Posted on

Habeas Corpus application for Teresa Kok tomorrow; International-level Campaign will be launched

The habeas corpus application to free DAP National Organising Secretary, three-term MP for Seputeh and Selangor Senior Exo for Investment, Trade and Industry Teresa Kok from arbitrary and wrongfully detention under the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA) would be filed at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur at 12.30 pm tomorrow.

The application will be filed by Teresa’s lawyers, DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor, Karpal Singh and Central Executive Committee Member and MP for Puchong Gobind Singh Deo.

Let all friends and supporters of democracy and freedom show up at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex tomorrow to demonstrate our support, sympathy and solidarity with Teresa at this hour of trial – both for her and the nation.

A three-prong international-level “Free Teresa Campaign” will be launched in the next few days to secure the support of parliamentarians in ASEAN, the Commonwealth and the World Parliaments for her immediate and unconditional release. Continue reading “Habeas Corpus application for Teresa Kok tomorrow; International-level Campaign will be launched”

Posted on

Meeting with Speaker Pandikar Amin tomorrow on MP Teresa Kok’s ISA detention on totally baseless grounds

I will meet the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in Parliament tomorrow over the detention of DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the actions which should be taken by Parliament over an MP’s arrest on totally baseless and non-existent grounds.

Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said yesterday that Teresa was detained under the ISA as she had questioned the sensitive issues such as the azan (call for prayers for Muslims) and that could cause ill-will and disharmony.

This allegation was first made by the former Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo, which was then sensationalised by Utusan Malaysia.

Teresa had made an immediate denial that she had tried to disallow azan in Kota Damansara Sri Serdang and Puchong Jaya. The mosque committees in both areas have endorsed Teresa’s denial with the Masjid Kota Damansara officials explaining that a damaged ampliflier had resulted in the calls to prayer to be made without the aid of a PA system while Masjid Kinrara mosque committee said Teresa had never set foot in Masjid Kinrara and was not involved in the azan petition issue in the area.

The PAS MP for Kota Raja Dr. Siti Mariah Mahmud had also lodged a police report against Khir on Thursday for his statement published in Utusan Malaysia on Tuesday, as it was “maliciously intended and aimed at raising the anger and anxiety of Malay Muslims”.

The police has no basis whatsoever therefore to detain Teresa under the ISA for the baseless and non-existent grounds linking her to any azan controversy.

As an active political leader, how can Hamid repeat the baseless claim of the police about Teresa’s questioning the azan issue as anyone following the news whether in the printed or electronic media would know that it was the irresponsible and sole concoction of Khir Toyo and Utusan Malaysia? Continue reading “Meeting with Speaker Pandikar Amin tomorrow on MP Teresa Kok’s ISA detention on totally baseless grounds”

Posted on

Tunku Aziz – new DAP National Vice Chairman

Welcome Tunku Aziz into the DAP

Tunku Aziz, Malaysia’s most famous crusader for integrity and transparency, has been appointed a DAP national vice chairman.

Tunku is a Malaysian par excellence with an impressive c.v. and glittering public service record.

He was formerly vice chairman of Transparency International and founder President of the Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity, the Malaysian Chapter of Transparency International.

He was also formerly Bank Negara adviser, Group Director of Sime Darby and Director of Commonwealth Secretariat.

Tunku is one of the ten members co-opted by the Central Executive Commitee (CEC) this morning.

The other nine co-opted CEC members are:

Teo Nie Ching – MP for Serdang;
Vincent Wu Him Ven
Thomas Su Keong Siong – Perak State Exco
Leong Ngah Ngah – SA for Triang
Liew Chin Tong – MP for Bukit Bendera
Jeff Ooi – MP for Jelutong
Ronnie Liu – Selangor State Exco
P. Gunasegaren – SA for Senawang
Hiew King Cheu – MP for Kota Kinabalu

Continue reading “Tunku Aziz – new DAP National Vice Chairman”

Posted on

Surprised to be topping party polls

Bridget Welsh asked me last night whether I had ever topped party polls before. Not that I could recollect.

Was actually surprised that I came in first in the DAP’s triennial Central Executive Committee (CEC) election at the DAP Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

I had expected to be somewhere down the list, not as bad as in the previous CEC election in 2004, but not leading it.

As Party Secretary-General and later Party Chairman, I had at times to take unpopular decisions in the interests of the party as the challenge as party leader was not to win a popularity contest but to do what was right for the party and the political struggle for a Malaysian Malaysia, even it meant stepping on toes in the party.

For that reason, I had expected to be trailing in party polls and not be topping them.

I had not been focussing very much on the likely outcome of the CEC polls yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that I had topped the list. This must be the result of stepping less on party toes as I am no more actively involved in the day-to-day executive duties of the party in the past four years when I was no more party secretary-general or chairman.

I thank all party delegates for the support. It definitely makes it more difficult to think of a retirement mode.

The newly-elected DAP CEC will meet shortly this morning before resumption of the party congress to elect the new party leadership as well as to co-opt new CEC members.

There is likely to be a “surprise” announcement at the resumption of the CEC congress. Continue reading “Surprised to be topping party polls”

Posted on

Another case of misreporting?

Nasharuddin berkata dasar perjuangan PAS yang berpaksikan Islam menuntut dakwah diterapkan kepada semua yang masih belum memahami apa itu Islam yang sebenar.

“Kalau kita boleh bersekutu dengan DAP yang menentang Islam dari dulu sampai sekarang dan dengan PKR, mengapa kita tidak boleh dekati Umno?

This is from a Bernama report on the speech by the Deputy PAS President Nasharudin Mat Isa at the opening of the PAS Youth annual assembly in Ipoh yesterday.

DAP opposed to Islam from the past to the present? Not true. Never. We have Muslims in DAP and could not be anti-Islam. We are for all religions for the good, virtuous and noble values they teach human beings to cultivate and cherish.

What DAP is opposed to is for any breach of the Merdeka social contract that Malaysia was founded be a multi-racial, multi-religious, democratic and secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state. Continue reading “Another case of misreporting?”

Posted on

Detain Bar Council forum protestors under ISA – Gunasekaren denies

Today’s Star “PKR leaders want Zul to explain” carried the following report with regard to the continuing fallout from the storming and disruption of the Bar Council forum on “Conversion to Islam” by demonstrators in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday:

In SEREMBAN, state DAP deputy chief and Senawang assemblyman P. Gunasekaren said he wants the police to charge the demonstrators.

He said the police should have arrested them rather than allow them to enter the Bar Council office, which was private property.

“It is sad that the police allowed them to dictate terms. The demonstrators should be arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act for stoking racial sentiments,” he said.

I have checked with Gunasekaren and he has denied that he had made the remark about the ISA detention attributed to him. Continue reading “Detain Bar Council forum protestors under ISA – Gunasekaren denies”

Posted on

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”

Posted on

Bandar Makhota Cheras violence and police connivance – public inquiry warranted

The use of thugs to assault residents of Bandar Makhota Cheras protesting against the barricade put up by the toll concessionaire, Grand Saga and the connivance of the police not only in its “hands-off” policy during the rampage by the thugs, but in going on a rampage of its own when some 20 police personnel armed assaulted an innocent bystander, Chang Jiun Haur, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

An independent public inquiry into the spate of physical violence against the protesting public by thugs and police personnel is fully warranted.

DAP MP for Serdang, Teo Nie Ching will be raising the issue in Parliament tomorrow.

Posted on

On “egg-shell” reputation and Parliament as “kangaroo court”

Seven years ago in December 2001, when Fong Po Kuan, as first-termer DAP MP for Batu Gajah, was suspended for six months without pay for publicly criticising the Speaker, I was in Europe.

I issued an immediate statement in London on Dec. 11, 2001 before the motion to penalise Po Kuan was debated and another statement on my return to Malaysia.

These two statements of December 2001 are reproduced below after the Malaysiakini report “Speaker warns Kit Siang over blog posting”: Continue reading “On “egg-shell” reputation and Parliament as “kangaroo court””

Posted on

Donation drive for China and Burma disasters

At 11.30 am this morning, DAP National Treasurer Fong Kui Lun (MP for Bukit Bintang) accompanied by DAP National Organising Secretary Tan Kok Wai (MP for Cheras) and DAP Selangor State Chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah (Exco member and SA for Seri Kembangan) presented a cheque for RM20,000 to the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on behalf of DAP MPs and Assembly members as humanitarian aid to the victims of the massive earthquak disaster in Sichuan, China.

Fong, who heads the DAP Donation Drive for China and Burma Disaster Victims, announced a week-long nation-wide humanitarian aid collection drive by DAP State committees . Public donation drives would be launched in Ipoh Timor and Ipoh Barat tonight.

Public can hand their donations to DAP MPs, SAs and the respective DAP State Offices. Receipts would be issued on request.

(Media Statement by DAP Headquarters on 16.5.05)

Posted on

Three Molotov cocktails thrown at Perak DAP premises must be deplored by all

The three homemade Mototov cocktails thrown at the Perak DAP premises in Ipoh opposite the Perak state assembly at 2.20 am must be deplored by all political parties, the civil society and all Malaysians.

Although no great harm was done, such contemptible action must be nipped in the bud and not be condoned in any manner by any party or individual as all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political belief must demonstrate their democratic credentials and commitment to uphold the system of parliamentary democracy in the country and to peaceful democratic change.

Bernama report on the petrol bomb incident follows: Continue reading “Three Molotov cocktails thrown at Perak DAP premises must be deplored by all”

Posted on

Abdullah putting pressure on AG to prosecute Karpal – bad and dangerous precedent

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is setting a bad and dangerous precedent in publicly pressurizing the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail to charge DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor, Karpal Singh for sedition and turn a legal issue into a political and racial one.

This is the first time in 50 years that a Prime Minister had so flagrantly and blatantly put public pressure on the Attorney-General to prosecute an Opposition leader, making a total mockery of the absolute discretion of the Attorney-General as entrenched in Article 145(3) of the Constitution “to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence, other than proceedings before a Syariah Court, a native court or a court-martial”.

On Thursday, Abdullah said he had instructed Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to lodge a police report against Karpal for making allegedly seditious remarks about the Sultan of Perak when Karpal had reiterated publicly that he had not questioned Sultan Azlan Shah’s prerogatives as the state’s head of religion of Islam.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister has upped the ante by publicly demanding that the Attorney-General speed up the probe against Karpal. Continue reading “Abdullah putting pressure on AG to prosecute Karpal – bad and dangerous precedent”

Posted on

5 DAP MPs did not submit a single question for Parliament – apologies

I was taken aback when Chong Zemin put up the post that a blog had disclosed that there are 29 MPs who did not submit a question for the coming parliamentary meeting starting at the end of the month, and that five of them are from DAP.
The five DAP MPs cited are:

• Charles Anthony Santiago – Klang

• Er Teck Hwa – Bakri

• Hiew King Cheu – Kota Kinabalu

• John Fernandez – Seremban

• Dr. P. Ramasamy – Batu Kawan

I have checked with the five DAP MPs and they have confirmed the mistake of missing the deadline for the submission of questions, i.e. April 8, 2008, for the month-long inaugural meeting of the 12th Parliament starting on April 28 – although they would still be able to take part in the supplementary question stage of the daily 90-minute question time.

The Party had reminded DAP MPs not to miss the deadline for questions and lose the opportunity to pose questions in the first meeting of Parliament (an important aspect of the work of Opposition parliamentarians) but mistakes are still being made.

Work pressures as new elected representatives, lack of experience with parliamentary standing orders and breakdown of communications have contributed to the five DAP MPs not fielding a single question for the first meeting of the 12th Parliament.

These are not acceptable excuses as voters in the March 8 “political tsunami” have high expectations of DAP MPs and they have the right to expect the new batch of Opposition MPs to live up to a higher benchmark of parliamentary performance and to subject them to scrutiny. Continue reading “5 DAP MPs did not submit a single question for Parliament – apologies”

Posted on

Islamic state – MCA/Gerakan should stop hypocrisy and double standards

(Speech 2 at the first Public Ceramah/Consultation with DAP MPs, Excos, State Assemblymen at Chin Woo Hall, Ipoh on Saturday, 12th April 2008)

In the past few days, MCA and Gerakan leaders have suddenly found their voice and become quite articulate, as if to prove to Malaysians that after the March 8 “political tsunamii” they have learnt their lesson and are breaking away from their past culture of silence and subservience in the Barisan Nasional.

But this is not really the case, as they continue as captive as before March 8 to Umno political hegemony.

MCA and Gerakan leaders, including the MCA President, Datuk Ong Ka Ting, seems to be competing among themselves to lash out at the DAP for misleading the Chinese in Malaysia in the last general election over PAS’ Islamic state agenda.

MCA and Gerakan leaders should stop applying double standards on the Islamic State issue. When on Sept. 29, 2001, the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad declared that Malaysia was an Islamic state, unilaterally, arbitrarily and unconstitutionally abrogating the cardinal nation-building principle in the Constitution and Merdeka “social contract” that Malaysia is a multi-religious and secular state with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic State, there was not only no objection from MCA and Gerakan leaders – they gave immediate public support.

Similarly last year, when the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak trampled on the Malaysian Constitution and the 1957 “social contract” and declared Malaysia as an Islamic state, there was not a whimper of opposition or protest from Ong Ka Ting and the other MCA, Gerakan and Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers and leaders.

It is the height of irresponsibility and hypocrisy for MCA and Gerakan leaders to demand that the DAP must come out openly about our stand on Malaysia as an Islamic state, when it is the MCA and Gerakan which should stop its hypocritical, opportunistic and unprincipled stand on the Islamic state.

DAP’s stand of Malaysia as a secular state and opposition to Malaysia becoming an Islamic state, violating the secular basis and commitment of the 1957 Merdeka Constitution and “social contract”, is so crystal clear and unmistakable that only the most ignorant or unprincipled can question it. Continue reading “Islamic state – MCA/Gerakan should stop hypocrisy and double standards”

Posted on

Hishammuddin’s insensitive, irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics – public apology awaited

(Speech at the first Public Ceramah/Consultation with DAP MPs, Excos, State Assembly representatives at Chin Woo Hall, Ipoh on Saturday, 12th April 2008)

After the March 8 political tsunami, MCA and Gerakan leaders blamed Umno for their electoral debacle, in particular the insensitivity shown by Umno leaders like the Umno Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for his provocative and irresponsible “Malay keris” antics at Umno Youth general assemblies.

However, MCA and Gerakan leaders have not admitted their own weaknesses and failures in not speaking up loud and clear in Cabinet, Parliament and the government to protest against such insensitivity and demanding that Hishammudin publicly apologise for his “Malay keris” antics and that there should be no recurrence of such insensitivity in a plural society by a national leader who holds the important and sensitive post of Education Minister.

It is heartening that after the March 8 “political tsunami”, MCA and Gerakan leaders have realized the damage, not only to the Barisan Nasional but to five decades of nation-building, caused by Hishammuddin’s “Malay keris” antics, but it is not enough to realize one’s mistake if one is not prepared to take the necessary remedial measures.

Hishammuddin should publicly apologise for his “Malay keris” antics and MCA, Gerakan and other Barisan Nasional leaders should demand in unison for such an apology and assurance of no repetition in Cabinet and Parliament. Continue reading “Hishammuddin’s insensitive, irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics – public apology awaited”

Posted on

March 8 “politic al tsunami” is for change to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance and not for Islamic state or hudud laws

At the joint media conference on April 1 to announce PKR, DAP and PAS decision to take the next logical step to the March 8, 2008 political tsunami with the three parties tentatively agreeing to establish a Pakatan Rakyat (a proposal and term subject to confirmation by the three respective parties), I said that March 8 general election results were a clear and unmistakable message from the people that they want the three parties to work together to bring about changes in the country to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance – and not for an Islamic state or hudud laws.

I was asked by a reporter today whether my statement that the March 8 political tsunami was a demand for change to restore justrice, freedom, democracy and good governance and not for an Islamic state and hudud laws applied only to non-Muslims and non-Malays.

I replied in the negative, as I believe that it is not only the non-Malays and non-Muslims but also the Malays and Muslims who voted solidly on March 8 for justice, freedom, democracy and good governance and not for Islamic state and hudud laws – producing for the first time in 50 years of Malaysian electoral history the national phenomenon of cross-race and cross-religion voting – DAP voters voted for PAS candidates and PAS voters voting for DAP candidates.

Just as it was a great mistake after the 1999 general election to regard its results as a vote for Islamic state and hudud laws (resulting in the DAP leaving the Barisan Alternative in 2001), it will be an equally cardinal error to interpret the March 8, 2008 general election result as a mandate for Islamic state and hudud laws.

It is pertinent to revisit the reasons why DAP had to pull out of Barisan Alternative in 2001. The following is an extract from a statement I made on 30th June 2001, entitled: “BA at crossroads and no more tenable”: Continue reading “March 8 “politic al tsunami” is for change to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance and not for Islamic state or hudud laws”

Posted on

Suggestions for more suitable term than Pakatan Rakyat are most welcome

Many suggestions have been made for a more suitable term than Pakatan Rakyat for the proposed co-operation of KeADILan, DAP and PAS as a follow-up to the March 8, 2008 general election results for the common objective to promote justice, freedom, democracy, integrity and good governance in Malaysia.

When the term Pakatan Rakyat was tentatively chosen, the consensus was to avoid the use of the term “Barisan”.

The term Pakatan Rakyat is subject to the confirmation by the respective leadership of the three parties. Suggestions for a more suitable term than Pakatan Rakyat are most welcome.

Statements issued in the past three days have raised the question whether all the three parties have fully learnt the lessons of the 2001 crisis of the Barisan Alternative, where the DAP had to leave the opposition coalition because of PAS’ insistence to pursue the Islamic State objective, which was not in the common Barisan Alternative manifesto. Continue reading “Suggestions for more suitable term than Pakatan Rakyat are most welcome”

Posted on

ISA release of Hindraf 5 – first post-March 8 test for MCA, MIC, Gerakan

The refusal of the Home Minister, Datuk Syed Hamid Albar to release newly-elected Selangor DAP State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah and four other Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha Kumar from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention should bring Malaysians back to reality – that the second Abdullah administration has not really heard the voice of the people in the March 8 political tsunami for change towards a more democratic, accountable, just and progressive Malaysian society.

Hamid’s explanation is completely unacceptable. He said: “We cannot simply react to political parties’ calls. We have to give priority to public safety and peace and will give due consideration only if there is no threat to national security.”

This is because the ISA detention of the five Hindraf leaders last December – purportedly linking them with “terrorist organizations” which have proved to be completely baseless – was the result of calls by Barisan Nasional component parties, particularly Umno and MIC, and had nothing whatsoever to do with national security.

Having myself being detained twice for a total of 35 months under the ISA, I can vouch that ISA detentions had been used as political instruments to suppress dissent which have no relationship whatsoever with national security – and the ISA detention of the five Hindraf leaders fall directly under this category! Continue reading “ISA release of Hindraf 5 – first post-March 8 test for MCA, MIC, Gerakan”