Royal Commissiion on VK Lingam Tape: Some statements and comments

As reported on the front page of theSun, former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz testified on Monday, 28 January 2008. Here are excerpts of his testimonies:

"I immediately thought that it (the video) was defamatory. Two things crossed my mind First, that it may be a fabrication and the other person speaking in the video clip wanted to impress someone...."

"I issued letters to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister in the Prime Minister's department to express my opinion and position on the video"

Note the use of "thought" and "opinion". I did not see in the report anywhere that Tun Ahmad Fairuz categorically denied he was the other person on the other line of the phone conversation. Draw your own conclusions from these "thought" and "opinion" and the lack of a direct denial.

The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues: Reminder and update

Just got a reminder as well as update on the talk themed "The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues". While the maximum 250 registrants had been reached, the organizers have decided to hold it in a bigger hall to accommodate more participants, so if you have not registered yet, or have already registered, but have friends or relatives you wish to bring along, here is your chance. Below is the message I received:

---

Theme: The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues
Time: 9.00am – 12.30 pm, Saturday 26-January-2008
Place: St Paul’s Church Hall, Lorong Utara Kecil, Petaling Jaya (across highway from Amcorp Mall)

We had already achieved 250 registrants last week and therefore closed online registrations. However, the Church Council has now allowed us to change to a bigger hall and therefore we can allow walk-in registrations. So, if you know those who want to come but could not get registered online, please pass the word around that they can walk in and register. Please plan to come early, as we plan to try and start on time and hope to finish on time.

There will be some light refreshments and for which we will take a free will offering.

Also, those who want to can place orders for DVDs to be sold at a nominal price of RM10 per copy up to a maximum of 10 copies per order. Shipping cost will be an additional RM 5.00 per order, and all orders will be shipped out by 31st January 2008 so that you can take it home and give away as a Chinese New year gift to friends and neighbors. Payment terms is cash for the CNY Offer.

Thank you, God Bless and be seeing you Saturday.

VK Lingam says he looks like me but....

From Yahoo group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beritamalaysia/message/99825

Here is the infamous VK Lingam answering a question in the Royal Commissiion to investigate the VK Lingam tape that triggered the Long March for Justice. Short, sweet and meaningful:

---

>"It looks like me," said Lingam when asked whether he was the man having a
>telephone conversation in the video clip.
>
>"You (Nordin) can ask me a hundred questions (on the same matter), I will
>tell you the same answer. It looks like me," he reiterated.

---

If you see shit floating in the toilet bowl, and it looks like shit, and smells like shit... do you send it for analysis before concluding that it is shit?

Why you should vote against the Barisan this coming election

Haris Ibrahim started People's Parliament and the purpose is to know our Member of Parliament, or what I think should be more accurate, the likely candidates of our constituencies.

Why you should not vote for the Barisan

With this objective in mind, I made an appointment to see the current Member of Parliament of my constituency, and we did see the Member of Parliament. My very first question was: "How can Barisan Member of Parliaments truly represent their constituencies when they are bound by the whip ALL THE TIME. What this mean is that Barisan Member of Parliament are bound to vote for all proposals from the Executive irrespective of merits, irrespective of what their constituencies really want, irrespective of their conscience. They are also obliged to vote against ALL proposals from the oppositions, also irrespective of merits.

We have seen how this worked when the opposition proposed to refer the "tutup satu mata" (close one eye) Member of Parliament for Jasin for trying to influence an officer of the Custom over a shipment of undersized logs from Indonesia.

Let me state here the response of the Member of Parliament of my constituency, a Barisan Member of Parliament, when this question of the whip came up. It was a pretty smart answer. According to the Member of Parliament, all proposals before they are tabled in the Parliament have to go through a long process of consultations with Cabinet Ministers, with NGOs (Non-government organizations) with stakeholders, etc. ( did not hear the voters of my constituency being mentioned unfortunately. Now I have my own opinion about consultations as people may be consulted, but would their opinions be taken into considerations?

There is more to this. The Constitution of a country is a very sacred document and should not be amended for trivial reasons. When the proposal to increase the retirement age of the Chairman of the Election Commission was rushed through the Parliament, I requested an urgent appointment and it was kindly granted. I asked: "In this case, did the consultation took place, if so, how long did it take and who were consulted." The response was: "When I told you this, I was only referring to MY Ministr." So it is now fact and no longer opinion. Proposals do get tabled in the Parliament without much consultations and in the case of amendment to the Constitution, it was passed with the Barisan overwhelming two-third majority.

Then there is a more recent case. The Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police was established by the King on 4 February 2004 under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950 , after much hard work, prepared a 576 page report which was submitted to the Prime Minister on 29 April, 2004. The Royal Commission recommended establishment of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) aimed at dealing with complaints regarding the police and seeking to improve the professionalism of the force and to ensure that doctrines, laws, rules and procedures are observed and implemented by the police. There were many recommendations, and among the very crucial recommendations were that no serving or retired member of the Police Force be appointed to the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). After sitting on the report for many years, just before the impending election, a proposal was suddenly tabled in the Parliament to establish the Special Complaints Commission instead, which many described as a much watered down version of the IPCMC, and caught many by surprised. There members of the Royal Commission were so incensed that they came out in public to object against the substitution of the IPCMC with the Special Complaints Commission. Tunku Aziz, one of the member of the Royal Commission, described it as a slap in the face. Edmund Bon, Bar Council Human Rights Committee Chairman, called the Special Complaints Commission a POST BOX. Their function is merely to receive complaints, study it, then forward it to the relevant departments. Thus the Commission practically does nothing but add a further layer of bureaucracy to the process, increasing manpower, cost and time. What is worst are the members who would be appointed to the are from serving very senior staff of the Police which the Commission is supposed to "police". Plus to make the "Fake IPCMC" appear "better" than the real "IPCMC", it scope was proposed to be extended to all other enforcement agencies, including the ACA (Anti-corruption act). And guess what? The head honcho of the ACA is supposed to also sit on the "Fake IPCMC". How can one expect the police or the ACA "police" themself? Who can dare to bring complaints if the very person who sits in the "Fake IPCMC" is involved?

No, it is clear as daylight. Proposals do not go through a "long process of consultations". And even if consultations did take place, it is also clear that many of the real and justified objections had not been taken into consideration. Here is one very good reason why you should not vote for the Barisan. There are many others, but we will leave it for another day.

What are the alternatives

I think I will have to get back to my "real work" and update this later or publish a new post.

The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues

Oriental Hearts & Mind Study Institute (OHMSI) is having a dialogue on "The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues" on 26th January, 2008.


Date: 26/1/2008 (Saturday)
Time: 9.00am – 12.30am
Place: St Paul's Church Hall, Jalan Utara Kecil, Petaling Jaya (across highway from Amcorp Mall)

Speakers:

* Dr Irene Fernandez, Executive Director, Tenaganita
* Dr Datuk Denison Jayasooria, Executive Director, Yayasan Sosial Strategic
* Mr Lim Guan Eng, Secretary General, DAP
* YB Loh Seng Kok, MP for Kelana Jaya
* YB Dato Dr Tan Kee Kwong, MP for Segambut

Moderators:

* Andrew Khoo
* Tricia Yeoh

Pleas register if you intend to attend as the venue has only 200 seats. This will be based on a 'first-registered, first-served' basis. You can register online at Oriental Hearts & Mind Study Institute (OHMSI) and your place in the queue will be based on this online registration.

Note. I could not find the announcement on the above dialoge or a specific way to register. What I did was try to register by contacting OHMSI via OHMSI "contact us" page

A free will offering (meaning on a voluntary basis) will be taken during the event to cover organizing costs of the event. You can purchase DVD recordings of the event on the event day itself.

Malaysia's next election very soon? But make sure it is a real clean and fair election.

Let us have a real clean and fair election

Ever since a newspapers reported that all police leave have been frozen, many have been speculating that the next Malaysia's election will be soon. Now even the controversial Election Commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman who recently accepted to have his term extended by a year just after saying he have not (and may not want to stay on) as election chairman after an amendment to the Constitution to extend the retire age from 65 to 66 years of age, was bulldozed through the Parliament, was reported as saying: "When I say the election is around the corner, you better believe me because it is not a joke."

Source:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beritamalaysia/message/99556

Lourdes Charles and Mazwin Nik Anis on Sunday January 6, 2008 in theStar online have also quoted the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan as saying that the main reason for the freeze was to conduct dry runs for the next general election. He was reported to have said: "We have several reasons for doing so; the main reason being that we need to have dry runs. There are many things that we need to do when the elections are called. We must be prepared."

theStar online has also reported the Election Commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman as having said: "I purposely said that to remind everyone - voters and political parties alike - to be ready as the elections will be held soon. "I just want to be fair to all. Democracy works when participation by political parties is vibrant on the ground. We would like very much to encourage as many parties to participate in the elections as possible, hence the 'warning' so that everybody can be prepared,"

the Election Commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman was reported to have said the reason for his comments was not to show that he has power, but quoted the above (that he wants to be fair to everyone) as the reasons.

He was reported as having said: "When I say the election is around the corner, you better believe me because it is not a joke. It is definitely not a joke. You don't joke about these things."

theStar online had also quoted him as saying: "I purposely said that to remind everyone - voters and political parties alike - to be ready as the elections will be held soon.

"I just want to be fair to all. Democracy works when participation by
political parties is vibrant on the ground. We would like very much to
encourage as many parties to participate in the elections as possible, hence
the 'warning' so that everybody can be prepared," he said.

Source:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/1/6/nation/19932119&sec=nation&focus=1

Now if only the MSM (main stream mass media - printed newspapers, radio, television stations) is also prepared to be fair to everyone and give equal access to both incumbent ruling coalition as well a opposition parties. Will he MSM do that?

And also if only the election process is fair to all parties, incumbents as well as oppositions as well as to he electorates and Malaysians by not having ruling like "it is not bribery as long as the funds are not disbursed by the candidates". In some recent by-elections, the public agencies poured huge amount of public funds into the infrastrure and others of the 2 constituencies involved in the by-elections. The road paving machines were literally repaving the roads during the nights just before the by-elections.

Do also read about what the current Opposition Leader Yang Berhormat Lim Kit Siang has to say about fair election: Election Commission Chairman Rashid should implement "caretaker govt" concept to ensure free, fair, clean election

YB Lim Kit Siang says he will seek a meeting with the Election Commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman to ask that a caretaker government takes over after the dissolution of the Parliament before the formation of a new government. This is to ensure that incumbents do not make unfair use of their positions in the election process and use public machinery, resources and funds for any electioneering purposes to benefit any political party or candidate.

He is going to ask that any candidate who benefits unfairly from any "unhealthy" and dishonest practices such as campaigning assistance by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Cabinet Minister through the abuse of their government positions or misuse of public funds and resources, should be subject to disqualification.

An example is the above mentioned by-election. Although the government poured huge amount of funds into the two constituencies in the very short period just before the by-election, the Election Commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman had ruled that "it is not bribery as long as the funds are not disbursed by the candidates". But this is not fair election practice as the candidates who won belonged to the the very ruling coalition then which was responsible for the disbursement of huge amount of public funds, and this can be taken as benefiting the winning candidates, by by YB Lim Kit Siang description of how a fair election process should be, the winning candidate should be disqualified as they have benefited by this use of public funds which was then in control of the ruling coalition to which the winning candidates belong.

Come on Malaysia. Let us have a real clean and fair election. This was what BERSIH had been asking for, and it is a fair request. Let us have equal access to the main stream mass media (printed newspapers, radio and televisions) for both the candidates of the ruling coalition and the opposition parties. Let us not have any abuse of public funds and public machineries for electioneering purposes. Disqualify any candidates who may have benefited from such abuses of things belonging to the public.

Walkabout to distribute leaflets and meet the people

Hi people,

We're having a walkabout to distribute leaflets and meet the people as well as the worshippers from several churches in the area. We would love to have you join us, details as follows:

Venue: Yat Yeh Hing Restaurant
(On the same side of LDP as Kelana Jaya LRT, keep left after passing the station on your left and you will soon see a row of shops. It's on the corner.)
Date: Sunday, 6 Jan
Time: 9am

Map to Yat Yeh Hing Restaurant, Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP or Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong)
Click on map to enlarge

Practice safe sex, adviced Dr. Chua Soi Lek. (Malaysian Health Minister)

A wiser blogger had used various criteria like:

(my opinions in green)

1. Was the act non-consensual? Most unlike not as no evidences or force seem evident

2. Was it under duress e.g. pressure and threats to keep one's job, or to secure one's livelihood or security? I don' know the answer as I don't know who or what was involved

3. Was it a form of inducement e.g. in an employer-employee relationship which would result in benefits and advantages; or for political favours like good seat allocation, contracts, commissions etc.? I don' know the answer as I don't know who or what was involved

4. Did the Minister used his job privileges e.g. to get a free or discounted hotel room, used ministerial facilities e.g. official car, or dug deep into the public coffers to pay for that hotel suite? I don' know the answer as I don't know who or what was involved

Seem like it is hard to tell, so I think it is better to comment out what had been earlier been published. The only think I can see is one should not say one thing and do another.

Content below commented out unless some there are some compelling new developments that may cause me to reverse my decision.

Wife of Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek will stand by him

Refer to Practice safe sex

Sex DVD featuring Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek

Refer to Practice safe sex

Chew Mei Fun MP must retract her fear-mongering statement and apologize

NOTE: This was supposed to be a sticky post that will stay at the top of the main page until Chew Mei Fun apologize and retract her statement rather that claiming the press did not report what she said accurately. However, new items of importance are cropping up which need to be brought to attention to visitors, thus this post will be move away from the main page and a link to this will be put at the top of every page instead.

---

Press Statement (prepared by Haris Ibrahim of People's Parliament

---

22 January 2008

Say No to the Spectre of May 13
- Chew Mei Fun MP must retract her fear-mongering statement and apologize

We, the undersigned civil society groups and concerned citizens of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, stress that all Malaysians have the right to choose their representatives and the government in a free, fair and clean election. No individual politician or political party should resort to threats or intimidation to influence the voter’s decision.

We lament that Ms Chew Mei Fun, MCA MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, as reported in the China Press on January 21 (Monday), has conveyed this fear-mongering message to the public: “It is not a good thing if there is no substantial Chinese representation in BN. The Chinese community cannot afford another May 13 incident.”

The May 13 ethnic riot in 1969 was a dark chapter in Malaysia’s political history where political violence and manipulation overshadowed the democratic process as well as the voice of the people. Invoking the bitter memories of this tragic incident for political gain is a huge insult to those who died, the surviving victims and their families. This veiled threat to voters not to support the opposition parties is shameless and unbecoming of a responsible political leader.

If Chew is aware of certain quarters planning to use violence in response to a certain electoral outcome, she who has been speaking tirelessly on public safety should lodge a police report immediately and assist in the police investigation.

If she is merely speculating, we are truly disappointed that she has stooped so low in fishing for support. Politicians should not behave like gangsters. They should not use the threat of violence to solicit vote, as gangsters do to extort money.

By making this statement, Chew has in fact violated Section 9 (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954:
Undue influence
9. (1) Every person who, before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence, or restraint, or inflicts or threatens to inflict, by himself or by any other person, any temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm, or loss upon or against any person in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting, at any election, or who by abduction, duress, or any fraudulent device or contrivance impedes or prevents the free exercise of the franchise of any elector or voter, or thereby compels, induces, or prevails upon any elector or voter either to give or refrain from giving his vote at any election, or who directly or indirectly interferes or attempts to interfere with the free exercise by any person of any electoral right shall be guilty of the offence of undue influence.
While waiting for the Election Commission to investigate and lodge a police report, we call upon Chew to do the honourable thing. She should retract her statement and apologize unreservedly for her fear-mongering act. She must condemn unreservedly the use of political violence in Malaysia.

Voters must be assured of their right to vote for any candidate or party of their choice in an environment that is free from fear and intimidation.

We also call upon the Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Badawi to disassociate his administration and party from Chew’s fear-mongering statement and condemn unreservedly the use of threats and intimidation on voters.

We cannot let Malaysia become another Pakistan. We must not allow any party to ‘play with fire’. We categorically reject anyone who uses the spectre of May 13 as a bogeyman to threaten Malaysians.


All individuals or civil society organisations in support of democracy may endorse this statement by displaying a copy of this statement on their premises, vehicles or the front page of their blogs or websites, until Chew retract the statement and apologizes.

Civil Society Organisations:
1. Coalition For Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH)
2. Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
3.


Individuals:
1. Peter Chen