an unequal situation that day between armed police and unarmed civilians,” Ambiga said. “And we’re not talking about all policemen as there were some good people in the force too,” she added.

Ambiga also noted that there had yet to be an official response from the unidentified policemen implicated in the assault on demonstrators and journalists.

“They aren’t admitting or denying anything and they owe it to the public to come clean on this issue,” she emphasized.

IPCMC needed

The Bersih committee now called for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPMC) to be set up to investigate allegations of misconduct by the police during the Bersih 3.0 rally.

Bersih co-chairperson A Samad Said said that civil society groups continuously called for the formation of an independent oversight body for this purpose.

“The violent action by the police during the rally and against Bersih 3.0 participants suspected of having broken the law is an indication that the need for an IPCMC remains critical,” he stated.

“By taking a lax position towards numerous allegations and clear evidence of police violence, the government is sending a message that it condones such acts,” he added.

The call comes despite the government having already set up a six-man Independent Advisory Panel to probe the April 28 rally.

The panel is headed by former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar and includes chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Steve Shim, Petronas corporate affairs senior general manager Medan Abdullah and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) psychologist Professor Ruszmi Ismail.

Bersih however rejected this panel which it claimed would be neither effective nor independent.

“As we have previously pointed out, the formation of the panel is highly flawed due not only to the individuals selected to sit on the panel but also due to the lack of legal structure governing the panel,” Samad said.

What about Bersih 4.0?

Bersih also reiterated its call for Suhakam to conduct an open and independent inquiry into the lack of legal structure governing the panel.

Samad pointed out that in contrast to the panel formed by the government, Suhakam had the legal capacity and structure to be able to conduct an inquiry based on human rights principles.

He added that while the police released the pictures of 141 individuals wanted for breaking the law on April 28, no “substantial action” was taken by the government to investigate acts of violence committed by the police.

“Hence we cautiously accept Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein’s statement that those who broke the law and caused chaos during Bersih 3.0 will be prosecuted including demonstrators, organisers, instigators and the police,” Samad said.

“To date most of the attention has been on the demonstrators,” he added.

Asked if a Bersih 4.0 rally was on the horizon, Ambiga replied that there was no decision to hold one at this point in time.

According to her, Bersih needed to resolve its internal issues as well as “unfinished business” from the Bersih 3.0 rally, and return to its core objective of pushing for free and fair elections.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 6:39 pm and is filed under
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In Bersih We Believe

by Allan CF Goh

Let us continue the good fight,

Till the day dawns when right is might.

Let righteousness reign so supreme,

In spite of vile threats so extreme.

Let’s not be derailed by wild curs,

Barking endlessly, growling curse.

Let democracy shine so bright,

As to destroy any plight.

Let’s clean up the stained voting list,

Remove its sick malignant cyst.

Let us have clean fair election,

To ensure the best selection

Of principled folks who matter,

Not corrupt scums from the gutter.

Let Malaysia by run by the cream,

To realise people’s hope and dream.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 6:26 pm and is filed under
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Is the Bar Council playing politics?

— Rueban Balasubramaniam

The Malaysian Insider

May 18, 2012

MAY 18 — The Malaysian government has recently criticized the Malaysian Bar Council for playing politics in reaction to the Bar’s resolution that the police had used excessive force against demonstrators at the recent Bersih rally.

The government argues that the Bar is not being “impartial” in its assessment of governmental action. It alleges that the Bar is now operating effectively operating as a political opposition party.

The objection that the Bar is playing politics is not new. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has in the past recorded this critique of the Bar. Indeed, he has joined in the government’s response to the Bar’s recent resolution about police conduct during the Bersih rally.

This line of criticism of the Bar displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the Bar as articulate defenders of the ideal of the rule of law and democracy.

To start with the rule of law, it is an ideal that is widely contrasted with arbitrary power. A commitment to the rule of law requires that before a government can claim that its actions are legally and politically legitimate, it must show that its actions accord with a sound interpretation of relevant laws.

In Malaysia, this means that the government must show that its actions accord mainly with fundamental constitutional norms. The Malaysian Constitution is the “supreme” law of the land, which means that any exercise of state power can only be legitimate if it is shown to comport with a sound interpretation of what the Constitution requires.

And because we now live in a human rights age, it is important to also keep in mind the relevance of fundamental human rights norms. Indeed, there is good reason to think that the Malaysian Constitution already presupposes such norms within the bill of rights, where we find that the bill protects rights that are widely recognized as human rights.

Of course, the Constitution is not the sole source of law. Other relevant legislation and case law might also apply. But the Constitution has special salience when it comes to the rule of law in the Malaysian context because it is the highest source of law in the land.

To the extent that the Constitution is expressive of the ideal of the rule of law and to the extent that the government derives its authority from the Constitution, all political questions are therefore legal questions.

For the government to enjoy legitimate political power, it must justify its actions by reference to appropriate legal norms. This subordination of politics to law is precisely what makes Malaysia a legitimate rule-of-law state, not a lawless state in which ruling elites manipulate the law to suit their intended political ends.

If the law is subject to constant manipulation, then the law is subordinate to politics and is therefore not a constraint against arbitrary rule. This is not our situation. Certainly, the government has never formally disavowed the rule of law.

And, to the extent that it characteristically asserts legal authority for its actions, the government recognizes that the legitimacy of political decision-making depends upon the legality of its actions. In short, its actions signal the idea that in Malaysia, law operates to tame politics.

If politics is subordinate to law in the sense that all legitimate political power must answer to a test of legal legitimacy — one that requires that the government show how its actions accord with a sound interpretation of the law — then it follows that lawyers have a special role to play within the rule-of-law state.

At one level, this role flows from the lawyer’s expertise in the law. Lawyers know how to interpret the complex body of law to determine whether or not the government is properly complying with the rule of law.

At another more fundamental level, lawyers are under a duty to uphold the integrity of the law as a coherent body of norms that operates to facilitate the interests of those it serves. In the Malaysian context, it is plain that the intended beneficiaries of the law are private citizens.

It follows that Malaysian lawyers are intermediaries between the ideals of the rule of law and democracy, where the ideal of democracy speaks to the notion of a representative government that aspires to protect the fundamental interests of the citizenry.

Democracy is not purely a matter of majority rule. Rather, it is predicated upon the idea that each individual is possessed of fundamental rights and interests that should filter into political decision-making that aspires to serve these interests.

Indeed, this is the impetus behind majority rule — such rule is the best proxy for determining how best to serve these rights and interests. It follows that the ideals of the rule of law and democracy are mutually constitutive of each other because both work together to undergird the idea of official accountability.

The linkage between both ideals is evident in the Malaysian Constitution. The document contains a bill of rights, as well as provisions affirming the separation of powers, and judicial review. More broadly, the supremacy of the Constitution clarifies that politics is beholden to law, an idea that makes sense only on the basis that politics should work in the interests of the citizenry.

Democratic politics in Malaysia is, thus, constituted by a duty to uphold constitutional norms. In this connection, an important role of the Malaysian Bar is to articulate the link between the ideals of the rule of law and democracy and to signal to the government whether or not it is properly observing this link.

With this point in view, it is apparent that the objection that the Malaysian Bar is playing politics is wrongheaded because it assumes that there is a tension between the ideals of the rule of law and democracy.

This assumption is implicit in the objection that the Bar is playing politics and acting like a political opposition party because the corollary to this objection is that if the Bar wants to criticize the state for failing to uphold the rule of law, then it must make an explicitly political argument in the character of a political party in keeping with the norms of democratic politics.

The government reconstructs the Bar’s assertion of the rule of law as a purely political position taken in opposition to the government’s decisions. There is a complete failure to see that the Bar is exercising its proper role by reminding the government that its democratic political authority is constituted by a commitment to the rule of law as mutually constitutive ideals.

This is not to play politics. Rather, it is to remind the government that democratic politics in Malaysia is infused by a commitment to the rule of law and that there cannot be the former without a commitment to the latter.

It seems that for too long Malaysia has been ruled by politicians who fail to understand the interplay of the ideals of the rule of law and democracy. There are complex reasons for this failure but I suspect that a major one is some concern that any acknowledgement of such a link would entail giving power to unelected lawyers and judges to run the country.

However, this is a false concern that once more turns on the mistaken assumption that the ideals of the rule of law and democracy are at odds with each other. The correct perspective is that the Bar and the Bench are empowered to work in concert with the government to ensure that it fulfils it legal and political obligations. Lawyers, judges, and politicians are partners within a broader project of governance that links the rule of law to the ideal of democracy so that the government will be accountable to the people.

I worry that the government’s criticism of the Bar Council not only displays ignorance about the ideals that underlie its claimed authority to rule, it also smacks dangerously of a desire for lawlessness. If the government is resistant to the Bar Council’s efforts to remind the government of its obligations under the rule of law and democracy, then the government is resisting the demand to be accountable to the people.

Here, the government cannot for long engage in such resistance without risking the appearance that it is a lawless government. Indeed, history shows that such resistance is likely to lead to the dismantling of very important institutional features of the legal and political order put in place to ensure governmental accountability in keeping with its commitment to the ideals of the rule of law and democracy.

One important stick of furniture that has already been rendered rickety is an independent judiciary. As is well known, the courts have been significantly weakened after the onslaught against the judges in the late 1980s by Dr Mahathir’s government in resistance to the judiciary’s efforts to control the government via judicial review.

The attempt to smash the judiciary has considerably weakened the government’s credibility as respectful of the rule of law and democracy because its actions were widely seen as an attempt to entrench an authoritarian executive power.

In light of this history, the current government should be troubled by the fact that it now finds itself falling in line with Dr Mahathir’s position against the Bar Council, for Dr Mahathir’s government was implicated in the assault on the judiciary.

In this vein, I am nervous that the government’s present criticism of the Bar and its talk of setting up a Legal Academy as an alternative to the Bar will lead to similar results. This would be to make exactly the same kind of mistake that was made with respect to the judiciary. I do not think the country can afford another such mistake.

* Rueban Balasubramaniam is an Associate Professor of Law with the Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 2:06 am and is filed under
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Statement by Concerned Scholars on Coming Elections

Saturday, 19 May 2012

Press Statement

The 13th Malaysian general elections will be held sometime between now and April 2013.

These elections have the potential to be the most free and fair elections held in the country for several decades.

For the coming elections to live up to this potential, we call on the government and other major players and stakeholders to scrupulously observe the following priority concerns which we see as key to ensuring an outcome that can have greater legitimacy among Malaysians and outside observers:

1.     Implementation of recommendations of the Parliamentary select committee to clean up the electoral process

2.      Free and fair access to mass media for all parties

3.      Public service staff at local, state and federal levels to observe strict neutrality

4.      Prohibition on misuse of Government and associated public facilities and apparatus for electioneering purposes

5       All parties to be transparent and accountable in the use of money during the elections.  Both coalitions need to disclose their  sources of funding and provide a detailed account of their campaign expenditure

To enable a more level playing field for the coming elections, it is necessary that these concerns be addressed immediately and not just before the elections.

We are especially concerned that urgent measures be undertaken to ensure that the civil service and media strictly observe strict neutrality in the run up to the coming elections.  Necessary measures could be proposed by civil society organizations engaged in monitoring the elections.

Further, to forestall any attempt at disruption of the election outcome, we propose that all political leaders and political parties agree to a short statement promising that they will respect the will of the people exercised at the polling booth as well as honour a peaceful transition of power.

This declaration – to be jointly crafted by the ruling and opposition parties – should be widely disseminated as a public service to discourage any individuals or groups that may be intent on creating mischief aimed at overturning the outcome of the elections.

Signatories

Dr. Abdul Rahman Embong

Dr. Azmi Sharom

Azmil Tayeb (Ph. D. candidate)

Dr. James Chin

Dr Faisal S. Hazis

Dr. Farish A. Noor

Dr. Terence Gomez

Dr. Clive Kessler

Dr. Khoo Gaik Cheng

Dr. K. J. John

Lim Chee Han (Ph. D candidate)

Dr. Lim Teck Ghee

Dr. Francis K. W. Loh

Gregore Pio Lopez (PhD candidate}

Dr. Mustafa. K. Anuar

Dr. Ruslan bin Zainuddin

Dr. Subramaniam Pillay

Tan Beng Hui (Ph. D candidate)

Dr. Wong Chin Huat

Assoc Prof. Zaharom Nain

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 5:20 pm and is filed under
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Time is on Pakatan Rakyat’s side – any delay in 13GE will provide more opportunity to debunk UMNO/BN lies and expose the “greatest lie” in 3-year Najib premiership that “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor”

Until the Bersih 3.0 rally of April 28, 2012, it was fairly certain that the 13th General Election will take place in June this year.

This certainty has now disappeared because the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has suffered another attack of hesitation and indecisiveness, as  a result of the unprecedented support by Malaysians for fair, free and clean elections not only in various parts of the country and by the Malaysian Diaspora throughout the world but also by the  hundreds of thousands of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, class, region, gender and age  who gathered peacefully in Kuala Lumpur for the Bersih 3.0 “sit-in” at Dataran Merdeka on Aprl 28.

All the “tough talk” by Najib at the UMNO anniversary at Bukit Jalil Stadium on May 11 and the specious claim that the sea of red that night was bigger than the Bersih 3.0 sea of yellow on April 28 could not hide the fact that Najib’s confidence that June would be the  best timing for him to call general elections had been greatly shaken.

With Najib again agonising on when to dissolve Parliament to go for national polls, the country is now back to the guessing game, whether the 13th general election is still in June, or pushed back to July, September or even later.

This reflects Najib’s realisation that although he may have secured high personal polls, his personal popularity could not be translated into high voting support for UMNO and Barisan Nasional and the next general elections is a veritable “do or die” battle for him, UMNO and Barisan Nasional.

However, time is on Pakatan Rakyat’s side – as any further delay in elections will only provide more time and opportunity to debunk the UMNO/BN campaign of lies,  falsehoods and demonisation as well as to expose the “greatest lie” in the three-year Najib premiership that “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor” – which is the title of a very biased 30-minute documentary shown on TV1 last Sunday to poison the minds of viewers about Bersih 3.0.

There can be no doubt that since April 28, there has been a very systematic and concerted attempt  by those in power to demonise Bersih 3.0  in the worst possible light, painting it as an anti-national conspiracy, including an attempted coup d’etat to topple the government – a wild and most irresponsible allegation made by the Prime Minister himself.

The hundreds of thousands who came out peacefully in Kuala Lumpur on April 28 know that it is the greatest lie of the three-year Najib premiership to paint Bersih 3.0 as

“Kotor”, anti-national and the height of disloyalty as they had gathered in peace – armed at most with salt and water bottles to protect themselves from police tear gas and water cannons – not to topple the government but to send a clear and unmistakable message to the government that Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, class, region, gender or age, want clean elections because they want a clean Malaysia!

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in today’s press that Malaysians should view the Bersih 3.0 rally “in a more rational manner” – but it is the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the  UMNO/Barisan Nasional government who are most guilty of refusing to see the Bersih 3.0 rally “in a more rational manner”, coming out with lies like an attempted coup d’etat to topple the government!

Malaysians in the rural areas who depend on the mainstream media for information would be easy victims of the Umno/Barisan Nasional campaign of lies and demonisation, particularly about the Bersih 3.0 rally.

But if general elections are not held in June or July, it means there will be more time for the urban Malay youths to return to the kampongs to tell their parents and relatives the truth of what happened on April 28 – and when the truth about Bersih 3.0 are fully understood by the Malaysian voters in the rural areas, then the country will be ready for far-reaching changes in the next general elections.

(Speech at the Sarawak DAP Election Workshop in Kuching on Saturday, 19th May 2012)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 4:43 pm and is filed under
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Tunku Aziz’s exit from DAP

By
Sakmongkol AK47

The Malaysian Insider

May 19, 2012

MAY 19 —  It offends UMNO that Malays choose to join DAP. Why does the action of Malays joining another legitimate political party which is not UMNO, induce that feeling? It springs from arrogance and political xenophobia. UMNO is the chauvinist party that sees people who reject it ( for whatever reasons they choose) as a betrayal to UMNO. That is what offends UMNO actually. They can’t understand why people can be `disloyal’ to UMNO. UMNO expects Malays to be loyal to it- but what principles and values does it offer that can sustain the much desired loyalty?

UMNO arrogantly believes that an UMNO Malay is the only Malay. So it offends UMNO to see Malays abandon UMNO as though, the Malay has converted into another race. UMNO is fast adopting the Hassan Aqidah Ali mentality.

Next it offends UMNO not being able to see an exodus of other Malays from DAP. Suddenly UMNO has credited Tunku Aziz with some extraordinary attributes that must without fail, encourage other Malays to leave DAP. Alas, Tunku Abdul Aziz is alone. UMNO’s hope that Tunku Aziz’s action can serve as the catalyst prompting other Malays in DAP to do likewise crumbles. Indeed, Tunku Aziz’s action reinforces the determination of Malays who joined DAP to stay put despite his U-turn.

Then it dawns on UMNO- despite them being feeble in mind, that people adopt a certain political stand not because of loyalty to a figure. Such loyalty is ephemeral. You will see that soon- as soon as Najib performs worse than Pak Lah, those fellas now tripoding Najib will abandon him like rats do to a sinking ship.

The real issue in my mind, is not about Tunku Aziz’s departure from DAP at all. It’s all about UMNO seeing this as chance to revive its own diminishing legitimacy. UMNO thinks, by being able to cast this action as a racial thing, it regains its own lost legitimacy as representative of the Malay voice.  How many times have I said, that UMNO can’t event claim it’s representing the Malays. In 2008, UMNO candidates got only 2 million of the 5.7 million votes. That’s a clearer sign that UMNO is no longer relevant to Malays than Tunku Aziz’s exit from DAP.

Like UMNO’s favorite line when interpreting Tunku Aziz’s exit, the exodus of Malays from the UMNO mothership can only mean that Malays are no longer compatible with UMNO. If you are eager to arrive at such conclusion from Tunku Aziz’s exit, then you must apply the same line of reasoning and accordingly, conclusion regarding UMNO. Can?

If not, then see Tunku Aziz’s departure as it really is- the departure of one man who realises now that changing something cannot happen within a self-imposed time frame. Just like Tunku Aziz’s sudden eureka moment that Najib’s transformation takes time that same logic must be applied to whatever Tunku Aziz wishes to happen to DAP.

Except the problem with Tunku Aziz: – changes that Tunku Aziz wants in DAP must take place NOW, but the changes that Najib sloganises MUST be given a chance to take place. Why not the same treatment?

Since leaving DAP, Tunku Aziz has become UMNO media’s darling. He has been described as the Malay face that DAP can use to attract more Malays. What rubbish. Malays who joined DAP did not even include Tunku Aziz in their equation. He was an unknown political entity. It’s absolutely not true that DAP wanted to use Tunku Aziz as the face that would entice Malays into joining DAP. I find that offensive. The Malays who joined DAP find some resonance with the values and struggles which DAP espouses.

If the Malays joined DAP on account of Tunku Aziz’s presence and face, the party must take steps to weed these people out.

To repeat, UMNO is offended that Tunku Aziz’s exit did not create the opening the floodgates effect. UMNO is offended that Malays reject UMNO. UMNO’s longevity and legitimacy rests very precariously on its success to cast itself as the sole spokesman and savior of the Malays. It’s not.

If Malays don’t want to join DAP, there are better off joining PAS- the real Malay party founded on values and principles. UMNO? No principles and no integrity. It has as much integrity and principles as the plunderer and thief. It’s a sinking ship.

Why is UMNO worried at all about a handful of Malays being in DAP? It should encourage more Malays to join DAP to restructure DAP as a multiracial party. It should not stand in the way if Malays choose to join DAP. Unless of course, its very survival depends precisely in being able to keep alive the racist slants of Malaysian politics. Then  having an opponent composed of only a single race or even races opposite of themselves, UMNO keeps itself alive. More Malays must join DAP to serve the bigger agenda of speeding up the demise of UMNO.

Thats how UMNO is. it can only survive on the misfortunes of others. It has never  grounded its survival on the strength of its own principles and values.It Must depend on the weaknesses of others.

Who shall look after the lot of Malays then? Why should or must it be UMNO? UMNO hasn’t improved the lot of Malays despite having and placing Malays at leadership levels in politics, in government institutions etc. Malays dominate the land offices, served as director generals of departments, become district police chiefs,  the State secretaries are almost exclusively Malays- does having Malays at these leadership positions helped the Malays? They have not achieved the desired results because the UMNO Malays helped out the chosen Malays.

We Malays don’t depend at all on UMNO. The laws of this land, the institutions of democracy and most of all our own industriousness and work, protect us. We absolutely don’t depend on UMNO.

My advice to Malays in DAP- don’t belabour yourselves with lofty agenda at the moment. The immediate agenda is to kick out xenophobic UMNO. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com

* Sakmongkol AK47 is the nom de plume of Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz. He was Pulau Manis assemblyman (2004-2008).

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Why the PM should scuttle the coming FGVH IPO

 — Lim Teck Ghee

The Malaysian Insider

May 18, 2012

MAY 18 — Prime Minister Najib Razak last week announced a “windfall” of RM15,000 to each Felda settler family.

The planned payout is to come from the initial public offering of the Felda Global Ventures Holding (FGVH). As part of the IPO of FGVH, Felda will be disposing 1.21 billion of its current FGVH shares at RM4.65 each, and from which Felda stands to make RM5.62 billion if these are fully taken up.

Among the targeted anchor investors are Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) and other national and Bumiputera funds.

Ahead of the share sale to be held by June, Felda settlers have been given an assurance by Najib that the listing would yield profits. He had also lashed out at those opposed to the scheme, saying that they are merely trying “to confuse” the people.

At this stage it is not clear yet who is trying to confuse the settlers or other Malaysians since the planned IPO is a highly complicated transaction whose full details have not been thoroughly unravelled and evaluated by professional market analysts. This is because many analysts are fearful that they may antagonize the government and end up on the wrong side of the authorities.

Felda accounts for around 18 per cent of the country’s total palm oil output. The idea behind FGVH is to turn this newly created corporate entity into a “global conglomerate”.

The blogger Pirates of Putrajaya, who is one of the few to have studied the considerable documentation pertaining to the IPO, explains that what FGVH is offering to the public is its 49 per cent interest in Felda Holdings, of which 51 per cent is owned by Koperasi Permodalan Felda Malaysia Bhd (KPF) and its one golden share held by the Ministry of Finance.

More illuminating examination of the convoluted deal is to be found in the Pirates of Putrajaya blog.

With such a huge amount of newly-minted money in the works, it is only natural that the FGVH listing should be subject to scrutiny with regard to its political and socio-economic implications.

One is that the Felda folk are a vital constituency numbering 112,635 settlers who will be receiving payment as a “hadiah” timed coincidentally just before imminent elections.

Two, more important than the voter headcount, the so-called “windfall” for the settler electorate is to reinforce the political message that Umno has always taken care of the Malay rural constituencies.

Three, it is impossible to downplay suspicions that the purpose of the exercise is to fill the Umno war chest on the eve of an imminent election.

To read more on the financial repercussions on the Felda settlers in the long term, please go to the Pirates of Putrajaya website.

Even if readers are not convinced by the political analysis of blogger “Pirates”, it is clear that settlers are not getting the best deal out of this FGVH listing.

Why list FGVH and not FHB?

Felda Holdings Bhd (FHB), which is the entity that manages the oil palm plantations, is the jewel in the crown that makes most of the profits. (FY2010, it achieved net profit of RM614.2 million on turnover of RM14.9 million).

Felda’s plantations and related businesses are parked under FHB, which also manages some 355,000 hectares leased from Felda in addition to the 500,000 hectares belonging to settlers that it oversees.

FGVH is presently owned 100 per cent by Felda (i.e. the government) and its major source of profit contribution — i.e. 85 per cent of its earnings — comes from FHB.

KPF is owned by 220,000 stakeholders, of which half are pioneer settlers. KPF is therefore the vehicle where the interests of the settlers are in alignment.

FGVH also owns MSM, a listed refined sugar producer; Twin Rivers, a loss making investment in downstream oleo chemical companies in North America; and a joint venture business in the Middle East with IAATEC, in distribution of specialty fats.

Without FHB, the FGVH IPO will not fly.

In CPI’s opinion, the FGVH listing is less beneficial than listing Felda Holdings itself, which makes most of the profits.

Why shift profits into a company with poor performance and with no strong track record to justify a listing, and with the company belonging to the settlers getting the short end of the deal?

It would not only be simpler and more straightforward, but also commercially more logical and less costly to list FHB instead of FGVH, where KPF has a 51 per cent interest and FGVH has a 49 per cent interest.

Why is it necessary to do a swap when the bulk of the profit comes from FHB? The profits are in the upstream oil palm plantations, not the downstream oleo/specialty fats etc or refined sugar business that FGVH owns. The integrated strategy to justify using FGVH is just a distraction.

A successful listing of FHB would probably have at least as high, if not higher market capitalisation than that of FGVH, and will be worth more to the KPF stakeholders.

The better alternative is for the listing of FHB. Of course, if FHB were listed, most of the benefits would accrue to KPF and the settlers, and there will be no scope to use a vehicle like FGVH for potential ‘monkey business’ to benefit a horde of other interest groups.

Readers are reminded that there are 980 million shares on offer to the public. Of this 980 million, 286.8 million will be on offer to local/foreign institutional and selected investors, 419.5 million to Bumiputera institutions and selected Bumiputera investors approved by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, 200.6 million to eligible employees and 72.9 million to the Malaysian public.

How and to whom the bulk of these 980 million shares are allocated is where manipulation can take place.

In a nutshell, the FGVH structure would appear to be a lot less efficient in value creation for shareholders of FHB than just simply listing FHB itself.

There is no need to have another layer of management in FGVH, as well as going through all the costly and unnecessary restructuring that does not only fail to add value to the market capitalization but also does not maximize the value to KPF’s shareholders.

The settlers and stakeholders of KPF appear to be much worse off in agreeing to the deal, notwithstanding all the sweeteners. This is because we must ask the question of who will actually benefit from the FGVH listing. It is certainly not the settlers, especially if they could end losing a controlling stake in their jewel in the crown (Felda Holdings), in substitution for a minority interest in FGVH.

If the prime minister has been advised that the current listing is the best way to benefit Felda settlers, he has been wrongly advised. He needs to do a quick turnaround, scuttle the listing in the interests of settlers as well as in the national interest, and go back to the drawing board. — cpiasia.net

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 May 2012, 1:54 am and is filed under
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BN government should call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign as the first step to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to legitimate demands for clean elections

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in today’s press that Malaysians should view the Bersih 3.0 demonstration in a more rational manner and look at the Government’s concern over what could go wrong if people took to the streets.

Unfortunately, in the past three weeks after  the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28,   the government as represented by the  Home Minister and the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak have themselves failed this simple test of acting in “a more rational manner” to address.the controversies of what went  wrong on April 28 resulting in the incidents of violence and brutality, regardless of whether the victims were police personnel, media representatives or peaceful protestors.

Najib and Hishammuddin should  call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign to paint Bersih 3.0, the organizers and participants, in the worst and most sinister light,  as the first step for the BN government to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to the people’s legitimate demands for clean elections.

The Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign started with the wild and irresponsible allegation by the Prime Minister that it was an anti-national conspiracy which included a coup attempt by the Opposition to topple the government, which conspiracy theory was immediately given blind and unthinking support by the former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar when there was no iota of evidence; culminating in the “Great Lie and Spin” on TV1 on Sunday when the government station telecast a 30-minute “documentary” entitled “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor” to poison the minds of viewers about Bersih 3.0.

What the BN spin-masters did not realise is that the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians  who gathered  peacefully in Kuala Lumpur  in response to the call of Bersih 3.0, and the millions who have direct information of what actually happened on April 28, could not identify with TV1 programme or agree that Bersih 3.0 was some grand or evil conspiracy to cause violence, unrest and even toppling of the government!

In fact, they could only be turned off and completely alienated by the TV1 screed which is available on YouTube – not only because it was so untrue but so unfair!

To them, Bersih 3.0 will forever remain a historic, momentous and even liberating experience where Malaysians regardless race, religion, region, class, age or gender came out together  in peace and common humanity, out of a deep and abiding sense of patriotism and  love for country,  in support of the national cause for clean elections for a clean Malaysia.

All that they were armed were salt and water bottles,  not to combat the police or topple the government,  but to protect themselves in case of police tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon in order  to send out the clear and unmistakable message that 54 years after Merdeka in 1957,  Malaysians want clean elections and a clean Malaysia!

True, there were deplorable incidents of violence and brutality which marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – but these deplorable  incidents took place after 3 pm on April 28.

Before 3 pm, there was absolutely no tension in the air, as the hundreds of thousands who gathered in Kuala Lumpur were peaceful,  in great  harmony and carnival spirit, to celebrate the unprecedented democratic awakening, empowerment and unity of Malaysians.

This why Malaysians want an  impartial, thorough and high-powered inquiry to find out what went wrong on April 28 and  who marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – whether it was caused by a handful of protestors or a small group of police personnel, who took the law into their own hands and started a riot against the peaceful public.

This is also why the independent advisory panel headed by former IGP Tun Hanif Omar to inquire into the Bersih 3.0 violence and brutality is completely unacceptable to the majority of thinking and decent Malaysians, not because Hanif was former IGP but for the simple reason that he had prejudged Bersih 3.0 with baseless and biased views after April 28.

If Najib and Hishammuddin want credibility and legitimacy for any findings of a Bersih 3.0 inquiry, they should heed the call which finds resonance in the country as well as in international circles  for a completely new inquiry panel and not proceed with the panel  headed by Hanif.

Form either a Royal Commission of Inquiry, a Suhakam inquiry or best of all, invite the United Nations rapporteurs, namely Frank La Rue on the promotion and the protection of the right to freedom and expression and Maina Kiai on the right to freedom of assembly and of association, to carry out independent investigations and present their report to the Malaysian people and government as well as the international community.

[Speech (2) at the DAP Sarawak forum on “Two-Party System – Our Hope” in Kuching on Saturday, 19th May 2012 at 9 pm]

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 May 2012, 5:10 pm and is filed under
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Do not underestimate Malaysians, says Ambiga

Hafiz Yatim |  May 19, 2012

Malaysiakini

The Bersih 3.0 rally may be three weeks old, but for the organisers co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan it is still not too late to pay tribute to Malaysians for coming out in strength to show support.

Asked by Malaysiakini what had she learnt from the rally, Ambiga’s quick response was do not underestimate Malaysians.

She said Bersih is not about herself, in reality it is a ground-up movement.

“It is not mine, it’s not Pak Samad Said’s. We did not pay for them to come, and in fact they paid on their own for the T-shirts and transport. Some designed them on their own. The people have taken ownership of Bersih.

“It just captured the imagination of the people. What I have learnt from Bersih 3.0 is that do not underestimate Malaysians. It was a far bigger crowd than we had anticipated and we have to learn to be better prepared.

“I have also learnt that the authorities can actually go berserk. I am still reeling from the extent of the violence and this is a government which is looking liberal and yet they do this.

“My fear is to what extent they are prepared to go to curb dissent. I’m a bit disquieted about that,” she said.

Ambiga said the incident had deepened her faith in Malaysians, standing together in solidarity purely in support of each other is a wonderful thing.

In not taking credit for what had happened, the former Bar Council chairperson said Bersih had awakened and sparked off something positive in the people.

bersih 3 rally 180512 04″We are not looking for differences but looking at unity for a common purpose (clean and fair elections). This is hard to fight back.

“They cannot fight this, and they should not fight as this is powerful stuff,” she warned, though elections may be boring stuff for some.

Mind you, Ambiga said, the rally did not taken place only in Malaysia but in 80 other places worldwide, too, including people putting up the Bersih flag at the base camp of Mt Everest, and at Mount Kinabalu.

Eye on what comes first

She said Bersih’s immediate task is not to organise Bersih 4.0 but to gather all those hurt at the rally to compile a report.

“I know people are pushing for another rally but we have unfinished business – violence in relation to the people, apart from voter education. We must bring justice to the people who were hurt,” he said.

On the number hurt, she said the reports are being compiled and non-governmental organisation like Lawyers for Liberty and Suaram had recently sent a report that around a 100 had been injured to the Malaysia Human Rights Council (Suhakam).

abdul aziz spr ec chairman 300509″We are hoping that Suhakam will hold an inquiry into police brutality. We owe it to the public for the facts to come out and let them out,” she said.

Besides this, Ambiga said Bersih 3.0 is also pressing on with its efforts to seek the resignation of the Election Commission members.

The Bersih co-chairperson said she cannot understand the slow response to allegations that EC chairperson, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (right) and his deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar are Umno members.

Why EC should step down

“It is clear that we should know either they were or were not members and surely Umno should know. The response should’ve been immediate. Why is there such a fudging of the issue. There should be clarity whether they are members or not. There’s no two ways about it, if they are members of a political party they cannot be EC chair and deputy,” she said.

She said the July 9, Bersih 2.0 rally had seen the successful setting up of a parliamentary select committee (PSC) where many civil society groups have been calling for the liberalisation of certain legislation, and it is a good step for the government.

“But we have not seen the PSC report, and we do not think the recommendations cover Bersih 2.0’s eight demands. Hence, we do not think the PSC has achieved its purpose.”

On her views on several quarters, including former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim, calling for a tribunal against Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad, she said Bersih would not go as that far as that, all they want is for the two to leave and not only they but the rest of the EC members, too.

“The reason we are asking for their resignation is because the public has lost confidence in them but over and above all that is they are members of Umno They should resign,” she said, adding they also want international observers for the 13th general election.

However, she commended the government for withdrawing the amendment to the Election Offences Amendment Bill.

Demands left hanging

On how many of Bersih’s demands had been met since the PSC was set up, Ambiga said out of eight only one and that, too, not completely – the indelible ink.

pulau ketam village head election 310711 indelible ink 02She said that indelible ink use had been gazetted but Bersih is still in the dark over how it would be applied whether the finger will be dipped in ink or only applied to it.

“As to the calls of free and fair media as pledged, I do not know how the press is going to transform overnight from being partisan to non-partisan.

“There is still the problem of the postal voters and this is being dealt with by Tindak Malaysia.

“In reality not many of our demands have been met,” she said. She also referred to the issue of overseas voters, she could not understand why it cannot be implemented.

She noted that Indonesia has enfranchised its citizens abroad but not Malaysia.

When questioned, they shoot back  who asked you to leave the country, Ambiga said, adding what they should do is make it worthwhile for them to return home.

“They really need a lesson on winning the hearts of the people,” she said.

Ambiga disagreed with the notion that the Bersih protest represented a minority group as alleged by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“Look, even if 10,000 people took a stand you have to listen. Are you saying because we are a minority our push for clean and fair elections is not legitimate.

“Look at our background, Malaysians had been brought up in fear and they stood up in Bersih 2.0.

“Bersih 3.0 is even bigger. The premier (says) he has a silent majority and I would say we also have a silent majority which did not come out just as theirs.

“These are really silly arguments. The very fact 250,000 came up, it is certainly something they should pay attention to and if they don’t they would end up making a silly mistake,” she said.

The interview was jointly conducted by Hafiz Yatim, Hazlan Zakaria, Lee Way Loon and Abdul Rahim Sabri.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 May 2012, 7:34 am and is filed under
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Kalau sudah uzur, jangan buat kerja berat lagi… berehatlah

 – Aspan Alias

The Malaysian Insider

May 19, 2012

19 MEI – Pilihanraya dijangka sampai bila-bila masa sekarang. Ada yang membuat spekulasi yang ia akan diadakan pada bulan Jun dan ada yang merasakan ia akan diadakan pada bulan Julai. Tidak kurang pula yang merasakan PRU tidak perlu diadakan sekarang kerana tempoh tamatnya penggal ini adalah pada bulan April tahun hadapan. Orang yang boleh menentukan tarikh pilihanraya ini adalah PM Najib sahaja… bukan sesiapa yang lain.

Hanya Najib dirasakan belum lagi mendapat ilham untuk menentukan tarikh itu kerana kali ini bukannya senang untuk membubarkan Parlimen sebelum Najib merasakan sokongan orang ramai terhadap kerajaan belum pulih. Najib sehingga hari ini belum menampakkan keyakinan beliau yang BN sudah kembali pulih dari kegeringannya.

Seperti juga manusia yang dalam kegeringan, ia tidak boleh menentukan bila kah kesihatannya akan kembali pulih kerana orang yang dalam kegeringan hanya mempunyai dua kebarangkaliannya. Pertamanya ia akan pulih atau pun ia mati sahaja. Kenazakkan UMNO sudah begitu lama dan tidak siapa yang bolih menentukan nasib masa depannya.

Itu sebabnya jika seseorang manusia itu dalam kegeringan dalam masa yang lama, ahli keluarganya akan membaca surah yassin untuk memohon kepada yang Maha Esa untuk menentukan nasib si pesakit itu secepat yang mungkin. Doa keluarganya ialah memohon kepada yang Maha Esa untuk memulihkan penyakitnya atau untuk meringankan beban kesakitan si pesakit itu dengan mengambil rohnya kembali ke arash dan mengadap yang Maha Esa itu.

Apabila seseorang itu meninggal dunia, yang mati itu hanyalah tubuh kita sedangkan roh tetap hidup dan menghadapi Illahi. Kewujudan elemen dosa dan pahala itu ialah kerana roh kita tidak mati. Roh kitalah yang akan menerima bahagia atau celaka apabila tubuh kita telah mati. Jika semasa jasad dan roh masih hidup, segala kerja baik dan buruknya di timbang dan roh itu akan menghadapi segala kemungkinan… samada ke-neraka atau kesyurga.

Pendeknya roh itu hidup selama-salamanya dan menerima nasibnya di alam akhirat bergantung kepada amal dan lakunya semasa hidupnya. Jika baik nasibnya berbahagialah mereka di jannah. Jika sebaliknya maka ke nerakalah untuk membersihkan segala noda dan dosa yang telah mereka lakukan semasa hidup di dunia yang fana’ ini.

Jika dikaitkan dengan UMNO itu sekarang ini, parti itu sedang dalam alam nazak. Tidak tahu lagi nasibnya dalam masa yang terdekat ini, samada akan terus hidup dengan kekurangan mayanya atau mati terus untuk selama-lamanya. Bagi pesakit yang terlalu tenat jika ia kembali baik pulihnya, kesihatannya tidak akan sebaik sebelum melakukan kerja yang memudharatkan mereka sebelumnya.

Tetapi satu hakikat yang kita harus menerimanya, ialah jika penyakit yang dihadapinya itu berlaku semasa umur dan usianya yang tua, yang selalu ditunggu ialah maut. Semasa penghujung hayatnya itu, selalunya penglihatannya akan banyak berkurangan, telinganya akan kurang pendengarannya dan apabila berjalan tidak akan setegap sebelumnya.

Pemikiran mereka pun sudah banyak lemahnya dan kadang-kadang ia tidak lagi berapa mengenali rakan dan kawannya. Perangainya pun berubah banyak dan selalu sahaja bersungut apabila ada perkara yang mereka tidak setuju berlaku dihadapan nya.

Apabila sudah terlalu tua mereka selalu sahaja menyalahkan orang lain dan ramai tidak akan melawannya kerana menghormati mereka sebagai orang tua. Itulah sebabnya jika orang tua marah-marah, ramai akan hanya mendengarnya kerana menghormati usianya tetapi jarang-jarang diikuti oleh mereka yang mendengarnya.

Bagi mereka yang masih sihat mereka akan mengambil jalan mereka sendirian dan melakukan perkara-perkara yang wajar bagi mereka kerana mereka masih sihat dan akan melakukan perkara-perkara yang boleh menjamin masa depan mereka.

Itulah sebabnya apabila seseorang itu sudah tua, mereka akan membuat persediaan untuk bersara. Jika mereka yang bekerja itu bersara semasa usianya dalam lingkungan lima puluhan, dan memberikan tanggungjawab kepada orang lain maka UMNO pun begitu jugalah keadaan nampaknya.

Usia UMNO dan BN sudah melebihi jangkauan itu maka memang tepat masanya bagi parti itu yang sudah terlalu uzur. Orang ramai sudah sedar BN ini memang sudah sampai usia tuanya kerana semua ‘attribute’ orang tua itu memang banyak nampak ada pada BN dan UMNO itu.

Penglihatannya pun sudah berkurangan, telinganya sudah tidak mampu mendengar keluhan dan kemahuan rakyat lagi dan ia berjalan pun sudah ‘pencang-pencung’. Oleh kerana sudah pekak, mereka bila bercakap pun bernada tinggi kerana mereka sangka orang sekelilingnya pun pekak dan tidak mendengar kata-katanya. Tubuh badannya pun tidak terurus lagi dan memang sifat orang tua yang mereka akan menjadi bertambah degil dalam usia tuanya.

Kadang-kadang jatuh dalam bilik air dan banyak yang jatuh itu akhirnya akan membawa maut kepada mereka. UMNO pun begitu. Elok berehat sahaja kerana parti itu cepat sangat menjadi tua. PAS dan DAP pun tua juga tetapi masih sihat… itulah perbezaan diantara dua puak. Satu puak cepat menjadi tua tetapi satu puak yang lain masih sihat dan segar bugar.

Kata setengah pengamal perubatan, tubuh akan cepat sakit dan tua kalau terlalu banyak sangat ‘makan’. Kalau tamak sangat makan, maka tubuh badan kita akan cepat dihinggapi penyakit, dan selalunya penyakit yang menghinggapi kita itu merupakan penyakit-penyakit ‘terminal’ yang tidak dapat diubati lagi. PAS dan DAP lambat datang tuanya kerana mereka makan mengikut peraturan dan cara pemakanan yang baik.

UMNO cepat tua dan berpenyakit kerana bila makan mereka makan terlalu pelahab. Belum habis ditelan, yang ada dalam mulut sudah sumbat lagi suapan yang lain. Bukan kah kita tahu semua penyakit bermula dari perut? Kerana terlalu banyak ‘makan’, inilah akibatnya.

UMNO patut berehat sahaja. Jangan buat kerja-kerja berat lagi. Wang ringgit yang menggunung yang terkumpul itu belanjakanlah untuk membeli ubat dan merawati penyakit-penyakit itu. Makanlah sayur-sayuran lebih, sebab selama ini terlalu banyak sangat makan daging yang lazat-lazat.

Asyik makan tak ada hentinya. – aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 May 2012, 7:49 am and is filed under
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Question to Najib for June Parliament – “would he give categorical assurance to accept verdict of voters in 13GE, including change of government in Putrajaya”?

Yesterday was the last day for the submission of questions by Members of Parliament for the June meeting of Parliament which is to sit for 12 days from June 11 to 28.

No one can state for sure whether the June meeting of Parliament will be held or whether Parliament will be dissolved before June 11 for the 13th general elections to be held, as this is a decision which the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is agonizing over, even when abroad.

Be that as it may, if the June meeting of Parliament is held, I have put in a question for the Prime Minister, viz: “To ask the Prime Minister whether he would give categorical assurance that he, UMNO and Barisan Nasional would accept verdict of the voters in 13th General Election including change of government in Putrajaya.”

Earlier this evening, I saw a statement issued  by 20 scholars expressing their concern that the 13th general election, which will be held “sometime between now and April 2013”, should be “the most free and fair elections held in the country for several decades” and calling on the government and other major players and stakeholders to scrupulously observe the “priority concerns which we see as key to ensuring an outcome that can have greater legitimacy among Malaysians and outside observers”.

Among their various proposals, the 20 scholars said that “to  forestall any attempt at disruption of the election outcome, we propose that all political leaders and political parties agree to a short statement promising that they will respect the will of the people exercised at the polling booth as well as honour a peaceful transition of power”.

The 20 scholars proposed that this declaration, “to be jointly crafted by the ruling and opposition parties”,  should be” widely disseminated as a public service to discourage any individuals or groups that may be intent on creating mischief aimed at overturning the outcome of the elections”.

DAP fully endorses the call for all political parties to make a firm commitment to “respect the will of the people” and “honour a peaceful transition of power”.

The question is whether Najib, UMNO and BN are prepared to make such commitments.

Najib has said that he wants Malaysia to be the “best democracy in the world”. If he is sincere and serious about this declaration, then he must demonstrate first that Malaysia qualifies to be a normal democratic country where peaceful transition of power through the ballot box is not only the democratic right of the voters but  accepted as a normal and routine practice in the country.

Is he therefore prepared to make a clear-cut and unequivocal declaration that he, UMNO and Barisan Nasional would accept the electoral verdict of the Malaysian voters in the 13th General Elections, including a change of federal power in Putrajaya?

Is he prepared to retract his “crushed bodies, lives lost” declaration to the 2010 UMNO General Assembly to defend UMNO power at all costs in Putrajaya – which is completely against his claim that he wants to make Malaysia “the best democracy in the world”?

(Speech at the DAP Sarawak forum on “Two-Party System – Our Hope” in Kuching on Saturday, 19th May 2012 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 May 2012, 1:04 pm and is filed under
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End the charade of an Hanif “independent” probe which is part of the “demonization” campaign of Bersih 3.0 as proven by Hanif’s anti-Bersih comments

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein started his interview on Bersih 3.0  with Sunday Star yesterday entitled “The search for the real story” with the following statement:

“Now that the temperature has lowered and emotions have subsided, we should look at the incident in a more rational manner”.

I studied Hishammuddin’s interview but could not find any evidence that the government or Hishammuddin at least is prepared to view the Bersih 3.0 demonstration in “a more rational manner” so that Malaysians, the government, police, civil society and the ordinary citizenry,  can learn the right lessons from Bersih 3.0 and  reach a closure with Malaysia taking one giant step towards  the objective of “the best democracy in the world” – a goal purportedly espoused by the  Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself.

In the past three weeks, the government failed to assure  Malaysians and the world both by word and deed  that there would be an independent, credible, thorough and legitimate investigation to find out the truth of what went wrong on April 28, the facts and causes of the incidents of violence and brutality, regardless of whether the victims were police personnel, media representatives or peaceful protestors.

These incidents of violence and brutality  marred the Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur from being the most historic, momentous, unifying and empowering experience for Malaysians regardless race, religion, region, class, age or gender who gathered in peace and patriotism to support a common national cause for clean elections and  a clean Malaysia.

Instead, the government embarked on a systematic and concerted campaign to paint Bersih 3.0, the organizers and participants, in the worst and most sinister light as evidenced by

(i)	the wild and irresponsible allegation by the Prime Minister that it was an anti-national conspiracy which included a coup attempt by the Opposition to topple the government;

(ii)	 the instant, blind and unthinking support given to this conspiracy theory by the former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar; and

(iii)	a most biased, one-sided and tendentious 30-minute documentary entitled “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor” broadcast on TV1 on Sunday to poison the minds of viewers of Bersih 3.0 and most powerful  proof that the government is not prepared to keep an open mind to allow for an objective and impartial  inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 violence and brutality.

Even Hishammuddin’s interview with Sunday Star smacks of a “demonization” campaign against Bersih 3.0 when he alleged that “democracy was hijacked that day”.

Hishammuddin should know that there could be varied and most contradictory  answers to the questions “Was democracy hijacked that day?” and  “Who hijacked democracy on Bersih 3.0””, which should be the province of an independent,  credible, thorough and legitimate investigation of what went wrong on Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28.

Hishammuddin should  realise that the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians  who gathered  peacefully in Kuala Lumpur  in response to the call of Bersih 3.0, and the millions who have direct information of what actually happened on April 28, could not identify or agree with the demonization campaign of the BN government that Bersih 3.0 was some grand or evil conspiracy to cause violence, unrest and even toppling of the government!

Imagine men and women, even those in the sixties, seventies and eighties, who had gathered peacefully armed at most with salt and water bottles not to combat the police but to protect themselves in case of police tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon, wanting to challenge the might of the powers-that-be and topple the government?

To them, Bersih 3.0 will forever remain a historic, momentous and even liberating experience where Malaysians regardless race, religion, region, class, age or gender came out together  in peace and common humanity, out of a deep and abiding sense of patriotism and  love for country,  in support of the national cause for clean elections for a clean Malaysia.

True, there were deplorable incidents of violence and brutality which marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – but these deplorable  incidents took place after 3 pm on April 28.

Before 3 pm, there was absolutely no tension in the air, as the hundreds of thousands who gathered in Kuala Lumpur were peaceful,  in great  harmony and carnival spirit, to celebrate the unprecedented democratic awakening, empowerment and unity of Malaysians.

This is why Malaysians want an  impartial, thorough and high-powered inquiry to find out what went wrong on April 28 and  who marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – whether it was caused by a handful of protestors or a small group of police personnel, who took the law into their own hands and started a riot against the peaceful public.

I call on Hishammuddin to end the charade of an Hanif Omar “independent” probe which is part of the “demonization” campaign of Bersih 3.0 as proven by Hanif’s anti-Bersih comments

Hishammuddin said in his interview: “They are attacking Hanif because he is the former Inspector-General of Police”.

He cannot be more wrong.  The so-called “independent advisory panel” headed by Hanif is completely unacceptable to the majority of thinking and decent Malaysians, not because Hanif was former IGP but for the simple reason that he had prejudged Bersih 3.0 with baseless and biased views after April 28.

Furthermore, the Hanif panel is now seen and perceived as part of the BN “demonization” campaign of Bersih 3.0.

If Najib and Hishammuddin want a closure to the Bersih 3 violence and brutality which could initiate the  beginning of a process of national healing, it is imperative that there must be  credibility and legitimacy for any findings of a Bersih 3.0 inquiry.  This  cannot be achieved by a highly-discredited Hanif  “independent advisory panel”.

Form either a Royal Commission of Inquiry of eminent and  independent Malaysians, a Suhakam inquiry or best of all, invite the United Nations rapporteurs, namely Frank La Rue on the promotion and the protection of the right to freedom and expression and Maina Kiai on the right to freedom of assembly and of association, to carry out independent investigations and present their report to the Malaysian people and government as well as the international community.

And most important of all, the government should call off the demonization campaign against Bersih 3.0.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 12:43 pm and is filed under
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It’s not about Anwar or Ambiga

— Gomen Man

The Malaysian Insider

May 21, 2012

MAY 21 — Let me put an end to the fastest-growing cottage industry in Malaysia: attacking and demonising the likes of Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Millions of ringgit are being earned by bloggers, phantom writers, politicians, operatives, PR agencies and anyone with a plan or video or story to “damage” Pakatan Rakyat or Bersih leaders. The thinking from Putrajaya is that if these leaders are “killed off” then the momentum behind the opposition and those behind the call for electoral reform will be ended.

That is why the mainstream media has sunk to the lowest of low with lies and that is why the likes of Hasan Ali and Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim are being given unparalleled coverage by the Media Prima media group to hammer their former political colleagues.

But let me tell the patrons of videos, bum exercises, threats, etc the reality: the awakening of Malaysia’s middle class and urban population does not depend on whether Anwar is around or whether Ambiga is leading Bersih.

No doubt both of them and other leaders played roles in bringing attention to the populace the myriad of issues facing the country but the thousands of people who turned out for Bersih 3.0 did so because they don’t want to turn their face away from electoral fraud, corruption, abuse of power, overt racism, arrogance of Umno and other issues.

If the government spent some real effort dealing with these issues instead of sweeping everything under the carpet or performing window dressing, they would not have to spend millions on a campaign to demonise Anwar, etc.

We can live without Anwar, Ambiga and other individuals. We have moved beyond icons.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 11:33 pm and is filed under
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Let restoration of decency and civility to politics and public life be top of the Cabinet agenda on Wednesday

Last Thursday, I had called for the restoration of decency and civility to politics and public life in Malaysia.

I had expressed concern at the rise of incidents of immoderate and even   “uncivilized conduct” citing three examples within a week –   the Perkasa “funeral rite” in front of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s house in Penang,  the setting up of a burger stall in front of the house of  Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan  at Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur and the utterly insensitive and deplorable “butt” dance by a group of armed forces veterans in front of Ambiga’s house.

The subsequent double cancellation by NGO WargaAMAN of a thosai stall outside the house of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar and the proposal by Ikhlas representing small traders to hold another protest outside Ambiga’s house were most encouraging, indicating  that good sense and sanity were beginning to prevail in Malaysian politics and public life.

Unfortunately, this momentum for the restoration of decency and civility in politics and public life was broken by two incidents, viz:

•	The threat by the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council supported by Perkasa to set up stalls outside Ambiga’s house on Thursday and Friday to protest losses of trade during the Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on April 28; and

•	The Merlimau “riot” involving Jasin Umno Youth protesting a ceramah which was to feature Ambiga, where two DAP Malacca Assemblymen Khoo Poay Tiong (Ayer Keroh) and Tey KIok Kiew (Bandar Hilir) were attacked and several vehicles damaged.

Both these incidents mark a regression in the restoration of  civility and decency in politics and public life should be condemned by all political parties and leaders.

I had suggested last Thursday that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Cabinet should come forward to speak loud and clear their condemnation of “uncivilised”  acts and to set the tone and example for decency and civility in politics and public life in Malaysia.

There had been no response from the Prime Minister although such an action by him would be fully in line with his call in international forums and recently in the country urging moderates to unite and to marginalise the extremists.

The restoration of decency and civility to politics and public life should be given top priority at the Cabinet meeting this Wednesday, or all the sloganeering about  Malaysia as the best democracy in the world and calling on moderates of the world to unite to marginalize the extremists would prove to be utterly hollow and meaningless words.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 4:52 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia: the electoral race gets tighter

Author:
Vikram Nehru, Carnegie Endowment
 | May 17th, 2012

East Asia Forum

There is growing speculation that the 13th Malaysian general elections will be held in June this year, the prospect of which is raising political temperatures.

But massive demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur on 28 April organised by Bersih, a civil society coalition for clean and fair elections, may have thrown a spoke in the government’s wheels. The demonstrations ended in tear gas and pitched street battles, and some 380 people were arrested. The inevitable finger-pointing that followed between Bersih and the police masks a more important point relating to the popular belief that Malaysia’s election system is rigged in favour of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

Malaysia’s Election Commission has been at pains to announce that it has implemented many of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms, which conducted a genuine and nationwide consultative process. One recommendation being implemented is the use of indelible ink to prevent voter fraud — a recommendation put forward by Bersih itself. The Election Commission also scrutinised the electoral rolls and found few irregularities, but public distrust in the electoral process is so deep that this result appears to carry little credibility. The accuracy of the electoral poll in Malaysia is indeed a critical matter that must be beyond reproach. There are several swing states where small margins can change the national result significantly.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Najib Razak has embarked on a charm offensive. He fulfilled an earlier promise by repealing the Internal Security Act, which allowed for preventive detention without trial. The government also passed a law that allows students to join political parties (although political events on campuses are still banned).

These actions no doubt will positively impact the prime minister’s popularity, which was already high following a populist budget and a recent report complimenting the government on the implementation of its economic reform package. But while the prime minister enjoys very favourable ratings in the polls, his party, Barisan Nasional, does not. This has given the opposition parties some hope, although they have yet to coalesce and offer a clear vision or alternative policy. The scenes of street protests and tear gas on 28 April, together with allegations of police brutality, will likely help the opposition and hurt the government. This could further narrow the difference between the incumbent Barisan Nasional and the main opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat.

All the tea leaves suggest a close race, perhaps closer than the one in 2008, when the opposition won 5 of 13 state legislatures and over one-third of the seats in parliament, denying the Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority.

Vikram Nehru is Senior Associate in the Asia Program and Bakrie Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

An earlier version of this article was first published
here
 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 10:43 am and is filed under
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My ‘yellow’ tale

By
T L Cai
 | May 21, 2012

In my mind, April 28 was not going to be an ordinary day when I woke up just before noon. I had slept late after finishing work at midnight and spent some hours reading and pouring over Google maps to find the best parking space and plan my walking route to Dataran Merdeka.

I was full of enthusiasm for my first Bersih rally. It really felt good that I could add to the numbers. All week I was hoping that, in terms of participation, Bersih 3.0 would exceed the previous Bersihs. As it turned out, it was a resounding success and the rakyat delivered an equivocal message to the Barisan Nasional government.

I felt so good that even the usual transgressions on the road which, usually riled me, did not perturb me! I drove down Jalan Ipoh to try to reach Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, hoping to park in one of the many lorongs there but it was cordoned off.

I weaved my way through the many lorongs in Tiong Nam and found a car park right along Jalan Raja Laut. I parked and walked towards Dataran Merdeka. I saw many rally-goers dressed mostly in yellow. A large group told me they came from Ipoh. Many looked like they had been there overnight.

Everyone was smiling and many waved to each other. All races, all ages, all with a common purpose. It was 12.30pm and many were milling around or sitting down. I also sat down in front of the DBKL building and waited for the sit-in to start. I saw a young Chinese man with severely malformed limbs dressed in a Bersih T-shirt hobbling past. I smiled and nodded to him and he did the same. The Malay gentleman sitting next to me said, “Hati dia kuat”.

I moved on again and saw a group of young Malay guys dressed in their own yellow T-shirts which read “Kumpulan Bersih 3.0” sitting on the road. They had garbage bags with them. Two of them had gas masks on. They said their presence was to clean up garbage and that included Umno. They were a jovial lot but their mission was, nevertheless, serious.

An elderly pakcik wrapped in shawls was sitting alone in the middle of the road and I thought, “He is much older than my 63 years; if he can do it, so can I.” I made another friend and he obliged me with a snapshot.

At around 1.30pm, I was about 20 metres away from the perimeter of Dataran Merdeka but could not get any closer because of the huge crowds already there. People were peering over the heads of others to get a view of Dataran Merdeka. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. Tension, if any, was hardly seen or felt because everyone expected a peaceful sit-in protest.

Tear gas being fired

For myself, I thought I would sit for the two hours of the planned protest and then go home. Since the home minister had declared Bersih 3.0 as posing no security threat and the Bersih organisers had declared their intention not to breach the cordon around Dataran Merdeka, I was preparing to just sit peacefully somewhere.

I met an old schoolmate from Kuantan whom I have not seen for 25 years. I told him the green shirt was for Kuantan and the badge and yellow towel were for Bersih.

People were coming and going. I guessed most people did not know what was really going on at the centre stage where, apart from the intermittent chanting, various speakers addressed the crowds. Someone around me asked, “Where are the leaders?” Another said, “The crowd is getting bored.”

A little while later, cheers rang out and everyone peered over each other to see, as I later learnt, the arrival of some Pakatan Rakyat leaders. I did not really hear Bersih chairperson S Ambiga speak or her appeal for the rally-goers to disperse.

Suddenly, a huge roar rang out all around. Police were running through Dataran Merdeka and there was a lot of shouting. Then tear gas was fired into the crowd. One canister landed nearby and everyone was choking and bleeding tears. The crowd ran helter-skelter but so disciplined was the crowd that no one was trampled on.

I stopped about 20 metres away and tried to recover. I did not bring any salt but it was not in short supply as everyone helped each other with salt and water. My first taste of tear gas was not that bad at all especially after ingesting some salt and rinsing the eyes with water. Hey, I could take this again, I thought to myself.

The crowds continued to move along Jalan Raja Laut. I looked at my watch and thought, “What the heck, it’s only 3pm, the rally is not supposed to be over yet.” Others must have shared my thoughts and lingered around. By then the crowds were split into two main groups, one right in front facing the FRU and another about 50 metres back. People were not dispersing yet.

Tear gas was fired again as the FRU approached the crowds who seemed to be in open defiance. The crowds retreated only for a short distance each time.

The stand-off went on for another hour. At the junction of Jalan Dang Wangi and Jalan Raja Laut, there was a long pause and I could see huge crowds on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman as they seemed to be also in retreat. I went into a restaurant to buy a bottle of water. The queue to get a bag of ice was long but the crowd was patient.

As the shop assistant handed out the iced syrup, he shouted, “Tolong bayar di kaunter.” People were still in a jovial mood and someone responded, “Kita bukan Umno lah, Umno saja makan tak bayar.” Everyone burst into laughter.

I sat down on the road next to two young Malay guys astride their motorcycles. One was fuming mad. The gist of what he said was that he lived in Sentul Dalam, had applied for a low-cost home for years and did not get one.

Pistols drawn

An Indonesian living nearby got his home already. He gestured with his hands, indicating piles and piles of forms, and said that hundreds, like this Indonesian, had already obtained blue ICs.

They needed to pay only RM300, he added. He was angry that foreigners and illegals were now determining the future of the country.

Then Red Crescent trucks rolled by and stopped to distribute boxes of mineral water. The people applauded. Then the police vehicles came along and the Red Crescent people moved on.

Police patrol cars and motorcycles with siren screaming were speeding by, raising the tension immediately. (That must be the moment, as reported later, when the Datuk Bandar’s convoy turned tail and quickly exited the area.)

Defiance and anger at being treated with tear gas and chemical-laced water filled the air. A few water bottles bounced off some police vehicles harmlessly. That was the only aggression on the part of a few individuals I saw that day. It was nothing compared to the police violence I was to witness later.

It was around 4pm and the crowds were quickly thinning out. I walked on along Jalan Raja Laut. Small crowds of people were then on both sides of the road when suddenly a patrol car and several motorcycles pulled up on the opposite side of the road.

Out jumped several men in blue, with pistols drawn and started beating a few protesters. One ran into a side lane chased by two policemen. One was surrounded by a few cops and beaten badly. He disappeared from sight when he dropped to the ground. One was taken in a patrol car which sped off.

This disgusting display of unnecessary and unprovoked violence was indiscriminate and seemed random as people were already making their way home. All the time right behind the crowds, the FRU and the water cannon trucks were rolling forward.

With a last discharge of chemical-laced water at the junction of Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Sultan Ismail, the FRU stopped. This was at about 4.30pm. I stood on the Sime Darby pedestrian bridge to get a better view.

People from Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman were seen crossing right in front of the FRU in the direction of Jalan Kuching. I wondered where they were heading to as there were no public transport stops there.

It seemed like an appropriate closing episode to a tumultuous afternoon when a young Chinese girl appeared on the road divider on Jalan Sultan Ismail, before the row of FRU. She held up a printed sign which read “18 Today. Peace. Justice.”

The writer was a participant of the Bersih 3.0 rally who recalls the events on that tumultuous afternoon.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 5:11 pm and is filed under
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Najib jangan takut keluar dari Putrajaya

— Aspan Alias

The Malaysian Insider

May 21, 2012

21 MEI — Apa yang dikatakan oleh Dr Mahathir Mohamad di Jitra semalam mendapat perhatian saya. Beliau meminta supaya pemimpin Umno serta ahli-ahli partinya tidak sabotaj Umno dalam pilihanraya nanti. Beliau berkata yang beliau yakin Barisan Nasional akan menang jika semua pihak dalam Umno membuang sikap suka mensabotaj parti.

Kenyataan Dr Mahathir ini membuktikan yang apa yang saya katakan selalu yang pada PRU yang lalu lebih dari 1.5 juta ahli Umno telah mengundi parti-parti pembangkang dan telah menunjukkan kepada semua yang Umno sudah tidak lagi boleh mengaku yang parti itu adalah parti yang mewakili orang Melayu dalam politik negara.

Beliau pastinya memahami keadaan sabotaj menyabotaj dalam Umno itu adalah satu kenyataan yang hakiki. Ini ialah kerana beliau sendiri merupakan penyabo kepada Umno dalam pilihanraya dahulu ketika Umno sedang membuat persiapan untuk menghadapi pilihanraya ke-12 pada tahun 2008 dahulu.

Sabotaj yang dilakukan oleh Dr Mahathir sendiri merupakan salah satu dari banyak sebab kenapa ramai calon-calon Umno jatuh tersembam dalam pilihanraya umum itu. Dr Mahathir telah keluar dari Umno di saat Umno memerlukan penyatuan di antara semua ahli-ahli dan pemimpinnya.

Tetapi Dr Mahathir telah bertindak keluar kerana yang lebih di utamakan oleh beliau ialah untuk merudumkan kepimpinan Umno semasa itu yang dipimpin oleh Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dr Mahathir tidak peduli dengan segala-galanya terhadap parti. Yang terpenting bagi beliau Abdullah Badawi mesti dijatuhkan walaupun ia membawa risiko yang amat tinggi kepada Umno dan BN. Sekarang ini beliau pula yang meminta supaya ahli-ahli dan pemimpin Umno tidak menyabo mana-mana calon yang diturunkan walaupun calon-calon itu datangnya dari langit atau dari rimba.

Tetapi yang lebih jelas dalam kenyataan Dr Mahathir ini, ialah tindakan mensabotaj calon BN sendiri itu sudah menjadi budaya dalam BN teraju Umno ini. Ini lebih dijelaskan pada Perhimpunan Agong Umno yang lepas dalam mana setiap perwakilan telah berdiri membaca baiah perwakilan untuk tidak mensabotaj calon-calon Umno dalam pilihanraya yang bakal diadakan nanti.

Itulah sebabnya saya selalu meminta supaya Umno menjaga parti mereka sendiri dan janganlah menyibuk hendak memberikan komen terhadap parti-parti lain dan membuat fitnah jahat semata-mata untuk mengalihkan pandangan ahli-ahli Umno dan rakyat dari kelemahan mereka sendiri.

Bagi saya, tindakan sabotaj mensabotaj parti dalam Umno semasa pilihanraya nanti merupakan isu yang besar bagi BN. Yang penting sekali ialah kerja sabotaj mensabotaj ini tidak mungkin dapat dihindarkan lagi kerana tidak ada tindakan disiplin bagaimana ketat sekali pun akan mampu membaiki keadaan. Tidak salah jika saya katakan yang Umno sudah menghadapi penyakit dalaman yang terlalu teruk dan sudah terlalu “advanced” dan tidak mungkin boleh diperbaiki lagi.

Yang menjadi persoalan sekarang ini ialah samada pimpinan Umno dan BN bersedia untuk menghadapi proses pengambil alihan kuasa oleh rakyat dari mereka. Sampai kehari ini Najib Razak atau kepimpinan tertinggi parti masih belum ada membuat kenyataan yang mereka bersedia utuk menyerahkan kuasa jika itu yang dikehendaki oleh rakyat dalam pilihanraya nanti. Yang kita dengar selama ini hanyalah kenyataan Najib yang Umno akan melakukan apa sahaja untuk mempertahankan Putrajaya.

Banyak parti-parti yang memerintah dinegara-negara maju menerima kekalahan dengan “gentleman” dan menyerahkan kuasa secepat mugkin setelah rakyat memberikan mandat kepada phak lain. Gordon Brown tahu yang parti Buruhnya akan kalah dalam pilihanraya yang lalu.

Tetapi oleh kerana menghormati sistem demokrasi yang tulin, pimpinan parti Buruh tidak pula bertindak dengan melakukan tektik kotor terhadap parti Conservative atau parti Liberal Demokrat sebelum menghadapi pilihanraya negara Britain awal tahun lepas.

Tidak ada penyokong-penyokong parti Buruh menonggengkan punggung mereka dihadapan rumah pemimpin parti pembangkang dan pemimpin NGO di Britain. Tidak ada pula “function” parti pembangkang diganggu oleh gangster-gangster parti Buruh malahan parti Buruh tidak mempunyai gangster-gangster upahan untuk mengganggu program parti Liberal Demokrat.

Walaupun parti Buruh tahu yang mereka akan kalah, tidak ada pula kita mendengar penyokong parti itu mengambil video pemimpin-pemimpin Conservative semasa mereka berada di dalam bilik air atau tandas.

Yang penting Najib dan Umno patut belajar ialah untuk melalui pengalaman kekalahan dalam pilihanraya kerana Umno terlalu angkuh seolah-olah kemenangan pilihanraya itu hanyalah hak Umno sahaja. Umno tidak pernah diduga dan merasakan pahit maungnya berada dipihak pembangkang kerana hasil kerja buruk mereka sendiri.

Saya tidak mahu mendahului Tuhan, tetapi hukum mengatakan yang Umno kali ini seperti juga makhluk-makhluk kejadian Tuhan itu tetap akan merasa giliran untuk menerima dugaannya kali ini.

Selama ini Umno hanya diduga dengan kemewahan dan kesenangan tetapi belum pernah merasakan dugaan melalui kesusahan. Umno perlu melalui proses ini untuk mematangkan lagi perjuangannya dan kembali kepada “basic” iaitu untuk melakukan kerja dan ubudiah baik bagi rakyat yang ramai ini.

Rakyat sekarang dalam kerinduan untuk melihat pimpinan kerajaan memberikan fokus kepada rakyat yang ramai dan berhenti menjadi satu parti yang menjaga “exclusivity” bagi kumpulan kecil sahaja. Rakyat tidak mahu lagi melihat Umno itu sebagai sebuah kelab ekslusif semata-mata.

Rakyat sudah tidak menerima lagi laungan “acronym” besar-besar seperti NKRA, ETP, TTP, KETIAK, RTM, SPRM, KTM, TDM, dan banyak lagi acronym yang menjadi laungan yang entah apa-apa itu. Rakyat mahukan “substance” bukannya “form” yang terlalu lazim digambarkan oleh pimpinan negara kita.

Umno, seperti yang saya sebut dalam posting yang lepas sepatutnya berehat dan membuat “introspeksi” mendalam dan menilai kembali apakah mereka telah berjaya berjuang selama ini terutamanya dalam menentukan nasib orang Melayu sebagai yang dilaungkan sejak lebih dari lima dekad yang lalu.

Pilihanraya kali ini adalah pilihanraya diantara rakyat dengan pimpinan BN sebenarnya. Jika rakyat yang menang, mereka akan menang melalui mandat yang akan diberikan kepada parti-parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, DAP dan PKR. Jika Pemimpin-pemimpin BN yang menang maka itu adalah kemenangan bagi segelintiran “warlords” dalam Umno yang telah menenggek diatas kuasa rakyat yang dimandatkan kepada BN.

Tetapi seperti yang saya nyatakan diatas tadi jauh di sudut sanubari saya, PR akan mendapatkan mandat itu dari rakyat dalam PRU yang akan datang ini.

Itulah sebabnya saya cuba untuk mengingatkan pemimpin-pemimpin BN khususnya Umno supaya menerima kekalahan itu dengan “gentleman” dan bersama-sama melakukan penyerahan kuasa itu dengan baik dan bertertib.

Kalau Gordon Brown telah menyerahkan kuasa kepada parti Conservative hanya dalam tempoh 6 jam selepas kekalahanya dalam pilihanraya umum Britain, kita tidak nampak kenapa BN harus menyusahkan proses peralihan kuasa itu dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang.

Barulah demokrasi terlaksana dalam erta kata yang sebenarnya. Najib dan pimpinan BN jangan merasa marah dengan penolakan rakyat terhadap kepimpinan mereka. Kita perlu ingat yang Adam Alaihissalam pun dikeluarkan dari syurga bersama Hawa.

Apa yang lebih enak selain dari berada di dalam syurga. Itu pun Adam telah menerimanya dengan senang penuh takzim dan terus melakukan tanggungjawabnya walau pun telah dikeluarkan dari syurga.

Apa nak dihairankan jika Najib keluar dari Putrajaya jika dibandingkan dengan Adam yang telah keluar dari syurga itu…

Apakah yang lebih enak dari syurga? Ia lebih enak dari berada di Putrajaya. — aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 May 2012, 11:59 pm and is filed under
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