Anwar's epic battle, the sequel




By Baradan Kuppusamy



KUALA LUMPUR - Anwar Ibrahim may be facing the final battle of his epic political career. The Malaysian opposition leader will stand trial on February 2, accused of sodomizing his former aide, a charge he has said was trumped up to foil his plans to seize state power in the next general election. "They want to derail my plans to become prime minister, to rewrite the history of this country, to end the injustices and violence against the people,'' Anwar said at a recent rally outside Kuala Lumpur. "I am facing a horrendous ordeal. It's all politics, a conspiracy to derail the reformation of society,'' he said as scores of supporters mobbed and hugged him.


Anwar is attracting thousands of people to his rallies across thecountry ahead of a trial that some political analysts say will make or break his four-decade-old career in politics. He was jailed on the same charges a decade ago after trial that was universally rejected as biased, and released after Malaysia's highest court declared him innocent. "The trial can adversely impact his political career and that of the [opposition] Pakatan Rakyat coalition that he leads - and even the reformation struggle he has led for so long,'' said Sivamurugan Pandyan, a political scientist with the University Science Malaysia. "It all depends on what happens at the trial and how the case is handled,'' he said, adding that Anwar's 1999 sodomy trial was a public relations disaster for the government because many people rejected the guilty verdict. In 1998, Anwar figured in a political power struggle with Mahathir Mohamad, then strongman premier of the multi-racial Southeast Asian country.




The 1997-98 Asian financial crisis was the backdrop of that power struggle. Anwar, the finance minister and Mahathir's deputy, was sacked as the economy shrank and the Malaysian currency, the ringgit, plummeted. Mahathir declared Anwar unfit to lead because of alleged "homosexual tendencies'', promptly sacked him and later had him arrested under security laws that allowed for detention without trial. Anwar was subsequently charged with corruption and sodomy and convicted to 15 years in jail. He launched a political party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, or People's Justice Party, and a reform movement from jail. Six years into his sentence, he was released after the country's Federal Court acquitted him of the sodomy charges.



In 2008, Anwar put together the Pakatan Rakyat opposition, a coalition of dissimilar political parties, including his own PKR, the ethnic Chinese-majority and secular Democratic Action Party and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic party. The coalition seized five states at the March, 2008 elections, ending the two-thirds parliamentary majority the ruling Barisan Nasional had enjoyed for half a century. Those electoral gains brought Anwar one step closer to Putra Jaya, Malaysia's purpose-built political capital. In March 2008, new shockwaves hit the country. Anwar was arrested, questioned and subsequently charged with sodomy against his aide, Saiful Bukhari, setting the stage for the February 2 showdown. Under Malaysian law, sodomy is punishable by 20 years in prison. If Anwar is found guilty and jailed, the decision would setback his impressive political comeback and reform agenda. Notwithstanding the trial, Malaysia is gradually changing under the leadership of Najib Razak. In the view of many people, the urbane prime minister has done an admirable job since taking over the country in April last year.


"He has co-opted the change agenda from the Pakatan,'' Denison Jayasooria, a political scientist with the National University of Malaysia, said. "He is making the changes that the country needs and he is gaining political mileage with his reform agenda." Gradually, reform of the government and society is taking place under the 'One Malaysia' concept," he said, referring to Najib's idea of uniting the country's different races and distributing resources in a fairer manner. Anwar's political agenda has likewise promised dramatic reforms. His coalition released a "Common Policy Platform" document in December outlining the major changes they would make if voted into power in the next general election, which many expect to be called next year even though the government's term officially ends in 2013.



A key pillar of the document outlines affirmative action for all Malaysians, rather than helping only bumiputra, or native Malays and indigenous people, as outlined in the country's 1970 New Economic Policy. The Pakatan agenda also promises to reduce federal power and grant states more freedom to manage their resources, including a bigger share of oil and gas revenue. "The Pakatan is offering in form and substance an alternative vision of how to build a new Malaysia, starkly different from what the Barisan has offered in five decades of misrule," said former parliamentarian Sim Kwan Yang. "It is a far superior, just and urgently needed vision,'' he said. "We need a new Malaysia.'' The upcoming sodomy trial is just one dimension in Anwar's struggle against entrenched forces, political analysts said. "We are very worried about what will happen to Anwar. We do not want to see him jailed again on trumped-up charges,'' said Lim Kit Siang, a veteran parliamentarian who was first elected in 1969. "But as a united Pakatan coalition, we are ready to struggle on for reform and democracy. We will battle on."



Pro M UM desak NC adakan pilihan raya semula

Pro M UM desak NC adakan pilihan raya semula

Friday, 29 January 2010 1:31 AM Oleh Mohd Ali Bakri

KUALA LUMPUR : Kumpulan Pro Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (Pro M UM) mendesak supaya diadakan semula pilihan raya kampus (PRK) melalui kaedah biasa, ekoran kegagalan sistem e-undi itu beroperasi dengan baik hari ini.

Pengerusi Pro M UM Mohd Shafie Hashim berkata, keputusan pilihan raya yang diumumkan sejak 7 petang tadi di kampus tersebut yang menyaksikan kemenangan berpihak kepada Pro Aspirasi bukanlah sesuatu yang mutlak.

"Kami bantahan ke atas keputusan itu. Selepas diumumkan keputusan itu pada jam 7 petang tadi, ada ruang untuk buat bantahan. Keputusan rasmi akan berhubung bantahan itu akan diketahui pada jam 11 pagi esok," kata beliau ketika dihubungi erapakatan.com di sini, sekitar jam 1:30 pagi ini.

Ketika tempoh bantahan itu dibuka, tambah beliau, kumpulan mahasiswa itu tidak menumpukan hal keputusan PRK itu, sebaliknya ia masih tertakluk ke atas isu pelaksanaan sistem e-undi yang gagal beroperasi dengan baik sejak petang tadi.

"Dalam bantahan tadi kami tak tumpukan sangat kepada keputusan yang memihak kepada Pro Aspirasi. Kami masih membantah e-undi yang banyak meragukan sepanjang tempoh pembuangan undi sepanjang hari ini.

Berkumpul di depan pejabat Naib Canselor

"Selepas keputusan diumumkan jam 7 petang tadi, kami buat bantahan, berkumpul ramai-ramai di depan pejabat NC. Sebab, beliau mendakwa bahawa sistem e-undi ini akan berjalan dengan baik.

"Tapi, apa yang berlaku tadi ialah 'server down' di beberapa tempat. Dan ada beberapa orang mahasiswa yang terkeliru ketika buang undi tadi," kata Mohd Shafie lagi.

Selain itu, tambah beliau, peratusan mahasiswa yang turun membuang undi hari ini amat mendukacitakan.

"Jadi kami ubah pendekatan bantahan kepada meminta penjelasan Naib Canselor tentang kejadian 'server down' sejak tadi. Kalau boleh, kita desak NC supaya diadakan pilihan raya semula seperti kaedah biasa.

"Kaedah e-undi memang membawa masalah dan keraguan seperti yang berlaku sejak petang tadi," kata Mohd Shafie.

Pig-head incidents: Aliran outraged

Pig-head incidents: Aliran outraged

Aliran is outraged by the senseless acts of sacrilege committed by mischief-makers who had deliberately left pig heads in two mosques in Petaling Jaya. This morning worshippers found these heads at the Masjid Jumhuriyah in Taman Dato Harun and the Al Imam Al Tirmizi mosque at Taman Sri Sentosa.

Whoever committed this unforgivable sin clearly has no respect for the sanctity of places of worship. Coming as it does after a spate of desecrations of places of worship involving 11 churches and a convent, a Sikh temple, a mosque and two suraus across the country, it is very obvious that trouble-makers are hard at work to destroy our peace and harmony.

Whether it is politically motivated or otherwise, the repercussions of these criminal acts can be very dangerous and damaging to our fragile ethnic relations which has come under extreme test following the “Allah” issue.

It is worrying that there are opportunists and extreme elements at large who are intent in exploiting this emotive issue to stir up trouble and cause disunity. It is very apparent that certain quarters will stoop very low not bothering about the consequences of racial strife.

Aliran would like to appeal to the vast majority of Malaysians who are rational, peace-loving and accommodating not to subscribe to the the intolerance propagated by unruly elements in our midst bent on wrecking our unity. We should reject these unscrupulous and misguided elements and stand solidly together to preserve and protect our peace and harmony.

We call on the police to be relentless in bringing these dangerous people to book. Their priority should be in tracking down these scoundrels so that the weight of the law would land on them heavily before they attempt to do more damage.


P Ramakrishnan
President
27 January 2010

Civil Society Joint Statement

Civil Society Joint Statement

2010-01-29

Police Investigation on Mosque Attacks must pursue the political operators

We the undersigned civil society groups condemn in strongest terms the utmost sinister act of throwing heads of wild boar into the compound of two mosques on Old Klang Road in the early morning hours of January 27 (Wednesday).

Like the cow-head protest in Shah Alam in last August and the earlier attacks on churches, mosques, suraus and gurdwara, the desecration of the At-Tirmizi Mosque, Sri Sentosa and Jumhuriyah Mosque, Taman Dato Harun is the latest of deliberate and desperate acts to provoke religious conflicts in Malaysia.

Malaysians of all faiths have however once again gloriously defeated such wicked plot. The desecrated mosques and the Muslim community at large have demonstrated admirable calm and cool-headedness, just like the Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities before this.

As in the past, Malaysians of other faiths see the attack on Islam as an attack on their own faiths. In an immediate response, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has condemned any such violence on any house of worship as “a sin of the highest order”.

The inter-faith solidarity of Malaysians is a clear and loud testimony that Malaysian society has passed another test on communal relations and emerged only ever stronger than before. No cow head, pig head or fire can set fraternity and goodwill amongst Malaysians on fire. The agent provocateurs are only burning themselves in both legal and spiritual senses.

The towering success of Malaysian society on interfaith relations is however tarnished by the continuous failure of Malaysian state on law and order. The Police must stop dismissing such attacks as vandalism or youth delinquency, which no thinking Malaysians will believe.

The provocations are clearly political. To end this serial attack, the police investigation must look into political motives and pursue the political operators behind the scene.

We however object any use of Internal Security Act or Sedition Act. No one should capitalize on the pain of the religious communities to rejuvenate authoritarianism. The culprits must be charged in Court under Penal Code or other relevant laws. We demand all ISA detainees – including the latest 12 - be charged in court or released unconditionally.

Endorsing Civil Society Groups:

1. Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)

2. Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)

KENYATAAN AKHBAR KARTUNIS ZUNAR





Ini mengenai buku terbaru saya, "Isu Dalam Kartun"
Kenyataan akhbar kartunis Zunar

Penerbitan komik "Isu Dalam Kartun"


SAYA dengan ini mengumumkan penerbitan komik "Isu Dalam Kartun (IDK)", sebuah majalah kartun satira yang mengupas isu-isu semasa secara santai.

Seperti "Gedung Kartun" dan "Perak Darul Kartun", IDK sarat dengan karya-karya kartun dengan kritikan pedas terhadap isu seperti kes kehilangan enjit jet, penggunaan perkataan Allah, rasuah, GST, tol dan sebagainya.

Selain itu, dalam keluaran ini saya dan pasukan kartunis mempersembahkan dua cerita satira utama iaitu "Sumpah di Bumi Komisen" dan "Dari PD ke Mongoria".


"Sumpah di Bumi Komisen" adalah sebuah cerita fantasi di negeri antah berantah dibawah pemerintahan Datuk Komis dan isterinya Nek Mah. Datuk Komis dikatakan mempunyai hubungan cinta secara sulit dengan seorang gadis yang berasal dari Ular Batok, Antootuya. Malangnya Antootuya dibunuh di Puncak Segala Alam.


Cerita menjadi gawat apabila negeri itu dilawati hantu jelmaan Antootuya. Kartunis Jonos (Nor Azlin Ngah), Art (Azhar Saad) dan Lan (Azlan Isa) berpadu tenaga merelisasikan lukisan cerita yang memenuhi 29 muka surat ini diatas kertas, sementara skrip digarap oleh saya sendiri dan Ronasina (Apandi Ramli) yang bertindak sebagai Editor.


Manakala "Dari PD ke Mongoria" juga cerita rekaan mengisahkan bagaimana operasi sulit yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah sebuah negeri, Menteri Kecik untuk menyelamatkan sepasang kekasih yang tertangkap basah di sebuah hotel di selatan tanah air. Ia dilukis oleh kartunis Oly (Olihairi Othman).


Kartunis Enot (Zainal Misran) pula mengemukakan tujuh teori dari perspektif beliau sendiri mengenai kehilangan enjit jet dan pihak yang mencurinya. Enot juga meneruskan karyanya bertajuk “Nostalgia 98” yang mengimbas kembali sejarah ketika gelombang reformasi tercetus.
Kartunis Haili (Nor Halim) pula mengkritik pihak yang mempertahankan perkataan Allah dan dalam masa yang sama melakukan korupsi serta salah guna kuasa. Beliau juga mengulas isu isteri pembesar yang membazir jutaan ringgit untuk membeli-belah diluar negara.


Hishamuddin Rais meneruskan kisah satira popular "Riwayat Jantan Takubin" sementara Rahmat Haron menyambung nukilan bersiri "Bercakap Dengan Puaka." Pyan Habib menyingkap di sebalik tabir kontroversi majalah Gedung Kartun dalam kolumnya “Racau.” Peguam Puspa Ros memberi informasi kesedaran rakyat tentang hak-hak mereka yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan.


Saya juga suka mengumumkan bahawa "Isu Dalam Kartun" adalah sebuah majalah yang mempunyai permit penerbitan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri (PP16565/12/2010(026185)).


IDK mempunyai ketebalan 84 muka surat ermasuk kulit dan dijual dengan harga RM10 setiap naskhah. Cetakan pertama adalah sebanyak 15, 000 naskhah dan akan diedarkan ke seluruh negara. Ia juga boleh dibeli secara online melalui website cartoonkafe.com atau berhubung terus dengan pejabat saya 03-22744931.


Majlis pelancaran akan disempurnakan oleh Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah Anwar pada hari Sabtu 30 Januari jam 5 petang di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina, Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur. Majlis ini terbuka kepada semua.




Zunar
Pengarah Urusan/Ketua Pengarang
Sepakat Efektif sdn bhd
28 Januari 2010





CSOs PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

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

23rd 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.



Reply
Reply to all
Forward



Nizar 3, Zamri 1, Berkecuali 1?

Nizar 3, Zamri 1, Berkecuali 1?

Oleh Roziyah Mahamad

KUALA LUMPUR : Menteri Besar Perak seolah-olah sudah ditentukan jawapannya apabila ada yang mengatakan bahawa 5 orang daripada panel hakim tersebut, 3 orang memilih Nizar, 1 memilih Zambry manakala seorang lagi mengambil sikap berkecuali.
"Keputusan ini begitu mengejutkan serta menakutkan Barisan Nasional (BN) sehingga perlu dilakukan sesuatu bagi memperbetulkan keputusan itu sebelum diumumkan," kata penulis blog, Azizul Nizam dalam blognya, ajijoi.blogspot.com.
Beliau dalam blognya mempersoalkan selama 3 bulan keputusan itu dipendam daripada pengetahuan rakyat Malaysia khususnya Perak, mengapa tiba-tiba tarikh 9 Februari dipilih untuk mengumumkan keputusan yang dinanti-nantikan selama ini?
"Bagi saya, selama 3 bulan ini, BN terutamanya Umno Perak mengatur strategi dalam menghadapi kemungkinan pembubaran Dun yang sudah pasti tidak dapat dihalang lagi.
"Selama 3 bulan inilah segala jentera kerajaan, media perdana dan kerja-kerja 'underground' diatur bagi memastikan sokongan rakyat kembali kepada mereka. Kesemua sumber kewangan negeri juga dipergunakan sepenuhnya bagi memastikan misi ini berjalan dengan lancarnya," jelas beliau.
Bagi Azizul, ini memberi petanda Umno dan BN telah bersiap sedia dalam semua perancangan mereka untuk tetap berkuasa di Perak samada cara 'by hook or by crook'.

KUALA LUMPUR : Menteri Besar Perak seolah-olah sudah ditentukan jawapannya apabila ada pihak yang menyatakan bahawa lima orang daripada panel hakim tersebut, 3 orang memilih Nizar, 1 memilih Zambry manakala seorang lagi mengambil sikap berkecuali.

"Keputusan ini begitu mengejutkan serta menakutkan Barisan Nasional (BN) sehingga perlu dilakukan sesuatu bagi memperbetulkan keputusan itu sebelum diumumkan," kata seorang penulis blog, Azizul Nizam dalam blognya, ajijoi.blogspot.com.

Menerusi blognya, beliau mempersoalkan, selama 3 bulan keputusan itu dipendam daripada pengetahuan rakyat Malaysia khususnya Perak, mengapa tiba-tiba tarikh 9 Februari dipilih untuk mengumumkan keputusan yang dinanti-nantikan selama ini?

"Bagi saya, selama tiga bulan ini, BN terutamanya Umno Perak mengatur strategi dalam menghadapi kemungkinan pembubaran Dun yang sudah pasti tidak dapat dihalang lagi.

"Selama tiga bulan inilah segala jentera kerajaan, media perdana dan kerja-kerja 'underground' diatur bagi memastikan sokongan rakyat kembali kepada mereka. Kesemua sumber kewangan negeri juga dipergunakan sepenuhnya bagi memastikan misi ini berjalan dengan lancarnya," kata beliau.

Bagi Azizul, ini memberi petanda Umno dan BN telah bersiap sedia dalam semua perancangan mereka untuk tetap berkuasa di Perak samada cara 'by hook or by crook'.