15/12: What now, Pak Lah?

Portrayed as weak and indecisive, M'sian PM needs to act now before 2009 polls

Leslie Lau
TODAYonline

THERE is little doubt among many Malaysians that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will lead his ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to another victory at the next general election, whenever he decides to call it.

Rather, the question is whether Mr Abdullah, 68, will stay a second full term as Premier or make way for a new leader.

The atmosphere in the PM's office in Putrajaya now is very different from when he took office in 2003.

Then, he was a breath of fresh air to Dr Mahathir Mohamad's dictatorial, sometimes oppressive, administration.

Mr Abdullah vowed more democratic space, less corruption and a more efficient civil service.

Relief at finally seeing the back of "old man" Mahathir, the country voted in Mr Abdullah's BN government in March 2004 with the biggest majority in Malaysia's history.

Yet, just three years on, the offices of the most popular government in Malaysia's history are beginning to look like a bunker, under siege from all fronts.

It is facing dissent on the streets and even from within the ruling party. It faces criticisms of practising the kind of corrupt politics it had set out to remove.

The administration is also fighting a losing battle against a perception, fast gaining traction, that it is weak, indecisive and lacks any dynamic vision for the country.

Just months before Mr Abdullah took office, his son-in-law and aide Khairy Jamaluddin acknowledged in a private meeting with foreign journalists that the new administration would face major hurdles because it did not have a story to tell.

The story of Mr Abdullah's administration so far is vague, having failed to seize the initiative of his initial popularity to introduce drastic reforms necessary for Malaysia.

Even his singular contribution to the Malaysian lexicon, Islam Hadhari - a so-called gentler philosophy of the religion as opposed to the contention that Islam is a religion of terror - has become a subject of ridicule.

The battle on corruption is also looking like a whitewash so far, apart from the convictions of a few senior civil servants and investigations initiated against a few prominent personalities - with no results in sight.

"The problem for the PM is that his promised reforms never came," a senior Member of Parliament (MP) from Mr Abdullah's Umno party told Weekend Xtra.

Perhaps, Mr Abdullah is looking at history to avoid the mistakes of one of his predecessors, Mr Hussein Onn, who took the kind of drastic steps that some critics are now calling for.

Mr Hussein was the last PM and Umno president who took on, and saw through the jailing for graft of a major political warlord in his own party - Mr Harun Idris, Umno Youth chief and Selangor's Mentri Besar, who was charged with corruption in 1976 and jailed in 1978.

But the battle with Mr Harun weakened Mr Hussein to such an extent that the latter had to give way to Dr Mahathir, his deputy then, in 1981. Dr Mahathir promptly got Mr Harun a royal pardon and a release from jail.

The one thing Mr Abdullah does not want to become is a Mr Hussein.

"History has shown that if you try drastic steps, you get toppled," said the Umno legislator. "The PM offered so much promise … people may still forgive him because of the so-called honeymoon period. But the focus in his second term will solely be on his weaknesses."

Mr Abdullah's biggest weakness so far is probably his failure to define his own administration, which could largely be due to the fact that - just like what happened in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union - some Malaysians are nostalgic for the certainty of the Mahathir era.

This nostalgia and the PM's attempts at fixing and reversing some of his predecessor's mistakes sparked the past year's immense friction and clashes between Dr Mahathir and himself.

The constant sniping from the former premiere was a severe distraction for Mr Abdullah. Through public attacks, Dr Mahathir and his supporters shaped the public image of Mr Abdullah as weak and indecisive.

Yet, many will look back and realise that Dr Mahathir never really tried anything drastic to reform the party or the country. Arguably, it was under him that Malaysia became more corrupt.

But Dr Mahathir was shrewd in not taking drastic steps to change Umno. His moves were always calculated, and he was aware that a challenge to the status quo could result in his being toppled.

The one exception was when he took on Mr Anwar Ibramin, and the outcome of the tussle has left him bruised and battered - his legacy forever tainted.

Over the past weeks, Mr Abdullah has tried to put on a tough guy image to show more decisive leadership.

He has sent out the riot police, hauled street demonstrators to court and gone through with his threat to use the Internal Security Act to arrest leaders of Hindraf.

His biggest concern must be the possibility of a backlash from the Malays, but it looks like he has bought some time with them. And time is something he has, especially since his government need not go to the polls until 2009.

If he can use this time to tackle decisively the old issues of corruption and civil service efficiency and new ones like problems with the Indian community, then Mr Abdullah might still have a chance in the post-election period.

Leslie Lau has been reporting in Malaysia for more than 15 years. He has worked in regional and international newspapers and TV stations.

15/12: Gamuda, MMC win RM12.5 billion Malaysian rail project

By Stephanie Phang

(Bloomberg) -- Gamuda Bhd. and MMC Corp. won a 12.5 billion ringgit ($3.8 billion) contract to build a railway in western Malaysia, the nation's biggest rail project.

The 329-kilometer (204 mile) double-rail link connecting Ipoh in Perak state to Padang Besar on the northern border with Thailand, will take five years to complete, Gamuda, the country's second-largest builder by market value, said in a statement today.

Malaysia revived the project, first awarded to the companies in 2003, to replace a single rail system and build new stations as Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi seeks to boost economic growth by lifting public spending. Revenue from the project will contribute to Gamuda's earnings this fiscal year ending July 2008, the Petaling Jaya-based company said.

``Their numbers are going to come in very strongly from this year onward,'' said Wong Chew Hann, an analyst at Aseambankers Malaysia Bhd. with a ``buy'' rating on Gamuda stock. Completing the project ``shouldn't be a problem.''

The original contract awarded in October 2003 was valued at 14.5 billion ringgit, and included a link in the south. Abdullah, who came into power in November that year, postponed the project in December to cut spending and trim the nation's deficit.

Gamuda and MMC received a letter of acceptance from the government today to design and build the rail line for 12.5 billion ringgit, to be paid progressively, Gamuda said in a statement to the stock exchange today. The companies were given preliminary government approval in June.

The rail link will complement double-tracked railway lines connecting the country's central region to the north and cut travel time from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth in the north to three hours from nine, MMC said in an e-mailed statement.

Kuala Lumpur-based MMC is a Malaysian construction and port company backed by billionaire Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

Trans-Asia Line

``In the future, a completely double-tracked Padang Besar to Johor Bharu railway line is envisioned to form part of the Trans- Asia railway line spanning from Singapore to Kunming, China,'' MMC said. Johor Bharu is the city nearest Singapore in southern Peninsular Malaysia.

The construction will now be funded by the government entirely, and not by Gamuda and MMC through private financing as announced in June, MMC said in an e-mailed statement.

``There will be no concession. Over the long-run, it will be a disadvantage for the consortium given the potential earnings,'' said Kamarulzaman Hassan, an analyst at TA Securities Holdings Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. ``However, the consortium would carry less risk and also does not have to raise the financing.''

Kamarulzaman has a ``sell'' recommendation on Gamuda's stock, with a target price of 4.75 ringgit, saying investors have ``priced in the double-tracking project into the current price.''

Guarantee Bond

The venture will give the government a performance bond of 624.3 million ringgit, or 5 percent of the contract value, as a guarantee before work begins, Gamuda said. It will also provide a ``design warranty bond'' for the same amount before a certificate of completion is issued, it said.

The venture will award about 8 billion ringgit worth of contracts to local contractors and consultants over the next six months as part of the project, Gamuda said.

The project will help boost the economic growth in the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang to 8 percent a year from 6 percent, and create 100,000 jobs, the company said.

Gamuda and MMC were halted from trading this afternoon on the Malaysian stock exchange for the announcement. Gamuda rose 4 percent to 4.64 ringgit today before it was halted. MMC slid 0.6 percent to 8.80 ringgit.

Gamuda will resume trading on Dec. 17. MMC hasn't said when its stock will resume trading.

15/12: Tenaga asks Malaysia for 10 years of price increases

By Soraya Permatasari and Angus Whitley

(Bloomberg) -- Tenaga Nasional Bhd., Malaysia's biggest power utility, wants the government to let it raise electricity prices every year for a decade to compensate for a planned reduction in fuel subsidies.

After the natural gas subsidy to Tenaga is removed, the state-controlled company should be allowed to sell electricity at rates that reflect the cost of the fuel, Chief Executive Officer Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said in an interview yesterday.

A gradual increase in power prices ``would be easier, less painful'' for customers, Che Khalib said in Kuala Lumpur. The gas ``price in Malaysia is far too low. We have to correct that.''

A surge in prices of crude oil, gas and coal has swelled Tenaga's costs and increased Malaysia's annual fuel subsidy to more than 30 billion ringgit ($9 billion). The utility's shares have lagged behind the benchmark index this year partly on concern earnings may be eroded by higher fuel costs.

``It makes perfect economic sense instead of a one-off removal of the subsidy,'' said James Ratnam, an analyst at TA Securities Holdings Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur with a ``buy'' rating on Tenaga. ``Unless there's a clear policy, it will still weigh on the share price.''

Tenaga rose 5 sen, or 0.5 percent, to 9.40 ringgit at the close of trading on Bursa Malaysia Securities, the first gain in four days. The stock has fallen 14 percent this year compared with the 28 percent gain on the benchmark index.

Public Protests

Energy price increases had triggered public protests in Malaysia. A gasoline price hike in March 2006 led to street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur. In May last year, police used water cannon to disperse crowds protesting against higher electricity rates. Opposition parties held protests in February after road-toll prices climbed.

Ten years of consecutive electricity price increases is ``politically, not realistic,'' TA's Ratnam said.

Malaysia fixes diesel, gasoline and power prices to keep inflation in check. Tenaga, more than half-owned by the state, needs government approval for any rate increase.

At an average price of 26.2 sen per kilowatt-hour, Malaysian power rates are the cheapest in Asia after Taiwan, with 25.4 sen, and Indonesia, with 23.2 sen, Che Khalib said on May 24 last year.

Under Tenaga's proposal to the government, prices should be reviewed every three months after the decade of annual increases expires, Che Khalib said.

Buying Gas

The effect on Tenaga ``should be neutral if gas prices are also increased gradually over the same period,'' said Tursina Yaacob, an analyst at OSK Securities Sdn. in Kuala Lumpur. ``If it's a gradual increase, consumers won't feel it that much.'' She has a ``buy'' rating on Tenaga stock.

Under an agreement with Malaysian state oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Bhd., power producers in the Southeast Asian country buy gas at 6.40 ringgit per million British thermal units. That's about 70 percent below the market price, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sept. 24.

A surge in prices of natural gas, which is used to generate half of Tenaga's electricity, has increased the government's total gas subsidy by 9.1 percent to 15.6 billion ringgit in the year ended March 31, according to Petronas, as the oil and gas company is known.

Crude oil has surged 52 percent in New York this year and reached a record $99.29 a barrel on Nov. 21.

Tenaga generates almost half of Malaysia's electricity and is also the country's transmission monopoly, while so-called independent power producers including Tanjong Plc and YTL Power International Bhd. generate 51 percent.

Tenaga uses gas to produce half of its power, coal to generate 31 percent and oil-products for the rest.

Coal Prices

The utility said on Oct. 25 that higher fuel prices, mainly coal, and increased payments to buy power from independent generators will hurt profit in the year ending Aug. 31.

Tenaga currently buys coal at 40 percent below market prices under contracts that will expire mostly in August next year, Che Khalib said in the interview.

The company is in talks to extend the contracts for another year, he said. Tenaga has agreed to buy coal at 20 percent below market prices from two new mines in Kalimantan, Indonesia, stretching supplies until August 2009, he said.

Prices of thermal coal shipped from Australia's Newcastle port, an Asian benchmark, reached a record in the week through Dec. 7, according to the globalCOAL weekly index, amid rising demand from power utilities, export bottlenecks in Australia and surging consumption in China.

Tenaga is prepared to spend $2 billion for more power plant projects in the Middle East to expand overseas, Che Khalib said. The company has been pre-qualified to bid for some projects, he added, declining to elaborate. It has a joint venture with Malakoff Bhd. to build power and water plants in Saudi Arabia.

The utility is in talks with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to accelerate payments on some of its yen-denominated loans that account for almost 15 percent of the company's total debt.

Tenaga is considering a government offer to take a 20 percent stake in a project to lay 700 kilometers (435 miles) of undersea power cables from the Bakun hydroelectric plant in the eastern state of Sarawak to the Malaysian peninsula, Che Khalib said.

15/12: Information Minister says people support use of ISA

The Sun

Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin says the detention of five leaders of the illegal Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is "what the people want".

"It is also the government's determination to safeguard public order and national security. That's what the people demand," he added.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of his ministry's Quality Day this morning, Zainuddin said the people had expected the government to detain the five under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and "are generally supportive".

Yesterday, the federal police Special Branch used the ISA on four lawyers - P.Uthayakumar, 46, M.Manoharan, 46, V.Ganabatirau, 34 and R.Kengadharan, 40 - and Malaysian Building Society Bhd (MBSB) senior executive K.Vasanthakumar, 34.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan said in a statement issued by Bukit Aman yesterday evening that all five had beens ent to the Kamunting Detention Camp in Taiping, Perak.

Zainuddin said: "We are aware the government's action would be criticised by western groups through their media. We are ready to counter whatever negative reports about Malaysia.

"All divisions in my ministry have been told to explain the government's use of the ISA to both local and foreign media. We have the facts and we will disseminate them.

"I challenge the western media to practise real democracy by publishing both sides of the story and not twist them to suit their own agenda."

Zainuddin said negative western media reports would not damage Malaysia's image and turn away tourists and investors as the country had its competitive edge.

"Since achieving Independence (Merdeka), the western media has never supported us. Whatever policies, such as the New Economic Policy, have been portrayed negatively in their reports. But still, we are so successful today (economically)," he added.

Zainuddin said the government rejected the concept of democracy promoted by the West, with street demonstrations being part of the democratic process.

"We will never accept this. Have the countries with frequent street demonstrations managed to achieve the prosperity and stability that we enjoy? Most of these countries are mired in conflicts or chaos," he stressed.

Earlier, Zainuddin in his address advised hministry employees to equip themselves with the latest and accurate information.

"Today's society is more educated and will not easily accept explanations without facts. Whether we are effective in disseminating information fast will determine how fast we can build a first-class mentality society," he said.

11/12: Losing the plot

Posted By Raja Petra



Umno cannot be brought down, at least not from the outside. That’s what 50 years of Umno rule has taught us. Actually it is 52 years if you consider the first elections in 1955, though general elections were not held until 1959, two years after Merdeka.

The Prime Minister cannot be brought down, at least not from the outside. That’s what 22 years of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s rule has taught us. But 22 years of Mahathir’s rule has taught us another thing. The Prime Minister can be brought down from the inside. And he almost was in 1987. But Mahathir was smart, he still is, so he closed down Umno and set up a new party which excluded all his rivals who had no choice but to go form a new party.

From the ‘ashes’ of Team B arose Semangat 46. And after more than a decade it proved, yet again, that the Prime Minister plus Umno cannot be brought down from the outside. Semangat 46 was eventually wound up and all the members and leaders rejoined Umno en bloc -- or almost en bloc because some have refused, until today, to rejoin Umno. In fact, some have since died and they died outside Umno, refusing until their last breath to rejoin Umno.

But these ex-Semangat 46 members and leaders did not rejoin Umno to resume the plan to topple the Prime Minister. They rejoined Umno to bide their time, waiting for the day when Mahathir would relinquish his post, or die in office, when they can then take over the reins of power.

Today, Mahathir is no longer Prime Minister. And those who were once branded as traitors to Umno and to the Malay race, those who were defiled and cursed as enemies of the nation, are today walking in the corridors of power. But not all are ex-Semangat 46 members or leaders. True, they were in Team B and bitterly opposed to Mahathir. But some, like current Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, refused to follow their mentor, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, into the ranks of the opposition when Semangat 46 was launched. Abdullah and his ilk preferred sitting it out in the political wilderness and wait for the time when they can be ‘rehabilitated’ and allowed back into Umno. Abdullah may not look smart. But he is smart enough to know that the Prime Minister and Umno cannot be brought down from the outside. You must get back into Umno to do that. So he waited until he was allowed back into Umno so that he could eventually climb back up the Umno ladder and into the seat of the Prime Minister.

No sooner had Abdullah taken over as Prime Minister did he call for fresh general elections. He did not want to just be Mahathir’s successor. That was not good enough. Mahathir was, after all, the enemy and no way would Abdullah receive charity from he whom he once bitterly opposed. He wanted his own mandate from the people. He wanted to be his own man, not somebody’s man, especially not Mahathir’s man. And the people gave him that mandate. The people gave him 92% of the seats in Parliament, the most impressive election performance ever which not even the great Mahathir could duplicate. And once he had safely planted himself into the seat of the Prime Minister by virtue of his own landslide mandate from the people, he set about dismantling the Mahathir legacy and to erase from the history books all the good Mahathir had done while allowing all the bad to surface so that the Grand Old Man of Malaysian politics will be remembered for the worst of times.

A direct attack on Mahathir may not work. After all, the Old Man still has some clout and enough loyalists within the government to thwart any ‘assassination’ attempt. So, true to Malay fashion, indirect hits were made. Targets were chosen that will not appear as if Mahathir is the target but would invariably lead to his door. And one of the many targets was Lingam.

Actually, Abdullah, or at least his advisers on the fourth floor led by his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, very brilliantly leaked the Lingam Tape. How the Lingam conversation was recorded and who leaked the videotape is not known and may never be known. Some say it was Lingam’s own brother who recorded it and leaked it, but then even his brother is not aware of the videotape. He is certainly in the know about many things and his long police report and testimony are proof of this. But the Lingam Tape is not amongst that testimony; so some other hands must be behind it.

The audio of the videotape is very clear. The visuals are not. And it is a recording of a monologue, not a dialogue. But, hazy as it may be, it is enough to raise doubts that the video might be authentic. And a Royal Commission of Enquiry has been set up to get to the bottom of the whole incident and verify whether the recording is a fake or for real.

The authenticity or otherwise of the recording is not really that crucial. What is important is that the matter has surfaced. And the incident leads to Mahathir’s door. Now Mahathir has to seriously consider whether he wants to resume his attacks on Abdullah or be a good boy and save himself the embarrassment of the Lingam Tape becoming Malaysia’s version of Watergate. They have got Mahathir by the short and curly, or so they thought.

Abdullah may have his Watergate a.k.a Lingamgate hanging over Mahathir’s head. Mahathir, however, has his own Watergate a.k.a Dolahgate hanging over Abdullah’s head as well. Is it a checkmate? Or is it a case of who blinks first dies?

The Royal Commission will be hard-pressed in proving the Lingam Tape authentic. Chances are they will conclude that the authenticity of the videotape cannot be proven. In a court of law, the evidence alone is not enough. The maker also needs to be revealed. Even if you adduce a signed document in court, the court will not accept it as tangible evidence until the maker testifies in court that he or she is indeed the maker. Will the ‘maker’ of the Lingam Tape come forward to testify or will he or she remain an anonymous whistleblower? Unless the maker comes forward there would be no way to prove that the videotape is authentic and not a fake.

The Dolahgate issue is another thing altogether though. A police report has been made and the police are currently investigating the matter. Abdullah chaired the Umno Supreme Council meeting of 28 August 2006 and instructed the Deputy Minister of Internal Security and the Menteri Besar of Kedah to ensure that Mahathir loses his bid in the Kubang Pasu division election of 9 September 2006 to become one of the delegates to the Umno General Assembly. On the eve of the division election, the Umno Disciplinary Board members held a gathering at the Kubang Pasu golf club and told the delegates to not vote for Mahathir. An amount of RM200 in an envelope was then handed out to each and every delegate.

Five of the delegates subsequently made police reports testifying to this. And an official report was made to the Umno headquarters with these police reports and signed Affidavits as evidence. Subsequently, one of those who made this report was beaten up in his home in front of his family and he made another police report on the matter. Thus far no action has been taken on the complaint, the Affidavits or the police reports. The matter was still pending until the latest police report lodged by Johari Ismail on 6 November 2007. Now the police are looking into it.

It is now more than a year since this 9 September 2006 incident in Kubang Pasu and the Umno Supreme Council meeting of 28 August 2006. It is also four years since Abdullah took over as Prime Minister. The honeymoon is now over. It has been over for some time now. And Umno is getting restless. The members and leaders are beginning to get worried and are asking where Umno and the country are heading to. They see a bleak future over the horizon. And they feel it is now time for a leadership change.

Yes, the Prime Minister cannot be brought down from the outside. Umno cannot be brought down from the outside. Time and time again history has proven this. But the Prime Minister can be brought down from the inside. And the Umno members and leaders would be prepared to bring the Prime Minister down as long as Umno itself is not brought down. The Malays prefer to remove hair from flour without spilling the flour. But if the flour is destroyed in the process then better the hair is left where it is.

Abdullah is bad for the country. The people know this. The opposition knows this. And now Umno is beginning to accept this fact as well. But Umno will rally behind Abdullah if Umno is in jeopardy. They will support Abdullah if Umno’s fate is in question. They will not oppose Abdullah if Umno’s future is at risk. They will only abandon Abdullah if in the process Umno does not suffer.

Our first task in hand is not to topple the ruling party. That can come later if it ever comes at all. We need to save the nation and get rid of that which is detrimental to this nation’s health. And that cancer which will eventually see the death of this nation is the man who leads us in the corridors of power.

So we, the people, must not oppose Umno. The ruling party is not the enemy. The enemy is he who leads Umno and who will affect the future of all of us, those in the opposition as well as in the ruling party.

A campaign is ongoing by those in Umno. It is a whispering campaign that seldom reaches the ears of those in the opposition but is heard by those in Umno who congregate at the coffee houses and Mamak shops. Flying letters are being photocopied and passed around to all and sundry. Some are believable and some are not. Some are so incredible it makes one wonder how in heaven’s name they are able to come out with such a spin. But the more incredible, the more people tend to believe the stories, mainly because the stories are so incredible it would be impossible for anyone to come out with such a yarn. It is left to the imagination of the audience whether to believe them or not. But when many repeat the stories, and if they are repeated often enough, eventually fiction becomes fact and it would be very difficult to distinguish one from the other.

They relate stories about Jeanne Danker’s marriage. Abdullah is the third and not second husband, goes the spin. Some Umno types even swear they have seen the documents. What documents they do not make clear but it involves the divorce papers of Jeanne’s second marriage. They divorced without any papers, say the story-tellers. And that was why Abdullah’s marriage to Jeanne was delayed many months. They had to go seek out Jeanne’s second husband to settle the papers before Abdullah could marry her.

Is this a well-kept secret, Jeanne’s skeleton in the closet, or is this a sign of desperate people spinning a tall yarn in a desperate bid to destroy Abdullah’s image and credibility? I could never understand the Umno culture anyway so I will not even begin to try to understand the logic in this spin. Well, argue the story-tellers, who would believe Anwar Ibrahim is gay? Finally it was proven that he is. So is it so hard to believe the story about Abdullah and Jeanne? Okay, that sounds logical. But the problem with this ‘logic’, though, is that I am not convinced Anwar Ibrahim is gay. So the analogy does not quite work on me.

Whatever it may be, Malaysia Today deals with facts and the untold stories from eyewitnesses and those involved in whatever sequence of events is being related. Sure, granted, not all ‘facts’ can be proven by way of documents. Even courts of law take eyewitness testimonies into account in the absence of documents. But eyewitness testimonies must be confined to first party and not second party accounts, which would be rejected as hearsay by the courts. And while the courts insist on the testimony of the witness in an open court, Malaysia Today is well-prepared to allow Deep Throats to remain anonymous in the interest of protecting the identity of our whistleblowers.

Stories of Jeanne’s and Abdullah’s love-life may not be enough to bring down the Prime Minister. But an internal revolt within Umno and Barisan Nasional can. And it appears like a silent and underground revolt is currently at play. Johari Ismail’s police report implicating Abdullah in a criminal act is one such issue. Not only has the Societies Act been violated on 28 August 2006, but Umno’s party constitution and Code of Ethics as well. In fact, Abdullah’s act can jeopardise the entire Umno as it did 20 years ago when the party got wound up by the Registrar of Societies.

It seems a few Umno Supreme Council members are prepared to come forward to testify if this case goes to court. And there is talk that the case will go to court. If those who were present in the Umno Supreme Council meeting plus those who received instructions to sabotage Mahathir on 9 September 2006 confirm this to be so, then Abdullah would have to step down as Prime Minister. The fact he does not spend six years in jail for abusing his authority like what happened to Anwar Ibrahim is blessing enough although that is what should actually be his fate.

Further to that, there is a case that will be filed in the Kota Kinabalu High Court at 11.00am on 12 December 2007 that does not augur well for Abdullah. The Mufti of Sabah issued a fatwah (religious decree) that declared all Buddhist statues haram (forbidden). With that fatwah the Thean Hou Foundation was forbidden from erecting the Goddess of the Sea statue and was ordered to halt all work although they had already brought in the statue and work had progressed halfway.

Chong Kah Kiat went to meet the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in an attempt to try and resolve the matter. Recently, Abdullah said he has big ears and is prepared to listen. He also said he knows what is going on and is not as blur as many claim. The Deputy Prime Minister urged Abdullah to do something as this matter can be very explosive. Article 11 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia allows freedom of religion. While this freedom is not extended to Muslims, and Muslims may not leave Islam or convert to another religion, the government cannot interfere in non-Islamic religions as stipulated under the Constitution.

The largest Buddhist statue is in the ‘Islamic’ Sate of Kelantan. Umno says that PAS is an extremist party and very intolerant towards non-Muslims or towards other non-Islamic religions. But PAS allows the largest Buddhist statue in Malaysia in the state that it rules. And it was during the rule of PAS that its Menteri Besar summoned the Hindus to a meeting and offered them a site to build a Hindu temple. He approved the Hindu temple on the spot without any requirement for a formal application or for any committees to be formed to look into the matter. In fact, the Hindus had previously applied for permission during the time that Umno was ruling the state so Nik Aziz just resurrected that decades-old application and approved it without the need for a fresh application.

Umno comes out with fatwahs declaring Buddhist statues haram and forbids its erection while PAS allows the largest Buddhist statue in the country. Umno demolishes Hindu temples while PAS summons Hindus for a meeting and offers them permission to build one though they never asked for it thinking that surely PAS would say no if Umno says no. So this Sabah situation does not look good for Umno, argued Najib, who was trying to get Abdullah to reverse the decision of the Sabah State Government and override the fatwah of the Sabah Mufti.

Abdullah says he has big ears and that he listens to the people. He does not want the Hindus to organise demonstrations and protests but instead come talk to him. The Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah, Chong Kah Kiat, not a mere estate worker or labourer from HINDRAF, did go talk to him. Even the Deputy Prime Minister tried convincing him, though it was an exercise in futility. But at 11.00am tomorrow, 12 December 2007, Chong Kah Kiat will be filing a suit in the Kota Kinabalu High Court because Abdullah is not listening.

Chong Kah Kiat has discovered something new today. PAS is not really the ‘Taliban’ party that Umno says it is. And Abdullah’s Islam Hadhari is not as liberal as what Umno says it is. And this will make the Chinese sit up and take note. Whether Abdullah is Jeanne’s second or third husband matters not one bit to the Chinese, although the Umno chaps are whispering this in the coffee houses and Mamak shops. However, whether the Umno government and Abdullah’s Islam Hadhari is tolerant to Buddhists and Hindus does. And luckily the Umno Member of Parliament’s resolution in Parliament that missionary schools be made to remove all Christian religious symbols, statues and crosses was vetoed. If not the Christians too would join the Buddhists and Hindus in opposing the government.

And, as if this is not enough, today, the Attorney-General sent the Deputy Minister of Internal Security a letter instructing him to release ‘Tengku’ Goh from restricted residence. The Deputy Minister is just the number two. The number one, the Minister, is the Prime Minister himself. Would the Attorney-General dare send the Deputy Minister a letter instructing him to release the boss of bosses of the underworld crime syndicate if the man above that Deputy Minister, the Prime Minister, did not endorse this?

Yes, when we first came out with episode one of our ten-part series on the organised crime syndicate we said “All roads lead to Putrajaya”. Today, that has been proven. Today, the Attorney-General has proven that the Prime Minister is the patron of the Chinese organised crime syndicate just like he is the patron of the Malay underworld, PEKIDA.

And what happens to the man who detained ‘Tengku’ Goh? If ‘Tengku’ Goh is innocent and must be released by the order of the Attorney-General and the endorsement of the Prime Minister, what fate awaits he who detained ‘Tengku’ Goh?

Well, it is said that the Director of the Commercial Crime Division is being investigated for not declaring RM27 million in assets. He is not being investigated for amassing RM27 million in assets. He is being investigated for not declaring it. And he was arrested and charged. And he has been suspended from duty pending the outcome of his trial.

But he was not charged for not declaring RM27 million in assets -- and certainly not for acquiring those assets. This issue of RM27 million assets is no longer the issue. This is because there are no RM27 million in assets, whether he declared them or not. He is being charged for flying in a police aeroplane. Yes, the man who was the Police Commissioner of Sabah and who drives around with a flag adorning the bonnet of his car just like the Governor of the state has been charged for flying in a police aeroplane that was his to use anyway.

Abdullah too flies in a government plane. He takes his whole family on these plane rides. And he does not just fly around the jungles of Sabah. He flies all over the world even when he goes on private holidays. And he even brings Jeanne Danker along on these plane rides though at that time he was not married to her yet. And Jeanne joins Abdullah on these family holidays in the government plane and stays at the home of Patrick Lim though she and Abdullah were not yet husband and wife.

But Abdullah is not arrested and charged for using a government plane for private purposes even though his whole family and retinue of friends, together with his girl friend, were brought along. The Director of the Commercial Crime Division is.

Abdullah has lost the plot. Even those close to him have become very worried. Too many things are not right. BERSIH, HINDRAF, and the host of other issues are just the tip of the iceberg. Abdullah has launched an OPS PADAM. This Ops Padam is the codename for an operation to wipe out all those opposed to him. Today, about two dozen were arrested. On Sunday, a dozen were arrested. More than 60 Indians will face attempted murder charges. Abdullah thinks that if he erases (padam) the opposition then his problems will be solved.

But his problems will not be solved. They will not be solved because the opposition is not his real enemy. The opposition cannot topple him. The opposition cannot topple Umno. Only those within Umno and Barisan Nasional can do that. When ‘Tengku’ Goh walks free, those within the police will become disgusted. When the Director of the Commercial Crime Division who arrested ‘Tengku’ Goh gets sent to jail for the ‘crime’ of flying over the Sabah jungles in a police plane, more police will get angry. When Chong Kah Kiat files his suit against the government in the Kota Kinabalu High Court because of the fatwah by the Sabah Mufti that Buddhist statues are haram and can’t be allowed, that would make the Buddhists angry. When the attempted murder trial of the HINDRAF supporters starts, that would make the Hindus angry. And when they act on the police report against Abdullah for his crime of sabotaging Mahathir in the Kubang Pasu division election, many in the top echelons of Umno will come forward to testify to ensure that the noose around Abdullah’s neck will become tighter.

Yes, that will be how Abdullah will be sent into retirement -- not whether he is Jeanne’s second or third husband, but all those issues which Abdullah has closed his eyes and ears to. But Najib did try to warn him. But Khairy does not want Abdullah to take advice from Najib. Abdullah has his fourth floor advisers led by Khairy, so only these people must be allowed to advice Abdullah. And their advice is to launch Ops Padam and erase all opposition to the Prime Minister. But they have no plan on how to padam opposition within Umno and Barisan Nasional. And that will be how Abdullah eventually falls.

13/12: Malaysia starts a harsh crackdown

Government officials use the Internal Security Act against ethnic Indian protesters

Asia Sentinel

Malaysia used its harsh Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial, against five leaders of Malaysia’s Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, which organized a raucous demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on November 25. It was the first time the law is believed to have been used since 2001.

The five were reported to be Hindraf legal adviser P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar — prominent members of the group, which organized the mass anti-discrimination rally by as many as 30,000 ethnic Indians which turned violent, with protesters battling police with motorcycle helmets. One officer was injured. Subsequently 31 members of the march were charged with sedition and attempted murder.

The use of the ISA is the latest turn of the wheel in a growing crackdown on protests that have periodically paralyzed the Malaysian capital for more than month. Police Chief Musa Hassan warned on Dec. 11 that more ethnic Indians would be arrested and charged for their involvement in anti-government protests. Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of the opposition Parti Keadilan (Justice), and other organizations had vowed to lead protest marches in the capital cities of all of Malaysia’s 13 states over the next month.

The warnings by police and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself have so far had little effect. On Monday, protesters attempted to deliver a memorandum to parliament, demanding that the country’s elections chief not be given an additional term in advance of elections that are believed to be scheduled for sometime next year. Police attempts to block the protests once again paralyzed traffic across the city as officials stood by with water cannons but did not use them. De facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was warned when he arrived in Kuala Lumpur from a visit to Cairo that he had been placed on a watch list.

The ISA has been criticized repeatedly by both international and domestic human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, the Malaysian Bar Council, and the Malaysian Human Rights Commission on grounds that it violates fundamental international standards. Enacted in the early 1960s by the British colonial government during a national state of emergency to put down a communist insurrection, it allows for detention of any person the police deem to be a threat for up to 60 days.

Detainees are denied access to legal counsel. Police can act on suspicion that an individual “has acted or is about to act or is likely to act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or any part thereof or to maintenance of essential services therein or to the economic life thereof.” The law allows the Minister of Home Affairs to extend detention for up to two years without trial or submission of evidence. The detention order can be renewed indefinitely. Some 100 people currently are detained under the law, according to the AFP wire service, most of them Islamic militants.

The protests are a growing concern for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has repeatedly warned that street demonstrations would not be tolerated, only to have the protests take place anyhow. The first was on Nov. 10, when as many as 30,000 people marched in defiance of a ban on November 10 to present a petition on election grievances to the palace of Malaysia’s hereditary king.

On Nov. 27, Abdullah Badawi warned that the ISA could come into play if the protesters didn’t stop, saying that he would refuse to allow the country’s safety to be jeopardized. The government has been criticized by the US Department of States for the security crackdown, and a wide range of human rights organizations have also protested the action.

On Wednesday, the four major opposition parties and 17 domestic non-goveernment organizations issued a statement that they are “are especially troubled by the racial and religious antagonism that now pervades Malaysian society,” adding that they deplored the heavy-handed actions of the authorities in the series of arrests that took place earlier this week.

In a speech Monday organized by Khazana Nasional, the government investment arm, Abdullah Badawi sought to address charges that he is weak. “I can be nice,” he told the 700-odd political and corporate leaders and others. “Being nice is your character and you cannot change. But being nice does not mean one is weak.”

The prime minister, who also serves as Internal Security Minister, also repeated that he is ready to resort to the country’s harsh Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial indefinitely, saying he would not “feel guilty or sad” if he is forced to sign detention orders if the reasons are justified.

13/12: Malaysia detains ethnic Indians under security law

(Reuters) - Malaysia invoked a tough internal-security law on Thursday to indefinitely detain five ethnic Indian activists from a group that had staged a mass anti-government protest last month.

A police official, who declined to be named, said the five belonged to the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which stunned the government by bringing more than 10,000 ethnic Indians onto the streets to complain of racial discrimination.

One of those detained on Thursday was a Hindraf leader, lawyer P. Uthayakumar, who had already been charged with sedition for alleging that Malaysia practiced "ethnic cleansing" of Indians, which make up about 7 percent of the population.

"They said they were arresting him under the ISA (Internal Security Act), but they didn't say where they were taking him," said Shantha, who answered Uthayakumar's mobile phone after news of the detentions and said she was his secretary.

She gave the names of three other detainees as M. Manoharan, V. Ganapatirau and T. Vasanthakumar. She said she was not aware of a fifth detainee, though the Hindraf Web site gave the fifth name as K. Kengadharan, also a lawyer.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who came to power four years ago promising a more transparent and open government, had said this week he would have no trouble signing a detention order to ensure public security and national stability.

The Hindraf rally was one of two mass protests last month. A separate crowd of around 10,000 people had also turned out on the streets of the capital early last month to demand fairer elections, amid expectations of a snap poll by March next year.

The opposition has accused Abdullah of using public order as an excuse to crack down on peaceful dissent.

"We condemn these arrests," said Lim Guan Eng, head of the opposition Democratic Action Party.

"It is a desperate act of last resort and if the government has any evidence, it should charge them in an open court.

"We urge the government to seek national reconciliation, not confrontation with disaffected, marginalized and dispossessed Malaysians."

13/12: Heal thyself

Posted By: Raja Petra

Malaysia’s population is hovering around 26 million. It is said that if we add the illegal immigrants and ‘legal’ foreign workers, this figure may be close to 30 million. Nevertheless, what we are concerned about are the 15 million Malaysians who are eligible to vote and who will make that important decision which will determine the future of this nation of ours. Yes, 15 million Malaysians decide who runs this country which in turn will decide how this country is being run.

But sadly, only half these 15 million Malaysians will come out to vote. Roughly eight million or so Malaysians will take the trouble to cast their votes. And I can safely forecast that five million votes will go to the 14-party ruling coalition while only three million votes will go to the three very-divided opposition parties, giving the ruling coalition a majority of two million votes. Nevertheless, this two million vote majority is enough to give the ruling coalition a clear two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as in the State Assemblies, save maybe Kelantan.

What happened to the other seven million eligible voters? Three million will just stay home and not come out to vote while four million do not even want to register to vote.

All the opposition parties can garner are three million votes. 12 million eligible voters will not give the opposition parties their votes. Of course, only five million of these 12 million will give their votes to the ruling coalition. Seven million will give their votes to neither the ruling coalition nor the opposition. These seven million people will ‘abstain’ from voting.

But the three million people who voted for the opposition are happy. They are of course not happy with the government but they are certainly happy with themselves. They have done their duty as loyal Malaysians who are concerned about this country and they will happily continue opposing the government by attending opposition ceramahs, participating in marches, rallies and demonstrations, and supporting any opposition program aimed at pressuring the powers-that-be to improve the current sorry state of affairs.

The other 23 million Malaysians -- which include five million who voted for the ruling coalition, three million who did not come out to vote, and four million who did not register to vote -- are not happy though. But while the three million who voted for the opposition quietly go about their business and support all the opposition programs, the five million who voted for the ruling coalition, the three million who did not come out to vote, and the four million who did not register to vote, make the most noise yet refuse to support the opposition programs or vote for the opposition.

You see these people everywhere -- the five million who voted for the ruling coalition, the three million who did not come out to vote, and the four million who did not register to vote -- and you will see them make the most noise in Malaysia Today’s blogs, posting comment after comment about what others should be doing to correct this sorry situation.

“The opposition should.....”, “Malaysia Today should.....”, “The Agong should.....”, “Anwar Ibrahim should.....”, “Parti Keadilan Rakyat should.....”, “The Democratic Action Party should.....”, “The Islamic Party of Malaysia should.....”, ‘The government should.....”, “Pak Lah should.....”, and so on and so forth. Everybody else except themselves should do one thing or another. They who suggest what others should do will vote for the ruling coalition or will not come out to vote or will not register as a voter. This is the profile of those who comment in Malaysia Today’s blogs. And they will get very upset if we do not agree with their suggestions or do not act upon them.

“Malaysia Today posts the news very late. We can read the latest news faster in Malaysiakini than in Malaysia Today. Malaysia Today is too slow. Malaysia Today should improve.” Yes, agreed, I do not deny that. Malaysiakini has dozens of full-time staff on fixed salaries and an office that probably costs RM1 million or so a year to run and you pay RM180 a year to read the news on Malaysiakini. Malaysia Today is a one-man show with unpaid volunteers to help out that costs RM150,000 a year to run and you get to read the news free-of-charge.

The grumbling, bitching and whining of Malaysia Today’s readers reflect their mentality. And those who are grumbling, bitching and whining the most are amongst those five million who voted for the ruling coalition, the three million who did not come out to vote, and the four million who did not register to vote. The three million who voted for the opposition are very grateful that they have a site to surf where they can read the news free, although it may be published 12 hours later than the other paid or well-funded mainstream websites. They understand that we do need to eat, sleep and go meet people after spending 12-15 hours in front of the computer.

Why do only three million Malaysians vote for the opposition while five million Malaysians vote for the ruling coalition, three million Malaysians do not come out to vote, and four million Malaysians do not register to vote? Obviously the five million Malaysians who vote for the ruling coalition do so because they have confidence in the government. However, the three million Malaysians who do not come out to vote and the four million Malaysians who do not register to vote do not support the ruling coalition and at the same time do not have confidence in the opposition as well -- so they would rather not ‘waste’ their votes.

And this is why Malaysia is in this sorry state of affairs, because only three million Malaysians vote for the opposition. 12 million Malaysians who are eligible to vote would rather vote for the ruling coalition or would not come out to vote or would not even bother to register as voters. But these 12 million Malaysians make the most noise. These 12 million Malaysians are angry with the Agong and the Rulers. These 12 million Malaysians blame the Agong and the Rulers for the country’s sorry state of affairs. These 12 million Malaysians want the Agong and the Rulers to do something. These 12 million Malaysians threaten that if the Agong and the Rulers do not take action then the Monarchy might as well be abolished and Malaysia be turned into a republic.

I am actually quite fed up with these 12 million Malaysians. It is because of them that Malaysia is facing this predicament. Three million Malaysians did what they thought was right and they are not grumbling. They just quietly go about their business and support whatever programs the opposition organises plus vote for the opposition come Polling Day. It is these 12 million Malaysians who offer 101 reasons why they vote for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote who grumble, bitch, and whine the most. And to these 12 million Malaysians it is the Agong, the Rulers, the opposition, and everyone else who are to blame. They, the 12 million Malaysians who offer 101 reasons why they vote for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote, are not to blame. They have legitimate reasons why they vote for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote. And it is their fundamental right to vote for the ruling coalition or to not vote at all or to refuse to register to vote.

Hey, we respect your right to vote for the ruling coalition or to refuse to vote or to refuse to register to vote. No one is suggesting that this fundamental right be taken away from you. We, the three million Malaysians who voted for the opposition, bear you no grudges. But why are you blaming us, the Agong and the Rulers for what is presently going on in the country? We are not blaming you for this sorry state of affairs although you voted for the ruling coalition or you refuse to vote or you refuse to register to vote. We accept the fact that this is your right. But why are you blaming us, the Agong and the Rulers?

I would like to suggest to the Agong and the Rulers that they just sit back and do nothing. Why should the Agong and the Rulers take the trouble to sort out this nation’s problems? If 12 million Malaysians voted for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote then we three million Malaysians who voted for the opposition, plus the Agong and the Rulers, should not be pressured into correcting what was not our doing in the first place.

Let the government extend the tenure of the Chairman of the Elections Commission beyond his retirement age. Let the government appoint the Umno lawyer as the next Chief Justice of Malaysia. Let the government gerrymander the electoral boundaries so that all the ruling party needs is 50% of the votes and still rule with a two-thirds majority. Let the government set up a Mickey Mouse Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Lingam Tape. Let the government stifle dissent and free speech and arrest all those who participate in ‘illegal assemblies’ and detain the leaders and organisers under the Internal Security Act. Let the government come out with religious decrees or fatwahs declaring Buddhist statues as haram and which should be banned. Let churches and temples be demolished and non-Islamic religious symbols removed from missionary schools. Let the ruling party Members of Parliament scold the non-Malays and ask them to go back to China or India if they are not happy with this country. Let the government abuse its authority and power and misuse our funds on grandiose and wasteful projects.

I am going to write a letter to the Agong and the Rulers to advise His Majesty and Their Highnesses to stay out of all this. We three million opposition voters have done our job. Let the rest of the 12 million voters do theirs as well. Why should we three million opposition voters, the Agong and the Rulers carry the blame and be pressured into taking action on what is happening to this country? If the 12 million eligible voters who voted for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote are not happy, then ask them to do something. And if they are not prepared to do something and instead offer 101 excuses why they voted for the ruling coalition or refuse to vote or refuse to register to vote, then just leave them alone. We should turn our backs on them and stop bothering about them. Only when they join us three million voters who voted for the opposition should we bother about them. Until then, you go your way and we will go ours. We will not deny you your right to vote for the ruling coalition or to refuse to vote or to refuse to register to vote. You, in turn, should not pressure us into doing something to correct what was not our doing.

12/12: Mustafa Ali Arrested - Utter Contempt of Parliament

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aVtY8MTWSjI

12/12: Khalid Ibrahim Arrested

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jIInaufvqeE

12/12: Article 114 amended, Opposition MPs stage walkout

B. Suresh Ram
The Sun

The Dewan Rakyat approved by a two thirds majority a bill to amend Article 114 of the Federal Constitution today.

Opposition MPs from the DAP and PAS walked out of the august house in protest over the bill as well as the move by the government to arrest Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) activists.

A total of 16 Opposition MPs out of the 19 present walked out. Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), who was not present, later said she was stuck in a traffic jam and supported the move and would have walked out if she was present.

The two other MPs absent were Ismail Noh (PAS-Pasir Mas) and Abdul Fatah Harun (PAS-Rantau Panjang).

The protesting MPs led by Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang walked out before the reply by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and the votes on the amendment were taken.

BN Chief Whip and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak was present.

Lim, flanked by Opposition MPs and speaking to reporters in Parliament Lobby, said they walked out in protest of the amendment which "sees no significant reform on the electoral process in the country as well as over the arrest of more than 20 Bersih activists, particularly those arrested on the steps of Parliament".
He described the incident as not only the contempt of the police on the MPs but also on the Dewan Rakyat.

Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) said the police action on the activists on the steps of Parliament should not have happened.

"Datuk Mustafa Ali did not take part in the Bersih gathering. He was invited by me to attend Parliament to witness the Constitutional amendment proceedings. We walked out to show that Parliament had lost its integrity,” said Salahuddin.

In a divisional vote adopted by the house after a day-long debate saw the motion to amend the Federal Constitution carried by a two-thirds majority.

The first round of voting at the policy stage saw 189 voting in favour, including sole Independent Sandakan MP Chong Hon Min. There was no vote against the bill due to the walkout.

A similar figure was carried at the policy stage, before the amendment was given a third reading and passed.

The amendment to Article 114 of the Federal Constitution was to increase the retirement age of the seven members of the Malaysian Election Commission from the current 65 to 66.

12/12: 30 nabbed

Charles Ramendran, B.Suresh Ram, Husna Yusop and Eunice Au
The Sun

About 30 people, including leaders of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), were arrested today when they defied a court order and attempted to hand over a memorandum to oppose the constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Election Commission members from 65 to 66.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) treasurer Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, its information chief Tian Chua and PAS treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli were among those arrested.

However, by 5pm, at least half of those detained, including Khalid, were released.

Police checkpoints and closure of roads leading to Parliament building today caused massive jams in the city, and thwarted attempts by Bersih supporters to reach the vicinity.

However, despite the roadblocks and the heavy presence of police personnel led by Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin, who took their up positions as early as 4am, several Bersih leaders tried to enter Parliament.

Chua was the first to be arrested at 10.40am when he arrived in a Proton Tiara driven by PKR staff Abdul Razak Ismail. The two coolly drove past dozens of policemen standing guard along the road leading to Parliament but had to stop the car after about 50m. Abdul Razak alighted several minutes after being ordered to do so by the police, but Chua refused to budge.

Three policemen carried him from the car and tried to put him on his feet, but he lay flat on his back on the road. Several policemen then carried him into a patrol car which took him to the state police headquarters on Jalan Hang Tuah. Abdul Razak was taken away in another vehicle.

Fifteen minutes later, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S.Arutchelvam and another supporter who were on foot, were arrested as they neared the road junction leading to Parliament.

Hatta, together with PAS women's wing head Dr Lo'lo Ghazali, PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim and PKR's Ang Yok Hai, who had walked from the Mahameru highway interchange, were arrested at 11.15am.

At noon, at least 40 journalists, who spotted Khalid turning up alone, converged around the PKR treasurer. He was arrested just as he was about to leave in a four-wheel drive.

Sentul OCPD ACP Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin said all the road closures were removed by 6.30pm but police would continue to guard Parliament House.

City Deputy CPO SAC I Patrick Jijes Sigore, when contacted at about 6pm, said the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan will issue a statement on the arrests that were carried out.

According to a PKR statement, among those arrested were two journalists, Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V.Gayathry, and Writers Alliance for Media Independence chairman Wong Chin Huat.

It said the two were part of a five-member delegation which handed the memorandum to Parliament. They handed it to opposition members of Parliament, Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS-Tumpat), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh).

The other three in the delegation were the head of PAS Research Centre Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, Suara Rakyat Malaysia executive director Yap Swee Seng and Harakah advertising head Mokhtar Rozaidi.

They five were released by police by 4pm.

As at press time, PKR said 16 people including a 13-year-old boy were still being held by police in their headquarters.

12/12: Cops just doing their job, says Nazri

Charles Ramendran, B.Suresh Ram, Husna Yusop and Eunice Au
The Sun

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz defended the police presence and action on the grounds of Parliament today, including the roads leading to Parliament.

He said the police were merely carrying out their responsibility in upholding the law and were executing it in professionally.

Nazri was commenting on the arrest of several supporters of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) at the VIP entrance, and others on the roads leading to Parliament.

“The police have the right to arrest people even in Parliament House if they were found to pose a threat to security,” he said.

He said the police had acted within their rights to apprehend anyone believed to have encroached on to high security areas, and that Parliament was one of those.

The police had on Monday obtained an injunction to stop Bersih from having an assembly to hand over the memorandum.

Mohd Nazri also said the resolution passed in the Dewan Rakyat at the beginning of every session, only allowed free passage and access to the Parliament building for elected representatives, whereas the public would need permission before they were allowed to step into Parliament.

"They didn't contact me [to obtain permission]. You know how liberal I am, so I'll allow them if they got in touch with me," said Mohd Nazri, who is in charge of parliamentary affairs and law.

He said there was also a need to look at the tendencies of the protesters to disrupt public order. “We have seen the outcome of the protests, you must be blind if you think we can have a peaceful walk. Anything can happen. We do not want to be blamed if there are casualties," he said.

He said Bersih had rejected the option of holding its gathering in an enclosed area.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum also defended the police, saying their job was to ensure and maintain public stability and peace.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, however, criticised the police's move to block Bersih supporters from submitting a memorandum protesting against the Constitution Amendment Bill to extend the retirement age of the Election Commission chairman.

He said the roadblocks were against Parliament privileges and sovereignty, as the public should have access to their elected representatives.

"We want the police to look after the safety of the Parliament House and not block access of the people or NGOs. It's undermining the parliamentary responsibility,” he said.

He added that there would not be any untoward incident if the Bersih delegation was allowed into the building.

12/12: Demos by Umno Youth and Hindraf have nothing in common

(Bernama) -- Attempts by certain people to equate the demonstration by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) with efforts by Umno to stand for the rights of Palestinians are difficult to be accepted because the gap in their struggles is very wide, like between the earth and the sky.

The public may still remember when Umno Youth vice chief Khairy Jamaluddin and 10,000 other Malaysians of various religions stood together in a wave of anger towards the United States (US) for defending Israel that openly murdered the Lebanese and Palestinians.

The rally on July 28 last year in this capital city, initiated by Umno Youth, finally managed to hand over a memorandum to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was here for the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, calling for the world power to broker a ceasefire to end the Israeli military campaign.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) senior lecturer Dr Siva Murugan said the demonstration by Umno, participated by people of various races and religions, was a genuine global struggle compared to the one by Hindraf that was desperate in trying to champion its personal interest.

"The issues fought for by Umno Youth and Hindraf are far different. It is clear to the people that both have different ideologies though in principle, they voice out oppression against a particular race," he said.

Dr Siva said Hindraf actually tried to cloud the eyes of the Malaysian people by saying that it was fighting for the Indians in the country to the extent that it was willing to use violent means including "battling its own people and authorities."

"Peaceful demonstrations are not something new in the country and often allowed by the authorities. The issue now is Hindraf has exceeded the line by disrupting public order and challenging the authorities," he said.

He said an assembly bent on radicalism and extremism should not be accepted by the people in the country.

"It is not our way. It is not our culture. I agree with the government's firmness on Hindraf who tries to promote violent demonstrations," he said.

Dr Siva said Hindraf was not only challenging the law of the land but also other principles enshrined in the Federal Constitution including by questioning Malay privileges and trying to challenge the Malay rulers institution.

Malaysian Association for Community Development president Norizan Shariff said the demonstrations by Umno Youth and Hindraf had nothing in common.

The one by Umno Youth, he said, was the only way to protest against the Israeli aggression after international powers refused to prevent Israel from year to year from murdering more Palestinians.

"There are two things completely different. Umno Youth tried to stop the aggression in Palestine when the world saw Israel attempted to commit ethnic cleansing at rampant.

"It (Palestine) required assistance after no help came from the international community. Because there was no platform to voice the issue out, it was channelled through a demonstration in Malaysia and other places as well," he said.

On the other hand, Hindraf deliberately created issues and had their own agendas, he said.

"In Hindraf's context, all their allegations are more of a claim that has yet to be proven," he said. In fact, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu also disputed Hindraf's accusations, he said.

Norizan said Hindraf leaders had adopted a wrong strategy by staging a demonstration which clearly showed it was not sincere in its struggle and drew criticisms from the majority of people in the country.

"They did not meet members of the government first. Instead, after staging the demonstration and breaking the law, only then they wanted to meet the government," he said.

On Hindraf's allegation that the government had violated the people's basic rights by disallowing public assemblies, Norizan said: "No one has denied them the freedom to assemble but only if it does not make the people worry.

"If they say their basic rights have been violated when their assembly have been disallowed, what about the rights of others who are disturbed by their actions at the assembly?" he asked.

11/12: No freedom without responsibility

Posted by: The SUN
Lee Boon SIew

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the people must value and shoulder the burden of responsibility for their actions if Malaysia is to evolve into a society that can peacefully live with media freedom, public debate or public shows of expression.

Stressing that the value of responsibility is as important today as it was in 1957 or 1969, he said it is not just the people who manage the country who should carry the burden of responsibility, but the ordinary people as well.

"If the choice is between public safety and public freedoms, I do not hestitate to say here that public safety will always win. I will not sacrifice my sense of accountability to the greater public, especially in the face of police intelligence about planned fighting or other violent intent.

"We must never, ever, take our peace for granted. We must continue to be responsible to each other," he said at the Khazanah Global Lecture Series in the Putrajaya Convention Centre here today. The lecture was organised by Khazanah, the government's investment arm, and moderated by Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini.

"In this age of relative affluence and stability, we sometimes forget that there are many groups within the country , each with their own set of demands, each with their own set of sensitivities," Abdullah said.

"These differences are very real, yet we do not descend into sheer unmitigated chaos. Why? Because I think there are enough of us who do not forget, who know and remember our complexicity."

He said these people, who he described as true Malaysians, understand that the situation demands balance, conscientiousness, a sense of accountability to the whole rather than the few.

"A true Malaysian understands very well the impact of careless words and actions. A true Malaysian is acutely aware of who will be provoked into retaliation and who will actually suffer the consequences. Because of this, a true Malaysian will try to be judicious in word and deed, even when striving for change."

An emphasis on responsibility was one of three values that Abdullah said dominated the country's history and will continue to do so.

The other two values are:

The pursuit of fairness - political fairness, economic faireness, cultural fairness

In this, he referred to the practice of power-sharing in the coalition government and to the consensus of preserving the identity of each community, rather than allowing the culture of the majority to extinguish others.

"But of these, economic fairness has perhaps been the most visible and the most debated.

"We recognised long ago that without specific state intervention, enormous ilnequalities would fester among the people; inequalities intensified by ethnic lines," he said, adding that this recognition gave birth to the New Economic Policy with its twin objectives of eradicating poverty, regardless of race and eliminating the identification of ethnicity with economic function.

He said the pursuit of economic fairness continues today and is not without its lessons.

"For example, in implementing poverty eradication programmes, regardless of race, care must be taken to follow through word with deed. No family, no matter their race, can be allowed to live below the poverty line. And in implementing affirmative action, the principle of fairness must be upheld in all senses of the word."

Self-belief.

"Many of the doctrines and measures we have undertaken fly in the face of popular thinking, from the NEP in 1970 to capital controls during the Asian financial crisis. We held fast through massive criticism and doubt, and this trust in ourselves has paid off."

11/12: Abdullah's promises are for the long term

Posted by: The Sun

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi proclaim today that he does not intend to be a one-term leader, and his policies, including the campaign against corruption, are long-term plans.

Urging Malaysians to give him more time to fulfill the promises he made during 2004 general elections, Abdullah said they were not to be achieved within five years but for the long haul.


"I don’t plan to come in (as Prime Minister) for five years and I’m out… I’m looking ahead and looking ahead is (the year) 2020. Don’t expect me to do things by the third and fourth year," he said during a question and answer session after delivering a speech at the Khazanah Global Lecture Series here today.


Abdullah said the battle against corruption was "very difficult" and the problem could be tackled from the "preventive" or "curative" angles.


Thus far, the government had focused mostly on the preventive aspects to fight corruption by setting up the National Integrity Institute and improving the public sector’s delivery system, he added.


He said delays in the public sector’s delivery system could lead to corruption because they motivated certain quarters to resort to bribes in order to speed up the process.


"I am aware of people’s criticisms against me… I want to succeed more than anyone else because I want to be responsible for what I said," Abdullah said.


He was responding to a question posed by Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Annuar Zaini, who asked the prime minister to comment on criticisms that he had not been able to "walk the talk" on various promises. Mohd Annuar, who is the chairman of national news agency, Bernama, was also the moderator of the event.


On whether the position of prime minister had eroded his image as "Mr Clean" and "Mr Nice Guy", Abdullah said: "I know, God knows, I’m clean and I’m still nice."


However, he added being nice did not mean being weak. "As far as I am concerned, what is right is right. What is wrong is wrong… If I have to sign a detention order for ISA (Internal Security Act), I will do it without feeling guilty," he said.

10/12: Labuan Liberty Management Rasuah PTG?

10/12: Pak Lak says public freedoms can be sacrificed for stability's sake

By SEAN YOONG; AP

Malaysia's leader said Monday (10 Dec) he is willing to sacrifice public freedoms for the sake of national stability, a day after police arrested 21 opposition members and lawyers who took part in street protests.

Human rights activists have accused authorities of clamping down on freedom of expression by banning recent rallies aimed at calling for electoral reforms, government transparency and racial equality.

However, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that efforts to ensure Malaysia's security demand "a sense of accountability to the whole, rather than the few."

"If the choice is between public safety and public freedoms, I do not hesitate to say here that public safety will always win," Abdullah said in a speech to corporate leaders.

"I will not sacrifice my sense of accountability to the greater public, especially in the face of police intelligence about planned fighting or other violent intent," Abdullah said. "We must never ever take our peace for granted."

Abdullah's administration has been rocked by a 10 Nov rally in Kuala Lumpur _ which drew some 30,000 people demanding electoral fairness ahead of national polls widely expected early next year _ followed by a similarly large protest by minority ethnic Indians on 25 Nov to complain of racial discrimination and economic deprivation.

Police arrested 12 members of an opposition coalition Sunday (9 Dec) for taking part in the 10 Nov rally, as well as nine people, including several lawyers, involved in a march for human rights earlier Sunday (25 Nov). Most of the lawyers were charged with illegal assembly Monday (3 Dec).

The government has also charged 31 Indians with attempted murder after a policeman was injured at the 25 Nov rally.

Authorities had banned all the gatherings, saying they could threaten public order.

Abdullah pledged Monday to work to ensure political and economic justice, but added that people must remember "there are many groups within the country _ each with their own sets of demands, each with their own set of sensitivities."

"These differences are very real, yet we do not descend into sheer unmitigated chaos," he said.

Abdullah also urged voters not to be swayed by groups that stir racial sentiments to reap political support.

"If voters are easily persuaded ... by people playing the racial card, then we are heading for disaster," he said.

Ethnic Malay Muslims, who comprise some 60 % of Malaysia's 27 million people, control political power. Many ethnic Chinese and Indians, who form the two main minority communities, complain their grievances are ignored, especially regarding an affirmative action program that gives privileges to Malays in business, jobs and education.

10/12: Ali Rustam: invoke ISA or withdraw citizenship of lawyers

(Bernama) -- Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has urged the authorities to invoke the Internal Security Act (ISA) or withdraw the citizenship of the four lawyers and four activists involved in an illegal march in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said their action showed that they were traitors to the country for going against the order of the authorities not to proceed with the illegal march.

"I support their arrest as their action was extreme. Their stubbornness to go ahead with the illegal march could cause fear among the people, and perhaps even among the investors," he told reporters after attending the wedding of the daughter of 4B Youth Movement Malaysia general secretary, Datuk Wira Jamaludin Abdul Rahim here today.

Mohd Ali was asked to comment on the arrest of four lawyers and four activists for holding an illegal march from in front of the Sogo Departmental Store in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to the Bar Council building in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur this morning.

The organisers of the march did not obtain a police permit to hold it and had also ignored the order to disperse.

About 50 people, including lawyers, activists, bloggers and members of non-governmental organisations, had gathered since 7.30am in front of Sogo and marched along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman towards the Bar Council building in conjunction with World Human Rights Day tomorrow.

Mohd Ali, who is also Melaka Chief Minister, said the action by the authorities was necessary to prevent more street demonstrations from being organised by irresponsible groups.

"Such illegal demonstrations or gatherings could threaten public order.

"I also think that these gatherings are linked to the opposition parties which are becoming increasingly desperate on hearing talks that the general election would be held soon.

"They are willing to do anything to win votes," he said.

09/12: A distortion of history

Khir Toyo has asked HINDRAF not to provoke the Malays. It seems SMSess are floating around saying that HINDRAF is planning to organise a gathering in Kampong Baru. This is what The Star reported:

The Indian community has been advised not to heed an SMS that claimed Hindraf would hold a gathering in Kg Baru, said Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo. He said the messages were sent out with the intention of causing anger among the Malays and create racial tension.

“The Indian community should also ignore the messages. I hope the police will take action against those who are spreading false information,” he told reporters after attending the opening of the heritage building of the Sultan Suleiman Club by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday.

“Hindraf should not provoke the Malays in Kg Baru, which was where many Malays struggled for the country’s independence and where they protected themselves during the May 13 incident in 1969.”

Khir said that the SMSess are about HINDRAF planning to organise a rally in Kampong Baru, Actually, the SMSess said that PERKIDA, not HINDRAF, was going to organise the gathering.

Khir has totally distorted the whole thing. The SMSess never said HINDRAF, it said PERKIDA. And why would HINDRAF want to commit suicide by organising a gathering in Kampong Baru? Would any Indian with even the smallest brain want to organise a gathering in a Malay enclave? That would not only be inviting trouble but would be a sure recipe for a massacre.

The police have called up the PERKIDA people to ask about their planned gathering in Kampong Baru. The PERKIDA people have denied it of course and said that the SMSess are false and that no such gathering has been planned. The police then warned the PERKIDA people that if they went ahead with the gathering they would be picked up.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also called the PERKIDA people to advice them to cancel the gathering. This means even the Prime Minister believes that a gathering is being planned and he wants it aborted. Surely the Prime Minister, who is the patron of PERKIDA, would know whether his organisation is planning the gathering or not. And the fact that he has asked PERKIDA to cancel the gathering means that one had been planned.

Another distortion of facts by Khir was the part where he said that Kampong Baru was where the Malays struggled for independence and where they protected themselves during the May 13 race riots in 1969.

Now, there are many things wrong with this statement. First of all, Malaya was never colonised by the British in the true sense of colonisation. What we had was the Straits Settlements that was managed by the East India Company, a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Straits Settlements comprised of Malacca (Melaka), Penang (Pulau Pinang) and Singapore (Singapura). Penang and Singapore were two islands leased from the Sultans of Kedah and Johor respectively while Malacca was given to the British by the Dutch. The British never sent in their army to take these three territories by force. Penang and Singapore were a commercial arrangement while Malacca was a territory that the Dutch gave to the British in exchange for British territories in Indonesia. The Dutch and British owned territories in both Malaya and Indonesia. They then decided that the British would make their presence in Malaya while the Dutch would just be in Indonesia.

We also had the Federated and Unfederated Malay States which were all independent and under the rule of the Sultans. The British, however, did position British Advisers in these states, especially to assist in matters of policing and maintaining the peace as most of the states were plagued with rebellions or civil wars, or were at war with one another, basically territorial claims and disputes over the rich tin fields.

The Malaya situation was actually quite unique. The British government was not really managing the many independent states directly. The states were being managed by a company and it was the company that paid the salaries of the administration personnel, which included the police and army. And there was no country called Malaya yet at that time. It was a collection of states, each under its own separate government headed by Sultans, except for the islands of Penang and Singapore which were leased from the Sultans and therefore managed by the company. And Malacca was not acquired or annexed from the Malays or the Sultan but was handed to the British by the Dutch. In a way the British ‘freed’ Malacca from Dutch control, not from Malay control.

The establishment of the Straits Settlements followed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, by which the Malay Archipelago was divided into a British zone in the north and a Dutch zone in the south. This resulted in the exchange of the British settlement of Bencoolen (in Sumatra) for the Dutch colony of Malacca.

Secondly, the Malays did not struggle for independence alone. What happened was that the Malays, Chinese and Indians got together to meet the British to discuss the possible date of the proclamation of independence for Malaya. Earlier, Umno sent a delegation to Britain but the issue of independence was never discussed. Later, when the British could no longer manage the Malay territories, they suggested the many states merge into one nation, initially to be called the Malayan Union, and when this was opposed by the ‘Orang Istana’ who lodged a protest with the Rulers, into the Federation of Malaya.

We must remember, Britain was bankrupt because of the Second World War and the new Labour government was keen to withdraw its forces from the East as soon as possible. Colonial self-rule and eventual independence were now British policy. The British were therefore very happy to ‘get rid’ of Malaya which was a drain on its financial resources. In way, Britain was ‘forcing’ Merdeka upon us. We really did not have to fight for Merdeka as much as Merdeka was shoved upon us.

You could say that the creation of the Federation was not really to grant ‘independence’ to this country, as there was no country as such, but to merge all the independent states into one nation in an effort to ‘dump’ us. You can probably also say that the British were not giving Malaya independence, as Malaya did not exist yet then, but were trying to create a nation called Malaya by uniting all the independent states under a Federation. This would be more viable than the British just going home and abandoning this country to civil war, rebellion, wars between the states, not to mention skirmishes between the different races, which were the reasons for British intervention in the first place. For example, Negeri Sembilan, which did not exist yet then, was carved out of Selangor after the war between the Malays and Chinese that saw entire villages massacred, the Sultan of Selangor’s family included. The Selangor-Perak war was another example where the Bernam River was eventually agreed as the Selangor-Perak border to settle the territorial dispute and Kampar and Tapah ended up as Perak territory.

Therefore, if anyone ‘fought’ for independence, it would have been the Malays, Chinese and Indians, not the Malays alone. In fact, the Indians under Chandra Bose, who came to Malaya during the war, had already negotiated for independence from the Japanese during the Second World War while the Malays under Mustapha Hussein, Ibrahim Yaakub, Dr. Burhanuddin Hilmi, etc,. had already fixed the date for the independence of Malaya. And the date fixed was 17 August 1945. This is confirmed by Mustapha Hussein in his book Malay Nationalism Before Umno:

Dr Burhanuddin and I slogged day and night to draft an Independent Malaya Constitution and other materials related to KRIS. As we worked, we thought of Ibrahim Yaakub and thus approached Major General Umezu to summon Ibrahim Yaakub, but Major General Umezu replied that it was not necessary for Ibrahim to lead this project. As KMM vice president, I could do so. He also said it was difficult to contact Ibrahim.

But we insisted, if not for anything, to show to the Japanese that just as Soekarno was the leader of the Indonesian people, Ibrahim was the leader of the people of Malaya. Not long after, Ibrahim Yaakub arrived in Taiping, accompanied by a handsome adjutant, Lt Osman Daim from the Malai Giyu Gun.

On 11 August 1945, HODOSHO officers took Ibrahim Yaakub and Dr Burhanuddin to Penang to meet the Japanese Submarine Flotilla Commodore responsible for Penang Radio Station whose permission was vital in the proclamation of Independent Malaya. I was told he was a communist and should gladly co operate. He openly welcomed the use of Penang radio station and would work hard towards the materialisation of Independent Malaya declaration on 17 August 1945. I did not go to Penang with them as I was busy drafting the Independent Malaya Constitution and KRIS Congress working papers.

It was already decided in Taiping, that the KRIS Congress be held at the Kuala Lumpur Station Hotel. The proclamation of Independent Malaya would be made on 17 August 1945 through Penang Radio Station, not in Jakarta as it was much chronicled later.

On 12 August 1945, I was invited by the Japanese Officers to go to Taiping aerodrome with Ibrahim Yaakub to meet the legendary President Soekarno and his entourage which included Drs Mohd Hatta, but I had to turn the offer down as my legs were in great pain. Descending three flights of stairs was daunting. I had turned down a golden opportunity, which I regret to this day

Soekarno stopped over in Taiping on his way home to Indonesia after meeting Field Marshall Count Terauchi, Supreme Commander of Japanese Forces in South East Asia, in Saigon. Although Ibrahim Yaakub liked to think otherwise, his meeting with Soekarno was by chance, as confirmed by Prof. Yoichi Itagaki who was present, “On August 12, 1945 Ibrahim met by chance Ir. Sukarno and Dr Hatta who were flying from Saigon to Djakarta at the Taiping aerodrome and was encouraged by them.”

17 August 1945 was the date that Malaya would gain independence. However, on 6 August 1945, the Americans dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima followed by another one on Nagasaki soon after. And on 15 August 1945 the Japanese surrendered, two days before Malaya’s independence could be proclaimed. Malaya, therefore, had been ‘robbed’ of its independence by just two days. Umno did not even exist then. Indonesia, however, went ahead with its independence plans and they fought a bloody battle with the Dutch to prevent them from retaking the country after the Japanese left.

The second part of Khir’s statement is about “where the Malays protected themselves during the May 13 incident in 1969.” Come on, ‘protected’ means that you were the victim and not the aggressor. Do we really need to go through the history of the 13 May 1969 race riots and prove Khir wrong? I mean, May 13 is probably the most-widely discussed subject so there is really no requirement to talk about it anymore. But saying that Kampong Baru was where the Malays protected themselves is just stretching it a bit too far. Khir is insulting our intelligence if he thinks he can spin this one and get away with it.

Okay, let us get the facts straight. The Federation of Malaya did not exist prior to 31 August 1957. The independent Malay states were not united under one nation and, other than the Straits Settlements, were under the rule of their respective Sultans. Malaya was formed as a Federation to unite the states under one nation rather than to ‘free’ the states. Independence was originally fixed for 17 August 1945 but unfortunately the Japanese surrendered two days before the proclamation of Merdeka. Eventually, 12 years later, Merdeka was proclaimed but it was negotiated by the Malays, Chinese and Indians, not just by the Malays. No one fought for Merdeka; we were forced to accept Merdeka by a bankrupt British government that could no longer afford to keep us. The Malays did not ‘protect’ themselves in Kampong Baru in 13 May 1969. Finally, the SMSess said that PERKIDA and not HINDRAF is planning the gathering in Kampong Baru on 16 December 2007. And because of these SMSess the Bar Council cancelled its march today, worried that the march would be infiltrated by PERKIDA elements who might hijack the march to trigger race riots.

That is what really happened and not as what was reported by The Star. I wonder what else The Star distorted, what the Sultan of Selangor said maybe?