* The following is a letter I sent to three online news portals regarding the above matter:

I am both bemused and disturbed by what I read in your esteemed online news portal. Indeed, I find a similar story on two other online news portals. I am referring to what my former KEADILAN colleague, Zahrain Hashim, said about Zaid Ibrahim’s links with Raja Petra Kamarudin (aka RPK), the “fugitive” political blogger (to me, he’s the victim of political persecution because of his outspoken views).

What Zahrain said and is trying to insinuate both bemuses and disturbs me; hence, this letter to you.

Firstly, I find it completely ironic that someone of Zahrain’s standing (he is, after all, a Member of Parliament) could say such a ridiculous thing. What is he really trying to say? That KEADILAN or Zaid Ibrahim is funding a fugitive? That somehow some opposition people are aiding and abetting RPK?

Zaid has openly (and proudly, I think) admitted that he is a friend of RPK’s. So is Anwar Ibrahim. Indeed, so am I. Is it a crime to be friends with someone who is being persecuted by an undemocratic and repressive government (who is trying to paint that someone as a fugitive on the run)?
Read the rest of this entry »

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) is gravely concerned with the trend of deaths in police custody. Not only are the deaths increasingly frequent but they also seem to be happening only to suspects from a particular racial community.

Although the police have asked the public not to speculate on the latest death in custody of A. Ganana Prakasom, KEADILAN hopes that both the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Home Affairs will seriously look into this matter before it becomes a full-blown racial issue in our country, which is already divided along racial lines.

Indeed, in light of the Prime Minister’s attempts to promote the concept of One Malaysia, the authorities must ensure that no community, regardless of race, religion, gender or economic status, is sidelined or ill-treated.

Moreover, the fact that most, if not all, of the deaths in police custody are happening to Indian Malaysians reflect the reality that they have not been able to advance either socially or economically.

The federal government must recognise that this is not only an issue of crime or law and order, but also one that requires an urgent government policy to assist the Indian community in Malaysia to overcome the social and economic realities faced by them.

If the Umno-Barisan Nasional government is serious about the people being the first priority, they should take real steps to resolve this matter holistically and stop trying to cover-up the real causes of these deaths in custody.

* Written in the capacity of Communications Director of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

It sounds like the propaganda boys of the brand new prime minister have prepared a slew of bright ideas for him. A catchy slogan. Release of ISA detainees. Lifting of newspaper suspensions. They sound pretty good but I’ve got a few questions for Mr. Najib.

1. Does the concept of “One Malaysia” mean that Ketuanan Melayu and mono-ethnic parties that divide the nation will be a thing of the past?

2. Does “People First” mean that the economic policies of Barisan Nasional will benefit all Malaysians and not just the politically connected?

3. Does “Performance Now” mean that we will immediately have good teachers in schools, professional police officers that actually solve crimes and public officials that deliver results?

4. Does the release of the ISA detainees and the lifting of the suspension of opposition newspapers mean that both the Internal Security Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act will be repealed in the next seating of Parliament?

I must confess that I do believe in miracles; and I certainly would like to believe that Mr. Najib can transcend the 30 years of Umnofication that he has been through, and spare Malaysia any more suffering.

However, for now, pardon me if I remain cynical until I see some real changes in his administration of our nation.

Gandhi once said that, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” No doubt, my animal-loving friends will agree with him. Indeed, I have shared this quote with friends from SPCA and they enthusiastically agreed.

Apart from humane treatment of animals, I believe one of the points made by that very wise man was that we can judge ourselves by how we treat others that are less fortunate than ourselves, especially those who cannot fend for themselves.

On that note, I am sad to share this May Day message with my fellow Malaysians. I just read the April 21-28, 2008 copy of Newsweek magazine, which had an article entitled “Lured Into Bondage”. When I first saw the heading “The New Wage Slaves” on the cover of the magazine, I thought it was referring to some other lesser developed country. Alas, to my dismay, the article is actually on Malaysia. Please do check out the link above.
Read the rest of this entry »

I found a definition of fascism at PublicEye.org, which says, amongst other things, “fascism is a form of extreme right-wing ideology that celebrates the nation or the race as an organic community transcending all other loyalties… It seeks to forcibly subordinate all spheres of society to its ideological vision of organic community, usually through a totalitarian state. Both as a movement and a regime, fascism uses mass organizations as a system of integration and control, and uses organized violence to suppress opposition…”

And according to Wikipedia, “fascism is also typified by totalitarian attempts to impose state control over all aspects of life: political, social, cultural, and economic, by way of a strong, single-party government for enacting laws and a strong, sometimes brutal militia or police force for enforcing them. Fascism exalts the nation, state, or group of people as superior to the individuals composing it. Fascism uses explicit populist rhetoric; calls for a heroic mass effort to restore past greatness; and demands loyalty to a single leader, leading to a cult of personality and unquestioned obedience to orders.”

The above descriptions sound eerily like what’s happening in Malaysia. And, mind you, the Abdullah regime is not the first in Malaysia to be compared to the fascists. An ex-colleague of mine created a clever photoshop image of a Hitler-like Mahathir about ten years ago.
Read the rest of this entry »

I 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.
Read the rest of this entry »

I 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.
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s regrettable that Tony Pua lodged a police report against Kelab Penyokong Maya Umno (KPMU), which allegedly insulted Christians and Christianity. Indeed, it’s unfortunate that he even instigated the police to “arrest the writer, editor, publisher and the owner of the website and investigate them under the Sedition Act”. (Check out the Malaysiakini report.)

Just to clarify, I don’t condone anyone insulting Christians and Christianity, or any other religion for that matter. However, I do have a problem with condoning the use of sedition legislation.
Read the rest of this entry »

This 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.)
Read the rest of this entry »

It is sad that the law in Malaysia has become what it is today.

One of the worst things about it is that the judiciary is no longer a counterbalance in the so-called doctrine of separation of powers. I say “so-called” because this doctrine does not apply in our beloved country.

As far as I’m concerned, the recent trial-by-media of Justice Gopal Sri Ram to be an insidious meddling of the judiciary by the invisible but powerful hand of certain quarters. I believe any intelligent Malaysian who knows a thing or two about the personalities involved in the case will know what I am talking about. And as far as I can tell, Justice Gopal Sri Ram is an excellent judge, although sometimes he may be a bit difficult to handle in court.
Read the rest of this entry »