Gerakan rep: Umno incites racial sentiments

Dec 21, 07 6:23pm

In an audacious move, a notable Gerakan politician has taken Barisan Nasional coalition leader Umno to task for inciting racial sentiments among Malays to gain political mileage. “They incite racial sentiments among their community in a petty attempt to further their political career,” Gerakan Youth vice-chief S Paranjothy alleged today. Such attempts, he said, include taking potshots at other BN component parties which draw their support from non-Malay communities. “Umno leaders are very found of picking on component parties and use them as their punching bag or stepping-stone to gain popularity in their community,” Paranjothy said in a hard-hitting four-page statement entitled ‘Discrimination from Womb to Tomb’. He singled out Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussien’s keris waving and his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim that non-Malays would take advantage of a weak Umno leadership, as prime examples of racial posturing. He also cited Khairy’s speech at the Umno general assembly last month, during which heblamed newspaper vendors for not wanting to work on Deepavali day. He made a pointed reference to the fact that the sector is predominated by Indian Malaysians. (Each year, the print media takes a break during the major festivals. This year, Deepavali fell during the week of the Umno general assembly, and there was no publication on the day following the delivery of the presidential address.) “Umno is fond of playing up sensitive issues among Malaysians. Statements and decisions made by Umno politicians have been (discriminatory) and contain a lot of racial slurs. So who is playing racial politics in Malaysia?... So who is causing racial disunity?” asked Paranjothy. He warned that national unity would be elusive as long as political parties and politicians continue their communal approach towards politics. “Politicians always feel (they) must fight for (their) own party. Since we have mostly ethnic parties, they are fighting for their ethnic group. It is difficult to achieve any kind of consensus.” He stressed that the 14 BN component parties must consolidate into a single party in order to “end racial manipulation in politics”. “In a multiracial party, if a politician wants to succeed, he would need to prove his ability and win support from all races, not just his own,” he explained. ‘Fourth-class citizens’ Commenting on the Nov 25 Hindraf rally, Paranjothy said the 30,000 Indians took part to express their “frustrations and anger” because the community has been “marginalised, oppressed and ignored”. Paranjothy said Indians form the most neglected group in economic terms, as shown by key performance indicators such as tertiary education. “(They) are treated as fourth-class citizens. Where the Indians predominate over their fellow Malaysians is mostly in prison, violent crimes, gangsterism, suicide and social ills. Government policies have failed to improve (their situation).” On the government’s hardline stance against public demonstrations, Paranjothy said the government has practised double-standards in the issuance of police permits. “I have participated in street demonstrations and rallies organised by Barisan Nasional Youth, spearheaded by Umno Youth, to handover a memorandum... over certain issues that had taken place (abroad) which I believe would not have benefitted Malaysia. “Did BN Youth obtained a permit to hold the rallies or demonstrations?... Looks like the government is one-sided when it came to the issuance of permits for public gatherings. BN started this culture of street demonstrations and now others have emulated it.”

Samy out of touch with the community

Khairil Zhafri | Dec 21, 07 2:33pm

The Indian voters, who for long have been loyal to the Barisan Nasional, will shift away from voting for the ruling coalition in the next general election, predicted Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang. He also said that the elections will be held in March next year. Constitutionally the prime minister need not call for a national poll until April 2009. Speaking at a forum held in Ipoh yesterday, Lim said that the next general election will be different due to the “awakening of political consciousness among the Malaysian Indians”. “They are an important factor in determining the electoral outcome,” he said. He added that although there were no single parliamentary or state assembly constituencies where the Indian voters constitute the majority of the electorate and could singly decide on the outcome, Indian voters nevertheless represented over 10 percent of the electorate in 62 parliamentary constituencies and 138 state assembly constituencies. “In 28 parliamentary and 78 state assembly constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia, the Indian voters are the ‘kingmakers’ as they constitute more than 15 percent of the electorate and exercise as decisive influence as to who wins or loses in the constituency,” he added. Lim also trained his attacks on MIC president S Samy Vellu, whom he said had confirmed that the government had dismissed the community’s legitimate grievances in an RTM interview on Wednesday night. On the show, he talked about the development and success of the Indian community. Serious denial syndrome Samy’s responses in the interview, Lim charged, showed that the minister had lost touch with the Indian community. Lim further claimed that Samy has a "serious denial syndrome" when he claimed that the government has never neglected the Indians. According to him, Samy blamed "ineffective delivery system" in dismissing legitimate grievances of the Indians over political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalisation. Saying that it was a very poor excuse, Lim told that "Samy Vellu cannot run away from the fact that he had been the MIC president and sole Indian cabinet minister for over 28 years”. In the interview Samy, who is also the works minister, was quoted as saying that he had asked Abdullah to "give a bit more to the Indians". On this issue, Lim asked: "Why is he asking ... as if (he) must beg on behalf of the Indians, when (they) are entitled to ask what should be rightfully theirs?" Samy’s constituency Sungai Siput is one area where the Indian voters make about 22.45 percent.

'9 reasons' to lock up Uthayakumar

Andrew Ong | Dec 21, 07 3:50pm

Of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), P Uthayakumar recorded the highest number of reasons which the government used to support his detention. The nine reasons were listed in the detention order as an annexure titled “Allegations of facts” on which the order is based - a requirement under Section 11 (2) (b) of the ISA. Other than five seditious speeches, Uthayakumar was accused of organising three illegal assemblies - at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, outside Parliament and outside the Attorney-General’s Department - between Nov 2006 to August 2007. The final reason is his alleged links to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist group in Sri Lanka which has been declared a terrorist organisation by a number of western countries. Uthayakumar has vehemently denied Hindraf's links to LTTE. Two other Hindraf leaders detained under ISA - V Ganabatirau and T Vasantha Kumar - had six allegations mentioned in their respective detention orders. M Manoharan chalked up seven while R Kenghadharan had only three. The four other detainees were mostly accused of making ‘seditious speeches’ during Hindraf organised public forums and taking the movement’s cause overseas. Hearing next week The five were detained under the ISA on Dec 13 based on an order signed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi under his Internal Security Minister portfolio. The detainees were immediately sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre to serve their two-year detention. In a related development, Karpal Singh - counsel for the five Hindraf leaders - today filed habeas corpus applications for Uthayakumar and Vasantha Kumar at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The applications follows similar applications made by Karpal on behalf of Manoharan and Ganabatirau on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters later, Karpal said Judicial Commissioner Zainal Azman Abd Aziz would be hearing all four cases next Wednesday. A habeas corpus application for Kenghadharan would be made on Monday. The move is believed to be a deliberate attempt to disassociate him from Hindraf.

Bantah ISA, GMI adakan himpunan di Dataran Merdeka malam esok

Anis Nazri Fri | Dec 21, 07 | 2:13:24 pm MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Dis (Hrkh) - Bagi menyatakan bantahan terhadap tindakan kerajaan yang semakin rakus menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) terhadap rakyat yang dianggap mencabar kepimpinan Perdana Menteri, Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) menyeru orang ramai agar hadir dalam himpunan aman anjuran badan itu, di Dataran Merdeka, jam 8.00 malam esok (22 Dis 2007).

Program bertemakan 'Solidarity Vigil for ISA Detainees' itu bertujuan untuk menyatakan sokongan kepada semua tahanan ISA yang berada di Kem Kamunting (Kemta) sekarang, di samping membantah penggunaan akta zalim itu terhadap mereka.

Setiausaha GMI, E. Nalini berkata, program malam esok bukanlah untuk berdemonstrasi, tetapi lebih kepada 'peaceful gathering' tanpa ada banyak ucapan.

Katanya, ISA perlu dihapuskan kerana ia tidak memenuhi hak asasi, di mana setiap manusia perlu diberikan pengadilan yang adil dan saksama.

Tambahnya, ISA digunakan sewenang-wenangnya untuk menahan seseorang itu mengikut tempoh yang tidak diketahui tanpa dibicarakan di mahkamah.

"Justeru, GMI berharap rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan keadilan agar turut serta dalam program tersebut, kerana tanpa rakyat perubahan takkan berlaku," tegasnya ketika dihubungi Harakahdaily hari ini.

Tidak perlu permit

Menjawab berhubung soal permit bagi program tersebut, Nalini menegaskan pihaknya tidak memerlukan sebarang permit memandangkan program berkenaan tidak memerlukan permit.

"Menyertai perhimpunan adalah hak setiap individu di Malaysia. Rakyat perlu menggunakan ruang-ruang ini untuk memberikan pandangan mereka.

Suhakam sendiri mengatakan sesuatu perhimpunan itu tidak memerlukan permit polis.

Malah, Perlembagaan Malaysia turut menggariskan hak tersebut. Jadi, kita tidak perlukan permit polis dan orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang untuk menyertai program yang diadakan malam esok, lebih-lebih lagi program anjuran kita ini adalah aman" tegas beliau lagi.

Kebelakangan ini, Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menakut-nakutkan rakyat untuk keluar berhimpun dengan mengenakan tindakan ISA.

Malah, beberapa pimpinan Hindraf turut ditahan di bawah akta tersebut.

Pada 13 Disember lalu, lima pemimpin Hindraf yang ditahan ialah P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau dan T. Vasanthakumar.

Mereka ditahan di bawah Seksyen 8 (1) ISA yang membenarkan penahanan seseorang sehingga tempoh dua tahun dan terus dihantar ke Kemta.

Kelazimannya, seseorang ditahan di bawah Seksyen 73 ISA iaitu penahanan selama 60 hari untuk disoalsiasat sebelum dinilai Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, iaitu Abdullah sendiri sama ada dilanjutkan atau tidak penahanan tersebut di bawah Seksyen 8.

Harakahdaily difahamkan, setakat ini terdapat seramai 74 orang yang ditahan ISA di Kemta, Perak sehingga 29 Ogos 2007.

Ramai di antara mereka yang ditahan kerana didakwa kononnya penglibatan mereka dalam Jemaah Islamiah (JI) dan Darul Islam (DI), selain yang ditahan kerana penyeludupan pendatang tanpa izin, pemalsuan dokumen dan pasport dan pemalsuan syiling RM1./wann

Skandal PKFZ: Anwar dakwa Ling, Chan 'salahguna' kuasa

Muda Mohd Noor | Dec 19, 07 5:20pm

Bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mendakwa bahawa bekas Menteri Pengangkutan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik dan Menteri Pengangkutan sekarang, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy telah mengeluarkan surat sokongan sehingga menyebabkan kerajaan terpaksa menyelamatkan Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang (LPK). Katanya, Ling menulis surat sokongan itu pada 28 Mei 2003 – pada hari dia meletak jawatan – manakala Chan pula menulis tiga surat – bertarikh 23 April 2004, 8 Disember 2005 dan 23 Mei 2006. Surat Dr Ling dan Chan tersebut, kata Anwar, memberikan komitmen kerajaan sebagai penjamin untuk apa-apa liabiliti LPK untuk projek Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ). Beliau berkata, telah terbukti ia merupakan jaminan kerajaan kerana surat itu mengandungi perkataan yang bermaksud "kami akan pada setiap masa di masa hadapan memastikan LPK berada di dalam kedudukan untuk memenuhi (dan memenuhinya dengan sepenuhnya pada masa yang sepatutnya) liabiliti mereka di dalam jumlah pembayaran semula selagi mana jumlah pembayaran semula masih lagi tidak dilangsaikan...' Kedua-dua mereka menulis surat sokongan supaya kerajaan mengambilalih syarikat Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) yang merupakan kontraktor kepada PKFZ . Manakala empat anak syarikat ialah Special Port Vehicle Bhd, Transshipment Megahub Bhd, Valid Ventures Bhd dan Free Zone Capital Bhd. Berdasarkan jaminan tersebut, syarikat-syarikat berkenaan, telah mengeluarkan bon bernilai RM4.6 bilion untuk Kuala Dimensi dan menerima rating AAA dari Malaysia Rating Corporation Bhd bagi projek PKFZ. Minta BPR siasat Anwar berkata, menurut dasar kerajaan, hanya Menteri Kewangan atau kabinet yang boleh mengeluarkan apa-apa bentuk jaminan bagi pihak kerajaan. "Ketika saya menjadi menteri kewangan, perkara sebegini tidak pernah dibenarkan berlaku," kata bekas menteri kewangan itu dalam sidang media di pejabatnya di Petaling Jaya hari ini. Sehubungan itu, Anwar yang kini Ketua Umum Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) meminta kerajaan menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Diraja, selain menggesa Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) menyiasat perkara tersebut. Beliau berkata, sehingga hari ini kerajaan belum memberikan sebarang penjelasan mengenai status PKFZ dan bertanggungjawab terhadap penambahan kos RM3.5 bilion. Katanya, untuk menutup kerugian projek yang gagal ini, kerajaan telah mengumumkan bahawa ia akan melanjutkan pinjaman berjumlah sehingga RM4.681 bilion. "Kes ini merupakan salah satu daripada begitu banyak contoh yang mendedahkan percanggahan kepentingan, rasuah dan salah tadbir membabitkan ahli politik, tokoh korporat dan pegawai kerajaan," katanya lagi. ‘Tolak pandangan AG’ Anwar berkata, amat aneh sekali menteri pengangkutan waktu itu menolak pandangan peguam negara bahawa tanah tersebut boleh diambil untuk `tujuan awam' di bawah Akta Pengambilan Tanah pada harga RM10 sekaki persegi. Sebaliknya, kata beliau, Kementerian Pengangkutan dan LPK membeli tanah tersebut pada harga RM25 sekaki. "Persetujuan ini dicapai pada 2002 antara Kementerian Pengangkutan, LPK dan Kuala Dimensi tanpa kelulusan Pembedaharaan atau Kabinet," katanya. Dalam sidang media tersebut, Anwar mendakwa antara tokoh-tokoh utama yang terbabit dengan skandal PKFZ dan menurutnya mereka mesti dipertanggungjawab terhadap kerugian yang dialami itu. Menurutnya, mereka termasuk Bendahari Umno, Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi; Ahli Parlimen MCA kawasan Alor Star yang juga bekas Timbalan Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Datuk Chor Chee Heung; Ahli Parlimen Bintulu, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing dan Pengerusi Tetap Umno, Tan Sri Onn Ismail.