-- PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --

March 24 2009 A phase of repression descended on Malaysia as Najib Razak seizes control of the reins of power, even before officially taking over as Prime Minister, and unleashes his brutality and violence on the people. Last night, a rally of about 10,000 people from all races was mercilessly attacked by the police with tear gas and acid-laced water cannon minutes after I began my speech in Bukit Selambau. Scores of people were arrested including my chief of staff, MPs, and senior aides to the Chief Minister of Kedah. To justify their iron hand tactics and blatant violation of the people’s fundamental liberties, the police have claimed that the rally was illegal. These are baseless claims as the event took place on private property and adhered to the rules. Last night’s show of brute force is but the latest in a series of harsh and dictatorial action by the government under Najib against the people. Also yesterday Suara Keadilan and Harakah were banned by the Home Ministry without any justification. These events only too starkly remind us of the cruel and authoritarian style of leadership under which Malaysians suffered for many years. The police force has become a band of marauders. The press is muzzled and those who speak the truth about the abuses carried out by the ruling clique are arrested, beaten and bullied. The institutions of governance serve the interests of an elite clique which will exceed all boundaries of the law to retain power. A return to that era would be a disaster for this country and people of conscience around the world should condemn these unscrupulous actions. It is quite clear that despite his superficial offers for cooperation and bipartisanship, the olive branch which Najib Razak extended to the opposition early this month is really a dagger in disguise. In two weeks Malaysians will once again return to the polls in three important by-elections. Once again all forms of trickery, cheating and bribery will be employed by the UMNO led BN government in order to defeat the opposition. But we are confident that Malaysians will register a referendum, much like they already have done in Kuala Terengganu and in Permatang Pauh, against the brutal and inhumane policies of the government. The movement for change and reform in Malaysia will push forward and will succeed. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Umno's New PM, New EC, New Demo(n)cracy. (UPDATED)

"We're all vulnerable.
Those who think they are safe are mistaken.
No matter how much you try to play safe, you are never safe.
If more and more people stand up,
then the people in power will probably think twice."
- Zaid Ibrahim, former Law Minister and Umno member

Tear gas fired at Anwar ceramah (Malaysian Insider)
And from Xavier Jeyakumar's Blog:

11:30pm

Dr Xavier and team have regrouped and are making their way back to their lodgings for the night.

They have UNCONFIRMED REPORTS that about 30 people were ARRESTED.

[Pls note that this is an unconfirmed estimation only]

10:50pm

Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has managed to leave the chaos zone in Taman Ria, Sg Petani.

Many of us are trying to locate friends that have run in every direction possible. Many people were injured in the chaos that ensued after the FRU opened the water cannons on the crowd.

The crowd was fired upon from the BACK !! They had to no idea that the attack was coming. Many people had brought their entire families along to hear Dato Seri speak.

Tonight has proved that BN before-then-&-now has got to GO !!!

10:45pm

The police and FRU have secured the perimeter of the ceramah area. The police even dismantled the TENTS, confisicated the ROSTRUM and all THE PA EQUIPMENT.

10:35pm

6 People Arrested :

1. Ibrahim Yaakop (PA MB Kedah)

2. Senator Zamri

3. Yusmadi

4. Azhar Ramli (S/U AMK Sg Petani)

5. Hafiz Ali (AMK Kedah : S/U Perhubungan Negeri)

6. Gunasegaran (PA kepada Calon Manikumar)

10: 25 pm :

The FRU continue to fire the water cannon and tear gas on PR supporters.

10:15pm

The crowd of about 5,000 people have dispersed with the FRU on their tails. Many ran into the nearby housing areas (Tamans). The FRU gave chase and continued to fire tear gas even INTO THE HOUSING ESTATES.

10:00pm - Monday, Taman Ria Jaya, Tapak EXCO, Bukit Selambau

So - after Ali Rustam, Norza Zakaria, the Class-F Contractor AGM, and then the Banning of Suara Keadilan and Harakah, that (the above FRU running amuck incident) was the Big news last night, with new further updates still pending as of mid-day today.
Obviously, Anwar is is gonna be "target practice" with every move he makes, and the PAS's man-with-a-mole on his left cheek and his short sidekick will be tempted by the devil with access to federal power. The little bird says that apparently, the short sidekick has already been offered a lucrative post, (and just like the FRU who wish to get a pat-on the back, for firing on peaceful men, women & children) he's salivating at the prospect of a powerful cabinet post like Pavlov's dog.
The best part of it all is the fact Mr. Mole & sidekick think that they are being very smart in doing this for a "higher cause & glory" and "rewards in the hereafter!!

It is definitely a prelude of things to come - after Perak, Selangor and Kedah are now in great danger of being sabotaged through the various instruments of state. The DAP in Penang meanwhile, although will survive, will be probably be faced with some element of "subversive activity not amounting to violence".

Obviously, we are seeing a new phase of authoritarianism in a Malaysia which espouses the Mahathirist "Asian Values" of "Daddy knows best". No effort will be spared to corrupt into submission, anybody and everybody who does not fall in line. Resistance to Umno has to be Futile, and failure to achieve this is not an option.
What we are seeing is a "class-war" (if not "civil war") in the making - probably 10yrs down the line - unless of course the corruption offered by Umno is rejected unanimously by the people. The Raja-raja Melayu should also seek greater legitimacy from the people instead of Umno, so as to kill the seeds of widespread social unrest which is now being planted by the corrupt.

In the coming days, we will be seeing a new brand of "debonair leadership" under the Najib regime. The "Mahathir clean" Muhyiddin will be the No.2, and Mahathir Jr. will be the next "firebrand" groomed to ascend a hierarchy, so as to perpetuate a political dynasty which screams out loud- "honour among thieves" and "let's plunder & rape".

Despite the fact that there is an urgent need to salvage the instruments of state by holding Umno together (vis a vis BN), it is shameful that they have to resort to totally "Mugabe tactics" at every turn. such is the state of affairs in a Government which dishes out "Class-F contracts" at every elections (not to mention the heavy requirement of Police presence).

Speaking of elections, on top of the fact that tear gas which is finally finding its role in this Malaysian brand of democracy, the "independant" Elections Commission has also found an "unblushing" new role as a Government agency.
Of course - it is in the interest of "national in-security", so as to maintain the role of pirates in Najib's RM7b, then RM60b package which he flashed lately. It is now made clear for all and sundry that the EC's role is to perpetuate this, while pretending to be the guardian of democracy for the ignorant proletariat which the aristocracy despises.
Najib of course did flash his smaller RM3.2b package to Class-F contractors lately - but that's a different story.

The following write-up by YB Khalid Samad says a lot about the integrity of the Najib formula under the Mahathirist thumb.

The new role of the SPR

MARCH 24 - Heard about the new role being played by the SPR in Selangor?

They have now become part of a committee formed under the PM's Department responsible for the implementation of a program called 'people centric'.....

If this does not constitute misuse of public funds, I do not know what does!

When the Minister in charge of the ICU (Implementation Coordination Unit) under the PMs department, being the unit responsible for the implementation of this programme, was queried about the matter in the Parliament, he refused to respond. He neither denied nor acknowledged the allegation nor was he the least embarrassed about its disclosure.

In fact, there were those from the BN who even responded by asking, "What is wrong with it?"

(for more click HERE or link above)

Najib "Working" Already? Norza Banned?? Harakah Banned??

Looked around on this Harakah news - but didn't find any.

The following was a "breaking news" post on Sham Rais's Tukar-Tiub.

Isnin, 2009 Mac 23

PERTAMA PEMECAH BERITA - TER NOW !!! HOT HOT HOT !!!

BERITA PECAH TERBARAI !!!




Permit Harkah telah di gantung selama tiga (3) bulan.

Pengantungan ini bermula dengan serta merta.

Federal Court returns Perak case to High Court

Federal Court returns Perak case to High Court

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 - The Federal Court today ordered to send the Perak Mentris Besar case back to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The five-man panel of judges was chaired by Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Alauddin Sherif ruled that Justice Lau Bee Lan had no power to refer the state constitutional question under Section 84 of the Courts Of Judicature Act as the word constitution is limited to the Federal Constitution.

The decision was unanimous.

- MalaysianInsider

Let The (Class-F Contractor) Show Begin - Beware the Rage Boys!!

Umno must dare to change, says Najib
PETALING JAYA (March 22, 2009) : Projects valued at RM3.202 billion under the Mini Budget will be awarded this week, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
- Sun2Surf, RM3.2b 'injection' this week

Najib is strongly Malay. He was a firebrand in the 1980s, leader of the UMNO youth wing at meetings where people called for Chinese blood on the Malays' keris.

* Najib's cousin is Malaysia's education minister while his younger brother, Nazir Razak, runs Malaysia's second-largest lender, Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd.

* The low-key father of five children has dominated the headlines in recent months. A private detective made allegations in a sworn affidavit -- which he then retracted before disappearing -- that Najib had a sexual relationship with a murdered Mongolian woman. One of Najib's top political aides is on trial for the murder, along with two state bodyguards.

Najib has denied involvement, saying the allegations are "unfounded" and
"designed to tarnish his standing within the Malaysian public"

Reuters FACTBOX - Malaysia's next PM, Najib Razak

The former prime minister told a gathering of more than 1,000 at a rally organised by right wing Malay group Perkasa that the community was under threat from "various parties" which he did not specifically name.
-Dr M says Malays are under threat, MalaysianInsider


"This is the final warning for the Bar Council....."
- Zahid Hamidi
"... the people can always be brought
to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy.
All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked,
and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism
and exposing the country to danger.
It works the same in any country."
-Hermann Goering(1893-1946)
Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag,
Prime Minister of Prussia and, as Hitler's designated successor, the second man in the Third Reich

Sivakumar causes tremendous headache to Umno

By Hanipa Maidin (The Malaysian Insider)

MARCH 22 - Perak constitutional crisis has produced an outstanding hero. The hero is none other than the Perak's speaker V. Sivakumar. Why not ? This man has really made the life of Umno in a terrible chaos.

Since the crisis started. Umno has resigned to the fact that it could not face Sivakumar alone.

Thus it has to use (read abuse) all the powers at its disposal to wage a war against Sivakumar.

First of all Umno used the Election Commission (EC) to frustrate Sivakumar's ruling on the resignation letters of the three defectors. Those who are familiar with the Perak Constitution know that the resignation letters of those three defectors were valid under Article XXXV of the Perak's constitution. Article XXXV only requires two conditions in order to ascertain the validity of any resignation letter issued by any assemblyman.

First there must be a letter signed by a state assemblyman and secondly such a letter must be addressed to the Speaker. As far as the three defectors' resignations were concerned these two requirements had been fulfilled thus prompting Sivakumar to declare such letters to be valid . When the letters were valid the EC had no other option but to declare by elections.

The EC has no power to question the validity of the resignations. It was not the statutory function of the EC to go beyond the four corners of the resignation letters .Under the law the EC was bound to accept the decision of V. Sivakumar .

By failing to hold by elections the EC has abdicated its constitutional duty. It unjustifiably usurped the power of the Perak' speaker.

Even the EC's former Chairman conceded that the former has no power to question the validity of the speaker's ruling. As the EC was bound to follow Umno's script it has no other option but to refuse by elections.

Despite the fact that the EC managed to set aside the decision of Sivakumar the latter's power has not been diminished . Everybody knows Umno desperately wants to convene the State Assembly.

Umno needs to go there for one purpose only namely to pass a vote of no confidence against Dato Sri Nizar. Yet hitherto Sivakumar has been the only impediment for Ummo to go to the State Assembly.

Umno has been extremely worry should Sivakumar flex his muscle. And flexing his legal muscle was what Sivakumar did.

Thus when Sivakumar made a decision to suspend Zambry and six others Umno has to face a very painful lesson i.e never underestimate the speaker's power. Umno received a fatal blow by such a powerful decision by Sivakumar.

Overwhelmed by Sivakumar's move Umno asked police to find whatever reasons to threaten him.

Of course every body knows the police could find none. Yet since the script mandates the police investigation on Sivakumar , the police has to find whatever flimsy reasons in one way or another.

Thus Sivakumar was unnecessarily subject to police investigations for two hours.

But Umno was still unhappy. Sivakumar needed to be further "turned over" ( sounds familiar ) by a Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission ( MACC ) .

Thus Sivakumar was once again subjected to another two hours interrogations and this time by MACC .

Of course in pressuring MACC to investigate Sivakumar, Umno sought to break a new record - the first ever speaker in Commonwealth countries ( or may be in the world ) who has been investigated for carrying out his official and constitutional function.

Despite abusing the EC, Police and MACC respectively , Umno has still failed to obtain its desired goal . Umno wanted badly to go to the State Assembly in order to pass a vote of non confidence against Nizar. Yet hitherto Sivakumar has become the sole stumbling block for Umno to achieve its ends.

In another spectrum, Sivakumar's confidence in frustrating Umno's plan of action has gained a new momentum.

Nothing could prevent him be it the EC, Police, MACC or whoever. Instead of taking a defensive stand, he switched to an attacking mode. Armed with legal power vested upon him, he summoned an emergency meeting of the assembly . Such a brilliant maneuver by Sivakumar left Umno in quandary. It was really a bombshell to Umno.

Umno desperately needed somebody, whoever he is, to counter such a move. Running out of viable options , Umno turned to the Secretary of the State Assembly to make an announcement .

Thus came an unprepared statement by this poor guy that Sivakumar has no power to summon the emergency meeting. Being subordinate to Sivakumar the secretary of the assembly has no business at all to make such a ridiculous statement. Of course making a stupid statement was also part of the script !!

But such a statement did not deter Sivakumar. Despite police handedness in obstructing Sivakumar to convene the assembly, he ultimately managed to hold it notwithstanding under the tree.

The legal fraternity endorsed such an assembly and held that such a meeting was constitutional and valid. The assembly prompted Umno to resort to a reluctant choice i.e going to a court of law.

Going to court means Umno has to face a painful reality - asking the court to review unreviewable decision of the speaker.

If the court really follows the law ( that I was told in law school ) the court will have no choice but to decide in favour of Sivakumar simply because it is trite law that the decision of the speaker is non justiciable.

Umno knows very well that to win the court's battle it needs to avoid Sivakumar from being represented by a lawyer of his own choice.

If Sivakumar retained his own lawyer Umno would not be able to control the game. Thus by hook or crook Sivakumar needed to be represented by the State Legal Adviser.

Thus Umno's lawyers vehemently opposed Sivakumar from being represented by Tommy Thomas etl. Even when Sivakumar decided to represent himself the same was also objected to by Umno's lawyers. Unfortunately the Judicial Commissioner bought the Umno's arguments.

NST reported his position was thereafter confirmed. What a twist of fate !!!

The victory in Perak's high court was indeed a relief for Umno. Nevertheless it was only shortlived. The court of appeal subsequently held that Sivakumar has the right to be represented by a private lawyer.

Umno retaliated. It asked the same Judicial to refer the matter to the Federal court. Going to the Federal court straight away means Sivakumar has no more avenue to appeal should the decision is not in his favour.

Now the ball is in the Federal court. The Federal court may decide against Sivakumar. However the Federal court cannot run away from this apt advice by Justice Aharon Barak..

"Judges must act according to the law…when we sit to judge, we are being judged."

And judging the Federal court judges is what the people are going to do now.

=============================

cruzeiro's NOTE:
The Migraines caused by Sivakumar's spirited stand in Defense of Democracy, also extends to the 2000-odd pirates - the Class F contractors who will chart the future of the nation soon at their AGM through "democratic votes".
This is what Malaysia has become under Umno - a country led by a party of greedy contractors (and contractor wannabes) .... as opposed to that of patriots, teachers and lawyers, who helmed the "old school" Umno of the pre-Mahathir era.

Mahathir now plays the race card at Perkasa meetings and calls DJZ racists (over the SuQiu issue I guess) to a mindless audience which doesn't see that it was their own policies that nurtures DJZ's "racist" stand.
He chooses to hide his hand in the subversion of the Federal Constitution, the NEP, and the education system for 40 years, which has resulted in a racist education system which deprives equal opportunities and meritocracy.
He now claims others are racists and corrupt, when they choose to challenge his choice of candidates at the Class-F Contractors AGM.

Indeed - hoodwinking an ignorant, gullible and racist audience appears to be the hallmark of the new Umno which will never accept the spirit of the Federal Constitution as the foundation of their principles. Gone is the spirit of the Rukunegara too .....

The Car-Tun's Pearls of Wisdom ...

"I will give 'full-backing' to Najib,

on one condition-

that he does not appoint/ corrupt people,
into the cabinet."