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Singapore Malays better off than Chinese in Malaysia

Singapore Malays better off than Chinese in Malaysia
by Richard Teo

It is rather ironic that Baki Aminuddin could venture to write in Malayisakini that “S’pore Malays worse off than Chinese here” when in fact the opposite is the truth.

Before I begin to answer his fallacious argument I would like to pose one very simple question to him. If S’pore Malays are really worse off in Singapore why is there no exodus of Malays from S’pore to Malaysia? Instead the opposite is happening where the Chinese are making a beeline to Singapore for work and education?

Baki is naive to deny that LKY’s statement that the BN govt is systemmatically marginalising the Chinese and non-Malays. Before condemning the S’pore govt of marginalising the Malays and their education Baki should support his assertion with facts rather
than spurious allegations.

There is no official policy to deny the Malays the chance to further their education till tertiary level provided they have the abilty to compete on a level playing field. Can Baki honestly say that the Chinese and non-Malays in Malaysia are given the same opportunity in education? Is it not a fact that Malays are exclusively given places in Mara schools where with their one year matriculation exams they can hop into any of the local universities whereas non-Malays have to undergo the more rigorous two year STPM exam to gain admission? Continue reading “Singapore Malays better off than Chinese in Malaysia”

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Ijok and the eclipse of reason

Ijok and the eclipse of reason
by Azly Rahman

In Ijok last Saturday, did the people vote wisely?

Or did they vote for the continuation of the use of totalitarian instruments such as the Internal Security Act, Universities and University Colleges Act, irrational preferential treatments, unsolved mysteries of massive corruption cases, rise of dynasties, political violence, postponement of trial of hideous political murders, abuse of “at-risk youths”, political-economy of controlling interests, age-old vendetta, hideous nature of the separation of power between the executive, legislative, and judiciary, and an ever-growing range of complex “rational” acts that have become our “political culture”?

What does “wise” mean? Is the level of wisdom dependent upon the levels of consciousness of the different “class” and “caste” of people?

Looks like the middle class is co-opted to support the dominant political group, the lower-class is busy making ends meet, and the lowest class is now the unsung heroes of the postmodern indentured slavery.

We do not have yet have a critical mass that can think critically to effect critical change. Continue reading “Ijok and the eclipse of reason”

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Tourism Minister should support the world’s tallest Mazu (Goddess of Sea) statue project in Kudat

The Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor should support the world’s tallest Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) statue project in Kudat as it will be economically good for Sabah and Malaysia by enhancing the nation’s international tourism competitiveness.

Although Tan Sri Chong Kat Kiat has yet to publicly disclose the reasons for his shock resignation as Deputy Chief Minister and State Minister for Tourism, Culture and Environment on April 13, his oblique reference to resigning over “a matter of principle” raises the question as to whether his resignation concerned the interests of the state, his party or individual self.

Public speculation over his resignation had zeroed on two issues, viz:

Firstly, his being forced to “eat dead cat” or unfairly to take the blame for the development of Pulau Sipadan which damaged the unique coral reef of one of the top five diving spots in the world. As a result, it attracted public criticism of the Prime Minister when the Federal Government was embarrassed by the despoliation of the fragile ecosystem of Sipadan which was first exposed and reported internationally by environmental groups. However, it was the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who must bear responsibility for the plans to develop Sipadan.

Secondly, Chong’s differences with Musa over the former’s plan to build the world’s tallest Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) statue in Kudat which will be a tourist and economic boon for the district, Sabah and Malaysia in enhancing our international tourist competitiveness by drawing tourists from China, Taiwan and Japan. Continue reading “Tourism Minister should support the world’s tallest Mazu (Goddess of Sea) statue project in Kudat”

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Curses of 2Cs and 2Is in Sandakan and Sabah

For 12 years from 1978 to 1990, Sandakan was represented by the DAP in Parliament and the people of Sandakan were in the political vanguard in the state and nation in the battle for justice, equality and democracy.

In the past 17 years from 1990 to 2007, the people of Sandakan withdrew from this front-line role for political change in Sabah and Malaysia.

Last year, the wind of political change blew strong and hard in Sarawak when six DAP representatives were elected into the Sarawak State Assembly, fundamentally altering the culture, quality and direction of Sarawak State Assembly proceedings and Sarawak politics.

Many are hoping that this “Sarawak wind of political change” will also blow in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah come the next general election, which is most likely at the end of this year or early next year after Barisan Nasional’s surprise result in the Ijok by-election in Selangor yesterday.

The time has come for the wind of political change to blow again in the “Land Below the Wind” as Sabah was known.

Earlier today, together with the Sarawak DAP Assemblywoman for Pending Violet Yong and Pahang DAP Assemblyman for Triang Leong Ngah Ngah, I visited the new Sandakan market which had been operating for four months.

It was a grandiose “white-elephant” which cost RM34 million or over 60 per cent cost overrun from the original estimate of RM21 million — an outstanding symbol of the lack of municipal good governance in Sandakan and Sabah as well as the lack of accountability, integrity and effective democratic representation.

The cries of the majority of the stallholders in the new Sandakan market that they are sandwiched between high rentals and poor business as a result of bad siting, lack of supportive infrastructure like proper bus service and sub-standard construction despite exorbitant construction costs, had been totally ignored by all the three tiers of government – local, state and national.

The Sabah State Assembly had just concluded its meeting last week but nobody raised the scandal of the RM34 million new Sandakan market in the Sabah State Assembly. Continue reading “Curses of 2Cs and 2Is in Sandakan and Sabah”

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An Indian boy on his first day at school in the US

May be we need light relief, and here goes:

An Indian boy on his first day at school in the US

    It was the first day of school and a new student named Chandrashekhar Subrahmanyam entered the fourth grade.

    The teacher said, “Let’s begin by reviewing some American History.

    Who said, “Give me Liberty , or give me Death”?

    She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Chandrashekhar, who had his hand up: “Patrick Henry, 1775” he said.

    “Very good!” Who said, “Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth?”

    Again, no response except from Chandrashekhar.” Abraham Lincoln, 1863″ said Chandrashekhar.

    The teacher snapped at the class, “Class, you should be ashamed.

    Chandrashekhar, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do!”

    She heard a loud whisper: “F**k the Indians,”

    “Who said that?” she demanded.

    Chandrashekhar put his hand up. “General Custer, 1862.”

    At that point, a student in the back said, “I’m gonna puke.” Continue reading “An Indian boy on his first day at school in the US”

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Open Letter to Tawau MP – resign before May 17

I issued an Open Letter to the Barisan Nasional Member of Parliament for Tawau, Shim Paw Fatt, today asking him to resign before May 17 to position Tawau as the centre of state, national and international attention, end the decline of Tawau into an economic backwater and spur super-development with hundreds of millions of ringgit allocations that will be poured in by Barisan Nasional as demonstrated by Machap and Ijok by-elections.

In my Open Letter to Shim, I wanted him to know that my suggestion at a press conference at Sin Onn Market in Tawau yesterday that he resign as Tawau MP was no political game or “child’s play” but a deadly-serious proposal after serious consideration as to how to end the long-standing neglect of Tawau by the Barisan Nasional, whether at the state or federal level, transforming it from a stagnant economic backwater into a vibrant and dynamic growth centre for the region.

I told Shim that nothing in his political life could achieve greater results for the super-development of Tawau than to make a personal sacrifice by resigning as MP for Tawau before May 17, the deadline when any vacancy for a parliamentary seat would have to be filled by a by-election, causing a by-election to be held.

My Open Letter to Shim reads: Continue reading “Open Letter to Tawau MP – resign before May 17”

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It grieves my entire being but does it bother Pak Lah and Cabinet?

I have received an email which grieves my entire being but does it bother Pak Lah, our Prime Minister and the Cabinet? If they do not understand the cry deep from the heart and soul of “J”, who sent the email, then the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations this year are completely meaningless, waste of time and money.

Read this heart-rending email:

Dear Mr. Lim,

I have utmost respect and admiration for your tenacity in remaining in Malaysia to champion the cause of justice and equality and fight for a Bangsa Malaysia. My heart broke when I read about your article regarding the honest cyber cafe operator especially when he wondered if he “had chosen the wrong country” to start and operate his business.

I see my situation summed up in that phrase. You have said before that the best and brightest are leaving this country. Well, I am making every preparation to leave. I have consistently scored straight As in every public exam and placed among the top 3 of my form. In university, I studied medicine and am among the top scorers. I have just graduated and scored near perfect results in a medical licensing examination that will enable me to work abroad and further my studies.

I was born a Malaysian yet I cannot see myself as a Malaysian. As a chinese, I feel that I am being discriminated against. I feel that the government is trying its hardest to sideline me just because of my race. I look around and see this discrimination manifested in various forms. From the issue regarding religious conversion to the allocation of places in local universities, the stench of discrimination is sickening. Continue reading “It grieves my entire being but does it bother Pak Lah and Cabinet?”

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1987 Ops Lalang and Chinese primary school crisis – will Cabinet own up to historic wrongs?

Veteran Chinese educationist Sim Mow Yu has said that Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser and former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should apologise for what he had done over the 1987 Ops Lalang mass arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the controversy over dispatching of staff unversed in Mandarin to hold senior posts in Chinese primary schools.

As one of the Ops Lalang ISA detainees served with a formal two-year detention order and incarcerated at Kamunting Detention Centre, Sim is most qualified to speak up on these subjects.

The Ops Lalang detention was my second ISA detention, which lasted 18 months as compared to 17 months in my first ISA detention in 1969-1970.

DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng and I were the last two of the Ops Lalang ISA detainees incarcerated in Kamunting Detention Centre to be released in April 1989 — serving the longest Ops Lalang ISA detention after all the other 49 Ops Lalang detainees had been earlier released from Kamunting in various batches.

Anwar has admitted that he was wrong in 1987 in the dispatch of staff unversed in Mandarin to become principals and senior assistants of Chinese primary schools which resulted in the subsequent Ops Lalang mass arrests.

Anwar has now taken a stand on mother-tongue education which is in accord with justice and fair play for mother-tongue education in plural Malaysia as well as the higher national interests of enhancing Malaysia’s international competitiveness, which should be commended and supported. Continue reading “1987 Ops Lalang and Chinese primary school crisis – will Cabinet own up to historic wrongs?”

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Ijok – Bolehland’s Electoral Circus

Bolehland’s Electoral Circus
by Martin Jalleh

Santa Khir blatantly buys and bribes with
the rakyat’s money.

Samy Vellu crows, clowns and croons
the same old tune.

Shortchanged Indians are mickeyed
by the MIC, MGR and MGP.

Stunted UMNO Youth sends in thugs
– they do not have “towering Malays”.

Stultified MIC Youth unleash their
goats, geese and goondas.

Servile police lapdogs bow, bend
and do the bidding.

Slanted media spins, spews and sells
one-sided news.

Self-serving politicians proudly play the
parrot, puppet and prostitute. Continue reading “Ijok – Bolehland’s Electoral Circus”

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Will Najib, Khir Toyo or Samy Vellu resign if Ijok becomes “second Lunas”?

Among the three — Umno Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Umno Selangor chief and Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo and the MIC President and Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu — will anyone of them resign if Ijok becomes a “second Lunas” on Saturday with Barisan Nasional (BN) losing the seat despite the worst electoral corruption and most undemocratic campaigning in the 50 year history of the nation?

Electoral corruption and money politics in Ijok and the recent Machap by-elections have been the most blatant and fragrant-ever in the nation’s electoral history — even worse than during the previous four Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Dr. Mahathir Moahamad.

This is most ironic and tragic as these two by-elections should be even cleaner if not the cleanest in the nation’s 50-year history as they are held under a Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who had pledged to wipe out corruption and money politics as the top priority of his administration.

The electoral corruption in Machap and Ijok are so blatant and flagrant, flooding the constituencies with tens of millions of ringgit development projects when they had been completely ignored in past decades, that many Malaysians regardless of race, religion or territory are now cynically saying that “A good BN MP/SA is a dead MP/SA”.

However, any BN MP/SA dying will not result in any by-election as the legal bar for by-elections during the two years before the next general election have come into force for all legislatures except for Kelantan (May 5), Kedah (May 20) and Parliament (May 17).

This is undoubtedly one of the reasons which have prompted former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir to make his extraordinary public call to the voters of Ijok to vote wisely on Saturday. Continue reading “Will Najib, Khir Toyo or Samy Vellu resign if Ijok becomes “second Lunas”?”

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How can a law-abiding cybercafe operator survive in corruption-rife Malaysia?

I have received a heart-rending appeal for help as to how a law-abiding cafe operator could survive in corruption-rife Malaysia.

The cybercafe operator J is “almost at the end of the road” after being in the business for the past five years and is regretting that he had “picked the wrong country to live and grow by doing business and earn a living”.

He had ventured into the cybercafe business for the last five years after he lost his job as a IT hardware/software salesman. With 2nd class honours degree in Business information System in a UK university, he never got any better job which paid enough commensurate with his qualification.

He had paid for his entire studies right from local college to university in UK, working since in high school till university as a part-time technician in computer shops, selling self-build computers from home, etc.

While in UK, he saw cybercafes as a booming industry and dreamt of owning such a business one day.

But now, he his staring at the stark possibility of having to close down his business with debts of bank loans near to RM1 million – all because a licence is required to run such a business.

Back in 2002, when he started with 30 computers in his hometown, he took him more than a year to get a licence to operate the business. Why the one-year wait? Continue reading “How can a law-abiding cybercafe operator survive in corruption-rife Malaysia?”

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Ijok by-election: Are we in Hutu-land?

Are we in Hutu-land?
by Azly Rahman

As we were finishing our lunch, Khalid Ibrahim was approached by a youth in Pemuda BN attire, and intimidating words were used on him soon after. malaysiakini has a good account of the incident, titled: BN group roughs up Khalid, photographers.

… We are not party to their ideological differences in partisan politics, so we steered clear of their ‘conversations’ and prepared to leave. Our casual attire for comfortable photographing also ensured that we are not wrongly mistaken as Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s cadre. We were there merely as men-at-work, photographers on assignment… . We were wrong. We were surrounded by over 20 rowdies, and the long and short of it, my colleague, who wound down his window to inch carefully his way out from the besieging scene, was smashed at close range with the sharp portion of the mineral water bottle… He tried to evade but still broke his glasses, bleeding. Without the glasses, he drove the both of us out of the danger zone until some PKR members escorted us in another vehicle to safe ground in Ijok town centre. (Thanks Cikgu Li.)… We kept our cool and tried hard to avert any eventualities as we didn’t want this incident to be spun as an ugly chapter of over 20 Malay youths attacking two Chinese photographers in Malaysia.

Nevertheless, the unasked question must get answered some days when the fanatical election fever is over – Jeff Ooi narrating on Ijok, Screenshots.

If what we are seeing and reading about the campaigning process in Ijok these last few days, what is the meaning of “voting” to the voters?

If votes can be bought and sold, for whatever reason of “economic necessity”, and if gangsterism and political violence is going to be the regular feature of elections, where are we heading towards?

If what’s at stake here is power that will create billionaires out of the few, and every means necessary is used to buy power, are we and our generation doomed? Democracy is for sale – wholesale.

T.I.A. – “This is Africa”!?

What have 50 years taught us? What then must we do? Continue reading “Ijok by-election: Are we in Hutu-land?”

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Ijok by-election – BN “kiasu” despite worst electoral corruption and most undemocratic campaigning in 50 yrs

Ijok by-election - BN kiasu despite worst electoral corruption and most undemocratic campaigning in 50 yrs

Last night, together with other DAP MPs including Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong), Chong Eng (Bukit Mertajam), Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah), M. Kulasegeran (Ipoh Barat), Fung Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Chow Kon Yeow (Tanjung) and Lim Hock Seng (Bagan) as well as Thomas Su Keong Siong (Perak DAP State Assemblyman for Pasir Pinji), I campaigned in Batang Berjuntai and Pekan Ijok for Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate for the hotly-contested Ijok by-election for the Selangor State Assembly on Saturday, 28th April 2007.

I left Ijok last night with the predominant impression – that the Barisan Nasional (BN) is “kiasu” despite masterminding the worst electoral corruption and the most undemocratic campaigning in 50 years. What a shameful way to commemorate our 50th Merdeka anniversary in 2007!

It is because of this new emergent Barisan Nasional “kiasu” mindset that my speech at the first ceramah last night at Batang Berjuntai was sabotaged — by the Barisan Nasional making use of the Police.

A police party had earlier tried to intervene to stop the ceramah when PKR President Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail was ending her speech, leading to arguments between PKR leaders and DAP MPs Fong Kui Lun and Lim Hock Seng on the one hand and the police on the other when the police party approached the make-shift rostrum.

After a short while when the commotion continued without resolution, I went up to the police officer leading the police team to ask what was the problem. When I was told that the ceramah was an illegal assembly, I was most surprised, as it was clearly a most unwarranted interference by the police in PKR by-election campaigning.

Unlike one occasion the previous night at Taman Pancaran, Bestari Selatan where the PKR ceramah featuring Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was deemed by the police as being “too close” for “security comfort” to the BN one featuring Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being separated by only 50 metres, and had to be cancelled, the PKR ceramah at Batang Berjuntai town last night posed no such problem as there was no other BN ceramah anywhere else in sight. Furthermore, the crowd was very peaceful, controlled and very good-natured. Continue reading “Ijok by-election – BN “kiasu” despite worst electoral corruption and most undemocratic campaigning in 50 yrs”

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Maritmuthu’s habeas corpus application — hearing in Shah Alam High Court on 3rd May

Maritmuthu habeas corpus application hearing in Shah Alam High Court on 3rd May

Hearing for the habeas corpus application of rubber tapper Marimuthu Periasamy, 43, for the release of his wife Raimah Bibi a/p Noordin and six children, Yoogneswary 12, Paramila 11, Hariharan 8, Ravindran 5, Shamala 5 and Keberan 4 from detention by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) for the past 22 days has been set by the Shah Alam High Court for May 3, 2007 at 9 am.

DAP National Chairman and counsel for Marimuthu appeared before the Shah Alam High Court Judge, Justice Su Geok Yian at 2.30 pm after filing a certificate of urgency for the hearing of the application.

DPP Shoba Vengopal, who appeared for the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, asked for a month for JAIS to file affidavit but Karpal argued for earliest hearing as family unity and human rights are at stake, with Marimuthu seeking to be reunited with his wife and six children who were forcibly separated from him on 2nd April 2007 on the ground that they were Muslims.

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“Pokkiri” film of violence and sex screened to pupils in school

Yesterday, I received a complaint on my blog from Vimaleson Gunaratnam, a parent of a seven-year-old pupil at SK Taman Hi-Tech, Kulim that non-Malay students in the school were separated from Malay students last Wednesday and Thursday for the whole morning session until recess time and shown a Tamil movie, Pokkiri, which is full of violence and sex.

He sent a letter of protest to the school principal and I read out his letter in Parliament a few hours later during the committee stage debate of the 2006 Supplementary Estimates on the Education Ministry, and asked for a full investigation by the Education Ministry.

This is Vimaleson’s protest letter which I read out in Parliament yesterday: Continue reading ““Pokkiri” film of violence and sex screened to pupils in school”

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Ijok – BN transforms into “Bribery Nasional” with cornucopia of corrupt electoral practices

Ijok - BN transforms into Bribery Nasional with cornucopia of corrupt electoral practices

It speaks volumes that I was invited to the launching of the National Integrity Plan (NIP) by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi three years ago but I was not invited to the third anniversary commemoration of the NIP and the Integrity Institute of Malaysia (ITM) led by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.

I take this as a realization and admission by the government and organizers of the third anniversary commemoration of the NIP that whatever their public posturing and speechifying, corruption has gotten worse in the past three years and the NIP has become quite a joke.

Even former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is not famous for leading a government of integrity, could elicit national and international approval when he said corruption under Abdullah in the past three years is worse than during his 22-year administration.

As far back as May 2005, Mahathir had warned that “corruption might be getting to a point of no return”, that it had become a culture in Malaysia with corruption almost at the “above the table” level and more and more people no longer trying to hide the fact that they were corrupt.

Why is Malaysia becoming even more corrupt than before when there was no National Integrity Plan, as testified by Malaysia’s seven-point drop in the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) rankings from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 44 in 2006, and with all signs of heading further south in the 2007 ranking on the occasion of our 50th Merdeka anniversary?

What is the use of having a National Integrity Plan when there is even no integrity to admit that the NIP is a flop with regard to its most outstanding five-year objective to improve Malaysia’s TI CPI ranking to at least 30th position by 2008 — that we are going backward instead of forward in the battle against corruption?

I picked up on a comment on my blog and asked in Parliament yesterday whether BN has not become “Bribery Nasional” from the blatant money politics and electoral corruption in Ijok by-election and most recently the Machap by-election?

The full transformation of BN into “Bribery Nasional” in Machap and Ijok by-elections has made a total mockery of the third anniversary commemoration of the National Integrity Plan and the Integrity Institute of Malaysia — and I can understand why I did not receive any invitation to it. Continue reading “Ijok – BN transforms into “Bribery Nasional” with cornucopia of corrupt electoral practices”

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Extended C-Band spectrum mess by MCMC

The Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications has recently created havoc among wireless broadband providers with its proposal to violate the National Broadband Plan (NBP) to revoke licences to broadband service providers to operate on the 3.4-3.6-Gigahertz (GHz) frequency — the extended C-Band spectrum.

Ten days ago, the Minister concerned, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik said use of the extended C-band frequency by the wireless broadband providers was interfering with the operations of the Measat-3 communications satellite.

He blamed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) which had given out the licences for the predicament.

Seven FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) broadband operators i.e. Airzed, AtlasONE, eB Tech, Nasioncom, TTDotCom, Maxis Broadband and TM who are now operating between spectrum 3.4 — 3.6 GHz – the extended C-band spectrum licensed to them by the Regulator (MCMC) since 2003 – are now seeing their total investment of over RM400 million going down the drain, threatening the ricebowls of some 400 workers, as well as scuttling their investment plans for some RM300 million in the next 24 months!

These companies are operating mainly in Klang Valley. In a presentation with broadband industry players, MEASAT told them on 5th April 2007 that the continued use of the 3.4 –3.6 GHz band by FWA services will have catastrophic impact on the viability of the MEASAT-3 satellite, MEASAT and the wider Malaysian ICT industry.

MEASAT claimed that they had requested MCMC to clearly and promptly reconfirm the priority given to them in the 3.4 –3.6 GHz band, seek alternative frequency bands for FWA services and migrate these services to allow MEASAT to use the entire 3.4 –3.6 GHz band before Q4 2007.

MEASAT also claimed that MCMC had in 2003 assured MEASAT that the 3.4 –3.5 GHz extended C-band frequency band would be cleared of FWA services within 5 years (by Q4 2007) and will be given to MEASAT.

If MEASAT has its way, then probably all the seven FWA broadband operators will have to shut down their existing operations which are clearly against the public interest for four reasons: Continue reading “Extended C-Band spectrum mess by MCMC”

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Ijok money-politics and electoral corruption – worst in 50 years of by-elections

In a Mingguan Malaysia interview yesterday, the Election Commission Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman challenged the general perception that the Election Commission is not fair, independent and transparent in the discharge of its constitutional mandate to conduct elections.

Rashid is defending the indefensible as the Election Commission’s record is a history of unmitigated and abysmal failure to conduct free, fair, transparent and clean elections and the “sins” of the Election Commission are long and ignominous.

How can the Election Commission claim to have conducted fair and transparent elections in the past and the present when such blemishes as the following continue unaddressed:

  • Opposition parties not allowed to send polling agents to supervise the casting of postal ballots by members of the police and security forces to ensure free and fair casting of votes.
  • The huge presence of “phantom” voters.
  • Inability to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive electoral roll with the highest possible percentage of eligible voters on the electoral register as there are at present 4.9 million eligible but unregistered voters.
  • Prohibit unfair, dishonest and one-sided media coverage, whether print , radio or television during the election campaigns, such as “below-the-belt” and unethical cartoons, write-ups, broadcasts and telecasts and the “fear and scare” advertisements against the Opposition.
  • Prohibit money politics, not only by candidates but also by political parties.
  • Prohibit abuse of government resources and funds during election campaigns. Continue reading “Ijok money-politics and electoral corruption – worst in 50 years of by-elections”
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Abdullah – stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok

Abdullah - stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had condemned from Namibia the fracas that occurred during nomination day for the Ijok by-election as “a stupid thing”, saying that “Such a thing should not have happened”.

Abdullah said he was referring to both parties, meaning Barisan Nasional and Parti Keadilan Rakyat, when referring to the incident where BN and PKR supporters hurled stones, sticks and bottles at each other, forcing police to intervene.

I fully agree. To stamp out such unseemly incidents, leaders must set a good example to stop their members and election workers from getting out of control.

Leaders of both parties are blaming the supporters from the other camp of starting the fracas on nomination day.

However, there can be no doubt whatsoever as to who was responsible for the ugly incident at Batu 8, Ijok at 2.40 pm yesterday, where some 20 people, including some in Pemuda BN uniform, roughed up PKR candidate Khalid Ibrahim and two freelance photographers — one of whom is well-known blogger Jeff Ooi, injuring the other photographer. A police report had been lodged.

Abdullah is now back in the country. Is he prepared to condemn the ugly assault yesterday where Pemuda BN youths roughed up the PKR candidate and injured a free-lance photographer, discipline the culprits and issue clear instructions to end the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in the BN campaign in Ijok? Continue reading “Abdullah – stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok”

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Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General

Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has realized the urgency of deciding whether Malaysia is interested in offering a candidate for the Commonwealth secretary-general post.

He said in Windhoek that Malaysia should not repeat an earlier case where it could not decide if it was interested in the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, resulting in the country not getting all the support because other countries had already made up their decision on other candidates.

I do not know whether Abdullah had been misreported and he was referring to the defeat of the Malaysian candidate for the post of Secretary-General of Organisation of Islamic Conference in June 2004, with the Turkish nominee appointed to head the secretariat.

When I first raised the issue in Parliament last week of a Malaysian candidate for the post for Commonwealth Secretary-General to replace the incumbent Donald C. McKinnon, the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted Wismaputra paralysis on the matter as it does not have a suitable name to be put forward as Tun Musa Hitam was not interested.

Is Malaysia so scarce of qualified, competent and calibre material to be put forward for the post of Commonwealth Secretary-General, when Malaysia can chair the OIC and Non-Aligned Movement?

Are we so lacking in confidence in the capabilities and qualifications of Malaysians to helm international organizations like the Commonwealth?

Having lost out once in putting forth a candidate for OIC, are we now afraid of another international rebuff in lobbying for a Malaysian to be the next Commonwealth Secretary-General? Continue reading “Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General”