Vague principles, contradictory policies
by Hafiz Noor Shams
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 06, 2011
JULY 6 — Some ideas are vague for a reason. In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, the majority is afraid of commitment and responsibilities. It is simply impractical to have clear opinions or positions. Consistency arising from those opinions and positions is a barrier to success. One has to be pragmatic to be successful. Vagueness allows such pragmatism. To put it bluntly, it creates contradictions.
That is not too far off from the truth in our world. That is not too far off from the political culture in Malaysia. There are vague positions and from those ambiguities, contradictions.
1 Malaysia is an example. Despite all efforts to explain it by far too many sides, 1 Malaysia is still an ambiguous concept. It appeals to the idea of inclusiveness and equality, yet those with distaste for these very liberal ideas are the ones promoting it. There are of course true blue egalitarians within Barisan Nasional who are also promoting 1 Malaysia but when both racialists and egalitarians are able to appeal to 1 Malaysia in contradictory terms, the concept itself cannot escape the accusation of being ambiguous. Read the rest of this entry »
Ten conditions for Umno
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Corruption, Education, Elections, Hishammuddin, Media, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 6 July 2011, 8:20 am
by Bahaman Abdullah
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 05, 2011
JULY 5 — Since Ibrahim Ali is so fond of giving everyone ultimatums (the latest being to MCA, Gerakan and Ambiga Sreenivasan), I suggest we give Umno and Najib Razak a list of 10 conditions to be met if he wants the support of urban Malaysia.
1) Distance yourself publicly from Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa. Failure to do so will be taken as a sign that all the garbage from Ibrahim is endorsed by the Umno president and his kuncu-kuncu.
2) Stop using divide and rule tactics to keep Malaysians apart. The only reason why BN worried about Bersih is that this election reform movement appears to have brought Malaysians of different races and religious groups together.
3) Tackle corruption and start by investigating cabinet ministers, senior politicians for living way, way beyond their means. Read the rest of this entry »
History’s lessons
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Human Rights on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 11:56 pm
by Karim Raslan
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 05, 2011
JULY 5 — Malaysian contemporary history has started to loop back on itself. Instead of going forward and progressing, we are going backwards, repeating the past: Sodomy 1 and Sodomy 2, Bersih 1 and Bersih 2.
There are those who would argue that the political missteps have little impact on our economy. I would disagree. In order for the Malaysian economy to grow further and move to the next level, we need a political transformation — we need an injection of transparency, accountability and the dynamism that comes from an open society.
Sadly, the forces of darkness are too powerful and entrenched. As such much of the flow of domestic capital and human resource overseas is directly attributable to the government’s determination to reject change.
When talk of Bersih 2.0 first surfaced a few weeks ago, I remember thinking it was a total waste of time. To my mind, the civil society agenda had been sidelined by widespread concerns over galloping inflation and rising prices. Read the rest of this entry »
Bersih 2.0: Winners and losers
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 05, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — So it is settled, after weeks of harassment and thuggish behaviour by the government, the people for free and fair elections will gather in a stadium on July 9.
This episode has once again demonstrated how fractious and divided Malaysia is with enlightened and liberal Malaysia on one side and almost facist powers on the other.
Some individuals emerge from this episode with reputations intact, others with image destroyed forever. The Malaysian Insider gives our take on the winners and losers.
Winners
• The organisers of Bersih: let’s be honest, until a few weeks ago this was a movement at the periphery of most Malaysians. Okay, so some 100,000 people would have marched on the streets on KL. But thanks to the government’s blanket arrests, use of draconian laws and decision to behave like a repressive regime, Bersih became a buzzword. Much to the government’s chagrin, everyone has forgotten about Datuk T, all the wonderful projects under the ETP. Today, people remember Bersih as the people fighting for clean and fair elections, and the Barisan Nasional (BN) government as the people frightened of free and fair elections. Read the rest of this entry »
Police – stand down apparatus of repression, decriminalize Bersih T-shirts so that tens of thousands can be printed
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Human Rights on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 6:35 pm
The Yang di Pertuan Agong’s wise and just intervention resulting in agreement for a July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally in a stadium has saved the day for Malaysia, sparing her the infamy and ignominy inside the country and worldwide at the farce of a democratic government treating a peaceful rally for free, fair and clean elections as a grave national threat even greater than one ever posed by terrorists or enemies of the country in the nation’s history.
Equally important, Malaysia is also spared the international embarrassment of her credentials and qualifications as a member of the UN Human Rights Council questioned or even censured by other countries because of a most egregious crackdown on the most basic and fundamental of human rights in Malaysia.
Several steps must be taken immediately to return the country to the course of sanity, good and common sense abandoned by the government in the past ten days.
As a first step, the Police should immediately stand down its apparatus of repression in the past two weeks, when the police abandoned and abdicated its first task to keep the people and country safe from criminals by going on a nation-wide mobilization against imaginary foes in the form of Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9. Read the rest of this entry »
Bersih 2.0 accepts stadium offer for rally
By Joseph Sipalan & Abdul Rahim Sabri
Jul 5, 11 | MalaysiaKini
Following a meeting with the Agong this afternoon, Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said the NGO coalition has agreed to hold its rally in a stadium.
Met outside the national palace after an audience with Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara, Ambiga said the coalition “will cooperate with the government and accept their offer to have the event in a stadium”.
“Therefore, the rally on the street will not take place.” Read the rest of this entry »
Pakatan willing to accept Najib’s stadium offer
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Pakatan Rakyat on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 3:08 pm
By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 05, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties today declared themselves “open” to Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s offer to allow Bersih 2.0 to hold its July 9 rally in a stadium.
In a statement signed by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and DAP national organising secretary Teresa Kok, the pact said the agreement had been reached following several discussions among party leaders.
“We would like to record our stand that all three parties are open to the prime minister’s office as long as it respects the people’s right to assemble peacefully as enshrined under the Federal Constitution,” they said.
They added that Bersih 2.0’s demands for electoral reform should stay as the main objective of the rally, pointing out that such reforms were needed urgently before the 13th general election. Read the rest of this entry »
Bersih: Grave concern over the deepening political crisis
Press statement by concerned academicians on the Bersih march (KUALA LUMPUR, 5 July 2011)
We, the undersigned academicians, wish to express our concern at the deepening political crisis in the country. It is unfortunate that such a crisis is emerging out of a legitimate campaign, initiated by a large number of non-governmental organizations, to institute reforms through their campaign, Bersih, to ensure the conduct of truly free and fair elections in Malaysia. Since the pursuit of such a campaign is undeniably noble, and timely, we are extremely perturbed that the government has resorted to harsh measures and use of draconian legislation to prevent the organizers from mounting a public rally.
We see the need for the leaders of Bersih to persist with dialogue with the bodies responsible for overseeing free and fair elections. However, we also appreciate the argument by the campaign’s leaders that such an assembly is necessary since discussions have long taken place, with little progress – thus the need for the government to take serious heed of the campaign’s recommendations for free and fair elections for which there is considerable support from the country’s citizenry. Read the rest of this entry »
Taking people for fools
By Eric Loo
Jul 4, 11 | MalaysiaKini
Each time I log in to non-mainstream media to catch up on news in Malaysia, I see the same old stories about how bad things have become since the 1980s – from financial scandals and systemic corruption to institutional discrimination and dill heads running the country. My reactions have become passé.
Each time I come home, friends and kin tell more stories about how bleak they see their future as being. Once, these were mere stories and theories we shared over mugs of teh tarik during the pre-Internet days when the government-controlled media was our main source of political news. Read the rest of this entry »
Bring about a healthy democracy
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Election, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 11:05 am
By Kee Thuan Chye
Jul 5, 11 | MalaysiaKini
The King has issued a statement on the developments surrounding the proposed Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections. What do we make of it?
It is quite clear that he is not in favour of the rally proceeding on July 9, although he does say that the original intentions of street demonstrations can be good. This, read together with his acknowledgement of “the political fervour of a section of the people to bring about a healthy democracy (menyuburkan demokrasi) in our country”, indicates he is not condemning Bersih 2.0.
He is aware that the people are involved (even though it constitutes “a section”), and what they desire is something positive, i.e. menyuburkan demokrasi. Read the rest of this entry »
Now what, Mr Prime Minister
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 8:33 am
by Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 04, 2011
JULY 4 — Unbelievable. Incredible. Astounding. These should be the headlines in the lamestream media following Prime Minister Najib Razak’s u-turn on the Bersih rally on July 9.
It now transpires that he says that Bersih organisers can go ahead and have their gathering in a stadium.
“We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets.
“The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don’t hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation,” Najib was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insider today.
This after he called respected lawyer Ambiga Sreenivasan an enemy of Islam and allowed his government to demonise her and others as enemies of the state.
This after his cousin, Hishammuddin Hussein declared Bersih an illegal organisation and encouraged the police to round up anyone wearing a yellow Bersih T-shirt. Read the rest of this entry »
Bouquets for Bersih
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Martin Jalleh on Tuesday, 5 July 2011, 8:17 am
by Martin Jalleh
Brilliant quotes related to the biggest and boldest march in Bolehland:
* “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin, one of Founding Fathers of the USA.(To those who are afraid, we understand, but please give a thought to the wisdom above!)
* “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” –Will Rogers, an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.(The above comment is specially dedicated to the One Malaysia Government that has become One Big Joke.) Read the rest of this entry »
Bersih 2.0 is Najib’s biggest challenge
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Election, Najib Razak on Monday, 4 July 2011, 10:39 pm
By Ooi Kee Beng
July 04, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
JULY 4 — As July 9 looms closer, the administration of Malaysia’s Premier Najib Abdul Razak feels itself more and more pushed into a corner.
This coming Saturday threatens to be a day of reckoning for his administration, which from the beginning preferred tweaking the system to reforming the system. Now, two years after he took power from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, another leader who failed to live up to his own reformist image, he is running out of options. Read the rest of this entry »
The follies of Umno and the EC
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Human Rights, UMNO on Monday, 4 July 2011, 10:35 pm
By Mariam Mokhtar
Jul 4, 11 | MalaysiaKini
On Nov 10, 2007, around 40,000 protestors made their way towards Istana Negara in Bersih’s first march for clean and fair elections. Did it make a difference? Yes.
The rakyat experienced change. It galvanised them by reinforcing their belief that together they could prove a point – that Umno is not infallible. That Umno is not great. That Umno has an Achilles heel which will bring it down: Arrogance.
After 2007, the promises from both Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the prime minister at the time, and the Election Commission (EC) have all come to nought. Read the rest of this entry »
Why the sledgehammer?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Human Rights, Police on Monday, 4 July 2011, 10:24 pm
July 04, 2011 | Aliran
JULY 4 — It looks like if they don’t get you under one law, they will get you under another law. That seems to be the case as far as Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj and his colleagues are concerned. But this time they used a sledgehammer just to make sure that they get them.
During the seven days’ remand, the police did not unearth any incriminating evidence to justify their action against 30 Parti Sosialis activists for allegedly “waging war against the king”. That was the reason stated for remanding these people. Before that, there was talk they could be investigated for sedition.
On the seventh day of their remand, six of them were freed from the Kepala Batas police station. The implication of this action was very explicit: The police had actually cleared them of whatever they were originally suspected of being involved in. Read the rest of this entry »
Pakatan Rakyat leadership council emergency meeting on Wednesday on Bersih 2.0 rally and current national political situation
The Pakatan Rakyat leadership council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday on the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections and the current national political situation.
The PR leadership council will discuss the wise and commendable counsel of the Yang di Pertuan Agong. I am most impressed by the advice of the King particularly when he said:
“I also urge the government to carry out everything that is entrusted to it by the people in a just and wise manner, and it is important that I, as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, do not want to see this country with a plural society in a situation where there is animosity among them or a section of the people being enemies with the government, on whatever grounds.”
The Bersih 2.0 plan to have a peaceful rally on July 9 calling for free, fair and clean elections, which has the support of Malaysians transcending race, religion, class, gender and age, would be a celebration of the growing democratic spirit and culture in Malaysia and the best illustration of the 1Malaysia slogan of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Read the rest of this entry »
Bersih rally: Let sanity, common sense prevail
By AB Sulaiman | Jul 4, 11
Malaysiakini
So this week is the last stretch to the much anticipated Bersih 2.0 rally slated for this Saturday.
On the part of the organisers, they say that this is a people-inspired movement, asking for nothing more than free and fair elections, and the ridding of rampant corruption.
That’s not how the government sees it. To it this a movement full of many hidden agendas, like wishing to resurrect Communism, toppling the monarchy, ‘puppetering’ by foreign agents, Christians about to overrun the Muslim government, and the Opposition’s vehicle for marching towards Putrajaya!
So, the government has made it more than just difficult for the organisers to go ahead with the rally. It even has declared it illegal.
Read the rest of this entry »
Debunking the Bersih 2.0 critics
By Pak Sako
Centre for Policy Initiatives
4th July 2011
A number of political commentators have criticised Bersih 2.0 in the news media and blogs. Among these critics are Chandra Muzaffar, Anas Zubedy, Ahirudin Atan (Rocky’s Bru) and Mahathir Mohamad.
Their comments would have been welcome if they were honest and holistic assessments of Bersih 2.0. It would have been nice to see the use of sound reasoning. Instead we have faulty argument upon faulty argument, in article upon article.
This is regrettable not just for the dubious ethics with which personal political interests are advanced. It is also unfortunate because the trusting reader becomes confused as to what is true or false and becomes prone to accepting questionable statements and conclusions as truthful.
Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M’s daughter slams crackdown
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid | July 4, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad – who had little tolerance for dissenting voices – criticised the clampdown on Bersih 2.0 supporters.
Speaking on behalf of Sisters In Islam, one of the 62 NGOs that form the Bersih coalition, she said the action taken by the authorities was similar to that used by third-world dictators.
“Only those in fear would resort to such things… we are behaving like a third world country or less,” she told a packed press conference here, flanked by several representatives from Bersih.
More than 150 people were detained, mostly for wearing yellow T- shirts with the word “Bersih” in connection with the polls watchdog’s planned rally on July 9.
Read the rest of this entry »
