Posted on

“Criminals to fear police every second” – IPCMC critical test

After the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Monday announcement that the term of service of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had been extended, Musa told Bernama: “My aim is to clean up Sarawak and Johor of criminal elements. Beginning today, I want criminals to fear the police, every second of their lives.”

Musa also said: “I am giving a stern warning to policemen who are involved in taking bribes and misuse their powers.

“I don’t want to see this particular group smearing the good name of the police”

Bernama reported that the IGP’s “strong words” were an indication that he would take the bull by its horns when dealing with the underworld, organised crime, illegal activities and corruption.
I wish Musa the best wishes in his new declared intentions on the extension of his service as IGP although he must realize and understand why they have been met with considerable skepticism and cynicism by the suffering public.

This is not the first time in the past 44 months that Musa, his predecessor former IGP Tan Sri Bakri Musa as well as the Prime Minister himself had declared war against crime and corruption which had all proved to be “just thunder but no rain”!

The most recent occasion when Abdullah declared an “all-out war” on crime was only three months ago when the Prime Minister and Internal Security Minister spoke at the special assembly at the Police Training Centre in Kuala Lumpur in early April where he announced that there would be “no compromise” in wiping out criminals — more than eight years after Abdullah was first appointed Home Minister with direct responsibility over the police and more than three years as Prime Minister. Like previous occasions, there was nothing to show for this declaration.
Will the latest declaration of “all-out war against crime” by the IGP go the way of previous such declarations — all talk and no walk? Continue reading ““Criminals to fear police every second” – IPCMC critical test”

Posted on

“Revitalise Penang” Dialogue

Revitalise Penang Dialogue

“Revitalise Penang” Dialogue Series (I)

Organised by DAP Kampong Kolam Branch

THEME: “Lets Revitalise Penang Economy”

The economy of Penang used to be the most robust and competitive in Malaysia with giants like Intel anchoring the high-technology manufacturing industry. However, today, it lies a distant 3rd in the country, after Selangor and Johor. The Pearl of the Orient has clearly lost its sparkle.

How can DAP help revitalise Penang, and make the Pearl of the Orient shine, once again?

Speaker: LIM GUAN ENG
DAP Secretary-General

TONY PUA
Economic Advisor to DAP Sec-Gen
(Graduate in Philosophy, Politics & Economics, Oxford University)

YB CHOW KON YEOW
Member of Parliament for Tanjong
DAP Penang State Chairman

Language: Mandarin / English

Date: 6.7.2007 (Friday)
Time: 8.00 p.m. (Please be punctual)
Venue: The hall of Chew Si Kee San Tong
(33, Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown )

Contact : 04-2288482 / 2277068

Posted on

Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Puchong – why from freehold to 60 yrs lease?

R has emailed her concern about the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Puchong as to why its freehold status has been changed to 60-year lease. Anyone can throw further light?

R’s email:

Even as the PM was talking overseas telling about love and peace and harmony in our multireligious country, there are many fundamentalists trying to derail his statements and prove him wrong.

I am a Catholic. I was informed that our new Church in Puchong, Our Lady of Guadalupe, suddenly faced a “crisis”. This church is in Selangor and you must remember what happened to our application for a church in Shah Alam over 20 years ago. Whether the Selangor govt or just the over-zealous local authorities are behind that problem, I don’t know. But now, it’s happening directly aimed at our church in Puchong.

This Church was actually an old chapel which was asked to relocate owing to housing development and the developers promised to give back a piece of land to rebuild a church. For many years we have been operating from temporary buildings including shifting from shophouse to shophouse. Finally a Church was built on a funny V-shaped piece of land in front of some shophouses just before an industrial area. It looked like remnant, left-over vacant land but beggars can’t be choosers?

The land in the whole area including the land over which the Church is built is freehold land. Now, suddenly out of the blue, we are told that the land on which the Church is built is alienated to a 60 years leasehold whilst the surrounding area is still freehold! Is this not discriminatory?

Posted on

Parliamentary caucus “Fight rising crime” public hearing in JB at Tropical Inn

The first “Fight Rising Crime” public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance will be held in Johor Baru on Sunday, 8th July 2007 at 2.30 p.m. at Tropical Inn, Jalan Gereja.

Please help to pass the word, by all means available, including blogs, SMS and word of mouth, to have a capacity attendance.

Let this be a people-centred, people-driven and people-empowered event.

Posted on

Pak Lah rejects 8-year press freedom memo by 1,000 journalists?

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
The speech by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the Mass Media Conference 2007 last Friday is more significant for what he omitted than what he said.

Eight years ago, when he was first appointed Home Minister, some 600 journalists in Malaysia which in the subsequent year grew to over 1,000 journalists, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3 presented a memorandum to him calling for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act and other repressive laws fettering the development of a free and responsible press.

Abdullah had given a solemn undertaking to the Malaysian journalists that he would give their memorandum serious consideration.

Eight years have passed and Abdullah has still to respond directly to the 1999 memorandum on press freedom which has the support of over 1,000 journalists.

The Mass Media Conference 2007 on Friday is most disturbing for more reasons than one. In particular, the conference was organized by the Internal Security Ministry which seems to reflect an increasingly intrusive and invasive government role in the sphere of mass media.

In his eight years first as Home Minister and later Internal Security Minister with direct responsibility over the media, the arsenal of repressive instruments and laws fettering media freedom had been left intact, whether Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Sedition Act, the Internal Security Act or the Police Act.

At any time, these repressive instruments and laws could be resorted to and re-activated. There has been no move whatsoever towards new legislation to create an environment which fosters greater openness, accountability and transparency like the Freedom of Information Act and Whistleblowers Protection Act. Continue reading “Pak Lah rejects 8-year press freedom memo by 1,000 journalists?”

Posted on

Samy Vellu “Champion of Indians” for RM500,000

Congrats, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, for the being bestowed “Wira Kaum India” (Champion of Indians) by Indian Progressive Front (IPF) President Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan at the IPF general assembly where the MIC President announced a RM500,000 grant towards the construction of IPF headquarters in Serdang.

It is reported that IPF still owes close to RM800,000 on the RM5 million building.

As Samy Vellu had been the sole obstacle to IPF’s long-standing application to join Barisan Nasional, will the MIC President now giving his blessing to IPF’s entry into BN following his rapprochement with Pandithan?

The Star carries an interesting account of the Pandithan-Samy Vellu feud and rapprochement – Continue reading “Samy Vellu “Champion of Indians” for RM500,000″

Posted on

Animal Farm our Parliament has become?

Azly Rahman
http://www.azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

Bodoh. Bodoh. Bodoh. Bangang. Bengap. Bahlul. Bengap. Biol. Bebal. Binatang. Berok. Baghal. Baboon. Bocor. Booooooo! Bodoh. Bodoh. Bodoh.

These are some of the recurring B-words that have become the common nouns, adjectives, and adverb lacing our parliamentary debates. Like the chorus of clanking machines in W.S. Rendra’s play “Perjuangan Suku Naga”

It’s like Bronx gangsta rappers trying to rhyme the vulgar “B____” and “N_____” words to sell their albums and their degenerative ideology.

Don’t we have any shame being representatives of the people who are supposed to not waste time spewing vulgarities and linguistic diarrhea in a house that is supposed to urgently and efficiently solve the problems of the poor, needy, the marginalized, and the dispossessed?

How much time gets wasted in parliamentary debates that thrive on cajouling and the hurling of abuses? Why do we still have rude, vulgar, and diplomatically incompetent “elected representatives” still sitting in those debates, representing the rakyat?

Is this the picture of progressive thinking we have developed as a political culture — 50 years after Merdeka?

Shame. Shame. Shame! Continue reading “Animal Farm our Parliament has become?”

Posted on

Najib to “check” on corruption allegations against IGP – what next?

The statement by the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday that he was not aware of the postings on a website on allegations of corruption and involvement with underworld figures against the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan and top police officers and that he would “check” strains credulity to the utmost.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
This is because these allegations against Musa and other top police officers have been made almost a month ago, the first article appearing on June 3 and the second article on June 9, 2007.

It appeared on a known website, Malaysia-Today news portal and by an identified writer, Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his series “The Corridor of Power” — unlike the earlier Internet allegations of RM5.5 million corruption accusing the Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum for releasing three men held under the Emergency Ordinance which appeared on anonymous websites three months ago.

Furthermore, on June 19, I had sought to adjourn Dewan Rakyat to have an urgent parliamentary debate on the serious corruption allegations against both Johari and Musa, and although my motion was rejected by the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah as not “urgent”, is it conceivable that the Deputy Prime Minister continued to be unaware or uninterested about the serious corruption allegations against the Inspector-General of Police? Continue reading “Najib to “check” on corruption allegations against IGP – what next?”

Posted on

JB crime under control? – speak up at public hearing of Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus in JB on Sunday

The Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s claim yesterday that the crime situation in Johor was under control as figures indicated the crime rate had declined by four per cent is most premature and unconvincing.

The police must not be satisfied with any improvement of the crime situation until the people in Johor Baru can feel safe in the streets, public places and privacy of their homes and be assured that they are free from crime and the fear of crime.

The people most qualified to pass judgment as to whether the crime situation in JB is “under control” are the people in the Johor capital and not the police, and such a situation must be felt by the people in JB and not artificially generated by media spins or newspaper headlines like “IGP says situation in Johor under control” (New Sunday Times 1.7.07) or “JB FOLK FEELING SAFER NOW” (NST front-page headline 30.6.07).

True, the people in JB do feel safer with the greater visibility of policemen and patrol cars in the streets these few days. But they do not want to just feel safer before the spate of brutal and horrendous crimes of abduction-robbery-gang rape in the past two months, with victims from all races, but to be fully restored their most important human rights — to be free from crime and the fear of crime, whether in the streets, public places or privacy of their homes.

The Police was in denial just two weeks ago when faced with the outrage in JB and the nation at the rampant crime and lawlessness in the Johor capital, and they will be seen to be still in denial if they claim that the crime situation is under control when the people have yet to feel so. Continue reading “JB crime under control? – speak up at public hearing of Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus in JB on Sunday”

Posted on

British English vs Malaysian English

(For a laugh. Thanks Huang for forwarding the following email:)

Who says our English is teruk.? Just see below –

Ours is simple, short, concise, straight-to-point, effective etc:

WHEN GIVING A CUSTOMER BAD NEWS

Britons: I’m sorry, Sir, but we don’t seem to have the sweater you want in your size, but if you give me a moment, I can call the other outlets for you.
Malaysians: No Stock.

RETURNING A CALL

Britons: Hello, this is John Smith. Did anyone page for me a few moments ago?
Malaysians: Hello, who page?

ASKING SOMEONE TO MAKE WAY

Britons: Excuse me, I’d like to get by. Would you please make way?
Malaysians: S-kew me

WHEN SOMEONE OFFERS TO PAY

Britons: Hey, put your wallet away, this drink is on me.
Malaysians:No-need, lah.

WHEN ASKING FOR PERMISSION

Britons: Excuse me, but do you think it would be possible for me to enter through this door?
Malaysians: (pointing the door) can ar? Continue reading “British English vs Malaysian English”

Posted on

NEP – about time the government wakes up

AY forwards an incisive critique of the NEP in the wake of the ruckus over EC Ambassador to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel’s public spat on NEP (reproduced below) ending with this very perceptive observation:

“I tell my clients that in Singapore, everything from education to jobs to business and government contracts, we have to compete with the rest of the world. In Malaysia, the Malay only needs to be better than other Malays.”

I refer to the malaysiakini report EU envoy summoned to explain NEP criticism. After reading the comments made by the European Commission’s top envoy to Malaysia, I cannot help but put my two cents worth into the fray.

I have worked and lived in Malaysia and am well accustomed to its social fabric and political system. As a foreigner, I have a better understanding than Westerners on this issue because I speak Bahasa Malaysia and have been exposed to Malay culture and traditions from young. Still, I am perplexed by the NEP and its predictable ills especially coming from an environment where meritocracy is, to a small extent, worshiped.

Essentially, all societies are unequal in some form or other but few in the developing world would attempt to make more equal by legislating a heavy-handed unequal-ness. This is what Malaysia has done. The extreme of this ideology has to be Mugabe’s confiscation of white-owned farm lands in Zimbabwe.

To me and others who swear by free competition, the NEP is flawed from its conception in 1970. What baffles me is that the Malay political elite remains adamant that a redistribution of wealth via such means is the one and only solution.

In my dealings with the Malaysian government, I have learnt that there is a feeling of ‘entitlement’ among Malays that makes for a curious insight. Continue reading “NEP – about time the government wakes up”

Posted on

Pak Lah “I am no sleeping PM” – walk the talk!

“I am no sleeping PM” – this is the newspaper headline of Nanyang Siang Pau reporting on the speech by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, when opening the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s trade exposition in conjunction with its centennial anniversary in Ipoh yesterday. This is also the headline used by China Press.

I am glad that Abdullah has brought this issue out into the open from the closet as neither the Prime Minister’s public image nor the national interest is being served or furthered by pretending that such increasing talk does not exist.

In fact, Abdullah should seriously find out why more and more people, including in government, the ruling coalition and the public, are talking in this vein about “a sleeping PM” when it was never said against the four previous Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in the first 46 years of Malaysian nationhood.

One could disagree with the first four Prime Ministers, whether on government policies, measures or specific issues, but no one would attribute it to lack of focus, attention or interest by the Prime Minister.

Unfortunately, under Abdullah’s premiership, more and more people are putting the blame for many of the ills in government and country on “a sleeping PM”, which has not been helped by several factors, including: Continue reading “Pak Lah “I am no sleeping PM” – walk the talk!”

Posted on

Take leaf from new British PM – Pak Lah should relinquish Internal Security and Finance Ministries

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should take a leaf from the new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and not hog the ministries of Internal Security and Finance but appoint Ministers who can provide full-time hands-on leadership to these two important portfolios.

Abdullah should give serious consideration to this proposal as in his 83 overseas trips in his 44 months as Prime Minister, five of them were to the United Kingdom.

On replacing Tony Blair as Prime Minister, Brown relinquished his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer to Alistair Darling who was moved from the Trade and Industry Ministry while appointing the first female Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.

In contrast, Abdullah is hanging on as Minister for both portfolios although the past 44 months have proved beyond a shadow of doubt that he has neither the time nor temperament to be a full-time hands-on Minster for either Ministry.

What are the reasons for the Prime Minister to head another Ministry?

It must be to stamp his personal authority on the Ministry whether policies, programmes or personnel. As Abdullah is clearly incapable of doing this, whether in Internal Security or Finance, for the simple reason that he is unable to spare the time and attention, is it then the alternative explanation that he could not trust anyone else to head the two Ministries which he regards as either too influential or sensitive? Continue reading “Take leaf from new British PM – Pak Lah should relinquish Internal Security and Finance Ministries”

Posted on

Cabinet Committee on Integrity – what is it doing to turn back tide of corruption in Malaysia?

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is both right and wrong when he said that it is unfair to say the government is not serious in fighting corruption simply because Tan Sri Eric Chia has been acquitted.

He said yesterday that one should not judge the government’s earnestness in fighting graft based on a single case such as that of the former managing director of Perwaja Steel Sdn. Bhd who was acquitted of criminal breach of trust charges involving RM76.4 million on Tuesday.

Najib is right that normally the government record whether in its battle against corruption or any other policy matter should not be judged on the basis of one case, except that the Eric Chia corruption trial bulked large as it was hailed as the most high-profile evidence of the Abdullah administration’s resolve to launch a crackdown on corruption.

As the most high-profile anti-corruption case that had been thrown out of court, especially after the failure to nab the 18 “big fishes” which the Abdullah administration had earlier promised to arrest and prosecute for corruption, Najib should realise that the Eric Chia case has assumed the epic proportion of the test case of the Abdullah premiership to “walk the talk” to fight corruption.

The circumstances of Eric Chia’s acquittal — where the defence was not called because the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case — was a most ignominous reflection on the government’s will to fight corruption as well as the professionalism of the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patial and his prosecutors.

As the Attorney-General is appealing against Eria Chia’s acquittal, Malaysians will have to suspend judgment until outcome of the appeal.

However, Najib and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should realize why the government’s anti-corruption campaign is so intimately tied to the outcome of the Eric Chia case — as there has been no other higher profile case in the past 44 months.

In the last general election, the overwhelming majority of Malaysians believed that Abdullah is a new broom to sweep out corruption in Malaysia. Continue reading “Cabinet Committee on Integrity – what is it doing to turn back tide of corruption in Malaysia?”

Posted on

NEP not a global-friendly policy

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

    THE NEP IS NOT GLOBAL FRIENDLY AND HAS CAUSED FOREIGN INVESTORS TO AVOID MALAYSIA AS A PLACE FOR INVESTMENT

The NEP has been under attack by many foreign investors the latest critic was Thierry Rommel, a top envoy from the European Union, who commented that trade relations with Malaysia has been hampered by its policy of bumiputraism which is racial and not acceptable by global standards.

What Rommel said was embodied in a 34 page European Commission report titled Malaysia-European Community Strategy Paper for the Period 2007-2013 which stated “Crucial policies are an open stance towards FDI, not least in the services sector which needs to be opened up; human capital development , innovation and research capabilities; more competition and less interference of government-enforced Bumiputra–related concerns in the functioning of markets.”

It is not only the European Union that is critical. The US Department of State also stated “one source of impediments to Malaysia’s economic growth is its complex network of racial preferences to promote the acquisition of economic assets by ethnic Malays (bumiputra). The public aim of these programs is to encourage a more even distribution of wealth among races. despite th stated goal of poverty alleviation, these raced based policies.. in practice wealthy and well-connected bumiputera receive the lion’s share of the benefits. The resulting economic distortions in the property, labor and stock markets inhibit growth and deter both foreign and domestic investment.”

The world opinion of NEP is negative and is shown by statistics of FDI inflows into Malaysia and other countries. Continue reading “NEP not a global-friendly policy”

Posted on

JAWI raid on Indian restaurant for public display of Hindu deities – PM should stop the “Little Napoleons”

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi must stop the “Little Napoleons” in JAWI from imposing a “reign of terror” with their lack of understanding of the Merdeka social contract and contempt for the constitutional rights of all Malaysians, creating inter-religious tension and setting back inter-racial harmony and nation-building.

I refer to the multi-agency raid led by JAWI (Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan) to the eating shops in Lorong Maarof, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 26th June 2007, at about 11.30 a.m., particularly an Indian restaurant and a mamak restaurant.

This blog yesterday had carried an email giving an eye-witness account.

Last night, I received an email from another public-spirited Malaysian who visited Lorong Maarof to check on the complaint. This is the account her email after the visit:

“I dropped by the two Indian restaurants at Lorong Maarof this afternoon to chat with the workers and to verify what exactly happened. The Star and another paper were already there yesterday, they said.

“I looked at the summons issued to Aiswari restaurant: The raid was done by the Bahagian Hub Halal of JAKIM, together with officials from other agencies, including JAWI, KPDN and HEP (? must be Kementerian P or D (not clear) Dalam Negeri; don’t know what HEP is) and DBKL. 10 of them came into the shop, but the cashier said there were about 15 others milling outside the streets.

“According to the summons, the officers came because of a complaint (choice of berkala/aduan/susulan). 4 jenis kesalahan were written down:

1. bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM (this means their halal logo is from some other source?)

2. arahan tidak boleh menggunakan logo halal dan perbahasan [should be “perhiasan” – kit] dalam premis (??)

3. Sita?? – ayat ayat Qur’an di buat oleh JAWI?? (four framed ayats, 2 big, 2 small were taken away)

4. tiada pekerja Muslim (? cashier and all workers are Muslim)

“The cashier who seems to be in charge was quite agitated, esp about the Muslim workers and halal meat served. He is an Indian (national) Muslim, showed the JAKIM ppl his passport with his Muslim name and all the 7 workers there were Muslim and so is the owner. The raiders questioned the ‘halal’ ness of the food served and took the halal certs issued by the meat suppliers. Said he and the workers and owner are all Muslim so why shd they serve non-halal meat and chicken.

“they also took away all the ayat Qur’an, but I can’t figure out what the offence is – ayat Qur’an dibuat oleh JAWI??? Maybe they allege this is not a genuine Halal Muslim place, so they have no right to display ayat Qur’an?

“At the corner restaurant where my friend’s niece ( the writer of the original email) was eating, they inspected the place, checked the meat to see if its halal, took pictures, took the halal certificate, and questioned why they have pictures of Hindu gods and candle on the mantlepiece behind the cashier when they serve Muslim customers. The guy said he told the JAKIM people the meat served is halal and showed him their halal cert from the supplier. Two other restaurants were closed. Continue reading “JAWI raid on Indian restaurant for public display of Hindu deities – PM should stop the “Little Napoleons””

Posted on

PM – slash frequent overseas trips unless he can do justice as Internal Security and Finance Minister

In a written answer to the DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan yesterday, the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar revealed that in his 3 years 8 months as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had made 83 official visits overseas (including his most recent visits to Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy) —

2004 – 22
2005 – 25
2006 – 20
2007 – 16

One message from the answer is that Abdullah has not only three portfolios of Prime Minister, Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister, he has a fourth portfolio as the traveling de facto Foreign Minister.

Malaysians do not begrudge Abdullah making overseas visits but it must not at the expense of neglecting his duties as Prime Minister, Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister and in particular his 2004 general election pledge to head a clean, incorruptible, efficient, just, democratic, people-oriented administration prepared to hear the truth from the rakyat.

Abdullah should revamp his time-management to ensure that his frequent trips abroad does not result in his neglecting his duties as Prime Minister, Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister as there are more and more disturbing evidence of this happening, viz:

Posted on

Tolerance my ass!

I have received the following very angry email from MS, with a very ferocious heading which I am using – breaking a rule of this blog:

Couldnt help feeling this angry today. I know at my age, I am supposed to be mellowing out, looking forward to a nice chilled day and now what? I find myself with the same amount of righteous anger as I had when I was 16 – going through puberty and finding the world most unfair that my mum wouldnt allow me to have my first pair of cargo pants!

I was sitting in the banana leaf shop this morning having a roti and a coffee when a group of JAWI officers entered the premises. 10 officers to be exact, into this little shop. They spent a good 20 minutes going through the place (and it is a small place!) and finally one officer writes out a writ and gives it to the cashier. They then left. Curious, I asked the cashier what that was all about and he replied that they were not allowed to have their little altars and pictures of their deities in their shop “because otherwise, Muslims cannot come into their shops” . What utter nonsense! Are we still living in the Malaysia that is so “famed” for its “religious tolerance”?? The shop is not a mamak shop. It is an Indian Banana leaf shop. Why would it be surprising that they should have signs of their religious beliefs in their own space? I didnt think that sort of thing was illegal (please correct me if I am wrong). What is wrong with this picture? Will it come down to the point when my Muslim friends should not visit my home just because I have a cross or a chinese altar there? PLEASE!

Better yet, I discovered as I was leaving , that the JAWI personnel had targetted the other 3 banana leaf shops along that row of old shops (near the vets office – off Jalan Maarof). There were at least 4 nos of vans for the officers , ALL double parked on the main road and causing an inconvenience to the other road users. Is there a separate set of laws that govern these people? Notwithstanding the fact that they are trampling all over the definition of religious tolerance in this country , they also flaunt the general laws of the land. This makes me really angry and sad about the state of our country. Continue reading “Tolerance my ass!”

Posted on

“A person who had not been robbed is not a true JB-ite”

The people of Johor Baru and Johore state should make full use of the public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights in Johor Baru on Sunday, 8th July 2007 to voice out their hopes and fears about the crime situation in the southern capital and state.

The 250% exceeding of the target of the 100,000-signature campaign launched by the Johor Baru Chung Hua Association for the restoration of safety, law and order in the Johore capital, with 350,000 signatures collected from all over the country, including online, from all races, religions, classes, gender and age group, illustrates the gravity of the problem of the crime situation in JB, Johore and Malaysia.

It is commendable that the top police leadership is showing serious response, with the visit of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan to Johor Baru yesterday and the Johore Chief Police Officer, Datuk Hussin Ismail himself going down to the “black areas” of crime in JB on night patrol.

There must be all-round determination that this time, the public revulsion against the high crime rate and rampant lawlessness in JB, must be a sustained and long-term commitment and not a short-term response to the public outcry. This is for the safety of all Malaysian citizens and their loved ones, tourists and investors.

The notoriety of JB as the capital of crime must be wiped out, and the self-deprecating and shameful definition that a person who had not been robbed is not a genuine resident of JB must be a thing of the past.

The Police should announce the “black areas” of crime in JB, Johore and the country which will enable the public to monitor the success of the police drive to turn them into “safe” crime-free and low-crime areas.

I hope the public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights in JB on July 8 can help to wipe out such a definition of a JB resident — a person who had been robbed at least once. Continue reading ““A person who had not been robbed is not a true JB-ite””

Posted on

1st priority for PM on return from honeymoon – first meeting with MTUC leaders in 44 months

I have today given notice to the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah for an urgent parliamentary debate on the demand for minimum wage and cost of living (Cola) for private-sector workers in a motion of urgent definite importance on Monday.

This is the motion I will move on Monday:

“That under Standing Order 18(1), the House gives leave to Ketua Pembangkang YB Lim Kit Siang to move a motion of urgent, definite public importance, viz: the MTUC demand for minimum wage and cost of living allowance (Cola) for private sector with potential to result in large-scale industrial action.

“On Monday, 25th June 2007, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) staged a 14-location nation-wide picketing by thousands of workers after discussions with the government on its campaign for a minimum wage of RM900 a month and cost of living (Cola) of RM300 for private sector employees came to a deadlock.

“A week earlier, MTUC presented a seven-page memorandum to the Prime Minister asking for minimum wage and Cola for the private sector but did not elicit any appropriate response.

“According to an MTUC study, some four million out of the 10 million workers it represents are earning below the poverty line. Even in Johor Baru where cost of living is extremely high, industrial workers are paid as low as RM390. Even five-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur pay a basic wage of RM290 per month to cleaners and waiters.

“The Prime Minister should initiate tripartite talks involving the government, MTUC and employer representatives on MTUC demand for minimum wage and Cola to avoid escalation of industrial action and ensure industrial peace with justice for three reasons:

  • A follow-up to the recent 35% salary increase and 100% increase in Cola for public sector employees to ensure that private-sector workers, especially in low-wage categories, are assured of a decent living and a basic fair wage;
  • The flooding of the country with millions of migrant workers on low wages and poor working conditions;
  • The loss of confidence of the MTUC in the Human Resources Minister YB Fong Chan Onn’s ability to resolve the issue.”

I am shocked to learn from the MTUC President, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud that in his 44 months as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had not had any single meeting with the MTUC leaders despite repeated MTUC requests for such a dialogue. Continue reading “1st priority for PM on return from honeymoon – first meeting with MTUC leaders in 44 months”