Archive for category Bersih
A new low for Wisma Putra
– Dennis Ignatius
Former Malaysian High Commissioner to Canada
7 Sep 2015
The newly minted deputy minister of foreign affairs, Reezal Merican, has warned that Wisma Putra would be monitoring Malaysians involved in BERSIH rallies overseas and be reporting them to the relevant agencies for follow-up action. [Malaysiakini, September 4th 2015]
Obviously, he has a lot to learn about the proud traditions of our foreign service. In the first place, Wisma Putra is not a spy agency with embassies abroad keeping tabs on the activities of Malaysian citizens. That is something that countries like North Korea, China and Iran do. In all my 36 years in the foreign ministry, we never spied on our citizens, kept records of their activities or threatened them. In fact, we went out of our way to build rapport with them because we recognized that they could contribute to promoting Malaysia.
Of course, there were times when we disagreed with their actions or the positions they took on national issues. Our response, however, was always to engage them, explain government policies and endeavour to win them over. We won some and we lost some; that’s the way it goes in a democracy. Whatever the outcome, the Malaysia I represented then always respected the rights of its citizens even when we disagreed with them. There was no question of trying to intimidate them. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Malays were underrepresented at Bersih 4
Farouk A. Peru
The Malaysian Insider
9 September 2015
By now the dust settled on the greatest show of defiance Malaysia has ever seen. Despite the typical strong arm tactics by Umno politicians to discourage Bersih 4, Malaysians came out in force to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
However, from the very beginning of Bersih 4, given the racial make-up of its participants, the inevitable question was asked – where were the Malays?
This is actually an unfair question and I am sure the government along with its racist supporters would so love that Bersih 4 would be bereft of Malay presence.
This is of course not the case. I happen to know some Malay participants and I highly doubt that those whose pictures were taken while praying and the many women who wore headscarves were photoshopped in! Read the rest of this entry »
If the Cabinet today cannot set the country right to address and resolve the multiple crisis of confidence plaguing the country, then it is not a Cabinet Malaysians need
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Today’s Cabinet meeting is a critical one for the nation as it will be the last Cabinet meeting before next Wednesday which is a public holiday for Malaysia Day.
This is not because next Wednesday commemorates the formation of Malaysia 52 years ago but because of a “racially-fuelled” Umno or pro-UMNO Sept. 16 red-shirt rally which the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) secretary-general Datuk Seri Syed Hussein Al-Habshee has warned would have “castastrophic” consequences.
In a statement yesterday, Syed Hussein said the rally will “trigger negativity and erosion of business sentiments, affecting foreign investors’ perceptions and tourism and add further pressure on the ringgit”.
The secretary-general of NCCIM, which represents the Malay, Chinese and Indian chambers of commerce and industry, said he feared the effects of the rally could cripple the Malaysian economy, halting its ability to recover.
He said: “It might leave us without fixes to yield a quick recovery process.” Read the rest of this entry »
A call to Malay M’sians to reject red-shirt menace
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malays, university on Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi
Malaysiakini
8th Sept 2015
I am writing as a concerned Malaysian and as a responsible Muslim against the overt threats of those I will refer to as the RSMM – the Red Shirt Malay Menace.
I have no idea what the official name of this group is, so I am using my academic licence to call them RSMM. Were this a Bahasa Malaysia article, I would dub them MMTM – Melayu Merah Tiada Maruah.
But strangely enough, this article is not about the RSMM but more about the deafening silence from the Malay political leadership, the Malay leadership of public universities, the Malay ulama who are muftis, and the Malay leadership in one particular political group which claims to be the sole warriors of Islam.
From the first day that the activities of this group were reported in the media and online videos showing them as ‘pahlawan’ or warriors getting ready for battle, I have kept a close eye on not their childish statements and loud bravado but on who amongst the Malay elites of this country holding the bastion of power socially, religiously and politically would say about this group and their more-than-clear intention. Read the rest of this entry »
Appoint Nazir Razak as honorary Ombudsman for “stupid things” by “Power People” with jurisdiction to summon miscreants to publicly lecture them for their stupid utterances or acts which undermine Malaysia’s national image
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Two days ago, I had asked whether there was a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things, which I had entitled:
“’Walking Dead’ – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things?”
This was after the statement by the CIMB Group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who warned a fortnight ago that those he described as “power people” should stop issuing stupid remarks amid the worsening economic crisis in the country, especially with the decline in the value of the ringgit, which had plunged to levels unseen since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.
I noted that although Nazir, who is also the brother to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had urged the “power people” in an Instagram post to “Accept & adjust quickly” as “capital is super sensitive; bad news & bad signs amplified” and to avoid saying “stupid things”, the situation has gone from bad to worse, as if there is a total breakdown of discipline of the Najib Cabinet after the reshuffle of July 28, with the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Apdal Shafie.
I pointed out that in the previous 12 days since Nazir’s advice, the “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s “power people” had increase by leaps and bounds, and I listed such 13 “stupid things” said by Najib’s “power people” in the past 48 hours, i.e. at the shocking rate of more than half-a-dozen a day!
The volume and velocity of “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s “power people” had not slowed in the least, as seen by the new list of such “stupid things” from the headlines of Malaysiakini in the 48 hours after the first list of “stupid things” on Sunday, viz: Read the rest of this entry »
Racism is the colour of Jahiliyyah Arabs
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Malaysian Dream on Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Nurul Izzah Anwar
Malaysiakini
Sept 7th, 2015
MP SPEAKS The planned Sept 16 red-shirt racially-based rally is deeply troubling, fomenting concerns of racial provocation in times when unity is sorely needed in facing Malaysia’s many adversities. It is especially disheartening to see a minister openly supporting this racist ideology. The Star Online reported Umno supreme council member Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be sending party members to join the rally in his capacity as Bera Umno division chief.
Just yesterday a police report has been lodged against this racially provocative protest. The police must immediately act to ensure such acts of provocation does not proceed with any sense of impunity. Continuing silence from the authorities is even more troubling when contrasted with the home affairs minister’s incessant urgings to hunt the few outliers who desecrated images of PAS and Umno leaders in the Bersih 4 rally.
Notwithstanding general disapproval and condemnation over such crude insults against any political leaders as well as their symbols ; the social harmony of our society necessitates priority. The police must act to stem any efforts to racialise events – as this is clearly an effort to further divide Malaysia along racial lines.
What’s worse, the posters being displayed in KL associated to the Sept 16th event is akin to inviting violence on one racial group by another. This is completely flouting existing laws and reason and cannot be allowed to continue. Read the rest of this entry »
Call on Cabinet and the UMNO Supreme Council to take a clear Malaysian stand against any rally seeking to provoke and incite tension and hatred of one race against another in Malaysia, whether Sept. 16 and Oct. 10 gatherings
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Malaysian Dream, Najib Razak on Monday, 7 September 2015
The Cabinet and the UMNO Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday should take a clear Malaysian stand against any rally seeking to provoke and incite tension and hatred of one race against another in Malaysia, whether the proposed Sept. 16 or Oct. 10 gatherings.
The fundamental right to freedom of assembly to peacefully advocate constitutional rights and liberties of Malaysians must be defended as a basic democratic liberty and human right of Malaysians, but there can be no right whatsoever to commit heinous crimes as inciting racial or religious tension, hatred and conflict in plural Malaysia.
It is in fact the basic duty and responsibility of any government to ensure that those who want to provoke or incite racial or religious hatred to create conflict, disharmony and chaos in plural Malaysia must be stopped in their tracks, and not allowed any room whatsoever to commit the heinous crimes of inciting inter-racial or inter-religious tension and conflict.
The Sept. 16 and Oct.10 rallies were conceived as Malay counter to the purported Chinese Bersih 4 rally of August 29 and 30, alleging that Bersih 4 was a Chinese show of force against Malay political power – which is a most irresponsible allegation totally without basis, as there was not a tinge of racialism at all in the Bersih 4 rally where Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, sex, gender or even politics converged in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for a common cause for good governance and free, fair elections – issues which completely transcend race. Read the rest of this entry »
Gravely concerned about whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Education on Sunday, 6 September 2015
Recently, many strange things are happening in our country which are not amenable to simple explanations.
The most recent strange happening in the country is the disappearance of prominent deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais since Friday.
Kevin, who was previously seconded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) until more than a year ago, was last seen leaving for work from his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, Friday morning.
I am gravely concerned about the whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour.
The discovery of a burnt car in Kampung Sungai Samak, Hilir Perak has cast a pall over Kevin’s case.
I am concerned as among other things, Kevin was my constituent when I was Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor before I contested in Gelang Patah in the last general election. Read the rest of this entry »
“Walking Dead” – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid thing?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Sunday, 6 September 2015
Just 12 days ago, the CIMB Group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak warned those he described as “power people” against issuing stupid remarks amid the continuing decline in the value of the ringgit, which had plunged to levels unseen since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.
In an Instagram post, Nazir, who is also the brother to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, urged the “power people”: “Accept & adjust quickly” as “capital is super sensitive; bad news & bad signs amplified” asking “power people” to avoid saying “stupid things”.
But instead of heeding Nazir’s advice, Najib’s “power people” have got even worse, increasing the stupidity, volume and velocity of their statements in the past 12 days that Malaysians are entitled to ask whether there is a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things!
The velocity of “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s Ministers and “power people” have increased to notch more than one a day in the past 12 days – in fact to more than half-a-dozen a day in the past two days, as can be gleaned from the following headlines in the past 48 hours: Read the rest of this entry »
Call on Home Minister and IGP to take strong action against anyone trying provoke or foment racial strife in plural Malaysian like the so-called September 16 Incident
The Bersih 4 overnight rally on August 29 and 30 was a credit to both the organisers and participants on the one hand and the police on tother, for it showed to the world that peaceful assemblies numbering some 500,000 people in three venues, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for two days could be held peacefully in exercise of the democratic and constitutional rights of Malaysians.
But it is shocking and outrageous that after Bersih 4, there are irresponsible people who are distorting a non-racial Bersih 4 rally into a Chinese rally and challenge to Malay political power and are calling for a “Malay rally to counter the purported “Chinese Bersih demonstration” in Kualal Lumpur on Sept. 16. Read the rest of this entry »
Soal AS$700 juta masih jadi tanda tanya
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Saturday, 5 September 2015
OLEH SHERIDAN MAHAVERA
The Malaysian Insider
5 September 2015
Minggu lepas, kira-kira 500,000 rakyat Malaysia turun ke jalanan menuntut Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak menjelaskan derma sebanyak AS$700 juta (RM2.6 bilion) yang diterimanya.
Minggu ini pula, beberapa badan dunia yang terlibat dalam membanteras rasuah melakukan perkara yang sama, bukan di jalanan tetapi pada Persidangan Antarabangsa Pencegahan Rasuah (IACC) ke-16 di Putrajaya, tidak jauh dari pejabat Najib.
Najib bagaimanapun tidak menghadiri IACC itu, atas nasihat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Senator Datuk Paul Low, kerana bimbang perdana menteri mungkin berdepan dengan reaksi negatif. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Malaysian’ in tourism posters, ‘Chinese’ in rallies
by RK Anand
Malaysiakini
Sep 3rd, 2015
COMMENT He dropped the bombshell midway through dinner. The reasons, he argued, were better opportunities and having grown tired of racism in Malaysia.
But racism exists everywhere, I protested, hoping it would dissuade him from emigrating but it was greeted with laughter instead.
“I do not mind being called an immigrant elsewhere. But it hurts when I am told that I am a ‘pendatang’ in the land where my father and I were born. I do not want my children to endure this as well.”
With that, I knew nothing more could be said or done except to bid him farewell. Read the rest of this entry »
The paranoid government
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Human Rights on Friday, 4 September 2015
Syerleena Abdul Rashid
The Malaysian Insider
4 September 2015
“You’re either with us or not” – this is the fact that the ruling regime has hammered into the minds of many Malaysians for the past several decades.
Fact is, although, they may have succeeded with our predecessors, they have lost their iron clasp hold on this generation and this is something the ruling regime is fully aware of.
The recent Bersih 4 rally – and like the other three rallies that came before, showed them just how upset Malaysians are. Read the rest of this entry »
First to take the “Bina Bangsa” module should be Mahdzir himself and Malay-supremacist UMNO Ministers and leaders who continue to be racially-minded instead of trying to be Malaysian first and race second
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Bersih, Malaysian Dream on Friday, 4 September 2015
The Education Minister Datuk Mahdzir Khalid has admitted his earlier mistake and said that the new “Bina Bangsa” module, once implemented, would affect both national primary schools and vernacular schools.
DAP Parliamentary Spokesman for Education, MP for Bukit Bendera Zairil Khir Johari had yesterday questioned the need for the “Bina Bangsa” module to be introduced only in vernacular primary school when the non-Bumiputera enrolment at national schools were at an all-time low.
Zairil said that contrary to general perception, national schools are actually now more mono-ethnic in its make up as compared to vernacular schools, especially Chinese schools.
He also said it was very “mischievous” for Mahdzir to imply that vernacular schools were an obstacle to national unity as such an assertion was without basis.
Zairil stressed that what the ministry should do instead is to look into the values that are imparted as well as the quality of education available, especially in national schools.
I am glad that the new Education Minister has taken heed of Zairil’s criticisms but there is an even more fundamental question about Mahdzir’s proposal of a “Bina Bangsa” module. Read the rest of this entry »
We went to Bersih 4 as patriots
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Mahathir, Najib Razak on Thursday, 3 September 2015
by Jean Yeoh
Malaysiakini
Sep 2nd, 2015
Bersih 4 was my second street protest experience as a 70-year-old retired teacher, minus the excitement, but added more mixed feelings. I went to Bersih 3 with only one intention, for my three grandchildren. I went to Bersih 4.0 with two demands, spelt out on my self-made poster: for the next generation (in Chinese) and ‘utamakan pendidikan berkualiti (prioritise quality education).
Again my family gave me full blessing to participate, though knowing very well that it would be a bigger risk-taking adventure for me as what happened in Bersih 3 was still fresh in everybody’s mind.
But, ‘to Bersih 4 I will go’, despite reading lots of negative comments such as ‘so near the Low Yat fiasco, sure something more horrible will happen’, ‘what if the Red army came with bricks, sticks and even parangs’ ‘what is the use of going, still the same Malaysia and even worst then after Berish 3’and ‘Najib Abdul Razak is so desperate now he will try to create a scene so that emergency can be declared’. Read the rest of this entry »
Is Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy “one of a kind” in the world where no-confidence motion is not allowed?”
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Thursday, 3 September 2015
Malaysia is now the daily staple of international news – with at least four items of international news yesterday, viz:
• AP Report: “Anti-graft group: Malaysian PM must explain $700M in account”;
• New York Times report: “Switzerland Investigates Fund Executives in Malaysian Corruption Case”;
• Economic Times: “Fitch warns of downgrade risk in Malaysia’s rating outlook” and
• BBC: ”Malaysia police to question former PM Mahathir over rally”.
All these international attention are not for Malaysia’s edification but only contribute to Malaysia’s disrepute and demonization in the global community – to the great pain and sorrow of Malaysian patriots locally and internationally.
An item which will pique international interest is the issue of no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in Parliament – which will be unprecedented in Malaysian history, whether finally moved or otherwise. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia police to question Mahathir Mohamad over rally
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Mahathir, Najib Razak on Thursday, 3 September 2015
Michael Peel in Putrajaya
Financial Times
2nd Sept 2015
Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s influential former prime minister, faces questioning by police as tensions deepen over his efforts to topple his scandal-hit successor Najib Razak.
Authorities have also called in leaders of a 34-hour street protest last weekend against Mr Najib after the government declared the rally illegal.
The targeting of people associated with the demonstration, which Mr Mahathir attended, comes as Mr Najib fights allegations of corruption over mysterious payments of more than $675m into bank accounts in his name.
The prime minister and the country’s anti-graft commission say the money came from an anonymous Middle Eastern donor, rather than Malaysian state funds.
Malaysian police said Khalid Abu Bakar, inspector-general, would take a statement from Mr Mahathir, who at the rally called for a “people’s power” movement to oust Mr Najib. Read the rest of this entry »
Switzerland Investigates Fund Executives in Malaysian Corruption Case
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Najib Razak on Thursday, 3 September 2015
By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE
New York Times
SEPT. 2, 2015
GENEVA — The Swiss authorities said on Wednesday that they had started a criminal investigation of two executives of a Malaysian state investment fund at the center of a corruption scandal that has led to calls for Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia to resign.
The Attorney General’s Office in Switzerland also said it had frozen bank account assets amounting to tens of millions of dollars in relation to the case, but declined to give details.
The office said it was investigating two executives of 1Malaysia Development Berhad, the troubled investment fund also known as 1MDB, and other “person(s) unknown” over a series of offenses, including money laundering, corruption of foreign officials and suspected misconduct in public office.
Investigators are “analyzing and consolidating the evidence,” Anna Wegelin, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office, said Wednesday. Read the rest of this entry »
The irony of Najib’s ‘1Malaysia’
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak on Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Aug 31st, 2015
Sweet irony. In the end it was Najib Abdul Razak’s ‘1Malaysia’ which united Malaysians from all over the globe to stand in solidarity with fellow Malaysians back home, and demand his resignation.
From the most unlikely places like Guernsey, to South America, a diver sporting a Bersih poster whilst scuba diving in Indonesia, a skydiver with his yellow paraphernalia and small towns which are traditional strongholds of Umno Baru, like Kuala Lipis.
The Malaysians, young and old, rich and poor, answered the appeal made by Maria Chin Abdullah of Bersih 2.0, to show their support for their demand for good governance and clean elections.
The worldwide movement of dissenting Malaysians proved four things:- Read the rest of this entry »
Boikot Bersih 4: PAS untung atau rugi?
Mohsin Abdullah
The Malaysian Insider
2 September 2015
Akar umbi Umno pun tidak marah Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hadir pada perhimpunan Bersih 4. Itu menurut berita yang disiarkan The Malaysian Insider.
Sebabnya – mereka terima “penjelasan “ Dr Mahathir yang bekas presiden mereka bukan sokong gerakan Bersih secara khusus tetapi kerana beliau menyokong rakyat.
Maknanya Dr Mahathir melihat rakyat menyebelahi atau bersama gerakan Bersih. Sekali gus tuntutan Bersih adalah tuntutan rakyat. Boleh disimpulkan begitu?
Jika boleh, persamaannya (berdasarkan hujah Dr Mahathir) ialah Bersih = rakyat. Satu “equation” yang boleh membimbangkan pucuk pimpinan Umno
kerana “akar umbi setuju with such an equation”.
Dan dalam konteks PAS pula – adakah ketidakhadiran parti itu pada perhimpunan Bersih kali ini membawa erti parti itu “tidak bersama rakyat”? Read the rest of this entry »
-
You are currently browsing the archives for the Bersih category.
