Innocent Malay woman shot by police

Alerted by email to this innocent Malay lady who was shot by police for no apparent reason below. Brief transcript below if you have no time to listen to the video. Was asked to spread the story widely so let your friends and relatives know about this:

Transcript

After being shot 5 times by the police, Norizan was dragged this lady out and down to the ground and then kicked her with booted feet and broked her ribs.

Norizan Salleh is an innocent woman, was travelling in a car, has not been charged for any offence. Never had trouble with the law before, and for no reason whatsoever, the police fired at her car and almost killed the lady. One bullet was lodged right next to the heart.

Surendran's shock and disappointment is this. Despite such clear evidence of wrong doing on the part of the police, the Minister Hishammuddin has said that the police acted properly and no action will be taken against the police.

International standards are very clear. Police can only shoot if there is actual danger to the lives of the police themselves. These people are unarmed people travelling in a car. So what is the justification of the police in shooting her?

There has also been a false story spread by the police that the police had to shoot at the car in self defence because the car that Norizan was travelling in had tried to ram the police.

This is a lie, and Surendran will prove why it is a lie. The bullet that entered the car entered from behind. So if they were trying to ram the police car, how can the bullet come in from behind?

Norizan explained further in Bahasa Malaysia including explaining that there were not even a road block.

Abdullah Badawi - reformist or failed flip-flop leader?

Abdullah Badawi, current Prime Minister of Malaysia, a reformist who left a lasting legacy before he leave office.

Am I dreaming? Is it too good to be true? Would this flip-flop and lying Prime Minister eventually turned out to the the leader that all Malaysians are yearning for? I certainly hope that I am not dreaming and I will wake up tomorrow and found that it only occurred in my dream. All right thinking Malaysians are earnestly praying for a positive change after nightmare decades under dictator Dr. Mahathir and the five disappointing years under the very weak leadership in form of Abdullah Badawi who failed to initiate the reforms he promised us Malaysians before the 2004 General Election where he won a landslide victory but end up squandering the huge mandate handed to him by Malaysians fed up the the years of misrule under Dr. Mahathir.

Abdullah Badawi, a liar? Too strong a description? He denied that he was going to get remarried but actually did so soon after his denial. He also denied that the Parliament will be dissolved

According to Ronnie Liu, "PM Abdullah was telling lies when he claimed that the police has offered both BERSIH and Hindraf to hold gatherings in a stadium. IGP Musa Hassan has made similar claim last week but he could not answer BERSIH’s challenge i.e. to furnish us the details, such as the date of the offer of using stadium, the name of the stadium and the police officer who conveyed the offer to us or whether he has a letter or directive in black and white to back up his claim."

Matthias Chang, former Barrister and Political Secretary to the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad plus author of “Future FastForward”, “Brainwashed for War, Programmed to Kill”, and “The Shadow Money-Lenders and the Global Financial Tsunami”, also asked if Abdullah Badawi can be trusted after all the lies about the oil price hike:

"LIE NO. 1

The Star – 25th May 2008 Front Page

“There is more good news. There will be no hike in petrol prices at least until September, despite spiraling global crude oil prices. There were fears of a price increase, particularly after Indonesia raised fuel prices by 30% yesterday”.

LIE NO. 2

The Star – 6th June 2008 Page 8

“The decision to expedite the announcement of the increase in petrol and diesel prices was not an ‘afterthought’ but rather a need, said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad. Admitting that the ministry had assured consumers recently that there would be no increase in fuel prices until August, Shahrir explained that the Government could no longer delay the decision.”

Which is correct – September or August? Whatever, it was a lie!

LIE NO. 3

The Star – 6th June 2008 Page 6

“Petronas will go bust within ten years if all its profits are handed to the Government to continue subsidizing fuel, said its president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Hassan Merican”.

But no one has demanded that Petronas hand over all its profits to the Government and it is not true that all the profits have been utilized to subsidise the price of petrol and diesel. The critical issue is how the profits are utilized, not whether it is handed over to the government.

Is Tan Sri Hassan Merican implying that the Government cannot be trusted with the custody of Petronas profits?

LIE NO. 4

The New Straits Times – 9th June 2008 Page 6

“The current prices of petrol and diesel will be maintained until next March [2009] even if world oil prices touch US$200 (RM660) a barrel, said Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad”.

When crude price reached US$80, the Government announced an increase in petrol prices. When it hit US$137 per barrel, the Government announced a hefty 40% hike amounting to an increase of RM 78 sen per litre of petrol and RM1 for diesel. Does this idiotic Minister think we are so stupid and naïve to believe that when crude hits US$200 per barrel there will be no increase until March 2009?

LIE NO. 5

The Sun – 12th June 2008 Front Page

“The price of fuel will stay for the rest of the year, the Cabinet decided yesterday. This is to allow people time to adjust to the situation”

The New Straits Times – 12th June 2008 Front Page

“No more price hikes this year, assures PM.”

Once again, one idiot says March, 2009 the other idiot says the end of 2008. Who do you trust?

I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO STEP DOWN AS HE HAS NOT THE FAINTEST IDEA AS TO HOW TO RESOLVE THE GROWING FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS.

The prime minister has responded to the call by saying that he will hand over the reins of power to Datuk Najib in an orderly manner.

But can we trust him to do the right thing?

LIE NO. 6

New Sunday Times – 15th June 2008 Front Page

“Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the exact date for the leadership transition to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak had not been decided yet … The leadership change will definitely take place at the right time”.

If Badawi can lie so blatantly about the petrol price hike, how can anyone trust him that he will step down so that the country will not have to suffer further from his failures and inefficiencies? If not now, when the country is falling apart, when will it be the right time?"

But this time our hope for positive changes for Malaysia will finally be realized for below, from Malaysialini is the press statement released by our flip-flop Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi today:

'I fully intend to see through my mission'
Oct 8, 08 6:21pm
Press statement by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to announce his decision to step down next March.

I have been in public service for over 45 years. I have served this country as a civil servant, and as an elected representative of the people. I have served as a member of government and feel blessed to serve in the highest office in the land.

I have seen this country grow from a small, poor nation into the modern, prosperous Malaysia that we live in today.

Despite our successful track record, for the past few years I have firmly believed that our nation is standing at an historic crossroads. We must reform some elements of our nation, we must evolve and mature, or we risk losing all that we have gained in over 50 years.

Throughout this time of reform and transformation, we Malaysians need to be united now more than ever before.

In all my years of service, I have always been guided by my conscience. I have always placed the interests of the nation above all else. It is with this in mind that I announce I will not stand for the presidency of Umno.

I do not want a divided party and governing coalition, but one that is united and harmonious. A united Barisan Nasional is vital in order for the country to face the global challenges ahead and for Malaysia to become a fully developed nation, with prosperity and fairness for all.

My current term as president of Umno ends in March next year. There are several initiatives I intend to see through before I leave office. These initiatives are important because they are necessary to move our country forward.

These initiatives are needed to regain our country's competitiveness. They are necessary to enable our nation and our society to face the challenges that the world has in store for us.

I ask all Malaysians to unite and join me in working towards making Malaysia a better place.

Reforming the judiciary, police force

First, our institutions need to be reformed and strengthened.

The judiciary needs to enhance its stature and credibility in the eyes of the public. Before I end my term, I will table a Parliamentary Bill to establish a Judicial Appointments Commission.

Such a commission will propose judicial appointments in a transparent and merit-based manner.

We also need a strong and effective anti-corruption body that can combat the cancer of corruption without fear or favour. Before the end of the year, I will table a Parliamentary Bill to establish the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, with greater powers of investigation and enforcement.

The commission's oversight structure has been modelled after the successful ICAC in Hong Kong.

I also intend to complete the establishment of a Special Complaints Commission to enhance the integrity and effectiveness of enforcement agencies.

Second, I have long spoken about the need to ensure that the fruits of growth are more equitably distributed.

In the recent budget, I explained the government's commitment to strengthening and enlarging the social safety net. We will speed up work on this front to help poor and disadvantaged Malaysians, regardless of background, race or religion.

I will also work to ensure that tangible results can begin to be enjoyed in Iskandar, as well as the development corridor initiatives around the country.

Third, I would like to see the government and BN renew their commitment towards building a united and harmonious nation. Society has seen an alarming decline in inter-racial and inter-religious relations.

BN convention

Various issues have cropped up which threaten to tear the very fabric of Malaysian life.

We need to tackle these issues head-on, through dialogue; deal with the issues constructively and even-handedly; ensure greater clarity and certainty for the people; and focus on the points that unite us, rather than the points that divide us.

For this reason, I will convene a BN convention early next year. This is a long-term effort that I hope to kick-start and continue to contribute towards.

I fully intend to see through my mission, and I am sure that my successor will carry on this agenda. I want to hand over to my successor a Malaysia that is capable of weathering the challenges of a dangerous global economy, a Malaysia not of rich and poor, of young and old or of the city or the kampong, not of south and north, and not of one religion or another but of unity and harmony.

This is not the time for infighting and narrow politics but for greatness, unity and cooperation.

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Teresa Kok Press Statement ISA detention

I have been released after being detained in solitary confinement in a 6 by 8 holding cell for seven days under the Internal Security Act (ISA). I was informed by the police that they detained me under Sec 73(1) of Internal Security Act 1960, which means I have incited racial and religious tension and conflict.

After being detained for seven days under the guise of so-called investigations, the police failed to produce any evidence or proof of me being involved in the activities of causing racial and religious tension. They were only able to ask me few questions based entirely on the false and malicious article written by Zaini Hassan under the topic "Azan, jawi, JAIS, Uitm dan ba-alif-ba-ya" that was published in Utusan Malaysia on 10th September 2008.

The three main questions that the investigation officers asked me were:

i) whether I have mobilized a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose to the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;

ii) whether I have made a statement that 30% of the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) allocation is to be given to other non-Islam religious bodies; and

iii) whether I have opposed to the Jawi wording road signages in Kuala Lumpur.

I denied the first two accusations as I did not do any such things as accused. I also told them that the issue of opposing Jawi road signages in Kuala Lumpur were done in January/February 2008 at the request and following the pressure of resident associations. The resident associations , particularly in Taman Seputeh, were most unhappy because many of the road signages were changed arbitrarily by DBKL a few month before and changed again soon after this time with Jawi wordings. They were strongly opposed to this kind of wastage of public funds by DBKL.

I was quite surprised that there were no other questions posed to me besides these few main questions.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) is meant to detain people who threaten national security. The three issues stated above have nothing to do with national security. If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days. This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of police under the ISA.

Besides, it is nonsensical for the police to detain me under the ISA merely based on the unsubstantiated article written by an irresponsible columnist in Utusan Malaysia? How can they regard that article as the gospel truth without investigating the writer in the first place? How can Utusan Malaysia publish it without verifying the facts?

I wish to ask the police whether they have called Zaini Hassan and Utusan Malaysia's editors for questioning before and after my detention.

I know that the imam of Bandar Kinrara mosque has publicly denied that I got involved in the Puchong residents petition against azan of his mosque on 13th September. I am also quite surprised to read in the New Straits Times dated 19th Sep that the official of the Bandar Kinrara mosque was called by the Dang Wangi police for statement recording only yesterday afternoon. Why did the police do it so late, one week after I was arrested? Why didn't they check their facts first before they arrest me and put me behind bars?

I have been made scapegoat in the internal squabbles of UMNO

I see my detention as a ploy by UMNO to try to cover up the embarrassment and the outrage of the racist statements made by Ahmad Ismail in Penang. I wonder why did they choose an innocent person like me as I have never made any racist statements or racist speeches in the past?

I have lodged the police report on 17th September 2008 against Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo for criminal defamation. I would therefore urge the police to investigate Utusan Malaysia' s editors, those racist bloggers and Dr Khir Toyo under the Penal Code.

As I have mentioned in my previous lawyer's visit, I will sue Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo. I have also instructed my lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for my unlawful arrest and detention.

Raja Petra should be released

As I am free from ISA detention today, I also call for the release of Raja Petra, the Hindraf Five and all other 60 over detainees under the draconian ISA.

I would also like to thank all politicians in the ruling parties as well as in the Pakatan Rakyat, NGOs, churches and all social organizations who have campaigned and prayed for my release.

* Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh, Senior Exco for Selangor State Government and ADUN for Kinrara

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.

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

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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