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Fight crime not fight perception

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was being most frivolous and irresponsible when he adopted lock, stock and barrel the line that the biggest police challenge is not to fight crime but the perception that crime is serious in Malaysia!

He trotted out the argument that statistics indicate that crime rate in Malaysia is lower than Japan and Hong Kong, with the logical conclusion that that it is safer in Malaysia than in Japan and Hong Kong.

When Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became Prime Minister five years ago, the crime situation was so bad that one of his top priorities was to establish a Royal Police Commission to create an efficient and professional world-class police service to keep crime low.

The Royal Police Commission said in its report in 2005 that the crime index of 156,455 cases of crime for 2004 “seriously dented Malaysia’s reputation as a safe country” and recommended an immediate reduction of the crime index by 20 per cent in the next 12 months.

What has happened in the past four years? For two consecutive years, the crime index had reached endemic proportions, crashing through the 200,000 barrier in 2007 and 2008 – and yet we have a Prime Minister-designate publicly repudiating the Prime Minister’s previous stance by claiming that the problem is not crime but public perception on crime when Malaysians feel even more unsafe from crime with every passing year.

Even the Selangor Sultan is very concerned about the crime situation in Selangor and the country.

This is what the Sultan of Selangor said in an interview with Star on crime:

I continue to receive complaints from the rakyat on the ground situation. I read about crime in the newspapers and even at dinner conversations. People talk about it. It’s not just a Selangor problem but a national problem. In Selangor, we have the highest crime rate because the population is now the biggest in Malaysia. This is also a place which attracts outsiders and foreigners because of job opportunities. Social problems such as crime comes naturally unfortunately. It is expected.

I have been told that crime prevention has improved. The Selangor police are saying that this is their most successful period in the last 10 years with the state index showing a marginal increase. Gombak, Ampang, Shah Alam, Kuala Langat, Hulu Selangor and Sepang districts show decreases overall.

I am sure the police are trying their best but perceptions are important. If the public do not feel safe on the street or even at home, no amount of assurances would be good enough. Even the homes of police officers are burgled. That is bad. There should be more policemen on the streets. People feel safe when they see policemen on patrol. Traffic cops alone are not good enough.

Najib’s claim that Malaysia is safer than Japan and Hong Kong based on crime statistics is highly suspect as the basis and definition for the crime indices in the two countries vary greatly.

DAP National Publicity Secretary Tony Pua has a more detailed statement on the fallacies of Najib’s comparative data.

But what cries out for answer is why Najib should sell the irresponsible line that Malaysia is comparatively safe, safer than Japan and Hong Kong?

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Mukhriz has committed the offence of sedition in proposing closure of Chinese/Tamil primary schools

UMNO MP for Jerlun and candidate for Umno Youth chief, Mukhriz Mahathir has committed the offence of sedition in questioning one of the four “sensitive” issues entrenched in the Constitution which has no parliamentary immunity and on conviction, he can be stripped of his parliamentary membership, disqualified from taking part in parliamentary and state assembly elections as well as barred from holding office in any society for five years.

However Mukhriz twist and turn, there can be no doubt that in his press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday which he repeated in his speech in the House last night, he was in fact calling for the closure of Chinese and Tamil primary schools, hence the following headlines:

• “Sekolah satu sistem – cadangan ke arah menggantikan pendidikan berbeza aliran” – Utusan Malaysia
• “Mukhriz: Scrap vernacular schools, one system for all” (Star online).
• “”Abolish dual system” (Star in print).
• “Mukhriz: Close down vernacular schools” (Malaysiakini English)
• “Mukhriz saran tutup sekolah vernacular” (Malaysiakini Bahasa Malaysia)
• “Mukhriz says vernacular schools should be abolished” (Malaysianinside)
• “Change all school medium to Bahasa Malaysia” – Nanyang
• “Abolish Chinese and Tamil primary schools to check polarisation – Mukhriz” – (China Press)
• “Standardise all primary schools with Bahasa Malaysia as medium of instruction” – (Oriental Daily) Continue reading “Mukhriz has committed the offence of sedition in proposing closure of Chinese/Tamil primary schools”

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ISA release of Hindraf 5 – test whether Najib will be PM for all Malaysians

I was interviewed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation this morning on the recent BBC interview of Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who said that he will do more to address the grievances of minority groups when he becomes Prime Minister in March.

Najib acknowledged that Malaysian voters would want to see changes when he took office and that he needed to regain the trust of non-Malays in particular.

He promised “further measures to tackle the problems of the ethnic Indian minority” but “warned that the Hindu activist network, Hindraf, which has organised large public protests, has complicated attempts to tackle the problems of ethnic Indians”. Continue reading “ISA release of Hindraf 5 – test whether Najib will be PM for all Malaysians”

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Muhyiddin’s ultimatum to Zaid – rise of exclusive, intolerant and petty-mindedness in Umno leadership

I am surprised by the outburst of the Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, excoriating former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, for attending an opposition function, accusing Zaid of “disloyalty to Umno” and demanding an explanation from Zaid or to face disciplinary reprisals!

I am very disappointed because Muhyiddin is the Minister for International Trade and Industry as well as the favourite in the contest for Umno Deputy President and therefore Deputy Prime Minister-designate next March – and should be an example of inclusive thinking and greater openness and tolerance instead of being very exclusive, intolerant and petty-minded in a country we want to market to the world as Instant Asia!

It is a major setback for the Bangsa Malaysia concept as it illustrates the sad fact that exclusive, intolerant and petty-mindedness have displaced inclusive thinking and greater openness and tolerance in the mind-set of Umno leaders 51 years after Merdeka!

Is “loyalty to Umno” so brittle and fragile that it must be invoked against any Umno member for attending an opposition function?

I attended the official opening of the new Umno Building at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur in the eighties. Was my “loyalty to DAP” ever in doubt for attending an Umno function? Continue reading “Muhyiddin’s ultimatum to Zaid – rise of exclusive, intolerant and petty-mindedness in Umno leadership”

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Still no PAC report on Eurocopter inquiry – will Azmi emulate Indian Home Minister and resign?

On November 11, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid had promised that the PAC report on its inquiry into the RM1.6 billion Eurocopter deal would be tabled in Parliament “in two or three days”.

How can Azmi’s interpretation of “two or three days” be so elastic as to stretch to three weeks, and there are still no signs of the PAC report on its inquiry into the Eurocopter deal although it is now close to 50 days since Azmi first made the public announcement that the PAC would investigate into three scandals which had shook Parliament and the country – the Eurocopter helicopter, Bank International Indonesia (BII) and the high speed broadband (HSBB) deals?

I had intended to table a motion to debate the PAC report on its inquiry into the Eurocopter deal with Parliament having to make the final decision whether to accept or reject the PAC report and recommendations, but this PAC report must be tabled in Parliament latest by Wednesday, 3rd December 2008 so that I could give the necessary 14-day notice required for a motion to be debated on the last parliamentary sitting of the current budget meeting on December 18.

It is useless for Azmi to table the PAC report on the Eurocopter inquiry after December 3 because it would not be possible for MPs to give the requisite notice to debate it as a specific motion. Continue reading “Still no PAC report on Eurocopter inquiry – will Azmi emulate Indian Home Minister and resign?”

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Natives Land Grabbed Systematically By Land Pirates Of Sarawak

Letters
By Pribumi Sarawak

YB Lim Kit Siang,

In Sarawak NCR lands are ignored and not respected, in the name of politics of development, which will make the rich richer and the poor natives poorer. The big developments are owned by shareholders who are already rich and Taib Mahmud’s cronies with the revenues / profits are shared among these few shareholders.

Their politics of development is to enrich themselves, self interest and great greed. Now they have deforested the Rajang forests – no more timber to harvest, so they go for native lands whether Temuda, Pemakai menoa, Pulau etc, they simply don’t care.

Taib is nearing his term now and in process to create a dynasty in Sarawak. His son will take over PBB, become chairman & thereafter CM of Sarawak. For the transition period, he may place his YB brother to take over. The manipulations, self-interest & greed will continue. The village people in Sarawak, most of them having no formal education will still vote for Taib coz support from rural areas with cash in election time will be on-going. Taib is great manipulator & having vast cronies here. Continue reading “Natives Land Grabbed Systematically By Land Pirates Of Sarawak”

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The biggest obstacle to Malay progress…

Letters
by Allan C

I am a Chinese Malaysian male with diverse groups of friends – Tamils, Malayalees, Sikhs, Jaffna Tamils, whites, Eurasians, and Babas and Nyonyas.

The problem is I have very few Malay friends.

Umno tells them I am a threat to them..

Umno tells them I am undeserving of equal rights.

They might even believe it, and since I don’t want to think any less of them, I prefer to keep my own counsel.

Generally I don’t talk much about anything important with Malays, and certainly not about politics.

I think meaningful friendships between Malays and non-Malays are becoming rare in Malaysian society.

There is not enough dialogue between Malays and non-Malays at the ground level. Umno speaks from both sides of its mouth – telling the Malays the non-Malays are a threat to them, and then turning round to tell the non-Malays that their rights will be protected.

At other times it may say the reverse, the key denominator being what it needs to say to win votes at the time, and the ethnic composition of the audience. After 51 years of Umno’s divide and rule, it is no wonder that race relations are a joke.

With Biro Tata Negara, Khir Toyo and Ahmad Ismail to lead the way, only a fool will think Umno wants good race relations. Umno leaders wants good race relations only when it will keep them in power. Power and money are the real motivations for Umno’s political leaders.

After the twisted judicial treatments and twisted sentences meted out to the likes of Lim Guan Eng, Anwar Ibrahim, Teresa Kok and Raja Petra Kamaruddin, I think we can safely rule out any semblance of a sense of right and wrong and common decency as a meaningful guide to Umno’s decisions. Continue reading “The biggest obstacle to Malay progress…”

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RMK9 – Does It Benefit The Orang Asli?

This is my exchange in Parliament with the Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Tan Sri Muhamad Muhamad Taib on the plight of the Orang Asli in Malaysia 51 years after Merdeka during the 2009 Budget debate in early November.

The only way to end the decades-long neglect of the Orang Asli community in Malaysia is to mainstream the problems of Orang Asli and the following letter is a welcome beginning for such a mainstreaming process.
Continue reading “RMK9 – Does It Benefit The Orang Asli?”

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Mat Sabu’s return to Parliament – DAP to give full support

The news of the sudden death of Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail just now is most shocking and I would like to convey to his family my deepest condolences for the loss of a sober-minded and even-handed Malaysian.

Razali had always impressed me with his rationality as he is a rare Umno MP who is not only well-read and very passionate about education and life-long learning but would have no truck with ultra sentiments and unparliamentary antics and outbursts.

There is going to be a major by-election with the vacancy arising from the death of Razali.

DAP will go all out to work for Mat Sabu’s return to Parliament, as the PAS National Vice President lost narrowly to Razali in the 2008 general election in the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary constituency by a razor-edge 628 votes.

Razali secured 32,562 votes, Sabu 31,934 votes while independent candidate Maimun Yusuf polled 685 votes.

(Speech2 at the DAP Penang 13,000-People Victory Dinner at Han Chiang School on Friday, 28th November 2008)

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RM 10-salary cut motion against IGP Musa Hassan

I find the complacent attitude of the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan in his speech in Penang yesterday claiming that “Malaysia is still a safe place”, coming on the heels of the recent remark by the Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung that the worsening crime in the country was a “misperception” of the people, most irresponsible, deplorable and unacceptable.

It makes a mockery of the Police Royal Commission set up five years ago by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service to keep crime low.

I have just returned from Xiamen where “a safe city” was one of its best-selling assets. During my first night in Xiamen, I was struck by the confident assurance given by the local guide that visitors can go about the town at night as it is very safe from crime.

This selling point was again highlighted in my short visit to Gulang Islet, the scenic and alluring tourist isle with a small population of over 10,000 people but which attracts more than four million tourists a year. Visitors were assured that crime against tourists was virtually unheard-of on the island!

My disgust at the IGP’s complacent and irresponsible attitude about galloping crime in the country is all the more pronounced after my visit to Xiamen and Gulangyi. Continue reading “RM 10-salary cut motion against IGP Musa Hassan”

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Tajudin’s gutter, racist and sexist language in Parliament

Pakatan Rakyat MPs will have to decide whether to collectively move a motion of censure against the Chair if Opposition MPs are constantly subject to trigger-happy suspensions from the House while recalcitrant and renegade Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs are allowed with impunity to disgrace Parliament with gutter, racist and sexist language, again and again, with ever-increasing offence.

The kid-glove treatment of the obstreperous and obnoxious BN MP for Pasir Salak, Datuk Tajudin Rahman on Wednesday, when he scored a disgraceful and dishonourable hatrick of hurling the racist remark of “keling” against DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran, the gutter language of “boil” (dumb) against PKR MP for Gombak, Azmin Ali and the revolting sexist innuendo (see video above) during the debate on DAP Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching’s motion to cut the Education Minister’s salary by RM10 for failing to meet his promises on Chinese and Tamil primary schools, qualifies as the “black mark” of all “black marks” of Parliament.

Tajudin’s disgraceful “hatrick” is all the more outrageous and unforgivable after his November 5 “blot” in using the completely unacceptable and unparliamentary language of “bastard” and “bloody bastard” which he got away with utter impunity – not having to tender any apology or suffer any penalty.
Continue reading “Tajudin’s gutter, racist and sexist language in Parliament”

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A Fatwa Against Yoga? And How Would This Reflect on Muslims?

By Farish A. Noor

Since I became an activist at the age of nineteen, I have spent more than two decades of my life defending Muslims and the image of Islam. During my twenty-two years of living in Europe, I must have attended hundreds of conferences, seminars, public debates and lectures where I tried my best to dissuade people from the negative image of Islam that is so prevalent in the international media of late.

But there were moments when it seemed as if this was an uphill struggle where every battle won was soon followed by a string of defeats, thanks to the actions of Muslims who took it upon themselves to ‘defend Islam’ on their own parochial and short-sighted terms; and whose actions and words did untold damage to the image of Muslims. I recall one particularly bitter episode when I was asked to speak about the universalism of Islam – that took place just when the Taliban were occupied with the task of blowing up the Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan. It seemed pointless to continue then, and despair has been my lot for the past few years.

Now I find myself again in such a situation, after it was announced that the Fatwa Council of Malaysia has just issued a fatwa declaring that the practice of Yoga is haram and thus forbidden to Muslims. Overnight I was bombarded by emails and sms-es from my Islamist friends in Indonesia where I teach at two Islamic universities, who asked: “What is wrong with you Malaysian Muslims, and haven’t you got anything better to do?” How do I reply to such a question when I am forced to ask it myself? Continue reading “A Fatwa Against Yoga? And How Would This Reflect on Muslims?”

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When can we say the same to tourists in Malaysia?

What struck me most in my first night of visit to Xiamen, Fujian is the confident assurance given by the local guide that visitors can go about the town at night as it is very safe from crime.

When can we say the same to tourists in Malaysia?

Dare we tell the same thing to visitors in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Penang or even in the main towns in the country?

Unfortunately, there is no sense of shame or failure whether among the Home Minister, the Deputy Minister or the Inspector-General of Police at the galloping crime index in the country in the past five years of Abdullah premiership that it is even being criticised by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad when Abdullah had started his administration trying to demonstrate the big difference with his predecessor by establishing a Royal Police Commission to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional and world-class police service to keep crime low. Continue reading “When can we say the same to tourists in Malaysia?”

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A reply to Benjamin (2)

BY R

While I agree with Benjamin in general, I have some points to add:

Quote from Benjamin:

“Therefore, to change the fate of our nation is to change the mentality of the Malays. This is the ONLY solution!”

I think this is off course, because out there, there would be Malays (like an independant MP and some Bukit Bendera UMNO members) who would talk about resolving the problem by changing the mentality of the Chinese and Indians. Some of these articles talk about assimilation, for example.

This problem could only be resolved by dissolving ethno-centrism and moving towards a true “Malaysian Malaysia”, not a “Malay, Chinese and Indian Malaysia”. The change has to be in the mindsets of every Malaysian, regardless of race or religion.

For e.g. every Malaysian of any background should care about the condition of every other Malaysian who is poor and in true need of help, in order to compete in a level playing ground. This way, those who are disadvantaged, will not try to isolate themselves into a group that is fighting for their own rights, and caring for no one else, or worse, pretending to care for others in front of the camera. This doesn’t just apply to races, but also any disadvantaged group e.g. the disabled, single parents etc. Continue reading “A reply to Benjamin (2)”

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A reply to Benjamin

BY Eddy

Dear Benjamin,

Thank you for forwarding this email of yours.

Although there is no doubt that my sympathies lie with the DAP. I need to clarify that I am not, and was never a member of any political party. I did once toy with the idea of signing up, but that was about as far as my political ambitions went. Nevertheless, I never stopped admiring Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang and his son, Guan Eng given their courage, honesty, selflessness, sacrifice and tenacity

The arguments contained in your email are persuasive and interesting. To be fair to DAP though, I think the party has already embarked on the very path that you are advocating. After all these years, I believe they are quite aware of the political landscape.

With the benefit of hindsight, I think Kit Siang – more idealistic than politically savvy at that time – overstretched himself in wooing the Malay votes. He paid a high price and almost led his party to the wilderness after attempting to forge a united front with PAS during the 1999 general election. Ideologically, the two parties were much too far apart. The unholy alliance merely served to rouse the fear and distrust of DAP traditional supporters. Besides, floating Chinese voters throughout the country deserted DAP in droves during the subsequent election, and the party was badly trounced.

From my personal observation of the recent general election, I think the DAP have finally got it right this time. The party stalwarts made a very wise (and strategically correct) move in throwing its full support behind Anwar Ibrahim’s Keadilan. Despite their bad experience with PAS, they still managed to convince members to once again put away personal and party’s interests to form a united opposition front with Keadilan and PAS. To achieve that, I believe the DAP made significant electoral concessions (far more than PAS was prepared to give in return). I would therefore be surprised if anyone would accuse DAP for lack of trying. Continue reading “A reply to Benjamin”

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An Open Letter to all DAP Leaders and Members

By Mr. Loi Bih Siang Benjamin
Political Scientist

The majority of the Malays support UMNO; and UMNO has plundered and mis-managed the wealth of this country with impunity. Therefore, to change the fate of our nation is to change the mentality of the Malays. This is the ONLY solution!

Without doubt, DAP has struggled and fought fearlessly and tirelessly over the past 4 decades aspiring to build a democratic and progressive Malaysia regardless of race and religion. However, I can only conclude that over the past 4 decades, DAP has completely failed to fight against the UMNO hegemony in the country.

DAP had never prepared itself to be the alternative of BN until 08 March 2008. And we have to acknowledge that DAP had been dragged and manipulated by UMNO to become or at least seen to become a Chinese-Chauvinist political party. The fact is that without PAS or Anwar Ibrahim, DAP will NEVER be able to engage the Malay electorate. The leadership of DAP has long been luxuriating in being recognized as the ‘Chinese Hero’ or ‘Non-Muslims’Rights Defender’.

Since DAP’s inception in 1966, the Party has failed to recognize the basic and simple fact that it is the Malays who decide the sort of leaders they want and they have voted UMNO in for 12 consecutive General Elections. Continue reading “An Open Letter to all DAP Leaders and Members”

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Irene’s triumph after 13-year ordeal – two measures to give full meaning

Irene Fernandez has finally triumphed and been vindicated after a 13-year ordeal with the Sword of Damocles of a disenfranchising prison sentence hanging over her head for doing her duty to uphold truth and justice – the publication of the memorandum “Abuse, Torture and Dehumanised Conditions of Migrant Workers in Detention Centres” in 1995.

I had highlighted Irene’s expose of the torture, ill-treatment and deaths in the immigrant detention centres.

Instead of thanking her for revealing the truth of the shocking conditions in the detention centres, Irene was arrested and prosecuted under Section 8A (1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for publishing “false news”.

Irene’s acquittal is not the result of any change of heart or reformist impulse in the system of justice, whether involving the Attorney-General’s Chambers or the judiciary, but because of sheer incompetence and ineptitude in the system of justice after a grave miscarriage of justice in the charging of Irene 13 years ago. Continue reading “Irene’s triumph after 13-year ordeal – two measures to give full meaning”

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Oil Palm industry crisis – urgent remedial measures needed

The Federal, Sabah and Sarawak state governments should immediately implement urgent and effective measures to help oil palm smallholders and industry hard hit by the two-thirds plunge in palm oil prices since March.

The price of crude palm oil (CPO) fell two-thirds from a March high of RM4,486 per tonne to current levels of about RM1,455 per tonne, creating a grave crisis for the oil palm industry.

On the one hand, oil palm fruits are being left to rot as mills are refusing to buy the fruits because of palm oil’s plunging price.

On the other hand, exporters are in a quandary as the global financial crisis and the plunge in CPO prices have led to many importers to default on their contracts as well as making it difficult for foreign importers to obtain letters of credit (LCs).

This is because prices of CPO quoted in contracts or LCs were much higher than the current market price of the commodity, making foreign banks in importing countries more cautious about extending credit facilities. Continue reading “Oil Palm industry crisis – urgent remedial measures needed”

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RM50 million Pempena scandals – another 3 questions for Azalina

Yesterday, I posed three questions on the RM50 million Pempena Group of Companies scandals for the Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman to answer in Parliament this week during the 2008 Budget committee stage debate on her Ministry since the non-functioning Pempena Executive Chairman Datuk Paduka Chew Mei Fun has clamped up and refused to accept accountability.

Today, I am posing another three questions, giving her adequate notice to prepare for a full and adequate accounting in Parliament to show that as Minister for Tourism, she is fully aware of her responsibilities to live up to the principles of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance although there are “Little Napoleons” in the Pempena Group of Companies who behave as if public funds are their private property which they need not account to anyone.

These additional three questions are:

Question No. 4 – Did she as Tourism Minister receive a request dated 15th October 2008 made jointly by the Pempena Executive Chairman Datuk Paduka Chew Mei Fun and the Pempena Chief Executive Officer Datuk Idrus Mohd for a RM5 million injection to keep Pempena afloat, although Chew had publicly denied that there was any such application. What is the Tourism Ministry’s position on the latest appeal by Pampena for an annual RM5 million life-line capital injection for the next two years to ensure Pempena’s continuous viability? Continue reading “RM50 million Pempena scandals – another 3 questions for Azalina”