CIJ Annual Report: Freedom of Expression in Malaysia 2011

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia would like to invite members of the public to the launch of its annual report, “Freedom of expression in Malaysia in 2011”, at Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, on 16 May 2012 (Wed).

Besides the highlights of the 2011 FoE report, there will be an additional presentation on media coverage of Bersih 3.0 compared with Bersih 2.0. It includes analyses of how different media reported on, among others:

the numbers of those who turned up; and
the numbers of those injured and which side - protesters or police - is allegedly responsible.
We invite everyone to come in the T-shirt that expresses their most pressing cause. This is another opportunity for all to state whatever they espouse.
We have an exciting, interactive launch in store. Major protest groups of 2011 will come together to share their core messages as one giant human microphone!
Please find below the programme:
Launch of Centre for Independent Journalism's (CIJ) annual report “Freedom of Expression in Malaysia in 2011"

Date Time: 16 May 2012 (Wed); 8pm
Venue: Auditorium (1st Flr), Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, 1 Jalan Maharajalela, KL

Programme:
8.00pm Welcome by CIJ executive officer Masjaliza Hamzah
8.05pm Curtain-raiser for presentation of Freedom of Expression in Malaysia 2011 report
8.10pm Presentation of Freedom of Expression in Malaysia 2011 report (by CIJ media monitor Ding Jo-Ann)
8.30pm Presentation of Bersih 3.0 media coverage (by Jo-Ann)
8.50pm Q&A
9.10pm Launch: Human microphone by major protester groups of 2011
9.40pm Ends

Sarawak Election Campaign: Buy a long boat

The Sarawak rural constituencies are very difficult constituencies to service and campaign in because of its vast area and difficult communications. I have read that one of the dastardly tactics of the BN is to rent all the available long boats, helicopters, etc, to make it unavailable for the opposition to rent

So Free Sarawak has launched the latest Buy a longboat campaign to collect donations to enable them to purchase longboats.

I have contributed and hope you will too.

BERSIH 3.0: Seeking victims of police brutality

BERSIH is asking victims of police brutality to contact them with evidences. You can contact them via
hotline at 012-3496013,
SUARAM at 03 77843525 or
info@bersih.org
428victims@gmail.com

BERSIH 3.0: Bar Council to hold EGM

The Malaysian Bar Council chief Lim Chee Wee has called for a EGM (Extraodinary General Meeting) next Friday 11 May 2012 to discuss a motion “in relation to the events of and surrounding the public rally on 28 April 2012 organised by Bersih 3.0, and matters in connection therewith”.

Lim said Police brutality this time around has been magnified; there is more police brutality (compared to last year.) There was arbitrary use of tear gas, water cannons.

The events showed an “urgent” need for the police force to undergo a “transformation programme”, to be changed by force of statute through the establishment of the recommended Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Event: EGM
Venue: Sunway Putra Hotel (formerly Legend Hotel)
Date: Friday 11 May 2012
Time: 3pm

Resolutions

1. Call on the police to identify errant personnel and surrender them for prosecution,

SUARAM wants photos & videos of agent provocateurs

SUARAM need attention and help to disseminate information to those who have seen and who have become victims of police brutality and some individuals suspected of being an agent provocateur.

They want to submit the evidences to the relevant bodies like SUHAKAM, KDN, PM office and Bukit Aman for thorough investigation.

What we need are:
1. Photos
2. Video
3. The names and telephone numbers of witnesses who were detained and witness violence by police and agents provocateur.

Tel: 03 77843525 Email: detention@suaram.net

Please submit this details to SUARAM by THURSDAY 3 MAY 2012. Please contact Theva at 013 3845740 or Nalini at 019 3758912 for further info.

SUARAM is Suara Rakyat Malaysia, (Malay for "Voice of the Malaysian People") and a human rights organization

Expose: How Najib will cheat General Election 13

Hi all,

There's something going on in town (Petaling Jaya) tonight, if you have not received mails on it yet. Kindly see the email excerpt below.

LAST CALL
Come and be intrigued by the exposé tonight on how the Najib’s administration intends to cheat in the coming General Election. This is what a lot of people believe will happen, but how?

Part of the plot will be revealed by several key people who have been involved in studying the electoral process and matching it against the current development. Instead of revamping the electoral machinery to make it cleaner and fairer, the Najib’s administration has recently pushed for the amendments to the Election Offence Act 1952.

After six months of working closely with the PSC on Clean and Fair Election, Tindak Malaysia has decided that it has to wash the dirty linen of the Election Commission in public.

To be fair, the EC chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof, who recently claimed that the electoral roll is one of the CLEANEST IN THE WORLD, has also been invited along to defend his case.

This is a chance of a lifetime for you to listen to the exposé that will totally change your perception. Don’t miss it!

You will not be able to get the full story from the online media, because some things cannot be reported. Neither will you be able to able to get any story from the mainstream media because they will not be able to report the event.

So, attend the exposé meeting tonight to listen to the non-politicians speak tonight:

Date: 24 April 2012 (Tuesday)
Time: 8.30 PM
Venue: Dewan Sivik PJ (PJ CIVIC CENTRE)
Entrance fee is RM50 but this too has been waived. Please pass it on. We are fighting with time.

Location map: Dewan Sivik (Civic Center) Petaling Jaya

View Larger Map

Debate: How clean will the 13th General Election be?

Coalition for clean and fair elections (Bersih) co-chairperson Ambiga
Sreenevasan will take on Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin in a debate on
electoral reforms next week.

The debate, organised by daily the Malay Mail, will take place at 8.15pm on
April 25 at The Club @ Bukit Utama on Persiaran Surian, Bandar Utama, Kuala Lumpur (see Location map.

This will be preceded by a forum the night before, this time involving
Ambiga, political scientist Ong Kian Ming and a representative of the
Election Commission (EC).

The forum, entitled 'How Clean will the 13th General Elections Be?' and
organised by NGO Tindak Malaysia, will be held at the Petaling Jaya Civic
Centre at 8.30pm.

According to Tindak Malaysia representative PY Wong, the EC has not yet
responded to the invitation.

"We actually don't expect the EC to respond as their position is
indefensible," he told Malaysiakini.



Round two for Khairy, who is also Rembau MP, will be on May 3 against PKR
director of strategy Rafizi Ramli.

The topic, however, will be on the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN)
loans.

PKR proposes an abolition of the student loans, while Umno Youth wants the
interest and terms to be revised. Coalition for clean and fair elections
(Bersih) co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan will take on Umno Youth chief
Khairy Jamaluddin in a debate on electoral reforms next week.

The debate, organised by daily the Malay Mail, will take place at 8.15pm on
April 25 at the Club on Persiaran Surian, Bandar Utama, Kuala Lumpur.

This will be preceded by a forum the night before, this time involving
Ambiga, political scientist Ong Kian Ming and a representative of the
Election Commission (EC).

The forum, entitled 'How Clean will the 13th General Elections Be?' and
organised by NGO Tindak Malaysia, will be held at the Petaling Jaya Civic
Centre at 8.30pm.

According to Tindak Malaysia representative PY Wong, the EC has not yet
responded to the invitation.

"We actually don't expect the EC to respond as their position is
indefensible," he told Malaysiakini.



Round two for Khairy, who is also Rembau MP, will be on May 3 against PKR
director of strategy Rafizi Ramli.

The topic, however, will be on the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN)
loans.

PKR proposes an abolition of the student loans, while Umno Youth wants the
interest and terms to be revised.

Location map, The Club @ Bukit Utama near Persiaran Surian Petaling Jaya

View Larger Map

Forum: “How Clean will the 13th General Elections be?”

Update: Don't miss. Tindak Malaysia has promised a special surprise at forum.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Press Release #21 22nd Apr 2012

Forum: “How Clean will the 13th General Elections be?”

On 19th Apr 2012, Tindak Malaysia invited the Election Commission Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, to an open forum entitled How Clean will the 13th General Elections be? to be held at the PJ Civic Centre Auditorium, at 8.30pm Tuesday April 24, 2012. So far, we have not met with a response from the Election Commission. Possibly, the Chairman was too busy rushing the Election Offences Act through Parliament, during its last day of sitting on 19th Apr 2012.

One of the topics to be presented during the forum is:
Problems with the Electoral Roll, by Dr. Ong Kian Ming

It is therefore with deep interest that we read in Malaysiakini on 21st Apr, 2012 the following:
“Despite numerous complaints over the electoral roll, Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof declared that Malaysia has the cleanest electoral roll in the world.

In an interview with Sin Chew Daily published yesterday, Abdul Aziz repeatedly stressed that the existing electoral roll is clean and no country in the world has a cleaner one than ours.”

Tindak Malaysia’s founder, Wong Piang Yow, urged the EC Chairman to attend the forum to substantiate his claim to ackknowledged specialists in the field of electoral rolls. “The EC Chairman should not miss such an opportunity to prove the cleanliness of the electoral roll”, stressed Wong. Otherwise, the public may be left with the impression that the EC Chairman’s claims are without substance.

The EC Chairman can also take this opportunity to explain the rationale behind the changes to the Election Offences Act which was just passed by Parliament and why the position of Barung Observer was cancelled.

The invited guests are from the Election Commission, BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee, academician and political analyst, Dr Ong Kian Ming, and the Election Commission Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.

The moderator will be Syahredzan Johan, the Chairperson of the Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee.

“We would really look forward to the participation of the Election Commission Chairman to have a meaningful exchange,” Wong wrote in a letter addressed to the Election Commission Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof. It was hand-delivered to the EC’s office on Fri 20th Apr 2012.

END.
Tindak Malaysia is a civil society movement to promote Free and Fair Elections through voter education. Recently, together with the BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee, it submitted Memo 2 containing a list of proposed amendments to the electoral laws and regulations to the Parliamentary Select Committee. Malaysians can obtain free training by registering at https://sites.google.com/site/pacabatraining/

For more information about this press statement, contact Wong Piang Yow 012-2149322.


Forum: “How Clean will the 13th General Elections be?”

Venue: PJ Civic Centre, MBPJ
Date: Tues 24th Apr 2012,
Time: 8:30pm - 10:30pm

Invited Presenters:
Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, Chairman Election Commission,
BERSIH 2.0 Steerirng Committee: Dr. Wong Chin Huat, (confirmed)
Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Academcian (confirmed)
Moderator: Syahredzan Johan

Programme:
8:00pm: Registration
8:30pm: Welcome by PY Wong, Tindak Malaysia
8:33pm - 8:50pm: Overview on Electoral System, by PY Wong
8:50pm: Introduction by Syahredzan, Moderator
9:00pm: Problems with the Electoral Roll, by Dr. Ong Kian Ming,
9:20pm: Unconstitutional Redelineation by the EC, by Dr. Wong Chin Huat,
9:40pm: Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof - ( To be Confirmed)
Standby topic: Impact of amendments to the Election Offences Act, DR.042012, of 19th Apr 2012, by PY Wong
10:00pm: Roundtable discussion, Q&A from the floor
10:25pm: Round-up by Moderator.
10:30pm: Good Night

Voter registration Sunday 11 December 2011

Please share! Register2vote this Sunday, 11 Dec, 9am-2pm at:
Perlis: Pertubuhan Buddhist Perlis, Kangar
Kedah: Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Sungai Petani
Penang: M'sia Buddhist Association, Jalan Burmah, Georgetown
Perak: M'sian Hindu Sangam, Jalan Lumut (Ipoh), Tokong Hock Soon Keong (Teluk Intan), SMK Perempuan Perak (Ipoh)
Kelantan: Kelantan Buddhist Association, Kota Bharu
N. Sembilan: Punjabi Language Centre, Gurdwara Sahib, Seremban
Malacca: St Peter Church, Jln Bendahara
Johor: Sacred Heart Church (Taman Sri Tebrau, JB) & Carrefour (Batu Pahat)
Pahang: Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Jalan Beringin, Mentakab
Selangor: Gurdwara Sahib, P. Jaya
KL: Maha Vihara Brickfields

Forum on Media and Ethnicity: Overcoming the Challenges

*Forum on Media and Ethnicity: Overcoming the Challenges
Thursday June 30, 8-10pm*
*Hang Jebat on Level 6, Le Meridien KL Sentral*
Location map
* *

Ethnicity is so much part of the fabric of Malaysian society that it is hard
to understand events or people without using the ethnic lens. Post-2008,
media coverage of ethnic issues has come under even greater scrutiny given
how ethnicity has been instrumentalised much more than before by certain
segments of society – to the detriment of the nation.

Given this context, how should journalists cover events that have an ethnic
element? What are the challenges faced by journalists and what strategies do
they use to overcome these problems?

Although these issues have been explored in academia and by civil society,
little has been translated into a useful format for journalists.

To address this gap, CIJ has just published *Reporting on ‘Race’ &
Ethnicity: A Handbook for Malaysian Journalists* . This handbook comes at
such a timely juncture. It collates the ethical dilemmas and best practices
for reporting ethnicity culled from journalists who attended a series of
workshops conducted throughout Malaysia in early 2011, as well as available
material on the issue. To “launch” the handbook, CIJ will be conducting a
public forum to explore these challenges and more. Here are the details:

When: Thursday June 30

Where: Hang Jebat on Level 6, Le Meridien KL Sentral, 2 Jln Stesen Sentral.

Time: 8pm-10pm

Panelists: V. Anbalagan (NUJ General Secretary), Fathi Aris Omar (senior
journalist) and Dr Carmen Nge (academic and ethnicity trainer)

There will be an open discussion at the end, before supper is served.

For purposes of planning, please e-mail cijmalaysia@ gmail.com or call
03.4023.0772 during office hours to register your attendance. We look
forward to seeing you there!

Best wishes,

Centre for Independent Journalism Malaysia

Location Map

View Larger Map

Toward a more ethical media

Forum: Ke arah media yang lebih beretika (Toward a more ethical media)

Ahli ketiga panel ialah Abdul Jalil Ali, Penasihat Eksekutif Editorial
Kumpulan Media Karangkraf.

Terima kasih,
Siew Eng
Pegawai program CIJ

------------ --------- --------- --

Bulan Mei ialah bulan kebebasan akhbar.

Kebebasan akhbar bermaksud keupayaan suratkhabar dan wartawan untuk melapor
secara bebas mengenai sebarang peristiwa atau isu, berlandaskan etika dan
prinsip kewartawanan.

Tetapi bagaimana pula jika etika dan prinsip tidak diikut? Bagaimankah kita
menangani media yang tidak beretika?

Untuk mengetahui pelbagai pandangan mengenai penyelesaian kepada masalah
ini, di samping menyentuh isu berkait - yakni had kebebasan media di
Malaysia - Pusat Kewartawanan Bebas dan Majlis Peguam Malaysia akan
menganjurkan satu forum awam dwibahasa bertajuk, *"Ke arah media yang lebih
beretika - bagaimana mencapainya? "*

*Masa: 18 Mei (Rabu); 6 petang*
*Tempat: Auditorium, Bangunan Majlis Peguam, Kuala Lumpur*
13, 15 & 17 Leboh Pasar Besar
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-20313003


*Panel:
*
- *Abdul Jalil Ali, Penasihat Eksekutif Editorial, Kumpulan Media
Karangkraf*
- *Sharaad Kuttan, pensyarah kewartawanan, kolumnis, Felo Asian Public
Intellectual*
- *Wong Chin Huat, pensyarah kewartawanan, kolumnis*

*Moderator: Andrew Khoo, Ketua Jawatankuasa Hak Asasi Manusia Majlis Peguam
*

Orang ramai dialu-alukan datang untuk mendengar pembentangan ahli panel dan
memberi pandangan sendiri mengenai isu ini.

*Maklumat lanjut: Siew Eng, pegawai program Pusat Kewartawanan Bebas, 016
379 5901*

************ ***

May is the month for press freedom.

Press freedom is the ability of newspapers and journalists to freely report
any event or issue, in accordance with the ethics and principles of
journalism.

But what happens when the ethics and principles are not adhered to? How
should we deal with unethical media?

To find out the different views on how to approach this problem as well as
explore the attendant issue of the limits of media freedom in
Malaysia, theCentre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and
the Bar Council of Malaysia will be organising a bilingual Malay-English
public forum titled, *"Toward a more ethical media". *
*
Date/Time: 18 May (Wednesday); 6pm
Place: Auditorium, Bar Council
*
*Panel:
*
- *Abdul Jalil Ali, Editorial Executive Adviser, Kumpulan Media
Karangkraf
*
- *Sharaad Kuttan, journalism lecturer, columnist, Asian Public
Intellectual Fellow*
- *Wong Chin Huat, journalism lecturer, columnist *

Come hear what our panellists think, and have your say, too.

*Details: Siew Eng, CIJ programme officer, 016 379 5901*

--
Centre for Independent Journalism Malaysia
Web: cijmalaysia. org
Tel: +603-4023 0772
Twitter: CIJ_Malaysia
Facebook: Centre for Independent Journalism
Blogs: http://worldpressfr eedomday. blogspot. com/;
http://right2info. wordpress. com/

The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) is a non-profit
organisation that aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free,
where all peoples will enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek and
impart information.

--
If you cannot express yourself you are already behind bars - Mbana Kaitako

Location map & GPS Coords

Bar Council Malaysia
13, 15 & 17 Leboh Pasar Besar
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-20313003
GPS Coords: (3.1466866143456196, 101.69546127319336)
Location map:

View Larger Map

Training Workshop on “Dealing with Urgent Arrests”

Invitation to a Training Workshop on “Dealing with Urgent Arrests”

(jointly organized and supported by ALIRAN)

Over the years, we have witnessed various situations where members of the public, including civil society activists, have been arrested and detained for taking part in peaceful assemblies – BERSIH, HINDRAF, JERIT, GMI. Those arrested are often vulnerable and do not have access to legal counsel. They may not be fully aware of their rights and their various options. In almost all such incidents, the Malaysian Bar through its volunteer lawyers has consistently played its part by rendering legal advice and assistance to those affected.

In line with this effort, and in the light of increasing protests by the rakyat in the form of peaceful assemblies, candlelight vigils and other actions, the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre (Penang) together with ALIRAN feels it is both necessary and timely to conduct a training workshop for volunteer lawyers, human rights activists and other interested individuals in the northern region (Penang, Perlis, Kedah and Perak) on “Dealing with Urgent Arrest”.

This is an opportunity for lawyers to make a real difference and get involved in an issue that affects all Malaysians, and to build networks with activists in ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Objectives of training include the following:

● To introduce participants to laws and procedures pertaining to arrest and detention

● To provide participants with a human rights-based perspective and understanding of peaceful assemblies and other protests

● To highlight specific roles of volunteer lawyers and rights of arrested persons in urgent arrest situations

● To increase the pool of lawyers who are able to deal with urgent arrest

Details of the training are as follows:

Date : Saturday, 28th May 2011

Time : 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Venue : ALIRAN office, No. 103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia

Fees : RM 20 per person (inclusive of lunch & refreshments)

To register, please complete the attached reply slip and submit the same to ALIRAN by fax (Fax No. 04- 6585197) or by e-mail at aliran@streamyx.com NOT LATER THAN 21st May 2011.

GPS Coords & Location map

GPS Coords: (5.389283765768421, 100.30844807624817)
6 decimal places: (5.389283, 100.308448)

Forum: Ke Arah Reformasi Pilihanraya oleh BERSIH

BERSIH invites all Malaysians to their public forum:
INVITATION TO PUBLIC FORUM : TOWARDS ELECTION REFORM IN MALAYSIA
JEMPUTAN FORUM UMUM: MENUJU PENGUBAHSUAIAN PILIHAN RAYA DI MALAYSIA
Kami, bagi pihak Jawatankuasa Induk BERSIH 2.0, ingin menjemput anda dan organisasi anda ke forum umum mengenai Pengubahsuaian Terkini Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya.

Fokus utama forum ini adalah untuk membincangkan isu-isu mengenai pengubahsuaian pilihan raya dan proses-proses yang terlibat untuk melanjutkan usaha ke arah pilihan raya yang telus, bersih dan adil.

Kami sangat mengalu-alukan kedatangan anda dan organisasi anda. Segala maklum balas sangat penting dan menyumbang ke arah pilhan raya yang telus, bersih dan adil.

Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila berhubung dengan Nurul di talian 03-77844977.



__________________________________________

INVITATION TO PUBLIC FORUM : TOWARDS ELECTION REFORM IN MALAYSIAOn behalf of BERSIH 2.0, we would like to invite you and your organization to our public forum on “Towards Election Reform in Malaysia”.

The aim of this forum is to promote discussion regarding the possible reform for elections and their processes, with the intention of making election transparent, clean and fair.

We sincerely, look forward to your attendance as your feedback is very important and will contribute towards bringing about a transparent, clean and fair election reforms.

If you have any queries please do contact Miss Nurul at 03-77844977.

BERSIH 2.0 Public Forum with Election Commission

Come and join us for the Bersih 2.0 Public Forum with Election Commission.

Title: Moving Forward with Electoral Reforms
Panelist:
Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (Deputy Chairperson of Election Commission (SPR))
Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (Chairperson of Coalition of Clean and Fair Election Steering Committee (Bersih 2.0))
Jasmine Ng (representative of Growing Emerging Leaders (GEL))

Moderator:
Zaid Kamaruddin (Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee)

Date: 21 February 2011 (Monday)
Time: 8.00 pm –10.30 pm

Venue:
Bilik Gerakan
First Floor,
Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya,
Jalan Yong Shook Lin,
46675 Petaling Jaya.
Selango

Location map:Pejabat MBPJ Jalan Yong Shook Lin

View Larger Map

Respect voice of Selangor citizens (Press conference)

Hormati Suara Rakyat Selangor

Civil Society and Selangorians to hold public rally to pressure Chief Secretary to declare Khusrin’s appointment null and void

THE Civil Society and Selangorians have come together to form the group Hormati Suara Rakyat Selangor (HSRS), which is strictly a rakyat initiated effort, to show their disappointment and anger over the appointment of Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new Selangor state secretary.

The group, formed on January 11, 2011, will hold a public rally soon to pressure the Chief Secretary to the Barisan Nasional federal government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Haji Hassan, to declare Khusrin’s appointment null and void.

Information on the public rally and HSRS will be revealed at the press conference this Friday.

Details of the press conference are as follows:
Date: January 14, 2011 (Friday)
Time: 11.00am
Venue: KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Kuala Lumpur

We would appreciate your sending your journalists to attend this press conference. For further details, please contact Aloysius Pinto at 016 2778418.

Regards,

Haris Ibrahim

President
Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM)
On behalf of Hormati Suara Rakyat Selangor

Assembly: Support leadership of Selangor Menteri Besar and State Government

Malaysians who are concerned at how UMNO/BN is manipulating the issue of the unwanted appointment of Khusrin as the State Secretary and pitting PR against the Selangor Royalty are urged to attend an assembly to demonstrate support for the Menteri Besar and the Selangor government. Announcement (in English and Bahasa Malaysia and location map below:

Assembly to support the leadership of Selangor Chief Minister and Selangor Government

Issue: Appointment of the SS (State Secretary)
Date: Wednesday 12 January 2011
Time: 3pm
Venue: Dataran Shah Alam (beside Wisma Majlis Bandaran Shah Alam)
Sponsor: Kelab Penyokong Menteri Besar / Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Selangor
Please mobilize to get people to attend as soon as possible.

Perhimpunan Menyokong Kepimpinaan YAB Dato’ Menteri Besar dan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor berhubung Isu Perlantikan SUK (Setiausaha Kerajaan)

Tarikh : Rabu 12 Januari 2011
Tempat : Dataran Shah Alam (Sebelah Wisma MBSA)
Waktu : 3 Petang
Anjoran : Kelab Penyokong Menteri Besar / Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Selangor
Harap 'mobilise' kehadiran seramai mungkin.

Location map: Dataran Shah Alam

View Larger Map

Public Forum - Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM)

There will be a public forum organized by the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) and hosted by Raja Petra Kamarudin, Yolanda Augustin and Farouk A. Peru. At the forum, MCLM will also be announcing the first name of several candidates from the civil society movements who have volunteered to do national service by contesting the coming general election.

Date: Sunday, 12th December 2010
Time: 13.00hrs-15.00 hrs GMT (21.00hrs Malaysian local time)
Venue: The Function Room, Holiday Villa Hotel, 35-37 Leinster Gardens, London W2 3AN
(see location map, Holiday Villa Hotel)

If you are going by transport, the nearest tube station is the Bayswater (District and Circle Line) or Queensway (Central Line)

MCLM will be setting up a u-streaming link for those who would like to follow the event LIVE. Please go to http://www.ustream.tv/discovery/live/all?q=varvoom

THE MCLM MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) envisions a nation that has fully realised the aspirations of our founding fathers that Malaysia be a nation founded upon the principles of liberty and justice, her people bound together by a unity of purpose and imbibed with self-belief, to make Malaysia a land of prosperity and peace, ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations.

The Federal Constitution of 1957 guarantees all citizens of, first, Malaya and, later, Malaysia, the rights and liberties accorded to all free men of all democratic nations and provides for the establishment of institutions of state to secure and safeguard those liberties.

The existence and application of draconian laws in the context of a systemic failure on the part of many of those institutions to honour their duty to uphold, protect and preserve the Federal Constitution has resulted in those guaranteed rights and liberties becoming, for many, illusory.

We believe that many Malaysians desire changes and reforms as comprehensively laid out in The People’s Voice and The People’s Declaration. The MCLM aims to take a leading role in realising these aspirations and encouraging the wider participation of civil society in shaping the future of our nation.

To read The People's Voice and The People's Declaration, please follow The People’s Parliament link below:
The People's Voice, the People's Declaration

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ASK THE FORUM YOU CAN POST THEM BELOW

Location map: Holiday Villa Hotel

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Location map: Bayswater tube station

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Location map: Queensway tube station

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London Book Launch: "Questioning arms spending in Malaysia" by Kua Kia Soong

Book Launch
Date: Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Venue: Private function room, Melur Restaurant,
175a Edgware Road,
Paddington,
London, W2 1ET (see location map)
Time : Registration 6.45pm

Talk 7-8pm

Discussion 8-8.30pm

Dinner 8.30pm onwards

We have the pleasure of inviting you to the exciting evening with Kua Kia Soong, at the London launch of his latest book “Questioning Arms Spending in Malaysia”.

Dr Kua is a renowned academic and author of ‘May 13’ and ‘445 Days Under the ISA’. He is also a former ISA detainee and Director of Malaysia Human Rights organization, SUARAM.

Malaysiakini have called this ‘the first groundbreaking expose of Malaysia's military since independence. It contains of A to Z of Malaysia's arms industries and spending, from the unanswered questions surrounding the murder of Altantuya... to the high incidence of accidents involving the Sikorsky Nuri helicopters. It also contains the 1994 revelations from the British press on the RM5 billion arms deals as well as the statutory declarations of private investigator Balasubramaniam in the Altantuya murder case. Dr. Kua has been monitoring the arms trade since the 70's. He unearths the vested interests, corruption, wastage and negligence in arms procurement and alerts us to the growth of the domestic military-industrial complex.’

"For too long, the military has been spared public scrutiny under the guise of 'national security'. Kua's well researched book is bound to ignite public debate and outrage. It confirms that major policy shifts are needed, both in terms of transparency as well as a paradigm shift in how we think of security. A must read!" ~ Premesh Chandran, CEO Malaysiakini.

Places are limited, please register by Dec 13 at http://armsspendingmalaysiabooklaunchlondon.eventbrite.com/

Location map: Melur Restaurant, 175a Edgware Road, Paddington, London

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Books by Kua Kia Soong

Briefing: SYABAS stealing billions of public money

How SYABAS is stealing billions of our money from under our noses

Here’s a basic simple write-up. If you can afford the time, do swing by a briefing:

Date : Saturday, 20th November 2010
Time : 2.30pm – 5.00pm
Venue : Bilik Gerakan, 1st Floor, MBPJ Headquarters, Jalan Yong Shook Lin

In 1997, the Barisan Nasional state and federal governments began privatising the water industry in Selangor. Then Menteri Besar Muhammad Taib chose the treasurer from his Umno division, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail to be the main beneficiary of this privatisation exercise.

By 2010, the amounts of losses generated by leakage and corruption in the private water companies have now run into the hundreds of millions. Amongst the many questionable financial practices found in the private water companies are:

1. An audit report on Syabas showed more than 72% of contracts, worth RM 600 million in total, was awarded to companies chosen through direct negotiation not by open tender process. Also, RM 325 million was found to be ‘missing’ in discrepancies between Syabas’ public accounts and the records of contracts awarded from 2005 to 2007.

3. In June 2005, Syabas contravened the terms of their concession when they imported RM 375 million worth of pipes from an Indonesian company instead of sourcing them locally. The Indonesian company was owned by Tan Sri Rozali Ismail, the CEO of Syabas.

4. Tan Sri Rozali Ismail’s salary is RM 5.1 million a year or RM 425,000 a month.

5. The four water companies have a combined debt of RM 6.4 billion. The federal government has given Syabas a soft loan of RM 320 million. The total interest on this 20 year loan is RM 250 million, and Syabas will not be required to pay a single sen of this amount. Instead, this cost will be fully borne by Malaysian taxpayers.

In light of this appalling financial mismanagement, the Selangor state government has prevented Syabas from raising water tariffs by 37%, and is now endeavouring to reacquire all water concessions from the private water companies. Their goal is to eliminate the element ofprivatised profit and socialised losses, stop the corruption and leakage, and ensure quality delivery of water at affordable rates. This move requires public and support and pressure to succeed.

Briefing: Resolving the Water Restructuring Impasse in Selangor

The Selangor State Government cordially invites you to a Briefing Session entitled

“Resolving the Water Restructuring Impasse in Selangor”

at the Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya, 17th November (see location map):

The Briefing Session is organised by the Selangor State Government. The objective of the event is to allow the Selangor State Government to provide a briefing and explanation on its position in regards to the restructuring of the water services industry in Selangor, which has taken more than two years and has not yet been resolved.

The water services industry in Selangor used to belong to the state government, but over the years was corporatised and eventually privatised to four water concession companies. The Federal Government recognised the problems privatisation of such a public utility would eventually cause, and in 2006 passed in Parliament the Water Services Industry Act (WSIA). The Act, together with several other national policies, set out to reverse the wrongs of the privatisation.

Selangor is the most complex of all the states in Malaysia, as it has the most number of private water companies. Matters are also complicated because of the different coalitions in the Federal and Selangor State Government respectively. This briefing is meant to clarify the Selangor State Government’s position on the matter and allow an avenue for discussion, questions and dialogue with those present. We look forward to meeting with you.

4.00 pm : Arrival of Guests and Registration
4:15 pm : Opening Prayer
Y.B. Teresa Kok, Selangor State Executive Councillor
4.30 pm : Presentation
Y.B. Tony Pua, MP for PJ Utara (Selangor State Water Review Panel)
5.00 pm : Discussion
6.00 pm : Closing

Date : Wednesday, 17th November 2010
Time : 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Venue : Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya

Ps. Please note 17th November is a public holiday for Hari Raya Haji.

Location map: Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya

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