Interview with Malik Imtiaz

"The no longer have a 'rule of law'.

We have a 'rule of politics';

We have a 'rule by law';

We have a 'rule by decree';

We have a 'rule by edict'."
~ Malik Imtiaz

"For our 21st Middle Malaysia podcast, we speak to prominent civil rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz about various legal matters, starting with Bersih 3.o. He gives his view on whether the mammoth rally was in fact an illegal rally. He also talks about the lawsuit the government has instituted against the Bersih steering committee.

He expresses concern over the Borders case where a manager was charged by Islamic authorities for selling a book that was at the time not yet banned. Malik explains why it's worrying because of how the Islamic authorities are going beyond their jurisdiction.

On an rather interesting note, Malik gives his views on Raja Petra Kamaruddin's switch from supporting Pakatan Rakyat to being its chief critic. Hear his no-holds barred take on the "tragedy" of Raja Petra, whom Malik now calls "quite irrelevant".

Back to legal matters, Malik shares his view on whether Barisan Nasional would give up power peacefully should it lose the general election and what would happen. Malik gives an interesting twist on what he think could happen should there be an attempt to declare an Emergency situation if there is an upset in the polls.

Malik concludes the conversation by describing the scenario that could bring about a change in government. He believes it could happen.

Listen to it Here:PodOmatic | Best Free Podcasts

Latheefa saga: Khalid's gate closed to criticism - Malaysiakini

"But that's what it is. Khalid is good at excelling at several of the things 

that are important for the longevity of Pakatan rule 

while fouling up some of the things that cumulatively 

would undermine the coalition's hold in the future.

This is called excelling at pomp and fouling up circumstance, 

incidentally an Umno-BN speciality."

Latheefa, a lawyer with a long track record of human rights advocacy - initially with Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) and, latterly, with Parti Keadilan Malaysia, the entity PRM merged with in 2002 - was appointed a councillor in 2008 when Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor following its victory in the general election that year.

Latheefa had sent an email to Khalid sharply criticising the way a demonstration by a band of urban pioneers (peneroka bandar) at the Selangor State Secretariat (SUK) office in Shah Alam on June 20 was handled.

The people - who had demonstrated on June 20 were from 46 families from a urban pioneering colony in Sungai Buloh that was uprooted to make way for development - had been trying in vain to engage with MB Khalid for a year.

The gates of the SUK complex were closed to prevent the demonstrators from coming into the building proper, thus forcing them to endure the blazing heat for some hours before they dispersed.

It certainly wasn't the way for a Pakatan government to treat people that they should engage with even if disinclined to acquiesce to their demands.

Engagement is a core plank of the Pakatan manifesto of national salvation for a country steadily succumbing to the plutocracy that Umno-BN has devolved into over the past half century.

MORE:- Latheefa saga: Khalid's gate closed to criticism - Malaysiakini

The National "Harmony" Act- Another newfangled act

"Don't replace obsolete laws with newfangled ones, 

especially if you cannot be counted on 

to enforce them with equity"
~Bishop Paul Tan

Bishop: National Harmony Act could be a misnomer

Terence Netto 8:44AM Jul 15, 2012

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing suggested that it is better for the government to just repeal the Sedition Act than replace it with another law whose provisions may be as selectively enforced as it predecessor's has been.

The head of the Catholic Church in the Melaka-Johor diocese was airing his comments to Malaysiakini on the move by Prime Minister Najib Razak to have the Sedition Act replaced by a National Harmony Act.

"My intention is not take political sides but since this new law is about ensuring religious and racial harmony, I feel duty bound to hold forth on the matter," he remarked.

"The contemplated new law may turn out to be a misnomer," opined Bishop Paul Tan, who is concurrently president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

"Instead of promoting harmony, it may insure disharmony if its provisions are selectively enforced as has been the case with the Sedition Act," asserted the Jesuit-trained prelate.

The Sedition Act proscribes the questioning of a host of issues ranging from the position of Malay rulers to the status of Islam.
In announcing that a new National Harmony Act would be enacted to replace the Sedition Act, Najib has said that the government was seeking to balance the right to free speech with the need to protect institutions and positions considered sacrosanct by the Malaysian body politic.

Signs of growing maturity
"Consider what has happened in recent years," said Bishop Paul Tan.
"We have seen a politician or two and some religious leaders raise the bogey of Christian proselytisation of Muslims and proffer no substantive proof in support and yet they have not been hauled up for seditious speech.

"But more surprising still - and a wonderfully pleasant one at that - was that the general populace declined to react to the inflammatory posturing of the individuals concerned."

Bishop Paul Tan said this was perhaps a sign of growing maturity and discernment among the people that enables them to distinguish between religious charlatans seeking to stir the pot and democrats questing after an expansion of the parameters of civic debate.

"Why then enact a new law when the old one has not been equitably enforced and why promulgate new legislation when the majority has shown a heartening maturity that intuitively accepts what is held to be sacrosanct and knows who is an inciter and who a responsible democrat?" he asked.

"The authorities must know that cynicism follows hard upon the impulse to draw up laws with zeal and enforce them with bias and that best subsoil of a civil polity is the restraint that ordinary people exhibit in the face of willful and undeterred demagogues," said Bishop Paul Tan.

"Don't replace obsolete laws with newfangled ones, especially if you cannot be counted on to enforce them with equity," he contended.

How stupid can some people get? Ask JKKN ...

Nasyid yes, gospel choir no, says JKKN | theSundaily

Posted on 12 July 2012 - 08:58pm
Last updated on 13 July 2012 - 10:12am

Azizul Rahman
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA (July 12, 2012): Nasyid may be performed at Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) auditoriums but gospel choir is prohibited.

A department spokesman told theSun that one of the conditions of use of these auditoriums is that performances must not contain any elements of religious rituals either before, during or after the performance.

“Nasyid which means chant in Arabic, is a music style famed thoughout the Middle East and Muslim countries. Although it has elements of religion, it is not disallowed as it is not a ritual,” he said.

“Gospel music, on the other hand, is music written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief on Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music.

“Therefore, gospel choir cannot be performed in a JKKN auditorium or studio.”

So Najib admits that ISA was a political tool?

Najib: ISA abolished because it didn't help politically

Hazlan Zakaria 4:53PM Jul 9, 2012

The ISA was abolished because it didn't help the BN-led government politically, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"If you put someone in under ISA it doesn't kill them politically, instead it enhances their political career," he told civil servants in Putrajaya today.

Without naming names, Najib gave the example of some ex-ISA detainees whose political profile he said skyrocketed after being detained.

He said this while delivering the keynote speech at a dialogue with civil servants organised by the Razak School of Government.

MORE

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So he admits that it (ISA) was nothing but a political tool- and not a matter of national security. They used it do suppress political dissent.
But knowing that it doesn't serve its purpose, they still keep people in Kamunting ....
So that begs the question- are these BN fellas sadists who are just interested in power?

Talam, water and politics « rights2write (R2W)

"Talam isn’t exactly my darling. 

Given an opportunity I will piss 

on the head of Tan Sri Chan who had brought misery 

to thousands of house buyers and contractors. 

There is no love lost between us. 

But when Soi Lek's son, a very young Dato’ raised the issue SSG rescuing Talam, clearly he is talking cock. 

How stupid our politicians can be. 

This is a simple issue. 

"The debt was centralized at MB Inc and the recovery was done by MB Inc. At least there is an attempt to recover this debt. 

It has been sitting in the books of various Selangor GLC’s 

for years and recovery was almost impossible because of the political immunity by the previous government. 

The moment that SSG says that they will sue those who create malicious lies about the State, Selangor BN coordinator, “Dato Zain Badak” ask SSG not to resort to legal action to silence the critics. For a start, if politicians approach issues on the basis of truth then there will not be any legal issues. 

The problem here is BN seems to create a lot of lies."

~Talam, water and politics « rights2write (R2W)

What's with the new terminal?

"When KLIA2 was first proposed, 

Malaysia Airports (MAHB) said it would cost RM2 billion, 

a figure that was later revised to RM2.6 billion. 

Then came news that the terminal would cost RM4 billion, 

double the original estimate.

Now there’s talk that the bill 

could go as high as RM5 billion. 

That makes no sense — 

the low-cost terminal will now cost much more than KLIA. 

Yes, I asked for a new terminal 

but one that has simple facilities. 

Did it have to cost 20 times our present LCCT?"

~Tony Fernandez, What's with the new terminal?