Category: General

by R. Nadeswaran
The Sun
Posted 7 August 2011 – 07:43pm

READERS will remember that in the past, this columnist had refused to touch on race, religion and politics. Today, an intrepid step is being taken to address an issue which has tarnished the name of the country. The actions of a few have embarrassed all Malaysians, especially our leaders who exemplify moderation, tolerance and restraint. The many words of our founding fathers and their successors appear to have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, selfish individuals are defying the government in their zest to impose their own beliefs and values without any consideration whatsoever.

In May, I was sitting in the audience and applauded after the prime minister gave a resounding talk on Islam and moderation at Oxford. Quoting the Torah, the Bible and the Quran, he explained Malaysia’s success in embracing multi-cultures and multi-religions. Two weeks later, watching the royal wedding on television at a street party, I gladly pointed out to English friends the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri at Westminster Abbey. Continue reading “The world is watching”

by Malaysiakini readers

‘Kit Siang, how many Malaysian politicians are like you? You are a Malaysian hero, and don’t let them tell you otherwise.’

Kit Siang: Five days, I was in darkness

Ferdtan: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” – quoted by American author John C Maxwell.

You have shown us the way since May 1969 when you took over the helm of DAP, knowing pretty well of the risk involved: in fact, you did; you were detained under ISA immediately after.

The opposition then was a lonely journey, but you trundled on, inspiring many along the way. Your ‘never say die’ is your greatest forte, inspite of your many setbacks that you suffered.
Continue reading “Kit Siang – a rare breed of a politician”

The James Foong Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the death of Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) is a great disappointment, as it has come out with a finding of “TBH was driven to commit suicide by the aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous interrogation by certain officers of the MACC”(Para 119) , which is rejected by all right-thinking Malaysians.

There is however a silver lining in the TBH RCI Report as it has provided four new leads which are powerful reasons why the police should re-open investigations into who killed TBH at the MACC headquarters at Shah Alam on July 16, 2009.

LEAD ONE –

the TBH RCI was most scathing in its indictment of the character and testimony of the MACC officers especially from Selangor at the RCI. Apart from two brave and truthful souls from Selangor MACC, i.e. Azeem Hafeez Jamaluddin and Azlan (Para 176), the TBH RCI virtually dismissed the rest as a pack of liars led by Hishamuddin Hashim (HH), the “mastermind” of the massive and unjustified operation which resulted in TBH’s death. Continue reading “4 new leads from the TBH RCI Report providing powerful reasons why police should re-open investigations on who were TBH’s killers”

By P. Ramakrishnan
July 16, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 16 — A lie has robbed six Malaysians of their precious freedom. For three weeks they have been locked up and put away unfairly and unjustly.

Not a shred of evidence has been unearthed so far to justify their detention. Not an iota of proof has been disclosed to date to convince sceptical Malaysians that the action of the police has been honourable.

A lie that robs innocent Malaysians of their human rights discredits the police beyond repair. A lie that denies access to lawyers for the detained six denigrates the rule of law and disgraces the Barisan Nasional government for not observing the principles of decency, truth and honesty. Continue reading “A lie has robbed their freedom”

By The Malaysian Insider
July 14, 2011

JULY 14 — We are not interested in the politicians who lined up behind Bersih 2.0 or those who chose to fight against the cause of clean and free elections.

We are interested in the thousands of Malaysians (not Malays, Chinese or Indians or Kadazans, etc) who marched together in solidarity and love for each other and the millions at home who are realising that we are more similar than different.

It is sad that we needed adversity to tell us that we accept each other as Malaysians and that polarisation and racial divide is the creation of politicians, especially those in power. Continue reading “It’s between evil and good”

Editorial
The Jakarta Post
11.7.11

The leaders of Malaysia are laboring under an old paradigm that says you can have development or democracy, but not both. We have news for them: You can be rich and free at the same time. Malaysians deserve both and they deserve it now — not sometime in the future.

The lengths the government went to in trying to prevent and then break up the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday shows that the nation’s leaders were still not prepared to let go — even when an increasing number of Malaysians of all races have been pressing for more freedom and justice.

The rally, defying a government ban, went down as the largest in Malaysian history. It was significant that representatives from all three major races participated. Continue reading “Malaysia: Rich but not free”

Amnesty International
11 July 2011

The UK government must press Malaysia’s Prime Minister on freedom of assembly during his visit this week, Amnesty International said today, after peaceful protesters in Kuala Lumpur were met with police violence and 1,667 arrests at the weekend.

Police arrested peaceful demonstrators, fired tear gas canisters directly at protesters, and tear gassed a hospital compound on 9 July, in attempts to stop the electoral reform rally known as Bersih 2.0 from gathering in a stadium.

One protester, 56-year-old Baharuddin Ahmad, collapsed near the landmark Petronas Towers while fleeing teargas and was pronounced dead later in hospital. Continue reading “Malaysia: Police use brutal tactics against peaceful protestors”

DAP Malaysia / @dapmalaysia
Bersih2.0 / @bersih2 / @bersih2a / @bersih2b
MalaysiaKini / @newsmakers
The Malaysian Insider / @tmi / @tmi2
Free Malaysia Today / @fmtoday

By Wong Teck Chi
Jun 16, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Umno Youth today resolved to hold a major street rally that will coincide with the Bersih 2.0 movement’s rally on July 9.

Like the Bersih 2.0 movement, Umno Youth seeks to march to the Istana Negara.

But while Bersih 2.0 said it is rallying to call for electoral reforms, the Umno Youth rally seeks to support the current electoral system.

“We are supporting the present electoral system and want to work with the (Election Commission) to improve it further,” Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said told Malaysiakini. Continue reading “July 9: Umno Youth to march as well”

By Tarani Palani
June 14, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said the decision to invite the Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir was not discussed in the Cabinet.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may withdraw the invitation issued to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to attend an international conference in Langkawi.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, said today that he will urge the government to withdraw the invitation because Malaysia has decided to accede to the Rome Statute.

“I am taking this matter seriously and I want to discuss in the Cabinet because the Cabinet has decided that we should accede to the Rome Statute.” Continue reading “Bashir not welcome”

Malaysiakini
May 22, 11

Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has exposed a plan by the DAP to name Malay candidates in several states in the next general election.

He said DAP was now identifying suitable Malays to contest seats in states like Perak, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.

“They’re taking measures to ensure that the candidates (Malays) would be accepted by voters,” he told reporters after opening the Masjid Tanah Umno divisional meeting in Alor Gajah today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Defence Minister, said DAP planned to name Malay electoral candidates in Perak in hopes of conquering the state and naming one of its own as menteri besar. Continue reading “Umno VP spooked by DAP’s move into Malay territory”

Ang Ngan Toh
Malaysiakini
May 20, 11

The Sarawak DAP has called on the police to issue immediately permits to allow the people of the state to hold street demonstrations to force long-serving Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to step down.

“They have their constitutional right to stage peaceful street demonstrations and the police should not stop them,” Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen said yesterday.

Peaceful street demonstrations should be allowed, he said, adding that DAP would consider joining the protesters if the police issued the permits allowing the people to assemble in the streets.

“We fully support the plans of the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) to hold peaceful street demonstrations to force Taib to step down,” the Bandar Kuching MP said. Continue reading “Cops urged to issue permit for anti-Taib demo”

By Melissa Chi
The Malaysian Insider
May 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — With the national subsidy bill expected to top RM20 billion this year, opposition leaders are bracing for snap polls before the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) makes inevitable cuts that could prove unpopular among voters.

Several senior BN leaders had signalled the inevitability of price hikes yesterday, hours before the Najib administration announced it will cut the diesel super subsidy for nine categories of commercial vehicles from June 1.

At the same time, the government kept its January promise and abolished toll charges in the East-West Link between Cheras and Petaling Jaya, a key highway in the Klang Valley from midnight this morning.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal told The Malaysian Insider that it is important for the government to balance between cutting the country’s deficit and, at the same time, not dumping the burden on the citizens.

“How can the nation shoulder the burden? We are managing quite well despite the economic turmoil,” he said. Continue reading “As subsidies balloon, BN eyes cuts but foes expect snap polls”

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Utusan Malaysia headlines: Hishammuddin “Isu Kristian: Ada kebenaran”.”Saya tahu apa yg sebenar berlaku” – Ahli DAP Mohd Razali Abdul Rahman

Hisham (nose-drag CSL) is single-handedly re-igniting Utusan Christian Msia bogey which Najib tried 2put 2rest though most one-sidedly.

What remedy when it is Home Minister who play politics n pose greatest threat 2national harmony security w irresponsible stmts actions?

AB Sulaiman | May 11, 11
Malaysiakini

A friend had lent me Mahathir Mohamad’s memoir ‘A Doctor in the House’ to read. This was followed with the request for me to review it. I have read it but would decline his request for its review.

I have a reason for this refusal. It is that Barry Wain (the author of ‘Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times’) has already made one such authoritative and well-reasoned review in Malaysiakini (April 4, 2011). Any additional attempt on my part would be sheer duplication.

Instead I’d now highlight one major point raised by Wain in his review and use it to ‘review’ Mahathir’s memoir.

It is that Wain claims that Mahathir has used facts mixed with fiction in his writing to become a mixture of both, a ‘faction’. Wain cites the case of the construction of the North-South Expressway of a Mahathir faction and I quote: Continue reading “Mahathir’s thinking legacy”

Susan Loone | May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

Two Penang Umno assemblypersons said today they do not believe last Saturday’s front page report in Utusan Malaysia that DAP and a group of Christian pastors were plotting to establish the country as a Christian state.

During the tabling of a motion to bar the Umno-owned news daily from covering the next state assembly sittings, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had asked Hilmi Yahya (BN-Teluk Bahang) if he believed the report.

Lim, who tabled the motion against Utusan over a report on Nov 11 last year on the renovation cost of his official residence, went on to condemn the Malay daily for frequently raising sensitive issues to cause divisions among the different races in the country.

Hilmi had earlier admitted that Umno may be Utusan’s biggest shareholder, but it may not necessarily condone everything the newspaper does.

He said Utusan, like any other newspaper, was a business entity and prone to sensationalising its articles to increase readership. Continue reading “Two Penang Umno reps don’t buy Utusan report”