Miri church attack makes it seven

Police have cordoned off Taiping’s historic All Saints’ Church, target of an unsuccessful arson attack.

UPDATED

RAWANG, Jan 10 – A stone was thrown against a church in Miri today, making it the seventh attack in three days that is linked to the “Allah” ruling which has provoked Muslim anger. Earlier reports of an arson attack proved to be unfounded.

This is the first reported attack in East Malaysia where a large part of the population are Christians who worship in Bahasa Malaysia and also the ruling Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposit” of votes and parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed the attempt but insisted the situation in the country is under control.

“The situation is under control and the people should not be worried. They should not be influenced by internet reports or text messages,” he told reporters at an Umno event here.

Four churches in the Klang Valley were hit by petrol bombs on Friday while one was hit last night in Taiping. A Malacca church reported it was splashed with black paint while a priest in Penang had his car splashed with red paint.

A convent school in Taiping was also the target of an attempt with petrol bombs found near its guardhouse overnight. Church authorities believe it was meant for the St Louis Church next door.

Hishammuddin reminded the people not to be influenced by foreign and internet media reports as these could be inaccurate and project the country as unstable.

He said the ministry would brief foreign envoys on the actual situation

“We have to brief the international community as we have our citizens out there who want to know the actual situation which has been played up by certain quarters, including what is taken from the Internet,” he said.

Hishammuddin said the government will give an accurate picture of what has happened in the spate of church attacks.

Malaysia ISA Rally Gallery

Click the photo for gallery

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 1, 2009

Malaysian Police Crush Massive Protest

Hundreds Arrested; As Many as 20,000 Demonstrated Against Law Allowing Detention Without Trial

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    Protesters run as riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators during a protest against the Internal Security Act (ISA), near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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(AP) Police broke up Malaysia's biggest street protest in nearly two years on Saturday, firing tear gas and chemical-laced water at thousands of opposition supporters demanding an end to a law that allows detention without trial.

Witnesses estimated as many as 20,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur in defiance of government warnings for people to shun the rally against the Internal Security Act, which allows the indefinite imprisonment of people regarded as security threats.

The clampdown on the protest could damage support for Prime Minister Najib Razak, who took power in April and has been battling efforts by opposition parties to portray him as a leader who disregards public opinion on issues such as human rights and freedom of expression.

Kuala Lumpur police Chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman said authorities arrested 438 people after about six hours of mayhem in which riot police wielding batons chased protesters down the city's streets, scuffled with them and dragged many into detention trucks.

The protesters, some wearing opposition T-shirts and headbands, began massing at Kuala Lumpur's main mosque, a shopping mall and a train station Saturday morning.

Police repeatedly fired volleys of tear gas and water laced with stinging chemicals to disperse the crowds after they began marching toward the national palace. The protesters - who chanted "Reformasi," the opposition's slogan for political change - wanted to submit a petition to the country's constitutional monarch denouncing the security act.

"The police are really brutal," opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim told reporters at the protest. "This clearly shows Najib's intolerance to any dissent. ... We gather here today to fight a cruel law."

Government authorities had warned they would not permit the protest, saying it could undermine public peace.

Human rights activists have held numerous smaller protests over the years against the security act, but Saturday's event received a boost after opposition parties urged their supporters to come out in force.

Nazri Aziz, the Cabinet minister in charge of legal affairs, insisted the government would not bow to the protesters' demands, stressing that the security act was vital to safeguard national security.

Opposition activists "are only dreaming in the daytime, because the ISA will be not be abolished," the national news agency Bernama quoted Nazri as saying.

Najib reiterated Saturday that the government would only consider technical amendments to the decades-old security act, which was instituted during the British colonial era.

Human rights groups say at least 17 people are being held under the act, mainly for alleged links to militants and document forgery. Activists have long decried the act, saying it has been used in the past to jail hundreds of government critics and dampen dissent.

Restaurants and stores were shuttered on several streets ahead of the rally, the biggest in Kuala Lumpur since November 2007 when tens of thousands of ethnic minority Indians demanded racial equality.

Those arrested could be charged with illegal assembly, which is punishable by a year in prison and a fine.

The Damaged Brain System

Thursday, 23 July 2009 10:04

By James Chin (The Malaysian Insider)

The most famous “Malaysian” IT invention — the pen drive — was invented in Taiwan by a Malaysian Chinese who could not even enter a public university here. He had to go to Taiwan, get a degree there (which is not recognised here!) and invented the pen drive there. So today, the world thinks it’s a Taiwan invention! Malaysia Boleh!

JULY 23 — One of the wonderful things about living in Malaysia is that we devote so much of our resources into building brain power. We love smart people in Malaysia. Parents spend an obscene amount on tuition classes.

Let’s look at some of the major initiatives by our wonderful government to increase our brain power:

1) Malaysia will produce more than 100,000 PhDs by 2012

2) Creating “knowledge” workers and “world-class” IT industry via the MSC

3) Almost all grants by MOSTI is geared towards science and technology

4) Building new universities left and right. In the 1980s we had fewer than a dozen universities — now we have more than 20 public universities and an equal number of private universities

5) “Apex” and “research” universities allocated extra millions of ringgit with the aim of getting into the top 200 university rankings

6) All sorts of academic prizes from all sorts of dubious exhibitions

7) Smart schools

8) All sorts of scholarships — JPA alone gives more than 2,000 overseas scholarships. If you include Mara and GLCs and private companies, the number is probably somewhere about 6,000-7,000 overseas scholarships plus thousands of local scholarships

9) “Brain gain” programme where we try to entice successful Malaysian scientists to come back to help our R&D

10) All sorts of government-backed programmes like the invention awards, best ICT Company, PM’s innovation awards, smart partnership, etc.

Yet, somehow we seem to be going the opposite direction. Mind you it’s been there for more than a decade already and, correct me if I am wrong; the MSC has been a dismal failure since the “knowledge” industry has not taken off and no major Malaysian IT inventions since the inception of the MSC. Cyberjaya is still years behind Singapore.

In fact, the most famous “Malaysian” IT invention — the pen drive — was invented in Taiwan by a Malaysian Chinese who could not even enter a public university here. He had to go to Taiwan, get a degree there (which is not recognised here!) and invented the pen drive there. So today, the world thinks it’s a Taiwan invention! Malaysia Boleh!

The brain gain programme is so successful that almost all the scientists who came back to work here have resigned from the public universities or government research centres, and the bulk of them have left for overseas again. Needless to say, their major complaints were racism (almost all were non-Bumiputeras) and red tape. But no one wants to admit to this since it’s not a very smart thing to admit failure.

Meanwhile we are rushing to produce 100,000 PhDs. Since most of these 100,000 PhDs will be awarded by local public universities you really have to wonder about the quality. But who cares? The important thing is to graduate 100,000 “doctors” of dubious quality so that they can train the next generation. After all, the majority of these PhDs will end up as professors in our public universities and they will supervise the next generation of PhDs. Remember the movie “Dumber and Dumber”?

Is it any wonder that our public universities’ ranking is dropping fast?

On top of that, we have decided to stop emphasising English at the high school level. No wonder international schools are celebrating — their student enrolment will go through the roof from next year onwards.

And to ensure that we have the right environment to produce “Towering Malays” and “world-class” Malaysians, the mainstream newspapers here follow the same editorial style as China’s People’s Daily and the old Soviet Union’s Pravda. Truth is not as important as propaganda and the promotion of racism and racist ideology. Malay newspapers are free to preach racism as long as they reinforce “Malay unity” and Malay dominance. News is only news if the government says so.

In the arts, local productions cannot reflect reality. How else can you explain government directives that Mat Rempits and transvestites cannot be shown on Malaysian movies and television. The way it works is like this: if we don’t show Mat Rempits and transvestites, then they do not exist! See how smart we have become because of all the government investment in educating Malaysians? Very soon, there will be no prostitutes or gay people in Malaysia.

Just to be sure, the government has just announced another round of books that are banned in Malaysia. In total more than 2,000 titles are banned in Malaysia. Some authors do not even know that their books are banned. Reading is a dangerous habit for a knowledge nation.

Meanwhile religion, or the official view of religion, is shafted down the throats of young people through television programmes and in the schools.

You really have to wonder how on earth Malaysia produces thinking citizens since all around them the system, from the mass media to the education system to the universities, is designed to damage the brain? The whole system is designed to produce a non-thinking, non-critical person who can easily be manipulated by propaganda.

It is really mind-boggling that somehow young people have managed to escape this system. Of course there are thousands who believe in the system and are basically brain dead, especially after reading the Malay newspapers and watching the local television stations. But there is a significant portion of young people out there who have managed to overcome the attempt to control their mind. I take my hat off to these young people. Without them, Malaysia will have no future.

2009 Joker of the Year: Nazri Aziz — Khoo Kay Peng

JULY 17 — Each year this blog nominates a few individuals to be crowned the Joker of the Year. It is a bit unique this year. This is only the month of July and nomination is already closed and a winner declared.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz is the grand winner of 2009. He cautioned against pointing the finger at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for Teoh Beng Hock’s death.

I would like to inform Nazri of what I think of the MACC in this incident. The commission is wrong for abusing its investigation and interrogation procedure. Was Teoh a criminal? Would he abscond?

Why must the commission conduct its interrogation after office hours until wee hours in the morning? Why can’t officers of the commission conduct the session during office hours the next day?

I am not suggesting a murder here but clearly the commission has a lot to explain for neglecting the safety of a person under their custody. Worse, this person was not even a suspect.

The commission should be sued for negligence.

Nazri’s insensitivity should be severely criticised. For once I agree with Mahathir that this man is not fit to be in the current cabinet. Recently, he verbally attacked several commissioners of Suhakam who called for a new state election in Perak and called them “crooks”.

It takes one to know one.

Nazri should make real his threats. He is welcome to come after this blogger. I am going to repeat it again; yes, the MACC was responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock. It could also be a breach of the commission’s ethics and procedure. — khookaypeng.blogspot.com

May He not die in vain

Friday, 17 July 2009 17:44
Malaysia Today

JUSTICE FOR BENG HOCK (a website dedicated to the memory of Teoh Beng Hock)

Like everyone else in the DAP family and the wider Malaysian society, I am still grieving over the killing of Teoh Beng Hock, aide to Selangor Exco Ean Yong Hian Wah.

What happened on 16th July 2009 at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s Selangor State Headquarters in Shah Alam is the most tragic day in DAP’s forty-three years’ history. Indeed, one of the saddest days for Malaysia as a nation.

Most of us who participate actively in DAP, other opposition parties and NGOs do not expect personal gains and are often somewhat prepared to face some form of oppression by the UMNO/Barisan Nasional government.

Many of our leaders went through hell in the form of detention without trial. Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng spent a year in jail as a prisoner of conscience for helping a young Malay girl.

But this is the first time one of us has been killed. One of our young is fallen victim to the old, corrupt and rotten system, eaten away by it along with so much of our hopes and dreams.

Photographs of him taken at the time when MACC personnel took him away were published clearly in the papers. And, the next thing we knew he was dead.

At once, his death reveals the most sinister elements of the UMNO/Barisan Nasional apparatus. In its attempt to implicate elected members of Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor for corruption, which would later pave way for another staged coup d'état a la Perak, MACC has started killing our young.

The line is drawn. Whether it takes a year, two years, or a lifetime, it is now our obligation to free Malaysia from UMNO/Barisan Nasional’s misrule and to see to it that justice is restored in our beloved nation.

Beng Hock’s unfortunate demise reminds us that the UMNO/Barisan Nasional government has not changed at all since 8th March 2008. It is time for those who want a better Malaysia, especially those in Pakatan Rakyat, to reaffirm our faith in new politics, and to remind ourselves who we are up against.

May Beng Hock not die in vain.

Liew Chin Tong
DAP MP for Bukit Bendera

张晓卿被英女王封爵位掀争议 环保组织展开签名运动促撤回

6月26日 下午3点23分

木材和媒体大亨张晓卿受英女王册封爵士一事惹争议。一些环保组织指责他从事“非法伐木”，并展开游说运动，要求女王剥夺其封衔。

张晓卿（左图）是常青集团执行主席，也是世界华文媒体集团（世华媒体）主席，他在6月15日获得英女王伊丽莎白二世册封爵级司令勋章（Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire，KBE），即“爵士”（Sir）勋衔。

他是通过巴布亚新几内亚政府的推荐，在今年英女王83岁诞辰受封，以表扬“他在商业、社区和慈善机构所作出的贡献”。

不过，布鲁诺曼梳基金会（Bruno Manser Fund）认为，张晓卿不应该受封“爵士”，因为他并不名副其实。

布鲁诺曼梳基金会总部设在瑞士，是公认积极反对压迫的非政府组织。该基金会在砂拉越和其他地区不断从事反对森林滥伐的工作。

在张晓卿获得册封爵位之后，世华媒体旗下的报章如《星洲日报》、《中国报》及亚洲周刊，皆刊登这则新闻。《星洲日报》也曾刊登多版的恭贺广告。

指非公民只能获得荣誉勋衔

该组织表示，英国内阁办公室的“勋衔和委任秘书处”已向他们证实，张晓卿受封“爵士”的事情。

它给上述秘书处写信重申，“张晓卿并非巴布亚新几内亚或者英国的公民，因此他没资格正式获颁勋衔，最多只能够算是荣誉性质”。

荣誉爵位不能使用爵士称呼

勋衔和委任秘书处官员克里斯托夫（Christopher Corbett）则在回函中表示，“由于张晓卿的爵位仅是荣誉性的，因此他不能够被称呼为‘爵士’（Sir）”。

他也解释，“巴布亚新几内亚政府提供的诞辰册封名单，无论是荣誉或者正式的册封，都是在女王陛下作为巴布亚新几内亚宪赋的女王地位，以及巴布亚新几内亚内阁的劝告下批准的，就如陛下批准英国的名单一样”。

指责张晓卿是非法伐木祸首

布鲁诺曼梳基金会在发给《当今大马》的电邮中表示，它遗憾英女王的决定，因为后者在巴布亚新几内亚政府的误导下，同意颁发爵位予张晓卿。

“普遍认为，张晓卿是巴布亚新几内亚，和其他国家猖獗的非法伐木事件的罪魁祸首。”

“绿色和平组织的2004年报告指出，常青集团的活动经常无视法律，并有记录显示其运作经常有违法的情节。”

该组织补充说，“巴布亚新几内亚的环保和人权组织对于张晓卿获得爵位的消息感到震惊，并形容它为一个冷笑话。”

向英女王展开抗议信函运动

布鲁诺曼梳基金会将展开一项抗议信函运动，召集民众写信给巴布亚新几内亚总督保利亚斯（Paulias Matane）抗议英女王册封张晓卿。

这封抗议函指控张晓卿不适合受封爵位，并且呼吁女王和巴布亚新几内亚政府剥夺其勋衔。这封信函也同时提呈予英国内阁办公室的“勋衔和委任秘书处”。

巴布亚新几内亚伐木引批评

在巴布亚新几内亚，张晓卿是一个极具争议的人物，因为常青集团的身影都出现在当地近半的重大伐木计划，同时占有该国三分之一的树桐出口量。

环保组织向来指控常青集团摧毁该国的赤道雨林，同时涉及贪污和侵害人权的不当作为。

张晓卿在1975年创立常青集团，其业务涵盖报业、木材、金融和石油等多个领域。他也曾在砂拉越人联党的旗帜下，于1985至1991年担任两届的上议员。

他在1990年获砂拉越元首赐封“拿督”勋衔；1999年，则获国家元首赐封“丹斯里”勋衔。

掌控中文媒体被称“亚洲梅铎”

此外，张晓卿也积极涉足媒体业，有“亚洲梅铎”的称号，他是星洲媒体集团执行主席兼星洲日报社长。

马华公会于2001年，通过投资臂膀华仁控股收购南洋报业时，坊间曾传出张晓卿在幕后扮演着重要角色，企图垄断中文报业。不过，《星洲日报》当时却矢口否认。

唯根据2005年11月14日公布的《南洋报业年度报告》，张晓卿所控制的张道赏股分私人有限公司及朝日报社私人有限公司，却个别持有南洋报业2.12％及0.31％的股份，被列为第9大及第13大股东。张晓卿旗下的砂拉越公司Madigreen公司也在2006年3月15日，购入南洋报业控股20.44％股权。

随着马华公会在2006年10月宣布脱售21.02％的南洋报业股份予张晓卿控制的Ezywood Options私人有限公司后，张晓卿直接和间接控制的南洋报业控股股份达到44.76％，超越马华剩余的20％股权成为最大的股东。

在2008年4月，张晓卿将星洲媒体集团、南洋报业集团以及香港明报集团等企业，合并成为中国大陆以外的最大中文媒体集团“世华媒体集团”，并且在香港和大马双边上市。

Evangelicals upset with National Service Doctrinal errors

Wednesday, 17 June 2009 00:21

(MySinchew) - Evangelical Christians are upset with doctrinal errors in the National Service. This was highlighted by the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia (NECF) in its current newsletter to members.

NECF said it has notified the Christian Federation of Malaysia –the umbrella body - about this matter which will be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities

“Christians, especially Christian parents whose children are attending the National Service programme, need to be aware of the grave doctrinal errors on Christianity contained in the workbook used by the NS integration programme on religion, “ the NECF pointed out in an article entitled ‘NS doctrinal errors.’

It said the workbook is entitled “Buku Kerja Program Integrasi’ on ‘Keagamaan’, 4th edition, 2009 with the chapters on Christianity on pages 12 and 13 contain the following errors:

- On page 12, under the heading “Agama Kristian”, bullet 2 states: “Pengikut Christ menganggap beliau sebagai penyelamat yang diutus untuk membela Bani Israel daripada penindasan bangsa-bangsa lain seperti bangsa Rom yang pernah memerintah Palestin.”

(Translated: Christ’s followers regard him as the saviour sent to deliver the Israeli race from the oppression by other races, such as the Romans, who once occupied Palestine.)

This is erroneous as Christians do not regard Christ as the saviour for Israel’s political and territorial oppression. Instead, the Bible clearly states He came to deliver the human race from the bondage of sin, the article said as no where in the Bible does it say that Christ came to deliver the Israelites from human oppression.

On page 13, bullet 6 states: “Jesus mengajar konsep tuhan yang esa, pengasih, penyayang, pemurah dan pengampun. Bagi orang yang mengamalkan ajaran ini, mereka akan menikmati kesempurnaan hidup di akhirat.”

(Translated: Jesus taught the concept of God as loving, merciful, forgiving and compassionate. For those who follow this teaching, they will enjoy eternal life in the hereafter.”)

Again NECF said this is erroneous as Christians have always maintained that salvation in the hereafter is not based on merely knowing God as a loving, merciful and compassionate God, but believing, confessing and accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

It also pointed out that Protestant Christians also do not subscribe to the description written under the heading “Agama Kristian”, bullet 3 which says that Christ “menghidupkan burung yang dibuat daripada tanah liat dan sebagainya.” (Translated: brought clay birds to life.)

Blasphemy of the highest order

Someone sent me the e-mail below. Whoever sent it probably thought I would publish it. Although it was meant as a joke, I think it is rather blasphemous and under no circumstances would I publish something that would upset Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Anyway, I would like to show you the offending e-mail so that you know what kind of stuff I will not use and so that in future you will not send me such material, especially like the one below which does not have the writer’s name attached.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

NOAH and THE ARK

In the year 2020, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in Malaysia, and said: Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flash before me. Build another Ark and save two of every living things along with a few good humans.

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying: You have six months to build the Ark before I start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard, but no Ark.

Noah! He roared. I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?

Forgive me, Lord, begged Noah, but things have changed.

First, I need to have a BUMIPUTRA PARTNER who is linked to UMNO. Then I needed a building permit from DBKL and also have to pay under-counter money to get the permit.

Then I've been arguing with the BOMBA inspector about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbours complained to The Malay Mail about the height of the Ark I was going to build and the next day it was in the headlines claiming that I've violated the neighbourhood building by-laws because my Ark is going to exceed the height limitations. I appealed to the magistrate and it was approved.

The Opposition then took advantage of the situation and said I was a government crony and they did nasty things with my face in the Internet. I don’t know how they managed to superimpose my face on a naked body with naked MP’s and portrayed it on the YouTube. Oh Lord you are the All Knowing and you know I did not take the photos of the MP.

Then there was another stop-work order even before I could start work. After that the Badan Cegah Rasuah arrested me for pornography.

I talked to a lawyer who looks like Ambitah Bachan -- talks like him, acts like him, but is not him. He said he knows the Chief Justice and the Prime Minister -- the Apa Nama -- and can clear my name but I have to buy them tickets to Australia.

After clearing my name I had to again go to the DBKL Appeal Board for a decision to allow me to build the Ark.

Then the government, after approving the plans, said I must use only SIRIM approved goods and that I must buy from their list of CLASS F Bumiputera contractors and their prices are 15 times more expensive than the Chinaman hardware shop.

Then TNB and JPJ demanded that I post a bond for the future costs of moving power-lines and other overhead obstructions to clear the passage for the Ark 's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the timber for the Ark was another problem. SUKHAM and the JABATAN HUTAN NEGARA said that there's a ban on the cutting local trees in order to save the Orang Utan.

I tried to convince SUKHAM and JABATAN HUTAN NEGARA that I needed the wood to save the Orang Hutan but they said no go.

When I started gathering the animals, JAKIM and an animal rights group sued me. JAKIM said I cannot put the chickens and the pigs next to each other as it WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED HALAL and the animal rights group insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued that the accommodations were too restrictive and that it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then JABATAN KERJA RAYA and JABATAN KAJIAN DAN GALIAN ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an Environmental Impact Study on your proposed flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many Bumiputera contractors I'm supposed to hire for my building crew.

JABATAN IMMIGRASI and RELA are checking the status of most of the people who want to work.

The trade unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only union workers with Ark-building experience.

As I started to clear the area to build the Ark, six gangsters came and demanded protection money. They said they will control the area for the selling of drugs and the supply of prostitutes to my workers.

When I complained to the POLIS, the next day the IGP sent an ASP who came in full uniform. Unfortunately he also happens to be one of the six gangsters who were demanding protection money and so he doubled my protection fee.

Then there was a by-election and I was forced to become an UMNO member to get my permits approved and was made to pay a donation by the Barisan Nasional candidate in the so-called spirit of MUHIBBAH. Otherwise they will make life difficult for me.

Every department I turned to is asking what they call “Kopi Wang”.

I calculated that if I paid all the so-called “Kopi Wang” and also give them the donation they ask, the cost to build the Ark will be 20 times higher. But I refused to give them the “Kopi Wang” as I am faithful to you Oh Lord.

Then some top-level politicians became very disappointed with me for not giving them the donations and they started calling me a Murtad. I told them my name is Noah and not Murtad and they got very angry and said they have connections.

Suddenly I became a suspect in the murder of a Mongolian lady because the place where she was murdered happens to be on the land where I am going to build the Ark and I was then arrested.

To make matters worse, the Jabatan HASIL seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. I have just been released from ISA.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.

Noah looked up in wonder and asked, you mean you're not going to destroy the world?

No, said the Lord, the Malaysian Government beat me to it!

Author unknown

Amnesty International Report On Malaysia 2009

The government tightened control of dissent and curtailed the right to freedom of expression and religion. Bloggers were arrested under the Sedition Act, and the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) was used to control newspaper content. Ten people were arbitrarily arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Security forces continued to use excessive force while the establishment of an independent police complaints misconduct commission was postponed. Immigration personnel and volunteers conducted mass arrests of migrant workers. At least 22 people were sentenced to death. The number executed was unknown.

READ MORE HERE

Maybe Obama Was Busy

Monday, 18 May 2009 01:47

By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider

Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said today the late congratulatory message from the United States on the appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister was not a major issue and may be caused by President Barack Obama's busy schedule.

Obama's congratulatory message came over a month after Najib was sworn in.

“Maybe President Obama was busy; I do not know the real reason. I believe a phone call was made earlier,” Anifah told reporters here on his return from an official trip to Washington where he had talks with his US counterpart.

He also said that US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had called him soon after Najib was appointed prime minister.

“Secretary Clinton had called me when I was in Jakarta to convey her congratulatory message,” said Anifah.

On the appointment of the Malaysian ambassador to Washington, Anifah said the matter was not discussed during his meeting with Clinton.

“When the time comes you will know,” he said when asked to confirm reports that Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis would be appointed ambassador to the United States.

Anifah described his meeting with Clinton as a success.

He said that he had expressed Malaysia's hope for the return of two Malaysians detained at Guantanamo Bay, after the US State Department completed its review.

“She told me that we will be informed about it as soon as possible,” said Anifah.

The two Malaysians — Mohd Farik Amin and Mohammed Nazir Lep — are being held at Guantanamo Bay for alleged involvement in the Jemaah Islamiah and Al-Qaeda militant groups since 2003.

Footage of 'speaker dragged out' banned

The one enduring image of the controversial May 7 Perak assembly sitting was that of speaker V Sivakumar being physically removed from his chair and dragged out of the chamber to allow his rival, R Ganesan, to take over the proceedings.

首要媒体集团（Media Prima）已经下令旗下的四家电视台，禁止播放民联霹雳州议长西华古玛在5月7日的州议会中，遭强行拖出议会厅外的录影。

西华古玛在上周四举行的霹雳州议会上，遭到一群相信是便衣警员的人士，强硬从议长座位上扛起来，然后把他拖出议会厅外和“软禁”，以便安排国阵议长甘尼申坐上议长的宝座。

尽管其中一家电视台成功拍到这个粗暴的过程，但是首要媒体高层却在当天傍晚迅速下令，一切关于西华古玛被拖出议会厅的影像，不能够出街。

与巫统关系密切的首要媒体集团，拥有国内所有4家私人免费电视台，即TV3、ntv7、《八度空间》与tv9。

根据匿名消息指出，电视台职员是在5月7日傍晚接到高层的“指示”，不能够播放西华古玛遭拖出议会厅的极具争议片段。

“我们拥有西华古玛被拖离席位的整个影像，但是我们接到高层的指示，不可以播放。”

消息说，由于管理层没有足够时间发出书面通知，因此相信这个只是一项口头指示。

尽管如此，其中一家电视台却于隔天在副议长许月凤否认本身夺取西华古玛权力的记者会新闻中，“意外”地安插上述片段，结果招致内部调查。

“有关片段（西华古玛遭拖出议会厅）是以快速方式播放，但是我们很快的接到命令，必须写报告向上司解释。”

消息说，这份报告相信是呈交给首要媒体里负责电视新闻与时事的集团董事卡玛鲁查曼（Kamarulzaman Zainal）。

“我们必须写报告，解释播放有关片段的原因，这样他们才知道要怪罪于谁。”

电视台也被令，在新闻中使用旧档案，例如法庭和过去的州议会录影，而不可以使用5月7日现场的片段。

消息也说，电视台也被禁止播放，警方在州议会外面展开的大逮捕行动，当时共有69人被捕，包括许多国州议员在内。

《当今大马》曾在上个月报道，首要媒体高层曾发出一封内部电邮，给属下电视台的各语文新闻编辑，下令旗下电视台在报道蒙古女郎炸尸案时完全不能提及阿都拉萨与首相纳吉夫妇。

It's All About Race, Stupid!

Thursday, 07 May 2009 19:19

Raja Nazrin has just launched the debate on whether it is time that Malaysia abolishes the Monarchy and turns this country into a Republic. Yes, the Republic of Malaysia. I like the sound of that. I think I shall go along with that.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Oh, no! Not another ‘stupid’ article from RPK. Sheesh…….it’s getting to be very boring. If it’s not about Altantuya, it’s about stupid this or stupid that.

Yes, I pre-empted what you are going to say and said it first. So there!

But that is just the thing. It is about race. And if you thought it is about anything else then you are plain dumb and deserve to be called stupid.

Oh, I forgot, I am talking about what happened in Ipoh today. And what happened in Ipoh is about race. It is about ensuring that the Malays do not lose political power. And, as far as Perak is concerned, as far as Umno is concerned, Perak has fallen into the hands of the Chinese.

Did DAP not win the most number of seats in Perak? And is not DAP a Cina-Kominis party that wishes to see the end ofKetuanan Melayu and the New Economic Policy and wishes to replace it with Meritocracy and a Malaysian-Malaysia? And is this not what Lee Kuan Yew also propagates for Singapore? And is not Singapore persecuting and discriminating against Malays? Are not Malays serving in the Singapore Armed Forces not allowed to even carry guns because the Chinese do not trust them? And is not Singapore the enemy of Malaysia who is illegally occupying Malay land that the British robbed from the Johor Sultanate?

Did PKR not win the second highest number of seats in Perak? And is not PKR a non-race-based party that wishes to see the end of Ketuanan Melayu and the New Economic Policy and wishes to replace it with Meritocracy and Ketuanan Malaysia? Are not only half the PKR Wakil Rakyat Malays while the other half are Chinese and Indians?

Did PAS not win the least number of seats in Perak? And is not PAS an Islamic party that classifies Ketuanan Melayu and theNew Economic Policy as nationalism and discrimination and therefore haram (forbidden) -- and does it not support DAP and PKR in opposing Ketuanan Melayu and the New Economic Policy? Is not PAS the boneka (puppet) of DAP, and although theMenteri Besar is from PAS, DAP actually pulls the strings from behind the scenes?

Yes, that is what it is all about. That is why Pakatan Rakyat must be kicked out of Perak at all costs. That is why fairness, legality and the Constitution are no longer crucial. In the fight to uphold Malay Supremacy, fairness, legality and the Constitution must take a back seat. The ends justify the means. It is not how you play the game. It is winning, by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul, that counts.

If it were in Kelantan, Umno would not have dared do what it did in Perak today. If Umno tried to do the same thing in Kelantan as what it did in Perak today, blood would have flowed on the streets of Kota Bharu. By now, Kota Bharu would be under curfew. Widows would be claiming bodies at the mortuary and new orphans would be created. The plainclothes police officers insongkok would not have been able to drag the Speaker out of the State Assembly like a drunken cowboy in a Hollywood Western movie.

Did you see how the police officers dragged Siva out of the State Assembly? I did. And they were able to drag him out in such an undignified manner because he is an Indian-Hindu from Perak. If he had been a Malay-Muslim from Kelantan, they would never have done that in a million years. They do and parangs would fly. Heads of the Umno dogs would be scattered all over the roads of Kota Bharu.

Do I sound racial? Do I sound violent? Well, I hope so. Because that is exactly what it is all about. I do not mince my words. I do not hold my punches. This column is called No Holds Barred. And my article is therefore no holds barred.

I am disappointed about today. I am disappointed not because of what Umno did. I expected that from Umno. I knew that Umno would do that. What I am disappointed about is that Pakatan Rakyat did not hold their ground. Siva was dragged out of the State Assembly like a sack of potatoes. Yet no one did anything. No one jumped in and gave those goons a hard bash on the head.

I am also disappointed because the crowd was not a crowd. The people on the ground were mostly from out of Perak. Many were Bloggers and civil society movement activists. But they were not locals. They were not Perakians. Where were the local Perakians? They were not around. If they want to argue they could not get through because of the police roadblocks, then how could all those out-of-towners get through, in spite of the roadblocks?

There should have been blood spilled, today, in the Perak State Assembly. Violence must be met with violence. There is no other way. If they want to talk, then we talk. But if they want to use violence, then we match them with violence. And they violently dragged Siva out of the Perak State Assembly.

Siva should have been allowed to exit on his feet. Instead, he was dragged and thrown out like a drunken wino. Is that how a Speaker should be treated? Well, if he were Malay that would never have happened. If it were in Kelantan that would never have happened. But because he is an Indian from Perak then it can happen. And it did happen.

And you know what the icing on the cake is? Raja Nazrin graced the whole fiasco. He gave legitimacy to the entire circus in Ipoh today. His presence gave legality to what should have been illegal. Raja Nazrin’s decision to play along with Umno has hurt the Monarchy badly. It will take a long time for the Monarchy to recover from what happened in Perak today. In fact, it may never recover.

Raja Nazrin has just launched the debate on whether it is time that Malaysia abolishes the Monarchy and turns this country into a Republic. Yes, the Republic of Malaysia. I like the sound of that. I think I shall go along with that.

That is what Perak was all about, today. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Repeat after me: It’s all about race, stupid!

Sivakumar dragged out, BN speaker takes over

May 7, 09 8:24am

LIVE REPORTS

PHOTO GALLERY

5.10pm: BN speaker Ganesan tells reporters that he does not see any problems with regards to executing his duties in future. 

"There is a maxim in democracy - majority rules. BN has 31 (seats), Pakatan has 28. The majority elected the speaker."

Chaos in assembly, BN speaker 'appointed'

May 7, 09 8:24am

LIVE REPORTS

12.55pm: BN speaker Ganesan announces that the House will be adjourned for another hour. This is the second adjournment he has announced since been appointed by the BN as the speaker.

As he is unfamiliar with the House standing orders and has to be helped by BN exco Hamidah (Sungai Rapat), he is laughed at by Pakatan reps.

Despite the adjournment, the elected reps remain in the House.

12.50pm: Umno Youth's Saiful Adli files a police report against Sivakumar for ordering Zambry and others out of the House. He says this is in contempt of court.

12.45pm: The situation turns ugly in the House. Pakatan rep Thomas Su (Pasir Pinji) ridicules Hee by offering her RM50 and shouting 'Go and die' in Cantonese.

Following this, another Pakatan rep Yew Tian Hoe (Aulong) throws two RM1 notes at the deputy speaker, prompting a vexed Hee to pick up the notes and tear them to pieces.

Other reps - from both sides of the divide - are recording the happenings in the House with their handphones.

Earlier, Yew claimed that Hee had splashed him with pepper spray.

Click here for more

That Dream Bridge of Mine

Friday, 17 April 2009 13:50

Mahathir later said, "I used to swear that I would not poke my finger into the new administration. I did try for some time, but after that crooked bridge incident, we have surrendered our sovereignty to our neighbour. And that is utterly disgraceful!"

By LIM MUN FAH/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily

During the Mahathir era, it spanned across the sky, making many think of it day in and day out.

During the Abdullah era, it was killed, making many feel at loss.

During the Najib era, it is resuscitated, making many gleam with excitement.

That, is the bridge in my hometown. The bridge of my dream.

This bridge, a crooked one, will span across the narrow strait, proudly overlooking Johor and Singapore on both sides.

In the artist's rendering, it is as beautiful as the dreamy fairytale world.

It even has an idyllic name, "the Scenic Bridge."

In the end the bridge is never built. And it remains very much the bridge of my dream.

By halting the construction of the bridge, we have compensated RM1.277 billion!

Former prime minister Tun Abdullah said the government was short of cash then, and the budget deficit ran as high as 5.3%.

He said the Cabinet had been discussing about this bridge over and again, and no one could understand why Mahathir had insisted to go ahead with the plan.

Frankly, I also didn't know what was in Mahathir's mind.

I only knew he was very unhappy that Abdullah had shelved the crooked bridge plan.

Again, I had no idea at all why he was so furious about it.

I only knew Mahathir has not been in good terms with Abdullah since then.

Mahathir later said, "I used to swear that I would not poke my finger into the new administration. I did try for some time, but after that crooked bridge incident, we have surrendered our sovereignty to our neighbour. And that is utterly disgraceful!"

He even said, "I could understand why if it were America. But now we are even scared of a tiny country like Singapore.

"I don't think he makes a respectable leader."

Now I know that this bridge entails more than just the intricate politico-business interests, but also our sovereignty and self-esteem!

Abdullah has left, and here comes Najib. And Mahathir.

Mahathir's brainchild is beginning to see some prospects of revival, thanks also to the strong endorsement from Johor UMNO Youth.

In an identical tone to that of Mahathir, Johor UMNO Youth information chief Khalid Mohamad said if Singapore did not agree to the plan, we could always build a crooked bridge entirely on Malaysian territory.

Khalid Mohamad claimed that the crooked bridge would bring more positive impact on Johor's economy.

But he failed to tell me whether this "half bridge," which can only be built up to the midline of the Johor Strait, would promote the state's economy, or send the economy back in time by half a century.

I am wondering whether the bridge of my dream is to be built with our economy in mind, or our politicians.

Media Statement by YB Loke Siew Fook on Muhyiddin's Distasteful Remarks on Chinese Malaysians

Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:09

UMNO should instead be grateful to the Chinese community for prolonging their political survival in the 1999 general election. DAPSY expresses the uttermost outrage over the most distasteful and divisive statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the Chinese voters were not grateful to the Barisan Nasional and wanted to be kingmakers in Malaysian politics. Such an insensitive statement, coming from the No 2 leader in the country just barely a week after he took office, showed how out of touch the BN leadership were with the constituents on the ground and their failure to understand the sentiments and aspirations of the Malaysian electorate. Muhyiddin thought that the Malaysian Chinese voters still subscribed to the old way of “beggar politics” where they would give their votes to the BN in exchange for tokens of allocations to Chinese schools and temples during election season. Let us tell Muhyiddin that their old trick no longer works. The people aspire for a fair and just government where their needs and basic rights to education and development are look into on a sustainable and structural basis, not tokenism. Muhyiddin’s statement also exemplifies the feudalistic mentality of UMNO leaders who think that they are forever the political masters in the country and the people including the Chinese community are duty-bound to elect them into power. This is also an outdated idea and the people must teach the UMNO leaders that the rights and mandate to govern must be earned and won through good governance, fair policies and clean leadership. The people are the real masters and they have every right to determine who should be the government of the day. Instead of calling the Chinese community as being ungrateful to the BN government, I would say that it is UMNO who are ungrateful to the Chinese community. It is a known fact that it was the Chinese voters who saved and prolonged UMNO’s political survival in the 1999 general elections where majority of the Malay electorate deserted UMNO during the height of the “Reformasi” movement. In fact, Muhyiddin’s boss, Prime Minister Najib escaped a humiliating defeat by a mere 241-vote majority in his Pekan constituency thanks to the Chinese votes. Muhyiddin owed all Malaysians a public apology. Loke Siew Fook

Rockcliffe ‘palace’ Ottawa’s No. 2 home

New house valued at $9,609,000, 2nd only to Cowpland mansion
BY MICHAEL PRENTICE, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN JANUARY 18, 2009

The traditionally-styled Rockcliffe Park home of Sean Murray and Jamilah Taib,

below, has impressed their well-heeled neighbours and earned a $9,609,000

assessment from the Municipal Property Assessment Corp.

Photograph by: Chris Mikula,, The Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — The handsome new home of Ottawa developer Sean Murray and his wife, Jamilah Taib, has shot to No. 2 among Ottawa’s most expensive private residences, as measured by the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC).

The couple’s house at 688 Manor Ave. in Rockcliffe Park, completed late last year, is worth $9,609,000, assessors have decided. That puts it second only to that of neighbours Marlen and Michael Cowpland. The Cowplands’ modern mansion at 234 Perley Crt. has an updated assessment value of $12,535,000.

The Cowpland residence has been controversial because of its ultra-modern look, which some traditionalists have grumbled is out of place in Rockcliffe Park, where many of Ottawa’s most expensive homes are located.

The new home of Mr. Murray and Ms. Taib has a more traditional look, which blends in with older, and much smaller, houses nearby. Its construction has been the talk of Rockcliffe for months.

Well-heeled neighbours were impressed when the couple showed off their new home at a recent house-warming and Christmas party.

“It’s incredible,” one guest said. “It is not so much a house as a mansion. A lot of the guests were likening it to an old English manor. But it is a very new English manor.”

The guest, who asked not to be identified, added: “There is marble and the colour of gold everywhere, and there must be 20 chandeliers on the ground floor. It’s like a palace, really.”

The home’s proud owners also offered dinner for 14 at their residence in a recent auction in aid of nearby Ashbury College. The catalogue described the house as a “magnificent home gleaming with marble and gold.” The prize went for $3,000.

The Murray-Taib home has cathedral ceilings throughout the ground floor, and about 12,500 square feet of living space. It takes up much of the lot size of less than one acre. It was designed by the architectural firm of Nicholas Caragianis.

MPAC’s assessments are used to determine property taxes, meaning Mr. Murray and Ms. Taib will have a property tax bill of about $100,000. The Cowplands will pay about $130,000.

Like many home owners, both couples will get a bit of a break on their property taxes this year and the next two because the new assessments are being phased in over four years.

Assessors decided a home like that of Mr. Murray and Ms. Taib would have increased in value by about 14 per cent between January 2005, when assessments were last done, and January 2008, when the latest assessments took effect.

The Murray-Taib home took over the No. 2 spot from the home of Beata and Philip Garel-Jones at 120 Lansdowne Rd., also in Rockcliffe Park. Their home was assessed

at $9,325,000. The couple bought it from technology multimillionaire Antoine Paquin for $8.25 million several years ago.

Michael Potter and Terence Matthews, two other technology multimillionaires, are fourth and fifth on the list, compiled by the Citizen from property rolls. Mr. Potter’s property was assessed to be worth $8,443,000, about $3 million of which was in the value of land he acquired from his back-fence neighbour, the U.S. ambassador.

Mr. Matthews’ home in Kanata was one of only four from outside Rockcliffe in the top 25 assessments.

The most valuable homes in Ottawa are owned by either property developers or high-tech moguls. The sole exception is Daniel Bellemare, one of the owners of Farm Boy fruit and vegetable stores. His renovation and expansion of a traditional Rockcliffe home has earned praise from residents who deplore a trend to demolish old homes in the village and replace them with much larger new houses.

Ottawa Senators hockey star Jason Spezza’s new home did not make the top 25 on assessed value, even though he paid $3.75 million for the modern house on Mayfair Avenue, off Island Park Drive. The house had been listed for $6 million. The house’s assessed value for 2008 is $2,316,000. That means Mr. Spezza will be getting a good deal on his property taxes, or the purchase price was high, or a combination of the two.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Sarawak CM's daughter has RM28 million 'palace'

Sarawak CM Abdul Taib Mahmud’s daughter and her husband are proud owners of Ottawa’s second-most expensive house, worth RM28.3m

砂首长女儿花近三千万令吉入住渥太华第二贵私人豪宅
砂拉越首席部长泰益玛目家族富可敌国的消息再添一笔，他的女儿和女婿不久前入主加拿大渥太华（Ottawa）第二昂贵，总值将近3,000万令吉的独立洋房。

渥太华当地报章《渥太华公民报》（Ottawa Citizen）在1月19日报导了这项消息。

该报道指，根据市镇物业评估公司（MPAC），嘉米拉哈米达（Jamilah Hamidah Taib）和其从事建筑发展业的夫婿西恩莫瑞（Sean Murray）买下这栋富丽堂皇的洋房。它的价格位居渥太华私人豪宅的第二位。

每年产业税近卅万令吉

“这对夫妻位于石崖公园（Rockcliffe Park）庄园大道第688号的房子在去年全部完工，估价师认为，其价值是960万9,000加币（2830万令吉）。”

此外，他们每年必须交缴的产业税就已高达10万加币，或29万3,000令吉。

第一豪宅属于软体钜子

根据《渥太华公民报》报道，当地最昂贵的洋房则属于加拿大软体钜子迈克考普兰（Michael Cowpland）夫妇所拥有，其价值在1,253万5,000加币，或3,680万令吉。

迈克考普兰在1985年创立Corel公司，是加拿大最大的软体公司，也是个人应用软体、绘图及桌面排版软件的第二大销售商。

嘉米拉和西恩对商业雄心勃勃，拥有渥太华重要的产业公司之一，即萨多企业（Sakto Corporation）。

洋房仿佛旧式英国庄园

这对夫妻的新家以大理石装潢，其中拥有20盏水晶吊灯。它所坐落的石崖公园，其中有24栋房子名列渥太华顶级住宅的前25名。

“通过最近举行入伙和圣诞宴会的炫耀之后，讲究的邻居对这对夫妻的房子留下深刻印象。”

一名当时受邀的嘉宾表示，这栋洋房仿佛一座旧式的英国庄园。

“这对夫妻的房子一楼都是拱形的天花板，并且拥有1万2,500平方公尺的空间。房子几乎占据整片的一英亩地。”

泰益玛目家族商业王国

嘉米拉是泰益玛目的长女，她底下还有一个妹妹。嘉米拉在砂拉越长久涉入的商界，拥有数家重要的公司。

嘉米拉和其他家属共同掌握砂拉越最重要的一些企业，包括砂州日光集团（Cahaya Mata Sarawak）。

泰益玛目的两个儿子蘇萊曼泰益（Sulaiman Abdul Rahman）和瑪目泰益（Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib）这个集团主控砂州日光集团。而泰益玛目的妻子莱拉（Leila Taib）也是该集团的重要股东之一。

半岛电视揭其官商联系

在本周四（19日），半岛电视台播出一项特别报道，揭露泰益玛目家族获得砂州政府丰厚合约的情况。

泰益玛目已经担任砂拉越首席部长长达27年。两年前，他因为一篇揭露日本船运者给香港一家跟他家族有关联的公司给付木桐回佣的新闻，而起诉《当今大马》。这宗起诉案将在今年底在高庭进行审讯。

Reformasi reigns under a raintree

(MJ reporting from the site where history was created)

I have never felt so proud of being a son of Perak than today. It was a historic and unforgettable moment. It was a moment made up of heroic courage accompanied by an unending chorus of “Hidup Perak”. It was a moment which Perakians could hold their heads high and know that there is hope.

For once “Malaysia Boleh” meant something very significant to me. What took place happened in Bolehland! In the midst of the crowd there was a placard which read: “The Whole World is Watching”. Yes, the whole world saw how the people of Perak and their leaders refused to bow, bend and buckle under Najib’s nefarious tricks and Umno’s manipulative maneuverings.

The whole world saw how a brave bunch of State Assemblypersons refused to be bribed, bought over, bullied or budge and how they are ready to face the possible consequences of their bravery in standing up to the powers-that-be who brazenly and shamelessly robbed the people of their State Government.

Today, Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin was voted and confirmed unanimously in a motion of confidence the true and legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak by the Perak State Assembly. This took place in an “emergency sitting” held under a raintree and an open sky – in the approving and affirming presence of the people.

It was an “emergency sitting” in every sense of the word. Locked out of the state secretariat and wanting to avoid any untoward incidents with some 30 thuggish men (Umno supporters?), the Pakatan Aduns made their way to a vacant lot some 200 meters from the state secretariat.

For a moment it seemed that the Pakatan leadership was unsure of what was the next course of action. A hush-hush discussion transpired after which to everyone’s surprise the Speaker announced that the emergency sitting would be held at the vacant spot under a raintree! Even the Aduns themselves seemed surprised! Nizar would later explain the sitting under the tree was done according to the “doctrine of necessity”!

As the Speaker and the Aduns took their place, there were whispers amongst the large crowd gathered, of the venue being the perfect place to hold a State Assembly sitting. A man standing next to me said that it was his first time attending a State Assembly sitting and they should have more of such assemblies which the public can easily attend!

A lady quipped: “You see how transparent PR is. We even hold a State Assembly sitting out in the open! We have nothing to hide. It is an open fact that Nizar is the legitimate MB and the PR State Government is that voted in by the majority of the people.”

The Speaker was in his full official regalia. The PR Aduns stood before him. Pakatan officials and security volunteers formed a ring around them. The sea of people surged closer encircling the two groups to witness the serious, solemn and significant event.

It was truly a touching and hilarious moment when the Speaker asked the Aduns to voice out and to provide a show of hands whether they agreed to the motion of confidence in Nizar being the legitimate MB, the crowd very spontaneously and spiritedly shouted “Setuju!” The Aduns then smilingly explained to the crowd that only the Aduns are to respond.

Some who were not familiar with the formalities of a State Assembly sitting felt strongly that they were very much part of the assembly and had the right to express their confidence in their MB! Two other motions were passed — one calling for the dissolution of the assembly to pave the way for fresh state elections, and the other, the adoption of the suspension of Perak Mentri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir and six Exco councillors he appointed.

An Adun, when supporting one of the motions, began by speaking of an “institutional crisis” in Perak and in the country. He then corrected himself and mentioned “constitutional crisis”. He was right in the first instance — the country’s institutions are breaking down!

This has been so well highlighted by Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan: “Our institutions, that is the courts, the police, etc., are being tested and we can judge for ourselves whether they are acting independently or not… It is so obvious they are not.”

She lamented that the tragic events in the state “shows a total breakdown in relation to the structures and sanctity of the legislature. It shows a violation of the role of the Speaker and an intrusion into the processes of the legislative assembly. The Speaker, much like the status of the Attorney General, should also be seen as an institution in its own right.”

The police who were supposed to be impartial ignored the instructions of the Speaker. They displayed an intimidating presence. Ipoh OCPD Azisman Alias insisted there would be no negotiations, causing State DAP chief and senior exco member under the PR government Ngeh Koo Ham to remark: “It is a very sad day. We have descended into a police state.”

Lim Kit Siang shares a similar concern: “Today, the doctrine of separation of powers has suffered another grievous blow with the powers and privileges of the legislature in Perak, attacked by the executive, both federal and state, which is also seeking to invoke unprecedented judicial interference with the legislature.”

In spite of the disturbing trends the courage displayed by the MB, Speaker and the Aduns of PR offer the people much hope. History will remember how a Perak State Assembly was forced to hold a sitting under a raintree during which the Speaker and the Assemblypersons literally stood up for the justice and the truth and against the might of those who are willing to stoop so low in their political subterfuge and scheming.

Martin Jalleh (3 March 2009)