BN Govt abuse freedom of the press!!

The Malaysiakini website has over the past decade become a leading source of information in the Southeast Asian nation, where major newspapers and broadcasters are largely government-linked.

Malaysiakini - which focuses on politics, corruption and social issues - filed a case in the High Court today, challenging the Home Ministry's decision to reject its request for a permit to publish a newspaper.

"I don't see why we shouldn't be allowed to publish a newspaper," its chief executive Premesh Chandran told AFP.

"It's a constitutional right and Malaysiakini has been around for 10 years, we have a proven track record for being independent, balanced and credible."

All newspapers in Malaysia need a permit which must be renewed annually.

The licensing system allows the government to close media outlets at will and puts publishers under pressure to toe the line.

Home Ministry officials could not be reached for comment but said in a letter toMalaysiakini dated August 19 that "the ministry has decided not to consider" the permit application. No reasons were given.

A media watchdog, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), criticised the decision as a violation of media freedom and said the licensing laws are open to abuse.

"It's a lot of power to give to one person and there is no accountability because the minister has absolute discretion and does not need to provide any reason to grant or deny a permit," CIJ executive officer Masjaliza Hamzah said.

"It points to a larger picture where the government is asserting its control on freedom of expression in Malaysia," she added.

Masjazliza cited recent cases including the detention of a cartoonist hours before the release of his new book which lampooned the government, and opposition media's difficulties in renewing their permits.

I don't care how incompetent PKR is!! It is still better than BN and UMNO oppressive force on normal Malaysians!

Penan wars trilogy: Crimes in the jungle

I reproduce below the police reports written by the Penans themselves, so that they may now have a face. The Penans are not just faceless and voiceless characters. Now they have a personality, just like you and I.

I recommend that you read the reports carefully for the Penans are great storytellers, having in their heritage a fine oral tradition. They are painstaking when it comes to details and they are eloquent in the emotive retelling of their experiences.

Until today, it is worthy to note that no one has been arrested or interrogated in relation to the reports. The excuse is that the police cannot prosecute the perpetrators of the crimes because they could not be identified.

In the end, the police reports and statutory declarations quoted here remain the only indictment of the crimes committed in the jungle.

Raped at 12

This testimony comes in the form of a signed, statutory declaration. Because the victim was a minor when the rape took place, she will simply be called 'M'.

Her father, Buet Kayan of Long Ajeng, Ulu Baram, a Malaysian citizen of about 40 years of age born in the vicinity without birth certificate, made the following statutory declaration at Miri, Sarawak in March 1995:

“Sometime in early November 1993, my wife Leren Bajau and I returned to our dwelling in Long Kerong after having gone to the forest to gather sago. We found that our daughter M, together with some other people from Long Kerong, had returned from Long Ajeng a few days earlier.

“M had gone to Long Ajeng at about the end of October 1993 to fetch rice for the family. She had travelled on foot to Long Ajeng together with Gembala (pastor) John and his wife, both of Long Kerong, and another girl named Martha (also known as Merita) from Long Ajeng.

“M is my third child and was born in April 1981. She is generally reserved and quiet. She has a lisp in her speech and does not speak much. My wife and I have 10 children still living, including M.

“About two or three days after we returned from the forest, M told my wife and I that she had been raped in Long Mobui while en route to Long Ajeng from Long Kerong. She was sad and depressed and cried while relating her experience. She had been afraid to tell us what had happened to her for fear that my wife and I would be angry.

“M said that she had been raped at night by two men in the house of Datu Abeng, the son of the ketua kampung of Long Mobui. She said one of the rapists was of big build and had a big stomach. She said that she had struggled, screamed and cried while she was being raped but nobody came to help her. She said she had not told anyone about the rape.

“My wife and I were shocked. We consoled her and told her we were grateful she had not been injured or killed by the rapists...” read the declaration.

“My wife and I did not tell anybody about the rape until August 1994. We did not know what to do about the matter, or to whom we should report. We finally told Balang Tui (of Long Ajeng) when we heard that some Penan leaders were going to Kuching to make a police report on problems faced by our community. A police report was made on Sept 30, 1994 at the Kuching Central Police Station.

“On March 22, 1995, M made a police report, Miri Central Police Station and gave a statement to the police in Miri regarding her rape in Long Mobui. I also gave a statement to the police,” it concluded.

Nobody has ever been arrested in connection with M's case. At the time of writing, M has remained single and she is now 29-years-old, living with her kin somewhere near her village in Ulu Baram.

4-year-old killed by tear-gas

Bulan Yoh of Long Mobui, Baram made the following statutory declaration regarding the death of her 4-year-old son Sonny Laot:

“...We are currently living in Long Kerong, Baram. We have six children now living. Five of my children have died, including Sonny Laot who was my youngest child. Sonny was 4 years old when he died on Oct 6 1993.

“Sonny was hospitalised in Marudi hospital for about a month in August/September 1993. He was operated on for a swelling on his neck below his left ear. He recovered fully and my husband and I took him back to the Sebatu blockade site. There he actively played with the other children and was eating normally and in general good health.

“On the second day of our arrival at Sebatu, the tear-gassing and dismantling of the blockade took place. At about 10am that day, a large number of Police Field Force (PFF) personnel and other police personnel wearing red helmets with visors and carrying shields, whom I believe to be from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), were seen advancing towards the blockade.

“They were accompanying some officers from the Forest Department and some workers from the logging company that operates in the area. I believe there were more than 300 police personnel present.

“Some men at the blockade went some distance down the road with the intention of negotiating with the police. But they were immediately arrested upon coming into contact with the Police.

“The PFF personnel continued their advance and the large group of men who had followed close behind their representatives retreated towards the blockade. When the PFF were about 100 metres from the blockade, they started arresting people in the group.

“My husband was among this group of men. I saw him being arrested. His arms were forcibly held behind his back by four PFF personnel. I heard him shouting as if he was in pain. I ran towards my husband to help him.

“At that moment the PFF started throwing tear-gas canisters at the group without any warning and without any provocation from the group. At the same time those PFF personnel that were armed with M-16 rifles surrounded the area around the blockade.

“I was afraid for my children whom I had left in our lamin (an open-walled temporary hut, raised about six feet above the ground) located about 100 metres from the blockade. In our laminwere Sonny (4 years old), Rose (7-8 years) and Stella (6-7 years). My grandchild Joit Abut (5-6 years) was also in the hut.

“As I made my way towards our lamin, I saw the PFF throw tear-gas canisters towards the lamins of the people. Some of them landed near our lamin. The gas drifted towards the lamin and enveloped the area. People ran away from the gas. As I tried to get back to our lamin the PFF tried to prevent me and the other people from getting to the lamin. It took me a long time to reach our lamin.

“When I finally arrived at our lamin, there was tear-gas all around and inside. I was choking from the gas. I rushed inside and found only Sonny there. He was crying, coughing and vomiting from the effects of the tear gas.

“I took him out of the lamin and went into the nearby forest, to get away from the gas. Sonny was vomiting badly. I tried giving him some water but he drank only a little.

“That night, I sheltered with Sonny and the rest of the family in a lamin in the forest. Sonny was constantly coughing and vomiting and could hardly eat or drink.

The next day we set off on foot for Long Kerong with the other families from the blockade as we were extremely fearful of the police. On the journey Sonny's condition deteriorated. We only had some Panadol for medication.

“We travelled for five days in the forest and reached Long Sait where we stayed with some relatives. At Long Sait, Sonny's condition continued to worsen.

“He eventually died on the third day after we arrived in Long Sait, 6 Oct 1993. We buried Sonny in Long Sait.

Another tear gas tragedy

Another victim of the show of force at a Penan blockade was Geran Ten, who passed away on Sept 8, 1994 in Long Kerong.

The police report featured the interviews of his brother Gilin Ten, 65, and another farmer Geoffery Upai Lagui, 33 from Long Kerong.

Geran was born in Long Kerong, part of a family of four brothers and sisters. He was married with no children.

Before the blockade in Long Mobui, Geran had stayed in Long Ajeng for some time. His land is in Long Kerong.

It is suspected that tear-gas thrown by the PFF personnel while dismantling the blockade at Long Mobui was the main cause of his death.

Gilin says he was with Geran when the police charged at the Penan manning the blockade. Gilin was about 100 meters from the hut where Geran was resting. At that time, Geran was a little sick with fever but it was not serious, and he continued to participate in all the activities at the blockade site with the others.

Gilin says as the police started firing tear-gas at the people, he saw some being thrown underneath the hut where Geran was resting. He then saw his brother emerge, vomiting as he descended the staircase.

Gilin rushed to help his brother but was restrained by the police as he reached a worship hut half way to where Geran was. He could see Geran appearing weak and vomiting continuously.

In the pandemonium nobody was helping Geran. They were either prevented from reaching their huts, or running away from the smoke that was proving extremely irritating. When the smoke got thicker, he could not see Geran anymore. Irritated by the smoke, Gilin rushed to a stream nearby to wash his face.

When he returned about half an hour later, the police had left and it was raining very heavily. The huts were completely destroyed and he could not find Geran.

The people started returning to the site and about 30 temporary sheds were put up. It was getting dark and the rain was still very heavy. Geran returned at that time and he was coughing badly. Gilin boiled some water for Geran to drink, hoping that it would help stop his coughing but it did not.

Gungho police and indifferent doctors

The next morning, a helicopter flew over the blockade site and a group of armed soldiers came to the sheds. They searched to see if anything was being hidden. They did not destroy the sheds this time.

That evening, after the soldiers had left, people started leaving the site.

Gilin and Geran left together. After walking for only half a mile, Geran complained that he was too weak to walk. Gilin then erected a small shed and both of them stayed there for the night.

Geran was coughing badly and complained of stomach-ache. There was white stuff coming out from his mouth when he coughed. He began to have a lot of blisters on his lips and he could not eat. He felt weak and was visibly losing weight.

Because Geran was too weak to walk a long distance, Gilin had to erect a shed for him to rest and sleep after walking a short distance each day. They spent ten days in the jungle before they reached Long Kerong. Normally, it takes less than two days to walk the distance..

When they first arrived in Long Kerong, they stayed in a good friend, Bala Kadir's house. Geran's wife also arrived, following another group.

After staying with Bala for two weeks, Geran's health had deteriorated. He could not eat anything at all; when he did, he vomited. Panadol was the only medicine that the local villagers could get for him.

When the flying doctors came to Long Kerong, they refused to walk the short distance (about 40 meters away) to see him. Some villagers had tried to carry Geran to see the doctors but any small movement of his body caused him so much pain that they didn't persist.

Geoffery was away when Geran arrived in Long Kerong. When he returned, he immediately went to see him when the villagers told him that Geran was very sick.

He corroborated Gilin's account of his brother's condition. He helped administer some medicine for rehydration and for gastric that the flying doctors had prescribed.

He says during the time when Geran was in Long Kerong, the flying doctors visited the community three times. Geoffery tried to persuade the doctors to see Geran, explaining how moving him caused him great pain, but the doctors were not sympathetic. They just asked about his health condition and left some medicine.

Two days before he passed away, Geran was unconscious. The villagers helped to move him into Bala's house because a lot of the villagers came and wanted to pray for his recovery.

He passed away after midnight. Before he died, he told his brother to keep his parang and his gun, and not to throw them away.

Gilin is very sad because the government has done nothing to investigate the death of his brother. He is still angry with the flying doctors for refusing to attend to Geran, even though they were informed of his critical condition.

Source: Malaysiakini

SIM KWANG YANG was member of parliament for Bandar Kuching, Sarawak from 1982 to 1995. He can be reached at sky8hornbill@gmail.com. All comments are welcome.

Useless Education Minister! and DPM too!

The Powerless Education Minister of Malaysia!

Cannot even sack a racist Principal!

The Education Ministry cannot decide the fate of the 'racist' Bukit Selambau principal, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister.

“The minister cannot make any decision on government officers with the pay grade of 48 and above, I believe principals are grade 52.

“For officers of such a grade only the disciplinary board of the Public Services Department (PSD) headed by the director-general can take action,” explained the Pagoh parliamentarian.

Muhyiddin (right) added that the ministry has done its own investigation and had handed over the results to the public service department to consider and mete out their decision.

“It's their jurisdiction. I have already announced this so just wait for whatever decisions they want to make,” said Muhyiddin.

The Star had reported on Sept 4 that the PSD has received a 16cm-thick report from the ministry and are mulling over what decision to take.

Muhyiddin said this during a press conference after opening the 10th regional seminar on 'The Criminalisation of Bribery' in Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

IF THIS IS THE FACE OF THE NEXT PM? GOD HAVE MERCY ON ALL MALAYSIAN!!!

Source: Malaysiakini

BN Govt has no sense of Humor!

This evening (24 Sept 2010) Police arrested Malaysiakini cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque - better known as Zunar - under the Sedition Act.

They had earlier raided his office premises in Brickfields and seized about 70 copies of his latest book, Cartoon-o-phobia, due to be launched tonight.

According to Zunar (left), 10 police officers led by ASP Arikrishnan Apparau from the Brickfields police station raided the premises at about 4pm. "We were told that a police report was lodged against the book," he told Malaysiakini. He added that besides the publication, several cartoon drawings were also seized.

Cartoon-o-phobiafeatures a collection of political cartoons that have appeared on the Malaysiakiniwebsite as well as unpublished cartoons and fresh artworks. Although three of his previous books -1 Funny Malaysia, Perak Darul K

artunand Isu Dalam Kartun were banned by the Home Ministry, Zunar had earlier told Malaysiakini that he was willing to take the risk in releasing this new book.

“Will this latest book also possibly be banned? Actually this never crossed my mind when I produced the book. "But I am ready to face the consequences,” he told Malaysiakini last week.

Book to be launched tonight

Zunar's arrest came hours before he was to launch the book today.

Published by Malaysiakini, Cartoon-o-phobia is to be launched at 8pm at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall by ousted Perak menteri besar Nizar Jamaluddin. Zunar said that despite his arrest, the launch will proceed tonight.

“I hope my readers will come and show their support,” he said.

Cartoon-o-phobia has 80 full-colour pages and will be sold at RM25.00. It can also be purchased online viagerakbudaya.com andcartoonkafe.com.

Sent 10 Police officers to catch a cartoonist!!

AND WE WONDER WHY POLICE DID NOT SOLVE THE KLANG MURDERS EARLIER!!

IGP Musa Dark Secret! by RPK

Actually, they took no action against ASP Noor Azizul Rahim Bin Taharim, the ADC of IGP Musa Hassan, because they know that the allegation is true. And if ASP Noor Azizul Rahim was arrested and charged in court then the truth would surface. So they chose to do nothing at all.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

When I signed a Statutory Declaration back in June 2008, they arrested me and charged me for Criminal Defamation. And my Statutory Declaration is just against two junior army officers plus the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The wife of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a government employee or an official position. She is just that, the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, of no ranking in the Malaysian government structure.

When P.I. Balasubramanian signed a Statutory Declaration two weeks later, they threatened the safety of his family and made him retract what he alleged by signing a second Statutory Declaration the following day. His second Statutory Declaration 24 hours later contradicted his first one.

This means one of the two Statutory Declarations is false. They did not, however, arrest Balasubramanian and charge him for Criminal Defamation. They did not even charge him for the more serious crime of signing a false Statutory Declaration under the Statutory Declaration Act 1960. Instead, they whisked him out of the country.

A year later, on 28 August 2009, ASP Noor Azizul Rahim Bin Taharim, the ADC (aide-de-camp) of IGP Musa Hassan, signed a Statutory Declaration alleging many damaging things about his boss the IGP. (See the copy of the Statutory Declaration below).

A copy of this Statutory Declaration was given to one-time Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who in turn gave it to ex-IGP Tun Haniff Omar. ASP Noor Azizul Rahim also informed many other people about this matter, as mentioned in his Statutory Declaration.

Either ASP Noor Azizul Rahim is lying or he is telling the truth. Either ASP Noor Azizul Rahim signed a false Statutory Declaration or IGP Musa Hassan is guilty as alleged in ASP Noor Azizul Rahim’s Statutory Declaration.

Either way we will never know because nothing was done about the allegation. No investigation was launched to determine whether IGP Musa Hassan is really guilty as alleged or, instead, ASP Noor Azizul Rahim is guilty of the crime of signing a false Statutory Declaration.

Now IGP Musa Hassan is bellyaching, whining, grumbling and bitching like a crybaby about interference in the police force and about how ‘they’ directed him on how he should run the police force.

Actually IGP Musa Hassan is not totally wrong. The only thing is, according to the ten or so Statutory Declarations signed by various police officers as well as two underworld figures, it is the underworld that directed IGP Musa Hassan on how the Malaysian police force should be run.

Why were these many Statutory Declarations never investigated? If the Statutory Declarations are false then why did they not arrest and charge these police officers and underworld figures for Criminal Defamation like they did me?

More importantly, the Statutory Declaration below was signed by IGP Musa Hassan’s own ADC, not by just any police officer. And many senior police officers plus the ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia were given copies of this Statutory Declaration and are aware of the matter. But still nothing was done.

If the Statutory Declaration below is true then IGP Musa Hassan should by now be sitting in jail. If, however, they are implying that the Statutory Declaration below is false then why was the maker of the document not dragged into court and charged like what they did to me?

Note that my Statutory Declaration is against someone who is merely a wife of the Deputy Prime Minister and therefore someone of no official standing in the government. ASP Noor Azizul Rahim’s Statutory Declaration is against the top cop in Malaysia, the IGP. This makes it more serious and is covered under both the Criminal Defamation law as well as the Statutory Declaration Act 1960.

Let me repeat that. Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the then Deputy Prime Minister, has no official standing in the government. On the other hand, IGP Musa Hassan is the top police officer in Malaysia. You can’t be charged for Criminal Defamation for making an allegation against someone who is not holding a government post (although they did in my case). But you can be charged for Criminal Defamation if you make an allegation against Malaysia’s number one policeman.

Actually, they took no action against ASP Noor Azizul Rahim Bin Taharim, the ADC of IGP Musa Hassan, because they know that the allegation is true. And if ASP Noor Azizul Rahim was arrested and charged in court then the truth would surface. So they chose to do nothing at all.

****************************************

Musa's allegation not to be taken lightly

(Sin Chew Daily) - Outgoing Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has made an allegation before leaving the office that there is a third party interference in police work.

Why didn't he mention it during his term of office as the IGP over the past four years? In addition, Musa also admitted that there are different factions in the police force and he has actually eliminated many of them.

Since the problems have existed for a long time, and an external force has prevented him from reforming the police, causing him to implemented only 48% of his five-year restructuring plan, as the head of a professional disciplinary force, Musa should report to the higher level once he found out the problems. It is because of the lack of a channel, or poor communication?

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam have both denied Musa’s claims of third party interference in the police force.

However, it is a very serious allegation. The cabinet should make a thorough investigation to see whether there are people interfering in police work in the name of the Home Ministry. The police must carry out its tasks independently and freely. Any interference might prevent the cause of justice.

The inquiry should not only investigate the police but also extends the scope of investigation to protect the independence and professionalism of all law enforcement agencies.

For example, former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Shafee Yahya claimed that former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had prevented the ACA in 1998 from investigating the then director-general of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister's Department.

In addition, former Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Ramli Yusuff, who has been acquitted of a charge of being involved in business when he was a civil servant, claimed in October 2007 that the high level officers in the ACA, the Attorney-General's Chamber and the police were unfair.

Ramli had accused the ACA of framing his subordinates while the police did not protect them. Three policemen were accused to have involved in forgery when conducting an investigation on a Chinese loan shark in Johor. Ramli claimed that the Commecial Crime Investigation Department took actions against the suspect based on the instructions given by the then deputy minister of the Internal Security Ministry (the current Home Affairs Ministry).

On the other hand, PAS has said that the police had received reports in 2002 and 2005 claiming that former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chairman had involved in the RM8 billion loss. Ramli had suggested charging the person involved but the authority took no action.

The inquiry must investigate all similar allegations and incidents and develop a set of guidelines and laws to prevent third party interference in law enforcement and prosecution units.

Undeniably, the police has established a professional image, particularly in intelligence gathering, since the British colonel era. In particular cases, such as the destruction of religious places, the police have shown its capability in solving the cases and maintain social stability. In terms of wiping out violent criminals, the police have also shown a high efficiency.

The Malaysian police force is doing much better if we compare it to the error-prone approach used by the Philippine police in rescuing Hong Kong hostages on a bus hijacked in Manila.

However, the role of the police has been on dispute after the March 2008 general election. The government must uphold the images of the police force and other law enforcement units to restore public confidence.