Dec

7

freedom.JPGI feel that the Bar Council’s decision to call off the walk to commemorate Human Rights Day is wrong and disappointing. There does not seem to be any clear indication as to why the walk has been called off, apart from some vague reference to the need to apply for a police permit.

It is disappointing and ironic indeed that the Bar Council have to kowtow to undemocratic and unjust laws on the occasion that is supposed to celebrate and advance human rights in our country. In light of recent events, I believe that there is all the more reason that the Bar Council and Malaysian Bar should be taking the lead to fight for rights and freedoms that every Malaysian is entitled to.
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Sep

10

suhakam-logo.jpgI find it rather ironic that on the day chosen to celebrate human rights in Malaysia, we hear of news that the police have used live bullets to disperse people who have gone to attend a ceramah in Kuala Terengganu. (As expected, the mainstream media have distorted the news. For a more balanced report, see Malaysiakini’s coverage.)

When I heard this news yesterday, I was at a Suhakam conference in Kuala Lumpur. The conference was entitled “Human Rights & Election”. The ceramah in Kuala Terengganu was organised by Bersih, a coalition for clean and fair elections, on 8 September – the eve of the Malaysian Human Rights Day.
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Aug

12

transformers-protect.JPGI watched Transformers for the second time yesterday… at the IMAX cinema! Well, frankly speaking, despite the bigger screen, second time round it’s not that exciting anymore. I even caught some “z’s”…

Anyway, what’s interesting was that I’ve been wanting to write a post about the good vs. evil concept - some autobots protect, others destroy. Well, it’s pretty obvious who represents the Decepticons in Malaysia. I don’t know if you’d agree that the opposition parties represent the humans-friendly autobots.

Whatever it is, I liked what Optimus Prime said at the end of the movie - something about humanity’s “capacity for courage”.
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Aug

7

raja-nazrin.jpgThis morning, on a whim, I checked out our Opposition Leader’s website, and chanced upon a hot-off-the-press posting by Dr. Chen Man Hin. In his posting, Dr. Chen suggested that the Prime Minister invite Raja Nazrin Shah, the Crown Prince of Perak, to be his personal adviser, in light of the latter’s speech at the first Malaysian Student Leaders Summit 2007.

For what it’s worth, I must say that that’s an ingenius and interesting idea from Dr. Chen. I wonder what Raja Nazrin thinks. (By the way, Raja Nazrin’s credentials are quite impressive. Check out the link to his entry in Wikipedia above.)
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Jul

24

chandra-muzaffar.jpgOnce again, I’d like to comment on Dr. Chandra Muzaffar’s article, but this time, I agree with what he’s saying.

Basically, I agree that “when we go beyond labels such as ‘secular’ and ‘Islamic’ and connect with the substance of our three principal documents we will discover that there is a degree of congruence between the two positions.” And the three documents that Dr. Chandra is talking about are the Federal Constitution, the Rukunegara and Vision 2020.

Now, my question is, how do we move forward from this apparent impasse? It’s very obvious that the current hooha is created by the Deputy Prime Minister for political reasons. Indeed, it’s so idiotic for him to make such a statement that I won’t even go into the so-called debate.
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Jul

22

nelson-mandela.jpgAfter chatting with a friend about my blog, I realised that I need to be a bit more positive about things, and also more constructive.

Hence, after some reflection about my “apartheid posting”, I believe there is a better way forward for Malaysia. At least in terms of patching up racial relations between the different ethnic communities.

Actually, I started writing this posting yesterday but had to stop for lunch, meetings and so forth. Anyway, it’s just as well that I didn’t finish it yesterday because I just read Dr. Chandra Muzaffar’s comment in the NST this morning. Frankly, I am surprised Dr. Chandra still has so much confidence in the government and the Parliament.
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May

31

lady-justice.gifIt appears that not only are some people in the Barisan Nasional government stupid, some judges in the judiciary are equally stupid.

Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia – the supreme law of the land, the last time I heard – clearly states that “every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.”

I’m not all that familiar with the intricacies of the Lina Joy case, but I do know that she converted to Christianity by her own choice.

Without even reading the judgments of Federal Court, I believe it’s safe to say that the Malaysia Boleh! spirit has done it again - do something stupid that no one in their right mind would.
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