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Storming of Bar Council forum – Had Umno plotted for the extreme reaction?

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that the Bar Council’s persistence in going ahead with a forum on conversion to Islam has triggered extreme reaction from certain quarters, which in turn would threaten the country’s harmony.

He added that he had expected the extreme reaction to occur as the council ignored advice to call off the forum.

Is this an admission that UMNO had plotted for the extreme reaction to the Bar Council forum on religious conversions in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday – including the deplorable and disgraceful police conduct in submitting to the ultimatum by demonstrators threatening to storm into the Bar Council auditorium to disrupt the forum if the half-day forum was not ended by 10 am?

This must be the first time in the history of the Malaysian police force where it had openly and publicly submitted to the threats of demonstrators to commit an offence, i.e. to storm into a private property to disrupt a lawful meeting!

Can the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar defend and justify the shocking failure of the police to uphold law and order on Saturday? Continue reading “Storming of Bar Council forum – Had Umno plotted for the extreme reaction?”

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No, this ‘Babi’ will Not ‘Balik Cina’

By Farish A. Noor

I have just read the reports on the internet about the goings-on that led to the disruption and early closure of the public forum organised by the Bar Council on Conversion in Malaysia over the weekend. Apart from the other rather offensive remarks that were featured in the various reports that I read, I also chanced upon a rather curious revelation: Apparently during the commotion caused when some of the so-called ‘defenders of the faith’ had entered the room where the forum was being held, there were calls for a certain ‘Babi’ to ‘Balik Cina’.

Now I have checked and double-checked all the photos that are available on the internet and have seen no image that corresponds to the ‘Babi’ in question. Therefore for the sake of academic consistency and objectivity, I am compelled to ask the Bar Council this: Was there a pig in the auditorium where the forum was held? And if so, how could the Bar Council invite a pig to attend a forum that was open primarily for Malaysian citizens (who are overwhelmingly human, as identity papers and passports have not been issued to pigs or any other non-human species as far as I know)

Furthermore I need to ask how the demonstrators knew that the pig (if one was present) was of Chinese origin? Did it carry a Chinese passport, and if so, why was it in KL when the Olympic games were being held in Beijing and the world’s attention was focused there?

(*ed. I can only assume that this was a rather anti-social pig from China who had come to Malaysia to avoid the throngs of tourists who have overtaken Beijing, which would be a sensible thing that I would have done myself, so I confess to having sympathy with this mysterious invisible pig.) Continue reading “No, this ‘Babi’ will Not ‘Balik Cina’”

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Disruption of Bar Council forum on conversion – adverse reflection on law and order/religious harmony

The police yielding to pressure to disrupt the half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to Islam at 10 am in Kuala Lumpur today is a most adverse reflection on law and order as well as religious harmony in Malaysia on the eve of the 51st Merdeka anniversary.

Malaysia has failed a major test in nation-building to demonstrate that we are shaping up to be a more civil society where sensitive issues of inter-faith problems can be discussed in a mature and responsible manner to promote national unity and religious harmony in the country.

As the Bar Council has made it clear that the forum on religious conversion is not to question the provisions of Article 121(1A) of the Constitution which conferred syariah jurisdiction over Muslims but to address the conflicts of laws facing families caught between the separate jurisdictions of civil and syariah laws, greater understanding, tolerance and sensitivity should have been shown by all Malaysians concerned.

Such understanding, tolerance and sensitivity would undoubtedly have been present in the first four decades of Malaysian nationhood and I have no doubt that if such a forum had been organised ten years ago, there would not have been the insensitive, intolerant and deplorable reaction evident today. Continue reading “Disruption of Bar Council forum on conversion – adverse reflection on law and order/religious harmony”

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Police wants half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to end by 10 am because of protests

[News Flash 2 at 10.02 am: A few minutes ago, a woman participant went up to the floor mike defending the forum, but was met by shouts by protestors demanding the immediate end of the forum – forcing Bar Council President Ambiga Sreenevasan to announce its closure.]

[Flash – Just informed that police accompanied a few of the protestors into the forum to observe proceedings, five minutes before the forum is to have abrupt end at 10 am.]

The Bar Council half-day forum on conversion to Islam is going on now at its auditorium in Kuala Lumpur – in the face of a crowd of protestors outside bearing slogans and chanting Arabic verses and demanding the immediate cancellation of the forum.

It is a test whether Malaysia is shaping up to be a more civil society where sensitive issues of inter-faith problems can be discussed in a mature and responsible manner to promote national unity and religious harmony in the country.

The Police wants the forum to end by 10 am because of the protests.

As stated by the Bar Council Vice President Ragunath Kesavan, the Bar Council forum on religious conversion is to address the conflicts of laws facing families caught between the separate jurisdictions of civil and syariah laws.

It is not to question the provisions of Article 121(1a) of the Constitution, which conferred syariah jurisdiction over Muslims. Continue reading “Police wants half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to end by 10 am because of protests”

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Why not BN-PR talks rather than Umno-PAS talks?

Who would have thought that the RM100 million spent last year to celebrate the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations proved to be so short-lived and ephemeral, making so little impact on the Malaysian psyche and nation-building process to unite all citizens with the common sentiment and vision that they are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans and Orang Asli second!

This is why one of the fundamental questions confronting Malaysians today is: –

Why not Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat talks instead of Umno-Pas talks if the top national priority is to save Malaysia from being a “failed state” and establish that on the eve of the 51st Merdeka anniversary, we are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli second and not vice versa?

This is particularly pertinent as the great challenges of Malaysian nation-building today concerning justice, freedom, solidarity, integrity and progress can only be addressed in an effective and meaningful manner through BN-PR talks and not through Umno-Pas talks.

The proposal by the PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that the implementation of Islamic hudud and qisas laws, among other things, be the basis of Umno-PAS co-operation and even merger, has raised serious concerns. Continue reading “Why not BN-PR talks rather than Umno-PAS talks?”

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At 84, the fire still burns!

By Ahmad Mustapha

Singapore’s Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, who was Singapore’s founding father, has always been very direct in his comments. This was the man who outsmarted the communists in Singapore (with the innocent help of Malaya then and the willing help of the British) and who later outwitted the British and outpaced Malaysia in all spheres.

Singapore practices corrupt-free meritocracy and Malaysia affirmative action. The former attracted all the best brains and the latter chased out all the brains. The Singapore cabinet consists of dedicated and intelligent technocrats whereas Malaysia has one the most unwieldy cabinets. Not only that, brain wise it was below par not even good for the kampong.

With that kind of composition, one that is very brainy, naturally Singapore , with no natural resources could outstrip Malaysia in every aspect of development. Malaysia, on the other hand, was too much preoccupied with its Malayness and the illusory ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and was also more interested in useless mega iconic development rather than real social and economic development. Continue reading “At 84, the fire still burns!”

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Umno-Pas talks – repudiation of transformational message of March 8 “political tsunami”

In the United States, Senator Barack Obama’s nomination as the Democratic Presidential nominees heralds a new milestone in American nation-building and race relations but in Malaysia, the UMNO proposal for Umno-PAS talks marks a regression in Malaysian nation-building and the Vision 2020 objective of a Bangsa Malaysia.

The latter repudiates March 8 “political tsunami” where for the first time in half-a-century of nationhood, Malaysians transcended race, religion and political affiliation to vote for change to give primacy and priority to justice, freedom, solidarity, integrity and progress.

The March 8 “political tsunami” marks a bold and visionary stride forward by Malaysians to rise above their communal selves to reach out to a common national identity. Continue reading “Umno-Pas talks – repudiation of transformational message of March 8 “political tsunami””

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Why Abdullah gave blessing for a one-race, one-religion Selangor state govt after March 8, 2008?

Former Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo thought he was doing the state, people and nation a great service when he tried to mid-wife a UMNO-PAS Selangor State Government after the March 8 general election.

He wrote on his blog that he arranged for a muzakarah between PAS leaders and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after the general election and offered PAS the mentri besar post, deputy mentri besar post as well as four executive councilors in a PAS-UMNO coalition government in Selangor to champion Malay interests.

There is some discrepancy in Khir’s account from that of Selangor PAS leader and MP for Shah Alam, Abdul Khalid Samad, who had attended the muzarakah, with the latter recounting that Khir wanted the Deputy Mentri Besar post although Khir claimed that he was willing to be left out of the state government line-up if that would encourage PAS to accept the “power-sharing”. Continue reading “Why Abdullah gave blessing for a one-race, one-religion Selangor state govt after March 8, 2008?”

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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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UMNO’s Latest Psy-War Materials Exposed

by Azly Rahman

[Azly has clarified that the piece below appeared in Malaysia Today, linked to the Malaysia Waves blog and that he had not received the email personally. – Admin]

(NOTE: This is an email I received from a reader exposing the latest brain washing tricks deployed by UMNO’s apparatus called Biro Tatanegara(BTN). Mind you BTN is 100% funded by tax payer’s money)

Biro Tatanegara. Does it ring a bell? Government propaganda or honest student development programme? For those who aren’t aware of it, Biro Tatanegara or BTN for short is under the Jabatan Perdana Menteri and it has several modules which all public university students have to attend in the name of “Student Development”.

On the 6th of July 2008 in UiTM Shah Alam, there were three separate talks being held under BTN with the first one being titled “Pendidikan”, second one titled “Ancaman Keselamatan Negara” and the third one titled, “Patriotisma”. Smell anything funny yet? No? Read on. You won’t even have to smell it after you are done reading this. It’ll be stuffed down your throat.

I would like to only focus on the first speaker, Dr. Idris bin Md. Noor. He was supposed to talk about education as that was the title of his speech, but the content was far different. He first went on with the usual introductions but in less than a few minutes, he suddenly touched on the forum on the discussion of social contract in Malaysia that the BAR council organized.

He criticized it with all his heart, saying no one should discuss about it as it is unquestionable. Fair enough, I thought at first. Freedom of speech right? But what if he suddenly accuses the “Malay” speaker in the forum, which I’m guessing is Farish A. Noor, as a traitor to the Malay race as a whole?

And while he was browsing through his files on the laptop which was projected on the big screen, it was no surprise for me that I saw files entitled “Ketuanan Melayu”. He also then went on about the Malay’s obsession with magic and ghosts, he said that it is all wrong beliefs through the perspective of Islam because if they really could use magic and other dark arts for fighting, then they should kill Karpal Singh with it. Continue reading “UMNO’s Latest Psy-War Materials Exposed”

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Question on Ketuanan/Kedaulatan Melayu

(On Wednesday, I asked the Prime Minister what steps he had taken to promote the Bangsa Malaysia objective of Vision 2020 in the face of worsening racial polarisation with greater communal clamour for “ketuanan Melayu” and “kedaulatan Melayu”.

Placed No. 29 out of 97 questions, it did not come up for answer on the floor of the House in the 90-minute Question Time.

The following is the written answer from the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz which completely avoided the question by not touching on the rising crescendo in the assertion for “ketuanan Melayu” and “kedaulatan Melayu”:)

Tuan Lim Kit Siang minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan langkah-langkah yang beliau ambil untuk memupuk objektif Bangsa Malaysia sejajar dengan Wawasan 2020 memandangkan masalah polarisasi kaum kini semakin memburuk berikutan dengan bunyi riuh komunal mengenai “ketuanan Melayu” atau “kedaulatan Melayu”.

Jawapan: Sepertimana Ahli Yang Berhormat sedia maklum, perpaduan dan integrasi nasional sememangnya merupakan salah satu aspirasi utama Kerajaan. Kita percaya bahawa sebuah negara bangsa yang utuh hanya akan dapat lahir hasil daripada perpaduan yang teguh dan mantap.

Bagaimanapun, negara yang aman dan makmur tidak mungkin lahir dengan sendirinya. Atas kesedaran inilah maka Kerajaan senantiasa berusaha untuk memastikan agar pembangunan ekonomi negara terus berlangsung dengan pesat, di samping memastikan agar tiada mana-mana golongan yang merasakan mereka ketinggalan dalam arus perdana pembangunan negara. Continue reading “Question on Ketuanan/Kedaulatan Melayu”

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Mahathir playing racial card

The Star
Monday May 19, 2008
Kit Siang: Leaders shouldn’t play racial card

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian leaders including those who have retired should focus on enhancing unity among the nation’s diverse communities and not play up racial issues.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said results of the March 8 polls showed that Malaysians wanted unity instead of being divided by race, religion or political creed.

“We saw voters voting as one, regardless of race and religion. We had Malays, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan voters rising above their ethnic stereotype and voting as Malaysians,” he said.

Lim said that 50 years after the nation’s independence, Malaysians should be more “Malaysian-minded” instead of retreating into their “communal selves.”

The veteran politician was commenting on former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s remarks in Johor on Saturday that Malays stood to lose much in the new political environment where non-Malays were unafraid to make demands. Continue reading “Mahathir playing racial card”

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After the apology over the keris

by Azly Rahman

We must resolve the keris controversy generated by Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein, who has brandished the keris at the party’s annual assembly twice now.

At last year’s meeting, Umno Perlis delegate Hashim Suboh said at the end of the debate on economy and education issues: “Datuk Hisham has unsheathed his keris, waved his keris, kissed his keris. We want to ask Datuk Hisham, when is he going to use it? […] Force must be used against those who refused to abide by the social contract.”

This was in relation to Hishammuddin’s alleged weakness in dealing with demands from Chinese schools.

We live in a world in which signs and symbols of violence colonise our consciousness. From cave walls inscribed with images of Neanderthals clobbering a baby dinosaur, to production of images disseminated worldwide via the electronic media and Internet, we are confronted with violence.

We are creatures of signs and symbols manipulated by those who own the means of producing static and moving images. Objects of violence – of deaths and mega-deaths, of decimation and of demolition, and of the demonstration of defiance and destruction – all these, throughout history, have become symbols of choice for those in power. Continue reading “After the apology over the keris”

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Hishammuddin’s apology – Malay keris-wielding antics laid to rest?

Two weeks ago, when speaking at the first public ceramah/consultation with DAP MPs, Excos, State Assembly representatives in Ipoh, I broached the subject when the UMNO Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussin will publicly apologise for his offensive, irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics which MCA, Gerakan and even Umno leaders had blamed as one of the causes of the Barisan Nasional’s debacle in the March 8, 2008 general election “political tsunami”.

I said:

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.

Unless Hishammuddin is prepared to make a public apology and MCA, Gerakan and other BN leaders in Cabinet and Parliament take a public position demanding that Hishammuddin publicly apologise for his offensive, irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics, it could not be said that Umno, MCA, Gerakan and BN leaders have learnt anything from the March 8 “political tsunami”.

The questions I want to pose tonight is whether Hishammuddin is prepared to publicly apologise for his irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics and whether MCA, Gerakan and other BN leaders are prepared to demand in unison for such an apology and assurance of no repetition in Cabinet and Parliament as proof that they have taken seriously the voice of Malaysian voters in the March 8 “political tsunami”.

Now Hishammuddin has made his apology, although quite an ambivalent one. Continue reading “Hishammuddin’s apology – Malay keris-wielding antics laid to rest?”

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Lee Kah Choon saga – opportunity lost for BN leaders after March 8 “political tsunami”

The Lee Kah Choon saga is an opportunity lost for Malaysian leaders to emulate the Malaysian voters in the March 8 “political tsunami” to rise above race, religion and political differences to work single-mindedly for the good of the people, state and country.

In the last Parliament, in keeping with the perverse notion of “Support Barisan Nasional, right or wrong”, a new rule was formulated for all Barisan Nasional MPs that they cannot support Opposition motions whether right or wrong and cannot vote according to their conscience but must toe the party line.

As a result, the then Chairman of the Barisan Nasional BackBenchers Club, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad (now Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister) was forced in May 2006 to resign from his post to avoid disciplinary action against him for speaking up in favour of my privilege motion in Parliament to refer the then MP for Jasin, Mohd Said Yusuf to the Committee of Privileges over the impropriety of an MP asking the Customs and Excise Department to “close one eye” in a case involving the import of sawn timber in Malacca.

It was in disgust at such obtuse and petty-minded mentality where individual and party interests were placed above parliamentary, public and national interests that the Malaysian voters rose as one to teach the Barisan Nasional a salutary lesson in the March 8 “political tsunami”, depriving the BN of its hitherto unbroken two-thirds majority in Parliament and power in five states. Continue reading “Lee Kah Choon saga – opportunity lost for BN leaders after March 8 “political tsunami””

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Passing of a great Malaysian patriot

Shocked this morning to hear of the passing away of a great Malaysian patriot, Rustam A. Sani, 63, academician, scholar and political activist suddenly at about 2.30am at his home in Gombak.

Deepest condolences to his wife, Rohani, his children Azrani and Ariani and grandaughter, Arissa.

Together with Fong Kui Lun, DAP National Treasurer and MP for Bukit Bintang, I paid my last respects to Rustam at his Gombak home.

Rustam is one of the great Malaysian sons and daughters who have made incomparable contributions to Malaysian nation-building but who have not been given proper national recognition and yet who continued to give his best for the betterment of the country through his writings and ideas till his last breath.

Rustam’s passing is an irreparable loss to Malaysia.

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Linguistic Supremacy and Hegemony: The Roads Not Taken post-1969

By Farish A Noor

(Below is an excerpt of an essay I am currently writing entitled: “The Many Roads Not Taken post-1969′)

Our failure to develop a Malaysian language for us all:

One of the most glaring failures of the Malaysian nation-building project is our failure to develop a national language that is actually used as the lingua franca of all Malaysians. While the laborious debate over whether BM should be termed ‘Bahasa Malaysia’ or ‘Bahasa Melayu’ has been raging for decades, it is clear that Malaysia’s plural society remains divided along linguistic-cultural lines. The thorny issue of what constitutes the ‘mother tongue’ of so many Malaysians has led to at least one major political conflagration among the component parties of the BN, which in turn was used as the justification for the nation-wide security crackdown called ‘Operasi Lalang’ in 1987. Ironically it is well known to all and sundry that despite the ethno-linguistic posturing of the hot-headed communitarian leaders of the BN over the issue in the 1980s, these very same elites continued to speak to each other in English in private.

The hypocrisy of our leaders – from all parties – on the issue of the national language is something that no mature Malaysian ought to be stranger to by now. In fact, the issue of our national language (or lack of) has been one of the many punching-bags of Malaysian politics and every single communitarian-minded leader has jumped on the linguistic-nationalist bandwagon at least once in his or her political career.

This is perhaps one of the saddest things about Malaysia’s postcolonial politics and the development of Malaysia post-1969: It has been the case that almost every single ambitious and aspiring politician in this country has sought to rise to power by playing the communitarian card, touching on the hot buttons of race and language. It was only recently that BM was re-designated as ‘Bahasa Malaysia’ after it had been re-defined by nationalist politicians as ‘Bahasa Melayu’. The merry-go-round turns until today, and it would be prudent for us to go back to our early history to recover the moment where this country missed the point and went off track for good. Continue reading “Linguistic Supremacy and Hegemony: The Roads Not Taken post-1969”

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A New Malaysia

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

MARCH 8TH 2008 was a defining day for Malaysia. The voting results clearly sent out messages by the voters.

The first message indicated that the people want

A NEW MALAYSIA WITH GOOD GOVERNANCE AND A NEW SOCIETY OF RACIAL EQUALITY, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WITH EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION , EMPLOYMENT AND IMBUED WITH A VISION TO TURN MALAYSIA TO BE A LIBERAL MODERN GLOBAL NATION.

Since March 8th there has been a noticeable difference in society. The people are happier and more optimistic because they feel that change is in the air. They see the changes happening.

The political map has changed. There are now five new states under opposition rule, This is the beginning of a two party system of government, as in advanced countries like Australia, Canada and USA. it is accepted practice in these countries to have states controlled by opposition parties.

The new opposition states have immediately implemented new populist policies like stopping waste of public funds, simple lifestyle for chief minister and mentris besar, ban on application of land by elected DAP MPs and SAs, weeding out corruption.and an amnesty of fines for humble traders and hawkers.

THE SECOND MESSAGE message which is fundamental and show a radical change in the thinking of Malaysians on politics. Continue reading “A New Malaysia”

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Brave new M’sian identity emerging?

by Dr. Azly Rahman
http://www.azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

“Our government teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.” -Louis D Brandeis (American Supreme Court Justice, 1856-1941).

I do not wish to remove from my present prison to a prison a little larger. I wish to break all prisons. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, American transcendentalist.

The second wave of Independence, achieved with the storming of the “Bastille that is Putrajaya” in March 2008, in a phenomena called “implo-volution” in which the old regime was crushed by its own weight of contradiction and one whose ruins were charted some fifty years ago, present an interesting possibility. It is that of the ethnogenesis (emerging new culture) of a new Malaysian identity. Political will is complementing this philosophical vision. The Internet is aiding in speeding up the process.

The wave is forcing the various ethnic groups to think of defining itself as a ” new nation” when power-sharing of a truly multicultural nature at the state level is becoming a reality. Not only the different ethnic groups are fairly represented in what I call the “yellow” states of “Perak and Selangor” but religious background of the state leaders are also playing a key role in the evolving nature of the leadership.

The yellow states are forging ahead with care – aware of the sensitivities of the different ethnic and religious groups, focusing on the pragmatics and ethics drawn from each cultural tradition. Thus, we saw Penang CM Lim Guan Eng refusing to use thousands of ringgit of state funds to move to a new office, we saw the Kedah chief minister and we saw the continuation of Kelantan chief minister’s commitment to the principles of Islam in governing the state with prudence and tolerance.

What is displayed is Confucianist-Taoist ideas and Islamic brand of ethical leadership – two seemingly radical philosophies that actually complement each other. When it comes to statecraft, both are useful in forming as basis for a philosophy of governance that appeals to the Malays and the Chinese. These ideals are no different that the ones taught in Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and the cultural philosophy of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and of the Orang Asli.

The “ethics of authenticity” as philosopher Charles Taylor would put it, is universal enough to be a guiding light of this new nation. Ethics by any name is a system of check and balances of the Evil and the Good within. It is the Middle Path of Inner Statecraft. Continue reading “Brave new M’sian identity emerging?”

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A Law To Prevent Defections

(Speech when moving a motion in Parliament on March 21, 1978 to seek leave of the House to introduce a private member’s bill intituled Members of Parliament [Prevention of Defection] Act 1978 to ensure political integrity of Members of Parliament)

I rise under Standing Order 49(2) to move a motion to seek leave of the House to introduce a Private Member’s Bill intituled Members of Parliament (Prevention of Defection) Act, 1978, which would require a Member of Parliament to vacate his seat within 30 days and cause a by-election to be held on his resignation or expulsion from the Party on whose ticket he was originally elected.

In November last year, I was invited by a Tamil national daily, Tamil Nesan, to answer question submitted by Tamil Nesan readers. One question that was asked was about the defection of Opposition Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen after their election, in betrayal of the confidence and trust placed on them by the electorate.

I was asked what effective measure could be taken to prevent such opportunistic political betrayal of the people’s confidence. I replied that the most effective way would be for the enactment of a law requiring a Member of Parliament to vacate his seat and cause a by-election to be held on his resignation or expulsion from the Party on whose ticket he was originally elected. I promised to move a private member’s bill on his matter considering its importance.

Such a Bill is important so as to ensure the political integrity of elected MPs and to prevent political corruption.

Nothing disgusts the Malaysian public more than to see MPs or State Assemblymen elected on one party’s ticket and then betray the Party and the people’s trust by switching parties. This makes them very little different from con-men. Such practices debase politics, and strengthen the general impression that ‘politics is dirty’, when it is the dirty people who get into politics to make politics dirty. Continue reading “A Law To Prevent Defections”