Archive for category Human Rights
Pengiraan Detik 90 Hari PRU13 – Biar Najib buktikan keikhlasannya mahukan Malaysia memulakan langkah menjadi “demokrasi terbaik negara” dengan memastikan pengurusan yang aman dan bersejarah Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka 112 esok.
Posted by Kit in Elections, Human Rights, Najib Razak, Police on Monday, 14 January 2013
Petang semalam, sewaktu dalam perjalanan ke Pontian untuk melancarkan pusat operasi PRU12 DAP Tanjong Piai, saya twit perkara berikut:
“PR to give full co-operation. Call on all Malaysians to make 112 historic day http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/218605 Police aim for ‘zero casualties’ at weekend rally Mkini”
Saya menyatakannya selepas saya membaca laporan bahawa Ketua Komunikasi Korporat PDRM, ACP Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf telah mengisytiharkan pada taklimat media di Bukit Aman bahawa meskipun terdapat kecelakaan yang berlaku di dalam perhimpunan dan protes sebelumnya, pihak polis mensasarkan “kecelakaan sifar” pada perhimpunan esok.
Ramli menekankan bahawa keselamatan adalah keutamaan polis, polis memandang serius berkenaan keselamatan semua orang dan perkara ini turut telah dibincangkan semasa mesyuarat di antara ketua polis negara dan pihak penganjur beberapa hari lalu.
Ketika mesyuarat Selasa lepas, Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Ismail Omar memberitahu pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat bahawa beliau mahu perhimpunan 12 Januari menjadi “peristiwa bersejarah di mana mereka belajar dari peristiwa lepas” dan memberikan jaminan bahawa pihak polis akan hanya memainkan peranan menguruskan ketika perhimpunan yang dijangka berlangsung di Stadium Merdeka.
Maka amat mengejutkan apabila kemudiannya pada sebelah petang, terdapatnya laporan bahawa polis melakukan “pusingan” apabila Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur Datuk Mohamed Salleh mengeluarkan kenyataan akhbar, menginginkan Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat diadakan di Stadium National Bukit Jalil bukannya Stadium Merdeka. Read the rest of this entry »
This is it
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Human Rights on Monday, 14 January 2013
— Christine SK Lai
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013
JAN 13 — How do you describe the feeling of being part of a historic moment in time? You can’t, you just have to be there. You can ooh and ahh over all the Instantgram and Utube downloads, but nothing absolutely nothing beats being there in person, to be counted as one of the thousands upon thousands who turned up for KL 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally.
By the time my gang of 3 not-so-young aunties alighted from the LRT station at Pasar Seni at about 11 plus, the streets were already packed with people of all races and ages clad mostly in yellow and green, with bright splashes of some in orange and red. To their credit, police personnel stood around unobstrusively though watchfully. Kudos also to the Unit Amal folks who managed crowd control as best they could. As we finished lunch, the crowd had swelled noticeably, all moving steadily towards Stadium Merdeka. Mercifully the sky was overcast with clouds, offering some welcome shade from the heat of the afternoon sun. It even drizzled a little but the heavens held up as people streamed into the open-air stadium.
I thought we were early but by the time we got in, the stands were already 3/4 full with a huge crowd gathered on the centre field itself. The whole thing was like some mammoth family carnival, with colourful teams waving flags, banners and placards; the atmosphere noisy with the loud intermittent blaring of vuvuzelas ….And the crowd simply grew and grew and grew. It was an amazing sight from where we were seated on the stands — a vast colourful ocean of people as far and beyond what the eye could see. Apparently there was another sea of people milling about outside the stadium grounds. Doesn’t matter what’s the final count — even that one picture on a main-line newspaper’s front-page said it all… Read the rest of this entry »
A rally for the mind and soul
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Human Rights on Monday, 14 January 2013
by KSD
Malaysiakini
Jan 13, 2013
I want to be completely honest. I did not expect a large crowd at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (HKR).
I wasn’t pessimistic because I thought that sentiment had changed; my worries stemmed from the fact that the police and the government had surprising agreed to let the rally proceed without obstacles.
It is the nature of people to push back when pushed and I thought that without roadblocks, physical and psychological; without the presence of policemen in riot uniforms and tear gas canisters and without the threats of the goons from Perkasa, the people who want change would stay home.
And so, because I did not want the rally organisers to face the ignominy of an empty stadium, I went to the rally.
Before I tell you about my HKR experience, let me tell you who I am so that you can understand how I felt yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »
7,605 steps to freedom
Posted by Kit in Elections, Human Rights, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 13 January 2013
— May Chee
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013
JAN 13 — My husband wears a pedometer whenever he walks. It read 5500 when we left KLCC and 13105 when we stepped on the grass at the Stadium Merdeka. That meant he executed 7605 steps following the route taken by the Himpunan Kebankgitan Rakyat leaders leaving from KLCC.
As usual, we enjoyed the camaraderie prevalent in such rallies. People we met in the washroom in KLCC remembered us during the march to the stadium. They were from Terengganu, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, etc, from every nook and cranny of Malaysia. Just fantastic! Though the crowd was made up mostly of our Malay brothers and sisters, I believe there was more than adequate representation from the whole of Malaysia.
Clearly, from the banter we had all along the way, was this clarion call for Change. Ubahlah, Kali inilah, Undur BN, Undur Isa Samad and all accompanying chants pointedly showed Malaysians need and yearn for Change. As Ambiga rightfully reiterated, “This is it”, Change must come now.
BN has been given the mandate for more than 55 years to govern the peninsula and almost 50 years, Sabah and Sarawak. The land flowing with milk and honey they promised has since been inhabited solely by themselves and their ilk, leaving many others living in subhuman conditions. This is unacceptable. We were a blessed nation with vast resources. There’s no reason why some of us are expected to be resigned to a fate so cruel and not one of our own making but that of our corrupted and greedy leaders.
The exploitation, oppression and political repression by our modern-day overseers, mouthing reforms just smack of plain hypocrisy on their part. They behave as if they are an alien authority, flogging the common rakyat for more and more. Their greed knows no bounds. Stupidity, too, if they think they can continue in their avaricious ways. Read the rest of this entry »
Tweets on #KL112 #HKR
Posted by Kit in Elections, Human Rights, Pakatan Rakyat, Police on Saturday, 12 January 2013
Tweets on 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka
1. Najib, ensure peaceful rally to prove ‘best democracy’ – Lim Kit Siang (Mkini) http://goo.gl/ySV1X 20m
2. Let all Msians be proud of today. We can differ but we respect each other’s right 2peacefully assemble n express our concerns #KL112 #HKR 11m
3. Day 4all Msians 2stand up 4democracy/justice. Everyone’s responsibility 2ensure #KL112 #HKR peaceful – PR, BN, police, civil society n all 6m
4. World watching. Ensure no provocations. Let #KL112 #HKR be harbinger Msia can aim 2b “world’s best democracy” w successful peaceful assembly 1m
90-Day Countdown to 13GE – Let Najib prove sincerity in wanting Malaysia to begin journey to be “world’s best democracy” by ensuring peaceful and historic holding of 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka tomorrow
Posted by Kit in Elections, Human Rights, Najib Razak, Police on Friday, 11 January 2013
Yesterday evening, while on the way to Pontian to launch the DAP Tanjong Piai 13GE operations centre, I tweeted the following:
“PR to give full co-operation. Call on all Malaysians to make 112 historic day http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/218605 Police aim for ‘zero casualties’ at weekend rally Mkini”
This was after I read the report that the Police corporate communication chief, Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf had declared at a media briefing at Bukit Aman that despite casualties which happened during previous rallies and protests, the police aimed to have “zero casualties” at tomorrow’s rally.
Ramli stressed that security is the police’s utmost priority, that the police are serious about the security and safety of everyone and that this matter was also discussed at the meeting between the inspector-general of police and organisers few days ago.
At the meeting concerned last Tuesday, the IGP, Tan Sri Ismail Omar told Pakatan Rakyat leaders that he wants the Jan 12 rally to be “a historic moment where the police can learn from their past weaknesses” and gave a guarantee that the police will merely take on a facilitatory role during the planned rally at Stadium Merdeka.
It therefore came as a shock and surprise that later in the evening, there were reports that the police did an “about-turn” when the Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohamed Salleh issued a press release, wanting the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat to be held in Stadium National Bukit Jalil instead of in Stadium Merdeka.
This was clearly the result of unacceptable political interference with the police by the political leadership, in view of the demands by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who is also UMNO Information Chief that the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat should be held in Stadium National Bukit Jalil and not Stadium Merdeka.
I am glad that good sense has finally prevailed and that the rally tomorrow will be held at Stadium Merdeka as had been agreed with the police authorities. Read the rest of this entry »
Pengiraan Detik 98 Hari ke PRU13 – Malaysia berhak mendapat kedudukan lebih tinggi berbanding tempat ke 36 di dalam indeks “Negara terbaik untuk dilahirkan” EIU
Posted by Kit in Crime, Education, Elections, environment, Human Rights on Monday, 7 January 2013
Pada Pengiraan Detik 98 Hari ke Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13, Malaysia diingatkan bahawa negara ini berhak mendapat yang lebih baik untuk semua aspek kehidupan di dalam negara ini baik politik, ekonomi, pendidikan, sosial, budaya dan persekitaran.
Malaysia tentu sekali berhak mendapat kedudukan lebih tinggi berbanding tempat No.36 daripada 80 negara di dalam indeks “Negara terbaik untuk dilahirkan pada 2013” dalam usaha Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) mengukur negara mana yang memberikan peluang terbaik untuk kehidupan yang sihat, selamat dan makmur. Read the rest of this entry »
98-Day Countdown to 13GE – Malaysia deserves higher ranking than No. 36 placing in the EIU “Best country to be born” index
Posted by Kit in Crime, Education, Elections, environment, Human Rights on Thursday, 3 January 2013
On the 98-Day Countdown to the 13th General Elections, Malaysians are reminded that the nation deserves better on all fronts of national life, whether political, economic, educational, social, cultural or environmental.
Malaysia definitely deserves higher ranking than No. 36 out of 80 nations in the “Best country to born in 2013” index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) attempting to measure which country provides the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life.
The 10 top-ranking nations in the EIU “Best country to be born in 2013” index are:
1. Switzerland
2. Australia
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Denmark
6. Singapore
7. New Zealand
8. Netherlands
9. Canada
10. Hong Kong
Malaysia is outranked by Taiwan (No. 14), United States (No. 16), UAE (No. 18), South Korea (No. 19), Kuwait (No. 22), Japan (No. 25) and Britain (No. 27). Read the rest of this entry »
Asean Human Rights Declaration
Posted by Kit in Human Rights on Tuesday, 20 November 2012
— Proham
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 20, 2012
NOV 20 — Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (Proham) congratulates PM for his support on Human Rights at the Asean Meeting and calls him to lead in human rights
Proham recognises that an Asean Human Rights Declaration is an important document and a major step forward in fostering a human rights culture within the region. We recognise the role Malaysia has played and emphasis the necessity for Malaysia to enhance our role and position as a promoter and defender of human rights within Asean and the globe. Indeed we call on the PM and Malaysia to take on a strong leadership role in Asean .
However Proham also acknowledges that this the Asean Human Rights Declaration is not a satisfactory document as it does not reach the status of the UDHR and other international human rights instruments. Nonetheless we note that this Asean HR Declaration is welcome as a step forward, in anticipation of the Asean community to be set up by January 1, 2015. Read the rest of this entry »
The truth shall set us free
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, nation building on Tuesday, 13 November 2012
– May Chee
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 13, 2012
NOV 13 – This is 2012. We live in Malaysia, purportedly progressive, modern and the best democracy in the world. We want to trail the Guinness World Records in everything we do, even weddings. Yet, we are deemed unable to think for ourselves and when some of us can, we are threatened with legal action from the powers-that-be. We have been a people for almost half a century; we are not primitive nomads threatened with destruction in a pagan environment. How can anyone, living in today’s reality, think that by wiping out dissent or an alternative way of thinking can protect one’s faith or interests?
How can those of us who write, whether we are supporters or detractors of causes or personalities, commenting on current affairs or for that matter, anything at all, be threatened with such absurdity? How can we continue to flourish as the best democracy in the world if we have to live in a climate of fear? How do we progress as a people if we do not have freedom of thought and speech, among others?
Are the powers-that-be in touch with reality or not? I thought someone said that he would listen to his people. If he did, he would know that the responsibility of thinking and deciding for oneself cannot be entrusted to another, what’s more in progressive, modern and democratic Malaysia. As a liberated people, we cannot be fearful of taking initiatives, especially those that are for the larger good. As liberated people, we cannot expect everything from civic or religious authorities. That could cause us to sink as a people or suffer political tyranny for is it not a dictator who would uses propaganda to convince his people that he is indispensable? Read the rest of this entry »
In cleaning out Bersih and Suaram, Putrajaya soils itself
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Elections, Human Rights on Thursday, 8 November 2012
— Jaleel Hameed
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 07, 2012
NOV 7 — It is a government that has ruled since Merdeka, but it sure looks like the Alliance and its offspring Barisan Nasional (BN) has to learn some lessons early.
Take Bersih for example, kind sirs in Putrajaya.
What did the government achieve by demonising Bersih every step of the way, from its financing to its office-bearers to declaring it illegal and yet offering to work with the electorai reforms movement?
The answer is nothing, sir. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia becomes rich ‘Tiger Cub’, but still intolerant
Posted by Kit in Economics, Education, Human Rights on Thursday, 1 November 2012
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 01, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 ― Malaysia has been singled out together with Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia as “Tiger Cub” countries fast catching up with regional leaders on a list of the most prosperous economies in the world, but was also named as among the worst countries for promoting personal freedom of its citizens.
Malaysia was ranked as the 45th most prosperous nation, trailing behind Singapore at 19th and with Indonesia fast catching up at 63rd position, on the Legatum Prosperity Index.
The London-based think-tank Legatum’s Prosperity Index assesses 142 countries based on performance in eight areas such as economy, personal freedom, health and social capital.
This year, Norway again topped the list of 142 countries, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. The United States, the United Kingdom and Germany came in at 12th, 13th and 14th spots, respectively.
The Central African Republic propped up the list.
The Legatum Institute, which publishes the index, noted that “a new generation of Asian ‘Tiger Cub’ countries has emerged, according to the latest findings from the Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index, with Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia all appearing in top half of the worldwide rankings this year.” Read the rest of this entry »
What Everyone Should Know About Operasi Lalang
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Mahathir, UMNO on Thursday, 1 November 2012
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
1 November 2012
Last week, we marked the 25th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, that black day in our history that changed our country for the worst.
Like May 13, 1969, it was a Malaysian tragedy. And after all these years, we have yet to fully recover from it.
The beneficiaries of that notorious official move on Oct 27, 1987, to detain 106 Malaysians under the Internal Security Act (ISA) were – as journalist uppercaise has rightly pointed out in his blog – the then prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, and Umno.
Or, to be precise, Mahathir’s Umno Baru, which came about after the original Umno was declared illegal by the High Court in February 1988. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Malaysia should ratify ICERD
Posted by Kit in Human Rights on Thursday, 1 November 2012
— Simon Sipaun
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 31, 2012
Oct 31 — PROHAM is a new human rights NGO formed by former Suhakam and the Police Commission commissioners. It was launched on 21st March, 2011.
Incidentally, 21st March every year is the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This RTD will go a long way towards realizing PROHAM’s hope to see that Malaysia will, sooner rather than later become a party to the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1969 (ICERD).
This move represents a realistic approach to the issue rather than sweeping it under the carpet and pretend it is not there.
2. I am unable to find one good reason why Malaysia should persistently continue to be not a party to ICERD.
Any government which refuses to be a party to ICERD is a government that supports racism and racial discrimination.
How else can I interpret such state of affairs? 175 countries are currently party to ICERD including many Islamic countries.
Only 15 countries have yet to be a party to ICERD and Malaysia is one of them. It is in the company of countries like North Korea, Myanmar and a dozen of authoritarian countries. Read the rest of this entry »
Guan Eng calls for apology on Ops Lalang anniversary
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Lim Guan Eng on Sunday, 28 October 2012
Malaysiakini
Oct 27, 2012
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has called on the government to apologise and provide closure for all Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Operasi Lalang.
Furthermore, Lim said all remaining detainees should also be immediately freed to put an end to the ISA saga.
The mass arrest action, Operasi Lalang in 1987, saw 106 politicians and activists incarcerated but also for the first time prodded public consciousness to the ISA issue.
“25 years ago on 27 October 1987, I was among the first victims of Operasi Lalang detained under the ISA by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“I remember as a newly-elected MP for Kota Melaka, how stunned I was to hear that I was a threat to national security who would cause the country to descend into chaos, ruin and riots if I was not arrested.
“Then followed the dark days of solitary confinement, endless interrogation and intimidation to force me to recant which I managed to endure, survive and prevail,” hesaid in a statement today. Read the rest of this entry »
Twenty-five years later, camaraderie in adversity
Liew Chin Tong
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 27, 2012
OCT 27 — The collective adversity suffered by the DAP, PAS and civil society leaders in 1987 ironically built the steely resolve for change and the deep camaraderie to see it through.
This day 25 years ago, October 27, 1987, was one of the darkest days in Malaysian history when 106 politicians and social activists were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Operation Lalang. Printing permits for three newspapers, namely The Star, Sinchew and Watan, were withdrawn.
The security crackdown that shocked the nation and marked the end of the boisterous, often mistaken as democratic, first phase of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership that began in 1981. Dr Mahathir succeeded Tun Hussein Oon with a weak base in Umno and virtually no one to trust.
By pitting Musa Hitam against Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in Umno’s deputy presidential elections of 1981 and 1984, Dr Mahathir bought himself time and space. But the chickens came home to roost by 1987 when Tengku Razaleigh teamed up with Musa to challenge the Dr Mahathir-Ghafar Baba ticket.
The election on April 24 saw Tengku Razaleigh losing to Dr Mahathir by a mere 43 votes, allegedly after a suspicious blackout at the vote-counting centre. Read the rest of this entry »
The lust for power sustained through the ISA
by P Ramakrishnan
Aliran
27 October 2012
Twenty five years ago, Malaysia witnessed what one person could do to sustain his lust for power. His unabated lust for power unleashed the worst traits in the Barisan Nasional to imprison 106 innocent Malaysians to keep the BN in power.
The man behind this dark episode in our history was none other than Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
On 27 October 1987 the rule of law was discarded, natural justice was ignored, the role of the judiciary was overridden, parliamentary democracy was sidelined so that he could cling on to power at all costs and by all means.
As Prime Minister, Home Minister and Justice Minister, Mahathir rode roughshod so that his position would remain safe and sound and that there would be no one to challenge him.
Today, more than ever, we must remember this shameful part of our history and wonder whether this will be repeated when the results of the 13th general election are announced. Read the rest of this entry »
Change of government needed to undo all the adverse effects of 25-year Operation Lalang on democracy, human rights and national institutions
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Elections, Human Rights, Judiciary, Parliament on Friday, 26 October 2012
Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of Operation Lalang which brought about the darkest days for democracy and human rights in the nation’s history.
There was not only the arrest of 106 Malaysians, including opposition leaders – 16 of whom were from the DAP, including MPs and State Assemblymen – trade unionists, social activists, environmentalists, Chinese educationists and religious workers, there was also the wholesale attacks on press freedom with the closure of three newspapers, the merciless attacks on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law resulting in the sacking of the Lord President and two Supreme Court judges and the series of undemocratic legislation which caused a tectonic shift in the Malaysian political landscape, subordinating the legislative and judicial branches to the Executive or to be more exact to the fiat of one person, the Prime Minister of the day.
The Government Transformation Programme of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has promised to make Malaysia “the best democracy of the world”, but after more than 42 months of his premiership, Malaysia falls far short of the conditions to be a “normal democracy” let alone the “world’s best democracy”, as illustrated by the refusal by the Prime Minister and the ruling UMNO/BN coalition to make a public commitment that they would fully accept the verdict of the voters in the 13th General Election and would peacefully and smoothly transfer Federal power to Pakatan Rakyat if this is the verdict of the Malaysian electorate in the ballot box. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s elections: Should the international community care?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Constitution, Corruption, Elections, Human Rights, Media on Tuesday, 16 October 2012
— Ambiga Sreenevasan
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 15, 2012
OCT 15 — Those in the international community may be forgiven for saying, “Is there a problem with the democratic process in Malaysia?”
In the international arena, our leaders portray Malaysia as a moderate Islamic nation that is built on the democratic principles that are enshrined in our Federal Constitution. The fundamental rights of freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, the right to life and a fair electoral process, are indeed guaranteed under our Federal Constitution.
The reality is, however, far less idyllic. There are serious questions whether these rights are respected and upheld by those in power. Read the rest of this entry »
The good news… and the bad
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Human Rights, ISA, Media on Thursday, 11 October 2012
Rom Nain
Malaysiakini
Oct 8, 2012
After a couple of weeks or so of unrelenting inanity, enough to make me wax lyrical (well, almost) in this column, I thought of writing something nice, inoffensive, light-hearted even, this week.
After all, two Malaysian court decisions this past week certainly gave many of us reason to cheer.
The judgment for the five ex-ISA detainees in the illegal detention suit they brought against the regime, for one, must have been the perfect pick-me-up for many of us.
The KL High Court found that the five had been detained unlawfully and in bad faith in 2001 and reportedly awarded them ‘RM15,000 each, for every day of their detention under Section 73 of the Internal Security Act, as well as RM30,000 each as aggravated damages’.
Altogether, in the Oct 2 judgment, five former ISA detainess, then Reformasi activists, including the irrepressible Hishamuddin Rais (left), PAS’ Hulu Selangor assemblyperson Saari Sungib and PKR’s Batu MP Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, were awarded a total of RM4 million. Read the rest of this entry »
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