Archive for category Human Rights
“Free MP Teresa Kok” Parliamentary Caucus
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Parliament, Teresa Kok on Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Too busy to blog since the media conference in Parliament at 11 am yesterday on the letter to the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia on Teresa Kok’s detention under the Internal Security Act, with several events crammed one after another including the following events:
1. Habeas corpus application for the release of Teresa at the Kuala Lumpur High Court;
2. First visit of Teresa by her parents at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur since her ISA detention on Friday (Sept. 12) night at 11.18 pm.
3. Candlelight vigil at Kinrara, Teresa’s state assembly constituency.
4. Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia Day rally at Kelana Jaya Stadium.
Before rushing off to airport, must blog about the convening of a meeting of MPs from all political parties which I announced in Parliament House yesterday to form a “Free MP Teresa Kok” Parliamentary caucus.
The inaugural meeting of this parliamentary caucus will be held in Parliament tomorrow, Wednesday, 17th September 2008 at 3 p.m and I hope that regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, MPs (and Ministers) will come together tomorrow to demand MP Teresa Kok’s immediate release in our capacity as a parliamentarian.
MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan is the co-ordinating secretary convening the inaugural meeting tomorrow for the establishment of the “Free MP Teresa Kok” parliamentary caucus. Read the rest of this entry »
Teresa’s ISA arrest letter to Speaker
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, ISA, Parliament, Teresa Kok on Monday, 15 September 2008
15th September 2008
YB Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia,
Speaker,
Dewan Rakyat,
Parlimen.
YB Tan Sri,
Detention of MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok under the Internal Security Act on baseless and non-existing grounds- a grave contempt of Parliament
Three-term DAP MP for Seputeh YB Teresa Kok Suh Sim was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on Friday, 12th September 2008 at 11.18 pm like a common criminal on her return to her Kuala Lumpur condominium at the condo entrance and has since been held incommunicado as if she is a Malaysian version of Osama bin Laden posing a grave threat to the security and stability of Malaysia.
Parliament, as one of the three branches of government and in keeping with the doctrine of separation of powers, cannot take lightly the use of the detention-without-trial ISA against an elected Member of Parliament, as it is not just about the violation of an MP’s individual human rights and parliamentary responsibilities, but a serious assault on the institution of Parliament and the system of parliamentary democracy when an MP could be silenced and Malaysians deprived of their elected representative and spokesperson by arbitrary exercise of police and Executive powers.
Set Raja Petra free – this true defender of Islam and the rights of many
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman, Human Rights on Sunday, 14 September 2008
by Azly Rahman
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d.
— from William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Saudara RPK,
I hope they are treating you well, in this holy month of Ramadhan that is turning our nation into our Ramallah.
I write in a state of being free while you languish in sadness incarcerated by those in their dying days breathing painfully.
They say that you are anti-Islam and anti-government. The are wrong on both counts. You are a great defender not only of Islam but of other faiths. You are a great defender of a sane government yet to be installed and one that will gladly set you free.
They are fearing not you nor the voices of conscience no longer in the wilderness; they are fearing themselves – their Inner Self – that they are answering to in their scramble to satisfy their greed for material wealth and lust for power.
They have not made you a bankrupt, RPK. They themselves are drowned in riches that will bury them.
Sdr. RPK. I hope your incarceration will be brief. So too will be of the others.
The rakyat feels that the present government will not be the one freeing you. A new one will. Read the rest of this entry »
Habeas Corpus application for Teresa Kok tomorrow; International-level Campaign will be launched
Posted by Kit in DAP, Human Rights, Teresa Kok on Sunday, 14 September 2008
The habeas corpus application to free DAP National Organising Secretary, three-term MP for Seputeh and Selangor Senior Exo for Investment, Trade and Industry Teresa Kok from arbitrary and wrongfully detention under the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA) would be filed at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur at 12.30 pm tomorrow.
The application will be filed by Teresa’s lawyers, DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor, Karpal Singh and Central Executive Committee Member and MP for Puchong Gobind Singh Deo.
Let all friends and supporters of democracy and freedom show up at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex tomorrow to demonstrate our support, sympathy and solidarity with Teresa at this hour of trial – both for her and the nation.
A three-prong international-level “Free Teresa Campaign” will be launched in the next few days to secure the support of parliamentarians in ASEAN, the Commonwealth and the World Parliaments for her immediate and unconditional release. Read the rest of this entry »
Meeting with Speaker Pandikar Amin tomorrow on MP Teresa Kok’s ISA detention on totally baseless grounds
Posted by Kit in DAP, Human Rights, Parliament on Sunday, 14 September 2008
I will meet the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in Parliament tomorrow over the detention of DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the actions which should be taken by Parliament over an MP’s arrest on totally baseless and non-existent grounds.
Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said yesterday that Teresa was detained under the ISA as she had questioned the sensitive issues such as the azan (call for prayers for Muslims) and that could cause ill-will and disharmony.
This allegation was first made by the former Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo, which was then sensationalised by Utusan Malaysia.
Teresa had made an immediate denial that she had tried to disallow azan in Kota Damansara Sri Serdang and Puchong Jaya. The mosque committees in both areas have endorsed Teresa’s denial with the Masjid Kota Damansara officials explaining that a damaged ampliflier had resulted in the calls to prayer to be made without the aid of a PA system while Masjid Kinrara mosque committee said Teresa had never set foot in Masjid Kinrara and was not involved in the azan petition issue in the area.
The PAS MP for Kota Raja Dr. Siti Mariah Mahmud had also lodged a police report against Khir on Thursday for his statement published in Utusan Malaysia on Tuesday, as it was “maliciously intended and aimed at raising the anger and anxiety of Malay Muslims”.
The police has no basis whatsoever therefore to detain Teresa under the ISA for the baseless and non-existent grounds linking her to any azan controversy.
As an active political leader, how can Hamid repeat the baseless claim of the police about Teresa’s questioning the azan issue as anyone following the news whether in the printed or electronic media would know that it was the irresponsible and sole concoction of Khir Toyo and Utusan Malaysia? Read the rest of this entry »
Candlelight vigil for Teresa tonight
Posted by Kit in Human Rights on Sunday, 14 September 2008
Candlelight vigil for Teresa Kok at her Seputeh service centre at 7pm.
The address is 28-3A, 4th floor, Sri Desa Entrepreneur’s Park. Jalan 1/116B, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur.
Please pass on the message.
Tan Hoon Cheng makes ISA history – Syed Hamid acquires ISA infamy
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Media on Sunday, 14 September 2008
Gutsy Sin Chew Daily senior journalist Tan Hoon Cheng makes Internal Security Act (ISA) history for being detained for the shortest period under the infamous detention-without-trial law – less than 20 hours!
She was detained in her Bukit Mertajam home on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 8.35 p.m and released at her Bukit Mertajam house at 4 p.m.
She spent the Friday night in the police lockup and the next morning was being taken down to Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur by car but U-turned at Ipoh to return to Penang as “instruction” came for her release.
All for a four-paragraph straight reporting of a speech by Umno Bukit Bendera division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail in the Permatang Pauh by-election ceramah on August 23 referring to the Chinese in Malaysia as “penumpang”!
Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar meanwhile acquired ISA infamy for his cynical, preposterous and contemptible explanation and justification for Tan Hoon Cheng’s arrest as well as those of Teresa Kok and Raja Petra Kamaruddin under the ISA. Read the rest of this entry »
Candlelight vigil for Teresa tonight
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, ISA on Saturday, 13 September 2008
Candlelight vigil for Teresa Kok tonight 7pm at DAP PJ HQ.
Public is welcome. Please pass the word around.
No 24, Jalan 20/9, Paramount Garden,
46300, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: +603-79578022/79578127
(see map)
The vigil is being held just before the DAP CEC Emergency meeting on the ISA arrests. At 8.30pm, another vigil will be held at Bukit Aman for all ISA detainees.
Beware! Cavemen Working!
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, History, Human Rights on Saturday, 13 September 2008
by M. Bakri Musa
The arrest under the ISA of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, editor of the hugely popular Internet commentary portal Malaysia-Today, together with journalist Tan Hoon Cheng and MP Teresa Kok, as well as the “show cause” letter to three newspapers expose the caveman thinking and behavior of those we have entrusted to lead our nation.
To think that this repressive action is being taken during our holy month of Ramadan! So this is the essence of Abdullah Badawi’s much-hyped Islam Hadhari!
I join millions of other law-abiding Malaysians in condemning this latest Neanderthal action of the Abdullah Administration in its callous disregard for basic human rights and dignity. Unlike many however, I am not shocked by Abdullah’s latest act. On the contrary, it is so predictable. Raja Petra himself commented on his imminent arrest a few days earlier in his column, as well as in an interview with the BBC.
After all, the only tool a caveman has is his club, and the only skill he has learned is to swing it around wildly. When that does not work, the only choice in the caveman’s thinking is to get a bigger club and to swing it even more recklessly, even at the risk of destroying everything around him, including himself.
The government had earlier blocked Raja Petra’s website, but when that proved ineffective (as mirror sites popped up immediately everywhere) as well as embarrassing (as it showed the government’s impotence and stupidity), the caveman in Putrajaya dropped his club and grabbed an even bigger one and began swinging it clumsily around.
Rest assured that no matter how big the club or how hard the caveman swings it, this “new” strategy will not work either. We no longer live in caves and Malaysians – our leaders excepted – have long evolved from our Pithecanthropus phase. Read the rest of this entry »
Teresa Kok arrested!
Posted by Kit in Human Rights on Friday, 12 September 2008
[UPDATE – Teresa was taken to Wangsa Maju Police Station from the condominium and at 2.50 a.m (13th September 2008), she left the Wangsa Maju police station and was taken to the an unknown custody centre where she would be held for her police custodial detention which could be up to 60 days. After that, it is up to the Home Minister to decide whether to issue a formal order of detention without trial, which could be for two years, renewable indefinitely]
I have just been informed that Selangor Senior Exco Member and DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok has been arrested under the Internal Security Act by the police at 11.18 p.m. when returning to her condominium in Kuala Lumpur from a Mooncake Festival reception in her constituency office.
Three police cars with over 10 police personnel stopped Teresa at the condominium entrance and took her away.
Malaysia in the grip of another ISA madness?
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Media on Friday, 12 September 2008
A second Internal Security Act (ISA) arrest in less than eight hours after RPK – the Sin Chew Daily senior journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, 33, who reported that Umno Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s speech at a Permatang Pauh by-election ceramah on August 23 that the Chinese in Malaysia are “squatters” in the country and which resulted in a nation-wide furore and political crisis.
Ahmad got off lightly with a three-year Umno suspension but why is the Sin Chew Daily reporter detained under the ISA, when her report had been confirmed as true when Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President Datuk Seri Najib had apologised “on behalf” of Ahmad?
Although Ahmad did not “recognise” Najib’s apology on his behalf, the Deputy Prime Minister’s apology is confirmation that Tan’s report was correct, especially as Najib was present when Ahmad had given the controversial speech at the Umno ceramah during the Permatang Pauh by-election.
Will the two reporters, one from Guang Ming and the other from Nanyang, who had collaborated Tan’s report of Ahmad Ismail’s speech be next on the ISA crackdown? What about all those columnists who had flayed Ahmad for his provocative, inflammatory and racist speech – are they all marked for the Kamunting Detention Centre?
Read the rest of this entry »
ISA for RPK and show-cause letters to three newspapers while 3-year Umno suspension for Ahmad Ismail – is this the Abdullah justice and rule of law?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Human Rights, ISA, Post-2008 general election on Friday, 12 September 2008
The detention of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the show-cause letters to three newspapers, Sin Chew Daily, the Sun and Suara Keadilan why action should not be taken against them over their news coverage on a number of political issues must be condemned by all Malaysians concerned about human rights and democracy.
These actions make a mockery of the claims of the Abdullah administration to usher in a more open and democratic society under a just rule of law.
It shows the administration’s utter cynicism and Machiavellian politics in unblocking RPK’s news portal Malaysia Today after a two-week censorship only to arrest RPK under the ISA in less than 24 hours.
The unblocking of Malaysia Today was made to demonstrate the country’s commitment and allegiance to the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Bill of Guarantees to the world of no Internet censorship but it is just naive for the government to think that the world can be fooled by such subterfuge – as by detaining RPK and taking him out of public circulation, the Malaysian Government has effectively blocked off Malaysia Today and violated the “no internet censorship” Bill of Guarantee!
The detention of RPK had only deepened the multiple crisis of confidence besetting the Abdullah premiership.
RPK just arrested under ISA
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Announcement, Human Rights, ISA, Police, Post-2008 general election on Friday, 12 September 2008
The police have just taken Raja Petra Kamarudin from his house in Sg Buloh under the Internal Security Act.
Seems to be the beginning of a crack down.
Malaysia Today blocked – MSC Bill of Guarantees Violated
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, IT, Parliament on Thursday, 28 August 2008
In my interjection during the debate on the DNA Bill in Parliament this morning, I had raised the blocking of popular website Malaysia Today on the directive of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the violation of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Bill of Guarantees as “a gift to the world” of no censorship of the Internet by the Malaysian authorities.
I quoted it as the latest example of the rampant abuses of power by the government which explains why there is so little public confidence in the independence, professionalism and impartiality of the various enforcement agencies with the vast powers as proposed in the proposed DNA bill.
Almost all key institutions of the state, whether the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency or the judiciary have come under a grave cloud and lost the high respect and public standing they were held by Malaysians in the early years of nationhood.
The MCMC directive to block Malaysia Today and the violation of the MSC Bill of Guarantees must be roundly and unanimously condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians, and the reasons cannot be more eloquently summarised by Jeffrey in another thread: Read the rest of this entry »
Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Police on Friday, 22 August 2008
It is most deplorable that the police today raided the house of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin – for the fifth time!
This time the raid is in connection with the statutory declaration made by a Burmese doctor from Hospital Pusrawi, Dr. Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, on August 1 standing by his medical report which ruled out that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been sodomised.
Saiful was examined by Osman before he lodged a police report on June 28 claiming that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him.
In his statutory declaration, the doctor claimed that he had fled the country with his family following several visits by the police.
Malaysiakini, which broke the story of the fifth police raid on RPK’s house today, reported: Read the rest of this entry »
Detain Bar Council forum protestors under ISA – Gunasekaren denies
Posted by Kit in DAP, Human Rights on Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Today’s Star “PKR leaders want Zul to explain” carried the following report with regard to the continuing fallout from the storming and disruption of the Bar Council forum on “Conversion to Islam” by demonstrators in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday:
In SEREMBAN, state DAP deputy chief and Senawang assemblyman P. Gunasekaren said he wants the police to charge the demonstrators.
He said the police should have arrested them rather than allow them to enter the Bar Council office, which was private property.
“It is sad that the police allowed them to dictate terms. The demonstrators should be arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act for stoking racial sentiments,” he said.
I have checked with Gunasekaren and he has denied that he had made the remark about the ISA detention attributed to him. Read the rest of this entry »
2nd Abdullah premiership – is it to be even worse than 22-year Mahathir administraiton?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Good Governance, Human Rights, MCA, Religion on Tuesday, 12 August 2008
To many concerned Malaysians, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has shown his true colours yesterday – he is not that open, liberal and tolerant after all.
He laid down two edicts for his second administration:
• No open forums or dialogues on religious or racial issues as they can undermine peace and stability – no more discussion on matters of religion or race that had already been enshrined in the Federal Constitution; and
• No objection to the use of Internal Security Act and Sedition Act against those who organize such forums like the Bar Council – up to the Home Ministry to act against the Bar Council.
Is it any wonder that Malaysians react to such edicts with the premonition that the second Abdullah premiership could be even worse than the previous 22-year Mahathir administration? Read the rest of this entry »
Another Ops Lalang in the works?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Human Rights on Saturday, 5 July 2008
(Speech at the 2,000-People DAP Batu Pahat dinner in Batu Pahat, Johore on Friday, 4th July 2008 at 10 pm)
In Parliament last evening (Thursday), the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told reporters that the people should not to listen to rumours of an impending emergency rule.
He said:
“The government was stable. The security is under control. Everything is under control. Don’t believe anything you hear.
“I don’t think anybody should be worry. There are too many rumours.”
Rumours have indeed become very rife in recent times, with Abdullah as Prime Minister under siege since the March general election 125 days ago – from both inside Umno, Barisan Nasional and outside.
In practice, rumours should not be given much credibility. However, in Malaysia’s political culture and tight mainstream media control, rumours have greater credibility than other countries as many rumours had subsequently proven true than the many official denials issued by purported authoritative sources. Read the rest of this entry »
Agony of foreign spouses for PR – the worst cases
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Human Rights on Friday, 27 June 2008
Lets have the worst cases of the agony of foreign spouses of Malaysians to get PR (permanent residence) status, so that Parliament and the government can hear about them – with the Home Minister having to respond as well.
You can either write on this blog or email me.
A long-suffering foreign spouse has emailed her views and suggestions, which I am sharing here:
CURRENT SITUATION:
Visa rules
There are thousands of foreign spouses who are on Dependent or Employment visas renewable until last year on a yearly basis.
However since 2007, spouses are able to renew their visas for upto 5 years.
(Most often we cannot afford to pay the visa charges for 5 years at one time)
Spouses do not get Permanent Resident status even after spending more than 15 years in the country and we have Malaysian school going children. Read the rest of this entry »
RPK to be charged with sedition?
Posted by Kit in Court, Human Rights, IT on Monday, 5 May 2008
i have been informed that Raja Petra Kamaruddin has been ordered to surrender himself at the Jalan Duta magistrate’s court at 9.30 am tomorrow to be charged with sedition.
I have not been able to contact RPK to get confirmation.
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