APJ ABDUL KALAM'S SPEECH

A Letter to Every Indian - APJ
Published by uttishthata July 6th, 2007 in APJ Abdul Kalam

APJ Abdul Kalam at SpeechThe President of India DR. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam ' s Speech in Hyderabad .

Why is the media here so negative?

Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements?

We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

We are the first in milk production.

We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.

We are the second largest producer of wheat.

We are the second largest producer of rice.

Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place.. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.

APJ Abdul Kalam at Speech1In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T.Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.

Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India.

For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation...

Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.

Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.

YOU say that our government is inefficient.

YOU say that our laws are too old.

YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.

YOU say that the phones don ' t work, the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.

YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.

YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?

Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - ' YOURS ' . Give him a face - ' YOURS ' . YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don ' t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity... In Singapore you don ' t say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn ' t dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai . YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.

YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, ' see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else. ' YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, ' Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so ' s son. Take your two bucks and get lost. ' YOU wouldn ' t chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand .

Why don ' t YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don ' t YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?

APJ Abdul Kalam at Speech2Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay , Mr. Tinaikar, had a point to make. ' Rich people ' s dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place, ' he said. ' And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?

In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan .
Will the Indian citizen do that here? ' He ' s right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.

We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.

We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.

This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.

When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? ' It ' s the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons ' rights to a dowry. ' So who ' s going to change the system?

What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one ' s conscience too.... I am echoing J. F. Kennedy ' s words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....

'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR COUNTRY AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY, WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY '

Lets do what our country needs from us.

E-Mailing : Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.

Thank you,

Dr. Abdul Kalam

Maika Did Not Reject the Shares

The mystery deepened and bewildered the shareholders when another Maika director, Pasamanikam, contradicted the statements made by Anwar and Samy Vellu. According to Pasamanikam, Maika did not reject the Finance Ministry’s offer and did not propose that the nine million shares be allocated to any other company. He further revealed that Maika had indeed raised a RM50 million loan to facilitate the acquisition of the entire 10 million shares even before the Finance Ministry had withdrawn its offer. A tidal wave of questions engulfed the share holders:

1) Why did the Finance Ministry cancel the initial offer of the 10 million shares and subsequently allot only one million shares to Maika?

2) Who was responsible for the retraction of the original offer?

3) Who lied to the Finance Ministry?

4) Who informed them that Maika had recommended that the nine million shares be given to three companies?

5) Who supplied the names of these three companies?

6) Who coerced the Finance Ministry to change their mind?

7) Who aborted this offer? (There was no earthly reason for the Finance Ministry to change its mind on its own after having allocated 10 million shares).

According to Tan Sri G. K. Rama Iyer, the Managing Director of Maika Holdings Bhd -as revealed in his press release dated May 16th 1992:

Samy Vellu was informed at 6.10 am on October 5th 1990, that Maika had been offered 10 million STMB shares and of the probability of obtaining full loan financing and that Maika intended to take up the entire allocation of 10 million shares. Indeed, a letter dated October 5th 1990, from Arab-Malaysian Merchant Bankers Bhd. (AMMBB) - offering RM50 million to finance the purchase of the 10 million shares was received on October 6th 1990.

by pekembar

Family ties take root in Malaysian politics

By Jalil Hamid and Niluksi Koswanage

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Politics often appears to be a family affair in Asia with Pakistan's Bhuttos, India's Gandhis and the Lees in Singapore; now Malaysia looks set to join the party.

Najib Razak, the 55-year-old son of Malaysia's second premier and the nephew of the third, will take the helm in March at a time when this Asian nation of 27 million people grapples with economic problems and rising political and ethnic tensions.

Another rising star of the party that has ruled Malaysia for all 51 years of its existence as a country is Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of its longest-serving prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad.

On the opposition benches in parliament sits Nurul Izzah Anwar and her father, veteran politician Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar is a former deputy premier who once looked set for the top job until he was kicked out of the ruling party and jailed on what he says were false charges.

"There is an Asian belief that political power can be passed on to the next generation through bloodline," said James Chin, political science professor at Monash University in Malaysia.

Critics say the sense that blood entitles a person to exercise power has generated corruption, stymied development and hampered good government.

More often than not, the progeny of political leaders fail to live up to the family name.

"If Malaysians or foreigners expect Najib to be like his father as PM, they will be greatly disappointed," said Abdullah Ahmad, a political author and a former aide to Najib's father.

Najib, who has a bachelor's degree in economics, will take over at a time when a re-energized opposition led by Anwar is seeking to gain power and when economic growth is skidding due to global financial turmoil.

Adding to his troubles, Najib will need to address Malaysia's failure to keep up with more nimble neighbors in the competitiveness and investment stakes.

Growth in Malaysia's export-oriented economy looks set to fall to 3.4 percent next year, the lowest since 2001. The budget deficit has soared due to spending on fuel subsidies and national infrastructure projects, according to the Malaysian Institute for Economic Research, a leading think-tank.

"I pity Najib. He's taking over from the worst of times and from a man who messed things up," said Abdullah Ahmad, referring to the outgoing premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Najib has been in parliament since the tender age of 22 when he took over the seat of his father, who died in office. He has held posts in the sports, education and defense ministries and now holds the powerful finance portfolio.

His father Abdul Razak Hussein designed Malaysia's race-based system which was supposed to help ethnic Malays climb the economic ladder and compete against the more entrepreneurial ethnic Chinese population. His uncle, Hussein Onn is credited with forging unity among the races during his premiership. Najib's family links run to the heart of politics and business; his cousin is education minister and his younger brother Nazir runs Malaysia's second-largest bank CIMB.

Najib's recent move on the top job has been marked by continued attacks on his integrity by the opposition and by Internet bloggers obsessed with a lurid murder trial that involved Najib's former aide. The aide was acquitted, but not before Najib had to issue statements denying involvement.

Many political observers believe Najib may simply owe too much to too many people to stake out a separate political identity. He still needs to win a party election to take the top job, although he appears to have no real competition.

"He (Najib) was coddled and helped all along, first by his uncle Hussein Onn and then by Mahathir, the man who owed a debt of gratitude to his father," said Zainon Ahmad, political editor of the local Sun newspaper.

"Only now I think Najib has to be on his own," he said.

MAHATHIR'S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE

When he took the reins of power in 2003, current prime minister Abdullah looked like a tonic for a country that had grown tired of Mahathir's 22-year rule.

Mahathir dragged Malaysia toward developed nation status, oversaw the building of the iconic Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur, and guided the country through the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. Yet his long rule was also criticized for the growth of cronyism and its failure to help poor Malays.

Abdullah seemed to have laid the ghost of Mahathir to rest in 2004 when the Barisan Nasional coalition, led by his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party, scored its biggest election success on promises to end corruption.

That success turned to dust in elections in March this year when the opposition stunned the government by depriving it of its customary two-thirds majority in parliament, which means it can no longer automatically change the country's constitution.

Mahathir has since turned on Abdullah, sniping from the sidelines when the premier canceled some of his massive infrastructure projects. He resigned from UMNO, swearing not to return until Abdullah was ousted.

In a further twist to that feud, Mukhriz Mahathir is battling Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin for the leadership of UMNO's influential youth wing, a staging post to the party presidency and the premiership of the country.

That political battle is a sign that dynasty politics will be around for a long time to come, worrying some Malaysians who feel the country is governed neither by them, nor for them.

"The ones that keep coming back for more are the sons, daughters and grandchildren of yesteryear's leaders," said a comment posted on political blog www.bakrimusa.com.

"It is, to them, their birthright to be accorded such positions as their fathers and forefathers. If you are not born to 'the families', then you must marry into one!"

(Editing by Megan Goldin)

I am Malay, and proud of it

I am Malay, and proud of it
Posted by Super Admin
Sunday, 09 November 2008 17:54

It is time the crutches are removed and the Malays learned
how to walk with their heads held up high. Malays have to be made to
believe that the Ketuanan Melayu and the NEP is an insult and that is
suggests Malays are weak creatures.

NO HOLDS
BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin
Religious superstition and persecution never ceases to amaze me. Take
the case of Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow of Mogadishu, Somalia. On 27th October
2008, 13-year old Aisha was killed. She was killed when 1,000 people
stoned her to death. And she was stoned to death because three men had
raped her. She was raped, so they accused of adultery.

Imagine a
13-year old girl killed in a most brutal manner because she was raped by
three men. Should it not be the three men who should have instead been
stoned to death? And do you not wonder why Islam suffers from a serious
image problem? Muslims should take stock of what they are doing and
understand the disservice they are doing to Islam.

Our religious
rehabilitation by the Kamunting detention camp started on the Tuesday
after Deepavali. The highlight of the sessions was the “nasi tomato” and
the chicken wing in a plastic bag that they served for lunch, courtesy of
JAKIM but paid for by the Malaysian taxpayers, 90% who are
Chinese.

The JAKIM ustaz told us that Islam is the true religion
and that all other religions are false. We were reminded not to believe in
or follow other religions, which are not accepted and recognized by God.
Only the Koran is the true Holy Book and was sent to us by God through the
Prophet Muhammad. All other books are false and were created by man and
did not come from God.

We must also not copy or ape the non-Muslims
as that will lead us astray and we will become an apostate if we act like
the kafir. He did not, however, give any examples on what would be
considered acting like a kafir.

In the meantime, in another
incident that happened outside the Kamunting detention camp, an UKM
lecturer explained that Muslims should not do yoga or meditate, as the
origin of this is Hinduism. Muslims who do yoga or meditate would be led
astray, argued the wise man from UKM. He then asked the religious scholars
to come out with a fatwa or decree banning Muslims from doing yoga or
meditating.

It is ironical that the JAKIM ustaz who visited
Kamunting chose that subject matter to kick off our religious
rehabilitation program. The article that got me into trouble with the
government and which resulted in my detention under the Internal Security
Act said exactly the same thing. I pointed out that the Friday prayer
sermons run down the other religions. I also argued that we are told not
to ape the non-Muslims or take them as our friends as the non-Muslims are
sworn enemies of Islam and can never be our friends. For that I was
detained under the Internal Security Act and my first lecture happened to
be the very thing I said and which got me detained.

There are in
fact many things which Malays do and which originated from Hinduism. Take
the stringing up of coloured lights as one example. Seven days before Hari
Raya Malays would string up coloured lights around their home, sometimes
even on trees like they do during Christmas. This is a throwback of the
old days when they used to use kerosene or oil lamps. And this was a
custom borrowed from Deepavali because the Arabs do not do
this.

So, the next time you pass by a Malay house during Hari Raya
and you see all those coloured lights you can smile, knowing that the
occupant of that house is borrowing a Hindu ritual -- only that he or she
does not know it.

If we really want to go into the long list of
Hindu customs and rituals that the Malays have borrowed the list would be
endless. We should not ape the kafir, the religious scholars tell us. If
not we would become a kafir. Well, what about wearing a tie, coat and
pants? Is this not a kafir attire?

How many Malays go about wearing
a robe and turban? Even that UKM lecturer who wants a fatwa issued banning
Malays from doing yoga or meditation wears kafir clothes. Look at all the
Malay government officers. They all wear kafir clothes and sometimes a tie
as well. The security forces all wear kafir uniforms with a kafir hat on
their heads.

We count our days using a Christian calendar. I am
facing various charges for crimes I committed on certain days of the
Christian calendar. What was the day of the Islamic calendar, the Hijrah
calendar, that I committed my crimes? The charge sheet does not
say.

I am facing various charges in a kafir court. The charges I am
facing are crimes according to kafir laws. I was also under detention
without trial according to a kafir law. In fact, according to Islam, I
have not committed any crime. And Islam does not allow for detention
without trial.

For that matter not only have I not committed a
crime, according to Islam, but what I have done is what Islam has actually
made mandatory. Islam makes it mandatory for all Muslims to perform “Amar
Makruf, Nahi Munkar”. This means to uphold good and oppose evil. All
Muslims must do this without exception. Not doing it, according to Islam,
makes you an extremely weak Muslim.

I, however, am now facing trial
and was under detention without trial for performing my Islamic duty. And
kafir laws, not Islamic laws, are being used against me. Kafir laws are
being used against Muslims for doing what Islam has made
mandatory.

And what is the reaction of Muslims to all this? What is
the UKM lecturer doing about it? Is he up in arms about the kafir system
being implemented against Islam? Is the Member of Parliament for Kulim
demonstrating on the streets and screaming, “I am a Muslim first I don’t
care about other people’s opinions”?

Okay, the UKM lecturer wants
yoga and meditation banned and the Kulim MP wants to shut the mouths of
anyone who wants to talk about Islam. But that is about it. It never goes
beyond that,

Sometimes the Malays can be amazing. Okay, not
sometimes, most times. Now UMNO wants Zaid Ibrahim sacked as a Malay. Can
any Malay actually be sacked as a Malay? I wonder, but UMNO thinks it can
be done. UMNO says that Zaid would be nobody -- he would not be a lawyer
of the biggest law firm in Malaysia -- if he was not a Malay and the
country did not have Ketuanan Melayu and the New Economic
Policy.

Zaid thinks that that is an insult. He would like to
believe he is what he is because he is Zaid and because he is smart. If he
would instead be a simple fisherman in Tumpat, Kelantan, without the
benefit of Ketuanan Melayu and the NEP, then this means Zaid is actually
quite stupid.

I share Zaid’s view. I also would like to believe
that I am “somebody” and “special” because I am Raja Petra. If it is
because of Ketuanan Melayu and the NEP, and if not because of that I would
be washing cars in Bangsar, then this would certainly make me very
unhappy.

Yes, Zaid and people like him do not need crutches. Only
losers need crutches. And that is why UMNO wants these crutches to remain,
because they are all a bunch of losers. I would like to believe that I am
what I am because of who I am and not because of Ketuanan Melayu and the
NEP. I take pride in that. I would hate people saying, “of course Raja
Petra is successful. He is a Malay and Malays have Ketuanan Melayu and the
NEP to help them. Malays need crutches to get ahead.”

It is time
the crutches are removed and the Malays learned how to walk with their
heads held up high. Malays have to be made to believe that the Ketuanan
Melayu and the NEP is an insult and that it suggests Malays are weak
creatures. Malays must be proud of their achievements and not credit their
achievements to the protection and special privileges they enjoy because
they are Malay. The Malays used to be a proud race. Now they are no longer
proud. They accept that they are weak. So they demand protection to
compensate for this
weakness.

POLICE BRUTALITY REPORTED AGAIN

Police joined hand with politician to become licensed gangsters...why the need for police to behave in such a manner on people who demonstrated peacefully, whilst totally forgetting about crimes that's happening every minute everywhere.

The police are going after people who don't retaliate like those criminals who dare use dangerous weapons on them... The rakyat should condemn all barbaric acts by the police on the rakyat of this nation.

Police must limit their duty to safeguard the public and not meddle with political matters.

The police should leave politicking to politicians. It's time for the rakyat to do "civilian arrest" on those violent policemen and hand over to the police with a criminal report lodged and the police should make a rearrest and charge them for going against the very law they should be protecting and upholding....

The law is there for "civilian arrest" on anyone found to be committing a crime in this country. The public is empowered to make a "civilian arrest" even if the suspected criminal is a police officer, provided the person making the civilian arrest witness (eye witness) the crime and make the arrest on the spot and hand over to the police.

Guan Eng shocked with police violence
By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — DAP have condemned police action in breaking up last night's gathering in Petaling Jaya to mark the first anniversary of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) rally.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he was "shocked at the violence by the police."

"I cannot understand why peaceful citizens and elected representatives were attacked," added the Penang Chief Minister.

Police detained 23 people, including PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Selangor Exco Ronnie Liu and Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San at the rally in PJ New Town and released all except one this morning at 7.30am.

Also detained were two members of the press and Father Paulino Miranda, parish priest of the Church of the Divine Mercy in Shah Alam.

Pua showed reporters in Parliament a shirt he had worn last night and claimed that all the buttons had been ripped out due to manhandling by the police.

"Even though I said I would cooperate and walk to the police truck when they arrested me, they still tore my shirt. Three other police personnel also attacked me, one kneed me in the belly and another aimed a kick at my shin," he said.

Pua also insisted that police had charged and dispersed the crowd while they were singing “Negaraku” to end proceedings for the night, a claim that Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar denied.

Lau lodged a police report at 4.29am while in police custody, claiming that he had been punched twice by a police officer.

Showing reporters the cuts on his cheek and lip, he called the "unruly and aggressive" police behaviour unnecessary.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned the "massive deployment of police personnel to break up a peaceful gathering by excessive police force and violence" as it showed that it was being made a priority over "the mobilisation of police to keep crime low."

Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told reporters in the Parliament lobby that he was not aware of the details of the incident as he had not obtained a report.

"Police work is police work. They are responsible for maintaining law and order. This is routine police work," he said.

Syed Hamid added that if there was any unhappiness with the police, people could lodge reports.

The Other Press

RPK’s rearrest under ISA - Cabinet/Parliament must overrule Hamid

Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s announcement in Kota Kinabalu last night that the Home Ministry will appeal against the Shah Alam High Court decision on Friday to free Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) is most deplorable and reprehensible.

It shows Hamid’s utter contempt for the fundamental concept of the rule of law and the most rudimentary commitment to human rights in the country.

In ordering Raja Petra’s release after a 56-day ISA detention, Shah Alam High Court judge Justice Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad ruled in the blogger’s habeas corpus application that the Home Minister acted outside his powers in detaining Raja Petra under the ISA, as the grounds given for Raja Petra’s detention were insufficient rendering the ISA detention unlawful.

Syed Ahmad Helmy held that although Section 8 of the ISA on the detention order by the minister barred judicial review, there was a procedural non-compliance by the Minister resulting in an “ultra vires” order.

As illustration, the judge gave the example that the minister cannot act in bad faith to detain a person who decided to colour his hair red.

In actual fact, Hamid acted mala fide in a very substantive manner in issuing a detention order under Section 8 of the ISA late in the night of September 22 not because Raja Petra constituted a threat to national security but to frustrate the administration of justice and the rule of law by “killing off” Raja Petra’s earlier habeas corpus application.

Raja Petra’s first habeas corpus application to challenge the legality of his ISA detention on Sept. 12 under Section 73 of the ISA was slated for hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Sept. 23.

When Raja Petra’s lawyers, his wife Marina Lee Abdullah and family members and supporters turned up in court on the morning of Sept. 23 for the harbeas corpus hearing, they were shocked to learn from the Senior Federal Counsel, Abdul Wahab Mohamad that the issue had become academic and the application should be struck out as Raja Petra was no longer detained under Section 73 (which permits judicial review) but under Section 8 (which bars judicial review except for procedural defects).

Raja Petra had also been summarily packed off to the Kamunting Detention Centre to start his two-year formal detention.

I had on Sept. 24 condemned Hamid’s ministerial detention order of Raja Petra, “hours before his habeas corpus application hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court” on Sept. 23 as “a gross violation of human rights, a blatant abuse of power and downright contempt of court by the Home Minister and a travesty of the rule of law in Malaysia”.

I had said: “One would have expected that being a lawyer by training, the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar would have greater regard, respect and understanding of the principles of a just of rule and would not do anything to frustrate the legal process as in RPK’s habeas corpus application hearing yesterday. But Hamid has proved everyone wrong.

”The Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail should explain whether he was privy to the Home Minister’s decision on Monday (Sept. 22) night to frustrate the legal process over RPK’s habeas corpus application hearing yesterday (Sept. 23) challenging the police detention under Section 73 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) by the simple but most cynical and irresponsible expedient of the Minister signing a formal detention order under Section 8 of the ISA.

”Was the Attorney-General consulted and his agreement sought to this irresponsible ploy to frustrate RPK’s habeas corpus application and did he advise the Home Minister against such flagrant contempt of court and to trust in the impartiality and integrity of the judicial system to pronounce on the legality of the police detention of RPK under the ISA under Section 73?

”Whose idea was it that the Home Minister should abuse his powers to expedite the formal detention of RPK under Section 8 of the ISA in order to frustrate RPK’s habeas corpus application, when RPK had been detained for only 10 days under Section 73 which provides for a 60-day police custodial detention?”

There had been thundering silence from Hamid, Gani Patail as well as the MCA/Gerakan Ministers and leaders who had been staging a “song and dance” about their new-found opposition to the ISA, demanding a review if not repeal of the draconian detention-without-trial law.

The Shah Alam High Court decision to free Raja Petra, which is a positive reflection in the last five months of the Abdullah premiership, should be the occasion for the Cabinet to undertake a full review of the draconian laws in the country as well as to uphold the doctrine of the separation of powers by repealing all legislation which institutionalizes the executive usurpation of judicial powers and independence by excluding judicial review of abuses of executive power, like Section 8 of the ISA.

However, Hamid seems to be unrepentant in refusing to understand the changes demanded by Malaysians after the March 8 “political tsunami” for a full restoration of the just rule of law, a truly independent judiciary and a total end to all forms of abuses of executive power.

I call on the Cabinet to overrule Hamid’s decision to appeal against the Shah Alam High Court decision to free Raja Petra from ISA detention, which can only mean that Hamid wants Raja Petra to be re-arrested and sent back to Kamunting Detention Centre.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should restrain Hamid from proceeding with the appeal against the Shah Alam High Court decision to free Raja Petra until there is a full review of the matter by both the Cabinet as well as Parliament.

Will the MCA and Gerakan Ministers and leaders stand up now to oppose Hamid’s decision to appeal against the Shah Alam High Court decision?

The Parliamentary Caucus on Repeal of ISA and release of all ISA detainees will hold an emergency meeting in Parliament tomorrow to discuss the issue.

There will be two candle-light “No to ISA” vigils tonight – one at Taman DR Seenivasagam in Ipoh at 8 pm and another at Padang Timur Petaling Jaya (near Amcorp Mall), which have now multiple objectives, viz:

· No to ISA;

· Release all ISA detainees;

· First Anniversary BERSIH rally for a clean, fair and democratic electoral system.

· No to any appeal against Shah Alam High Court decision to re-arrest Raja Petra and send him back to Kamunting Detention Centre;

· Restore doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary; and

· Repeal all laws with “no judicial review” clauses to subject all forms of executive abuses of power to legal challenge and judicial review.

I will be at the Candlelight Vigil for freedom, justice and democracy in Ipoh tonight. Other DAP leaders will be at the PJ Candlelight vigil.

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/11/09/rpks-rearrest-under-isa-cabine tparliament-must-overrule-hamid/

RPK freed: Gerakan asks Govt not to appeal

Penang Gerakan is urging the Government to reconsider filing an appeal against the Shah Alam High Court’s decision to release Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention.

State Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said the party was happy with the High Court’s decision and in Raja Petra’s case, the country’s judicial system had shown its transparency.

“We heard that the Government is considering an appeal against the decision. We hope it will not pursue it and respect the High Court’s decision that Raja Petra is not a direct threat to the nation.

“We also believe it is the wish of the masses to see Raja Petra freed and it is important that we hear the people’s voices as well,” he said Sunday at the Penang Wanita Gerakan “Satu Hati” (One Heart) lunch at a restaurant at Komtar.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz had said the Government may appeal against the court decision, while Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar would ask the Attorney-General to study the court’s decision and the implication of Raja Petra’s release last Friday.

Dr Teng said Gerakan also urged the Government to review the ISA and work on replacing it with an Anti-Terrorist Act to deal with insurgence in the country.

Salleh was sacked, says Dr M

If Salleh was sacked as claimed by former PM, then Nazri was misleading parliament into believing that the judges went into early retirement. This is irresponsible and blatant disregard to laws of our country. As such Nazri should be referred to Parliaments privilege committee for stern action.

PUTRAJAYA: Tun Salleh Abas was sacked as lord president but obtained a pension on grounds of compassion, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He refuted the suggestion made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who said Salleh and two of the five other judges involved in the 1988 judicial crisis had not been dismissed but were asked to retire early.

"The judges were sacked as far as I know," Dr Mahathir said.

"The pensions were given on compassionate grounds.

"Now, he (Salleh) gets RM5 million and I'd like to congratulate him for that," he said with his trademark sarcasm.
He said the decision to allow Salleh's pension followed an appeal after his sacking in 1988.

"There was an appeal and we thought despite the fact that he was sacked, he had rendered service to the government for the years he was there.

"To cut him off completely and deny him pension would be very cruel, so it was decided that he and the other judges were paid their pensions," he said at the youth values and future leadership forum and the launch of the 2008 Salman Sayang Malaysia Charity Triathlon at the Perdana Leadership Foundation yesterday.

Salleh was removed from office for misconduct by a six-member tribunal.

Telekom Shares-The Betrayal

There wasn’t any fanfare when Maika was allotted 10 million shares of Syarikat Telekom Malaysia Bhd (STMB). It was assumed in 1990 that Maika had been allotted all the shares it had subscribed to. No details were made known at that time.

Sometime in the middle of February 1992, the shroud of secrecy surrounding the Telekom shares allocation was ripped apart. Then, all hell broke loose.

A journalist from “Watan” disclosed that “there could have been some hanky-panky in the allocation of Telekom’s shares to Maika Holdings.

This was then followed by another report in a Tamil magazine, “Thoothan”, on 1st April 1992, which disclosed that there could have been some discrepancy in the distribution of the 10 million Telekom shares allocated to Maika by the Finance Ministry. Malaysians learned for the first time (two years after the share issuance), that Maika acquired only one million and not the entire 10 million shares that were allotted to Maika Holdings.

Samy Vellu, through the Tamil Nesan and at MIC meetings, tried to explain by insisting that the cash flow problem faced by Maika did not allow Maika to take up all 10 million shares. But, one of the directors, a one-time ally of Samy Vellu, Vijendran, issued a statement insinuating that the truth may not have been told.

When this matter was raised in parliament, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim disclosed that since Maika had stated that it could take up only one million shares, the remaining nine million shares were allocated to three companies proposed by Maika because to his “ministry's knowledge, the three companies represented the interests of the Indian community” (The Star, April 30, 1992).

Note: At the time of share allocation in 1990, Tun Daim Zainuddin was the Finance Minister.

Hindu Americans Condemn Banning of Hindu Group in Malaysia

Hindu American Foundation Press Release: Hindu Americans Condemn Banning of Hindu Group in Malaysia
Posted Sat, 08/11/2008 - 22:57 by admin


www.hafsite.org


HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION
PRESS RELEASE


Hindu Americans Condemn Banning of Hindu Group in Malaysia
Demand Release of Its Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Media Inquiries contact:
HAF Director of Public Policy
Ishani Chowdhury
Office: 301.770.7835
Fax: 301.770.7837
Email: ishani at hafsite.org

November 5, 2008 (Washington, D.C.)--A prominent U.S. based human rights group, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), today joined a growing chorus demanding restoration of civil rights in Malaysia after the recent banning of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF). In a letter written to the Malaysian Emabssy in the United States, the Foundation condemned the recent banning of the avowedly non-violent organization and the ongoing incarceration without trial of five HINDRAF leaders.

In November 2007, HINDRAF organized a massive, peaceful rally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that leaders said was to raise global awareness about the persecution and discrimination the Hindu minority faces in that country. These allegations have been verified and documented in HAF's Annual Hindu human rights report as recently as this year.

According to media coverage and first hand reports reaching HAF offices, the Malaysian government brutally crushed the gatherings and jailed five of the HINDRAF leaders without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act. Popular discontent over the government's response led to a major reversal in the ruling party's electoral fortunes earlier this year. In a bid to consolidate power, however, the Malaysian government banned HINDRAF on October 15, 2008.


"In our letter to the Malaysian embassy, we highlighted the temple destructions, lack of free speech and discrimination Hindus are facing in that country on a daily basis," said Ishani Chowdhury, HAF's Director of Pubic Policy. "We call upon the Malaysian government to lift its ban on HINDRAF and release the Hindu leaders imprisoned without cause for nearly a year."

The HINDRAF chairman, P. Waythamoorthy, is currently exiled in London, and has been in close touch with HAF leaders. Waythamoorthy's six-year old daughter was among eleven others that were illegally detained without cause on October 23, 2008.

"The Malaysian government has chosen an anti-democratic, authoritarian path that ostracizes and persecutes Hindus--a people whose history in that country spans six centuries," added Chowdhury.

Evoking the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, in her letter, Chowdhury wrote that, "it is imperative that...Malaysia work for the equal and fair treatment of the Hindu minority community and address grievances as such."

The Hindu American Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism. Contact HAF at 1-301-770-7835 or on the web at www.HAFsite.org

Muslim Professionals: THE ISA MUST GO!

It's heartening to note that there are honorable souls in every profession who have the courage to make a clear stand against abuse of power and state tyranny. In response to the Shah Alam High Court's widely applauded decision to grant Raja Petra's habeas corpus and order his immediate release yesterday, the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) issued the following press release today...

The Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) applauds the decisions handed down at the Shah Alam High Court and Kuala Lumpur Sessions court on 7th November, 2008.

In ordering the release of ISA detainee, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, judge Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad has shown great wisdom and fairness as has judge Komathy Suppiah in denying the prosecution's request for the case of Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be transferred to the High Court. We similarly echo the sentiments of the defense counsel in the former case, when he said that this was a "historic ruling and a profound moment for civil liberties in this country."

The ISA is an archaic piece of legislation and the time has come for its natural demise. The Muslim Professionals Forum very strongly calls for the immediate repeal of this draconian relic and the prompt judicial review of all ISA detainees. We urge the government to take the bold step of doing what is right and just. Justice and fairness are principles enshrined in Islam, and it is incumbent upon every Muslim to uphold these values, elevating them to their sublime pedestal.

The decisions in our courts yesterday augur well for our judiciary, which has been the brunt of many criticisms lately. These judges are beacons that shine through the winds of change, a gust that has blown across the globe. Resistance to such would only rank amongst the most futile of actions. We have but two options, to embrace this change that is upon us, or be left amongst the outcast nations of the world.

Board of Directors,
Muslim Professionals Forum

Dr. Mazeni Alwi
Dr. Shaikh Johari Bux
Haji Mohamed Ali Ghazali
Dato' Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin


I salute the Muslim Professionals Forum for their brave and noble stand. They, too, are "beacons that shine through the winds of change." In my curiosity to find out more about these fine examples of humanity, I stumbled upon a letter written in March 2001 to Mahathir Mohamad by Dr Musa Mohd. Nordin and have taken the liberty of reproducing it below:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PM REGARDING HEALTH OF DSAI

29th March 2001

Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin
President
Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Prime Minister
Malaysia

Assalamualaikum WBT

The spinal problems (both lumbar and cervical) of Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim is causing a lot of anguish for our medical fraternity not to mention the untold anxiety of his loved ones. It was our fervent hope that an amicable compromise would be obtained and Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Anwar would be offered the best, safest and evidence based surgery currently available for his spinal predicament. But quite clearly there is a stand off and political doctoring has gained the upper hand and evidenced based medicine has been sidelined.

The members of our association participate in numerous humanitarian and medical missions worldwide e.g Bosnia; Kosovo, Turkey, Gujarat, Maluku, Mindanao, Iraq, the depths of Pahang and Sarawak, etc., and it would seem most irresponsible of me if I did not now address what is fundamentally a humanitarian (and medical) issue vis-a-vis the medical condition of Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Anwar.

As a healing and caring profession we are the instruments of Allah's mercy (Ar Rahmah) and I am reminded of the oath of a Muslim Physician "To be the instrument of Thy Will and Mercy, and, in all humbleness, to exercise justice, love and compassion for all Thy creation; to extend my hand of service to one and all, to the rich and to the poor, to friend and foe alike, regardless of race, religion or colour" - and if I may add, imprisoned or freed.

Being a fellow Muslim Physician I am sure that Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri subscribes similarly and continually to these noble values and would ensure that they would always prevail. I would appeal to Y. Bhg. Dato Seri to put a stop to all the unkind and merciless statements made by various politicians and enable Y. Bhg. Dato Seri Anwar to undergo the optimal surgery available.

His large central disc herniation and the associated spinal stenosis precludes a conservative dorsal approach due to the increased risk of post operative morbidities. And it has been agreed by the panel of experts in Kuala Lumpur (3 orthopaedic surgeons, 3 neurosurgeons, 2 radiologists, 1 neurologist and 1 anaesthesiologist) and Dr. Hoogland Thomas (orthopaedic surgeon and diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery from Alpha Klinik, Munich) that a transforaminal endoscopic discectomy would be the surgical procedure of choice for decompression of the nerves. Furthermore, it obviates the need for general anaesthesia and endotracheal intubation considering Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Anwar's longstanding cervical problems, as the endoscopic procedure can be performed under local and intravenous anaesthesia. Other post operative sequelae, namely neural damage, back pain and sepsis, would also be considerably less.

And it was also emphasised that the surgery should not be delayed beyond 4-6 weeks to ameliorate any further neurological compromise. This is the art and science of evidence based medicine in practise and it should not be tarnished by political doctoring from various quarters. I would again appeal to Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri to enable the medical experts to discharge their duties professionally without any form of interference whatsoever from pseudo doctors.

The excruciating pain and physical suffering of Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Anwar, the sense of helplessness of his family and friends alike, the diagnostic MRI scans and the consensus of opinions of the medical experts must surely touch the deep recesses of our hearts and human conscience; and more so to the Muslim Physician. And I appeal again to Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri to make it possible for Dato' Seri Anwar to undergo the endoscopic procedure at the earliest possible opportunity, in the best possible medical centre dedicated to spinal surgery. I truly believe that Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri's magnanimity in this painful medical scenario would go a long way towards alleviating the hurt that has much wounded this great nation of ours.

And to Allah, The Omniscient and The Wise Judge do we turn for succour.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin
MBBCh (Wales) FRCP (Edin) FAMM

at 10:21 PM

Labels: Abolish the ISA, Dato' Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, Dr Mazena Alwi, Dr Shaikh Johari Bux, DSAI, Haji Mohamed Ali Ghazali, Muslim Professionals Forum

by Magic River