Seriously, Do People Even Know What Sedition Is?

Fadiah Nadwa Fikri is clearly an intelligent woman, and that in Malaysia, even the 'new' Malaysia is a dangerous thing to some people.

I partly understand. People have been travelling the same sodden path for years and perhaps this change is too much for them. I am pleased though. It is heart-warming to find fellow-intellectuals and comforting to know that we think alike.

Fadiah clearly has more gumption than I do, and certainly far more knowledge on the subject of royalty and its institution. She is very articulate and puts forward her points very well.

In the UK, the topic of the monarchy and its role in society and democracy used to be debated rather frequently, and I recall that in the past, people agreed to disagree. These days, this topic seems increasingly to be the domain of racists and those who fantasise about Britain in the past. (Perhaps understandable as western civilisation is crumbling.)

It suggests that close-mindedness is a sign of a society in decline.

This is particularly why I am opposed to accusations that Fadiah bringing up the topic of royalty is tantamount to sedition.

It is not.

Sedition is when people rouse the rabble and incite violence. Fadiah is clearly miles away from that. She merely opened a path to intellectual discussion about customs we may have held for centuries.

These customs may be sacred to some people, dear to others and archaic or outdated to yet some others.

I am opposed to the new government, especially the police, leaping up and falling over themselves to question or detain her. She has done nothing wrong and in our progressive society, this is a backward move.

Related:
1. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN ‘NEW’ MALAYSIA
2. I’m not alone, says lawyer accused of sedition

Valuing Freedom And Civil Liberties

Malaysia is beginning to look bad.

Of course, some may refute my statement and say that it's always looked bad in the eyes of the world. But you've got to remember that human beings have short memories and in politics, things change in the blink of an eye.

As an example, Madey has been speaking out against the internet block on The Malaysian Insider, to the extent of comparing it to North Korea.

I totally support his views, but it has not escaped my attention that he was the one who began the decline of our civil liberties. It is notorious behaviour for someone who was alleged to have left the political stage over 12 years ago.

I find it particularly amusing because you and I both know that he still holds political sway and his views will not get him arrested or roughed up.

And yet, he's not the only one. Good ole Fahmi Reza has been making headlines again for his portrayal or Najib as a clown, not just in Malaysia or on Facebook, but on Slate, which is a somewhat progressive, left-wing American magazine.

I can understand why Slate is intrigued. America is not without its own issues.

For a country that waxes lyrical about freedom, authoritarianism is becoming vogue in America. A great deal of that explains why Donald Trump, who no normal person should take seriously (even if he, on a rare occasion, makes good points) as a person, is so popular.

Politico says:

Authoritarianism is not a new, untested concept in the American electorate. Since the rise of Nazi Germany, it has been one of the most widely studied ideas in social science. While its causes are still debated, the political behavior of authoritarians is not. Authoritarians obey. They rally to and follow strong leaders. And they respond aggressively to outsiders, especially when they feel threatened. From pledging to “make America great again” by building a wall on the border to promising to close mosques and ban Muslims from visiting the United States, Trump is playing directly to authoritarian inclinations.

I am surprised that the West; people who claim to be civilised and democratic, are turning away from the values that they once held dear.

They are adopting a barbaric way of life, which we assumed they had shed a century ago. Who would have thought the KKK are alive and strong today - and in modern California, of all places?

It is becoming starkly obvious that the American economy and civilisation is at the end of its cycle. Some new superpower will assume the mantle. People predict it will be China, but who knows for sure?

But it's startling for me to witness these changes and see how Malaysians are beginning to value their freedoms and rights, while Americans are beginning to exchange them for security and what they perceive to be a better quality of life.

It's startling, but as a Malaysian, it's also exciting.

What's Illegal

This would explain why Ibrahim Ali, Zulkifli Noordin and Ridhuan Tee have never been charged with sedition.

They may have created ill-will, racial and religious tension, but they've never exposed the illegal things that the government has been up to.

And lest you think this happens only in Malaysia - believe me, it happens all over the world, even in purportedly first world nations.

This does not mean we take it lying down.

I say get up and fight back! We are Malaysians, we have dignity!

Charged In Court For Merely Dissenting

1. Azmi Sharom
2. Haris Ibrahim
3. Rafizi Ramli
4. Adam Adli
5. N. Surendran
6. Khalid Samad
7. Susan Loone
8. Safwan Anang
9. Tian Chua
10. RSN Rayer
11. Teresa Kok
12. Nizar Jamaluddin
13. Hishammuddin Rais
14. Ali Abd Jalil

This is not even a comprehensive list of all those people who have been or are to be charged in court for "sedition".

Of course, in the Malaysian context, "sedition" involves merely speaking out against the ruling coalition, which forms the illegal government of Malaysia that the people did not even vote into power during the last elections.

Those accused of sedition are lawyers, politicians, journalists and activists who have criticised the government in the past.

In other words:

The sedition law criminalizes speech with an undefined "seditious tendency".

Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director of Human Rights Watch, said the prosecutions were reminiscent of so-called Operation Lalang in 1987 under Mahathir, when more than 100 opposition politicians and activists were arrested under an old Internal Security Act (ISA) which allowed detention without trial.

"The parameters are basically the same - you are using an antiquated draconian law to go after the opposition," he said.

But my respect goes out to the Malaysians, they are uncowered and unafraid of jail, and they are fighting back!

Don't stay on the sidelines.

Show your support. Are you with them?

10th Sept: Walk with Azmi Sharom

8th Sept: Walk with Ali Abd Jalil

Malaysian charged with sedition, 3 more arrested

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian authorities detained three anti-government figures, charged a student activist with sedition and seized hundreds of opposition newspapers Thursday, raising political tensions after recent national elections triggered claims of fraud.

Opposition activists have staged numerous peaceful demonstrations since the May 5 general elections, which the National Front coalition won with a weakened parliamentary majority. The activists insist the coalition, which has governed since 1957, retained power through bogus ballots and other irregularities, though Prime Minister Najib Razak and electoral authorities deny manipulating the results.

The latest arrests involve Tian Chua, a senior official in opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's People's Justice Party; Haris Ibrahim, a rights activist who leads an anti-government group; and Tamrin Ghafar, an opposition party member. The men had criticized the National Front at a recent political gathering.

The three were arrested separately and taken to a police station where lawyers were informed they were under investigation for sedition and would be held overnight.

The Prime Minister's office issued a statement saying the men were detained "after the police received numerous reports against the defendants by members of the public."

"In such circumstances the police are required to investigate and are following due and proper process," the statement said, adding that the men would face "fair and open court proceedings" if charged.

After his arrest, Chua tweeted that Malaysians should not allow themselves to be "overtaken by fear (but should) continue to assemble peacefully and have faith."

Their arrests occurred hours after prosecutors charged student Adam Adli, 24, with making seditious statements that included calling for people to "go down to the streets to seize back our power" while addressing a political forum. He pleaded innocent at a Kuala Lumpur district court Thursday and was released on bail ahead of a hearing July 2.

Sedition as defined by Malaysian law includes promoting hatred against the government.

Rights activists have long criticized Malaysia's anti-sedition law as a tool to curb democratic dissent. Najib said last year the government planned to eventually abolish the Sedition Act, which was introduced in 1949 during British colonial rule, and replace it with new laws that would strike a better balance between allowing freedom of speech and ensuring public stability.

Adam, who was arrested last weekend, faces three years in prison and a fine if convicted.

Hundreds of people demonstrated peacefully in recent days against Adam's arrest. Adam became publicly known in 2011 when he brought down a flag bearing Najib's portrait at the ruling party's headquarters during a demonstration. He was subsequently suspended for three semesters from his teaching course at a Malaysian state-backed university.

Separately Thursday, the Home Ministry said it had seized more than 2,500 copies of newspapers published by opposition parties from stores nationwide since Wednesday. The government-issued publication licenses for those newspapers specifies they should be distributed among party members only and were not for retail sales, the ministry said in a statement.

******

http://news.yahoo.com/malaysian-charged-sedition-3-more-arrested-082110169.html

Sedition: The Malaysian Definition

Apparently the debate is whether children can act as lawyers. I would be more concerned to know if people actually understand what the word 'sedition' means.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Karpal Singh's three children can continue to represent him in his sedition trial at the High Court.

The question of whether the three -- Gobind Singh Deo, Ram Karpal Singh and Sangeet Kaur Deo -- could act as Karpal's lawyers came up when judicial commissioner Azman Abdullah noticed in the video recording that they were present during Karpal's press conference at his office six months ago.

Karpal is charged with uttering seditious words against the sultan of Perak at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama here between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6. He is alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar by the sultan could be questioned in a court of law.

And that constitutes sedition? Are they for real???

Drop Sedition Charges Against Karpal Singh

Malaysia: Drop Sedition Charges Against Parliamentarian

(New York) - Malaysia's attorney general should immediately drop politically motivated sedition charges against Karpal Singh, a prominent lawyer and opposition member of parliament, Human Rights Watch said today. His trial is to begin on August 12, 2009. Human Rights Watch also urged the government to repeal without delay the colonial-era Sedition Act 1948, long used selectively against the government's political opponents.

On March 17, the government charged Karpal, national chairman of the opposition Democratic Action Party, under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Sedition Act. He is accused of using "seditious words" in a February 6 comment to journalists that the legality of a decision to return control of Perak's state government to Malaysia's ruling coalition could be questioned in court. Karpal has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail. If found guilty, Karpal faces up to three years in prison or a fine of up to RM5,000 [US$1,400] or both. As of April, 45 prosecution witnesses were due to take the stand.

"These sedition charges against Karpal are utterly baseless," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Right Watch. "This is just an excuse to remove a powerful political opponent."

Perak was one of five states won, albeit by a razor-thin majority, by opposition candidates who worked in concert to defeat the ruling National Front (Barisan Nasional or BN) coalition in the March 2008 national elections. After several Perak assembly members crossed over to join the BN in January and February 2009, BN regained a majority. Rather than dissolve the state assembly and call for new elections, Sultan Azlan Shah decided in favor of BN, prompting Karpal's call for a court hearing. Suits related to the legitimacy of the newly constituted assembly are still in contention.

This is the second time Karpal has been charged under the Sedition Act. During his 2001 defense of Anwar Ibrahim against corruption charges in 2001, Karpal stated that Anwar's failing health in detention was "due to a high-level conspiracy to poison him with arsenic." The police charged Karpal with sedition, though then-Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail later withdrew the charges.

The Sedition Act defines "seditious tendency" as, "a tendency to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any ruler or against any government ... to raise discontent or disaffection among the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong [the Malaysian monarch] or of the ruler of any state ... (or) to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by" certain articles in the Federal Constitution.

Article 181 of the constitution provides that no ruler may be charged in his official capacity in a court of law. Karpal did not suggest that charges should be brought against the sultan but suggested that his decision was subject to judicial review. The Sedition Act states that it is not seditious to "show that any ruler has been misled or mistaken in any of his measures."

BN, which has ruled Malaysia since independence, relies on the Sedition Act as well as the Internal Security Act to repress free expression and assembly to silence and punish its critics.

Human Rights Watch urges that such laws be repealed or reviewed to conform to international standards.

"It's a fallacy to suggest Malaysia needs laws that violate basic rights in order to maintain a peaceful and harmonious society," said Pearson. "Malaysians have time and again proven themselves capable of exercising the basic democratic rights to which they are entitled. It's time their government listened."

Kickdefella Taken In

Pinky and the Brain (or lack thereof) strike again.

This time, it's Kickdefella who has been nabbed. I presume it is over the issue of flying the flag upside down. I would really love to hear what Brain (or lack thereof) has to say this time.

This country has turned into a circus.

As usual, I am unable to see any connection to how an upside down flag constitutes sedition, which is what Kickdefella has been charged with.

Bear in mind, Khir Toyo and Ahmad Ismail who invoked the wrath of Malaysians nationwide by racial and religious accusations still roam free.

It is possible that UMNO has been strategising. But evidently devoid of brain cells (due to lack of usage) the only political action they could cough up, was to switch portfolios.

The Defence Ministry has now come under Abdullah's jurisdiction and Finance Ministry under Najib. It is evident that Abdullah has both the police and military under his purview.

Very, very dangerous. Perhaps Pinky is not as stupid as he looks.

I suspect the final option will be put into play. Emergency Rule.

If All Else Fails, Use ISA

A few people were genuinely upset over Ahmad Ismail calling the Chinese (and by proxy, Indians) "immigrants" and "squatters" in Malaysia. If the truth be told, I found it more amusing than upsetting.

But Ahmad Ismail was given a three-year suspension from UMNO, and no legal punishment, while Tan Hoon Cheng, the journalist from Sin Chew Daily who reported it got thrown under the ISA.

Now I'm upset.

Some people were upset at Khir Toyo making allegations that Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh, had called for the mosque to cease sounding the azan from its loudspeakers because it was "annoying" the non-Muslims.

I found those allegations funny because it was so obviously false - the amplifier was damaged, that's why the azan wasn't sounded. It was even stated in a small, inconspicuous corner of the same newspaper reporting those deceitful accusations by Khir Toyo.

But Khir Toyo, who was so obviously trying to stir up Muslim sentiment is roaming free, while Teresa Kok has been thrown under the ISA.

Now I'm upset.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin had his blog, Malaysia Today blocked from access. I found it hysterical, because it barely impacted us. The clinical precision with which we switched websites and disseminated information is awesome.

But RPK just got thrown under the ISA. They're expecting more bloggers to be taken in.

Now I'm upset.

And this is precisely what the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional wants me to feel. They want a knee-jerk reaction from me.

This action is meant to be unreasonable. The government wants to agitate me and turn me against my fellow Malaysian - the classic "divide and conquer".

They tried to agitate the Chinese by calling them names to get them to riot. It didn't work.

They tried to agitate the Malays with the story that their religion was being threatened. It didn't work.

They haven't bothered with the Indians. The last time the Indians took to the streets for a cause that was to a degree, somewhat selfish and individualistic, both the Chinese and Malays even backed them up! It just won't work.

You know why? We ceased being Malay, Chinese and Indian and simply became Malaysians. To some level, we have lost the distrust we once had for each other.

That's why we're not going to fall into their trap. We're not going to riot or cause chaos.

Because that will only lead to an Emergency Rule, and you can kiss all notions of democracy goodbye when that happens.

Charging Karpal With Sedition...

... for merely wondering aloud if it was within the Sultan's jurisdiction to revoke the transfer of a state civil servant?

They must be trying to distract us from some serious issues here. Like Altantuya's murder, potential hike in prices, inflation, sagging economy, minimum wages... you name it.


Apparently the 500 million citizens of Malaysia ("including those from Umno and also the non-Malays" - note the inference that all Malays are from UMNO) are incensed and outraged with Karpal's statements.

Oh wait, Malaysia doesn't have 500 million citizens? My bad. It just sounds like there are that many...

The 'Damai' gang, the ones representing the 'silent Malaysians' must be out again then. Do they have their piles of petitions on behalf of you and me?

Because I'm not sure there are that many angry people out there.

I know there are angry mosquitoes though. Last night one was buzzing loudly in my ear. I turned on the lights and waited for him to make an appearance but under the glare of my bedroom light, he was too shy.

Until I turned off the lights and went back to bed, of course. Then he came back to voice his opinions in my ear. I presume he was upset with Karpal's "seditious" remarks, blooming UMNO member that he probably is.

But I doubt he's a legitimate citizen of Malaysia (even if he resides here), so I will have to regretfully inform him that his opinions don't count before I whack him into oblivion if I run into him again.

Raja Petra Bailed Out

Just as well no one took me up on my offer of betting for high stakes as to when Raja Petra Kamarudin would walk out of jail after being bailed out.

I'd be significantly poorer.

And I probably owe that ole coot an apology. Because it takes guts to walk into a Malaysian jail under the "watchful" eye of the humane policemen who come under the payroll of Barisan Nasional.

I remember what Anwar Ibrahim looked like. And Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang and the rest who suffered in the hands of our police. Including Nathaniel Tan.

I'm glad he's okay.

And it was good to hear from him though no apologies necessary - he has not let us down one bit and we're utterly proud of him for his courage and moral stand.

Charge PM, IGP & EC Chairman For Sedition!

I think someone needs to lodge a police report against the Election Commission for their withdrawal of the indelible ink during the recent elections.

Scrap that.

The Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, along with the Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan and of course, Election Commission Chairman Abdul Rashid Rahman should be charged under the Sedition Act for their role in that fiasco.

Under Section 3(1) Sedition Act those acts defined as having a seditious tendency are acts with a tendency:

(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government;

(b) to excite the subjects of the Ruler or the inhabitants of any territory governed by any government to attempt to procure in the territory of the Ruler or governed by the Government, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;

(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Malaysia or in any State;

(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

(e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia; or

(f) to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of part III of the Federal constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the Federal Constitution.

Let me explain point-by-point:

(a) Upon hearing that the indelible ink was not going to be used in the elections, half my colleagues and many of my friends swore violently, kicked some tables and spewed profanity against the ruling government, namely Barisan Nasional. There was plenty of anger, contempt and hatred felt and displayed.

(b) The acts mentioned above are evidence of excitation of subjects and inhabitants, many of whom vowed to return to their kampung to vote for the Opposition. Thus, the Opposition were unwittingly assisted in the procurement of their respective territories.

(c) N/A

(d) Currently, there are a great number of people very outraged that the indelible ink had been purchased at the price of RM2.4 million and simply gone to utter waste based on hearsay, unfounded rumours and inconclusive evidence. The objects of our distaste are members of UMNO and BN, who are also subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State. Thus, the PM and Election Commission who were in favour of revoking usage of the indelible ink should be held responsible for this situation.

(e) The above-mentioned parties are also responsible for feelings of ill-will against all BN component parties to the extent of delivering a severe blow during the elections.

(f) N/A. What kind of stupid shit is that?

Therefore, I would strongly recommend investigation of the parties mentioned and consequently the maximum sentence imposed.

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.

RPK's Wife Interrogated

What I like about RPK is that he always publishes the news hot out of the oven. Checking back a few hours later, evidently, even NST thought it worthwhile to produce this bit of news.

From Malaysia Today:

Raja Petra Kamarudin’s wife, Marina Lee, has been summoned to the Dang Wangi Police Station, Jalan Stadium, at 11.00am, Wednesday, 8 August 2007, for interrogation related to the investigation under the Sedition Act launched against Raja Petra.

It is not known whether the police are trying to build up a case against Marina as well so that she can be jointly-charged with Raja Petra.

The rule of thumb is, if you can't find any solid evidence of sedition and misconduct, stick to pure, unadulterated harrassment.

Oh while you're at it, try hitting where it hurts most.

In this case, it would be hauling in the wife for questioning.

You see, RPK is has a devil-may-care attitude, practically thumbing his nose at those who attempt to make him toe the line. Roughing him up is an exercise in futility.

But it's no secret that RPK is very fond of his wife.

Perhaps a pea-brain might believe that Marina Lee was summoned for questioning solely to gain legitimate information pertaining to the case.

I see it as a message from those in power.

"Mess with us and we make everyone around you miserable."

Sedition - The Malaysian Definition!

Also taken from Malaysia Today

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak once told TV3 in 2004 that if I have insulted Islam or the Rulers then I can be charged under the Sedition Act. And if there are no laws that I can be charged under, added Najib, then the government can always use the Internal Security Act (ISA) against me. Not long after that, they brought me in for interrogation under Section 112 for a crime under the Sedition Act. A week later, they raided my house and confiscated my computer as evidence.

This, we must remember, was after they had done the same about three years before that in 2001. On Hari Raya Haji Day of March 2001, they arrested me under no specific charge. (“Kita akan pikir kemudian,” they said, as they handcuffed me.) And, the next day, they raided my house to confiscate my computer. A month later, on 11 April 2001, they detained me under the ISA.

Well, it’s now three years since that 2004 episode, which, in turn, was also three years after the 2001 episode. It looks like every three years they need to come to my house to confiscate my computer and detain me under a charge they will ‘pikir kemudian’. I suppose, therefore, this time around it should be no different. So expect them to come to my house soon to confiscate my computer and probably arrest me and charge me under the Sedition Act -- or maybe take the easy way out and use the ISA on me again.

The fact that my matter has been raised and heavily debated in the Lower House of Parliament, plus every Umno man and his dog (metaphorically speaking of course) has whacked me (and all bloggers in general), while Nazri Aziz and a horde of others have urged the government to use the ISA against me, probably means that the end is very near. (Not sure yet whether it is my end or theirs though).

Anyway, my reply to them is sharp and simple. Raja Petra seditious? Hogwash! If anyone is seditious it is Umno and until today those propagating a blood-bath have not been made accountable for their actions. Was it not Najib, that ex-Selangor Menteri Besar with two Muhamads in his name, and all those others calling for my detention under the ISA who raised their keris above their heads at the TPCA padang in 1987 and threatened to bathe it in Chinese blood? Was it not Umno in November 1999 during the ceremony to launch Barisan Nasional’s election machinery in the Bukit Jalil Stadium that warned the Chinese if Barisan Nasional was to lose its two-thirds majority in the 29 November general election, just like on 11 May 1969, then another May 13 may erupt?

Yes, who in heaven’s name is seditious? Is it I or Umno? I am alleged to have raised racial tension by allowing comments in Malaysia Today’s blogs that may rub some races the wrong way. Me? Me who has Malay, English, Welsh, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, etc., relatives who are Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, atheists, etc? Hey, if there was a medal for being the most ‘global’ family I would be he who is most eligible to receive it. My family is almost like a mini-United Nations. And I have not even started dissecting the ‘Malay’ side of my family into sub-groups such as Bugis, Javanese, Minangkabau, etc.

Ah yes. I'm compelled to put in my two-sen worth.

I've been reading Malaysia Today for a while now. And try as I may, I simply cannot find Raja Petra bin Raja Kamaruddin as offensive, regardless of how provocative he may be.

ENOUGH with the denial already!

The skeptic in me tends to think the man exaggerates some, but for the most part, he has proven himself. I still remember the newsflash he leaked about Pak Lah marrying Jeanne Danker. It eventually emerged as the truth, albeit much later.

The man speaks his mind and yes, he speaks the truth - something rare in Malaysia. At least in Malaysian politics, anyway.

His courage is admirable. :) Watch him hammer the fools:

Hey Umno! Yes, you, Umno! You, who accuse me of being seditious and who should be detained under the ISA. I, Raja Petra Bin Raja Kamarudin, is not only accusing you of being seditious, I am also accusing you, Umno, of being the cause of an unknown number of deaths suffered in the 13 May 1969 race riots. And I make this allegation with God as my witness and the testimony of the First Prime Minister of Malaya/Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Bapa Merdeka, who went to his grave an extremely sad man and who grievingly said he wished he had died and never lived to see the day that Malaysians would murder Malaysians.

Learning the truth about May 13

The Sun, 27 July 2007

Thank you for your feature on the 1969 riots. This was the first informative article about the event that I have read in my 24 years of life. Never before have I encountered such a revealing account of that episode.

I didn't get it in primary school, neither in secondary school, nor in university either. And all this while I have studied locally. I think somebody somewhere thought that by not exposing young Malaysians to this chapter of the nation's past, we would be better off.

But they should realise that history has a tendency to repeat itself. Thank you for printing the truth. Now we all know what really happened and can learn to avoid it.

The May 13 incident as personally related by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the First Prime Minister of Malaya/Malaysia and Bapa Merdeka

At his residence in Penang, 1972

“It was clear to me as well as the police that in the highly charged political atmosphere after the police were forced to kill a Chinese political party worker on May 4th, 1969, something was bound to happen to threaten law and order because of the resentment towards the Government by the KL Chinese on the eve of the general election. This was confirmed at this man’s funeral on the 9th May when the government faced the most hostile crowd it had ever seen.

Therefore, when the opposition parties applied for a police permit for a procession to celebrate their success in the results of the general election, I was adamant against it because the police were convinced that this would lead to trouble. I informed Tun Razak about this and he seemed to agree.

Now, without my knowledge and actually “behind my back”, there were certain political leaders in high positions who were working to force me to step down as a PM. I don’t want to go into details but if they had come to me and said so I would gladly have retired gracefully.

Unfortunately, they were apparently scheming and trying to decide on the best way to force me to resign. The occasion came when the question of the police permit was to be approved.

Tun Razak and Harun Idris, the MB of the state of Selangor, now felt that permission should be given knowing fully well that there was a likelihood of trouble. I suppose they felt that when this happened they could then demand my resignation.

To this day I find it very hard to believe that Razak, whom I had known for so many years, would agree to work against me in this way. Actually, he was in my house as I was preparing to return to Kedah and I overhead him speaking to Harun over the phone saying that he would be willing to approve the permit when I left. I really could not believe what I was hearing and preferred to think it was about some other permit. In any case, as the Deputy Prime Minister in my absence from KL, he would be the Acting PM and would override my objection. Accordingly, when I was in my home in Kedah, I heard over the radio that the permit had been approved.

It seems as though the expected trouble was anticipated and planned for by Harun and his UMNO Youth. After the humiliating insults hurled by the non-Malays, especially the Chinese, and after the seeming loss of Malay political power to them, they were clearly ready for some retaliatory action. After meeting in large numbers at Harun’s official residence in Jalan Raja Muda near Kampong Bahru and hearing inflammatory speeches by Harun and other leaders, they prepared themselves by tying ribbon strips on their foreheads and set out to kill Chinese. The first hapless victims were two of them in a van opposite Harun’s house who were innocently watching the large gathering. Little did they know that they would be killed on the spot.

The rest is history. I am sorry but I must end this discussion now because it really pains me as the Father of Merdeka to have to relive those terrible moments. I have often wondered why God made me live long enough to have witnessed my beloved Malays and Chinese citizens killing each other.”