Tribute to a Malaysian hero

— Omar Kutty

The Malay Mail Online

April 17, 2014

APRIL 17 — Dear Gobind and family,

It was with great sadness to hear about the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a father, a husband and a teacher, Sir Karpal Singh. I cannot begin to understand the shock and disbelief that you must be feeling.

I know how difficult this must be for you and family. You are in my thoughts and prayers. This is a hard note to write, but I want you to know that I am thinking of you even though I don’t know what to say.

He was a legal lion, a man with principles. He fought and struggle for democracy and human rights. I would like to honour him as a Malaysian hero, as a man who sacrificed his freedom, his time and was willing to pay the price to protect and defend the well-being of others irrespective of race or religion.

Law was neither my forte nor it was my interest. I completely lost interest until I started reading about Sir Karpal. He became the man I wanted to be like, the mould I would love to put myself through. Being a law student, he is a man I looked up to, a man who I see as a teacher and a great example.  I admire how he fought valiantly against those who undermine the rule of law and I admire how he held on to his principles.

 There are no permanent enemies or permanent friends but there must be permanent principles.

Sir Karpal Singh will always be in our heart. You will never fade from our memories. May God bless you and your family during this time and always.

Eliminating me from the political terrain will not be the end of Karpal Singh. It will in fact lead to the rise of many Karpal Singhs!

With deepest sympathy.

Omar Kutty

 – See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/tribute-to-a-malaysian-hero-omar-kutty#sthash.dkoJwEpJ.dpuf

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 April 2014, 5:55 am and is filed under
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Tweets on Karpal’s political tsunami of a funeral

The following are my tweets today on Karpal Singh’s political tsunami of a funeral:

1. Today 20/4/14 countless Msians, physically or in spirit, will accompany the Tiger of Jelutong on his last journey. pic.twitter.com/DRoqIyTOMj

2. Even before arrival of Karpal’s cortege at Dewan Sri Penang for public lying-in-state, large crowds have gathered to pay their last respects

3. Vibrant air of expectancy with cortege arrival at Dewan Sri Pinang – mark of a great man who has left behind great imprints in sands of time

4. Sombre entry of Karpal’s cortege into Dewan Sri Pinang with heart-rending “Oh when the saints go marching in” and “auld Lang Syne”.

5. Old and young, men and women, of all races, religions, regions filed past in swift unceasing flow in love n last respect 4Karpal – 1MALAYSIA!

6. Ordinary Msians, regardless of race religion gender age physical condition publicly weeping when paying last respects – eloquent testimony!

7. Karpal – exemplar par excellence of DAP leaders who struggled for betterment of all Msians. We are for all Msians not any one group race religion.

8. Endless flow of humanity paying last respects for more than 90 mins creating a tsunami. x possible fror everyone to do so – rest are invited to join procession

9. Yang diPertua Penang arriving shortly at Dewan. CM LGE will deliver eulogy for Karpal. Anwar Sabu among PR leaders here with DAP CEC MPs SAs

10. Over 30,000 Malaysians from all walks of life converging at Dewan Sri Pinang for love and  last respects 2Tiger of Jelutong – unprecedented!

11. Overwhelmed by national outpouring of grief and  respect for Karpal turning this day of mourning also into a day of celebration of life well lived

12. TYT arrived. CM LGE delivering eulogy for Karpal. Karpal would never expect such a grand reception by the rakyat not only Penang but also Malaysia.

13. Cremation of Karpal at Batu Gantung Crematorium completed. Penang saw political phenomenon with outpouring of support by tens of thousands!

14. In funeral procession, thousands chant ‘Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh’ (VIDEO) -SHAZWAN MUSTAFA KAMAL (TMI) http://goo.gl/nqBj

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 April 2014, 11:19 pm and is filed under
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Flight 370: Underwater drones find nothing after scouring half of search area

by Greg Botelho and Ed Payne, CNN

April 20, 2014

(CNN) — The underwater drone scanning for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 finished its seventh mission Sunday, having covered about half its intended territory without finding any sign of the missing plane.

This has been the case for 44 days now, which seems like an eternity for the relatives of the 239 passengers and crew on board, still hoping for a miracle or, at least, closure.

The Bluefin-21 drone started its eighth mission soon after the previous one ended Sunday morning, surveying the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean for traces of the Boeing 777.

These efforts may be a main focus of the search, but they aren’t the only part.

Australia’s Joint Agency Coordination Centre announced Sunday morning that up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships would participate in the day’s search. They planned to look in two zones that, together, encompass about 18,700 square miles (48,500 square kilometers).

A day earlier, acting Malaysian Transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that “experts have narrowed down the search area.”

But are they actually closer to finding anything? “It’s difficult to say,” Hishammuddin conceded, adding the search “is at a critical juncture.”

“I appeal to everybody around the world,” he said, “to pray and pray hard that we find something to work on over the next couple of days.”

The failure to find clues to the plane’s disappearance does not mean that the operation will stop, only that other approaches — such as a wider scope or the use of other assets — may be considered, Hishammuddin told reporters. “The search will always continue.”

Still, he said, “With every passing day, the search has become more and more difficult.”

Mother Nature isn’t making this task much easier.

Tropical Cyclone Jack is circulating northwest of the search area. And while it won’t hit directly, this system should increase winds and rains on Sunday into Monday.

Malaysian authorities briefed families of people aboard Flight 370 behind closed doors Sunday afternoon in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Selamat Bin Omar, whose 29-year-old son was a passenger, told CNN that officials dealt with practical matters, such as how the families could make bank transactions.

Hamid Ramlan, whose daughter and son-in-law were on the plane, said he learned nothing new at the briefing.

He said most families are clinging to hope and some believe reports that the plane was hijacked. He thinks the plane crashed and there were no survivors.

Passengers’ relatives list questions

It was early on March 8 when Flight 370 set off from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, destined for Beijing.

What happened has been a confounding mystery, with the frustration of passengers’ family members compounded by a scarcity of details from authorities.

The plane never made it.

New bits of information that have come out six weeks later may help round out the picture but don’t answer the main question: Why did the plane go off course, and where is it now?

These recent developments include a senior Malaysian aviation source’s assertion that the jetliner deviated from its flight path while inside Vietnamese airspace.

It turned left, then climbed to 39,000 feet — below its maximum safe limit of 43,100 feet — and maintained that altitude for about 20 minutes over the Malay Peninsula before beginning to descend, the source said.

Malaysia Airlines has declined to answer CNN’s questions on various matters — including the fact that, according to the source, the missing jet was equipped with four emergency locator transmitters. When triggered by a crash, ELTs are designed to transmit their location to a satellite.

Relatives of people aboard the jetliner have drawn up 26 questions that they want addressed by Malaysian officials, who are to meet with them next week in Beijing. Most of the Flight 370 passengers were Chinese.

Among them: What’s in the flight’s log book? Can they review the jet’s maintenance records? Can they listen to recordings of the Boeing 777 pilot’s conversations with air traffic controllers just before contact was lost?

Hishammuddin has defended his government’s handling of the operation and accused members of the media of focusing on the Chinese families. He said relatives of passengers and crew from other nations represented have not had problems.

“The most difficult part of any investigation of this nature is having to deal with the families,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 1:41 am and is filed under
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Grief over Karpal reflects Malaysians’ affection for principled people

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

April 21, 2014

The late DAP leader Karpal Singh’s funeral in Penang yesterday has been the biggest outpouring of grief in Malaysia since Tunku Abdul Rahman’s funeral in December 1990.

The crowd lining the George Town roads yesterday roared the prominent lawyer and politician’s name. Thousands others followed the cortege with Karpal’s body to the Batu Gantung crematorium for his final journey.

Penang wept for its favourite son, Malaysia cried for the loss of an influential lawmaker, lawyer and leader.

And those who tried to smear the late Karpal Singh’s character or make snide remarks found themselves in public odium and contempt – the Langkawi MP Datuk Nawawi Ahmad being one of them.

In short, the main conclusion that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his government can surmise from this outpouring of grief is simply this – Malaysians love their leaders and politicians who stand for something, to be men and women of principles.

It is not by accident that a multiracial crowd turned out, this was a politician who believed that everyone has a place under the Malaysian sun. Young, old – they were the people who have heard of Karpal Singh almost all their lives.

Everyone had a favourite tale to tell of the lawyer with the easy smile, the strong conviction and the sharp voice in court or Parliament – be they the hawkers in Green Hall or even his political foes in the Dewan Rakyat.

Perhaps some found themselves at the wrong end of the stick in Karpal’s 45 years in law and politics but the turnout yesterday showed the affection that many had for the lawyer.

Will there be such a turnout for the likes of Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah or other leaders from both sides of the divide that only speak on behalf of their race?

Malaysia is in need of heroes – of principled people. The Tiger of Jelutong was one of them.

And the crowds’ lament for his loss reflects the need for more of such principled people to ensure equality and justice in Malaysia. – April 21, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 9:23 am and is filed under
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Outpouring of grief and respect by  sea of humanity at Karpal’s funeral  reaffirmation of Malaysians’ support for justice, rule of law and democracy – the very ideals Karpal fought for in his whole life

The outpouring of grief and respect by a sea of humanity at Karpal Singh’s funeral in Penang yesterday was a reaffirmation of Malaysians’ support for justice, the rule of law and democracy – the very ideals which Karpal had fought for in his whole life.

For four days, Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, age or gender, grieved at the sudden and shocking death of Karpal at an accident at the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung.

The nation-wide grief and shock over Karpal’s death was so great and overwhelming that over these four days, the great tragedy of MH370 with 239 passengers and crew vanishing without any clue since March 8  and the shocking ESSCOM security situation with a tourist from China abducted at the Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna on April 2 were momentarily edged aside.

But Karpal, if still alive, would want proper closure for these two shocking events.

The tragedy of MH370 has entered into the 45th Day, still without any clue with no floating wreckage located after more than six weeks and no contact whatsoever after the Bluefin-21 AUV had completed its Mission 8 covering two-thirds of the focused underwater search area. Doubts are now bulking large as to whether  all the civil and military search parties are looking in the right place as the MAS Boeing 777 did not end in the Indian Ocean.

In Sabah, there is no sign  that the expensive “April Fool’s Joke” of  Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) will cease, with the RM300 million ESSCOM shedding its notoriety as  “toothless tiger” or “white elephant”.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim in Kota Kinabalu yesterday  proposed a solution to ESSCOM’s impotence by  creating three ESSCoM deputy director-general posts to enable it to function more effectively – to represent the three leading enforcement agencies, Malaysian Armed Forces, police and Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

This is most extraordinary – as the suggestion has come more than one year too late, as in early April  last year, the press reported the upgrading of the original position of Datuk Mohammed Mantek as ESSCOM Director to Director-General, who will be assisted by four “division directors who will helm four units, namely defence, security and public order, joint intelligence and public”.

All that Shahidan is suggesting is the upgrading of the four ESSCOM directors to three ESSCOM deputy director-general – leaving completely untouched   the crux of the problem of ESSCOM being powerless with “no authority to command, direct or order any action” in ESSZONE whether  by the army, police or the maritime agency.

His Ministerial colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has meanwhile made a completely different suggestion – that ESSCOM command be rotated between the police and the army instead of being an independent body now.

It would appear that it is not only ESSCOM Director-General who is stricken with impotence with “no authority to command, direct or order any action” in ESSZONE, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the entire Cabinet are  also stricken with “impotence”  as they do not know what to do with ESSCOM despite the expenditure of over RM300 million to try to  make Eastern Sabah safe not only to Sabahans but also to the tourists.

It has been reported that Karpal’s accident took place at the “black spot” of the North-South Expressway between Km291 and Km310.8 where at least 44 deaths had been reported from 2011 until Thursday’s accident involving Karpal, claiming two lives.

Police statistics revealed that there were 11 fatal accidents in 2011, 21 in 2012, 10 last year and two so far this year. The same statistics revealed that more than 100 people also suffered injuries in the accidents.

What action have the authorities, including the Ministry of Works and the NSE concessionaire PLUS Malaysia Bhd, to end the 20 km of “killer black spots” of the expressway near Gua Tempurung before more lives are lost through accidents?

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 6:00 pm and is filed under
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Passengers on MH192 praise pilot’s calm handling of situation

by Muzliza Mustafa

The Malaysian Insider

April 21, 2014

Passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH192 bound for Bangalore, which had to return to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport a few hours later after its departure last night, praised the crew for handling the situation calmly.

Passengers said the aircraft had a “bumpy” take-off when it departed from KLIA about 10.15pm yesterday.

Marta Alonso, a telecommunication engineer from Spain, said she knew something was not right as soon as the plane took off.

“It was bumpy and shaky. Not long after that the pilot announced we needed to make an emergency landing. It was frightening,” she said at the airport today.

Alonso was one of the 159 passengers and seven crew members onboard of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

She said the cabin crew, however, remained under control.

“It was calm. The pilot did a good job by giving a constant update on the situation,” she said.

Alonso was supposed to start working in Bangalore tomorrow.

Australian Maslahuddin Khan, 40, praised the pilot for handling the situation calmly.

He said although they had a bumpy take-off, the pilot handled the situation well.

“There was turbulence during the departure but the landing procedure was handled well. We panicked at first but all remained calm,” he said.

The pilot later identified as Nor Adam Azmi Abdul Razak.

Eugene Chin, 24, an IT strategist said many on the flight were traumatised by the incident.

“I panicked but the pilot was calm and updated us on the situation. We were hovering for few hours before the pilot did the emergency landing,” said Chin.

 The incident, however, would not stop him from going to Bangalore.

“I will take the next flight to Bangalore tomorrow. This incident will not stop me from attending the training,” he said.

 MAS flight MH192 was forced to make an air turn back towards KLIA after the aircraft’s right-hand landing gear malfunctioned upon take-off.

The aircraft, which departed at 10.09pm yesterday, was scheduled to arrive in Bangalore at 11.35pm the same day.

It landed safely at 1.56am after flying for a few hours.

It circled the airspace above the KLIA in an attempt to burn fuel before attempting an emergency landing.

In a statement released at 1.35am, MAS confirmed the incident, saying that the aircraft’s right-hand landing gear malfunctioned upon take-off.

 Meanwhile, the New Straits Times reported that a spokesperson from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) said the plane would not be allowed to land until it was nearly out of fuel.

It has been a tough couple of months for MAS. First MH370 bound for Beijing disappeared from radar on March 8. As the search for MH370 enters its 45th day, there are still no signs of the plane in the Indian Ocean.

Another MAS flight – MH066 – departed from Kuala Lumpur bound for Seoul on March 24 was diverted to Hong Kong because of an inoperative aircraft generator.

 Three days earlier, flight MH114 from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu was hit by a flock of birds during approach at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

 Upon landing, the aircraft was inspected by the engineer on duty. It was found that the aircraft’s landing light lens cover was broken. The aircraft was grounded for a night and the broken lens was replaced. – April 21, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 9:16 am and is filed under
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Passengers praise MAS pilot for landing troubled flight safely

The Malay Mail Online

April 21, 2014

SEPANG, April 21 — Passengers of a troubled MAS flight to Bengaluru (Bangalore), India, praised the pilot for having turned back and landed the aircraft safely at the KL International Airport early today.

Passenger Masluhuddin Khan, 30s, an Australian national of Indian descent, said that though it was the most frightening experience of his life, he was glad that the pilot made a ‘perfect’ emergency landing.

MAS Flight MH192 left KLIA at 10.09 pm yesterday for Bengaluru but detected a right landing gear malfunction, turned back and made an emergency landing at KLIA at 1.56am today.

The plane, carrying 159 passengers and seven crew, was piloted by Capt Nor Adam Azmi, with Prakash Kumar as the co-pilot.

Masluhuddin said the pilot kept the passengers informed through the intercom system every 20 minutes of the measures he was taking as the aircraft maintained a holding pattern for about four hours.

“All the passengers were cool and calm on board; everything went well inside the cabin,” he said when met by reporters.

Masluhuddin and the other 158 passengers were greeted by acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein, Malaysia Airports managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad and MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya at the KLIA satellite building.

The passengers seemed to be calm and were comfortable being interviewed by reporters.

Passenger Goorau Pouri, 31, a Swedish national, said he felt some vibration when the aircraft was on the runway ready for take-off.

“I knew there was something going wrong because there was some noise, but the captain handled the situation very well,” he said.

Research manager Van Diemen John, 40s, said the pilot was ‘very professional’ in handling the emergency landing.

“The pilot was calm when he announced that we needed to fly back to KLIA but had to consume some fuel.

“We were hovering above the Strait of Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. Hours later, we landed safely.

“He gave clear instructions. He is very professional and he did well,” said John, who was travelling from Shanghai to Bengaluru to meet his research team.

Meanwhile, a passenger from Penang who declined to be named said the emergency landing was well coordinated.

“The pilot and crew members followed procedures correctly. It was well handled and I did not panic,” he said, adding that he had not informed his family members yet of the incident.

Meanwhile, Australian Miranda Jason Juse, 30, said that due to the professional action of the pilot and crew members, all passengers felt calm during the four hours that the flight circled above the Strait of Malacca.

“The pilot was doing his best for a safe landing and the aircraft landed completely softly. It was calm once we landed safely,” he said.

All the passengers were relatively lethargic after the ‘ordeal’ but they still had the strength to give reporters a smile, appreciative of the fact that they were safe. — Bernama

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 9:30 am and is filed under
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Suspense as MH192 makes dramatic emergency landing

Koh Jun Lin

Malaysiakini

1:51AM Apr 21, 2014

Passengers on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH192 faced a four hour terror ride after the landing gear malfunctioned shortly after take off, forcing a turnback and several attempts at an emergency landing.

 At about 2am, the plane successfully made an emergency landing. There were 166 people on board.

 Flight MH192 departed at 10.09pm for Bangalore last night. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was supposed to have arrived at 2.35am (Malaysian time) today.

In a press release after the plane had landed, MAS said the right main landing tire had burst during take off.

“The captain was alerted by Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control that tyre debris were found on the runway and immediately contacted Malaysia Airlines Operations Control Centre (OCC) at 10:25pm.

“As safety is of utmost priority to Malaysia Airlines, the aircraft was required to turn back to KLIA,” said MAS.

Accomodations for all passengers have been arranged in nearby hotels.

Followed live

MH192 will be retimed to depart KLIA at 3.30pm on 21 April 2014 and arrive Bangalore at 5.00pm the same day (8pm Malaysia time).

Earlier, some Malaysians were anxiously tuning in to aircraft tracking service FlightRadar24 and the live-stream of the ATC radio conversation.

According to FlightRadar24, MH192 then flew to just off the coast of Port Klang and began to fly in circles.

According to Boeing’s specifications, the 737-800 is not capable of dumping fuel in mid-air, meaning that it would have to burn off its fuel until the aircraft reaches an acceptable weight for a safe landing.

About thirty minutes later, it started to fly to towards Port Dickson, and then turned to make an approach on the runway, but only ended up making a low pass over it.

MH192 then went back to the vicinity of Port Klang and began to fly in circles again from about 11.25pm until 1.22am the next morning, before attempting a second approach on the runway but took off again without landing.

“Malaysian 192, can you confirm to land or another flight path?” the air traffic control (ATC) tower radioed, which was live-streamed.

“Err… Turn left, turn left, turn left. Low,” MH192 replied.

“Malaysian 192, roger that.”

‘Mayday, mayday, mayday’

As the aircraft made its series of left turns that would take it near Port Dickson for the third landing approach, MH192 radioed to check on preparations for a potential emergency.

ATC:
 “Malaysian 192, we have just received a message. They have already foaming the runway for you.”

MH192:
“How long do they need?”

ATC:
 “We’ll advise.”

MH192
: “Alright, understood. Now it is mayday, mayday, mayday. We are landing, low fuel.”

ATC:
 “Malaysian 192, roger mayday.”

The pilot sounded calm and composed – almost expressionless – even as he made the mayday call.

Two minutes later, MH192 began a slow left turn and then made its final, successful, landing approach. Thus far, there are no reports of injuries.

“Malaysia Airlines flight MH192 that made an air turn back towards KLIA has landed safely at 1:56am.
Alhamdulillah
 (thank God),” MAS tweeted at its official Tweeter account.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 6:25 am and is filed under
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Why MH370 probably won’t be found

By David Learmount

Flightglobal

17 April, 2014

The least unlikely cause for the disappearance of MH370, based on what little we know about the final flight, is that a person with a sharp mind and a plan, but who was emotionally unbalanced, took control of the aeroplane.

It could have been one of the pilots, or someone else on board who had the means to persuade the pilots to depart from official cockpit security procedures, possibly in a friendly way.

Cabin crew? Nobody knows, and there is certainly no direct evidence.

There is some circumstantial evidence for the Malaysian authorities’ belief that MH370′s disappearance was the result of  ”deliberate action by someone on board”. The most publicised bits of circumstantial evidence are the switching off of the ACARS and then the transponder, followed immediately by a marked departure from the aircraft’s planned route. And this combined with radio silence.

The “emotionally unbalanced person” theory is based on the fact that no-one can imagine the motivation for masterminding what has happened, because no obvious purpose appears to have been served by it. But somebody who is suicidal or otherwise in a disturbed state does not follow normal logic.

The other argument for this theory is historical. There have been many cases in which pilots of aeroplanes carrying passengers have committed suicide by deliberately crashing the aircraft: a Silk Air 737 pilot, an Egyptair 767 pilot, a Royal Air Maroc ATR42 pilot, and last year a LAM Mozambique Embraer 190 pilot.

There is also a history of persons – other than the pilots – with a grudge bringing aeroplanes down: a Pacific Southwest Airlines BAe 146 in 1987, and Ethiopian Airways 757 in 1996. Then there was 9/11 where the perpetrators had a grudge against an entire country.

There is no record – yet – of someone bringing down an ordinary airline flight for the purpose of killing a specific person or group on board.

Staying with the deliberate action theory, if the person responsible had a reason to want no-one ever to find out what really happened, the flight path followed by MH370 would be a brilliant plan.

Commentators have advanced many theories as to how the perpetrator kept everyone on board quiet while carrying out his plan, including incapacitating them by deliberately depressurising the aircraft at high altitude. These theories are guesses, but this particular one has the attraction of not being able to be ruled out.

But there is another way that could have been effective for some hours if the means of taking control was quietly achieved. At 02:00h the passengers would have been sleeping or trying to sleep, not worrying about which way the aeroplane was heading, and most would stay that way until dawn or beyond.

But will we find MH370?

Look at the facts: no floating wreckage has been found nearly six weeks later.

The accuracy of the satellite information on which the search area has been calculated is far from guaranteed, so we may not be looking in the right place, and all the civil and military parties to the search know this.

It is hard enough finding wreckage in the deep ocean when you know where the aircraft was when it went missing, like AF447. In that case floating wreckage was discovered within a couple of days, but it took two years to find the wreck on the sea floor even when the last known position of the aircraft was a fact in which the search teams could have confidence.

AF447 belly-flopped into the water at at a vertical speed of about 120kt (220km/h), with very low forward speed, so the wreckage parts were quite large and thus easy to detect on the surface and on the sea bed. Fortunately for the searchers the main sea-bed wreckage came to rest on a firm, flat plain among sub-sea mountains.

We have no idea how MH370 impacted the water, but if it hit the surface much faster than AF447 and with a nose-down attitude, the pieces would be smaller and thus more difficult to detect.

To add to the searchers’ difficulties, oceanographers report that this area of the sea bed is very silty, and aircraft parts, especially heavy ones like the engines, could sink into the silt making detection by sonar even more difficult.

If we ever find parts from MH370, it may be when seat-cushions or other lightweight debris washes up on the shore of Australia or Antarctica. Unfortunately I think this is the most probable scenario.

Can we do something to prevent this in future? It is not as straightforward as people think.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 April 2014, 7:01 am and is filed under
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A tribute to Karpal Singh

 – K.K. Wong

The Malaysian Insider

April 21, 2014

Karpal Singh’s sudden and tragic death is still sinking into the minds of many.

I had the honour of bumping into this great man many years ago in a Bangsar mini market. I remember recognizing him straightaway, but it was he who introduced himself to me. It was this gesture of humility which struck me. He did not take it for granted that everyone should know him.

Karpal Singh has many creditable attributes. To many it was his integrity, his courage, his immense and formidable legal skills which stood him out in the crowd.

There are few who would dare to fight from a position of nothing and yet Karpal Singh did it knowing that he had all the odds stacked against him. He stood firmly for justice and the truth. He was prepared to speak out for what he believed in against a greater authority in many instances of legal confrontations in his career.

He was armed not with power for which he had none, but only with his tremendous and deep legal knowledge, his integrity, his principle for justice and his wit.

The Malaysian Parliament would be a less colourful place in the absence of Karpal Singh. He will be missed by many, including, I am sure, his opponents.

Whilst many may not agree with him, it cannot be denied that Karpal stood for fair play and a principle of true harmony in Malaysia with a firm belief of ‘live and let live’. His opposition to the introduction of the hudud laws was based on this principle.

Malaysia is a unique country blessed with peoples of diverse racial origins, cultural and religious beliefs. The introduction of the hudud laws would break this harmony, and the extremism of the hudud tenets is viewed even by many Muslims as unsuitable for this age and era.

Many feel that if such laws were to be introduced the world will not view Malaysia as a progressive nation. In this world of globalization Malaysia is reaching out to the world and must be seen to be reaching out to the world. We must go forward and not retreat backward. We must be a champion of the world and not merely a champion in our own kampong. In this respect Karpal was a true Malaysian.

Karpal did not have any honours or titles bestowed upon him. However, to many he did not need any. The respect for Karpal amongst many Malaysians is deep and the honour for Karpal lies etched in the hearts of many Malaysians.

I am sure many Malaysians would sincerely convey their deep felt condolences to the family and associates of the late Karpal Singh and hope that somehow there will be other Karpals emerging.

Although medical cloning is not possible, hopefully there will be many spiritual clones of the likes of Karpal Singh.

Confucius, the Chinese sage once said, ‘Everybody will die eventually, but what is important is to die with a good name.’

I think Karpal stood highly qualified for this.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 April 2014, 8:53 am and is filed under
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It’s Dr Mahathir, not Karpal, who belittled hudud, says Mat Sabu

BY AMIN ISKANDAR, NEWS EDITOR

The Malaysian Insider

April 22, 2014

The deputy president of PAS has come to the defence of the late Karpal Singh amid accusations of insulting Islam hurled at the veteran lawyer following his death in a car accident last week.

Instead, Mohamad Sabu                                                                           reminded that it was former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had insulted the religion by belittling hudud, or the Shariah punishment for serious crimes, adding that Karpal had never insulted the Islamic laws but merely defended the Federal Constitution.

“I am perplexed why Muslims react this way when it was Muslims themselves who insulted hudud, such as the statement by the former prime minister that if hudud was implemented in Kelantan, many Muslims would lose their limbs,” Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.

“Karpal had never insulted (hudud). He had only said that it was against the Constitution,” said Mat Sabu. Mat Sabu was referring to comments last week by Dr Mahathir on the plan by PAS to table the Private Members’ Bill on hudud in the Dewan Rakyat.

Dr Mahathir had said Islamic laws should ensure justice and not be geared towards punishing offenders.

“There are Muslims and non-Muslims in our country. If a Muslim steals, his hand will be chopped off but when a non-Muslim steals, he goes to jail. Is that justice or not?” he asked, adding that “Soon, Muslims will have no hands”.

Mat Sabu said he could not understand why Umno leaders who had come out strongly in opposition to PAS’s plan to implement hudud in Kelantan had kept silent over Dr Mahathir’s remarks.

“Why is it that when Muslims insulted hudud, I never heard any sharp comments from Umno leaders and the muftis?” asked Mat Sabu.

Mat Sabu, who together with Karpal and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders spent two years as detainees under the Internal Security Act (ISA) following their arrests in 1987, also slammed several insensitive remarks by politicians in the wake of Karpal’s death, saying they did not reflect Islamic teachings.

“People who are stupid and arrogant still exist,” said Mat Sabu, in referring to Langkawi MP Datuk Nawawi Ahmad’s Facebook posting of pictures from the accident on April 17.

Nawawi, who has since apologised, had asked if anyone would like to walk over Karpal’s dead body, recalling a statement reportedly made by Karpal in 1990 that establishing an Islamic state would only be possible “over my dead body”.

“His early comment shows his thinking even though he has apologised,” Mat Sabu said of Nawawi.

Besides Nawawi, former Kulim Bandar Baru MP Datuk Zulkifli Noordin also posted a remark online following Karpal’s death, saying God had removed the greatest opponent of hudud, and that Umno and PAS should now work together to ensure its implementation in Kelantan.

Karpal, who was DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP, was accorded a Penang state funeral on Sunday.

Tens of thousands paid their last respects at the Dewan Sri Pinang, before his coffin made its way in a large procession passing several landmarks significant in Karpal’s life. – April 22, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 April 2014, 12:00 pm and is filed under
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Let 100 Karpals take his place

– Robert Chaen

The Malaysian Insider

April 22, 2014

Karpal Singh was Malaysia’s Gandhi. He was killed in a car accident on April 17 at 1.10am.

Karpal once said that even if he is gone there would be 100 Karpals to take his place.

My name is Robert Chaen, the creator of this cause.

As a tribute to the legacy of the Malaysian icon Karpal Singh and the principles he stood for, we request social media users to change your Facebook and other profile pictures to a Karpal picture, and to share this post on their FB timeline.

We want to inspire netizens to have the courage to stand up for your human rights and principles. We want to send a powerful message to the authorities in Malaysia and any nation in the world to uphold the rule of law, that they can’t silence us through tyranny, and they can’t jail us all.

Take a stand for the rule of law today. Sitting on the fence, constantly complaining about what’s wrong with Malaysia, and doing nothing will not change Malaysia.

Gandhi said “Let me be the change I want to see in the world”.

If you love Malaysia, then do something, express your dreams about a better Malaysia, share your values, let your neighbours and the world know the truth of what’s really happening in Malaysia, unite as true Malaysians – without borders of race and religion.

If you think that Malaysia have gone much worse in terms of racial and religious harmony, crime, corruption, incompetence, integrity, weak leadership, judiciary independence, press freedom, and gross waste of taxpayers’ money since the “golden years” of Tunku Abdul Rahman, decide to be the new “change leader” today.

Start with baby steps and little pockets of change with your relatives, friends, and colleagues. And soon it will be a positive social change tsunami…

My two favourite Victor Hugo quotes: “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come”.

“You have enemies? Why, it is the story of every man who has done a great deed or created a new idea.”

There will be people who will hate you for your stand. Have the conviction of the heart, and the courage of the spirit of the Tiger of Jelutong. Know that you are not alone… there are hundreds of thousands of true Malaysians here and in every country on Earth. This is way bigger than Karpal, me, and us…

The only thing I request of you is to stay positive, truthful, loving, giving, empowering, caring, and respecting. But not to stoop so low, so negative and petty as to insult and curse others, to control and bully the defenceless through tyranny and religious punishment.

These people are “toxic, ugly, false” Malaysians. They are so unlike Prophet Muhammad, Christ, Buddha, Shiva, Guru Nanak… that they hypocritically profess to follow.

Netizens can keep Karpal icon as your profile picture for as long as you like say for 7-21 days to have greater impact. Or you can re-post this whenever an occasion for reinforced awareness arises.

You can choose to respect Karpal as a person with your favourite icon picture. Or to respect Karpal as a person with his passionate connection with DAP and its platform.

Like and share this post and Karpal Singh icon with as many netizens here and around the world.

Choose one of the two Karpal Singh icon profile pictures.

One is a silhouette of Karpal Singh and a slogan.

The second one is a silhouette of Karpal Singh, a slogan, and the DAP logo superimposed as he had a passionate connection with DAP in his illustrious career.

The cause slogan reads: I uphold the rule of law. They can’t jail us all.

The second line of the slogan is an adaptation of a Hong Kong public rally on March 2 to protest against the attack on former Ming Pao chief editor Kevin Lau Chun-to, and to rally support for press freedom. The slogan by the organiser Press Coalition against Violence was “They can’t kill us all”.

How to change your Facebook profile picture: copy and save your preferred Karpal icon, update your FB profile picture. It’s that simple. – April 22, 2014.

* Robert Chaen is an international change expert and online pollster. He writes at www.RobertChaen.Wordpress.com and www.Facebook.com/RobertChaen

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 April 2014, 2:39 pm and is filed under
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Perjuangan mendiang Karpal Singh vs perjuangan Umno dan BN

Nur Jazlan

The Malaysian Insider

April 22, 2014

Pertama sekali saya ingin mengucapkan takziah kepada keluarga mendiang bekas Pengerusi DAP, Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gelugor dan peguam terkenal, mendiang Karpal Singh terutamanya anak mendiang, Gobind Singh Deo yang juga Ahli Parlimen Puchong, atas kematian bapanya dalam kemalangan tragis pada awal pagi Jumaat lalu.

Sesungguhnya, mungkin ini kali pertama majlis pengebumian seorang tokoh pembangkang menerima penghormatan tertinggi daripada sebuah negeri dan kematian mendiang Karpal Singh diratapi bukan sahaja ahli keluarganya, rakan-rakan atau ahli DAP tetapi juga seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

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Walaupun tidak mengenali mendiang Karpal Singh yang turut dikenali dengan gelaran ‘Tiger of Jelutong’ secara peribadi, tetapi saya amat kagum dengan kesungguhan serta perjuangan beliau yang tidak berbelah bahagi dalam sistem perundangan negara serta kancah politik negara.

Secara tidak langsung, perjuangan politik mendiang Karpal Singh selama 40 tahun lebih kurang sama dengan arwah ayahanda saya, Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat atau Tok Mat dan mereka juga adalah rakan ketika sama-sama menjadi Ahli Dewan Rakyat bermula sekitar tahun 70-an.

Jika ada yang beranggapan bahawa dengan pemergian mendiang Karpal Singh buat selama-lamanya akan mengubah hala tuju perjuangan parti DAP, saya tidak yakin ia akan berlaku memandangkan parti itu berada dalam ‘kelasnya’ tersendiri dalam kancah politik negara yang begitu mencabar.

Tambahan pula, dua anak mendiang iaitu Gobind dan Jagdeep adalah wakil rakyat DAP dan mempunyai kedudukan serta pengaruh dalam DAP sekaligus sudah pasti meneruskan legasi mendiang Karpal Singh.

Satu perkara yang paling menarik dalam perjuangan politik mendiang Karpal Singh sepanjang pemerhatian saya, adalah semangatnya yang tidak pernah memperjuangkan isu membabitkan sesuatu kaum secara khusus.

Sebaliknya, beliau sentiasa konsisten dengan perjuangan ke arah Malaysia yang lebih baik dan benar-benar bersikap sebagai seorang ahli pembangkang yang profesional dengan memberikan fakta serta hujah yang logik serta objektif berlandaskan apa yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Negara.

Kepetahan mendiang Karpal Singh di mahkamah langsung tidak tergugat ketika dalam sesi Dewan Rakyat dengan jelas mengkritik segala dasar kerajaan, terutama sekali yang berkaitan dengan undang-undang atau perkara yang dilihat membelakangkan undang-undang atau Perlembagaan Negara.

Disebabkan itu, walaupun berkerusi roda selepas terbabit dalam kemalangan jalan raya pada 2005, mendiang Karpal Singh terus menjadi idola, contoh serta ikutan perjuangan ahli-ahli Parlimen pembangkang yang muda dalam DAP yang terus gigih hadir ke Parlimen bagi memperjuangkan nasib rakyat.

Perjuangan inilah, yang bagi saya menyebabkan mendiang Karpal Singh sentiasa dihormati kawan serta lawan dan buktinya lebih 5,000 rakyat hadir bersama-sama memberikan penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Ahad lalu.

Status serta perjuangan beliau ini juga menyebabkan kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang memberikan mendiang pengebumian negeri serta menamakan sebatang jalan di negeri itu dengan nama Karpal Singh bagi menghargai jasa serta pengorbanan mendiang.

Agaknya adakah perkara sama yang akan dilakukan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) kepada pemimpin MIC yang ada sekarang, sebagaimana penghormatan yang diterima mendiang Karpal Singh terutama sekali jasa serta pengorbanannya terhadap kaum India.

Selain perjuangan mendiang yang sentiasa konsisten kepada ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ dan kesamarataan kaum berlandaskan Perlembangaan Negara, siapa yang boleh menafikan bahawa kepopularitian beliau juga menyebabkan banyak peguam-peguam menceburi bidang politik secara serius.

Secara tiba-tiba, begitu ramai peguam menjadi ahli pembangkang, sama ada daripada parti DAP atau PKR dan kebanyakan mereka ini, pada awalnya menggunakan landasan sebagai ahli jawatankuasa Majlis Peguam sebagai asas untuk berpolitik.

Sebenarnya, jika dikaji semula sejarah Majlis Peguam ini yang ditubuhkan melalui Akta Profesion Undang-Undang 1976, ramai Jawatankuasa dan Presiden yang dilantik begitu kritikal terhadap kerajaan.

Disebabkan ketidakpuasan hati kepada kerajaan yang dikatakan banyak membelakangkan undang-undang serta Perlembagaan Negara dalam menggubal dasar atau menjalankan pentadbiran negara, mereka-mereka (peguam) mengambil keputusan menceburi bidang politik secara serius dengan menjadi ahli politik sebelum dipilih rakyat menjadi Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri atau Ahli Parlimen.

Mungkin ramai tidak mengetahui bahawa sebenarnya, selain Majlis Peguam (Bar Council) terdapat sebuah lagi entiti yang lebih besar iaitu Badan Peguam Malaysia (Malaysian Bar).

Badan Peguam Malaysia ditubuhkan di bawah Seksyen 41 Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976 dan wajib dianggotai oleh semua Peguam di Semenanjung Malaysia menurut Seksyen 43 Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976, yang kini berjumlah lebih 15,000 orang.

Majlis Peguam pula ditubuhkan mengikut Seksyen 47 Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976 dan hanya dianggotai oleh 36 orang ahli Badan Peguam yang dipilih secara pengundian menurut Seksyen 50 dan Seksyen 70 (7) Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976.

Malah, menurut seksyen 64 (1) Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976, Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan (AGM) Badan Peguam hendaklah diadakan oleh Majlis Peguam sebelum bulan April pada setiap tahun.

Manakala, korum untuk AGM itu adalah 500 orang sahaja daripada ahli Badan Peguam yang berdaftar mengikut Seksyen 64 (4) Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976.

Badan Peguam Malaysia ini, secara tidak langsung boleh diibaratkan sebagai sebuah kereta tanpa pemandu kerana Majlis Peguam bertindak sebagai pemandunya dan sebenarnya, destinasi ‘kereta’ ditetapkan di dalam Akta Profesion Undang-undang 1976, namun bergantunglah kepada pemandu kereta tersebut sama ada untuk mengikut arahan destinasi ataupun menyimpang daripada destinasi yang ditetapkan dalam akta.

‘Kesilapan’ kerajaan ketika menggubal undang-undang ini pada 1976, dengan bertujuan untuk mengekang pembabitan peguam dalam politik dan memberikan kelebihan kepada peguam Melayu tidak mencapai matlamat dan mempunyai impak negatif apabila lebih ramai peguam terbabit secara langsung dalam politik.

Mungkin disebabkan ‘lupa’ untuk meletakkan syarat bahawa Majlis Peguam perlu menjadi sebuah badan yang benar-benar bebas kini, badan berkenaan dilihat begitu pro-pembangkang dengan begitu lantang mengkritik kerajaan tetapi amat jarang sekali memuji dasar-dasar kerajaan.

Lebih memelikkan pada waktu kini, peguam-peguam ini, yang majoritinya berbangsa Melayu dilihat semakin menjauhi Umno malah, lebih gemar untuk mengambil pendirian yang neutral atau lebih pro-pembangkang.

Jika diperhatikan dalam tempoh dua penggal Pilihanraya Umum (PRU) lalu, berapa ramai peguam muda yang terpilih sebagai calon untuk Umno atau Barisan Nasional (BN) berbanding di pihak pembangkang.

Atas sebab itu, ramai pihak kini melabelkan Umno dan BN sebagai sebuah parti yang tidak lagi diminati oleh golongan profesional bukan sahaja di kalangan peguam, malahan doktor atau akauntan.

Kemungkinan ini juga yang menyebabkan Umno dan BN semakin hilang genggaman di kawasan bandar serta pinggir bandar apabila pembangkang menampilkan calon-calon muda yang profesional.

Kemunculan calon muda serta profesional ini, selari serta sesuai dengan citarasa masyarakat bandar serta pinggir bandar yang terdiri daripada golongan menengah rendah, atas serta elit yang majoritinya mendapat pendidikan sekurang-kurangnya bertaraf diploma.

Malah, perjuangan mendiang Karpal Singh seorang peguam terkenal juga mula dihayati pengundi di kawasan bandar serta pinggir bandar yang amat kritikal terhadap isu dalam kerajaan yang membabitkan penyelewengan kuasa, rasuah serta kronisme.

Semangat perjuangan mendiang Karpal Singh yang tidak pernah berubah sejak 40 tahun lalu inilah, yang menjadi semakin relevan dalam masyarakat Malaysia pada masa kini menyebabkan Umno serta BN semakin hilang kuasa di kawasan kritikal ini.

Sememangnya, dalam PRU14 lalu, Umno dan BN ada menampilkan calon muda tetapi bilangan profesional amat kurang berbanding daripada mereka yang ditawarkan parti pembangkang sebagai calon untuk rakyat.

Ramai pemimpin muda pembangkang kini menjadikan mendiang Karpal Singh sebagai idola politik mereka dan akan menjadikan diri mereka sebagai idola untuk pemimpin masa depan, tetapi keadaan itu jelas berbeza dalam Umno apabila kita jelas ketandusan golongan pemimpin muda untuk dijadikan idola bagi menjadi ‘penarik’ kepada golongan muda profesional di kawasan bandar dan luar bandar.

Saya turut melihat trend calon muda Umno dan BN yang terdiri daripada ahli perniagaan kurang ‘digemari’ pengundi di kawasan bandar dan pinggir bandar kerana mereka merasakan calon-calon ini mendapat sumber kekayaan daripada parti serta kerajaan dan tidak benar-benar ‘bersih’ selain mudah untuk pembangkang memutarbelitkan isu berkaitan diri calon-calon ini.

Pembangkang akan terus menarik golongan muda profesional yang imej mereka ditampilkan dengan penuh idealisme serta mempunyai latar belakang ‘bersih’, tetapi dalam Umno proses ‘regeneration’ ini dengan pemimpin masa depan yang berkualiti dan bersih akan terbantut.

Justeru, saya bimbang jika jika sesuatu tidak dilakukan Umno dan BN untuk berubah dengan mencari golongan profesional muda terdiri daripada peguam, doktor atau akauntan yang sanggup ke depan mempertahankan parti dan kerajaan secara terang-terangan untuk berhadapan dengan pemimpin muda profesional daripada pembangkang, masyarakat akan semakin menjauhi parti sekaligus padah akan jelas menanti dalam PRU 14 empat tahun lagi. – 22 April, 2014.

Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed is a three-term MP for Pulai, three-term Umno Pulai Divison Chief and the new PAC chairman. Apart from being in the new politics, he also writes for The Malaysian Insider while debating other matters at www.jazlan.net

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 April 2014, 3:24 pm and is filed under
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4 questions about missing Malaysian plane answered

Washington Post

AP

April 19, 2014

Travelers at Asian airports have asked questions about the March 8 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Here are some of them, followed by answers.

Samuel Rogers, a 20-year-old German on a backpacking trip, in Bangkok and on his way to Malaysia.

He asked: “Why did the Malaysian military see the plane on their radar but not report it immediately?”

A: The Malaysian Air Force’s official line is that its radar operators spotted the plane but didn’t have any reason to suspect it. This is why they didn’t attempt to contact the plane or scramble jets to intercept it. Many aviation and defense experts say there are grounds to doubt this. They speculate the air force failed to spot the unidentified plane entering its airspace, or if it did, didn’t respond to what could potentially have been a national security threat. Admitting that would be a highly embarrassing and sensitive for any air force, and could be the reason for the delay in publicly confirming that the plane did turn back.

___

Aylen Meir, 25, of Munich, Germany, in Bangkok and on her way to Australia to work as an au pair.

She asked: “Why was the transponder switched off?”

A: Investigators have not categorically said the transponder was shut off deliberately, allowing for the possibility that it malfunctioned or was damaged in an explosion or some other incident. But there are strong grounds to think that someone on board did switch it off. The most obvious reason why a pilot would turn off the transponder is to make their plane invisible to commercial radar or other nearby planes. This would be consistent with the actions of someone on board who wanted to make it hard for anyone to track where the plane was headed, and strengthens suspicion of foul play. It would be very rare for a pilot to turn off the transponder in midair, though if it were malfunctioning they might do that.

___

Yip Royal, 29, a Hong Kong man at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

He asked whether the families of those who had loved ones on board will be compensated.

A: The Montreal Convention governs the amount of compensation airlines must pay when a passenger is injured or dies aboard an international flight. Currently that amount is around $175,000. Relatives will also be able to file suit in their home countries against Malaysia Airlines. They might also try suing Boeing in their own territories. They may get more money if a court rules that either entity were negligent.

Non-American citizens will find it very difficult to sue either the airline or Boeing in an American court, which could award significantly larger payouts. The Montreal Convention stipulates plaintiffs can file suit in five locations: the domicile and principal place of business of the airline, in this case Malaysia; the end destination; the country where the ticket was purchased, and the place where the passenger lived.

The Montreal Convention’s rules about where suits can be filed apply only to airlines, so relatives could also try to sue the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing in a U.S. court. But federal courts there have tended to dismiss cases in which the crashes took place overseas and the majority of plaintiffs are foreign.

___

Skander Aissa, who works in the finance industry in Connecticut, at the airport train in Hong Kong. He and his wife were traveling to Taiwan after visiting a friend.

He asked: “Why didn’t they install GPS on the plane?

A: The tracking of airplanes is almost entirely radar based, either commercial or military. Some planes have global position systems to help with navigation but they are not tracked on the ground. Since Flight 370 went missing, many people have asked this question and it is likely that tracking systems will be upgraded to ensure a plane is never “lost” again. However, who will pay for the changes and coordinate their implementation remains under debate.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 6:41 am and is filed under
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In Memory: Karpal Singh, True Humanitarian

Lee Min Choon

17.4.2014

This has nothing to do with the Malay Bible. But I can’t help but feel a sense of loss with the passing of colleague at the Bar and friend, Karpal Singh. So, here’s how I remember him.

It must have been around 1985 when I was helping a convict on death row who had become a Christian while in prison. Liew Weng Seng was sentenced to death under the Internal Security Act for possession of a firearm. At the Federal Court, Liew was unrepresented and proceeded to tell the court that he was guilty and did not wish to appeal his death sentence. When court was adjourned, his family tried to pass him a bible but was prevented from doing so by the prison warders. A commotion ensued and made the news the next day. When I read the report, I thought, “Hey, this guy is a Christian and he had just told the court to go ahead to hang him.”

I called the office at Pudu Prison and arranged for an appointment to see Liew. When we met, he confirmed that what the newspapers reported was what happened in court. I listened as he told his story of how he got into crime. It was a pitiful story of a boy growing up in the slums and being influenced by the gangs. Soon he was committing crimes. The law caught up with him. Possession of firearms was a capital offence. Liew was not yet 30 as he faced the gallows. Since his case was over, I offered to write a petition for pardon on his behalf to the King. I would not charge him any fees. It was a favour to a fellow Christian. Liew agreed. Over the next one year, I would visit Liew. As he spoke no English or Malay and as my Chinese was vitually incomprehensible, I always brought along a Chinese pastor with me to encourage and minister to Liew.

One day, Liew’s family called me. They said the prison had called to say that Liew will be hanged in 3 days time. I told them I would do what I can. I called the prison and then the palace to find out what happened to Liew’s petition for pardon. Eventually, I was told that it was rejected and the court had issued a warrant for his execution. I went to see Liew with his family. It saddened me that our friendship over the past year was coming to an end. Liew said that he had made his peace with God and he was not afraid. I asked him if he would consider doing some good with his death by donating his organs. He agreed. Over the next 2 days, I went to the General Hospital to find out the procedure and paperwork for this sort of thing. On the eve of his execution, I came to see Liew one last time and gave him some papers to sign to donate his organs. I bought him a meal from the prison canteen. Then we said goodbye and I told him we will meet again one day.

I arrived home late in the afternoon, went to the backroom of my house and laid down on a bed. I did not want my wife and child to see the tears I shed for Liew. In 12 hours time, Liew will be taken from his cell (at 5.00 am the next day) and be hung by the neck till he was dead.

Suddenly, my wife walked into the room and said, “Karpal Singh is here to see you.”

I went to my front door and saw Karpal Singh and another lawyer, Ngeow Yin Ngee, standing at my front door.

“Are you Liew Weng Seng’s lawyer?” asked Karpal.

“Yes,” I replied.

Karpal then explained that he was the lawyer for 2 convicts who were scheduled to be hanged at the same time with Liew. Karpal’s clients were found guilty of assassinating the Chief Police Officer of Perak. They had waited for him at a traffic junction in Ipoh and shot him to death when he passed by. Karpal said that he had filed a court case raising some legal technicality and had obtained an ex parte stay of execution from Judge Hashim Yeop Sani (ex parte means that the order was given after hearing only one side; later, the Judge would re-hear the case from both sides). When Karpal went to Pudu Prison to serve the order for the stay of execution, he was informed that there was a third man to be executed, Liew.

“Come with me,” Karpal said, “we’ll go to my office and prepare the papers and get a stay of execution for your client as well.”

It must have been about 6.00 pm when we drove back to Kuala Lumpur in Ngeow’s car. We reached Karpal’s office past 7.00 pm. He then started to dictate to his clerk who typed furiously on the typewriter. I gave them Liew’s details. I was still in a daze. All the time, Karpal worked at preparing the papers like a man consumed and trying to beat a deadline. We must have finished the paperwork at about 9.00 pm. It was 8 hours to the execution.

“Let’s go see the Judge,” Karpal said.

The first place we went to was the home of Madam Harwanth Kaur, the Senior Assistant Registrar to Judge Hashim. We bundled her into the car and four of us drove to the home of Judge Hashim in Petaling Jaya. We reached his house at 10.00 pm and Karpal banged on his door. We were let into the Judge’s living room.

“Judge,” said Karpal as he handed the judge a stack of papers, “there is another man due to be hanged tomorrow. Can you give a stay of execution for him as well?”

“The Attorney-General will jump!” sniggered Judge Hashim as he signed an order for the stay of Liew’s execution.

We then left the Judge’s house and drove to the High Court at Kuala Lumpur. It was 11.00 pm when we arrived. The courthouse was in total darkess and tightly shut. We found the security guard and Harwanth ordered him to open the court doors. Four of us went into the registry section of the court house. We were looking for the court seal. The court order although signed by the Judge was no good without the seal of the court imprinted on it. The four of us fanned out to look for the court seal. It was a stroke of good fortune that we found the court seal in a short time. Harwanth sealed the court order and handed it to Karpal. We left the court house but first we had to send Harwanth back home. Her job was done.

When we arrived at the gates of Pudu prison at 12.30 am the next morning, there was a crowd of reporters surrounding the huge metal prison door. Karpal banged on the doors. A warden poked his head out and said, “All of you please stay out. Only Mr Karpal, Mr Ngeow and Mr Lee can come in.”

Karpal duly served the order for a stay of Liew’s execution on the prison director. The next day, the papers reported a sensational last minute rush to save 3 men from the gallows.

Within a week, we were back in Judge Hashim’s court. The Attorney-General, Abu Talib Othman, did jump and he made an application to the Judge to set aside all 3 stay orders. Karpal argued the case with his usual brilliance. I cannot remember the legal point. All I can remember was that it was never argued before. Karpal had no previous court decisions to rely on. It was like going back to school to see Karpal at work and the lesson: “Think outside the box.” At the end of arguments, the Judge set aside the 3 stay orders clearing the way for the men to be executed under a fresh warrant. Karpal appealed to the Federal Court. Again, it was dismissed.

Let me pause awhile. Throughout this time, Karpal did all the work for Liew’s case, paid for all the court expenses and made sure I was always present to take part. He never once talked about payment. It was as if he was meant to do this.

A few months later, warrants of execution were issued again. Judge Hashim had ruled that the High Court could not order a stay of execution. It must be ordered by the Attorney-General who was the chairman of the Pardons Board. Karpal made appeals to the Attorney-General but it fell on deaf ears.

On the eve of the execution, Karpal summoned Ngeow and I to his office. It was about 8.00 pm when we got there. Karpal did a lot of things at night as he would be in court the whole day doing more than one case per day. He suggested we go to see the ambassadors of the European countries to seek their help to persuade the government to delay the executions. Karpal had discounted the US ambassador as the Malaysian government under Dr Mahathir was hostile to the US. However, the government had good ties with the Europeans.

We went to see the German ambassador. He informed us that the European embassies have a system where they would appoint one of the European ambassadors on rotation as a representative to speak to the Malaysian government on behalf of the rest. At that time, the French ambassador was the chairman. So, off we went to the French ambassador’s house. I cannot remember the conversation as it was a long time ago. But the ambassador told us that he was not able to help.

We went back to Karpal’s office at midnight. 5 hours to the execution. Karpal was wracking his brain to think of something. I was exhausted and had almost given up but I hoped that Karpal would again pull something out of his hat. How about this? No, won’t work. How about that? On and on we went. At about 2.00 am, 3 hours to execution, Karpal said that there’s nothing more we could do. He asked us to go home. A few hours later, Liew and the other 2 convicts were dead.

Lawyers can be the most heartless of men. Society had a reason for calling lawyers sharks. Its because we thrive on the misfortunes of others. Most lawyers I met are in it for the money. They have no heart for their clients who they see to be nothing more than a source of income. Karpal was not like that. In my encounter with him over Liew’s case, Karpal demonstrated true humanity and a genuine care for his clients. Whatever their crimes were, he saw them as human beings and felt a sense of responsibility for them over and above the call of duty.

Karpal Singh was a true humanitarian. We will miss him.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 6:10 am and is filed under
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Karpal Singh a political man of his times

Bridget Welsh

Malaysiakini

Apr 23, 2014

TRIBUTE
 Much has been written about the recently deceased Karpal Singh.

 His skills as a lawyer, his fight for basic rights and contributions to the law, his commitment to his family and his struggle for ordinary people as a humanitarian are just some of the themes raised in the many eulogies and reflections in the past few days since he and his friend and assistant Michael Cornelius lost their lives.

 The reactions from ordinary Malaysians have reaffirmed the spirit of dignity and humanity that are an integral part of the national character and stand in stark contrast to the uncouth provocative remarks of a handful of individuals who, blinded by insecurity and hubris, revealed how far they have deviated from common decency.

 I knew Karpal Singh as a politician, and the remarks that follow are some of my observations on his important role in Malaysian political life and his political legacy.

A true Malaysian nationalist

 Karpal’s entry into politics in 1969 coincided with a tumultuous time in Malaysian politics. He had been socialised in the exciting decade of the 1960s, when student politics was active and universities were centres to discuss and debate ideas – sadly an era now long gone.

He was among a generation of early Malaysian nationalists deeply committed to the country and the very principles that were the bedrock of the nation at independence, particularly the Federal Constitution.

 His staunch defence of the legal foundation of Malaysia throughout his lifetime was an extension of his deep love for Malaysia and the ideals (and idealism) of a decade where rights were fought for and protected.

 The 1960s was an era where a son of a watchman from any race could become a lawyer with hard work and skill. Karpal Singh emerged in public life to embody the promise of a new nation in a time of high social mobility and opportunities across ethnicity.

The other side

 In making the decision to join and stay with the Democratic Action Party (DAP) after the wake of the May 1969 riots, Karpal chose a difficult path. Many leaders of his generation (and some parties at that time, including PAS and Gerakan) opted to join the Barisan Nasional, to work from inside the system to address the challenges of country, particularly ethnic tensions and development.

 Karpal opted for the brave road of opposition, the political margins. He once shared with me the reasons for doing so, highlighting the importance of a loyal opposition for effective national governance. As a lawyer, he explained, it was necessary to have the other side, someone to offer a different point of view and to safeguard the system from potential abuses. I recall that he laughed when he stated that he also loved a good battle, even as the underdog.

 Karpal Singh embraced his role as an opposition Member of Parliament, and used his knowledge of the law to shape debates. The Hansard of parliamentary debates of the 1970s reveal his rich contributions, where he questioned laws from the Universities and University Colleges Act to the Internal Security Act.

He avidly opposed many of the Bills that curtailed human rights at a time when legislation was introduced to limit political activism and freedom, and although many of these efforts were not successful, some amendments were adopted and importantly, issues of concern were put into the public arena.

 His political statements in Parliament were not popular among some, but the contribution to the national debate in building Malaysia cannot be understated. An opposition has an important role to play in any political system, and Karpal was an integral leader in this effort.

 Grudgingly, this consistency and commitment won him the respect of many in the system, many of whom he befriended. When the parliamentary debate was over, he often left those battles for the legislature behind and put aside differences to share a joke or banter.

 This pattern of shared comradeship across the political aisle was shaped by his practice as a lawyer, where the legal fraternity focused their differences for the courtroom.

 This practice of a quiet coffee became more difficult after Karpal’s tragic accident of 2005, but many across the political divide, in his generation in particular, recognised his practice of agreeing to disagree and appreciation of a shared fraternity of leaders working for Malaysia.

 This was a time in Malaysian history where statesmanship in leadership was expected, sadly another era also gone.

A defender of democracy

 Karpal’s role in political life expanded in the 1980s during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s tenure as prime minister, when Karpal took on battles to protect democratic governance. As the former prime minister weakened institutions and corruption became entrenched, Karpal took to the courtroom to challenge these practices.

 One of the ironies of Karpal Singh’s role in politics is that he fought so hard to defend and strengthen an independent judiciary and was on the receiving end of its weaknesses and political co-option.

 In this decade, his role in the 1988 North-South Expressway case was a landmark for public interest litigation.

 His challenges to corruption, abuse and the use of the ISA pitted him directly against Mahathir, who centralised political power and emphatically responded against opponents.

 Among those Karpal challenged was also Anwar Ibrahim, then in Mahathir’s government, all on the grounds of checking the excesses of increasing executive centralisation.

The price to pay for challenging those in power is high in Malaysia, particularly so in the Mahathir (right) (and Najib Abdul Razak) years. Karpal spent years in prison, separated from his family after his arrest in Operation Lallang and his second passion in life, his work.

 This opposition warrior was demonised, as another pattern in Malaysian politics set in – the more you challenge those in power, the tougher the response.

 Mahathir’s era was the beginning of a nastiness of Malaysian political life, where mutual respect was not practised and the bounds of decency crossed. Personal attacks became commonplace – even among the opposition – as politics became deeply personalised and polarised.

 The highest costs were absorbed by the individuals on the opposition frontline who challenged the system.

 This was clearly evident in the 1999 trial of Anwar Ibrahim, where Karpal Singh played a role as part of the legal team. To stand in opposition was portrayed as the enemy of the state when in fact the opposite was true, as the efforts to insure justice was carried out were to protect the country’s integrity and fabric.

 The Anwar trials have split Malaysia, as injustices have been carried out for the incumbent’s political survival. The prices that have been paid for taking Malaysia down this road of polarisation are blatantly evident in the loss of faith of the country’s institutions, the heightened use of racism and deep-seated anger that is an acid of pain among many in the country today.

 Karpal fought the good fight in the courtroom and legislature, throughout hoping for justice with the knowledge of the difficult odds in the process. He remained committed to protecting the rule of law, even as many in the general public were losing their own faith.

 His belief in the law as a means of protection for rights and justice never wavered, even as those in office and position failed in their responsibilities to act as the national guardian.

A secular constitutional champion

 From the 1990s onwards two important themes emerged from Karpal Singh’s political activism. The first was a steadfast commitment to a secular Malaysia. This was tied to his deep-seated belief in religious freedom across the faiths.

 He believed in the right of all citizens, including Muslims, to choose how they practised their religion and deeply worried about government regulation of these choices. As a member of a minority race, he was acutely aware of the effect of religious regulation, and worried about the constraints placed on the choices of ordinary citizens.

 As a lawyer, he witnessed first-hand how the courtroom has become the battleground for religious rights, with the Constitution caught in the war. As I understood his explanation to me, his opposition to hudud was not against any faith but against giving the government authority to control and regulate faith.

 A similar argument was made when he offered to defend the Singaporean Muslim girls in 2002, who were denied the right to wear the tudung (head scarf).

 Karpal was one of the few in the political landscape who were willing to openly oppose the use of religion for political ends, and, as indicative of the viciousness of some of the responses when he passed on, he paid a price for it.

 He was mistakenly portrayed as the main obstacle in Pakatan Rakyat to the implementation of Islamic law, but in reality, he was only one of those who was brave enough to voice his concerns publicly, as the debate over religion has become so politically poisonous and devoid of real, shared religious principles.

 He believed in practising faith in his everyday life, and opposed the power of the government to take away the choice of citizens on how to practice their faith.

 Another area where Karpal Singh was on the forefront was in calling for a responsible constitutional royalty, a call that led to his most recent conviction for sedition – for effectively stating a legal opinion.

 His political ally in this area was ironically initially Mahathir, who checked the powers of the royalty.

 Since Mahathir’s formal departure from politics in 2003, the powers of the royalty have grown and it has become intertwined in political battles, from Perak to Selangor. While the royalty is the political institution that receives the highest respect among ordinary Malaysians in polling, it is also facing a battering among some in the general public who differ with the political positions and positioning in a highly polarised polity.

 The 2014 sedition conviction of Karpal does not strengthen the royalty as an institution, and in the longer term, will open it to greater discord as it undermines the important role the royalty plays in representing the nation as a whole.

A loyal opposition voice

 Some differ with the political positions Karpal took over the decades. Even among those sympathetic there were those critical of the timing and approach of his engagement. Yet, others were in full support of his steadfastness and defence of Malaysia’s national constitutional roots, and this admiration has been evident in the last few days.

 He was the voice for the views that many in Malaysia’s silent majority, across the races, are afraid to state publicly. No one can question the pivotal role he has played in shaping Malaysian politics over the last four-and-a-half decades.

After 2008, it became harder for an opposition lawmaker to be purely an opponent, given the compromises needed for being in government at the state level and the challenges of an ideologically divided opposition coalition.

 The current decade of Malaysian politics offers new obstacles in much muddier and murkier waters. The Najib government has not led in the areas of fairness and statesmanship, as shown in the examples of the efforts by the prosecution to put Karpal in jail.

 Karpal stayed consistently principle-rooted in the muck that Malaysian politics has become today, and his role in fighting against injustice came to the fore again in his resistance to the political manipulation of institutions and violation of rights that have become part of Najib’s era.

 Whether in the courtroom or in Parliament, Karpal’s contributions were a valuable national service that made the country stronger. He embodied the term loyal opposition in the interest of Malaysia.

 DR BRIDGET WELSH is associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University. She can be reached at
[email protected]
.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 5:25 pm and is filed under
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Karpal Singh, pemimpin lagenda Malaysian Malaysia!

– Loke Siew Fook

Roketkini.com

April 23, 2014

Pemergian mantan Pengerusi Kebangsaan DAP Sdr Karpal Singh pada pagi 17 April 2014 dalam satu kemalangan ngeri di KM301.6 Lebuhraya Utara Selatan berdekatan Gua Tempurung menggemparkan seluruh negara. Saya dimaklumkan tentang berita sedih tersebut semasa berada dalam lawatan ke Guangzhou, China, atas jemputan sebuah institut penyelidikan rantau Asia Tenggara di sana. Saya memendekkan lawatan saya untuk kembali ke Malaysia pada 18 April untuk memberikan penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Sdr Karpal.

Saya bersama seluruh kepimpinan DAP dan puluhan ribu rakyat Malaysia mengiringi jenazah Sdr Karpal untuk menyelesaikan perjalanan terakhirnya di Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, pada tengahari 20 April 2014. Sepanjang perarakan tersebut, perasaan saya sedih dan terharu untuk menghantar seorang pemimpin politik dan peguam yang amat sinonim dengan rakyat Malaysia. Nama Karpal Singh telah tertanam di minda saya sejak di bangku sekolah lagi. Gandingan beliau dengan Sdr Lim Kit Siang merupakan beregu yang paling mantap dalam kepimpinan tertinggi DAP dan barisan pembangkang di Parlimen sepanjang beberapa dekad yang lalu.

Saya merenung wajah dan emosi orang ramai yang berduyun-duyun memberikan penghormatan terakhir kepada Sdr Karpal di Dewan Sri Pinang dan juga puluhan ribu yang berbaris di sepanjang jalan. Ramai yang menitiskan air mata dan tidak dapat mengawal kepiluan hati naluri mereka. Ramai juga yang berteriak “Karpal Singh, Karpal Singh” dengan penuh bersemangat sebagai tanda menghargai semangat perjuangan beliau.

Mereka ini terdiri daripada pelbagai latarbelakang kaum dan agama, darjat dan lapisan masyarakat. Daripada golongan peguam hinggalah para penjaja, Sdr Karpal menyayat hati semua. Ini terbukti dengan reaksi spontan ribuan penunggang motosikal yang mengiringi kereta jenazah beliau untuk sampai ke krematorium.

Dalam hati kecil, saya berasa amat bangga sebagai seorang ahli DAP dan berkhidmat sebagai seorang anggota CEC di bawah kepimpinan Sdr Karpal Singh. Sdr Karpal adalah dari kaum minoriti yang paling kecil di Malaysia iaitu komuniti Sikh. Namun, beliau bukan disanjungi sebagai seorang pemimpin komuniti Sikh mahupun pemimpin DAP semata-mata, tetapi sebagai seorang pemimpin rakyat Malaysia yang telah banyak berkhidmat dan berkorban untuk negara!

Bagi saya, beliaulah manifestasi terbaik dalam perjuangan DAP merealisasikan impian “Malaysian Malaysia”. Seorang pemimpin yang melihat dirinya, dan dilihat oleh masyarakat, bukan dari segi latarbelakang kaum dan agamanya tetapi sebagai seorang anak bangsa Malaysia. Sdr Karpal telah berjaya mencapai status tersebut dalam riwayat hidupnya.

Perjuangan Sdr Karpal dalam bidang guaman dan politik tidak pernah bersandarkan faktor perkauman tetapi berpaksikan nilai-nilai keadilan sejagat dan kebebasan, kesamarataan dari segi undang-undang dan demokrasi untuk semua. Nilai-nilai dan prinsip-prinsip tersebut merupakan pegangan prinsip hidupnya sepanjang hayat. Beliau sering mengingatkan kami, “tidak ada kawan dan musuh yang kekal dalam dunia politik, hanya prinsip yang kekal.”

Pegangan prinsipnya amat kuat dan konsisten. Semua orang mengetahui pendirian beliau yang tidak pernah berganjak dalam isu pelaksanaan undang-undang Hukum Hudud. Namun, perlu ditegaskan bahawa penentangan beliau terhadap pelaksanaan Hukum Hudud di Malaysia BUKAN kerana beliau memusuhi agama Islam. Pendiriannya jelas bahawa pelaksanaan tersebut tidak selari dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan tidak sesuai dengan keadaan masyarakat majmuk di Malaysia.

Mana-mana pencacai yang menimbulkan buruk sangka terhadap Sdr Karpal perlu diingatkan bahawa Sdr Karpal pernah mempertahankan hak kaum Muslimat untuk menutup aurat mereka dengan pemakaian purdah dan tudung baik di Malaysia mahupun di Singapura. Prinsipnya konsisten, iaitu hak beragama masing-masing yang dijamin di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan perlu dipertahankan selama-lamanya, tetapi undang-undang jenayah yang merupakan undang-undang sekular perlu diaplikasikan secara sama rata terhadap semua rakyat untuk memartabatkan prinsip keadilan untuk semua.

Pemergian Sdr Karpal pada ketika negara melalui proses perubahan politik yang belum lagi selesai sudah tentu meninggalkan satu vakum dalam kepimpinan DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat. Namun, prinsip dan kebijaksanaan beliau akan terus menjadi pedoman kepada kepimpinan pelapis DAP dalam memacu perjuangan DAP dalam merealisasikan impian Malaysia untuk rakyat Malaysia!

Terima kasih atas perjuanganmu… Sdr Karpal Singh, pemimpin lagenda Malaysian Malaysia!

*Loke Siew Fook adalah Setiausaha Organisasi Kebangsaan DAP dan Ahli Parlimen Seremban

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 11:26 am and is filed under
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MH370: Ex-NST boss backs foreign press coverage, skewers conspiracy claims

The Malay Mail Online

April 22, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — The foreign media should not be attacked for sullying Malaysia’s image in its coverage of the MH370 crisis, veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said, telling local authorities to first look at the circumstances surrounding the missing jetliner before pointing fingers at others.

The former group editor-in-chief for English daily New Straits Times said criticising the press when they were just doing their jobs was akin to “shooting the messenger”.

“It won’t solve the problem, especially if what they’ve reported is the truth,” he said in a blog posting here.

“When one messenger is shot, tens more will arise. The information and communication technology of today allows any person with a computer or a smartphone to become instant journalists should they want to,” he pointed out.

Kadir added that given the lack of answers to the ongoing crisis, and the string of unfortunate incidents that followed the jetliner’s mysterious disappearance last month, it was to be expected that Malaysia would take a beating in the international media.

He cited several examples, including last week’s capture of a Malaysian air force major in the US. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) major, Mohd Faiz bin Abdul Jalil, was caught for allegedly attempting to smuggle out a Taurus PT-22 pistol back to Malaysia.

Kadir noted that the news had come at a time when the Malaysian air force was still struggling to fend off criticisms against its ability to keep the country’s airspace secure.

The RMAF earned public scorn when it was revealed during the early days of MH370’s disappearance that the Boeing 777 aircraft ferrying 239 people had made an unauthorised air turnback and passed through military radar unnoticed.

The aircraft’s changed flight path was only confirmed later and became the basis of the ongoing hunt for the plane in the southern Indian Ocean, which is thousands of miles away from the original search zone in the South China Sea.

“So can we blame the foreign media for tarnishing our country’s image by reporting these incidents when even our media would do the same?” Kadir pointed out.

The senior journalist said the case of the RMAF major was not the only example.

He also cited the case of Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian businessman known by the moniker “Fat Leonard” who has been charged with bribing US Navy officials with sex, luxury holidays and concert tickets.

“So instead, we should condemn, and where possible, punish our own citizens for committing crimes abroad and destroying our image,” he said.

As such, Kadir rubbished claims of a foreign media agenda against Malaysia, saying based on his observations, the press have only reported the truth.

He admitted that some reports, particularly in the Chinese media, may have been sensationalised or injected with emotion, but said this should be expected for as long as MH370 remains unfound.

The media will continue to fill the information gaps with theories and speculation, he said, until searchers discover the missing aircraft.

“And after that, if the plane is found, the focus will then be on the investigation,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 5:41 am and is filed under
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Release the RCI report on Sabah illegal immigrants

By Kee Thuan Chye

msn.news

21.4.2014

Kidnappings and illegal immigrants – these are issues that are closely related, because they raise the pressing question of how secure Sabah’s east coast really is. So when a Chinese tourist and a Filipino worker were abducted by gunmen from Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna on April 2, proving once again that marauders from around the surrounding areas and the Philippines can easily penetrate Sabah’s eastern border, the incident also reminded us how easily illegal immigrants have been hopping into Sabah over the decades.

This naturally led to another question. A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) was established in 2012 to finally investigate the issue of Sabah’s illegal immigrants, and it concluded its hearings on September 20, 2013. But after seven months, we have not yet been told what the six-man panel have recommended. When will the RCI findings be revealed?

 Is the Federal Government, as usual, waiting for the right timing to release the findings so that it can use the occasion for its own political leverage? Or is it holding back because the recommendations may be detrimental to its own position?

In any case, one supposes the Federal Government is not in a hurry now to address the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah because the 13th general election (GE13) is already over and the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government was retained without suffering major casualties. Besides, despite the fact that the issue has been of great concern to Sabahans for the longest time, it is, on the other hand, something the Federal Government would rather ignore. Looking back at the many years of nonchalance it displayed towards the incessant lobbying of Sabah political parties, including and especially those within the BN fold, for the establishment of the RCI, we can see that this is true.

It took the defections to Pakatan Rakyat in July 2012 of Wilfred Bumburing, a former deputy chief minister of Sabah from Upko (United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation), and the then federal deputy housing and local government minister Lajim Ukin from Umno, both saying they had lost faith in BN ever wanting to solve Sabah’s many long-standing problems, including the illegal immigrants issue, before action on the RCI was finally taken.

Fearing further defections ahead of the impending GE13, Prime Minister Najib Razak, who had several months earlier mentioned the possibility of an RCI on the issue, finally announced on August 11, 2012, that the RCI would proceed.

Then, Najib did it out of urgency and political need. But now he has the luxury of time to release the report when it is expedient for him to do so. But will the report make a radical difference, anyway? Will the panel’s recommendations be bold? More important, if the recommendations called for drastic action to be taken to once and for all solve the perennial problem, would the Government apply them? Or would it, as in the V.K. Lingam RCI and the one calling for the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), sweep the whole thing out of reckoning?

After all, from the testimonies of the 211 witnesses at the RCI, we have seen how shocking some of their revelations are. And how incriminating they are of BN leaders.

The witnesses have confirmed that the issuing of citizenships illegally and for serving the political agenda of flooding the state with Muslim voters to facilitate the continuation of Muslim (and later, Umno) rule did take place. An ex-NRD (National Registration Department) officer even testified that about 100,000 blue ICs were issued to these immigrants in 1993 alone.

They have told us that government agencies like the NRD, the Immigration Department, National Civics Bureau (BTN) and the Election Commission (EC) were complicit in registering illegal immigrants as voters. Even the police co-operated.

The testimonies of former Sandakan chief district officer Hassnar Ebrahim, former Sabah NRD director Ramli Kamaruddin, former Sabah NRD assistant registrar Kee Dzulkifly Kee Abd Jalil, former Sabah NRD officer Yakup Damsah and former banker Mat Swadi Awi, all affirming government conspiracy in an organised programme of giving out identity cards illegally to illegal immigrants, are particularly damning.

But there have also been constructive suggestions emerging from the inquiry. One in particular, suggested by some of the witnesses, like former Sabah chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan, is to recall all ICs issued in Sabah to confirm which of the IC holders are true Sabahans. This sounds like a very sensible first step towards weeding out those who got their citizenships through foul means.

Former federal minister Bernard Dompok is also an ardent champion of this move. “Although this may sound extreme, it has to be done,” he said. As such, the RCI panel would have excelled in doing its job to express this as one of its strongest recommendations in its report. Let’s hope it has done so. In which case, it should be incumbent on the Federal Government to conduct the required exercise – and to adhere to Article 26 of the Constitution of Malaysia, which calls for citizens to be deprived of their citizenships if it is found that their documents were obtained “by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of any material fact”.

As Dompok put it, “there can be no compromise when a Malaysian IC, and consequentially citizenship, is obtained through dubious means. The holder of such a document was never a Malaysian citizen in the first place.”

He added, “If the ICs in Sabah are all recalled and replaced upon verification, this very act will answer all those criticisms faced by the Election Commission on the contamination of the voters list. Those who have obtained citizenship on the sly and become voters can be struck off the list immediately.”

Remarkably, then, this exercise would achieve two significant purposes.

In fact, when he was on the stand, Dompok contributed a fair bit of substantial material to the RCI. He presented what he called the Upko Initiative, a voluminous study that also identifies numerous entry points into Sabah used by illegals as stepping stones into the state. It shows how kinship and ethnic affiliations among illegals and illegal Malaysians pose a challenge to national security, how the social networks of immigrants can complicate actions that are taken to combat acts of terror like those that occurred during the Sulu incursion in February last year. It warns that such acts of terror are just the tip of the iceberg, and that more can occur in the future if the proper measures are not taken.

The danger to Sabah is therefore obvious. And the April 2 kidnapping reinforces this. Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan testified at the RCI that the issuance of illegal ICs did indeed lead to problems such as the Sulu incursion, and claimed that many of the intruders who were killed were buried in Sabah afterwards because they possessed Malaysian ICs.

How can the Federal Government continue to ignore the danger? It must instead show the political will to help Sabah. That can be done only by taking immediate measures to solve Sabah’s long-standing problem and keep out unwanted elements. And that begins with releasing the RCI findings.

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the book The Elections Bullshit, available in bookstores.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 5:32 am and is filed under
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Standing invitation to Najib and Muhyiddin to the Karpal Singh Memorial service in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night  as it is not a political event but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot

I should not be surprised but I still feel sad that pettiness in mind and spirit still  rule the roost in important establishments in the Malaysian government, resulting in the Education Ministry countermanding an earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo near Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur for the use of the school hall for a memorial service for eight-term Member of Parliament and former Chairman of Democratic Action Party Sdr. Karpal Singh tomorrow night.

The reason for  the Education Department countermanding the earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo for the use of the RM10 million  school hall, built by  donations by the parents of the students and the public without a single sen of contribution by the government, was that the memorial service for Karpal is a political event.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The nation-wide memorial service for Karpal is neither  a DAP nor political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who had dedicated his life to the betterment of his countrymen and women, regardless of race, religion, region, gender or age, as testified by the tens of thousands of Malaysians from all races, religions, regions and classes who paid their last respects to Karpal in Penang during his four-day wake and the funeral on Sunday and the millions who grieved at his passing as a personal loss although the overwhelming majority have not known or met him.

The Education Department’s action is all the more deplorable as the Education Minister who is the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had “on behalf of the Government and UMNO”  not only personally conveyed  his condolences to Karpal’s family, but acknowledged Karpal’s parliamentary contributions in having “lived up to his role as a member of parliament” and who would always be remembered as “his views are respected and feared by many”.

Was Muhyiddin speaking truthfully and sincerely or was he setting the worse moral example possible of hypocrisy and dishonesty  to a whole generation of young Malaysians under his charge as Education Minister?

Let me assure Muhyiddin that the memorial service starting in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night and to be held in other states in Malaysia is not a DAP or political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who have dedicated his life to the causes of justice, the rule of law, democracy and nation-building.

As proof that the Karpal memorial service in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night is netiehgr  a DAP nor  political event, let me issue a standing invitation to Muyhiddin as Deputy Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister to be guests-of-honour to speak at tomorrow’s memorial service at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur starting at 8 pm.

Both Muhyiddin and Najib can be assured that they would be fully welcomed to the Karpal memorial service tomorrow night, not only be the organisers but also by all the Malaysians at the event.

I hope that Muhyiddin or Najib, or both, will give Malaysians a surprise tomorrow night to demonstrate that the pettiness in mind and spirit which resulted in the Education Department’s countermanding the approval given by SJK©  Chung Kwo for the use of the school hall for the Karpal memorial service have not infected the mind, spirit and soul of the top echeleons of the government leadership and that there is still hope in big-spiritedness and big-heartedness of top government leaders to create an united, harmonious and successful multi-racial and multi-religious nation.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 April 2014, 5:00 pm and is filed under
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