MALAYSIA , FEDERAL & STATE POLITICS

Ucapan Tok Guru Nik Aziz

2009-12-05T20:09:00.002Z

SPRM: Ahmad Said bersara awal, diganti Abu Kassim Mohamed

2009-12-05T15:58:00.001Z

Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed dilantik sebagai ketua pesuruhjaya baru Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) berkuatkuasa 1 Januari depan.

Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, berkata pelantikan timbalan ketua pesuruhjaya itu berikutan permohonan bertulis Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan supaya khidmatnya dipendekkan kepada akhir tahun ini.

Tambahnya, Ahmad Said mengemukakan notis bertulis supaya kontrak perkhidmatannya yang sepatutnya tamat pada 25 Mei tahun depan dipendekkan kepada 31 Disember ini.

Susulan keputusan itu, Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong telah memperkenankan supaya Abu Kassim dilantik sebagai penggantinya, katanya dalam satu kenyataan.

Berikut kenyataan penuh pelantikan Abu Kassim:

Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa Datuk Seri Ahmad Said bin Hamdan telah mengemukakan notis bertulis supaya kontrak perkhidmatan beliau sebagai ketua pesuruhjaya Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) yang sepatutnya tamat pada 25 Mei 2010 dipendekkan kepada 31 Disember 2009.

2. Kerajaan mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih di atas sumbangan Datuk Seri Ahmad Said bin Hamdan sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau dengan kerajaan.

Dalam tempoh menerajui SPRM sejak 14 Mei 2007, SPRM telah melaksanakan fungsi-fungsinya dengan cemerlang selaras dengan visinya untuk mewujudkan masyarakat Malaysia yang bebas daripada rasuah berlandaskan nilai-nilai kerohanian dan moral yang tinggi dan menjadikan SPRM agensi pembanterasan rasuah yang profesional dan unggul.

Dengan hasil usaha beliau, prestasi SPRM telah dapat dipertingkatkan.

3. Bagi mengisi jawatan yang akan dikosongkan oleh Datuk Seri Ahmad Said bin Hamdan, Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong berdasarkan peruntukan subseksyen 5(1) Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009 [Akta 694] telah memperkenankan supaya Datuk Abu Kassim bin Mohamed, timbalan ketua pesuruhjaya SPRM dilantik sebagai ketua pesuruhjaya SPRM yang baru, berkuatkuasa mulai 1 Januari 2010.

4. Datuk Abu Kassim bin Mohamed dilahirkan di Kuala Lumpur pada 5 Disember 1960, berkelulusan ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains Sosial dari Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang dan Sarjana Sains dalam bidang Criminal Justice dari Michigan State University, Amerika Syarikat.

Beliau memulakan kerjayanya dengan Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) pada 1 September 1984 apabila dilantik sebagai pegawai siasatan, Cawangan Tatatertib, ibu pejabat BPR, Kuala Lumpur.

Beliau pernah menyandang jawatan sebagai pengarah perancangan dan koordinasi dasar, Ibu Pejabat BPR, pengarah BPR Perak dan Pulau Pinang, pengarah Akademi Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia dan dipinjamkan sebagai ketua pegawai integriti, Amanah Raya Berhad.

Beliau telah dilantik sebagai timbalan ketua pengarah (Operasi) BPR pada 1 Jun 2007. Dengan berkuatkuasanya Akta 694 pada 1 Januari 2009, beliau telah dilantik sebagai timbalan ketua pesuruhjaya SPRM.

source malaysiakini

'Unlawful sacking': Last chance for Anwar

2009-12-03T10:03:00.001Z

After 11 years, Anwar Ibrahim's final chance to challenge his unlawful dismissal as deputy prime minister is being heard at the Federal Court today.

Three judges at the apex court would decide two questions of law and most importantly, should it decide in favour of Anwar, his application for damages.

The two questions are:

Whether Article 43(5) of the federal constitution specifically require the Agong to be the authority which revokes the appointment of the deputy prime minister and finance minister, or whether the cabinet has the right to revoke any appointment it makes; and

Whether the deletion of Anwar’s name as deputy premier and the substitution of Mahathir’s name as finance minister by virtue the Federal Government (Amendment) Order 1998, could in anyway cure the complete absence of the former premier complying with the explicit provision of the said Article 43(5).

Court of Appeal president Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, along with Federal Court judge Abdull Hamid Embung, will hear the appeal after it was postponed on Monday following justice Hashim Yusoff had decided to recuse himself.

Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh said since Hashim had heard Anwar’s sodomy matter at the Court of Appeal, he should be removed from the bench as his presence may prejudice the trial.

Following this, Hashim said, “If you want me to recuse myself, I will”.The third judge hearing this appeal is justice Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff.

Anwar was unsuccessful in the suit at the High Court when it struck out the matter. The Court of Appeal has also dismissed his appeal and ruled Anwar’s dismissal as lawful.

Angkatan Pemuda PR Serah Rakaman P Bala ke SPRM

2009-12-02T17:47:00.000Z

2009-11-30T15:59:00.001Z

SELPROA Video Released

2009-11-25T12:53:00.001Z

Pakatan aides form association to protect themselves

2009-11-25T11:46:00.000Z

SHAH ALAM, Nov 25 09 | malaysianinsider — By Neville Spykerman

Fearing they could face a fate similar as Teoh Beng Hock, other political aides to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have formed an association to protect their safety, human rights and welfare.

The Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Elected Representatives’ Officers Association (Selproa), which was registered this month with 85 members, today said they will not allow a second death resulting from "political persecution" to take place.

"We will continue to remember the tragedy of our colleague, who was found dead after being interrogated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)," said Selproa president Abdul Razak Ismail.

Abdul Razak, the personal assistant to state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar, alleged that Teoh was a victim of an underhanded and undemocratic attempt to topple the state government.

The political secretary of DAP’s Ean Yong Hian Wah was hauled up by the MACC to help investigations into allegations that PR state lawmakers had misused state allocations on July 15, but was found dead the next day at Plaza Masalam here. His death is now the subject of an ongoing public inquest.

Abdul Razak lashed out at the Attorney-General for challenging in court a circular by the Selangor mentri besar which prohibited state employees from giving statements to the MACC after hours.

The circular was issued by Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to protect state employees following Teoh’s death.

“We are outraged by the A-G’s application as this is a blatant denial of our right to work in a safe and secure environment.

"The prime minister’s greatest responsibility under the Federal Constitution is to protect the fundamental rights of all Malaysians."

Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as premier, failed to ensure Teoh’s safety and is conspiring with the A-G to ensure the circular is nullified, said Abdul Razak.

“We call on the A-G to withdraw the applications against the mentri besar’s circular, to ensure the safety and rights of political aides.”

EC Gets Stay Of Ruling Declaring Kota Siputeh Seat Vacant

2009-11-25T11:25:00.000Z

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- No by- election just yet for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah.

The Election Commission (EC) Tuesday obtained an interim stay order from the Court of Appeal on the High Court ruling declaring the seat vacant.

The stay of execution order was granted pending the disposal of the EC's appeal to the Court of Appeal against the High Court's Nov 16 ruling declaring the Kota Siputeh state seat vacant.

Following this decision, the EC would not be forced to issue the writ Wednesday to fix the dates for nomination and polling for the by-election.

According to the Elections Act 1958, the EC has 10 days to convene a special meeting to call for an election once the seat is declared vacant. That deadline is tomorrow since the High Court decision was made on Nov 16.

In unanimously allowing the EC's stay application, a three-judge panel comprising Court of Appeal judges Datuk Sulong Matjeraie and Datuk Kang Hwee Gee and High Court judge Datuk Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim held that there was special circumstances to grant the stay.

In delivering his decision at 7.30 pm, Sulong said the court was empowered under Order 44 of the Courts of Judicature Act to grant the interim stay to preserve the status quo to avoid unnecessary by-election and save public expenditure.

Sulong said the correctness of the High Court's ruling in declaring the Kota Siputeh seat vacant would have to be tested at the highest level, adding that no party would be prejudiced if the stay was granted.

He said the court was also of the view that points raised by Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaludin Md Said, representing the EC, were novel and constitutional on whether the failure of a state assemblyman to attend two sittings would result in a state seat becoming vacant.

He said the issue also touched on public interest and public policy and the decision in the appeal might have a far-reaching effect in other states. Sulong said the stay order was in respect of the High Court decision and not in respect of any particular provision.

The quorum also ordered that the EC's appeal be heard expeditiously.

However, the same quorum struck out with costs Abu Hassan's application for a similar order after the court agreed with counsel Sulaiman Abdullah's submission that he did not have the right to appeal because he did not apply for a stay at the High Court stage.

At the High Court, Abu Hassan only supported the EC's application for the stay order.

High Court judge Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin, on Nov 16, held that BN assemblyman Abu Hassan no longer held the seat after failing to attend two consecutive meetings of the state assembly without leave.

She allowed the judicial review brought by Kedah Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail, who sought to declare that Abu Hassan was no longer the assemblyman for the seat following his failure to attend two consecutive sittings of the state assembly, on April 19 and Aug 9, this year.

Meanwhile, in the two-and-half hour court hearing today, Kamaludin submitted that a stay should be granted to prevent an unnecessary by-election and wastage of public expenditure in the event the Court of Appeal allowed its (EC's) appeal and reversed the High Court ruling.

He said the EC's appeal of the High Court ruling would be rendered nugatory if the appellate court did not grant a stay order.

He also argued that the issues were of a novel one and public interest affecting the Kedah constitution.

Sulaiman, representing Dr Abdul Isa, however, argued that if the court should grant a stay, it would obstruct the operation of the Federal Constitution and State Constitution since the seat had been declared vacant.

Under the Federal Constitution, he said, when a seat was declared vacant, an election must be held within 60 days.

Sulaiman also said there was no urgency to grant the stay because the appellate court could hear the EC's appeal before 60 days.

He said that furthermore, by law, the court could not grant a stay on any declaratory order.

The hearing began at 3.30 Tuesday afternoon and the parties in the matter completed their submissions at about 5.50pm.

The quorum then took about one-and-half hours to deliberate before allowing the stay.

-- BERNAMA

Court Orders NSTP To Pay RM100,000 to Anwar

2009-11-25T10:21:00.000Z

From Malaysiakini | The High Court today ordered New Straits Times Press (M) to pay RM100,000 in damages to Anwar Ibrahim over a defamatory article published in 2002.

The court also ordered the media giant to pay RM20,000 in costs to the PKR leader.

Earlier the court ruled that NSTP had defamed Anwar in its article published in the New Straits Times on March 2, 2002.

The article, titled ‘Anwar’s link to US lobbyist’, claimed that the opposition leader had stashed RM3 billion in foreign accounts and had foreign links to Western interests. The article was based on a report which was carried in the New Republic magazine.

In making his decision, judicial commissioner Harminder Singh Dhaliwall said that NSPT could not rely on the defence of qualified privilege as the “article was sinister and more than a reproduction of the New Republic article”.

“The said article is far more sinister than the reproduction,” he said.

“Hence, the court finds the article to be libellous and the defendants have to pay the damages to the plaintiff (Anwar),” he added.

Anwar had sued New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd and its former group editor-in-chief Abdullah Ahmad for RM100 million over the defamatory article.

The NSTP article was based on another article – ‘The Bush Administration’s dubious envoy to Taiwan’ – that was published in the political weekly magazine New Republic’s March 2002 issue. Anwar filed the suit on July 4, 2003.

Ku Li Ketuai Kaukus Royalti Minyak Kelantan

2009-11-24T12:22:00.000Z

Ku Li Ketuai Kaukus Royalti Minyak Kelantan

Khalid Samad: Good Governance Is Part Of The Islamic Principles

2009-11-24T08:17:00.000Z

Nik Aziz setuju nasihat Ariffahmi letak jawatan

2009-11-24T04:58:00.000Z

Dec 1 decision on Anwar's bid to quash sodomy charge

2009-11-23T15:16:00.000Z

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will know on Dec 1 if his bid to quash the sodomy charge at the high court's criminal court is successful.This is his second attempt to cancel the charge, after failing to do so at the high court's appellate and special powers division.

His lawyer R Sivarasa told the court that the sodomy charge was malicious and cannot be accepted because there is no medical finding as to whether there was penetration.

High Court rejects EC's stay application on Kota Siputeh

2009-11-23T11:58:00.000Z

In what amounts to a big blow for Barisan Nasional, the Kuala Lumpur High Court has rejected an application by the Election Commission (EC) for stay of an order to hold a by-election in Kota Siputeh.

Nik Aziz nafi laporan Husam mahu letak jawatan

2009-11-22T09:32:00.000Z

Malaysia ranked 56, nine down from last year

2009-11-19T02:15:00.000Z

Corruption Perceptions Index 2009

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) table shows a country's ranking and score, the number of surveys used to determine the score, and the confidence range of the scoring.
The rank shows how one country compares to others included in the index. The CPI score indicates the perceived level of public-sector corruption in a country/territory.
The CPI is based on 13 independent surveys. However, not all surveys include all countries. The surveys used column indicates how many surveys were relied upon to determine the score for that country.
The confidence range indicates the reliability of the CPI scores and tells us that allowing for a margin of error, we can be 90% confident that the true score for this country lies within this range.

Malaysia ranked 56, nine down from last year

Pakatan wants Ku Li to head caucus on oil dispute

2009-11-18T21:30:00.010Z

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani | malaysianinsider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 – Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders today met Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (pic) to discuss the possibility of the former finance minister chairing a proposed caucus on the Kelantan oil royalty dispute.

The offer came about when the veteran Umno leader met with Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Machang PKR MP Saifuddin Nasution, Kubang Kerian PAS MP Salahuddin Ayub, Batu MP Tian Chua at the MP's lounge in parliament.

After discussing for nearly 30 minutes, the Gua Musang MP told reporters that he would consider the offer but did not give a timeframe for an answer.

They have proposed to form a caucus on oil because oil is a very hot subject being debated between the government and particularly the state representatives. They think that through the caucus there could be some kind of logical reasoning in order to arrive at an amicable solution to the problem," said the Kelantan prince.

“So they have decided to approach me to head the caucus. I have not given an answer. I will still consider and think about this,” said Razaleigh, popularly known as Ku Li.

Razaleigh said that he would consider the request as he was “involved in the oil business” since the formation of national oil company Petronas and the drafting of the Petroleum Development Bill. He was Petronas’s first chairman when it was formed in 1974.

"Anything that could protect the constitutional rights of the people, in particular of the states ... I will definitely not let any side down so I will try to play my part if I can in order to resolve this problem, if it is considered a problem at all,” said Ku Li.

“I think it was indeed in the vesting deed agreement that was signed between the states and Petronas that the states where oil is found on shore or off shore will benefit from such fund.

“They (Kelantan) should be given... according to the agreement, they should get the oil money,” he added.

Razaleigh reiterated his stand that “there is no such thing as wang ehsan” or goodwill payment

“Oil is the right of the people and it is not for the federal government to distribute as a largess. The government can distribute from the revenue collected from taxes in such line and that is the prerogative of the federal government but when it comes to this, it’s the right of the people.

“That is why I feel inclined to say my piece because I was involved from the beginning and I know the intention why we had the agreement,” he said.

When asked if prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was wrong in calling the oil royalty a “goodwill” payment, he replied that “it is left to your interpretation.”

Najib sparked an uproar when he announced that the Barisan National (BN) federal government woukd pay Kelantan “goodwill payment” for oil extracted in its waters instead of oil royalty.

PAS lawmakers are disputing the “goodwill payment”, saying that it is akin to receiving alms instead of rightful oil royalty.

Najib told Parliament that Kelantan has no right to claim for royalties from Petronas since oil was extracted beyond the state’s waters, similar to the situation in Terengganu.

Tuntutan Royalti Minyak Untuk Negeri Kelantan

2009-11-18T21:15:00.001Z

National Symposium 2009 -PAKATAN RAKYAT AND THE MAKING OF TWO PARTY SYSTEM

2009-11-18T04:18:00.001Z

Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan memberi ucaptama di Pearl International Hotel Kuala Lumpur, bersempena Majlis National Symposium 2009 anjuran Institut Kajian Dasar yang berlangsung pada Sabtu 21 November 2009. Symposium tersebut diadakan bagi membicarakan penubuhan Pakatan Rakyat dan menjadikan politik Malaysia kearah sistem 2 parti utama.

Sila klik laman rasmi disini untuk keterangan lanjut : National Symposium 2009

EC to get AG’s advice, appeal court decision on Kota Siputeh

2009-11-16T20:25:00.001Z

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 – The Election Commission (EC) will seek the Attorney-General’s advice on the ruling by the Kuala Lumpur High Court here today in declaring vacant the Kota Siputeh seat in Kedah.

Deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the EC would seek the AG’s advice on the course of action to take.

“This issue has become an academic issue. So, it is better for EC to bring the matter to the AG before making any decision,” he told Bernama.

Justice Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin ruled that the seat was vacated after incumbent assemblyman Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif (photo) absented from two state assembly meetings this year.

In her decision, Justice Alizatul held that the Election Commission (EC) had acted irrationally and its decision that Abu Hassan was still the assemblyman for Kota Siputeh and the state seat was not vacant, ought to be quashed.

In ALOR STAR, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said the decision by the High Court proved that the action taken by the state government was within the law.

He said State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail had made the right decision in declaring Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif as having lost his eligibility as an assemblyman for not attending the state assembly meetings.

“We act according to the law. The High Court’s decision should be taken as a lesson by all assemblymen that they have a responsibility, and given the mandate by the people, to attend the state assembly meetings,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, Kedah Umno deputy liaison chairman Datuk Paduka Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said Abu Hassan would not attend the state assembly budget sitting to be held for three days from tomorrow.

“We accept the court decision with an open heart and will patiently wait for the decision on the appeal on Nov 20,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

– Bernama

BN Sekat Peruntukan Persekutuan Kepada Selangor.

2009-11-15T23:48:00.000Z

Zaid picks Nik Aziz to chair Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia

2009-11-13T23:02:00.000Z

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 | malaysiainsider

— The opposition bloc should name Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat to be chairman of the Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia to foil any further attempts by Umno to have “unity government” talks with PAS, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said today.

The maverick politician also wondered aloud why none of the three parties making up the Pakatan have mentioned the coalition except to clarify that he is the pro-tem chairman.

Writing in his blog today, Zaid also asked the coalition to review its ambitious plans to capture the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak and instead asked them to support local parties there.

He also confirmed The Malaysian Insider's report that the Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia submitted its registration on Nov 3.

"To make these efforts a success, we need 'sacrifices' from Anwar Ibrahim. Abdul Hadi Awang can also make a big contribution by asking Tok Guru Nik Aziz to be the leader or chairman of Pakatan Rakyat, just like Mahatma Gandhi was spiritual leader to the Congress Party," said Zaid, referring to the leaders of PKR and PAS who are seen as less popular than respected PAS spiritual leader.

He also said veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang could prove his "statesmanship" by agreeing to his suggestion and to be adviser for democratic and human rights affairs.

"In one stroke, this will silence any agenda for a 'unity government' with Umno," Zaid stressed.

The head of the Pakatan Common Policy Platform secretariat also asked for a review of the bloc's push to win Sabah and Sarawak.

"Political reality shows it is a heavy effort and we have seen negative reaction with the tussle for seats like in the 2008 general election.

"Political wisdom also shows its better for Pakatan to play its role by supporting parties that are in tune with it in Sabah and Sarawak," he said, adding that step would show respect to the locals and make them equal partners in the coalition.

"Isn't this more realistic?" he asked.

"Only a grand coalition like this can overcome the Barisan Nasional giant," Zaid said.

On the flip side, he said capturing Putrajaya would remain a daydream if the leaders of the three parties felt they were strong enough and wanted to continue using old ways such as electoral pacts to form the federal government.

Saying he hoped not to offend anyone, Zaid noted the important issue was to achieve change and it will not happen if the allies only prioritised their parties and positions.

"They are not change agents. This group only wants power for themselves.

"The people will see that this group is no different from Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders," said Zaid, who is noted for being blunt and outspoken.

He said they must make the same sacrifices that they demand from the people for reforms to happen.

"If the leaders are still stubborn, the people will punish us in the next general election," Zaid wrote.

He also noted it was the first time three major opposition parties in Malaysia united in a legal entity with a common logo and single political aim.

But Zaid lamented the joy for the historic moment has not been shared by leaders from PKR, DAP and PAS.

"There hasn't been an encouraging statement from the top leadership of the three parties. It is as if they don't want it made public," he said, noting the only statement made was to deny that he was the chairman of the coalition.

Zaid sarcastically thanked them for the clarification, saying Malaysians know that registering a group or party would require the name of sponsors or a pro-tem committee.

"Of course, it doesn't make sense for me to be leader to top leaders like Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang and Lim Kit Siang.

"What the people want to hear but has yet to be told is the aim and hope of forming Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia as an alternative to Barisan Nasional," he said.

Zaid said explaining the substance was more important than the form of the organisation, adding that people want to know the aim, vision and joint strategies of Pakatan.

He noted the plans remained vague but Pakatan should work with like-minded individuals such as Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as another "striker" to strengthen the pact.

"Ku Li might be a veteran but he has integrity and contemporary political views," he said, adding that the Gua Musang MP need not jump from Umno to still help Pakatan.

Zaid said the Kelantan prince could still be invited to speak at political ceramahs as his aims were similar — to eliminate corruption and move the country forward.

Anwar digaji RM1 sebulan sebagai Penasihat Ekonomi Selangor

2009-11-13T20:34:00.001Z

Ketua pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini dilantik sebagai penasihat ekonomi kerajaan Selangor dan untuk tugasnya itu beliau akan dibayar gaji RM1 sebulan.

Demikian umum Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim ketika menggulung perbahasan belanjawan Selangor 2010 doi Dewan Negeri Selangor hari ini.

Katanya, perlantikan Anwar akan merangsang dan menjana pertumbuhan ekonomi negeri.

Anwar merupakan Menteri Kewangan sehingga beliau dipecat pada tahun 1998.

baca seterusnya >>

Biarkan Mahkamah Neutral

2009-11-12T06:49:00.000Z

Nov 11th, 2009 | Oleh Sivakumar

Tetapi, Mahkamah Persekutuan telah menangguhkan keputusan mereka ke satu tarikh yang belum ditentukan. Seluruh rakyat Malaysia berasa hampa dengan keputusan yang ditangguhkan.

Apakah daya mereka untuk mendapat keputusan segera melainkan terus menunggu untuk tarikh baru? Rakyat biasa hanya boleh berharap. Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi, inilah pepatah yang sering kita gunakan apabila sesuatu yang mengecewakan berlaku.

Apakah pagar akan memakan padi sekali lagi? Soalan ini tertanya-tanya diminda semua warga yang mahukan keunggulan demokrasi dikembalikan. Mahkamah adalah badan yang disanjung tinggi dan dihormati oleh umat manusia yang mendukung sistem atau amalan demokrasi.

seterusya >>

Solat Hajat & Ceramah Perdana Sempena 19 Tahun Pemerintahan PAS Di Kelantan.

2009-11-11T19:10:00.001Z

Tarikh: 15 November 2009 (Ahad)
Masa: Bermula Jam 8.00 Malam
Tempat: PUTIK, Pengkalan Chepa

Penceramah:
YAB Tuan Guru Dato’ Hj. Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
YB Dato’ Seri Tuan Guru Hj. Abdul Hadi Awang
YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
YB Lim Kit Siang

Semua dijemput hadir. Bagi pihak penganjur program.
-Pejabat YB Khalid Samad-

Clearing the air for Tok Guru

2009-11-11T04:30:00.001Z

What Nik Aziz could have meant.

I have tried to think of/ recall Nik Aziz style of speaking. He normally talk of dosa and pahala. I personal think that what he had probably said were along this line – dosa and pahala. He basically thread along and hammered this point home – whatever you do – there is a dosa or pahala element to it. Along the line of the principle of “amal bil niat” – “deeds based intentions”. As such, if one voted for PAS with the intention - that of, giving PAS the opportunity to proceed on, along pursuing the Islamic line of governance at the societal and regime level, then he/she gets a “pahala”. Similarly those who “supported” UMNO with the intention or at the expense of denying PAS the ability to do so, would get a “dosa”. Dosa and Pahala are means of assessing whether one is hell worthy - base on the former, or heaven worthy base on the later.

That’s why the word used was not “ahli” UMNO but rather “penyokong” UMNO. Nik Aziz had engaged a lawyer, PAS normal lawyer, Hanipa?? to look into it and if necessary take the press to court. The silence probably meant that Nik Aziz political foes had studied the issue and choose to be quite rather than giving Nik Aziz another opportunity of a moral victory – whether winning or losing the case in court, is secondary. Giving Nik Aziz another round to explain Dosa-Pahala would be a political disservice for his political foes. As for the lawyer, his last remark was,” if there is the word go from Nik Aziz, he will proceed – knowing Nik Aziz, he is not after money, but to keep the records straight”. That interview was from the youtube. They (Nik Aziz and his lawyer) may have settled the matter out of court amicably with the press, I suspeted so, the quietness now – probably others who are more in the know can explain the present “conclusion” of the spin better.

UMNO, being the government, has all the machineries – Police, SBs and Film Producers(RTM) are still unable to produce or come up with Nik Aziz - with the words “ahli UMNO akan masuk neraka”, whether on youtube or air on RTM. The move to start those “spin” were probably politically motivated. I do not know if STAR was among the culprit, but certainly STAR do not produce such a youtube either, I know because I subscribe STAR youtube, unless it happens when my PC was down or streamyx “buat onar”. I do not hear anyone, for that matter, had told me that it was available on youtube, either. Nor there was any circulation of such video/adio via whatever channel or means.

Kelantan Oil Royalty: The Real Deal.

2009-11-10T01:46:00.000Z

Husam menghuraikan hal ini, di kawasan Parlimen

Resolusi Seminar Politik ”Memperkasakan Parti”.

2009-11-09T02:14:00.000Z

Seminar Politik ’Memperkasakan Parti’ merakamkan bahawa:

PAS dan Pakatan telah melepasi ujian setahun setengah mengurus pemerintahan 4 buah negeri dalam penggal parlimen ke-12 ini. Baik-buruk, kejayaan-kegagalan negeri-negeri Pakatan ini telah mula mendapat perhatian umum. Pengiktirafan kejayaan telah pun diktiraf seperti Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2008.
PAS dan Pakatan mutakhir ini terperangkap dalam kemelut-kemelut yang merosakkan imej dan tanggapan umum terhadap kredibiliti dan kesepaduan Muafakat Politik ini. Benar media BN jahat memainkan isu-isu ini, tetapi PAS/Pakatan wajar menginsafi bahawa punca-sumber laporan-laporan tidak wajar kita salahkan pihak lain sebab kita juga bertanggungjawab.
selanjutnya >>

Sidang media Seminar PAS 7 November 2009.

2009-11-08T23:54:00.001Z

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang again dispelled a possible alliance between the Islamic party and arch-rival Umno, stressing the importance of strengthening the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Najib not convinced MCA crisis is over

2009-11-04T12:35:00.001Z

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid | Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The MCA might have solved its leadership crisis but Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak appears unconvinced, saying Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s reinstatement is just a legal solution.

The Prime Minister said there must also be a political solution to the party's crisis a day after the MCA central committee reaffirmed Dr Chua as the party No. 2 to president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, following a volte-face from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) in deciding the issue.

"The decision by the RoS only solved the legal aspects, it is not the preference... this solution was only a result of RoS’s interpretation of the party's constitution as it takes a two-thirds majority to remove anyone from the party," Najib told reporters in Parliament today.

"The same happened with Tee Keat and it happened again with Soi Lek. MCA decided the party constitution be such and the RoS interpret it as such," the prime minister added.

Najib, the mediator that brought the rivalry between Ong and Dr Chua to a halt, however, felt that the decision by the RoS will not make up for the loss of trust of the Chinese community towards the party.

He said that MCA must have a two-pronged approach to its crisis. One is the legal solution and the second being the political solution and the prime minister doesn't seem to be too convinced that the latter can be solved.

"The second solution won't be easy for MCA. They need to sell the unity plan to its members and the Chinese community," he said.

Dr Chua's reinstatement was made following a declaration by the RoS that the deputy president’s position was not vacant following the results of the party’s Oct 10 EGM that saw his suspension overturned but his bid to be restored as deputy president rejected.

The decision came amid havoc in the party following the sacking of four central committee members by Ong as part of his pre-emptive measures to quell growing calls for a new EGM and fresh party polls.

The four — Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Hueng, Chai Kim Sen, national organising secretary Yoo Wei How and Gan Hon Su — were, ironically, appointed by Ong when he won the presidency in October 2008.

Asked if Chor would be replaced following his sacking, Najib said the matter has not been discussed but stressed that it was up to the government to decide and it has nothing to do with MCA.

The prime minister instead said MCA should focus more on winning the trust of the Chinese community instead of worrying about Chor's post in the government.

Pakatan finally applies to be formal coalition

2009-11-04T10:30:00.001Z

By Debra Chong | Malaysian Insider | KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 2009

— At last, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has taken a big step towards formalising its alliance in order to go head on with Barisan Nasional (BN) as a registered coalition at the next general election.

The Malaysian Insider understands that officials from the PR alliance handed in their application to be made a formal coalition to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) some time earlier this week.

According to government sources, some 10 names each from DAP, PAS and PKR were listed in the registration form, together with a list of common objectives, which are expected to be laid out when the alliance holds its first convention next month.

A logo bearing a “rising sun” was also tendered — signalling a “new dawn” for the country — as the fledgling opposition front's symbol against BN's dacing, or scale.

The PR bloc believes its application this time will pass muster, based on the new stand taken by the Registrar of Societies Datuk Md Alias Kalil.

Md Alias had publicly stated that the previous reading of Section 2 of the Societies Act 1966, which states any coalition of political parties must have at least seven political parties as members to be registered did not apply.

The loose alliance of PKR, DAP and PAS first came together in the wake of the landmark March 8 general election last year, which saw its members wrest control of four key states from BN in spite of fundamental differences in philosophies.

But it remains to be seen if PKR, PAS and DAP will be able to settle their various spats within their respective parties as well as with each other and present a force capable of challenging BN.

The growing infighting within all three parties — from Sabah PKR leaders quitting in protest against heavy-handed treatment from its peninsula-based central leadership to frequent eruptions between the religious PAS and socialist DAP — has only served to diminish their viability in the eyes of the increasingly weary and wary public.

PR will need to keep in mind that many of the votes cast were also an act of protest against BN for perceived arrogance.

But under Datuk Seri Najib Razak, BN has managed to claw back some support for the ruling coalition.

Kelantan akan dapat wang ehsan sahaja .

2009-11-04T07:22:00.000Z

Dzulfikar Mashoor Wed | Nov 04, 09 | harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Nov: Ekoran pengumuman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bahawa kerajaan pusat akan memberikan wang ehsan sahaja kepada rakyat Kelantan dan bukannya royalti, Dewan Rakyat menjadi kecoh hari ini.

Ia bermula apabila ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian Salahuddin Ayub meminta Najib menjelaskan bilakah tuntutan royalti kerajaan negeri Kelantan akan dilangsaikan oleh Petronas.

Menjawab soalan itu, Najib menjelaskan bahawa pihak kerajaan sedang mempertimbang untuk memberikan wang ehsan langsung kepada rakyat Kelantan.

Dewan menjadi kecoh dengan njawapan yang diberikan Najib itu kerana ia dianggap menipu dan menafikan hak rakyat Kelantan.

Beberapa ahli Parlimen bangun lalu menegaskan bahawa persoalan royalti itu adalah penting untuk rakyat Kelantan.

Mereka yang terbabit, termasuk Salahuddin sendiri diminta duduk oleh Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Salahudin kemudiannya diberi amaran keluar dewan beberapa jam jika enggan mendengar penjelasan Najib "Yang penting, kita nak tolong rakyat Kelantan. selepas kita ada semangat nak runding dengan kerajaan negeri, yang penting rakyat dapat manfaat daripada wang ehsan," kata Najib.

"Apa nak dipertikai lagi? Yang penting, rakyat Kelantan mendapat wang ehsan dari (kerajaan) Persekutuan," sindir Najib.

Tanpa laluan Speaker, Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad bangkit dan menjelaskan bahawa penjelasan yang diberikan itu tidak menyelesaikan soal kuasa persekutuan dan negeri, sebagaimana yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan dan Perjanjian Petronas bersama kerajaan persekutuan-negeri.

Pun begitu, Speaker memberi laluan kepada Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff bercakap mengenai isu royalti Kelantan itu dengan alasan ahli Parlimen Rantau Panjang itu boleh dikatakan mewakili rakyat Kelantan.

"Kenapa sebelum ini kerajaan (Persekutuan) tidak pernah mempertimbangkan hak rakyat Kelantan diberikan wang ehsan?" soal Siti Zailah dengan nada yang tegas.

"Setelah rakyat dinafikan hak bertahun-tahun, sekian lama, sekarang hak rakyat Kelantan baru nak dipertimbangkan."

Beliau yang juga Naib Ketua Dewan Muslimat PAS Pusat meminta Najib menjelaskan soal jaminan persekutuan melangsaikan tuntutan royalti minyak tersebut.

"Apa jaminan kerajaan (persekutuan) bahawa royalti ini disalurkan kepada kerajaan Kelantan dan rakyat, bukannya kepada JPP (Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan) yang dilantik kerajaan Persekutuan?" soalnya lagi.

Najib dalam nada yang sinis menjelaskan bahawa sepatutnya rakyat Kelantan tidak ada hak mendapat royalti tersebut.

"Selama ini, kerajaan Kelantan tidak ada hak menerima (royalti minyak), sebab ini melibatkan kawasan pertindihan. Sekarang ini, kita dapat sahkan bahawa ada blok (kawasan minyak dalam laut) yang boleh dipertimbangkan...kita pastikan hanya rakyat Kelantan akan dapat manafaat," kata Najib.

Beberapa Ahli Parlimen Pakatan Rakyat sekali lagi bangkit memprotes jawapan lisan itu.

Bagi mengelakkan Najib terus dipertikai, anggota dari Masjid Tanah yang juga Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusoff bangkit lalu memohon laluan Speaker untuk menjawab soalan lisan seterusnya, yang melibatkan kementeriannya.

Mengikut pengalaman di Terengganu, wang ehsan diberikan terus kepada Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan (JPP) dan diagihkan menerusi jabatan dan egensi di bawah kerajaan pusat.

Dari segi pelaksanaannya pula, ia akan melalui ketua-ketua bahagian Umno di negeri itu.

Petang semalam, Anggota Parlimen Kubang Kerian, Salahudin Ayub mendesak kerajaan pusat supaya membayar royalti minyak kepada kerajaan negeri Kelantan sebagaimana yang dilakukan kepada negeri-negeri lain.

Cadangan Salahudin ini berikutan dari tuntutan kerajaan negeri Kelantan agar Petronas membayar royalti petroleum sebanyak 5 % sebagaimana yag dinikmati oleh negeri-negeri yang lain yang dikeluarkan minyak dari perairannya.

Tuntutan Kelantan ini disokong oleh Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah yang menandatangani perjanjian ini bagi pihak Petronas dahulu. Ketika itu beliau adalah Pengerusi Petronas.

Tuntutan ini juga disokong oleh Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, bekas Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri yang menjaga hal ehwal undang-undang.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib dijangka akan menjawab perkara ini di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.

Minta Hutang tertunggak PTPTN dihapuskira

2009-11-04T07:03:00.003Z

MP minta Hutang tertunggak PTPTN dihapuskira - Soalan tambahan MP Bebas dan MP PKR Lembah Pantai kepada soalan asas No. 3. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah [ Gua Musang ] minta MENTERI PENGAJIAN TINGGI menyatakan berapakah jumlah sebenar hutang PTPTN yang tertunggak dan apakah perancangan Kerajaan dalam membantu siswazah yang tidak berpeluang menerima pinjaman untuk meneruskan pengajian mereka di pusat-pusat pengajian tinggi di dalam dan luar negara. [3 November 2009]

Kenyataan Media : NIZAR LAWAN ZAMBRY: HANYA ARTIKEL 72 SEBAGAI BUKTI

2009-11-02T20:18:00.003Z

Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri Perak (DPPN Pk) yakin Artikel 72 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menyatakan kesahihan sebarang prosiding di dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) di mana-mana negeri tidak boleh dipersoalkan oleh mana-mana mahkamah adalah bukti yang kukuh tentang kedudukan Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin sebagai Menteri Besar yang sebenar dan sah di sisi Undang-Undang kerana penggugurannya telah di buat di luar DUN Perak.

Mahkamah Persekutuan yang akan mendengar rayuan Mohammad Nizar pada 5 November ini mesti berpandukan kepada Artikel 72 ini kerana hanya keputusan yang dibuat melalui usul dan undian tidak percaya sahaja kepada Menteri Besar di dalam DUN Perak akan melucutkan jawatan tersebut. Perkara yang mesti ditekankan adalah keputusan yang mesti diluluskan di dalam DUN dan bukannya di luar bidang kuasa DUN itu sendiri.

DPPN Pk amat berkeyakinan bahawa Hakim-Hakim yang akan diberikan mandat untuk membuat keputusan bagi rakyat Perak seluruhnya akan membuat satu keputusan yang adil demi demokrasi di dalam Negara kita yang dicintai ini. Akan menjadi satu sejarah yang akan rakyat dan dunia akan melihat keputusan yang akan di buat oleh Hakim-Hakim tersebut kelak.

Jesteru, DPPN Pk meminta seluruh rakyat yang cintaikan demokrasi supaya bermunajat kepada Tuhan demi keputusan yang terbaik untuk rakyat Perak. Untuk yang beragama Islam, DPPN Pk meminta supaya menunaikan Solat Hajat dan Berpuasa Sunat untuk kita sama-sama memastikan keputusan berpihak kepada kebenaran dan keadilan.

DR. RAJA AHMAD AL-HISS
Setiausaha,
Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri Perak.
(2 November 2009)

Umno pengumpul sampah dan barang lusuh kata Aziz Bari

2009-11-02T17:50:00.003Z

Harakahdaily - Mon | Nov 02, 09

KUALA LUMPUR, 2 Nov: Tindakan Umno mahu menerima Adun Perlabuhan Klang, Badrol Hisham Abdullah mengesahkan kedudukan Umno sebagai pengumpul sampah dan barang lusuh sebagaimana yang mereka lakukan di Perak, di Kedah dan sekarang di Selangor, kata Profesor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

Abdul Aziz, profesor undang-undang perlembagaan Universiti Islam Antarabangsa berkata demikian dalam tulisan terbaru beliau dalam sebuah akhbar tempatan.

Abdul Aziz mengulas tindakan bekas Menteri Besar Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr Mohamafd Khir Toyo yang berkata, Umno sedia menerima Adun Perlabuhan Klang itu menyertai parti itu.

Khir yang juga ketua pembangkang Dun Selangor membuat tawaran itu ekoran tindakan Badrol mengisytiharkan keluar PKR dan menjadi Adun Bebas yang menyokong Barisan Nasional (BN).

Bagi Dr Abdul Aziz, langkah ini mengesahkan Umno sebagai pengumpul sampah dan bahan lusuh.

Ini kerana, sebelum Badrol mengumumkan keluar parti, Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim telah membuatkan kenyataan mencadangkan PKR meminta Badrol meletakkan jawatan kerana gagal menjalankan tugasnya sebagai Adun.

Badrol bukan sahaja tidak memberikan khidmat, dia juga telah menutup pusat khidmatnya dan tidak mengangkat panggilan telefon dari pejabat MB dan pihak yang ingin mendapatkan khidmat beliau sebagai Adun.

Sebelum Badrol, Umno menerima dua Adun di Perak yang sedang dibicarakan kerana dakwaan rasuah iaitu Adun Behrang, Jamaludin Md Radzi dan Adun Changkat Jering, Mohd Osman Jailu.

Umno juga menerima Adun Lunas, Mohd Radzhi Salleh yang memberikan pelbagai jenis masalah kepada kerajaan negeri Kedah. _

Perak turn into a Police State on 28 Oktober 2009?

2009-10-29T08:44:00.000Z

Sivakumar shows torn robes.

2009-10-29T07:38:00.002Z

Barisan Nasional has been accused of orchestrating an elaborate plan to prevent ousted Pakatan Rakyat speaker V Sivakumar from exercising his duties at the state assembly sitting today.

Sivakumar, who levelled the charge at a press conference in Ipoh, said this was evident when a large group of police personnel stopped him at the car park of the state secretariat building, where the legislative assembly is located. more>>

LIVE: Seeing double at Perak State Assembly

2009-10-28T09:35:00.005Z

English version

Dun Perak - lintas langsung:

2009-10-28T09:01:00.000Z

11.40 pagi: Mikrofon Adun Pakatan Rakyat telah ditutup tetapi tidak bagi Adun BN.

11.37 pagi: Zambry cuba berdiri untuk bercakap dan Adun PR melaungkan 'lanun' terhadapnya.

* * * * *

10.20 pagi: Kelihatan penyokong Pakatan Rakyat bukan beragama Islam berdiri berhampiran dengan penyokong PAS yang sedang bersolat hajat untuk menunjukkkan solariditi mereka.

Kelihatan penyokong PAS sedang melakukan solat hajat berhampiran dengan pagar halangan di luar SUK.

10.19 pagi: Keadaan di luar SUK kelihatan agak tenang walaupun kelihatan orang ramai sedang berkumpul untuk mengikuti kejadian yang berlaku ketika ini.

10.09 pagi: Nizar dan Adun Pakatan Rakyat cuba masuk sekali lagi ke dalam dewan persidangan.Sivakumar kelihatan tanpa jubah Speakernya.

* * * * *

7.52 pagi: Keseluruhan kawasan SUK dikawal dengan ketat. Lebih 40 anggota keselamatan berkawal di hadapan SUK dengan memakai vest hijau dan diapit 2 buah trak merah dan beberapa kenderaan serta van polis. Kumpulan wartawan berada di hadapan hadangan berkawat berduri.

7.15 pagi: 6 buah kenderaan polis termasuk 'Black Maria' digunakan sebagai perisai di hadapan pagar dan pusat 'check point'. Anggota polis berpakaian biasa (SB) kelihatan mula penuhi kawasan sekitar. Keadaan mula sibuk.

7.00 pagi: Lingkaran dawai berkawat telah dipasang di sekeliling Bangunan SUK Perak. more >>

BAR COUNCIL REVIVES CALL FOR RCI INTO TEOH'S DEATH

2009-10-23T11:52:00.000+01:00

Thursday, 22 October 2009

(The Edge) - The Malaysian Bar has revived the call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the death of political secretary Teoh Beng Hock following the testimony of Thai pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunan that there was an 80% probability that his death was a homicide.

In a statement today, Malaysian Bar president Ragunath Kesavan said the RCI should have a wide ambit to investigate the circumstances and cause of Teoh's death and to conduct a concomitant review of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) interrogation and investigation techniques.

"These two aspects are intrinsically interlinked and cannot be analysed in isolation from one another," he said.

Kesavan said it was evident now, more than ever, that the scope of the RCI's investigation must not be limited to reviewing the MACC's interrogation methods alone, as was proposed by the government.

"Under the Penal Code, an inquest is restricted in its scope and findings, and would be far less effective than an RCI would be," he said.

Teoh inquest: 80pc chance of homicide, says Thai expert

2009-10-23T09:56:00.003+01:00

SHAH ALAM (by Wani Muthiah - the Star): There is an 80% probability that the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock was a homicide, said renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand (Photo).

Testifying in the inquest into Teoh’s death Wednesday, she said there was only a 20% chance that Teoh had committed suicide.

She added that marks on Teoh’s neck region looked like he had been strangled manually.

“The contusion of the skin on the right side of the neck looks round, indicating it might have been caused by fingers,” she added.

Counsel representing the government Tan Hock Chuan then suggested that she did not have the locus standi to arrive at her opinion.

“Since you did not conduct the post mortem or inspect the body or go to the scene of the incident and not furnished with the report and photos, is it not appropriate to form an opinion on mathematical terms that suicide is 20% and homicide 80%?” he asked.

Dr Pornthip replied she did not take sides and her work involved taking care of the rights of the dead, adding that she only based her opinions on the evidence provided.

This prompted Tan to rephrase the question by suggesting that the limitations she faced was insufficient to help Dr Pornthip to arrive at the conclusion that it was 80% homicide and 20% suicide.

“It is my field, my work and I believe in that. It is more scientific,” said Dr Pornthip, adding that she did not agree with some opinions of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s Dr Prashant Samberkar on why Teoh’s death could have been a suicide.

However, she added she did not want to criticise the opinions of other forensic pathologists.

She said her opinion was based on her years of experience and not aimed at contradicting the police or other medical professionals.

Dr Pornthip, who is the director-general of Thailand’s Ministry of Justices Central Institute of Forensic Science, had been invited to give her expert opinion by the Selangor state government.

She is well-known for her prowess in solving complicated homicide cases and is a celebrity of sorts in her homeland.

She is the author of Investigation of Corpses which sold 100,000 copies in Thailand, and also led a group of international forensic scientists in 2004 to identify the remains of the Asian tsunami victims.

Her life and work was narrated in a National Geographic documentary entitled Crime Scene Bangkok in 2004.

Dr Pornthip told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that she is willing to conduct a second post mortem on Teoh if his remains are exhumed.

She said she would be able to come up with a more concise and detailed analysis if she could examine Teoh’s remains.

To a question by Gobind Singh Deo who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, Dr Pornthip said she would still be able to conduct the post-mortem in spite of the deceased being buried almost four months ago.

When asked if the second post mortem on Teoh’s body would put her to a disadvantage, Dr Pornthip said there would not be any disadvantages but only limitations due to the decomposition which could destroy everything if a second post-mortem was prolonged.

Questioned by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, the counsel holding a watching brief for the Selangor government, Dr Pornthip said several injuries sustained by Teoh appeared to be inconsistent with a fall from a high place, and appeared to be pre-fall injuries instead.

(Dr Pornthip had been provided with pictures of Teoh’s injuries and post-mortem reports by Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim from the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital and by Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s Dr Prashant Samberkar).

Malik Imtiaz: Can you explain why not all the injuries were consistent with a fall from a height?

Dr Pornthip: The first is the anal injury; from the picture there’s a penetrative injury at the anal region. I have never seen this type of injury in cases of fall from height.

She added that if the injury had indeed been caused by a bone protrusion, it would have come from the inside of Teoh’s anus as opposed to being a penetrative injury.

Dr Pornthip also said the abrasions found on Teoh’s upper right thigh also appeared like he had been beaten with a piece of wood.

There is more than one line and the direction of the force on the thigh is different from the direction of the penetrative injury to the anal region, she said.

According to Dr Pornthip, there was a need to open the skin in the area where the haemorrhage was found to determine if torture had been involved. (Both the pathologists who had conducted the post-mortem on Teoh had failed to do so.)

She added this was necessary to determine whether the haemorrhage was compatible with a fall from a height and single impact from the ground.

Dr Pornthip also said Teoh’s skull fracture was not typical of a transferred injury due to a fall but was more compatible with a blunt force being directly inflicted to the head.

She said the transferred injury to the skull due to impact of the fall would typically cause a ring fracture at the base of the skull around the spinal column and not a cervical spine fracture such as that suffered by Teoh.

Dr Pornthip said Teoh, 30, was probably alive when he hit the ground but may have been unconscious before the fall.

She added this was in view of the fact that there was no reaction or defensive wounds on his ankles and wrists which would have occurred if he had been conscious.

Dr Pornthip added that these wounds would occur when a conscious person tries to break his fall which was a natural reaction when one is falling from height.

There’s a possibility that he was unconscious from the manual strangulation or pain from the anal region, she said.

Teoh, the political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, had been summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam to be questioned over the irregular disbursement of state funds on July 15.

He was found dead on the fifth floor service corridor of the building the following day.

Meanwhile, the Selangor government called on the authorities to study the evidence of Dr Pornthip that Teoh’s death was a probable homicide and that he could have been strangled before falling from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam.

“Her evidence has indeed proven that the state’s fear on the safety of government officials during interrogation by MACC is not totally unfounded,” said Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Samad in a statement Wednesday.

Given her experience, he said that Dr Pornthip’s evidence could not be taken lightly.

He reiterated his government’s call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Teoh’s death instead of just looking into the interrogation methods used on him by the MACC.

The inquest has been adjourned to Nov 9.

Najib cuba buruk imej PR - DS Nizar

2009-10-22T05:19:00.000+01:00

Mengapa Pakatan Rakyat Perak dijatuhkan?

2009-10-19T20:03:00.001+01:00

From left: Tunku Datuk Seri Kamil Tunku Rijaldin and his wife Raja Datuk Seri Yong Sofia, Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Ismail and his wife Raja Datuk Seri Azureen, Raja Muda Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah and his wife Tuanku Zara Salim, Raja Kechil Tengah Perak Raja Datuk Seri Ashman Shah and his wife Datin Seri Noraini Jane, Raja Datuk Seri Eleena and her husband Datuk Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah.

Sebaik saja kerajaan baru dibentuk di Perak, Sultan Perak mula meminta macm-macam. Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Perak bersedia bertolak ansur, demi menjaga hubungan baik dengan istana. Tetapi apa yang diminta oleh Sultan dan kerabat diraja agak berlebihan dan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Perak tidak mempunyai pilihan melainkan menolak permintaan Sultan.

Dan ini menyebabkan Sultan murka. Dan apabila Pakatan Rakyat Perak kehilangan majoriti di Dewan Undangan Negeri, Barisan Nasional mempunyai jalan yang amat mudah untuk mendapatkan perkenan untuk Barisan Nasional membentuk kerajaan baru. seterusnya drp PerakExpress >>

PAS you need to change

2009-10-16T09:12:00.001+01:00

TohkongMosjid | Thu | Oct 15, 09 | harakahdaily | OPINION

5. Party for 1-Malaysian

Once you are able to change the way you see things, you will automatically start to change the way you think, and lastly it will change the way you talk (approach) on issues. You practice this long enough (treat it like a fasting test), it will stick on your mind, and you never have to worry about self-made traps again. Once you reach that stage, there's no need to afraid of any UMNO's provocation in the future.

In the end (after adapting to this change), you will realise that you do not abandon your Islamic principles, instead you just throw away your racial spectacles. By then, you can proudly say you are a party for 1-Malaysian (notice the extra 'n') instead of the BN's 1Malaysia that no one understands until now.

6. Fitting nicely in Pakatan

PAS - a MULTI-RACIAL party who fights for Islam.
PKR - a MULTI-RACIAL party who believes in fairness to all races.
DAP - a MULTI-RACIAL party who fights for real democracy in Malaysia.

In the end, we can proudly call our Pakatan Rakyat coalition as a MULTI-RACIAL coalitionsepo who fights for human rights to ensure fairness through democracy based on Islam.

What say you, PAS? more >>

Penulis adalah seorang pemuda bukan Islan yang sangat berminat dengan politik PAS namun dia mempunyai pandangan tersendiri tentang parti Islam ini._

Sivakumar panggil sidang, Adun PR akan hadir .

2009-10-15T21:00:00.001+01:00

Nazri Abdullah Thu | Oct 15, 09 | harakahdaily

IPOH, 15 Okt: Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Pakatan Rakyat Perak hari ini mengesahkan akan menghadiri sidang DUN yang dijadual 28 Oktober ini.

Bagaimanapun ia bukan atas panggilan Speaker BN, R.Ganesan tetapi berdasarkan notis panggilan dari Speaker Pakatan Rakyat, V.Sivakumar yang diterima mereka hari ini.

Sivakumar dalam satu kenyataan media bertarikh 14 Oktober memberitahu, hanya 49 Adun termasuk dari BN dihantar notis panggilan tersebut.

Manakala Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir dan enam Ahli Exconya, Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin, Datuk Ramly Zahari, Hamidah Osman, Datuk Saarani Mohamad, Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid dan Dr Mah Hang Soon telah digantung sebelum ini.

Persidangan kali ini adalah yang Ketiga untuk Penggal Kedua, Dewan Negeri yang ke 12 yang kan diadakan di Dewan Negeri Perak, Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, Menteri Besar Pakatan, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin dalam sidang media siang tadi turut mengesahkan kehadiran Adun PR ke persidangan itu nanti.

Kehadiran tersebut katanya adalah berdasarkan panggilan Sivakumar bukannya Ganesan.

Beliau yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit gantang juga sekali lagi menegaskan, PR hanya mengiktiraf Sivakumar sebagai speaker yang sah dan menolak Ganesan.

Sehubungan itu mereka turut mendesak Ganesan supaya tidak menganggu persidangan yang akan berlangsung kelak.

Kemelut negeri perak bagaimanapun dilihat makin rumit apabila Ganesan turut mengeluarkan notis panggilan ke sidang Dun untuk tarikh yang sama.

Adun PR sebelum ini memutuskan untuk tidak hadir sidang Dun yang dipanggil Ganesan kerana menganggap beliau speaker tidak sah dan panggilan oleh Ganesan juga adalah tidak sah.

Namun dengan notis panggilan Sivarkumar yang baru diterima, kesemua mereka akan menghadirinya.

Ini bermakna persidangan pada tarikh tersebut akan dikendalikan oleh dua speaker berbeza seperti yang pernah berlaku pada 7 Mei lalu.

Mohammad Nizar ketika mengulas perkara itu memberitahu, PR tiada sebarang niat untuk melakukan huru hara.

Ditanya sama ada insiden persidangan Dun 7 Mei lalu akan berulang, Nizar hanya menjawab "tunggu dan lihat sahaja pada hari itu".

Hadir sama pada sidang media di Pejabat Perhubungan PAS Perak siang tadi, ADUN Pantai Remis, Nga Kor Meng, ADUN Titi Serong Drs. Khalil Idham Lim dan ADUN Lubuk Merbau, Haji Zainuddin.

Kelab Penyokong PAS akan jadi sayap PAS segera

2009-10-15T20:38:00.003+01:00

Ali Hashim Thu | Oct 15, 09 | Harakahdaily

TASEK GELUGOR, 15 Okt: Kelab Penyokong PAS akan ditingkatkan status sebagai sebuah sayap PAS yang mempunyai perlembagaan mereka sendiri tidak lama lagi.

Demikian dinyatakan oleh Pengerusi Lajnah Perpaduan Nasional PAS Pusat, Dr.Mujahid Yusof selepas menyampaikan sumbangan sempena sambutan Deepavali kepada penduduk keturunan India di Pokok Machang, Tasek Gelugor.

Isu kedudukan orang bukan Islam khasnya kaum India semakin kritikal sejak kebelakangan ini khasnya selepas PAS kalah teruk di Bagan Pinang.

Ia tambah menarik lagi apabila dikatakan hampir separuh anggota parti baru, Makkal Sakhti, adalah juga anggota Kelab Penyokong PAS.

Menuruk satu sumber, langkah ini mereka ambil kerana merasa tidak selamat dengan kedudukan mereka sekarang di dalam Kelab Penyokong PAS ini.

Menurut Mujahid, status Kelab Penyokong PAS akan ditingkatkan untuk menjadi sayap parti dalam bentuk himpunan, dewan atau pun seumpamanya yang akan diputuskan kelak.

"Dengan status tersebut maka kelab ini dapat memainkan peranan yang lebih efektif lagi. Ianya juga akan mempunyai perlembagaan sendiri, pemilihan pimpinan, struktur organisasi dan perkara yang berkaitan dengan organisasi ini.

"Sebagai Pengerusi saya telah pun membawa perkara ini ke peringkat atasan dan ianya dalam proses 'drafting'.

"Kemungkinan menjelang akhir tahun ini apabila drafnya telah siap maka draf baru ini akan dicadangkan untuk sedikit pindaan supaya kelab ini mempunyai status dalam parti," katanya.

Dalam majlis tersebut sumbangan berupa wang dan beras telah diberikan bagi meringankan beban masyarakat India yang tidak berkemampuan dalam kawasan Tasek Gelugor bagi menyambut sambutan Deepavali.

Turut hadir dalam majlis tersebut ialah Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS Pulau Pinang, Ustaz Sooid Mohd Amin, Ketua Penerangan PAS Pulau Pinang, Zulkeply Ishak dan kepimpinan PAS kawasan Tasek Gelugor serta Kelab Penyokong PAS Pulau Pinang.

Sila hantar komen berita di atas ke: urespons@gmail.com

Zambry hina mahkamah

2009-10-15T06:15:00.000+01:00

Pengerusi DAP Perak menyifatkan tindakan Zambry yang mengakui bahawa beliau sebagai Menteri Besar adalah satu tindakan yang menghina mahkamah.

Menurut Ngeh Koo Ham, Zambry tidak boleh mengakui beliau sebagai Menteri Besar selagi Mahkamah Rayuan tidak membuat sebarang keputusan mengenai status penjawat Menteri Besar.

Pada 12 Mei lalu, Zambry telah berjaya mendapatkan kebenarakan dari Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Ramly Mohd Ali untuk menangguhkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur yang dibuat sehari sebelum itu yang mengisytiharkan Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin sebagai menteri besar Perak yang sah.

Beliau telah kembali ke Pejabat Menteri Besar untuk melaporkan diri setelah Nizar membuat keputusan untuk menghormati keputusan mahkamah dan meninggalkan perkarangan bangunan pentadbiran negeri Perak.

Mengulas tperkara berkenaan, tindakan Zambry melaporkan diri untuk bertugas semula di pejabat beliau di Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan memberi gambaran palsu kepada rakyat seolah-olah beliau telah memenangi kes rayuan terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi.

“Mereka tidak boleh melakukan (perkara) ini kerana perintah pembekutuan yang diperolehi Zambry bukan bermakna keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi dibatalkan,” kata Ngeh kepada Media.

Kata Ngeh, perintah yang dibuat oleh Mahkamah Rayuan hanyalah hanya meminta Nizar tidak menggunakan haknya sebagai mana yang telah diputuskan Mahkamah Tinggi sehingga kes beliau didengar di mahlamah yang lebih tinggi.

“Jadi statusnya sekarang, Nizar masih Menteri Besar yang sah dan Dr Zambry yang haram tetapi tidak seorang daripada mereka dibenarkan melaksanakan tugas sebagai Menteri Besar,” katanya lagi.

Ngeh juga menimbulkan persolan berhubung keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan tersebut kerana Seksyen 54 Akta Relief Khas melarang mahkamah memberi injunksi sekiranya ia menjejaskan tanggungjawab sesebuah kerajaan kepada rakyat.

Seksyen 54(d) menyatakan: “Injunksi tidak boleh diberi untuk menjejaskan tanggungjawab mana-mana jabatan Kerajaan Malaysia atau tindakan sebuah kerajaan asing.”

“Maka perintah pembekuan itu boleh ditafsirkan sebagai satu bentuk injunksi,” hujah Ngeh yang dilaporkan media.

Ngeh berkata oleh kerana Zambry tidak boleh menjalankan tugas Menteri Besar beliau juga tidak mempunyai hak untuk membatalkan keputusan penggantungan Setiusaha Kerajaan Negeri, Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim dan Penasihat Undang-Undang, Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid.

Ngeh juga menyanggah kenyataan Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan yang mengatakan kedua-dua penjawat awam tersebut tidak boleh digantung tugas.

“Kedua-dua mereka adalah pegawai persekutuan yang masing-masing dilantik oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam dan Suruhanjaya Kehakiman dan Perkhidmatan Perundangan.

“Walau bagaimanapun apabila mereka dipinjamkan and digajikan oleh kerajaan negeri maka kerajaan negeri mempunyai kuasa ke atas mereka sebagai majikan.

“Oleh yang demikian mereka boleh digantung tugas sementara menunggu pertuduhan rasmi terhadap mereka diserahkan kepada kedua-dua suruhanjaya,” jelas Ngeh lagi.

Keputusan PRK N 31 - Bagan Pinang Results

2009-10-11T10:31:00.001+01:00

PERATUSAN KELUAR MENGUNDI TERMASUK UNDI POS ADALAH SEBANYAK 81.6% iaitu seramai 11,157

ON LINE RESULT - harakahdaily >>

Running Commentary PRK Bagan Pinang

2009-10-11T09:30:00.004+01:00

HERE (English : zorro-unmasked) >>

DISINI (Bahasa : sumber Harakah) >>

Assault claim: PAS VP calls Umno man a liar

2009-10-05T10:22:00.000+01:00

Bukti bergambar, Azeez bukannya ditumbuk!

2009-10-05T09:56:00.002+01:00

From Harakah:

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Okt: Benarkah Ketua Putera Umno, Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim telah ditumbuk oleh para penyokong PAS semasa hari pencalonan pilihan raya kecil Bagan Pinang diadakan baru-baru ini?

Laporan Azeez yang mendakwa telah ditumbuk oleh lebih kurang 10 orang penyokong PAS semasa hari penamaan calon mengemparkan seluruh negara.

Namun, dalam satu kenyataan yang diberikan oleh Ketua Penerangan PAS, Ustaz Idris Ahmad hari ini membuktikan sebaliknya. more>>

PAS denies plan to leave Selangor Pakatan .

2009-09-26T05:04:00.003+01:00

By Neville Spykerman

SHAH ALAM, Sept 25 — Selangor PAS leaders today collectively denied a statement issued by its state liaison committee secretary Mohd Khairuddin Othman which claimed the party was ready to abandon Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

The statement, which also indicated Selangor PAS was fully behind Datuk Hasan Ali and his criticisms against the select committee for competency, accountability and transparency (Selcat), received front-paged coverage in all mainstream newspapers today.

The state PAS commissioner has been causing a stir in PR by undermining the state government watch dog which is holding a public inquiry into the misuse of annual allocations by Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers ahead of the general election last year. According to him, Selcat had bullied the district officers who had been grilled over how millions of ringgit in taxpayers’ money was allowed to be almost completely used up in just two months.

Scrambling to contain the fallout, PAS leaders told The Malaysian Insider that Khairuddin had made unauthorised statements which were not sanctioned by the party’s state liaison committee. "He should not have made the statement because the issue was never discussed," said Meru assemblyman Dr Abdul Rani Othman. "I have personally talked with other PAS lawmakers and leaders. No one had been called to attend any meeting nor were our opinions sought," he said, adding that the state liaison committee secretary was expressing his personal opinion and was not speaking on behalf of Selangor

PAS. Abdul Rani said he had spoken out against individuals making such sweeping statements in the press during a recent PR meeting and was appalled his advice had been ignored. As for Selcat, he said the PR backbenchers fully supported the public inquiry. "No one should try to be a hero for the Malays or a hero for the other races. In PR we have to work for all," he said, in a clear reference to Hasan, who is seen as trying to garner support from the Malay-dominated civil service by criticising Selcat.

Rani said a meeting between the Selangor mentri besar and all PR leaders should be called as soon as possible iron out the problems internally. Even if there were problems with Selcat, the matter should have been settled behind closed doors instead of washing dirty linen in public, he said. Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, (photo) who had called on Hasan to leave PR if he could not be a team player, described Khairuddin’s statement as “interesting”. "It’s a very serious policy statement which contradicts the PAS muktamar, the highest decision-making body in the party which voted to work toward strengthening PR," said Khalid.

Other PAS lawmakers today also confirmed the party had no intention of leaving PR. Sijangkang lawmaker Dr Ahmad Yunus laughed at the suggestion and said “I don’t think so.” while PAS’s Selangor executive councillor Iskandar Samad said the party was definitely staying in PR “despite all the bashing in the press.” When contacted, Khairuddin also backtracked from his earlier statement and said he was misquoted. "I made no mention about PAS leaving PR in my press statement," said the lawyer.

However, despite the U-turn the damage has been done. The issue of Selangor’s instability due to its constant infighting will likely be exploited by Barisan National (BN) during the upcoming by-election in Bagan Pinang where PAS is taking on Umno. Meanwhile, other Selangor PR partners today said they were giving room to PAS to sort out its internal problems. “I’ve been asked to stay out of it and allow PAS to deal with Hasan and Khairuddin,” said a state lawmaker who declined to elaborate further.

Hishamuddin Bebaskan ISA Untuk Jaga Maruah.

2009-09-22T15:48:00.001+01:00

ISTILAH ‘AKIDAH UMNO’

2009-09-20T00:33:00.000+01:00

Salah satu daripada pecahan amal mulia di bulan Ramadhan adalah beri’tikaf dan bertafakur. Ketika melakukan pelbagai muhasabah, maka saya ada terpandang satu ayat yang sedikit mencurigakan. Ia berbunyi begini:

Perdana Menteri berkata, “kita tidak akan membiarkan Umno dipermainkan dan akidah parti itu dipersoalkan mana-mana pihak. Jangan persoalkan akidah kita (Umno)” (Berita Harian 8 September 2009).

Melihatkan kenyataan ini, hati saya tertanya-tanya sama ada bolehkah manusia atau parti politik membuat akidah? PAS tidak pernah mencipta akidah. Islam ini bukan pandai-pandai PAS. Ia agama yang diturunkan kepada Nabi-Nabi oleh Allah Azzawajalla. MORE >>

Anwar Ibrahim: How To Deal With The Challenges?

2009-09-13T22:34:00.002+01:00

PAS Desak Borang 2 Pilihanraya Dihapuskan

2009-09-13T21:23:00.002+01:00

Shahrizat Tidak Membela Wanita

2009-09-13T15:16:00.002+01:00

Mirzan Pengarah Syt. Arak, San Miguel Corp

2009-09-12T08:27:00.001+01:00

Jika Zambry Boleh, Mengapa Tidak Saya? - Gobind.

2009-09-06T00:15:00.001+01:00

Wawancara Bersama Dato Seri Nizar.

2009-09-05T20:41:00.002+01:00

In retro : Wawancara bersama DS Nizar berkenaan dengan Sidang DUN 2 September 2009 yang akan datang.

Sidang DUN Perak 2 September Sah

2009-09-05T12:18:00.000+01:00

Sidang DUN Perak 2 September Sah.

ADUN BN Bagan Pinang NS meninggal

2009-09-04T21:46:00.002+01:00

ADUN BN bagi Bagan Pinang, Negri Sembilan, Azman Mohd Noor meninggal dunia di Seremban hari ini.

Beliau meninggal dunia pada jam 2.30 petang tadi di Pusat Pakar Seremban.

Dalam pilihanraya umum lalu, Azman, 54, menang dengan mendapat 6,430 undi, menewaskan calon PAS, Ramli Ismail yang mendapat 4,097 undi.

Dalam pilihanraya umum lalu, DUN Bagan Pinang mempunyai 14,192 pengundi yang 66 peratus Melayu, Cina (10.5%), India (19.9%) dan lain-lain (3.5%). more>>

Kota Siputeh: SU MB Pahang persoal SPR

2009-09-04T21:32:00.002+01:00

Tugas Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) ialah menjalankan pilihan raya dan bukannya menentukan samada pilihan raya diadakan atau tidak diadakan, kata Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Pahang, Datuk Shamsuddin Nawawi. more>>

Pengalaman Meninjau Politik Jerman.

2009-09-04T19:42:00.003+01:00

Umno Gagal Bayar Hutang?

2009-09-04T00:56:00.001+01:00

Elegant Advisor had filed the suit against Umno in June 2008 claiming RM218,013,475 as compensation from Umno for supplying election campaign materials for the 2004 general election.

The materials include posters, banners, buntings, flags, souvenirs, mineral waters and other transportation costs.read more>>

Will Selangor survive? After Beng Hock.

2009-09-04T00:17:00.003+01:00

Selangor Pakatan faces life-and-death conspiracy threat. Monday, 10 August 2009 | LKS The Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government is facing a life-and-death threat with a high-powered Umno-BN conspiracy to topple it at all costs and restore Umno-BN rule in Selangor as in Perak six months ago.

This is not an ordinary challenge but a no-holds-barred onslaught and take-no-prisoners assault mobilising all available means and resources, including the most unethical and illegal, whether at state or national level, whether government or outside like the mass media, to destroy the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government and cause the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat.

DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders in Selangor and in the country should be fully aware of this latest life-and-death threat to the 17-month-old Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government as testified by two pronouncements by the two top Umno leaders today.

In Perth, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Pakatan Rakyat will be “history in a year” while in Kuala Selangor the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak declared that he wanted “Selangor back in Barisan Nasional’s fold” as the state is the “heartbeat of the country”.

Najib should answer whether he wanted “Selangor back in BN” so badly that he is prepared to resort to both “fair and foul means” even to countenance the most unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional measures like the illegal coup d’etat in Perak in February this year?

In Selangor, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been unleashed, not to declare war against corruption as is the intent of Parliament, but to declare war on the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Excos and Assembly members.

There is already one casualty, the mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the MACC Headquarters on July 16.

Will the true causes and circumstances of Teoh’s mysterious death at MACC ever be uncovered? The Malaysian public does not have great confidence that this would be done, and this is why there is the sustained nation-wide call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry rather than an inquest into the causes and circumstances of Teoh’s death.

If the MACC is genuinely committed to wiping out corruption and abuses of power in the allocation of constituency funds, it should investigate all elected representatives including Barisan Nasional and not just target Pakatan Rakyat ones.

In fact, if the MACC investigate all parliamentary and state assembly constituency allocations going back the last five, ten or 20 years, a special court on corruption would have to be set up to deal with the multitude of cases that can be the subjects of prosecution.

DAP will not countenance any abuse or misuse of constituency allocations and the leadership will have to review the whole system. The Pakatan Rakyat leadership will also have to conduct a review of the system to ensure two things: firstly, no abuse or misuse of constituency allocations; and secondly, no room for MACC to misuse its powers as catspaw of Umno/BN to declare war on Pakatan Rakyat.

Providing the macro setting for this high-powered conspiracy to topple the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government and to break up Pakatan Rakyat, an insidious campaign had been launched to defame and discredit Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders – such as the lies and falsehoods of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is “a traitor to the Malay race”, that the DAP as “anti-Islam” and that PAS is “subservient to DAP”.

Pakatan Rakyat is facing its worst crisis in 17 months and all Pakatan Rakyat leaders, state and national, must be in crisis mode, as the crisis stemmed from two fronts:

* Firstly, from the high-level Umno/Barisan Nasional conspiracy to topple the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat state government and destroy Pakatan Rakyat at all costs and by whatever illegal and unethical means; and
* Secondly, from the flurry of dissension among Pakatan Rakyat parties in Kedah, Penang and Selangor, causing more and more Malaysians to question whether they had properly and rightly vested their trust and hope in Pakatan Rakyat for change in Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders are meeting on Thursday and they must demonstrate that they have not lost sight of the larger vision of building on the momentum of the March 8, 2008 political tsunami to realize political changes in Malaysia by securing increasing support from Malaysians of all races, instead of frightening off support whether Chinese, Malays, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans.

Umno and BN have scented the possibility of “a kill” after the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan on July 14, 2009 after PAS won it with a reduced majority of 65 votes as compared to the 1,352-vote majority in the March 2008 general election.

Can PAS and Pakatan Rakyat prove that this was only a “false sense” on Umno and BN’s part in the upcoming Permatang Pasir by-election in Penang later this month?

600 Ahli MCA Bakal Sertai PKR : September 03, 2009

2009-09-03T23:47:00.000+01:00

Umno tergugat, serang individu - Nik Aziz

2009-09-03T22:20:00.000+01:00

DSAI - Kes Mahkamah & Keputusan SPR

2009-09-03T01:17:00.001+01:00

Rampasan kuasa Selangor: Perancangan 16 Sept berulang?

2009-09-03T00:46:00.002+01:00

Desas-desus bahawa Perdana Menteri, Najib bakal merampas kuasa kerajaan negeri Selangor daripada Pakatan Rakyat pada September tahun ini, mungkin berakhir seperti perancangan 16 September, tahun lalu. Agak mustahil untuk Barisan Nasional merampas lapan kerusi, sebagai langkah menjatuhkan kerajaan PR buat setakat ini.

Namun, seandainya BN cuba menyempurnakan rancangan rampasan kuasa dengan dakwaan rasuah terhadap ADUN tertentu, ia mungkin memerlukan lebih masa. Singkatnya, kemungkinan untuk BN menggulingkan kerajaan PR Selangor pada September tahun ini, hampir mencecah sifar.[more]

PAS Desak Selesaikan Segera Bayaran Royalti Minyak Terengganu

2009-09-03T00:38:00.000+01:00

Persidangan DUN Perak Pilihan Rakyat.

2009-09-03T00:15:00.000+01:00

Polis Bertindak Liar.

July 19, 2009 - In Retro : I am standing on the right side of the history, Chua Jui Meng.

2009-08-31T22:25:00.004+01:00

MENGIKUT GOBALA KRISHNAN, BELIAU DIPUKUL POLIS

2009-08-31T22:03:00.001+01:00

Sivarasa Rasiah: MACC & The BN Conspiracy

2009-08-31T21:22:00.002+01:00

CERAMAH ANWAR DI KUBANG SEMANG - MLM TERAKHIR - PART 1

2009-08-31T08:18:00.003+01:00

Kupasaan Bahasa & serangan peribadi - berdakwah pula dia di bulan Ramadhan ini

Voters Drawing the Line : M. Bakri Musa

2009-08-31T05:45:00.002+01:00

In the heyday of UMNO the joke was that the party could field a dog as an election candidate and it would still win. The party leaders must still harbor that delusion for in the recent Permatang Pasir state by-election they fielded a disbarred lawyer. This time however, voters wisely drew the line at the dog.

The surprise was not that Rohaizat Othman successfully hoodwinked UMNO leaders to secure the nomination rather how easily those senior leaders were taken in by this shyster. Now that their candidate has been thrashed, those UMNO leaders were belatedly bemoaning the fact that their chosen man had been less than truthful to them. That is the quality of UMNO top leadership, folks!

Even after the sordid details of the man’s sleazy professional past and checkered personal life had surfaced, UMNO leaders still vigorously defended their choice. They had the nerve to suggest that those critics were trying to smear the UMNO candidate. Those UMNO leaders obviously did not realize that their man was already soiled.

Reflection on Muhyyuddin

Consider UMNO Deputy President Muhyyuddin Yassin’s comments. He went to great lengths defending the integrity of his party’s standard bearer. He likened the Bar Council’s sanctions as nothing more than a traffic violation! I recognize that traffic in Malaysia is terrible, but really! I wonder what it would take to be branded a crook and thus be disqualified by Muhyyuddin’s reckoning. I am making a huge assumption here, that is, the man has some standards.

A commentator in the mainstream media reported that Muhyyuddin was apparently livid on hearing the details of Rohaizat. Only his severe poker face belied his anger, so she claimed. If Muhyyuddin was truly angry he sure did not reveal it in his actions; he was ‘gung ho’ right to the end. That commentary revealed more about the writer – ‘sucking up’ to Muhyyuddin so early on. She should try a better excuse next time.

It is a recent tradition with UMNO that its deputy leader be in charge of by-elections. This Permatang Pasir election was the first to be under the direct leadership of Muhyyuddin. Hence his comments and actions bear scrutiny.

Muhyyuddin’s decision to continue with Rohaizat’s candidacy despite all the revealed blemishes says volumes on the judgment as well as ethical standards of Muhyyuddin. Not to scare readers, this character is also Deputy Prime Minister, and going by our recent history, he could very well be Prime Minister one day.

If a two-bit disbarred country lawyer could easily dupe Muhyyuddin, imagine him as Prime Minister negotiating with his counterpart across the causeway on selling our precious fresh water, or his participating in crucial international treaty conferences! That is a scary thought.

The brief Permatang Pasir election campaign revealed more than we ever wished to know about this crooked lawyer and his equally slimy personal life. While Rohaizat was disbarred by the Bar Council, he could still practice in the Sharia court. This is the same court that recently sentenced a young mother to be whipped for drinking beer. That should tell us something of the ‘Islamic’ (at least the Malaysian variety) standard of ethics.

To me, the Permatang Pasir campaign revealed more about UMNO, specifically its culture and top leaders. What has been revealed should scare all Malaysians who are concerned with our nation’s future.

Muhyyuddin’s ethical blind spot was disturbing enough. More reprehensible was his performance during the campaign. He fell into the predictable pattern of past ambitious UMNO leaders-in-waiting. There he was, freely and irresponsibly playing up the race card, eerily reminding me of Najib’s and Hishammuddin’s brandishing of their kerises. Aspiring UMNO leaders like Muhyyuddin have this primitive urge to display their chauvinistic manhood during tough election campaigns. That is their culture.

Unfortunately, as the party still garnered over a third of the votes (presumably Malay votes), UMNO leaders will continue with their bigotry. Now they are blaming non-Malay (specifically Chinese) voters for abandoning Barisan.

UMNO of The Future

To be sure there were a few – very few, in fact only two – UMNO leaders who spoke out against Rohaizat, and did so early. Mahathir wondered out loud whether a liar could be a people’s representative. Tengku Razaleigh was much more forceful, “… UMNO is projecting the image that it lives by a different moral code from the rest of Malaysia.”

“Either that, or this is the best we can do,” he continued. Indeed!

Alas, both Mahathir and the Tengku represent UMNO’s past. To gauge UMNO’s future, look at the leaders of its Youth and Puteri wings. They not only endorsed Rohaizat but aggressively campaigned for him. I would like to ask UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin specifically whether he feels that a disbarred lawyer and a man who lied about his wife is a worthy representative of UMNO.

The situation with UMNO Puteri is even more interesting. I wonder how those pretty young girls in their distinctive pink baju kurong feel about campaigning for a man who took a second wife secretly, and then lied about it publicly. The Puteris’ stand-by-your-man stance may be praiseworthy in other circumstances but not when your man is a cheat and a crook. Instead of campaigning for him, Puteri members should be contacting the second wife to see whether her man had been providing for her.

The Permatang Pasir by-election could have been a splendid opportunity for UMNO to shine if only their leaders had been smarter and pursued a radically different tack. Imagine if upon knowing the sordid details of Rohaizat, UMNO leaders publicly admitted their mistake and demanded their candidate withdraw on pain of being expelled from the party.

Yes that would give PAS a walk-over, but that would not have changed the end results. Besides, UMNO had done this a few months earlier in the Penanti by-election. Think however, the message the party and its senior leaders would have sent to their members and Malaysians generally, and the impact that would have on all. UMNO would have won a great moral victory. As it is, UMNO lost the election as well as the moral high ground. The party had set a new low on what is acceptable.

Judging from the post-election comments by UMNO leaders, from Najib Razak and Muhyyuddin on down, UMNO has yet to learn this pertinent lesson from this latest debacle. The party still harbors the delusion that even its flawed candidates could still win.

The next time around expect UMNO to reach even lower to a new bottom in their search for talent. I must admit it would be difficult to find someone more unworthy than a disbarred lawyer. Trust me however, UMNO will find one.

Why I would still vote for Pakatan

2009-08-29T23:45:00.003+01:00

AUG 28 — We know the verdict of the people in Permatang Pasir now, and no matter how you spin it, this was a tremendous victory for Pakatan Rakyat. Yet I know quite a few people wondering why, with all of Pakatan’s woes, the people of Permatang Pasir would return the Pakatan candidate with almost as big a majority as before. While I cannot pretend to speak for anyone but myself, here is why I would vote Pakatan.

People say Pakatan has no common platform. Pakatan has not yet issued a common policy document, true. But read each of the different parties’ manifestos, and try telling me they have nothing in common. All three Pakatan parties have a common economic platform, based on equality of opportunity. All three parties have committed themselves to abolishing racial politics and racist policies. Barisan Nasional has had over five decades to sort out its own race issues, and yet like clockwork, it threatens violence and bloodshed against the other races every year, at each component party’s general assembly.

Barisan still cannot tell us how it will make us truly 1 Malaysia; it cannot say how it plans to fix the horribly unjust basis on which we run our economy. Pakatan still has to deal with religion; Barisan has not yet even begun to tackle race, religion, or the economy. As far as I’m concerned, Pakatan is way ahead of Barisan in two of these key areas, and tied in the other.

In terms of people, I honestly do think — as bad a rep as Pakatan often gets here — Pakatan clearly has better folks in its ranks. Even the crazy extremists who most of us cannot stomach, such as Zulkifli Nordin, can actually converse intelligently (in more than one language!) about the policy issues close to their heart, without any prepared remarks or hesitation. There are PAS leaders who have gone to churches to meet their constituents, and DAP leaders who have gone to mosques to do the same; how many Barisan politicians have done this?

Have you ever listened to or spoken with a Barisan leader? Except for a handful, such as — surprisingly — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin, most of them don’t know what the hell they are talking about. They read from prepared speeches which they obviously barely comprehend, and they cannot answer questions about basic facts which they ought to know. I honestly think Zulkifli Nordin would make a better minister than many in our present Cabinet, and that’s much less a compliment for him than it is a sad fact about the quality of our government.

Now, maybe you really believe Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be as bad a prime minister as Datuk Seri Najib Razak or Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Maybe you really think the inflammatory rhetoric at a DAP, PAS, or PKR gathering is as bad as the discriminatory flak you find at Umno or MCA rallies and meetings. I’m not sure why you might think these things — Anwar’s track record is no worse than these other men, and if anything, it’s probably better. Likewise, if you honestly think Pakatan is radical, extreme and divided, you probably haven’t been looking too closely at Barisan. All the evidence suggests that Pakatan will govern better than Barisan.

It is absolutely true that Pakatan will not govern perfectly. But in part, these problems really can be blamed on Barisan. Establishment men and women dominate the civil service, and strict tenure rules prevent the state governments from firing them. Court cases and corruption investigations keep our representatives busy filing paperwork instead of attending to their real jobs. Virtually everything in the establishment is conspiring against Pakatan, even as we speak.

Yes, some of these problems can be blamed on Pakatan too; it could be doing a lot more to fix its divisions. A lot of time is being wasted on small-picture issues, and quite a few of Pakatan’s reps are no angels. Pakatan would likely be better off reshuffling some of their leadership, and refocusing themselves on building a common platform; its critics are right on quite a few counts.

But look at everything wrong with our country — whose fault is it? Pakatan has had a bit over a year in four or five states to start tinkering at the edges of policy — it doesn’t even have full control of the civil service because of tenure protections. Barisan has had over 50 years to govern. Like it or not, almost every major problem today is the fault of Barisan’s poor policy and poor leadership.

Pakatan is, if you ask me, indubitably more qualified to govern than Barisan. And even if it wasn’t — if it was only as qualified as Barisan (something I highly doubt) — the fact is we are in deep shit as a country. Barisan has had too many freebies over the years. It’s gotten lazy and complacent, and in spite of the wake-up call we sent on March 8, it is still wasting time instead of properly reforming itself and our institutions. If we want to put Barisan on its toes, we have no choice but to put it in the opposition benches, and to vote for Pakatan.[more]

By John Lee : infernalramblings.com.

Permatang Pasir: PR menang di semua saluran

2009-08-29T22:54:00.003+01:00

Pakatan Rakyat berjaya menyapu bersih semua saluran pengundian di DUN Permatang Pasir semalam, sementara menjauhkan jurang antara PR dengan BN dengan rekod 6-1, dalam pilihan raya kecil sejak Malaysia dilanda tsunami politik pada 8 Mac 2008.

UMNO-BN yang tidak meletakkan calon dalam pilihan raya kecil DUN Penanti, 31 Mei 2009, walau bagaimanapun mengekalkan rekod kekalahan 6 kali berturut-turut di Semenanjung Malaysia selepas PRU ke-12, dalam pertembungannya dengan Pakatan Rakyat.

PAS dari PR semalam bernafas lega, apabila menundukkan calon UMNO-BN dengan kemenangan mutlak di kesemua saluran pengundian.

Menurut keputusan terperinci yang terpapar, BN hampir menembusi saluran pengundian kedua di Permatang Ara (97% pengundi Melayu) dengan 287 undi, bagaimanapun tidak kesampaian apabila PAS-PR memperolehi satu undi lebih daripadanya.

Begitu juga apabila UMNO-BN dihampakan dengan 10 undi sahaja, di saluran pengundian kedua di Kampung Pelet, kawasan yang terdiri daripada 72% pengundi Melayu. PAS-PR memperolehi 185 undi, berbanding UMNO-BN dengan 175 undi.

Antara sembilan daerah mengundi, PAS-PR menang dengan margin majoriti yang paling selesa di Cross Street, dengan menyapu 75% undi. Cross Street terdiri daripada lebih 80% pengundi bukan Melayu. Sebaliknya, di daerah mengundi yang terdiri daripada 93% pengundi Melayu, Kubang Semang, menyaksikan PAS-PR merangkul 74% jumlah undi.

Di daerah mengundi seperti Sama Gagah, Permatang Pauh dan Permatang Tengah, PAS-PR berjaya mencatat nisbah jumlah undi 7:3, berbanding UMNO-BN.

UMNO-BN hanya mampu merapatkan jurang di daerah mengundi seperti Permatang Ara (43% undi), Kampung Pelet (42% undi) dan Bukit Indera Muda (40% undi).

Dari struktur kaum pengundi, kawasan tersebut adalah kawasan Melayu majoriti, dengan Permatang Ara 97% pengundi Melayu, Kg.Pelet 72% pengundi Melayu dan Bukit Indera Muda 96% pengundi Melayu.

Pengundi muda tetap memihak PR

Walau bagaimanapun, PR kekal dengan kelebihannya di saluran pengundian ketiga dan keempat, memperlihatkan sokongan pengundi muda terhadap pakatan politik baru ini.

Walaupun di kawasan yang majoritinya pengundi Melayu, misalnya di ketiga-tiga daerah pengundian di mana UMNO-BN "berjaya merapatkan jurang", golongan pengundi muda tetap bersama PR.

Di Permatang Ara misalnya, UMNO-BN kalah dengan satu undi di saluran pengundian kedua, tetapi kalah dengan 152 undi majoriti (PAS 349: BN 197) di saluran ketiga.

Di daerah mengundi Permatang Tengah misalnya, dengan majoriti 89% pengundi Melayu, jumlah undi di saluran pengundian ketiga, keempat dan kelima menyaksikan bagaimana UMNO-BN tewas dengan 491 undi majoriti, apabila PAS-PR memperolehi 804 undi dan UMNO-BN mendapat 313 undi.

UMNO-BN dijangka tidak berubah

Jelas, kelebihan UMNO-BN hanya pada saluran pengundian pertama dan kedua, iaitu golongan pengundi yang umurnya lebih lanjut, di kawasan pengundi Melayu majoriti.

Peningkatan sokongan Melayu mungkin tidak jelas, khususnya di kubu politik Anwar Ibrahim. Tetapi, mungkinkah keputusan ini cukup untuk memberangsangkan pemimpin UMNO?

Pengarah Strategi PKR, Tian Chua meramalkan bahawa UMNO-BN akan terus dengan propagandanya seperti "Anwar pengkhianat", "DAP hina Islam" dan sebagainya, memandangkan peningkatan undi 1% pun mungkin memberi kepuasan kepada UMNO.

"Sememangnya kami (PR) juga bimbang akan kehilangan undi Melayu, tetapi selagi kami mengambil pendekatan yang sederhana, mengekalkan sokongan dari struktur pengundi yang sedia ada, maka UMNO-BN akan musnah dengan sendirinya," jelas Tian Chua kepada MerdekaReview.

Kelas pekerja bersama PR

Ahli Parlimen Batu ini mengingatkan bahawa golongan yang tidak mengundi semalam adalah dari kelas pekerja, yang tidak mempunyai cuti, malah mungkin keberatan untuk balik mengundi kerana tambang kenderaan yang mahal.

Beliau yakin bahawa penurunan peratus pengundian sebanyak 10%, dikenalpasti sebagai pengundi pekerja yang akan mengundi untuk PR.

Maka, kemenangan PAS-PR semalam mengukuhkan keyakinan PR bahawa strategi dan pendekatan yang sama wajar diteruskan, untuk berdepan dengan PRU ke-13.

Cuma, bagaimana pula dengan UMNO-BN?

- Merdeka Review from bulletin online

PAS actually maintained its share of votes

2009-08-28T23:42:00.000+01:00

Malaysians either do not know how to do their homework or are just too lazy. Look at the figures below. PAS actually maintained its share of the votes. In 2008 it was 66.39% and yesterday it was 65.5%, a drop of a mere 0.89%. That is less than 1%.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

27th of October, 1987

2009-08-28T00:38:00.001+01:00

The case was already under appeal (by the Government) at the Supreme Court then. Additionally, Tunku Abdul Rahman had written in his column in The Star that, “I consider it improper and irregular for a leading political party to make use of its power to amass wealth at the expense of other business ventures.”

By Hakim Joe

How many people remembered this day if I only mentioned the date? Hint, it was a Tuesday. No? How about Ops Lallang? (Or is it spelt with only one “l” as in Lalang?) Certainly a day of infamy that will forever rest in the minds of the people of Malaysia as it is the ultimate portrayal of an oppressive law that was blatantly used to silence the opposition. Democracy lost its meaning here from that day onwards.

Was it a show of power by the Government or was the ISA arrests being forced on them as the Opposition was gaining control of the multiple events that was happening in the country? First and foremost, the April 27th UMNO general assembly party elections was a major contributing factor as the rivalry between Team A (UMNO Baru) consisting of Mahathir and Ghaffar Baba, and Team B (UMNO 46) consisting of Tengku Razaleigh and Musa Hitam intensified. [more]

Anwar's appeal rejected

2009-07-02T16:00:00.000+01:00

2 July 2009 - Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim suffered a setback when the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal for the latest sodomy trial to be heard at the Sessions Court instead of the High Court.

However, what was important in today's decision was the court deeming the Prime Minister incompetent in giving assurances to the public that Attorney-General (AG) would not be involved in the case or any other cases.

Justice Abdull Hamid Embong, who led the three-member bench said the AG was the rightful person to sign the certificate and no one else under section 418 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"In our view the PM is not the competent authority on matters concerning criminal prosecutions in our country," he said, adding that this authority under Articles 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution is vested solely in the public prosecutor (AG).

"All prosecutions are in his name as the representative of the state and public interest. No member of the executive, not even the PM can interfere or fetter this independent powers of the AG in respect of prosecutions."

Thousands attend rally to hear Pakatan’s message of unity.

2009-07-01T03:00:00.002+01:00

By Wong Choon Mei | Wednesday, 1 July 2009 - suarakeADILan

A huge crowd turned up to hear top leaders of the Pakatan Rakyat speak about their plans for the future now that they have unanimously rejected an offer from Prime Minister Najib Razak to form a unity government.

“Umno has failed to bring real unity to the people of Malaysia. Pakatan has decided to reinforce our commitment to each other and together bring about the collapse of the Umno-Barisan Nasional government,” PAS president Hadi Awang told the crowd at the Kelana Jaya Stadium in Selangor.

Despite being a weekday and recent police crackdowns on other Pakatan ceramahs including the DAP’s 43rd anniversary dinner, some 10,000 people turned up at the rally featuring Hadi, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim.

They came to see and hear for themselves what the top trio had to say. And they were not disappointed.[more]

Usul Membahaskan Laluan Alternatif Projek Jambatan Pulau Pinang ke 2.

2009-07-01T02:30:00.000+01:00

30 Jun 2009 | Anwar Ibrahim

–Kenyataan Media–

Pada hari ini saya telah mengusulkan supaya mesyuarat Dewan Rakyat ditangguhkan untuk membincangkan perkara tertentu, berkepentingan ramai dan perlu disegerakan.

Saya mencadangkan:

“Bahawa Dewan Rakyat membincangkan cadangan projek pembinaan Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang memandangkan kos projek tersebut adalah terlalu tinggi berbanding cadangan laluan alternatif yang mampu menjimatkan RM4 billion dana awam.”

Pada Ogos 2006 Kerajaan Persekutuan mengumumkan projek pembinaan Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke9 dan upacara perasmian pecah tanah telah disempurnakan pada 12 November 2006 [oleh Perdana Menteri ketika itu YAB Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Ia dibina oleh usahasama China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd dan UEM. Pembinaannya menggunakan laluan selatan dengan jarak 24km dengan kos keseluruhannya melibatkan RM12 billion dan dijangka siap pada pertengahan 2012.

Menurut sumber industri, saya difahamkan bahawa projek yang sedia ada ini tidak wajar diteruskan, kerana ianya melibatkan kos pembinaan yang terlalu tinggi. Saya difahamkan juga bahawa adalah lebih wajar untuk membina projek Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang ini dengan menggunakan laluan alternatif melalui laluan utara dengan jarak 10Km yang lebih dekat dengan melibatkan anggaran kos keseluruhan yang lebih rendah berjumlah antara RM7 hingga RM8 billion.

Berbanding dengan projek yang sedia ada, amat jelas bahawa cadangan projek laluan alternatif bagi membina Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang berupaya menjimatkan RM4 billion dana awam.

Berikutan itu, saya mencadangkan supaya Dewan Rakyat membincangkan perkara ini bagi membolehkan rakyat mendapat gambaran sebenar mengenai permasalahan dan alasan-alasan kukuh mengapa cadangan laluan alternatif bagi pembinaan Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang tidak boleh dipertimbangkan meskipun ianya berupaya menyelamatkan RM4 billion wang rakyat.

Atas perkara yang tertentu ini yang melibatkan kepentingan rakyat umum yang perlu disegerakan, saya telah memohon secara rasmi kepada Yang di-Pertua Dewan Rakyat supaya usul ini dibincangkan pada hari ini.

Sekian.

ANWAR BIN IBRAHIM

KETUA PEMBANGKANG DEWAN RAKYAT

AHLI PARLIMEN PERMATANG PAUH

Guan Eng : Wrong For Hindraf To Blame Us For Kg Buah Pala?

2009-06-30T10:25:00.002+01:00

By Wong Choon Mei | Tuesday, 30 June 2009 - suaraKeADILan

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it was not possible for his administration to accede to the requests of the Hindu Rights Action Force, although he sympathised with the problems faced by villagers in the disputed Kampung Buah Pala area.

“Hindraf wants the state government to act against the court order obtained by the developer to evict the residents,” he said in a statement following a meeting with 10 representatives from the group.

“This the state government can not do as Pakatan Rakyat governs under the rule of law and is compelled to respect any court order issued.”

The outlawed Hindraf – an Indian rights movement – is planning to protest outside DAP offices in six states unless Guan Eng agrees to forcibly acquire the land for public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act.

“Cancelling the project would incur costs beyond the financial capability of the state government. We are not talking about millions of ringgit or tens of millions of ringgit here! Doing so would also lead to the developer reaping enormous profits without putting in a single sen.”

Tsu Koon should explain

The chief minister also reminded that it was not the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government that approved the demolition and eviction of the villagers there.

He called on former chief minister Koh Tsu Koon to give a full explanation on why he sold the land at only RM10 per square feet and without consulting the residents.

Guan Eng also pointed that while the developer has since obtained a court order for the eviction, it also offered compensation of up to RM200,000 per registered family, a sum that has been acceptable to many in the village.

“But we respect the decision of the remaining residents who choose to fight it out in court. If the state government had not been sympathetic to the plight of the residents, then the developer would have evicted the residents in the middle of last year when a court order was obtained,” said Guan Eng.

“Only the determined preventive efforts by Penang DCM2 Professor P Ramasamy and Penang State EXCO Abdul Malek stopped the developer from entering the village with bulldozers several times last year.”

Has Hindraf been infiltrated by the Umno-BN?

The DAP secretary-general also slammed Hindraf for putting the blame on his administration, which inherited the problem from Tsu Koon’s Umno-BN government.

He also raised a question that has been on the minds of many political watchers and analysts following Prime Minister Najib Razak’s sudden release of five top Hindraf leaders from Internal Security Act detention in recently.

“We regret the unwarranted, highly irresponsible and irrational action of the Hindraf in targeting us over the eviction of the residents.”

“Why is Hindraf not demonstrating against UMNO or Gerakan or MCA or even MIC who are the main culprits and perpetrators behind Kampung Buah Pala? This begs the question whether Hindraf has now been infiltrated by collaborators of MIC and BN when it should be demonstrating against those who demolish temples and not the Penang state government seeking a fair deal for the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.

“Nonetheless, they have the right to hold a peaceful demonstration no matter how unreasonable it is. I have instructed my officials to accept any memorandum submitted and urge the police not to take and action that would lead to untoward incidents,” said Guan Eng.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Suara Keadilan appends below the full statement issued by Guan Eng on the matter.

Hindraf Must Wake Up And Realise That Kampung Buah Pala Is Still Standing Today Because The Penang Pakatan Rakyat State Government Had Successfully Prevented Them From Being Evicted In The Middle Of Last Year.

The Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government has never consented nor approved any demolition of Kampung Buah Pala. Any action taken is by the private developer via a court order issued by the relevant courts.

Up to RM200,000 per family was offered by the developer to the residents which was accepted by many families but not by those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala. The state government respected the decision of those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala to reject any compensation offer and to fight it out in courts.

If the state government had not been sympathetic to the plight of the residents, then the developer would have evicted the residents in the middle of last year when a court order was obtained. Only the determined preventive efforts by Penang DCM2 Professor P Ramasamy and Penang State EXCO Abdul Malek stopped the developer from entering the village with bulldozers several times last year.

All parties must therefore realise that it is only because of the efforts of the present Pakatan Rakyat state government that the Kampung Buah Pala residents are still living there.

Koh Tsu Koon Owes The Public A Full Explanation Why He Sold The Kampung Buah Pala At A Cheap Price Of Only RM10 Per Square Feet In 2007 And Without consulting the residents.

The state government land of Kampung Buah Pala was approved to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang twice by the BN Penang state EXCO led by Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon on 18.8.2004 and 8.6.2005 with a premium of RM6.42 million or RM20 per square feet. I can not understand neither the rationale of approving this project without consulting the residents nor selling it at such a low price.

Worse Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s EXCO reduced the premium further by 50% to RM3.21 million or only RM10 per square feet on the recommendation of the UMNO Deputy Chief Minister. Koh Tsu Koon owes the public a full explanation why he sold Kampung Buah Pala at a cheap price of only RM10 per square feet in 2007 when the market price in this prime area is many times over and without consulting the residents.

The Penang State Government Should Not Be Unfairly Victimised And Targeted By Hindraf For Helping The Kampung Buah Pala Residents.

It is BN, Gerakan, MIC, UMNO & MCA that are the main culprits for causing, abandoning and even selling out Kampung Buah Pala residents.

The Penang state government regrets the highly irresponsible and irrational actions of Hindraf in targeting the Penang state government over the actions taken by the developer to evict residents in Kampung Buah Pala. Hindraf wants the state government to act against the court order obtained by the developer to evict the residents. This the state government can not do as Pakatan Rakyat governs under the rule of law and is compelled to respect any court order issued.

On the other hand, there have been suggestions that the Penang state government forcibly acquires the land under for a public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act. Doing so would play into the hands into the developer who would be able to reap enormous profits without putting in a single cent.

Much as the Penang state government would wish to do, cancelling the project and forcibly acquiring the land would incur costs beyond the financial capability of the state government. We are NOT talking about millions of ringgit or tens of millions of ringgit here!

Clearly Hindraf is unable to distinguish who its friends are by likening such actions to UMNO’s tearing down of Hindu temple. And yet Hindraf does not organise nation-wide protests for the recent tearing down Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. The Penang state government should not be unfairly victimised or targeted by Hindraf when we have assisted the residents and also not involved with the tearing down of any Hindu temple in Penang.

Why is Hindraf not demonstrating against UMNO or Gerakan or MCA or even MIC who are the main culprits and perpetrators behind Kampung Buah Pala? This begs the question whether Hindraf has now been infiltrated by collaborators of MIC and BN when it should be demonstrating against those who demolish temples and not the Penang state government seeking a fair deal for the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.

Hindraf should realise what the Penang state government has done for the Indian community, temples and Tamil primary schools. Not only was the first Indian Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang appointed but the 28 Tamil primary schools were given a yearly allocation of RM1.5 million along with other Chinese primary, Sekolah Agama Rakyat, missionary schools and Chinese independent secondary schools.

Further Penang put up the FIRST Tamil road signs in the country alongside with Arabic, Chinese and English bilingual road signs in Georgetown. Even Hindraf never even raised the issue of Tamil road signs.

By going against the Penang state government, Hindraf is indirectly helping UMNO and BN and putting all the achievements made by the Penang state government at risk. There will be no Indian DCM2, no yearly allocation of funds to Tamil primary schools and no more Tamil road signs or bilingual road signs. Hindraf should use reason not emotions of rage or anger and think again who are the real opponents and the real friends of the Indian community.

Most important of all, the Penang state government treats all Indians together with Chinese and Malays as Malaysian citizens, where a Chinese leader can look after Malays a Malay leader can look after Chinese and an Indian leader can look after all citizens.

DAP and the Pakatan Rakyat government will not back down or be cowed by BN, UMNO or Hindraf who continues to look at problems from a narrow racial spectrum of Chinese, Indian of Malays. DAP and the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government believes that the issues of Indians are not Indian problems, the issues of Chinese are not Chinese problems nor the issues of Malays not Malay problems but a Malaysian issue.

We should be uniting together as Malaysians around the principles of justice, truth, freedom, democracy and welfare of the people to ensure that we fight corruption to both generate growth and prosperity as well as ensure that everyone shares equitably.

However despite regretting the unwarranted targeting of the Penang state government, Hindraf leaders have the right to exercise the basic human rights of peaceful assembly by demonstrating no matter how unreasonable they are. I have instructed my officials to respect their rights and accept any memorandum submitted in line with non-violent principles of Mahatma Gandhi that, “violence begets violence, an eye for any eye would leave everyone blind.” I also urge the police not to take any action that would lead to untoward actions.

The state government will also not be affected by the actions of the residents in suddenly turning against the state government despite all the assistance offered.

The state government will continue to assist the remaining residents of Kampung Buah Pala, including if the residents so wish, that the developer of Kampung Buah Pala continues with its offer of up to RM200,000 compensation per registered family to the residents.

The state government has also not given any consent or agreement to the developer to demolish any buildings as the developer is acting on his own under the court order from the High Court and Federal Court.

Lim Guan Eng

Chief Minister, Penang

Tentera dikerah menangkan Umno di Manek Urai

2009-06-29T18:14:00.000+01:00

29 June 2009 - Program kebajikan disertai tentera di Dun Manek Urai timbulkan kesangsian

ABASS Accepts Offer From Selangor Govt.

2009-06-29T17:13:00.002+01:00

But SPLASH, SYABAS And Puncak Niaga Reject.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- The board of directors of ABBAS and its holding company, Titisan Modal (M) Sdn Bhd, have in principle accepted the offer from the Selangor state government of RM946 million to acquire Konsortium ABASS Sdn Bhd's water assets and operations.

The offer includes the liabilities to be assumed by the State Government and/or retained at ABASS of RM779 million (inclusive of Titisan borrowing) and equity value of RM167 million, said Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd (KPS) in an announcement on Bursa Malaysia.

It said the directors of ABASS also wanted confirmation from the state government on the structure of the proposed takeover.

Pending confirmation from the state government, the acceptance of the offer is subject to the approval of the relevant authorities, the consent of bondholders and lenders of the ABASS and Titisan and the approval of the shareholders of ABASS, Titisan and KPS.

KPS owns 55 percent stake in Titisan, which in turns owns 100 percent of ABASS.

Meanwhile, the RM2.975 billion offer made by the state government for the water assets and operations of Syarikat Pengeluar Air Sungai Selangor Sdn Bhd (SPLASH) has been rejected by SPLASH, said Gamuda Bhd.

Gamuda is a major shareholder in SPLASH with 40 percent interest.

Meanwhile, Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd said the RM1.94 billion offer to Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd (PNSB) as well as an offer of RM3.361 billion for the water assets of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) was rejected by both PNSB and Syabas.

Puncak Niaga holds 100 percent interest in PNSB and 70 percent stake in Syabas.

Conference Of Rulers wants to get views of religious councils first,

2009-06-29T16:37:00.000+01:00

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29,2009 – The 217th (special) meeting of the Conference of Rulers, which was held Istana Negara here today, has decided to get the views of the respective state religious councils first before arriving at a decision on the matter of conversion of minors to Islam.

As such, the Conference of Rulers decided to defer its decision on proposed amendments to state enactments on the matter, said a statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal.

The meeting which lasted over two hours was chaired Raja Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail. Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin also attended the meeting.

All the sultans and the Yang Dipertuas Negeri attended the meeting except the sultans of Kelantan, Pahang and Perak.

Kelantan was represented by the Regent, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra, Pahang by the Tengku Mahkota, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and Perak by the Regent, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah Terengganu was represented by the President of the Regency Advisory Council, Tengku Seri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman Sultan Mahmud.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the Sultan of Terengganu.

On April 22, the Cabinet made a decision that minors could remain in the religion of their parents at the time of their marriage, even if their mother or father later converted to another religion.

The Cabinet was of the view that conversionS could not be used as an excuse to automatically dissolve a marriage or to get custody of children.

It also agreed that any individual wishing to change religion should first settle any outstanding issues with his or her spouse, to avoid innocent parties, especially children becoming victims.

Matters concerning Islam come under state jurisdiction in the federation. The Rulers are the head of Islam in their respective states. – Bernama

PENDEDAHAN SAIFUDDIN NASUTION, MANEK URAI.

2009-06-28T16:39:00.002+01:00

27 June 2009 - MANEK URAI : PENDEDAHAN SAIFUDDIN NASUTION MENGENAI PEMBOHONGAN KERAJAAN MENGENAI MINYAK DI KELANTAN.

KEPUTUSAN MAHKAMAH RAYUAN SALAH.

2009-06-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

Calun PAS PRK Manek Urai, annouced by Tok Guru Nik Aziz.

2009-06-26T22:33:00.001+01:00

26 June 2009 - Bendahari PAS Kawasan Kuala Kerai Mohd Fauzi Abdullah telah diisytiharkan sebagai calon PAS yang mewakili Pakatan Rakyat untuk bertanding pada pilihan raya kecil Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Manek Urai.

Sarawak state elections: BN preparation starts!

2009-06-24T21:09:00.001+01:00

23/06/2009 by democracy4now

The pivotal elections in Malaysia may well be the Sarawak state elections which are due by May 2011, but more likely to fall at end of 2010. The results may herald whether the Pakatan has started to make inroads into this `safe deposit’ of BN or that BN can still hold on to their strong hold. For that reason the BN Chair Najib reportedly asked the state parties to start preparing for the state elections when he visited them recently. The fact that Sarawak holds the balance of power in Malaysian parliament is not difficult to see: they hold 31 out of the total 222 total Parliament seats-with all, except 1 seat, held by BN. So even though Pakatan can still win more seats in the coming GE in Penisular their hope to win Federal power will be dashed if they can’t make any break through in Sarawak and also Sabah(with 25 parliament seats), the 2 East Malaysian states. BN won 140 seats over Pakatan’s 82 in last General Elections in 2008, giving BN the lowest ever majority of 58 seats. A change of 30 seats may see Federal power change hand. In West Malaysia BN’s 86 seats is almost evenly matched with Pakatan’s 82. It is commonly understood that not much room for progress for Pakatan can be expected in West Malaysia in coming General Elections.

For the above reasons election observers groups should also gear up to ensure free and fair elections in Sarawak and Sabah. Without free and fair elections the isolated interiors of Sarawak may vote in less than fully informed basis as before. Then the election result may not reflect the true will of the people. How do observers expand their circle in Sarawak? The question need more answers than before.

Ong BK

Jean Todt's services cost RM1m?

2009-06-24T20:56:00.001+01:00

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali today asked how much money was offered to the former chief of Ferrari Formula-One team Datuk Seri Jean Todt to be appointed as Malaysia's tourism ambassador.

By SK English News

MP for Gombak Azmin Ali has asked the government to explain why it spent nearly a million ringgit to hire former Ferrari Formula One owner Jean Todt and his fiance Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh as tourism ambassadors for the country when there were already tourism offices in major European cities.

According to the PKR vice president, Todt’s annual fees amounted to RM593,400 while the couple received RM388,000 for holidays in Malaysia. Their flights alone cost up to RM360,000.

“This is only the flight costs. It does not include overseas accommodation, traveling expenses and lifestyle allowance,” Azmin later told reporters at the sidelines of Parliament.

During the sitting, Deputy Tourism Minister Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib had refused to answer Azmin’s question, saying it was unrelated to the original question which was on the types of films and documentaries produced to promote tourism.

Did the gov’t offer him land? Was it for free?

Azmin also demanded to know if the government had offered land to Todt , who allegedly is building a home in Pulau Besar near Kuala Terengganu.

Todt was given approval this year to participate in the Malaysia My Second Home programme which allows him to buy property and live in Malaysi

“I have proof on the offer of land to Todt in Pulau Besar. I have documents to show that there has been communication between the ministry and Jean Todt on the matter,” said Azmin.

“But I’m not going beyond that until the ministry comes out with an open statement on the matter. Was the land given for free? They have to come clean. What is the premium paid by Jean Todt? What is the acreage given to him?”

Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen later confirmed that Todt was appointed as tourism ambassador for a two-year period beginning May this year. According to her, Todt’s “presence in Europe will increase Malaysia visibility”.

She also claimed that the RM1 million allocated for the tenure of his appointment has yet to be spent.

“The money is not in the form of cash to him. To promote Malaysia in Europe, RM1 million is nothing,” Yen Yen said.

[more video on the subject]

Statement from the Supreme Guide of Pan Malaysia Islamic Party.

2009-06-22T23:06:00.002+01:00

Pakatan say no to unity gov’t, pledges loyalty to each other

2009-06-22T05:26:00.001+01:00

Monday, 22 June 2009 | By Wong Choon Mei - suarakeADILan

Today is certainly an important day for Malaysia.

Key decisions affecting the country’s immediate future were made and it is now a step clearer how the country will be governed over the next few years.

As with the stock market, there will be gyrations now and then as the two main protagonists slug it out in the political arena.

But what is sure and necessary for all Malaysians and foreign investors to know is that the country’s path is set.

And it is to be a firmly and proudly two-party coalition political system.

The Pakatan Rakyat offering its own brand of new politics and the Umno-BN peddling its decades-old concoction of paternalistic and communal policies.

On Monday, the Pakatan announced its decision to reject a proposal from Umno to form a unity government, dealing a death-blow to speculation that partners PKR, DAP and PAS would split, with PAS opting to cross over and build a new Malay power-pact with Umno.

Instead, the trio reiterated their loyalty to each other and renewed a pledge to strengthen their coalition with the express aim of forming the next the federal government.

Indeed words of comfort to many Malaysians, although they may at the same time elicit fear from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno-BN.

“The Pakatan council of leaders has reaffirmed our rejection of the idea of forming a unity government with Umno/BN which is clearly a malicious and desperate attempt to compromise the integrity of the increasingly popular Pakatan Rakyat,” the leaders said in a joint statement released on Monday.

“Pakatan agrees to adopt an open approach and is willing to hold discussions with the leaders of BN on issues of national interests.”

Affidavit Untuk Membatalkan Kes DSAI

2009-06-20T13:35:00.001+01:00

Permohonan ini

12. Saya menegaskan bahawa permohonan ini dibuat kerana pendakwaan terhadap saya dalam Kes Terkini adalah satu pendakwaan berniat jahat (mala fide) dan merupakan penyalahgunaan proses Mahkamah. Terdapat beberapa alasan-alasan utama untuk menyokong permohonan ini yang mana akan dikategorikan seperti berikut:-

A. Pertuduhan terhadap saya adalah suatu konspirasi politik;

B. Pencabulan hak-hak saya dibawah perlembagaan;

C. Pendakwaan niat jahat (mala fide) diteruskan walaupun keterangan-keterangan pakar jelas menafikan kejadian liwat; dan

D. Kegagalan meneruskan pendakwaan terhadap Saiful di mahkamah syariah.

Alasan-alasan ini akan dihuraikan satu-persatu. Kesemua alasan-alasan ini akan menunjukkan bahawa pendakwaan terhadap saya adalah merupakan satu konspirasi jahat yang bertujuan untuk mencemarkan nama baik saya dan untuk menghukumkan serta memenjarakan saya dengan apa cara sekali pun. Muslihat-muslihat ini ternyata bertujuan menghalang saya dari menyempurnakan tanggungjawab saya mendedahkan rasuah dan salah laku pucuk pimpinan UMNO-BN. Sekali lagi, saya berkeyakinan bahawa tujuan konspirasi tersebut adalah untuk menghalang saya dari mencabar dan menjejaskan kedudukan pemimpin UMNO-BN. Ini dilakukan kerana mereka takut dan gusar untuk berhadapan dengan rakyat dalam pilihanraya. Lantaran itu, pendekatan yang dipilih adalah dengan menyalahgunakan proses Mahkamah dengan mengenukakan pertuduhan dan pendakwaan jahat (mala fide) terhadap saya.[more]

Federal Court’s decision in Zambry v Sivakumar

2009-06-19T20:43:00.001+01:00

In case you have forgotten

In case you have forgotten, I shall try to jolt your memory. The infamous five were Alauddin bin Dato’ Mohd Sheriff PCA, Arifin Zakaria CJM, Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman, Augustine Paul and Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudddin FCJJ. Their story exploded on the front page of the Star newspaper of Friday, 17 April 2009.

It carried the startling and outrageous decision of the Federal Court. The headline proclaims Court: Siva does not have right to suspend seven. The report reads:

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has unanimously ruled that Perak Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar does not have the power to suspend Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abd Kadir and six state executive council members from attending the assembly.[more]

The Sodomy Conspirators: Hoisted By their own petard

2009-06-19T20:12:00.003+01:00

By Kenny Gan | suarakeADILan | 19 Jun 2009

1998 was tumultuous year in Malaysian politics.

In that year, Mahathir Mohamad sacked Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister and dragged him to court on abuse-of-power and sodomy charges which many believe to this day to be politically motivated and his conviction to be politically influenced.

The entire mass media under the government’s control was harnessed to demonize Anwar and destroy him politically.

Despite this, a yawning chasm existed between what the government wanted the public to believe and what they actually believed.

The result was a social and political crisis that rocked the nation, split the Malays and galvanized many politically apathetic people to take an active interest in politics to try to effect a change for a better government that does not abuse all the institutions of democracy to achieve its ends.

The resulting political fallout saw PAS gaining at the expense of Umno in the 1999 general election and the creation of a new political party rooted in social justice, the effects of which still resonate today.

Indeed, the accelerated growth of PAS from a rural Malay party to a national party and the rise of PKR can be traced back to the Malay community’s repugnance at Mahathir’s cruel treatment of Anwar more than ten years ago.

History Repeats Itself

It is said that those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.

Eleven years later, the nation is set to witness a repeat of the gut-wrenching melodrama and tragi-comedy of yet another Anwar sodomy trial, which again is set to shake the nation and drag public confidence in our enforcement institutions to new lows.

But the stakes are higher now as Anwar has become Opposition Leader and one who carries the hopes of millions of Malaysians for a new and better Malaysia.

The political-social environment has also changed significantly with the dissipation of Mahathir’s climate of fear and the pervasiveness of the Internet loosening the government’s stranglehold on information.

More importantly, the formation of a two party system by the enlarged and united opposition forced the ruling party to be democratically competitive.

In this new environment, it would be political suicide to try a repeat of the previous sodomy caper. However, those who have held the levers of power for too long are sometimes blinded by their arrogance besides overestimating their abilities and under-estimating the public.

The Facts of the Case

Whatever has been revealed in the public domain on sodomy II only serves to give the public the impression that this is nothing more than another politically motivated prosecution.

In the first place, the charge itself does not inspire confidence given that homosexuality is not actively prosecuted in Malaysia although outlawed in the statute books. Nobody has been prosecuted under this archaic law except for Anwar in 1998

The fact that the accuser, Saiful is a known Umno sympathizer does not help matters. His demeanour when he appeared in public smiling and waving to the press is certainly not typical of one who has been forcibly sodomized as he alleged.

Revelations that the he has met with top government officers including Datuk Seri Najib who was DPM at the time (purportedly for career guidance) and a senior police officer at the Concorde Hotel in Shah Alam before he made his accusation public have raised eyebrows and deservedly so.

There are also elements in his story which strains credibility like having been sodomized seven times before he made his poice report, waiting 3 days from the last act to do so and his insistence that he was sodomized against his will by a 61-year old man who is physically no match for him.

But the top was blown off the case by a doctor from Pusrawi Medical Centre from whom Saiful sought a medical examination. This good doctor recorded plainly that the alleged victim had never been sodomized.

Despite this, the Attorney-General (photo) saw fit to ram through a charge of consensual sodomy despite the main witness insisting to all and sundry that it had happened against his will.

Sodomy II Goes to Trial

It should be emphasized that the case must be proven beyond reasonable doubt - not in Umno’s court which is already low in public credibility - but in the court of public opinion if the ruling party does not wish to suffer a terrible backlash.

The fact is that real cases of rape or sexual abuse are notoriously difficult to prove, what more a fabricated one.

The public will not be impressed by circumstantial evidence or DNA evidence and the latter would be immediately assumed to be faked given the low credibility of the police and the fact that such chicanery has been attempted before in sodomy I.

Nothing short of a video capturing the act will be convincing enough but if such a video exists, the government would have broadcasted it on all the TV channels, uploaded it online and produced a million CDs for distribution to stop Anwar from making a comeback in Permatang Pauh.

If the prosecution has any real proof, they could have obtained a conviction from any judge - even from the fair-minded Justice Komathy Suppiah in the Sessions Court under which the case was originally heard - instead of fighting tooth and nail to transfer it to the High Court as if their whole case depends on the judge who hears it.

Attack and Defense

What are Anwar’s chances of escaping a conviction? Apparently not good if the court proceedings of sodomy I are any guideline.

The public release by Anwar’s lawyers of Hospital KL’s report that the accuser has no evidence of being sodomized, which corroborates the Pusrawi Medical Centre’s report, will not necessarily stop them. It did not matter in sodomy I.

The definition of a kangaroo court is a judicial proceeding that violates established legal procedures, the rights of the defendant are disregarded and his defence is restricted.

Relevant evidence and witnesses are not allowed to be called, cross examination of witnesses controlled and irregularities ignored so as to render a fair trial impossible.

In the 1998 Anwar trial, judge Augustine Paul (photo) disallowed the defence of political conspiracy, allowed the case to proceed without medical evidence that the accuser had been sodomized.

Augustine also allowed the charges to be changed midway, disallowed the defense’s attempt to introduce key evidence and witnesses as irrelevant, allowed faked DNA evidence to be expunged instead of throwing out the case out. This man even jailed one of the defence lawyers for contempt for bringing to the court’s attention fabricated evidence.

I leave it to readers to judge if the above fulfils the definition of a kangaroo court.

But in this present case, there is an anomaly in the charge which can be exploited by the defence team.

Anwar was charged for consensual sodomy under Section 377B of the Penal Code although his accuser has insisted publicly that he was forcibly sodomized and even swore to it in a mosque.

Naturally, the prosecution wants to spare themselves the inconvenience of proving how a frail elderly man with a bad back can force himself on a strapping youth physically bigger and stronger than him. Hence, the charge under Section 377B.

But you cannot have a charge for consensual sodomy and the main witness insisting that he was forcibly raped. So either the charge must be amended to Section 377C for forced sodomy or Saiful must declare in court that sodomy was consensual. If the charge and the accuser’s testimony cannot be reconciled then it must be thrown out.

As Saiful has sworn in a mosque that he was forcibly sodomized – a very serious action to Muslims indeed – and BN has made political capital of this at the Permatang Pauh by-election, the political fallout will be explosive to the Malay Muslim mind.

So the prosecution faces a terrible dilemma, to try to prove the impossible or to engender a punishing political backlash which Umno may never recover in the staunchly religious Malay heartlands.

Such a dilemma would never have occurred if the charge had been based on a true event instead of a fabricated one.

Aftermath

In the 1999 general election, the fallout from the Anwar case caused Umno’s Malay support to shrink to 49% from their normal baseline of 55%.

BN was only saved by the non-Malays who swung to Umno on the back of PAS’ foolish proclamation to create an Islamic state which all but scuppered the nascent Barisan Alternatif coalition.

Given that the majority of non-Malays have swung back to Pakatan Rakyat on the expectation of more equitable racial treatment, such help from them to compensate another Malay swing out from Umno is unlikely.

If the level of Malay support for Umno drops below 50% in the current political scenario, BN is likely to be wiped out in the Peninsula and even a clean sweep of East Malaysia cannot save them.

The political masters may have though that putting Anwar away will solve their problems but it could hasten their demise.

The opposition coalition has grown beyond Anwar and no longer requires his personal participation to stay together.

A conviction of Anwar seen as unfair and a political hatchet job will energize the opposition and create so much public sympathy and disgust that PR will ride the wave to victory in the next general election.

The perpetrators are tampering with powerful forces beyond their control. If they have nothing on Anwar it is best to swallow their pride and just drop the charges.

Next week's DNA bill a 'conspiracy to convict Anwar'

2009-06-19T15:00:00.000+01:00

Nizar rayu penghakiman semula, minta maksima 11 hakim

2009-06-19T10:36:00.000+01:00

19 June 2009 - Penghakiman majmuk mampu membebaskan keputusan kehakiman dari konflik kepentingan.