Malaysia and Gitmo 26 January 2009

So brand-spanking new U.S. President Mr. Barack Obama wasted no time in ordering the controversial Guantanamo Bay to be closed within a year.

Malaysia quickly made its views known. Prime minister Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that Malaysia two of its citizens detained in Gitmo to be returned to Malaysia. The New Straits Times reported:

PM wants two Guantanamo inmates to be tried here

THE two Malaysian prisoners held at the Guatanamo military prison should be released to the Malaysian government so that they can stand trial in the country, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.

The prime minister said the authorities would contact the US government for more information on Mohd Farik Amin or Zaid (Zubair) and Mohamed Nazir Lep or Bashir Lep (Lillie), who have been detained there since 2003 for suspected links with terrorist groups Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda.

“We would like them to be deported and tried accordingly (in Malaysia). If they are found guilty, they will continue to serve their jail sentences in Malaysia,” he told Malaysian journalists here on Friday night.

He flew to Kuala Lumpur yesterday at the end of a six-day working visit to strengthen bilateral ties with Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The prison had been ordered to close within a year by newly-elected US President Barack Obama.

Some 250 inmates accused of links to terrorism are being held there with 21 cases pending in court.

Abdullah welcomed the US move to close the controversial military prison, adding that it was the beginning of change under the Obama administration.

“It looks like the US president is keeping his word and that’s a good start. We hope to see many more changes in the US administration.”

The two Malaysians were detained by the Bush administration, which claimed that they were suicide operatives for an al-Qaeda “second wave” attack targeting Los Angeles.

According to Reuters, a draft issued by the Obama administration said that anyone still in detention at Guatanamo after its closure would be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country or transferred to another US detention facility.

On Thursday, Obama made good his promise to close down the prison and to halt harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects.

It would, however, be a long and complicated process to determine the fate of the inmates, many of whom have been held for years without trial.

US judges had suspended several of the military trials of terror suspects at the prison following Obama’s executive order.

The military prison was established at a US naval base in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the US

I find our ‘official’ stance on Gitmo as highly hypocritical. Really, there isn’t much difference between Gitmo and Kamunting. We cannot condemn one while upholding the other.

When Mr. Abdullah said that he wants the Malaysians to be returned to Malaysia to be tried here, I wonder if he means that the two suspects will be re-arrested under the ISA. After all, many who are suspected to be involved with Jemaah Islamiah are still languishing in Kamunting, without any possibility of having a fair trial in a court of law. If that be the case, it’s just a matter of substituting one detention centre and replacing it with another.

Oh and the same matter, today’s the Star had this ‘gem’ from our beloved Home Minister, Mr. Syed Hamid Albar:

On a separate matter, Syed Hamid said the American-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba should not be compared to the Kamunting detention camp for Internal Security Act detainees.

Unlike Kamunting, he said Guantanamo Bay was located on an island.

Yes, according to him, Gitmo and Kamunting are different because the former is located on an island.

If I was Pak Lah… 18 September 2008

Things are certainly heating up.

Today, Mr. Anwar challenged the Prime Minister again: convene an emergency Parliamentary session by 23 September 2008 and face a ‘vote of no confidence’ motion.

Now, this is the second gauntlet thrown by Mr. Anwar at Pak Lah. The first one, of course, is the meeting between the two to ‘discuss’ power transition.

Of course, we all know Pak Lah’s response; he told Mr. Anwar to reveal the list. But Mr. Anwar has anticipated this earlier, saying that he cannot reveal the names now for fear or harassment, persecution and even detention under the ISA.

Some have ridiculed Mr. Anwar’s ‘fear’, saying that if Mr. Anwar does have the numbers, he would have revealed them already. The ‘fear’ of harassment, persecution and ISA is just an excuse to them. In this, I beg to differ. Just a week or so ago, we saw a reporter being detained under the ISA ‘for her own safety’. If they can do that, what’s to stop them from invoking the ISA again to hold onto power?

In any case, now Mr. Anwar has thrown another challange. Twice now Pak Lah can ‘call Anwar’s bluff’. He could have met Mr. Anwar and called the bluff. And now, he could convene an emergency session and ‘test’ Mr. Anwar’s words. It’s actually quite easy.

But for some reason, Pak Lah refused. Twice.

If I was Pak Lah (a big IF), and if I was confident that Mr. Anwar is ‘talking cock’, I would take up Mr. Anwar’s challenge. If I was confident, I would convene the session. If Mr. Anwar does not have the numbers, his credibility would plummet. And I would be able to neutralize the threat of Mr. Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat in one fell swoop. Leaving me only to deal with my musuh dalam selimut in UMNO.

But I’m not Pak Lah, am I?

September 16 has come and gone… 16 September 2008

As I’m writing this, the time is 2300 hours, 16 September 2008. For all intent and purposes, 16 September 2008 has come and gone.

As we all know, September 16, or now known as ‘916′ was the deadline set by Mr. Anwar Ibrahim himself. He has stated, many months ago, that he will try to take over the Federal government by 916 via defections of more than 30 Barisan Nasional MPs to Pakatan Rakyat.

916 has come and gone, and we still have a Barisan Nasional government.

At a press conference today, Mr. Anwar claims that he has ‘enough numbers’ i.e. more than 31 BN ‘defectors’ that allow him to form a government with simple majority. Yet, he is not revealing the names of these defectors, for fear that they will be harassed, persecuted or even detained by the current government. He says that he wants to meet the Prime Minister, Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss the handing of power from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat. He says he wants to ensure a ’smooth transition’.

I must say that before this, I was sceptical of 916. 30 odd MPs is a big number and its no easy task to entice them to defect. Charming and charismatic Mr. Anwar may be (or with deep pockets), persuading even one MP to defect is difficult, let alone 30 odd. And so, I didn’t think Mr. Anwar could do it. I was more interested in seeing how Mr. Anwar will react to his not obtaining the numbers.

But yesterday, at the Malaysia Day rally organized by Pakatan Rakyat, Mr. Anwar revealed something that caught me by surprise; that Pakatan has the numbers and that he is seeking an appointment with the PM to discuss the matter.

This is a bold assertion, repeated again at his press conference today. An assertion that should not be lightly made unless one has the truth to back it up. To me, it would be politically suicidal for Mr. Anwar to claim something so bold if he does not have the numbers.

Does he really have more than 31 MPs who will be crossing over?

I was quite certain that 916 will not happen a few days ago. Today, I’m in doubt.

Is 916 the precursor? The beginning? The start?

Will we have a new government?

I really do not know. There’s a lot of issues to consider if its true. Can Pakatan Rakyat work togather at Federal level? They seem to be doing just fine in the four states (excluding Kelantan, which is wholly PAS), but Federal is a whole different ball game. Will they be able to balance the composition in Cabinet? How will the the defectors factor in? And of course, there’s the whole ethical issue of crossovers…

Another part of me is willing to give a new government the chance. To me, the Barisan Nasional has gone from bad to worse. They did not seem to ‘get’ the lesson that the rakyat gave them on 8 March. They’re mismanaging the economy. Corruption is still rampant. They raised the fuel prices on flimsy excuses. They, particularly UMNO, continuously played the race and religion card for political mileage. And then, we have the whole ISA episode recently.

Quite the conflict, isn’t it?

In any event, this political instability is not good for the country. I do believe, however, that these are ‘growing pains’ that the country must go through to build a ‘new Malaysia’. Be that as it may, prolonged instability will cause more harm than good.

That is why I hope that the parties concerned resolve this ’stalemate’ fast. The PM has said that he will not meet Mr. Anwar and has challenged Mr. Anwar to reveal the names. If true that Mr. Anwar has the numbers, he should not wait too long. If the PM still does not want to meet Mr. Anwar, then Mr. Anwar must make his move. What that move is I have no idea. Revealing the names? Meeting the Yang Dipertuan Agong? I leave it up to Mr. Anwar. Whatever it is, I hope that he does it fast.

If nothing, the coming days will be interesting indeed.

Racist: Ahmad Ismail, UMNO Division Chief, part II 2 September 2008

Latest developments on Mr. Ahmad Ismail, the UMNO division chief who allegedly uttered racist remarks during the Permatang Pauh by-election. From the Star:

UMNO apologizes for racist remarks

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional government, has issued a public apology over a remark made by Bukit Bendera Umno division head Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last month.

“We hope that the non-Malays will not be too disturbed with the statement and we apologise if it has incurred the sensitivities or unhappiness over the statement.

“We apologise, Umno apologises although it is not our statement but it is a statement made by one of our division leaders. It is totally unwarranted and does not reflect the position and the attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno deputy president, said here on Tuesday.

In the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election, Ahmad had said at a ceramah that the Chinese community were mere “immigrants” in the country and thus were not entitled to be given equal rights in Malaysia.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Chery Multi Purpose Vehicle here, Najib said the Umno supreme council would also decide at its next meeting on the “appropriate action” to be taken against the division leader.

“The statement is his personal statement and is not the stand of Umno and the Government. We do not regard Malaysian citizens of Chinese, Indian or other descent as ‘passengers’.

“They are Malaysian citizens who have full rights and we will definitely safeguard their interests and their dignity and I describe the statement as something that Umno and the Government very much regret,” he said. – Bernama

It’s good that Mr. Najib has apologized on behalf of Mr. Ahmad, although I must say it is only after increasing pressure from various parties. Yet, Mr. Najib must realize that we don’t want merely an apology, but demand stern action to be taken on Mr. Ahmad for his remarks.

We also demand the police to look into the matter. Enough of double standards, Mr. Ahmad’s comments must be investigated!

No room for racists in our new Malaysia!

Racist: Ahmad Ismail, UMNO division chief 31 August 2008

Tengku Razaleigh hit the nail on the head with his statement last week; that UMNO is now perceived as a rascist party.

UMNO leaders should not surprised by this perception, when its members make racist statements in public. Most recently, Bukit Bendera UMNO chief Mr. Ahmad Ismail, who allegedly called the Chinese community as pendatang, or immigrants.

And what was UMNO’s response to this alleged racist remark? Here’s from UMNO President, BN Chairman and our prime minister, Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, taken from the Star:

Ahmad didn’t mean it, says Abdullah

KEPALA BATAS: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will personally see to it that Bukit Bendera Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail does not repeat his remarks about the Chinese community.

“I will tell him not to do it again. You know in a campaign all sorts of things can come up. I don’t think he meant it. I’ll make sure to tell him not to use it again,” the Prime Minister said after chairing the Bertam Umno division meeting yesterday.

Ahmad had allegedly called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) and was also reported to have said that “as the Chinese were only immigrants it was impossible to achieve equal rights amongst races” during a ceramah in Permatang Pauh in Aug 25.

He had allegedly uttered the remarks in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Penang Gerakan Youth committee member Dr Thor Teong Gee lambasted Ahmad and charged that Umno was still using racial ideology to achieve its own personal political agenda.

Bukit Mertajam MCA division chairman Lau Chiek Tuan called for disciplinary action against Ahmad.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik also called on Ahmad to immediately retract his statement and apologise to the community.

Ahmad could not be reached for comment.

Tanjung Gerakan Youth division chief H’ng Khoon Leng lodged a police report at the district police headquarters in Patani Road over Ahmad’s alleged remarks.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said there was no reason for Ahmad to stir racial feelings with his remarks.

“This is the Merdeka month and such a racist remark should not have been made,” he added.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Umno leaders should stop using racial sentiment to seek support from the people.

That’s no punishment. It’s not even a slap on the wrist. In fact, I’d daresay that it’s not even acknowledging that Mr. Ahmad had done something wrong. ‘He will be told not to repeat it again’? ‘He didn’t mean it’? I’m sorry Mr. Prime Minister, that’s just not good enough. If Mr. Ahmad really did utter those words, then we DEMAND that he be punished! No wonder the other component parties are not happy.

Taken from Malaysiakini:

Gerakan mahu Ahmad dikenakan tindakan

Gerakan, parti komponen Barisan  Nasional (BN), hari ini mahu tindakan diambil ke atas Ketua Umno bahagian Bukit Bendera Datuk Ahmad Ismail berhubung kenyataannya yang bersifat hasutan terhadap masyarakat Cina.

Semasa satu ceramah di Permatang Pauh pada 25 Ogos lepas, Ahmad didakwa mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa mereka hanyalah penduduk sementara di negara ini dan oleh itu adalah mustahil untuk mendapat hak yang sama di negara ini.

Setiausaha Agung Gerakan Datuk seri Chia Kwang Chye berkata ramai rakyat Malaysia kecewa dengan kenyataan Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Umno Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi apabila mengulas mengenai kenyataan Datuk Ahmad Ismail.

“Mereka menjangka satu kecaman yang kuat, terutama pada 31 Ogos, hari di mana semua rakyat Malaysia menyambut ulang tahun kemerdekaan negara.

“Selepas 51 tahun mencapai kemerdekaan, sebarang kesangsian mengenai kesetiaan mana-mana penduduk etnik Malaysia dan tindakan mempersoal kewarganegaraan adalah melampaui usaha menyemai persefahaman di kalangan rakyat Malaysia,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan, demikian menurut laporan Bernama.

Menjelang hari pengundian bagi pilihanraya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh minggu lalu, Ahmad didakwa membuat kenyataan itu dan semalam, ketika mengulas mengenai perkara itu Abdullah berkata beliau akan “memberitahu Ahmad jangan mengulangi lagi perkara itu.”

“Anda tahu semasa berkempen pelbagai perkara boleh timbul. Saya tidak fikir beliau bermaksud sedemikian. Saya akan pastikan untuk memberitahu dia jangan gunakan perkataan itu lagi,” kata Abdullah semalam.

Chia berkata kenyataan Ahmad sudah lapuk dan menimbulkan provokasi  perkauman sambil menambah sebarang petanda bahawa BN bertolak ansur dengan mereka yang jelas bersikap perkauman dan mengeluarkan pendapat yang bersifat provokasi akan memberi isyarat yang salah kepada rakyat.

“Ahmad Ismail bukan sahaja patut menarik balik apa yang diucapkannya tetapi perlu meminta maaf kepada semua rakyat Malaysia dan juga dikenakan tindakan disiplin bagi mengelak perkara itu daripada berulang,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Naib Presiden Gerakan Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan dalam satu kenyataannya mendesak pimpinan Umno dan BN untuk mengkaji semula pendirian terhadap Ahmad.

Beliau meminta polis menyiasat perkara itu memandangkan MCA dan Gerakan telahpun membuat laporan terhadap Ahmad.

Somehow, I don’t think the police will do anything against Mr. Ahmad. Heck, I don’t even think they’ll investigate the matter. I mean, it is after all an UMNO division chief who said those remarks, not Mr. Karpal Singh or Mr. Lim Guan Eng or even Mr. Khalid Ibrahim. We’ve got two different sets of rules, don’t you know?

As long as UMNO keeps spewing these racist rhetoric, as longs as it keep hurting the feelings of other races, then the support it lost from both Malays and non-Malays will return. UMNO’s humiliating loss in Permatang Pauh shoud be a lesson to it that playing the race card will not work on the majority of Malaysians. However, it does not seem that UMNO has learnt its lesson.

Musim menyumpah! 23 August 2008

Nampak gayanya, sekarang adalah musim ‘bersumpah di dalam masjid’. Terbaru, Datuk Seri Najib Razak telah bersumpah di sebuah masjid di Pulau Pinang bahawa beliau tidak mengenali Altantuya Sharibuu.

Laporan the Star:

Najib swears in a mosque that he did not know Altantuya

BUTTERWORTH: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has sworn in a mosque that he did not know Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and has nothing to do with her murder.

“Wallahi, Wabillahi, Watallahi (with Allah as my witness), I swear I do not know or have any connection with the Mongolian woman,” he said.

He made the declaration last night at a mosque in Guar Perahu near here after announcing that all mosques and suraus in Penanti would receive a RM1.4mil allocation from the Government.

Najib said his actions did not amount to an “official swearing ceremony”.

“But I am not afraid to utter these holy words in a mosque because I am speaking the truth. Whether others will be willing to follow suit is up to them.

“This is personal between me and God,” he said.

He added that although he has been subjected to taunts and attempts to smear his name, truth was on his side.

Last month in front of Umno grassroots leaders who had gathered at Putra World Trade Centre, Najib said he had invoked the name of Allah and swore that he was not connected with the Altantuya case.

He had said he did it following relentless personal attacks on him linking him with the death of the Mongolian. He added that the attacks were to stop him from becoming Prime Minister.

Kalau sumpah-menyumpah ini dapat membuktikan sesuatu perkara, maka saya cadangkan supaya beberapa orang lagi mengangkat ’sumpah laknat’.

1.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Datuk Shahrir Samad bahawa kenaikan harga minyak adalah kerana ‘kenaikan harga minyak global’.

2.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bahawa penurunan harga minyak tidak ada kena mengena langsung dengan Permatang Pauh.

3.
Datuk Shabery Cheek bahawa beliau tidak pernah menyerang peribadi Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ketika debat mereka.

4.
Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Nordin Kardi, naib canselor UUM bahawa beliau sebenarnya memahami bahawi IPP itu ada kena mengena dengan minyak.

5.
Datuk Ibrahim Abu Shah, naib canselor UiTM bahawa protes pelajar UiTM tempoh hari adalah untuk ‘mempertahankan hak Melayu’ dan bukan bermotifkan politik.

6.
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar bahawa semamangnya akan ada protes besar-besaran pada 14 Julai yang lepas yang ‘mengharuskan’ pihak polis menyusahkan orang ramai dengan sekatan jalan raya.

7.
Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya bahawa pilihanraya sememangnya adil.

8.
Encik Ezam Mohd. Nor bahawa dia masuk UMNO ‘demi membela nasib orang Melayu’ dan bukan kerana sebab-sebab lain (duit, marah dekat Anwar, tiada prinsip, pangkat dll.).

9.
Setiap dan semua orang ahli UMNO bahawa mereka sememangnya ingin ‘memperjuangkan nasib bangsa Melayu’ dan bukannya untuk sebab-sebab lain (duit, pangkat, kuasa, kontrak, projek, kroni dll).

10.
Khairy Jamaluddin bahawa beliau ‘berjaya’ bukan kerana bapa mertuanya.

11.
Uncle Pet bahawa beliau ‘bukanlah seperti yang RPK katakan‘ (saya tidak mahu cakap lebih dari itu).

Tak payah kita ada mahkamah untuk menentukan kesalahan seseorang.  Tak payah ada peguam. dan hakim. Tak payah ada Parlimen. Tak payah kita ada pembangkang untuk memastikan kerajaan bertanggungjawab dalam pemerintahan. Tak payah kita buat penyiasatan untuk mengetahui kebenaran. Kita hanya perlu angkat sumpah!

POSTSCRIPT: Satu lagi cadangan ’sumpahan’; Datuk Dr. Khir Toyo bahawa rupa barunya itu adalah secara semulajadi dan bukan menggunakan Botox mahupun pembedahan plastik.

Evil, am I? 21 August 2008

My prime minister has stated that the blogger who called on others to fly the flag outside down is evil.

So I ask my prime minister, is my act of following that blogger’s call evil as well?

Is my prime minister also saying that I am evil?

If I’m evil, what about those that are bringing this country to its destruction?

Those who use taxpayers money for their personal use?

Those that give what is not theirs?

Those that slander others and conspire to bring down others?

Those that spread racism and racial disunity?

Those who use the police to further their own political needs?

Those that spread lies through the media?

Those that use draconian laws to suppress others?

Those who do nothing to help the rakyat when they have the means to do so?

I ask my prime minister, if I’m evil, how do you describe the people who commit all the above?

My prime minister is confused, actually. Most of the time, he knows not what he’s talking about. We do not fly the flag upside down to disrespect the flag.

We fly because we feel that our country is in distress. It needs to be saved by us.

My prime minister should know that no one can question my patriotism, not even him. My prime minister should know that I love my flag and I love my country and I love my people. What I do not love is those that seek to bring it to ruin by their deeds.

To me, those are the evil ones.

I think you should be ‘perturbed’, Mr. PM sir! 4 August 2008

Taken from Malaysiakini:

Abdullah unperturbed by drop in popularity

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today described his drop in popularity as one which was common for all politicians.

MCPX

“That’s the fate of all politicians everywhere. Up and down. What’s important is what you do before you leave,” he said when asked to comment on a massive plunge in his popularity rating as surveyed by a local polling organisation.

About 54 percent of those surveyed expressed dissatisfaction with the prime minister, while 42 percent said they felt otherwise – resulting in more Malaysians disapproved of him than approved.

The opinion poll – among 1,030 Malaysians – was conducted between July 4-16 by the independent Merdeka Center for Opinion Research and aimed at gauging voters’ perceptions of current issues, the state of the economy and leadership.

The survey found that Abdullah’s popularity plunged to below 50 percent for the very first time from a record high of 91 percent in late 2004 – months after he won his first term as prime minister.

His approval rating was at 61 percent just before the March 8 general elections. In April, it went down to 53 percent and currently it is at 42 percent.

Obsessed with Anwar factor

The survey, which was conducted by telephone, targeted Malaysians throughout the peninsula who were randomly selected and structured along the national electorate profile to achieve proportional balance in terms of gender, ethnicity and state.

The survey’s margin of error is estimated at plus or minus 3.1 percent.

Merdeka Center executive director Ibrahim Suffian told Malaysiakini last week the decline in Abdullah’s approval ratings over the past few months was not only restricted to the widespread anger over rising food and fuel prices.

The continuing ‘bickering’ and political uncertainty – both within and outside Abdullah’s Umno – has also been a source of concern, he said.

Commenting on the premier’s plunging approval rating, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang today said that Abdullah might go down in history as the worst Prime Minister of Malaysia despite his glorious electoral mandate in 2004.

Lim also added that the Abdullah administration was “terribly obsessed and mortally worried about the Anwar (Ibrahim) factor in Malaysian politics”.

“Otherwise, why should Abdullah be dwelling on the subject of Anwar in the past two consecutive days, as if he has nothing more important to fret about,” he asked in a statement.

“I call on Abdullah to take the bold and courageous step to drop Anwar’s sodomy persecution as the first step to end the free-fall in public confidence in him as prime minister,” he added.

Yes Pak Lah, a politician’s popularity ebbs and wanes with time. Sometimes you’re up, other times you’re down. That the lumrah of politics.

However, you’d be best to take heed to your approval rating. From the dizzying highs of 91% in 2004, you have dropped to a mere 42% in only 4 years. It’s not as if your approval rating fluctuates, there is a clear downward trend to it.

With the majority of Malaysians unhappy with your leadership, there best thing for you is to do some soul-searching. Think of all the unfulfilled promises, the empty rhetoric, the prevalent corruption and the mismanagement that you and your cohorts have inflicted upon us.

Ignore this warning at your own peril, Pak Lah.

Only 28% satisfied with Malaysia’s direction… 2 August 2008

Between 4 to 14 July 2008, Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research conducted an opinion poll via telephone on 1030 randomly selected registered voters. The margin of error is estimated at 3%.

It is important to note that the poll conducted was before certain major events, such as the fuel debate, Mr. Anwar’s arrest and the PAS-UMNO talks.

The results of the opinion poll tells us a lot of things:

Only 28% of those surveyed were satisfied with the country’s direction.

The PM’s approval rating is at it’s lowest: 42%, a far cry from his record high of 91% in 2004.

54% were dissatisfied with the Barisan Nasional federal government, compared to the 44% who were satisfied.

Interestingly, 47% of those surveyed did not think that Mr. Najib would make a good prime minister. 34% agreed while the remaining 19% either did not answer or did not know.

UMNO’s approval rating stands at only 36% (’satisfied that UMNO reflected the needs and aspirations of the people in Malaysia’). 58% did not think so.

Pakatan Rakyat fared better. 57% were satisfied with the Pakatan Rakyat state governments, as opposed to the 32% who were not satisfied.

55% were not confident that Barisan Nasional would be able to fulfill it’s election promises whilst 42% expressed lack of confidence that Pakatan Rakyat would fulfill it’s election promises.

The poll found that 55% of respondents did not believe in the allegation against Mr. Anwar Ibrahim. Only 11% believed the allegaton outright and the remaining 34% either did not know or gave no answer.

66% of the respondents thought that this was a politically motivated action aimed at disrupting Mr. Anwar’s political career.

Only 32% were confident that the judiciary will play its role in a fair and independent manner in handling Mr. Anwar’s case. Only 29% expressed confidence that the AG’s chambers will be fair and independent in handling the case while only 31% thought that the police would be fair and independent in handling the said case.

Anyways, if you wish to read the results of the opinion poll, proceed to the Merdeka Centre’s website, where you can download the PDF file. Or you can download it here.

Thank goodness, PAS, part II 31 July 2008

In my previous post, I have stated that I am not a PAS member nor supporter. Yet, I have a great deal of respect for the party.

So over the past week or so, I found myself having to defend PAS’ integrity and trustworthiness after it was revealed that some of its’ leaders had spoken to Pak Lah and UMNO, purportedly over the issue of ‘Malay unity’ and Islam.

Pakatan supporters, especially the non-Malays, were quick to denounce the party, saying that PAS had betrayed the people’s trust that were vested upon them by the March 8 tsunami. In fact, a senior Pakatan politician, Mr. Karpal Singh, has even questioned PAS’ membership in the loose PKR-DAP-PAS coalition, a move that I thought was very foolish.

It seemed to me that the very people who usually dismiss the media’s biased reporting and story-spinning had in this instance, believed the very same publications that they have shunned. In Malaysiakini (a news portal that I consider to be the most independent in the country), many letters and opinions were put forth, accusing the Islamist party as hypocrites and betrayers and this view was echoed by many bloggers.

In fact, a friend of mine who claims to be a die-hard Anwar and Pakatan supporter had told me that PAS had betrayed the non-Malays and he declared that he will not vote for PAS again (when in fact, he didn’t even register to vote in the last election).

I think it’s because to most non-Malays, PAS is an unknown entity that they were only acquainted with in the last elections. Before that, the Islamist party has been portrayed by the media as extremists, fundementalist and Taliban-esque. I think that the ‘PAS-bias’ within some of us is too strong to shake off completely. All the media had to do was play the issue to the hilt, and before long, some of us started to turn against the party.

To me, it is unfair and premature to judge PAS as betrayers and hypocrites, especially when there were no political co-operation that ever took place between the two parties. Yes, there were ’secret’ meetings, in which offers were made, especially in Perak and Selangor, but at that point in time, ‘Pakatan Rakyat’ has not been formed. Between the three parties, there was only an understanding with regards to seats. Thus PAS had all the right to listen to whomever they wish. The fact of the matter is, even though offers were made to form coalition governments in Selangor and Perak, the Islamist party had rejected them. That is why we have the Pakatan Rakyat governments in those two states. Yet, many people seemed to have conveniently disregarded this very important fact.

And these PAS accusers have not even bothered to find out the story from PAS’ side. If they had, they would know that despite the efforts by a small minority of leaders within PAS, the majority of its supporters and leaders strongly reject any co-operation with UMNO. All the news that they received on the issue came from the mainstream media.

PAS is a principled party. I believe that it will not abandon its principle simply for the sake of power and positions. PAS had fought the unjust UMNO-BN regime for a very long time. It’s grassroots had sacrificed  time, money and effort, to help out in campaigns and rallies. Do you think that these ‘battle-hardened’ men and women can ever ‘kiss and make up’ with their arch-enemies?

When some of us sympathized and did not believe the allegations against Mr. Anwar Ibrahim 1998, we do nothing but shake our heads. Yet PAS supporters showed their support to Mr. Anwar by helping his cause.

When most of us who bicker and complain about unfair elections, PAS members turned out in droves onto Kuala Lumpur to demand free and fair elections during the BERSIH rally.

When most of us bitch about the high cost of petrol but we do nothing and let the government milk us for all we’re worth, PAS helped organize a rally to protest against the fuel hike.

And all of a sudden, because UMNO started courting PAS, we accuse the party of being hypocritical.

But aren’t we the real hypocrites? Hypocrites who want PAS to fight for us, yet do not even allow them to explain themselves over this whole muzakarah issue?

Taken from news portal Siasahdaily:

PAS tolak sebarang kerjasama dengan UMNO

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Julai: Selepas bermesyuarat selama lima jam, PAS memutuskan tidak akan mengadakan sebarang kerjasama dengan Umno samada di peringkat negeri atau pusat tetapi sedia berjumpa dengan mana-mana pihak di negara ini.

“Oleh itu, tidak berbangkit soal PAS menerima tawaran dari Umno,” kata Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang kepada sidang media selepas mesyuarat khas Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat dan Majlis Syura Ulamak di Pejabat Agung PAS hari ini.

Beliau dengan ditemani oleh Setiausaha Agung, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar dan Ketua Muslimat, Nuridah Salleh membaca keputusan tiga perkara dalam mesyuarat itu hari ini.

Keputusan itu adalah:-

1) PAS tidak akan ada sebarang kerjasama dengan Umno.
2) PAS terbuka untuk bertemu dengan semua pihak, NGO atau parti politik.
3) PAS akan kekal bersama Pakatan Rakyat dan akan bergerak secara aktif dan positif dalam Pakatan. Untuk itu PAS akan berusaha untuk memujuk anggota Parlimen Umno untuk menyertai PAS atau PKR dalam Pakatan bagi membentu kerajaan baru.

Ketika menjawab persoalan dari wartawan, Abdul Hadi berkata, selepas ini jika ada sebarang pertemuan tidak akan dijalankan secara sulit lagi.

PAS juga, katanya, menghargai sokongan orang bukan Islam dan akan meningkat pengiktirafan kepada mereka selepas ini.

PAS juga, katanya, menyokong penuh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan mencadangkan kerajaan menghakimi kes dakwaan terhadap beliau menurut hukum Islam.

“Jika tidak ada, Umno bertanggungjawab untuk membolehkannya,” kata Abdul Hadi dalam sidang media yang berlangsung hanya kira-kira lima minit bermula jam tiga petang itu.

I feel vindicated when I heard the news.

There should be no more confusion after Mr. Hadi Awang’s firm statement of PAS’ stance regarding the issues plaguing it recently.  PAS has firmly rejected UMNO’s offer and has re-affirmed its commitment to Pakatan Rakyat. After this, there should be no more talks of PAS-UMNO co-operation and no more baseless accusations against the party.

Some of us might not agree to PAS’ proposal for an Islamic state. Some of us might not agree with certain  actions by the party that we consider as ‘conservative’. I have no problems if you were to disagree with PAS’ stance on these issue.

But I hope after this, before we accuse PAS of being all sorts of unsavory things like backstabbers and betrayers,  we should at the very least, give them a chance to state their stand.

Breathe easy. PAS has not and will not betray our aspirations as manifested in the last elections.