DAP has already spoken to Muhyiddin Yassin and the ex-Deputy Prime Minister has agreed to help resolve this problem when he becomes Prime Minister. So DAP is backing Muhyiddin in the effort to oust Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

In the last general election in 2013, the DAP candidates went to the nomination centre with two surat watikah — one signed by DAP and the other signed by PAS. The reason for this was because they were not sure whether the DAP surat watikah was valid since they were signed by a Secretary General who was not legally appointed.

You see, in December 2012, DAP's party election was declared invalid due to the attendance of hundreds of illegal delegates-voters and in April 2013, one month before the general election, DAP was told to correct this discrepancy by holding its AGM and party election again, and this time properly.

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) decided to allow DAP some leeway and because of this the Election Commission (SPR) allowed DAP to contest the general election under its own party banner even though the surat watikah was signed by a Secretary General who was appointed by a CEC that should not be in office until DAP holds its party election again.

That was almost three years ago but since then DAP has done nothing. Hence the issue is: if its 2012 AGM and party election is invalid and since its CEC, therefore, is also invalid, and since the Secretary General appointed by the CEC would equally be invalid, can he still sign the surat watikah in the next election?

To avoid the possibility of the DAP candidates not being allowed to contest under their own party banner, they will be going to the nomination centre with two surat watikah— one under DAP and the other under PAN. If the election commission will not allow the DAP surat watikah to be used then they will use the PAN surat watikah instead.

The other problem is, some states might say yes and some might say no. So in some states the DAP candidates might be contesting as DAP candidates while in some states they might be contesting as PAN candidates.

This will create utter confusion if some DAP wakil rakyat are DAP wakil rakyat while some are PAN wakil rakyat. Hence, to avoid this confusion, unless the RoS and SPR can both declare beforehand that there are not going to be any issues, DAP candidates would all be contesting under PAN.

DAP has already spoken to Muhyiddin Yassin and the ex-Deputy Prime Minister has agreed to help resolve this problem when he becomes Prime Minister. So DAP is backing Muhyiddin in the effort to oust Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Yesterday, DAP said it is in the interest of the opposition that they allow Najib to stay until the next general election. However, in the interest of DAP, they need to help oust Najib so that Muhyiddin can take over, after which he will help solve DAP's illegal status issue.

This is another reason DAP was so keen to break up PAS and create PAN. DAP needs another party to contest the next general election. They cannot use PKR because the Chinese in PKR just hate the Chinese in DAP, since way back.

DAP also cannot use PAS after saying so many bad things about the party. So they created a new party called PAN, which is neither PKR nor PAS, and now will use that party to contest the next general election like what they almost did with PAS in the last general election.

Using PAN to contest the next general election is supposed to be a backup plan in case DAP candidates cannot contest under their own party banner. However, as it stands now, using PAN is the first alternative as the status of DAP is far from resolved and which will never be resolved since DAP refuses to comply to the RoS instruction to hold its December 2012 party election again.

Hence Muhyiddin taking over as Prime Minister is very critical for DAP, and if that is not going to happen then PAN would instead be very critical to DAP, unless the RoS and SPR are both prepared to close both eyes like they did in the 2013 general election.

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So there you are, four bullets and all duds. So the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion issues are not going to bring down Najib after all. So they may need to go back to the Altantuya Shaariibuu issue and try, yet again, to use that issue to force Najib's resignation.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWWR

Raja Petra Kamarudin

As I have said many times before, if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is still Prime Minister by Christmas this year then he is going to still be Prime Minister for a couple of Christmases to come. It is very crucial, therefore, that Najib gets ousted by December 2015 at the very latest and should not be allowed to celebrate Christmas as Prime Minister.

That means this next one month is very critical and many things are going to happen in this next one month.

First of all the anti-Najib forces need to rally at least 112 Members of Parliament to their cause and make sure that the vote of no confidence in Parliament succeeds. Currently they are struggling to get 90, let alone 112. So that Plan is out the window (what is it again, Plan D, E or F?). Anyway, whatever alphabet it is, that Plan is no longer workable.

So the next hope is for the 1st December 2015 PAC hearing when Arul Kanda Kandasamy will be testifying and will be replying to questions regarding 1MDB. The anti-Najib forces have heard that Arul Kanda is well-prepared and will be able to satisfy all the PAC questions.

And that is why Tony Pua wants Arul Kanda to debate Rafizi Ramli instead of testifying at the PAC hearing. He knows they are going to fail at the PAC hearing so he hopes that if Arul Kanda goes on with the debate he would be barred from testifying in the hearing.

Third would be Najib's speech in Parliament when he will be informing Parliament about the details of the RM2.6 billion. MACC has already confirmed that the money did not come from 1MDB and Arul Kanda would be able to prove that on 1st December.

Finally has to be the Umno General Assembly next month. Muhyiddin Yassin plans to openly ask Najib to resign and he hopes that the ripple he starts will turn into a tidal wave and maybe even into a Tsunami. However, this plan is already known and will most likely not gain traction. So the ripple is going to end up as a fizzle.

So there you are, four bullets and all duds. So the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion issues are not going to bring down Najib after all. So they may need to go back to the Altantuya Shaariibuu issue and try, yet again, to use that issue to force Najib's resignation.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has got in touch with Sirul Azhar Umar in Australia and is trying to get him to testify that Najib had instructed him to kill Altantuya. Sirul, however, has refused.

The impression being created is that Sirul was Najib's bodyguard. Actually he was not. He was the Prime Minister's bodyguard, at that time Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. However, a few days before Altantuya was murdered, someone switched Sirul's duty roster and sent him to Pekan as Najib's escort.

Who did that and why it was done has never been revealed because the documents regarding this 'transfer' has disappeared. Someone does not want it known that Sirul was not really Najib's bodyguard and had been asked to escort Najib to Pekan just for that one occasion to create the impression that he works for Najib.

It has now been revealed that Sirul was actually Dr Mahathir's bodyguard and later became Abdullah's bodyguard. But they needed to create this story that Sirul was Najib's bodyguard to link Najib to the murder. And now Dr Mahathir wants Sirul to say that Najib did, in fact, ask him to murder Altantuya.

It looks like all those earlier moves to oust Najib have failed and they need to revert to the Altantuya issue as the last resort. If not the plan for Najib to celebrate Christmas in retirement is as good as dead in the water.

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(NST) – Pas can now proceed with the tabling of a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament that seeks to enable Kelantan to implement its Hudud law.

Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan said the Islamist party’s president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang can go ahead with the tabling following today’s High Court dismissal of a suit that sought to halt the move.

Shamsul appeared for co-defendants Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and his three deputies, whom with main defendant Hadi were sued by plaintiff Mansoor Saat and three others.

Hadi’s counsel Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said Judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad allowed his client’s bid to strike out the suit as the four plaintiffs had no right or “locus standi” to even initiate the legal action.

Takiyuddin said nothing in the court documents showed whether the four plaintiffs – Mansoor, Azira Aziz, Hasbeemaputra Abu Bakar and Hazwany Jamaluddin – are voters or supporters of Pakatan Rakyat, who could potentially be affected by the Bill-tabling.

“The court found the suit premature, academic, theoretical and presumptuous as the thing has not even happened,” said Takiyuddin in reference to Hadi’s Bill – which seeks to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 – having not even been debated during the current ongoing Dewan Rakyat session.

Pas had sought the amendment in order to expand the powers of the Kelantan Syariah courts to pass judgments in cases linked to the state’s Hudud law, which was passed by the state legislature on March 19.

On that date, the Kelantan legislature passed the Syariah Criminal Code II 1993 (Amendment 2015) to enable the implementation of Pas’ Hudud law in the state.

However the state is still hobbled by the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act, which limits state Syariah courts to handing out sentences not exceeding three years’ jail, RM5,000 fine, or six strokes of the rotan.

Today Takiyuddin said the High Court ruled that Hadi – as Marang Member of Parliament – had abided by proper Parliamentary laws and rules such as the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 49 when he tabled the Bill.

“According to the Government Proceedings Act 1956, the court cannot allow injunctions (restraining order) against government officials,” said Takiyuddin in reference to co-defendants Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and his three deputies – Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said, Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Datuk Roosme Hamzah.

Takiyuddin said the court also found the four plaintiffs’ mode of initiating the legal action was wrong as they should have begun it as a judicial review rather than the present originating summons suit.

“The court found the action (suit) was an abuse of court process,” said Takiyuddin, adding that the court dismissed the suit with no order to cost. Counsel Farez Jinnah – who acted for Mansoor, Azira, Hasbeemaputra and Hazwany – said he would seek further instructions from his clients on the next course of action.

In early June, Mansoor and the three plaintiffs filed the constitutional challenge against Hadi’s attempt to table the Bill that sought to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act.

Hadi filed the striking-out application – supported by Pandikar Amin, Ismail, Ronald, and Roosme – on July 2.

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(The Star) – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (pic) is willing to work with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad only if he is willing to fix the country's system of government.

The former Bar Council President said this at the launch of the book "Malaysia Post-Mahathir: A Decade of Change at Sunway University" on Monday.

"If Dr Mahathir is concerned about what has happened over the past 30 years, if indeed he is trying to fix it as opposed to just kicking out one prime minister, then I think we should be open to working with anyone who is trying to do that," said Ambiga.

She said that the whole system has to be changed beyond replacing Najib as Prime Minister.

Ambiga added that she saw things she had never expected to see after Dr Mahathir stepped down.

“I would never thought I would have seen Dr. Mahathir being investigated by the police, I never thought that I would see Dr Mahathir at Bersih," said Ambiga.

She added that she never thought she would see Dr. Mahathir, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and many of the old guard coming out and lamenting abuses of power and the failure of Malaysian institutions.

Ambiga also commended the efforts made by the group of prominent Malays as they were made up of high profile individuals who were trying bring about change

She added however that she was sceptical as to whether anyone could get through to the present regime as to what is needed to make things change in this country.

Ambiga said that these individuals would be challenging a "fortress of power" created by Dr Mahathir who created a system where all power was concentrated in the hands of the prime minister

"I don't just hold Najib responsible for our woes today, I hold the entire cabinet responsible for our woes today. They are supposed to run this country honestly and efficiently and that is something that is severely lacking," said Ambiga.

"Mahathir Post-Mahathir: A Decade of Change" is being published by Singapore based Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited.

The book was edited by Professor James Chin of the University of Tasmania and  Prof Joern Dosch of the University of Rostock.

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Professor James Chin says former PM supports race-based politics and thinks Najib Razak's 1Malaysia gives false hope to non-Malays of equal treatment.

(Free Malaysia Today) – Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was a firm supporter of Malay supremacy and thought nothing of racial discrimination levelled against those of other races, said a professor in his latest book.

In the book, 'Malaysia Post-Mahathir: A Decade of Change?' Professor James Chin of the University of Tasmania, writes, "For Mahathir, 'Ketuanan Melayu' (Malay supremacy) is the cornerstone of Malaysian politics and of political stability in Malaysia.

"In his view, Najib's 1Malaysia not only undermines Malay supremacy but gives false hope to the non-Malay community that they may get political equality."

This critique was made in the chapter "Identity Formations in Contemporary Malaysia: Traversing and Transcending Ethnicity."

The report in The Star Online also said that according to Chin, Mahathir was the country's biggest "roadblock" in its effort to free itself from an "ethnic-based (and increasingly Islamic-based) political system."

He added, "Mahathir is one of the strongest supporters of race-based politics in Malaysia and does not see racial discrimination against the non-Malay population as a problem."

He also said that Mahathir, despite having retired so long ago, still saw himself as the "ultimate arbitrator of Malaysian politics" and that "For him, Malaysia belongs to Umno, an Umno with his imprint."

READ MORE HERE

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To call for moderation and good governance is to make a political statement

T K Chua, Free Malaysia Today

Today's statement by G25, the group of prominent retired Malay civil servants and scholars, is an interesting read. The group said it wished to remain "non-partisan" and "above politics." It said it was keen only to focus on governance, the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability, the independence and professionalism of public institutions and moderation in Islam, among other things.

Most of us would agree that these are noble objectives. But can these objectives be achieved by being non-partisan and above politics?

To speak of moderation and good governance is to make a political statement and to be partisan. Moderation is against extremism and parochialism. Good governance and transparency are against corruption, opaqueness and incompetence.

If G25 had asked itself why it was formed in the first place, its present stand for moderation, integrity, strong institutions and good governance would have become clearer. Obviously, it must have realised that our nation has probably taken a wrong turn and has been on the wrong path for some time.

Isn't extremism a political statement? Aren't religious bigotries and prejudices intentional and political? Aren't corruption, opaqueness, abuse of power, erosion of institutional independence manifestations of political manoeuvring and orchestration?

If all these problems are borne out of partisan politicking and methodical consolidation of power, how do the non-partisan and above-politics approach help?

If we stand for something, why pretend otherwise? What is so wrong in taking a partisan stand for moderation? What is so abhorrent in being political to solve political problems?

If G25's members have talked to the Malay Rulers and past and present political leaders as reported, they must have talked about national issues that have political, social and economic ramifications. They must have talked about reforms and changes, which have implications on the roles of leadership.

How could G25 avoid partisanship and remain apolitical when the issues it is concerned with have much to do with the civil service becoming politicised, some agencies intentionally becoming parochial, and some public institutions or branches of government being seen as taking sides?

READ MORE HERE

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The lack of leadership material in the country means a shift in power is near impossible.

Scott Ng, Free Malaysia Today

Prime Minister Najib Razak will likely remain Prime Minister for the foreseeable future, even after the next general election. Whether he's besieged by controversy or not, a weak leader is only as weak as his opponents are strong, and with each passing day, it seems increasingly clear that Najib's opponents just don't have what it takes to depose him.

With news that G25, the group of eminent Malay figures who emerged as a response to growing conservatism in the country, has rejected an overture by Muyhiddin Yassin and Mahathir Mohamad, it looks like Najib's enemies no longer have the clout to remove him.

Among all the Prime Minister's detractors, it is the man who handpicked him that has been loudest in the call to remove him, and whatever his agenda, many Malaysians have entrusted him with their voices. It's his endless campaigning and refusal to be silenced that has led to the anti-Najib sentiment bubbling at the top of public opinion. Many consider him the only man with the credibility in Umno to affect any change against Najib.

However, G25's rejection means that the moderate and liberal Malays are not willing to support Mahathir and his agenda. With Umno and the conservatives looking more impregnable by the day, it seems like the elder statesman's campaign is beginning to run out of steam. With the outcome of several international investigations remaining as the last moving gearwheel in Mahathir's plans, it is unlikely Najib will be removed before GE14, or even after it.

Read more here

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(TMI) – “Jakim is an advisory body to the government, but constitutionally it really has no role. Islam is the province of the sultan of the state, it has nothing to do with the government.”

There was a time in the country’s history when the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) did not exist, Putrajaya did not tell Malaysians how to practise their faith, and no one batted an eye when Muslims owned dogs.

And the former deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman’s eldest son, Tawfik Ismail, wants those days back.

The main step is to dissolve Jakim, Tawfik said during an interview in conjunction with the release of “Drifting into Politics”, a collection of his late father’s writings during the nation’s formative years, edited by Tawfik and academic Ooi Kee Beng.

Jakim was created during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad‘s time and seems to serve no other purpose than to intervene in the personal lives of Malaysians, Tawfik told The Malaysian Insider when met at his house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

“I think Jakim should be abolished. I don’t think Jakim should exist. What is the government afraid of? You have 13 muftis with 13 different fatwas and 13 different ways of approaching it (religion).

“What is the purpose of Jakim? Halal certificates? That can go to the health ministries, trade ministry. What else does Jakim do? Print the Quran? We have a communications minister,” said the softspoken, yet candid, 64-year-old former MP.

Naysayers may argue that Jakim is needed to “protect” the sanctity of Islam, but Tawfik was quick to point out that the Agong, sultans, imams (Muslim scholars) and muftis already filled that void.

“Jakim is an advisory body to the government, but constitutionally it really has no role. Islam is the province of the sultan of the state, it has nothing to do with the government.”

So which areas of Muslim life should the government intervene in? Tawfik flat-out said nothing at all.

“National integration in this country is the biggest challenge. How do you integrate the nation if you are going around this route of looking for faults among Muslims?” he asked.

But, Tawfik clarified that his views on dismantling Jakim were his own, and that G25, the group of retired Malay top civil servants of which he is a member, did not share them.

G25 does, however, want Jakim to justify its existence as well as the hundreds of millions of ringgit it receives from the federal budget each year, which he said could have been funnelled to the Health or Education Ministry instead.

Read more here

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(The Star) – A note from the meeting revealed that the group turned down the idea as it wished to remain apolitical, expressing its interest in the concept of a National Consultative Council (NCC) mooted by Datuk Seri Nazir Razak.

The group of prominent Malays (G25) has been asked to consider working with a group led by an unnamed Datuk as a third force in Malaysian politics, but it declined.

The idea was posed to the group during a closed-door meeting with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at his residence on Oct 17.

There, the former deputy prime minister discussed events leading up to his removal from Cabinet and also the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) investigations.

A note from the meeting revealed that the group turned down the idea as it wished to remain apolitical, expressing its interest in the concept of a National Consultative Council (NCC) mooted by Datuk Seri Nazir Razak.

Nazir presented the idea at the recent Khazanah Megatrends forum, and the G25 is keen to work on this as a platform as it covers much of the group's vision and mission.

"Representations are being made to DS Nazir to see when we can act on the initiative," the group said in the note, which was made available to The Star yesterday.

The group members had also reportedly made it clear that they did not want Muhyiddin and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be part of the proposed NCC, labelling them antagonists in the matter of 1MDB.

They feel that the present antagonists in the matter of 1MDB should not be involved in the NCC because it could result in a stalemate in whatever reforms needed to be made.

They also expressed concerns regarding a successor to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, saying that they were doubtful that the current pool of leaders in Parliament would change things for the better.

The group said it backed what it called "Nazir's generation" to take the lead as that age group would be the one to carry the burden of nation-building forward.

G25 member Tawfik Ismail told The Star yesterday that the group had met Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin on separate occasions, where the topic of replacing Najib had been raised.

Dr Mahathir met with the group earlier this year and again on Oct 12.

Tawfik, who is the son of Malaysia's second deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, said G25 still regarded Najib as the best person to lead the country as he was a moderate by nature.

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All their life they speak Mandarin, listen to Mandarin songs, watch Mandarin TV programs, mingle only with their own kind. In short, the Chinese live within their own colony and in their own cocoon. The majority will argue why they should be given equal rights as Bumiputeras?

Hafiz Ahmad

I have been observing racial relations in this country for quite some time. After the historic March 2008 election, there were many controversial issues that threatened our multicultural social fabric. I noted political awareness have risen significantly especially among the Chinese community. From the voting patterns for the last 2 elections, a majority of the Chinese have chosen to be anti-establishment by supporting the opposition coalition. This trend is expected to continue in the next 14th general election.

MCA can prepare for its demise by pre-ordering coffins. The Chinese community sees MCA as a weak party. MCA does not put up enough fight for Chinese interests. The Chinese see MCA as no more than UMNO's lackey. The Chinese frustration and anger becomes deeper when the UMNO leadership insanely spews disparaging remarks and insults directed toward the Chinese. Meanwhile, DAP is on the rise.

The Chinese have chosen DAP as their savior. Although DAP repeatedly claims itself a multicultural party that fights for all Malaysians regardless of race and religion, its leadership line-up is mostly Chinese and they filled all important positions giving some sense of security for the Chinese.

DAP has been very vocal in fighting for minority interests. Issues ranging from the Malay language bible confiscation, the existence of vernacular schools, recognition for UEC examination, government premises dress codes to even protesting against the existence of Jawi road signs around Kuala Lumpur back in 2008.

In my hometown Muar, every road sign around the city has Jawi characters alongside Roman characters. The Chinese in Muar have no problem with it. DAP probably wants to be seen as a hero among the Chinese at the expense of Malay feelings by attacking Jawi road signs. Even road signs can be used as a political weapon to boost its credential as the one true minority protector.

Dress codes imposed in government premises is another issue where DAP has shown itself as a new hope for the Chinese. The Chinese see this government directive as a blatant attack against their freedom despite knowing dress codes have been there for decades even before they were born. DAP leaders quickly responded by condemning the government. DAP has to respond otherwise they will lose the trust of their vote bank. Some DAP leaders went a little bit far by saying dress code regulation is creeping Islamisation. Suddenly Islam that has nothing to do with the dress code has been brought upon for their supporters to debate.

DAP leaders have no qualms looking chauvinist to consolidate their support at the expense of Malay feelings. The more fiercely and vocal they become to defend and fight for minority and non-Muslims interests, the more support they gain. This strategy actually works. One of my close friends was a former student leader in UM that was quite active with opposition parties. He has participated in many political events and forums organized by PKR, DAP and PAS. He said to me, even Chinese members in PKR are uncomfortable with the extreme/chauvinist approach within DAP. This explained how severe chauvinist political approach is within DAP.

This is where the majority and Malay resentment lie. The majority has become more vigilant and anxious than before. Their anxiety is solidified when they see minorities, particularly the Chinese, become increasingly more hostile in fighting for their rights. Recently, UiTM pro-chancellor Tan Sri Arsyad Ayub suggested that UiTM should be opened for non-Bumiputeras. I applaud this suggestion; in fact this suggestion should be done a long time ago. Many Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) already have non-bumiputera students. I do not see why UiTM cannot open its doors to non-Bumiputeras to study.

Instead of seeing this as social progress, non-Bumiputeras reacted negatively to this suggestion. All this time non-Bumiputeras screamed out loud why UiTM discriminates non-Bumiputeras, and when this suggestion came out, they mocked and insulted UiTM calling this institution low class, they do not want to their children to be stupid by sending them to UiTM. If UiTM is so low class, why make noise that UiTM does not accept non-Bumiputeras in the first place?

Non-Bumiputeras’ responses are usually very hostile. This makes the majority of the Malays feel non-Bumiputeras mock and insult them. They read all your comments. This will deepen their resentment toward non-Bumiputaras. I bet even liberal Malays raise their eyebrows reading all the negative comments. They might be re-thinking their position and probably shifting to the right due to chauvinist attitudes shown by the minorities, particularly the Chinese. The liberal Malays have nothing to lose if they shift to the right.

Another factor of the majority’s resentment is vernacular schools and the inability and simply laziness of the minorities to speak our national language. Undeniably, the Chinese that go to vernacular schools have a poor command of Bahasa. In extreme cases, some do not even know how to speak the national language at all.  This is understandable because of the environment they are in. After they finish primary school, some may opt to further their secondary education in SMK, some may go to an independent Chinese school or SMJK. After they finish secondary school, they further their studies in Taiwan or Hong Kong. If they cannot afford to send their children overseas, they send them to Kolej New Era or Tunku Abdul Rahman College.

All their life they speak Mandarin, listen to Mandarin songs, watch Mandarin TV programs, mingle only with their own kind. In short, the Chinese live within their own colony and in their own cocoon. The majority will argue why they should be given equal rights as Bumiputeras? They speak a different language than us, their children go to different schools from our children, they hardly communicate with us, they do not join the military or police forces to defend our country, they live in a different world. They are nothing like us, they are not us. Now they want equal rights and status as Bumiputera?

Imagine the minorities in Western countries, let's say the Muslim minority in Britain or Australia, living their life the way the Chinese do. They only speak Arabic; go to Arab private schools funded by their own community; do not know how to speak English, even if they do they do not have the English accent; they refuse to mingle with the mainstream society – they definitely would be fiercely condemned. They will be exposed to all kinds of vicious propaganda attacks. They will probably be accused of trying to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and establish the Caliphate system. They would be treated like second class citizens for generations to come. The British or Australian majority will resent and discriminate against them.  

One of my lecturers casually asked me this question: Why do we not have Chinese football players in our national team? He explained vernacular schools are generally small, they do not have a proper football field or a football field at all. Where will the students play football? He stopped there. I think what he was trying to say is that vernacular school is one of the reasons why we no longer have Chinese football players unlike in the 60's and 70's. It makes sense because most football players start playing football when they are very young. If they went to vernacular schools, they will not have a chance to play football. I remember during my primary school, football is the most popular and the most played sport in national schools.

I think Malaysia is the only country on God’s green earth that can tolerate citizens that are not proficient in speaking the national language. Some of them do not have some sense of ownership and love for the national language. I guess Indonesia was right to force assimilation down the throats of their minorities. All Indonesians regardless of race and religion identify themselves as Indonesian; they all speak the Indonesian language. Jakarta has a Chinese descent as their Governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or popularly known as Ahok. Probably in future, Indonesia will have a Chinese descent as President.

Nothing good comes out from being chauvinist kiasu especially when you are the minority. Maybe you can feel good about yourself but negative consequences are colossal. You only give far-right Malay groups more ammunition to cause more racial tension. In fact, being chauvinist, you sabotage the works that have been done by the liberal Malays who all this while speak on your defense against far-right Malay groups and religious fanatics.

I do realize liberal Malay figures are very popular among non-Malays. Current racial relations in this country is very fragile and precarious. Just put a Malay and a Chinese in one room, you will get a racial riot just like what happened several months ago at Low Yat although there was nothing racial about the cause of the incident. It was a hand phone theft. Distrust and resentment have taken over our society.

Pro-bumiputera policies are not meant to stay forever. I do hope that those policies will be more reasonable, more liberal and gradually disappear. Opening up UiTM for non-Bumiputeras is the right thing to do. Do not mock this suggestion just to intentionally hurt others’ feelings. Do not be kiasu. I also hope that English medium schools will be revived. Convert all national schools to become English medium schools – but the Malay language as the national language needs to be protected and strengthened.  All citizens must be proficient in speaking Bahasa. All business signboards, road signs, government building signs must use Bahasa Melayu alongside English as a second language. Signboards with language other than Bahasa Melayu and English must be banned and taken down.

I believe there are more open minded and reasonable people than there are religious fanatic extremists. Do not paint a picture with the same brush.

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Why drag in the police? Najib Razak should just sue Tun Mahathir for slander, or civil defamation—that, at least, is how a man should behave.

Zaidgeist

For the first time in our history, the police commenced investigation on a 90 year old former Prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad presumably for criminal defamation. I heard it's regarding something he said about the current Prime Minister during the Bersih 4.0 rally two months ago. Sadly the same Police force still have not shown any interest to question the current PM Dato Sri Najib Razak Najib over 1MDB, despite police reports had been lodged against him more than 10 months now.

From what I recall, Tun Mahathir did say something that could well be grounds for a civil claim, but why drag in the police? Najib Razak should just sue Tun Mahathir for slander, or civil defamation—that, at least, is how a man should behave. After all the issue is a simple straightforward one; did Najib take the money from 1MDB / SRC or not. Then did he pay off all those UMNO / BN leaders to keep them quiet , and continue to support him in power?

Criminal defamation laws that use the police and the state to coerce and stop citizens from speaking up are outdated and should be repealed. They were created by the colonial masters to instill fear on the populace . They have a pernicious effect on society and should be abolished.

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, the Human Rights Committee of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international bodies have all called for the abolition of criminal defamation. Our self-styled transformative and moderate Prime Minister, however, prefers to humiliate Tun Mahathir by sending in the Police.

But Tun Mahathir, as always, is being extremely smart and strategic in his approach. He has refused to answer any question posed by the police. I have received many calls from Tun Mahathir's admirers, asking me if the police can charge him for not answering their questions. I told them that in a police state—which we clearly are at this point—whether one answers the question or not is immaterial; if the police want to charge you, they will. They will ask you questions even if you do not know the basis of the investigation against you. That's probably why Tun has so far refused to answer their questions.

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 It has been two months since the Bersih rally and suddenly, out of the blue, is it merely sheer coincidence that the police require Basheer's attendance on the day of his final exams?

Tony Pua

We refer to the tweets by the Chief Minister of Selangor, Azmin Ali, concerning his son Basheer Azmin who has been summoned by the police pursuant to Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code in relation to the recent Bersih rally.

DAP Selangor urges the Home Ministry to stop such selective harassment on Basheer Azmin, a 15 year old school boy who is starting his final examinations in school this week.

What were the Police thinking?  It has been two months since the Bersih rally and suddenly, out of the blue, is it merely sheer coincidence that the police require Basheer's attendance on the day of his final exams?

Worse, of all the people the Police could summon to assist with the investigations, whether as a suspect or a witness, why summon a 15 year old boy who just happened to be the son of the Selangor Menteri Besar, Azmin Ali?  Is the Police going to summon up to 500,000 people who took part in the Bersih rally for investigations?

Such high-handed police intervention does not assist in shaking off the perception that the police force is politically motivated and that the Barisan Nasional led Federal Government is utilising its every machinery to oppress the Federal Opposition.

With confidence in the Barison Nasional leadership at an all-time low causing a slowdown in the economy, crime is likely to increase, as warned by the Deputy Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed recently.

As such, DAP Selangor implores the Home Ministry to be more professional in discharging their duties, and to employ its resources into investigating real crime instances, and we reiterate that participating in a peaceful Bersih rally is definitely not one of them.

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