Malaysians have a different past  but let us unite to forge a common future to make Malaysia  a top world-class nation

The past few weeks had been testing times for Malaysians not least for Pakatan Harapan.

For the first time since the historic decision of Malaysians in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 over 15 months ago, questions have been raised as to whether DAP should  leave Pakatan Harapan government,  to the extent that this was the subject of readers’ comment in a popular news portal.

There is no doubt that there are political forces working to engineer the implosion and disintegration of Pakatan Harapan coalition government in Putrajaya, but  those who had plotted to see the end of Pakatan Harapan government by the 62nd National Day on August 31, 2019 are very disappointed that they had failed in their latest stratagem.

They are now reduced to calling on so-called “insurbordinate ministers” to quit or be axed.

They do not realise that the four parties in the Pakatan Harapan had come together despite all  odds and different histories in the great patriotic mission   to Save Malaysia from becoming a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state, and that the decision of the Malaysian electorate in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 had  given the country a chance to reset nation-building policies to become a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

But this is no easy task.

The four parties will be guided by the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto in the 14th General Election to build a New Malaysia so that the country can take its place among the top-ranking countries in the world  in human endeavour and excellence, especially as Malaysia is the confluence of the four great civilizations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

The five pillar-promises of Pakatan Harapan for a New Malaysia are:

· Reduce the people’s burden.

· Institutional and political reforms.

· Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth.

· Return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963; and

· Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.

All Pakatan Harapan leaders have agreed that however difficult it is to fulfil all the pledges of these five pillar-promises, we must do our utmost to implement them.

The Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council has set up a high-powered committee to review the PH Manifesto, and if there are specific pledges which cannot be implemented, we must be frank with the people to identify them and to explain why this could not be done.

A massive amount of work awaits to be done in every field to achieve a New Malaysia – nation-building, political, economic, educational and socio-cultural, but the resetting of nation building policies is no ordinary or easy work and  could not  be achieved overnight or even be completed in one general election cycle.

What is important is that Pakatan Harapan government must be  inexorably set  in the trajectory of a New Malaysia as envisioned  by the five pillar-promises to develop a  top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

There are many mine-fields which could destroy the mission of a New Malaysia.

Those who are opposed to “Save Malaysia” mission do not see any need for Malaysia to be saved and for the distortions, abuses of power and injustices of the past six decades to be rectified.

They will do their utmost to ensure  the failure of  the “Save Malaysia” mission, plotting  the implosion and disintegration of Pakatan Harapan, even if the country returns to the trajectory of a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state.

They peddle lies, falsehoods, fake news;  incite suspicion, doubt, distrust, fear and hatred; pit race against race, religion against religion to destroy the “Save Malaysia”  mission.

They are no different from people who in the name of democracy seek to destroy democracy.

Let Malaysians be optimistic about the future and the mission of a New Malaysia to become  a top world-class nation in a decade or two which is respected by the international community as a model plural nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

Let us all rise above the individual racial and religious enclave of fear, distrust, suspicion, hate of other races and religions to a Malaysian haven of mutual trust and appreciation of each other’s different ethnic, cultural and religious identities.

Malaysians have a different past but let us unite to forge a common future to make Malaysia a top world-class nation.

The latest Bank Negara announcement that the Malaysian economy has recorded a strong growth of 4.9% for the second quarter of 2019 (2Q19) is proof that Malaysia has the makings for world-class achievements.

The Bank Negara announcement is significant for three reasons:

1. Malaysia’s 4.9% GDP growth in 2nd quarter of 2019 exceeded the expectation of 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg earlier this year, and is  the strongest economic expansion of the country since early 2018.

2. Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world with 2Q 2019 growth higher than 1Q 2019.

3. Evidence that Malaysia is  capable of world-class performance at  a time when there is increasing concern that there could be a global recession.

Let Malaysians have the confidence to issue forth to challenge not only ourselves but the world!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for  Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Sunday, 18th August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 19 August 2019, 9:56 am and is filed under
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Senator Khairul is right if he is  asking for safeguards against abuses with regard to  MCMC hotline  but wrong and utterly irresponsible if he is proposing a “free for all” for hate speech to incite racial and religious distrust, animosity and hatred in plural Malaysia

UMNO Senator who was formerly UMNO Youth deputy leader Khairul Azwan Harun is right if he is asking for safeguards against abuses with regard to Malaysian Communications and  Multimedia Commission (MCMC) hotline on inflammatory speech but wrong and utterly irresponsible if he is proposing a “free-for-all” for hate speech to incite racial and religious distrust, animosity and hatred in plural Malaysia.

Are Malaysians of diverse races and religions  more united as a Malaysian people in the past 15 months after the historic decision of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, or are they more polarised and divided?

The answer must be the sad latter, not because the Pakatan Harapan Government in Putrajaya had disregarded its responsibility  to unite Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region but because of a vicious phenomenon in the Internet era  which has given  new wings to hate speech, endowing  it with great destructive power especially in plural societies  unless checked.

What is hate speech?

Hate speech is defined by Wikipedia as a statement intended to demean and brutalize another, or the use of cruel and derogatory language on the basis of real or alleged membership in a social group.

Wikipedia said:

“Hate speech is speech that attacks a person or a group on the basis of protected attributes such as race, religion, ethnic origin, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity”.

The laws of some countries describe hate speech as speech, gestures, conduct, writing, or displays that incite violence or prejudicial actions against a group or individuals on the basis of their membership in the group, or which disparage or intimidate a group or individuals on the basis of their membership in the group.

Should hate speech be allowed a field day in Malaysia?

I do not think anyone in their right senses would allow hate speech to incite suspicion, distrust, hate and fear of one ethnic group against another, or of one religion against another, to have a field day and tear apart the plural Malaysian nation.

Already, we are seeing the destructive effect of hate speech, using lies, falsehoods, fake news to incite suspicion, doubt, fear and hatred, pitting race against race and religion against religion in Malaysia in the past 15 months.

My political secretary, lawyer Syahredzan Johan has said that the threshold for investigations into and arrests for offensive social media comments on race, religion or the royalty must be high and reserved only for those inciting violence or hate speech.

As he emphasised rightly, there  is an urgent need for laws to tackle hate speech, as  it is now rampant on social media touching on the 3Rs (Race, Religion and Royalty) and requires urgent action, but the threshold for investigations including arrests must be high and there must be clear guidelines on what sort of reports can trigger investigations and punitive actions.

I commend the MCMC chairperson Alishasal Ishak in inviting  Malaysians to report social media content which contained offensive content involving the “3R” – race, religion and royalty – to the commission on WhatsApp (016 220 6262) or
[email protected]
.

Alishasal is right in urging  Malaysians not to  retweet, share or author comments to offend other ethnic groups.

Malaysians should cherish what they had achieved on May 9, 2018, which was a  great victory for democracy at a time when democracy was in retreat world-wide.

Like democracy, free speech is hard won but easily lost.

According to Freedom House, a watchdog, free speech has declined globally over the past decade.

The most repressive regimes have become more so: among those classed as “not free” by Freedom House, 28% have tightened the muzzle in the past five years; only 14% have loosened it.

“Partly free” countries were as likely to improve as to get worse, but “free” countries regressed. Some 19% of them (16 countries) have grown less hospitable to free speech in the past five years, while only 14% have improved.

Malaysia was one of the six countries which buckled the international trend of “democracy in retreat” and  made democratic gains in 2018, sharing pride of place with Ethiopia.

Let us look at what has happened in Ethiopia in the past year.

This is from a recent article in an international journal:

“Only a year ago it (free speech) flowered in Ethiopia, under a supposedly liberal new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. All the journalists in jail were released, and hundreds of websites, blogs and satellite TV channels were unblocked.

“But now the regime is having second thoughts. Without a dictatorship to suppress it, ethnic violence has flared. Bigots have incited ethnic cleansing on newly free social media. Nearly three  million  Ethiopians have been driven from their homes.

“Ethiopia faces a genuine emergency, and many Ethiopians think it reasonable for the government to silence those who advocate violence.”

The road to a New Malaysia is rocky and uphill, but we must keep alive our idealism and vision of a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity, through  the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto of the 14th General Election, viz:

· Reduce the people’s burden.

· Institutional and political reforms.

· Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth.

· Restore Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963.

· Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.

The alternative to a New Malaysia is to return the country to the trajectory of a failed, rogue and kleptocratic Malaysia – where there will be no democracy, let alone free speech!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, 19th August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 19 August 2019, 10:05 am and is filed under
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Those who had plotted to see the end of Pakatan Harapan government by 62nd National Day disappointed they had failed in their stratagem

Those who had plotted to see the end of Pakatan Harapan government by the 62nd National Day on August 31, 2019 are very disappointed that they had failed in their stratagem.

They are now reduced to calling on so-called “insurbordinate ministers” to quit or be axed.

They do not realise that the four parties in the Pakatan Harapan had come together despite all  odds and different histories in the great patriotic mission   to Save Malaysia from becoming a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state, and that the decision of the Malaysian electorate in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 – well nigh a political miracle –  has given the country a chance to reset nation-building policies to become a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

This is no easy task.

The four parties will be guided by the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto in the 14th General Election to build a New Malaysia so that the country can take its place among the top-ranking countries in the world  in human endeavour and excellence, especially as Malaysia is the confluence of the four great civilizations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

The five pillar-promises of Pakatan Harapan for a New Malaysia are:

· Reduce the people’s burden.

· Institutional and political reforms.

· Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth.

· Return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963; and

· Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.

All Pakatan Harapan leaders have agreed that however difficult it is to fulfil all the pledges of these five pillar-promises, we must do our utmost to implement them.

The Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council has set up a high-powered committee to review the PH Manifesto, and if there are specific pledges which cannot be implemented, we must be frank with the people to identify them and to explain why this could not be done.

A massive amount of work awaits to be  done in every field to achieve a New Malaysia – nation-building, political, economic, educational and socio-cultural, but the resetting of nation building policies is no ordinary or easy work and  could not  be achieved overnight or even be completed in one general election cycle.

What is important is that Pakatan Harapan government must be  inexorably set  in the trajectory of a New Malaysia as envisioned  by the five pillar-promises to develop a  top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

There are many mine-fields which could destroy the objective of a New Malaysia.

Those who are opposed to “Save Malaysia” mission do not see any need for Malaysia to be saved and for the distortions, abuses of power and injustices of the past six decades to be rectified.

They will do their utmost to ensure  the failure of  the “Save Malaysia” mission, plotting  the implosion and disintegration of Pakatan Harapan, even if the country returns to the trajectory of a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state.

They peddle lies, falsehoods, fake news;  incite suspicion, doubt, distrust, fear and hatred; pit race against race, religion against religion to destroy the “Save Malaysia”  mission.

They create fear and distrust  among each race and religion that the other races and religions are their greatest threats and enemies resulting in  Malaysians living in fear in their separate ethnic enclaves, when Malaysians should rise above these baseless fears and come out of their separate enclaves to appreciate each other’s ethnic and cultural qualities and  virtues.

As a result, I have achieved a status unheard-of for any Malaysian – feared and condemned by some Malays for being a Chinese threat to Malay rights and ethnicity as well as feared and condemned by some Chinese for betraying Chinese rights, language and culture.

Is it possible for any one person to assume such multiple and contradictory roles – on the one hand, out to eradicate Malay rights, culture and ethnicity on behalf of the Chinese, and on the other hand, out to betray Chinese language, education and culture allegedly at the behest of Malay interests.

The Cabinet decision on the Jawi controversy is a good example.

At one end of the spectrum is the UMNO Vice President, Khaled Nordin who said that the latest Cabinet decision on the Jawi controversy shows that DAP is the true power behind the Pakatan Harapan government.

At the other end of the spectrum, the DAP is regarded as “having gone from hero to zero in the eyes of the Chinese base” and having betrayed the voters and I have become a “running dog” in  betraying the rights and future of Chinese Malaysians.

Which version is right?

It is not possible for both allegations to be right although both allegations could be wrong – and there is no doubt that in this case, both such allegations are wrong.

Malaysia will fail as a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity if we replace a “win-win” formula of nation-building with a zero-sum mentality.

Whether it is Jawi or Zakir Naik controversy, it is a legacy of the previous government.

As I said yesterday, the final policy decision on Jawi in Std. IV, V and VI Chinese and Tamil primary school Bahasa Malaysia revised textbooks were decided at a meeting of the Jawatankuasa Perancang Pendikan on 21st Sept. 2015, which was chaired by the then Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and attended by the two Deputy Education Ministers, Datuk Chong Sin Woon (MCA) and P. Kamalanathan (MIC).

In the case of Zakir Naik, his permanent resident status was given by the previous government.

On 18th April 2017, the then Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi told the press that Zakir Niak had been holding permanent resident status since about five years ago.

Malaysians who want a New Malaysia as a world top-class nation must have the perseverance, stamina and commitment to take the long march to this objective, and not to be  influenced by  who want this great mission to fail.

The latest Bank Negara announcement that the Malaysian economy has recorded a strong growth of 4.9% for the second quarter of 2019 (2Q19), supported by higher household spending and private investment, is significant for three reasons:

1. Malaysia’s 4.9% GDP growth in 2nd quarter of 2019 exceeded the expectation of 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg earlier this year, and is  the strongest economic expansion of the country since early 2018.

2. Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world with 2Q 2019 growth higher than 1Q 2019.

3. Evidence that Malaysia is still capable of world-class performance and proof that  the prophets of doom are wrong at  a time when there is increasing concern that there could be a global recession.

Let Malaysians have the confidence to come out of their respective racial and religious enclaves to  rise above the fears and imaginary demons to unite their resources and talents to achieve a New Malaysia to take  its proper place as one of the top world-class nations within a decade or two.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 17th August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 19 August 2019, 9:46 am and is filed under
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Call for launching of a “I am, you are, we are Malaysian” campaign or movement on the occasion of the 62nd National Day/56th Malaysia Day celebrations

There have been too much negative vibes in the country in the past 15 months, which have seen the rearing of the ugly heads of distrust, suspicion, fear and hate,  as a result of the Internet phenomenon enabling lies, falsehoods,  fake news and hate speech  to travel at the speed of light to pit race against race and religion against religion.

This is most anomalous for the past 15 months should be a season of hope and expectation of change for the better in Malaysia, with the  historic decision of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 to democratically and peacefully change the Federal Government first time in six decades.

Malaysia has been described as one of the six countries where
 “some light shined through these gathering clouds in 2018” against the backdrop of  “13th consecutive year of decline in global freedom”
, but these hopes seems to have dimmed suddenly in a matter of 15 months, to the extent that there are claims that the Pakatan Harapan is similar to Barisan Nasional – with a  former Malaysian Bar President penning an article entitled:
“What we have now is BN 2.0”.

It is fallacious to equate Pakatan Harapan as BN 2.0, disregarding the ground work that has been done for further institutional and political reforms and to transform Malaysia into a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity, with a “tiger economy” and far-reaching educational reforms.

But the Pakatan Harapan government must heed the increasing impatience of the people that there should be greater progress in the reforms in various aspects of national life.

But one thing is for sure, that everything will come to nought if Pakatan Harapan fails in its fifth pillar-promise to
“create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally”.

A lot of work awaits to be done in every field if we are to succeed to establish a  New Malaysia – nation-building, political, economic, educational and socio-cultural –  as the resetting of nation building policies is no ordinary or easy work and could not be achieved overnight or even be completed in one general election cycle.

What is important is that Pakatan Harapan government must be inexorably set in the trajectory of a New Malaysia as envisioned by the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan 14th  General Election Manifesto to develop a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

Malaysia is the confluence of four great civilisations – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western. Let us leverage on the best qualities and values of these four great civilisations to build a great Malaysian nation.

For a start, let Malaysians come out of their separate racial or religious shells  to celebrate that we are all Malaysians, that
“I am, you are, we are Malaysian”
, to trust, interact, understand and appreciate the best values of each other’s ethnicity, religion and culture.

This is the path of Malaysian nation-building based on integration as distinct from assimilation or segregation.

The 62nd National Day/56th Malaysia Day celebrations from August 31 to Sept. 16. 2019 would be most meaningful if every Malaysian adopt and  celebrate the theme of
“I am, you are, we are Malaysian”
campaign or movement!

Malaysians must get out of the extraordinary trap where every race and religion suspect, distrust and  fear other races and religions.

Every community fears that its culture and ethnicity is facing an existential threat.

If all communities, whether Malays, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan and Iban,  feel threatened by other communities, who is doing the threatening?

Not only the various ethnic groups feel threatened, Islam feels threatened and the non-Islamic religions feel threatened.

Malaysians must develop a new self-confidence of
 “I am, you are, we are Malaysian”
,
“reach for the stars”
and a new “
Malaysia Boleh
” spirit, to exorcise the various fears and demons –  contrived, imaginary or otherwise –  for Malaysia to excel itself in various fields of human endeavour so as to achieve a golden age for Malaysia.

Let us launch the
“I am, you are, we are Malaysian!”
 campaign or movement!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Tuesday, 20th August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 20 August 2019, 8:57 am and is filed under
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Shocking that after four weeks of controversy, 95% of Chinese and Indian Malaysians not aware there is Jawi in Std. V Bahasa Malaysia textbook for years and that the revised curriculum to introduce Jawi in Std. IV was decided by MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and UMNO Ministers in Sept. 2015

It is indeed shocking that after four weeks of controversy over Jawi in Chinese and Primary schools, 95% of Chinese and Indian Malaysians are not aware that there is Jawi in Std. V Bahasa Malaysia textbook for years and that the revised curriculum to introduce Jawi in Std. IV was decided by MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and UMNO Ministers in Sept. 2015.

Now, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and SUPP leaders are loudest in condemning the introduction of Jawi in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, although this decision was taken by their Ministers four years ago in 2015, to be  implemented yearly  in the revised textbooks from 2017 – 2022.

The Jawi subject controversy was a legacy of the former government, as the final decision on the new textbooks for Chinese/Tamil primary schools to introduce the Jawi subject for Std. 4 pupils in 2020 was made by Education Ministry Curriculum Committee chaired by the then Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid  and  attended by the then two Deputy Education Ministers, Datuk Chong Sin Woon (MCA) and P. Kamalanathan (MIC) in a meeting of Sept. 21, 2015.

After that it became an administrative matter  for the relevant Education Ministry divisions to implement the policy decision of Sept. 2015.

If there had been no change of government in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, the implementation of the Education Ministry decision on new curriculum in Sept. 2015 would probably result in “Three Wants” in the new textbooks for Chinese/Tamil Std. 4 primary school pupils – Want to be compulsory, Want to have examination and Want students to learn to read and write Jawi.

Now, the “Three Wants” had become “Three Nos” — No Compulsion, No Examination and No learning/writing of Jawi but only introduction.

These are the facts and it is important that background information of the Jawi controversy be understood by all Malaysians.

The latest Cabinet formula for the resolution of the Jawi controversy has elicited contradictory reactions.

It  been described by MCA, Gerakan and SUPP elements as proof that the DAP Ministers have sold out the rights and interests of the Chinese and Indians.

But what is UMNO saying?

One UMNO leader said that the Cabinet decision shows that DAP is the “true power in the Pakatan Harapan government” while another leader describes it as “victory” of Dong Jiao Zong.

Which is which? Or neither is right?

The Jawi controversy is a lesson to  all Malaysians that we should be informed of the background facts of a problem and to  take a Malaysian approach to all problems.

I want to reiterate my call to Malaysians that on the occasion of the 62nd National Day/53rd Malaysia Day celebrations from August 31 to Sept. 16, 2019 to rise above the fissisparous and centrifugal forces threatening to tear Malaysia apart and reunite to build a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

Let us  come out of our separate ethnic and religious  shells, interact and appreciate the virtues and best values of each other’s ethnicity and leverage on Malaysia’s special position  as the confluence of four great world civilisations and not to fall victim to those  who only want to engender and incite suspicion, distrust, fear and hatred, pitting race against race and religion against religion, through lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech.

Let us  develop the confidence of “I am, you are, we are Malaysian” theme to take on the world, and not to fight among ourselves, so that Malaysia can  become a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 21st August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 21 August 2019, 1:21 pm and is filed under
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Speech by Sultan Nazrin on civilizational dialogue most apt and timely

Ucapan dialog ketamadunan Sultan Nazrin tepat pada masanya

Ucapan yang diberikan oleh Sultan Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah di Dialog Ketamadunan Malaysia-China yang kedua berkenaan dengan Islam dan Konfiusianisme semalam yang diadakan sempena ulang tahun ke-45 hubungan diplomatik Malaysia-China datang pada waktu yang sangat sempurna.

Kedua-dua dialog dan ucapan yang diberikan telah menekankan hakikat bahawa Malaysia adalah satu tempat pertembungan empat tamadun besar dunia — Islam, Cina, India, dan Barat — dan merupakan satu cabaran kepada semua rakyat Malaysia untuk memanfaatkan perkara ini dalam membina sebuah negara yang hebat dan dunia yang lebih baik.

Keyakinan Sultan Nazrin terhadap satu Malaysia yang berbilang kaum sebagai satu tempat untuk dialog di antara pelbagai agama dan kepercayaan sepatutnya dicontohi oleh rakyat Malaysia bagi membolehkan kita semua memainkan peranan yang lebih besar di pentas antarabangsa dalam menggalakkan kesefahaman, toleransi, dan keharmonian ketika kebencian dan konflik mula menunjukkan dirinya di serata dunia.

Sultan Nazrin tepat sekali apabila baginda mengatakan yang kita sekarang hidup dalam satu dunia yang semakin berpecah-belah. Tetapi, golongan moderat daripada semua kaum, agama, budaya, dan negara mestilah kekal tegas terhadap ekstremis kerana kaum majoriti terdiri daripada golongan moderat.

Seperti yang dikatakan baginda pada Majlis Konvokasi ke-48 Politeknik Ungku Omar di Ipoh, rakyat Malaysia perlu menolak ekstremis perkauman dan agama.

Baginda berkata: “Selepas 62 tahun kemerdekaan, suara yang menyatukan dan suara moderasilah yang merangkumi semua rakyat, jangan benarkan suara ini daripada dirampas oleh siapa sekalipun untuk keuntungan politik jangka pendek.

Jangan serahkan masa depan rakyat dan negara kepada kumpulan-kumpulan yang cuba untuk membawa ideologi perkauman dan agama ekstremis.”

Sultan Nazrin telah merujuk kepada inisiatif Perikatan Tamadun (UNAOC) — yang ditubuhkan oleh Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu pada tahun 2005 selepas penerbitan tesis kontroversi Samuel Huntington — untuk membentuk satu kerjasama antarabangsa, antara-agama, dan antara budaya.

Inisiatif UNAOC ini ditubuhkan 14 tahun yang lalu dengan sumbangan bersama daripada Sepanyol dan Turki dengan tujuan untuk menggalakkan dialog antara budaya dan agama sebagai alat untuk mencapai kepelbagaian, keterangkuman, dan toleransi berasaskan prinsip saling menghormati.

Saya sentiasa percaya bahawa Malaysia yang terdiri daripada komuniti yang datang daripada pelbagai latar belakang kaum, agama, dan budaya sebagai tempat pertembungan empat tamadun besar, sesuai untuk memainkan peranan utama dalam inisiatif UNAOC ini.

Jika ucapan baginda dapat membantu Malaysia untuk bergerak ke arah untuk menggalakkan kesefahaman, toleransi, dan saling hormat menghormati di antara pelbagai kaum etnik, agama, dan budaya, di dalam negara dan di pentas antarabangsa, ia akan menjadi kejayaan terbesar untuk titah diraja ini.

(Kenyataan media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Khamis 22 Ogos 2019)

===========================

The speech by Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah at the Second Malaysia-China Youth  Civilisational  Dialogue on Islam and Confucianism yesterday in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations could not be  more apt and timely.

Both the speech and the dialogue  highlight the important fact that Malaysia is the confluence of four great civilisations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western – and represent a challenge to Malaysians as to how we can best leverage on their  values and qualities to build a great Malaysian nation and a better world.

Sultan Nazrin’s confidence of  “vibrantly multicultural“ Malaysia as “a fitting  location for a dialogue between different religions and sets of beliefs” should be adopted by Malaysians so that Malaysia can play a greater role in the  international community to promote understanding, tolerance and harmony at a time when hate, intolerance and conflict are raising their ugly heads.

Sultan Nazrin is right that we are living in an increasingly conflicted and divided world. But moderates of all ethnicities, religions, cultures and nations must not cede territory to the extremists and the irrational, as the majority everywhere are moderates and rational people.

As Sultan Nazrin has said at the 48th convocation of the Ungku Omar Polytechnic in Ipoh, Malaysians must reject racial and religious extremists.

He said:
 “After 62 years of independence, the voice which unites and the voice of moderation that encompasses the people, never allow this to be seized by anyone for the purposes of shallow short-term politics.

“The future of the people and the country should not be handed to groups that bring racial and religious extremist ideologies.”

Sultan Nazrin referred to the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) initiative – established  in 2005 “largely in defiance of  Samuel Huntington’s controversial ‘Clash of Civilisation’ thesis” – seeking to forge international, intercultural and inter-religious co-operation.

The UNAOC initiative was born 14 years ago under the co-sponsorship of Spain and Turkey to address the root causes of polarisation and violent extremism and to promote inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue as a tool to achieve diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance based on mutual respect.

I had always believed that multiracial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia is very well placed as the confluence of the four great civilisations  of the world to play a leading role in this “Alliance of civilisations”, both domestically and in the international arena.

If Sultan Nazrin’s speech can help Malaysia move in this direction, to promote understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among different ethnicities, religions and cultures, both within the country and the world, to check the rise of hate and intolerance,  it will be the greatest achievement of the royal address.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Thursday, August 22, 2019)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 22 August 2019, 6:39 pm and is filed under
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“Alliance of Civilisations” on the domestic and international fronts the best antidote to the rise of hate, fear and intolerance through the abuse of social media

Inisiatif UNAOC di peringkat domestik dan antarabangsa adalah penawar terbaik untuk kebangkitan sentimen kebencian, ketakutan dan tidak bertolerasi yang semakin menjadi-jadi melalui penyalahgunaan media sosial

Semalam, Indonesia telah menyekat akses Internet di Papua berikutan kebimbangan bahawa kenyataan perkauman dan jelek yang dimuat naik di dalam talian (online) akan mencetuskan lebih banyak protes keganasan di wilayah tersebut.

Tunjuk perasaan dan rusuhan menyebabkan beberapa bandar di Papua lumpuh minggu ini, dengan bangunan-bangunan dibakar dan pertempuran antara polis dan penunjuk perasaan tercetus di wilayah paling timur negara Indonesia itu.

Pemberontakan terhadap pentadbiran di Jakarta telah berlarutan untuk beberapa dekad di wilayah kepulauan tersebut, yang mana berkongsi sempadan dengan negara Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia memperlahankan perkhidmatan internet beberapa hari lalu bagi mengelak penyebaran berita tidak benar, komen provokatif dan perkauman yang menyasarkan populasi etnik Melanesia di Papua. Namun, ia hanya disekat sepenuhnya pada lewat malam semalam.

Awal bulan ini, apabila Perdana Menteri India, Narendra Modi bertindak memansuhkan Perkara 370 Perlembagaan India yang memberikan Jammu dan Kashmir (J & K) status istimewa dalam Kesatuan India, akses Internet disekat untuk kali yang ke-53 tahun ini.

Di India, tahun lalu, terdapat 65 sekatan dilakukan, manakala 176 sekatan berlaku sepanjang lapan tahun lalu, termasuk larangan selama enam bulan pada tahun 2016.

Beberapa bulan lalu, Sudan menyekat akses ke media sosial bagi mengelakkan perusuh daripada membentuk gerakan; dan Chad menyekat akses ke media sosial bagi membungkam suara-suara penentangan terhadap rancangan presidennya untuk kekal berkuasa sehingga 2033.

Tahun lalu, 25 buah kerajaan telah menyekat akses internet. Di seluruh dunia, sekatan seumpama itu meningkat sebanyak 188 pada tahun lalu, peningkatan dari 75 pada tahun 2016.

Di seluruh dunia, pemerintah mendapat suatu idea baharu – iaitu untuk menutup internet – pun begitu, idea seperti ini tidak selalunya berkesan dan mungkin akan mendatangkan masalah yang lebih teruk.

Menutup akses internet sudah tentunya akan menguntungkan para autokrat

Mereka boleh menggunakan sekatan seumpama itu untuk menapis pandangan dan berita yang tidak disenangi mereka, menyekat pandangan ahli politik lawan, menghalang aktivis daripada berkumpul, dan menyekat perbincangan mengenai kepincangan kerajaan. Sebagai contoh, selepas pengundi membuang undi mereka pada tahun lalu dalam sebuah pilihan raya yang secara meluas dilihat sebagai kotor, kerajaan Republik Demokratik Congo menyekat semua akses internet selama hampir tiga minggu atas alasan untuk mengelakkan “rusuhan”.

Walapun dalam sebuah negara yang berdemokratik, pendekatan sekatan seumpama itu tampak memikat. Ketika puak pengganas membunuh lebih 250 orang di Sri Lanka pada April, pihak berkuasa negara tersebut telah menutup akses ke pelbagai perkhidmatan media sosial selama lebih seminggu. Tindakan itu mungkin dilihat wajar ketika itu kerana aplikasi media sosial boleh mempercepatkan penyebaran maklumat tidak benar, dan mencetuskan lebih banyak keganasan.

Masalahnya, tidak ada sebarang bukti keberkesanan sekatan seumpama itu. Sekatan-sekatan ini tidak meredakan kemarahan yang berpotensi melahirkan perbuatan keganasan, dan pihak pencetus kekacauan akan mencuba pelbagai cara untuk memintas sekatan tersebut dengan menggunakan sebagai contoh VPN (rangkaian persendirian maya) atau teknologi yang lain – atau menggunakan cara lama iaitu dengan penyebaran khabar angin.

Malaysia tidak wajar mengikut tindakan-tindakan negara yang menyekat akses internet, tetapi kita perlu mengambil teladan daripada negara-negara lain dalam menangani penyalahgunaan internet yang membolehkan kumpulan ekstremis mencetuskan ketakutan, kebencian dan tidak toleransi menerusi hantaran fitnah dan mengapi-apikan di Internet bagi memusnahkan fabrik masyarakat yang berbilang latar belakang.

Kita mesti menyedarkan rakyat Malaysia tentang kemunculan berita tidak benar dan ucapan-ucapan kebencian yang semakin menjadi-jadi di media sosial sejak minggu lalu, yang dilihat sengaja dimainkan semata-mata untuk mewujudkan ketegangan antara kaum dan agama di negara ini.

Setiausaha politik saya, Syahredzan Johan telah membangkitkan beberapa insiden, di mana bendera Malaysia dikibarkan secara terbalik, yang telah dimanipulasi untuk mewujudkan persepsi bahawa bendera negara telah dicemari.

Saya sendiri telah lama dimomokkan oleh sesetengah ekstremis Melayu kononnya mahu menghapuskan hak dan kepentingan orang Melayu di Malaysia, sementara pada masa yang saya, saya dimomokkan oleh ekstrimis bukan Islam kononnya saya mahu menggadaikan hak dan kepentingan orang Cina dan India di Malaysia.

Pada Rabu lalu, Sultan Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah menyampaikan titah ucapan pada waktu yang sangat sempurna di Dialog Ketamadunan Malaysia-China yang kedua berkenaan dengan Islam dan Konfiusianisme semalam yang diadakan sempena ulang tahun ke-45 hubungan diplomatik Malaysia-China

Malaysia adalah satu tempat pertembungan empat tamadun besar dunia — Islam, Cina, India, dan Barat — dan merupakan satu cabaran kepada semua rakyat Malaysia untuk memanfaatkan perkara ini dalam membina sebuah negara yang hebat dan dunia yang lebih baik.

Keyakinan Sultan Nazrin terhadap satu Malaysia yang berbilang kaum sebagai satu tempat untuk dialog di antara pelbagai agama dan kepercayaan sepatutnya dicontohi oleh rakyat Malaysia bagi membolehkan kita semua memainkan peranan yang lebih besar di pentas antarabangsa dalam menggalakkan kesefahaman, toleransi, dan keharmonian ketika kebencian dan konflik mula menunjukkan dirinya di serata dunia.

Sultan Nazrin telah merujuk kepada inisiatif Perikatan Tamadun (UNAOC) yang ditubuhkan 14 tahun yang lalu dengan sumbangan bersama daripada Sepanyol dan Turki dengan tujuan untuk menggalakkan dialog antara budaya dan agama sebagai alat untuk mencapai kepelbagaian, keterangkuman, dan toleransi berasaskan prinsip saling menghormati.

Saya sentiasa percaya bahawa Malaysia yang terdiri daripada komuniti yang datang daripada pelbagai latar belakang kaum, agama, dan budaya sebagai tempat pertembungan empat tamadun besar, sesuai untuk memainkan peranan utama dalam inisiatif UNAOC ini.

Saya percaya inisiatif UNAOC ini, sama ada di peringkat domestik dan antarabangsa, untuk menggalakkan kesefahaman, toleransi, dan saling hormat menghormati di antara pelbagai kaum etnik, agama, dan budaya, adalah penawar terbaik kepada kebangkitan sentimen kebencian, ketakutan dan tidak toleransi yang semakin menjadi-jadi seiring dengan penyalahgunaan media sosial di mana-mana di seluruh dunia.

(Kenyataan media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Jumaat 23 Ogos 2019)

====================================

Yesterday, Indonesia shut down the Internet in Papua over unrest fears that a stream of offensive and racist posts online will spark more violent protests in the region.

Riots and demonstrations brought several Papuan cities to a standstill this week, as buildings were torched and street battles broke out between police and protesters in Indonesia’s easternmost territory.

A rebel insurgency against Jakarta’s rule has simmered for decades in the island region, which shares a border with Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia slowed internet service in recent days to clamp down on hoaxes, provocative comments and racist abuse targeting Papua’s ethnic Melanesian population. But it shut down service completely late yesterday.

Early this month, when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which gave Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) a special status within the Indian Union, Internet access was suspended for the 53rd time this year.

In India last year, there were 65 shutdowns, and 176 over the past eight years, including a six-month ban in 2016.

In recent months Sudan shut down social media to prevent protesters from organising; Congo’s regime switched off mobile networks so it could rig an election in the dark; and Chad hobbled social media to silence protests against the president’s plan to stay in power until 2033.

Last year 25 governments imposed internet blackouts. Worldwide, such shutdowns rose to 188 last year, up from 75 in 2016.

Around the world, governments are hitting on this modish new idea: Turn the internet off but this cure may be worse than the disease.

Choking off Internet connectivity obviously has great appeal for autocrats.

They can use such restrictions to suppress inconvenient news or unwanted opinions, censor political rivals, prevent activists from organizing, and stifle talk of government misdeeds. For instance, after voters cast ballots last year in an election widely seen as corrupt, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo blocked all internet access for nearly three weeks. The stated goal  was to prevent “chaos.”

Even in democracies, such bans can be tempting. When terrorists killed more than 250 people in Sri Lanka in April, authorities shut down access to multiple social-media services for more than a week. That might have seemed justified in the moment: Messaging apps can accelerate the spread of disinformation, and further violence appeared imminent.

The problem is that there’s no evidence such bans work. They do nothing to moderate the anger that might lead to violence, and dedicated troublemakers can evade them with VPNs and other technology — or simply by spreading rumors the old-fashioned way.

Malaysia must not take this route of Internet shutdowns but we must learn from other countries to deal with Internet abuses which allow  extremist groups to incite fear, hatred  and intolerance through  false and incendiary Internet posts  to destroy the fabric of diverse communities.

We must for instance alert Malaysians to the unusual increase of traffic of fake news and hate speech on Malaysian social media in the past few days as if to provoke inter-racial and inter-religious strife in the country.

My political secretary, lawyer Syahredzan Johan has pointed to the number of incidents in which the Malaysian flag has been flown upside down or in reverse are being deliberately manipulated to create the perception that the national flag is being defiled.

I myself have been demonised by some Malay extremists  as wanting to eradicate Malay rights and interests in Malaysia while at the same time, demonised by some non-Muslim extremists as having sold out Chinese and Indian rights and interests in Malaysia.

On Wednesday, Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah made a most apt and timely speech at the Second Malaysia-China Youth Civilisational Dialogue on Islam and Confucianism in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.

Malaysia is the confluence of four great civilisations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western – and represents a challenge to Malaysians as to how we can best leverage on their values and qualities to build a great Malaysian nation and a better world.

Sultan Nazrin’s confidence of “vibrantly multicultural“ Malaysia as “a fitting location for a dialogue between different religions and sets of beliefs” should be adopted by Malaysians so that Malaysia can play a greater role in the international community to promote understanding, tolerance and harmony at a time when hate, intolerance and conflict are rearing their ugly heads.

Sultan Nazrin referred to the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) initiative 14 years ago under the co-sponsorship of Spain and Turkey to address the root causes of polarisation and violent extremism and to promote inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue as a tool to achieve diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance based on mutual respect.

I have always believed that multiracial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia is very well placed as the confluence of the four great civilisations of the world to play a leading role in this “Alliance of Civilisations”, both domestically and in the international arena.

I believe that  this “Alliance of Civilisations” on the domestic and international fronts to promote understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among different ethnicities, religions and cultures, is the best antidote to check the rise of hate, fear and intolerance through the abuse of the social media anywhere in the world.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Friday, 23rd August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 23 August 2019, 11:40 am and is filed under
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Let Johore be the forefront to pioneer to recasting of the 2005 United Nations Initiative of Alliance for Civilisations to defuse tensions between Western and Islamic worlds into a genuinely universal civilizational collaboration with the growing importance of Chinese and Indian civilisations

Johore DAP has made history in the 53-year history of the DAP, as never before in a state meeting has there been more questions and more opinions expressed in the past three hours.

When I decided in 1966 to take the political plunge and join in the establishment of the DAP, it was purely for idealism and patriotism of what we can do for Malaysia. There was never a thought of elections, becoming a Member of Parliament or be part of the government.

But these became necessary steps in the process to translate our ideas and ideals into reality.

DAP leaders and members have undoubtedly found in the past 15 months that it is easier to be an Opposition party, and this explain for the thicket of views and questions by the Johore branch leaders this morning.

But in opposition, we cannot translate our ideas, ideals and hopes into reality, which we can while we are in government.

DAP members and supporters must have trust and confidence of DAP and its leaders that after so many sacrifices and struggles that they have gone through, the objectives and principles of the party for unity, integrity, justice and progress for all Malaysians will never be betrayed.

DAP is one of the four political parties in the Pakatan Harapan coalition in Putrajaya. None of the four political parties, whether PKR, DAP, Amanah or Bersatu, can achieve 100% of what it wants, as we are different political parties with different histories, objective and trajectories, but we are bound by the consensus of a New Malaysia that we have embodied in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto in the 14th General Election.

In a week’s time, we will be celebrating the 62nd National Day to be followed by the 56th Malaysia Day on Sept. 16.

But there seems to be plot to denigrate and defile these two important occasions.

I said yesterday that Malaysians must be alert to the unusual increase of traffic of fake news and hate speech on Malaysian social media in the past few days as if to provoke inter-racial and inter-religious strife in the country.

I myself have been demonised by some Malay extremists as wanting to eradicate Malay rights and interests in Malaysia while at the same time, demonised by some non-Muslim extremists as having sold out Chinese and Indian rights and interests in Malaysia.  Is it possible for one same person to be doing these contradictory objectives? In fact, both are lies and falsehoods.

My concerns of a deliberate plot by irresponsible extremists and desperados seemed to have been confirmed by the Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who urged Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur this morning to cool down after observing rising temperatures fanned by sentiments surrounding race, religion and royalty.

He said the perception was consistent with police intelligence which found such incidents have doubled since last year.

He said: “I would like to be frank here.

“Data gathered by the police that was briefed to me and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad show there is already this negative tendency (to raise issues) surrounding race, religion and royalty”.

I call on Malaysians in the run-up to the 62nd National Day/56th Malaysia Day from August 31 to Sept. 16 to prove the extremists and desperados wrong, that they will not succumb to their machinations to live in fear, doubt and hate of other communities but on the other hand, focus on what the Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah’s speech at the  Second Malaysia-China Youth Civilisational Dialogue on Islam and Confucianism to respect, understand and appreciate other cultures and civilisations in the country.

Malaysia is the confluence of four great civilisations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

Let  Malaysians play an active role to  leverage on their values and qualities of the four great civilisations  to build a great Malaysian nation and a better world.

When the United Nations adopted the Alliance for Civilisations initiative in 2005, it was to defuse tensions between Western and Islamic worlds.

Today, we see the rise of the Asian century the growing importance of Chinese and Indian civilisations.

Let Johore be in the forefront to pioneer to recasting of the 2005 United Nations Initiative of Alliance for Civilisations to defuse tensions between Western and Islamic worlds into a genuinely universal civilizational collaboration of all the great civilisations of the world with the growing importance of Chinese and Indian civilisations in the last two decades.

(Speech by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a meeting of Johore branch leaders in Kulai on Saturday, 24th August 2019 at 1.30 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 August 2019, 4:52 pm and is filed under
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Rukunegara is manifestation of  the philosophy of Alliance of Civilisations  in  Malaysian nation-building as a Clash of Civilisations can only result in Malaysia’s failure and destruction

The Rukunegara is the manifestation  of the philosophy of Alliance of Civilisations in Malaysian nation-building as a Clash of Civilisations can only result in Malaysia’s failure and destruction.

I will like to see this spirit of Alliance of Civilisations in Malaysia highlighted in the forthcoming celebrations for the 62nd National Day on August 31 and the 56th Malaysia Day on Sept. 16.

But there seems to be plot to denigrate and defile these two important occasions.

Malaysians must be alert to the unusual increase of traffic of fake news and hate speech on Malaysian social media recently as if to provoke inter-racial and inter-religious strife in the country.

Malaysia must uphold free speech and democracy, but there can be no room in plural Malaysia for fake news and hate speech especially in the social media  to incite doubt, suspicion, fear and hatred by pitting race against race and religion against religion.

This will be one the greatest challenges of the Pakatan Harapan government to remain true to its promise to build a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

I call on Malaysians in the run-up to the 62nd National Day/56th Malaysia Day from August 31 to Sept. 16 to prove the extremists and desperados wrong, that they will not succumb to their machinations to live in fear, doubt and hate of other communities and cultures but on the other hand, focus on what the Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah’s speech at the Second Malaysia-China Youth Civilisational Dialogue on Islam and Confucianism stressed –  to respect, understand and appreciate other cultures and civilisations in the country.

Malaysia is the confluence of four great civilisations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

Let Malaysians play an active role to leverage on their values and qualities of the four great civilisations to build a great Malaysian nation and a better world.

When the United Nations adopted the Alliance for Civilisations initiative in 2005, it was to defuse tensions between Western and Islamic worlds.

Today, we see the rise of the Asian century and the growing importance of Chinese and Indian civilisations.

Let Malaysia, both in domestic and international polices, play a leading role in recasting the 2005 United Nations Initiative of Alliance for Civilisations into a genuinely universal collaboration of all the great civilisations of the world.

I have often said that there are those who do not expect the Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya, a coalition of four political parties with different histories, ideologies and trajectories, to last more than a few months, but PH has proved the prophets of doom wrong.

The Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya has survived for 16 months despite  the various stresses and strains, contradictions and controversies, of building a New Malaysia, but bigger tests are ahead, as it must be able to persevere and be united and steadfast with greater challenges in the  mission to build a New Malaysia for the rest of the five-year term and go on to win the 16th General Election for the mission to build a New Malaysia will take more than one general election cycle to complete.

A very pertinent article appeared in Malaysiakini today, under the heading “Cutting off our nose to spite our face?” by Ramesh Rajaratnam, who while expressing his disappointment at the performance of the  Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya in the past 16 months, postulated ten things that can happen within 90 day “if the old devil was voted in”, including:

1. All enforcement heads like Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya will be replaced with sycophants of Umno.

2. All legal cases involving Umno politicians (and their wives) will be dismissed/withdrawn with flimsy excuses.

3. Fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (photo) will be given a ‘tan sri’ title and all charges dropped.

4. 1MDB will be revived and this time, not RM40 billion, but RM400 billion will be siphoned off.

5. All those who spoke up against BN will be hunted and charged. Thomas and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng will be in jail.

6. Zakir Naik will become a citizen and be awarded a tunship.

Ramesh’s article is indeed food for thought while I agree that the Pakatan Harapan government must never lose sight of the objective to build a world top-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, August 25, 2019)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 August 2019, 3:46 pm and is filed under
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Gangrenous Zahid talking about ‘political gangrene’ in Pakatan Harapan provides light  relief to a  month of heavy adverse news where the combination of a quartet of  issues, a videotape,  Jawi writing in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, Zakir Nik and Lynas combined to give the impression that PH government is on the ropes

The double celebrations for the 62nd National Day on August 31 and 56th Malaysia Day on September 16 should  be occasions to inculcate among Malaysians a sense of confidence for the future, that Malaysia is  finally in the trajectory to build a  nation which is a top world-class nation of unity,  freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

This is the occasion  to inspire Malaysians that  Malaysia, the confluence of four great civilisations in the world – Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western  – will be the showcase to the world  of the success of the  Alliance of Civilisations to prove  wrong the prophets of doom who had  forecast a Clash of Civilisations as the theme of the 21st Century.

But it had been a bad month for Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya, as the combination of a quartet of  issues – a videotape, Jawi writing in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, Zakir Naik and Lynas – combined to give the impression that the PH government is on the ropes.

Until gangrenous Ahmad Zahid, the UMNO President, talked about non-existing “political gangrene” in the Pakatan Harapan, which provided light relief in a month of heavy adverse publicity for Pakatan Harapan.

“Political gangrene”?  Who suffered from it?

If not UMNO and Barisan Nasional, why were they  booted out of power in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, although the Prime Minister and UMNO/BN President had expected not only to regain the mandate to govern, but to recapture two-thirds  parliamentary support?

If not  for “political gangrene”, why was there not a single Cabinet Minister or  BN leader who  had expected to lose power in the 14th General Election?

If  not for  “political gangrene”, why did  Zahid  go on “garden leave”  as UMNO President on 18th December 2008, after he had referred to “punishing” conditions imposed on UMNO and the humiliation it suffered in a number of meetings he attended, where he not only faced rejection and insults, but even “humiliation, as if Umno was as unclean as the faeces of animals deemed haram”.

If not for “political gangrene”, why did Zahid  take  “garden leave” as UMNO President on 18th December 2018, when he had been charged with 47 corruption offences, and ended his “garden leave” as UMNO President on 30th June 2019 after  he accumulated a total of  87 corruption charges?

if  not for  “political gangrene”, why was   Zahid charged with   87 corruption offences and crowned the “King of corruption charges”,  beating even the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak of “global kleptocracy” infamy,  who had  so far been slapped with 42 corruption charges?

If not for “political gangrene”, why did a recent Malaysian Ramesh Rajaratnam  in an article in Malaysiakini yesterday postulated ten things could  happen within 90 day “if the old devil was voted in”, including:

All enforcement heads like Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya will be replaced with sycophants of Umno.

All legal cases involving Umno politicians (and their wives) will be dismissed/withdrawn with flimsy excuses.

Fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho  will be given a ‘tan sri’ title and all charges dropped.

1MDB will be revived and this time, not RM40 billion, but RM400 billion will be siphoned off.

All those who spoke up against BN will be hunted and charged. Thomas and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng will be in jail.

Zakir Naik will become a citizen and be awarded a tunship.

If not for “political gangrene”, why did the Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad recently said that UMNO branch leaders were becoming “dumb and dumber”?

If not for “political gangrene”, why didn’t UMNO Ministers and leaders stop the 1MDB scandal before the 14th General Election  instead of forcing Ministers, according to a testimony in court, to tell lies about the 1MDB scandal?

If not for “political gangrene”, why have UMNO done nothing since May 9, 2018 to condemn and dissociate itself from the 1MDB scandal and other corruption whether in Felda, Tabung Haji or MARA which gained  for Malaysia the infamy,  ignominy and iniquity of a “global kleptocracy” and “kleptocracy at its worst”?

If not for “political gangrene”,  why is  UMNO behind the shameless “Malu Apa Bossku” campaign?

If not for “political gangrene”, why has UMNO become a founder member of an alliance of  klepto-theocracy?

If not for “political gangrene”, why are UMNO leaders playing the irresponsible politics of lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech, pitting race against race and religion against religion, to incite doubt, mistrust, suspicion, fear and hatred distorting the 3Rs of race, religion and royalty – as for instance, in claiming that the Malays have lost political power?

If not for “political gangrene”, why, why, why……I could go on and on but I shall not, and await answer from Zahid, unless he is struck dumb by “political gangrene”!

It is evident from Zaidi’s speech that UMNO leaders want Pakatan Harapan to be struck with political gangrene and we must disappoint him.

This is a war of perception – whether the Pakatan Harapan Government has become impotent because of political gangrene.

In the first seven months of the new government, the PH government cannot do anything wrong and PH won four by-elections – the three Selangor State Assembly by-elections in Sungai Kandis, Balakong and Seri Setia and  the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.

Then a   sea-change seemed to have taken place  in the political  landscape where PH could not do anything right and PH lost three by-elections – the Cameron Highlands parliamentary by-election as well as the two State Assembly by-elections in Semenyih in Selangor and Rantau in Negri Sembilan.

The euphoria generated by the landslide  victory by PH and Warisan in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election on May 11 and the first anniversary celebration of Pakatan Harapan government with the theme of “shared prosperity” reversed the tide  in the war of perception but it did not last long, as PH was  floundered by the quartet of issues which generated the misperception that the Pakatan Harapan government was on the ropes.

Pakatan Harapan leaders must recognise the disappointment and disillusionment of large segments of PH supporters who had voted for the historic change of government in the 14th General Election  on May 9 last year, who believed that the Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya had gone back to the bad old ways of the previous UMNO/Barisan Nasional government.

They are wrong, but what is more important is that Pakatan Harapan  must be able to communicate and convince PH supporters  that their disappointment and disillusionment while understandable are completely misplaced and that Pakatan Harapan remains as committed as ever in resetting the nation-building process to build a New Malaysia to become a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity and is making progress in this direction.

We have made a good start in the last 16 months to build a New Malaysia where Malaysia can become a top world-class nation in every field of human endeavour.

The PH had made several good and important appointments to pave the way for far-reaching institutional, political and democratic reforms for a New Malaysia, including:

Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat as Chief Justice, taking over from Richard Malanjum who had retired on April 2,

Datuk Mohamad Ariff bin Md Yusof as Speaker of Parliament;

Tommy Thomas as Attorney-General;

Azhar Azizan Harun or better known as Art Harun as Chairman and Dr. Azmi Sharon as Deputy Chairman of Election Commission;

Hamid Bador as Inspector-General of Police;

Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus as Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor.

Zulkifli Zainal Abdin as Chief of Armed Forces;

Ismail Bakar as Chief Secretary;

Syed Zaid Albar as Security Commission Chairman;

Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid as Auditor-General

Tan Sri Abdul Kassim Ahmad as Director-General of National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption;

Latheefa Koya as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner succeeding Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull.

We can argue that  more reforms could have been achieved in the past 16 months.

475 days after the historic change of government of May 9, 2018, it is time for a major review of Pakatan Harapan promise of a New Malaysia and 14th General Election Pakatan Harapan Manifesto.

The Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council at its previous meeting had decided on such a review.

Let us rise above the fissisparous and centrifugal forces threatening to tear Malaysia apart and reunite to build a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

Let Malaysians take ownership of this great mission to build a New Malaysia which is a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity, based on the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan in the 14th General Elections Manifesto, viz:

Reduce the people’s burden.

Institutional and political reforms.

Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth.

Restore Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.

There are those who do not expect the Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya, a coalition of four political parties with different histories, ideologies and trajectories, to last more than a few months, but it has proved the prophets of doom wrong.

These prophets of doom are now hoping that Pakatan Harapan is stricken with “political gangrene” to implode and disintegrate.

Let Pakatan Harapan leaders prove these prophets of doom wrong again.

Malaysia is at the crossroads – to move forward to be a top world-class nation with an inclusive nation-building policy leveraging on the best qualities of the diverse races, religions, languages,  cultures and civilizations  or to be relegated to the trajectory of  a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state obsessed by divisive and intolerant race and religious politics.

The Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya has survived for 16 months despite the various stresses and strains, contradictions and controversies, of building a New Malaysia, but bigger tests are ahead, as it must be able to persevere,  be united and steadfast with greater challenges in the mission to build a New Malaysia for the rest of the five-year term and go on to win the 16th General Election for the mission to build a New Malaysia will take more than one general election cycle to complete.

Can Malaysia, by the 16th General Election in 2028, be perched for the consummation of the objective to become a top world-class nation, recognised as being ranked among the top 30 nations in the world in important fields of human endeavour?

Let this be the dream for all Malaysians and a challenge  to them to dedicate themselves to the fulfilment of the Malaysian Dream.

For a start, we must be aware of the pitfalls of  the Internet era, where fake news and hate speech can combine to create a “new reality” which is completely opposite to the truth and facts.

This is why  after five weeks of controversy over Jawi in Chinese and (Tamil) Primary schools, 95% of Chinese and Indian Malaysians are still not aware that for years, there is Jawi in Std. V Bahasa Malaysia textbook  and that the revised curriculum to introduce Jawi in Std. IV was decided by MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and UMNO Ministers in Sept. 2015.

Now, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and SUPP leaders are the  loudest in condemning the introduction of Jawi in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, although this decision was taken by their Ministers four years ago in 2015, to be implemented yearly in the revised textbooks from 2017 – 2022.

The Jawi subject controversy was a legacy of the former government, as the final decision on the new textbooks for Chinese/Tamil primary schools to introduce the Jawi subject for Std. 4 pupils in 2020 was made by Education Ministry Curriculum Committee chaired by the then Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and attended by the then two Deputy Education Ministers, Datuk Chong Sin Woon (MCA) and P. Kamalanathan (MIC) in a meeting of Sept. 21, 2015.

After that it became an administrative matter for the relevant Education Ministry divisions to implement the policy decision of Sept. 2015.

If there had been no change of government in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, the implementation of the Education Ministry decision on new curriculum in Sept. 2015 would probably result in “Three Wants” in the new textbooks for Chinese/Tamil Std. 4 primary school pupils – Want to be compulsory, Want to have examination and Want students to learn to read and write Jawi.

Now, the “Three Wants” had become “Three Nos” — No Compulsion, No Examination and No learning/writing of Jawi but only introduction.

There are intriguing conspiracy theories that the Jawi and Zakir Nak controversies were  invented by the Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed to serve his petty  political purposes when in actual fact, both issues were legacies of the previous government.

Now there is the tale that Pakatan Harapan government is like the previous UMNO/BN government, stricken with “political gangrene”.

Let Pakatan Harapan leaders prove the prophets of doom wrong and instead of gloom and despair, let us have exude confidence for the future that we can build a New Malaysia which could  be a showcase to the world of the success of the Alliance of Civilisations in Malaysia as the price of failure will be too terrible to contemplate – a failed and rogue state and  a klepto-theocracy!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, August 26, 2019)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 August 2019, 8:23 am and is filed under
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Can Pakatan Harapan win the 15th General Election in 2023?

Mampukah Pakatan Harapan memenangi Pilihanraya Umum ke-15 pada tahun 2023?

Persoalan “Mampukah Pakatan Harapan (PH) menang Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15) pada tahun 2023” akan menimbulkan jawapan yang berbeza daripada kumpulan yang berbeza.

Bagi perintis perikatan klepto-teokrasi yang pertama di dunia dalam tempoh yang terdekat, dengan setiap satu daripada dua parti komponennya mengheret sekali parti bawahannya, sama ada MCA dan MIC yang diheret UMNO atau Ikatan dan Berjasa yang diheret PAS, jawapan yang kedengaran sudah tentu “Tidak”, kerana perikatan UMNO-PAS berangan-angan untuk menjadi Kerajaan Malaysia pada PRU15 dan menubuhkan negara klepto-teokrasi pertama seumpamanya di dunia.

Tetapi, mereka tidak akan bersetuju dengan hakikat yang PRU15 akan dilaksanakan pada tahun 2023, kerana mereka sangat mengharapkan supaya PRU15 dijalankan lebih awal!

Saya belum mengajukan persoalan ini kepada pemimpin-pemimpin lain parti komponen PH. Namun, jawapan saya kepada persoalan ini adalah; ya.

Pendapat ini menongkah arus persepsi umum semasa mengenai kerajaan PH, kerana terdapat beberapa kumpulan yang mempunyai pandangan bahawa kerajaan PH akan disingkirkan dari Putrajaya sekiranya pilihan raya umum diadakan sekarang — seperti mana mereka meramalkan bahawa kerajaan PH akan runtuh dan berpecah beberapa bulan selepas pertukaran kerajaan, dan kini mereka berharap yang kerajaan PH tidak akan berjaya mentadbir sepenuh penggal, sebaliknya akan tersungkur dan berpecah sebelum tahun 2023.

Mereka yang skeptikal terhadap PH pasti akan terkejut jika kerajaan PH mampu mentadbir sepenuh penggal pertama ini dan hanya melaksanakan PRU15 pada tahun 2023 dan bukan lebih awal dari itu!

Malaysia kini sedang memasuki fasa politik kelima sejak peristiwa bersejarah rakyat menukar tampuk pentadbiran kerajaan secara aman dan demokratik dalam PRU14 pada 9 Mei 2018. Empat fasa terawal tersebut ialah:

Dari 9 Mei 2018 sehingga hujung tahun 2018, ketika euforia perubahan dapat dirasakan dan PH kelihatan berada pada kedudukan yang teguh — dan pusingan semula seperti ratifikasi ICERD boleh dilakukan tanpa menimbulkan banyak kesan buruk. PH menang empat pilihan raya kecil (PRK) semasa tempoh ini.

Empat bulan pertama tahun ini, euforia perubahan semakin surut, kekecewaan mula timbul apabila banyak perkara kelihatan tidak berubah dan kerosakan, ketidakadilan, serta salah guna kuasa yang berlaku sejak enam dekad lalu tidak mampu dirungkai dalam tempoh 100 hari atau setahun, ditambah dengan fenomena kempen “Malu Apa Bossku” — tempoh di mana kerajaan PH tidak boleh melakukan apa-apa dengan betul seperti peristiwa penarikan diri Malaysia daripada Statut Rom. PH kalah tiga PRK dalam tempoh ini.

Pada Mei dan awal Jun, arus mula berubah arah atas tiga faktor utama: sambutan ulang tahun pertama kerajaan PH di Putrajaya dengan tema “Kemakmuran Bersama”, kemenangan tipis dalam PRK Sandakan pada 11 Mei yang mana menghancurkan dua mitos dalam politik Malaysia — bahawa kerajaan PH dan Warisan di Putrajaya dan Sabah hanya kerajaan sepenggal, dan kekebalan kempen tidak tahu malu “Malu apa, bossku”  — dan tempoh perbicaraan yang panjang membabitkan kes rasuah dan salah guna kuasa bekas Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Namun tempoh pulih ini amat singkat, kerana sebelum pertengahan Jun hingga Ogos, timbul pula empat isu lain, iaitu rakaman video, tulisan jawi di sekolah rendah Cina dan India, Zakir Naik dan Lynas, yang disatukan untuk memberi persepsi bahawa kerajaan PH diambang kemusnahan.

Semoga perayaan sambutan Hari Kebangsaan ke-62 pada 31 Ogos dan Hari Malaysia ke-56 pada 16 September membawa Malaysia ke fasa politik kelima yang penuh semangat, harapan, dan optimisme terhadap pembinaan sebuah Malaysia Baharu sebagai sebuah negara bertaraf dunia dalam pelbagai bidang yang diceburi manusia dan menjadi antara negara yang menduduki tangga 30 teratas di dunia dalam tempoh sedekad menjelang tahun 2028, sebuah Malaysia yang menjadi juara Perikatan Peradaban yang inklusif dan merangkumi semua, sekaligus menafikan tesis “Clash of Civilizations” yang dikatakan sebagai tema global abad ke-21.

Rakyat Malaysia mesti mengembangkan pemahaman berhubung media sosial bagi mengupayakan diri untuk mengesan pembohongan, kepalsuan, berita tidak benar dan ucapan kebencian supaya kita semua mampu menolak godaan dan seruan puak oportunis yang terdesak yang ingin mencetuskan kecurigaan, keraguan, rasa tidak percaya, ketakutan dan kebencian, melagakan kaum dengan kaum, agama dengan agama, budaya dengan budaya dan tamadun dengan tamadun di Malaysia.

Mari kita buktikan kepada mereka yang cuba menghasut perlagaan di antara kaum dan agama di negara ini — yang mahu menjunamkan negara kita ke dalam kancah pergolakan, ketidakstabilan, dan huru hara dan memusnahkan harapan untuk Malaysia menjadi negara yang disegani di mata dunia — yang mereka salah sama sekali.

Walaupun saya tidak menjangka akan berpeluang melihat perubahan kerajaan yang bersejarah, aman dan demokratik pada 9 Mei 2018, demi kepentingan anak-anak dan cucu-cucu kita, kita mesti mengerakkan setiap tenaga untuk memastikan PH berjaya dalam misi kebangsaan untuk menetapkan semula dasar membina negara bagi membina satu Malaysia baharu yang berteraskan perpaduan, kebebasan, keadilan, kecemerlangan dan integriti Malaysia Baharu sejajar dengan lima janji utama Manifesto PRU14 PH.

Kita tidak boleh berpuas hati atau mengambil remeh, kerana ini adalah satu-satunya peluang dalam sejarah negara untuk membawa negara ke landasan yang tepat dengan ciri-ciri perpaduan, kebebasan, keadilan, kecemerlangan dan integriti.

Saya percaya bahawa di dalam setiap hati rakyat Malaysia, inilah yang majoriti rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira kaum, agama atau wilayah, mahukan.

Ya, saya percaya ada peluang untuk kerajaan PH menang PRU15 pada tahun 2023 dan meneruskan misi yang belum selesai iaitu membentuk Malaysia Baharu.

Mari kita pikul misi membina sebuah Malaysia Baharu ini bersama-sama.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada Selasa, 27 Ogos 2019)

===================================

The question
“Can Pakatan Harapan win the 15th General Election in 2023”
 will elicit different answers from different groups.

To those who will pioneer the world’s first alliance of klepto-theocracy in a fortnight’s time, with each of the two component parties dragging along its subordinate parties, whether MCA and MIC in the case of UMNO or Ikatan and Berjasa in the case of PAS, the answer will be a loud and categorical “No”, for the UMNO-PAS alliance wants to be elected as the Malaysian Government in the 15th General Election and establish the first state of klepto-theocracy in the world.

Except that they will not agree that the 15th General Election be held in 2023, as they would have wanted the 15th General Election to be held yesterday!

I have not asked the leaders of the four component parties of Pakatan Harapan, but my own answer to the question as to whether Pakatan Harapan can win the 15th General Election in 2023 is a tentative yes.

This will be going against the tide of public perception today about the Pakatan Harapan Government, for there is a school of thought that Pakatan Harapan is sure to be  thrown out of Putrajaya if general election is  held presently – just as  it  had fallaciously expected the Pakatan Harapan government to implode and disintegrate in a matter of months, and are now hoping that PH government would not last the  full term but  will stumble and disintegrate well before 2023.

It would be the  greatest surprise to the PH sceptics if the Pakatan Harapan government serves out its full term and the 15th General Election is be held in 2023 and not earlier!

Malaysia is  now entering its  fifth political phase since the historic decision of the people to change the government peacefully and democratically in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018.

The earlier four phases were:

1. From May 9, 2018 to the end of the year when the euphoria of change was palpable and PH seemed to be in  an invincible position where it could do no wrong – and reversals like the pledge to ratify ICERD (International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) could take place without much adverse consequences. Pakatan Harapan won four by-elections during this period.

2. The first four months of the year, with the evaporation of the euphoria of change, the setting-in of disappointment and disenchantment that things were still very much the same and that the wrongs, injustices and abuses of power of six decades cannot be undone in 100 days or a year as well as the phenomenon of the “Malu Apa Bossku” campaign – a period where the Pakatan Harapan government cannot do anything right like the events leading to the withdrawal of the accession to the Rome Statute.  Pakatan Harapan lost three by-elections during this period.

3. In May and early June, the tide turned because of three major factors: the first anniversary celebration of Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya with the theme of “shared prosperity”, the  landslide by-election victory of Pakatan Harapan and Warisan in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election on May 11 which pulverised two myths in Malaysian politics – that Pakatan Harapan and Warisan in Putrajaya and Sabah are only one-term governments, and the invincibility of the shameless ‘malu apa, bossku’ campaign – and the long-running trial of former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, for corruption and abuses of power.

4. But this period of recovery was short-lived, as  from before mid-June to August, a quartet of issues, a videotape, Jawi writing in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, Zakir Naik and Lynas conspired to give the misperception that the Pakatan Harapan government is on the ropes.

Let the double celebrations of the 62nd National Day on August 31 and 56th Malaysia Day on September 16 usher  Malaysia into a fifth political phase with the return of confidence, hope and optimism about the building of  a New Malaysia to  be a top world-class nation in various fields of human endeavour among the top 30 nations in the world within a decade by 2028, showcasing Malaysia as a triumph of an inclusive and all-embracing  Alliance of Civilisations and rebutting the thesis of  the Clash of Civilisations as the underlying global theme of the 21st century.

Malaysians  must develop literacy in the social media to acquire the  capability to  detect lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech so that they will not succumb to the Siren Song of opportunists and desperados  who want to incite suspicion, doubt, distrust, fear and hate, pitting race against race, religion against religion, culture against culture and civilisation against civilisation in plural Malaysia.

Let us prove wrong  the political wet-blankets who want race to war against race and religion to war against religion in plural Malaysia, and for the country to be plunged into unrest, instability and chaos, destroying all hopes of Malaysia fulfilling her dream of becoming a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity – doomed to the trajectory of a failed and rogue state and a klepto-theocracy.

Although I had not expected to see a historic, peaceful and democratic change of government on May 9, 2018, for the sake of our children and children’s children, we must strain every sinew to ensure that Pakatan Harapan can succeed in the national mission to reset nation-building policies to build a New Malaysia of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity in keeping with the five pillar-promises of the Pakatan Harapan 14th General Election Manifesto.

We must not be complacent or take things for granted, for this is the only  a chance  in the nation’s history to take  the country to the high grounds of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity.

I believe that in the hearts of hearts, this is what the majority of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, want of Malaysia.

Yes, I believe there is a chance that the Pakatan Harapan government can win the 15th General Election in 2023 and continue with the unfinished mission of a New Malaysia.

Let us put our shoulder to the wheel to build a New Malaysia.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Tuesday, 27th August 2019)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 August 2019, 8:50 am and is filed under
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Proposal for Johore State and Federal Governments to jointly host a Conference on Environmental Issues after three recent environment disasters in the state

Cadangan untuk Kerajaan Negeri Johor bersama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan mengadakan satu Persidangan Isu Alam Sekitar selepas kejadian tiga bencana alam sekitar melanda negeri ini

Bersama dengan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri DAP untuk kawasan Skudai, Tan Hong Pin, saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Saudara Tan Chen Choon, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Kesejahteraan Bandar dan Alam Sekitar Negeri Johor, dan Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat untuk taklimat mengenai kebakaran yang telah memusnahkan 16 hektar hutan di Kampung Pekajang di Jalan Tanjong Kupang.

Saya puji pegawai dan kakitangan Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat untuk dedikasi dan usaha mereka dalam mengawal dan memadamkan kebakaran ini sepanjang minggu yang lalu.

Sepanjang beberapa bulan yang lepas, kawasan Selatan Johor telah mengalami tiga bencana alam sekitar. Bermula dengan pencemaran toksik di Sungai Kim Kim yang berlaku pada 7 Mac 2019 disebabkan oleh pembuangan bahan kimia haram. Pembuangan bahan kimia secara haram ini telah menyebabkan pelepasan wasap toksik yang menjejaskan kesihatan 6,000 individu dan menyebabkan 2,775 individu dihospitalkan. Kebanyakan mangsa adalah pelajar sekolah memandangkan terdapat 110 buah sekolah yang ditutup di sekitar kawasan sungai tersebut.

Bencana alam sekitar yang kedua ialah pencemaran udara di Pasir Gudang pada bulan Jun 2019 yang telah menyebabkan ramai individu yang tinggal berdekatan dengan kawasan kilang terpaksa mendapatkan rawatan di hospital selepas terhidu wasap toksik.

Ketiga ialah kebakaran hutan yang berlaku selama seminggu di Kampong Pekajang di Iskandar Puteri yang telah menyebabkan penutupan dua buah sekolah yang berdekatan.

Ketiga-tiga bencana alam sekitar yang terjadi di negeri Johor dalam masa 5 bulan tahun ini mestilah diambil serius oleh kedua-dua Kerajaan negeri dan Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Masanya telah tiba untuk alam sekitar di Johor diberikan keutamaan dan atas sebab ini, saya telah memberitahu kepada Chen Choon untuk mencadangkan penganjuran bersama Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Kerajaan Negeri Johor untuk satu Persidangan Isu Alam Sekitar untuk mengetengahkan isu-isu alam sekitar di Johor dan membuka jalan untuk menyediakan rancangan untuk menjaga kualiti alam sekitar di negeri Johor.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Tanjung Adang, Iskandar Puteri pada 11 pagi hari Selasa 27 Ogos 2019)

================================

Together with the DAP State Assemblyman for Skudai, Tan Hong Pin, I want to thank  Sdr. Tan Chen Choon, the Johore Exco for  Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment, and the Fire and Rescue Department for the briefing on the week-long  bush fire which had destroyed about 16 ha of forest in Kampung Pekajang along Jalan Tanjong Kupang

I commend the Fire and Rescue Department officers and personnel for their dedication in fighting the bush fire for the past week.

In the past few months, South Johore has been hit by three environmental disasters, firstly the  Sungei Kim Kim toxic pollution, which  occurred on 7th March 2019 and caused by illegal chemical waste dumping.  The illegal dumping released toxic fumes, affecting 6,000 people and hospitalising 2,775. Most of the victims were school students—110 schools were subsequently closed along the river.

The second environmental disaster was the air pollution in Pasir Gudang in June, which sent many people living near factories, including school children, to hospital for treatment after inhaling toxic fumes.

The third is the week-long bush fire in Kampong Pekajang, Iskandar Puteri, which has led to the closure of two nearby schools.

These three environmental disasters in Johore within  five months this year must  be taken seriously by both the Federal and Johore State governments.

The time has clearly come for environment  in Johore to be given top priority, and for this reason, I have suggested to Chen Choon to propose organising a joint Federal-Johore State Government Conference on Environment both to highlight the environmental issues in the state as well as to pave the way for a blueprint to ensure environmental quality in Johore State.

(Media Conference Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at Tanjung Adang, Iskandar Puteri on Tuesday, 27th August 2019 at 11 am)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 August 2019, 3:02 pm and is filed under
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