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What a shame — ignominous setback instead of historic 50th Merdeka breakthrough!

What a shame indeed! It should have been a major breakthrough for Malaysia giving special meaning to the 50th Merdeka anniversary but it has turned out to be an ignominous setback.

It would have been the first occasions all religions in Malaysia coming together in recent times to unite on common ground and speak on the human rights to water.

Even more significant, this one-day event entitled “United for Water: Religions Speak on the Rights to Water” is to be held at the Conference Centre of the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, to be attended by some 200 people representing NGOs, civil society, religious groups and residents’ associations.

This program to bring together various religions in Malaysia to deliberate religious views on the human rights to water, with specific reference to the United Nations’ General Comment No. 15, seeks also to raise awareness among Malaysians to conserve water and respect and protect the human rights to water as a key responsibility.

But it was not to be. Although the National Mosque authorities were ever-ready to make available their Conference Centre for the path-breaking event, the police had scuttled the programme on the ground that there could be a protest demonstration. Continue reading “What a shame — ignominous setback instead of historic 50th Merdeka breakthrough!”

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Is Tsu Koon, new leader of Gerakan, “conscience of BN”, prepared to back Bernard Dompok?

The honest, principled and courageous statement by the UPKO President and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok yesterday that Malaysia is not an Islamic state was completely blacked out by the mainstream media, both printed and electronic.

This is the first time that an important pronouncement of a Cabinet Minister on a grave and fundamental national issue had been blacked out by the mainstream media.

It happened on the fourth year of the Abdullah premiership which had promised greater openness, respect for diversity of views and preparedness to listen to the truth from the people, however unpleasant. Such a “blackout” never happened in the 22 years of the previous Mahathir administration.

What does this foretell about the future of Malaysia in terms of freedom of expression, free press, human rights and democracy after the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations, especially after the 12th general election?

One can disagree with Bernard Dompok but why should his statement be blacked out when it is to correct growing misperceptions, both historically and constitutionally, that Malaysia is an Islamic state when the fundamental nation-building principle going back to the Merdeka social contract 50 years ago and the Malaysia Agreement 44 years ago was that Malaysia shall be a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state.

Has Malaysia reached a stage where through sheer majority rule and administrative fiat, the Constitution can be revised without any parliamentary amendment and fundamental rights subverted without any legal basis — like the ban on mainstream discussion of the 50-year nation-building principle for a secular Malaysia with Islam as official religion and not an Islamic state.
Continue reading “Is Tsu Koon, new leader of Gerakan, “conscience of BN”, prepared to back Bernard Dompok?”

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2nd series of public hearings of PSCI – Malaysians can pass judgment on “All-Clean Verdicts”

It is a strange phenomenon. With the “All-Clean Verdict” pronounced by the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail for the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Johari Baharum and the former Anti-Corruption Agency Director-General, Datuk Zulkipli Mat Noor, the country should be suffused by the aroma of cleanliness and integrity that three top officers of the land accused of corruption have been proved clean and pure.

The perfume of cleanliness and integrity from the “All-Clean Verdict” should be blowing all over the country and be the high-water mark of the Abdullah premiership which had started some four years ago with the promise to make eradication of corruption and the promotion of integrity its top priority — especially as it has nothing else to show on this score, after the escape of the 18 “big fishes” into the South China Sea.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. More questions have been raised instead about national integrity confined not just to the independence, professionalism and credibility of the “All-Clean Verdicts” and their investigations, but the very independence, impartiality and professionalism of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the police.

This is why in the first week of Parliament beginning on August 27, I will be asking the Prime Minister to explain why the Attorney-General’s “All-Clean Verdict” for Musa, Johari and Zulkipli on corruption allegations have raised more questions about the government’s commitment to “zero tolerance for corruption” and whether he will introduce legislation to have an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and an independent ACA.

The Malaysian public will have an opportunity to give their views about this strange phenomenon as well as to pass judgment on the National Integrity Plan in the second series of public hearings of Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity in four states this month, viz

Johor Baru – August 8 – 10 am
(Bilik Gerakan Tun Razak, Dewan Undangan Negeri Johor, Johor Bharu)

Malacca – August 9 – 10 am
(Bilik Gerakan Tun Mutahir, Dewan Undangan Negeri Melaka, Melaka)

Ipoh – August 15 – 10 am
(Bilik Gerakan Negeri, Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak, Ipoh)

Alor Setar – August 16 – 10 am
(Bilik Gerakan Dewan Undangan Negeri Kedah, Alor Setar, Kedah)
Continue reading “2nd series of public hearings of PSCI – Malaysians can pass judgment on “All-Clean Verdicts””

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Health care proposals by Karl Karol

by YELVERTON

And what of Karl Karol, appointed by the EPU and MOH, to provide healthcare changes to a much vagaried population here in Malaysia not to mention health care staff. Well, they appeared to have zeroed in onto a few points and appear to be here to rubber stamp proposals by the same officials from the MOH who put us into our predicament in the first place. Government hospitals are today seen as giant, and on quite a few occasions, crumbling mortuaries with babies getting mixed up, dengue patients dying days later with no treatment, specialists who cannot string a proper sentence in English and of course now the home of the infamous petrolless ambulances.

KARL KAROL’S FINDINGS

1. Health care funding must come from the public’s purse and not taxes.

Meaning why in God’s name are we paying taxes for then? Our education system is in the gutter. Already our graduates have been made debtors for life and Mustapha has even taken it a step further by revoking their civil liberties by taking away their passports after, of course, humiliating them, their family, relatives and friends by splashing their names in our papers about their misdeeds of not paying up their PTPN loans although they may be unemployed. Our air force copters keep crashing. We pay tolls for our roads. And our soccer team doesn’t need our money because I am sure most Malaysians will now agree we ought not to have one. So why do you need our taxes. Oh OK. Inflation, etc, etc… .so whatever we are paying is just to “top-up” the short fall.

2. All government hospitals are to be corporatised for greater efficiency.

This sounds fair enough. Only problem is will the hospitals, just like MAS, Telekom and TNB supposed to continue employing deadwood or can we VSS them and will the government pay them off. And worse still as in MAS and PROTON, will the government continue with its lingering interference by placing retired Pengarahs to sit in as directors of these newly independent hospital boards complete with golf memberships, first class travel and holidays abroad? Will politicians walk in and scream “Saya tak mau bayar bill”. Continue reading “Health care proposals by Karl Karol”

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DBKL high-handed policy

by “Angry Housing Developer”

What I am going to relate did happened and if you are doubtful you may check with other developers from the Klang valley who were called to attend a meeting at DBKL on 31st July 2007.

The meeting was for the purpose of releasing the overdue bumiputra quotas of houses which had remained unsold after having complied more than once the stipulated conditions of DBKL.

All the developers who attended the meeting had already complied with the conditions of publishing in the major newspapers for sale of bumiputra units and in addition we were told to book a space in Mid Valley or a designated place for further campaign to sell the bumi units.

The above exercise does not come cheap. Advertising space in the major papers and rental of space at Mid Valley cost us close to RM20,000. Can you imagine our frustration when we were told to repeat the whole exercise when we could not sell the bumi units.

In exasperation I told the DBKL officials that even if we were to give 20% discount to the Malays they would not buy our houses because it was located in Salak South, Sg Besi, an exclusive middle class enclave of the urban Chinese. Nearby there is a market selling pork and a Chinese school. Also in the vicinity is a food court selling non halal food. So would any Malays want to buy them? No said the official, “You have to advertise in the papers again and do the campaign at Mid Valley again” without any compromise.

We are a small housing developer and the total units built was 40 and the bumi allocation was 12. At RM420,000 per unit an amount close to RM5 million was tied down to the project. No wonder alot of small companies were forced to abandon their projects. We had complied with all the stipulated conditions and now after more than a year of waiting DBKL still did not want to release the units to be sold to non bumis. Continue reading “DBKL high-handed policy”

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The ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid!’ Minister

by Martin Jalleh
(3 Aug 2007)

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s (PM’s) Department, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, is living proof that it does not require much intelligence to be a Minister in Bolehland. Before one can be a Cabinet Minister one has to be a Member of Parliament (MP) of a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) — and this too is peanuts (nothing to do with monkeys, surely). One only needs to be spineless, silly, sexist and of course ‘stupid’.

Nazri has also very successfully shown by his trademark threats and theatrics, why he deserves the role of the Minister overseeing parliamentary affairs. When intelligent debate and delivery is demanded of him, he would choose to dish out a diatribe of great distinction.

Bark & Bull

Following the detention of blogger and PKR webmaster Nathaniel Tan on July 13 for an investigation under the Official Secrets Act, and a high-level police report lodged by UMNO against the web portal Malaysia Today, Nazri warned (Bernama, 24.07.07):

‘The government will not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 121b of the Penal Code against bloggers (who make ‘disparaging statements’). The government has exercised restraint in the matter for a long time and the time has come for it to act according to those laws.’

The government (read as ‘UMNO’) is desperate. For so long it has succeeded in dominating and dictating the thinking of the citizens of Bolehland. The age of information technology has changed this, but the nation’s political dinosaurs still living in an ice age refuse to budge but prefer to bark and bull with the same old tone, tune and threats.

Nazri accuses bloggers of making ‘disparaging statements’ — yet he comes from a party tainted with a culture of political assassinations, poison pen letters and provocative religious statements and racial slurs and stunts. He threatens bloggers with a slew of repressive laws — whilst inferring there is greater freedom now in comparison to the previous regime of the ‘lack of freedom and some dictatorial tendencies’ (NST, 20.09.06).

Nazri should give ear to the wisdom of woman activist Zainah Anwar (NST, 27.07.07): ‘I wish our political leaders and government servants would wake up to living in the information age. There has been a seismic transformation in how people receive information and form opinions. Those with formal authority are no longer the authorities in the age of information technology. The government can no longer maintain control over what people read, hear, watch, let alone think.

‘Mainstream journalists are no longer the gatekeepers over what the public knows. The ability of technology to cause change is much faster than the ability of government to control change… The big losers in this age are those who hold traditional power.’ Continue reading “The ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid!’ Minister”

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Malaysia not Islamic state – Bernard Dompok commended, which BN Minister next who dare to speak the truth?

I congratulate Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, UPKO President and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, for his honesty, courage and conviction in speaking the truth today that Malaysia is not an Islamic state.

On the occasion of the nation’s 50th Merdeka anniversary (but 44 years of the Malaysian Federation for Sabah and Sarawak), Bernard has made Sabahans and all Malaysians proud.

At the launch of ‘The Merdeka Statement’ by the Centre for Public Policy Studies in Kuala Lumpur, Bernard said the nation’s founders did not have in mind an Islamic state when the Federation of Malaysia was formed in 1963.

He said: “I think my colleagues in the government will forgive me for saying that I will not agree that we are an Islamic state.”

Bernard is right. That Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state was one of the fundamental principles of nation-building in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 for the establishment of Malaysia with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, which left the federation two years later in 1965.

What is most shocking is that for past six years, no Sabah or Sarawak leader, whether Minister or Deputy Minister, whether at the national or state level, had come forward to state such a simple historical truth.

Bernard must be commended for being the first Minister from Sabah and Sarawak with the political principle, conviction and integrity to speak up to defend and uphold the fundamental principle of nation-building in the establishment of Malaysia. The question is which next Minister or Deputy Minister, whether at national or state level, Sabah or Sarawak, will now emulate Bernard to speak and defend the truth. From PBS in Sabah or SUPP in Sarawak?

This crucial issue concerns not just Sabah and Sarawak but the whole Malaysian nation — for the fundamental principle that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state was not only the crux of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 but also of the Merdeka social contract leading to the attainment of national independence 50 years ago. Continue reading “Malaysia not Islamic state – Bernard Dompok commended, which BN Minister next who dare to speak the truth?”

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Should Malaysia’s RM11 billion health service be privatized?

Should Malaysia RM11 billion health service be privatized

by YELVERTON

And so the Aussies have ventured to set right our stone-aged health care system to see if we can kill less people. Looks like Malaysians cannot do anything right for themselves these days. Certainly any proposal has to be better then anything our clueless Ministry of Health officials can come up with but unfortunately the Aussies have failed to emphasize on one main factor… who holds the money? And is the MOH, currently so inefficient that ambulances run out of petrol midway to an accident scene, willing to take their fingers off the pies of equipment purchases, bloated IT budgets and crumbling hospital buildings.

When Thatcher ruled and decided the NHS needs new directions she became hopelessly unpopular to the glee of Labour. But Blair didn’t do a good job either. He stuffed down doctor’s throats MMC’s (Modernizing Medical Careers) without their consent not unlike Malaysia’s notorious Private Healthcare, Facilities and Services Act immediately alienating doctors provoking them to march in mass protests in London and Glasgow in March this year. This was followed by the resignations of Professor Alan Crockard as national director of Modernizing Medical Careers, Alex Liakos as adviser to the MMC and Professor Shelley Heard as MMC National Clinical Advisor prompting the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to apologize both in public and parliament.

The BMA (British Medical Association) unlike our muted MMA (Malaysian Medical Association) rightly pointed out that apologies were not enough as the entire training system has been put into jeopardy as changes have clearly not been thought through, throwing the futures of doctors and consequently healthcare into disarray. Till this day if you walk into any NHS hospital you will find notices advising doctors not to cooperate in the MMC. This move has also seen British doctors flying off to Australia and New Zealand for a “better rounded training”. Clearly Labour had forgotten the guile of Aneurin Bevan, the Guru who was instrumental in the successful initial implementation of the NHS. Continue reading “Should Malaysia’s RM11 billion health service be privatized?”

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Wanted – White Paper on “All-Clean Verdict” for Musa, Zulkipli and Johari

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should present a White Paper giving a full report exonerating the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Seri Johari Baharum, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor as the first step of the government’s national integrity policy of “zero tolerance for corruption”.

Although Abdullah expressed relief on Saturday that both Musa and Zulkipli had been cleared of corruption by the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, he also made two remarks which were not in keeping with his pledge to lead a clean, incorruptible, open, accountable and transparent administration, viz:

  • That these corruption allegations should no longer be debated following the closure of investigations by the Attorney-General;
  • His retort when pressed for details of the investigation reports: “Don’t ask me about the contents of the investigations. That is not my job.”

As Prime Minister, Abdullah should realize that the final responsibility of a clean and incorruptible administration rests with him and not with the Attorney-General, and he has the duty and responsibility to satisfy himself about the integrity and incorruptibility of Musa and Zulkipli in view of the critically important posts they were entrusted with.

Gani has ordered the ACA to close their investigations into Musa and Zulkipli. Was this at Gani’s own behest or was it on the directive of the Prime Minister, who would have been informed beforehand that the Attorney-General would be publicly clearing Musa and Zulkipli of corruption. Continue reading “Wanted – White Paper on “All-Clean Verdict” for Musa, Zulkipli and Johari”

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50 Years of Merdeka – rumblings, rantings, reflections

This 50years independent of my country Malaysia …
by Nizam Mashar

What else should we expect from this country of ours …
50 years of independent, even 50 years of independent,
when a child sees frogs and birds as monsters,
and McD, Big Bird Sessame, Sinchan and Barbie as their friends and buddy,

when man and women, “car”ing while the hens are sleeping and back when the owl had rest,
for the dime, dollars, cent, ringgit and rupiah,
and more more more more,
for what ever cost; friends, family, corruption, nepotisme, oppression
… are another bussiness plan of the day,

when the academia, write and research, -for the sake of the world NOOOOOOOOT,
its for the three little word,
read me PhD, spell me PhD, write me PhD,
and the glitters that comes with it,
the benefit of my studies are for the TNCs whose paying me,
or the government who spend money to put me unreadable thesis in the library,
what farmers? what fishermans? what people? … they are no scholars who intellectually capable to pronounce PhD.

When business maintain…
Business as Usual…
The word “sustainable development” can always be put anywhere in the “EMP” (“environmental managment plan”),
The independent scientist in our payroll; says them; can always put the label on our containers saying “Safe and Healthy ” with enriched vitamin C,
and of course nothing to worry …
As the man, woman, tua, muda, child, youth, have been cast the make believe spell of our Advert Mania and “Macam-macam ada”

when the sivil servant is read as political servant,
which eat, drink and what ever had been “aku janji”,
and the fear of demotion, salary cut, transfer, ISA, AUKU, and macam-macam lagi,
is far ever important than the nation, the people and their least dignity
… if ever they still have one … Continue reading “50 Years of Merdeka – rumblings, rantings, reflections”

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Open Invitation to Malaysians – August 10 Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm 50-year nation-building principle that Malaysia a secular state with Islam as official religion

I have today sent invitation to political parties, professional, civic, religious and human rights organizations and MPs to a Parliamentary Roundtable on Friday 10th August 2007 in Parliament at 10 am to reaffirm the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement on the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary the fundamental nation-building principle that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state.

I am also issuing an Open Invitation to all Malaysian organisations and citizens to the Parliamentary Roundtable as follows:

Dear Malaysian,

OPEN INVITATION to Parliamentary Roundtable on Friday 10th August 2007 to reaffirm Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement on the occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as official religion and not an Islamic state
_______________________________________

When Malaya achieved independence in 1957 and Malaysia was formed six years later in 1963, a national social compact was reached that the nation shall be a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State.

The Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state was given expression in the Federal Constitution, articulated by the founding fathers of the nation including the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein and given full recognition by the highest court in the land.

For over four decades, there was national consensus of the secular character of Malaysian nation-building which was only disrupted in the past six years, raising questions about the national commitment to protect and sustain this fundamental cornerstone of Malaysian nation-building.

A Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement that the nation is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state is being convened in Parliament on Friday, 10th August 2007 at 10 am. (Bilik Taklimat)

This is to send out a clear and unequivocal message on the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary of the nation in 2007 that the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state must continue to be the bedrock of the Malaysian nation-building process. Continue reading “Open Invitation to Malaysians – August 10 Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm 50-year nation-building principle that Malaysia a secular state with Islam as official religion”

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Welcome Jeff Ooi to DAP – let it be a catalyst for more bloggers to take political stand

Welcome Jeff Ooi to DAP

Welcome, Jeff Ooi, Malaysia’s pre-eminent blogger to DAP and Malaysian politics!

Jeff has created waves in the Malaysian blogosphere. We await a tsunami from him in the political arena.

Jeff’s statement of the reasons for joining the DAP is an eloquent expression of patriotism of a Malaysian, illustrating that patriotism is an integral part of all Malaysians and not the monopoly only of those who hold office or high positions. This makes the 50th Merdeka anniversary particularly significant.

Recently, one political upstart said:

“It is the law of the jungle and we need to take action against one ‘monkey’.

“I think the other ‘monkeys’ will also get scared.

“They are not above the law.”

This upstart was referring to Malaysian blogs. Apart from his loyal following, he will not find much agreement from bloggers.

It is regrettable to see the use of such derogatory language and the debasement in the standard of public discourse.

Many however will agree if his description is applied to public and political life, especially with regard to corruption, crime and public accountability and transparency where the rule of law appears to have been replaced by the law of the jungle.

There will also be considerable agreement as to the identity of such “monkeys” in the law of the jungle of public life and politics.

But will any action be taken against one “monkey” so that the other “monkeys” will also get scared and the country can begin to see the restoration of integrity, efficiency and effectiveness in public and political life?

I do not want to use the “monkey” language but this will be one of the challenges of Jeff Ooi, together with others in the political arena, to fight back the creeping law of the jungle and to restore the rule of law in Malaysian political and public life. Continue reading “Welcome Jeff Ooi to DAP – let it be a catalyst for more bloggers to take political stand”

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Another brutal crime in Ipoh

Another brutal crime in Ipoh — 22-year-old hairstylist whose semi-naked body was found sprawled at her salon in Taman Perpaduan, Tambun, Ipoh on Friday.

Sunday Star yesterday reported:

The body of Ooi Choo Lee was discovered by her father Ooi Ah Hee, 57, when he went to check on her after she repeatedly failed to answer his phone calls.

Choo Lee was found sprawled in the toilet of the shop at about 4am yesterday.

She had apparently been strangled and was believed to have been raped.

Ah Hee said he had rushed from Sungkai, about 120km away, where he worked, to check on Choo Lee.

“I thought she was at the supermarket when she didn’t answer the first time at 8pm (Thursday).

“But when there was still no answer much later, I decided to go to Ipoh.

“She had always been told to keep her phone turned on,” he told reporters at the Ipoh Hospital mortuary here.

Choo Lee was from Sungai Petani who moved to Ipoh two years ago.

Only last week, a teenager was kidnapped, robbed and raped in Ipoh by two parang-wielding men when she went to a 24-hour clinic at 2 am for treatment. Continue reading “Another brutal crime in Ipoh”

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Is Abdullah strictly liable for seditious postings on PMO website?

“Watch your blogs, warns PM” was the headline of Sunday Star on the warning by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Kuantan on Saturday that bloggers are not immune from the law, whether their websites are hosted overseas or otherwise.

Does this warning apply to the Prime Minister himself, in view of disclosures on the blogosphere that the Prime Minister’s official website had hosted a very incendiary and seditious article inciting racial hatred, ill-will and animosity among the Malays and Chinese in the country?

This article, written in Bahasa Malaysia and purported to be by one “DR. NG SENG”, clearly an “agent provocateur” camouflaging as a Chinese, had been on the Prime Minister’s Office website for more than 20 months since Nov. 14, 2005 on the “ucapan takziah” for the late Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood archive.

Blogger Ronnie Liu will be lodging a police report on the seditious and inflammatory “DR. NG SENG” article today.

Although the seditious article, together with the entire “ucapan takziah” archive, has been removed from the Prime Minister’s Office website this morning, the fact remains that the seditious article had been publicly available on the website for over 20 months and a grave crime had been perpetrated.

Who must be held responsible for the seditious article on the official website of the Prime Minister?

Is Abdullah strictly liable for seditious postings on the Prime Minister’s Office website to the extent that he could be charged and tried for sedition?

This would appear to be the implication from the comments of Abdullah, who appears to be declaring the principle of strict liability for bloggers and website principals. Is this the position of the Prime Minister and the government?

Will the Police haul up Abdullah to record a statement following Ronnie’s police report? I am not suggesting that Abdullah should be arrested, charged and tried in court for the seditious “DR. NG SENG” article on the website of the Prime Minister’s Office, although these would be the logical results if under the law there is the principle of strict liability for the seditious materials which are posted on the official website of the Prime Minister’s Office. Continue reading “Is Abdullah strictly liable for seditious postings on PMO website?”

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Parliamentary Roundtable – reaffirm Malaysia a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State

A Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State will be held in Parliament on Friday, August 10, 2007 at 10 am.

All political parties, professional and civic organizations, NGOs and NGIs are invited to the parliamentary roundtable to give special meaning and significance to the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations.

For over four decades in the history of nation, there had been no doubt or question whatsoever, whether in Parliament, Cabinet, government or outside about the secular basis of Malaysia as spelt out by the Merdeka social contract reached by the forefathers of the major communities on the attainment of independence in 1957 and the Malaysia Agreement which brought Sabah and Sarawak into the federation in 1963.

That fundamental nation-building cornerstone of Malaysia conceived as a secular state with Islam as the official religion, is not only to be found in the constitutional documents and the highest judicial pronouncements of the land, it also represented the life-work and commitment of the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein.

However, in the past few years, the secular basis of Malaysian nation-building has come under repeated challenge.

On the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary, the time has come for all Malaysians to reclaim their national legacy and heritage by reaffirming the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State.

Or have the fundamental basis of Malaysian nation-building suffered such a serious erosion that we cannot find sufficient Malaysians, whether NGOs or NGIs, to reaffirm the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State.

Organisations, NGOs and NGIs, interested in attending the Parliamentary Roundtable, plse contact and register with Lau Weng San, 016-3231563.

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RM27m cop, RM34m cop and corruption allegations against top cops – Is IGP Musa prepared for independent inquiry?

Today’s New Straits Times report “ACA probes cop with RM27m assets” has refocused public attention on corruption in the police force and raised the question whether the Royal Police Commission’s three key recommendations that the nation should have an efficient and professional world-class police service to reduce crime, eradicate corruption and respect human rights have made any appreciable progress in the past two years.

According to the NST, a senior police officer at Bukit Aman is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for abuse of power and failing to declare RM27 million worth of assets.

It is understood that the officer is also a company director and the RM27 million fortune was amassed illegally.

The NST report said:

Sources familiar with the case said ACA officers from Putrajaya took a statement from the officer at his office yesterday.

“The officer, who is in his 50s, is a director of a company which was awarded a project in April to develop an area in Lahad Datu,” a source said.

“Several villagers voiced their opposition to the project when the company staff went to the area to do surveying work.

“The police officer allegedly ordered the villagers to be arrested,” the source added.

The ACA started its investigation following an anonymous telephone call about two weeks ago.

Malaysians are reminded of the Royal Police Commission report on police corruption:

“The public believes that police personnel are vulnerable and this encourages the public to offer bribes in order to avoid any inconvenience, legal action or paying heavier fines.”

The public are also reminded of the case of the “RM34 million” senior police officer mentioned in the Royal Police Commission Report, which said:

“A retired police officer alleged that corruption was rampant within PDRM. He claimed that many officers had assets several times over their known income. According to the complainant, it was common knowledge that a particular senior officer made an asset declaration amounting to RM34 million and he was surprised that no action was seen to have been taken.” (p. 278)

Continue reading “RM27m cop, RM34m cop and corruption allegations against top cops – Is IGP Musa prepared for independent inquiry?”

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Peer-moderated blog

This blog will adopt peer-moderation for comments. As word filters and other measures are not bombproof, on the odd occasion malicious comments can still slip through. You are invited to be the blog’s final line of defence against possible sabotage by malicious comments. If you spot a comment that you feel is inappropriate, please send an email to [email protected] pointing out which comment may be offensive. Let’s work as a team. Thanks.

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8-hr questioning of RPK – Police nothing better to do?

Totally incredible! Webmaster of popular news portal Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamaruddin questioned for eight hours by the police yesterday but not a single question about the articles that he had written and all about the comments posted on the blogs!

The question everybody is asking is: Hasn’t the Police more important things to do than to harass Raja Petra and bloggers like reducing crime and eradicating the fear of crime — or investigate Raja Petra’s detailed allegations in his many articles about power abuses and high-level corruption by political leaders and public officials?

Is the Police an independent and professional service to uphold law and order to catch criminals without fear of favour including the high-and-mighty in politics and government or is it just an instrument of the powers-that-be to carry out its dirty work to victimize and harass critics and dissent?

At a time when public confidence have been greatly shaken by the failure of the police to control crime or to eradicate the fear of crime which have spiraled out of control in the country, the spectacle of the police wasting scarce resources to harass Raja Petra and bloggers while staying scrupulously clear of showing any interest in Raja Petra’s many serious allegations of corruption in high public places is not calculated to enhance the police’s public standing or image.

Can the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Attorney-General explain why no investigation whatsoever had been launched into the myriad of corruption allegations on the Malaysia Today news portal, which would have justified the opening of scores or even hundreds of corruption files?

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Have 3 generations of Malaysians been living under a lie in the past 50 years?

When an emergency meeting of the Barisan Nasional leaders was held yesterday, the rumour mills worked overtime from speculation about the future of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to a very imminent general election even with dates about dissolution (August 2, 2007) and polling (August 17, 2007).

I did not give credence to both as the subject which I immediately thought of was the “717 Declaration” of Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak that Malaysia is an Islamic state and not and had never been a secular state, which he made on July 17, 2007.

I was reminded of the earlier “929 Declaration” by the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at the Gerakan national delegates conference on Sept. 29, 2001 that Malaysia was an Islamic state.

Although Mahathir’s unilateral, arbitrary and unconstitutional declaration received instant endorsement by two top Barisan Nasional leaders present at the function, namely Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik (then Gerakan President) and Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik (then MCA President), an emergency meeting of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council had to be convened within a week on Oct. 5, 2001 as questions were raised as to how such an abandonment of a fundamental cornerstone of Malaysian nation-building could be made without proper consultation and full mandate of the leadership and membership of all the Barisan Nasional component parties as well as the Malaysian public.

What happened yesterday was a replay of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council emergency meeting to give endorsement to the unilateral, arbitrary and unconstitutional “929 Declaration” of Mahathir — this time, to bring everyone in Barisan Nasional into line to give unquestioned support to Najib’s equally unilateral, arbitrary and unconstitutional “717 Declaration”. Continue reading “Have 3 generations of Malaysians been living under a lie in the past 50 years?”

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Malaysian Parliament now the world’s No. 1 anti-bloggers Parliament?

Less than 24 hours of an assurance by the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the government has not made a “special decision” to clamp down on bloggers, two pronouncements were made contradicting it and heralding such a clampdown.

One was made by Najib himself and the other by the “de facto” Law Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz who declared a war against bloggers in the last sitting of Senate yesterday during the winding up of the debate on the Electronic Government Activities Bill 2007.

Declaring that “The time for talk is over, now is the time to act”, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri said the government would be taking legal action against bloggers who flagrantly belittled Islam or the Yang di Pertuan Agong.

He said that apart from the three laws that could be used against the bloggers, the Internal Security Act, Sedition Act and Section 121b of the Penal Code, the government was also looking at formulating new laws allowing it to monitor and act against offending bloggers in areas not provided by these legislation.

Speaking at the Malaysian Press Institute Press Awards Night, Najib said the government was deeply troubled by the growth of “irresponsible” alternative media.

It is sad that the Senate yesterday was turned into an anti-bloggers forum marking an administration which is unable to live up to the 2004 general election pledge of an open, accountable and transparent governance.

Why was there not a single Senator yesterday to stand up to caution restraint, moderation, reason and sanity instead of allowing the blogging bashing to run full steam, with the Umno Information chief, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib who had lodged a police report against Raja Petra Kamaruddin, webmaster of the Malaysia Today news portal, singing an anti-bloggers duet with Nazri?

Has the Malaysian Parliament become the world’s No. 1 anti-bloggers Parliament?

Apart from taking action against bloggers for flagrantly belittling Islam or the Yang di Pertuan Agong, what are the other “offences” which would be regarded as fair play for the blogging clampdown? Continue reading “Malaysian Parliament now the world’s No. 1 anti-bloggers Parliament?”