Donations for Ganabathi (Update)

The cheque handed over to Gana's brother from Weng San and me

Just to let everyone know that DAP Damansara has collected a total of RM4,860 and handed over the cheque to Gana's family on Saturday morning.

Four of us had a pleasant discussion with Gana's wife and elder brother who have managed a few trips to Kamunting to visit him. He's in decent spirits, lost about 5 pounds of weight and complains about the food ;-). Those detained under ISA are actually allowed visits any time during the day, 45 minutes each time. He's now spending the bulk of his time reading (3 books allowed per week) and writing.

The family will like to thank everyone who has contributed and sent their well wishes. They still strongly believe in Gana's sacrifice for a good cause and we can hope and pray for his early release from ISA detention.

For those who are still keen to donate, the DAP National Headquarters have set up a Trust Fund for the 5 Hindraf leaders detained under ISA. You may do so by depositing cash or cheque into the following account:

Bank: Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)
Account Number: 5141 7814 5866
Account Name: Democratic Action Party

All funds in the account will be to cover the necessary legal expenses as well as to support the detainees' respective families. Your generosity is much appreciated!

Hindraf ISA 5 Forum

ISA Arrests of HINDRAF 5 – Operation Lalang II in the Making?

The invocation of the Internal Security Act (ISA) to arrest five Hindraf leaders is most deplorable and marks another violation of the pledge by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to promote democracy, uphold human rights and defend the rule of law.

The five detained under the ISA are P. Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau and T Vasanthakumar.

The return of the ISA is another regression of Malaysia to the dark era of human rights violations which can only tarnish the country’s international reputation and image.

Is Operation Lalang 2 in the works with the warning by the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum that “a list of names had been submitted by the police and it was only a matter of time before several others were detained under the ISA”.

The DAP is organising a forum on the above issue with the following details:

Date: 21st December 2007 (Friday)
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

The distinguished panel of speakers will include:

• YB Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader
• YB M Kulasegaran, MP for Ipoh Barat
• YB Fong Kui Lun, MP for Bukit Bintang
• Sdr Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General
• Sdr A Sivanesan, DAP Central Executive Committee Member
• Other speakers to be confirmed

See you there! If you'd like to contribute to Gana's fund, you can also pass me the cash or the cheque to "DAP Damansara Branch" this evening.

Donations for Ganabathi

Many would have read my post on V Ganabathirau last week. Many, including my own DAP Damansara branch members were also asking how they could donate to Gana's wife and daughter. As promised, here are the details on how you make the donation. Apologies for the delay, partly caused by me trying to first obtain consent from his family, and partly, by me having to rewrite this post as I somehow lost/deleted the one I wrote late Monday.

I'm setting a deadline for donation on Sunday, 23rd December and will hand over the funds to Gana's family some time next week. There are 3 methods of collection, by cheque, by direct bank-in or by credit card (via PayPal) with the relevant instructions below. On behalf of the Gana and family, I'd like to thank you for your generous contributions.

1. Donation by Cheque:

Please write your cheque to "DAP Damansara Branch". You can either deliver or post it to the DAP Damansara Service Centre. Please also write "For Gana" at the back of the cheque so as to prevent a mix up with a normal donation to our branch.

Damansara Community & Service Centre
55M Jalan SS21/1A,
Damansara Utama
47400 Petaling Jaya

2. Direct Bank-In

You can also perform a direct bank-in into our branch account, whether by cheque, cash, ATM transfer or telegraphic transfer at any Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank). The details are as follows:

Bank: Malayan Banking Berhad, Damansara Utama Branch
Account Name: DAP Damansara Branch
Account No: 5141 9634 2008
Swift Code: MBBEMYKL

Please do not forget to email me at tonypua(at)yahoo(dot)com once the direct bank-in has been transacted to ensure that I'm aware of the time, amount and reference of the transaction.

Thank you once again for your kind donations, I'm certain that Gana and his family will definitely appreciate the gesture. Please also let me know via email whether you'd like to remain anonymous to the family or if you'd like to list your name down as one of the donors when we hand over cheque to him. Do also let me know if you face any problems with the above.

V Ganabathirau

(Update II: Donation mechanism is ready. See post here.)

(Update: Due to numerous requests for information on how to donate to Gana's family from DAP Damansara branch members to fellow supporters, I'll be announcing details soon here on this blog this weekend when the mechanism gets ironed out)

Today is another sad and black day for Malaysia. You would have read that 5 Hindraf leaders have been arrested without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), exactly two decades after the last Operasi Lalang.

There appears to be plenty of such sad and black days in recent weeks. Who would have thought that the seemingly genial Prime Minister, Pak Lah, when he took over the reigns of the Government could have been such an incompetent, uninspiring, sleeping and heartless leader?

But enough about Pak Lah, I've ranted enough 2 days ago here. Now, I'd just like to provide a little more insight to one of those arrested, a little known unsung hero, 34 year old lawyer, V Ganabathirau, who hit the limelight recently as one of the core leaders of Hindraf.

As you may have read from the New Straits Times (NST) yesterday, Gana is a DAP member. What makes the whole ugly episode we saw today close to me, is that Gana is a member of DAP Damansara branch, of which I'm the chairperson. Gana joined me in March this year, and subsequently helped form the Taman Muda branch in Shah Alam, of which he is the advisor.

Having known him for the past 8 months or so, I can't claim to know him inside out. But there are somethings which I will vouch for him with my life.

Gana is not a racist. He is not a religious fanatic and neither is he in anyway at all, a terrorist as he is insinuated to be. Having known him well in recent months, he is the complete opposite of what the Pak Lah administration, through the mainstream mouthpieces will like to paint him to be.

Gana is a full-blooded Malaysian, who strongly believes that all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity must have equal opportunities to succeed. While some may quibble over the fact that Hindraf could have taken a greater multi-racial outlook in its position, no right thinking Malaysian will deny them the fact that the overwhelming majority of Indians in this country are severely marginalised and lives below or near the poverty line.

The way politics in Malaysia are framed at this point of time, it is unsurprising that the ethnic Indians found themselves having to stand up and be counted. They really have nothing else to lose.

Some will argue that I can afford to spend some time on politics today because I've made some money after having sold my company. However, Gana, despite having just started his own fledging law firm, found himself travelling frequently (i.e., at least weekly) between Teluk Intan, his hometown and Shah Alam where he now stays, in order to provide his community services to the needy and unfortunate. He even rented and refurbished a service centre in Teluk Intan with his own money, to carry out his services.

When I received cases at my own service centre in Damansara Utama, and was in need of legal services to assist the complainants, Gana offered his with absolutely no hesitation. For example, there was a group of 7 contractors who failed to receive payment from a housing developer, Gana took up their case and offered legal advise pro bono. When legal actions were required, I actually had to convince him to accept some payment from these contractors! Guess what, these contractors were all Chinese but race, as should be the case for all right-thinking Malaysians, never ever came into the picture.

Gana, the youngest of 3 brothers, is a son that would have made any family proud. He belongs to the Indian Telugu community and grew up in a poor family which just about made enough to survive. Gana never manage to have the privilege of completing his education at one go. After finishing Form 5, he had to take up various odd jobs to help support himself and his family.

That however, did not prevent him from investing his earnings and taking up part-time courses to pursue his ambition of becoming an officer of the court. His dream came true in his late twenties when he graduated with a law degree from the University of London external programme. He plied his trade as a legal assistant with a law firm in Teluk Intan before saving sufficiently to set up his own firm, having moved to Shah Alam late last year.

But all these while, he held political ambitions, ambitions not to further enrich himself by illegal and unethical means, but ambitions to help play a part in the betterment of his marginalised community as well as Malaysians in general. Having set up his own firm, it provided him, for better or worse, the flexibility to spend time on social and political causes. And he did it with all his heart and soul.

Gana was married not too long ago to a school teacher. And only just on Merdeka day this year, his first, now barely 4-month old baby daughter, was born. If Pak Lah has his way, by the time Gana is released from ISA detention, his daughter would be more than 2 years old. When Gana first pointed out his wife to me sitting in the court stands when he was being charged with sedition in Klang sessions court, you could visibly see tears in her eyes. Her fears have unfortunately come true.

Gana told me that his wife was a former Tamil school debater and is very politically aware. In fact, in the earlier years, she used to tease him that he only knew how to "talk" politics but never got his hands dirty. More recently however, she will half-jokingly tell him that she regretted having ever encouraged him to join the fight for a just cause.

Gana is a good man. He has sacrificed selflessly to help create a better Malaysia for all Malaysians, particularly for the underprivileged and marginalised community. He has rose quickly to prominence through sheer tenacity, hardwork, eloquence and dedication to the cause. 30,000 Indians from all parts of Malaysia walked the streets of Kuala Lumpur not because they had nothing better to do, but because they shared his cause, and they believed that "enough is enough!"

For that, Pak Lah who is clearly unable to hear, accept and deal with the truth, invoked the draconian ISA in the hope of sweeping all under the carpet.

Thankfully, Gana has a kind and loving family members who will help take care of the needs of the mother and child. The DAP, as announced by the party secretary-general, will be setting up a fund to assist the families of those who have been detained without trial.

My eyes were moist as I wrote this post. I firmly believe that Gana will be a stronger man post-detention. You would not have heard the last of him for a long time yet. I expect him to be a future leader of this country, a rare breed of the much needed righteous, caring, intelligent and dedicated kind who will only contribute immensely to creating a better Malaysia for our future generations. His personal sacrifices must not, and will not be in vain.

Share this story with others who need to see the other side of the coin.

(Footnote: I've been corrected that he is actually the middle and not the youngest son of 3 brothers. ;-))

Released from Police Bail

The above is a 7 minute video shot by BK on the night of the his own arrest.

As you would probably have read in the online news reports yesterday, those who were arrested on 10th November for the peaceful candlelight vigil to protest against the Internal Security Act as well as to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the BERSIH rally, have all been released from police bail, after reporting ourselves to the PJ police station yesterday morning.

As the officer-in-charge stated, "we'll call you if you get charged". Otherwise, we don't have to report back to the police station. ;-)

MCA & Gerakan Chickens

Empty vassals make the most noise.

The proverb couldn't have been more appropriate for MCA and Gerakan, "key" component parties of the Barisan Nasional government.

Both parties made so much unbelievable noises at their respective party congress and conferences, that they are all for reform in the current draconian laws, the Internal Security Act, the Printing & Publications Act, the University & University Colleges Act and so on. The printed media gave them a field day to demonstrate that these parties have learnt their lesson from the March 8th elections.

However, when it comes to the crunch where it really counts, they scatter like frightened little chickens.

Two to three weeks ago, we initiated a signature campaign among Members of Parliament to request the Prime Minister to prioritise a motion to debate on the Internal Security Act (ISA) in parliament. Note that it was not even a motion to amend or change or abolish the Act. It was just a request to "debate" it.

Surprise, surprise, when we finally submitted the petition on 23 Oct, only 1 Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) BN MP, Billy Abit Joo of Hulu Rejang signed the petition. Where did all the 15 MCA and 2 Gerakan MPs disappear to?

As reported by The NutGraph, Deputy Education Minister, and new MCA Youth Chief, Dr Wee Ka Siong gave his excuse:

"If we (MCA MPs) did not sign the petition, it did not mean that we have no guts. It's just that the ruling coalition has a different way of doing things from the opposition," said Wee, who is also Deputy Education Minister and MP for Ayer Hitam.

He said debating an act, for it to be amended, was a passive way of solving the problem as all acts needed the cabinet's approval before amendment.

"Even if they are allowed to debate about it, they can keep debating until the cows come home but the law will still remain the same. We have to go back to the conventional structure, which is to go through the cabinet, if we want to amend any law," he said.

MCA's Chua Tee Yong, who took over his father, and the newly elected MCA Deputy President's former parliamentary seat, Labis "believed there would eventually be changes in the act but not now."

"MCA has called for the act to be reviewed because we believe that such law is needed in the country, just as in other countries, to keep law and order. But we want the act to be reviewed so that it will not be easily abused," he said.

Chua, however, said he could not recall if the caucus had approached him to sign the petition but he was confident that it was merely an attempt at gaining political mileage for the opposition.

Wanita Gerakan chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe, MP for Gerik and Deputy Minister of Information claims that:

"I do not want to support the petition because I do not want other people to ride on us (Gerakan) for political mileage."

The above excuses are completely unacceptable for many many reasons:

1. By claiming that only the Cabinet can initiate a review of the ISA (and not the Parliament), makes a complete mockery of the independence of the Parliament, which is the highest law-making body of the country. Are we MPs all subservient to the Executive and cannot have our own say? (Well, to the BN parties, it obviously is!)
   
   
2. By claiming that there will "eventually" be changes in the act but not now, it's the clearest indication that MCA/Gerakan are not at all sincere in their attempts to amend or abolish the ISA! If it's an evil act, why wait? Why not now? Because it still serves the purpose of BN to suppress dissent?
   
   
3. What's worse is that all the above comments flies in the face of statement issued by all the top UMNO leaders, that is the ISA will neither be repealed nor amended, and clearly MCA and Gerakan are just toeing the line. No more, no less.
   

MCA has elected a new Party President who is reputedly "brave" and "outspoken" and will do what is right for the people. I must say I'm disappointed that he has not taken up this opportune moment to mean what he says, and to signal that MCA will clearly depart from its broken past.

Since MCA and Gerakan are so happy to say that the opposition are just claiming political mileage in the above exercise.  On the contrary, it is when they actually refuse to join the petition that the opposition parties actually get to gain political mileage!

Regardless, I then hereby challenge that they lead the way and organise a petition, forum, signature campaign, or even a big walk, be it among MPs or the civil society in general to review, amend or even abolish ISA. I for one, and many others from DAP and other Pakatan parties will certainly be more than happy to cross the political divide and take full part in their campaign.

I don't care who the "political mileage" goes to, as long as the draconian ISA laws gets abolished. So who's politicising the issue? MCA and Gerakan's stand on these issues and their unwillingness to take concrete action merely demonstrates their hopelessness in furthering the cause for Malaysia.

Remembering Operasi Lalang

DAP Public Forum

Remembering Ops Lalang (1987-2007)
No More Fear, Abolish ISA!

Date: 31 October 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:30p.m--1045p.m.
Venue: KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

Special Guest: Malek Hussin (Chairman, MAFREL and former ISA detainee)

Speakers:

• Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Chairman, Gerakan Masuhkan ISA)
• Nolaila Othman (Wife of a current ISA detainee)
• Lim Kit Siang (Parliamentary Opposition Leader)
• Karpal Singh (DAP National Chairman)
• Tan Seng Giaw (DAP Deputy National Chairman)
• Lim Guan Eng (DAP Secretary-General)

ISA: The Sword of Damocles

My second article for The NutGraph, the Sword of Damocles is now up.  It's about the threat of ISA that we opposition leaders faced, practically on a daily basis.  In fact, I remember quite a few times on my blogs, both on Education and here, where I've been "warned" by concerned readers to be careful with my comments because we have a ruthless and unjust government.

Was I concerned?  Not really.  But now with Teresa's arrest... possibly life will just be a little different.

I AM breathing a little easier now. Teresa Kok, Member of Parliament (MP) for Seputeh and state assemblyperson for Kinrara was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on 12 Sept 2008 for some fictitious crime. She was released after being detained for seven days, when the police found no basis for detaining her any longer. [...]

But for a few hours and days after her arrest, my heart was beating just a tad faster. In my line of work, the ISA is like the sword of Damocles hanging over the head, ready to drop at any time. For opposition politicians like me, we tend to ignore the fact that it's there. I personally take comfort in the fact that I'm not as big a fish as I'd like to think. [...]

Teresa's arrest, however, changed all that. It demonstrated that despite not having committed any crime, as long as there are parties that wish to frame you for "crimes" you never even committed, the threat of the ISA is real and immediate.

For the full article, check it out here.

Visit Raja Petra for Raya

Fancy making a trip to Kamunting to convey Raya greetings?

Bukit Bendera Parlimentary Liaison Committee along with several Penang-based civil society activists, are planning a drive to the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping on the second day of Raya to convey their greetings to the ISA detainees:

Flowers, cards and gifts, if any, will be passed on to Raja Petra and the other ISA detainees to let them know that they are not forgotten on this special day. RPK's wife Marina has been informed of the event and she will be there to join us. The Press will also be invited for this event.

Date: Thursday, 2 October 2008

Meeting Places: 

(1) DAP Bukit Bendera Service Centre, Wayton Court, Penang (9.00am)

(2) Tesco, Penang (9.15am)

Dress code: Black

We shall begin our journey latest by 9.30am and arrive at the Kamunting Detention Centre by 11.00am latest. Here, we shall link up with those from other places like Taiping and and other parts of Perak. 

Those interested, please register or inform our committee member Mr Ronnie Tan at 012-4277883 

For those folks that are coming from KL, Mr. Sunil had volunteered to coordinate / assist in whatever way he can.  He can be contacted @ 012-2537206

I will not be able to make this trip, but I'll be planning another to Kamunting soon enough. Have a good trip!

Forum: Abolish ISA!

Free RPK, Free Hindraf 5, Free All Detainees!

The Internal Security Act under Article 149 of the Malaysian Constitution permits the detention, at the discretion of the Home Minister, without charge or trial of any person in respect of whom the Home Minister was satisfied that such detention was necessary.

A week ago, we have witnessed yet again, the abuse of the ISA in the case of the detention of Raja Petra Kamarudin – Editor of Malaysia Today, Tan Hoon Cheng - Journalist, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Teresa Kok Suh Sim - Member of Parliament, Seputeh.

To demonstrate stand on the abolishment of the ISA and to show our solidarity and support with all ISA detainees and their families, we are organising a forum with invited speakers with details as follows:

Date: 23 Sep 2008 (Tue)
Time: 8:00 pm
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Jln Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur
Admission is Free; Bring Friends

The panel of Distinguished Speakers include:

• Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister, DAP MP Bagan, ADUN Air Itam
  
• Teresa Kok, Selangor State Exco, DAP MP Seputeh/ADUN Kinrara
  
• A. Sivanesan, Perak State Exco, DAP ADUN Sungkai
  
• Khalid Samad, PAS MP Shah Alam
• Nurul Izzah binti Anwar, PKR MP Lembah Pantai
• Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Bar Council President
• Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Chairman of Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI)

Moderator: Teo Nie Ching, DAP MP Serdang

The wives of some of the current ISA detainees, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, M Manoharan (DAP ADUN Kota Alam Shah) and V Ganabathirao will be present and be given an opportunity to speak. We should all be there to give the all the moral support we can! Forward to all your friends!

Abolish ISA or Abolish BN!

Teresa Hits The Ground Running

Modelling "Free Teresa, Abolish ISA!" Limited Edition T-Shirts ;-)

She didn't waste too much time on pleasantries. Neither did she spend any time moping about her 7 days under solitary confinement. She went straight on the offensive - challenging the Government to provide a satisfactory explanation for her detention, taking actions to sue Dr Mohd Khir Toyo and Utusan Malaysia for criminal defamation and against the Federal Government for unlawful detention. Already, she's booked for 3 engagements this evening, and it's only going to get even more (thanks to Barisan Nasional).

Utusan Malaysia had the cheek to ask if Teresa Kok will be willing to take the lie detector test. They have forgotten that the onus of proof lies not with the victim but with the accuser, and in this case, it should be ask if Zaini Hussain of Utusan Malaysia and Dr Mohd Khir Toyo are the ones willing to take the lie detector test to prove their claims! (In fact I won't be surprised if the malicious Utusan Malaysia headlines tomorrow says "Teresa Enggan Mengambil Ujian Kesan Pembohongan".)

In the mean time, we celebrate Teresa's release from ISA detention. But the fight will go on to abolish ISA, and ensure that all other detainees including Raja Petra, Hindraf 5 will get released immediately.

There will be an anti-ISA forum on Tuesday (23/9) evening 8pm @ KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Speakers include Lim Guan Eng, Teresa Kok, Khalid Samad (PAS), Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR), Ambiga Sreenevasan (Bar Council), Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (GMI) and A Sivanesan. More details soon.

Candlelight Vigil for Teresa & Other ISA Detainees in PJ

DAP Petaling Jaya will be holding a candlelight vigil for Teresa Kok as well as all other ISA Detainees this evening. This is part of a nationwide effort by all DAP offices throughout the country to seek the release of all ISA detainees as well as the abolition of the draconian Act.

We'd like to call upon the public, regardless of political affiliation to join us for the candlelight vigil, to show that we abhor such cruel and undemocratic laws being practiced in Malaysia.

Date: 16 Sep 2008 (Tue)
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: DAP Selangor HQ, 77 Jalan 20/9, Tmn Paramount, 47300 Petaling Jaya

As traffic may be heavy, space is limited, please park your car a distance away and walk in to join us. Please bring your friend and forward this message.

See you this evening!

More on 'Azan' Controversy

Don't forget to sign the petition to "Free Teresa, Abolish ISA!"

More clarifications of the issue of "azan" in the recent controversy involving the arrest of Teresa Kok under the draconian Internal Security Act. Read here on a comment piece by Abdar Rahman Koya on Malaysiakini with regards to "Deciphering the Muslim call to prayer".

The following is a statement by M Zulkarnain Hamzah, who is a Good Governance and Social Justice Committee Member of Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM). ( JIM also issued a statement against the use of ISA, blogged here).

Shedding light on the 'azan' controversy
M Zulkarnain Hamzah

"By now most groups with leaning towards racial sentiments would realize that Teresa Kok has been wrongfully alleged to send petition to ban azan. But then some people would still accuse her of being seditious in supporting the Puchong resident’s plea for the mosque near them to lower the volume of religious speeches and Quranic recitations.

Some are ignorant enough sadly, and jumped to conclusion that Teresa’s action is seditious and provocative. But Muslims with true understanding of Islam will definitely support the motion by the non-Muslims. It is not Islamic at all to force other people, Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, to hear Quranic recitation or any other religious sermons.

PPIM secretary-general Dr Ma’amor Osman’s statement that religious lectures are as part of ‘syiar’ Islam which he deemed as sacred as the call for prayer, and that there is no difference between azan and religious lectures give a totally wrong impression to the non-Muslims that Islam forces its teachings upon the people whether they like it or not, when the Quran clearly and loudly says that there is no compulsion in Islam.

Allah in Al-Quran said that those who hear the recitation of Quran must be quiet and pay heed to the recitation.

" And when the Quran is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy." (Al-Quran - Al-A`raf: 204)

Some Muslims are insensitive and let the verses of the Holy Book be carelessly heard indiscriminately throughout the entire housing areas without thinking whether the surrounding residents are in their optimum shape to listen the holy verses in the first place. It is even wrong for the words of God to be forced upon the Muslim community whose members might be sleeping or performing their daily chores, what more the Non-Muslims. How about young parents with babies whose sleep was abruptly cut short during the wee hours? Is there any compassion and understanding left for PPIM and other Malay-based NGOs to put such blanket ruling indiscriminately?

Just like Muslims do not like the nuisance coming from the smoke and ashes of the incense and worship papers of their non-Muslim neighbors, the non-Muslims too do not like to have long recitations and loud speeches alien to their understandings to breach into their airspace done by ignorant mosque administrators.

The Perlis Mufti in his past lectures have highlighted issues with the common practices of certain mosques in this country which have been causing nuisance to the Muslim communities themselves through indiscriminate playing of Quranic recitations during the wee hours, but the state religious authorities (except Perlis) never pay heed to his advice.

Playing the Quranic recitations and religious speeches out loud indiscriminately to others without prior consultation is an act of utter disrespect to the sanctity of the Holy Quran, and to the true teaching of Islam which forbids compulsion in propagating faith.

Islam stands firm on clear-cut evidences found in the Quran and the Prophetic Traditions, and it demands its followers to substantiate their standpoints in a very wise and respectful manner, not whimsical sentiments filled with false sense of ‘religious’ pride. For that, there is absolutely no reason why ISA or any other law should be used to silent critiques which only certain quarters perceive as threatening to Muslim sensitivities.

Full official statement of condemnation of ISA detention for Teresa and RPK can be found at here."

One Helluva "Free Teresa" Day...

Don't forget to sign the petition to "Free Teresa, Abolish ISA!"

"You light up my life" - Candlelight vigil @ Seputeh last night
(Picture courtesy of Ju Lian)

Plenty to write about but no time to blog.

Have been running around a little like a mad dog - meet local hawkers for breakfast, press conference at Parliament @ 11am on parliamentary caucus to "Free Teresa", filing of Teresa's habeas corpus application at the Jalan Duta Courts @ 12.30pm followed by accompanying Teresa's parents to Bukit Aman for their visit.

That was followed by a press interview on the Budget 2009, a meeting on plans of setting up a special party secretariat and dinner with the family. Then it was off to the candlelight vigil for Teresa Kok at her Kinrara service centre, where I spoke for 15 minutes - asking all BN ordinary members to send in their resignation letters to protest the ISA in disgust - before heading to the Kelana Jaya stadium Malaysia Day celebrations.

No, that wasn't the end, I had to drop in at the tail end of a dinner held by some party supporters before sending home my assistant and reaching home just about midnight. Need to take my shower now and have a good night's rest before starting over again. Thankfully, my trip to Penang tomorrow has been cancelled.

Statement by JIM on ISA

Free Teresa, Abolish ISA! Sign the petition here!

The following is a statement by Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) which is one of the country's leading Islamic movement.

Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia atau JIM, mengasaskan kewujudannya dengan menghayati pengertian al-islah yang membawa maksud pembaikan, pembaharuan serta mewujudkan perdamaian.

They have just released a statement which not only condemned the use of the Internal Security Act as unislamic, but also reaffirmed the position that Teresa Kok was never involved in the so-called "azan" issues in Kota Damansara and Kinrara mosques.

KENYATAAN MEDIA
Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia
14 September 2008

JIM KECAM PENAHANAN AHLI POLITIK, WARTAWAN DAN PENULIS BLOG DI BAWAH AKTA KESELAMATAN DALAM NEGERI (ISA)

Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) mengecam undang-undang tanpa bicara seperti Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dan penggunaannya ke atas Ahli Parlimen Seputeh yang juga Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, Teresa Kok, wartawan akhbar Sin Chew Daily Tan Hoon Cheng dan pengendali laman blog Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

JIM ingin menegaskan bahawa prinsip keadilan amatlah penting dalam perundangan. ISA menyalahi prinsip keadilan kerana mereka yang ditahan dinafikan hak untuk “tidak bersalah sehingga disabitkan kesalahannya”, dinafikan hak bela diri, dinafikan khidmat guaman dan boleh ditahan selama-lamanya tanpa dihadapkan ke mahkamah.

Walaupun wartawan Tan Hoon Cheng kemudiannya telah dibebaskan selepas 16 jam ditahan, namun JIM mempersoalkan penahanan tersebut atas kononnya untuk melindungi beliau daripada ancaman ke atas keselamatan beliau. Ini menurut Menteri Dalam Negeri, Syed Hamid Albar dalam sidang akhbar di Ibupejabat Polis Bukit Aman pada 13 September 2008. Bukankah suatu yang amat pelik apabila seseorang ditahan di bawah ISA untuk menyelamatkan beliau daripada ancaman keselamatan sedangkan lazimnya seseorang ditahan kerana beliau dituduh memudaratkan keselamatan negara?

Apakah dengan ini wartawan tersebut perlu berterima kasih kepada Kerajaan atau sepatutnya menyaman Kerajaan kerana merampas hak kebebasan beliau sebagai warganegara dengan alasan yang tidak munasabah langsung?

Perbuatan menuduh tanpa sebarang bukti adalah perbuatan yang haram dari sudut Syariah, kerana ianya sendiri merupakan sebab utama kepada keadaan huru-hara di kalangan masayarakat yang hilangnya kepercayaan antara satu sama lain.

Firman Allah s.w.t. dalam surah Al-Hujurat ayat 6, penyebaran perkhabaran dan maklumat yang tidak sahih lagi meragukan menyebabkan berlakunya pertimbangan yang tidak adil, lantaran mengundang kepada musibah fitnah yang melanda masyarakat.

Riwayat hadith Ibnu Majah dan Abu Dawud menyebutkan bahawa kadi yang menetapkan hukuman kepada seseorang bedasarkan sumber-sumber bukti yang tidak benar akan dicampakkan ke dalam api neraka sewajarnya cukup menjadi pengajaran bagi kerajaan untuk mengutamakan prinsip keadilan Islam yang rasional berbanding dengan sentimen-sentimen perkauman yang rapuh dalam menjaga kemaslahatan masyarakat.

JIM mengesyorkan mana-mana pihak yang terkesan dengan sebaran awam yang dianggap menghina Islam supaya tampil proaktif dalam memberikan penjelasan yang bernas terhadap isu-isu yang dibahaskan. Islam tertegak di atas nas dan dalil Al-Quran dan Sunnah yang jelas. Tuntutan untuk mengemukakan hujah-hujah Islam secara berhikmah dan beradab sudah termaktub di dalam riwayat hadith-hadith yang sahih.

JIM memandang penahanan wartawan Tan Hoon Cheng seolah-olah beliau bertanggungjawab ke atas kontroversi kenyataan perkauman Ahmad Ismail sebagai tidak wajar kerana Ahmad Ismail dan pengikut beliau sendiri yang sengaja memberikan provokasi perkauman tanpa sebarang kawalan emosi di hadapan wartawan-wartawan.

Penahanan Ahli Parlimen Seputeh, Teresa Kok pula merupakan satu ketidakadilan kerana dakwaan bekas Menteri Besar Selangor keatasnya telah dinafikan sekeras-kerasnya. Malah, masjid di Damansara yang dikatakan disuruh perlahankan bunyi azannya telah memberi penjelasan bahawa azan tidak berbunyi dengan kuat kerana alat pembesar suara azannya mengalami kesulitan teknikal, bukannya kerana ditentang penduduk bukan Islam.

Penduduk bukan Islam di kawasan perumahan sekitar sebuah masjid di Puchong pula dilaporkan hanya memohon supaya diperlahankan penggunaan pembesar suara untuk majlis kuliah bacaan ayat al-Quran, bukannya azan itu sendiri.

JIM berpendirian jelas bahawa apa juga alasan yang dinyatakan kerajaan atas episod penahanan terbaru ini samada sebagai “pencetus polemik ketakutan” atau “pencetus kegawatan”, ianya seharusnya boleh ditangani dengan pelbagai akta lain yang sedia ada.

Tindakan menggertak dan menangkap blogger, wartawan, para pengkritik dasar kerajaan khususnya dari kalangan parti pembangkang tanpa hujah yang konkrit hanya akan mengundang kemusykilan rakyat terhadap motif dan keikhlasan kerajaan dalam melaksanakan perubahan pasca Pilihan raya Umum ke-12 terutamanya dalam konteks lanskap politik negara kini. Tindakan ini hanyalah mengesahkan lagi bahwa ISA digunakan untuk tujuan politik parti pemerintah.

JIM amat kesal dengan tindakan parti politik pemerintah yang sanggup memainkan isu sensitif seperti perkauman dan agama demi untuk menutup pelbagai kelemahan kepimpinan sedia ada. Sebaliknya, adalah lebih baik pihak kerajaan berusaha menyelesaikan pelbagai kemelut yang terjadi di dalam negara sekarang ini tanpa menggadaikan suasana keamanan yang sedia ada. Hentikan politik perkauman, fitnah dan tuduh menuduh tanpa bukti lagi tanpa bicara dan kembalilah kepada Syariat Islam.

JIM menggesa Kerajaan untuk membebaskan Teresa Kok, Raja Petra dan tahanan-tahanan ISA yang lain dengan serta merta atau dakwa mereka di mahkamah. Nasib tahanan yang ditahan dalam tempoh yang lama sehingga 7 tahun juga perlu dibela.

Sebagai anggota aktif gabungan Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI), JIM menyeru rakyat yang prihatin untuk turut tampil membantah ISA dan penahanan berhubungnya melalui program-program yang dianjurkan oleh GMI. Dalam tuntutan keadilan dan kebenaran, tidak ada batasan agama, kaum atau budaya.

Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh
Timbalan Presiden

Free Teresa, Abolish ISA!

Sign the Petition to Free Teresa, Abolish ISA! Forward this petition to all Malaysians via email, SMS, blogs or Facebook.

The Barisan Nasional Government has on the 12 September detained Member of Parliament for Seputeh, state assemblywoman for Kinrara as well the senior state executive councillor for Selangor, Sdri Teresa Kok without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

She has been accused of stirring up racial sentiments by instigating residents to petition against mosques in Kinrara and Kota Damansara to lower the volume of their speakers. Teresa denied these allegations and both mosques have also come out to deny these accusations. There is hence absolutely no basis for the arrest. She has already threatened to sue Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, the former Selangor Menteri Besar and Utusan Malaysia for making and publishing these unfounded allegations.

The arrest of Sdri Teresa Kok,Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the Hindraf 5 as well as others is hence arbitrary, high-handed and a mockery of democracy. By labelling Teresa and others as threats to national security without any shred of evidence is a travesty of justice and a gross violation of human rights.

The petitioners hence resolves that the BN government should not use draconian powers under the ISA to cling on to power and demands the immediate and unconditional release of Teresa, Raja Petra, the Hindraf 5 and other detainees. In addition, we the petitioners demand the immediate repeal of the ISA to prevent abuses that oppresses the fundamental liberties of each and every Malaysian.

As loyal and upright Malaysians, sign the petition today!

Tell Me The Truth!

Thanks to whatalulu for reminding me of what our dearest Prime Minister, or more affectionately known as Pak Lah said (and reported in The Star) just less than 2 weeks ago!

The media must not be afraid of honest reporting while upholding truth and justice, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said the media should also not feel apologetic when reporting the facts.

Yes, and your reward under his adminstration will be a stint in Kamunting. What a [fill in your own expletives here] liar and hypocrite.

BN Lost The Plot

(Update: This post was written before Teresa Kok, DAP National Organising Secretary, MP for Seputeh, ADUN for Kinrara as well as Senior State Exco for Selangor was arrested. Bloody hell)

The DAP is completely shocked by the total abuse of power by the Barisan Nasional Government in arresting Tan Hoon Cheng, a reporter with Sin Chew Daily who reported the statement by UMNO Bukit Bendera division chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail who called the local Chinese as “penumpang” in Malaysia.

The Barisan Nasional government has completely lost the plot for she only reported the factual truth that is what Datuk Ahmad Ismail said, nothing more and nothing less. But arresting Tan, the Government only seeks to punish those who are truthful, instead of those who has committed the crime of inciting racial hatred.

This sinister development which follows closely after the arrest of popular blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin is a clear cut attempt to silence both the mainstream and the online media from reporting what is fair and true, which is against the vested interest of Barisan Nasional.

With the latest development, we want to reach out across the political divide to our political opponents in MCA, Gerakan and MIC, parties who have expressed dissatisfaction with the UMNO leaders who have expressed statements which incites racial sentiments.

Will MCA, Gerakan and MIC demonstrate to the people that after the punishment they received in the hands of the rakyat in the last general elections, they have understood the sentiments of the people and the need for drastic reforms.

A government which will go to the extent of abusing its powers detaining a simple reporter has lost all moral authority to rule the nation.

There can be no better time now to stand up for the truth, justice and integrity, and take immediate actions to demonstrate disgust with the actions of the police and the Government.

For the general public out there, please visit, call, sms and write to the MCA, Gerakan and MIC MPs and ADUNs to speak up for the innocent and do what is right for this country of ours which we love so much! Or they shall be damned forever politically for supporting a corrupt and oppressive Barisan Nasional government.

Release Raja Petra NOW!

The DAP strongly and unreservedly condemns the undemocratic and draconian measure by the Barisan Nasional Government of utilising the Internal Security Act (ISA) to detain popular blogger, Raja Petra Kamaruddin for his vocal criticisms against the Government.

We demand for his immediate and unconditional release from detention under ISA. This demand includes the immediate and unconditional release of other political prisoners, detained without trial for their anti-Barisan Nasional views such as the Hindraf 5 who were arrested in December last year.

If Raja Petra has committed any wrongs under Malaysian laws, the Barisan Nasional government should charge Raja Petra accordingly in open court. Under our laws, a man is innocent until proven guilty.

The reluctance of the federal government is pursuing the matter in open court reflect its ill-intent to protect dark vested interests. This move to utilise the ISA against a blogger who has not demonstrated any violent “terrorist” tendencies marks a clear cut abuse of power by the Prime Minister and his Home Affairs Minister.

This signals a growing desperation among Barisan Nasional politicians, and more sinisterly, a possible start in draconian crackdown against all BN critics in this country.

The Government's move will only strengthen the resolve of DAP and its Pakatan Rakyat partners as well as the Malaysian public that a change in Government is not only preferable, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that Malaysia will have a bright future ahead.