Archive for category Bersih
Is it worthwhile for Najib to abandon 1Malaysia Policy and Global Movement of Moderates initiative for the placebo Sept. 16 Red Shirts Malay rally?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak on Sunday, 20 September 2015
Is it worth it for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to abandon his signature 1Malaysia Policy and the Global Movement of Moderates initiative for the Sept. 16 Red Shirts Malay rally?
These are the two major policy initiatives Najib would want to be remembered as his legacy as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia – one his local contribution to Malaysian nation-building and the other his contribution to global politics beset by the trials and tribulations caused by intolerance, bigotry, extremism and terrorism.
But in one fell stroke, he had destroyed both – and all for the placebo effect of the Sept. 16 Red Shirts Malay Rally in Kuala Lumpur! Read the rest of this entry »
Do Umno Malays know the meaning of dignity?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malays, Mariam Mokhtar, Najib Razak, UMNO on Sunday, 20 September 2015
Mariam Mokhtar | September 20, 2015
Free Malaysia Today
They need to exorcise the demons inside them and to wean themselves from the entitlement culture.
COMMENT
It looks like the red shirted Umno-Baru Malays are condemning themselves to a life sentence of self-denial. They assume that everyone else in Malaysia owes them a living. It is time they came to terms with the real world. They need to exorcise their inner demons, and they need to wean themselves from the entitlement culture, which they expect will nurse them from cradle to grave.
Malays throughout Malaysia were ashamed to be associated with these bigots, who claim that they held the Red Shirts Rally to uphold Malay dignity. Their protest had nothing to do with Malay dignity. The rally was held primarily to distract us from the 1MDB scandal.
What kind of dignity can we associate with insolence and the hurling of insults at other communities? What dignity is there in transporting the elderly from the villages to boost attendance at the Kuala Lumpur rally? Taxpayers’ money was probably used to facilitate the transportation and to provide meals and pocket money. Read the rest of this entry »
Dignity is all about looking at ourselves
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak on Sunday, 20 September 2015
TK Chua
Malaysiakini
19 Sep 2015
Dignity is now a big word in Malaysia. But what is it?
It is self-respect, pride, self-esteem and self-worth. It is the quality of being worthy of honour or respect.
Dignity is not what others bestowed on us. It is how we carry ourselves. It is how we portray ourselves worthy of admiration and respect by others. Only we can insult our own dignity, not others.
I agree stomping on the pictures of Najib Abdul Razak and Hadi Awang was not the right thing to do. But it is how we react to that stomping that defines our dignity. Read the rest of this entry »
Three things we learned from: #Merah169
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, UMNO on Saturday, 19 September 2015
by Zurairi AR
Malay Mail Online
September 17, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 ― Thousands of Malays painted the city red yesterday, purportedly to show solidarity with Malay government leaders who are allegedly under siege from the ethnic Chinese community.
The event was originally planned as at least three separate rallies held by different organisers: martial arts group Pesaka who hosted the official gathering, a coalition of 250 Malay groups, and Felda settlers.
As the day went on, however, it was clear that there was only one event in town, the pro-Malay rally informally dubbed #Merah169, held as a reaction towards the electoral reform rally Bersih 4 that was attended by tens of thousands last month and deemed to be Chinese-driven.
Here are three things we learned about the event: Read the rest of this entry »
The mysterious red shirt rally continues to mystify
Aidila Razak
Malaysiakini
17 Sep 2015
COMMENT And so ends a rally which sent many into a tail spin of frenzy, stocking their pantries and whispering warnings of “stay indoors” for fear of a racial riot.
While the biggest mystery of its conception was eventually solved – it is an anti-(DAP) Chinese rally to defend Malay pride after all, and yes, Umno was a huge backer – it ends again in a shroud of mystery.
What on earth is Jamal Md Yunos on about? Read the rest of this entry »
Reflections on and from Bersih 4
– Katrina Jorene Maliamauv
The Malaysian Insider
18 September 2015
I wrote these thoughts down immediately after Bersih 4, but I’ve decided to only share them days down the line, once the news-cycle presumably moves on to something else, once the frenzy of pictures and status updates capturing the warmth, excitement, hope and enthusiasm fade away.
As powerful and moving as it is when hundreds of thousands of people come together in an act of protest, it is necessary always for us to remember that for protest to be transformative, it cannot exist as a singular event.
It is also critical for us to remember that acts of change cannot merely be external; we are part of the force for change, in ways that are vital beyond our feet marching in unison, our voices raising together in rally cries, our bodies on the street in acts of overnight resistance. Read the rest of this entry »
Rafidah Aziz should head the National Goodwill Committee to restore racial peace and social harmony as well as Malaysia’s international image as a model of multi-racial nation and safe haven for foreign investors damaged by Red Shirts Malay rally on Sept. 16
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, nation building on Friday, 18 September 2015
Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, gender, age or even politics, must hold their heads in shame as the country acquires a new infamy in the international society.
As if we have not enough of shame and scandals which had seriously hurt the pride of Malaysians overseas, like the MH370 disappearance, the MH17 disaster, continued unsolved mystery of the motive for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and the blowing up of her body with military C4 explosives, the RM50 billion 1MDB scandal, the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal banking accounts, Malaysia in the past 24 hours have acquired a new international infamy, a country of “anti-Chinese” demonstrations.
As a Malaysian, I feel very ashamed to read just now the Malaysiakini report “Overseas, red shirts rally seen as ‘anti-Chinese demo’”, as follows: Read the rest of this entry »
A rally in Malaysia today ramped up racial tensions and rhetoric
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak on Friday, 18 September 2015
Steve Mollman
Quartz
September 16, 2015
To an outside visitor, Malaysia’s underlying racial tensions might not be readily apparent. But a pro-government rally today (Sept. 16) in Kuala Lumpur brought them to light. The red-shirted demonstrators were for the most part young Malay men, many bused in from rural provinces with help from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the nation’s dominant political party.
Ethnic Malays are the majority in the country, but ethnic Chinese make up about a quarter of the population and, overall, have more economic power. UMNO has controlled Malaysia for nearly 60 years, and it has reserved economic and other advantages for Muslim Malays, saying they’re needed to prevent dominance by the ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
Today’s rally was in fact a counter-rally. It was a show of force in response to the Bersih rallies held on Aug. 29-30. “Bersih” is the Malay word for clean, and the yellow-shirted protestors were calling for clean elections, clean government, the right to dissent, a strengthened parliament, and the rescue of Malaysia’s faltering economy. They were especially incensed over accusations that prime minister Najib Razak pocketed nearly $700 million from a government investment fund. Read the rest of this entry »
So, what was the ‘red shirt’ rally really all about
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 17 September 2015
BY SHERIDAN MAHAVERA
The Malaysian Insider
17 September 2015
Despite the belligerent rhetoric, yesterday’s “red shirt” rally in Kuala Lumpur was more about supporting embattled Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak rather than protecting Umno, much less about defending the rights and dignity of Malays.
A few things which happened prior to the rally indicated this. The night before the rally, Umno’s deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged Malays not to attend the rally.
At the same time influential Umno strongman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed disparaged it. A report by The Malaysian Insider also quoted several Umno grassroots leaders who said they were against it.
Both Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir are Umno leaders who have clashed with Najib and are figureheads for party members disenchanted with the Umno president. Read the rest of this entry »
A paradigm shift in Malaysian politics?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malaysian Dream, Najib Razak, nation building on Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Dennis Ignatius
Malaysiakini
15th Sept 2015
COMMENT In response to the massive Bersih 4 rally last month, Umno – let’s stop pretending that it is not behind it – is planning a counter-demonstration of its own tomorrow, Sept 16, which is Malaysia Day.
Many people have expressed concern that the so-called “red shirt” demonstration might provoke racial violence, especially given the incendiary remarks of some of its leaders, the inflammatory posters that have appeared across town and the provocative choice of venue (in the heart of what’s left of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown).
Understandably, there have been calls to ban the red shirt rally.
While the red shirts have, of course, the same rights as Bersih supporters to demonstrate, they do not have licence to threaten others. They can rally to support a morally bankrupt regime if they want, but they are not free to launch a campaign of racial intimidation.
Oddly, while the federal territories minister and the police are insisting that the red shirt will not be permitted to assemble as planned, the prime minister, the deputy prime minister (who is also home minister), and the Umno Youth chief all endorsed the Sept 16 demonstration. No surprise, therefore, that the police have now relented. Read the rest of this entry »
Saya Melayu tapi saya tolak perhimpunan baju merah
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malaysian Dream, nation building on Tuesday, 15 September 2015
— Mohd Fitri Asmuni
The Malay Mail Online
September 15, 2015
SEPT 15 — Perhimpunan “Baju Merah” tinggal 2 hari saja lagi untuk diadakan. Tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk Perhimpunan tersebut adalah pada 16 September 2015 iaitu tarikh yang sama dengan sambutan “Hari Malaysia”.
Pada tahun 2010, kerajaan telah mengisytiharkan 16 September setiap tahun sebagai cuti umum bagi seluruh rakyat Malaysia.
Pengisytiharan 16 September sebagai cuti umum pada setiap tahun adalah satu initiatif kerajaan bagi memperingati pembentukan negara Malaysia pada 16 September 1963 yang menggabungkan Tanah Melayu, Sabah, Sarawak dan Singapura bagi membentuk sebuah persekutuan yang dinamakan Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »
Call on all Malaysians to make a personal reaffirmation on Malaysia Day 2015 that they are not just Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans or Orang Asli but most important of all, they are Malaysians!
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malaysian Dream, Najib Razak, nation building on Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Malaysia Day 2015 Message by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on 15th September 2015:
Nobody would have expected that Malaysia Day 2015 would turn out to be the most critical Malaysia Day in the nation’s history, with Malaysia at the crossroads – whether for Sabahans, Sarawakians or Malayans.
In recent years, there is growing alienation and disaffection among the people in Sabah and Sarawak causing even calls for secession from Malaysia to be raised because of over half-a-century of neglect and underdevelopment of Sabah and Sarawak.
But is there full and unreserved support for the idea, concept and vision of Malaysia by the people in Peninsular Malaysia?
May be not, from the insistence of those who want to hold a “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” rally in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 16, although this highly-charged and provocative racist rally threatens not only racial peace and social harmony of the country, but undermines the very idea, integrity and vision of a Malaysian nation.
But the organisers of the Red Shirts Sept. 16 “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” are the modern-day hijackers, which is why the former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was spot-on when he rubbished the notion that the red shirts rallying tomorrow are defending the Malays or that Bersih 4 was racist. Read the rest of this entry »
Is UMNO through its Kota Baru division, spearheading an inter-cultural and inter-religious fusion, with Kota Baru division enacting Taoist rites of effigy-burning and setting up of an altar, complete with joss sticks and fruit offerings
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 14 September 2015
The first thought that came to me when I saw the Kota Baru UMNO Division video on Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan and me was whether UMNO, through its Kota Baru division, is spearheading an inter-cultural and inter-religious “fusion” with Kota Baru Division enacting the Toaist rites of effigy-burning and setting up of an altar, complete with joss sticks and fruit offerings.
The second thought was the actual role of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in this video episode as his former political secretary and Kota Baru UMNO division chief, Fatmi Che Salleh, was the key character in this “inter-cultural and inter-religious fusion”.
Probably I should feel flattered as the UMNO leaders and propagandists are attributing to me super-human powers, not only able to lead UMNO through Kota Baru UMNO Division leaders to spearhead an inter-religious “fusion” with Kota Baru UMNO leaders participating actively in the last day of the Month of the Hungry Ghosts, but also to “mastermind” the Bersih 4 overnight rally on August 29 and 30 although I had nothing to do with it. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s troubles just beginning
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Monday, 14 September 2015
Andrew Harding, NUS
East Asia Forum
11 September 2015
As it tussles with multiple crises of political legitimacy and governance, Malaysia has reached a decisive point in its more than half-century history as an independent nation. What started as a shocking but not exceptional scandal has turned into a political crisis of unprecedented proportions. This was underlined by the Bersih 4 protests on 29–30 August in Kuala Lumpur, attended by an estimated 250,000 yellow-T-shirted Malaysians.
First, it was discovered that a development agency, 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), set up by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in 2009, was in debt to the tune of RM42 billion (US$9.6 billion). Where, it was asked, did this vast sum of money go? What mismanagement or corrupt practices led to such a meltdown?
Then it was reported that the sum of RM2.6 billion (US$700 million) had shown up in Najib’s personal bank account. It has been admitted— in instalments —that this money was indeed placed in that account, but it is claimed to have been ‘donated’ from Middle Eastern sources as recognition of Malaysia’s role in fighting ISIS and maintaining Sunni Islam. Given the timing (just before Malaysia’s general election in 2013) and Najib’s claim that the funds were used for party political purposes, the money was clearly intended and used to ensure victory for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, led by Najib’s UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) party.
Najib claims that nothing about this was illegal, given the current lack of statutory control over campaign spending, maintaining that he held the funds in trust for his party. But since BN won the election with a clear minority of votes, yet a majority of the seats in parliament, the legitimacy of the result was already in serious question even before the donation scandal came to light.
It gets worse. Najib’s response to attempts to get to the bottom of these matters has raised further questions about accountability and governance in Malaysia under BN rule. At first he was reluctant to give any explanation. Ultimately, denials followed by evasive answers raised many further questions. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia Hosts Anti-Corruption Conference as Government Faces Its Own Corruption Scandal
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Monday, 14 September 2015
By Ghazala Irshad
Huffington Post
09/11/2015
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia — The irony that leaders of the country hosting an international gathering against corruption are themselves embroiled in an embezzlement scandal provided unprecedented drama for 30 million Malaysians and a rare live case study for more than 1,000 anti-corruption conference delegates who visited Malaysia last week from around the world.
Leaked documents implicating Prime Minister Najib Razak in the embezzlement of $700 million from a state development fund prompted protesters nationwide to don yellow and call for his resignation, ahead of the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) last week.
The scandal was the proverbial elephant in the room on the opening day of the IACC hosted by Malaysia on September 2. Then Jose Ugaz, president of global corruption watchdog group Transparency International, boldly addressed it head-on.
In a fiery speech introducing the new keynote speaker, the Malaysian minister of governance and integrity — who replaced Razak at the last minute — Ugaz clearly outlined all of Razak’s ethical violations and demanded specific answers from an independent probe.
“There are unanswered questions about the $700 million that made its way into the Prime Minister’s personal bank account,” Ugaz said, as the conference hall thundered with applause and cheers.
“In recent weeks we have seen the attorney general who was critical of the government suddenly replaced, the [state development fund] task force suspended, investigators at the Anti-Corruption Commission arrested or transferred, and newspapers suspended for reporting on the matter,” Ugaz continued.
“These are not the actions of a government that is fighting corruption. Malaysia is facing a corruption crisis.” Read the rest of this entry »
Malay Pride Rally Stokes Race Politics in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Monday, 14 September 2015
By Mong Palatino
The Diplomat
September 11, 2015
Another troubling sign that the ‘race card’ is being exploited in the country’s politics.
More than 250 licensed non-government organizations in Malaysia are planning to mobilize 30,000 people on September 16 to protect and promote Maruah Melayu (Malay dignity). The event also aims to show support for the beleaguered leadership of Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is being implicated in a corruption scandal.
The event was clearly organized to counter the Bersih (which means ‘clean’ in Malay) protest last August 29 and 30, which gathered more than 100,000 people in Kuala Lumpur. Some leaders of the Malay Pride Rally have ridiculed Bersih as a Chinese conspiracy. To prevent the Chinese protesters from undermining the government, they urged their fellow Malays to join the September 16 gathering and to wear red in order to oppose the yellow color of Bersih.
This framing of the issue is rejected by many who insist that it is a distortion of the real politics of Bersih. While it is true that Chinese protesters were present during the Bersih protest, they were joined by Malays and other citizens who believe that Najib must resign and that a clean election is needed to promote good governance in the country. Last month’s Bersih, and the three previous Bersih protests, didn’t pit the Chinese versus the Malays, although some allies of the government wanted the public to believe that racial sentiments are undermining the country’s stability.
From the beginning, the issue was about corruption and abuse of power by the ruling coalition, which has been in power since the 1950s, yet leaders of the Malay Pride Rally continue to speak about Chinese machinations. Read the rest of this entry »
Tale of two T-shirts, two rallies and two Malaysia Day highlight the gravity of the prolonged crisis of confidence which plague Malaysia why Malaysians must think beyond race, religion, region or even politics to Save Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malaysian Dream, Najib Razak, Sabah, Sarawak on Sunday, 13 September 2015
The tale of two T-shirts, two rallies and two Malaysia Day highlight the gravity of the prolonged crisis of confidence which plague Malaysia and why Malaysians must think beyond race, religion, region or even politics to Save Malaysia.
Two T-shirts
There is firstly the yellow Bersih 4 T-shirt, with the five objectives of:
*Free and Fair Elections.
*A Transparent Government.
*The Right to Demonstrate.
*Strengthening the Parliamentary Democracy System.
*Saving the Economy of Malaysia.
Then there is the red T-shirt screaming the slogan “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu”, with the explicit threat of communal confrontation and if the message was not clear enough, there was also also the vivid imagery of a communal “bloodbath”. Read the rest of this entry »
Sept 16, 2015 should be a red-letter Malaysia Day marking first important steps by Putrajaya to restore genuine autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak which should not be spoilt or overshadowed by “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” rally in KL
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, Sabah, Sarawak on Friday, 11 September 2015
On the 52nd Malaysia Day on Sept. 16 next Wednesday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not just be in Kota Kinabalu for a Public Relations gimmick to join the Sabah and Sarawak Chief Ministers at Padang Merdeka to sign the commemorative Malaysia Day document to re-enact the formation of Malaysia 52 years ago.
More is expected of the Prime Minister to do something more substantive, as giving import and significance to the occasion, especially in the meeting of the Prime Minister with the Chief Ministers and Sabah and Sarawak such as to mark Putrajaya’s first important steps to restore genuine autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak.
Najib has committed himself to grant more autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak, and the 52nd Malaysia Day on Sept. 16, in his sixth year as Malaysian Prime Minister, should be the historic occasion to see the start of the process of Putrajaya honouring such a commitment.
There are at least four things Najib could do on Sept. 16 to begin the “first step in the journey of thousand miles” to grant meaningful autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak, viz: Read the rest of this entry »
Biarkan si baju merah berarak
Posted by Kit in Bersih, International on Thursday, 10 September 2015
Hafidz Baharom
The Malaysian Insider
9 September 2015
Saya tidak menyokong perbuatan tersebut, tapi saya berpendapat rakyat Malaysia patut membiarkan ia berlaku tetapi motif saya berlainan.
Biarlah si baju merah semuanya berkumpul di Bukit Bintang, beraksi semula dengan kayu-kayan, berguling sana sini, mengucapkan apa-apa yang mungkin bersifat perkauman dan anti Cina, menunjukkan mereka kononnya perwira bangsa Melayu.
Biarlah setiap kata-kata mereka direkodkan dan dimuat naik ke semua laman sosial. Biarlah setiap kata-kata mereka diterjemahkan ke semua bahasa yang rakyat Malaysia dan warga asing di sini faham.
Biarlah video-video berserta terjemahan dalam setiap bahasa ini disebarkan oleh rakyat Malaysia sendiri melalui laman sosial ke Bangladesh, Korea Selatan, Jepun, Amerika Syarikat, Kanada, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, China, Vietnam, Singapura dan Rusia – mana-mana negara yang mempunyai kepentingan perdagangan dengan Malaysia.
Maka dengan aksi sedemikian rupa, kerajaan sendiri perlu menanggung tanggungjawab penyokong politik mereka sendiri. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib should cancel the Sept. 16 programme in Kota Kinabalu for signing of commemorative Malaysia Day document with Sabah and Sarawak Chief Ministers and have it either one day earlier or later so as not to be overshadowed by the Red Shirts pro-Najib rally in Kuala Lumpur
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, Sabah, Sarawak on Thursday, 10 September 2015
When the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak endorsed the greenlight given by the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi for the Red Shirts “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” rally in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 16, it marked not only a great failure of Najib’s premiership, but a pathetic admission of the failure of his signature 1Malaysia policy when he became the sixth Prime Minister some six years ago to create a united nation where every citizen will regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, region and socio-economic status second.
Six years after Najib’s 1Malaysia Policy, the country should be having “Kebangkitan Maruah Malaysia” rallies and not regressing to hold “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” rallies – which is the very antithesis of Najib’s 1Malaysia policy.
Is Najib suggesting that there should also be “Kebangkitan Maruah Cina Malaysia”, “Kebangkitan Maruah India Malaysia”, “Kebangkitan Maruah Orang Asli”, “Kebangkitan Maruah Iban” or “Kebangkitan Maruah Kadazan-Dusun-Murut” rallies all over the country?
Najib and the Cabinet should be asking Zahid why the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister is practicing double standards in warning of “stern action” against organisers and participants of Bersih 4 rally but gave the okay for UMNO members to attend the Red Shirts rally?
Why did Zahid personally sign a ban of the yellow Bersih 4 T-shirt on the eve of Bersih 4 rally, but endorsed the sale of red “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” T-shirts? Read the rest of this entry »
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