Posted on

Najib must guarantee reforms before polls, says Pakatan

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 24, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The federal opposition has demanded a guarantee from Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the Election Commission (EC) will carry out electoral reforms before a general election is called.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today that the prime minister’s insistence that the timing of polls was not bound to a parliamentary select committee on electoral improvements raised doubts over whether “he means business.”

However, with just six weeks to go before the polls panel is to be formed by Dewan Rakyat, the opposition pact said it has not decided if a failure to offer such an assurance will see PR decline to join what Barisan Nasional (BN) hopes will be a bipartisan committee.

“There is no decision to boycott but we have made it abundantly clear that the onus is on the government to show good faith.

“The EC must take immediate action and there must be an assurance from the prime minister that he means business … that elections will only be held after the EC has taken measures recommended by the select committee,” Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after a PR leadership meeting. Continue reading “Najib must guarantee reforms before polls, says Pakatan”

Posted on

BN govt should state what are the 8 demands of Bersih 2.0 which could be implemented before Parliament meets on Oct 3

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz pressed most of the right buttons about public demands about electoral reforms when he announced without naming Bersih 2.0 that the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms will base its framework on Bersih 2.0’s eight-point demands, viz:

1. Cleaning up the electoral roll

2. Reforming postal or advance voting

3. Use of indelible ink versus the EC’s proposal of a biometric system

4. Extending the campaign period to 21 days

5. Free and fair access to media

6. Strengthening the credibility of the EC

7. Ending vote-buying

8. Ending dirty politics

But on the most vital issue of a firm and unequivocal government commitment that the electoral reforms will be implemented before Parliament is dissolved to make way for the 13th general election, Nazri could offer no assurance except to say lamely: “That is not my problem…I don’t know when the election will be held.” Continue reading “BN govt should state what are the 8 demands of Bersih 2.0 which could be implemented before Parliament meets on Oct 3”

Posted on

Select committee for show

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 19, 2011

AUG 19 — I would love to believe that the government is sincere about electoral reform but judging by all the statements of BN politicians, I have major doubts.

I was pleasantly surprised when I read a few days ago that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had agreed to set up a select committee on electoral reform. Finally, I thought, some common sense was creeping into his thinking and he understood the aspirations of the people who marched on July 9 and the many who were with the Bersih crowd in spirit.

But within a few days all that has unravelled, and now I am unsure if the administration’s intentions to set up select committee are pure. Even Najib seems to have backtracked, agreeing with his deputy that the election system only needs tweaking (I got to ask if Najib or Muhyiddin Yassin is setting agenda for Malaysia). Continue reading “Select committee for show”

Posted on

“Passing the buck” to PSC of all allegations of a flawed electoral system such as foreigners given the right to vote is completely unacceptable

The “passing the buck” to the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms of all allegations of a flawed electoral system such as foreigners given the right to vote is completely unacceptable and would be proof that the PSC is mere political ploy and diversionary tactics.

Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that Pakatan Rakyat allegations of foreigners being given the right to vote will be addressed by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform.

Why should this be the case. Shouldn’t serious allegations like the issue of citizenship to foreigners to give them the right to vote, which is a most treasonous action, be addressed and resolved immediately by the Election Commission, instead of deferring action and “passing the buck” to the parliamentary select committee which could only be formed in October?

An efficient and professional Election Commission would report to the parliamentary select committee what measures it has taken to address and resolve the serious allegations of a flawed electoral system instead of “passing the buck” to the parliamentary select committee in October to start from scratch to deal with them. Continue reading ““Passing the buck” to PSC of all allegations of a flawed electoral system such as foreigners given the right to vote is completely unacceptable”

Posted on

Without iron-clad assurances of meaningful electoral reforms in time for 13GE, a PSC is neither useful nor acceptable

In less than 24 hours, the country appears to be back to square one on electoral reforms despite the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement of a parliamentary select committee.

Firstly, the swift contradiction by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin that there is any real problem with the electoral system and that only some minor tweaks are required.

In one swift blow, Muhyiddin has vindicated the wariness, doubts and reservations in the responses to Najib’s announcement of a parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms whether it is a sincere and genuine effort to address electoral flaws and defects to ensure free, fair and clean elections or merely a diversionary tactic and stone-walling operation.

Secondly, the time-line spelt out by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz making clear that the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms could well be an academic exercise if Parliament is dissolved before it could complete its report and its recommendations accepted and implemented as part of the electoral laws of the land. Continue reading “Without iron-clad assurances of meaningful electoral reforms in time for 13GE, a PSC is neither useful nor acceptable”

Posted on

Pakatan demands to head polls review committee

By Shannon Teoh | August 16, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — The federal opposition has demanded that they chair the prime minister’s parliament parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reforms.

In a press statement issued this evening, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement “validates issues on electoral reform raised by Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0 and we consider it a huge feat and win for democratic forces in Malaysia.”

However they want a PR MP to chair the new committee.

“To prove good faith, we request the prime minister to incorporate the following demands (that) the head of the parliamentary committee should be from the opposition,” said the release sent by the coalition’s secretariat.
Continue reading “Pakatan demands to head polls review committee”

Posted on

First shocker of Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms

My first reaction yesterday to the announcement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak of a parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms is to welcome the proposal as it is a vindication of the 709 Bersih rally for free and fair elections – provided it is a genuine and sincere attempt to clean up the various defects and flaws in the electoral system.

However, the first shocker of the PSC on electoral reforms is the report that the Parliamentary Select Committee would have its first meeting tomorrow to discuss “everything that needs to be done” and reach a consensus on the matter.

How can this be when the Parliamentary Select Committee has not yet been formed and the respective Pakatan Rakyat parties have not been consulted and their agreement sought with regard to the PSC’s terms of reference and its membership? Continue reading “First shocker of Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms”

Posted on

PM proposes bipartisan panel for polls reform

Nigel Aw | Aug 15, 11 7:38pm
Malaysiakini

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced today that the government will set up a parliamentary select committee to discuss electoral reforms before the next general election.

“Recently there have been demands for free and fair elections. The government’s response is that we will propose the setting up of a parliamentary select committee soon, which will be made up of members from both BN and opposition,” he said.

Najib said this in a speech at a ‘buka puasa’ event at the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

“The committee will discuss all electoral reforms that needs to be implemented in order to achieve bipartisan agreement without any suspicion that there is manipulation by the government,” he said. Continue reading “PM proposes bipartisan panel for polls reform”

Posted on

Betulkah pemastautin diberi hak mengundi?

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 08, 2011

8 OGOS — Isu besar yang hangat diperkatakan hari ini ialah isu pendatang asing yang menjadi pemastautin telah diberikan kerakyatan dan terus diberikan hak mengundi.

Ahli-ahli Parlimen pembangkang telah menghantar surat hari ini untuk mendesak persidangan Parlimen tergempar dipanggil untuk membincangkan isu seramai 1,600 orang pemastautin tetap yang dikatakan diberikan kerakyatan penuh untuk memudahkan mereka menjadi pengundi semasa pilihan raya umum yang akan datang.

Jika isu ini benar ia merupakan isu yang sangat besar dan merbahayakan negara serta Sistem Raja Berpelembagaan Negara kita. Kita sedang menghadapi masalah besar di Sabah tentang isu ini dan kita masih lagi tidak mahu belajar dari kesilapan ini semata-mata kerana ingin mempertahankan kuasa yang kita anggap sudah sampai ketepian itu.

Isu pendatang asing menjadi pengundi ini memang telah lama kita dengar malahan ada di antara rakan saya sendiri pernah di tahan kerana dituduh mengeluarkan kad pengenalan palsu untuk kegunaan dalam pilihan raya. Jika apa yang dituduh ini benar ianya serupalah seperti memanggil orang luar untuk membantu memerangi bangsa dan rakyat kita sendiri. Continue reading “Betulkah pemastautin diberi hak mengundi?”

Posted on

Bersih: NRD’s Mismah-gate clarification unacceptable

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng | Aug 5, 11 1:35pm
Malaysiakini

The National Registration Department (NRD)’s explanation of the ‘Mismah-gate’ is unacceptable as it fails to address the public’s concern, said Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Therefore, she supported Pakatan Rakyat MPs’ call for an emergency parliamentary sitting this month in order to seek answers for the many questions the scandal’s raised.

“We haven’t actually had any meaningful answer… there has to be accountability on this issue,” Ambiga (left) told Malaysiakini during an interview yesterday.

“The answer that they have given us so far is really quite unacceptable.” Continue reading “Bersih: NRD’s Mismah-gate clarification unacceptable”

Posted on

Kit Siang: Reveal who ‘concocted’ PSM 6 charges

Malaysiakini
Jul 29, 11 3:42pm

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has demanded that the government reveal who was behind the charges that the PSM 6 were allegedly trying to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and reviving communism.

“Malaysians are entitled to ask who are the officers or politicians who had been so ‘creative’ as to concoct the heinous charge under Section 122 of the Penal Code against the PSM activists in the first instance,” Lim said in a media statement today.

“I will ask in the next Parliament session who are the officers who concocted such charges and who are their police superiors who gave the approval, and whether the advice of the attorney-general or his officers had been sought,” he said. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Reveal who ‘concocted’ PSM 6 charges”

Posted on

Home minister ‘cooking up’ laws

By Tarani Palani | June 30, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition MPs today criticised Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for acting outside the law in banning the yellow Bersih 2.0 T-shirts and questioned the legal basis for the Bersih-related clampdown.”We have a minister who is making the law on the run without parliamentary sanction,” said DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, adding that even Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar’s warning that any paraphernalia related to Bersih as illegal was deplorable.

During a press conference in Parliament, the Ipoh Timur MP said that such interpretation of the law coming from the home minister who had a legal background was disappointing.

He added that the opposition MPs, who had elements of yellow in their attire, were protesting the clampdown by the authorities and to show support for a peaceful Bersih demonstration on July 9.
Continue reading “Home minister ‘cooking up’ laws”

Posted on

‘Yellow wave’ in Parliament by Pakatan reps

By Hazlan Zakaria | Jun 30, 11
Malaysiakini

Pakatan Rakyat MPs turned up in Parliament decked out in various articles in the distinctive yellow of Bersih to protest the police clampdown on the electoral reform rally.

Most of the men sported ties in the ‘official’ Bersih 2.0 colour or others in shades of yellow, while the women were attired in yellow.

The rest wore various articles of clothing in the same colour, while those more daring like Bukit Gantang parliamentarian Nizar Jamaluddin and Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa (right) donned the official Bersih 2.0 T-shirt, which has caused the arrest of many since the crackdown began, in open defiance.
Continue reading “‘Yellow wave’ in Parliament by Pakatan reps”

Posted on

Police did not ask for permission, says Speaker

By S Pathmawathy
Jun 29, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia will look into claims by opposition MP Lim Kit Siang accusing the police of breaching parliamentary independence when they questioned several MPs yesterday.

“The police cannot enter Parliament grounds without the express consent of the speaker. The police can only provide policing function on the request of the Parliament officials, sergeant-at-arms and the speaker,” said Lim (DAP-Ipoh Timor) while interrupting the debate on the Money Services Business Bill. Continue reading “Police did not ask for permission, says Speaker”

Posted on

Kit Siang: Cops violated parliamentary privileges

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 28, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang today accused the police of violating parliamentary privileges when they appeared in the House this morning to record statements from two opposition MPs on the Bersih rally.
The senior parliamentarian said he had never before witnessed such an incident since he became an MP in 1969.

“I am shocked and outraged that the police have shown up in Parliament today to record statements from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parliamentarians – Azmin Ali (PKR – Gombak) and Mohd Firdaus Jaafar (PAS – Jerai).

“This is the first time within my memory as an MP since 1969 of any policeman invading the parliamentary precincts to take statements from any MP,” he wrote in a statement today.

Lim called on Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to tell Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar to stop his men from repeating the incident in the future. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Cops violated parliamentary privileges”

Posted on

Spectacle of Police invading Parliamentary precincts to take police statements from MPs a most deplorable precedent of violation of parliamentary privileges and must be condemned in strongest terms

I am shocked and outraged that the police have shown up in Parliament today to record statements from Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians – Azmin Ali (PKR – Gombak) and Mohd Firdaus Jaafar (PAS – Jerai).

This is the first time within my memory as an MP since 1969 of any policeman invading the parliamentary precincts to take statements from any MP.

The spectacle of the police invading parliamentary precincts to take police statements from Members of Parliament is a most deplorable precedent, violating parliamentary privileges and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by MPs regardless of party.

The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia must uphold the dignity and privileges of Parliament and tell the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar in no uncertain terms that the Police must not violate parliamentary privileges and precincts and insist that police carry out their duties such as taking statements from MPs outside parliamentary premises.
Continue reading “Spectacle of Police invading Parliamentary precincts to take police statements from MPs a most deplorable precedent of violation of parliamentary privileges and must be condemned in strongest terms”

Posted on

‘Golden opportunity to make a stand on war crimes lost’

By Tarani Palani
June 16, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Parliament lost a ‘golden opportunity’ to enhance its standing in the international community when a motion to discuss Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to Malaysia was rejected, said an opposition MP.

Ipoh Barat MP, M Kulasegaran said it would have given MPs an opportunity to show “displeasure at world leaders who abuse their citizens and have scant respect for the rule of law”.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in the war-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur, where about 300,000 people have died since 2003. Continue reading “‘Golden opportunity to make a stand on war crimes lost’”

Posted on

Sarbaini continues to haunt Parliament

Tarani Palani | June 16, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

The government maintains its stand that by law, an inquest needs to be established before a RCI. But Lim Kit Siang says the argument is flawed.

KUALA LUMPUR: The death of Selangor Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed continues to haunt Parliament despite a motion to disclose the deceased’s assets being rejected earlier this week.

The government has insisted that a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) cannot be established to investigate the death because an inquest must be carried out first, according to the law.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong reiterated the government’s stand on this issue in Parliament today. Continue reading “Sarbaini continues to haunt Parliament”

Posted on

House rejects motion on Ahmad Sarbani

By Joseph Sipalan
June 14, 2011
MalaysiaKini

The Dewan Rakyat has thrown out an emergency motion to debate the death of Customs senior assistant director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed while in the custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee agreed that the motion is specific and of public interest, but decided that it is not an urgent issue.

“As the date for the inquest has been set (from July 4-15), there is no need to expedite a debate (on Ahmad Sarbani’s death). So the House rejects this motion,” he said after Question Time.
Continue reading “House rejects motion on Ahmad Sarbani”

Posted on

Parliament rejects motion on Sarbaini

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 14, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Parliament has rejected an emergency motion to discuss the death of Ahmad Sarbaini, with Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee saying that the matter was “not urgent” as an inquest will be taking place.

“Parliament has decided that there is no urgency to debate this motion … as an inquest on the matter will be heard on July 4-15 … the motion is hereby rejected,” said Kiandee.

Veteran opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said last week he wanted Parliament to discuss the death of the Customs officer, following allegations that the MACC was trying to tarnish the Customs man’s name.
Continue reading “Parliament rejects motion on Sarbaini”