~penarik beca (2)

NST (11/2/09): Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was not questioned in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder investigations as he was not involved in the case, a police officer told the Sessions court yesterday.

Superintendent Gan Tack Guan, formerly from the Kuala Lumpur Serious Crimes Division, said there was no need to record Najib's statement as investigations had revealed that the deputy prime minister was not involved in the Mongolian woman's murder.

Gan said this was based on the initial murder investigations conducted by the investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Tony Lunggan.

"If he (Najib) was not involved, why should he be called in for questioning?" Gan responded during cross-examination by counsel Gobind Singh Deo yesterday.

The police officer was testifying in the trial of blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who was charged with posting a seditious article titled, Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell, on his website.
The alleged offence was committed at his house in Bukit Rahman Putra, Sungai Buloh, on April 25. The article also implicated Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor in Altantuya's murder.

Gan, who is now head of Interpol at the Federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, is the fifth prosecution witness to take the stand. He is also the complainant in this case.

Yesterday, he disagreed with counsel that police did not record Najib's statement as "they had no guts to question the DPM".

Gobind: I put it to you that the reason you did not question Najib in this case is because the police knew for a fact that he was involved in the murder and had no guts to reveal this in their probe.

Gan: I disagree.

He further disagreed that the decision to lodge a police report against Raja Petra was politically motivated.

Gan testified that some of the contents in the alleged article were unfounded, but disagreed when told that the writer was telling the truth when he wrote the article.

Judge Rozina Ayob adjourned the case to tomorrow after being informed that Raja Petra was due at the Federal Court today for another matter.

Apart from addressing policies that marginalise the poor sections of the Indian community, the Government should also set up an independent body to investigate abuse by the rank and file in the police force.

The Star (25/1/09): The death in police custody of suspected car thief A. Kugan is only the latest in a series of cases that serves to highlight the deep distrust that exists between the rank and file of the force and the Indian working class.

It comes in the wake of another case last week where six police personnel were charged with causing grievous hurt on a suspect, using boiling water.
Devastated: Kugan’s family grieving after seeing his body at the mortuary.

Although a minority, the Malaysian-Indian poor are blamed, rightly or wrongly, for most of the violent crimes in the country. Study after study has shown a direct correlation between crime and poverty, marginalisation and alienation and it is no surprise if Indian involvement in crime is higher compared to other communities.

Consequently, the percentage of Indians in prison, police lock-ups and in police statistics are higher than others when compared to their population size of below 8%.

In some depressed regions of the country like Padang Serai in Kedah, Klang and Kapar in Selangor and Muar in Johor, where Indians predominate, the situation resembles a war zone with higher violence and disrespect for the law. Rape, murder, gang fights and contract killings are commonplace and people just have to live with it.

The death in custody of 22-year-old Kugan is symptomatic of the spiral of violence that has gripped some sections of our society.

The fact that Kugan’s family and others stormed into the Serdang Hospital mortuary to inspect his body also shows that the credibility disconnect is not just between them and the police force but other government agencies as well.

Poor Indians feel that they are unfairly blamed for every theft or robbery in their neighbourhood, not just by society but also by law enforcement agencies.

That’s why people like Hindraf lawyer Uthayakumar Ponnusamy and MP for Kapar S. Manikavasagam, who cast themselves as “defenders of the poor”, enjoy wide respect and command a following among the Indian poor. They are even regarded as heroes.

It is unfortunate that in storming the mortuary and moving the body and photographing it they may have contaminated the evidence and compromised their demands for justice .

Credibility has been a key issue in police-people relations ever since the Francis Udayappan case in 2004 and a later inquest that ruled he had died by drowning in the river behind the Brickfields police station.

Credibility is the reason why the crowd stormed the mortuary to see Kugan’s body for themselves and do what they did – cry, hug and take photographs.

The graphic photographs they took are now circulating on the Internet and being delivered to the inbox of hundreds of thousands of people.

Together it all makes for another explosive political disaster for the Government, the latest in a long list that had alienated the poorer sections of the Indian community.

This time, even the MIC leaders joined with opposition MPs and family members to demonstrate outside the mortuary on Wednesday. They know why they lost in the March 8 general election – by keeping quiet and defending the indefensible.

“We must set up a committee to monitor the welfare of all Indians currently in custody and also those in the future to avoid this sort of abuse and murder,” said Vel Paari, MIC Youth wing adviser in an e-mail message to numerous Indian groups connected on Yahoo!.

Since credibility is a key issue there is an urgent need for an independent investigation into Kugan’s death but that’s something most people, including the 2006 Royal Commission on the Police Force, believe the police themselves cannot undertake.

That’s why the commission strongly recommended an overseeing body to investigate abuse, curb violations and return credibility and respectability to the police force.

Even if such an independent commission is set up, it would still take years of intelligent and careful management to narrow the wide disconnect between the police rank and file and the Indian poor.

But it would be a start.

Posting di bawah ada dalam blog siapa pun saya tak ingat. Tetapi dibuang atas sebab yang tak dapat dielakkan:

Kisah polis pukul anak polis

Sebagai pekerja sosial, berbelas tahun yang lalu, pernah mahkamah merujuk satu kes kanak-kanak ( ketika itu dipanggil kes juvana ) kepada kami.

Dalam temubual dengan kanak-kanak yang berusia dalam lingkungan 16 tahun itu ( katakan A ) ia memberitahu kami, ketika sesi pertanyaan di dalam tahanan di lokap di AS ia dipukul dengan begitu teruk sekali. Salah seorang polis yang terlibat ialah 'mata-mata' B.

Suatu hari apabila saya berkesempatan terjumpa dengan B, saya bangkitkan perkara itu kepadanya secara tidak langsung. B menafikan sekeras-kerasnya. Katanya, polis tidak melakukan kerja-kerja seperti itu. Hanya sedikit kekerasan yang munasabah sahaja digunakan untuk mencungkil maklumat.

Selang beberapa bulan, kami dirujukkan beberapa kes lagi. Salah seorang dari mereka adalah anak kepada mata-mata B. Dalam kenyataannya kepada kami, B kelihatan sangat marah dan mempersoalkan tindakan biadap polis yang memukul anaknya di lokap L.

Katanya, anaknya ditampar dikepala, ditelinga, dipukul ditapak kaki dengan menggunakan paip getah, ditendang dan sebagainya sehingga menyukarkan pendengarannya.

Kenapa ini boleh berlaku. Mungkinkah polis di L tidak tahu bahawa yang sedang dikerjakan mereka adalah juga anak polis. Begitu ?

B memberitahu tidak tahu kenapa tetapi banyak lagi cerita dalaman polis dikhabarkan kepada kami.

Saya cuma mahu kepastian daripadanya - betulkah mereka itu polis atau anaknya sengaja 'mereka' cerita. Saya ingatkan kisah A yang menuduh polis memukulnya di mana B juga terlibat dalam insiden itu.

B menundukkan muka. Mungkin malu. Memek mukanya menterjemahkan kerunsingannya. Pergerakkan badannya tidak henti-henti. Dan B pasti tahu apa yang kami faham.

Manusia sanggup bertindak seperti binatang kepada orang lain, tetapi jika perkara itu berlaku kepada ahli keluarganya, ia langsung tidak dapat menerima hakikat itu. Kenapa ?

Untuk direnungkan.

Harakah (14/12/08): Naib Presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu berharap aktivis Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) yang terlibat dalam kempen berbasikal ke seluruh negara untuk menuntut perubahan supaya datang beramai-ramai ke Kuala Terengganu dan mengedarkan statistik jenayah di negara ini.

Beliau berkata demikian mengulas gertakan Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Ismail Omar yang menyatakan polis akan menyiasat dalang atau penaja kempen berbasikal yang bertemakan 'Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan' itu.

"Bawa statistik jenayah seluruh negara. Berapa kes bunuh, rompakan dan rogol yang berlaku di negara ini ketika polis semakin ghairah menjadi aktivis penjaga kepentingan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN).

"Edarkan kepada rakyat Kuala Terengganu yang akan menghadapi pilihan raya kecil berapa banyak kes jenayah yang tidak dapat diselesaikan termasuk kes penculikan dan pembunuhan Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, kes penculikan dan kehilangan Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, kes rompakan mikrocip RM50 juta di Zon Perdagangan Bebas Batu Maung, kes kehilangan dadah dalam simpanan polis Johor dan semua kes yang tidak selesai yang mungkin memaksa kita menunggu sehingga kucing bertanduk untuk melihat kes-kes itu diselesaikan," kata beliau. Image

Selepas kesemua statistik itu diedarkan di Kuala Terengganu, Mohamad Sabu meminta Jerit mengedarkan pula statistik tersebut ke seluruh negara dan beliau yakin dapat meminta kerjasama ahli-ahli PAS untuk mengedarkannya.

"Panggil kesemua media dalam negara dan media luar negara yang ada wakilnya dalam negara ini untuk membuat liputan.

"Kita hendak lihat adakah polis akan memerangi rakyat yang tertindas menyebarkan statistik yang sememangnya telah disiarkan kepada orang ramai itu.

"Kalau menyebarkan statistik yang sememangnya telah disiarkan kepada orang ramai dianggap salah, apa sebab salah dan undang-undang mana yang menyatakan perkara itu salah?" katanya lagi.

Dalam kenyataannya, Ismail berkata, polis tidak akan berkompromi dengan mana-mana individu yang menganjurkan perarakan tanpa permit tersebut, walaupun mereka merupakan ahli politik.

"Aktiviti ini secara tidak langsung terdapat elemen yang melanggar undang-undang negara kita kerana terdapat perhimpunan, perjumpaan dan perarakan tanpa permit," katanya.

Beliau mengingatkan orang ramai supaya tidak terlibat dalam perarakan itu "atau tindakan undang-undang sedia ada akan digunakan"

Malaysian Insider (24/11/08): Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said today that an agreement has been reached with state police to facilitate demonstrations.

When met by reporters in Parliament for his comments on the Internal Security Act demonstrations held yesterday, he said that Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar has agreed to a process which allows the public to gather in private halls.

"For those held in halls, meaning multipurpose halls and the like, the police will not take any action," he said.

"If there is a desire to make their feelings publicly known, then it must be done as quickly as possible so as not to become a hindrance to others," he added.

According to the head of the PKR-led state government, it has been suggested that such public protests should last no more than 15 minutes before the group returns to the hall to continue with other items on the agenda such as lectures or discussions.

"However, it would still be better to make an official request to the police to inform them of such an event," he said.

Police arrested nine men, who were among 200 supporters at the launch of an anti-Internal Security Act rally in Ampang last night while several hundred also marched along Jalan Tun Razak in support of the act yesterday.

Khalid, who is also Bandar Tun Razak MP, refused to be drawn into the issue of double standards with the handling of demonstrations organised by opposition as compared to those by Barisan Nasional.

He merely said that he hoped the state police will follow the new procedures agreed upon to deal with such gatherings in the future.

The Star (12/11/08): The state police chief has questioned the rationale behind Internal Security Act (ISA) protesters singing the national anthem at their illegal gathering near the Amcorp Mall on Sunday.

“Are they expecting policemen to stand at attention each time they sing the anthem? If so, what would happen if every criminal that we confront starts singing the national anthem?” asked Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar.

He questioned whether the protesters sang NegaraKu to keep the police at bay or that they (the protesters) themselves did not respect the anthem.

Protesters against the ISA were said to have sung NegaraKu at least three times at three different locations on Sunday – at the mall, Petaling Jaya Civic Centre, as well as near the police station.

“I, more than anyone else present, and that too as a police officer, respect the national anthem, contrary to allegations that we showed no respect by dispersing the crowd when they were singing the anthem,’’ he said.

DCP Khalid said that when police moved in, he did not and could not hear them singing the national anthem as he was some distance away.

He said he was informed by his officers that the crowd sang the national anthem at three different locations before being dispersed.

“I am duty-bound to carry out my job without fear or favour, and my interest was the safety and concern of the general public as well as business outlets which had voiced concern over possible trouble there.

“Nobody can deny that someone could have taken advantage of the situation to stir up trouble there,’’ he said, adding that no permit was sought for the gatherings which had been taking place for the past four weeks.

Police arrested 23 people, including Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and assemblymen Lau Weng San and Ronnie Liu, for taking part in the candlelight vigil.

They were arrested under Section 27 of the Police Act for allegedly taking part in an illegal assembly after several warnings to disperse were ignored.

The vigil, organised by the Coali­tion for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), started at 8pm at Dataran PJ, near Amcorp Mall.

However, the group, numbering in the hundreds, moved to the civic centre near MBPJ when police ordered them to disperse.

Harakah (11/11/08): Jurucakap Sekretariat Bersih, Faisal Mustaffa mempertahankan dakwaan laporan bahawa 24 aktivis yang menyertai himpunan aman sempena ulang tahun Bersih ditahan ketika menyanyikan lagi Negaraku.

Beliau menegaskan demikian ketika mengulas penafian Ketua Polis Selangor, Dato' Khalid Abu Bakar menafikan bahawa pihak polis bertindak menyuraikan para ketika mereka sedang menyanyikan lagu Negaraku.

Khalid dalam satu laporan akhbar menyatakan "Itu adalah dakwaan mereka (peserta)," kata Khalid kepada pemberita di ibupejabat polis daerah Petaling Jaya.

Faisal yang kesal dengan penahanan itu berkata, himpunan yang diadakan di Petaling Jaya adalah secara aman.

"Selaku sekretariat Bersih, saya ingin menyatakan di sini bahawa orang ramai yang berhimpun secara aman sememangnya sedang menyanyikan lagu kebangsaan, Negaraku. Dan pada ketika itu, polis bertindak ganas," katanya.

Kata Faisal, apa yang lebih menyedihkan lagi ialah ketika tangakapan mula dibuat ketika rangkap "Raja Kita Selamat Bertakhta"

Ini menunjukkan bahawa pihak polis telah mencemarkan kedaulatan raja dan perlembagaan, dakwa Faisal dalam satu ulasannya mengenai isu tersebut.

"Saya tidak mahu menyentuh tentang sikap anggota polis termasuk anggota yang berpangkat tinggi yang lepak, duduk dan menjerit-jerit memberi arahan kepada anggota yang lain ketika lagu dinyanyikan," katanya sinis.

Perlu ditekankan di sini bahawa orang ramai yang berhimpun bukan menyanyikan lagu Memula Moon atau Negarakuku, katanya.

Secara keseluruhannya, Ketua Polis Negeri telah bercakap bohong dan melalui kenyataannya kepada media semalam, dakwa Faisal.

Ia juga menunjukkan Ketua Polis tersebut tidak layak menjadi seorang yang berpangkat di dalam organisasi polis terutamanya di negeri di bawah jajahan takluk kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat, katanya lagi.

Dalam himpunan anjuran Bersih pada 9 November lalu, 24 peserta termasuk ahli Parlimen dan Adun ditahan ketika mereka mahu bersurai dan menyanyikan lagu Negaraku.

Seorang bekas wartawan webtv PAS, Shukri Mohamad yang kini bertugas sebagai jurukamera Malaysiakini ditahan.

Shukri yang mengulas penahanannya sebaik dibebaskan kesal dengan penahanan tindakan polis itu sedangkan ketika itu beliau sedang merakam gambar 'water cannon'.

"Saya sedang merakam gambar trak meriam air apabila seorang anggota polis mengarahkan saya berhenti berbuat demikian, Dia mengarahkan saya menyerahkan kamera dan pita rakaman. Saya berpusing dan beredar dari situ apabila saya ditahan," kata Shukri sebaik dibebaskan.

Peserta himpunan yang berjalan menuju ke pusat tersebut sejurus selepas jam 9.30 malam, selepas pihak polis mengarahkan mereka bersurai dari Padang Timur, kira-kira satu kilometer dari situ.

Sepasukan anggota polis anti rusuhan dan trak meriam air tiba di situ untuk menyuraikan 300 peserta himpunan yang mengakibatkan keadaan menjadi tegang.

Akibatnya, anggota polis mula menyuraikan orang ramai dengan menggunakan perisai mereka.

Turut ditahan ialah, anggota Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Pua, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kampung Tunku, Lau Weng San serta kira-kira 22 orang lain Sementara ahli Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara pula dikatakan dikasari dan ditolak masuk ke dalam Black Maria.

Mereka yang ditahan, dibawa ke balai polis Petaling Jaya dan dibebaskan pada jam 7.00 pagi 10 November lalu.

Sebelum kejadian, pihak polis telah mengadakan sekatan jalan raya dari pelbagai arah menuju ke lokasi himpunan, dan ia menyebabkan kesesakan lalulintas pada hari cuti.

Wrong use of ISA: De facto law minister

The Star (14/9/08): The Internal Security Act (ISA) should not be used against civilians, de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.

The Act should only be used against terrorists or those trying to topple the Government by force, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said at a press conference at his home here on Sunday.

He was commenting on the arrests of three people -- Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kama­rudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng -- under the ISA.

Tan has since been released.

“I will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to have a frank discussion about this issue to seek his views as soon as possible,” he told reporters.

“I know I am breaking rank here ... I am prepared to face the consequences. If I am to resign, I will do so.

"I am not a trouble maker and I don't want to cause any trouble for the Prime Minister, but I have my principles and will always be a vocal critic of the use of the ISA," he added.

Explain arrests, cops told

The Star (14/9/08): The police should explain to the public why they made three recent arrests using the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said: “I think it’s necessary for them to explain the rationale for those arrests.

“I don’t think it’s suitable for politicians to comment. I would prefer the police to answer,” he said after attending the All Malaysian Solidarity Lantern Carnival here yesterday.

He said this when asked to comment on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s statement that Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was arrested under ISA on Friday for her own safety.

Two others arrested were Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Asked if the arrest of Tan, who was released yesterday, would affect the freedom of the press in Malaysia, Shabery replied that Malaysia always had press freedom.

“Everyone can do these things freely. The action taken was not because of the press, but because there have been things which were thought to threaten the safety or harmony between the different communities,” he said.

In Kota Baru, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said those detained on Friday had themselves to blame because they chose to ignore racial and religious sensitivities of the country.

Dr Ahmad, a former ISA detainee himself, now defends the Act in the context of a greater good, as he now realised the benefits of the Act which allows detention without trial for a stipulated period.

He also lambasted those who wanted to use religious principles to justify whether the ISA was Islamic or not, adding that they must differentiate between what was criminal, civil and syariah laws.

He assured the families of those detained now that the safety of their loved ones was of utmost priority to the Government.

Act cannot be used to ‘protect’ detainee, says Liow

The Star (14/9/08): The Internal Security Act 1960 should never be used for protecting a person, MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said if Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng’s safety was threatened as claimed, the police should have given her special protection and not arrested her under the ISA.

“It is not a clever excuse,” he said in a statement.

He was commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s explanation that Tan was arrested under Section 73(1) of the Act because her safety was under threat.

Tan was arrested on Friday evening.

The wing’s secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong said there was no justification for Tan’s detention.

“We are disappointed as the person who made the remark was not arrested but the person who reported the matter was arrested,” he said after meeting the Perak MCA Youth members here yesterday.

Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the party has been pressing for a review of the ISA to check abuses and confusion.

“The ISA must be used only for national security with the confidence of all Malaysians. But, if the ISA is seen to create a lack of confidence and confusion among Malaysians, then the Government must review it,” she said after attending a Seberang Prai MCA delegates conference in Bukit Tengah in Butterworth yesterday.

MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the country did not need to resort to the ISA to detain Kok and Raja Petra. He said the country had sufficient legal means to maintain law and order without having to use the ISA.

“If they had carried out any misdeeds that infringed any laws, they should be prosecuted in the court of law.

“This logic applies to all Malaysians, irrespective of race, creed and religion,” he said in a posting on his blog (www.ongteekeat.net) yesterday.

Penang MCA deputy chief Lau Chiek Tuan said the MCA would “protest loudly” over Tan’s arrest.

Former vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said MCA ministers must bring up the matter in Cabinet to show that MCA was concerned with what had happened to Tan.

Former party vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng said he was dismayed at Tan’s arrest since she “did the nation a favour by exposing racism.”

MCA leaders protest trio's ISA detention

NST (14/9/08): Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said yesterday journalists, especially, should not be detained under the ISA.

Its vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the country has sufficient legal means to maintain law and order and does not need to resort to the ISA.

"If they had perpetrated any misdeeds or infringed any laws, then they should be prosecuted in a court of law.

"This logic applies to all Malaysians, irrespective of race, creed and religion," he said on his blog, referring to the detention of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

However, Tan was released from detention less than 24 hours after she was picked up from her home by a group of 10 police officers on Friday night.

MCA Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the government must respond to public demands for a review and possible abolition of the ISA, which she said was open to "improper implementation".

"Malaysia is a government by the people for the people. Therefore, we should listen."

However, Dr Ng called for calm and wisdom, stressing that Malaysians must not allow the seeds of anger and disappointment to enable opportunists to create national unrest.

MCA Youth secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong questioned the rationale for arresting the journalist when the "individual who uttered the racist remarks" had not been picked up.

"The incident has a big implication on the community as we want to maintain peace and harmony in the country."

Meanwhile, DAP chairman Karpal Singh said police should not have used the ISA on the trio and action could have been taken against them according to other laws. Raja Petra could be prosecuted under the Sedition Act, Teresa Kok could be charged under the Penal Code and Tan Hoon Cheng could be prosecuted under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

MCA: Don’t use ISA on newsmen

The Star (14/9/08): The MCA is against the use of Internal Security Act (ISA) on any journalist.

Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said journalists were just carrying out their duties and should not be detained under the Act.

While welcoming the release of Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, Ong said the party could not accept what had occurred as it felt it was inappropriate for the ISA to be used on any journalists.

“Journalists are merely reporting the news.

“They should not be detained under ISA for carrying out their duties,” he told a press conference after opening the Perak MCA convention at Syuen Hotel here yesterday.

After learning of the arrest of the Sin Chew reporter, Ong said he had immediately discussed the matter with the party leadership.

He then conveyed the public and party’s views and feelings to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“The party leaders told me that I have their backing and they were with me.

“We have principles and we are standing by them. We are drawing a clear line that the MCA is against the use of ISA on any journalist, more so in this case,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Ong called on members to give their unwavering support to the party’s new leadership which would be elected next month.

Urging members not to be demoralised by the results of the recent general election, Ong said what was important was for members to stay united.

“Everyone should be selfless and put the party above themselves,” he added.

MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said MCA had voiced the concerns and frustration of the people over the use of the ISA on Tan for the sake of the country.

“We are not trying to put the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Umno in a difficult position.

“We are staying under the same roof of Barisan,” he said in his opening speech at the convention.

He said the party was voicing out the truth and no one should question its sincerity over the matter.

Ka Chuan, who is Perak MCA chairman, stressed that it was important for the Barisan component parties to stay united.

“The Pakatan Rakyat’s plan to take over the Government on Sept 16 is merely a lie.

“But if the Barisan itself keeps creating issues and problems, the collation will collapse by itself,” he said.

Koh: Amend or abolish ISA

NST (14/9/08): He said the act painted a negative perception of the country to the outside world, adding that it was also irrelevant, considering the country had a sound judicial system.

"It is time the government looks at this act. Gerakan urges the government to abolish the ISA," he said after opening the state Gerakan convention here.

"There is no reason why anyone should be subject to the provisions of this act, which simply means detention without trial, when the authorities can use the judicial system instead."

Koh said the judicial system was far more transparent from the legal and social aspects compared with the ISA.

"When you detain someone under the ISA, it gives room for people to draw all kinds of conclusions and provides room for manipulation.

"Gerakan is against taking action against the press as this is against the freedom of expression which is provided for under the Federal Constitution."

Referring to former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail, Koh said it was ironic that the "man who burnt down the house was still free, while the person who cried fire" had been detained.

"The minute we heard about the reporter's detention, I called the prime minister and his deputy to express Gerakan's disappointment."

Koh said Gerakan was also against the detention of Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

"If they have done anything wrong, use the legal system to seek justice. Give the alleged wrongdoers a trial and if they are found guilty, punish them."

Earlier, he said Gerakan was reevaluating its role in the present and future politics of the country.

On whether there were plans for the party to leave Barisan Nasional, he said the matter would be discussed in detail. He said what was important now was for all parties to strengthen multiracialism in the country and not harp on racial issues.

Koh: Enough laws to safeguard security

The Star (14/9/08): Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was among several Barisan Nasional leaders who have urged the Go­­vernment to review the Internal Se­­curity Act as it was no longer relevant.

Dr Koh said he did not understand why the ISA needed to be invoked, noting that there were many laws to ensure that the nation’s security was not compromised.

“It is better to let the courts decide if a person was guilty of an offence he was accused of rather than detaining him without trial,” he told reporters after opening the state Gerakan’s 33rd assembly in Seremban yesterday.

He was commenting on the detention of Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Selangor senior executive councillor and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under the ISA on Friday. Tan was released yesterday.

Thanking the Government for the release of Tan, Dr Koh said the au­­thorities should also immediately release Kok and Raja Petra. MIC president Datuk Seri Samy Vellu said he had appealed to the Prime Minister to release Tan, adding: “By releasing her, certain elements wil not blame the Government for curtailing press freedom. She is only a young reporter who reported what was said.”

Opposition slams ‘ridiculous’ reason for using ISA

The Star (14/9/08): Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s statement that Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng had been arrested “to ensure her safety” was “downright ridiculous”.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Parliament had to meet to amend the Internal Security Act (ISA) to provide for such a “new provision to protect the safety of reporters”.

“If not, that is not the purpose of the ISA,” he said.

He added that there had been no basis for Tan’s detention, and that the other two detainees – Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kama­rudin and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok – should be “released immediately and unconditionally.”

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also present at the press conference, stated that the Home Minister “cannot protect Malaysians by detaining them.”

He also said the DAP was very upset with Kok’s arrest as she was “a duly-elected representative, an MP, and a state assemblyman.”

PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar also condemned the arrest of the three individuals under the ISA “in the strongest terms”.

Kok’s lawyer S. Sankara Nair said he was refused permission to see Kok, who has been held at the Wangsa Maju police station since Saturday night.

Sankara said he managed to see Kok from outside the police station gates together with DAP members of Parliament Tan Kok Wai and Gobind Singh Deo. She appeared to be in good spirits despite her arrest.

“She remained cheerful and waved to us from the police station compound,” he said.

Gobind, who is also the party’s legal bureau chairman, said the DAP would submit a habeas corpus application to the court for her release in the next few days.

In Shah Alam, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the arrest of elected representatives under the ISA would not solve problems and would only give the country a bad name.

“On behalf of all the elected representatives, I want to voice our protest over the arrests and hope the Federal Government will release her (Kok) soon,” he told a press conference.

Khalid said Kok had never shown any bias towards any race during state-level discussions and was ma­ture in discussing and seeking so­lutions to problems faced by the people regardless of their race or religion.

“We (state government) made all our decisions collectively and Teresa (Kok) was part of the discussions which were frank and fruitful.

“This is the first time that an elected representative at the state level has been detained – it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

Khalid said the arrests were a political move to scare the people and prevent Pakatan Rakyat’s efforts to topple the Government.

Malaysia criticized for 'ridiculous' arrests

MySinchew (14/9/08): Malaysia's ruling establishment faced fresh criticism Sunday (14 Sept) after claiming that a journalist was detained under a draconian law for her own safety, with even a pro-government newspaper calling the explanation "most ridiculous."

Tan Hoon Cheng, a reporter of the Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew, was arrested Friday (12 Sept) under the Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial. She was, however, freed Saturday (13 Sept).

An opposition lawmaker and the editor of a pro-opposition news Web site were also detained under the ISA on Friday, but have not been released.

The action has drawn widespread criticism from opposition politicians, the Bar Council, human rights groups and now even by some in the government-controlled media.

Tan's arrest "will go down in Malaysian history as the most controversial, if not most ridiculous," Wong Chun Wai, the editor of the influential Sunday Star, wrote in a signed opinion piece.

The Star is owned by the Malaysian Chinese Association, the second largest party in the ruling coalition after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's United Malays National Organization party.

Wong's article is in some measure a reflection of the Chinese association's growing unhappiness with UMNO, which controls most power in the country. A wedge was driven between the two last month after Ahmad Ismail, an UMNO politician, described the ethnic Chinese minority as "squatters" and accused them of hungering for power.

Tan was the first journalist to report the comments.

The schism in the ruling coalition comes as it faces the threat of being ousted by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who has capitalized on a deep feeling of discrimination among the minority Chinese and Indians.

On Saturday, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended the three detentions by saying they were necessary to prevent racial conflict. He said Tan, an ethnic Chinese, was arrested because police received information that her life had been threatened.

If that was the case, police should have given her protection instead of arresting her, said Malaysian Chinese Association youth wing chief Liow Tiong Lai.

"It is not a clever excuse," he said in a statement.

"To put it bluntly, the arrest was outrageous and went against the grain of natural justice," Wong wrote.

"In the eyes of the world, we are becoming more like a political basket case each day as old politicians attempt to bring back their outdated tricks," he wrote.

Many Malaysians have also been outraged that Ahmad, the Malay politician, faced no legal action for his allegedly seditious statements. He was suspended from the party for three years.

"There is a sense of injustice and hurt among people that the perpetrator has been let off scot-free while the messenger has been penalized," Wong wrote.

He said Ahmad's racist comments were sufficient to get him charged with sedition or arrested under the ISA.

"But the ISA is a draconian and archaic law. It shouldn't be used even against Ahmad, as this deprives him of the right to defend himself in open courts," he wrote.

In a separate editorial, the newspaper joined opposition parties, lawyers and human rights groups in demanding an end to the Internal Security Act.

The law "is a shameful blot on the country's dignity," it said. By VIJAY JOSHI/ AP)

‘Reporter’s life was threatened’

The Star (14/9/08): Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) because police received information that her life had been threatened, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

“Police wanted to get to the bottom of it,” he said.

However, the minister vehemently denied that he had anything to do with the arrests and detention of Tan and two others — Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Selangor senior executive councillor Teresa Kok — under the ISA on Friday.

Raja Petra was arrested for being a threat to security, peace and public order while Tan was picked up for her report on former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks. Kok was detained over a residents’ petition in Puchong over a mosque.

He said the action was taken by the police themselves based on their assessment of the current situation as they had “strong and good reason” to believe that conflict could happen and public order could be jeopardised.

“The police need not refer to me. It’s their discretion and their assessment of what happened. There has been no malice on their part,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman.

He said he was informed of the police decision on Friday to detain Tan, Raja Petra and Kok but did not interfere with it.

Tan was released yesterday afternoon.

Asked if he thought the police action was justified, Syed Hamid said: “If I start to interfere with the administration of enforcement then it’s difficult.”

“I am a minister. I am a politician. If I start to interfere, then people will say I have a political motive. It will send the wrong signals. I cannot interfere,” he said.

Syed Hamid said there was concern among the public who felt that the race issue might worsen and some people were even stocking up food.

“People may agree or disagree with the police position but they are in the best position to judge,” he said, denying that the ISA arrests had anything to do with the Sept 16 date set by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to take over the government.

He said Tan was the journalist who first reported on the racist comments by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh by-election in which he said the Chinese were squatters in the country and not deserving of equal rights.

This caused a furore among the non-Malays and led to Umno suspending him for three years.

Syed Hamid said the police thought it was best to get first hand information from Tan and thus took her in under the ISA and released her a day later after they got the necessary information.

“I don’t think we are being unfair or mistreated her in any way,” he said when asked if Tan had posed a security threat in any way.

Asked why the police did not just ask Tan to come in for questioning instead of arresting her, Syed Hamid said it was always difficult when police had to deal with reporters.

On Raja Petra, he said the blogger had been given numerous warnings as well as been charged but he continued to create tension.

As for Kok, he said she had questioned the sensitive issues such as the azan (call for prayers for Muslims) and that could cause ill-will and disharmony.

On why Ahmad was not detained for making racist comments, he explained that Umno had already punished him by suspending him for three years and stripping him of his party posts.

Artikel asal di sini

Arrests are an attempt to cover up real issue: PAS

The Star (13/9/08): The arrests of three people under the Internal Security Act (ISA) are part of the Government’s attempt to foil the planned crossover of Barisan Nasional MPs to the Pakatan Rakyat by Sept 16, PAS youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said on Saturday.

He added the arrests are also to cover up the real issue that the Barisan was undergoing a political crisis and was weakening.

“The arrests were similar to the Operasi Lallang in 1987, where arrests under the ISA were made at the same time when Umno was heading towards a political crisis.

“In this context, we have information that about 15 more people from the Pakatan Rakyat may be detained under the Act to deflect people's attention away from Umno’s internal problems.

“We expect these arrests will happen at any time soon,” he told reporters Saturday at the PAS headquarters here.

Salahuddin questioned why Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin was not questioned by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) or charged in the Syariah Court due to the alleged accusations that he had belittled Islam in his articles.

He also said the reports about Seputeh MP and Selangor senior executive councillor Teresa Kok being involved in a residents’ petition in Puchong over a mosque could have caused misunderstanding and become misintepreted.

“There are other laws that can be used against her but certainly not the ISA,” he added.

Meanwhile, PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar told reporters in a separate press conference that the ISA arrests seemed to show that the Government didn’t trust its own laws and the legal system that could adequately deal with the offences committed by the three who were arrested Friday.

“Is it because the Government doesn’t like the country’s courts and its judiciary, which may not rule in its favour?” he added.

On the arrest of Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, Mahfuz questioned why she was arrested for reporting the statement made by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail, whereas it was Ahmad himself who should be detained for raising communal issues.

Tan was released on Saturday.

Special Branch: She's held for stoking religious tension (Malaysiakini)
Kok not involved in azan petition, says mosque (Malaysiakini)

Artikel yang dianggap menyebabkan Tun Dr Mahathir keluar dari pencen:

Pile on pressure against the corrupt

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

The Star (29/5/05): Every Malaysian knows that corruption has gone from bad to worse. It’s no longer news but what Malaysians would like to know is what the government intends to do to seriously fight the problem.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has taken the first step by making the fight against corruption a top priority under his leadership.

Since he took office more than a year ago, he has vowed to clean up the civil service, promising to act against the corrupt and followed up with the arrest of several high-profile personalities.

He has lessened the opportunities for corrupt activities by improving the public service delivery system and increasing transparency and accountability in the public sector.

That is not all. Abdullah has set up institutions promoting national integrity to instil a culture that hates corruption. He has also pushed for the return of an open tender system, when previously selected companies only needed to submit their bids to the Economic Planning Unit which then makes its recommendations to the government.

Just two weeks ago, the public had their first detailed look at the level of corruption in the police force following the release of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Abdullah has taken the lead by heading a task force that would carry out the recommendations of the commission. His personal attention will certainly help to push the proposals through more effectively.

But Malaysians want to see more. They would like to see the Anti-Corruption Agency as truly independent and modelled after Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), to give our investigators more clout.

Giving the ACA a free hand to carry out its tasks is insufficient if the public have the perception that there is interference from powerful politicians, even if that is not true.

Enforcement of the laws must be carried out without fear and favour. The public should not be given the impression, rightly or wrongly, that selective prosecution is being practised.

Abdullah must be supported in his fight against graft because it must be accorded the highest priority. This sickness must not be allowed to become deep-rooted, like in Indonesia and Thailand. Worse, Malaysians now complain about enforcement officers who openly demand for money because these officers no longer try to hide the fact that they are corrupt.

Our leaders only need to go down to the ground. Talk to the petty traders at markets, talk to people who have to seek approvals from government departments, talk to motorists who are stopped by traffic cops. The list is endless.

It is not a surprise that the commission found that next to the police, the municipal councils and Road Transport Department (JPJ) are perceived to be the most corrupt.

In fact, a commission should be set up to investigate these two bodies. Why should only the police be subject to a 15-month probe when their numbers, in proportion to the population, are much smaller than the councils and JPJ?

Last week, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said political parties must not allow corruption to exist, saying that they must be willing to take action against even the most prominent and highest official of the party.

There were indications, he said, that corruption might be getting to a point of no return and leaders were willing to pay money to get themselves elected. Although he did not specify Umno, he said that “everybody talks about money politics (in Umno)”.

It is good that Dr Mahathir has come out strongly against corruption but personally, I wish he could have done more during his over 20 years in office, such as carrying out anti-corruption campaigns to create awareness of the debilitating impact of corruption.

With his strong leadership, authority and grip on Umno, he let slip the opportunity to introduce reforms including effective enforcement of laws against corruption.

Malaysians may remain grateful to Dr Mahathir for the economic boom they enjoyed during his tenure, but one source of unhappiness was the introduction of the negotiated tender, which lacked accountability and openness. In fact, for many, it was no tender at all.

Money politics in Umno did not rear its ugly head one year or two years ago but at least a decade ago, when we saw the big fights in Umno. Leaders like then Umno deputy president Tun Ghafar Baba and present deputy minister Datuk Aziz Shamsuddin, who lost his divisional chief’s post, were victims who openly tell their stories.

No fight against corruption can be meaningful unless there is a demonstration of political will and commitment from the public to reject all forms of corruption, not just in the public sector but also in the private sector.

The pressure from the Abdullah Administration and the public must continue if we are serious about the war against corruption. We are all waiting to see what the government intends to do next now that the commission’s report is out.

More action, less rhetoric, please.

Jawapan Dr Mahathir dalam Malaysiakini 31/5/05, "Mahathir defends record on fighting corruption"
Jawapan Dr Mahathir dalam Utusan Malaysia 31/5/05, "Dr. Mahathir kecewa dituduh gagal atasi rasuah"

Wah! Khairy Jamaluddin (KJ) pun marah (?!)

Kritik Dr Mahathir : Pemuda Sokong Kenyataan Hishammuddin

Laman Web Pemuda Umno (1/6/05): Pemuda Umno hari ini menyatakan sokongan terhadap kenyataan Ketua Pemuda, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yang mengecam budaya mengkritik pemimpin terdahulu yang dianggap sesuatu yang tidak seharusnya diamalkan.

Naib Ketuanya, Khairy Jamaluddin berkata adalah sesuatu yang mendukacitakan jika terdapat pihak yang cuba mengambil peluang untuk membuat kritikan terhadap pemimpin yang tidak lagi memegang jawatan.

"Kita tidak mahu melihat budaya di mana apabila pemimpin itu tidak memegang lagi jawatan sudah menjadi peluang untuk kita mengkritik dan sebagainya. Sedangkan ketika orang itu menjadi pemimpin, kita membisu dan tidak buat apa-apa pendirian yang mengatakan itu salah dan ini salah.

"Ini perkara yang mendukacitakan kerana kita tahu semasa Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menjadi Perdana Menteri, kita semua sokong dasar beliau untuk membangunkan Malaysia sebagai negara moden", katanya kepada laman webPemuda selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pelancaran Putera Umno di sini, Rabu.

Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas kenyataan, Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda Umno Malaysia, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yang mengecam kritikan yang dilemparkan kepada Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad bahawa kononnya beliau tidak berbuat apa-apa untuk memerangi rasuah ketika menjadi Perdana Menteri.

Sambil menyatakan kritikan itu tidak tepat, Khairy berkata sepanjang 22 tahun Dr Mahathir menjadi Perdana Menteri beliau telah banyak membuat teguran dan mengambil tindakan untuk memerangi rasuah.

"Sepatutnya tidak ada pertikaian mengenai rekod beliau memerangi rasuah", tegasnya.

Sementara itu dalam isu yang sama Ketua Penerangan, Pergerakan Pemuda Umno Malaysia, Datuk Azimi Daim pula berpendapat kritikan yang dilemparkan terhadap Tun Dr Mahathir sebagai tidak berasas.

Menurutnya pengalaman selama empat tahun bersama Dr Mahathir dalam Majlis Tertinggi Umno, beliau bukan sahaja serius memerangi rasuah dalam pentadbiran malah terhadap parti.

"Ini boleh dibuktikan menerusi tindakannya mewujudkan Lembaga Displin parti. Mereka yang buat kritikan terhadap Dr Mahathir jelas tidak membuat rujukan terlebih dahulu sebaliknya melemparkan kritikan mengikut citarasa sendiri", ujarnya.

Beberapa hari sebelum itu, Dr Mahathir angin satu badan dengan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, "Anwar slandered me on BBC, says Mahathir" (Malaysiakini, 12/5/05)

Ulasan Steven Gan mengenai peristiwa itu, "APs: Semuanya OK?" (Malaysiakini, 15/7/05)

Menarik, mula-mula Anwar balun, selepas itu diikuti kawan baik KJ. Mengapa saya kata Chun Wai kawan baik KJ? Baca yang berikut:

25 Disember 2003, Timbalan (II) Ketua Pengarang Kumpulan The Star, Datuk Wong Chun Wai menyampaikan "Christmas wish"nya kepada menantu Perdana Menteri, Khairy Jamaludin. 29 Disember 2003, Perdana Menteri mengumumkan, kerajaan akan menubuhkan sebuah suruhanjaya diraja bagi mengenal pasti langkah-langkah yang boleh diambil bagi menjadikan PDRM sebagai satu pasukan penguat kuasa undang-undang yang berwibawa dan dihormati.

Artikel asal di sini

Semakan undang-undang pilihan raya sepatutnya sudah lama dilakukan (Bernama 17/5/08)
EC chief: Cabinet rejected indelible ink (Malaysiakini 17/5/08)
SPR: Kabinet batalkan dakwat kekal (Malaysiakini 17/5/08)
Keputusan batal guna dakwat khas satu pandangan, bukan arahan, kata Abdullah (Bernama 17/5/08)
PM: Batal dakwat budi bicara SPR (Malaysiakini 18/5/08)

SPR hanya disyor kaji batal guna dakwat

Berita Harian (18/5/08): Kabinet tidak mengarahkan sebaliknya mencadangkan kepada Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) untuk mempertimbangkan supaya membatalkan penggunaan dakwat pada pilihan raya umum lalu, kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Perdana Menteri berkata, keputusan itu dicapai jemaah menteri selepas menerima beberapa maklumat berkaitan tindakan pihak tertentu yang dikatakan membeli dakwat berkenaan walaupun tidak mempunyai kuasa berbuat demikian.

“Kabinet curiga, mungkin dakwat yang dibeli itu untuk mengelirukan dan menimbulkan masalah sepanjang proses pengundian pada pilihan raya umum lalu.

“Bagaimanapun, keputusan itu hanya cadangan serta beberapa alasan yang disampaikan kepada Pengerusi SPR dan terserahlah kepada beliau memikirkan sama ada hendak melaksanakan pandangan kerajaan atau tetap berpendirian mahu menggunakan dakwat itu,” katanya selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Panel Penasihat Antarabangsa (IAP) Malaysia ke-11, di sini, semalam.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Pengerusi SPR, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, bahawa Kabinet memutuskan untuk tidak menggunakan dakwat pada pilihan raya lalu walaupun SPR bersetuju menggunakannya bagi menjamin ketelusan.

Abdullah berkata, antara alasan Kabinet adalah SPR perlu menimbangkan pelbagai kemungkinan yang berlaku jika mahu meneruskan penggunaan dakwat itu, atau menerima cadangan kerajaan untuk membatalkan penggunaan bahan itu bagi menjamin tidak timbul masalah ketika rakyat mengundi.

“Alhamdulillah, tanpa penggunaan dakwat pengundian berjalan dengan baik dan elok, malah keputusan sudah diumumkan. Semua pihak pun sudah menerimanya dan apa pula kita nak jadikan isu mengenai perkara ini.

“Keputusan pilihan raya pun kita semua tahu dan menerimanya. Kenapa pula hendak pertikaikan lagi,” katanya yang mengakui mendapat maklumat mengenai ada pihak membeli dakwat itu seminggu sebelum pilihan raya.

Sementara itu, Abdul Rashid pada sidang media selepas melancarkan `Seminar Kebangsaan Pilihan Raya 2008: Amalan Demokrasi’ di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia di Gombak berkata, Kabinet tidak meluluskan pengguna dakwat tetapi tidak juga menolaknya berikutan masalah perundangan dan keselamatan.

“Kabinet tak tolak tapi tak meluluskannya, mereka tak luluskan atas alasan kukuh dan saya setuju dengan alasan yang dikemukakan kerana ia membabitkan aspek keselamatan dan perundangan. Tetapi kita tetap setuju jika kerajaan mahu melaksanakannya bagi memastikan ada ketelusan dalam pilihan raya.

“Mengikut Fasal 119 iaitu hak asasi bagi seseorang untuk mengundi, malahan jika pengundi itu enggan jari mereka dicalit dengan dakwat itu, kertas undi masih perlu diberikan kepada mereka. Ia termaktub dalam undang-undang,” katanya.

It was only a suggestion, says PM

The Star (18/5/08): The Cabinet had merely suggested to the Election Commission (EC) to not use the indelible ink for the general election. It was not a directive, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The Prime Minister disclosed that a week before Parliament was dissolved, the Cabinet had made the suggestion, giving its reasons why it did not want the ink to be used.

“We had received information that some quarters had bought the ink although they had no authority to do so and we were suspicious that it could be used to cause confusion and complications during the voting process,” he told reporters yesterday after delivering his closing remarks at the end of the 11th MSC Malaysia International Advisory Panel Meeting.

Abdullah said the Cabinet believed that the election process would go on smoothly and all eligible voters could cast their votes if the indelible ink was not used.

“It was only a suggestion we made to the EC chairman. It was up to him to think it over and agree or to proceed with the original decision to use the ink,” he said.

When the decision to scrap the ink was announced at the eleventh hour of the general election, Barisan Nasional leaders, including Abdullah, had said that they wanted an explanation from the EC on why it was doing away with the indelible ink.

On why the Government did not come clean on the indelible ink in the first place, Abdullah said that if anything tainted the voting process it would be the Government that would be blamed.

Earlier, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the Cabinet decided not to approve the proposal to use indelible ink “on the day of Parliament dissolution, on Feb 13”.

“They did not approve because of two very strong reasons, and I agreed with them over those reasons.

“One was security and the other was law, relating to Article 119 of the Federal Constitution, which states that it is the fundamental right of a person to vote,” he told the press after opening the National Seminar on Elections 2008: Democracy at Work here yesterday.

Asked if he tried to convince the Cabinet otherwise, Abdul Rashid said “he could not” , adding: “But I took responsibility for it.”

“I was told that the Cabinet had been briefed about an attempt by PAS, that they had bought some ink from Thailand, and were going around to mark old voters. And when Umno came to know, they also went and bought the ink. This was given to me in black and white by the police,” he said.

On May 6, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said in a Parliament reply to DAP’s Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan that police did not find evidence of smuggled indelible ink and statements made by complainants and witnesses were rumours.

Meanwhile, the Opposition said the revelation that it was the Cabinet that did not approve the use of the indelible ink was the “best proof” that the EC was not independent or neutral.

DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang said it was unacceptable for the Cabinet to have made such a decision and that it went against the spirit of the Constitution of having an independent EC.

PAS research centre director Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad, said: “This is shocking. With this revelation, we come to realise the reasons and rationale why the indelible ink was withdrawn at the eleventh hour. His remark vindicates our claim all along that this is the underpinning reasons. The jigsaw puzzle is now complete.”

Transparency International Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said he was not only surprised but confused by the conflicting statements.

Cabinet only 'suggested' scrapping use of ink in polls

NST (18/5/08): The decision to scrap the use of indelible ink during the March 8 general election was only a suggestion and not a directive from the cabinet.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that while the matter was discussed by the cabinet, no order was given to the Election Commission to drop an earlier plan to use the ink.

"It was not a directive. The cabinet only gave its views to the EC, and the EC was the one which made the final decision," Abdullah said after chairing the 11th Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor International Advisory Panel meeting here.

He was responding to reports quoting EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman as saying that the cabinet had rejected the use of indelible ink on the day Parliament was dissolved.

Bernama quoted Abdul Rashid as saying: "If there is anything that we can do to assure the people that the electoral process is transparent, then we should do it.
"We had agreed on the indelible ink."

Rashid said this at a press conference after launching the national seminar on "Election 2008: Democracy at Work" at the International Islamic University Malaysia yesterday.

He added: "The cabinet did not approve (nor) reject. They did not approve because of two strong reasons and I agreed with them over those reasons.

"The first, because of security, the other is the law.

"Article 119, which is the fundamental right of a person to vote, states that even if voters refused to be stamped with indelible ink on their finger, the ballot paper must still be given to them."

The EC had agreed to use the ink last year but the plan was cancelled four days before election day.

Abdullah said the authorities had received information a week before the polls that certain parties had bought the same type of ink.

This was despite them not having the authority to do so, he added.

He said the cabinet had suspicions that the ink could have been used to confuse voters.

"If it was true they had bought the ink, what did they need it for?

"Maybe they wanted to use it, and if true, how?

"The cabinet was left with a tough decision on whether to make these possibilities known to the EC."

Abdullah, who said everything went well (in the election) and that everyone had accepted the results, questioned why the matter was being turned into an issue.

"It's not as if by not using the ink, the whole (election) process would have been nullified."

He said he hoped the media would drop the issue as the elections were over.

Bukti kecekapan dan kehebatan polis

Deputy IGP takes up issue

Malay Mail (18/5/08): “I am not happy about it and I will bring it up.”

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Ismail Omar, said this after Weekend Mail told him about a woman and her children’s experience in an open identifi cation parade at the Sungai Buloh police station.

“By right, most police stations should have one-way mirrors, but due to time and logistic problems, there may be some stations without one.” Ismail, however, could not provide details on how many stations have yet to be equipped with such a facility.

He said even though the Sungai Buloh police station does not have a one-way mirror, the offi cers could have arranged for the identifi cation parade to be done at another station equipped with it.

“We understand how the victims feel and they must be protected.” In the incident, legal adviser Devi (not her real name) was made to identify — face-to-face — three car repossessors who allegedly threatened her and her family after their attempts to take her car failed.

It took place in an open room at the Sungai Buloh police station on March 4.

“I felt like I had been thrown into the lion’s den.” She said there were 17 people lined up for the identifi cation parade — and they were talking as if they knew each other.

Among them were the three men who had earlier threatened and hurled abuses at her and her children.

“The only thing that kept us apart was the big long table in between. What if they come after us?” Devi, 44, said the ID parade was held after they lodged a police report on March 3.

“We felt threatened by their behaviour and they threatened to kill my son.” Devi said it started when she sent her husband to a bank in Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh at 2.40pm to cash a cheque and pay for her car payment, which was two months overdue. She was accompanied by her daughter, son and a friend, an Indian national.

While driving around to wait for her husband, a car overtook them and blocked her car. Devi said the men came out and told her to alight as they were going to repossess the car.

When she refused, the men hurled abuses at her.

“The men were big and aggressive. Frightened, I drove home as it was not far from town.” She said the men followed her, even driving past the security guard stationed at her residential area.

Meanwhile, another car joined the ‘convoy’.

Devi called her husband who then contacted the police for help. Both cars left after being chased by the guard.

“My son went to the security booth and told me the two cars were still there.

When they saw him, they threatened to beat and kill him. He was so frightened he didn’t walk home but jumped over the fence to get in.” She said a patrol car came and the policemen advised her to lodge a report.

“That’s what we did after I picked up my husband from the bank.” While her daughter and 16-year-old son fi led a report on the incident at the Sungai Buloh police station, her husband lodged one against the bank for leaking their personal information to the other party as they suspect the three men were not authorised repossessors.

“If the repossession order was out, the account would be blocked, but it was still active when my husband banked in the car loan payment.” Devi said when she took a breather outside the police station, she bumped into the same men who entered the premises. She claimed that one of them indirectly threatened her by telling someone over the cell phone to “carry” in Tamil after giving her car registration number.

She informed the investigating offi cer of the men’s presence. The inspector took their identifi cation cards and other documents from them.

“It seemed that they also lodged a police report.” Devi said they were told to come for the ID parade the next day. The family waited in a hallway and Devi was called in fi rst.

“When I entered the room, I was shocked to see about 17 men, including the suspects, lined up in front of me. I was asked to point my fi nger at the suspects.

“When I was done, one of the men made a call and told the other person on the line that I’ve identifi ed them.” She said she was asked to leave the room through a door close to the suspects.

“One of them said to me, ‘You are going home after this, right?’” Devi claimed that her daughter and son got similar remarks from the suspects.

When she complained to the IO, she said the offi cer told her that it was the procedure, and raised his voice.

She said they encountered the three suspects again outside the station.

“They hurled abuses at us.

No one at the station came out to check the commotion although they could see it clearly through the glass entrance.” Devi said she and her family now live in fear.

“I went to the right channel and thought that I would be protected, but I didn’t feel that at all.”

Operasi Silap Suspek

Harian Metro (10/5/08): Seorang pengurus bank mendakwa dibelasah sekumpulan anggota polis daripada Bahagian Jenayah Berat (D9) Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) negeri hingga mengalami keretakan tulang pinggul dan bengkak paru-paru, dipercayai akibat tersilap identiti suspek kes jenayah.

Kira-kira jam 4 petang Isnin lalu, sekumpulan 10 hingga 15 anggota polis didakwa memecah masuk ke rumah mangsa di Taman Pasifik Selatan, di sini, kerana mengesyaki mangsa terbabit dalam kes jenayah.

Abd Razak Abd Samad, 34, mendakwa ketika kejadian, dia sedang memasang serta menala set televisyen dan radio yang baru dibeli di sebuah pusat beli-belah di bandar ini sebelum terdengar ketukan kuat pintu rumah.

“Saya ketika itu di tingkat atas turun untuk menyiasat bunyi itu tetapi tiba-tiba beberapa orang bersenjatakan pistol menyerbu masuk selepas memecahkan pintu kedua rumah itu.

“Sambil mengacukan pistol, mereka mengarahkan saya meniarap di lantai, sebelum digari. Ketika itu saya berasa bahagian tertentu badan ditendang serta dipijak beberapa kali,” katanya.

Abd Razak berkata, dia kemudian dibawa naik dan beberapa anggota polis terbabit bertanyakan mengenai kandungan kotak di atas rumah itu.

Menurutnya, seorang daripada anggota polis itu membuka kotak berisi radio, manakala yang lain terus menggeledah di tingkat atas.

Katanya, dia dibawa turun dan diminta menyerahkan kad pengenalan, telefon bimbit serta kunci kereta.

“Mereka membawa saya keluar untuk memeriksa serta melihat apa yang terdapat dalam but kereta tetapi tidak menemui apa-apa. Selepas berbincang sesama sendiri, seorang pegawai dipercayai berpangkat Cif Inspektor memaklumkan mereka tersilap suspek satu kes culik dan memiliki senjata api.

“Saya kesal kerana mereka tidak menjalankan siasatan lebih tepat sehingga menyebabkan orang seperti saya menjadi mangsa keadaan.

“Kejadian itu menyebabkan saya trauma dan tidak dapat bayangkan jika isteri yang sarat mengandung serta anak berusia setahun lebih ada bersama dan melihat peristiwa itu,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Johor, Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Shariff, berkata polis akan menubuhkan jawatankuasa bagi menyiasat dakwaan itu.

Katanya, jawatankuasa siasatan itu bakal diketuai Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah negeri, Senior Asisten Komisioner II Amer Awal.

“Polis mengesahkan ada menerima laporan daripada pengurus bank terbabit mengenai insiden dia diserang sekumpulan anggota polis di rumahnya, Isnin lalu.

“Kita beri jaminan siasatan akan dilakukan secara telus dan polis tidak berkompromi dengan anggotanya yang terbabit dalam insiden itu,” katanya.

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Ibrahim Ali tidak setuju hapus ISA

Berita Harian (9/5/08): Seorang Ahli Parlimen semalam mencadangkan kerajaan mengekalkan undang-undang pencegahan mengikut Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) bagi memastikan negara bebas daripada huru-hara yang dicetuskan pihak tidak bertanggungjawab.

Walaupun sudah dua kali dikenakan ISA, Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Bebas-Pasir Mas), mempertahankan ISA dan tidak setuju dengan cadangan beberapa pihak supaya akta itu dihapuskan, tambahan pula undang-undang itu sendiri digubal institusi Parlimen.

Bagaimanapun, Ibrahim berkata, beberapa pengubahsuaian perlu dilaksanakan bagi memantapkan undang-undang itu serta memastikan tidak wujud penganiayaan tahanan.

"Pengubahsuaian perlu dibuat pada Seksyen 8(1)(a) supaya kuasa menahan tanpa perbicaraan dipindahkan daripada Menteri Dalam Negeri kepada Majlis Keselamatan Negara yang diwakili beberapa pihak termasuk Ketua Polis Negara dan wakil Suhakam.

"Selepas 14 hari ditahan, seseorang itu mesti didakwa di mahkamah,” katanya membahaskan usul menjunjung kasih titah ucapan Yang di-Pertuan Agong di Dewan Rakyat, semalam.

Ibrahim yang popular dengan gelaran ‘putera katak’ kerana sering melompat parti, menjelaskan ISA mampu mentarbiah seseorang yang menggelarkan diri mereka ‘pejuang’ dan beliau sendiri mendapat ijazah ketika berada dalam tahanan.

"Kalau takut (ISA) jangan jadi pejuang. ISA adalah untuk pencegahan. Negara ini yang berbilang kaum banyak golongan pelampau. Jika tidak bertindak cepat menerusi ISA, negara mudah terdedah kepada huru-hara.

"Saya boleh kumpul 60,000 orang membantah sesuatu perkara, tetapi demi kebaikan negara kita tidak buat perkara ini," katanya mengaitkan tindakan kumpulan tertentu menunjuk perasaan di tengah-tengah ibu kota.

Ibrahim yang menggunakan sepenuhnya kesempatan setengah jam membahaskan usul itu, tidak memberi laluan kepada mana-mana Ahli Parlimen mencelah, turut mengemukakan beberapa cadangan lain termasuk meminta kerajaan memperkasa orang Melayu dengan melaksanakan Fasal 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan berhubung Hak Keistimewaan orang Melayu.

"Matlamat daripada langkah itu ialah menyelesaikan isu penyusunan semula masyarakat. Selagi ia tidak tercapai, kita membiarkan api dalam sekam terus wujud, tambahan pula dalam keadaan sekarang ada pihak tertentu yang sudah berani menyentuh sentimen orang Melayu dengan mempersoalkan kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu," katanya sambil menyifatkan orang Melayu sekarang terlalu banyak bertolak ansur.

Ibrahim berkata, sesudah 18 tahun selepas berakhirnya pelaksanaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) pada 1990, pegangan ekuiti orang Melayu hanya 18.9 peratus daripada sasaran 30 peratus; bukan Melayu 40.6 peratus dan asing 40.5 peratus.

Beliau turut menyentuh mengenai isu Barisan Bertindak Hak-Hak Hindu (Hindraf) yang membuat pelbagai dakwaan mengejutkan termasuk berlaku pembunuhan kaum India secara terancang dan kuil Hindu dirobohkan.

Ibrahim berkata, kerajaan perlu membuat penjelasan berhubung perkara itu dengan menerbitkan kertas putih supaya semua dakwaan itu tidak lagi menghantui rakyat Malaysia.

"Saya nak menjadi ahli Parlimen berkelas dunia. Saya tak percaya dakwaan ini betul. Justeru, dalam isu keselamatan, kerajaan mesti membuat keputusan yang konsisten.

"Ini tidak, sekali tangkap, sekali bebas, sekali dakwa di mahkamah sekali ampun, sedangkan di Batu Burok (Terengganu), sampai sekarang ditahan. Ini yang rakyat fikirkan," katanya merujuk kepada dua suspek yang didakwa mencetuskan kekecohan dalam ceramah tanpa permit pembangkang di Kuala Terengganu awal tahun ini.

Walaupun sering melompat parti, Ibrahim berkata, beliau seorang yang sentiasa mengenang budi.

Justeru, beliau menyanggah tindakan beberapa pihak yang selalu mencaci dan mengkritik Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Katanya, tanpa Dr Mahathir, Malaysia tidak akan menjadi seperti sekarang. Memang beliau ada juga kelemahan dan beliau sendiri turut mengkritik beberapa isu tertentu.

"Hari ini seolah-olah dia (Dr Mahathir) betul-betul tidak berguna. Dia bukan nak jadi Perdana Menteri dan nasihat yang beliau beri sepatutnya kerajaan terima dengan terbuka...ini tidak, orang surat khabar terus cucuk, kita melenting.

"Jika terus begini, negara kita akan hilang rahmat," katanya.

Laporan Bernama dalam berita bertajuk "Kerajaan digesa laksanakan segera fasa kedua Felda"

Bernama (8 Mei): Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Bebas-Pasir Mas) dalam, perbahasannya mempertahankan bahawa Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) adalah penting sebagai langkah pencegahan terhadap keselamatan di negara yang mempunyai penduduk berbilang kaum.

Beliau yang pernah ditahan sebanyak dua kali di bawah ISA bagaimanapun mencadangkan supaya akta itu diberi penambahbaikan dengan perubahan pada Fasal 8 iaitu memberi kuasa kepada Majlis Keselamatan Negara yang diwakili pelbagai badan termasuk polis dan Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia, berbanding hanya kepada Menteri Dalam Negeri sekarang.

Mengenai usaha mencegah rasuah, beliau juga membangkitkan kenapa kerajaan belum menandatangani perjanjian Konvensyen Rasuah Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu yang sudah ditandatangani 107 negara, sedangkan Malaysia berusaha untuk menangani rasuah.

Mengenai cadangan penubuhan Suruhanjaya Anti Rasuah pula, beliau berkata suruhanjaya itu perlu diletakkan di bawah kuasa Yang di-Pertuan Agong bagi memastikan kejayaan usaha itu.

Ibrahim turut mencadangkan agar kerajaan memberi bonus mandatori antara RM500 dan RM1,000 setiap tahun kepada anggota polis serta tentera yang bekerja keras menjaga keselamatan negara.

Persidangan Dewan Rakyat ditangguhkan sehingga Isnin.

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Pendakwaan Raja Petra bukan bermotif politik

Berita Harian (8/5/08): Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak menegaskan pendakwaan ke atas penulis blog, Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin di Mahkamah Sesyen Petaling Jaya, bukan bermotifkan politik walaupun ia mempunyai kaitan dengan dakwaan Raja Petra ke atas beliau dan isteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Beliau berkata, kes terhadap Raja Petra adalah mengikut Akta Hasutan 1948 dan ia tidak boleh dilihat sebagai usaha kerajaan untuk mengambil tindakan terhadap semua penulis blog atau menyekat kebebasan bersuara di negara ini.

"Kerajaan sentiasa mempunyai pendirian terbuka terhadap penulis blog serta internet dan kita akan meneruskannya. Tetapi saya ingin ingatkan, negara ini mempunyai undang-undang khusus terhadap sebarang perkara berkaitan fitnah dan hasutan.

"Janganlah mereka (penulis blog) rasakan dengan menggunakan alam siber, mereka bebas daripada semua undang-undang ini," katanya pada sidang media selepas mengiringi Sultan Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah yang mengadakan lawatan kerja ke Kem Iskandar di sini, semalam.

Hadir sama, Panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal dan Panglima Tentera Darat, Tan Sri Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin.

Najib berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas terhadap pendakwaan Raja Petra di Mahkamah Sesyen di Petaling Jaya, kelmarin.

Raja Petra, 58, dituduh kerana menerbitkan artikel bertajuk Let's Send The Altantuya Murderers To Hell dalam laman web www.malaysia-today.net pada 25 April lalu.

Artikel berkenaan secara langsung merujuk Najib dan Rosmah sebagai pembunuh wanita Mongolia, Altantuya Shaariibuu sedangkan kes berkenaan sedang dibicarakan di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam.

Ini adalah kali keempat Raja Petra disiasat terhadap artikel di dalam laman web berkenaan dan jika bersalah, dia boleh dikenakan denda RM5,000 atau penjara maksimum tiga tahun atau kedua-duanya.

Najib berkata, kerajaan tidak bimbang dengan tindakan berkenaan yang boleh membuatkannya tidak popular di kalangan rakyat kerana undang-undang perlu ditegakkan demi kestabilan serta ketenteraman awam.

"Saya tidak berasakan kerajaan tidak popular dengan tindakan ini. Kita perlu mewujudkan satu garis antara perkara yang benar dan salah," katanya.

Bagaimanapun, beliau enggan mengulas segala dakwaan Raja Petra terhadap beliau atau kenyataan Raja Petra bahawa penulis blog mengisytiharkan perang terhadap kerajaan.

"Dia (Raja Petra) bebas untuk berkata apa saja, saya tidak mahu mengulas mengenai perkara itu," katanya.

Ruckus over RPK in Parliament (Malaysia Today 7/5/08)
Saksikan video lapan minit di Malaysiakini.TV (Malaysiakini TV 6/5/08)
Raja Petra charged with sedition over 9 paragraphs (Susan Loone 6/5/58)
Gambar RPK - Raja Petra will never walk alone!! (Edy)
Bullyboys on rampage again (Malaysiakita 3/5/58)
Picture report on RPK's hearing (Malaysia Today 6/5/08)
Raja Petra pleads not guilty to sedition charge (Bernama)
Raja Petra didakwa terbit artikel menghasut (Utusan Malaysia 6/5/08)
Malaysian blogger jailed over article allegedly implicating deputy PM in killing (IHT 6/5/08)
Malaysia: Blogger charged with sedition (Adnkronos International)
Posting-posting berkaitan (Google)
Raja Petra claims trial for sedition

Ihsan The Star (6/5/08): Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the editor of news portal Malaysia Today, claimed trial at the PJ Sessions Court to publishing a seditious article on April 25.

He was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948.

Nine paragraphs in his article titled "Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell" were found to be seditious.

The article was posted on his website on April 25.

The court set his bail at RM5,000.

Raja Petra did not post bail. His wife Marina Lee Abdullah said he is hoping to raise the money through his news portal.

As of 2.30pm Tuesday, he was still in lockup at the PJ sessions court.

Earlier Tuesday, Raja Petra arrived at the magistrates’ court in the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta at 9.06am.

He was later instructed to go to the PJ Sessions Court to be charged.

A crowd of about a hundred people were gathered at the Jalan Duta court. Among them were bloggers and Opposition MPs including Salahuddin Ayub (Kubang Kerian), Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas (Teluk Kemang) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai).

At 2pm Tuesday, businessman Syed Akbar Ali was also charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 at a sessions court here for posting a comment on Raja Petra's site on June 5, 2007.

The ex-banker, aged 48, posted the RM3,000 bail set by the court.

Hearing for the submissions whether the charge was groundless is set for June 10.

Artikel asal di sini.

Ugut bunuh Karpal: Pelajar kolej serah diri (Utusan Malaysia)
Karpal lodges reports against website, Kelantan prince (The Star 28/4/08)
Karpal: I didn't insult Islam (Malaysiakini 28/4/08)
Janganlah "over react" (Roslan SMS 28/4/08)
‘Killing me not going to solve problems’ (Expressindia.com, India 27/4/08)
Siasatan kes ugut bunuh Karpal diserah kepada polis Johor (Bernama 27/4/08)
DAP upset over ‘kill Karpal’ call (People Army 26/4/08)
Hassan on race-relations, Islamic state and pigs in S'gor (Malaysiakini 25/4/08)
Muslim group: Karpal trapped in 'Jurassic politics' (Malaysiakini 24/4/08)
Are you so allergic to the words 'Islamic State'? (Malaysiakini 24/4/08)
MPF: 'Dinosaur celupar' dalam Pakatan (Malaysiakini 23/4/08)
Isu Negara Islam, Pimpinan DAP dan PAS Perlu Bersemuka (Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil)
Karpal tells PAS to drop Islamic state policy ( Malaysiakini 22/4/08)
DAP desak PAS gugur negara Islam (Malaysiakini 22/4/08)
Nasaruddin: It's Haron's personal opinion

The Sun (14/4/08): PAS deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa says a remark by deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din that "PAS will implement hudud once the party takes control of the central government" is his personal opinion.

He said currently PAS wants to focus on fulfilling its election manifesto to show that it is concerned with the people's welfare and cares for the people.

Speaking to the press after attending a PAS central committee meeting in Ipoh last night, he said the people has given their mandate to Pakatan Rakyat (in several states), the coalition's priority is to fulfil its manifesto.

Asked if PAS would make Malaysia a practising Islamic state and implement the hudud, Nasaruddin said PAS' policies are formulated along the religious line and it pledges to look after the welfare of the people.

He said non-Muslims need not be afraid of PAS as in the 18 years of PAS rule in Kelantan, the non-Muslims and Chinese had no fear of the party.

MCA slams Pas' Islamic state plan

NST (14/11/08): The MCA has condemned the plan by Pas to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state that practices Hudud law.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting was commenting on a report in the Harakah on Thursday, which quoted Pas deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din as saying that Pas will eventually come into power and when it does, it will amend the Federal Constitution and turn the country into a Islamic state which implements Hudud law.

"This is what the MCA has long been warning the people about; that Pas has this ulterior motive of trying to force upon the country the concept of an Islamic state," said Ong yesterday in a "I told you so" manner, after chairing the party's presidential council meeting.

Ong said during the recent election, Pas had put on the "friendly mask" of wanting to create a welfare state to attract voters.

But now, the "ugly tail" of wanting to form an Islamic state has again shown itself.
"This is something multiracial Malaysia cannot accept. MCA is strongly against it and we think a lot of the non-Muslim parties will agree with us," he said.

Asked why he chose to speak up now when both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had both declared Malaysia to be an Islamic state last year, Ong said the MCA's stand had always been with the Constitution.

"No matter who says what about the status of Malaysia, we stand by the Constitution. People can try to label Malaysia with different names. But what they cannot do is to change the make-up of the Constitution."

"In the Constitution, it is stated that Malaysia is a secular state. This was discussed and agreed to by the founding fathers. It was agreed that all the different races and their different beliefs will be accommodated," Ong said.

Earlier at Wisma MCA, party Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai issued a similar statement.

"Both the DAP and PKR must come out openly about their stand on Malaysia as an Islamic state,"

Liow added that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng should offer an apology to the Malaysian public, especially the Chinese community.

This was because by siding with Pas, the DAP had camouflaged the party's true intention of wanting to create an Islamic state, hence misleading the Chinese into voting for Pas, he added.