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UMNO-PAS “Malay Unity” talks

The Federal Government spent RM100 million for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations last year. For what?

It should be to celebrate half-a-century of nationhood to build a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation where our diversity is the strongest national asset and to chart out the path to achieve the Vision 2020 objective of a Bangsa Malaysia in the remaining 13 years.

But Malaysian nation-building has gone backwards and the Vision 2020 objective of a “Bangsa Malaysia” is increasingly frowned upon as a misplaced target.

The recent revelation by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that there has been three Umno-PAS talks to address issues of Muslim and Malay unity since the March 8, 2008 general election has raised to the fore the question why the pre-eminent issue bothering the Prime Minister is still that of Malay unity rather than Malaysian unity. Continue reading “UMNO-PAS “Malay Unity” talks”

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That Boring Yet Necessary thing called Governance

By Farish A. Noor

For two weeks now, this political scientist has been sidetracked from his work on transnational religio-political movements by the controversy that has erupted in Malaysia as a result of the accusations of sodomy levelled against former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. This is not the first time I have been way-laid in the line of duty; for scandals, controversies and conspiracy theories have the rather nasty habit of popping up when you least expect it in the Asian region.

Now this comes as an unwelcome change for me as I have spent half my life in Europe and the last seven years in Germany. Allow me to make a very simple (and admittedly general) comparison here: Politics in Germany, like much of Western Europe, tends to be dull, dull, dull. Politicians have less colourful lives than their Asian counterparts and it would be the event of the century if a senior German politician was caught with his pants down or accused of sodomy of all things.

Indeed, one of the outstanding features of German politics – particularly on the level of local governance – is how dreadfully boring it is. It also happens to be painfully serious, and as someone who has seen local government at work in Germany I can tell you that it can put even the most imaginative among us to sleep in nary a second. Continue reading “That Boring Yet Necessary thing called Governance”

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Teo Seng Koon – Remember him?

Very few Malaysians will know who is Teo Seng Koon. His name came up after the world’s No. 1 squash player Nicol David, 25, became the youngest Datuk when she was honoured by the Yang di Pertua Negri of Penang Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and former men’s badminton doubles ace Ng Boon Bee, 70, was made a Datuk in conjunction with the 86th birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja’afar.

Seng Koon, 90, is the surviving member of the country’s first Thomas Cup team, which included legends Wong Peng Soon and Ong Poh Lim and created history by winning the inaugural Thomas Cup in 1948, beating Denmark 8-1.

The very fit and sprightly nonagenarian turned up at the media conference convened by DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran as we believe that the country should give proper recognition to sportsmen and sportswomen who have made great contribution to the country, like Seng Koon.

Seng Koon, who played doubles, told reporters that it took the Thomas Cup players three weeks to make the trip to the United Kindom by sea in 1948.

Seng Koon was formerly the Ipoh bureau chief of the defunct Echo.

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Malaysia more uncompetitive since the March 8 “political tsunami”

(Speech at the opening of the Tasek Dalam DAP Branch, Ipoh on Sunday, 20th July 2008 at 12 noon)

The International Trade and Industry Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that his ministry will be looking into attracting investors who are pulling out from China because of high costs there.

Muhyiddin is being too optimistic when he should know that Malaysia has become even more uncompetitive in the past four-and-a-half months since the March 8 “political tsunami” because of the political weakness of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which has resulted in his failure to deliver his numerous long-overdue reform pledges.

This is one important reason why despite the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) on Friday plunged to its lowest level since the end of 2006!

After the recent general election, Abdullah had assured Malaysians that he had finally heard their voices and would begin to implement reforms to regain public confidence in his administration.

Nearly five months have passed and apart from rhetoric, very little has been delivered by Abdullah. Continue reading “Malaysia more uncompetitive since the March 8 “political tsunami””

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With whom will the army stroll?

by Azly Rahman

No man is an island, entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,

as well as if a promontory were,

as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were:

any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,

and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

– John Donne, English poet

We do not need an emergency rule unless we are still living in 1969. Those days are over. Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) is history. This is a time for the natural state of things to unfold. A time to let a hundred flowers bloom. The semiotics of structural violence must not be paraded in front of Malaysians who now know how to protest peacefully.

They know what a totalitarian regime means. They now know what separation of powers means. They want to see an urgent evolution of this philosophy. Only those in danger of losing power want to maintain hegemony and will use the ideological state apparatuses to maintain power. Machiavellians included.

Emergency rules are for nations in desperation. For dictators facing an imminent and violent political death. For despots who refuse to detach themselves from power. For governments that allow prime ministers to rule for as long as they like. Ours is not. We do not have dictators. We have democracy yearning to break free.

Suharto, Idi Amin, Shah Reza Pahlavi, Somoza, Noriega, and Marcos were are all tyrants. Some fell from grace because of the greed of their women. Typical Marie Antoinette syndrome. Continue reading “With whom will the army stroll?”

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Hamid Albar the greatest national security threat

Datuk Seri Syed Albar is a major security threat if the Home Minister is so gullible as to launch a massive three-day 1,600-personnel police operation to lock down Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley causing great financial losses and inconveniencing hundreds of thousands of people based on “rubbish” intelligence about a non-existent high-level Pakatan Rakyat leadership meeting, two speeches, two blogs and two SMS.

Hamid had promised Parliament on Tuesday to retract his allegation that DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Kepong, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw and I had attended a top leadership meeting of Pakatan Rakyat at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat headquarters on July 9 to plot a mass demonstration in or at Parliament last Monday to justify the deployment of 1,600 police personnel to create a three-day gridlock of the Federal capital and the Klang Valley.

Why is Hamid so conspicuously silent about his promise in Parliament in the past three days?

Is he still checking on whether he had been taken for a ride by his dishonest informers who had concocted such tall tale about a fictitious meeting of top Pakatan Rakyat leaders on July 9, purportedly attended by Guan Eng, Seng Giaw and myself – when it is just a pack of lies?

Hamid said yesterday that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should not worry about giving his DNA samples if he were interested to seek the truth behind the sodomy allegations against him. Continue reading “Hamid Albar the greatest national security threat”

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Police Black Eyes

Anwar Ibrahim has been released on police bail this morning.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi promised that there will not be another “black eye” trauma for Anwar as happened ten years ago.

However, the police has received a “black eye” of its own making, in its highly-provocative, unprofessional and unjustifiable arrest of Anwar by police commandos in balaclava at 12.55 pm yesterday – when the former deputy prime minister had already promised to report to the police at 2 pm.

This is the second self-administered police black-eye within a week – the other being the completely unjustified three-day 1,600-personnel police operation to lock down the Federal Capital and the Klang Valley to thwart a massive demonstration in Parliament on Monday when there was not a single protestor – causing great and unnecessary inconvenience and hardships to hundreds of thousands of people, plunging public confidence in the efficiency, competence and professionalism of the police to an all-time low. Continue reading “Police Black Eyes”

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Another Trial for Malaysia

By Farish A. Noor

The trials and tribulations of Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim continue, and history seems to be repeating itself time and again in the country. Ten years after the infamous trial where he was accused of sexual misconduct and abuse of power, Anwar Ibrahim is once again being investigated for charges of sexual misconduct with a man who was a member of his party, the People’s Justice Party (PKR) of Malaysia.

On 16th July Anwar was arrested just after he had given his testimony before the country’s Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), and on his way to give yet another testimony at the Police Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. A deadline had been set at 2.00 pm for him to show up at the police office, and though he was already on his way there he was apprehended near his home before the deadline had expired.

Anwar has since been arrested under the laws of section 377a of the Malaysian constitution that stipulates that ‘abnormal sex’ is a crime. Yet Malaysians have grown somewhat weary of the use of this law as the last time it was put to work was in 1998, when Anwar was also accused on ‘abnormal sex’. The trial that followed his arrest in 1998 was a shambolic affair that brought low the reputation of the Malaysian judiciary and security services; and the icing on the cake was the assault on Anwar that led to him being produced in court with bruises on his face and the infamous black eye that has been captured for posterity by the world’s media. Malaysia’s legal institutions suffered the biggest blow to their credibility as the court case that followed was scrutinised in detail by Malaysia-watchers the world over. Continue reading “Another Trial for Malaysia”

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University of Malaya medical student intake

Letters
by cat

A Background Introduction

Entering the Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur is still the prized aspiration of many doctor-wannabes. The medical degree conferred by UM is the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) which is the title awarded by universities in the United Kingdom and Australia. Other local public universities like University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) confer medical degrees in the acronym of MD which stands for doctor of medicine (Latin: Medicinæ Doctor).

Contrary to the common but erroneous perception among pre-university students, there is no difference between the MBBS and MD medical degrees.

Up till 2001, University Malaya along with other local universities practised an intake of medical students based on a quota system. Under the quota system, the ratio of medical students was in the order of 6:3:1 that is, 60% of places for bumiputeras, 30% for Chinese Malaysians and 10% for Indian Malaysian students. Bumiputera students comprised both Malays and the non-Malay bumiputeras from Sabah and Sarawak.

Continue reading “University of Malaya medical student intake”

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Anwar detained by police overnight

Anwar Ibrahim has been denied bail and is being detained by the police overnight, purportedly so that the police could take a “further statement”.

This is a most ridiculous reason, as Anwar had been questioned for five hours today before he was taken to Kuala Lumpur hospital for two hours.

The Prime Minister and the Police should be aware that world attention is focused on Anwar’s detention and if there is any ill-treatment of Anwar as happened ten years ago, there will be no place for anyone, regardless of station, to hide.

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Anwar’s arrest – police provocative, untrustworthy and unprofessional

In arresting Anwar Ibrahim outside his Bukit Segambut home just before 1 pm today, the police are being most provocative, unprofessional and untrustworthy.

Anwar had already undertaken to report to the police at 2 p.m after he had given his statement to the Anti-Corruption Agency in the morning, and to spring such an arrest well before 2 pm outside his house has deepened public concerns and fears that the police cannot be independent, professional, responsible and trustworthy in handling the latest Anwar case. Continue reading “Anwar’s arrest – police provocative, untrustworthy and unprofessional”

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Next CJ – not affected by “Judicial reforms”

De facto Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has just confirmed that the appointment of the next Chief Justice will not be affected by any judicial reform currently in the pipeline.

I posed this question during the winding-up of the debate on the Judges’ Remuneration (Amendment) Bill 2008.

The Chief Justice, Tun Abdul Hamid will retire on 18th October 2008.

I pointed out that as it does not appear that the much-hyped judicial reform, including the establishment of a Judicial Appoinments Commission, will be presented to Parliament before October although Zaid had earlier promised that the legislative proposals would be presented in the current meeting of Parliament, the appointment of the next Chief Justice will be by the present process.

When Zaid agreed, I remarked that the country seems set to have the first UMNO Chief Justice in the nation’s history.

I had earlier expressed my concern that the government is back-tracking on its promise of judicial reforms.

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Strongest “intelligence” for 3-day police gridlock of Klang Valley nothing but a lie – Hamid should apologise and even resign in disgrace

The strongest “intelligence” to justify the three-day police lockdown of Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley has proved to be nothing but a lie.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar alleged that Pakatan Rakyat leadership had met last Wednesday to plot a demonstration in Parliament yesterday to coincide with a no-confidence motion on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

This is what Hamid said, as reported by the Star:

Syed Hamid said intelligence was also gathered from a July 9 meeting chaired by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. at the PKR headquarters.

“Anwar said at the meeting that some BN MPs would give support to PKR (on the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister) and he would then lead the demonstration at Parliament,” he added.

Syed Hamid said the meeting was attended by various leaders, including DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, DAP vice-chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw and PAS treasurer Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli.

“This proves that the threat was very real. The intention was clear, we had to take some action to prevent bigger things from happening.”

There was no such Pakatan Rakyat leadership meeting at the venue, date, time and for the purpose alleged. Continue reading “Strongest “intelligence” for 3-day police gridlock of Klang Valley nothing but a lie – Hamid should apologise and even resign in disgrace”

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Road Block Causes Failure in CLP Examination

Letters
by Ganesh

I refer to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s apology with regards to the massive traffic jams caused yesterday. What Syed Albar does not realize is that, not only were people late in reaching their offices and thus productivity was affected, many people also missed important examinations.

Monday was the first day of the Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) examinations held in University Malaysia (UM). As the examination was 9 am, many left much earlier from their houses. As for me, I left 7am from my house located in Subang Jaya. Usually by 7.30 am, I would be passing EPF.

However, to my shock and horror, I only reached UM at 10.30am, by that time, it was too late to sit for that particular paper. I was crawling in a standstill jam all the way on the Federal Highway. It was too late for me to turn and use any alternatives as it was a bottleneck jam everywhere and impossible to use any other alternatives.

Many people sitting this examination were either late or just failed to turn up because as one knows, reaching late to the examination hall, one would be barred from entering the hall.

And the CLP examination is such, that if you miss just one paper, you might as well resit the whole examination the next year as you would clearly fail the whole examination having not sat one paper completely. Continue reading “Road Block Causes Failure in CLP Examination”

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How to radicalise our universities

by Dr. Azly Rahman

My parents, like those of many of you readers too, only managed to complete Darjah Tiga/ Standard Three of their education. Poverty and the nature of ‘human capital revolution’ during the 1940s did not afford them the luxury of being in an ivory tower. Hard times.

One became a taxi driver and the other first, a seamstress and next, a factory worker in Singapore assembling microchips for a German multinational corporation. They would leave for work at four or five in the morning and come home at seven at night. That was the story of their lives. I am sure they too had the dream of entering a place called the “university.”

They spent their time -hard times- that took toll on their personal lives, raising their children to enter the university.

But they had an intelligent hunch, they believed universities will make everybody come out smarter and able to think critically, creatively, and altruistically. They did not have the knowledge of political economy to decipher the fact that universities are closely linked to the politics of the day. Continue reading “How to radicalise our universities”

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Police Paralysis of KL and Klang Valley – preview of a Police State

Never before in the nation’s history has there been such a massive police mobilisation, paralysing the Federal Capital and the Klang Valley as today creating a massive traffic chaos, when there is totally no cause. It is a preview of what a Police State could be like.

In the past two days, the police had created infernal traffic congestions with roadblocks in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding areas locking up the Klang Valley, purportedly to forestall a Pakatan Rakyat public gathering or demonstration in or near Parliament because of the Standing Order 18 no-confidence motion today which is to be presented by the Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Ismail after question time at 11.30 am.

The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia not only rejected Azizah’s no-confidence motion, he also rejected my motion under Standing Order 26(1)(p) to refer the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for failing to comply with the parliamentary motion dated 28th April 2008 directing the IGP to ensure that MPs are not obstructed in their passage to and from parliamentary meetings.

Many MPs from both sides of the House met with police obstruction today and did not have free passage to Parliament, which is against the specific parliamentary directive to the IGP contained in the parliamentary motion of April 28, 2008.

No good or convincing reasons were given for the rejection of both motions by the Speaker. In the protracted arguments in the Dewan Rakyat over my proposed privilege motion, I had occasion to remark that a Speaker should not speak too much – and that the best Speaker is one who does not speak. Continue reading “Police Paralysis of KL and Klang Valley – preview of a Police State”

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Long Goodbyes Are Only For Lovers!

by M. Bakri Musa

Despite the apparent standing ovation Prime Minister Abdullah received upon announcing his retirement in front of UMNO members on July 10, 2008, there was no love lost between them. Likewise, despite the effusive tribute heaped upon Abdullah by his chosen successor Najib Razak on that same occasion, there is also no love lost between the two.

In announcing his resignation so far ahead, and thus ensuring a long drawn-out transition, Abdullah ignored a fundamental element in human (and also political) relationship. That is, long goodbyes are only for lovers! Abdullah should ponder the lyrics of the chorus line in Ronan Keating’s song, “The Long Goodbye.”

Come on baby, its over, let’s face it!

All that’s happening here is a long goodbye!

[For an accompanying music video, please click this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5_k2pdvNTU ]

While it may be sentimental (and hence tolerable) for lovers breaking up to have long goodbyes, such a protracted political transition would be disastrous for a nation. Far from clarifying the leadership crisis, it only compounds the uncertainty.

Let’s face it. This belated ‘love’ between Abdullah and Najib will not last; neither will they, politically. The world of politics is like the animal world. When you are seen as weak, your predators will quickly pounce in for the kill. While it would be obscene to celebrate such an outcome, nonetheless it would be therapeutic for UMNO, Malays, and Malaysia.

I am uncertain of what a standing ovation after Abdullah’s announcement means. Perhaps they wanted to hear yet another statement reaffirming the same, only this time for him to make the date much earlier. They would then continue giving him ever more enthusiastic ovations – thus calling for even more announcements – until he declared his withdrawal right away! At which point he would bring the house down! Continue reading “Long Goodbyes Are Only For Lovers!”

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A totally synthetic crisis

The Police is creating a totally synthetic crisis out of nothing, as no gathering or demonstration is being planned by Pakatan Rakyat in or near Parliament tomorrow.

Police roadblocks, causing massive traffic jams in Kuala Lumpur today and which will be even worse tomorrow, are not only pointless but completely unwarranted and unjustifiable.

As no gathering or demonstration in or around Parliament is being organised by Pakatan Rakyat tomorrow, the news report below paints a very surreal situation in the Federal capital: Continue reading “A totally synthetic crisis”

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JPA scholarships – why, why, why?

Letters
by A student

Dear YB,

I have some question to ask on JPA Scholarship which I don’t understand.

1. Perkongsian kuasa dengan kaum-kaum lain di dalam pilihan raya 1955 membuktikan bahawa

i. orang melayu berupaya menwujudkan perpaduan antara kaum

ii. tindakan pemimpin pada masa itu adalah keterlaluan

iii. orang melayu sanggup berkorban demi mencapai kemerdekaan

iv. orang bukan melayu terhutang budi kepada orang melayu

– This is the sample question of “mock examination” for JPA Scholar students who are to be sent to Canada sponsored by JPA. The choice number iv. is most racist and offensive, as without Orang Bukan Melayu, i.e. Chinese and Indians, Malaysia won’t get independence. Continue reading “JPA scholarships – why, why, why?”

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Public banned from Parliament on Monday – ridiculous & outrageous!

Ridiculous! Outrageous!

This is my immediate reaction to news report of a directive by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz banning members of the public from Parliament on Monday purportedly to thwart a demonstration to be organised by the Opposition over the Standing Order 18 motion by Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Wan Azizah on no confidence in the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

How can the public be banned from Parliament when the public gallery is an integral part of parliamentary process to ensure that it remains open, accountable, transparent and democratic?

If Parliament is to conduct its proceedings in “closed session”, there must be strong security justification – and not just on the pretext of a rumour of an Opposition demonstration in Parliament building on Monday.

For the record, this is the first time that I have heard of such a rumour!

Even if Parliament is to take extraordinary security measures in the parliamentary precints, it must be decided by Parliament itself and not by the Executive – unless Parliament is nothing more than a mini government department. Continue reading “Public banned from Parliament on Monday – ridiculous & outrageous!”