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In one of the darkest Deepavali in modern Malaysian history, all Malaysians of good sense and goodwill regardless of race, religion or politics should come together to be the beacon of light to save Malaysia from the darkness of kleptocracy, injustice and politics of lies

Deepavali is the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and hope over despair.

This year, Malaysians observe one of the darkest Deepavali in modern Malaysian history and all Malaysians of good sense of good will, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, should be the beacon of light to save Malaysia from the darkness of kleptocracy, injustice and the politics of lies.

It is sad that in this year’s Deepavali, the week started with the tragic fire at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor Baru, which claimed the lives of six Malaysians seeking a new lease of life at the ICU ward.

The tragic incident at HSA where six patients who sought a new lease of life at the ICU met death instead because of systemic, infrastructure and human failure and negligence should never have been allowed to happen, and it is even more shocking for Malaysians to learn that HSA does not have a fire safety certificate, that the hospital had not conducted a fire drill for its staff for at least two years since 2014, that some 10 days before Tuesday’s blaze that killed six and injured 11 others, that there was a small fire at the ICU and worst of all, that there had been more than seven fires at the hospital in the past four years. Continue reading “In one of the darkest Deepavali in modern Malaysian history, all Malaysians of good sense and goodwill regardless of race, religion or politics should come together to be the beacon of light to save Malaysia from the darkness of kleptocracy, injustice and politics of lies”

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Pandikar undermined public perception and image of Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament

I was utterly shocked when I read of the comments from the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia yesterday that former cabinet ministers may have broken their oath of Cabinet secrecy when debating the 2017 Budget in Parliament, referring in particular to former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the former Second Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Husni Hadzlah.

Pandikar told a press conference in Parliament yesterday that when he “heard the other day….that the Cabinet’s decision had not been carried out”, it was “(secret) Cabinet information”.

Pandikar said in his experience of being a former minister himself, cabinet members had to take an oath of secrecy.

He said: “We can’t tell (secrets) to anyone. You can’t whisper it to your wife at night.”

He said he knew a lot of secrets himself, but would not divulge them as those who break their oaths cast doubt on their own integrity and conduct.

I do not know what to make of Pandikar’s comments because they undermined public perception and image of the Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he publicly suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their oath of Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament.

Is Pandikar subtly suggesting to the Executive and in particular the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police to initiate actions against Muhyiddin, Shafie and Husni under the Official Secrets Act or other laws of the land for their alleged breach of their oath of Cabinet secrecy in their speeches during the debate on the 2017 Budget?

Is Pandikar not aware of the important doctrine of the separation of powers of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, and his special responsibility as the Speaker of Parliament to jealously safeguard the independence and integrity of Parliament from any usurpation or encroachment by the Executive? Continue reading “Pandikar undermined public perception and image of Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament”