A judicial fall from grace
September 20, 2007
Malaysiakini reports, in the matter of the VK Lingam / CJ scandal, that ‘when contacted this afternoon, the personal assistant to the CJ relayed a message that he wanted to have a look at the video before saying anything’.
Isn’t that odd?
Why take the stance of ‘let me look at what evidence you have first’?
If you’re squeaky clean, why look at the evidence first before you proclaim your innocence?
And this from the man who advised recently elevated Muslim judges to remember to do their duty according to Islam!
Who only recently spoke of abolishing common law and replacing it with Islamic law!
The Qur’an has a specific description for one who says one thing but does quite the opposite.
I wonder what the hudud punishment is for a dishonest, corrupt judge?
I guess Mr CJ will not be in such a great hurry now to take Islamic law to new heights in this country.
Pak Lah, tribunalise this corrupt pretender to the judicial throne now.
Pak Lah, the rakyat have spoken
September 16, 2007
I was at the 50 : 44 People’s March yesterday.
Malaysiakini has a good account of the event.
Let me share with you some of the photos I took. They say it all.
Reading from the memorandum that was subsequently handed over to YB Teresa Kok ( there was a no-show from the PM’s department to receive the same ), 50 : 44 convenor Jerald Joseph said :
“We as Malaysians find common ground in aspiring towards a nation where people are treated equally and compassionately before the law, a nation where one may live free from bigotry and unfair discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, conscience, belief, wealth, sexuality, marital status, age, disability, language and birth. A nation that regards the principles of human rights as its moral compass, a nation that accepts the diversity of voices as strength,”
By the way, do you see the kids in the last two photographs?
Would have been good if the rest of you had been there to lend solidarity to the cause of these kids.
Hope your Saturday afternoon was better spent than these young anak Bangsa Malaysia.
Petition His Majesty The Yang DiPertuan Agung (2)
September 15, 2007
Red, I think RPK must have heard you.
The petition to His Majesty may be viewed here.
Reliable sources confirmed that over 5,000 anak Bangsa Malaysia had signed up in support in less than 48 hours.
The concluding part of the petition states now that 10,000 have already signed in support.
This petition deserves our wholehearted support.
We must get our friends, relatives and colleagues to lend their name to this effort.
I have signed up.
You, too, can by sending an e-mail to RPK at raja.petra.kamarudin@gmail.com with the message ‘Signed’ and giving your name.
Petition His Majesty The Yang DiPertuan Agung
September 13, 2007
RPK has announced that a ‘Peoples Petition’ is being written up to send to His Majesty to lay before His Majesty the many grievances that we, the rakyat, have with regards to the state of mis-governance of this nation.
You can read RPK’s posting on this in full here.
In summary, RPK has listed 9 matters of concern, which include the shooting of the two individuals in Pantai Batu Buruk, Terengganu last Saturday, the state of the police force, the judiciary, breakdown of law and order, the increasing religious and racial divide and the pressing need for electoral reforms.
This petition deserves our wholehearted support.
We must get our friends, relatives and colleagues to lend their name to this effort.
I have.
You, too, can by sending an e-mail to RPK at raja.petra.kamarudin@gmail.com with the message ‘Signed’ and giving your name.
Come on, people, quit the bitching and griping and send that e-mail to RPK now.
Clean And Fair Elections A Threat To National Security?
September 10, 2007
Two individuals were shot during the violence on Saturday night following the refusal by police to allow the BERSIH ceramah to proceed in Pantai Batu Burok, Terengganu.
The Bersih website names the two who were shot as Suwandi Abdul Ghani and and Muhammad Azman bin Aziz.
I just received word that one of the two died today.
As we pray for the recovery of the other, give some thought for the one who has passed from us.
Why was he there at the ceramah?
What was the ceramah about?
The Bersih campaign is a civil society initiative to wake up the rakyat to the need for electoral reforms if we are ever to see fair and free elections in this country.
News reports tell us that several hundred rakyat turned up to listen to speakers.
The police would not have it.
NST today reports that the reason given by the police for the refusal of a permit for the ceramah was that the intended location for the ceramah was too close to a residential area and government quarters.
The Star today offered one further reason : the location was a tourist area and often got congested.
So we are to understand that the subject for discussion at the ceramah was not the reason for the refusal of the permit.
The reason was logistical.
Must not be near where the rakyat live, lest the rakyat make their way to the ceramah.
Must not let tourists know about the real state of elections in this country.
Must not embarass senior civil servants living nearby.
And because of this logistical problem, the UTK first, and then the FRU with water cannons and all had to be brought in.
One of our own died today because he chose to attend a ceramah to find out how elections in this country might be made more free and fair.
Has he died in vain?
I ain’t fallin for your sweet talk again, Pak Lah
July 26, 2007
‘You have the choice to determine the future of our nation. You have the opportunity to stand up for what you believe in. You have the chance to take Malaysia to excellence, glory and distinction. Believe in our capability to lead the nation in today’s challenging world. Believe in our vision for Malaysia’s future. Believe in Barisan Nasional.’
Pak Lah’s pre-2004 election promise to us.
Don’t know about you, but I was taken in.
What else did he promise us in the run-up to the elections?
Space for expression : encourage environment for constructive discussion and criticism. Encourage creativity and openness, whilst being sensitive to our differences.
Mentality: encourage environment where civic consciousness and courtesy is practised. Nurture individuals with strong character and positive values.
What have we had since then?
Choice to determine the future of our nation?
How?
With Najib trying to re-write our history?
Stand up for what we believe in?
Go and tell that to Kamariah Ali, Daud Mamat, Lina Joy and Revathi!
Constructive discussion and criticism? Creativity and openness?
Is that why Nazri is now screaming ISA and OSA? Sedition?
Silence bloggers to facilitate constructive discussion and openness?
Is that why Che Din Yusof of Internal Security orders a gag on media reporting?
Is that why Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission ordered TV and radio stations not to give airtime to the opposition?
Civic consciousness and courtesy?
With leaking and racist MPs?
With a thuggish Youth Chief?
With a Bodoh! Bodoh! Bodoh! minister?
Nurture individuals with strong character and values?
Nat Tan and Raja Petra too strong in character for your liking?
You’ve lost my vote, sunshine.
Vote For Change
July 11, 2007
I was at a discussion yesterday afternoon.
Where, with whom, and what about, I am not at liberty to say.
It was a discussion which proceeded on the basis of confidentiality. I shall honour this.
Let me share with you, though, the sense I had when I left the discussion.
Listening to the views of some of those present and looking at all that has been happening around left me with a sense that those who are pushing their ‘Islam-as I say-tion’ agenda are going into overdrive mode.
What does this mean for you and I and every Malaysian who cherishes the right to choose how we live?
You haven’t a clue?
Where have you been?
Look at what has happened to Revathi and her family.
Look at Lina and the family that she does not have.
Look at how a proposal to improve the election process by the introduction of the use of indelible ink must first be approved by the Fatwa Council.
Look at the raid and seizure at the restaurants in Bangsar recently.
Look at Siti Idayu, the singer detained in Ipoh.
Look at the demolished church in Gua Musang.
Look at the temple demolitions that have occurred.
Look at the constant push to set up religious vigilante groups.
Look at the increasing surrender of our civil courts to the Syariah courts.
I am not prepared to accept this hijacking of our nation by a small group who would hoodwink us into believing that they represent the majority in this country.
If you, Muslim or not, are also not ready to put up with these hijackers, you cannot choose to remain silent anymore.
Silence is no longer an option.
You must speak up.
You must make this an election issue.
Did not Pak Lah promise us that he would be a PM for all Malaysians?
Has he?
Has he been a PM to Revathi and Lina?
Did he not promise us a tougher stance on corruption?
Has he delivered?
Did he not promise us an environment conducive for constructive discussion and criticism, creativity and openness, and to create a platform for society’s participation in the debate on national issues?
Has he delivered?
Did he not direct the formation of the IPCMC?
Does he think we have forgotten?
Malaysiakini today reported that Pak Lah has been urged to suspend the IGP pending investigations by the ACA over allegations of corruption.
Do you think he will?
And if you think not, why do you suppose that?
Perhaps Nazri’s oft-repeated stance as follows will tell you why.
Another report in Malaysiakini entitled ‘Minor amendments to election laws’ narrates the frustration voiced by opposition MPs whilst debating proposed amendments to the Election Act, 1958. They were lamenting the lack of independence of the Election Commission.
Let me reproduce here Nazri’s response.
“The EC has to pass through Parliament. This is the reality of the political system in this country. Anything that needs to be done, has to go through Parliament. And amendments will have to go through majority vote in Parliament. And BN has 92 percent of the seats in Parliament. That’s the reality. “It is not what I or what Sri Gading or Mambong wants. It is the will of the people, because the people place BN to take charge of the country. If you are upset, please go and scold them now. In the next election, go to the ground and tell the people not to vote for BN. We make decisions based on the mandate that was given to us by the people.
In a ‘Repeal the ISA’ debate with Lim Kit Siang some years back, Nazri repeated the same.
In the ‘review the Salleh Abas’ sacking’ forum early this year and, more recently, the ‘Nazri-Zaid’ debate on the judiciary organised by the Bar Council, Nazri took the same, arrogant stance.
This is Nazri’s challenge to us.
‘In the next election, go to the ground and tell the people not to vote for BN’.
It is borne of an arrogant notion that no matter what BN does or does not do, we, the voters continue to give them the mandate to rule.
They can make pre-election promises, yet not deliver. And the suckers that we are will continue to vote them in.
If Musa is still IGP and Pak Lah no longer speaks of the IPCMC, you now know why.
If like me, you too are tired of this, the answer stares you in the face.
VOTE FOR CHANGE.
No 2/3 Majority
June 4, 2007
‘Keep our MP : Cheras’ got off the ground today.
‘Get a new MP : Besut’ started last week.
Those of you who are registered to vote in either Cheras or Besut and are visiting this blog for the first time and are not sure what these efforts are, please read the ‘Save the Constitution : No 2/3 Majority’ and the ‘Save the Constitution : No 2/3 Majority (Part 2) posts.
If you are registered in either of the two constituencies named above and would like to help in this effort to retain the present Cheras MP and change the present Besut MP as part of the ‘No 2/3 Majority’ initiative, please send an email to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com
There are another 43 constituencies involved in the ‘Keep our MP’ and ‘Get a new MP’ efforts. Please check the two posts mentioned above. If you are registered to vote in any one of these constituencies and would like to help, please send an e-mail to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com
Together We Can
May 27, 2007
In ‘To Digress’, I lamented that justice was lost.
How, and why, did this happen?
Remember Operasi Lallang in 1987? YB Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh and 110 others detained under the ISA.
A nation stood by and watched.
Why?
Not our family.
Soon after, in 1988, Article 121(1) was amended. The judicial arm of government brought to its knees.
A nation stood by and watched.
Why?
Does not affect our family.
Still in 1988, Tun Salleh Abas and 2 other Supreme Court judges sacked.
A nation stood by and watched.
Why?
Not our family.
1996, the whistleblower judge, Syed Ahmad Idid, forced into retirement.
A nation stood by and watched.
Why?
Not our family.
We have never stood by some of the bravest politicians who have fought for justice for us.
We betrayed them.
We abandoned our judges in their hour of need. We left them to the mercy of self-serving politicians.
And still the people of this nation choose to stand by and watch. As this country is ravaged by parasitic politicians who thrive and sustain themselves off a people who have grown accustomed to care only for their own.
Last Friday, I received an e-mail from a young man who has not yet attained to the right to vote. I want to share with you a little of his opening and closing paragraphs.
‘I am a non-voting resident in________…I thought I might volunteer my help as well, especially since from what I’ve heard, many people are afraid to voice their opinions. I have no such qualms about doing so, because I am convicted that my opinions are lawful and thought out’.
The young man then shared some of his thoughts with me on some of his concerns and then concluded:
‘I understand if you feel that a non-voter might not be best-placed to speak on these things, but I hope you will give me a chance to lend a voice to those most disenchanted and alienated by the political process…’
To the many who have sent messages of encouragement for the efforts mooted through this blog, accompanied with reasons for not getting involved, please re-think your position.
If all like-minded Malaysians, who want to save this country, will come together, I believe there is much we can achieve.
Please, let us not make the same mistakes of the past by remaining silent.
Three efforts have been launched through this blog.
‘Get to know your MP’. If you want to know more about this, please read the ‘Get to know your MP’ and ‘Get to know your MP : What and How’ posts.
‘Keep our MP’. To know more about this, read the ‘Save the Constitution : No 2/3 Majority’ post.
‘Get a new MP’. To better understand this effort, please read the ‘Save the Constitution : No 2/3 Majority (Part 2)’ post.
If you think you can contribute through any of the three efforts mentioned above, please send an e-mail to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com
The country needs you now. Please do not turn your back on her.
Save the Constitution : No 2/3 Majority (Part 2)
May 25, 2007
If we can keep the present non-BN seats numbering 20 beyond the reach of the government at the next election, and not accounting for any increased seats arising from a redelineation exercise, we would need to wrest another 54 seats from BN to deny the government a 2/3 majority in Parliament.
The following seats were won by BN in the last election with slim majorities. By ’slim majority’ is meant anything ranging from less than 100 to a little over 3,000 votes. You can click on the constituency to view the election results.
That’s 25 seats that BN narrowly won.
For instance, Dr. Wan Azmi of BN won Sik with a majority of 189.
Sazmi Miah of BN won Machang with a majority of 99.
Abdul Rahman Bakar of BN won Marang with a majority of 163.
Kayveas took Taiping in a 3-cornered contest. If it had been a 2-horse race, Kayveas might have lost.
Wong Nai Chee of BN took Kota Melaka with a majority of 219.
Bernard Dompok took the Ranau seat in a 4-cornered contest. If it was a straight contest of 2, it looks almost certain that he would have lost.
You know where I’m going with this, right?
Some of the sitting MPs in these constituencies are good people, I know. Zaid, Bernard Dompok, Wong Nai Chee. The objective, however, is to optimise our odds of denying the BN government a 2/3 majority. We would need to give attention to those seats that were won on the slimmest of majorities, to give ourselves a chance.
Nothing to stop Zaid, Bernard Dompok and Wong Nai Chee abandoning the racist set-up that is BN and joining us, if they are serious about setting things right in this country. If they are not, then it is no real loss if we can take them out in the next elections.
Are those who are registered to vote in the constituencies mentioned above prepared to try and unseat their sitting BN MP? If you are, please send an e-mail to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com
Another 29 seats to work on.
Ideas, anyone?
