Al-Islam 'journalists' should be charged or call for tribunal to remove AG.

Al-Islam 'journalists' should be charged or call for tribunal to remove AG.
Vijay Kumar Murugavell

Quote :
"Vijay Kumar of Kuala Lumpur described the two journalists’ actions as “blatantly seditious and inexcusable.” He further said “it is pointless having laws that are not enforced or enforced selectively.”

Source : http://www.ucanews.com/2010/02/25/no-further-action-in-host-defilement-case

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While I respect Steven Sim's views on a Christian response — “that we offer forgiveness.” I ask for the charges to be pursued as too much of this sort of thing has been happening, Ahmad Ismails 'pendatang', cow head protest, Najibs assistant making derogatory remarks and now this :-

Protestors fuming over racial slurs from gov’t staff (Two political parties have lodged separate police reports against a Cameron Highlands district office staff for uttering racial slurs against a group protestors who were unhappy with the performance of the district officer. PSM Cameron Highlands branch spokesperson Suresh Kumar told Malaysiakini that the first report was [...]
Read the full story...
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/02/26/indian-protestors-fuming-over-racial-slurs-from-govt-staff-balik-india/


The cow head protestors were charged for sedition and illegal assembly only after much uproar, initially even the Home Minister defended their actions.

Is it any surprise then that bigots of every hue come out of the woodworks ?

Why is the Deputy AG and not the AG himself involved in a case of widespread public interest ? I suggest an appeal be made to the AG himself.If the AG makes a similar decision then a memorandum of protest should be sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as the AG holds office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The question I have for the AG is, will he take a similar stand had it been a desecration of a Mosque ?

Article 145 (5)

Subject to Clause (6), the Attorney General shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and may at any time resign his office and, unless he is a member of the Cabinet, shall receive such remuneration as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may determine.

Article 145 (6)

The person holding the office of Attorney General immediately prior to the coming into operation of this Article shall continue to hold the office on terms and conditions not less favourable than those applicable to him immediately before such coming into operation and shall not be removed from office except on the like grounds and in the like manner as a judge of the Federal Court.

Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution provides for the removal of judges of the Federal Court on the ground of “misbehaviour or of inability”.

Article 125(3)
If the Prime Minister, or the Lord President after consulting the Prime Minister, represents to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that a judge of the Federal Court ought to be removed on the ground of misbehaviour or on the ground of inability, from infirmity of body or mind or any other cause, properly to discharge the functions of his office, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall appoint a tribunal in accordance with Clause (4) and refer the representation to it; and may on the recommendation of the tribunal remove the judge from office.

Article 125(4)
The said tribunal shall consist of not less than 5 persons who hold or have held office as a judge of the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal or a High Court or, if it appears to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong expedient to make such appointment, persons who hold or have held equivalent office in any other part of the Commonwealth, and shall be presided over by the member first in the following order, namely, the Chief Justice of the Federal Court, the President and the Chief Judges according to their precedence among themselves, and other members according to the order of their appointment to an office qualifying them for membership (the older coming before the younger of two members with appointments of the same date).”



This is and issue that affects us all not just the Christian community, I hope the Muslim community too give support for such a tribunal to be called as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself forbade the desecration of places of worship.
If this too fails, please make your displeasure known at the ballot box.

Sudhagaran Stanley, on Feb 3rd 2010 went to a police station in Kuala Lumpur to hand in a memo to protest inaction on the case. Two weeks earlier, he wrote a letter to the prime minister complaining of the same, UCA News reports.

The SABM message goes to ground

The SABM message goes to ground

February 27, 2010

This is how it works.

You attend one of the SABM forums, and the message delivered at the forum resonates with all that you feel.

Or if you haven’t attended any of the forums, but you’ve seen video clips of messages delivered or heard of the same from friends and you think “Why our politicians don’t think and talk like that, ah?”.

Whichever, you now want to share that message with your family, friends and colleagues.

Get in touch with SABM. e-mail us at events(at)sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net or call us at 03-2095 0435 from Wednesday to Sunday between 12noon-7pm.

Or you can send me an e-mail at thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com.

Organise some teh tarik at your home, your office, or at some stall. Get your family, friends and colleagues to come round.

We’ll come and partake of your fellowship and share our message.

________________________________________________

After the KL Roadshow and forum on 23rd January, a young student who attended the forum contacted us.

This led to a “lepak session” between about 12 local university students and 4 SABM core-groupers, myself included.

For me, personally, it reinforced my conviction that the hopes of this nation rest with our young.

A second “lepak session” is scheduled for later this month.

Yesterday, an anak Bangsa Malaysia who had also attended the KL forum played host to a teh tarik session in Cheras.

She contacted me through Facebook last week and it culminated in yesterday’s fellowship.

Robert and I attended.

We shared the 5 SABM key messages and then there followed a sharing of thoughts, concerns, fears and hopes.

As always, for me, it was an enriching experience meeting new people.

And like so many other similar fellowships that I’ve attended in the past, I was left with the impression yesterday that there are good people in our midst who have for a long time languished under a sense of hopelessness, who want so much to come forward and help make a difference and make our country a better place for all, but succumb to the fears that the best from amongst us have.

Family.

Putting food on the table.

Job.

We all need a reason to believe that any effort by us to help take this country back from the ugly forces that now sit in the driving seat of this nation will not be in vain.

I offer you two reasons to believe.

First, anchor our effort to bring justice and equality to this nation in an unshakable faith that God is with us on this difficult journey.

To my brothers and sisters of the Christian faith who made time yesterday to share their thoughts with Robert and I, allow me to share with you a verse from your scripture that has always inspired me to overcome my own fears.

“Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me” – Psalms 23 verse 4.

Second, know that we have it in ourselves to set this nation right.

Know that collectively, the good people of this nation are an insurmountable force to be reckoned with.

Acknowledge our faults of the past in allowing the nation to slip into the state that it is in now and say “No more”.

Resolve to work together with all fair-minded anak Bangsa Malaysia to take our country back for our children and their children.

I want to reproduce here an excerpt of something I posted here when this blog was but 5 days old, entitled “Set the picture frame right”.

“Imagine a picture frame hanging on the wall which appears lopsided to you, as you observe it seated in your armchair. Try as hard as she does, the adjustments to the same by the maid just does not seem to get it right. Either it is too much to the left or too much to the right. You have a choice. Sit there and gripe until death brings an end to your misery. Or get off that armchair and set the picture frame right.
You and I have the same set of choices about the state of mismanagement of this country. Sit and gripe or get up and set things right. …I believe that Malaysians by and large are decent, caring people who, in truth, are greatly concerned about the wrongs that are being inflicted to a great many of our fellow Malaysians.
I believe that the seeming silence of the greater number is not out of indifference to those wrongs but is brought about by an unfounded fear to dare to stand up and ‘set the picture frame right’. It is my hope that this blog may help to rally together like-minded Malaysians to dare to stand up and ‘set the picture frame right’.
What is my aspiration for this country?
The comment by A. Williams to my first post sums up so succintly, the problem that grips us as a nation and, that which must come to pass if we are to emerge from this national crisis as a just and caring people. I pray that we have the strength and courage to ’set the picture frame right’.

“The government meant to serve us, the people of this land, has hijacked the power that belongs to us to fire those that have disgraced the sacred seats of Parliament. Our rights over the years have been whittled down by draconian laws. The wealth of this country that belongs to the citizenry has been squandered by irresponsible men and women.

And we, the people, have been sleeping, lulled into thinking we are the servants of the government we chose. We have accepted false measures of what a nation should be, what our rights and responsibilities are, and many of us have turned the other way rather than face our failure to be a people faithful to the truth, protective of our children’s future and loyal to our Constitution.

We voted in our government servants and promptly became subservient to them. We have such a low opinion of ourselves as a people able to bring dignity back to our Parliament and able to change the destiny of our nation. Why? Because we are on the whole self-serving too, at our own level. We live in enclaves of self-preservation and want the other man to fight for us.

The time has come to change. And change must begin with us. We need to change our mindset of apathy. We need to forge a new alliance among ourselves, a unity founded on a love and respect for all peoples of this nation. We need to carve on our hearts that every man not given justice is our brother and every woman shackled by the discriminatory laws and customs is our sister .

There is no other road to restoration but that of commitment. We must rise as a people if we want a People’s Parliament”.

ARTiculations: JUST WHAT KIND OF BULL SHIT IS THIS?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

JUST WHAT KIND OF BULL SHIT IS THIS?

This is the first time I am blogging at night.

I normally do my research at night. I then write in the early morning hours. I would then post up whatever I have written in the afternoon.

But this time is an exception. This is an exception because of a matter which is exceptionally puke-inducing. The blatant double standard. The plain hypocrisy of it all. The stupidity. The stench of bull shit which permeates the air.

Well, let me tell all of you. I am seldom rude. Let alone crude. And there existed little time when I blow up in public. But now I am blowing up. I am fucking blowing up. I could feel my blood boil. And my skin crawls with repulsion.

And what, you may ask is the cause of this very public and uncivil display of anger and disgust?

I just read a Malaysiakini report that the two so called Muslim who also called themselves journalists for a magazine which has the word "Islam" as its name are now going to escape punishment for their act of desecrating the sanctity of a church and mocking Christianity and Christians in general.

Apparently, no action will be taken "due to overwhelming public pressure". Senior ASP Anantha Rajoo was quoted to have said in his letter to the complainant that the AG Chambers have decided not to charge them.

And the file will be marked "no further action".

Huh. Since when does public pressure could be so overwhelming that the AG Chambers cower in a corner and refuse to do its sworn duty to the nation, namely, to prosecute offenders?

When one considers the speed at which certain "offence" goes to the Court, like the Sodomy 2, one wonders what the fuck this is all about. Yes. What the freaking fuck is this all about? What is it IF THIS IS NOT HYPOCRISY AND DOUBLE STANDARD?

Raja Petra was even detained under the ISA for "insulting Islam" just because he wrote some articles in English about the unbecoming conduct of some Muslims. Lesser acts have been dragged to Court because they are apparently "seditious".

And these people go away Scot fucking free?

Three women were caned - against the provisions of Federal law - for apparently confessing to having committed illicit sex. Another was sentenced to be caned for drinking alcohol in public.

Tell me that the actions of these two did not affect the harmony of our society. That they did not affect the peace. That they did not affect the interfaith relations in our society (which by the way is as fragile as it can be nowadays)? Tell me.

Excuse me. But I think this is fucking bullshit!

Tyranny of the M’sian bureaucracy

Tyranny of the M’sian bureaucracy

CPI Writings

Written by Dr Lim Teck Ghee

Friday, 26 February 2010 13:14

During the last few days we have had two clear examples of how tyrannical and vicious the Malaysian bureaucracy can be, and how unyielding it is to any reform measures or initiatives. This Mr Hyde side of the Malaysian bureaucracy is not the usual dark side that the Malaysian public is familiar with – one associated with inefficiency, laziness, poor service, abuse of power or corruption. It is one that is part and parcel of the hidden racially-charged context of our institutions and it smacks of the ideology of Malay dominance – or even Malay supremacy – that the civil service has come to personify. This is the dark side that is generally kept away from public scrutiny and accountability, not only because it runs against the grain of what a modern, progressive and representative civil service is, but also because it is regarded as politically incorrect to discuss or analyze it. The first example appeared just two weeks ago when a courageous whistleblower, Dr Selvaa Vathany, a doctor from the Orang Asli Affairs Department (JHEOA) Hospital, Gombak made startling claims of rampant malpractice, misappropriation of resources and other wrongdoings by the hospital staff and associated agencies of government dealing with the Orang Asli. Dr Selvaa is not your ordinary whistleblower. Providing details on the importance of healthcare and medical assistance for the Orang Asli – their children are 15 times more likely to die from malnourishment compared to other children – she revealed that for entire communities “essentials given out are limited to one to two bottles of cooking oil, six to eight tins of canned food, two packets of 400g Milo, 15 to 20 small packets of milk powder, 10 to 20 diapers, two bottles of detergent and 10 to 20 pairs of slippers, per visit. These are distributed at random …. If the villagers are lucky, distribution could be as frequent as once in every two to three months”. She noted that “a tin of infant milk is divided into six small packets with 15 to 20 packets distributed to a village of between 250 to 500 people”. All of this is strong circumstantial evidence that resources meant for Orang Asli communities are hijacked, possibly by the very people entrusted with the responsibility of distributing them to these vulnerable groups. In her press conference, she also pointed to an institutional defect in which individuals without medical training and incapable of following Health Ministry protocols and standards were made hospital administrators and were appointed from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry. Most tellingly, she pointed to an extensive cover-up of the scandal with little or no follow-up to the complaints made to the Prime Minister’s Department, Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Health Ministry, Chief Secretary, Public Service Department and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The only follow-up that has taken place appears to have been the thuggish and unacceptable response of the team from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry who “questioned the complaint… made by the Orang Asli in an unprofessional manner”, and threatened and attempted to intimidate them. For her professionalism and integrity in speaking out on behalf of a marginalized and impoverished community, Dr Selvaa is now being transferred to Kedah where presumably she will be left to rot and to rue her courageous challenge of the status quo. Outsiders controlling the Orang Asli The second example also relates to the Orang Asli and it concerns the response of the Orang Asli Affairs Department to the demand for increased representation at the management level in government agencies formed to handle Orang Asli affairs. According to the group raising these concerns, the JHEOA is staffed by over-80 percent non-Orang Asli, resulting in decisions not favourable to their needs and the marginalization of Orang Asli voices in important policies that affect their livelihoods. This is not the first time that such concerns have been raised. During the past 50 years we have had a constant stream of written petitions, memoranda, press statements, expert reports and academic work that have drawn attention to the way in which the government has violated the basic rights of the Orang Asli and analyzed how the JHEOA and associated government agencies have been the main instruments for control and repression of the community. In response, the Government has simply ignored them or opted for delaying tactics. In this particular instance, in typical foot-dragging response, the department’s Director-General Mohd Sani Mistram said that the group should have gone through the “proper channels” to air their grievances and that it was an “internal matter” between the Orang Asli and the department. Both these cases – the punishment meted out to a whistleblower and the cold shoulder treatment of legitimate Orang Asli grievances – epitomize how dangerous it is for our democratic system to remain silent or passive in the face of an increasingly out of touch and unrepresentative civil service. They are the tip of the iceberg of many unexposed and undisclosed abuses that needs to be put in the spotlight of public scrutiny. At the end of the day, the most effective public scrutiny that can realistically have an immediate impact on these cases of rogue individuals and agencies of the civil service that are throttling the Orang Asli is that coming from Malay intelligentsia and Malay civil society. Indeed, some Malay colleagues have shown goodwill in helping the Orang Asli to correct some of the “historical injustices” that have been perpetrated on the original inhabitants of the Peninsula. It could make a difference if Malay leaders are willing to take up the case of Dr Selvaa and stop her victimization by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development. At the same time, more Malaysians of conscience need to step up to the plate if the Orang Asli community is to regain their rightful place in the country.

Vice Versa? I don't think so ...

"Right now we're sipping from a poisoned chalice:
a flawed democracy laced with religious fascism. Pure arsenic.
What shall we do? What can we do?
We have a ruling party that's haemorrhaging”.
~ (Arundhati Roy, Democracy and Religious Fascism)

***************************

In his latest post- Drawing the Political Lines - a PAS-UMNO role reversal, Art Harun had implied that PAS has taken on Umno's old image/role. He said, "In 2010 Malaysia, it would appear that PAS and UMNO has rebooted and in drawing their respective political lines, they have exchanged their respective political role."

IMHO, what he says is true - but only up to a certain point, though.

The thing here, is this- PAS HAS NOT taken on Umno's earlier role of liberalism - it is only flirting with it at present. They have yet to come out openly and declare that they would support the Federal Constitution (as it is) - as the supreme law of Malaysia. They have only ceased from campaigning on that platform (of the (Islamic State"). Meanwhile, Umno has abandoned its old "sophisticated" skin for that of the "heartlanders'" Islamist stance- and capitalize on PAS's cold feet when challenging whatever is deemed "Islamic" by convention (even if there isn't a shred of evidence to attest to that).

PAS today, is the "accidental hero" - even if the "Erdogan" faction is sincere about their intentions. They're no different from the Umno, MIC, MCA trio (or even Hindraf, for that matter) in its sectarian agenda. It just so happens that PAS has been pushed to the stage of national politics in a big way, through the non-Muslim votes along the west coast in the ABU (Anything But Umno) campaign of the 12th GE. By no means did they actually earn the trust of their voters.
The reality is- PAS is still run by the ulamak faction which practices "kampung" politics to cater to the rural folk who do not see how the Islamic State agenda will spell doom for the country - and possibly, even the end of the federation at large. They still operate on the premise that secular humanism runs contrary to Islamic values/principles - when the evidence to the contrary abounds.

**************************
"The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity,
and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity,
will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy:
neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."
- John W. Gardner
**************************

The Ulamak faction of PAS risks losing all that they stood for (at least in the eyes of their unthinking minions), should they take on the "liberalist" image - and so losing their core rural vote bank who apparently have nothing to lose. This is simply because this simplistic vote bank which PAS caters to, cannot see how a "clean-shaven man in a suit" can stand for Islam - better than a man in a turban & goatee.

Umno knows this very well, and is pushing this faction into taking on the Islamist agenda with greater fervor, so as to fracture the PR alliance - and Hadi isn't doing a very good job at convincing the electorate of his support for a plural society. He evokes more distrust than confidence with his flip-flopping actions. They also often refrain from opposing acts "deemed Islamic", even if it has subverted the supreme laws of the land - the Federal Constitution. In the meantime the so-called "liberalists" in PAS are struggling to play both sides of the fence by branding themselves as "Islamist democrats". If that isn't a no-brainer, I don't know what is - just how does an "Islamist" become a democrat, while championing the destruction of democracy & secular humanism.

My take on this current scenario is simply this - Umno is gonna push PAS even harder to the brink of fracturing not just PR, but also the party from within. They will intensify their attacks on the so-called "Erdogans" like Khalid & Dzul, (whose Islamist and democrat credentials will be ripped to shreds on both sides of the political fence) through their increased "moral policing", primitive syariah sentencing & the siege-mentality propaganda.
Once this faction is out of the way, PAS would be chicken-feed to handle - and the PR alliance would be history.

********************************

“Only a class based movement not based on ethnicity and religion can truly built a nation without discrimination, race based corruption and race based politics. The ruling party would be able to rule and would continue to rule as long as the people are divided.
The ruling party is not going to build a united Malaysian Nation, as it is not going to work to its advantage.The Opposition too have at many occasions being sucked into the same mode to win support of the people.
The future of Malaysia can go two ways – Race and Religious Politics which is the rule of the day versus Class based politics – cutting across race and religion lines. It is a serious question as race and religious politics with its history and conditioning remain the most effective way to mobilise the racially divided people. It is a question every person has to ask and ponder. It is a question which is going to continue to haunt us.”
-Setiausaha Agung, Parti Sosialis Malaysia

P.S.

If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky
and when you hear -
Death to Infidels!!
State of Emergency!
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Rempits go Looting!
Bomb Blasts church/temple!
It is but the sound of our skullcapped Jihadi
in his robes and turban,
worshiping his maker.

“@limkitsiang Agreed. This is beyond politics. We need a movement to save this country.”

On Twitter, two ‘dinosaurs’ engage over oil and Allah

By Leslie Lau

Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — Two of Malaysia’s oldest lawmakers — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Lim Kit Siang — engaged in a bipartisan debate this afternoon on micro-blogging site Twitter, backing each other in a campaign to force the federal government to pay oil royalties claimed by Kelantan.

In a series of “Tweets” and “Re-Tweets” between the DAP and Umno man which were followed by thousands, the two men stepped up their campaign for Kelantan’s oil royalty claim, and offered up lessons on how to pitch their message to a new generation of voters.

“Why don’t I put the PDA up on my blog, YB RT @limkitsiang:@razaleigh should not have to depend solely on memory.

“My fellow dinosaur w/a memory of a better day RT @limkitsiang: Najib: Razak’s son or Mahathir’s heir?” Tengku Razaleigh twittered today in reference to a statement made earlier today by Lim and the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) which he says backs Kelantan’s claims.

(In Twitter code, RT means to Re-Tweet, or send on someone else’s original message to their own followers. To preface a message with an @ sign is to reply to a specific person’s Tweet)

Lim had accused the Najib administration today of ignoring the promise made 35 years ago by former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in denying oil royalty payments to Kelantan.

“The full-page advertisements contain an important omission — the reply 35 years ago in Parliament by the then Prime Minister, Tun Razak to my question whether all states in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah had signed agreements with Petronas for oil exploration along the coastline and what were the joint profits for the state,” said Lim in his statement today.

The DAP man was referring to advertisements placed in Bahasa Malaysia newspapers to justify the federal government’s refusal to pay oil royalty to Kelantan.

Quoting the Hansard dated Nov 12, 1975, Lim said Tun Razak had promised that all states “will receive five per cent of the value of petroleum found and extracted from each of the states, whether onshore or offshore, that is sold by Petronas or agencies or contractors.”

In Lim’s Tweets, the DAP man told Tengku Razaleigh that it would be a good idea to put up the PDA on the latter’s blog.

He added that it would be a good idea for the Petronas founder to to set up a new website for all relevant documents on the issue.

“@razaleigh Let’s turn royal debate in Parliament in March into major debate on oil royalty,” Lim also told the Umno man.

Tengku Razaleigh currently has 1,838 followers while Lim has 5,876 followers.

These numbers are not indicative of the number of people who may have followed their debate, because their respective followers can also Re-Tweet their messages.

The two men carried on their “debates” for quite a few hours this afternoon, with both using the UberTwitter software, which means they were using their mobile phones to talk to each other and thousands of Malaysians on the micro-blogging site.

Besides the oil royalty issue, Lim and Tengku Razaleigh also talked about the “Allah” controversy and the need to revive Tunku Abdul Rahman’s legacy of good governance and moderate politics.

To Lim’s point that “kalimah Allah controversy would not have arisen if Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Inter-Religious Organisation was not scrapped by Mahathir,” Tengku Razaleigh replied that “all Malaysians of goodwill support genuine efforts to revive Tunku’s legacy and memory... no tokenism.”

In what was described as a love-fest by some of those following the conversation, Tengku Razaleigh also agreed with Lim’s suggestion that the country must return to the basics of the Merdeka constitution.

“@limkitsiang Agreed. This is beyond politics. We need a movement to save this country.”

Local Internet and telecommunications expert Dinesh Nair was one of those who followed the Twitter conversation between Lim and Tengku Razaleigh.

“@limkitsiang @razaleigh I know my tribe’s efforts were not wasted when we see two ‘dinosaurs’ from two opposing parties discussing on Twitter.

“And history being made, as ‘dinosaur’ @razaleigh discusses PDA with @limkitsiang. Thot u’d never see this? Think again!” Dinesh said in his Twitter message.

What the Fish! Give Us "A" Chance??!!

ASP Vasantha Kumar, a police special branch plant appointed by IGP

ASP Vasantha Kumar, a police special branch plant appointed by IGP

His suit is applied to be struck off by Hindraf Coordinater Tamil Selvan at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on the grounds that this ASP was not appointed a Hindraf leader like P. Waytha Moorthy but was appointed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) when he was supposedly “arrested” under the ISA (which key Hindraf leaders are puzzled why? (Refer Makkal Osai 20/2/10 page 8). Intelligence sources reveal that this ASP Vasantha Kumar was paid RM1.5 Million for his 1½ years' stay under ISA at Kamunting and that he is not to use this money until after five years to avoid suspicion of his sudden lavish lifestyle change.

By S Kalidasan

In any event, it is a mystery of what his full time job is right now as he never stated so in his Summons dated 14/1/2010 (despite it being a legal requirement). What does he do to earn a living to feed his wife and three children?

Many ISA detainees had noted that this ASP had never ever complained about his “supposed” ISA detention at Kamunting prison all throughout his 1½ years of “detention", he had never ever complained that he missed his children if not his wife. Even the hardcore Jemaah Islamiah Islamic extremist ISA detainees could not contain their frustrations and keep persistently complaining on a day to day basis that they miss their children. How come this ASP Vasantha Kumar could be so strong inside Kamunting jail when he had only a three month stint in Hindraf and that too as a runner and with zero involvement in any other NGOs or political party activities before 13/12/07? How come Hindraf’s other frontliners, S. Jayathas and N. Surendren, were never arrested under the ISA but instead this ASP was detained under ISA? Strange!

The scores of leaflets nationwide prove that he was never an official speaker at any of the Hindraf nationwide forums pre 13/12/07. But how could he emerge as a Hindraf leader out of the blue? Just because he was detained under the ISA with the other Hindraf lawyers?

Even the long term Hindraf lawyer who had stood alongside P. Uthayakumar even before Hindraf Chairman P. Waytha Moorthy came into the picture spoke to this ASP Vasantha Kumar for the very first time only at Kamunting Prison on 13th December 2007 and never ever at anytime before that. But with UMNO’s print and electronic media, this ASP Vasantha Kumar had been made out to be a Hindraf leader on 13th December 2007 by virtue of his supposed “detention” under the ISA together with four other Hindraf lawyers.

Any other Tom, Dick or Harry arrested by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and detained under the ISA together with the Hindraf lawyers and then “declared” Hindraf leaders by the IGP would be perceived as such but not for long. Given time, the truth will surface and prevail. But keep a lookout for the operational warfare this ASP embarks on under the instructions of the IGP, Federal Special Branch Director and UMNO. This ASP uses especially the three Tamil newspapers to cause confusion and an apparent “split” among Hindraf leaders. There is no split between Manoharan Malayalam, R. Kengatharan, P. Uthayakumar and P. Waytha Moorthy who had known each other since their law student days in London since the 1980’s. Ganabathirau was known to these four lawyers also about only three months before the ISA arrest on 13/12/07. These three Tamil press get instructions from the Home Ministry KDN from time to time to give coverage to this ASP in pursuit of their operational and psychological warfare to cause confusion and split the Indian community which had emerged strong during and after the 25th November 2007 HINDRAF Rally.

This ASP’s full time job now seems to be launching personal attacks against, in particular, P. Uthayakumar and HINDRAF Chairman P. Waytha Moorthy. This ASP is instructed by the Malaysian Police Special Branch top brass to take the direct opposite position against Hindraf's and HRP's position. The latest being the Kampong Buah Pala, the Ladang Batu Pekaka and Kuala Ketil Hindu crematorium demolishments. Take note that he does not attack or seriously criticize the top UMNO leadership on the scores of Indian
issues highlighted even on a day to day basis in our website www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com. Never a letter, memorandum or any document appears under his name before his supposed “ISA arrest on 13th December 2007”.

A Google search on this ASP Vasantha Kumar pre-13th December 2007 would reveal this truth.

To us, the truth is he is a police ASP Special Branch E3M special officer assigned to cause confusion and break up Hindraf vis a vis the Indian community under Ops Padam Hindraf as was acknowledged by the Deputy Federal Police CID Chief DCP Mohd Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani from the witness stand at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before Judge Sabariah Osman on 14th January 2010 in P. Uthayakumar’s “ethnic cleansing” Sedition trial.

In conclusion, no one in Hindraf knows this mysterious ASP Vasantha Kumar until about three months before his supposed “ISA arrest” on 13/12/07.

Chicken or Egg?

"So if the people themselves can’t even bother to change their racist ways, then would the government, being their representatives, change as well?"
~ Hafiz Baharom, "For Rent With Racist Prejudice"

In his article (linked above), Hafiz laments the presence of advertisements specifying racial/cultural/religious preferences for tenants. He also implies that the government will not change unless "we" change first.

It is, I think, a very wrong way of looking at things - firstly because he has not even scratched the surface of the reasons for this racism he deplores. Of course those living a swanky lifestyles who have not had to face the discrimination, would possibly say that "it is all in the mind"- that things can change in an instant we so wish it.

Of course, it is indeed a sad state of affairs - and I myself dislike the ads he mentioned - more so because I too am discriminated against. The blatant racism in Malaysia is a result of 50yrs of racist indoctrination by racist political parties which practice "socio-economic apartheid" - call it fancy "positive discrimination" or "separate development" if you must (as the Pietr Botha/ de Clerk regime of SA) - or even the noble NEP, for that matter. The effects are further augmented by the racism practiced in state sponsored public education - and even the presence of vernacular education which are unwitting fortresses for racism & cultural/religious bigotry.

While it may be right for one to question the right of the people to demand eradication of racism in institutions, while practicing it - did Hafiz even wonder if these racism could possibly have been ingrained by these very racist institutions via generations of indoctrination?
How do you get rid of this indoctrination then? Miraculously transform spiritually & be born again while keeping these racist institutions?

I may be racist, simply because the system doesn't allow otherwise.
I may be racist because of the discrimination which I have suffered.
Thus my prejudice may be shaped by the environment that I am forced to live in.
Get this right Hafiz - not many can avoid being shaped by the prejudices/discrimination environment they live in.
"I" may be racist simply because society demands that of me, and yet hate it.
Therefore, I have every right to demand that the institutions of racism be demolished before I myself can change.

Muhyiddin Blabbers Again!!

Muhyiddin is among the most unqualified persons in the Najib Cabinet to talk about the doctrine of separation of powers « Lim Kit Siang

I never thought that a day would come when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin could prate about the doctrine of separation of powers.

Who is he to suggest that I am confused and do not understand separation of powers for asking for an emergency Parliamentary meeting on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy2 charges.

This is because Muhyiddin is among the most unqualified persons in the Najib Cabinet to talk about the doctrine of separation of powers.

The doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary suffered the worst erosion and emasculation, subversion and sabotage since the “mother of all judicial crisis” in 1988 when the then Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and Supreme Court judges were sacked for not complying with the whims and fancies of the then Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

If Muhyiddin had any doubts about the perversion and subversion of the doctrine of separation of powers in the past two decades, he need only ask his Cabinet colleague, Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim who had written a doctoral thesis on the subject – although Rais had recanted his views to get back to the Cabinet.

Did Muhyiddin, who was already occupying high government and political office in 1988, ever spoken up or lifted a finger against the subversion and sabotage of the doctrine of separation of powers in the past two decades – when the judiciary fell from its high international fame and standing before 1988 to the lowest depths of world-wide notoriety equivalent to a “rogue judiciary”?

If not, what right has he now to feign or claim concern about separation of powers?

It is precisely because the doctrine of separation of powers had been so battered and subverted, with the Malaysian judiciary fighting a losing battle to regain national and international confidence in its independence, impartiality and integrity seven years after the end of Mahathir premiership, that the dropping of Anwar’s Sodomy2 charges is generally regarded as an important step to re-establish the doctrine of separation of powers in Malaysia.

Hence, the relevance and importance of the call for an emergency meeting of Parliament on Anwar’s Sodomy2 charges.

The Federal Court in Nizar v Zambry: A critique — NH Chan (loyarburok.com)

The Federal Court in Nizar v Zambry: A critique — NH Chan (loyarburok.com)
FEB 19 — On 9 February 2010 the Federal Court (Alauddin Mohd Sheriff PCA, Arifin Zakaria CJ (Malaya), Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff and Abdul Hamid Embong FCJJ) handed down a unanimous decision on Nizar v Zambry. The judgment of the court was read by Chief Judge, Malaya Arifin Zakaria.

The judgment is 40 pages long on A4 size paper and if you have the stamina to persevere to the end of the judgment you would have realised that these judges of the highest court in the land have, under the pretext of interpretation, decided that the Sultan of Perak has the power to dismiss the incumbent Menteri Besar Nizar when the Laws of the Constitution of Perak does not confer any executive power on the Sultan for so doing.

If the Sultan has no power to dismiss Nizar then, we should ask, how could the Federal Court commit such a devastating error to their reputation as judges of the highest court in the land?

The inability of these judges to pick out the one real point that matters

That is why the ability to pick out the one real point that matters is so important. That is why young advocates learnt how to spot it very early in their career if they are not to bore the judge, whom they are addressing, to tears. This is what Sir Patrick Hastings — he was one of the great advocates of his day before and after World War II — had to say about the ability to seize upon the one vital point that is to be found in any case; see his book Cases in Court, p 333:

“The ability to pick out the one real point of a case is not by itself enough; it is the courage required to seize upon that point to the exclusion of all others that is of real importance.”

The late Lord Justice Salmon in his article, Some Thoughts on the Traditions of the English Bar, was also of the same view. He said:

But remember this, in few cases, however complex, is there usually more than one point that matters. Very seldom are there more than two and never, well hardly ever, more than three. Discover the points that really matter. Stick to them and discard the rest. Nothing is more irritating to a tribunal than the advocate who takes every point possible and impossible. To do so is a very poor form of advocacy because the good points are apt to be swept away with the bad ones. Stick to what matters.

In the case of Nizar v Zambry, the only point that matters in the appeal is whether the Sultan of Perak has any executive power to remove a Menteri Besar who had been appointed by him under Article 16(2)(a).

Any astute lawyer or judge can see at once that there is only one point that matters in the appeal, and that point is whether the Sultan of Perak has any executive power to sack his Menteri Besar and to appoint another to take his place. Yet these five myopic Federal Court judges were unable to see that this is the only point that matters in the appeal when every budding young lawyer knows about it instinctively.

These five myopic judges were lost in a quagmire of confused thinking caused by their own incompetence. They found themselves deep in the forest unable to see the wood for the trees. Does this mean that we have a bunch of incompetent judges who sit in the highest court in the land?

Article IV of The Laws of The Constitution of Perak says, “the Mentri Besar” means the officer appointed by virtue of Article XII. Article XII says:

(1) His Royal Highness shall appoint by instrument under his sign manual and State Seal, a Menteri Besar pursuant to paragraph (a) of Clause (2) of Article XVI.

And paragraph (a) of Clause (2) of Article XVI says:

(1) His Royal Highness shall appoint an Executive Council.

(2) The Executive Council shall be appointed as follows, that is to say -

(a) His Royal Highness shall first appoint as Mentri Besar to preside over the Executive Council a member of the Legislative Assembly who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly; and

(b) He shall on the advice of the Mentri Besar appoint not more than ten nor less than four other members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly;

That was how Nizar came to be appointed the Menteri Besar. He was appointed by the Sultan of Perak to be the Menteri Besar by the application of the provision of Article 16(2)(a) of the Constitution of Perak shortly after the State General Election of 2008. The provision of Article 16(2)(a) gives the Sultan of Perak the executive power to appoint a Menteri Besar “who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly”.

Article XVIII (2) is the only other provision in the State Constitution where the Sultan “may act in his discretion in the performance of the” functions stated in Clause 2 of Article 18. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 2 read:

(2) His Royal Highness may act in his discretion in the performance of the following functions (in addition to those in the performance of which he may act in his discretion under the Federal Constitution) that is to say -

(a) the appointment of a Mentri Besar,

(b) the withholding of consent to a request for the dissolution of the Legislative assembly,

After the Sultan has appointed a Menteri Besar under Article 16(2)(a), then, has he the executive power to remove him? The answer is definitely no, because the only executive power left for the Sultan in which he “may act in his discretion” — after a Menteri Besar has been appointed under Article 16(2)(a) — in respect of the Menteri Besar can only be found in Article 18(2) (a) and (b). Apart from Article 18(2)(a) and (b) there is no other executive power bestowed on the Sultan concerning the position and status of the Menteri Besar. The Sultan, therefore, has no executive power under the Perak Constitution to remove a Menteri Besar.

Nor has he any power under Article 16(6) and (7) to dismiss or remove him.

Article XVI (6) and (7) say:

(6) If the Mentri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly, … he shall tender the resignation of the Executive Council.

(7) Subject to Clause (6) a member of the Executive Council other than the Mentri Besar shall hold office at His Royal Highness’ pleasure, but any member of the Council may at any time resign his office.

By Clause (6) a Menteri Besar who ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the Legislative Assembly “shall tender the resignation of the Executive Council”. But what if any member of the Executive Council or all of them including the Menteri Besar — for the Menteri Besar is also a member of the Council — were to refuse to resign?

Clause (7) provides the answer to this question. It says, “Subject to Clause (6) a member of the executive Council other than the Mentri Besar shall hold office at His Royal Highness’ pleasure, but any member of the Council may at any time resign his office.”

Clause (7) clearly says that members of the Executive Council hold office at the pleasure of the Sultan. The Sultan can remove them from the office of Executive Councillors if they refuse to resign. But the Menteri Besar, once appointed by the Sultan, does not hold office at the Ruler’s pleasure. Therefore, Nizar, once he had been appointed the Menteri Besar by the application of paragraph (a) of Clause (2) of Article 16, cannot thereafter be removed from office by the Sultan. This is because Clause (7) says the Menteri Besar does not hold office at the pleasure of the Ruler.

Therefore, even if the Menteri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly, the Sultan has not the executive power to remove him as Menteri Besar. That being the case, the only way to remove a Menteri Besar is to obtain a vote from the Legislative Assembly to remove him. Alternatively, the Sultan may dissolve the Legislative Assembly if requested by the appointed Menteri Besar — who is Nizar as he cannot be removed by the Sultan — to do so under Article 16(6).

Therefore, the legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak is still Nizar, and not Zambry. Then, how could the Federal Court give such a perverse decision in favour of the usurper Zambry when the Constitution of Perak does not confer any executive power on the Sultan for him to do so? This is especially so when Nizar is still in office as the Menteri Besar — a position he still holds in accordance with the law.

Are these Judges docile lions under the throne?

Is it because the judges were docile lions under the throne who are beholden to the monarch?

In What Next in the Law, page 335, Lord Denning tells us that:

It was Francis Bacon in his Essay, Of Judicature, who said:

‘Let judges also remember that Solomon’s throne was supported by lions on both sides; let them be lions, but yet lions under the throne; being circumspect that they do not check or oppose any points of sovereignty.’

According to Francis Bacon (who was Lord Chancellor during the reign of King James I) judges are lions under the throne; being circumspect (it means cautious, prudent or discreet) that is to say, being timid and docile they do not check or oppose any points of sovereignty of the monarch.

Now you can see why the timid lions being circumspect as the monarch’s liege they would rather not check nor oppose any points of the sovereignty of the monarch. ‘Yes, Yes, Yes.’ whimpered the cowardly lions. But why should they be sycophants when Sultan Azlan Shah himself have said that judges are not beholden to Kings, Presidents or Prime Ministers ? see Sultan Azlan Shah’s Constitutional Monarchy, Rule of Law and Good Governance, Professional Law Books and Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 2004, p 59:

The judges are not beholden politically to any Government. They owe no loyalty to Ministers. …They are “lions under the throne” but that seat is occupied in their eyes not by Kings, Presidents or Prime Ministers but by the law and their conception of the public interest. It is to that law and to that conception that they owe their allegiance. In that lies their strength.

This quotation comes right from the horse’s mouth, the Sultan of Perak has said it himself that it is to the law that judges owe their allegiance. Therein lies their strength. They are not lions under the throne of Kings, Presidents or Prime Ministers.

* This article is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

PopTeeVee | closed doors, pendatang & the Perak fiasco | That Effing Show

PopTeeVee | closed doors, pendatang & the Perak fiasco | That Effing Show

YouTube - This is my home. I care. I want to make it better.

YouTube - This is my home. I care. I want to make it better.

Umno's 1-Malaysia & "Vision 2020" ..........

A Simple Fact

LETTERS/SURAT, Malaysia Today

Monday, 15 February 2010 admin-s

By Capt. Iskandar Dzulkarnain

Perkasa says ‘anti-Malay’ Guan Eng lied about Prophet’s birthday do

I read with utter disgust Perkasa’s comments on the above. The accusations are highly seditious, inflammatory, and downright insane. The race and religious card is being played with impunity, and yet the government is sitting tight and not moving an eyebrow.

The 1malaysia concept is being torn to tatters with such unspeakable remarks, and just this morning Najib was talking about racial unity. If UMNO does not sanction such remarks by racists, it should take action to reprimand such openly insensitive remarks.

By branding a Chinese as anti Malay is an outrageous accusation. The Chinese and Malays take such remarks very sensitively. And this situation can get out of control.

The glue that binds the races together will melt and it may cause another racial conflict. Already, race relations is at an all time low, and such politicians should not be let out to roam free to destabilize the peaceful coexistence among the races.

But if we prosecute this politician, the MSM will make him a martyr of the Malays!

Malays are not against the Chinese or other races, it is the politicians that disturb the peace by such propaganda. And their so-called slogan of protecting the rights of the Bumiputras is just a facade for them to go on plundering the nation. After 50 years of protecting and nurturing us Bumiputras, we still lag behind the non-Bumiputras. This shows that something is very wrong somewhere.

Lately, Perkasa says that Bumiputras need to be on par economically with others, if not, 1Malaysia will not achieve its objective. This again is hogwash because in realty only the elite benefited, while the rest of the Bumiputras were left to pick up the bones.

So, non-Bumiputras, please do not be deceived by these so-called NGOs that claim to protect Bumiputra and Malay rights. At least half of us know that it is just a sandiwara played continuously for over 50 years to entertain the nation. Today, the Bumiputra is still worse off than ever, but we do not blame others, but ourselves.

I see the day, when the non-Bumiputras decide to call it quits, and start to migrate en masse. That day, when all the others are gone forever, We will start to miss the chatter of old Chinese families, the familiar sound of Chinese opera, the firecrackers, and the ah moi in blue jeans and t-shirt; the Indians, in saris and their fiery curries and papadam. Gone will be the pubs and discos, the Carlsberg advertisements, the cinemas, the entertainment outlets with the live bands; when our TVs no longer broadcast Chinese and Hindi movies; gone from the supermarkets, are the Christmas trees ornaments, and Santa Claus lookalikes, the lively festivals of the other races, the Thaipusam parades, the dragon boat festivals, and the Christmas carolling, etc.

We need the Chinese and the Indians, and the rest of the races; for without them Malaysia would have lost its identity, and its cultural potpourri that makes Malaysia unique.

If they go, I will follow too, as this country will be too boring to stay anymore. Everyone has contributed to this nation, and we are all Malaysians. WHY,WHY, WHY can’t the government accept such a simple fact???

Why are we still separated racially? Why must there be a more superior race? Everyone knows we are not, and yet we still console ourselves that we are, and that we still need protection, and sustenance, to be economically on par with the non-Bumis.

Germany made a mistake with Nazism, and has corrected it. Yet we are stupid enough not to see through this charade, and year after year still vote for the same government that is hell bent to see that we are kept apart through their divide and rule policies.

Because of this, Malaysians are one of the most unpatriotic citizens, as really there is nothing about this nation of ours to be proud of!! Our government has lost our trust and respect, yet they still cling on to their thrones, and hopping from one party to another, while promising heaven.

The PERC report recently disputed by Muhyiddin, jolts us back to reality. We will slowly lose valuable foreign investment with our hard, stubborn approach to governance in this land. And with a disintegrating opposition, it is hard to paint a rosy picture of the future of this country. MAY GOD HELP US!!!

Free Anwar Ibrahim - Swampland - TIME.com

Free Anwar Ibrahim - Swampland - TIME.com

Free Anwar Ibrahim

Posted by Joe Klein Monday, February 15, 2010 at 12:31 pm

17 Comments

Jerusalem

There were lots of fascinating developments at the Brookings US-Islamic forum in Doha over the weekend, which I'll be writing about in detail over the next few days--and one very depressing development. Anwar Ibrahim, the charismatic Malaysian reformer, came to Doha directly from a Kuala Lumpur courtroom, where he is being tried for sodomy; he returned to Malaysia Sunday night. The Malaysian government has been after Ibraham for the past decade now, jailing him, convicting him of sodomy (that is, of homosexuality) once--a verdict that was partially overturned--and is now trying him again.

Let's leave aside the human rights outrage...well, maybe not--anti-sodomy laws are barbaric. Period. In any case, using claims of homosexual activity to discredit a political opponent is disgraceful. Ibrahim is married; his wife insists these charges are trumped up. There is, however, a young man, a former aide, who has made the accusation. No doubt, these charges would never have been brought if Ibrahim weren't such a well-known and outspoken voice for freedom.

I've met Anwar several times and had memorable conversations with him. He is a wise, decent and courageous man. Last year, at the Doha Forum, Anwar took the opportunity of Barack Obama's Inauguration to chide his fellow Muslims: the question is no longer what the Americans should do, he said (I'm paraphrasing here), but what we Muslims can do to get our act together, to establish just and democratic governments in our own countries.

On Sunday in Doha, Anwar met Hillary Clinton...and Clinton agreed to have her picture taken with him, which is a significant public sign of support that I hope the Secretary will follow up with a phone call to her Malaysian counterpart. Anwar's trial will be finished in the next week or so; he told me he fully expects to go back to prison. The thought of staying in Doha, or emigrating to the United States hasn't crossed his mind. He's a Malaysian patriot and a fighter for democracy of international significance. He deserves all our support.

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/02/15/free-anwar-ibrahim/#ixzz0fqtaqG2P

Who are Perkasa?

Who are Perkasa?

CPI Writings

Written by Dr Lim Teck Ghee

Wednesday, 17 February 2010 14:07

Dr Farish Noor’s assessment of Perkasa as “a class issue… reflecting the anxieties of poor Malays who are scared of the globalization process” is not only off the mark but also plainly incorrect. There is presently little or no data on Perkasa’s membership or ideology to support his assertion. For example, we do not know how large its membership is, the demographic and socio-economic profile of members, the reasons for participation in the group’s activities, the number of poor, middle or upper class Malays that are members, the attitudes of these members and other supporters towards the globalization process, etc. What are known are its origins, leadership, ideological position and the objectives and causes it stands for. The facts known about it are clear and unambiguous evidence of what the organization stands for and aims to achieve. They are a far cry from the class-based, nebulous and even heroic concerns that Farish draws attention to in his assessment. Perkasa is an organization registered with the Registrar of Societies on Sept 12, 2008. It traces its origins to the aftermath of the momentous March 8 general elections with the early discussion on forming the organization publicly announced in June 2008. Its objectives clearly prioritize the defence of “Malay special rights” (rather than the “special position” of the Malays) as well as the position of Islam, Bahasa Melayu and Malay rulers. There is nothing in its objectives (or its subsequent activities) to make it out as being concerned with or wanting to take up the plight of poor Malays. Instead its positions are based on the anxieties of “Ketuanan Melayu” and “Ketuanan Islam”. Article 4 of Perkasa charter • Memperkasakan Islam sebagai agama persekutuan • Memperkasakan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan • Memperkasakan kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu • Mempertahankan hak-hak keistimewaan orang Melayu • Memperkasakan kaum pribumi • Menyatupadukan kaum pribumi dan perpaduan rakyat Malaysia • Mempertahankan kedaulatan Negara. The names and positions of Perkasa’s office bearers are just as instructive in pointing to the racial supremacy orientation of the organization. Perkasa: Main office holders as at Oct 2008 • Datuk Ibrahim Ali (President) • Datuk Fuad Hassan (Timbalan Presiden) – ex-Abim • Datuk Shuaib Lazim (Naib Presiden) – former Umno senator & Adun from Kedah • Datuk Yahya Lampong (Naib Presiden) – former state deputy minister, Umno Sabah • Datuk Mokhtar Samad (Naib Presiden) – Umno Bandar Tun Razak chief, president Malay Contractors Association • Syed Hassan Syed Ali (Setiausaha) – vice chairman Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce • Muhammad Afiq Aziz (Penolong Setiausaha) • Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar (Bendahari) – Johor Perkasa chairman • Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad (Ketua Penerangan) – Umno former MP Besides its “frog king” President, Ibrahim Ali who is notorious for his party hopping (“The frog under the coconut shell hops from padi-field to padi-field, it does not hop …far, just nearby” ) and racist and sexist outbursts (“… there would be fewer marital problems and a lower divorce rate if Muslim women were taught to accept polygamy”), most if not all of its leaders are professional politicians or businessmen, mainly from or closely associated with Umno and fitting in or flirting with the opposition camp when it suits their interests. None have had any track record in the espousal of the socio-economic problems of the Malay working class. All have been beneficiaries of the Umno system of patronage and profited enormously from the power and wealth distributed by the party to its members, especially those at the top. All unashamedly make use of the propaganda depicting Malays as the hapless victims of the colonial and post-colonial development process and greedy non-Malays as standing in the way of legitimate Malay concerns and interests. Dr M, the Perkasa patron saint The mentor and ideological godfather of Perkasa is the former PM, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In his welcome note to their March 2009 Assembly meeting which was telecast live by Astro Awani and contained in the programme booklet, Dr Mahathir argued that the emergence of Malay NGOs was rooted in Islamic and Malay causes and showed that the Malays now have less confidence in the political parties that are supposed to represent them. He endorsed Ibrahim Ali as “(someone) who is neutral, who is concerned only with good governance, who will criticise whoever, whether the government or the opposition.” Dr Mahathir and Ibrahim not only have a common interest in publicly massaging each other’s ego and respective causes but also in being perceived as comrades in the frontline of fighting for Malay rights in the face of rising non-Malay challenge. But are other Malays buying this line? Are Malays from the poorer and lower classes flocking to this and similar or clone Malay ‘NGO’ movements taking up the cudgels on behalf of ‘oppressed’ and ‘long suffering’ Malays whose rights are being trampled on by non-Malays? The evidence to date is negative. On Feb 5, a Penang-based Malay NGO ‘Sedaq’ or ‘Aware’ claiming to represent 50 members, organized a demonstration after Friday prayers at Komtar to protest against the state’s alleged discrimination and oppression of Malays, especially Malay traders. Although the demonstrators succeeded in setting fire to an effigy of the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, it could only mobilize a much smaller crowd of supporters than the 10,000 the organizers were targeting for. Various media estimated the numbers attending to range from 300 to 2,000. In response, the MPPP has refuted the claim of Sedaq that Malay traders are being singled out for harassment and discriminatory action. The data provided by the city council showed that Malays comprised 38% and 29% respectively of the 2,063 and 2,789 cases in the years 2008/09 against taken by the MPPP against illegal traders. The claims of racial discrimination made by the Malay NGOs were groundless. Although Perkasa and Sedaq were given much prominence in the Malay vernacular papers and official media, there has been little critical analysis of the actions and activities of such groups in these media outlets and counter arguments such as those put out by the Penang state government and others against the Sedaq group have not been given the coverage they deserve. Cultivating the radical fringe It is as if the present Umno leadership which controls the mass media and the spin given to these new forces sees it as in its interests to coddle and legitimize Malay racist organizations, however extreme their message and opportunistic their agenda may be. The convergence of interests between the Umno leadership and the various manifestations of these ‘grassroots’ movements is not surprising. Also not surprising is the apparent rapport between the Deputy Prime Minister and these groups. For example, on Feb 2, Perkasa spent two hours privately discussing its myopic socio-economic and political agenda with Muhyiddin Yassin. The group’s position on key policy issues is known to be contradictory to that held by the 1Malaysia ideology and New Economic Model espoused by the Prime Minister. What message did the Deputy Prime Minister intend to send to other Malaysians and Umno members by being so deferential to Perkasa? Was the event staged to strengthen Muhyiddin’s Malay ‘nationalist’ credentials further and to undermine the Prime Minister’s vision of transformation and change for the country? Or is there some tacit agreement between the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister with one acting as the liberal and progressive face of Umno and the other as its unchanging and non-negotiable Malay nationalist face, thus enabling it to cynically exploit both wider public and hardline Malay support? There has always been an important dimension of racial pandering driving Umno’s ideology. Having an attack hound bare its fangs in defence of exaggerated Malay insecurities on economy, religion, language or culture has been a key weapon in the Umno arsenal to remind the non-Malay communities of their real – that is, subordinate – place in Malaysia. The harder the line these groups take, the more liberal and progressive Umno’s leadership appears to be. However, this strategy no longer works with a more enlightened Malaysian electorate refusing to be intimidated or browbeaten by distorted or propagandistic versions of history bandied by BTN types and the logic of Malay dominance. It is also a dangerous game as Perkasa, Sedaq and other fringe extremist groups may turn around to bite Umno and weaken the country’s social fabric in other ways such as the church fire-bombings have already proven.

Who are Perkasa?

Organized Crime, Malaysia Style?

A Million Here ... A Million There - The Story of UMNO

LETTERS/SURAT, Malaysia Today

Monday, 15 February 2010 admin-s

Corruption is the single biggest threat to the survival of our country. Institutionalized corruption demoralizes, frustrates and will ultimately destroy the moral fiber of our people and then our country – if it has not already done so!

By steadyaku47

History tells us that the oppressed do sometimes admire the oppressor to the extent that given the opportunity they will become worse oppressors. This is now happening with the PDRM who have previously been at the beck and call of its Political Masters for many years. With the advent of money politics and the need to use PDRM as a political tool to manage the opposition, PDRM has now taken the persona of their UMNO masters and are now running neck to neck with their once political masters to see who could ruin our country quicker! It is happening within the various Ministries who are facilitating the institutionalization of corruption and enriching themselves in the process at the expense of the people.

We know that law enforcement, judicial and other legal avenues have failed us! I have yet to see a meaningful conviction by the MACC. The decision made by the Judiciary confirms its inability to deliver Justice resulting in social chaos as evident in their recent rulings on Perak and the Anwar Sodomy but at least the Judiciary has been consistent in its failures to gain acceptance and public trust in their deliberations!

The Federal Government of Malaysia and its many functionaries is a “racket”.

A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. The best known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection" against crimes that the racketeers themselves instigate if unpaid (extortion).

Is this not what PDRM is doing? They deploy their own “thugs” through road blocks, patrol cars and any other manner possible to seek ways and means of demanding money from the Rakyat in exchange for their services - to “selesai” traffic infringements and other criminal transgressions – pocketing the proceeds themselves! Of course, their higher-ups handle the more lucrative side of things. Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi! (Dang! … My Malay is still OK lah!)

Is this not what the Immigration Department is doing? The Customs people are doing. JPJ is doing? The Bomba Department is doing … even the office boys in these Government Departments are part of this “racket”. To ensure that your letters do not go missing, you pay these office boys for their “services”. Back in my old MCKK days, we call this “double ration”… but our double ration consists of taking the biscuits of those who do not turn up for tea because they were out enjoying the wonders of our beloved Kuala Kangsar town on the weekends. No harm done!

Of course, UMNO Politicians of dubious ethics run a bigger racket. The “utilities racket” through the IPP agreements. The “toll racket” (when in KL my daily toll “contributions” is at least Ringgit $15 to use the highways in and around KL!). You pay more in tolls than in petrol even if you use a Kancil to travel from KL to Penang on the North South Highway! And yet these toll concessions companies still cry “poor”. Who owns these toll concessions companies? Surely these people are rogues and scoundrels of the highest order running a “racket” with the blessings of their UMNO political cronies. Why the hell are we paying taxes for? Is it not to pay for these utilities and facilities?

The quid pro quo exchange of donations or bribes for massive government contract makes up the “negotiated tender” rackets through EPU, JKR and almost anywhere else where they can “negotiate” the giving of any government contracts or any government business. This “racket” is in a class of its own and will require an entire section to do it justice. Suffice for now to say that Samy Vellu and the EPU ‘boys” are a happy and contented lot – but in defense of Samy Vellu, he did say “Kemaluan saya besar!”.

And then there are the spectacular racketeering scams done only by the political elites and their cronies – from the Prime Minister down! Denying the sovereign rights to their petroleum resources, and consequently the oil payments owed, with compound interest, to Trengganu and Kelantan - from which they have been illegally withheld. The Approved Permits rackets for imported cars. The massive commission payments “for services rendered” by their cronies in the sourcing of Government purchases and requirements. The building of roads, longkangs, swimming pools, street lights, pubic facilities to influence electorates in elections is truly the most despicable of racketeering as it holds the electorates to ransom for what is rightfully theirs – quite like the “protection” rackets offered by thugs on defenseless shopkeepers and small businesses … and as Yul Brynner said in “The King and I” … "et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

The Government is in the business of providing services for its Rakyat. It should not be in the business of demanding money from its Rakyat in order to provide these “services” and “protection”. In Malaysia, if the Rakyat does not pay in the form of bribes or “donations” – then applications are delayed, licenses are not given, people are arrested, thrown into jail or even murdered! These problems are allowed to happen and instigated by these UMNO-led political class specifically so that bribes and donations are required to be made by the Rakyat to overcome or solve these “problems”.

So I say the Federal Government is into “racketeering” big time”! - An art brilliantly mastered by the UMNO-led political class now running our country. Despite accusation of impropriety, their political careers continued – if not flourished. Hell, they may even get to become Prime Minister! Go ask Mahathir and Najib!

Kong Hee Fatt Choy!!

P.S.
Cruzeiro is on leave- cruzin' with Mojo- till the CNY hols are over ......

My son broke down and cried ......

You better watch out:

The times they are a-changin'

NO HOLDS BARRED

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 Super Admin

My lawyer went to meet my son in the Sungai Buloh Hospital today and it is confirmed that my son slashed his wrist and swallowed a razor blade. My son broke down and cried while telling my lawyer that he can no longer stand the physical and mental torture that he is being subjected to and that he wants ‘out’. And the only way out to him is to end his life. This is my response to the Malaysian authorities who are using my son to punish me.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

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Come gather 'round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you

Is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin'

Or your gona sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics

Who prophesise with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon

For the wheel's still in spin

And there's no tellin' who

That it's namin'

For the loser now

Will later to win

And the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't cha stand in the doorways

Don't you block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will he who has stalled

There's a battle outside

And it’s ragin'

And it'll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'.

Come along mothers and fathers

Throughout the land

And don't you dare criticise

What you can't understand

Your sons and your daughters

They’re beyond your command

Your old road is

Rapidly agin'

Please get out of the new one

If you cannot lend a hand

For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn

The curse it is cast

And you know the slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is

Rapidly fadin'

And the first one now

Will later be last

Coz the times they are a-changin'.

Yes they are changing.

Come gather 'round folks

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you

Is worth savin'

Then you better watch out

Or you gona sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'

For the times they are a-changin'

Coz the times they are a-changin'.

You better watch out

You better watch out.