I spoke to the Minister responsible for piloting the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill (the fake IPCMC Bill) Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz before the Cabinet meeting today conveying to him the unanimous sentiments of the Emergency SCC Bill Public Consultation last night that the Bill be deferred for a proper public consultation process to take place in view of the many powerful objections to it.
I suggested that a Parliamentary Select Committee on the SCC Bill should be informed as part of this public consultation process with NGOs and NGIs.
Nazri has just returned to Parliament from the Cabinet meeting, which has agreed to the deferment of the SCC Bill to the next Parliamentary meeting which, barring electoral mishaps like the dissolution of Parliament, will sit again on March 17, 2008 with an Official Opening by the Yang di Pertuan Agong.
There is however no Parliamentary Select Committee on the SCC Bill.
This is where the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance should pick uip the gauntlet to organise a series of public consultations in the country on the fake IPCMC Bill.
#1 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 2:51 pm
Sounds more like they want to side-step the issue for now for election. All the more confirmed election in Mac 2008. Badawi is most predicatble PM we have in history.
#2 by Pocket on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 3:08 pm
Can this considered a “victory” or good news for yesterday event?
#3 by carboncopy on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 4:00 pm
This is good news in the void of the REAL IPCMC Bill. For having SCC is worst than not having anything, my2cents.
Now is the time to gather collective and wide public support for the REAL IPCMC Bill to be tabled and pass.
Kudos to Uncle Kit for not giving up fight on what seems to be hopeless battle.
Kudos to RCI members who come out unequivocally against the SCC.
#4 by Cinapek on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 4:21 pm
This will give them time to get DAMAI to organize another memorandum purportedly from the “silent majority” supporting the SCC.
It will also give them time to go on a spin(with the two main media leading the charge) to criticize and demonize those who are opposing this SCC. It also allows time for Zam and Nazri to tell those who oppose this Bill to go back to where their ancestors came from.
In the meanwhile, it will also give time to the PDRM to flex their muscles more and arrest a few more people under ISA, OSA etc etc. so that by the time the BIll is heard again, there won’t be enough credible people left to oppose and protest.
#5 by Old.observer on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 5:00 pm
YB Kit,
Firstly, I enjoy reading your blog everyday. The articles are thought-provoking, truthful, timely, highly relevant, convey a sense of what’s important and less important long term, not to mention many other attributes.
However, looking forward, I am deeply worried that there is still no alternative to BN. Some talks about “Barisan Alternatif”, but is there such an alternative? Can the opposition parties work together? Who will be the leader in such a party? Is there a shadow cabinet that the Opposition can present to the public? Note that we don’t have much time left for the next election.
The articles in your blog are great. I realize how tough it must be to continually fight fires everyday, when the BN government keeps throwing fire after fire after fire for you to put out.
But the Opposition must start to think about the longer term. You cannot just fight fire every single day. You need to also plan for the future. The problem I see is that there is no real Barisan Alternatif right now. Yes, I can vote any Tom, Dick and Harry who is not BN, but there are many people out there who doesn’t think that Barisan Alternatif can do better.
My wish is that for this Christmas, I get to see a list of the Shadow Cabinet presented from Barisan Alternative. Who wiill be the PM? Deputy PM? Finance Minister? Minister in PM’s Department? Minister of Information? etc. Can members of this Shadow Cabinet start commenting and take on one-on-one the silly everyday comments made by their counterpart from BN. Is this sort of plan workable, or is Barisan Alternatif simply too short of talents?
It is obvious to me, YB Lim Kit Siang alone cannot take on the entire BN government … no single person can do this, even if he is the most skillful person on earth.
Perhaps I’m too old to believe in Santa! :-)
Old Observer
#6 by cheng on soo on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 6:03 pm
old observer, so u dare not try a new alternative team, that is the problem, too many people been brainwashed by BN that there is no alternatives, come on, alternatives can be created, if oppostion do win, many capable people will join opposition to serve msia., now these people are just too scare of BN, ISA etc.
If BA cannot do better, BA unlikely to be worse!
Wan 2 let this same old group to continue plunder n squander away msia future? Future generatn will blame us!
In 1957, Tunku had an experience team???
#7 by St0rmFury on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:45 pm
If BA cannot do better, BA unlikely to be worse! – cheng on soo
You could say the same for Badawi when he replaced Mahathir. If Badawi cannot do better, Badawi is unlikely to be worse than Mahathir. But look at the situation now.
No. I have said it before and I will say it again, the people deserve the best not the second best. If the opposition wants to prove to the voters that they are the best, start taking the coming election seriously and unite under a single banner which is the Barisan Alternatif.
Show us a government and you will get your votes.
#8 by ckloh on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 8:23 pm
I agreed to Old Observer and StormFury view. This is the dilemma; most will agree that the current government is corrupt. Yet only minorities, mainly those that have interest on the country’s current issues that don’t mind spending extra hours to get latest news other than the mainstream media, aware of the leaders of “Barisan Alternatives†capablity. Comparing them, with the leaders of BN is a no-brainer, and they will know which one to vote in GE.
However, in general public view, it is not Blair(Labour) vs Howard(Conservative) in Britain or Howard(Liberal) vs Ruud(Labor) in Australia, where majority voters are well aware of what to expect from both parties, who will be Prime Minister, who will be the second man in the country, and so on. They have choice to choose, and they will choose who in charge to form the government.
But in Malaysia, we still have choice by choosing Barisan Alternatif, but who exactly will be the Prime Minister, who will be the second man and so forth, and how exactly it will work, we don’t know. Unless, Barisan Alternatif, can come out with the Shadow Cabinet, more to the top 2 man, and it is agreed by all the parties under Barisan Alternatif, the most we can expect is Barisan Alternatif getting additional 20-30 seats, not even good enough to deny 2/3 majority to BN, don’t mention give an alternative to Malaysians to form a BN-less government. There are not a lot of hotly contested seats in previous election, and 20-30 seats figure that will swing to BA are about right.
What Malaysians really want is we have choice to choose Government A or Government B, and we know exactly who is the top leaders for both government, if elected, and how exactly the parties under the government will work. Malaysian is a multi racial country, thus, it is logical for any Government in Malaysia, it has more than one party. Malaysian does not know exactly how the parties under Barisan Alternatif will work together if they can form a government. Prime Minister, most probably will be from Keadilan, as Malay is the majority race, but who will be the Deputy Prime Minister, from DAP, PAS, Keadilan or other party? How to vote a new government, if we don’t know what to expect? GE is just an election to decide whether BN has 2/3 majority! And that also difficult to most people, by having a stronger opposition in the country, but do not know who is the leader and how exactly the parties will work together? If DAP and PAS can work together? Some say yes, but a few say no.
It is easy to say that, to vote anybody is better than to vote BN, we need not to know who the opposition in-charge is. I agree this is the case, for those who really follow the uncensored news and know how corrupt BN is. But the case is, there are not many of them in the 27 million populations in Malaysia. Most knows BN is corrupt, but to which extent, only the minority know. And which government is 100% ‘clean’ in the world? Thus, they only have 2 choices to vote for, a not so perfect BN government that have a system on how the government work or an opposition who claims they will do better, but how it will work it is not disclosed to the public. It is like choosing girlfriend A, 10 years relationships, a lot of weaknesses which have endured for such a long period and also girlfriend B to be wife. Girlfriend B is a person that is anonymous, it is believed that it can’t be much worse than girlfriend A, but who is she, anonymous. Does one really have a choice here if you do not know who the person is?
It will be a great Christmas present if the Shadow Cabinet can be drawn out. To general public, at least it shown Barisan Alternatif has agreed the alternative government setup for GE. And it is for the people to choose which government they want. To the minority who know how corrupt BN is, it is a simple choice, and to the general public, at least they have the choice, they will vote base on what promised by the top leaders from BN and BA in the election campaign.
Until opposition can tell the public, who the leaders for the Alternative Government and how it will work, I afraid GE 2008 is only an election to deny 2/3 majority to BN. Alternative Government is just not possible as mentioned here on my humble opinion.
#9 by NOT DUMB MALAYSIAN on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:51 pm
Fake IPCMC Bill
Looks like the government is trying their darndest to institutionalise corruption among the police force by turning an excellent suggestion to clean up the police act. Instead the BN went out of their way to present an emasculated commission. Looks like the government wants not only to nip demonstrations at the bud but also to nip any inquiry into corruption in the bud.
[deleted]
#10 by mendela on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 10:58 pm
Well said, old.observer!
I think the resources of the Opposition parties are very thin, especially DAP.
I think we need to create campaigns to raise funds for DAP.
Without funds, postals will not able to be printed, message will not be able to come across.
Unlike UMO and all the running dog ruling parties which use MSM as their mouthpieces and all Gomen resources to run their GE campaigns, DAP and other opposition parties can only count on postals and other primitive tools to convey their messages.
Money must be raised quickly to fight this war!
#11 by hiro on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:46 pm
I was there at the public consultation, and I am heartened too that many people turned up on such short notice. And it was a sight to behold, DAP MPs galore… I hope Malaysians would rise up to the occasion and contribute to turning out votes for DAP, or such other opposition parties, so as to put the fear of God back in BN, in particular UMNO.
#12 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 2:33 am
Just wonder how they euthanised the IPCMC bill to become another creature that has been referred to as an expensive post box.
http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2007/12/ipcmc-from-roaring-lion-to-squeaking.html
#13 by House Victim on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 3:07 am
One stone kills two birds
Fakes SCC over IPCMC & RCI
Time to prepare for GE before March.
If not planned, unanimous vote to defer no way!
Why Release 31 on attempted murder charge?
They afraid of votes coming up against BN!
Figures 2004, very grey for 2008 if those against BN + registered but not voted vote against.
http://www.thestar.com.my/election2004/default.asp
A. Following figures derived:
1. Total registered: 10,273,501
2. Total voted: 7,116,817
3. Votes to “winner”: 4,521,997
*2.& 3.(excluding Single Candidate)
4. Spoiled?163,190
B. Votes for successful Candidate
Approx. %
1. On voted: UNMO/MCA/MIC=29.21/9.75/2.64
2. On Registered: UNMO/MCA/MIC=20.24/2.76/1.35
3. Seats for UNMO/MCA/MIC=109/31/9
4. Seats for UNMO/Rest BN=109/89
C. If all those last voted against BN winners + registered but not voted, to vote against BN in 2008, assuming BN can maintain last voting:
1. Possible seats LOST:
UNMO/Rest of BN = 51/58
MCA/MIC=20/5
2. Meaning, Seats so REMAIN = 58/31
Total =89
MCA/MIC and other non-UNMO if continue as shadow for UNMO will be very risky. A new majority must be regrouped!!
A core of opposition must be able to come up before GE to start as seed for the coming new majority! Please take this as priority.
RCI must be in place to take up all disciplinary matters. IPCM?only on Police, give up! Brush up ACA to ICAC, corruption is the main cause.
If GE not brushed up, RCI, IPCMC….will only be a book as many as those HDA, STA, BCPA….
A good leader is to able to recruit the right ones to do the right jobs. So, one good one to have the charm to attract more is the key point. When principle with rules and regulations are clear with the right reward and penalty system be strict, light will fall!
Leave behind the burden of the existing parties, regrouping to give a new birth for a new one is priority number 1!!
#14 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 9:00 am
I saw on TV, Sdr. Lim and Nazri interview on this and Nazri looks like he is happy to differ this as long as anyone want. They don’t really even want this SCC in the first place and they are arrogant to believe they can get it passed as is whenever they have to.
#15 by k1980 on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 10:25 am
The CIA, the KGB and the Malaysian Police are all trying to prove that they are the best at catching terrorists. The UN Secretary General decides to give them a test. He releases a rabbit into a forest and each of them has to catch it.
The CIA goes in. They place animal informants throughout the forest. They question all plant and mineral witnesses. After three months of extensive investigations they conclude that rabbits do not exist.
The KGB goes in. After two weeks with no leads they burn the forest, killing everything in it, including the rabbit, and make no apologies: the rabbit had it coming.
The Malaysian police goes in. They come out two hours later with a badly beaten bear. The bear is yelling: “Okay! Okay! I’m a rabbit! I’m a rabbit!”
#16 by pwcheng on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 11:21 am
Since the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill, popularly know as the fake IPCMC bill is postponed to march next year, I hope Brother Kit will hold another consultation or better still a referendum on it as soon as the school holiday is over.
#17 by House Victim on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 1:44 pm
What should be = what to be delivered?
============================
We went to a famous Japanese Restaurant for our meal.
A number of us have in mind the dishes of appeal.
Going through the menu it was marvelous!
A big range of choice so happy everyone made their choice.
After some drinks came the apology.
The chef is away on emergency!
At the end we got noodles to quench our hungry!
So no rabbit take a bear!
No RCI take SCC??
Any department don’t have a complaint section?
Any professional don’t have a disciplinary committee?
Even the Prime Ministry has Biro?
At the end, Octopus without head!!
Legs catching legs!
Had all the Acts been professionally drafted? Strictly run?
Or, just to get authorization and self protection with bias to run?
A housing matter with HDA, STA and then BCPA!
Worse after worse!
The Acts started with BIAS in the Head and run by Big Head!
The system is so rotten, even the best ICAC Act to come, will it act?
An independent, fair and competent legal committee has to come in to straighten up all Acts!
No proper committee, no more ACTS!
Or more “Siu-sei-yan” (I learned somewhere!) in fact!
A transparent, accountable, efficient and corruption-free government has to be set-up to run those Acts.
Otherwise, the judiciary system after any ICAC or RCI remains a rotten apple to act!
At the end, ACT, ACT, ACT, seems to create a lot of Rights, Rights, Rights
but turning out Abuse, after Abuse and again Abuse
through officers, Department and the court!
Please LEAD People to clean-up the Government or no way for any mess!!
#18 by Old.observer on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 2:18 pm
cheng on soo – In 1957, Tunku had an experience team???
____________
cheng, it is clear to me, you have completely misunderstood my writings.
It is not a question of experience. Let’s take Nazri as example. It’s obvious to me this guy will simply say anything stupid just to create diversion and make a lot of fire. What is the result of this constant fire lighting by Nazri? Well, you end up with a very busy YB Kit writing, blogging, debating, etc. just to point out the stupidity of some of the things that Nazri regularly says. This detracts Kit. My question is : Is this the best way to utilize YB Kit’s time? To continually shadow and ridicule Nazri? Is YB Kit fighting to replace Nazri as Minister in the PM’s Department? Obviously not right? (In my opinion, YB KIt deserves a more responsible position, either Shadow PM or Shadow DPM at the very least).
So, what should be a better system? Well, in the ideal world, we have another person from the Opposition Party. This person – let’s call him X – will shadow Nazri. X will report to YB Kit. Everytime Nazri says something stupid, X will write and blog a rebuttal. He sticks to Nazri like a persistent dog. This person, X, should be appointed early. Why? So, that up to the time to election, X will have gained a lot of experience, gained and develop a track record, so that more people will gain to trust X. So that by the time election comes, X will be a known voice, not an unknown quantity. Of course I don’t expect BA to win the next election. But I do believe that when there is a change, the best time to start is NOW.
By extension, you can see the benefit of a shadow cabinet. One-to-one marking. Not just for Nazri, but for Zam, Najib. And the rest. One-to-one response. Of course, all working together as a team.
Hopefully, you can understand the context of my comment. Even though YB Kit is extremely hardworking and in my humble opinion, extremely intelligent, it is obvious to me that no single person is better than a cohesive and coordinated team. In BN’s case, you can see that YB Kit alone cannot take on the entire BN government. AAB can just allocate a handful of people like Nazri and Zam to make trouble and keep YB Kit’s hands full all day, leaving the rest to continue looting the Rakyat’s coffers.
The recent planned “stupidity” of the BN government provides Opposition a wonderful and unique opportunity to “hentam” them and gain public credibility.
It would be a tragic waste if YB Kit continues to take on the entire BN government in this blog. That unfortunately, is a guaranteed recipee for failure in next and subsequent elections.
I trust you understand the spirit of my comments here.
Old Observer.
#19 by Old.observer on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 2:29 pm
ckloh,
I like your Girlfriend A or Girlfriend B analogy, but perhaps with slight modification. Allow me to rephrase it slightly differently to others here … thanks.
_______
Girlfriend A is someone you know for a very, very, very long time. At least 10 years, but let say 30 years if you are a young person. She is secretly corrupt. She lies but most of the time, you and your family can’t tell the difference. But everytime when she is caught by someone else, she has the power to cover up, to deny, to make sure that you – her potential husband – doesn’t know, or doesn’t see. What you see is only the tip and scratches of huge iceberg of corruption. And every 5 years, she does so many “good” things publicly, all her friends keep praising how good she is, and she makes so many good promises daily to you, that you just can’t bear to separate with her.
Girlfriend B is really no one specific. It could be anyone girl from a group of 4 or 5. You don’t really know who she will be, since on the wedding day, it’s a random roll of dice as far as you are concerned.
Now, if you must choose Girlfriend A or Girlfriend B on your wedding day, and if the rules of this marriage is that if you didn’t vote, Girlfriend A automatically becomes your wife, how would you choose?
Old Observer.
PS. Now, is it really a surprise that some of the rich Chinese families decide not to choose A or B, but to just migrate overseas to find someone new? :-)
#20 by ckloh on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 - 6:19 pm
Old.observer, thanks for helping to rephrase.
It is exactly my sentiment.
If can’t afford to migrate to overseas, then how?
#21 by shortie kiasu on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 6:17 am
Delaying the passing the Bill does not mean it will be withdrawn completely. It is just a ploy to cool down the heat of the moment from the negative public reaction roused.
It is a done deal.