EAST Malaysia Under Siege!!

By a dictator!! East Malaysia has their own Gaddafi who is blocking good people from Sarawak!

Taken from Malaysiakini
Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenevasan has filed a suit against Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud challenge the latter's order to deport her from Sarawak during the last state election.

The suit, filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday, named Taib, the director-general of the Malaysian Immigration Department and other relevant authorities as respondents.

Ambiga, who is former Bar Council chairperson, told reporters today that a date had been fixed to hear the application for leave in July.

She chose to file the suit in the peninsula and named the Immigration DG as respondent because the Immigration Act stipulates that the latter has overall responsibility over immigration affairs in the whole of Malaysia.

"He can't just wash his hands off," she added.

"I request the court to quash the deportation order because it was an abuse of my constitutional rights and it constituted an abuse of power," she said.

Ambiga was the fourth activist to be barred during the course of the 10-day Sarawak election campaign last month, after activists Steven Ng, Wong Chin Huat and Haris Ibrahim were similarly stopped at the Kuching Airport and sent back to Kuala Lumpur on the next flight.

The latest victim was Malaysian Election Observation Network coordinator Ong Boon Keong.

Ong was detained by Kuching Immigration officials during his visit to Bengoh on Tuesday and deported to Kuala Lumpur the same night.

Both Ambiga (second from left) and Ong (left) were present during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning to address the deportation issue and the coming Bersih 2.0 mega-rally on July 9.

Ong said he was in the process of filing a similar suit in Sarawak to challenge his deportation.

"I'm talking to some lawyers in Sarawak who are keen to take it up, but I have no written document on my deportation. Everything was just conveyed to me orally (by the immigration officials).

"They have never made a charge against me or justified their actions. There was no reason, no accountability or whatsoever," Ong added.

Sheer arrogance of the Sarawak government

Ambiga lamented Ong's deportation as a total abuse of power and sheer arrogance on the part of the Sarawak state government.

"None in the government has made comment on this matter. None of them think there's anything wrong with it.”

She said the fact that 10 Immigration officials had been deployed to detain Ong showed how they used the power that they thought they had.

The Bar Council's human rights committee chairperson Andrew Khoo, who was also present at the press conference, demanded that the Sarawak government answers how the five activists had threatened the security of the state that led to their deportation.

"In the context of the federal constitution, the power of deportation is to protect the security of the federation.

"National security is not not keeping the government in power... maybe the Sarawak government thinks keeping itself in power is part of Sarawak's security," Khoo said.

Meanwhile, across the South China Sea, the Sarawak-based NGO Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) expressed support for Ambiga's legal action against Taib.

"These NGO activists from the peninsula have every right to enter Sawarak.

“The deportation is another desperate act of Sarawak chief minister to prevent concerned citizens coming to the state to educate the people on the corruption and abuses of the chief minister and his administration," MoCS leader Francis Siah (above, left) told Malaysiakini.

"Ong has been working very hard in Sarawak during the election. His only concern is to ensure free and fair elections. He has no other personal motive, so why should a good man like Ong be deported from Sarawak?

"Ambiga, Wong, Steven and (the human rights lawyer who was barred from entering Sarawak) Haris (Ibrahim), are all forthright Malaysians who care a lot about the country. They have every right to enter Sarawak," Siah added.

The reason why they are block from coming into Sarawak is because they are digging out dirt from the last Sarawak election!
Here is some prove!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LeCq_cgO-A&feature=related




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p56-iCNh9qY&feature=player_embedded

Is Sarawak Immigration Dept another of Taib's minions!??

COMMENT When I arrived in Sarawak through Bintulu on May 21, I was given the usual 90-day entry permit.

I wanted to pay a visit with two friends to the villages in Bengoh, about an hour's drive from Kuching, because the area was considered a hot seat in the April 16 state election.

Four villages will be submerged by the Bengoh Dam and the villages are unhappy about being moved from their ancestral homes. However, the polling results did not seems to reflect the much feared electoral backlash from the dam issue.

As election observers, we want to ascertain if the villagers voted with clear understanding of their choice at the polling stations. For example, did they know that their vote for the incumbent would be interpreted to mean that they endorse the party which had caused them to be relocated?

We felt that clarifying the thinking of the villagers would make a good reference to all parties concerned. However our intention was not to be realised.

Unexpectedly, about 20 officers of the Immigration Department arrived in five vehicles and picked me up about 11am, but allowed my friends to leave. They claimed that I was not allowed to enter Sarawak because I had 'immigration records' that disallowed my entry.

But what records were these? About a dozen officers could not inform me of any offences that I could have committed. They took a statement from me at the Immigration enforcement office in Pending - but no offence was mentioned let alone investigated. I was simply told that the state government wanted me sent off by that evening.

They were all just following orders, but from who? My being deported was not important - after all six others had been deported during the state election campaign last month.

But if people who bring voter education to Sarawakians are deported, it gives an extremely negative impression that the state government wants to keep their citizens uninformed about their voting rights and, worse, disenfranchised.

Super-efficient Immigration

There is a clear contrast between how the Immigration Department has been slow and inefficient to nab illegal immigrants which flood Sarawak's towns and plantations, and the speed with which they managed to track me even when I was so far from town.

Most of the time, the 'blacklisted' person arrives at the airport before being blocked and sent back. Five of the six persons barred from Sarawak during the state election had been dealt with this way. The sixth was told to not come again, at her exit from the immigration post. If the department can be as efficient in dealing with illegal immigrants, then Sarawak would be a lot better off.

Modern democracy demands accountability and transparency. Thus the state Immigration Department should be made accountable and transparent as well.

The days when the 'top guy' makes a ruling to bar someone - with the decision not subject to any judicial review - should end. It would therefore be a good start if some of those barred last month mount a legal challenge to the arbitrary use of power.

There has been quite a bit of debate over 'insiders' and 'outsiders', with some Sarawakians taking a hard-line position on all 'outsiders'. Certainly there are plenty of 'outsiders' who have played a negative role in the state - for instance, by 'squeezing' it of its oil resources.

But there are also 'insiders' who are squeezing state resources like timber, to enrich themselves. The policies of these people are probably are more crucial to the interests of the people.

By deporting 'outsiders' now and then, the Sarawak government tries to appear that it is the champion of the people, but succeeds only among those who do not understand the chief minister's political games.

It may be time for Sarawakians to identify their own allies, instead of leaving it to the 'leaders' to do the job for them.



ONG BOON KEONG is the coordinator of Malaysian Election Observation Network.

You know your country is run by idiots when this happens!

Utusan gets a warning letter...

While this comics gets banned for "tendency to (cause) hatred and excite disaffection"

The Home Ministry today issued a reprimand letter to Utusan Malaysia over the daily's front page article on May 7, titled Kristian Agama Rasmi? (Christianity the official religion?).

A reprimand letter requires no follow up action by the newspaper, as compared with a demand to show cause, and is akin to just a slap on the wrist.

According to a Home Ministry statement, Utusan's editor-in-chief Aziz Ishak was called and the letter handed to him. "The Home Ministry will continue to monitor every newspaper in order to prevent news which would menggemparkan (infuriate) the minds of the people or material that is against the PPPA 1984," the statement said.

The article alleged that a group of pastors had participated in a gathering in Penang recently, which involved DAP elected representatives, where they discussed a plot to turn Malaysia into a Christian country and install a Christian prime minister.

No evidence of this allegation was offered by Utusan, who sourced the story from two pro-Umno blogs. One of the two had deleted article that was sourced by Utusan.

Utusan's critics however are likely to point out that the daily, which is owned by Umno, enjoy impunity and always gets away with a mere light reprimand while other dailies have received suspension of printing licenses or have it withdrawn altogether.

For example, Higher Education Deputy Minister Wee Ka Siong wrote on Twitter after the home ministry statement was issued, that in the case of China Press editor-in-chief Teoh Yoog Khoon, he was suspended two weeks over an inaccurate news report.

"(The China Press) report did not cause disharmony among Malaysians of all races. Many people will compare the damage caused by Utusan's report to (that) of China Press.

In Teoh's case, the home ministry had issued a show cause letter over an article which claimed that the then Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan would quit in March last year.

Following this, Home Ministry Deputy Chief Secretary Ahmad Fuad Ab Aziz said that any follow up action would be left to China Press' management.

Police reports lodged

Unlike the China Press incident, many police reports have been lodged against Utusan over the article for flouting sedition laws among others. Bukit Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi, who was named in the article, have also lodged a police report.

Meanwhile yesterday (11 May 2011)..

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today heard that two books by cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaq were banned by the Home Ministry because they contain "terrible accusations" which could lead to public disorder.

In his submission on the judicial review application by the cartoonist popularly known as Zunar against the Home Ministry, federal counsel Noor Hisham Ismail said the books are also seen as an "extreme insult to national leadership".

"The books can't cause public disturbance but there is potential that the people who read it could be likely (influenced).” He added the minister is satisfied that the book has "tendency to (cause) hatred and excite disaffection" towards national leaders, the judiciary and enforcement agencies.

Noor Hisham is representing respondents Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Abu Seman Yusuf in a judicial review of the ban imposed on '1Funny Malaysia' and 'Perak Darul Kartun'.

Both books were banned in November 2009.

Noor Hisham also submitted that there is no room for a judicial review as the court does not have the right to examine or challenge the minister's “satisfaction that the books are prejudicial to public order”. “If the matter rests solely on the subjective decision of the minister... and involves opinion and policy then the court should not review the decision. “It seems apparent that when it comes to issues of national security and public order the court cannot intervene by way of a judicial review as it involves policy considerations,” he said, citing case law.
Public order or politicians' reputation?

K Shanmuga, representing the plaintiffs, submitted that in the book ban notice, the minister stated that the books were banned because they are “prejudicial to public order” and not “likely to be prejudicial”.

“It might be worth recalling that the books in question were in publication for almost eight months before their ban, yet there was no evidence whatsoever that any breach of the peace occurred or was threatened as a result of the book. “By failing to produce material evidence of any reports before the minister which he relied on or in any of the affidavits filed before the court, the minister must be deemed to have no good reason for his decision.

“It is all to protect the image of politicians and their reputation,” he said. Shanmuga added that the law requires decisions made by the minister to be “reasonable and proportionate” and that the books cannot be banned “simply for saying not very nice things about politicians and the government of Malaysia”.

“Would a reasonable minister feel there is a threat to public order from cartoons, political satire, and ban the whole book due to several offending pages?” he said.

Commenting on the proceedings later, Zunar (second from right), who was accompanied by his wife Fazlinah Rosley (in blue), questioned the validity of Noor Hisham's submission, particularly when the latter claimed that the minister concluded that the books “tarnished the rakyat's trust in the government”.

“You can only lose something you have. The people who read my books have already lost trust in the government,” he said. Judge Rohana Yusuf will be delivering her verdict on July 14.

Govt stupid excuse for increase in sugar prices!

KOTA KINABALU: As far as the government is concerned it is a sweet monopoly. The market forces do not dictate the price of sugar, the government does.

On Tuesday the price of sugar in the country has gone up by 20 sen, from RM2.10 to RM2.30 per kilogram .

This is the fourth time sugar prices had increased since Jan 1 last year when it was priced at RM1.65 per kilo.

Prior to that, sugar prices were maintained at RM1.45 for a long period. This marks a 58.6 percent increase in less than one-and-a-half years.

PKR supreme council member Dr Roland Chia feels that the only way to stop periodic price increase in sugar is to take way the monopoly from the government.

“There should be a free competition with the imports of sugar. Let the market eventually stabilize the price of sugar, not the government price control mechanisms, as it just does not work in the long run,” said Chia.

Chia also questioned the sincerity of the government when the sugar monopoly was under Perlis Plantations Berhad, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kuok Group, and how the government kept a tight reign over price increases.

Profiteering

Ever since it was bought over by Felda Global – a wholly-owned subsidiary of federal government – there has been periodical price hikes.

“It was better when the sugar supply monopoly was held by the Kuok Group through the Perlis Plantations Bhd. There was no increase of sugar prices for 10 -15 years. But, the moment it came under the control of Felda Global, the price of sugar has gone up by RM0.85 cents per kilo in a short period of time,” he said.

The monopoly situation has given rise to questions of profiteering,incompetency as well as the rationale behind allowing Felda Global to enjoy monopoly over the import and export of sugar.

Malaysians relatively high sugar intake is blamed for the increased incidence of diabetes, obesity and other related health issues in the country.

The sugar price increase is expected to affect players in the food and beverage industries .Some popular coffee shop here have raised the price of tea, coffee, Milo and others by at least 10 sen.

Last week, the government raised the price of the higher grade RON97 petrol in tandem with global prices which sparked concerns of escalating prices of goods even as the ringgit strengthens against the US dollar.

This week’s increase of sugar price will affect the lower income group here as they are already paying higher prices for goods due to import costs that are tied to the national transport policy that limits shipping to and from Sabah.

Chia reminded policy planners that the state is already one of the poorest in Malaysia and perodic price increases would keep taking away any gains made in poverty eradication

Utusan Malaysia and Big Dog will never see the inside of an ISA jail!

As long as BN an UMNO is in power lah!

Blogger Zakhir Mohamed, who caused a controversy with his allegation of a conspiracy by Christian leaders to turn the official religion of the federation from Islam to Christianity, still dares to blog on these lies and insists that the authorities must investigate the purported plot.

In a blog post yesterday, Zakhir (right) said the matter must be investigated thoroughly as it may lead to a surge in Malay and Muslim anger.

“Time has come that such talk about this possibly subversive (Christian) movement, that can threaten national security when the majority of Malay-Muslims rise in anger, is investigated thoroughly.

“If it is true, then it should be dealt with by taking appropriate action,” said Zakhir, who is more popularly known as Big Dog.

The posting was uploaded just as vehement denials - as well as police reports and counter-reports - came forth from bishops and other Christian and non-Christian leaders who deny that such a plot exists.

The controversy erupted when Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysia took the cue from Zakhir and another pro-Umno blogger's postings, and headlined the purported conspiracy on May 7 alleging that DAP leaders were in cahoots with Christian leaders to subvert the position of Islam as the official religion of the federation.

In his blog posting carried a day earlier on May 6, Zakhir claimed that as many as 35 priests had taken an oath to work towards making Christianity the official religion and the installation of a Christian as the country's prime minister.

Another blogger Marahku, in a post with a screaming title 'Agong under threat? The DAP wants to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia?' lambasted the party for trying to amend the federal constitution to allow a Christian to be PM.

The organisers of the said meeting, were the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, together with partners Global Day of Prayer, Marketplace Penang and Penang Pastors Fellowship.

According the the DAP rep (Jeff Ooi) who was there "The seminar was to look into ways and the contribution among Christians towards the eradication of corruption and abuses in the country," he added.

He also mention that he was not the organiser (of the seminar). I'm a Buddhist and I do not think I have influence over the pastors to dictate to them what to do," he said.

The organizers said the so-called special convention was an 'Unashamedly Ethical Marketplace' seminar organised to discuss and address the issue of bribery and corruption and the Christians' contribution in addressing such issues.

"It has nothing to do with political succession,” they explained.

According to the organisers, 'Uashamedly Ethical' is a movement to get Christians to make a commitment to say 'no' to corruption.

Kuala Lumpur Archbisop Murphy Pakiam yesterday described the report as "irresponsible, baseless and provocative", and demanded tha

t action be taken against those quarters that he said seek to threaten Malaysia's harmonious, multi-cultural and multi-religious make-up.

However we all know that this will not happen! Utusan Malaysia and Big Dog and his other bloggers will not see the inside of a prison. Why?

Utusan Malaysia is owned by UMNO! and UMNO controls the police, courts and etc!

It is their strategy to divide and conquer!

I hope all Malaysian will not fall to such stupid strategy of BN!

More prove that UMNO is backing this attack is in the statement of their leaders!

Information, Culture and Communication Minister Rais Yatim (left) has warned errant parties not to trifle with the special position of Islam and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is quoted as saying that he viewed the "Christian agenda" as serious.

Even Najib's faliure to condemn Utusan Malaysia is disappointing and shows that either He can't control his own newspaper or he is part of this attacked!

But what does the real Expert sa

y?

Renowned constitutional expert

Abdul Aziz Bari has dismissed Utusan Malaysia's article on a supposed conspiracy to make Christianity Malaysia's official religion as "ridiculous".

"Constitutionally it is just illogical. It cannot happen, just impossible. Even if Pakatan controlled hundred percent of the Dewan Rakyat.

"Remember that the Senate which has similar powers to the lower house when it comes to constitutional amendments, is not under their control as some of the senators belong to Umno-BN."

He argued that technically the upper house can block the amendment passed by the Dewan Rakyat.

Abdul Aziz (left) contended that the provisions on the subject matters - monarchy, Islam and the Malays - are simply beyond the ordinary political process.

"Under the constitution the Conference of Rulers have the veto power on these matters. Even if Parliament - which means the two houses - pass the amendment it can only take effect if the Rulers agree.

"That is why it is almost impossible to abolish the position of the rulers and Islam."

"In short, actions - both civil and criminal - may be taken against Utusan. There are provisions in the Sedition Act 1948, Printing Presses Act 1984 (publishing false news) and even the Penal Code for the purpose," pointed out the professor.

Sadly this will not happen based on pass experience!

The Penang CM has related the many incidents where Utusan had featured reports of him supposedly challenging the position of Islam.

He reminded journalists on the controversy where he was falsely accused of butchering a cow's head on Hari Raya Qurban - a ritual reserved only for Muslims.

Lim also recalled the time when mosques were reportedly using his name instead of the Agong's - a controversy which he vehemently denied and had since mysteriously died down.

He accused Utusan of continuing to report that the DAP-led Penang government has been disallowing the Prophet Mohammad's birthday procession (Malidur Rasul), when it has been celebrated with greater pomp since it took power in 2008.

"One day they will accuse me of not being a Malaysian, that I was born outside the country... just like how some have accused (US President Barack) Obama," he quipped.

"They had even accused me of wanting to replace the Agong. How can I ever want to be the Agong... they've never apologised to me for all their lies," said Lim.

THIS COMING ELECTION! REMEMBER! VOTE BN OUT IF YOU WANT UTUSAN OUT! BECAUSE UTUSAN IS OWN BY UMNO!!!

For more good reading see here!

and here!

Stupid BN leaders can save RM1 but only want to save 50cents! WHY?!?

By Boo Su-Lyn

May 06, 2011

Jala’s agency commissioned double-page advertorials on the MyEmail project in major newspapers today.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today demanded the government explain why public funds were spent to buy newspaper advertorials defending the 1 Malaysia email project when it was a private initiative.

A two-page advertorial headlined “Truths and Lies about MyEmail” by the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (Pemandu) on the controversial project was published in major newspapers today.

“If it’s a private initiative, then obviously advertisements and [efforts] pushing for its use should be done by the private company, instead of the government,” Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad told The Malaysian Insider today.

“If it’s private, (there) shouldn’t be anything (that’s) spent by the government. To me, it’s propaganda,” the PAS central political bureau member added.

Khalid said Tricubes ought to be the ones promoting its own project. — file pic

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua similarly denounced Pemandu’s advertorial.

“I think it has come to a really silly stage where the government is spending tens of thousands in advertorials to defend a so-called private initiative because ‘Pemandu believes in integrity and transparency’,” said Pua.

“If that’s really the case, then just disclose the request for proposal (RFP) documents from the government as well as the full contract terms and letter of award given to Tricubes. Publish them online and save the tens of thousands of tax-payers’ money,” the Petaling Jaya Utara MP added.

Pemandu refused to divulge the cost of the advertorial when questioned by The Malaysian Insider today.

“We have answered your question... I have nothing to add,” Pemandu corporate communication chief Ku Kok Peng told The Malaysian Insider on the phone.

Pemandu also emailed a statement to The Malaysian Insider and said it commissioned the advertorials to “make sure that the general public is not misinformed by people who distort the truth.”

In the advertorial, Pemandu CEO Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala said Tricubes Bhd would invest 100 per cent of the RM50 million MyEmail project that was conceptualised as an Entry Point Project (EPP) under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

Jala also stressed that the government “will not spend a single sen” in the project’s investment and operating costs.

“On the other hand, it is estimated that the government stands to save at least RM200 million over 10 years,” he said.

He explained that government agencies would make savings of almost 50 per cent by paying 50 sen per email to myemail.my accounts, as government agencies currently paid up to RM1 per mail and RM2 for each returned hardcopy correspondence.

Pua pointed out government agencies should instead encourage the public to register their own email accounts.

“Now you’re paying 50 sen to someone else to send it [electronically]. Why not send it to (email) addresses provided by people and save the entire RM1?” asked Pua.

Pua said the 50 sen per email charge can be avoided entirely. — file pic

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar agreed that Tricubes should be the one promoting the project, instead of Pemandu.

“Pemandu has had a horrible track record with regards to disclosing accurate information about their ongoing initiatives. Smells of rotten bailout if you ask me,” said Nurul Izzah in a text message to The Malaysian Insider.

Pua also questioned why the government conducted a selection process if the project was merely a private initiative.

“If it’s completely private, [they] don’t need to go through Pemandu or Mampu (Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit). Just go to the government department and sell their services,” said Pua.

Jala said today that the selection process was an assessment to find out which company would likely succeed in rolling out the email service.

“Other parties who are not selected or did not submit a proposal earlier can still pursue the opportunity if they see a viable business case for it,” said Jala.

The Malaysian Insider reported last month that several firms were invited to bid for the 1 Malaysia email project last November and demonstrate an eventual 100 per cent take-up rate for the service.

Jala said the project’s KPI to get a 100 per cent take-up rate for those above 18-years-old by 2015 was set by Tricubes itself.

“Tricubes has put a KPI of 100 per cent sign-up as a target and aspiration, though it is voluntary. There is nothing to prevent businesses from putting stretched targets,” said the Pemandu CEO.

He also stressed that the government would not bail out financially-troubled Tricubes should its business fail.

Detractors have questioned why Tricubes, at risk of being delisted after its weak financial standing triggered Bursa Malaysia Securities’ Guidance Note 3 (GN3) in October last year, was tapped to spearhead the project.

“Mampu and GITN’s (Government Integrated Telecommunications Network) selection criteria were best-in-practice technology, sustainable business model, track record and security. Mampu and GITN adjudged that Tricubes met or surpassed these benchmarks,” said Idris.

“They have also clarified with Bursa Malaysia that a GN3 status can affect Tricubes’ listing status, but the company is not prevented from conducting business as usual,” he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said recently that the project will have a gross national income (GNI) impact of RM39 million up to 2015 and allow direct and secure communications between Malaysian citizens and the government.

But critics say the government should focus on infrastructure projects such as providing clean water or broadband across the country rather than a free email service which is already available through other providers.