Anwar Ibrahim: "All Men Are Brothers"

Malaysiakini | 24 February 2009

The history of Chinese education for the past centuries in the country is a synonymous tale of untold toil, struggle and hardship by little known individuals within the Chinese educationist movement who have been carrying their Chinese education in their minds and Chinese blood in their veins.

Chinese educationist Sim Mow Yu was an outstanding role model for his contribution towards Chinese education. Parliamentary Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Sim at last Sunday’s fund-raising launching event at SJK Sin Ming in Puchong, Selangor.

Anwar Ibrahim, Khalid Ibrahim & members of the Selangor state government at Sin Ming Primary School in Puchong

“Our dear friend, Sim Mow Yu is a man who shared the same commitment and dedication to children’s education. His work is an example for all Malaysians. His spirit and legacy of his great service to his people and to the nation echoes around us today; and we mark his contribution with a moment of silence,” Anwar said at the school gathering.

Referring to the former headmaster and chairman of the school board, the late Goh Cheng Chew, Anwar said: “There is a mark of heroism in his sacrifice, and yet a certain sadness comes with it as well.

Anwar tries his hand at calligraphy

“In a country as rich as ours, why do we leave people to fend for themselves in providing what is, I believe, the birthright of every child.

“The young children we see today are our hope for tomorrow. The values of racial tolerance, unity and fraternity must be inculcated early in life.

"I have been fortunate to have been taught by good teachers, guided by great writers, among them Han Yu San, whose words I remember well: ‘Within the four seas, all men are brothers’.

“For all these reasons, the Selangor state government under Pakatan has declared that education shall be the pillar of its state government development policy,” Anwar said.

ANWAR ADDRESSES THE ASSEMBLY AT SIN MING PRIMARY SCHOOL, PUCHONG

Part 1

Part 2

In his speech, Anwar paid tribute to renowned Chinese educationist Sim Mow Yu, who passed away recently, and the late Goh Cheng Chew, a coffee stall owner and key figure in resuscitating the school in 1986.

Anwar said Sim was his friend during his activist days with the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) in the 1970s and had once shared the same stage during a ceramah in Klang over language issues.

Though occasionally venturing into highly political topics, Anwar ended his speech calling for racial unity by quoting the famous Chinese proverb: si hai ji nei chie xiong di ("Within the four seas all men are brothers").

Later, Anwar was asked to write the proverb in Chinese calligraphy which was auctioned off for RM150,000 to school board advisor Yan Khoon Yin, after some fierce bidding opening at RM18,000.

FOUR LITTLE, FIVE LITTLE, SIX LITTLE INDIANS...

The Malaysian Police are Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner, all in one
Sunday, 22 February 2009 | Malaysia Today
By Naragan N.

Today, I tagged along with our Human Rights Activists who have been fighting Police Abuses for a long time – S. Jayathas, S. Surendran, Manickavasagam (MP for Kapar) and M. Manohar (MP for Teluk Intan), to find out what actually transpired when the 6 were killed by the Police in Kulim.

Ever since their killing the other day, I have been very bothered by the event. The media shouted out "criminals" – as if that was the foregone truth. The Police had executed all 6 of them as if they were the Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner all in one and utterly above the law. It was not one, not two; it was six -and it seems with impunity. Every one had their own view of the episode. But I needed some answers.

At the outset, let me say that I am not condoning crimes or criminals; but there are so many questions that this incident raises that we need some good answers, and fast, as this situation seems to be spinning out of control – before the ink dries on one, another seems to happen. Kugan's case before Prabakaran's settled, and now the six before Kugan's case is settled.

We visited the shootout site, the families of 3 of the deceaseds and spent some time with the neighbour at the shootout site. The picture that emerges is different than what the mainstream media has been putting out. The MSM paints a picture that the Police only returned fire after being shot at and that this turn of events was totally unavoidable and that they were dealing with a bunch of unscrupulous criminals.


Let me detail some of the facts we gathered before commenting on them. The scene of the shooting was in a small town of Karangan some 15km from Kulim. It was in a small house which was being renovated in one of the backroads of Karangan, a little off the main road of the town. The fence around the house was a tall wall made up of corrugated sheet – something you would do to cut off from view what was going on inside.

A very forthcoming neighbour told us that when he returned home from work that rainy night at around 10 or so, he was met with a large group of policemen in front of his house, who had already packed his family into the prayer room of his house in the event of stray bullets during the impending ambush. He was asked to get in with them. He only heard the frightening shootout that dreadful night from within his prayer room.

The shootout took place at around 10.30, a very noisy and frightening episode, narrated that neighbour. There did not seem to be any attempt by the Police to try to get the people they were seeking out from the premises, by summoning them out first using hailers or some such device, before the shoot out. The shooting just happened. The neighbour knew nothing more till the bodies of the killed men were removed at somewhere between 4 and 5 am the next morning.

The first of the killed men, the one that the Police probably had a reason to get, the owner of the house where the shootout happened, was shot in the middle of the top of his head, top down it appeared. The family of this victim mentioned he had several more shots on the front side of his body – as if someone shot at him from the front. This individual, we were told by the family had no prior police record.


The second victim that we visited was someone who was actually working in Singapore for a company called SBS (maybe the Singapore Bus Company) who had come back to Kulim for a holiday. He was due to go back shortly and had a return ticket for that. His death certificate also indicated death due to shots in the chest. Apparently he had several shot wounds on the front side of his body also, as if shot from the front. He appeared to be a friend of the first victim.

It is not clear from the little information we got that this person was at all a close accomplice or even a participant in any crime that may have been in the works. Of course, I am concluding this with very little information, but these are the facts as we got them from the family. The family was distraught, because this had damaged the standing of the family in the community, having their dead son branded a criminal. This victim also has no past criminal record, we were told by the family.


The third family we visited was that of a young chap of about 20. His family lives in a dilapidated little estate house in Padang Serai. He had seven siblings and it was obvious the family was just existing. This young chap, it appears, was working for the first victim assisting in the renovation of the house where the shootout happened. The parents did not seem to know much more about what he did. He was obviously not being paid very much, as he had just 2 days before the incident asked one of his family members for 20 ringgit.

He had shot wounds on the forehead and it looked like the back of his head was all bloodied as if from an exiting bullet. He was dressed only in a towel at the time of his death. His parents even had difficulty putting together some money to buy him a shirt and a dhoty for his burial. 36 ringgit was all they had. They could not even afford the coffin in which he was ultimately buried. The Police disallowed the victims' kin to examine the body when they tried to. The body was all bloodied in the front. This victim also had no past record, we were told.


To say the least, this was a carnage. It appears like we are in Gaza or in Iraq or in Afghanistan or even in Sri Lanka – the scale and method of killing suggests nothing short of this. Let me ask, are we in one of these countries or is Malaysia descending there?

It looks like Indian lives have become very cheap, very cheap in this country – the lives of anjing keling, yes that's what it is, the cheap lives of the anjings - that they can be wasted in this manner. Uthayakumar was so right!

By all of this, I am in no way saying crime is alright. What I am saying is the way the problems of crime are being dealt with. Let me lay out some perspectives for you all to consider:

1) What was the need to kill these people? They were not terrorists. They had no previous records. They were not murderers, surely not the mafia. They could have been easily arrested. In fact, where the first victim regularly stays is just a stone's throw from the Police Station. Why were they not apprehended? Or why were they not given a chance to come out with their hands up to surrender themselves for arrest – even in war this is done. Why were they not given this chance?

2) We understand there were a number of sharp shooters from around the country on hand for the job for the Police. This seem to indicate that this was a planned kill event.

3) Why was it that the shot wounds were all in the front side of the victims – not any location on the body, but systematically on the front side?

4) One victim was shot on the top of the head. How could that happen in a normal exchange of fire? That seems to suggest some crouching position and a shot into the head, from the top.

5) Why were the victims not shot at on their legs or where they will not be killed but disabled on being shot?

6) Why were the kin of one of the victims denied their right to inspect the body?

7) If it was a shootout between the Police and the victims, only two could have had the guns, as the police produced two guns; why were the shot wounds so systematic in the chest and the heads on all three of the victims? We do not know about the other two victims – but I suspect they will show similarities.

In summary, this ugly incident in the series of incidents of police killing and atrocities seem to emphasise the following issues:

a) The Police in Malaysia continue killing Indian crime suspects with impunity – taking upon themselves the role of Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner all in one. I am sure that the powers be know exactly what they are doing. So, we have to take it that they are trying to provoke a response from us so they can slam emergency rule or something like that and set us all back?

b) The Police very urgently need to be Policed. That looks like a very remote possibility, as long as UMNO rules this country of ours. See what's happening to the reform-driven MACC, it has become just another tool of UMNO. Any IPCMC will probably end up in that same rubbish bin. In any case, this UMNO regime seems to be promoting Police brutality as a means of maintaining their hold on the levers of power.

c) So many crime suspects in Malaysia are from among the Indian community. I think the answer to this has been already abundantly answered by Uthayakumar – this underclass of Indians are a direct result of the UMNO policies over the last 50 years of marginalizing Indians – neglecting the development of the Indian community. There does not yet seem to be any serious effort to get to the bottom of this problem.

d) The way the Police are shooting Indian crime suspects seem to give additional credence to the racist line of UMNO – the anjing keling line. They seem to be wittingly or unwittingly creating a stereotype of the Indians in the country – despicable, troublecausing and uncouth Indian. What do you think the jibes of children in school reflect – when little Indian children are called "anjing keling" by their Malay classmates.

e) Poverty seems to be intertwined with all of this. Take the case of the third victim that we visited - what kind of money was he making for him to be lumped up and shot. Does this make sense, 20 years old, barely making a living and then shot in the middle. These are the youth of the country who should be nurtured and built up into the the human potential we so much need.

This is all very infuriating.

There comes a time when all of this has to stop. This cannot continue. UMNO , stop playing games and get on with doing something positive about the problem. If you do not know how, then get expert help. I am sure there are agencies around the world that can help. Or are we to take it that you just do not want to, and then the only way we can find some resolution to the problem is by replacing you, UMNO.

UNITED WE MUST STAND... UNITED WE MUST ACT!!!!!

Malik Imtiaz reports on what happened at the Putrajaya Federal Court last week...

Counsel Malik Imtiaz on RPK Habeas Corpus Appeal

PART 1


PART 2


The legalistic charade continues tomorrow. But let's pray that there are still enough honest judges left in the Malaysian judiciary to halt the march of unmitigated evil. Justice demands that RPK be free to speak his truth and defend his writings in an open court.

See you at the Federal Court Monday, 23 Feb 2009!

[Video courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers, posted on 18 February 2009]

WHAT'S THE POINT?

This post is dedicated to Hassan Ali, Selangor PAS chief (who was offered the Mentri Besarship if he aligns with Umno and helps topple the Pakatan Rakyat government). Apparently, as head of the Selangor government's Islamic Affairs department, Hassan Ali has been spearheading a campaign to harass and persecute a tiny Islamic sect in Selangor who call themselves the Ahmaddiyah. Hassan was also responsible for the dropping of PAS moderate, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, from the PAS state exco. I read somewhere that Hassan Ali was formerly with Umno and that his mentor was Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Methinks we're all better off if Talibanheads like Hassan Ali defect back to Umno. Enough said!

[Originally posted in January 2007]

Morituri Te Salutant, Malaysia!

THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOU, MALAYSIA!


Late last night, a group of us met up and, very quickly, the conversation turned to RPK’s ‘Probably my last message’ post.

The discussion became very heated.

Tempers flared.

At the heart of all that was said was an earnest concern for a man who has come to mean so much to so many of us.

A man who has thus far displayed such tenacity in pushing for change, in pressing for greater transparency and accountability in governance, and tirelessly working to free so many from the mental bondage inflicted by a media so long subservient to their corrupt, political masters.

Yet, we feared that it was this same tenacity that would leave our friend dead in less than two weeks.

[Read the rest at Haris Ibrahim's blog, The People's Parliament.]


Monday, 23 February 2009 marks the day the would-be Malaysian emperor Najib Abdul Razak gleefully awaits word that his wishes have been faithfully carried out and that his archenemy, Raja Petra Kamarudin, would have his freedom curtailed under the grotesque operation of an obscene and archaic law, by order of an utterly despicable and unscrupulous home minister named Syed Hamid Albar.

Raja Petra Kamarudin - the only truly royal and noble personage in our midst in that he wholeheartedly loves his country and all its people, regardless of ethnic origin or cultural imprint - has vowed that, if he be rearrested under the obnoxious ISA, he will not let his persecutors have the pleasure of encaging his spirit. Instead, he will refuse all food and drink and sit silent in his cell until his soul separates from his physical body; and by those ascetic and non-violent means he will set himself forever free.

Is it any wonder that Raja Petra Kamarudin (or RPK as everybody calls him) has won the hearts of all honest, truth-loving citizens; and has become Malaysia's greatest living hero, mobbed by fans wherever he goes? RPK's indefatigable support for Anwar Ibrahim and the Pakatan Rakyat government in the making helped swing the votes against Barisan Nasional on 8 March 2008. A large portion of the credit for the political tsunami of 2008 therefore goes to RPK - and that is precisely why the nefarious Najib Razak and his Umno supporters want RPK safely locked away.

Would it trouble Najib's conscience if RPK died within a couple of weeks of being reimprisoned? Not at all. However, if this scenario were to happen in the coming weeks, RPK's may not be the only death that symbolizes the death of participatory democracy in Malaysia. A handful of RPK's loyal friends and ardent freedom-fighters have sworn to accompany him on his fast-to-the-death, in protest against the travesty of justice brought about by a neutered judiciary, subservient to the political order of the day.

This would focus international attention on the tattered state of justice in Malaysia and put the spotlight on Najib Razak's immense unpopularity as a potential prime minister, making his bid for power an accursed and illegitimate one in the eyes of the rakyat.

I salute the courage and fortitude of those who are about to lay down their lives for freedom, justice and truth in Malaysia. And I spit upon the cowardice of those who continue to carry out unjust orders rather than risk their jobs by making a moral stand at this critical juncture of our history.

Come on, Eli, stick to your guns!

Dearest Eli,

I recall with pleasure bumping into you at the old Actors Studio Theatre at Dataran Merdeka in 1998 when you were stage managing Huzir Sulaiman's explosive satire, Atomic Jaya. You told me you had gone to the same church in Jalan Imbi as my daughters and I thought it ironic that only moments earlier I had thought you were eminently dateable!

When we next met it was at the Suaram office where the battle to halt the Selangor Dam project had its headquarters. I was impressed with the missionary fervor with which you set about coordinating our efforts to preserve the magnificent Selangor River valley and save it from being inundated by the money-grubbing marauders from Gamuda.

Over the years, I harbored the hope of someday seeing you take a more prominent role in politics. You have all the necessary attributes of a brilliant legislator - street savvy coupled with an inquisitive mind, quick-witted, sharp-tongued and unstoppable in your zeal. Most importantly, you espoused all the right causes: conserving the natural environment, protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, and making a stand for accountable government.


Imagine my joy when I learnt you had joined PKR and were standing for elections in GE12. Your victory at the polls came as no surprise and was celebrated by all your friends and admirers. I couldn't believe how fortunate those of us living in Selangor were, to have Elizabeth Wong as ADUN. I was particularly tickled by the prospect of being able to SMS my ADUN and send her an occasional email. Eli, you were the harbinger of a new dawn in Malaysian politics. For the first time in history, we would be dealing with good people like you, Sivarasa Rasiah and Tian Chua (whom I regard as valued friends) and many others I have yet to meet but for whom I already have high regard because they come across as sincere, dedicated, approachable representatives of the people who, although new in politics, bring with them a refreshing idealism and genuine belief in democratic principles.

What a dramatic change from the cynical, corrupt and jaded BN politicians we have come to know and loathe - those arrogant, self-important hypocrites and liars like Khir Toyo, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Tengku Adnan Mansor, Hishamuddin Hussein, Syed Hamid Albar and Najib Razak.

Elizabeth Wong in action as Selangor executive councillor: totally impressive!

Anyway, it seems to me totally absurd and outrageous that you should quit just because you had the misfortune to date the wrong guy. I don't know who the creep is, Eli, but what he did was the absolute pits. I just received an SMS saying he was a Malay guy and that he's now hiding in Indonesia, after receiving an undisclosed amount for handing the photos he took over to a party best left unnamed - but most of us have a pretty good idea who in Selangor desperately wants to see you out of the exco.

In any case, it's high time we stopped being such disgusting hypocrites. Are there parents out there with unmarried daughters in their late 20s or 30s who seriously object to their having boyfriends or going on casual dates? Good heavens, arranged marriages went out with the telex machine (though I know quite a few couples who got hitched by special arrangement, and I personally think there's nothing wrong with sticking to age-old tradition, so long as you don't attempt to impose your conservatism on others).

Being a parliamentarian is not akin to taking an oath of celibacy!

If you happened to be an ordained nun and were caught sneaking a man into your bedroom, I'd have a real good giggle, that's about it. Even so, I'd hardly be bothered about your private affairs - apart from a moment's regret that you seem totally immune to my charms. Let's be honest, I can't think of any red-blooded male who wouldn't relish the thought of accepting an invitation to coffee in your apartment! And that's precisely why you were targeted by the anti-Pakatan faction.

These despicable lowlifers simply can't tolerate seeing a brainy, beautiful - and sexy - Chinese woman doing so well in politics. Because they have so little self-control - and because many of them are descended from brigands - they probably would love to abduct and gangbang you. And if they can't do that, they'll destroy your political career. I'm sure Teresa Kok knows exactly how yucky it feels to be their target. Like Teresa, you have very rapidly shown yourself to be exactly the kind of exco the people have been waiting for since Merdeka. Somebody who's quick on the uptake, committed to serving the people who voted you in, endowed with enough intelligence, integrity and stamina to undertake the Herculean task of cleaning up the nightmarish mess Khir Toyo and his precedessors left behind in Selangor.

Well, I'm glad the PKR top brass has been so supportive and sympathetic. I'm not sure why Khalid Ibrahim thinks it's necessary to consult the Sultan of Selangor about your case. Why put the poor guy in a tight spot? He's still unmarried but I'm willing to bet he lost his virginity ages ago! Let's not become a nation of pretend prudes and hypocrites. Being asexual in no way makes anyone morally superior to those with an active sex life. True, as a public figure in a country rife with sexual hypocrisy and medieval mores, one has to be a great deal more circumspect about one's private life (another reason why I'm reluctant to ever get into full-time politics!).

Photo from Malaysiakini

I would hate to see such a brilliant and promising career as yours derailed by gutter politics. Please, please don't allow yourself to be traumatized by this unfortunate episode, Eli. It would please me greatly to hear that Anwar and the PKR leadership have rejected your resignation. Now more than ever, we need good people in the Pakatan Rakyat government. I know things look rather grim at the moment. It's just Najib's way of exposing his weaknesses as a potential leader - only totally degenerate Scumno types would applaud Najib's brand of sleazy backroom wheeling and dealing. It might take a miracle or two - but I know in my bones Umno will soon be extinct.

So stay vibrant and dedicated and diligent and fun-loving and sexy the way we all love you.

Here's something by Farish Noor I'll append to this post. Farish voices how a great many of us feel, but I don't agree with his referring to you as a "former ADUN." Elizabeth Wong, you're too good an ADUN to lose at this early stage of the game. I've received a lot of SMSes from friends who want me to tell you: DON'T QUIT!

Elizabeth Wong and Our Hope for a New Politics in Malaysia

By Farish A. Noor ~ February 17th, 2009

As someone who has known Ms Elizabeth Wong, former ADUN and Exco member of the Selangor state government, for almost ten years, I am profoundly distressed by the treatment that has been meted out to her by the mainstream and tabloid press over the revelation of photos that have compromised her. There are no words adequate enough to describe my feelings of disgust and anger over how this capable and committed activist-politician has been slandered and abused recently.

The facts surrounding the case are well known by now and one need not dwell upon them here. Suffice to say that one of the brightest, most capable and efficient politicians of our land has been discredited via a malicious campaign to tarnish her reputation, that reeks of hypocrisy and conspiracy of the highest order.

What needs to be emphasised in the midst of this media hullabaloo is this: That the private lives of politicians are as sacrosanct as the right of any other citizen, and that politicians deserve the same degree of respect as anyone else. This is what we are fighting for; and this is what the elections of March 2008 were all about: Our earnest wish to see a new kind of politics in Malaysia, a new politics that would reflect and mirror the new Malaysian society that we live in today.

The ascendancy of Ms Wong and a host of other younger politicians who were elected to office last March signalled – in the clearest terms – the desire for change and reform. Malaysians of all creeds, races and gender have demonstrated that we are sick and tired of the old mode of neo-feudal communitarian politics which has hitherto been propped up by nothing more than an assembly of tired and outdated clichés. We yearn for a new Malaysia that is colour-blind, anti-racist, anti-sexist, democratic, tolerant and plural. We yearn for a new generation of professional politicians who can do their job well in the spirit of accountability and transparency. We yearn, in short, for a new political culture altogether.

Ms. Wong’s election to office demonstrated that a significant section of her constituents had faith in her abilities to translate those ideals into reality and political praxis. They voted her into power because they believed that this was a woman who would stand by the rights of all her constituents; who would further a politics of inclusivity and non-communitarianism, and that she would also foreground the needs and concerns of women as well. The proof of this is evident to all who have followed her career that has now been tragically cut short: as an advocate for gender equality, her presence in the state assembly of Selangor has ensured that the sexist culture that was so prevalent in the past ceased to continue. During the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy she was one of the few politicians who was seen present at the ground-level doing relief work while some other politicians merely procrastinated and pontificated while doing nothing.

The unfortunate turn of events that has led to her resignation has therefore robbed us – the Malaysian public – of one of the few capable elected representatives that we could count on; and the loss is that of the Malaysian public’s as much as it is hers.

Today as Malaysia heads into a recession under the febrile leadership of old politicians who remain in a state of denial, we are in need of a younger generation of elected representatives whose political orientation and political culture are different: Elizabeth did not lead, she represented. And she gave a voice to the voiceless who clamoured for attention on her behalf. Her passing out of political life – which I personally hope will be temporary – has been a blow to our common struggle for a better, newer Malaysia. It is my earnest wish that despite the setbacks she has suffered, Elizabeth Wong will continue in the struggle for a better and newer Malaysia in whatever capacity that she can.

Pic courtesy of Knights Templar

This struggle for a new Malaysia and a new Malaysian politics is our common struggle, the struggle of the new generation of Malaysians today. One of us among our ranks has been attacked and fallen. We owe it to her as a friend and comrade to support her now, and to remain focused on the pressing need to reform the old order of our authoritarian, racist, communitarian past and its attendant institutions.

[The Malay Mail, to its credit, did post a clear-thinking editorial condemning the sort of sleazy politics this country has descended to as we navigate the treacherous waters between the old and new political paradigms.]

RPK = FREEDOM, JUSTICE & TRUTH!

Tomorrow at the Putrajaya Federal Court the state of Malaysian justice will be put to an acid test. The liberty of Malaysia's blogger king, Raja Petra Kamarudin, hinges on the impartiality, wisdom, and compassion of three judges who will preside over home minister Syed Hamid Albar's peevish and unreasonable appeal against RPK's release on 7 November 2008, after a two-month detention under the immoral ISA.

RPK's summary and unconditional release was ordered by Shah Alam High Court judge Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad, whose landmark decision went a long way towards redeeming the tainted image of a judiciary corrupted by the long-reigning, self-serving despot, Mahathir Mohamad. Every decent soul in Malaysia let out a spontaneous whoop of joy upon hearing the good news last November. This is a measure of the great esteem in which RPK is held. To imprison this courageous freedom-fighter is to imprison an entire generation of politically conscious Malaysians.

The whole country - nay, the whole world - is watching this case. Everybody knows exactly who is behind the persecution of RPK - and why. Yet the ludicrous and loathsome charade continues...

My fellow Malaysians, if you love your country... if you cherish freedom, justice and truth...

SAY A RESOUNDING "NO" TO THE POLITICAL AMBITIONS OF ROSMAH MANSOR & NAJIB RAZAK!

PLEASE READ THIS URGENT APPEAL FOR RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN issued by Dr Lim Teck Ghee and Dr Azly Rahman (directors, Center for Policy Initiatives)

Bar Council President praises Nizar's administration of Perak

[This excellent letter from Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan to the Bar Council Bulletin was posted on What A Lulu...]

Letter to the editor: Protection of the rights of the underprivileged must continue

THE shocking display of vitriol against Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin of Perak by certain groups claiming to advance patriotism in Perak is a disconcerting trend.

In a modern and robust democracy such as we claim to be, threats against those who hold different views, seek to enforce their legal rights, or seek to challenge authority in a court of law are seriously misplaced. We cannot, on the one hand, claim to be a modern democracy that respects dissenting views, and on the other, ask for archaic modes of "punishment" (like chasing someone out of the state) for holding those views.

It is also necessary to remember that under Nizar's administration in Perak, many significant steps forward were taken on issues that affect the Orang Asli and other underprivileged and marginalised groups.

I write this piece to put on record what I believe to be the most significant events from a human rights perspective: events that members of the Malaysian Bar and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were pleased to be part of. Issues that had remained outstanding for many years saw quick resolution in the last 10 months in Perak under Nizar's administration.

They include the following:

• As menteri besar, Nizar cancelled all logging and plantation activities in Orang Asli settlements around Gopeng that affected more than 2,000 Orang Asli.

• State exco and assemblyperson A Sivanesan announced the return of approximately 400 acres of Orang Asli ancestral land to the Orang Asli that had been earmarked for logging activities by the previous government in Mukim Teja near Gopeng.

• The state government announced the return of approximately 500 acres of Orang Asli ancestral land to the Orang Asli of Kampung Chang, Sungai Gepai in Bidor, which had been earmarked for a Botanical Garden by the previous government.

• A special task force on Orang Asli land rights was set up to formally recognise all Orang Asli customary land in Perak. The task force committee comprised two tiers. The second tier was exclusively managed by the Orang Asli communities themselves, and meeting halls in the state secretariat building were provided to the Orang Asli for their use.

• The administration commissioned a special Orang Asli officer for the state of Perak whose function was to resolve all problems of the Orang Asli within the state.

• A series of consultations with the public and NGOs on development activities in Ipoh was held. For example, public opinion was sought in relation to the proposed development of Yau Tet Shin Market.

• Both Malay and Chinese [Malaysian] residents of new villages and Kampung Tersusun are now being granted permanent land titles in stages.

The Malaysian Bar must put these events on record as we have worked for years on some of these issues and were happy to see positive results achieved in a short span of time.

We hope that the same importance will be given to these matters and that they will continue to progress without delay. In fact, we call on all state governments to be proactive in relation to issues that concern the Orang Asli, the marginalised and the underprivileged.

Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan
President
Malaysian Bar
11 February 2009

FULFILLING THE R-A-H-M-A-N PROPHECY

Who knows the origins of this odd little prophecy that has been going around for at least a couple of decades. The prophecy is supposedly a formula to predict the succession of Malaysian prime ministers starting with the first, Tunku Abdul Rahman; then Abdul Razak, Hussein Onn, Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Badawi... and, it would appear that the N would be Najib Razak.

When I first heard about the R-A-H-M-A-N prophecy, the question that immediately sprang to mind was: does this mean Malaysia will only have six prime ministers? What happens after RAHMAN? Do we become a republic where the office of prime minister will be superseded by that of president? Or will the country disintegrate into shambles and end up annexed by Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand? Only recently the thought struck me that the RAHMAN prophecy was probably initiated within Umno and it's supposed to track the six presidents of Umno before the party destroys itself through internal rot and infighting. Najib Razak has no contenders as the next Umno president (Tengku Razaleigh, to his credit, received only one nomination because he refused to pay the required fee to Umno division chiefs). As soon as Abdullah Badawi steps down as Umno president, Najib automatically takes over, thereby fulfilling Umno's R-A-H-M-A-N prophecy.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Najib will become PM. Anybody with even one functioning braincell can see that the Altantuya trail leads straight to Najib's doorstep. The only ones who can't see it have either been paid off with submarine dividends or they happen to be the AG or IGP.

With the swift and irreversible decline of Umno, Najib will have the dubious distinction of being the last president of the Ketuanan Melayu party before it sank out of sight into a quagmire of its own making. Even if Najib does appoint himself PM, his tenure will most certainly be short-lived. Nobody can rule a country at gunpoint - and that's what Najib would have to do to stay in power, such is the man's unpopularity.

So let's say Najib gets to play PM for a couple of months and then there's a vote of no confidence against him in parliament. The Agong will dissolve the government and allow for a snap election - which Pakatan Rakyat will easily win with Anwar Ibrahim at the helm. That would place Anwar as Malaysia's seventh PM and put an end to 52 years of Umno-dominated BN misrule.

Think on this scenario and perk up, folks.

Pic by TV Smith

ANWAR'S THE ONE!

In the aftermath of Najib's underhanded overthrow of the Pakatan state government in Perak, many debates have been raging as to whether Karpal Singh was justified in demanding that Anwar Ibrahim step down as leader of the Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar has hordes of vociferous detractors, all of whom claim to know things about Anwar the public doesn't - and yet they obstinately refuse to divulge what terrible secrets they're privy to that would instant disqualify Anwar Ibrahim as our next Prime Minister, if the information were made public.

Well, unless Chandra Muzaffar, Anas Zubedy, KTemoc, Ghani Ismail and other "anti-Anwaristas" come up with irrefutable evidence that Anwar Ibrahim has ordered out-of-favor mistresses to be cruelly murdered, or has billions stashed away in the Bank of Israel under Paul Wolfovitz's name, or is in truth a Singaporean covert operative assigned to oversee the systematic dismantling of Ketuanan Melayu and the NEP... I'm going to stick with Anwar as our first and most obvious option for PM for the following reasons:

1) He has the most experience in government (not just in politics); and while some might say that being the Sorcerer's Apprentice for 16 years is reason enough to disqualify anyone, I'd say his overt rebellion against the Evil Sorcerer has redeemed him in my eyes;

2) Anyone who has read the Tao Te Ching, The Bible, Bhagavad Gita, Rabindranath Tagore, Kahlil Gibran, the Complete Works of Shakespeare (5 times from cover to cover, I hear) and who can articulate a coherent thought on his feet is worth negotiating with;

3) Anwar has been consistent in voicing his concern for humble folk since his student days, except for a few years when he was rising up the ranks of Umno and he consciously groomed himself to become a self-confident global statesman by joining a riding club (at least he avoided golf, which would have revealed an utter lack of originality :-);

4) It's an asset to be able to communicate easily with the humblest as well as the most lofty segments of society - and Anwar has that gift firmly in his grasp;

5) Having been at the receiving end of Mahathir's gross abuse of repressive laws and misuse of the police force against all political threats, Anwar is unlikely to succumb to the temptation to be just another tinpot despot;

6) Anwar has fulfilled, in my book, all the identifying marks of a culture hero (pity not many have the required mythological understanding to perceive these criteria as significant and valid, but I personally live by these ancient codes and, just as an example: every mythic redeemer/messiah must undergo battle with his or her own deep unconscious, experience ego death and be resurrected on an elevated plane the way Gandalf the Grey fought the Balrog, died and was reborn as Gandalf the White);

7) Anwar's intelligence is not rigid but adaptable and flexible; the man isn't bound by dogmatic beliefs and principles (hence his being stupidly labeled a chameleon and manipulator - well, chameleons are NOT inherently "evil," just well adapted to survival!). His effortless charisma and oratorical prowess are a distinct advantage, so long as political leaders depend on speechifying to attract a following.


8) Anyone who has ever met Wan Azizah Wan Ismail or Nurul Izzah Anwar will understand why I say these two feisty women may ultimately be Anwar's greatest assets. When he was abducted by balaclava-clad police from his own house on 20 September 1998, beaten up by Police Inspector-General Rahim Noor, subjected to the ugliest mock trial in memory presided over by that despicable wormtongue Augustine Paul, and then thrown in prison for six years... his wife and daughter were thrust into the limelight and both blossomed into inspiring political warriors in their own right. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Anwar will forever be grateful for the support and strength of these women in his life - and because of that he will always have a healthy respect for the Sacred Feminine.

OTHER NON-UMNO PRIME MINISTERIAL CANDIDATES

Zaid Ibrahim seems like a brilliant, affable person who doesn't need to be in politics but simply can't stay away and I certainly appreciate and admire what he has done by quitting Umno over his disapproval of Hamid Albar's misuse of the ISA. But that's about all I know of the man. Before I can endorse Zaid as PM material I shall have to track his actions a bit more. Anwar I have tracked since 2 Sept 1998 - and in my eyes Anwar Ibrahim's response to political calamity and crisis has been impeccable and impressive. Even while suffering the iniquity of wrongful imprisonment and a painful spinal disorder, Anwar kept a cool head, a forgiving heart, and maintained his dignity like a true king.

Nizar Jamaluddin is the man of the hour, having proved his mettle as Mentri Besar of Perak under duress. So obvious are the man's winning qualities, his being a PAS member seems totally irrelevant - although some may express a wee bit of anxiety that Nizar may prove a tad conservative in certain areas (for example, Nizar made a gaffe when he proposed that HIV-positive citizens be quarantined and received a fair bit of flak from NGOs and the public; however, to his credit, Nizar immediately apologized for not knowing enough about the issue and graciously withdrew his remarks).

Raja Petra Kamarudin has been nominated as potential PM by countless readers of Malaysia Today. Recently, there was even a suggestion that RPK inaugurate his own political party, independent of but aligned with Pakatan Rakyat. No doubt the man commands a massive following of admirers who appreciate his sticking his neck out for truth, justice and freedom. However, it appears to me that RPK is so accustomed to playing the role of maverick he would feel completely claustrophobic in public office, because he would no longer be free to express his feelings off-the-cuff as he is so good at doing. Personally, I feel RPK would be just the man to appoint as Special Adjudicator of the IPCMC, charged with the onerous task of cleaning up the PDRM. It would be a form of national service for him, from which he can be released after he's finished the job, which ought to take him no more than two years.

AN OPEN LETTER TO KARPAL SINGH

Malaysiakini, 8 Feb 2009

Dear Karpal,

You have been banging your head against the BN brick wall for nearly 40 years. I have long admired and loved you for your indomitable warrior spirit, which reveals you to be of authentic khalsa pedigree. With your brilliant grasp of the law you have stood out as one of the finest legal minds in the region. The few times we have met I noticed you almost glowed with the aura of a saint, and I saw you as a spiritual warrior who would fight to the death for what you believe to be right.

However, ever since the political tsunami of 8 March 2008, you have become a lot grouchier and much more pugnacious. Initially, I figured it would take you a bit of time to adjust to the new political realities wherein the DAP, which you have loyally served for so many decades, is no longer confined to playing the perennial role of Loyal Opposition. Indeed, along with its partners in the Pakatan Rakyat, the DAP must now get used to being in charge - just as Lim Guan Eng has had to swiftly adapt to being the Chief Minister of Penang, not just somebody paid to give BN a hard time in parliament and maintain the illusion of democracy.


When you're in charge, there is no longer any advantage in being perceived as "strident" or "quarrelsome." Indeed, when one is in power, one must become more accepting and understanding of others, and speak in gentler - but more authoritative - tones.

In recent days we have all witnessed the magnificent spirit of enlightened and noble leadership that Perak MB Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin personifies. He has stood up firmly and with impressive dignity to being dismissed as MB by the Sultan of Perak - and he has done so without a trace of rancor or rudeness. We could point to this and call it the silver lining to an otherwise dark cloud: the constitutional crisis in Perak and the kurang ajar manner in which YB Nizar has been mistreated by the BN faction has brought forth shining qualities within this young leader we otherwise would never know existed. YB Nizar has conducted himself with such impeccable aplomb and courage, Malaysians are now saying he is PM material - and indeed I agree he is.

What's remarkable is that YB Nizar's appeal as a leader transcends all party lines and racial barriers. We see him as a good, intelligent, approachable, humble, inspiring man - not as the PAS Mentri Besar of Perak.

Well, it's Nizar's job on the line - and he has never once blamed Anwar Ibrahim for the current political imbroglio. Nor has he threatened to sue the Sultan for making an arguably unwise decision, possibly swayed by business considerations.

Now more than ever the rakyat would like to see a strong, united Pakatan Rakyat focused on replacing Umno/BN as the federal government. Not one where every other leader is a loose cannon that can scuttle the ship anytime for the most absurd reasons. True, the Pakatan Rakyat espouses the spirit and not merely the letter of democratic ideals - and therefore must allow for dissenting views on various issues.

Nevertheless, it is one thing to voice disagreement and quite another to attack your political allies and colleagues in such a truculent and aggressive manner as to cause internal injury. The last thing we want is to see the Pakatan Rakyat coalition disintegrate before it has even had a chance to govern the nation.


Dear Karpal, in my humble opinion, Anwar is a highly intelligent man, albeit openly ambitious (and that is hardly a crime). If there are painful lessons to be learnt from the Perak party-hopping debacle, I have no doubt Anwar will very quickly learn them. There is absolutely no call to publicly whack him on the head with your umbrella. Anwar's detractors will certainly view this as extremely comical and seize upon your criticism as fuel for their gigantic spin machines.

Your demand for Anwar to step down as Pakatan leader at this juncture is unjustified and perhaps even suicidal. Without Anwar's powers of persuasion and his moderating influence, fundamentalist voices (from both ends of the spectrum) will rise to the fore and ruin all our hopes for authentic change in Malaysia.

Dear Karpal, I value honesty and outspokenness above most other traits. I am not in politics because, like you, I'm inclined to have a short fuse - and when angry am capable of shooting my mouth off and hurting a lot of people's feelings. But you, Karpal, are a veteran politician and really ought to know better, especially as you approach your 69th solar orbit. Clearly, the patriarchal control freak latent in your DNA is beginning to emerge and with increasing frequency. I have seen 90-year-old Sikh patriarchs scare the living daylights out of their burly 40-year-old grandsons. Please, dear friend, don't give in to those destructive propensities. Good families have broken down and become dysfunctional because of uncontrollable irascibility on the part of white-bearded, stern-faced patriarchs with absolutely no sense of humor and who cannot tolerate new ways of doing things.

May I suggest that you take a break from the emotionally charged atmosphere in Perak? Take time out to recuperate from the psychic toxins of being immersed for so many decades in a BN-dominated parliament. Be a child again with your grandchildren, a loving, inspiring father to your wonderful progeny, an affectionate husband to your supportive wife, and a wise, compassionate friend to the multitudes who adore and respect you as a living saint.

And I'm sure you have in you the goodness of heart and wisdom to apologize to Anwar for your outburst. Leave the fate of this nation in the collective hands of the rakyat - or of God, if you happen to be a believer. Come back and rejoin the fray when you're well rested and together let us fulfil the aspirations of a beautiful young nation.

Antares
~^@^~