Archive for May 5th, 2011

Behind the iron gates

By June Rubis
May 05, 2011

We stand separated by an iron gate.

Concerned villagers and relatives of Numpang Suntai are quietly gathered outside the gates of the Simunjan magistrate’s court. The rest of us, carefully picked by the police, are standing on the grounds of the court with his lawyers.

The day is February 16, 2011, and Numpang is on trial for criminal intimidation. He, along with five tuais rumah (Iban longhouse chiefs) and a prominent land rights activist, Nicholas Mujah, were previously arrested and detained a few months prior on suspicion of burning down a timber camp that stood on their native customary land.

The man of the hour stands quietly in the rain in solidarity with his supporters who came far and wide to be by his side. So does lawyer Edmund Bon who refused to step inside court grounds.

I had taken Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan pass the iron gate because she wanted to discuss with the lawyers regarding Numpang’s case. My job was done, and I stood uncertainly with the heavily-armed police and lawyers, wanting to be on the other side of the gate. Read the rest of this entry »

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A long haul

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

5th day:
[Admin] LKS 5th day w/o vision on left eye. However surgeon optimistic of sight recovery after Vitrectomy op. Q: how much? Wil b longhaul

4th day:
[Admin] LKS w/o vision on left eye for 4th day. Depending on outcome of Vitrectomy op to restore sight. Pray for the best.

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Another Open Letter from Mat Zain to IGP

Letter by Mat Zain

Kepada,
YDH Tan Sri Haji Ismail bin Haji Omar,IGP,
Ketua Polis Negara,
Polis Di-Raja Malaysia,
Bukit Aman,
50560 Kuala Lumpur,
Email:[email protected]

YDH Tan Sri,

KEYAKINAN RAKYAT TERHADAP PDRM SEMAKIN PARAH

1. Sejak dua minggu kebelakangan ini orang ramai nampaknya bertambah lantang mengecam dan mengutuk caramana tindakan PDRM menangani isu video lucah yang dikatakan melibatkan Anwar Ibrahim.Malahan terdapat mereka dengan secara terbuka dan berani mengeluarkan kata-kata kesat dan lucah terhadap pucuk pimpinan PDRM.Melihat tindak tanduk dan kenyataan umum yang dibuat oleh Polis sendiri,dan diperbesarkan oleh media,kita tidak dapat menyalahkan rakyat jika berpendirian sedemikian.
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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 9 of 14)

By M. Bakri Musa

Free Minds in Our Legends and History

In Sulalatus Salatin (Malay Annals) there is the story of Temasek (old Singapore) being regularly invaded by a school of flying swordfish. Hundreds fell victim, impaled by the sharp snouts of the fish. All efforts at combating this piscine scourge were unsuccessful.

That is, until a young boy suggested to the sultan to plant a row of banana stems along the shore. In that way, Hang Nadim told the sultan, when those flying fish darted onshore, they would be impaled on the soft stems.

The scheme worked wonderfully well, and the pleased sultan decided to honor the young man. The sultan’s advisors however, had second thoughts. If that youth could dream up such a brilliant scheme at a young age, they convinced the sultan, imagine what else would he think of later as an adult. Sensing a future threat, the sultan had Hang Nadim executed instead. Imagine!
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The Migrant’s Eye

The World Bank 2011 Essay Competition finalist – Shaun Tan from Malaysia on brain drain.
By Shaun Tan

‘Our young people represent the future of our country’. This phrase has been echoed by almost every politician in almost every country in modern history. However the changes instigated by the increasing ease of migration are such that not even this time-honored cliché holds the weight it once did. Young people still represent the future, but it is the future of whichever country they decide to settle in or impact, which may or may not be their country of origin. As with most changes, there are new benefits and drawbacks, and new winners and losers. Among the most pressing questions countries now face are how to prevent their young people from migrating, and how far they should go in providing for the migrants residing within their borders.

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Exodus

Smart Indians go to med school,
Smart Chinese go to investment banks,
Smart Malaysians go to Singapore.
– Anonymous

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