‘Diamlah’ wake-up call for Najib

Oon Yeoh | Jul 28, 11 2:31pm

Malaysiakini

I read with amusement that news portals were not included in the media consultative council, mooted to be jointly-headed by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Instead of having Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider and Free Malaysia Today – all very popular news sites – as representatives of new media, the government proposal included Blog House, a bloggers’ association.

This is not surprising as the government still obviously thinks of new media as consisting of blogs.

It’s also worth mentioning that Blog House’s committee members include pro-government bloggers, the most famous of whom is former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

So typical of the government to play it safe when it comes to media. In any event, the top editors of print media chose to skip the inaugural closed-door meeting with the government to discuss the development of such a council.

Someone should tell the powers-that-be that suppressing the mainstream media is self-defeating because it only serves to make the mainstream media less and less credible when it comes to political news.

These days, whenever there is an election of some kind, where do people go to for the latest updates? They don’t check out Bernama’s website, that’s for sure. They don’t even go to mainstream newspaper sites. Instead, they go to the very online media sites that were excluded from the meeting.

Even blogs now dinosaurs

When people want to see scenes of rallies and demonstrations, where do they go to for the latest video footage? RTM? You must be kidding. They go straight to YouTube.

And when they want an citizen’s account of what happened where do they go to? Blogs? That’s so yesterday.

These days, people just log in to Facebook and Twitter and get it direct from the horses’ mouths. Then they either “Like” or “Retweet” the items to spread them virally through their networks.

One would have thought that the government got its rude awakening after the historic March 8, 2008 general elections.

In the lead-up to that one, mainstream media were reduced to being little more than a cheerleading squad for the government.

As the mainstream newspapers demonised the opposition, while at the same time singing praises of the government, the voting public simply skipped through the political pages and headed straight for the Internet to get the real news.

But did the government learn anything? Apparently not, if reports about supposed government guidelines to media companies, on how to demonise Bersih, are to be believed.

On the same old treadmill

The guidelines are so incredibly lame, it’s hard to imagine they could be real. In fact, some of the points are hilarious. Here are three choice examples:

Pre-empt chaos and disorder (fear paradigm). The “show of force” by UMNO or silat groups well before July 9 may be imperative to deter demonstrators

The media to use less of the same old faces (eg Zul Nordin, Zahrain, Ibrahim Ali) as “attack dogs.” Try to tap fresh faces (eg BN Youth leaders, some NGOs and,

Friendly bloggers and cybertroopers will continued to be mobilised.

I’m convinced the guidelines were either drafted by a brilliant satirist or some government servant stuck in a time warp.

But even if the leaked guidelines are bogus, if you bother to look at the advisory points in detail, it’s amazing how much of it was indeed reflected in the mainstream media’s coverage of Bersih.

I recently finished teaching a semester-long course on “Integrated Media Publishing” at a local private university.

In it, I taught my students the different types of media platforms that exist today and how useless it is to try to control the media in this digital age that we live in.

I also taught them that nobody – not companies, not governments, not even the police – can control social media.

This very basic lesson is something that Prime Minister Najib Razak learned the hard way just a few days ago with the Diamlah episode where people used his own official Facebook Page to tell him to “shut up”.

The most remarkable thing about this is not just how many people posted “Diamlah” but the fact that with Facebook, your identify can be seen. People are no longer afraid. This is 2011 not the 1980s.

Scare tactics, cybertroopers, censorship – such things don’t work any more. Someone seriously needs to tell the prime minister that.

Then again, after the Diamlah episode, he probably already realises it. Then, again, maybe not.

Note: This is my last Malaysiakini tech article as this column is being discontinued. I’ll be taking a short break in August but to quote Arnold, “I’ll be back”, in some platform or another. Thanks for reading!

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 10:46 pm and is filed under
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Guan Eng: Penang approved 11,596 affordable homes since 2008

By
Clara Chooi
 | August 01, 2011

The Malaysian Insider

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 1 — Lim Guan Eng today denied accusations that the Penang Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government has never launched affordable housing projects for the poor, revealing that a total of 11,596 medium- and low-cost units have been approved since 2008.

“Since taking over the administration in 2008, the state government has approved the construction of 11,596 medium- and low-cost homes, and this immediately refutes the statement that the state has never built affordable housing for the people,” he said in a statement.

The Penang chief minister said the initiatives were a mix of state government and private-funded housing projects involving housing units worth an estimated RM42,000 (low cost) each or RM72,500 (medium cost).

Of the 11,596 units, he said, 8,175 (2,612 low-cost and 5,563 medium-cost) units were built by private developers while the government and its agencies constructed 3,421 (1,194 low-cost and 2,227 medium-cost) units.

“The state government also plans to re-develop several other housing projects which involve about 992 low-cost homes and 192 medium-cost homes,” Lim said.

Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) working committee deputy chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman recently accused the PR state government of failing to launch any housing schemes for the lower- and middle-income groups since it assumed control in 2008.

The Umno state chief, who has been one of Lim’s fiercest critics since the latter was appointed chief minister, had also claimed that the state government has been “discriminating” against federal government-linked companies that apply for approvals to launch low-cost housing schemes.

In an immediate response to Zainal, Lim denied discriminating against federal agencies, saying approvals would not be a problem if they complied with regulations.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 3:59 pm and is filed under
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Jangan temberanglah, Najib

 by Lucius Goon

The Malaysian Insider

Jul 31, 2011

JULY 31 — I have watched from afar how the prime minister and his administration have squirmed and twisted and justified their handling of Bersih 2.0 and shown their reluctance to discuss meaningful electoral reform.

Very little has surprised me about an administration that is bereft of principle and function on the basis of spin and half-truths. It is quite obvious that the government believed that it could kill off Bersih by tough action and threats of intimidation.

When this did not happen, Najib tried a different tack: that the government was reasonable but Bersih was bent on causing havoc on the streets. His administration also spread the word that if the electoral system was skewed, there is no way the Opposition could have snared five states.

Today, while speaking to student leaders, Najib added to the spin, saying that if the government really controlled the Election Commission, it could have easily won Kelantan in 2004 where a few seats were lost by a few votes.

I think we should end this lie now. In 2004, the PM was Abdullah Badawi, not the smartest man around and definitely a major disappointment but not a cheat. He would not have thought of stuffing the ballot box. In addition, the Umno guys did not know that Abdullah would lead BN to a strong win across the country.

Their showing in Kelantan was probably a surprise. But in all likelihood, Abdullah would have frowned on cheating.

In 2008, nobody, not BN, not Abdullah and certainly not Pakatan Rakyat, believed that the Malaysian public would punish the incumbents so severely.

Umno was caught unawares. Given that scenario, they did not feel the need to change the postal vote rules as they have done so recently. In addition, it is unlikely that as a God-fearing man, Abdullah would have agreed to wide-scale cheating.

But times have changed and the people at the top these days are facing much more pressure than Abdullah did: there is more racial strife; personal issues like the Scorpene deal which refuse to go away; a disillusioned non-Malay/Muslim electorate; a gaping budget deficit and a less gullible electorate.

More than anything else, there is also belief within Umno circles that this could be the end, and this fatalism is reflected by the grabbing and get rich mood currently prevalent among the BN elite and their cronies.

With this background, it is not surprising that Najib played hardball over the Bersih rally. Within Umno, they actually gave the Bersih people more power and credit than they deserved.

There is no way that Umno will agree to the transparency of electoral reform because the party leadership believes that control of the Election Commission is the last trump card it holds.

Coming back to Najib today. All this stout defence about offering Shah Alam Stadium is an afterthought. As the days roll along, the administration will embellish this story, aided and abetted by the lamestream media.

Depending on the audience, sometimes the justification for the government crackdown on Bersih will be to protect the majority against tyranny of the minority or that it is illegal to deal with an illegal organisation or something along those lines.

Temberanglah. Notice all talk of communism and a Christian takeover has suddenly disappeared.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 8:48 am and is filed under
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Kit Siang – a rare breed of a politician

by
Malaysiakini
 readers

‘Kit Siang, how many Malaysian politicians are like you? You are a Malaysian hero, and don’t let them tell you otherwise.’

Kit Siang: Five days, I was in darkness

Ferdtan
: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” – quoted by American author John C Maxwell.

You have shown us the way since May 1969 when you took over the helm of DAP, knowing pretty well of the risk involved: in fact, you did; you were detained under ISA immediately after.

The opposition then was a lonely journey, but you trundled on, inspiring many along the way. Your ‘never say die’ is your greatest forte, inspite of your many setbacks that you suffered.

You were demonised often without justification by the huge majority of the BN lawmakers in Parliament, shouting you down each time you want to expose their many follies.

Even now, the mainstream media, especially Utusan Malaysia, never spared you vilification for their evil political reason.

In the end – you can proudly say: ‘I did it my way’. Keep well, Kit Siang – you are truly an ‘Anak Malaysia’.

Bill44_sltiger
: The Lord Almighty will take good care of you. At one of your campaign talks at the Chin Woo hall, I did tell you to come to Ipoh and never leave.

I was to meet CV Devan Nair in Paramount Gardens, and you came to fetch me in your Fiat 850. That was the first time I met you, and of course, we met many times later.

Your sincerity, integrity and dedication cannot be questioned by anyone. You built the party from scratch. You are indeed a true Malaysian. And take care of you health please, Kit.

Anonymous_05
: Uncle Kit Siang, you stand tall among Malaysians. Your decades of championing the weak and oppressed and your unyielding fight against injustices are well known. I wish you good health and happiness.

Kee Thuan Chye
: Kit Siang, you are a rare breed. How many Malaysian politicians are like you?

How many can claim the kind of stamina and perseverance you have shown through your quixotic efforts over the decades to help make Malaysia a better place?

You are a Malaysian hero, and don’t let them tell you otherwise.

AnakPinang
: This is a towering Malaysian who has sacrificed so much for this country. I am in awe of him.

Even with his vision impaired, his main preoccupation is how he will continue his mission for a better Malaysia.

Such drive and single mindedness from someone in the face of personal hardship and sacrifice is a lesson in itself, and profoundly humbling.

FellowMalaysian
: Kit Siang, you are one of the thoroughbreds who has selflessly devoted and sacrificed your entire life for the country.

You have fought alongside many other great warriors in the name of justice, freedom, democracy, transparency and good governance.

With your insight and forbearance, Malaysians of all races have come to admire your courage and appreciate the single greatest value anyone could give to their fellow countrymen – that you showed us what humans are capable of achieving.

The road may still be long and arduous, but with your ever watchful eyes and caring guidance, we shall continue in our march to see a truly democratic country.

Anonymous_3f49
: The country is grateful for your contribution to the nation’s politics and no less now. Long may you continue to enjoy good health.

Your sincere and honest views are a breath of fresh air. May Pakatan continue to enjoy further success under your guidance.

Multi Racial
: You have done a lot for the country and as far as I am concern, you have very few peers who can match your contributions, and none of them from BN.

We believe you are sincere and committed to do good for this country. We thank you for that. Just take care of yourself and stay healthy as we need you to be around for a long time to come.

Plastic Rose
: Get well soon, Kit Siang. History will judge you as one of Malaysia’s greatest sons – a true patriot who has served our nation with total commitment, dedication and courage in the face of adversity.

Anonymous
: Through the years, DAP has withstood a ‘baptism of fire’ and no one can challenge the sincerity and integrity of the party and its leaders, especially under your capable leadership.

Your son (Guan Eng) in Penang is what he is because of you, a chip of the old block. Despite the brickbats, the Penang people are happy with the new government led by him.

Keep up the good work. The road ahead is far from smooth but be true to yourself and your beliefs.

Superwoman: We will be your eyes and ears during this difficult time. We admire your courage and your effort, and fight you must.

Retnam
: LKS, please don’t retire until BN is given a big kick and knocked off. Continue in the ensuing Pakatan Rakyat government for a long time.

This is the request from all Malaysians who want to see the end of the evil BN government and the start of good government.

Quigonbond
: It’s kind of selfish, but I’m hoping Uncle Lim will continue a bit more.

I’m hoping that with the coming general elections, Pakatan wins, and he can demonstrate the good that DAP can do for the country by assuming perhaps the deputy premiership (realistically speaking – although ideally I’d rather Malaysians be colour-blind and choose the best of best to be the PM, including him).

I hope your eyes will be well again soon, Uncle Lim.

Henry
: “Ditch his dark glasses…”? His shades are cool!

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 11:27 am and is filed under
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Kita kembali ke barisan permulaan

By
Aspan Alias
 | August 01, 2011

The Malaysian Insider

1 OGOS — Dalam situasi politik yang begitu kusut pada hari ini, apa yang perlu bagi negara ialah untuk mempunyai pemimpin yang penuh dengan “wisdom” politik yang berpijak di atas alam yang nyata. Ucapan bergegar-gegar tidak lagi menjadi alat penyatu sesuatu kaum dan di antara kaum di negara yang berbilang bangsa, agama dan budaya ini.

Pemimpin yang dikatakan pemimpin yang mempunyai “wisdom” itu adalah pemimpin yang tidak lagi bercakap hingga pecah anak tekak, tetapi pemimpin yang faham keadaan sebenarnya yang melanda negara. Apabila pemimpin itu faham keadaan sebenarnya maka adalah mudah bagi pemimpin itu untuk mencari kaedah penyelesaiannya mengikut kehendak semua orang dan kaum-kaum.

Tentulah di dalam membuat keputusan untuk di gubal dan di laksanakan itu ianya pasti ada pengorbanan dari semua pihak seperti kaum-kaum yang ada, pemimpin-pemimpin serta mereka yang bakal memberikan kepimpinan bagi penyelesaian itu.

Yang terpenting sebelum apa-apa dilakukan semua pihak wajar insaf dan sedar serta mengakui yang keadaan ini jika tidak di selesaikan akan membawa padah dan mudharat kepada negara dan rakyat negara ini.

Segala yang dilakukan hendaklah mengikut acuan dan berdasarkan kepada masalah-masalah yang melingkungi kita semua supaya tindakan kita itu mampu menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang berbangkit dengan sempurna.

Selalunya masalah ini tidak akan mampu dilakukan oleh pemimpin yang menjadi penyebab kepada wujudnya masalah ini, lebih-lebih lagi jika pemimpin itu mempunyai stigma yang negative oleh kerana kelemahan kepimpinan dan faktor sampingan seperti mempunyai masalah peribadi serta keluarga.

Dan tidak juga melayakan jemaah yang bersama-sama dengan barisan kepimpinan itu. Ini di sebabkan mereka di sekeliling pimpinan itu juga mempunyai “accountability” yang besar kerana segala tindakan salah pucuk pimpinan itu sepatutnya di perbetulkan oleh jemaah dalam kepimpinan itu. Jika tidak dilakukan maka seluruh jemaah tersebut wajar berkorban bersama-sama dengan pucuk pimpinan bagi mengatasi masalah yang di hadapi negara.

Pembaharuan yang dimaksudkan ialah baharu dalam semua elemen-elemen penting kepimpinan. Ianya mesti dilihat baru supaya rakyat dapat melupakan episod-episod buruk yang kita lalui. Rupa dan bentuk kepimpinan negara yang baru itu mesti mempunyai pengalaman luas dalam mentadbir dan melaksanakan dasar-dasar kerajaan dengan berjaya.

Najib Razak dalam erti sebenarnya telah kehilangan penghormatan rakyat kerana dasar-dasar “flip-flop” dan tidak ada pun satu dari dasar yang di umumkan beliau setiap bulan itu akan berjaya dilaksanakan. Rakyat sudah sampai ketahap jemu dan bosan dengan cara beliau mentadbir negara yang kini memerlukan penumpuan khusus untuk mencapai negara maju. Oleh kerana beliau bercakap terlalu banyak ada di antara kata-kata beliau itu membayangkan sikap sebenar beliau sebagai pemimpin.

Di antaranya ialah “aku tolong kamu dan aku akan tolong kamu kembali”. Kata-kata ini membayangkan Najib memang kekurangan “wisdom” yang amat diperlukan oleh negara kini. Kata-kata itu tidak akan terlepas dari pandangan ramai yang Najib sedang membina barisan kroni yang kuat untuk mempastikan kemenangan dalam pilihanraya dan tentulah cara ini menjadikan negara ini hanya dikuasai oleh mereka yang memberikan sokongan sahaja. Jika beliau berjaya dengan “you help me to help you back” ini akan secara otomatik menjadi pemimpin yang tidak legitimate.

Kita perlu memahami bahawa jika kita menggenggam kuasa secara tidak legitimate tadi negara tidak akan stabil kerana sebahagian besar rakyat tidak berpuas hati. Apa gunanya berkuasa dengan “you help me and I shall help you back” kerana kuasa itu bukan sokongan yang natural dari rakyat berbilang kaum ini?

Elemen yang paling penting di dalam kepimpinan ialah kepimpinan yang mempunyai “legitimacy” yang jelas. Najib tahu yang ramai di antara pimpinan yang ada di dalam kerajaan dan Umno sekarang sudah tidak relevan lagi.

Tetapi Najib tidak tahu untuk mengatakan kepada “warlords-warlords” ini untuk mengundurkan diri kerana takut mereka akan menarik sokongan terhadap beliau. Isu ini sangat membebankan Najib dan kita tahu Najib tidak akan berani melakukannya. Justru yang akan menanggung perasaan dan kekecewaan ialah rakyat dan negara.

Situasi sekarang ini amat meruncing dan setiap pihak wajar melakukan sesuatu untuk menyelesaikan. Kita sudah sampai ke persimpangan dan sedang bertanya, “hendak melakukan untuk kepentingan peribadi saya atau untuk negara dan bangsa saya?”

Yang penting sekarang ialah untuk setiap insan berfikir dengan cermat dan jujur, mampukah kepimpinan hari ini membawa negara keluar dan kecurangan politik dan ekonomi yang sedang berlaku tanpa kawalan pada hari ini. Mesti kita ingat yang negara ini negara kita bukan negara orang lain.

Tanggungjawab untuk menjaga negara ini terletak di bahu setiap rakyat negara ini. Apabila sudah berfikir apa-apa sahaja keputusan yang di ambil harus ditanggung oleh kita sendiri. Jangan pula kita menyalahkan orang lain jika keadaan tidak berubah kerana yang menyebabkan tiada perubahan itu adalah oleh kerana kita sendiri.

Sekarang ini Umno tidak lagi mampu untuk membendung sokongan yang pernah mereka perolehi dahulu. Itulah sebabnya jika kita masih menggunakan isu mengenang budi misalnya, ia tidak relevan lagi kerana yang sepatutnya mengenang budi rakyat ialah parti dan pemimpin-pemimpin yang memerintah negara selama ini.

Keadaan amat serius dan jika tidak ada “political will” yang kuat untuk memperbaiki keadaan kita akan menjadi rakyat yang tinggal dalam negara yang tidak mempunyai sistem dan ini akan merugikan setiap pihak terutamanya kepada rakyat yang masih terkial-kial untuk mencari kehidupan yang sempurna dalam negara yang kaya raya ini.

Seperti yang saya pernah cadangkan dahulu, “we have to start our nation anew”. Kita telah terlepas segala perkara yang sepatutnya menjadi genggaman kita… bukan sahaja untuk orang Melayu tetapi juga setiap bangsa yang mendiami negara kita ini. Elok kita berfikir beberapa jenak untuk mengenangkan nasib negara kita setiap hari.

Mari kita mulakan politik yang diperbaharui. Mulakan perbincangan yang baru dengan semua pihak seperti yang dilakukan oleh YTM Abd Rahman dan rakan dari semua bangsa. Cari jalan yang baik dengan pembaharuan yang boleh menyelamatkan siasah dan negara kita dalam jangka masa yang panjang.

Biarlah ianya dilakukan oleh seorang yang diterima semua pihak. Yang akan melakukan itu biarlah mereka yang tidak terlibat dengan sentimen perkauman serta tidak terlibat dengan apa-apa jenayah rasuah, pembunuhan dan sebagainya.

Kata agama suci kita, “berfikir sejenak lebih baik dari beramal sepanjang malam”. — harakahdaily.net

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 5:17 pm and is filed under
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Palanivel, Cabinet numbers and Parkinson’s laws

By
Sakmongkol AK47
 | August 01, 2011

The Malaysian Insider

AUG 1 — If Palanivel is the deeply religious person everyone seems to think and has any moral compunction, he will decline the offer of a cabinet post. But as everyone knows, these MIC leaders have too much of the mandore-quotient to let this opportunity go.

Surely, we will be told that in the name of service to the nation, Palanivel will accept the gratuitous offer for a cabinet post. Why not? It comes with the prestige and the chance to coast along giving the appearance of being hardworking.

What has Palinivel offered? He didn’t win any parliamentary seat. His contribution to Hulu Selangor when he was MP there nearly cost the BN the seat last time. We all heard the folks in Hulu Selangor lambasting him for not being seen in the constituency. He was the invisible man.

He was made a senator, deputy minister and now full minister on account of what? He will do Umno’s biddings. The MIC president will be Uncle Tom-ming all along or in his case, Uncle-Jibbing all the time. Lacking the merit and mandate how can Palani speak with conviction about Indians? The just released Dr Jeyakumar is held in higher esteem than Palanivel.

What he has done is just to add to the notoriety of the Najib cabinet being the largest in our history. Tengku Abdul Rahman had a cabinet of some 16 people I think. Pak Lah had 33. Najib now has 39? That’s one short of the fabled number of a group of 40 people who made a living by relieving others of their wealth and property. But then the current crop of members in the cabinet has achieved notoriety surpassing the fabled band of 40.

The Najib cabinet is eerily becoming what Mugabe is doing to the Zimbabwean cabinet. People seemed to think that the seriousness of governance is measured by the increase in the number of cabinet positions. Mugabe in an effort to demonstrate substance keeps on increasing the number of cabinet members.

By Jove! Parkinson’s Laws do work everywhere after all.

One version of the law states that the increase in the number of employees at the Colonial Office is highest as Great Britain’s overseas empire declined; the Colonial Office had its greatest number of staff at the point when it was folded into the Foreign Office because of a lack of colonies to administer.

Could it also be that the increase in our own cabinet members becomes more prominent while the actual cabinet tasks declined? That is scary.

How can we explain this fetish to increase the size of the cabinet? Perhaps two forces are at work here:

A Minister wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals.

And Ministers make work for each other.

That reminds me of what my late Economics professor at UM, Harcharan Singh, used to say: in Russia there’s no unemployment of any kind because one cow is looked after by 40 people. We have a zero unemployment cabinet then. What will Palanivel do as a minister which job is not being done by someone else now? Refer to Parkinson’s laws above.

That is in defiance of the promise by our PM to have a small cabinet. PKR has more Indian MPs than MIC. In the next round, MIC will probably be decimated. PPP claims to also represent the Indians. I know cabinet appointments are the prerogative of the PM as head of the cabinet. But I think cabinet appointment must also reflect a moral standing. Palanivel didn’t win any seat via elections, why should he be appointed a cabinet minister? MIC, which won only two seats last time, now has two full ministers. That’s a 100 per cent achievement. In addition it has deputy minister’s post.

MIC Indians are a privileged lot then. Threaten the PM and he will succumb to threats. I would have thought, the PM should have taken up the dare by the MIC Indians that they will not support the BN. See if the MIC leaders can talk big without any positions in the government. They will be running grovelling at the feet of the PM and will tell him, he is the greatest PM since Samy Vellu. Yes sir, Samy Vellu was PM to Malaysian Indians.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 5:18 pm and is filed under
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Polls dry run shows BN can lose Perak, Negri Sembilan

 By Jahabar Sadiq

Editor

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 01, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) could lose Perak and Negri Sembilan in the next general elections, according to results of a recent dry run. Unless component parties put popular faces and ensure the grassroots machinery garner support from voters.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the Umno election dry run also showed that the BN fortress of Johor could see up to 15 out of the 56 state seats go to their political opponents Pakatan Rakyat (PR), something unheard before Election 2008 when the ruling coalition lost six seats.

Prime Minister Najib faces challenges of Bersih, economy and rising inflation.

It is also learnt that Perlis, where BN holds 14 out of the 15 state seats, could see several state and one of the three federal seats going to PR due to anger over Putrajaya putting Wahhabi preachers including state mufti Dr Juanda Jaya on a terror watch list.

“The dry run has shown a lot of weaknesses. And the Wahhabi issue is not helping,” an Umno source told The Malaysian Insider.

An upcoming Umno leader expressed similar sentiments, saying BN must put new faces to renew the coalition while getting respective party machineries to go all out for support.

“The problem is while the Umno machinery can work if given the motivation, members of the other component parties do not appear to be that motivated,” said the Umno leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He revealed that the dry run showed Umno could only win 27 seats in the 59-seat Perak state assembly despite BN ruling the state since February 2009 after a series of defections toppled the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.

In June, the state Umno was confident of getting 33 seats, with Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir dismissing The Malaysian Insider’s report that victory is only assured if right candidates are picked.

It was learnt that several  Perak Umno divisional leaders were loath to campaign or register new voters unless they were certain about the likely candidates for the next general elections.

“Perak Umno is strong and can win 33 state seats but divisional leaders won’t move unless they or their favourites get picked,” an Umno source said then.

Umno contested 34 seats in the 59-seat state assembly in Election 2008, winning 27 with another seat won by MCA, giving the Silver State to Pakatan Rakyat (PR), which took 31 seats.

“The situation hasn’t changed in Perak and now it is the same in Negri Sembilan as the opposition is getting stronger, knowing that Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan might not remain as mentri besar,” the Umno source said.

Mohamad is tipped to contest a federal seat, leaving his post vacant and an attractive target for the other state Umno divisional leaders.

“There is some heavy lobbying going on in Negri Sembilan for the MB’s post but they all forget that the victories were narrow in Election 2008,” he added. BN won 21 out of the 36 seats in the state assembly, with the remainder 15 going to PR, which has expressed confidence of taking the state.

The parties that make up PR — DAP, PKR and PAS — won four more states and 82 parliament seats in Election 2008 but later lost Perak to BN. However, they are gunning to win more states and hope to whittle BN’s federal majority in the next general elections.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not hinted at general elections yet although his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told BN to prepare for polls in the near future. Most analysts and opposition politicians expect elections within a year, with some saying it could be held as early as November, after the budget is tabled and before the Umno general assembly.

But Najib will have to first overcome criticisms against his government’s crackdown on the Bersih electoral reforms rally last month, where nearly 1,700 were held briefly, others injured and one died of a heart attack.

The prime minister, who is also finance minister, also has to handle the country’s economy, which has slowed down to 4.6 per cent in the first quarter amid stagnating wages and rising inflation. He has announced a new focus on keeping prices low while Muhyiddin announced that the government was considering food stamps for the very poor.

Opposition politicians are making the rising inflation an election issue, pointing out the government remained profligate with plans to buy new patrol vessels and fighter jets despite asking people to tighten their belts.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 August 2011, 8:24 am and is filed under
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Dissent no longer allowed in Umno, says Abdul Kadir

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 02, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir laments Umno’s present disdain for dissent and open debate, charging it as a “regression” from the eras of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj and Tun Abdul Razak.

The former Umno minister and supreme council member told The Malaysian Insider he was “worried” about the Malay party’s current political culture, saying it starkly contrasted with the Najib administration’s push for transparency and openness.

“Unfortunately things have changed a lot within Umno since the times of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn. Back then there was a lot of freedom to voice out our opinions, a lot of room for dissent and open debate..

“But now you don’t have that kind of environment,” Abdul Kadir told The Malaysian Insider, citing the current circumstances has pushed him to join Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) where he can voice out issues that could not within his own party.

The former tourism minister cited the backlash to Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah’s stand on the Bersih 2.0 rally, where the deputy higher education minister disagreed with the way the government had handled the July 9 event.

“It was just a comment, it did not mean he was going against his party or the government, but now there are calls within Umno for him (Saifuddin) to be sacked.

“This never happened in the past,” added Abdul Kadir.

He also compared the present Umno leadership to the past ones, and used the case of former Umno Youth Chief and Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Harun Idris to illustrate his point.

“Most of us in Umno Youth did not agree when Datuk Harun was charged with corruption. We became witnesses against the government back then. We went against our own government to campaign for Datuk Harun around the country…but no action was taken against us, even though there was a difference of opinion.

“It did not mean we were going against BN or the government, it was just a difference of opinion,” said Abduk Kadir.

Between 1975 to 1977, the late Harun was found guilty on various charges of corruption and was sentenced to six years’ jail. In 1981, Harun was pardoned by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on advice of the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, after serving three years of his sentence.

Despite his lament about the party’s current mood, Abdul Kadir said that he would remain with Umno and work for the party.

“My whole adult life, I have been with Umno, I am still holding positions within the party…there are a lot of things that I agree with Umno, with some of its other policies,” said the veteran politician who is currently treasurer for the Kulim Bandar-Baharu Umno division.

Abdul Kadir is now one of three deputy presidents of Amanah, led by former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who remains Gua Musang Umno division chief and the Gua Musang MP.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 August 2011, 9:31 am and is filed under
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Drop the charges against the PSM6  – as if Police/Najib administration have not made enough spectacle of themselves in disastrous mishandling of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally and EO6 detention

The Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) Six, including the MP for Sungai Siput Dr. Michael Jeyakumar, who were released on Friday after 27 days of detention under the obsolete 1969 Emergency Ordinance after a week’s remand under the Penal Code for “waging war against the  Agong”, have been informed that they will be charged in Butterworth tomorrow with “possessing subversive material”.

The Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail should drop the charges against the PSM6.

They must release that the  public reaction is whether  the Police and the Najib administration have not made enough spectacles of themselves both nationally and internationally in their gross and disastrous mishandling of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally and the EO6 detention.

The PSM6 are expected to be charged under Section 48 of the Societies Act and Section 29 of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Section 29 of the ISA  on “Possession of subversive documents” provides that an offender is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of  RM10,000 or five years’ jail or both.

It provides that “subversive document” means “any document having in part or in whole a tendency” (3a) “to excite organized violence” or (3b) “to support, propagate or advocate any act prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or the maintenance or restoration of public order therein or inciting to violence therein or counseling disobedience to the law thereof or to any lawful order therein”.

Section 29 of the ISA is a most oppressive and draconian provision as sub-section (4) reverses the presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty, providing that “Every document purporting to be a subversive document shall be presumed to be a subversive document until the contrary is proved”.

After the gross and disastrous mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 rally and EO detentions, which have made the Najib administration the laughing stock not only in the country but also internationally, the wisest and most prudent course is for the authorities to drop the entire matter – including the charges which have been preferred against the other 23 PSM activists in Butterworth.

Instead the authorities seem bent on extracting their “pound of flesh” which will keep the issue alive  in national and international consciousness.

This is only compounding the host of mistakes committed in the gross mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 rally and EO6 detention – before, during and after.

What the Najib administration and the police should do is to review the disastrous mistakes they have made in failing to discharge their duty and responsibility to protect the  human rights and uphold the democratic space of Malaysian citizens to peaceful assembly to demand for free and fair elections in the country and  learn the right  lessons from the Bersih 2.0 and EO6 detention episodes.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 August 2011, 4:16 pm and is filed under
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End of the rope for Najib

—
Douglas Tan

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 02, 2011

AUG 2 — Over the past few months, we have all seen the steep decline of our Prime Minister. From calling on youth to “defend Putrajaya” as though the nation is expecting an invasion to being unable to back up his own 1 Malaysia policy when asked by a student at a recent Malaysian Student Leader’s Summit.

It truly seems that Najib is unable to do anything right at the moment. First he outright attacks the Opposition parties claiming that they would destroy this nation and that Barisan Nasional is the shining light to guide the nation forward. To ask the youth to help defend Putrajaya against the Opposition is nothing short of pretentious, as though UMNO/BN has the divine right to govern this country infinitum.

This was quickly followed by Bersih 2.0, where he exposed himself as a lame duck leader. Instead of assuming a non-partisan role and showing true leadership, he aligned himself more as Umno president than the Prime Minister of Malaysia by demonising the coalition as an “illegal organisation” and stooping so low to the extent of roping in mosque ceramah’s to spread their propaganda of the so-called “perhimpunan haram”.

His handling of Bersih 2.0 in itself was nothing short of despicable. If he truly recognised the event to be a national crisis, he himself should have been in Kuala Lumpur that day to defuse the situation.

Instead, he found himself in Terengganu, with his tail between his legs, smiling at the co-op event, as though he found the hyped-up illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur to be a mere inconvenience to his schedule.

In the lack of true leadership, he “tai-chied” all of the responsibility onto his cousin’s shoulders. Hishammudin didn’t fair much better, especially with his justification of the clampdown on civil liberties, to the extent that those who knew him declared him as sounding “mentally impaired”!.

As though this was not bad enough, the cover up of Tung Shin Hospital, the police violence and the subsequent spread of lies through the media had caused a self-inflicted international black eye. Ignoring all of this, he proceeded to meet the Queen of England in a stunning yellow dress, just in case he failed to get the message.

Although he had managed to establish ties with the Vatican, his subsequent comments to the Christian community did little to them to endear him, especially when he implied that Christians were intolerant, when that clearly is not the case.

His wife’s extravagance would distance him further from the grassroots as allegations that she purchased a US$24 million ring had sent shock waves through the community, especially at a time that the Rakyat are told to tighten our belts in the midst of reduced subsidies and rising prices. Compound this with the Scorpene scandal and the announcement of the intent to purchase billions of Ringgit worth of fighter planes we do not need hardly resonates with his motto of “Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan” (People First, Performance Now).

The Teoh Beng Hock RCI report, the detention of the EO6 and finally his inability to back up his own 1 Malaysia concept as he does not want to be seen in conflict with his deputy, has earn him the title of “The Lamest Premier” by DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua. I am inclined to agree with Tony, as I doubt I have ever seen a less decisive head of state, who fails to get even his own cabinet to sing the same tune.

With impending polls ahead, Umno and Najib have good reason to sweat. The blantant inability to handle the affairs of the nation has stirred up the sentiments a generally politically-apathetic population.

As for all the hype with his Economic Transformation Plan and Pemandu, National Key Result Areas and what-not, all the Rakyat know is that the government is spending our hard earned money into the proverbial black hole. Our cost of living is on the rise, civil liberties are being trounced on, and corruption, deceit and lies are rampant in this government.

For those who have driven around Kuala Lumpur at night, you would be able to see the Umno building lit up by billions of LEDs proclaiming the achievements of the Umno-led government. One of them called Najib as “Bapa Transformasi”. As much as this may be a collosal joke to some, there may be a silver lining as he may inadvertently be responsible for the biggest transformation in the history of our beloved nation.

If Najib continues to delude himself that it is the minority that is vocal in their dissent, and that he has the support of a “silent majority”, he is in for a nasty shock come the next polls.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 August 2011, 5:28 pm and is filed under
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IGP and top police officers should stop issuing arbitrary and politically-inspired directives

The past five weeks before and after the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally for a free and fair elections must be one of the most difficult times for ordinary police personnel all over the country in recent years, for they were forced to become bullies instead of being “friends and protectors” of the people whose first priority is to reduce crime to make people safe.

In these five weeks, police throughout the country were forced to comply with arbitrary and politically-inspired directives from the top police leadership whose primary objective is not to make the ordinary Malaysian people safe but to protect the existing regime in power.

Police were required to hound the public for wearing the innocuous Bersih T-shirt to the extent that xanthophobia (irrational fear of yellow) became a commonplace word with police not only arresting persons wearing the yellow-coloured Bersih 2.0 T-shirt but even for wearing yellow T-shirts!

There can be no doubt that when the police personnel had to arrest unarmed and defenceless Malaysians just for wearing the Bersih T-shirt or even for wearing yellow T-shirts, most police men and women knew in their heart of hearts that although they were acting under directives from above, their actions were most stupid, unreasonable and anti-people which did not enhance public respect and esteem for the police in particular and all other authorities in general.

Police were required to lockdown the capital city of Kuala Lumpur creating infernal traffic congestions on public roads, even before the planned Bersih 2.0 peaceful rally on July 9, 2011.

Although one of the objectives of the tight and high-handed police clampdown on the 709 Bersih 2.0 is to create public anger against the Bersih organisers and their supporters for causing such public inconveniences, in actual fact most people blame the Barisan Nasional government and the police for being the real cause for such public inconveniences through their unjustified overreaction to the Bersih 2.0 rally.

Who believes that the police were right and justified in their June 25 arrests of the PSM activists for “waging war against the Agong” and reviving communism or in the subsequent detention of the PSM6 under Emergency Ordinance from June 2 to 29 for being “prime movers” of Bersih 2.0 or in hauling them to court with charges of having “subversive documents” in the Butterworth court this monring?

In 2004, the then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tried to restore public confidence in the police as efficient, incorruptible, professional and world-class police service to make Malaysians safe from crime by establishing a Royal Commission of Inquiry headed by former Chief Justice Tun Dzaiddin and former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar.

Although the most important recommendation of the Dzaiddin Royal Commission in 2005 to establish an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was not accepted, the police authorities made efforts in the past six years to restore public confidence in its efficiency, independence and professionalism.

However, all these efforts in the past six years to restore public confidence in the independence, efficiency and professionalism of the Malaysian police have all be undone in the past five weeks, when the police took the sides of the government-of-the-day against the people by coming down hard in a clampdown on the scheduled peaceful Bersih 2.0 arrests, committing gross abuses of power in arbitrary arrests, lockdown of Kuala Lumpur and the indiscriminate firing of tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon against peaceful crowds.

One important lesson from the Bersih 2.0 episode is that the Inspector-General of Police and top police officers should stop issuing arbitrary and politically-inspired directives which embarrass police throughout the country and compromise their role “friends and protectors” of the people, as the most important role of the police must be to keep people safe from criminals and not to protect their political masters from accountability and responsibility through the fullest exercise by ordinary Malaysians of their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and clean political governance.

Can the present top police leadership learn this important lesson of democratic policing – to forcefully move away from the colonial police role of regime protection to that of a democratic society where the first task of the police is to serve the citizenry to keep them safe from crime and not to insulate the government from democratic responsibility and accountability?

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 August 2011, 3:57 pm and is filed under
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Malay contractors call MCA racist, defend Penang government

By
Yow Hong Chieh

August 02, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — The Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia’s (PKMM) Penang branch has defended the state’s open tender system as fair and warned Penang MCA to stop politicising contracts awarded to Bumiputeras there.

Acting Penang PKMM chief Datuk Izham Merican today condemned what he said was Penang MCA’s “ignorance” for failing to understand that open tenders allowed the state government to select the best and most competitively priced contractors, regardless of race.

“By only questioning contracts awarded to Malays, is MCA being racist towards the abilities of Malay contractors whom they regard as less competent than other contractors?” Izham said in a statement today.

“The Penang Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia strongly rejects MCA’s racist sentiment which insults Malay contractors … MCA should remember that there are good and not-so-good groups in all races, including the Chinese.”

He pointed out that non-Bumiputeras were not sidelined even when contracts were given to Bumiputera companies as many suppliers and construction workers were non-Bumiputeras.

“Therefore, for every project offered by the (state) government to Bumiputera contractors in its own way also provides opportunities for other races,” he said.

Izham also heaped praise on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for his professionalism and willingness to help Penangites of all races, including Umno-dominated PKMM, despite criticism from “those who do not understand the state government’s policies”.

He added that the federal government should give greater assistance to contractors, many of whom were facing closure as the construction industry no longer provided as many opportunities for work as before.

In the past two weeks, Penang MCA has repeatedly accused the DAP-led state government of being anti-Chinese for awarding only two contracts in the past three years to Chinese contractors.

In its latest salvo today, the state MCA said the Penang government’s decision to award only 0.2 per cent of the 968 projects tendered since the opposition party took power in 2008 suggested that Lim thought the Chinese community “incompetent”.

Before this latest attack, the Penang administration under Lim has regularly been accused by Umno, MCA’s senior partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) pact, of being racist for allegedly discriminating against the Malay community.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 August 2011, 8:53 am and is filed under
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The EO 6 freed – but are they free?

By
P Ramakrishnan, Aliran’s President
 | 2 August 2011

Considering the fact that all these six citizens were accused of very serious offences in the first instance and subsequently cleared, this news that they will be charged tomorrow is disturbing to Malaysians.

The police initially accused them of treason, which if proven would make them traitors to the country. This is a terrible accusation. One would think that without solid proof this accusation would not be levelled against them.

Mysteriously, this accusation simply disappeared into thin air. Next they were accused of posing a threat to public order. This, again, is a serious offence. Malaysians were anxiously waiting to be convinced in what ways these six were a threat to public order. Strangely, nothing was produced to support the police claim.

We understand that in the papers that were served on them they were accused of being prime movers of Bersih 2.0. But where is the evidence? Those responsible for the Bersih 2.0 ‘Walk for Democracy’ were 62 NGOs. No political party was part of the Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee. These six are members of a political party. How then could they have been prime movers of Bersih 2.0?

One accusation after another was resorted to in the vain attempt to incriminate the six. Some would even say that lie after lie were concocted to fix them. Unfortunately for the police, nothing worked for them.

Because the police were unable to produce an iota of evidence, they were compelled to release the six unconditionally.

As far as thinking Malaysians are concerned, that was the end of the story. The six were free to go without being further harassed. The state had nothing against them. The state had no hold over them.

This is why it is difficult to understand why the police would now want to charge them. Is this the vengeance of the state for failing to incriminate them?

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 August 2011, 9:27 am and is filed under
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Why the gov’t is paranoid

By
KJ John

Aug 2, 11 | MalaysiaKini

I always believed paranoia was the sickness of weak and fearful people, or those who have just cause for abject fear. For example, after 9/11, the Americans were absolutely overcome with paranoia only because such an unfortunate incident was “not in their paradigm of possibilities; worse still, probabilities!” Therefore, I could tolerate, accept and appreciate their paranoia as they did three 100 percent complete checks on me within the same airport in November 2001.

But, why is the government of Malaysia also paranoid these days? First we ban “an avowedly peaceful rally to ask for clean and fair elections”. Nonetheless, it then became the best example of a peaceful rally of ordinary Malaysians reflecting the 1Malaysia syndrome; except for police disturbance.

But the police did it in order to achieve their agenda of ‘self-fulfilling their concept of a ban’. Thereby they created chaos for Malaysians in the capital city by artificially creating a chock-a-bloc situation with their arbitrary and disingenuous road checks. They were a self-fulfilling prophecy; demonstrating their power and authority but nothing else.

Then they banned 91 individuals from entering certain KL geographic areas but were using the 2007 list of names and participants of Bersih 1.0. Finally they ban yellow T-shirts as ‘potential weapons of mass danger’, and arrest innocent citizens for wearing such yellow T-shirts.

Earlier, they created the fear of “enemies of state” trying to establish a Christian state (can someone tell me what that means anyway), believing a blogger. Now, even the peaceful, erudite and eloquent but activist Islamic scholar Dr Asri Zainul Abidin is considered a national threat. Ambiga Sreenevasan was declared a Hindu nationalist threat.

Just a month ago, the PSM 6 were legally detained under the Emergency Ordinance for allegedly being a “communist threat to the nation”. But suddenly, they are no longer a threat but the police do not apologise for their mistake. Can someone please explain all this fear?

Why all this scheming and planning to create an “apparent air of chaos” in a country now being declared as one of the most peaceful in the world. Please remember also that the police found an arsenal of weapons, perfectly colour-coordinated and brand-new weapons of war, and ‘petrol bombs in plastic bottles’, all said to be part and parcel of the Bersih 2.0 arsenal. Presumably, all China-made and distributed.

Justifying the next ‘national emergency’?

Let me take a guess. Maybe all this is to justify the making of the next “national emergency” and the requisite ISA detentions. Maybe they are strategic moves from the playbook of Operation Lallang now being readied.

I even see signs of the mainstream media being linked “to a Hitler-like propaganda programme of misleading the nation about what is public interest”.

All these manoeuvrings are developed within modern institutions of democracy; whether it is called the Election Commission, or the Media Council, or even the National Professors Council. It is therefore simply most appropriate that all mainstream media professionals stayed clear from the so-called Media Council recently. As Prof AB Shamsul rightly said recently, there is something “really rotten with our state of democracy”.

The last I heard anything about any Media Council was when Zaid Ibrahim was de facto Law Minister. But not only did the current so-called Media Council meet behind closed doors, what was even more astounding is that the Internet or alternative media was excluded but nevertheless represented by another “crony”, the so-called Blog House.

The original and genuine Bloggers group was called Bloggers’ United Malaysia or BUM. I attended one of their annual conferences and argued why the media was the 5th estate and not the fourth. I had argued that traditionally and always the fourth estate was the public service and this needed to be understood, appreciated, and recognised correctly by all concerned.

The media then becomes the fifth estate and has an equal role to keep the rest of the governance system under check and balance. I have always called the community of ordinary citizens as the sixth estate of good governance. Global institutions of good governance become the 7th estate.

Therefore I find it humorous that the secretary-general of the Information Ministry, a fourth estate representative, is appointed by a government minister to lead and set up this important and needed self-surveillance group of the media professionals. But he is not a media professional.

This move establishes and confirms my thesis that the public service must become the fourth estate; not an extension of intentions of the executive. The current non-existent fourth estate has become too blindly compliant to the executive agenda.

Serving with professionalism and neutrality

Originally and always, in the British tradition of parliamentary democracy, the public service could serve any government in power with true professionalism and neutrality. After half a century of Malayanisation (actually, to be accurate we must call this ‘Melayuisation’), we have lost this culture of neutrality and professionalism.

Today, it is a rather blind compliance culture under the rubric of “saya yang menurut perintah;” meaning ‘perintah of the menteri,’ and not that of the Agong, or even in the public interest.

Therefore, the Agong meeting Bersih representatives in a public audience and requesting them to meet in a stadium was a breakthrough of professional neutrality. But, the resultant and subsequent non-compliance is an abject and total disregard for the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by the government of the day; whether the executive or the public services.

It takes a neutral fourth estate to take orders only from the Agong, when the government of the day has some variant political ideas about the nature of good governance and the public interest.

So, my advice to the executive in Malaysia… please do not become paranoid. The Good Lord decides who rules Malaysia come the next general election, and please remember the whole world is also watching. What is free or not free or not fair will ultimately be decided by the people of Malaysia.

Gerrymandering can only help up to a certain point. If the swing is so severe, as had happened and almost happened in 1969 and again in 1999, the possibility of regime change is very real.

Nonetheless, in this day and age, the use of unfair and unethical means of “rule by law” will not sustain any system that has been constitutionally governed under the rule of law principle. Please read Ambiga’s acceptance speech on receiving an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Exeter, Britain and you will understand my sentiments on this issue. May God bless Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 August 2011, 8:59 am and is filed under
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AG – why the alacrity to prosecute the PSM EO6 while total immobility to charge MACC officers for a pile of crimes and unlawful actions exposed by Royal Commission Inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock’s death?

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should explain why the alacrity with which he wants to prosecute the PSM EO6 in contrast with his total immobility  to charge Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers for a pile of crimes and unlawful actions as exposed by the
Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh Beng Hock’s (TBH) death
?

Yesterday, The PSP EO6 including the Sungai Siput Member of Parliament Dr. Michael Jeyakumar who were released last Friday from detention-without-trial Emergency Ordinance were charged in the Butterworth Sessions Court under the Internal Security Act and the Societies Act with possessing subversive documents and assisting an illegal organization.

However, there are no signs whatsoever that the Attorney-General is taking any action or shown any interest in the report of the  James Foong Royal Commission of Inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock’s death, in particular in the shocking RCI revelations of the pile of crimes and unlawful actions committed by MACC officers in the MACC massive operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death.

The RCI’s conclusion that Beng Hock was “driven to suicide” is not acceptable as it is not based on any evidence but a mere leap in imagination.

However, the RCI has discovered a mountain of crimes and  unlawful acts  committed by MACC officers in the massive July 2009 MACC operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death.

In the first place, the massive 33-men MACC operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death at MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on 16th July 2009 was mala fide, a gross  abuse of power and acts of corruption.

The RCI found that Hishammuddin Hashim (who had “absolute authority” to investigate anyone whom he suspected of corruption in the state “without informing or obtaining the consent of his superiors” in MACC or Selangor although he was only Deputy Director MACC Selangor)  was the “mastermind” who launched the massive MACC operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death without supporting facts but merely on “a mere belief” from a  telephone call.

The crimes and violations of the law committed by the MACC officers in the massive MACC operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death include the following:

Responsible for Beng Hock’s death.

MACC officers committing perjury and telling lies about what happened to Beng Hock when at the MACC headquarters in police investigations into Beng Hock’s death, the TBH Inquest and the TBH RCI proceedings, which warrants the establishment of a Special Investigations Squad to identify Beng Hock’s killers.

Violating Section 31 of the MACC Act in illegally and without lawful authorisation exercising the powers of “search and seizure” when MACC officers carried out their raids on various places during the massive MACC operation resulting in Beng Hock’s death.

In Para 245, the RCI castigated the MACC officers over their “cavalier attitude”  in “arrogating to themselves a power that the law did not, and does not, confer”.

The RCI also castigated the MACC for its common “unlawful” practice of conducting “search without warrant or authorization”.

In their report, the RCI commissioners referred to “a number of instances of blatant abuse of powers by the Selangor MACC officers and the other officers involved in the operation”. It said: “The investigation into the allegations of corruption by the MACC showed scant regard for the law in the pursuit of the MACC to produce results.”  (Para 295)

The TBH RCI had expressed the view that “the death of TBH should not be in vain” and in this spirit, the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should explain why the AG Chambers is totally indifferent and unconcerned about the exposes of the pile of crimes and unlawful actions committed by MACC officers as exposed by the TBH RCI report, submitted more than six weeks ago.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 1:11 pm and is filed under
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BBC suspends FBC shows, CNN denies paid for Najib interview

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 04, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — US-based broadcaster CNN has denied it was paid to interview Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak but questions remain about the role played by its anchor John Defterios after the latter’s FBC Media programme World Business was axed yesterday by rival network CNBC.

The spotlight is on the relationship between FBC Media — the British publicity firm led by media giant Alan Friedman with Defterios (picture) still listed as its group president — and broadcasters like CNBC, CNN and the BBC.

As a result of the allegations, BBC has also said it will suspend programmes produced by FBC Media and investigate the company.

Influential Washington-based news website Politico.com reported today a CNN spokesman as saying there had never been any contract between the satellite news channel and Friedman’s FBC Media for editorial content, only advertorials that are clearly labelled as such and which run only during the commercial slots.

According to Politico, FBC Media is listed in lobbying reports as having paid tens of thousands of dollars to Washington-based lobbying firm APCO in recent years to lobby on behalf of the Malaysian government.

CNN’s denial comes on the heels of rival CNBC’s decision to drop its flagship show World Business, which has similarly been alleged to have been paid to feature Najib in its prime-time news slots last month after his administration cracked down on a civil rally pushing for cleaner and more honest elections.

Both interviews were conducted by Defterios which has raised eyebrows over his appearance on the rival channels as well as questions over a conflict of interest to his unclear ties with FBC Media.

Defterios was listed as director in the British firm on the FBC Media website before it was stripped down to a one-page fact sheet yesterday, with all information about its board members removed. The information remains available on the whistleblower Sarawak Report website.

CNN told Politico that Defterios had been a full-time employee since March and had cut all ties with FBC Media at that time, but he remains listed as CNBC’s managing editor for the just axed World Business programme.

In profiles of Defterios available online, he is listed as the group president of FBC Media.

Global broadcasters have been scrambling to contain potential damage after allegations of impropriety surfaced following an expose by whistleblower Sarawak Report, which linked the interviews and other programmes produced by FBC Media as having been paid millions of ringgit by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to shine its international image.

“CNN’s recent interview with the Malaysian prime minister was set up solely by CNN with the PM’s office,” Politico reported CNN spokeswoman Lauren Cone as saying in its story today headlined “CNBC drops ‘World Business’”.

Apart from CNN, FBC Media has also produced editorial content for the UK broadcaster BBC.

The British broadcaster told Politico all independent TV companies are required to sign strict agreements with it to prevent conflicts of interests and that it was not aware of some of the information provided by FBC but will be investigating the claims “as a matter of urgency.”

“As a precautionary step, we will not broadcast programmes made by FBC whilst we look into these claims,” Politico reported the anonymous BBC spokesman as saying.

Putrajaya and the Sarawak administration under Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud have been questioned by the opposition PKR to come clean on the allegation they had paid FBC Media RM15 million a year from public coffers to produce programmes biased towards the BN coalition at federal and state levels on international media.

The Sarawak Report, in a story published three days ago, claimed insider sources revealed Najib “suggested” to Taib that he hire FBC Media to bolster his seemingly flagging popularity after the Sarawak chief minister appeared to suffer a publicity crisis due to allegations of extensive corruption.

Both have not denied the report since it was published by the whistleblower website. FBC Media’s dealings with the Malaysian government came to light after supplementary supply Bills showed vast payments made for a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign”.

The records showed that between 2008 and 2009, RM57.7 million was paid by the Prime Minister’s office to FBC Media for the campaign.

Attempts by The Malaysian Insider to contact FBC Media since yesterday to clarify the reports have been unanswered.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 1:55 pm and is filed under
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Christian cleric condemns Jais raid on PJ church

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 04, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — In an immediate reaction, Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Rev Hermen Shastri hit out at Selangor’s Islamic religious authorities for “storming” a Petaling Jaya church last night on questionable grounds.

The Malaysian Insider reported earlier this morning that some 30 policemen and enforcement officers from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had barged unannounced and without a warrant into a multiracial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) here last night over an unspecified complaint.

But Shastri said he understands the raid was linked to attempts to preach to Malay Muslims about Christianity.

“Apparently there was a police report by Jais on proselytising to Malays,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted.

“The facts of what happened are yet unclear but the Council of Churches view with great concern this development and call on the government to take whatever action necessary to curb the power of Jais to just go into the religious places of other communities and conduct their investigations,” he added.

The vocal Christian slammed Jais for resorting to such high-handed action in conducting its investigations without first checking with the church leaders.

“This is unprecedented. Should the authorities have any concern, the courteous thing to do is to contact the church for clarification,” he said.

“Before [they] enter any place of worship, they should talk to the leader. They should not storm the church. Imagine how it would look if someone stormed a mosque,” he continued, saying Jais’ act was “totally unacceptable” when various groups were trying to build a harmonious community in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s unifying 1 Malaysia call.

Shastri, who is on the Cabinet’s Special Committee to Promote Harmony and Understanding Among Religious Adherents set up last year is expected to raise this issue to Putrajaya’s attention.

 He co-chairs an interfaith subcommittee aimed at resolving peaceably disputes between Muslims and non-Muslims.

A DUMC pastor, Daniel Ho had told The Malaysian Insider last night that the church had hosted a thanksgiving dinner organised by a non-governmental organisation called Harapan Komuniti that was attended by between 100 and 120 guests of all races.

“This is a dinner for people to come in the 1 Malaysia spirit,” Ho said, adding they were mainly Christian although he admitted there were “there were about 15 or so Malays.”

On its website, Harapan Komuniti describes itself as a non-profit organisation that provides disaster relief and helps single mothers, children and AIDS patients regardless of race.

Ho said the authorities did not arrest anyone, but seized the function’s programme sheets and questioned the dinner organisers and guests.

“(They came in) on the pretext of a complaint and said somebody made a complaint,” said the pastor.

He pointed out, however, that the authorities did not explain what the complaint was.

Last night’s raid in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state came after Malaysia sealed formal ties with the Vatican last month, seen as a high point in religious relations where Muslims are the majority.

Religious tensions heightened two years ago when the Home Ministry barred Christians from referring to their god as “Allah” in a Catholic newspaper.

In 2009, the High Court allowed the church to use the word, but the case is pending a Home Ministry appeal of the decision.

Several churches across the country fell victim to arson attempts in January last year following the ruling.

 Christians, who form 9.2 per cent of Malaysia’s 28.3 million-strong population, were further outraged when the Home Ministry seized 35,100 Malay-language bibles.

The bibles were later released ahead of the Sarawak state election in April on condition that copies in Peninsular Malaysia be marked with a cross and the words “Christian publication”.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 1:38 pm and is filed under
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CNBC drops flagship show over paid Malaysian interviews

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 04, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — International news broadcaster CNBC has confirmed cancelling its flagship show World Business as allegations of impropriety surface linking the programme to FBC Media, a British firm apparently paid millions of ringgit by Putrajaya and Sarawak to shine their images globally.

The satellite news channel said it has also started investigating FBC Media’s business practices, in what is seen as a bid to remove itself from being tainted by any possible scandal that could smear it like the phone-hacking allegations that ended the 168-year-old News of The World last month.

“In response to your question below, you are correct in that we have withdrawn World Business in the light of serious questions raised last week and we have initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices,” Charlotte Westgate, CNBC’s vice-president of marketing and communications, told The Malaysian Insider in an email last night.

The news of CNBC’s popular business news programme, under the eye of its managing editor John Defterios, being dumped was first reported yesterday by Sarawak Report.

In the story “CNBC Dumps FBC Media!”, the London-based whistleblower said the decision came on the heels of its earlier expose disclosing how Malaysia’s powerful ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians have been paying FBC Media millions of ringgit a year out of public coffers “to buy them positive publicity on the show”.

The Sarawak Report listed the ruling coalition politicians as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud.

“Allowing slots to be purchased in this way, deceiving millions of viewers who thought they were watching impartial programming, is a serious breach of broadcasting laws, for which broadcasters such as CNBC’s parent company, the American broadcasting giant NBC, would be held ultimately responsible,” Sarawak Report said.

CNBC’s Westgate, however, declined further comment on the case for the time being.

FBC Media is also said to have dealings with British national broadcaster BBC and US-based CNN.

The Malaysian Insider tried to contact both FBC and CNN to clarify Sarawak Report’s potentially damaging allegations, but have received no response at the time this report is published.

Award-winning journalist Defterios, who recently interviewed Najib in London for CNN, had been criticised for lobbing softball questions compared to the hard-nosed probing befitting a 25-year veteran of his standing in financial news global affairs, raising questions over a possible conflict of interest.

A full transcript of the interview as released by CNN on July 14, just days after the controversial July 9 public rally for clean and fair elections organised by Bersih 2.0, showed Defterios failing to press his interviewee for details over the BN government’s response even as videos depicted policemen cracking down on marchers.

Below is an extract of the transcript:

Defterios: We have seen a bursting movement in Malaysia this last week, and some 20,000 protesters under the umbrella of electoral reforms. But what is really behind this? This is a generational gap? I mean, why such a high level of protest?

Najib: Well, John, it is basically politics. Because there is democracy in Malaysia. And we are committed towards electoral reform. And it will come up to see that we are all for fair and clean elections. And as you know, the last general election, you know, the ruling party lost five states. And we were deprived of two-thirds majority.

Defterios: So five of 13 states overall.

Najib: Five of 13 states and not a fair, clean election. We wouldn’t have lost five states. But we are committed to making better.

Defterios: Some would say you had (made) 1,600 arrests of some 20,000 protesters. Are you satisfied with the security response to that particular round of protests, yourself?

Najib: It was quite mild, you know, because although they were taken in, they were released after eight hours and they were treated very well. There was no undue use of force. And, you know, the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force.

The former CNN anchor and correspondent was listed on the FBC Media’s website as president and board director of FBC Group Limited since 2000, group vice-president for content and media services of FactBased Communications S.R.L besides overseeing its factual programming.

His ties to the British-based media firm have yet to be made clear as the FBC website  (http://www.fbcmedia.com/) appears to have been stripped down to a mere one-page fact sheet about the company after the Sarawak Report expose earlier this week.

The full information appears to still be available on the Sarawak Report website.

Putrajaya and the Sarawak administration under Taib Mahmud was yesterday questioned by opposition PKR to come clean on the allegation they had paid FBC Media RM15 million a year from public coffers to produce programmes biased towards the BN coalition at federal and state levels on international media.

The Sarawak Report, in a story published two days ago, claimed insider sources revealed Najib “suggested” to Taib that he hire FBC Media to bolster his seemingly flagging popularity after the Sarawak chief minister appeared to suffer a publicity crisis due to allegations of extensive corruption.

Both have not denied the report since it was published by the whistleblower website. FBC Media’s dealings with the Malaysian government came to light after supplementary supply Bills showed vast payments made for a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign”.

The records showed that between 2008 and 2009, RM57.7 million was paid by the Prime Minister’s office to FBC Media for the campaign.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 8:47 am and is filed under
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Does MIC Deserve Three Ministers?

By
Kee Thuan Chye

Malaysian Digest

04 Aug 2011

PRIME Minister Najib Razak is being cavalier with taxpayers’ money in making MIC president G. Palanivel a full minister. His promotion from deputy minister will incur increases in Palanivel’s salary, perks, claims and pension – and the rakyat will be paying for them. Is it justifiable?

The MIC has only four Members of Parliament, but it now has a line-up of three ministers and two deputy ministers. How is that proportionate?

If T. Murugiah had not lost his senatorship last April and thereby his deputy minister position, there would be three MIC deputy ministers now.

It’s surprising Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa have not uttered a squeak about this. Which reinforces the general perception that Perkasa fights shy of criticising the ruling party and may actually be linked to it, despite claims to the contrary.

Why do I say the MIC now has three ministers?, you ask. Well, let’s not forget Samy Vellu. Less than eight months ago, he was appointed – also by Najib – to be Malaysia’s special envoy to India and South Asia with ministerial status (my italics). That was apparently his reward for stepping down as MIC president. It was to give him face through a dignified exit. But why was that necessary?

I raised questions about it then. I asked why the MIC should get another ministerial position after its poor performance at the last general election (GE). Where is the regard for values if rewards are given when they are not deserved?

Now Najib has further displayed this lack of values by giving a third ministerial position to a party that has performed miserably. So, to answer my own question about whether it’s right to make Palanivel a minister, I say unequivocally, “No.”

What purpose is served by promoting Palanivel?

According to Najib: “I want to return to the era of Abdul Razak where there were two Indian ministers in the Cabinet.” Is that all? Just because he wants it? Where’s the good reason? It sounds almost as whimsical and flippant as saying Abdul Razak was his father and therefore he must emulate the latter.

He also says the decision proves that the Government is committed to the Indian community and intends to work closely with them; and giving them another minister is giving them the opportunity to play an even more effective role.

What, pray tell, is that “role”?

If you suspect it is to support Barisan Nasional (BN) at the next GE, you would probably be right. Najib is clearly trying to win Indian votes with this move. But if public funds have to be incurred for him to do that, it cannot be proper. Why should taxpayers’ money be used to keep BN in power? BN is only the government of the day; it cannot use public resources to improve its chances of getting re-elected.

Najib may also feel that Palanivel should hold the same rank as MIC’s deputy president, S. Subramaniam, who is already Human Resources Minister. But it is not Najib’s duty to give Palanivel face by putting him on ministerial par with his deputy. Palanivel must, first of all, deserve the position.

The question is, does he?

He was not duly elected at the 2008 general election. He in fact lost his Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat. And when it came time for a by-election for that same seat in 2010 – because the PKR candidate who had defeated him died while in office – he was not chosen to be the candidate. Instead, a much junior MIC member, P. Kamalanathan, was selected. What did that signify?

It seems at the time, Najib himself did not favour Palanivel, and for a good reason: Palanivel was not liked by his constituents when he was the MP there; they said he was seldom seen in the vicinity.

Nonetheless, when the by-election was over, Najib made Palanivel a deputy minister in the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry. This was apparently both consolation for his being bypassed as Hulu Selangor candidate and preparation for his takeover as MIC chief.

Najib accomplished this by using the back-door method of making him a senator first. This was the same method he employed to make ministers out of other politicians openly rejected by the rakyat in 2008, like Koh Tsu Koon and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil; and also to make deputy ministers out of Awang Adek Hussein and Chew Mei Fun.

Bringing back election losers in this unsatisfactory manner has made Najib’s practice questionable. The same goes for his appointment of Palanivel as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Besides, why do we need yet another Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department when there are already five – Koh, Nazri Aziz, Nor Mohamad Yakcop, Jamil Khir Baharom and Idris Jala? Is there so much work to go round for six?

What positive effect will his appointment have on the public interest? How will he better serve the rakyat when he was a disappointment to his Hulu Selangor constituents?

Such considerations, however, don’t seem to matter to Najib. What matters most is the Indian vote. He probably sensed that he had lost some Indian support after the unpopular month-long detention of the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members under the Emergency Ordinance (EO). Making the offer to Palanivel is his attempt to salvage the loss.

The timing tells it all.

First, Subramaniam (on July 27) and then Palanivel (on July 28) publicly called for the PSM 6’s release. “I spoke to the Prime Minister several days ago and asked him to release them,” Palanivel said, as if to declare that the PM would listen to him. Then on July 29, the PSM 6 were actually released.

This made it look like the MIC could take credit for the release of the PSM 6, which would go down well not only with Indians but other Malaysians who had expressed outrage at the detention. But knowing how our wayang politics works, we may not be wrong in thinking that the release decision had already been made before the MIC’s appeals.

After all, why did Subramaniam and Palanivel choose to speak up only a month after the six were detained? Why did they not speak up when the arrest was first made of the six and 24 others on June 26 on suspicion of “waging war against the King” and “resurrecting Communism”? Why did they not come out then to say that such a suspicion was ridiculous? They kept quiet; their silence was an endorsement. They were complicit to the arrests as partners of the ruling regime.

Be that as it may, on July 30, at the MIC’s general assembly, Najib announced making Palanivel a minister. That being the day after the PSM 6’s release, it was obviously calculated to add to the feel-good momentum. As a result, Najib’s ratings might well go up, and those of the MIC’s as well.

But before Indians exult and decide to swing back to BN, what they might need to ask is how they will benefit from this. As minister, will Palanivel dare to speak up for them when at his own party’s general assembly last weekend, delegates were directed not to discuss the Interlok issue? When it comes to the big issues, will he be able to stand up to big brother Umno or just be a “running dog” doing its bidding?

And as for the PSM 6, the story is not yet over. Five days after their release, they were charged for being in possession of subversive documents, and will be tried together with the other 24.

Perhaps Palanivel’s first test as minister should be talking to the Prime Minister and asking him to drop the charges. Let’s see how far he can get with that. If he succeeds, then we can truly say that he deserves being made a minister. And that taxpayers’ money is being well and wisely spent.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 6:26 pm and is filed under
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Ex-Umno MPs want Najib out

Muda Mohd. Noor | August 3, 2011

Free Malaysia Today

Penawar, an organisation comprising ex-Umno parliamentarians headed by a Mahathir man, has expressed lack of confidence in the PM’s leadership.

PETALING JAYA: Speculation has been rife that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s position in Umno is under threat.

Party insiders have long claimed that the daggers are out, alleging that while in public, support is expressed for the president, behind closed doors his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin with the blessings of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is making his move.

The prime minister’s grip on power slipped further following the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 while the controversies surrounding his wife Rosmah Mansor are also taking a toll.

Now, an organisation representing former Umno members of Parliament has voiced its lack of confidence in Najib’s leadership and wants him to step down.

The organisation called Penawar is headed by former Cabinet minister Aziz Shamsuddin, who was Mahathir’s political secretary from 1981 to 2002.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Penawar member said the organisation decided in a meeting last week that it is time for Najib to relinquish his post.

“It is up to Najib. If he loves the country and the Malays, he should resign as soon as possible.

“If he is not a selfish person, then he must quit,” the former MP told FMT, adding that the meeting was attended by ex-ministers from the Mahathir era.

According to him, Penawar, which represents some 50 ex-MPs, is dissatisfied with Najib’s leadership due to several reasons.

When pressed, he declined to elaborate on the reasons, stating that these are common knowledge.

Contacted later, Aziz, who is Penawar’s chairman, declined to comment on the matter but disclosed that the organisation will be holding another meeting tomorrow.

Muhyiddin’s brother also present?

Najib took over the reins in April 2009 and immediately portrayed himself as a moderate leader under his 1Malaysia concept aimed at luring back Chinese and Indian votes.

However, his all-embracing approach failed to go down well with certain quarters in Umno, with even Mahathir remarking that the party has failed to protect the Malays and this led to groups like Perkasa coming to the forefront.

On the same note, Chinese support continued to increase for the opposition as seen in several by-elections and the pressure on Najib mounted.

Prominent blogger Mohd Sayuti Omar also posted an article regarding Penawar’s call on Najib to step down.

Quoting a source, he said that among those present at the meeting were Muhyiddin’s brother, Aziz Yassin, former youth and sports minister Mokhtar Hashim and Tamrin Ghaffar, the son of former deputy premier Ghaffar Baba.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 12:04 am and is filed under
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Jais, cops raid church over multi-racial dinner

By
Boo Su-Lyn

The Malaysian Insider

Aug 04, 2011

PETALING JAYA, Aug 4 — The police and Selangor religious authorities raided a multi-racial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) here last night over an unspecified complaint.

DUMC senior pastor Dr Daniel Ho said about 30 police officers and enforcement officers from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) entered the church without a warrant at 10pm.

Ho explained that an NGO called Harapan Komuniti had organised an annual thanksgiving dinner at the church, which saw an attendance of between 100 and 120 guests of all races.

“This is a dinner for people to come in the 1 Malaysia spirit,” Ho told The Malaysian Insider late last night.

“They were mainly Christians… there were about 15 or so Malays,” he said.

On its website, Harapan Komuniti describes itself as a non-profit organisation that provides disaster relief and helps single mothers, children and AIDS patients regardless of race.

Ho said the authorities did not arrest anyone, but seized the function’s programme sheets and questioned the dinner organisers and guests.

“(They came in) on the pretext of a complaint and said somebody made a complaint,” said the pastor.

He pointed out, however, that the authorities did not explain what the complaint was.

Last night’s raid in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state came after Malaysia sealed formal ties with the Vatican last month, seen as a high point in religious relations where Muslims are the majority.

Religious tensions heightened two years ago when the Home Ministry barred Christians from referring to their god as “Allah” in a Catholic newspaper.

In 2009, the High Court allowed the church to use the word, but the case is pending a Home Ministry appeal of the decision.

Several churches across the country were fire-bombed in January last year following the ruling.

Christians, who form 9.2 per cent of Malaysia’s 28.3 million-strong population, were further outraged when the Home Ministry seized 35,100 Malay-language bibles.

The bibles were later released ahead of the Sarawak state election in April on condition that copies in Peninsular Malaysia be marked with a cross and the words “Christian publication”.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 8:55 am and is filed under
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Kit Siang – a Malaysian first and last

Steve Oh
 | Aug 3, 11

Malaysiakini

I refer to the Malaysiakini report ‘
Kit Siang: Five days I was in darkness
‘.

If there is an unsung hero in politics, an under-recognised Malaysian, it is this man Lim Kit Siang, who has lived through it all from the fledgling days of his political party to ISA detention and now facing a physical hurdle, which no doubt he will surmount like all his political obstacles.

Like Malaysiakini – a voice for the voiceless, Lim has been a brawler in the rough streets of politics and a gentleman without the taint of scandal, a consummate politician whose political struggle has always been to uphold the truth and convictions of his political beliefs and restore the country to the original vision of a Merdeka nation where every citizen is equally recognised and has a sense of belonging.

Lim’s politics contrasts vastly from his political foes caught in an intriguing web of paradigm paralysis – the inability to see that the ‘old politics’ of political patronage and corruption must change.

Lim for a long time has defended the politics of democracy when it was new and relatively difficult in the developing world but that is now intrinsic in the global political paradigm shift to a free world and accountability in governance as we saw in the Arab Spring, Ireland, Greece, and elsewhere.

Even the US politics of brinksmanship that has seen its debt crisis resolved, at least for now, is really about responsible government because the US cannot afford to spend beyond its means and drag the world down with it should its administration default and run out of money.

The Global Financial Crisis in 2007 was an ominous warning.

Lim has proven that if you are committed to the belief that change can happen because you believe in the right things and do the right things, the results will bear you out in time, and you will be vindicated for your beliefs.

The rising political fortunes of the DAP bear testimony to this conviction. I am not a DAP member or related to any political group but we should not be delusional or be unfairly prejudiced and give credit where credit is due. Prejudice is the enemy of truth.

It behooves the nation to not always be narrow-minded and overlook good people because they are not ‘one of us.’

The ability to discern the pure intrinsic capability and value of the individual to nation-building and the community and his or her ability regardless of their beliefs is a gift of the just and wise.

Politics becomes wasteful of talents when ‘dissidents’ from retired judges to public servants are ostracised and no longer allowed to contribute to society because they said or did things to offend those in power.

Such is the tragedy of a nation with a dysfunctional democracy and inability to rise above a vengeful spirit and the small-mindedness that impoverishes it.

In mature democracies talents are recognised and used across political affiliations and such is true unity in government without any ulterior political agenda.

We see this when former politicians from different political parties are employed in roles in their country’s national interest.

You find many examples in America and Australia and the United Kingdom.

Those of us who believe in good governance but for one reason or another are not in politics may ‘envy’ Lim because if he achieves nothing else he can be proud that his son Lim Guan Eng has himself been vindicated and is now serving the rakyat as Penang’s Chief Minister.

That is no mean feat. It is an admirable legacy notwithstanding the personal ability of his son.

It is only nepotism if we elevate relatives to high public roles when they are not up to scratch and treat the public domain like our private estate.

But when they are capable in their own right, they should not be penalised just because they are their parents’ children.

Lim belongs to that small group of highly-regarded opposition politicians like the late Dr Tan Chee Khoon.

They are indeed a rare breed. Lim has earned no title. But in the eyes of those who appreciate his political contributions he is more esteemed than those who have a string of titles longer than Pinocchio’s nose.

If DAP is the abbreviation for the Democratic Action Party it is also the acronym for ‘Determination, Accountability and Principles’ that characterise Lim’s political persona.

I know a friend who once lamented to me about the difficulty of being in opposition politics so he joined the government. Not Lim.

Lim, in contrast, stuck to his political guns, rode through the vicissitudes of precarious opposition politics and kept his focus on to the vision of a ‘Malaysian Malaysia.’

This was an idea shared by political party Gerakan, and also became encapsulated in Dr Mahathir Mohammed’s concept of ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ and now echoed in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ‘1Malaysia’ slogan.

It is a tacit admission that ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ is all about declaring you are a Malaysian first and not your race or religion or state or whatever.

It is the primacy of this truth that communal politicians need to understand and subsume their bigotry.

Lim and his party were right and he was right in sticking to the defence of the Malaysian constitution that it is always meant to be a secular state, like all the other democratic and advanced countries in the world which may have an official religion, whether Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism.

He is indeed the ‘People’s Politician.’

Temporary blindness is a small inconvenience albeit a nervous and uncomfortable one for Lim. But the same can’t be said of the mind blindness that afflicts those who still can’t see that there is no future for the politics of race, religion, dishonesty and deception.

Meanwhile we wish Lim Kit Siang good health and may he with the same dogged determination as Cadel Evans’, the winner of the 2011 Tour de France bicycle race, win the political yellow jersey in his long political journey.

In the eyes of many Malaysians Lim is already a champion, the true towering Malaysian in politics and life itself.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011, 1:06 pm and is filed under
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