MCCBCHST MEDIA RELEASE

MCCBCHST MEDIA RELEASE

27.01.2010

DON’T LET THE PROVOCATEURS SUCCEED

We refer to our media release of January 22 2010 in which we declared that "any violence on a place of worship and prayer of any religion (is) a sin of the highest order…"

It is diappointing that such sins continue unabated.

The latest incidents today at the two mosques along Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur demonstrate how sick perpetrators of such acts can be and to what extent they are willing to go to cause hurt and harm to religious communities. Their end is to drive a wedge between religious communities in the country.

We who are law-abiding citizens must not allow them to succeed in their wicked mission.

Let us not speculate about the identities of the culprits until the police and the courts have done their work. Let us stand together and resist such people.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism condoles with Muslims, Christians and Sikhs whose places of worship and prayer have been so rudely desecrated.

May God protect us and the country from evil-doers.

Rev. Dr Thomas Philips,

MCCBCHST President

Undemocratic action against Mediact in South Korea

Undemocratic action against Mediact in South Korea

We are appalled by and condemn the decision to dismantle Mediact, South Korea’s renowned public media centre, and force its staff to resign. Mediact has been involved in the promotion of communication rights and democracy, media literacy, intellectual property rights and public interest media.

The Korea Film Council (KOFIC), which had been funding the activities of Mediact, recently decided to end its funding. This will certainly cause immense damage to the Korean media industry and freedom of expression in the country.

The larger backdrop is that the democratic advances previously secured in South Korea are now in danger of erosion. Over the last two years, the Lee Myung-bak regime has introduced new media laws and attempted to curb the country's free and independent media.

We urge the South Korean government to instruct the KOFIC together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to reverse this decision immediately.

Such a move would not only be honourable but also go a long way towards promoting arts and creativity, and freedom of expression in South Korea.

Dr Mustafa K Anuar and Anil Netto

Coordinators

Charter 2000-Aliran

27 January 2010

KEMPEN PILIHANRAYA KAMPUS USM

BANNER PRO MAHASISWA DI KOYAK OLEH PETUGAS???

Anwar on Trial - Part 2 &3

BRINGING BRITAIN TO PENANG

CSOs MEDIA STATEMENT

Statement By Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the recent demolition of the houses at Rumah Nor, Sungai Sekabai

23^rd January 2010

We the concerned civil society organisations (CSOs) having met and deliberated in Sibu on 23 January 2010 on the recent news of the demolition of houses belonging to the residents of Rumah Nor Anak Nyawai, Sungai Sekabai, Sebauh, Sarawak on the 19 January 2010 express utter outrage and deep concern on the blatant disregard of the communities’ customary rights and their right to shelter. The actions of Tatau Land Sendirian Berhad, a subsidiary of the ASSAR Group and their agents together with the authorities were uncalled for since the residents of Rumah Nor are still contesting the land dispute claim over the area.

The comment made by the Superintendent of Land and Survey Department, Bintulu laying the blame on the lawyer for not informing his clients on the eviction order was false. The fact was, the lawyer representing the residents has yet to receive any eviction order from the court. There was also no notice given to the residents. The residents’ were only informed about the eviction order after the demolition was done. Furthermore, the residents have since appealed the decision and the case is still pending.

We demand that:

1) Tatau Land Sendirian Berhad and its agents withdraw from the area and refrain from further actions that will aggravate the situation;

2) The authorities must immediately stop their harassment and intimidation on the communities affected;

3) The authorities must uphold the rights of the indigenous peoples, including rights to their land, territories and resources, the principle of free, prior informed consent, the principle of natural justice as in accordance with the national legislations and international human rights instruments including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), ILO Convention No. 169 and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD);

4) The company must respect the rights of the indigenous peoples and also the due process of law in this case; and

5) Adequate compensation be paid to the families of the houses and properties destroyed during the demolition

This statement is endorsed by:

Borneo Resources Institute, Malaysia (BRIMAS)

Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA)

Sarawak Indigenous Lawyers Alliance (SILA)

Persatuan Wanita Desa Sarawak (WADESA)

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)

Institute for Development of Alternative Living (IDEAL)

Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)

Jaringan Tanah Hak Adat Bangsa Asal Sarawak (TAHABAS)

Tenaganita

Grassroots

AidEnvironment

Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP)

CICOM

Building Indigenous Initiatives and Heritage (BiiH)

PACOS Trust

Panggau

Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)

Melikin-Bukar-Sadong Association (Mebusa)

Native Rights Action Force (Natraf)

SOS Baram

SCANE

Persatuan Rumah Panjang Rantau-Tapu (RATA)

Tonibung Youths

Malaysian Election Observation Network (MEO-Net)

Also endorsed by

Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)

Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)

For more information, kindly contact Mark Bujang of BRIMAS at markbujang@gmail.com or cell phone no. 014-8776685.

CARA SAMSENG

Sekitar PRK : Aspirasi Guna Pisau, Koyak Kain Rentang?

Oleh Roziyah Mahamad

KUALA LUMPUR : Rapat umum mahasiswa Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) dicemari dengan perkara yang tidak diingini apabila seorang lelaki dari bahagian Hal Ehwal Pelajar (HEP) menggunakan pisau di hadapan puluhan mahasiswa untuk mengoyakkan banner yang dibawa oleh penyokong Pro Mahasiswa semalam.

"Lelaki itu melakukan provokasi dengan mengeluarkan pisau dan mengoyakkan banner yang dipegang pelajar. Dia sebenarnya dari kalangan HEP sendiri yang mengaku dirinya mahasiswa," jelas salah seorang pelajar USM, Mohd. Hafis Hahim kepada Era Pakatan.com.

Menurut Hafiz, lelaki itu juga cuba merampas banner daripada pelajar berkenaan. Tindakan itu dianggap berbahaya kerana lelaki itu menggunakan senjata tajam dihadapan pelajar dalam rapat umum berkenaan.

Rapat umum itu menghimpunkan Mahasiswa dari Pro Masiswa dan Pro Aspirasi semperna Pilihanraya Kampus yang akan diadakan esok.

KUALA LUMPUR : Rapat umum mahasiswa Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) dicemari dengan perkara yang tidak diingini apabila seorang mahasiswa Aspirasi dikatakan telah menggunakan pisau di hadapan puluhan mahasiswa untuk mengoyakkan kain rentang yang dibawa para penyokong Pro Mahasiswa semalam.

"Lelaki itu melakukan provokasi dengan mengeluarkan pisau dan mengoyakkan kain rentang yang dipegang mahasiswa. Dia dipercayai mahasiswa Aspirasi sendiri yang mengaku dirinya mahasiswa," kata seorang mahasiswa di universiti, Mohd Hafiz Hashim (samaran) kepada erapakatan.com.

Menurut Hafiz, mahasiswa itu juga cuba merampas kain rentang daripada pelajar berkenaan.

"Tindakan itu dianggap berbahaya kerana lelaki itu menggunakan senjata tajam di hadapan mahasiswa dalam rapat umum berkenaan," kata beliau.

Rapat umum itu menghimpunkan mahasiswa-mahasiswa daripada Pro Mahasiswa dan Pro Aspirasi sempena pilihan raya kampus yang akan diadakan esok.

ADA YANG KATA

Khabar angin kini bertiup kencang kononnya seorang pemimpin kanan PKR akan berpaling tadah dan menyertai sebuah parti lain yang mesra dengan Barisan Nasional.

Ahli parlimen dari Pulau Pinang itu juga dikatakan sudah mendapat persetujuan daripada ahli parlimen Pakatan Rakyat yang lain untuk turut melompat. Dia juga didakwa sedang memikat beberapa ahli parlimen pembangkang yang lain lagi.

Rancangan mereka ialah menjadi ahli bebas sebelum menganggotai Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) yang baru ditubuhkan dan dipimpin oleh Tang Weng Chew.

Bulan lalu, ahli dewan undangan negeri PKR Gabriel Adit Demong menyertai parti baru yang berpangkalan di Pulau Pinang itu sebagai ketua Sarawaknya.

Mengikut sumber, pemimpin PKR itu telah berjumpa dengan presiden Umno dan pengerusi BN, Datuk Seri Najib Razak bagi membincangkan tindakannya serta memohon kemungkinan diberikan jawatan dalam kabinet.

Jika perkara itu menjadi kenyataan, ia adalah keputusan politik yang paling mengejutkan selepas BN berjaya merampas semula Perak daripada kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat.

Sekiranya semua itu menjadi kenyataan, hasrat BN mendapat majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen akan termakbul. Mereka kini hanya kekurangan lapan kerusi untuk meminda sebarang perlembagaan mengikut sesuka hati.








Angin BERTIUP KENCANG menyatakan bahawan YB TAN TE BENG,YB DATO ZAHRAIN, YB ZUL NORDIN.