Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Malaysia's own MACC......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maQK3jNrg9E&feature=player_embedded
MACC stumbled, struggled and strangulated itself
FROM AROUND THE BLOGS
Wednesday, 23 March 2011 Super Admin
By Martin Jaleh...regular contributor of the ALIRAN
Its chief wanted Malaysians to believe that the anti-corruption body is “independent, transparent and professional”. Yet, so far, the MACC has failed to convince a highly sceptical public, observes Martin Jalleh.
With the dawn of a new year the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) marked its first anniversary as a commission. But there was little to celebrate. Abu Kassim Mohamed was appointed the new Chief Commissioner. New resolutions were made by the MACC to redeem itself and restore public confidence.
They even came up with a new slogan: ‘Let’s Together Change: Fight Corruption’. This was followed by stirring speeches and soul-baring interviews of the MACC’s supremo, who asked the public to give him the benefit of the doubt!
The public remained sceptical! Judging from the way things turned out (as seen below), they were justified in having serious doubts about the ‘new’ MACC and its chief.
Shot in the foot
But even before Abu Kassim could settle down and show some semblance of seriousness, his boys indicated that it was going to be business as usual! On the first day of 2010, two MACC officers lodged police reports against opposition newspaper Suara Keadilan and Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip on matters related to the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.
“Certainly it is not a good way to start the year. Already people shudder at the mention of the MACC. Oh my God! More selective prosecution! What’s new at the MACC? Nothing has changed. Such is the perception,” commented Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, a Pas central working committee member.
On 8 Feburary 2010, Abu Kassim conceded that the police reports were a “shot in the foot”. He claimed that he did not know about the reports, had asked the AG (about it), and the latter said “every (MACC) officer has the right to make a police report”.
He added: “I don’t really understand why a report was made against Pornthip”. Neither do we, Abu.
Farcical file on Najib
On 23 May 2010, Abu Kassim very dramatically revealed that the commission had opened a file into PM Najib Abdul Razak’s controversial offer (made on the eve of the Sibu by-election) of RM5 million for flood-mitigation projects in Rejang Park, provided the BN candidate was elected.
He said: “Yes, we have received complaints from several quarters during the by-election. So we have started investigating. We will investigate any party. We have two (complaints), one in Hulu Selangor… and [another in] Sibu.”
MACC investigations director Mustafar Ali said that the MACC “may consider calling Najib in for investigation. Not at the moment, but if need be of course we will call whoever [was relevant] to testify”. Was the MACC thinking of regaining public confidence by taking the rakyat for a ride?
Sly sympathy
In an unusual move on Teoh Beng Hock’s first-year death anniversary (16 July 2010) the MACC head issued a statement expressing his sympathy for the family and pledged he will not “compromise or cover up the actions of any culprit or anyone found potentially involved in the death of Teoh Beng Hock”.
The open letter to the grief-stricken family backfired. The family questioned the sincerity of Abu Kassim especially on why the condolence statement was only issued in Mandarin and consequently only given coverage in the Chinese-language media.
Further, the year-late condolence was at variance with the stance adopted by the MACC counsel Abdul Razak Musa at the inquest where he was clearly acting on the MACC’s instruction that Teoh Beng Hock had committed suicide.
MACC chickened out
In June, the MACC made a U-turn at the eleventh hour on plans to meet private investigator, P Balasubramaniam, in London to record his statement on a 2008 statutory declaration that implicated PM Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and their friend Razak Baginda in the Altantuya murder and submarines-graft case.
In a bid to help the MACC counter the storm of criticism that erupted since the MACC’s announcement that it had been advised by the A-G not to go, MACC adviser Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas came up with the ludicrous: “It is ridiculous to go over there. The process will involve a lot of cost and a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
In a stinging response to the MACC, Americk Sidhu, Bala’s lawyer, said: “This turn of events has certainly destroyed what little credibility the MACC had left and has confirmed the suspicions held by most right thinking members of society that they are a body existing solely to protect the interests of the powers that be…
“Let me add that whatever advice the MACC may have received from the Attorney General’s chambers is highly suspect and devoid of any legal basis, but instead smacks of a hastily assembled concoction of very weak excuses designed to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation for those who are obviously in control and who are able to hijack the machinations of the State and to manipulate the system to suit their own illegitimate agendas.”
Press must “protect” MACC from itself!
On 21 July 2010, the MACC operations review panel said that “the press has been unfair in its coverage of the MACC so far. It should in fact “protect” the anti-graft body in order to encourage foreign direct investment into the country” (The Malaysian Insider).
Why blame the press, especially when the MACC does not do what it should be doing? Why shoot the messenger when the MACC is in a mess? There is really no need for the MACC to fear bad press. But it should be wary of itself! Tunku Abdul Aziz put this perfectly: “The MACC is its own worst enemy!”
MACC ‘commits suicide’
On 18 August 2010, the MACC very tragically “committed suicide” during the cross-examination of world-renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand by its lawyer Abdul Razak in the Teoh Beng Hock’s Inquest.
He helped kill the very little that was left of the MACC’s own integrity and credibility. Its public image plunged to the very depths with the help of Abdul Razak. He had at first advocated self-strangulation. He even demonstrated how it could be done.
He then asked Dr Pornthip if she had any experience jumping off a building! When that failed, the very experienced lawyer of 24 years assisted the Commission to take a wild leap out of the window of logic, common sense and civility.
RPK-leaks
In October 2010, MACC deputy chief Mohd Shukri Abdull revealed that “moles in the MACC were disrupting the operations of the anti-graft body. They must be weeded out quickly as they were also a threat to national security”. The commission had lodged a police report on 25 September after it discovered that documents on investigations into several VIPs had appeared on blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK)’s Malaysia Today news portal.
The public considers RPK a very good “mole” – the nation’s best and boldest whistle-blower! What was his motive of publishing those documents? Blogger Din Merican explains the logic behind RPK’s “leaks” very clearly: “The MACC’s response has been pathetic. Day by day, RPK is showing that the MACC is not serious about eradicating corruption. Day by day, the MACC is shown to have resiled on its own oath and motto.
“Day by day, MACC is seen as just being another tool of the BN to cover up its own excesses. Day by day, the organs of government are shown to be apparatus of abuses and oppressions. Day by day, the PDRM and the MACC are seen as just tools by the Attorney General Gani Patail to further his own interests.”
READ MORE HERE
MACC stumbled, struggled and strangulated itself
FROM AROUND THE BLOGS
Wednesday, 23 March 2011 Super Admin
By Martin Jaleh...regular contributor of the ALIRAN
Its chief wanted Malaysians to believe that the anti-corruption body is “independent, transparent and professional”. Yet, so far, the MACC has failed to convince a highly sceptical public, observes Martin Jalleh.
With the dawn of a new year the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) marked its first anniversary as a commission. But there was little to celebrate. Abu Kassim Mohamed was appointed the new Chief Commissioner. New resolutions were made by the MACC to redeem itself and restore public confidence.
They even came up with a new slogan: ‘Let’s Together Change: Fight Corruption’. This was followed by stirring speeches and soul-baring interviews of the MACC’s supremo, who asked the public to give him the benefit of the doubt!
The public remained sceptical! Judging from the way things turned out (as seen below), they were justified in having serious doubts about the ‘new’ MACC and its chief.
Shot in the foot
But even before Abu Kassim could settle down and show some semblance of seriousness, his boys indicated that it was going to be business as usual! On the first day of 2010, two MACC officers lodged police reports against opposition newspaper Suara Keadilan and Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip on matters related to the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.
“Certainly it is not a good way to start the year. Already people shudder at the mention of the MACC. Oh my God! More selective prosecution! What’s new at the MACC? Nothing has changed. Such is the perception,” commented Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, a Pas central working committee member.
On 8 Feburary 2010, Abu Kassim conceded that the police reports were a “shot in the foot”. He claimed that he did not know about the reports, had asked the AG (about it), and the latter said “every (MACC) officer has the right to make a police report”.
He added: “I don’t really understand why a report was made against Pornthip”. Neither do we, Abu.
Farcical file on Najib
On 23 May 2010, Abu Kassim very dramatically revealed that the commission had opened a file into PM Najib Abdul Razak’s controversial offer (made on the eve of the Sibu by-election) of RM5 million for flood-mitigation projects in Rejang Park, provided the BN candidate was elected.
He said: “Yes, we have received complaints from several quarters during the by-election. So we have started investigating. We will investigate any party. We have two (complaints), one in Hulu Selangor… and [another in] Sibu.”
MACC investigations director Mustafar Ali said that the MACC “may consider calling Najib in for investigation. Not at the moment, but if need be of course we will call whoever [was relevant] to testify”. Was the MACC thinking of regaining public confidence by taking the rakyat for a ride?
Sly sympathy
In an unusual move on Teoh Beng Hock’s first-year death anniversary (16 July 2010) the MACC head issued a statement expressing his sympathy for the family and pledged he will not “compromise or cover up the actions of any culprit or anyone found potentially involved in the death of Teoh Beng Hock”.
The open letter to the grief-stricken family backfired. The family questioned the sincerity of Abu Kassim especially on why the condolence statement was only issued in Mandarin and consequently only given coverage in the Chinese-language media.
Further, the year-late condolence was at variance with the stance adopted by the MACC counsel Abdul Razak Musa at the inquest where he was clearly acting on the MACC’s instruction that Teoh Beng Hock had committed suicide.
MACC chickened out
In June, the MACC made a U-turn at the eleventh hour on plans to meet private investigator, P Balasubramaniam, in London to record his statement on a 2008 statutory declaration that implicated PM Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and their friend Razak Baginda in the Altantuya murder and submarines-graft case.
In a bid to help the MACC counter the storm of criticism that erupted since the MACC’s announcement that it had been advised by the A-G not to go, MACC adviser Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas came up with the ludicrous: “It is ridiculous to go over there. The process will involve a lot of cost and a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
In a stinging response to the MACC, Americk Sidhu, Bala’s lawyer, said: “This turn of events has certainly destroyed what little credibility the MACC had left and has confirmed the suspicions held by most right thinking members of society that they are a body existing solely to protect the interests of the powers that be…
“Let me add that whatever advice the MACC may have received from the Attorney General’s chambers is highly suspect and devoid of any legal basis, but instead smacks of a hastily assembled concoction of very weak excuses designed to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation for those who are obviously in control and who are able to hijack the machinations of the State and to manipulate the system to suit their own illegitimate agendas.”
Press must “protect” MACC from itself!
On 21 July 2010, the MACC operations review panel said that “the press has been unfair in its coverage of the MACC so far. It should in fact “protect” the anti-graft body in order to encourage foreign direct investment into the country” (The Malaysian Insider).
Why blame the press, especially when the MACC does not do what it should be doing? Why shoot the messenger when the MACC is in a mess? There is really no need for the MACC to fear bad press. But it should be wary of itself! Tunku Abdul Aziz put this perfectly: “The MACC is its own worst enemy!”
MACC ‘commits suicide’
On 18 August 2010, the MACC very tragically “committed suicide” during the cross-examination of world-renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand by its lawyer Abdul Razak in the Teoh Beng Hock’s Inquest.
He helped kill the very little that was left of the MACC’s own integrity and credibility. Its public image plunged to the very depths with the help of Abdul Razak. He had at first advocated self-strangulation. He even demonstrated how it could be done.
He then asked Dr Pornthip if she had any experience jumping off a building! When that failed, the very experienced lawyer of 24 years assisted the Commission to take a wild leap out of the window of logic, common sense and civility.
RPK-leaks
In October 2010, MACC deputy chief Mohd Shukri Abdull revealed that “moles in the MACC were disrupting the operations of the anti-graft body. They must be weeded out quickly as they were also a threat to national security”. The commission had lodged a police report on 25 September after it discovered that documents on investigations into several VIPs had appeared on blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK)’s Malaysia Today news portal.
The public considers RPK a very good “mole” – the nation’s best and boldest whistle-blower! What was his motive of publishing those documents? Blogger Din Merican explains the logic behind RPK’s “leaks” very clearly: “The MACC’s response has been pathetic. Day by day, RPK is showing that the MACC is not serious about eradicating corruption. Day by day, the MACC is shown to have resiled on its own oath and motto.
“Day by day, MACC is seen as just being another tool of the BN to cover up its own excesses. Day by day, the organs of government are shown to be apparatus of abuses and oppressions. Day by day, the PDRM and the MACC are seen as just tools by the Attorney General Gani Patail to further his own interests.”
READ MORE HERE
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Oh poor natives..naive and plundered...damn whoever they are that plundered and looted their lands!!
In fact, the destruction by companies associated with the regime of Taib Mahmud has developed into a global threat. Taib-related companies are operating with ruthless and wanton efficiency across the remainder of the Island of Borneo, in Irian Jaya, the Solomon Islands, the Congo Basin, Amazon and Siberia, as reported by numerous NGOs. What’s more, somewhat closer to home, the Green Party in Tasmania has also been questioning why a Taib-related company has been subsidised to the tune of $8 million by the State to saw down trees for export back to Malaysia, which has now largely been stripped bare?A crime with numerous victims
What happened to the jungle here?The impact of this orgy of destruction has been devastating to the wild life, rivers and eco-systems of what was until very recently the most bio-diverse and intact remaining jungle on the planet. It has also left hundreds of thousands of native peoples, whose territories have been invaded, without sustenance and, likewise, on the brink of extinction.Few of the people of Sarawak have received any benefited from the wealth generated by the destruction of their forests. Instead it is the University of Adelaide that has
What happened to the jungle here?The impact of this orgy of destruction has been devastating to the wild life, rivers and eco-systems of what was until very recently the most bio-diverse and intact remaining jungle on the planet. It has also left hundreds of thousands of native peoples, whose territories have been invaded, without sustenance and, likewise, on the brink of extinction.Few of the people of Sarawak have received any benefited from the wealth generated by the destruction of their forests. Instead it is the University of Adelaide that has
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Old man frm Kerala can never shut his mouth....
Mahathir slammed for belittling Orang Asli
By: Karen Arukesamy (Tue, 15 Mar 2011)
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR (March 15, 2011): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is fully aware of the repercussions of his statement that the Orang Asli do not have more right than the Malays to claim Malaysia, said Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) coordinator Tijah Nyok Chopil.
Mahathir had in blog posting on March 10 opined that giving the Orang Asli greater rights to claim Malaysia as their own would be like handing back the US, Australia and New Zealand to the Native American, Maori and Aborigine natives respectively.
Tijah said: "Mahathir did not say this out of ignorance, he said it out of arrogance and power because he knows that the Orang Asli would not challenge him. But don't take us for granted!"
“First of all, whatever we have advocated and claimed for over the years is the recognition of customary land, which is the heritage of our ancestors,” she told a press conference at the Bar Council today.
She said every region of native land claimed is ancestral property.
“We are just claiming what is rightfully ours," Tijah said adding that the community has never touched on the rights and privileges of other races in the country.
“We have never claimed the whole of Malaysia or demanded that Peninsular Malaysia be returned to the indigenous community,” she said.
An emotional Tijah said Mahathir had not just insulted the indigenous people, but also violated the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and manipulated the actual scenario.
“His statement can have negative impact on the community, where it will further expose the community to the greedy businessmen and loggers," she said.
In support of JKOASM, the Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said there was ample historical evidence that the indigenous people have continuously occupied Peninsular Malaysia for thousands of years with their own form of self-government, customs, traditions and practices.
“Mahathir’s claim also went against the position of the court, pointing out that the Court of Appeal had recognised the Orang Asli as the “First People” in the Sagong Tari case.
“Mahathir’s views are just plain and simply wrong,” he said at the same press conference.
Furthermore, Lim said the Federal Constitution and the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 have recognised the status of the indigenous people and their customary rights over their ancestral lands.
The Bar and JKOASM has demanded for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to make a stand in this controversy.
--- end ---
By: Karen Arukesamy (Tue, 15 Mar 2011)
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR (March 15, 2011): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is fully aware of the repercussions of his statement that the Orang Asli do not have more right than the Malays to claim Malaysia, said Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) coordinator Tijah Nyok Chopil.
Mahathir had in blog posting on March 10 opined that giving the Orang Asli greater rights to claim Malaysia as their own would be like handing back the US, Australia and New Zealand to the Native American, Maori and Aborigine natives respectively.
Tijah said: "Mahathir did not say this out of ignorance, he said it out of arrogance and power because he knows that the Orang Asli would not challenge him. But don't take us for granted!"
“First of all, whatever we have advocated and claimed for over the years is the recognition of customary land, which is the heritage of our ancestors,” she told a press conference at the Bar Council today.
She said every region of native land claimed is ancestral property.
“We are just claiming what is rightfully ours," Tijah said adding that the community has never touched on the rights and privileges of other races in the country.
“We have never claimed the whole of Malaysia or demanded that Peninsular Malaysia be returned to the indigenous community,” she said.
An emotional Tijah said Mahathir had not just insulted the indigenous people, but also violated the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and manipulated the actual scenario.
“His statement can have negative impact on the community, where it will further expose the community to the greedy businessmen and loggers," she said.
In support of JKOASM, the Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said there was ample historical evidence that the indigenous people have continuously occupied Peninsular Malaysia for thousands of years with their own form of self-government, customs, traditions and practices.
“Mahathir’s claim also went against the position of the court, pointing out that the Court of Appeal had recognised the Orang Asli as the “First People” in the Sagong Tari case.
“Mahathir’s views are just plain and simply wrong,” he said at the same press conference.
Furthermore, Lim said the Federal Constitution and the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 have recognised the status of the indigenous people and their customary rights over their ancestral lands.
The Bar and JKOASM has demanded for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to make a stand in this controversy.
--- end ---
Monday, March 14, 2011
YOU and your cronies amassed huge fortunes....
post Featured Written by Valerie Mohan
I really don't understand how someone as intelligent as you can come up with statements that are so blatantly ignorant. I'm 25 years old, my grandparents came from Kerala and I only speak English and Malay. I've never been to India, don't speak the language and all I can say is tanah tumpahnya darahku.
How dare you talk about fair distribution when you and your cronies have amassed vast fortunes at the expense of others? I don't see you going out among the less fortunate Malays and equitably distributing your wealth! If I follow from what you wrote you didn't deserve a place at medical school which means you took the place of someone who better deserved it. Which is what is happening all over this country in every arena.
Its not racial issues that the people are most concerned about its a lack of competency that is perpetuated because of racial policies.
Malaysians would not care if the vast majority of the government were Malay if they were able to discharge their duties competently. If there were 10 doctors and only one was Malay I would go to him if he was best at his job. But we have idiots running this country (the government, the police, the MACC, the judiciary) to the ground and they happen to be a Malay majority so of course people are pissed.
Do you think Malaysians would be angry if the country was well run and everyone's rights were upheld just because it was run by a Malay majority. Take a serious look at the majority of politicians and the rest of the people running the country (non malays included) - they are morons! The government is in shambles, the police are seen as the enemy and the judiciary is a joke - you really think intelligent Malaysians are angry at the Malays in general?
We are angry at those in power because we cannot trust you to do what's in Malaysia's best interest, we don't feel safe in our own country, we have no freedom of expression because you need to keep us quiet in order to stay in power and we don't believe that when there is a crime commited you are actually to get to the bottom of it unless it serves your own interests.
This racially charged hate mongering has to stop, it's stupid and unnecessary.
The real issue is our country is badly run and yet the government insists on discriminitory policies that seems to ensure its continuity. Did you ever stop to think that the person who's place you took in medical school could have been the one to lead Malaysia the way it deserves? Maybe that merits discussion?
(Valerie Mohan was responding Mahathir posting entitled HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR, MELBOURNE. Click here to read Dr M's controversial posting in full Dr M tells Malays: To be given handicaps is to ensure fairness)
I really don't understand how someone as intelligent as you can come up with statements that are so blatantly ignorant. I'm 25 years old, my grandparents came from Kerala and I only speak English and Malay. I've never been to India, don't speak the language and all I can say is tanah tumpahnya darahku.
How dare you talk about fair distribution when you and your cronies have amassed vast fortunes at the expense of others? I don't see you going out among the less fortunate Malays and equitably distributing your wealth! If I follow from what you wrote you didn't deserve a place at medical school which means you took the place of someone who better deserved it. Which is what is happening all over this country in every arena.
Its not racial issues that the people are most concerned about its a lack of competency that is perpetuated because of racial policies.
Malaysians would not care if the vast majority of the government were Malay if they were able to discharge their duties competently. If there were 10 doctors and only one was Malay I would go to him if he was best at his job. But we have idiots running this country (the government, the police, the MACC, the judiciary) to the ground and they happen to be a Malay majority so of course people are pissed.
Do you think Malaysians would be angry if the country was well run and everyone's rights were upheld just because it was run by a Malay majority. Take a serious look at the majority of politicians and the rest of the people running the country (non malays included) - they are morons! The government is in shambles, the police are seen as the enemy and the judiciary is a joke - you really think intelligent Malaysians are angry at the Malays in general?
We are angry at those in power because we cannot trust you to do what's in Malaysia's best interest, we don't feel safe in our own country, we have no freedom of expression because you need to keep us quiet in order to stay in power and we don't believe that when there is a crime commited you are actually to get to the bottom of it unless it serves your own interests.
This racially charged hate mongering has to stop, it's stupid and unnecessary.
The real issue is our country is badly run and yet the government insists on discriminitory policies that seems to ensure its continuity. Did you ever stop to think that the person who's place you took in medical school could have been the one to lead Malaysia the way it deserves? Maybe that merits discussion?
(Valerie Mohan was responding Mahathir posting entitled HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR, MELBOURNE. Click here to read Dr M's controversial posting in full Dr M tells Malays: To be given handicaps is to ensure fairness)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
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