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Why Does Australia Want to Send Refugees to Malaysia?

By Marina Kamenev/SYDNEY Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Time

Between 2003 and 2004, Marion Le, a Canberra-based lawyer, made regular trips to the remote island of Nauru in the South Pacific. But she wasn’t going for a beach holiday. At the time, Nauru was part of the so-called Pacific Solution, Australia’s policy of processing and detaining asylum seekers arriving by boat in offshore detention facilities.

From 2001 to 2007, thousands of asylum seekers were in offshore detention centers while Australian immigration officials decided their fate. Le, who helped many migrants file successful asylum claims to Australia, was among the Pacific Solution’s many critics in Australia and abroad, saying the system was both a human rights violation and a breach of international law. After former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd came into office in 2007 and closed the centers on Nauru, Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island and the Australian territory of Christmas Island, Le recalls feeling “relief” that the government was finally listening to the plight of those that had been confined. (Watch a video about asylum seekers in South Africa.)
Continue reading “Why Does Australia Want to Send Refugees to Malaysia?”

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DAP says nude squat case ‘humiliating’, demands Home Ministry response

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 14, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — The DAP has demanded that the Home Ministry respond to reports that two Singaporean women were handcuffed and made to do squats naked by Malaysian immigration officials.

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran said that the act was “humiliating” and “ridiculous,” while Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa said the incident would give other countries the perception that Malaysia was a “lawless” country.

“You cannot do this, why subject these women to this form of interrogation, it is humiliating,” Kulasegaran told The Malaysian Insider.
Continue reading “DAP says nude squat case ‘humiliating’, demands Home Ministry response”

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Cancel invites to Mugabe, Bashir, DAP tells Putrajaya

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 14, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — The federal government should cancel invitations to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for an international economic forum here, the DAP has said.

The two presidents are scheduled to attend a forum to be held in Putrajaya from June 19-21.

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran said today that both leaders had an alleged track record in their respective countries of purported human rights violations, and charged that by inviting them, Malaysia would be seen as “indifferent” to the plight of the citizens of these countries. Continue reading “Cancel invites to Mugabe, Bashir, DAP tells Putrajaya”

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Denied entry, Bersih chief sues Sarawak government

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 14, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Election watchdog chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has filed a suit against the Sarawak government for barring her entry into the East Malaysian state two months ago, saying the move is against the Federal Constitution.

“Yes filed and leave application will be heard 13 July,” the Coalition for Fair and Free Elections (Bersih 2.0) chairman told The Malaysian Insider via a text message.

Sarawak and Sabah are allowed to deny entry even to Malaysians under the agreement to form Malaysia in 1963 with Malaya and Singapore, but must give a reason in doing so. Continue reading “Denied entry, Bersih chief sues Sarawak government”

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Malaysia trails in religious freedom and other rights, says new survey

By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Malaysia lags behind the rest of the world in protecting freedom of religion, expression and other basic rights, managing only to place 59th out of 66 countries surveyed by the World Justice Project (WJP) for its Rule of Law Index 2011.

Low scores for freedom of religion, expression, assembly and privacy also meant that Malaysia placed second to last in its income group, which includes other upper-middle-income countries like Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Iran.

The report noted, however, that Malaysia ranked first among 19 income peers in terms of security, on par with countries such as France and Belgium, despite the prevalence of police abuse.
Continue reading “Malaysia trails in religious freedom and other rights, says new survey”

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Bersih rally goes on, says Ambiga, PAS

By Boo Su-Lyn
June 12, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and PAS leaders have dismissed opposition towards next month’s Bersih rally and maintained plans to proceed with it.

Umno daily Utusan Malaysia today urged Malaysians to boycott the protest and quoted Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein’s warning that “it will be chaotic when those for and against the street demonstration clash.”

“Opposition is normal. It is a democratic country,” Ambiga told The Malaysian Insider today.

“My own reading is that a lot of people are very supportive of the demands we are making. There’s unhappiness…like example in the Sarawak (election), unhappiness about corruption, (and) unhappiness about the independence of our institutions,” added the election watchdog chief. Continue reading “Bersih rally goes on, says Ambiga, PAS”

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Kit Siang: Cops, MACC must answer RPK claims about dead Customs man

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 09, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Both the police and the national anti-graft agency must respond to claims by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that police found no proof of unusual wealth in the assets of deceased Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, Lim Kit Siang said today.

The DAP parliamentary leader said the authorities should not wait for an inquest or a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to confirm or deny the allegations, especially as this was the second mysterious death under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) watch.

Raja Petra, in a post on his Malaysia Today website yesterday, claimed the police had conducted a thorough check on Sarbaini’s assets and found no unusual or extraordinary wealth. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Cops, MACC must answer RPK claims about dead Customs man”

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Reveal police probe into Sarbaini’s death at MACC before any inquest is decided upon

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail and the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar should accede to the most reasonable request of Sarbaini’s family that police reveal its probe into the senior custom officer Ahmad Sarbaini’s death at MACC premises at Jalan Cochrane on April 6 before any inquest is decided upon.

In this connection, both the police and the MACC owe the Sarbaini family and the Malaysian public a response and explanation on the revelation by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin that the police had conducted a thorough check on Ahmad Sarbaini’s assets and found no “unusual or extraordinary” wealth.

Raja Petra blogged: “He (Ahmad Sarbaini) had only three modest cars — a Perodua Kancil, a second-hand Honda CRV and a Proton Persona — and a Modenas Kriss bike, which he rode to the MACC office on that unfortunate morning of 6th April, the day of his death. Continue reading “Reveal police probe into Sarbaini’s death at MACC before any inquest is decided upon”

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Civil disobedience, race barriers and the Bersih rally

By Keruah Usit
Jun 8, 11 | MalaysiaKini

COMMENT A writer friend of mine in Kuala Lumpur is a firm supporter of the upcoming Walk for Democracy rally on July 9, despite having been arrested during a candlelight vigil against the Internal Security Act (ISA) last August.

Bersih, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, announced on its website that “Bersih 2.0 has been actively advocating electoral reform but our demands have fallen on deaf ears.

The time has come for those mandated to administer the nation to ‘listen to the voices of the rakyat’. There is a clamour worldwide for greater democratisation of societies and we would invite those in power to heed those voices”.

This Bersih rally is a sequel to the first in 2007, involving some 40,000 Malaysians, with a cameo involving riot police, copious tear gas and water cannon. The first rally captured the voters’ imagination and contributed to the startling general election results the following year. Continue reading “Civil disobedience, race barriers and the Bersih rally”

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Kit Siang: Have full-blown RCI into Sarbani’s death

Jun 7, 11 | MalaysiaKini

DAP stalwart and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang has called on the prime minister and cabinet to override the police and attorney-general’s (AG) call for an inquest into senior customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death, and replace it with a full-blown royal commission of inquiry (RCI).

Lim (left) said such a move will restore public confidence in national institutions and also in the prime minister and cabinet.

“I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock RCI, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Muhammad Shafie Abdullah who could make the outrageous suggestion that Teoh had committed ‘honour suicide’, but Malaysians are currently being deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Ahmad Sarbani’s death,” he said in a statement. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Have full-blown RCI into Sarbani’s death”

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Sarbaini RCI will renew faith in institutions, says Kit Siang

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) looking into Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad’s death would restore public confidence in the country’s institutions, Lim Kit Siang has said.

The DAP parliamentary leader said Cabinet should be prepared to override the Attorney-General (A-G) and the police tomorrow as an RCI, like the one established for Teoh Beng Hock, was the only way to determine the cause of Sarbaini’s death.

“The Cabinet’s immediate task is to act boldly and justly into the death of Sarbani. Let the Najib and his Cabinet Ministers not disappoint Malaysians once again tomorrow,” he said in a statement today. Continue reading “Sarbaini RCI will renew faith in institutions, says Kit Siang”

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Cabinet should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet

Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death as in case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet

The Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death as in the case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet.

I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Shafie who could make the outrageous suggestion of Teoh Beng Hock’s committing “honour suicide”, but Malaysians are currently deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Sarbani’s death. Continue reading “Cabinet should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet”

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There should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Sarbaini’s death at MACC

The authorities concerned should learn from the unsatisfactory outcome in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest and have a Royal Commission of Inquiry straightaway into senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad’s death – second fatal fall-from-height incident at MACC premises in the short history of MACC.

The conduct of the MACC, the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Cabinet have been most unsatisfactory to date – taking two long months for the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers to recommend that an inquest be held.

Clearly, the inquest proposal is strongly opposed by the MACC, which had right from the beginning disclaimed any responsibility for Sarbaini’s death – just as it had disclaimed responsibility for Teoh Beng Hock’s mysterious death falling from 14th floor of MACC hqrs at Shah Alam on July 16, 2009 – even suggesting that Sarbaini had committed suicide, just like in Teoh Beng Hock’s case: that Beng Hock committed suicide, or “honour suicide” and even making the outrageous suggestion that DAP had murdered Beng Hock at the MACC hqrs! Continue reading “There should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Sarbaini’s death at MACC”

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Top UN official says ‘Malaysia solution’ illegal

The Malaysian Insider | May 24, 2011

SYDNEY, May 24 — The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has slammed the Australian government’s asylum seeker deal with Malaysia as illegal, the Australian Associated Press reported today.

Navi Pillay, who is scheduled to meet Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Canberra today, reportedly told a forum in Sydney that asylum seekers are not adequately protected in Malaysia.
Continue reading “Top UN official says ‘Malaysia solution’ illegal”

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Freedom of speech for all?

Sharmini Darshni
May 22, 2011

MAY 22 — I should not have done it. Should have left it alone. Should have continued my hiatus from the humdrum of life. Should have continued to embrace the peace that comes from purposeful ignorance.

But no, just knowing there was a single computer with Internet access, I gave in to the temptation and checked the e-mails — and unfortunately — read the news.

Regrets! I said goodbye to the zen stupor I had been in for five days as I read the latest buzzword in Malaysian politics: Crusade. Continue reading “Freedom of speech for all?”

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Finding the nation’s voice

Christopher Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2011

MAY 19 — Everyone knows that a democracy is a political system where periodical elections take place. But democracy is much more than just elections. It involves the existence of a space which allows for people to freely debate on public issues and government policies as well as presenting alternative ideas without the fear of repercussion. Indeed, the health of a democratic society is dependent on the existence of such a space.

This space — which could take various forms, i.e. physical, print, broadcast or virtual — also known as the public sphere enables people to freely gather to discuss and identify societal or political problems so that such discussions will lead to political action for the good of society.

Tahrir Square in Eygpt is a good example of how the public sphere was utilised by ordinary Egyptians who want to see political and social changes in their society. Through the mass protests throughout the country where Tahrir Square served as a focal point for hundreds of thousands of people gathered together to demand a change of the government, which had overstayed its welcome. Their efforts were crowned with the government bowing to the wishes of the people. Continue reading “Finding the nation’s voice”

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Family wants independent inquiry into teen’s fatal shooting

By Clara Chooi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, May 15 — The family of Johari Abu Bakar have demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 17-year-old’s shooting, accusing the police today of giving inconsistent accounts of the incident.

The family will also file a court petition tomorrow, seeking for a second post-mortem on the school dropout, due to “suspicious” signs of assault found on the boy’s body, including a broken right arm.

Johari, an odd-job worker, was killed in a shootout with the police behind a budget hotel at the Cyber Valley Commercial Centre, Dengkil, at about 10.30pm on Friday.

According to a media statement by Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah following the incident, the suspect had been in his “20s” and was believed to have been hiding in the hotel after stealing a Toyota Alphard multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) near Taman Megah, Kelana Jaya, on May 10. Continue reading “Family wants independent inquiry into teen’s fatal shooting”

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Australia must call off asylum seeker “outsourcing” deal with Malaysia

Statement by Lawyers for Liberty
May 9, 2011

On 7.5.2011, Australia and Malaysia announced a bilateral agreement which sought to transfer up to 800 asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by sea to Malaysia while their asylum claims are being processed by the UNHCR. In return, Australia will resettle 4,000 refugees currently residing in Malaysia over a period of four years.

While Australia’s agreement to accept more refugees for resettlement is commendable, Lawyers for Liberty is however extremely shocked and concerned with Australia’s plan to forcefully deport asylum seekers and “outsource” its international obligation to protect refugees as defined under international law including the 1951 Refugee Convention which Australia is a party to.

Let there be no doubt: Malaysia has a horrendous track record – infamous for its ill and brutal treatment of refugees and other undocumented migrants and has been consistently ranked as one of the world’s worst place for refugees to be in.
Continue reading “Australia must call off asylum seeker “outsourcing” deal with Malaysia”

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Sarbaini’s kin not satisfied, wants police to reveal the truth

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
April 22, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — The family of dead Customs official Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed are dissatisfied with police investigations and claim his death is being covered up.

They also want to know the “real story” behind his death plunge at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office here on April 6 — the second such case in an anti-graft office.

“We know that the late Ahmad Sarbaini fell from a high place but what caused him to fall? What caused his death?” asked a family member who declined to be named.

“Because from what I understand is that if someone falls from the third floor then the person will only suffer from broken bones but will not die from it,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

Police said yesterday that the Selangor Customs assistant director died from head injuries due to the fall at the MACC building in Cheras.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah told reporters that it was now up to the Attorney-General to decide on the next course of action.

But the family said the police details were sketchy. Continue reading “Sarbaini’s kin not satisfied, wants police to reveal the truth”

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“Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely” – Taib gives another illustration with entry ban of Bersih2 Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan

“Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.” Sarawak’s 30-year Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has this morning given another illustration to prove the truism of this famous aphorism by British historian Lord Acton.

Bersih2 Chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan was barred from entering Sarawak when she flew into Kuching from Subang in Firefly flight at 9 am and was forcibly repatriated to Kuala Lumpur by 10.40 am MAS flight as she is on Taib’s blacklist.

What has Taib to fear from Ambiga and Bersih2 when all she and Bersih2 wanted was to monitor the 10th Sarawak state general elections to ensure that the polls tomorrow are fair, free and clean.

Is Taib preparing for the dirtiest Sarawak state general elections tomorrow so that it will be the most fraudulent in the nation’s history to allow Taib to subvert, impede and defeat the greatest political awakening of Sarawakians of all ethnic groups since the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and in their demand for change? Continue reading ““Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely” – Taib gives another illustration with entry ban of Bersih2 Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan”