My Response To The HINDRAF Campaign

I know I promised to come up with a response to Resolving The Malaysian-Indian Issues much earlier.

But I had to ponder deeply on how a Christian Malaysian of South Asian origin, whose ancestors settled in Malaya over six generations ago should respond to issues pertaining to a faction of Hindu Malaysians who have finally voiced their dissatisfaction.

Frankly, I have never experienced much government-institutionalised discrimination. I am reasonably well-educated, wealthy (though I hasten to add, not of TAK-ish proportions), have been places and seen things.

By proxy, HINDRAF marginalises me. But it's not about the group or its leader Uthayakumar, though his leadership has obviously inspired thousands to brave the FRU and its neighbourhood-friendly water-cannons and tear-gas.

He has a following that Samy Vellu can only dream of. That's scary.

Because no one has ever spoken up for the Malaysians of South Asian origin (I deliberately refuse to say 'Indian'. You'll understand why in just a bit). And they sorely needed their cause championed.

Because, like Nate says, "When you’re small, you become a punching bag." And yes, I can appreciate that that was why he walked on that day.

HINDRAF's brand of racist rhetoric is no worse than that of the violence-propagating Kerismudin or the benignly stupid Jamaluddin Jarjis or even the mufti of Perak, Harussani Zakaria.

While those guys may have been ridiculed by the blogosphere, they did not provoke the outrage of the public like HINDRAF did. Why the double standard? Why the calls by Malaysians to send their fellow Malaysians back to India?

Why are the Hindus considered to have gone overboard for their walk and their memo when the Muslims have threatened to start riots and go on killing rampages simply because their rights were questioned?

Why didn't anyone call for the ISA to be used on Kerismuddin for his subtle call to violence when so many want Uthayakumar put away for a long time?

It's racism, and it didn't even start from HINDRAF.

Perhaps no one better sums it up than Farish Noor, who (being in Berlin) is so far in terms of location from Malaysia, yet understands the situation better than anyone else living here.

In The Other Malaysia, he freely admits that:

While the leaders and supporters of Hindraf may have resorted to the politics of race and religious-based communitarianism to further a specific goal in mind, we should not really be surprised if they had done so. This is Malaysia, remember: the same multi-culti country that has been run and governed by the same tired and worn-out coalition of ideologically bankrupt right-wing communitarian race and religious-based parties for half a century. Those fellow Malaysians who marched on Sunday are the children of a nation-building project that has failed utterly and miserably, and they merely reflect the racialised mindset of so many Malaysian politicians today who are no better.

So while we may disagree with the tone and tenor of Hindraf’s communitarian political-speak, let us not miss the wood for the trees. Hindraf did not invent racialised communitarian politics in Malaysia, it was the component of the Barisan Nasional parties that did, and continue to do so.

Hindraf did not begin a new trend of race and religious-based political association and collectivism in Malaysia: it was the older race and religious-based parties and movements like UMNO, PAS and ABIM that did, and continue to do so.

Hindraf did not invent the language of racial and religious identification in Malaysia, for these terms were already hoisted on them and the minority communities of Malaysia by the state, the mainstream media and the conservative reactionary forces in this country long ago. It was the politicians, political analysts, media commentators and communitarian activists who referred, for instance, to the Hindu temples of Malaysia as ‘Indian temples’; and who continue to refer to Malaysians of South Asian origin as ‘Indians’ or the ‘Indian community’.

For the information of all and sundry, those temples that were bulldozed were not ‘Indian temples’ but Malaysian temples, built on Malaysian soil, frequented by Malaysians, paid for by Malaysians and they were part of the Malaysian landscape. There are no ‘Indian Temples’ in Malaysia- Indian temples exist in India and if you don’t believe me then fly to India and check them out yourself. Likewise the only ‘Indians’ in Malaysia are the tourists, expats and workers who come from India and happen to be Indian nationals bearing Indian passports. Those Hindus who marched in the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Sunday happen to be Malaysians like you.

And because I too am Malaysian, I will champion the cause of the downtrodden and those who have been kicked around for too long.

Not because the blog-lords or their commenters approve, but because it is only the right thing to do.

USA: Freedom Of Expression

US defends peaceful protests in Malaysia

WASHINGTON: The United States underscored on Wednesday the rights of Malaysians to hold peaceful protests, after Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's government swiftly suppressed mass rallies and threatened to use a draconian law to detain protesters indefinitely without trial.

We believe citizens of any country should be allowed to peacefully assemble and express their views," a US State Department official said when commenting on the crackdown of unprecedented street protests in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur this month.

One called for electoral reform which drew some 30,000 people, and another by at least 8,000 ethnic Indians last Sunday was aimed at highlighting racial discrimination.

The rallies were the biggest in a decade and took place despite bans ordered by police, who broke up the gatherings with tear gas, water cannons and baton charges.

The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not go beyond his succinct statement, which was the first reaction by Washington on the rare outpouring of anti-government dissent in Malaysia.

The protests led to a veiled threat by Abdullah on Tuesday to use the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA) that allows for detention without trial to stem the dissent.

Rights groups, who have campaigned to have the ISA abolished, cautioned the prime minister against using such laws.

"It is a huge mistake for Prime Minister Abdullah to even consider using this unjust law to crack down on peaceful demonstrators," said T Kumar, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific advocacy director in Washington.

"We strongly urge him not to use it." Amnesty has also called on the US authorities to check whether excessive force was used in quelling the recent demonstrations and to oppose any use of the ISA against peaceful protests, he said.

Abdullah argued that the ISA was "a preventive measure to spare the nation from untoward incidents that can harm the prevailing peace and harmony and create all sorts of adverse things."

"So, I don't know (when to invoke the ISA), but ISA will be there. When it is appropriate to use it, it will be used," he said.

Malaysia is holding more than 100 people under the ISA, about 80 of them alleged Islamic militants. Rights groups have long campaigned for them to be freed or brought to trial.

The legislation allows for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely. The government maintains that detention without trial is needed as a first line of defence against terrorism.

US intelligence consultancy Stratfor, in a bulletin to clients this week, said the Malaysian demonstrations signaled "instability" ahead of national elections expected early next year.

"The recent demonstrations signal chaos and unpredictability to come before elections are announced, but Badawi's grip on internal security is not going to loosen any time soon," it said.

Barisan Nasional's Bomb

It was not the least bit unexpected.

In fact, a friend and I were discussing it over fries and ice-cream at McDonald's only a week or two ago.

It's a tough world, and in spite of their blatant incompetence, Barisan Nasional does know how to play its cards.

The Works Minister has just announced that the new National Palace a.k.a. Istana Negara will not cost RM1 billion after all. It will just cost about RM600 million or thereabouts.

To read the whole article, go to Twisting and Turning by Raja Petra Kamarudin.

This is the ploy by the BN government.

All this while, the Agong has lived his life in relative obscurity. He performs his functions, the occasional ribbon-cutting, officiating, but mostly akin to what the Royals in the UK do.

He does not involve himself in politics for his dos and don'ts are bound by Constitution. And he certainly does not issue press statements, which can be a difficult situation as people take it upon themselves to misrepresent him.

Due to our sorry state of politics, BERSIH decided that the only party to approach to remedy this situation was the Agong. And that's when the limelight fell on him.

So now the BN goons want to drop a bomb on the head of every other normal citizen who works hard and pay taxes. They innocently drop juicy bits of information about how much expenses the Agong incurs.

Perhaps a mention or two about him being an equestrian, and how much it costs to own a horse and maintain it. A tidbit about the palace being renovated. Maybe a sports car. Heck, maybe even an overseas trip.

BN wants to show us "class". It points out the disparity between our lifestyle and the Agong. Of course, this the right time for the politicians to come down to ground level and portray themselves as the ordinary joe-next-door.

So right now, BN is banking on the citizens balking at the amount of expense an Agong incurs.

We're supposed to panic.

We're supposed to say, "No way, Jose!" And our allegiance and love for the Agong will miraculously melt away and we will be filled with scorn.

Well, not all endings follow the script. Certainly not Barisan Nasional's.

Firstly, this particular Agong has carried himself with honour and elegance. Secondly, unlike BN, the citizens have some measure of regard for the Constitution.

So drop the bomb all you like, BN. It ain't gonna faze us one bit.

Resolving The Malaysian-Indian Issues

I will post my response to this tomorrow.

--------------------

The Hindraf Campaign: A Critique – Dr. Kumar of Parti Sosialis Malaysia

Thousands of Malaysian Indians from all over the country are responding to Hindraf’s campaign. SMS messages are being amplified and sent out by the hundreds, petition forms are being signed, funds have been collected, and there is a massive mobilization to present a memorandum to the British High Commission on Sunday 25th November 2007.


All this highlights the extent to which Malaysian Indians have been neglected and marginalized by the policies of the Barisan Nasional government. It shows the level of frustration and resentment within the community.

Many friends and contacts have been asking what is the Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s stand on the Hindraf Campaign? Why is the PSM not organizing buses to support the program on the 25/11/07? The main points of the PSM stand are outlined below –

1. It is undeniable that Indians in Malaysia face racial discrimination.

- difficulty in getting government jobs;

- lack of special programs for Indian students from poor backgrounds;

- the poor state of many Tamil Primary Schools;

- absence of laws to protect the estate community when they are evicted in the name of development; Ditto for the peneroka bandar;

- insensitive handling of Hindu Temples which are demolished to make way for “development”;

- extremely insensitive handling of cases of Indian individuals caught in “inter-faith” situations for example Moorthy, Subashini, and others;

- the negative profiling of Indian youth by the police and other authorities as “gangsters” and the harsh treatment of these youth when caught by police;

These are just some aspects of the reality of Indians in Malaysia. Indians are made to feel that they are second-class citizens, and after 50 years of Merdeka they are beginning to resent it more and more!


2. Ethnic based mobilization is relatively easy to do. Malaysian society has been tutored in racial politics by the BN parties (as well as by some opposition parties also) for the past 5 decades. The vast majority of Malaysians think in ethnic terms. However ethnic based mobilization of Indians will not be able to overcome the racial discrimination that Indians face. At this point Hindraf is asking for

- Cessation of the Bumiputra policy

- Institution of affirmative policies for Malaysian Indians

- Monetary compensation from the British Government for “leaving us in this mess”!

These are emotive issues, and it is obvious that many Malaysian Indians have responded to them. But is even remotely possible that they can be attained by ethnic based mobilization of the Indians who make up only 7% of the population?

3. We should not forget that apart from racial discrimination, the majority of Indians face economic discrimination because they are workers in a system that favours the businessmen and the capitalists. About 70% of Malaysian Indians are workers. The problem they face as workers include

- low wages. In many factories the basic pay in RM 18 per day, which works out to RM 468 per month.

- There is no job security. Outsourcing, the widespread use of contract workers, and the easy availability of migrant workers all weaken the bargaining position of Malaysian labour.

- Labour laws are being tightened and being made more pro management;

- Low cost adequate housing is difficult to find.

- Prices of goods is rising faster than wages! Petrol, toll and now flour.

- Basic services – health care, education, roads, water - which used to be heavily subsidized are now becoming increasingly expensive;

The problems listed above are also experienced by workers of all races in Malaysia – even the Malays, who are the beneficiaries of the Bumiputra policies. Only about 20% of Malay workers have jobs in government. The remainder have to work in the private sector where they too experience economic discrimination as workers in a capitalist economy. Malays workers are not exempted from the problems of low wages, job insecurity, rising costs of basic services, etc.

4. It appears that that some sections of working class Malays are beginning to question the Bumiputra policy which has benefited the UMNO-putra and their cronies far far more than the average Malay worker. Consider the following -

- the Mat Rempit phenomena. Isn’t this, in part, an expression of the frustration and resentment of ordinary Malay youth who are having difficulties finding and holding jobs because of the low-wage and migrant labour policies of the BN government;

- more than 50% of the 40,000 Bersih demonstration on 10/11/07 was made of Malay youth who were not from PAS or KeAdilan. They turned up because they are fed-up with the government which is only helping a small sector of Malay elite.

- Anwar Ibrahim has been openly calling for the ending of the Bumiputra Policy which he claims only helps the rich UMNO politicians. He wants a new policy – the Agenda Baru - that is based on economic need and not on race. All poor Malaysians should get government help.

- PAS spearheaded the Protes Coalition which opposed the hikes in Petrol and Diesel prices. They are also active in the Coalitions against Health and Water privatization.

Anwar is an astute politican, and PAS does have close contact with the Malay community. Their articulation of such issues must mean that in their assessment, ordinary Malays are resentful of government policies that favour the rich.


5. The political choice facing Malaysian Indians is simple. Do we

1. mobilize ourselves as Indians to fight the Bumiputra policy and ask for affirmative action for Indians?

OR

2. Work towards a working class coalition that fights for a better deal for all ordinary Malaysians irrespective of race?

In other words, do we use ethnic based mobilization or class based mobilisation to fight the present state of ethnic discrimination of Indians?


6. Obviously 1000’s of Indians have jumped into the Hindraf bandwagon of ethnic mobilization. But the support of large numbers does not necessarily mean that that campaign is in the long term interest of the Indians in Malaysia. Nor does it mean that it is likely to succeed!

The PSM salutes all those who have thrown off their apathy to stand up for their rights despite the threats being made by the BN government in the media. However, action for action’s sake is never enough. Action must be guided by the correct analysis, and this is where we differ with Hindraf. Though Hindraf leaders have made sacrifices, and have shown courage, we believe that they are inadvertently playing into the hands of the “enemy”. Why?


7. Who are the major beneficiaries of the Bumiputra policy? Surely people like Najib, Hishamuddin, Khairi and other top UMNO leaders must be very uncomfortable with growing perception among the ordinary Malays that the Bumiputra Policy has been abused to make a small group of Malays filthy rich – all in the name of uplifting all Malays. These UMNO leaders are also worried about the coming elections for the people are frustrated with price hikes and corruption. Ethnic mobilization on the part of Hindraf would provide them with the perfect opportunity to

- resurrect the “Ketuanan Melayu” issue. They could use Hindraf’s demands to abolish the NEP as an example of how “lebih” the Indians have become, and of the importance to band together under UMNO for race and country!!

- Use some of the gangster groups associated with UMNO to provoke a racial incident that will come very useful for BN in the election campaign period. The old BN argument that we have to vote BN to avoid another May 13!


8. This does not mean that the PSM is advocating not fighting back when Indians are evicted or when houses and temples are torn down. Not at all. The PSM track record on this is clear – we have gone to stand with the people facing eviction and bullying by developers or the government in many estates and Peneroka Bandar kampungs. But we never have generalized this into an ethnic issue for all the reasons listed above.

This local fight-backs must continue whenever any community is faced with bullying by developers or government. But national level mobilization should be of all ordinary Malaysians (from all races) and not of Indians only!

We hope these brief explanations make sense to you. Do not retire from the struggle! Just reorient it to make it multi-racial and fight for the justice of all the ordinary people of Malaysia!

Making All The Dumb Moves

I have lost count of the number of times I watched this video.



Judging by the way the police handled this event, it is evident the Malaysian government hasn't learned anything at all. This exemplifies the reason why it is so unqualified to lead a nation which is desperate for change.

In my honest opinion, the Malaysian government has played into the protestors hands. They have been taken in - hook, line and sinker.

To begin with, the premise for suing the British government was ludicrous. Firstly, a class action suit almost never wins. Secondly, the notion of demanding the Queen appoint counsel against herself is ridiculous.

Thirdly, there is no way of distributing the money to every Indian in the country, should they by some twist of fate, win their bizarre lawsuit.

Initially, I never took it seriously. It appeared to be some ploy by a bloke with too much time on his hands and too little to do. But men in that situation usually back off when pressure is applied and make a quick disappearing act.

Not this HINDRAF dude.

He was obviously anticipating some form of government intervention in the form of an arrest (which didn't surprise any of us) and so took action to ensure someone else could lead in his absence.

Today's protest made me think. What was the purpose behind this protest? Simply to hand a memorandum to the British government to be imminently (in my opinion) filed under "No Further Action"?

If the government had allowed this group to march unhindered to the British High Commission, it would have been a very disappointing outcome.

There might have been a tiny little column in the International Herald Tribune about our "democratic" ways.

Al-Jazeera would have likely ignored us.

And the Washington Post wouldn't have even bat an eyelid.

But no. They had to kick up a fuss. Do it communist-dictatorship style. Fire tear-gas, spray chemical-laced water from a cannon, make violent arrests, swagger around and shout threats. Make it look like a street battle.

I swear the authorities act worse than our worst hooligans. I'm sure the Mafia get personal training from them.

And so, all the above mentioned news-sites got more than a whiff of our shenanigans. WE EVEN ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF THE WASHINGTON POST, DAMMIT!!! And of course, our front page spot on Al-Jazeera :)

And then, we made the news in Canada, UK, Australia, China, India, Thailand, Italy, Iran, Estonia, South Africa, Bulgaria, Azerbajian, Ireland, Turkey and god-knows-where-else.

Heck, there are over 150 articles dedicated to reporting on HINDRAF's protest! And it sure as hell makes the government, with all its claims of democracy look very bad indeed.

To me, this sorry handling of protests and rallies signifies the incompetence and desperation of the Malaysian government. They are aware that the only reason they can stay in power is by dodgy elections, racial sentiments and a facade of peace.

The infamous "Pantang Dicabar" remark sounds so impotent now.

It's obviously going to take much more than dirty tricks to convince the public of a re-election.

Police Tear-Gas And Spray Chemicals On Protestors

There's much more action down at the frontlines. Al-Jazeera has the news: Ethnic Indians protest in Malaysia

Evidently, this time, the crowd has been generously returning the tear-gas cannisters to the FRU who have launched or fired it at them. :)

"It's really quite phenomenal scenes, given that this is a country that claims to be an open democracy."

- Hamish MacDonald, Al-Jazeera.

I reckon you haven't seen much of those in your career, mate. I've lived here 28 years and this is the first time I'm seeing them.

Oh... and what democracy??



There is nothing complicated about this situation. All the protestors want to do is march peacefully to the British High Commission to deliver their memorandum, after which they will definitely disperse.

I have it on good knowledge that every single road leading into the city is jammed for miles because of roadblocks and FRU units cordoning off the area!

And the only reason why this persists is because the police (as ordered by the ineffectual government) are preventing the protestors from doing what they want and need to do.

In other words, the completely unnecessary traffic jam, destruction and mounting violence stems SOLELY from the government itself and its obvious inability to govern a nation.

I'm fairly certain this protest is going to turn bloody.

Washington Post On HINDRAF Rally

You know you've finally made it big when you catch the attention of the Washington Post.

And finally, we did - with the HINDRAF protest.

No matter who gets thrown behind bars, or injured, the world has seen the Malaysian communist-dictatorship government for what it is - a despicable, selfish, corrupted and evil organisation.


In its report, the Washington Post (courtesy of Reuters) makes some astute observations which were once merely internal knowledge.

Excerpts:

Police had taken the unusual step of securing a court order preventing anyone from attending the rally. Offenders, including journalists, could face more serious penalties than would be the case under laws against illegal assembly.

The Internal Security Ministry has instructed the local press to refrain from reporting about the banned rally.

Malaysia bans public assemblies of more than five people without a police permit. In practice, police deny permits to anti-government protests but often issue them for protests aimed at foreign governments, such as the United States.

Yes. The glaring double-standard shines through. How come there was suddenly complete disregard for safety and public inconvenience such as traffic jams when UMNO Youth protested Condoleeza Rice's presence??

The ethnic Indian group's core complaint, that the current government has done little to better the community's standard of living, has riled the administration, which only two weeks ago cracked down on a protest by about 10,000 people demanding electoral reform.

It certainly riled the administration which set about finding reasons to arrest the leaders of this protest, blocking roads on a grand scale (which caused humongous traffic jams) to punish the citizens who are sympathetic to protests and even condone them.

Oh, and this is democracy, Malaysian style.

Media Gag On HINDRAF Protest

Now why am I not surprised??

These are necessary measures for the Malaysian communist-dictatorship government to survive.


Media gagged over another rally
23 November 2007
Source: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)

Malaysian's Internal Security Ministry has instructed the local press to refrain from reporting about a banned rally in the capital Kuala Lumpur on 25 November 2007, which is seeking the Queen of England's help in a class-action suit against Her Majesty's government.

At least one newsroom received the order from a ministry official through telephone on 22 November, an industry source who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal told the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), a SEAPA partner based in Kuala Lumpur.

A similar gag order was issued over another rally held on 10 November, which saw thousands of Malaysians in a rare exercise of their right to assembly, to petition Malaysia's Supreme Monarch for free and fair elections.

The press may well be compelled to obey the order again, bound as it is by the licensing conditions stipulated in the 1987 Printing Presses and Publications Act. The government, however, appeared not to have learnt anything from the previous restriction which resulted in the mainstream media showing up poorly in the eyes of the thousands who were at the rally, and compared against the many reports, photographs and videos found in blogs and websites.

HINDRAF Gets International Publicity

The publicity is massive.

You don't even need a PR Officer for this with the Malaysian tin-pot-dictatorship government doing such a splendid job of it.


From the International Herald Tribune to BBC and heaps of other news sites online, as of now, over 50 articles have been dedicated to this protest, which contrary to public opinion is NOT against the British, but the Malaysian tin-pot-dictatorship government.

Heck, this is the news that sells.

Malaysian curiosity has been piqued.

What is the government trying to hide? Why the overwhelming effort to stop this gathering which is supposed to be peaceful.

Ethnic Indians, mainly Hindus, form one of Malaysia's largest minority groups. Activists say more than two-thirds of them live in poverty, partly because they are deprived of opportunities by affirmative action policies that favor the ethnic Malay Muslim majority.

There will undoubtedly be violence. After all, what does one Indian death - or for that matter 100 Indian deaths - matter? No one cares.

But the world will be watching.

Related:
Malaysia Hindu activists arrested - British Broadcasting Corporation

Police Reaction To HINDRAF Rally

One word: INTIMIDATION

The Malaysian tin-pot-dictatorship government is over-reacting as usual.

Motorists of Indian ethnicity are being harrassed by the police at road blockades. There are traffic jams at every entry into the city.

It's a peaceful rally, for the love of God.

The only violence I expect to see is from the jack-booted thugs, more commonly known here as the police.

And of course, the organisers have been duly arrested.

From theSun:

Three arrested over planned Hindraf rally

PETALING JAYA (Nov 23, 2007): Police have arrested three key officials of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that is planning to go ahead with a mass rally on Sunday outside the British High Commission in Jalan Ampang although police had rejected their application to do so.

They are expected to be charged under the Sedition Act later today.

The three men are:
> Hindraf adviser, lawyer P. Uthayakumar, who was picked up at his office in Bangsar at about 10.30am
> Hindraf chairman, lawyer P. Waythamoorthy (Uthayakumar's brother), who was arrested at the Shah Alam toll plaza about 3pm
> V. Ganapathy Rao, who was arrested when he went to the Selangor police headquarters to see Uthayakumar about 2.45pm

Lawyer N. Surendran went to Selangor IPK in Shah Alam about 2.45pm when Uthayakumar was taken there by a police team. He was accompanied by Ganapathy Rao and Parti Keadilan Rakyat supreme council member S. Manickavasagam.

However, when Surendran came out 20 minutes later, he told reporters that Ganapathy Rao had been arrested as well.

He said he was informed by a police officer with the rank of Assistant Commissioner that the three men would be charged in Klang later today.

Outside the IPK grounds, about 200 people had gathered and when the police car carrying Uthayakumar drove past the gate, shouts rang out and some rapped on the car window. Several empty mineral water bottles were also thrown at the car.

On Monday, a police team had raided Uthayakumar’s law office with a warrant, in search of a publication that he had authored. They found nothing there.

Simultaneously, another team searched Waythamoorthy's office in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, where some 2,500 booklets, pertaining to a suit that Hindraf had taken against the British government, were seized.

Hindraf planned Sunday's gathering to hand a memorandum addressed to the Queen of England to support a class-action suit against Her Majesty’s government for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years. It is seeking RM27.7 trillion in compensation. According to Manickavasagam, the rally will go on despite the arrests.

Yesterday, for the second day running, police security checks at a number of roads into Kuala Lumpur caused traffic congestion.

Earlier today, lawyer M. Manoharan told theSun police had served him, Uthayakumar and several other Hindraf officials a restraining order to stop them from participating in the rally.

Police got the order from the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court, which also restrains all Hindraf supporters from participating in the gathering, which police said could disrupt public order.

The only disruption I can think of is the police themselves, and their juvenile roadblocks.

Now there is a motive behind this strategy. Read The Malaysian for his brilliant take on why these blockades have been put up.

Sieg Heil!

Truth & Justice?

Truth and justice are no longer Malaysian way
Michael Backman
November 21, 2007

Recent street protests have highlighted the self-serving nature of Malaysia's Government.

THE Government of Australia will probably change hands this weekend. There will be no arrests, no tear gas and no water cannons. The Government of John Howard will leave office, the Opposition will form a government and everyone will accept the verdict.

For this, every Australian can feel justifiably proud. This playing by the rules is what has made Australia rich and a good place in which to invest. It is a country to which people want to migrate; not leave.

Now consider Malaysia. The weekend before last, up to 40,000 Malaysians took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur to protest peacefully against the judiciary's lack of independence, electoral fraud, corruption and a controlled media.

In response, they were threatened by the Prime Minister, called monkeys by his powerful son-in-law, and blasted with water cannons and tear gas. And yet the vast majority of Malaysians do not want a change of government. All they want is for their government to govern better.

Both Malaysia and Australia have a rule of law that's based on the English system. Both started out as colonies of Britain. So why is Malaysia getting it so wrong now?

Malaysia's Government hates feedback. Dissent is regarded as dangerous, rather than a product of diversity. And like the wicked witch so ugly that she can't stand mirrors, the Government of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi controls the media so that it doesn't have to see its own reflection.

Demonstrations are typically banned. But what every Malaysian should know is that in Britain, Australia and other modern countries, when people wish to demonstrate, the police typically clear the way and make sure no one gets hurt. The streets belong to the people. And the police, like the politicians, are their servants. It is not the other way around.

But increasingly in Malaysia, Malaysians are being denied a voice — especially young people.

Section 15 of Malaysia's Universities and University Colleges Act states that no student shall be a member of or in any manner associate with any society, political party, trade union or any other organisation, body or group of people whatsoever, be it in or outside Malaysia, unless it is approved in advance and in writing by the vice-chancellor.

Nor can any student express or do anything that may be construed as expressing support, sympathy or opposition to any political party or union. Breaking this law can lead to a fine, a jail term or both.

The judiciary as a source of independent viewpoints has been squashed. The previous prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, did many good things for Malaysia, but his firing of the Lord President (chief justice) and two other Supreme Court judges in 1988 was an unmitigated disaster. Since then, what passes for a judiciary in Malaysia has been an utter disgrace and the Government knows it.

Several years ago, Daim Zainuddin, the country's then powerful finance minister, told me that judges in Malaysia were idiots. Of course we want them to be biased, he told me, but not that biased.

Rarely do government ministers need to telephone a judge and demand this or that verdict because the judges are so in tune with the Government's desires that they automatically do the Government's beckoning.

Just how appalling Malaysia's judiciary has become was made clear in recent weeks with the circulation of a video clip showing a senior lawyer assuring someone by telephone that he will lobby the Government to have him made Lord President of the Supreme Court because he had been loyal to the Government. That someone is believed to have been Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim, who did in fact become Lord President.

A protest march organised by the Malaysian Bar Council was staged in response to this, and corruption among the judiciary in general. But the mainstream Malaysian media barely covered the march even though up to 2000 Bar Council members were taking part. Reportedly, the Prime Minister's office instructed editors to play down the event.

Instead of a free media, independent judges and open public debate, Malaysians are given stunts — the world's tallest building and most recently, a Malaysian cosmonaut. Essentially, they are given the play things of modernity but not modernity itself.

Many senior Malays are absolutely despairing at the direction of their country today. But with the media tightly controlled they have no way of getting their views out to their fellow countrymen. This means that most Malaysians falsely assume that the Malay elite is unified when it comes to the country's direction.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a former finance minister and today still a member of the Government, told me several weeks ago in Kuala Lumpur that he could see no reason why today Malaysia could not have a completely free media, a completely independent judiciary and that corrupt ministers and other officials should be publicly exposed and humiliated.

According to Tengku Razaleigh, all of the institutions designed to make Malaysia's Government accountable and honest have been dismantled or neutered.

It didn't need to be like this. Malaysia is not North Korea or Indonesia. It is something quite different. Its legal system is based on British codes. Coupled with traditional Malay culture, which is one of the world's most hospitable, decent and gentle cultures, Malaysia has the cultural and historical underpinnings to become one of Asia's most civilised, rules-based, successful societies.

Instead, Malaysia's Government is incrementally wasting Malaysia's inheritance.

Proton's Mounting Woes...

The poor bastards. They can't seem to do anything right.

In my personal opinion, Proton (better known as 'Potong') should have keeled over and croaked long ago if not for the faithful taxpayers, who have been resuscitating it repeatedly.

And hence it continues to live on like a sick, gasping frog.


Lately, Proton shares slid to its lowest level in nearly seven years Wednesday after the government said it has stopped talking with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Corp. about strategic tie-ups.

I can imagine why.

VW & GM: Stop that asinine affirmative action crap that's going on and hire some people based on meritocracy, you fools!

Potong: No way! It's my way or the highway!

VW & GM: It's been nice knowing you. Take a hike.

Money-losing Proton had been in talks with those two companies to help reverse its fortunes - in other words stop losing money.

Proton reported a loss of 591 million ringgit in the 2007 financial year. However, due to political interests, there are no plans to close up and bid farewell for good. Guess who is going to fund it?

Sigh. To think my hard-earned tax money goes to this.

Obviously, Proton needs to take drastic measures to get itself out of the doggy-do it's in - get creative even.

So it lifts its eyes and looks to Mecca. Lo and behold, Inspiration hit like a ton of bricks!

An 'Islamic' car!! What a wonderful concept! A genuine idea! A brainwave!!

If you believe it.

That would appease Muslim fundamentalists, but hardly the economy, unfortunately.

Asia Sentinel has an interesting opinion on Proton's latest bout of creativity.

Excerpts:

But as with everything in Malaysia, politics plays a more important role than economics in industrial policy.

Although a foreign partner could very well increase production capacity to around 350,000 units a year and lower production costs, the old bosses of the United Malays National Organisation, don’t want to give the facilities away to foreign partners, Islamic or otherwise.

International Herald Tribune had an equally scathing article on Potong, but when I looked again, I couldn't seem to locate the page.


Everytime I click on it, I only get this notice: Page Not Found.


It certainly makes me suspicious - did the Malaysian communist-dictatorship government get its proverbial knickers in a knot over this truthful but not necessarily kind report and demand its withdrawal?

All this bad publicity isn't helping Proton's sorry situation.

Not that it has any plans to fix itself in a hurry.

According to The Star, no specific timeframe will be given to the management of Proton Holdings Bhd to turn the national carmaker around.

Yeah, they'll just use the everlasting government funds.

More taxpayer money down the drain.

GIANT Size Helping Of Racism

Now this is a force to be reckoned with.

Indians are naturally emotional especially when it revolves around religion and their culture, which they deem sacred.

It appears that a bunch of racist security idiots from Giant hypermarket roughed up a 23 year old and relieved him of his religious items, all the while hurling abuse.

Pushed to the very extreme corner, Indians now have nothing to lose.

For now they look peaceful.

But if these abusive racists continue this type of bullying, it could start a very bloody massacre indeed.

He Says "What Rigging?"

The bravado displayed is highly amusing. The Election Commision Chairman even wagers his job!!!

Of course, he will ONLY resign if there is court-proven evidence.

Yeah, that's the catch.

Firstly, we don't have an independent judiciary. In any case, I certainly don't have any confidence in it.

Secondly, the "illegal" rally was held last Saturday, 10th November. Today is the 20th of November. That's exactly 10 days. 10 whole days.

Was that how long it took to run through every little bit of evidence, burn it, destroy it completely and bury it so no one ever gets a whiff of the truth?

And then declare confidently (it was more of a challenge, really) 10 days later that there was nothing that could be used against him in court?

It's embarrassing. Does he really think we're that stupid??

PUTRAJAYA: Show me evidence of election rigging and I will resign, Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman has told his detractors.

He said he was very sad whenever accusations were levelled against the commission, particularly at an illegal rally organised by non-governmental organisation Bersih on Nov 10 calling for fair and just elections.

“If they will show me evidence that the commission has rigged elections, then I will – in fact, all members of the commission – will resign.

“But it must be evidence proven in court and not slogans shouted in the streets,” he told reporters after receiving a report from the election watchdog group Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) at his office here yesterday.

He also said that some of the suggestions contained in the memorandum, such as asking for the abolition of postal votes, should have been channelled to the right government agency.

“These are structural reforms beyond the commission because postal votes are guaranteed under the Federal Constitution. Nevertheless, starting from this year, the Prime Minister has kindly consented for party agents to be present during postal voting,” he said.

Abdul Rashid said every election organised by the commission had been carried out fairly and freely within the law, which also formed the basis of the report by Mafrel.

“Mafrel has monitored the three by-elections in Ijok, Batu Talam and Machap, as well as the Sarawak state elections. It has concluded that despite some minor mistakes and weaknesses, the commission had done very well.

Every election carried out freely and fairly??

Pull the other leg mate, it's got bells on it.

MIC Offers Advice

Nothing could possibly be more amusing than the notion of MIC trying to resolve issues pertaining to Indians in Malaysia.

As lap dogs of UMNO, they are only there to appease the public demand for racial representation.

MIC: Ignore calls to attend rally

KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community has been advised to ignore calls by certain groups urging them to attend a rally at the British High Commission this Sunday to protest against the demolition of an Indian temple in Klang.

MIC secretary-general Datuk S. Veerasingam said the party had informed its members not to attend the gathering. He claimed the event was being held for the benefit of the Opposition.

”There are SMSes calling participants to go against the authorities. Such matters will create a tense situation and innocent people will get caught while the perpetrators will walk free,” he added.

Veerasingam said the MIC would discuss what action to take against its members who attend the gathering. He added that several social activists had acted irresponsibly by inciting the Indian community to hate the Government.

“These people are not assisting the Government in solving problems affecting the Indian community. We have no problem with social activists. But this past week, the community has been confused by the actions of this group, including four lawyers, which we believe will only help the Opposition,” said Veerasingam at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

He added that problems could be settled through proper channels in the coalition government.

Police Raid HINDRAF

Now if you remember, I found the thought of HINDRAF filing a lawsuit against the British government a hoot.

I've since changed my mind and am willing to take them more seriously since the government has as well.

By the way, the definition of sedition according to our communist-dictatorship government is "anything that we don't approve of".

Police raid offices of two Hindraf lawyers
Soon Li Tsin
Nov 19, 07 4:21pm

The police raided two offices belonging to lawyers P Uthayakumar and his brother Waythamoorthy to search for a book deemed seditious under the Sedition Act.

Five police officers conducted a search of Uthayakumar' s office in Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, while about 10 officers were at Waythamoorthy' s office in Seremban, Negri Sembilan. The raids were carried outsimultaneously at around 3.30pm.

The police teams, from the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, obtained a search warrant under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 from a magistrate's court for the publication entitled '*50 Years of Violation of the Federal Constitution by the Malaysian Government'* .

The 41-page booklet gives a detailed account of issues discussed by the Reid Commission at every meeting and memoranda submitted by various organisations in the run-up to the framing of the Federal Constitution.

The police officers spent about an hour at Uthayakumar's office before leaving at about 4.30pm without seizing anything.

*'Did not find anything'*

I know it isn't necessarily a pertinent comment, but "duh"!!!

The only instance I expect the Malaysian police to find anything is when they physically bring the "offending" object into the place, plant it under some random files and hey presto! - "accidentally" find it there.

When contacted, the lawyer said: "They did not find anything. I only saw one of them taking pictures of my signboard."

The brothers lead the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which recently filed a class-action suit against the British government for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years.

The quantum being sought is US$4 trillion (RM14 trillion) - or US$1 million for every Indian currently residing in Malaysia.

Hindraf is scheduled to hold a rally outside the British High Commission on Sunday and to hand over a petition asking Queen Elizabeth to appoint her Queen's Counsel and solicitors to represent the minority Indians.

Offences under Section 4(1)(c) for printing, publishing, distributing or reproducing any seditious publication is punishable with a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or by a jail sentence not exceeding three years, or to both.

I think these HINDRAF blokes have something going, they just need some guidance.

HINDRAF's Letter To The Queen

Near-slavery conditions. :)


Click on image to enlarge.

The ISA Threat!

And the threat has been declared, ladies and gentlemen! The fearsome ISA is being used to scare Malaysians crapless again.


It is very evident that the government is in state of frenzy! Every lie they provide seems to be met with contradictory proof.

And after all these years, the silly Malaysians refuse to have their legs pulled anymore,damn them!

The government is confident that Saturday's street protest will not deteriorate into a situation that will require the government to enforce the Internal Security Act (ISA), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

"Hopefully not. For as long as the people observe the laws of the nation, we will be able to manage the situation," he told reporters after launching the CIMB Foundation here.

Najib who was responding to a question whether the government would resort to using the ISA to curtail street rallies if the situation worsens in the near future, again appealed to Malaysians to observe the law and avoid participating in illegal gatherings.

In other words, "do as we say and we won't haul your ass to jail regardless of whether your actions are legitimate or not."

He also stressed that the government would continue to act in accordance with the law in dealing with such situations, regardless of the criticism that the government was preventing people from voicing their views.

"As far as the government is concerned, we and the police will apply the law.

"We have to manage things in a way that people will have continued confidence in the government."

You gotta be kidding. Since when did anyone have confidence in the government?? That's a chronic case of denial, if I've ever seen one.

Najib said what was important was for the government to protect the interest of the masses and to provide them a sense of security and that everything was under control.

"We'll not let people exploit things, because we do not want anything to deteriorate into becoming uncontrollable or cause racial tension."

In other words, UMNO has sole and exclusive rights to racism. Spiffy.

Fooling The Public

By Raja Petra Kamarudin of Malaysia Today

What the eye does not see

Now you see it, now you don’t. Yes, people like David Copperfield make a very good living doing silap mata. The English call it magic. Actually it is more a sleight of hand. The hand moves faster than the eye, they always say, so while they make you focus on one hand, the other hand does the ‘magic’ trick. Malays call it silap mata, which translates literally to ‘fault of the eye’. Whatever it may be, and whatever language you are comfortable with, the main gist to the whole thing is: what you see is not what you get -- or in ‘computer language’, WYSINWYG.

And today the Government of Malaysia tried doing a David Copperfield on us.

“Tuanku Mizan Regrets Claims He Supports Illegal Rally,” screamed the Bernama headlines. The Malay version said, “Tuanku Mizan Kesal Dakwaan Baginda Sokong Perhimpunan Haram.” Both versions can be read below.

Wow! To the layman this sounds very serious indeed. A very ‘high-ranking’ Istana Negara official named Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan and going by the title of Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja has issued a statement of behalf of The Agong. Who is this guy anyway?

Well, this guy holds the position that Jeanne Danker used to hold before she dislodged the Raja Permaisuri Agong to become Malaysia’s so-called ‘First Lady’. Actually, the Prime Minister’s wife is maybe the ‘22nd Lady’ after the Raja Permaisuri Agong, the consorts of the nine State Rulers, the four Undangs, the four Governors, followed by the few ex-Raja Permaisuri Agong still living. But the government-controlled media would like us to believe that the Federal Constitution of Malaysia is wrong in placing 21 other ladies above the Prime Minister’s wife.

This Wan Safiain chappie hails from Terengganu and works for the Prime Minister’s Department. In fact, the entire office of the Istana Negara comes under the Prime Minister’s Department. I remember relating an incident which happened way back in November 1999, a few days before the Tenth General Election.

In November 1999, I was tasked with the job of delivering a letter from Barisan Alternatif to the Istana Negara requesting an audience with The Agong then, my uncle. I delivered the letter at noon on Friday and went off to the mosque for my Friday prayers. When I went back to the office around 2.30pm there was a reply waiting for me in the fax machine turning down our request for an audience, with a suggestion that we try again after the general election. Our letter was addressed to The Agong. The reply came from the Prime Minister’s Department. The Agong never got to see the letter and was not even aware that one had been sent. And that was probably the fastest reply ever from a government department in Malaysia’s entire history.

So now we know how the Istana Negara office works. The office comes under the Prime Minister’s Department and the people in that office are planted there by the Prime Minister’s Department to be the eyes, ears and sometimes mouth of the government as well. And today we saw an example of how it has become the mouth of the government. Today’s announcement by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, not the Keeper of the Royal Seal but the Keeper of the Royal Linen a la Jeanne Danker before she became ‘First Lady’, is a prime example of how these plants from the Prime Minister’s Department are the eyes, ears and mouth of the government.

That is why it was not wise to quietly deliver the BERSIH Memorandum to The Agong. If that had been done, then the Memorandum would have been hijacked and would have been diverted to the Prime Minister’s Department instead -- and The Agong would have never seen it. And that was also why it was necessary for 100,000 citizens to march to the Istana Negara to ‘escort’ the Memorandum -- although only 50,000 eventually got through because they sealed off all the roads into Kuala Lumpur which resulted in one of the worst traffic jams in history.

This Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja chappie is a most unpopular personality in the Palace office. Everyone in the Palace office knows he has been planted there as the eyes and ears of the government. And his job is not only to keep a watch on things and report back to the Prime Minister’s office whatever is happening in the Palace, but he has also been tasked with the job of frustrating every effort of The Agong in interacting with the rakyat (citizens).

Today’s press announcement did not come from The Agong. It did not even come from the Keeper of the Royal Seal whose job it is to make official statements on behalf of The Agong. It came from a glorified chamber maid planted in the Palace as an enemy in the blanket. These are the worst kind of slime-balls and scumbags. They smile and call you friend. Then they stick a dagger in your back.

100,000 rakyat wanted to meet their Monarch that afternoon of Saturday, 10 November 2007. The Agong did not say no. The Agong will never say no to 100,000 rakyat who wish for an audience with His Majesty. The Agong just wanted to know how many people will be representing the 100,000 rakyat and what their names are.

The Agong also realised that the government will certainly try to frustrate the effort of the 100,000 rakyat who wished for an audience with His Majesty. And this did happen. The government said that a police permit would be required and that the organisers should apply for one. So the organisers did, but the application was rejected. And the government warned that if the 100,000 rakyat still insisted on pursuing the march then the government would retaliate with force. And the government did as promised.

When the first volley was fired on the assembled marchers around the Masjid Jamek-Masjid India area, word was passed down the line that the 19th Brigade of the Royal Malay Regiment or Regimen Askar Melayu Di-Raja (RAMD) was on stand-bye, to move in if there are any fatal casualties. Fourteen armoured cars (kereta perisai) had earlier arrived from Sungai Petani and were parked at the Sungai Buloh military camp, ready to roll at a minute’s notice. It would take them ten or fifteen minutes to arrive at the scene of any violence against the rakyat.

Panic buttons were pressed and alarm bells rung. This had happened once on 13 May 1969 in Kampong Baru. The Royal Malay Regiment is not one to mess around with. The Agong is their Commander-in-Chief and soldiers are trained to obey their Commander-in-Chief at no consequence to their own lives.

The police backed off. They were reduced to traffic control where those positioned at junctions stopped cars to allow the marchers to safely cross the road. The RAMD remained on standby and the next morning the fourteen kereta perisai quietly slipped out of Sungai Buloh and went home.

This has worried the government. The Agong did not say he did not wish to meet the representatives of the 100,000 marchers. He in fact asked for their names. And when the government issued threats of violence against the marchers, the 19th Brigade of the RAMD was brought into Kuala Lumpur with fourteen kereta perisai. This was The Agong’s way of saying that if you shoot the marchers, just like you did in Batu Burok in front of The Agong’s palace in Kuala Terengganu, then all hell will break loose.

So the government backed off. They had no choice. The 100,000 rakyat wanted to meet The Agong and His Majesty had said yes. And the 19th Brigade of the RAMD came to town to ensure that yes means yes.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi issued a decree at the Umno General Assembly the day before the Saturday, 10 November 2007, march. He said he ‘pantang dicabar’. This translates to mean he is allergic to being challenged. And his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, asked the police to arrest all the marchers. Yes, arrest all the marchers. Arrest all 1,000 of them! Arrest all 2,000 of them! Hey, even if it is 5,000, arrest all 5,000 of them. But wow, it is 50,000 with another 50,000 on the way. How to arrest 50,000, or 100,000 if the other 50,000 reach Kuala Lumpur?

Oops, forget about arresting them. 50,000 is too large a number to arrest. There are not enough trucks to ferry 50,000 and not enough jails to house 50,000 people. Instead, close all the roads leading into Kuala Lumpur. Seal off Kuala Lumpur and not allow anyone in. Let it remain 50,000. Don’t allow it to grow to 100,000. Then we will announce we won. We will announce that the march failed and the ‘illegal demonstrators’ were prevented from assembling at Dataran Merdeka.

Shit, now we are told that they never intended to assemble in Dataran Merdeka in the first place. The Dataran Merdeka thing was a decoy, a Red Herring. They wanted the police to assemble in Dataran Merdeka so that they can march unhindered to the Istana Negara. We were tricked. They won. We lost.

Okay, all is not lost. We can still announce that The Agong is not happy with the march. We will announce that The Agong did not agree to the march. We will announce that The Agong did not consent to the march. That will give the perception that we won and the 100,000 marchers lost. And we will get the head of housekeeping to make that announcement. After all, he is our plant in the Palace. He is our man and on our payroll. And, since he carries this very impressive title, no one will know he is just in charge of making the beds and not actually anyone important.

Oh yeah? Well, Malaysia Today knows. And Malaysia Today knows that most in the Istana Negara regard him as a slime-ball and a scumbag. And anything he who makes the beds says does not matter as long as it is not The Agong himself who said it. Try again guys. Maybe you will have better luck next time. And please, don’t ask that slime-ball and scumbag to make any statements if you want us to believe that it is really The Agong who is saying it.


What in the name of heaven and hell is someone with obvious political interests (an UMNO membership) doing in the Istana Negara??

Bowring: Malaysia's Malaise

This, in my opinion is a brilliant article.

None of this may seems to matter too much when the economy is expanding, thanks to record prices for oil, palm oil and other exports. But income inequality is bad and getting worse. Malaysia's political stability may be threatened the next time there is a recession, and there is reason to worry about Malaysia's ability to become a developed country when its institutions are corrupted by a stagnant, race-based political system that may have outlived its time.

The conclusion above is so perceptively accurate, that it's impressive a foreigner could have such insight to something the village idiots in the government could never comprehend.



Bowring: Malaysia's malaise

Malaysia is in a political cul-de-sac, resulting in an erosion of national institutions and the entrenchment of corruption. Recent events show that awareness of these problems is growing, but Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is politically too feeble to implement his good intentions, increasing the difficulty of reconciling the interests of the Malay/Muslim majority with the non-Muslim Chinese, Indian and indigenous groups that make up 45 percent of the population.

Public disquiet and Abdullah's own weakness were on display in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday when some 40,000 people, headed by the leaders of the three opposition parties and including former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and representatives of a wide range of NGOs, defied a government ban to march to the palace of the king, the titular head of state, to petition for clean and fair elections.

This peaceful multi-ethnic event followed an equally unprecedented speech two weeks earlier by Sultan Azlan Shah, a respected former chief law officer who is also one of the nation's nine hereditary rulers.

Azlan referred to a loss of confidence in the judiciary as a result of questionable appointments and judgments perceived to be driven by politics and money. He noted that its once high reputation had sunk dramatically, quoting a recent World Bank survey. Azlan is believed to be behind a revolt by the sultans against approving - normally a rubber stamp process - the appointment as chief justice of a legal adviser to the governing party with little experience on the bench.

Among current cases that have raised questions about the legal system is the conduct of the trial of Razak Baginda, a close associate of Defense Minister Najib Abdul Razak, and two of Najib's bodyguards for the murder of Baginda's former mistress. Baginda was closely involved in arms deals with France.

The publicity given to the Azlan speech and the Baginda trial point to the greater openness of Malaysia under Abdullah compared with his authoritarian predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad. But though Mahathir was much-criticized for politicizing the judiciary and institutionalizing money politics, he was able to get things done. Abdullah, on the other hand, is seen to have largely - though not entirely - failed to deliver on his promises of cleaner government.

The fault lies less with his personality than with the structure of politics. Abdullah argues that the ballot box and Parliament are the places for political action, not street demonstrations. However, neither is likely to deliver change while race-based politics ensures continuation of the 50-year rule by the United Malays National Organization, which feeds off the economic privileges that the Malays accord themselves.

To keep the loyalty of Malay voters UMNO has both to outflank the Parti Islam and to divert attention from the enrichment of a small Malay elite at the expense of the Malays. Parti Islam is prone to stomach-churning speeches about Malay dominance and hypocritical displays of Islamic fervor that offend Malaysia's plural reality and its secular Constitution.

Nothing can change as long as most non-Malays continue to grudgingly support UMNO rule for fear that the Parti Islam alternative would be worse, or while the non-Malay capitalist class remains wealthy enough to pay tribute to a Malay elite. In its own behavior this elite is liberal and internationalist, but for political purposes encourages the lower-income Malays to think in communal ways.

Judging by their attendance at the rally on Saturday, lower-income Malays may be becoming disillusioned with policies that mostly benefit the elite. But UMNO's grip is strong.

Abdullah might in principle want to reform UMNO, bring in more of the Malay professional middle classes who rely on their own abilities rather than the patronage system, and give more senior government jobs to non-Malays. But he is proving to be a prisoner of the party, its money politics, its dynastic tendencies and its desire to occupy the higher reaches of the bureaucracy, the judiciary and the many quasi-government businesses.

Meanwhile, for all their ability to join together in a demonstration against the government, the two largest opposition parties - Parti Islam and the mainly Chinese Democratic Action Party - are at either end of the race/religion spectrum. The multiracial middle ground now occupied by Anwar's party has thus far had limited appeal.

None of this may seems to matter too much when the economy is expanding, thanks to record prices for oil, palm oil and other exports. But income inequality is bad and getting worse. Malaysia's political stability may be threatened the next time there is a recession, and there is reason to worry about Malaysia's ability to become a developed country when its institutions are corrupted by a stagnant, race-based political system that may have outlived its time.

Rommel Soundly Criticises The NEP

Good ole Rommel makes a parting shot! :)

AP Interview: EU's outgoing ambassador says Malaysia is a virtual one-party state

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The European Union's outgoing ambassador has soundly criticized Malaysia, describing it as a virtual one-party state that discriminates against minorities and foreign investors by openly favoring the majority Malay Muslims.

Law Minister Nazri Aziz dismissed the accusations by Ambassador Thierry Rommel, who left his post Tuesday after 4 1/2 years, saying he is an outsider who does not understand the country. "I treat his opinion as uninformed and ignorant," said Nazri.

Yeah, Nazri would. Of course it probably escapes him that he's the very epitome of "uninformed" and "ignorant".

He is joined by another twit, who expresses himself in a more controlled manner by claiming Rommel acted outside his sphere of duty.

If I were the bloody government, I'd be falling over myself to appease the man. After all, he influences and advises the EU on dealing with Malaysia. I can't imagine a spotless report on Malaysia from Rommel, considering this flagrant inability to handle criticism.

Rommel's blunt message — in a recent interview with The Associated Press — comes as Malaysia and the 27-nation European Union are getting ready to start negotiations next year for a free trade agreement. Rommel's advice will heavily influence policy makers in the EU, which is seeking a broad relationship with Malaysia that includes democratic governance, rule of law, human rights, civil freedoms and fair trade.

In the interview, Rommel said the multiracial Malaysia, which takes pride in its ethnic harmony, is becoming polarized due to the Islamization of the society. He said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has allowed ethnic tensions to increase in the last four years he has been in office.

"There is a situation of increasing inequality in Malaysia," Rommel said. "Non-Muslims feel increasingly marginalized and (feel) their constitutional rights (are) jeopardized."

Rommel, whose outspokenness has irked the Malaysian government in the past, gave the interview on the condition that it would be released after his departure from the country to avoid further diplomatic trouble.

I'm sure he hasn't forgotten Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, who blamed her hypertensive woes on him.

Rommel was especially critical of a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays, who form about 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people. The Chinese are 25 percent and Indians 10 percent.

The affirmative action program, known as the New Economic Policy, provides privileges to Malays in jobs, education, business and other areas. It is also used to enforce mandatory Malay equity in companies and in awarding government contracts. Foreign investors have long complained that this amounts to protectionism.

"This is definitely a policy that is discriminatory, that is projectionist and which hinders fair competition and a level playing field," Rommel said, adding that foreign investors are also reluctant to come to Malaysia because the rule of law is not of international standards.

Rommel is certainly NOT the first person to say that. I've had the opportunity to personally exchange words with foreigners who have business interests in Malaysia. They echo his words.

Due to the general lack of meritocracy and subsequently, lack of standards, we are being seen as an incompetent nation.

And we can't do anything about it, much less voice our opinions. Heck, we can't even seem to vote effectively.

We only have one right - the right to "shut up"!

"You don't know as a foreigner, or a Malaysian citizen, where you exactly stand in terms of your rights," he said.

He warned that the NEP could jeopardize the proposed free trade agreement that both sides were hoping to conclude by 2009.

Rommel's comments echo that of Malaysia's weak opposition parties, who say that the NEP has become a vehicle of patronage for Prime Minister Abdullah's United Malays National Organization party.

The UMNO is the dominant force in the ruling National Front coalition, which also comprises smaller Chinese and Indian parties. Critics feel the UMNO will never dismantle the NEP because it would lose its power base.

Bingo.

"The country is not run by three political parties, it is run by one party - UMNO," said Rommel. The Chinese and Indian parties in the coalition "have no real authority and I think, no genuine input in decision making. UMNO runs this country like its own backyard. This is a one-party state," he said.

Bingo again. It's scary how perceptive Rommel is. Then again, there must be a reason why he is actually a powerful EU envoy who advises EU policy makers. And while I'm certainly impressed, I'm also worried about our economic future.

Rommel also said that in Malaysia the executive is "all-powerful and not accountable" while the judiciary remains beholden to the executive because the appointments are directly made by the prime minister.

"The parliament (is) useless. No fair elections, no freedoms. Police is unaccountable. Internal checks and balances? Forget it. So where do you find characteristics that (represent) democracy?"

Democracy? Dude, what are you talking about? We ain't a democratic country! We're a communist-dictatorship. And you haven't figured that out after 4 and a 1/2 years?? What's wrong with you??

Nazri, the law minister, defended the NEP, saying it has helped Malays rise from abject poverty in the last 30 years.

"Without the NEP, it will go back to square one. It will come back to a situation where Malays will be left behind again. This is a social contract for Malaysians to decide, not for foreigners to interfere," he told the AP on Tuesday.

That's right. When criticised, make personal attacks.

And it's very interesting to note that Nazri has such a poor opinion of his own race to assert that without crutches and a wheelchair thrown in, they're inferior to the Chinese and Indians in every way.

I'm surprised there is no outrage from the Malays. I'd throw a hissy fit if someone forced an affirmative-action policy down my throat.

But Nazri still has his yarn to spin.

"I don't think foreigners are concerned about this because whenever there is opportunity to make money, they will come," he said.

Nazri also dismissed complaints that Malaysia is becoming more Islamic. Critics have pointed at a string of recent court cases over religion, in which verdicts have generally favored Muslims. Many Indians, who are Hindus, have also complained that their temples have been torn down without warning.

"If Malays have become more passionate with religion, it is not necessarily a bad thing," Nazri said.

Passion isn't a bad thing. But violent fanaticism is.

The Neglected Indian Minority

by Michael Backman

Religious insensitivity deepens an ethnic divide in long-neglected Indian minority.

ETHNIC rivalry in Malaysia is usually portrayed as rivalry between the majority Malay population and the large Chinese minority. But sandwiched between the two are Malaysia's 2 million Indians. They make up about 8 per cent of the population, but according to some estimates account for only about 2 per cent of the nation's corporate wealth. The disparity is leading to rising tensions from a group that the authorities take for granted.

The Indian community is split into Muslims and Hindus. The Muslims, known as the "Mamak", blend in more easily with the dominant Malays — both groups being Muslim means intermarriage is not uncommon. The Hindus are far more marginalised. Politically weak, they are largely ignored by the Government.

Many are poor. But despite this, as non-Malays and non-Muslims, they do not qualify for Bumiputera status, which gives Malays preferred access to university places, government share distributions and other privileges. Some of the poorest work as rubber tappers. In the northern state of Kedah, the poverty and physical condition of the rubber tappers is unbelievable, particularly as Malaysia is not a poor country.

Malaysia's Indians are among those that suffer the greatest displacement from the million or more legal and illegal Indonesian migrants in Malaysia. Sporadic ethnic unrest now breaks out between the Indians and Indonesians.

Growing resentment also derives from the demolition of Hindu temples by state governments. Dozens have been destroyed in the past few years. The authorities who enforce the demolition orders are invariably Malay and Muslim, giving the demolitions unfortunate overtones of religious rivalry. Sometimes the idols are smashed before worshippers can remove them, action which is insensitive at best and a deliberate provocation at worst.

In another perceived slight, the most important Indian festival, Deepavali, falls tomorrow during the week-long annual general assembly of the ruling United Malay National Organisation, which is not pausing for Deepavali even though the festival is a public holiday.

Many better educated Indians are migrating. Those who stay are becoming more strident politically.

On August 12, about 2000 Malaysian Indians protested outside the prime minister's office to demand better treatment. The protest might have been bigger but organisers claim police blocked up to 15 buses carrying Indians on the basis that the bus drivers did not have valid driving licences.

On August 30, activists filed a class action in London against the British Government for bringing indentured labourers from India during the colonial era and failing to "protect" them thereafter including during the 50 years since Malaysia's independence. The suit will go nowhere but it is an attempt to embarrass the Malaysian Government internationally and force it to better look after the Indian minority. A petition with what activists claim will have 100,000 signatures will be presented to the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 in support of the legal action.

But what of the Indians' political leaders?

Critics claim Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) leader and Public Works Minister Samy Vellu runs the congress almost along feudal lines.

He was the subject of a major scandal in the 1990s when the government allocated 10 million shares in Malaysia's national phone company to Maika, an Indian co-operative company the MIC set up. Maika accepted one million shares. The rest were given to three companies which Vellu described as MIC-linked, but which his critics said were linked to his relatives. The three companies made millions of dollars in capital gains on the shares. Meanwhile, Maika became almost insolvent.

When asked why he didn't sack Vellu from his cabinet given this and other scandals, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said he had no control over the MIC and that he was obliged to have the MIC leader in the cabinet. To be fair, Mahathir once said Vellu had an appalling job, given the politics in the Indian community. But essentially, Vellu is part of the wider malaise of political leadership in Malaysia.

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And the translation:

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The Memorandum To The YDP Agong (English)

By popular demand (ahem), I am translating the letter to our supreme ruler the King, for the benefit of our esteemed brethren who don't speak Malay. :)

1) BERSIH is a committee comprising civil community organisations and political parties with the main purpose of demanding free and fair elections in Malaysia.

2) Only through free and fair elections can Malaysian citizens determine their futire and expect those in public office to be responsible and efficient. As long as the citizens are powerless to remove the wicked from ruling the country, there is no hope of upholding the constitution, protecting fundamental human rights, enforce a good government administration and encourage continuous national development in the face of politicians with personal interests conflicting with national needs.

3) It is unfortunate for Malaysia that in spite of 50 years of independence, it has failed to conduct free and fair elections. This has even been admitted by the Chairman of the Elections Committee. After the general elections in March 2004 which has been defiled by serious controversies, he has agreed to public demands for free election. But no investigation was carried out.

4) Questions surface over the compromised handling of elections, especially concerning the supreme power of the ruling body. A situation like this, left unchecked will have serious implications for the future. This can be seen in countries like Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan. Therfore, BERSIH finds it necessary for all Malaysians to join forces to effect extensive change in the coming elections.

5) In the long term, BERSIH is confident that all eight aspects should be researched and renewed in its entirety.
a. Election system
i) Correct the imbalance between the constituency and representatives standing for election, where a vote of 64% can be translated to 91% of chairs for the ruling party. This is due to the basic principal of ‘First-Past-The-Post’ and constituency manipulation.
ii) Introduce a system which states all party representation so the minimum 30% female representation is maintained.
iii) Reintroduce local elections more fairly, including more opportunities for minorities.

b. Election governance
i) Amend the Elections Commision which has obviously failed to act as an independent institution moving in the direction of multi-party representation as practised by democratic countries.
ii) Laws pertaining to international and local observers.

c. Naming of candidates and parties - requiring amendments or abolishments:
i) Power to make decisions simply. This is seen in Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC);
ii) Unfair decisions of Election Officers which illegitimise candidacy of the Opposition
iii) Controversial clause that allows last-minute withdrawals which result in highly suspicious no-contest victories.
iv) Highest election deposits payments in the world

d. Election campaigns
i) Set a campaigning period longer than the 8 days which from previous elections has proved meaningless
ii) Freedom of speech and to meet as written in the constitution
iii) Effective monitoring in campaigning costs to curb corruption
iv) Consideration of public support for campaigning costs for minorities

e. Media
i) Review current laws which allow monopolisation of print and electronic media by the ruling party, Barisan National.
ii) Laws that enable all political parties to have broadcast access to TV and radio.
iii) Laws to defend the rights of all political parties and their representatives and to address any accusation and criticism through media.

f. Temporary government or Caretaker
i) Barring the old government from making any policies affecting development when Parliament or State is in recess.
ii) Ensuring usage of national resources and instruments to win elections is a crime
iii) Registration of voters should be subject to judicial checks.

g. Voter Registration
i) Register should be updated and accurate to to avoid involuntary rejections of legitimate voters and presence of phantom voters.