Have a good year ahead!
FATT...! Have a prosperous New Year ahead...
Just don't let the fats go to waist.
.
. . . Note that the letter 8 comes with two fat lumps and a slim waist at mid-riff.
« November 2007 | Main | January 2008 »
December 31, 2007
Minister of Health
The portfolio of Minister of Health is traditionally reserved for MCA.
However, past records show whoever that occupies the seat will come to the end of the road in politics.
Ng Cheng Kiat (1990), Lee Kim Sai (1995) and Chua Jui Meng (2004) are indisputable examples who are still alive. Whereas, Dr Ng Kam Poh (1969), Lee Siok Yew (1978), Chin Hon Ngian (1986), Mak Hon kam (1987) and Chan Siang Sun (1989) were older testimonies of similar fate, cast in stone.
Only Chong Hon Nyan managed to break the chain in 1984, when he retired as a short-stint Transport Minister after serving as the Minister of Health.
Let's see if Chua Soi Lek can break the curse this time.
National Stock-take Day 3... Bigger No to CORRUPTION!
From 42.5% to 54.5%, a jump of 12 percent-point in less than 48 hours!
CORRUPTION is hurting the national economy, and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi must be held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time.
As Day 3 closes for the borderless opinion poll running on Screenshots currently, the majority opinion seems to sustain the strongest thought that emerged among concerned Malaysians, in home country and abroad.
In less than 48 hours, the demand to have Abdullah held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time has increased from 42.5% to 54.5% out of 2,100 votes received so far.
The remaining of the Top 3 issues have also been sustained in the last 72 hours.
1 ) From 39.2% to 41.4% -- The judiciary must prevent Syariah Law from casting legal jurisdiction over non-Muslims.2 ) From 37.2% to 36.9% -- The Internal Security Act (ISA), which mandates imprisonment without trial, should be abolished.
However, let me hasten to highlight that the trend is still in its early stage as the poll will run till January 27.
Incidentally, the three key issues -- related to the ills of corruption in the context of national economy, judiciary/religion and ISA -- all come colossally under the multi-portfolios held by Abdullah Badawi in his capacities as the Finance Minister, chief of the Prime Minister's Department and the Internal Security Minister, respectively.
CAST YOU VOTES. Though all issues are of equal importance, readers are tasked to pick their Top 3 out of the 10 major topics blogged in Screenshots throughout 2007, covering critical governance issues in judiciary, police, human rights, economy and civilians' security.
We want them to sound out, along the principle of collective intelligence, what they think should be the priority areas that say Malaysia can do -- and must do -- a lot more better, a lot more urgently in 2008.
Read this earlier blog entry and find out how you, too, can help send a resounding voice to Putrajaya on your expectation of how this country can make 2008 tick.
Herald's permit: Abdullah flip-flops again
Remember the infamous Abdullah flip-flop on policies? The time, his government flip-flops to reverse a decision to ban a Christian newspaper using the word Allah to refer to God.
The Herald, the 13-year-old weekly published by KL-based Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre for the Catholics community in Malaysia, has been promised a renewal of its publishing permit for 2008, with no conditions attached.
'Hand-delivered on Sunday'
This was confirmed by the Herald's editor, Father Andrew Lawrence, who spoke to the BBC yesterday.
Meanwhile, Augustine Julian, secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, was quoted by Malaysiakini as saying that a new licence had been granted to the Herald, which would continue to use 'Allah' in referring to God in its Bahasa Malaysia section of the bulletin.
"The letter to allow the Herald to be printed was hand delivered by internal security officials on Sunday," he said.
Julian said no reasons were given for the extension but suggested the government would not want to alienate Malaysia's two million Christians ahead of general elections.
Screenshots broke the news
December 20, Screenshots was first to blog that the Herald was facing difficulty in renewing its printing and publication permit.
The Internal Security Ministry, which controls and issues printing and publication permits in the country, had demanded that its Bahasa Malaysia section must be scrapped.
The ministry is headed by Abdullah Badawi as the minister, with Johari Baharum (Umno) and Fu Ah Kiow (MCA) as his deputies.
It triggered a global outcry after the news was picked up by the international news agencies and the Catholic communities worldwide.
It was later made known that the publishers of the Herald had filed a legal suit against the government after they received repeated official warnings that the newspaper could have its licence revoked if it continued to use the word.
The Herald's law suit, filed on December 5, surfaced after the Sabah Evangelical Church of Borneo has also taken similar legal action on December 10, after the Internal Security Ministry moved to ban the import of religious children's books containing the word.
In a statement issued on December 27, the Herald said it would leave to the court to determine the suitability of using the word ‘Allah’ in Bahasa Malaysia.
The use of ‘Allah’ outside of Islam has stirred controversy in Malaysia previously.
Four years ago, the Bible in the Iban language was banned because it translated the word ‘God’ as Allah Taala, which resembles Islam’s name for God.
The ban was, however, lifted after protests from the Christian community.
However, last week, Abdullah's deputy Johari resurrected the controversy by telling Malaysiakini that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used in the context of Islam and not any other religion. Quote:
“Only Muslims can use ‘Allah’. It’s a Muslim word. It’s from (the Arabic language). We cannot let other religions use it because it will confuse people,” he said when contacted.“We cannot allow this use of ‘Allah’ in non-Muslim publications, nobody except Muslims. The word ‘Allah’ is published by the Catholics. It’s not right,” he told Malaysiakini.
The Star's Wong Chun Wai, said to be a devout born-again Christian, wrote on the issue in his column yesterday: Similarities in the faiths not unusual.
Does OKT know implications of Dec 27 verdict on Subashini?
The majority ruling by the Federal Court over the R. Subashini divorce petition against her Islam-converted husband stated that the civil court has jurisdiction to hear and decide on matrimonial disputes involving a spouse who has converted to Islam.
However, in the same verdict, the majority decision also stated that the conversion to Islam of the estranged couple's children can be done with just the consent of one parent [ SEE FULL JUDGMENT HERE ].
Non-Muslims fear this most as they see it as an erosion of their civil rights under the Federal Constitution.
It's bery strange that, according to the Pravda of the MCA, the president of the Chinese race-based political party had welcomed the court ruling, wholesale!
Does OKT understand the implications? Or he has ulterior motives?
Batu Buruk: Live bullet victims denied bail, again
Yesterday, a Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court judge denied bail for two civilians who were targets of live bullets fired by the police during the Sept 8 Batu Burok Incident.
The duo were charged with unlawful assembly and voluntarily causing hurt to a policeman.
December 14, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expressed its disappointment with the authorities' decision to charge the two individuals, namely Suwandi Ghani and Muhammad Azlan, on Dec 9, for allegedly causing injury to policeman Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Omar.
Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the Suhakam Commissioner who heads the commission's open inquiry panel, said c harging the duo just four days before the probe was "very disappointing"
Section 12 (2) and (3) of the Suhakam Act 1999 states that the commission shall not inquire into any complaint relating to any allegation of the infringement of human rights which is the subject matter of any proceedings pending in any court, including appeals or has been finally determined by any court.
December 13, I spoke during a petition session at the Suhakam, chaired by Commissioner Dato' Choo Siew Kioh, that my interview by the Bukit Aman CCID in relation to my live commentaries over Al-Jazeera on Nov 10 was also skewed to the live bullets issue.
In a memorandum to Suhakam, my comrades at DAP related in details to a spate of stampeding on human rights as exemplified in various fear-inducing tactics employed by the Abdullah Administration, the Attorney-General and the Police over the last few days and months.
We are still awaiting for Suhakam's reaction.
December 29, 2007
National Stock-take Day 1... It's CORRUPTION!
UPDATED VERSION. CORRUPTION is hurting the national economy, and Abdullah Badawi must be held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time.
That seems to be the strongest thought among concerned Malaysians, here and abroad, who are active online and converging on a borderless opinion poll run on Screenshots.
They also appear to feel strongly about the erosion of civil rights under the Federal Constitution, and the judiciary is being looked up as the bastion to prevent Syariah Law from casting legal jurisdiction over non-Muslims.
Besides, they largely think that, as an imperative from the human rights perspective, the Internal Security Act (ISA), which mandates imprisonment without trial, should be abolished.
Incidentally, the three key issues related to economy, judiciary/religion and ISA all come colossally under the multi-portfolios held by Abdullah Badawi in his capacities as the Finance Minister, chief of the Prime Minister's Department and the Internal Security Minister, respectively.
INITIAL READING... Over 1,100 readers responded within the first eighteen hours after the 2007 Year End Poll was launched on Screenshots at 3.00pm yesterday.
Though all issues are of equal importance, readers are tasked to pick their Top 3 out of the 10 major topics blogged in Screenshots throughout 2007, covering critical governance issues in judiciary, police, human rights, economy and civilians' security.
We want them to sound out, along the principle of collective intelligence, what they think should be the priority areas that say Malaysia can do -- and must do -- a lot more better, a lot more urgently in 2008.
Results after the first 18 hours with 1,156 votes returned indicate that the initial Top 3, in descending sequence of priority, are skewed towards:
The poll runs for one month till January 27. The trend may change in the next 30 days.
INTELLIGENTSIA DIASPORA? Interestingly, in-coming traffic on Day 1 of the poll indicates respondents are skewed towards intelligentsia from urban centres in Malaysia, predominantly west coast of the peninsula, and cosmopolitan overseas, predominantly from western Europe, east and west coasts of USA, and the south-eastern coast of Australia.
Are these respondents from urban Malaysia and global cosmopolitans to be taken as probable diaspora of our K-Generation who still bear high hopes for change in the country? Do their voices get a fair hearing by the Big Ears?
The geographical trends shaped by the locality of the respondents may also point to a new knowledge environment, in that the digital divide precipitated by Internet access has resulted in the polarised worlds between the info-rich and the info-poor.
We will, however, wait out the run-time for the poll and determine later if these hypotheses could be established convincingly.
Meanwhile, let's do a national stock-take over the quality of governance in this country, and stay on course as to how we, in a unity of purpose, should make 2008 more focussed in our quest for change at the right places.
Poll Mechanics. The poll is independently hosted by a San Francisco-based company, which guarantees total privacy of the respondents, including non-disclosure of their personal information.
Please note that Terms and Conditions apply for respondents' conduct and accuracy of information. Screenshots does not, and cannot, intervene to hold sway on polling trend and its outcome -- YOU stake your opinion in confidence and you take charge of the space for THINKING ALLOWED, THINKING ALOUD.
The poll is AJAX-enabled. You can get fresh results on-the-fly every time you log on to Screenshots or whenever you refresh the browser.
Fellow bloggers who would like to collaborate on this poll can copy the code and publish it on their respective blogs.
Thank you.
December 28, 2007
2007 is soon history... Please take a poll
I have listed 10 major topics that Screenshots blogged about throughout 2007.
Please take a poll to help me determine which part of Malaysia that needs to do better in 2008, and urgently too!
The poll is on the right-hand column of the frontpage. It runs for one-month from today till January 27. Thanks.
Dec 28: X-files who and what
Malaysiakini will reveal its Newsmaker of The Year today.
(UPDATES: Correct, Correct, Correct! It's out by now.)
But, year on year, my eyes are trained on the X-Files.
December 27, 2007
Can democracy thrive in Islamic state, Pakistan?
BENAZIR BHUTTO IS DEAD. Assassinated.
She died the world's first Muslim woman democratically elected (twice) to lead a Muslim country, once upon a time.
The Telegraph, India, December 28, 2007
Le Figaro, Fance, December 28, 2007
The Province, Canada, December 28, 2007
Toronto Star, Canada, December 28, 2007
Daily News, New York USA, December 28, 2007
Kompas, Indonesia, December 28, 2007
Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Australia, December 29/30, 2007
The Guardian, UK, December 29, 2007
Pakistan's real nightmare will rise after Bhutto is buried.
OKT and FAK to mediate in Sabah church lawsuit?
What has become of Bernard Dompok and Dr Maximus Ongkili, the two ministers from Sabah parked in the Prime Minister's Department and recently re-branded to take charge of Christian affairs (sic)?
The latest we heard is that Ong Ka Ting, Abdullah's minister in charge of Chinese affairs (sic), is now also doubling up to take charge of Christian affairs, with deputy minister Fu Ah Kiow assisting.
Little Birds close to churches told Screenshots that OKT and FAK have been tasked to mediate and to persuade the plaintiffs to withdraw a lawsuit against Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in his capacity as the Internal Security Minister, and the Malaysian government.
Last week, December 10, a Sabah church sued Abdullah and the government for banning the importation of Christian children books from Indonesia. [ SEE STATEMENT HERE ]
Sabah Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), or the evangelical church of Borneo, is the largest Christian denomination in the state.
According to media reports, Sabah Sidang Injil Borneo Church’s lawyer Lim Heng Seng had submitted a certificate of urgency to the court to obtain the hearing today.
However, when the case was brought up for mention at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Jalan Duta today, it was postponed to January 15 next year.
Senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi, who is representing the government, requested for an adjournment on the ground that "several relevant parties are in the midst of discussion to resolve the issue".
The plaintiff's lawyer did not object to the defendants' application.
BACKGROUNDER, From Malaysiakini:
The suit, filed on behalf of the SIB Church by its president, Pastor Jerry Dusing, is against the government and the prime minister, who is also internal security minister, after six titles for their children’s Sunday school were confiscated by the authorities.The church is seeking to nullify the ban to import four Bahasa Indonesia titles and the withholding of two other titles under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The church is also requesting the courts to compel the minister to return the consignment of materials that were ‘unlawfully detained’ by Custom officers at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal on Aug 15.
The ministry has replied in writing to the church in September explaining that the books were prohibited because the Bahasa Indonesia publications contained certain words that were exclusive to Islam.
The words in contention are ‘Allah’ (God), ‘Baitullah’ (House of God), ‘Solat’ (prayer) and ‘Kaabah’ (The Sacred House).
The church had emphasised that the seized publications were for educational purposes within the church and not for sale or distribution.
The church is also seeking the court to rule on the constitutional right and legitimate expectation to the use of the term 'Allah' as a translation for God in Christian publications as well the right to import such publications.
Subashini
UPDATED VERSION, 12:15hr: The Federal Court, sitting in a 3-member panel today, ruled against R Subashini on a legal technicality -- that her divorce petition in the civil court was “premature and invalid”. Quote Malaysiakini:
In a 2-1 decision, the federal court said that Subashini’s divorce petition was prematurely filed under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (LRA).According to the act, the wife can only file for divorce three months after the date of her husband T Saravanan’s conversion to Islam, as stipulated under Islamic law.
However, Subashini’s divorce petition was filed nine days before the three months expiration date. The divorce petition is deemed null and void.
Justices Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman and Azmel Ma'amor struck out Subashini’s case while justice Abdul Aziz Mohamad gave the lone dissenting view in 112 pages. [ SEE FULL JUDGMENT HERE ]
The baby step made in favour of Subashini, and probably of other non-Muslims, is that all three judges agreed that the dissolution of her marriage and child custody will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the civil court.
Fresh petition... then Syariah Court?
Subashini, 28, a Hindu, is trying to stop her husband, who has converted to Islam and assumed the name Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah, from taking matrimonial proceedings to the Syariah Court.
Today's verdict allows Subashini to file a fresh petition, but the motion to prevent taking her matrimonial proceedings to the Syariah Court may come full circle again when the case is heard in due time. [ UPDATES, 09:10hr Dec 28: Read theSun: Civil or Syariah, still unclear ]
Meanwhile, two sets of law have come in her way and yet she can be faulted for trampling on neither. Her children will grow up in uncertain parenthood as she is trying to sort out the right of custody and other related matters
Earlier, in May 2007, the Federal Court had ruled that Saravanan did not abuse the law by converting his four-year-old son to Islam without the knowledge of the mother.
It said that according to Islamic law, only one parent need to be informed in the conversion of a child.
The court also ruled that it was within the right of Saravanan as a Muslim to file the divorce proceedings in the Syariah Court.
.
ORIGINAL POSTING AT 09:39HR
First thing first. My heart goes to housewife R. Subashini.
Her hope to keep her children, and her civil rights, is hanging by the hairline.
Today, the Federal Court -- the highest court in the country -- will announce their decision whether an Indian Hindu wife can seek justice in the civil courts despite her Islam-convert husband initiating divorce proceeding in the syariah courts.
The verdict is due to be announced today, three months after lawyers from both sides of the controversial case made their final arguments.
It will be the final recourse for Subashini, and the precedent set will affect the fate of others caught in similar situation perpetually from now till kingdom comes.
It will also trigger deep thoughts over the fundamental rights of non-Muslims in this country.
March 31, I wrote that the Subashini case may trigger a constitutional crisis because of the fundamentals involved in the jurisdiction of civil law and syariah law in this country.
Demolition
By the way, mortal Abdullah Badawi has tasked equal mortal S Samy Vellu -- both are members of the government of the day -- only to protect Hindu temples from demolition. Even that is a temporal measure without constitutional grounding. It is a political manoeuvre eroding civil rights enshrined by the Federal Constitution.
From Malaysiakini
Thursday date for Subashini decision
Soon Li Tsin | Dec 26, 07 10:56am
The fate of whether an Indian Hindu wife can seek justice in the civil courts - despite her Islam-convert husband initiating divorce proceeding in the syariah courts - will be known tomorrow.
The Federal Court - the country’s highest court - will announce their decision three months after lawyers from both sides of the controversial case made their final arguments.
The three-member panel comprising justices Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman, Abdul Aziz Mohamad and Azmel Ma'amor will decide whether the civil or syariah court is more authoritative on the issue of divorce when one spouse converts to Islam - an issue that has been a long-standing moot point in the trial.
Subashini, 28, is trying to stop her 31-year-old husband, T Saravanan - a Hindu who has converted to Islam and assumed the name Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah - from taking their divorce and custody proceedings to the Syariah Court.
Saravanan converted in May 2006 along with their eldest son, Dharvin Joshua, 4. The husband then launched proceedings in the Islamic syariah court for divorce as well as custody of their second son, Sharvin, 2.
During her appeal to the lower Court of Appeal on March 13, justices Suriyadi Halim Omar and Hassan Lah - who made the majority 2-1 decision - told her to take her case before the Syariah Court instead, while justice Gopal Sri Ram dissented.
According to the majority decision, the injunction sought by Subashini was unnecessary because the Syariah Court is competent enough decide on the matter.
However, on March 30, Subashini was granted an interim injunction by the Court of Appeal restraining Saravanan from pursuing his claims in the Islamic court.
The injunction also effectively restrained him from converting their youngest son to Islam and from pursuing his custody claims in the Syariah Court.
It was also held in the landmark ruling that a Muslim could apply to the Islamic court to convert his or her underage children without permission from the non-Muslim spouse.
Three possible outcomes
There are three likely possible outcomes from the Federal Court tomorrow:
1. The court may decide against Subashini on technical grounds - over the date of Subashini's divorce petition which was within three months of her husband's conversion date.
According to the law, the petition should be filed three months after the conversion date. Subashini argued that she was not aware of the date of her husband’s conversion. If so, the case will be thrown out and lawyers can choose to file her divorce petition again.
2. The court may decide against Subashini on substantive grounds - that the Syariah Court has jurisdiction and orders her to take her case there. This effectively rules that civil courts have no say in conversion cases especially after syariah proceedings have commenced.
3. The court may decide for Subashini - she will get remedy in civil courts, her husband may not proceed further in syariah courts and he has to go back to civil courts because their marriage was originally solemnised under civil law.
Whatever the Federal Court decision, it will be considered a landmark judgment.
Aftershocks from Joy
This decision will be the second time the apex court is to decide on a matter involving the vexing issue of religious freedom.
Previously, the Federal Court held that the jurisdiction on issues concerning a Muslim who wants to convert to another religion lies with the Syariah Court.
In the landmark judgment by former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, Lina Joy was held to remained a Muslim and her religious status cannot be removed from her identity card.
Born an ethnic Malay Muslim, and called Azlina Jailani, Joy was introduced to Christianity in 1990.
It has left her fighting authorities, first for her new name to be put on her identity card, then to have her former religion removed.
The controversial judgment has left the nation divided over one's freedom of religion as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
Law absentee for 10 years... JC triumphs over CJ
In a 3-2 majority decision, Federal Court ruled that former law dean Dr Badariah Sahamid's appointment as a judicial commissioner (JC) is valid.
Justice Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mohamad, the Chief Judge (CJ), gave the dissenting judgment.
The CJ holds the opinion that Dr Badariah does not qualify as a JC as she has not practised law in 10 years.
Other presiding federal court judges include Haji Hashim bin Haji Yusoff, Azmel bin Haji Maamor, Nik Hashim bin Nik Ab. Rahman and Zulkefli bin Ahmad Makinudin.
At the time I blogged this entry, it was not made known who the other dissenting judge was, though Little Birds told me Justice Zulkefli was the one.
Earlier, the Bar Council had applied to declare Dr Badariah's appointment as JC null and void as it is ultra vires to Articles 112AB and 123 of the Federal Constitution.
September 26, legal fraternity in Malaysia submitted a memorandum urging the establishment of a judicial appointments commission for the appointment and promotion of judges. Hitherto, it remains no avail.
True. Blogger arrested
But where's Part II?
What Pak Ron (here and here) and Rocky's Bru blogged on Christmas Eve are true.
Today, two reporters from The Star confirmed that Pahang-based blogger Mohd Shukri Jamaluddin,who is known online as Cucu Mat Kilau, was indeed arrested by police in Kuantan on Monday.
He was, however, released two and a half hours later.
Cucu Mat Kilau has since lodged a report for wrongful detention.
He gave a first-hand account in his blog of how he was arrested, with pictures of break-in by the Police, before being taken away in handcuffs.
THERE MUST BE A PART II. Why was Cucu arrested? What's the police charge against him? Was law adhered to making his arrest? Had Cucu's personal belongings that the police confiscated on his arrest, reportedly three cellphones and a laptop, been returned unscathed? Has police initiated prompt investigation on Cucu's police report?
Is this the reason the Police didn't want IPCMC?
December 24, 2007
ho ho ho
Joy to the world, and may peace transcend...
Here's wishing you, my friends far and near, a Merry Christmas.
Rust Putin
Evidently, TIME magazine senior editors went rusty on history and cock-ed up on some chronological facts about their Person of the Year 2007, Vladimir Putin, dubbed Tsar of The New Russia.
According to Rory O'Connor of Global Vision, there was a serious discrepancy between the "FULL" and "COMPLETE" versions of the TIME transcript of its interview with Putin for "Person of the Year".
O'Connor claimed that a glaring factual error was edited out of the transcript in an attempt to spare top executives embarrassment over an exchange at the beginning of the chat between the Russian leader and Time Inc. Editor-in-Chief John Huey, managing editor Richard Stengel and deputy managing editor Adi Ignatius.
The official version of the transcript, as it appears on TIME's web site, is prominently labeled "Putin Q&A;: Full Transcript". It begins like this:
TIME: Despite the cold war, Russia and the United States have found themselves aligned in many of history's big conflicts: World War I, World War II and now, thanks in large part to your response to 9/11, there seems to be some alignment in the war against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. With that history in mind, how do you envision the relationship between Russia and the U.S. going forward?PUTIN:
Indeed, Russia and the U.S. were allies during the two tragic conflicts of the Second and the First World Wars, which allows us to think there's something objectively bringing us together in difficult times, and I think?I believe?it has to do with geopolitical interests and also has a moral component. Of course, the cold war marked a tragedy in relations between our two countries, and I wouldn't want to see the vestiges of those relations prevailing in the future?
However, an earlier and more "full and complete" transcript of the interview, posted last week on MediaChannel.org -- a part of GlobalVision -- but which originated on the New Zealand site Scoop.co.nz, has an entirely different beginning, one that may make Time's senior executives look bad and, perhaps, incredibly obsequious:
QUESTION: Mr. President! First of all, I would like to thank you on behalf of all my colleagues for your hospitality today. Second, we consider that it is a great honour for us to be able to conduct this interview. Your cooperation with Time magazine means a lot to us. Its result will be a serious material, and quite broad in nature and scope.I want to start with the first question. You were born in 1946 - I was born in 1948. We belong to the same generation. We grew up in countries that lived with the unavoidable presence of the enemy. But historically, and in most major conflicts - World War One, World War Two - Russia and the United States have been allies. And now, in large part thanks to your role, Russia is cooperating in the struggle against Islamic terrorism.
In view of our history, how would you predict the development of relations between Russia and the United States as they resolve global problems in the future? How would our generation assess their future prospects for cooperation?
VLADIMIR PUTIN:
If you will allow me, I will correct you a little bit on certain dates. I could not have been born in 1946 because at that time my father was suffering from the wartime wounds and my mother survived the Leningrad blockade. After they had lost two children and their health it was unlikely that they could have thought of having another child right away. And I think it is for that reason that I was born a little later, in 1952. But this does not change the essence of the problems and the issues you raised - this is absolutely correct.
The crux of the discrepancy, as O'Connor argued, was that TIME, 'America's leading putative newsweekly', couldn't even get the most basic fact about Putin right -- namely his date of birth -- something Mr. Google could get done in 'just 3.2 seconds' (O'Connor had timed it)!
"Admittedly, being off a mere six years about a world leader's age isn't, well, the end of the world. But Time's embarrassing inability to get even this very basic fact correct certainly leads one to question its trustworthiness in other, far larger matters of fact and substance," O'Connor said.
"Moreover, its apparent attempt to cover up the error - and to mislead the public by posting an incomplete transcript and billing it as complete - is even more egregious," he added.
We were told that O'Connor contacted TIME for an explanation, but to no avail.
"By the time I called Time for reaction, John Huey was unavailable, having already left for the holidays," he said.
"Managing Editor Richard Stengel was still around, but failed to return several phone calls seeking a "full and complete" explanation of Transcriptgate," he added.
O'Connor can be contacted at Roc @globalvision.org or Tel: 212-246-0202 Ex. 3009.
BACKGROUNDER. MediaChannel.org is a nonprofit, public interest Web site dedicated to global media issues. MediaChannel offers news, reports and commentary from its international network of media-issues organizations and publications, as well as original features from contributors and staff.
MediaChannel is concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the media, large and small. It exists to provide information and diverse perspectives and inspire debate, collaboration, action and citizen engagement.
Screenshots has been collaborating with MediaChannel as a monitoring post for the region.
December 23, 2007
Jeff Sparrow... Ver2.0
Jeff Sparrow no more. I was elated to find out yesterday morning that, barely five days after the surgery, vision on the right eye has improved to 6/12 without optical aids, and myopia reduced from 900 to around 100... and stablising. The microscopic stitches should be ready for removal soon.
Calculated risk considered, that prepared me in time to personally host the CY Leow Photography Seminar at the National Science Centre in the afternoon. The quality crowd kept to punctuality -- a virtue deemed lost among Malaysians -- and it enabled us to start 10 minutes ahead of scheduled time.
Moriazi-san and I... Picture courtesy Edward Chan
The sifu and I... Picture courtesy Moriazi-san
Sponsored by Viewty / LG Mobile... Picture courtesy Paul Choo
I really have to thank Dr Azhar Zainudin and his team at Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital. The consultant explained and answered questions well enough to enable me make that decisive move without any hesitation .
From initial diagnosis to surgery took me only five days of waiting time. Post-op care was good and smooth, and optometrist Puan Azimah is getting the supplier to custom-make a sample contact lens -- free of charge -- for my good eye, which is ironically in high myopia.
Both the ophthalmologist and optometrist recommended contact lens for me. I was a contact lens user until 2002. Given a choice, I still prefer glasses as I can power-up from bed to office at god-speed without having to go through the rituals.
For now, long vision is good but reading capability is still impaired. I can't research for blog, and I still can't drive as contrast of dark spots is still not yet optimum. In fact, I had lost two solid weeks of productivity since the problem got on me December 10.
One good thing is that, being away from Internet for two weeks -- -- and insulated from the disgusting and depressing news about this Abdullah Administration -- the family doctor said my blood pressure had never been this beautiful in the last four years.
Vision is...
Talk of vision, as if pulling a premeditated scoop on me, CY Leow started his photo talk with a quote from Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver's Travels, which says: "Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others".
That's a lot of wisdom for me as it came in a cathartic moment of satori. Abdullah should try experience that Japanese Decisive Moment for having made us suffering fools.
But really, there's absolutely no excuse for abusing the eyes now that I am given a second chance in life, thanks to modern eye-care technology. And thanks to my loving wife, too, who helped drip the antibiotics and washed my hair the one whole week. (She must be resenting sleeping in the stench of Bronyx back-alleys ;-)
Gotta cherish all these, folks.
December 20, 2007
(Catholic) Herald's KDN under threats?
Little Birds told Screenshots that the Herald, the newsletter published by KL-based Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre for the Catholics community in Malaysia, may have difficulty in renewing its printing and publication permit unless the Bahasa Malaysia section is scrapped.
The Herald, I was told, has been publishing in four-language sections every issue in the past many years. The Bahasa Malaysia section has been an effective communication channel to reach out to the Catholics among the indigenous communities in Sabah and Sarawak.
The printing and publication permit is controlled by the Internal Security Minister, of which zzzzzzzzzzzz is the reigning minister.
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The Abdullah Administration has perpetrated a new form of governance - a “somnambulant” governance.
For those uninitiated, the Oxford Dictionary defines 'somnambulism' as 'sleepwalking'.
The last time Abdullah was caught being somnambulant was when he was featured in a stinging Malaysiakini editorial by Steven Gan, November 27: "Abdullah is arguably the most incompetent PM we ever had. He has just sleep-walked his way through his first term."
This time, the 'sleepwalker' affix was found appropriate on Abdullah by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Lim Kit Siang.
Lim arrived at this ‘somnambulant’ possibility after reading conflicting newspaper reports on the prime minister’s reaction to the proposal to set up a Non-Muslim Affairs Department to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion.
The proposal, for that matter, was made by a coalition of Indian non-governmental organisations who met Abdullah in the aftermath of arrests of Hindraf leaders under ISA.
Abdullah was asked by the government-controlled mainstream media to comment on the proposal. Nobody knew if the press misunderstood the PM, or the PM misunderstood the issue, or both and 4th Floor Boy Kamal didn't mind it -- nwhat resulted was news reporting, including those by the Umno mouthpieces, to be described by Lim as “utterly befuddling and confusing”.
Let's scan the contradictory headlines in the mainstream press and see if anybody knows what Abdullah was talking about:
- Berita Harian: Kerajaan tubuh Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam
(Gov’t forms non-Muslim Affairs Dept)
- New Straits Times: Government considers setting up panel for non-Muslims
- theSun: Non-Muslim affairs dept, if necessary
- The Star: Non-Muslims looked after – We already have panels to handle their affairs, Abdullah
- Bernama: Not necessary for Non-Muslim Affairs Dept now, says PM
“How can Abdullah's one response produce three different perceptions as to what he meant - from setting up the department, to studying the proposal and an outright dismissal?” asked Lim.
“I do not blame the journalists, whether reporters or sub-editors for getting three completely different versions from one response, as nobody really knows what Abdullah was talking about,” he added.
Ministers of faiths -- OKT, Samy, Dompok/Ongkili
There appears to be another cock-up in how Abdullah recognises his own XXL-sized Cabinet.
Lim said Abdullah's statement that various ministers in the cabinet have been charged with the responsibility of looking after the interests of different religious groups also come as a surprise.
He accused the prime minister of making cabinet appointments on-the-run, with the public and ministers themselves completely unaware of the existence of such portfolios and responsibilities. Quote Malaysiakini:
According to the premier, Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting is looking after the interests of the Buddhists, Works Minister S Samy Vellu covers the Hindus and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Bernard Dompok covers the Christians in the country.Lim said no one in the past four years of Abdullah's premiership was aware that Ong is also Minister for Buddhist Affairs, Samy Vellu, Minister for Hindu Affairs and Dompok, Minister for Christian Affairs.
“This utter ignorance that there are ministers for Buddhist, Hindu and Christian Affairs is illustrated by the fact that the New Straits Times – an Umno-owned newspaper – reported that it is another minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Dr Maximus Ongkili, who is charged with looking after Christian Affairs,” he noted.
“I do not believe that Ong, Samy Vellu, Bernard or Maximus are aware that they are also ministers for these respective religions - or can they give a report as to how they had been discharging their ministerial responsibilities over these portfolios since their appointment?” he added.
Lim also asked if MPs could direct questions falling specifically under these respective subjects to the ministers in Parliament?
“When did the prime minister make these cabinet appointments and why were they never announced to the public. Were these appointments ever gazetted?” he added.
Lim said this “disturbing episode” of Abdullah making cabinet appointments on-the-run is an antithesis of a vibrant, dynamic, far-sighted and visionary leadership and government.
Perth is summer now. Time to jean todt the boat through new year, once again?
Leave the crisis management to the anak sulung among them foxy guys, if you may. You are majority. The rakyat can pick up the bills.
Korea's Internet-elected president is gone
Former Hyundai CEO Lee Myung-bak will be the president of South Korea.
Lee has campaigned on the promise that the per capita income of South Koreans will reach $30,000 within five years and $40,000 within 10 under his administration.
Lee has proposed the so-called "MB Doctrine'' (using the initials of his name) for foreign policy that comprises seven projects to be undertaken by his administration, encompassing North Korea, unification, security and diplomacy.
Screenshots first wrote about the rising star, president-elect Lee Myung-bak, when I visited South Korea earlier this year. I recorded that Lee was extremely popular for having defied public perceptions during his tenure as the Seoul's mayor and boldly restored Cheonggye Cheon into a intra-city environmentally-friendly flood mitigation system.
I also mentioned that the success of Cheonggye Cheon Restoration, too me, was a case of solving an old problem with new ideas. The achievement, I believed then, also helped Lee consolidate his image as a serious contender for the 2008 presidency race -- which has now come to pass.
Roh blamed for over-growing bureaucracy
Incumbent Roh Moo-hyun who took office in February 2003 and dubbed Korea's first Internet-elected president, has been under criticism for increasing the size of the bureaucracy excessively.
The number of public servants increased by 65,000 since Roh commenced office, according to the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs.
It marked the second largest increase after the Roh Tae-woo government, who took office in 1988, and added more than 176,000 government jobs.
Under the incumbent Roh Moo-hyun government, a total of 28 new public institutions were established and the wages of public officials also increasing by up to 50%.
According to his pledges, Lee will scale down ministries and smaller central government branches, currently totaling 56, and will reorganize 416 government-affiliated committees. In addition, a number of organizations will be merged or disbanded.
Food for thought for Abdullah who can't even recognise his own XXL-sized Cabinet.
Sacrifice
Here's wishing all Malaysians Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha. Aidil Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Nabi Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah.
Spare a thought for those inconvenienced by the annual floods.
December 18, 2007
Jeff Sparrow
A Bangsa Malaysia team performed the eye surgery on me at the Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital yesterday.
Two hours after ops
The ophthalmologist was Dr Azhar Zainudin, who was assisted by Dr Wong the anaesthetist and two Indian staff nurses, observed by three students from SJMC.
No, it was not another project by the Barisan Nasional government as the operation was fully paid for by our insurance company.
My 10-year-old paid tribute to Jack the Caribbean Pirate and started calling me Jeff Sparrow.
I might not be able to blog for several days. I'll rest my case eyes for now.
December 17, 2007
Najib VS Badawi in floods
While Abdullah is busy messing up the floods of Hindraf aftermath, Najib is looking for alms for the real flood victims in Malay heartland.
Why are corporates standing on sideline, arms folded?
Happy?
There's a happy.com.my lurking somewhere. Go ask DiGi.
December 16, 2007
'Future bright for the Chinese'... so says OKT
Isn't this Malaysia? Why just Chinese?
And how did the OKT read the stats to justify his maths?
'Silent Majority'... YOU?
Good brains start to question when nincompoops speak.
For example, when you say you are Damai Malaysia and you are the silent majority, the nincompoops attract unnecessary questions which are, ironically, pertinent and warranted.
Who are the people who have created this new group, Damai Malaysia? Ask Liew Chin Tong, and he has an answer over Radio Singapore International. Or visit Walski's myAsylum for context.
Why did 'silent majority' get the headlines in the mainstream media. Blogger Howsy keeps a log that says: "You Want Feel Good Survey On The Front Page, Boss? We'll Give You Front Page!"
And yes, Rocky's Bru, did ask what the GEICs didn't:
Are you part of that "SILENT MAJORITY" that "Damai Malaysia" claims to speak for? If you are or if you are not or if you don't even know who the duck this Damai Malaysia are and why there are speaking on your behalf, click HERE and take part in the poll.
Rantings by MM is more direct. How Dare They Insult Us!!, she foams at the mouth, outraged.
Call the bluff, in other words. Or call it dumb eye.
Zorropedia, read to the last drop, points to the chicken-shit.
Free the 31... Getting down from high horses
It just happened over night after I blogged this.
The 31 Indian-Malaysians charged with attempted murder of one policeman allegedly told the AG that they have regretted and, sort of, bertaubat.
If so, like we have said consistently, these must be the people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Probably, not excluding their turn for confessions.
Who wrote the script for Gani Patail?
December 15, 2007
Attempted murder: Who are the 31?
Thirty-one persons who participated in the HINDRAF rally have been charged with attempted murder of a policeman during the debacle at the Batu Caves Temple.
The policeman survived with his wounds stitched. The 31 are still detained pending trial, bail denied.
December 7, human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar wrote in his blog, DISQUIET, urging the authorities to Free The 31.
What's the profile of the 31 accused of attempted murder?
Latest information revealed they are technicians, lorry drivers, students, odd-job workers, a dialysis-dependent kidney patient, and one with a hole in the heart.
Malaysiakini compiled the list of the 31 individuals - some of whom are Hindraf members while others were -- like Imtiaz said -- just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
1. SS Ganishen, 39, lorry driver.
2. K Raju, 42, driver.He is hard of hearing on one side.
3. R Sakthivel, 34, technician.
In court, he told reporters that he left his bike when he passed by the Batu Caves temple to see what was happening. When he returned to his bike, the police arrested him.
4. K Ganapathy, 38, lorry driver.
5. K Sukumaran, 24, foreman.
6. S Kumaran, 25, farmer.
7. B Varatharaju, 32, foreman.
8. M Kuna Sekaran, 24, machine operator.
9. V Ganeson, 40, lorry driver.
10. L Thiyagarajan, 31, sales executive.
11. S Gunaa, 21, is a farmer.He only gets salary when there is work.
12. K Thinagaranpillay, 23, manager.
13. N Balamohan, 23, part-time worker.
14. K Gopinath, 27, store keeper.
15. R Suresh, 24, runs his own business.
16. G Suman, 20, runs his own business.
17. M Buwenthiran, 24, technician.
18. M Pushparathan, 21, technician.
19. S Tail Arasu, 26, despatch boy.
20. N Ramasamy, 43, is a driver.He is also a kidney patient. He showed his dialysis card in court but this was dismissed by judge Azimah as it did necessarily prove his health condition.
21. S Ramash Kumar, 22, student.
22. R Pushpanathan,19, despatch boy.
23. S Mugilan Dever, 20, student.
24. G Thinesh Kumar, 19, foreman.
25. T Kunalan, 28, machine operator.
26. S Sures, 18, car-tinter.He has a hole in the heart.
27. A Vasantarao, 19, student.
28. N Markandan, 54, odd-job worker.
29. K Raghu, 39, technician.
30. A Rayar, 30, His occupation is unknown.He had an engagement ceremony planned on Dec 7 that had to be cancelled.
31. S Ravi, 33, lorry driver.
At the time I blogged this, the Court's Dec 6 decision still stands, and I was made to understand that these 31 people will remain incarcerated in Sungai Buloh prison for over a month until their trial begins on Jan 14 next year.
I say, free them. FREE THE 31.
From 'Correct! Correct! Correct!'
To 'Korek! Korek! Korek'
That's my only wish for the Royal Commission entrusted to probe the Judiciary Rot exposed by the Lingam Tape. The shame is unbearable.
Get on your four, lick deep and dig deep, you five, Lady & Gentlemen.
December 14, 2007
First World Salary... Corruption-free?
Throw peanuts and you get monkeys?
Via Bloomberg:
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore will increase the salary of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other senior Cabinet officials by as much as 21 percent from January, after an earlier adjustment in April.
Lee, 55, will be paid S$3.76 million ($2.6 million) a year, up from S$3.1 million previously, the public service division said in a statement on its Web site. Cabinet ministers will receive S$1.94 million, an increase from S$1.6 million.The pay adjustments follow other ministerial salary increases announced in April this year, the government said.
Is this the reason why Singapore ever scores higher than us in corruption index?
When can we hope to make similar bold statement to beat the Little Red Dot?
Or is it because the economic cake keeps expanding across the Causeway that ministers can be well-fed and they don't have to cheat under the watchful eyes of law?
CORRUPTION LAGI. Today, a businessman was charged with receiving bribes on behalf of a deputy minister, his senior private secretary and two others. But the deputy minister, who reports to Abdullah Badawi in the Internal Security Ministry, denies any knowledge of the matter.
Bernama traces 'History Of The Arrival Of The Indians'
Bernama, the national news agency, starts tracing the History Of The Arrival Of The Indians.
No, the job was not subbed to Mr Maidin.
The expert views were, instead, provided by Omar Hashim, who is the Executive Committee Chairman for the Malaysian History Association (PSM), who is also the PSM Fellow, and who has served with the Civil Service Commission, Education Ministry and the Election Commission.
Preamble to the interview ran like this: "... to obtain his comments on, among things, the arrival of the Indian community in Peninsular Malaysia, their life and welfare status pre and post- Merdeka, as well as the appropriate measures that should be taken against the racial issues played by Hindraf so as not to destabilise the country."
Part I is available here. I am not saying it's our version of Pravda, or Правда ('The Truth' in Russian)..
ISA... take out the emotional part
Let some brains speak:
From Malik Imtiaz's Disquiet::
We cannot lose sight of the fact that no matter how heinous the activity complained of may appear, accusations remain mere accusations until and unless they are made out in a court of law. Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.The detentions are therefore clearly preemptive, allowing for a side-stepping of a criminal justice system that is aimed at ensuring that no person is denied his constitutionally guaranteed right to liberty save where it is denied through an exercise of judicial scrutiny replete with inbuilt safeguards aimed at ensuring that an innocent person is not mistakenly imprisoned.
From the US Department of State, and Human Rights Watch,via AFP/Malaysiakini:
The United States demanded that Malaysia provide fair treatment to five leaders of a rights group held under a security law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. [...]"Our expectation as a government is that these individuals would be provided the full protections under Malaysian law, that they would be given due process, that they would be accorded all the rights accorded to any other citizen, and that this be done in a speedy and transparent manner," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. [...]
Human Rights Watch, a US group, said the arrest was "outrageous."
"We have said over and over again that the ISA should be abolished and there is no room for holding people, never mind indefinitely, without charge and trial," said Mickey Spiegel, the group's Asia division senior researcher.
I won't waste space to overlap with what the mainstream media have to say, as you can read them on your own accord. MORE...
December 13, 2007
ISA shopping
The Abdullah Administration has finally gone on ISA shopping.
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi
Five Hindraf leaders were arrested under under Section 8 (1) of the Internal Security Act (ISA) today, Malaysiakini reported at 1:09pm.
The detainees are: P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar.
They will be detained for two years, Inspector-General Police Musa Hassan said in a statement, The Star reported.
Going by past records in Malaysia, ISA epitomizes imprisonment without trial.
Even if Hindraf leaders are no saints, they should be officially charged and tried in open court as democracy dictates.
UPDATES: In the Parliament today, the Ipoh Barat MP, M. Kulasegaran -- who was with me at Suhakam just now -- has been suspended for four days from the Dewan Rakyat.
The Star said Kula was given the boot after he refused to adhere to instructions to sit down by Deputy Speaker Datuk Lim Si Cheng.
Malaysiakini, on the other hand, reported that Kula was arguing that the presence of the Speaker and his deputies in the Dewan was not appropriate when the debate to amend their salaries was ongoing.
The government was in the midst of tabling the Members of the Parliament Remuneration Amendment Bill to amend the remuneration of the Speaker and his deputies.
What has Lingam got to do with Johor floods?
Is the Haidar Royal Commission going to take this into account when the hearing starts?
You mean The Star is hinting that the Haidar Royal Commission inquiry over the Lingam Tape is gonna be a big washout, like flood waters? Or am I missing something here?
I am keeping a PDF to acid-test The Star's premonition.
Jeff Ooi at Suhakam
UPDATED VERSION. I spoke in a petition session at the Suhakam this mroning. It was chaired by Commissioner Dato' Choo Siew Kioh, a retired diplomat.
My interview by the Bukit Aman CCID in relation to live commentaries over Al-Jazeera on Nov 10 was included in a memorandum forwarded by DAP, which relates to a spate of stampeding on human rights as exemplified in various fear-inducing tactics employed by the Abdullah Administration, the Attorney-General and the Police over the last few days and months.
The memorandum listed 10 incidents in an inexhaustive list, asking Suhakam to start an inquiry, or inquiries, on anyone of them. Suhakam promised to start its own investigation on matters raised today.
The next full commissioner meeting for Suhakam is cheduled for January 14.
UPDATES, Malaysiakini 4:15pm: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia has called off abruptly its open inquiry into the use of ‘live’ bullets during the Sept 8 Batu Buruk Incident, Kuala Terengganu.
Earlier in October, Malaysiakini said panel chairperson, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said Suhakam had told the press that the commission decided to proceed with the inquiry because the police were not investigating the shooting incident.
December 12, 2007
Operasi 3M: 'Mana Maruah Malaysia?'
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. The Parliament is the country's supreme law-making institution. The Constitution stated that in no uncertain terms.
Recently, cows were slaughtered and animal blood was shed in the Parliament compound -- to celebrate the Prime Minister's second marriage. It was a precedent created during this Abdullah Administration.
Yesterday, the sanctity of the Parliament was confirmed not a No-Man's land even for the Malaysian Police -- multiple arrests of Malaysian citizens were made inside and outside the Parliament compound. it's all over on YouTube yesterday.
Here's an overview of the December 11 multiple arrests yesterday, compiled by Malaysiakini.tv
They did this to lawyer Mustafa Ali, PAS Election Strategy Director -- within Parliament compound:
They did this to Khalid Ibrahim, PKR Secretary-General, who was talking to reporters outside Parliament compound:
They did this to Tian Chua, PKR Information Chief, man-handled on the road to the Parliament House:
They did this to four of the eight civilians within the Parliament compound -- after they submitted the memorandum to Members of Parliament:
Wasn't there a siege of the Parliament in Malaysia, December 11, 2007, another 'First' achieved during the Abdullah Administration? The Parliamentary Opposition Leader said:
BACKGROUND INFO. There was no BERSIH Rally yesterday, according to official sources at the electoral reform coalition. There was only a small delegation of BERSIH representation who wanted to submit a memorandum to the Parliament Speaker, stating why the Constitutional Amendment Bill shouldn't be passed just to facilitate the service of the present chairman of the Election Chairman who will reach the maximum age limit of his service by December 31, 2007.
Despite the massive police blockades, eight members of the BERSIH delegation managed to 'sneak' into the Parliament House to submit the memorandum to the Members of the Parliament.
The memorandum listed 10 reasons why the present man heading the Election Commission is not fit to continue his service, which should come to mandatory retirement by December 31, due to age limit.
They later held a press conference at the Parliament lobby. After which, they were arrested as they were about to leave the Parliament House, as you may have seen in the YouTube clips above.
When the Bill was tabled for the second reading at the Parliament yesterday afternoon, where the Prime Minister personally delivered the wrapping-up speech, all Opposition Members of Parliament walked out.
The Bill was passed -- unanimously and with more than two-third majority -- by all members of the Umno-nominated Barisan Nasional present, including Ministers and deputies from MCA, Gerakan and MIC. An exemplary case of power-sharing model, BN-styled.
Once passed, the present Election Commission chairman will be able to extend his service right up to June 30, 2009. The present term for the Abdullah Administration shall expire by April 19, 2009.
Suhakam talks. When are you gonna walk?
All the above are Citizen-Generated Content (CGC) published on YouTube US and YouTube UK. View the facts and you decide on your own the country you would like have.
Oriental Daily News has a special interview with Suhakam Chairman Abu Talib Othman on the issue of the rakyat's right to assembly under the Federal Constitution. The former AG said the Police can arrest the Constitution-empowered citizen only when they can prove beyond doubt that the assembly can cause harm to public order.
In The Star, Shaila Koshy paraphrased Abu Talib as saying that "the possibility of public disorder should be based on evidence, not speculation or imagination”.
In calling for permit-free rallies to be allowed in this country, Abu Talib said it was unfortunate that a gathering of three is an assembly under Section 27 of the Police Act. "The intention is irrelevant,” he said.
“Suhakam wants Section 27 repealed because it goes against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and appears to be inconsistent with the spirit of the Federal Constitution,” he added.
I hope Suhakam is not yet another armchair critic. Do something.
From Malaysiakini
Memo: Why he's unfit to continue as EC chief
Dec 11, 07 3:00pm
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) urges Parliament to reject the proposed amendment which will effect the extension of the EC chief’s tenure by 18 months. Below is the full memorandum.
[Bersih] urges the Parliament of Malaysia, which consists of His Majesty the Yang diPertuan Agong, Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara to reject the proposed bill to amend Article 114 of the Federal Constitution, which will effect in Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman's extension as the Election Commission (EC) Chairperson up to one-and-a-half years.
Bersih stresses that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid, whose service is continuously marred with recurring electoral frauds and manipulations, is not fit for the job and must go immediately. All parliamentarians must therefore vote against this Constitutional Amendment Bill so obviously being rushed through to keep him the job is an insult to both the Constitution and Parliament.
1. In principle, Bersih has no objection to the extension of the retirement age from 65 to 66 years for all members of the EC. The removal of an EC is constitutionally stipulated to be done in the same manner as a Federal Court judge, whose retirement age has been increased from 65 to 66 years, such synchronisation is not objectionable.
2. The Constitutional Bill, if passed through both chambers of the Parliament and consented by HM the Yang diPertuan Agong by this December 31, will however become a back-door extension for Tan Sri Abdul Rashid whose birthday falls on the same day. In other words, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has to retire if Article 114 of the Federal Constitution is not amended in time. On the other hand, if the amendment is passed, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid may stay on effectively till June 2009 with the conventional half-year extension after retirement. In other words, this will ensure that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid oversees the next elections.
3. The Constitutional Bill, hastily tabled for first reading in Dewan Rakyat on November 20, 2007 and scheduled for second reading on December 11, 2007, is therefore a "Save Rashid" Amendment. Such a "Save Rashid" Amendment, by reducing the Federal Constitution to a tool to serve the interests of one individual especially one unfit for the job, is an insult and assault to constitutional democracy.
4. Article 114(2) stipulates "the importance of securing an Election Commission which enjoys public confidence", which Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has clearly failed. Here is a non-exhaustive list of 10 failures and scandals in the electoral process under his service in and leadership of the EC:
4.1 The electoral rolls is contaminated with the names of the dead, non-citizens, multiple registrations and the under-aged, allowing election outcomes to be determined by phantoms rather than citizens. In 2001, Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang nullified the election result of Likas state constituency in Sabah on the grounds that the 1998 state electoral roll was illegal as phantom voters, including non-citizens, had cast their votes on polling day.
4.2 The government responded to the Likas verdict by changing the Election Act so that election outcome can no longer be challenged on the grounds of electoral roll validity. All EC wrongdoings are now protected. In a manner amounting to contempt of court, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid attacked Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang on Dec 4, 2007, alleging that the judge took it out on the government because he was 'frustrated with certain things'.
4.3 Voters are transferred from one constituency to another to secure victory for the ruling coalition. In October 2007, EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor blamed some assistant registration officers for cases that happened before July 16, 2002. If found guilty under the Election Offences Act 1954, those officers shall be liable for imprisonment up to two years, fine up to RM 5,000 or both. However, no names have been disclosed and no police reports lodged.
4.4 Such transfer or implantation of voters continues to happen after 2002. The latest case is the increase of 8,463 voters within three months at Ipoh Timor constituency which the Parliamentary Opposition Leader Mr Lim Kit Siang won with a margin of 9,774 votes in 2004 [see chart].
4.5 The extent of irregularities and fraudulent registrations, seen particularly in the Ijok by-election on 28 April 2007, is shocking:
- Over 50 dead voters were still on the electoral roll and 12 of them, all of them Malays from the Jaya Setia polling district, rose up from their graves to cast their votes on polling day.
- Three Chinese voters at Pekan Ijok had their votes stolen by impostors, who had turned up earlier at the polling station.
- As many as 23 voters were registered without national identity cards.
- As many as 32 voters aged between 100 and 132 years old were still listed on the electoral rolls.
4.6 In the 2004 general elections, the use of three different versions of the electoral roll led to a breakdown and chaos in polling in at least 17 parliamentary constituencies in Selangor and three in Kuala Lumpur. EC then ordered an illegal extension of polling for two extra hours in some of these constituencies. No EC officers have been prosecuted or penalized for the chaos.
4.7 Also in the 2004 general elections, provisional results showed that 98% of the registered voters collected parliamentary ballots in Kuala Terengganu, but 10,254 ballots were not returned. Tan Sri Abdul Rashid offered an absurd explanation that KT voters had the hobby of collecting ballot papers. The final result published on the Gazette saw the reduction of turnout rate to 84% and the missing ballots to 240, with no explanation offered for this changes.
4.8 For years, elections have seen high number of missing ballots in many constituencies. Top on the list for four elections from 1990 and 2004 was the Lumut constituency, which saw the extent of unreturned ballots soaring from 2,763 in 1982 to 8,176 in 1999. Had these missing ballots found their ways to polling stations in other constituencies, they would have overturned outcomes in many marginal seats. Blaming it on the weakness of postal voting registration, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has failed to end this phenomenon so damaging to the credibility of the EC and electoral process.
4.9 Mal-apportionment and gerrymandering of constituencies have gone from bad to worse with the 2002 constituency re-delineation exercise. In 2004, BN won an unprecedented 91% parliamentary majority with a mere 64% popular votes. This effectively means that one vote for BN was equivalent for 3 votes for DAP, 8 votes for PAS and 26 votes for Keadilan. Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has made a mockery of the "one person, one vote" principle.
4.10 Ultimately, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid is unfit to chair the EC for he lacks the most fundamental quality: the moral courage and the commitment to act independently, guided only by the Constitution and the best interest of Malaysia's democracy.
In 2003, he conceded that EC's ability to carry out its task independently has been hampered by the government. In November 2007, he indirectly admitted that the election date was set by the Prime Minister. On Dec 8, 2007, he inappropriately said that the ruling coalition is the only regime capable of running the country.
5. On the grounds that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid is unfit to chair EC and his retirement on this December 31 in the best interest of the nation, BERSIH urges all parliamentarians to vote against the Constitutional Amendment Bill.
December 11, 2007
Batu Buruk: Suhakam to proceed with inquiry on live bullets
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will proceed with its open inquiry over a key issue this blogger was interviewed for by the Bukit Aman CCID yesterday.
In a statement today, Suhakam announced that it will carry on with the inquiry into the use of live bullets by the Police during the Batu Buruk Incident, which happened about 11.40pm on September 9.
The open inquiry will be held from Thursday to Sunday at the Primula Beach Resort, Kuala Terengganu.
The panel of inquiry will be chaired by commissioner Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, with the other members being Asiah Abu Samah and Prof Khoo Kay Kim.
In the Batu Buruk Incident, Muhammad Azman Abdul Aziz, 21 and Suwandi Abdul Ghani, 38 were shot in the chest and neck respectively. Policeman Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Omar was described as having fired in self-defence after a crowd descended on him.
Earlier, Suhakam has hesitated on proceeding with the open inquiry after the two gunshot victims were charged forparticipating in an illegal assembly.
Under its enabling legislation, Suhakam is not empowered to act on issues that are the subject matter of court-cases.
The two bullet victims have been refused bail pending the December 30-31 trial date.
11.12: 'Blackest day for Parliament in 50 years'
From an eye-witness at the Parliament.
There's a 60-something who was rendered a heart hurt, he who witnessed the Black Sunday, 09.12.
Andt there's a not-even-a-20-something who is enveloped in infernal ramblings overseas about things back home.
Syafiq Sunny has the pictures when they got Tian Chua at the road block this morning.
Picture courtesy Syafiq Sunny. More pictures at Syafiqsunny.com
At the end, it's Malaysians who weep for Malaysia.
CCID: There was a 4th police report
I am not sure how the mainstream media reported it. Let me relate my first-hand account as the prime target of a series of police reports filed against me in relation to my live commentaries over Al-Jazeera as news broke on the November10 BERSIH Rally.
Apparently, the authorities had acted on a fourth police report of the same nature, instead of the three common ones lodged by the Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM), Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (KIMMA) and Pertubuhan Seni Silat Ikatan Kalam Malaysia as reported in The NST (November 18)..
The fourth police report was lodged by an individual who had access to the computers and Internet connection at the KLCC Urusetia office located on the fourth floor of Dayabumi, Kuala Lumpur.
This was confirmed by the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigations Department (CCID) through the First Information Report (FIR), a copy of which was extended to my lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, yesterday afternoon.
According to the FIR, the report was lodged at the Jalan HS Lee police station on November 19, one day after the NST carried the story. As the investigation is still on-going, I am not at liberty to release further details.
This is a summary of what transpired over the last four days leading to my interview with the Bukit Aman CCID yesterday, which was also UN's World Human Rights Day.
3:36pm Friday, December 7, 2007: ASP Tan Tin Heng of the Bukit Aman CCID SMSed me to call back. I was asked to attend an interview pertaining to police report against me over my comments on Al-Jazeera, time he suggested: 10.00am Monday.I asked for an official notice to be issued in accordance to Section 111, Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
ASP Tan agreed, but indicated that the 111 could only be delivered by 9.00am Monday morning as it was nearing the end of working day. He suggested 2.00pm for the interview, promising that the 111 would be delivered on Monday morning.
9.40am Monday, December 10, 2007: Two plainclothes delivered the 111 to my house. I was waiting for them.
The 111 said my witness statement was required in the investigation pertaining to a police report, no elaboration, under Penal Code section 500.
In layman's terms, it relates to criminal defamation.
11.30am Monday, December 10, 2007: My lawyer Gobind Singh Deo contacted ASP Tan to request for the FIR. Paper work ensued.
12.30pm Monday, December 10, 2007: The FIR was faxed to Gobind Singh's office.
From the FIR, it was confirmed that the CCID had opened the investigation papers in response to police report dated November 19, lodged by an individual (I shall withhold the name for the timebeing) who had access to the computers and Internet connection at the KLCC Urusetia office located on the fourth floor of Dayabumi, Kuala Lumpur.
According to the FIR, the report was lodged at the Jalan HS Lee police station on November 19.
1.30pm Monday, December 10, 2007: I arrived at Bukit Aman CCID, accompanied by three DAP laywers, namely Gobind Singh Deo (Secretary, National Legal Bureau), Lim Lip Eng (Selangor Legal Bureau Chief) and K.A. Ramu (FT Kuala Lujmpur Legal Bureau).
We briefed the Press, who had gathered at the gate (Thank you!), on the background information to the police interview.
1.50pm Monday, December 10, 2007: The Interview conducted by ASP Tan began.
I was accorded access to my counsel throughout the interview, which was carried out in a cordial manner.
The interview started with the viewing of a YouTube clip of the Al-Jazeera news bulletin given by the person who lodged the police report. It was juxtaposed against three copies of the bulletin, coded Nov 10 GMT 07:00hr, 08:00hr and 10:00hr, respectively, which were sourced from Al-Jazeera.
The key issues centred on the GMT 10:00hr segment, over my alleged remarks in relation to the BERSIH Rally, in particular with regards to the Police's firing of live bullets on civilians in the Batu Buruk Incident, and the issue of mass transfer of voters in certain constituencies.
In between, Members of Parliament, YB Tan Kok Wai (Cheras) and Chow Kon Yeow (Tanjung) took leave from Dewan Rakyat and popped by for a while.
2.17pm Monday, December 10, 2007: Just as the interview was going on, a Star SMS News Alert flowed into my handphone:
10/12 Police have recorded statement from DAP member and blogger Jeff Ooi over alleged anti-govt remarks made in Al-Jazeera interview on Nov 10.I shall check if The Star is insinuating that Al-Jazeera and I had conspired to broadcast anti-government remarks as SMS had reported to its subscribers.
3.10pm Monday, December 10, 2007: The interview was over. In conclusion, ASP Tan said the investigation may take a couple of months to complete while the report will be forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.
Again, we briefed the Press who had gathered at the gate (Thanks again!)
This is my second statement to the police under Section 112 of the CPC. The first one was 2005 over a reader's comment in my blog, which was frontpaged by Berita Harian for four consecutive days in October 2004.
My advice to whoever asked to give statements under CPC 112 is that, be on guard from Question one onward.
For illustration purposes, the questionnaire may run like this -- tyhe manner you answer the first question may determine your fate:
1 ) Did you rape the girl?
2 ) Why did you rape the girl?
3 ) Did you enjoy raping the girl?
4 ) How did you know the girl enjoyed it when you raped her?
The questions are leading and loaded. Be on guard.
Also read and compare facts in the reportage: The Star, China Press, Guang Ming, Nanyang, Kwong Wah.
P/S I am struggling with this posting. This may be my last posting for a while. I am suffering from blurred vision with floaters in my eyes. I am going to seek medical attention after this. Take care, folks.
Second term for Abdullah?
Instead of dealing with the civil society's unhappiness and criticism, the Abdullah Administration has now morphed into an uncaring government.
It trampled and blanket-bombed on Human Rights. It has gone on rampant witch-hunting.
Two people shot by the Police with live bullets in the Batu Buruk Incident were arrested and charged. The incident was linked to a clarion call for electoral reforms.
Seventeen people involved in the November 10 BERSIH Rally were arrested and charged. The incident was also linked to the clarion call for electoral reforms
Thirty-one civilians arrested at the Baru Caves Temple on the eve of the Hindraf Rally were chared for attempted murder of a Police man. The incident was linked to the clarion call for attention to the marginalised Indian community.
Nine people -- five lawyers including Bar Council Humans Rights Committee chair Edmund Bon, three NGO activists and one unknown civilian -- were arrested. The incident was linked to Bar Council's observation of the UN's World Human Rights Day, yesterday.
Meanwhile, the mainstream media and the authorities are building up the opinion platform to justify the use of Internal Security Act (ISA) as the best remedy for all ills.
Yesterday, Abdullah Badawi built his argument why he deserves a second term as the Prime Minister."Saya bukan pemimpin separuh jalan," he claimed.
Nightmare or wet dream, you decide.
December 10, 2007
I'm fine
Yes, I'm fine. To friends in blogs and media, comrades in non-BN politics, YB Tan Kok Wai and Chow Kon Yeow, and my three lawyers, thanks for your kindness and moral support at Bukit Aman CCID today.
But my eyes hurt. I'll let them rest for a while.
2pm, CCID Bukit Aman
Today, December 10, is UN's World Human Rights Day, an institutionalised convention adopted over half-a-century ago in 1950.
Today also marks the anniversary of the UN Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, three years after the end of WWII.
Talking on Al-Jazeera
Today, I have an appointment with Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) at 2pm.
In a telephone conversation last Friday afternoon, ASP Tan Tin Heng said he was making arrangement for the 111 to be delivered to me by this morning.
Under Criminal Procedure Code, the Police has the power to require attendance of witnesses in their investogations. Under Section 111 of the code, an order in writing shall be issued to the witness. Under Section 112, a Police officer may examine the witness orally pertaining to the investigations. Section 113 refers to the conditions underwhich related statements can be admitted as evidence.
I was made to understand that Bukit Aman CCID requires my attendance of witness pertaining to three groups who were against “a statement issued by Ooi to an Al Jazeera reporter”, and that they wanted this blogger investigated.
I have yet to sight the FIR (First Information Report), but there is a news item on this in The New Straits Times (November 18).
One of the parties which lodged the Police report was purported to be the Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM), a company that claims to be a consumer protection group and yet involving itself in partisan endorsement of selected commercial brands and receiving taxpayers-funded grants from one particular Ministry. It's official website is illustrative of its myriad operations as an entity labelled as consumer advocate.
More on this at the right time.
December 09, 2007
Cops outnumber People: 5 to 1
ARRESTED: Bar Council Human Rights Chief & Deputy
UPDATED VERSION. Bar Council's 'Festival of Rights' in conjunction with UN's World Human Rights Day ended with its Human Rights Committee chair and his deputy arrested by the Police today.
On the other hand, about 600 people turned up for the leisurely walk this morning. Among them, five hundred -- and one helicopter -- were cops.
The walk, not organised by Bar Council, was about three kilometer from Sogo in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman leading to the Bar Council building along Lebuh Pasar Besar.
8 + 1 arrested
Before the indoor festivities at the Bar Council building started, 8 people were arrested -- four practising lawyers, three activists from NGOs, and one who looked like career agent provocateur.
Among the lawyers arrested on the streets -- as they were about to disperse on Police orders -- were Bar Council Human Rights Committee deputy chair Amir Hamzah Arshad, N. Surendren, senior counsel R. Sivarasa and his colleague, Latheefa Koya.
Nabbed among the NGOs were Eric Paulsen (non-practising lawyer), Anthony Andu and Noor Aza Othman.
Watch the video clip from Malaysiakini.tv:
Midway through the festivities held indoor, Bar Council Human Rights Committee chair, Edmond Bon, was arrested about 12.15 this afternoon for allegedly obstructing law enforcers from carrying our their duty.
Edmund Bon, Bar Council Human Rights Committee Chair
The DBKL enforcers demanded Bar Council to take down some banners. However, Bon appealed that the council had called off all outdoor activities and all functions were being held indoor, and the banners were put up on Bar Council's premises.
He was then arrested by Police who accompanied the DBKL personnel.
Picture courtesy Bar Council
President of the Malaysian Bar, Ambiga Sreenevasan said "this is outrageous and I am in a state of utter disbelief at what has happened."
She labelled Bon's arrest as "bullying tactics" by the police.
She said today the Bar Council would meet tomorrow to decide whether to file a suit against the Datuk Bandar of Kuala Lumpur and his officers who entered the Bar's premises this afternoon without a warrant and removed human rights banners and placards from its premises.
"It really emphasises what we are trying to say on human rights, why it is so important," she said.
"In my view, this is a sad day for human rights in Malaysia. What should have been a celebration has really turned into a very sad day, unnecessarily so," she added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sunday that the Government does not practise double standard when taking action on law breakers even if they are lawyers.
At the time I blogged this, all of them have not been released.
ALL-BLOGS committee members and friends were present to witness the human crowd and monitor the situation around Sogo, Bar Council and IPK Kuala Lumpur.
Read what these citizen journalists chronicled in their first-hand account of the walk and the Police arrests, and contrast them with what the mainstream media have to print in tomorrow's papers.
[ See Rocky's Bru, Nuraina A. Samad, Maria A. Samad, Tony Yew (with 5 YouTube videos), Bernard Zorro Khoo, Shanghai Fish, Shar101 O.B.E.... and People's Parliament. ]
Weep for Malaysia
I believe those who turned up today had made it there for a cause they believed in
No throwing of bricks, no water cannons, no tear gas,. But silently, many wept for Malaysia.
When the sun rises again, tomorrow shall observe UN's World Human Rights Day.
Pictures are available on Suzanne Lee's gallery.
BREAKING NEWS: BERSIH folks arrested
At the IPK, lawyer Jonson Chong told me that Bersih Rally protester Mohd Azri Ahmad has been detained at Dang Wangi police station. Soon after, another lawyer SMSed me that one Muhammad Harith Fathillash Shahabudin was also nabbed for being involved in Bersih Rally.
Much later, I was told PAS vice president Mohamad Sabu was arrested attending his daughter's wedding in Ipoh.
UPDATES: How Mat Sabu was nabbed, with a convoy chase from Ipoh to Butterworth after a standoff at the Tambun Toll. Read Penarikbeca's blog.
UPDATES: PKR Information Chief Tian Chua has been arrested in Johor Baru.
UPDATES: Meanwhile, Elizabeth Wong of Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Information Bureau rebuked a TV3 report at 8 o'clock claiming that Tian Chua has been released on police bail.
"At 8:24 pm, Tian Chua sent a text message, stating that he was about to reach Nilai in a police car, and was heading towards the Jalan Stadium Police lockup," Wong said in statement issued at 10:32pm.
December 08, 2007
YouTube: Minister of Misinformation
A satire?
A mockery?
Or a super poke?
Source: YouTube, November 21, 2007.
The original Al-Jazeera version is available here.
Let's be open about it
How about this? Let's appoint Prime Minister's wife, Jeanne Abdullah, as the chancellor of Open University Malaysia (OUM).
PCOA... and Judge Zainon binti Mohd. Ali
There is a long story in a blog coming up from Australia. The URL is at http://yapchongyee.blogspot.com.
The namesake also listed down his full name, Yap Chong Yee, and his full address at Attadale, Western Australia. So, it's not an anonymous blog.
By way of how the name sounds, Yap could be a Malaysian. or a former Malaysian.
He chronicled a long track of sequences and consequences that point to the 10th-placed presiding judge at our Court of Appeal.
Yap's latest blog entry is a long open letter addressed to the President of the Court of Appeal -- that's Zaki Azmi -- with a cc to Straits Times of Singapore.
NO ZAKI movement?
Interestingly, there is currently a NO ZAKI movement going on among the legal fraternity.
The People's Parliament has started a petition from citizens to His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agong, praying for the deferment of the appointment of the President of the Court of Appeal pending the findings and recommendations of the intended Royal Commission of Inquiry.
The Disquiet is greatly felt as lawyer-blogger Malik Imtiaz Sarwar has also published a blog entry, asking for the appointment of the President of Court of Appeal to be deferred pending the outcome of the Royal Commission of Enquiry on the Lingam Video.
At the time I blogged this, statement from the Prime Minister indicated that the formation of the Royal Commission is still in a limbo.
Glaringly, December 5, PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the appointment of the President of Court of Appeal and acting Chief Judge, Justice Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mohamad, as the Chief Justice with effect from November 1.
At the same time, Abdullah also announced that Zaki Azmi has been made the president of the Court of Appeal, the No. 2 in Malaysia's Judiciary system, albeit without an effective date of commencement of office.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang is cock sure that Zaki Azmi, 62, will be made the Chief Justice in the next ten months.
What's actually cooking?
Malay Mail in Malay hands: Tong out, Media Prima in
Today, Singapore Business Times followed up with its earlier stories by saying that the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) wanted to shed an albatross that has been losing money since 1999, the Malay Mail -- only if it remains in Malay hands.
The business sheets' KL-based correspondent S. Jayasankaran reported today that, in a compromise move, the NSTP has agreed to sell the financially ailing Malay Mail to a group comprising Media Prima and former Daim's Boy, businessman Ibrahim Mohamad Nor for RM5 million.
The paper said the compromised arrangement will preempt potential political ripples as the newspaper will remain in ethnic Malay hands.
Both NSTP and Media Prima are ultimately controlled by parties linked to the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Malaysia's dominant political party which is headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Business Times reported.
Archive not for sale
The change in ownership is said to become effective by January 1, 2008. Both parties -- Media Prima and Ibrahim -- will hold equal stakes in The Malay Mail's holding company.
Other conditions of the sale include: ( 1 ) The paper will continue to be printed by NSTP for a fee; and ( 2 ) NSTP will continue to own teh archives of the 111-year-old paper.
Earlier, it was reported that Ibrahim had teamed up with Tong Kooi Ong, who owns The Edge Financial Daily and free-paper theSun newspaper through listed Nexnews, to bid for The Malay Mail in October.
The duo were said to have offered RM5 million for the 11-year-old daily paper and a further RM3 million for its archives.
With the only-Malay ownership decision, Tong is left in the cold.
Ibrahim co-owns Blu Inc with Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) as a strategic investor. The company prints several regional lifestyle magazines including Her World, Female and Seventeen.
If Internet is giving hell, try this
Internet breeds blogs, blogs breed a no-question-unasked culture among the citizens.
What happens when thoughts are bred and transmitted at the speed of light?
Try this, when cost is less prohibitive...
.
We are talking about optical communication in low-cost, low-loss conditions...
The Silicon Photonics Vision. The new haven.
Tok Aji is back
Remember Tok Aji of the days of mailing list? He's back. Back with a vengeance.
He started blogging on Wednesday, December 5, at My Cardinal Point, URL: www.mycardinalpoint.blogspot.com.
Tok Aji says his blog is about an attempt at interfaith that is for mutual understanding and respect among the many communities in Malaysia.
Those who were active in the Internet days of the late 90s, like this blogger, Uncle Yap and YW Loke, would know that Tok Aji is A. Ghani Ismail, formerly a columnist with several Malaysian newspapers.
Police will be busy
RTM, where Mr Maidin calls his shots, has lodged a police report against news web portal Malaysiakini and two other Tamil newspapers -- Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai -- for alleged false reporting that is defamatory.
The report was filed by RTM Broadcasting director-general Abdul Rahman Hamid lodged the report on Thursday (December 6), The Star reported.
RTM claimed that the three organisations falsely reported that the recent termination of the service of two radio presenters from MINNALfm were linked to their involvement in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
In the same police report, RTM further denied that an internal job reshuffle involving five other radio presenters were also due to their links to Hindraf.
On the other hand, The Star reported yesterday that Mr Maidin denied Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang’s allegation in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday that seven deejays of Minnal fm, including the two, had their contracts terminated for taking part in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on November 25.
Mr Maidin was also quoted as saying that contracts of the two deejays at Minnal fm were not extended due to indiscipline and unsatisfactory work performance.
Bernama gave away the context as to the circumstances of the RTM police report. It was made by the DG of Broadcasting at at the Brickfields police station at 9.16pm -- soon after Mr Maidin's press statement.
The Police will be busy with media-related police reports as this blogger also faced one for speaking on Al-Jazeera.
And don't forget, Malaysia is a big democracy.
Malay Mail not for sale... after all
The board of New Straits Times Press (NSTP), which owns the 111-year old Malay Mail, has rejected the buy-over bid that Singapore Business Times reported November 4.
KL-based Business Times correspondent S. Jayasankaran, in another story published yesterday, confirmed what Screenshots reported four days ago that the bid involved a Daim's Boy who was teaming up with "a former Anwar's Boy from Nexnews to take over Malay Mail". Quote:
Mr Ibrahim (Mohammad Nor), a low-profile publisher of lifestyle magazines and a protege of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, joined forces with Mr Tong (Kooi Ong), who owns The Edge Financial Daily and The Sun newspaper through listed Nexnews, to bid for The Malay Mail in October.
The duo offered RM5 million for the 11-year-old daily paper and a further RM3 million for its archives, according to sources.
Political sensitivities may have also impeded the sale, the Business Times said, quoting sources. Quote:
NSTP, the country's largest publisher with six English and Malay newspapers, is owned by a company linked to the ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the dominant political party that represents Malaysia's majority race.
The sale of one of its units to an ethnic Chinese publisher - even one in partnership with a Malay businessman - could have drawn flak from within the party.
Moreover, said the Business Times, Tong owns theSun, which is distributed free and considered a competitor to NSTP's flagship newspaper The New Straits Times.
Doing business in Malaysia
According to the business sheets, events surrounding the bid for The Malay Mail epitomise the complexities of doing business in Malaysia, especially in the sensitive area of newspaper publishing, where political considerations often outweigh commercial sense.
All of Malaysia's mainstream newspapers and television channels are either owned outright by political parties within the ruling National Front government or controlled by businessmen who support the government, the Business Times said.
Between July last year and June this year, which a dismal failure in a 'last-ditch' makeover exercise, The Malay Mail's circulation plunged 38% as monitored by Malaysia's Audit Bureau of Circulation.
With the NSTP board's decision to reject the bid offer, the fate of the loss-making paper hangs in the balance.
When Malay Mail was reinvented last year, it was losing RM7 million a year. It could be more now, Business Times said.
December 07, 2007
'Jeff 4 Malaysia'... 07.12.2007
Updates on Jeff 4 Malaysia:
1 ) TIME: Malaysia’s Identity Crisis
2 ) Jeff Ooi summoned by Bukit Aman CCID
3 ) Free the 31
As the Jeff 4 Malaysia microsite runs on wordpress, the TypeKey commenter authentication module, a product by Movable Type which powers Screenshot, is not applicable.
However, as current Malaysian laws do not allow Internet to operate in a legal vacuum, manual moderation of readers' commentaries is in place.
Free the 31
I have endeavoured to make December the month of feeling good before 2008 crawls in.
But something not so pleasant still need to be said based on their merits.
For example, when lawyer-blogger Malik Imtiaz asks the Attorney-General, by prosecuting 31 civilians "caught in the wrong place at the wrong time" and letting Hindraf leaders go scotfree, isn't this selective prosecution?
FREE THE 31, Imtiaz says. I agree.
Indeed, we are still talking about the core issue of The Personal Dignity of Hindraf Supporters.
Since I wanted you to feel good in this main site, I have decided to shift the tough topics into the socio-political microsite at JEFF 4 MALAYSIA, if I may, for your indulgence.
Viewty: What can I say... the herald of next technology?
PART I: Viewty... The Phone
PART II: Viewty... The Camera
How best should I look at LG Viewty? As a connectivity-dependent mobile user as much as a serious photographer? Whatever it takes, expectations will be high, naturally.
I first savoured a pre-launch engineering unit a month ago, and wrote about it briefly on how it enticed me, superficially, as a 5-megapixel cameraphone with a real camera. Now it's time to take a deeper look, up-close and personal.
The KU990 Viewty review will come in two parts, the phone and the camera.
Viewty uses a F/2.8 lens certified by Schneider-Kreuznach of Germany
LG raised the stake, and conquered sizeable global market share when it started the Black Label series, namely LG Chocolate and LG Shine. It came in strongly through the design segment and apparently wowed the world over. LG Viewty is a slight departure from the Black Label series -- the third and final model will only be unveiled sometime next year -- as it chose to impress mobile users from the feature segment.
After two years of brisk LG marketing and interfacing with consumer insights, especially the European market, we are convinced that the Black Series has given this Korean handset maker a different launchpad for future releases. That is to look out for more Blue Ocean product concepts and market clusters.
'Fact-based, not just image-driven marketing'
The entry points for the Black Label series, as exemplified by the immensely successful Chocolate and Shine, can be rationalised as having encapsulated the ideas and technology innovations that dictate certain nuances: Stylish, premium-grade, fashionable, trendy and an appearance that is impressionist. They target the trend-setters.
Viewty, on the other hand, bets on the feature segment of a high-grade handset: It commands the nuances of adopters who are professional, fact-based in approach, particular about core benefits, expecting practicality but do not mind advanced technology. The target audience are the experts who want convincing features, for example, a cameraphone must have a real camera in it and nothing less.
I had the opportunity to talk with Mr Chang Ma (picture below), vice president for strategic planning for LG Mobile for all its global market groups, during the Asian Media launch in Macau recently.
Chang Ma... New starting point after the Black Label series
"We need to find a different starting point from the Black Series," he said. "In Viewty, we are looking at rational and fact-based strategies, rather than the image-driven marketing."
Let's put it this way. 3G is getting more pervasive with the 3.6Mbps HSDPA to boot, what shall we do if we really need to pay for a cameraphone? We demand for a better, or a real professional camera-in-the-phone that good pictures like a full-blown point-and-shoot, pump the pictures across MMS or upload to a blog, and shoot up MPEG4 videos onto YouTube with a hot button. Experts, and bloggers, would love it.
I reckon LG read the tea-leaves very well, that most people are not satisfied with camera functions and quality of the regular 2MP or 3MP cameraphones. Taking pictures must mean taking real pictures as good as a regular digital camera. For video recording, it must be good for playback on the TV screen. And since it;s the age of HSDPA, let;s link the 3.5G network with the Internet.
That's the concept for a modern phone. The bar has raised because consumer expectation has been raised.
The camera portion of Viewty scores many first-in-class features, but let's not forget that it is equally impressive on the phone itself.
![Nov23-Launch_16.19[03].jpg](http://web.archive.org./web/20081217150008im_/http://www.jeffooi.com/2007Q4/Nov23-Launch_16.19%5B03%5D.jpg)
Viewty was launched in KL on November 23, ten days after the Asian debut in Macau.
It's also the first product launch for Mr TY Ko (second from left)
as the new MD for LG Electronics Malaysia
LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi, using Viewty on manual focus, no flash
FORM FACTOR
Viewing the Viewty, you can't ignore the fact that, it is primarily a 3.5G phone, then comes the camera. So the form factor associated with the benchmark that the Black Label series initiated must radiate.
It's black, sleek and slim compared to the 5MP rivals available on the market, and it has a 3-inch LCD screen (Perfect for a camera, indeed).
The operating system and the user interface reminisce that of LG Shine, where the menu is clustered into four groupings, with intuitive expansion of sub-menus for each.
It's a full touch-screen handset, where scrolling of content and functions can be executed effortlessly with a stylus contained in a mascara-tube, a jog wheel (which acts up as a camera focus control and volume control for MP3 playback), or sheer sensor touch of the screen itself.
Buttons and controls are minimalistics with capabilities for multiple functions. The socket for battery charger acts as the interface for TV out and USB interface. The phone lock/unlock key acts as the trigger for Image Stabiliser during camera mode. A power on/off button acts as a quick key to end-call or abort any function in use. Then, there's a 3-lever slider for camera controls (stills, videos & playback), and an accept-call button and a cancel button. Minimalistic yet fully functional.
USER INTERFACE & FUNCTIONS
All the regular features of a modern phone are present, but, I must say again, the arrangement for the menus and sub-menus are intuitive and matches a person's reflex.
The first cluster deals with phone operation: Dialling, contacts management, call logs and messaging.
The font size for messaging and contacts looks like 11-point Arial on a regular computer monitor, so you don't have to strain the eyes. There is a 2-level contrast to adjust to illuminate the screen to your comfort. The handset carries a default memory for 500 contact entries, though I had hoped for more, like what Nokia N75 offers. However, the 128k USIM card that your celco isses may take in another 500 contact entries, and they both can be backed up on the external memory, which takes a maxim capacity of 2GB data.
The second cluster of main menue is basically devoted to multimedia functions, from camera to video to music, from music and video playlists to FM radio, voice recording and phone games. A muvee studio, a simple application that enables you perform some photo editing and create slide shows.
There is a data management selection under "My Stuff". This is where all taken images and videos are stored, and all flash content and documents are retrieved.
The third cluster is the set of menus for browser-based applications and personal digital assistance-related function, while the last cluster is catered to various utility settings.
Another thing that comes along with the Viewty OS and UI is the multi-tasking features, it gives you relative convenience despite the gamut of features packed into the phone. I somehow find another competitor's 5MP phone sluggish when multi-tasking is engaged.
POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE
Down-sides are few. It would be perfect if there was WiFi capability, so that uploading videos to YouTube could be free from celco networks' data charges (but then, you have to contend with insecure connection in public WiFi cloud should password be transmitted in the process).
One major dissatisfaction, and this is my personal observation, is the tools packaged for the PC Suite. It doesn't work as seamlessly as it was intended for phone-to-PC transfers, and vice versa. The solution is to set the phone to "mass storage" mode, and file transfers via USB connection will be effortless.
I have more details on this user experience issue in Lemak Lemang, my other blog on CNet Asia.
Overall, the user experience was good. It does not forbid a person like me, who is so used to Sony Ericsson and S40/S60 OSes, to adapt to the new UI on Viewty. Its being intuitive has saved a lot of headache.
With the slim body packing a 5MP camera with stunning features and capabilities, which I will review separately in Part II, plus the 3-inch definitive LCD screen, Viewty sets the feature standards for what a cameraphone should be. Simplicity amidst a high level of sophistication.
The suggested retail price for Viewty is RM2,099.00. A Canon Selphy portable photo printer worth RM599.00 is bundled free during the promotion period, which ends on December 31, 2007.
PART I: Viewty... The Phone
PART II: Viewty... The Camera
December 06, 2007
Human Rights? Get inside, go indoor
Human rights? You need police permit!
Two days ago, the Bar Council said it has decided to call off the annual Human Rights Day walk on Sunday, December 9, organised in conjunction with UN's World Human Rights Day, but will proceed with the rest of the festivities and performances at the Central Market as planned.
No. That's not the case.
Bar Council has been notified by the police that its Festival of Rights programmes require a police permit. A 'permit mesyuarat/perjumpaan' or so it seems.
It is learned that Bar Council will not apply for it.
Instead, the festivities scheduled for Sunday will be moved indoor, inside the Bar Council Building.
'Licensed expression is not freedom of expression'
Commenting on the latest development, Edmund Bob, the chairman of Bar Council Human Rights Committee said: "It would be ironic and outrageous for us to make such an application."
"On a day where everyone ought to celebrate human rights, it is also an important time to take stock of the repression of rights in this country, particularly the regulation of free speech and expression by way of licensing requirements," he said in a personal note to Screenshots.
"The right to freedom of expression in Malaysia is in practical terms illusory," he said. "Licensed expression is not expression. We need to change this."
"On International Human Rights Day where there is much to celebrate around the world, this year in our country, we protest," Bon added.
"We protest in a place where human rights, free speech and expression is vigorously respected and defended."
The theme of the Festival of Rights this year is "As I Believe: Freedom of Expression through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience". It will showcase the indivisibility of rights, and how various forms of expression are manifested in the facets of humanity.
Programmes start 9.00am on Sunday. Details here.
Hi Nic
I am on for this Thursday.
We are doing a photography seminar this Dec 22.
http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/12/post_62.php
The ideas never let off.
(Who took your wedding photos? :-)
Cheers
Jeff
Malaysia is one big Democracy
Those who think Malaysia's government system is worse than Myanmar or Pakistan, sit up. You are wrong. Very wrong.
Today, The NST frontpaged the result of 'a new global survey, Voice of the People, conducted by TNS and Gallup International', which concluded that:
1 ) 74% of Malaysians feel that elections in the country are free and fair
2 ) 69% feel that the people are well-represented by the government
With that statistics, it attests that Malaysia scored the highest in the region on the public perception of democratic practice. In contrast to Malaysia, the regional average only has 53% of the people believe that elections in their country are neither free nor fair, and nearly 61% do not feel that their government follows the will of the people.
The survey in Malaysia has a sampling size of 1,250. The fieldwork was done face-to-face with the samples in urban areas across Peninsular Malaysia.
Significantly, the survey was conducted over a one-month period from July 2 through August 5 -- distinctively before the September 8 Batu Buruk Shooting Incident, the September 25 Bar Council March, the November 10 BERSIH Rally, and the November 25 Hindraf Rally, respectively, and way before the VK Lingam Tape was exposed.
Investigative journalists who wanted further information on the survey can contact Ms Yang Bee Yoke of TNS Malaysia at BeeYoke.Yang (at) tns-global.com.
In a press release dated December 3, the Voice of People listed the key findings of the latest survey as follows:
Despite this clear legitimacy of the system, strong criticism are made on its functioning: The poll, which interviewed over 60,000 people in 57 countries last Summer, shows that nearly half of the respondents think elections in their country are not free and fair and six in ten that governments across the world do not follow the people’s will when it comes to making decisions.
You may download the executive summary of the survey report here.
Democracy? Dia-mahu-kita-kasi
UPDATES: 12:10hr: The Star missed the story in the print version, so it double-sped on Star Online awhile ago.
Smile, and the world smiles with you
Wasn't there a song that Sudirman sang to promote Malaysia to the world sometime back? Smile?
Stumbled upon this through a widget I installed for my partnerpage with Google.
It's from a set of optical illusion of accidental smileys created by Vurdlak, distributed via iGoogle community. Try it, if you are a Google user of any sort. You can personalise the page.
That would be every photographer's dream to capture optical illusions in the shapes of happy smileys.
Malay Mail for sale, finally?
The suitor is a former Daim's Boy, who is now linked to Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) in business partnership.
Perhaps, once out of Jalan Riong, the 111-year old Malay Mail may get a new lease of life. Nevermind if it was "re-invented" just last year.
S. Jayasankaran, who wrote the story for SPH-owned Straits Times, said there are people who think that The Malay Mail can be resurrected despite the accumulated losses. And the Daim's Boy is not alone.
Another businessman who unsuccessfully bid for the paper early this year, said Straits Times, was Tony Fernandes, that AirAsia guy who is now linked to ECM Libra.
But I was told, this time around, the Daim's Boy will team up with a former Anwar's Boy from Nexnews to take over Malay Mail.
December 05, 2007
Glocal Australian, anyone?
This is my third posting in two weeks on Australia's Prime Minister-elect, Kevin Rudd. His Chinese name is 陆克文.
Now, listen to his Mandarin in an interview over China Central TV (CCTV), while his Chinese host spoke in English. It was recorded before he trounced John Howard at the polls on November 24.
Through the interview, we knew that Rudd's daughter married a Chinese-Australian, while all his three children studied Chinese during their student days. His second son, a law student, is now studying in Fudan University, Shanghai.
Glocal Australian, Najib? By population, Australia has 7 million people less compared to Malaysia.
(Umno's) Chief Judge-to-be?
Today, PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that the President of Court of Appeal and acting Chief Judge, Justice Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mohamad has been appointed Chief Justice with effect from November 1.
At the same time, Zaki Azmi has been made the president of the Court of Appeal, the No. 2 in Malaysia's Judiciary system, albeit without an effective date of commencement of office.
The scenario Screenshots narrated on November 1 is thus becoming true.
With the retirement of Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as the Chief Justice, his successor Abdul Hamid will have some five months to warm the seat before he, too, retires though a 6-month extension after April 2008 is not unimaginable.
The linch to the lynch is who will succeed Abdul Hamid in a short time, and stay on for a reasonable period of time thereafter.
FLASHBACK. This is what I wrote on November 1:
However, the legal circle and the Parliament were rumbling with the possibility that the CJ's post may go to somebody else, who went straight to be a Federal Court judge only a month ago, bypassing the conventional process of having to first serve as a presiding judge in the (lower courts namely the) High Court and the Court of Appeal?In other words, is the new CJ going to be the same man who had served as a lawyer at various capacities -- as the legal advisor and official position-bearer for Umno, and as a director in Berjaya-related company?
And this is what I warned the Bar Council on November 2: Press on for the setting up of a judicial appointments commission for the appointment and promotion of judges;
For once, let's try to feel good for Malaysia, and for many years to come.
UPDATES: Bernama has the story, time-stamped 4:46pm.
Why have mercy on TM?
Take their money and run. Or just spend!
I thought one of the best ways to end 2007 is to make yourself a millionaire… No, count it in Ringgit, not renminbi or rupiah.
There are chances to hit the jackpot, and I thought you should have no mercy on Telekom Malaysia (TM). Take their money and run. Or just spend it.
This is not a joke but a real opportunity I am talking about.
You see, TM is giving away one million ringgit – that’s RM1 with whooping six zeroes behind it – in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Merdeka. Or what the advertisement has branded as TM Merdeka Millionaire contest.
Time is running out as the contest will close by December 31, 2007.
Procrastination, a Malaysian culture?
Let me tell you this: You can beat the tape because, if I am not wrong, Malaysians are known to procrastinate. Last minute is a philosophy of life. Excuses for non-action is another.
We know all too well. Malaysians pay bills and police fines at the last minute. They pay Income Tax also at the last minute. Study for exam lagi last minute. For contest like this lagi lagi last minute. It is very likely that people will just be as last minute for this TM Merdeka Millionaire contest. Get the drift?
Another thing. There will always be nay-sayers who think they can never be that lucky to strike gold. Or for that matter, win anything big in any contest. To them, nothing ever gets changed in life. Not even Hindraf Rally.
So, pit yourself against such mindset and such mentality, put in just a little more effort, probably you will stand up against the Average Joe. Not for anything, but sometimes you just need to try harder in order to beat the rest. Just that little extra.
By the way, this TM Merdeka Millionaire contest is exclusive to residential customers, so you have no competition from corporate or business users. They have been eliminated.
Prizes, and I blew them all
Besides the grand prize of RM1,000.000 cash, there's a free Proton Perdana, and you have monthly prizes of overseas holiday package (EPL/Beijing Olympics) for two worth RM15,000, the Visit Malaysia holiday package for four worth RM5,000 and 3G Nokia mobilephones. And the monthly cash rebate of RM100 that be used to offset the fixed line phone rentals blah blah blah
I blew all those as I took no notice of such offers in the last eleven months.
To be frank, I am also one of those who nosed down on the TM Merdeka Millionaire contest. But the last I checked, it merely takes you 5 minutes to get it done and over with.
First of all, make sure you are a residential customer who has an account for any of the TM or Celcom products: TM Homeline, Let’s Talk package, TM Home Prepaid, TM Net services, Celcom Postpaid or Celcom Prepaid services.
I wasted it all. Only now do I realise I am so dependent on TM – My household uses four out of the six TM/Celcom services mentioned above. Didn't realise it! We have two fixed lines, hopelessly dependent on TM Net, and we hold two Celcom numbers.
Perhaps my wife will be more persistent than I am. I will get her, and will encourage each other, to download the contest form from www.tmonline.com.my and do something about it. The hardest part seems to be writing a slogan. But no sweatlah.
Let’s be mean. Since TM is throwing money at its ‘loyal customers', and we are two among this group of residential customers, why have mercy?
Give it a shot, my friend. Your life may change in the next few weeks. Better still, take the TM money and run. Or just spend for year-end.
P/S: You just need to buy me a teh tarik if you win. I will do the same if I beat you to the tape as I am also a TM customer. (Bulb blinking ;-)
Worrying message on the Internet
Good news or bad news? There are now about 5,600 websites spreading al Qaeda's ideology worldwide, researcher Khaled al-Faram told the Information Technology and National Security conference in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh yesterday.
Not enough? About 900 more of such websites are appearing each year.
The researcher said it was difficult to track most of the sites, though hardcore al Qaeda sites often change addresses to avoid detection or start up again elsewhere once infiltrated.
Faram was addressing a conference organized by the Saudi intelligence agency to encourage the public to cooperate more with the government and share expertise on how to survey the Internet for militant activity.
Tools of the governments
The long lull after 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US seems to have put Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, on the guard. It has identified the Internet as a key battlefield with militants who launched a campaign to topple the U.S.-allied ruling royal family in 2003.
"The Internet, chat lines, text messages -- these are the new warriors," Alessandro Zanasi, an expert on Internet monitoring known as "text mining", was quoted as saying in the Reuters story.
This week, the Saudi intelligence agency launched a website in an effort to open up to the public and change the negative perceptions of security services. People can now send information anonymously to the site about any suspicious activity.
As a rebranding Exercise, the Saudi authorities are using the word 'Istikhbarat' to refer to their intelligence agencies, instead of the regular word 'Mukhabarat', which is generally feared in the Arab world as governments' tools that abuse human rights.
Abdullah vs Malaysians: 1-0
The person I had tried to talk to yesterday was lawyer Edmund Bon, the Chair of Bar Council Human Rights Committee
The annual Human Rights Day walk, scheduled and planned for Sunday, December 9 in conjunction with with UN's World Human Rights Day (December 10), has been aborted.
Bon must have mixed feelings over a miscarriage after having spent time, much like months of nurturing the embryo in the womb. I wanted to hear him out.
Does it mean this Abdullah Administration is content and intent to cease being a UN advocate for a day just to spin his political maneouvres a yard longer?
Let the records stand. I reckon global human rights organisations are taking notes for their 2008 annual reports. We atill have to face the world to carry out multi-lateral trades in a global village.
As it is, I didn't finally manage to talk to Bon on live calls, but he was kind to send him an email and a personal reflection that should not be misconstrued as conflicting the official statement from the Bar Council over the matter.
Read on for what was regarded as a 'missed opportunity' for Malaysia.
What Edmund Bon told me and us...
Since April this year, the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Council has been tirelessly planning its annual Festival of Rights (to commemorate Human Rights Day) to be held on 9 December 2007. Much credit goes out to all in the team especially the Chair of the Organising Committee, Dara Waheda Bt Mohd Rufin. As Chair of the main Committee, I owe an explanation to everyone who has followed this event with keen interest. Three major rallies have been held since we first planned the Festival of Rights - the Bar’s Walk for Justice, one by BERSIH and another by HINDRAF. The primary intent of the said rallies was to peacefully yet purposefully convey various messages to those who are able to act on them. At both the BERSIH and HINDRAF rallies, observers for the Bar Council on the ground witnessed and experienced the effects of tear gas and chemically-laced water which were unjustifiably used by the authorities on peaceful citizens of our country seeking to exercise their rights to peaceful assembly. This was extremely painful and disappointing.
Subsequent to each rally, the authorities including the police and Ministers in Government vilified the participants and organisers. They attempted to influence public opinion by distorting the nature, purpose and effect of the assemblies. Coupled with the unnecessary and wanton use of force to disperse the participants, the purport of their criticisms was to engineer an aversion towards public demonstrations of support and solidarity. These developments have been most disconcerting. Key features in our democracy are speedily being dismantled, and we appear to be continuing down a dangerous path to greater authoritarianism.With these events which precipitated the Peoples’ Freedom Walk in mind, there were generally three options open to the Bar Council – to proceed as planned without a police permit, to proceed with a permit or to call off the Walk. After a lengthy debate with equally valid arguments in favour of each option, the Council decided by a majority on the third option. It was not an easy decision. I was in the minority, seeking to re-affirm our earlier decision which was to proceed without a permit. Nevertheless, once a decision is made, we must abide by it.
It must be explained that before the decision was taken, Council had notified the police regarding the planned Walk by a letter. This is consistent with international human rights practice. Our leaders, the President and Vice-President, then made every effort humanly possible to negotiate with and seek the assistance of the police to facilitate the Walk. However, the police wrote to request that an application for a permit be made.
For some of us, making an application for a permit would be contrary to Council’s position contained in our submissions during the Inquiry into the Bloody Sunday incident at KLCC in 2006. Further, we are against the present "licensing" model which empowers the police to regulate the right to peaceful assembly by the issuance (or otherwise) of a permit. We recommended that a "co-operative" model be adopted where the organisers and authorities worked together in the spirit of co-operation to facilitate any proposed assembly. Our submissions were adopted by SUHAKAM.
It is also pertinent to note that when we walked to the Prime Minister’s Office at the Walk for Justice, no application for a police permit was made. Our leaders are currently being investigated for an offence. We must stand united with them and continue to adopt the position taken at the Walk for Justice at any cost. We cannot waver.Much as Council's position that we ought not require a permit for a peaceful assembly is consistent with human rights law, an equally important consideration is whether we should nevertheless exercise our right to peaceful assembly under current conditions. We may lay claim to a right, and yet choose to exercise it sometimes, all the time or not at all.
It is not easy to dismiss the argument that in view of recent events and the attitude of the authorities, it would be dangerous to proceed with the Walk, and with little assurance that the safety of our participants would be guaranteed. We expected a large number of participants from various walks of life including women, children, the elderly, refugees and the Orang Asli.
Another overarching consideration continues to be the credibility and integrity of the Bar, and the welfare of our members. We cannot allow our well-intentioned motives and actions be distorted willy-nilly by those who hold positions of power in Government and influence over the media. The cause of human rights will continue to be fought nonetheless, and there is less lost in calling off the Walk as opposed to having to deal with an unmitigated disaster post-Walk, a prospect which is more real than imagined. It was an extremely difficult decision, but the majority felt that there was no better alternative.
As stated by our Bar President, this is a “missed opportunity”. It is sadly a loss for our nation and the Government as we seek to build a liberal, tolerant and caring society encapsulated in Vision 2020. Despite being a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, our Government clearly lacks sufficient political will to meet the expectations of Malaysians to respect and protect human rights, and to fulfil its international obligations.
This year, we will not be able to walk on our streets in commemoration of a joyous occasion. This year, Malaysians will be compelled to celebrate Human Rights Day in a fashion of protest. Protest by NOT walking our streets, or re-claiming them. We know we could have walked and re-claimed it, easily. We will take the streets in celebration on another day. We could have proceeded and joined the masses in the thousands at the Walk. But we chose not to. We could have been dispersed forcefully by the authorities. But we chose not to let them do so. A story in the media could have been spun about the Bar and paint it in a negative light. But we chose not to give them that luxury. It was never originally intended this way. But it has turned out so.
To all those who expressed their interest in the Walk, we are truly grateful and touched for your show of support. We understand that this Walk has created much excitement even among our friends from the rural settlements and the Orang Asli who intended to travel from far to join us. Speaking for the Committee, we deeply regret any inconvenience or misgivings we have caused.We apologise for calling off the Walk. Please join us for Part 2 of the Festival which starts at 9.00am at Central Market. Among others, we will have a lip-reading session of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a multi-religious forum titled “When Faith Meets Law” which showcases religious leaders on the panel of speakers, an Orang Asli cultural performance and various performances featuring artists within the Bar and outside of it. Breakfast and lunch will be served.
We will continue to do what is right in the interests of the Bar and civil society. Rest assured, this difficult struggle will continue unabated. I urge you to stand in solidarity by our Bar leaders during these trying times.
We intend to call for an emergency meeting on Thursday (6 December 2007) at the Bar Council Auditorium with all the invited groups to explain these developments and discuss further action with respect to the Festival, and everyone will be informed of the confirmed time. For further details, please contact Mohd Rezib Bin Mohamed (03-20316367)
09.12.2007
UN Human Rights Day Festivities
Central market, Kuala Lumpur=
0900 Welcome speech Welcome speech (Ambiga Sreenevasan, President, Bar Council)0910 “Speechless”: Lip-reading of the UDHR (led by Wong Nyok Mei)
0925 Breakfast and prize-giving ceremony for essay competition 2006 winners (BM and English)
0935 Poetry Reading (Noreen Ariff)
0945 Conversations: “When Faith Meets Law” (multi-religious forum)
- Hj Mohd Yusop B. Hj Husin, Timbalan Pengarah, Jabatan Agama Islam Perak
- Bishop Paul Tan, Christian Federation Malaysia
- Datuk A. Vaithilingam, Hindu Sangam
- Sarath Surendre, Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
- Hargopal Gill Sikh, (Sikh)
- Ng Chek, Federation of Taoist Associations Malaysia
(colouring session for children commences)
1100 Cultural performance by the Orang Asli (Pusat Kebudayaan SPNS)
1115 “I wish that ……” session (led by Fadiah Nadwa Fikri)
1130 Stage performances by various artists/activists
# Fahri Azzat & His Soul Brotha (1135 – 1150)
# The Wave (1155 – 1210)
# Lai Chee Hoe (1215 – 1230)
# Cassarrah feat. Amer (1235 – 1250)
# Dr Wan Zawawi (1255 – 1310)
# Couple (1315 – 1330)
# KL Legal Aid Centre (1335 – 1350)
# Tina and Dipendra (1355 – 1410)1415 Closing speech
December 04, 2007
26 Hindraf supporters charged with attempted murder
UPDATED VERSION. Today, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail led a high-powered prosecution team to charge 26 Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters with attempted murder and causing damage to public property during the Nov 25 mass rally in Kuala Lumpur.
Over at Angkasapuri, Mr Maidin said Hindraf is not qualified to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is said to have Big Ears, to discuss the problems of the Indian community because the organisation is not recognised by anyone.
Out of the twenty-six charged today, 15 were earlier charged at the Selayang Sessions Court last week for allegedly taking part in an illegal gathering under the Police Act and the Penal Code. They were subsequently released on bail.
Today, they were slapped with additional charges under Section 307 of the Penal Code for alleged attempted murder and causing mischief while taking part in an unlawful assembly or riot under Section 440 of the same code.
Under Section 307 of the Penal Code, the accused, upon conviction, are liable to a maximum of 20 years jail if hurt is caused. While under Section 440, they could face up to five years’ jail and a fine.
They are also liable to a jail sentence of up to a year and maximum RM10,000 fine for the illegal gathering charge.
AG led prosecution
The AG-led prosecution team comprised Yusof Zainal Abiden, who is prosecution chief in the AG's Chambers, and Nik Suhaimi Nik Sulaiman, who is Selangor state prosecution chief.
According to the charge sheet, Malaysiakini reported, the accused were alleged to have attemped to kill police officer Dadi Abdul Rani. Crime scene was at the Batu Caves temple.
Abdul Gani Patail said the alleged victim was a policeman who received stitches to his head after protesters threw iron pipes and bricks.
"They threw bricks at his head. Do you think it will not cause death?" he told AFP.
Interestingly, nobody was charged for hurting another policemen, Dang Wangi CID sub-inspector Chew Choon Peng, who had two gashes on his head and given 12 stitches.
Flip the coin the other way, in the Batuk Buruk Incident, have the files reached the AG's Chambers on the case of the Police firing live bullets at the civilians, and having caused harm, been judicially dealt with at the same God-s speed?
When law and order is enforced, and even if all prosecuted protesters convicted, will the marginalised Indian community be any better off?
UPDATES: R Nadeswaran says the law is an ass.
Nevermind if Citizen-Nades is referring to the kind of lawlessness and chaos that have descended on local councils -- "because all and sundry including land-grabbers have been appointed as councillors". The system, he says, needs to be cleaned up but just soap and water won’t do. Only caustic soda can get rid of the grime accumulated over the years.
Food for thought.
Dec 9: No walk, only talk... and performances
UPDATED VERSION. The Bar Council has decided to call off its annual Human Rights Day walk on Sunday, December 9.
However, the rest of the festivities and performances at the Central Market will proceed as planned.
We do not know if Bar Council has bowed in to pressure from the authorities to obtain a police permit. Or was it due to massive spin-doctoring that had labelled the Dec 9 People's Freedom Walk in conjunction with UN's World Human Rights Day as being anti-government? (Read Mr Maidin in Bernama.)
This is what traumatised my mind: Is this year's observation of the World Human Rights Day a joyous celebration for all? Or, by cancelling the Freedom Walk, is it a silent protest against those few who command power to govern the people, neo-feudal-style?
Sources said the council will issue a press statement soon to explain the reasons behind the decision. Let's wait for it to clear the air.
UPDATES: This is the official statement from Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan .
Dec 22: CY Leow Seminar for Amateur Photographers
Great news photographers have been waiting for!
C Y Leow (picture below), senior photographer and former Picture Editor in various major newspapers in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand, will be in town in three weeks' time.
This is his first visit to Malaysia in five years. CY, formerly from Penang, now resides in Wellington, New Zealand.
CY Leow in action when was a working photo-journalist in Malaysia
One-time photography seminar
Photography portal LensaMalaysia seizes the opportunity to invite him to conduct a seminar for amateur photographers. The event will be sponsored by LG Mobile, Malaysia.
CY's Photography Seminar for Serious Amateurs
DATE: Saturday, 22.12.2007
TIME: 2.00PM - 5.00PM
PLACE: National Science Centre, Bukit Kiara, Kuala LumpurLight refreshment will be served
SCOPE OF SEMINAR:
1 ) So you have a DSLR and you take pictures. What pictures?
2 ) Taking Pictures: "Decisive Moment" & what pump up your adrenalin
3 ) Baking Pictures: Some thoughts on Digital Post-Processing
4 ) Tools useful in Digital Post Processing
5 ) Workflow in Digital Post Processing
6 ) Showcasing of CY's Personal Collection
7 ) Q & A
The Digital Post Processing will be based on Adobe CS3.
This seminar is open to LensaMalaysia members and the general public, including LG Mobile customers. It is tailored for amateurs and serious enthusiasts, so there won't be to much focus on theories and technicalities. Pictures will be used extensively to illustrate concepts and skills.
Due to space constraints, seats are limited to 100 only. First-come-first-served.
Please go to LensaMalaysia Forum for more information on how to register for the Seminar.
CATCHING UP. LensaMalaysia is also arranging for a private get-together with CY's old friends on December 22. If you're in town and would like to join us for dinner, please email me or SMS: 019-376-1397.
Picture above shows CY Leow with his 1982 mastershot -- The Man and ;Bersih, Cekap, Amanah' -- that was exhibited at the National Art Gallery that I took of him when he last visited Malaysia in 2003 on the eve of Dr Mahathir's retirement:
Customers cry foul over TM Net mail proxy server
UPDATED VERSION. TM Net said a large number of IP addresses from its network have been blacklisted (sic! Blocklisted?) by many anti-spam organizations recently, causing its customers to be unable to send emails from their mail server to companies who might be using databases from these anti-spam organizations.
UPDATES: There is an on-going discussion in this Web Forum
To mitigate the problem, effective yesterday (December 3, 2007), TM decided to block OUTBOUND Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) traffic -- or port 25 -- for all out going e-mails from dynamic IP addresses. From now on, all outbound SMTP traffic (outgoing emails) must pass through smtp.streamyx.com and smtp.tm.net.my. No second choice.
The action will cause Streamyx users one major impact.
From now on, Streamyx customers who use their own mail server running on TM's dynamic IP addresses will NOT be able to send e-mails out.
As an alternative, TM (the mother company behind TM Net) is giving this type of customers a solution.-- an open relay proxy server.
But Streamyx customers are crying foul.
Open relay proxy server open to fraud?
One webhosting provider emailed Screenshots to complain that TM's action has caused the company 'a troubling amount of support manhours' as it has to assign st6aff to tell the clients why their mail servers are no longer accessible.
The company also had to spend additional resources to help the client migrate to TM Net's "reliable" SMTP servers.
"There had been no forewarning for us who use the internet for business," the system administrator said. "TM caught us unprepared!. A statement on the same date of their implementation is stupid!"
On the other hand, other TM net customers are saying if TM Net is genuine about blocking spammers, they can easily block port 25 specifically to bar those spammers.
By blocking port 25 for ALL users, the customers say, TM is forcing them to use a proxy server -- and an open relay at that - to send their e-mails out. Such act will not only make it extremely easy for EVERYONE using the TMNet proxy to get blacklisted as soon as a spammer hits it, it means all our e-mails will stay in the proxy server for some time and can be stored, read, filtered by someone.
Meaning, they are asking if TM is sure about privacy and security issues of their proxy server which came one live yesterday.
On this matter, I have checked all resources on the TM Net website but no guarantees on these issues were given.
Hence, another pertinent question begets. What's the global benchmark action for situations like this?
What Comcast did in the US
A Screenshots reader in the know emailed to say that, on first glance, it appears reasonable for TM and TM Net to block outbound traffic on port 25 in order to prevent spammers from abusing it.
"They may even point you to a "similar" move by Comcast in the US when they, too, had blocked port 25 to prevent spamming," the reader said.
However, the Comcast case is NOT the same thing that TM and TM Net are doing right now.
"What TM Net does is far beyond what Comcast was doing," he said in an email. "Not only is it ineffective against spamming, it could in fact be used to censor, filter and track e-mails sent by anyone using the TM Net network."
"What TM Net want is for all their users with external e-mail servers to send their e-mails to a open-relay proxy server before they are sent out to their destinations," he added.
"This is the troubling aspect of the whole issue. Why the need to send our e-mails through a proxy server when TM Net can do what Comcast did and just block port 25 for offending spammers? It just doesn't make sense!"
UPDATES: Relating to the issue, a Comcast tech support who 'happens' to read Screenshots gave the feedback that Comcast hasn't blocked port 25 completely, and some customers are still using it.
"Non-spammers who do get issues with port 25 are advised to switch to port 587," the Comcast person said. "Maybe that can be applied to TM Net as well?"
Complaints lodged with MCMC
Screenshots was made to understand that a KL-based technology publisher has written a letter of complaint to the MCMC, pointing out the futility of TM's action.
These are the reasons the company cited, arguing that TM's methodology will NOT prevent spamming, but will pose a real and genuine threat to the privacy of Streamyx users.
- Using open-relay proxy SMTP is not an option as there are a lot of email servers that would reject any emails sent from an open-relay SMTP server (such as the one suggested by TMNet-Streamyx) and this would mean that our legitimate emails would be blocked.
- What’s the point of implementing the blocking of Port 25 and yet have this open-relay SMTP proxy to be used? This would just allow spammers to flood this open relay proxy. In turn, this server would then be included into international RBLs and our legitimate emails would be blocked.
- If our emails are being proxied through this open relay server, what is the security, audit and privacy standards are in put place to assure users like us that our emails would NOT BE STORED on their server and WOULD NOT BE READ or SNIFFED at all. Our privacy is at stake here.
- And in any case that this open relay SMTP proxy server is down, how can we send out our emails then? What are the SLAs that is in place for this proxy server? Why penalise us users when we PAY MONEY for our own SMTP server to avoid being caught by our dear ISP’s ‘reliability’ in the first place?
- For mobile users who hops around Internet connections, from home Streamyx to public WiFi such as from Starbucks and etc, always changing the SMTP settings aren’t exactly a consumer friendly solution.
Way found to circumvent TM Net proxy
Meanwhile, a Screenshots reader emailed to say that his company has discovered a way to easily circumvent this "block" merely by changing ( 1 ) the port that your mail server listens to, and ( 2 ) the outbound port your e-mail client uses.
What this implies is that, sorry to say, TM Net's proxy server relay is actually useless.
"Any decent spammer will be able to circumvent the block and resume spamming in a matter of minutes," the reader said in his email.."As far as spam-blocking is concerned, this is a dead-end."
So, now the million dollar question. Why would TM and TM Net ask everyone to use their open relay proxy server?
Someone from MCMC and whoever is in charge of Content, Consumer and Network Security (OK, add Trust & Governance) has a prickly question to answer.
Take action. Don't just look into it the Amarjit way.
December 03, 2007
Malay song 'banned' for adulating BERSIH?
Seloka Cak Kun Cak, a popular Malay song by SM Salim and M. Nasir which contains repetitive mentioning of the word 'BERSIH' in the chorus, is believed to have been taken off the list of broadcast-able songs over the airwaves.
BERSIH, incidentally, is now hot on the lips of people after the November 10 rally organised by a coalition called BERSIH. The unprecedented mass rally culminated with the submission of a memorandum to the Agong, appealing for a fair and clean electoral system.
This is believed to be the part that is considered janggal to the broadcasters:
Kulitnya bersih, hatipun bersih
Budi yang baik hatinya pengasih
Kulitnya bersih, hatipun bersih
Memikul belati tiada yang memilihJadikan bersih, hatipun putih
Berkata benar bermulut fasih
Jadikan bersih, hatipun putih
Biarlah khazanah pintu terpilih
Listen to the song which has been available on YouTube since August 1 this year:
Rendered in the pattern of seloka (classical Malay poetry, derived from Sanskrit word, sloka, meaning 'a prayerful verse'), the number sings of the glorious days of the Malays once upon a time. Then, the Malays were renowned throughout the region, lived life in luxury, were invincible and strong-willed.
However, complacence sept in and the glory faded away to the brink of everything being lost, whereas those who bothered to labour on were the ones who tasted the nectar of success.
Malaysiakini Malay Edition has the story.
Seloka Cak Kun Cak Sung by SM Salim & M. Nasir
Satu masa yang telah silam Tak dapat diambil kembali Melayu masyhur serata alam Hidup mewah gagah sekali Pahlawan kita ramai terbilang Ditakuti ramai perwira Melawan musuh tak terbilang Keras semangat kerana bangsa Gerak semangat kerana bangsaDialog itu orang dulu, berani rajin
Kelekaan jangan dikenang
Lautan juga kelak direnang
hampir tinggal sehelai benang
bencana sengaja dipinang
jika perhati bangsa dagang
kapak beliong,di tangan memegang
kekayaan hendaklah diregang
akhirnya saudagar pangkat dijulangkorus
Disulami syair termasyhur
usahlah berdengkur
Kita jua yang bertafakur
Yang mana khilaf tegur menegurlaallalala
kulitnya bersih, hatipun bersih
budi yang baik hatinya pengasih
kulitnya bersih, hatipun bersih
memikul belati tiada yang memilihJadikan bersih, hatipun putih
Berkata benar bermulut fasih
Jadikan bersih, hatipun putih
Biarlah khazanah pintu terpilihhohoohoh
Awak yang payah membelah ruyung
Orang bertandang yang beroleh untung
Akhirnya kita tak akan dihitung
Dec 10: UN's World Human Rights Day
Dec 9: Bar Council's People's Freedom Walk
Plain phobia? After two rallies, Mr Maidin is now seeing ghost in a 'walk'.
Mr Maidin questioned Bar Council's real motive in organising the December 9 People's Freedom Walk, which is to be held in conjunction with an annual event sanctioned by the United Nations, the World Human Rights Day on December 10.
Mr Maidin told Bernama it was 'only a front to condemn the government under the guise of human rights'.
Mr Maidin also chastised an English daily for publishing reports promoting the Bar Council's plan to organise the People's Freedom Walk. He said the daily, which 'had given details on the time to gather for the walk and also encouraged the people to bring along posters', was not bothered about racial unity in the country.
Mr Maidin said his ministry, instead of the Internal Security Ministry which controls the newspapers' license and annual renewal, would write an official letter to the newspaper to ask it not to play up such news.
Freedom Walk, then stage performances
On the other hand, according to Bar Council's official website, its human rights committee chairman, Edmund Bon, said the December 9 People’s Freedom Walk will start from the Sogo complex on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and proceed through Dataran Merdeka to Central Market.
The walk will be followed with performances by home-grown artists and activists at the Central Market.
The theme this year is “As I Believe: Freedom of Expression through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience”.
Bar Council said in the statement that the time for congregation in front of the Sogo Complex is 7.00am. "This walk is open to everyone and you are welcome to bring banners highlighting human rights issues that they are concerned about,” Bon said.
For more information, call Rezib Mohamad at 03-2031 6367 or email: rezib @ malaysianbar.org.my.
Meanwhile, Bon has a response to Mr Maidin's attack. "Is the government against Human Rights?" asked lawyer Amir Hamzah, deputy chair of Bar Council Human Rights Committee. It's carried in tvPAS.
Last night, someone sent me a YouTube posted on December 1 that I'm too delighted to share with all Screenshots readers.
Turn on loud your speakers, will ya?
By the way, since when had Putrajaya appointed a Chief Group Editor-in-Chief for all Malaysian newspapers, and that this man dictates what could and could not be published?
How do you reconcile it with the Son-in-Law, who pontificated in front of my eyes, that liberalising media is a conscious policy imperative his Father-in-Law implemented after the 2004 general election?
Worrying message on Internet Malaysia
A Screenshots reader sent me this alert, that a well-known Malaysian NGO carries a recruitment drive for 'Hamas Boyz'.
It said: "Suicidal bomber wanted, no experience needed."
The message is short and concise, but not any less intimidating.
SOURCE: Portal PEKIDA, November 12, 2007 At 08:00 AM, powered by Network Thirty.
Police and leaders of BN component parties who read my blog please communicate internally and do something to allay the fears of the public.
We can't say we are not concerned as the organisation is closely linked to a dominant political party in the government.
December 02, 2007
Facebook Asia
Life's Good for Web2.0 and social networking!
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka Shing has invested US$60 million (RM204 million) in US-originated Facebook, Kara of the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital reported today.
S.H.E.
Life's Good for Malaysians!
It was a sellout crowd of over 15,000 people at Stadium Merdeka last night. Taiwan's girl-band S.H.E. were in town for their last-leg of 10-city 移動城堡演唱會 Asian Tour.
For the sake of our daughter, my wife and I stood out like sore thumbs among the lightsabre -waving teeny boppers.
But for the sake of our daughter, we did what parents do and swayed along with the music though we don't really know the repertoire.
Opening act... (from l-to-r) Selina, Hebe and Ella
Selina
Hebe
Ella
Hebe with boy-band Fahrenheit (four minus one).
Don't forget. S.H.E.'s fans from Singapore also contributed to our economy.
All LensaPictures by Jeff Ooi
In between shoot a young chief inspector walked up to me, telling me smilingly that he reads my blog everyday. I told him jokingly, when police start to read my blog, I'm in trouble. He gave me the human side of young, educated people in uniform. Polite, courteous, warm, well-informed.
The S.H.E. concert was hosted by LG Mobile, Thanks for the tickets, folks. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert, the photoshoot and the hospitality.
More S.H.E. pictures in LensaMalaysia.
I said it yesterday. The year is drawing to an end. I intend to make this the month of feeling good... if I may.
Post-Hindraf... 'Revoke their citizenship'
The issue of the marginalised Indian community may be lost.
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has now been accused of making allegations that the Government carried out ethnic cleansing of Indians in Malaysia.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, visibly angry in Malacca yesterday, has hit out at Hindraf and said: “The allegations are all lies to deceive the Indians that they are an exploited race. Malaysians will not believe this. Even the Malaysian Indians will not believe this."
Umno vice-president cum Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam urged the Government to revoke the citizenship of Hindraf) leaders.
While some Hindraf leaders are reported to be seeking appointments to meet international bodies to air their views -- DPM Najib Razak said this will hurt Malaysia - they are also seeking an appointment with Abdullah for the same purpose.
Let's see if Abdullah will lend his Big Ears to his countrymen.
December 01, 2007
December 2007
The year is drawing to an end. I intend to make this the month of feeling good... if I may.
Café Latte Chat: 3 and 1 and then some
UPDATES, Sunday Dec 2, 2007: Here is the transcript with video link.
Two BN Members of Parliament were seated cosy on one settee, this blogger and the Son-in-Law were separated by an independent voice sitting on another. Wong Chun Wai played moderator with a senior editor in tow.
That's the seating arrangement when we went into the studio of The Star's Multimedia Centre for the one-hour live taping of The Café Latte Chat Episode 2, Wednesday. The topic: Blogging, politics and the elections.
It was not really a BN 3 vs DAP 1 though we had Chia Kwang Chye (Gerakan), Wong Nai Chee (MCA) and the Son-in-Law (Umno) taking the Establishment views, and this blogger the way he has consistently been in the last five years -- as a non-anonymous blogger.
Media and political analyst Gavin Khoo Kay Peng provided the balancing act speaking as an apolitical academic, while Star Online editor, Raslan Shariff, gave asides as a journalist and new media observer.
Political writer Joceline Tan was watching it live. She spotted what socks the Son-in-Law wore that day. Piercing eyes. I'll see if I could get Zorro and her to do tea one day.
Journalists Royce Cheah and Paul Choo laboured on the transcript (thanks!).
Anti-Government vs Pro-Malaysia
It was a chat rather than debate, so that might be the reason why all three of us -- Chia, Wong and I -- didn't respond to what the Son-in-Law had tried nitpicking on the notion of 'Not (being) anti-government but Pro-Malaysia' vis-a-vis the non-Governmental communities.
The people's rallies and violence (by the police and protesters) were referenced in passing. But it would take another session to debate the rudiments of human rights and Democracy, that the country shall come first before the government; that criticising the government and replacing it along institutionalised methodologies are essentially processes integral in a democracy system. Your claims and actions will have to be consistently consistent.
Is blog influencing the elections? I paid tribute to PAS for doing what they did, and are doing, otherwise.
The transcript will be published in Sunday Star tomorrow, and the video version will be hosted on Star Online. Catch it if you can, and give us your comments. I reckon it wouldn't be difficult to spot the ambivalent presence of active denials.
Episode 1, themed :Shrinking Chinese votes, was published last Sunday, sans the videos.
Post-Hindraf... It's (Ethnic) Majority Reports now
UPDATED VERSION. ”Do not meddle in our affairs. This is Malaysia, not Tamil Nadu ... lay off.”
Those words were from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz, who November 28 rebuked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhiafter our minister learned of reports that Karunanidhi had written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to take immediate and appropriate action to end the “sufferings and bad treatment” of Tamils in Malaysia.
Nazri's statement along the Parliament lobby two days ago had induced some reverberation in India.
Karunanidhi, who the chief of the DMK party that forms the Manmohan coalition government, has since said he was not to get into a tit-for-tat with Malaysia's Nazri, but emphasised that "it is my duty to defend Tamils".
The Economic Times of India, which said Nazri's comments has caused an uproar in the Parliament of India, carried several stinging letters to its editor, including three written by the Indian diaspora from USA:
- Thank you for speaking up on this issue. Malaysia is a wonderful but...
- India should sent the army to Malaysia
- Malaysia is a Muslim country
According to a dispatch by Press Trust of India (PTI) carried by The Hindu, the Indian Government on Friday told the Rajya Sabha (Parliament of India) that New Delhi was taking up the issue with Kuala Lumpur.
This contrasts starkly against a report in The Star yesterday that India’s Parliament has rejected a call to discuss the Hindraf demonstration.
Quote from PTI/The Hindu:
"The matter is being taken up through diplomatic channel," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri told the House during Zero Hour.He was responding to the concerns of members who took strong exception to a senior Malaysian minister asking Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to "lay off" from the happenings in that country.
Terming as condemnable the ill-treatment being meted out to ethnic Tamils, Pachouri said that after the matter was taken up with the Malaysian authorities, the External Affairs Minister would make a statement in the House.
Raising the issue, R Shanmugasundaram (DMK) drew the attention of the Governnment to the statement of the Malaysian Minister on the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. "This is highly condemnable as the Malaysian Minister has no business to talk like this. The Governnment of India should take appropriate action," he said.
S S Ahluwalia (BJP) demanded that the Malaysian envoy to India should be called to explain.
B S Gnanadesikan (Cong) expressed serious anguish over the manner in which the Chief Minister was snubbed by the Malaysian minister. He was joined by his party colleague V Narayanaswamy.
UPDATES. Bloomberg reported today, timelined New Delhi, that lawmakers in the Parliament of India were debating for the second consecutive day over the treatment of ethnic Indians in Malaysia by police.
Manmohan Singh 'forced to react'
The Times of India followed up with a story quoting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was addressing a joint press conference with EU president, Portuguese PM Jose Socrates, that his government was concerned over the plight of ethnic Indians in Malaysia.
The newspaper said Manmohan's UPA regime may not have spent sleepless nights over agitating Indians in Malaysia, but after a Malaysian minister took on UPA partner (Tamil nadu Chief Minister) M Karunanidhi, the government has been forced to react.
Diplomatic alert has heightened a little when foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee made a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament, proclaiming that, "We are in touch with the Malaysian authorities and the matter is being taken up."
The newspaper carried two Op-Ed pieces -- a view saying New Delhi should react, and a counter-view saying that it's Malaysia's problem.
There are now about 260 items indexed by Google News about India's reaction to Nazri's statement.
Indian TV channels have shown graphic images of police action on the protesters and newspapers splashed comments from Nazri who asked the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to "lay off" after he complained about the incident, Reuters reported.
Be warned: 'From Gandhi to VP'
November 29, P. Ramasamy, former professor of history at University Kebangsaan Malaysia who is now a research fellow at ISEAS, gave an interview to India's Daily News & Analysis (DNA) by saying that, if the Indian minority's 'genuine grievances continue to be ignored' in Malaysia, soon the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi -- a symbol of non-violent struggle -- will be replaced by that of (Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers leader) Velupillai Prabakaran.
You should read the interview given by Ramasamy, who was appointed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to its Constitutional Affairs Committee in 2003, as he connected the dots that link the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia (which accounts for most of the Indian population there) to the Tamil Eelam movement in Sri Lanka.
Interestingly, the New Jersey-based India Daily said the Indians' situation in Malaysia is far graver than understood. India faces another erupting ‘Sri Lanka’ in Malaysia, the daily said.
In reacting to Malaysia's policy on Indians, the daily suggested fiscal, trade and diplomatic boycott as the first step.
Meanwhile, the New York-based Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO International) has slammed the Malaysian government for targeting Indian minority in the country, over which the body said was in violation of universally accepted norms of human rights and of civil society. The association also urged India, Untied States and Britain to make the government take prompt remedial measures, The Hindu reported syndicating another dispatch from Press Trust of India (PTI).
The GOPIO International said it supported all efforts for fair and equal treatment of all citizens of a country, especially one with a significant population of people of Indian origin.
Most damning
But the most damning statement about Malaysia in relation to the plights of minority community had come from the Asian Center for Human Rights (ACHR).
It said Malaysia is a place where 'Racism is allowed, protest against racism isn’t'.
Giving the whole shebang a perspective, I don't think India will kick up a diplomatic row and meddle into internal affairs unless our leaders wanted the minority group to 'balik India'.
On the other hand, if the world is regarded a global village, I believe the Indian Diaspora is far larger than what Nazri understood for a majority-minority mantra.
There is a major majority out there that your multi-lateral trade relies upon. And India needs not your Proton or palm oil. Not any more.
For some advocates, the global village tours has just begun.
Thanks to Mohan and B Good for helping me research for this blog entry.
A set up
It's in the rumour mills for some time but only now do we confirm it.
That Malaysia is one country the Government taxed the people irrespective of race, but does not finance the building of public school if it's not a Sekolah Kebangsaan.
The latest method is for Ah Ong and Kerisham to 'set up' a Chinese tycoon to build a Chinese primary school in Puchong -- the way I read The Star today.
Another Minority Report basically