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Rule of law must prevail

by P. Ramakrishnan
President
Aliran
3rd Jan 2011

The Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, has precipitated a constitutional crisis in Selangor by ignoring time-honoured norms and constitutional requirements in naming the Selangor State Secretary unilaterally.

In any appointment to a state, there must be consultation before a final decision is taken. This sensible approach has been completely sidelined. Mohd Sidek had chosen to ride roughshod over the Menteri Besar of Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. In doing so, Malaysians are wondering whether he is acting strictly as a civil servant or as a political tool of the Barisan Nasional.

It is a matter of grave concern for Aliran when a functioning state constitution is not respected and its provisions not honoured. It has been pointed out by legal experts that according to Article 52(4) of the Selangor state constitution the state secretary “shall take and subscribe in the presence of the Menteri Besar the following oath of secrecy.” In this instance, the Meneri Besar’s central role cannot be ignored. Continue reading “Rule of law must prevail”

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History syllabus and textbooks: The non-Malay fig leaf and more serious matters

Commentary
by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Centre for Policy Initiatives
Sunday, 02 January 2011

The Ministry of Education has finally replied to concerns raised by many Malaysians that the teaching of Malaysian history has been debased through changes in the syllabus and textbooks. However the letter by the Corporate Communications Unit of the Ministry totally ignores the allegations and makes no attempt to address the specific and general concerns articulated in the media and the internet.

Instead, the reply is a public relations job detailing non-Malay participation in the writing of text books and referrals made in recommending text book writers. This is insufficient to allay concerns or refute the allegations made of the political bias, crass nationalism and blatant Islamization that have come to dominate the history syllabus and textbooks.
Continue reading “History syllabus and textbooks: The non-Malay fig leaf and more serious matters”

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Utusan Malaysia a daily reminder of the hollowness and hypocrisy of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept

Utusan Malaysia is a daily reminder of the hollowness and hypocrisy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept as the Umno newspaper continues to peddle lies and poison to incite strife and hatred in Malaysia’s plural society.

Najib’s 1Malaysia talks about embracing “our diversity of ethnicity, religions and beliefs and, by being inclusive, build mutual respect and acceptance into a solid foundation of trust and cohesiveness” but Utusan Malaysia is doing the very opposite every day with its staple of lies and falsehoods.

The 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap released in January last year advocated the promotion of “an all-inclusive 1Malaysia media” and warned of the danger of greater national divisions and disunity when “some writers abuse the greater freedom of expression now available to use terms and feelings that are racist or inflammatory in nature and tone”.

It said:

“While censorship is antithetical to democracy, there is a need to introduce, instill and internalize a commitment to journalistic professionalism, a sense of responsibility and self-restraint, with sensitivity to the divergent views and feelings of the diverse communities in Malaysia.”

Unfortunately, this “commitment to journalistic professionalism, a sense of responsibility and self-restraint, with sensitivity to the divergent views and feelings of the diverse communities in Malaysia” is completely absent in Utusan Malaysia, which have become even more irresponsible and unprofessional in the past year, peddling lies, falsehoods and poison to incite strife and hatred in our plural society. Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia a daily reminder of the hollowness and hypocrisy of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept”

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Big Government, Big Problems

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #47
Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and Liabilities
Big Government, Big Problems
by M. Bakri Musa

The remarkable achievement of the Reagan Revolution in America and Thatcher’s in Britain is the recognition, long overdue, that government is not always the solution. In many instances, it is the problem. The most spectacular example of the failure of big government is the Soviet Empire. It collapsed not because it was defeated in war (although the West would like to claim that it won the Cold War) but because the Soviet state had been too massive and highly intrusive. Given the momentum of globalization, the Soviet system would have imploded anyway.

The only other major totalitarian government today is China; it survived because its leaders were smart enough to recognize the desperate need for change, and did it quickly. The 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising was a rude awakening for those leaders. Today’s Chinese communists are a far cry from their dogmatic Mao comrades. This difference is best encapsulated by Deng Xiapeng’s celebrated slogan, “To get rich is glorious!”

Deng was decidedly more pragmatic. He quoted the Chinese proverb to the effect that it matters not what color is the cat as long as it catches the mice. The Chinese are now realizing that capitalist cats are more productive (can catch more mice!) than communist ones! Continue reading “Big Government, Big Problems”

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Removal of crucifixes and banning of hymns – violation of religious freedom guaranteed under Constitution

Media statement by Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP Life Advisor in Seremban on 3rd January 2011.

PM aides’ orders to St John’s Cathedral to remove crucifixes and banning of singing hymns at St John’s Cathedral constitute a violation of religious freedom guaranteed under Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution

The orders border on the ridiculous. The excuse given by PM aides that the cruciffixes would be offensive to the Prime Minister while visiting the church and grounds.

Malaysia have diplomatic relations with many Christian countries in the West, South America and the Phillipines. Crucifixes decorate many public buildings in these countries. Would the aides issue orders to Christian countries in the West and South America to take down or remove the crucifixes when the Prime Minister of Malaysia visit the said countries?

Church buildings and grounds are sacred areas to Christians especially Catholics. Crucifixes are sacred. So are the religious rites and singing of hymns. Forcible removal of crucifixes in churches would constitute an act of sacriliege. The orders by the PM aides are therefore sacrilegious.

The prime minister is most welcome to visit churches and meet the priests and parishioners. No conditions should be imposed, as freedom to practice religion is guaranteed under the Constitution. Continue reading “Removal of crucifixes and banning of hymns – violation of religious freedom guaranteed under Constitution”