Malaysia broke human rights pledges, says watchdog report

By
Shannon Teoh
 | TMI

KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — Malaysia failed to live up to the human rights standards it had committed to in 2006 in its pre-election pledge to the United Nations Human Rights Council (Council), a Commonwealth human rights watchdog said yesterday.

A report by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) that corresponds to the first two years after the March 2008 election said that Malaysia made little progress to advance human rights domestically, allegedly using “draconian legislation” to stifle dissent instead.

“While Malaysia claimed in its pledge that it had succeeded in achieving a balance between human rights and security requirements, the continued use of draconian colonial-era security legislation suggests otherwise,” said the CHRI.

“Malaysia made specific commitments to advance the rights of vulnerable groups, including refugees and asylum seekers. The findings of the report indicate, however, that little substantive progress was made on this pledge.

“Malaysia further pledged to work towards making the council a strong body. Despite this pledge, the report’s findings show that Malaysia mostly voted to shield countries with human rights situations of serious concern from international scrutiny,” the international NGO said.

In 2006, Malaysia was one of 18 Asian candidates that contested the 13 seats reserved for Asia in the council. Malaysia was elected fifth in the Asian Group, with 158 votes.

Malaysia decided not to seek re-election to the council when its three-year term ended in May 2009.

The report titled “Easier Said Than Done” said that Malaysia allegedly continued to used “draconian legislation” such as sedition and press laws to stifle dissent.

It noted that “the highly controversial Internal Security Act” which allows for detention without trial remained in effect at the end of the reporting period, which was from mid-2008 to mid-2010.

“Journalists in Malaysia were reportedly harassed and opposition members were intimidated. Much needed police reforms did not occur, while police abuse, custodial deaths and extrajudicial killings were frequently reported.

“Additionally, the death penalty and corporal punishment continued to be practised. Malaysia’s National Human Rights Commission remained weak, while discrimination based on religion and ethnicity continued to be a major concern,” it added.

The CHRI also said that despite Malaysia’s pledge to actively support international action to advance the rights of vulnerable groups including children, refugees, asylum seekers and legal and illegal migrants still suffered and child marriages continued to take place.

Malaysia also discouraged the efforts of United Nations Special Rapporteur investigators on torture to consider whether the death penalty constituted a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, said the report.

“It also reacted strongly against an attempt by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression to comment on the defamation of religions,” the CHRI wrote.

The CHRI also reported that Malaysia discouraged scrutiny of Myanmar and Sri Lanka, looked at Cambodia positively, supported weaker resolutions on Congo and Sudan and abstained from voting North Korea and a resolution on discrimination based on religion or belief.

According to the CHRI website, it is an independent, non-partisan, international non-governmental organisation, mandated to ensure the practical realisation of human rights in the countries of the Commonwealth.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 15 March 2011, 11:19 am and is filed under
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Alkitab defaced, says Bible Society

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Mar 16, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) was told today that its shipment of 5,100 Malay bibles seized at Port Klang had already been stamped with the home ministry’s official seal without its prior permission.

“At 5pm today, KDN informed Bible Society of Malaysia that they had already chopped the bibles and asked Bible Society of Malaysia to come collect the bibles,” the importer said in a statement to The Malaysian Insider, calling the home ministry by its Malay initials.

“Bible Society of Malaysia is alarmed by the defacement of the Christian bible by non-Christians chopping it with words that the Christians have not accepted or agreed to,” it added.

The BSM had earlier today refused to collect its cargo of holy books that had been detained for the last two years after the home ministry imposed two conditions for their release.

The society was stunned that home ministry officials had moved to act on their own and only notified BSM after the act, and called on the ministry to immediately put a stop to it.

“As the bible is the holy book of the Christians, due respect should be given to it by consulting the relevant Christian representative organs before any external text is inserted into the bibles.

“Bible Society of Malaysia calls upon KDN to stop chopping the copies of the Alkitab detained at Port Kelang [sic],” it said in the statement issued today.

Church leaders have stressed that they cannot follow the conditions imposed by the ministry, as it would mean desecrating their own holy book.

A separate shipment of 30,000 Malay bibles worth RM78,000 imported by the Sarawak branch of global Christian group, The Gideons, was also seized at Kuching port.

It is not known if they have been subjected to the same treatment as BSM’s cargo.

The Sarawak importer had said it too was refusing to collect the Alkitab for the same reasons as the BSM.

The Malaysian Insider understands Sarawak home ministry officials had earlier contacted the importer to collect their holy books and carry out the stamping on their own.

Both importers are seeking advice from national church leaders on the matter.

BSM reminded the home ministry of its previous agreement made with the Christian community and repeated in an official letter dated December 22, 2005 “that Christians are permitted to have access to their holy book in the Bahasa Malaysia language provided that the sign of the cross and the words ‘Penerbitan Kristian’ are respectfully imprinted by Christians themselves”.

The society urged the home ministry to honour that agreement.

Yesterday, the importers each received a notice from the home ministry’s Publications Control and Quranic Text Division secretary, Datuk Zaitun Ab Samad, informing them of the two conditions imposed for the release.

The first requires the importers to directly stamp on the cover of each of the 35,000 copies the following words: “Peringatan: ‘Al Kitab Berita Baik’ ini untuk kegunaan penganut agama Kristian sahaja. Dengan perintah Menteri Dalam Negeri.”

[In English: “Reminder: This ‘Al Kitab Berita Baik’ is for the use of Christians only. By order of the Home Minister.”]

The cover of the Alkitab would be stamped with the department’s official seal and dated as well.

The second condition requires the importers to stamp a serial number on each copy, as if to demarcate copies from the released shipment and to enable the book to be traced back to the port of import.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2011, 11:53 pm and is filed under
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Call for a RCI headed by Simon Sipaun to inquire into expectations, hopes and dreams of Sabahans and Sarawakians half a century after formation of Malaysia

I was in Sabah last week and I was surprised that the former Suhakam Vice Chairman and former Sabah State Secretary Tan Sri Simon Sipaun had been the target of attacks by Sabah for his recent statement  that “life in Sabah before in Malaysia was very pleasant and good”.

This is what Sipaun had said recently:

“Life in Sabah, in those days called North Borneo, as I remember it, before Malaysia, was very pleasant and good, to say the least. Admittedly there was no development that we see today, but even Malaya at that time was no better. There was no racial problem, mixed marriages were very common, and that is why we have so many peranakan in Sabah. If Sabahans are now conscious of racial and religious divide, it has been imported from semananjung. There was no illegal immigrant, there were no cases of Sabahans losing citizenship status while foreigners get it without much difficulty. There were no repressive and draconian laws, such as Official Secrets Act; … the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Seditious Act, the Police Act, and the four Proclamations of Emergency; we are still under emergency as of today even though the conditions for having emergency proclamation is no longer there. There was no quarrelling over dead bodies, the composition, and I spent three years of my career in the civil service before Malaysia, the composition in those days of the civil service was reflective of the racial makeup of society. It was multi-racial, meritocracy was practised. Corruption and ketuanan Melyau, we never heard of it. And the thing continues. How not to miss Sabah before Malaysia.”

I believe that the majority of genuine Sabahans would agree with the sentiments expressed by Sipaun when comparing life and expectations of the people of Sabah today as compared to before the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

But two Umno Tawau divisions had lodged police reports against Sipaun for the grave crime of sedition and the Sabah UMNO Youth has also stepped in in virtually accusing Siapun of being disloyal and unpatriotic in alleging  that Sipaun’s remark was “tantamount to questioning the wisdom behind Sabah’s decision to join the formation of Malaysia”.

This is an example of the unhealthy and divisive political culture which have surfaced in the past two years – trying to criminalize Sipaun comments made out of loyalty and love of Sabah and Malaysia by lodging police reports of sedition against him and even implying that the former Sabah State Secretary was disloyal.

Sipaun had also said:

“During the last general elections, it was the voters of Sabah and Sarawak who saved the federal government from losing power so much so that now Sarawak, Sabah is now referred to as the fixed deposits. Personally, I find this term derogatory and insulting.

“In return for all these, what Sabah and Sarawk get. They continue to get short changed and getting a raw deal….

“I think the general belief is that if they government is unwilling to act for whatever reason, then a change of government is obviously desirable.”

I believe that all Sabah MPs agree with Sipaun’s sentiment and comparison of life in Sabah today as compared to half a century ago and I call on them to give full support to Sipaun.

I want to reiterate my call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into expectations, hopes and dreams of Sabahans  and Sarawakians half a century after formation of Malaysia, why they have not been fulfilled although both are very rich states, and there is no better person to head such a Royal Commission of Inquiry than Tan Sri Simon Sipaun.

[
Speech (2) in the Royal Address debate on Wednesday, March 16, 2011
]

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Call on Cabinet on Friday to withdraw the appeal against the KL High Court judgment on the Herald “Allah” case to demonstrate government seriousness and commitment to promote 1Malaysia and inter-religious harmony

While the government’s decision yesterday to  release the 35,000 copies of Bahasa Malaysia Bible detained in Port Klang and Kuching Port is to be welcomed, questions must be raised as to why it had been allowed to become an issue aggravating Malaysian unity and nation-building problems for such a length of time.

The country seems suddenly to have a very powerful Minister, who is not elected but appointed –  Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala. Is this really the case?

The announcement was not made by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein or the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who had earlier commented on the issue, but by an unelected Senator Minister. Why was this the case?

In fact, six hours before Idris’ announcement, Muhyiddin had announced that the Cabinet had not made any decision to release the 35,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles and that this subject would be discussed in the Cabinet meeting on Friday.

But six hours later, Idris announced the release of the 35,000 copies of Bahasa Malaysia Bible, with the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail even saying that their release would not prejudice the ongoing appeal of the Herald “Allah” case.

What really happened? Why suddenly there is not need for any Cabinet decision to resolve this long-standing issue of the detention of the 35,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles?

It is clear that the decision to suddenly release the 35,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles was not because of any respect for the principle of constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion or national unity considerations, but solely because of the impending Sarawak state general elections.

This is not responsible governance  and goes against the principle of :Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy of creating an united Malaysian nation transcending race, religion, geography or socio-economic status.

Religious harmony should not be made a political football or a vote-getting bait if the government is serious about 1Malaysia as an inclusive policy to embrace all races and religions.

Many observers have warned that in the two years since the launch of  Najib’s 1Malaysia policy, national unity, race and religious relations have worsened.

Academician Farish Noor for instance had given the warning in a recent forum on public governance organized by Perdana Leadership Foundation and National Professors’ Council that Malaysia is dangerously close to absolutely breaking down if racial politics is not kept in check.

He said: “I’ve spent more than 10 years studying dysfunctional countries and I believe that we are going down the path of countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh. I have seen enough race and religious riots to see that Malaysia is close to going down that path.”

Similar observations and warnings had also been made by others including a former US Ambassador to Malaysia.

The Prime Minister must demonstrate leadership and example to unite Malaysians by putting an end to fractious and divisive disputes especially over religion.

The Cabinet can take one such important step in its meeting of Friday – to withdraw the appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the Herald “Allah” case to demonstrate government seriousness and commitment to promote 1Malaysia,  inter-religious harmony and national unity.

[
Speech in the Royal Address debate on Wednesday, March 16, 2011
]

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2011, 3:51 pm and is filed under
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Comparing Fukushima, Chernobyl, Three Mile Accidents: Q&A

By
Adi Narayan

Bloomberg

Mar 17, 2011

March 15 (Bloomberg) — Radiation leaks from Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s earthquake-stricken reactors in northeastern Japan represent the worst nuclear power accident since the meltdown at Chernobyl, Ukraine, almost 25 years ago, scientists say.

Military helicopters are dumping water on containers holding spent uranium fuel to prevent them from overheating after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disabled a cooling system, Tokyo Electric spokesman Kaoru Yoshida told reporters yesterday. Once exposed, the spent fuel rods may catch fire and melt, spewing radiation into the atmosphere.

“Radiation levels are extremely high, which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures,” U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko told a congressional panel in Washington yesterday.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the accidents at Fukushima, Chernobyl in 1986 and Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, in 1979. The information is drawn from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Washington, the World Health Organization in Geneva and interviews with radiation safety experts in the U.S., Australia and India.

Q:
How do the three accidents compare?

A:
The event at Fukushima is ongoing. The disaster now ranks 6 on a 7-step international scale for nuclear accidents, according to Andre-Claude Lacoste, head of France’s nuclear safety authority.

The International Atomic Energy Agency hasn’t updated the original rating of 4 on its website. Three Mile Island was rated 5 and Chernobyl was rated 7. Each additional point on this scale represents a factor of 10, so the accident at Three Mile Island was 1/100th as serious as Chernobyl, according to the agency.

Q:
How did the reactors differ?

A:
Fukushima’s 40-year-old reactor No. 2 used nuclear fission to heat water into steam, which powered a turbine. Such units are called boiling water reactors.

In the plant at Three Mile Island, pressurized water is pumped into the reactor core, where it gets heated. The hot water is then sent to a steam generator which is located outside the uranium-containing chamber. Both the Fukushima and Three Mile reactors had steel casings to protect nuclear fuel.

Fuel inside Chernobyl’s unit 4 wasn’t protected by steel. The reactor’s graphite buffer, used to slow high-speed subatomic particles, caught fire. The Fukushima and Three Mile reactors used water for the same purpose.

Q:
 What happened at Three Mile Island?

A:
On March 28, 1979, unit 2 suffered a partial meltdown after water meant for cooling the uranium fuel was released from the containment chamber due to an equipment malfunction. There was no explosion and radioactive materials weren’t released into the environment because the chamber didn’t rupture.

Q:
 What happened at Chernobyl?

A:
The accident was caused by a power surge that led to overheating at reactor No. 4. A resultant fire and explosions caused the containment roof to cave in and sent radioactive debris, including pieces of fuel rod, spewing into the air, destroying a nearby forest.

Radiation outside the blast area was about 50 times greater than the peak inside Fukushima, and at least 31 workers and firefighters died within a few months. An estimated 4,000 children and adolescents developed thyroid cancer after consuming milk contaminated with radioactive iodine, I-131.

Q:
What are the sources of radiation at Fukushima?

A:
Fuel rods at the plant’s No. 1 and No. 2 reactors, both of which were operating at the time of the temblor, may have been damaged, Tokyo Electric said. Pressure in the containment chamber of unit No. 2 fell yesterday, indicating that radiation may have been released after an explosion on March 15.

Radiation is also leaking from spent fuel rods stored in a pool near reactors No. 3 and No. 4. Water in the pool has evaporated due to radioactive heat, exposing the uranium- containing rods to the atmosphere. The exposed rods can emit radiation and give out radioactive iodine and cesium, both of which are cancer-causing agents.

A worker at the edge of the pool would receive a fatal radiation dose in 16 seconds, said David Lochbaum, a nuclear physicist for the Union of Concerned Scientists and a former Nuclear Regulatory Commission safety instructor.

There are six reactors in the Fukushima complex, of which three were operating at the time of the earthquake.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 17 March 2011, 6:59 pm and is filed under
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Japan’s Unsavory Options

Daniel Wagner

The Huffington Post

March 17, 2011

Japan’s first week of this crisis has revealed to the world what many Japan watchers have known for many years — that it was woefully unprepared to deal with an inevitable severe earthquake and its repercussions.

TEPCO (the Tokyo Electric Power Company) and the Japanese government have unfortunately fulfilled the expectations of many who are familiar with their histories addressing crises, in which they have proven either inept or purposely misleading in delivering trustworthy information to the public. To proclaim, as one Japanese minister did last weekend, that the amount of radiation released at that time was equivalent to a CAT scan was simply absurd. We should not have expected more from TEPCO, which has in previous instances delivered purposely misleading information. But the Japanese government had an opportunity to shine in managing this crisis; it has regrettably fallen fall short of the mark.

Had TEPCO and the government either had a handle on what was occurring at the Fukushima nuclear complex, or been honest and forthright in reporting what was occurring, they might have put themselves in a position to reach out for international assistance more rapidly, and the events over the past week at the complex may not necessarily have unfolded as they have.

U.S. government officials have expressed alarm at how this ordeal has been handled and envision a possible ‘dead zone’ in Northeast Japan for decades. We could see a scenario in which a large swathe of northeast Japan becomes permanently uninhabitable. Were that to occur, the impact on the Japanese economy would clearly be severe and would preclude the idea of rebuilding areas impacted by the quake and tsunami. As bad as that would be, the impact on companies expecting to participate in the rebuilding effort would be unwelcome, and the anticipated ‘bounce’ in global share prices as a result of spending an anticipated $200 billion to rebuild the area would prove to be premature, since it may not happen at all.

Even if it is determined that there is no breach of the reactor cores — which would be a real miracle, and completely unexpected at this juncture — it will take many months and possibly a year or more for the cores of each reactor to completely cool down. This may require controlled releases of small amounts of radiation into the atmosphere on an ongoing basis, with an inevitable, yet unquantifiable long-term impact on the food chain and water supplies. Can regular exposure to high levels of radiation ever be acceptable to people living up or down wind from the reactors? Certainly not. The result would presumably be mass exodus from northeast Japan, and even possibly from cities as far away as Tokyo.

The Japanese government, its people, and its businesses face some unsavory choices. First, they must ask some very hard questions about what can realistically be accomplished. Is it realistic to presume that the area within 50 kilometers of the Fukushima complex can be repopulated? Does it make sense to imagine rebuilding in the quake and tsunami impacted areas? And can the radiation be truly contained in the absence of kamikaze-type workers who will agree to die for the greater good of the Japanese people?

Second, if mass forced relocation is required, how can tens of millions of people be moved to safe ground within Japan? This will be a serious problem, and will undoubtedly require creation of millions of temporary shelters and ultimately, millions of permanent residences in the southern part of the country. This is where any construction boom could occur.

Third, how can thousands of businesses either be relocated or shift their mode of operation to alternative locations? What impact will this have on the national and global supply chain? How long would it take to make such a transition?

Whether Japan ultimately faces this nightmare scenario or is able to salvage its northeast through some sort of miracle, TEPCO and the Japanese government must do a much better job managing the crisis and delivering believable and trustworthy information to the Japanese and global public. Fukushima is evolving into what will surely become the world’s worst nuclear accident. Japan, and the world, are learning some valuable lessons about what needs to be done to prevent a similar event from ever occurring again.

Daniel Wagner is managing director of Country Risk Solutions, a political risk consulting firm based in Connecticut, as well as senior advisor to the PRS Group.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 17 March 2011, 11:44 pm and is filed under
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Longing For A Free Mind  (Part 2 of 14)

By
M. Bakri Musa

The Meaning of A Free Mind

[In Part 1, I discussed the importance of having leaders and followers with free minds – Hamka’s “berani menyebut yang aku yakin” – if we hope to aspire to Vision 2020.  In this second part I assert that a free mind is Allah’s command; it is a necessary condition to being a believer.]

I will not wax philosophical on the meaning of a “free mind.”  My co-panelist Dr. Azly Rahman is more than qualified to do that; he is also more erudite.  The only formal exposure I had to philosophy was an introductory course in my freshman year; that hardly qualifies me.  Instead I will share with you my understanding of the concept.

            I am less concerned with the philosophical pondering on whether something can exist without being perceived (the tree falling in the deep forest) rather the more practical problem of the same reality being perceived differently, sometimes diametrically so.  It is this that can so often leads to much strife and even greater misery.

            One way to grasp the meaning of a word is to seek its synonyms and antonyms; likewise a concept.  An open, liberated or flexible mind would mean the same as a free mind.  Its opposite would be a closed or rigid mind.  We have a saying, katak di bawah tempurung (frog underneath a coconut shell).  That is an apt and beautiful metaphorical imagery of a closed mind, the very opposite of a free mind.

            As Roger William’s song has it, we are “Born free!  And life is worth living.  Live free and beauty surrounds you.”  A free mind is also Allah’s command, as attested to by many Koranic verses.  Those who would enslave others are going against His command.  And not having a free mind is to be enslaved.

            Consider Allah’s command to Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w., as eloquently revealed in Surah Al-Rud (Thunder), “… Thy duty is no more than to deliver the message; the reckoning is Ours!” (13:40 – approximate translation).  The prophet was to deliver the divine message but not to force it.  This is reinforced in Surah Al-Rahf (The Cave, 18-29), “… Let him who will, believe; and whosoever will, let him disbelieve.”

            A faith enforced is no faith.  That is the essence of those verses.  We accept Islam on our own free will, not because it is forced upon us.  A free mind is thus a necessary condition to being a believer.

            We have an obligation, to ourselves and to our Creator, not to be enslaved.  Nor should we enslave others.  Of course none of us would willingly submit ourselves to be so.  The road to serfdom however, to borrow economist von Hayek’s phrase, is often laid with the best of intentions.  We can be readily seduced into following the paved path that would lead to our enslavement.

            We also have an obligation to those enslaved, to help topple their coconut shell.  To do so effectively, we first must appreciate and understand the challenges and obstacles they face.

            Let me clarify three related terms:  brain, mind, and mindset.  The brain is the jelly-like anatomical structure in our skull; it is part of our central nervous system (the other being the spinal cord).  To use the language of the computer, the brain is the central processing unit of our nervous system.  The brain is also the core of our consciousness.

            The definition of the mind that is relevant here refers to the intellect and consciousness, our thoughts, perceptions, memory, emotions, will and imagination.  The mind is also our thinking process, the rational aspects of our behavior.  Thus behaving in an aberrant fashion is referred to as being out of one’s mind.

            Mindset on the other hand refers to our outlook in or philosophy of life, the German’s Weltanschauung.  It is the set of ideas, attitudes and assumptions that we as individuals or members of a group share of reality, or what we perceive to be reality.  While the brain is something physical and can be touched, mind and mindset are but concepts or constructs, as the social scientists would put it.

            All three are interrelated but the nature and level of the relationships are not well understood.  Increasingly they point towards the molecular (specifically neurotransmitter) level, or what neuroscientists refer to as “neurotransmitter correlates of consciousness.”

            Anatomists would be hard put to declare at the gross or even microscopic level that there is such an entity as the Malay brain any more than there is a Negro or Caucasian one.  At the genomic level however, certain markers are associated with certain races and that there is indeed a Malay brain in contrast to a Caucasian one, just as there is with Malay intestine or red cell in contrast to Caucasian ones.  That is why Malays do not tolerate cheese and the English readily succumb to malaria.

            Those with a racist bend will find these insights of modern biology as supporting their prejudices.  The scientist Daniel Hillis however, likens our genes (or genome) to the menu of a restaurant, or the ingredients found in its kitchen.  Yes, if you were to see a wok and MSG in the kitchen and the menu offers sweet and sour pork, then you could categorically conclude that you are at a Chinese restaurant.  Similarly if you were to find cheese and truffles in the fridge and the menu offers chicken cordon bleu, then it is most likely a French bistro.

            You cannot however conclude from that the taste or quality of the food, the reason for choosing a restaurant.  Those depend less on the ingredients and tools in the kitchen and more on the talent and experience of the chef.

            Besides, we have so much more in common between the races and so much more variations within a race that it is less helpful if not distasteful to discuss the brain in terms of race.

            The mind and mindset however, are culturally and experientially dependent.  Since the cultures and experiences of the various races are so demonstrably different, an argument could be made for the meaningful discussion of the Malay mind and Malay mindset, in contrast to those of the Chinese or English.

            The practical reality is that whenever we discuss the Malay mind or the Malay mindset, the dialogue inevitably and quickly degenerates into the dredging up of old ugly stereotypes to “explain” our current dilemmas instead of trying to find solid empirical evidence from which to formulate useful and workable solutions.  For this reason I will shy away from discussing specifically the Malay mind despite it being on the agenda and instead focus more on the overriding theme of this conference, “Longing for a Free Mind.”

Next:  Part 3 of 14:    The Comfort of the Coconut Shell

[
Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.
]

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Malaysia should learn the lessons from the Japan Nuclear Catastrophe

The last six days has been the hardest moments for Japan as a nation as they are faced with an earthquake of a magnitude of 9.0, followed by the nuclear explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plants with a radiation contamination threat.

Malaysians extend their greatest sympathies to Japan for the earthquake that has struck in such unexpected fashion. Indeed, the people of Japan had shown great courage in face of the national tribulation which has been described as the worst disaster of the nation after World War II.

The incident had revealed the inconvenient truth for the proponent of nuclear power that it is a high-risk gamble. Officials in Japan have said that the nuclear reactor was built to withstand disasters. Yet the accident which occurred has caused such detrimental result.

The incident in Japan should be a stern warning for Malaysia and other countries which are contemplating to embark on a nuclear project. While we acknowledge the potential of nuclear energy, adequate precautionary steps need to be taken extra-carefully as once disturbed, the danger posed is much higher than other method of energy generation. Currently, the radiation has increased to 8 times than normal exposure in Japan.

Malaysia is a country blessed with resources and we have other alternatives in energy generation such as solar, water which is more environmental friendly with less risk involved. We are also set to be the world third largest producer of solar cell. Moreover, nuclear technology is a highly water-intensive industry, as water is used as the primary coolant to prevent the reactor from overheating. This is why nuclear plants are often situated on the coastlines so that they can utilize the seawater. This also makes them very vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods and tsunamis.

Studies had shown that nuclear power is not as cost-effective as it is being portrayed.  Experts had estimated the cost projections of nuclear power at an average of RM0.50/kWh, higher than the energy generation cost of Malaysia which is RM0.30/kWh. Studies had also shown that the cost of electricity from some forms of renewable energy, like concentrating solar thermal, could be as cheap as RM0.15/kWh by 2020. Instead of investing in nuclear power which neither makes environmental nor economic sense, Malaysia should seriously consider alternatives such as renewable energy.

Moreover, most nuclear plants in the world have suffered significant profit delay and cost overrun. For example, South Korea and Japan have seen a 25 per cent increase in average costs for nuclear energy, in Finland that figure is 90 per cent, and the cost is trending upwards. Could it be a viable industry in Malaysia, given our bad track record in corruption and mega-project failures?

The Malaysian government should take the incident in Japan as a lesson and review its nuclear project. Malaysian government should consider realistically the capability of Malaysia to operate nuclear energy generation – in which the plant works like the huge boiling pot, and more so, to handle it safely and ensure that no accident will occur. If in a developed country like Japan, with nearly 60 years of experience in nuclear technology, miscalculations and accidents could occur, is Malaysia confident enough to handle nuclear plant?

The pros and cons of nuclear project should be carefully studied and weighed upon – this is no laughing matter, as it concerns human lives. Other safer method of energy generation should be relied upon before we embarked on this high-risk venture.

Many countries had called for a halt for nuclear energy, including in Poland, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland. To date, Malaysian Cabinet has been adamant about the pursuit of the project, with the deputy prime minister’s statement that Malaysia aim to proceed with the nuclear ambition, while the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, Peter Chin Fah Kui, is avoiding the issue.

Malaysian Government should learn the lesson from the nuclear catastrophe in Japan and should not risk the people’s safety because of policy carelessness.

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Two unreasonable and unacceptable conditions for the release of the 35,100 copies of Bahasa Malaysia Bible should be withdrawn immediately

The two unreasonable  and unacceptable conditions for the release of the 35,100 copies of Bahasa Malaysia Bible, Alkitab  –  each copy should be stamped “For Christians only” and each copy should carry a serial number –  should be withdrawn by the Barisan Nasional government immediately as they smack of discrimination at their  worst and will expose Malaysia to international ridicule, scorn and condemnation.

In less than 24 hours, the goodwill which the Najib administration had hoped to generate from the release of the 35,100 copies of Alkitab  – 5,100 copies in Port Klang and 30,000 copies in Kuching Port – had been dissipated not only by the two unreasonable and unacceptable conditions, but the most ham-fisted way and trigger-happy manner  in implementing them.

The Bible Society of Malaysia, the importer of the consignment of 5,100 Alkitab impounded at Port Klang for about two years, has protested at the “defacement” and “violation” of the Bahasa Malaysia Bibles as it has been informed that the scriptures have been stamped with the words “Al Kitab Berita Baik ini untuk kegunaan penganut agama Kristian sahaja” (‘This “Al Kitab Berita Baik’ is only for the use by Christians only”) and the Home Ministry had stamped spaces for the serial numbers into the Bibles.

All attempts to impose the two unreasonable and unacceptable conditions, which make a total mockery of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s inclusive 1Malaysia policy, should stop immediately and the 35,100 copies of Alkitab in Port Klang and Kuching Port should be released without conditions whatsoever.

The Prime Minister should direct that immediate action should be taken to mitigate, if not to undo, the gross damage to Malaysia’s national and  international image as a model multi-religious nation where constitutional guarantees of freedom of worship is fully honoured and respected as a result of the imposition and  implementation of the two unreasonable and unacceptable conditions.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 17 March 2011, 11:27 am and is filed under
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What’s the hype about?

By
Francis Loh
 | Aliran

Francis Loh finds the hype surrounding the proposal that we should do away with the ethnic/race categories in application forms befuddling.

Give the ethnic group of the following Malaysians: Abdullah Badawi? Samy Vellu? Ling Liong Sik? Karpal Singh?

Yes, Abdullah is Malay, Samy is Indian, Ling is Chinese and Karpal is Indian of Sikh faith. No prizes for getting the right answers. Most Malaysian school children would be capable of doing so. Hence, even if these individuals do not state their ethnic group or race orally or in any form, we would still know which ethnic group each belongs to.

In fact, Malaysians are also not required to state their ethnic group or race when they register themselves to vote. Yet the ethnic breakdown for each electoral constituency can be worked out. We know that the political parties determine the estimates for each constituency by going through the electoral rolls. Or if they do not have the capacity to do the counting themselves, they rely either on the estimates that the Elections Commission or the major newspapers provide. Whether the newspapers rely on the Commission’s estimates or the other way around is not so clear. Anyway, the point is that we can determine the race or ethnic background of most Malaysians by reference to their names.

Hence it is befuddling that there has been this hype about the 1Malaysia Foundation’s proposal that we should do away with ethnic/race categories in forms issued by the public and private sectors. The Foundation’s call has been supported by various organisations, political parties and at least one Minister.

But because of the ‘sensitivity’ of the issue, the exercise, it is suggested, should be done ‘slowly’. For the Foundation, stating one’s race or ethnicity might still be necessary to achieve the larger goal of national unity, and can therefore be justified. After all, there is a need to increase non-Malay participation in the civil service, the police and armed forces on the one hand, and to strengthen the Malay, Indian, Dayak and Kadazandusun participation in certain coveted enterprises in the private sector.

Consequently, the Foundation proposed that the race column be removed from banking loan applications and from hire purchase forms, for starters. True enough, why should ethnic data be necessary in approving hire-purchase agreements and in accessing bank loans? Maybe the second step should be to do away with identification of ethnicity when it comes to public examinations like UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM, which the 1Malaysia Foundation finds ‘totally unnecessary’, often causing ‘suspicion’ instead.

But is this a major step towards building 1Malaysia as the media hype suggests? With due respect to the Foundation, my humble opinion is that we are treating the symptom rather than the source of the problem!

It is not on account of the race category in our forms that Malaysians have become obsessed with the question of race. Rather, it is something more fundamental.

On the one hand the problem is caused by unscrupulous politicians who racialise non-racial issues. Invariably, they belong to ethnic-based political parties and they spew out their racial vomit, which gets highlighted in the mainstream media, owned or controlled by their parties. This happens time-and-time again, but especially as we approach elections.

Second, and perhaps more important, it is when the government divides the citizens by race, and applies racial quotas in their policies – from access to tenders and concessions, to buying even luxury houses at discounted prices, to entrance to schools and universities and to choices of particular courses – that we contribute towards not just obsession with race but what is worse, racial polarisation. This is why 1Malaysia is so difficult to achieve!

At the point the NEP was launched in 1971, and even more so in 1957 at Independence, when wide socio-economic disparities separated the Chinese (and the Indians to a lesser extent) from the Malays and other bumiputeras, it might have made sense for affirmative action policies in favour of the latter. No doubt, the government had to lend a helping hand to Malays and bumiputeras to get out of the poorly developed rural agricultural sector to enter into the modern industrial and business sectors.

Most Malaysians, though many were initially reluctant, came around to support the NEP ultimately. It was the implementation of the NEP which led to cronyism and money politics that made the NEP controversial, not the need for it.

But 54 years after Independence and 21 years after the end of the NEP (1971-90), after substantial numbers of Malays have joined the ranks of the upper and middle classes, it is difficult to persuade the wider Malaysian audience, especially the younger generation, that we still need ethnic-based policies and ethnic-quotas!

This is why the Pakatan Rakyat parties have decided that it is time to replace the NEP with a new policy that discriminates in favour of the poor regardless of race instead. All who are poor, especially the bumiputeras who form the vast majority of Malaysia’s poor and have still not enjoyed the benefits of Malaysia’s economic development in spite of the NEP, would now become the new focus of attention.

Such policies and quotas in favour of the poor will go a long way towards making Malaysians less obsessed with race. It would be so much easier to achieve 1Malaysia.

Hence doing away with the race category in the forms, whether pertaining to the public or private sector will have negligible effect. After all, we will still know the race of an Abdullah, or Samy, or Ling, or a Karpal. If the Foundation wants to take a bigger step forward, all applicants for hire purchase, or bank loans, or scholarships, or entrance to universities in the courses of their choice should not state their names either. Rather, they should register themselves after which they should be given a number, which then makes these applications race-blind. But such a process would be extremely cumbersome. It could turn into a huge nightmare of unnecessary work for all concerned.

Yet, forms without the race category or without names will not resolve the obsession with race. Doing away with race-based policies with racial quotas, and replacing them with policies that provide for the poor and needy regardless of race, might. And once this is done, the unscrupulous politician who tries to racialise non-racial issues will have very little influence. Invariably they belong to ethnic-based political parties, like Umno, MCA, MIC will then become increasingly irrelevant. And the mainstream media that they own and control will stop spewing out the racial hatred they do especially when elections are around the corner. How lovely when these unscrupulous politicians, their parties, the media they control and their racial policies and quotas are washed away into the dustbin of history. Bye bye!

Hidup 1Malaysia!

Dr Francis Loh is a Professor of Politics and Secretary of Aliran

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 17 March 2011, 2:27 pm and is filed under
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Interlok: Time to Make a Stand

by
Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
  | CPI

As the drama over the Interlok textbook issue continues to unfold, it is important for Malaysians to understand the context and the stakes involved, and to make a stand.

There are some defenders of the book who have argued that withdrawing or even just editing it will rob Malaysian writers of their artistic freedom and integrity. To these people, I would like to say “hello, where have you been” – Interlok has already been edited twice, in 2005 for Edisi Pelajar and in 2010 for Edisi Murid. Its literary integrity was already compromised by the shedding of some 85 pages even before this latest controversy.

In fact, copyright for the edition distributed free to schools no longer belongs even to Abdullah Hussain but to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Hence Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that his ministry “will ensure that any amendments made will not affect the storyline of the novel and the noble message that the author wants to convey” is nothing short of whitewash. According to reports, Muhyiddin is not permitting anything beyond deletion of the word ‘pariah’.

This concession is like slicing off one tentacle from a hundred-headed hydra – a totally pointless exercise. Make no mistake; Interlok is a work that must not be permitted into the nation’s class rooms as a compulsory literature text. Anything less is a vital failure to grasp the gravity of the threat it poses.

The quarrel is not merely with vocabulary or spelling (for example, of ‘tali’ vs ‘thali’) but the overall suitability of the novel with its overt and covert racial messages as a school text.

Starting ‘em young and younger

Concern by many Malaysians that Interlok has been intentionally selected by the authorities to fulfill the Umno/Biro Tata Negara objective of indoctrinating young minds with a warped worldview and national view is hardly misplaced.

Before these concerns are dismissed as imaginary or overwrought, let us not forget that education has long been and continues to be the most politicized sector of the country. Far from being neutral institutions, many of our public sector colleges and universities consciously and consistently promote a narrow nationalism.

It is in the educational sector where proponents of the Ketuanan Melayu dogma have sought to impose their will and polarize our communities.

Their missionary zeal focuses on use of race-based criteria at all levels and in all aspects. It is no surprise therefore that the propagation of the ideology of super-ordination and subordination has now been extended to the schools, and to the curriculum and text books.

As has been pointed out by those who have analysed the Interlok content, why are all the villains and nasty characters Chinese and Indians? One of the key plots turns on the rapacious Chinese merchant swindling the easily duped Malay of his inheritance.

Touted as a ‘historical novel’, Interlok is constructing a version of BTN history and racial stereotypes to influence young minds. Its government-mandated and authorities-supported dissemination and circulation appears to further a carefully thought-out agenda to fan racial animosity.

Drawing line in the sand

Because Interlok is the first round battle (in tandem with the History curriculum revamp), it is important for conscientious objectors to send a strong signal to the Education Minister and his bureaucratic and academic cronies that Malaysians will not be cowed into acquiescence.

We must exercise our right to openly discuss, criticize and protest on this crucial matter. To remain mute will only embolden the apologist wolves wrapped in their sheep clothing of educational good intention and defence of literary freedom.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 18 March 2011, 3:03 pm and is filed under
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Isn’t religion a sacrosanct right of a community?

By
P Ramakrishnan
 | President of Aliran

It is rather difficult to understand how our Muslim friends can be so easily influenced which may result in their straying away from their sacred religion. Any notion that this may be the case insults the intelligence and the very faith of the Muslims.

Any suggestion alluding to this possibility gives the impression that all the daily vigorous religious programmes over radio and television, the numerous courses conducted to explain and strengthen their faith in Islam,  the many religious classes and the daily five-time compulsory prayers, the existence of mosques easily accessible to the  faithful and the Friday sermons, are a failure. This is absolutely wrong and ridiculous.

I was a product of a mission school – so were my many Malay friends of that period. The Lord’s prayers were part of the weekly school assembly ritual. Even to this day we – Muslims and non-Muslims – remember the Lord’s prayers.  In fact some of my Malay friends even say “Amen” at the end of a speech whenever our classmates meet up. This did not in any way indicate that they are not steadfast in their faith. No one has renounced their religion to embrace Christianity.

How is that, the Malays of that period – who did not have all the present intense propagation of the Muslim faith – remained faithful to Islam? How come their faith was so strong and so secure?

It is with this knowledge that I wonder what harm the Holy Bible in the national language can cause to the Muslims. Why is there so much controversy surrounding this issue?

There are so many contradictory reasons extended for the impounding of the Holy Bible. These holy books are languishing in various godowns, some as long as two years. This denial of the holy book to the Christians is indefensible.

A pertinent question is; ‘Aren’t the Christians entitled to their book of faith’? It is this book that gives meaning to their lives, regulates their conduct and determines their purpose in life. It is so essential to their well-being, it is so personal and integeral to their very existence. How can this be denied?

Many Malaysians are not only aware – but they are convinced too – that a vast majority of Muslims are tolerant, peaceful, respectful of the other, and would have no objection to other Malaysians exercising their religious rights as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. They would have no objection to the releasing of the Holy Bible because they understand the significance of these books and what they mean to the Christians.

It is the ugly politicians, desperate in their attempt to retain their power and position, who have unjustly politicized a simple issue into an unnecessary controversy that threatens our unity as a nation. This minority group is spewing fire and brimstone to agitate and frustrate our unity regardless of the harm they are causing to our multi-ethnic Malaysia.

In succumbing to these despicable political demands of this minority, the Umno leadership has become blind to justice and fairness. It has chosen to give in to this group by refusing to release the Holy Bible with the view to score political points to win over the rural Malays.

But now with the impending Sarawak elections, the Umno leadership realizes the price it has to pay for this foolhardiness. Hard reality has forced it to be somewhat sensible and realistic if it aims to cling on to political power. Without this essential support from Sarawak and Sabah, Umno and its cohorts in the Barisan Nasional will have to bid farewell to Putrajaya.

So Umno has decided to play politics by agreeing to release the Holy Bible without loss of face. That is the reason why it has to impose two ridiculous conditions for the release.

One, the importer of the copies of the holy book will have to stamp, “Reminder: This ‘Al Kitab Berita Baik’ is for the use of the Christians only. By order of the Home Ministry.” The cover of the Alkitab would be stamped with the department’s official seal and dated as well.

Two, the importer has to stamp a serial number on each copy of the Holy Bible, “as if to demarcate copies from the released shipment and to enable the book to be traced back to the port of import”.

The Home Ministry has shown scant respect to these holy books and the Christian community. The ministry’s ruling is perverse and sacrilegious. Its ruling is tantamount to ordering the Christian community to desecrate their holy books. No Christian will agree to observe these absurd conditions.

The inalienable right of a community to practice its religion cannot be compromised – and should not be compromised. This is the birth-right of a community – it cannot be surrendered.

The Prime Minister must recognize this serious problem that threatens to undermine our national unity and must step in as a matter of urgency to avert this issue from exploding into a national catastrophe. He must isolate these trouble-makers and preserve our unity. He owes this to us and the nation. Any failure on his part would imply that unity is not possible without an alternative government.

Let us be reminded by the wise words of Martin Luther King, Jr: “We must learn to live together as brothers, or we are going to perish together as fools.”

                This entry was posted on Friday, 18 March 2011, 10:41 am and is filed under
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Speedy action by Malaysian Government in evacuating Malaysians in Japan needed

In view of the worsening nuclear crisis situation in Japan, the Malaysian government should take proactive steps in ensuring the safety of Malaysians in Japan.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, said today that the situation does not warrant an immediate evacuation of Malaysians living there, as readings taken in Tokyo, Miyagi and Ibaraki yesterday afternoon averaged about 0.17uSv/hr (microsieverts per hour), which was lower than the maximum allowed radiation dosage of 0.5uSv/hr for the Malaysian public.

In contrast to the minister’s calm response, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the overall situation was “very serious” though did not appear to be deteriorating. The chief US nuclear regulatory official said radiation levels around the fuel ponds were extremely high and “potentially lethal” near the reactors. Explaining the decision to deploy helicopters on Thursday, Toshimi Kitazawa, the defence minister, said conditions at the reactors had reached a critical point.

IAEA also reported that in some locations at around 30 km from the Fukushima plant, the dose rates rose significantly in the last 24 hours (in one location from 80 to 170 microsievert per hour and in another from 26 to 95 microsievert per hour). Dose rates to the north-west of the nuclear power plants, were observed in the range 3 to 170 microsievert per hour. Dose rates in other directions are in the 1 to 5 microsievert per hour range.

The US had issued a new advice of wider evacuating zone of 80km, contrary to their earlier advice until Thursday to follow Japanese advice of a 20-kilometer evacuation zone around the plant. The same advice was issued by the governments of other countries, including Britain, Canada, Australia and South Korea.

Foreign firms including German technology companies SAP and Infineon, Cisco Systems Inc, International Business Machines Corp, Peugeot, Continental were reported to be evacuating their staffs either to the south of Japan or to leave the country.

Embassies including the United States and United Kingdom had arrangement for chartered flight to leave the country in view of the critical situation. The US had issued official statement that the nuclear crisis was more dire than expressed by Japanese officials, and had provided transportation for US citizens to safehaven locations in Asia on a reimbursable basis yesterday.

Meanwhile, a French government plane has already left Tokyo earlier today for Seoul in South Korea with 241 people on board, with another flight planned for French citizens wishing to leave Japan. Two Czech military planes had also landed in Prague after evacuating 106 people from the country.

Until yesterday, the foreign ministry of Malaysia reported that they brought back 50 Malaysians out of the 289 Malaysians in the four worst-hit areas.

Following the example of other countries, the government should take speedy action to aid Malaysians who are still in Tokyo and the disaster zone to leave the country safely.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 18 March 2011, 1:45 pm and is filed under
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High turnout in Egyptian constitutional poll

Voters to decide on a package of constitutional reforms in the first election since Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow.

Aljazeera

19 Mar 2011

Millions of Egyptians have turned out for today’s constitutional referendum, the first vote following the overthrow last month of Hosni Mubarak, the country’s long-serving president.

Voters are deciding on a package of nine amendments, about half of which deal with the conduct of elections. One would make it easier for independent candidates to run for president; another would re-establish judicial oversight of elections.

The amendments were drafted by an eight-man constitutional committee, which was appointed by the ruling military junta. They must be approved or rejected as a bloc.

There were early reports of high turnout, with voters in some districts predicting an hours-long wait before they would be able to cast their ballots.

“This is an historic day for Egypt,” said Yahya al-Gamal, the country’s prime minister, after casting his vote in Cairo. “I have never seen such large numbers of voters in Egypt. Finally, the people of Egypt have come to realise that their vote counts.”

Voters also reported some irregularities: Some polling centres in Giza, Mohandiseen, 6th of October City and other districts were reportedly handing out ballots without the required official stamp. Ballots without a stamp on the back can be discarded as illegitimate.

An uncertain outcome

Most of the amendments have been longtime demands of the Egyptian opposition – but most of the country’s opposition parties are urging voters to reject them. Critics want a completely new constitution; they say these modest changes do not do enough to limit the powers of the president.

Amr Moussa, the outgoing Arab League chief and a front-runner for Egypt’s forthcoming presidential election, has urged a “no” vote; so has former IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei.

The youth activists that drove Egypt’s revolution have also decided to oppose the amendments: The Revolution Youth Council held an internal vote earlier this week and, while it decided to participate in the referendum, it urged people to vote “no.”

“Most of the people who triggered the revolution are going to say no,” ElBaradei said.

The highest-profile support has come from the Muslim Brotherhood, which has plastered many Cairo neighbourhoods with posters urging voters to approve the amendments.

Supporters say a “yes” vote will hasten a return to civilian rule: If the amendments are approved, Egypt is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections in June, and a presidential election in September. If the amendments are defeated, the parliamentary election could be postponed until December while a committee works on revising the constitution.

Polls suggest the outcome of the vote will be close. One survey earlier this week found that 60 per cent of eligible voters planned to vote “no.”

About 45 million people are eligible to vote. They will do so using their national ID cards, a key change from Mubarak-era elections, when voters were required to pre-register for elections – a process often subject to fraud and intimidation.

Polls will close at 7pm local time [17:00 GMT], though some polling centres in southern Egypt will remain open until 9pm.

Egypt considers constitutional amendments

By
Reza Sayah

CNN

March 19, 2011

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) — Egyptians proudly streamed to the polls Saturday to vote on proposed constitutional amendments, the first democratic initiative after the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime.

An estimated 45 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in what is widely viewed as the country’s first free election in decades, and the poll would set the stage for parliamentary and presidential elections later this year.

“I am very very happy,” said Mohamed El Hourushy, a 19-year-old political science student. “This is something I’ve been fighting for all my life. I didn’t think I would live to see this scene.”

The proposed amendments include limiting the president to two four-year terms, capping emergency laws to six months unless they are extended by public referendum, and placing elections under judicial oversight.

Opponents say the proposed amendments were rushed and fall short of the people’s demands. Many demand a new constitution and claim an early referendum gives an unfair edge to the Muslim Brotherhood and remnants of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party — well entrenched and politically savvy groups that are much better prepared to mobilize voters than newer factions still scrambling to get organized.

But presidential candidate and head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who is urging a “no” vote, lauded the referendum as “the first official step towards the democracy called for in the January 25 movements.”

” ‘Yes’ or ‘no’ is not the issue — that Egyptians are participating and voting today is what’s important,” he said.

The polls opened at 8 a.m. at more than 13,000 polling stations across the country, and many arrived early to polling stations to beat the crowds.

Outside the polling station at Kasr el Eini el Doubara — a Cairo language school — around 50 people lined up just before voting started. Many Egyptians, even senior citizens, said this was their first time voting.

“It feels good,” said 80-year-old Nadia Risk. “It feels like, although I’m a senior citizen, I might be able to contribute to something that will be very democratic.”

“I feel my vote will make a difference for the first time in my life,” said 58-year-old Ibrahim Fahmy.

“I was born in 1952 during the first revolution and ever since I did not feel this country belongs to me. This is the first time I feel my vote will make a difference.”

Voters filed in to a room where they picked up their ballots and went behind a blue curtain to mark their vote. A check inside the green circle was a “yes” vote. The black circle was a “no” vote.

Election officials marked voters’ fingers with pink ink to keep them from voting more than once.

At about 8:30 a.m., Moussa, who called on Egyptians to vote against the amendments, arrived to cast his vote. A throng of reporters and cameramen surrounded him as he made his way to the ballot box.

“I honestly passed by many polling stations and they were all filled with people awaiting to make their decision. It is our duty to accept whatever they decide,” Moussa said.

“It’s very strange to have a referendum organized and implemented in one month,” said Karim Elias, a 33-year-old software engineer who said he voted “no.” “I want a new constitution. I want something that represents the Egyptian people.”

Judge Mahmoud Atiya — the head of the judicial committee overseeing the referendum — told CNN the next step in the transition to a civilian government depends on the outcome of Saturday’s referendum.

If the measures are voted down, the military will go back to the drawing board, Atiya said, and eventually issue another order, in accordance with the constitution, on what will come next in the transition to a civilian government.

It’s not clear exactly what the army’s instructions will be in case of a “no” vote or whether they’ll extend their self-imposed six-month deadline to transfer power to an elected civilian government.

If the measures are approved, the military will move forward with parliamentary elections in June, Atiya said.

Analysts say it’s hard to predict the outcome of the vote.

The ruling Egyptian Armed Forces announced this week that thousands of international monitors will be in place at polling stations across the country to ensure transparency in the voting process. More than 30,000 soldiers and security agents are also manning polling stations, security officials said.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 March 2011, 11:20 pm and is filed under
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Najib should give full report to Parliament on the previous “bad experience” with nuclear power which former PM Mahathir had mentioned

The Cabinet meeting yesterday was a great letdown and disappointment.

In the wake of the Japanese nuclear meltdown crisis triggered by the double calamity of 9.0 earthquake and tsunami last week, the failure of the Cabinet Ministers  yesterday to discuss widespread concerns in the country about Malaysia’s nuclear power  plans is the height of irresponsibility and negligence.

The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Ongkili did not tell anything new when he said after the Cabinet meeting that the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation would proceed with accepting tenders for companies to conduct a feasibility study on the government’s plans to build two 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plants by 2022.

What really shocked Malaysians is his revelation that the Cabinet had not discussed this matter at its meeting yesterday.

The earlier statements by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that Malaysia will learn from the lessons of the Japanese nuclear disaster and the Minister for Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Peter Chin that the government will not be secretive but will inform the public about its nuclear power plans  are meaningless when the Cabinet does not even think the issue which has dominated national and world attention for the past week as even  worthy of  discussing at its meeting yesterday!

Many countries have reviewed their nuclear power plans. China, for instance, has announced that it would follow the lead of Germany and Switzerland and pause to review its nuclear power programme – putting on hold approvals for proposed plants and to reconsider long-term plans for 28 new reactors or 40 per cent of all those being built worldwide.

Why has the Malaysian Cabinet acted in so irresponsible a manner?

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had revealed a few days ago that his administration did not pursue nuclear power because of a  “bad experience” with the technology.

He said: “The cabinet then only supported the use of four methods to gain energy,  namely fuel, coal, gas and hydro.  The cabinet was not supportive of the nuclear energy option as there was concern over how we would dispose of the waste. Furthermore, we have had a bad experience with it.”

Najib should give a  full report to Parliament next week on the previous “bad experience” with nuclear power which Mahathir had mentioned as this will be a test whether his administration can be trusted to be fully transparent on the issue whether Malaysia should opt for nuclear energy.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 March 2011, 1:13 pm and is filed under
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Taib not stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister any time soon

Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is not stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister any time soon.

This is obvious  from his latest very elaborate political dance which he had choreographed over his intended  resignation as Sarawak Chief Minister.

Cutting through all the verbiage and verbosity indulged by Taib yesterday, the message is very clear: Taib will lead the Barisan Nasional into the state general election expected next month and he will continue as Sarawak Chief Minister after the polls!

Reason? Taib has not yet been able to groom a successor!

Taib had chosen his words carefully when he said:

“I will lead this election so that new blood can come up, but after that, when the people I have groomed can form a new team and can work for this country, for the people of various races, and that these people can work as part of a team, then I will call it a day”

It is still a long way to go  before Taib is ready to hand over the reins of Sarawak state government to his successor – as he himself has outlined the many steps that must be taken before he could contemplate relinquishing the post of Sarawak Chief Minister, including:

(i)	To form “a new team” to run the state government;

(ii)	To ensure that the new team can “work as part of a team”.

This means Taib will have no qualms to continue as Sarawak Chief Minister for instance (i) if he is not satisfied that he has got a “new team” that could work for the country or (ii) not assured that the new team could “work as part of a team”.

This can take anything from one year to five years as he may have to keep trying “a new team”!

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has merely echoed Taib’s wishes when he said he respects Taib’s desire to quit politics but cautioned that Taib should not be pressured to quit.

Najib said Taib is ready to step down and when the time is right, Taib will pass the baton to his successor. There is no need to force him to quit.

As there is not only no successor at present  but the new team has yet to be formed and tested, Taib’s stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister is far into the distant horizon.

Clearly, Taib has to choreograph and act out the elaborate political dance of his preparedness to step down as Chief Minister to counter and neutralise the Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s Achilles’ heel in the impending Sarawak state general election – that Taib had overstayed as Sarawak Chief Minister.

It will be known soon enough whether Sarawak voters are so gullible that  such a political ploy and bluff can work so as to return Taib for another term as Sarawak Chief Minister.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 March 2011, 3:57 pm and is filed under
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Only way to ensure Taib steps down as Sarawak Chief Minister is to deny BN 2/3 majority in  Sarawak State Assembly

Within a few hours, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has demonstrated that his talk of stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister is so vague and elastic that he and he alone is the sole decider of what it means –  and not even the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is prepared to cross his path.

Taib is in fact asking for a blank cheque to continue as Sarawak Chief Minister until he could groom a successor and “form a new team” to govern  Sarawak – two  tasks which may take him the entire  term of the next government after  he had dismally failed in the past 30 years to prepare for a succession.

When he announced in Serian yesterday morning that he will step down after the next Sarawak state polls, he spawned speculation whether he was talking of a timetable ranging from one to five years.

By the evening, at the Kuching International Airport, he had lengthened  the timetable speculation from three to five years!

Although some media reported that Taib had committed himself to a timetable to hand over the chief ministership, it is clear  that Taib did not make  any such commitment yesterday.

Although Taib was specifically asked at the Kuching International Airport whether  he would hand over to the new team at mid-term, Taib’s answer was anything but definitive and specific when he said: “Yes, if possible that is my plan. It was my intention, since 2006, to step down. But it did not work then, so I postponed it.” (Sunday Star)

Just as his plan to step down as Chief Minister from 2006 had not worked and he had to postpone it, his plan to step down as Chief Minister after the next elections whether at mid-term or later could similarly go awry for the whole duration of the next government “forcing” him again to postpone his retirement plan.

When in a matter of hours, Taib’s timetable to step down as Sarawak Chief Minister after the elections could be extended by some three years, it is clear that Taib is not stepping down any time soon.

Short of  voting out Barisan Nasional in next general elections, the only way to ensure Taib steps down as Sarawak Chief Minister is to deny BN two-thirds majority in the Sarawak State Assembly.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 March 2011, 11:45 am and is filed under
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #57

By
M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 7:  Enhancing Human Capital

Enhancing Human Capital Through Education:  Revamping Schools and Universities

The Malaysian government recently published a massive plan, Educational Development – 2001-2010, aimed at revamping the entire education system.  However, only a year earlier it had undertaken another massive revision of the curriculum, and that project was yet to be completed (it was not yet begun to be implemented!) when this new policy was unveiled.  Despite its 250 pages, replete with the obligatory buzzwords like knowledge workers, IT revolution, and globalization, the report fails to address the glaring inadequacies of the present system.  These include the atrociously low standard of English, abysmal levels of science literacy, and appalling mathematical skills of our students.

            To address the increasing disadvantage that graduates of public universities face because of their low English fluency, the government proposes to have private institutions use Malay as the medium of instruction.  In other words, handicap everyone to the same level of mediocrity!

            A central feature of this new reorganization is the reduction of the school years from the present 13 to 12.  This, combined with the earlier shortening of the undergraduate years from four to three, would put Malaysian students at a distinct disadvantage in the marketplace.

            Instead of spending energy on a disruptive massive reorganization, the ministry would do well to focus on enhancing the present system of P-13, in particular the academic pre-university class, Sixth Form.

            The government’s rationale for reducing the school years is to align the Malaysian system with those of advanced societies, in particular America.  True, the American system is also P-12, but two years of college is now increasingly the norm for students, in recognition of the need for a highly educated workforce.  Further, American high schools offer courses that are traditionally taught in the freshmen (first) year of college.  As a result, more and more students especially at the leading universities are now entering with “advanced standing.”  Teaching introductory college courses at high school is not only cheaper but also more effective.  Additionally, students entering with advanced standing are better prepared and are less likely to drop out.  They also graduate faster.  We can never over prepare students for college.

            Bard College, a highly regarded degree-granting institution, in cooperation with New York City public schools system expanded on this idea and recently started an accelerated program where highly motivated students are selected to pursue their final two years of high school integrated with the first two years of college.  These students would then graduate with both their high school diploma as well as an Associate degree.  They would then proceed into the junior (third) year of university.

            Malaysia had a comparable program in the 1960’s where students who did well at Sixth Form were admitted as directly as “super-freshie,” skipping their first year, equivalent to the American “advanced standing.”  Now however, Sixth Form is being emasculated, replaced with the much more expensive and highly inefficient matrikulasi (matriculation) programs of the universities.

            I propose simplifying the present school years into elementary (P-6), middle (7-9), and high school (10-13), with a standardized national tests at the end of each level.  Thus only three such tests; eliminate the present Form V (Year 11—Sijil Perseketuan Malaysia, SPM) examination.  These tests should be used to assess not only the students’ but also equally important, their schools’ performances.  Further, such national tests would be limited only to the core subjects of Malay, English, science, and mathematics.

            Students would be promoted based on such national tests as well as their individual assessments made by the school.  Such evaluations, as in the American system, should be based on the student’s performance throughout the year instead of a single end-of-year examination.  It is patently unfair to decide on a student’s future based only on one single examination.  If he or she is not feeling well that day or if there are interruptions in the student’s life (for example, floods, as has happened often in the past) then the students’ performance would suffer, as would their entire future.

            American students are continuously assessed throughout their school year.  Universities base their admissions on these school assessments (as measured by the Grade Point Average) as well as scores on national standardized tests.  Often the two are correlated but there will the occasional students who excel in one but not the other.  They too should not be denied the opportunity.

            Eliminating the SPM examination as well as the number of subjects offered in those national tests would markedly reduce the workload of the ministry’s Examination Syndicate.  It would then be able to process the results in weeks instead of the present months.  At present students are kept in limbo from January to June the following year waiting for their SPM results.  That is more than a semester wasted while they could be in class instead of loitering.  While there has been significant improvement in announcing the examination results (in 2002 for the first time they were announced at the end of February) nonetheless university admission is still till late in the year.

            My proposal would not materially change the first P-9 years, except that all schools must follow the minimal core curriculum of the four compulsory subjects of Malay, English, science and mathematics.  These subjects must be taught daily.  Each school would be allowed to experiment with various electives to fill in the rest of the school day.

            The last four years (high school) would see the most change.  Essentially I would classify high schools into academic, general, vocational, and specialized (vernacular and religious).  Academic schools would prepare students for universities.  The vocational stream would equip them with technical training like carpentry and auto repairs, as well as general office skills like bookkeeping.  Such schools would be combined with industries’ apprenticeship programs so that when the students graduate they would be well on their way to earn their journeymen’s certificate.  From the general stream would come future nurses, policemen, and non-graduate teachers.

            Thus regardless of the students’ ultimate career goals, they will be fluently bilingual (Malay and English), science literate, and mathematically competent.  English must be emphasized because of its utility in the marketplace.  Hence in addition to having English as a subject, I would teach at least two other subjects in that language.  The most suitable candidates for this are science and mathematics.  Increasing the number of subjects taught in English would give student a much greater opportunity to improve their fluency in that language.  As for making mathematics as a core subject, numerous studies have shown that ability in it correlates with later success in college and life.  The skills learned in mathematics have wide transferability.  Similarly with science; in an increasingly technological world, students must have an understanding of the basic concepts in science.

            [Update:  In May 2002 the government (actually UMNO Supreme Council) decided that science and mathematics be taught in English in the schools.  That is the easy part.  The more formidable problem is the implementation.  The ministry is presently inundated with fervent Malay language nationalists who would do their best to derail this imaginative initiative.  Sure enough, this policy was later rescinded. MBM]

            This streaming of students must be flexible so they could readily switch during the first two years.  This would accommodate late bloomers as well as those who discover their technical aptitude later.

            Graduates of vernacular and religious schools would in addition be effectively trilingual (their mother tongue with vernacular schools, Arabic with Islamic schools) – an added bonus.  Because of the core curriculum, graduates of religious schools too would also have greater flexibility in their future career choices and plans for further studies.  And should they ended up as ulama, they would be better for it for having had a broad-based liberal education.

            Schools should be allowed to chart their own course.  I envisage some emphasizing the performing arts, others foreign languages or the sciences.  Students would be free to choose the school that would best meet their particular needs.  To eliminate obvious disadvantages based on geography (rural versus urban students), each school must also have adequate hostel facilities to cater for out-of-area and rural students.

Next:  Revamping Schools and Universities (Cont’d)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 March 2011, 11:22 am and is filed under
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Why, Malaysia?

By
Lisa Ng
 | Loyar Burok

As we bring #WhyMalaysia week to a close, Lisa Ng writes a heartfelt customer complaint letter to our tanah tumpah darah, our beloved Bolehland, Malaysia.

My dear Malaysia, it doesn’t get more melodramatic than this, does it? “This” being about whether to stick with you till “death do us part” or to walk away, even if for a little while, especially if there is evidence of ill-treatment.

You see, for Christians, marriage is an unbreakable covenant between God and the couple. Some people would call it a “contractual promise” of sorts. Others would say that, however we term it, the general principle of faithfulness applies to Man and Motherland. The only difference is, even Christians are not so cruel that they insist we stick with our hurtful spouse (or even parent in some cases) if our wellbeing is at stake.

That is why my Conscience was clear when my family decided to depart from your bosom to—not necessarily greener—but relatively safer pastures. At least for now.

You may label me a traitor. Or you may accuse me of cowardice. Perhaps you may also venture so far as to call me an unfilial daughter. But loyalty is not a blind man. And I believe that loyalty to you isn’t meant to be at the expense of some measure of fairness owed to me and, more importantly, my dignity as a person. People may not be perfect and neither are governments. But there is a limit to what each person can tolerate. For the physically and/or mentally abused spouse, it could be the 100th punch to the face. For the oppressed Iban or Dayak, perhaps the face of a certain man they’ve seen on posters for a long time. But then, I’m no Iban or Dayak or any of the many indigenous tribes who can rightfully be called Bumiputera. I am, however, a true Malaysian. And while I am not entirely fed-up of the way you’re manipulating me, I am in need of some perspective.

I was born here. In Taman Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan, to be precise. I have a valid birth cert, MyKad, Malaysian passport and even if my Bahasa Malaysia is rusty, I was brought up learning and speaking the language and when I meet a Malay, I salam them. I love your nasi lemak, roti canai, durian, cendol, satay and sayur lodeh. I am also a Malaysian because I’ve rolled with the NEP ever since I was old enough to understand its impact on me and not held any grudge against you or my Malay friends. I know how the political parties in Malaysia were formed because I rote learnt it in high school. Outside the Dewan of my school, I memorised the names of Sultans from the time of Parameswara, through the reins of the Mahmud and Iskandar Shahs, to the era of Disco, all the while sucking on those umbrella-shaped kacang merah ice creams sold unhygienically by the roadside.

During those formative years, there was already a lot of talk about different races in school having different passing marks for their SPM exams. The news was that Kelantan and Terengganu students could pass their Advanced Maths with 30% while the mark to meet for the “others” was 40%. I remember being bothered by this rumour but I don’t recall breaking up friendships with my Malay friends over this.

When I studied in Australia, my lecturers thought I was Malay because my skin is quite tanned and I don’t look typically Chinese. The only reason why I clarified that I was Malaysian Chinese was because it helped me explain the multicultural aspect of Malaysia (and prevent them from asking why I have special concessions on homes whereas my fellow Malaysians don’t). I pay taxes to you. I eat the vegetables your farmers plant. I am comfortable excusing myself when my Malay friends are fasting and I know the difference between Ponggal and Thaipusam.

I’ve even learnt a little bit of Jawi, for goodness sake.

So why do I have to prove to you that I am Malaysian, the way I just did? Because as time goes by, it seems that non-Malays need to, more and more, defend their citizenship to you. You, who BORE us. Citizenship is NOT a favour. Your granting me a Malaysian birth certificate and MyKad may require that I abide by the Federal Constitution and the laws of this country; it’s something I believe in and do. But it does not come with a gag that I have to put on robotically when your policies affect me negatively. After all, your “managers” are working for my vote. And if they’re working for my vote, then they are essentially in the service industry—and I’m not only a daughter of your soil but also your client.

So as the saying goes, this client is NOT happy with the current service. I have honoured our contract. You have not. Instead, you have tried to hoodwink me into settling for less benefits with the promise of living a quality life in peace and harmony. But as it stands, you’re not only NOT delivering on quality life; even the peace and harmony aspects are left fraying on the side.

My ringgit is beginning to take the shape of a pisang rastali. My grocery bill looks like I shopped for Louis Vuitton vegetables and Prada pork.

Meanwhile, my mother had her handbag snatched three times in broad daylight in a span of eight months. And you conteng on my Bible while allowing a self-professed scholar to irresponsibly bullhorn his total ignorance of my religion to a wide audience, by associating Santa Claus with it.

In reality, clients get to complain. Then what ensues is a review of the business contract. Here, my vote has a tendency to get rigged. And if I try to protest, I’ll probably be arrested. If I ask why I am being arrested, you’ll probably tell me I have no permit. If I ask for a permit, you’ll likely say I can’t have one because protests are wrong. Meanwhile, as we speak, a large crowd of Malaysians will be dragging a headless cow in protest against an Indian temple being built in their vicinity.

WHY, INDEED, MALAYSIA?

Does it make me less Malaysian to want more respect? More fairness? More security? Or maybe just the opportunity to live comfortably without needing to convert to Islam? Has it occurred to you that “more”, of late, simply means returning a little closer to “equality”?

Does it make me less Malaysian that I’ve chosen to continue building my life in a different country? I don’t think so. We settle wherever we feel gives us the most value for money; nostalgia and sentiments alone are not enough if one has family. This may sound a little too businesslike, but you know, even businesspeople return home once their work is done.

I will always be a Malaysian. Even if I lose all my rights overnight. You can take away my identity cards too but I will still remain nothing but a Malaysian, because identity lives in the Consciousness of our being. It cannot be taken away once it is encrypted into one’s self-awareness.

I did not want to say Goodbye to you, Malaysia. I still don’t. The day we left in the taxi was an emotional one. Because I didn’t just leave behind corruption, crime and crooked policies. I left behind 37 years of friendship, late nights at the office to support the economy, pot-holes and school songs. I left behind countless national day parades, open houses, pasar malams, mamak stalls and yau char kwei dipped in kopi-o. And yes, I left behind all my hopes and dreams for my child to experience all these things. And more.

However, staying on would be akin to accepting that all is fine and nothing needs to change. Or standing up to challenge all that is wrong. Either situation means death to me. Death to the conscience in the first scenario, and death of freedom in the second. And neither is a position I want to take because, above all things, above being Malaysian or Chinese, I am a mother first. And mothers are supposed to put their families before everything else.

——–

Lisa Ng
 is a human being. She used to be a copywriter in the advertising industry. But now she just writes. For whatever helps us regain the lost art of “giving a toss” towards things that matter to the human race.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 March 2011, 11:28 am and is filed under
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