Posted on

Police should stop harassing Hindraft/RPK supporters over PM’s Hari Raya Open House

Police are taking things too far in initiating investigations against two groups over their presence at the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Hari Raya Open House last Wednesday – the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members and “I’m with RPK” supporters who had turned up at the Open House with T-shirts bearing the theme of their cause.

Four Hindraf members, K Shanti, wife of Hindraf leader-in-exile P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf information chief S Jayathas, Selangor coordinator K Tamilselvam and national events coordinator R Kannan have been served with written notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Tuesday to give their statements for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act, as well as trespass under Section 447 of the Penal Code.

Three persons, lawyer-blogger Haris Ibrahim, lawyer Amarjit Sidhu and blogger P. Surind Raj are required to report to the police in connection with their “I’m with RPK” demonstration at the PWTC Hari Raya Open House.

Are the Umno leaders and Police seriously suggesting that the allegedly 200,000 people who visited the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Open House, particularly who went with more than five in number, could be investigated by the police for illegal assembly and trespass? Continue reading “Police should stop harassing Hindraft/RPK supporters over PM’s Hari Raya Open House”

Posted on

Malaysia 2008 – “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

“NERO FIDDLED WHILE ROME BURNED” BEST DESCRIBES THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SCENARIO IN MALAYSIA.

Some political analysts were saying that pressure within the UMNO Supreme Council for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down would make him a lame duck prime minister as his reign would wane as his power wanes.

As a matter of fact, the Prime Minister showed signs of being a lame duck as early as during the second half of his previous term as prime minister

The signs of indecision and vacillation were already visible.

Promises of reforms to deal with corruption, increase of crime and judicial violations were easily forthcoming from the lips of the Prime Minister, but as easily forgotten and not implemented. Continue reading “Malaysia 2008 – “Nero fiddled while Rome burned””

Posted on

Terrible price being paid by Malaysians for Abdullah’s failure to establish IPCMC

Two ghastly news within 24 hours –the robbery-cum-murder of Thor Joo Lee, wife of former Penang State Assemblyman for Bukit Tambun, Lai Chew Hock at her Tambun Indah house in Penang and the robbery of Datin Chang Lee Lee, wife of former Penang Exco and Pulau Tikus Assemblyman Datuk Dr. Teng Hock Nan in her Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman house in Penang.

These two cases of robbery (and one murder) of the wife of two former Penang Assemblymen are horrible reminders of the terrible costs being paid by Malaysians for the failure by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to heed the important recommendation of the Police Royal Commission to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to create an efficient, professional and world-class police service to keep crime low in the country.

As a result, it has become an important factor why Malaysia is losing out in the international competiveness stakes to other countries in attracting foreign investment as low crime, personal safety and security of property always rank as one of the top considerations for any foreign investor in the important decision-making process whether to invest in a country or not.

I have no doubt that Malaysia would have broken the back of the worsening crime problem if the IPCMC had been fully accepted and started functioning from May 2006 as recommended by the Royal Police Commission, making Malaysia a safe haven not only for Malaysian citizens, but also for investors and tourists.

Abdullah has failed as Home Minister for eight years from 2001-2008 as he presided over a worsening crime situation in the country with Malaysians, investors and tourists unable to feel safe whether in the streets, public places or in the privacy of their homes.

The current Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar is also heading for another dismal failure as a Home Minister as he has not been able to inspire public confidence that his No. 1 responsibility is to reverse the rising tide of the crime index in the past decade to make Malaysia a safe country for her citizens, investors and tourists. Continue reading “Terrible price being paid by Malaysians for Abdullah’s failure to establish IPCMC”

Posted on

Is your life in danger?

IS YOUR LIFE IN DANGER?

Please let us protect you by arresting you under the ISA.

Coverage short term (16 hours for journalists) permanently (for HINDRAF).

Interested parties contact our Special Agent, Syed Hamid Albar for details: Terms and Conditions apply (see below).

Underwriters for this UNIQUE MALAYSIAN SERVICE: PDRM n Min. of Home Affairs.

Special Offer now for reporters, bloggers n Opposition MPs.

Note: UMNO members n those threatened by Ah-Longs n Illegal Immigrants are not eligible.

Who says Malaysians are not creative. The above SMS lampooning the Internal Security Act and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar is one example of the creativity of Malaysians.

Thanks to Jayaseelam for forwarding this SMS to me three days ago. I read out this SMS to close the Teresa Kok’s ISA release media conference at DAP PJ Hqrs yesterday to illustrate how low and iniquitous the ISA, enacted in 1960 to deal ith “subversion” and “organised violence”, has fallen to be the object of ridicule and contempt of right-thinking Malaysians.

The SMS reflects the disgust of Malaysians at the gross abuse of power by the Home Minister and the Police illustrated by the 18-hour ISA detention of Sin Chew senior reporter Tan Hoon Cheng.

We should probably have a competition for the most “creative” SMS arising from another ISA scandal – the seven-day detention of DAP National Organising Secretary, three term Seputeh MP and Selangor Senior Exco, Teresa Kok Suh Sim. Continue reading “Is your life in danger?”

Posted on

Zaid’s resignation “last nail in the coffin” of Abdullah’s repeat of reform pledges after March 8 “political tsunami”

Senator Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s announcement this morning that his decision to resign as Minister in the Prime Minister’s DepAartment is final despite being advised by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to reconsider the move is the “last nail in the coffin” of Abdullah’s repeat of reform pledges after the March 8 “political tsunami”.

It is clear that the detentions of DAP MP for Seputeh and Selangor Senior Exco Teresa Kok and Raja Petra Kamaruddin under the nefarious and iniquitous Internal Security Act (ISA) were the last straw causing Zaid to submit his resignation after a six-month stint in the Cabinet, making him the only Minister in the nation’s history to resign on a matter of principle.

When Zaid was surprisingly appointed by Abdullah to be a Minister after the Barisan Nasional debacle in the March general election, it was clear that Zaid had a special agenda – to retrieve Abdullah’s credibility and legitimacy as a Reform Prime Minister by carrying out reforms in the important sectors of the judiciary, the police and anti-corruption.

Zaid’s resignation is an admission that Abdullah’s repeat pledge of the reform programme after the March political tsunami has come to the end of the road, that: Continue reading “Zaid’s resignation “last nail in the coffin” of Abdullah’s repeat of reform pledges after March 8 “political tsunami””

Posted on

Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?

It is most deplorable that the police today raided the house of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin – for the fifth time!

This time the raid is in connection with the statutory declaration made by a Burmese doctor from Hospital Pusrawi, Dr. Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, on August 1 standing by his medical report which ruled out that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been sodomised.

Saiful was examined by Osman before he lodged a police report on June 28 claiming that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him.

In his statutory declaration, the doctor claimed that he had fled the country with his family following several visits by the police.

Malaysiakini, which broke the story of the fifth police raid on RPK’s house today, reported: Continue reading “Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?”

Posted on

Permatang Pauh by-election – censure BN’s 6 months of zero legislative reform

I have received the initial notification of the parliamentary business for the 41-day budget meeting beginning on Monday, August 18, which will break for six weeks after the 2009 budget presentation by the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday, August 29 for the fasting month and Hari Raya holidays, resuming on Oct. 12 for 32 sittings till December 11, 2008.

It is a great disappointment, for it is evident that there will be no reformist bill for Parliament in August, whether for the establishment of

(i) the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), the most important of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission more than three years ago in May 2005 to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service to keep crime low, fight corruption and uphold human rights;

(ii) the Judicial Appointments Commission as the first step to restore national and international confidence in the independence, impartiality, integrity and quality of the judiciary after two decades of “judicial darkness” and being the laughing-stock of the world; and

(iii) the Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) to eradicate the rampant corruption in the country which has seen Malaysia’s ranking in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index sliding relentlessly from No. 23 in 1995 to No. 37 in 2003 and No. 43 in 2007 and to spearhead a “zero tolerance for corruption” campaign to place Malaysia among the world’s 20 least corrupt nations. Continue reading “Permatang Pauh by-election – censure BN’s 6 months of zero legislative reform”

Posted on

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”

Posted on

Anwar’s Sodomy II – has it become Abdullah’s personal crusade?

I am flabbergasted.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi seems very determined to provide examples to illustrate the continuing crisis of confidence in his administration.

Yesterday, in an interview with Associated Press, Abdullah went public on the Sodomy II allegations against Anwar Ibrahim in a manner which could only mean that he was in the thick of the decision-making process as to whether Anwar Ibrahim, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser would be hauled to court for a second sodomy charge in a decade, when the Prime Minister has no business to be involved in the exercise of the discretionary power by the Attorney-General on matters of prosecution or otherwise.

How else could one interpret the following remarks by Abdullah yesterday:

“This man pleads for justice. We care about (Anwar) more than we care about this man? That is very odd. He needs justice; that is what he is crying for. We cannot ignore that.”

I am verily surprised that Abdullah had today repeated this obsession of “justice for Saiful” when he returned to the same subject today. Continue reading “Anwar’s Sodomy II – has it become Abdullah’s personal crusade?”

Posted on

Hamid, what are you doing to carry out your basic duty?

Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar – What are you doing to carry out your basic duty as Home Minister to make the public places, streets and homes safe for Malaysians, tourists and investors?

Hamid declared yesterday that investigations into Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s sodomy allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not be dropped.

Hamid has a lot of time for the sodomy charge against Anwar. But has he got time to restore to Malaysians, tourists and investors their most basic human right to be safe in public places?

Has Hamid read or been informed of the following letter which appeared in today’s Sun and can he declare what he has done about it? Or has he just got no time for these mundane things as compared to the sodomy allegation against Anwar?

Hamid, waiting for your public response to the following letter in the Sun today: Continue reading “Hamid, what are you doing to carry out your basic duty?”

Posted on

Top Cabinet agenda tomorrow – end sodomy of Malaysia’s international reputation NOW

The top agenda for the Cabinet tomorrow must be to wrestle with probably the nation’s worst global crisis in its 51-year history and end the sodomy of Malaysia’s international reputation NOW so that we would not be dumped in the dubious company of Zimbabwe, Myanmar and Sudan on the rule of law, transparency and good governance.

The very fact that the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar last week had to give a special briefing on the sodomy investigation against Anwar Ibrahim to 96 foreign diplomats on very short notice is the best proof of the national and international crisis of credibility faced by the present administration over the Sodomy II allegation against Anwar as well as the handling of other high-profile investigations.

The latest development in the Sodomy II allegation against Anwar – ten years after his Sodomy I charge which was later overturned by the Federal Court – as well as recent events, such as the disappearance of private investigator Bala Subramaniam after making two conflicting Statutory Declarations within 24 hours with far-reaching implications about the independence and integrity of the rule of law and system of justice can only heighten and intensify these national and international concerns.

The police response to Internet revelations of a medical report concerning the accuser of Anwar’s Sodomy II charge, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan – that there was no evidence of sodomy four hours before he lodged the police report of sodomy against Anwar on June 28 – has only confirmed national and international doubts about the independence, integrity and professionalism of the police handling of the case and strengthened belief in Anwar’s innocence.

In dismissing the revelation of the medical report as “another attempt to sabotage police investigations” and threatening to go after the whistleblowers, while studiously declining to comment on the existence and veracity of the Pusrawi Hospital medical report, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar has done a great disservice to police reputation and professionalism – as he had merely added flame to fan national and international conviction about the authenticity of the medical report. Continue reading “Top Cabinet agenda tomorrow – end sodomy of Malaysia’s international reputation NOW”

Posted on

Police cannot be silent a single second – latest shocking revelation on 2nd Anwar sodomy charge

The Police cannot keep silent a single second on the latest shocking revelation in the second Anwar Ibrahim sodomy charge – that the first medical report on Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan found no evidence of sodomy four hours before he lodged the police report of sodomy against Anwar on June 28.

The revelation, which first appeared in Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s Malaysia Today news portal, and is reported in Malaysiakini, is based on a two-page medical report by Dr. Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, the medical officer in Hospital Pusrawi (Pusat Rawatan Islam) in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur after examining Saiful at about 2 p.m on June 28 – some four hours before Saiful lodged the police report against Anwar.

This is the account in Malaysiakini:

According to a copy of the two-page medical report obtained by malaysiakini yesterday, Saiful went to the hospital complaining of ‘tenesmus’ – a medical term for difficulty and pain in passing motion.

He was examined by Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, the medical officer on duty.

The doctor said that the patient had alleged he was assaulted by the intrusion of a piece of “plastic” in the anus.

Mohamed Osman, according to his medical report which was recorded at 2.14pm, found “zero active bleeding”, “zero ulcer or pus”, “zero tear and scar” in Saiful’s anus.

He also stated that Saiful appeared “alert”, “comfortable”, “not pale” and did not show any fever symptoms.

Continue reading “Police cannot be silent a single second – latest shocking revelation on 2nd Anwar sodomy charge”

Posted on

Hamid Albar the greatest national security threat

Datuk Seri Syed Albar is a major security threat if the Home Minister is so gullible as to launch a massive three-day 1,600-personnel police operation to lock down Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley causing great financial losses and inconveniencing hundreds of thousands of people based on “rubbish” intelligence about a non-existent high-level Pakatan Rakyat leadership meeting, two speeches, two blogs and two SMS.

Hamid had promised Parliament on Tuesday to retract his allegation that DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Kepong, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw and I had attended a top leadership meeting of Pakatan Rakyat at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat headquarters on July 9 to plot a mass demonstration in or at Parliament last Monday to justify the deployment of 1,600 police personnel to create a three-day gridlock of the Federal capital and the Klang Valley.

Why is Hamid so conspicuously silent about his promise in Parliament in the past three days?

Is he still checking on whether he had been taken for a ride by his dishonest informers who had concocted such tall tale about a fictitious meeting of top Pakatan Rakyat leaders on July 9, purportedly attended by Guan Eng, Seng Giaw and myself – when it is just a pack of lies?

Hamid said yesterday that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should not worry about giving his DNA samples if he were interested to seek the truth behind the sodomy allegations against him. Continue reading “Hamid Albar the greatest national security threat”

Posted on

Police Black Eyes

Anwar Ibrahim has been released on police bail this morning.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi promised that there will not be another “black eye” trauma for Anwar as happened ten years ago.

However, the police has received a “black eye” of its own making, in its highly-provocative, unprofessional and unjustifiable arrest of Anwar by police commandos in balaclava at 12.55 pm yesterday – when the former deputy prime minister had already promised to report to the police at 2 pm.

This is the second self-administered police black-eye within a week – the other being the completely unjustified three-day 1,600-personnel police operation to lock down the Federal Capital and the Klang Valley to thwart a massive demonstration in Parliament on Monday when there was not a single protestor – causing great and unnecessary inconvenience and hardships to hundreds of thousands of people, plunging public confidence in the efficiency, competence and professionalism of the police to an all-time low. Continue reading “Police Black Eyes”

Posted on

Anwar detained by police overnight

Anwar Ibrahim has been denied bail and is being detained by the police overnight, purportedly so that the police could take a “further statement”.

This is a most ridiculous reason, as Anwar had been questioned for five hours today before he was taken to Kuala Lumpur hospital for two hours.

The Prime Minister and the Police should be aware that world attention is focused on Anwar’s detention and if there is any ill-treatment of Anwar as happened ten years ago, there will be no place for anyone, regardless of station, to hide.

Posted on

Anwar’s arrest – police provocative, untrustworthy and unprofessional

In arresting Anwar Ibrahim outside his Bukit Segambut home just before 1 pm today, the police are being most provocative, unprofessional and untrustworthy.

Anwar had already undertaken to report to the police at 2 p.m after he had given his statement to the Anti-Corruption Agency in the morning, and to spring such an arrest well before 2 pm outside his house has deepened public concerns and fears that the police cannot be independent, professional, responsible and trustworthy in handling the latest Anwar case. Continue reading “Anwar’s arrest – police provocative, untrustworthy and unprofessional”

Posted on

A totally synthetic crisis

The Police is creating a totally synthetic crisis out of nothing, as no gathering or demonstration is being planned by Pakatan Rakyat in or near Parliament tomorrow.

Police roadblocks, causing massive traffic jams in Kuala Lumpur today and which will be even worse tomorrow, are not only pointless but completely unwarranted and unjustifiable.

As no gathering or demonstration in or around Parliament is being organised by Pakatan Rakyat tomorrow, the news report below paints a very surreal situation in the Federal capital: Continue reading “A totally synthetic crisis”

Posted on

Good news for BMC controversy

During the debate on the last ministry – Home Ministry – on the 2007 Supplementary estimates in Parliament late yesterday evening, DAP MP for Serdang, Teo Nie Ching and I questioned police conduct in the Bandar Makhota Cheras (BMC) “thug and police violence” following public protest at the rebuilding of the barricade by the toll concessionaire, Grand Saga.on Tuesday night.

I had earlier met the Works Minister, Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed at the MPs’ lounge and I asked why his Ministry could not resolve the long-standing BMC access road issue.

Mohd Zin said he has a formula to resolve the issue which he would be bringing to the Cabinet today.

I understand there is good news for the long-suffering residents over the BMC controversy.