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DAP calls for immediate release of the 30 PSM members and an end to ridiculous police charade

DAP calls for the immediate release of the 30 Parti Sosialis Malaya (PSM) members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr. Michael Jayakumar in Penang yesterday and an end to the ridiculous police charade that they are trying to revive communism.

I could not believe my eyes when just before being called to the rostrum to speak, I read the online news portal The Malaysian Insider a completely unbelievable news story, entitled:”Bersih supporters nabbed for waging war against King”.

The Yang di Pertuan Agong, the Prime Minister and the government-of-the-day can count on my loyalty and patriotism and that of the DAP in any treasonous war against the King, but we will not lend ourselves to any fictitious claims to justify gross abuse of power and blatant human rights violations against patriotic Malaysians to prevent them from peaceful and democratic exercise of free speech and free assembly. Continue reading “DAP calls for immediate release of the 30 PSM members and an end to ridiculous police charade”

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Pua slams ‘ridiculous’ Bersih arrests in Penang

By Melissa Chi
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — DAP’s Tony Pua hit out today against the arrests of 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, saying the police were out to “create an atmosphere of intimidation” ahead of the Bersih rally planned for July 9.

DAP and their allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) support the rally calling for free and fair elections.

“I think it is completely ridiculous. Anyone out there conducting any political act is immediately arrested despite the fact that they are not inciting violence, not holding arms, not doing anything of that sort that will threaten the security of the people around them. Continue reading “Pua slams ‘ridiculous’ Bersih arrests in Penang”

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How far is BN willing to go?

By Othman Wahab
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 26 — The strong-arm tactics have started and the trumped-up charges have started to flow.

I can imagine the headlines in tomorrow’s papers: “30 detained for waging war against King” and “Group trying to revive communism.”

And of course, the name of Chin Peng will be all over. I must say the Najib administration and the police are quite “imaginative.” They have gone one step further than the dictators and autocrats in Algeria or Syria, reviving the bogey of communism. Continue reading “How far is BN willing to go?”

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Hisham says cannot rule out ISA for July 9 rallies

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

HULU SELANGOR, June 26 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has not ruled out using the Internal Security Act (ISA) against the July 9 rallies, but said today the Home Ministry will use other security laws for now.

Election watchdog Bersih plans to hold a mass rally on July 9, while Perkasa and Umno Youth plan to hold counter-rallies on the same day. Police arrested 30 Bersih activists yesterday on grounds of waging war against the King.

The Home Minister stressed that action would be taken against anyone who causes havoc on July 9, and said that the police were impartial in the matter. Continue reading “Hisham says cannot rule out ISA for July 9 rallies”

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Hisham defends Bersih arrests, says activists had ulterior motives

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

HULU SELANGOR, June 26 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has defended the arrest of 30 Bersih activists in Penang under Section 122 of the Penal Code, saying today there were reasons to justify the police action.

The police said they are probing an alleged attempt by some Bersih activists to revive communism and are investigating 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jayakumar for “waging war against the Yang DiPertuan Agong.”

Hishamuddin, who is the Home Minister, said that he had yet to be briefed in detail on the arrests, but stated that preliminary reports showed that the activists had “other agendas” in mind. Continue reading “Hisham defends Bersih arrests, says activists had ulterior motives”

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Police: PSM ‘communists’ waging war on King

By Hazlan Zakaria
Jun 26, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Penang deputy police chief Abdul Rahim Jaafar today said the 31 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists arrested yesterday while aboard a bus at the Sungai Dua toll plaza have been charged under Section 122 of the Penal Code.

The activists were participating in the northern leg of the party’s “Udah La Tu Bersaralah” roadshow campaign which kicked off on June 24 as part of the work-up to the upcoming Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 for electoral reform.

Those arrested included Sungai Siput parliamentarian D Jeyakumar. One was subsequently released as he was under-aged. Continue reading “Police: PSM ‘communists’ waging war on King”

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Najib: Bersih ploy to stop BN ‘momentum’

By Hazlan Zakaria
Jun 26, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak explained away the planned mammoth Bersih 2.0 rally as nothing more than an attempt to “wrest back political momentum from the BN”.

“It has nothing to do with a memorandum to the Agong. It has nothing to do with allegedly crooked elections,” alleged the PM.

“They resolved that if they want to stop us, this is how they can wrest back the political momentum,” he told over 2,500 delegates attending the PPP annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur today. Continue reading “Najib: Bersih ploy to stop BN ‘momentum’”

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Intelligent politicians, please

By Ali Kadir
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 26 — Wanted: some individuals with some modicum of intelligence and competence to lead Malaysia.

Muhyiddin Yassin and Shafie Apdal (among Umno’s best and brightest judging by fact that one is the second in line to govern the country and the other is the third in line) need not apply.

The two senior ministers are evidence of how hollow the ranks of leaders in Umno are. Today, Shafie Apdal gave credence to the line that it is best to keep silent and keep up the illusion of competence rather than open your mouth and shatter it. Continue reading “Intelligent politicians, please”

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Kota, kedai and kopitiam

By Zubin Mohamad
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 26 — Over the years, I have been going back to Kelantan either to visit my parents and family or to do research on Kelantan performance. During one of the trips, I took a friend to visit some old cemeteries and traditional villages near Kota Baru. After the trip, she said, “Next we should visit the kota-kota in Kelantan.” Kota usually refers to fort, mostly referring to the old fort surrounding a palace or town like Kota Melaka, Kota Kuala Muda in Kedah or Kota Malawati in Kuala Selangor. Kota also refers to a city like Kota Kinabalu or Kota Baru. But perhaps both are related as the old palace or town is usually surrounded by a wall, ie. fully fortified.

In Kelantan, there are a few places with the word kota in front of it such as Kota Kubang Labu, Kota Jelasin, Kota Jembal, Kota Mahligai or Kota Salor, mostly related to the old royal palaces before the present royal administration. They could be related to one another but may have been at war with each other at some time or existed one after the other. Continue reading “Kota, kedai and kopitiam”

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Opposition leader: Land for Taib’s brother? Why?

By Ang Ngan Toh
Jun 25, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Bukit Assek state assemblyperson Wong Ho Leng has demanded to know why a huge parcel of land was alienated to a company owned by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s brother, Ibrahim, and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Tiong Thai King.

Wong, also Sarawak state legislative assembly opposition leader, said Ibrahim and Tiong, who is also Lanang member of parliament, are already “multi billionaires”.

The 3,000-acre land should have been alienated to PJ Green Field Sdn Bhd, a reputable agriculture company, and not to Victoria Square Development Sdn Bhd, he said. Continue reading “Opposition leader: Land for Taib’s brother? Why?”

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Pakatan aims for 11 states in GE13, says Kit Siang

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 26, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is targeting to control 11 states in the upcoming general elections, says Lim Kit Siang.

The DAP parliamentary leader said the coalition has targeted on retaining Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan and winning back Perak. He also said that PR is planning on taking over Negri Sembilan, Johor, Malacca, Pahang, Terengganu and Perlis from Barisan Nasional (BN).

“The forthcoming 13th General Election will be the battle of the century as at stake will not only be the state governments of all the 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia but federal power in Putrajaya as well,” said Lim at a dinner in Teluk Intan last night. Continue reading “Pakatan aims for 11 states in GE13, says Kit Siang”

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Pakatan Rakyat’s 3 state targets in next general elections

Pakatan Rakyat has three targets for the states in the next general elections, viz:

  • To retain the four Pakatan Rakyat states of Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan;
  • To win back Perak state government which was illegally, unconstitutionally and undemocratically robbed from the people and the Pakatan Rakyat; and
  • To form the state government in the six states of Negri Sembilan, Johore, Malacca, Pahang, Terengganu and Perlis.

    • Continue reading “Pakatan Rakyat’s 3 state targets in next general elections”

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    Police intensify clampdown on pre-rally roadshow

    by Regina Lee
    Malaysiakini
    Jun 25, 11

    The police have intensified its efforts to clamp down on polls watchdog Bersih’s pre-rally roadshow as it kicked off nationwide yesterday.

    Supposed to begin in Uptown market in Shah Alam last night with a series of speeches, the police had cordoned off the commercial centre as early as 5pm as well as erecting roadblocks around the city.

    The law enforcers made their presence felt by bringing along three police trucks and 50 police personnel together with scores of other plainclothes police officers.

    One of the speakers, PKR Youth deputy chief Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin, was quickly arrested and whisked off by the police 10 minutes after he arrived, even though he was “doing nothing” in the area, according to him. Continue reading “Police intensify clampdown on pre-rally roadshow”

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    Something rotten at the Duta courts

    by Hafiz Yatim
    Malaysiakini
    Jun 25, 11

    Shakespeare wrote in the play ‘Hamlet’ that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. Court of Appeal judge NH Chan had also made similar remarks when he wrote the Ayer Molek Rubber Co Bhd vs Insas Bhd judgment in 1995, where he described the case he was presiding over as being about an injustice perpetrated by a court of law.

    Can yesterday’s conviction of the infamous ‘Datuk T’ trio be said a travesty of justice deserving the local version that goes “something is rotten in Duta courts” resulting in possibly another charge looming over Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim? Continue reading “Something rotten at the Duta courts”