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Abdullah plunging to new depth of shambolic government with “somnambulant governance”?

I wondered this morning whether the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is crafting a new form of governance – somnambulant governance – making Cabinet appointments on-the-run, with the public and the Ministers themselves completely unaware of the existence of such Cabinet portfolios and responsibilities.

This is from Abdullah’s reaction to the proposal from a coalition of Indian NGOs asking the government to set up a Non-Muslim Affairs Department to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion.

Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC) president A. Rajaretnam suggested that such a department should come under the Prime Minister’s Department and should look into issues such as conversions and temple demolitions so that these problems are handled department-to-department and not between NGOs and departments.

The Prime Minster’s response is utterly befuddling and confusing, as no one can make proper sense out of it, as illustrated by the contradictory media headlines, viz:

• Kerajaan tubuh Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam – Berita Harian

• “Government considers setting up panel for non-Muslims” – New Straits Times

• “Non-Muslim affairs dept, if necessary’ – The Sun

• Non-Muslims looked after –We already have panels to handle their affairs, Abdullah – The Star

• Not Necessary For Non-Muslim Affairs Dept Now, Says PM – Bernama

How can Abdullah’s one response produce three different perceptions as to what he meant – from the government setting up such a department for non-Muslim affairs, to studying the proposal and an outright dismissal as “not necessary”.
I do not blame the journalists, whether reporters or sub-editors for getting three completely different versions from one response, as nobody really knows what Abdullah was talking about. Continue reading “Abdullah plunging to new depth of shambolic government with “somnambulant governance”?”

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Record 68 Golds by Malaysian sportsmen and sportswomen in SEA Games – a lesson for all of us

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

Malaysia can stand proud because it has won 68 golds to earn second place among the nations of se asia

The sports men and women had one objective in mind – to win for the honour and glory of Malaysia.

They competed as Malaysians for the country that they love. On the track there was no distinction of bumiputras or non-bumiputras, no ketuanan Melayu or second-class citizens. Because of their unity and common brotherhood they won 68 golds.

Their success holds a lesson for the leaders of our country Malaysia. Their duty is to foster unity and treat all citizens on an equal basis.

In the face of competition in a global world, to earn an honourable place it is vital that there be unity and all citizens should have the status of only one class – MALAYSIANS. Continue reading “Record 68 Golds by Malaysian sportsmen and sportswomen in SEA Games – a lesson for all of us”

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Fake IPCMC Bill deferred to March Parliament

I spoke to the Minister responsible for piloting the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill (the fake IPCMC Bill) Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz before the Cabinet meeting today conveying to him the unanimous sentiments of the Emergency SCC Bill Public Consultation last night that the Bill be deferred for a proper public consultation process to take place in view of the many powerful objections to it.

I suggested that a Parliamentary Select Committee on the SCC Bill should be informed as part of this public consultation process with NGOs and NGIs.

Nazri has just returned to Parliament from the Cabinet meeting, which has agreed to the deferment of the SCC Bill to the next Parliamentary meeting which, barring electoral mishaps like the dissolution of Parliament, will sit again on March 17, 2008 with an Official Opening by the Yang di Pertuan Agong.

There is however no Parliamentary Select Committee on the SCC Bill.

This is where the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance should pick uip the gauntlet to organise a series of public consultations in the country on the fake IPCMC Bill.

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Gani owes public apology to Batu Caves 31 for travesty of justice of total incarceration of 403 days

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail owes the Batu Caves 31 who were unjustly incarcerated for 13 days and their families a public apology for the sufferings and hardships they should not have been made to go through.

Gani’s explanations why he dropped the charges of attempted murder against the Batu Caves 31 in the Shah Alam Sessions Court underline the grave injustice which the Attorney-General had caused the 31 with the ridiculous charge of attempted murder and collective punishment of the 31 with the denial of bail for 13 days, resulting in a number of victims losing their jobs.

Two reasons had been given by Gani.

Gani said: “We can’t pinpoint who exactly did it or rather who was the one who threw the brick at the person who was badly injured”. If so, why did he charge the 31 with the capital offence of “attempted murder” with the maximum sentence of 20 years’ jail and fine, and what’s worse, denying bail to them for 13 days on a completely baseless contention of their being threats to national security! Continue reading “Gani owes public apology to Batu Caves 31 for travesty of justice of total incarceration of 403 days”

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Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians after biggest-ever electoral mandate 4 yrs ago

In Puchong Indah, Selangor yesterday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi declared: Support me and I will not disappoint you.

He said the support of the people give him greater sense of responsibility to strive even harder to ensure prosperity, harmony and development without leaving out any group.

Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians who had given him the greatest mandate ever secured by a Prime Minsiter in any general election in the nation’s 50-year history in 2004.

Is Abdullah’s denial so serious and even terminal that he is simply not aware of the widespread and deep-seated popular disenchantment over his failure to honour his catalogue of pledges when he became Prime Minister in October 2003 and during the 2004 general election to be the Prime Minister for all Malaysians, to hear the truth from the people however unpleasant, to wipe out corruption and abuses of power, to open up spaces for greater democracy and press freedom and to lead an administration of excellence and meritocracy towards a First-World Malaysia?

I cannot but ask whether the recent spate of unprecedented events had failed to make any impression on him whatsoever to shake off his denial complex – whether the nation-wide pickets of MTUC and workers for fair wage, the March for Justice of the 2,000 lawyers in late September to demand judicial independence and integrity, the 40,000-strong BERSIH demonstration on Nov. 10 for electoral reforms for free, fair and clean elections or the 30,000-strong Hindraf demonstration to end the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians? Continue reading “Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians after biggest-ever electoral mandate 4 yrs ago”

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Defer the fake IPCMC Bill to allow for proper public consultation

No, it was not an empty auditorium but quite a full house for the Emergency Public Consultation on the Special Complaints Commission Bill (or fake IPCMC Bill) at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last night.

It vindicated my faith and confidence in Malaysians that despite the impossibly short two-day notice falling on a weekend and end-of-year holiday season, minimal exposure in print media and total lack of leafleting, there was a strong turn-out of Malaysians for the Public Consultation to demonstrate their concern, commitment and seriousness about their citizenship rights.

Many thanks to you all on this blog for your encouragement and support as well as other netizens and bloggers who helped to give the Public Consultation a plug, including:

Fake IPCMC Bill consultation tonight (rocky’s bru)

Emergency Public Consultation on fake IPCMC Bill (the meesh experience)

It’s a fake IPCMC! – Lim Kit Siang
 (Kembara Minda Perjuangan)

Emergency Public Consultation on fake IPCMC Bill (carboncopy)

Urgent: Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC Bill
 (Blog for Positive Changes)

What the…?! Coming to KLS Chinese Assembly Hall tonight? (Dan-yel)

Lulu Thinks This Poor Replacement of An Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Bill Looks Like A Rush Job

And congrats to jedyoong for being the first to blog about the Public Consultation although “Am tired. Wanna sleep”.

Don’t have time to write a fulsome account of the Public Consultation. Just the highlights: Continue reading “Defer the fake IPCMC Bill to allow for proper public consultation”

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Who are the opportunists?

by Richard Teo

The Council of Former People’s Representative (Mubarak) President Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang described the Hindraf leaders as “opportunists and traitors to their race and country.” He further added that these people were extremists and that they should rightly be detained under the ISA.

Referring to his assertion, I would like the former Mubarak to carefully reflect on past history and see who are the opportunists.

After May 1969, with the introduction of the NEP, the Malay bumiputras were the sole beneficiary of govt policies. However somewhere along the course of implementation the NEP was hijacked by the UMNO elite Malays who only seek to enrich themselves and their cronies.

Based on such factual events how could the former Mubarak President condemned the Hindraf supporters as opportunists?Rightly the real opportunists were the UMNO elite Malays. Continue reading “Who are the opportunists?”

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Why does the BN government choose to do the wrong things almost all the time?

by Loh Meng Kow

Zainuddin, the Minister of (dis) Information said the government rejected the concept of democracy promoted by the West, with street demonstrations being part of the democratic process. “Have the countries with frequent street demonstrations managed to achieve the prosperity and stability that we enjoy? Most of these countries are mired in conflicts or chaos,” he stressed.

The Prime minister said that the silent majority had spoken that they were against demonstration. Yes, the people who took part in street demonstrations did not prefer to do it, if they did not consider it important that they took part to call government attention. They demonstrated because that was the only way that attention could be drawn to the wrongs perpetuated by the government. The way to stop demonstrating is to govern with fairness in the interest of the nation, and not in personal interests, so that the citizens do not find the need to demonstrate. The approach adopted in declaring street demonstrations illegal, charging participants for high crimes would see fewer demonstrations. But unless the problems which the people were calling attention are resolved, that resentment would not go away.

Countries that have frequent demonstrations could be divided in two categories. One takes heed of the demonstrations, and so government actions are guided on the path to prosperity and stability. The other tolerated demonstrations but was not prepared to take remedial actions. Malaysia considered itself capable in using bullying tactic to deny demonstration. Continue reading “Why does the BN government choose to do the wrong things almost all the time?”

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Challenge to AG/IGP to substantiate or withdraw terrorist charges against Hindraf

I just came back to Parliament from the Shah Alam Sessions Court where the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as expected dropped the attempted murder charge against the Batu Caves 31 after being incarcerated for close to two weeks on the ground that they are “national security” threats.

Of course I welcome the Attorney-General’s change of mind and the withdrawal of the charge of attempted murder of a policeman preferred against the Batu Caves 31 – as I had right from the beginning called on Gani to drop the charges of “attempted murder” against the 31 as well as the manhunt for another 30 on the same charge of attempted murder, as it would precipitate a new crisis of confidence in the administration of justice over selective and malicious prosecution in the abuse of the Attorney-General’s discretionary prosecution powers.

However, I am still very disappointed by Gani’s conduct in the Shah Alam Sessions Court.

Although the charges against five students for causing mischief and illegal assembly were also dropped (and they should never have been charged in the first place), the charges of causing mischief and illegal assembly against 26 remained, with their case adjourned till December 27 for sentencing following their guilty pleas this morning.

The very fact that Gani had to drop the capital charge of attempted murder against the Batu Caves 31, (which also means the abandonment of his intention to charge 30 others with the same capital offence) – which could land the guilty with a sentence of life imprisonment – is proof that the Attorney-General had abused his powers in preferring such capital charges in the first place.

It raises the question as to the real motive of the Attorney-General in abusing his powers in slapping the Batu Caves 31 with such a serious charge when there is no basis or justification whatsoever.

The two-week incarceration of the Batu Caves 31 who were denied bail on the ground of being “national and security threats” remains a blot on the nation’s administration of justice and the tenure of Gani Patail as Attorney-General. Continue reading “Challenge to AG/IGP to substantiate or withdraw terrorist charges against Hindraf”

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Fake IPCMC Bill consultation tonight – will anybody be there?

Will anybody come for the Emergency Public Consultation on the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill – the fake Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill – at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall auditorium tonight, December 17, 2007 at 7.30 pm?

Or will there be an empty hall?

Half of me was telling me that it was foolhardy to convene such a Public Consultation at such short notice, with only two days’ notice – and a weekend to boot –with minimal or non-existent mainstream media publicity and that one possibility is a virtual empty auditorium.

This will be grist in the mill of those who will claim that there is no public concern or support for IPCMC and that Malaysians are quite happy with SCC proposal.

The other half of me felt that there is no choice and the risks must be taken to convene a Public Consultation at such short notice because of the great importance to provide an opportunity for the public and civil society to express their views on the SCC Bill – not only because the IPCMC proposal is the most critical of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission for police reform to create an efficient, accountable, incorruptible, professional world-class police service but also because of the endemic crime which has haunted Malaysians and the country since publication of the Royal Police Commission Report 19 months ago.

Two-day notice falling during a weekend is not the only problem in making a success of the Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC Bill – it is also the end-of-the-year with many taking or preparing their year-end holidays. Continue reading “Fake IPCMC Bill consultation tonight – will anybody be there?”

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Hishammuddin’s antediluvian pledge of “no closure of Chinese primary schools”

“Hisham pledges no closure of Chinese primary schools” is the front-page headline of Nanyang Siang Pau today. Similar headlines also appear in other Chinese newspapers.

Education Minister and UMNO Youth leader, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the Barisan Nasional spinmeisters must have regarded this a coup and sure vote-getter after his unforgettable “keris-wielding” stances and his determination to repeat them every year until the non-Malays are “desensitized”.- what I had said in Parliament as manifestation of the “boiling frog” syndrome.

But I am really astounded by two things, that 50 years after Merdeka:

(1) the nation’s Education Minister could seriously believe that his “pledge” not to close Chinese primary schools would be regarded as a boon akin to a message of deliverance from heaven; and

(2) that it could be taken so seriously as to merit being treated as front-page headlines by Chinese newspapers – when it is totally ignored by other language newspapers.

Hishammuddin’s pledge is 50 years behind time. It would have some relevance even during the time of his father, Tun Hussein Onn, who was Education Minister and then Prime Minister from 1976-1981. But it is totally antediluvian today.

Let me tell Hishammuddin and the Barisan Nasional spinmeisters that what the Malaysian Chinese and fair-minded Malaysians want is not a pledge not to close any Chinese primary school but a pledge to build new Chinese primary schools whenever and wherever there is the need arising from demands for such school-places by the pupils and their parents.

Then and only then is such a pledge deserving of front-page headline treatment!

When will such a pledge be forthcoming?

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Tinpot Tyrant In The Making

by M. Bakri Musa

Someone ought to tell Prime Minister Abdullah that he is not up to the job. Malaysia deserves better. If he truly loves his party and country, as he frequently professes, he should acknowledge his limitations and gracefully pave the way for someone else.

As one prominent Malaysian wrote me, it is a tragedy at this stage of our development to have foisted upon us a leader who is clueless, incompetent and arrogant. He has taken all of us for a ride, he continued.

His is the sombong si bodoh (arrogance of ignorance).

This is not the time to maintain our silence, elegant or otherwise. That would only embolden Abdullah, prodded by his advisors, to pursue his current disastrous path. We already have too many preacher boys who for peanuts would willingly spread his message that the world is flat. The next day and with a few more cheap candies thrown their way, they would preach with even greater gusto that the world is indeed round.

Abdullah’s crude handling of the recent Bersih and Hindraf rallies, the largest in a decade, was merely the latest demonstrations of his ineptness. The choice is not, as he naively put it, between public safety and freedom, rather in enhancing both.

There is no safety without freedom. Suppressed, humans will ultimately erupt like a volcano, and with equally unpredictable devastations. Freedom without safety is anarchy. Safety and freedom are two sides of the same coin; each complements the other and both are hallmarks of civilized societies. “Safety” without freedom is illusory.

Abdullah’s “public safety before public freedom” argument is specious; it only reveals the latent tyrannical streak or prison-warden mentality in him. A few more years of him and Malaysians would lose whatever little freedom we have, and the much-sought safety would still elude us. Continue reading “Tinpot Tyrant In The Making”

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Emergency Public Consultation on fake IPCMC Bill – Tunku Aziz, Param, Malek Imtiaz and Ragunath coming

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz should not try to shut up members of the Royal Police Commission by arm-twisting them into silence and obedience about their unhappiness that their key proposal for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMCP) has completely changed character in the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill.

New Straits Times on Friday reported the great disappointment of three members of the Royal Police Commission at the SCC Bill as “as something entirely different from what we recommended”.

The three members are firstly the Royal Police Commission Chairman, Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and members Tunku Aziz and Lee Lam Thye. Continue reading “Emergency Public Consultation on fake IPCMC Bill – Tunku Aziz, Param, Malek Imtiaz and Ragunath coming”

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Call to AG – drop “attempted murder” and all other charges against Batu Caves 31

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail to reconsider the “attempted murder” charge preferred against the Batu Caves 31, for which they were denied bail and had been incarcerated at the Sungai Buloh Prison for the past 11 days since Dec. 5.

The denial of bail for the Batu Caves 31 is a blot on the administration of justice in Malaysia, as it is harsh, inhumane and unconscionable, completely indefensible on any ground as the contention of national security advanced by the Attorney-General for the collective incarceration of the Batu Caves 31 until their trial in January and the final disposal of their cases do not stand up to any close scrutiny.

The Attorney-General should not only drop the charge of “attempted murder” of a policeman leveled against all the 31, but he should go one step further and withdraw all other charges preferred against them as well.

Furthermore, the police manhunt for more than 30 others to prosecute them under a similar charge of “attempted murder” as the Batu Caves 31 should also be dropped altogether.

The paramount consideration which should be top national priority is to heal the wounds caused by the government insensitivity and mishandling of the long-standing grievances of the Malaysian Indian community at their political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious polarization and not to aggravate the deep-seated and legitimate discontents of the Malaysian Indian community with harsh and vindictive reprisals by the various state agencies. Continue reading “Call to AG – drop “attempted murder” and all other charges against Batu Caves 31″

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New list for ISA arrests – Ops Lalang 2 in the works?

Is Operation Lalang 2 in the works with the warning yesterday by the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum of more Internal Security Act (ISA) arrests and that the police had submitted another list of names for ISA arrests?

In giving the warning in Jitra yesterday, which was given front-page headlines by the New Sunday Times “WARNING OF MORE ARRESTS – ‘Necessary action’ to be taken under iSA”, Johari revealed that “a list of names had been submitted by the police and it was only a matter of time before several others were detained under the ISA”.

Is the country again in a scenario of “It was never a question of whether Internal Security Act would be used but only a question of when”, quoting Wong Chun Wai’s “On the Beat” in today’s Sunday Star – “A Very Difficult Task To Handle”?

Malaysians must find this state of affairs most shocking and outrageous.

When Johari disclosed that “a list of names had been submitted by the police” for persons to be arrested by the detention-without-trial law, how long is the list? Is it for a score, several scores or even up to over a 100 names as was the case with the infamous Operation Lalang in 1987?

What is the basis for the Police to prepare and submit such a list to the Prime Minister-cum-Internal Security Minister for a new round of ISA arrests?

It would appear that it is politics rather than security which is now the driving force demanding a new round of ISA arrests – as evident from the closed-door meeting of some 1,000 Umno division leaders and members in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Continue reading “New list for ISA arrests – Ops Lalang 2 in the works?”

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Addressing the eternal question

by Azly Rahman

I received the following poignant but inspiring email a week ago:

“I convey my heartfelt thanks and highest appreciation for your article ‘Plea for Indian Malaysians’ (which) has truly overwhelmed me – so much so, it had prompted me to send you this mail (which) I rarely do.

“The very people who were entrusted to heighten the socio-economic status of the Indians [..] have not been able to do so. Poverty, illiteracy, gangsterism and the likes are still plaguing some quarters of Indians. The situation is really cause for concern and there are many individuals like me, who are yearning and craving for a change to take place.

“We would like to see a decent Indian society who are capable to be on par with the other Malaysians. … But in-fighting, accusations, corruption have been a hindrance thus far and it may remain so. For me personally, I just wish we Indians had capable leaders to help us attain a good standing among the other races in this country. However it has remained just that, a thoughtful wish.”

Isn’t this good enough to have us postpone our plans of plotting against one another, propagandising potential conflicts, manufacturing crises, and continue to be in a state of denial of the class issue that is plaguing the Tamil community especially?

Why can’t we leave our ethnic ego outside the door and look at what needs to be done for social justice – for all classes of people of ethnic groups that have not progressed much? Why label this and that group as “terrorists” when the abject poor are being perpetually terrorised by the rich whose economic design prioritise material over social capital, greed over basic needs? Continue reading “Addressing the eternal question”

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False IPCMC Bill (SCC Bill) – Emergency Public Consultation in KL on Monday

I am convening an emergency public consultation in Kuala Lumpur on Monday night on the stand that Members of Parliament should take on the fraudulent Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Bill (IPCMC) which will be debated in Parliament on Tuesday or Wednesday – the last day of the 46-day sitting of the current parliamentary meeting.

I regret that time is so short with only two days to convene such a public consultation when there should be a series of such public consultations in various parts of the country in view of the importance of the proposed legislation based on the most important recommendation of the Royal Police Commission to create an efficient, incorruptible, accountable, professional world-class police service with three core functions – to keep crime low, to eradicate corruption in the police and to protect human rights.

The Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday and will be debated for passage on Tuesday or Wednesday before the adjournment of Parliament until next March.

The SCC Bill admitted in its explanatory statement that its genesis came from the IPCMC proposal – “This Bill is introduced as a result of the recommendations made by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police and it is intended to cover not only the police officers but also all enforcement officers at the Federal level.”

Most unfortunately however, the SCC is a completely different animal from the one conceived and recommended by the Royal Police Commission – in fact it makes a total mockery of the IPCMC proposal as to warrant the SCC Bill to be billed as a fraudulent IPCMC Bill.

The whole raison d’etre for the IPCMC proposal, the most important of its 125 recommendations for police reform, was spelt out by the Royal Police Commission in Chapter 6 its Report on “Modernise the Role, Functions and Organisations of the Royal Malaysia Police” (p. 189), viz: Continue reading “False IPCMC Bill (SCC Bill) – Emergency Public Consultation in KL on Monday”

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PM-Indian NGOs meeting – utter failure of MIC and Samy, reduced to silent observer/note-taker

The promise by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to look into the plight of the Indian community after meeting with 14 Indian NGOs yesterday is proof of the legitimacy of the grievances of long-standing political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization of the Malaysian Indians and the Nov. 25 Hindraf gathering of 30,000 people despite groundless Hindraf allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Malaysian Indians.

It is also proof of the complete irrelevance of the MIC as the Barisan Nasional component party for the Indians and the utter failure of Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu after over 28 years as the MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister to the extent that he had been reduced to the pathetic role of a silent observer and note-taker at the meeting yesterday.

The question that Samy Vellu and all MIC leaders have to answer is why they are so articulate in their declaration that the Hindraf allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide are baseless and irresponsible but yet so cowardly and dumb in not daring to declare that the grievances of Malaysian Indians at their long-standing marginalization as equal and rightful citizens of Malaysia is a real and genuine one – and that the 30,000 Malaysian Indians from all over the country who responded to the Hindraf rally on Nov. 25 was a cry of desperation to the Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional Government for attention and action to end their marginalization and not a gathering of riot or turmoil over the baseless allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Continue reading “PM-Indian NGOs meeting – utter failure of MIC and Samy, reduced to silent observer/note-taker”

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Special Complaints Commission – totally different creature and very negation of IPCMC proposal

The Special Complaints Commission proposed in the bill tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday is a totally different creature from the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and the very negation of the independent external oversight agency for the police recommended by the Royal Police Commission.

No wonder the Chairman of the Royal Police Commission, Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah said yesterday that he was “very disappointed” as the proposed Special Complaints Commission was not what the Royal Police Commission had in mind. Dzaiddin described the Special Complaints Commission as “something entirely different from what we recommended”.

Another member of the Royal Police Commission, Tunku Abdul Aziz, former Transparency International Malaysia President, is also a disappointed man.

He said: “The whole purpose was to ensure that no only were the police protected against unfair criticism and allegations but also that there would be a return of public confidence in an organization that had lost it. If the new bill is watered down, obviously we are not going to achieve this purpose.”

How can the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Cabinet expect the 26 million Malaysians to have confidence in the proposed Special Complaints Commission when the leading lights of the Royal Police Commission like Tun Dzaiddin and Tunku Aziz are totally disgusted by the breach of faith and the complete watering-down of the IPCMC proposal to produce something quite nonsensical? Continue reading “Special Complaints Commission – totally different creature and very negation of IPCMC proposal”

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ISA detention of Hindraf five most deplorable

The invocation of the Internal Security Act (ISA) to arrest five Hindraf leaders is most deplorable and marks another violation of the pledge by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to promote democracy, uphold human rights and defend the rule of law.

This is because the infamous detention-without-trial Internal Security Act is the very antithesis of the rule of law.

The five detained under the ISA are P. Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau and T Vasanthakumar.

If the government has clear and convincing evidence that the five had committed grave offences, they should be charged in court allowing them an open trial and an opportunity to defend themselves instead of being incarcerated under a regime where proof is not necessary at all.

The return of the ISA is another regression of Malaysia to the dark era of human rights violations which can only tarnish the country’s international reputation and image.