Month: November 2007

The mass media are in a swoon with adulation for the speech by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Umno General Assembly in his capacity as Umno President.

However, they had completely glossed over the most disappointing parts of Abdullah’s speech, as in coming out to defend and validate Umno Youth Leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s keris-wielding antics in the past two years, Abdullah had shown that he has subordinated his promise to be the Prime Minister for all Malaysians to his position as Umno President.

When Abdullah lashed out at those who had criticized Hishammuddin for the brandishing of the keris at the last two Umno Youth general assemblies, claiming that such criticism was done to spread fears among the non-Malays, Abdullah had chosen to ignore or forget that among those who objected strongly to Hishamuddin’s keris-wielding in the last two Umno Youth general assemblies were component parties of the Barisan Nasional, particularly MCA, Gerakan and MIC.

Or have MCA, Gerakan and MIC been “desensitized” to accept that there was nothing wrong with Hishamuddin’s keris-wielding antics in the last two Umno general assemblies and that it was MCA, Gerakan and MIC leaders who were being irresponsible and immature in expressing strong protests against such keris-wielding?

Last week, Hishammuddin had said that despite nation-wide controversy and protests he would continue to unsheath the keris at the Umno Youth general assembly this year until the non-Malays become “desensitized” to it.

Had Hishammuddin been given an assurance by MCA, Gerakan and MIC leaders that they have become “desensitized” to the keris-wielding antics to encourage Hishamuddin to wield the keris for the third year consecutively at the Umno Youth general assembly on Wednesday?

In Parliament later on Wednesday, I had criticized Hishammuddin’s “desensitization” stance as akin to the Boiling Frog Syndrome. Continue reading “Hisham’s keris-wielding – Is Abdullah PM for all Malaysians or just UMNO President?”

by M. Bakri Musa

Hishammuddin’s decidedly subdued speech to UMNO Youth at the party’s recent General Assembly was in mark contrast to his racist histrionics of last year. This showed one thing: even these morons in UMNO are teachable after all.

Last year we witnessed the revolting spectacle of Hishammuddin repeatedly stabbing the sterile chilled air of the PWTC Conference Hall. The only thing missing was the foam frothing from his wide, open mouth to make that silly scene really complete as a sandiwara (shadow play). Continue reading “Even UMNO’s Morons Are Teachable”

It is customary to send out “Happy Deepavali” greetings to all Hindus on this auspicious day marking the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil.

This year however many Malaysians, both Hindus and non-Hindus are not in a mood to feel “happy”, as they are in “protest” mode with increasing signs of lack of proper respect for all religions in the country and especially after the insensitive and sacrilegious demolition of the 40-year-old Sri Maha Mariaman Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam when Deepavali was just a week away.

Such a backdrop makes Deepavali even more significant for it must be a day to fortify resolve for light to overcome darkness and good to triumph over evil in order to end the long list of injustices and wrongs in our nation, 50 years after Merdeka.

Deepavali greetings to all.

Letter
by Loh Meng Kow

PM AAB is reported to have said to the UMNO GA yesterday that since the list of richest individuals in the country was not led by Malays, NEP targets had still not been achieved. On record, the NEP objectives did not have the objective of making Malays the richest persons in the country. The PM’s statement shows that UMNO leaders can add to the list of NEP targets as it wishes, and hence NEP should read never ending policies.

Clearly the PM did not utter those words without having thought about the issues. NEP as implemented has always involved using government funds for the intended beneficiaries. When it was the intention of the government to create the richest Malay to head the list of richest individuals, now announced by the PM, the government adopts the policy to give public funds directly or indirectly to private individuals so that he/she can become the richest individual Malay in the country. Continue reading “PM AAB is PM for his family only”

By Farish A. Noor

The dangerous thing about sectarian politics is how it becomes normalised so easily and quickly. Taking a leaf from the book of Speer and Goebels, the old Fascist maxim proves itself true time and again: Once the public is made to realise that they are impotent and unable to affect change, the ruling elite can hoist almost anything upon them. One affront leads to another, and the common tactic is to follow-up a public outrage with yet another that is even more outrageous. Hence when politicians issue their sexist slurs and the the media reacts to them, the tactic often favoured by some is to reply with a racist slur even more unpalatable to most right-minded adults.

We have seen this strategy employed so often by now: The rise of the extreme Hindu right in India was a case of leap-frogging from one insulting comment against Muslims, Christians and other minorities to the next. Likewise the shift to the right that is seen in Europe today was occasioned by extreme right-wing politicians vying for media attention and out-doing themselves by playing to the gallery.

Malaysia of course is no exception to the rule and during the last five decades the tone and tenor of Malaysian politics has been set by the standards of racialised communitarian politics that is divisive to the country. Again and again we have seen Malaysian politicians come to power by playing the race – and now increasingly religion – card above all else, pandering to their own communities at the expense of the rest. And over the past three years in particular the country has witnessed the rising of its political temperature thanks to the amateurish pyrotechnics of loud politicians standing on the soapbox to play to the communitarians in their midst. The precedent was set three years ago when the leader of the Youth Wing of the ruling UMNO party – Hishamuddin Hussein – brandished a keris – the traditional Malay dagger – in a symbolic act of defiance that many regarded as frothy bravado and little else. In the context of multi-racial Malaysia where racial sensitivities run deep, such gestures can have the effect of antagonising the non-Malay and non-Muslim communities further and deepening the racial divide that already splits the country in many ways. Continue reading “Malaysia: Normalising the Unacceptable”

On Monday, in the winding-up on the Information Ministry during the 2008 Budget policy debate, Information Minister, Datuk Zainuddin Maidin saw red at being called “monkey” in this blog.

At first he accused me for calling him a “monkey” — but when confronted, he backed down and admitted that it was a comment left on my blog. But he said I must bear responsibility as moderator of the blog.

I said I regretted that such a term was used but it was definitely not used by me. I did a search of the reference which he had objected to and found it was a post by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on 28th October 2007 in the thread “Zam – Info Minister under coconut shell or bidding to be Mat Rempit “Godfather”?”, viz:

“ZAM is behaving like a BN monkey that’s gone bananas over NUTs.”

ZAM has legitimate grievance at being called “monkey” but it is no justification for him to become the Cabinet’s premier anti-blogger, and this was why I told him in Parliament why he should not behave like a “frog under the coconut shell” in expressing satisfaction at Malaysia’s 32-spot plunge in the Freedom Without Borders (RSF) 2007 press freedom index, from No. 92 last year to 124, which is the nation-worst ranking in the RSF annual worldwide press freedom ranking since it was started in 2002. Continue reading “Zam sees red in being called “monkey” in this blog”

Letter
by Richard Teo

I wish to refer to the Malaysiakini article ‘Air Asia: Its like going to the Moon.’

Yes, Tony Fernandez and Air Asia has every right to be in a jubilant mood after having obtained the rights to fly the Kuala lumpur to Singapore route. After all its a gold mine route previously the monopoly of our MAS airline.

But why the sudden change of mind to give this lucrative route to Air Asia when the logical decision would be to allow the status quo to remain and let MAS reap the profits while it is on its path to recovery?

The answer can be found by referring to the ECM-Libra and the Avenue merger. Prior to the merger, Kallimullah and Khairy Jamalluddin (son-in Law of P.M) bought a block of shares in ECM-Libra and lo and behold one month later ECM-LIibra sealed the deal with the cash-rich Avenue merger. Of course someone at the Ministry of Finance had to approve the deal and guess
who? Continue reading “ECM-Libra/Avenue merger and approval of Air Asia Singapore route”

National unity is one of the challenges of the Prime Minister’s Department but it is sad and scandalous that on the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebration, there have been an escalation of incidents which further undermine national unity and polarize race and religious relations.

The most recent incident was the demolition of a 40-year-old Hindu temple at Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam, Selangor last week, showing utter contempt of the Selangor State and Shah Alam Municipal authorities for legitimate and constitutional rights and sensitivities to the extent that even the MIC President, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had yesterday to momentarily announce the cancellation of all MIC Deepavali Open Houses, to be reversed a few hours later.

Why couldn’t the demolition of the Kampung Rimba Jaya Hindu temple wait for a week for Deepavali to be celebrated by the Hindu devotees? Why couldn’t the Selangor and Shah Alam municipal authorities allow time for the Hindu temple to be relocated?

What action would be taken against the Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo and the Shah Alam Municipal authorities for their insensitivities in demolishing the Hindu temple in Shah Alam, seriously damaging the process of nation-building?

Another grave setback to national unity and nation-building took place just today — at the Umno Youth General Assembly, where for the third year consecutively, the Umno Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein wielded the keris and attacked those who had criticized him for his keris-antics in the past two years as “real racists”.

Last week, Hishammuddin said that despite nation-wide controversy and protests he would continue to unsheath the keris at the Umno Youth general assembly this year until the non-Malays become “desensitized” to it.

I am reminded of the Boiling-Frog Syndrome. If you put a frog into boiling water, the frog will immediately jump out. But if you put the frog in cold war and increase the heat of the water slowly, it will get accustomed to the increasing heat. Continue reading “Hishammuddin’s keris desensitization and the Boiling-Frog syndrome”

The three-man Haidar Panel to determine the authenticity of the Lingam Tape has come out with a shock decision to submit three separate reports to the government.

This is the explanation given by the Panel Chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor for this extraordinary turn of events: “In view of the time constraints, it would not be fair to load one member with the task of preparing the report. That is why we have decided to submit separate reports instead.”

Even a school-child can see that Haidar is not telling the truth, and that the real reason is that the three-man panel cannot reach agreement on its finding and recommendation.

As no witness had appeared before the Haidar Panel, which had only the report of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA to go by, what is the heavy task about preparing the report which Haidar is talking about? It must be the easiest report in the nation’s 50 year history for any inquiry committee to write, as there is very little to say — since all that is required of the Panel is to determine whether the Lingam Tape is authentic or not.

There are only three possible answers to the very narrow and restricted terms of reference of the Haidar Panel, that the Lingam Tape is authentic, not authentic or no way to establish either way.

If all the three members are agreed that the Lingam Tape agreed on anyone of these three answers, and that is all they want to say, then there is no need for three separate reports.

It is only when there is disagreement among the three members that there is need for three separate reports.

I can envisage the following scenarios to warrant the writing of three separate reports:

Scenario One — The three-man Panel divided into two camps, whether two-one or one-two, with one camp holding a position on these three variations different from that of another.

Scenario Two — The panel divided into two camps — one holding that although the Panel cannot determine whether the tape is authentic, the government should nonetheless, in view of overriding national interests, establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into it and the serious allegations of perversion of the course of justice on fixing of judicial appointments, particularly in view of the recent proceedings of the 14th Law Conference and the opening speech by the former Lord President and Perak Sultan Azlan Shah calling for return of the judiciary to its former golden days. The other camp objecting to such a recommendation. Continue reading “In the six mintues sequel of Lingam Tape, Lingam admitted he was talking to Fairuz”

Will the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dissolve Parliament to enable the 12th general election to be held this month, although Parliament is in mid-session, rendering six weeks of parliamentary meeting (four of which are on the ongoing debate on the 2008 budget) going to waste?

Almost eight years ago, on November 10, 1999, when it was obvious that the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was going to dissolve Parliament when Parliament was in mid-session debating the 2000 Budget, I had issued the following statement:

“There is nothing in law and constitution against the dissolution of Parliament in mid-session. However, it is scandalous and outrageous for the present Parliament to be dissolved in mid-session when there is no constitutional or political crisis, as Mahathir has a rock-like five-sixth parliamentary majority, for this would mean that the four weeks of parliamentary meeting since Oct. 18 and the public expenses incurred would go to waste, with Ministers avoiding accountability for two weeks of debate on the 2,000 budget.

“Such contempt for Parliamentary conventions and proprieties and insensitivity to public concerns about abuses of power and waste of public funds — and the dissolution of Parliament wasting four weeks of parliamentary meetings is the most recent example — is the result of political arrogance, irresponsibility and political hegemony of the Barisan Nasional after 42-year uninterrupted two-thirds parliamentary majority.”

If Parliament is dissolved this week or when it is in mid-session, the same critique of arrogance of power, utter contempt of Parliamentary conventions and proprieties and insensitivity to public concerns about waste of public funds would apply with even greater force to Abdullah. Continue reading “Will Abdullah dissolve Parliament in mid-session for polls?”

The Cabinet on Wednesday should issue a directive for a total halt to all temple demolitions in the country and set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Tuesday’s Kampung Rimba Jaya Sri Maha Mariaman Temple demolition in Shah Alam and to draw up national guidelines for all future demolitions to ensure they do not trample on religious and cultural sensitivities.

All temple demolitions should stop until the Royal Commission of Inquiry has come out with its report and recommendations for national guidelines for all future demolitions of places of worship which take fully into account the Merdeka social contract 50 years ago which assured all religions a rightful place in the country, the first Rukunegara principle of “Belief in God” as well as the religious and cultural sensitivities of a multi-religious and multi-racial Malaysia.

What happened at Kampung Rimba Jaya on Tuesday, where brute and naked force was displayed by the Shah Alam City Hall (MBSA) enforcement authorities in utter disregard of proper procedures, religious and cultural sensitivities in the demolition of the 40-year-old Sri Maha Mariaman Temple, resulting in many injured, 20 people including four lawyers arrested, has caused great damage to Malaysian nation-building and is most shameful especially in a year when the country is celebrating 50 years of independent nationhood.

The highhanded and reckless manner in which the Sri Maha Mariaman Temple was demolished had raised the question, not only in Malaysia but internationally, whether Malaysia really respects the fundamental and constitutional rights of Malaysians to “freedom of religion” as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

It is no exaggeration to say that to a significant section of the Malaysian population, the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations have been rendered meaningless by such arbitrary actions by those in authority which are completely contemptuous of the legitimate rights and sensitivities of different communities and religions in the country. Continue reading “Cabinet should halt all temple demolitions – set up RCI on Kampung Rimba Jaya Sri Maha Mariaman Temple demolition”

With five days to go for the three-man Haidar Panel to complete its finding, the Panel will go down in the nation’s history as the most useless and impotent inquiry with the least to do and the least expected of it in view of its ridiculously narrow and restricted term of reference to establish the authenticity of the Lingam Tape with its explosive expose of the perversion of the course of justice with serious allegations of fixing of judicial appointments and court decisions.

With the retirement of Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as Chief Justice without any extension, the powers-that-be may be minded to think that this is opportune time to lay to rest the controversy of the Lingam Tape which was released by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sept. 18.

Two weeks ago, the de facto Law Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz appeared to be coaching the Haidar Panel on its finding when he said that it would be “unfortunate if the mechanism (Haidar Panel) set up is not used by the people” as “we may conclude there is no case”!

Is the Haidar Panel being coached by Nazri to come out with the finding that the Lingam Tape is a non-issue as no witness has come forward to vouch for its authenticity?

Although such a final finding by the Haidar Panel would come as no surprise, it would nonetheless be a scandal of the first magnitude for it is just outrageous that a panel to establish the authenticity of the Lingam Tape had no independent powers of investigations but must depend solely on the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for its technical expertise and forensic finding.

When Osama bin Laden occasionally emerged from his hideout to issue dire warnings to the United States government in his videotapes, no one from the White House, FBI or CIA would take the position that unless Osama or some witness surface to vouch for their authenticity, or unless the original tape is produced, the tapes concerned would be regarded as fakes!

Why then are the Malaysian Cabinet Ministers and the various government agencies, including the Haidar Panel, taking such a ridiculous stand? Continue reading “Will the crisis of judiciary balloon into Abdullah’s first major crisis of confidence because of government attempt to bury the Lingam Tape scandal as a non-issue?”

It is a big sigh of relief all round that Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim has indeed retired as Chief Justice and his application for the customary six-month extension had been rejected.

But why should it take a “shadow” constitutional crisis to effect something which is right and proper for the country?

It bespeaks of a constitution and system of justice which have gone seriously awry and should be put right without any more delay.

The following quotes from the 14th Law Conference are more than sufficient to demand bold and far-reaching reforms to restore public confidence in the independence, integrity and quality of the judiciary, viz:

“It is time for the judiciary to regain the public’s confidence and bring back the glory years.” — Sultan Azlan Shah

“The golden era of the judiciary was before 1988.
“Then came the watershed in 1988 and the system deteriorated so rapidly, so much so that I gratefully retired in 1995.” — former Court of Appeal judge Datuk V.C.George.

“What does the Constitution mean to me? It means nothing to me at the moment, because it can be changed at any time.” Raja Aziz Addruse, senior lawyer.

Continue reading “Fairuz CJ no more, but crisis of judiciary continues – appoint RCI to end Haidar Panel charade”

The charging of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Ramli Yusuff in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday with two counts of failing to make a full disclosure of his assets and another for involvement in business which entail a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted has raised the curtain for public view of something very rotten both in the police force as well as the government.

It warrants an urgent call for an end to the “headless administration” presently prevalent in the country in the past four years, as it is most disheartening to the Malaysian public that despite the Royal Police Commission Report and its 125 recommendations to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and respect human rights, the rot both in the police and government have got worse rather than improve for the better.

The prosecution of the “RM27 million cop” reminds Malaysians of two serious allegations about corruption in the police force –

The allegation by former top cop who was the country’s longest-serving Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar in August that 40% of senior police officers could be arrested for corruption without further investigations strictly on the basis of their lifestyles;

The Royal Police Commission Report in May 2005 which found that “corruption is still widespread among police personnel” (p 9), recounting the case from a complainant of a senior police officer who made an asset declaration amounting to RM34 million but no action had been taken.

The Ramli prosecution has refocused public attention on the problem of police corruption and millionaire and multi-millionaire plice officers — and the failure to implement the recommendations of Royal Police Commission for zero tolerance for corruption in the police force. Continue reading “RM27 million cop charged – call for end to “headless administration” and multi-millionaire cops”

Right from the very beginning of today’s parliamentary sitting, MPs were interested only in two questions — and answers to both are not to be found in Parliament, viz:

• The outcome of Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim’s application for six-month extension as Chief Justice, as he turned 66 yesterday — in view of unprecedentedly strong objections not only from the Opposition, the Bar Council, the civil society but also by Malay Rulers; and
• Whether Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Ramli Yusuff, the cop alleged to have RM27 million undeclared assets, will be charged for corruption.

  News have finally come in that Ramli has been charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with three counts of failing to disclose his assets in his sworn statement under the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

  There are still no news however as to the outcome of Ahmad Fairuz’ application for extension as Chief Justice from the two-day Conference of Rulers, raising the question whether the nation is without a Chief Justice for today.

  Many must be asking – Why the secrecy and mystery surrounding the appointment of Chief Justice, which is completely against the principles of accountability and transparency. Continue reading “Malaysia without a Chief Justice for one day?”

The 1987 Operation Lalang mass Internal Security Act (ISA) dragnet of 106 detainees representing a wide spectrum of dissent, including MPs, civil rights leaders, Chinese educationists and social activists, was not only a black day for human rights in Malaysia, but set the scene for a triple onslaught on the fundamental basis of a democratic Malaysia — human rights, press freedom and an independent judiciary.

What stemmed from a fight for political survival of the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who was faced with the greatest challenge to his power position from within Umno turned into the most relentless assault on democracy in Malaysia in the nation’s 50-year history — and the country is still paying the consequences of that assault.

And what is worse, there are no signs that the triple targets of the 1987 Ops Lalang onslaught, viz human rights, press freedom and an independent judiciary, are better safeguarded two decades later on the fourth anniversary of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s premiership.

I am very disappointed that the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail had decided to appeal against the High Court decision awarding Abdul Malek Hussin RM2.5 million in damages for having been unlawfully arrested, detained and beaten up while in police custody under the ISA in 1998. Continue reading “Ops Lalang onslaught on human rights, press freedom, independent judiciary – no signs of better safeguards under Abdullah”