On 24 November, 2007, Australian Voters CHANGED Government After 11 Years

From Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) : Read here full article by Alan Ramsey, "Howard's cronies should join him in the wilderness"

[ Note: John Howard's Liberal Party-led Coalition was kicked out last Saturday (24 Nov.) after 11 years in Government despite a vibrant Australian economy. Malaysian voters have NOT changed the UMNO-led Coalition Government since 1957. ]

Quote:

"The Government had been in place for 11-1/2 years. (It is) a long time in politics.

Any long-term prime minister carries a lot of lead in his saddle bag, especially a prime minister who has taken a lot of unpopular decisions. Over the years, as each new policy is introduced, some voters are lost. ..." Read here for more
-Sol Lebovic

OUT: EX-PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD.
COALITION GOVERNMENT DEFEATED
AT THE FEDERAL ELECTION 24 NOVEMBER 2007


IN: NEW PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD:
LABOUR PARTY WON IN A LANDSLIDE VICTORY
Excerpts: Read here for more

John Howard's cronies should join him in the wilderness

by

Alan Ramsey

"... We have our country back.

John Howard's Australia DIED with his government on Saturday night.

So did the political careers of a whole raft of Coalition MPs.

Nobody is more deserving of oblivion.

And where was the carnage greatest, despite all that blarney from Howard in the campaign's dying days that "I can still win"?

Labor made gains everywhere, but the Liberal bloodbath in NSW and Queensland alone gave (Opposition Leader) Kevin Rudd the 16 Coalition seats (and more) he needed to put Labor into office federally and complete the Labor sweep in every state and territory. Nine Labor governments in total.

We've not seen its like before.

John Howard saw the demise of every Liberal or Coalition government in every Australian capital except Sydney. Now his government joins them all in the cemetery.

Yet this, we're told, is a "great" prime minister, the national head of the Liberal Party and the senior partner for almost 60 years in what remains of the non-Labor Coalition. Such is the reality of Howard's "greatness".

As for this last election, the one that kills Howard off politically, along with the nastiest, meanest, most miserable, self-absorbed Commonwealth government to blight Australia in living memory, Rudd out-campaigned him, with discipline and immense energy, like Howard has never previously been thrashed in his 33 years in political life.

And for many of us, as Howard and his strategists pulled on every ugly negative they could come up with, not just in these past six weeks but over the past year, it was a delight to see him flounder so badly and fail so completely.

All that remains to sweep him out of sight is to get rid of the more obscene remnants of his governance in the months ahead.

For God's sake, go and make our Christmas complete.
- Alan Ramsay

RELATED ARTICLE

KEVIN RUDD CAPTURES THE MOOD FOR CHANGE

WHILE most federal elections are fascinating, Election 2007 will go down as one of the most intriguing for some time.

It will redefine the political landscape in Australia.

This election set several new records that will rewrite the history books, including:

* The first time the winning leader trailed the incumbent prime minister on economic management. In the previous six elections no one has won office without being at least competitive on this key measure. In the final Newspoll conducted on election eve, Kevin Rudd trailed John Howard by a sizeable 22 points on who voters believed was more capable of handling the economy.

* An incumbent prime minister losing the election, and possibly his own seat, yet the majority of the electorate were satisfied with the job he was doing. Howard ended the campaign with a satisfaction rating of 51 per cent. While this is a relatively high figure, it paled in comparison with Rudd's 63per cent, close to the record high for an Opposition leader he set himself earlier this year.

* Labor reached a new 60-year high in terms of two-party support of 53.3 per cent, on the latest count. Prior to this election, the highest two-party support Labor had achieved was just below this at 53.2 per cent in 1983 when Bob Hawke led Labor into government.


* A government losing office in spite of presiding over good economic times. In the four other changes of government in the past 60 years - 1972, 1975, 1983 and 1996 - there were concerns with the economy.

Reasons for the Election Win by the OPPOSITION (LABOUR) PARTY

A lot will be written about the reasons for Labor recording such a massive win.

On reflection it appears to me that the major reason Labor did so well was that Rudd captured the mood for generational change.

This was especially critical when, in contrast, the Government was struggling to organise a tidy transition of its own leadership.

Rudd embraced the new landscape in terms of media. He spoke to a NEW generation. His appeal was very much to the YOUNGER voters.

In the last published Newspoll age breakdown, Labor's strongest lead was among YOUNGER voters, leading the Coalition by 16 points on primary voter support among electors aged 18-34 years, 11 points among voters aged 35-49 but trailing by two points in the older group.

In addition, Rudd did enough to convince his supporters he had a plan for the future, though at times there was not a lot of detail or differentiation from the Coalition.

The emphasis of the plan reinforced the image that he was of the new generation, especially as he concentrated his campaign in areas such as education and climate change, areas of concern to younger voters.

The Government on the other hand had been in place for 11 1/2 years, a long time in politics. Any long-term prime minister carries a lot of lead in his saddle bag, especially a prime minister who has taken a lot of unpopular decisions. Over the years, as each new policy is introduced, some voters are lost.

In the end, Rudd's strength in terms of an image of generational change appears to have been too powerful to overcome the more traditional concerns, such as managing of the economy.

Shameful Display of Absolute Stupidity: Malaysia's Disgraceful Performance at International Court of Justice in The Hague

Go to Jeff Ooi's Screenshot for the detailed analysis of our stupid Malaysian lawyers' performance at the International Court of Justice, in The Hague.

Malaysian Unplug says:

A truly national embarrassment on the international stage by a bunch of incompetent, incredulous and half-baked Malaysian legal team-members.

Note: To cheat, knowingly or unknowingly, is a punishable crime. To get caught cheating is worse, it is an unforgivable crime.

Foreign Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail -- and the AG's son, junior Federal Counsel Faezul Adzra Tan Sri Gani Patail (who graduated from UiTM, September 2005) were representing Malaysia's case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Quote:

"....I have sailed past Horsburgh (Pedra Blanca/Pulau Batu Putih) many times and I DON'T RECALL seeing the Johor mainland UP CLOSE as in (Malaysia's) photograph.

Pedra Blanca or Pulau Batu Putih, we mariners have always referred to the tiny island in the middle of nowhere as Horsburgh - after the lighthouse built on it.
- Captain Yusof Ahmad (Malaysian), "Ancient Mariner" Blog

Background:

SINGAPORE and Malaysia have a dispute over who owns Pedra Branca and two outcrops - the Middle Rocks and South Ledge.

Pedra Branca, which the Malaysians call Pulau Batu Puteh, is an island the size of a football field located some 40km east of Singapore.

Singapore has exercised sovereignty over it since 1847 when the British colonial government built the Horsburgh Lighthouse there. But in 1979, Malaysia staked a claim to the island when it published a new map of its territories and placed the island in its waters.

In 2003, the two countries signed a Special Agreement referring the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Legal teams from both sides are appearing before the court over three weeks until tomorrow, to argue their case. A judgment is expected next year.

Focus on the Background of the Two Photos, ie the size of the image of the hill

(Photo submitted by Malaysia)


(Photo submitted by Singapore)

The first (top) photograph, which Malaysia had shown the court last week, was taken by a camera using a telephoto lens.

The second (bottom) photograph was taken by Singapore, using a camera lens that approximates what the human eye sees.

As a result, the Malaysian photograph exaggerated the height of Mount Berbukit by about seven times, ie the photographic illusion that Malaysia had created to exaggerate the closeness of Pedra Branca to Johor, Singapore’s Attorney-General Chao Hick Tin said when he presented the two photos before the court.

Read here related articles

• From the "suspicious" blog which the Malaysian team uplifted the photo
  
  
• From Singapore's Straits Times
  
  
• From "Simply Jean" blog
  
  
• From "Zorro Unmasked"
  
  
• From "The Meesh Experience" Blog
  
  
• From "Rocky's Bru" blog

The Indian-Muslims in Malaysia: Malays or Bumiputeras?

From Malaysiakini- Letter to Editor: Read here article by AM Raj

Excerpts: Read here for more

"...A Sudanese friend who worked with me in a Kuala Lumpur hospital said,

“Malaysia is the only place in the world where one can change one’s race.”

As a foreigner, he was amused to find Indian Muslims masquerading as Malays and grabbing opportunities meant for Malays and other bumiputeras.

...There is no such thing as “becoming” a Malay. Even Malays have realised that the term “masuk Melayu” makes no sense now.

Historically, there were two reasons for Malays to think that masuk Islam (converting to Islam) meant masuk Melayu (converting to Malay).

1. Many Malays in those days thought that Malays (and perhaps Arabs) were the only Muslims in the world.Some will remember that even speaking in English was considered being kafir or ingrate.
   
   
2. The second and perhaps more pertinent reason was the fact that many Muslim converts were ostracised by their own communities. Hence, these converts were readily accepted into the Malay community and naturally adopted Malay customs and often married Malays.

Perhaps, for clearer understanding of Indian Muslims, it is important to put them into three groups:

Group 1: Indian Muslim converts

While It is true that some of them have somehow manipulated the system to claim privileges meant for bumiputeras, this number is small. In any case, most of them have married Malay Muslims and therefore their children can rightfully be called bumiputeras since the constitution clearly says that if either parent is a Malay, then the child is entitled to be a Malay. No harm in that, surely.

Group 2: Malays with Indian ancestry

These are predominantly found in the northern region of the country. They are, for all practical purposes, Malay and it is grossly unfair to label them as Indian. Their cuisine, jewelry and customs may have traces of Indian influence which has enriched the Malay culture. The smattering use of Tamil words in their language adds colour to it, just like the Kelantanese dialect. This group is often referred to as the mamak community and it is only appropriate that they be classified as Malay.

I think it is ridiculous that some ignorant people like Jamiliah Kassim keep harping on the issue of Dr Mahathir Mohamad being Indian. In my mind, there is no one more Malay than Mahathir. His father was of Indian origin and married a local Malay. By that virtue alone, Mahathir is constitutionally a Malay.

Let us not forget that in the pre-independence era when it was not fashionable to be called a Malay, Mahathir was brought up as a Malay and later passionately fought for the Malay cause. Simply because he is genetically part-Indian does not make him an Indian.

For all those who keep saying, with mischievous intentions, that Mahathir was registered as an Indian at University Malaya, Singapore, I can confidently say that nothing is further from the truth. I have had the opportunity to see his academic certificates in his home and found no entry saying he was classified as Indian. I hope this puts to rest the silly accusations once and for all.

Group 3: Indian-Muslim descendants of immigrants

In private, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujerati or even Burmese and in public, make a pathetic attempt to speak Bahasa Melayu. I have my doubts as to how many of them appreciate sambal petai or even understand the meaning of “Melepaskan batuk di tangga.”

It is THIS group of Indian Muslims who continue to make a mockery of the New Economic Policy by grabbing opportunities meant for the bumiputeras.

Many of them, indeed, occupy senior positions in Umno.

I can think of at least one minister holding an important portfolio, who, by NO stretch of imagination, can be called a Malay but is a member of Umno.

There is another Umno leader whose late father was a state MIC chief!

I am sure that took your breath away!

In my medical practice, I used to come across patients with names with very obvious Indian elements like Koya, Begum, Beevi claiming to be Melayu. When questioned they would invariably say “Cari makan, doktor.”

I even had one Indian Muslim patient who got admitted to the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, the bastion of elite Malays. His father was a roti canai seller and his mother still an Indian citizen.

Walk into any local university and note how many Indian Muslims have joined as trainee lecturers, a special scheme meant only for bumiputeras.

Often this group give the impression that they are mamak and try to piggyback on them for obvious reasons.

It is up to the Malays if they want to embrace these Indian Muslims out of ignorance or in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood.

But to allow the NEP to be hijacked by this group of Indian Muslims is an insult to the other non-Malay bumiputeras like the Iban, Kadazan and Orang Asli.

I laughed to myself when I read our deputy prime minister’s speech to the Umno general assembly when he quoted Munshi Abdullah, obviously alluding to him as a “towering Malay”.

Munshi Abdullah was a Tamil scholar who made immense contributions to the Malay language.

COMMENTARY

From Yin Ee Kiong: Read here for more in Letters to Editor, Malaysiakini

"...... I sympathise with the writer who complained that Umno is full of non-Malay leaders.

Yes, it would seem that many of our high-profile politicians and corporate leaders are mamaks.

Among them are;

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, (former Prime Minister)

Zainuddin Maidin, (Information Minister)

Kadir Sheik Fadzir, (former Information Minister)

Shahrizat Abdul Jali, (Minister for Women, Family and Community Development)

Nor Mohamed Yakcop, (Deputy Finance Minister)

Kalimullah Hassan,

Khalid Mohamed,

Munir Majid and

Shaik Osman Majid.

These are but a few that come to mind.

However, those who call themselves Malay must first define what exactly is a Malay or rather, who are the Malays?

In Malaysia, the word is broadly used for anyone who is NOT Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli, Kadazan, Murut or any of the East Malaysia native races.

Under Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution, a Malay is defined as someone who practises Islam, habitually speaks Malay and practises Malay customs.

Therefore, it is possible for ANYONE to become a Malay through the process of socio-cultural, religious and marital assimilation. The Malays even have a term for this - ‘masuk Melayu’.

Citizenship can be conferred or removed.

But seriously, how is it possible for one to confer ethnicity or remove it? Come to think of it, does race really matter?

In Malaysia, we have institutionalised racial discrimination in the guise of affirmative action.

It is only in Malaysia where race and religion are so inextricably intertwined and where politics are race-based that one would complain when the mamaks form a significant proportion of the ruling party’s leadership.

They may be “CELUP” Malays but they are still Malays. The Constitution says THEY ARE .

So there, my friend, eat your heart out!

The Chinese Communist Party's China and UMNO's Malaysia: Their Similarities and Lessons To Be Learnt

Extract from article by Ooi Kee Beng: Read here

(Ooi Kee Beng is the author of "The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time"-2006)

Quote:

".... Malaysia is at a crossroads.

The national discourse based on race is nearing bankruptcy, and the "harmony" of the "social contract" is proving to be illusory.

What we have in Malaysia is a fractured society kept in a state of apparent peace through a "social contract" among the races which in practice and over time favours one party over the others.

This can succeed for a time, until the inferior work ethic that is bound to be created, will finally make the country uncompetitive...."
-Ooi Kee Beng

by

Ooi Kee Beng

Excerpts: Read here for more

" China and the Chinese Communist Party

...The Chinese Communist Party ruled the land the way it won the war — through a fixation with foreign threats and by nurturing a class fetish.

Since Maoism took things to the extreme and in the end even entertained the insanity of eradicating the country's historical legacy of any perceived trace of class exploitation, it bankrupted the class paradigm.

When poverty had spread far enough and fear had become a daily experience, a new way had to be tried. Mr Deng Xiaoping replaced the late Mao Zedong's preference for internal struggle with economic pragmatism, and broke the country's addiction to Marxist terminology.

At the end of the day, the decisive criterion was economic growth.

Mr Deng's "capitalist road" became the only promising way out, and made economic wealth the only criterion of social success.

Malaysia and UMNO

Modern China was born into a world of international CLASS struggle in 1949.

Malaysia was born eight years later into a RACE paradigm, (and) overtly OPPOSED to the CLASS paradigm of Marxism being preached by its own communist guerrillas.

In Malaysia, a "social contract" between the opposing races, and not the opposing classes, was reached in the run-up to Merdeka in 1957. This was motivated to a large extent by the need, especially felt by the retreating British, to cut off support to the communists.

The criteria for the success of this "social contract" — still proclaimed over 50 years later by the ruling coalition as the basis for political stability — are economic growth and inter-ethnic peace. Non-Malays were granted citizenship rights on the condition that they recognised the special position of the Malays due them for being badly handicapped by the colonial economy.

The New Economic Policy (NEP), which was implemented from 1970, tried to combine leftist and rightist considerations, and is aimed at fighting poverty and breaking racial economic patterns as well as reaffirming in concrete terms the contingent special position of the Malays that was being transformed into essentialist Malay rights.

As a leftist policy, the NEP's success depended on the eradication of poverty and dismantling of the economic basis for inter-ethnic strife. As the rightist policy that it seems to have become, its success is expressed through the acceptance of Malay ethnocentrism.

Lessons To Be Learnt by Malaysia

There are lessons to be learned through a comparison of Malaysia's national solutions with those of others.

As an extreme, ethnocentrism will — just like Maoism — lead to a bankruptcy of thought, where the mere belonging to the sanctioned category (bumiputera in Malaysia, and proletarian in Maoist China) decides all matters.

The weakness of the contractual peace model lies in the fact that it succeeds by moulding society into an unchanging pattern. However, this pattern is only apparently unchanging.

In reality, positions between the classes, or the races, do keep changing.

What we have in Malaysia is a fractured society kept in a state of apparent peace through a "social contract" among the races which in practice and over time favours one party over the others. This can succeed for a time, until the inferior work ethic that is bound to be created will finally make the country uncompetitive.

Malaysia is at a crossroads.

After four years of indecisive reforms under Datuk Seri Abdullah, after almost 40 years of race-based affirmative action, and after 50 years of a supposed and unclear "social contract" between the races, Malaysia's political discourse is marked by conflict and superficiality.

The national discourse based on race is nearing bankruptcy, and the "harmony" of the "social contract" is proving to be illusory.

Malaysia IS a Police State

Read here article by Noor Yahaya Hamzah on "..Rambling On" Blog

(Noor Yahaya Hamzah is currently based in Christchurch, New Zealand)

What is a Police State ?
" A country that maintains repressive control over the people by means of police"
- wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Quote:

"The habit of asking the police to frighten people should be stopped. I consider this a Police State."
(Read here for more in International Herald Tribune)
-Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia (24 October,2006)

From Rashaad Ali: My report from the 10 Nov Bersih Rally

".....Fellow Malaysians firing on their countrymen. It wasn't so much as the actual shooting which was horrendous, but seeing them take their line of sight made my stomach turn. These uncompassionate robots, protectors of the society shooting against the people they swear to protect.

Here they are "dispersing crowds", while paedophiles run riot, pun very much intended.

When they fired, they shot directly in-front of the crowd. I happened to be caught in between a mass of bodies and a drain barrier. Just like some bad war movie, everything seemed to happen in slow motion, as the cannister rolled to a stop barely 10 feet away. Time sped back to normal as the people around me started scrambling into the nearby station.

"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death", but DON'T give me tear gas. We lingered on the corner, based on utter foolishness, that the police wouldn't shoot again with so many ordinary civilians. Around us were myriad characters, women and children, to armchair politicians raised to a fury. And then they fired again.

I question the tactics of the police. Why fire so unbelievably close to the crowd? The gas is supposed to deter and disperse, not to cause chaos and anarchy. How would they have liked it, that fatalistic sensation creeping upon themselves? ..." Read here for more

Update

From "Rocky's Bru":

UMNO member from Shah Alam, Selangor lodges police report against Raja Petra Kamarudin .According to this pro-Umno anonymous blogger, the report was over the article "What the eye does not see".

It is your right to lodge a police report and once that is done the police is obliged to investigate.

But to say the interview by Jeff Ooi "not only tarnished the image of the country but was also seditious and cause racial tension" is stretching it.

Unless you didn't watch it or didn't understand what was said.

I mean, just take what Nazri said on Al-Jazeera about the Press being "free to write anything". Do you lodge a police report over this misinformation?

The newspapers did not report the whole truth about the 10-Eleven march; maybe we should ask the police to investigate the editors?

We all winced at Zam's performance on Al-Jazeera but do we lodge a police report against the Information Minister for tarnishing the image of the country or causing us untold psychological stress? .."

(Read HERE related article "The Obstacle to the Future Well-Being of Malaysian Society: UMNO's Divisive Politics ")

by

Noor Yahaya Hamzah

Excerpts: Read here for more

I read this report in Malaysiakini today that the Yellow shirt campaigners from BERSIH has been harrassed by police in KL, while they were distributing pamphlets.
This mere reaffirm the fact that Malaysia is Police State, and dissent is NOT tolerated.

Is that politically expedient? I mean this doesnt give positive image to Govt of Abdullah Badawi.

Then this report in www.m2day.org that there has been a police report against blogger Jeff Ooi.

Okay, you are free to make a police report against anyone on any matter.

Malaysia is supposedly a FREE country.

But tarnishing a country image ???

If we are soconcerned about our image, we must learn more how the world see us. And learn what would see us in bad light.

An image of police brutality, anti riot police spraying water cannon on running civilian and authorities razing down people's homes is NOT positive at all.

Whatever the reason. Of course you have reasons that justify your actions.

Actually, if the police and Abdullah Badawi's Govt keep this up, sooner or later the rakyat would get fed up.

By confronting the BERSIH and the Opposition, rounding them up and harrass them, the police is creating publicity and opening new avenues for BERSIH to complain further.

Sooner or later rakyat will support them. BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SIDE WITH THE OPPRESSED. Sympathy would side with the poor, oppressed and the have not.

If I were Abdullah Badawi, I would do my best to scrap that law that make assembly without permit illegal. And stop police brutality and harrassment.

Police Reports on Corruption Charges Against Lawyer LINGAM Lodged 8 Months Ago By His Own Brother

Go to "Rocky's Bru" Blog and "People's Parliament" Blog and to Malaysiakini for details.

Commentaries: Read here in "Ancient Mariner" and HERE in "Zorro-Unmasked"

Electrician Thirunama Karasu a/l Kandar Velluppillai, 50, is the brother of V.K Lingam, the lawyer in the controversial video clip that Anwar Ibrahim showed the world in September.

In March 2007 ( ie 8 months ago ) , and SIX months BEFORE the outbreak of the video-scandal into the public domain, he had lodged two police reports with two police stations against his brother, Dato V.K. Lingam.

Lawyer-politician Wee Choo Keong made public the police reports for the first time at a lunchtime media conference today.

Malaysian Unplug says:
Were the reports lodged acted upon by the Police and the ACA since March 2007 ? If not, WHY? Or, were these reports being sat upon by the police with directives coming from the top?

Bukit Aman must come clean on this scandal so as not be tainted by this expanding corruption scandal. Malaysians are entitled to know this in full.

The FIRST Police Report:

" YESTERDAY ON 15.03.2007 AT ABOUT 7.00 PM I SAW A CAR MYVI GREEN COLOUR PARKED NEAR MY HOUSE AT NO XXX JLN SSXX/X KELANA JAYA PETALING JAYA. WHEN I CAME OUT THE CAR DROVE AWAY SPEEDING.

I HAD NO TIME TO TAKE DOWN THE VEHICLE'S NO. PLATE. THEN ON 07.03.2007 SOMEONE CALLED UP MY HOUSE (03-XXXXXXXX), I ANSWERED BUT NO ONE SPOKE AND THE PERSON KEPT SILENCE AND HANG UP THE PHONE.

I BELIEVE SOMEONE IS KEEPING AN EYE ON ME AND NOW I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE MY BROTHER'S PEOPLE AND NOW I FEAR FOR MY LIFE AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.

THIS THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO ME NOW BECAUSE I WANTED TO LODGE A POLICE REPORT AT BUKIT AMAN ON 06.03.2009 ON ALL CORRUPTION CASES OF MY BROTHER DATUK V. KANAGALINGAM AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO LODGE THIS REPORT AGAINST MY BROTHER A LAWYER WHO HAS HIS OWN FIRM V.K.LINGAM & CO, WHO HAS TREATENED TO HARM ME IN 1996, 1997 AND 1998. THAT ALL MY REPORT. "

The Second Police Report

" FURTHER TO MY REPORT DATED 16 MARCH 2007 KELANA JAYA REPORT NOMBER 2115/07, I NOW WISH TO ADD FURTHER BECAUSE THE I.O TUAN SAIFUL IN THIS CASE FROM KELANA JAYA REFUSE TO TAKE MY STATEMENTS IN DETAILS AND THEREFORE I HAD TO LODGE THIS FURTHER REPORT TO SET OUT DETAILS.

I FEAR MY LIFE AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY BECAUSE I WANTED TO LODGE A POLICE REPORT AT BUKIT AMAN ON 6 MARCH 2007 ON ALL CORRUPTION CASES OF MY BROTHER DATUK V. KANALINGAM AND THOSE INVOLVED IN THESE CORRUPTION CASES WITH MY BROTHER ARE AS FOLLOWS.

1) I WAS USED BY MY BROTHER V. KANAGALINGAM TO CORRUPT THE FORMER CHIEF JUDGE TUN EUSOFF CHIN, THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL TAN SRI MOHTAR ABDULLAH, THE FORMER IGP TAN SRI RAHIM NOOR, THE PRESENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGES DATUK MOHTAR SIDIN, THE PRESENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGE DATO LOW HOP BING AND A FORMER JUDGE DATO K.L REKRAJ.

2) IN 1995 I WITNESS MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM CORRUPTING A FORMER INDUSTRIALIST COURT CHAIRMAN MR SATCHI WHERE I SAW MY BROTHER HANDING OVER A CHEQUE IN THE SUM OF RM 50,000.00.

3) IN 1995 I WITNESS A DINNER HOSTED BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM AT HIS HOUSE NO 1 JALAN SS 7/24 KELANA JAYA 47301 PJ FOR THE FORMER CHIEF JUDGE TUN EUSOFF CHIN'S WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE PRESENT.

ALSO PRESENT IN THIS DINNER WERE THE FORMER COURT OF APPEAL PRESIDENT TAN SRI LAMIN YUNUS AND HIS WIFE, MY OTHER BROTHER DATO V. SIVAPRANJOTHI A LAWYER, MY BROTHER V. PANJARATNAM A ENGINEER, DATO V. KANAGALINGAM'S BODYGUARD ENCIK RAMLI AND BUDIMAN, AND A MALAY SECURITY GUARD.

MY BORTHER'S WIFE DATIN GHANAJOTHY AND CHILDREN SIVASAKTI, SIVAJOTHI WERE ALSO PRESENT IN THIS DINNER. I WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATUK V.KANAGALINGAM TO COME FOR THIS DINNER BECAUSE TO CLEAN UP THE HOUSE AND GARDEN, ARRANGE THE TABLE AND CHAIRS PRIOR TO THE DINNER.

4) IN 1996 I DELIVERED A NEW LEATHER BRIEFCASE, A WALLET, A LADY'S LEATHER HAND BEG, SOME DOCUMENTS WERE IN THE BRIEFCASE. I PERSONALLY DELIVERED THIS THINGS TO TUN EUSOFF CHIN IN PERSON IN HIS HOUSE. I WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO DELIVER THIS THINGS.

5) I WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO GO TO TUN EUSOFF CHIN'S HOUSE WITH MY OTHER BROTHER V. PANJARATNAM TO DELIVER 3 BOWLS OF SOUP WHICH WAS PREPARED BY V. PANJARATNAM'S WIFE REBECCA FOR TUN EUSOFF CHIN WIFE WHO WAS SICK AT THAT TIME. I AND MY BROTHER V. PANJARATNAM WENT THERE IN A PROTON WIRA BEARING NO BDV 1862 BELONGING TO PANJARATNAM.

6) I HAVE ALSO SENT MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM USING MY CAR A NISSAN SUNNY 130Y BEARING NO PLATE WBS 9443 TO TUN EUSOFF CHIN'S HOUSE.

I HAVE ALSO WENT WITH MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM A NUMBER OF TIMES USING HIS CAR A BMW 988 A MERC 320 WED 5 A HONDA CAR BELONGING TO DATIN GHANAJOTHY, A VOLVO CAF 45, A OLD WHITE MERZ (8101) ANOTHER BMW (WDN) A PROTON WIRA BDV 1862 BELONGING TO V. PANJARATNAM.

THE FORMER DRIVER MR CHANDRAN HAVE ALSO SENT DATO V. KANALINGAM TO EUSOFF CHIN'S HOUSE.

WHENEVER I SENT MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO EUSOFF CHIN'S HOUSE, HE DATO V. K WILL BE CARRING A VERY BIG BUNDLE OF FILES AND WHEN I GO BACK TO PICK HIM UP HE WILL BE CARRYING BACK A SINGLE FILE.

I USUALLY SENT MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM AT ABOUT 11.30 PM AND PICK HIM UP AT ABOUT 12.30 PM TO 1.00 AM.

7) IN 1996 CASH WAS GIVEN TO ME BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO PURCHASE HANDPHONE FROM MUTIARA TELECOMMUNICATIONS SDN BHD LOT 1 LEVEL 1 SHAHZAN PRUDENTIAL TOWER AT NO 30 JALAN SULTAN SIMAIL KL. FOR TUN EUSOFF CHIN. THIS PHONE WAS DELIVERED TO TUN EUSOFF CHON'S HOUSE BY A FAMILY FRIEND MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON.

8) I HAVE ALSO IN 1996 GIVEN A CASH CEHQUE BY MY OTHER BROTHER DATO V. SIVAPRANJOTHI A LAWYER TO PURCHASE A HANDPHONE FOR FORMER JUDGE K.L REKRAJ. I DELIEVERED THIS HANDPHONE IN PERSON TO DATO K.L REKRAJ AT HIS HOUSE. HE DATO K.L REKRAJ ASKED ME FOR EXTRA BATTERIES. THIS PHONE WAS REGISTERED UNDER DATO K.L REKRAJ WIFE.

9) A FAMILY FRIEND MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON HAVE ALSO TAKE MY BROTHERS DATO V. KANAGALINGAM AND DATO V. SIVAPRANJOTHO TO TUN EUSOFF CHIN'S HOUSE.

10) IN 1996 I WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO SENT A OLD HEAVY BRIEFCASE (A DARK BROWN) TO THE PRESENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGE DATO LOW HOP BING. HE DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TOLD ME TAHT DATO LOW HOP BING ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE BRIEFCASE IN THE CAR BEARING NUMBER PLATE CAF 45 A VOLVO.

MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON WAS PRESENT WHEN I COLLECTED THE BRIEFCASE IN FRONT OF DATO V. KANAGALINGAM'S HOUSE.

11) IN 1996 I AND MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO DELIVER 2 NOS HANDPHONE TO THE PRESENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGE DATO MOHTAR SIDIN AT JALAN GURNEY KUALA LUMPUR. I AND MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON WENT THERE IN A VOLVO CAF 45.

I HAVE ALSO GONE TO DATO MOHTHAR SIDIN'S HOUSE WITH MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM. I HAVE ALSO GONE TO DATO MOHTAR SIDIN'S HOUSE IN JALAN GURNEY USING MY MOTORBIKE BEARING NO PLATE WAX 6191 A YAMAHA TO SENT DOCUMENTS AND ALSO DELIVER A HANDPHONE.

12) IN 1996 CASH WAS GIVEN TO ME BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO SETTLE A HANDPHONE BILL IN THE NAME OF FORMER IGP TAN SRI RAHIM NOOR. SOMETIMES THE HANDPHONE BILLS OF FORMER IGP TAN SRI RAHIM NOOR IS SETTLE BY MY SISTER CHINMAYA DEVI WHO IS EMPLOYED WITH V.K LINGAM & CO AND SOMETIMES BY MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON AND ALSO BY A FORMER COLONEL.

13) IN 1996 MAY I WAS AT MY BROTHERS OFFICE AT SHAHZAN TOWER WITH MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM AND MY SISTER CHINMAYA DEVI. ALL A SUDDEN MY UNCLE MR. PERINCURAMASAMY CAME RUSHING TO INFORM MY BOTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM THAT THE ACA IS COMING TO MY BROTHER'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION ON PERWAJA STEEL.

BEFORE THE ACA CAN COME TO MY BROTHER OFFICE DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TOLD ME, CHINMAYA DEVI (MY SISTER) AND FRANCIS CHEE KOON TO WITHDRAW LARGE SUM OF MONEY FROM ORIENTAL BANK JALAN SULTAN ISMAIL UNDER THE ACCOUNT OF DATO V. KANAGALINGAM.

DATO V. KANAGALINGAM OLSO TOLD ME TO TAKE 5 NOS BANK DRAFT EACH AMOUNTING 60,000.00 POUNDS.

I ALSO WAS TOLD BY MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO OPEN A ACCOUNT UNDER MY NAME IN PUBLIC BANK AND BANK IN RM 275,000.00 WHICH I DI(D). MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON ALSO WITHDRAW A LARGESUM OF MONEYWHICH HE PUT IN THE BLACK BIG BAG AND LATER BANK IN INTO HIS ACCOUNT.

MY SISTER CHINMAYA DEVI ALSO WITHDRAW A LARGE SUM OF MONEY AND FOLLOWED MR FRANCIS KOK CHEE KHOON. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT MY SISTER CHINMAYADEVI DID WITH THE MONEY.

LATER THE FIVE BANK DRAFTS OF 60,000.00 POUNDS EACH WAS BANK IN TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE FOLLOWING PERSON IN LONDON.

THIS PEOPLE FOLLOWED DATO V. KANAGALINGAM TO LONDON BEFORE GOING TO USA MAYO CLINIC IN ROCHESTER MINNESOTA.

1) MR K SUPPIAH 60,000.00 POUNDS WAS BANK INTO HIS ACCOUNT IN LONDON

2) DATIN GHANAJOTHI 60,000.00 POUNDS WERE BANK INTO HER ACCOUNT IN LONDON

3) MR RAJENDRA VELLUPILLAI 60,000.00 POUNDS WAS BANK INTO HIS ACCOUNT IN LONDON

4) THIRUNAMA KARASU VELLUPILLAI 60,000.00 WAS PUT INTO MY ACCOUNT IN LONDON

5) DATO V. KANAGALINGAM 60,000.00 POUNDS WAS PUT INTO HIS ACCOUNT IN LONDON

6) V. KANAKALASHIMI RM 100,000.00 GIVEN CASH AT NO 28 SECTION 21/1 SEA PARK PJ AT HER HOUSE.

14) IN 1998 MY BROTHER DATO V. KANAGALINGAM CAME TO MY HOUSE AND TOOK ME IN HIS VOLVO (940) TO CHINESE RESTAURANT IN SEA PARK SECTION 21/1.

MY SISTER V. KANAKALASHMI ALSO CAME TO THE RESTAURANT. IN THIS RESTAURANT MY BROTHER DATO K. KANAGALINGAM THREATENED ME NOT TO TELL THE ACA ABOUT HIS DEALING WITH THE JUDGES, THE FORMER IGP TAN SRI RAHIM NOOR AND ALSO THOSE INVOLVED.

HE TOLD ME THAT I MAKE SURE SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN TO ME AND THAT I HAVE MENTIONED THE JUDGES AND FORMER IGP.

THE POLICE WILL ARREST ME AND MY CHILDREN WILL BE KIDNAPPED BY THE JUDGES.

HE THREATENED BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN A FULL STATEMENT TO A LAWYER NOW KNOWN AS DATO SAFEE ABDULLAH OF SAFEE & CO IN 1997 AT HIS HOUSE TOGETHER WITH MR SULAIMAN ABDULLAH A LAWYER PRESENT.

FURTHER MORE IN 1997 DECEMBER I WAS FORCED TO SIGN A STATUTORY DECLARATION WHICH WAS PREPARED BY MY BROTHER DATO V. SIVAPRANJOTHI AND DATO V. KANAGALINGAM AT A HOTEL VALUE INN KELANG SELANGOR.

OTHERS WHO FORCED ME SIGH THE STATUTORY DECLARATION WERE MR SATCI, SISTER V. KANAGALASHMI, SISTER CHINMAYADEVI AND BROTHERV. PANJARATNAM.

IN 1998 MARCH MY BROTHER SENT 3 LAWYERS MR C. VIJAYAKUMAR, DATO SITHAMBARAM, DATO KUMARENDRAN WHO FORCED ME INTO MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT AND MADE ME SIGN THE STATEMENT ON 81 PAGES.

THEY THEN TOLD ME TO GET ADMITTED FOR TWO YEARS IN HOSPITAL BAHAGIA IPOH. I REFUSED.

THEY THEN TOLD ME TO PUT UP A ACT THAT I AM VERY DEPRESSED AND MENTALLY UNSTABLE AND GET ADMITTED TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

THEY PUT FEAR INTO ME DURING THE 1998 ACA INVESTIGATION.

I TOLD THEM THAT IN 1998 THE FIRST STATEMENT AND THE THIRD STATEMENT WHICH I GAVE TO THE ACA IN 1998 IS TRUE AND THE SECOND STATEMENT IS FALSE. "

MCA-Chinese: "You ARE the UMNO-Malay Running Dogs"

From Malaysia-Today: Read here

by

Raja Petra Kamaruddin

Quote:

".... (To the MCA-Chinese), BE that Umno Malay running dog IF you so wish, and IF that will guarantee you a good and prosperous future.

But:

Stop blaming the Malays for the ills of this nation

Stop blaming the Malays when this country goes to the dogs.

The reason this country is going to the dogs is because YOU (the MCA-Chinese) are the running dogs, NOT because of the Malays.
- Raja Petra Kamaruddin

Excerpts: Read here for more

".... The Star, is MCA-owned.

(And) this is NOT the first time The Star has distorted the news.

One day before the 30 October 2007 Conference of Rulers, The Star reported that the Rulers will be discussing the extension of the Chief Justice’s term of office. One day after the Conference of Rulers, Bernama carried an announcement by the Keeper of the Royal Seal that the Rulers did not even touch on the subject.

His Majesty, The Agong, a week before that, had rejected the extension of the Chief Justice’s tenure and that was enough for the Rulers. They supported what The Agong had decided and saw no reason for further raising the matter or to discuss it at the Conference.

The Star, which is MCA-owned, and therefore can be interpreted as ‘Chinese’.

Since MCA claims to be the legitimate party representing Chinese interests, (it) has also strengthened something else which I have been saying many times in the past:

--the Chinese, in particular the MCA Chinese, are Umno’s running dogs.

Photo courtesy of "wits0"
Yes, the Chinese are very upset (with this Government).

They condemn the present government as the ‘Malay’ government.

They accuse the ‘Malays’ of screwing up the country.

They refer to the government as ‘Islam-Malays’.

But from where I am sitting, it is the MCA Chinese, and NOT the Malays, who are Umno’s Running Dogs.

The Chinese are very upset with the Malays because:

the Malays are running this country.

the Malays are screwing up this country.

Then WHY are they (MCA-Chinese) the running dogs of the Umno Malays?

Yeah, sure, I know.

1. They have no choice but to become the running dogs of the Umno Malays.
   
   
2. Chinese are a minority.
   
   
3. Chinese must think of cari makan first.
   
   
4. Chinese must protect their rice bowl.
   
   
5. Chinese want to make sure that their business does not suffer so they must become running dogs of the Umno Malays.

It’s all about money, money, money.

Money comes first. Money calls the shots.

M-C-A = Money Controls All.

If money is the overriding factor and if money decides what you must do, THEN DO IT. Be that Umno Malay running dog if you so wish and if that will guarantee you a good and prosperous future.

I have no problem with that.

BUT:

• Stop blaming the Malays for the ills of this nation.

• Stop blaming the Malays when this country goes to the dogs.

The reason this country is going to the dogs is because YOU (the MCA-Chinese) are the running dogs, NOT because of the Malays.

The Obstacle to the Future Well-Being of Malaysian Society: UMNO's Divisive Politics

Article by Dr. Farish A. Noor of "The Other Malaysia" Blog. Read here

(Dr. Farish A. Noor is a Malaysian political scientist and historian at the Centre for Modern Orient Studies (Zentrum Moderner Orient), Berlin, and affiliated Professor at both Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) and Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University, Jogjakarta.He is the author of 'Writings on the War on Terror' (2006), 'From Majapahit to Putrajaya' (2005) and 'Islam Embedded: The Historical Development of PAS' (2004).)

Read HERE Commentary by Gerard Lourdesamy in Letter to Editor, Malaysiakini, "The nation being held hostage by one party"

New Straits Times(Nov. 14th ) reported:

" Like their parents, the 18 children detained at Saturday's illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur are now in hot water. The Education Ministry is taking a dim view of their participation and will be getting their names from the police.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the students must be rehabilitated and made aware that they had to abide by the law. "They will not be expelled, but they will be taught what is right and wrong," he said at the Putrajaya students' discipline enhancement programme yesterday."
Read here for more

Excerpts from article "Rehabilitation for whom?" by Dr.Farish A.Noor

So now its ‘political rehabilitation’, is it?

As a corrective measure for kids who go to demonstrations and who have been ‘bad’ in the eyes of the government?

That Malaysia’s leaders can even suggest such a thing speaks volumes about the extent to which the space of alienation between the state and the nation has grown over the years, and points to the lack of contact, communication and understanding between the powers-that-be and the real Malaysian nation made up of the rest of us.

But are we surprised?

After all, this is the same country whose geography is now cluttered with a smattering of ‘faith rehabilitation centres’ that have been set up under the auspices of an Islamist project said to promote some skewered vision of a modern, pluralist, democratic Islam that is benevolent and accommodative: So accommodative in fact that it can accommodate dozens, if not hundreds, of Malaysian citizens deemed ‘immoral’, ‘deviant’, ‘apostate’ and out of the ordinary according to the norms set by an invisible and unaccountable cabal of Islamic experts in the pay of the state.

We already have rehabilitation centres whose job it is to ‘turn over’ these alleged deviants and misfits and force them to conform to the normative praxis of Islam that is deemed correct by the state.

So, should we be surprised if the leaders of UMNO and the Government can go one step further and call for the rehabilitation of children as well?

Squandering of the Country's Future by UMNO

Malaysia seems to be a textbook example of postcolonial development turned awry.

A group of Umno members disrupted a press conference called by a MP, during which a Chinese press photographer was punched and verbally assaulted yesterday. Read here for more on Screenshots
(Photo courtesy of Malaysia Chinese Photojournalists Association (MCPA)
What began as a country with so much promise – its plural racial and ethnic composition, blessed with plentiful resources that was also strategically located at the cross-roads between East and West – has been squandered.

(All) for the sake of ONE RULING PARTY that seems to cater primarily to the needs and demands of ONE specific ethnic-religious constituency. (Read HERE related articles and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE )

That Malaysia’s leaders still CANNOT understand and appreciate the extent of dissatisfaction, frustration and cynicism among the Malaysian public points to a state that has concentrated all power – including educational and mediatic – in the hands of an alienated ruling elite.

Since the 1980s practically every institution of the state has undergone a serious compromise thanks to the dominance of the Executive at the expense of all other arms of the state apparatus:

1. the emasculation of the judiciary,
   
   
2. the tighter and tighter controls on the press,
   
   
3. the depoliticisation of the universities (and the educational system in general),
   
   
4. the promotion of a sectarian divisive politics, based on race and religious communitarianism,
   
   
5. the politicisation of institutions like the police, etc.

Clique of Ruling Families in UMNO

(These) have all created an increasingly small and narrow political arena that has come to be dominated by a small clique of power-hungry politicians and RULING FAMILIES.

Worst still is the fact that the ruling elite of the country – made up as it is by a handful of key families of the UMNO fraternity – has come to believe its own rhetoric and the story they have spun for themselves:

1. that they are the protectors of the Malay community and identity,
   
   
2. that they and they alone are responsible for the fate and future of the Malaysian nation.

Their continued reliance on the state-controlled media to disseminate this inbred propaganda they have invented for themselves fails to note the fact:

that the very same Malay community they purport to represent is now fragmented, hybrid and plural, and

that the younger generation of Malay youth, like their other Malaysian counterparts, NO LONGER buy the stale and insipid narrative of a cohesive united nation led by a handful of Malay ruling families.

Dismissive accounts of demonstrations as being ‘un-Malay’ and ‘un-Malaysian’ have clearly fallen on deaf ears, as the younger generation of Malaysians could not care less about courtly protocol, the symbolism of UMNO and its nationalist rhetoric, the appeals to racial superiority and unity, etc.

Despite the now tiresome brandishing of the keris and frothy speeches about Malay unity at the recent UMNO assembly, many of the thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur last weekend happened to be Malay: the very same community that is NO longer beholden to UMNO and immune to its fanciful appeals to racial cohesion and unity.

The Future

So what does the future hold for Malaysian society and where will the events of 10th November lead us?

It is clear that the Bersih demonstration had managed to do the one thing that the leaders of the Barisan Nasional dread above all:

To bring together Malaysians from ALL walks of life and cultural backgrounds on ONE neutral issue that UNITES rather than divides their interests.

The fact that the Islamists of PAS and the secular leftists of DAP could come together along with the activists of PKR and the NGOs suggests that the civic spirit of Malaysians is not quite dead, despite all attempts to squash any attempt at multi-racial and cross-communal political activism in the country.

Unable and unwilling to accept the new realities on the ground, the political elite of Malaysia has resorted to the same worn out clichés and the call to rehabilitate the younger Malaysians who were present at the demonstration reveals the extent to which this ruling elite is so thoroughly bankrupt of ideas.

No, it is NOT the younger Malaysians who are in need of rehabilitation. In fact, every young citizen should be made aware of her and his rights and responsibilities as early as possible, as a rite of civic membership.

If anyone is in need of rehabilitation, it is the politicians and ruling elite of Malaysia themselves, who should learn that this diverse and plural society of ours happens to be a complex nation undergoing a slow democratic transformation and that the future of Malaysian politics should reflect this multicultural diversity.

So I strongly suggest that the right-wing communitarian leaders of Malaysia sign up for their own rehab courses as soon as possible, for their and our own good, and learn the following:

1. That Malaysian citizenship, and not race or religious identity, should serve as the basis of political participation and political rights;
   
   
2. That the language of racial superiority and racial exclusivism is not only morally repugnant, racist and dangerous but outdated and has no resonance with the Malaysian public today;
   
   
3. That the fundamental duty of all citizens is to demand that the state serves the interests of the nation as a whole and not just a coterie of landed elites living in their comfortable and alienated paradise of select privileges and luxury;
   
   
4. And that the right to speak one’s mind and to demand that the state carries out its fundamental democratic functions are among the basic rights of all citizens, and not some outrageous demand by anarchists, mobsters and unruly nihilists.

And while taking these basic lessons in democracy, DO LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE!

At least they don’t go on the stage brandishing weapons and screeching about racial superiority. They are too matured to do such stupid things!

On the 10-Eleven Rally: The Press Statement from the Palace Is NOT from the King

Read here full article in Malaysia-Today by Raja Petra Kamaruddin

UPDATE: (17th November, 2007)

PRESS STATEMENT FROM PAS
(Read here)

".. PAS tidak pernah sekali-kali mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa pihak istana khasnya Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di Pertuan Agong terlibat dalam apa bentuk sekalipun, dalam menjayakan Perhimpunan Aman BERSIH pada 10 November 2007 yang lalu. Perhimpunan tersebut adalah perhimpunan aman masyarakat sivil, iaitu rakyat Malaysia yang bangun menuntut hak mereka bagi memulihkan sistem pilihanraya, iaitu tonggak amalan demokrasi negara, yang terbukti semakin tercemar dan tempang.

Melalui gabungan BERSIH, PAS bersama-sama 60 NGO dan parti-parti politik yang lain telah turun ke Kuala Lumpur untuk berhimpun secara aman dan menyerahkan memorandum tuntutan atas nama BERSIH kepada Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong atas keyakinan bahawa Tuanku adalah payung dan pelindung rakyat dalam keadaan rakyat mula mencurigai sistem pilihanraya yang dikendalikan oleh pihak Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya Malaysia (SPR).

Adapun kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Setiausaha Agung PAS, YB Dato' Kamarudin Jaffar Isnin lepas, bermaksud bahawa BERSIH telah terlebih dahulu menerima perkenan dari Baginda untuk menyerahkan memorandum rakyat jelata itu ke Istana Negara pada hari Sabtu berkenaan. PAS tidak pernah mendakwa yang Tuanku terbabit dalam Perhimpunan Aman BERSIH itu atau Tuanku bersetuju di atas kandungan memorandum BERSIH. BERSIH berlapang dada atas apa sahaja tindakan yang bakal Tuanku ambil terhadap memorandum tersebut.

PAS menyeru agar jangan ada mana-mana pihak cuba melaga-lagakan di antara rakyat jelata dengan Seri Paduka Baginda atau Raja-raja Melayu atau pihak istana. PAS tidak pernah dan tidak akan sekali-kali memperjudi atau menggadaikan kesetiaanya kepada Raja dan Negara...."

PRESS STATEMENT FROM BERSIH
(Read here or HERE in English from Malaysiakini)

"...Gabungan Pilihanaya Bersih dan Adil (BERSIH) menegaskan bahawa kami tidak pernah menyatakan bahawa memorandum yang diserahkan kepada Yang DiPertuan Agung 10 November lalu mendapat berkenan Seri Paduka Baginda. Rakyat Malaysia bebas untuk memberi petisyen kepada Agung kami pada bila-bila masa atas hal-hal yang berkepentingan awam, termasuk pilihnaraya yang bersih dan adil, satu keadaan di mana Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertiuan Agung sudah semestinya bersetuju.

BERSIH sekali lagi mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pihak Istana kerana kesudian mereka menerima permohonan bertulis kami bagi memohon temujanji pada 5 petang 10 November 2007 bagi menyerahkan memorandum. Kami juga berterima kasih atas permintaan pihak Istana senarai nama delegasi yang bagi menyerahkan memorandum kepada wakil Yang DiPertuan Agung yang dihantar pada Jumaat, 9 November 2007.

Akhirnya, BERSIH ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Seri Paduka Baginda Yang diPertuan Agung kerana berkenan menerima memorandum melalui wakil yang dilantik pada 10 November 2007 lalu.

Sebagai warganegara Malaysia, adalah menjadi harapan bahawa Seri Paduka Baginda terus memainkan peranan yang diperuntukkan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Dengan cara itu, hak-hak dan kepentingan seluruh rakyat Malaysia dilindungi dan memastikan integriti di institusi kita.

Bagi pihak kami, BERSIH akan terus berjuang ke arah sebuah pilihanraya yang bersih dan adil dan bagi demokrasi tulen di Malaysia.."

Quote:

Today’s press announcement did NOT come from The Agong.

Today’s announcement is by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, an official of the Istana Negara office, (and) NOT the Keeper of the Royal Seal.

It (is) the Keeper of the Royal Seal whose job it is to make official statements on behalf of The Agong.

The Istana Negara Office comes under the Prime Minister’s Department and the people in that Office are planted there by the Prime Minister’s Department to be the eyes, ears and sometimes mouth of the government as well.

This Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja chappie is a most unpopular personality in the Palace office..."
-Raja Petra Kamaruddin

Background:

Bernama reported:

" Yang di- Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has expressed regret over claims that he and the Palace approved and supported Saturday’s illegal rally in the city.

In a statement issued here today by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja of Istana Negara, Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan, the King also regretted the gathering which was organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and supported by the opposition parties.

Tuanku Mizan stressed that he and Istana Negara had at no time approved or given any support, directly or indirectly, to any quarters that organised or was involved in the illegal assembly or any other activities that contravened the law...."

Malay Version reported by Bernama:

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin melahirkan rasa kesal dengan dakwaan kononnya baginda dan Istana Negara memperkenankan dan menyokong satu perhimpunan haram di sini Sabtu lepas. Dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja Istana Negara Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan hari ini, Seri Paduka Baginda juga melahirkan rasa kesal dengan perhimpunan itu yang dianjurkan oleh satu kumpulan dikenali Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (BERSIH) yang disokong parti-parti pembangkang.

Dalam kenyataan itu, Tuanku Mizan menegaskan bahawa baginda dan Istana Negara tidak pernah pada bila-bila masa jua memperkenankan atau memberikan apa-apa sokongan secara langsung atau tidak langsung kepada mana-mana pihak yang menganjurkan atau terlibat dalam perhimpunan haram itu dan apa-apa jua kegiatan lain yang berkaitan yang menyalahi undang-undang negara...."

Excerpts: Read here full article on Malaysia-Today

by

Raja Petra Kamaruddin

Today the Government of Malaysia tried doing a "David Copperfield" on us.

“Tuanku Mizan Regrets Claims He Supports Illegal Rally,” screamed the Bernama headlines. The Malay version said, “Tuanku Mizan Kesal Dakwaan Baginda Sokong Perhimpunan Haram.” Both versions can be read Here and Here.

To the layman, this sounds very serious indeed.

Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja

(It is a title of )a very ‘high-ranking’ Istana Negara official named Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan. He has issued the statement on behalf of The Agong.

Who is this guy anyway? He hails from Terengganu and works for the Prime Minister’s Department.

(Update from Malaysia-Today: "...If you check Wan Mohd Safiain’s identity card number, 461214035359, you will discover that he is an UMNO member. His membership number is 03728983 and he is a member of Umno Cawangan Taman Desa Minang, Gombak Setia, Gombak. Wan Mohd Safiain is not the official spokesman of The Agong. He who speaks on behalf of the Agong is the Keeper of the Royal Seal. Secondly, would not an announcement from an unauthorised source who is an Umno member be viewed as vested interest?)

(Image courtesy of "Malay Women in Malaysia" Blog)


(Note: Is it ethically correct to place someone with a clear political affiliation with a Political Party (ie UMNO) over in Istana Negara? Read here for more )

In fact, the entire Office of the Istana Negara comes under the Prime Minister’s Department.

The Istana Negara office comes under the Prime Minister’s Department and the people in that office are planted there by the Prime Minister’s Department to be the eyes, ears and sometimes mouth of the government as well. And today we saw an example of how it has become the mouth of the government.

Today’s press announcement did NOT come from The Agong.

Today’s announcement is by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, (and) NOT the Keeper of the Royal Seal. It did NOT even come from the Keeper of the Royal Seal whose job it is to make official statements on behalf of The Agong.

It came from a glorified chamber maid planted in the Palace as an enemy in the blanket. These are the worst kind of slime-balls and scumbags. They smile and call you friend. Then they stick a dagger in your back.

This Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja chappie is a most unpopular personality in the Palace office. Everyone in the Palace office knows he has been planted there as the eyes and ears of the government. And his job is not only to keep a watch on things and report back to the Prime Minister’s office whatever is happening in the Palace, but he has also been tasked with the job of frustrating every effort of The Agong in interacting with the rakyat (citizens).

(Update: The majority of Malaysians are of the opinion that if The Agong has something to say then His Majesty can speak for himself. His Majesty can’t. If His Majesty has anything to say then His Majesty has to say so through the official spokesman... Read here for more)

Flashback: Incident in November 1999

I remember relating an incident which happened way back in November 1999, a few days before the Tenth General Election.

In November 1999, I was tasked with the job of delivering a letter from Barisan Alternatif to the Istana Negara requesting an audience with The Agong then, my uncle. I delivered the letter at noon on Friday and went off to the mosque for my Friday prayers.

When I went back to the office around 2.30pm there was a reply waiting for me in the fax machine turning down our request for an audience, with a suggestion that we try again after the general election.

Our letter was addressed to The Agong. The reply came from the Prime Minister’s Department.

The Agong never got to see the letter and was not even aware that one had been sent. And that was probably the fastest reply ever from a government department in Malaysia’s entire history.

Delivering BERSIH'S MEMORANDUM

That is why it was not wise to quietly deliver the BERSIH Memorandum to The Agong. If that had been done, then the Memorandum would have been hijacked and would have been diverted to the Prime Minister’s Department instead -- and The Agong would have never seen it.

And that was also why it was necessary for 100,000 citizens to march to the Istana Negara to ‘escort’ the Memorandum -- although only 50,000 eventually got through because they sealed off all the roads into Kuala Lumpur which resulted in one of the worst traffic jams in history.

100,000 rakyat wanted to meet their Monarch that afternoon of Saturday, 10 November 2007.
The Agong did not say no. The Agong will never say no to 100,000 rakyat who wish for an audience with His Majesty.

The Agong just wanted to know how many people will be representing the 100,000 rakyat and what their names are. The Agong did not say he did not wish to meet the representatives of the 100,000 marchers.

He in fact asked for their names.This has worried the government.

The Agong also realised that the government will certainly try to frustrate the effort of the 100,000 rakyat who wished for an audience with His Majesty. And this did happen. The government said that a police permit would be required and that the organisers should apply for one. So the organisers did, but the application was rejected. And the government warned that if the 100,000 rakyat still insisted on pursuing the march then the government would retaliate with force. And the government did as promised.

The 19th Brigade of the Royal Malay Regiment

When the first volley was fired on the assembled marchers around the Masjid Jamek-Masjid India area, word was passed down the line that the 19th Brigade of the Royal Malay Regiment or Regimen Askar Melayu Di-Raja (RAMD) was on stand-bye, to move in if there are any fatal casualties.

The Agong is their Commander-in-Chief and soldiers are trained to obey their Commander-in-Chief at no consequence to their own lives.

Fourteen armoured cars (kereta perisai) had earlier arrived from Sungai Petani and were parked at the Sungai Buloh military camp, ready to roll at a minute’s notice. It would take them ten or fifteen minutes to arrive at the scene of any violence against the rakyat.

The police backed off. They were reduced to traffic control where those positioned at junctions stopped cars to allow the marchers to safely cross the road.

The RAMD remained on stand-by and the next morning the fourteen kereta perisai quietly slipped out of Sungai Buloh and went home.

And when the government issued threats of violence against the marchers, the 19th Brigade of the RAMD was brought into Kuala Lumpur with fourteen kereta perisai.

This was The Agong’s way of saying that if you shoot the marchers, just like you did in Batu Burok in front of The Agong’s palace in Kuala Terengganu, then all hell will break loose.

So the government backed off. They had no choice.

The 100,000 rakyat wanted to meet The Agong and His Majesty had said yes. And the 19th Brigade of the RAMD came to town to ensure that yes means yes.

The PM's 'Pantang dicabar' Threat

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi issued a decree at the Umno General Assembly the day before the Saturday, 10 November 2007, march. He said he ‘pantang dicabar’. This translates to mean he is allergic to being challenged.

And his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, asked the police to arrest all the marchers.

Yes, arrest all the marchers. Arrest all 1,000 of them! Arrest all 2,000 of them! Hey, even if it is 5,000, arrest all 5,000 of them. But it is 50,000 with another 50,000 on the way. How to arrest 50,000, or 100,000 if the other 50,000 reach Kuala Lumpur? 50,000 is too large a number to arrest. There are not enough trucks to ferry 50,000 and not enough jails to house 50,000 people.

Instead, close all the roads leading into Kuala Lumpur. Seal off Kuala Lumpur and not allow anyone in.

Let it remain 50,000. Don’t allow it to grow to 100,000. Then we (the Government) will announce we won. We will announce that the march failed and the ‘illegal demonstrators’ were prevented from assembling at Dataran Merdeka.

The 'Cat and Mouse' Game

(The rally) never intended to assemble in Dataran Merdeka in the first place. The Dataran Merdeka thing was a decoy, a Red Herring. They wanted the police to assemble in Dataran Merdeka so that they can march unhindered to the Istana Negara.

We (the Govt) were tricked. They (the Rally organisers) won. We lost.Okay, all is not lost.

Putting Words in The Agong's Mouth

We (the Govt) can still announce that The Agong is not happy with the march. We will announce that The Agong did not agree to the march. We will announce that The Agung did not consent to the march. That will give the perception that we won and the 100,000 marchers lost.

And we will get the head of housekeeping (Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja) to make that announcement. After all, he is our plant in the Palace. He is our man and on our payroll. And, since he carries this very impressive title, no one will know he is just in charge of making the beds and not actually anyone important.

Well, Malaysia Today knows. And Malaysia Today knows that most in the Istana Negara regard him as a slime-ball and a scumbag. And anything he who makes the beds says does not matter as long as it is not The Agong himself who said it.

Try again, guys. Maybe you will have better luck next time.

And please, don’t ask that slime-ball and scumbag to make any statements if you want us to believe that it is really The Agong who is saying it.