Revisiting the judicial darkness of the past two decades
Blast from the Past
This is a statement I issued on 12th June 2001 calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Judicial Independence which would also investigate into Justice Muhammad’s shocking expose of telephone directive from a judicial superior to strike out the Likas election petitions without a hearing as well as similar directives to other election judges in Sabah and Sarawak:
(Petaling Jaya, 12.6.2001 Tuesday): Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang deserves the gratitude of the nation which is seeking to restore national and international confidence in the judiciary for exposing the telephone directive from a judicial superior in September 1999 to strike out the Likas election petitions without a hearing.
Yesterday, Muhammad Kamil said that the Likas election petitions were brought to his court in mid-1999, following the Sabah state general elections on 13th March 1999.
He said that after many preliminary objections were raised by the lawyers, he announced on September 24, 1999 that he was setting aside technical objections in favour of justice.
Muhammad Kamil said: “That started it. That’s when the phone call came.”
He said he told the caller, who had identified himself, to “drop me a note for that” but it never came. The hearing of the petitions then began on Sept 27, 1999.
Muhammad Kamil said he had disclosed the identity of the person to Chief Justice Tan Sri Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and related the incident to several other judges in Sabah and Sarawak at that time, as they had confided in him that they had also received similar directives from the same person on election petitions before them. There were three other election judges in the two States. Read the rest of this entry »
High Court judge makes explosive judicial disclosures
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
Borneo Post
High Court judge makes explosive judicial disclosures
By Danny Wong
SIBU: A High Court judge here yesterday made some startling revelations at the commencement of the proceedings of the election petition filed by the DAP candidate for the Sarikei parliamentary seat, Wong Hus She, to declare the result of the March 8 general election for the seat void.
The Barisan Nasional candidate, Ding Kuong Hing, won the seat with a slim majority of 51 votes.
Justice Datuk H C Ian Chin informed the parties in open court that he had certain disclosures to make at the start of the proceedings, saying he was doing so to forestall any complaints that might be made by the parties later.
He said complaints had been made against him in an earlier case that he had failed to disclose the detention of his father and brother during the time of the Mustapha regime in Sabah in late 1969 and the early 1970.
Chin then proceeded to make his disclosure the contents of which could only be described as explosive, coming hot on the heels of the findings of the Royal Commission in the Lingam video tape. Read the rest of this entry »
Why not slash entertainment allowances of Cabinet Ministers by 50%?
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Oil on Tuesday, 10 June 2008, 11:32 am
The first of many questions that come to the mind of Malaysians on the RM2 billion cost-cutting package announced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is:
If the government can increase oil prices from 41 to 63 per cent, why can’t it slash the entertainment allowances of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers by 50% and not just a paltry 10%?
The question becomes all the more poignant when it is disclosed that the current entertainment allowances are RM18,865 for the prime minister, RM15,015 for the deputy prime minister, RM12,320 for ministers and RM6,000 for deputy ministers.
What about all the other allowances, including tips allowances which run into hundreds of ringgit a day, which ministers and deputy ministers are entitled to? Read the rest of this entry »
Minyak Oh Minyak…!
Letters
by Dr. ASM
Harga minyak kita jauh lebih murah jika dibandingkan dengan negara jiran. Kenaikan harga tak dapat dielakkan lagi. Rakyat digesa ubah cara hidup. Itulah antara kenyataan yang menguasai dada akhbar dimasa ini. Semua ini seolah-olah memperbodohkan rakyat Malaysia.
Harga minyak kita jauh lebih murah dari negara jiran, Singapura, Thailand dan juga beberapa negara lain. Jangan bandingkan harga kita dengan negara jiran yang bukannya pengeluar minyak. Bandingkanlah harga kita dengan negara pengeluar minyak lain (Iran(0.35), UAE (1.19), Arab Saudi (0.38), Venezuela (0.16), Mesir (1.03), Bahrain (0.87), Qatar (0.68) , Kuwait (0.67), Nigeria (0.32) dll). Jangan fikir rakyat Malaysia bodoh dan mudah diperdayakan dengan fakta dan perbandingan yang tidak tepat.
Rakyat digesa ubah cara hidup. Kita disuruh ubah, tapi pemimpin semuanya masih berkereta mewah. Kerajaan sepatutnya ubah cara berbelanja. Tangguhkan dulu projek mega. Tukar semua kereta mewah kepada Proton Perdana. Barulah cakap serupa bikin. Read the rest of this entry »
Let the great battle to get Anwar back to Parliament begin
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim on Monday, 9 June 2008, 3:06 pm
Anwar Ibrahim is reported yesterday as saying that “This year is a good timing for a by-election”, with some newspapers like Sin Chew Daily giving it page headline treatment.
I will go one step further. There is no better time than NOW for a by-election for Anwar to get back to Parliament in the wake of the nation-wide anger and outrage at the unconscionably drastic and hefty oil price increases of 41 per cent for petrol and 63 per cent for diesel with no overall plan to cushion their painful impact on the vulnerable sectors of the population.
There is also no awareness or consciousness of the need by the Abdullah government and leadership to set an example of radical change in lifestyles and government expenditures as well as to be fully accountable for the Petronas billions and to begin to institute good governance of accountability, transparency and integrity.
Let the great battle to get Anwar back to Parliament begin!
Ensuring Our Oil Bounty Will Not Be A Curse
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Monday, 9 June 2008, 9:45 am
by M. Bakri Musa
www.bakrimusa.com
With Malaysia forced to end or at least reduce its petroleum subsidy, it is well to learn from the experiences of other oil-producing countries.
There are enough lessons in the world today on how we should manage our precious God-given oil bounty. Prudently done, as in Alberta (Canada) and Norway, it would bring peace and prosperity. Anything less and it would be a curse; the new wealth would breed corruption and tear the socioeconomic fabric of society, as seen in today’s Iraq and Nigeria.
I would rather that Malaysia emulates and enhances the Albertan and Norwegian models. Malaysia should, like Canada and Norway, remove all subsidies on petroleum products. This would encourage conservation. It would also prod Malaysians into the global economic reality instead of being insulated from it.
In order for this giant step to be accepted, the government must divert the savings into a separate trust fund for use by future generations when our oil would run out, with a small portion devoted for current use in subsidizing cooking gas for the poor, and users of public transportation. Read the rest of this entry »
Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?
When in Kota Kinabalu last Saturday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced “goodies” to tackle “long-standing issues” in Sabah which needed “urgent” solution, including:
• Abolition of Sabah Federal Development Department (JPSS);
• RM1 billion special allocation for rural development;
• Direct channeling of development allocations of 11 ministries;
• Federal government to allocate RM1 million each to MPs and RM400,000 each to assemblymen in Sabah;
• High-powered Cabinet Committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to tackle Sabah’s long-standing illegal immigrant and refugee problem;
• Appointment of Sabahan Prof Datuk Kamarulzaman Ampong as the vice chancellor of` Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) effective June 18 and another Sabahan Yusof Saringit as federal Chief Financial Officer for the state; and
• Petronas and Sabah Foundation to build a power plant with the capacity to generate 300mw in Kimanis.
The real motive for Abdullah playing the role of early Santa Claus is not because of any solicitation for the welfare and interests of the people of Sabah as they had long disappeared from the radar of the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, but to consolidate Sabah Barisan Nasional support as a consequence of the March 8 political tsunami in Peninsular Malaysia and in particular to buy the loyalty of Sabah BN MPs to ensure that they will not collectively withdraw support from the Barisan Nasional federal government. Read the rest of this entry »
No Tun Samy Vellu?
This will be the reaction of most Malaysians to the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s birthday honours list today – why Tun Dr. Lim Keng Yaik but no Tun Samy Vellu.
Is MIC leaving Barisan Nasional?
Lim Kit Siang’s blog written by a Malay?
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman on Friday, 6 June 2008, 1:55 pm
by Azly Rahman
[email protected]
Brave new Malaysian identity emerging?
Dear readers,
On a website I read the following honest opinion, I thought in the spirit of dialogue, dialectic, and dialogic I’d share with you wonderful bloggers:
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Lim Kit Siang’s blog written by a Malay?
There is something that is quite funny about one opposition leader blog which seems to be written by someone else and not the owner of the blog.
That blog is blog.limkitsiang.com and there are many posts by someone who calls himself by the name of Dr. Azly Rahman.
Whether that person do exists or is a pseudonym of Lim Kit Siang, nobody can tell.
The latest posting by Dr. Azly Rahman titled “All Malaysians have special rights” gives the following excerpts: Read the rest of this entry »
Please help Malaysia!
Letters
by KKLow
I am one of your supporter and touched by Gobi/ Theresa Kok/ Lim Kit Siang talk prior to election recently on the party ‘s fight for Malaysian right to improve standrad of living for all Malaysian and first class citizenship…., i also watch all the youtube regarding DAP and was impressed.
We hope the promises to the rakyat can come true such as:
1) fight for lower toll rate (especially LDP) we pay to stuck in traffic jam everyday – status – not yet done.
2) and the hottest issue now – petrol price hike – status – worsen with Abdullah annoucement…even with the rebate or incentives still we need to pay an increase of appx 30% petrol hike…
3) food price increase without any control – with petrol price increase …well….food price will soar and squeeze our standard of living
4) with the poor standard of living – social ills especially ah long/ robbery cases will be frequent and tough to fight… Read the rest of this entry »
Indonesia’s Battle for Religious Pluralism Continues
Posted by Kit in Farish Noor, Religion on Friday, 6 June 2008, 10:35 am
By Farish A. Noor
Over the past months Indonesia has witnessed, once again, mass demonstrations and mobilisation on its streets. Throughout the month of May, the campuses of the country spilled open and large demonstrations were organised in almost every major city across the Indonesian archipelago to raise awareness about the rising costs of living and in particular the rising cost of oil and gas; in a country that was once a major oil producer but which – over the past five years – has been reduced to being a net oil and gas importer.
While the students of Indonesia’s universities and colleges have taken to the streets to protest on matters that are related to the political economy of the country, other groups have also taken to the streets in protest over issues that have less to do with the material well being of the nation. Since April, Indonesia has also witnessed a string of demonstrations led and organised by right-wing communitarian religious parties and organisations such as the Fron Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders’ Front, FPI) on matters that have little to do with the economic welfare and future of the country.
One such protest came in late April when the FPI, along with several other allied right-wing conservative Islamist groups, protested over the ruling that the Ahmadiya Muslim minority community was allowed to exist in the country as long as they did not openly declare themselves to be Muslims. For more than a century the Ahmadis have been living in Indonesia and historians will point to the fact that the founding fathers of Indonesia’s nationalist and anti-colonial movement were educated and drawn from the Ahmadi community as well. Read the rest of this entry »
PM should seek Parliament approval on June 23 for hefty oil price increases
Posted by Kit in Economics, Good Governance, Parliament on Thursday, 5 June 2008, 12:25 pm
Ipoh’s protest :
KL’s protest :
Some hundred people, including DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran, Perak State Assembly Speaker Sivakumar, Perak DAP State Excos Su Keong Siong, A. Sivanesan and Chen Fook Chye and DAP Perak Assembly members Leong Mee Meng (Jalong), Lim Pek Har (Menglembu), Ong Boon Piow (Tebing Tinggi) and Siva Subramanian (Buntong), together with representatives from trade unions and NGOs, gathered outside the Perak Federal Building this morning to fire the first salvo of protest on behalf of Malaysians at the hefty and unconscionable increase of oil prices yesterday.
The half-hour protest went off smoothly, with Kula, Su, Sivanesan, Chen and myself speaking briefly on the protest.
In Kuala Lumpur, a similar protest, attended by five DAP Federal Territory MPs (Dr. Tan Seng Giaw, Fong Kui Lun, Tan Kok Wai, Teresa Kok, Lim Lip Eng), Manogaran (MP – Teluk Intan) and Selangor DAP State Assemblywoman Jenice Lee Ying Ha (Teratai), was held at the Pudu Market, Jalan Pasar.
Excerpts of my remarks at the Ipoh Protest this morning:
The sudden hefty oil price increases – 40.6 per cent and 63.3 per cent increase in pump petrol price and diesel price respectively – creating a seven-hour nation-wide chaos is an outrage as it is most unconscionable, unjustifiable and deplorable reflecting poorly on good governance in Malaysia especially after ministerial undertaking that there would be no changes until August.
The introduction of annual cash rebate of RM625 to those who own cars of 2,000 cc and below, and pick-up trucks and jeeps of 2,500 cc and below, and cash rebate of RM150 a year for owners of motor-cycles of 250 cc and below, as well as road tax discounts, will not be able to fully cushion the low and middle-income Malaysians from the inflationary spiral which would be unleashed by the greatest hike in oil prices in the nation’s history.
Equally of concern will be the deterioration of the public safety index, with the expected worsening of the crime situation which has already become an endemic problem causing Malaysians, tourists and investors to fear for their personal safety, their loved ones and the safety of property as well! Read the rest of this entry »
Protest at unconscionable oil price increases
Ipoh, Perak
- Venue : Perak Office of Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
at Federal Building (opposite Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh ), Green Town, Ipoh - Date : Thursday, 5th June 2008
- Time : 11am
Kuala Lumpur
- Venue : Jalan Pasar, Pudu (indirectly opposite RHB and Am Bank)
- Date : Thursday, 5th June 2008
- Time : 11.30am
A really hefty price increase!
Fuel hike: 78 sen more to RM2.70 per litre
Malaysiakini
Jun 4, 08 4:55pm
The government has just announced that petrol price will go up by 78 sen at midnight – a 40.6 percent jump from RM1.92 per litre to RM2.70.
The price of diesel will go up RM1, or 63.3 percent – from RM1.58 per litre to RM2.58.
Read the rest of this entry »
Should I cross over for those millions?
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman, Politics on Tuesday, 3 June 2008, 12:48 am
by Azly Rahman
[email protected]
http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/
That is a two million ringgit question.
How much does one get for ‘crossing over’ these days? I do not know. But if there are millions of ringgit involved, this nation will continue to rot as corrupt politicians continue switching allegiances, getting appointments to good positions, and making horror decisions for you and your children.
We must destroy this culture and heal anew.
We were convinced things will be better after the elections. We were sure that the revolution was going to benefit the masses and no party hopping would occur.
We are wrong. Things are getting more complex, in a complex time of rising prices.
This is my template letter to anyone on the verge of party hopping for money:
Dear sir/madam,
Don’t make this mistake.
Don’t do it if it’s for two million ringgit. Stay to be free, and speak up against internal party corruption.
You will die satisfied that you have not sold your soul to any other party in whose ideology you actually do not subscribe to. These ‘party jumpers’ have no clear intention, just clear benefits for themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
Questions for Parliament (2nd meeting) late June
Posted by Kit in Parliament on Tuesday, 3 June 2008, 12:43 am
Among the questions I have submitted for the second meeting of the 12th Parliament beginning on 23rd June 2008 are:
1. To ask the Prime Minister why a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the long-standing problem of illegal immigrants of Sabah has not been established as all government efforts to deal with it has proved to be ineffective and unsatisfactory.
2. To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to promote the Bangsa Malaysia objective of Vision 2020 in the face of worsening racial polarisation with greater communal clamour for “ketuanan Melayu” and “kedaulatan Melayu”.
3. To ask the Prime Minister whether he proposes to introduce Prime Minister’s Question Time with regular personal appears in Parliament to answer questions, to set good example of parliamentary responsibility for all Cabinet Ministers?
4. To ask the Prime Minister to list and give particulars of five projects undertaken by Petronas which had caused the greatest losses in its history and what remedial action had been taken in each case.
5. To ask the Prime Minister to list the proposals for electoral reform which had been submitted by the Election Commission after the March 2008 general election and the outcome of each proposal. Read the rest of this entry »
Abdullah’s “goodies” on Sabah/Sarawak grouses – satisfied?
May 31, 2008 20:32 PM
Fed Devt Dept Scrapped, Cabinet Committee On Illegal Immigrants Formed – Abdullah
KOTA KINABALU, May 31 (Bernama) — The 17-year wait by state government leaders to scrap the Sabah Federal Development Department ended Saturday when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the good news.
Following the abolition with immediate effect, Sabah State Development Office would handle the Prime Minister’s special allocations and monitor implementation and progress of federal government projects.
Abdullah, who met state government leaders and senior state government officials, also announced the formation of a cabinet committee on illegal immigrants to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to discuss and solve the perennial illegal immigrants’ problem in the state.
The committee, comprising several Sabah leaders, would seek solutions to the problem, particularly foreigners holding the “IMM13” a document in lieu of passport issued by the Immigration Department to Filipino refugees which permits them to remain in Sabah, he told a media conference.
The prime minister also announced a RM1 billion allocation from the prime minister’s special allocation to be distributed according to development requirements in Sabah and the appointment of Sabah-born Professor Datuk Kamaruzaman Ampong as the new vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah would take effect on June 18. Read the rest of this entry »
Good news for BMC controversy
Posted by Kit in Parliament, Police on Friday, 30 May 2008, 2:33 pm
During the debate on the last ministry – Home Ministry – on the 2007 Supplementary estimates in Parliament late yesterday evening, DAP MP for Serdang, Teo Nie Ching and I questioned police conduct in the Bandar Makhota Cheras (BMC) “thug and police violence” following public protest at the rebuilding of the barricade by the toll concessionaire, Grand Saga.on Tuesday night.
I had earlier met the Works Minister, Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed at the MPs’ lounge and I asked why his Ministry could not resolve the long-standing BMC access road issue.
Mohd Zin said he has a formula to resolve the issue which he would be bringing to the Cabinet today.
I understand there is good news for the long-suffering residents over the BMC controversy.
Sabah – Cinderella after March 8 “political tsunami”
All eyes are on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, as Santa Claus with “goodies” for Sabah in his visit to the State tomorrow.
As reported by the Star yesterday, among the “goodies” for Sabah expected from the Prime Minister are announcements:
• Abolishing the controversial Department of Federal Development Sabah (JPPS) set up when the state was ruled under the then-opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in 1991 and to channel federal development funds through the Sabah Development Office;
• More federal funding for projects in the state.
• A high-powered Cabinet panel to work on the framework of a long-term solution to Sabah’s complex migrant problem; and
• Immediate standardization of the prices of subsidized goods nationwide.
What about 20% oil royalty for Sabah?
Lets wait until tomorrow to see what are the goodies Abdullah has in store for the people of Sabah. The March 8 political tsunami in Peninsular Malaysia has a Cinderella-effect on the people of Sabah in transforming them from among the most marginalized to “king-maker” holding in their hands the very survival of the Barisan Nasional federal power.
Hence the “goodies” in Sabah tomorrow!
Ordeal of foreign spouses in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Letters on Thursday, 29 May 2008, 6:54 pm
Letters
by B.R.
It is almost unimaginable the daily trauma that is faced by them, some of them are born overseas but were unable to get registered at the Malaysian high commission or embassy within the stipulated time. They are faced with daily trauma, which includes inability to attend local schools, universities, long waits at immigration to get a visa, when in actual fact they are Malaysians.
I, for one, am a spouse of a Malaysian citizen and 15 years down the line, I am accorded worse treatment than an illegal for at least illegals, after a while, do get amnesty, not spouses. There are many of us here, for 12-20 years still on a dependent pass or on an employment pass and still waiting for years and even decades, not for citizenship but for a mere Permanent Resident status.
Foreign spouses find life in Malaysia really difficult because of inadequate measures for good governance. The laws, if any, are so grey that it varies in interpretation from immigration officer to officer.
Many of us even have to resort to merely doing volunteer service, though it is a necessity to be an income earner. Some of us lucky ones manage to get an employment pass on the spouse visa but not many employers are prepared to employ a foreign spouse due to the tedious paperwork. Only employers with a paid up capital of over RM200K can employ us. Many even exploit us and pay some measly sum as token salary. When we wish to change jobs, there is a cooling off period to cool our heels for six months. Life in Malaysia is near traumatic for us and here’s more.. Read the rest of this entry »
