Posted on

AIPMC statement on detainees’ “swap” between Malaysia and Myanmar

20 October 2011

AIPMC notes with serious concern recent developments of the Malaysian government’s plan to implement the ‘detainees exchange program’ with Myanmar. This plan will result around 1,000 people from Myanmar, detained in Malaysia, deported from the country.

There will be a possibility of persecution for those who are sent back to Myanmar.

Those who flee Myanmar, namely ethnic and other persecuted minorities, remain at risk from persecution of all forms – forced labour, land confiscation, rape, and torture among them – should they continue to live under the military regime. Thus, they risk their lives to find asylum in neighboring states, in pursuit of a dignified, secure and peaceful life elsewhere.

We wish to reiterate that such a ‘swap deal’, which would see Burmese nationals returned to persecution in their homeland, serves political interests well ahead of these exceedingly serious human rights concerns. Continue reading “AIPMC statement on detainees’ “swap” between Malaysia and Myanmar”

Posted on

Kit Siang: Stop detainee-swap deal

Tarani Palani | October 20, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

Put in an effective system in place first to protect Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers from persecution in their homeland, says the AIPMC chair.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) has voiced concern over the planned exchange of detainees between Malaysia and Myanmar.

Its Malaysian caucus chair, Lim Kit Siang, today said that the planned exchange raised concerns as there may be a possibility of persecution of those sent back to Myanmar.

“Those who flee Myanmar, namely ethnic and other persecuted minorities remain at risk of persecution of all forms should they continue to live under the military regime.

“We wish to reiterate that such a ‘swap deal’ serves political interests well ahead of these exceedingly serious human rights concerns,” said the Ipoh Timur MP.

Lim called for the planned swap to be halted before an effective system is put in place to protect the Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers from persecution in their homeland.

He also questioned if such a swap deal was in accordance with international law. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Stop detainee-swap deal”

Posted on

Political ploy or genuine democratisation?

2. The undemocratic clampdown on July 9 peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally for fair, free and clean elections.

Democratic and political transformation must be furthest from the mind of a government which could mount the undemocratic clampdown on the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections, launching mass arrests, locking down the Federal Capital and irresponsibly, indiscriminately and recklessly firing tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon at peaceful and patriotic demonstrators, including Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0 leaders.

The weeks before and after the historic Bersih 2.0 rally were undoubtedly the worst period for Datuk Seri Najib Razak since becoming the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister 27 months ago in April 2009 – his greatest failure of leadership which made him the object of ridicule and scorn not only in the country but also internationally, and forcing him to cut short his overseas trip.

Are Malaysians to believe that it was during this period that Najib had a sudden change of heart as to be converted to the agenda to democratisation and political transformation resulting in the establishment of the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms and the announcements on the repeal or amendment of repressive undemocratic laws like the Internal Security Act? Continue reading “Political ploy or genuine democratisation?”

Posted on

Cops fired tear gas directly at demonstrators, witness tells Bersih inquiry

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 11, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Riot police fired tear gas directly at a crowd of peaceful and “non-hostile” Bersih supporters, a witness told a public inquiry into the July 9 protests today.

Lawyer Nor Syazwani Muharam, a Bar Council representative who had monitored the rally, said that the incident occurred along Jalan Masjid Jamek where the police had told Bersih supporters to disperse and rang a warning bell three times.

“I did not see any violence by the Bersih supporters. There was no hostility from the public, I did not see any provocation from them,” she told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry here.

Nor Syazwani said the crowd was about “one block” away from the riot police before tear gas was fired directly at them.

“Police fired directly towards the crowd,” she said. Continue reading “Cops fired tear gas directly at demonstrators, witness tells Bersih inquiry”

Posted on

S’wak deports Haris Ibrahim

Patrick Lee | September 29, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Human rights activist Haris Ibrahim has been denied entry into Sarawak and is currently awaiting deportation.

Haris, the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president, said that he was detained by Sarawak immigration authorites after landing at the Kuching International Airport at about 5.30pm today.

“The order of notification is the same as the one in April (this year). (But) I haven’t seen any papers (about this deportation) yet,” he told FMT through a telephone conversation.

He will be sent back to KLIA on a 7.30pm flight. Continue reading “S’wak deports Haris Ibrahim”

Posted on

Human Rights and Transparency in Malaysia

by Lim Guan Eng
Speech at Monash Asia Institute in Melbourne
19th September 2011

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for inviting me to speak at the Monash Asia Institute, an important research center at my alma mater. I would like to especially thank Professor Greg Barton and my dear friend Dr Wendy Smith as well as send my thanks to the Monash University’s leadership. As you know, Monash University has a sister campus in Kuala Lumpur and although it is sadly not in my state, the university plays an important role in educating future leaders of our country.

As a Malaysian, I am very grateful for this collaboration and hope we can strengthen ties between Monash and Malaysia further. On a personal level, as many of your know I received my economics and accounting degree here and was quite active in student politics. I was never an outstanding student but what little I gleaned has helped me to formulate new economic and industrial policies in Penang that is now acknowledged as the best run state in Malaysia with strong growth, record budget surpluses and record FDIs coupled with a labour shortage.

In short, Monash helped me to evolve as a leader and politician and this university will always have a special place in my heart for which I am eternally grateful. Not only did I learn the importance of studying and working hard, but the need to forge relationships and centrality of principles. I am sure Monash will train future Malaysian leaders and I look forward to many of you helping to chart our future and being the change you want to see. Continue reading “Human Rights and Transparency in Malaysia”

Posted on

It was People Power that finished off the ISA

Aliran Executive Committee
Malaysia Day, 16 September 2011

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement that the ISA and the Emergency Ordinance would be repealed has taken the nation by surprise. He also announced that Section 27 of the Police Act (on public assemblies) and the requirement for publishing permits to be renewed annually would be dropped.

Most people would be inclined to welcome these announcements. But we would be well advised to temper any celebration with caution. What will replace these oppressive laws is not clear and has not yet been revealed in much detail.

The repeal of the ISA and EO is an acknowledgement that the government can no longer sustain the use of these laws without strong public condemnation and opposition. The repeal of these two laws is the only logical move. Continue reading “It was People Power that finished off the ISA”

Posted on

Peanuts, not sweeping reforms

by Kee Thuan Chye
Free Malaysia Today
September 16, 2011

Let’s not be fooled, people. The changes Najib announced are merely cosmetic, and will have to be passed in Parliament first before they become effective.

COMMENT

PEANUTS. That’s what Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s so-called “sweeping reforms” are. They hardly amount to a political transformation.

While it’s cheering to note that the Internal Security Act (ISA) will be repealed – finally, after our many years of waiting – and that the Emergency proclamations are to be lifted – a decision that is decades overdue –it’s disturbing to be told that they will be replaced by two new laws aimed at preventing subversion and safeguarding public order.

And even though the detention period under these new laws may be shorter, with further extensions to be made by court order, the Home Minister is still the one to decide who gets detained for suspicion of being a terrorist. Continue reading “Peanuts, not sweeping reforms”

Posted on

Official arrogance will bring Najib down

Jeswan Kaur | September 13, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

When he took over as prime minister, Najib Tun Razak said he will listen to the people but his officers have turned a deaf ear to the promise with their arrogance.

COMMENT

In 2009, when Najib Tun Razak took over the country’s affairs from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he promised the rakyat that his government would be all ears. But two years down the road it appears that the promise was just lip service.

One such example of refusing to listen to the rakyat was displayed through the insensitive remark by the Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal.

In February this year, Raja Nong Chik had admonished the Bukit Jalil estate workers who turned to him for help in trying to avoid being evicted from their homes. The minister told the residents that they should be contented with the Little India project when they wanted to negotiate compensation. Continue reading “Official arrogance will bring Najib down”

Posted on

Humane decision as Malaysian plan springs a leak

David Marr
The Sydney Morning Herald
September 1, 2011

Opinion

‘A devastating blow for the government’

It’s about fairness. For a long time the High Court has ticked off on the remarkable difficulties Australia puts in the way of asylum seekers who come here by boat. Even mandatory detention for life has been given the nod by the court. But lately the judges have ruled boat people must at least be dealt with fairly while they are caught up in the system.

Yesterday’s emphatic six to one decision extended that principle to those men, women and children Australia had wanted to send away to Malaysia. The court could find no guarantee they would be dealt with fairly once they arrived there. So the minister Chris Bowen’s choice of Malaysia as a safe haven was declared invalid.

It was not enough, said the Chief Justice Robert French, for the minister to have a “hope or belief or expectation” that the asylum seekers would be dealt with properly by Malaysia. They needed laws to protect them now and in the years ahead. “It is an agreed fact,” French observed, “that Malaysia does not recognise the status of refugees in domestic law”. Continue reading “Humane decision as Malaysian plan springs a leak”

Posted on

End the charade, revoke the ban on Bersih 2.0 and drop all charges against the 1,600 Bersih demonstrators and others related to wearing Bersih T-shirts or yellow

On the occasion of the sixth yellow Saturday, I call on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to end the Barisan Nasional government charade for the past two months, revoke the ban on Bersih 2.0 and drop all charges against the 1,600 Malaysians arrested for taking part in the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections on July 9 and all others related to Bersih 2.0 rally, including those for wearing Bersih T-shirts or just wearing yellow.

Let the Prime Minister and all Barisan Nasional Ministers come out openly to admit that they had gravely mishandled the Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections, which are the most pertinent, legitimate and democratic aspirations of right-thinking Malaysians so that the Malaysian electoral process can win the support, confidence and legitimacy of Malaysian voters.

It is no answer to the Bersih 2.0 rally for the Barisan Nasional Ministers and the Election Commission to counter that if the electoral system is as flawed as alleged by Bersih 2.0, Pakatan Rakyat and the civil society, then Pakatan Rakyat would not have won in five states or denied the Barisan Nasional two-thirds parliamentary majority in the 2008 general elections. Continue reading “End the charade, revoke the ban on Bersih 2.0 and drop all charges against the 1,600 Bersih demonstrators and others related to wearing Bersih T-shirts or yellow”

Posted on

Reason why MoCS rally called off

Written by Francis Siah
Saturday, 13 August 2011
CPI

Press Statements
Foreword by Dr Lim Teck Ghee

Readers who have been following the progress of the MoCS ‘Walk for Democracy and Reform’ assembly in Kuching will be as disappointed as we are that the event has been called off. This development, though disappointing is not unexpected given the extraordinary pressure on Francis and the small group of stalwart supporters during the last few weeks. The perverted use by the government of the law enforcement agencies for its political ends has long been a feature of Barisan Nasional rule in Malaysia; and this has proven to be the case once again. It will not be the last time.

Refusal to provide permits for legitimate public gatherings and events organized by the opposition is part of the standard operating procedure of the police force. Other not so subtle forms of denial of our constitutional right to freedom of assembly are the use of restraining orders, which with the connivance of a sycophantic judiciary, is meant to prohibit leaders and supporters from gathering anywhere close to the vicinity of any planned rally that is perceived as drawing attention to the corruption, abuses and bad governance of the ruling elite. Continue reading “Reason why MoCS rally called off”

Posted on

You probe me, I probe you

Written by Francis Siah

Wednesday, 10 August 2011
CPI

I was ‘honoured’ to be welcomed back at the Kuching airport on Monday (Aug 8) by five police officers.

Immediately after I crossed the immigration counter at 6.15pm, one of them who introduced herself as ASP Angela ak Ladie, approached me and she and her colleagues then ushered me into a room. Another introduced himself as Sub-Inspector Simon Low. The others said they were stationed at the airport.

I was given a letter stating that I was required to be at the Sarawak police headquarters on Aug 10 at 10am for the purpose of recording my statement under Section 112 Criminal Procedure Code. Continue reading “You probe me, I probe you”

Posted on

Malaysia has ‘very high’ religious restrictions, says report

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 10, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — The government of Malaysia imposes “very high” restrictions on religion, an influential United States research group said yesterday.

The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life said that it was among 10 countries out of 198 studied with very high government restrictions as of mid-2009 including Egypt, Iran, China, Myanmar and Indonesia.

Other regional neighbours such as Thailand and Singapore were rated moderate in the report while Philippines was considered to have low government restrictions on religious freedom.

“Government restrictions also increased substantially in Malaysia, which, like Egypt, already had very high restrictions to begin with. Although the country’s constitution recognises freedom of religion, Malaysia restricts the observance of Islamic beliefs and practices that do not conform to Sunni Islam,” its report titled “Rising Restrictions on Religion” said. Continue reading “Malaysia has ‘very high’ religious restrictions, says report”

Posted on

London riots

By Art Harun
August 10, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

AUG 10 — I have been rather sarcastically asked on Twitter such questions as, “you support freedom of assembly, you want Malaysians to riot like the Londoners?”. Another twitterati asked me, “Art, you support the riots in London?”.

Frankly, I am amused to my bone by such questions.

I am amused because the attempts at justifying the banning of public rallies in Malaysia by referring to the riotous behaviour of some others displays a certain degree of shallowness, if not lack of intelligence. Continue reading “London riots”

Posted on

Najib says had Shah Alam stadium in mind for Bersih

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 31, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak disclosed today he had thought of Shah Alam stadium for the July 9 rally when he made offered a venue to Bersih, pointing out this was “the best option” available.

The prime minister, however, had never specified which stadium Bersih could hold the July 9 rally at when he made the offer.

“I offered a stadium. You can show dissent in a stadium, but they still wanted to do it on the streets.

“I had in mind the Shah Alam stadium, that was the best option,” Najib said today during his speech at the closing of the Malaysian Student Leaders Summit (MSLS) here. Continue reading “Najib says had Shah Alam stadium in mind for Bersih”

Posted on

PSM6: The end of the farce

— The Malaysian Insider
Jul 30, 2011

JULY 30 — Just this once, please apologise.

Own up to this despicable mistake of arresting six innocent Malaysians and, maybe, the rest of their fellow citizens will move on and cut the police as well as the Najib administration some slack.

Just this once, drop the political posturing and say sorry to Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar and his party colleagues, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) deputy chairman M. Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M. Sugumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan, and Youth chief R. Saratbabu.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had an opportunity to right a wrong yesterday but he chose to indulge in official talk, saying that the release of the six was according to due process. Continue reading “PSM6: The end of the farce”

Posted on

Najib: Release of PSM 6 according to rule of law

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 29, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has insisted that the release of six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members from their Emergency Ordinance (EO) detention was done according to the due process of the law.

The prime minister told reporters today that the decision to release Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Devaraj Jeyakumar and five others at 5.30pm was made by the police based on “their observations.”

“We welcome it. It is up to the Attorney General to decide on further action. As a country, we hold to the rule of law,” the Umno president said after chairing an Umno supreme council meeting. Continue reading “Najib: Release of PSM 6 according to rule of law”

Posted on

MMA: Don’t force-feed Jeyakumar

K Pragalath | July 29, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

The authorities must respect Jeyakumar’s right to go on hunger strike as a non-violent form of protest, says Malaysian Medical Association.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today urged the police not to force-feed Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael D Jeyakumar who is being detained under the Emergency Ordinance.

“While we are concerned about the possible detrimental effects of this hunger strike on Jeyakumar’s health – more so as he has been brought to the hospital for heart problems twice since his initial arrest almost a month ago – we must also respect Jeyakumar’s right to this non-violent form of protest.

“In this regard, the MMA calls upon the authorities to respect international human rights law and not to resort to force-feeding as a means of ending Jeyakumar’s protest,” MMA president Mary Suma Cardosa said. Continue reading “MMA: Don’t force-feed Jeyakumar”

Posted on

Welcome to Malaysia

— David D. Mathew
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 28, 2011

JULY 28 — Malaysia receives thousands of visitors every day. Some come looking for jobs while others are travellers yearning to enjoy our sunny beaches and delicious food.

But this article is not about jobseekers or tourists.

It is about two men.

About a month ago, Malaysia welcomed someone from a country formerly known as Rhodesia. He was treated very well and afforded all the luxuries and hospitality Wisma Putra could possibly provide.

This man, who so easily entered Malaysia, has a European Union travel ban against his name.

When this man appeared at a food summit in Rome in 2008, Mark Malloch Brown, the British Foreign Office minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, commented that this was “like Pol Pot going to a human rights conference.” Continue reading “Welcome to Malaysia”