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Hindu festival marked by protest in Malaysia

By Thomas Bell in Kuala Lumpur
Telegraph, UK
Last Updated: 5:13pm GMT 23/01/2008

Hindus in Malaysia mortified their flesh with hooks and spears as they delivered a protest against the government which has imprisoned their popular leaders without charge.

With elections in the multi-racial country expected within weeks, ethnic grievances pose a mounting threat to the party that has governed for all of the 50 years since independence.

The annual festival of Thaipusam is big event for Malaysia’s two million ethnic Indians, who make up 7 per cent of the population.

Devotees hang limes and pots of milk from hooks in the flesh of their backs, and pierce their faces with spears, to thank the god Murugan for good fortune or ask him to grant their wishes.

This year the festival was marked by boycotts and hunger strikes. Continue reading “Hindu festival marked by protest in Malaysia”

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DAP-PKR seats talks too slow – must be wrapped up by end-Jan as polls in 40 days

Sin Chew Daily today reported that Parliament would be dissolved on the eighth day of the Chinese New Year (i.e. 14th February 2008), with Nomination Day immediately after Chap Goh Mei (21st February) and polling on 2nd or 3rd March, 2008.

The probability of the next general election falling in the first weekend of March is very high, which would mean that a new Parliament could be elected within 40 days!

Earlier, speculation of the next general election focused primarily on March 15 or the weekend before it. However the option of March 15 for the next general election will have to be ruled out if the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is serious about his announcement in Spain last week for the First Alliance of Civilisations Annual Forum that he would be in Senegal in March to hand over the chairmanship of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). This is because the OIC Summit is fixed for March 13-14, 2008 for Dakar, Senegal.

With the 12th general election falling right smack during the Chinese New Year, all political parties, leaders and members will have very little time to celebrate Chinese New Year this year, which begins in a fortnight’s time.

I am very disappointed that there had been agonizingly little progress in the DAP-PKR talks for an electoral understanding to ensure a one-to-one contest with the Barisan Nasional, avoiding three-cornered fights which can only benefit the Barisan Nasional in the past two weeks.

Both parties had reached an electoral understanding on January 7, 2008 on the allocation of parliamentary and state assembly seats in Penang, which was announced in a joint media conference by leaders from both parties in Penang on 9th January 2008.

Leaders of both parties had hoped that the Penang agreement would act as a catalyst for the speedy conclusion of seats negotiations for all states in the country so that all energies and resources could be focused single-mindedly in cutting down the Barisan Nasional behemoth with its 91% parliamentary majority down to size in the next general election.

But this has not been the case, as precious little progress had been achieved in the other states in the past two weeks since the Penang agreement apart from Negri Sembilan.

Even for Negri Sembilan, where the state DAP and PKR announced agreement yesterday to take on the Barisan Nasional in straight fights, the announcement was only confined to the state assembly seats although agreement had earlier been reached by both state leaderships for parliamentary and state assembly contests as well. However, as a result of national PKR intervention, the announcement on DAP-PKR pact in Negri Sembilan was only confined to state assembly seats leaving the parliamentary seats unsettled.

I am particularly disappointed at the agonizingly slow progress in DAP-PKR seats negotiations for I had stuck my neck out to break the stalemate to ensure that the DAP-PKR electoral agreement for Penang was reached on January 7, although DAP was subsequently accused of compromising its position and yielding to PKR pressures.

Such accusation from Barisan Nasional parties and personalities are to be expected, but there are also PKR claims of this nature, like SMS which immediately made the rounds after the announcement of the DAP-PKR electoral understanding for Penang that it was achieved after public threats by a certain PKR leader.

Perak was meant to be the next state for an electoral agreement to be reached after Penang but the differences between the two state parties seem to be as wide as ever, with even the PKR National Vice President publicly reiterating PKR interest to contest in Ipoh Timur parliamentary seat.

I find such lack of progress most disappointing. By now, all parties should be making their final plans for the general election battle which will be over in 40 days – and not still bogged down by seats negotiations.

For instance, PKR should be helping the DAP in its plans to wrest another three parliamentary seats from the Barisan Nasional in Perak namely Bruas, Taiping and Teluk Intan instead of publicly laying claim to these and other seats which are the focus of DAP efforts in the coming general election, including Ipoh Timur.

Let me try to resolve the DAP-PKR logjam in the electoral talks in Perak. If Perak PKR leaders are so insistent in wanting to contest in Ipoh Timur, let there be an agreement where a three-cornered fight is allowed for Ipoh Timur involving DAP: and PKR provided full agreement on a one-to-one fight against the Barisan Nasional for all other parliamentary and state assembly seats is immediately reached for Perak.

There is no more time to lose. I will go one step further and call for full conclusion of the DAP-PKR talks on electoral agreement for all states by the end of January, i.e. in a week’s time.

If general election is held by the first weekend of March, there are only some 30 days left to fight the 12th general election.

Let 31st January 2008 be the deadline for the conclusion of the electoral talks between DAP and PKR. I hope both parties can reach an electoral understanding for a one-to-one contest against the Barisan Nasional in the forthcoming general election, but if we cannot reach agreement, then let this be decided and known instead of dragging it out indefinitely, which will not serve the cause of cutting the Barisan Nasional behemoth down to size in the 12th general election.

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Challenge to Sabah DCM for night-tour of Sandakan ghost-town (his 3-term constituency)

This morning I was in Sandakan where I had issued a challenge to the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah to a night-tour of Sandakan as he had disputed my statement that Sandakan is a ghost town after dusk.

I had given Tan 48 hours to respond to my challenge and if he dares to accept, we can then fix a date for a joint night-tour of Sandakan to establish whether Sandakan becomes a ghost town as soon as the sun goes down, with the local people of Sandakan deserting the town centre for the safety of their homes or to the outskirts of Sandakan from the third mile.

I am very shocked that Tan, who is a three-term State Assemblyman for Sandakan, representing Tanjung Papat, should challenge my statement that Sandakan is a ghost town after dusk – as this is not a recent phenomenon but is the sad fact about Sandakan for over two decades, covering the entire period that Tan had been elected representative for Tanjong Papat.

What did Tan do in his 15 years as Sabah State Assemblyman for the area, with two terms as Cabinet Minister and now as Deputy Chief Minister, to revive Sandakan to its past vibrant and flourishing glory as “Little Hong Kong”?

Instead of restoring the night-life of Sandakan so that it does not become a ghost town after dusk, the “ghost town” problem has spread its tentacles outwards to cover an increasing stretch of real property which is now some three miles from the town centre. Continue reading “Challenge to Sabah DCM for night-tour of Sandakan ghost-town (his 3-term constituency)”

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Will RCI get infamy of being a “It looks like me, it sounds like me” royal commission?

Senior lawyer V.K. Lingam has probably coined the quote of the century with his “It looks like me and it sounds like me” statement to the Royal Commission of Inquiry hearing yesterday.

What is even more serious, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape may forever be known as a “It looks like me and its sounds like me” Royal Commission unless it can shake off the infamy of being dismissed as a “cover-up” commission.

After the scandalous competition between former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and former Chief Justice, Tun Eusuff Chin to out-forget each other in their testimony before the Royal Commission of Inquiry last week, it would be hard-put for anyone to out-scandalise the public – but Lingam was clearly up to the task in putting the two Tuns in the shade!

Lingam has applied to expunge all evidence tendered at the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the New Zealand holiday in 1994 taken by him and then Chief Justice Eusoff Chin at last week’s Royal Commission of Inquiry on the ground that they were irrelevant to the scope of the inquiry.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry will decide tomorrow after hearing submissions by lawyers representing various concerned parties.

Whether Lingam’s application to expunge the evidence on his holidaying with Eusoff Chin in New Zealand in 1994 from the Royal Commission of Inquiry succeeds or otherwise, nothing can expunge Eusoff’s testimony from public mind and memory, for they are most pertinent to explain why the state of the judiciary is in such a sorry state, plunging from one crisis of confidence to another about its independence, integrity and competence in the past 19 years.

Even if Eusoff’s evidence before the Royal Commission of Inquiry is expunged from the Royal Commission proceedings, they cannot be expurgated from the public mind and Eusoff owes the nation a full responsibility to come forward to fully account for his integrity as Chief Justice during the period when he held the highest judicial post in the land. Continue reading “Will RCI get infamy of being a “It looks like me, it sounds like me” royal commission?”

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Mr. Vacuum Cleaner, Sabah and Sabah Development Corridor

Many legitimate questions have been raised about the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) to be launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Sepanggar Bay container port, 35 km from Kota Kinabalu, next Tuesday, including:

• Why the SDC is the last “corridor” to be announced and launched by the Prime Minister when it should be the first as Sabah has the worst poverty rate in the whole country.

• How the SDC will eradicate poverty in Sabah, which is the worst of all states in the country, with an incidence of poverty of 23% in 2004, much higher than the two other poverty-stricken states of Terengganu (15.4%) and Kelantan (10.6%). Sabah has also the worst hard-core poverty rate at 6.5% as compared to the next three states with the highest incidence, i.e. Terengganu 4.4% and Kedah and Kelantan 1.3%.

• How the SDC will end the long-standing socio-economic marginalization of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) community as the new underclass in Sabah.

• Whether it is possible for Malaysia to implement five “development corridors” simultaneously or is the “corridor” concept more hype than reality.

A poster raised a pertinent question on my blog on the SDC when he said the Barisan Nasional is “simply trying to hoodwink the rakyat into throwing support for the BN”. Continue reading “Mr. Vacuum Cleaner, Sabah and Sabah Development Corridor”

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RCI on Lingam Tape: Boys Sent To Do The Job of Men

by M. Bakri Musa

Regardless of the outcome of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the “Lingam Videotape,” these public hearings have already given us a rare and instructive glimpse on the inner workings of our government at the highest levels, and of the caliber of individuals in such positions.

This is also clearly demonstrated by the commissioners themselves. Their individual impressive credentials notwithstanding, they are merely boys sent to do the job of men.

In forcing Prime Minister Abdullah to convene this Royal Commission, Anwar Ibrahim has done a great service to the nation. Malaysia owes a huge debt of gratitude to him, as well as to the son of businessman Loh Mui Fah for having the foresight to tape that infamous conversation in the first place, and to the anonymous individual who subsequently gave that tape to Anwar.

The alternative media, in particular Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today, together with various bloggers and members of non-governmental entities, helped ensure that the evolving scandal was not conveniently ignored by the government. The mainstream media were, as usual, irrelevant. They not only missed this most important story but tried initially to dismiss it. Continue reading “RCI on Lingam Tape: Boys Sent To Do The Job of Men”

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Zero poverty in Sabah – “Sabah Baru”, “Sabah Development Corridor” and Pak Lah’s high-powered committee

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced yesterday that a high-powered Cabinet sub-committee will be set up to carry out the government’s efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty among all races by 2010.

When Abdullah comes to Sabah next Tuesday (January 29) to launch the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), he should explain to Sabahans what this high-powered committee means to Sabah.

This is because 14 years ago, in its manifesto to capture Sabah state power from PBS, the Barisan Nasional pledged to create a “New Sabah” and promised, among other things, to reduce the poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent in 1994 to zero in the year 2000.

However, this promise of zero poverty in Sabah by the year 2,000 was never fulfilled. According to the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the incidence of poverty in Sabah in 2004 was the highest of all states in Malaysia at 23 per cent, nowhere near zero incidence and higher than Terengganu (15.4%) and Kelantan (10.6%).

Sabah had also the worst incidence of hard-core poverty in 2004 at 6.5% as compared the next three states with high incidence, i.e. Terengganu 4.4% and Kedah and Kelantan 1.3%.

Now, eight years after its failure to honour its pledge to reduce poverty in Sabah to zero in 2000, the Prime Minister is talking about eradicating hard core poverty by 2010. Continue reading “Zero poverty in Sabah – “Sabah Baru”, “Sabah Development Corridor” and Pak Lah’s high-powered committee”

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Abdullah should emulate Tunku and take 2 months leave as PM in his nation-wide tour as BN Chairman

When he became Prime Minister more than four years ago, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged that integrity and good governance would be the hallmarks of his premiership and towards this end he also launched the National Integrity Plan.

This is the time for Abdullah to set an example of integrity and good governance and I call on him to emulate Bapa Malaysia and the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman by taking leave as Prime Minister for two months for him to go on a nationwide tour as Chairman of Barisan Nasional to prepare the 14-party coalition for the 12th general election.

The mainstream media have reported that after his return from Spain, Abdullah “kicked off his second nationwide tour in what many coalition members believe is the prelude to a soon to be called general election”. (New Sunday Times 20.1.08)

Abdullah should set an example of understanding and respecting the important distinction between government and party, as it is the abject failure of Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders to appreciate and uphold this important distinction which is the root cause of the rampant corruption, abuses of power and rank lawlessness in the country.

As Prime Minister, Abdullah has no business to conduct any nation-wide tour to galvanise the 14-party Barisan Nasional to prepare for the next general election expected within 50 days. When he goes around the country to rally and mobilize Umno and the other Barisan Nasional component parties to shape up for the 12th general election, he is acting in his capacity as Chairman of Barisan Nasional which is completely different and separate from the office of Prime Minister. Continue reading “Abdullah should emulate Tunku and take 2 months leave as PM in his nation-wide tour as BN Chairman”

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Pak Lah’s announcement of Thaipusam as public holiday – Thousand pities

Thousand pities that Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement yesterday of Thaipusam as a public holiday is seen as highly opportunistic and self-serving to salvage Samy Vellu’s political life and Barisan Nasional’s political fortunes in the coming polls than the start of a serious and genuine national commitment to end the long-standing marginalization of Malaysian Indians as the new underclass in the country.

Although the Prime Minister had said at his Ponggol speech in Bukit Bintang on Saturday that he would consider the call to make Thaipusam a public holiday, it was clear that he had decided to use the “Thaipusam a public holiday” as a gambit to restore the political stocks of Samy Vellu and the Barisan Nasional among the two million Malaysian Indians, which was why there was the front-page story in the Star on Friday “PM to hold BN council meeting on polls” which reported: “On Sunday, Abdullah will meet 20,000 MIC members and supporters at the Cheras Badminton Stadium where he is expected to make a major announcement.” Continue reading “Pak Lah’s announcement of Thaipusam as public holiday – Thousand pities”

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Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29

Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman was full of hype yesterday about the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) to be launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on January 29.

Musa claimed that the SDC, which is to span an 18-year period from 2008 to 2025, is “special” and different from other regional corridor developments in the country in that it would extend to the whole of Sabah instead of being confined to only one area.

Musa has however not explained why the Sabah SDC is the last “corridor” to be announced and launched by the Prime Minister, when it should be the first as Sabah has the worst poverty rate in the whole country.

This is one of the three questions Abdullah should answer when he comes to Sabah on January 29 to launch the SDC, viz:

How the SDC will eradicate poverty in Sabah, which is the worst of all states in the country. In the 1994 Sabah state general election manifesto, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” to reduce the poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent in 1994 to zero in the year 2000. Continue reading “Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29”

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Abdullah – declare Wednesday January 23 as first Thaipusam national public holiday

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should immediately declare Wednesday, January 23, 2008 as the first Thaipusam national public holiday instead of just thinking about it.

Abdullah told a Ponggal Festival event at Bukit Bintang last night that he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national public holiday.

In the past decades, both inside and outside Parliament, DAP has been calling for Thaipusam to be declared a public holiday and not just a state holiday in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

As there is nothing more to consider, Abdullah should immediately announce Wednesday as the first Thaipusam public holiday so that Thaipusam could be celebrated by all Malaysians throughout the country beginning on January 23, 2008.

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DAP KDM Declaration – let KDM not end up as outsiders in the land of their ancestors

The launching of the DAP KDM (Kadazan-Dusun-Murut) Declaration at the DAP KDM convention today is a historic moment in the political history of Sabah and Malaysia as it represents a stirring call for justice for the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community to ensure that 44 years after the 20-Point Agreement on Sabah’s formation of Malaysia, the largest community in the state does not end up at the bottom of the heap as to become “outsiders” in their own land!

I am very impressed by the seriousness, fervour and sense of mission of the DAP KDM leaders who took the initiative to formulate this historic KDM Declaration, as is evident by the commitment and sense of mission demonstrated by the five presenters at the convention on the plight and promises facing the KDM community and which formed the basis of the DAP KDM Declaration, viz:

1. The Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Crisis – Pastor Jeffrey Kumin (DAP Karambunai branch chairman)

2. Squatter colonies of illegal immigrants and Sabah land problems – Steven Jimbangan (DAP Kepayan branch chairman)

3. Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Unity – Paul Kadau (DAP Interior leader)

4. Poverty and Education in Sabah – Justin Sabran (DAP Kuamut branch chairman)

5. Impact of illegal immigrant presence to Kadzan-Dusun-Muruts (KDM) – Edward Mujie (DAP Tamparuli branch chairman)

The DAP KDM Declaration in a most dramatic and eloquent manner highlights the grave problem of the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization of the KDM community when it posed the question, “Can a KDM ever become a Sabah Chief Minister again?”

This is a question which every KDM, nay every Sabahan and every Malaysian, should ask as its brings to the forefront the grave problem of the marginalization of the KDM community as to become the new underclass in Sabah and Malaysia. Continue reading “DAP KDM Declaration – let KDM not end up as outsiders in the land of their ancestors”

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Malaysia First Family and new grandson Jibreil Ali Jamaluddin

by Dr Chen Man Hin

The first family is truly representative of a multiracial Malaysia which has Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has ancestors hailing from the MidEast of Arabic origin

His daughter , Nori Abdullah was born of a Japanese mother. His son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin comes from a Malay ancestry. The new grandson, Jibreil Ali Jamaluddin, can be said to have ancestors hailing from Malaysia, Arabia and Japan. The blood coursing through his veins is a mixture of Malay, Arabic and Han ancestors. He is typical of the young Malaysian, who because of mixed marriages among the different races, is/ multiracial /a rooted Malaysian

From the genetic point of view, the true Malaysian is a Bangsa Malaysia.

Other terms like bumiputras or ketuanan Melayu has no genetic basis, but are the creation of misleading politicians.

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DAP KDM Kota Kinabalu Declaration Jan 2008

THE DAP KDM DECLARATION
KOTA KINABALU, SABAH
January 19, 2008

We, the people of Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) of Sabah, at a DAP Sabah KDM Convention in Kota Kinabalu on January 19, 2008 hereby CALL for:

*AN ALL-OUT COMMITMENT by the people of Sabah and Malaysia to end and eradicate the underclass status of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) people in Sabah and Malaysia as a result of Barisan Nasional administration and policies and to restore to the KDM community an equal and rightful place in Sabah and Malaysia.

Towards this end, the following KDM Declaration is dedicated:-

PREAMBLE

In 1994 state general election 14 years ago, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” with the following highlights:

• To reduce poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent to zero in the year 2,000;

• To eliminate illiteracy to zero in the year 2,000; and

• To eradicate corruption in Sabah;

• To give every Sabahan a house by the year 2,000; and

• To resolve the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Every one of these “Sabah Baru” pledges have been broken and dishonoured, with the KDM community suffering even worse political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization to the extent that a 11-year-old Std. V Dusun pupil Donny John Dion committed suicide and hanged himself at home in Kampung Suangon in Papar parliamentary constituency because of abject poverty and marginalization of the KDM community. Continue reading “DAP KDM Kota Kinabalu Declaration Jan 2008”

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Lingam tape RCI competition for “I cannot remember” – Mahathir 14 times, Eusoff Chin 18 times in mid-testimony

The first five days of the public hearings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Videotape should have been the first step to restore national pride and confidence in the excellence and integrity of national institutions, in particular the independence, integrity and quality of the judiciary which in the past 19 years had plunged from international esteem to become a global laughing stock.

However, this was not to be, and the first five days of the Royal Commission hearings were painful days for national pride and honour.

It had been a sad and a great ordeal to all Malaysians to see top national leaders like the longest-serving Prime Minister for 22 years, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and former Chief justice, Tun Eusuff Chin competing with each other in selective amnesia at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape.

A quick count showed that Mahathir said “I cannot remember” or its equivalent 14 times during his 90-minute testimony before the Royal Commission on Wednesday while Eusuff Chin said “I cannot remember” or its equivalent 18 times in his half-testimony yesterday – with the former Chief Justice testimony adjourned to next week to allow him to seek legal representation and engage legal counsel!

Malaysians still do not believe that Mahathir has become so forgetful that he had to invoke the “I cannot remember” mantra 14 times in his short testimony especially as Mahathir is still famed for his poem, Melayu Muda Lupa. Is Mahathir proving himself right with his sudden forgetfulness?

As a commentator on my blog has pointed out, the Malaysian public is aghast as Mahathir’s testimony because of the public perception that Mahathir has an elephant memory (that an elephant never forgets), especially as Mahathir has a reputation for remembering details others could scantly recall as illustrated by his mastery to recall effortlessly details of Rafidah Aziz’s excesses in the AP scandal without any prodding. Continue reading “Lingam tape RCI competition for “I cannot remember” – Mahathir 14 times, Eusoff Chin 18 times in mid-testimony”

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Lingam tape RCI – Mahathir evasive, forgetful and irresponsible

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was a poor witness yesterday at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam videotape scandal.

He was evasive, uncharacteristically forgetful as to be prone to sudden bouts of amnesia on certain crucial events which Mahathir had never been known to suffer from and broke his word that he would respond to all questions to the best of his ability.

Most of the time, Mahathir was evading questions to the best of his ability, including his resort to “prerogative” to refuse to answer questions for the reasons why he rejected the recommendation of the then Chief Justice Tun Dzaiddin Abdullah in 2002 for the appointment of the late Tan Sri Abdul Malek Ahmad as Chief Judge of Malaya, favouring instead of Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

Mahathir was downright wrong and irresponsible in pleading prerogative to refuse to answer questions why the recommendation of a Chief Justice who was most familiar with the best qualities of his brother judges was rejected.

While the prerogative of the Prime Minister under the Constitution to decide on who should be recommended for appointment to the various high judicial offices in the country is not challenged or doubted, it is wrong to equate of prerogative of a Prime Minister in a democratic system of government with the royal prerogative of divine rule.

This is because the prerogative of a Prime Minister in an elected system of government, while assuring the Prime Minister as having the final say in the decision-making, does not give the Prime Minister the immunity to disregard accountability, transparency and integrity in the exercise of the prerogative.

This is my second disappointment with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape scandal. Two days ago, I asked why the Royal Commission of Inquiry had not subpoenaed V. K. Lingam to be the first witness to ascertain from him whether he conceded the authenticity of the 14-minute tape, especially as he has authorized his lawyer to say that the person in the tape looked and sounded like him Continue reading “Lingam tape RCI – Mahathir evasive, forgetful and irresponsible”

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I will be in Keningau this evening

THURSDAY- 17TH JANUARY 2008 – KIT SIANG TO VISIT KENINGAU TOMORROW

Kit Siang to visit Keningau tomorrow

KENINGAU:

Opposition leader and Democratic Action Party (DAP) National Adviser Lim Kit Siang will visit Keningau on Friday to hear the problems of the people, especially from this district.

Lim will be accompanied by State DAP coordinating chief Teresa Kok, Interior DAP chief Paul Kadau said on Tuesday.

He said Lim is expected to meet the people at Juta Hotel about 7pm.

Paul disclosed that all the DAP machineries in the interior are ready for the coming general election.

“I have set up nine election centres in this district to assist me in the campaigns,” he said.

Paul said DAP would not face any problem because all preparations were going smoothly and the people’s support was very encouraging.

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Time for new Education Minister if Hishammuddin cannot free national schools from the clutches of Little Mullah Napoleons (LMN)

A parent of a student in SMK Taman Selesa Jaya, Skudai, Johore has emailed his complaint of a new school ruling by the head master and discipline teacher banning the bringing of non-halal food to school.

This is put in black-and-white in the School Regulation 3.15 on “Makan dan minum” which stipulates:

“c. Makanan yang tidak halal tidak dibenarkan dibawa masuk ke kawasan sekolah.”

This is repeated and elaborated in Regulation 7.9 on “Barang-Barang Larangan” which states:

“7.9 Gula-gula, chewing gum, makanan ‘junk food’, makanan tidak halal.”

In his email, the parent was upset about one categorization of “serious offences” in breach of school discipline, viz. Item No. 28 which states “Menganjurkan atau membabitkan dalam acara kebudayaan tanpa kebenaran pihak sekolah, PPD, JPNJ dan Kementerian Pendidkan Malaysia”, causing him to ask: “I don’t understand why cultural activities outside of school is their concern. Soon going to church or celebrating Deepavali will need the same approval, or for that matter CNY.”

The School Regulation also prescribes the dress code for visitors to the school, viz:

“9.2 Pakaian pelawat, ibubapa mestilah kemas dan menutup aurat (tidak boleh berseluar pendek). Pihak sekolah boleh tidak melayan pelawat atau ibubapa yang tidak mengikuti/menendahkan peraturan tersebut.”

Malaysiakini columnist Helen Ang has coined the term “Little Mullah Napoleons” (LMN) to describe the little bureaucrats who are taking upon themselves to micro-manage how Malaysians dress – and this dress regulation for visitors to SMK Taman Selesa Jaya Skudai, Johor qualify its headmaster Haji Masdar bin Abu and discipline teacher Haris bin Ismail to join the rolls of Helen Ang’s LMNs. Continue reading “Time for new Education Minister if Hishammuddin cannot free national schools from the clutches of Little Mullah Napoleons (LMN)”

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Nurin and Sharminie would have been safe if Royal Police Commission report implemented

Two days ago, the media splashed the news that the police was finally on the verge of solving the horrendous Nurin Jazlin abduction-rape-murder crime, with reports that the police has obtained a seven-day remand order against a 31-year-old security guard who was detained in connection with the murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin last September.

Nurin was sexually abused by her assailant and killed, her body in a sports bag abandoned in Petaling Jaya, near the location where five-year-old girl Sharlinie Mohd Nashar went missing a week ago – another victim of the heinous crime of child abduction.

News report today that the security guard was released after three days of seven-day remand, as well as the release of another 43-year-old man detained last Saturday also in connection with Nurin’s murder, have further shaken public confidence in the competence and professionalism of the police force.

Recently, the police have proven itself very competent, diligent and successful in the arrest of peddlers of the Chua Soi Lek sex DVDs, which raises pertinent question as to the proper order of police priorities in fighting crime and creating an environment where Malaysians are assured of personal safety and property security.

After the shocking disappearance and abduction of Sharlinie and the fruitless search for her, despite personal pleas by the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and even the Inspector-General of Police, there appears to be a CCTV-mania as if the installation of CCTVs can ensure a crime-free or low-crime society.

This is a great fallacy and evasion of government and police responsibility to fight crime with an efficient, professional world-class police force, for if CCTVs are so efficacious in fighting crime, then there is no need for any expansion and upgrading of the police force or increased allocations for the police apart from installing CCTVs. Continue reading “Nurin and Sharminie would have been safe if Royal Police Commission report implemented”

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Remove SMK BUD4 principal unless she mends her ways (4)

My blog on the complaint by a parent against the school principal of SMK Bandar Utama 4 Damansara for her lack of understanding and respect for the sensitivities and rights of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures in plural Malaysia has provoked quite a firestorm of response.

There have been over 200 comments in the three threads on the subject since yesterday:

(1) BU4 Damansara – another case of “Napoleon” and school principal insensitivity – 72 comments

(2) Hishammuddin sets worst example for sensitivities in plural Malaysia – 76 comments

(3) More about SMK BUD4 (3) – 58 comments

The complaints of the parent against the school principal, which had been endorsed by many commentators, were her decisions in imposing in a school with 85% Chinese and 10% Muslim students “bacaan doa” during assembly, banning the cheerleading team, no more wearing of shorts for PE and her directive that for CNY, the school can have a lion dance performance but without the drum.

In the comments, there have been more criticisms of the school principal’s insensitive and “Little Napoleonic” ways which are best summed up in the following email from an alma mater of the school: Continue reading “Remove SMK BUD4 principal unless she mends her ways (4)”